The Opening Drive 3/9 : Spring Ball is Here and 2027 Recruiting Updates
The appetizer to the regular season begins this week, and the wheels keep moving on the 2027 class.
We’ve made it….sort of. Spring ball kicks off on Tuesday for the Buckeyes. The back to back losses to Indiana and Miami are in the past. The conversation now pivots to navigating one of the toughest schedules in college football this fall. But, before we can get there Ryan Day and his staff will begin looking at their roster to see who will step up and fill the holes created by the departures of several key contributors. Here are a few of the things I’ll be excited to see play out this spring.
Which Running Back Not Named Bo or Isaiah Will Seize the Opportunity?
Bo Jackson and Isaiah West will both miss spring practice, due to shoulder surgeries. I don’t know that I see this as a negative. Yes, there are things both need to work on but I also don’t know that spring ball is where those things will be improved. I think the chance for Turbo Rogers, Ja’Kobi Jackson, Legend Bey, and Favour Akih to get all of the reps will only help Coach Lock and the Lock Boys. This also eliminates the chance for a fluke injury for West or Jackson. While I don’t anticipate Akih having any sort of meaningful role this season, I do think Jackson and Rogers could find roles, and Bey could be used in any number of ways.
What Does the Offense Look Like?
Obviously, we won’t see much during spring. But it will be intriguing to hear from our guy Coach Slater when he’s able to attend practice. I don’t foresee Coach Arthur Smith showing a ton. I do think we will get some ideas of possible run schemes and base formations though. Do we see more Julian Sayin under center?
Who Gets the Bulk of the Reps at Linebacker?
Losing Arvell and Sonny stings, there’s zero doubt about that. Coach Laurinaitis didn’t bring Christian Alliegro here to sit the bench. I don’t think you see him immediately run with the 1’s though. As we’ve seen before with Will Howard, for example, Ryan Day and company like to make transfers “earn” their spots. Is Payton Pierce the de facto second linebacker, or does Riley Pettijohn prove too good to keep off the field?
Who Loses Their Black Stripe First?
Anyone that has followed Coach and I since we began podcasting knows that guys losing their black stripes is one of my favorite things to monitor. A player losing their black stripe early is normally a pretty solid precursor of things to come. Will it be a transfer that loses theirs first, or will one of the twenty-seven incoming freshman have the honor? I think this year we see the first black stripe removal be that of a defender. I’m torn between two guys, Cincere Johnson and Jay Timmons. I think these two not only have the best chance at early playing time, but will want to prove they mean business and come out with energy and drive.
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Position Reviews (DB): Who is next in line at Defensive Back?
Position Reviews (LB): Who is going to replace Sonny and Arvell?
Position Reviews (OL): Will Experience Equal Success? The Matt Patricia Extension is Also Official!
LATEST ARTICLES:
LATEST FILM ROOM:
FILM ROOM: What Christian Alliegro Brings to the Buckeyes 2026 Defense
FILM ROOM: Scouting New Ohio State TE Hunter Welcing and How He Fits the 2026 Offense
The 2027 Recruiting Class Continues to Gain Momentum
This time of year isn’t the most active for commitments, but is a very busy time with regards to visits and offers. Here are some updates on the class of 2027.
-The Buckeyes recently offered fast rising 4-star Edge Wyatt Smith from St. Thomas Aquinas.
-Composite 5-star Florida Linebacker Kaden Henderson included the Buckeyes in his final 5 schools, along with Notre Dame, Miami, Alabama, and Texas A&M.
-Massilon Washington 4-Star Athlete (CB most likely) Deontay Malone will be taking a spring visit.
-Georgia native, and Georgia Commit Kelsey Adams has scheduled an official visit to OSU for June 20th.
-Current Buckeye commitment Kellen Wymer got a massive bump in the 247Sports rankings, as they have him as the #44 recruit in the country. He’s #82 in the composite.
-California DT Kasi Currie will take an unofficial visit and April and also scheduled an official visit for May.
-Nashville, TN Wide Receiver Kesean Bowman included the Buckeyes in his final 5 schools along with Alabama, Miami, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.
-Missouri Linebacker Prince Goldsby was offered.
-The Buckeyes offered Michigan native, Edge Myles Smith.
An underrated aspect of spring ball is seeing which recruits show up on campus, and how often. It’s the old adage “watch what they do, not what they say” playing out in real time.
Jeremy’s Memorabilia Item of the Day:
I’m shocked that this item is still available, as it hit the market back in December. Today I give you a Panini trading care of Carnell Tate depicting his iconic endzone pose after torching the team up north for a touchdown. This particular card is autographed and number out of 99 copies. Get it Here . Priced at $44.99, this is a steal for a soon to be top 10 draft pick.
Buckeye Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
