Ohio State football: 3 offseason questions Buckeyes need to answer
By John Buhler
2. Is C.J. Stroud ready to be the best quarterback in the entire country this fall?
At this time, one could easily argue for C.J. Stroud to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He plays the right position at the right school at the right time. More importantly, he has the prototypical size that last year’s Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young does not have working for him at Alabama. Regardless, is Stroud ready to be the best quarterback in the country this season?
That is what it is going to take for Ohio State to beat the likes of Alabama and Georgia in succession to win its second College Football Playoff. Stroud has a ton of talent around him, but if his game takes another leap, he could rip the Heisman away from either Alabama star who desperately wants it. If Stroud plays up to his potential, he will make one NFL fanbase very happy.
Stroud has a shot to have the greatest single season in the history of Ohio State football this fall.
1. Will the Buckeyes defense be exponentially better under Jim Knowles’ watch?
Without question, the biggest thing that held the Buckeyes back a season ago was its porous defense. Kerry Coombs’ scheme became ineffective. Thus, he was demoted and later let go. Enter Jim Knowles by way of Oklahoma State. His Pokes defense was the reason the Cowboys were one yard away from getting to the College Football Playoff for the first time ever last college season.
No, it is not going to change everything for the Buckeyes, but if Knowles’ scheme can raise the floor in Columbus, Ohio State is going to be a damn good team. The offense is not likely to skip a beat, so if the defense is markedly better, the Buckeyes have a real shot of getting to Indianapolis undefeated with playoff positioning on the line. The Ohio State defense is their biggest question.
Because of their schedule, Ohio State may have the best chance of any team going undefeated.
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