Ryan Day isn’t ready to hand out a glowing review of Ohio State’s tight end room, but he’s not sounding alarms either. Through three games, he sees a group that has done its job without making much noise.
Day called the unit “solid” after Saturday’s 59-3 win over Kent State, though he was clear that the Buckeyes aren’t at the finish line yet.
“It’s solid. But I can’t sit here and tell you anything’s exactly where we want it right now.
We’ll use this game and evaluate it... We’re going to need them all.
It’s a long season, and each guy brings a different skillset to the table," Day said postgame on Saturday, following a 59-3 win over Kent State.
The numbers back up the low-profile nature of the group. Ohio State’s tight ends have produced fewer than 100 receiving yards so far, with Nate Roberts, Mason Williams, Maxence LeBlanc, and Brody Lennon combining for 92 yards on nine catches.
That’s a tiny slice of Julian Sayin’s passing production. Sayin has thrown for 839 yards, a total that ranks No. 24 nationally and No. 6 in the Big Ten.
But receiving output has never been the main assignment for this room. In Arthur Smith’s offense, the tight ends are being leaned on for heavy personnel packages, run-game work, and max-protect looks. That’s where Ohio State has asked them to be steady, physical, and dependable.
So far, they’ve been exactly that.
The tight ends aren’t the reason the Buckeyes’ run game has sputtered. The problems have shown up elsewhere, starting with the backs, who have been lacking vision at times.
Isaiah West has been the biggest culprit there. The interior offensive line has also fallen short, and the right side has been a noticeable weak spot.
What Ohio State has gotten from the tight ends is clean edge sealing and reliable protection. Roberts and Williams have both handled that part well, with Williams continuing to show the kind of blocking work that has long stood out. Roberts, meanwhile, has settled into a full-time fullback/H-back role and made that transition look natural.
Against Texas, Ohio State’s protection held up well enough against an elite pass rush, even if it wasn’t perfect. Colin Simmons and Lance Jackson each got to Sayin for a sack.
Simmons beat left tackle Ian Moore off the blindside, while Jackson’s came after Sayin held the ball too long. Daniels was the blocker most responsible on that play.
Texas did get a big moment from its tight ends, with Emaree Winston hauling in a huge 4th-and-9 catch to extend the drive that led to the Longhorns’ first touchdown, as they climbed back from down 20.
Ohio State didn’t need anything like that from its tight ends. It needed the group to hold up its end of the bargain, and that’s been the theme in Columbus so far. The Buckeyes have moved from Max Klare’s athleticism and highlight-reel skill set to a quieter, more functional group, and that fits the direction of Smith’s offense.
It may not be flashy, but early on, it’s working.
In Other News...
Ohio State Fans Will Notice A Big Schottenstein Change This Season
Ohio State fans heading back to the Schottenstein Center this season will find a noticeably different building. The university completed a $5.2 million renovation that brought in a new scoreboard, larger ribbon boards and an upgraded audio system, giving one of the Buckeyes busiest venues a cleaner, more modern game-day feel.
Mens hockey will get the first look at the new setup on Oct. 23, with basketball right behind it as the mens and womens teams host games in late October and early November. For a building that already serves as a hub for so much Ohio State action, the changes should be hard to miss once the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Next Road Test Just Got A Lot More Real
Ohio State rolled past Kent State 59-3 to move to 2-1, and now the schedule is starting to bring a little more clarity to what comes next. The Big Ten announced that the Buckeyes will host Illinois before heading to Iowa on Oct. 3, a matchup now locked in for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS.
For a team still settling into the season, the timing matters because Iowa has long been one of the conferences more familiar measuring sticks for Ohio State. The series history includes its share of notable games and streaks, which is part of what gives this road trip extra weight even before the Buckeyes get there. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Is Closing In On A Priority RB Battle
Ohio States win over Kent State pushed the Buckeyes to 2-1, but the weekend also carried added recruiting weight as the program welcomed a wave of official visitors to Columbus. Among the most important names on campus was a 2027 running back who has quickly moved to the top of Ohio States board, giving the staff another chance to make its case in person.
The recruitment remains open-ended, with no commitment date set, but the Buckeyes are clearly in the thick of it and are widely viewed as a leading contender. For Ohio State, landing a back of that caliber would reinforce both the long-term roster plan and the programs ability to keep winning the kind of battles that matter most on the trail. [Read more 🡒]