Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said freshman running back Legend Bey has to learn from the mistakes he made in his first college game, though Day made clear he still believes in the Texas product after a lopsided season-opening win.
The No. 1 Buckeyes beat Ball State 56-3 on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Bey, a former high school quarterback from North Forney High School in Forney, Texas, was given the starting kickoff return job for the opener.
He fielded the first kickoff in the end zone and ran it out instead of taking a touchback. A teammate tried to signal for him to stay put. Bey was stopped at the 16-yard line.
He did the same thing later in the first half and was tackled at the 10. Day said after the game that repeating the error was the most disappointing part.
“What we can’t do is make the same mistake twice,” Day said. “Nobody felt worse than Legend on that, but those are trust things that we’re going to have to continue to work on, to build trust within the coaches and the teammates and the team.”
Bey later showed why coaches and teammates had talked him up all offseason. He finished with six carries for 37 yards and two catches for 37 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown reception from backup quarterback Luke Fahey in the fourth quarter.
On that score, Bey caught a short pass, made several defenders miss with cuts and burst, and reached the end zone. It was the kind of play that had people comparing him to dynamic former players during camp.
“You can see the talent,” Day said. “He’s got a good attitude when it comes to being corrected. I think he has the right mindset when it comes to it.”
Wide receiver Devin McCuin, who also is from Texas, praised the freshman after the game.
“That dude’s crazy, man,” McCuin said. “He’s electric. He’s a Texas kid, too. I’m so proud of him and his growth here. He’s going to be a great player.”
Bey arrived in Columbus after a winding recruitment that included commitments to both Tennessee and Ohio State. He missed some spring work with a hamstring injury and sat out the first couple of fall camp practices after a team rules violation.
Day said before the season that Bey had responded well since then and earned enough trust to handle kick returns. The coach has described him as explosive with the ball in his hands and compared his playmaking ability to NFL standout Tyreek Hill.
The early field-position mistakes did not cost Ohio State against Ball State. The Buckeyes scored on eight of 11 drives after an opening three-and-out and piled up points in every quarter.
Julian Sayin threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith had two scoring catches in the first half before sitting out the second half. Running backs Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson each had long touchdown runs after a slow start on the ground.
Day said the staff will keep working with Bey on discipline and decision-making. He also said it is the coaches’ job to find ways to use his talent.
Ohio State now turns to a much tougher test. The Buckeyes visit No. 5 Texas next Saturday.
Bey is listed at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds. He wore No. 2 in the opener after having his black stripe removed late in camp. His next opportunities will come against a stronger opponent that will punish mental errors more than Ball State did.
Day sounded like a coach who has seen this before with young players. Freshmen make mistakes. The ones who last are the ones who fix them quickly and keep the trust of the people around them.
Bey has the speed and shiftiness that made him a four-star recruit. Now he has to show he can handle the details that come with playing at Ohio State.
The talent is obvious. The next step is turning that talent into consistent, trustworthy football.
