Scott McMullen

Scott McMullen spent much of his final two seasons at Ohio State waiting behind Craig Krenzel.

He wasn’t nameless or irrelevant. But playing behind the quarterback who had just led Ohio State to a national championship probably wasn’t easy.

There wasn’t much reason for Jim Tressel to make a change at quarterback. McMullen’s job was to prepare, stay ready, and understand that his opportunity would usually come only when something happened to Krenzel.

He had already gotten a taste of that earlier in 2003.

With Krenzel recovering from an elbow injury, McMullen started wins over Bowling Green and Northwestern. So, when Ohio State needed him again on Nov. 1, he wasn’t stepping into completely unfamiliar territory.

This time, however, the circumstances were a little different.

Ohio State entered Happy Valley ranked No. 8 and found itself in trouble against Penn State. The Buckeyes trailed 17-7 late in the second quarter when Krenzel suffered a concussion and couldn’t continue.

That meant the offense belonged to McMullen.

This wasn’t garbage time or a chance to take a few snaps with the outcome already decided. Ohio State needed somebody to help save the game, and the senior backup suddenly became the most important quarterback on the Buckeyes roster.

McMullen responded by completing 12 of 17 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns, both to Michael Jenkins.

The second one mattered most.

Ohio State trailed 20-14 late in the fourth quarter when McMullen took over for what became the biggest drive of his Ohio State career. He completed all seven of his passes on the 72-yard march, eventually finding Jenkins for a five-yard touchdown with 1:35 remaining.

The extra point gave Ohio State a 21-20 lead.

Penn State still had one final chance. The Nittany Lions moved into position for a desperation 60-yard field goal on the final play, but the kick fell short and wide right.

Ohio State escaped with a one-point win.

Krenzel is still the quarterback most people remember from that team. Jenkins was the star receiver who caught the winning touchdown. But the guy delivering the football that day was the senior backup who had spent the previous two seasons preparing for moments that usually belonged to somebody else.

There’s something very Scarletude about that.

Most of us spend a lot of time preparing for things without knowing exactly when the opportunity will come. You work. You learn. You sit behind somebody with more experience. You watch other people get recognition while wondering when your chance might arrive.

Sometimes it doesn’t arrive when you expect it. Sometimes you get a couple of opportunities, then return to the background and have to keep preparing anyway.

And sometimes it arrives with your team down 10 points in Happy Valley.

Being second on the depth chart can make it easy to believe your preparation matters less. It doesn’t, and every coach knows it. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are dealing with their own version of that right now. The starter gets most of the snaps, headlines and attention, but the backup still has to prepare like his number could be called at any moment.

McMullen’s number was called several times during the 2003 season.

On this afternoon, he didn’t need to become Craig Krenzel. He didn’t need to prove that he should have been the starter all along. He simply needed to be ready for the opportunity in front of him.

For a couple of quarters on a Saturday afternoon in Happy Valley, Ohio State depended on Scott McMullen.

And Scott McMullen was ready.

Scarletude Mental Health Tip

Who Can I Become Next?

Scott McMullen’s football career didn’t end at Ohio State. He spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Columbus Destroyers and later returned to Granville High School to coach quarterbacks. But eventually his life moved in a different direction.

McMullen built a career in education. He served as Dean of Collegiate Studies at The Charles School in Columbus, and according to his current professional profile, he remains affiliated with The Graham Family of Schools.

There’s a mental health lesson in that because we sometimes attach too much of our identity to what we do. Without that title or role, we worry about who we really are and fear losing part of ourselves.

But McMullen wasn’t just an Ohio State quarterback. Football was one chapter of his life, not the entire story. When that chapter ended, he found other ways to contribute and eventually worked with young people in education.

That happens to all of us. Jobs change. Kids grow up. Relationships change. Bodies get older. Something we were once known for may disappear.

When that happens, the question isn’t, “How do I get the old me back?”

The question is, “Who can I become next?”

Your previous chapter helped shape you.

It doesn’t write the rest of the book.