5 questions facing the Buckeyes

Jan. 2—The 2023 Ohio State football season ended with a thud last week.

To conclude a third consecutive season in which Ryan Day’s team failed to beat Michigan or win the Big Ten, the Buckeyes lost a non-playoff bowl game for the first time in 10 years.

That 40-35 loss to Clemson in the 2014 Orange Bowl preceded a national championship season for Urban Meyer’s crew.

Here are five questions that will go a long way toward determining if Day’s Buckeyes can put together a similar run after a 14-3 loss to Missouri:

1. Who will still be on the team next season?

Freshmen receivers Noah Rogers and Bryson Rodgers entering the transfer portal Monday left Ohio State with 18 scholarship players announcing they were looking for a new school since the beginning of December.

Kyle McCord is the only starter of that group, though a dozen were four- or five-star prospects in high school, and young players like Rogers and Rodgers theoretically still could have grown into contributors in the future.

Beyond that, a few seniors and a large group of juniors were still contemplating returning to school for another season or entering the NFL Draft.

So far, defensive lineman Mike Hall Jr. and running back Miyan Williams are the only juniors (by eligibility) to declare for the draft, though star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opting not to play in the Cotton Bowl likely indicates he will do so also.

Junior defensive end Jack Sawyer said he is “more than likely” returning and hinted he might be part of the majority of juniors who decide to do the same, but as of this writing no other declarations had been made.

2. Who will be added to the team for next season?

Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek is the only player to announce intentions to transfer to Ohio State, but he is unlikely to be the last as Ohio State has many positions that could use depth or…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-football-5-questions-021200858.html

Author : Dayton Daily News, Ohio

Publish date : 2024-01-03 02:12:00

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