Ryan Day confirms three Ohio State stars returning for 2022 season

Ohio State finished the 2021 season with an 11-2 record, ending it with a 48-45 victory over Utah in the Rose Bowl. While the Buckeyes will be losing some key contributors to the 2022 NFL Draft, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has confirmed that three important players are returning for the 2022 season.

In a press conference on Monday, Day said that defensive lineman Jerron Cage and linebackers Palaie Gaoteote IV and Teradja Mitchell will be back for another season.

Getting Cage, Gaoteote and Mitchell back is great news for Day and the Ohio State defense in 2022. This season was Cage’s fourth with the Buckeyes. On the year, he had 12 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one sack, in addition to two fumble recoveries and one touchdown. In his four-year career, Cage has 22 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

The 2021 season was the first at Ohio State for Gaoteote, after he spend the first three years of his career at USC. In 17 games with the Trojans, he had 105 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. This season with Ohio State, Gaoteote had nine tackles, one tackle for loss, 0.5 sacks and one fumble recovery.

Mitchell had the most productive season of his career in 2021, racking up 45 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.

Ryan Day has previously praised Cage, Mitchell earlier in Ohio State’s season

Cage and Mitchell have received praised from Day and Ohio State coaches before. Both players have brought not only great contributions on the field, but great leadership qualities as well.

Prior to the season, Ohio State’s former linebackers coach Al Washington praised Mitchell for how he has handled himself while trying to replicate the significant amount of talent that Ohio State lost at linebacker ahead of the season.

“I think all of them [do it], starting with Teradja,” Washington said. “I think he’s done a great job stepping into a leadership role off the field, taking it upon himself to organize things. And just having more of a voice, which is great to see.”

After Ohio State’s game against Penn State, Day praised Cage, who had a 57-yard scoop-and-score in the win. Day will hope that Cage can carry that same success into 2022 for Ohio State.

“Well, I think Jerron is a veteran player,” he said. “He’s somebody who has a mature approach. And I think his teammates respect him when he says something. Which he doesn’t always say a lot. Although, actually he’s said more recently. I think he’s gained more and more leadership skills in the last month.”