DeCree is a member of the Ohio State Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1990)[1] He was also a three-year starter and a three-time All-Big 10 selection at defensive end, having been voted all-conference as a sophomore, junior, and senior.
The defense had solid players from the line— tackle Pete Cusick, to the linebackers— Rick Middleton and Randy Gradishar, to the secondary— Neal Colzie, Steve Luke, and Tim Fox.
Four of DeCree's teammates (Middleton, Gradishar, Colzie, and Fox) all became first-round draft picks in the NFL, as did Archie Griffin, John Hicks, and Kurt Schumacher on offense.
The offensive skill players included Cornelius Greene at quarterback wingback Brian Baschnagel and fullback Pete Johnson and halfback Griffin, who led the Big Ten in rushing, running behind the tackle duo of Schumacher (an All-American) and Hicks (also an All-American) and winner of the 1973 Outland Trophy and the 1973 Lombardi Trophy.
The Big Ten Conference Athletic Directors voted on the tiebreaker situation and sent the Buckeyes to the 1974 Rose Bowl, many citing the loss of Franklin to injury as a key reason.