Spring hasn’t quite sprung yet in the Midwest, but it won’t be long. In fact, the Ohio State football team will begin its spring workouts on March 6, and there’s no doubt that it will be one of transition.
That’s next week folks. Wake up, football is here — sort of.
Gone is head coach Urban Meyer, along with Heisman finalist Dwayne Haskins and several key skill position players. But expectations never change at a place like Ohio State. There are other guys ready to step up and be the next star in Columbus, you can bank on that.
Over the next week or so, we’ll be previewing some of the things to keep an eye on as spring practices begin, so let’s dive in with this overview first.
Next … Key position battles
Key Ohio State Position Battles
Quarterback
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ohio State was embattled in a three-man quarterback race last year until Dwayne Haskins emerged and became the rightful starter. Everyone expected the redshirt sophomore to be around for at least a couple of years, but breaking all kinds of Big Ten and Ohio State single-season records has a way of changing things.
So, here we are again. Haskins is off to the NFL as the likely first quarterback taken off the board, one of the most highly-rated quarterback prospects of all time has transferred in from Georgia in the person of Justin Fields, and supposed starter-in-waiting Tate Martell has taken his talents to South Beach.
So, it really looks like a two-man race here. Justin Fields appears to have the upper hand, but don’t count out Ryan Day’s handpicked prospect Matthew Baldwin.
Offensive line
The Buckeyes lost a lot of proven experience in the trenches. And while some talent and limited experience returns, there’s holes in the interior of the line that need filled.
Thayer Munford figures to get a first look at the left tackle spot, and Wyatt Davis will most likely be a part of things with the extended playing time he got at the tail end of last year. bBut from there, it’s a wide-open competition.
The news of Rutgers graduate transfer Jonah Jackson will help on the interior, and there’s some experience with Brandon Bowen and Joshua Alibi, but Josh Myers and the highly touted Jack Miller and Max Wray will all be given a shot. And don’t forget about Nicholas Petit-Frere who has all the talent in the world.
Really, it’s anybody’s guess what this group looks like and it might be the biggest and most important position battle through spring and fall.
Next … Strong returning positions
Strong groups for the Buckeyes
Wide Receivers
You’d normally think the loss of three captains at the wide-receiver position would be a problem, but not with this team. There’s still talent abounding. K.J. Hill, Austin Mack, Chris Olave and Ben Victor are all back and played significant and meaningful minutes in an offense that slung it around a lot last year. Add in super freshman Garrett Wilson and a player many coaches and players have raved about Jaealen Gill, and this is a strong, strong group.
running backs
Mike Weber is gone to the draft, but J.K. Dobbins will be the featured back and that’s enough to make this a strong position in and of itself. We should see Dobbins numbers and touches go through the roof as the main option, and don’t forget about Demario McCall.
Behind those two though, there is talent, albeit unproven. Master Teague might be the next star in the waiting, and the arrival of Marcus Crowley as an early enrollee might have something to do with things.
Defensive backs
The defensive backfield might be the strongest unit on this team, as several guys eligible to declare for the draft decided to come back. Jeffrey Okudah, Damon Arnette, Shaun Wade, Jordan Fuller, Isaiah Pryor, and Sevyn Banks will all be in the mix and all capable of making big plays and locking down opponents passing games.
Defensive Line
The D-line will be stacked again. You’d expect no less from Larry Johnson’s crew at this point. Nick Bosa might be gone but Chase Young is going to be the next national sensation at defensive-end. Add in experienced guys like Robert Landers, Jonathon Cooper, Davon Hamilton and Tommy Togiai and things are pretty well set at a high level.
But watch out for Tyler Friday to jump up and get more playing time this year. His name kept coming up when I asked about who’s looked good as the next up and comer.
Next … The key dates
Two Key Dates
- Wednesday March, 6 – Spring Practice Begins
- Saturday April 13 – Annual LifeSports Spring Game – Noon
Come back often as we go through and get ready for snow to turn to sleet, to turn to rain, to turn to sunshine. All in one day. After all, isn’t that spring in the heartland?
