Saturday’s 2018 Ohio State Spring Game will be a huge showcase for Buckeyes past, present, and future.
The scrimmage will provide current Buckeyes Dwayne Haskins, Joe Burrow, and Tate Martell their final chance to make their case for the starting quarterback job before fall camp. It could help determine starting jobs at linebacker, safety, and along the offensive line as well.
Saturday will also be a big recruiting day for the program’s future, with a number of the nation’s top 2019 and 2020 players expected to attend. We will have a complete list of visitors later this week, once it’s finalized.
But the Spring Game also provides a chance for former Ohio State stars to return to their alma mater. Saturday, a couple dozen standouts will be back on campus to get a first-hand look at this fall’s team.
Two legendary Buckeyes, Ryan Shazier and Malcolm Jenkins, will serve as honorary coaches for the game.
Shazier was an all-American at OSU and a two-time Pro Bowler with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is still rehabbing from a spinal injury he suffered during a game in December.
Jenkins won the Thorpe Award as a Buckeye and is a two-time Pro Bowler. He just won the second Super Bowl of his career, this time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jenkins also won a ring as a member of the 2009 New Orleans Saints.
OSU expects 19 members of last year’s team to return, including captains Billy Price, J.T. Barrett, Chris Worley, Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes and Tracey Sprinkle. Other 2017 players who will be back include Denzel Ward, Michael Hill, Damon Webb, Erick Smith, Zach Turnure, Marcus Baugh, and Jamarco Jones.
A pair of players from the 2014 National Championship team are expected to return, including Michael Thomas and Joshua Perry.
Current NFL standouts Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore, and Andrew Norwell should also be in attendance.
