Spring has almost sprung — at least meteorologically and in the case of Ohio State football. That’s because OSU’s spring practices are set to begin on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center is about to be buzzing.
Last season was not successful for Buckeye standards. There was no Big Ten title and no College Football Playoff appearance to speak of. There was a shared division title and Rose Bowl victory, but that’s not how things are measured on the banks of the Olentangy. That’s highly successful for other programs, but not the blue blood that is the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Coming into the offseason, there are plenty of things to watch for. Though the offense returns a lot of skill position players, the defense is being reworked and there are a ton of fresh faces on the coaching staff.
You can’t lose a football season in the spring, but you sure can get off on the wrong foot and not keep pace with other programs, especially when you are the one everyone seems to be chasing.
So, we’ll keep our eyes on all the shenanigans going on over there at the Woody. Here are five storylines to watch as the helmets and pads go on in Columbus.
The defense, the defense, the defense …
New Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is getting paid
Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles watches during football practice at the Sherman Smith Training Center. Credit: The Oklahoman
Why we are interested
It was clearly the sore point of the team last year. Sure, there were times when it appeared some of the leaks in the defensive dam had been plugged, but against better teams, the cracks appeared and resulted in a raging gush of yards and points allowed. The Ohio State defense has not been up to championship level for a couple of years now, and it’s the most important thing that needs fixing.
Ryan Day…
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