Buckeyes wide receiver Xavier Johnson earns 'Block O' jersey honor
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is ready to name its fourth-ever recipient of the newest annual tradition: Xavier Johnson is the Block O jersey honoree.
Johnson is being honored as a cut above even captaincy with the Buckeyes. The sixth-year senior wide receiver got the news of his new jersey number, switching from No. 10 to now having No. 0.
Johnson began his career in 2018 as a walk-on and was a strong practice player for the Buckeyes during the first few years of his career. The senior from Summit Country Day school in Cincinnati earned a scholarship for that hard work and, in the last couple of seasons, became a mainstay on special teams.
But last season, he truly broke out as a go-to wide receiver for Ohio State. Johnson reeled in the go-ahead touchdown in the top-five season-opening win against Notre Dame last year in September, becoming a hero for his late-game catch. But he wasn’t done there, catching a 37-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud in the College Football Playoff against Georgia and playing a big role in that game once Marvin Harrison Jr. went down with an injury.
As good as Johnson was on the field for the Buckeyes last season, he was an even better leader and teammate.
“Xavier Johnson is a dog,” Stroud said after the Notre Dame game last year, praising Johnson. “First of all he’s a man of God. He’s one of the people who constantly keeps me up with my faith in Christ. That just shows you what kind of a hard worker he is.
“He’s one of the first people to take me under his wing when I first got to school and he’s always been a hard worker. He’s kind of crazy in the weight room and he works really, really hard.”
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That hard work and leadership is paying off in a big way heading into Johnson’s final season at Ohio State. He is now just the fourth Buckeyes player to earn the honor of wearing the ‘Block O’ jersey.
About the Block O tradition at Ohio State
The NCAA approved zero on jersey numbers in April of 2020, and Ohio State decided to make it a privilege to wear the jersey. Buckeyes director of football operations Quinn Tempel drew the comparisons in the zero in the font used for the program’s jerseys to the famed Ohio State Block O logo, making it a fit for an annual tradition.
“It really should come from the offseason program and who has put years into the program and who has been through some adversity, who has worked through some things, who has fought through things and really lived our culture,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day told Lettermen Row two years ago about the tradition. “With everything that’s gone on this year and the great tradition that Ohio State has, how can we now create something that can be new? We thought naming the award after Bill Willis would be a great decision because it’s great way we can honor him. So, then you ask who it should be?”
Former Buckeyes defensive end Jonathon Cooper was the first answer to that question. Former offensive lineman Thayer Munford followed it up two years ago year and represented the number as a captain. Last year, it was wide receiver Kamryn Babb‘s turn as the Block O recipient.
