Jami Jurich
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Three Buckeye offensive players who deserve more playing time this season
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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A lot of Buckeyes have gotten reps so far this year, but a few have impressed us enough that we’d like to see more
Heading into this season, head coach Ryan Day spoke about the importance of depth, particularly in this age of longer seasons and expanded playoffs. Already this year, we’ve seen Ohio State start to share some of the wealth in terms of giving reps to a number of different guys, and as we edge closer to conference play, we’ve started to see the evolution of Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s vision for this offense.
Still, on a roster overflowing with talent, there are a few players it would be nice to see either take more reps or take on a larger role in some aspect of the offense. Some of these guys don’t necessarily need to start at their position to step into these roles, but given what we’ve seen so far, it would be nice to see more of them.
In a wide receiving room that includes Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, it would be easy for Inniss to get lost. Instead, he’s stepped up as an impact player on special teams (an area the Buckeyes struggled last season), where he has done an exceptional job returning punts.
We’ve seen him take snaps on offense, but he’s been much less utilized than the three other aforementioned wide receivers despite excellent route running and speed on his punt returns. Inniss has proven that he can be a weapon, and while I wouldn’t expect him to step into a starting role this year, it would be great to see him take more reps on offense, especially knowing the other three will face wear and tear as the season goes on.
Inniss is more than capable of holding his own with this offense, and with a little more experience under his belt, he could add even more depth for the Buckeyes at wide receiver, helping to keep the top guys rested and healthy while helping Inniss get valuable game-time experience.
After missing last season due to an unfortunate suspension, Christian is ready to make up for lost time, and while we haven’t seen much from him while other tight ends Gee Scott Jr., Will Kacmarek, and Jelani Thurman take the majority of the snaps, Christian is already making the most of the time he’s had on the field.
The tight ends room has proven to be adept blockers, but they’ve been underutilized as receivers. Christian has the potential to do both—and did against Marshall in Week Two, putting up a 55-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. He’s an excellent route runner as well, in addition to strong blocking, and while the tight ends have to split receptions with an already-stacked offense, it would be nice to see Christian get his hands on the ball a bit more than he is at present.
Christian has said he’s comfortable playing unselfishly and flying a bit under the radar, but this is another case where more reps could help take some of the pressure off Kacmarek, Scott, and Thurman. Christian believes he’s got the mental and physical toughness to be an impact player for the Buckeyes, and he’s already shown he can overcome adversity off the field. More experience in these early games could help him unlock that full potential.
Currently third on the Buckeyes’ depth chart at quarterback, everything we’ve seen so far from Sayin has left us wanting more.
The true freshman, who was the top-rated quarterback and the No. 6 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class, has only taken four snaps, with the majority of the playing time going to starter Will Howard and backup QB Devin Brown, but he’s made the most of each opportunity, going 2-for-2 and maintaining his composure under pressure in key situations. He has put up 61 yards, including the 55-yard touchdown pass to Christian mentioned above, which came on a 4th-and-1 play against Western Michigan.
He’s quick, great in the pocket, and his accurate arm makes him extremely dangerous. And perhaps more importantly, Sayin is one of those guys you just know is going to get better with age.
He has the natural talent, without question, but he also has the kind of attitude that creates champions. While it was a long shot that he’d land the starting job this year, he was never truly out of the running in the offseason despite his lack of experience at the collegiate level. When he does finally get the starting job in the future, more reps now could mean less time getting his sea legs down the road, setting the Buckeyes up for success not just this season but well into the future.
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Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A lot of Buckeyes have gotten reps so far this year, but a few have impressed us enough that we’d like to see more
Heading into this season, head coach Ryan Day spoke about the importance of depth, particularly in this age of longer seasons and expanded playoffs. Already this year, we’ve seen Ohio State start to share some of the wealth in terms of giving reps to a number of different guys, and as we edge closer to conference play, we’ve started to see the evolution of Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s vision for this offense.
Still, on a roster overflowing with talent, there are a few players it would be nice to see either take more reps or take on a larger role in some aspect of the offense. Some of these guys don’t necessarily need to start at their position to step into these roles, but given what we’ve seen so far, it would be nice to see more of them.
Brandon Inniss, WR
In a wide receiving room that includes Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, it would be easy for Inniss to get lost. Instead, he’s stepped up as an impact player on special teams (an area the Buckeyes struggled last season), where he has done an exceptional job returning punts.
We’ve seen him take snaps on offense, but he’s been much less utilized than the three other aforementioned wide receivers despite excellent route running and speed on his punt returns. Inniss has proven that he can be a weapon, and while I wouldn’t expect him to step into a starting role this year, it would be great to see him take more reps on offense, especially knowing the other three will face wear and tear as the season goes on.
Inniss is more than capable of holding his own with this offense, and with a little more experience under his belt, he could add even more depth for the Buckeyes at wide receiver, helping to keep the top guys rested and healthy while helping Inniss get valuable game-time experience.
Bennett Christian, TE
After missing last season due to an unfortunate suspension, Christian is ready to make up for lost time, and while we haven’t seen much from him while other tight ends Gee Scott Jr., Will Kacmarek, and Jelani Thurman take the majority of the snaps, Christian is already making the most of the time he’s had on the field.
The tight ends room has proven to be adept blockers, but they’ve been underutilized as receivers. Christian has the potential to do both—and did against Marshall in Week Two, putting up a 55-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. He’s an excellent route runner as well, in addition to strong blocking, and while the tight ends have to split receptions with an already-stacked offense, it would be nice to see Christian get his hands on the ball a bit more than he is at present.
Christian has said he’s comfortable playing unselfishly and flying a bit under the radar, but this is another case where more reps could help take some of the pressure off Kacmarek, Scott, and Thurman. Christian believes he’s got the mental and physical toughness to be an impact player for the Buckeyes, and he’s already shown he can overcome adversity off the field. More experience in these early games could help him unlock that full potential.
Julian Sayin, QB
Currently third on the Buckeyes’ depth chart at quarterback, everything we’ve seen so far from Sayin has left us wanting more.
The true freshman, who was the top-rated quarterback and the No. 6 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class, has only taken four snaps, with the majority of the playing time going to starter Will Howard and backup QB Devin Brown, but he’s made the most of each opportunity, going 2-for-2 and maintaining his composure under pressure in key situations. He has put up 61 yards, including the 55-yard touchdown pass to Christian mentioned above, which came on a 4th-and-1 play against Western Michigan.
He’s quick, great in the pocket, and his accurate arm makes him extremely dangerous. And perhaps more importantly, Sayin is one of those guys you just know is going to get better with age.
He has the natural talent, without question, but he also has the kind of attitude that creates champions. While it was a long shot that he’d land the starting job this year, he was never truly out of the running in the offseason despite his lack of experience at the collegiate level. When he does finally get the starting job in the future, more reps now could mean less time getting his sea legs down the road, setting the Buckeyes up for success not just this season but well into the future.
Continue reading...