Ryan Day rarely makes big-time proclamations, but he did on Monday, and this one came a little bit out of left field.
It's very rare for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day to say anything to make a major headline, but Monday, he toed the line. Now, I don't believe that it was his intent to say anything that was out of line, and he certainly didn't, but this quote did raise my eyebrows.
Day said that his depth at wide receiver is "way better than it was last year."
Okay now, Coach Day!
That is quite the proclamation being that last year's group had two first-round draft picks in it and pretty much the same supporting cast that he has this year. This could also be a tactic to breathe some life into the guys that he currently has on the roster.
Regardless, he said it, so lets pick it apart.
First, let's acknowledge that Jeremiah Smith in 2026 will be better than Jeremiah Smith in 2025; that's a given.
The Buckeyes began their season with a lot of action in the transfer portal. First, they lost two of their coveted five-star recruits, Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter, who both entered the portal and landed at Notre Dame.
Day replaced those two guys with two transfers of his own, Devin McCuin and Kyle Parker. The early returns on McCuin are that he is ready to go. He looks great in practice and has shown that not only can he compete at this level, but he can be a difference-maker.
Parker, on the other hand, has a lot more to prove. He came from LSU, so he has competed at the highest level, and his potential doesn't seem to be as high as McCuin's.
The major wild card for this room and, frankly, this Buckeyes' season is Brandon Inniss. Inniss has the ability to level up this offense. If he proves that he has the skill to take a major step up in his game, then the Buckeyes will find another layer.
He has to be better than he was last year. His role will potentially increase, and that is one of the major ways that the Buckeyes can take that next step up.
The biggest advantage that this year's room has over last year's is its two youngsters, Chris Henry Jr. and Bock Boyd.
These two guys seemingly have the makings of being legit difference-makers on this offense from a very early point in the season. Henry Jr. has been described as "an alien," while Boyd is proving to be one of the most reliable options that the pass catchers have.
Maybe Day is onto something by saying this year's group is better than last year's from a depth perspective. I am not buying it yet, I have to see it first but, if he can make that flip, the Buckeyes are going to be a force come December.
