Tucson's Lathan Ransom on the mend, 'in good spirits' after breaking leg in Rose Bowl

Lathan Ransom could’ve returned home to Tucson this summer to be around family, but he decided staying in Columbus, Ohio was the better play.

Ransom, a Tucson native and Ohio State safety, has spent the last five-plus months rehabbing a broken leg suffered in the Buckeyes’ 48-45 Rose Bowl win over Utah on New Year’s Day.

Ransom doesn’t know if he’ll be available for the Buckeyes’ season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3, but “just know it’s going good and I’m ahead of schedule.”

“I’m in good spirits,” Ransom said. “It’s been a long, tough process. I learned a lot about myself and my body and the game, and I’m just doing my best to keep my spirits up. I’m way ahead of the timeframe it normally takes for this injury, which is good to hear. So, I’m in good spirits.”

The former Salpointe Catholic star joined ESPN Tucson’s “Spears and Ali” to discuss his rehab, film study and what it takes to play in the NFL.

What do you remember about the entire day leading up to the leg injury?

A: “Going into that game, it was the most excited I’ve ever been for a game. A lot of my family members got to go to the game, because it was the only game on the west coast. I just remember running on kickoff and one of their best returners (Britain) Covey was giving it to us the whole game, and he cut back across the field and cut across my face, then caught my leg and broke my leg. It felt like I got hit in my shin really hard, then I looked up and saw my leg and could see it was broken. It was definitely something I’ll never forget, that feeling of having my teammates surrounding me and, yeah, it was tough.”

How mentally taxing is it to overcome a significant leg injury?

A: “If you talked to me in January or February, I definitely wasn’t the same person. It was a hard time for me. I was excited for that last game and then have a great junior year, but then I broke my leg and it felt like it was all over. It was hard on me, but my family did a great job keeping my head clean and my friends at Ohio State did a great job keeping my mind off all that. I learned that I couldn’t do the physical part of the game, but I can get better in other parts like watching film and getting an understanding of our new defense and what offenses like to do, so that’s what I’ve been focused on month to month.”

What was the best thing you learned from playing at Salpointe Catholic, and how was it adjusting to college football?

A: “The best thing I took away from Salpointe is that I went to practice against Bijan (Robinson, now a star Texas running back) every single day. That prepared me mentally and physically for the college game, but when I got to Ohio State, the game was just so much faster. College football is so much faster than high school football, then there’s so much more to it. Every dude is a great athlete, so stuff you got away with in high school, you get exposed in college. The mental part of the game is something I learned during the second half of last season, which really impacts your play. Then being hurt, I learned a lot; that’s all I can say.”

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When you first got to Ohio State, who were some people that took you under their wing?

A: “Definitely Shaun Wade and Sevyn Banks, Marcus Williamson, Josh Proctor — all of those starting (defensive backs) my freshman year took me under their wing in different parts of the game. I look up to them and they’ve helped me come a long way.”

Do you study any safeties or hybrid defensive players in the NFL?

A: “Tyrann Mathieu, in my opinion, is the smartest dude on the field at all times. One of my favorite safeties to watch. I love Derwin James, he’s a do-it-all safety. I like Jamal Adams, he’s a great safety to watch. All of those guys are safeties I like to study.”

What can people expect when you play for Ohio State this fall?

A: “I still have a little bit left in my rehab, but right now I’m just focused on getting healthy and studying the playbook. Then, it’ll all take care of itself. But a healthy Lathan Ransom is what people can be excited to see.”

Have you envisioned playing for the first time since the injury?

A: “Yeah, I think about it all the time. I’ve learned to appreciate the game. Once you get hurt, you realize what you took for granted. … Not being able to work out or run with my guys, it really hurt me to watch, but it made me hungry to get back and just practice with my teammates. I’ve been watching film and I can’t wait to get back to the stadium. It’s definitely going to be an emotional day.”

After being away for over two years, do you still feel a connection to Tucson?

A: “Yeah, I definitely still feel the love for Tucson. Next year, after the season, I plan on having a camp in Tucson or something like that, because I feel like players from Tucson get overlooked and don’t get as much exposure as other dudes in the country. I can’t wait to show love back to Tucson.”