Good BAD Morning: Ohio State spring football returns, annual sub discount available now

Ohio State opens spring practice this week, and new subscribers can get a deal on an annual subscription to celebrate.

Hey BAD subscribers, it’s Nick here with another newsletter. Each week, I’ll recap Bill and Doug’s podcasts and articles and share some thoughts of my own as a lifelong Buckeye fan.

Spring practice starts this week. We have a discount on annual subscriptions to celebrate. Get the best Ohio State coverage from Bill and Doug all season long, starting with spring ball.

For a limited time, get 18 percent off the first year of an annual subscription. That’s one year of BAD for $81.99.

Subscribe here: billanddougosu.substack.com/spring18

This deal can also be used for monthly subscribers looking to upgrade to an annual subscription. Just make sure you use the promo link above.

I can’t wait for spring ball to start. It’s always great to get a first look at the new team. Bill and Doug will be back in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Tuesday for the first spring practice. The Buckeyes will be on the practice field Tuesday and Thursday this week. Bill and Doug will get to watch the first hour or so of practice each day and share their observations here with subscribers. There will also be a Ryan Day press conference on Tuesday, and interviews with quarterback Julian Sayin and defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. on Thursday.

Ohio State’s spring practice dates: March 10-12-24-26-28-31, and April 2-4-6-8-10-13-15-17. The spring game will be on April 18 in Ohio Stadium. We’ll share the rest of the spring media availabilities as soon as they are announced.

As far as last week’s coverage goes, Bill and Doug gave us more great content, shifting their focus from the NFL Combine to the 2026 Buckeyes and what fans can look forward to learning throughout spring ball.

My article pick this week

The Buckeyes at the combine spoke highly of the younger players looking to make a name for themselves in Columbus this season. Linebackers Payton Pierce and Riley Pettijohn both received high praise. I’m excited to see the guys in the 2026 linebacker room step up and hopefully become difference makers on this defense.

My podcast pick this week

Drafting Ohio State’s biggest questions for spring ball (including Legend Bey), plus a Whatcha coffee deep dive (Subscriber only)

Bill and Doug discuss what they are hoping to learn from spring ball. They go through the receiver room, discussing who will step up to assist Jeremiah Smith in production. I would love to see Chris Henry Jr. take this chance to step up and show us what he can bring to this offense.

Reminder: You can access the audio for our subscriber shows on Apple Podcasts or Spotify by being a subscriber and following the steps listed here under the heading “subscriber-only podcasts.”

Other podcasts this week

• Ohio State’s strongest/weakest position groups, using Jeremiah Smith more creatively: BAD Solo Sessions — Bill answers your questions about spring football, basketball, favorite Columbus breakfast spots and more on this subscriber-only show.

• Ohio State spring football preview; transfers and returning players to watch: Around the Shoe — This week’s Around the Shoe features Tim May of The Tim May Show and Marcus Hartman of CusWordSports. The group focuses on spring practice and who they are most excited to see take the field. It’s always great to see a Tim May appearance on Around the Shoe; he brings experience, laughs, and lots of opinions.

• Carnell Tate’s 40 time and why he is the best WR in the 2026 NFL Draft — Doug is joined by receiver trainer and specialist Cam White to discuss the receiver crop in this year’s draft, and why Carnell Tate is the best receiver prospect. As a Browns fan, I was happy to hear them talk about Tate potentially being drafted by Cleveland.

• Early College Football Playoff picks for 2026: Big Ten depth, 2 elite SEC teams and some shockers — This is the first installment of Bill and Doug’s playoff picks for 2026. These will be revisited throughout the season to see how their first predictions hold up and how their opinions have changed. Also on this podcast: Doug gives his theory on how the Big Ten and SEC will switch positions this season, and Sherrone Moore’s most-used Wordle guess.

Other articles this week

• ‘I just went in there and was Davison’ — the legacy of an Ole Miss transfer jumpstarting BIA — You don’t need to watch Davison Igbinosun interviews or follow him on Instagram to get a sense of his personality. The way IGB played for the Buckeyes on Saturdays speaks for itself: full of passion, confidence, and swag. Doug writes about the mindset he had when transferring to Ohio State and how keeping that mindset can help him as he moves on to the NFL.

• SEC speed is dead -- Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese buried it — It’s always great to see Doug tell the South to cram it. In this article, he writes about the Big Ten and the North taking back draft dominance with this year’s class. Just another piece of evidence that the SEC is no longer the premier conference in college football.

• Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton got almost everything he wanted on Saturday night — The basketball Buckeyes locked up an NCAA Tournament bid on a night when Thornton became the program’s all-time leading scorer. Bill was on hand to recount an electric night in The Schott. Ohio State will open Big Ten Tournament play on Thursday.