Styles is rated as a 5-star prospect by 247Sports, and he is ranked as the No. 8 overall player, No. 1 safety and No. 1 player from the state of Ohio in the 2023 class.
Given Styles' status as the top safety in his class, many of the top programs in college football pursued him.
Per 247Sports, Styles received scholarship offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas and many more.
As noted by ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, Styles comes from a football family. His father, Lorenzo Styles, was a linebacker at Ohio State.
Styles' brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., currently plays wide receiver at Notre Dame as well.
Despite having plenty of time left before making the leap from high school to college, Styles is already a physically imposing figure. He stands 6'4" and 215 pounds, making him bigger than most safeties at both the collegiate and NFL levels.
Allen Trieu of 247Sports views Styles as a future first-round pick in the NFL draft and compares him to former Clemson linebacker and safety Isaiah Simmons, who went eighth overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2020.
As a star at Pickering Central High School in Pickering, Ohio, Styles committing to Ohio State continues what has been a recent trend for the Buckeyes.
According to VanHaaren, OSU has now secured a commitment from the top-ranked player from the state of Ohio in five consecutive recruiting classes.
Ohio State has been one of the dominant programs in college football over the past several years, losing two or fewer games in nine straight seasons from 2012-20.
The Buckeyes are 8-1 so far this season, and they have gone 28-3 in three full seasons under head coach Ryan Day.
Ohio State is trending toward another Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance this season, and continuing to bring in players of Styles' ilk should keep the Buckeyes moving in the right direction.
Ohio State QB Jack Miller III Suspended After Arrest on OVI Charge
Nov 5, 2021
Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller plays against Akron during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State has suspended quarterback Jack Miller III following his arrest Friday morning.
According to Whitney Harding of NBC4 in Columbus, Ohio, the school confirmed the decision after Miller's arrest on charges of operating a vehicle while impaired.
The redshirt freshman has thrown for 101 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions this season.
247Sports rated Miller as a 4-star prospect as well as the No. 334 overall player and No. 13 pro-style quarterback in the 2020 class.
After redshirting last season, Miller was in the mix to replace Justin Fields as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback after Fields left for the NFL and was drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bears.
Miller competed with C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord during the spring, but Stroud won the job and has established himself as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Ohio State is 7-1 and sits fifth in the College Football Playoff rankings thanks largely to the play of Stroud, while Miller and McCord have served as backups.
Per Justin Holbrock of NBC4, Miller is the second Ohio State football player to be arrested on an OVI charge this year.
Safety Marcus Hooker was arrested on an OVI charge for the second time in March, and after being suspended, he was reinstated in July.
TreVeyon Henderson, No. 5 Ohio State Beat Sean Clifford, No. 20 Penn State 33-24
Oct 31, 2021
Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson runs the ball against Penn State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
No. 5 Ohio State football defeated No. 20 Penn State 33-24 on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson paced the Buckeyes offense with 28 carries for 152 rushing yards and a touchdown that gave the Buckeyes a 26-17 third-quarter lead.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud found seven different receivers en route to completing 22-of-34 passes for 305 yards and one touchdown. Chris Olave caught that score for 38 yards.
Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson starred for the Nittany Lions, with 11 catches, 127 yards and a two-yard touchdown run that helped tie the game at 17 in the third quarter.
OSU (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) has now won six straight games. Penn State (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) has dropped three straight, including a nine-overtime 20-18 loss to Illinois.
Notable Performances
Penn State QB Sean Clifford: 35-of-52, 361 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Penn State WR Jahan Dotson: 11 catches, 127 receiving yards; 2-yard TD run
Penn State WR Parker Washington: 9 catches, 108 receiving yards
Ohio State WR Chris Olave: 3 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD
High-Powered, Talented OSU Offense Shines Again
Ohio State has averaged 47.25 points per game, and its lowest scoring output was 28 points in a Sept. 11 loss to Oregon.
Since then, the Buckeyes have crushed their opponents to the tune of a 217-point differential.
OSU met some resistance on Saturday against a tough PSU defense, but the Buckeyes were simply too strong for the Nittany Lions in front of their raucous home crowd.
Stroud and Olave put OSU into the lead after they connected on a 38-yard downfield shot for six and a 9-7 edge:
An efficient passing game (9.0 yards per attempt for Stroud) worked in sync with the running game, which featured an explosive 68-yard run from Henderson to set up his own one-yard score for a 26-17 edge in the third quarter:
The redshirt freshman is firmly planted in the Heisman conversation as he tries to guide the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff appearance.
Meanwhile, as Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors tweeted, Henderson has 15 touchdowns, including at least one in each game he's played.
It was a remarkable effort for the running back, who started the game with 20 yards on 14 carries. He finished strong, though, and even gave credit to PSU for their effort:
TreVeyon Henderson says "that defense, that's a great defense. One of the best defenses we've played all year. But I needed that to prove to myself that I'm tough."
Ultimately, PSU's defense hung tough for much of the game, but OSU's talented attack prevailed.
Penn State Fights Hard; Missed Opportunities at End
It's never easy for any team to go into Colombus and beat the Buckeyes, but PSU found itself down just 27-24 with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter following a Keyvone Lee one-yard scoring rush.
That score capped off Penn State's third touchdown drive of 75 yards or more.
Clifford found Brenton Strange for a five-yard pass to cap a 13-play, 89-yard drive for a 6-0 lead:
Lee's score ended another 75-yard drive, and PSU was down just a field goal entering the fourth.
It was a remarkable effort from the offense, especially since OSU defensive lineman Jerron Cage scored on a 57-yard scoop-and-score in the second quarter:
However, PSU couldn't take advantage of multiple opportunities down the stretch.
Cameron Brown intercepted a Clifford pass with PSU driving down 27-24 with 11:15 left. The Nittany Lions held OSU to a field goal, but the PSU offense then went three-and-out on a drive that saw a 70-yard John Lovett touchdown called back for illegal touching.
OSU then moved the ball in chunks down the field before a Noah Ruggles 26-yard field goal. A PSU drive in response ended with a missed field goal, all but ending the game.
It's undoubtedly been a disappointing stretch for PSU, especially after a 20-18 nine-OT loss to a previously 2-5 Illinois team at home one week ago. However, the Nittany Lions played hard on Saturday evening in a tough environment before OSU pulled away down the stretch.
What's Next?
Both teams will hit the road for Big Ten matchups Saturday.
Penn State will visit Maryland in College Park's Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Ohio State will take on Nebraska in Lincoln's Memorial Stadium.
Video: Michigan Marching Band Trolls Ohio State with Beer Pong Halftime Skit
Oct 23, 2021
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 25: The Michigan Wolverines Marching Band takes the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan Stadium on September 25, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)
The No. 6 Michigan Wolverines don't meet the No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes until Nov. 27, the final game of the regular season. However, that didn't stopped Michigan from taking a jab at OSU on Saturday.
During halftime of the game between the Wolverines and unranked Northwestern, the Michigan marching band trolled the Buckeyes with a beer pong skit:
Michigan marching band just performed a beer pong skit with an Ohio State ping pong ball missing the cup and a Michigan ball going in the cup. pic.twitter.com/yBRJqdSA7i
Ohio State and Michigan have a well-established rivalry. The Wolverines haven't beaten the Buckeyes since 2011, and Ohio State has steamrolled Michigan in their last two meetings, too. In 2018, the Buckeyes won 62-39, and in 2019 they won 56-27.
Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh became the first Michigan head coach to start his tenure 0-5 against Ohio State with the 2019 loss. At this year's Big Ten Media Day, Harbaugh said his team would beat the Buckeyes "or die trying," per Sports Illustrated.
Despite OSU's dominance over the last decade, Michigan leads the all-time series 58-51-6.
Ohio State LB K'Vaughan Pope Dismissed From Team After Sideline Outburst vs. Akron
Sep 26, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 25: Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker K'Vaughan Pope #36 being escorted out of the game by Ohio State Buckeyes Director Of Player Development C.J. Barnett during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on September 25, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In a predictable move, the Ohio State Buckeyes dismissed linebacker K'Vaughan Pope following an in-game outburst during Saturday's win over Akron.
Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch reported head coach Ryan Day released a statement Sunday that said Pope can retain his scholarship and still use student-athlete support services but will no longer take the field for the football team.
As Kaufman reported Saturday, the linebacker engaged in "a heated exchange with coaches on the sideline" when he wasn't put into the game. He was then escorted to the locker room and said "f-- ohio state" in a since-deleted tweet.
Pope apologized for the incident and said, "I let my emotions get the best of me."
Last night I let my emotions get the best of me. For that I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Buckeye Nation. I made a mistake and know that I need to be better and do better. I’m going to take this time to reflect and work on my mental well-being.
While the Buckeyes didn't need the now-dismissed linebacker in the 59-7 win over Akron, this is a blow to the depth of a position group that was already in something of a precarious situation.
Linebacker Dallas Gant entered the transfer portal during the week leading up to the matchup with the Zips, per Kevin Harrish of Eleven Warriors, and the unit as a whole struggled mightily in a loss to Oregon.
It has reached a point where former backup running back Steele Chambers is now one of the key linebackers on the team, although he was impressive in Saturday's win while making five tackles and breaking up a pass.
Pope arrived at Ohio State as a 4-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings but never lived up to the expectations that come with such a designation.
He had one tackle as a freshman, 13 as a sophomore, two as a junior and three this season prior to his dismissal. While the Buckeyes as a team found plenty of success during that stretch with three Big Ten titles in three years and two College Football Playoff appearances, he wasn't much of a reason for it.
OSU LB K’Vaughan Pope Leaves Sideline During Akron Game After Exchanges With Coaches
Sep 26, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 9: K'Vaughan Pope #36 of the Ohio State Buckeyes stiff arms Javon Leake #20 of the Maryland Terrapins after intercepting a pass in the third quarter at Ohio Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Maryland 73-14. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Ohio State linebacker K’Vaughan Pope left the sidelines in the second half of Saturday's game against Akron.
Per Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch, a Buckeyes official escorted Pope to the locker room after he got into a heated discussion with a coach on the sidelines. Bill Landis of The Athletic reported Pope had exchanges with both head coach Ryan Day and linebackers coach Al Washington.
According to Kaufman, the Big Ten Network reported Pope was unhappy when he wasn't substituted into the game for a defensive series.
Per Landis, Pope tweeted and deleted "fucc Ohio State" after going to the locker room.
Though he deleted the original tweet, Pope posted another message to offer support to his teammates:
Austin Ward of Lettermen Row tweeted about the incident, while adding that Pope appears to have quit the football team:
Pope tried to run out on the field in a sub package. Teradja Mitchell waved him off, and Pope stormed down the sideline, started walking to the tunnel and then had to be coaxed back by an Ohio State staffer. He tossed his gloves into the stands and took off his jersey.
After the Buckeyes finished their 59-7 victory, Day told reporters he was "going to get the details before I say anything." Per Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus DIspatch, Day doesn't believe the Pope situation is a sign of a larger problem within the program:
Day said he doesn't believe the Pope incident is indicative of a larger problem with the team. Said he believes it stems from playing time and the frustration that kicks in when players don't get it.
A senior linebacker, Pope is in his fourth season at Ohio State. The Virginia native appeared in 11 games during his college career prior to Saturday night. He has been used primarily as a role player, recording 19 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Pope was a member of Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class that was ranked second in the nation by 247Sports' composite rankings. He was a 4-star recruit coming out of Dinwiddie County High School in Virginia.
Tommy Eichenberg has been the Buckeyes' starting "Mike" linebacker so far this season. Pope has been used as the primary backup through the first three games.
Losing Pope for Saturday's game against Akron didn't have an impact on Ohio State. The Buckeyes held a 52-7 lead in the fourth quarter.
It's unclear at this point if Pope has quit the team or if he briefly lost his cool in the heat of the moment and will be back with the Buckeyes for their next game against Rutgers on Oct. 2.
C.J. Stroud to Be Ohio State's Emergency QB vs. Akron Because of Shoulder Injury
Sep 23, 2021
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud plays against Oregon during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day announced Thursday that C.J. Stroud will be the team's emergency quarterback against Akron on Saturday because of a shoulder injury.
With Stroud unlikely to see the field, Day noted that he plans to utilize both Kyle McCord and Jack Miller under center.
Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors reported that the shoulder injury has bothered Stroud throughout the season, which contributed to Day deciding to rest him ahead of the Buckeyes' Big Ten clash with Rutgers on Oct. 2.
Stroud, a freshman, has put up strong numbers so far this season, completing 62.4 percent of his passes for 963 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
He did struggle a bit in last week's 41-20 win over Tulsa, though, going just 15-of-25 for 185 yards with one touchdown and one pick.
The Buckeyes are 2-1 this season, losing 35-28 to Oregon, but Stroud was not to blame for that defeat, as he threw for 484 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Stroud had massive shoes to fill this season for the No. 10-ranked Buckeyes, as he replaced Justin Fields, who was a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears.
While Stroud definitively declared himself as the starter entering the season with a strong performer during the spring, both McCord and Miller are talented signal-callers in their own right.
Neither of them have taken a snap yet this season, but McCord was the No. 28 overall player and No. 6 quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class, per 247Sports, while 247Sports ranked Miller as the No. 334 overall player and No. 13 pro-style quarterback in the 2020 class.
McCord has not seen any action as a freshman, while Miller went 1-of-2 for 23 yards and one touchdown as a freshman last season.
Regardless of how Day splits up the snaps Saturday, OSU should have little issue coming out on top at home against an Akron team that is 1-2 this season and went a combined 1-17 over the previous two seasons.
TreVeyon Henderson Sets Ohio State Freshman Rushing Record Against Tulsa
Sep 18, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 11: Running back TreVeyon Henderson #32 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on September 11, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TreVeyon Henderson had a pretty good Saturday.
The running back set an Ohio State freshman rushing record by posting 277 yards on the ground, adding three touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 41-20 win over Tulsa.
Henderson broke the 49-year record of Ohio State legend and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, who rushed for 239 yards against North Carolina as a freshman in 1972.
Henderson scored on runs of five, 48 and 52 yards:
The man was cooking. And Ohio State needed every last bite against a Tulsa team that came to play.
There are major questions in Columbus after the team's 35-28 loss to Oregon last week, but Henderson isn't one of them. The freshman came into the matchup with Tulsa with 69 rushing yards and a touchdown on the season but made his name ring out with his record-setting performance.
Henderson's ability to avoid tackles and find daylight will mean much more later this season.
If the Buckeyes are going to play their way into the College Football Playoff picture, it will be behind players like Henderson and the team's ever-revolving cadre of skill-position stars. The bigger concern in Columbus is on the defensive side of the ball.
OSU's Ryan Day on Defensive Effort Under Kerry Coombs: 'It's Not What We Expect'
Sep 14, 2021
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 07: Ohio State Buckeyes Defensive Coordinator Kerry Coombs address members of the media during a press Conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus, Ohio on September 7, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs' seat just went from hot to on fire.
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day laid bare to reporters Tuesday his disappointment with the team's defensive effort, shining a bright spotlight on the lack of production from Coombs' unit.
"When you look at the results over the last couple games and then coming off last year, it's not what we expect here," Day told reporters.
Day said he's had conversations with the defensive staff since Saturday's 35-28 loss to Oregon and would not commit to Coombs remaining the defensive play-caller moving forward.
"Honest. I wouldn't say they're uncomfortable. They're real. ... I have no problem having those kinds of conversations. It's pretty simple, to see what needs to get fixed," Day said of the discussions.
The Buckeyes have given up 472 yards and five touchdowns on the ground through their first two games. Oregon's CJ Verdell scampered for 161 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks on Saturday, with Ohio State never leading the game despite entering as 14.5-point favorites.
Coombs is in his second season at Ohio State. He was the co-defensive coordinator with Greg Mattison in 2020 and took over full-time duties after Mattison's retirement. The veteran coach is in his second stint at Ohio State, having previously served as cornerbacks coach and assistant defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer from 2012 to 2017.
A former longtime Ohio high school football coach, this is Coombs' first run at being a solo defensive coordinator.
Ohio State's Ryan Day Talks 'Unacceptable' Loss to Oregon: 'Got to Get It Fixed'
Sep 11, 2021
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Friday, July 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Following Ohio State's 35-28 loss to Oregon on Saturday, head coach Ryan Day didn't hold back about how he thought his team played.
Speaking to reporters, Day called the Buckeyes' performance "unacceptable" and said they've "got to get it fixed."
The main culprit through two games for Ohio State has been the defense. That unit has allowed a combined 913 yards of total offense to Minnesota and Oregon.
While the defensive lapses were a talking point for Day, he also expressed a desire for more balance on offense.
Ohio State did rely heavily on the pass against Oregon's defense. Freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud threw 54 passes, completing 35 of them for 484 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
By comparison, the Buckeyes ran the ball a total of 31 times for 128 yards. They were also penalized eight times for 71 yards, including a crucial holding call against Thayer Munford that negated a 12-yard run for Stroud on 3rd-and-10 late in the fourth quarter when they were trying to tie the score.
Ohio State had to punt the ball away, allowing Oregon to take another 60 seconds off the clock.
Despite entering this weekend ranked No. 3 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll, the early part of the 2021 season was going to be about Day and the coaching staff rebuilding the roster.
Ohio State lost 10 players from last year's team to the NFL draft. Nine of those 10 players, including all five on defense, were all named to the All-Big Ten team last year.
If they can't get things figured out soon, the Buckeyes are facing the very real possibility of not winning the Big Ten title for the first time since 2016.
