Ohio State opens the season Saturday against Ball State, and even with Week 1 on the doorstep, there are still a couple of big offensive questions hanging over the Buckeyes.
The first one starts with Julian Sayin and how often he can turn broken plays into something positive with his legs. Last season, Ohio State’s offense ran into problems because Sayin didn’t show much interest in scrambling or taking off when things broke down. He preferred to stay in the pocket and deliver the ball from there, but that left the Buckeyes vulnerable when the play needed a second act.
That was a noticeable change for fans who had just watched Will Howard do a strong job extending plays with his feet in 2024, a skill that helped Ohio State win the national title. Ryan Day has already made it clear this offseason that Sayin has to bring more of that element into his game.
“We all know the ball comes out accurately (for him) throwing the football, but making an impact with his legs when appropriate, we know that that’s the X-factor that has to show up this year,” Day said in March, via Eleven Warriors Chase Brown. “He’s aware of that. He’s been working hard in the offseason.”
If Sayin can do that, Ohio State’s offense could become one of the most dangerous units in the country.
The other major question is who steps into the No. 2 receiver role behind Jeremiah Smith. Smith is the clear centerpiece of the receiving room, but the Buckeyes still need to figure out who lines up alongside him and handles that next wave of production.
Brandon Inniss looked like the early favorite for that job, but that picture changed quickly once fall camp got rolling. Devin McCuin, the transfer from UTSA, has made a strong push and, according to Day, has taken the spotlight.
“You saw him come in in the spring, do some good things. But then in the summer, he’s taken off with his body and just the way he’s practiced," Day said of McCuin on Tuesday.
McCuin’s numbers at UTSA were productive - 152 catches, 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns in 32 games - but he has not played Power Four football. That makes his jump to the Big Ten one of the more important things Ohio State still has to sort out before the season settles in.
The Buckeyes have become accustomed to pairing elite receivers together, even two first-round NFL talents at once. That may not be the case this year, and the answer to that question could shape how far the offense goes.
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Since then, Smith-Njigba has only added to the intrigue around that missed opportunity. He has become one of the NFLs top receivers, leading the league in receiving yards and earning a contract extension, which only sharpens the old debate over how much Ohio State might have gained if he had been able to suit up. For Buckeyes fans, it is the kind of conversation that never really dies, especially when the player at the center of it has gone on to prove just how high his ceiling really was. [Read more 🡒]