COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The offseason conditioning program is in full swing. Signing day has come and gone. Blink and spring practice will already be here.
Ohio State is less than a month away from getting back on the field and starting preparations for the 2014 season, and those days probably can't go by fast enough for a program coming off consecutive losses after a 24-game winning streak. To help pass the time, we're counting down the top five players who are facing critical springs, either because it's a turning point in their careers or the Buckeyes are counting heavily on them to fill vacant jobs as they try to get back in contention for a national championship again in the fall. The journey starts today on the offensive line.
No. 5: Darryl Baldwin, right tackle
By the numbers: The converted defensive lineman, who had a sack in 2011 before moving to the other side of the ball, has been credited with appearances in 21 games for the Buckeyes, largely in a reserve role and on special teams.
What's at stake: The Buckeyes are losing four senior starters off the offensive line, and with Taylor Decker moving to left tackle, all five positions will have a new look up front when camp opens in March. Baldwin is currently tabbed to fill Decker's spot on the right side, and the reviews have largely been positive for his work on the practice field in the past as the backup to Jack Mewhort at tackle. He certainly has the size, at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, to get the job done, and offensive line coach Ed Warinner has proven more than capable of maximizing the talent and fine-tuning the technique of his position group.
Best-case scenario: Baldwin is already in position to win a starting job, and he'll be running with the first unit when the Buckeyes get back to work. But given the high standard the offensive line has set since Urban Meyer took over, it likely won't be enough for Baldwin to simply prove capable of filling out the lineup. The Ohio State coaching staff will be hoping for a Reid Fragel-like development, turning a guy without many notable contributions elsewhere, who has been around the program for years, into a ferocious, dependable right tackle.