By Jim Naveau

jnaveau@limanews.com

COLUMBUS – Probably the biggest news to come out of Ryan Day’s first weekly press conference of Ohio State’s football season on Tuesday was conveyed by one word.

When asked if he expected freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to be on the field for OSU’s first snap in its opener against Akron on Saturday, the Buckeyes’ coach said, “Yes.”

Smith, ranked the No. 1 overall recruit nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, has impressed Ohio State’s coaches and his teammates since arriving in January. He would be the first Ohio State freshman to start in an opening game since senior cornerback Denzel Burke did it in 2021.

Day also talked about who has emerged at two other positions of interest – right guard and one of the linebacker positions. Tegra Tshabola, a 6-6, 327-pound junior will start at right guard and former safety Sonny Styles will start at linebacker along with Cody Simon.

“We’ll keep looking at it this week but it looks like, going in, that Tegra will start at right guard. He’s had a good preseason for us. He’s done a nice job. We’ll continue to assess it right up to game time but he’s earned the right to start in this game. He’s been consistent, now he has to go play,” Day said.

“We’re going to play multiple guys at linebacker but Sonny has separated himself for sure and will start for us at “will” linebacker. He has done a nice job in his transition from safety. He works well with Cody. But you’re also going to see Arvelle (Reese), C.J. (Hicks) and Gabe (Powers) in there. We’ll try to play as many guys as we can,” he said.

Day said it hasn’t been decided which running back, TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins, will be on the field for the first snap.

“We haven’t talked about that yet. Those guys are both going to get a lot of reps (repetitions) on Saturday,” he said.

Quarterback Will Howard and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles also took questions from the media.

Howard said, “Man, I’m so excited I truly can’t overstate how excited I am. I’m fired up, man. I grew up as a kid watching the Big Ten. I’ve played a lot of places at this point in my career I’ve played in front of hundreds of thousand but The Shoe and the atmosphere, it’s different. I’m really excited just to experience all of it.

“I think the thing I’m most excited for is running out in front of 110,000 at the Shoe and just taking that in.”

Howard was named OSU’s starting quarterback two weeks ago by Day. “It’s an honor and a privilege and I don’t take it lightly. There’s a lot of really, really good players in that (quarterbacks) room. To be named the starter in a group like we have is an honor,” he said.

“I know there’s a lot of stuff that comes with it. I know there’s a lot of expectations and pressure.

“I knew the first goal on my list when I got here was to be the guy. And I knew I had to work for it. I felt like I had a good camp and I showed the coaching staff what I could do.”

Knowles said OSU’s top three linebackers are interchangeable and all should be considered first-team players.

“I think all three of those guys are considered ones and should play equally,” he said.