Ohio State's Ryan Day Considering Using Star Defender in Wild Role

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day is weighing the idea of using one of the team's best defensive players in a unique role.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day motions to quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on March 17, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year, the Ohio State Buckeyes landed one of the best defensive backs in the country via the transfer portal, snatching Caleb Downs from the Alabama Crimson Tide.

While Downs wasn't as dominant as many expected during his debut campaign in Columbus, he was still terrific, registering 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a couple of interceptions and six passes defended en route to All-American honors.

He was also featured as a punt returner and scored a touchdown.

So, is Ryan Day planning to expand Downs' role even further in 2025? Remember: Day considered deploying the star defender as a running back last season, and while that didn't end up happening, Day still seems open to the possibility heading into next year.

“It could be up for discussion in the preseason, but not right now,” Day told reporters. “He’s still coming back from a nagging injury. We wanna make sure he’s good to go, and he will be.”

Downs didn't elaborate much on the injury other than to essentially brush it off as no big deal. Chances are, he will be just fine, and perhaps once he is 100 percent, the Buckeyes will experiment using him as a halfback.

The 20-year-old possesses freakish athleticism, so it wouldn't be surprising if he were able to excel in an offensive niche. Of course, Ohio State will surely want Downs to focus on defense and probably wouldn't be giving him extended reps as a running back even if it does move forward with the idea.

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