COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gary Danielson was at an all-state banquet in 1968, sitting alongside other Michigan high school standouts of the time — a list including Joe DeLamielleure, Brad Van Pelt, Glenn Doughty and Randy Logan, among others.
It was at this event legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, the speaker for the ceremony, made a “pretty good” recruiting pitch to Danielson.
“I could come down there and win the national championship with the Buckeyes,” Danielson remembers being told.
It was a valiant effort from the decorated coach, even if he could predict the outcome.
“He knew that I wasn’t a perfect fit for what he wanted to do,” Danielson said. “He didn’t think he’d have much of a chance to land me.”
Hayes was right. Danielson wound up at Purdue, where he became a dual-threat option and one of the Big Ten’s most accurate passers of the previous century.
However, his football journey did bring him to Ohio eventually.
Danielson worked through the Canadian Football League and World Football League after his collegiate career ended in 1972. He finally got his shot as an NFL player in 1976 when he signed with the Lions before joining the Browns nearly a decade later.
While in Cleveland, he learned about a Midwestern state entrenched in football.
“I love Ohio,” Danielson told cleveland.com this week.
Forty years after taking his first snap with the Browns, Danielson is gliding through the final season of a decorated broadcasting career.
He’ll be on the airwaves Saturday for CBS calling a matchup between Washington and the school that once recruited him.
Gary Danielson on Julian Sayin
Danielson’s best season with Purdue came in 1971, when he completed 61.7% of his passes — a Big Ten record until 1985 — and threw a conference-best 10 touchdowns. The historic season started in Seattle, where the Huskies handed the Boilermakers a 38-35 loss.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind place,” Danielson said. “The players have to really concentrate on the field because your eyes can wander because of the beauty that’s surrounding you there.”
That’s just part of the difficult task at hand for Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin who will be making his first collegiate road start at Husky Stadium.
Danielson watched last season as some of college football’s best teams were led by veteran quarterbacks, including Ohio State with Will Howard. While there were lows along the way, Howard’s experience helped the Buckeyes manage their way to a national title.
Sayin — who Danielson called an “elite thrower” — doesn’t have Howard’s level of experience. However, with the 12-team College Football Playoff, he has time to gain it while, as Danielson said, learning to fly through storms.
“Nobody wants to lose a game, but I think this Ohio State team, like last year, will be playing their best football when they enter the playoffs,” Danielson said.
What Gary Danielson sees in Ohio State’s stars
The 3:30 p.m. CBS slot has been a staple in the college football schedule, and for much of its existence, it hosted the SEC’s top game each week.
It allowed Danielson to watch some of the sport’s greatest stars, ranging from Joe Burrow at LSU to Cam Newton at Auburn.
He’s also seen elite freshmen come through the SEC. The last two years in the Big Ten have been no exception, with Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith showcasing one of the best starts to a collegiate career.
“If you have a great player like that, you must make the defense identify him on every play,” Danielson said. “You have to use him early in the game to make sure the defense has a safety leaning toward him on every play.”
Danielson compared Smith to Cooper Flagg — the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The only difference: Flagg could leave after an elite freshman season. Smith can’t go to the NFL until after his junior season.
He said the same about Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, who Danielson called a “bigger Honey Badger” — a reference former LSU All-American safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Danielson watched Downs emerge as a star freshman with Alabama in 2023. His impact has only grown since transferring to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season.
“I was thinking that he was almost like the queen on a chessboard,” Danielson said. “He can do everything on the chessboard. You can put him anywhere and he can attack any part of the offense.”
Gary Danielson’s appreciation for Ohio State and vice versa
Danielson’s time in Cleveland helped him grow an appreciation for fans of football in the state.
He saw what they demanded from the Browns during the Marty Schottenheimer era.
“I loved the fact that we were measured with the history of the Browns of the past,” Danielson said.
He sees a similar level of passion from Ohio State fans.
Ranging from those who cover the team to those taking the field, OSU fans hold people around the program to a high standard. Danielson believes the Buckeyes most-closely resemble what he saw in the SEC.
“It is high expectation, high demands,” Danielson said. “You know it when you come to Ohio State.”
Danielson, along with other greats in the field such as Lee Corso, helped college football become so prominent. His voice, paired alongside CBS play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler, is synonymous with big, can’t-miss moments.
That legacy is recognized by those at Ohio State, even if he never donned the scarlet and gray.
“He’s made a huge impact,” OSU coach Ryan Day said. “It’s bringing college football into people’s living rooms and restaurants. They deserve a lot of recognition for the work they put in… He’s one of the best there has been.”
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