The Ohio State football team played its Spring Game on Saturday afternoon in the rain. It was questionable whether or not the game would go on with how bad the forecast was, but it did happen. The Buckeyes were able to get a lot of work in with pretty much everyone on the roster.
Some Ohio State Buckeyes were able to rise to the challenge, while others struggled. We have three winners and three losers for you in this game. We'll start positively and give you the guys who impressed in the game.
1. Tavien St. Clair
Backup quarterback Tavien St. Clair looked really good in this game. He threw a long touchdown pass to Chris Henry Jr. and had some really good deep throws overall. He has a strong arm, and Arthur Smith wanted to give him a chance to show it off. St. Clair did a good job moving around in the pocket, too.
St. Clair almost threw a couple of interceptions on one drive in the second quarter, so he clearly has to work on his consistency. Still, his arm strength and touch down the field were incredibly impressive. He likely won't play much this season, but he looks ready to be great in 2027.
2. Chris Henry Jr.
Five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. did not disappoint in this game. He clearly has some chemistry built with St. Clair, as he caught a couple of gorgeous deep balls from him. He seemed to be able to get open whenever he wanted, as well.
Henry Jr. did have a bad drop on a really good pass from St. Clair, so he needs to work on his consistency, too, if he wants to see starting reps for the Buckeyes. For his first game at the Shoe, it was a strong showing.
3. Beau Atkinson
When Beau Atkinson transferred in from North Carolina last season, he didn't make much of an impact in his first season. He had just 11 tackles and one sack in his first season with Ohio State. He worked hard in the spring to be better, and that work came through in this game.
Atkinson had a sack and an interception against the starting offense. His strength was impressive, as he did a great job pushing the offensive line back on multiple pass plays. It was the kind of performance the coaches were hoping for.
Now, we give you some losers.
1. Carter Lowe
The backup tackle was thrust into the starting right tackle role with Phillip Daniels out because of an injury. If Ohio State has to play him at all this season, they are in trouble. He allowed three sacks, including two on back-to-back plays. He was not ready for the moment at all.
2. Receivers not named Jeremiah Smith or Chris Henry Jr.
Jeremiah Smith only played a couple of drives, and he was great in his action. Henry Jr. made the most of his opportunities. Everyone else was subpar. Dropped passes, lack of separation, and not giving the quarterback open spots to throw were the themes for most of the unit.
As well as the receivers have looked for most of spring practice, this was a concerning performance.
3. Tyler Bowen
The offensive line was pretty bad for most of the day. It didn't matter what level it was, either. Starters, backups, and third-string guys all struggled to keep the quarterback clean on pass plays. Tyler Bowen is supposed to be developing these guys, and they looked woefully unprepared for this scrimmage.
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