COLUMBUS, Ohio — Entering his 14th year as a head coach, Urban Meyer knows that there's a lot he can get out of a spring game.
He's also aware of the realities.
Meyer's Ohio State squad will hold its annual exhibition this Saturday in front what's expected to be a sizable crowd on what Accuweather.com currently projects to be 71-degree day. Drawing such atmosphere on the heels of his team's national title run is what's most important to the Buckeyes head coach, not only for recruiting, but preparation purposes as well.
"The thing that spring games give you at a place like Ohio State is a crowd," Meyer said on Monday. "A lot of times you'll see a player that comes out [on the practice field] when no one's around and plays well and then he goes out in front of a crowd and locks up. And that's real."
But while Meyer's looking forward to getting a look at some of the younger players on his roster—he specifically mentioned early enrollee freshman linebacker Nick Conner—that means some of Ohio State's more experienced players will be standing on the sideline for the better part, if not all of Saturday's spring game.
That's been the case in Columbus for most of this spring, with Meyer opting to rest established players such as Taylor Decker, Nick Vannett, Pat Elflein, Joey Bosa, Adolphus Washington, Joshua Perry and Tyvis Powell. The fourth-year Buckeyes head coach knows that could potentially make for an ugly afternoon, with many players getting their first game-like experience inside of Ohio Stadium.
"I can't say it's going to be pleasant all the time," Meyer admitted. "Because you're going to have some young guys who aren't quite ready to play yet."
Even with most of the eight open spots in Ohio State's starting lineup seemingly filled, the spring game could still be interesting to watch, if not for 2015, then for the future of the Buckeyes program. And while several experienced players won't be on the field, perhaps the most-talked-about player from Ohio State's national title run will be front and center on Saturday.
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Place: Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio:Ohio State Football Radio Network
Who to Watch for on Offense
Despite leading the Buckeyes to three consecutive postseason wins over Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, Cardale Jones still only has three starts to his credit in his college career. With both J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller recovering from their respective injuries, Saturday will provide another opportunity for Jones to get quality reps under his belt as he prepares for what could be an unprecedented quarterback battle this summer.
"He's had a good spring," Meyer said of Jones on Monday. "We're getting him as many reps as we can."
Saturday will be another opportunity for Jones to do just that, as he and redshirt freshman Stephen Collier will be the only scholarship signal-callers participating in the spring game. It remains just unclear how long Jones will participate in the game before the walk-ons take over, but for at least some period of time he'll be given the chance to build chemistry with the young Ohio State receivers in a game-like atmosphere.
Speaking of those young receivers, Saturday will also be a big day for them as they'll have a chance to make good on what's been hyped as a big spring for their position group. Both Meyer and wide receivers coach Zach Smith have singled out sophomore Noah Brown as having had a great offseason, and redshirt freshmen Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin have also offered plenty of promise.
"Those are a bunch of guys who are going to play for us," Meyer said. "I can't wait to see their reaction."
With star running back Ezekiel Elliott still recovering from offseason wrist surgery, there should also be plenty of carries to go around in the backfield for the likes of Bri'onte Dunn and Warren Ball. Both players will find themselves on a crowded running back depth chart this fall with the arrival of freshman Mike Weber and could use Saturday's game as way to gauge whether they'll look into a potential transfer.
Heading into this Saturday's game, Dunn appears to be the front-runner in that race and could ultimately serve as Elliott's primary backup with Curtis Samuel moving to H-Back.
“It’s a very great opportunity. I get lots of reps. Me and Warren Ball get lots of reps and it’s getting me better each and every day,” Dunn said. “[New running backs] Coach [Tony] Alford [is] really pushing us and I really have a great relationship with him.”
With a big showing on Saturday, that relationship may only improve.
Who to Watch for on Defense
Defensively, Ohio State will also be without plenty of depth, as not only will Bosa and Washington's roles be dramatically reduced in the spring game, but fellow defensive linemen Joel Hale and Tyquan Lewis are each recovering from injuries. That will mean more opportunities for fresh faces like Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes, Donovan Munger and Tracy Sprinkle, as Buckeyes defensive line coach Larry Johnson attempts to build a 10-man rotation.
“I was very disappointed a year ago with the backup group,” Meyer said of last year's defensive line. “A lot of pressure has been put on them.”
Behind the Ohio State defensive line, Perry will likely be on the sideline, and starters Darron Lee and Raekwon McMillan have already experienced their fair share of snaps inside The Horseshoe as well. That could mean plenty of reps for the likes of Dante Booker, Chris Worley and the aforementioned Conner, as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Luke Fickell also looks to build depth on his unit.
Perhaps the defensive unit that will receive the most attention—both from fans and coaches—is the secondary, even though three of the four starters are already established. While Eli Apple, Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell will all see limited reps, Meyer singled out Erick Smith, Cam Burrows and Gareon Conley as players he's excited to see.
A redshirt sophomore, Conley is the odds-on favorite to replace first-team All-Big Ten corner Doran Grant. After a rocky start to his college career, the Massillon, Ohio, native has been touted as one of Ohio State's most improved players this spring and will have an opportunity to prove it in what should be a pass-happy game on Saturday.
“Gareon has had a very good spring. He has put on weight, he has put on strength,” Buckeyes defensive assistant Kerry Coombs said. “He showed up at 168 pounds, now he’s 190 pounds. He is a very fast player, [and] his skill set continues to improve.”
What's Ahead
While there's only so much one can take away from a spring game, the Buckeyes know they have a big summer ahead.
As Ohio State embarks on its defense of its national title, the Buckeyes appear to be in good shape with 14 returning starters and a manageable schedule. But Meyer also must manage a quarterback competition that could become a distraction, with three players who all have legitimate claims to the starting job.
Meyer has insisted this spring has been all about getting Jones reps and Barrett and Miller healthy, although Barrett has been able to participate in the spring more than originally thought. Jones' performance this Saturday won't have much impact how the battle ultimately shakes out, but it would behoove him to take some positive momentum into summer workouts.
Regardless of how it plays out, Ohio State will have a roster full of championship-experienced veterans and a proven quarterback behind center—whoever it might be. This spring may have been valuable for some of the Buckeyes' younger players, but the summer ahead will be all about a return to the College Football Playoff.
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
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