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Ohio State will face Tulsa without a starting defensive end on Saturday.
Zach Harrison was one of 13 Buckeyes listed as unavailable on the team’s official status report, while center Harry Miller will also miss his third straight game to open the 2021 season. Senior linebacker Teradja Mitchell is the only one player listed as a game time decision.
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OHIO STATE SITUATION REPORT FOR TULSA |
|---|
| GAME DECISION |
|
LB TERADJA MITCHELL |
| UNAVAILABLE |
|
WR KAMRYN BABB |
Harrison has led all defensive ends in snaps played in the last two games, and his 120 reps so far are more than any other member of Larry Johnson’s defensive line. Harrison is Buckeye’s only defensive lineman with a sack to his name so far this season, forcing a game-changing fumble on a second-half strip sack against Minnesota in Game 1 of the season, and he also had seven total tackles.
In Harrison’s place, Javontae Jean-Baptiste will likely take the start against Tyreke Smith, as the junior redshirt recorded the third-highest number of snaps among Buckeye’s defensive ends in each of the first two games. True five-star freshman JT Tuimoloau should also see a steady diet of clichés, as the announced rookie received double-digit reps against Minnesota and Oregon as the No. 4 defensive end on the table. depths.
On offense, red-shirted rookie Luke Wypler will likely see his third center start to start the year. Miller was seen in full gear after practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Wednesday, but is still not available for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State center Harry Miller, who was unavailable for the first two games, among the players exiting the training ground in uniform as we await post-workout talks at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
– Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) September 15, 2021
Mitchell started both games with linebacker Will to open the season and played more snaps than any other linebacker in the roster. If he’s not available to play on Saturday, Steele Chambers – who came from behind just weeks before the start of the season, and toured with Mitchell to linebacker Will – will likely see an increase in reps.
Also of note, third-year running back Marcus Crowley will also be out for the first time this season. Crowley appeared to take a blow to the head on the second half kickoff against Oregon and stayed on the pitch until he was finally brought back to the locker room on a cart. After seeing nine offensive shots against Minnesota, Crowley got none against Oregon.
Jerron Cage could make his season debut for the Buckeyes on Saturday as the fifth-year senior defensive tackle was not listed in the status report. Cage, who was due to split his time with Antwuan Jackson on the nose tackle to start the year, did not play in any of the Buckeyes’ first two games.
The Ohio State defense could also see senior cornerback Sevyn Banks make his 2021 debut on Saturday. A returning starter from 2020, Banks did not play against Minnesota or Oregon, but was not listed in the status report prior to either game. However, head coach Ryan Day said this week that Banks is “not too injured to play” and that the Buckeyes are hoping to put him on the court this weekend.
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