COLUMBUS, Ohio – Brandon Inniss watched Chip Kelly’s offenses when he coached the Philadelphia Eagles and Oregon Ducks.
Inniss liked what he saw then, but now at Ohio State University, he’s even more excited to play in that offense.
“These offenses were crazy,” Inniss said. “I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
In fact, Inniss will be more than just a part of the offense. While most of the preseason talk revolved around returning players Emeka Egbuka or Carnell Tate and five-star freshman Jeremiah Smith, Inniss has the potential to become one of Ohio State’s most versatile offensive pieces.
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Before Inniss, himself a five-star prospect and the top-ranked player in Ohio State’s class of 2023, could even imagine that role, he had to earn the respect of his peers. In many cases, players earn respect by what they do on the field.
But Inniss didn’t get that chance.
Unlike Tate, who was also a member of the class of 2023 and arrived in the spring, Inniss arrived on campus last summer. Everything was an adjustment, from learning the playbook and scheme to catching up to the speed of college football.
Brandon Inniss (11) had a catch in 2023. (Adam Cairns / USA Today)
Two things always stood out to people on the program: his work ethic and his leadership skills behind the scenes.
And now, after earning the respect of his fellow students, including Egbuka, who has raved about Inniss and Tate since they arrived on campus, Inniss is on the verge of getting his big role.
“He has a fiery competitive spirit and works hard every day,” Egbuka said. “Even though he hasn’t taken the field yet, we have no concerns that he will make a big impression when he does.”
Inniss caught one pass last season and it was an impressive one.
It was the fourth quarter of a blowout win over Purdue when he lined up in the slot with Devin Brown at quarterback. Inniss had a nice free throw from the outside, Brown hit it and Inniss could have gone to the ground or tried to outrun the defender, but he stopped, moved inside, beat the defender and scored a 58-yard touchdown.
In an otherwise uneventful game, this play looked like the arrival of Inniss, who was the Ohio State fan favorite for much of last year. He was the new shiny five-star toy that every fan couldn’t wait to see in action.
Because of Ohio State’s talented receivers last year in Marvin Harrison Jr., Tate, Egbuka, Julian Fleming and Xavier Johnson, it was difficult for Inniss to get into the rotation. But with Harrison, Fleming and Johnson gone, this offseason was Inniss’ time. Then he suffered a setback in the spring, injuring his foot three days into practice.
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The decision was made to bench him and give him time to recover. The realization that he would have to sit even more was hard for Inniss, but he didn’t give up.
“It was tough, but I read a quote that said, ‘You’re going to have a lot of battles, but how you overcome them will define you,'” Inniss said. “Ever since I read that, I thought, ‘OK, now it’s time to go.'”
One thing that stands out immediately is Inniss’ energy. The South Florida product grew up around trash talkers and doesn’t hesitate to use that now. But even more than trash talk, he plays with an intensity and physicality that some might not expect from a 6-foot-4, 200-pound player.
That’s why coach Ryan Day said you can “feel” Inniss when he’s on the field. His energy was something Ohio State was missing last year, and after rewatching the team’s loss to Michigan in the offseason, he didn’t want to let another year go by without showing it.
Although he was unable to play in the spring, he spent the offseason getting in shape with his coach and putting in time to be a role model for his teammates. His work did not go unnoticed. He was named to Ohio State’s leadership committee, a position voted on by his peers.
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Although he has yet to make a real impact on the field and has only been at Ohio State University for one calendar year, Inniss is viewed as a leader.
“It’s his ability to announce a good game and back it up with the feeling of ‘We’re going to be the hardest working team on the field, we’re going to compete day in and day out and I’m going to beat you even if I don’t feel healthy,'” Egbuka said. “It’s all a matter of attitude.”
This translates perfectly to the field and the role that Inniss will play this year. Inniss has played pretty much every position throughout his career. He has been quarterback, receiver and running back.
His ability to play multiple positions will be an asset for an Ohio State team that has a diverse personnel base but doesn’t have much depth at the running back position. Inniss has played primarily in the slot in the preseason, but with only two running backs with college experience, Inniss could get some play in the backfield.
If you ask Inniss, he is immediately in favor.
“Whatever needs to be done to get the win, I will do it,” Inniss said.
Even if he’s not in the backfield, there’s a similar role to the one Ohio State used Egbuka in in 2022, where Inniss could be used in a variety of ways to get the ball in his hands. Even Egbuka can recognize that.
Even with Harrison gone, Ohio State’s offense still has plenty of firepower, and Inniss should benefit from Kelly’s ingenuity as a playmaker.
“We try to put him in situations where he can be most successful, and the position that makes him most successful is just having the ball in his hands,” Egbuka said.
(Top photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
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