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Veteran wide receiver Jayden Ballard to start at kick returner

On3 imageby: Matt Parker08/28/24MattParkerLR
Jayden Ballard by Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State wide receiver Jayden Ballard returns a punt against Wisconsin during the 2023 season. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK)

COLUMBUS — More of Ohio State’s opening spots are being answered. Including a pivotal special teams spot.

Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day announced Wednesday that wide receiver Jayden Ballard will start as kick returner ahead of their season opener against Akron. Ballard has mostly seen time at the end of games in blowouts, but has been a front-of-mind guy ever since he signed with Ohio State.

“JB is going to take the first kick off return and Carnell Tate is also going to be right there,” Day said. “Those are our two guys there.”

Ballard has nine catches for 159 yards and one touchdown in his three seasons at Ohio State. Tate, a second-year wide receiver originally from Chicago, provides another layer of intrigue both offensively and now on special teams. The former five-star wideout had 18 receptions for 254 yards and one touchdown in his freshman season.

While the kickoff returners are set, it’s still going to be a trial run for the Buckeyes’ punt returner.

“We’re a little bit by committee in the backend for punt return,” Day said. “Brandon Inniss is there, Emeka Egbuka is there. We have a few guys we can use and I think you’ll see a couple of [guys] there. But in terms of kickoff return, Jayden Ballard will do the first kickoff return and we’ll go from there.”

Multiple times throughout preseason training camp, Day has said that Ballard’s ‘flashed’ but quickly noted he’s done that before.

Ohio State announced earlier in the week that Tegra Tshabola will start at right guard, Sonny Styles will start at Will linebacker and Devin Brown will serve as quarterback No. 2 behind Kansas State transfer Will Howard.

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