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What Ohio State football linebacker Sonny Styles thought about position switch in Week 1
Sonny Styles expected to debut as a starting linebacker on the weak side.
It was where he had largely lined up since first moving from safety in spring practice.
But when Cody Simon was held out of Ohio State’s season-opening victory over Akron with an unspecified injury, it prompted a change in plans. Styles took over as the starting middle linebacker, also known as the Mike.
“I have a pretty good grasp and knowledge of the defense,” Styles said, “so it wasn’t a super hard switch for me.”
The biggest adjustment last Saturday involved hearing play calls from defensive coordinator Jim Knowles through a speaker in his helmet, part of the new coach-to-player communication that debuted this year.
As the starting middle linebacker, Simon had the most time to familiarize himself with the device in preseason practices. Only one player on the field can be fitted with one.
“I thought it was a solid day,” Styles said. “I thought I did pretty good with.”
Styles said they only had one slip-up in the Buckeyes’ 52-6 win, a situation when he heard a call late and a bit of confusion ensued before the snap.
“It got a little hectic,” Styles said, “because everyone’s looking at you, ‘What’s the call? What’s the call?”
Teammates praised Styles for his communication as he relayed the calls from Knowles.
“He came in ready,” defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau said. “He was prepared. We had no trouble getting the calls, and when we did, he helped keep the defense in one piece and not let us get all out of place. He ran the show and did a great job.”
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Styles has shown positional versatility at Ohio State since graduating a year early from Pickerington Central High School in 2022.
He started last season as the nickel safety before switching to strong safety when Lathan Ransom suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury.
Having to juggle multiple safety positions prepared him for adapting to multiple spots at linebacker.
“When I was at safety, I knew how to play all three,” he said. “I took the same mindset when I moved to linebacker.”
Styles, who racked up six tackles against the Zips, could remain as the middle linebacker this week against Western Michigan if Simon does not return.
While Simon has practiced this week, coach Ryan Day on Wednesday night stopped short of saying he would be available against the Broncos, remarking only that he was “day to day.”
Until last week, most of Styles’ preparation for playing middle linebacker had come off the field. He said he had not taken many reps at the position in practices.
Most of his reps had been mental ones, observing Simon in the role from the sideline after rotating off the field.
“I’m just taking note what the Mike’s doing all the time,” he said.
When Day has sat in on linebacker meetings, he has noticed Styles’ participation.
“He’s answering the questions,” Day said. “He’s very, very involved with everything that goes on.”
In other instances, Styles has reviewed additional film with linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.
The dedication paid off as he adjusted to another role.
“It shows the work that he’s putting in off the field that nobody sees,” Day said.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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Another state is jumping into the fray to put the brakes on non-domiciled CDLs, with roughly 5,000 commercial drivers in Ohio facing the potential of having their licenses downgraded.
On Friday, May 29, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced it would be contacting approximately 5,000 non-domiciled CDL holders to verify the status of their credentials under updated rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
According to the Bureau, non-domiciled license holders in the state will receive one of two notices, depending on the type of documentation they initially used to obtain their CDL.
For drivers whose documentation meets current FMCSA standards, their licenses will remain valid until their expiration date. For those who do not meet current standards, the process is a bit more complicated.
As for CDL holders whose original documents do not meet current FMCSA guidelines, they will receive a notice of downgrade, and their CDLs will be downgraded to a Class D license 30 days after receiving the notice.
Drivers who receive a downgrade notice can request a hearing with the BMV to dispute the downgrade, and can provide additional documentation to prove their eligibility. According to the Bureau, those documents include:
- An unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by USCIS, valid on the most recent CDL/CLP issuance date
- An unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired USCIS I‑94 form, both of which must be valid on your most recent CDL/CLP issuance date
Officials said the Ohio BMV has not issued or renewed any non-domiciled CDLs since FMCSA put new standards in place in 2025, and that it does not intend to resume issuing non-domiciled CDLs in the future. Additionally, the BMV will not renew revalidated non-domiciled CDLs after they expire.
All notices will be sent by mail to the address listed on file with the Ohio BMV. The Bureau emphasized that the reverification process does not apply to full CDL holders or CDL holders with legally established permanent residence. LL
2026 U20 World Team Trials
At Geneva, Ohio, May 29
Best-of-Three Final Results
57 kg
Isaiah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC/ TMWC) defeats Grey Burnett (Burnett Trained Wrestling), two matches to none
Round 1 – Cortez dec. Burnett, 5-1
Round 2 – Cortez tech. fall Burnett, 10-0
61 kg
Aaron Seidel (SERTC- TMWC) defeats Elijah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC/ TMWC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Seidel tech. fall Cortez, 10-0
Round 2 – Seidel tech. fall Cortez, 10-0
65 kg
Bo Bassett (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) defeats Clinton Shepherd (Howe Wrestling School, LLC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Bassett fall Shepherd, 2:40
Round 2 – Bassett tech. fall Shepherd, 10-0
70 kg
Landon Robideau (Cowboy RTC) defeats Melvin Miller (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), two matches to none
Round 1 – Robideau dec. Miller, 5-0
Round 2 – Robideau tech. fall, 12-0
74 kg
Jayden James (KD Training Center/ TMWC) defeats Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy RTC), two matches to none
Round 1 – James dec. Lockett, 5-4
Round 2 – James dec. Lockett, 4-2
79 kg
Ryan Burton (SERTC- TMWC) defeats Joseph Jeter (Position Wrestling), two matches to none
Round 1 – Burton dec. Jeter, 10-7
Round 2 – Burton dec. Jeter, 8-1
86 kg
Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) defeats Brock Mantanona (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), two matches to none
Round 1 – Sinclair dec. Mantanona, 6-0
Round 2 – Sinclair tech. fall Mantanona, 10-0
92 kg
Jimmy Mastny (Relentless Training Center) defeats Karson Tompkins (Air Force Regional Training Center), two matches to none
Round 1 – Mastny fall Tompkins, 3:31
Round 2 – Mastny tech. fall Tompkins, 10-0
97 kg
Michael Boyle (Ohio Crazy Goats Wrestling Club) defeats Garett Kawczynski (Askren Wrestling Academy), two matches to none
Round 1 – Boyle tech. fall Kawczynski, 10-0
Round 2 – Boyle tech. fall Kawczynski, 10-0
125 kg
Dreshaun Ross (Cowboy RTC) defeats Coby Merrill (NYAC), two matches to one
Round 1 – Merrill tech. fall Ross, 11-0
Round 2 – Ross dec. Merrill 9-2
Round 3 – Ross dec. Merrill, 7-1
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A Central Ohio family has filed a lawsuit against a Hilliard funeral home after their mother was accidentally cremated, despite plans for her to be buried.
According to court documents, Tidd Funeral Home cremated Nancy Anders in June of last year against the family’s wishes. The lawsuit states Anders died a week earlier in May.
The family says Anders had planned and prepaid for funeral arrangements two years before her death to be buried with her late husband. The arrangements did not include cremation because, the family says, she did not believe in the concept.
The lawsuit says the family was told a week after her death that she had been accidentally cremated. It also accuses Tidd Funeral Home of cremating her even though the proper authorization form was never signed.
The family says they have suffered physical illness and emotional trauma and are seeking $25,000 in damages. They are also asking for the case to be decided by a jury.
ABC 6 reached out to the funeral home for comment but had not heard back.
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