Few positions lost more starts than the wide and inside receivers.

Gone are Hubert Anyiam, Justin Blackmon, Colton Chelf, Josh Cooper and Michael Harrison. Those guys combined for more than 3,100 yards and 27 touchdowns last season.

Nevertheless, “We’re still going to throw to win,” says Kasey Dunn, the team’s wide receivers coach. “That’s what we do.”

Dunn expects no drop off from last year, although there may not be someone who catches 120 passes last year like Blackmon, the two-time winner of the top award to wide receivers in college football — the Biletnikoff Award — and the holder of single-season receptions and yardage records at OSU.

He’s a rare breed. Blackmon grabbed 40 touchdowns in two years, too, good for second all-time to Rashaun Woods’ 42 (and Woods had an extra year to do it in). His former teammates were no slouches either. Cooper was a dependable inside receiver who could be counted on for tough catches and runs that kept drives alive. Chelf, a former walk on, caught the 24-yard reception from former Cowboy quarterback Brandon Weeden that set up the winning field goal in the Fiesta Bowl.

In Blackmon and the others’ stead is a host of talented players who lack only playing time. The preseason depth chart shows the experienced Isaiah Anderson and Tracy Moore starting at wide receiver, and less experienced players Josh Stewart and Blake Jackson starting on the inside — the positions between the wide receivers and the offensive line. Justin Horton is starting at tight end and will play inside, as well.

“There’s not a guy I have that’s played or started a game other than Justin Horton,” says Doug Meacham, inside receivers and tight ends coach. “Josh Stewart has played some but he didn’t start. Blake Jackson wasn’t here. David Glidden was redshirted. We’re not thinner, we just don’t have a lot of experience … It’s going to be interesting.”

One plus, Dunn notes, is OSU will have greater depth at wide and inside receiver than last year.

“Last year we were challenged in just getting enough guys on the bus to go to a game,” he says. “We didn’t have four deep like we do now. A lot of these guys are young, but they’re talented, and we don’t have a lot of junior college transfers, so OSU fans are going to see them for a long time.”

story by Matt ElliOtt photography by grEg bUllard