The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding motorists of the increase in deer-involved crashes during this time of year.

Since 2019, there have been 109,507 deer-involved crashes on Ohio roadways. While 95% of deer-involved crashes only resulted in property damage, 44 crashes were fatal and resulted in 45 deaths. Additionally, from 2019-2023, 47% of these crashes occurred in October, November and December, with 22% occurring in November alone.

The most crashes involving deer have happened in Stark (3,138), Richland (2,880), Hancock (2,725) and Defiance (2,560) counties. Combined, these four counties accounted for 10% of all deer-involved crashes. Additionally, more than 100 deer-involved crashes have happened in all but one Ohio county since 2019.

Simple tips to avoid an animal collision are: scan the road ahead, use high-beam headlights when able, be extra cautious at dawn and dusk and if a collision is unavoidable, brake – don’t swerve to stay in your lane.

A statistical map containing deer-involved crash information can be found here.

Generally speaking, it’s easy to get a kick out of the specialists who play for Ohio State football.

Punters and kickers can be wacky individualists, given that they play a unique role on their teams. But because they also lack the celebrity status of their teammates, they can also be the most like the average student of any Buckeye.

It often produces a delightful mix of quirky and down-to-earth.

So it is with Drew Basil.

“When I was still in high school, my brothers would come out and kick with me,” he told The Dispatch explaining how he got good enough to join the Buckeyes. “They would try to distract me in ways I wouldn’t mention.”

Press him a little bit on that point, though…

“Josh would moon me, and Kyle would be flashing me,” Basil explained. “They’d be right next to the ball and trying to make me laugh while I was kicking.”

The Chillicothe native played at OSU from 2010 to 2013. During that time he made 169 of his 173 extra-point attempts, including a streak of 58 straight in his final season. He made 33 of his 42 field goal attempts.

Still, when Urban Meyer took over from Luke Fickell, the head coach for one season following the departure of Jim Tressel, Basil had to work extra hard to be accepted.

“It took a while for coach Meyer to call me by name,” Basil recalled. “That’s fine. I knew who he was talking to.”

In a 26-21 win over Michigan in 2012, Basil connected for four field goals, enabling the Buckeyes to cap their perfect 12-0 season in Meyer’s first year. What made Basil’s feat even more remarkable was that he had come into that game having made four field goals all season, and he struck his career-long, a 52 yarder, that afternoon.

He was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree his senior season. As for his football career beyond that?

“After Ohio State,” he said, “I went to the rookie minicamp with the Atlanta Falcons and did great, and they just said, ‘See you later.’ And then I also went to Canada with the Montreal Alouettes for a training camp and also for a private workout, and both times just got sent home. And then I played a season for the Cleveland Gladiators in Arena football.”

He especially enjoyed playing in the AFL.

“I think that was probably the most exciting football I’ve ever been around,” he said. “You’re on a field about the size of a hockey rink, and to see players getting hit into the wall and everything, it was a lot of fun to watch.”

Basil has stayed connected to football through his role as a special teams coach at Upper Arlington. But naturally, being a kicker, there’s a quirky part to the story, too.

“So, one of my former Ohio State teammates is (Spencer Smith), the athletic director at Upper Arlington,” Basil said, “and me and my wife were living in his basement while our first house was getting remodeled, and he came home one day and said, ‘Hey, Drew, I need a jayvee golf coach.’ I was like, ‘OK. Well, here’s a few people’s names I know that they like golf, and they’re good people.’ And he called all of them, and none of them could make it work with their work schedule.

“He came back and said, ‘Drew, I need a jayvee golf coach.’ “

Basil protested that he knew little about the sport, but Smith had nowhere else to turn.

“So I’ve done that for seven seasons now,” Basil said.

And that’s helped him on the links. Somewhat.

“I maybe lose fewer golf balls,” he said. “But I think most of the kids could beat me on any given day.”

Basil married his college sweetheart, and the two live in central Ohio.

“So the story that I tell everyone is that she chased after me,” he said laughing.

He then explained: “We dated a couple of times, and I would always end it, because personally, I would get scared. But I realized I wasn’t going to find any better than Melissa, and she gave me that third chance, and the third time’s a charm. We’re still on that third chance over 13 ½ years later, and we’ve been married for over eight years now.”

They have two kids, daughter Rennie, which was Melissa’s maiden name, and son Axe, which was the maiden name of Melissa’s grandmother.

“Those were definitely the better options than what I presented,” Basil said. “I had recommended Lisa Banana Basil because it spells the same thing forward and backward, but Melissa was like, ‘Absolutely not.’ “

Melissa runs her own insurance company. Drew has been working in real estate for Sorrell & Company for almost nine years.

“I don’t know that I have had many people that have said, ‘I’m using you because you used to play football,’ he reflected. “A lot of people who use are people who have gotten to know me or come from a referral from someone they trust.”

That might be a little surprising, given Columbus’ reputation for taking care of former football players, but Basil said Melissa, who played softball, was a bigger star than he was on campus. She was well known for the long, black hair that stuck out from beneath her helmet and the bows she wore.

“Little girls would come up to her after the game, right?” Basil said. “And they would be coming up to her asking for autographs, and it was the coolest thing ever to be able to see that.”

Exactly what a quirky, down-to-earth person would say.

Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has been busy — having calls and meeting with U.S. Senate hopefuls trying to take Vice President-elect JD Vance’s seat in the nation’s capital.

President-elect Donald Trump and Vance are set to take office in mid-January, but another race is heating up.

“Some people have already contacted me,” DeWine said during a press conference before the election. “I’ve already met with some people — at their request.”

DeWine has a big decision to make. Vance will need to resign from his coveted Senate seat, and the governor will appoint his replacement.

Back in July, I asked him about the qualities that he wants to an appointee.

Here’s what qualities Gov. Mike DeWine wants to see in his next U.S. Senate appointment

Here’s what qualities Gov. Mike DeWine wants to see in his next U.S. Senate appointment

“I’ll look for someone who wants to get things done every day and will stay focused on it — It’s a tough job, it’s not an easy job,” DeWine told me in July. “We also have to have someone who will be able to stay there a while.”

Building up seniority is important, and a lawmaker can become more effective the longer they stay there, he said.

Republican strategist Bob Clegg said the governor has a lot of options in front of him — but one stands out the most.

“Vivek,” Clegg said. “Same age, same background… He’s coming into politics within the last two years.”

Ramaswamy’s team has told us previously that he wasn’t able to do an interview and we didn’t hear back from him Wednesday. But he told Politico that he was interested.

“If I were asked to serve, I would strongly consider it,” he said.

DeWine could also choose someone with more in common with his own ideology and mild-mannered personality, Clegg said.

“I think he’s got somebody like Jane Timken who wouldn’t fit the typical appointment but is the kind of Republican that he feels comfortable with,” the strategist said.

Jane Timken is a Trump ally who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 and is currently the RNC Committeewoman for Ohio. She didn’t respond to comment Wednesday, but before the election, she told me that it was too early to talk about the vacancy.

The governor said he isn’t sure about the timeline for naming a replacement yet, since Vance still needs to resign his seat. But we do know he has plenty of candidates to choose from.

“We’ve got a few people interested,” DeWine said, laughing.

Onto the names

This list is not exhaustive and only reflects the views of two dozen Ohio political insiders in different offices and professions. Individuals will likely come out of the woodwork to express interest to the governor. This is an updated list to our original from when Vance was announced as the VP candidate. Each of the individuals on this list has been mentioned to me more than five times.

Former candidates

Jane Timken

As mentioned, Timken is one of the most popular names referenced.

Not only does she have a good relationship with institutional Republicans like Rob Portman, but she also appeals to MAGA-esque conservatives.

She would also be the first female U.S. Senator in Ohio history.

Matt Dolan

Clegg had originally thought in July that state Sen. Matt Dolan seemed like an obvious pick but changed his mind this time around. Still, dozens of politicos still suggest Dolan.

The governor endorsed Dolan in the last U.S. Senate Republican primary, but he finished second to Bernie Moreno.

Dolan’s spokesperson denied to comment Wednesday, but previously told us that the senator was focused on the general election.

Frank LaRose

Sec. of State Frank LaRose was mentioned as a possibility. He ran and came in third for the 2024 Republican U.S. Senate nomination. However, Vance and Donald Trump Jr. have routinely criticized and insulted LaRose on social media. It is unclear if that could play into DeWine’s decision.

His team has previously not responded to comment.

Statewide names

Vivek Ramaswamy, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost

Ramaswamy, despite not having run for U.S. Senate before, was also proposed by a dozen insiders.

This could be a political play for the governor.

Ramaswamy, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost are all expected to run for governor in 2026.

By appointing Ramaswamy, Husted (or Yost) could have a thinner primary battle.

“If you’re Jon, what do you think you’re saying to Mike DeWine?” Clegg said, suggesting that Husted wants to clear the field. “What advice are you giving him on who to appoint?”

Husted, DeWine’s second-in-command, has been in politics for more than two decades. He has served as the secretary of state, speaker of the House and state senator.

Although not as frequently brought up as Yost was, Husted is being floated. That being said, appointing Husted could give the LG more name recognition for his gubernatorial run in 2026.

“Today is about celebrating a historic comeback by President Trump and Ohio’s new Senator, Bernie Moreno,” Husted’s spokesperson Hayley Carducci said. “I am sure Governor DeWine, President Trump and Vice President Vance will have a conversation, but today is about celebrating a great victory for Ohio and the America-First movement.”

Yost has been floated the most of the statewide officials.

Yost is also a longtime politician, starting behind the scenes and then working as Delaware County auditor and then prosecutor. Before becoming AG, he was the state auditor.

However, the AG doesn’t want the position and would decline it, his team told me.

“We’re blessed to have a number of candidates who would make a great U.S. senator alongside Senator-Elect Bernie Moreno,” Yost’s campaign spokesperson Amy Natoce said. “Attorney General Yost has always felt called to an executive office, and is actively raising money for a 2026 run for governor.”

Robert Sprague

Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague was brought up by Clegg and numerous other politicos.

Sprague has been working in politics for years. He previously was a member of the Ohio House. Prior, he served as the Findlay auditor and treasurer.

“They’re on the younger side and could do the job and do it well,” Clegg said about Sprague and Husted.

“It is certainly flattering to be a part of that conversation, particularly as the Treasurer considers how he will continue to serve his fellow Ohioans,” Sprague’s campaign spokesperson Dalton Throckmorton said.

Sitting members of Congress

Dave Joyce

Congressman Dave Joyce has been a member of Congress since 2013, representing Northeast Ohio. He is a moderate with views closely aligned with DeWine’s. He chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.

His team did not respond to comment Wednesday, but a source familiar told me that Joyce’s name has come up.

Mike Carey

Congressman Mike Carey was mentioned repeatedly. Carey has been a member of Congress since 2021, representing parts of Columbus and central Ohio. He is known as being slightly more conservative than Joyce. He is the chairman of the House Communications Standards Commission.

“I think of all the congressmen, I think Mike would be the obvious one,” Clegg said.

He didn’t respond to comment.

DeWine’s pick

The choice will likely come before the end of the year. A resignation before the new class of senators takes office helps a new senator get seniority over the elected ones.

“The timeline will be dictated by when Vice President-elect Vance decides to make his resignation effective,” DeWine’s spokesperson Dan Tierney told me Wednesday.

During the press conference before the election, DeWine said the appointment announcement could even come within a few days.

Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.