With the new college football season just around the corner, several universities are fine-tuning the details to go as far as possible. One of them is Ohio State, which aims to be a key player despite still not having a confirmed starting quarterback. Chip Kelly, the new offensive coordinator, has yet to give any indications about who will start.

The Buckeyes are expected to go as far as possible this 2024-25 season, but to achieve that, they will need to address certain issues, particularly on the offensive side.

During this offseason, the most significant addition to the staff under head coach Ryan Day was the hiring of former UCLA coach Chip Kelly as the new offensive coordinator. The experienced coach was brought in to elevate Ohio State’s prominence and lead them to a new championship.

When asked who should be the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes, Kelly remained tight-lipped, not revealing who will take the field in Week 1.

C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Ryan Field on November 05, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois.

C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Ryan Field on November 05, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois.

According to an interview with Andrew Gillis of Cleveland.com, Kelly stated: “That’s a great question, and I know exactly where you’re going with that. I don’t have an answer for you.”

The lineup changes every day, who’s in with what group. Just kind of mixing and matching right now, make the most of our reps. Be valuable because of how we’re doing it. We got two different groups going on at the same time.”

Several candidates for a key position

With the decision on the starting quarterback still unresolved, OC Chip Kelly has several options to fill what may be the most crucial position on the roster.

At the moment, former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard appears to have the best chance of starting in Week 1. However, he has two other contenders for the role: Devin Brown and Julian Sayin.

Quarterback Will Howard #18 of the Kansas State Wildcats throws a pass against the Houston Cougars during the first half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Manhattan, Kansas.

Quarterback Will Howard #18 of the Kansas State Wildcats throws a pass against the Houston Cougars during the first half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Manhattan, Kansas.

The challenging task of replacing CJ Stroud

Last season didn’t meet the high expectations for the Buckeyes, given it was their first year without star QB CJ Stroud. The Houston Texans draft pick had set the bar very high at the position, and replacing him proved to be a tough task.

Kyle McCord had the challenging responsibility of leading Ohio State, but the final results did not meet fans’ expectations.

10 years since the last title

In 2014, with Urban Meyer as head coach, Ohio State won their last title. Now, a decade later, the Buckeyes aim to return to greatness under HC Ryan Day. However, the road won’t be easy, and they’ll explore every possible avenue to claim a new championship.