Take a deep breath, everyone. Football is back in Columbus.
Ohio State opens its 2016 fall training camp Sunday morning with freshmen and newcomers kicking things off with a practice beginning 8:35 a.m. at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Upperclassmen will then have their first practice of the year 3:35 p.m. Sunday. (Under Urban Meyer, Ohio State has always split its opening-day practice to give freshmen one workout to get acclimated).
A full rundown of dates and practice times can be seen here.
The Buckeyes went 12-1 in 2015 and claimed a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame. It was certainly a missed opportunity for Ohio State to repeat as national champion, however, as the Buckeyes were unanimous favorites heading into the season.
Many of those faces Ohio State fans grew accustomed to seeing are now gone as the Buckeyes lost 16 starters and had 12 players drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. Playing time is certainly available and a new wave of talent is ready to claim it.
Here is a primer to get you ready for Camp Meyer 2016.
Go time: As mentioned above, Ohio State lost 16 starters from its 2015 team so there is plenty of playing time ready to be earned. There are position battles galore and the Buckeyes will soon find out who becomes a starter at wide receiver, left guard, right tackle, safety, cornerback and more.
"It's a free-for-all for playing time right now," Meyer said in Chicago at Big Ten Media Days.
Barrett's return: Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett was preparing to enter one of the most interesting quarterback competitions in recent college football history at this time last year as he set out to do battle with Cardale Jones. With Jones now in the NFL, however, this year's version of the Buckeyes belongs solely to Barrett and they're going to need him to return to his 2014 form when he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a redshirt freshman.
Staff additions: Greg Schiano and Greg Studrawa officially begin their first seasons with Ohio State. Schiano replaced Chris Ash — who left to become head coach at Rutgers — as the safeties coach while Studrawa took over the offensive line, a move that shifted Ed Warinner to tight ends coach in addition to his offensive coordinator duties. Both have their hands full as neither position is even close to solidified entering camp.
Talented bunch: While Ohio State lacks playing experience, it certainly has a talented roster. The Buckeyes won't get that experience until the games actually start, but fall camp will definitely be a time in which some of these young, talented players emerge and solidify themselves as contributors.
Star replacement: The 2015 Ohio State team had no shortage of superstars. With the majority of those gone, all eyes will be on the replacements. Can Mike Weber replace Ezekiel Elliott at running back? What about Noah Brown for Michael Thomas at wide receiver? Can Chris Worley step in for Darron Lee? The list seemingly goes on and on. New stars must emerge for the Buckeyes.
There are many other storylines to keep an eye on during fall camp, and those will surely be discussed as things roll along.
Make sure you stay tuned to Eleven Warriors over the next few weeks, beginning today, as Ohio State enters what Meyer called "probably the most critical coaching month that I've ever been through."
Here we go.
