I grew up in a state with spring ball and though it was a lot of years ago (tighter shorts, high socks, shimmel t-shirts with Property of XXX printed on the front with big arse shoulder pads, pants that actually covered the knee and a center bar face mask), I do remember it was a grind and hectic time of year. The day before the first practice the pads and equipment were passed out and we always listened to the coaches gripe about doing this only to collect them in two weeks. I loved it, the weather was not oppressively hot, we started in pads, hit the first day and there seemed to be no pressure to prep for the first game as in the fall. To me it seemed we got a lot of things done and it was just playing the game, while the coaches were racking and stacking the roster for the fall.
However, it was a cluster when splitting time with baseball and jumping from one practice to another and missing football during baseball game days. As it was, boys soccer was in the spring, and all of those kids played football in the fall so they had the same issues as the baseball kids. But, we made it through and going back to reunions and keeping in contact with each other, Spring ball was a blast, memorable and "stress free".
Finally, looking at it many decades later, I dont think it improved us but it did break the boredom of working out in those age old past methods.
IMHO, Ohio does not need Spring ball. These kids today are a better athletes, for the most part (sorry for the caveat as I dont want to get toasted on now versus then BS), than the days gone by and if they choose to focus only on football. Kids today have established workout routines, camps, film study, etc and suiting up for two weeks really doesn't provide a benefit but can be detrimental if a projected starter is hurt and washed out for the upcoming season. Again, IMHO, nothing is gained by have Spring ball in HS than what schools have established for an off season routine, work outs, 7 vs7, camps days, etc.