Members of the Ohio State defense huddle between plays during the Buckeyes Student Appreciation Day practice Saturday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
In 2014, the Buckeyes won their eighth national championship.
Despite expectations to go back-to-back in 2015, Ohio State lost to Michigan State late in the regular season and missed the four-team College Football Playoff.
The 2024-25 Buckeyes know the age-old saying that history repeats itself. This year’s team, however, isn’t putting much stock in it.
After Ohio State’s Jan. 20 national championship win in the debut 12-team College Football Playoff, memorabilia was dispersed around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in celebration.
Nearly three months later, many Buckeye fans are still riding high from the team’s improbable run. But inside the facility, there’s little suggestion of a national title. In fact, the new leaders of the 2025-26 team wanted some of the remembrances to be taken down.
“The 2014 team, they were great, and the 2015 [team] had more talent,” senior offensive lineman Carson Hinzman said. “But they were a little undisciplined, and what they did, we don’t want to become a story like that. To be able to take all that stuff down and get in the mindset ‘we haven’t earned anything’ has been important for us.”
Star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith — who’s working to be more outspoken this spring — said the Buckeyes have officially pressed the reset button.
“We can’t live in the past,” Smith said. “The 2024 team won the National Championship. This [year’s team], we didn’t.”
New defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said football is unlike other sports when it comes to trying to repeat as champions.
“It’s different than boxing; when you win a championship in boxing, the next time you step in the ring, you step in as the champ, and you have to defend your title,” Patricia said. “When you win a championship in football, the next time you step on the field, it’s something new — it’s a new season, it’s a new team; you have to start over. You’re not defending anything. What you won, you won — that can’t be taken away from you. That was last season.”
Even so, there are still banners hanging on the walls of the indoor practice field — emblems that will be there for eternity. The new leaders understand that, but are still doing all they can to eliminate potential distractions.
“We try not to talk about it as much because it’s a whole different team and we’ve got to earn it, just like we earned it last year,” said junior offensive lineman Luke Montgomery.
This fresh, focused mindset began just hours after the team’s national championship celebration inside Ohio Stadium Jan. 26.
After the Buckeyes invited fans inside the ‘Shoe to commemorate their historic victory, Ohio State held its final team meeting to celebrate the champions inside the main meeting room at the Woody.
The seniors — like they had all year — sat in the front, followed by juniors and the underclassmen toward the back.
On that day, all departing players stood out of their chairs, walked to the front of the room and faced the returning players.
It was a changing of the guard. The juniors, as the program’s new leaders, filled the seniors’ former seats.
“It was kind of a ceremony,” head coach Ryan Day said. “You’re now going from being a junior to being a senior that we’re counting on to be a leader. You’re now going from being a freshman to a guy that has to step up as a sophomore and get on the field. Your role has physically changed in the room by moving down in the team room.”
Throughout the spring, senior defensive lineman Caden Curry said new leaders have emerged who are continuing to progress in their distinct roles, particularly those on the defensive line.
“Me, [Kenyatta Jackson Jr.] and [C.J. Hicks] are all trying to take that leadership role,” Curry said. “We’re trying to push the guys to be the best version of themselves every day. We’re definitely trying to take that next step.”
Moving forward, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline said the entire program understands this rising team hasn’t accomplished anything quite yet, and these new Buckeyes have a long way to go.
“We were trying to build the map to get to where you wanted to get to,” Hartline said. “But now that we have the map, it doesn’t mean we’ve traveled the path.”
