As Kamryn Babb looks back on his five years as an Ohio State football player, the former Buckeye is filled with gratitude and has no regrets.
Babb battled through knee injuries throughout his Ohio State career and finished his career with only one catch. But he says that one catch – a touchdown last season against Indiana that brought national recognition to his story of perseverance through four torn ACLs – was worth all the adversity he had to overcome.
“It was worth it, just because you see God's hand on it, you see how it's not only impacted myself, it's impacted so many people that I don't even know. And that was the goal,” Babb told Eleven Warriors on Monday. “I want them to know you and how good you are, and through this and through him helping me overcome the adversity, just knowing that whatever you’re going through in life, whether it’s football or not, that you can do the same.”
Former Buckeye wide receiver Tyson Gentry, who suffered a spinal cord injury during an Ohio State scrimmage in 2006 that left him paralyzed, was among those who were inspired by Babb’s story after watching him score that touchdown against Indiana. In recognition of his resiliency, Gentry selected Babb as the winner of this year’s Tyson Gentry Courage Award, which was presented to Babb by the Columbus Chapter of the National Football Foundation at a banquet Monday night.
Gentry said it was an “easy decision” to give this year’s award to Babb, who joins a list of award recipients that includes fellow former Ohio State football players Ryan Shazier, William White and Dimitrious Stanley, among others.
“The fact that he's overcome as much as he has is just incredible,” Gentry told Eleven Warriors after Monday night’s banquet. “Seeing the impact that he made on the team, after that touchdown, and just to get voted a team captain, to be able to wear the number zero; clearly, he's demonstrated the character and qualities that you want in a young man who unfortunately couldn't carry out his dream of playing football the way that he wanted to, but he still impacted a lot of people in a lot of amazing ways. So it means a lot to have him get the award.”
While Babb refused to let his repeated knee injuries stop him from achieving his dream of catching a touchdown pass for the Buckeyes, that catch would be the final play of his Ohio State career. Babb was plagued by yet another knee injury throughout last season, and a medical evaluation at the end of the season revealed his knee was more damaged than he previously realized.
As a result, Babb decided it was time to end his football career rather than return to Ohio State for his additional year of eligibility. But he does so with great appreciation for all the moments he was able to have as a Buckeye over the past five years.
“I just felt it like it was time to move on, and I’ll cherish and be a Buckeye for life,” Babb said. “I'm just thankful for my time, and love everybody that I encountered and had relationships with and looking back, it's lifelong relationships. I'm definitely thankful for it all.”
Babb, who earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from Ohio State in December after previously earning his bachelor’s degree in communications, isn’t sure exactly what that next chapter will look like yet in terms of work. What Babb wants to do most, though, is share his story – one he attributes heavily to his faith – everywhere he can in hopes of continuing to inspire others.
“Sometimes when you feel like you're being called somewhere else, it's just being led away from football for at least right now, and trying to preach and share the gospel any way that I can,” Babb said. “I just feel like God put that on my heart. And so I'm excited for this next chapter, however it may look. And I just want to pour into young people and pour into people all across the world any way that I can.”
Babb, who has already been invited to speak at churches in Ohio and hopes to do so throughout the nation, is still living in Columbus and has continued to spend time at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center even though he’s no longer playing for the Buckeyes.
“I know a lot of guys and coaches, so just trying to keep up relationships,” Babb said. “I love those guys and I love my teammates, so if I can keep that connection and relationship while I'm here in Columbus, and Coach Day and (team physical therapist Adam Stewart) and all those guys are such great people that they allow me to come in and work out and do all those things, Coach Mick. So yeah, just trying to stay around and just be around them if I can.”
Kamryn Babb returned to Ohio State on Monday night to receive the Tyson Gentry Courage Award from the National Football Foundation.
Those relationships, Babb said, are why all the sacrifices he made to continue playing football for the past five years were worth it.
“I will always be a Buckeye and I wouldn't have changed it at all,” Babb said. “And I'm just so thankful for Columbus and being embraced throughout Buckeye Nation but most importantly, being embraced by my teammates, my coaches, my family, and again, the goodness of God that has kept me here. It's been a great time and one of the best parts of my life. So I’m just thankful.”
“I’ll cherish and be a Buckeye for life.”– Kamryn Babb
Even though he’ll never catch a second pass as a Buckeye, he’ll continue to draw joy from the one pass he did catch as a Buckeye as long as it continues to inspire others to push through their own struggles.
“Adversity will come in life and that if I can overcome five ACLs, that you, whether you're a single mother or whatever it may be, if you're a young kid struggling, that you can do anything,” Babb said when asked what he wants people to take away from his story. “So that's my message, is to just keep fighting. And that's kind of what Ohio State has taught me is to fight.”
In addition to receiving the Tyson Gentry Courage Award, Babb was also recognized Monday night as one of the NFF’s Central Ohio College Scholar-Athletes, along with football players from six other Central Ohio colleges.
Ryan Day was also recognized Monday as this year’s recipient of the Ohio Gold Award, which the NFF’s Columbus Chapter awards each year to an individual who has made a notable impact on college football within the state of Ohio. Day joins a list of award recipients that includes fellow Ohio State head coaches Woody Hayes, Paul Brown, Earle Bruce, John Cooper and Jim Tressel, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and more than 15 former Buckeye players including Archie Griffin, Chris Spielman, Eddie George, Orlando Pace and Troy Smith, among others.
Katie Logan, the president of the Columbus Chapter of the National Football Foundation, presented the Ohio Gold Award to Ryan Day on Monday night.
During his acceptance speech, Day said stories like Babb’s are what he loves most about being the coach at Ohio State.
“When Kam Babb says to me, ‘Hey, Coach, I love you,’ there's nothing more important than that to me,” Day said. “We’ll win championships. But the thing that we don't forget about is all the impact that we have on young men every single year. And we do have to win every game at Ohio State. That’s just the way it goes, that's the expectation. But winning just allows us an opportunity to continue to have an impact on young men. That's what the game is all about.”
