Ohio State Has “Huge Level Of Confidence” Jaxon Smith-Njigba Will Return This Season

Wide receivers coach Brian Hartline said Smith-Njigba "wants to play in the worst way."

Ohio State junior wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba missed his fifth game of the season on Saturday, as he did not make the trip to Penn State due to a lingering hamstring injury that he suffered in the season-opener win over Notre Dame.

Head coach Ryan Day declined to give an update on his status – or that of redshirt sophomore running back Miyan Williams, who left the game in the first quarter – during his press conference on Tuesday afternoon, instead deferring to the availability report that is released each Saturday.

However, Day was asked if he is hopeful Smith-Njigba can return at some point this season, especially with the Buckeyes on track for a lengthy postseason run that could add as many as three games to the schedule.

“Absolutely,” Day said, adding that he’s confident Ohio State can still achieve its goals without him. “I think we can, but at the same time, we’d love to have him back. This team is working hard and that’s why we build depth, because you just don’t know.

“I’m sure there’s more adversity coming our way, so we’ve got to rely on our leadership. We’re in November now, so you never know what’s coming. I think we’ve built up some hardness to us, and we’ve got to keep building on that, as well.”

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Smith-Njigba has caught just five passes for 43 yards in parts of three games this season. In his absence, junior Julian Fleming and sophomores Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka have combined for 114 receptions for 1.925 and 23 touchdowns.

“He’s been better this week,” wide receivers coach Brian Hartline said on Tuesday. “He wants to play in the worst way, and he’s frustrated. That being said, he’s done a great job of not being a distraction and picking the guys up, staying locked in and FaceTiming them before the game on Saturday.

“All those things have been awesome, but I know as a competitor, he’s frustrated and wants to get back … (I have a) huge level of confidence (that he’ll be back).”

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