Ohio State Buckeyes: Multiple starters unavailable against Wisconsin

Additionally, Ohio State’s other starting cornerback, Denzel Burke, came out for warmups with a cast on one hand and not in uniform.

Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury in the season-opener against Notre Dame then did not play in week two against Arkansas State.

He played briefly last week, and head coach Ryan Day said Thursday he hoped to have him against the Badgers.

“We’ll kind of keep taking it day by day and see how they do, but so far so good,” he said in reference to both Smith-Njigba and fellow junior receiver Julian Fleming, who missed the first two games but caught two touchdown passes last week.

Brown also left the win over Toledo early with an unidentified injury. He was replaced by JK Johnson, who figures to start opposite Lakota West grad Jyaire Brown on Saturday night.

Jordan Hancock, another of the team’s six scholarship cornerbacks, is also unavailable. He had a good spring but is still working his way back from an injury suffered in the preseason.

Senior receiver Kam Babb and reserve tight end Joe Royer are also out along with defensive end Omari Abor and linebacker Teradja Mitchell.

Mitchell is not a starter, but he might have been someone who could have played a larger role against Wisconsin’s power personnel if defensive coordinator Jim Knowles wanted to go to a 4-3 look.