Buckeyes Face Uphill Battle To Replace Eight Starters On Historic Defense

The Ohio State Buckeyes have to replace eight starters from last year’s historic team. Where will the Buckeyes look to get the job done?

Sep 28, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) celebrates after tackling Michigan State Spartans running back Nate Carter (5) in the first half at Spartan Stadium on Saturday. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes begin their Spring Ball workouts on Monday and they have their work cut out for them. The national championship run is over, the shine has worn off and it is now all systems go on trying to run it back in 2025.

Perhaps the biggest challenge that Ohio State faces heading into this year is replacing almost every single key contributor to its team - and specifically its defense. The Buckeyes are losing 15 total starters, including eight from the defensive side of the ball.

Ohio State is looking at a completely new starting front four, they must replace leader Cody Simon and they have to fill three holes in the defensive secondary. That would be tough for any coach, but to add to Ohio State’s challenges, they have to do it under the tutelage of brand-new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

One of the positives of the Buckeyes’ playing such good football last year and making such a long run, almost every one of their depth players got significant playing time. Players like Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson will be slated to start on the defensive line, while Arvelle Reese will plug the Cody Simon hole at linebacker and Jermaine Matthews Jr. could solve the problem in the back end.

This isn’t a doom and gloom scenario in Columbus - far from it actually. It's just going to look a lot different than what Buckeye fans have been used to the past couple of seasons. But these guys can play ball and they are hungry to make their mark in the storied Ohio State football history.

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