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Ohio State Football: Top 3 questions heading into spring practices

By Frank Teriaca

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his players prepare to take the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his players prepare to take the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 16: Gunnar Hoak #12 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 16: Gunnar Hoak #12 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Who will be the backup quarterback?

This is a question that will be asked a lot in the spring. Every media member in attendance of spring practices and the spring game will be taking notes on who takes quarterback reps and when.

Highly touted freshman CJ Stroud and Jack Miller will be watched with a close eye as it will be interesting to see if one of them separates themselves from the other. Both offer a great set of skills at the position as it will be up to coaches Ryan Day and Corey Dennis to put both of them into positions to succeed this spring.

Will the two freshman thrive under the circumstances or will they look like first year players who should not even be sniffing the playing field?

Senior-transfer Gunnar Hoak will look to fill the Chris Chugunov position from a year ago. Will his experience as a senior and as a second year member of this program provide Hoak with the leg up to be the No. 2 quarterback?

Hoak is used to competition however. Competing for three seasons at Kentucky then coming to Columbus last summer to compete with Chugunov for the backup spot. Here is what he told cleveland.com last August:

"“You’ve just got to compete every single day no matter what,” Hoak said. “I never have that mentality of giving up. You’ve always got to come out and show the coaches what you’ve got and the team what you’ve got, and the coaches will decide who the best guy is and we’ll roll with it.”"

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With the right mind-set and experience in his favor, Hoak should have a leg up come spring ball. But it will be fascinating to watch how this battle plays out.

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