The Ohio State football team was expecting to be preparing for another College Football Playoff game. Miami wasn't supposed to give them fits. Instead, the Buckeyes got crushed by Miami 24-14 in a game that the Ohio State Buckeyes never led. It was an embarrassing end to the season.
Now that the season is over, the Buckeyes are starting to lose players to the Transfer Portal. The portal opens on Friday, so players need to make some quick decisions about their future. Initially, the Buckeyes didn't lose any significant players in the portal. That changed Thursday afternoon.
While Ohio State has some solid depth at many positions on the field, cornerback is one spot on defense that they are losing a ton heading into next season. Despite having a chance to compete for a starting spot, cornerback Bryce West has decided to enter the portal.
The Ohio State football team loses Bryce West to the Transfer Portal
West was a four-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting class who showed some promise on special teams. With Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles leaving, West was going to have a chance to compete for a starting spot. Instead, he will leave, taking three years of eligibility with him.
Without West on the roster, Devin Sanchez will likely move into one of the starting cornerback spots. He was actually a bright spot against the Hurricanes after taking some lumps earlier in the season. He, along with Aaron Scott, has a shot to benefit from West's decision to leave.
Ohio State will be looking to add players in the portal itself, as they have quite a few holes that they need to plug after what was on display in Dallas. The Buckeyes still have to hire an offensive coordinator, as that is the biggest thing Ryan Day has to do in the next few days.
Expect a few more players to add their names to the portal before the two-week portal period closes.