Ohio State's Ty Hamilton discusses pee-wee football and the nature of the universe
Ohio State's Ty Hamilton is looking to build on a breakout season.
Last year the defensive lineman recorded 19 tackles in 13 games. He started against Northwestern, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and then against Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals. During that CFP game, he had three solo tackles, which marked a career-high for him, so he has some momentum heading into his fourth year with the program.
Meet even more Ohio State Buckeyes: You can find last year's "getting to know you" features here.
Coming out of Pickerington Central High School, Hamilton was considered a three-star defensive lineman, and the 247Sports composite rankings had him listed as the No. 28 prospect in the state of Ohio. He chose OSU from around 20 offers, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of his brother DaVon Hamilton, who played for the Buckeyes before being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2020 draft.
But make no mistake: Ty Hamilton is his own man. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He enjoys video games, watercolor paintings, and learning about vampires.
Read on to learn more.
Get to know Ohio State football defensive tackle Ty Hamilton
So should we start with the nature of the universe or your middle name?
Uh, we can do middle name.
OK. So, what's your middle name?
Franklin.
What's on your resume right now that you're particularly proud of, Ty Franklin Hamilton?
I think I'm proud of my coaching. I used to coach pee-wee football.
Did you?
Yeah, Very proud of that. Led my team to the national championship.
How long ago was this?
Two years ago.
And how old were the players?
Fifth through the seventh grade.
Are they wearing helmets and shoulder pads at that age?
No, it was flag football.
How did you celebrate the championship? Because that sounds like a huge trip to Dairy Queen.
Yeah. I definitely had to celebrate with my team because it was a proud moment.
What did they call you? Coach Ty? Coach Hamilton?
Coach Hamilton. I wasn't the main coach. I was an assistant coach. Like I said, it was an amazing experience to be down there and be able to coach. ... It was just so fun to do.
Do you want to go into coaching someday?
I thought about it. I've definitely thought about it. Maybe later on in my career. But I definitely want to get into inspiring kids.
What is it you like about working with kids?
Just seeing myself as a kid before and just knowing that kids look up to players like me, being able to have that inspiration and being give it back to the kids that need it.
What is a way that you today, though a young adult, is still very childlike?
Playing video games, stuff like that. I feel like that will never leave. It's like a childhood thing, being able to sit down and relax and enter a whole new world by playing video games.
What's your favorite?
FIFA.
So sports games?
Yeah.
Who on the team do you enjoy playing with?
Do you two trash talk when you play?
All the time. It's necessary.
What's your favorite food?
I think I like to eat a burger.
What's a really good burger place?
I think one of my favorite go-tos is Steak and Shake or Five Guys.
You're a Pickerington guy, so you know the area. What's a hidden gem here locally, a place you like to visit?
I would say Hocking Hills. It's an experience being there. I got to go with my family around once a year.
Did you ever get to go there in the fall when the leaves are changing?
Yeah, very gorgeous.
You mentioned your family. Is this the longest you've ever gone in an interview without being asked about your brother (Jacksonville Jaguars starting nose tackle DaVon Hamilton)?
Yeah.
What makes you an awesome little brother?
Just being able to support my brother. Having an older brother, there's no feeling like it – that bond you have ... and me supporting him every time. I feel like being a big brother, it would be a good feeling to have a little brother who really looks up to you.
I have a little brother, so I know that an important part of a little brother's job is to make their older siblings miserable. How did you accomplish that?
I had to make it hard. At a young age you really don't understand, you don't understand much, and him being older, he understands a little bit more than me. So he's beating my butt in sports and everything like that, and you want to win so badly, you're just not ready to do it.
What music do you listen to?
That's a tough one. I listen to a lot. I may have to say J. Cole. I like to listen to a lot of types of music, not just single on one type of music. I think it's more of a mood type of thing.
What else, besides music, gets your creative juices flowing?
I do like to draw a little bit. I like to color a lot. Trying to get into painting a little bit, but just things that can express my emotions.
Is there a particular painting technique you enjoy? Oils, watercolors, pastels...
I do like watercolors, but more of a cartoonish type coloring. Stuff like that.
So graphic art?
Yeah.
Have you taken an art class at OSU?
I have not, but I did take a couple in high school, so I learned a little bit then.
Do you have a favorite class you have taken at OSU?
There's been a lot of interesting classes. I took a vampire class ...
OK, what?
It was pretty interesting, as weird as it seems. It was my sophomore year. It was pretty interesting learning about medieval things like that.
What's the most interesting thing you learned about vampires in that class?
The whole class in general. ... It was definitely different, definitely a different experience.
Was it a night class? Please, tell me the class was held at night.
No, it was in the morning, actually.
You talked about sharing your emotions through drawing. How tough is it being a hard-nosed, rugged football player wanting to express yourself?
I feel like it just comes with the territory. Just being able to know when to use your emotions. Like, on the field, you've got to have that tough, rugged mindset, but when you get home, it's not football anymore. You've got to be able to separate the two and be able to go home and be able to live your life without having the sport with you.
What is home like for you? Do you live in an apartment?
Yeah, I do.
What's it like? Do you have any of your art on the walls?
I do like anime, so I have a few posters on the wall. I have a lot of neutral tones in there. I just like to make it as comfy as possible, so I can just go home and lay on – I've got a big couch at home – just be able to lay on the couch.
Favorite anime?
"Bleach."
Do you have a pet?
I don't but I want a dog, a Newfoundland.
Why that breed?
One of my teammates (Gee Scott) has one. I was introduced by him, and I just fell in love ever since, because the dog grows huge, probably like 150 pounds, but it's a fluffy furball.
What are you going to name this dog?
I haven't thought too deep into it yet.
You could name him Franklin.
I could. I could. But every time I think of Franklin, I think of a turtle.
Is there a story behind your middle name?
I'm pretty sure it's from my grandpa's middle name.
What do your parents do?
My mom's a nurse, and my dad's a corrections officer.
Sheesh. That's not only hard work but weird hours.
And they work nights, so yeah. It was definitely weird hours, like sleeping during the day and working at night.
So are you a night owl?
I am. I am a night owl. I prefer being up all night rather than waking up early.
Now do you want to discuss the nature of the universe?
(laughs) Yeah. We can, yeah.
So what do you think is the nature of the universe?
It's really fascinating, fascinating just to know there are so many planets out there that we don't even know. There could be another me a billion lightyears away. It's just fascinating to know that.
The multiverse theory.
Yeah.
So if there is another you in another universe, what do you think he's doing?
Hopefully having some type of successful career and playing a sport. I don't even know if there are sports over there. Could be something completely different over there. But hopefully something successful.
So you don't think we're alone in the universe?
I don't think we are. I feel like movies do a great job showing what it could be like if it was true.
And if they came down and said, "Ty, we want you to represent humankind and explain to us what your species is all about," what would you tell them?
Tell them that we're hard-working people who just want to push the scientific method forward. Want to push forward. Always want to learn something new. Want to create something new.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Get to know Ohio State football defensive lineman Ty Hamilton
