Lima (Ohio) Senior defensive back Diante Griffin announced on Sunday he will follow in the footsteps of his legendary grandfather, two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, by accepting a preferred walk-on offer to Ohio State.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank God for putting me in the position that I am in today,” Griffin said in a note posted to Twitter. “I want to thank all of my coaches and teammates, throughout all sports, for all of the hours and work that we have put in.
"Most of all, I want to thank my family for their everlasting and second to none love and support I receive daily. My brother is who I do it for, my mother is my biggest supporter and critic and my father is who taught me everything I know. I love this game of football very much and I'm extremely blessed to continue that love on the next level.
“My Dad, my Papa Dave, my Papa Archie and my Uncle Adam have all been my biggest inspirations when it comes to this game and they all have this one thing in common. With that being said I am blessed and excited to announce that for these next years of my life, I will be accepting a walk-on opportunity to continue my academic and athletic career at The Ohio State University.”
In addition to Archie, Griffin’s great uncles, Ray Griffin and Duncan Griffin, played defensive back for the Buckeyes in the 1970s. Ohio State won six straight Big Ten titles during their careers, which notably overlapped during the 1975 season, which was Archie’s senior, Ray’s sophomore and Duncan’s freshman year.
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.
As for the youngest Griffin, who stands 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he was named second-team All-Three Rivers Athletic Conference after a senior season in which he recorded 10 tackles, five pass break ups and one forced fumble for the Spartans.
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