Oller: And then there were two — OSU QBs Will Howard, Devin Brown separate from pack

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April 13, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes center Seth McLaughlin (56) blocks for quarterback Will Howard (18) after the snap during the first half of the LifeSports spring football game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

The truth about the Ohio State spring game is you find out more about who isn’t than who is.

Or as a salty old coach once told me: “You can’t win the starting job in spring but you can lose it.”

I wouldn’t go that far, but agree the annual scrimmage weeds out those who are not ready to step in and play right away.

And nowhere is the weeding process more evident than at quarterback, where on a glorious Saturday afternoon the sun-soaked crowd of 80,012 had confirmed for them what already was assumed about the quarterback competition.

The young QBs aren’t ready for prime time – sophomore Lincoln Kienholz tossed two interceptions and freshmen Julian Sayin and Air Noland each threw one; none of the three looked exceptional – so Will Howard and Devin Brown will go back and forth through summer workouts and fall camp until one is named the starter. Unless Brown transfers, which you never know, but doubt it.

Apr 13, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Devin Brown (33) looks to pass the ball during the Ohio State football spring game at Ohio Stadium.

Howard probably eventually wins the job. As a former Ohio State coach whispered to me before the scrimmage, “You don’t bring in a guy for one year and not start him.”

Unless, of course, that guy clearly is inferior to the main competition. And Howard, who transferred from Kansas State in January, did nothing Saturday to suggest he should be second string.

Neither did Brown, which makes the next 4 ½ months similar to last year, when Brown and Kyle McCord were neck-and-neck for the starting role until McCord pulled away late in…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/oller-then-were-two-osu-100333570.html

Author : The Columbus Dispatch

Publish date : 2024-04-14 10:03:33

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