Only Ohio State can prevent Ohio State from winning another title

Published Jun. 15, 2015 9:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Ohio State opens 2015 as the favorite to repeat as college football's national champion.

Winning back-to-back titles is no easy assignment, but coach Urban Meyer's team is loaded with proven talent.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott is a Heisman contender, and there's no shortage of options at quarterback. The defense is also one of the best in the nation.

Here's a brief snapshot of the Buckeyes as they enter summer and prepare for fall camp.

One of the nation's most lethal offenses

Urban Meyer teams move the ball and score -- and that has only trended upward in Columbus.

The Buckeyes should be explosive once again as they return three accomplished quarterbacks, star running back Ezekiel Elliott, four starters along the offensive line (including All-Big Ten candidates Taylor Decker and Pat Elflein), useful tight end Nick Vannett and a bevy of speedsters who can catch the ball.

The best of that lot is wideout Michael Thomas, who hauled in a team-best 54 passes for 799 yards and nine scores last season. The coaches want to get even more use out of Jalin Marshall and will really be able to put pressure on foes if burner Dontre Wilson can bounce back from a fractured foot.

Elliott is lined up for a monster year. The junior could approach 2,000 yards rushing -- and Heisman finalist status. OSU also has another backfield weapon in Curtis Samuel, while true freshman Mike Weber could prove he deserves to see the field as well.

Ohio State's trio of standout QBs -- Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett -- is an embarrassment of riches but raises lots of questions as to who is most deserving of the starting job. Miller is the most accomplished, Barrett the best game manager and Jones, or "12 Gauge" as he's known, possesses the strongest arm. All of them can hurt defenses with their feet, making this unit even more lethal.

Oh, the defense is loaded, too

Ohio State wasn't impenetrable last season, but the Buckeyes were pretty darn good at slowing teams down. Opponents averaged just 5.0 yards per play, 3.9 per rush and converted just a third of a their third-down plays. Plus, the Buckeyes racked up 45 sacks and scored six defensive touchdowns.

Key starters return up front, in the linebacking corps and at safety with defensive end Joey Bosa, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the headliner. Bosa is a headache for offensive linemen and quarterbacks. Most teams try to stay away from him completely or double-team him with regularity. Tackle Adolphus Washington will counter some of that tactic. He's also hard to keep out of the backfield.

If Ohio State adequately replaces departed lineman Michael Bennett, the linebackers should prosper. Joshua Perry is coming off a 124-tackle season on the outside and will be the leader of the defense. Darron Lee is a big-play performer, and middle backer Raekwon McMillan is perhaps the team's biggest hitter.

Eli Apple is the Buckeyes' top corner with Doran Grant out the door. He's capable of big things. Safety is in experienced hands with Tyvis Powell and Vonn Bell.

The specialists

All the key elements return to the specialty units, and the Buckeyes have plenty of speed and athleticism from which to choose as they formulate their new kick cover and return teams. Sean Nuernberger is coming off a solid year at placekicker, although he hasn't attempted many pressure field goals. Power-legged Cameron Johnston is one of the Big Ten's best punters at pinning opponents deep. Marshall is a weapon on punt returns but has a knack for making every one of them interesting.

Ohio State's 2015 outlook

Last season was supposed to be the transition year for the Buckeyes. Instead, they blitzed through the Big Ten again, reached another level during the postseason and won the inaugural College Football Playoff. Now with seven returning starters entrenched on both sides of the ball, talent in all areas and a title under their belts, the Buckeyes' challenge is to find a way to maintain an edge. Fortunately, they've got one of the game's top motivators under the headset.