Ohio State is firmly in Fall camp, and they are trying to determine what the starting lineup is going to look like. There are several position battles going on, and the Buckeyes are still trying to replace some talent they lost in the NFL Draft. However, not everyone is playing well.
There are three players who have not had an ideal start to Fall camp. In fact, poor play might have led these players to slide down the depth chart.
1. Legend Bey
No freshman had the team talking more during spring ball than Legend Bey. He showed off his explosiveness, but then he got hurt. Bey didn't play in the Spring game, and things have only gotten worse as the fall has approached.
Bey was suspended for the first two practices of the year. Even once he returned, he fumbled a handoff. Bey seems to be frustrating the coaches because he has so much talent, but he keeps messing up simple things. He seems to be tumbling down the depth chart.
However, coaches still have hope that Bey can bounce back and end up being a big part of the offense as a true freshman.
2. Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson emerged as the starter at the running back position once the non-conference portion of the schedule was through. He showed the ability to break free with breakaway speed. However, he finished the season a little banged up, and he needed offseason surgery.
Since he's been back, he surprisingly hasn't been getting all of the first-team reps. In fact, Isaiah West has actually been getting the starter's reps. He was also injured during the spring and didn't participate at all in spring practice. Still, he has emerged as the possible starter.
It would be surprising if Jackson wasn't the starter when the regular season rolls around. He is by far the most talented running back on the roster. Perhaps the coaches want to see more out of Jackson before he is given the starting job again, however. It's a strange situation in the running back room.
3. Connor Hawkins
When Ohio State got kicker Connor Hawkins from the Transfer Portal, fans were hopeful that the kicking woes were a thing of the past. The Jayden Fielding experience was a poor one, as he missed kicks in big games over the past two seasons with the Buckeyes.
Hawkins even passed his first major test while with Ohio State in the Spring. However, the kickers did not have a good day of practice early in camp. In fact, the report was that the Ohio State Buckeyes had an issue missing field goals by all of the kickers participating.
If the Buckeyes can't rely on Hawkins moving forward, that's going to be a big issue. The Buckeyes have one of the toughest schedules in the country. Close games are going to happen, and they need someone who can make clutch field goals. Let's hope this gets fixed closer to the regular season, because they need Hawkins.
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