Beyond The Sidelines is an interview sports Q&A platform that sees LTV sports producers lead conversations to enhance familiarity with popular Ohio State athletes.
LTV Sports Producer Jayla Vanhorn spoke with Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom, who leads the Ohio State football team in career tackles with 190.
In the conversation, Ransom reflected on what it was like growing up in Arizona, admitted to a personal weakness, discussed who he’d want his celebrity mentor to be and revealed which teammate he’d choose to be stranded on a deserted island with.
Q: What would your favorite meal for Thanksgiving be?
“A whole plate. I’m gonna go turkey legs. I’m gonna go mashed potatoes, dressing. I’m gonna go cabbage, greens and some cornbread.”
Q: What was it like growing up in Tucson, Arizona?
“Man, a lot different from here. I think it’s hot, definitely. When I first got to Ohio, it was a culture shock for me, honestly. It’s hard to explain if you ain’t really been to Arizona. It’s the desert.”
Q: Do you go dirt bike riding in Arizona?
“It’s so hot. So, it’s like people play indoor sports. We play basketball. I play a lot of video games. I feel like I’m the best at video games on the team. So, if y’all want to challenge, y’all are free to do that.”
Q: What is something that you’re really bad at?
“Golf. I can’t golf. We got a lot of golfers on the team. You will never see me on a golf course.”
Q: If you had a celebrity to choose as a mentor, who would it be and why?
“Kobe, rest in peace to the G.O.A.T. But it’d be mental just because [of] his mentality. His mentality to everything he does is something I really admire and look up to.”
Q: Who or what inspires you in your career?
“My parents, my parents definitely inspire me. Just seeing all the sacrifices they made growing up — all the jobs they worked, all the hours constantly, and stuff they did to help me and my sister. So, that’s constant motivation for me.”
Q: If you had to choose one teammate to be stranded with on a deserted island, who would it be and why?
“Maybe Cody [Simon]. I feel like probably Cody. Cody keeps a positive mindset on everything. I wouldn’t want someone to be negative, so I probably pick Cody.”
Q: As a senior, what has it meant for you to be on this Buckeye team for so long?
“Yeah, I think that Buckeye Nation and the Buckeye fan base, you know, my team, they mean everything to me to be here. Seeing so much, being through adversity and being through so many challenges, I think that I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Q: If you had one last message to Buckeye Nation, what would it be?
“Be there on Saturday. Be loud. I’ve been hearing stuff about other stadiums being louder than us, so I just want us to prove everybody wrong — that we got the best stadium in the country.”
