The Wisconsin Badgers are set to host the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 9, with much on the line against arguably their toughest opponent of the season.
Offensively, the Badgers have seen some serious change, as the team lost both running back Chez Mellusi and quarterback Tanner Mordecai to significant injuries, leaving a team already balancing personnel issues with even more questions.
For the first time this season, offensive coordinator Phil Longo spoke with the media, breaking down what he’s seen from his group through the first half of the season.
Here’s everything that Longo said ahead of the Badgers’ bout against Ohio State.
Longo has looked to implement his heralded scheme with the Badgers current personnel, and it’s led to some ups and downs, with certain players fitting in better than others.
But, the Badgers are still 5-2 heading into Week 9, although their offense will likely have to churn out some major points to keep up with Ohio State.
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RYAN DAY SAYS EMEKA EGBUKA, DENZEL BURKE AND TREVEYON HENDERSON WILL BE “READY TO GO” AGAINST WISCONSIN
Ohio State is expecting to have all of its starters back in the lineup against Wisconsin.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, cornerback Denzel Burke and running back TreVeyon Henderson all made the trip to Wisconsin and are expected to play on Saturday night after missing last week’s game against Penn State, Ryan Day said Friday following Ohio State’s arrival at its hotel in Madison.
“Feel good about the guys that are on the trip and who’s gonna play on Saturday, so I feel like we’re getting a bunch of guys back,” Day told reporters in attendance.
.@ryandaytime as he arrives at hotel with @OhioStateFB says “these guys are locked in” headed town Saturday night at @BadgerFootball . Confirmed @TreVeyonH4 and @emeka_egbuka on trip “ready to go.” pic.twitter.com/rZ4d6EtXDs
— Tim May (@TIM_MAYsports) October 27, 2023
Henderson had missed Ohio State’s last three games with an undisclosed injury. Egbuka had missed the Buckeyes’ previous two games with an ankle injury he suffered against Maryland. Burke was sidelined against the Nittany Lions after he was helped back to the locker room with an injury he sustained in the Purdue game.
With Burke, Egbuka and Henderson all “ready to go,” Ohio State is not expected to be without any starters in Saturday night’s game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Camp Randall Stadium and will be televised on NBC.
One player who did not make the trip for the Buckeyes is backup quarterback Devin Brown, who Day said earlier this week would be sidelined for “at least a couple of weeks” after suffering an ankle injury in the Penn State game. With Brown out, Day told reporters on Friday that Tristan Gebbia is in line to be Ohio State’s No. 2 quarterback behind Kyle McCord against Wisconsin, while Lincoln Kienholz will also be ready to play if needed.
