Ohio
Linebacker C.J. Hicks has a massive goal for 2024
C.J. Hicks didn’t play a defensive snap as a true freshman at Ohio State. Hicks played only 75 of them last year as a sophomore.
And, yet, the former five-star linebacker and top-15 overall prospect is set on leading the Buckeyes in sacks this season.
Why?
Because he has his confidence back.
“I feel like when you need a play, when it’s 3rd-and-long and you need somebody to get to the quarterback, I’m that guy, no matter who the D-Ends are,” Hicks said. “I love our D-Linemen, but I feel like I’m the best when it gets to [rushing the] quarterback.”
“I don’t stop,” he later added.
The last Ohio State linebacker to finish a season atop the team’s sack leaderboard was A.J. Hawk in 2005 when he tied defensive lineman Mike Kudla for that honor.
While Hicks hasn’t recorded a single sack in a promising Buckeyes career that’s been slow to get off the ground, he’s had a breakthrough offseason, particularly as a pass rusher.
That’s not all talk, either. It was especially evident in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Student Appreciation Day back in the spring. The late March practice — which was open to students, players’ families and the media — saw Hicks wreak havoc in the backfield.
And that wasn’t a one-off performance from the Dayton, Ohio, native, who piled up 18 tackles for loss in his senior year at Archbishop Alter.
“I think he’s probably the best blitzer in our room,” first-year Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis said Wednesday. “C.J. just makes stuff happen when you send him.”
Laurinaitis noted how Hicks has a natural ability to “reduce the surface” when he blitzes.
Hicks is competing for the starting WILL linebacker spot with fellow third-year defender — but first-year linebacker — Sonny Styles, who moved down to the second level from the safety spot this offseason.
Styles played 12 snaps in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia two seasons ago and started several games, both at “nickel” and at strong safety last season. He has the experience advantage over Hicks and has taken the majority of first-team reps in the training camp practices open to the media.
But the Buckeyes aren’t crowning a starter right now, and it doesn’t seem to really matter because they want both Styles and Hicks to play.
They each have unique traits, Laurinaitis said. Where Hicks shines the most is as a pass rusher, a disruptor.
“I’ve just got a knack for getting to the quarterback,” Hicks said. “You put anybody in front of me, I’m going to do my best to get to the quarterback, and nobody’s going to stop me.”
So, when asked if he’s throwing himself in the ring to lead the Buckeyes in sacks this season, Hicks smiled.
“For sure,” he said. “That’s my thing.”
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USA TODAY
These real estate transactions were recorded in Marion County between June 12 and June 17.
City of Marion
336 Silver St., Marion; Jeffery A. Hallie to Cassidy Manley and Jamal Tyre Manley; $100,000.
597 E. George St., Marion; Robert E. Edens Jr. and Kristin Edens to Clifford D. Hall and Judith K. Hall; $100,000.
395 Park St., Marion; Robin Hirsch to Christian Jaimes Mejia; $165,500.
1007 Fariwood Avenue, Marion; Sherry D. Smith, Jerry L. Winget and Vickie L. Pinyerd to Tami S. McCarty; $149,900.
302 Silver St., Marion; Heaven M. Daniel to US Bank National Association; $44,100.
358 Nye St., Marion; Trever Rinehart to Daniel Murfield and Athena Murfield; $199,000.
538 Cherry St., Marion; Marry On LLC to Tylere Shuster; $150,000.
618 Irey Avenue, Marion; Keith A. Radebaugh to Brittany Marie Crampton; $125,000.
1138 Independence Avenue, Marion; Marion County General Surgery LLC to Independence Avenue Medical LLC; $215,000.
1950 Linda St., Marion; Ralph W. Smith Jr. and Betty J. Smith to Dawn Comer; $116,000.
555 Avondale Avenue, Marion; Angela R. Rivers to Prospect Endeavors LLC; $75,000.
523 Mary St., Marion; Frank Hoffman and Robin Hoffman to Crystal A. Bonsel and John H. Thacker; $175,000.
436 Thompson St., Marion; Shovel City Investment LLC to Duel Patrick Davidson; $47,500.
661 Adams St., Marion; Hideaway Properties 4 LLC to Crystal Lynn Hall; $85,200.
288 Chicago Avenue, Marion; Jeffrey L. Young and Kimberly M. Young to OpenDoor Property Trust; $179,900.
691 Bennett St., Marion; Steven Higgins, Larry Higgins Jr. and Shawn Patrick Higgins to Kyle R. White; $200,000.
Richland Township
5544 Tittlebaugh Road, Marion; John E. Morgan, Rebecca Sue Morgan, Bridget Corcoran and Patrick Corcoran to John E. Morgan and Rebecca Sue Morgan; $87,340.
Pleasant Township
2.345 acres on Gooding Road, Marion; 533 Farm Holdings LLC to Thomas Savage and Lissa Savage; $250,000.
4714 Larue Prospect Road S., Prospect; Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance to Allyson Fitch and Brandon Fitch; $260,000.
1552 Marion County Club Drive, Marion; WY Corp II to ABI Development LLC; $40,000.
Prospect Township
8323 Hughes Road, Prospect; Cole A. Hess and Cheyenne Hess to Kamryn Miah Jean Sutherland and John Daniel Yersavich; $415,000.
608 Water St., Prospect; EyE Homes Inc. to Mary Elizabeth Machingo and Jeffrey Paul Machingo; $305,000.
Tully Township
2946 Martel Road, Caledonia; Vincent L. Cleveland and Jo D. Cleveland to Carly Rene Bailey-Stultz and Dennis Stultz; $375,000.
Ohio
Ohio lawsuit alleges new NCAA rule unfairly denies high school Class of ’22 athletes a 5th season
Why artists are dropping out of the Great American State Fair
Musicians cancel appearances at the Great American State Fair after questions over Freedom 250 and claims the July Fourth event is nonpartisan.
As several states pull out of the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., questions are coming up closer to home — Is Ohio still participating?
Massachusetts and North Carolina won’t participate in the fair, according to USA TODAY. Reports also indicate that Connecticut, Illinois, Maine and Oregon are also expected to skip the event, with some states citing a combination of financial and political concerns as reasons for opting out.
Here’s what we know about Ohio’s role in the event so far.
Is Ohio skipping the 2026 Great American State Fair?
Ohio has confirmed its participation with a booth titled “Ohio: The Heart of it All,” which showcases state parks and childhood development. The governor’s office began the planning process for the booth in February, shortly after the Great American State Fair was announced, said Lisa Peterson director of communications in the governor’s office.
The Great American State Fair, organized by Freedom 250, is a 16-day exposition that will be displayed on the National Mall from June 25 to July 10.
Additionally, Ohio will host a stop from the “Freedom Truck,” a traveling exhibit tied to Freedom 250. The exhibit will appear at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Organizers describe the Freedom Truck as a mobile museum that visits existing fairs and community events, not a version of the Great American State Fair itself.
When does the ‘Freedom Truck’ stop in Ohio?
The Freedom Truck is scheduled to be at the Ohio State Fair from July 27 through Aug. 10, 2026 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
The exhibit includes interactive and historical exhibits about the founding of the United States, according to organizers.
The mobile museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, with the final day closing at 6 p.m.
What is the Great American State Fair?
The Great American State Fair is a 16-day event planned for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Organized by Freedom 250, the fair is part of a broader effort to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary with state exhibits, food, entertainment and cultural programming, according to USA TODAY.
President Donald Trump announced he will headline the Freedom 250‑organized Great American State Fair and hold an “America Is Back” rally, the publication reports.
America250 vs. Freedom 250: What’s the difference?
The Great American State Fair is part of Freedom 250, a Trump-backed initiative to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
That effort is different from America250, the official, congressionally-authorized program coordinating nationwide commemorations. Meanwhile, America 250‑Ohio, the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, is the official state-level partner to the national America250 effort.
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