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By RICK THORP
COLUMBUS -- These are uncertain times for Urban Meyer and his Ohio State coaching staff.
One year removed from appearing in their fourth BCS/CFP bowl in as many seasons under the only head coach to win national titles in two different conferences, the Buckeyes enter the 2016 campaign with plenty of question marks.
No, the cupboard isn't bare for the defending Fiesta Bowl champs. Far from it. But with a roster filled with untested veterans, it will be up to Meyer and his revamped coaching staff to prepare the Buckeyes for another rugged schedule.
''The issue would be if it was a non-talented, young team,'' Meyer said at last month's Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. ''And that's not the case at all. So it's a very young team, but talented. Probably the most critical month that our staff -- I'm speaking for myself -- that I've ever been through.''
For the first time in Meyer's five seasons at Ohio State, as well as in his 15 years as a collegiate head coach, he will welcome back less than 38 letterwinners and less than eight returning starters. In fact, the Buckeyes have six returning starters and 33 returning letterwinners.
''We have to get these guys ready,'' Meyer stressed. ''Forty-four of our players, which is over half of our scholarships, are kids that never played in a game. So we have to get them ready. So our practices are going to be much different.''
It's true. The teachers will be doing more teaching, and the pupils will be paying attention to the blackboard much more than any group that's hit the practice field inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in recent years. Of the team's 19 seniors, only six have real game experience.
Graduation played a big role in the Buckeyes' current situation, but so did the program's success. Nine juniors made themselves eligible for the NFL Draft, and all were on rosters when NFL camps opened earlier this month.
Seeing the pros dotted with players that wore the Scarlet and Gray is a point of pride for Meyer, but he also realizes the pressure it puts on he and his coaching staff to keep 5-star talent flowing into the Buckeye State.
''We've had very, very good recruiting classes over the last three, four years and I see it,'' Meyer said. ''There's a guy that has Zeke Elliott in front of him, may not have that urgency. I see that completely throughout our program, guys who have been waiting for the opportunity and now the opportunity is there.''
Elliott is one of 16 starters Meyer is tasked with replacing. He's also one of the nine that moved on to the NFL and is one of 15 players to be selected in the first-round under Meyer's tutelage.
The reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year led the Buckeyes with 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns. He finished his collegiate career with nearly 4,000 yards rushing, leaving him second all-time to two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.
Three of the men who helped pave the way for Elliott -- linemen Taylor Decker, Jacoby Boren and Chase Farris -- have also departed, along with wideouts Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall.
Braxton Miller, who split time between quarterback and receiver during his OSU tenure, is now but a name in the record books, as is tight end Nick Vannett.
Also gone is quarterback Cardale Jones, who, like Elliott, decided to leave for the pros.
Jones, who split time with the returning J.T. Barrett, led the Buckeyes in passing a year ago, throwing for 1,460 yards and eight TDs.
Joey Bosa was the biggest loss on defense. Other defensive starters lost include tackles Adolphus Washington and Tommy Schutt, linebackers Darron Lee and Joshua Perry, and secondary stalwarts Eli Apple, Tyvis Powell and Vonn Bell.
Despite the departures, the Buckeyes are the favorite by many to win the Big Ten East, and remain in the national championship discussion.
''I see that potential,'' Meyer acknowledged. "I think 2014 is the template that everybody wants.
''J.T. Barrett was buried in the depth chart, Darron Lee, Eli Apple, Zeke Elliott, Mike Thomas -- those guys were no-names and they became very good throughout the course of 2014. And another guy, Cardale Jones, was buried in the depth chart.
''A lot of pressure on our coaches, assistant coaches and myself to get them game-ready. I would say going into this, this is as talented a group top to bottom as we've had. Now, how do we get them game-ready?''
Ohio State's coaching staff has been re-energized by the additions of a pair of Greg's -- Schiano and Studrawa.
Schiano joined the staff last December and holds the title of associate head coach. He will also work with veteran assistant Luke Fickell on coordinating the defense, as well as with the safeties.
''We share very similar philosophical views on how to run a program and how to treat players and what to expect out of your coaching staff,'' Meyer said of his relationship with the former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach.
''He's been a gold mine for me. And him and Coach Fickell, who'll also work with the linebackers, are two high, high-end character people that get along very well.''
Studrawa, an offensive line guru, comes to Ohio State after a two-year stint at Maryland. Prior to that, the Fostoria, Ohio, native worked under Les Miles at LSU for seven seasons.
Before that, Studrawa worked at his alma mater, Bowling Green, for six seasons, including two under Meyer, who spent his first two years as a head coach at the MAC school.
The rest of Meyer's staff includes Larry Johnson (assistant head coach-defensive line), Kerry Combs (cornerbacks-special teams), Ed Warriner (offensive coordinator-tight ends), Tim Beck (co-offensive coordinator-quarterbacks), Tony Alford (assistant head coach-running backs) and Zach Smith (wide receivers).
Meyer's staff also includes West Liberty graduate Mickey Marotti (assistant AD for football sports performance) and former Ohio University head coach Brian Knorr (quality control).
Chris Ash, who oversaw Ohio State's defense for five seasons, is now the head coach at Big Ten-rival Rutgers. The Buckeyes welcome the Scarlet Knights to Columbus on Oct. 1 for their Big Ten opener.
Ohio State kicks off the season Sept. 3 against Bowling Green in Meyer's first battle against his former employer. Following a home contest against Tulsa a week later, the Buckeyes face their first real test with a road date at Big 12 favorite Oklahoma.
The visit to Norman will be OSU's first since a 24-14 victory in 1983.
''I have great respect for Coach (Bob) Stoops,'' Meyer said regarding the highly anticipated matchup, only the third meeting in the series.
''We know it's coming. I'm glad we have two games to get a little bit underneath our belt. It would be hard to take a completely green team into a game like that. But we'll be ready.
''It would be a mistake by myself and anyone to overlook our first two games. We're talking about players that have not played in a major college game.
''I gotta make sure we stay focused on the task at hand and that's get them ready for the first game.''
Ohio State's bye week is between the Oklahoma and Rutgers tilts. Following a game at ''The Shoe'' on Oct. 8 against Indiana, the Buckeyes hit the road for a pair of night games against Wisconsin (Oct. 15) and Penn State (Oct. 22). The team returns home for a late-afternoon kickoff against Northwestern (Oct. 29) before another night game in front the home fans against Nebraska (Nov. 5).
Road games against Maryland (Nov. 12) and Michigan State (No. 19), and the season-finale against arch-rival Michigan (Nov. 26) round out the schedule. The Big Ten Championship is set for Dec. 3.
A disappointing home loss to Michigan State squashed Ohio State's hopes for a berth in last year's Big Ten title game. However, the Buckeyes ended the season on a high note by crushing Notre Dame, 44-28, in the Fiesta Bowl.
There, Barrett (6-foot-2, 222 pounds) threw for 211 yards and a score while rushing for 96 more. With Jones out of the picture, Meyer is eager to see him take charge.
''That was a lot of distraction with Cardale, with who was going to playing quarterback,'' Meyer said. ''I anticipate he'll be as good a quarterback as we've had. It's his show and he knows it and he's prepared.''
Barrett, who threw for 992 yards and 11 TDs and rushed for 727 yards and 11 scores last season (both second on the team), received Big Ten preseason honors. He's 15-2 as starting QB and in those 17 games has averaged 302 yards of offense. Barrett was fifth in the Heisman voting two years ago.
''There's three people that we named captains immediately after the (2015) season and that was I can't imagine going into this without J.T. and without the other guy, Pat Elflein (6-3, 300),'' Meyer said. ''Pat, in my opinion, is the best center in college football. And a little like the baseball metaphor, you need to be strong up the middle. We're very strong. And that's all eyes will be focused on the center and quarterback.''
With Stephen Collier out for the season after an injury in the spring game, the job of backup quarterback falls to 2014 Ohio Mr. Football Joe Burrow (6-3, 218) from Athens. Freshman Dwayne Haskins (6-3, 220) is also in the mix.
Outside of Barrett, H-back Curtis Samuel (5-11, 197) is the player who has the most rushing yards of any returning player (132/TD). Next was Bri'onte Dunn, but he was let go from the team in July.
''Depth is a concern,'' Meyer said of the backfield. ''However, you have -- you want four bodies in the tailback position -- and I count Dontre Wilson (5-10, 195, senior) and Curtis Samuel in the mix. So we have Demario McCall (5-9, 182, freshman), Antonio Williams (5-11, 210, freshman) and obviously, Mike Weber (5-10, 212, freshman).
Meyer believes Weber has a shot to settle into a starting role based on what he saw in the spring.
''I like where he's at,'' he said. ''I don't like, I love where he's at as far as what kind of physical condition he's in. And I anticipate he'll be the starting tailback, but that's why we have training camp.''
The receiving corps will be green, too, in many ways. Even with Samuel and his 22 receptions for 289 yards back, 75 percent of the Buckeyes' catch production has departed. That leaves Wilson to help pick up the load along with third-year sophomore Noah Brown (6-2, 218) and sixth-year senior Corey Smith (6-1, 190). Both Brown and Smith are returning from injuries.
''Receivers, top to bottom, are as good as we've had talent-wise and speed-wise athleticism,'' Meyer said. ''K.J. Hill (6-0, 200, freshman) is an unknown name that I'm excited to watch and there's many more.
''Talent shouldn't be the issue. It's consistent performance and playing when it's showtime that are going to be the keys.
''That's where J.T. is going to be so critical because you're going to see a lot of wide eyes. A lot of those guys have not played.''
Others battling for playing time at receiver include Parris Campbell (6-1, 208, sophomore), Torrence Gibson (6-4, 215, freshman), James Clark (5-10, 186, junior) and Johnny Dixon (5-11, 198, sophomore).
Junior Marcus Baugh (6-5, 258) steps into the tight-end role. Rookie A.J. Alexander (6-2, 254) is another option.
In addition to Elflein, junior guard Billy Price (6-4, 315), included on the Outland Trophy watch list with Elflein, returns to help bolster a revamped O-line. Price has started 28 straight games.
Studrawa was working with the following players to fill the gaps: tackles Isaiah Prince (6-7, 310, sophomore) and Jamarco Jones (6-5, 310, junior), and guards Demetrius Knox (6-4, 308, sophomore) and Evan Lisle (6-6, 3-8, junior).
''Michael Jordan (6-7, 310) is probably going to be -- a true freshman -- will be in the starting lineup,'' Meyer predicted. ''What I've seen from his development since he got here in January is outstanding.''
Ohio State's defensive line will have a new look, too.
End Tyquan Lewis (6-4, 266, junior) returns after starting all 13 games. He led the team with eight sacks en route to honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Sam Hubbard (6-5, 266 sophomore), Jalyn Holmes (6-5, 274, junior), Tracy Sprinkle (6-3, 293, junior) and Michael Hill (6-3, 305, junior) all return, as does sophomore Darius Slade (6-4, 258).
Raekwon McMillan (6-2, 243) is the Buckeyes' other captain and will anchor the defense from his linebacker spot. A Butkus Award candidate (he was third in voting last season), McMillan, a junior, led the Buckeyes and ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 119 tackles and 9.2 per game.
Chris Worley (6-2, 228, junior) and Dante Booker (6-3, 236, junior) are expected to join McMillan in the starting lineup.
Jerome Baker (6-1, 225, sophomore), Craig Fada (6-1, 225, senior) and Joe Burger (6-2, 230, senior) will also likely see plenty of playing time.
The secondary is bolstered by the return of corner Gareon Conley (6-0, 195, junior). A 13-game starter last fall, Conley registered 49 tackles and picked off two passes.
The rest of the unit was to shake out during camp. Candidates included Damon Webb (5-10, 195, junior), Denzel Ward (5-10, 185, sophomore) and Marshon Lattimore (6-0, 192, sophomore) at corner, and Cam Burrows (6-0, 205, junior), Erick Smith (6-0, 203, junior) and Malik Hooker (6-2, 205, sophomore) at safety.
Special teams are solid with the return of fourth-year punter Cameron Johnston (5-11, 198) and junior placekicker Sean Nuernberger (6-1, 227).
Meyer is eager to see what this fall brings in the way of development, growth and victories.
''It will be interesting,'' he said. ''But I'm very excited to be around them as all our coaches are this time of year. But this will be a new challenge for us and one that I can't wait to get our hands on.''
Sept. 3: Bowling Green noon
Sept. 10: Tulsa 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 17: at Oklahoma 8 p.m.
Oct. 1: Rutgers Noon
Oct. 8: Indiana TBA
Oct. 15: at Wisconsin 8 p.m.
Oct. 22: at Penn State 8 p.m.
Oct. 29: Northwestern 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 5: Nebraska 8 p.m.
Nov. 12: at Maryland TBA
Nov. 19: at Michigan State TBA
Nov. 26: Michigan TBA
PREDICTION
Win 11, Lose 1