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Is the amount of activity the Buckeyes are seeing in the portal normal? I'm hearing both sides from my family and friends. A few buddies are on the edge freaking out about the amount of guys that have entered the portal and I have some on the other side saying it's completely normal.

Secondly, does entering the portal guarantee someone is leaving or can players put their feelers out there and then return to the team? Are they actually accepted back if that happens? Man I hate this system.

I'm not the best person to answer this because frankly, I'm rapidly entering the DGAF territory as described above by @MikeDeTiger .  

The portal is so hard to figure out.  Every time I hear a guy is transferring out from here or there my first thought is:  Are they losing a quality projected starter or just losing a guy who never would have seen the field anyway?  

It is hard enough for me to keep track of that vis-a-vis Ohio State so I just blanket refuse to do it vis-a-vis other teams.  

WRT Ohio State.  I definitely think that the volume of transfers is unusually high but it isn't altogether clear to me if it is insanely high or just a little above what is or soon will be the "new normal".  

Then there is another issue.  In theory this volume of transfers could be indicative of SERIOUS problems.  If guys are leaving because there are locker room issues or something, yeah that is bad.  OTOH, it could be a good thing.  Maybe Day and the staff needed roster space so they sat down with a bunch of guys and basically said "Look we appreciate your contributions but you are unlikely to ever get much PT here so if you want to play, we recommend that you look elsewhere."  I'm not fundamentally a fan of that concept.  I used to hate it when certain schools would oversign then run guys off and this feels a lot like that.  However, in the portal era that is the "new normal" so whether I like it or not the choices for Ohio State are to either embrace it or cease to be a NC Contender.  

I'm a bit like MDT.  I just don't have the time, energy, or motivation to research every transfer out, the various rumored targets and transfers in, etc.  I think I'll pretty much wait until next year and see what the finished product looks like.  Only THEN will we actually know if Day* got it right.  

*Day here for Ohio State, but, IMHO, this same logic applies everywhere so you can literally substitute any coach and say the same thing.  

they can return to the team

many times the coaching staff and team don't want them back if they're having those types of thoughts

Are you sure this is still true?  

In the old (like two years ago) days sure.  Transfers were rare so who would want a guy back after he transferred.  Now transfers are an everyday thing.  Guys do it for PT.  Guys do it for NIL.  Whatever.  I don't see it as "disloyal" anymore so if some tOSU backup enters the portal and doesn't get the interest he thought he would, I'd think that we'd want to welcome him back as depth.  

Are you sure this is still true? 

In the old (like two years ago) days sure.  Transfers were rare so who would want a guy back after he transferred.  Now transfers are an everyday thing.  Guys do it for PT.  Guys do it for NIL.  Whatever.  I don't see it as "disloyal" anymore so if some tOSU backup enters the portal and doesn't get the interest he thought he would, I'd think that we'd want to welcome him back as depth. 

well, it depends on the player and the coach and the depth at the position
I'd question his commitment to the program
I'd want to talk to him to try to figure out what's in his head
If it's a question of playing time and he's a long shot to be a starter, I'd encourage the kid to find a better place.
I'd hope the coach would be thinking about the best interests of the kid

well, it depends on the player and the coach and the depth at the position
I'd question his commitment to the program
I'd want to talk to him to try to figure out what's in his head

Depends on what? - Racist 

I can comment on the Ohio State transfer portal numbers.

Just about every major team has to have a purge due to the extra eligibility from the Covid season.  Even with 13 players in the portal Ohio State will still be 8 to 1010 scholarships over the limit. 

Alabama went through this purge last year with 20 transfer portals.


if you look at who is going into the portal, they actually all make sense with the possible exception of McCord, but we know why he left.

Julian Fleming has one year of  eligibility left.  he was the number one receiver in his class, but never lived up to the hype due to a recurring shoulder injury.

While he was a starter for Ohio State. He was primarily a great downfield blocker.  One year of eligibility and wants to go somewhere where He’s going to be the go to receiver.  That’s the only way his draft stock will improve, and he knows he’s not going to be the go to receiver at Ohio State. They have multiple receivers on their roster that are already better than him.

All the rest of the players, like with most guys in the transfer portal, are third year guys with one or two years of eligibility left and  have been passed on the depth chart already with highly recruited guys- with more recruits   coming in to fill those positions. 

Look at University of Michigan for an example.  How many players are are they going to lose after this season just because they have ran out of eligibility?
Somewhere between 40 and 45 players.

It’s pretty clear to me that the coaching staff at Ohio State had some very honest conversations with people about where they stand in the pecking order.

I can comment on the Ohio State transfer portal numbers.

Just about every major team has to have a purge due to the extra eligibility from the Covid season.  Even with 13 players in the portal Ohio State will still be 8 to 1010 scholarships over the limit. 

Alabama went through this purge last year with 20 transfer portals.


if you look at who is going into the portal, they actually all make sense with the possible exception of McCord, but we know why he left.

Julian Fleming has one year of  eligibility left.  he was the number one receiver in his class, but never lived up to the hype due to a recurring shoulder injury.

While he was a starter for Ohio State. He was primarily a great downfield blocker.  One year of eligibility and wants to go somewhere where He’s going to be the go to receiver.  That’s the only way his draft stock will improve, and he knows he’s not going to be the go to receiver at Ohio State. They have multiple receivers on their roster that are already better than him.

All the rest of the players, like with most guys in the transfer portal, are third year guys with one or two years of eligibility left and  have been passed on the depth chart already with highly recruited guys- with more recruits  coming in to fill those positions. 

Look at University of Michigan for an example.  How many players are are they going to lose after this season just because they have ran out of eligibility?
Somewhere between 40 and 45 players.

It’s pretty clear to me that the coaching staff at Ohio State had some very honest conversations with people about where they stand in the pecking order.

Yeah for a team like Ohio State or Alabama or Georgia, the only time to be concerned about the portal, is if you see star players and other important starters, in it.  When it's backups and "depth" guys, well, that will absolutely become the norm, going forward.

See this is the one that throws me off. Although I understand the thought process, what is the success rate of newbie receivers that haven't really been on the field yet? It's one thing if Marvin stays and that's who he's fighting for, but who will be his true competition? Tate?

I would think if anything, it's one of the best opportunities to be the next great thing for a team based on the opportunity. Unless Day and staff came out and blatantly said you're going to be lower on the depth chart, but I have zero idea how they could possibly say that without proof on the field.

I just think after four years in the program, if he was gonna be a Dude he would have been one by now. He's always gotten playing time when he wasn't injured but never really showed a ton. Egbuka was hurt a lot last season and he was the #2 and still finished with only 26 catches for 270 yards and 0 touchdowns. His best game was probably the Michigan game, solely because he was credited with a catch and fumble. A change in scenery makes a lot of sense.