It wasn’t the kind of night Ohio State football fans were hoping for. Instead of ringing in the New Year with a College Football Playoff win, Buckeye Nation is left wondering what went wrong with a team that looked unstoppable for most of the season. Now it’s back to the drawing board for Ryan Day and the rest of the coaching staff as they will begin to look to the future and try to get back to the college football mountain top.
But just who will Day be rebuilding with? Seniors have exhausted eligibility, and several juniors are expected to declare for the NFL draft. But what about the transfer portal? How many players will Ohio State lose, looking for better opportunities? Well, one Buckeye decided to make his intentions known shortly after the clock struck zero in the Cotton Bowl loss to Miami. Jelani Thurman shared that he plans to enter the portal in search of greener pastures.
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A four-star recruit, Thurman came to Ohio State in 2023 as the No. 3-ranked tight end in the nation. In three years with the Buckeyes, the Georgia native has seen action in 21 games, securing 13 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll have two years of eligibility left.
Thuman joins wide receiver Bryson Rodgers, who made his intent known that he’d be entering the portal before the postseason began. There will most likely be more who look to see if they can find a better fit elsewhere. This is, after all, the new world of college athletics.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football set to lose tight end after Cotton Bowl loss
