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Ohio State kicked off spring football 2026 on Tuesday, and it was kinda weird if we’re being honest.
After about a dozen guys graduated, five went pro early and another 31 transferred, Ohio State has 51 new players.
Some of the returnees changed numbers, too, so Ryan Day himself admitted he might not be able to identify everyone by their number yet.
He said he would know their face so I guess that’s more important…
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The media got to watch the first hour of practice.
That did not include any scrimmage time (nor was it expected to), but it did offer a chance to see some of the new guys and how they move around.
Maybe it’s just perception, but UT-San Antonio transfer Devin McCuin did look pretty quick in receiver drills.
Tavien St. Clair still throws a nice ball.
Wisconsin transfer linebacker Christian Alliegro had a nice pass-break up against a slot receiver.
Chris Henry Jr. is very tall and wiry.
Jeremiah Smith just moves different than most guys, like his torso has a hard time keeping up with his feet so he’s just sliding in and out of space while everyone else is moving at a different space.
Chris Henry Jr. (15) and Jeremiah Smith (4) at Ohio State football practice
I know that’s all random, but there was a lot to take in.
Then we spoke to Ryan Day for about 27 minutes when practice was over.
That was his first press conference since the Cotton Bowl (he has done some podcasts and radio stuff) so there was a lot of ground to cover, and we did not come close to getting him on the record about everything that has happened since the end of last season.
The most interesting thing I heard him say was about replacing those three-year guys like Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs with fourth- and fifth-year players who had starting experience.
“I don't think anybody realizes how many guys here over the last seven years have left after three. I don't know if maybe there's a program that's had more guys leave after three years. Maybe someone can do some research. But we've had a lot… so you’re losing all that experience.
"Now, if they were fourth- and fifth-year seniors, naturally, you'd just see some guys step into those roles, but when you lose those guys, man, it makes a big difference.”
In contract, the national championship team of 2024 had a bunch of seniors, including Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, Cody Simon and Lathan Ransom.
"And we were veteran that way. When you see guys who are going to be seniors walk out the door, the first thing you've got to do is you've got to get some more veteran guys in that room, or else you're just constantly young. I felt like we were a little young this year, quite honest.
"And so when you go through it and you get some more senior guys in there, it's just a different approach. And we felt like we needed that. So I think when you look at the guys who actually left and the guys that came in, I think there's a significant matrix out there or some sort of analytic that shows in terms of how our number of games played and age gap went up maybe a year and a half or two years.
"And that was by design because we felt like when those guys were walking out the door, we better replace them with some more veteran guys. Now, that being said, they have to be the right guys, and they have to fit what we do and believe in our culture.”
That was interesting because it implied just how valuable experience is to Day (and probably not just Day, of course).
I hadn’t thought of that being the exchange because I was more focused on talent.
Are the guys Ohio State brought in talented as the ones they lost? If not as naturally gifted, do they make up the difference with time on task to be as good as the youngsters might have been this fall in their first real action?
I figured that was the equation, but it sounds like Day was more concerned with experience for experience’s sake.
If the ceiling isn’t as high, the floor being higher is a trade he’s willing go make.
To me that represents a major change from what Ohio State has been over the last 15 or maybe more years. That’s when almost all juniors with pro potential entering the draft early became a given, not a maybe proposition.
That meant that every Ohio State team inevitably was very talented, but few were ideally mature, a reality the coaches and fans just learned to live with.
With players now essentially earning a paycheck (some as much or more than they might get as NFL rookies), fewer juniors are bolting to the NFL, but having the ability to replace the defectors with experienced players rather than hoping freshmen and sophomores are ready is interesting….
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That’s all for today, but the Buckeyes return to practice Thursday, and I will be there, too. Be sure and hit the subscribe button if you’re not already signed up to get every edition of Cus Words Sports in your inbox!
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Another reminder: If you want to see more of what's being said during Ohio State interviews, check out my YouTube channel. That has more stuff from football as well as interviews from men’s basketball and the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament.
I’ve also got a new Facebook page you can find here.
This newsletter would have been in your inbox sooner, but I was crunched for time because I went to Fairborn to cover a Division V regional final between the Versailles boys and Waynesville.
The Spartans rallied from 12 down to win in double overtime, and they will face Cincinnati Summit Country Day on Saturday at Xavier.
Press Pros Magazine was all over the roundball action last night, also covering Tippecanoe losing to Trotwood-Madison in Division III and Tri-Village and Marion Local both winning to set up a regional final showdown in Division VI.
We will also be all over the girls basketball state tournament later this week in Dayton, so check it out!
