Ohio State Buckeyes LIVE 382 – Fall Camp Update Voice of College Football | Hosted by Mark Rogers Guests: Steve Helwagen (Bucknuts / 247Sports) & Tony Gerdeman (Buckeye Insiders / Buckeye Weekly) Presented by FanDuel
Show Open & Practice Access
- 0:01–1:00: Weekly Buckeyes discussion. Guests introduced. Presented by FanDuel. Note on Ball State spread (around 6.5 earlier in show; later confirmed 50.5).
- 1:00–1:18: Steve and Tony attended portions of practice Thursday–Saturday (helmets/jerseys Thu/Fri; full pads Saturday with hitting and scrimmaging).
Overall Team Assessment
- 1:18–2:40 (Steve): Overriding takeaway — very talented and deep roster with few deficiencies. Explains preseason No. 1 ranking. Strong blend of veterans + an inordinate number of first- and second-year players ready to contribute. Team looks the part and has high potential.
- 2:40–3:35: Emphasis on young talent making immediate impact.
Wide Receivers – Standouts & Depth Questions
- 2:40–4:12: Brock Boyd (freshman WR from Texas) looks like a junior/senior — catches third-down balls, moves chains. Tony notes rankings (ESPN ~99, 247 ~123, Rivals ~53) and that he lost black stripe in spring (third-fastest Buckeye ever). Made impressive contested catches (e.g., corner route over Devin Sanchez).
- 4:12–4:51: Devin Mchan most impressive Friday — contested catches, touchdowns, chain-movers, blocking. Answered questions about stepping up to OSU level and contested-catch ability (Carnell Tate-like).
- 23:31–28:39: Brandon Inniss discussion. Secure in rotation of primary receivers? Kyle Parker still limited (banged up). Top four veterans expected; movement between X/Z/slot (Jeremiah Smith, Chris Henry Jr., Boyd, Mchan, Ja’Quon Gilford all seeing slot work) to avoid pigeonholing. Inniss averaged ~7.5 YPC last year in thin group; focus on YAC and earlier targets in progression. Historical context: current group has most questions in years but still likely top-tier nationally thanks to Jeremiah Smith. Chris Henry Jr. highlighted (seam TD ~40 yards from Sayin).
- 30:37–31:41: More on Henry Jr. and Smith big-play ability in practice (Smith square-in/skinny post for ~40-yard TD). Group will be fine; Cortez Hankton expected to get playmakers on field.
- 34:31–36:02: Side discussion on ranking all-time OSU WRs (formula vs. opinion; one-year stars like JSN, Terry Glenn hard to place; Carnell Tate highest-drafted but no 1,000-yard season).
Secondary / Freshmen Making Noise
- 4:51–5:24: Jaylen Timmons (freshman DB) running with the ones at nickel all weekend; lost black stripe after ~5–6 fall camp practices. Strong indication he could be the primary nickel unless Germaine Matthews is preferred.
Offensive Line Rotation Notes
- 5:24–6:00: First-day ones: Ian Moore LT, Austin Siereveld RG. Next day: Siereveld back at LT, Josh Padilla RG. Constant movement; hard to track. Tony’s detailed notes on Buckeye Insiders message board.
- 49:33–50:52: Day wants OL settled by end of this week. Consensus lean: Ian Moore LT, Sierevelt RG, Philip Daniels RT, Carson Hinzman C, Josh Montgomery LG. Rare to move a successful LT (Siereveld was excellent last year) but may create best five.
Defensive Front & Pressure Concerns
- 8:18–11:55: Questions exist at nearly every position (except maybe QB). OSU replaced 7–8 defensive starters. First-team offense vs. first-team defense: Julian Sayin not under much duress. Edge rotation: Kenyatta Jackson & Beau Atkinson (ex-UNC) with ones; Caden “Quay” Rousaw with twos (most dynamic?). Zion Grady and Ephesians “Epi” Satan also in mix. Best pressure often via blitzes (Riley Pettijohn, Devin Sanchez, Jaylen Timmons nickel blitzes). Matt Patricia wrinkle possible, but blitzes thin coverage.
Running Back Competition
- 14:20–16:52: Isaiah West running No. 1 at times; Bo Jackson right behind. Neither practiced in spring (shoulder). West may have returned earlier and impressed more in summer. Both getting first-team work; Carlos Lockhart will sort carries/packages over coming weeks. Legend Bay also in mix.
- 17:02–22:38: Legend Bay (freshman) missed first two days (team-rules violation — possibly social media; never detailed). Returned Day 3 and immediately repped with 1s/2s. Electric with ball in hands — vision, lateral shiftiness, gets very low (5-10 frame) so tacklers fly over. One spin move against veteran DB drew coaching point from Lockhart (“plant your foot and get upfield”). Reminds program people of Jahmyr Gibbs. Goal of 6–8 touches per game discussed. Still learning not to dance vs. Big Ten talent.
Quarterback Depth
- 36:52–47:56: Tavian St. Clair has NFL body/arm and threw well in spring game, but consistency (chain-moving) has been hit-or-miss behind second-team OL and receivers. Luke Fahy (listed 5-11, probably 5-10) highly impressive with 3s — completes passes, moves chains, understands offense, rolls out and runs. Height not an issue on the throws seen. Comparison to Troy Smith early-career traits raised. St. Clair still the clear backup; Fahy has upside but OSU historically prefers prototypical size (portal option always exists). 2027 Brady Edmunds and 2028 five-star Christopher Vargas already committed — program stockpiling. Transfer portal realities discussed; OSU experience valuable even if player later leaves.
Recruiting Tidbits
- 36:15–37:01: Four-star LB Brandon Feister (Massillon, WA — note: transcript says Massyn/Masslin Washington) announces Aug. 14; reported lean to Oregon despite OSU interest. Also recent commit Quinton Cipher (LB) and five-star 2028 QB Christopher Vargas.
Ball State Preview / Betting Context
- 13:01–14:11: FanDuel has Ball State +50.5. Expect vanilla game plans (protect Texas week-2 info). Second-/third-stringers may play hungry and run up score.
Closing Notes & Upcoming
- 12:10–13:01: Practice count ~6 of ~27 before Sept. 5 opener. More player interviews Thursday; Ryan Day media availability after ~10 practices Saturday (possible scrimmage feedback).
- 48:19–49:33: Captains/black-stripe ceremony still a couple weeks out (typically ~2 weeks before opener). OL decisions expected soon.
- 50:52–53:39: Content plugs — Tony’s Arthur Smith interview, Earl Little feature, Buckeye Weekly episodes on unanswered defensive questions + upcoming WR-trio discussion. Steve continuing daily Bucknuts coverage. Show wraps; next Buckeyes Live next Wednesday.
Key Themes: Extreme talent + depth across roster, especially young players (Boyd, Mchan, Timmons, Bay, Henry Jr., Fahy). Legitimate questions remain on defensive front-seven production, WR production beyond Jeremiah Smith, and OL settling. Coaches still evaluating packages and order; more clarity expected after 10 practices and Day’s Saturday update. Team looks the part of a true national-title contender.
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