Team MVP: Running back Lydell Ross may be the most important player on offense in 2004 for OSU. And the most experienced skill player as well. The Buckeyes will be minus quarterback Craig Krenzel and receiver Michael Jenkins, who have both departed for the NFL. If Ross can be effective in the running game, he will take a great deal of pressure off their replacements and the passing game.

Quarterback: The Buckeyes will replace Craig Krenzel with sophomore Justin Zwick. Zwick has a great arm, but is not a gritty as Krenzel. He is also lean on experience after throwing just eight passes a year ago. While Zwick is the frontrunner for the starting job, he will still have sophomore Troy Smith on his heels for his spot. Smith also has a great arm, and is more mobile than Zwick. Freshman Todd Boeckman will be the No 3 quarterback.

Running Back: Senior Lydell Ross has the tough job of making OSU fans forget Maurice Clarett. Ross rushed for over 800 yards in 2003 despite dealing with some nagging injuries. While he isn't a burner, Ross could be one of the better backs in the conference if he can stay healthy. Behind Ross is junior Maurice Hall, who brings speed to the backfield, and will be looking to improve from last season. Senior Roshawn Parker will also be in the mix in the backfield. Senior Brandon Joe is one of the best blocking fullbacks in the Big Ten.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: Sophomore Santonio Holmes will try to replace Michael Jenkins at receiver. While Holmes is a playmaking threat with great speed, he will have his work cut out for him replacing Jenkins. Sophomore Roy Hall is a big, physical receiver with limited experience. Seniors John Hollins and Bam Childress both have good speed, and will play key roles in the rotation at receiver. Childress may be more seasoned, but will have a tougher time seeing reps playing behind Holmes. Junior Ryan Hamby will replace Ben Hartstock at tight end. While Hamby is not as good a blocker as Hartstock, he is a solid receiver.

Offensive Line: Juniors Nick Mangold and Rob Sims are the only two players returning with starting experience on the line. Mangold is solid and could emerge as one of the better centers in the conference. Sims has seen game action since his freshman season and is the anchor at left tackle. Senior Mike Kne and junior Doug Datish will man the guard positions. Sophomore T J Downing is the frontrunner for the job at right tackle. Sophomore Tim Schafer will also battle for playing time at right tackle. Junior Andree Tyree and senior John McLaughlin will also play roles as reserves.
 
Defensive Line: The Buckeyes return only senior end Simon Fraser from the starting line of 2003. Fraser has improved his game to the point that his name appears on the Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List. Junior Mike Kudla, who has paid his dues as a reserve, will take over for Will Smith at the opposite end. Junior Marcus Green and Sophomore Quinn Pitcock are projected as the starting tackles. Both have most of their experience as reserves. Sophomores David Patterson and Jay Richardson are the top reserves on the defensive line. Patterson will play behind Green, and Richardson will back up Fraser at end.

Linebackers: Junior A.J. Hawk should again be one of the best linebackers in the conference after being All Big Ten and leading the team in tackles in 2003. A sleeper in the group is Air Force transfer Anthony Schlegel, who was one of the best linebackers in the conference when he played for the Falcons. Junior Bob Carpenter will take over on the strongside. The Buckeyes have some solid reserves in Senior Tom Matthews, junior Mike D'Andrea and sophomore transfer John Kerr.

Secondary: The secondary returns two starters in senior corner Dustin Fox and junior safety Nate Salley. Salley is a big, physical player, but he also has decent speed. Fox led the team in solo tackles and interceptions and is the leader of the secondary. Junior E J Underwood is the frontrunner to take the place of Chris Gamble, but he will be pushed by sophomore Ashton Youboty. Sophomore Donte Whitner will take over at safety after seeing action in all 13 games a year ago. Junior Tyler Everett is the top reserve at safety.

Special Teams: Senior placekicker Mike Nugent should be an All-America candidate and in the running for the Lou Groza Award as well. He is not only accurate, but has range as well. Senior Josh Huston is the top candidate to take over for B J Sander, but he will have a battle with junior Kyle Turano and freshman A J Trapasso.

Final Thoughts: Regardless of who is under center, the Buckeyes will miss Craig Krenzel because of his experience and leadership. Zwick and Smith are both probably more talented, but will have to play as hard as Krenzel did to replace him. Lydell Ross is one of the more underrated backs in the conference, but he needs to stay healthy to be a factor. The receiving corps is talented, but is lean on experience in some areas. The line will be okay if the frontliners gel quickly. But experience is not a strength among the reserves. The defensive line will experience some growing pains, but should improve as the season progresses. The Buckeyes should field one of the better groups at linebacker in 2004, with Hawk a solid All-America candidate. The secondary should be capable, but not spectacular. The Buckeyes may not be as powerful as they have been the past two seasons, but they should still be in the race for the Big Ten title.