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LGHL You’re Nuts: Will Ohio State patch up inconsistent defense during Jake Diebler’s first year?
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You’re Nuts: Will Ohio State patch up inconsistent defense during Jake Diebler’s first year?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The Buckeyes haven’t had a top-50 defense in four seasons. Could things improve under Diebler?
By adding freshmen and transfers who appear capable of stepping in and scoring points on day one, first-year head coach Jake Diebler has put together a roster that has the potential to be one of the deepest Ohio State teams (offensively) in the past decade. However, the Buckeyes have been one of the worst defensive teams in the Big Ten over the past four seasons, ultimately causing them to miss out on the NCAA Tournament the last two years. More on this shortly.
Last week, Connor and Justin looked at Ohio State’s now-complete roster and predicted the scoring averages for all 16 members of the team. Both guys had Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson, and Aaron Bradshaw as the top three scorers (in that order), but Justin had a much more top-heavy distribution, with those three combining for 47 points and the rest of the roster scoring much less. Connor had those top three scoring less but the guys in the “middle” contributed more.
58% of the people liked Justin’s estimates better, which included Bruce Thornton averaging 18.5 points per game. The remaining 42% sided with Connor.
Connor- 79
Diebler added Aaron Bradshaw, Sean Stewart, Meechie Johnson, Ques Glover, and Micah Parrish into the program as transfers. Two of those guys are former five-star recruits, two of them have averaged double-digits in college for multiple seasons, and the last is approaching 1300 career points at the collegiate level. The scoring pop is there, but will the Buckeyes figure out how to cure what’s been ailing them for four years now — porous, ugly defense?
Here are Ohio State’s defensive efficiency rankings for each of the last four seasons, according to KenPom.com:
63
106
111
82
Former head coach Chris Holtmann used to say that the goal every season was to have a balanced team that was top-25 in offense and top-25 in defense. The 2019-2020 team did that, finishing 13th in offense and 19th in defense. History has shown us that teams with this kind of balance typically are successful in the NCAA Tournament, but unfortunately, we’ll never know what the future had in store for that team, as that tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s probably not a coincidence that every Ohio State team since then has struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball, and it’s also not a coincidence that the numbers I provided above ultimately caused Chris Holtmann to get fired.
After taking over for Holtmann, Diebler’s Buckeyes had a few great defensive performances, including holding Michigan State to 57 points at home at holding Rutgers to just 23 second-half points at the RAC. However, Ohio State also gave up 80+ points to Minnesota and Cornell, and committed 27 personal fouls against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, leading to 32 free throw attempts for the Illini. That team finished 63rd nationally in defensive efficiency.
After the season, all three of Ohio State’s best defensive players left. Felix Okpara transferred to Tennessee, Dale Bonner graduated, and Scotty Middleton transferred to Seton Hall. Per EvanMiya.com, Okpara was the 14th-best defensive player in the conference, Bonner was 27th, and Middleton was 29th.
The advanced metrics may not love them, but I think Ohio State will have two rock-solid defenders in Evan Mahaffey and Micah Parrish. The issue is that both of these players could wind up coming off the bench, limiting how much impact they can have on that side of the ball (their offensive ability does not necessarily warrant either of them starting).
Basically, I think Diebler’s intensity and the way he holds his players accountable will help this team improve defensively from how it ended with Holtmann, but I am not confident that the assembled personnel will create a team that’s locked in and focused on the defensive side of the ball at all times.
Maybe a fringe top-50 defensive team? Probably not much better than that this season.
I think the defense will be vastly improved for two reasons. They are Evan Mahaffey and Micah Parrish.
Defense is simple in college basketball. It is about buy-in and then having the right personnel to implement a good system. A way to make that easier is to have the right long and versatile wings to guard multiple positions and utilize flexibility on the course.
When it comes to the guards on the team, Bruce Thornton and Meechie Johnson are better on the defensive end than they get credit for. They aren’t going to win any awards, and they aren’t Aaron Craft, but they can hold their own. In the frontcourt, Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart are both long and athletic.
Losing Felix Okpara and Roddy Gayle will hurt. They were the two best defenders on the team last year, and now they are gone. However, all four of the transfers who are likely starters are fast and athletic and can guard multiple positions, and that helps.
The problem is that they have to make such a large jump because, as Connor pointed out, the metrics of the Buckeye’s defense have been very bad.
To be successful in March, the Buckeyes will likely have to have a top-25 defense. The metrics show they either need to be that or have an elite offense. I think they will be very good on offense but not elite or the best in the country, so they will need the defense to step up and get better and get better fast.
But I do think this team is at least set up well to make that jump.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The Buckeyes haven’t had a top-50 defense in four seasons. Could things improve under Diebler?
By adding freshmen and transfers who appear capable of stepping in and scoring points on day one, first-year head coach Jake Diebler has put together a roster that has the potential to be one of the deepest Ohio State teams (offensively) in the past decade. However, the Buckeyes have been one of the worst defensive teams in the Big Ten over the past four seasons, ultimately causing them to miss out on the NCAA Tournament the last two years. More on this shortly.
Last week, Connor and Justin looked at Ohio State’s now-complete roster and predicted the scoring averages for all 16 members of the team. Both guys had Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson, and Aaron Bradshaw as the top three scorers (in that order), but Justin had a much more top-heavy distribution, with those three combining for 47 points and the rest of the roster scoring much less. Connor had those top three scoring less but the guys in the “middle” contributed more.
58% of the people liked Justin’s estimates better, which included Bruce Thornton averaging 18.5 points per game. The remaining 42% sided with Connor.
After 164 weeks:
Connor- 79
Justin- 65
Other- 16
(There have been four ties)
Diebler added Aaron Bradshaw, Sean Stewart, Meechie Johnson, Ques Glover, and Micah Parrish into the program as transfers. Two of those guys are former five-star recruits, two of them have averaged double-digits in college for multiple seasons, and the last is approaching 1300 career points at the collegiate level. The scoring pop is there, but will the Buckeyes figure out how to cure what’s been ailing them for four years now — porous, ugly defense?
Connor: No
Here are Ohio State’s defensive efficiency rankings for each of the last four seasons, according to KenPom.com:
63
106
111
82
Former head coach Chris Holtmann used to say that the goal every season was to have a balanced team that was top-25 in offense and top-25 in defense. The 2019-2020 team did that, finishing 13th in offense and 19th in defense. History has shown us that teams with this kind of balance typically are successful in the NCAA Tournament, but unfortunately, we’ll never know what the future had in store for that team, as that tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s probably not a coincidence that every Ohio State team since then has struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball, and it’s also not a coincidence that the numbers I provided above ultimately caused Chris Holtmann to get fired.
After taking over for Holtmann, Diebler’s Buckeyes had a few great defensive performances, including holding Michigan State to 57 points at home at holding Rutgers to just 23 second-half points at the RAC. However, Ohio State also gave up 80+ points to Minnesota and Cornell, and committed 27 personal fouls against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, leading to 32 free throw attempts for the Illini. That team finished 63rd nationally in defensive efficiency.
After the season, all three of Ohio State’s best defensive players left. Felix Okpara transferred to Tennessee, Dale Bonner graduated, and Scotty Middleton transferred to Seton Hall. Per EvanMiya.com, Okpara was the 14th-best defensive player in the conference, Bonner was 27th, and Middleton was 29th.
The advanced metrics may not love them, but I think Ohio State will have two rock-solid defenders in Evan Mahaffey and Micah Parrish. The issue is that both of these players could wind up coming off the bench, limiting how much impact they can have on that side of the ball (their offensive ability does not necessarily warrant either of them starting).
Basically, I think Diebler’s intensity and the way he holds his players accountable will help this team improve defensively from how it ended with Holtmann, but I am not confident that the assembled personnel will create a team that’s locked in and focused on the defensive side of the ball at all times.
Maybe a fringe top-50 defensive team? Probably not much better than that this season.
Justin: Yes
I think the defense will be vastly improved for two reasons. They are Evan Mahaffey and Micah Parrish.
Defense is simple in college basketball. It is about buy-in and then having the right personnel to implement a good system. A way to make that easier is to have the right long and versatile wings to guard multiple positions and utilize flexibility on the course.
When it comes to the guards on the team, Bruce Thornton and Meechie Johnson are better on the defensive end than they get credit for. They aren’t going to win any awards, and they aren’t Aaron Craft, but they can hold their own. In the frontcourt, Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart are both long and athletic.
Losing Felix Okpara and Roddy Gayle will hurt. They were the two best defenders on the team last year, and now they are gone. However, all four of the transfers who are likely starters are fast and athletic and can guard multiple positions, and that helps.
The problem is that they have to make such a large jump because, as Connor pointed out, the metrics of the Buckeye’s defense have been very bad.
To be successful in March, the Buckeyes will likely have to have a top-25 defense. The metrics show they either need to be that or have an elite offense. I think they will be very good on offense but not elite or the best in the country, so they will need the defense to step up and get better and get better fast.
But I do think this team is at least set up well to make that jump.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye veteran do you think will surprise people this season?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye veteran do you think will surprise people this season?
Matt Tamanini 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
It’s taken Hero Kanu a few years at Ohio State to find his footing, which is sort of funny if you consider his foot skills were never the issue. In fact, Kanu’s journey to Columbus actually began as a soccer goalie back in his hometown of Geltendorf, Germany.
But when the 305-pound defensive tackle felt like he’d outgrown soccer, he began to look for a new athletic pursuit, and American football provided the opportunity he needed to use his size to his advantage.
So when I say it’s taken a few years to find his footing, what I really mean is it’s only taken a few years. Kanu, a redshirt sophomore is about to begin his fourth year of playing football — total. He’s in his third year with the Buckeyes, plus one year of high school, and he’s got enough raw talent and athleticism that he’s basically been learning on the fly.
Last season, Kanu quietly made his way into the rotation, proving that his lack of experience doesn’t indicate a lack of talent. He netted 10 tackles and one sack (which came in Week 1 against Indiana) in just 90 snaps across 12 games; not too bad for someone who’s only been playing football for a few years.
This season, I’m expecting Kanu to surprise us with even splashier playmaking and critical gains for a defense that’s already pretty splashy.
Kanu is expected to be the Buckeyes’ first DT off the bench in a year where defensive line coach Larry Johnson will look to the backups to take a lot of reps, starting early in the season, to take some of the load off starters Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton.
While it’s still unclear exactly how many reps Kanu will take, I suspect he’s going to surprise us by taking on a more critical role in keeping the defense afloat while Hamilton and Williams catch their breath.
Rest time will be especially important for the starters this year, where the 12-team playoff expansion could elongate the season, so Kanu and the backups need to hold down the ship so the starters can stay off the field longer. The defensive line has been in desperate need of more depth, and this year especially, it’s the key to keeping the defense healthy.
The good news is that what Kanu lacks in experience, he makes up for in versatility. He had a productive spring, and with more reps under his belt now, keep an eye on what the experience does for his confidence.
If everything goes according to plan, he could be just the Hero the defensive line has been holding out for.
There is a bit of a theme between Jami and my picks as we are both going with defensive tackles. Perhaps Jami’s is a bigger risk as she is taking a second-team lineman while I am taking a starter, but in terms of the top-four defensive linemen, Ty Hamilton is clearly the least celebrated. However, history is on his side when it comes to having one big, breakout season.
In case you didn’t know, Ty Hamilton is the younger brother of former Ohio State and current Jacksonville Jaguar d-lineman DaVon Hamilton. The elder Hamilton brother was something of a journeyman during his time in Columbus. In his first four years as a Buckeye, he totaled 10.5 tackles for loss, but in 2019, not only did he earn All-Big Ten third-team honors, but he doubled his TFL total with another 10.5 and ended up being drafted in the third round.
While DaVon’s tenure in college football barely predated the explosion of the transfer portal, he did things the old-fashioned way. He kept working despite being a bit buried behind other guys for years and he turned himself into an elite-level player. Now it’s time for his brother to try and do the same.
In his first four seasons as a Buckeye, Ty has amassed just seven tackles for loss, but 4.5 of them came last year as his playing time increased. Now, he is set to have similar opportunities to his brother as a starter. Alongside Tyleik Williams in the middle, with J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer on the edges, the OSU defensive line is incredibly experienced and loaded with talent.
If the Ohio State defense is as dominant as I believe that it will be, offensive lines will likely be focusing on some of the bigger-named players, which could leave Hamilton with more advantageous matchups. Ultimately, I believe that everyone on that line will have career seasons, and while Ty might not turn in the same statistical production that his brother did, the roadmap is there for him to be a breakout star for the Buckeyes this season.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: Which Buckeye veteran do you think will surprise people this season?
Jami’s Take: Hero Kanu
It’s taken Hero Kanu a few years at Ohio State to find his footing, which is sort of funny if you consider his foot skills were never the issue. In fact, Kanu’s journey to Columbus actually began as a soccer goalie back in his hometown of Geltendorf, Germany.
But when the 305-pound defensive tackle felt like he’d outgrown soccer, he began to look for a new athletic pursuit, and American football provided the opportunity he needed to use his size to his advantage.
So when I say it’s taken a few years to find his footing, what I really mean is it’s only taken a few years. Kanu, a redshirt sophomore is about to begin his fourth year of playing football — total. He’s in his third year with the Buckeyes, plus one year of high school, and he’s got enough raw talent and athleticism that he’s basically been learning on the fly.
Last season, Kanu quietly made his way into the rotation, proving that his lack of experience doesn’t indicate a lack of talent. He netted 10 tackles and one sack (which came in Week 1 against Indiana) in just 90 snaps across 12 games; not too bad for someone who’s only been playing football for a few years.
This season, I’m expecting Kanu to surprise us with even splashier playmaking and critical gains for a defense that’s already pretty splashy.
Kanu is expected to be the Buckeyes’ first DT off the bench in a year where defensive line coach Larry Johnson will look to the backups to take a lot of reps, starting early in the season, to take some of the load off starters Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton.
While it’s still unclear exactly how many reps Kanu will take, I suspect he’s going to surprise us by taking on a more critical role in keeping the defense afloat while Hamilton and Williams catch their breath.
Rest time will be especially important for the starters this year, where the 12-team playoff expansion could elongate the season, so Kanu and the backups need to hold down the ship so the starters can stay off the field longer. The defensive line has been in desperate need of more depth, and this year especially, it’s the key to keeping the defense healthy.
The good news is that what Kanu lacks in experience, he makes up for in versatility. He had a productive spring, and with more reps under his belt now, keep an eye on what the experience does for his confidence.
If everything goes according to plan, he could be just the Hero the defensive line has been holding out for.
Matt’s Take: Ty Hamilton
There is a bit of a theme between Jami and my picks as we are both going with defensive tackles. Perhaps Jami’s is a bigger risk as she is taking a second-team lineman while I am taking a starter, but in terms of the top-four defensive linemen, Ty Hamilton is clearly the least celebrated. However, history is on his side when it comes to having one big, breakout season.
In case you didn’t know, Ty Hamilton is the younger brother of former Ohio State and current Jacksonville Jaguar d-lineman DaVon Hamilton. The elder Hamilton brother was something of a journeyman during his time in Columbus. In his first four years as a Buckeye, he totaled 10.5 tackles for loss, but in 2019, not only did he earn All-Big Ten third-team honors, but he doubled his TFL total with another 10.5 and ended up being drafted in the third round.
While DaVon’s tenure in college football barely predated the explosion of the transfer portal, he did things the old-fashioned way. He kept working despite being a bit buried behind other guys for years and he turned himself into an elite-level player. Now it’s time for his brother to try and do the same.
In his first four seasons as a Buckeye, Ty has amassed just seven tackles for loss, but 4.5 of them came last year as his playing time increased. Now, he is set to have similar opportunities to his brother as a starter. Alongside Tyleik Williams in the middle, with J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer on the edges, the OSU defensive line is incredibly experienced and loaded with talent.
If the Ohio State defense is as dominant as I believe that it will be, offensive lines will likely be focusing on some of the bigger-named players, which could leave Hamilton with more advantageous matchups. Ultimately, I believe that everyone on that line will have career seasons, and while Ty might not turn in the same statistical production that his brother did, the roadmap is there for him to be a breakout star for the Buckeyes this season.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
Continue reading...
LGHL Ryan Day not ready to name starting QB, but Will Howard has ‘total command of offense’
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Ryan Day not ready to name starting QB, but Will Howard has ‘total command of offense’
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
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25565247/1482661538.jpg "Ohio State Spring Football Game")
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Tegra Tshabola is on tap to become Ohio State’s 2024 breakout player
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘Funky virus’ forces Ohio State offensive linemen out of fall camp
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Notes from OSU’s seventh preseason practice
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Practice Observations as Buckeyes prepare for pivotal scrimmage (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Ryan Day updates Ohio State QB battle, depth chart at TE, battles between WR and CB
Grant Hughes, 247Sport
Defense wins the day: Observations from Buckeyes seventh practice of training camp (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State camp diary: Observations from Buckeyes’ seventh practice (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Ohio State’s Quarterback Competition Narrowing Down to Will Howard, Devin Brown as Howard Impresses Ryan Day with “Total Command of the Offense”
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State’s Will Howard names to 2024 preseason Davey O’Brien watch list
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
OSU begins requiring Guardian Caps on helmets during practices
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Judkins on varying roles at OSU: ‘That’s why I love Chip Kelly’s offense’
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Sonny Style Feels Linebacker “Fits” Him, Already Acclimating to the Position for Buckeyes
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
With blitzing his calling card, OSU LB C.J. Hicks is ready to blossom
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Two years removed from Ohio State men’s basketball’s celebrated 2022 recruiting class, only one remains
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Introducing Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge and how she could make an instant impact
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Wrestling: Snyder Begins Quest for 3rd Olympic Medal Saturday
Ohio State Athletics
And he still looks the exact same:
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
Today’s Player to Watch
Tegra Tshabola is on tap to become Ohio State’s 2024 breakout player
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Gridiron
‘Funky virus’ forces Ohio State offensive linemen out of fall camp
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Notes from OSU’s seventh preseason practice
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Practice Observations as Buckeyes prepare for pivotal scrimmage (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Ryan Day updates Ohio State QB battle, depth chart at TE, battles between WR and CB
Grant Hughes, 247Sport
Defense wins the day: Observations from Buckeyes seventh practice of training camp (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State camp diary: Observations from Buckeyes’ seventh practice (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Ohio State’s Quarterback Competition Narrowing Down to Will Howard, Devin Brown as Howard Impresses Ryan Day with “Total Command of the Offense”
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State’s Will Howard names to 2024 preseason Davey O’Brien watch list
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
OSU begins requiring Guardian Caps on helmets during practices
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Judkins on varying roles at OSU: ‘That’s why I love Chip Kelly’s offense’
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Sonny Style Feels Linebacker “Fits” Him, Already Acclimating to the Position for Buckeyes
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
With blitzing his calling card, OSU LB C.J. Hicks is ready to blossom
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
On the Hardwood
Two years removed from Ohio State men’s basketball’s celebrated 2022 recruiting class, only one remains
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Introducing Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge and how she could make an instant impact
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Wrestling: Snyder Begins Quest for 3rd Olympic Medal Saturday
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
And he still looks the exact same:
Continue reading...
LGHL Julian Sayin is one of the most impressive freshman QBs we’ve seen in a while
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- 0 Replies
Julian Sayin is one of the most impressive freshman QBs we’ve seen in a while
Megan.Husslein 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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
There’s a lot of talk that he could be the No. 2 ahead of Devin Brown & Co.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
The main competition we are going to be zoning in on for the next few weeks is clearly between the quarterbacks. While it seems like Will Howard will almost certainly be the starter, the question remains of who his backup will be. Devin Brown might be the obvious choice, but the chatter is growing for true freshman Julian Sayin to slide into that role.
The QB depth chart that the Buckeyes have is truly insane. Brown is now entering his third year in the system, Lincoln Kienholz is entering his second, and two of the most talented freshmen quarterbacks in the country are both on the Ohio State roster. While Air Noland isn’t progressing as quickly as Sayin, the fact remains that he was a five-star recruit and is very good.
However, Sayin has shot up the depth chart since winter practices started. It’s crazy to think that in January, he was enrolled at Alabama early, took a couple weeks of classes, then decided to enter the transfer portal and come to Ohio State. So, within the span of a little over six months, he will possibly surpass three other extremely talented QBs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561070/2060765665.jpg "Ohio State Football Spring Practice")
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
So, what makes Sayin so good? He showed through his recruiting process that he has a high ceiling with a lot of room for development. He held a 90 overall recruiting grade in February 2022 and saw that rating steadily grow to 98 overall in less than a year, earning five-star status along the way.
He has earned high praise for his arm, both in its strength and accuracy. Sayin completed 74.5% of his passes for 2,347 yards and 24 touchdowns with one interception during his senior season and was then named the Gatorade Player of the Year in California. As a result, he was invited to the Elite 11 camp and earned MVP honors.
National recruiting analyst Greg Biggins wrote “[Sayin] has excellent pocket mobility and short-area quickness. He’s very accurate to all three levels of the field, has a tight release, and throws exceptionally well off-platform and with different arm angles.”
That is a very impressive resume for a true freshman who has been hyped up to be the unofficial No. 1 dual-threat QB in his class. After the failed Kyle McCord experiment, I think Buckeye fans are very happy to hear “excellent pocket mobility” describing one of their quarterbacks. Obviously it will be interesting to see how that talent translates to the collegiate level, but he will already have a head start if he has a solid foundation.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561092/2060765663.jpg "Ohio State Football Spring Practice")
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
It sounds like Sayin could be one of the next top quarterbacks in the country. While he probably won’t be the starter this season, this year could prime him to be the No. 1 next year. Learning from veteran Howard and having a year of the Ohio State system under his belt could prove to be exactly what he needs to be the next Buckeye star QB.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein 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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
There’s a lot of talk that he could be the No. 2 ahead of Devin Brown & Co.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
The main competition we are going to be zoning in on for the next few weeks is clearly between the quarterbacks. While it seems like Will Howard will almost certainly be the starter, the question remains of who his backup will be. Devin Brown might be the obvious choice, but the chatter is growing for true freshman Julian Sayin to slide into that role.
The QB depth chart that the Buckeyes have is truly insane. Brown is now entering his third year in the system, Lincoln Kienholz is entering his second, and two of the most talented freshmen quarterbacks in the country are both on the Ohio State roster. While Air Noland isn’t progressing as quickly as Sayin, the fact remains that he was a five-star recruit and is very good.
However, Sayin has shot up the depth chart since winter practices started. It’s crazy to think that in January, he was enrolled at Alabama early, took a couple weeks of classes, then decided to enter the transfer portal and come to Ohio State. So, within the span of a little over six months, he will possibly surpass three other extremely talented QBs.
So, what makes Sayin so good? He showed through his recruiting process that he has a high ceiling with a lot of room for development. He held a 90 overall recruiting grade in February 2022 and saw that rating steadily grow to 98 overall in less than a year, earning five-star status along the way.
He has earned high praise for his arm, both in its strength and accuracy. Sayin completed 74.5% of his passes for 2,347 yards and 24 touchdowns with one interception during his senior season and was then named the Gatorade Player of the Year in California. As a result, he was invited to the Elite 11 camp and earned MVP honors.
National recruiting analyst Greg Biggins wrote “[Sayin] has excellent pocket mobility and short-area quickness. He’s very accurate to all three levels of the field, has a tight release, and throws exceptionally well off-platform and with different arm angles.”
That is a very impressive resume for a true freshman who has been hyped up to be the unofficial No. 1 dual-threat QB in his class. After the failed Kyle McCord experiment, I think Buckeye fans are very happy to hear “excellent pocket mobility” describing one of their quarterbacks. Obviously it will be interesting to see how that talent translates to the collegiate level, but he will already have a head start if he has a solid foundation.
It sounds like Sayin could be one of the next top quarterbacks in the country. While he probably won’t be the starter this season, this year could prime him to be the No. 1 next year. Learning from veteran Howard and having a year of the Ohio State system under his belt could prove to be exactly what he needs to be the next Buckeye star QB.
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