Ohio State then-junior defensive end Jonathon Cooper (18) waits for the Washington offense to begin play in the second half of the Rose Bowl Game featuring Ohio State and Washington. Ohio State won 28-23. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Managing Editor for Multimedia
For the first time this season, Ohio State can start the defensive line it planned to start Week 1.
Senior defensive end Jonathon Cooper and redshirt senior defensive tackle Robert Landers are back from their undisclosed injuries for Ohio State’s game against Nebraska Saturday, according to the team’s injury report and depth chart released Friday.
The defensive line won’t return to full strength throughout its rotation, however, as sophomore defensive end Tyreke Smith is listed as unavailable. Sophomore defensive tackle Taron Vincent joins him in this regard, still yet to play his first game in 2019.
Despite Cooper’s return, without Smith in the fold, defensive ends like sophomore Tyler Friday, redshirt freshman Javontae Jean-Baptiste and freshman Zach Harrison should all see significant time. All three are listed as backups on Ohio State’s two-deep depth chart, with Cooper and Friday both considered starters at the same defensive end spot.
On the opposite line, redshirt senior offensive tackle Branden Bowen is listed as a game-time decision. Should he not play, redshirt freshman offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere will start at right tackle in his place.
Regular two-deep players sophomore linebacker Teradja Mitchell and redshirt senior wide receiver C.J. Saunders are also out for Saturday.
The full list:
Game-Time Decision
- OT Branden Bowen
Unavailable
- WR Kamryn Babb
- DT Noah Donald
- SAF Ronnie Hickman
- LB Teradja Mitchell
- H-B C.J. Saunders
- DE Tyreke Smith
- DT Taron Vincent
