Ohio State Football: How Noah Brown's Injury Impacts Buckeyes Offense

Ohio State wide receiver Noah Brown wasn't a household name after a relatively quiet freshman season in 2014, but that was expected to change after the 6'2", 222-pound pass-catcher broke out during spring and fall camp. 

"Noah Brown has had probably as good of a spring as I could've wanted," receivers coach Zach Smith said last April, according to Bill Landis of Northeast Ohio Media Group. "He's dropped 25 pounds. He's at a different level than he was in the fall. He's come a long way and still has a lot to do, but he looks like a guy who's going to contribute in the fall."

Everything was lining up for Brown to make a big impact in Ohio State's explosive offense, but that fell apart on Wednesday when the promising wideout fractured his leg in practice—an injury that will sideline him for the entire 2015 season. 

It wasn't just a tough blow for the emerging sophomore, about whom coaches and teammates have consistently raved all offseason. It's also a big loss for the Buckeyes as a whole, and they'll feel that loss the moment they kick off the season on the road against Virginia Tech.

The Hokies, of course, were the only team to beat the Buckeyes during their championship run in 2014. Head coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster devised a scheme that put a ton of pressure on the Buckeyes receivers—a scheme that worked to perfection as the Hokies stymied Ohio State in a 35-21 victory. 

Collectively, the Buckeyes hauled in just nine receptions against Virginia Tech that night. And with the success the Hokies had last year in Columbus, they're expected to adapt a similar strategy when the two teams meet in prime time on Labor Day.

The Buckeyes were already working to replace Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, two receivers who graduated last year before respectively going in the second and sixth rounds of the NFL draft. Add to that the Week 1 suspensions of wideouts Corey Smith, Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall, and Ohio State was already severely short-handed at wideout for the season opener.

But Brown's injury has left Urban Meyer in an even more desperate situation.

That's not to say there aren't talented replacements to choose from. Since taking over in the winter of 2012, Meyer has made a concerted effort to improve the perimeter talent in Columbus, so there's certainly no shortage of potential fill-ins. 

But none of those players were having the kind of fall camp that Brown was putting together.

"I would say Noah Brown is probably the most improved receiver right now," cornerback Eli Apple said the day before Brown's injury, according to Austin Ward of ESPN.com. "There was a point early in camp where nobody could cover him for a little bit. He was just so physical, really good with his hands, and he catches everything."

And his absence won't just impact the passing game—it'll also hamper the running game.

More than most teams around the country, Ohio State's rushing attack relies heavily upon downfield blocking from its receivers. That's why Spencer was such a valued asset for Ohio State and eventually named the team's MVP. He brought a physicality to the receiver position that allowed Ezekiel Elliott to hit the second level with fewer obstacles. 

Brown was going to be Ohio State's enforcer in a similar fashion. 

Now that Brown is out, the Buckeyes will need to find someone who will not only provide a spark in the passing game, but in the running game as well. 

And with Virginia Tech looming, they'll need to do that in a hurry.

David Regimbal is the Ohio State football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.