The Ohio State offense walks off the field during the first-half of a 24-10 win over Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI Oct. 28. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
The 2023-24 NCAA football season has come to a close, marking the end of the four-team College Football Playoff era and the running for a newly crowned national champion.
Ohio State has already started to ratchet things up, adding new coaches to the roster while letting others go, welcoming members of one of its best recruiting classes in 2024 and watching others move on in hopes of making their NFL dreams come true.
One Last Run
Although some Buckeyes have decided to finish their careers elsewhere, whether through the NFL draft or transfer portal, several will continue their collegiate athletic careers at Ohio State in the name of “unfinished business.”
Seven Buckeyes have announced their return via social media, including junior defensive end Jack Sawyer, junior defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, senior defensive tackle Ty Hamilton, senior safety Lathan Ransom, junior offensive lineman Donovan Jackson and junior cornerback Jordan Hancock.
In an Instagram post Friday, Ransom said his decision came after much contemplation and prayer.
“It’s not easy to leave a team. It’s much harder to leave a brotherhood,” Ransom said. “This football program and the university mean too much to me, and we have unfinished business.”
Ransom, a vital piece in Ohio State’s secondary, sustained a left leg injury against Wisconsin on Oct. 28, 2023, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Though he could not play, Ransom was spotted several times on the sidelines, particularly during home games.
NFL Bound
The 2024 NFL draft is less than three months away, and so far, five Buckeyes have declared for the draft.
These include graduate linebacker Steele Chambers, junior defensive tackle Michael Hall, graduate wide receiver Xavier Johnson, graduate offensive lineman Matthew Jones and senior running back Miyan Williams.
Nevertheless, some are still contemplating their futures, with the biggest name being Marvin Harrison Jr.
According to Mel Kiper, an expert analyst who’s served for ESPN’s annual draft coverage since 1984, Harrison is the No. 2 prospect in the draft, just a slot behind USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
The junior wide receiver broke several records this year, becoming the first Buckeye to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, finishing as the all-time leader in 100-yard receiving games, leading him to win the 2023 Biletnikoff award and becoming a Heisman finalist.
While Harrison opted out of the Cotton Bowl, several others who’ve not announced their commitment did play, including junior running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Starting cornerback Denzel Burke announced Wednesday via Instagram that he will return next season. The junior said it was a tough decision, but he wants to spend his final season helping the Buckeyes win a national championship.
“There’s no rush for me to go to the league,” Burke said. “I want to graduate and keep developing into an elite corner. I’m chasing greatness and my own legacy as a corner. I wanna spend this last year with my brothers and win a championship.”
With the deadline slowly approaching, players have until Monday to make their final decision on whether to stay a student-athlete or possibly become professional athletes.
Coaching Staff
With a new year comes new players as well as coaching staff, and the Buckeyes are on the move.
On Wednesday, the Ohio State Athletic Department announced special teams coordinator Parking Fleming will not be retained on staff next season.
Fleming spent three seasons as the special teams coordinator for Ohio State.
The release comes just three days after safeties coach Perry Eliano, who was in the final year of his initial two-year contract with the program, was let go.
While the Buckeyes are still looking for a successor to replace Fleming, they have found someone to take the place of Eliano.
Matt Guerrieri will become the program’s new safety coach, Ohio State announced Wednesday. Guerrieri was a senior adviser and analyst on defense during the 2022 season and worked with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles in 2012 at Duke University.
Transfer Portal
So far, 19 Buckeyes have entered the transfer portal, with the most notable being junior quarterback Kyle McCord.
McCord, who started in all 13 games this past season, entered the portal Dec. 4, 2023, after one year of starting at the helm of the offense.
Despite leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record, a loss to Michigan ultimately bumped the Buckeyes out of playoff contention and McCord into an Orange uniform, as he committed to Syracuse just a few weeks later.
With one quarterback gone, the Buckeyes turned to the portal, snagging former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
According to 247 Sports, Howard is the fifth-best quarterback in the portal, just six slots ahead of McCord. A four-year veteran, Howard played in 34 games, totaling 5,786 passing yards, 48 touchdowns and a 59% completion percentage as a Wildcat.
Ohio State also added former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, who was rated as the No. 1 back in the portal and is one of only two SEC running backs in history to have both 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in their first two seasons.
Henderson remains undecided, Williams declared for the draft and Chip Trayanum transferred to Cincinnati.
Notable Buckeyes who have entered the portal include junior punter Jesse Micro, senior wide receiver Julian Fleming and junior running back Evan Pryor.
First Day of School
While Monday marked the first day back, for others it signified the start of their college career.
Eighteen midyear enrollees, who are a part of the Ohio State football program, began their football journey, no longer as recruits, but as collegiate student-athletes.
A few of these names include Miles Lockhart, Bryce West, Ian Moore, James People and Jeremiah Smith.
Smith, who was the No. 1-rated recruit, reaffirmed his commitment after signing with the Buckeyes on Dec. 20, 2023. Smith’s announcement solidified the Buckeyes in retaining the most five-star commits, including Aaron Scott Jr., Eddrick Houston, Myles Graham and Air Noland.
While Smith may be new to campus, he did pass his first test, helping the Buckeyes go a perfect 5-for-5 on signing day.
