Ryan Day Shares Bad Update About Running Back Health Before Ohio State Spring Game

Ohio State Buckeyes fans aren't going to love what head coach Ryan Day said about the health of his running backs before the spring game on Saturday.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches during Student Appreciation Day spring practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on April 4, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s hard to believe that Ohio State Buckeyes football is already almost back in action.

Ohio State’s annual spring football game takes place on Saturday. The Buckeyes have been working hard at spring practice and will finally get to take the field at Ohio Stadium to showcase all of the offseason work.

Unfortunately, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day announced on Wednesday that the team will be shorthanded at their running back position.

Incumbent running backs Bo Jackson and Isaiah West have been sidelined from spring practices due to offseason surgeries. Top recruit Legend Bey, who was a quarterback in high school but could play running back or wide receiver at Ohio State, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that’s been bothering him for a couple of weeks.

Day also announced that Anthony “Turbo” Rogers is also doubtful for the spring game.

So on Saturday, the Buckeyes might be without Jackson, West, Bey and Rogers – making the team extremely thin at running back.

What’s this mean for Ohio State’s upcoming season?

The good news for the Buckeyes is they have an entire summer to heal up before the real action gets started in the first weekend of September. Of course, Day will want his players back and healthy much sooner, so the offense can continue to come together as a team.

New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will handle playcalling duties for the Buckeyes in 2026, allowing Day’s role as head coach to evolve into more of a CEO oversight position within the program. With Smith at the helm, the Buckeyes are expected to have a balanced rushing and passing attack.

Last year, Jackson emerged as the best back in a deep room. He's entering his second season in Columbus, and the Buckeyes should be able to trust him with a larger workload once he's recovered.

More good news for the Buckeyes is that even though the running backs are banged up, the rest of the offense is pretty healthy.

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin will look to grow from his successful first year as the starting quarterback with the Buckeyes and use that momentum to cement a first-round NFL Draft selection. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is also returning for his final season in Columbus with five-star Chris Henry Jr. joining him in the position group.

Henry has caught Smith’s attention in spring practices, and the true freshman is definitely expected to have a role in Columbus.

Ohio State’s running back room is very deep. Even though these spring injuries are unfortunate, when the regular season rolls around, the Buckeyes will have enough depth to overcome any nagging injuries.