Ohio State held its ninth practice and first scrimmage of preseason camp away from prying eyes Saturday.

While the scrimmage was off limits to reporters, coach Ryan Day spoke about how things have progressed since Ohio State closed its practice after the third day of preseason camp.

Here are a few thoughts after Ohio State’s second week, beginning with a major development at running back:

Running back Bo Jackson making major strides

When Ohio State opened its practices to the public, running back Isaiah West looked the best of RB coach Carlos Locklyn’s group. He took the majority of the starting reps, moved well in the hole and, though Ohio State wasn’t tackling yet, got to the second level repeatedly.

The thing about preseason camp, though, is that nearly everything changes after those first three practices. The pads go on, tackling begins and roster evaluations change. With that in mind, I went into Saturday’s news conference most interested in the running backs, considering the day’s scrimmage could be the best look at the group.

Asked what he saw from his running backs, Day raved about Bo Jackson, who didn’t take many first-team reps when reporters were present earlier in camp.

“So far, Bo has certainly stood out,” Day said.

Jackson entered the summer as one of college football’s most intriguing returning running backs after rushing for 1,090 yards as a true freshman, but he was missing a gear in the second level.

Ohio State has been hard on Jackson this offseason, challenging the Cleveland native to take that next step, and it seems to be paying off.

“He’s done a much better job at the second level,” Day said. “We talked about it; you either run over or run around them, making them miss, and you’re seeing that. It’s showing up on film, and it did not show up on film last year.”

That’s a great sign for Locklyn’s room. If Jackson is making strides, West continues to move like he did earlier in camp and Ja’Kobi Jackson provides depth, this is a room that should be better than it was a year ago.

Day also praised Legend Bey — again. Asked which freshman he thinks could make an impact this year, Bey was the only running back Day mentioned.

“Legend is learning how to play the position, but you certainly see the talent. He had some big, explosive plays today. You can see what a weapon he’ll become for us,” Day said. “I’m excited about the room. Not where we need to be — we still have a couple weeks to get there — but it’s good to have a group that has experience.”

Ohio State is far away from having the two-headed monster that Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson were, but if the reviews about Jackson hold up during the season, this is a room that should make a big impact. And ease concerns many had from early camp reports of Jackson struggling.

No decision made on offensive line

Day said before camp that he wanted to find his starting offensive line about 10 practices in, but an injury to offensive tackle Austin Siereveld has delayed that process.

The fourth-year player is a major part of Ohio State’s plans along the offensive line, but it isn’t clear whether he’ll play left tackle or right guard. With Siereveld not expected to return to practice until next week, the Buckeyes are still evaluating the rotation.

Even though Phillip Daniels took every starter rep at right tackle during the sessions open to media, it appears everything is on the table at left tackle, right guard and right tackle. Four players — Daniels, Siereveld, Ian Moore and Joshua Padilla — are competing for three spots, so somebody will be left out.

“Those guys are battling right now,” Day said. “We’ll get Austin back and continue to work. There’s multiple guys we will feel good about putting in the game, but we’re still not exactly where we need to be in terms of where everybody’s going to be at.”

Is Luke Fahey in the mix at backup QB?

Entering camp, the thought was that Tavien St. Clair would take over the backup role, but be pushed by Maryland transfer Justyn Martin. After the first three days, Martin wasn’t where Ohio State needed him to be, and St. Clair, while he has the physical tools, continued to be inconsistent.

Enter true freshman Luke Fahey, who appears to have stepped up. The California native lost his black stripe Saturday, a sign that he’s been impressing the coaching staff with his improvement since the spring.

He’s not a big guy, just 5-foot-11, but he’s putting pressure on both Martin and St. Clair for the backup spot.

“He’s been competing and making plays,” Day said. “We’ll see how he grades out, so you know it’s been exciting to see him come in with a certain work ethic, run the offense at a pretty high level. We’ll see how the rest of camp plays out, but good to see him step up.”

While St. Clair might be the favorite to back up Julian Sayin, Day’s comments suggest he won’t let the five-star prospect coast into that role. The coaches want to see more growth from St. Clair. If they don’t, Fahey could complicate things in the quarterback room.

From left, Ohio State quarterbacks Julian Sayin, Tavien St. Clair, Luke Fahey and Justyn Martin throw during a training camp session inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center earlier this month. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

Why we may actually see more rotations on defense

Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has long been praised for his ability to adapt his defense to his roster.

The Buckeyes played a lot of 4-2-5 defense last season because they had two star linebackers and a deep secondary that could play the pass and run with the same personnel.

Losing linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, safety Caleb Downs and corners Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles Jr. left some holes.

With the additions of upperclassmen safeties Earl Little Jr. and Terry Moore, the feeling throughout much of the offseason was that the Buckeyes would play three safeties — Moore and Jaylen McClain up top, and Little in the slot.

That appears to have changed after the first two weeks of camp. In the first three days, Ohio State displayed a preference for freshman Jay Timmons at nickel. And when he wasn’t on the field, the coaches appeared to favor a third linebacker. Whether that will be Riley Pettijohn or TJ Alford is still to be decided.

Why the shift? On the one hand, Ohio State is trying to make sure it can match personnel when teams go heavy with multiple tight ends. But Patricia also has a lot of faith in the group that linebackers coach James Laurinaitis has developed.

“I feel like we have a good depth group that is all learning and growing at the same time,” Patricia said. “I feel like we’re good, communication is good, front is good, we can play the run game. When you have those waves of players, I think it gives you a little bit of an advantage as you go through the game.”

Replacing two top-10 picks like Styles and Reese is an almost impossible task, even at Ohio State. But is there a world where there’s a combination of Payton Pierce, Pettijohn, Alford and Christian Alliegro on the field with the starters during a game? Yes, there is.

Alliegro and Pettijohn can play inside and outside linebacker. Pierce will likely be the leader of the group. And Alford can move around, too.

They’ve even impressed Day.

“I think you’ll see us rotating guys and try to figure out how all those pieces work,” Day said.

Will Ohio State revert to playing strictly three-linebacker sets? No, but it is a sign of Patricia’s flexibility with this roster.

The talent level of last year’s group, which finished No. 1 in total defense, is unmatched. But there’s an argument to be made that the 2026 unit is deeper, and it’s opening Patricia up to more rotational ideas.

“I think we have a lot of good depth players this year,” Patricia said. “I want to make sure I’m putting them in the right position.”

One of those depth players could be Alabama edge rusher Qua Russaw. For much of the offseason, I’ve been interested in seeing just how Ohio State plans to deploy Russaw, who has so much flexibility. Putting his hand in the ground and making him rush as a traditional edge rusher didn’t make sense. To Patricia and Larry Johnson’s credit, it doesn’t sound like they’ll do that.

Speaking to the media Thursday, Russaw said he expects to play a variety of roles, including on the edge during passing downs and in the five-man penny fronts Patricia introduced last year.

This role should allow Russaw to rush the passer and make plays in space, specifically in the flat area, similar to what Reese did at times last season. Alliegro could be another player to watch in that position.

This is not to say that Russaw or Alliegro will turn into Reese this year, but we’ve seen some things drastically change with the defensive plan through nine practices.

We thought Ohio State would play three safeties nearly all game, but it’s looking like the defense will rotate across the board.

Asked if he could play more people this year, Patricia responded, “That’s probably a good way to look at it.”

Patricia was not afraid to adapt last year, and he seems ready to do it again this year.

For 16-year-old Janie Jensen, the Cleveland Ohio Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being built close to home is not only a blessing but “a call to action.”

“The Lord placed the temple here because He knew that we’d be ready for it, and that we could do the work that He needs us to do,” said Janie, a member of the Westlake Ward, Cleveland Ohio Stake.

On Sunday, Aug. 16, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the Cleveland Ohio Temple, located about 20 miles southwest of the historic Kirtland Temple. The same day, Church President Dallin H. Oaks will dedicate the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple.

Janie was one of an estimated 200 youth who volunteered at the Cleveland temple open house, which ran from June 18 through July 3, excluding Sundays. She helped place coverings on visitors’ shoes before they entered the building, to protect the temple’s carpets and flooring.

“It was really cool to see everyone coming through and everyone coming for the same purpose — to just see the temple and be excited for it to be dedicated and to have one in our area,” she said.

In her personal scripture study and when she participates in lessons at church, Janie said she is trying to more intentionally listen for and recognize the Holy Ghost speaking to her. “Then, when I go to the temple, I’ll be able to connect better and listen,” she said.

History of temple attendance in northern Ohio

Ohio is home to nearly 66,000 Latter-day Saints who meet in almost 130 congregations. The dedication of the Cleveland Ohio Temple marks the first return of an operating temple to northern Ohio since the 1836 dedication of the historic Kirtland Temple, which is no longer in operation as an active temple.

The new temple also honors a history of members in northern Ohio traveling long distances to receive ordinances and make covenants in the house of the Lord.

Before any temples were constructed in the region, one of the closest options was the Washington D.C. Temple, dedicated in 1974. Sixteen years later, the Toronto Ontario Temple dedicated in 1990 became the closest temple for many members in the Great Lakes area.

Ohio’s first temple still in operation today came in 1999 with the dedication of the Columbus Ohio Temple, located 125 miles from Cleveland. Members in northern Ohio rejoiced even more with the dedication of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple in 2024, which would expand access to the house of the Lord for the northern Ohio region until the Cleveland temple was finished.

During April 2022 general conference, Church President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple would be constructed in Cleveland, Ohio. Elder Vaiangina Sikahema, a General Authority Seventy and then-first counselor in the Church’s North America Northeast Area presidency, presided over the groundbreaking on June 1, 2024.

A single-story building of approximately 9,950 square feet, the Cleveland temple stands on an 11.04-acre site on Brecksville Road in Independence. The well-developed suburb is known as “the heart of Cuyahoga County.” Cleveland’s rich architectural heritage inspired the new temple’s design motifs, incorporating elements from the city’s historic buildings.

Evidence of the ongoing Restoration

The Cleveland Ohio Temple’s connection to the history of the Restoration is significant to Hiram Ohio Stake President Thomas P. Aardema. Nearly two centuries ago, early Saints in Ohio sacrificed immensely to build the Kirtland Temple. Only a few years later, they were forced to leave behind a building they loved and had consecrated with “extraordinary faith,” said President Aardema.

“That sacrifice has always been moving to me,” President Aardema wrote in an email to the Church News. “In Doctrine and Covenants 82, the Lord promised that He would build up the land of Kirtland in His own due time. In many ways, the Cleveland Ohio Temple feels like a continuation of that promise. It stands as evidence that the Lord remembers His people, fulfills His promises, and continues His work in this historic area.”

During the temple open house, President Aardema had a personal experience that strengthened these feelings. “Shortly after entering the temple,” he said, “I noticed a beautiful commissioned painting of the Kirtland Temple near the recommend desk. Seeing that image moved me to tears. I was overwhelmed by the realization that a house of the Lord once again stands in the region where the first temple of this dispensation was dedicated and where sacred priesthood keys were restored.

“For me, that moment beautifully symbolized the ongoing Restoration and the Lord’s continuing work in our day.”

The temple’s inspired location

Many members of the Church in northern Ohio — including Elder Nathan L. Johnson, Area Seventy in the Church’s United States Northeast Area, who was born and raised in the Cleveland area — hoped the new temple might be built near the Church’s historic sites in Kirtland or Hiram.

“But when we heard of the location and then really thought about it, it is so clearly inspired,” Elder Johnson said of the city of Independence, about a 30-minute drive from Kirtland.

“From all four stakes in the temple district, we’ll have members that are within 15 minutes of the temple. It could not be more ideally placed in proximity to interstates, and the centrality of it is truly an inspired choice,” he said.

“We can really see that this is being built for the work that needs to be done, and in thinking about the needs of members who will be attending as patrons. … I have been really touched by the Lord’s mercy in bringing temples closer to us.”

‘A bridge to the community’

President Darryl May, first counselor in the Cleveland Ohio Stake presidency, said the Cleveland temple open house created meaningful opportunities for neighbors, friends, civic leaders, and members of other faiths to learn about what Latter-day Saints believe.

“We have witnessed countless expressions of kindness, curiosity and respect throughout the process,” he wrote in an email to the Church News. “The temple has become a bridge to the community, fostering greater understanding and strengthening relationships. …

“The temple is not a place that separates us from our neighbors — it inspires us to love and serve them more fully.”

Sharing the temple with a friend

The open house provided David Stalnaker an opportunity to show his childhood best friend the inside of a temple. Though not a member of the Church, Stalnaker’s friend Steve Campana has helped maintain the John and Elsa Johnson Home in Hiram, Ohio, and other Church properties for more than 30 years. Stalnaker’s family were the caretakers of the home and farm.

“When Steve heard about the Cleveland temple, he asked if his family could attend the open house because he had never been able to see the inside of a temple and wanted that opportunity,” said Stalnaker, a member of the Hiram Ward, Hiram Ohio Stake.

“As we made our way to the temple doors, Steve and his family noticed the building and landscaping and commented on how beautiful everything looked. Once inside, the temple workers explained the importance of the temple and the significance of each room. The artwork, baptismal font and lighting helped create a peaceful, reverent feeling as we walked through.”

After the tour, Stalnaker said, his friend asked to see inside more Latter-day Saint temples. They started making plans to attend the Salt Lake Temple open house in 2027.

‘The Lord has watched over us’

Thomas Rice, a longtime Latter-day Saint in Cleveland, has witnessed the growth of the Church in the area since his youth. Northern Ohio is a religious community, he said, and missionary work has continued to grow.

“I grew up not far from the [Cleveland] temple site. It’s been all that I’ve known,” said Rice, who was baptized in 1960 at age 10 with his family after a young girl in the neighborhood invited his sister to attend Primary.

Rice, a member of the Burke Park Ward, Cleveland Ohio Stake, has served as the stake patriarch for the last 15 years after his release as stake president. He said he sees God’s hand in the timing of the temple.

“The Lord knew exactly when the appropriate time was here for the temple to be built and to bless Greater Cleveland and northern Ohio,” he said. “I think the stakes here in northern Ohio were prepared for the announcement and the expectation and the hope that it has brought to this area. … The Lord has watched over us and provided.”

Cleveland Ohio Temple

Address: 5997 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio 44131

Announced: April 3, 2022, by President Russell M. Nelson

Groundbreaking: June 1, 2024, presided over by Elder Vaiangina Sikahema, a General Authority Seventy

Public open house: June 18 through July 3, 2026, excluding Sundays

To be dedicated: Aug. 16, 2026, by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Property size: 11.04 acres

Building size: 9,950 square feet

Building height: 100 feet (including the spire)