With roster attrition prevalent at every college football program in America in the form of NFL departures, graduation and transfers, coaches face varying degrees of separation between what they believe their team should look like and its reality. Part of that has to do with the NCAA-mandated scholarship restriction of 85.
Urban Meyer and Ohio State currently sit at 89 players on scholarship with a little more than a week left before spring practice commences at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. They remain unconcerned with being over the limit and frankly should be — programs don't need to be at the 85 limit until the first day of class in Autumn Semester or first practice of training camp, whichever comes first.
“We will be at 85 come August when we need to be,” Director of Player Personnel Mark Pantoni said on National Signing Day.
They will be because they have to. The youth movement this offseason isn't as sizable as the one a year ago when the Buckeyes lost more than half their starters from a team that went 12-1 and wrecked Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. A ghastly performance on the same field 365 days later, a 31-0 loss to Clemson, has Meyer and fans on red alert. The nation's No. 2 recruiting class has the future looking bright in Columbus despite the ugly loss, however, and nine of its 21 members are already on campus readying for spring practice.
So are a host of older players, some of whom are running out of chances to prove they can provide something to one of the nation's best programs. Injuries and off-field issues halt the development of players all the time. Spring practice is the unofficial start of a new season, however, so the slate — to some degree — is wiped clean.
Below are five Buckeyes that must show they can become worthy contributors in March and April in order to make sure they are still around come August.
Dylan Thompson — Defensive Lineman
Thompson already made his bed last July, when Ohio State declared him academically ineligible for the 2016 season. A member of the 2014 recruiting class from Illinois, Thompson hasn't played a down for the Buckeyes after fracturing his kneecap his first year on campus.
Failing to make the grade ahead of last season was the latest step in the wrong sort of trajectory for Thompson's career. Meyer famously put the defensive lineman on notice last spring.
“Do something,” Meyer said last March. “And underline that. Do something.”
Still, Thompson practiced with the team in Fiesta Bowl prep and remains in the program. He also offered this post on his Instagram page, which D.J. touched on in the Skull Session a week ago.
Written like a guy who knows it is now or never for his career in Columbus.
Johnnie Dixon, Wide Receiver
Seems like this is an annual thing, doesn't it? Dixon got his body — mainly his knees — in good enough shape to play in six games and make six catches for 26 yards during 2016. He even scored a touchdown on a jet sweep against Rutgers.
Still, the knee tendonitis that led to surgery and a redshirt in 2014 won't go away despite Mickey Marotti and the strength team's best efforts to build up Dixon's legs. He is one of those players blessed with unbelievable straight line speed when healthy, the only problem is you can't have one without the other.
Dixon enrolled in January 2014, a major pull on the recruiting trail from South Florida. So 2017 represents his fourth spring with the program, yet another chance to see if his body allows him to become a real player in the wide receiver rotation. Jaylen Harris, Trevon Grimes and Elijah Gardiner are scheduled to arrive in June. K.J. Hill, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor seek more of a role in their sophomore seasons. There are questions for Dixon and other older guys at the position like James Clark, Terry McLaurin and Parris Campbell. But none of those players has consistent knee problems like Dixon.
Whether or not Dixon remains on scholarship as a redshirt junior in 2017 probably hinges on how this spring goes and if he is healthy enough to play a significant part.
Kevin Feder, Offensive Line
Feder's health has inhibited him from producing much of anything on the field since arriving at Ohio State as a four-star prospect in 2015. Meant to provide depth up front first for Ed Warinner and now Greg Studrawa, Feder had foot surgery that kept him on a rolling scooter the majority of the 2016 season.
Ohio State will likely keep waiting to see what Feder can do when healthy. But not much longer. With two of the top offensive line recruits in the country in Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis signed as part of the 2017 recruiting class, the team's focus on the future is evident. Thayer Munford also announced on signing day his intentions to play for Ohio State, a four-star recruit from Massillon.
The Buckeyes are set to enter spring practice with four starters back from last season on its offensive line but the fact Michael Jordan started all 13 games as a true freshman is telling. Meyer and Studrawa need to see something more from guys like Feder soon to feel better about the status of the position group before summer. If the Fiesta Bowl was any indication, the Buckeyes desperately need more depth up front.
Brady Taylor, Offensive Line
Taylor is about to enter his redshirt junior season at Ohio State and though he was listed as Pat Elflein's backup at center all season, it was pretty widely known that if anything happened to the All-American and Rimington Trophy winner that Billy Price would take over. That was pretty much affirmed with Price's move to center ahead of the 2017 season.
The Buckeyes recruited and signed Jack Wohlabaugh in 2016 with the idea that he would be the center of the future. While that appears on hold for another season with Price taking over at the position, it drops a bit of a question mark on Taylor's future.
The Columbus native worked at multiple positions during fall camp, at least that we saw in the brief times the media was allowed to view practice. He redshirted during Ohio State's 2014 national championship season and since has only seen time during blowouts. Is this the spring Taylor can assert himself and perhaps grab the open job at guard? Maybe. If he doesn't show something he is likely to get passed over once again.
James Clark, Wide Receiver
Clark played a bit as a true freshman in 2013 but then took a redshirt after suffering an ugly ankle injury against Florida A&M. Since then, his impact has been negligible, if that.
Clark only has six catches for 47 yards in his career as he enters 2017, his fifth year in Columbus. A burner from Florida, Clark's lack of size and attention to detail in route running didn't make him much of a threat last season. Clark is a valuable special teams member, however.
Still, the Buckeyes need somebody on the outside to step up this spring and into fall camp that they can depend on ahead of the season opener at Indiana on Aug. 31. Clark has yet to show he is that guy in really any capacity despite playing significant snaps in 2016. Can Kevin Wilson find a way to utilize his talent more effectively than his predecessor? That remains to be seen but with so much youth at wide receiver — Clark is the only senior — Wilson won't wait too long turning to guys like Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor and K.J. Hill instead.
