Ryan Day admits Jaxon Smith-Njigba is 'struggling' during injury process

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ offense has been impressive in the first quarter of the season. What is surprising to some is the level of production they are getting out of their passing game despite dealing with injuries to multiple playmakers. One of those dealing with an injury is wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. While the Buckeyes are still excelling in his absence, head coach Ryan Day revealed that Smith-Njigba is ‘struggling’ during the injury process.

“He’s been OK. I mean, he hasn’t been great. He’s struggling,” said Day. “He wants to play. He’s one of the more competitive players I’ve been around before. But rarely does it go the way you expect it to go. That’s just life in general. Life’s gonna throw adversity our way and we control the response. There’s so many things in our life that we’re not gonna be able to understand.

“So these are great opportunities for us to help them deal with that down the road. We talk to our team a lot about that. Just about the different things. How many guys in that locker room (has) their career, last season or this game has played out exactly the way they wanted? So we try to talk to them about not focusing so much on the expectations and just focusing on the moment the best they can. It’s not easy for him I’m sure, but if he can keep doing that, then this will be behind him soon and he’ll be stronger for it.”

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Smith-Njigba was Ohio State’s leading receiver last season ahead of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave; both were first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. The junior receiver from Rockwell, TX, had 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns to pace the Buckeyes. And in the Buckeyes’ Rose Bowl battle against Utah last year, he proved himself worthy of the number one receiver status with both Wilson and Olave sitting out the game in preparation for the draft. Smith-Njigba dominated the game with 15 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns. His 347 yards receiving set the Rose Bowl record for receiving yards, along with being the most in any FBS bowl history.

At any skill position dealing with a leg injury can be strenuous on both the mind and the body. With Smith-Njigba dealing with a hamstring injury, he is unquestionably feeling it in both areas. While he may be struggling right now with the road to recovery, it will be more important to Ohio State season to have him back fully healthy and ready to go. Smith-Njigba’s speed and playmaking ability will be needed down the line when the Buckeyes have to take down bigger fish like Michigan State. And also, there is the task of exacting revenge from last season against the Michigan Wolverines.