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What a season it was for the Ohio State Buckeyes. After a crushing loss to rival Michigan, Ohio State tore via the newly expanded School Soccer Playoff, dismantling Tennessee, avenging its loss to Oregon, defeating Texas and finally dealing with Notre Dame to win the nationwide championship.
The celebration in Columbus was in full swing on the evening of the title victory. However in school soccer, issues change shortly.
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COACHING OVERHAUL
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Virtually instantly, the Buckeyes confronted main employees departures. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles introduced he was leaving for Penn State, establishing an intriguing Nov. 1 matchup this coming season.
Days later, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly accepted the identical function with the Las Vegas Raiders after only one season in Columbus. In the meantime, offensive line coach Justin Frye, typically criticized by followers, took the identical place with the Arizona Cardinals.
On offense, head coach Ryan Day opted for in-house promotions. Celebrity recruiter and huge receivers coach Brian Hartline was elevated to offensive coordinator, whereas tight ends coach Keenan Bailey was promoted to co-offensive coordinator. Each will proceed teaching their respective place teams.
Defensively, Day made a daring transfer, hiring veteran NFL coach Matt Patricia to guide the unit. The choice has been met with combined reactions. Patricia, who spent final season out of teaching, has not labored in school soccer since 2003. Whereas his soccer acumen is extensively revered, adapting to the trendy school recreation will likely be his greatest problem.
RECRUITING SHIFTS
The Buckeyes proceed to recruit at an elite degree, often ending within the prime 5 of the Rivals Group Recruiting Rankings. That development is predicted to proceed, however a well-recognized debate lingers: How a lot does Ohio State prioritize in-state expertise versus nationwide prospects?
For the 2026 recruiting class, the Buckeyes at present have 5 commitments, three of whom are from Ohio. Nonetheless, the main target has been on prime in-state prospects selecting to depart.
4-star prospects Kaden Gebhardt, Adam Guthrie, Victor Singleton and Cam Thomas have all dedicated elsewhere. Three-star offensive linemen Ben Congdon and Will Conroy are additionally headed to different packages.
Maybe most regarding, five-star cornerback Elbert Hill didn’t embody Ohio State in his preliminary listing of official visits.
The brand new employees members could have their recruiting chops examined instantly. The Buckeyes will undoubtedly safe their share of blue-chip expertise, however the development of in-state stars leaving stays a sore spot for the fan base.
TITLE DEFENSE BEGINS
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As spring soccer begins in Columbus, a brand new wave of expertise is about to emerge.
Quarterback Julian Sayin enters because the anticipated starter, surrounded by a deep group of playmakers, together with star receiver Jeremiah Smith. Within the backfield, James Peoples and switch CJ Donaldson are poised to kind a formidable one-two punch.
Defensively, a number of former blue-chip recruits will step into larger roles, however the greatest identify returning is security Caleb Downs, who may very well be one of the best defender within the nation.
With loads of new faces and transferring elements, Ohio State’s title protection will likely be examined early. The Buckeyes will get an instantaneous problem when Texas involves Columbus on Aug. 30.
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