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After some questions on what format we would see with the Ohio State football annual Spring Game this year, the game is on and should look pretty close to what we've been accustomed to under head coach Ryan Day. That means the fans can look forward to packing Ohio Stadium and seeing some things after a memorable year when the team brought home the College Football Playoff championship, but also an offseason in which a lot of change occurred, resulting in some question marks that must be answered.
We're always looking forward to OSU games during the season, but we're also ripe with anticipation on some things we'd like to see from this year's team as it retools some of the coaching staff and roster after a bushel of experience players head off to the NFL.
The coaches have no doubt already observed some things in the practices leading up to the finale of spring ball, but getting inside the stadium in as close to a real, live game environment can provide a unique experience for position battles and more as the program will ride off into relative summer hibernation until fall camp breaks later in the year.
So yeah, we're looking for things this spring perhaps more than others in recent memory, and we bet you are too. So, whether you are inside the stadium in person or watching on whatever device you own, here are five things to watch for as we get ready to take in the next version of the Ohio State football spring game this Saturday,
The prevailing thought heading into the offseason was that former 5-star recruit and former Alabama transfer Julian Sayin. And while that may still be the case, head coach Ryan Day turned heads this past week when he proclaimed Sayin and returning quarterback Lincoln Kienholz as neck-and-neck.
It's not just Day either. Observers have remarked about the ability of Kienholz, and the battle between the two has been back and forth at this point in the competition. We can't forget too, about incoming 5-star freshman Tavien St. Clair, but it would take a bit for him to catch the other two as an incoming freshman still learning the playbook and culture.
Each will get his opportunity, and while how a kid plays in the spring is never a make-or-break affair, it is an important data point and one that could provide a little separation. It's not the last of the quarterback battle we'll hear about, but it feels like an important moment and the main storyline everyone will be watching.
No team in college football lost more at the running back position than Ohio State. The two-headed, complimentary monster of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins is off to the NFL, and both will hear their names called earlier than later this month in Green Bay. That means there are big shoes and a massive hole to fill in the backfield.
James Peoples was expected to be the leader in the clubhouse to be RB1, but then the coaching staff brought in an experienced option through the transfer portal with the addition of West Virginia running back CJ Donaldson. His stats weren't eye-popping, but he's a physical back that, dropped into the right situation, could blossom and become an explosive option. Freshman Bo Jackson could figure in at some point as well.
It'll be a tight race for the No. 1 spot, but maybe you'll see the same mindset of both being utilized almost equally. It'll be interesting to see how each back looks when given the spotlight and where things will go from here. Both have to be capable to employ a similar attack this fall, and it begins now.
Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles retooled the OSU defense, making it an aggressive unit that employed a unique and versatile look that had a lot of defensive backs on the field. To say that it worked would be an understatement. The Buckeye defense got better each of the three years under Knowles and was statistically the best in the country last season.
Knowles is off to Penn State now, and it's new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's turn to keep the defensive unit among the best. Things will change. The structure, mindset, play calling, and personnel packages can help but be different under new leadership, and it will be worth watchin exactly how things will look going forward.
If Ohio State is going to remain a national title contender, the defense has to still be an elite one, and the building blocks of making that happen are being put in place now. The spring game should give us a peek at what to expect.
Not only did Ohio State lose defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, but it also lost the creative mind of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. It was only one year, but his experience calling plays and his aggressive mindset made a huge difference this year, especially during the playoff run.
Now it's Brian Hartline's turn. He was named co-offensive coordinator before, but never really given full responsibility for calling the plays before Kelly arrived. However, based on comments and the promotion to full-out offensive coordinator, he's getting the play sheet and decision-making ability.
Being that he's got an extensive background with the wide receivers, you have to wonder how the play calling will look and whether we'll get to see a little of what that might look like on Saturday. Will there be more passing calls? How aggressive will he be? What kind of tendencies will he show?
To be fair, it's not like we're going to get a full look at that, but we'll be able to take a little from what we see on Saturday.
You can't always take what a guy does in the spring game and project it out to him being a star. There have been plenty examples of a freshman coming in and balling out, only to fall behind the depth chart and never really find his way into the plans at a place like Ohio State.
However, there have also been moments when a freshman or transfer has looked the part, and you really start to feel that it's only a matter of time before he's a household name in Buckeye Nation. In this case, some of the newcomers to watch are transfer tight end Max Klare, running back CJ Donaldson, and the three 5-star freshmen, quarterback Tavien St. Clair, defensive back Devin Sanchez, and receiver Quincy Porter.
Those guys should all get some time out on the field, and we'll get a look at how well they translate to a new environment. Outside of that group, someone else might pop too and become a guy to watch in the future. This is where it can all start.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football spring game preview: 5 things to watch Saturday
Continue reading...
We're always looking forward to OSU games during the season, but we're also ripe with anticipation on some things we'd like to see from this year's team as it retools some of the coaching staff and roster after a bushel of experience players head off to the NFL.
The coaches have no doubt already observed some things in the practices leading up to the finale of spring ball, but getting inside the stadium in as close to a real, live game environment can provide a unique experience for position battles and more as the program will ride off into relative summer hibernation until fall camp breaks later in the year.
So yeah, we're looking for things this spring perhaps more than others in recent memory, and we bet you are too. So, whether you are inside the stadium in person or watching on whatever device you own, here are five things to watch for as we get ready to take in the next version of the Ohio State football spring game this Saturday,
Which Ohio State quarterback will look the best in front of a big crowd?
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The prevailing thought heading into the offseason was that former 5-star recruit and former Alabama transfer Julian Sayin. And while that may still be the case, head coach Ryan Day turned heads this past week when he proclaimed Sayin and returning quarterback Lincoln Kienholz as neck-and-neck.
It's not just Day either. Observers have remarked about the ability of Kienholz, and the battle between the two has been back and forth at this point in the competition. We can't forget too, about incoming 5-star freshman Tavien St. Clair, but it would take a bit for him to catch the other two as an incoming freshman still learning the playbook and culture.
Each will get his opportunity, and while how a kid plays in the spring is never a make-or-break affair, it is an important data point and one that could provide a little separation. It's not the last of the quarterback battle we'll hear about, but it feels like an important moment and the main storyline everyone will be watching.
Ditto for the Ohio State running backs
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No team in college football lost more at the running back position than Ohio State. The two-headed, complimentary monster of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins is off to the NFL, and both will hear their names called earlier than later this month in Green Bay. That means there are big shoes and a massive hole to fill in the backfield.
James Peoples was expected to be the leader in the clubhouse to be RB1, but then the coaching staff brought in an experienced option through the transfer portal with the addition of West Virginia running back CJ Donaldson. His stats weren't eye-popping, but he's a physical back that, dropped into the right situation, could blossom and become an explosive option. Freshman Bo Jackson could figure in at some point as well.
It'll be a tight race for the No. 1 spot, but maybe you'll see the same mindset of both being utilized almost equally. It'll be interesting to see how each back looks when given the spotlight and where things will go from here. Both have to be capable to employ a similar attack this fall, and it begins now.
What stamp will Matt Patricia put on the Ohio State defense?
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Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles retooled the OSU defense, making it an aggressive unit that employed a unique and versatile look that had a lot of defensive backs on the field. To say that it worked would be an understatement. The Buckeye defense got better each of the three years under Knowles and was statistically the best in the country last season.
Knowles is off to Penn State now, and it's new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's turn to keep the defensive unit among the best. Things will change. The structure, mindset, play calling, and personnel packages can help but be different under new leadership, and it will be worth watchin exactly how things will look going forward.
If Ohio State is going to remain a national title contender, the defense has to still be an elite one, and the building blocks of making that happen are being put in place now. The spring game should give us a peek at what to expect.
Will Ohio State O-coordinator Brian Hartline's play calling be on display?
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Not only did Ohio State lose defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, but it also lost the creative mind of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. It was only one year, but his experience calling plays and his aggressive mindset made a huge difference this year, especially during the playoff run.
Now it's Brian Hartline's turn. He was named co-offensive coordinator before, but never really given full responsibility for calling the plays before Kelly arrived. However, based on comments and the promotion to full-out offensive coordinator, he's getting the play sheet and decision-making ability.
Being that he's got an extensive background with the wide receivers, you have to wonder how the play calling will look and whether we'll get to see a little of what that might look like on Saturday. Will there be more passing calls? How aggressive will he be? What kind of tendencies will he show?
To be fair, it's not like we're going to get a full look at that, but we'll be able to take a little from what we see on Saturday.
Which Ohio State newcomers will shine?
You must be registered for see images
You can't always take what a guy does in the spring game and project it out to him being a star. There have been plenty examples of a freshman coming in and balling out, only to fall behind the depth chart and never really find his way into the plans at a place like Ohio State.
However, there have also been moments when a freshman or transfer has looked the part, and you really start to feel that it's only a matter of time before he's a household name in Buckeye Nation. In this case, some of the newcomers to watch are transfer tight end Max Klare, running back CJ Donaldson, and the three 5-star freshmen, quarterback Tavien St. Clair, defensive back Devin Sanchez, and receiver Quincy Porter.
Those guys should all get some time out on the field, and we'll get a look at how well they translate to a new environment. Outside of that group, someone else might pop too and become a guy to watch in the future. This is where it can all start.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State football spring game preview: 5 things to watch Saturday
Continue reading...
