COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State has done its best to reload following an exodus of players transferring out of the program, but while there have been additions that have come from the situation, there were losses that set things into motion.

Ohio State looked to have several pieces to build around for the future, but for one reason or another, several contributors decided it would be best to continue their careers elsewhere. With DJ Carton, Luther Muhammad and Alonzo Gaffney all deciding to move on from the program, the unexpected loss of these players is something that Chris Holtmann does not find all that unusual or concerning.

“I think that we also anticipated that there was going to be some movement here in these first two to three, four years, so you kind of in your mind are preparing and planning for that and preparing and planning for that as much as you can in recruiting,” Holtmann said.

While there was a feeling as if the sky was falling from people outside the program, Holtmann’s realistic expectations allowed him to stay grounded. Holtmann is entering his fourth season as Ohio State’s head coach and his experience at Ohio State and other places has allowed him to understand the reality of player movement.

An outside perception of a group of players leaving may suggest that something is going on inside the program, but Holtmann spoke about the simplicity that is behind transferring.

“I think, generally, players in those situations, they want a situation where maybe they are playing a different position, or, you know, maybe they want more, want more shot attempts or they want more of something and I don't think in any cases, or very few cases, is there anything else kind of beyond that,” Holtmann said. “I think it really boils pretty simply down to that.”

Ohio State will lose out on solid contributors in Carton and Muhammad. Carton, who only played in 20 games for the Buckeyes before leaving the team to focus on mental health issues, was able to show off his tremendous potential.

The freshman would average 10.4 points to go along with 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a Buckeye.

While Carton was just beginning to become a key contributor for the Buckeyes, Muhammad had already solidified his place in the program. In his two years as a Buckeye, Muhammad had etched out a role as Ohio State’s go-to defender that would be tasked with guarding the opponent’s best playmaker each game.

After a freshman campaign in which he started 28-of-34 games and played over 26 minutes per game, Muhammad saw a slight decrease in minutes while starting 28-of-30 games. Despite the important role he played on the team, Muhammad decided that his best situation was elsewhere.

Gaffney had the least experience of the three transfers, and unlike Carton who saw almost 24 minutes per game, Gaffney was not on the court very much.

While each player had a different situation, they all came to the same conclusion to transfer out, and Holtmann said that it’s just something that happens.

“It's not a reflection on the young man. It's the reality you know,” Holtmann said. “You can't play, you can't start 10 guys, you can't play, you know, four point guards at one time. You can't play 10 guys 40 minutes.”

As far as the response from the Buckeyes that will be on the team in 2020, Holtmann emphasized that the feeling throughout the team is very positive. He said that there is an excitement about the upcoming season and the roles that the players find themselves in for the games to come.

While losing talented players is rarely a good thing, Holtmann was able to find the silver lining in the situation.

“Sometimes it's best moving forward for returning guys or younger guys to grow into increased roles, and in order for them to grow into increased roles, sometimes there is some movement that needs to take place,” Holtmann said.