Ohio State is less than a week away from opening fall camp and officially gearing up for another run at the College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes return 15 starters and loads of talent for their title defense, but there's still a number of questions that need answers before the season-opening road clash with Virginia Tech.
How will Braxton Miller fit into the offense? Will any freshmen step up and make an early impact? And who will win the highly anticipated quarterback battle?
There's no shortage of intriguing storylines in Columbus. Here are some bold predictions for Ohio State as it approaches fall camp.
Braxton Miller Will Reemerge as a Dominant Playmaker
From the onslaught of transfer rumors to the announcement that he was staying at Ohio State and switching positions from quarterback to wide receiver, Miller was one of the hottest names of the college football season.
After a pair of surgeries to his throwing shoulder, the two-time Big Ten MVP didn't take a single snap for the Buckeyes during their championship run last year. His lengthy recovery process has prevented him from participating in the quarterback battle at full capacity, so his announced move to wide receiver makes a lot of sense for both his future prospects and the team as a whole.
Envisioning his former quarterback at wide receiver last week at Big Ten media days, Urban Meyer offered Miller high praise.
“He's one of the best athletes I've ever coached," Meyer said, according to Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel. "He's got an incredible first step."
That elite athleticism will set him apart when fall camp opens next week, and he'll emerge as one of the Buckeyes' top playmakers heading into the season.
True Freshman Michael Weber Will Earn a Spot in the RB Rotation
Ohio State's backfield boasts the most productive returning rusher in the country in Ezekiel Elliott, but the Buckeyes are in need of depth at the position.
With Curtis Samuel's move to the H-back position, Bri'onte Dunn stepped up as Elliott's primary backup during spring camp. Meyer was impressed with the redshirt junior, who split time with Warren Ball during spring practice as Elliott worked his way back from minor wrist surgery.
But Michael Weber, the 4-star standout from Detroit, will quickly show why he was one of the most highly recruited running backs in the country for the 2015 cycle.
At 5'10" and 215 pounds, Weber offers the coaching staff a different and complementary running style. He's very strong and runs through arm tackles, but he has the speed to break away when he hits the second level. He also has great hands for a running back and can be a viable threat in the passing game.
All of those attributes will be on full display when the team hits the practice field, and the coaching staff will want to develop and reward that talent early.
J.T. Barrett Will Beat Out Cardale Jones and Win the Quarterback Spot
Ohio State's unprecedented quarterback battle will finally reach its conclusion over the course of the next month, and when Ohio State's offense takes the field against Virginia Tech, it'll be J.T. Barrett leading the charge.
Barrett became a household name during a breakout redshirt freshman campaign last year, when he set the Ohio State single-season record for total offense and the Big Ten benchmark for total touchdowns in a single season. But before that, during fall camp leading up to the '14 season, Barrett was named the starter over Jones because he orchestrated the offense more efficiently.
""The offense moves better when [Barrett's] in there. You can throw all the completion percentages – he's probably completing more balls and making more of the right reads in the run game," former offensive coordinator Tom Herman said last August, according to Ari Wasserman of The Plain Dealer. "Not that Cardale is doing a bad job, but the offense moves more frequently when J.T. is the quarterback."
History will repeat itself this year but not because Barrett runs the offense any better than Jones. In fact, Meyer made it clear that both quarterbacks have a similar skill set last week at Big Ten media days. The difference will be Barrett's leadership, which Meyer highlighted last week in Chicago.
With the pressure and expectations Ohio State is facing, solid leadership will be one of the biggest keys to the Buckeyes' success in 2015. And because of that, Barrett will give Ohio State the best chance of handling that pressure this fall.
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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