Ohio State star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba did not reinjure his left hamstring or sustain any other setback in last Saturday’s win against Iowa, and he is on track to play this week at No. 13 Penn State, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said.
Smith-Njigba, a third-team AP All-America selection in 2021, has been limited since injuring his hamstring in the first half of Ohio State’s season opener against Notre Dame. He left the Iowa game in the second quarter after running a deep route along the sideline. Smith-Njigba was seen limping after the play, and did not return.
Day said Tuesday that Smith-Njigba was on a plays limit of approximately 20 in the Iowa game, which he reached in the second quarter (22 snaps). Smith-Njigba lobbied to return to the game but was told no. He had one catch for seven yards against the Hawkeyes, his first reception since Sept. 17. He has only five catches for 43 yards on the season.
Although Smith-Njigba is set to play for the second-ranked Buckeyes against Penn State, Day said it’s possible the third-year player will once again be on a plays limit. Day said Ohio State’s medical staff has a formula for determining a plays limit and the coaches are “just kind of following that lead.”
“He’s a competitor and it’s hard for him not to be out there more,” Day said. “But we wanted to make sure we kept that number right about 20 and make sure that we didn’t put him out there any more.”
Despite barely having Smith-Njigba available, Ohio State ranks second nationally in scoring (49.6 PPG), and wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. have 79 receptions for 1,333 yards and 17 touchdowns combined.