What are the top five offseason questions for Ohio State football? “The Athletic… Read More…
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio State Buckeyes football team has officially entered the offseason, and with it comes a plethora of questions that need to be answered before the start of the 2025 season.
From quarterback C.J. Stroud’s decision to enter the NFL draft to the departure of several key defensive players, the Buckeyes have a number of holes to fill and questions to answer before they can begin their pursuit of another Big Ten championship.
Here are the top five offseason questions for Ohio State football:
1. Who will replace C.J. Stroud at quarterback?
The biggest question facing the Buckeyes this offseason is who will replace Stroud, who announced his decision to enter the NFL draft earlier this month. Stroud was a two-year starter for the Buckeyes and led the team to a Big Ten championship in 2022.
The leading candidate to replace Stroud is redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Brown, who saw limited action in 2023. Brown is a highly touted prospect who was ranked as one of the top quarterback recruits in the country coming out of high school.
However, Brown will face competition from several other quarterbacks on the roster, including true freshman quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, who enrolled early and will participate in spring practice.
2. How will the Buckeyes replace their departed defensive starters?
The Buckeyes lost several key defensive players to graduation and the NFL draft, including defensive end Zach Harrison, defensive tackle Taron Vincent, and linebacker Steele Chambers.
To replace these players, the Buckeyes will need to rely on a combination of returning players and newcomers. One player who is expected to step up and fill a key role on the defensive line is sophomore defensive end Kenyatta Jackson, who saw limited action in 2023.
The Buckeyes also added several highly touted defensive recruits in the 2024 class, including defensive end Omari Abor and defensive tackle Will Smith Jr. These players will be expected to contribute immediately and help fill the void left by the departed defensive starters.
3. Can the Buckeyes find a consistent running game?
The Buckeyes struggled to find a consistent running game in 2023, with no running back rushing for more than 500 yards. To address this issue, the Buckeyes added several highly touted running back recruits in the 2024 class, including running back Mark Fletcher.
Fletcher is a highly regarded prospect who was ranked as one of the top running back recruits in the country coming out of high school. He is expected to compete for playing time immediately and could potentially become the Buckeyes’ lead running back.
4. Who will emerge as the Buckeyes’ top wide receiver?
The Buckeyes lost their top wide receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to the NFL draft, and will need to find a new go-to receiver in 2024. One player who is expected to emerge as a top target for the Buckeyes is sophomore wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka saw limited action in 2023, but showed flashes of brilliance and could potentially become the Buckeyes’ top wide receiver in 2024. The Buckeyes also added several highly touted wide receiver recruits in the 2024 class, including wide receiver Brandon Inniss.
5. Can the Buckeyes’ special teams unit improve in 2024?
The Buckeyes’ special teams unit was a major weakness in 2023, with the team struggling in both kickoff and punt return. To address this issue, the Buckeyes added several highly touted special teams recruits in the 2024 class, including kicker Parker Lewis.
Lewis is a highly regarded prospect who was ranked as one of the top kicker recruits in the country coming out of high school. He is expected to compete for the starting kicker job immediately and could potentially become the Buckeyes’ top kicker in 2024.
Overall, the Buckeyes have a number of questions to answer this offseason, but with a talented roster and a highly regarded recruiting class, they are well-positioned to compete for another Big Ten championship in 2024.
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