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College: Ole Miss
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LGHL We’ll talk about this later: Christian McCaffrey, The Replacements and when ‘next man up’ takes on a new meeting
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We’ll talk about this later: Christian McCaffrey, The Replacements and when ‘next man up’ takes on a new meeting
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.
Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?
Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers was out of hand by the second half when the Eagles held a two-score lead. While the 49ers’ defense kept Philadelphia in check through most of the first half, we all knew the game was over when Brock Purdy, the Mr. Irrelevant-turned-rookie-phenom from Iowa State, got hurt during San Francisco’s first offensive drive.
For those counting, Purdy was the 49ers third-string quarterback at the start of the season. He only began his phenomenal run after injuries to both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. The last eight games have been wild as we celebrated that the last pick of the draft, as a rookie, had led his team to an NFC Championship game.
But it was not to be. And the fourth-string quarterback, Josh Johnson — the 36-year old quarterback on his 14th team in his 15th NFL season — was called into action for the first time this season.
Then, the unthinkable happened, and Johnson himself took a big hit, went into concussion protocol and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. With Purdy still questionable, a hurried scramble ensued on the San Francisco sidelines — because the fifth-string quarterback was none other than star running back Christian McCaffrey, and the staff had to change McCaffrey’s helmet as the on-field signal caller.
I myself was keen to see McCaffrey line up at quarterback. He’s already a running back who can line up at receiver. As one of the most dynamic athletes in the league, it would have been exciting to see him lineup at quarterback for his team which was down a lot just to see what he could do.
Alas, it was not to be, because Purdy ended up coming back in for what ended up being a brutal, sloppy, penalty-filled second half for the 49ers.
However, the possibility of a fifth-string McCaffrey coming in for a real life version of The Replacements recalled some of the other times unlikely heroes stepped up for their teams:
McCaffrey, sadly, didn’t make this list, but we can still talk about these other replacements after all this time, which is the whole point, right?
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.
Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?
Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers was out of hand by the second half when the Eagles held a two-score lead. While the 49ers’ defense kept Philadelphia in check through most of the first half, we all knew the game was over when Brock Purdy, the Mr. Irrelevant-turned-rookie-phenom from Iowa State, got hurt during San Francisco’s first offensive drive.
For those counting, Purdy was the 49ers third-string quarterback at the start of the season. He only began his phenomenal run after injuries to both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. The last eight games have been wild as we celebrated that the last pick of the draft, as a rookie, had led his team to an NFC Championship game.
Last pick of the draft
Brock Purdy is Mr. Irrelevant no more pic.twitter.com/8KM5cnGwde
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 29, 2023
But it was not to be. And the fourth-string quarterback, Josh Johnson — the 36-year old quarterback on his 14th team in his 15th NFL season — was called into action for the first time this season.
Then, the unthinkable happened, and Johnson himself took a big hit, went into concussion protocol and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. With Purdy still questionable, a hurried scramble ensued on the San Francisco sidelines — because the fifth-string quarterback was none other than star running back Christian McCaffrey, and the staff had to change McCaffrey’s helmet as the on-field signal caller.
I myself was keen to see McCaffrey line up at quarterback. He’s already a running back who can line up at receiver. As one of the most dynamic athletes in the league, it would have been exciting to see him lineup at quarterback for his team which was down a lot just to see what he could do.
Alas, it was not to be, because Purdy ended up coming back in for what ended up being a brutal, sloppy, penalty-filled second half for the 49ers.
However, the possibility of a fifth-string McCaffrey coming in for a real life version of The Replacements recalled some of the other times unlikely heroes stepped up for their teams:
- When 36-year old accountant Scott Foster played a single game as an emergency goalie for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 after all the Blackhawks’ starting and reserve goalies were injured.
- D’Ernest Johnson’s performance for the Cleveland Browns in 2021. Johnson went undrafted in 2018 and was working on a fishing boat in Key West before finding his way to Cleveland. He got his first start after Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were ruled out, and capitalized with a 146-yard, one-touchdown performance in a 17-14 Cleveland victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football.
- Linsanity, when undrafted Harvard grad Jeremy Lin came out of nowhere in 2012 to lead the New York Knicks to a playoff appearance.
- Eric Weddle, who came out of retirement from a 13-year NFL career to play with the L.A. Rams during their 2021 Super Bowl run. Weddle, a safety, signed with the Rams’ practice squad in January 2021 after injury issues mounted in the the defensive secondary. He promptly retired after the Super Bowl.
- The actual origin story of the replacements, the 1987 NFL strike when Washington’s players were on strike and replacement players won three early-season games. Washington would go on to win the Super Bowl that year.
- The replacement refs who, after a 2012 labor dispute kept the normal NFL refs off the field for the first three weeks of the regular season, made us appreciate the refs we had.
McCaffrey, sadly, didn’t make this list, but we can still talk about these other replacements after all this time, which is the whole point, right?
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Notes: Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Purdue
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Game Notes: Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Purdue
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
A tough week got worse Sunday for the Buckeyes
If the idea of “no losses, just lessons” is true, then the Ohio State women’s basketball team is learning its fair share of lessons. Last week, the Buckeyes dropped three games in a row, and Sunday’s was the toughest one to take for the Scarlet & Gray.
After dropping games to two top-10 ranked teams, the Buckeyes lost to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers 73-65. Here’s what to take away from that game, including comments from head coach Kevin McGuff and guards Taylor Mikesell and Taylor Thierry.
Coach McGuff was straightforward and to the point in the first things he said to the media following Sunday's defeat.
“They came in, they were focused. They were ready and we were not,” said McGuff.
Purdue began the game with a firestorm of three-point shots. The Boilermakers shot 77.8% from deep, hitting 7-for-9. On most of those attempts, the Buckeyes did have hands up to try and stop the shot; which on the surface, looks like good defense, but Ohio State needed to rush on those attempts because they couldn’t disrupt Purdue enough to not find those shooters.
Both Abbey Ellis and Cassidy Hardin went 3-for-3 against the Buckeyes, with a couple of those coming from wide-open looks. It put Ohio State in a 27-13 hole after only the first quarter.
There’s also an argument to be made that the offense didn’t help either. The Buckeyes are 14-for-68 from deep since Monday’s loss to the then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes. While offensively, Ohio State hasn’t been great, the main culprit on the day was clear to Mikesell.
“A lot of it was our defense,” said Mikesell. “We weren’t really getting out there to contest. You could see in the second half when we came out with energy they weren’t getting as many easy looks so we’ve just got to come out more locked in and more focused on knowing our personnel.”
Ohio State had another comeback in the second half, tying the game at 58 apiece with 4:28 left in the game. Then, the Buckeyes lost focus again, allowing Purdue to outscore them 15 to seven in the final minutes of the game. Part of that was an important exit by Ohio State.
The Buckeyes couldn’t afford to lose Thierry on Sunday, but they did. After hitting the game-tying layup, the next offensive possession saw Thierry get her fifth foul, on an offensive charging call.
“I agree with that call but a couple of the other fouls I had, I don’t know if I agree with that too much,” said Thierry. “But I’ve just got to be more careful about that and just be more mindful.”
Without Thierry, the Boilermakers went on a seven-point run that locked in the victory.
Sunday was the third time Thierry has fouled out in a game, with the first two coming against the Tennessee Volunteers and Louisville Cardinals. In both of those games though, the Buckeyes were in the lead and charging ahead of their opponents.
The idea that Thierry is fouling out more supports two things. Thierry said the first, being more mindful of positioning. While there were some tough calls on Sunday, being in better positioning will help the young forward avoid bad calls. The second is how important Thierry is to the team.
On Thursday, in Indiana, Thierry had four fouls early in the second half but McGuff needed to keep playing her. Sunday, the stretch of Purdue scoring that immediately followed Thierry’s departure wasn’t a coincidence.
The last three games have been difficult for Ohio State but what’s pushed the Buckeyes through some games has been their ability to turn on their scoring at pivotal points of the game.
Outside of Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon, it hasn’t been happening. McMahon’s led the team in the past three days scoring 17.6 points. For Mikesell and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, they’re both averaging under their season totals per game, averaging 12.6 and 7.3 respectively over the past seven days.
Sunday, all three scored 11 points, with Thierry leading all Buckeyes with 18. In the second quarter, Thierry scored nine of Ohio State’s 16 points with the rest of the team going 3-for-11 before halftime.
When asked about shot selection or the quality of shots, McGuff has thoughts.
“It’s a little bit of both,” said McGuff. “At times we’re standing a little bit too much in our zone offense and not moving ourselves and the ball. That’s one thing and the other thing is we’re getting opportunities, basically HORSE shots, and we’ve got to step up and make them if we want to win.”
Against Purdue, and in the previous two games, the Buckeyes are in positions to hit their deep attempts and the defense opts to not rush the shooter or even defend. That’s because the deep threat isn’t there for Ohio State outside of Mikesell and Mikulášiková.
Guard Rikki Harris hit two on Sunday, out of nine attempts. For most of those, the defense was fine with the choice to shoot. For Mikesell, the defense is giving her added attention from deep too.
That means the deep threat for Ohio State is mainly getting quick shots from three-point range off screens, sometimes with two defenders standing in front of her. There are no excuses from the Oregon transfer though.
“Just not going in is what it is,” said Mikesell. “Just have to keep shooting.”
There are shreds of light in the darkness of the recent Scarlet & Gray losing streak. Ohio State won the rebounding margin on Sunday, showing better energy and positioning under the basket to get second chances.
Against Purdue, Ohio State had two more than Purdue overall but hit them on the offensive rebounds. The Buckeyes outrebounded 12 to seven on the offensive boards and had 14 second-chance points.
The Buckeyes gave the ball away more than the Boilermakers on Sunday too, something out of character for Ohio State. Purdue only lost the ball 13 times, far below their 22.2 turnover average this season.
That’s because the Buckeyes didn’t press as often with shots being missed, forcing only four in the first half. In the second half though, it improved with nine turnovers by Purdue. That’s also when Ohio State tied the game and had the chance to pull out another comeback victory. Instead, it faltered.
“I think we’ve gotten a little bit away from our identity,” said McGuff.
With less of a press, there are fewer chances to push transition offense into another gear. The slower transition means more half-court basketball, where the Buckeyes struggle. Fortunately for Mikesell and her teammates, it’s January and not March.
“We still have a lot of league play left and you don’t want to be playing your best basketball right now so it's good to take a little bit of adversity,” said Mikesell. “You take it on the chin and get better.”
The other reason Ohio State lost was that there was another team on the court. It wasn’t all Buckeye mistakes but also a Purdue team who’s hitting their stride and playing good basketball in 2023.
“We talked about that as a team like ‘hey this is not a team you can overlook. They’re playing really good basketball right now and if we’re not on point they can come in here and win,’ said McGuff. “And that’s what happened.”
Sunday was the second road win in a row for the Boilermakers, after defeating the No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday, when the Buckeyes were in Bloomington, Indiana. Outside of Ellis and Hardin’s 26 and 15 points, guard Jeanae Terry played another quietly impressive game.
Terry scored eight points, and had seven rebounds and eight assists on the day. Continuing her trend as one of only three players in NCAA women’s basketball to average at least six in each category per game.
Outside of the Buckeyes getting things even in the fourth quarter, the Boilermakers played a game that stifled Ohio State. They stopped runs when all season was littered with teams who couldn’t do the same.
An important note following the game was an update on guard Jacy Sheldon. The guard missed her 14th game in a row on Sunday, not having played since Nov. 30 against the Louisville Cardinals.
Sheldon’s foot injury is back to day-to-day and coach McGuff shared that Sheldon is now working in the gym. No further details on a return date but McGuff said it’s coming soon. Her return, and staying healthy through the season and beyond, is no longer a “nice to have” but a necessity if the Buckeyes want to continue to compete at a high level.
“Their (Sheldon and Madison Greene) impact was never not felt,” said Mikesell. “They’re hard shoes to fill.”
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
A tough week got worse Sunday for the Buckeyes
If the idea of “no losses, just lessons” is true, then the Ohio State women’s basketball team is learning its fair share of lessons. Last week, the Buckeyes dropped three games in a row, and Sunday’s was the toughest one to take for the Scarlet & Gray.
After dropping games to two top-10 ranked teams, the Buckeyes lost to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers 73-65. Here’s what to take away from that game, including comments from head coach Kevin McGuff and guards Taylor Mikesell and Taylor Thierry.
Lacking Focus
Coach McGuff was straightforward and to the point in the first things he said to the media following Sunday's defeat.
“They came in, they were focused. They were ready and we were not,” said McGuff.
Purdue began the game with a firestorm of three-point shots. The Boilermakers shot 77.8% from deep, hitting 7-for-9. On most of those attempts, the Buckeyes did have hands up to try and stop the shot; which on the surface, looks like good defense, but Ohio State needed to rush on those attempts because they couldn’t disrupt Purdue enough to not find those shooters.
Both Abbey Ellis and Cassidy Hardin went 3-for-3 against the Buckeyes, with a couple of those coming from wide-open looks. It put Ohio State in a 27-13 hole after only the first quarter.
There’s also an argument to be made that the offense didn’t help either. The Buckeyes are 14-for-68 from deep since Monday’s loss to the then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes. While offensively, Ohio State hasn’t been great, the main culprit on the day was clear to Mikesell.
“A lot of it was our defense,” said Mikesell. “We weren’t really getting out there to contest. You could see in the second half when we came out with energy they weren’t getting as many easy looks so we’ve just got to come out more locked in and more focused on knowing our personnel.”
Ohio State had another comeback in the second half, tying the game at 58 apiece with 4:28 left in the game. Then, the Buckeyes lost focus again, allowing Purdue to outscore them 15 to seven in the final minutes of the game. Part of that was an important exit by Ohio State.
Taylor Thierry’s Departure
The Buckeyes couldn’t afford to lose Thierry on Sunday, but they did. After hitting the game-tying layup, the next offensive possession saw Thierry get her fifth foul, on an offensive charging call.
“I agree with that call but a couple of the other fouls I had, I don’t know if I agree with that too much,” said Thierry. “But I’ve just got to be more careful about that and just be more mindful.”
Without Thierry, the Boilermakers went on a seven-point run that locked in the victory.
Sunday was the third time Thierry has fouled out in a game, with the first two coming against the Tennessee Volunteers and Louisville Cardinals. In both of those games though, the Buckeyes were in the lead and charging ahead of their opponents.
The idea that Thierry is fouling out more supports two things. Thierry said the first, being more mindful of positioning. While there were some tough calls on Sunday, being in better positioning will help the young forward avoid bad calls. The second is how important Thierry is to the team.
On Thursday, in Indiana, Thierry had four fouls early in the second half but McGuff needed to keep playing her. Sunday, the stretch of Purdue scoring that immediately followed Thierry’s departure wasn’t a coincidence.
Scoring Slump
The last three games have been difficult for Ohio State but what’s pushed the Buckeyes through some games has been their ability to turn on their scoring at pivotal points of the game.
Outside of Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon, it hasn’t been happening. McMahon’s led the team in the past three days scoring 17.6 points. For Mikesell and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, they’re both averaging under their season totals per game, averaging 12.6 and 7.3 respectively over the past seven days.
Sunday, all three scored 11 points, with Thierry leading all Buckeyes with 18. In the second quarter, Thierry scored nine of Ohio State’s 16 points with the rest of the team going 3-for-11 before halftime.
When asked about shot selection or the quality of shots, McGuff has thoughts.
“It’s a little bit of both,” said McGuff. “At times we’re standing a little bit too much in our zone offense and not moving ourselves and the ball. That’s one thing and the other thing is we’re getting opportunities, basically HORSE shots, and we’ve got to step up and make them if we want to win.”
Against Purdue, and in the previous two games, the Buckeyes are in positions to hit their deep attempts and the defense opts to not rush the shooter or even defend. That’s because the deep threat isn’t there for Ohio State outside of Mikesell and Mikulášiková.
Guard Rikki Harris hit two on Sunday, out of nine attempts. For most of those, the defense was fine with the choice to shoot. For Mikesell, the defense is giving her added attention from deep too.
That means the deep threat for Ohio State is mainly getting quick shots from three-point range off screens, sometimes with two defenders standing in front of her. There are no excuses from the Oregon transfer though.
“Just not going in is what it is,” said Mikesell. “Just have to keep shooting.”
Improving Rebounding
There are shreds of light in the darkness of the recent Scarlet & Gray losing streak. Ohio State won the rebounding margin on Sunday, showing better energy and positioning under the basket to get second chances.
Against Purdue, Ohio State had two more than Purdue overall but hit them on the offensive rebounds. The Buckeyes outrebounded 12 to seven on the offensive boards and had 14 second-chance points.
Ineffective Press
The Buckeyes gave the ball away more than the Boilermakers on Sunday too, something out of character for Ohio State. Purdue only lost the ball 13 times, far below their 22.2 turnover average this season.
That’s because the Buckeyes didn’t press as often with shots being missed, forcing only four in the first half. In the second half though, it improved with nine turnovers by Purdue. That’s also when Ohio State tied the game and had the chance to pull out another comeback victory. Instead, it faltered.
“I think we’ve gotten a little bit away from our identity,” said McGuff.
With less of a press, there are fewer chances to push transition offense into another gear. The slower transition means more half-court basketball, where the Buckeyes struggle. Fortunately for Mikesell and her teammates, it’s January and not March.
“We still have a lot of league play left and you don’t want to be playing your best basketball right now so it's good to take a little bit of adversity,” said Mikesell. “You take it on the chin and get better.”
Crediting Purdue
The other reason Ohio State lost was that there was another team on the court. It wasn’t all Buckeye mistakes but also a Purdue team who’s hitting their stride and playing good basketball in 2023.
“We talked about that as a team like ‘hey this is not a team you can overlook. They’re playing really good basketball right now and if we’re not on point they can come in here and win,’ said McGuff. “And that’s what happened.”
Sunday was the second road win in a row for the Boilermakers, after defeating the No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday, when the Buckeyes were in Bloomington, Indiana. Outside of Ellis and Hardin’s 26 and 15 points, guard Jeanae Terry played another quietly impressive game.
Terry scored eight points, and had seven rebounds and eight assists on the day. Continuing her trend as one of only three players in NCAA women’s basketball to average at least six in each category per game.
Outside of the Buckeyes getting things even in the fourth quarter, the Boilermakers played a game that stifled Ohio State. They stopped runs when all season was littered with teams who couldn’t do the same.
Jacy Sheldon Working in the Gym
An important note following the game was an update on guard Jacy Sheldon. The guard missed her 14th game in a row on Sunday, not having played since Nov. 30 against the Louisville Cardinals.
Sheldon’s foot injury is back to day-to-day and coach McGuff shared that Sheldon is now working in the gym. No further details on a return date but McGuff said it’s coming soon. Her return, and staying healthy through the season and beyond, is no longer a “nice to have” but a necessity if the Buckeyes want to continue to compete at a high level.
“Their (Sheldon and Madison Greene) impact was never not felt,” said Mikesell. “They’re hard shoes to fill.”
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: Where have all the sacks gone?
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Column: Where have all the sacks gone?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State used to be one of the most dominant pass rushing teams in the country, but recent years show this is not the case anymore.
Ohio State built their success under Urban Meyer on the backs of dominant play in the trenches. College football has changed as quarterbacks get the ball out faster, but the Buckeyes’ pass rush statistics falling off has now become a trend.
In 2022, the Buckeyes ranked 38th in total sacks with 34 on the year, which is good for 2.6 per game. To add to those numbers on all downs, Ohio State ranked 67th converting sacks on 8.1 percent of opportunities. Looking at how the game of football comes together, the lack of pass rush can attribute itself to some of the issues on the back end, and vice versa.
With better coverage, there would probably be more sacks, and with more sacks the coverage would probably feel better than it has been in recent years. That is why there needs to be better execution up front when it comes to getting to the passer.
Jim Knowles’ tenure relies on pressure from the second level, not the same level of individual effort that a Chase Young or Joey Bosa brought to the table. The difference in the numbers between the years with those rushers and now show there has been a drop off.
Looking at each season on the list, the numbers aren’t always flashy, with two outliers being very obvious in Chase Young’s 16.5 sacks in 2019 as well as Joey Bosa’s 13.5 in 2014. In 2014, Bosa was followed by two players in Michael Bennett and Darron Lee who had 7.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Those players would have led the 2022 team in sacks.
Diving into Young’s Heisman finalist year – obviously not a fair expectation to hold players to – but Davon Hamilton and Baron Browning had 6.0 and 5.0 sacks. Even in a year where a player was a one man wrecking crew, the Buckeyes still had two players produce more sacks than this season’s leader in each of the past three seasons.
This is a trend. The Buckeyes can’t just point to a strong year of individual players because there isn’t always going to be a “best player in school history” level player to anchor the defensive line.
Even in the years without a double-digit sack leader, the Buckeyes have taken a step back since the peak in 2019. Playing only seven games, the Buckeyes averaged a higher per-game sack total in 2021 than the following two seasons, meaning the defense has been on a downward trajectory from a pass rush standpoint.
Using both tables, we can see that there isn’t necessarily a direct impact on the total with a dominant individual rusher. That being said, there needs to be a better success rate in the pass rushing area for the defense to improve in the passing game.
For Ohio State, this lack of pass rushing can be attributed to the changing scheme in three of the last four seasons. There is also the questions surrounding player skillset. The top-end recruits on the defensive line in recent years have not come in with the pass rushing traits.
Zach Harrison was the player who was supposed to follow in the footsteps as a five-star recruit. His best season total was 3.5, which he had as a freshman and a senior. While Harrison turned out to be more than just a pure pass-rusher, that raises questions about development in the room, and the Buckeyes now have two more five-stars who are expected to have big years in 2023.
Looking at J.T. Tuimoloau as the first five-star, he’s had 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He has five pass deflections to go with those sacks, and is similar to Harrison in the way he is able to impact games in a variety of ways. For the Buckeyes defense to a take a leap, this might be an area where an individual improvement in one aspect of his game can take the defense to another level.
On the other side of the line, Jack Sawyer has moved into a new role which provided its own sets of challenges. As the year went on, his comfort grew as well as his sack total, which tells me that Sawyer is the player to watch in this department. Sawyer has the athleticism and bend to become a 10-sack player. If the other players can provide a similar output, there is a real optimism that the pass rush can have a huge impact on how opponents game plan.
The importance of this all lies in the passing defense as a holistic unit, and that is why this trend of lower sack numbers stands out.
Knowles wants to play man-coverage, and he wants to do this to be able to play with how offenses are able to prepare for playing Ohio State. We saw late in the year how the Buckeyes pass rush and blitzers failing to get to the quarterback can lead to opposing quarterbacks making big throws.
This final table above shows us that there is a weak correlation between sack totals and pass yards per game. There are tons of other variables that go into this, including opponents passing offense rankings, level of secondary play, and how often teams are playing from behind against the Buckeyes. But with that context, there is definitely some evidence that the higher a sack number is, the lower the passing yard number is.
The Buckeyes definitely need to take some steps forward in the secondary this year, and in a second season under a coach that should be an expectation. Notice the lack of improvement in year two of Coombs is a significant reason the Buckeyes now employ Knowles. That raises the expectations in year two for all three levels, and there is a pathway forward in 2023.
Knowles is known for his gambling nature, this is boom-or-bust when it comes to his coverages and blitzes. If the back end can’t cover there are easy throws for opposing quarterbacks because the blitz won’t be able to get home in time. In situations where defenders are asked to cover for a long time, this can result in the unfortunate big plays that occurred late in the year.
Now neither group was perfect. Improved play is needed in both areas. That being said, there is a drop off in performance in line with Ohio State’s peak in sack totals. This year was a major improvement in the pass yards per game category. One issue that came about in research was Ohio State played the 38th best passing yards per game offense in the regular season in Maryland.
Ohio State played Penn State (45th), Michigan (79th), and Maryland (38th), allowing 322.3 yards per game against the three. These were not necessarily great passing units, but once the talent was closer to equal, the Buckeyes were exposed in both fronts. They only got regular pressure against Maryland, this exposed the secondary to some struggles. Against Penn State, the Buckeyes had five sacks, but Parker Washington had a day. In the biggest jump in yards of the three, Michigan allowed just one sack.
One of the back breaking plays that swung the momentum against Michigan was the max-pressure which left Cam Brown on an island. He missed a tackle, and a touchdown was given up turning the whole game on its head. For the Buckeyes, the synergy of the defensive backs and defensive line will be challenged again.
Teams will be looking for ways to attack Ohio State’s secondary in blitzing situations, and Knowles has a tendency to gamble in third-and-long situations. If teams can time these plays up, there are direct opportunities for opponents to make big plays.
Ohio State improved in many areas last season, but the Buckeyes will need to improve in the pass rushing next season for the defense to take another step. We saw that the drop off has had a direct impact on how the passing defense has looked statistically.
Without taking a shot at Larry Johnson due to his legacy, the development has fallen short on the defensive line, and with the recruiting struggles on the back end, the results from both showed on the field. Both will be challenged this year with the returning five-stars on the defensive line. The defensive backfield will also have a raised recruiting profile compared to past seasons.
Combining those things with the return of the linebackers, and there is a recipe for immense improvement in every defensive category. For Knowles, the defense needs to take another step forward in 2023 and this is the area to start.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State used to be one of the most dominant pass rushing teams in the country, but recent years show this is not the case anymore.
Ohio State built their success under Urban Meyer on the backs of dominant play in the trenches. College football has changed as quarterbacks get the ball out faster, but the Buckeyes’ pass rush statistics falling off has now become a trend.
In 2022, the Buckeyes ranked 38th in total sacks with 34 on the year, which is good for 2.6 per game. To add to those numbers on all downs, Ohio State ranked 67th converting sacks on 8.1 percent of opportunities. Looking at how the game of football comes together, the lack of pass rush can attribute itself to some of the issues on the back end, and vice versa.
With better coverage, there would probably be more sacks, and with more sacks the coverage would probably feel better than it has been in recent years. That is why there needs to be better execution up front when it comes to getting to the passer.
Jim Knowles’ tenure relies on pressure from the second level, not the same level of individual effort that a Chase Young or Joey Bosa brought to the table. The difference in the numbers between the years with those rushers and now show there has been a drop off.
Looking at each season on the list, the numbers aren’t always flashy, with two outliers being very obvious in Chase Young’s 16.5 sacks in 2019 as well as Joey Bosa’s 13.5 in 2014. In 2014, Bosa was followed by two players in Michael Bennett and Darron Lee who had 7.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Those players would have led the 2022 team in sacks.
Diving into Young’s Heisman finalist year – obviously not a fair expectation to hold players to – but Davon Hamilton and Baron Browning had 6.0 and 5.0 sacks. Even in a year where a player was a one man wrecking crew, the Buckeyes still had two players produce more sacks than this season’s leader in each of the past three seasons.
This is a trend. The Buckeyes can’t just point to a strong year of individual players because there isn’t always going to be a “best player in school history” level player to anchor the defensive line.
Even in the years without a double-digit sack leader, the Buckeyes have taken a step back since the peak in 2019. Playing only seven games, the Buckeyes averaged a higher per-game sack total in 2021 than the following two seasons, meaning the defense has been on a downward trajectory from a pass rush standpoint.
Using both tables, we can see that there isn’t necessarily a direct impact on the total with a dominant individual rusher. That being said, there needs to be a better success rate in the pass rushing area for the defense to improve in the passing game.
For Ohio State, this lack of pass rushing can be attributed to the changing scheme in three of the last four seasons. There is also the questions surrounding player skillset. The top-end recruits on the defensive line in recent years have not come in with the pass rushing traits.
Zach Harrison was the player who was supposed to follow in the footsteps as a five-star recruit. His best season total was 3.5, which he had as a freshman and a senior. While Harrison turned out to be more than just a pure pass-rusher, that raises questions about development in the room, and the Buckeyes now have two more five-stars who are expected to have big years in 2023.
Looking at J.T. Tuimoloau as the first five-star, he’s had 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He has five pass deflections to go with those sacks, and is similar to Harrison in the way he is able to impact games in a variety of ways. For the Buckeyes defense to a take a leap, this might be an area where an individual improvement in one aspect of his game can take the defense to another level.
On the other side of the line, Jack Sawyer has moved into a new role which provided its own sets of challenges. As the year went on, his comfort grew as well as his sack total, which tells me that Sawyer is the player to watch in this department. Sawyer has the athleticism and bend to become a 10-sack player. If the other players can provide a similar output, there is a real optimism that the pass rush can have a huge impact on how opponents game plan.
The importance of this all lies in the passing defense as a holistic unit, and that is why this trend of lower sack numbers stands out.
Knowles wants to play man-coverage, and he wants to do this to be able to play with how offenses are able to prepare for playing Ohio State. We saw late in the year how the Buckeyes pass rush and blitzers failing to get to the quarterback can lead to opposing quarterbacks making big throws.
This final table above shows us that there is a weak correlation between sack totals and pass yards per game. There are tons of other variables that go into this, including opponents passing offense rankings, level of secondary play, and how often teams are playing from behind against the Buckeyes. But with that context, there is definitely some evidence that the higher a sack number is, the lower the passing yard number is.
The Buckeyes definitely need to take some steps forward in the secondary this year, and in a second season under a coach that should be an expectation. Notice the lack of improvement in year two of Coombs is a significant reason the Buckeyes now employ Knowles. That raises the expectations in year two for all three levels, and there is a pathway forward in 2023.
Knowles is known for his gambling nature, this is boom-or-bust when it comes to his coverages and blitzes. If the back end can’t cover there are easy throws for opposing quarterbacks because the blitz won’t be able to get home in time. In situations where defenders are asked to cover for a long time, this can result in the unfortunate big plays that occurred late in the year.
Now neither group was perfect. Improved play is needed in both areas. That being said, there is a drop off in performance in line with Ohio State’s peak in sack totals. This year was a major improvement in the pass yards per game category. One issue that came about in research was Ohio State played the 38th best passing yards per game offense in the regular season in Maryland.
Ohio State played Penn State (45th), Michigan (79th), and Maryland (38th), allowing 322.3 yards per game against the three. These were not necessarily great passing units, but once the talent was closer to equal, the Buckeyes were exposed in both fronts. They only got regular pressure against Maryland, this exposed the secondary to some struggles. Against Penn State, the Buckeyes had five sacks, but Parker Washington had a day. In the biggest jump in yards of the three, Michigan allowed just one sack.
One of the back breaking plays that swung the momentum against Michigan was the max-pressure which left Cam Brown on an island. He missed a tackle, and a touchdown was given up turning the whole game on its head. For the Buckeyes, the synergy of the defensive backs and defensive line will be challenged again.
Teams will be looking for ways to attack Ohio State’s secondary in blitzing situations, and Knowles has a tendency to gamble in third-and-long situations. If teams can time these plays up, there are direct opportunities for opponents to make big plays.
Ohio State improved in many areas last season, but the Buckeyes will need to improve in the pass rushing next season for the defense to take another step. We saw that the drop off has had a direct impact on how the passing defense has looked statistically.
Without taking a shot at Larry Johnson due to his legacy, the development has fallen short on the defensive line, and with the recruiting struggles on the back end, the results from both showed on the field. Both will be challenged this year with the returning five-stars on the defensive line. The defensive backfield will also have a raised recruiting profile compared to past seasons.
Combining those things with the return of the linebackers, and there is a recipe for immense improvement in every defensive category. For Knowles, the defense needs to take another step forward in 2023 and this is the area to start.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women drop to No. 10 in AP Poll
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Ohio State women drop to No. 10 in AP Poll
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes fall after their three-game losing streak last week
The Ohio State women’s basketball team tied their program high No. 2 ranking on Jan. 16. Life was good for the Buckeyes until one week after receiving the honor. Since then, it’s been tough for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side and on Monday the Associate Press voters dropped the Buckeyes to No. 10.
Ohio State’s new ranking is warranted after a week where the Scarlet & Gray ended it black and blue following three straight losses. It began with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 23, continued with the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 26 and the icing on the cake Sunday, when Ohio State fell to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Before Sunday, there was an argument to be made that the Buckeyes would still hold a top-10 ranking because of the quality of teams who handed them defeats. The then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes out rebounded the Buckeyes 51-31 on their way to a triple-double by Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. In front of a home sellout crowd, the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes 83-72.
Just three days later, it was the then No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers. This time at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Buckeyes took a four-point half time lead into their second worst quarter of the season. In the third, Indiana held Ohio State to only six points of offense and the Buckeyes needed to come back from 17 points in the final 10 minutes.
The Buckeyes weren't able to accomplish the feat and lost 78-65. In the defeat, Ohio State’s rebounding improved but the Scarlet & Gray couldn’t stop forward Mackenzie Holmes. The forward had 26 points, exposing the Buckeyes defense in the paint. Then, guard Yarden Garzon hit a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
With those two defeats in their heads, Ohio State couldn’t stop the Boilermakers Sunday. Purdue got off to a 14-point first quarter lead on 7-for-9 shooting from three-point range. Even though the Buckeyes eventually tied the game at 58-58, the Boilermakers took advantage of guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the Buckeyes most consistent player this season, fouling out to surge ahead for the 73-65 win.
All season, the Buckeyes have assured people that the ranking doesn’t matter. Ohio State is focused on the long game or competing again in March at the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament, but the play that’s gotten Ohio State further down the AP Poll is concerning.
Coach McGuff links it to the team losing its identity. Part of that lost identity is not having guard Jacy Sheldon. Until last week, the Buckeyes continued winning without her but the lack of energy in Ohio State’s press can only improve with her return.
This week, with or without Sheldon, the Buckeyes have two chances to get back on the right track, first in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. After that Wednesday night away trip, Ohio State heads east to the Maryland Terrapins in another ranked matchup.
Also, No. 10 is still higher than where Ohio State began the season, at No. 14. With the Buckeyes’ three losses, Indiana, Iowa and Maryland each moved up in the polls to No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8. With Purdue’s win over the Buckeyes, and Thursday over Illinois, they received enough votes to sit five spots outside of the top-25.
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1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes fall after their three-game losing streak last week
The Ohio State women’s basketball team tied their program high No. 2 ranking on Jan. 16. Life was good for the Buckeyes until one week after receiving the honor. Since then, it’s been tough for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side and on Monday the Associate Press voters dropped the Buckeyes to No. 10.
Ohio State’s new ranking is warranted after a week where the Scarlet & Gray ended it black and blue following three straight losses. It began with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 23, continued with the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 26 and the icing on the cake Sunday, when Ohio State fell to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Before Sunday, there was an argument to be made that the Buckeyes would still hold a top-10 ranking because of the quality of teams who handed them defeats. The then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes out rebounded the Buckeyes 51-31 on their way to a triple-double by Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. In front of a home sellout crowd, the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes 83-72.
Just three days later, it was the then No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers. This time at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Buckeyes took a four-point half time lead into their second worst quarter of the season. In the third, Indiana held Ohio State to only six points of offense and the Buckeyes needed to come back from 17 points in the final 10 minutes.
The Buckeyes weren't able to accomplish the feat and lost 78-65. In the defeat, Ohio State’s rebounding improved but the Scarlet & Gray couldn’t stop forward Mackenzie Holmes. The forward had 26 points, exposing the Buckeyes defense in the paint. Then, guard Yarden Garzon hit a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
With those two defeats in their heads, Ohio State couldn’t stop the Boilermakers Sunday. Purdue got off to a 14-point first quarter lead on 7-for-9 shooting from three-point range. Even though the Buckeyes eventually tied the game at 58-58, the Boilermakers took advantage of guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the Buckeyes most consistent player this season, fouling out to surge ahead for the 73-65 win.
All season, the Buckeyes have assured people that the ranking doesn’t matter. Ohio State is focused on the long game or competing again in March at the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament, but the play that’s gotten Ohio State further down the AP Poll is concerning.
Coach McGuff links it to the team losing its identity. Part of that lost identity is not having guard Jacy Sheldon. Until last week, the Buckeyes continued winning without her but the lack of energy in Ohio State’s press can only improve with her return.
This week, with or without Sheldon, the Buckeyes have two chances to get back on the right track, first in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. After that Wednesday night away trip, Ohio State heads east to the Maryland Terrapins in another ranked matchup.
Also, No. 10 is still higher than where Ohio State began the season, at No. 14. With the Buckeyes’ three losses, Indiana, Iowa and Maryland each moved up in the polls to No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8. With Purdue’s win over the Buckeyes, and Thursday over Illinois, they received enough votes to sit five spots outside of the top-25.
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LGHL Rough playoff exit for several former Buckeyes
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Rough playoff exit for several former Buckeyes
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Sunday was unkind to a bunch of former Ohio State players.
Sports can be cruel, and investing emotionally in the performance of any team is going to bite you at some point. There are just not many good endings.
But, like when you finally hit a sweet golf shot amid a full morning of hacking the ball around, it makes everything worthwhile and you invest emotionally all over again.
My condolences to those of our readers who live and die with the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers, who each saw their team’s season end on Sunday, but in quite different ways.
For Ohio State fans who back the 49ers, the game seemed over before it began. Brock Purdy, already the team’s third quarterback used this season, got hurt early in the game, and San Francisco just didn’t have enough firepower to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles. Josh Johnson did manage to get the team down the field once to tie the game at 7-7, but then the defense allowed a score before the half and Johnson took his eye off a snap, then proceeded to do very little to cover the ball on the ensuing drive.
Philadelphia recovered, scored again, and never looked back. Nick Bosa’s season ended with a four-tackle performance that included two tackles for loss, but he and his defensive colleagues got no help from the offense and wore down.
Is it less painful to get blown out than to lose a heartbreaker? I think it is, although the narrow defeats at least can provide the consolation of pride in the team’s fight.
Bengals fans had it a bit tougher on Sunday night. The team had the ball in a tie game late with a chance to drive for a winning score. The offensive line, which was porous all night, didn’t allow former Buckeye Joe Burrow — and yes, I do claim him, as is my right and with his permission, no less — to get the job done.
Still, overtime seemed a likely outcome until ex-Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman’s kick was returned into Cincinnati territory. The defense was asked to hold and it nearly did. But it was an uncalled hold on Trey Hendrickson on a decisive third-down scramble by Patrick Mahomes that will haunt Cincy fans’ dreams — especially combined with what happened on the back end of that run.
Kansas City still had a long field goal to make with the yardage that Mahomes picked up, but Joseph Ossai then committed an egregious personal foul with a late hit out of bounds on the Kansas City quarterback, giving Harrison Butker a much shorter kick to make. He did, and it ended the season of five former Buckeyes — one, Isaiah Prince, on the practice squad, and five on the roster — and those who claim Burrow can add him to the list. The Cincinnati loss knocked Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Sam Hubbard, Chrisman, Prince, and Burrow out of the postseason in the penultimate game.
Bell led the Bengals with seven tackles. Apple had six stops, including a tackle for loss, but he also committed a costly defensive holding penalty that kept a Chiefs drive alive. Hubbard had two stops, a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, and a key fumble recovery that helped his team get back in the game. Chrisman averaged 49 yards on four punts, with a long of 54.
Burrow completed 26 of 41 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown while under pressure all night. He did throw two interceptions, but he also made the “onions” play of the night on a 4th-and-6 play, connecting with Ja’Marr Chase on a scoring drive that tied things up.
The only remaining former Buckeye in the postseason is Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon, but don’t look for him to be the Super Bowl MVP.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Sunday was unkind to a bunch of former Ohio State players.
Sports can be cruel, and investing emotionally in the performance of any team is going to bite you at some point. There are just not many good endings.
But, like when you finally hit a sweet golf shot amid a full morning of hacking the ball around, it makes everything worthwhile and you invest emotionally all over again.
My condolences to those of our readers who live and die with the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers, who each saw their team’s season end on Sunday, but in quite different ways.
For Ohio State fans who back the 49ers, the game seemed over before it began. Brock Purdy, already the team’s third quarterback used this season, got hurt early in the game, and San Francisco just didn’t have enough firepower to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles. Josh Johnson did manage to get the team down the field once to tie the game at 7-7, but then the defense allowed a score before the half and Johnson took his eye off a snap, then proceeded to do very little to cover the ball on the ensuing drive.
Philadelphia recovered, scored again, and never looked back. Nick Bosa’s season ended with a four-tackle performance that included two tackles for loss, but he and his defensive colleagues got no help from the offense and wore down.
Is it less painful to get blown out than to lose a heartbreaker? I think it is, although the narrow defeats at least can provide the consolation of pride in the team’s fight.
Bengals fans had it a bit tougher on Sunday night. The team had the ball in a tie game late with a chance to drive for a winning score. The offensive line, which was porous all night, didn’t allow former Buckeye Joe Burrow — and yes, I do claim him, as is my right and with his permission, no less — to get the job done.
Still, overtime seemed a likely outcome until ex-Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman’s kick was returned into Cincinnati territory. The defense was asked to hold and it nearly did. But it was an uncalled hold on Trey Hendrickson on a decisive third-down scramble by Patrick Mahomes that will haunt Cincy fans’ dreams — especially combined with what happened on the back end of that run.
Kansas City still had a long field goal to make with the yardage that Mahomes picked up, but Joseph Ossai then committed an egregious personal foul with a late hit out of bounds on the Kansas City quarterback, giving Harrison Butker a much shorter kick to make. He did, and it ended the season of five former Buckeyes — one, Isaiah Prince, on the practice squad, and five on the roster — and those who claim Burrow can add him to the list. The Cincinnati loss knocked Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Sam Hubbard, Chrisman, Prince, and Burrow out of the postseason in the penultimate game.
Bell led the Bengals with seven tackles. Apple had six stops, including a tackle for loss, but he also committed a costly defensive holding penalty that kept a Chiefs drive alive. Hubbard had two stops, a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, and a key fumble recovery that helped his team get back in the game. Chrisman averaged 49 yards on four punts, with a long of 54.
Burrow completed 26 of 41 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown while under pressure all night. He did throw two interceptions, but he also made the “onions” play of the night on a 4th-and-6 play, connecting with Ja’Marr Chase on a scoring drive that tied things up.
The only remaining former Buckeye in the postseason is Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon, but don’t look for him to be the Super Bowl MVP.
Continue reading...
LGHL I-70 Football Podcast: 2022 Season Recap - Tier Two
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I-70 Football Podcast: 2022 Season Recap - Tier Two
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
The guys are back discussing the NFL conference championships and tier-two teams from the ‘22 season.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games, and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
The NFL season is winding down as the Conference Championship games took place on Sunday. Dante and Jordan predicted the Eagles and Chiefs winning their games, setting up a highly anticipated super bowl.
Brock Purdy may be the 49ers quarterback of the future, but Jordan doesn’t think he’s ready for this type of environment. Dante doesn’t believe Mahomes will lose to Joe Burrow again, especially with how Travis Kelce has played recently. Before breaking down tier two, the guys also talk about former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks’s potential lawsuit after being passed up for the job by former Colts head coach Frank Reich.
After discussing three East division teams in tier one, tier two is full of teams from the West. Tier two consist of the West division champion Purdue Boilermakers, the llinois Fighting Illini and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Minnesota entered the 2022 season as the favorite to win the West after continually getting better the past three years and the return of super seniors Tanner Morgan, Mo Ibrahim, John Michael-Schmitz, and Chris Autman-Bell. Injuries ended a dream season, as Morgan and Aultman-Bell missed an extended amount of time.
Illinois entered 2022 with pretty low expectations in the second year of their rebuild under Bret Bielema, but they were one of the big surprises of the season. They won eight games, and were a late season collapse away from winning the west division entirely.
Purdue entered 2022 with super senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell leading the team, but was without star players David Bell and George Karloftis, who both entered the 2022 NFL Draft. O’Connell, buoyed by childhood best friend and Iowa transfer Charlie Jones, led Purdue to the Big Ten championship game. O’Connell battled injury and did not recapture the magic from the 2021 season, but that meant little as Jones and freshman running back Devin Mockobee kept the Boilermakers afloat when O’Connell was not at 100%.
The defense was a mess, but the trio of O’Connell, Jones, and Mockobee did enough to win Purdue’s first ever Big Ten West division title.
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
The guys are back discussing the NFL conference championships and tier-two teams from the ‘22 season.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games, and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
The NFL season is winding down as the Conference Championship games took place on Sunday. Dante and Jordan predicted the Eagles and Chiefs winning their games, setting up a highly anticipated super bowl.
Brock Purdy may be the 49ers quarterback of the future, but Jordan doesn’t think he’s ready for this type of environment. Dante doesn’t believe Mahomes will lose to Joe Burrow again, especially with how Travis Kelce has played recently. Before breaking down tier two, the guys also talk about former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks’s potential lawsuit after being passed up for the job by former Colts head coach Frank Reich.
After discussing three East division teams in tier one, tier two is full of teams from the West. Tier two consist of the West division champion Purdue Boilermakers, the llinois Fighting Illini and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Minnesota entered the 2022 season as the favorite to win the West after continually getting better the past three years and the return of super seniors Tanner Morgan, Mo Ibrahim, John Michael-Schmitz, and Chris Autman-Bell. Injuries ended a dream season, as Morgan and Aultman-Bell missed an extended amount of time.
Illinois entered 2022 with pretty low expectations in the second year of their rebuild under Bret Bielema, but they were one of the big surprises of the season. They won eight games, and were a late season collapse away from winning the west division entirely.
Purdue entered 2022 with super senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell leading the team, but was without star players David Bell and George Karloftis, who both entered the 2022 NFL Draft. O’Connell, buoyed by childhood best friend and Iowa transfer Charlie Jones, led Purdue to the Big Ten championship game. O’Connell battled injury and did not recapture the magic from the 2021 season, but that meant little as Jones and freshman running back Devin Mockobee kept the Boilermakers afloat when O’Connell was not at 100%.
The defense was a mess, but the trio of O’Connell, Jones, and Mockobee did enough to win Purdue’s first ever Big Ten West division title.
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
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2025 CA DB Chuck McDonald III (Verbal Offer)
- By MD Buckeye
- Football Recruiting
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HUDL Highlights
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
Ht: 6'1"
Wt: 180 lbs
Class: 2025 (High School)
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On3 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Highlights
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
Ht: 6'1"
Wt: 180 lbs
Class: 2025 (High School)
Login to view embedded media