Neck veins emerge like night crawlers after rain when football memories flood Earle Bruce’s mind. Mention a big win or bad loss and the former Ohio State coach sets his jaw, squints and leans into you — exactly as he did while coaching the Buckeyes from 1979 to ’87.
There is some Woody Hayes in there, which is understandable. Bruce briefly played for and coached under Hayes (1966 to ’71) before replacing him. More on that in a minute.
Bruce is 85. But talk football with him and time reverses. The stroke he suffered in August of 2015?