Ohio State vs. Oregon Notebook: Josh Simmons and Will Kacmarek Injured, Ducks Beat Buckeyes Without Star Defensive End Again and Jeremiah Smith Extends Touchdown Streak

One of the most irreplaceable players on Ohio State’s roster might be done for the year.

Left tackle Josh Simmons was carted off the field in the second quarter against Oregon with an apparent left leg injury, and Ryan Day said after the Buckeyes’ 32-31 loss that the injury is likely season-ending.

"The injury to Josh Simmons hurt," Day said. "I'll have to get the update on Simmons, but it doesn't look great in terms of him being able to come back this season. That's a big hit for us."

Zen Michalski did a good job of “coming in and competing” in Simmons’ place, Day said, but Simmons had been one of the Buckeyes’ most effective and dependable offensive linemen thus far this season. Offensive tackle was the position on Ohio State’s roster that was the biggest question mark in terms of depth, and now that depth will be firmly tested for the remainder of the season.

Entering the Oregon game, Michalski had only played late in blowout victories. He was thought to be in the thick of Ohio State’s competition to start at offensive tackle ahead of 2023, but faded in the position battle before the Buckeyes brought Simmons in from the transfer portal via San Diego State. A redshirt junior, Simmons was a four-star prospect in the recruiting class of 2021.

Day didn’t commit to Michalski being the team’s starter long-term. Redshirt sophomore George Fitzpatrick has been Ohio State’s other second-string offensive tackle, while backup guard Austin Siereveld played some tackle in preseason camp.

"Zen did a good job of coming in and competing," he said. "Tegra went down for a little bit there and so Austin had to go in. I thought those guys competed."

Siereveld filled in for Tegra Tshabola for Saturday’s second quarter after the Buckeyes’ starting right guard exited with an injury on the final play of the first quarter, but Tshabola returned to the contest for the second half.

Day also made note of an injury to Ohio State’s No. 2 tight end, Will Kacmarek, who had a 32-yard reception on the game’s opening drive but left the game after that catch and did not return to action.

“We'll have to get all that identified, figure out exactly what happened to Will Kacmarek and go back to work next week,” Day said.

Ducks win without Burch

Oregon defeated Ohio State without its star defensive end for the second meeting in a row between the two teams.

The Ducks were without future top-five NFL draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was widely viewed as the nation’s top defensive end entering that game, when they traveled to Columbus to play the Buckeyes in 2021, but still beat Ohio State 35-28. This year, Oregon was without its star on its current defense, Jordan Burch, who did not play just one week after earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors due to a lower-body injury he suffered in practice on Thursday.

Burch, who has recorded seven tackles for loss with five sacks this season, was listed as questionable on Oregon’s pregame injury report but ultimately did not play. While Oregon might have had more success putting pressure on Howard if Burch had been available, it was still credited with the game’s only sack – Ohio State had zero – when Howard fell for a 9-yard loss on the first play of the Buckeyes’ final possession under pressure from Matayo Uiagalelei.

PURE DRAMA.

Relive all the suspense from the final 1:47 of Oregon's victory over Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/LEabmfIwVV
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 13, 2024

Jeremiah extends touchdown streak

Despite the loss, Ohio State’s top two wide receivers continued to fill up the stat sheet against Oregon. Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith were targeted a combined 23 times and caught 19 of those passes, with Egbuka going 10 for 10. He had 10 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown while Smith had nine catches for 100 yards and a score.

That touchdown catch, a 6-yard grab on a scrambling effort by quarterback Will Howard, marked the sixth consecutive game with a scoring reception to open Smith’s Ohio State career. He was already the first Buckeye freshman ever to catch a touchdown in his first five games and is now, of course, the first to do it in his opening six.

SAY HIS NAME. JEREMIAH SMITH
pic.twitter.com/Zp5nz1sHyr
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 13, 2024

Smith is now up to 32 receptions for 553 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. He’s one touchdown from tying Cris Carter’s freshman record of eight at Ohio State, nine receptions from tying Carter’s freshman-record 41 and 95 yards from tying Carter’s freshman-record 648.

Howard has first 300-yard game as Buckeye

Yes, Will Howard didn’t get a throw off or hit the ground in time on Ohio State’s final play. Yes, the Buckeyes lost on Saturday. But the Kansas State transfer had an impressive game overall in his first big-game test as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.

Howard finished 28-of-35, completing 80 percent of his passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and only one sack taken. It was his first 300-yard passing game as a Buckeye and just the second of his collegiate career.

He added a rushing touchdown, his fifth in as many games, and drew praise from Day after the game for his performance.

“He's tough,” Day said. “He competed all the way to the end. I give him credit. He was fighting all the way to the end.”

Howard started his day with precision, completing 5-of-6 passes for 65 yards on Ohio State’s opening touchdown drive. He completed his first four passes for 56 yards on the Buckeyes’ final possession. But he’ll remember the plays he didn’t make in his first loss as a Buckeye as he looks to lead Ohio State to more victories going forward.

“I hope it lights a little fire under us, man, because I still got all the belief in the world in this team,” Howard said after the game. “I don’t think (Oregon) necessarily beat us, I think we beat ourselves a little bit. I think we left some stuff out there that we gotta learn from and get better because of.”