Terry Glenn died today.
Those were not words I expected to be typing, today, tomorrow or any day in the immediate future.
Glenn perished in a single-car accident just outside of Dallas, and leaves behind three children, a fiancee and a truckload of memories from Ohio State fans. Though he started just one season -- 1995 -- he put together one of the best single seasons in school history -- 64 catches, 1,411 yards (22 yards per catch average) and 17 touchdowns, winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best at his position. He was the most electric presence I had the pleasure to witness in my time covering the Buckeyes, and he absolutely helped break the sound barrier after taking a simple curl pass from Bobby Hoying and sprinting 82 yards for a score in OSU's victory over Notre Dame.
Don't believe me? You will after watching this.
Terry Glenn Runs Away From Notre Dame
I first noticed Glenn at an OSU practice in 1993. He was working against cornerback Shawn Springs, who would go on to become an All-America selection and top five NFL draft pick. Glenn burst off the line, did a hard fake toward the sideline, spun Springs around and got to his inside then took off, waiting for the football to settle in his arms. It did, and he sprinted all the way to the end zone. I recall Springs yelling playfully, "you got me that time, T", and I didn't think much of it after that.
Glenn barely played in 1993 or 1994, but announced himself in that 1995 season by setting a then school record by grabbing nine passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-14 blasting of Pittsburgh.
That 1995 team was the first time in John Cooper's tenure that he really had a team that could win the national title. The Buckeyes had finished 10-1-1 in 1993, but that group wasn't nearly as talented as the 1995 bunch.
I've already mentioned Springs. Add in Eddie George, Bobby Hoying, Orlando Pace, Rickey Dudley, Mike Vrabel, Luke Fickell, among others, and it was easily the first scary collection of talent amassed by Cooper. George won the Heisman, Pace was hailed as one of the best offensive linemen in college history -- and Glenn was what made the team really go.
Glenn didn't wow you as being "track fast" the way Joey Galloway did, but he had football speed. Put him in shoulder pads and have him catch a football and it was guaranteed no one was catching him. Did you notice how he got to top speed in about two steps in that Notre Dame clip? He could take the top off of a defense at any time, and simply loved being on the football field.
If you knew what he had to overcome, you'd know why.
Glenn's mother was murdered when he was only 13 years old, and had little idea what would happen to him and his sister. After bouncing around from home to home as a foster child, best friend June Henley, who went on to star at running back for Kansas, took him in. Eventually, Henley's family adopted the Glenns. While it was a family, it wasn't exactly his family, and he still wasn't sure of himself throughout high school.
Reclusive by nature, and guarded except around people he knew, Glenn put his heart and soul into athletics. Even with gaudy prep numbers, Glenn didn't receive scholarship offers. Feeling most comfortable close to home, he chose to walk-on at Ohio State. That's right, he was a walk on. He eventually earned a scholarship, becoming one of the most dangerous receivers in college football.
I won't pretend that I knew Terry Glenn, other than our interactions after practices and games. But he was always jovial, occasionally funny and always passionate about football. He had big dreams, and an empty spot in his heart for his mother. Though I never heard him say it, it wouldn't be any kind of surprise if he used her death as motivation for excellence.
Glenn went on to be the seventh pick of the 1996 NFL Draft, selected by New England. He set a then-rookie record of 90 catches, but never duplicated that -- largely due to the departure of coach Bill Parcells. Glenn had some off-the-field issues and personal battles, but had a career resurgence when he was traded from Green Bay to Dallas in 2003. The Cowboys coach at that time was Parcells, and Glenn amassed 63 catches for 1,136 yards and seven scores in 2005.
Glenn is a footnote in NFL history, catching the first-ever touchdown pass from an up and coming New England quarterback named Tom Brady.
Glenn had gotten his life together, and even established the 83 Kids Foundation, founded "to establish a caring and loving environment by educating current and potential foster care parents, generate awareness of the challenges facing foster care children, and expand the generosity of charitable organizations nationwide.”
His quiet demeanor belied a consummate competitor, and he strove for greatness. He reached it at Ohio State, belonging in any discussion of the greatest receivers in school history. He was, by all accounts, a great teammate, and reveled in the time he spent on the gridiron. He appeared to be on the path to greatness as a citizen, as well.
It's a shame that we won't get to see the next chapter.
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