COLUMBUS, OH – Senior wide receiver Brandon Inniss says the sting of Ohio State’s 2025 season finale losses remains a powerful motivator as the Buckeyes prepare for spring practice. Inniss, speaking with Eleven Warriors this week, indicated that the consecutive defeats to Indiana in the Substantial Ten Championship and Miami in the College Football Playoff are far from forgotten.
“We’ve still got a bad taste in our mouth,” Inniss told Eleven Warriors’ Andy Anders. “This whole year, we’re going to be living with that, what happened to us. But we’ve got to work hard. Ain’t nothing going to be given to us. We’ve just got to be where our feet are right now and work hard in the offseason.”
The Buckeyes’ late-season collapse denied them a chance to defend their Big Ten title and ended their hopes of consecutive national championship appearances. Ohio State had secured an impressive 24-6 victory over Washington in September, but ultimately faltered when it mattered most.
Despite a somewhat quiet offensive season, with eight receptions for 71 yards, Inniss remains a key figure for head coach Ryan Day. Day publicly expressed confidence in Inniss’s ability as the team’s punt returner, even after a first-quarter fumble against Washington in September 2025. Day acknowledged Inniss “needs to hold onto the ball,” but reiterated his belief in the receiver, noting his consistent long returns in recent games.
Inniss’s versatility is expected to be further utilized in the 2026 season, moving beyond a strictly slot role, according to recent reports. The Buckeyes boast a wealth of returning talent, including quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, as they appear to rebound from last season’s disappointments.
Spring practice is scheduled to begin on March 10, offering the first public glimpse of the 2026 Buckeyes and their efforts to overcome the setbacks of the previous campaign.
