The Ohio State football program has struggled to land several high-profile players from the Transfer Portal. It seems that for one reason or another, they haven't been able to close the deal. That happened for most of the first week that the portal was open.
Recently, the Buckeyes have been able to get some momentum. They have now brought in four players in two days, which far exceeds the pace they were on to start the portal process. Yet, the Ohio State Buckeyes still haven't managed to address the need at running back.
After multiple backs entered the Transfer Portal, Ohio State has very little depth at that spot. They were rumored to be in the market for Georgia running back Nate Frazier. Unfortunately for them, they will not be adding him to the roster for the 2026 season.
The Ohio State football team loses out on Georgia running back Nate Frazier
Frazier won't be transferring anywhere. He has decided to return to the Bulldogs next season, ending any hope of Ohio State being able to bring him in for next year. Frazier would have been an excellent addition to the Buckeyes for next year after he ran for just under 1,000 yards this season.
Bo Jackson's return to Ohio State likely had something to do with this decision. Frazier doesn't want to be a true backup. He's okay with sharing snaps, but he doesn't want to be treated as anything but a true number-one back. That's understandable, so he will stay with Georgia.
Ohio State still has to figure something out at the running back spot. They really only have one back on their board at this point, Michigan State running back Makhi Frazier. If they miss out on him, they are in big trouble. Running back depth is a major concern for them heading into next year.
The Buckeyes still have some time to add players who might not even be in the Transfer Portal yet. It's not time to panic about the running back spot yet.