ANALYSIS: 5 questions facing Ohio State offense this spring

Here are five questions the Buckeyes will need to answer this spring:

1. Who are the offensive tackles?

We are leading off with this one because whoever wins the quarterback battle won’t have much chance to succeed if he is lying on his back at the end of too many plays.

Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones formed one of the best tackle duos in the country the last two seasons, and for the first time in a few years there are no five-star prospects waiting in the wings to replace them.

Offensive line coach Justin Frye’s cupboard is far from bare, though, as Josh Fryar got his feet wet with a start against Indiana last season and few other youngsters have shown some potential, including Lakota West product Tegra Tshabola.

“It’s the same thing every year whether you have returning guys that have started or not started but played,” Frye said. “We’re gonna play the five best, and so that’s what the winter leading up to and then spring football gets into through the summer. And as we get to the fall and then by the time we tee it up in Bloomington in the fall, we’ll know who the five guys are.”

2. What happens at quarterback?

Day has slow-played his previous QB competitions, but he said he would like to see a winner emerge before spring is over.

If that happens, Ohio State fans have reason to feel good about the winner, but it could also set off a chain of events that impact depth (should the loser of the derby decide to transfer immediately).

Beyond roster management, the man who becomes the starter could impact how the offense is composed because freshman Devin Brown is reputedly a better runner than junior Kyle McCord, who was the No. 2 QB the last two seasons.

“I think at the end of the day, both of them do things a little bit different in their skill sets, but the guy who’s the leader — and there are a lot of different ways to do it — and is competitively tough, who’s going to ultimately win the job,” Day said.

3. How deep can the tight end room get?

This might not be the first thing on the mind of the average fan, but it is important in determining how good the offense can be at its best because having multiple players who can do multiple things at this position opens up many play-calling possibilities for the Buckeyes.

“There’s no better time to be a tight end than at Ohio State right now if you watch how football is going,” new tight ends coach Keenan Bailey said. “On one play tight ends can be the left tackle. How about the next play we’re an ‘X’ receiver? So having that versatility is really to keep defenders and defensive coordinators on their heels.”

The importance of the position is ramped up even more with Ohio State having lost Johnson and Jones to the NFL.

“So yeah, it’s gonna be huge in the pass game, huge in the run game, huge in the protection game, losing a couple tackles — all across the board,” Bailey said.

4. Who steps up at receiver to fill out the depth chart?

Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka might be the best receiving duo in the country, but beyond them there are major question marks.

Senior-to-be Julian Fleming has shown flashes of what made him a five-star recruit, but he is out this spring with an injury.

Jayden Ballard generated some buzz during bowl practices, but he hasn’t shown what he can do yet after arriving with some fanfare from storied Massillon Washington High School in 2021.

None of the 2022 receiver recruits made an impact last fall, and now they have to hold off challenges from a fresh crop of talent arriving this winter and summer from high school.

On the other hand, former walk-on Xavier Johnson is back for a fifth season and offers an intriguing mix of skills the staff could choose to further utilize this fall after he was needed for backfield depth late last season.

5. Who plays center?

This position gets less attention since it is in the middle of the line (as opposed to the tackles who will get isolated against pass rushers who tend to be elite athletes these days), but it is vital for the Buckeyes.

The center makes sure everyone know who to block and must still have the skill to deal with big, powerful defensive tackles in the interior.

Luke Wypler’s surprising decision to go pro after three seasons created a third hole in the starting line, but Frye has a handful of options for his replacement.

They include Jakob James (who is out this spring), Enokk Vimahi and transfer Victor Cutler.

Frye said starting guards Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones also have the ability to move to center, though they are both expected to remain in their spots from last season.