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Four Recruiting Goals for Ohio State for Spring Football

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1 year ago

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Four Recruiting Goals for Ohio State for Spring Football


Ohio State has only had a few spring practices so far, but recruiting efforts have been full speed ahead, with a few dozen prospects arriving on campus to visit the defending national champions in their first week of spring ball. 

The Buckeyes’ recruiting efforts will be crucial throughout the next three weeks of spring practice, as well. Ohio State needs to build momentum this spring with prospects to carry it into official visit season, and it wouldn’t stink to grow the 2026 commitment list from five, either.

With the Buckeyes set to host a bevy of prospects between now and their spring showcase on April 12, we take a look at four crucial priorities for the Buckeyes this spring.

Establish the offensive line pecking order

New offensive line Tyler Bowen has his work cut out for him. Bowen and Ohio State have already hosted and will continue to host numerous 2026 offensive linemen on campus over the next few weeks. That time might be super enlightening to find out just where in the pecking order some of these prospects are on the Buckeyes’ recruiting board. 

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Of course, some of it is very obvious. Bowen already has a recruiting win in his cap by keeping Maxwell Riley home, but he’d love to pair him with another Ohio standout offensive tackle, Sam Greer. Greer visited campus on Monday, with Riley also in attendance. That may or may not have been done by design. Getting two standout tackles from the state would be a good start for Bowen’s tenure. 

Of course, nearly all of the offensive line recruiting angst from fans over the past few seasons has rarely come from recruiting Ohio kids. It’s the misses on highly touted out-of-state prospects that have stung the most, especially since there was often a focus on only a handful of linemen each cycle. 

Two of the top out-of-state priorities, Jackson Cantwell and Micah “Champ” Smith, visited OSU last week. The Buckeyes are hosting four-star offensive tackle Zaden Krempin on Sunday, additionally. 

Bowen offered another handful of offensive linemen this week and likely will offer more as the spring trudges on. The visits are a good opportunity for Bowen to develop relationships with those linemen and for OSU to evaluate where it wants to make a major push in the offensive trenches.

Use the momentum of winning a national title to your advantage

While there’s been some turnover on the Ohio State coordinator side, two things remain constant for the Buckeyes: Ryan Day remains in place as head coach and the Buckeyes are the defending national champions for the first time since the 2014 season. 

Recruits may not necessarily need a reminder of that considering there are four new championship banners on display at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center practice field, but perhaps more top-of-the-line, out-of-state recruits might look a little closer at the Buckeyes now that they’ve proven themselves on the national stage. 

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Not that OSU has ever had a problem attracting marquee players to Columbus beforehand, but it makes it a little easier to sell your program to a recruit whose top priority is playing for a winner when you have a more established track record in big moments.

RELATED The Greatest Run in College Football History: Ohio State’s Dominant March to the 2025 CFP Championship

Continue to stay aggressive with offers

If we’re just using Bowen as an example, it’s incredible to see the night and day difference in his approach to recruiting compared to his predecessor. Justin Frye typically liked to hone in on a few select offensive linemen each cycle, which is fine if you land them, but once OSU missed on a player there weren’t clear fallback options. That seems to have changed with Bowen, considering he’s turned into Oprah in his first few months on campus with the “You get an offer and you get an offer” strategy.

But this strategy shouldn’t just apply to the offensive line. Other positions have already expanded their boards within the past week, including Carlos Locklyn’s running back room, as he offered in-state prospect Favour Akih on Monday. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has also offered a handful of defensive linemen within the past month. 

Use this time to make an impression on key 2027 prospects

Naturally, when a lot of us think about recruiting, it’s typically the current cycle that’s at the forefront of our minds. Ohio State (and other Power Four college programs) don’t typically operate that way, as successful teams are recruiting multiple cycles ahead. 

While this spring is crucial for how the 2026 class will finish for reasons we’ve outlined above and more, it’s also a key time to create strong inroads with key 2027 prospects so the Buckeyes will be in a strong position with them a year from now. For example, Ohio State offered five-star Texas linebacker Cooper Witten over the weekend, the son of former NFL tight end Jason Witten. 

The Buckeyes already have a bit of an advantage in 2027 because they have a five star quarterback (Brady Edmunds) and a five-star wide receiver (Jamier Brown) committed, so they’ll be able to enlist them as peer recruiters. But the work the Buckeyes put in within the next few weeks in the 2027 class could definitely pay off in the long run.





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Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center

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3 hours ago

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March 27, 2026

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Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center


COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Thousands of people are expected to head to downtown Columbus for the 23rd annual Home Improvement Show this weekend.

Organizers say visitors can find ideas for everything from small interior design projects to major renovations.

The event is being held at the Ohio Expo Center and includes seminars, exhibits and demonstrations from local and national companies.

The show begins at noon Friday and runs until 6 p.m.

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It continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adult tickets cost $5 at the door.



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Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator

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15 hours ago

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March 26, 2026

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Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator


Matt Patricia’s contract extension earlier this offseason included a pay raise that figures to make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football this year.

But Patricia, who will make $3.75 million in guaranteed compensation as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2026, also held an appreciation for his situation.

“Ohio State is such a special place, not only just the history, the tradition, the football program, the school, but the people here,” Patricia said. “Having a chance to have a little stability with my family, it’s hard when you have to move your family around, your kids and the new school and all that.”

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Before he joined Ryan Day’s staff last year, the 51-year-old Patricia had bounced around as an assistant in the NFL for much of the decade.

He spent 2021 and 2022 in a variety of roles with the New England Patriots, then a year as a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles. He took off from coaching in 2024. The frequent relocation gave him perspective.

“We had an unbelievable experience settling into Columbus,” Patricia said. “Everybody’s been so nice and welcoming. It feels like home. It’s a big deal for us to be in a place where everybody’s happy. That’s really important.”

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Patricia had a significant impact on the Buckeyes in his first year replacing Jim Knowles. Despite heavy roster attrition following their national championship season, he kept the defense atop the Football Bowl Subdivision. For the second straight season, no one allowed fewer points than Ohio State.

The 9.3 points per game allowed by the Buckeyes were the fewest by any defense since Alabama in 2011.

The success made Patricia a hot commodity on the coaching market, rebuilding his reputation as a sharp and creative football mind only a decade removed from his tenure as a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator for the Patriots. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.

Patricia said he heard about opportunities in the NFL and elsewhere across the college football landscape, though none of them would pry him away from Ohio State.

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“It wasn’t necessarily something where you’re looking to leave,” Patricia said, “but you do have to listen when those things come up. I’m just glad everything worked out.”

His challenge in his second season mirrors his previous one, as the Buckeyes are again managing the loss of eight starters on defense.

But unlike 2025, they have fewer returning pieces, relying on a larger class of transfers to help fill the holes on the depth chart.

“With as much coming into the program for the first time, not only are you trying to catch them up on the football scheme, but you’re also trying to catch them up on everything else,” Patricia said. “This is how we work, this is how we do things, this is the standard we’re looking for, this is how we practice, this is how we prepare, this is how we go to school. That has to be also taught. It becomes a lot, but that’s why you bring in the right guys that have the mental makeup to do all that.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.

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Which central Ohio schools get the best results for their money?

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1 day ago

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March 26, 2026

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Which central Ohio schools get the best results for their money?


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Which central Ohio school districts get the most bang for their buck?

On average, school districts in Ohio spend $16,069 per-pupil for education, according to the education think tank Fordham Institute.

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However, different district types spend different amounts of money. For example, large urban districts with very high poverty spend around $21,000 per-pupil, but small towns with low poverty spend around $14,900. The district type closest to the state average are those considered rural and high poverty and suburban districts with low poverty.

Aaron Churchill, lead Ohio researcher for the Fordham Institute, said that urban districts – like Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district – often have higher spending because they can pull more in tax revenue and the state supports them at a higher rate because they are serving a higher proportion of disadvantaged students. Small, high-poverty towns on the other hand, generate less tax revenue from property values and district employee wages, the highest expense for schools, may be lowered by less market competition.

Churchill said schools should be focused on directing their funding toward initiatives that improve student outcomes and achievement.

“It’s making sure we’re focused on quality, we’re focused on performance, and that we’re rewarding performance,” Churchill said. “And we don’t do enough of that in the education system now.”

More: How do central Ohio school districts score on state metrics? See the report cards

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Churchill said there is a long-running debate among education researchers about whether increasing spending translates to meaningful results for students. Overall, school funding has increased on average over $2,000 per-pupil since 2015 and reached a record-high in 2025, according to the Fordham Institute.

“You can see in the numbers that we’re spending more than we ever have,” Churchill said. “The real million-dollar question is ‘Can our schools spend the money well?’”

Which central Ohio districts have the best results compared to funding?

The Dispatch compared overall spending per-pupil for central Ohio school districts to the ODEW’s performance index, using 2025 state data.

The Performance Index uses the performance level results for students in third grade through high school on Ohio’s state testing. The Performance Index (PI) score accounts for the level of achievement of every student, not just whether they are “proficient.” Higher performance levels receive larger weights in the calculation, but all achievement levels are included. Overall, the state average of performance scores was 91.8, according to 2025 state data.

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The central Ohio school district with the highest spending was Columbus City Schools, which spent $24,505 per pupil and received a PI score of 60.7. The district with the highest PI was Grandview Heights Schools, which received a 106 PI score and spent $21,567 per pupil. New Albany-Plain Local Schools was a close second in PI at 105.1 while spending more than $4,000 less than Grandview Heights at $16,923 per-pupil.

Here’s how central Ohio schools stack up by spending versus achievements on tests, according to the Ohio Department of Education (sorted by highest spending per-pupil):

  • Columbus City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $24,505; PI score: 60.7
  • Grandview Heights Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,567; PI score: 106
  • Bexley City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,025; PI score: 102.7
  • Dublin City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18,702; PI score: 97.6
  • Worthington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18.573 ; PI score: 94.3
  • Madison-Plains Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $17,646; PI score: 88
  • New Albany-Plain Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,923; PI score: 105.1
  • Westerville City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,815; PI score: 89.7
  • Olentangy Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,780; PI score: 103.9
  • Groveport Madison Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,236; PI score: 72.6
  • Upper Arlington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,282; PI score: 103.6
  • Canal Winchester Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16.154; PI score: 89.1
  • Average Ohio school district – Spending per-pupil: $16,069; PI score: 91.8
  • Reynoldsburg City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,956; PI score: 72.2
  • Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,742; PI score: 89.7
  • Hilliard City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,694; PI score: 90
  • South Western City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,600; PI score: 78.5
  • Whitehall City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,593; PI score: 66.95
  • Johnstown-Monroe Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,163; PI score: 94.5
  • Jonathan Alder Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,803; PI score: 95.9
  • Pickerington Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,470 ; PI score: 90.9
  • Big Walnut Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,239; PI score: 95.1
  • London City – Spending per-pupil: $13,750; PI score: 81.3
  • Marysville Exempted Village Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,608; PI score: 95.5
  • Licking Heights Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,585; PI score: 85.4
  • Hamilton Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,971; PI score: 82.2
  • Bloom-Carrol Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,720; PI score: 90.89
  • Licking Valley Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,587; PI score: 85

Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report



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