Ryan Day Expecting A Number Of True Freshmen Buckeyes To Play This Year

INDIANAPOLIS — Every year for the Buckeyes there are a number of true freshmen who will be utilized in significant roles, and every year there are a handful who have already solidified that fact before fall camp even begins.

A year ago, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day pointed towards offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, receiver Carnell Tate, and defensive backs Jermaine Mathews, Jr. and Malik Hartford as true freshmen who would be tasked with significant roles. Each player began and ended the season in the two deep for the Buckeyes.

This year, Day is pointing out another handful of rookies on the team with immediate expectations thrust upon them.

But only because he was asked to name some names.

“We do this and then I forget people,” Day said when asked which freshmen he expected to see the field this year. The question also contained the addition of “other than receiver Jeremiah Smith,” who was one of the stars of the spring. Smith is definitely playing this year, but who is joining him?

Day began with running backs James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon, who are two of OSU’s four scholarship running backs. The running back roster is a scholarship short of Day’s preference for the position.

“Obviously, the two running backs are going to have to play,” Day said. “They’re going to have to play. They’re gonna get in games and get carries.”

Mylan Graham and Damarion Witten are the other two freshmen receivers, but neither enrolled early like Jeremiah Smith did. That fact has put them behind and created a question of what might be asked of them this year.

“Mylan and Damarion just got here, so when you get here in the summer, you’re a little bit behind. So they’ve got some ground to cover,” Day said.

The Buckeyes have 10 true freshmen on the defensive side of the ball, and eight of them enrolled early. The highest-ranked recruit among them is defensive end Eddrick Houston, who could be in line for playing time should the depth chart allow it.

“Eddrick Houston has probably flashed the most,” Day said. “But we’re pretty deep at defensive end.”

The secondary likely has a couple of guys who will play this year. Safety Jaylen McClain was a standout all spring long, while cornerback Aaron Scott get better and better as the spring continued.

“Jaylen McClain has done a nice job, so he’ll see some time this season for sure,” Day said. “Aaron Scott, as the spring went on he flashed more and more. He’s had a good summer. Bryce West was injured so I haven’t really seen him do a whole bunch but we’ll kind of see what we got there.

As for linebackers Garrett Stover and Payton Pierce, Day offered up a hopeful “We’ll see.”

Clearly, there are freshmen on both offense and defense who will be called upon in more than just mop-up duty. But there is also the possibility for a true freshman to emerge on special teams.

The Buckeyes signed punter Nick McLarty out of Australia. They also brought in transfer punter Anthony Venneri from Buffalo. The competition will get underway next week when camp starts on Thursday.

“Yeah, so the punter, that’s going to be a battle that goes into probably the third week to see if if they can win the job,” Day said. “We’ve got three or four guys in there that are going to be in the mix. [McLarty] has got a big leg. He’s young. So we’ll kind of see. We’ve got another guy with some experience coming in, but those guys are important, so we’ll kind of see what that looks like.”

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