Ohio State’s Young WR Group Could Get a Bigger Role as Injuries Linger During Maryland Week

Injury reports late in the week often end up being less about one player’s status and more about how a team will reshape its on-field rotation. For Ohio State, Thursday of Maryland week has featured a notable wrinkle in the passing game, with two wide receivers who have been central pieces of the first-team reps during the early season cycle listed on the injury report.

According to a week-injury report from Yahoo Sports, wide receivers Devin McCuin and Brandon Inniss have “taken up all of the starting reps” behind Jeremiah Smith at the start of the season. The same report frames their injury listings as a possible crack in the depth chart, one that could allow Ohio State’s younger receiving options to move forward in the rotation if their availability is limited for Saturday’s game.

Jeremiah Smith is described in the report as the current anchor at the position group, meaning Ohio State’s primary personnel question becomes what happens in the supporting roles when two complementary starters are constrained. In that type of scenario, teams typically lean toward players with similar route and assignment skills, along with more specific packages designed to keep the quarterback comfortable, especially when reps at the top of the depth chart are reduced during the week.

McCuin and Inniss are presented as the “critical members of their offense” who are lodged on the injury report comfortably, language that suggests the situation is notable but not necessarily a full removal from consideration. Still, the practical effect is that the coaching staff will have to be prepared for multiple contingencies, including more snaps from the next wave of wide receivers and potential shifts in how Ohio State distributes targets among its perimeter group.

The ripple effects go beyond just who gets on the field. If Ohio State’s starting-wide receiver reps shrink during practice windows, it can change timing for the entire passing game, particularly on routes that rely on precise spacing and predictable leverage. Those are the plays where “opportunity” for younger players can also produce early-game learning curves, with coaches balancing development against the need to keep the offense efficient.

What to watch next is how the rotation looks closer to kickoff. If McCuin and Inniss are limited or held out, Ohio State’s young wide receivers could see a jump in both snap counts and role clarity, turning the weekend into a proving ground for players who have been waiting behind an established pecking order. If both are cleared, the injury report itself still matters, because it shows Ohio State’s staff will have to be ready to reconfigure the passing game quickly if availability changes late.