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Why Ohio State is betting on a bounce back
The biggest question surrounding Moore entering 2026 is not talent, it is health.
After suffering a torn ACL during Duke’s bowl game following the 2024 season, Moore missed all of 2025 while rehabbing. That lost season naturally creates uncertainty, especially for a player whose game relies on explosiveness and movement skills.
But all indications throughout spring practice suggested Moore was progressing well. He shed his black stripe early in camp and participated throughout the spring as he continued regaining confidence and rhythm.
If he is fully healthy by the time Ohio State opens the season, the Buckeyes may have landed one of the biggest transfer steals in the country. This is a player who was generating legitimate NFL attention prior to his injury. A player who was viewed as one of the top safeties in the ACC. A player whose combination of instincts, physicality, and versatility fit perfectly within modern defensive football.
Ohio State’s defense already appears loaded with talent across every level and position. The defensive line has multiple former blue-chip recruits and transfers. The linebacker room has more answers than it did entering spring. The cornerback group could be one of the nation’s best.
But championship defenses often come down to one thing: trust.
The ability to trust every player on the field to be in the right position at the right time. That is exactly what Terry Moore has the potential to provide. If he returns to the level he displayed in 2024, Ohio State may not simply have added another starter.
They may have added the final piece to an elite secondary.
