Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles earns 'Block O' jersey honor

COLUMBUS — The Block O jersey honor is staying inside the Ohio State linebacker room.

Senior linebacker and Central Ohio native Sonny Styles is now the sixth Buckeyes leader to earn the distinction of wearing the No. 0 jersey.

Styles was a clear and obvious choice from the time he made the decision to return for his senior year after the national title win in January. Saturday after the Buckeyes scrimmage, that honor was made official.

“I mean, being able to wear the block O would be an honor,” Styles said last month at Big Ten Media Days in July. “I think the biggest thing obviously, wearing the block O is about the integrity of the character of a person. I think for me, just seeing the guys that wore that number for me, and having a personal relationship with them, and knowing the kind of men they were, they were great men. So for me to wear the same number as them, that would be an honor.”

Of course, Styles is the second straight Ohio State linebacker to win the honor. His teammate and fellow starting linebacker Cody Simon was the Block O jersey recipient last fall as a fifth-year leader and team captain.

Now the fourth-year Styles is following Simon’s lead, becoming a better vocal piece of the operation while, obviously, leading by example.

Sonny Styles is everything Ohio State wants from its Block O honorees. That made him an easy choice for it, and that honor is now official for the 2025 Buckeyes.

About the Block O tradition at Ohio State

The NCAA approved zero on jersey numbers in April of 2020, and Ohio State decided to make it a privilege to wear the jersey. Buckeyes director of football operations Quinn Tempel drew the comparisons in the zero in the font used for the program’s jerseys to the famed Ohio State Block O logo, making it a fit for an annual tradition.

“It really should come from the offseason program and who has put years into the program and who has been through some adversity, who has worked through some things, who has fought through things and really lived our culture,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day told Lettermen Row three years ago about the tradition. “With everything that’s gone on this year and the great tradition that Ohio State has, how can we now create something that can be new? We thought naming the award after Bill Willis would be a great decision because it’s great way we can honor him. So, then you ask who it should be?”

Former Buckeyes defensive end Jonathon Cooper was the first answer to that question. Former offensive lineman Thayer Munford followed it up three years ago year and represented the number as a captain. Two years ago, it was wide receiver Kamryn Babb‘s turn as the Block O recipient. Two years ago, wide receiver Xavier Johnson had the honor of wearing it before linebacker Cody Simon had the honor last year.