COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Ohio State football last played a truly talent-equated game, Notre Dame effectively limited Marvin Harrison Jr. before an ankle injury slowed him even more.
Kyle McCord countered by looking for the other 1,000-yard receiver in his arsenal. Emeka Egbuka drew 11 targets from the quarterback that night, turning seven receptions into 96 yards. None bigger, obviously, than the 23-yard catch in traffic at the goal line that set up Chip Trayanum’s game-winning touchdown plunge
The All-American confirmed his teammate is dealing with an ankle injury, just as Harrison did earlier this season. Egbuka was not seen coming off the practice field after Wednesday’s practice, though reporters do not see any portion of the actual practice.
Day did not offer a specific update on Egbuka’s status. Running backs TreVeyon Henderson, Chip Trayanum, and Miyan Williams were seen coming off the practice field in pads and carrying their helmets. Starting cornerback Denzel Burke, however, was not among the visible players.
“Our guys are working hard to get back to the game, and we’re hopeful that’s going to happen,” Day said.
So what happens if Egbuka is not available to thrive in the space created by extra attention on Harrison?
“We talked about in the preseason about how we’re going to spread the ball around,” Day said. “Well, we’re in a game now, whether it’s tight end, running back or receiver, we’re gonna need all these guys to step up. They’re all gonna have opportunities. But that’s where the depth comes in, and that’s why we have to have weapons across the field.”
Egbuka did not travel to Purdue last week. McCord instead went to Harrison early and often, accounting for 63 of 69 yards on the game-opening touchdown drive. The All-America receiver finished with 105 yards and a touchdown on six receptions — production held back by three uncharacteristic drops on 13 targets.
Purdue, though, does not have a Kalen King. Widely considered a possible first-round NFL Draft pick, the cornerback will presumably draw a lot of matchups with Harrison. The question remains whether Penn State will give him help — an easier proposition if Egbuka can’t play or is far from his usual standard.
Xavier Johnson, who started in Egbuka’s place at Purdue, has stepped up before. Caught a touchdown against Notre Dame in last season’s opener when Julian Fleming could not play. Caught another against Georgia in the playoff semifinal after Harrison was knocked out of the game.
He is not Egbuka on a down-to-down basis, though. Of all of the players with up-in-the-air medical statuses for Saturday, Egbuka is the one who most lifts Ohio State’s chances of cracking through what thus far has been a near-impenetrable Penn. State defense.
