The Ohio State Buckeyes had a roster that wasn't supposed to lose in 2025. They had blue-chips stacked all across the depth chart and were, on paper, the most talented team in the country. By a good bit.
Bucknuts' Patrick Murphy believes the new redshirt rules voted upon by FBS coaches, that moves the redshirt limit on games eligible for a season from four to nine on Thursday, could've been the difference during the 2025 season.
Guys like EDGE C.J. Hicks, who followed Brian Hartline to the USF Bulls, and safety Malik Hartford, who's since committed to Bob Chesney's UCLA Bruins, could've provided depth during the stretch run. Murphy believes having them could have been a "difference-maker" for the campaign.
"Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has often emphasized a 'week-to-week' approach to personnel decisions, particularly regarding redshirts. Under the current four-game rule, Day and his staff have been forced to make difficult decisions midway through the season — sitting talented players to save their eligibility rather than deploying them to shore up depth," Murphy wrote.
"The 2025 season provided a perfect case study for why this change is needed in Columbus. Senior defensive end C.J. Hicks and junior safety Malik Hartford utilized redshirt seasons, a decision that strategically preserved their future but limited the Buckeyes' immediate depth on defense. In a season that ended with a disappointing College Football Playoff loss to Miami, having experienced playmakers available for key rotations — without the penalty of losing a year — could have been a difference-maker."
The 2025 season will always be Ohio State's biggest what-if
Murphy's sentiment is understandable and correct. It doesn't exonerate Ryan Day for not having his team prepared for the different twists and turns College Football throws at you, though.
Not only did Day not have an idea for how the offense would be structured without Hartline calling plays, but he also didn't account for what would happen when certain depth pieces "opted out" and took a redshirt.
A school like OSU should never have guys unprepared. They had countless chances to give players chances during their blowouts every week from Week 2 to Week 14, and they had several weeks to prepare for a Miami Hurricanes squad they knew was deep in the trenches.
This season, as good as it looked 95% of the time, fell apart when the lights were brightest.
As it pertains to a superpower like the Buckeyes, that falls on coaching. Even if the rules were skewed against the very top programs with multiple guys at each position who are capable of starting.