Ryan Day delivers key update around Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate after Ohio State Buckeyes beat UCLA
Week 12 of the college football season had the Ohio State Buckeyes breezing past the UCLA Bruins to move to 10-0 on the season. Ohio State turned a 24-0 halftime lead into a 48-10 win, rotating through its depth for much of the second half and controlling the game throughout. The Buckeyes answered the call […]
Week 12 of the college football season had the Ohio State Buckeyes breezing past the UCLA Bruins to move to 10-0 on the season. Ohio State turned a 24-0 halftime lead into a 48-10 win, rotating through its depth for much of the second half and controlling the game throughout.
The Buckeyes answered the call despite not being as healthy as they’d like. Ohio State lacked some offensive firepower against UCLA, but it finally got the run game going with 222 yards. The Buckeyes have been searching for that kind of ground success, and they found it through Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, and James Peoples.
Ohio State is taking the careful route with its star wideouts
Before the game, it was known that the Buckeyes would be without junior WR Carnell Tate for the second straight week. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Buckeye star is dealing with a short-term issue and is expected back soon. Tate was held out last week against Purdue after something popped up in warmups, and it appears the Buckeyes are simply being cautious.
“Decided to hold Carnell this week as well,” Ryan Day said after the game. “It gave us an opportunity to play a lot of the younger guys.”
If there’s one position where Ohio State can afford to be careful, it’s wide receiver. Year after year, Brian Hartline handpicks the players he wants from across the country and develops them at a higher rate than anyone else. Tate has 711 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on the season — there’s no doubt he’s one of the most important players in this offense. Going up against UCLA and a backup quarterback wasn’t going to test the Buckeyes much.
Mylan Graham stepped up and led the team in receiving with 41 yards on three catches. Brandon Inniss hauled in six passes for 30 yards, and Bryson Rodgers scored his first career receiving touchdown. Jeremiah Smith was questionable entering the game and played just over a quarter before resting the remainder of the afternoon. Ohio State took a cautious approach with Smith, who was seen limping at times against the Bruins. Despite the limited action, Smith caught four passes for 40 yards and made an immediate impact, including a highlight-reel one-handed grab.
“Jeremiah was just having a little bit of a nagging issue that we wanted to make sure we were being really smart with, as we know what’s coming down the road here,” Day said after the game.
Ohio State will be back in action against Rutgers next weekend before the big matchup with the Michigan Wolverines to close the regular season. The Buckeyes value getting to that game healthy, and they’re proving that’s the right approach.