Alumni

The Ohio State Club Football program played its first season in 2009 with a mission to offer an opportunity for Ohio State students to continue their passion for playing full-contact football. Since its inception, the Ohio State Club Football program has not only provided an opportunity to continue a football career, but has propelled a handful of student-athletes to new heights.

A number of Ohio State Club Football alumni have gone on to play at the NCAA level for Ohio State’s varsity program. Below are some of our more prominent alumni both on and off the field, with their years played for our program in parenthesis.

Ian Gecse (2024)

Gecse joined the Ohio State Club Football program in 2024 as a sophomore and immediately established himself as one of the best players on the roster. He caught eight passes for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a tight end, but his biggest contribution came in the 2024 NCFA National Championship Game, where he caught two passes for 47 yards, including a 34-yard reception that set up the game-winning score in a 20-13 victory. Gecse also played defensive end for Ohio State, tallying six total tackles and a sack. Gecse was invited to play for Ohio State’s varsity program in the summer of 2025 and was moved to offensive line for Ryan Day’s squad.

Glorien Gough and Zach Hayes (2023)

Gough and Hayes were both offered walk-on opportunities with Ohio State following stellar freshman campaigns as members of the Ohio State Club Football team. Gough, a defensive back for the Buckeyes, posted 38 total tackles and led the team in interceptions with four in 2023. As a wide receiver, Hayes led the NCFA in receptions with 43, accounting for 550 yards and eight touchdowns. He also posted 20 total tackles, one interception, one sack and one fumble recovery as a corner and safety on defense. Both Hayes and Gough were named First Team NCFA All-Americans in 2023 before joining Ryan Day’s squad in 2024, where they both were members of the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship team. They both earned their first playing time with the varsity Buckeyes in 2025, appearing on special teams in a 70-0 win over Grambling State.

Spencer Moore (2019-2023)

Despite not having played a down of high school football, Moore joined the team in 2019 as a quarterback and wide receiver. He earned playing time as a tight end in 2021-22, while also serving as backup QB to Kellyn Gerenstein, and hauled in 13 passes for 184 yards and four touchdowns. He finally got his chance to start at QB in 2023 and did not disappoint, setting program records for single-season passing yards, completions, attempts and set the NCFA league record for touchdown passes, tossing 32 in just nine games. For his efforts, he was named a First Team NCFA All-American and earned NCFA Offensive Most Valuable Player honors, joining Gerenstein as the only Buckeyes to win the award. Following his collegiate career, Moore signed overseas to play professionally in both Germany with the Cologne Crocodiles (2024) and Spain with the Gijon Mariners (2025).

Praise Olatoke (2022)

Despite never playing organized American football before 2022, Praise joined the Ohio State Club Football team in the fall of 2022 and earned a starting spot at receiver after just eight fall practices. Despite catching just seven passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns, he earned a spot with the NFL’s International Player Pathway program in 2023-24. After completing the program, Praise impressed at the NFL IPP pro day and was eventually signed by the Los Angeles Chargers, making him the first club football player ever to be signed to an NFL roster. After being cut by the Chargers, he was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad in September of 2024.

Kellyn Gerenstein (2018-2022)

Arguably the most decorated club football player of all time, Kellyn holds NCFA league records for total career yards, passing yards, overall touchdowns, etc. He is the only player in NCFA history to win two national MVP awards, winning Offensive MVP in 2019 and 2022. He holds the program record for most game started at quarterback and won two national titles (2019, 2021) and three conference titles (2019, 2021-22) in his time with the Buckeyes. In his four seasons, he posted a 24-4 record as Ohio State’s starting QB and became the first Ohio State Club Football player to be invited to participate in Ohio State Pro Day without first playing for varsity program.

Following his playing career at Ohio State, he became the first player to have his number retired by the program. He earned a year-long internship with Ohio State’s varsity recruiting department in 2022-23 before being hired as a recruiting assistant for Boston College in 2024. Following his time with the Golden Eagles, he was hired as a scouting assistant by the Buffalo Bills. He currently resides in Buffalo.

Dr. Geoff Green II (2019)

Even though he played just one season with the Buckeyes, Geoff Green II made a lasting impact on the program. He led the NCFA in all major receiving categories in 2019, hauling in 36 passes for 713 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which set program records at the time. Green was named an NCFA First Team All-American and helped Ohio State win its first ever national title. He then went on to play professional football overseas in both Germany and Spain. He first joined the Frankfurt Pirates in 2021 and after two seasons away, returned to Germany with the Solingen Paladins in 2024. He signed as a free agent with the Gijón Mariners for the final three games of the 2025 LNFA season in Spain, reuniting with former Ohio State teammate Spencer Moore. In his final game with the Mariners, Green caught eight passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, even adding an interception on defense. For his efforts he was named the LNFA’s Player of the Week. He is set to join the Allgäu Comets in the GFL1 for the 2025 season.

Green also spent time on Ohio State’s coaching staff in 2021 and 2022. Green completed his doctorate from Ohio State in neuroscience in 2023 and was also a contestant on the CBS reality show “The Summit,” which debuted in the Fall of 2024. He currently resides in Houston.

Chris Booker (2018)

Booker played just one season for Ohio State Club Football before he was called up to play for Ryan Day’s squad. He spent three years on the roster at Ohio State as a walk-on from 2019-2021 and tallied four total tackles and a forced fumble to go along with two receptions for 27 yards in his varsity career. Booker played in 19 career games, including the 2020 national championship game against Alabama, the 2021 Rose Bowl against Utah and was twice named Ohio State’s Special Teams Player of the Week. He earned training camp invites with the Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Roughnecks (XFL). He still owns the Ohio State Club Football record for yards per catch in a single season (26.5). He currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, where he coaches high school football.

Chris Fong (2013)

Ohio State Football walk-on, 2014-15. 2014 CFP National Champion, 2015 Fiesta Bowl Champion. Earned his Doctorate in Pharmacy in 2022 from Ohio State and works as a Pharmacy Technician at The James Cancer Hospital.

Eli Goins (2014)

Three-year Ohio State Football walk-on, 2015-17. Played in 15 games and collected 13 total tackles for varsity program, winning Fiesta Bowl and Cotton Bowl games with the Buckeyes. Earned training camp invite with Tennessee Titans in 2018. Completed Doctorate in Pharmacy from Ohio State in 2022 and works as a Pharmacy Technician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

De’Shawn White (2017, 2019)

Started his football career at Ohio State with the club program before being invited to walk-on to varsity program midway through 2017 season. Won Cotton Bowl and Rose Bowl championships as a walk-on from 2017-18 before rejoining the club program in 2019 where he was a member of the first national title team in program history.

Jeffie Johnson (2011, 2016)

Two-year walk-on for Ohio State varsity from 2014-15. Won CFP National Championship and Fiesta Bowl championship. Earned one carry for two yards as a member of the varsity squad before playing one additional season for the Club program, where he was named a Second-Team NCFA All-American in 2016.