Biggest Questions Ohio State Football Still Faces Before Week 1

Ohio State opens the season on Saturday against Ball State with little time left to settle issues that are still open. These are the questions fans should watch when the Buckeyes take the field.

Will Julian Sayin use his legs more this season?

One thing that limited Ohio State’s offense last season was Sayin’s reluctance to scramble. He is not a dual-threat quarterback by nature. He prefers to stay in the pocket and throw. When the play broke down, he rarely picked up yards with his feet, and that cost the Buckeyes.

Ohio State fans got used to a different look in 2024, when Will Howard extended plays and helped the Buckeyes win a national title. Head coach Ryan Day made it a point this offseason that Sayin has to run when the situation calls for it.

“We all know the ball comes out accurately (for him) throwing the football, but making an impact with his legs when appropriate, we know that that’s the X-factor that has to show up this year,” Day said in March, via Eleven Warriors’ Chase Brown. “He’s aware of that. He’s been working hard in the offseason.”

If Sayin can extend plays with his legs, Ohio State’s offense becomes one of the most dangerous in the country.

Who is the Buckeyes’ No. 2 wide receiver?

Ohio State has produced receivers at an elite rate for a decade. Jeremiah Smith is the clear No. 1. The No. 2 job is still the open question.

Brandon Inniss looked like the favorite before fall camp. That picture changed when transfer Devin McCuin arrived from UTSA and forced his way into the conversation.

“You saw him come in in the spring, do some good things. But then in the summer, he’s taken off with his body and just the way he’s practiced,” Day said of McCuin on Tuesday.

The concern with McCuin is the jump in competition. He produced at UTSA — 152 receptions, 1,696 yards and 16 touchdowns in 32 games but he has not played Power Four football. The Big Ten is a different test.

Ohio State is used to lining up two first-round NFL receivers at the same time. That may not be the case this season. Saturday against Ball State is the first chance to see how Day wants to answer it.