Giving you 10 reasons why we should be so optimistic this season. Have a great Friday!
1.) Obviously, OC Arthur Smith. We were an experienced OC away from a repeat national title last year. All early reviews of Arthur from spring are extremely positive and Day is leaving him alone to run the entire thing. And Smith with his OL background is going to help out Bowen tremendously. This is a win win hire that has the possibility to end up having the same type of impact as Matty P a year ago. I believe we're headed back to a 2019 type offense in terms of production and scheme with the mesh concepts in the pass game.
2.) Matt Patricia in his 2nd season. He took a defense that lost 8 starters to the NFL a year ago and built a historically great defense. What can he do in year two with another year around the players and with some of his own players he's hand picked to add to the roster? You lose some players for sure but it can be offset in other ways as described above.
3.) Not only will the run game be schemed up better and the play calling sequencing be vastly improved but expect Bo Jackson and Isaiah West to take major steps forward. As Carlos Locklyn said in the spring, people forget that both basically missed their entire senior years of HS with injuries and he expects them to be way better this season.
4.) Year two for Day with a starting QB. It doesn't happen often but when it does, y'all better look out. Word is that Julian will have a ton more control over audibles and changing the plays based no the looks he gets from the defense. If they had even allowed him to give a hard count against Miami, they would have drawn 50 offsides penalties as they just pinned their ears back and timed the snap.
5.) We won't have an OC that is also coaching a single position like Hartline who was doing double duty last year as OC and WR coach. Basically added another full time coach to the staff. Huge.
6.) The upgrades on the staff aren't just with Arthur Smith. Adding an experienced established full time special teams coach and adding Joe Kim to the DL coaching staff. Plus people seriously underrated possibly the biggest offseason addition of Anthony Schlegel to the strength staff. Day pushed all the right buttons with the offseason. A+.
8.) Kenyatta Jackson coming back. Very very underrated retain. As Brooks Austin said, this guy should be in the NFL right now. I think he's going to be an All American this year, hold me to it.
9.) The average age of the roster increased by almost a year and a half from where it was at last season. As Day said in the spring, he thought they were a little young last year. This is now a much older and veteran team with all the transfer portal guys.
10.) The 6 year cycle. Ohio State has made the college football championship game each of the past few six year cycles. 2020, 2014-also 2002. This is another one!
