Scarlet Sunrise: Brandon Inniss made first career reception count at Purdue

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Brandon Inniss made first career reception count at Purdue

Brandon Inniss played six offensive snaps at Purdue last weekend. He made one catch. It was his first career reception, actually. And it doubled as his first career touchdown.

Backup quarterback Devin Brown was in for mop-up duty in the fourth quarter of a 41-7 blowout win, and he dialed up a perfectly-placed pass for Inniss on a slot fade.

The true freshman wideout reeled in the reception, made Purdue “nickel” corner Cam Allen miss and then turned on the jets, sprinting to the end zone for a 58-yard, catch-and-run score while protecting the ball like a newborn baby in a wet Ross-Ade Stadium.

“I think it just builds confidence,” Brown said postgame. “I think especially him being a younger guy. He knows he can go out there and do it against high-level teams, and he’s just gotta keep building every week.”

The Freshman does it! 😤@Brandon1inniss x @OhioStateFB

💻: Peacock pic.twitter.com/6vFzv2bXa1

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 14, 2023

Before this past Saturday, Inniss hadn’t played an offensive snap since Week 3 against Western Kentucky, according to Pro Football Focus. Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline pointed out last week that it’s his responsibility to put Ohio State’s best three wideouts on the field as much as possible. Hartline added that, back in 2021, Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. — now stars for the Buckeyes — weren’t taking reps from Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

The same now goes for Inniss and classmate Carnell Tate with Egbuka, Harrison and Julian Fleming in front of them.

That said, Tate is tied for fourth on the team with 162 receiving yards this season. He arrived in the winter, though, unlike Inniss, a 6-foot, 207-pound wideout who got to campus this summer.

Inniss was a four-star standout at American Heritage, where he set single-season records for receptions (66) and receiving yards (1,244) as a senior. He was the No. 35 overall prospect, No. 5 wideout and No. 10 Florida recruit this past cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Inniss has scattered 22 special teams snaps across the first six games of the season, per PFF. All but six of those snaps have come on kickoff return.

“I think that he’s buying into his role,” Hartline said of Inniss last week. “He wants to help this team more than ever. We talk about it consistently. And I think he’s gonna be a guy that will give us an opportunity, probably at punt return, if needed, and also the depth in the slot.

“I’m very, very grateful with where he’s at and the steps he is taking.”

Inniss took another big step at Purdue with his first trip to the end zone, a glimpse of the future for both him and the Buckeyes.

Storylines to track as Buckeyes gear up for another top-10 showdown

A date with No. 7 Penn State is on the horizon. Whether Ohio State can defeat the Nittany Lions will probably come down to the line of scrimmage.

That’s at the core of this week’s matchup inside the Horseshoe. But there are other things worth monitoring, too, such as the health of the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is 6-0 and No. 3 in the AP Top 25, but it’s got some household names on injury watch heading into a divisional showdown with major College Football Playoff implications.

Go here for our breakdown of this week’s top storylines.

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• Tim May: J.T. Tuimoloau always ready to make plays — just ask Penn State

Early expected visitor list for Ohio State-Penn State

The biggest recruiting weekend of the fall is on tap for the Buckeyes.

Not only will the stakes be high for Ohio State on the field when No. 7 and undefeated Penn State comes to town Saturday, but a spotlight will also be on the recruits visiting Ohio Stadium for the top-10, Big Ten East clash.

Lettermen Row has the name of every initial visitor we’re expecting to see inside Ohio Stadium on Oct. 21. Check it out here.

RELATED

• Intel, notes as Ohio State prepares for massive recruiting weekend against Penn State

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Penn State: 4 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 39 days

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