Hard work, leadership earns six Buckeyes captain status

COLUMBUS — The leadership group was already clear at Ohio State.

Now the vote from the Buckeyes just makes it official who is setting the tone for the four-time defending Big Ten champions.

The program unveiled its six captains on Friday night as training camp winds down and preparation for the season opener ramps up, electing three players on offense and three on defense.

There was no surprise that multi-year starters Thayer Munford and Chris Olave were chosen, though the inclusion of Kamryn Babb speaks volumes about the way the injured wide receiver attacked his recovery process and the respect the roster has for him. Returning All-American Haskell Garrett was also a lock for the honor, and he’s joined on the defensive side of the ball by linebacker Teradja Mitchell — and a blossoming superstar who has found his voice in Zach Harrison.

“[Harrison’s] work ethic is off the charts,” Day said earlier this year. “He’s leading, he’s in front of things — I mean he just looks different.

“Hats off to him for a great offseason. He just has a different look in his eye. There’s several guys that are like that, but he sticks out for sure.”

The Buckeyes have plenty of tone-setters alongside Harrison, of course. And Munford has also become one of the faces of the program thanks to his decision to return for another season and willingness to change positions on the offensive line if needed.

After appearing at Big Ten Media Days last month, it was clear Ohio State was taking their cues from that pair — and Olave was scheduled to join them in Indianapolis before staying home to get his second vaccination shot.

Those three officially represent half of the lineup of captains for Ohio State. The rest of the leadership group is now set as well, and their attention can start to shift solely to helping get the Buckeyes ready for a season opener that is less than two weeks away.