The college football season hasn’t been over very long, but we’re always looking ahead in places like Ohio State. That’s because one glorious run to the postseason usually leads into the next one when you are a Buckeye fan. With the recruiting classes, development, and coaching, anything short of a championship drive is disappointing — most notably when you consider where the program is as a current state.
With that in mind, there are always things that have to be addressed each offseason, especially in the college game where there is such significant turnover. It’s no different for OSU. With the loss of Justin Fields and other key starters, there are some question marks the coaching staff will have to answer.
Here are five burning questions that head coach Ryan Day and his staff will be dealing with during the offseason as they try to put things together for 2021.
NEXT … The quarterback position
Question No. 1: Who will win the starting quarterback job?
Formulating an answer
One of the best quarterbacks to ever suit up in the scarlet and gray is off to the NFL. And while losing Justin Fields is a huge hit to the offense, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to finding out who his successor will be. C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller probably have a leg up already being in the quarterback room for one year, but don’t forget about five-star freshman Kyle McCord out of Philadelphia. OSU has two five-star and a very high four-star looking to be the next face of the offense. The question is who will develop quicker and separate themselves?
NEXT … The running back pecking order
Question No. 2: How will the running back depth chart look?
Formulating an answer
With Trey Sermon off to the NFL, you have to assume that Master Teague is the next guy in line to get the bulk of the carries. However, that’s not a foregone conclusion. Miyan Williams looked good when he had opportunities last season, and two freshmen might enter the fray with the nation’s best 2020 running back TreVeyon Henderson and high four-stat Evan Pryor in the mix. We also can’t forget about Steele Chambers and Marcus Crowley.
NEXT … What changes will be made in the secondary?
Question No. 3: What can be done about the back-end of the defense?
Formulating an answer
By far, the biggest weakness of last season’s team was the play of the secondary. Losing Jeff Hafley to Boston College was either a bigger hit than we thought, or the personnel just wasn’t up to snuff. Either way, things can’t stay the same. Ryan Day has vowed to take a hard look and shake things up, and we’ll have to see how that all unfolds. Will there be a change in scheme? Will younger players emerge that can lock things down better? Something is going to change, we just don’t know what exactly yet.
NEXT … How will Ohio State replace its entire linebacking corps?
Question No. 4: Who will step up at linebacker?
Formulating an answer
Maybe more troubling than the secondary is the wholesale losses at linebacker. Ohio State loses its top four on the depth chart with Baron Browning, Justin Hilliard, Pete Werner, and Tuf Borland all looking to further their careers in the NFL. It’s going to be a green and developing group and guys like Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant, Cody Simon, and Tommy Eichenberg will all need to step up.
NEXT … Are we going to see a breakout season from the defensive ends?
Question No. 5: Is it time for Zach Harrison and Tyreke Smith to shine?
Formulating an answer
We’ve been waiting for both Zach Harrison and Tyreke Smith to become the game-wreckers we all thought they would be. It’s not like both have been a disappointment, but we haven’t seen that fast-twitch explosion and big-play consistency we have been anticipating. If it’s going to happen, it feels like next year is the time for it all to come together for both. Smith will be a senior, and Harrison a junior. OSU needs some dominant play on the line and at the edge rusher positions to help out a retooling defense.
Ohio State football very early projected offensive depth chart for 2021
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