Once a Buckeye…: A Story of Football, Family & Faith

by Tyson Gentry, Todd Jones (Foreword)

From the time he was a young boy growing up in Ohio, Tyson Gentry had one to follow in his father’s footsteps and play football at The Ohio State University. Through years of hard work, perseverance, and determination, that dream became a reality. But life rarely unfolds the way we expect. After earning a spot on the Buckeyes’ roster, Tyson’s life changed in an instant when a routine play during a team scrimmage left him paralyzed. Everything he had worked toward—the future he had imagined—was suddenly gone. Or so it seemed.
In Once a Buckeye…, Tyson shares the journey that followed—one marked by adversity, faith, and a powerful shift in perspective. Through deeply personal stories and unexpected moments of meaning, he reveals how life’s hardest chapters can lead to purpose in ways we never could have planned. This is a story about football. But more than that, it’s a story about overcoming adversity, finding purpose in the unexpected, and learning that the life you never planned may become the life you were meant to live. Whether you’re an athlete, a person of faith, or simply someone facing challenges of your own, this story will challenge the way you see hardship—and remind you that even in the darkest moments, there is always something more being written.

Genres: Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

Published May 22, 2026

Reviews

[twinreadsandreds-Haley]

Wow! What a powerful, beautiful story!! Being a huge Ohio state fan and someone who played sports all my life, I could feel the excitement he had when making the Ohio state football team!! And how he dealt with his injury is so unbelievably strong! AMAZING!

[Barbara Brown Lindsay, Ph.D.]

You don't need to be a Buckeye fan to get a lot out of this book. Fans do remember when the tragedy occurred but everyone can enjoy reading about how Gentry uses his faith to grow from adversity. We may not ever face the intensity of problems this young man has had to endure but we each have our own challenges and he demonstrates how faith gets us through each one in turn and the power of attitude in our lives. Read this book and Go Bucks!!

[Sue Andreas]

Read this one for my OSU Bookclub Bingo. Such a raw, gripping story that had me interested from the beginning. It was great to learn how the football program actually works and all these athletes go through. Thank you Tyson for sharing your story.

[Ashley Faith]

3.75 stars

[Letty]

Inspirational story of a Buckeye!