Though Ohio State sits under two weeks away from its season opener against Bowling Green, the Buckeyes do not yet have their starting lineup in place. However, it is starting to take shape and many of the spots can essentially be thought of as filled.
Urban Meyer met with reporters Monday in the team room of the Woody Hayes Athletic center, moments after putting Ohio State's final practice before school starts to bed. He spoke about a host of phone calls he and his assistants are set to make this week to players' families to inform them their son is a starter but kept repeating they are not set in stone.
The only starting job Meyer did reward Monday was Sam Hubbard at defensive end opposite of Tyquan Lewis — something we assumed in January shortly after Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl 44-28.
Below is an updated look at the depth chart followed by blurbs from the head coach on where each position battle stands.
| Pos. | No. | Player | HT | WT | Year | Hometown (High School) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT | 74 | JAMARCO JONES | 6-5 | 310 | JR | CHICAGO, IL (DE LA SALLE) |
| 59 | ISAIAH PRINCE | 6-7 | 310 | SO | GREENBELT, MD (ELEANOR ROOSEVELT) | |
| LG | 73 | MICHAEL JORDAN | 6-7 | 310 | FR | CANTON, MI (PLYMOUTH) |
| 78 | DEMETRIUS KNOX | 6-4 | 308 | SO | FORT WORTH, TX (ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL) | |
| C | 65 | PAT ELFLEIN | 6-3 | 300 | SR | PICKERINGTON, OH (NORTH) |
| 54 | BILLY PRICE | 6-4 | 315 | JR | AUSTINTOWN, OH (FITCH) | |
| RG | 54 | BILLY PRICE | 6-4 | 315 | JR | AUSTINTOWN, OH (FITCH) |
| 78 | DEMETRIUS KNOX | 6-4 | 308 | SO | FORT WORTH, TX (ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL) | |
| RT | 59 | ISAIAH PRINCE | 6-7 | 310 | SO | GREENBELT, MD (ELEANOR ROOSEVELT) |
| 76 | BRANDEN BOWEN | 6-7 | 315 | RS-FR | DRAPER, UT (CORNER CANYON) | |
| H-B | 4 | CURTIS SAMUEL | 5-11 | 197 | JR | BROOKLYN, NY (ERASMUS) |
| OR | 2 | DONTRE WILSON | 5-10 | 195 | SR | DESOTO, TX (DESOTO) |
| QB | 16 | J.T. BARRETT | 6-2 | 222 | JR | WICHITA FALLS, TX (RIDER) |
| 10 | JOE BURROW | 6-3 | 218 | RS-FR | THE PLAINS, OH (ATHENS) | |
| RB | 25 | MIKE WEBER | 5-10 | 212 | RS-FR | DETROIT, MI (CASS TECH) |
| 26 | ANTONIO WILLIAMS | 5-11 | 210 | FR | NEW LONDON, NC (NORTH STANLY) | |
| TE | 85 | MARCUS BAUGH | 6-5 | 258 | JR | RIVERSIDE, CA (JOHN W. NORTH) |
| 88 | A.J. ALEXANDER | 6-2 | 254 | RS-FR | BURKE, VA (LAKE BRADDOCK) | |
| WR | 80 | NOAH BROWN | 6-2 | 218 | SO | FLANDERS, NJ (POPE JOHN XXIII) |
| 11 | AUSTIN MACK | 6-2 | 215 | FR | FORT WAYNE, IN (BISHOP LUERS) | |
| WR | 21 | PARRIS CAMPBELL | 6-1 | 208 | RS-SO | AKRON, OH (ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY) |
| 5 | COREY SMITH | 6-1 | 190 | 5TH | AKRON, OH (BUCHTEL) |
Since the announced knee injury to offensive lineman Malcolm Pridgeon, his name is no longer on our depth chart. Meyer lumped Pridgeon in the same category as defensive end Darius Slade — who ruptured his Achilles — as two guys who are "lost for the season." Meyer said two weeks ago that Pridgeon would be out for three months when he announced the injury.
That slides Isaiah Prince into the backup left tackle spot behind Jamarco Jones. Prince continues to lead at right tackle but if Jones could not play for whatever reason, it is pretty smart to assume Ohio State would turn to Prince at the spot. Left tackle is an important position up front and responsible for protecting J.T. Barrett's blindside.
Parris Campbell jumped ahead of Corey Smith at one receiver spot opposite of Noah Brown because Meyer spoke highly of his effort in camp.
"Parris, I don't know how Parris doesn't start," Meyer said.
He added that there is a rotation on the outside among Smith, Campbell, Terry McLaurin — "he had a good week of camp," Meyer said — and K.J. Hill. Torrance Gibson dealt with a hamstring injury and missed time, so that is why he did not make our two-deep.
"He missed about 10 practices," Meyer said of Gibson. "He just went today for the first time in about two weeks. So it's been a tough go for him."
True freshman Michael Jordan remains the guy at left guard. Meyer said Demetrius Knox and Matthew Burrell "are on their heels" right now, so expect Jordan to be the guy between Jones and Pat Elflein. A.J. Alexander clings to the backup tight end spot but dealt with an ankle injury in camp in addition to the push from freshman Jake Hausmann.
"Tight end, Marcus Baugh then I just don't know right now," Meyer said. "A.J. is a minor ankle sprain in and out. He's practicing through it, though. The young freshmen still have a ways to go. But Jake Hausmann is ahead of Luke (Farrell)."
A phone call to Mike Weber's family is coming: "(He) has separated himself," Meyer said. "If he continues, I hope we can make a phone call later this week to tell them he's the starting tailback at Ohio State. Not yet, though."
Meyer also called Curtis Samuel Ohio State's No. 1 playmaker on offense right now.
| Pos. | No. | Player | Ht | Wt | Year | Hometown (High School) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE | 6 | SAM HUBBARD | 6-5 | 266 | SO | CINCINNATI, OH (ARCHBISHOP MOELLER) |
| 97 | NICK BOSA | 6-4 | 265 | FR | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (ST. THOMAS AQUINAS) | |
| DT | 93 | TRACY SPRINKLE | 6-3 | 293 | JR | ELYRIA, OH (ELYRIA) |
| 86 | DRE'MONT JONES | 6-3 | 280 | RS-FR | CLEVELAND, OH (ST. IGNATIUS) | |
| DT | 77 | MICHAEL HILL | 6-3 | 305 | JR | PENDLETON, SC (PENDLETON) |
| 53 | DAVON HAMILTON | 6-4 | 297 | RS-FR | PICKERINGTON, OH (CENTRAL) | |
| DE | 59 | TYQUAN LEWIS | 6-4 | 266 | JR | TARBORO, NC (TARBORO) |
| 11 | JALYN HOLMES | 6-5 | 274 | JR | NORFOLK, VA (LAKE TAYLOR) | |
| SLB | 35 | CHRIS WORLEY | 6-2 | 228 | JR | CLEVELAND, OH (GLENVILLE) |
| 17 | JEROME BAKER | 6-1 | 225 | SO | CLEVELAND, OH (ST. BENEDICTINE) | |
| MLB | 5 | RAEKWON MCMILLAN | 6-2 | 243 | JR | HINESVILLE, GA (LIBERTY COUNTY) |
| 43 | NICK CONNER | 6-3 | 232 | RS-FR | COLUMBUS, OH (SCIOTO) | |
| WLB | 33 | DANTE BOOKER | 6-3 | 236 | JR | AKRON (ST. VINCENT–ST. MARY) |
| 47 | JUSTIN HILLIARD | 6-1 | 230 | RS-FR | CINCINNATI, OH (ST. XAVIER) | |
| CB | 8 | GAREON CONLEY | 6-0 | 195 | JR | MASSILLON, OH (WASHINGTON) |
| 3 | DAMON ARNETTE | 6-0 | 195 | RS-FR | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (ST. THOMAS AQUINAS) | |
| SAF | 7 | DAMON WEBB | 5-10 | 195 | JR | DETROIT, MI (CASS TECH) |
| 16 | CAM BURROWS | 6-0 | 205 | SO | TROTWOOD, OH (MADISON) | |
| SAF | 24 | MALIK HOOKER | 6-2 | 205 | SO | NEW CASTLE, PA (NEW CASTLE) |
| 34 | ERICK SMITH | 6-0 | 203 | JR | CLEVELAND, OH (GLENVILLE) | |
| CB | 2 | MARSHON LATTIMORE | 6-0 | 192 | SO | CLEVELAND, OH (GLENVILLE) |
| OR | 12 | DENZEL WARD | 5-10 | 185 | SO | MACEDONIA, OH (NORDONIA) |
Slade's injury means he is replaced with Nick Bosa, who Meyer said Monday "obviously will be in the rotation" on the defensive line. The Buckeyes continue to take it slow with him off his knee injury but all signs point to him playing a role this fall.
Dre'Mont Jones and Davon Hamilton continue to impress Meyer at defensive tackle and push Mike Hill and Tracy Sprinkle. He then divulged a bit on the guys behind them up front defensively.
"Then in the threes you'll go Josh Alabi and Malik Barrow and (Robert) Landers was dinged up a little bit but he's starting to come back," Meyer said. "Jashon (Cornell)'s the one that has a bit of a groin injury. He's missed about five, six days. He was doing good before he got hurt."
Phone calls to the families of Dante Booker and Chris Worley are coming this week if all goes according to plan, Meyer said. They will start alongside Raekwon McMillan at linebacker.
In the secondary, the battle continues for the right to start opposite of Gareon Conley at corner. Marshon Lattimore, Denzel Ward and even Damon Arnette are all names involved and should play significantly this year if they stay healthy.
"That's Ward, Marshon Lattimore, god bless him. This is the first time in three years he's had a full camp of practices. Really done well," Meyer said. "The other guy that's really coming on is Damon Arnette."
Damon Webb and Malik Hooker lead at safety like they have since spring. Meyer called them starters, then retracted that a bit, so you can probably guess who Greg Schiano's going to run out for the first defensive snap against Bowling Green.
"Safety Malik Hooker and Damon Webb right now are starters," Meyer said. "We haven't made the call yet, but they're running with the ones I should say. Not starters."
