Ryan Day is giving Legend Bey another chance, and the freshman has a clear job in front of him against Kent State.
Bey’s talent with the ball is not the issue. Ohio State already got a good look at that in the season opener against Ball State, when the true freshman flashed in the lopsided win. But his special teams decisions drew the wrong kind of attention, especially when he returned two kicks out of the end zone after Brandon Inniss had signaled for him to stay put.
That mistake cost him. Day pulled Bey from kickoff duty for the Texas game and turned to Devin McCuin instead.
Bey barely saw the field in that matchup, playing just one snap. The message from Day was obvious: ability only gets you so far if you are not following instructions.
Now Bey gets the return job back in Week 3, with Day saying he will be the kickoff returner against Kent State. It is a chance for the freshman to show he has taken the coaching to heart and can be trusted again, even in a game Ohio State is expected to handle comfortably.
The situation is simple: trust has to be earned. Bey was clearly in Day’s doghouse against Texas, and that reduced role had to sting.
But it also handed him an opening. If he handles his responsibilities the right way against Kent State, he can put himself back in good standing and keep that role moving forward.
If he ignores instructions again, the bench will be waiting.
There is also a broader opportunity here. Bey already showed in Week 1 that he can help the offense, catching two passes for 37 yards and a touchdown while adding 36 rushing yards.
That was the kind of all-around debut that hints at a bigger role later in the season. The drop-off in snaps against Texas made that harder to see, but it also raises the stakes for Saturday.
For Bey, this is more than just a return assignment. It is a chance to show that he can respond the right way after a setback and become a more regular part of the rotation. If he delivers against Kent State, Day will have every reason to keep leaning on him.
In Other News...
Ohio State Loss Keeps Getting More Awkward After Sarkisian Controversy
Texas comeback win over then-No. 1 Ohio State was already going to be remembered for the result, but the postgame noise has kept following it. Quarterback Arch Manning later apologized after laughing at an AI-generated video that showed coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, a moment that only added to the odd aftertaste surrounding a game the Buckeyes had let slip away.
Sarkisian also addressed the issue in a media meeting, saying he had skipped a postgame interview with Rowe because of a delay and because he chose to celebrate with his team instead. He said he respects Rowe and ESPN and expressed regret over how he handled it, another layer to a loss Ohio State fans were already trying to process as the off-field awkwardness kept building. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Revived A Massive Ohio State What-If
Micah Parsons has reopened one of those Ohio State recruiting what-ifs that never really disappears, especially when a player becomes one of the NFLs most disruptive defenders. The former Penn State star said he was close enough to Ohio State that he could picture what his career might have looked like in Columbus, where a front already stacked with elite pass rushers could have given him a different kind of launch point.
What makes the conversation linger is the way Parsons framed the fit with that Buckeyes defensive line. Ohio State has turned edge talent into a defining part of its identity, and Parsons imagining himself alongside names like Nick Bosa and Chase Young only adds to the intrigue of how much scarier that group might have been. The full story behind his decision is the kind of recruiting twist that still echoes years later, and it is easy to see why Buckeyes fans cannot help replaying it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Secondary Has A Problem Big Ten Teams Will Notice
Ohio States secondary left Saturday with more questions than it wanted after a game against Texas in which coverage broke down on two pass plays that should have put the Buckeyes in real trouble. The only reason both snaps didnt turn into touchdowns was because Texas receivers failed to finish the job, a reminder that the back end is still searching for cleaner communication and tighter execution before Big Ten play begins.
Safety Earl Little Jr. acknowledged the need for improvement and stressed that every defender has to own his assignment if the unit is going to hold up against conference offenses. The coaching staff has kept practice demanding for exactly that reason, pushing the Buckeyes to sharpen the details now rather than hope they sort themselves out later. [Read more 🡒]