How Ryan Day, Buckeyes want to pay tribute to Dwayne Haskins
COLUMBUS — The exact details for paying tribute to Dwayne Haskins will have to wait a couple days.
All Ryan Day knows for sure is that it wants the Buckeye Nation community to part of the celebration of the record-breaking quarterback’s life.
The program was back together on Monday morning for the first time since the shocking loss of Haskins on Saturday, praying, practicing and then planning how the Buckeyes will remember a man who left an undeniable impact in the Horseshoe.
“We will do something, but we’re still deciding on that,” Day said at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. “We’re still trying to process all of that. In today’s day and age, things happen so fast. We’re just trying to digest it all. I have a list of things that I have written down — some probably too big, some maybe not big enough. We’ll just keep talking about it this week.
“I don’t think we’ll decide this week. But we’re certainly going to do something on Saturday to recognize him with some sort of tribute, which I think is very, very appropriate with Buckeye Nation all going to be together.”
That extended Ohio State family has already started paying its public respects for Haskins, and obviously that will continue into next weekend at the spring game on Saturday.
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A couple Haskins jerseys are already hanging outside of the Horseshoe. There’s been an outpouring of tributes on social media from teammates, friends and fans. A band member played in his honor outside of Ohio Stadium over the weekend, and another vigil is planned on Tuesday evening.
There could be more in the works for a player who was such a transformational figure for the Buckeyes at the most important position on the field, and that could potentially carry all the way over into next season. For now, though, Ohio State is simply focusing on the early stages of grief and trying to find the best way to honor Haskins in the moment.
“I heard an interview after the Big Ten championship game [in 2018], and somebody asked him questions about all the records he broke,” Day said. “The first thing he did was put the praise back on his teammates, God and then quickly Buckeye Nation. Buckeye Nation meant a lot to Dwayne. I think having everybody there on Saturday is significant, and we’ll make sure we do things the right way.
“Then moving forward, we just want to make sure we do it the right way and think it through.”
Dwayne Haskins has absolutely earned the tribute from Ohio State. The Buckeyes just don’t know exactly how to do it best quite yet.
