Lightning Round: Ryan Day Says Jay Timmons Has “Had a Couple Good Days of Practice” This Week, Ohio State is Looking at Opportunities For Khary Wilder to Make an Impact
Ryan Day
- On Ohio State’s mentality going into the Oregon game: “We’ll find out on Saturday… What matters is how we play on Saturday.”
- Day said that every coach, player and staffer must be at their best the rest of the week in practice and during the game on Saturday. “Everybody understands what’s at stake… Everybody understands that our backs are against the wall here… I don’t think anybody is happy right now with how things are going.”
- Day said Ohio State has to dial back some, but not all, of its quarterback's responsibilities with Luke Fahey under center compared to Julian Sayin. “I think anytime you go from somebody who has experience like Julian to a young quarterback like that, I think you have to reconsider everything.”
- Day called Fahey “very smart” and said the freshman quarterback can handle a lot of things, including checks at the line of scrimmage. However, Day said the Buckeyes are cautious about putting too much on Fahey’s plate in his second start.
- On Kenyatta Jackson Jr being a leader for Ohio State’s defensive line room and team: “It’s extremely important. For those guys, I know that they understand, but I’m constantly reminding them that this an opportunity to leave a legacy… We cannot waste any time. Every moment is critical.”
- On Khary Wilder: “It’s good that he’s healthy now, fully healthy, so that is good. We’ve had conversations about giving him an opportunity to get in there.” Day said “we’re certainly looking at opportunities to get him in the game.”
- On replacing Jay Timmons when he can’t play: “We’ll have to see how the next 48 hours go, but he’s had two good days of practice for us here… We miss him when he’s not out there… That being said, when we put guys in the game, we expect them to make plays.”
- Day said the game against Oregon will be similar to the game against USC for Ohio State’s defense.
- Day said if Ohio State’s coaches, players and staffers don’t learn from their mistakes in the team’s losses to Texas and USC, there will be a lot of regret in the program. “The urgency has got to be as high as it’s ever been.”.
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Ohio State Injury Report: Jay Timmons Cleared to Play, Ian Moore and Brandon Inniss Questionable vs. Oregon
Jay Timmons has been cleared to play.
After missing three of Ohio State’s last four games with an injury he initially suffered against Illinois and aggravated in his return against Indiana, Timmons is not listed on the Buckeyes’ injury report for Saturday’s game against Oregon.
Ryan Day said Wednesday that Timmons, who did not play against USC, had been a full participant in Ohio State’s first two practices of the week, though he didn’t outright say that Timmons would return to action against the Ducks.
“We’ll have to see how the next 48 hours, but he's had two good days of practice here, so that would really inject a lot for us in the back end,” Day said of Timmons, who was named as one of 14 semifinalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award on Wednesday.
Defensive tackle Eddrick Houston, who limped off the field after suffering a lower-body injury in the fourth quarter against USC, has also been cleared to play. Ryan Day said Tuesday that Houston would have a full week of practice despite the injury.
Ohio State could potentially be without its left tackle against Oregon, as left tackle Ian Moore – who was replaced by Austin Siereveld for the Buckeyes’ final drive against USC – is listed as questionable. Wide receivers Brandon Inniss and Brock Boyd are also listed as questionable after missing last week’s game, along with linebacker Eli Lee.
How the Buckeyes could replace injured players
LT Ian Moore
Austin Siereveld would start at left tackle, with Phillip Daniels at right tackle, if Moore cannot play.
WR Brandon Inniss
Phillip Bell started in place of Inniss against USC, with Chris Henry Jr. also seeing additional playing time off the bench behind Jeremiah Smith and Devin McCuin as Ohio State’s No. 4 receiver.
QB Julian Sayin
Luke Fahey will make his second consecutive start in place of Sayin.
RB Ja’Kobi Jackson
Bo Jackson will continue to lead the depth chart at running back, with Isaiah West rotating in as Ohio State’s No. 2 RB. Legend Bey could also see occasional playing time as the Buckeyes’ third RB.
