OSU’s spring practice is becoming a growing concern. The program’s top two RBs, Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, are both reportedly not practicing this spring. To make matters worse, the Buckeyes’ head coach, Ryan Day, has provided an update on two more missing key pieces.

On Tuesday, Day confirmed that OSU TE Bennett Christian will be out for spring practice. Doubling the woe, it was also known that LB Riley Pettijohn would not participate in practice due to an undisclosed injury.

But both enter the 2026 season as vital tools. Christian enters as one of the most experienced players in the TE room following the departures of Max Klare and Will Kacmarek. His contribution to the Buckeyes’ heavy-run packages last season earned praise from the head coach. In fact, Day recently praised Christian as a “tremendous leader” for the TE unit.

However, in 2025, Christian was a primary rotational blocker, recording just 5 receptions for 16 receiving yards. Still, his TD reception during OSU’s 38-14 win over PSU and a 6-yard reception in a tight 14-7 victory over Texas were standouts. But now, with Christian sidelined, the Buckeyes will rely on a group of younger and incoming players to take first-team reps this spring.

Surely, that’s a huge opportunity for tight ends like Hunter Welcing, Nate Roberts, and Mason Williams, but they need time to adapt to OSU’s system. So, while the specific nature of his injury hasn’t been revealed yet, his comeback to the Buckeyes’ O-line is essential considering his familiarity.

On the flip side, after losing starting LBs Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles to the NFL, Pettijohn could be a starter in the upcoming season. He showed some potential last season, appearing in 13 games. He racked up nine tackles and one forced fumble. But his versatility during a victory over Grambling State in 2025 was at another level, recording two tackles, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble.

But now, his absence from spring practice makes the battle for the starting role tougher for Pettijohn, as there are LBs like Payton Pierce, Arvos Alford, Garrett Stover, and more. Still, this spring practice absence doesn’t mean their absence from the season, so there’s no need to worry.

Despite that, this absence could cost these key pieces because spring practice helps players improve their efficiency; just ask Eddrick Houston. But Ryan Day’s OSU has not only received troubling news at the start of spring practice.

A big secret has emerged from OSU’s spring practice

Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Ryan Day may have revealed a key clue about why 4-star Savion Bey chose OSU over the Vols. Tennessee wanted to use Bey as a WR, while the Buckeyes offered him at RB.

“Just day one out there, he started at running back,” said Day. “He played quarterback in high school, so he has a tremendous skill set, and he’s dynamic when the ball is in his hands.”

But the coach especially emphasized the fact that Bey could be an offensive weapon with multiple possibilities. He even drew stylistic comparisons to former OSU standout Curtis Samuel, noting that Bey could line up at RB while also flexing out wide depending on the situation. But for Bey during the recruiting process, early playing time was a priority.

With his OSU arrival, he not only gets that, but the program also carves out a role that showcases his hybrid abilities. But at Tennessee, he likely would have entered a crowded WR room, making an immediate impact more difficult. Now we will see how his 2026 season unfolds with OSU and whether his decision pays off or not.