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Practice began Thursday with many questions to answer before Ohio State begins its season Sept. 2 at Indiana. The ones that remain will be sorted out over the next 2 weeks at home against Youngstown State and Western Kentucky.
Then the real tests begin. Head coach Ryan Day and company will be judged as to whether those questions have been sufficiently answered when the Buckeyes travel to Notre Dame for a Week 4 primetime nonconference bash. The Irish, coached by former OSU linebacker Marcus Freeman, are going the alternate uniform route and will be dressed in all green.
The Buckeyes have alternate all-gray uniforms planned for later in the season. But if this team plays with the edge Day says it practiced with in the spring and he expects this month, alternate uniforms will be nothing to talk about. The brand of football will be a talking point among the media and the fans.
Day thought about how to avoid the second-half letdowns against Michigan and Georgia. He constructed everything in practice to be about winning and losing. His idea: develop a competitive edge to carry the team through 4 quarters to 15 victories and the big trophy.
Questions, as always, surround the team along with negative and positive fan feelings.
Here are 5 important questions to be answered this month:
1. Who is the starting quarterback?
Third-year Kyle McCord and second-year Devin Brown would like to know the answer to that question as well.
They shared reps in the spring until Brown injured a finger on his throwing hand. McCord played well in the spring game, especially in the second half. But the 5-star recruit who was Marvin Harrison Jr.’s QB in high school didn’t do quite enough to be named the starter. Or, Day wants to give Brown a chance to prove he’s the man for the job and keep competition at the highest level possible.
Day spoke to the media on Tuesday, but nothing has changed.
“In an ideal world, you’d love to have somebody emerge after the first week or two,” Day said.
Whether it’s McCord of Brown, the expectation is that the Buckeyes have nothing to worry about. Since Day arrived in Columbus, quarterback play has been some of the best in the country every year.
2. How many running backs will be involved when it matters?
TreVeyon Henderson clearly carried the load as a freshman, rushing for over 1,200 yards. Miyan Williams was the clear backup. Now there is more depth with Chip Trayanum, Dallan Hayden and Evan Pryor.
Henderson played on an injured foot much of last season and his role diminished. Williams and Hayden picked up the slack. Trayanum looked good in the spring, and Pryor is coming back after missing last season with an injury. In August last year there was talk that Pryor would be in the mix for quality time on the field.
So is this year by committee? Day and running backs coach Tony Alford love to talk about the depth, which will be important if injuries happen again. But if healthy, what’s to stop Henderson from being elite?
The preseason lists of top running backs in the country are largely ignoring Henderson. But he could change that narrative by the time the Buckeyes go to Notre Dame.
3. Who are the starting offensive tackles?
Josh Fryar, a redshirt junior, was the sixth man last year and started at right tackle against Indiana. There is no reason to think based on the spring and the start of camp that he won’t be the left tackle.
Right tackle, however, is not clear. Redshirt sophomore Zen Michalski repped with the first team at the start of camp. Redshirt freshman Tegra Tshabola is also a candidate. The wildcard who could take the job is redshirt sophomore Josh Simmons.
Simmons transferred from San Diego State, and the Buckeyes brought him in for a reason. By the time Day decides on his QB, expect the line starters to be in place.
4. Will Ryan Day fully give up play-calling responsibilities to new OC Brian Hartline?
Day, who often draws praise for his play-calling, spoke the day before practice about how game-planning, organizing practice and personnel deployment is the bulk of the work for an OC. He downplayed the play-calling.
“The easiest part of being a coordinator is calling the plays,” Day said. “You have a sheet, and if it’s on the sheet, it’s good enough to call. There is an art to it.”
Despite those thoughts and despite that Day says Hartline is doing a good job calling plays in live moments so far, he still hasn’t said he will 100% relinquish control.
5. Who will start at the 3 safety positions?
Lathan Ransom is a lock to return as a starting safety.
Perhaps the other 2 questions were answered on Thursday’s first day of practice when Ja’Had Carter and Sonny Styles repped almost the entire practice with the first team.
Carter transferred from Syracuse and was on the field at free safety (or the adjuster in DC Jim Knowles’ terminology). Styles, a 5-star from the Columbus area who started college a year early, can play strong safety for sure at 6-4 and 230 pounds. But Knowles also said Styles can play nickel and cover slot receivers.
“Don’t assume anything with Sonny,” Knowles said. “He’s extremely talented and can do it all.”