Ohio State Football: How Long Will It Take to Return to the Elite Level?

Ohio State football is still in damage control mode from scandals that have shaken the program and the school still does not know what the final punishment is.

But after losing the best coach the school has had in almost a half-century and a dynamic, albeit polarizing, QB, the damage is already done to the program.

The Buckeyes are still feeling the effects of being a program in flux, with the NCAA still waiting on announcing their ruling on the program and with no head coach in tow after this season.

Inherently, one will obviously be tied to the other, with the sanctions being the first thing to drop, followed by the inevitable firing of Gene Smith as athletic director.

And while getting Urban Meyer to some will immediately put Ohio State back on top, the realists know that it will take a little bit of time to work some magic.

OSU's rivals have penetrated the fence around the state which kept the best players in-state for so long, and the kids aren't committing to OSU until they learn the program's fate and who their head coach will be.

This is obviously hurting their recruiting tremendously, as Michigan has out-recruited Ohio State for the first time in several seasons and even Michigan State is swooping in and getting players that most had penciled in Ohio State.

Unless OSU gets all of those guys back come late December and early January, this will inevitably set them back a little bit.

How long, is also dependent on what sanctions the NCAA levies.

A scholarship reduction is almost a guarantee with maybe an extra year of probation added on.

A bowl ban, however, seems very unlikely as no school without the dreaded lack of institutional control tag has been given a postseason ban.

But the reduction of scholarships cuts into the talent pool slightly and eventually takes a toll on the depth of the roster. USC's roster is a perfect example because of their huge scholarship reductions.

OSU's might not be as severe, maybe as many as 5-6 per year for two or three years.

But that weakens the Buckeyes, and will also help out their Big Ten rivals get stronger.

So taking all of that into account, even if Urban Meyer is the next head coach come January, don't expect a national championship right away.

For one thing, the NCAA could rule Ohio State ineligible of even competing for a national championship for a season or two with a postseason ban; however unlikely it is.

But there are just too many factors that could keep Ohio State down for at least another two seasons, maybe longer.

And who knows? They could fool us all and win a national championship in 2015.

But Ohio State fans need to understand that the program will take a step back before it can get back to where it was last season.

College football is very cyclical, and the Buckeyes are nearing the bottom of the cycle right now.

There will be a day, hopefully soon, where the program will look past the transgressions of Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor and be stronger because of that.

But that day will still be a few years away.

Follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim for more college football news and updates.