Ohio State football: Day says OSU healthy as camp opens

It looks like the Ohio State football team is healthy to start Fall camp which is a great thing to hear.

Ryan Day gave Ohio State football fans a bit of good news recently. He said those key players who missed all or most of spring practice are now healthy and ready to take part in Fall camp. When you consider who those guys are and the roles they are expected to fill, this is very good news.

When your pass defense struggled like Ohio State’s last year, having your two expected starters at cornerback ready to go at the beginning of camp is a very good thing. Cam Brown did not take part in contact drills during spring practice due to rehabbing the Achilles he tore against Penn State in just the second game of the season. Sevyn Banks missed nearly all of spring with an undisclosed injury.

Defensive tackle Haskell Garrett missed time this spring with an undisclosed injury as well. Pictures posted to social media would lead you to believe it had something to do with his lower right leg. Considering Garrett came back last season to be named an All-American after suffering a gunshot wound to the face in the preseason, I’m not surprised he’s fully recovered from a leg injury.

Dallas Gant looked poised to put a stranglehold on the Mike (middle) linebacker position but was pronounced out of spring practice with a foot injury just before it began.

Kourt Williams missed all of his freshman season, in addition to the spring, after tearing his ACL in October. While Craig Young looks to be the leader at the Bullet position, Williams is very talented and will no doubt find his way onto the field this season.

We’ve known for some time linebacker Mitchell Melton will be out indefinitely. It also appears receiver Kamryn Babb could miss another entire season. Babb has been snakebit with knee injuries since his senior year of high school.

Day also mentioned starting right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere is dealing with something minor. He did not elaborate, nor did he show much concern. While Day may not show concern, I will. The Buckeyes open with a Minnesota team who believes they have the deepest and most talented defensive line they’ve ever had.

Follow up that with a meeting with Oregon and the nation’s top defensive end, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and you can understand my concern. The Buckeyes need Petit-Frere and left tackle Thayer Munford completely healthy for those games.

The Buckeyes open fall camp tomorrow. With just a month to go before that season-opener against the Golden Gophers, a positive injury report is welcome news.