Ohio State is cruising through its 2025 season. Still, for the Buckeyes, this is no time to rest. Despite a perfect 7-0 record, an average margin of over 25 points per game, and their recent 34-0 shutout of Wisconsin, Ryan Day appears keen on tweaking the roster for sustained success. And that includes realizing that the offense will need to do better to help Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.

“I think Carnell and Jeremiah need some of that as the season goes on,” the head coach said, addressing wide receiver Quincy Porter’s standout performance vs the Badgers. “It’s a long season and they need that depth. It’s important.

The team needs it. So he and Mylan [Graham] and hopefully we’re gonna get Bryson Rodgers back this week, these guys can help because we need them.”

While it’s true that Smith and Tate have shouldered much of the offensive workload, there’s no denying that the rest of the team will need to step up. To put things into perspective, WRs Brandon Inniss, Porter, Graham, Bryson Rodgers, and David Adolph have racked up just 221 yards in total through seven games. Smith and Tate, on the contrary, stand at 602 and 587 yards, respectively.

When it comes to Jeremiah Smith, it’s his framework that does the magic. At just under 6-foot-3 and 222 pounds, he’s got the kind of physicality that can overpower defensive backs. On top of that, Smith’s route running is surgical, recording 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns last season, leading the Big Ten in both categories.

Tate’s season numbers, on the other hand, tell a story of dominance and reliability. He is trailing Smith by just 15 yards, but with a perfect catch rate with zero drops on the season. Yet, Day can never rest easy.

Reliable weapons aside, it is injuries that can change the story in the blink of an eye. Take the game against Illinois, for instance, where Smith suffered a minor injury when he landed on his back. Even Tate had a minor ankle injury against Wisconsin. While the incidents did not take them out for multiple games, they raise questions about the depth chart.

Mylan Graham played in two games this season, with 33 yards on two carries. Quincy Porter also played the same number of games, where he racked up 45 yards on 3 carries in total.

Thankfully, Porter did show glimpses of his talent last week. Recording his first multi-catch game, the freshman receiver finished with two receptions for 30 yards. His most notable moment came in the third quarter with a catch-and-run over the middle for 22 yards on a third down play.

“I thought he handled that well,” Day remarked about the player’s performance. “The pivot he caught was a really nice route that he caught and ran it and made it, I think it turned into an explosive play. It was good to see him. That was sort of his first big action and conference game and I don’t think he flinched. I thought he handled it well and did a good job and graded out pretty well. So that’s exciting.”

Can Porter maintain the same consistency next week? We’re yet to be confident. And the same goes for Rodgers, who hasn’t played since Week 5 due to an undisclosed injury and is expected to return vs Penn State. He’s logged in just 22 yards for 2 receptions and no touchdowns.

Doesn’t really spell confidence now, does it?

An underdog story in the offensive line

Ohio State has weapons that come from all corners of the globe. Tegra Tshabola is the kind of offensive lineman whose presence you feel, and whose determination you can see clearly. Coach Day agrees with that, “I think his journey has been a story of somebody who each week is taking what he gets on the field, learning and growing and getting back to work,” Day said. “He’s a guy that shows up every day ready to work.”

Born into a Congolese family, Tegra’s journey from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Ohio stirs up a classic underdog vibe. Before finding his home on the offensive line, Tegra started out playing defensive line as a freshman before switching sides of the ball, where he’s truly thrived. His commitment paid off early when he earned Division I first-team All-Ohio honors as a junior in high school.

Football runs in Tegra’s family veins. His older brothers, Dan and Michael, dominated the high school football scene at Lakota West, laying down a blueprint that Tegra was determined to follow. He hasn’t seen any playing time this season as of now. But the way Ryan Day is focusing on production from the depth chart for wide receivers, it won’t be too much of a stretch to see that same directive be followed in other units as well. If that becomes the case, Tegra might see some playtime over the next few games.