Ohio State finally gets a softer-looking assignment after the Iowa win. The timing, however, comes with a small problem. The Buckeyes could be short-handed at WR when Maryland comes to Columbus for Homecoming on Saturday.
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Ahead of Ohio State’s matchup against Maryland, Cleveland.com reporter Stefan Krajisnik shared an injury update. The Buckeyes’ latest availability report lists Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin as questionable, while freshman walk-on Amari Valerio-Hudson is out. No cause of injuries has been mentioned.
Ohio State just watched Jeremiah Smith put together one of the best games of his career. So this situation is the last thing Ryan Day would’ve wanted. After all, the two “questionable” starters have been the two most productive WRs behind Smith through five games.
Devin McCuin has 17 catches for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He’s coming off his best outing of the season. Against Iowa, he caught all four passes thrown his way for 80 yards and a touchdown in Ohio State’s 31-14 road victory. Julian Sayin has increasingly leaned on him as another reliable option when defenses inevitably tilt coverage toward Jeremiah Smith.
Meanwhile, Brandon Inniss has added 10 receptions for 147 yards and a score. He returned against Iowa and finished with two catches for 14 yards. So, there is some real weight behind those two questionable tags. That leaves Ohio State waiting to see what happens during the rest of the week. But there is one obvious safety net.
Jeremiah Smith is healthy. Against Iowa, the junior WR exploded for 11 catches, 206 yards, and two touchdowns while adding more chapters to what is becoming a ridiculous Ohio State career. His latest performance pushed him past the program’s career records for receptions and receiving touchdowns.
So, if there is one receiver the Buckeyes absolutely need available, they have him. The concern is everything around him. If McCuin and Inniss cannot go, freshmen Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. could see their roles grow considerably. LSU transfer Kyle Parker is also expected to make his season debut this week, giving Ryan Day another option if the room gets thinner.
That could turn Saturday into an interesting test of Ohio State’s depth rather than its star power. The receiver situation is not the only injury storyline hanging over the Buckeyes, though.
Right tackle Phillip Daniels remains questionable after missing three straight games. He has been out since suffering an injury against Texas, forcing Ohio State to shuffle its offensive line. But Ryan Day has been cautiously optimistic about getting him back.
“Hopefully, we can get him going with some scout work throughout the middle of the week and get him available for this game,” he said, adding that the staff would determine his workload if he becomes available.
DE Khary Wilder, RB Anthony Rogers, and LB Braxton Rembert are also questionable, while safety Leroy Roker, OL Jaxon Powell and Vasean Washington, and Valerio-Hudson are listed as out. Still, the biggest concern is at receiver. Ohio State is 4-1 and coming off a convincing road win over No. 14 Iowa. Maryland, meanwhile, has lost three straight games and is coming off a 48-23 loss to Nebraska.
On paper, this is the kind of game where Ohio State should be able to survive a few missing pieces. But the Buckeyes are heading toward a much bigger test at Indiana next week. That makes Saturday more than a regular Homecoming game. It is also a chance for Ryan Day to figure out just how much depth he really has before the schedule gets nasty again.