If you are like me, you’re going to miss updates on Ohio State football for the next four months. Yesterday’s spring game was football, even thought it wasn’t really football.
It is the last glimpse of the Buckeyes we will get until camps starts in late summer, so many of us will be thinking about what transpired during the Scarlet and Gray game.
After having a day to think about it, there were some aspects that have continued to stick out in my mind. Here are some thoughts still brewing in my head after yesterday’s glorified scrimmage.
There is no need to worry about the offense
Some stats from today’s Ohio State spring game:
Kyle McCord: 18-34 passing, 184 yards, 1 TD
Tristan Gebbia: 14-24 passing, 127 yards, 1 TD
Leading rusher: Chip Trayanum, 110 yards (65-yd TD)
Leading receiver: Noah Rogers, 64 yards (57-yd TD)
Leading tackler: Gabe Powers, 8
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) April 15, 2023
Thoughts
As much as we’d like to think this is real football, it wasn’t. The offense wasn’t what we will see in the fall. Running back Miyan Williams was no contact with the quarterbacks. Marvin Harrison Jr. played, but not much. The play calling was vanilla. Don’t judge quarterback Kyle McCord’s stats either.
Remember, Justin Fields went 4-of-13 for 131 yards and a touchdown during his first spring game. Matthew Baldwin actually outplayed him that year. I would actually like to see a bit more emphasis on the ground game. There are five capable running backs on this team, use them! With any Ryan Day offense, we really shouldn’t be worried at all.
Offensive recruiting is on another level
B⭕️⭕️⭕️⭕️⭕️⭕️M❗️
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 15, 2023
Thoughts
It’s not just the 2023 class, it’s the 2024 and beyond classes that will keep this offensive juggernaut going. Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers and Jelani Thurman all flashed yesterday. The top-rated ‘23 recruit, Brandon Inniss, isn’t even on campus yet. Two more weapons committed for the 2024 cycle, Max LeBlanc and Sam Williams-Dixon, will combine with a top-10 quarterback (Air Noland) and the top receiver (Jeremiah Smith). Day has his offense loaded with reinforcements on the way.
Ignore the internet haters
Ohio State no matter what is must watch for the Ops.
Michigan board has a 19K view thread with 159 comments scouting Ohio State spring game.https://t.co/U9IW2IJdTi
Notre Dame board has a scouting report on OSU going with 11K views and 89 comments.https://t.co/u7qmkSCzrj
— jbook™ (@jbook37) April 16, 2023
Thoughts
If you were like me, you spend some of your days scanning Twitter and seeing a great deal of hate directed toward the Buckeyes. It’s pretty normal but after yesterday it was a bit more than that. Multiple schools on our schedule for next year dismissed Ohio State’s potential after a scrimmage with fans in the ‘Shoe. Like I mentioned above, this wasn’t real football and you can’t take much from this. It’s absurd to think that this is what the Buckeyes will look like in the fall. Ignore it and move on.
This defensive is improving
Had Kenyatta Jackson as my player to watch today on @11W. The second-year DE can punctuate a breakout spring with an impressive performance at the Shoe pic.twitter.com/gBWaNlcNvO
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) April 15, 2023
Thoughts
I mentioned it yesterday in my postgame thoughts, but I can’t get over the fact that this defense is really coming on. Year 1 of Jim Knowles saw an improvement from allowing 366.6 yards per game to 303.9 with plenty of room to continue that trend. The players are more familiar with the scheme, and Knowles knows his personnel better. It would be very surprising to see this team not get better as a team defensively.
The offensive line, specifically tackles needs to grow up quick
Ryan Day said there's no starter emerging at offensive tackle for Ohio State. He said the #Buckeyes believe in the guys but are looking for more consistency at those positions.
— Patrick Murphy (@_Pat_Murphy) April 12, 2023
Thoughts
We all knew the offensive line was going to be an issue, and it needs to get solved over the next few months. If there is an answer in the portal, Day needs to go after it. Offensive line coach, Justin Frye, needs to coach up his current players. This unit is the backbone of the offense and with a new quarterback, it needs to be on top of its game. Luckily the early season schedule allows the O-line to get its feet wet, but neither starting tackle has emerged. I’m not nearly as worried about center, so that’s a good thing. I guess.
Special teams a concern also
Remember when Fleming (the coach) didn't have a kick return backup plan when Egbuka got hurt late in 2021, so he and Day decided to use Fleming (WR) because Fleming (WR) told Fleming (coach) he "wanted to"
And then he fumbled the opening kick in both the MSU and UM games pic.twitter.com/AJTSiBdZsu
— Colton Denning (@Dubsco) February 15, 2023
Thoughts
As someone who was on campus during the Jim Tressel regime, special teams have always been an emphasis for me. This unit didn’t have the best day. Kicker Jayden Fielding missed a 40-yarder, but parker lewis nailed a 38-yarder. I hated when Jayden Ballard tried to field a punt that sailed over his head because it had disaster written all over it. Special teams coach Parker Fleming’s unit made too many mistakes last year. It hasn’t gotten better this spring.
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