Head coach Ryan Day attributed the group’s success to overall maturity.
“I think when you just give get around them, you realize for their age they don’t look like they’re 18, 19, 20,” Day said. “They don’t talk like it. They don’t act like it. They don’t speak like it, but they are. And it’s pretty remarkable sometimes when you think about who they are as people and just the maturity level of all those guys in that room — well, I shouldn’t say all of them; some still have some work to do.”
Receivers coach Brian Hartline has been regarded as one of the best in the country since he ascended to that position in 2018, but Day credited some of his early proteges.
“I think it started back with Terry McLaurin and Parris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon,” Day said of the top trio from the 2018 season. They just brought a certain level of accountability to that room.”
Day said Chris Olave, a freshman that season who went on to become a first-round NFL Draft pick and Ohio State’s all-time leader in touchdown catches (35), followed their lead and the line has continued since.
“Guys picked it up over time, and now you’re seeing Emeka and Marvin and Julian really take it over and run,” Day said.
Egbuka and Harrison arrived to much fanfare last season as highly touted recruits, but they mostly toiled on special teams with Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba getting most of the receiver snaps with the first-team offense.
“They put their work in and then kind of showed up and played in the second half of the season,” Day said. “And then by the time they get to that second year, they’re ready to go. And that’s kind of been the blueprint for them, and it’s working.”
Smith-Njigba became a star last season, but a hamstring issue has limited him much of this year so far.
That means more work for Egbuka, Harrison and perhaps especially Fleming, a junior who wasn’t able to have much of an impact in 2020 or ‘21 because of recurring shoulder issues.
“He kind of came in on a different journey maybe than what I just spoke about, but he stuck with it and had an unbelievable offseason. And now you’re starting to see the best version of him,” Day said.
Last Saturday against Iowa, Ohio State’s receivers received their toughest test to date from a strong, sound Iowa secondary that made the receivers and quarterback C.J. Stroud work for their 305 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
This week, the level of competition looks like it will go up again at Penn State.
Pro Football Focus ranked cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety Ji’Ayir Brown among the best in the nation at their positions prior to the season, and they have continued to play well so far this fall.
The Nittany Lions are sixth in the nation in pass efficiency defense, and Porter is third in passes defended (1.7 per game).
“First off, you just notice his length and his ability to get hands on you,” Day said of the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter. “And then he gets his hands on a lot of passes. He’s ver, very strong at the line of scrimmage and has great cover skills and for his size he can really change direction.”
Brown has nine career interceptions and leads the team this season with 41 tackles, including 3.5 for loss.
While Porter was a highly regarded player (with a famous name) coming out of high school in Western Pennsylvania, Brown has overachieved since being a three-star recruit in Trenton, N.J.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Ohio State at Penn State, Noon, Fox, 1410
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