City Meyer: Ohio State has 'by no means been extra cautious' about who it brings in

As the faculty soccer panorama continues to evolve in opposition to the backdrop of title, picture and likeness (NIL), the Ohio State Buckeyes proceed to be within the higher echelon of the game. What’s the important thing?

On Tuesday’s version of “The Herd,” former Ohio State head coach and present FOX Sports activities School Soccer Studio Analyst on “Huge Midday Kickoff” City Meyer gave his perspective on how Ohio State stays within the elite tier of the game.

“I believe Ohio State, and I’ve talked to educate [Ryan] Day about this and Mark Pantoni, their GM, is that they’ve by no means been extra cautious about what they bring about into that program,” Meyer stated. “To start with, you needn’t change a lot as a result of they recruit on an unbelievable stage. So, if you are going to deliver somebody in, I obtained to some extent a few instances in my profession the place [I was like] ‘don’t take that individual if that may disrupt the tradition; do not do it.’ Consequently, we let some good gamers get away from us, however we’re not going to alter our tradition, so that is what they’re doing.”

After successful its ninth title in program historical past final season, Ohio State is out to be the fifteenth staff to repeat as nationwide champions.

Ohio State opens the 2025 season with a headline matchup, because it hosts the Texas Longhorns on Aug. 30 in what’s a rematch of final season’s School Soccer Playoff semifinal spherical; the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns, 28-14, to advance to the Nationwide Championship, the place they then beat Notre Dame. On the opposite aspect of the ball will probably be junior Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who Meyer stated might be a “nice quarterback” in what’s his first full season as this system’s starter.

Ohio State had 14 gamers chosen within the 2025 NFL Draft, with 4 gamers taken in Spherical 1 and three extra taken in Spherical 2. In different phrases, the Buckeyes are changing 14 starters from final season.

Meyer expressed that Ohio State has to “get good quick” at quarterback with Julian Sayin’ presumably getting the Week 1 nod. Granted, the Buckeyes even have Mason Maggs, Lincoln Kienholz and five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair of their quarterback room. Ohio State is making an attempt to fill the sneakers of 2024 quarterback Will Howard, who was chosen within the sixth spherical after throwing for a Huge Ten-high 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns and finishing a conference-high 73.0% of his passes.

Nonetheless, Meyer sees a extra urgent situation that Ohio State has to handle head-on earlier than worrying about changing its quarterback.

“The largest situation, I believe, is when a staff wins a nationwide championship, every part adjustments,” Meyer stated. “I talked to Joe Maddon in 2016. He simply got here off successful the World Collection because the supervisor of the Chicago Cubs, and he was depressing. And he stated how onerous it’s to have back-to-back [titles]. It would not occur fairly often. Why? As a result of complacency units in this system, so I believe that is Ryan Day’s No. 1. And never a lot with the gamers, as a result of he is changing a bunch of gamers. I am speaking concerning the teaching workers. I am speaking about everyone in that group. Sufficient of patting on the again [about last season]. That one is historic historical past. That is over. That is going to be the problem.

“I’ve talked to many coaches who’ve received nationwide titles. Coping with the complacency that seeps into your program is the most important situation.”

City Meyer breaks down how Ohio State can repeat as nationwide champions

As for returning gamers, the Buckeyes have star large receiver Jeremiah Smith, who totaled 76 receptions for a Huge Ten-high 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in his 2024 freshman season, and fellow receiver Carnell Tate, who tallied 733 receiving yards final yr. On the opposite aspect of the ball, Ohio State has star defensive again/punt returner Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Kinds — who logged six sacks and 100 mixed tackles in 2024 — amongst others. Ohio State’s 2025 recruiting class ranks fourth within the nation, based on 247Sports, headlined by five-stars like St. Clair, cornerback Devin Sanchez and large receiver Quincy Porter.

The Georgia Bulldogs are the final program to repeat as nationwide champions, successful the 2021 and 2022 School Soccer Playoffs. Previous to Georgia, Alabama completed the feat in 2011 and 2012. Michigan State is the final Huge Ten faculty to win back-to-back championships, splitting the 1965 and 1966 nationwide titles. The final Huge Ten faculty to outright win consecutive titles was Minnesota in 1940 and 1941, when the Huge Ten was the “Western Convention.”

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