Earle Bruce's seventh Ohio State team had excellent depth at linebacker and skill positions but inexperience roamed in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Pepper Johnson, Larry Kolic, Byron Lee and Chris Spielman made up the strong linebacking corps. On offense, Keith Byars, Cris Carter and Mike Lanese set out to make the life easier for junior quarterback Jim Karsatos.
Byars Broken Bone
Just 12 days before the start of the season, Byars broke a bone in his right foot during a non-contact practice drill.