Coming off a national championship run that surprised everyone, coaches, players, fans and, yes, journalists included, Ohio State returns most of their weapons for 2015. But, for the first time in Coach Jeff HCross's tenure, some key pieces were lost to graduation. Can Ohio State replace a missing All-American? Will the offense overcome any defensive deficiencies?

Quarterbacks
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Comp Att Yards TD INT Comp
Rate		 Sacks Sack Rate Yards/
Att.
Marcus Avery QB 6'5”, 220 SR 88 239 305 2760 31 14 78.4% 13 4.1% 9.0
Jason Roberson QB 6'1”, 236 SO 82 Redshirt
Leroy Harris QB 6'3”, 210 SR 80 3 4 28 0 0 75.0% 1 20.0% 7.0
Marcus Crosby QB 6'2”, 212 JR 62
Marcus Avery replaced Leroy Harris last season as the starting quarterback, and while everyone expected improvement from the quarterback position, I don't think anyone expected a third-place Heisman campaign from the JUCO transfer. Recalling visions of Cam Newton, Avery ran first and threw later, to the tune of over 4000 yards total offense.

Harris accepted the role of a backup, but not even he imagined that he'd only throw three passes on the entire year. Now Harris falls to third-string, with JUCO Jason Roberson, who redshirted last season and is the heir apparent to the starting job, taking over as this season's backup quarterback.

Running Backs
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Rushes Yards TD Yards/
Carry		 % of Team
Yards
Kris Davis HB 6'0”, 211 SO 76 166 1135 9 6.8 30.7%
David Edwards HB 5'11”, 211 SR 78 99 678 9 6.8 18.3%
Nathan Jackson HB 5'11”, 210 JR 77 35 184 1 5.3 5.0%
Cory Rivera FB 6'2”, 233 FR 63
For the second season in a row, Ohio State returns all of their rushing yards from last year. Yet again, the leading rusher on the team was their quarterback. But among the running backs, freshman Kris Davis went from a unknown third-stringer to a starter to a star, running for over 1000 yards in his debut season. David Edwards tacked on an additional 678 yards, almost matching his team-leading total from 2013, and will return as the top backup. Nathan Jackson will be the third back in the rotation.

Receivers
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Catches Yards TD Yds/
Catch		 % of Team
Catches		 % of Team
Yards
Mike Luke WR 6'0”, 188 Grad 56 524 7 9.4 23.1% 18.8%
Josh White WR 6'2”, 209 Grad 32 396 1 12.4 13.2% 14.2%
Tim Herron WR 6'4”, 196 SR 84 13 177 2 13.6 5.4% 6.3%
David Little WR 6'2”, 212 JR 82 47 592 4 12.6 19.4% 21.2%
Louis Rhodes WR 6'4”, 190 FR 73 Redshirt
Jake Overstreet WR 5'11”, 183 JR 74 20 307 6 15.4 8.3% 11.0%
Garrett Baker WR 6'3”, 194 SO 78 Redshirt
John Matthews WR 6'4”, 229 SO 75 Redshirt
Larry Williams TE 6'4”, 237 SR 79 26 230 1 8.8 10.7% 8.2%
Lonnie Tidwell TE 6'7”, 244 SO 68 3 35 1 11.7 1.2% 1.3%
Ohio State's ability to threaten with the passing game was lost just two games into the season with the season-ending leg injury to Tim Herron. Mike Luke, David Little and Josh White both provided some threat in the passing game, mostly on short passes and in space, but the Buckeyes lacked the deep threat that Herron could theoretically provide. Herron has returned and looked impressive in the spring, but Luke and White have both graduated, taking their 88 combined catches with them. With a new offensive philosophy this fall, look for Herron and Little to line up outside the numbers, with Jake Overstreet and converted halfback Louis Rhodes lining up in the slots. Larry Williams and Lonnie Tidwell will still be the only tight ends on the roster, though their use is expected to decrease with the offensive changes this fall.

Offensive Line
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Career Starts
Matt Taylor LT 6'4”, 297 Grad 25
Tyler Gordon LG 6'2”, 293 Grad 25
Will Fellows LG 5'11”, 287 SR 69 0
Joshua Newman LG 6'6”, 288 SO 71 13
Nate Moore C 6'1”, 285 FR 79 0
Nate Newberry RG 6'4”, 266 SO 72 13
Bryan Lacey RT 6'5”, 295 SO 73 13
Casey Herring LT 6'5”, 300 SO 73 0
Dwayne Rice C 6'5”, 309 FR 71 Redshirt
Danny Outlaw RT 6'4”, 308 FR 68 Redshirt
Going into the spring, Ohio State was expected to replace four starters on the offensive line, including two players that returned this year but were expected to play backup roles. Instead, the returns from the spring were felt across the entire line, leading to a completely different starting lineup as the Buckeyes exited fall camp. Will Fellows, who most recruiting experts thought would merely be permanent depth after transferring to Ohio State as a JUCO, will instead line up at Left Tackle. The three returning starters will all be part of the starting lineup again, though Josh Newman shifts to left guard to allow Nate Moore, the top rated freshman in this year's Ohio State class, to start at Center from day one.

Defensive Line
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FR
Mike Walters DT 6'2”, 321 Grad 11 2.2% 4 1 0 0 0 0
Thomas Mason DT 6'4”, 276 Grad 5 1.0% 1 1 0 0 0 0
Brent McCoy DT 6'1”, 310 FR 75 Redshirt
Aaron Shaw LE 6'2”, 255 FR 76 Redshirt
Brandon Walker RE 6'1”, 232 SO 76 16 3.2% 9 4 0 0 0 0
David Murray DT 6'3”, 289 SO 56 Redshirt
Chris Hayford DT 6'3”, 271 SR 54 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Todd Pace RE 6'5”, 265 SR 76 6 1.2% 1 0 0 0 0 0
Marcus Harrell LE 6'4”, 271 SR 71 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kenneth Holmes RE 6'1”, 244 JR 69 1 0.2% 1 0 0 0 0 0
Redshirt freshman DT Brent McCoy will finally take his place in the middle of the Ohio State 3-4 defense, and will be expected to contribute on almost every snap, as the talent drop-off to his backups is significant. Another redshirt freshman, Aaron Shaw, is expected to start at defensive end alongside McCoy. All-Freshman selection Brandon Walker will start at the opposite defensive end spot and hopes for a repeat of last year's impressive deput season.

Linebackers
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FR
Matt Charles MLB 6'1”, 232 Grad 76 15.4% 17 5.5 1 0 1 0
Barry Lloyd OLB 6'3”, 234 SR 74 14 2.8% 4 3 0 0 0 0
Ryan Perkins OLB 6'1”, 240 SR 74 13 2.6% 4 1 0 0 0 0
Desmond Hamby MLB 6'1”, 218 JR 77 JUCO
Randy Williams MLB 6'1”, 208 JR 82 51 10.3% 17 5 0 2 0 1
Brandon Frederick OLB 6'3”, 224 JR 74 10 2.0% 2 0 0 0 0 0
Daniel Miller OLB 6'1”, 218 FR 70 Redshirt
Paul Hawthorne MLB 6'0”, 238 JR 69 1 0.2% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Maurice Walker MLB 5'9”, 223 SO 65 1 0.2% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Barry Lloyd has made the full-time switch to OLB this season, and is expected to start at LOLB, allowing top OLB Randy Williams to slide inside to MLB full-time. Williams played mostly MLB last season, but was still officially listed as an OLB. Ryan Perkins earns the other OLB starting job this year, after a surprising 2014 that saw him start only two games, yet notch more tackles in those two games than his competition, Brandon Frederick, did all season. Perkins has a nose for the ball that Ohio State will need after losing 2nd-team All-American Matt Charles to graduation. Desmond Hamby will join Ohio State from the JUCO ranks and complete the 3-4 defensive scheme at the other MLB spot.

Secondary
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FR
Robert Ellis CB 6'1”, 180 SR 77 46 9.3% 3 0 5 0 0 0
Derrick Thomas CB 5'11”, 201 SO 80 JUCO
Craig Smith FS 6'2”, 180 SO 80 62 12.6% 3 0 3 4 0 0
Rashad Alston SS 6'1”, 194 SR 82 63 12.8% 5 0 2 4 0 0
Lee Gore STAR 5'9”, 166 SO 80 48 9.7% 7 2 0 3 0 0
Eric Henry CB 6'1”, 177 JR 76 Redshirt
Edward Wood CB 6'1”, 196 SR 72 12 2.4% 0 0 1 0 0 1
Michael Busch CB 6'1”, 199 JR 70 0 0.0% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Austin Davis FS 6'3”, 209 SR 74 1 0.2% 0 0 0 1 0 0
Derrick Hall FS 6'1”, 190 SO 76 Redshirt
Jerome Thomas SS 6'2”, 212 FR 77 Redshirt
For the second consecutive year, Ohio State adds a JUCO cornerback that will immediately see a starting role in the fall. For 2015, that JUCO is Derrick Thomas, a four-star prospect in HS that played last season at Monterey Peninsula College near his hometown. Thomas will be the #2 cornerback opposite of Robert Ellis, who led the team a year ago with five interceptions. All three safeties return, led by Rashad Alston at SS, who is the leading returning tackler. Craig Smith will provide centerfield help from the FS spot and Lee Gore will probably play practically every defensive snap from his STAR position.

Specialists
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating PAT FG FG Pct Punts Net Avg TB I20
Dan Pierce P 5'10”, 227 Grad 67 23 95.8% 5 41.4 0 3
Carl Bentley P/K 6'2”, 180 FR 80 Redshirt
Spencer Cox K 6'0”, 176 SO 70 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dan Pierce was the sole kicking specialist for Ohio State last season, but he's now demonstrating his talents in the Arena League. Pierce was again responsible for three game-winning field goals last season, including the game winner against Alabama to win the national championship. That production will look to be replaced by redshirt freshman Carl Bentley, who will take over kicking, punting and kickoff duties.