Ohio State Offensive Questions That Still Need Answering

Inquiries into Ohio State's starting quarterback, Day's play-calling involvement and the role of newcomers should all be expected during Big Ten Media Days later this month.

As summer slowly turns to fall, Ohio State prepares to begin the 2023 college football season.

Part of the pre-season festivities is Big Ten Media Days, a two-day event in Indianapolis, Indiana where all 14 conference head coaches and a handful of their players answer questions from local and national media.

The Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day have plenty of lingering questions that members of the media will no doubt be eager to have answered during the 48 hours in Indy.

Here are some of the biggest points of contention surrounding the Scarlet and Gray.

Who will be Ohio State's starting quarterback?

The fact that a decision has not been made as to whether Devin Brown or Kyle McCord will start at quarterback for the Buckeyes is not necessarily a bad thing. Not having a set starter entering the spring and summer allows more time for evaluating each option, which typically leads to a better decision being made.

Additionally, Brown has spent the last few months recovering from a finger injury that kept him on the sideline during the Spring Game. Taking the time to see how he rebounds from that before making a final decision is better than the alternative, in my opinion.

However, most of the teams in and out of the Big Ten have named their starting QB, and have spent all spring and summer getting them reps with the rest of the first-string offense. Ohio State's patience could put them behind the eight ball in this regard.

It would behoove the Buckeyes to make their choice sooner rather than later all that being said, regardless of if it's Brown or McCord.

Has Day cut his addiction to play-calling?

Play-calling duties this offseason were mostly in the hands of newly promoted offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, including during the 2023 Spring Game. However, that has not kept Day from chiming in and taking over every once in a while.

Day said he found himself falling back into the motions of play-calling during the first spring practice and told media after the Spring Game that the process would be under constant reevaluation before the fall regular season rolled around.

It will have been over 100 days since that comment when Big Ten Media Days begin on July 26, during which time plenty of "reevaluating" will have taken place. The question must then be asked: what is the new plan (if there even is one)?

How will Ohio State's freshman wide receivers fit in amongst the veterans?

Much of the offseason buzz has been around returning pass-catchers Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming. However, one of the bigger names to emerge from the 2023 Spring Game was that of freshman Carnell Tate.

Tate had three receptions (the same number as Harrison) for 45 yards and one of the only two passing touchdowns scored in the game, alongside fellow freshman Noah Rogers. The Chicago-born Tate is one of several highly touted new additions for the Buckeyes at the position, as well as Hollywood, Florida native Brandon Inniss.

There are 16 wide receivers currently listed on the Ohio State roster: six who played five or more games in 2022, four who saw little to no playing time last year, and six true freshmen. 

It can be obviously assumed that the bulk of targets through the air will go to Harrison Jr. and the other seasoned receivers, but how will Tate, Inniss, and the other first-years fit in? Will this be once again another recruiting class that sits a majority of their first one or two seasons before meaningfully contributing to the team?

Or, is there a flip side to this? Perhaps these newcomers get their chance to shine as Harrison Jr. in the 2022 Rose Bowl game when wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson both sat out in preparation for the NFL Draft.

Day has previously said Ohio State will rely more on its defense this season, which could mean less pressure on Egbuka, Harrison Jr., and the offense to build an unbridgeable gap every game.

Less time on the field for the veterans (this time out of lack of need rather than due to injury) could leave the door open for Tate and the other youngsters to get meaningful reps that would spur their development rather than postpone it until their second season.

Regardless of how balanced the relationship is between Ohio State's newcomers and it's veterans, it will be interesting to hear Day's expectations for them later this month.

Don't miss out on BuckeyesNow's coverage of the 2023 Big Ten Football Media Days on our social channels and website, beginning Wednesday, July 26.

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