C-M’s Sohyda finds his future ‘home’ at Ohio State
One trip to “The Horseshoe” was enough to convince Luke Sohyda that Ohio State was the place he wants to play college football.
A rocking Ohio Stadium provided Sohyda with an atmosphere that he dreams of being a part of one day.
It helped seal the deal.
The Canon-McMillan sophomore committed to Ohio State last week.
Sohyda attended Ohio State’s home opener against Ball State on Sept. 5.
“You hear about how crazy that environment is, but you can only understand it so much until you’re in it,” Sohyda said. “It’s pretty insane. Everybody loves it there. Some places there’s like 30,000 people in the stands and you go to Ohio State and there 101,000. It’s just a crazy atmosphere that’s really beyond belief.
“It definitely exceeded what I thought. It’s pretty awesome getting to go there and experience it myself. Knowing that I’m going to play there is pretty cool.”
Sohyda chose Ohio State over offers from Pitt, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Maryland, Youngstown State, Kent State, Akron, Miami (Ohio), Temple, Toledo, Ohio and Buffalo.
The 6-4, 250-pound Sohyda is being recruited as a tight end by Ohio State. He also plays defensive end for the Big Macs.
“It’s definitely taken a lot of stress off my shoulders,” Sohyda said about committing to Ohio State. “I kind of knew where home was after they offered me and I got to talking to them. I knew that’s where I wanted to go even if I committed later on in the season, but after that first game, I knew I needed to make that decision and had no reason to wait.”
This is Sohyda’s first year playing tight end for Canon-McMillan after starting at defensive lineman last year as a freshman. He also plays defensive line this year.
Sohyda knows he’s a raw prospect at tight end, which makes him even more appreciative of Ohio State believing that he can play the position.
“They basically told me that they use big tight ends,” Sohyda said. “When I was there, most of their tight ends now are the same size as me and they use two to three and maybe even four in a game. It’s definitely something I can see myself being a part of.”
Another factor for Sohyda was the rapport he built with Ohio State tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Keenan Bailey.
Sohyda has been in communication with Bailey since Ohio State offered him in June after he attended a team camp in Columbus.
“He texts me almost daily, opposed to other schools, which haven’t really reached out since they offered me,” Sohyda said. “It is Ohio State, so it’s hard to pass up. They are the No. 1 program in the country with insane development. You can’t really get much better than there. Plus the fact (Bailey) made a great connection with me, better than anybody else and it was an easy decision.”
Sohyda didn’t get a chance to tour the campus at Ohio State during his last visit, but is going back up this weekend for the Buckeyes’ game against Kent State. He’s looking forward to getting to check out some of the campus this weekend.
He’s also excited about helping Canon-McMillan try to win football games, including the conference opener this Friday against Seneca Valley, and continuing to progress as a tight end.
“I’ve loved playing tight end,” Sohyda said. “Even during the summer I knew that was the position I wanted to play. Obviously I’m still new to it. We’re only three weeks in, so I’m learning day in and day out and trying to work on the small details, routes, and trying to become the best tight end I can be.”