Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer left the spring game in a good mood after watching the Gray team beat the Scarlet team 28-17: Some of those holes have been replaced.
MORE: What to watch Saturday | OSU breaks spring attendance record
Here’s a look at seven Ohio State players who stood out:
Joe Burrow Burrow, a redshirt freshman quarterback, finished 14-of-23 passing for 196 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Gray team to a victory. It’s not going to create a quarterback controversy; J.T. Barrett is entrenched in that position. Burrow, however, proved he’s more than capable of taking over as a backup and has a nice touch on the deep ball, which he showed with a 52-yard pass to Terry McLaurin.
Terry McLaurin and Torrance Gibson Ohio State’s top three receivers from last season — Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall and Braxton Miller — are gone. Mclaurin and Gibson both stood out for the Gray team, and should push for more time with the starters after Saturday’s performance. McLaurin had four receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. Gibson, who is a converted quarterback, also added a pair of scores. OSU has Noah Brown, Parris Campbell, Johnnie Dixon and true freshman Austin Mack pushing for time as well. The competition in fall camp should be heated.
Marcus Baugh Barrett found a safety valve in Baugh, a tight end who had just two receptions last season. Baugh showed he’s capable of filling the void left by Nick Vannett with seven receptions for 64 yards.
Mike Weber Bri’onte Dunn didn’t play, which allowed Weber, a redshirt freshman, to carry the load for the Scarlet team on Saturday. Weber scored on two short touchdown runs, and finished with eight carries for 38 yards. Ohio State won’t replace Ezekiel Elliott overnight, but Weber proved he can finish near the goal line. That will count for something later.
Malik Hooker The sophomore safety was all over the field. He had a game-high 10 tackles, including seven in the first half. He had an 82-yard interception return in the first half and added a second pick in the second half. He also laid out Weber with a big hit. Ohio State is replacing three starters in the secondary, but Hooker at least showed he’s ready to take the next step.
Tracy Sprinkle Meyer cited the defensive end as a player who made the jump in the spring. Sprinkle showcased his pass-rushing skills by harassing Barrett throughout the first half, and should be able to work into a rotation with Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard. That gives the Buckeyes the same-as-usual depth at defensive end.
