Ryan Day expects Lathan Ransom back for Ohio State against Rutgers

No. 3 Ohio State is readying for a second straight conference matchup this week, this time against Rutgers. The Buckeyes are hoping to have safety Lathan Ransom back after he missed last weekend’s win over Wisconsin.

Ransom had not appeared on the team’s status report prior to the game but did not play against the Badgers.

“Yeah, we do, we expect him back,” coach Ryan Day said on Tuesday. “I think going into this week, we usually meet on the availability report on Thursday, we’re going to meet a little bit closer to game time so it’s a little bit more accurate.”

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound third-year safety had played in the first three games for the Buckeyes before missing the game against the Badgers.

Lathan Ransom injury in Rose Bowl impacted offseason

For Lathan Ransom, injury derailed much of the offseason prior to the 2022 campaign. He suffered a broken leg in last season’s Rose Bowl win over Utah, keeping him from participating in spring practice. However, he returned for the start of fall camp and was available earlier in the season.

Day did not clarify what kept Ransom from playing last weekend.

The talented safety has been a big part of the Buckeyes’ defense already in 2022, recording 17 tackles and a tackle for a loss in the first three games of the season. His return should bolster the secondary.

Buckeyes beginning to adapt to Jim Knowles’ defense

Ohio State made a move at defensive coordinator this offseason, replacing Kerry Coombs with Oklahoma State‘s Jim Knowles.

Through the first four games this season that has looked like a pretty good move. If Lathan Ransom’s injury isn’t serious — and all indications are it is not — the unit should only continue improving.

Ohio State ranks No. 18 nationally in total defense and is tied for No. 21 in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 16.0 points per game. Knowles has his group playing hard, and the Buckeyes have yet to surrender more than 21 points in a game this year.

That’s left Day perfectly comfortable with being fairly hands-off with the defense, leaving most of it to Knowles.

“I try to be someone to just kind of throw ideas off, looking at it through the offensive side of the things,” Day said. “Then obviously just the culture of the team is more where I’m involved with those guys, special teams. But the schematics and the day-to-day stuff, that’s really all him.”