Head coach Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes will officially start preparations for their title defense when the team reports for fall camp August 9.
The Buckeyes, tabbed as the nation's No. 1 team in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll, have a number of storylines to follow as they open camp. From heated position battles to off-the-field distractions, Meyer and the coaching staff will have plenty to work through before hitting the road for a season-opening clash with Virginia Tech.
Here's what to watch for when the Buckeyes open fall camp.
A 2-Horse Race at Quarterback
College football's most anticipated position battle took a major turn when Braxton Miller announced his move from quarterback to H-back, leaving the Buckeyes with two signal-callers to work with in J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones.
Barrett had a sensational redshirt freshman campaign last year, setting the Ohio State single-season record for total offense and the Big Ten record for total touchdowns. He accomplished all of that in just 12 games before breaking his ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan. That allowed Jones to take over and guide the Buckeyes through a postseason tear of Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon on the way to a national title.
Meyer evaluated his two quarterbacks at the Big Ten media days in Chicago last week.
"I think their skill sets are very similar," Meyer said, according to Tony Gerdeman of The Ozone. "There was a time maybe where I thought J.T., his arm strength wasn’t up to par. He’s worked very hard at that. From every indication that I’m hearing, because I haven’t seen it yet, his arm strength is on par now. I don’t think that it’s a much different skill set."
Meyer won't name a starter before the Virginia Tech game, per Gerdeman, so the two quarterbacks should push each other throughout camp.
Braxton Miller's Move to Wide Receiver
With the nature of Miller's injury and the pair of surgeries he underwent, it was going to be hard for him to not only beat out Barrett and Jones during camp, but to stay fresh enough to handle a season's worth of throwing and contact.
That's why his move to wide receiver makes so much sense. Miller has always been a nightmare for defenses to contain, and with his move to the perimeter, the Buckeyes offense has the potential to be much more explosive.
The 6'2", 215-pound blazer has a lot to prove during camp, though, because as Meyer pointed out last week, per Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel, the coaching staff has yet to see him catch a pass. But the head coach is excited about the potential Miller adds to his offense after his move to the perimeter.
“He's one of the best athletes I've ever coached," Meyer said, according to Murschel. "He's got an incredible first step. Above all else, you say it's time to win or lose time, and he's not going to lose.”
Handling the Surprising Suspensions
The Buckeyes had been enjoying a quiet offseason until last week, when it was announced that four key players—defensive end Joey Bosa and receivers Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson and Corey Smith—will be suspended for Ohio State's Week 1 matchup against Virginia Tech.
The loss of the three wideouts is significant because the Buckeyes were already working to replace Devin Smith, the team's leading receiver and college football's best deep threat a season ago, and Evan Spencer, who, according to Meyer, was last year's team MVP, per the Tampa Bay Times.
But there's no way around it—losing Bosa is the biggest blow.
As the team's best and most disruptive defender, the Buckeyes will need to find a suitable replacement to generate some pressure from the strong-side defensive end position. Redshirt freshman Sam Hubbard, who had an excellent spring practice, is expected to fill in for Bosa, but will he be ready for the prime-time showdown?
Welcoming the 2015 Recruiting Class
Ohio State's 25-member 2015 recruiting class is officially set to join the team next week.
Excluding the early enrollees who took part in spring camp—4-star defensive end Jashon Cornell, 4-star linebacker Nick Conner and 3-star offensive tackle Grant Schmidt—the new freshmen will be making their first impressions on Meyer and their position coaches.
Two years ago, it was Bosa and Wilson who turned heads and earned the respect and trust of the coaching staff as first-year players during fall camp. Last year, Raekwon McMillan and Curtis Samuel did the same.
Can any of Ohio State's new freshmen earn some early playing time?
Four-star Michael Weber has a chance to crack the rotation in a wide-open running back position behind Ezekiel Elliott. Receivers K.J. Hill and Alex Stump could see some time with the depleted wide receiver corps. The Buckeyes have depth at linebacker, but 5-star Justin Hilliard and 4-stars Jerome Baker and Conner could be talented enough to compete with upperclassmen.
But for that to happen, these star freshmen will need to stand out in the first two weeks of camp.
All recruiting information via 247Sports.
David Regimbal is the Ohio State football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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