Will Ohio State football face transfer portal despair again in 2024?

COLUMBUS, Ohio After two NCAA transfer portal windows and a few official visits, Ohio State football finally got some offensive help over the weekend.

Josh Simmons started with 13 real tackles, which looked like what you’d expect from a second-year player in major college football. The former San Diego State starter would have looked to add more consistency this fall playing anywhere. He decided to join a Buckeye offensive line group that is still largely looking for the same.

Ohio State saw this problem on the horizon by the end of the 2021 season. That factored into the decision to bring in Justin Frye as offensive line coach. At the time, however, OSU returned two tackles in the top four rounds of the NFL draft. It wasn’t until Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones officially vacated those spots that the real desperation began.

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The most important positions in sports either protect or threaten the quarterback. Ohio State can’t get into the habit of ending one season and looking to Portal for help at such critical positions as offensive tackle and cornerback. In the latter, the addition of Davison Igbinosun will help stabilize a position that needs a breakthrough in consistency.

In the former, Simmons, who didn’t play spring football at SDSU after announcing his entrance in February, will have to make a big jump to significantly change the performance of the 2023 line.

Should Ohio State fans expect an annual repeat? Ryan Day has said that the portal should only be used to plug holes, not build a roster. But will another hole keep popping up, making it difficult to keep potential championship seasons in the water?

Looking to the year 2024, three stations stand out in need of major development so that the transfer portal no longer costs replacements.

Offensive line

Yeah, look, this offensive line group doesn’t have a Paris Johnson Jr. or a Nicholas Petit-Frere or a Josh Myers or a Wyatt Davis or a Donovan Jackson waiting in the wings just yet. It features some young players with high ceilings, such as current true freshman Luke Montgomery and 2024 commitment Ian Moore. However, this room has historically been anchored by top 50 talent.

Maybe Jackson will return for a fourth season. Regardless, OSU realistically needs to be open to any high-level forwards that enter the postseason. It won the national battles for the land of Petit-Frere, Davis and Jackson. When it does so again, it is no longer at the mercy of the portal.

Defensive end

This requires both JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer to accept their NFL options after the upcoming season. Even if Larry Johnson makes a splash here in 2024 recruiting, are those players ready to help as true freshmen? Kenyatta Jackson and Omari Abor, two 2022 enrollees who looked good this spring, were not.

Of those quarterback-on-the-ball positions, rush end is the only one the Buckeyes haven’t had to address via transfer in the day era. It can also be the most compelling justification for a room upgrade. Come and serve one season under one of the greatest coaches of all time, free-roaming and securing playing time to grow your NFL draft pick.

Safety

So far, Garrett Stover is the only safety to join the 2024 commitment class. That could change, but even if it does, it’s easy to see Day looking at this room in December and wanting more depth. Unless both Cameron Martinez and Kourt Williams III continue for their fifth seasons, OSU just needs more bodies at the three spot.

The wrinkle is whether Jim Knowles will successfully convert the backup cornerback to nickel safe. This group also expects to add several strong prospects in the 2024 class. Regardless, with Power 5 starters like Davison Igbinosu and JaHad Carter entering the portal, the Buckeye staff should continue to do their due diligence.

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