The Ohio State football team is suffering at the worst possible moment with Mike Vrabel’s dismissal.
On Tuesday, the former football player for Ohio State was fired from his head coaching job with the Tennessee Titans. For the Buckeyes and their supporters looking to land a big win, it comes at the worst possible time.
This season, there won’t be any head coach changes for the Ohio State football program. It may not have survived another year for some of his assistants, but Ryan Day will. Nevertheless, going into next year, Day’s seat is quite hot. If the Buckeyes don’t defeat TTUN, this could be his last season with the team.
Supporters of Ohio State football who believe that Day is not the solution have been wishing for Mike Vrabel to return to the university to take over as head coach. It would be the ideal fit because Vrabel was coached by Urban Meyer and is undoubtedly an alumnus of the institution.
The timing of Vrabel’s firing by the Titans today could not have been worse for the Buckeyes and their supporters. Just two years after winning Coach of the Year, he is sacked. Given that he was let go this season, he will now be among the NFL’s top prospects for coaching.
The timing could not be worse for Ohio State. As Gene Smith’s final act as AD, Ryan Day won’t be let go. In the summer, he will retire, and someone else will take over. He’ll be a lame duck for the new AD if he doesn’t bring in a new coach. Thus, they are not going to get Vrabel this year.
Although I don’t think the Buckeyes would have had a chance to sign Vrabel in the first place, it’s now too late. After they break ways with Belichick, he’ll probably accept a job in the NFL (probably in New England) and become their head coach for who knows.
Ohio State will need to search elsewhere for a new head coach if Day does in fact falter the following season. The fact that they won’t even get a chance to try Vrabel is annoying. It would have been good to have had the opportunity to speak with him briefly to see if he was interested.
Ohio State football: Seth McLaughlin’s latest commitments are expected to fire the Buckeyes
Shortly after the Crimson Tide’s CFP loss to the Michigan Wolverines, Seth McLaughlin pledged to the Ohio State football program. This season, McLaughlin began for Alabama at center, a position where the Buckeyes struggled in the Cotton Bowl.
“I trust Coach Frye, the offensive line coach, to help me reach my goals as a player because I genuinely like him.” During recruiting, Ohio State was able to take advantage of Seth McLaughlin’s statement that he would like to play the Wolverines once again.
The 6’4″, 305-pound lineman will be able to assist Ohio State’s offensive line in 2024, as he has one more year of eligibility. He was listed in the transfer portal’s rankings as the second-best interior offensive lineman on 247.
McLaughlin played a significant amount of snaps in his prior seasons and started every game for Alabama in 2023. This season, despite his early start, he has struggled with snapping the ball too low for his quarterback, Jalen Milroe.
The first athlete to commit to Ohio State via the transfer portal was Ohio Bobcats player Will Kacmarek.
Cade Stover, the tight end for Ohio State in 2023, is departing to join the NFL. Additionally, senior Joe Royer declared in December that he was quitting the Ohio State football program. Macmarek’s addition, along with redshirt freshman Jelani Thurman and senior Gee Scott Jr., will close that gap.
He was able to amass 42 receptions for two touchdowns and slightly over 500 yards throughout his two seasons with the Bobcats. Given Macmarek’s size, the Buckeyes will probably deploy him similarly to Cade Stover.
He shared his excitement at the chance and his gratitude to everyone who helped him get here on social media.
Will Howard was the much-needed quarterback that Ryan Day finally acquired via the transfer portal.Following the Cotton Bowl, it became evident that Lincoln Kienholz and Devin Brown were not the right choice for 2024.
At 6’5 and 242 pounds, the Kansas State quarterback is a perfect fit for the Buckeyes’ offensive scheme. Since Howard joined the transfer site, everyone has been speculating that he will choose Ohio State because he was one of the best quarterbacks there.
Will Howard is more of a dual-threat quarterback than the pocket passers C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord have been for the Ohio State football team. He excels at deflecting criticism while still making the play. Will Howard has been likened to the legendary JT Barrett by former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer.
Howard is coming to Columbus with expertise and leadership. He has participated in 33 games; one of his most prominent performances came in the Big XII in 2022, when he defeated TCU, who advanced to the National Championship that year.
The Ohio State football program has distinct needs that these three transfers fill, and their addition as a group should help the squad improve for the 2024 campaign. The Buckeyes are hoping for a better season than their showing in the Cotton Bowl thanks to upgrades at key areas.
