Ohio State Football: Xavier Johnson deserves major role next season

The Ohio State football team got some great production out of a former walk-on. Xavier Johnson deserves a role next season.

The Ohio State football team is picking up the pieces following its heartbreaking 42-41 loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl. The time is now to start planning for the 2023 season as this Buckeye offense is going to go through some major changes.

There will be a new signal-caller in Columbus next season and that has to be at the top of Ryan Day’s priority list. It should be a fun battle to watch this spring as Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will be competing for the opening. But with five-star skill position players up and down the Ohio State roster, it’s a former walk-on that should be receiving a defined role within the offense next season.

Xavier Johnson, who will be a fifth-year senior next season, has earned playing time for 2023. The do-it-all Swiss army knife, Johnson was vital in keeping the Buckeyes in the game against Georgia in the Peach Bowl. Filling in at both running back and receiver, Johnson made one of the biggest plays of the game with a 37-yard touchdown catch right before halftime.

In what was deemed to be a feel-good story with catching the winning touchdown pass against Notre Dame in week one, Johnson has been a steady force for the Buckeye offense in a season where injuries haunted Ohio State skill position players. Johnson finished the season with 13 receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing 12 times for 146 yards and a score.

I’m pretty certain that if Johnson would have received that carry on the final drive against Georgia that he would have found a way to get the five yards Noah Ruggles desperately needed for his field goal attempt. Johnson always finds a way, and the Ohio State football team loves him for it.

Ryan Day had this to say about him after the Notre Dame game, via Saturday Tradition:

"“Xavier Johnson practices every day. Xavier Johnson cut his teeth on special teams. He’s kind of a throwback player … I just couldn’t be happier for him, because it goes to show that good things happen to good people who work hard.”"

With Miyan Williams, TreyVeon Henderson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Julian Fleming, and Emeka Egbuka all coming back next season, it’s going to be hard for Day to find a role for Johnson. But he needs to. Good things happen when Johnson has the ball in his hands. Day should find a nice niche role for him, using him as a Curtis Samuel-type player where Ohio State could line him up anywhere on the field at any given time.

You saw it against Georgia on his touchdown catch. He was actually lined up in the backfield and was matched up with a linebacker. Johnson will win that battle every time. Hopefully, we will see more of Johnson in 2023 as he absolutely deserves it.