Position Group Overview

Quarterback (Grade: A+)

CJ Stroud (4-star #2PRO ‘20) returns for his second year as the Buckeye starter after a 4,435 yard, 44 TD campaign that made him a Heisman finalist. It’s between him and Alabama’s Bryce Young for the 2022 Heisman favorite and top QB prospect in next year’s draft. There’s no concern here, as Stroud will lead the nation’s most prolific passing offense.

If Stroud should miss time due to injury, Ohio State should be able to manage with Kyle McCord (5star #6QB ‘21) as the primary backup. Ryan Day is great at developing QBs and with loads of talent, McCord should be able to step up if called upon.

This is one of the nation’s top QB rooms and the strength of a loaded OSU offense.

Running Back (Grade: A+)

The only loss here is Master Teague, who was the primary backup behind Dobbins in ’19, Sermon in ’20, and was third on the team with 363 yards last year.

Treveyon Henderson (5star #1RB ‘21) should build on an incredible freshman campaign which saw him run for 1,248 yards and 15 TDs on 6.8 ypc. He’s electric in the open field and also a great pass-catcher, hauling in 27 receptions for 312 yards and 4 TDs. Henderson is one of the most talented running backs in the entire country.

But don’t discount Miyan Williams (3star #45RB ‘20) who racked up 508 yards and 3 TDs on a ridiculous 7.2 ypc. Although not the pass-catcher Henderson is, the Cincinnati product excels at making defenders miss in tight spaces. And despite being only 5’9″, he’s 225lbs and a bear to bring down. Williams is the perfect compliment to Henderson and should see an increased role in an offense that wants to recommit to the ground game.

Evan Pryor (4star #6RB ’21) might command some touches after getting rave reviews in the spring. Should Henderson or Williams go down, Pryor will be able to step up and exceed in a bigger role.

This group has top-tier talent and depth. Although the pass game steals most of the headlines, this should be one of the Big Ten’s top rushing attacks. Ohio State should run the ball more and put up even better numbers than last year.

Receivers (Grade: A+)

Wide Receiver

Despite the losses of 1st round picks Olave and Wilson, this unit might be even stronger than last year. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the obvious leader and might even contend for the Heisman. He put up 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and 9 TDs in 2021 and had his best game when Olave and Wilson sat the Rose Bowl, hauling in 15 receptions for 347 yards and 3 TDs. JSN is the favorite for the Biletnikoff and should be a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

But this group is far from a one-man show. Marvin Harrison Jr (4star #14WR ‘21) saw his only meaningful action in the Rose Bowl and made the most of it, catching 6 balls for 71 yards and 3 TDs. With great route-running and big size, the Hall of Famer’s son should be Ohio State’s top redzone target.

Emeka Egbuka (5star #1WR ‘21) is probably the 2nd-most talented receiver on this team. But primarily filling in the slot behind JSN means he’s likely a year away from breaking out.

Julian Flemming (5star #1WR ’20) is a more physical, jump-ball receiver but has struggled with injuries since getting to OSU. Now supposedly 100%, Flemming could blossom into a star with plenty of targets up for grabs.

Kamryn Babb (4star #13WR ‘18) could finally step up and see a big role in the offense after 4 ACL injuries have kept him from the field. With Jayden Ballard (4star #15WR ‘21) and 4 top-30 WRs from the 2022 class, talent is abundant in this room.

Tight End

With TE Jeremy Ruckert lost to the NFL, Ohio State will likely fill his shoes with a committee at TE consisting of Cade Stover (4star #7OLB ‘19), Mitch Rossi (walk-on ’17), and Gee Scott (4star #10WR ‘20). Stover, who’s switched from LB to TE a couple times in his career, and Rossi figure to be the top blockers while Scott might be the top receiving threat after moving to TE last year.

This is perhaps the top receiving room in the entire country. It might take a couple of games for them to find their form with so many young faces stepping into big roles, but having Stroud at QB makes their inexperience a non-issue.

Offensive Line (Grade: A-)

While Ohio State’s experiment of starting 4 tackles last year worked in pass protection (allowing only 17 sacks), they failed to run the ball consistently against top defenses. They lose LT Petit-Frere and LG Munford, but should be a more productive group with everyone playing the right position.

Paris Johnson (5star #1OT ’21) is moving from RG to where he belongs at RT after being named 2nd-team All Big Ten as a true freshman. Dawand Jones (3star #86 OT ’19) is a monster at 6’8″ 360lbs and stays at LT after being 3rd-team All Big Ten last year. Johnson and Jones are two of the best tackles in the Big Ten.

Matthew Jones (4star #1OC ‘18) and Donovan Jackson (5star #1OL ‘21) should both be solid at guard and Big Ten HM Luke Wypler (4star #2OC ’20) returns at center.

Although stronger on edge than inside, this offensive line has very few weaknesses and should only improve from last year. However, depth is an issue behind these 5 starters – a concern Ryan Day expressed in spring. If one or two guys go down with an injury, Ohio State might be in some trouble.

Defensive Line (Grade: A-)

Although a fairly productive group last year, the defensive line failed to have anyone step up into an elite pass-rusher and they got manhandled against Michigan. They only lose Tyreke Smith at DE (who started 9 games and had 3 sacks last year), but have a big loss at DT in 1st-team All Big Ten Haskell Garrett.

Defensive End

Zach Harrison (5star #2SDE ‘19) was expected to follow in the steps of the Bosa brothers and Chase Young at DE but has yet to live up to the hype, only showing flashes of greatness. He forewent the NFL Draft to return and claim his spot as an elite player.

But even if Harrison doesn’t step up, Ohio State should be okay with JT Tuimoloau (5star #2DL ‘21) and Jack Sawyer (5star #4DL ‘21) looking to build on productive freshman campaigns. Javontae Jean-Baptise (4star #16OLB ’18) could also step into a bigger role and provides great depth for a talented DE group.

Defensive Tackle

DT is a little bit more of a question mark, though. Tyleik Williams (4star #25DL ‘21) should start in one spot after appearing in 12 games last year and making 5 sacks. The other DT spot should be filled by a couple of veterans in Taron Vincent (5star #1DT ‘18) and Jerron Cage (4star #14DT ‘17). Vincent came on strong towards the end of the year and had a great Rose Bowl, while Cage has been a role player for the past 4 seasons and hopes to finally make the jump to starter.

Although Ohio State is relying on a lot of guys to take big steps forward in their development for this unit to be successful, they have four reliable options on the edge and three on the inside. DL Coach Larry Johnson is still here and he is one of the best in all of college football at developing players. This unit will step up and play to its potential in 2022.

Linebacker (Grade: B+)

This back-7 of this defense struggled mightily last year – and that is putting it lightly. The LB unit rotated a lot of players and seemed to lack cohesion after having to replace 3 starters. That confusion was on display against Utah, as the ball was snapped regularly with guys out of position. However, with no departures and a new 4-2-5 scheme, this unit should be vastly improved.

Tommy Eichenberg (4star #19ILB ‘18) and Steel Chambers (4star #11ATH ‘19) figure to be the starters. Eichenberg was 2nd on the team with 64 tackles, including 17 in the Rose Bowl. He had a great spring game and has the full trust of the new coaching staff. Chambers was one of the few consistent players on defense after making the move from RB last year and should only improve entering his 2nd full season at the position.

This group does not lack depth, though. CJ Hicks (5star #1ILB ’22) possesses too much talent to be left off the field. Cody Simon (4star #4ILB ’20) and Teradja Mitchell (4star #2ILB ‘18) both offer good experience – combining for 18 starts and 99 tackles last year – and hope to live up to their high rankings as recruits.

The depth and talent at this position are undeniable, but they seem to be missing that dynamic linebacker who can make plays all over the field. Think Pete Werner, Darron Lee, Ryan Shazier. Nonetheless, this group should make big strides from last year and no longer be a liability.

Defensive Back (Grade: B+)

Ohio State’s secondary has not been right for the past two seasons which led to the massive overhaul of the defensive coaching staff. A few guys transferred, but this unit stays largely in tact and, like the linebackers, should flourish in the new scheme.

Cornerback

Denzel Burke (4star #8ATH ‘21) committed a lot of penalties last year (as freshmen tend to do) but also showed flashes of greatness with 12 PBUs. He was often in good position but just couldn’t get his head turned, a problem Okudah also had before breaking out in 2019. Burke should be the Buckeyes’ next lockdown corner and one of the Big Ten’s best.

Cameron Brown (4star #54WR ‘18) started the first two games of 2021 before going down with an achilles injury that cost him the season. He should reclaim the other starting spot. Talented 2nd-year players Jordan Hancock (4star #5CB ‘21) and Jakalik Johnson (4star #3CB ‘21) could also contend for playing time.

Safety

Ronnie Hickman is locked in at one of the safety positions after leading the Buckeyes with 100 tackles and 2 INTs.

Tanner McCalister (3star #57CB ‘18) followed new DC Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State after accumulating 83 tackles and 11 PBUs the past two seasons. He knows this new defense very well and should be a leader for this new-look secondary.

Josh Proctor (4star #7S ‘18) is favorited to start in the final safety position after going down for the year in the third game of 2021. Although Kyle Stokes (4star #16ATH ‘22) and Kourt Williams (4star #12OLB ‘20) could push him for play time.

This secondary should be almost unrecognizable compared to 2021’s pitiful group. Burke, Hickman, and McCalister should be three of the Big Ten’s best. Even though the other starting cornerback and safety positions aren’t solidified, there is talent there. It’ll probably take another year for these young players to develop into one of the nation’s top units, but there should be drastic improvement at every position. Coupled with a strong defensive front that will be able to pressure opposing QBs, this should be one of the conference’s top pass defenses.

Schedule & Game Predictions

Projected 2022 Record: 14-1 (9-0 BIG)

Opponent	Date	Time (EST)	Prediction
BYE	–	–	–
vs Notre Dame	Sept 3rd	7:30pm	W
vs Arkansas St	Sept 10th	12:00pm	W
vs Toledo	Sept 17th	7:00pm	W
vs Wisconsin	Sept 24th	12:00pm	W
vs Rutgers	Oct 1st	TBD	W
at Michigan State	Oct 8th	TBD	W
BYE	–	–	–
vs Iowa	Oct 22nd	TBD	W
at Penn State	Oct 29th	TBD	W
at Northwestern	Nov 5th	TBD	W
vs Indiana	Nov 12th	TBD	W
at Maryland	Nov 19th	TBD	W
vs Michigan	Nov 26th	12:00pm	W
BIG Championship vs Wisconsin	Dec 3rd	8:00pm	W
CFP vs Georgia	Dec 31st	8:00pm	W
National Championship vs Alabama	January 9th	8:30pm	L

Coaching Changes

Ryan Day enters his 4th season with the Buckeyes, going 34-4 so far. After a season that fell below Ohio State’s standards, Day instituted a massive overhaul of his staff. This change hopes to provide a better defense and tougher offensive line.

Offense

The only offensive coaching change was the departure of OL coach Studwara. He is replaced by Justin Frye who will be the run game coordinator. He played tackle at Indiana from 2002-06 and coached with Ryan Day at Temple until Day left to join Chip Kelly’s staff on the Eagles. Frye also coached with Urban Meyer at Florida from 2009-10, and most recently coached with Chip Kelly at UCLA as their offensive line coach. They were second in the Pac-12 in both rushing and total yards last year.

Defense

Coombs (DC), Barnes (DB), and Washington (LB) all depart from an underwhelming 2021 defense. Jim Knowles comes in as DC & LB coach after being Oklahoma State’s DC since 2018. Their defense improved year over year, giving up 269 pass yards per game in 2017 as opposed to 184 last year (best in the Big 12). He has over 30 years of D1 coaching experience at various schools.

Perry Eliano comes in to coach the safeties after spending the last two seasons as Cincinnati’s CB coach, leading one of the nation’s best secondaries.

Finally, Tim Walton will be the CB coach. He played for the Buckeyes under John Cooper and was a defensive assistant at various schools from 1999-2008. He then moved to the NFL and has coached the Lions, Rams, Giants, and (most recently) Jaguars.

These are great additions across the board and should help turn 2021’s weaknesses into strengths this upcoming season.

What to Expect in 2022

Offense

Offensively, expect a group that will be able to score almost at will. Although the 2021 offense was great, they relied too much on big plays. OSU struggled to go on long, sustained drives which often kept the defense on the field for long stretches of time.

Michigan exposed that weakness, as Ohio State could barely run the ball and relied on ridiculous grabs by Garrett Wilson and JSN to stay in the game. Ryan Day recognizes this and will rely more on the run game than he did last year.

While Treveyon Henderson is the undoubted leader at running back, expect Miyan Williams to sniff 1,000 rushing yards as his role as a gritty, tough-to-tackle runner expands.

Expect Smith-Njigba to challenge the record of 2,060 receiving yards set in 1999 by Trevor Insley from Nevada. Even though defenses will be focused on him, Njigba is nearly impossible to guard one-on-one and has insane RAC ability.

On top of that, expect Marvin Harrison, Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Flemming to all have very similar statistics. I don’t see any one of them separating themselves as an elite second option next to JSN. Rather, I think Ohio State’s second receiving option will vary game to game, making them even harder to defend.

Defense

Defensively, expect nothing to be the same from last year. Zach Harrison should finally play up to his potential and Jack Sawyer should burst onto the national scene as “the next Bosa.”

Although the reconstruction of the back-7 is sure to go through some growing pains, they will also force more turnovers and make more game-changing plays. I could see them being a “bend don’t break” defense, giving up yards but stepping up in the redzone.

While it may take some time for this defense to take form, they will only have to be good – not great – for Ohio State to beat the majority of Big Ten teams. The Silver Bullets will hit their stride late in the season, helping them beat Michigan and enter Championship Weekend as the nation’s top team.

Post Season

Alabama’s defeat of Georgia in the SEC Championship will catapult them over Ohio State as the nation’s top team, setting up for a semifinal against Clemson. Ohio State, on the other hand, will face a Georgia team fresh off their first loss of the season. The Big Ten will get the best of the SEC in the playoff for the first time since 2014.

Expect a game for the ages in the title game vs Alabama. These two teams are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the country, and they should both play like it throughout the season. With the dominance of both teams and the NFL Draft hype between QBs Young and Stroud, this game will draw memories of the 2005 title featuring Vince Young and Matt Leinart.

And like that 2005 game, this one should be a classic. With highlight reels on both offense and defense, I expect Ohio State and Alabama to give the nation the quality of a national title game we all deserve. 

However, one of these teams have players and a coaching staff who have been in this position multiple times in the past. And in an evenly-matched game like this one, that experience will be the difference. 

At the expense of Buckeye fans’ hearts, Alabama will be crowned the champions of college football yet again. Like 2019, an all-time great Ohio State team will be left with feelings of “what if.” Despite the success, taking down Alabama will be a hope for the 2023 season, rather than an accomplishment of 2022.