FRESHMAN TRACKER: IN OHIO STATE’S DOUBLE-DIGIT VICTORY OVER WISCONSIN, CARNELL TATE’S CATCH STREAK CONTINUES AND KAYDEN MCDONALD GETS DEFENSIVE REPS
Playing true freshmen at night on the road in Madison, Wisconsin, is not the ideal scenario. Similar to their performance against Penn State the previous week, Ryan Day gave just six rookies playing time in Ohio State’s 24-10 triumph over Wisconsin.
The only freshmen to play defence was Kayden McDonald, and the only freshmen to play offence was Carnell Tate.
It’s not ideal to be playing true freshmen on the road in Madison, Wisconsin, at night. In Ohio State’s 24-10 victory over Wisconsin, Ryan Day limited the amount of rookies to playing time, much like they did against Penn State the week before.
Kayden McDonald was the only freshman to play defence, and Carnell Tate was the only freshman to play offence.
Tate played on both of Ohio State’s kickoff returns and three of its six punt returns, so he was also a member of two special teams units.
McDonald played three snaps while starting the third straight game on the defensive line.
Only on special teams did Malik Hartford, Brandon Inniss, Jermaine Mathews Jr., and Arvell Reese play. In addition to Tate, Ohio State’s kickoff return squad against Wisconsin included Inniss, Reese, and Hartford. Hartford and Mathews were on the punt return and kickoff coverage teams.
After getting hurt on Ohio State’s opening kickoff of the game in Week 2 against Youngstown State, Reese saw his first action since then.
Planned is a noon game against Rutgers and the fighting Schianos in Piscataway, New Jersey. 14 freshmen played against the Scarlet Knights last year. Next weekend should see a lot of new faces, if history is any guide.
Of Ohio State’s twenty-one scholarship true freshmen, 11 have played through eight games. Five of them, Hartford, Inniss, Mathews, Luke Montgomery, and Tate, are no longer eligible for a redshirt because they have participated in five or more games. If McDonald participates in one more game, he will be able to remove his redshirt.
