At the start of spring practice, Ryan Day wasn’t sure he even wanted a spring game.
Saturday’s spring finale at Ohio Stadium was originally billed as a Spring Showcase, though what that would consist of was never defined. As the practices unfolded, Day realized that a normal spring game scrimmage was necessary.
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Most of the players who carried Ohio State to its national championship were gone. Their successors needed all the work they could get.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin warms up before the Buckeyes’ spring game.
“I’m glad we did the spring game,” Day said. “I wasn’t sure, but it was definitely the right thing to do. I wish we could have stayed out there for another four hours and gotten these reps and gotten these guys some work.”
Day’s answer was in response to a question about OSU’s quarterbacks. Justin Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz are battling to succeed Will Howard.
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Sayin has been considered the front-runner based on being the top-ranked quarterback nationally in the 2024 recruiting class. When Sayin transferred from Alabama last year following Nick Saban’s retirement, he was regarded as the likely heir apparent, especially after Devin Brown transferred to Cal.
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But Kienholz had a strong spring and looked better than Sayin in a couple of recent practices open to reporters. On Saturday, Sayin was clearly better. His arm is strong and accurate. He is blessed with a quick release.
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Yes, new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s playbook was kept closed. Day said the Buckeyes’ defense used only one front and two basic coverages. And the quarterbacks were off-limits from contact.
But Sayin threw a few NFL-type completions into tight coverage. They were the kind that made you think, “Yep, that’s the guy.”
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Kienholz struggled early. The redshirt sophomore’s first series was a three-and-out that ended with a pass too high for Jeremiah Smith, which isn’t easy to do. Kienholz eventually settled in and made some nice throws, but this was Sayin’s day.
Day did not proclaim a front-runner, which was no surprise. He has never done that in the spring even when the likely starter was obvious. With the transfer portal opening Wednesday, it would be foolish for him to do so and risk having a quarterback leave.
As impressive as Sayin was Saturday, it was just one day.
“I wish I could put my finger on it,” Day said of all the quarterbacks’ inconsistency. “There were good days, there were bad days and somewhere in between. I think it’s just a matter of playing the game. As the spring has gone on, I’ve just realized that at all positions, but most importantly at quarterback, we have to play a lot of football.”
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But football isn’t like other sports in that it’s impossible to practice the way games are played on Saturdays. The risk of injury, especially to quarterbacks, is too great. The challenge for Ohio State is to find ways to grow and improve within those constraints.
The Buckeyes have a few proven All-American-caliber players – Smith on offense and safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles on defense. They have plenty of other players who have been key backups. Now they must be ready physically and mentally to be starters.
“Even the guys who are going to be starters next year, they haven’t played a lot of football as starters,” Day said. “That’s a whole different deal. You have to produce regularly. You have to be able to handle an increased number of snaps at a high level.
“We lost talent, but more importantly, we lost experience. We’re still talented, but we lost the experience. Every time you go out there, you’re either remembering or learning. We have a lot of guys learning right now, so we’ve got to accelerate that learning process and figure out what that plan is here this summer.”
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What are Ohio State football’s biggest depth chart issues after quarterback?
The Buckeyes have questions at positions other than quarterback. Perhaps the biggest is the defensive line. Projected starters Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson, Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston should be fine. But questions abound about the depth. Logan George, a transfer defensive end from Idaho State, had two sacks Saturday to cap what Day said has been an impressive spring.
Others need to emerge. It was telling that Day said Ohio State needs to “take a hard look” at adding defensive linemen from the transfer portal.
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“It seemed like there was a lot of knockback from the offensive side of the ball,” Day said, adding that he didn’t want to make a firm judgment until he watched video.
At other positions, there’s plenty of promise. The offensive line looks solid, and Day is happy with the running backs. Sophomore James Peoples had only two carries for 6 yards Saturday, but Day gushed about him.
“I think James has a chance to be a special back,” Day said.
West Virginia transfer C.J. Donaldson looks like he could be an ideal complement for Peoples. Freshman Bo Jackson had some nifty runs, as did redshirt freshman Sam Williams-Dixon.
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Wide receiver Mylan Graham caught four passes for 104 yards and a touchdown and looks like he can help a loaded unit led by Smith, Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss. With the addition of Purdue transfer Max Klare, the tight end unit is deeper than in recent years.
Ohio State is one of those elite programs that generally reloads rather than rebuilds. But growing pains are inevitable as players step into expanded roles.
Unlike last year, when the Buckeyes opened with three overmatched non-league opponents, Ohio State’s first opponent this season is Texas.
“I wish we had 15 more practices this spring to get out there and learn and grow from,” Day said.
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Ohio State football beat writer Bill Rabinowitz can be reached at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on bluesky at billrabinowitz@bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football spring game showed 2025 promise and concerns
