LATEST NEWS: “Devastated, Broken!” Ohio State’s Safety Reflects on Coming Back to the Team Following Injury in 2023

In January, Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathen Ransom revealed his decision to return to Columbus for another football season, emphasizing his deep connection to the team’s brotherhood. “It’s not easy to leave a team. It’s much harder to leave a brotherhood,” Ransom expressed in his announcement. “This football program and this university mean too much to me, and we have unfinished business. After much thought and prayer, I have decided to return to the Ohio State University for my final season in 2024.”

Ransom highlighted his admiration for head coach Ryan Day as a significant factor in his return during a media briefing on Thursday. “I love how Coach [Ryan] Day is getting more hands-on with everybody. I think Coach Day is the best coach in the country. For him to be in there on special teams and coaching everyone to be better and holding the older guys accountable and helping the older guys hold the younger guys accountable I think it’s going to make us an all-around better team.”

The safety’s 2023 season was cut short due to a non-contact injury sustained against Wisconsin in November, resulting in a Lisfranc injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. This marked the second serious injury of his college career, following a leg fracture in the Rose Bowl in 2022. Ransom acknowledged the emotional toll of his recent setback, admitting, “I’m not gonna sit here and lie and say when it first happened, I wasn’t crushed, I was really destroyed.” However, he found solace in his faith and remained optimistic about overcoming the adversity to emerge stronger and more resilient. Ransom anticipates a significant role alongside Sonny Styles in the 2024 season, following Josh Proctor’s decision to declare for the NFL Draft in April.