Ohio State will be without its lead kickoff returner and could be without one of its starting cornerbacks for Saturday’s game against Michigan State.
Emeka Egbuka, who has the nation’s fourth-highest kickoff return average with 417 yards on only 13 kickoff returns this year, is among 15 Ohio State players who are listed as unavailable for Saturday’s game against Michigan State
With Egbuka out, it’s uncertain who will handle kickoff return duties versus the Spartans. Xavier Johnson is the only other Buckeye who’s returned multiple kickoffs this season. TreVeyon Henderson was Ohio State’s lead kickoff return for the season opener at Minnesota, but he hasn’t played a special teams snap since. Demario McCall was Ohio State’s lead kickoff returner in 2019 and 2020, so he could be another option.
| OHIO STATE STATUS REPORT FOR MICHIGAN STATE |
|---|
| GAME-TIME DECISION |
| CB SEVYN BANKS |
| UNAVAILABLE |
|
WR KAMRYN BABB RB MARCUS CROWLEY S JANTZEN DUNN WR EMEKA EGBUKA DE TYLER FRIDAY LB PALAIE GAOTEOTE DE DARRION HENRY-YOUNG S MARCUS HOOKER CB JAKAILIN JOHNSON BUL JAYLEN JOHNSON LB MITCHELL MELTON DT JADEN MCKENZIE OL HARRY MILLER DL NOAH POTTER SAF JOSH PROCTOR |
Another new addition to the unavailable list for Saturday’s game is Palaie Gaoteote, who has played 30 snaps in the linebacker rotation in the last two games but won’t be able to play against Michigan State, leaving Steele Chambers and Teradja Mitchell to likely play all of the Will linebacker snaps against the Spartans.
Sevyn Banks, meanwhile, is listed as a game-time decision for Saturday’s game, which is expected to be his final home game as a Buckeye as he’s set to go through pregame Senior Day festivities. Banks has started six of Ohio State’s last seven games, but if he is unable to go against the Spartans, Denzel Burke and Cameron Brown are likely to play the vast majority of snaps at outside cornerback on Saturday.
Banks did not go through pregame warmups with the cornerbacks, so it appears unlikely he’ll play on Saturday.
Fourth-year running back Master Teague, who's also set to participate in Senior Day festivities on Saturday, is available to play against Michigan State after missing three of the Buckeyes’ last four games.
