Why This Ohio State Football Team Feels Different Than Last Year

This year’s Ohio State side will be different, and without question, they will have a chip on their shoulder following a campaign last year that promised so much but finished with heartbreak.

The overall look and feel of the Buckeyes side, though, has been revamped, and not just because a plethora of last year’s crop have moved on to the NFL, along with a mix of new players and coaching staff coming in.

More importantly, the current crop will be different this year. A re-jigged defense under Matt Patricia, along with a revamped offensive playbook under coordinator Arthur Smith, let’s take a look at what changes lie ahead for Ohio State this season.

Quarterback growth

Despite looking like a high-school kid who would get picked last on the school playground, Julian Sayin was one of the elite quarterbacks in college football, with unmatched vision and footwork.

It’s further proven when you glance at his stats from last year. Sayin threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns with eight interceptions, and he won the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year award and was also a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Certainly, it will be hard to top a season like that on an individual scale, but Sayin’s offseason work has seen him bulk up to 214 pounds in order to prepare him for another college year.

Ohio State director of football sport performance Mickey Marotti has helped Sayin, and the quarterback is noticing the changes for the better.

"Coach 'Mick' pushed me pretty hard, and I think the extra weight has helped me in throwing the ball and running the ball," Sayin said.

"I think stronger base and a little bit stronger legs is able to help increase that pace. Coach Day always says there's nobody open in the red zone. Everything's going to be tight, so you have to throw with a ton of pace and we've gotta make great catches."

Pressure on Jeremiah Smith

Along with Sayin, the Buckeyes is Jeremiah Smith’s side this year, and, seeing how he closed out in big moments last season, he will relish the opportunity of being the team’s leader.

This year, Smith will undoubtedly draw more attention than any of the other receivers in college football, but he will be up for the challenge.

Smith and Sayin have formed an excellent partnership, and this year won’t be any different. In fact, given what happened towards the end of last season, it will motivate them to be better.

He’s expected to take on a bigger workload with the departure of Carnell Tate, and it’s hard to see how Smith won’t live up to expectations once again.

Culture and schedule shifts

The Buckeyes' schedule will also change.

After last season's triumph against Michigan, Ohio State moved Senior Day up to Week 1 to shift the focus to the traditional rivalry early and maintain focus afterwards.

The Buckeyes will also have many top-tier opponents, including a mouthwatering battle against Texas.

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