Ohio State football's Kamryn Babb won't return for extra season of eligibility
Joey KaufmanOhio State wide receiver Kamryn Babb announced on Tuesday he won’t return next season, forgoing the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to all players in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m excited to start the next chapter that God has for me by sharing my story with the world,” Babb said in a video posted on his social media accounts.
Injuries, which included four anterior cruciate ligament surgeries, mired much of Babb’s five seasons with the Buckeyes, but his perseverance made him an inspiration to teammates and led him to twice be selected as one of the team captains.
Babb also became the recipient of the Block “O” jersey this past fall, an honor given in recent seasons in recognition of legendary Ohio State lineman Bill Willis.
He caught his first career pass late in a blowout win over Indiana in November when quarterback C.J. Stroud found him in a corner of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown. A mob of teammates immediately mobbed him in celebration.
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“There will be great wins and there’ll be great accomplishments here at Ohio State,” coach Ryan Day said afterward, “but what he’s overcome is one of the great accomplishments and it’s not something that people will see.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at jkaufman@dispatch.com or on Twitter @joeyrkaufman.