3 things to watch in Ohio State's spring game
Ohio State fans will flock to the Horseshoe on Saturday, seeking out their first look at the team since the Buckeyes were shutout by Clemson in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff on New Year's Eve.
Here are three things to keep an eye on in the game.
J.T. Barrett's downfield passing
Barrett has been at Ohio State since 2013 and had success early, finishing fifth in Heisman voting as a redshirt freshman in 2014 and being part of the Buckeyes' national championship team the same season.
After battling with Cardale Jones during the 2015 season, Barrett was back to being the undisputed starter in 2016, leading Ohio State to the College Football Playoff, but that didn't deter his detractors.
Barrett's numbers took a hit in 2016, as he would struggle to throw downfield with strength and accuracy, and took the brunt of the blame in the Buckeyes' 31-0 semifinal loss to Clemson.
When a player is around as long as someone like Barrett, it leads to every little thing being analyzed under a microscope. Like how Ohio State completed 46 percent of its pass attempts in its final two games, with a yards-per-attempt average of 3.9.
When Barrett finished fifth in Heisman voting, he averaged nine yards-per-attempt, compared to 6.7 the last two seasons.
On Saturday, keep an eye on how far Barrett is throwing the ball downfield.
Tate Martell arrives
Not helping Barrett is the arrival of highly touted quarterback Martell as an early enrollee, who dazzled on the high school scene with his arm and legs.
| Year | Passing Yards | Passing TD | INT | Rushing Yards | Rushing TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2537 | 40 | 2 | 433 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2608 | 32 | 6 | 604 | 9 |
| 2016 | 2362 | 41 | 1 | 1257 | 21 |
When a new shiny toy is brought in, people want to see it be used, even when the old reliable toy (Barrett) is still around. Saturday will only add fuel to the fire if Barrett struggles and Martell shines.
Martell is the most hyped quarterback to come to Ohio State since Terrelle Pryor became a Buckeye in 2008, and that has the fans, and not so much Barrett, excited.
Defense
The Buckeyes' defense has seen drastic changes over the past two seasons, starting with six players being selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, then co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell leaving to become head coach at Cincinnati in December, followed by another four defenders expected to be picked in this year's draft.
That means a new crop of players, along with defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, will be tasked with holding the fort after the Buckeyes' defense ranked third in scoring defense and sixth in total defense a year ago.
The secondary is a unit to watch, as three starters must be replaced.
Cornerback Denzel Ward appeared in all 13 games last season, recording 23 tackles and 18 pass breakups. Competing with Ward for the two cornerback spots will be junior college transfer Kendall Sheffield and a pair of five-star early enrollees in Jeffrey Okudah and Shaun Wade.
One of the safety positions is also open, with Okudah also potentially working in there and competing against sophomore Jordan Fuller and senior Erick Smith.
Also, keep an eye on defensive end Nick Bosa, the younger brother of third overall pick Joey Bosa, who finished second on the team in sacks as a freshman a year ago.