OTish: Cam Ward opts to go pro
Cam Ward has opted to go pro rather than transfer to another team. I believe this was OSU's main QB transfer hope for 2024 so now it looks like they're stuck rolling with Devin Brown or Lincoln Kienholz who put up all of 3 points on Mizzou, or true freshman Air Noland.
You hate to see it
January 1st, 2024 at 12:47 PM ^
OSU will be lucky to make a bowl game in 2024
January 1st, 2024 at 12:58 PM ^
OSU is looking at Will Howard.
Cam Ward is a blow for Miami and FSU.
FSU is now going to turn to DJ U. from Oregon St. (and Clemson).
Miami and OSU will have to battle it out for Will Howard. Miami is also looking at Nelson from USC and KJ Jefferson from Arkansas. I wouldn't be shocked if OSU looked at those two guys as well.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:04 PM ^
Miami and OSU will have to battle it out for Will Howard.
Did USC lose interest in Howard?
January 1st, 2024 at 1:11 PM ^
Moss Miller played lights out in their bowl game so they are probably rolling with him.
To the above post, I sincerely doubt OSU would go after Malachi Nelson. They already have highly rated, unproven players.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:43 PM ^
KJ Jefferson has committed to UCF
January 1st, 2024 at 3:31 PM ^
KJ to UCF, wow. Figured he was trying to go to P5...or is UCF in the Big 12 now?
January 1st, 2024 at 2:48 PM ^
Ryan Day had zero interest in DJU, which made perfect sense. There was not a major name in the portal more ill suited for what Day wants to do. And its a real desperation move for Mike Norvell.
DJU has less than zero chance of being a QB on Sundays. He will try to switch positions.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:51 PM ^
You're right about DJ U. He is going to FSU.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:02 PM ^
The current OSU QB situation looked bleak in the Cotton Bowl, but it was compounded by a terrible offensive line performance.
OSU needs to hit the portal for the OLine, too.January 1st, 2024 at 1:05 PM ^
To be fair to Kienholz, OSU's Oline played Charmin soft against Missouri.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:26 PM ^
That might also give a potential transfer QB pause when considering whether he would want to play behind that mess. They are soft through and through, and that is not what you want from the guys protecting you.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:50 PM ^
Yup.
I felt like there were more than a few, "Lookout!" blocks thrown by OSU's line, especially late in that game.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:05 PM ^
Day is taking the mantle from Ferentz. Punting is winning.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:13 PM ^
And their punter is transferring out lol
January 1st, 2024 at 1:08 PM ^
It is too late for them to go crawling back to McCord? 😂
January 1st, 2024 at 1:08 PM ^
Who do they have left from this year's starters? It feels like everyone has either hit the portal, or declared early for the draft.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:17 PM ^
IIRC, The only guy to officially declare for the draft is DT Hall.
Offensively they are waiting on decisions for Embuka, Henderson, Stover, and maybe their LG Jackson.
Defensively they are waiting on JTT, Sawyer, Williams, Burke, and maybe another DB.
They've also had several WRs enter the portal today and there are rumors about several other guys, including potentially their only non Henderson/freshman RB. It could get REALLY bad (hurrah!) For OSU.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:08 PM ^
Tbh I think Kienholz looks like he has some potential. But Ohio Soft has bigger problems than QB. The OL needs some fixing.
The most important problem to fix is with Day himself. He needs to figure out precisely what *his* role is in the org. What does he delegate and what does he take on himself? There were problems all year with their run game identity. Late in the season they seemed to settle on a more sensible mix, then junked it for Michigan. And the offensive playcalling in the bowl game was outright terrible as Space Coyote outlined. All things we're pretty sure Day is largely responsible for.
Just what is Brian Hartline doing now after his promotion from WR coach? We know he's not coaching receivers anymore because Carnell Tate and the other youngsters who got time against Missouri did not have the same sort of technical polish we know Hartline was legit good at teaching.
Over the years JH has always tinkered with the boundaries of his slate of tasks. The first year here he was designing a couple dozen run play tweaks every week. And really good at it. But after that season Jim decided he needed to reallocate the time to other work. Day needs to do the same.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^
isn’t Malachi Nelson still on the board? I have to believe OSU is going to pull out all the stops to lure him in.
top overall recruit from a year or two ago who will probably be enchanted by the idea of playing with every top receiver under the sun.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:35 PM ^
Nelson will take the money and the guaranteed starting position at Miami, unless they end up with KJ Jefferson instead. But I think Nelson will want a starting spot and OSU can't guarantee that. He's just another highly rated prospect in their room.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:29 PM ^
Yeah, if they think Noland is really that great, they don't want to risk losing him as well.
January 1st, 2024 at 1:48 PM ^
They'll get someone. They always do. But I'd love if they don't. All those guys coming back to play with another shlub
January 1st, 2024 at 2:00 PM ^
*past performance is not a guarantee of future results
-David Hume, basically
January 1st, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
But even more...you love to see it...
January 1st, 2024 at 1:58 PM ^
So their team next season will look like the Cotton Bowl team?
by jove, 2024 is looking up!
January 1st, 2024 at 2:05 PM ^
But also you love to see it
January 1st, 2024 at 2:17 PM ^
I read that Cam Ward also declined to hire an agent just yet, so this might just be a leverage thing to see what kind of a bidding war/compensation package he can extract from a QB-needy blue blood. He basically has the next couple weeks before he really needs to decide for sure iirc.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:29 PM ^
Ward is making a good choice.
January 1st, 2024 at 2:32 PM ^
I hope JJ stays one more year!
January 1st, 2024 at 2:55 PM ^
I remember the heavy talks of him going to OSU when he entered the portal, then it was FSU or Miami and now pro. Boy...OSU must have a lot of confidence in trusting Howard from the portal to commit and lead them to a national championship next year, or Brown and incoming freshman Air Noland to be a combo to lead them. Noland may be good in 2-3 years, but will OSU give Day that time if they lose 2-3 games next year?
January 1st, 2024 at 3:23 PM ^
It appears the Buckeyes are looking towards Will Howard now.