Ohio State’s preseason camp is already starting to sort out who’s moving up the depth chart, and after 10 practices, a few Buckeyes have made a strong early case for bigger roles.
The first three practices were open to fans and media after camp opened on Aug. 6, and the picture has only gotten clearer since then. Between what’s been seen on the field and what’s been said in press conferences, these five players have stood out as the biggest winners so far.
Bo Jackson is right at the top of that list. Ryan Day has made it plain that he wants more out of the running back room this season, and Jackson - a sophomore returning starter - has answered the challenge. Day said Jackson is showing real progress getting to the second level and making defenders miss, something the coach said didn’t show up on film last year.
“I think he’s doing a much better job at the second level,” Day said. “We’ve talked about it before - you’re either running over him or you’re running around him, making him miss.
You’re seeing that. It’s showing up on film.
It did not show up on film last year. We all know it.
“He knows he has been challenged. Coach (Carlos Locklyn) has been challenged. Based on the habits he’s creating, I think we’re going to see that this year.
“Again, it’s just practice, so it doesn’t matter until he puts it in a game. But if he continues to keep building, practicing and stacking these practices the way he’s doing it, it’s going to show up in the game.”
Another back who has pushed his way into the conversation is Isaiah West. The sophomore has spent most of the open practices working with Julian Sayin and the first-team offense, and that was no surprise to people around the program. Payton Pierce said West has had a huge offseason.
“He had a heck of an offseason,” linebacker Payton Pierce said of West. “Super proud of what he did this past offseason. When the awards come out, he’ll get some good ones.”
Ohio State likes having multiple backs it can trust, and West looks like he’s giving the Buckeyes another legitimate option next to Jackson.
On offense, freshman receiver Chris Henry Jr. has kept building on the progress he made in the spring. He started slowly then, but he finished by losing his black stripe in April and turning in a strong spring game. Day said that carried into a productive summer, and now Henry is showing he can help right away.
“I thought he did a nice job in the spring, but when you go through 15 practices, the winter program, coming off of your senior year - you’re supposed to be going to the prom - there’s a lot going on there,” Day said. “To go through the summer, it’s like now he’s not a freshman anymore. He doesn’t look that way.
“He’s made a lot of plays. He’s learning the offense well.
He’s buying into special teams. He’s playing physical.
I’m excited to see where this goes for him.”
Defensively, Jay Timmons has been one of the most active players on the field. The Pennsylvania native turned heads in the spring, and he’s carried that momentum straight into camp. During the open practices, he was showing up around the ball in the secondary and even around the backfield, while also taking a strong share of the first-team reps at nickelback.
“He’s super competitive,” Day said of Timmons. “He’s edgy.
He just has a knack for the game. He’s got really good instincts.”
Then there’s Eddrick Houston, who looks ready to take another step after a sophomore season that had plenty of promise but was interrupted by inconsistency, injuries and penalties. Houston was constantly getting into the backfield during the open practices, even against an experienced interior offensive line.
Ohio State signed Houston as a five-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, and he came in as a defensive end before moving to tackle during his freshman year. Now that he has more time at the position, those inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center expect a much bigger junior season, especially at a spot Matt Patricia clearly values.
“I believe it’s important to be strong in the middle of the defense,” Patricia said.
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