COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The raging offensive bonfire K.J. Hill helped ignite had all but gone out completely.
The deep, dynamic group of young wide receivers that had burst onto the scene, led initially by the redshirt freshman when he hauled in the first touchdown of the season, had hit a lull. Perhaps not a coincidence, Hill had been sidelined by an ankle injury for part of that difficult stretch, and the Buckeyes were struggling to fight through some growing pains.
What they needed was another jolt of energy. It didn’t necessarily have to be another electrifying scoring grab, but Ohio State clearly was looking for somebody to step up, beat a defender down the field and offer a little warmth for an offense that, by this program's standards, was in a deep freeze.