Ryan Day has already spilled some significant Ohio State news early in the week ahead of traveling to USC
The Buckeyes have some good news at the right time coming off of their bye week, and before they face USC on the road.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are preparing to play without starting QB Julian Sayin for the first time this week, as he will likely be out for the rest of the 2026 season. His injury isn’t the only one Ohio State has been dealing with, either. Running back Ja’Kobi Jackson is going to be out until the Michigan game at least, and starting right guard Austin Siereveld has missed the last couple of games with an undisclosed issue.
Ohio State comes out of its bye week with a huge Week 9 road game against USC on Saturday. Head coach Ryan Day had some good injury news for the Buckeyes ahead of the trip.
Ryan Day shares positive injury update on Ohio State’s offensive line
Day appeared on 97.1 The Fan on Monday night and gave an encouraging update on the health of his team.
“We should have a full week of practice and a full arsenal of guys up front,” Day said.
That points to Ohio State likely getting Siereveld back at right guard. The Buckeyes also got Phillip Daniels back at right tackle last game. That means Ohio State is set to have its full group of starting offensive linemen on the field against the Trojans.
Gabe VanSickle did a good job of stepping in at right guard while Siereveld was out. Still, getting a starting offensive lineman back and healthy is a welcome development for the Buckeyes’ offense.
The timing matters, too. Ohio State has to protect whichever young quarterback it puts on the field at USC. Day’s choice comes down to Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, and either player will need a clean pocket to settle in against a Big Ten opponent on the road.
The good news isn’t limited to the offense. Ohio State was dealing with injuries on defense against Indiana, including Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and John Walker.
Based on Day’s comments, the Buckeyes are going to be about as healthy as they have been all season outside of Sayin and Jackson. That’s a big lift for a defense that will have to carry more of the load while the offense works through a quarterback change.
This is exactly what the Buckeyes needed at this point in the year. Ohio State is coming off a bye week and dealing with the loss of its starting quarterback. A win at USC would go a long way toward showing the Buckeyes can keep chugging along without Sayin.
A healthy offensive line gives Ohio State its best chance to do that. The group up front will need to protect a young quarterback, open running lanes without Jackson, and help the offense find a rhythm in a road environment.
Day and the Buckeyes now have a full week of practice to get everyone on the same page. How the offense looks with its starting five back together against USC will be telling for the rest of the season.
