Five concerns for the Buckeyes
At the end of a season that saw Ryan Day’s squad miss out on beating Michigan and winning the Big Ten, the Buckeyes suffered their first bowl-game defeat in a non-playoff setting in ten years.
Examine the following five facts about a losing Cotton Bowl:.
In the 2014 Orange Bowl, Urban Meyer’s team lost to Clemson 40–35, but that defeat came before a national championship season.
After losing to Missouri 14-3, these five inquiries will help determine whether or if Day’s Buckeyes can mount a comparable comeback:
1. Who is returning for the upcoming season?
Nineteen scholarship athletes from Ohio State said they were searching for a new school since the beginning of December, including freshman receivers Noah Rogers and Bryson Rodgers, who entered the transfer portal on Monday.
Of that group, Kyle McCord is the sole starter. However, twelve of them were four- or five-star recruits in high school, and young players like Rogers and Rodgers may yet have developed into potential contributors.
Beyond that, a few of seniors and a sizable contingent of juniors were still debating whether to declare for the NFL Draft or come back to school for another season.
The only juniors (by eligibility) who have declared for the draft thus far are defensive lineman Mike Hall Jr. and running back Miyan Williams, though it seems expected that Marvin Harrison Jr., the top receiver, will do the same given his decision not to participate in the Cotton Bowl.
young defensive end At this time, Jack Sawyer has not made any more announcements, although he had stated that he is “more than likely” returning and implied that he could be among the majority of juniors who choose to follow suit.
2. Who will join the squad for the upcoming campaign?
The only athlete to officially declare his intention to transfer to Ohio State is tight end Will Kacmarek, but he won’t be the last given how many spots Ohio State has that could use competition or depth for the starters.
After graduating from St. Louis High School, the 6-foot-6, 256-pound Kacmarek was not given much thought as a defensive line prospect. However, he went on to start for the Bobcats’ offence for two seasons, catching 42 receptions for 507 yards and two scores.
In addition, Ohio State will welcome a class of twenty freshmen, among them the five-star talents Jeremiah Smith of Hollywood, Florida, and Aaron Scott Jr. of Springfield, who both want to contribute right away.
3. Who is going to work as a coach?
Since Day took over for Meyer in January 2019, his team has undergone changes each season, so it’s safe to assume that history will repeat.
For the next season, around half of the personnel has contracts in place, while the other half will require new agreements if they choose to remain.
While the contracts of quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis, running backs coach Tony Alford, offensive line coach Justin Frye, defensive line coach Larry Johnson, and safeties coach Perry Eliano expire later this month, the former group includes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, offensive coordinator/receiver coach Brian Hartline, special teams coordinator Parker Fleming, tight ends coach Keenan Bailey, and secondary coach Tim Walton.
Day declared following the Cotton Bowl that “everything is going to get looked at.” “We will make such adjustments if they are necessary to help Ohio State accomplish our objectives and win these games.”
4. Who is scheduled to work?
Ohio State plays Marshall, Akron, and Western Michigan to start the season before travelling to Michigan State to start Big Ten play.
The Buckeyes must travel to Oregon after facing Big Ten West champion Iowa in the first two weeks of October. Iowa’s new offensive coordinator will want to revitalise the team after it has been inactive for a while.
Before playing Michigan in Ohio Stadium to end the season, they also have home games against Nebraska, Purdue, and Indiana in addition to visits to Penn State and Northwestern.
5. Will this season’s Buckeyes be an improvement over the previous one?
Naturally, a lot of this will depend on how you answer the first four questions.
After signing five straight top five recruiting classes, Day should have a solid foundation to work from even though more than two dozen players left via graduation or transfer.
That is particularly true—though nothing is official yet—if most of Ohio State’s juniors who are eligible for the draft return for another campaign.
Despite their strength, the Buckeyes have yet to overcome Michigan on the field, and with the arrival of USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon, the Big Ten is about to grow much more competitive.
