Apr. 11—COLUMBUS — After Ohio State's spring football game in 2008 Jim Tressel said those games were so useful that he wished he could have two or three of them every year.
"I think they're very, very valuable," the former OSU coach said.
Ryan Day didn't go that far. But after an announcement in mid-February that Ohio State would have a Spring Showcase but no spring game, the Buckeyes coach quickly said he hadn't decided yet if they would take the field at Ohio Stadium for the annual spring game.
Then he announced in late March that, with a mostly healthy roster, the spring game would go on using an offense against defense format similar to what was used in the other recent OSU spring games.
That is the timeline of how this year's spring game at noon Saturday at Ohio Stadium returned.
But what were the reasons?
The biggest reason to not play a spring game was to give the players a bit of a break after playing into mid-January on their way to the national championship.
But with only six returning starters and Texas as the opponent in the season opener on Aug. 30, Day decided the value of the experience — even the limited experience of the spring game — in front of a big crowd outweighed the downside of a quick turnaround from last season.
A spring "game," which is really more like a glorified scrimmage, also carries other benefits beyond experience.
It gives fans who might not be able to afford regular-season tickets a chance to experience a little of the game day atmosphere for around 1/10 the cost of the cheapest regular-season game ticket.
It also will make a considerably bigger impression than a Spring Showcase on the numerous recruits expected to be in attendance on Saturday.
Some things to look for in the spring game:
—The competition to become the starting quarterback. Again.
For the third year in a row, the question of who will be Ohio State's starter at quarterback was the most often asked question during spring practice and will continue to be the biggest question mark until Ryan Day announces the starter in August.
Julian Sayin, who transferred to OSU from Alabama in January 2024 after Nick Saban retired, is viewed as the heir apparent but Lincoln Kienholz reportedly has made a contest of it.
Incoming freshman Tavien St. Clair is talented but experience matters a lot at Ohio State's level, especially at quarterback.
—Who will join Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate as the third and fourth receivers in OSU's offense? Brandon Inniss will move into the slot receiver position played by the sometimes underestimated Emeka Egbuka last season but can he deliver the big catches Egbuka was so consistently good at making?
The spring game could give receivers like Mylan Graham and Bryson Rogers a chance to make a good impression.
—The Buckeyes' transfer portal acquisitions, most notably tight end Max Klare, whose 51 catches at Purdue last season were more than twice as many as the Boilermakers' top wide receiver's total of 25.
Offensive tackle Ethan Onianwa (Rice) is projected as the starting left tackle and Phillip Daniels (Minnesota) is competing for the right tackle job. Running back C.J. Donaldson (West Virginia) is expected to share that position with James Peoples.
—The best of the Buckeyes' 5-star and 4-star recruits who enrolled early, including names like St. Clair, cornerback Devin Sanchez, wide receiver Quincy Porter, linebacker Riley Pettijohn, defensive end Zion Grady and running back Bo Jackson.
—Is OSU serious about moving former 5-star recruit C.J. Hicks to edge rusher from linebacker after he has not broken into the starting lineup in three seasons at linebacker? How much playing time he gets Saturday and how well he ...
