Why Ohio State freshman Jay Timmons may start vs Ball State

Ohio State coach Ryan Day has yet to confirm the defensive starters for the Ball State game , but if Jay Timmons gets the nod at nickel back, he'll become the first OSU freshman to start on defense in a season opener since 2021.

"He's super competitive," Day said. "He's edgy. He just has a knack for the game, and he's got really good instincts."

The Buckeyes entered preseason camp with open spots in the secondary, including the starting nickel back role after Lorenzo Styles Jr. exhausted his eligibility and was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints.

Returning senior Jermaine Mathews Jr. took snaps at nickel back during the spring game , but when camp began on Aug. 6, Timmons lined up there for the majority of first-team reps. He impressed teammates with his coverage and recorded a sack during an 11-on-11 period, as Mathews moved back to cornerback.

Timmons lost his black stripe after the sixth day of preseason camp and has kept himself in contention to start in the season opener across the last three weeks of practice.

"He's done a lot to impress everybody," Ohio State sophomore cornerback Devin Sanchez said. "Not just us, but also the offensive coaches too. He's tough out there. ... He's physical, just going out there and touching the ball, making plays on the ball. As a freshman, that's what you've got to do to be felt."

Timmons joined the Buckeyes as their third-highest rated recruit from the Class of 2026 , ranked 25th overall by 247Sports out of Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.

See Ohio State football in action on Day 3 of training camp

The son of former Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker Lawrence Timmons, Jay Timmons was originally committed to Florida State before flipping his decision to Ohio State in November. The 5-foot-11, 191 lbs. cornerback arrived in Columbus confident he'd make a push to join the starting lineup.

"I knew when I was his host on his recruitment that he was going to come here and make a difference," Sanchez said. "He told me when he was recruited, 'Hey Dev, I'm going to start at Ohio State my freshman year.'"

The last time an Ohio State freshman started on defense in a season opener was Denzel Burke at cornerback against Minnesota in 2021. Burke is the only freshman defender under Day whose first appearance was as a starter.

With the Buckeyes losing 10 starters from last year, Day predicts the freshman class to have several players who will make an impact early in the season.

"The guys that deserve to have that opportunity through what they've done in terms of earning trust with their teammates, with their coaches ... are going to do that," Day said. "We'll watch their performance on the field and see if they earn more reps."