Ohio State football: Spring Game likes and dislikes

For the first time in three months, the Ohio State football team took the field in a game situation. After taking some time to process what we saw, here are some of my likes and dislikes from Saturday’s Spring Game.

Likes:

Jack Sawyer – Recently I did an article asking if Sawyer, a true freshman, can crack the rotation at defensive end (read that here). I think he answered that question loudly. Sawyer was continually in the backfield creating problems.

He tormented the tackles trying to block him and showed an impressive bull rush. But, I’m not ready to anoint him a starter like some. I’m going to temper my enthusiasm a bit because of who he did his damage against. Sawyer pushed around or blew by mostly younger players who have never played in a game.

He showed good use of his hands, and his most impressive play was when he drove Enok Vimahi, who is in his third year in the program, backward on a bull rush. Regardless of who he was matched against, it is obvious Sawyer has the ability to be a significant part of the rotation at defensive end.

Kyle McCord – After a bit of an inconsistent start (he hit Garrett Wilson deep on his first throw, but then badly overthrew a wide-open receiver), the true freshman from Philadelphia settled down and showed why the buzz about his talent is justified.

The thing that most impressed me is how comfortable he looked with the offense. He’d only had fourteen practices but did not seem hesitant or confused. While I think it will be C.J. Stroud to start the season-opening game at Minnesota, don’t sleep on McCord (watch some of his highlights here).

Young receivers – I thought Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison, Jr. showed why receivers coach Brian Hartline said they don’t look or act like freshmen. Both looked polished and ready to contribute this fall. Ryan Day said they still have work to do, but these two are very talented.

Treadja Mitchell – The senior linebacker has slimmed down a bit from last season and it showed. He looked much faster than he’s been in his first three seasons with the Ohio State football team. Mitchell seemed to be everywhere.

The young secondary – The format of the “game” gives every advantage to the offense, but I thought the young defensive backs covered well overall. The unit was without some starters, so it was a great opportunity for the young guys to get reps in a game situation.

TreVeyeon Henderson – The nation’s top running back recruit showed off his versatility. He showed he has a burst running the ball, is an adept receiver, and has the ability to line up in the slot. He was listed at 195 pounds when he signed with the Buckeyes in December, but he’s now a solid-looking 210. I think you’ll see him play early and often.

Sam Wiglusz – The senior walk-on receiver from Brecksville showed off his receiving skills and body control while hauling in a touchdown from former Texas A&M transfer Jagger LaRoe. In one motion Wiglusz hauled in the pass, twisted his body around, and reached the ball around the pylon.

Walk-ons may only get in games for just a handful of plays over the course of a season, but their value to a program can’t be measured. These guys are good players who are responsible for preparing the starters for each week’s opponent.

Dislikes:

Field goals – I don’t care if it was just the Spring Game, make your kicks. Jake Seibert showed off a strong leg but missed twice.

Young offensive linemen – I really wanted to see more from the guys who are a little more down the depth chart. They struggled to create holes in the run game and certainly had their problems with pass protection at times.

Jack Miller – While I don’t think he played poorly, I just thought I’d see more. I think there is a clear separation between him and Stroud. I can’t even put him clearly ahead of McCord at this time. There is still a long way to go, but Miller probably has ground to make up.

Evan Pryor – The moment seemed to get to him a bit and he never really seemed comfortable. He’s talented and will contribute eventually, but I won’t be surprised at all if he redshirts this season.

So, there you have some things I liked and didn’t like about Saturday’s Spring Game. As you can see, there is a lot more to be happy about than concerned about. Fall camp begins in a few months for the Ohio State football team.