Strong leadership played a crucial role in Ohio State’s run to a national championship last season, but most of the Buckeyes’ veteran leaders from that team are gone.
2024 captains Cody Simon, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson and Jack Sawyer are all now in the NFL. So too are fellow senior starters Will Howard, Gee Scott Jr., Donovan Jackson, Seth McLaughlin, Josh Fryar, JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton, Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom.
As such, Ryan Day has put the call out to his team all offseason, urging new leaders to step up. This summer, Day asked his players to read the book “Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great” to drive home the message that players would need to elevate themselves for the Buckeyes to repeat their success from last season.