Ohio State’s preseason camp is starting to sharpen a few answers, and one of the clearest coming out of Wednesday’s discussion on Ohio State Buckeyes Live was the rise of running back Bo Jackson.
Bucknuts.com’s Steve Helwagen joined host Mark Rogers and Buckeye Insiders’ Tony Gerdeman to break down what they’re seeing in camp, and Jackson was a major talking point. The buzz around him centers on his improvement, especially his ability to finish runs and run through would-be tacklers. There’s also a sense that Isaiah West and Ja’Kobi Jackson are both in line to factor into the backfield mix.
Another key update from camp: offensive lineman Austin Siereveld is back. He had missed several days of practice because of injury, but appeared to be practicing again on Wednesday.
The broader offensive picture came up as well, with the hope being that Ohio State can get everything clicking so the running game works in tandem with the passing game.
The conversation also shifted beyond camp updates. Ohio State sits No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press poll, and the panel discussed how that top spot has not always treated the Buckeyes well.
From there, the focus moved to the rest of the national picture, including which teams in the preseason top 10 look like legitimate threats to reach the top of the College Football Playoff and the national championship conversation.
The show also touched on Chris Vannini of The Athletic’s coaching tiers, where Ryan Day landed just outside the top tier and in the same group as coaches he has largely dominated.
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For Ohio State, the timing matters because the offense is coming off a year in which it finished 26th nationally in yards per game, a number that put a little more pressure on every adjustment the staff makes. A cleaner structure can mean clearer roles for the players, and it can also signal a philosophical reset as the Buckeyes try to get back to the level expected in Columbus. Wests comments suggest the early tone around the room is positive, even if the full meaning of the new approach will only become clear once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
