Ohio State will open the season against Ball State without one of its transfer receivers, as Kyle Parker is expected to miss Week 1.
Parker, who came over from LSU and followed Cortez Hankton to Columbus, has been dealing with an injury and will not be available for the Buckeyes’ first game, according to Pete Nakos of On3. Ryan Day has told the media over the past few weeks that Parker had been nicked up, and that is keeping him out of the opener.
The absence matters because Ohio State brought in Parker as one of two portal additions at receiver this offseason. The other is Devin McCuin, who has already drawn strong praise. With Parker sidelined, the Buckeyes will have to shuffle the depth chart a bit.
That should mean more work for freshmen Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd in Week 1. Both have been generating buzz, especially Boyd, and they’re expected to move into the fourth and fifth spots on the depth chart. That would put them in line for more snaps alongside the starters.
For now, there’s no clear timetable on Parker’s return, but the injury does not appear to be a long-term concern. Ohio State may simply be playing it safe and aiming to have him ready for next week’s showdown with Texas.
Even without him, the Buckeyes are still overwhelming favorites against Ball State. The expectation is that the rest of the receiver group will still have plenty of chances to pile up yards and touchdowns, with Parker’s absence unlikely to change much offensively in this matchup.
Jeremiah Smith remains the headliner in Ohio State’s passing game. After what Malachi Toney did on Friday night, Smith will need a big start of his own to keep pace. He has the talent to make a Heisman push, but the Buckeyes will need him to capitalize on weaker opponents if he’s going to put up the kind of numbers that grab attention.
There’s also a good chance Ohio State keeps the starters on a short leash once the game gets out of hand. It would be surprising to see many of them out there in the fourth quarter. Still, the Buckeyes should have no trouble scoring in bunches while Ball State likely struggles to get much going at all.
A 56-0 Ohio State win feels like the kind of start that would leave plenty for fans to enjoy.
In Other News...
Ohio State's Week 1 Start Just Added Fuel To A Huge Debate
Ohio States season opener did plenty to reinforce why the Big Ten already feels like the league to beat, with Julian Sayin looking sharp in his first extended action and the Buckeyes setting the tone early against Ball State. Across the conference, Indiana also came out strong behind new quarterback Josh Hoover, while Rutgers, Michigan State and Nebraska each left a little more uncertainty on the board after mixed openings.
Curt Cignettis postgame comments about the Big Ten being superior to the SEC only added to a debate that has been simmering for months, and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyers praise for the leagues strength gave it even more oxygen. For Buckeyes fans, the opening weekend was less about settling anything outright than about reminding everyone that Ohio State is already in the middle of a bigger argument about where the sports best football is being played. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Opener Made One Position Battle A Lot More Interesting
Ohio States season opener looked comfortable on the scoreboard, a 56-3 win that still left enough rough edges to keep the coaching staff busy. Jeremiah Smith delivered the kind of opening performance that reminds everyone why he is already such a focal point of the offense, piling up 151 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, and Devin McCuin also made his mark as the Buckeyes worked through stretches of inconsistency on both sides of the ball.
One of the more intriguing takeaways came away from the spotlight plays, where freshman Legend Bey flashed enough on offense to suggest there is something to build on. His night also came with some costly special teams errors, though, and that is the kind of detail that can reshape how quickly a young player gets trusted in bigger moments. At quarterback, the depth chart also appeared to settle a little further, with Tavien St. Clair looking more like he is chasing the No. 3 job than threatening the top of the line behind Julian Sayin. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State May Have A Real Running Back Shakeup Brewing
Ohio States backfield is worth watching closely as fall camp opens, because the early practice rotation hinted at a possible shift in the pecking order. Isaiah West took reps with the first team while Bo Jackson worked with the second group, a notable development for a position that belonged to Jackson last season and had West filling the backup role.
Ryan Day also made it clear this isnt about one player getting comfortable and the other fading into the background. He praised Wests offseason work and said both backs still need to take the next step, which leaves the door open to more movement as camp goes on. For a team trying to sort out its offense before the season starts, the running back race suddenly looks like one of the more interesting battles on the roster. [Read more 🡒]