Ryan Day gets real about Ohio State breakout star who took a rare road in college football to get to this point with the Buckeyes
After losing all of the NFL-level talent that they did from last season’s team, the Ohio State Buckeyes had to have players step up this season. That’s what has to happen if the Buckeyes want to repeat their national championship run and they’re off to a good start in that regard. Returning Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs was huge for the Buckeyes but they once again have stars all over this team and others that are trending that way.
The biggest question entering the season was at quarterback and Julian Sayin has checked that box so far with the Buckeyes. Another area of concern was the defensive line where the Buckeyes lost four starters and the returning production was minimal outside of North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson. Luckily for the Buckeyes, a senior has already shown he’s a breakout player and the sky looks like the ceiling for him this season.
Caden Curry took a road that isn’t often traveled to get to this point with Ohio State
“I mean, Caden is somebody who has played a lot of football here, special teams-wise and has made a lot of plays,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said on Tuesday. “Now he’s a key contributor. He’s had his ups and downs along the way, but in this program, between what goes on on the field, what goes on in the weight room, what goes on off the field here, if you hang in there and continue to put one day in front of the other and build resilience up, you’re gonna get maximized.”
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Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau were the Buckeyes’ starters the last couple of years and they got the job done up front for Larry Johnson. Ohio State has never done a ton of rotating with its defensive line in previous years, so Curry’s usage was limited. Curry played in 13 games as a true freshman in 2022 and recorded a half sack and 14 tackles. As a sophomore, Curry improved to 1.5 sacks. The junior-to-senior season jump is the biggest one yet and Curry is now a starter for Ohio State’s defense.
Curry showed up big in the first Big Ten game of the season and it was on the road. Ohio State has needed a force to step up on the defensive line and show they’re going to be that double-digit sack guy. Going into the season, Kenyatta Jackson was predicted by most to be that guy. Curry’s patience and decision not to transfer out has paid off this season and it wouldn’t shock anyone if he ends up with 12+ sacks at this point.
Just sayin': There is a premium in the NFL draft on franchise QBs, left OTs, and pass rushing DEs. Performances like the Washington game will move him up significantly on the draft board.
