COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ryan Day remembers what Josh Proctor can do when he’s at his best and when he’s healthy.

He’s rangy, a safety with the ability to cover a lot of ground. He’s physical, getting after opposing receivers downfield or in the backfield blitzing opposing running backs or quarterbacks.

The Ohio State head coach can picture distinct moments when Proctor shined: a specific hit against Clemson running back Travis Etienne in the 2019 College Football Playoff and a hit against Wisconsin earlier in that same season that ended the game, for example.

“When he’s playing at his best, he’s all over the place,” Day said. “He plays with discipline, can really affect the game in a lot of areas and he can get away with some things that maybe other guys can’t. And that’s what we’re looking for out of him.”

But Proctor’s not something Ohio State has right now.

The Ohio State safety is working his way back, an encouraging sign after breaking his leg during the Buckeyes’ loss to Oregon in Week 2 of the 2021 season, but is not expected to take part in full-contact team workouts, starting slow with individual drills.

"I wish he could do more. He's just kind of getting started and moving around out there with individual drills," Day said. "It's been a long road to come back from, and that's not easy. He's had a few injuries in his career. Wish he could do more right now, but he's kind of inching his way back. But that's OK. It's a long way to August."

With Proctor sidelined for now, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has only really seen what the safety had done in the past and heard about the impact the safety could make, despite seeing nothing himself.

“He’s a guy that can really change the game,” Knowles said.

Right now, as Proctor works his way back, the Ohio State defense is forced to plan around him.

And for Knowles, the safety position starts and ends with Ronnie Hickman: the Buckeyes’ returning 100-tackle safety.

“I love Ronnie Hickman,” Knowles said. “I think he’s got the skill, I think he’s got the savvy. He’s a great piece in the middle there to run the show back there. I just like the way he plays and handles his business.”

Along with Hickman comes Kourt Williams II, who Knowles describes as an excellent leader and a player he can trust and go to, but that he must put in the right position.

Ohio State is also set to have strength at the nickel safety spot with Oklahoma State transfer Tanner McCalister leading the charge, following Knowles to Columbus for his final season of college football. And the redshirt senior is already making an impact as the first newcomer to lose his black stripe ahead of the 2022 season.

“What Tanner’s done is he understands the defense almost like a coach out there, like one of those old player-coaches out on the field,” Day said. “And he’s been able to help guys with that. His experience really shows up on the field because he can recognize how teams are trying to attack him and he feels comfortable in this style of defense. Obviously, he’s got years of experience in it.”

There’s a future at safety, too, whether it’s the progress Knowles sees from Cameron Martinez and Lejond Cavazos at his nickel safety spot, or what he expects to see from Sonny Styles — the No. 11 player in the 2022 class and the No. 1 recruit from the state of Ohio — when he arrives in the summer, likely beginning his college career as a “big and rangy” safety until the defensive coordinator “can see what he can do.”

But Knowles knows there’s a hole to fill.

Without Proctor available, the defensive coordinator said he needs players to step up and shine at the bandit (or boundary safety) and the adjustor (free safety) positions.

Once Proctor returns to action, once he’s a full go, Knowles seems ready to fill him in as a leader of his “safety-driven” defense.

“He’s what we want at safety,” Knowles said. “So I just want him to get healthy.”