Another player for the Buckeyes will need major surgery.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka of Ohio State disclosed on Wednesday the severity of his left ankle sprain sustained during the 2023 regular season.
In Week 6, Egbuka sprained his ankle during Ohio State’s 37-17 victory over Maryland. Egbuka claimed that after the competition, when team physicians and trainers assessed him, the medical staff of the program decided to perform a procedure called tightrope surgery in order to hasten his recovery from the illness.
Tightrope surgery, a procedure that is becoming more common to treat high ankle sprains, involves fastening a device to the lower fibula and tibia bones to expedite recovery. Tua Tagovailoa, the quarterback for Alabama, underwent the same procedure in 2019. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers underwent the procedure in 2023 as well.
“I felt that was pretty neat that you could do that,” Egbuka remarked after Ohio State’s fourth AT&T Stadium practice.
Three games were missed by Egbuka due to the injury and subsequent procedure. He made a comeback for Ohio State’s game against Rutgers in Week 10, and he continued to play for the Buckeyes in their next three games: Michigan State, Minnesota, and Michigan.
Egbuka’s procedure was carried out by Ohio State Wexner Medical Center orthopedic surgeon Adam Groth. Egbuka expressed his gratitude to Groth and the Buckeyes’ training staff for making it easier for him to get back on the field quickly.
“It was spot on,” Egbuka remarked. “He performed incredibly well there. I’d like to thank all the athletic trainers who allowed me to rehabilitate this.
In 13 games, Egbuka hauled in 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022, making him just the ninth receiver in Ohio State football history to reach 1,000 yards. Due to his injury and absence during the 2023 regular season, he was only able to record 35 receptions for 452 yards and four touchdowns in nine games.
It’s been a serious injury, according to Egbuka. “However, I am appreciative of all the difficulties it has brought. Now it feels fantastic.
As Marvin Harrison Jr., the winner of the Biletnikoff Award and a Heisman finalist, has seemed to be absent from Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl practices at AT&T Stadium, Egbuka is anticipated to head the wide receiver room on Friday. Nevertheless, Egbuka will probably line up at wide receiver alongside players like Carnell Tate and Xavier Johnson.
