5 quick facts from Ohio State football’s new media guide

Missing college football?

Well, it won’t be long now as conference media days have already started and preseason schedules are starting to be announced.

For some people*, reading through the new media guide is also one of those rites of summer.

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Scrolling through a PDF isn't quite the same as tearing through those old glossy pages, but it will just have to do (along with this cool hype video).

Here are five quick observations from Ohio State’s 2017 guide:

1. The Buckeyes are set to return eight starters on offense and seven on defense. 

Every position group has at least one starter back, though there is only one receiver (Parris Campbell) and one defensive back (safety Damon Webb).

2. Five players from area high schools are on the roster. 

That group consists of Senior defensive back CinQuan Haney (Chaminade Julienne), junior running back Ke’Von Huguely (Meadowdale), sophomore defensive tackle Robert Landers (Wayne), junior tight end Derrick Malone (Thurgood Marshall) and freshman offensive lineman Josh Myers (Miamisburg).

Landers was an important part of the rotation up front last season while Myers is a five-star recruit who enrolled in January.

3. Too much experience shouldn’t be a problem. 

Billy Price, a fifth-year senior offensive lineman has a team-high 41 starts under his belt. Classmate J.T. Barrett is next with 30 starts at quarterback while defensive end Tyquan Lewis has 26 starts.

No one else has more than 14.

4. The defensive backs aren’t as green as they could be. 

Although both starting cornerbacks from last year (Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley) were first-round NFL draft picks in April, there is no lack of numbers or experience for coach Kerry Coombs.

Denzel Ward played 468 defensive snaps last season while Damon Arnette was in on 181.

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They will have a large group of newcomers nipping at their heels, including freshmen Jeffrey Okudah, Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson plus junior-college transfer Kendall Sheffield. Sheffield was a five-star Alabama recruit two years ago.

5. The defensive line should be crazy deep. 

He’s probably not embarrassed by it, but position coach Larry Johnson has all kinds of riches at his disposal.

Twelve lettermen return after the team ranked fourth nationally in adjusted line yards last season according to Football Outsiders.

With the return of Darius Slade and Tracy Sprinkle from injury and the addition of freshmen Chase Young, Jerron Cage and Haskell Garrett, Ohio State could go three deep at every spot up front.

Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard and Nick Bosa are the biggest names of the bunch.

(*like me)

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