Ohio State Buckeyes Facing Major Area of Concern

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the defending champions, but they have a major area of concern ahead of the 2025 season. ESPN's Jake Trotter expressed concern at the quarterback position for the Buckeyes.

"Quarterback Will Howard was everything the Buckeyes could have hoped for last year in his lone season at Ohio State," Trotter wrote. "He was spectacular during the College Football Playoff, posting a QBR of 97.2 over four games during the Buckeyes' march to the national championship. With Howard now in the NFL, the Buckeyes will be turning to either former five-star freshman Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz this season, pending who wins the job during camp. Throwing to all-world wideout Jeremiah Smith will bolster whomever the starting quarterback winds up being. But even with Smith and All-American safety Caleb Downs anchoring each side of the ball, it's difficult envisioning the Buckeyes truly contending again unless Ohio State gets good-to-great quarterback play like it did last season."

Trotter's concern is warranted as Howard's production will be difficult to replace. In the 2024 season, Howard completed 73 percent of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 226 yards and seven touchdowns.

Having an elite receiver in Smith will certainly help the offense, but to defend their title, they will need Sayin or Kienholz to play consistently at quarterback.