Spring Game recap

There’s just one remaining question following Saturday’s annual Spring Game presented by Nationwide at Ohio Stadium. Where were all of the fans?

Last year, Ohio State set a national spring game attendance record with 95,722 fans on hand. Two years ago, a crowd of 76,346 braved soggy conditions at Ohio Stadium to watch the 2008 Spring Game. Three seasons ago, 75,301 fans made their way through the gates in 2007. In each of the last four years, the Scarlet vs. Gray scrimmage broke the Ohio State spring game attendance records.

For this year’s scrimmage, 65,233 Buckeye fans were in attendance. While the weather forecast did predict rain with a possible thunderstorm or two, the precipitation was limited as light rain fell briefly in the third quarter.

Though Ohio State’s attendance numbers for this year seem disappointing, it’s still a lot more than what Penn State (55,000) and Michigan (35,000) drew for their spring games.

For the Gray team, 6-foot-2, 190-pound redshirt freshman quarterback Kenny Guiton stole the show. He completed two of his three passing attempts during the first series for 42 yards which included a 28-yard TD pass to Taurian Washington that put Gray ahead 7-0 with 6:56 remaining in the first quarter.

Overall, Guiton was 11-of-21 passing for 167 yards and two scores. He showed very good arm strength, though he needs to work on his accuracy. Coming out of high school, Guiton was labeled a dual-threat quarterback, but he didn’t try to make any plays with his feet relying solely on his arm. At times, he held on to the ball too long as he was sacked four times. Clearly, though, the talent is there and I think it’s a pretty safe bet that he either starts the season as the No. 2 quarterback, or he makes his way to the second rung as some point during the 2010 campaign.

Starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor played in three series for the Scarlet squad, all in the first period, before being replaced in the second quarter by Joe Bauserman. Though Pryor was a bit shaky in the first series, completing just one pass in three attempts for five yards, he was perfect in his second chance with the pigskin by completing all four of his attempts for 78 yards, capped off on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Dane Sanzenbacher that tied the game at 7-all with 5:10 left in the opening frame.

There was no scoring until the fourth quarter when Drew Basil put the Gray team ahead 10-7 on a 47-yard field goal with 10:51 to play in the game.

The Scarlet squad took their first and only lead of the contest on the next possession, marching 70 yards in 11 plays which culminated in a 4-yard TD run by Bo DeLande with 4:48 left.

Trying to put the game on ice, the Scarlet squad perfectly executed an onside kick which was recovered at their own 42 yard line. On a second-and-12 from the Scarlet 40, Bauserman connected with James Jackson on a 43-yard pass play that moved the ball down to the Gray 17. But on the next snap, Bauserman’s pass was intercepted by Nate Oliver in the end zone, who returned the ball to the 11 yard line 3:06 to go.

That’s when the Kenny Guiton Show took over as he led the Gray team on an 11-play,-89 yard game-winning scoring drive that consumed two minutes and 11 seconds off the clock.

Guiton was 5-of-10 passing for 95 yards which included a 45-yard TD pass to Washington as Gution threaded the needle on a perfectly thrown ball down the near-sideline for the go-ahead score.

Playing four, 11-minute quarters, the Scarlet team racked up 89 yards rushing, 183 yards passing for a grand total of 272. The Gray squad had 239 yards of total offense with 54 coming on the ground and 185 through the air.

The leading rusher for the Scarlet team was Bauserman, who had 35 yards on five carries. The Gray was led by Dan Herron, who had 32 yards on four attempts.

For the Scarlet team, Bauserman was just 6-of-15 passing for 75 and two interceptions.

While it’s assumed that Devin Barclay will be Ohio State’s place-kicker, it appears that Derek Erwin has the edge in becoming the team’s punter. Erwin had an average of 43.0 yards on six punts, with two of those landing inside the 20. Ben Buchanan had an average of 35.7 yards on seven tries which includes punts of 32, 33 and a shank of 16 yards.

Up next, Ohio State will take on Marshall under the light at Ohio Stadium, Thursday night on Sept. 2. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.