Ohio State football has been a well-oiled machine thus far in 2022, as they're 4-0 and ranked no. 3 in the nation heading into a matchup against Rutgers. But the Buckeyes have largely been enjoying this success without one of their most talented players, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has missed two games this season due to a nagging hamstring injury.

On Tuesday, Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day spoke to the media about Smith-Njigba, revealing that he has no timetable for a return this year. However, that piece of information came with a catch, per Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch.

Per Kaufman, Day said that Jaxon Smith-Njigba's injury setback will be “behind us soon.” The Ohio State football coach added that the team is “not as far away as we think” to having the star receiver back on the field.

Article Continues Below

Smith-Njigba, who led the Buckeyes in receiving yards last year, was forced to exit the team's Week 1 win over Notre Dame with the hamstring ailment. He missed the second game of the season but was able to suit up for 23 offensive snaps in Week 3.

However, Smith-Njigba took a step back when he was ruled out for last week's game without even warming up on the field. The Ohio State football star did provide an update of his own on social media, saying he would be back “sooner than later.”

The Buckeyes offense certainly hasn't been lacking, as they lead the nation passing touchdowns and rank 12th in passing yards per game.

However, the presence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba would take this offense to a whole new level.