The Ohio State Buckeyes have already started spring practice, and they're hoping to build on another College Football Playoff berth from last season. After losing several young players - especially defensively - to the NFL Draft, the Buckeyes are dealing with a lot of turnover again. Here is all the latest Ohio State news & rumors you need to know:
Barrett at no risk of losing starting job
There have been rumors around the Ohio State program that quarterback J.T. Barrett may have to earn his starting job again this spring after struggling at the end of last season, but ESPN's Austin Ward reports that is absolutely not the case.
Perhaps the combination of being beaten by Cardale Jones to open the 2015 season and the drop in his completion percentage last year -- even before the humbling shutout loss in the College Football Playoff -- has at least cracked the door for questions about whether it’s time for somebody else to lead a loaded Ohio State roster.
But even with Joe Burrow offering glimpses of his ability to command the attack off the bench last season or Dwayne Haskins turning heads with his rocket arm on the scout team, those discussions aren’t happening inside the locker room at Ohio State.
Barrett is a proven winner, with 26 victories as a starter. He’s one of the most prolific touchdown-producing machines the Big Ten has ever seen, accounting for 100 between his scoring passes and rushes the past three years. He’s also the first three-time captain in Ohio State’s storied history, which leaves no doubt about the value of his long-heralded leadership.
Barrett passed for 2,555 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season while rushing for 845 yards and nine more touchdowns.
Browning may see immediate playing time
It remains to be seen what role five-star linebacker Baron Browning will have for the Buckeyes this season, but one thing is for sure - he will have one. According to Bill Landis of Cleveland.com, Browning is expected to see some immediate playing time in the fall.
Sticking Browning in a No. 5 jersey, and putting him at middle linebacker on Day 1 was a not-so-subtle reminder of what's expected of him. Ohio State just lost a five-star, face-of-the-defense kind of talent in McMillan, and the plan is for Browning to eventually replace him. That plan started in the recruiting process.
That's what's most important in determining how much Browning sees the field in his first season at Ohio State. How does he react with these expectations on his plate? Chris Worley is the starting middle linebacker right now, and linebacker might be the Buckeyes' deepest position. Ohio State wants Browning in the mix, but if he's not then that's just a normal path for a freshman.
Browning was ranked as the No. 1 outside linebacker and No. 11 overall prospect in the country by 247sports.
Kevin Wilson still feeling out the offense
Wilson is in his first year as Ohio State's offensive coordinator, and while he has been on the job for a few months, he is still feeling out exactly how he wants to use the talent the Buckeyes have, according to Ward.
And for his part, Wilson hardly seems worried about updating Ohio State’s playbook or even putting together a finished product at this point. For now, he’s still just getting to know the players and figuring out how much talent he has to work with -- regardless of how it might compare to his previous stops.
“What you did in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again,” Wilson said. “I’m kind of used to change. But I have core values in offensive football that parallel almost exactly, word-for-word verbatim to what Coach Meyer believes. The first adjustment is not an adjustment, because we’re on the same page as far as how you want to run the offense. Maybe the language is different, maybe the things you emphasize, as I continue to learn and grow that, in time maybe we enhance.
“But right now we’re running our stuff and running it with some great players.”
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