Ohio State football: No clear quarterback leader emerges in spring game

The public prelude for a season with pressure even higher than the normal lofty levels for Ohio State unfolded Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day didn't downplay the expectations in an interview with Joel Klatt of Fox, which became the first non-cable network to broadcast a spring game nationally.

Asked why most of Ohio State's NFL draft-eligible players chose to return, Day said, “To beat the team up north and win a national championship.”

After three straight losses to Michigan, which won the national title last year, the Buckeyes bolstered their roster with transfers in an attempt to replace the Wolverines atop college football.

"We have all the chips in this year, and we want to win it all," senior cornerback Denzel Burke said. "That's the only goal."

Any definitive judgments from a spring game are foolish. It is only a scrimmage.

But the announced crowd of 80,012 got a glimpse of what could and needs to be a special season. For the record − and this is a record that shouldn't be kept − the offense (Scarlet) defeated the defense (Gray) 34-33 under the convoluted scoring system used.

Here are four takeaways from the game:

No clear leader has emerged at quarterback

Will Howard, a Kansas State graduate transfer lured to Columbus to be the starter, hasn't clinched the job. Understandably, he has needed time to become comfortable with a new program and has had his ups and downs this spring.

Howard was unspectacular but solid on Saturday. He took the first snaps and rotated with junior Devin Brown, redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholz and true freshman Julian Sayin.

Howard completed 9 of 13 passes for 77 yards. His best play was an 18-yarder to senior Emeka Egbuka, who made a dazzling one-handed catch to stay inbounds.

Brown, who had an impressive spring, led the offense to its only touchdown drive in the first half. He threw over the middle for an 11-yard score to Brennen Schramm, a sophomore walk-on from Medina, with 1:33 left in the second quarter.

Brown was 5 of 7 for 66 yards. He also showed off his running ability. He scrambled for 14 yards on his first two snaps and later added a 10-yarder.

Saturday's scrimmage probably didn't do much to affect the outcome. One piece of evidence for that: Both quarterbacks attempted to connect with Carnell Tate on identical passes to the corner of the end zone. Neither came close to a completion.

"I'm not going to make any declarations now," Day said. "We'll look at the film and see what it looks like and then decide where to go from there, but I don't have much to say about it right now."

Sayin, the top quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, created a buzz with his play this spring. Day said he is in the mix in the competition. Saturday may have served to pump the brakes a bit, though. Sayin was intercepted by Jaylen McClain, a freshman safety from New Jersey. McClain returned it to the end zone, though it wasn't credited as touchdown.

Kienholz, who was ineffective in the Cotton Bowl after being thrust into action because of Brown's ankle injury, threw two interceptions.

Air Noland, the other blue-chip OSU freshman quarterback, didn't get his first snaps until midway through the third quarter.

Offensive line remains work in progress

Other than quarterback, the offensive line remains the biggest question on the team.

It was a bit of a surprise that Carson Hinzman, who struggled as the starting center last year, got the start at right guard. Luke Montgomery had been taking most of the first-team reps at that spot this spring. Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin started at center with incumbent Josh Fryar at right tackle.

"I don't think we're there right now," Day said when asked if could project the starters on the right side of the line. "We've got to watch this film and then go back and evaluate the entire spring.

"The goal is to find the best five."

Hinzman was beaten early by defensive end Jack Sawyer on a sack. Players rotated liberally on the line throughout the day. Josh Padilla had a nice block on a 22-yard touchdown run by Sam Williams-Dixon.

The line didn't struggle as badly as it did in last year's spring game, but nor is it ready for September.

"I think we're really athletic," new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. "I think Donny (left guard Donovan Jackson) and Seth and those guys inside are really intelligent. They allow you to be able to make adjustments in-game."

Defense looks as advertised

Most of the veterans on defense didn't play long on Saturday, but they were as dominant as they are expected to be. In addition to five sacks, OSU's offense averaged only 1.7 yards per carry in the first quarter.

The longest play the defense yielded was only 25 yards. No single player necessarily stood out, though Sawyer's sack was impressive.

The defense kept it simple. But Burke said defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has plenty left to unveil in the fall.

"We're going to be amazing," he said. "We have a lot of new installs, a lot of guys moving around. We might have four or five DBs on the field and a lot of different looks. I'm really excited about what we're going to do, and we're going to dictate what the offense can do this year."

Linebacker C.J. Hicks, the top recruit in OSU's 2021 class, led the defense with eight tackles.

"I think C.J. has shown that he has talent," defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. "It's my job to put him in the best situation for him because he can be a force. He's much better when he's blitzing or is directed because he's able to use his athletic ability. But he has already shown that he's going to be able to help."

Jeremiah Smith has quiet day

Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the top-ranked player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, has dazzled this spring almost to the point that praise bordered on hyperbole.

It would be a major surprise if Smith doesn't have a major impact this season. But those looking for an extraordinary splash Saturday, well, that didn't happen.

Smith caught two passes for 12 yards. Twice, Howard tried to connect on red-zone passes to Smith in the red zone. Both ended in incompletions as Davison Igbinosun and Jordan Hancock maintained tight coverage.

In the second half, Sayin threw a deep pass to Smith on the right sideline in tight coverage. Smith had the ball briefly before losing grasp of it.

But it seems a matter of time before the fans at the Horseshoe see him do something special.

"He's a generational player," Burke said. "I'm really glad he's on our team. He's going to help us win games.

"He's still young, but the way he handles himself, he's already a pro. He's a different type of player than I've seen in my time here. He's on the trend of being one of the best ever."

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football: No clear QB leader emerges in spring game