Ryan Day Says Ohio State Will “Take It Week to Week” In Deciding Whether C.J. Hicks, Malik Hartford Will Redshirt This Season​

By Dan Hope on October 7, 2025 at 12:16 pm @dan_hope

• OSU Football

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Ryan Day isn’t ready to commit to a plan of redshirting C.J. Hicks and Malik Hartford.
While Ohio State held Hartford and Hicks out of last weekend’s game against Minnesota with the intention of preserving their redshirts after they played in the first four games of the season, Day said that decision will be evaluated throughout the season and that both of them need to be ready to play this week against Illinois if injuries strike at their positions.
“We make decisions at the end of the year whether we are gonna redshirt guys based on what happens. We’re gonna take it week to week based on availability, depth chart, but those guys need to be ready to go this week if that comes up,” Day said Tuesday. “The rule is four games and able to play in the postseason. We’re gonna evaluate it, but those guys need to be ready because before you know it, they could be in a game. But we’re also gonna be smart about how we move forward.”
Hicks, a senior defensive end, has one remaining year of eligibility. Hartford, a junior safety, has two.
Both players played in Ohio State’s first four games of the season as top backups on the Buckeyes’ defense. Hicks, who began the year as Ohio State’s No. 4 defensive end, played 50 defensive snaps in the Buckeyes’ first four games. Hartford’s only playing time at safety came in late-game action against Grambling State and Ohio, but he played in each of the first four games on special teams.
Zion Grady and Logan George are the top candidates to see increased playing time at defensive end behind Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Caden Curry and Beau Atkinson if Hicks redshirts. Jackson’s status is also in question for this week’s game against Illinois after he left the Minnesota game with an injury, but Day said Ohio State is “hopeful” Jackson will be available this week.
Leroy Roker III and Faheem Delane will be Ohio State’s second-team safeties behind Caleb Downs and Jaylen McClain if Hartford redshirts.
Hicks and Hartford could return to action in the College Football Playoff and still preserve their redshirts, as the NCAA passed a blanket waiver last year exempting postseason games from the four-game redshirt limit.

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Well, if Bama is 'mom's dream' then throwing a bigger bag of cash at him might not do the trick.

pnuts34 said:

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Thump said:

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As of October 5, 2025, the Daily Gazette reports that he is playing for Hudson Valley Community College.

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Just sayin': There must to have been some "unreported issues" that he had at Syracuse.

Still better than Jake Browning.

247
On3
Twitter
HudL



Class: 2028
Position: DL
School: Indian Head (MD) Henry E. Lackey
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 245 lbs

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https://inpreps.com/2025/09/18/meet-indianas-top-freshman-east-nobles-austin-phillips/

I usually wait until there's an actual offer to create a thread, but this kid will earn an offer very soon. And he's built like a freaking Terminator and is a freshman. Benches 275lbs and squats 455lbs. Visited OSU for the Minnesota game

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247
On3
Twitter
HudL



Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Swainsboro (GA) Swainsboro
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220 lbs

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Thank you!!

Per 11w poster:

Brewster was promised a starting spot at Tech on day one. I think in addition to the money places like Tech are making promises that Ohio State rightfully never would

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If true, id want no parts of him at OSU

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Crump's brother said:

More like were willing to pay him.
Word is (Birm on Talking stuff) that he was offered substantially more from FSU, and that keeping Max Klare for another year would be a better use of that money. There's also a handful of more local kids,-and '27 kids who they like just as well.

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We do have a pretty deep TE room

Just sayin': This article ↓ is a "must read".

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Ohio State men's soccer's Nathan Demian's miraculous return to the field eight months after being shot​

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brodybuck21 said:

Ohio State Basketball Great Michael Redd to Serve As Pregame Victory Bell Ringer vs. Minnesota

Ohio State basketball great Michael Redd will be the fourth pregame Victory Bell ringer at Ohio Stadium as he rings the bell before Saturday night’s game vs. Minnesota.

www.elevenwarriors.com

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Jaxbuck said:

We will sure as hell take him in Cincinnati.

We don’t have anything to give back to you right now still have to be a 68 trade.

(68 is like a 69 but we owe you one)

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I saw a car a couple of years ago with a vanity plate of WANNA68. I think it was TN plates. I couldn’t stop laughing and then also wonder how it made it through the approval process.

Maybe we get a Malachi crunch in a couple of years.

Jaxbuck said:

When Ohio State isn’t playing, I most often find myself rooting for the meteor.

I hate everybody

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This is the way

Wouldn't it be great if we could all embarrass the hell out of ourselves, hide under a rock, then get a beautiful second chance to do it all again?

The life I tell ya

pnuts34 said:

How is this going to be enforced

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By the NCAA of course