Ohio State surprising playoff collapse to Clemson turned a number of heads with Urban Meyer admitting that his program and their fans are “not used to this”. The Buckeyes have a lot of work to do as they attempt to bounce back from that embarrassing 31-0 loss to the Tigers in their College Football Playoff semi-final and challenge for a Big Ten and national championships next season. Here is a look at the biggest offseason priorities for Ohio State.
Finish Recruiting Season On High Note
The Buckeyes had 43 true and redshirt freshman and lost just one senior starter from last year’s team so there will be a ton of returning talent this season. However, Ohio State needs to finish strong on the recruiting cycle with a chance to finish on a high note. The Buckeyes have eight five-star commits to lead the entire country in that area but they still have a couple more key targets including five-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson. Ohio State will also try to add a couple of offensive line prospects with four-star offensive tackle Thayer Munford and interior lineman Jay Tufele among those that they are still chasing.
Integrate The New Coaches
One of the most notable changes Meyer made this offseason was shaking up his offensive staff with former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson and former San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Ryan Day brought in to lead the offense. Wilson and Day both coach spread-to-power principles and will look to improve the Buckeyes consistency on offense with a focus on pushing the ball downfield. Ohio State struggled through the air in recent years and Meyer wants to see better results. The Buckeyes have the talent to be an explosive offense and it will be on the new coaches to maximize their potential beginning with some hard work this offseason.
Get The Offense Rolling Early
Nearly half of Ohio State’s current class is already on campus as nine true freshman already graduated high school to enroll early and take part in winter conditioning and spring practice. That will give the Buckeyes even more time to prepare for next season and they must take advantage. Ohio State needs to find some playmakers on offense and the coaches should get long looks at some unproven options. The wide receivers represent the most pressing issue after the Buckeyes lost their top three pass catchers from a year ago and establishing their replacements early on will help them get a jump on preparations for next season.
The Buckeyes offense has struggled in key times over the last couple of seasons, which is unusual for an Urban Meyer coached team. They scored just 17 points against Michigan State, 21 points at Penn State, 24 against Northwestern and zero against Clemson. They beat up on a lot of weaklings but when the going got tough in Big Ten play, the Buckeyes struggled. That needs to change in 2017 if they’re to truly be the top team in the Big Ten again.
Make Adjustments in The Defensive Secondary
Ohio State’s defensive secondary was another area that was hit hard as it lost three starts to the NFL. That will make finding replacements for starting positions a top priority for the staff. The Buckeyes have plenty of talent on that side of the football but the key will be identifying who is ready to take the next step and helping them to get there. Ohio State has a lot of time before next season begins and they will be smart to maximize it in an effort to prepare for another season in the spotlight as they attempt to contend for Big Ten and national championships in 2017.
Strategize Better Against The Up-And-Comers
The Big Ten is a conference on the rise. A couple of years ago, Ohio State was the cream of the crop. Now Michigan has arrived as a powerhouse, Penn State looks like the real deal and Wisconsin could be here to stay. And don’t forget about Michigan State, who is coming off a down year.
The Buckeyes need to have better game plans against these teams because they’ve been out-coached in these contests. Most surprising of the bunch was Michigan State last year. They have lots of film homework to do.
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