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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which true freshman will make the biggest impact for Ohio State in 2023
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You’re Nuts: Which true freshman will make the biggest impact for Ohio State in 2023
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State tight ends Cade Stover and Jelani Thurman | via @OhioStateFB on Twitter
As part of bold predictions week, we’re narrowing our focus to the first-years.
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 making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: The true freshman that will make the biggest impact for Ohio State in 2023.
It is Bold Predictions week here at LGHL, which essentially gives us creative freedom to embrace our inner Skip Bayless and/or Colin Cowherd, right Gene? Just fire off hot takes left and right, no interest in sounding rational? Sounds right up my alley.
In all seriousness, making these bold predictions is always a fun exercise. And some of us can end up looking or sounding like geniuses, while others... not so much. But who cares!? Fortune favors the bold, right? So why not go out on a limb? Within reason of course, because LGHL is a respectable and dignified group.
Gene and I are a little less respectable and dignified though, so we wanted to go off the beaten path with our predictions. Meaning we did not want to take a stab at Ohio State’s win-loss record or how many passing yards Kyle McCord will rack up in 2023, although those are fine, fine topics. But they felt a bit too mainstream. I mean, where’s the fun in making a prediction about the Buckeyes’ record when a thousand other people are likely to have the same opinion and/or make the same prediction?
Instead of focusing on the totality of the (OSU) team or any well-known players, we decided to make bold predictions regarding the impact of certain fresh faces. Not fresh faces in the starting lineup... Not those who are ‘just’ new to Columbus... No, Gene and I are looking at true freshmen and predicting which one(s) will make the biggest impact for the Buckeyes in 2023.
I usually bat leadoff, which means I usually get first dibs. And I think there is one obvious choice here, as far as impact freshman are concerned. However, I am not going to make that choice. I am going to leave Carnell Tate on the board, with the expectation that my partner will take him and thank me for making his (Gene’s) life easier.
I could be wrong, but after Tate’s impressive spring, he seems like the obvious choice to make a tangible impact early. I know that he recently experienced a tragic loss, which is much, much bigger than the game of football. But on talent and first impressions alone, he has to be considered the leader in the clubhouse.
Yes, I realize that I just made a baseball reference and a golf reference in close proximity, deal with it.
By skipping over Tate, I definitely backed myself into a corner. But again, we are making bold predictions. I did not want to play it safe. So not only am I going to leave Tate on the board, but I am also going to leave Brandon Inniss on the board and make my prediction about a less-heralded offensive player. One who plays a position that is often the butt of Ohio State fans’ jokes.
The position I am referring to is tight end, and the player is Jelani Thurman. A four-star recruit out of Georgia, Thurman was not just some throw-in for the Buckeyes. He was the third-ranked player at his position, as well as a top-70 national recruit. But because OSU does not typically feature the TE in Ryan Day’s offense, I feel like the massive freshman’s theoretical ceiling is being ignored. Or not talked about enough; that might be a better way to frame it.
But ignoring Thurman’s potential would be unwise. Because he is a freak, freak athlete, the likes of which you rarely see. He is tied for the second tallest player on Ohio State’s roster and weighs more than any other player who does not play on the offensive or defensive line(s). So the measurements alone set him apart. But then you just look at the guy and... yeesh. Thurman is ‘built different’ as the kids would say. Like a power forward or a damn cyborg. He offers up an athletic profile that no other Buckeye can match, other than perhaps Sonny Styles.
Of course, Thurman will need to learn the ins and outs, the intricacies, of playing tight end at the next level. And that is no easy task. He was essentially a glorified, over-sized WR in high school, so Keenan Bailey has his work cut out for him. But coaches, including Bailey, raved about Thurman’s maturity and work ethic during the spring. The latter earned rave reviews all around, setting up to potentially earn real playing time in 2023.
Cade Stover is the incumbent TE, and he will obviously hold onto his starting role. But behind him, I think playing time could be up for grabs. Gee Scott Jr. has been a solid role player and Joe Royer has flashed on occasion, but neither should be guaranteed snaps. Neither has proven to be a tremendous blocker, so it’s not as if Thurman is far behind in that area. And if OSU coaches are looking versatility and upside, I believe the latter offers it up in spades.
Getting down to brass tax, my bold prediction is that Thurman makes the largest and most significant impact of all the true freshman. I think that he will see the second-most snaps at TE and earn a consistent role in the Buckeyes’ passing game, particularly in the red zone.
While Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and the rest of Ohio State’s wide receivers are likely to soak up most RZ targets, they simply cannot match the physicality of Thurman. Nor can Stover. And sometimes you just need a massive, massive target in or around the end zone. Taking it a step further, I also predict that Thurman will score at least five touchdowns in 2023, matching or even exceeding Stover’s 2022 total.
Call me crazy, Gene, but I have heard much, much worse. I have high expectations for the freshman, and this is me planting my flag on Thurman Island.
Josh, I know you tried to give me a layup here with Tate and Inniss, but this is bold predictions, and picking either of the stud freshman receivers just feels too easy.
Plus, while both of these guys are incredibly talented and will almost certainly put together big careers for Ohio State in the future, I’m not quite sure just how much they will factor into the rotation with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Jayden Ballard and even Xavier Johnson all likely ahead of them and battling for reps.
Instead, since you picked a different offensive player, and one that I do really like at a position of need in Thurman, I am going to take my talents to the defensive side of the ball.
Were we looking at just fresh faces and not freshmen, I would’ve definitely taken a stab at either Davison Igbinosun or Tywone Malone. Igbinosun, the Ole Miss transfer, is a lock in my eyes to start at corner opposite Denzel Burke, and Malone, also by way of the Rebels — will factor into the two-deep at defensive tackle. But, since we are just factoring in the first years, my eyes revert back to that defensive backfield at the same position as Igbinosun, but a different name.
My bold prediction for 2023’s biggest impact freshman is cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. out of Cincinnati.
Mathews comes to Columbus as the No. 14 corner in the cycle and the No. 3 player in Ohio as the nation’s No. 148 overall player. He isn’t the highest-rated corner for the Buckeyes in this class — that would be Calvin Simpson-Hunt, the No. 7 corner in 2023 — but Mathews has the leg-up on Simpson-Hunt as the former went through the spring with Ohio State and the latter is a summer enrollee.
A two-sport athlete in football and basketball, Mathews was a late-bloomer as he rose up the recruiting rankings. His best attribute coming out of high school is athleticism, as he has been clocked at running a 4.35 40-yard dash. In addition, 247Sports’ Allen Trieu lauds Mathews’ change of direction and closing speed, noting that he’s shown the ability to play in both man and zone schemes and plays the ball well in the air. If you watched Ohio State’s corners last season, closing speed and playing the ball in the air were two areas where DBs did not exactly excel.
Speaking of last year’s corners, that is a big reason why I think Mathews will have a chance to contribute in his first season on campus. With Burke and Igbinosun almost assured to be your top two names on the depth chart, the reps behind that duo are largely wide open. While guys like Jordan Hancock, Jyaire Brown and Ryan Turner are also competing for reps, none of those guys have really shown all that much in limited playing time to this point. Lorenzo Styles Jr. from Notre Dame is here as well, but this year will likely be a transition for him as he moves from receiver to DB, so I don’t think he factors in just yet.
Both Mathews Jr. and Simpson-Hunt will have a chance to earn themselves some reps this year, but as mentioned earlier, a strong spring from Mathews has him in the driver seat to earn real reps at a position where Ohio State could really use some fresh faces to step up. By year’s end, I would not be surprised if Mathews Jr. is the No. 3 guy at corner, and potentially even No. 2 if Burke or Igbinosun struggle.
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
Ohio State tight ends Cade Stover and Jelani Thurman | via @OhioStateFB on Twitter
As part of bold predictions week, we’re narrowing our focus to the first-years.
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 making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: The true freshman that will make the biggest impact for Ohio State in 2023.
Josh’s Take
It is Bold Predictions week here at LGHL, which essentially gives us creative freedom to embrace our inner Skip Bayless and/or Colin Cowherd, right Gene? Just fire off hot takes left and right, no interest in sounding rational? Sounds right up my alley.
In all seriousness, making these bold predictions is always a fun exercise. And some of us can end up looking or sounding like geniuses, while others... not so much. But who cares!? Fortune favors the bold, right? So why not go out on a limb? Within reason of course, because LGHL is a respectable and dignified group.
Gene and I are a little less respectable and dignified though, so we wanted to go off the beaten path with our predictions. Meaning we did not want to take a stab at Ohio State’s win-loss record or how many passing yards Kyle McCord will rack up in 2023, although those are fine, fine topics. But they felt a bit too mainstream. I mean, where’s the fun in making a prediction about the Buckeyes’ record when a thousand other people are likely to have the same opinion and/or make the same prediction?
Instead of focusing on the totality of the (OSU) team or any well-known players, we decided to make bold predictions regarding the impact of certain fresh faces. Not fresh faces in the starting lineup... Not those who are ‘just’ new to Columbus... No, Gene and I are looking at true freshmen and predicting which one(s) will make the biggest impact for the Buckeyes in 2023.
I usually bat leadoff, which means I usually get first dibs. And I think there is one obvious choice here, as far as impact freshman are concerned. However, I am not going to make that choice. I am going to leave Carnell Tate on the board, with the expectation that my partner will take him and thank me for making his (Gene’s) life easier.
I could be wrong, but after Tate’s impressive spring, he seems like the obvious choice to make a tangible impact early. I know that he recently experienced a tragic loss, which is much, much bigger than the game of football. But on talent and first impressions alone, he has to be considered the leader in the clubhouse.
Yes, I realize that I just made a baseball reference and a golf reference in close proximity, deal with it.
By skipping over Tate, I definitely backed myself into a corner. But again, we are making bold predictions. I did not want to play it safe. So not only am I going to leave Tate on the board, but I am also going to leave Brandon Inniss on the board and make my prediction about a less-heralded offensive player. One who plays a position that is often the butt of Ohio State fans’ jokes.
The position I am referring to is tight end, and the player is Jelani Thurman. A four-star recruit out of Georgia, Thurman was not just some throw-in for the Buckeyes. He was the third-ranked player at his position, as well as a top-70 national recruit. But because OSU does not typically feature the TE in Ryan Day’s offense, I feel like the massive freshman’s theoretical ceiling is being ignored. Or not talked about enough; that might be a better way to frame it.
But ignoring Thurman’s potential would be unwise. Because he is a freak, freak athlete, the likes of which you rarely see. He is tied for the second tallest player on Ohio State’s roster and weighs more than any other player who does not play on the offensive or defensive line(s). So the measurements alone set him apart. But then you just look at the guy and... yeesh. Thurman is ‘built different’ as the kids would say. Like a power forward or a damn cyborg. He offers up an athletic profile that no other Buckeye can match, other than perhaps Sonny Styles.
Of course, Thurman will need to learn the ins and outs, the intricacies, of playing tight end at the next level. And that is no easy task. He was essentially a glorified, over-sized WR in high school, so Keenan Bailey has his work cut out for him. But coaches, including Bailey, raved about Thurman’s maturity and work ethic during the spring. The latter earned rave reviews all around, setting up to potentially earn real playing time in 2023.
Cade Stover is the incumbent TE, and he will obviously hold onto his starting role. But behind him, I think playing time could be up for grabs. Gee Scott Jr. has been a solid role player and Joe Royer has flashed on occasion, but neither should be guaranteed snaps. Neither has proven to be a tremendous blocker, so it’s not as if Thurman is far behind in that area. And if OSU coaches are looking versatility and upside, I believe the latter offers it up in spades.
Getting down to brass tax, my bold prediction is that Thurman makes the largest and most significant impact of all the true freshman. I think that he will see the second-most snaps at TE and earn a consistent role in the Buckeyes’ passing game, particularly in the red zone.
While Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and the rest of Ohio State’s wide receivers are likely to soak up most RZ targets, they simply cannot match the physicality of Thurman. Nor can Stover. And sometimes you just need a massive, massive target in or around the end zone. Taking it a step further, I also predict that Thurman will score at least five touchdowns in 2023, matching or even exceeding Stover’s 2022 total.
Call me crazy, Gene, but I have heard much, much worse. I have high expectations for the freshman, and this is me planting my flag on Thurman Island.
Gene’s Take
Josh, I know you tried to give me a layup here with Tate and Inniss, but this is bold predictions, and picking either of the stud freshman receivers just feels too easy.
Plus, while both of these guys are incredibly talented and will almost certainly put together big careers for Ohio State in the future, I’m not quite sure just how much they will factor into the rotation with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Jayden Ballard and even Xavier Johnson all likely ahead of them and battling for reps.
Instead, since you picked a different offensive player, and one that I do really like at a position of need in Thurman, I am going to take my talents to the defensive side of the ball.
Were we looking at just fresh faces and not freshmen, I would’ve definitely taken a stab at either Davison Igbinosun or Tywone Malone. Igbinosun, the Ole Miss transfer, is a lock in my eyes to start at corner opposite Denzel Burke, and Malone, also by way of the Rebels — will factor into the two-deep at defensive tackle. But, since we are just factoring in the first years, my eyes revert back to that defensive backfield at the same position as Igbinosun, but a different name.
My bold prediction for 2023’s biggest impact freshman is cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. out of Cincinnati.
Mathews comes to Columbus as the No. 14 corner in the cycle and the No. 3 player in Ohio as the nation’s No. 148 overall player. He isn’t the highest-rated corner for the Buckeyes in this class — that would be Calvin Simpson-Hunt, the No. 7 corner in 2023 — but Mathews has the leg-up on Simpson-Hunt as the former went through the spring with Ohio State and the latter is a summer enrollee.
A two-sport athlete in football and basketball, Mathews was a late-bloomer as he rose up the recruiting rankings. His best attribute coming out of high school is athleticism, as he has been clocked at running a 4.35 40-yard dash. In addition, 247Sports’ Allen Trieu lauds Mathews’ change of direction and closing speed, noting that he’s shown the ability to play in both man and zone schemes and plays the ball well in the air. If you watched Ohio State’s corners last season, closing speed and playing the ball in the air were two areas where DBs did not exactly excel.
Speaking of last year’s corners, that is a big reason why I think Mathews will have a chance to contribute in his first season on campus. With Burke and Igbinosun almost assured to be your top two names on the depth chart, the reps behind that duo are largely wide open. While guys like Jordan Hancock, Jyaire Brown and Ryan Turner are also competing for reps, none of those guys have really shown all that much in limited playing time to this point. Lorenzo Styles Jr. from Notre Dame is here as well, but this year will likely be a transition for him as he moves from receiver to DB, so I don’t think he factors in just yet.
Both Mathews Jr. and Simpson-Hunt will have a chance to earn themselves some reps this year, but as mentioned earlier, a strong spring from Mathews has him in the driver seat to earn real reps at a position where Ohio State could really use some fresh faces to step up. By year’s end, I would not be surprised if Mathews Jr. is the No. 3 guy at corner, and potentially even No. 2 if Burke or Igbinosun struggle.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bold Prediction: Ohio State will block six or more kicks in 2023
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Bold Prediction: Ohio State will block six or more kicks in 2023
Michael Citro 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
I think the Buckeyes will get after it on special teams 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 making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
It’s hard to believe, but here we are in our final “theme week” of the 2023 offseason. We’ve been tasked with making a bold prediction. Sometimes you can make a bold prediction based on what has come before and projecting what might happen based on those past performances. I tried to do that last season by suggesting Jaxon Smith-Njigba would win the Heisman Trophy, but that didn’t work out too well as JSN suffered through a season plagued with injuries.
This year, I’m not going with numbers or trying to project some kind of forecast. I’m just going with my gut, because it can’t be any dumber than my brain. So here goes...
Ohio State will block at least six kicks in 2023. I think at least three of those will be punts, so look for the Buckeyes to block a minimum of six combined punts, field goals, and PATs this upcoming season.
Parker Fleming’s special teams unit blocked two punts in 2022, which tied the Buckeyes for 14th place in the country in that category. Ohio State also blocked two kicks last season. That was tied for 36th in the nation. The Buckeyes got close a number of other times, both on field goals and punts, which makes me think that they’re going to start paying off some more of those opportunities in 2023. (Yes, I know I said I was going with my gut rather than stats, but that doesn’t mean I can’t throw some in.)
Based on blocking four a year ago, perhaps six doesn’t seem like that bold of a prediction. That’s especially true when you consider that four teams — Notre Dame, Central Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and South Carolina — blocked six or more kicks (sans punts) alone. The Irish also blocked seven punts a year ago. South Carolina blocked five punts, and Middle Tennessee and Central Michigan each blocked four punts. That means those particular four teams were dialed in on special teams.
But that’s not normal. Most teams get one or two of each per season or are better at blocking one type of kick than they are at the other.
Ohio State has fast, athletic, hungry players on special teams. It should be expected that they get to a few every season. But to block at least three punts and six total kicks will require an improvement on special teams under Fleming. It’s certainly possible to improve by that much when you’re talking about the talent Ohio State has available. It’s a place were players can make their mark and earn more snaps at their preferred positions.
Sevyn Banks is a player who made his mark previously as a special teams player. Lathan Ransom managed to block a pair of kicks last year, so he might be the guy to watch, or at least to lead that category. Young defensive backs and receivers are the most likely candidates to get to the ball before it’s kicked past the line of scrimmage, and Ohio State has no shortage of those.
If six blocks is not that bold of a prediction, how about Ransom getting four of them? I think that’ll make this take sufficiently spicy, and we’ll check back at the end of the season to see how I did.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
I think the Buckeyes will get after it on special teams 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 making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
It’s hard to believe, but here we are in our final “theme week” of the 2023 offseason. We’ve been tasked with making a bold prediction. Sometimes you can make a bold prediction based on what has come before and projecting what might happen based on those past performances. I tried to do that last season by suggesting Jaxon Smith-Njigba would win the Heisman Trophy, but that didn’t work out too well as JSN suffered through a season plagued with injuries.
This year, I’m not going with numbers or trying to project some kind of forecast. I’m just going with my gut, because it can’t be any dumber than my brain. So here goes...
Ohio State will block at least six kicks in 2023. I think at least three of those will be punts, so look for the Buckeyes to block a minimum of six combined punts, field goals, and PATs this upcoming season.
Parker Fleming’s special teams unit blocked two punts in 2022, which tied the Buckeyes for 14th place in the country in that category. Ohio State also blocked two kicks last season. That was tied for 36th in the nation. The Buckeyes got close a number of other times, both on field goals and punts, which makes me think that they’re going to start paying off some more of those opportunities in 2023. (Yes, I know I said I was going with my gut rather than stats, but that doesn’t mean I can’t throw some in.)
Based on blocking four a year ago, perhaps six doesn’t seem like that bold of a prediction. That’s especially true when you consider that four teams — Notre Dame, Central Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and South Carolina — blocked six or more kicks (sans punts) alone. The Irish also blocked seven punts a year ago. South Carolina blocked five punts, and Middle Tennessee and Central Michigan each blocked four punts. That means those particular four teams were dialed in on special teams.
But that’s not normal. Most teams get one or two of each per season or are better at blocking one type of kick than they are at the other.
Ohio State has fast, athletic, hungry players on special teams. It should be expected that they get to a few every season. But to block at least three punts and six total kicks will require an improvement on special teams under Fleming. It’s certainly possible to improve by that much when you’re talking about the talent Ohio State has available. It’s a place were players can make their mark and earn more snaps at their preferred positions.
Sevyn Banks is a player who made his mark previously as a special teams player. Lathan Ransom managed to block a pair of kicks last year, so he might be the guy to watch, or at least to lead that category. Young defensive backs and receivers are the most likely candidates to get to the ball before it’s kicked past the line of scrimmage, and Ohio State has no shortage of those.
If six blocks is not that bold of a prediction, how about Ransom getting four of them? I think that’ll make this take sufficiently spicy, and we’ll check back at the end of the season to see how I did.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 40
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 40
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 40 days remaining.
Leading by just three before halftime, Ohio State decided to go for it on 4th-and-7 at the 40-yard line. Braxton Miller stepped up in the pocket and found an open Philly Brown for a touchdown to extend the lead to 10 points heading into the break. That score would be crucial in a game that the Buckeyes won 31-24. Miller threw for just under 200 yards and four TDs, rushing for another 83 yards. Brown led in the receiving department, catching eight balls for 85 yards and two TDs. Devin Smith and Evan Spencer hauled in the other two scores through the air.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 40 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Philly Brown’s 40-yard TD vs. Wisconsin (2013)
Leading by just three before halftime, Ohio State decided to go for it on 4th-and-7 at the 40-yard line. Braxton Miller stepped up in the pocket and found an open Philly Brown for a touchdown to extend the lead to 10 points heading into the break. That score would be crucial in a game that the Buckeyes won 31-24. Miller threw for just under 200 yards and four TDs, rushing for another 83 yards. Brown led in the receiving department, catching eight balls for 85 yards and two TDs. Devin Smith and Evan Spencer hauled in the other two scores through the air.
Players to Wear the #40 (since 2010):
- NONE - Retired in 2004
- Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (1952-55)
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LGHL I-80 Football Show: Five predictions for the 2023 season
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I-80 Football Show: Five predictions for the 2023 season
JordanW330 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
To begin their 2023 season preview, Dante and Jordan give five predictions that are guaranteed to be accurate.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball from New Jersey to California. With USC and UCLA joining the conference in 2024, we’ll integrate them in the show, getting a head start on the 16-team conference.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to 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
In this episode of the new and improved I-80 Football Show, the guys open with updates on the situation at Northwestern. Since we last talked, more former players have spoken out about the hazing and racism they’ve faced within the football program and the athletic department. Northwestern now faces a lawsuit from former head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who is trying to get the remainder of his salary, and three different lawsuits from various players across multiple sports looking for damages due to the trauma they faced in Evanston.
Big Ten media days start this Wednesday, July 26, signifying the semi-official end of the offseason. Starting next week, we’ll begin our four-week season preview breaking down the 16 teams into four tiers. Before that, we wanted to give five predictions for the season and predict the end-of-year award winners. Dante and Jordan agree that Ohio State sweeps the Player of the Year awards, with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. winning Offensive Player of the Year and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg winning Defensive Player of the Year.
Despite all the hype surrounding Penn State, Jordan does not believe this is the year they beat Ohio State and Michigan to win the Big Ten. Dante on the other hand thinks that despite losing twins Chase and Sydney Brown as well as top-10 pick Devon Witherspoon, Illinois will once again be one of the best programs in the West during the final season of divisions.
Listen to the podcast to hear the rest of our predictions and feel free to send us yours!
Follow the show on YouTube:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Land Grant Podcast Network: @LandGrantPods
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
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
To begin their 2023 season preview, Dante and Jordan give five predictions that are guaranteed to be accurate.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball from New Jersey to California. With USC and UCLA joining the conference in 2024, we’ll integrate them in the show, getting a head start on the 16-team conference.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
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In this episode of the new and improved I-80 Football Show, the guys open with updates on the situation at Northwestern. Since we last talked, more former players have spoken out about the hazing and racism they’ve faced within the football program and the athletic department. Northwestern now faces a lawsuit from former head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who is trying to get the remainder of his salary, and three different lawsuits from various players across multiple sports looking for damages due to the trauma they faced in Evanston.
Big Ten media days start this Wednesday, July 26, signifying the semi-official end of the offseason. Starting next week, we’ll begin our four-week season preview breaking down the 16 teams into four tiers. Before that, we wanted to give five predictions for the season and predict the end-of-year award winners. Dante and Jordan agree that Ohio State sweeps the Player of the Year awards, with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. winning Offensive Player of the Year and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg winning Defensive Player of the Year.
Despite all the hype surrounding Penn State, Jordan does not believe this is the year they beat Ohio State and Michigan to win the Big Ten. Dante on the other hand thinks that despite losing twins Chase and Sydney Brown as well as top-10 pick Devon Witherspoon, Illinois will once again be one of the best programs in the West during the final season of divisions.
Listen to the podcast to hear the rest of our predictions and feel free to send us yours!
Follow the show on YouTube:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Land Grant Podcast Network: @LandGrantPods
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
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LGHL Jim Knowles comes up short on recruiting trail yet again after whiffing on Viliamu-Asa
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Jim Knowles comes up short on recruiting trail yet again after whiffing on Viliamu-Asa
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes lost their top remaining linebacker target to Notre Dame.
Ohio State had a ton of momentum on the recruiting trail as the calendar flipped to July, but things have cooled off significantly since the commitments of Justin Scott and Miles Lockhart back in the month’s opening week. It has been especially tough at linebacker, where after missing out on both Sammy Brown and Edwin Spillman earlier, the Buckeyes have now whiffed on their top remaining target at the position.
On Sunday, 2024 four-star LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa announced his committed to Notre Dame over Ohio State. The nation’s No. 8 linebacker and No. 102 player overall in the cycle became the latest LB to spurn the Buckeyes — and the most disappointing, as it seemed as though OSU had a great chance to land the St. John Bosco product. The news comes after Spillman committed to Tennessee on Friday and Brown committed to Clemson in June.
The miss on Viliamu-Asa becomes the latest recruiting loss for Jim Knowles, and yet another instance where it felt like Ohio State was in the lead until the very end. A similar thing happened last year with Tackett Curtis, where it seemed like he was destined to be a Buckeye until he eventually wound up at USC. It is becoming a troubling trend for Knowles, and it’s a legit concern that his recruiting chops are not up to par. OSU bringing in James Laurinaitis as a GA to try and help in that department echoes that concern.
In a way its hard to blame Knowles here, as it sounds like a recent church retreat was the deciding factor for Viliamu-Asa.
“Honestly man I couldn’t see myself [at Notre Dame], but I could at the two other schools.” Viliamu-Asa told Hayes Fawcett of On3. “But I read Hebrews 11:1 which talks about faith as assurance in the things we can’t see. And going to the mountains really solidified my answer because I felt God wanted me to have faith, which required trusting in what I could not see.”
Still, it is a concerning trend in a string of misses for the Ohio State DC, especially since Viliamu-Asa was the first player the Buckeyes offered in the 2024 class. Since Knowles arrived in Columbus, OSU has yet to land even a top-15 linebacker target. They have brought in just two LBs in total thus far between the 2023 and 2024 classes in four-star Arvell Reese (No. 18 LB in 2023) and four-star Payton Pierce (No. 20 LB in 2024), with Reese being from in-state.
What’s equally concerning is the lack of other options left at the position in this current cycle. Of the 11 other linebackers holding Ohio State offers (not including Pierce), eight are already committed elsewhere. Five-star linebacker Justin Williams is almost certainly ending up at Georgia, while four-star Kristopher Jones is also a lean for the Bulldogs. That leaves just Devin Smith, who is the No. 57 LB in the country and doesn’t seem to have much interest in Ohio State.
It will be curious to see what happens the rest of the way, but with both Buckeye starting linebackers set to leave after this season, bringing in only two linebackers over these last two recruiting classes seems less than ideal.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes lost their top remaining linebacker target to Notre Dame.
Ohio State had a ton of momentum on the recruiting trail as the calendar flipped to July, but things have cooled off significantly since the commitments of Justin Scott and Miles Lockhart back in the month’s opening week. It has been especially tough at linebacker, where after missing out on both Sammy Brown and Edwin Spillman earlier, the Buckeyes have now whiffed on their top remaining target at the position.
On Sunday, 2024 four-star LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa announced his committed to Notre Dame over Ohio State. The nation’s No. 8 linebacker and No. 102 player overall in the cycle became the latest LB to spurn the Buckeyes — and the most disappointing, as it seemed as though OSU had a great chance to land the St. John Bosco product. The news comes after Spillman committed to Tennessee on Friday and Brown committed to Clemson in June.
The miss on Viliamu-Asa becomes the latest recruiting loss for Jim Knowles, and yet another instance where it felt like Ohio State was in the lead until the very end. A similar thing happened last year with Tackett Curtis, where it seemed like he was destined to be a Buckeye until he eventually wound up at USC. It is becoming a troubling trend for Knowles, and it’s a legit concern that his recruiting chops are not up to par. OSU bringing in James Laurinaitis as a GA to try and help in that department echoes that concern.
In a way its hard to blame Knowles here, as it sounds like a recent church retreat was the deciding factor for Viliamu-Asa.
“Honestly man I couldn’t see myself [at Notre Dame], but I could at the two other schools.” Viliamu-Asa told Hayes Fawcett of On3. “But I read Hebrews 11:1 which talks about faith as assurance in the things we can’t see. And going to the mountains really solidified my answer because I felt God wanted me to have faith, which required trusting in what I could not see.”
Still, it is a concerning trend in a string of misses for the Ohio State DC, especially since Viliamu-Asa was the first player the Buckeyes offered in the 2024 class. Since Knowles arrived in Columbus, OSU has yet to land even a top-15 linebacker target. They have brought in just two LBs in total thus far between the 2023 and 2024 classes in four-star Arvell Reese (No. 18 LB in 2023) and four-star Payton Pierce (No. 20 LB in 2024), with Reese being from in-state.
What’s equally concerning is the lack of other options left at the position in this current cycle. Of the 11 other linebackers holding Ohio State offers (not including Pierce), eight are already committed elsewhere. Five-star linebacker Justin Williams is almost certainly ending up at Georgia, while four-star Kristopher Jones is also a lean for the Bulldogs. That leaves just Devin Smith, who is the No. 57 LB in the country and doesn’t seem to have much interest in Ohio State.
It will be curious to see what happens the rest of the way, but with both Buckeye starting linebackers set to leave after this season, bringing in only two linebackers over these last two recruiting classes seems less than ideal.
Quick Hits
- On a more positive note, the Buckeyes got some potentially good news on the recruiting trail when it comes to the hardwood, as Chris Holtmann’s group remains in the running for a five-star center. Aiden Sherrell, a 6-foot-10 California native, is set to announce his decision on Aug. 13, and among his top five schools are Ohio State alongside Alabama, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Texas.
NEWS: 5️ Aiden Sherrell, On3’s No. 10 overall prospect in the 2024 class, will announce his college decision on August 13th, he tells me.
The 6-11 big man will choose between Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma, and Michigan State. https://t.co/KvLtP2FTax pic.twitter.com/41RxQP4b7e
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) July 22, 2023
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