Typically Ohio State has a hard time exceeding expectations, so getting caught up in what could go wrong is not difficult.
What could go right is easy to see, especially this season:
- Head coach Ryan Day and new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly return Ohio State to being an offensive juggernaut with an improved offensive line, devastating one-two punch at running back, steady quarterback play and a new cast of talented receivers joining Emeka Egbuka on the perimeter. A talented unit is better than the sum of its parts rather than relying heavily on a C.J. Stroud or Marvin Harrison Jr. to carry the load.
- A defense that allowed 11.2 points per game and returns most of its starters will be even harder to score upon as Jim Knowles has his full defensive playbook at his disposal in year three in Columbus. Strong at the point of attack, deep in the secondary and athletic at linebacker, this unit is the definition of versatile.
But what if things go the other way?
- Kansas State quarterback transfer Will Howard said he was drawn to Ohio State for the pro-style elements of Day’s offense, but what if his skills don’t quite fit?
- Howard said he does not seem himself as a running QB, but Day has indicated multiple times that will be a bigger part of the offense this year. Will those two points of view be at odds?
- A larger concern would have to be: What if no quarterback emerges?
- What if the offensive line still isn’t up to the task of powering the more traditional Ohio State power running game Day says he wants to see more of?
- What if injuries hit the running back room? The Buckeyes have two of the best in the country, but the backups to TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are both freshmen, and there are only two of them.
- What if no one steps up at tight end? That position is supposed to be the fulcrum for the offense, a linchpin for the passing game and the blocking schemes, but it has left something to be desired in one area or the other most seasons.
The good news is the quarterback should not be asked to do too much. Howard might not want to be a major run threat, but it’s up to him to be an accurate enough passer his legs aren’t needed. Having them as an insurance policy could be a major difference between this season and last when the Buckeyes were one bad decision or a missed throw or two away from going undefeated
Utilizing the quarterback run game should ease the burden on the offensive line, too. An elite running back can make an OK line look pretty good, and having to respect the QB’s legs changes the angle for defenses and how aggressive they can be.
With so much experience and talent, the defense almost has to be good, but will it be better than the unit that couldn’t keep Michigan off the scoreboard in the second half the last two years?
There is no guarantee the pass rush improves or they force more turnovers.
Maybe they are still too static. Maybe they again get burned if they try to do too much (a la 2022).
(Maybe we’re squinting hard to find a problem here, but that’s the point of this exercise.)
Safety depth remains a question, though only if someone gets hurt. And Lakota West grad Malik Hartford could easily be the answer even if someone goes down.
On the flip side, the cornerback room is so experienced, talented and deep that should give Knowles many more options for attacking offenses.
The front should be ferocious, and Larry Johnson should be able to sub more than he did last year to keep them fresh.
The linebackers will be more athletic, which also fits how Knowles wants to use them in his scheme where the ability to run down problems is important.
And the reason it is known as a “safety driven defense” is he asks them to do a lot — to cover and direct traffic and clean up mistakes. Lathan Ransom was having a great season when he got hurt, and Caleb Downs looks like a Swiss army knife in his own right so this could be the perfect pair of safeties for Knowles defense.
The schedule has some big games, but it is not exactly murderer’s row.
If only one Ohio State unit achieves dominance, that should be plenty to get the Buckeyes into the new 12-team College Football Playoff.
How far they go in December and January will be determined by how good both units can be.
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