Ryan Day reveals latest on TreVeyon Henderson, how Ohio State will use rushing attack vs. Penn State

As opening kickoff rapidly approaches, it remains unclear whether Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson will be able to suit up vs. Penn State during Week 8’s blockbuster Big Ten battle.

Officially listed as a game-time decision, head coach Ryan Day gave the latest on his star tailback before the top 10 matchup and what his plan will be if Henderson is ultimately ruled out against the Nittany Lions.

“We have everybody back, but [TreVeyon Henderson] will be a game-time decision. He’s the only question mark going in, so we’ll see how he does in warm-ups. But we have the rest of the guys back so we have a lot of depth there. We certainly want to have [Henderson] go, but if he can’t that’s why those guys practice and we feel like we have good depth there.”

On the season, Henderson has 44 carries for 295 yards and five touchdowns as the Buckeyes’ leading rusher. If he is ruled out, it will be the third straight game the junior will have missed.

According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, an Ohio State staffer said, “We’ll find out,” regarding Henderson’s final status. The Buckeyes are rightfully cautiously optimistic about their star back — but this is also a big game. Henderson is obviously doing all he can to make it back on the field and positively impact the game.

Last week against Purdue, Ohio State was in a much worse position. Backup running back Chip Trayanum was also injured early. That left Day to make a decision to have fourth-team RB Dallan Hayden and wideout Xavier Johnson fill in for the missing Henderson, Trayanum and the also injured Miyan Williams. Hayden and Johnson combined for 115 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon.

Williams is back, however, and is expected to receive the bulk of the carries against Penn State. Trayanum is ready to go as well and provides the much-needed depth Day mentioned heading into the contest.

Adding another to the mix, Buckeyes starting cornerback Denzel Burke will likely miss Saturday’s matchup against Penn State after getting banged up against Purdue last week. He’s in the same boat as Henderson and will find out his final status ahead of game time.

Whether Henderson is available or not, the opening kickoff for Saturday’s blockbuster matchup is scheduled for Noon ET live on Fox. The Buckeyes are 4.5-point favorites, per FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under total is set at 45.5 points.