2008 (Junior): rotating starter at tight end … eight-yard catch in Purdue win … 21-yard reception in Fiesta Bowl … third-year letterman

2007 (Sophomore): shared starter’s role at tight end with Rory Nicol …13 catches for 149 yards for season with two scores … also played on two special units …14-yard touchdown catch from Todd Boeckman vs. Michigan State … 15-yard touchdown catch at Penn State … Jim Parker lineman of week: Akron, Washington … second-year letterman

2006 (Freshman): played in 10 games as the No. 2 tight end behind Rory Nicol … had two catches for five yards … caught a 1-yard touchdown in the 44-3 win vs. Indiana, when both he and Nicol started … caught one of three touchdown passes to tight ends against the Hoosiers … other catch, for 4 yards, came at Northwestern

High School: ranked the No. 8 tight end prospect in the nation … in eight games as a senior, caught 22 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns … was named Ohio’s 2005 Division II Defensive Player of the Year after recording 35 solo tackles, 42 assists, 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and three quarterback sacks … 2004 and 2005 first-team all-league, district player of the year and all-Ohio … 2005 Reebok Preseason All-American … team captain as a senior … four-year letterman in football and basketball

Personal: son of Ben and Debby Ballard … a sport and leisure studies major at Ohio State