Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Jack Sawyer and Cody Simon Call Families to Break News of Captaincy

By Andy Anders on August 18, 2024 at 2:16 pm
Cody Simon
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Being named an Ohio State captain puts one into rarified air.

Many great players and leaders have passed through the halls of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, but only a few are selected captains each season, four in the case of the 2024 campaign.

On Sunday, after announcing that wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive end Jack Sawyer and linebacker Cody Simon were the team's captains this year the day prior, Ohio State released videos of each of them calling their families with their coaches to break the news of the honor.

First came Simon, whose father, Mike, was informed by linebackers coach James Laurinaitis that he'd received the most votes for the player-decided captaincy. Simon was also awarded the team's "Block O" jersey wearer for his senior year.

"You got me emotional now, man," Mike Simon said.

Next came Henderson at the side of running backs coach Carlos Locklyn. While Henderson's father has been involved in his life, his mother, Lakeesha Hayes, was primarily responsible for raising Henderson and his two brothers after she and his father split apart. The captaincy call brought a special moment for both of them.

Sawyer's call may have been the most emotional. For a player from the Columbus area who wanted to be a Buckeye all his life and has shown his love for the university at every turn, 

"You just made my year, holy cow," said Sawyer's father, Lyle, while listening alongside his mother, Michelle.

Last and longest to go was Egbuka, whose mother, Rhonda Ogilvie, broke into tears.

"I'm just proud of you," she said. "You've worked so hard."

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