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LGHL Catch up on all of the news, analysis, and commentary from Ohio State’s win over Akron
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Catch up on all of the news, analysis, and commentary from Ohio State’s win over Akron
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Ohio State opens as 39.5-point favorites over Western Michigan
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
BOOOOM! Four-star 2025 wide receiver Phillip Bell commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 52-6 win over Akron
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
5 things we learned from Ohio State’s 52-6 win over Akron
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State: 5 thoughts on Buckeyes’ season-opening win vs. Akron
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Report Card: Grading Buckeyes season-opening beatdown of Akron (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Three Key Stats: Defense Dominates the Line of Scrimmage, Jeremiah Smith Lives Up to the Hype, and the Return of the Return Game
Johnny Ginter, Eleven Warriors
Moment of the Game: The Jeremiah Smith Era
has begun
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘You don’t think he’s quite human’: Inside the debut of Jeremiah Smith
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Stock Market Report: One game into the season, the Buckeyes are undefeated
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Takeaways: Ohio State’s defense improves as offense finds its way
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
With two scores, OSU defense lives up to goal of creating havoc
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Using songs from Akron artists to wrap up Ohio State’s 52-6 win
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
If This Were a Movie: Is Jeremiah Smith the Henry Rowengartner of football?
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Croatian center Ivan Njegovan getting settled at Ohio State as college career begins
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Men’s Soccer: No. 20 Buckeyes Down UNLV for 2-0 Weekend
Ohio State Athletics
Field Hockey: No. 14 Ohio State Closes 2-0 Weekend with Win over Bucknell
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Volleyball: Ohio State Claims Win Against UNI, Match Against No. 22 Dayton Ruled No Contest
Ohio State Athletics
All of the tears...
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Ohio State opens as 39.5-point favorites over Western Michigan
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
BOOOOM! Four-star 2025 wide receiver Phillip Bell commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 52-6 win over Akron
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
5 things we learned from Ohio State’s 52-6 win over Akron
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State: 5 thoughts on Buckeyes’ season-opening win vs. Akron
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Report Card: Grading Buckeyes season-opening beatdown of Akron (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Three Key Stats: Defense Dominates the Line of Scrimmage, Jeremiah Smith Lives Up to the Hype, and the Return of the Return Game
Johnny Ginter, Eleven Warriors
Moment of the Game: The Jeremiah Smith Era
has begunMatt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘You don’t think he’s quite human’: Inside the debut of Jeremiah Smith
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Stock Market Report: One game into the season, the Buckeyes are undefeated
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Takeaways: Ohio State’s defense improves as offense finds its way
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
With two scores, OSU defense lives up to goal of creating havoc
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Using songs from Akron artists to wrap up Ohio State’s 52-6 win
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
If This Were a Movie: Is Jeremiah Smith the Henry Rowengartner of football?
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Croatian center Ivan Njegovan getting settled at Ohio State as college career begins
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Soccer: No. 20 Buckeyes Down UNLV for 2-0 Weekend
Ohio State Athletics
Field Hockey: No. 14 Ohio State Closes 2-0 Weekend with Win over Bucknell
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Volleyball: Ohio State Claims Win Against UNI, Match Against No. 22 Dayton Ruled No Contest
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
All of the tears...
Continue reading...
LGHL Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Akron
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- 0 Replies
Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Akron
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
A 46-point win does not mean things are as they should be.
Ohio State kicked off the 2024 season with a 46-point win over the Akron Zips, pulling away for a 52-6 victory. That’s a final score that may not be too far off from predictions, but it’s the way we got there in the end that held some surprises.
As a reminder for our longtime readers and a heads up to newcomers, the purpose of this column is to accentuate the negative, even when things are going great. Most of it is meant to be taken tongue in cheek, but it does contain kernels of truth.
With that said, here are the things that burned my toast when the Buckeyes played the Zips.
Jeremiah Smith is a recruit we’ve been hearing a lot about for a long time, and he showed why throughout the day on Saturday. However, his first college offensive series was one to forget. His first target of the season — and Will Howard’s first throw as a Buckeye — fell incomplete when Smith failed to look the ball in.
It squirted through his hands and hit him in the helmet. The play was set up well and may have turned into an explosive run after catch, but we’ll never know. The freshman then was late getting set on the ensuing short-yardage play. The penalty turned a third-and-1 into a third-and-6 because of the penalty.
Howard threw incomplete to Emeka Egbuka, who was hit early, but no flag flew for the pass interference infraction. Around the first weekend of the season, referees around the country have been letting defenders do a lot more grabbing and hitting early, so it wasn’t a big surprise, but it was still annoying.
Davison Igbinosun got Akron’s first offensive drive off to a great start when he foolishly launched himself at a sliding quarterback, picking up an obvious flag. The targeting penalty that was called always seemed likely to be overturned, and it was, but it was still a dumb thing for a veteran to do.
The penalty helped Akron with field position, and the Zips were able to move the ball into scoring position. Despite a sack by JT Tuimoloau and a bad snap, the Zips took a 3-0 lead with a field goal.
It’ll be hard to ever convince me that Emeka Egbuka’s acrobatic catch wasn’t a touchdown near the end of the first quarter. The ruling on the field was that he came down out of bounds and the replays (even the live look, to me) clearly refuted that.
So, the officials decided the ball moved, which it did when the receiver was getting up. Prior to that, it appeared to be pinned to his body through contact with the opponent and then the ground. The coolness factor alone should have made it a touchdown. But no, it was upheld as incomplete after review.
That’s OK, because it allowed Smith to make his first collegiate touchdown catch instead. The freshman did well to locate the ball, pull it in, and get both feet in bounds in a tight corner of the end zone. The thing about ball is that ball don’t lie.
Ohio State’s offensive line struggled with the interior run game all day, and at times missed pass blocking assignments and other blocks on the edge. While Donovan Jackson was out for this game, the problems seemed much larger than one player being out.
A microcosm of the overall performance came on a key third down early in the second quarter. Carson Hinzman was out in front of TreVeyon Henderson and was moving his head back and forth as if he was looking for someone to block. There was no lack of options. He had multiple defenders from which to choose, but he decided not to block any of them. Henderson was dropped after a short gain, and the Buckeyes failed on a fourth-and-5 situation, turning it over on downs.
Hinzman wasn’t the only problem. Josh Fryar had a difficult first quarter, and short-yardage situations were making Akron’s defensive line look like Georgia’s. The offensive line is a work in progress and will no doubt be a focus in practice this week.
A failure to line up correctly turned a third-and-3 — which would have been converted by Egbuka on a nice catch and run — into a third-and-8 situation. The Buckeyes still converted, with Howard firing a strike to Carnell Tate on the next play.
It’s early in the season, so I’ll look for improvement in this area. Eliminating preventable formation and pre-snap penalties before the schedule gets tougher is imperative. Those longer conversions aren’t as easy against better competition.
Come on. I’m not sure I even knew this was a penalty. I nominally understood that two players with the same number couldn’t be on the field together, but I had literally never seen this call until Saturday. I think I’ve seen everything in college football now.
Even as an Ohio State fan, it was uncomfortable, at first, and outrageous, as it continued, to see what Akron’s coaching staff did to quarterback Ben Finley. Anyone watching the game could see how much discomfort Finley was in after taking several big shots in the first half.
That continued with consecutive big hits from Jack Sawyer on the Zips’ first possession of the second half. Finley was in obvious pain, even as the CBS sideline reporter discussed how his ribs/chest area was deemed a non issue by Akron head coach Joe Moorhead. Akron then called a quarterback run, making matters worse. Finley finally couldn’t take anymore punishment and came out of the game.
The coaches are the adults here, not the players. They have a responsibility to protect the young athletes in their programs. Even if Finley was asking to stay in, Moorhead should have taken him off after the second Sawyer hit to at least let him catch his breath and get looked at by the training staff. To call a quarterback run (even if it was a run-pass option) on the next play was sadistic and borderline criminal, in my opinion.
I felt terrible for the kid, who was shown several times on the broadcast with an ice bag and still in obvious pain.
Those are the things that got my blood pressure up on Saturday. What stuck out to you?
Obviously, the above did not negate all of the positives from Ohio State’s opener. Smith looks like the next great OSU receiver. Henderson and Quinshon Judkins appear to be a formidable duo if they get any help from the offensive line creating running lanes. The defensive line looked physical, and Tuimoloau sniffed out multiple passes in the flat. The defense got three takeaways and scored on two of them. All of that was a welcome sight.
The Buckeyes are back at it at home next Saturday night when they host a Western Michigan side that gave Wisconsin a game this past week.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
A 46-point win does not mean things are as they should be.
Ohio State kicked off the 2024 season with a 46-point win over the Akron Zips, pulling away for a 52-6 victory. That’s a final score that may not be too far off from predictions, but it’s the way we got there in the end that held some surprises.
As a reminder for our longtime readers and a heads up to newcomers, the purpose of this column is to accentuate the negative, even when things are going great. Most of it is meant to be taken tongue in cheek, but it does contain kernels of truth.
With that said, here are the things that burned my toast when the Buckeyes played the Zips.
Freshman’s Follies
Jeremiah Smith is a recruit we’ve been hearing a lot about for a long time, and he showed why throughout the day on Saturday. However, his first college offensive series was one to forget. His first target of the season — and Will Howard’s first throw as a Buckeye — fell incomplete when Smith failed to look the ball in.
It squirted through his hands and hit him in the helmet. The play was set up well and may have turned into an explosive run after catch, but we’ll never know. The freshman then was late getting set on the ensuing short-yardage play. The penalty turned a third-and-1 into a third-and-6 because of the penalty.
Howard threw incomplete to Emeka Egbuka, who was hit early, but no flag flew for the pass interference infraction. Around the first weekend of the season, referees around the country have been letting defenders do a lot more grabbing and hitting early, so it wasn’t a big surprise, but it was still annoying.
More Laundry
Davison Igbinosun got Akron’s first offensive drive off to a great start when he foolishly launched himself at a sliding quarterback, picking up an obvious flag. The targeting penalty that was called always seemed likely to be overturned, and it was, but it was still a dumb thing for a veteran to do.
The penalty helped Akron with field position, and the Zips were able to move the ball into scoring position. Despite a sack by JT Tuimoloau and a bad snap, the Zips took a 3-0 lead with a field goal.
So Nice They Made Ohio State Do It Twice
It’ll be hard to ever convince me that Emeka Egbuka’s acrobatic catch wasn’t a touchdown near the end of the first quarter. The ruling on the field was that he came down out of bounds and the replays (even the live look, to me) clearly refuted that.
So, the officials decided the ball moved, which it did when the receiver was getting up. Prior to that, it appeared to be pinned to his body through contact with the opponent and then the ground. The coolness factor alone should have made it a touchdown. But no, it was upheld as incomplete after review.
That’s OK, because it allowed Smith to make his first collegiate touchdown catch instead. The freshman did well to locate the ball, pull it in, and get both feet in bounds in a tight corner of the end zone. The thing about ball is that ball don’t lie.
Offensive Line Struggles
Ohio State’s offensive line struggled with the interior run game all day, and at times missed pass blocking assignments and other blocks on the edge. While Donovan Jackson was out for this game, the problems seemed much larger than one player being out.
A microcosm of the overall performance came on a key third down early in the second quarter. Carson Hinzman was out in front of TreVeyon Henderson and was moving his head back and forth as if he was looking for someone to block. There was no lack of options. He had multiple defenders from which to choose, but he decided not to block any of them. Henderson was dropped after a short gain, and the Buckeyes failed on a fourth-and-5 situation, turning it over on downs.
Hinzman wasn’t the only problem. Josh Fryar had a difficult first quarter, and short-yardage situations were making Akron’s defensive line look like Georgia’s. The offensive line is a work in progress and will no doubt be a focus in practice this week.
Illegal Formation
A failure to line up correctly turned a third-and-3 — which would have been converted by Egbuka on a nice catch and run — into a third-and-8 situation. The Buckeyes still converted, with Howard firing a strike to Carnell Tate on the next play.
It’s early in the season, so I’ll look for improvement in this area. Eliminating preventable formation and pre-snap penalties before the schedule gets tougher is imperative. Those longer conversions aren’t as easy against better competition.
Illegal Numbering
Come on. I’m not sure I even knew this was a penalty. I nominally understood that two players with the same number couldn’t be on the field together, but I had literally never seen this call until Saturday. I think I’ve seen everything in college football now.
Protect the Players
Even as an Ohio State fan, it was uncomfortable, at first, and outrageous, as it continued, to see what Akron’s coaching staff did to quarterback Ben Finley. Anyone watching the game could see how much discomfort Finley was in after taking several big shots in the first half.
That continued with consecutive big hits from Jack Sawyer on the Zips’ first possession of the second half. Finley was in obvious pain, even as the CBS sideline reporter discussed how his ribs/chest area was deemed a non issue by Akron head coach Joe Moorhead. Akron then called a quarterback run, making matters worse. Finley finally couldn’t take anymore punishment and came out of the game.
The coaches are the adults here, not the players. They have a responsibility to protect the young athletes in their programs. Even if Finley was asking to stay in, Moorhead should have taken him off after the second Sawyer hit to at least let him catch his breath and get looked at by the training staff. To call a quarterback run (even if it was a run-pass option) on the next play was sadistic and borderline criminal, in my opinion.
I felt terrible for the kid, who was shown several times on the broadcast with an ice bag and still in obvious pain.
Those are the things that got my blood pressure up on Saturday. What stuck out to you?
Obviously, the above did not negate all of the positives from Ohio State’s opener. Smith looks like the next great OSU receiver. Henderson and Quinshon Judkins appear to be a formidable duo if they get any help from the offensive line creating running lanes. The defensive line looked physical, and Tuimoloau sniffed out multiple passes in the flat. The defense got three takeaways and scored on two of them. All of that was a welcome sight.
The Buckeyes are back at it at home next Saturday night when they host a Western Michigan side that gave Wisconsin a game this past week.
Continue reading...
'26 OH F Alex Smith is a Buckeye!!!
- By ScriptOhio
- Basketball Recruiting
- 7 Replies
Alex Smith Becomes Ohio State's Second Basketball Commitment for the Class of 2026
In-state forward Alex Smith is Ohio State's second commitment in the 2026 class, fulfilling a lifelong dream for the 6-9 prospect.
Alex Smith Becomes Ohio State's Second Basketball Commitment for the Class of 2026
An Upper Arlington High School standout completed a lifelong dream on Monday.
Alex Smith, a forward in the recruiting class of 2026, committed to Ohio State over offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Nebraska and Xavier.
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"Ever since I could walk, ever since I could talk, I've always been a Buckeye fan," Smith told Eleven Warriors. "It's my dream to go to OSU. Just to be able to commit now, it's kind of a surreal feeling to think that all the hard work that I've put in has now paid off and it's my dream school."
He hit a growth spurt this past year to sprout up to 6-9, and with it came constant time in the gym to improve his craft. Smith went from a player well off the radar of major programs to picking up five Power Five offers in a matter of months.
Smith was one of the top standouts at Ohio State's recruiting camps in June, and with that came an offer from the Buckeyes on June 17.
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While Smith is unranked in the 247Sports composite, which could change with time, Ohio State is a believer in Smith's growth over the past year as he's developed incredible ball-handling and shooting skills at his size.
"My range has extended," Smith said. "I could shoot the ball really well on the high school line, now I'm shooting NBA 3s. Nobody in high school can really guard the NBA line. Then I also took strides becoming (more like) a bigger guard. Just dribbling, passing, facilitating, all that type of stuff."
Smith fits with some of the versatile additions Jake Diebler has made to the Buckeyes' roster. With his size and skill combination, he could play power or small forward at the next level. While Diebler hasn't attached a specific label to Smith or many of his players, the plan for Smith is to play as a power forward with a real shooting threat.
"(Diebler) doesn't necessarily tag people as numbers, but if you want to play the numbers game, he sees me as a stretch 4," Smith said. "Someone who can step outside, knock the three-ball down. Of course, I need to add some muscle and some weight to me to be able to play the 4 coming in my freshman year. So that's definitely something me and Jake will look at and start now, my junior year of (high school), instead of starting it when I get into college."
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LGHL BOOOOM! Four-star 2025 wide receiver Phillip Bell commits to Ohio State
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BOOOOM! Four-star 2025 wide receiver Phillip Bell commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 four-star WR Phillip Bell | Via @phillipbelliii on Twitter
The Buckeyes add a West Coast pass-catcher to their top-ranked class.
Ohio State picked up its first win of the 2024 season on Saturday, coasting to a 52-6 victory over Akron to begin the new campaign. Shortly thereafter, the Buckeyes earned their second win of the day — this time on the recruiting trail.
On Saturday night, 2025 four-star wide receiver Phillip Bell III chose Ohio State over USC to become the latest member of the nation’s No. 1-ranked class.
Bell ranks as the No. 19 WR and the No. 184 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-2 wideout garnered nearly 40 offers during the recruiting process, and eventually cut things down to a final two of Ohio State and USC. The Buckeyes won out over the in-state Trojans in the end thanks largely in part to position coach Brian Hartline’s immense success at developing players for the NFL.
“They know the biggest thing for me is development,” Bell told On3. “I sat down with coach Brian Hartline and watched film. We talked a lot of ball. We went over a lot of things. He showed me how they would use me, where I would line up and how he could develop me.”
Bell has been to Columbus multiple times since first earning his Ohio State offer back in March of last year. The California native make the trek for the Michigan State game in November before returning during the spring on an unofficial visit and then a third time for his official visit on June 14. Bell did make an official visit to USC a week later, but Lincoln Riley and his staff were unable to keep the talented pass-catcher within state lines.
“I met with coach Chip Kelly and we talked offense,” Bell said. “He is a great mind and has had a lot of success in college and NFL, so I like him a lot. Coach Ryan Day was in there too, and he is an offensive-minded head coach that knows a lot about my side of the ball. [...] The coaches know what was most important to me and they did a great job. If I went to Ohio State, I would be developed and have a chance to play for some great coaches.”
As a junior, Bell caught 56 passes for 644 yards and seven touchdowns as he helped lead Mission Viejo to a CIF Division 1-AA title and a Southern Section Division 2 crown. That followed up what was a huge sophomore captain for the receiver at Sacramento Christian Brothers, posting 73 catches for 818 yards and a whopping 20 touchdowns.
Bell becomes Ohio State’s 26th commitment in total and the Buckeyes’ fourth wide receiver commit in the 2025 class, joining fellow four-stars Quincy Porter and De’Zie Jones as well as in-state three-star athlete Bodpegn Miller.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 four-star WR Phillip Bell | Via @phillipbelliii on Twitter
The Buckeyes add a West Coast pass-catcher to their top-ranked class.
Ohio State picked up its first win of the 2024 season on Saturday, coasting to a 52-6 victory over Akron to begin the new campaign. Shortly thereafter, the Buckeyes earned their second win of the day — this time on the recruiting trail.
On Saturday night, 2025 four-star wide receiver Phillip Bell III chose Ohio State over USC to become the latest member of the nation’s No. 1-ranked class.
Bell ranks as the No. 19 WR and the No. 184 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-2 wideout garnered nearly 40 offers during the recruiting process, and eventually cut things down to a final two of Ohio State and USC. The Buckeyes won out over the in-state Trojans in the end thanks largely in part to position coach Brian Hartline’s immense success at developing players for the NFL.
“They know the biggest thing for me is development,” Bell told On3. “I sat down with coach Brian Hartline and watched film. We talked a lot of ball. We went over a lot of things. He showed me how they would use me, where I would line up and how he could develop me.”
Bell has been to Columbus multiple times since first earning his Ohio State offer back in March of last year. The California native make the trek for the Michigan State game in November before returning during the spring on an unofficial visit and then a third time for his official visit on June 14. Bell did make an official visit to USC a week later, but Lincoln Riley and his staff were unable to keep the talented pass-catcher within state lines.
“I met with coach Chip Kelly and we talked offense,” Bell said. “He is a great mind and has had a lot of success in college and NFL, so I like him a lot. Coach Ryan Day was in there too, and he is an offensive-minded head coach that knows a lot about my side of the ball. [...] The coaches know what was most important to me and they did a great job. If I went to Ohio State, I would be developed and have a chance to play for some great coaches.”
As a junior, Bell caught 56 passes for 644 yards and seven touchdowns as he helped lead Mission Viejo to a CIF Division 1-AA title and a Southern Section Division 2 crown. That followed up what was a huge sophomore captain for the receiver at Sacramento Christian Brothers, posting 73 catches for 818 yards and a whopping 20 touchdowns.
Bell becomes Ohio State’s 26th commitment in total and the Buckeyes’ fourth wide receiver commit in the 2025 class, joining fellow four-stars Quincy Porter and De’Zie Jones as well as in-state three-star athlete Bodpegn Miller.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State sent out a new offer on Sunday to 2026 wide receiver Donovan Murph, who was in attendance for the Buckeyes’ beatdown of Akron. The 6-foot-2 South Carolina native currently ranks as the No. 19 WR and No. 119 player nationally per 247Sports’ rankings.
- Ohio State also had a big visitor on the hardwood over the weekend, as 2025 five-star combo guard Darryn Peterson was in Columbus on an official visit. The Cuyahoga Falls, OH native, who now plays his prep ball in California, is the No. 1 CG and No. 3 prospect overall per the 247Sports Composite, and would obviously be a massive addition for new head ball coach Jake Diebler were he to choose the Buckeyes as he collegiate destination.
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LGHL Power Two Podcast: A rough start for national championship hopefuls
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Power Two Podcast: A rough start for national championship hopefuls
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
It’s only Week 1, but there might be concerns about your favorite national title contender.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
The NCAA is facing new considerations regarding amateurism. As the NCAA grapples with evolving challenges, the potential impact on student-athletes and institutions could be positive. Jordan and DJ discuss potential changes, including redshirt eligibility, no-name players who sued the NCAA, and allowing the students to have agents. There will also be changes to the NLIs that are yet to be seen.
During the 2 minute drill, we reviewed a few notable games from Week 1, including Oregon, Michigan, and Texas A&M. Jordan has some strong opinions about Notre Dame and their standings over beating Texas A&M. DJ touches on Georgia and Miami’s dominance. The Bulldogs are the strongest championship contender as of right now. Jordan also discusses some notable freshman wide receivers and other breakout players.
The Pregame Power Sweep gives a preview of notable games for Week 2. The big games for this week are Friday’s matchup between BYU and SMU, Texas vs Michigan, Iowa vs Iowa State, Colorado vs Nebraska and Oregon vs Boise State on Saturday. We wrap up the episode with a lively discussion about commercials and A’ja Wilson’s dominance in the WNBA.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article including B1G Thoughts on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
It’s only Week 1, but there might be concerns about your favorite national title contender.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
The NCAA is facing new considerations regarding amateurism. As the NCAA grapples with evolving challenges, the potential impact on student-athletes and institutions could be positive. Jordan and DJ discuss potential changes, including redshirt eligibility, no-name players who sued the NCAA, and allowing the students to have agents. There will also be changes to the NLIs that are yet to be seen.
During the 2 minute drill, we reviewed a few notable games from Week 1, including Oregon, Michigan, and Texas A&M. Jordan has some strong opinions about Notre Dame and their standings over beating Texas A&M. DJ touches on Georgia and Miami’s dominance. The Bulldogs are the strongest championship contender as of right now. Jordan also discusses some notable freshman wide receivers and other breakout players.
The Pregame Power Sweep gives a preview of notable games for Week 2. The big games for this week are Friday’s matchup between BYU and SMU, Texas vs Michigan, Iowa vs Iowa State, Colorado vs Nebraska and Oregon vs Boise State on Saturday. We wrap up the episode with a lively discussion about commercials and A’ja Wilson’s dominance in the WNBA.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article including B1G Thoughts on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
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LGHL If This Were a Movie: Is Jeremiah Smith the Henry Rowengartner of football?
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If This Were a Movie: Is Jeremiah Smith the Henry Rowengartner of football?
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
If you told us Smith could throw a 100-mph thunderbolt like Rowengartner does in “Rookie of the Year,” we’d believe you.
Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of cinema. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Notebook,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.
When Ohio State opened their season with a 52-6 victory over the Akron Zips, it marked the debut of someone who has been described by his coaches as a once-in-a-generation talent—true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith—and boy, did he prove he’s earned the “built different” comments.
Smith, as a true freshman on a team with a treasure trove of receiver options including Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, led the team in yardage, average yards per play and touchdowns. It felt a little bit like watching 12-year-old Henry Rowengartner pitch in “Rookie of the Year.” You almost can’t believe someone so young, so inexperienced, is doing what you’re watching them do.
But that’s exactly what happened when Rowengartner healed from a broken arm and started firing 100-mph thunderbolts for the Chicago Cubs in the film, a feat so impressive it requires viewers to suspend disbelief and choose to be along for the ride. With Rowengartner pitching, the Chicago Cubs (a historically tragic team, and I can say that as a lifelong Cubs fan who has stuck with them through everything) do the unthinkable—they start winning games.
Now, I don’t mean to imply that the Buckeyes are a historically tragic team, when we all know it’s quite the opposite. But Smith took the field yesterday and stood out in the same way Rowengartner does in the movie, not just getting the job done but, in Smith’s case, leading the team in receiving with 92 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions.
Funnily enough, they both had to shake off the jitters before the superpowers came out too. Rowengartner gave up a home run on his first pitch, before ultimately earning the save, while Smith dropped his first pass, something he quickly shook off.
The thing that makes both Rowengartner and Smith different (besides their superhuman physical talent) is their ability to not just let those early mistakes roll off their back, but their ability to execute and create big plays with no experience at their current level. Rowengartner goes from Little League to the MLB overnight. Smith had never played in a college football game prior to today, but he led what many consider to be one of the strongest receiving corps in the country.
Not only that, but he did it with flair, capped with a spectacular one-handed catch to set up a touchdown for the Buckeyes in the third. In fact, if you look at ESPN’s highlights from the game, Smith is the playmaker in three of the four clips featured. He had six receptions—that means fifty percent of those were highlight-reel worthy.
That’s nuts no matter who your opponent is. He didn’t need to find his sea legs. They were there inherently.
Toward the end of “Rookie of the Year,” Rowengartner’s arm returns to normal. But while Smith’s talent doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, the other trait Rowengartner and Smith share is their ability to communicate with their teammates to get the job done. Rowengartner, for his part, lets his teammates know when his superhuman arm goes away, allowing the team to strategize. For Rowengartner, it was about the good of the team more than his own personal accolades.
Smith proved to be of the same mindset yesterday in his play on the field, and he said in postgame interviews, “I just wanted to come in and be a guy, just work and not just be about hype.” His hope was to impress his coaches and teammates.
Work he did, impress he did, and he—and his team—got the results to prove it. Smith has already proven he’s not out for himself. He’s here for the program, and boy are the Buckeyes going to reap the rewards of that combination of attitude and talent.
Unlike Rowengartner, Smith isn’t necessarily surpassing expectations. He’s merely living up to the hype that’s been there all along—he was the No. 1 recruit in college football for his class, after all. But that hype led to him being named CBS Sports Preseason Freshman of the Year, and if he continues to deliver the way he is now, he, like Rowengartner, should take home the title given to the player with the most impressive debut season.
For what it’s worth, Rowengartner isn’t just named “Rookie of the Year” — the Chicago Cubs go all the way on his watch. If Buckeye fans are lucky, Smith just might be able to contribute to similar results in Columbus.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
If you told us Smith could throw a 100-mph thunderbolt like Rowengartner does in “Rookie of the Year,” we’d believe you.
Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of cinema. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Notebook,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.
When Ohio State opened their season with a 52-6 victory over the Akron Zips, it marked the debut of someone who has been described by his coaches as a once-in-a-generation talent—true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith—and boy, did he prove he’s earned the “built different” comments.
Smith, as a true freshman on a team with a treasure trove of receiver options including Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, led the team in yardage, average yards per play and touchdowns. It felt a little bit like watching 12-year-old Henry Rowengartner pitch in “Rookie of the Year.” You almost can’t believe someone so young, so inexperienced, is doing what you’re watching them do.
But that’s exactly what happened when Rowengartner healed from a broken arm and started firing 100-mph thunderbolts for the Chicago Cubs in the film, a feat so impressive it requires viewers to suspend disbelief and choose to be along for the ride. With Rowengartner pitching, the Chicago Cubs (a historically tragic team, and I can say that as a lifelong Cubs fan who has stuck with them through everything) do the unthinkable—they start winning games.
Now, I don’t mean to imply that the Buckeyes are a historically tragic team, when we all know it’s quite the opposite. But Smith took the field yesterday and stood out in the same way Rowengartner does in the movie, not just getting the job done but, in Smith’s case, leading the team in receiving with 92 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions.
Funnily enough, they both had to shake off the jitters before the superpowers came out too. Rowengartner gave up a home run on his first pitch, before ultimately earning the save, while Smith dropped his first pass, something he quickly shook off.
The thing that makes both Rowengartner and Smith different (besides their superhuman physical talent) is their ability to not just let those early mistakes roll off their back, but their ability to execute and create big plays with no experience at their current level. Rowengartner goes from Little League to the MLB overnight. Smith had never played in a college football game prior to today, but he led what many consider to be one of the strongest receiving corps in the country.
Not only that, but he did it with flair, capped with a spectacular one-handed catch to set up a touchdown for the Buckeyes in the third. In fact, if you look at ESPN’s highlights from the game, Smith is the playmaker in three of the four clips featured. He had six receptions—that means fifty percent of those were highlight-reel worthy.
That’s nuts no matter who your opponent is. He didn’t need to find his sea legs. They were there inherently.
Toward the end of “Rookie of the Year,” Rowengartner’s arm returns to normal. But while Smith’s talent doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, the other trait Rowengartner and Smith share is their ability to communicate with their teammates to get the job done. Rowengartner, for his part, lets his teammates know when his superhuman arm goes away, allowing the team to strategize. For Rowengartner, it was about the good of the team more than his own personal accolades.
Smith proved to be of the same mindset yesterday in his play on the field, and he said in postgame interviews, “I just wanted to come in and be a guy, just work and not just be about hype.” His hope was to impress his coaches and teammates.
Work he did, impress he did, and he—and his team—got the results to prove it. Smith has already proven he’s not out for himself. He’s here for the program, and boy are the Buckeyes going to reap the rewards of that combination of attitude and talent.
Unlike Rowengartner, Smith isn’t necessarily surpassing expectations. He’s merely living up to the hype that’s been there all along—he was the No. 1 recruit in college football for his class, after all. But that hype led to him being named CBS Sports Preseason Freshman of the Year, and if he continues to deliver the way he is now, he, like Rowengartner, should take home the title given to the player with the most impressive debut season.
For what it’s worth, Rowengartner isn’t just named “Rookie of the Year” — the Chicago Cubs go all the way on his watch. If Buckeye fans are lucky, Smith just might be able to contribute to similar results in Columbus.
Continue reading...
LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State’s 52-6 win over Akron is full of highs and a handful of lows
- News
- 0 Replies
Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State’s 52-6 win over Akron is full of highs and a handful of lows
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We recap the game at hand, give some things we liked and didn’t like, and recap week one at the national level.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Justin Golba as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Since it is officially in season, Josh and Justin are back for a second episode this week, and we are recapping Ohio State's Week 1 victory over the Akron Zips.
It wasn’t perfect, but it is hard to complain about a 52-6 win. Or is it? We took a look at the good and the bad from the Buckeye’s week one win.
We also give out some awards, review the Stock Market Report for this week, and, of course, examine the national landscape from week one.
Please like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley:
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We recap the game at hand, give some things we liked and didn’t like, and recap week one at the national level.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Justin Golba as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Since it is officially in season, Josh and Justin are back for a second episode this week, and we are recapping Ohio State's Week 1 victory over the Akron Zips.
It wasn’t perfect, but it is hard to complain about a 52-6 win. Or is it? We took a look at the good and the bad from the Buckeye’s week one win.
We also give out some awards, review the Stock Market Report for this week, and, of course, examine the national landscape from week one.
Please like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley:
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
