Ohio State’s Ryan Day made a bold statement about his star freshman who made his first start against Purdue
Ohio State did not have a letdown game after beating Penn State and took care of business in Week 11 against Purdue. The Buckeyes blanked the Boilermakers 45-0 and got their backups in for multiple drives late in the game. Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams was available to go if needed, but the Buckeyes opted to […]
Ohio State did not have a letdown game after beating Penn State and took care of business in Week 11 against Purdue. The Buckeyes blanked the Boilermakers 45-0 and got their backups in for multiple drives late in the game.
Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams was available to go if needed, but the Buckeyes opted to hold him out unless they needed him.
“Tyleik [Williams] was available and could have played,” head coach Ryan Day said after the win. “We felt like we were going to hold him unless we really needed him. We plan on getting him back next week full go. But it was good to see some other guys step up and have to get in there and play.”
Ohio State had freshman Eddrick Houston make his first career start against the Boilermakers. Houston made a transition from being a defensive end and is now a defensive tackle for Ohio State.
“He’s really flashed for us making the move from defensive end into three-technique,” Day stated. “He has a lot of ability and he is active. You know he’s young and he’s going to have to continue to learn. He’s going to make plays, he’s going to make mistakes. He needs to grow up quickly because we’re going to need him. I think his future is very, very bright at Ohio State.”
Houston made three tackles against Purdue and is already proving to be a force in the trenches for Ohio State. With Williams out today, it was the perfect opportunity for Houston to step in and play.
A 15-yard penalty on Houston in the first half allowed Purdue to continue a drive after the Buckeyes forced a stop. Ohio State ended up getting another stop, but it was something that can’t happen for the Buckeyes down the stretch run of this season.
Houston has now played in seven games for the Buckeyes and lost his redshirt a few weeks ago, which was likely always the plan. He is a former five-star recruit who has a chance to be a very special player in Columbus for multiple years. Houston was the No. 26 overall player in the class of 2024, per the 247 Sports Composite rankings. Larry Johnson and Jim Knowles already believe in Houston’s ability to contribute as a freshman.
Next week against Northwestern will be another chance for Houston to potentially play extensively. It will be a game that the Buckeyes will be favored heavily in once again.
Ryan Day raved about Ohio State’s secret weapon that could soon find a bigger role and be an X-factor for Ohio State
He isn’t talked about enough.
