The Eleven Warriors Web Report comes to you weekly from the Spectrum Sports studios in downtown Columbus, featuring our own Beau Bishop and Dan Hope along with former Buckeye linebacker Joshua Perry.
There was plenty to talk about on this week's show after Ohio State announced Tuesday morning that Nick Bosa is withdrawing from school and will not return to the team, opting to focus on his recovery from a core muscle injury he suffered in the Buckeyes' third game against TCU that required him to undergo surgery in September.
Perry, a former Ohio State captain himself, said he understood Bosa's decision.
"When you're honest about your decision, when you talk to the guys and you talk to the coaches, I think they understand," Perry said. "A lot of guys hope to be in a position like his, and most guys won't. I surely wasn't. But we understand that college football's a big business ... I think guys understand that he's ready to get paid."
Bosa, who is projected to be a top-five overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, likely wouldn't have been able to return to play in the regular season anyways; his father, John, told 10TV's Dom Tiberi that Bosa was facing a 12-week recovery, which would have kept him out "well into December." Still, any return of Bosa certainly would have bolstered the Buckeyes' championship chances, even if it was only for the postseason.
But while Bosa will never play in an Ohio State football game, his history as a Buckeye will still pay dividends for the future of the program with his impending early NFL draft selection.
"When a player goes and is going to be a top-five pick in the NFL draft, that makes recruits want to come to the program," Hope said. "So it certainly hurts their chances this year – this is a guy who could really help your struggling defenses, who could really help your chances of winning a national championship – but Ohio State's going to be out there on the recruiting trail, every defensive end Larry Johnson goes and tries to get, he's going to be telling them about Nick Bosa, because Nick Bosa's about to be making a lot of money."
For those who are still playing for the Buckeyes, their next game comes Saturday at Purdue in a 7:30 p.m. game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the panel spent time looking ahead to this week's upcoming game as well, which features an explosive Boilermakers offense that should pose a significant threat to Ohio State's defense.
"You look at the way Ohio State's defense has struggled, they've really got to bring their A-game to West Lafayette, because if not, this Purdue offense is more than capable of putting up a lot of points on them," Hope said.
To hear more of what the panel has to say about the upcoming game at Purdue, as well as a look back at the Buckeyes' previous game against Minnesota and a look at what else is happening around the Big Ten, watch the Eleven Warriors Report on Spectrum Sports Mid-Ohio, premiering at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
