Ohio State’s training camp opens this morning, and the Buckeyes know they can’t waste days if they’re to be ready for the rugged schedule that awaits them.
OSU plays six teams ranked in the top 25 of the coaches poll released this week. The game at Texas is little more than a month away.
Ohio State has enough talent, led by quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, to be ranked No. 1 in the preseason. It’s a ranking that I’d bet plenty of money on that they shrug off. I want a dollar every time I hear a coach or player say that it’s irrelevant and the only ranking that matters is the final one.
With 51 new players, the truth is that nobody knows how good Ohio State will be. The Buckeyes have plenty of unknowns. Some of those began to be sorted out in the spring. More will come in August.
As camp starts, here are 20 questions that they’ll need to answer if OSU is to win its second national title in three years.
What impact does new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith have?
A year ago, coach Ryan Day plucked Matt Patricia from the NFL to run his defense, and that worked out spectacularly. The Buckeyes had the best defense in the country. Day went back to the pros to hire former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith to replace Brian Hartline as offensive coordinator. Day’s specialty is the passing game (as was Hartline’s). Smith was brought in to give a jolt to a run game that was good, not great, in 2025. What wrinkles will he add?
What will the configuration of the offensive line be?
With four starters returning – center Carson Hinzman, left tackle Austin Siereveld, left guard Luke Montgomery and right tackle Phillip Daniels – the Buckeyes’ line should be a major strength. The big question is where Siereveld plays. Does Ian Moore’s development allow OSU to move Siereveld to right guard? Does Josh Padilla seize that guard spot? Could Daniels be seriously challenged? The Buckeyes feel better about their depth on the offensive line than they have in a while. But how it shakes out, nobody knows for sure.
Is Bo Jackson ready to become consistently elite?
Jackson was a tantalizing talent as a freshman. His talent is obvious. He has speed, vision and strength. He is effective as a pass-catcher. But too often, he got tripped up by shoestring tackles. If Jackson can get to the second level and make linebackers and defensive backs miss, he could become a superstar.
Who emerges as his primary complement?
Both Jackson and primary backup Isaiah West missed most of the spring recovering from shoulder surgeries. West was impressive in limited action last year. Florida transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson and redshirt freshman Turbo Rogers will try to earn playing time. The wild card is true freshman Legend Bey. He missed much of the spring with an injury but has game-breaking talent. Day said that the running back position group is the unit about which he has the most questions. As a result, they will face more contact in camp than in past years.
With Max Klare and Will Kacmarek gone, how does the tight end unit look?
Look for sophomore Nate Roberts to jump to the head of the unit if he can prove he’s a threat in the passing game and not just as a blocker. Senior Bennett Christian provides depth. The Buckeyes hope that transfers Hunter Welcing (Northwestern) and Mason Williams (Ohio) can be productive. The Buckeyes had enough faith in the tight ends last year to use four at a time in short-yardage situations. Is there that kind of depth this year?
Do any freshmen become starters?
The best bet is wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., the crown jewel of the recruiting class. He has the size at 6-foot-5 to be a matchup nightmare for cornerbacks and will benefit from teams focusing their coverage on Jeremiah Smith.
What is the next step in Julian Sayin’s development?
By almost any measure, Sayin’s first season as OSU’s quarterback was a success. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist, after all. This year, Sayin enters the season having the confidence of the coaches, who kept him on training wheels early last year. At 6-1, Sayin will never be the biggest quarterback, but he is noticeably thicker and stronger after another year in the program. Sayin looks more comfortable as a vocal leader and vows to be a more willing runner than he was last year.
Does Tavien St. Clair develop enough to become a reliable backup quarterback?
If Sayin gets injured, the pressure will be on St. Clair to mature quickly. The former five-star recruit has all the tools – size, arm, mobility. But he took only 13 snaps last season, all in the blowout of Grambling State. In the spring, St. Clair was inconsistent, looking like a potential star one day and a player with much to learn the next. The Buckeyes will force-feed him in camp to get him ready.
Can Jeremiah Smith get even better?
It’s hard to imagine Smith getting much better, but the junior said he has worked hard with new receivers coach Cortez Hankton to improve his route running. Smith also is intent on becoming better at breaking tackles after the catch. Enjoy him in his final season at OSU. He has lived up to his billing as a generational talent.
Is Brandon Innis ready to become a solid No. 2 receiver?
Inniss is a hard worker who earned captain status last year. He is the vocal leader of the receivers unit and maybe the whole offense. What he hasn’t yet done is live up to his status as a five-star recruit. Granted, Smith and No. 4 overall NFL draft pick Carnell Tate were the first options on offense last year. There is only one ball. But Inniss said in the spring that he is ready and needs to take that next step.
Do transfers Devin McCuin and Kyle Parker become contributors?
The Buckeyes lost young receivers like Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham in the transfer portal and replaced them with veterans McCuin (Texas-San Antonio) and Parker (LSU). McCuin caught 65 passes for 726 yards and eight touchdowns last year. Parker had 31 receptions for 330 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. McCuin’s biggest strength is his speed. Parker is more of a physical player. Roles are there for them if they can seize them.
Is Eddrick Houston ready to live up to his five-star billing?
Houston got off to a slow start last year coming off an injury. The time is now for him to become a dominant player as a 3-technique tackle. He admits that he got fatigued last year and has worked on his conditioning and the mental side of the game. Houston might have the most raw ability of anyone on the line.
How do the transfer linemen fit in?
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson likes to play a deep rotation. After losing Kayden McDonald and Caden Curry from last year’s team, the Buckeyes went into the portal to get Alabama tackle James Smith and edge rusher Qua Russaw and Central Florida tackle John Walker. Other than Kenyatta Jackson at defensive end, nobody on the line is assured a starting spot. The transfers will need to be impactful.
Can Payton Pierce become the leader of the linebacker unit?
No unit can lose players like Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles and not expect some regression. But the Buckeyes feel pretty good about their linebackers. Pierce played 475 snaps last year as a third linebacker, and the junior will be counted on to be an every-down player. He’s not that big at 223 pounds, but he is tough and instinctive.
Who plays alongside him?
Good question. Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro probably gets the first crack at it, but the Buckeyes have other intriguing options. TJ Alford played well in the spring, and Riley Pettijohn had some impressive plays early last season. Garrett Stover impressed in the offseason, earning Iron Buckeye honors for his work in the weight room. Freshman Cincere Johnson is a name to keep an eye on.
Is Devin Sanchez ready to be a star cornerback?
Sanchez showed both his promise and inexperience last year as a freshman. With Davison Igbinosun gone, Sanchez is expected to step into a starting role. He’s big and rangy and has all the tools to be a lockdown corner. Now it’s time for him to show it.
How will Earl Little Jr. be deployed in the secondary?
The versatile Little can be used as both a nickel corner and a traditional safety. He’s not Caleb Downs – who is? – but he should be a valuable chess piece for Matt Patricia. He has been at Alabama and Florida State, so he knows what it’s like to play at a pressure-filled program.
Can Jermaine Mathews become consistent?
Mathews has a great mindset for a cornerback. He carries himself with swagger and has a short memory. But he needs to improve his tackling and become more consistent. He and Sanchez might be the most pivotal pieces on the defense.
With Downs gone, does Jaylen McClain become the star of the secondary?
McClain played more snaps than anyone else on the defense a year ago. He didn’t make a ton of flashy plays, but he was reliable. Now the spotlight falls on him. Day said he picked McClain to join Sayin and Jeremiah Smith as OSU’s player representatives at Big Ten media days in part to make sure McClain understands how important he is.
Will Connor Hawkins be the reliable field-goal kicker the Buckeyes have lacked?
They sure as hell hope so. The Buckeyes were burned by Jayden Fielding’s key misses in big games the last two years. OSU hopes Hawkins, who made 18 of 22 kicks last year, won’t flinch in crucial moments. No doubt that coaches will put Hawkins through the wringer in camp to make sure he’s mentally strong.
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