Ohio State Football: Managing the Offseason Key to Defending Its Title in 2015

With its first College Football Playoff Championship in hand, the Ohio State Buckeyes have suddenly gone from hunter to prey. Few took the Buckeyes seriously before the playoff. Now every team will be gunning for them.

Head coach Urban Meyer has built a culture of excellence partly rooted in adapting to change and overcoming adversity. These qualities were on full display this year.

Losing Braxton Miller before the season, Noah Spence declared permanently ineligible and J.T Barrett’s injury were torpedoes that could have brought down the ship. Instead, the team banded together and went on a magical run to capture the championship.

Next up is defending its title. Repeating is always difficult, but the Buckeyes are assembled to make a sustaining run over the next few years. Can the team maintain the intensity needed to do it?

If there is an issue, Meyer only has to point to his arch nemesis to fuel his players’ motivation. Alabama was the last team to repeat, winning back-to-back BCS Championships in 2011 and 2012. The initial chase might be accomplished, but repeating as champions will put Ohio State in rare company.

Meyer’s challenges in maintaining improvement with the team are significant despite the abundance of riches within the program. With core players returning and the coaching staff remaining the same outside of new co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck, the Buckeyes' continuity looks promising. To make it back to the playoff, here are four areas Ohio State must manage during the offseason.

Building Depth

Quality depth at quarterback saved the 2014 season. The team was fortunate to stay healthy in most other positions too, especially on the offensive and defensive lines. This is a testament to Assistant Athletic Director Mickey Marotti’s strength and conditioning program, but luck on injuries generally runs out.

Navigating through another 15-game season and facing a considerably stiffer Big Ten schedule requires building a two-deep roster where the drop-off is minimal between starters and backup players.

The good news is Meyer has another top-10 recruiting class coming in this summer. So the potential is there to have at least three elite-level players competing at every position. That’s an incredible advantage which should frighten the rest of the Big Ten.

Finding a Deep-Threat Receiver

Devin Smith’s graduation leaves a huge void in the vertical-passing game. His impact on Meyer’s offense cannot be overstated. Defenses had to account for Smith going deep that opened up highways for Ezekiel Elliott, Jalin Marshall, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett. The luxury of balance makes this offense lethal, and this is why Meyer’s top priority in the spring will be improving the receiving corps.

Replacing Smith won’t be easy. Having his speed is one thing. Having his unique ability to control his body in space and making split-second adjustments to catch passes is exceptional. There are plenty of receivers on the roster, most of them young and unproven. Someone needs to step up.

If healthy, expect freshmen Johnnie Dixon and Parris Campbell to be leading candidates. Dixon, a 5’11”, 200-pound receiver out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has the tools, but his knees have not cooperated. He took a medical redshirt in September.

Campbell (6’0”, 180 lbs) was a football and track star at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. He redshirted this year while gaining experience playing on the scout team. His season ended in December with surgery on his shoulder. Campbell runs the 40 in 4.41 seconds, so he’s has Smith’s speed. Only question is whether or not he can use it to get open like Smith.

One off-the-wall idea might be to push Marshall out to receiver and slide Miller into the halfback role. This leaves Dontre Wilson out in the cold on offense, but he could become a full-time return man, which seems to be his natural role anyway. Having Miller, Marshall, Elliott and Jones on the field at the same time will cause nightmares for opposing defensive coordinators.

Whatever decision Meyer makes, he has plenty of options. It will be exciting to see how he utilizes all the talent.

Discipline

Offseason investments pay off in the regular season. Players maintaining their hunger over the next eight months will be vital to their success in the fall. Complacency is the enemy. Getting to the top required an exhaustive amount of time and effort. Staying on top will take even more devotion.

All signs point in the right direction as Meyer’s determination and tireless work ethic are embedded in foundation of this team. When asked about 2015 after the Oregon game, Elliott said:

"

We've just got to stay a hungry team. We're losing some great seniors, but we have a lot of great young players that will step up, and this year was just a great year to learn a lot of things, and I think we'll be the same team next year, as long as we stay humble, we grind hard in the offseason, don't let our heads get too big, I think we'll be here next year.

"

Equally important is discipline off the field. The players must maintain their grades, stay out of trouble with the law and comply with NCAA rules. No coach is void of dealing with these issues, but a quiet offseason with no unnecessary distractions will go a long way in helping the team prepare for the upcoming season.

Ignoring the Hype

Playing at Ohio State already brings a tremendous amount of exposure to the players. The spotlight will be intense in the spring and summer. The players may want to turn off the TV and ignore social media because the attention, good and bad, will be plastered to the point of nausea.

There is little doubt that the line between buying into the hype and playing with confidence is thin. The team has to avoid entitlement while maintaining its swagger. Meyer is a master at pushing his team, and he has a lot of tricks in his bag to keep the team focused.

If there is concern, he should show them Florida’s 31-30 loss to Mississippi in 2008 in the Swamp. No team touched the Gators after the loss, but it showed even the best team is vulnerable if it does not play well every week.

At the very least, Meyer should remind his players that the team up north should be vastly improved under new coach Jim Harbaugh, and Michigan State is seeking revenge. That should keep them focused. 

Analysis

Beyond some of the clear priorities of getting bigger, stronger, faster and smarter this offseason, it will be interesting to see how Meyer 2.0 manages himself. Can he avoid the personal mistakes he made after the 2008 season by maintaining a healthy work/life balance?

For a man known for his tremendous attention to detail, there’s hope that he’ll remember the details in the agreement he made with his family before accepting the job at Ohio State. Otherwise burnout could derail the team’s progression.

Over the next eight months, the team is going to be under the microscope. The most obvious issue will be how Meyer works through the quarterback dilemma. He might buy some time with Barrett and Miller still rehabbing injuries, but the time will come when two players will have to deal with some level of disappointment.

Of course, the media will explode during this period, but more important is how the team responds. Will loyalties divide the locker room, or will the team maintain its cohesion? My bet is it bonds this team even tighter than it already is. The players trust Meyer and his staff to make the right decisions for the team. This is just part of the deal when you play at a school where there is elite-level talent at every position.

Despite the buzz circling the quarterbacks, the team has 219 days to devote to getting healthier and better. Building depth, finding some receivers and avoiding any off-the-field issues are priorities. Meyer just pulled off a minor miracle in willing this team to a championship. If the offseason goes as planned, the Buckeyes will repeat.

Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.