The Styles name was already familiar in Columbus since the early 1990s. It only took Lorenzo Style’s sons Sonny and Lorenzo Jr. to reignite the spark. Back in 1994, he was the guy setting the tone with 12 tackles beating Michigan 22-6. He was a hero for snapping a losing streak since 1987. So when news dropped that the Styles patriarch is stepping back into the college game, people paid attention. And what’s more interesting is that he’s linking back up with an old teammate.

Lorenzo Styles has officially joined Eddie George’s coaching staff at Bowling Green as a senior analyst for the D-line. The duo shared the field at Ohio State in the ‘90s on opposite sides of the ball. Now, three decades later, they’re about to build something together. The 52-year-old former LB didn’t waste time setting the tone in his first statement.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join such a respected defensive staff,” he said in a statement. “I approach this role with a lot of humility and appreciation for the game, and I’m looking forward to collaborating, developing young men and helping build a physical, disciplined Falcons defense.”

The staff Lorenzo Styles is joining is not light on experience either. Working alongside names like Clyde Simmons and Joe Bowden gives him a real platform to contribute, not just observe. But don’t mistake this for a nostalgia hire because he has experience that comes from putting in the work for years.

After a six-year NFL run split between the Atlanta Falcons and the St. Louis Rams, Lorenzo Styles stepped into coaching the trenches of the game. From indoor leagues to college stops like Ohio Dominican, and then a long stretch at Pickerington Central High School, he built his resume the hard way. 

At Pickerington Central, Lorenzo Styles won two state titles in 2017 and later in 2019 where both his sons were part of the team. But more importantly, that’s where the next chapter of this story really takes shape because while he was coaching, he was also raising two future pros. And now that he is stepping into a new coaching role, his sons are stepping onto the biggest stage of their lives.

Lorenzo Style coached his sons from backyard drills to NFL dreams

If you need proof of how impactful a coach he is, look at where his sons are right now. Let’s start with Lorenzo Jr., because his combine performance turned heads across the league. He recorded a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, the fastest at this year’s combine. It’s also the fastest recorded by a safety at the event since at least 2003. He came into college as a WR at Notre Dame, transitioned to DB at Ohio State, and helped win a national title with his younger brother. 

Sonny Styles, meanwhile, is a projected top-10 pick who finished the combine with a 4.46 40-yard dash, a 43.5-inch vertical, and an 11-foot-2 broad jump. There’s even chatter about the Washington Commanders at No. 7 with draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. already floating him as a “best player available” type selection. And behind all of this is a detail that makes everything click. 

“My husband has worked with these boys since they were like 4 or 5 years old,” their mother, Laverna, revealed. “They thought they were playing games. They were running outside with parachutes on their back. They were 4 and 5 thinking it was a game, not realizing their dad’s getting them ready for this day today.”

Now, in a matter of months, one Styles is joining a college staff while two others could hear their names called on draft night. Bowling Green should be excited for what’s ahead with Lorenzo Styles in the fold.