No one saw it coming, other than Brandon Hanning.

No one saw it coming, other than Brandon Hanning.

When Ohio University's mascot Rufus fought Brutus during the lead up to the third game of the 2010 season, many fans wondered what happened. Why was this enormous bobcat pummeling our poor scarlet and gray-clad nut? No one saw it coming, other than Brandon Hanning.

The Pomeroy native thought up his plot while in high school, a plot that came sharply into focus when he was named the OU mascot in 2010. As Hanning waited for his opportunity inside his oversized bobcat head, he knew 100,000 people were about to hate him. Then Brutus came running out, and Rufus pounced. The moment went viral, and the blowback was swift-OU banned him from future sporting events, he received threats in the mail, and his social media accounts were maxed out by the notoriety.

Hanning now works for Inland Marine Service, a commercial shipping company that provides staffing for barges transporting everything from scrap metal to molasses. He's a steersman, in training to eventually become a captain. He lives in Athens near the university, and though he only attended OU for that one fateful year, he's still a fan. And what about the infamous tussle, does he regret it now in retrospect? Not one bit, he said. "I think it was a job well done by me."