Talk about a major sigh of relief for Ohio State football fans everywhere and head man Ryan Day. On Friday afternoon, 5-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. announced he was going to sign with the Buckeyes despite Oregon, Texas and others pushing hard to get him to flip.
Chris Henry Jr. gives Ohio State football fans the news they were hoping for
There was plenty of worry for Day and the Buckeyes when Henry didn't make things official with the reigning national champs on the first day of the Early Signing Period. On Thursday, multiple predictions game in for Oregon to flip Henry in what would have been a heartbreaking update for the OSU faithful. That didn't happen and Henry made it clear why he's Columbus-bound.
"Ultimately, I've been committed to the Buckeyes for a long time," Henry said on the Pat McAfee Show. "With Coach Hartline leaving, it really impacted my recruitment heavily. I really just had to take time, step back and reevaluate everything, but sitting with my family and taking time to think about it, ultimately I'll be staying committed to the Ohio State University. I just feel like it's the right fit for me. I made my decision a couple of years ago and it was for the right choice. Taking time to think about it, even though Hartline did leave, Ohio State has always been in my heart since I committed, so I'll be staying home at the Ohio State University."
"I'm staying committed to THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 5, 2025
It's the right fit for me and they've been in my heart ever since I committed" ~ @ChrisHenryJr #PMSLive https://t.co/JCoIbOtMks pic.twitter.com/n2KmSRye1p
Jeremiah Smith knew in his heart he had to sign with Ohio State football
Anyone else fired up right now? This was not easy at all for Henry, who is the nation's No. 1 wide receiver and a 5-star playmaker. Oregon was getting ready to get things finalized with him, but Day and the Buckeyes weren't ready to take no for an answer.
Losing Hartline is going to sting for Ohio State and it was 100 percent what had Henry debating whether or not he should play for the Bucks. However, Day made it clear to him that Ohio State is still going to put him in a sensational place to be successful.
While Hartline is off to become the new head coach at USF, keep in mind that Day, Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin aren't going anywhere. Henry is going to have a great opportunity to make plays as a true freshman, with Ohio State surely set to be in the natty hunt once again. It was a stressful week for Day and Ohio State, but as Henry said, he's staying home and he'll look to be a stud for the Big Ten powerhouse.