Ohio State spring game serves as key recruiting tool for Buckeyes

Jack Diwik
Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:01:41 +0000
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The Buckeyes run into the tunnel following the annual spring game Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Photo credit: Sandra Fu | Managing Photo Editor

Saturday marked the 95th installment of Ohio State’s spring game, a live scrimmage between the offense and defense inside Ohio Stadium.

But while fans got their first glimpse of what’s to come for the Buckeyes in the 2026-27 season, one of the most important uses of the weekend had little to do with what happened on the field.

The spring game has become one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the year for Ohio State, as dozens of prospects from across the country lined the sidelines of Ohio Stadium.

“The spring game is a great day for recruiting,” head coach Ryan Day said. “A lot of people come in town for that, current players, former players and families.”

Along with attending the game, recruits spend the weekend meeting with coaches, connecting with current players and touring the program’s facilities, all while getting a feel for what life in Columbus would look like.

For Lukas Prock, a quarterback in the class of 2028, the visit offered a chance to see that process firsthand.

“I’m just trying to get a grasp of how the coaches coach and build a relationship with the players,” Prock said. “Just getting a full picture of what it would be like to be a player here.”

Prock, a Princeton, New Jersey, native, previously visited Ohio State for its matchup against Texas in August 2025. Returning for the spring game provided a different, but still impactful, look at the program.

“It’s nice to come back and see this environment,” Prock said. “That game was crazy, but this definitely reminds me of it.”

Even without a full stadium, the atmosphere remained a selling point, as more than 40,000 people packed the stands for the scrimmage.

But more importantly, recruits get direct access to the people shaping the program.

During the visit, Prock met with quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler to discuss year-round player development within the program. He later sat down with Day, who outlined the type of players Ohio State looks to bring into its system.

“You’re seeing how they coach on the field, but also in the meeting rooms and classrooms,” Prock said. “It’s about getting the full picture of what it would be like to be here.”

For offensive recruits, particularly quarterbacks, that picture can be especially appealing.

“Offensively, it’s nice to know you’re going to have the best receivers in the country around you,” Prock said. “Being surrounded by that kind of talent makes your job easier and gives you a chance to compete for a national championship every year.”

With recruiting battles often decided by relationships and long-term vision, weekends like this are a critical part of Ohio State’s strategy.?

That reality is reflected in how Day approaches the weekend and spring ball in general.?

While the on-field product offers a glimpse into the program’s future, his focus – like much of the staff’s – extends well beyond the X’s and O’s during one of the biggest recruiting stretches of the year.

“It’s a busy week,” Day said. “Once spring slows down and we get through June, it allows more time to really dive into the football side of things.”