The first day of training camp seldom yields definitive answers.

That was certainly the case Thursday when Ohio State opened camp for the 2024 season. Players were not in pads so there was no tackling. With the Buckeyes using two fields and mixing personnel, determining pecking orders was difficult.

But the practice and coach Ryan Day’s press conference afterward were informative, if only in a first-impressions way.

Here are five takeaways:

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard looks different

Will Howard, the quarterback transfer from Kansas State, was considered the front-runner to win the job when he arrived in the winter. But he struggled a bit in spring ball, which is to be expected given the transition he faced.

The Buckeyes also challenged Howard to change his body.

“Oh yeah, that started when he first got here,” Day said.

He said team dietitian Kaila Olson changed Howard’s eating habits and that OSU’s strength and conditioning team helped him reshape his body. Day said he didn’t have numbers available to measure the changes for Howard, who’s listed at 6 feet 4 and 237 pounds.

“He looks different,” Day said. “He’s moving different. He worked hard on that. Changed his diet, changed his workout plan and dedicated himself in the offseason, and you’re seeing that right now. Now he has to sustain that throughout the season. I don’t know what he weighed in today, but he’s moving well for his size.

“He certainly lost some weight, but then put on some good weight.”

Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith dazzles again

Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who was the No. 1 overall recruit nationally, wowed coaches and teammates in the spring.

He made another impressive play on Thursday, reaching above sophomore cornerback Calvin Simpson-Hunt to grab a deep ball from Howard.

Day has not anointed Smith as a starter yet, but it seems that’s just a matter of time.

“I don’t want to put too much out there, but he had a great offseason,” Day said. “He’s done some things that some freshmen haven’t done before in terms of (team-only) recognition and some of the hard work in.

“You talk about the humility of a young man as talented as he is, it’s special. We’re excited that he’s out there every day. I don’t want to get too far in front of this one, but he’s got a very bright future.”

Freshmen running backs must produce

With TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, the Buckeyes have what’s considered one of the top running back duos in the country.

But the Buckeyes have no experienced depth behind them. Highly regarded walk-on TC Caffey tore an ACL recently and is out for the year. Two experienced backups from last year transferred − Dallan Hayden to Colorado and Chip Trayanum to Kentucky.

That leaves freshmen James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon next in line.

“We have come up with some contingency plans in place if something were to happen (to Henderson or Judkins), but the bottom line is James and Sam have to do a great job. We’ve got to be able to put those guys in the game. That’s really important.

“We can’t waste any time with the young guys. They’ve got to step up.”

What Ryan Day wants Ohio State's identity to be

The Buckeyes have a loaded roster. But Day wants his team to be known for more than its talent.

“You challenge all those guys: What is your identity?” he said. “I know what I want our team identity to be. I told the team (it’s) to be the hardest-playing team in the country. When someone watches the Buckeyes this year, they should see that.

“What do you want yourself to be? What do you want your unit to be? What do you want the offense to be? The defense to be? Those are all challenges that we’ve had this summer to our staff and our players.”

Kourt Williams’ retirement

Linebacker Kourt Williams announced his retirement from football for medical reasons on Wednesday after a series of injuries short-circuited his career. He played in only 17 games but was so respected that teammates voted him one of six OSU captains in 2022.

“When he first got here, you recognized very easily and very fast how disciplined he was,” Day said. “He was one of the first guys in the building and earned a leadership role on the team. But he was kind of decimated by injuries. He was strong in his faith and it was very hard for him to step away.”

Day said Williams recently had an internship with the NFL league office in New York.

“I know he’s trying to figure out what the next step is for him, but he’ll always be welcome here. The guys look up to him.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football training camp: 5 takeaways from opening day