Can Ohio State Win It All In 2024
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Ever since their late season loss to Michigan for the third season in a row, Ohio State has seemed more focused than ever on building an unstoppable roster this offseason to reverse their losing streak. Between excellent returning players, a star-studded transfer portal class, and top-notch high school recruits, Ohio State is building something special in Columbus. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has been fairly successful in his tenure at Ohio State thus far, but an apparent inability to beat Michigan or execute in the college football playoffs has had fans worried. When looking at how stacked this Ohio State roster is for next season, this could be the year that they go all the way and Day proves his skeptics wrong.
Returning Players
Picture from Sports Illustrated
Several of the Buckeyes best players that were expected to enter the NFL draft this spring have decided to come back to Columbus for one more season in an effort to win a national championship. Some of these players that were expected to leave but will be returning include defensive ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, cornerback Denzel Burke, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams. These multiple key starters will provide the Buckeyes with a more experienced and developed roster, especially defensively with Tuimoloau and Burke being some of the finest players in the country at their respective positions. TreVeyon Henderson has also been one of the most productive running backs in the country, and with another superstar running back transferring into Ohio State, their backfield looks to be absolutely loaded for 2024.
Incoming Transfers
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Despite not having an overwhelming amount of players transfering into Ohio State, the ones that they are getting are exceptional players. Five-star safety Caleb Downs highlights their transfer class, along with running back Quinshon Judkins, offensive guard Seth McLaughlin, tight end Will Kacmarek, and last but certainly not least quarterback Will Howard who is coming off of a major breakout season at Kansas State. This star-studded transfer list has Ohio State fans extremely excited for next fall, and with many of these players joining already strong units on the roster, I can’t blame them. Quinshon Judkins has been one of the better running backs in the nation over the past two seasons with Ole Miss, and the combination of Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson should be nearly unstoppable for opposing defenses. Caleb Downs looks to join another young standout safety in Sonny Styles, and make throwing the ball deep in Columbus unadvisable. Seth McLaughlin should be a solid addition to the offensive line, and be great depth at the very least, and former Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek will likely see a good bit of playing time with Cade Stover going to the draft. The biggest question is Will Howard, and how effective he will be in the Ohio State offense will immense pressure on him to win it all.
Recruiting Class
Picture from Sports Illustrated
Highlighted by two five-star wide receivers, with one of them being the number one recruit in the nation, Ohio State brings in a fantastic recruiting class that will likely only get better with the recent additions to the roster. Jeremiah Smith, the number one receiver and player in the country, has both the physical capability and the skills to be a major contributor on day one for the Buckeyes, while the other highly rated receiver Mylan Graham may need some more time to develop. The Buckeyes also brought in a slough of four-star players, with several of them being defensive backs, highlighted by Aaron Scott, who is ranked as the number two cornerback in the country. With talent like this coming in to help keep the Buckeyes replenished with young talent, this class bodes well for the future of Ohio State football.
Many fans feel like this year is the year for Ohio State to win it all again for the first time since 2014, but also that if Ryan Day can’t get it done with this roster, then he may not be the right man for the job; and while I do think that Day has been a good coach for the Buckeyes the past few seasons, if you can’t win with this loaded roster, then you probably never will.
