Ohio State is heading into USC with encouraging signs up front and on defense, even if the Buckeyes still aren’t close to fully whole.
Ryan Day said Monday night on the Buckeye Roundtable show that the offensive line should be in much better shape this week, pointing to a likely return for Austin Siereveld after he missed the last two games because of illness. Day said Ohio State “should have a full week of practice and a full arsenal of guys up front,” a strong hint that Siereveld is on track to rejoin the mix.
If Siereveld is back, Ohio State has a decision to make. The Buckeyes could line him up at right tackle with Gabe VanSickle at right guard, or slide him to right guard and keep Phillip Daniels at right tackle. Before the Indiana game, Day said Siereveld likely would have played tackle if available.
That matters now more than ever. Ohio State is preparing to start a young quarterback for the first time, and Day made clear the line is going to carry a heavy load.
“We're going to lean on them more to be the guys who lead this team,” Day said. “You got a young quarterback right there, I mean, they're going to be looking at him, but he's going to be looking at them. And I got to give them credit already, they're already building up the confidence of our young quarterbacks.”
The news is more mixed on defense, though the bye week appears to have helped there too. Day said he expects the Buckeyes to get most, but not all, of the injured players back after Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Jay Timmons and John Walker all went down in the second half against Indiana.
“The bye week came at a good time. So I think we'll get the majority of these guys back,” Day said.
“I don't know if we'll get them all back. We'll kind of see how the week goes.
But the bye week definitely came at a good time, and I feel like we're going to get the majority of them back here for this week of work and into the game against USC.”
The one major absence that isn’t changing is at quarterback. Julian Sayin is out indefinitely, and potentially for the rest of the season, after the elbow injury he suffered against Indiana.
Day did not pick a starter during the show. Instead, he pointed to Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, who split reps during the bye week, and said both handled the moment well.
“I feel like this past week was a good opportunity for both he and Tavien to get work,” Day said when asked specifically about Fahey. “I feel like both guys have embraced it.
I think it's different when you're getting reps with the ones as opposed to the twos and threes. And time will tell, but there's been a lot of energy in practice.
I think the guys are up for the challenge and are excited to go play USC.”
Ohio State will also be without running back Ja’Kobi Jackson this week. Jackson is still recovering after surgery for a Lisfranc injury, though a source told Eleven Warriors last week that he hopes to return by the end of the regular season.
In Other News...
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Ohio States quarterback room looks a lot different than the one fans expected to see heading into the season, and the ripple effects are hard to ignore. With starter Julian Sayin dealing with an injury, Ryan Day is expected to turn to true freshman Luke Fahey in the backup role, a move that instantly shines a light on just how young and unproven the depth chart has become behind center.
Former coach Urban Meyer has already raised the question many around the program are asking, wondering why five-star prospect Tavien St. Clair is not in position to back up Sayin despite his obvious talent. It is the kind of quarterback situation that can feel manageable in September and suddenly become a real concern if the Buckeyes need answers in a hurry, especially with a room made up mostly of true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and a senior transfer who has limited starting experience. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Stays In The Spotlight As USC Trip Brings Bigger Concern
Ohio State remains squarely in the national conversation after the Week 8 US LBM Coaches Poll placed the Buckeyes at No. 2, just behind Miami and ahead of a reshuffled top five that includes Georgia moving up to No. 3. For a program carrying playoff expectations every week, the ranking is less of a surprise than a reminder of how little margin there is at the top, especially with Oregon sliding out of the mix after a loss.
The bigger immediate issue is the trip to USC, where Ohio State is still waiting on a starting quarterback announcement expected soon. The Buckeyes have plenty of attention coming their way no matter how the poll looks, but the quarterback decision adds another layer to a game that already feels like a test of where this team really stands as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Final Tune Up Brought A Big Reason For Optimism
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The night also carried a healthy dose of program history. Jon Diebler was back around the team, and former head coach Thad Matta was honored at halftime, adding some extra weight to an exhibition that already felt like more than just a warmup. For Ohio State, the performance offered reasons to feel encouraged, even if the bigger questions about how this group will mesh are still waiting to be answered when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]