Defensive standout Joey Bosa and H-back Jalin Marshall headline a group of four players who will miss Ohio State's season opener against Virginia Tech on Sept. 7 for violating department of athletics policy, the school announced Thursday.
Wide receiver Corey Smith and H-back Dontre Wilson will also miss the matchup. No further information about the rules violations was immediately released, but Joe Schad of ESPN.com reported the players were suspended for marijuana and academics.
Coach Urban Meyer commented on the news at Big Ten Media Day, per Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated: "I kind of knew about this for a little bit. You try to create a culture where teams know how to move forward."
It's a major setback for Ohio State as it begins its defense of last year's national championship captured in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Bosa, who's already being projected as the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft by CBS Sports writers Rob Rang and Dane Brugler, is the biggest loss. The defensive end racked up 55 total tackles, notched 13.5 sacks and forced four fumbles as the driving force behind the unit last season.
Marshall is one of the squad's most versatile offensive threats. He only received 63 touches (38 catches and 25 carries) last season but turned them into 644 yards and seven touchdowns.
Wilson would typically serve as the replacement at H-back. But since he's also going to miss the game, it could push Braxton Miller into a prominent hybrid role earlier than expected after he announced he's making the shift from quarterback.
Smith is a notable loss too. Although he caught just 20 passes last season and didn't find the end zone, he was expected to take on a larger role following the exit of Devin Smith to the NFL. Noah Brown, who had just one catch last campaign, will likely be asked to pick up the slack in Week 1.
Missing four impact players for a true road game against Virginia Tech makes the challenge far more difficult. The Hokies entered the season just outside the Top 25—29th based on total voting points—in the Amway Coaches Poll.
While a loss wouldn't completely eliminate the Buckeyes from playoff contention after one week, it would significantly decrease their margin for error the rest of the way. Much of the onus will be on the reserves to avoid that fate.
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