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Ryan Day provides brief update that Ohio State S Caleb Downs is dealing with a ‘nagging injury’

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Apr 1, 2025 4:13 PM ET

The new college football schedule is a grueling one with the expanded College Football Playoff format. If you are a team that makes a run like the Ohio State Buckeyes did during the first 12-team playoff, you will be playing more games than you ever have.

That is the new era of college football, and it isn’t going anywhere. It has forced the Buckeyes to approach their spring a bit differently in terms of ramping things up and who participates. Some of the newcomers may see extended action while returning starters see less.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day revealed on Monday that star safety Caleb Downs is dealing with a “nagging injury” that has him limited this spring. Day did not go into specifics and it isn’t serious because Downs is still participating. However, the injury is notable due to it being one of Ohio State’s two best players.

Ryan Day said Caleb Downs has been a limited participant in practice this spring due to a nagging injury, but Day said he’ll be fine.

He said Malik Hartford and Jaylen McClain have both made a move at safety with Downs taking fewer reps.
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The Buckeyes will play their spring game on April 12 and hope to go with the normal game format. Let players not play all that much, but the Buckeyes aren’t going away from the spring game like some programs have chosen to do.

“We’ll continue to look at the health throughout this week and into next week, but the plan is to have a game format on the 12th. Which will be great, and then we could have a lot of different things going on that day,” Day said.

Downs was a star in his first two college seasons and an All-American in each. After transferring over to Ohio State from Alabama, Downs recorded 82 tackles, 2 interceptions, and a half sack. Downs was especially strong down the stretch run of the playoff and was the best defender in football during that time.

It was interesting to see Day mention Jaylen McClain and Malik Hartford as two safeties who are filling in for Downs. Those players along with freshman Faheem Delane will round out the safety room for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State isn’t going to risk anything with Downs over five months away from the season and they shouldn’t. Downs being limited could be mostly precautionary at this point.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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