Emeka Egbuka is one of Ohio State’s key offensive weapons and a veteran leader in the receiver room for the Buckeyes. However, his efforts go beyond making plays with the ball in his hands.

On Tuesday, head coach Ryan Day selected Egbuka to spotlight as a player he enjoys watching doing the “dirty work” on the football field. Day said it was Egbuka’s blocking — and enthusiasm to deliver some key blocks — that stood out against Michigan State.

The head coach spotted Egbuka getting “fired up” after his key block allowed Jeremiah Smith to score. According to Day, that’s a key piece of spotting a really good player.

“For Emeka to make that block on a linebacker and then come back on the nickel the way he did. I don’t know if you saw that, but he was more excited about that (block) on the field. He was fired up on that play as Jeremiah’s scoring,” said Day. “He was 20-feet away blocking a nickel, Jeremiah’s scoring a touchdown and Emeka’s over here celebrating.

“To me, that’s winning football… He does all the dirty work and that’s a sign of a really good player, and a really good football team, is when guys are willing to do the dirty work. Not a lot of wide receivers are going to go in there and stick their nose in there like that.”

Egbuka is not the first receiver to catch praise from the program for his work in the run game. Carnell Tate was recently described as a game-changer by Will Howard, even when Tate does not have the ball in his hands.

It truly takes everybody to make the offense fire on all cylinders, and it’s clear Ohio State’s receivers take it seriously.