Ryan Day’s losses just keep piling up. On January 20, Ohio State QB Eli Brickhandler announced his retirement on social media, quietly ending a short Buckeye tenure that began through the transfer portal in July 2025. His decision pushed Ohio State’s offseason attrition to 33 players. A couple of those departures did not leave the state. They stayed in Ohio, just not in Columbus. 

“Former Ohio State offensive lineman Devontae Armstrong joins former Buckeye wide receiver Damarion Witten in transferring to Miami (Ohio),” Eleven Warriors reported on X on January 18. 

The two former Ohio State scholarship players chose the same in-state rival, within days of each other, to reset careers that never truly started in scarlet and gray. 

Two weeks ago, Devontae Armstrong entered the transfer portal on January 4. A former 4-star recruit from Lakewood St. Edward, he arrived as part of the 2024 class with significant expectations. He enrolled early in January 2024, ranked among the top five offensive linemen in Ohio, and No. 3 among interior linemen in the state by On3. Two seasons later, he’s leaving Columbus without a single snap.

The decision was clear. The Buckeyes’ offensive line room is deep, experienced, and largely intact. Devontae Armstrong, despite strong high school credentials, never cracked the rotation. He will arrive at Miami with three years of eligibility remaining and a realistic path to playing time, something Ohio State could not promise. There is another layer. Armstrong committed to Ohio State with his twin brother, Deontae, making them the program’s first scholarship twins since 1989. Deontae will remain in Columbus. 

Miami (Ohio) did not just land Devontae Armstrong. It had already secured Damarion Witten, another former Buckeye with unused eligibility and unfinished business. The Cleveland native and Glenville High School product transferred after two seasons without an offensive snap at Ohio State. He redshirted his freshman year, transitioned from tight end to wide receiver, dropped weight, and still could not break through. Now he enters a Miami program that has built its reputation on development. 

Coached by Chuck Martin, the Miami RedHawks finished 7-7 in 2025, going 6-2 in MAC play. They allowed just 21.7 points per game, ranking 41st nationally. For Ohio players stuck behind elite depth charts, this school looks attractive.

Damarion Witten arrives with three years of eligibility and a defined role. The 6’3, 205-pounder offers positional flexibility and immediate matchup advantages at the MAC level. Devontae Armstrong brings pedigree and urgency to an offensive line that values experience and availability. Together, they represent Miami’s quiet but deliberate approach to portal recruiting. Still, none of this erases Ohio State’s standing. 

Ryan Day’s Ohio State bigger picture still holds

Ryan Day still delivered another season that most programs would envy. The Buckeyes finished in the top six of the final AP poll for the 11th time in 12 years, remaining the only program to finish in the AP top 10 in every season since the CFP began in 2014. That consistency remains unmatched. And the transfer portal haul is beginning to take shape, too. 

Ohio State entered 2025 ranked No. 1 in the AP poll and stayed there throughout the regular season after a Week 1 win over Texas. The Buckeyes went 12-0 before falling to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game and later losing to Miami in the CFP quarterfinals. They finished 12-2, ranked behind Indiana, Miami, Ole Miss, and Oregon.

The exits matter, but so does the standard. Ohio State can absorb them. For Devontae Armstrong and Damarion Witten, Miami (Ohio) offers something Columbus could not. And that’s time on the field. And in today’s college football economy, that is usually the deciding factor.

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