The Ohio State Buckeyes enter the 2024 College Football season with the most hype in the country. The Buckeyes returned key starters, added valuable transfers, and brought in freshmen with potential. All these roster moves created a few position battles that will be must-see television the first-ever nationally televised spring game this Saturday on FOX.
Key Position Battles to Watch in the Ohio State Spring Game
The Most Important Position Battle: Quarterback
Perhaps the only thing keeping Ohio State from being overwhelming favorites to win the national championship in January is the mystery at the quarterback position. After a season of average play in 2023 caused former quarterback Kyle McCord to transfer to Syracuse, the Buckeyes will look to name a new starter under center in 2024.
The assumed starter is Kansas State transfer Will Howard, who brings with him the ability to make plays in the air and on the ground. Howard recorded over 3,000 total yards and 33 touchdowns in 2023 for the Wildcats. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has always had a quarterback who can operate an option offense, and we have seen Howard do so at the Power 5 level.
Junior quarterback Devin Brown seemingly will not go down without a fight. Remaining steadfast in his remarks that he is not scared of competition Brown will continue to put pressure on Will Howard. Brown exited his only start with an injury in the Cotton Bowl in 2023.
The real wildcard in this battle is Alabama transfer Julian Sayin. He has been reportedly lighting up camp with his accuracy, and precision. The former five-star recruit is hungry to get on the field after leaving Tuscaloosa, and a good outing on Saturday firmly puts him in the conversation to win the job. He even lost his black stripe on Monday, the second freshman to do so.
We’ll also see sophomore Lincoln Keinholz and freshman Air Noland take reps on Saturday, however, it does not appear they have a real chance to win the job.
The Most Exciting Position Battle: Wide Receiver
The Ohio State wide receiver room has been on top of the college football world since Brian Hartline took over as position coach. With the recent departures of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and last season Marvin Harrison Jr, the public expected regression. However, in a surprising move, star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka decided to return to Columbus despite being mocked as a late first/early second round pick. With a loaded room, finding who will start outside of Egbuka will be fun to watch.
Assuming he stays healthy, Carnell Tate will likely continue to start on the outside. The IMG Academy product recorded 267 yards in his freshman season and will look to build on that in 2024.
Leaving one spot up for grabs those competing for it will be redshirt junior Jayden Ballard, freshman Jeremiah Smith, and potentially sophomore Brandon Innis. This may truly be a two-person race as Innis seems to be stuck in the slot behind Egbuka, but if we see him take reps on the outside Saturday, he is in the conversation. Speedster Jayden Ballard has been fighting for playing time ever since he stepped foot on campus and will have a great opportunity on Saturday to prove himself.
All of the buzz coming out of camp is that freshman Jeremiah Smith is a generational talent, getting his black stripe removed in record time. From highlight plays to first-team reps, it appears that Smith is in line to be the next legendary wide receiver at Ohio State. Look for Smith to steal the show on Saturday.
The Most Interesting Position Battle: Linebacker
The last position battle of note that should receive some attention is at the linebacker position. With the departures of both starters, Tommy Eichenburg and Steele Chambers, the linebacker position at Ohio State will get a complete face-lift.
Returning senior Cody Simon will likely fill in as one of the starters after stellar play when called upon a season ago. Simon recorded 57 tackles in 2023 and will look to build upon that as his time as a Buckeye is nearing the end.
The last spot will be between two tall, athletic defenders that can cover the field sideline to sideline, returning sophomore Sonny Styles and redshirt sophomore CJ Hicks. Styles changed positions earlier this spring, from safety to linebacker. Hicks has primarily been a special teamer and is hungry to finally contribute on defense. Both players came into Ohio State as highly-touted recruits and Buckeye nation will be excited to see their hype put on display this Saturday.
Ohio State will play in the first-ever nationally televised spring game on FOX this weekend, and fans will have plenty to be excited for.
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