Ohio State's Ryan Day Provides Timeline for Earl Little Jr.'s Return Following Spring Game Injury Absence

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day provided a timeline for when safety Earl Little Jr. could return, addressing his absence from the spring game.

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Earl Little Jr. (1) lines up during the first day of spring workouts for the 2026 football season at Woody Hayes Athletic Complex in Columbus on March 10, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State held its annual spring game on Saturday. While many fans were excited to see familiar players, it was also a great opportunity to check out new talent, including offseason transfers and recent high school graduates.

One notable transfer this offseason wasn’t on the field. Ohio State welcomed safety Earl Little Jr. from Florida State, but he didn’t get to play in Ohio Stadium for the first time during his Buckeyes career.

Ryan Day stated when Earl Little Jr. could return from his injury

Head coach Ryan Day stated that Little had a cleanup procedure on his knee and will miss a few weeks.

"This is the right time to get them done to get put behind us as much as we'd love to see him evolve with the defense," Day said following the spring game.

Ryan Day said transfer safety Earl Little Jr. missed Ohio State's spring game due to a cleanup procedure on his knee. He'll return in a few weeks.

"This is the right time to get them done to get put behind us as much as we'd love to see him evolve with the defense."

— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) April 18, 2026

The Buckeyes will be Little's third college team in five years after he plays two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Florida State for another two seasons.

Little had the opportunity to play under former Alabama head coach Nick Saban for two seasons. He noted a noticeable difference between playing at Ohio State and his other experiences.

“Literally with everything you’re doing at Ohio State, you’re going to compete. “You have to bring your best every single day," Little said on April. 9.

Many people observe a player who has changed teams three times in five years and wonder why that player left so many teams. However, sometimes, these changes can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Little is set to bring his experience from playing at Alabama and Florida State, two prestigious college football programs, to Ohio State, which is eager to compete for the national championship.

Although Little didn’t have the best experience playing at Florida State, where it struggled in the two seasons he spent there, he could bring that experience to the Buckeyes to help prevent any losing streaks in Columbus.

Little did get to be part of an Alabama squad that made the College Football Playoff in 2023, so he does have experience playing on a great team.

One of Ohio State's main objectives this offseason was to gain experience at key positions, and adding a five-year player like Little certainly fulfills that need.

It will be interesting to see how Little performs this season and what he can contribute to a defense with many new faces.