The Ohio State football program knows that it won't be easy to repeat as national champions. There is a reason why more teams don't go back-to-back. It's going to take a lot of work from everyone involved, from the coaches down to the last guy on the roster.
Ryan Day decided to start Spring practice later this year so that he could give his guys an extra rest after the longest college football season in history. That doesn't mean that they won't be getting some good work in while they are practicing in the Spring.
One Ohio State coach knows that some of the best work can get done in Spring. It gives them a chance to get ahead of other programs that are taking it easy. Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn had a great quote about his reasoning to coach his guys hard.
Ohio State football coach Carlos Locklyn's quote will fire up Buckeye fans
While discussing why he will coach the running backs hard this Spring, Locklyn had a great reason for doing so.
Carlos Locklyn said he wants to coach Ohio State's running backs hard this offseason. Locklyn said the position's development starts with him, and he doesn't plan on letting his players be soft.
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) March 19, 2025
"If your kids soft, you soft," he said. "Take a look in the mirror."
The Buckeyes were certainly a tough team last year. They had multiple starters out on the offensive line and were still able to win the national championship. Locklyn understands that toughness is what wins championships, and he wants his guys to be the toughest ones on the field.
Locklyn was just hired around this time a year ago after Tony Alford betrayed the Ohio State Buckeyes. Since being hired, he has done a great job. He helped both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins rush for over 1,000 yards last season.
Both of those guys are preparing for the NFL Draft. He has a room full of guys who don't have many snaps with the Buckeyes. He's going to make sure that the guys he has are tough enough for another long season, because that is the ultimate goal.
CJ Donaldson is the likely starter. The Buckeyes already know how tough he is after his first two years at West Virginia. They are still trying to see what they have behind Donaldson, as they are very young.