Ohio State HC Ryan Day provides insight on key players' injury status ahead of Week 2 showdown
Coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes were without a few key starters in their Week 1 matchup. Donovan Jackson and Cody Simon both missed Week 1, but Ohio State still beat Akron 52-6. Day provided an update on both players on Tuesday. They are both day-to-day, and the team will assess them throughout the week before deciding whether they can play on Saturday.
Day was quoted as saying:
"They're day-to-day right now. Had a good weekend."
Day did not seem eager to provide much of an update, but this is not unusual for coaches. Injury information is often kept secret until the player is fully healthy, so fans should not take much from Day's short response. That said, hearing that both players are day-to-day should be good news to Buckeyes' fans. It is an indication that neither player will be out long-term.
Who replaces Donovan Jackson and Cody Simon for Ohio State?
Jackson and Simon are two key starters for Ohio State, but the coaching staff is lucky to have a deep team with suitable replacements. Simon was slotted in as a starting linebacker for a while, but defensive coordinator Jim Knowles also views backups Sonny Styles and CJ Hicks as starters. If Simon remains out on Saturday, Styles and Hicks could split time in Simon's role.
When it comes to Jackson, he has been an important contributor to the Buckeyes' offense for his entire college career. Fortunately, Austin Siereveld performed well in his position against Akron. Day commented on Siereveld's performance:
"He looked like a first-time starter in there who has real potential. He didn't grade out a champion, but he wasn't far off."
With that kind of comment, it looks like Siereveld will continue to get playing time even after Jackson returns to the lineup.
How important is it for Jackson and Simon to return this week?
While it is important for Jackson and Simon to return this season, the Ohio State coaching staff do not need to rush them back. The Buckeyes should be able to hand Western Michigan without them in Week 2, and they have an early bye week in Week 3.
Additionally, the Buckeyes do not play another top-25-ranked team until Iowa on Oct. 5. With that in mind, the coaching staff has the freedom to let both players heal without risking much.