Buckeye fans tuning in to the annual Ohio State spring game will get a new experience from previous years. An offense versus defense scrimmage has taken the place of the normal split squad game that has been the norm for Ohio State spring games.
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| The spring game will be Tressel's last on the sideline until Oct. 8 in Lincoln |
The new format will provide more competition in the game with the potential for both first-teams to square off against one another, as opposed to previous years where the best offensive and defensive players may have been on the same squad. With the winner of the spring game awarded the right to wear the scarlet jerseys in practice, the stakes will be raised even further.
Another reason for the format change, according to Coach Tressel, was the lack of depth on the offensive line and at wide receiver. Keeping the split squad game would have left each team short on numbers in those positions with possibly no substitutions if any injuries occurred.
The new format will bring some new scoring changes; the offense can score by putting the ball in the end zone (who’da thunk it?) and the defense can score by getting stops and turnovers.
Staying the same from previous years will be the lacrosse game prior to the spring game as the Buckeyes will face off against Fairfield in an 11 a.m. start with the spring game set to kickoff at 1:30 p.m. Coming off an 8-4 victory over Air Force, the Buckeyes will look to improve on their 7-6 record against the Stags. Both games will be available on the Big Ten Network.
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| Braxton Miller will look to shine in Saturday's spring game. |
This new format will allow the fans to see the quarterbacks vying for the starting job against one of the best defenses in the country. Joe Bauserman, Kenny Guiton, Taylor Graham and Braxton Miller will all get their shot at showing Buckeye Nation why they should be given the reins come fall.
Join us here at Inside The Shoe on Saturday for a live blog covering the spring game, maybe some lacrosse and whatever other shenanigans we get in to.
