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LGHL Lee Corso’s final ‘GameDay’ will be Ohio State-Texas season opener
- News
- 0 Replies
Lee Corso’s final ‘GameDay’ will be Ohio State-Texas season opener
Matt Tamanini 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 via Imagn 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
College GameDay Coming to Ohio State for Lee Corso’s Final Show Before Season Opener vs. Texas
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Most Telling Stat: Ohio State needs a rushing duo to amass 2,000 yards
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Which Buckeyes do you think will lead the team in touchdowns, sacks?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Where every Ohio State football player is from: 2025 roster by state
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
One Buckeyes play makes ESPN list of top 25 plays from last 25 years
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
OSU’s Jaloni Cambridge earns invite to USA basketball AmeriCup team trials
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch
Former Ohio State star Maxwell Moldovan to play in fourth-straight U.S. Open
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Paces B1G in Spring/At-Large Academic All-Big Ten Selections
Ohio State Athletics
The Meechie Johnson of baseball
Women’s Tennis: Chavez Selected ITA Midwest Region Most Improved Player
Ohio State Athletics
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
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn 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
College GameDay Coming to Ohio State for Lee Corso’s Final Show Before Season Opener vs. Texas
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Lee's last show...
He started his popular headgear picks in 1996 here in ColumbusHe’ll make his final pick in the Shoe as @OhioStateFB takes on the Longhorns for their home opener August 30th ️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/HTP8dalIeG
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) June 10, 2025
Most Telling Stat: Ohio State needs a rushing duo to amass 2,000 yards
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Which Buckeyes do you think will lead the team in touchdowns, sacks?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Where every Ohio State football player is from: 2025 roster by state
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
One Buckeyes play makes ESPN list of top 25 plays from last 25 years
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
On the Hardwood
OSU’s Jaloni Cambridge earns invite to USA basketball AmeriCup team trials
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Former Ohio State star Maxwell Moldovan to play in fourth-straight U.S. Open
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Paces B1G in Spring/At-Large Academic All-Big Ten Selections
Ohio State Athletics
The Meechie Johnson of baseball
Women’s Tennis: Chavez Selected ITA Midwest Region Most Improved Player
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: SI’s Kevin Sweeney chats hoops; Mathieu Grujicic commits to Ohio State
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- 0 Replies
Bucketheads Podcast: SI’s Kevin Sweeney chats hoops; Mathieu Grujicic commits to Ohio State
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Grau/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images
Sweeney joins us for the third time to talk about what wrong last season, Dusty May vs. Jake Diebler, the new look Buckeyes and more.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 161 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Justin and Connor are joined by Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated to talk all things Ohio State Hoops and Big Ten Basketball.
To open the interview, we discuss last year’s failures and what went wrong for the Buckeyes. How much blame falls on the shoulders of Jake Diebler, and how much did the Meechie Johnson situation hurt them?
Then we turn to the Dusty May vs. Jake Diebler conversation and how fair it is to Diebler. After that, we get into the current roster and which of the transfers are most likely to have an impact.
To close, we throw some Big Ten quick hitting questions at Kevin and talk DePaul with the Chicago native.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Kevin:
Twitter: @CBB_Central
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
Photo by David Grau/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images
Sweeney joins us for the third time to talk about what wrong last season, Dusty May vs. Jake Diebler, the new look Buckeyes and more.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 161 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Justin and Connor are joined by Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated to talk all things Ohio State Hoops and Big Ten Basketball.
To open the interview, we discuss last year’s failures and what went wrong for the Buckeyes. How much blame falls on the shoulders of Jake Diebler, and how much did the Meechie Johnson situation hurt them?
Then we turn to the Dusty May vs. Jake Diebler conversation and how fair it is to Diebler. After that, we get into the current roster and which of the transfers are most likely to have an impact.
To close, we throw some Big Ten quick hitting questions at Kevin and talk DePaul with the Chicago native.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Kevin:
Twitter: @CBB_Central
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State offers talented 2028 in-state prospect, set to host a top QB on Thursday
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State offers talented 2028 in-state prospect, set to host a top QB on Thursday
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nicolas Galindo/The Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Buckeyes dish out another two offers, including one to Ohio native Jameer Whyce.
Now nearly two weeks into June for Ohio State’s coaching staff, the recruiting news has been consistent. Previewed that this would be the busiest time of the year for their on-campus recruiting efforts, that has been the case thus far. With new offers going out, visits happening daily, and even the momentum of commitments, the Buckeyes are putting it all out there, and so far so good.
The commitment this week of Khary Wilder being a perfect example to the success this staff will have the rest of this month. Wednesday was more of the same, as visits, new offers and other various news was shared.
In many cases, Ohio State’s coaching and recruiting staff have their targets pretty much ready to go in the current cycles. The big-name in-state and national players being the guys the Buckeyes are typically focusing on, it makes sense when they have top five recruiting classes year in and year out.
Looking ahead and down the road, the summer camp opportunities provide a major opportunity for the staff to learn new names, and that’s always a welcomed development. A new name on the table now, the Buckeyes didn’t have to look far as they gave out their latest offer to Dayton, Ohio native Jameer Whyce.
A Trotwood-Madison product, Whyce comes from a very strong prep program that has produced plenty of division one talent over the years. With just one high school season under his belt, Whyce looks to be the next in line to carry on the tradition.
At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Whyce is already at an impressive frame for his young age. With over double-digit offers to his name, you see why Ohio State isn’t wasting anymore time getting familiar with this Ohio native. Unranked currently, it’s really only a matter of time before he’s listed as one of the top players at his defensive line position for the 2028 cycle.
Plenty of time for Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes to build a relationship now, look for defensive line recruiting to remain a priority in each class.
The majority of evaluations in the current recruiting class have been done to this point, but that doesn’t mean Ohio State isn’t still looking at new and other top players to fill their needs. At 15 commits in the fold and several more to go, this staff will continue their pursuit of top talent, and Wednesday a new name in the current cycle landed his latest offer.
Mississippi native TJ White is one of the latest to hear from the Buckeyes, and seeing his profile it makes sense as to why Ohio State is interested. A 6-foot-2, 225 pound linebacker, White is the No. 113 player nationally and seventh best at his position per the 247Sports Composite.
Holding 30 offers to his name and from many of the top schools in the country, Ohio State is late to the party, but with James Laurinaitis doing the bulk of the recruiting, the Buckeyes can make up ground as well as anyone else.
With one true linebacker committed thus far thanks to Ohio native CJ Sanna, the Buckeyes are ready to add additional players to the position group. While major targets have Ohio State in a great position, this latest offer shows the staff is leaving no stone unturned as they try and secure the top class in the country for the 2026 cycle.
The No. 22 player nationally and top quarterback in the 2027 class per the 247Sports Composite, Haven will be on campus to see Ohio State and all they have to offer. Not impacting Edmunds and his status, this visit would get interesting if Ohio State extends an offer, but again, the Buckeyes have their guy in 2027 and that relationship seems to be as strong as it gets with Brady being the face of his class and a true peer recruiting leader.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nicolas Galindo/The Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Buckeyes dish out another two offers, including one to Ohio native Jameer Whyce.
Now nearly two weeks into June for Ohio State’s coaching staff, the recruiting news has been consistent. Previewed that this would be the busiest time of the year for their on-campus recruiting efforts, that has been the case thus far. With new offers going out, visits happening daily, and even the momentum of commitments, the Buckeyes are putting it all out there, and so far so good.
The commitment this week of Khary Wilder being a perfect example to the success this staff will have the rest of this month. Wednesday was more of the same, as visits, new offers and other various news was shared.
Buckeyes offer future in-state star
In many cases, Ohio State’s coaching and recruiting staff have their targets pretty much ready to go in the current cycles. The big-name in-state and national players being the guys the Buckeyes are typically focusing on, it makes sense when they have top five recruiting classes year in and year out.
Looking ahead and down the road, the summer camp opportunities provide a major opportunity for the staff to learn new names, and that’s always a welcomed development. A new name on the table now, the Buckeyes didn’t have to look far as they gave out their latest offer to Dayton, Ohio native Jameer Whyce.
A Trotwood-Madison product, Whyce comes from a very strong prep program that has produced plenty of division one talent over the years. With just one high school season under his belt, Whyce looks to be the next in line to carry on the tradition.
At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Whyce is already at an impressive frame for his young age. With over double-digit offers to his name, you see why Ohio State isn’t wasting anymore time getting familiar with this Ohio native. Unranked currently, it’s really only a matter of time before he’s listed as one of the top players at his defensive line position for the 2028 cycle.
Plenty of time for Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes to build a relationship now, look for defensive line recruiting to remain a priority in each class.
Very honored to say I’ve received an offer from The Ohio State University! #GoBucks️ @AllenTrieu @GregSmithRivals @SWiltfong_ @R2X_Rushmen1 @Kivy9292 @CoachTreWB @TMRamFootball pic.twitter.com/MM1k0UNsw4
— Jameer “JUICE” Whyce (@juicewhyce_) June 11, 2025
Ohio State dishes out new offer to 2026 linebacker
The majority of evaluations in the current recruiting class have been done to this point, but that doesn’t mean Ohio State isn’t still looking at new and other top players to fill their needs. At 15 commits in the fold and several more to go, this staff will continue their pursuit of top talent, and Wednesday a new name in the current cycle landed his latest offer.
Mississippi native TJ White is one of the latest to hear from the Buckeyes, and seeing his profile it makes sense as to why Ohio State is interested. A 6-foot-2, 225 pound linebacker, White is the No. 113 player nationally and seventh best at his position per the 247Sports Composite.
Holding 30 offers to his name and from many of the top schools in the country, Ohio State is late to the party, but with James Laurinaitis doing the bulk of the recruiting, the Buckeyes can make up ground as well as anyone else.
With one true linebacker committed thus far thanks to Ohio native CJ Sanna, the Buckeyes are ready to add additional players to the position group. While major targets have Ohio State in a great position, this latest offer shows the staff is leaving no stone unturned as they try and secure the top class in the country for the 2026 cycle.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State has their 2027 quarterback commit already locked up thanks to California native, Brady Edmunds, and with his recent visit to campus that has only been further confirmed. Still, any time the top player at the position is visiting it’s worth noting, and the Buckeyes will play host to Elijah Haven later today.
The No. 22 player nationally and top quarterback in the 2027 class per the 247Sports Composite, Haven will be on campus to see Ohio State and all they have to offer. Not impacting Edmunds and his status, this visit would get interesting if Ohio State extends an offer, but again, the Buckeyes have their guy in 2027 and that relationship seems to be as strong as it gets with Brady being the face of his class and a true peer recruiting leader.
Continue reading...
LGHL Most Telling Stat: Ohio State needs a rushing duo to amass 2,000 yards
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- 0 Replies
Most Telling Stat: Ohio State needs a rushing duo to amass 2,000 yards
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
If the Buckeyes can get 2,000 yards rushing from James Peoples and CJ Donaldson, they’ll be in good shape this season.
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 the numbers that will be most important for the Buckeyes this college football season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Most Telling Stat” articles here.
There has been a common theme in Ohio State’s last three national championship seasons. The Buckeyes have been able to get close to or more than 2,000 combined rushing yards from a pair of running backs.
It has become obvious that not only does a potent rushing attack keep opposing defenses honest, when there are two threats sharing the workload in the backfield, the ground game is even more effective since Ohio State’s running backs tend to be fresher than the defenses that are trying to slow them down.
Even though college football is wildly different from what we saw even just a decade ago, there are many philosophies and strategies that will remain unchanged. Despite teams using their passing attacks in creative ways, there is no replacing a strong running game.
Teams that have success running the football wear on opposing defenses, and they also tend to keep control of the football longer, allowing them to keep the offenses of their opponents off the field. Just look at what Michigan did to the Buckeyes in Columbus in November. Despite throwing for just over 60 yards, the Wolverines rolled up double that yardage running the football, allowing them to shock Ohio State 13-10.
For the first part of the 21st century, Ohio State’s bread and butter during Jim Tressel’s tenure as head coach was running the football. Tresselball centered on holding onto the football, building a bit of a lead and then counting on the defense to protect the lead. Urban Meyer spread out the offense a bit but a lot of the ideas were the same.
The major difference under Meyer is he wanted the offense to play with more of a rhythm, and by spreading out the offense he gave the group more room to operate. Ryan Day has carried over a lot of those ideas, putting his own spin on what was run under Meyer.
This year there are going to be a lot of new faces on offense for the Buckeyes. Gone are quarterback Will Howard, running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, as well as offensive linemen Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin.
The best way for Ohio State to try and gain some early confidence with Julian Sayin taking the snaps at quarterback is to trust in running backs James Peoples and West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson. Let Peoples and Henderson tote the rock early on and it should not only open things up for Sayin, it will also give some confidence to an offensive line with a couple new starters.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26024399/1773114682.jpg "West Virginia v UCF")
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
A goal for the running backs for the Ohio State offense this year should be 2,000 yards. The reason for that number is the Buckeyes have had a pair of running backs combine for at least 2,000 yards in their last two title seasons, and Maurice Clarett and Lydell Ross were close to that number during the 2002 season.
Clarett and Ross finished with 1,856 yards between them, but back then there wasn’t a Big Ten Championship Game or multiple playoff games like there have been over the last decade. Had Clarett not missed a couple games due to injury during the 2002 season, there’s no doubt the freshman sensation and Ross would have eclipsed 2K on the ground.
During the 2014 season, Ezekiel Elliott nearly hit 2,000 yards by himself, finishing with 1,878 yards rushing after finishing the year by rushing for at least 200 yards in wins over Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon. Even with Elliott shouldering much of the load, Curtis Samuel added 383 yards rushing.
Elliott shined even brighter following the injury to J.T. Barrett in the win over Michigan. With Elliott’s tough running in Ohio State’s biggest games of the year, backup quarterback Cardale Jones had a little more room for error in his first true action as a Buckeye. Ohio State played 15 games in the 2014 season in the first year of the 4-team College Football Playoff.
Last year the Buckeyes played in 16 games for the first time in school history as the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams. Ryan Day knew the expanded playoff was going to make the season a grind, which is why he dipped into the transfer portal and brought in Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss to share the load with TreVeyon Henderson.
When it was all said and done, Henderson ran for 1,016 yards and Judkins finished with 1,060 yards. The rushing combo did have to work through a couple injuries on the offensive line, but by the end of the season they were hitting on all cylinders. The mix of Henderson and Judkins on the ground and Will Howard throwing the football to Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka was nightmare fuel for the four teams the Buckeyes battled following the embarrassing loss to Michigan in late November.
Does a 2,000 yard rusher guarantee a national title? Unfortunately it doesn’t. Just look at what J.K. Dobbins and Master Teague did in 2019, with Dobbins rushing for 2,000 yards by himself. Ohio State’s season ended with a controversial loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, and even if the Buckeyes had beat the Tigers, they would have had a tough time slowing down Joe Burrow and the LSU attack in the championship game.
While having an effective running game doesn’t guarantee a title, it certainly increases the odds that a team can sit on the throne of the college football world.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25937276/usa_today_25006951.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Maybe I’m setting the bar too high for Donaldson and Peoples, but it’s not like running backs haven’t come to Ohio State and made an immediate impact. Clarett and Dobbins did so as freshmen, Trey Sermon set a single-game school record with over 300 yards rushing in the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game, and Judkins ran for over 1,000 yards last season.
Donaldson has plenty of experience and a bruising rushing style that can wear down opposing defenses, while Peoples has big play ability. Plus, running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has already shown he can get the most of Ohio State’s running backs in the short amount of time he has been on Ryan Day’s staff in Columbus.
The key for both running backs will be getting off to a strong start in the season opener since the Buckeyes have a rematch of last year’s CFP semifinal with Texas. Since the game against the Longhorns will be Sayin’s first start at quarterback at the college level, having a reliable rushing attack will do wonders for an Ohio State team that has to replace a lot of starters on each side of the football.
If the running backs can come out of the gates hot, they should be able to gain momentum in the following games since the non-conference schedule eases up following the clash with Texas.
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
If the Buckeyes can get 2,000 yards rushing from James Peoples and CJ Donaldson, they’ll be in good shape this season.
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 the numbers that will be most important for the Buckeyes this college football season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Most Telling Stat” articles here.
There has been a common theme in Ohio State’s last three national championship seasons. The Buckeyes have been able to get close to or more than 2,000 combined rushing yards from a pair of running backs.
It has become obvious that not only does a potent rushing attack keep opposing defenses honest, when there are two threats sharing the workload in the backfield, the ground game is even more effective since Ohio State’s running backs tend to be fresher than the defenses that are trying to slow them down.
Even though college football is wildly different from what we saw even just a decade ago, there are many philosophies and strategies that will remain unchanged. Despite teams using their passing attacks in creative ways, there is no replacing a strong running game.
Teams that have success running the football wear on opposing defenses, and they also tend to keep control of the football longer, allowing them to keep the offenses of their opponents off the field. Just look at what Michigan did to the Buckeyes in Columbus in November. Despite throwing for just over 60 yards, the Wolverines rolled up double that yardage running the football, allowing them to shock Ohio State 13-10.
For the first part of the 21st century, Ohio State’s bread and butter during Jim Tressel’s tenure as head coach was running the football. Tresselball centered on holding onto the football, building a bit of a lead and then counting on the defense to protect the lead. Urban Meyer spread out the offense a bit but a lot of the ideas were the same.
The major difference under Meyer is he wanted the offense to play with more of a rhythm, and by spreading out the offense he gave the group more room to operate. Ryan Day has carried over a lot of those ideas, putting his own spin on what was run under Meyer.
This year there are going to be a lot of new faces on offense for the Buckeyes. Gone are quarterback Will Howard, running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, as well as offensive linemen Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin.
The best way for Ohio State to try and gain some early confidence with Julian Sayin taking the snaps at quarterback is to trust in running backs James Peoples and West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson. Let Peoples and Henderson tote the rock early on and it should not only open things up for Sayin, it will also give some confidence to an offensive line with a couple new starters.
A goal for the running backs for the Ohio State offense this year should be 2,000 yards. The reason for that number is the Buckeyes have had a pair of running backs combine for at least 2,000 yards in their last two title seasons, and Maurice Clarett and Lydell Ross were close to that number during the 2002 season.
Clarett and Ross finished with 1,856 yards between them, but back then there wasn’t a Big Ten Championship Game or multiple playoff games like there have been over the last decade. Had Clarett not missed a couple games due to injury during the 2002 season, there’s no doubt the freshman sensation and Ross would have eclipsed 2K on the ground.
During the 2014 season, Ezekiel Elliott nearly hit 2,000 yards by himself, finishing with 1,878 yards rushing after finishing the year by rushing for at least 200 yards in wins over Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon. Even with Elliott shouldering much of the load, Curtis Samuel added 383 yards rushing.
Elliott shined even brighter following the injury to J.T. Barrett in the win over Michigan. With Elliott’s tough running in Ohio State’s biggest games of the year, backup quarterback Cardale Jones had a little more room for error in his first true action as a Buckeye. Ohio State played 15 games in the 2014 season in the first year of the 4-team College Football Playoff.
Last year the Buckeyes played in 16 games for the first time in school history as the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams. Ryan Day knew the expanded playoff was going to make the season a grind, which is why he dipped into the transfer portal and brought in Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss to share the load with TreVeyon Henderson.
When it was all said and done, Henderson ran for 1,016 yards and Judkins finished with 1,060 yards. The rushing combo did have to work through a couple injuries on the offensive line, but by the end of the season they were hitting on all cylinders. The mix of Henderson and Judkins on the ground and Will Howard throwing the football to Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka was nightmare fuel for the four teams the Buckeyes battled following the embarrassing loss to Michigan in late November.
Does a 2,000 yard rusher guarantee a national title? Unfortunately it doesn’t. Just look at what J.K. Dobbins and Master Teague did in 2019, with Dobbins rushing for 2,000 yards by himself. Ohio State’s season ended with a controversial loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, and even if the Buckeyes had beat the Tigers, they would have had a tough time slowing down Joe Burrow and the LSU attack in the championship game.
While having an effective running game doesn’t guarantee a title, it certainly increases the odds that a team can sit on the throne of the college football world.
Maybe I’m setting the bar too high for Donaldson and Peoples, but it’s not like running backs haven’t come to Ohio State and made an immediate impact. Clarett and Dobbins did so as freshmen, Trey Sermon set a single-game school record with over 300 yards rushing in the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game, and Judkins ran for over 1,000 yards last season.
Donaldson has plenty of experience and a bruising rushing style that can wear down opposing defenses, while Peoples has big play ability. Plus, running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has already shown he can get the most of Ohio State’s running backs in the short amount of time he has been on Ryan Day’s staff in Columbus.
The key for both running backs will be getting off to a strong start in the season opener since the Buckeyes have a rematch of last year’s CFP semifinal with Texas. Since the game against the Longhorns will be Sayin’s first start at quarterback at the college level, having a reliable rushing attack will do wonders for an Ohio State team that has to replace a lot of starters on each side of the football.
If the running backs can come out of the gates hot, they should be able to gain momentum in the following games since the non-conference schedule eases up following the clash with Texas.
Continue reading...
2028 OH DL Jameer Whyce (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2028
Position: DE
School: Trotwood(OH)Trotwood Madison
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 270lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2028
Position: DE
School: Trotwood(OH)Trotwood Madison
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 270lbs
Login to view embedded media
2026 MS LB Theron White (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: LB
School: Jackson(MS) Jackson Academy
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: LB
School: Jackson(MS) Jackson Academy
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL BOOM! Ohio State gets commitment from four-star edge rusher Khary Wilder
- News
- 0 Replies
BOOM! Ohio State gets commitment from four-star edge rusher Khary Wilder
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Khary Wilder | @WilderKhary
The California native becomes the first defensive lineman in the Buckeyes’ 2026 class.
It took a little longer than many likely would have liked, but Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson got his first BOOM of the 2026 cycle on Tuesday as four-star edge rusher Khary Wilder pledged to play his college football for the Buckeyes.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound d-lineman from Junipero Serra High School in California visited Columbus over the last weekend in May, and following a trip to UCLA this past weekend, committed to the Buckeyes when Johnson and new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia visited his home while on a recruiting trip in California.
Wilder had previously planned to visit Notre Dame and Washington during the second half of June, but has canceled those visits since committing to Ohio State.
Currently, Wilder is rated as the No. 242 prospect in the 2026 class and the 23rd highest rated edge rusher, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Wilder selected the Buckeyes from over two dozen other offers, including schools like Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, USC, Utah, and Washington. Earlier this year, 247Sports’ national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins noted that Wilder has continued to improve throughout his high school career, but projects to be a three-tech or traditional tackle at the collegiate level, although Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic notes that Ohio State has him slotted in at his current edge rusher slot.
“He shows off natural pass rush skill and can beat an opposing guard or tackle with quickness and power,” Biggins said. “He plays with grown man strength and can toss an opposing lineman aside and gets a solid push even against a double team. He has a relentless motor as well and one of those players that just keeps coming.”
Wilder becomes the 15th member of OSU’s 2026 class, joining defensive players, safeties Blaine Bradford and Simeon Caldwell, cornerbacks Jordan Thomas and Jakob Weatherspoon, and linebacker CJ Sanna.
Ohio State currently has the second-rated class in the cycle behind only USC. However, the Trojans have amassed a sizeable lead thanks to the fact that they have collected 28 total commitments to OSU’s 15. Ryan Day and company have moved up the rankings this past week with the commitment of Wilder and four-star running back Favour Akih over the weekend. As of today, the Buckeyes are the only program in the country with multiple five-star prospects in their class.
Hopefully, the fireworks continue to light up Columbus and the recruiting world throughout the summer as the Buckeyes bring more and more high-impact prospects to town.
Check out some highlights from Wilder’s junior season:
Continue reading...
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Khary Wilder | @WilderKhary
The California native becomes the first defensive lineman in the Buckeyes’ 2026 class.
It took a little longer than many likely would have liked, but Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson got his first BOOM of the 2026 cycle on Tuesday as four-star edge rusher Khary Wilder pledged to play his college football for the Buckeyes.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound d-lineman from Junipero Serra High School in California visited Columbus over the last weekend in May, and following a trip to UCLA this past weekend, committed to the Buckeyes when Johnson and new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia visited his home while on a recruiting trip in California.
Wilder had previously planned to visit Notre Dame and Washington during the second half of June, but has canceled those visits since committing to Ohio State.
Currently, Wilder is rated as the No. 242 prospect in the 2026 class and the 23rd highest rated edge rusher, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Wilder selected the Buckeyes from over two dozen other offers, including schools like Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, USC, Utah, and Washington. Earlier this year, 247Sports’ national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins noted that Wilder has continued to improve throughout his high school career, but projects to be a three-tech or traditional tackle at the collegiate level, although Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic notes that Ohio State has him slotted in at his current edge rusher slot.
“He shows off natural pass rush skill and can beat an opposing guard or tackle with quickness and power,” Biggins said. “He plays with grown man strength and can toss an opposing lineman aside and gets a solid push even against a double team. He has a relentless motor as well and one of those players that just keeps coming.”
Wilder becomes the 15th member of OSU’s 2026 class, joining defensive players, safeties Blaine Bradford and Simeon Caldwell, cornerbacks Jordan Thomas and Jakob Weatherspoon, and linebacker CJ Sanna.
Ohio State currently has the second-rated class in the cycle behind only USC. However, the Trojans have amassed a sizeable lead thanks to the fact that they have collected 28 total commitments to OSU’s 15. Ryan Day and company have moved up the rankings this past week with the commitment of Wilder and four-star running back Favour Akih over the weekend. As of today, the Buckeyes are the only program in the country with multiple five-star prospects in their class.
Hopefully, the fireworks continue to light up Columbus and the recruiting world throughout the summer as the Buckeyes bring more and more high-impact prospects to town.
Check out some highlights from Wilder’s junior season:
Continue reading...
2026 FL DB Danny Odem (Verbal Offer)
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- Football Recruiting
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