Here are five things we learned from Ohio State’s spring football game on April 18:
Julian Sayin moves well
Sayin found himself on the move on a fourth-and-goal at the 4-yard line during the first quarter.
The pressure from defensive end Zion Grady pushed Sayin outside of the pocket as the redshirt sophomore quarterback rolled to his right to avoid a sack. Without a safety valve to dump off a pass, Sayin scrambled, taking off for the pylon in the end zone.
If Sayin had not been wearing a non-contact jersey, linebacker Christian Alliegro would have pushed him out of bounds about a yard shy of the goal line. But Alliegro held off, resulting in a touchdown. While the scrimmage’s format did not fully simulate a game, the sequence at least illustrated his willingness to run the ball.
Since the Buckeyes opened spring practice last month, coach Ryan Day has called on Sayin to use his legs when appropriate, highlighting it as a possible X-factor for the Buckeyes.
“He’s moved well this spring,” Day said, “but certainly it’s a lot different when you’re live.”
Chris Henry Jr. makes a push
It was just weeks ago that another freshman wide receiver was stealing attention.
Though Brock Boyd was only a three-star prospect when he signed with Ohio State in December, he became the first freshman to lose his black stripe.
But Henry, who was the nation’s top-ranked high school receiver in the last recruiting cycle, finished spring practice on a tear. He shed his black stripe three days before the spring game and put together a series of highlights during the scrimmage.
He made his biggest impression late in the first quarter when he got past fellow freshman cornerback Jordan Thomas running down the sideline and brought in a pass from quarterback Tavien St. Clair for a 40-yard touchdown.
Even if he was mostly with the second team, his finish puts him squarely in contention to start alongside Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss, offering a vertical threat with a long 6-foot-5, 195-pound frame.
Depth is a question on the offensive line
Injuries to returning offensive tackles Phillip Daniels and Austin Siereveld resulted in the Buckeyes giving extended reps to their backups to end spring practice.
But the depth looked unsettled during the scrimmage.
Carter Lowe, a redshirt freshman who replaced Daniels as the right tackle with the first-team line, struggled to protect Sayin at various moments. He allowed Grady to push Sayin outside the pocket before he scrambled for a touchdown and later surrendered a sack to Kenyatta Jackson.
If the Buckeyes ultimately move Daniels or Siereveld to right guard to make room for Ian Moore as the final piece for their line, it would leave Lowe as the top backup at the position.
Secondary has options
Earl Little Jr.’s absence revealed the Buckeyes have depth in their secondary.
Without Little, who recently underwent a cleanup procedure on his knee that should sideline him for a few weeks, the Buckeyes dug into the rotation.
It resulted in a personnel package with an additional cornerback. Instead of replacing Little with another safety as part of the first-team defense, they moved Jermaine Mathews Jr. to nickel back to open a spot for Dominick Kelly on the outside.
Kelly, a sophomore who transferred to Ohio State from Georgia, was opposite Devin Sanchez and was not an easy draw in coverage for the receivers. His 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame makes separation difficult and gives the Buckeyes another promising package in the back end if they prefer Mathews inside or take a hit at safety.
Kicking angst will persist
When Connor Hawkins made a 46-yard field goal during the first quarter, the crowd could sigh with relief.
Kicking was an issue for the Buckeyes late last year after Jayden Fielding missed attempts in both postseason losses to Indiana and Miami. When Fielding missed his 29-yard attempt late in the Big Ten championship game, it kept the Buckeyes from tying the Hoosiers.
But Hawkins later hooked a 43-yard attempt wide left, a miss that prevented him from quelling the angst among the fan base.
Hawkins transferred to Ohio State from Baylor with a strong track record. He made two game-winning field goals last season, including one from 53 yards against Kansas State, but the Buckeyes’ recent woes are fresh.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 5 things we learned from Ohio State football spring game
Reporting by Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
