Latest news with #Sayin
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Five early Ohio State predictions for 2025: Will Michigan, Big Ten droughts end?
Ohio State opens the 2025 college football season against Texas just 12 short weeks from Saturday. Why not make some early predictions? Looking back at my early 2024 predictions last June, I went three-for-five. I was right about Ohio State getting 14 draft picks, Will Howard winning the quarterback battle and the Buckeyes finishing with the nation's top total defense for the first time since 2019. Advertisement Let's try to improve this year. Does this seem obvious? Maybe. But this quarterback competition is more of a battle than last year between Will Howard and Devin Brown, so don't underestimate the uncertainty this summer. I would give Sayin, a five-star recruit in the Class of 2024, a slim lead over Lincoln Kienholz, a four-star recruit in 2023, because of his strong spring game. The Alabama transfer completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown in the spring game, while Kienholz struggled in the first half but finished strong with 158 yards and two touchdowns. This could go either way in preseason camp, but I think Sayin has the bigger upside and will end up edging Kienholz. If this was any other season, and the Buckeyes weren't starting with a top-five game against Texas, Ryan Day could run both quarterbacks out there like he did in 2023 with Kyle McCord and Brown. But this year, he has to name one and run with him. I wouldn't be surprised if Day waits all the way up to game week. Regardless, I think Sayin is the guy. He's accurate, has a quick release and moves well in the pocket, which are all important traits for a 6-foot-1 quarterback. Sayin will have some first-year struggles taking care of the ball, but if he can cut those down in camp, he'll win the competition. Ohio State has had some good tight ends in its history, but the Purdue transfer Klare may be the most talented in recent memory. The 6-foot-4, 238-pound junior from Cincinnati is a versatile player who can make a difference in the passing game, whether on the line of scrimmage or split out as a slot receiver. He's going to give the new starting quarterback a reliable and large target on any down and especially in the red zone. Advertisement There's two records he should be on watch for this season: Ohio State's single-season touchdowns and receiving yards records for tight ends Ohio State's receiving yards by a tight end record was set in 1966 by Billy Anders, who had 671 yards and averaged 74.6 yards per game in nine games. Klare can beat that, especially when you take into account the probability of at least one Playoff game. Last year at Purdue, Klare was the top option and finished with 51 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 57.1 yards in 12 games. If I'm going to predict a Big Ten title game appearance and at least one Playoff game, then Klare has to average just 50 yards per game in 14 games — quite doable, even if he's competing for targets with standouts like receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Ohio State's tight end receiving touchdowns record is seven, shared by Ricky Dudley (1995) and Jake Stoneburner (2011). What makes Klare a scoring threat isn't just the touches he'll get in the red zone, but also the fact that he's a threat after the catch. With Ohio State's receiver talent, he's going to get more 1-on-1 options than he did last year, which should lead to more opportunities after the catch. His biggest issue might be targets, but young quarterbacks love big and reliable options, which Klare is. I like his upside no matter the quarterback. Styles returning for his senior season was a good decision for him and the Buckeyes. The Columbus native moved to linebacker last year from safety and looked like a natural. He's athletic enough to excel in coverage and he had 100 tackles last season, looking more and more comfortable at the line of scrimmage against the run as the season progressed. With Cody Simon gone, he's the leader in the linebacking corps and will be able to build off his success last year, when he was a second-team All-Big Ten pick. Advertisement Styles returns as one of the nation's top linebackers and can be in the mix for greater honors as a senior, especially as a leader on a defense that is going to rely on him to make plays behind four new starters on the defensive line. He was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award last season, and I think he takes a step up and has a chance to join his position coach James Laurinaitis and Andy Katzenmoyer on Ohio State's list of winners — although I'll pick Texas' Anthony Hill to beat him out. Ohio State is coming off a national title but hasn't won the Big Ten in the past four seasons. If I keep predicting a Big Ten championship, it's bound to happen one season, right? Well this year is slightly different, because I think Ohio State will lose two games in the regular season again but this time make it to Indianapolis. The prediction here is that Ohio State will lose to open the season against Texas, which has no impact on the Big Ten race. It will beat Penn State. And it will lose for the fifth consecutive time to Michigan. I think Ohio State will be the better team, but without seeing the revamped defense and new quarterback, it's hard for me to pick Ohio State outright on the road after what's happened the past four seasons in The Game. I could see an 11-1 season, but for now let's go with the assumption that the Buckeyes' rivalry misery continues in a loss to Michigan. If it's their only Big Ten loss, there's still a good path to the conference title. Oregon and Penn State are the two other biggest contenders, and they play each other on Sept. 27. A guaranteed loss for one of them opens up a path for a one-conference-loss Ohio State to get in if the Buckeyes can beat the Nittany Lions at home. I think Ohio State has the team capable of beating Penn State at home, although the defensive line will need to take a step before that November matchup. I like the potential of this year's Ohio State's team. It's OK for the Buckeyes to not be at their peak in the first week of the season, but there's a real possibility that they reach that later, stumble again against Michigan, and win their first Big Ten championship since 2020 anyway. The Buckeyes have had a receiver drafted in the first round in each of the past four years. It began with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in 2022 and continued with Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023, Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024 and Emeka Egbuka in 2025. Jeremiah Smith will be a first-round pick in 2027, but if Ohio State is going to carry on that streak in 2026, it'll have to be Tate. Advertisement From a pure physical standpoint, Tate has the tools to be a successful NFL receiver. He's a 6-foot-3, 191-pound receiver who runs crisp routes and has good hands. He's dropped just five passes in two seasons, according to TruMedia, totaling 70 catches for 997 yards and five touchdowns. Tate has been overshadowed on the Ohio State roster for the past two seasons, first as a freshman by Harrison and Egbuka and then last year by Smith and Egbuka. This is the former five-star recruit's chance to get more snaps and put his talent on full display. He's already one of the top draft-eligible receivers coming into the season, but a potential breakout season could solidify him as a first-round pick. If that's the case, how long does Ohio State's streak go? If Smith is drafted in 2027, there's a host of other five-star receivers coming in who could keep it going in 2028 and beyond. (Photo of Carnell Tate: Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
USA Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Julian Sayin came up big at Ohio State spring game, but is he big enough?
Julian Sayin came up big at Ohio State spring game, but is he big enough? Ohio State found its starting quarterback Saturday, but can the relatively vertically-challenged Julian Sayin find his receivers over the giants in front of him? Let's discuss. But first a spring game recap. For weeks, we have been hearing (and seeing during some limited access) that the Buckeyes' starting QB job is up for grabs. Whether true or not, Sayin, the second-year quarterback with the quick release, did most of the grabbing in the annual glorified scrimmage in Ohio Stadium. The 6-footer – he is listed at 6-1 but after standing next to him … it's a stretch – completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown. He also led a second TD drive. Lincoln Kienholz's numbers were not bad. He was 12 of 18 for 158 yards and two TDs, but Sayin came out well ahead in the eye test. Sayin's ability to stand his ground in the pocket and deliver on-the-money passes to all areas of the field put him ahead of Kienholz in the pecking order. The backup's backup, at least as of now, Tavien St. Clair was 11 of 15 for 116 yards, a touchdown and two 'I'm only a true freshman' interceptions. Ohio State coach Ryan Day is not ready to name a starter, and won't be until the weeks leading to the Aug. 30 opener against Texas in the Shoe. Two reasons for his wait-and-see approach: 1. There is an entire summer of workouts and fall camp to analyze; and 2. Why name a starter before the transfer portal opens Wednesday and risk having your backup bolt for another school? Did Julian Sayin win OSU's starting QB job? But Sayin is the guy. Bank it. And mark it down as the perfect scenario for OSU, which found its worthy starter to go with a capable backup. I'm not sure how comfortable Day is, if the season began this week, with Kienholz being one play away from taking the field, but the QB position feels more secure than it did 48 hours ago. 'Lincoln settled down after the first drive or so. Made some nice throws,' Day said. 'But I thought Julian, for the most part, early on was in rhythm and moving the team down the field for a couple touchdowns, which was good.' Sayin is definitely smooth and will make the routine plays routinely, which is priority No. 2 in Day's system (No. 1 is no turnovers). He appears to be everything OSU thought he would be when the Buckeyes snagged the former five-star Alabama recruit after he entered the portal following Nick Saban's retirement. But he's small. Or smallish. And Day and OSU are not accustomed to starting QBs under 6-3. Will Howard is 6-4, as was Dwayne Haskins. Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord are 6-3. Size matters. But how much? Buy Ohio State books, posters, gear from CFP title win 'When you're in the trees, you have to find passing lanes,' Day said, referencing offensive and defensive linemen who typically average between 6-4 and 6-5. Sayin can scramble a bit but is not a vaunted runner. His calling card is his quick release and ability to read the field, maybe not as well as Stroud but well enough to keep the chains moving. Brian Hartline likely won't be calling as many quarterback keepers as Chip Kelly did for Howard last season, and you can forget about run-pass options (RPOs). But Saturday's small sample size showed a quarterback who should be good enough to win a lot of games. 'Does (Sayin's size) affect how we call plays? Not really,' Day said. 'There are certain things that are easier to do than others, but at the end of the day, there are a lot of guys his stature who are playing in the NFL and played a lot of high-level college football.' Well, yes and no. In the NFL, there was Drew Brees and ... Other similar-sized QBs, like Russell Wilson, typically excel, and escape trouble, with their legs. But height is not a make-or-breaker in college. A tall quarterback is preferable, but the list of Heisman-winning quarterbacks includes a who's who of runts, relatively speaking. Is Julian Sayin tall enough to win big with the Buckeyes? Bryce Young and Kyler Murray are 5-10, though they can run. Johnny Manziel is 6-0. Great in college. Stunk in the NFL. Baker Mayfield is listed at 6-1. Key word, 'listed.' Closer to home, Troy Smith comes in at 6-0, but we stood eye to eye when I interviewed him many moons ago. And I'm no 6-footer. Yet he won the 2006 Heisman with the Buckeyes. 'He (Sayin) certainly is tall enough, but you need to get your elbow up and play big,' Day said. Ah, the crux of the matter. It's not only that Sayin is short(ish), but his throwing mechanics lean more Bernie Kosar (look him up, kids) than Payton Manning. It's not quite sidearm, but neither is it over the top. 'When you're not 6-4, you have to play big,' Day said. 'That means your elbow has to be above your shoulder. We're not allowed to get tipped balls (Sayin had one Saturday); that's part of the deal when you're a smaller quarterback.' Sayin works with a netting device in practice that forces him to keep his elbow up, so expect him to improve his mechanics by fall. We shall see. But all things considered, Day has to feel more comfortable with Sayin than he did a week ago, when the QB looked only so-so during the 'student appreciation day' practice. Kienholz outplayed him that day, but not Saturday. This time, a surprisingly 'small' crowd of 40,136 – it's a theme! – saw OSU's future flash before their eyes. And it looked pretty good. Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@ and on at @rollerCD.
New York Times
16-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz? Projecting Ohio State's post-spring depth chart
Let's dive into our first post-spring Ohio State projected two-deep depth chart. The spring game settled some position battles but also showed that some competitions are closer than we thought. This is how I see the depth chart shaking out when the team returns to practice in August. Starter: Julian Sayin Advertisement Backup: Lincoln Kienholz This has changed a lot this spring. A week before the spring game — even the day before — I would've put Kienholz slightly ahead of Sayin. Kienholz was better during the student appreciation day scrimmage and was also the better of the two on the Friday practice, though neither was particularly sharp that day. But on Saturday, Sayin was the better of the two. Kienholz came out slow, going three-and-out on his first drive. He recovered, finishing 12-for-18 for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the game. But Sayin was better from start to finish. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown, but what was really impressive was his movement around the pocket. Sayin is short, just 6-foot-1, the shortest potential starting quarterback in the Ryan Day era, so he has to find throwing lanes. He did that on Saturday. The defense didn't do much to confuse the quarterbacks or pressure them up front. Nothing like Buckeye Football in The Shoe. — Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 12, 2025 Sayin has the slight lead, but this competition is going to come down to preseason camp, and it'll be the months between now and then. Last year, Will Howard left the spring game with a slight lead, but his work in May, June and July put him in a position to increase the gap ahead of Devin Brown quickly in camp. That has to be the focus of Kienholz and Sayin, duplicating how Howard prepared for camp and trying to shut the door in August. Ohio State needs a starting quarterback for the Texas game, it can't still have a competition like it did in 2023 between Kyle McCord and Brown. A top-10 matchup is up first for the Buckeyes, and Sayin and Kienholz need to be ready. Starter: James Peoples Backup: CJ Donaldson It's hard to gauge running backs in the spring because they don't get hit, so I'll stick with Peoples as the starter. The staff loves his potential and Day said he could be a special back, but Donaldson was impressive on Saturday, as well. This could be a fun competition in preseason camp. Advertisement Freshman Bo Jackson was impressive as well and should be the third running back, getting reps in garbage time like Peoples did last year. This is a good room, probably better than many people think right now. Starter: Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss Backup: Mylan Graham, Quincy Porter and Bryson Rodgers There's so much talent here, it doesn't make sense what Brian Hartline has accomplished on the recruiting trail. As much as people want to push Graham above Inniss as the starter, I don't think that's the case right now. Graham was fantastic on Saturday, putting up four catches for 104 yards and one touchdown. He's a smooth runner after the catch, as you saw on his 51-yard touchdown, running by the entire defense after Aaron Scott fell on the route. He also runs a crisp route, which you can see below. His release off the line and ability to get upfield right away are impressive. Still, don't forget who Inniss is. Ohio State didn't do a lot with its starters on Saturday, and we've been seeing strong play from Inniss going back to last season. He had 14 catches for 176 yards and one touchdown as the fourth receiver and was made for that slot role left vacant by Emeka Egbuka. Ohio State will likely throw the ball more this year, so there will be room for Graham to make an impact, similar to how Tate did in his freshman year. He might not be a starter right away, but Hartline will find a way to get him on the field. Starter: Max Klare Backup: Jelani Thurman and Will Kacamarek The wide receiver room is the best on the team, but the tight end group might be my favorite. Klare is a problem. The 6-foot-4 transfer from Purdue really is a receiver playing tight end, yet he also has good hands in the blocking game. He's going to be tough to stop and will open things up for the receivers. Advertisement But this room is so deep, it's scary. Thurman has improved and should be in line for more reps. Kacamarek missed the spring game with a foot injury but will be fine by the summer. Freshman Nate Roberts impressed me as well in the spring game. He tied for a team-high four receptions, catching every target he got on Saturday for 41 yards. Tight end coach Keenan Bailey doesn't get enough credit for the job he's done, not just putting this room together but also keeping them out of the portal. If he can keep them together through the spring window, Ohio State is going to have a versatile group here next season. Starter: Ethan Onianwa Backup: Ian Moore Ohio State's winter transfer class wasn't flashy, but it was impactful, and Onianwa might've been the biggest move. Ohio State had to find an impact left tackle and got exactly that in Onianwa, who was getting NFL Draft interest before that. He's done a nice job adjusting to the Buckeyes and settling in at left tackle. The presence of the Rice transfer also gives Moore time to develop for another year. If Onianwa turns himself into a first-round pick next year, Ohio State is going to have the perfect recruiting pitch to offensive tackles in the portal after its success with Josh Simmons as well. Starter: Luke Montgomery Backup: Jake Cook This was obvious all spring. Montgomery stepped in last year and did a great job at guard when Carson Hinzman moved back to center. It's not changing now. The interior of the offensive line is as strong as it's been since the 2022 season, when it was Donovan Jackson, Luke Wypler and Matt Jones next to each other. Starter: Carson Hinzman Backup: Joshua Padilla After a rough 2023 season, Hinzman took a big step forward, showing he could play both guard and center. He should have a strong 2025, and Padilla might be the best backup on the line. Advertisement Starter: Tegra Tshabola Backup: Gabe VanSickle Tshabola did a nice job this spring laying claim to the right guard position. Now an established starter, his growth will be crucial for the Buckeyes, as he'll get all of the right guard snaps, barring any injuries. Starter: Austin Siereveld Backup: Philip Daniels Siereveld was arguably the most improved player this spring. He started the spring at offensive tackle, but it was unclear if he would stay there with the transfers and his flexibility. He's done a nice job of taking that position over and pushing Daniels at the same time. Daniels, the transfer from Minnesota, will be the backup for now, providing the most depth Ohio State has had at tackle in a few years. Starter: Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Backup: CJ Hicks and Logan George Replacing J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer won't be easy, but this group of defensive ends is solid. There is a lot of talent here, with Jackson and Curry finally stepping into full-time starter roles. They've shown flashes of their potential, but the question is whether they can handle the extra snaps that come as a starter. George, the transfer from Idaho State, had a good offseason and showcased his talent in the spring. Hicks is a question mark, for me. He has all the physical tools to be a talented edge rusher but needs experience. Preseason camp is going to be important for the former five-star linebacker because he needs high-level reps at the position. I'm not sure how impactful he'll be right away this season, but the ceiling is high for Hicks. Starter: Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston Backup: Tywone Malone and Jason Moore This is the biggest question mark on the defense right now. The loss of Hero Kanu can't be understated. He was going to be a big part of this defensive tackle rotation before he transferred to Texas. His departure happened after the national championship, so Ohio State couldn't fill his spot with the portal closed to every team other than them and Notre Dame. Advertisement Ohio State will likely add some depth in the spring portal window, but for now, the starters are McDonald and Houston, and it's not even close. Moore and Malone have shown flashes as backups, but they need to be more consistent as a group. Starter: Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese Backup: Payton Pierce and Riley Pettijohn This is an extremely talented and athletic linebacker corps. Styles and Reese are locked in as starters, especially after Reese's strong 2024 season. Pierce has had a good spring, and Ohio State likes him as the third linebacker in the group, but don't look past Pettijohn either. He had a good spring game and made a nice play in the backfield on a toss play, shedding a block and then making a tackle along the sideline. Ohio State can do a lot with this group — as blitzers or even in coverage — and Styles will be the leader of the group. Spring practice is over. The transfer portal opens Wednesday. What's on your mind? Submit your Ohio State questions below. Starters: Davison Igbinosun, Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Lorenzo Styles Backup: Aaron Scott, Devin Sanchez and Bryce West This continues to be a competitive battle, mainly because of the nickel position. Igbinosun will be one of the starters on the outside, but I think there's a world in which Ohio State moves Mathews inside to utilize his physicality and plays either Scott or Sanchez outside. For now, though, I think Styles has the upper hand at nickel, and Mathews is going to play outside. Scott was tested a lot on Saturday and had some good moments, breaking up a fade route in the end zone to Graham. Preseason camp will be interesting because Ohio State has the depth to play five corners in a dime package. Who those five will be is still up in the air, though. Starters: Malik Hartford and Caleb Downs Backup: Jaylen McClain and Leroy Roker This position seems set with Hartford and Downs. The biggest question for me is how Ohio State uses Downs this year and whether that means McClain gets playing time when the Buckeyes want to get an extra defensive back on the field. There's some exciting depth behind those three, too, with Roker and freshman Faheem Delane.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three takeaways from the Ohio State spring game
Photo byOriginally slated to finish out the spring practice period with more of a showcase than a true scrimmage, Ryan Day elected instead to reverse course and go with the more typical spring game on Saturday. While the decision to flip-flop led to a much smaller crowd than year's past — 40,136 officially in attendance, the lowest in four years — it was ultimately the right choice, as we got to see a nice little glimpse at the 2025 Buckeyes. Advertisement A ton of fresh faces took the field for Ohio State as the offense beat the defense, 50-31. Six different player scored touchdowns in the game, three different quarterbacks took reps and the 2024 national champions received their rings. All-in-all, it was a fun mini-celebration of Buckeye football and a good sign of things to come. Here are three of the biggest takeaways from Saturday's action... Ohio State will be just fine at quarterback Much has been made of the quarterback competition for the Buckeyes this offseason. Even when the choice atop the depth chart seems obvious, it feels like we do this song and dance every year. This time around, the competition has raged on between redshirt freshman Julian Sayin and junior Lincoln Kienholz. Advertisement Both guys put together impressive performances on Saturday, but it was Sayin who appeared to have the edge between the two. Sayin finished the afternoon completing 17 of his 24 pass attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. The Alabama transfer led the Buckeyes' offense on three consecutive scoring drives on his first three series at the helm, including a nice touchdown pass over the middle to Purdue transfer Max Klare. Kienholz wasn't too shabby in his own right, however, completing 12 of his 18 passes for 158 yards and two TDs. It took the South Dakota native a little longer to get going, but he settled in and made some nice throws as the game got going. Five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair got some run as well, completing 11-of-15 pass attempt for 116 yards and a TD, but also threw two picks. While it would appear Sayin has the edge for QB1 coming out of spring practice — as was the prevailing thought coming into the offseason — all three quarterbacks showed a ton of positives in a very limited setting. Regardless of who wins the starting job come August, there should be little concern that the standard the position has seen under Ryan Day will not once again be met or exceeded. No shortage of receiving options Jeremiah Smith returns to Ohio State for his sophomore campaign after a ridiculous 1,300-yard, 15-touchdown performance as a freshman. Still, the Buckeyes have some big shoes to fill opposite Smith, as the program's all-time receptions leader Emeka Egbuka is off to the NFL. Guys like Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss both played well behind those two last season, but will Brian Hartline's room have enough to get the job done? Advertisement As if we didn't know already, Saturday's showcase of pass-catching talent answered that question with a resounding yes. The big names like Smith and Tate remain, but we also got a glimpse at the next wave of talent in Ohio State's wide receiver room. Chief among that list was Mylan Graham, who led the way in the receiving department with four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. The former five-star prospect looked every bit the part, making a handful of nice grabs highlight by an impressive 51-yard catch-and-run score. Five-star freshman Quincy Porter got in on the action with four catches for 50 yards, while fellow freshman Phillip Bell caught three balls for 30 yards and a TD. Outisde of the young guns, we also got our first look at the aforementioned Purdue transfer, Max Klare. The skilled pass-catching tight end has a chance to be a real weapon in Ohio State's offense with all of the attention opposing defenses will have to pay to this treasure trove of wide receivers. Klare caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown in the spring game. Defensive line could use more depth It's tough to glean much about the defense in a game where 'thud' tackling is the preferred method, but I would've liked to see a bit more from Ohio State's defensive line — especially against a group of inexperienced quarterbacks. Advertisement The unofficial stat sheet did not keep track of tackles or sacks, but from my own recollection, FCS transfer Logan George recorded a pair of sacks on the Buckeyes' final drive, and CJ Hicks recorded a sack now at his new position of defensive end after spending the last few seasons at linebacker. Outside of those two, it was a mostly quiet day for Larry Johnson's group. Ohio State has a bunch of options at defensive end, but nobody really jumped off the page on Saturday. Some combination of Hicks, Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson will be the starters to begin the season with George rotating in as well. Behind them, it seems like freshman Zion Grady and redshirt sophomore Joshua Pickens would be the next men up. I wouldn't be surprised if the Buckeyes try to supplement that group with a transfer in the spring window. Defensive tackle is likely set, with Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald your starters and a group of four guys behind them that includes Jason Moore, Eric Mensah, Will Smith Jr. and Tywone Malone. That unit doesn't necessarily need any additions, but if the right player became available it wouldn't be surprising to see Ohio State jump at the opportunity. Other individual standout performances (all stats unofficial) RB - Bo Jackson: 13 carries for 88 yards, 1 TD RB - CJ Donaldson: 4 carries for 35 yards, 1 TD RB - Sam Williams-Dixon: 11 carries for 64 yards, 2 catches for 21 yards, 1 TD TE - Nate Roberts: 4 catches for 41 yards TE - Jelani Thurman: 2 catches for 35 yards S - Faheem Delane: 1 interception S - Brenten Jones: 1 interception Advertisement More from
Fox News
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Ohio State spring game: Buckeyes honor the past, showcase 2025 talent
Ohio State held its annual spring game on Saturday, as the reigning College Football Playoff national champions took to the field in front of over 40,000 people at Ohio Stadium. The offense won 50-31, with fans getting a closer look at the ongoing quarterback battle between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz. Sayin, a redshirt freshman, completed 17 of 24 passes (70.8%) for 175 yards and one touchdown. Kienholz, a third-year sophomore, went 12 of 18 (66.6%) for 158 yards with two touchdowns, while true freshman Tavien St. Clair completed 11 of 15 attempts (73.3%) for 116 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Keinholz got the first snaps with the starters, many of whom were rested after the first few drives, before he and Sayin began trading drives. Sayin appeared to have an edge in the hunt to replace Will Howard. Ohio State also has to find replacements for TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins in the backfield. On Saturday, true freshman Bo Jackson carried the ball 13 times for 88 yards, while redshirt freshman Sam Williams-Dixon had 11 carries for 64 yards and caught a 24-yard touchdown pass. All-American sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith played just two series before heading to the bench, while redshirt freshman Mylan Graham led the way with four catches for 104 yards and one touchdown. Graham showed off his speed when he took a slant route from midfield to the house. On defense, Faheem Delane and Inky Jones accounted for the two interceptions by St. Clair. The Buckeyes' defense will have to step up after the departures of standout defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. Head coach Ryan Day, returning for his seventh season, set up the intrasquad scrimmage that used a scoring system for both sides. For the offense, points came from touchdowns and field goals, while the defense earned six points for touchdowns, three for a takeaway, three for a three-and-out, two for a sack and one for a forced punt. "In order for us to play defense like we did last year, we're going to need some guys to step up more than they have," Day said on Saturday. "I think, again, there's ability there, but consistently playing at a certain level is something that's a challenge that I know Coach [Larry] Johnson is going to be pushing these guys for over and over again." Among the 40,136 in attendance at the Horseshoe were former players such as Howard, Emega Egbuka and Gee Scott Jr., who received their 2025 national championship rings, as did returning players like Smith and Caleb Downs. The Buckeyes will officially begin their title defense when they host Texas on Aug. 30. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
