Spring Game Skull Session: Defensive Tackles in Spotlight, Vannett Thankful For Blocking Assignments, and BTN Goes Full Buckeye

Ohio State wants 100,000 people at today's spring game, and given the weather—forecast of sunny skies and 71 degrees as of this writing—it's going to get that number.

Urban Meyer deserves a victory lap when it happens too, because his program isn't built on gimmicks. The proof is in the championship trophies, folks.

So if you're on the fence about heading out to the game—do it. And to students moaning about hangovers, they're not real until 25. There's no excuse not to head to the Shoe and soak up some sun. This is our last hit of Buckeye football until September, which is four months away for any underhanded commenter wanting to ask "Is it September yet?"

 LET THE GAMES BEGIN. So much hope is in the air during the spring game. Where last year's stars were deservedly withheld from the contest, minutes all over the board are in play.

Tim Shoemaker gave five names to watch yesterday, but I'm intrigued about the interior of the defensive line.

From cleveland.com:

The position changes have been made by design and by necessity. The outcome could produce an Ohio State defensive line always on the attack. Without Joey Bosa around to draw a couple blockers each play, a pass rush threat at each defensive line spot is a way to compensate.

The moves are what defensive line coach Larry Johnson described to us a year ago in "Middle Men," our series of stories on finding and developing defensive tackles.

"I want a guy who has some basketball skills, who is able to move his feet, that's the start of it," Johnson told us last season. "You can take a big defensive end and move him inside and make him a great three technique because he can move."

Doug Lesmerises, the author of the piece, says he'll be watching Jashon Cornell and Dre'Mont Jones, two high school defensive ends Ohio State is hoping to move inside. I agree, as I'll look for them to be included in a rotation with the likes of Tracy Sprinkle and Michael Hill.

On the offensive side of the ball, pay attention to Austin Mack, the freshman wide receiver who performed like a grown man throughout camp.

Full spring game rosters HERE.

 NICK VANNETT THANKFUL FOR BLOCKING, ACTUALLY. Nick Vannett's catching ability drew rave reviews at the Senior Bowl, and some scouts have gone as far to say he was underutilized at Ohio State.

While that's probably true, there was a benefit. It made him a better blocker.

From landgrantholyland.com:

"I had very limited opportunities at Ohio State in the receiving game, and I feel like that's always been a strength of mine."

When asked if the way he was used in the Buckeyes' offense had maybe hurt his draft stock, Vannett conceded that it probably had. Still, the emphasis on blocking made him a well-rounded prospect and better prepared him for the next level.

"I'm kind of happy that I was able to block a lot, because that's something I wasn't really good at, and the more I blocked this year, the better I got, and the better two-way player I became."

You can tell Vannett played under Urban Meyer, because that's the loyalty to the team his style of coaching breeds.

 NEED SOME PREGAME VISUALS? We posted a breakdown of all the spring games on television today, but if you want Ohio State-branded #content, then turn your TVs to BTN before Ohio State kicks off against Ohio State at 1:30 p.m.

Hmmm... could use some more destruction of Michigan, if we're being honest. Good thing Ezekiel Elliott trashed Jim Harbaugh for good measure yesterday.

 ANGRY SPIELMAN: THE BEST SPIELMAN. I could listen to Chris Spielman talk football all day, but fired up Chris Spielman is even better.

Yesterday on 97.1 The Fan, Spielman tore into the NCAA's decisions on satellite camps.

I feel like this disaster could've been prevented had Spielman given this speech to conferences before they cut off their nose to spite their face. Alas.

 #PERTINENTHEISENBERG. The first cook of the 2016 season, baby! Let's hope it ends with Urban Meyer burying a gang of neo nazis in the desert and driving off with the 2016 CFP championship.

 THOSE WMDs. Stay-at-home mom's video highlights hard fouls on Jeremy Lin... Sophisticated thieves hit California nut growers... AMC ditches plans to allow txting in some theaters... Fighter pilots could get armed drones by 2018.... Better Call Saul scam montage.