Ohio State got through its loss to Texas with two starters banged up, but the early read from Ryan Day is that neither Zion Grady nor Phillip Daniels is dealing with something long-term.
Day said Tuesday he does not expect the starting defensive end or the right tackle to be out for an extended stretch. Whether either one is ready to go Saturday against Kent State is still up in the air.
Grady, making his second straight start to open the season, left in the second quarter with what looked like a knee injury and never returned. Daniels exited later, leaving Ohio State’s second-to-last drive with an apparent lower-body injury before also heading to the sideline for good.
The Buckeyes had to piece together the defensive front from there, and the rotations got messy in a hurry. Qua Russaw logged the second-most snaps among defensive ends, working as a standup edge rusher and outside linebacker. Eddrick Houston and James Smith also slid out to defensive end, while Beau Atkinson, Epi Sitanilei and Khary Wilder all got turns opposite Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Wilder’s night was a strange one. Even though he led all Ohio State defensive ends with two quarterback pressures against Texas, according to Pro Football Focus, he played only five snaps and was used at defensive tackle in the Rushmen package.
That patchwork setup didn’t produce much heat on Arch Manning. Ohio State finished with just 13 quarterback pressures on 46 dropbacks, and Manning averaged 3.58 seconds to throw, per PFF. Day said the staff will take another look at the defensive personnel after the Texas game, and he pointed to Wilder as one of several young players who could see a larger role moving forward.
On offense, the line also had to adjust after Daniels went out. Austin Siereveld finished the game at right tackle, while Gabe VanSickle stepped in at right guard for Daniels. If Daniels needs more time, Siereveld is expected to stay at right tackle until he comes back, with VanSickle and Joshua Padilla both in the mix at right guard.
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 🡒]