Ohio State: Are the Buckeyes Actually Better By Subtraction of Seniors?

Get used to this scene: Terrelle Pryor and Daniel "Boom" Herron. With the loss of a senior class that was the winningest class in OSU football history, how is it possible that the Buckeyes will be better without them? Two words: new blood.

Laurinaitis, Jenkins, Freeman, Beanie, Robiskie, and Washington are among those leaving Ohio State for the NFL. With the winningest senior class leaving, why do people feel this is addition by subtraction? What they lose in experience, they gain in potential and athleticism.

Losses in back-to-back BCS title games to the SEC gave this program a dreadful reputation that appears to have been improved slightly following the recent Fiesta Bowl loss to Texas, arguably the best bowl game of the bowl season.

Anti-OSU people will disagree with this aforementioned fact, but if anything, the strong showing showed the kind of future Ohio State has in front of them.

Obviously, any strong team starts with the QB position, and Terrelle Pryor showed tremendous growth in his first 10 collegiate starts. Despite shoddy passing mechanics, Pryor showcased tremendous potential, earning comparisons to Vince Young.

Boom Herron, his backfield mate, showed tremendous ability towards the end of the season, with touchdowns in each of the final four games of the season. He will be joined by Florida speedster Jamaal Berry and oft-injured Brandon Saine.

Multiple backs with speed and versatility can only help a young quarterback in his maturity, plus running the football has been in Buckeye blood since the era of "three yards and a cloud of dust."

Strong recruiting classes have built programs such as USC and Florida into powerhouses. If this trend shows anything, it should mean good things for the Bucks and their back-to-back Top 10 classes in '08 and '09. Not only that, Jim Tressel's recruiting ventures have also permeated the state of Florida, adding "Southern speed" to a conference many have said is too slow.

Younger, faster players on defense, such as LB Etienne Sabino and DE Nathan Williams, have already made impacts in their freshman seasons. Williams teamed with sophomore Thaddeus Gibson to apply pressure on 'Horns QB Colt McCoy, which forced him into several sacks and an INT.

Openings in the front seven, especially in the LB corps, offer open competition and allow the young blood to have their opportunity to showcase their talents. And as college football nation knows, the Buckeyes don't rebuild, they reload.

The offensive line is the biggest question mark of this squad. After being abused repeatedly by the speed rushers of the SEC and Pete Carroll's relentless defense, this unit has come under great fire. As a result, their lack of athleticism has been exposed, especially LT Alex Boone, who is leaving for the NFL.

Boone is not a horrible lineman by any means, but maybe us Buckeye fans have been spoiled by so many great linemen in the last 15 years, including Orlando Pace.

Wide receiver will certainly improve, although one of the worst passing attacks in America really has nowhere to go but up. Some can blame Pryor for his inexperience, but the Brians (Robiskie and Hartline) were also to blame, with inconsistent hands and the inability to create separation from defenders.

Dane Sanzenbacher and Devier Posey are next in line, along with speedster Lamaar Thomas, and new recruits such as Duron Carter will hope to improve this corps.

No program has been more bashed than Ohio State in the last few years. Criticized and made the whipping boy of college football, Buckeye Nation presses on.

The suffering of the past few years can only make them stronger and will make the next national title all that much sweeter, whether or not Pryor leads them to the promised land.