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Jan. 28—If Ohio State fails to get back to the top of the heap in the Big Ten this fall, lack of experience won’t be the reason.
With most of the Buckeyes’ 2024 NFL Draft decisions breaking his way, Ryan Day is looking at fielding the oldest starting lineup of his six seasons as head coach of the Buckeyes.
That conclusion was reached by assigning points based on class for each player (1 for a freshman, 1.5 for a redshirt freshman, 2 for a sophomore, and so on) in the projected starting lineup to arrive at an experience score.
With as many as 14 senior starters, the 2024 Buckeyes could have an experience score of 80.5, besting Day’s first and most veteran team (2019) by 3.5 points.
It could end up being the oldest of the groups we studied — back to 2001 — depending how a couple of position battles shake out this spring or fall.
Here is a closer look:
1. Quarterback is one of the pivotal areas.
A transfer from Kansas State, Will Howard could become Ohio State’s first senior starter since J.T. Barrett in 2017, but the overall experience meter would still likely come in at 79 even if third-year sophomore Devin Brown beats him out.
In that case, it would match the oldest group of the bunch, Jim Tressel’s 2003 team.
Ohio State is also looking at its first senior starting running back — TreVeyon Henderson — since transfer Trey Sermon in 2020 (before that you have to go back to Carlos Hyde in 2013), and the offensive line could be older than last year.
Experience on the OL will depend on Alabama senior transfer Seth McLaughlin supplanting third-year sophomore Carson Hinzman at center and who ends up replacing right guard Matt jones, who graduated.
What seems certain is the other starters will be fourth-year junior Josh Simmons, true senior Donovan Jackson and fifth-year senior Josh Fryar.
The battle for the fifth spot…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-football-age-could-151300485.html
Author : Dayton Daily News, Ohio
Publish date : 2024-01-28 15:13:00
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