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LGHL Ohio State loses out on a top in-state target, hope to bounce back this weekend
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Ohio State loses out on a top in-state target, hope to bounce back this weekend
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes are hoping to win out for an elite Texas linebacker on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Ohio State saw arguably their first real bad news this 2025 cycle when in-state prospect Justin Hill chose Alabama over the Buckeyes. The No. 58 player nationally and fourth-best edge rusher in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Hill decided on the Crimson Tide over Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.
No real way of sugar-coating it — this is a major loss for the Buckeyes.
Shortly before his announcement Wednesday afternoon, the Crystal Ball predictions flipped from Ohio State to Alabama, and the writing was on the walls that the staff was losing out on a recruitment that is very important to say the least. Rumors of his family preferring Alabama and more, the Buckeyes lost their footing in the final stretch.
Ohio State’s lack of his “Jack” position on the field is likely the real cause for why the Buckeyes lost this recruitment. Not utilizing his position is confusing, considering Jim Knowles is very much a proponent of using multiple defensive fronts. Larry Johnson’s commitment to a four-down front left Hill without seeing a real example of how he’d be used in Ohio State’s defense, and you just have to believe that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Losing an elite playmaker is never easy, but when he’s an in-state product and from a prep program you have recruited well in the past, it stings that much more. However, it is important to note that the Buckeyes still boast the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, and have a very impressive haul already along the defensive line. Up to five commits currently, Johnson can’t take too much heat for one miss, but winning elsewhere would soften the blow.
For now, you can guarantee Ohio State will continue recruiting Hill up until he signs. This season could be one where the multiple defensive schemes are shown, and if so, maybe the Buckeyes can get right back in the mix for a potential flip. It’s nothing to bank on, but all is not totally lost, and surely the staff will try their hand again until ink hits paper.
Shortly after the aforementioned Hill’s decision was made, linebackers coach James Laurinaitis took to social media to release the tweet below, and immediately that had Buckeye fans all over rumbling about what this could mean.
Not solely the position coach Hill would have had in Columbus, Laurinaitis was still very much a lead role in that recruitment, so it could have had something to do with his pledge. However, the initial thought here is that this likely hints toward the feeling that Ohio State and their 2025 defensive recruiting efforts are going to be just fine when all is said and done.
With a commitment announcement coming from Texas linebacker target Riley Pettijohn later this weekend, some believe the Buckeyes are in the driver seat, with USC following just behind. Again, the rug could always be pulled out in the final moments once again, but seeing Texas insiders removing their picks toward the Longhorns and hearing 247Sports’ Mike Roach state that, “the winds are blowing toward Ohio State,” has to mean something.
The No. 31 player nationally and the fourth-best linebacker in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite is set to announce on Saturday, and a commitment for Ohio State would be just what the doctor ordered to get the defense quickly back on the right track.
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
The Buckeyes are hoping to win out for an elite Texas linebacker on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Ohio State saw arguably their first real bad news this 2025 cycle when in-state prospect Justin Hill chose Alabama over the Buckeyes. The No. 58 player nationally and fourth-best edge rusher in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Hill decided on the Crimson Tide over Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.
No real way of sugar-coating it — this is a major loss for the Buckeyes.
Shortly before his announcement Wednesday afternoon, the Crystal Ball predictions flipped from Ohio State to Alabama, and the writing was on the walls that the staff was losing out on a recruitment that is very important to say the least. Rumors of his family preferring Alabama and more, the Buckeyes lost their footing in the final stretch.
Ohio State’s lack of his “Jack” position on the field is likely the real cause for why the Buckeyes lost this recruitment. Not utilizing his position is confusing, considering Jim Knowles is very much a proponent of using multiple defensive fronts. Larry Johnson’s commitment to a four-down front left Hill without seeing a real example of how he’d be used in Ohio State’s defense, and you just have to believe that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Losing an elite playmaker is never easy, but when he’s an in-state product and from a prep program you have recruited well in the past, it stings that much more. However, it is important to note that the Buckeyes still boast the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, and have a very impressive haul already along the defensive line. Up to five commits currently, Johnson can’t take too much heat for one miss, but winning elsewhere would soften the blow.
For now, you can guarantee Ohio State will continue recruiting Hill up until he signs. This season could be one where the multiple defensive schemes are shown, and if so, maybe the Buckeyes can get right back in the mix for a potential flip. It’s nothing to bank on, but all is not totally lost, and surely the staff will try their hand again until ink hits paper.
Cryptic tweet could spell good news for Buckeyes
Shortly after the aforementioned Hill’s decision was made, linebackers coach James Laurinaitis took to social media to release the tweet below, and immediately that had Buckeye fans all over rumbling about what this could mean.
Not solely the position coach Hill would have had in Columbus, Laurinaitis was still very much a lead role in that recruitment, so it could have had something to do with his pledge. However, the initial thought here is that this likely hints toward the feeling that Ohio State and their 2025 defensive recruiting efforts are going to be just fine when all is said and done.
With a commitment announcement coming from Texas linebacker target Riley Pettijohn later this weekend, some believe the Buckeyes are in the driver seat, with USC following just behind. Again, the rug could always be pulled out in the final moments once again, but seeing Texas insiders removing their picks toward the Longhorns and hearing 247Sports’ Mike Roach state that, “the winds are blowing toward Ohio State,” has to mean something.
The No. 31 player nationally and the fourth-best linebacker in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite is set to announce on Saturday, and a commitment for Ohio State would be just what the doctor ordered to get the defense quickly back on the right track.
Quick Hits
- Five-star receiver and Ohio State target Dakorien Moore announced via social media last night that he will make his commitment later today. The No. 3 player nationally and top receiver in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Moore is down to just LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, and Texas. Though the Buckeyes are certainly in the mix here, it would be a surprise at this point if the Longhorns weren’t the pick.
NEWS Five-Star Plus+ WR Dakorien Moore will announce his commitment tomorrow on July 4, per @Hayesfawcett3
Will it be Texas, LSU, Oregon or Ohio State?
Read: https://t.co/eIRSszRs81 pic.twitter.com/FuPPklbHww
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) July 4, 2024
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LGHL Burning Question(s): Can Justin Frye recruit?
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Burning Question(s): Can Justin Frye recruit?
Josh Dooley 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
Ohio State’s previous OL coach sure seems to take a lot of heat for the Buckeyes’ perceived lack of depth and/or talent up front, but at this point, isn’t it more of a Frye issue?
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 most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content and our ”Burning Questions” articles here.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, Ohio State had three offensive linemen drafted, including and highlighted by Paris Johnson Jr. at No. 6 overall. Last season in Columbus, left tackle Josh Simmons finished first among Buckeye big men in overall pass block(ing) grade according to PFF. This, after transferring in from San Diego State last summer and moving to a new position (Simmons played RT exclusively at SDSU).
So there are certain things for which OSU offensive line coach Justin Frye deserves at least a little bit of credit... But then there’s the, uh, other things.
Like, most of us saw the Cotton Bowl, right? No offense to Enokk Vimahi, but randomly trotting out a new OL for that game against Missouri was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen. Before that, it was poor execution in pivotal moments against Michigan. Before that, it was slight-to-moderate regression throughout the 2023 season across Ohio State’s entire OL. Except for arguably Simmons, who still wasn’t exactly Trent Williams out there.
I am not personally calling for anyone’s job, but the video below speaks for itself:
Then I could get into basic communication stuff, failures in the run game, not trying Matthew Jones at center sooner (his natural position), and so on. But I think you get the point. There is no sense in beating a proverbial dead horse.
Unfortunately, gameplanning and on-field execution (by his players) are not the only areas in which Frye has occasionally come up short during his time in Columbus. In my mind, the bigger and more concerning issue is and has been his inability to recruit at a high level.
Because at least glass-half-full OSU fans could look back at 2023 and say “Well, the cupboard was bare. That’s on Greg Studrawa.” And there’s certainly an argument to be made for Coach Stud not setting the next guy or gal up for success. However, since 2022, it has been on Frye to replenish said cupboard; something that would then allow him to focus primarily on cleaning up and improving the Buckeyes’ OL play.
The problem there is that since joining Ohio State’s coaching staff – which should make things (recruiting) easier almost by default – Frye has largely failed to replenish that stupid cupboard I keep talking about. It’s like he’s going to the good grocery store(s), in the good neighborhood(s), and looking for the good groceries, ingredients, whatever... But then somebody walks over to the produce section and steals his basket or cart. Defeated, Frye decides to just stop by the local corner store on his way home and pick up whatever’s available.
**Before I go any further, I want to make one thing crystal clear: This is not meant to be a shot at, or criticism of, the players that Frye and OSU have brought in as part of the program’s last two recruiting classes (or via the transfer portal).
That being said, Frye has landed just one top-150 recruit since arriving in Columbus. And that player (Luke Montgomery) is from Ohio, meaning he likely grew up hoping, wanting, and wishing to be a Buckeye someday. Frye’s next best recruiting effort was landing Ian Moore as part of the 2024 class. The latter was ranked No. 182 overall and hails from Indiana.
So it’s not as if Frye went into Florida or the heart of the south and “stole” a player who I actually think has the potential to be a stud sooner rather than later.
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Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Frye criticism temporarily aside, he got a good one in Moore
Not including Montgomery and Moore, Frye has helped Ohio State sign six other OL — all three-stars. Of those six, four were in-state prospects. In the transfer portal, he helped lure Simmons and former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin, both experienced but available for a reason. Conversely, Studrawa helped land at least one top-60 overall player every year he was in Columbus.
So again, no offense to the guys that Frye is bringing in, but his recruiting classes simply aren’t good enough. Not if we’re measuring them against the classes signed by Stud, who Ryan Day kicked to the curb.
Now you might come back at me and say “Ok, but look ahead to 2025. OSU is poised to land Carter Lowe, currently ranked No. 33 overall.”
And? Your point is? Look, I believe that Lowe is absolutely the real deal, but guess what. He’s from Ohio. Landing him should be like shooting fish in a barrel. Lowe is also the ONLY OL currently committed to the Buckeyes as part of their 2025 class. While I realize that teams are just now starting to build and solidify their ’25 classes, that hasn’t stopped several (other) Ohio State OL targets from committing elsewhere.
Of course, all will be forgiven if Frye is able to land David Sanders Jr. or Josh Petty. But what is our collective level of confidence in that? What is Ryan Day’s? More importantly, what is Day’s current level of confidence in his OL coach in general?
Those sound like burning questions for a different day, no pun intended. So I will get back to my original: Can Justin Frye recruit? Given recent history, I’m not sure that he can. At least not at a high level. And that isn’t going to fly at Ohio State for long.
Fortunately for Frye, he has about six months to prove people such as myself wrong. I certainly hope that he does, and if/when that happens, I will gladly write a piece or go on a podcast to eat crow.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley 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
Ohio State’s previous OL coach sure seems to take a lot of heat for the Buckeyes’ perceived lack of depth and/or talent up front, but at this point, isn’t it more of a Frye issue?
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 most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content and our ”Burning Questions” articles here.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, Ohio State had three offensive linemen drafted, including and highlighted by Paris Johnson Jr. at No. 6 overall. Last season in Columbus, left tackle Josh Simmons finished first among Buckeye big men in overall pass block(ing) grade according to PFF. This, after transferring in from San Diego State last summer and moving to a new position (Simmons played RT exclusively at SDSU).
So there are certain things for which OSU offensive line coach Justin Frye deserves at least a little bit of credit... But then there’s the, uh, other things.
Like, most of us saw the Cotton Bowl, right? No offense to Enokk Vimahi, but randomly trotting out a new OL for that game against Missouri was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen. Before that, it was poor execution in pivotal moments against Michigan. Before that, it was slight-to-moderate regression throughout the 2023 season across Ohio State’s entire OL. Except for arguably Simmons, who still wasn’t exactly Trent Williams out there.
I am not personally calling for anyone’s job, but the video below speaks for itself:
Then I could get into basic communication stuff, failures in the run game, not trying Matthew Jones at center sooner (his natural position), and so on. But I think you get the point. There is no sense in beating a proverbial dead horse.
Unfortunately, gameplanning and on-field execution (by his players) are not the only areas in which Frye has occasionally come up short during his time in Columbus. In my mind, the bigger and more concerning issue is and has been his inability to recruit at a high level.
Because at least glass-half-full OSU fans could look back at 2023 and say “Well, the cupboard was bare. That’s on Greg Studrawa.” And there’s certainly an argument to be made for Coach Stud not setting the next guy or gal up for success. However, since 2022, it has been on Frye to replenish said cupboard; something that would then allow him to focus primarily on cleaning up and improving the Buckeyes’ OL play.
The problem there is that since joining Ohio State’s coaching staff – which should make things (recruiting) easier almost by default – Frye has largely failed to replenish that stupid cupboard I keep talking about. It’s like he’s going to the good grocery store(s), in the good neighborhood(s), and looking for the good groceries, ingredients, whatever... But then somebody walks over to the produce section and steals his basket or cart. Defeated, Frye decides to just stop by the local corner store on his way home and pick up whatever’s available.
**Before I go any further, I want to make one thing crystal clear: This is not meant to be a shot at, or criticism of, the players that Frye and OSU have brought in as part of the program’s last two recruiting classes (or via the transfer portal).
That being said, Frye has landed just one top-150 recruit since arriving in Columbus. And that player (Luke Montgomery) is from Ohio, meaning he likely grew up hoping, wanting, and wishing to be a Buckeye someday. Frye’s next best recruiting effort was landing Ian Moore as part of the 2024 class. The latter was ranked No. 182 overall and hails from Indiana.
So it’s not as if Frye went into Florida or the heart of the south and “stole” a player who I actually think has the potential to be a stud sooner rather than later.
Frye criticism temporarily aside, he got a good one in Moore
Not including Montgomery and Moore, Frye has helped Ohio State sign six other OL — all three-stars. Of those six, four were in-state prospects. In the transfer portal, he helped lure Simmons and former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin, both experienced but available for a reason. Conversely, Studrawa helped land at least one top-60 overall player every year he was in Columbus.
So again, no offense to the guys that Frye is bringing in, but his recruiting classes simply aren’t good enough. Not if we’re measuring them against the classes signed by Stud, who Ryan Day kicked to the curb.
Now you might come back at me and say “Ok, but look ahead to 2025. OSU is poised to land Carter Lowe, currently ranked No. 33 overall.”
And? Your point is? Look, I believe that Lowe is absolutely the real deal, but guess what. He’s from Ohio. Landing him should be like shooting fish in a barrel. Lowe is also the ONLY OL currently committed to the Buckeyes as part of their 2025 class. While I realize that teams are just now starting to build and solidify their ’25 classes, that hasn’t stopped several (other) Ohio State OL targets from committing elsewhere.
Of course, all will be forgiven if Frye is able to land David Sanders Jr. or Josh Petty. But what is our collective level of confidence in that? What is Ryan Day’s? More importantly, what is Day’s current level of confidence in his OL coach in general?
Those sound like burning questions for a different day, no pun intended. So I will get back to my original: Can Justin Frye recruit? Given recent history, I’m not sure that he can. At least not at a high level. And that isn’t going to fly at Ohio State for long.
Fortunately for Frye, he has about six months to prove people such as myself wrong. I certainly hope that he does, and if/when that happens, I will gladly write a piece or go on a podcast to eat crow.
Continue reading...