Few teams in college football have been as busy as Ohio State this offseason, and for good reason. After losing three straight to Michigan a year ago and missing the playoffs, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes face even more pressure to rebuild. In 2024.
Ohio State has a number of transfers, signing veteran quarterback Will Howard, running back Quinshon Judkins and former five-star safety Caleb Downs, returning key experience, especially on the defensive end. Actively worked at the counter. And most importantly, the school brought in Chip Kelly to assemble the offensive line.
Now, the Buckeyes will be playing in the spring game. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Ohio State University Football Spring Game 2024 Schedule
when: Saturday, April 13th
time: 12pm Eastern
tv set: fox network
RELATED: 2024 Ohio State football schedule
chip kelly attack
Ryan Day's team has been built around a dynamic offense, but the team suffered a statistical slump a year ago when Kyle McCord replaced CJ Stroud at quarterback. Ohio State ranked 45th in scoring and 48th in total production last season.
How will Kelly deal with that? Expect a lot of pace and a variety of looks, especially with OSU's backs involved as pass catchers and Howard moving around more in the pocket. Although we won't talk much about the spring game, it's a good opportunity to quickly learn about Kelly's activities so far.
QB competition?
Considering his experience, Howard is probably the frontrunner to win the QB1 role. Or is it him? Ohio State has five quarterbacks on its roster, meaning one of his two could leave in the transfer era, and the spring game could be his own. It is very important to demonstrate your ability.
This competition is likely to revolve around who gets a head start in 2025. Julian Sane, a transfer from Alabama, and five-star recruit Air Noland appear to be the favorites to win that race, while Devin Brown looks to get his legs up alongside redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholtz.
Jeremiah Smith's debut film
No player in Ohio State's history has lost his black stripe sooner than Smith, the school's five-star freshman wide receiver who was ranked No. 1 at his position in the 2024 freshman class. He regularly makes highlight grabs in practice and is poised to earn WR1 snaps right away. Smith has the speed, agility and dexterity to quickly emerge as a starter.
offensive line watch
Josh Simmons will play left tackle, Donovan Jackson will play left guard, and Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin will play center. The right guard and tackle are in the spotlight, and Ohio State wants to try as many combinations as possible and test them against strong edge rushers to see which ones stick.
Luke Montgomery is the immediate favorite at right guard, but Josh Fryer struggled at right tackle a year ago, so the Buckeyes could look to replace the two. Spring football is a time of experimentation and anything can be tried.
Down in the secondary
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has improved the unit's fortunes over the past two seasons, but it still struggles in big games and the postseason.
Part of that difficulty comes from secondary pass coverage, and the addition of Alabama transfer safety Caleb Downs could make a difference.
A coverage genius, Downs led the Crimson Tide with 107 stops a year ago, proving he has a knack for finding the football and shutting down deep pass routes.
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