Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice

© Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
What a season it was for the Ohio State Buckeyes. After a crushing loss to rival Michigan, Ohio State tore through the newly expanded College Football Playoff, dismantling Tennessee, avenging its loss to Oregon, defeating Texas and ultimately handling Notre Dame to win the national championship.
The celebration in Columbus was in full swing on the night of the title victory. But in college football, things change quickly.
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
© Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Almost immediately, the Buckeyes faced major staff departures. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles announced he was leaving for Penn State, setting up an intriguing Nov. 1 matchup this coming season.
Days later, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly accepted the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders after just one season in Columbus. Meanwhile, offensive line coach Justin Frye, often criticized by fans, took the same position with the Arizona Cardinals.
On offense, head coach Ryan Day opted for in-house promotions. Superstar recruiter and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline was elevated to offensive coordinator, while tight ends coach Keenan Bailey was promoted to co-offensive coordinator. Both will continue coaching their respective position groups.
Defensively, Day made a bold move, hiring veteran NFL coach Matt Patricia to lead the unit. The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Patricia, who spent last season out of coaching, has not worked in college football since 2003. While his football acumen is widely respected, adapting to the modern college game will be his biggest challenge.
The Buckeyes continue to recruit at an elite level, regularly finishing in the top five of the Rivals Team Recruiting Rankings. That trend is expected to continue, but a familiar debate lingers: How much does Ohio State prioritize in-state talent versus national prospects?
For the 2026 recruiting class, the Buckeyes currently have five commitments, three of whom are from Ohio. However, the focus has been on top in-state prospects choosing to leave.
Four-star prospects Kaden Gebhardt, Adam Guthrie, Victor Singleton and Cam Thomas have all committed elsewhere. Three-star offensive linemen Ben Congdon and Will Conroy are also headed to other programs.
Perhaps most concerning, five-star cornerback Elbert Hill did not include Ohio State in his initial list of official visits.
The new staff members will have their recruiting chops tested immediately. The Buckeyes will undoubtedly secure their share of blue-chip talent, but the trend of in-state stars leaving remains a sore spot for the fan base.
© Barbara Perenic/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
As spring football begins in Columbus, a new wave of talent is set to emerge.
Quarterback Julian Sayin enters as the expected starter, surrounded by a deep group of playmakers, including star receiver Jeremiah Smith. In the backfield, James Peoples and transfer CJ Donaldson are poised to form a formidable one-two punch.
Defensively, several former blue-chip recruits will step into bigger roles, but the biggest name returning is safety Caleb Downs, who could be the best defender in the country.
With plenty of new faces and moving parts, Ohio State's title defense will be tested early. The Buckeyes will get an immediate challenge when Texas comes to Columbus on Aug. 30.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT DOTTINGTHEEYES.COM

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

4 hours ago

• Yahoo

Texas A&M starting QB Marcel Reed is being highly undervalued this offseason

Texas A&M's 2025 football season is critical for several reasons, starting with second-year head coach Mike Elko's future with the program, and followed by starting quarterback Marcel Reed's standing in the depth chart, knowing that he'll need to improve as a pocket passer to lead the Aggies to the program's first College Football Playoff berth. It's early, and quarterback rankings, especially in the SEC, are premature. Still, we've all assembled our own, including Aggies Wire contributor Dylan Flippo's SEC QB rankings, where he placed Marcel Reed at No. 6, providing an accurate assessment of his reasoning behind the high standing. "Amongst a stacked class of dual-threat quarterbacks in the conference this season, Reed has what it takes to be the best. His 1,864 passing yards in 11 games and 12.2 yards per carry last season were just a glimpse into the potential he has at the helm for the Aggies. Staying present and in the moment will be key for Reed with just a year of SEC experience under his belt." Advertisement Marcel Reed doesn't lack confidence, and as Flippo noted, he was close to passing for 2,000 yards in a season where quarterback Conner Weigman also started several games before transferring to Houston this offseason. Reed's legs are his strength, but his offseason workouts have shown a player with plenty of zip on his throws and velocity to boot. Still, Reed remains undervalued among SEC signal callers. While he should be ranked under Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), every other projected SEC starting quarterback is up for debate. On Monday, College Football Report released its latest SEC QB rankings, unsurprisingly being ranked at No. 10 below first-year Ole Miss starters Austin Simmons (Ole Miss) and Ty Simpson (Alabama). One theory is that non-Texas A&M media members are judging Marcel Reed based on his poor play against the Texas Longhorns in last season's 17-7 loss. If that is indeed the case, it is highly unfair and one of the primary reasons his skillset is being overlooked. However, while he has shown flashes of brilliance, it's time for the Tennessee native to put together a complete season in 2025. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed ranked 10th in recent SEC QB rankings

USA Today

4 hours ago

• USA Today

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko has already proven to be an elite recruiter

When Texas A&M hired Mike Elko as the program's head football coach in November of 2023, the Jimbo Fisher era was chaotic, to say the least, as the Aggies failed to live up to their recruiting success, which included landing what many still consider the greatest recruiting class during the 2022 cycle. Former Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork, now with Ohio State, initially wanted to hire Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops to succeed Fisher. However, after a bizarre night before Elko was officially hired, which included online pressure from the Aggie fan base, the decision was made. Elko's two-year head coaching stint at Duke included a 16-9 record, with nine wins during his first season in North Carolina. After serving as Jimbo Fisher's defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021, Bjork and the Board of Regents were highly familiar with his elite defensive playcalling and player development. However, Elko faced immediate questions regarding his ability to recruit at a high level, especially in the SEC. But after landing the 10th-ranked 2025 signing class, these worries slowly disappeared and have all but evaporated after last week's and this weekend's immense success in the 2026 recruiting class. After three 2026 commits, including four-star wide receiver Aaron Gregory, shut down their recruitment, showing high confidence in Elko and his staff. With 19 commits after landing five stars Tristian Givens (edge) and Brandon Arrington (cornerback) over the last two days, Texas A&M's No. 2-ranked cycle features four top-100 ranked prospects, including three committing since Tuesday, as four-star running back KJ Edwards was the first domino to drop. As Jaxson Callaway notes, Elko has now beaten out the likes of Tennessee, Texas, and Oregon since early last week. According to several analysts, this is just the start, with several priority prospects set to announce their commitments next month. Relationships and a clear understanding of how the Aggies' coaching staff will develop each recruit have been a winning strategy thus far. They will hopefully result in better on-field results for years to come. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Yahoo

9 hours ago

• Yahoo

Savion Hiter dons Michigan uniform with Bryce Underwood in stunning recruiting photo shoot

Michigan football rolled out the maize and blue carpet for prospects who made their way to Ann Arbor this past weekend, especially with the Wolverines hosting arguably their top overall target. It hasn't been a secret that the run-first Wolverines strongly covet 2026 Mineral (Virginia) Louisa County five-star running back Savion Hiter, who has reciprocated that interest since position coach Tony Alford jumped ship from Ohio State to the maize and blue. Hiter has been on campus several times, but this weekend marked his pivotal official visit. Michigan was able to pull no punches, showing him everything he needs to know should he decide to wear a winged helmet. Advertisement Michigan does a photo shoot with every recruit it brings in. For Hiter, however, the Wolverines had the 2025 No. 1 overall recruit, five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, pose with Hiter: handing the ball off to him as would be the case if Hiter signs with the Wolverines. They also made a video that emulates what would be posted by the team on signing day if he enters the fray. Hiter posted both on Monday. Hiter is the No. 17 overall prospect on the 247Sports composite. He also is strongly considering Tennessee, Ohio State and Georgia. Ann Arbor was his penultimate visit. A trip to Knoxville takes place this weekend. The Vols are considered the primary competition to Michigan for Hiter's services. This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Savion Hiter and Bryce Underwood star in Michigan's recruiting vision