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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who is one player to watch on the new Big Ten teams?
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You’re Nuts: Who is one player to watch on the new Big Ten teams?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. We are just over a month away from the start of the college football season, so we figured this would be a great time to dive into looking at Ohio State’s biggest threats this season, not only in the Big Ten, but also nationally. Who are the best players? The biggest threats? Potential College Football Playoff opponents? You’ll be able to find all that and more this week at LGHL. The only thing you won’t really find here this week is coverage and analysis of That Team Up North. Don’t worry, we’ll get to them soon enough.
Today we are going to focus on the four new teams in the Big Ten. Even though you may already be familiar with Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, today we are going to help you add a little to that knowledge by identifying a couple of players to watch from the newbies of the conference. It could be a returning starter, an incoming transfer, or maybe a star recruit who is predicted to have an immediate impact.
After starting his career at Oklahoma State, Muhammad transferred to Washington last season and was a starting cornerback on a team that went to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. In 15 games for the Huskies last season, Muhammad picked off three passes and tied for second in the country with 19 passes defended. Muhammad’s best performance of the season came against Oregon State where he picked off two passes in the 22-20 win, earning the cornerback Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. Because of his outstanding play last season, Muhammad was named second-team All-Pac-12.
Following the loss to Michigan in the title game, head coach Kalen DeBoer moved on to Alabama to take over for Nick Saban, and on the same day Muhammad announced he was entering the transfer portal again. The loss of Muhammad stung a bit more when he revealed he would be heading to rival Oregon. Muhammad joins an Oregon secondary that is bringing in a number of other senior transfers this season who are expected to start for the Ducks. Of those incoming transfers, Muhammad is seen as the most talented and definitely looks to have a bright future in the NFL.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25532376/1812692837.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 25 Washington State at Washington")
Photo by Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By bringing in Muhammad and the other reinforcements in the secondary, it’s obvious that Dan Lanning and the Ducks have an eye on Ohio State, who has the most talented group of receivers in the country. The matchup between the Buckeyes and Ducks on October 12 in Eugene is going to be one of the games of the season in college football, and it’s possible we could see Ohio State and Oregon meet in the Big Ten Championship Game, as well as the College Football Playoff. Whenever these teams meet up this year, it’s going to be fun to watch Muhammad battle against the Buckeye wide receivers.
I really wanted to go with someone a bit more off the board for this one. I wanted to pick a player from seemingly Pac-12 obscurity to throw out there to give you someone unique to watch out for this season. But let’s be honest, there is one player from the four new Big Ten teams that is going to have a massive impact on the conference and national conversation, and honestly, could be a major factor in how Ohio State’s season goes, and that is new Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
I almost went with someone who will be blocking for Gabriel, offensive tackle Josh Conerly, but let’s be honest, no one came here to read about OTs, and nobody really “watches” then during games, and that was the whole premise behind the prompt, so I stuck with the sexier position.
After three years at UCF and two at Oklahoma, the quarterback is set to end his collegiate career and is within legit shouting distance of surpassing Case Keenum’s all-time NCAA passing record of 19,217 yards. The new Duck commander comes into the season with 14,865 yards, just 4,352 from the record. Of course, Gabriel has never thrown for more than 3,660 yards in a season, but Dan Lanning seems intent on chucking the ball around this season, and, of course, Gabriel could benefit from an expanded season that could see him play in as many as 16 games.
If Oregon plays in the first round of the College Football Playoff and makes it all the way to the national title game, he would only need to average 275 per outing to match the record. If they get a first-round bye, but still make the national championship game, he would need to go for just over 290 yards per game. While there is no imaginable world — at least not for me — in which Oregon doesn’t make the Big Ten Championship game or the CFP, if Gabriel only plays in 13 games (regular season and a bowl), he would need to throw for 334.8 yards every time out, something that would be difficult, but not out of the realm of possibility.
With all due respect to the Nittany, the Huskers, the Men of Troy, and the defending national champions, I think that it is pretty clear that Oregon is the biggest stumbling block on the road to a perfect regular season for Ohio State. How Gabriel is able to integrate into Will Stein’s offense in Eugene will have a significant impact on how college football looks this season. Records aside, that alone makes him a player to watch.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. We are just over a month away from the start of the college football season, so we figured this would be a great time to dive into looking at Ohio State’s biggest threats this season, not only in the Big Ten, but also nationally. Who are the best players? The biggest threats? Potential College Football Playoff opponents? You’ll be able to find all that and more this week at LGHL. The only thing you won’t really find here this week is coverage and analysis of That Team Up North. Don’t worry, we’ll get to them soon enough.
Today we are going to focus on the four new teams in the Big Ten. Even though you may already be familiar with Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, today we are going to help you add a little to that knowledge by identifying a couple of players to watch from the newbies of the conference. It could be a returning starter, an incoming transfer, or maybe a star recruit who is predicted to have an immediate impact.
Today’s question: Who is one player to watch on the new teams in the Big Ten?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Jabbar Muhammad | Cornerback | Oregon
After starting his career at Oklahoma State, Muhammad transferred to Washington last season and was a starting cornerback on a team that went to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. In 15 games for the Huskies last season, Muhammad picked off three passes and tied for second in the country with 19 passes defended. Muhammad’s best performance of the season came against Oregon State where he picked off two passes in the 22-20 win, earning the cornerback Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. Because of his outstanding play last season, Muhammad was named second-team All-Pac-12.
Following the loss to Michigan in the title game, head coach Kalen DeBoer moved on to Alabama to take over for Nick Saban, and on the same day Muhammad announced he was entering the transfer portal again. The loss of Muhammad stung a bit more when he revealed he would be heading to rival Oregon. Muhammad joins an Oregon secondary that is bringing in a number of other senior transfers this season who are expected to start for the Ducks. Of those incoming transfers, Muhammad is seen as the most talented and definitely looks to have a bright future in the NFL.
By bringing in Muhammad and the other reinforcements in the secondary, it’s obvious that Dan Lanning and the Ducks have an eye on Ohio State, who has the most talented group of receivers in the country. The matchup between the Buckeyes and Ducks on October 12 in Eugene is going to be one of the games of the season in college football, and it’s possible we could see Ohio State and Oregon meet in the Big Ten Championship Game, as well as the College Football Playoff. Whenever these teams meet up this year, it’s going to be fun to watch Muhammad battle against the Buckeye wide receivers.
Matt’s answer: Dillon Gabriel | Quarterback | Oregon
I really wanted to go with someone a bit more off the board for this one. I wanted to pick a player from seemingly Pac-12 obscurity to throw out there to give you someone unique to watch out for this season. But let’s be honest, there is one player from the four new Big Ten teams that is going to have a massive impact on the conference and national conversation, and honestly, could be a major factor in how Ohio State’s season goes, and that is new Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
I almost went with someone who will be blocking for Gabriel, offensive tackle Josh Conerly, but let’s be honest, no one came here to read about OTs, and nobody really “watches” then during games, and that was the whole premise behind the prompt, so I stuck with the sexier position.
After three years at UCF and two at Oklahoma, the quarterback is set to end his collegiate career and is within legit shouting distance of surpassing Case Keenum’s all-time NCAA passing record of 19,217 yards. The new Duck commander comes into the season with 14,865 yards, just 4,352 from the record. Of course, Gabriel has never thrown for more than 3,660 yards in a season, but Dan Lanning seems intent on chucking the ball around this season, and, of course, Gabriel could benefit from an expanded season that could see him play in as many as 16 games.
If Oregon plays in the first round of the College Football Playoff and makes it all the way to the national title game, he would only need to average 275 per outing to match the record. If they get a first-round bye, but still make the national championship game, he would need to go for just over 290 yards per game. While there is no imaginable world — at least not for me — in which Oregon doesn’t make the Big Ten Championship game or the CFP, if Gabriel only plays in 13 games (regular season and a bowl), he would need to throw for 334.8 yards every time out, something that would be difficult, but not out of the realm of possibility.
With all due respect to the Nittany, the Huskers, the Men of Troy, and the defending national champions, I think that it is pretty clear that Oregon is the biggest stumbling block on the road to a perfect regular season for Ohio State. How Gabriel is able to integrate into Will Stein’s offense in Eugene will have a significant impact on how college football looks this season. Records aside, that alone makes him a player to watch.
Continue reading...
LGHL Behind Enemy Lines: Can Penn State take advantage of the new playoff format?
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Behind Enemy Lines: Can Penn State take advantage of the new playoff format?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
A lot of the Nittany Lion’s success will come down to the success of third-year quarterback Drew Allar.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
As the Ohio State Buckeyes enter the 2024-25 football season, two opponents are attracting much of the attention — Oregon and Michigan. However, there is one team that always makes for an entertaining game, and the Buckeyes have to play on their home soil this year:
The Penn State Nittany Lions.
Penn State has consistently been the third-best team in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and Michigan. They will be one of the main teams that benefit from the expanded College Football Playoff, as they have often finished in the No. 5 to No. 12 range but never in the top four.
So, the question is simple. With the expanded playoffs this season, can Penn State and James Franklin get over the hump and make the CFP this season?
A main part of that conversation will be junior quarterback Drew Allar. Allar is coming into his second season as the full-time starter for Penn State, and they will look to him to lead the way through a fairly daunting schedule. Allar threw for 2,631 yards with a 59.9 completion percentage, with 25 touchdowns and two interceptions.
In general, the sophomore played well in his first season as the starter, but he struggled in big games against Ohio State and Michigan to push the ball down the field and put pressure on the defenses. Even though his stats have been good, this year he will need to make the jump into winning the big games and putting Penn State in a position to make the playoff or even contend for the Big Ten.
One of the main hurdles that Penn State will have to overcome is its schedule. The Nittany Lions were not dropped into this new conference easily, as they travel to USC and face Washington at home. They also start the season at West Virginia, host UCLA, travel to Wisconsin, and host Ohio State. The main teams absent from the schedule are Michigan and Michigan State, but both of those teams have question marks coming into this season.
They will likely have to go through that schedule 10-2 to make the playoff, although 9-3 might do the trick. They do have a bye between USC and Wisconsin to make that road trip a little more feasible, but that is a tough schedule for a team with question marks at quarterback.
The Nittany Lions will also need some of their younger skill position players to step up and fill the roles left by Keandre Lambert-Smith, who transferred to Auburn, and Dante Cephas, who transferred to Kansas State. The running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton are both capable of running for 1,000 yards each this season, and they will have to lean on them to carry the offense at times, but they will need someone in the passing game to step up and be Allar’s go to target.
That person could be Julian Fleming, the Ohio State transfer who was once a top recruit in the country, but he will first have to stay healthy to do that. If someone can step up and help Allar, this will be another great Penn State team, as all the other boxes are checked.
But a tough schedule will force a solid season from the Nittany Lions to make the postseason, even with eight more spots available this season.
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
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
A lot of the Nittany Lion’s success will come down to the success of third-year quarterback Drew Allar.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
As the Ohio State Buckeyes enter the 2024-25 football season, two opponents are attracting much of the attention — Oregon and Michigan. However, there is one team that always makes for an entertaining game, and the Buckeyes have to play on their home soil this year:
The Penn State Nittany Lions.
Penn State has consistently been the third-best team in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and Michigan. They will be one of the main teams that benefit from the expanded College Football Playoff, as they have often finished in the No. 5 to No. 12 range but never in the top four.
So, the question is simple. With the expanded playoffs this season, can Penn State and James Franklin get over the hump and make the CFP this season?
A main part of that conversation will be junior quarterback Drew Allar. Allar is coming into his second season as the full-time starter for Penn State, and they will look to him to lead the way through a fairly daunting schedule. Allar threw for 2,631 yards with a 59.9 completion percentage, with 25 touchdowns and two interceptions.
In general, the sophomore played well in his first season as the starter, but he struggled in big games against Ohio State and Michigan to push the ball down the field and put pressure on the defenses. Even though his stats have been good, this year he will need to make the jump into winning the big games and putting Penn State in a position to make the playoff or even contend for the Big Ten.
One of the main hurdles that Penn State will have to overcome is its schedule. The Nittany Lions were not dropped into this new conference easily, as they travel to USC and face Washington at home. They also start the season at West Virginia, host UCLA, travel to Wisconsin, and host Ohio State. The main teams absent from the schedule are Michigan and Michigan State, but both of those teams have question marks coming into this season.
They will likely have to go through that schedule 10-2 to make the playoff, although 9-3 might do the trick. They do have a bye between USC and Wisconsin to make that road trip a little more feasible, but that is a tough schedule for a team with question marks at quarterback.
The Nittany Lions will also need some of their younger skill position players to step up and fill the roles left by Keandre Lambert-Smith, who transferred to Auburn, and Dante Cephas, who transferred to Kansas State. The running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton are both capable of running for 1,000 yards each this season, and they will have to lean on them to carry the offense at times, but they will need someone in the passing game to step up and be Allar’s go to target.
That person could be Julian Fleming, the Ohio State transfer who was once a top recruit in the country, but he will first have to stay healthy to do that. If someone can step up and help Allar, this will be another great Penn State team, as all the other boxes are checked.
But a tough schedule will force a solid season from the Nittany Lions to make the postseason, even with eight more spots available this season.
Continue reading...
