2026 University of Ohio Depth Chart
Ohio enters 2026 under first-year head coach John Hauser facing perhaps the most significant QB transition the program has seen in years. Returning starter Parker Navarro — who threw for 2,375 yards and 14 TDs while rushing for 866 yards and nine more scores in 2025 — entered the transfer portal in January 2026 but was denied a waiver for additional eligibility, ending his Bobcat career. With Callum Wither also departing to Maryland, the competition falls to redshirt sophomore Tim Carpenter (6’3″, 227 lbs, 3-star), redshirt junior Darren James-Hamilton (system veteran), and redshirt freshman Hype Grand (3-star Chattanooga transfer). Carpenter is the most physically projectable of the group and was the clear in-practice QB2 behind Navarro in 2025 — he profiles as the likely QB1 going into fall camp. Offensive coordinator Scott Isphording is retained (his fifth season), which should provide scheme continuity in Ohio’s spread-option attack, but the dual-threat dimension Navarro provided will be extremely difficult to replace and the fantasy floor at QB is substantially lower in 2026.
The skill position cupboard has been raided hard. Chase Hendricks (71 rec, 1,037 yds, 7 TDs in 2025) transferred to Cal, Rodney Harris II went to Oklahoma State, Sieh Bangura declared for the NFL Draft after a 1,392-yard, 15-TD season, and Duncan Brune (the projected RB1 heir) also departed via the portal. The most important skill position returner is wide receiver Dom Dowart, the only offensive player who started multiple games in 2025 and elected to stay. The RB room is being rebuilt around UConn transfer Victor Rosa alongside freshman James Kelly. At receiver, Preston Bowman (Kentucky transfer) and Jermaine Minnis (R-Sr from Illinois) add P5 pedigree to a corps that also includes Max Rodarte and Eian Pugh. Jake Furtney arrives from Illinois as the replacement at tight end, with Jake Bruno as the veteran backup.