College football is one of America’s most popular sports, and as the sport keeps growing, it keeps changing. Much has been said about the new era of college football, with name, image and likeness allowing for student athletes to get paid and the transfer portal allowing players to move schools easier than ever.
One player that has taken advantage of the portal to return to a place he called home for over four years is Ohio offensive tackle Shedrick Rhodes Jr. This homecoming means a little extra to the McDonough, Georgia, native.
“To be able to come back and do it in a place where I planted my roots, it's a different feeling,” Rhodes said. “Honestly, I can't really put too much words into it, other than I kind of get chills when you mention it, because, man, you can see the past four or five years of my life happened on that field.”
Rhodes wasn’t always a Bobcat; the offensive lineman started his football journey in Georgia playing his high school football in a football-crazed part of the country at Eagles Landing Christian Academy, a private school just over 30 minutes outside of Atlanta.
“Georgia football is kind of everything, honestly,” Rhodes said. “It's definitely a big thing. And it is a culture, something that everybody rallies around, high school, rec ball, all of that, everybody comes around it.”
From there, Rhodes was recruited by former Ohio head coach Frank Solich and offensive line coach Allen Rudolph, instantly making Athens feel like home, despite the far distance between Ohio and Georgia.
“I didn't know Ohio University existed until I started getting recruited by them,” Rhodes said. “But I came up here with good spirits and ready to go. Honestly, I wasn't too worried about being too far from home, because my coaches made me feel like I would be taken care of regardless.”
Rhodes’ first year as a Bobcat was in 2020, the last year with Solich at the helm during the shortened three game season, and the year he redshirted. Rhodes immediately began contributing the next year under first year head coach Tim Albin, playing in 11 games during a tough 3-9 season.
“I learned that the little things matter the most,” Rhodes said on the 2021 season. “I think that's what really flipped our switches, when we started focusing on the little things. The next year, our mantra was 1-0, and just being 1-0, every day, every play, every practice.”
That 1-0 mentality paid off for both Rhodes and Ohio, as they won 10 games and made a trip the MAC title game in 2022, and followed it up with another 10-win season in 2023. During that stretch, Rhodes played in 26 games and started 24 of them, anchoring the offensive line at the tackle position.
Following the 2023 year, Rhodes was one of many Bobcats to take the leap of faith into the transfer portal, betting on himself and transferring to Rutgers that offseason before the 2024 season.
“I felt like I was playing pretty well, I was getting a lot of recognition everything, obviously, the big stages are nice places to be,” Rhodes said. “I thought that I was playing at a caliber level that I could go and take a shot on myself. And so I did, I feel like if you don't bet on yourself, nobody else will.”
Rhodes played in two games as a Scarlet Knight, learning lessons about football and his future despite not seeing the field much.
“You have to advocate for yourself,” Rhodes said. “Everything that you do. You have to make sure that you have you before everybody else does.”
While Rhodes was in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Ohio had arguably the best season in program history, winning 11 games and the MAC title. Rhodes rooted on the winning team and its season from afar.
“Ohio was still a thought for me, because I helped build that culture, that winning culture, and I feel like it was still a part of me,” Rhodes said. "I really watched a lot of the games … I had one of the biggest smiles on my face when they won the MAC, because I still felt like I was part of it.”
Rhodes transferred back to Ohio after the 2024 season for his last season of eligibility after some talks with head coach Brian Smith and new offensive line coach Tavita Thompson.
Despite not having the closest relationship with Smith during his time as a Bobcat, and not knowing coach Thompson from his time at Ohio, Rhodes transferred back with the knowledge that the new staff would be perfect for him.
“I really (had) no quarrels about who I was coming back to be around,” Rhodes said. “It was just a decision that came together for me all around with school and football, and I thought it was just a great place for me to come back.”
Rhodes and Ohio have gotten off to a great first half of the year, nearly beating his old team in Rutgers after losing 34-31, and upsetting West Virginia the next week.
After Ohio’s Homecoming victory against Northern Illinois, the Bobcats sit at 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the MAC, primed to make a run at becoming back-to-back MAC champions. Although the Homecoming win was huge for the program, playing in that game wearing the green and white and walking for his senior day with his meant a little something extra for the veteran tackle.
“I feel like playing in front of your people, especially when they're coming from far away, it's one of the best feelings ever to be able to say that all the work you put in paid off,” Rhodes said. “You know that they're proud of you, and that they also get that recognition, because without them, there's no me.”
