Ohio State Football: Biggest Storylines Heading into Fall Camp

The beginning of fall camp is less than two weeks away for head coach Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are gearing up for another Big Ten title and College Football Playoff run.

That quest officially starts on September 3, when the Buckeyes kick off their season against Bowling Green in Ohio Stadium. But the unofficial start of the season is on August 7, when fall camp commences in Columbus.

Here are the biggest storylines as the Buckeyes head into the 2016 campaign.

Integrating the 2016 Recruiting Class

One of the stiffest challenges every team faces is the integration of its new freshmen.

Ohio State should have an easier time than most due to the high level of skill in its 2016 class. The Buckeyes checked in at No. 4 in the '16 recruiting rankings with a group that was anchored by 5-star defensive end Nick Bosa—the younger brother of former Buckeyes and superstar defensive end Joey Bosa.

Meyer wants Nick Bosa, and many of his fellow freshmen, to make an immediate impact this fall.

"I hope 18 of them play," Meyer said of his 2016 recruiting class, according to Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com. "I'm going to make sure we're pushing [the freshmen] out there, let them go play."

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

A number of freshmen got a head start by enrolling early and taking part in winter conditioning and spring camp. That group is headlined by offensive guard Michael Jordan, who is battling for the starting right guard spot, and wide receiver Austin Mack, who's working his way into the perimeter rotation.

But if any of the other members of Ohio State's '16 class want to log significant minutes this fall, they'll need to adjust to the collegiate level quickly.

Continuing the 2017 Recruiting Momentum

While Meyer and the coaching staff work their new freshmen into the system, they'll be tightening their grasp on 2017's No. 1 recruiting ranking.

The Buckeyes are coming off an enormous weekend after securing commitments from 4-star defensive end Chase Young and 4-star defensive back Amir Riep.

The surge was a result of Ohio State's biggest recruiting event of the year—Friday Night Lights—a football camp that annually gets many of the Buckeyes' top targets on campus to experience Ohio Stadium firsthand.

With Young and Riep in the fold, Ohio State's 2017 class now has 16 members, 12 of whom rank inside 247Sports' top 150. The Buckeyes aren't done, of course, as 5-star targets such as cornerback Jeffrey Okudah, running back Cam Akers and wide receiver Trevon Grimes are still on the board.

All three of those prospects are favored to land with the Buckeyes, according to 247Sports' "crystal ball" predictions.

Life Without Bri'onte Dunn

Ohio State was already facing the tall task of replacing running back Ezekiel Elliott, the engine in last year's offense who ran for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns during the Buckeyes' 12-1 2015 campaign.

And last week, that process took a big hit when redshirt senior Bri'onte Dunn was kicked off the team.

BRADLEY LEEB/Associated Press

Dunn was in a heated battle with redshirt freshman Mike Weber for the starting job, but regardless of how that competition shook out, Dunn was in line for significant action this fall. Running backs coach Tony Alford praised Dunn for the progress he had made this spring.

"He's playing really hard and I've been impressed with that," Alford said, according to Tim Shoemaker of Eleven Warriors. "He's really playing hard and trying to take some leadership in the room and own that. I've been very pleased with him as a senior in our unit room."

With Dunn out of the picture, the Buckeyes will likely rely on Weber in more of a workhorse role, but others such as H-backs Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson and true freshman Antonio Williams should factor in as well. 

The Depth Chart

After losing 16 starters from last year's team, Ohio State will look drastically different when it takes the field against Bowling Green in the season opener on September 3.

Building a new depth chart was a process that was supposed to start in spring camp, but Meyer had a hard time doing so with 11 key contributors working their way back from injury.

"You'd like to, but I don't think so," Meyer said of establishing a two-deep, according to Eric Seger of Eleven Warriors. "With 11 guys out, that's the thing that kicks you in the teeth. If everybody's ready to go, I think you could do that. But we're not."

Perimeter playmakers such as Samuel, Wilson, Noah Brown and Corey Smith were all limited or held out of spring camp, but all should be healthy and provide a huge boost to the wide receiver room. Key defenders such as Tyquan Lewis (defensive end) and Marshon Lattimore (defensive back) should benefit from summer rehab as well, but the coaching staff needs to keep its players healthy to find the right pecking order.

That's the main priority for the first few weeks of fall camp. Once that's established, the Buckeyes will officially begin to fine-tune their playbook and game plan. 

All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.

David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.