Sources: Buckeyes' Smith-Njigba ruled out again

Ohio State prima wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba volition not play Saturday against Penn State, sources told ESPN.

Smith-Njigba didn't signifier this week and didn't question with the squad to State College, Pennsylvania, sources said. The timetable for his instrumentality is uncertain, sources said, arsenic Smith-Njigba deals with a vexing hamstring injury.

He has yet to play a implicit crippled this play for the No. 2 Buckeyes, arsenic the vexation started erstwhile helium injured his hamstring against Notre Dame aboriginal successful the play opener. He returned for games against Toledo (Sept. 17) and Iowa (Oct. 22) but was incapable to decorativeness either contest.

Ohio State has treated Smith-Njigba's wounded with an abundance of caution, waiting until aft the bye week to instrumentality against Iowa past week. But Smith-Njigba pulled up connected a way successful the 2nd quarter, leaving the tract with a flimsy limp, and ne'er went backmost successful the game.

Buckeyes manager Ryan Day remained vague astir Smith-Njigba's presumption this week, saying helium would "leave it up to the doctors and professionals successful that area."

Smith-Njigba entered his inferior play wide recognized arsenic the champion wide receiver successful the country. He enactment unneurotic the champion azygous play for a wide receiver successful Big Ten past successful 2021, amassing 1,606 receiving yards. That included a historical Rose Bowl show wherever helium caught 15 passes for a grounds 347 yards.

In his 3 games this year, Smith-Njigba has caught 5 passes for 43 yards.