COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day's major focus on offense heading into the Purdue game is staying on schedule.

To him, it comes down to three things: making sure the offense is penalty free and clean in its communication, making sure redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud is either taking his check downs or tucking and running the ball instead of forcing the ball downfield and making sure the run game is averaging more than four yards per carry.

And to Day, it doesn't just come down to one running back.

Even though freshman TreVeyon Henderson has recorded more than 20 carries in each of the last two games, the head coach said running backs like Master Teague III, Miyan Williams and Evan Pryor will be important for Ohio State down the stretch.

"We're going to need those guys. We're going to need those guys healthy and playing for us.That's important," Day said on his radio show Thursday. "Tre played a bunch last week and we certainly want to play a bit more depth, and we're going to need that because as some of the weather turns the way it does, the run game's going to be more and more important."

In the past two weeks, Henderson has recorded 49 of the team's 64 carries against Nebraska and Penn State, with WIlliams taking four carries and Teague, in his return to the field after missing the Indiana and Penn State games, recording two.

Pryor has not seen the field since Indiana, carrying the ball 11 times for 48 yards against the Hoosiers. But Day said that the freshman needs to remain ready to take the field, even if he's not directly behind Henderson on the depth chart.

"I don't know about the second guy right now, but he's certainly in the mix to get in the game," Day said. "He's growing every day, he's getting better, he's practicing better and he's got a very, very bright future here. We think he can be a very good player. Been very impressed with the things we've seen, so he's got to be ready to play."

Day knows his offensive tackles will have a handful when it goes up against George Karlaftis Saturday afternoon.

The Purdue junior defensive end leads the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, recording two pass breakups and eight quarterback hits, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries through nine games.

"I'd say Karlaftis is probably the biggest challenge these guys have had all year and probably one of the better defensive ends in the country,'" Day said. "They understand that going into the game and that they are going to have to be playing their best."

In practice, Day said freshmen defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau that have represented what Karloftis will give the starting Ohio State offensive line Saturday.

"When we go ones vs. twos, twos vs. ones at the end of practice, (it) allows us that opportunity to fit the same body that George Karlaftis has. The combination of speed, power and quickness is pretty comparable."