FanHouse AntonioHenton

When Antonio Henton is an old man, he'll have a lot of memories of his time in Columbus, Ohio as a member of the Ohio State football team. He'll be able to tell his grandchildren about the time he offered that undercover police officer $20 for sex, and about those six passes he got to throw in Ohio Stadium, one of which was for a touchdown.

Then he'll get to tell them about how the Buckeyes recruited freshman phenom quarterback Terrelle Pryor, basically ending any chance Antonio ever had of becoming a starter, and he decided to transfer to Georgia Southern.

Several sources close to the team said that Antonio Henton is expected to transfer to Georgia Southern. Coach Jim Tressel refused to confirm the move, saying only that Henton "is a good kid." As of last night, sources said Henton had not told team officials he was leaving.

It's hard to blame Henton for the decision because he didn't leave his home state of Georgia for Ohio State to sit on the bench for five years. Plus, going to a new school will help him get a fresh start after the legal troubles and suspension he had to deal with in Columbus. Not to mention that he'll be reunited with his high school coach, Rance Gillespie, who is now the offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern.

As for the Buckeyes, while Antonio's departure is not the end of the world, it doesn't leave much experience behind starter Todd Boeckman. Henton was the QB #2 on the roster, and will now be replaced by two freshman in Joe Bauserman and the aforementioned Pryor, neither of which have thrown a pass as a Buckeye.

It's been a story that's baffled me a bit this season. Back in September, Ohio State backup quarterback Antonio Henton was arrested for soliciting a prostitute and was suspended indefinitely by the team. Later, Henton plead guilty to the charges, paid his fine, and was allowed back onto the Buckeyes roster.

Of course, what baffled me is why a Buckeyes quarterback would ever have to pay for sex in Columbus. I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now. Well, now Antonio has gone and blown my mind again because even though he's pled guilty to the charges, this week he's maintaining his innocence in the matter.

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Henton said during the Buckeyes' bowl media day at the Louisiana Superdome before Monday night's title game against LSU. "The police officers pulled me over to the corner. Like anybody else I stopped, and she was harassing me. Then it got flipped around, the story got flipped around. So of course they're going to take the officer's side of the story."

Henton said when the female officer beckoned to him, she asked him what he wanted to do and he asked, "What do you mean?"

"I guess because of me saying 'For what?' she took it as a price, that she was throwing a price out at me," he said. "It really wasn't nothing like I was looking for sex or whatever."

Back in September of this season, Ohio State third-string quarterback Antonio Henton got in some trouble with the law when he was picked up for soliciting a prostitute that turned out to be a cop. Putting aside the mind-boggling question of why a quarterback at Ohio State would feel the need to turn to a prostitute for some lovin', Henton pled guilty to the charge and will now be reinstated after spending the last six weeks on suspension.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Ann Taylor waived a fine on the reduced charge and ordered Henton to pay $156 in court costs. The original first degree misdemeanor charge of soliciting prostitution carried a fine of up to $1,000 and jail time of up to six months.

"It was all a misunderstanding," said Henton's attorney, Jim Phillips, "but Antonio wanted to get back to life."

Obviously none of this will have an impact on Saturday's game against Michigan, since barring some sort of catastrophe, Henton will not see a second of playing time.

Though if nothing else, it should give some Michigan fans along the Ohio State sidelines plenty of material to rain down upon Henton during the game.

...as in sexytime game. Las chicas and all that. Not "any time Notre Dame takes the field" sort of world's worst game. Not Henton at right, btw.

As Tom Fornelli mentioned this AM, this is possibly the most unbelievable arrest in the history of college football:

Antonio Henton, OSU's 3rd string quarterback, was arrested on a charge of soliciting a prostitute. I've seen nothing in the way of details beyond that he was arrested at 6th Ave. and High St.

You are a quarterback at Ohio State who could sorta kinda be confused with Troy Smith if you squint real hard and adhere the "players can only be compared to people of their own race" principle, which everyone does. To pay for sex is like... whoah. Can we think of a pickup line that would fail?

I am a quarterback for the Buckeyes. SUCCESS
I'm Troy Smith! SUCCESS
I only turned the ball over like three times in the spring game. SUCCESS
It's all about supression. SUCCESS
Let me show you where Jim Tressel touched me. SUCCESS [He points to his heart, people! Awwww. Not a sexual molestation joke at all!]

I'm Stanley Jackson! FAIL
FAIL
FAIL
FAIL

Update: Charges dropped. Alas!

What is with college football players and prostitutes these days? Do they not realize that they are football players? If you want a girl, go to a bar and pick up some naive freshman girl like everybody else does. It's really not that hard to do.

The latest player to get in trouble with a prostitute is Ohio State freshman quarterback, Antonio Henton. Henton was arrested last night in Columbus for soliciting a prostitute that was really an undercover cop. Henton was in court this morning and plead not guilty. His bail was set at $2,500.

Why Henton is pleading not guilty I have no clue. Dude, you told an undercover cop you'd give her $20 for sex. How the hell are you going to spin that one?

As a result of all this, Henton has been suspended indefinitely by the Buckeyes.

"It's a great disappointment for our Buckeye football family, and we are very concerned for Antonio," Tressel said in a statement. "We want to help him utilize any available resources, including counseling, to deal with any problems and seek solutions. Antonio is keenly aware of the standard we have for ourselves, and that makes this even more disappointing.

"Antonio will not lose any academic privileges as an Ohio State student, but he will certainly be suspended indefinitely in terms of his athletic privileges. Specifically in the short term, he will not be traveling with us to Minnesota this weekend."

Maybe Antonio can use his free time this weekend by learning how to pick up woman the old fashioned way. By getting them really drunk first.

(via Deadspin)

It's not exactly a surprise or anything, but Jim Tressel made it official last night and named Todd Boeckman the Buckeyes starting quarterback this Saturday against Youngstown State.

"Todd Boeckman is the guy that's going to have the first chance to go out there and be nervous and have some fun," coach Jim Tressel said on Tuesday. "He's been waiting so long for this opportunity. He's been studying hard, paying close attention. He knows who we are and what we want to do."

Congratulations, Todd. There's no pressure or anything with the gig. I mean, all you have to do is replace a Heisman Trophy winner who led the Buckeyes to an appearance in the title game last January. Go get em, champ!

Boeckman came into the spring at #1 on the Ohio State depth chart, and he kept himself there by outplaying Rob Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton in practice.

Of course, practice is a lot different than playing in an actual game, and though Boeckman does have some game experience, it isn't much. The fourth-year junior has only thrown 10 passes in six games during his career in Columbus. Luckily the Buckeyes face a schedule to start the season that consists of Youngstown State and Akron before they head west to play Washington. Boeckman should be able to work out any kinks in those first two games before he faces any real challenges.

Besides, all he really has to do is turn around and hand the ball to Chris Wells.