Ohio State DB Jordan Hancock Has One Goal for 2024 College Football Season

Several Ohio State Buckeyes rising seniors elected to come back for their final year with dreams of a championship in their heads, including defensive back Jordan Hancock.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have experienced some dark times recently.

The Buckeyes have lost their three-straight against their arch-rival Michigan Wolverines, lost in the College Football Playoff semifinals by one point, and missed out on the playoff altogether. 

And that was just over the last three seasons.

It would have been understandable if those players deciding whether or not to return for their senior years simply decided to test their luck in the 2024 NFL Draft. The shocker: very few of those eligible for the pros chose to leave.

Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke and defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are among the names of those who elected to try and finish their collegiate careers on a high note this season. Another player who chose to stay in Columbus was defensive back Jordan Hancock. 

Hancock spoke to the media Thursday in his first appearance since announcing his decision for the coming year. When the question of what caused him to stay was inevitably asked, Hancock replied with a simple answer. 

"I want to leave outta here with a national championship," Hancock said.

Hancock and his defensive teammates were often one of (if not the) main reason Ohio State won several games last season, including against the then-No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions on October 21.

Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will have a tall order to fill following up a fantastic 2023 campaign. Lucky for him, it sounds like he will have a more-than-motivated crew at his disposal.