Good BAD Afternoon: Student Appreciation Day, Offensive explosiveness, and Ohio State's secondary
Recapping everything we learned from spring practices No. 8, 9, and 10
Hey Buckeye fans, here is a recap of last week’s Ohio State coverage from Bill and Doug.
Last Saturday was the Buckeyes’ Student Appreciation Day Practice. Bill and Doug got to join the students to watch practice. They went live on Substack afterward to discuss key observations and takeaways from practice and answer subscriber questions. Thank you to everyone who participated in the live show: we got lots of good feedback. We will be going live on Substack again following the spring game on April 18.
Don’t forget: You can still get 18 percent off an annual subscription at billanddougosu.substack.com/subscribe.
This deal ends after the spring game on April 18.
Next week, the Buckeyes keep their Monday, Wednesday, and Friday spring practice schedule. The 2026 Coaches Clinic is also next week on Thursday and Friday. Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden will be the guest speaker. Bill and Doug will cover anything noteworthy from the Coaches Clinic in addition to their coverage of spring practices.
My article pick this week
Ohio State has the most offensive line continuity in the country. How much does it matter?
COLUMBUS — Until further notice, old wins in college football. Roster building has become a race to get as many guys in their 20s (sometimes mid-20s) as you can afford. That age and experience seem to pay off most on the line of scrimmage, on both the offensive and defensive lines. Got a bunch of old dudes pushing people around? You’ve got a shot.
Bill, the authority on O-Line play, did an offensive line deep dive and shares his thoughts and some stats on the Buckeyes’ line. He focuses on continuity and whether that is a strong factor in team success. He found an offensive line trend that connects four of the last five national champions.
My podcast pick this week
Ohio State open practice reactions: Notes and video on Brock Boyd, O-line, James Smith and more (Subscriber only)
Bill and Doug went live on Substack following the Buckeyes’ student appreciation practice last Saturday. They discuss the biggest moments from the practice, including Brock Boyd shaking his defender on a route and getting wide open in the end zone.
Other podcasts this week
Ideas to make Ohio State’s offense more explosive, plus drafting most explosive Buckeyes of the past and now, and Whatcha (Subscriber only). This week’s Wednesday Substack show focuses on offensive explosiveness. The guys discuss how the Buckeyes can increase explosiveness this season. Then they draft the top 10 most explosive Buckeyes since 2014.
Ohio State practice No. 9: Ryan Day seeking explosion, plus Ian Moore, Earl Little & tight ends. Ryan Day spoke to the media and discussed offensive explosiveness. The guys discuss efficiency vs. explosion and how the Buckeyes have become such an efficiency-based team over the past few years. Also, Doug brings out the sword and tells the south to Cram It!
Ohio State spring football practice No. 10: Will the secondary be the strength of the Buckeyes? After the Wednesday practice, Tim Walton, Matt Guerrieri, Earl Little Jr., Leroy Roker, Jaylen McClain, and Devin Sanchez spoke to the media. Bill and Doug discuss the secondary's depth and what to expect heading into 2026. Matt Guerrieri confirmed to Bill that they identify their safeties in three spots: free safety, strong safety, and star (not nickel).
Ohio State spring football surprises, top explosive players, Brock Boyd predictions: Around the Shoe. On this episode of Around the Shoe, guests Dillon Davis of The Delaware Gazette and Bill Rabinowitz join the spring football discussion. They discuss Brock Boyd, the left tackle position, and more. Also, will the Michigan basketball national championship boost commitment to investing in Ohio State’s basketball program?
Other articles this week
Ryan Day DeBrief: Ian Moore’s chance to make a move, the explosion search, Earl Little impresses. Doug writes his five takeaways from the Ryan Day press conference after spring practice No. 9. Doug notes how ready he was to talk about explosiveness, including the running backs making more guys miss and receivers getting more yards after catch. Day also thinks that transfer kicker Connor Hawkins can be clutch in big moments. A clutch field goal kicker is something Ohio State has lacked for years.
How Ohio State’s Devin Sanchez went from ‘timid’ freshman to sophomore breakout candidate. Bill writes about Devin Sanchez: how he performed last year and what he can become as a sophomore. Bill includes clips of key moments from Sanchez's freshman season.
I def like the recap coming at the end of the work week rather than the beginning. Gives me the weekend to go back to any missed pods.