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tOSU Football Walk Ons (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 88 Replies
DIANTÉ GRIFFIN, THE GRANDSON OF OHIO STATE LEGEND ARCHIE GRIFFIN, COMMITS TO OHIO STATE AS PREFERRED WALK-ON
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Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...iffin-commits-to-ohio-state-as-preferred-walk
Dianté Griffin Returns to Ohio Stadium for “Full Circle” Moment After Transferring to Ball State
Archie Griffin will have rooting interests on both sides as Ohio State hosts Ball State in its season opener on Saturday.Griffin will be rooting for Ohio State to win, of course, as the Buckeye legend still deeply loves his alma mater more than 50 years after winning his second Heisman Trophy. But he’ll also be cheering for his grandson to play well in Ohio Stadium.
Those rooting interests were one and the same for the past four years. Dianté Griffin was a walk-on cornerback for Ohio State from 2022-25. Griffin entered the transfer portal for his final year of college football, however, seeking an opportunity to be a scholarship player. That opportunity just so happened to come from Ohio State’s season-opening opponent.
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As such, Dianté Griffin will begin his new chapter at Ball State playing in the same stadium where he played his home games for the last four years, and where he became an Ohio State graduate in May.
“It’s a surreal moment. Full circle,” Dianté told Eleven Warriors when asked about returning to the Shoe. “I never thought I would be playing at Ohio Stadium after my Senior Day against Rutgers last year again.”
Still proud to be a Buckeye
Dianté has only good things to say when reflecting on his time as a Buckeye. While he played only three snaps on special teams over four seasons, he’s proud that he was part of a national championship team and of the work that he put in behind the scenes.“People always see the guys that are out there going to war, but they don't always recognize the people that were going to war behind the scenes throughout the week, putting in that real pain in practice. But we got our credit in the Woody, and that's really all that matters,” Dianté said. “During that time, you put so much into the moment to be a part of the team and be a part of the success, and it just feels like it all pays off.”
Dianté says his favorite part of being a Buckeye was the connections he made with his former Ohio State teammates and coaches over the last four years. He’s excited to reunite with many of them this weekend, particularly the Buckeyes’ returning defensive backs and Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton.
“All my BIA brothers, man, they're always checking in on me, I'm checking in on them,” Dianté said. “Inky Jones, Jaylen McClain, Leroy Roker, Jermaine (Mathews Jr.), they're my brothers, man. And Coach Walt, he really helped me. I came in with Coach Walt, my first year was his first year as well, so we did a lot together. So it's going to be nice seeing all them boys.”
As the seventh different member of his family to play for Ohio State, also joining his father (Andre Griffin), uncle (Adam Griffin), great uncles (Ray Griffin and Duncan Griffin) and his other grandfather (Dave Reynolds), Dianté is proud to be an Ohio State graduate and that he was able to continue his family’s legacy as a Buckeye.
“It means the world to me personally,” Griffin said. “All my family members on my mother and my father's side all graduated from Ohio State. I grew up being a Buckeye fan, I was a Buckeye for life. And when I got the opportunity to continue my athletic career and my academic career at Ohio State, I took that on and did the work for me to finish and get my degree.”
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Just sayin': In case you wondered......Diante’s father, Andre Griffin, played running back for the Buckeyes from 1998-2001, while his uncle, Adam Griffin, was a defensive back at Ohio State from 2010-13 before a shoulder injury ended his career. While neither had the same impact on their field as Archie, they both found success after college, as Andre went into coaching and Adam went into the financial sector.
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