Ohio State defensive tackle Eddrick Houston helped off field at first practice

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is already working through an early-season injury after the first day of training camp. Defensive tackle Eddrick Houston was helped off the field by two trainers near the end of Thursday’s practice, the first day of camp.

Houston wasn’t putting weight on his right leg after going down on the indoor turf field.

“I haven’t talked to the trainers yet,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said when asked about Houston after practice.

Houston, a trendy All-Big Ten pick and expected star for the Buckeyes on the defensive interior, did not return to practice. Defensive tackle Eric Mensah entered the drill in place of Houston, with the caveat that the defensive line was split among two fields.

Ohio State has been concerned about defensive tackle depth all offseason, even looking into the transfer portal for additional reinforcements before deciding to stay put with the defensive tackle depth on the roster.

“They’re going to have to go do it on the field. But some of those guys have had very good springs,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said last week at Big Ten Media Days. “And so now they have to go do it. Well, I should say they had good springs. They’ve had very good summers. I think they’re bigger, stronger. Mick’s really pushed them. It’s been a hard summer for them. And now they have to go do it. But it got to the point where there was, just for us, there were certain people that were in the portal, and the question was, are they better than what we have?

“And the decision that was made was, No. We’ve got to develop these guys. We have to get them stronger. We have to get more out of them. We have to maximize these guys. And that’s what we have to do, and that’s what the focus is going to be.”

The Buckeyes have seen good progress from depth pieces Tywone Malone, Will Smith Jr. and others. But Houston is slated to be one of the biggest and most important pieces of this defense entering his second season of college football.

Now his status is uncertain after an injury. He was helped off the field and into the locker room Thursday at the first day of Buckeyes camp.