Three Things Ohio State Should Not Do During the Offseason

After losing to Miami in the Cotton Bowl, the Buckeyes’ offseason started earlier than expected.

With a slew of incoming transfers and a top-five recruiting class joining Ohio State in 2026, there is a lot for the Buckeyes to be excited about this offseason.

However, there are also a handful of things Ohio State must steer away from as the program ramps up toward next season.

Let Matt Patricia Walk

In 2024, former Buckeye defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left to join Penn State. That year, the defense was the No. 1-ranked unit in all of college football.

Matt Patricia replaced Knowles in what was one of the greatest defensive transitions of power in Buckeye history, as Patricia coached Ohio State to another No. 1 defense ranking this year.

The Buckeyes were fortunate that Patricia was a perfect replacement at defensive coordinator. Retaining him this offseason is a must so the team does not have to look for a third replacement in three years.

It was reported Jan. 6 that Ohio State and Patricia were working on a lucrative contract extension, but since then, there have been no updates. With multiple star players leaving for the draft and new ones stepping up in their place, Patricia staying with Ohio State is the biggest need for the Buckeyes this offseason.

Leave Bo Jackson Alone

Ohio State should be thankful freshman running back Bo Jackson showed out last season, because without him, the Buckeyes’ back field would have been an even larger concern.

Jackson rushed for 1,090 yards in 2025 while the rest of the running back room barely combined to reach Jackson’s total. Prior to the arrival of the freshman running back, Ohio State had the elite running back duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.

In the offseason, running backs coach Carlos Locklyn should find a way to replicate the rushing dominance Ohio State showed in 2024 by seeing which running back will step up to work alongside Jackson. If that player is not found, it could be another struggling year for the Buckeyes’ rushing offense.

Rising sophomore Isaiah West could pair well with Jackson in the backfield, as they are both young, speedy running backs, while Florida transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson brings a veteran presence to a unit full of sophomore talent.

Neglect the Linebackers

The unit that took the hardest hit due to draft declarations, the Buckeyes linebacker room has many holes to fill.

The two best linebackers for Ohio State, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, left for careers in the NFL, and also left the Buckeyes with two huge question marks behind the defensive line.

Neglecting the linebacker room is something Ohio State cannot let happen in the offseason. Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis is tasked with a similar challenge to Locklyn, except this time, he doesn’t have an already proven star to work around.

Rising junior Payton Pierce stands out as the obvious leader of the unit going forward, tallying 44 total tackles and two turnovers in 2025, and looks promising for his 2026 campaign. Joining him will be freshman Riley Pettijohn, the No. 6 linebacker in the 2025 class, as well as incoming Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro.