Welcome to the official start of the 2023 football season! This morning, the Ohio State Buckeyes start their first day of fall camp. Gone are key contributors of CJ Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr, Jaxon Smith-Njigba who were all selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Speaking to the media this week and and Big Ten Media Days, Ryan Day is confident in the team he has coming back and has said it is the most experience he has had since the 2019 team, which was arguably the best team in the country next to eventual National Champion LSU. The Indiana game countdown is now at 30 days, and here are our (and most likely your) top questions we have going into fall camp that we hope we have an answer for, or have a plan that can play out during the season which we have leads to this years team achieving their goals of beating the Team Up North, Win the Big Ten, and Win the National Championship. 

1. Who Will Be The Starting Quarterback?

This is probably the biggest question for all Ohio State fans entering the season, and could arguably be one that isnt  the most important given the track record of the position since Ryan Day has taken over as head coach.  All three of his starting quarterbacks have been first round draft picks. Now, with that being said, the quarterbacks that have done that were all Heisman finalists and earned their spot, and this years battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will be one that Day is hoping will be decided after the first 2 weeks of fall camp. Whoever leads this team though wont be without weapons around them, as the Buckeyes bring back the best wide-out room in the country, and a stable of running backs that are arguably top three with a lot of depth as long as they can remain healthy. My early prediction is that because of his tenure already, and a game starting in 2021, Kyle McCord will most likely be named the starter for the Indiana game.

2. Will the Offensive Line be Finalized?

As important as it is to decided who the starting quarterback will be, I think this question is the most important one to settle. The offensive line is replacing 3 starters from last years team, and will return their two starting guards with Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones. There were several additions this offseason to the line, and during Big Ten Media Days, Ryan Day mentioned a list of names that could work their way into the mix, which include Jimmy Simmons, Luke Montgomery, and Carson Hinzman. How it all shapes out will remain to be seen, but this is why Justin Frye can really make a leap for this team, especially after being named Run-game coordinator on top of offensive line coach. There is a lot of fresh talent on the team, so the lack of experience is concerning, but if they can settle on the best lineman, they could be one of the best in the country. 

3. Can Jim Knowles Defense Step Up in Year 2?

At times last season, especially the first 6 games, the Buckeye defense really looked like one of the best in the country, holding some talented teams in check, but the biggest knock was giving up big plays, and that cost them in the last two, and most important, games of the season against Michigan and Georgia. Based on what is being said this offseason, there is a lot of confidence in the defensive backs that are returning, including Denzel Burke, who fans are hoping to see him in his 2021 form. The linebacker group is solid with Tommy Eichenburg and Steele Chambers returning as the projected starters, but I expect to see CJ Hicks work his way into the rotation. Sonny Styles is another player we should see have more of a role for the Silver Bullets in the secondary. The defensive line group lead by JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Michael Hall Jr, and Kenyatta Jackson. Larry Johnson has mentioned that the starting group might see more time, and less of a rotation, which seemed to be an issue last season when the best players were off the field during critical moments of the game.  If the Buckeyes can couple their offense with a top 25 defense, they can be a really dangerous team.

What questions do you have for this season? Feel free to comment and let us know! Looking forward to a great season!

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