RB to return after 2-game absence
Ohio State running back Miyan Williams is expected to return when OSU plays at Indiana on Oct. 23 after missing the Buckeyes' previous two games.
Addressing Williams' status during his weekly news conference, coach Ryan Day didn't offer details for his recent absence but mentioned he would be back at practice this week.
“I think he's looking forward to getting back out there and practicing and feeling better,” Day said. “He needs to get back in the rhythm of practicing, and then once you get healthy again, you get back on the field and start to feel better again.”
Williams began the season as the team's starting running back, rushing for a combined 202 yards and one touchdown in the first two games against Minnesota and Oregon, before Treveyon Henderson took over as the leading rusher.
In Saturday's win over Maryland, Henderson ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, even with Marcus Crowley and Master Teague seeing time in the blowout victory.
While unavailable against the Terrapins, Williams didn't appear to be with the team and wasn't seen on the sideline at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes don't often specifics on whether players are unavailable due to injury, illness or discipline.
More player availability updates
An idle week should give other players, including defensive tackle Haskell Garrett and defensive end Tyreke Smith, a chance to rest.
Garrett was assisted off the field during the third quarter against Maryland and spent several minutes in the medical tent, while Smith has been out for consecutive games with an undisclosed injury.
Day said the Buckeyes are hopeful to have Garrett available against the Hoosiers and mentioned they were anticipating Smith's return.
Garrett is one of the team's top pass rushers as his 3.5 sacks are the secondmost
on the team.
The prognosis for cornerback Cameron Brown, who was also banged up on Saturday, is more uncertain. Day was unsure if he would practice and said that he would be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. He's already missed a pair of games this season.
“When he's been out there, he's really done a good job,” Day said. “He's just had a hard time staying on the field, and hopefully this is just another bump in the road.”
Practice plans
Ohio State will practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the Buckeyes are off this weekend.
The practices on Tuesday and Wednesday will be in pads, mirroring the structure of a typical game week.
“We're going to try to keep that momentum going,” Day said, “because I think our guys have gotten in a rhythm with that.”
Day added that they were planning to stress fundamentals in workouts and also pit the first-team offense against the first-team defense in “good-on-good” periods.
He hoped it might impress upon a young team the need for urgency despite a four-game winning streak.
“We got to keep getting better,” Day said. “I feel like we've gotten better, but we can't all of a sudden stall during the bye week, take a huge deep breath and not get better.”
Positioning for Harry Miller
Since his return after missing the first four games, Harry Miller has rotated at left guard.
It's where he started last fall, but Miller had been in line in preseason training camp to take over as the Buckeyes' starting center.
“He's probably more of a swing guy now,” Day said. “He can do both, which is good. Any time you have the versatility to play both, that's a good thing.”
Big Ten poll dominance
With five Big Teams ranked in the top-10 of the Associated Press poll for the first time since the rankings debuted in 1936, Day said it is “exciting for our conference.”
“And we get some of these big games coming in the next six weeks,” he added.
The Buckeyes host seventh-ranked Penn State on Oct. 30 and 10th-ranked Michigan State on Nov. 20 before visiting eighth-ranked Michigan on Nov. 27 in their regular-season finale.