Donte Whitner, Brian Hartline, and Terrelle Pryor reflect on being back in the Horseshoe

Many things have changed since Cleveland Browns safety Donte Whitner, wide receiver Brian Hartline, and former-quarterback turned wide receiver Terrelle Pryor last played in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio (The Horseshoe), but they appeared to love being back to their old stomping grounds.

Former Buckeyes, Whitner and Hartline have continued to keep their eyes on what’s going on with the football team at Ohio State. Although the coaches and even the college football postseason format might have changed, the Buckeyes football team continues to have the same mission: to win National Championships as they did in the first College Football Playoff.

“It’s unfortunate what happened that (Coach Tressel’s) not here anymore. Then Urban (Meyer) came in and he took it to another level. He made us this class of college football once again. It’s a first-class organization. He’s just done wonders with the program.”

Whitner, who loved his time in Columbus, reflected back and stated that things are better now than they were with Tressel, who in his decade leading the scarlet and gray, led them to a national championship and two more championship games.

Whitner’s record (from 2003-06) at Ohio State was 29-8, Hartline’s Buckeyes (from 2006-08) were 33-5 and went to two national championship games, and Pryor’s Ohio State  teams (from 2008-10) were 33-6. Those records seem good, but when compared to head coach Urban Meyer’s 38-3 record as the Buckeyes’ head coach so far, it shows how dominant Meyer’s teams have been.

“That’s pretty incredible,” Whitner said, when he was informed that Meyer has won 28 of his 31 games.

Whitner even stated that Meyer has the Buckeyes at the top of the college football universe and even reflected back and mentioned that things are better now than they were with Tressel.

When Hartline was asked about being back on campus, the 28-year old said, “There are a lot of great memories here. We won a lot of football games. Any times you win football games, you can create memories, good memories. We won a lot while I was here.”

He even compared Meyer’s time at Ohio State to Tressel’s tenure.

“I think it’s great (what Meyer is doing). I think it’s very similar to what Tressel was doing,” Hartline said. “He won pretty quickly out of the gates, but it’s all about what you do for the next 10. And I think (Meyer) has the staff and the players and the mentality to do it. I’m excited to watch for the next decade or so.”

Pryor may have sat out the Browns scrimmage Friday night, but he relished every second of being back in the Horseshoe. When Pryor left Ohio State, due to the whole tattoo scandal, he was given a five-year ban from being on campus, a ban that ends in the summer of 2016. Luckily for him, the ban was lifted Friday, so that he could be part of the Browns scrimmage at Ohio State.

In his return back to the campus and city that he once called home for three short years, the 26-year old got to meet Meyer for the first time since the Ohio State head coach came to Columbus.

“I never met him. Last time I talked to him he was recruiting me for Florida,” Pryor said.

With plenty of fan support, Pryor repeatedly mentioned that he wants to come back to Ohio State once the ban is lifted; as long as Meyer wants him to, obviously.

“Absolutely. It’s going to be on Coach Urban if he wants me to. But I love this place,” Pryor said.

Whether it’s the fact that he now has a one-year-old son or that he is just older, it seems as though Pryor has matured since playing for the Buckeyes.

The Browns have made their first trip down to Columbus, but if it leads to them having their 2016 training camp in the capitol of Ohio remains to be seen. It appears that the at least the former Buckeyes on the team would love the opportunity.