3 things we learned from the first half of the Ohio State Spring game

Rejoice, Ohio State football fans, because the pigskin is flying around the big 'Ole Horeshoe again. It's not a true, game for the record books, but anytime you can get some fans inside the 'Shoe and the team and coaches all playing the game we all love, it's worth the price of admission (or an afternoon on the couch).

The first half is complete for this year's annual Spring Game, and there were some things to take away from what we saw. Obviously, we have to lob all the caveats out there about this being just a scrimmage and not everyone playing, etc., but there are still some things to reflect upon.

Here are three things we think we learned from the first half of the 2026 edition of the Spring Game.

Ohio State WR Chris Henry Jr. looks to be as good as advertised

He's just a freshman, and there was a ton of buzz surrounding the end of his recruitment, but Chris Henry Jr. looks like he might be the next great receiver at Ohio State. He has a long frame and is going to need to put some meat on the bone still, but he got behind the defense a couple of times and even caught a 40-yard touchdown in the first half. He's making a huge push to grab that third starting spot at receiver, and even if he doesn't, he'll continue to get better and better and be a problem for opposing defenses in the future.

The Ohio State defense is ahead of the offense

The offense started out on fire, but then we saw more of what we expected with the defense dictating play. That has been a theme throughout spring ball, and with so many things that need to fall into place on the offensive side of the ball, it's really not a surprise. Don't worry, though, that's a good thing, and you can expect the offense to come along when it's healthy and new coordinator Arthur Smith has a better bead on what works.

Ohio State backup QB Tavien St. Clair is going to be a good one

It wasn't just Henry who looked good on offense; the quarterback throwing to him showed off some skill. He has all the measureables, even more so than Julian Sayin, and he showed the arm talent that it's going to take to be dropped into the pressure cooker that is Ohio State and succeed. He's not the guy just yet, but St. Clair seems to be coming along nicely, and you have to like what he'll provide when it's his turn.