Ryan Day Sends Alarming Message to Ohio State Freshman After ‘Disappointing’ Blunders: "Same Mistake Twice"
· Yahoo Sports
Ohio State opened the 2026 season with a 56-3 blowout win over Ball State, but head coach Ryan Day was far from happy behind closed doors. Freshman running back Legend Bey showed raw speed that made the Buckeyes recruit him heavily last winter. However, long before Bey saw any success on offense, his decisions on special teams had his head coach shaking his head on the sidelines.
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Speaking to reporters in Columbus right after the game on September 5, Day did not sugarcoat what he saw from his young players during kick returns. Instead of celebrating the blowout win, Day used his time at the microphone to deliver a clear message about discipline.
“I think the more disappointing thing is the second time it happened again, so there are things that are going to happen as freshmen that… I told Chris Henry that I think the first play, maybe Jeremiah’s career was a drop,” Day said during the presser. “And I said, just keep playing through it, which he did. So it’s good to see him get that ball at the end. But what we can’t do is make the same mistake twice.”
In modern college football, when a kickoff lands in the end zone, taking a knee gives your team the ball at the 25-yard line for free. Bey ignored instructions twice from senior captain Brandon Inniss to stay put. He ran the ball out instead, leaving Ohio State backed up at their own 16 and 10-yard lines. Against Ball State, the mistake did not hurt. But against top teams, that loss of field position can cost a championship.
Bey was assigned as the starting kick returner, and he ignored instructions from the senior wide receiver and team captain Brandon Inniss to take a knee on return, twice. The first time, it left the Buckeyes starting from the 16-yard line, and the second time, from the 10-yard line. Though both mistakes did not cost heavily for Ohio State, which was dominating the field against Ball State, Day wasn’t impressed with the critical decision-making mistakes.
Day made it clear that physical errors are fine, but mental mistakes break the team’s trust system.
“Nobody felt worse than Legend on that, but those are trust things that we’re going to have to continue to work on to build trust within the coaches and the teammates, and the team,” Day said. “But you can see the talent, you can. And he’s got a good attitude when it comes to being corrected. I think he has the right mindset when it comes to it.”
However, Bey redeemed himself with a 25-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, after his first two kick returns, which were sloppy. He showcased the elusiveness that had Ohio State looking for ways to get him on the field. He finished with 37 rushing yards on six carries and 37 receiving yards on two catches, including the touchdown.
Though Day noted that the freshman RB had a mixed debut with Ohio State, he believes Bey’s unique skill set and playmaking ability on offense have room for improvement, with his mistakes to be fixed ahead of the upcoming matchups.
“So we want to work with him to get better,” Day further added. “And I think you obviously see what the talent is and certainly what he can do when the ball’s in his hands. So it’s his job to continue to work to get better, build discipline and trust in the coaching staff, and it’s our job as coaches to find ways to utilize his talents.”
Saturday’s touchdown proved that Bey has the skills to impact Ohio State’s season, but his learning curve must be fast. With a massive matchup against No. 5 Texas coming up next week in Austin, there will be zero room for freshman errors. If Bey wants a permanent spot on the field, he will need to prove to Day that he can handle the basics and the big plays.
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