There is a common rumor that goes around which states that if a player has good production on the field during games, he can get away with doing less during practice and team meetings. This may be true for the odd player in some programs. But the Ohio State Buckeyes is not one of them.

It’s almost routine to see Ohio State compete at the highest level every year. Of course, it has to do with the quality of players. Most importantly, though, it’s the ‘standard’ the Buckeyes maintain even when no one is scrutinizing them. That includes showing up to practices on time, putting in 100 percent effort, and demonstrating sheer discipline, all of which are embedded in OSU’s principles. A freshman player, though, broke those team rules, and Ryan Day responded by suspending him from practice for a few days.

“He won’t practice the first couple days,” Ryan Day said about his freshman RB Legend Bey after OSU’s first practice. “A little violation of team rules, so he’s learning, but he’ll be back on the field soon.”

Bey came to Columbus after some high-profile drama of his own. He had originally committed to Tennessee in June 2025, but later flipped his pledge to Ohio State in November. However, because he was a minor, the NCAA required his parents’ approval for the move. In a shocking move, his mother refused to sign him off. All of it ended in December, though, when he turned 18 and executed his own official announcement.

Despite arriving early, Ryan Day has largely limited Bey in this year’s spring camp. Reports emerged that he had suffered a minor injury. Gradually, he recovered and has focused on becoming a dual-threat RB/WR combo at Ohio State. He trusts Carlos Locklyn’s development, and that was one of the reasons he came to OSU after ditching Tennessee.

“Legend has been out here for a couple of practices. Hopefully, we can get him back here soon,” Ryan Day said during the spring camp. “He certainly flashed when he was in there, but making the transition from being a quarterback to playing running back is two different things, especially at Ohio State.”

Bey was a standout dual-threat QB at his North Forney High School. In his 2024 season, Bey notched more than 1,400 passing yards and rushed for 1,900 yards. In total, he ended his high school career with over 4,000 rushing and 3,500 passing yards. That exceptional rushing prowess is the reason OSU decided to transition him to the RB position. Moreover, since he was also an elite track and field athlete, it wasn’t far-fetched to assume it. But now, he has suffered a temporary setback.

Such kind of suspensions are common across programs. In 2011, quarterback Stephen Garcia who was playing for South Carolina was suspended five separate times by head coach Steve Spurrier for a variety of team rule violations, including showing up unruly to an SEC leadership seminar. He was eventually dismissed when he failed a team-mandated drug test and allegedly tested positive for marijuana and alcohol.

Ohio State’s athletic department strictly monitors player clearance. Ever since Tattoo-gate, they don’t want the reputation that the team up north carries with them. The Buckeyes want to win the right way.

The football program even self-reported a minor NCAA infraction when an un-cleared player mistakenly participated in team strength and conditioning workouts in January before completing his full medical evaluations.

Legend Bey will be buried deep in OSU’s depth chart now

After securing Bey’s official commitment in December, Ryan Day immediately praised the running back. He called the now 5’10” and 195 lb RB a “dynamite” and went on to call him the “poor man’s Tyreek Hill.”

Undoubtedly, the quality was always there. We had seen him running through players effortlessly, and his physicality was all over the game tape. No wonder Ryan Day even went as far as to dub him “lightning in a bottle.” He was ready to deploy him as a return specialist in his first year. But now, things might have changed.

“Legend is Legend. That means that this kid’s got a chance to be really good,” RBs coach Carlos Locklyn said about Bey in April. “But I said the same thing last year about two other kids. That was Bo Jackson and Isaiah West. This kid’s got a chance to be really good.”

Despite praising Bey, Locklyn already noted his 177 lb frame as opposed to other backs’ 215 lb+ frames. He highlighted that as his primary reason why he won’t field Legend Bey in short-yardage situations over the other three RBs in the room. Not just that, he also highlighted Bey’s shaky catching mechanics as a receiver and said, “It’s like they’re catching a refrigerator.”

Legend Bey was already fourth in depth in the room after missing the spring practices. Now, with his fall camp setback, players like Bo Jackson and Isaiah West will pull ahead for good, as he will miss a few practices.