Football in Columbus never really sleeps. Even when the temperature drops and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center is the only place with a humming heater, the roster moves and medical updates keep everyone on edge. Honestly, the injury report for Ohio State football right now feels more like a jigsaw puzzle than a simple list of names. You've got guys coming off surgery, elite talent heading to the NFL, and a few key names who are basically bubble-wrapped until spring practice starts.
It's a weird time.
Ryan Day is looking at a depth chart that just got mauled by the portal and the draft, but the real concern for 2026 is the health of the guys who stayed behind. We saw a lot of "game-time decisions" turn into long-term absences during that 2025 stretch, and the fallout is still happening.
The Big Names Hitting the Training Table
Everyone wants to know about Jeremiah Smith. He’s the face of the program now. During the lead-up to the Michigan game and the postseason, Smith was actually dealing with a quad strain that he’d been nursing since November. He played through it—because of course he did—but that’s the kind of nagging tissue issue that needs a full month of doing absolutely nothing to truly heal. The word is he's fine, but expect the staff to be incredibly cautious with him in any early winter conditioning.
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Then there is the offensive line. It's always the offensive line, isn't it?
Tegra Tshabola was a late scratch for the Cotton Bowl against Miami, which really threw a wrench into the protection schemes. That right guard spot was a rotating door. Tshabola’s injury was significant enough to keep him sidelined for the biggest game of the year, and his recovery timeline is the biggest hurdle for the front five as they transition into the 2026 cycle.
Surgery and Long-Term Rehab
Some guys aren't just "banged up." They’ve gone under the knife.
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- Malik Hartford: He’s the one to watch. Hartford actually underwent shoulder surgery recently. He redshirted the 2025 season specifically to "clean up" some structural issues that had been bothering him for a while. If the Buckeyes are going to survive the loss of Caleb Downs to the NFL, they need Hartford’s shoulder to be 100% by the time spring ball rolls around.
- Seth McLaughlin: While he’s moving on toward his pro career, his recovery from that torn Achilles last fall served as a grim reminder of how fast things can change in the trenches.
- Quincy Porter: He’s gone to Notre Dame now, but his 2025 season was basically a wash because of a persistent knee injury. It’s a loss for the Buckeyes’ depth, even if he wasn’t on the field much.
The Defensive Front and the "Working Back" Group
On the defensive side, Eddrick Houston gave everyone a massive scare last summer when he was carried off the field. Thankfully, that didn't turn into a season-ender, but the interior line is currently thin. With guys like Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald departing, the health of rotation players like Tywone Malone Jr. and Will Smith Jr. becomes paramount.
There’s also the nickel situation. Lorenzo Styles Jr. has been a "work in progress" regarding his health. Day mentioned throughout the late stages of last season that Styles was fighting to get back to full strength. With him moving on to the NFL, the burden shifts to the new portal gets, like Terry Moore from Duke. Moore is a talent, but he’s also had his own history of being dinged up, which is something the training staff is likely monitoring closely during his intake.
It's not just about who is out; it's about who is limited.
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You’ve probably noticed that the injury report for Ohio State football often stays vague until the mandatory availability reports drop two hours before kickoff. In the offseason, it’s even more of a guessing game. We know Josh Padilla was absent late in the year after a knockdown against Penn State, and his return to the rotation is a key piece for the interior depth.
What This Means for the 2026 Season
The reality? The Buckeyes are in a massive transition phase. When you lose a "field general" like Caleb Downs and a primary target like Carnell Tate, the margin for error with injuries disappears.
If Hartford isn't ready, the safety room is a "gelatinous blob of anxiety," to borrow a phrase from the local beat writers. If Tshabola’s recovery drags into the spring, the offensive line—which struggled with pass protection in the losses to Indiana and Miami—won't have the cohesion it needs to protect Julian Sayin.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Monitor the Spring Roster: Keep an eye on the first week of March. Any player in a "no-contact" jersey (usually orange or black) is a red flag for a recovery that is lagging behind schedule.
- Watch the Transfer Portal Needs: If Ohio State continues to hunt for interior defensive linemen or another veteran safety, it’s a direct signal that they aren't confident in the health or development of the current rehab group.
- Track the Strength and Conditioning Hype: Pay attention to which players are being praised by Mickey Marotti this winter. Usually, the guys who are "winning" the winter are the ones who have finally cleared the medical hurdles from the previous November.
The roster is talented, but the training room is currently very crowded. Getting those bodies back on the field is the only way Ryan Day avoids another late-season collapse when the depth gets tested in 2026.