COLUMBUS, Ohio — It all started before the Texas game in 2005. Ron and Doug Malone, working as Red Coats were outside the Ohio State Buckeye locker room when they heard that co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell was missing his lucky buckeye.
That gave Ron an idea. Ron worked outside the North Rotunda, the last person to see the Buckeyes before they entered the Shoe. He had always looked for a way to do something for the team.
Ron's idea from there on out was to give the team a lucky Buckeye as they entered before every game.
For the next 10 years, Ron stood in the north rotunda giving Jim Trestle, Urban Meyer and Ryan Day a buckeye along with each player. A tradition created by the Malone family that his son Doug called a "labor of love". The tradition became a staple of the pregame routine for the buckeyes until the summer of 2015.
Ron was battling prostate cancer and had to be admitted to The James cancer hospital.
"He wasn't doing so well and my niece tweeted out to the team that dad was in the hospital," Doug said.
It was there that the Malone family reached out to the team, and head coach Urban Meyer along with wide receiver Austin Mac showed up at the hospital to see Ron.
"We were just kind of waiting and then all of a sudden, the door swung open and there was Urban Meyer. Dad's face really lit up and that was a really great day for him," Doug said.
Ron passed away in the fall of 2016. Doug said his dad's legacy will be the way he's helped people and brought smiles to everyone's face.
With Ron passing away, it was up to Doug to continue on the tradition of handing out buckeyes. For the past eight seasons, he has stood in the same spot as his dad grading the team before every home game. Doug says while it can be emotional, he always feels his dad is with him handing out the buckeyes.
"I think my dad's legacy for the most part is really just bringing people together and I not only see that in my everyday life, but I especially see that on Saturday's at the Shoe," Doug said.
The Malone family tradition continues on this day with an added twist from Doug's daughters. Before every game, they gather around the dining room table and write messages to tape onto the Buckeyes.
"When I'm in the north rotunda, I think of dad. I can feel his presence," Doug said.
For this week's game against that team up north, the message is simple: Ohio against the world.