The college football world was hit with tragic news on Wednesday as it was confirmed that former Ohio State offensive lineman, Ben Christman, passed away at his Las Vegas apartment. Christman, a four-star recruit from Akron, Ohio, was just 21 years old. The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed the death, though the cause remains unknown.
Christman had recently transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) after a brief stint at Kentucky. Prior to that, he played two seasons with Ohio State in 2021 and 2022. In December, he made the decision to move to UNLV to continue his football journey.
The university expressed its sorrow on social media, stating, “UNLV mourns the passing of student-athlete Ben Christman.” In a more detailed statement, they added, “UNLV Athletics was notified earlier today of the passing of a student-athlete at their off-campus residence. This is an extremely difficult day for our athletics department and the university community. Out of respect for the student’s family and pending formal notification of next of kin by the Clark County Coroner’s Office, the university has no further information to share at this time.”
Christman, who was a redshirt freshman during his time at Ohio State, had always dreamed of playing for his home-state team and was fortunate to live that dream. His passing has left a deep void in the college football community, and tributes continue to pour in.