TampaBuckeyes
Assistant Coach
He obviously has the raw talent and should have been moved to edge a few years ago. Let him learn the new role and he can be a stud next year and improve his draft stock.
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- Thread starter Smudger
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I think they want to turn him into a hybrid edge like A Micah Parsons or even a form of what Arvel Reese is this year. I think we all would sign up for a rotation of Hicks, Pierce and Pettijohn next year
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sparcboxbuck
What happened to my ¤cash?
Exactly this. The kid has waited his turn and only late last year did he become vocal about things. Were it me? That would have been a long time before he did. He deserves everything you said and what @pnuts34 said below.
Ummm, yes please. I’m all for this one getting his time to really shine. I pray that the line this year stays healthy to allow for him to do this.
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It seems like he was getting overwhelmed learning the position. Trying to turn a full time LB, into a hybrid edge/OLB/MLB. That's a lot to ask in 1yr
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scarletngray
Gold Pants
If CJ is on board with this I think another year of development could help both him and the team.
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Buckeye86
I do not choose to discuss it
Ohio State can pitch Hicks (and Hartford) a “likely starter at Ohio State” NIL package next year, which is almost certainly more than they are projected to make if they entered the draft.
It’s like tapping your own team for a transfer portal player with a much, much cleaner NIL process.
It seems like a clear win-win for the players and team if everyone is on the same page.
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Takes a humble and focused kid to stay and work through these days when they could go down the road and play immediately. Major respect for him doing that.
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knuckifyoubuck
Heisman
He can play in the playoffs/conference championship game still, correct?
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Ohio State Defensive End C.J. Hicks, Safety Malik Hartford Expected to Redshirt This Season
By Josh Poloha and Dan Hope on October 5, 2025 at 2:39 pm
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A pair of second-stringers on Ohio State’s defense are expected to take redshirts this season.
Sources told Eleven Warriors that senior defensive end C.J. Hicks and junior safety Malik Hartford are both planning to redshirt this season after they did not play in Ohio State’s 42-3 win over Minnesota on Saturday night. Neither player wore a helmet on the sideline during Saturday’s game.
Hicks, who is in his final year of collegiate eligibility, played in all of Ohio State’s first four games as the Buckeyes’ No. 4 defensive end but played just 50 snaps as Ohio State leaned primarily on Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Beau Atkinson as its top defensive ends.
Redshirting would allow Hicks to return to Ohio State in 2026 and potentially play a bigger role with Curry in his final year of eligibility and Jackson also a candidate to enter the 2026 NFL draft. It would also allow him to continue his development as a defensive end after making the switch to that position this offseason following three years at linebacker.
Hartford played in all of Ohio State’s first four games on special teams but saw no defensive action against Texas or Washington as the Buckeyes’ backup free safety. While Hartford competed with Jaylen McClain this offseason to start at safety, he’s seen no action with the first-team defense as Caleb Downs, McClain and nickelback Lorenzo Styles Jr. have been mainstays in the lineup at Ohio State’s three safety spots.
Should Hartford stay at Ohio State for his two remaining years of eligibility, he’d be a candidate to be the Buckeyes’ starting free safety next season with Downs expected to enter the 2026 NFL draft.
Ohio State has not confirmed the redshirt plans for either player. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day could address those plans when he meets with the media on Tuesday at noon for his weekly press conference.
Both players remain with the team, so their redshirt plans could change if injuries strike at their respective positions. Redshirting also wouldn’t prevent them from playing in the College Football Playoff, as the NCAA passed a blanket waiver last year exempting postseason games from the four-game redshirt limit.
With them being held out against Minnesota, freshman Zion Grady was the fourth defensive end to enter the game for Ohio State against the Golden Gophers while Idaho State transfer Logan George also rotated in with the first-team defensive line behind Curry, Jackson and Atkinson. Jackson left the game with an injury in the first quarter and did not return, though his injury did not appear to be serious as he remained on the sideline with the team for the rest of the game.
Leroy Roker III and Faheem Delane were the safeties for Ohio State’s final defensive series against Minnesota, when the Buckeyes put their second-team defense in the game, with Hartford not playing.
Ohio State Defensive End C.J. Hicks, Safety Malik Hartford Expected to Redshirt This Season
Ohio State senior defensive end C.J. Hicks and junior safety Malik Hartford are expected to redshirt this season to preserve their remaining eligibility.
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calibuck
Too soon old, too late smart
Wow! Makes tremendous sense, for both the Buckeyes and CJ. Doubt he'd get a sniff from the NFL, based on his college production, although they might recognize potential. Agree with the above that DE could use CJ next year, as LB seems to be in good/great shape, even with Sony taking his game to the next level. Also given that superstar HSers at DE are attracting NIL at a level that tOSU seems to not want to pay, it makes great sense. Ahhhh, playing chess, while others are playing checkers. And you wonder what coaches do in their spare time....
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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
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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.
Ryan Day Says Ohio State Will “Take It Week to Week” In Deciding Whether C.J. Hicks, Malik Hartford Will Redshirt This Season
Ryan Day says Ohio State will “take it week to week” in deciding whether C.J. Hicks and Malik Hartford will redshirt but they “need to be ready to go” if Ohio State needs them to play.
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