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College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Sayin Dominantes Ohio State Spring Game

Julian Sayin shines, transfers impress, and depth emerges in Ohio State’s spring game.

Patrick Weider
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Nov 9
Nov 9

By Patrick Weider

Spring games can sometimes be hard to judge because it is just one of 15 total practices. I have seen spring game stars fizzle out do not make an impact in the fall often, but on the flip side, they can be valuable tools for coaches and players. 

The Ohio State spring game this year was a good evaluation because they lost a ton of players from last year’s National Championship team. So, the Buckeyes have many young players with limited playing time. Giving those young guys a chance to play in Ohio Stadium in front of 40,000 fans can be valuable. Below are some of the big stories out of the spring game. 

Julian Sayin Shines in Debut

Sayin is the front-runner to be the starting quarterback at Ohio State. During the spring game, he was the best quarterback as he played extremely well. Sayin’s accuracy was impressive in the game. Several times, he had pinpoint accuracy and hit wide receivers in the only place the ball could go. He also has a quick delivery of the football. His ability to get rid of the ball out of his hands quickly is impressive. He also knows when to put the right amount of touch on the ball. Lincoln Keinholz wasn’t terrible, but he missed several passes when guys were wide open. Sayin will still have to compete against Kienholz, but after Saturday it is his job to lose. 

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Transfers Stand out

Many of Ohio State’s stars were on pitch counts and were limited in playing time. This allowed young players and the recent transfers to get an opportunity to show off. 

Offensive tackle Ethan Onianwa, who transferred in from Rice, looked excellent. Since arriving at Ohio State in January, he has lost a considerable amount of weight. He did a good job of moving his feet and staying in front of edge defenders in the passing game. Transfer tight end Max Klare caught a touchdown pass and was impressive all day. His ability to stretch the middle of the field will help Ohio State’s passing game next year. Then, running back CJ Donaldson looked explosive running the ball. He also lost some weight since arriving at Ohio State. Donaldson has a great burst, but is also a physical running back. The other transfer who looked good was Logan George, the edge defender from Idaho. He flashed some good skills. Ohio State has not taken a ton of transfers recently, but all the players I mentioned should make an impact next year. 

Mylan Graham Puts on Show

Yes, another Ohio State wide receiver put on a show. Mylan Graham, a redshirt freshman, looked incredible during the spring game. He is a big, physical and athletic. He probably won’t start this season, but he will play in some capacity. On one play in particular, he caught a slant and took it 52 yards for a touchdown.

Offensive Line Has Depth

Ohio State’s offensive line was impressive on Saturday during the spring game. It wasn’t just the first unit, but the backups looked good as well. I think the starting unit of Onianwa at left tackle, Luke Montgomery at left guard, Carson Hinzman at center, Tegra Tshabola at right guard, and either Austin Siereveld or Phillip Daniels at right tackle is a good unit. Then you add in young players in the center Josh Padilla, and interior guard Gabe VanSickle, and it looks like they have some real depth. I liked the way they fired off the ball and blocked all day. 

Gap-Run Scheme 

This was Brian Hartline’s first chance to call plays, and I came away impressed with his ability to on the play calling duties. I saw a ton of gap schemes, which are blocking schemes where the offensive line pulls rather than zone blocks. 

This is something that changed during the College Football Playoff last year when Ohio State found a recipe to run the ball. This shows growth from Hartline and Ryan Day as they are continuing a positive run scheme that helped them win a national championship. 

Defensive Tackle Help

Ohio State might want to look at getting some defensive tackle help when the spring transfer portal opens. The loss of Tyleik Williams is massive for the Buckeyes, as he was incredible as a defensive tackle last year, and now he is off to the NFL. Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston both are projected defensive tackles, and I think both are good players, but it is still a drop off from Williams. Also, the backups at defensive tackle seemed to struggle in the spring game. They could use some added depth. 

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