The Ohio State Buckeyes are 4-1 on the 2026 college football season and already have two Big Ten wins after beating Illinois and Iowa. Ohio State hosts Maryland this week before the schedule ramps up with a huge game against Indiana.

The Buckeyes have played quite a few freshmen through the first five games of the year. Two names keep coming up from fans who want to see more of them: running back Legend Bey and defensive end Khary Wilder.

Neither player saw the field against Iowa last time out. Ohio State coach Ryan Day was asked why, and his answer explains a lot about how the Buckeyes handle young players.

Legend Bey and Khary Wilder have barely played lately

Bey hasn’t played since Sept. 19 against Kent State, when he had just one carry. On the season, Bey has six rushes for 37 yards and two catches for 37 receiving yards and one touchdown reception.

Wilder has a slightly different story. He played 16 snaps against Illinois but didn’t play a single snap against Iowa. Through the four games he’s appeared in, Wilder has logged 49 snaps and has played relatively well as a pass rusher. He has eight pressures on 35 pass rush attempts, which is a solid number for a freshman.

That production is why a lot of the chatter around the program has centered on Wilder getting more snaps. With neither freshman playing against Iowa, Day was asked specifically about Wilder.

Ryan Day explains what it takes to earn playing time at Ohio State

Day’s answer applied to more than just one player. It tells you why neither freshman is playing a ton right now. 

“Not just particular about Khary, but when you’re coming into the program, whether you’re a freshman or you’re a transfer, we all say you have an opportunity to compete for jobs, and guys have certain levels of talent,” Day said. “We recruit guys to come in and play and that’s why they’re here. We wouldn’t invest all the time and resources into each player if we didn’t want them to play here.

“Now, it’s the coaches’ job to make sure that they’re checking all the boxes and all the requirements to make sure that they’ve earned the opportunity to get on the field. It is also the player’s responsibility to take the accountability to check those boxes, all the things that they need to do in order to get on the field. Nobody just gets on the field because they have talent, but it’s the coach’s job and the player’s job to make sure they’re doing all the things that they need to do to earn opportunities to play.

“When that happens, you have seen we put them on the field. Whether it’s a transfer that comes in on day one or a freshman, then we’ll do that. When guys don’t do that, then they haven’t earned the opportunity to play, then they need to do that.”

Day is making it clear that Ohio State isn’t going to risk the program it has built, and the culture around it, by playing freshmen on talent alone. Players need to do the right things in practice, in their preparation, and in everything else outside of games.

Talented freshmen have played when they’ve earned it

Ohio State has shown it will play freshmen who check those boxes. Cornerback Jay Timmons is a prime example this season. Timmons has stepped in as the Buckeyes’ starting slot defender as a freshman.

Then there’s Jeremiah Smith, who was Ohio State’s top offensive weapon from the moment he stepped on campus in 2024. Smith has all the talent in the world, but he’s also the hardest worker in the room. He’s an Iron Buckeye and has led by example since his freshman year. That’s the standard Day is pointing to.

For Bey and Wilder, the message is straightforward. They have to start doing the things talent doesn’t take care of, like practice habits, amongst other things. If they don’t check those boxes, neither player will see consistent playing time this season. That’s how Day runs his program, and as it should be.

The next couple of weeks will be telling for how much Wilder and Bey play, starting with Maryland and leading into the Indiana showdown.