COLUMBUS, Ohio – Fans hoping to see at least two of Ohio State’s three star quarterbacks during Saturday’s Spring Game will have to settle for a halftime skills competition pitting Cardale Jones against J.T. Barrett and 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.
Jones is the only one of head coach Urban Meyer’s marquee quarterback prospects who will take any snaps during the LifeSports Spring Game, presented by Nationwide (1:45 p.m./BTN, BTN2GO) at Ohio Stadium. Second-year freshman Stephen Collier will also see action, though Barrett and two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Braxton Miller are both still sidelined, nursing injuries.
Tickets: General admission tickets are $5 and are available online, any Ticketmaster outlet, the OSU Athletic Ticket Office, or by calling 1-800-GOBUCKS. Children ages six and under are free in the general admission sections only. OSU students get in free with a valid OSU ID.
Free parking: The West Stadium lot is permit-only, but all other lots are free. Disability parking is located on the north side of St. John Arena and free shuttle service to the stadium is provided. West Campus shuttles will be operating Saturday beginning at 9:00 a.m. The shuttles will drop riders off at the Drake Union.
Jones and Collier will be the starting quarterbacks as the team will be divided into scarlet and gray squads. The game format will be four 10-minute quarters with no kickoffs, but there will be live punts — all fair caught — and live extra points and field goals.
Before the athletic events get underway, fans will have an opportunity to buy official Buckeye apparel and equipment during a three-hour sale of merchandise at French Field House, next to St. John Arena, from 8:00-11:00 a.m. Items on sale include chrome helmets, game-issued jerseys from the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Big Ten championship teams as well as the 2012 undefeated season, and the 2013 B1G Leaders Division title-winning squad.
The OSU men’s lacrosse team will play Maryland at 11:00 a.m. in its annual “Showdown in the Shoe” contest with a championship in the first year of Big Ten Conference lacrosse on the line.
Fans can get their photos taken with The American Football Coaches Association’s crystal football trophy near Gate 17 at the stadium.
In addition to the quarterback contest, competitions at halftime will feature students competing in a 40-yard dash and a push-up contest.