Ohio State has seen a handful of freshmen flash as playmakers in September.
Jay Timmons emerged as the starting nickel back following a strong offseason. His hit on the first play from scrimmage at Texas led to a fumble he recovered. He has broken up four passes.
Other newly arrived players have stood out in more limited roles as backups.
It was in the Buckeyes’ season-opening win over Ball State when running back Legend Bey turned a swing pass into a dazzling touchdown, crisscrossing the turf at Ohio Stadium to reach the end zone.
Defensive end Khary Wilder has generated pressure rotating as part of third-down packages, while wide receivers Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. have made several deep catches.
Here’s where these other freshmen stand entering
October:
Legend Bey
Bey made an appearance early in the loss at Texas on Sept. 12, catching a backward pass on Ohio State’s second drive. It was a chance to get him the ball in space, where his speed and wiggle make him difficult to bring down.
But linebacker Rasheem Biles, a Pickerington Central grad, snuffed out the pass and tackled Bey for a loss of a yard.
It was the only snap Bey played against the Longhorns. Despite his early involvement in the high-profile matchup, he never rotated back in at running back again or returned kickoff as he had in the previous week.
A tweaked ankle then limited him to just four snaps against Kent State on Sept. 19, and he did not play against Illinois on Sept. 26, though he was not listed on the Buckeyes’ unavailable list submitted to the Big Ten for their conference opener. He has lined up as a kickoff returner just once since he did not signal for fair catches against Ball State.
“We all know his ability level,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “Just got to continue to work to build trust. We’d like to see him on the field.”
Day said Bey’s immediate role at Iowa on Oct. 3 would depend on what he shows in practices this week.
There is incentive for the Buckeyes to find a role for him given their need for explosiveness out of the backfield. Ohio State had just three runs of 20 yards or more through Week 4, fewer than all but 25 out of the 138 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Khary Wilder
Nine Ohio State defensive linemen have played more snaps than Wilder through four games, according to Pro Football Focus.
But the smaller role has not limited Wilder’s production, as he has shown potential as a pass rusher, leading the Buckeyes with four hurries.
Wilder’s twitchiness combined with his 6-foot-4, 257-pound frame makes him an intriguing piece as the Buckeyes search for more havoc up front.
“We need production for sure,” Day said. “We’re taking all applications.”
Wilder has lined up as a defensive end and as an interior lineman in pass-rushing situations.
“That’s our wild card,” defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. said. “We put him on the field, and it’s, ‘See ball, go get ball.’ That’s what we tell him.”
The streamlining of his role has allowed him to provide immediate production.
“He does a fantastic job of doing it,” Jackson said.
Most of Wilder’s appearances have been on passing downs. Of his 49 snaps, he has rushed the passer on 35 of them, per PFF.
When Day was asked about Wilder’s role, he stressed the need for players to be disciplined in their assignments.
“It's one thing to have talent, it's one thing to flash,” Day said, “but when you're playing team defense and one guy is not where you're supposed to be, I'm not talking about any player in particular, but it does matter, and I think we all need to recognize that.
“All it takes is one guy to be out of a gap and it can turn into an explosive play. We all have to be disciplined in what we do. We don't just go out there and make plays. We have to play within the defensive scheme.”
Brock Boyd, Chris Henry Jr.
While Boyd and Henry have been in the receiver rotation since the opening week, they had larger roles against Illinois.
Henry played 25 snaps and Boyd saw 22 snaps, the third- and fourth-most among the Buckeyes' receivers, per PFF.
They also carried more of the trust of quarterback Julian Sayin.
When the Buckeyes began a drive at their 4-yard line in the second quarter, Sayin found Henry on a pass over the middle for 15 yards.
Sayin later connected with Boyd for a 22-yard completion on a game-sealing drive in the fourth quarter. Boyd caught the pass along the sideline before keeping himself in bounds and tip toeing for a few more yards.
“They have a couple games under their belt,” Sayin said, “and they’re just getting better each week.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Where do Legend Bey, Khary Wilder and other Ohio State football freshmen stand?
