Ohio State will be down one projected starter on offense Saturday, while one defensive starter's status is still up in the air.
Junior offensive lineman Harry Miller, who missed last week's season opener against Minnesota, will be unavailable once again for the Buckeyes, per the team's status report. Senior safety Josh Proctor, who started against the Gophers but left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent shoulder injury, will be a game-time decision.
| OHIO STATE STATUS REPORT FOR OREGON |
|---|
| GAME-TIME DECISION |
|
DT JERRON CAGE DB JANTZEN DUNN SAF JOSH PROCTOR |
| UNAVAILABLE |
|
WR KAMRYN BABB DE TYLER FRIDAY OL JAKOB JAMES BUL JAYLEN JOHNSON OL TREY LEROUX LB MITCHELL MELTON OL HARRY MILLER DL NOAH POTTER OL RYAN SMITH OL TOBY WILSON |
In Miller's place, redshirt freshman Luke Wypler is expected to make his second career start at center. Wypler graded out as a champion after the Minnesota game, and said Wednesday he'd be preparing like the starter until he was told otherwise.
"I think Luke’s ready to start, I thought he did a really good job in the first game,” head coach Ryan Day said Thursday. “This will be a new challenge. They play with a 0-nose, and so they’ll have somebody lined up on him, and that’ll be a new thing for him, a new opportunity for him to grow."
When Proctor went down against Minnesota, redshirt sophomore safety Bryson Shaw closed out the final couple possessions at free safety for the Buckeyes. Shaw graded out as a champion as well, and Day called the Maryland native a "calming force" for the Ohio State secondary this week.
“Been waiting on my time and I feel like my time’s here, I feel like it’s arrived,” Shaw said Wednesday. “I know all the safeties have a lot to bring to the table, including myself, and I’m just excited for the future of this team and this secondary. I think we’re just getting started."
Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jerron Cage is another notable Buckeye that will be a game-time decision for Ohio State. Cage was unavailable last week, as Ohio State rotated Haskell Garrett, Taron Vincent, Antwuan Jackson and Ty Hamilton in at the two defensive tackle spots.
Cameron Brown and Sevyn Banks, Ohio State's projected outside cornerbacks entering this season, did not appear on the Buckeyes' status report Saturday after missing the season opener. Brown was unavailable last week and did not travel with the team. Banks did not appear on last week's status report, but did not play for Ohio State despite being dressed in full gear.
True freshman Denzel Burke and redshirt freshman Ryan Watts started in place of Brown and Banks in the season opener, with Burke being the lone Ohio State corner to grade out a champion, but it appears they'll have Banks and Brown available today.
The Buckeyes, ranked No. 3 in the country, are scheduled for a noon kickoff against No. 12 Oregon at Ohio Stadium.
