Ohio State Football: QB Room filling out nicely with new additions
The addition of QB transfer Jagger LaRoe from Texas A&M to Ohio State adds means more depth and stability for the quarterback unit of the Buckeyes.
When the Ohio State quarterback room was reduced to just 2 scholarship QBs (Justin Fields and Chris Chugunov) after Matthew Baldwin’s transfer, the QB unit looked quite lacking in depth and stability. Fields is an immensely talented player, but if he was ever injured the Buckeyes would be forced with quite a dilemma.
However, since the Baldwin transfer the Buckeyes have added Gunnar Hoak and LaRoe via transfer and gained a commitment from 2019 preferred walk-on JP Andrade.
With these additions, Fields is still the unquestioned starter but he will have plenty of backup in garbage time or in case he is injured. Even though the QB room was empty just a month ago, the team now has a contingency plan with stability.
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Between now and August 31st, when the Buckeyes open the season versus Florida Atlantic (who recently gained fellow QB transfer Deondre Francois), Ryan Day will prepare Fields to be the starter. Chugunov, Hoak, LaRoe, Andrade and Danny Vanatsky will battle to decide who will be the back-up this season.
Even though LaRoe will sit out the 2019 season because of the transfer rule, the Buckeyes now have enough depth and security for this season. It also adds to a sudden turn of events in the QB room that has left the Buckeyes to go from a thin QB room to an embarrassment of riches.
LaRoe will still be an important piece this season as he will help with the scout team, which is important in allowing practice for the defense and to work with the future offensive weapons.
With the introduction of the “Transfer Era” of College Football, the Buckeyes have gone from a solid QB room to one that looked bleak, and back again to a full house.
Expect Buckeye offense to be balanced like 2014. dark. Next
Only Fields, Hoak, and Chugunov have any game experience, but their (limited) experience will help guide the Buckeyes. And they will have plenty of help from veteran offensive players such as JK Dobbins and KJ Hill who will be the leaders of an offense that is looking to take the Buckeyes back to the College Football Playoff in 2019.