Ohio State is putting the final touches on its preseason camp, but a lighthearted locker room moment just spilled out into the open. Head coach Ryan Day had to address media members after a behind-the-scenes video accidentally revealed something that was supposed to stay strictly inside the team facility.

Ryan Day spoke on August 24 during his media availability after the team’s second scrimmage. He joked that linebackers coach James Laurinaitis is in trouble for sharing private details about the captain vote. 

Day said, “The voting numbers are confidential. It’s not public information, so I don’t know what happened there.” Day did not share any actual vote numbers himself.

On August 23, Ohio State Football posted the official “Captain Calls” video. Laurinaitis was on the call with Payton Pierce’s family. He told them Pierce got the most votes from his teammates among all the captains. That was the confidential detail Day pointed to. 

Ohio State captains come from player votes. Juniors, seniors, and fifth-year players get to vote. The team named seven captains on August 22. It was the seventh time in program history and the first since 2020.

The full list is WR Brandon Inniss, DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., S Jaylen McClain, LB Payton Pierce, QB Julian Sayin, OL Austin Siereveld, and WR Jeremiah Smith. 

Pierce did not get the captaincy just because of his spot on the field. He earned the support of the players in the room. Day said of him, “He’s somebody that he leads from the front… He’s got a voice. And in that position…It’s really important that everybody’s on the same page… Payton does that… he just is a natural leader.” Day also noted that Pierce felt comfortable speaking in front of groups right from day one.

Day added, “We knew we were getting that with Payton, and he certainly hasn’t disappointed.” The team lost key communicators like Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs. With 51 new players on the roster, experienced voices matter more. 

The detail that slipped out revealed that Pierce’s teammates gave him the highest vote total of the seven captains. That puts him among the emerging leaders on the defense facing big changes. Pierce’s rise is connected to the work Laurinaitis is doing with the linebacker room as the staff replaces major pieces after Styles and Arvell Reese left for the NFL.

Payton Pierce steps up as new linebacker leader

Pierce is now at the center of Ohio State’s linebacker room. He moves from a rotational role into a full-time starting middle linebacker job. At least one linebacker has been a team captain every year since 2015. Pierce’s selection keeps that streak alive.

Pierce came in with the 2024 recruiting class as a four-star from Lovejoy High School in Texas. He enrolled early in January 2024 after rehabbing a high-school injury. He played as a true freshman in 2024 and then as a sophomore contributor in 2025. 

Payton was a two-time high school captain at Lovejoy. Coaches and teammates call him a vocal and competitive leader. 

In 2025, Pierce played 14 games with three starts. He finished with 43 tackles (23 solo, 20 assisted), 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception for 15 yards, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. 

He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors along with academic awards and Iron Buckeye recognition. His seven tackles against Minnesota, a 15-yard interception at Illinois, and a forced fumble plus recovery against Miami came while he played behind two eventual high NFL draft picks.

Day challenged Laurinaitis earlier to help make “this Linebacker U again.” Day said, “There’s no rebuilding anything around here. So, that’s the standard.” The room lost Styles and Reese after 2025, both high draft selections. The new group features Pierce, Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro, TJ Alford, and Riley Pettijohn. 

Defensive line captain Jackson Jr. adds another voice. Jackson is the defensive-line captain among the seven. In 2025, he started all 14 games and recorded 28 tackles (16 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and two pass breakups. 

Teammate Bennett Christian has shared that Pierce told others, “I don’t know how defenses are gonna stop us.” That leadership faces its first test when Ohio State opens the 2026 season against Ball State on September 5.