» RELATED: Meyer concerned about Ohio State’s depth
“I just want thank my wide receivers room, thank coach (Brian) Hartline, coach Kee (Keenan Bailey), coach Tusz (Phil Matusz) for getting my body ready every day in the weight room,” Smith told his teammates in the video. “It’s a big shock, bro. Go Bucks!”
Freshman cornerback Xavier Johnson, a graduate of Summit Country Day in Cincinnati, also had his black stripe removed this week.
Award winner: Ohio State's Drue Chrisman won the Ray Guy Punter of the Week Award after averaging a personal-best 47.9 yards on nine punts against Penn State. He ranks 15th in the nation with a 44.6 average.
» RELATED: Breakout performance for Chase Young
Declining numbers: As Ohio State's passing game has soared, its running game has played a smaller role. In the last two games, neither J.K. Dobbins or Mike Weber has topped 60 yards. However, both are averaging more than 5 yards per carry on the season.
“We’re not running the ball as much,” running backs coach Tony Alford said. “If you look at yards-per-carry average, they’re still doing very well. Our guys are not worried about (the numbers). The key component is to win. You do it at all costs. You do whatever you need to do — if that means we’re throwing the ball, running the ball, throwing screens. You’ve got to win games. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Opposing viewpoint: Ohio State plays Indiana at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Buckeyes have won 22 straight games in the series.
Last season in Bloomington, Ind., the Hoosiers led 14-13 at halftime and 21-20 with under five minutes to play in the third quarter. Ohio State then scored four touchdowns to win 49-21.
A 74-yard touchdown catch by Parris Campbell and 59-yard touchdown catch by Johnnie Dixon swung the momentum in the third quarter.
“It never stops until that last whistle blows, their play-making ability, as we saw last year,” Indiana coach Tom Allen said. “We did some really good things and all of the sudden, bam! Within a couple of plays, they got two big, long touchdowns. Their explosive athletes in space are impressive. That’s how they build it. That’s what they want. That’s what they do. That’s their philosophy. It puts a lot of pressure on the defense.”
» RELATED: Meyer turns attention to Indiana | IU coach says everyone’s chasing Buckeyes | Meyer on Big Ten teleconference
Multiple roles: Shaun Wade is one of the most versatile players on Ohio State's defense. He's listed as a backup cornerback on the depth chart but was asked to learn safety the week after the season opener.
“I’m trying to get the basics down,” Wade said. “Playing off (the receiver) is probably the toughest thing. I’ve been playing press man my whole life.”
Game time: Ohio State announced Monday the Oct. 13 game against Minnesota at Ohio Stadium will start at noon and be televised by Fox Sports One or the Big Ten Network.
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