Eric Castellon
ASU Student Journalist

Lathan Ransom: Becoming a Desert Buckeye

December 9, 2020 by Eric Castellon, Arizona State University


(Ohio State Photo)

Eric Castellon is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover high schools for AZPreps365.com

Putting on the traditional red and gray colors for the first time, Lathan Ransom knew that Ohio State was the perfect school for him to continue a football career that had blossomed at Tucson’s Salpointe Catholic High. Although he hasn't had ample opportunity to prove himself in his first season with the Buckeyes due to game cancellations and no fans in the stands because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he still loves the ability to play for such a great program. Ransom, a freshman safety for the No. 3-ranked and undefeated Buckeyes, has come a long way from his hometown roots where it all started.

 

Desert Dreams

Ransom, son of Linda and Nathan, was born in Tucson and has always enjoyed sports since he was first able to play them. Both of his parents were athletes in high school, so it was only fitting he be one as well. He began playing flag football when he was 6, and was naturally gifted. His father put him in different sports throughout his early childhood, including soccer, basketball and track. Although Ransom was a natural athlete and good at all of the sports in which he participated, he found the most joy and passion from football. 

“My first couple of years, I really wasn’t good at all,” Lathan said. “When I first started out when I was like 7, I was in the lowest age group playing with a bunch of 9 and 10 year olds, but I stuck it out, and got better gradually.”

By the time Ransom reached middle school, he was starting to become very familiar with the game, as well as growing physically and mentally. It was at this point that Ransom realized that he might be able to turn his love and talent for football into something long-term, such as a college scholarship.

Charlie Raetzman, a friend of Ransom’s, played Pop Warner football with him all the way up until high school ball, and he described just how much Ransom appreciated playing football and everything that came with it. 

“Since Pop Warner, Lathan has always played fearlessly, he played every down without fear and wasn’t afraid to miss,” Raetzman said. “He’s fiercely competitive too, if you challenge him, he’s gonna show that he has the ability to beat you, whether it’s with his words or talents.”

Transition to Salpointe Catholic

Ransom attended Salpointe Catholic High in Tucson, where he played varsity football for all four years. It wasn’t until Ransom first suited up for the Lancers that he decided he could make something out of his athleticism, and thought about playing football in college, while not dreaming too big at the start. 

“My goal back then was to try to get something to do after high school,” Ransom said. “I wasn’t thinking about Ohio State and other schools like that, nothing too crazy.”

By the time his sophomore season came around, the recognition from higher Division I programs started to trickle in, and Ransom was being recruited by the University of California, along with his home-state schools Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. 

It was this year that Ransom also emerged as one of the best two-way players on the team, playing wide receiver and safety, as well as being the Lancers’ kick and punt return specialist. In 2017, Ransom finished with eight receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns offensively, 95 total tackles, a sack and five interceptions defensively, and returned three punts for touchdowns. Ransom was quietly proving he was an all-around player to watch. 

Ransom had arguably his most successful season his junior year in 2018, as his terrific campaign netted him a lot of suitors from some of the best programs in the country. His most notable offers came from powerhouses Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, LSU and Alabama. 

In his junior year at Salpointe Catholic, Ransom had 27 receptions for 625 yards and six touchdowns offensively, 82 total tackles, including a sack, and six interceptions defensively. The Lancers ended up making it to the Division 4A State Championship. That year was truly a “statement year” for him, as it got him the scholarship offers that ultimately decided the fate of the rest of his football career. 

Salpointe Catholic’s new head coach, Eric Rogers, an assistant when Ransom attended Salpointe, talked about how much Ransom meant during his time with him his junior and senior years, and how vital he was to the team’s success.

“Lathan was a very versatile player for us during his time here and was never afraid to do what was best for the team,” Rogers said. “He always set the tone defensively, cause he can cover deep, come up and make a play, and even blitz around the edge.”

Ransom knew his college destination before his final year at Salpointe Catholic even started. He chose Ohio State as the school where he’d further his academic and athletic career. He said he made the choice before his senior season so he could put his focus solely on his team and his last year in high school. 

Ransom put together his best offensive season statistically that final year for Salpointe Catholic, tallying 21 receptions for 534 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as adding eight carries for 164 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Defensively, he tallied 58 total tackles, three sacks and four passes defended for a team that ultimately made it to the Division 4A State Championship.

Life off the Gridiron

Besides being a competitive two-way star for the Lancers, he is, by all accounts,  a great guy when he’s not doing what he loves.

Before his senior year, Ransom met his girlfriend, Kaity Woods, and she instantly became his biggest fan and supporter. A fellow athlete, Woods played softball for Horizon High in Phoenix, and now attends the University of Arizona. Despite being separated by thousands of miles during their college freshmen years, Woods said their relationship thrives because they continue to be there for each other. 

“We met the summer before our senior year, and he was already this big football star at his high school and knew what he wanted to do with it,” Woods said. “I’d say I’m mostly there for support and to cheer him on since he’s already a very responsible and hard-working person.”

Raetzman has known Ransom since they began playing Pop Warner Football when they were 7-year-old kids. He even talked about what Ransom was like when they weren’t spending their days on the football field, grinding everyday. 

“He’s always smiling and having a good time,” Raetzman said. “Whenever he was around people, he just brought a good sense of energy into the room that made it great to be around.”

Rogers saw firsthand what Ransom was like both on and off the field, and how it was almost like an instant switch in personality.

“He’s a great kid, extremely talented and extremely competitive,” Rogers said. “He was a blessing to be around, on the sidelines, during warmups, at team meetings, it didn’t matter. Everyone enjoyed being around him whenever they could.”

Choosing the Red and Gray

When it came time to visit the college campuses that offered him scholarships, Ransom didn’t hesitate to explore in person a majority of the schools during the summer of 2019. But out of all the programs that offered an opportunity to play, Ransom thought he would fit best wearing the classic red and gray of Ohio State Buckeye football. 

“Ohio State felt different to me, I really felt like they were a brotherhood,” Ransom said. “I want to be the best I could possibly be, and I felt like they gave me the best chance for me to be successful for my academic studies and for football.”

Besides the campus being a sight to take in and just giving off a friendly atmosphere, there was more behind what drove Ransom’s decision to become a Buckeye.

“I really think that Ohio State is the best college football program in the nation,” Ransom  said. “I committed there as a defensive back and OSU is known for historically being known as ‘DB University’, so I knew it would maximize my potential as a defensive player.”

Woods got the opportunity to visit Ransom this past August, when she saw the campus for the first time and also experienced the routines and lifestyle that now occupy Ransom on a daily basis.

“Life for him in Ohio is very busy with not a ton of free time,” Woods said. “For him, it’s pretty much just eat, sleep, and football.”

A Moment Worth the Long Wait

With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing since March, it has been taking its toll on the sports world, including college campuses. 

When it was announced in late August that the Big Ten would not be playing any college football games for the fall 2020 season, Ransom and his teammates had a reason to be upset at the decision. 

“We were devastated, we wanted to get out there, and we felt like we were doing everything right in terms of the health and safety protocols,” Ransom said. “We figured there was still a chance we would play at least in the spring, so my teammates and I went back to training and grinding in the weight room, so we’d be ready to go.”

That chance came later in the fall when the Big Ten reversed its decision and announced that college football was back, and the Buckeyes’ season was soon upon them. 

Ransom was listed on the active roster as a special teams and extra defensive back against Nebraska in Ohio State’s first game of 2020, and he was just grateful for the chance to play football for this great program. 

However, since then, Ransom has gotten more playing time than he initially expected, and although the stats may not reflect how much opportunity he’s had, he’s just excited and hungry for the opportunity. 

“I’m just ready to go into the game whenever they need me to,” Ransom said. “I prepare for the games just like everyone else does, and if I get the chance to go in, I’ll stick to the game plan and get after it as best as I can.”

The Buckeyes are 5-0, compiling victories over Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, Indiana and Michigan State. On Tuesday, the annual rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan was canceled because of an increase in COVID-19 cases over the past week within the Wolverines’ program. The cancellation of Saturday’s game put the Buckeyes under the Big Ten’s threshold of games they needed to play in order to compete for the conference championship.

However, on Wednesday, the conference officially reversed course and changed its policy of teams having to play six games to be eligible for the Big Ten title game. Undefeated Ohio State will thus face 5-1 Northwestern on Dec 19. 

Ransom, a true freshman, has seen playing time in four of the Buckeyes’ five games, and despite only having one solo tackle, it was at the end of the Penn State game that he got his first signature moment. 

“It was towards the end of the Penn State game, one of our guys got hurt and I went in for the last couple drives,” Ransom said. “I got a nice open-field tackle on the last play of the game, and I was excited, my teammates were excited, definitely my favorite moment so far.”

A career that sprouted in the desert fields of Tucson continues to blossom in Ohio State’s storied stadium, and Ransom’s favorite football moments keep piling up. In his mind, it’s just getting started.