Big Ten Media Days will kick off tomorrow in Indianapolis, IN, and Ohio State will be part of the first group of teams to meet with the media. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petiti will kick off the ceremonies, and the Buckeyes will present last for the day at 12:45pm with Ryan Day giving his first official press conference of the season. For a full list of the events, and times, click here.

What this means too, is that the football season is right around the corner, and we are 5 Saturdays away from the start of the college football season when Ohio State hosts Akron (3:30pm on CBS), and the start of training camp begin next week.

For the Buckeyes this offseason has been a welcoming one, and the vibe with the team is optimistic as they prepare to contend for a National Championship in the first year of the 12 team College Football Playoff. It is easy to get caught up with the hype that this team brings in large part due to the winter additions from the transfer portal, as well as the group of seniors who returned to accomplish their goals of beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten, and competing for a chance at a national title, and that all starts soon.

We can probably bet on the over/under the amount of times Ryan Day will be asked “Is this a championship or bust season, and does another loss to Michigan put you in a hot seat” but I am hoping we get a better idea of the mentality of the team who has a chance to be historic. We also know we wont get an answer to some of the questions about who will be the starting quarterback, although is EA College Football 25 is any indication then Will Howard is the answer, but we still hope that we walk away with what the personality of this team will be for 2024. Here are the top three questions we have that we hope are answered for Media Days.

What is it that this team is doing different than the teams the past 3 years?

It feels like ever since Ryan Day started at Ohio State as the head football coach, there has always been a moment or a play or an element of the team that ends up costing them a National Championship. In 2019, it was the reversed fumble/touchdown against Clemson that would have changed the momentum of the game. In 2020, Ohio State had most of their starters hurt or out due to COVID when Alabama went in with a healthy team and arguably one of the best teams this century so far. In 2021, it was the defense that cost them against Michigan and Oregon. In 2022, it was a missed field goal against Georgia that cost them a very likely National Championship against TCU. And last year, they were an interception in the last drive and 6 points away from beating the eventual National Champion Michigan. This year, they are loaded on both sides of the ball, and have a potential starting quarterback who is not CJ Stroud, but has a lot of experience and can be a running threat. What was their mentality this offseason with winter workouts that is fueling them, and can they bound as a cohesive team.

How much of an influence will Chip Kelly have with Ryan Day’s gameday responsibilities?

Nothing against Brian Hartline, who is arguably the best recruiter in the country, but the title of OC last season was a on-paper title, as I am sure Ryan Day didn’t feel comfortable giving up play calling to him and Justin Frye. For a moment, the Buckeyes had Bill O’Brien, and just as quickly as they probably just got his nameplate for his desk, he left to be the head coach at Boston College for both personal and professional reasons. In a few days, Chip Kelly stepped down as UCLA’s head coach, and was hired on to be the new Offensive Coordinator, and this was a relationship that Day has had since he started his career. I think Chip Kelly gives Ryan Day that freedom to be more of a CEO, and we have seen that with how much more he has been available for different fundraisers and meeting with the Ohio State beat. With the new NIL era in athletics, the head coach role does become more of a fundraiser, and having Chip Kelly for Day give him a trust in the philosophy and approach. I also think Chip Kelly’s run game schematics will be great to see with weapons in both Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.

With the first season of the 12 team playoff, how will that impact the rotation?

Ohio State is one of the few teams in the country that have depth and talent at every position, but for the most part, is unproven. With the new 12 team playoff, there is a potential for 16 or 17 games depending on if there is a bye week for the first round, and that extends the season a lot. The Buckeyes have a ton of raw talent in the skill positions, and this season could be one of the first times we start to see some sophomores or freshman who have normally be on special teams duty play in their position. I think this will help the players stick with the school too because they are getting more opportunities for playing time as you don’t want to risk the wear and tear of the season on their top talent, and want to have them as healthy as possible for a playoff run. Additionally, because of how many seniors stayed, the Buckeyes will have a better idea of what is coming back for the 2025 season, and that can bring a hope for the fanbase.