Ryan Day runs a tight ship in Columbus and takes discipline very seriously. Even though the season is about to kick off and the most crucial fall practice has begun, his freshman running back, Legend Bey, had to sit out for two practices. After being suspended for the first two days for violating team rules, he was seen back on the field, joining the Buckeye practice on August 8.

Following Ohio State’s first practice, head coach Day announced that he was holding Bey out as a disciplinary measure. Day refrained from sharing details of the violation. He simply called it a brief “learning experience” for the young player. 

“He’s learning,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said, “but he’ll be back on the field soon.” However, the running back is now at Ohio State’s fall camp, and hopefully, the suspension will serve as a reminder of the standards expected at Columbus.

Before this camp suspension, the Ohio State coaching staff sent a clear message to Bey during spring ball. They temporarily took away his fabled Scarlet and Gray No. 2 jersey and forced him to wear No. 44 as a direct punishment for failing to meet off-field program standards. There have been rumors that Bey has been facing minor friction adapting to the strict accountability culture of the Buckeyes.

As a freshman, missing out on starting practice might keep Bey at a slight disadvantage. He will have to catch up to his peers, Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, in the backfield. The two are already ahead on the depth chart.

Bey has very high expectations placed on him. He is being developed as Ohio State’s hybrid “H-back” weapon. The staff’s aim is to directly mirror the roles of Curtis Samuel and Tyreek Hill. The 4-star recruit from Texas has a lot of raw talent that the program is trying to polish. Bey’s elite speed, running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, has made him stand out among the freshmen.

Day has two distinct playbooks, which he wants Bey to master. One is to master the pass-blocking protections and inside-zone running schemes. The other is to learn precise route-running trees and pre-snap motion timing from the slot. In high school, Bey played quarterback, running back, and receiver. His versatility is what made Coach Day fight harder for him during his recruitment.

Legend Bey’s recruitment fiasco

Legend Bey had one of the most chaotic recruitment stories. In the end, it came down to a tug-of-war between Ohio State and the Tennessee Volunteers. Bey originally committed to head coach Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers in July 2025.

He chose them over several hometown options like Texas A&M. He was considered a crown jewel of the Vols’ 2026 class. Then came the heavy push from Day and the Buckeyes despite his commitment. They heavily pursued the 4-star Texas athlete throughout the fall. Their selling point was the hybrid “H-Back” role previously used for star playmakers. 

It all came down to the signing day when Bey actually submitted his official National Letter of Intent to Tennessee in the afternoon. For the Vols, the celebration began. But then came the twist: he mentioned on social media that his heart was set on Ohio State, but his family is pressuring him to choose the latter.

Bey requested a release from his signed scholarship agreement with Tennessee, and they agreed to grant it. Bey officially flipped his commitment and signed with Ohio State in December 2025, finally ending the bizarre recruitment saga.