To receive an Iron Buckeye Award, Ohio State strength coach Mick Marotti says a player must have “unquestionable training, dedication, determination, discipline, toughness and leadership” in offseason workouts.
In 2024, Sonny Styles, Davison Igbinosun and Josh Fryar best fit that description, as Ohio State named those three players as Iron Buckeyes on Tuesday. All three players are first-time recipients of the award.
Iron Buckeyes of 2024
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 5, 2024
@joshfryar2
@sonnystyles_
@DaveIgbinosun pic.twitter.com/AmAk7mPDwM
The last time Ohio State named Iron Buckeyes was on Aug. 3, 2023. Eight players – wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, running back Chip Trayanum, tight end Cade Stover, linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Simon, safety Lathan Ransom and defensive tackle Ty Hamilton – made up the class.
Seven months later, Ohio State’s Iron Buckeye class decreased to three. While such a decrease in number could cause concern, it does not reflect a lack of effort from Ohio State’s players this offseason, according to Egbuka. The senior said Monday that it was the program's best winter in his three-plus years on campus.
“We were all really about our business this offseason,” he explained. “This was one of the best winters we’ve ever had. We were all locked in and focused on our metrics. We were focused on getting stronger and faster in preparation for the spring.”
Styles, Igbinosun and Fryar were all starters for Ohio State in 2023. Styles lined up at safety and recorded 53 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, while Igbinosun collected 59 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups at cornerback. Fryar was the Buckeyes’ right tackle and received first-team All-Big Ten honors for his performance in the regular season.
