Defensive back Tyler Moeller's first game back from a head injury suffered more than a year ago brought aggressive hits, confident laughs and the declaration that he's back for Ohio State.
Tyler Moeller (26) looks for someone to block after Brian Rolle intercepted a pass in the second quarter of Ohio State's victory over Marshall Thursday night. Rolle scored on the play.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It wasn't that Tyler Moeller forgot what it was like to be in Ohio Stadium. In the past year, he's heard the roars and seen the raucous cheering, he's felt the electric atmosphere that comes with Buckeyes football games.
But when Moeller sprinted onto the field Thursday night to play his first game in more than a year, it was different. He was back on the field to play, back to hit opponents hard and back to show everyone that he hadn't lost his passion or power. And that he could still hit, and hard.
"I think I had something to prove out there," Moeller said, "and I think I proved that tonight."
After more than a year away from football after suffering a head injury in an off-field incident in Florida, Moeller recorded six tackles, one shy of his career-high of seven in 2008. Playing the Buckeyes' star position, the fifth defensive back on passing downs, Moeller was an aggressive force against Marshall's offense. He helped swarm the run game, was active zipping around the field, and he had the green light to go after Thundering Herd quarterback Brian Anderson on more than one occasion -- which resulted in a third-quarter sack.
He had some jitters, and some over-eagerness at times. But he was just happy to be back on the field, again.
"You don't realize, I was out for a year and a half," Moeller said. "It was just getting back to that love of football, that love of running around and hitting people. I took a pretty long time off and I kind of forgot what it felt like in a game. Tonight when I came out and saw that crowd, that feeling I got ... it all came back."
Moeller suffered a head injury in July 2009 when a Florida man punched Moeller at a bar, causing Moeller to hit his head on the ground and suffer bleeding on the brain that required surgery.
He missed the entire 2009 season, and was back with the Buckeyes for spring practice in April -- but couldn't hit until this fall. He said he went through a subpar training camp, and tried his hardest in recent days to regain the toughness that he feels defines his play.
Teammates think he's rediscovered it.
"We bring him in at nickelback, and he brings that more physical speed to the field," said linebacker Brian Rolle. "He's a guy who knows what he's doing and has played that position since he's been here."
On one play, Moeller chased down a receiver with what Rolle said was "no effort at all." Moeller roared triumphantly and boasted to his teammates that he's got some pretty decent speed.
"I just cracked up," Rolle said, laughing after the game. "I just kept thinking, 'He's back. Tyler's back.'"