A piece of new Ohio State tight ends coach and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson's position group will not be available this fall.
Backup tight end A.J. Alexander will miss the 2017 season with a knee injury, a team spokesman confirmed to Eleven Warriors on Friday. The news was first reported by the indomitable Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch. May reported that Alexander suffered the injury while playing basketball, which Ohio State confirmed.
Alexander has already had surgery to repair the injury, the spokesman said.
Alexander is a redshirt sophomore from Burke, Virginia, and backed up Marcus Baugh last season while catching four passes for 27 yards in 13 games. He served as the lead player at the position this spring as Baugh recovered from shoulder surgery and even caught a 1-yard touchdown pass in the spring game from J.T. Barrett.
The injury thrusts a trio of redshirt freshmen and former 4-star recruits into the spotlight behind Baugh for the 2017 season — Luke Farrell, Jake Hausmann and Kierre Hawkins. Urban Meyer said, “Tight end is the most improved position on the team” this spring, even though Baugh sat out of drills.
The Buckeyes open their 2017 season at Indiana on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m.
