ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN—It’s a tradition unlike any other at The Ohio State University.

  • They are two of the most senior ranking sousaphone players in the band
  • They already dotted the “I” this year
  • They say getting to do it in one of the most storied rivalries of all time made it more special

Dotting the “I” in the Script Ohio is one of the greatest honors for members of the Ohio State Marching Band. 

And for seniors Adam Brott and Brett Wiemken, getting to do it in one of the most storied rivalries of all time made it that much more special.

“One of the coolest honors of my life to be able to do that with this band for this week. And especially like a school as big as Ohio State,” said Brott. “Going from a number in my very huge math lecture my freshman year to dotting the “I” at the Michigan game, it just seems like a really cool thing to do for the university.”

Brott and Wiemken are two of the most senior-ranking sousaphone players in the band, so they’ve already dotted the “I” this year.

But, of course, the Michigan game is different. 

“The fans up there, they boo us every single time we touch the field,” said Wiemken. “And it’s a great energy. When you’re getting cheered on here at the Shoe here, it’s pretty awesome, it’s pretty great, it’s a lot of positive energy. But up there, it’s all 100% negative energy as soon as we touch the field. Personally, I like it a little bit more. I think it just adds to the rivalry.”

For Wiemken, this rivalry has always been a part of his life.

“This one is a little closer to home. I’m from Northwest Ohio, so I’m used to the rivalry getting pretty intense up there,“ said Wiemken.

At late-night band practices, the seniors practice their form of the famous “I”-dotters of years past.

“It’s very unnatural body motion to get a good chair step and then kick from the chair step and kind of strut your body out like that,” said Wiemken.

To make sure the fans, friends and family in the crowd enjoy it just as much as they do.

“I want to put on a show for them. I want the picture to look great too… that way I can kind of reminisce when I’m old and looking back on it,” said Wiemken.

Both seniors say all that hard work and late-night practicing makes it all worth it.

“Hearing the crowd and everything, that was definitely one of the Bucket List moments,” said Brott.