We're exactly one week away from one of the most anticipated Ohio State seasons in recent memory.
The Buckeyes are a consensus top-two pick in nearly every preseason poll, heralded as a potential national championship favorite based on the talent both kept and added to the roster.
Anything less than a deep College Football Playoff run would be a disappointment to Ohio State fans, so naturally a season with this much pressure surrounding it would have plenty of intrigue from multiple angles.
As Eleven Warriors’ season preview nears its end, here are the 10 biggest questions surrounding Ohio State entering the 2024 season.
What level of QB play will OSU get from Will Howard?
Most reasonable minds aren't expecting Will Howard to suddenly morph into the second coming of Dwayne Haskins, C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields.
They are expecting a clear upgrade, though, over departed former signal-caller Kyle McCord, who departed Ohio State for Syracuse after an up-and-down 2023 season. Howard is a proven collegiate starter who has played in big games at Kansas State, but he's never faced expectations like he will in Columbus.
On the flip side, he's never had this good of a supporting cast at his disposal either. If Howard can simply execute the Buckeyes' intermediate passing game and keep defenses honest in the red zone as a running threat, OSU is going to be a tough out for anyone. If he can elevate his game beyond what he showed at Kansas State, the Buckeyes will be truly terrifying.
Howard struggled in spring practice but quickly rounded into form in fall camp. Day has said Howard has proven to be the best signal-caller on OSU this preseason and the Buckeyes are hoping that proves to be the case for the entire season.
What will the backfield workload look like?
Any college team would jump for joy at having either Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson on their roster. Having them both is just an embarrassment of riches.
With two No. 1 running backs on the roster, how is Ohio State going to divvy up the carries between these two to both keep everyone happy? Maybe more importantly, keep everyone healthy?
The only real major question mark about the running back room is depth. If either Judkins or Henderson has to miss a chunk of time, the Buckeyes will be relying on a true freshman to carry some of the workload in James Peoples or Sam Williams-Dixon. The past few seasons we've seen the injury bug bite Ohio State's running backs, so this certainly is something worth keeping an eye on.
Can the offensive line turn into a strength?
Besides quarterback play, the offensive line was Ohio State's biggest weakness in the 2023 season. The Buckeyes believe they've improved that unit with the addition of former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin, and the general consensus is the line has taken a step forward in fall camp.
It still needs to be proven on the field, though. Tegra Tshabola and Carson Hinzman are competing to start at right guard for OSU this season, so with two new starters in the fold for the Buckeyes, can they jell more effectively this time around?
How do we view Jeremiah Smith at the end of the season?
We already know how we view him in the preseason: One of the most hyped freshmen we've ever seen step foot on campus that has thus far lived up every bit to his billing and more.
But once the games start, will his success from practice carry over to the field? Does he have any sort of learning curve, or is it raining touchdowns from day one?
Smith is already a sure bet to be a starter, but will he emerge as the team's No. 2 wideout behind Emeka Egbuka? Will he surpass Egbuka entirely and become the top target in year one? Or will there be ups and downs like there are for nearly every college freshman?
The No. 1 overall prospect in 2024 faces borderline unreasonable expectations for his first OSU season, but his talent and work ethic could allow him to meet them all.
Will the offense look different under Chip Kelly?
Day has cautioned that OSU's offense isn't going to look dramatically different now that Chip Kelly is calling plays, but there are going to be some new wrinkles added to the mix.
Kelly is known for excelling in run-game concepts and considering the way this roster is built, it's hard not to get excited thinking about the ways he can scheme running lanes for Judkins and Henderson. That first two-running back set with Judkins and Henderson is going to hit so hard in the best way possible. Factor in a mobile quarterback like Howard and fans could be eager to let Kelly cook.
How much do Sonny Styles and C.J. Hicks play at Will?
It's probably a testament to how loaded Ohio State's defense is that really the only position battle of consequence on that unit is the starting Will linebacker spot. Styles seems to be in the driver's seat there, but the expectation is both Styles and Hicks will see meaningful reps this season.
Styles and Hicks have both said they'd like to rotate in and out with each other and provide consistency to OSU with fresh legs. Hicks was one of the crown jewels of the 2022 recruiting class and this season could be the five-star linebacker's first opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the field.
Both Styles and Hicks were rated five-star prospects in the recruiting process and boast elite athleticism, so if Jim Knowles and James Laurinaitis want to take advantage of that in blitz packages, it could wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
Can the defense shut down opponents weekly?
Outside of linebacker and free safety, Ohio State is returning every starter on defense who helped ensure the Buckeyes were a top-two defense in the country a year ago. OSU somehow even upgraded at free safety, adding arguably the top safety in the country to its roster in Caleb Downs.
In short, there's not a lot of weakness to exploit here. Running on OSU's front seven, good luck. Trying to pass against that secondary? Buyer beware. But as always, consistency and execution will be paramount in ensuring the Buckeyes reach their goals for the 2024 season. This defense not only has the potential to be the best unit in the country, it could carry the team to a national title if it hits its stride.
Are Ohio State and Oregon on a collision course for the B1G title game?
Both Oregon and Ohio State are consensus top-three teams in preseason rankings and have two of the most talented rosters in the entire country.
Like Ohio State, Oregon has added an experienced and talented signal-caller in Dillon Gabriel. The Ducks are loaded at pretty much every other position, too.
OSU faces its new league mate for the first time as Big Ten foes on Oct. 12 in Eugene, one of the games that will define the Buckeyes' season. Regardless of the outcome of that game, it seems like these two are on a collision course for Indianapolis and a rematch in the Big Ten Championship Game.
What impact does the Michigan game result have on the program?
The Michigan game is always the No. 1 question in the hearts of Ohio State fans, that's nothing new and will never change. But the stakes surrounding The Game this year seem even more elevated on the OSU side of things. No one can fathom losing to the Wolverines for a fourth straight season, especially considering the roster construction and coaching staffs of both squads.
But my question is, will this one singular game impact Ryan Day's future depending on the outcome even if everything else goes according to plan? If OSU snaps the skid and delivers its fanbase a long-awaited win against its archrival, is there more leeway for Day if OSU unexpectedly gets knocked out early in the College Football Playoff?
On the flip side, if worst comes to worst and OSU loses for a fourth straight time to Michigan, what does Day need to do in the CFP to secure his job? Make the semifinals? Make the final? Win it all?
If Gene Smith was still the athletic director, I don't think we'd need to ask this question, at least as long as OSU made the CFP. But with Ross Bjork now in charge, there's uncertainty as to how he'd handle some very unhappy boosters if this season doesn't result in a Michigan win and fails to meet championship expectations.
Can the Buckeyes win the national championship in the inaugural 12-team playoff?
From a talent perspective, of course they can.
But a 12-team playoff means it's never been harder to win a national championship. If OSU wins the Big Ten, it would need to win three games to be the last team standing. Should Oregon or anyone else win the league, the Buckeyes would have to win four games.
Depending on how you feel about Georgia, the Buckeyes arguably have the best roster in the sport. It would be a disappointment if they weren't at least in the final. The last time there was a new playoff format, Ohio State won the national title. Seems like history could in fact repeat itself here.
