COLUMBUS – Six former Ohio high school greats, including Champion’s Randy Gradishar, were inducted into the OHSAA Circle of Champions this weekend.

Joining Gradishar were Lisa Cline, Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells, Troy Smith, Bob Golic and Lou Holtz. All were recognized at halftime of the Division II boys state championship game at Value City Arena.

“It’s great,” said Gradishar, who was a football and basketball star for the Golden Flashes before becoming a football standout at Ohio State and in the NFL. “I’ve been (on campus) since this morning. Every time I come back here it’s a heartwarming experience.”

Gradishar was a two-time All-American linebacker at Ohio State before the Denver Broncos selected him in the first round (14th overall) of the NFL draft in 1974. He spent 10 years in the league, all with Denver, was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and was elected the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1978.

Cline led her Millersburg West Holmes basketball team to back-to-back state titles in 1984 and ’85. She followed that with a playing career at OSU.

Wells was an All-American tailback at Akron Garfield before joining the Buckeyes. He played four years for the Arizona Cardinals before tearing an Achilles tendon in 2013. He hopes to return to the NFL.

Smith played quarterback for Cleveland Glenville. He, too, continued his career at Ohio State and won the Heisman Trophy in 2006.

Golic played football at Cleveland St. Joseph, Notre Dame and the NFL. He played 14 years as a defensive lineman in the pros, half of those with the Browns. He also won the state heavyweight wrestling championship in 1977.

Holtz played football at East Liverpool and Kent State but is best-known for his coaching career. He was on Woody Hayes’ staff during the Buckeyes’ run to the 1968 national championship. He served as a head coach in the collegiate ranks for 33 years and led Notre Dame to the 1988 national title. He is currently a college football analyst on ESPN.

Holtz, who attended Ohio State’s spring practice Saturday, credits his success to Hayes.

“Woody Hayes was the greatest influence in my life, with the possible exception of my wife,” he said. “I coached like Woody. Urban (Meyer) coaches like I did. Bo Schembechler coached like Woody.

“Woody’s going to be here forever because he passed on to other people. At Ohio State’s practice this morning, the last thing Urban talked to them about was to meet with their people on what their plan is all about, and how they’re going to help other people after football. I’m sitting there thinking, ‘this could be Woody Hayes.’

“I’m proud of what Urban’s done. It’s impressive to watch his practices, the organization, the intensity. The focus this Ohio State football team has is impressive.”

Meyer was an assistant to Holtz at Notre Dame.

Gradishar, Golic and Holtz were together at a news conference Saturday afternoon. Gradishar has always been known as a quiet type while Holtz’s humor is evident on ESPN. But it was Golic who held court with quips in response to every question and interjecting his wit even when he needed to interrupt someone else’s answer.

When asked about the difference between high school football now and when he played, he quickly smiled and said, “Yeah, we’d dominate. We could take them. We’re faster, we’re stronger.”

He was then asked about being known as the “other Golic” in reference to his brother Mike, co-host of ESPN’s Mike and Mike Show.

“He knows where he stands. He knows the pecking order. I can still take him.”

At one point he turned to Gradishar and said: “How cool is that, to be at a school where the name is Champion? It’s like when I was at Notre Dame we had a bar called The Library and whenever mom called we’d tell her we were at the library. You didn’t have to lie. At Notre Dame we used to hear you didn’t have (any) library.”

Golic spoke of how tough wrestling was. Holtz interjected that he was a heavyweight so he didn’t have to worry about making weight.

Golic replied: “I was the one looking at their little bags because they couldn’t eat until they weighed in. I’d be like, ‘man, I’m taking your Twinkies.’ “