Ohio State Opens 2025 Fall Camp
7/31/2025 3:08:00 PM | Football
Seventh-year head coach Ryan Day welcomed 120 players to practice No. 1
COLUMBUS, Ohio – It's the most wonderful time of the year. The start of the 2025 college football season is upon us as Ryan Day, in his seventh season as head coach, and his staff of assistants kicked off the first day of fall camp practices Thursday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in front of a crowd of approximately 500 fans and media.
The team, numbering 120 players, practiced in shorts and helmets in 70-degree weather under overcast skies for just over two hours. The team went indoors for the last three periods because of a pop-up rain shower.
Included among the attendees were three shows from flagship radio station 97.1 The Fan originating on site: T-Bone & Tyvis, Bishop & Friends and Morning Juice. All three shows will broadcast from the Woody again Friday. ESPN Sportscenter had a crew in Columbus. Approximately 65 additional media members were on site watching the entire practice and will be able to watch Friday and Saturday as well.
Notes from the Field
• SAF Caleb Downs, a unanimous All-American last year, a finalist for the Thorpe Award and the Big Ten's defensive back of the year, leads the defensive returnees that include only two other starters: LB Sonny Styles and CB Davison Igbinosun.
• Styles was second on the team in 2024 with 100 tackles and also contributed 10.5 TFLs, six QB sacks and five PBUs during his monster season.
• Igbinosun has 19 career pass break-ups and two interceptions and has started 39 games at CB.
• There are five offensive starters returning from 2024, led by All-American and Big Ten wide receiver and freshman of the year Jeremiah Smith. The others: WR Carnell Tate and linemen C Carson Hinzman, G Tegra Tshabola and G Austin Siereveld.
• There are three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster with third-year player Lincoln Kienholz and sophomore Julian Sayin vying for the starting role. The third scholarship quarterback is Tavien St. Clair, a true freshman. Three of the four walk-on quarterbacks are in their first year with the team.
• Ohio State scholarship QBs' career stats: 14-of-34 for 195 yards and one TD. Lincoln Kienholz (11-of-22 for 111 yards); Julian Sayin (5-of-12 for 84 yards and one TD).
• Other position group numbers: 19 DEs and DTs, 13 LBs, 12 SAFs, 13 CBs, 19 OL, 16 WRs, 7 TEs, 7 RBs and 7 specialists.
• The contingent of roster players includes 35 returning lettermen (vs. 32 lettermen lost) with 17 defensive returnees, 15 offensive players returning and three specialists.
• There are 48 new players on the roster, including transfer portal additions DE Beau Atkinson (North Carolina), OT Phillip Daniels (Minnesota), RB C.J. Donaldson (West Virginia), DL Logan George (Idaho State), TE Max Klare (Purdue), OT Ethan Onianwa (Rice) and OL Justin Terry (West Virginia).
Ryan Day Quotes from Today
On Day 1: "We talk about the first play, the first drive of a game, the first play of a drill and how it sets a tone, and we wanted to do that. It seemed as if we had good energy. There were a lot of guys getting a lot of reps. We try to do that … especially with a group that hasn't played much football."
Team identity: "This team has its own identity. It wants to have its own identity, but it also wants to be the first Ohio State team to win back-to-back national championships."
Transfers: "They have quickly embraced the culture here because we do things differently here."
QBs: "[I want] command of the offense. You want everyone in that huddle to believe in you and follow your command … take care of the football … make routine plays … get us into the right play … do all of the little things that keep the team moving. We have good pieces around these guys."
Game 1 vs. Texas: "It affects things a lot. You know you can't be learning on the job in that first week. We have to get through as many issues as we can [leading up to the game]. All it takes is one play that can cost you."
The team, numbering 120 players, practiced in shorts and helmets in 70-degree weather under overcast skies for just over two hours. The team went indoors for the last three periods because of a pop-up rain shower.
Included among the attendees were three shows from flagship radio station 97.1 The Fan originating on site: T-Bone & Tyvis, Bishop & Friends and Morning Juice. All three shows will broadcast from the Woody again Friday. ESPN Sportscenter had a crew in Columbus. Approximately 65 additional media members were on site watching the entire practice and will be able to watch Friday and Saturday as well.
Notes from the Field
• SAF Caleb Downs, a unanimous All-American last year, a finalist for the Thorpe Award and the Big Ten's defensive back of the year, leads the defensive returnees that include only two other starters: LB Sonny Styles and CB Davison Igbinosun.
• Styles was second on the team in 2024 with 100 tackles and also contributed 10.5 TFLs, six QB sacks and five PBUs during his monster season.
• Igbinosun has 19 career pass break-ups and two interceptions and has started 39 games at CB.
• There are five offensive starters returning from 2024, led by All-American and Big Ten wide receiver and freshman of the year Jeremiah Smith. The others: WR Carnell Tate and linemen C Carson Hinzman, G Tegra Tshabola and G Austin Siereveld.
• There are three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster with third-year player Lincoln Kienholz and sophomore Julian Sayin vying for the starting role. The third scholarship quarterback is Tavien St. Clair, a true freshman. Three of the four walk-on quarterbacks are in their first year with the team.
• Ohio State scholarship QBs' career stats: 14-of-34 for 195 yards and one TD. Lincoln Kienholz (11-of-22 for 111 yards); Julian Sayin (5-of-12 for 84 yards and one TD).
• Other position group numbers: 19 DEs and DTs, 13 LBs, 12 SAFs, 13 CBs, 19 OL, 16 WRs, 7 TEs, 7 RBs and 7 specialists.
• The contingent of roster players includes 35 returning lettermen (vs. 32 lettermen lost) with 17 defensive returnees, 15 offensive players returning and three specialists.
• There are 48 new players on the roster, including transfer portal additions DE Beau Atkinson (North Carolina), OT Phillip Daniels (Minnesota), RB C.J. Donaldson (West Virginia), DL Logan George (Idaho State), TE Max Klare (Purdue), OT Ethan Onianwa (Rice) and OL Justin Terry (West Virginia).
Ryan Day Quotes from Today
On Day 1: "We talk about the first play, the first drive of a game, the first play of a drill and how it sets a tone, and we wanted to do that. It seemed as if we had good energy. There were a lot of guys getting a lot of reps. We try to do that … especially with a group that hasn't played much football."
Team identity: "This team has its own identity. It wants to have its own identity, but it also wants to be the first Ohio State team to win back-to-back national championships."
Transfers: "They have quickly embraced the culture here because we do things differently here."
QBs: "[I want] command of the offense. You want everyone in that huddle to believe in you and follow your command … take care of the football … make routine plays … get us into the right play … do all of the little things that keep the team moving. We have good pieces around these guys."
Game 1 vs. Texas: "It affects things a lot. You know you can't be learning on the job in that first week. We have to get through as many issues as we can [leading up to the game]. All it takes is one play that can cost you."
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OT
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football No videos available.
