Ohio State marching band to not have guest 'I-dotters' in Script Ohio in 2022

The “incomparable” Script Ohio is set to continue in 2022 for the Ohio State University Marching Band. And band director Christopher Hoch still has some work to do.

Heading into his eighth season as band director, Hoch is still going through the backlog of fourth- and fifth-year senior sousaphone players who have not had the opportunity to dot the I during the band’s signature performance before each Ohio State football game.

In an average year, Hoch said, Ohio State will have four-to-six “I-dotters,” but already has nine scheduled throughout the 2022 season. He is planning to give each eligible sousaphone player their moment before the end of the 2024 season.

So for Hoch and the rest of the band, there’s no time for guest "I-dotters."

Guest "I-dotters" are extremely rare for the Ohio State marching band

In Hoch’s tenure, there have been only two. Former Ohio State football coach Earle Bruce did so before the Buckeyes’ win against Rutgers Oct. 1, 2016 and called it “the greatest honor I've ever received.” Anthony Violi, a former trumpet player for the marching band, dotted the I at age 100 on Sept. 22, 2018, before Ohio State’s win against Tulane.

Even with the backlog of “I-dotters,” Hoch said he gets multiple suggestions of people to be honored each year, most of whom are “very valid people who are deserving in some way,” and are important to the university, the football program or the band.

“It wasn’t necessarily a conscious decision that we want to do this, want to have fewer of these external people dotting the I,” Hoch said. “If there’s somebody very deserving, we’ll certainly consider it. And there are some names that are even now under consideration.

“But you want it to remain a special opportunity and you want that honor to really be special and to really mean something.”

While Hoch doesn’t want to disclose any names of potential guest “I-dotters” in the future — even though an Ohio State band spokesman confirmed former Ohio State football coaches John Cooper and Jim Tressel have been discussed — he did say there were a few people that the band would have extended the invitation to if it had not been for the lost 2020 season due to COVID-19.

Right now, Hoch said, his focus is on the sousaphone players who have been waiting their turn to get the opportunity.

“We want to make sure that we take care of them first,” Hoch said.

Who has been a guest “I-dotter” in Script Ohio for the Ohio Sate band?

• Former Ohio State University president Novice Fawcett — 1971

• Former Ohio State Band head composer Richard Heine — Nov. 2, 1974 vs. Illinois

• Former Ohio State Marching Band director Jack Evans and wife Carol Evans — 1975

• Comedian Bob Hope — Oct. 21, 1978 vs. Iowa

• Former Ohio State Band director Paul Droste and wife Anne Droste — Sept. 10, 1983 vs. Oregon

• Former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes — Oct. 29, 1983 vs. Wisconsin

• Former Ohio State ticket director Robert Ries — Sept. 14, 1985 vs. Pittsburgh

• Boxer James "Buster" Douglass — Sept. 9, 1990 vs. Texas Tech

• Former Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee — 1995

• Seniors on the 2002 Ohio State football national championship team — Jan. 18, 2003 at team celebration

• Former Ohio State student and golf legend Jack Nicklaus — Oct. 28, 2006 vs. Minnesota

• Former astronaut John and Annie Glenn — Sept. 5, 2009 vs Navy

• Former Ohio State graduate and businessman Les Wexner — Sept. 3, 2011 vs. Akron

• Former Ohio State Band director Jon Woods — Nov. 19, 2011 vs. Penn State

• Former Ohio State football coach Earle Bruce — Oct. 1, 2016 vs. Rutgers

• Former Ohio State marching band member Anthony Violi — Sept. 22, 2018 vs. Tulane

Which notable Ohio State alumni have not "dotted the I?"

• Former Ohio State football coach John Cooper

• Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel

• Former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer

• Former Ohio State graduate and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens — died in 1980

• Former Ohio State basketball player John Havlicek — died in 2019

• Former Ohio State running back and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin

• Former Ohio State running back and Heisman winner Eddie George

• Former Ohio State quarterback and Heisman winner Troy Smith

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Will Ohio State's marching band have a guest 'I-dotter' in 2022?