Several Ohio State players have Dublin roots

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) — From high school fields to the national championship, more than 20 players on the Ohio State University college football championship team played high school football in central Ohio. 

“That excitement, you live through those guys and you just want to see them succeed," said Duane Sheldon, Dublin Coffman High School athletic director. 

Six of the players on Ohio State's team played for teams in Dublin. Casey Magyar, Mason Maggs, and Will Smith Jr. all played for Dublin Coffman.  

“When you’re watching those games, whether you’re there live or watching it on television, you’re always looking for those guys," Sheldon said. 

His history with a couple of Dublin's players goes back before high school. He coached Maggs and David Adolph, a Dublin Jerome graduate, in youth basketball. 

“It was great to see them to be very impactful high school athletes through their time at Jerome and Coffman and now to watch them and be a part of that is something special," Sheldon said. 

Chad Ray and Ahmed Tounkara played high school football at Dublin Scioto. Alex Place, head football coach at Dublin Scioto, said having former players on the Buckeyes championship-winning team can motivate and inspire his current team. 

“Seeing those guys on those big stages is huge for us, it shows the type of players we’re able to produce, they’re able to go to an Ohio State and help in any way possible there," Place said.  

Place keeps in touch with Ray and hopes the quarterback ends up using what he learned at Ohio State to help the high school team. 

"Ohio State has a huge impact here in central Ohio, especially in Dublin, but then when you have people on the team, it definitely has more of an impact on your fandom and you wanting to succeed and just seeing them get to that moment and have success was extremely important to Dublin, Ohio," Place said.  

Six of Ohio State's players played high school football in Pickerington.