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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 44
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 44
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 44 days remaining.
Potentially lost in the shuffle among a string of talented Ohio State quarterbacks during the time of Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and more, Kenny Guiton made some big plays when he got the ball in his hands. The 2013 campaign was his most fruitful, as the senior threw 14 touchdowns to just two picks over eight games, and also ran for five more scores, including this long TD run against San Diego State. The Buckeyes have not seen the Aztecs since this game, and SDSU is probably okay with that after they took at 42-7 drubbing in Columbus.
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 44 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Kenny Guiton’s 44-yard rushing TD vs. SDSU (2013)
Potentially lost in the shuffle among a string of talented Ohio State quarterbacks during the time of Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and more, Kenny Guiton made some big plays when he got the ball in his hands. The 2013 campaign was his most fruitful, as the senior threw 14 touchdowns to just two picks over eight games, and also ran for five more scores, including this long TD run against San Diego State. The Buckeyes have not seen the Aztecs since this game, and SDSU is probably okay with that after they took at 42-7 drubbing in Columbus.
Players to Wear the #44 (since 2010):
- Zach Boren (2009-12)
- Mike Mitchell (2013)
- Kyle Berger (2014)
- Chris Rock (2014)
- Guy Ferrelli (2015-16)
- Aaron Mawhirter (2015-16)
- Ben Schmiesing (2018-20)
- J.T. Tuimoloau (2021-present)
Continue reading...
LGHL That Team Up North: When Ohioans play for ‘TTUN’
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That Team Up North: When Ohioans play for ‘TTUN’
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
The loss is even more painful when it is a native of Ohio who is the main villain.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
Confession time — when I saw this week’s theme for articles a while ago, I winced. Not that the theme is not a worthy one, or that I did not believe I would be able to come up with a topic for an article, but a more deep, personal feeling.
Loss. As in I remember even more losses to “That Team Up North” that predate the woeful 2-10-1 spell from 1988 through 2000, although I will touch on that below, unfortunately.
Quite often, those losses are remembered and associated with players from the state of Ohio who decided to go up north and play for the Michigan Wolverines. If anything, it makes the losses even more painful.
All three of the players could have played for Ohio State, but chose not to, and instead went to the Buckeyes’ biggest rival. Think about having a romantic crush, and not only is your love unrequited, but you find out that your crush is instead going out with the person who makes your blood boil. It kind of reminds me of lyrics from an old Joe Jackson song, “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” ~
“Is she really going out with him?
‘Cause if my eyes don’t deceive me
There’s something going wrong around here”
The native of Westlake, Ohio had major contributions in two painful Ohio State losses, in 1985 at Ann Arbor (27-17) and 1988 in Columbus (34-31). The first loss was when Kolesar was a true freshman, and caught a 77 yard touchdown pass from Wolverines QB Jim Harbaugh (yes, I remember watching him play in college). The second loss was when Kolesar was a senior, and in John Cooper’s first year as Ohio State’s head coach.
If anything, the second loss was even more painful, as Kolesar had all of the yardage needed to score the go-ahead touchdown to win the game for the Wolverines, with a 60-yard kickoff, then a 40-yard touchdown reception.
2. Desmond Howard, 1991
Now we are into the realm of the 2-10-1 era. Howard was a Cleveland native who had starred at Cleveland St. Joseph, along with his teammate, quarterback Elvis Grbac. Both went to Michigan, and here’s where the pain meter starts to rise.
In 1991, Howard had established himself as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The 1991 Michigan/Ohio State game was a natural platform for Howard to display his talents and worthiness of winning the trophy. Ohio State head coach John Cooper, already under fire for losing three times in a row to Michigan (1988-1990), had instructed his punter not to kick the ball to Howard.
And then... In the words of the late Keith Jackson, “Hello Heisman”.
Here is another thing that added salt to that wound — not only did Michigan wind up trouncing Ohio State 31-3, but Ohio State announced the morning of the game that John Cooper had signed a contract extension. My cousin John, who was at the game, told me how he was repeatedly told by gleeful Michigan fans how Ohio State should sign John Cooper for forever.
3. Charles Woodson, 1995 and 1997
In the case of Charles Woodson, a native of Fremont, Ohio, it is still painful to contemplate that an Ohioan went up to Ann Arbor, but it is a little more understandable, considering Fremont is so close to the Ohio-Michigan border line. Woodson has stated on many occasions that he grew up a fan of the Wolverines.
I am including the 1995 loss (31-23), as Woodson was instrumental in helping to shut down Ohio State WR Terry Glenn that day. The 1997 loss (20-14) was similar to Desmond Howard, as Charles Woodson’s performance for a national audience helped Woodson to vault past Tennessee’s Peyton Manning to win The Heisman Trophy.
Three Ohioans who played crucial roles in five Ohio State losses to “That Team Up North”. Whenever you hear long-time Ohio State fans lament about Ohio high school players who decided to go up to Ann Arbor, perhaps you will understand why.
Continue reading...
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
The loss is even more painful when it is a native of Ohio who is the main villain.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
Confession time — when I saw this week’s theme for articles a while ago, I winced. Not that the theme is not a worthy one, or that I did not believe I would be able to come up with a topic for an article, but a more deep, personal feeling.
Loss. As in I remember even more losses to “That Team Up North” that predate the woeful 2-10-1 spell from 1988 through 2000, although I will touch on that below, unfortunately.
Quite often, those losses are remembered and associated with players from the state of Ohio who decided to go up north and play for the Michigan Wolverines. If anything, it makes the losses even more painful.
All three of the players could have played for Ohio State, but chose not to, and instead went to the Buckeyes’ biggest rival. Think about having a romantic crush, and not only is your love unrequited, but you find out that your crush is instead going out with the person who makes your blood boil. It kind of reminds me of lyrics from an old Joe Jackson song, “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” ~
“Is she really going out with him?
‘Cause if my eyes don’t deceive me
There’s something going wrong around here”
- WR John Kolesar, 1985-1988
The native of Westlake, Ohio had major contributions in two painful Ohio State losses, in 1985 at Ann Arbor (27-17) and 1988 in Columbus (34-31). The first loss was when Kolesar was a true freshman, and caught a 77 yard touchdown pass from Wolverines QB Jim Harbaugh (yes, I remember watching him play in college). The second loss was when Kolesar was a senior, and in John Cooper’s first year as Ohio State’s head coach.
If anything, the second loss was even more painful, as Kolesar had all of the yardage needed to score the go-ahead touchdown to win the game for the Wolverines, with a 60-yard kickoff, then a 40-yard touchdown reception.
2. Desmond Howard, 1991
Now we are into the realm of the 2-10-1 era. Howard was a Cleveland native who had starred at Cleveland St. Joseph, along with his teammate, quarterback Elvis Grbac. Both went to Michigan, and here’s where the pain meter starts to rise.
In 1991, Howard had established himself as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The 1991 Michigan/Ohio State game was a natural platform for Howard to display his talents and worthiness of winning the trophy. Ohio State head coach John Cooper, already under fire for losing three times in a row to Michigan (1988-1990), had instructed his punter not to kick the ball to Howard.
And then... In the words of the late Keith Jackson, “Hello Heisman”.
Here is another thing that added salt to that wound — not only did Michigan wind up trouncing Ohio State 31-3, but Ohio State announced the morning of the game that John Cooper had signed a contract extension. My cousin John, who was at the game, told me how he was repeatedly told by gleeful Michigan fans how Ohio State should sign John Cooper for forever.
3. Charles Woodson, 1995 and 1997
In the case of Charles Woodson, a native of Fremont, Ohio, it is still painful to contemplate that an Ohioan went up to Ann Arbor, but it is a little more understandable, considering Fremont is so close to the Ohio-Michigan border line. Woodson has stated on many occasions that he grew up a fan of the Wolverines.
I am including the 1995 loss (31-23), as Woodson was instrumental in helping to shut down Ohio State WR Terry Glenn that day. The 1997 loss (20-14) was similar to Desmond Howard, as Charles Woodson’s performance for a national audience helped Woodson to vault past Tennessee’s Peyton Manning to win The Heisman Trophy.
Three Ohioans who played crucial roles in five Ohio State losses to “That Team Up North”. Whenever you hear long-time Ohio State fans lament about Ohio high school players who decided to go up to Ann Arbor, perhaps you will understand why.
Continue reading...
LGHL Men’s basketball offers in-state forward, decision day for top 2024 linebacker target
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Men’s basketball offers in-state forward, decision day for top 2024 linebacker target
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State basketball sends out their latest offer to in-state 2024 target Colin White.
The majority of the recruiting attention at this time of the year is focused on football. However, that doesn’t mean that Ryan Day’s squad is the only Ohio State program working the trail during the summer months. Chris Holtmann and the men’s basketball staff are also pursuing top-end talent to fill their current recruiting class and yesterday was another step in that direction, as the Buckeyes extended their latest offer in the 2024 class.
Taking to his Twitter account to share the news, in-state athlete Colin White (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) is the next in line to hear from Holtmann and crew. A 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward, White is currently ranked as the No. 152 player nationally and the 32nd best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite grades in the 2024 class. With double-digit offers to his name as well, it’s easy to see why Ohio State decided not to wait any longer and get in the mix officially.
The Buckeyes are arguably the biggest offer to his name, but some of the other programs also in the fold include Stanford, West Virginia, Richmond, Cincinnati, Butler, and others. In many cases, bigger offers can begin a domino effect of others entering the mix and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that be the case in this recruitment specifically.
Like football though, the Buckeyes look to keep the best in Ohio at home for their college years and Holtmann is looking to do the same with White. He is the No. 5 player in the state for the 2024 cycle, but the top four have already committed to other schools, including Marquette, Xavier, Purdue, and Michigan State.
In the very near future, Ohio State is going to learn its fate with several top targets in the 2024 class as they commit to the schools of their choice. In fact, later today the ball will stay rolling as four-star linebacker target Edwin Spillman (Nashville, Tennessee/Lipscomb Academy) will go public with his decision and the Buckeyes are definitely still in the mix.
Down to just Tennessee and Ohio State, Spillman has long been a focus of James Laurinaitis and Jim Knowles. However, it is likely that the Tennessee native stays home and picks the Volunteers. With over 30 major offers to his name though, for the Buckeyes to be this heavily under consideration for this duration of time, it does say a lot about the efforts put forth by the defensive coaching staff.
The No. 337 player nationally, Spillman is the 28th-best linebacker in the class per the 247Sports Composite grades. An absolute take for the Buckeyes in the 2024 cycle, it’s important to remember that even if Ohio State loses out on this commitment, it still is in a great position to land highly-touted target Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa when he makes his decision this coming Sunday as he chooses between the Buckeyes, Notre Dame, and USC; although the Fighting Irish have been rumored to be the pick in recent weeks. At any rate, the Buckeyes remain in a good spot with their linebacker haul and at 2:30 p.m. ET today, the staff will have an even better idea of where to go next.
Having a second trip planned to see the Buckeyes in as many months shows Matty’s legitimate interest in what Ohio State has to offer and with his position of critical need and depth in every cycle, Justin Frye is doing what he needs to show the Connecticut native that he is a priority for the 2025 class and someone they want.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State basketball sends out their latest offer to in-state 2024 target Colin White.
In-state 2024 prospect lands OSU Hoops offer
The majority of the recruiting attention at this time of the year is focused on football. However, that doesn’t mean that Ryan Day’s squad is the only Ohio State program working the trail during the summer months. Chris Holtmann and the men’s basketball staff are also pursuing top-end talent to fill their current recruiting class and yesterday was another step in that direction, as the Buckeyes extended their latest offer in the 2024 class.
Taking to his Twitter account to share the news, in-state athlete Colin White (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) is the next in line to hear from Holtmann and crew. A 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward, White is currently ranked as the No. 152 player nationally and the 32nd best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite grades in the 2024 class. With double-digit offers to his name as well, it’s easy to see why Ohio State decided not to wait any longer and get in the mix officially.
The Buckeyes are arguably the biggest offer to his name, but some of the other programs also in the fold include Stanford, West Virginia, Richmond, Cincinnati, Butler, and others. In many cases, bigger offers can begin a domino effect of others entering the mix and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that be the case in this recruitment specifically.
Like football though, the Buckeyes look to keep the best in Ohio at home for their college years and Holtmann is looking to do the same with White. He is the No. 5 player in the state for the 2024 cycle, but the top four have already committed to other schools, including Marquette, Xavier, Purdue, and Michigan State.
Decision time for four-star linebacker target
In the very near future, Ohio State is going to learn its fate with several top targets in the 2024 class as they commit to the schools of their choice. In fact, later today the ball will stay rolling as four-star linebacker target Edwin Spillman (Nashville, Tennessee/Lipscomb Academy) will go public with his decision and the Buckeyes are definitely still in the mix.
Down to just Tennessee and Ohio State, Spillman has long been a focus of James Laurinaitis and Jim Knowles. However, it is likely that the Tennessee native stays home and picks the Volunteers. With over 30 major offers to his name though, for the Buckeyes to be this heavily under consideration for this duration of time, it does say a lot about the efforts put forth by the defensive coaching staff.
The No. 337 player nationally, Spillman is the 28th-best linebacker in the class per the 247Sports Composite grades. An absolute take for the Buckeyes in the 2024 cycle, it’s important to remember that even if Ohio State loses out on this commitment, it still is in a great position to land highly-touted target Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa when he makes his decision this coming Sunday as he chooses between the Buckeyes, Notre Dame, and USC; although the Fighting Irish have been rumored to be the pick in recent weeks. At any rate, the Buckeyes remain in a good spot with their linebacker haul and at 2:30 p.m. ET today, the staff will have an even better idea of where to go next.
Quick Hits:
- Per Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com, Ohio State will welcome back 2025 offensive line target Matty Augustine later this month when they host their Buckeye Summer Fest on July 28. A 6-foot-7, 280-pound offensive tackle, Augustine was last in Columbus in June for an unofficial visit when he was offered in-person by Ohio State’s staff.
Having a second trip planned to see the Buckeyes in as many months shows Matty’s legitimate interest in what Ohio State has to offer and with his position of critical need and depth in every cycle, Justin Frye is doing what he needs to show the Connecticut native that he is a priority for the 2025 class and someone they want.
Continue reading...
LGHL Buckeyes in the NFL: 2023 Fantasy Football Preview — Justin Fields
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Buckeyes in the NFL: 2023 Fantasy Football Preview — Justin Fields
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Fields broke out as a fantasy star last season, but has yet to approach his ceiling. Now that the former Buckeye finally has some help in Chicago, expect a big step forward.
Tell me if any of this sounds familiar: The quarterback has no help. He can’t throw it to himself. He has no weapons... The Bears are going to get him killed!
These phrases or statements should sound awfully familiar to the people of Chicago, as the Bears have consistently stunk for a decade and flat-out failed or refused to build around their quarterback(s). For two seasons, all of these so-called ‘excuses’ applied to Justin Fields and could have derailed his NFL career before he ever got a chance to prove himself.
The team around him was awful, especially on offense. His linemen doubled as turnstiles, and his ‘arsenal’ (skill players) basically consisted of a slingshot and a dull butter knife. But it wasn’t even like the former Buckeye was bringing said knife to a gunfight. No, he was Jon Snow facing the army of the dead.
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But now... Well, Fields’ situation is only slightly better. Chicago’s offensive line is still an abomination. The organization let productive running back David Montgomery walk despite having excess offseason money to burn. Chase Claypool is expected to see meaningful snaps, which is never a good thing. And the Bears only selected two skill position players in the 2023 NFL Draft, both in the fourth round.
To Chicago’s credit, however, they did swing a blockbuster trade for stud wide receiver D.J. Moore. Moore’s arrival in the Windy City means that Fields is still not flanked by the crew from The Greatest Show on Turf, but he (Fields) at least has a proven and productive No. 1 option. While the price to acquire Moore was extremely high, the return on investment could turn out to be even higher.
Despite odds being stacked against Fields during a crucial stage of NFL development, he has still shown glimpses of being a franchise QB. His deep ball stats are among the best in the league (when the team allows him to throw it), and he doubled his QBR from Year 1 to Year 2. The Bulldog turned Buckeye turned Bear also increased his completion percentage from Year 1 to Year 2, although not by much as you’d like (barely 60%).
Fields does have all the necessary franchise QB traits and characteristics though, including leadership and toughness.
Is Fields perfect? No, not even close. He throws some of the worst/most confusing interceptions in the NFL, takes far too many sacks, and clearly trusts his legs more than his arm. But can you blame him? He went from a sophisticated pro style offense in Columbus to a shitshow with XFL talent in Chicago. Regardless, it is painfully obvious at times that Fields is doing or trying too much as he attempts to make up for the Bears’ dearth of talent. And on occasion, it bites him in the ass.
But what I personally find frustrating is not Fields’ errors or mistakes, but rather the times when he is lumped in with other (past) Buckeyes and/or referred to as a potential victim of the ‘Ohio State QB curse’. That noise has gotten much quieter since the midway point of last season, but Fields should never be lumped in with a Troy Smith or Terrelle Pryor (no offense!).
We’re talking about a guy in Fields who threw for more than 4,300 yards and 63 touchdowns in just 22 games as a Buckeye. He did so while only being picked off nine times and playing in a legitimate pro style offense. So Fields, in my opinion, was not a product of his football environment (like a few of the other OSU QBs, unfortunately). Nor was he a system QB.
He was arguably the top high school QB in a generational recruiting class, who then checked every box while in college and never really experienced a bump in the road as a football player... until he reached Chicago. I have little reason to believe that he will not continue to develop and get even better as a professional.
By now you are probably wondering if I am ever going to bring up fantasy football. And the answer is yes. This was just my way of building up a player that I root for, in both real life and fantasy... uh, football.
Fields has work to do as a ‘real’ QB, but he is already a star in fantasy circles. The various pieces of information above indicate that his arrow is clearly pointing up when it comes to both (real life and fantasy). But let’s just close by focusing on the latter. After all, this piece does have ‘fantasy football’ in the title.
While Chicago’s offensive line appears to be in much better shape heading into the 2023 season, it is still one of the worst in the NFL. And that greatly benefits Fields in fantasy. Last season he was forced to run for his life most of the time, and it resulted in over 1,100 yards on the ground — good for second all-time among QBs (single season). However, with bigger and better weapons around him and an ever-improving feel for the game, I except Fields to run less in ‘23 and beyond.
But his legs will likely never become obsolete. He will run when necessary, especially in the red zone. Imagine Jalen Hurts-esque usage when the Bears need a TD. The Philadelphia Eagles’ MVP candidate found paydirt 13 times last season, on almost the exact same number of attempts as Fields. The latter only scored 8 rushing TDs, but smoked Hurts in yards per carry (7.1 to 4.6), showing off his explosiveness. Should Fields find a happy medium, 800 yards and 10 TD (rushing) is not out of the question. Those numbers alone will keep him in the top tier of fantasy QBs.
Now, let’s assume bigger and better passing numbers for Fields, which should be a given as long as Moore remains on the field. Fields passed for just over 2,200 yards and 17 TD last season, throwing to the likes of Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, Equanimeous St. Brown, Dante Pettis, Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace, and Saggitariutt Jefferspin... Alright, the last two names are from Key & Peele’s ‘East/West College Bowl’ but I guarantee that a few people were none the wiser until reading this sentence.
Point is, Chicago’s skill group was the worst in the NFL last season. And I don’t even think it’s debatable. Mooney was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2021, but other than that... Yeesh. Thankfully the Bears added Moore, a certified stud and a player who has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, despite previously catching passes from the ghost of Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield, among others. Given what both guys have dealt with in the past, I would not be surprised if Fields and Moore shared tears of joy when they learned of the trade.
Even if Fields increases his passing totals to 3,000 yards and 25 TD – average by modern NFL standards – he is going to be in the running for fantasy QB1. Again using Hurts as a comp, Philly’s quarter-billion dollar QB put up 3,701 and 22 last season, to go along with his 13 rushing TD. Those stats were good for a third-place fantasy finish among QB. And I absolutely believe that Fields can put up similar numbers, if not better ones.
Because the former Buckeye is a superior passer. Anyone who says otherwise is not accounting for the different environment(s) in which these two QBs exist. No offense whatsoever to Hurts, but he plays behind arguably the best offensive lines in football and throws to one of the best WR duos in the league, not to mention a top-5ish tight end. Fields, on the other hand, has been surrounded by the actual Bad News Bears. It is also worth noting that Hurts basically was Fields as a second-year player, before ascending in Year 3 (61% completion percentage, 16 passing TD, 784 yards and 10 TD on the ground).
I am all-in on Fields moving forward, in both real-life and fantasy. Sticking to the latter, he finished as QB6 last season, and that should be his absolute floor in 2023. His current ADP is typically in the 40-50 range, but I am targeting him 10-15 picks earlier, depending on league rules and where my roster stands after the first 2-3 rounds. Especially with so few elite RBs available.
Grabbing a QB who can rush for 800+ yards and 10 TD is like taking advantage of a buy one, get one or 2-for-1 sale, and I am definitely a bargain shopper when it comes to fantasy football. Don’t be afraid to join me in prioritizing Fields. Doing so could be a league-winning decision.
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
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Fields broke out as a fantasy star last season, but has yet to approach his ceiling. Now that the former Buckeye finally has some help in Chicago, expect a big step forward.
Tell me if any of this sounds familiar: The quarterback has no help. He can’t throw it to himself. He has no weapons... The Bears are going to get him killed!
These phrases or statements should sound awfully familiar to the people of Chicago, as the Bears have consistently stunk for a decade and flat-out failed or refused to build around their quarterback(s). For two seasons, all of these so-called ‘excuses’ applied to Justin Fields and could have derailed his NFL career before he ever got a chance to prove himself.
The team around him was awful, especially on offense. His linemen doubled as turnstiles, and his ‘arsenal’ (skill players) basically consisted of a slingshot and a dull butter knife. But it wasn’t even like the former Buckeye was bringing said knife to a gunfight. No, he was Jon Snow facing the army of the dead.
But now... Well, Fields’ situation is only slightly better. Chicago’s offensive line is still an abomination. The organization let productive running back David Montgomery walk despite having excess offseason money to burn. Chase Claypool is expected to see meaningful snaps, which is never a good thing. And the Bears only selected two skill position players in the 2023 NFL Draft, both in the fourth round.
To Chicago’s credit, however, they did swing a blockbuster trade for stud wide receiver D.J. Moore. Moore’s arrival in the Windy City means that Fields is still not flanked by the crew from The Greatest Show on Turf, but he (Fields) at least has a proven and productive No. 1 option. While the price to acquire Moore was extremely high, the return on investment could turn out to be even higher.
Despite odds being stacked against Fields during a crucial stage of NFL development, he has still shown glimpses of being a franchise QB. His deep ball stats are among the best in the league (when the team allows him to throw it), and he doubled his QBR from Year 1 to Year 2. The Bulldog turned Buckeye turned Bear also increased his completion percentage from Year 1 to Year 2, although not by much as you’d like (barely 60%).
Fields does have all the necessary franchise QB traits and characteristics though, including leadership and toughness.
Is Fields perfect? No, not even close. He throws some of the worst/most confusing interceptions in the NFL, takes far too many sacks, and clearly trusts his legs more than his arm. But can you blame him? He went from a sophisticated pro style offense in Columbus to a shitshow with XFL talent in Chicago. Regardless, it is painfully obvious at times that Fields is doing or trying too much as he attempts to make up for the Bears’ dearth of talent. And on occasion, it bites him in the ass.
But what I personally find frustrating is not Fields’ errors or mistakes, but rather the times when he is lumped in with other (past) Buckeyes and/or referred to as a potential victim of the ‘Ohio State QB curse’. That noise has gotten much quieter since the midway point of last season, but Fields should never be lumped in with a Troy Smith or Terrelle Pryor (no offense!).
We’re talking about a guy in Fields who threw for more than 4,300 yards and 63 touchdowns in just 22 games as a Buckeye. He did so while only being picked off nine times and playing in a legitimate pro style offense. So Fields, in my opinion, was not a product of his football environment (like a few of the other OSU QBs, unfortunately). Nor was he a system QB.
He was arguably the top high school QB in a generational recruiting class, who then checked every box while in college and never really experienced a bump in the road as a football player... until he reached Chicago. I have little reason to believe that he will not continue to develop and get even better as a professional.
By now you are probably wondering if I am ever going to bring up fantasy football. And the answer is yes. This was just my way of building up a player that I root for, in both real life and fantasy... uh, football.
Fields has work to do as a ‘real’ QB, but he is already a star in fantasy circles. The various pieces of information above indicate that his arrow is clearly pointing up when it comes to both (real life and fantasy). But let’s just close by focusing on the latter. After all, this piece does have ‘fantasy football’ in the title.
While Chicago’s offensive line appears to be in much better shape heading into the 2023 season, it is still one of the worst in the NFL. And that greatly benefits Fields in fantasy. Last season he was forced to run for his life most of the time, and it resulted in over 1,100 yards on the ground — good for second all-time among QBs (single season). However, with bigger and better weapons around him and an ever-improving feel for the game, I except Fields to run less in ‘23 and beyond.
But his legs will likely never become obsolete. He will run when necessary, especially in the red zone. Imagine Jalen Hurts-esque usage when the Bears need a TD. The Philadelphia Eagles’ MVP candidate found paydirt 13 times last season, on almost the exact same number of attempts as Fields. The latter only scored 8 rushing TDs, but smoked Hurts in yards per carry (7.1 to 4.6), showing off his explosiveness. Should Fields find a happy medium, 800 yards and 10 TD (rushing) is not out of the question. Those numbers alone will keep him in the top tier of fantasy QBs.
Now, let’s assume bigger and better passing numbers for Fields, which should be a given as long as Moore remains on the field. Fields passed for just over 2,200 yards and 17 TD last season, throwing to the likes of Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, Equanimeous St. Brown, Dante Pettis, Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace, and Saggitariutt Jefferspin... Alright, the last two names are from Key & Peele’s ‘East/West College Bowl’ but I guarantee that a few people were none the wiser until reading this sentence.
Point is, Chicago’s skill group was the worst in the NFL last season. And I don’t even think it’s debatable. Mooney was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2021, but other than that... Yeesh. Thankfully the Bears added Moore, a certified stud and a player who has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, despite previously catching passes from the ghost of Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield, among others. Given what both guys have dealt with in the past, I would not be surprised if Fields and Moore shared tears of joy when they learned of the trade.
Even if Fields increases his passing totals to 3,000 yards and 25 TD – average by modern NFL standards – he is going to be in the running for fantasy QB1. Again using Hurts as a comp, Philly’s quarter-billion dollar QB put up 3,701 and 22 last season, to go along with his 13 rushing TD. Those stats were good for a third-place fantasy finish among QB. And I absolutely believe that Fields can put up similar numbers, if not better ones.
Because the former Buckeye is a superior passer. Anyone who says otherwise is not accounting for the different environment(s) in which these two QBs exist. No offense whatsoever to Hurts, but he plays behind arguably the best offensive lines in football and throws to one of the best WR duos in the league, not to mention a top-5ish tight end. Fields, on the other hand, has been surrounded by the actual Bad News Bears. It is also worth noting that Hurts basically was Fields as a second-year player, before ascending in Year 3 (61% completion percentage, 16 passing TD, 784 yards and 10 TD on the ground).
I am all-in on Fields moving forward, in both real-life and fantasy. Sticking to the latter, he finished as QB6 last season, and that should be his absolute floor in 2023. His current ADP is typically in the 40-50 range, but I am targeting him 10-15 picks earlier, depending on league rules and where my roster stands after the first 2-3 rounds. Especially with so few elite RBs available.
Grabbing a QB who can rush for 800+ yards and 10 TD is like taking advantage of a buy one, get one or 2-for-1 sale, and I am definitely a bargain shopper when it comes to fantasy football. Don’t be afraid to join me in prioritizing Fields. Doing so could be a league-winning decision.
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LGHL Buck Off Podcast: A deep dive into Ohio State’s newcomers, recruiting predictions, and a Pac-12 preview
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Buck Off Podcast: A deep dive into Ohio State’s newcomers, recruiting predictions, and a Pac-12 preview
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State is two weeks away from fall camp, which is why we are refreshing on newcomers and starting our conference previews
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to discuss the news in the college football world and preview the Pac-12 conference.
To get the show started, we discuss updates on the Northwestern program, looking at the importance of why this is still in the news and why the litigation in these institutional scenarios lead to much deeper looks into the problem.
After that, we turn our attention to the program you came here to listen about in the Ohio State Buckeyes. We discuss the new fan experience the Buckeyes are providing with selling seats to watch practice for $30. There were only 500 tickets available for each of the first two practices of camp, and how this is an experience you should not pass up if you have the opportunity. We then talk Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Marvin Harrison Jr., and make our recruiting prediction for Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa as he is set to make his decision this weekend.
In the next part of the show, we do something we all need — review all the new faces that have entered and will be entering the program. We break down the transfer players we are most excited about, the first year players coming into the summer that could be difference makers.
To close out the show, we get into the first of our conference previews with the Pac-12. In this we talk the biggest storylines, contenders, surprise teams, and our players to watch.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Threads: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
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
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State is two weeks away from fall camp, which is why we are refreshing on newcomers and starting our conference previews
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to discuss the news in the college football world and preview the Pac-12 conference.
To get the show started, we discuss updates on the Northwestern program, looking at the importance of why this is still in the news and why the litigation in these institutional scenarios lead to much deeper looks into the problem.
After that, we turn our attention to the program you came here to listen about in the Ohio State Buckeyes. We discuss the new fan experience the Buckeyes are providing with selling seats to watch practice for $30. There were only 500 tickets available for each of the first two practices of camp, and how this is an experience you should not pass up if you have the opportunity. We then talk Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Marvin Harrison Jr., and make our recruiting prediction for Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa as he is set to make his decision this weekend.
In the next part of the show, we do something we all need — review all the new faces that have entered and will be entering the program. We break down the transfer players we are most excited about, the first year players coming into the summer that could be difference makers.
To close out the show, we get into the first of our conference previews with the Pac-12. In this we talk the biggest storylines, contenders, surprise teams, and our players to watch.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Threads: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 43
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 43
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 Gregory Shamus/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 43 days remaining.
Boy was it fun to watch Chris Olave catch touchdowns for Ohio State. This 43-yarder was one of two scores for Olave in this game, leading the team with seven catches for 140 yards and the pair of TDs. The Michigan State passing defense was as advertised, allowing C.J. Stroud to pass for 432 yards and six TDs. Three different OSU receivers went over 100 yards, with Garrett Wilson (7 for 126) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (10 for 105) joining Olave. As a result, the Buckeyes easily ran away with this one in a 56-7 rout of the Spartans.
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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 Gregory Shamus/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 43 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Chris Olave’s 43-yard TD vs. Michigan State (2021)
Boy was it fun to watch Chris Olave catch touchdowns for Ohio State. This 43-yarder was one of two scores for Olave in this game, leading the team with seven catches for 140 yards and the pair of TDs. The Michigan State passing defense was as advertised, allowing C.J. Stroud to pass for 432 yards and six TDs. Three different OSU receivers went over 100 yards, with Garrett Wilson (7 for 126) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (10 for 105) joining Olave. As a result, the Buckeyes easily ran away with this one in a 56-7 rout of the Spartans.
Players to Wear the #43 (since 2010):
- Nathan Williams (2008-12)
- Darron Lee (2013-15)
- Nick Conner (2016)
- Ryan Batsch (2018-21)
- Robert Cope (2018-21)
- Riordin Stauffer (2022)
- Dianté Griffin (2022-present)
- John Ferlmann (present)
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LGHL Could we get an OSU-Michigan 2023 National Championship?
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Could we get an OSU-Michigan 2023 National Championship?
JamiJurich 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
We came so close last season. What are the odds it could happen for real this year?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
My friends, we came so close to The Game not even being the most important game against Michigan last season.
Many of us had mixed feelings about whether or not we wanted them to meet in the National Championship. The worst-case scenario would have been Michigan advancing and the Buckeyes losing, and because Michigan’s game was first, many people felt the safer option was rooting for them to lose.
And while I am generally an advocate for rooting against Michigan in all scenarios, can you imagine for one moment how electric a Big Ten Rivals National Championship Game would have been? With those heightened stakes, the trash talk would have been trashier, the emotions higher. That’s what it’s all about.
It felt a bit like lightning in a bottle. It seems unlikely both teams would make the playoffs again.
But it’s not impossible. After all, the selection committee has to know how much money is on the line with that kind of rivalry — it’s enough to make even the most unlikely dreams come true.
In fact, with the exception of the Buckeye quarterback, both OSU and Michigan look comparable to last season heading into the fall. Now, I’m no dummy — I know losing our Heisman finalist quarterback does throw a wrench in things for the Buckeyes. But as we have not yet played a single down of football yet this season, let’s remain optimistic since I’m already taking bold swings here.
The way I see it, there are two paths to both teams making the playoffs (one is certainly more preferable for us, though the less preferable one is probably more likely to actually yield the Rivalry Results in question). All of this is also assuming certain other outcomes completely out of the Big Ten’s control — I’ll break these down later.
Let’s assume the following: The Buckeyes have a competent starting quarterback and both teams remain relatively injury-free. It is not out of the realm of possibility for these teams to meet in the National Championship.
On the whole, the Big Ten is looking tough this year. Penn State in particular looks to be a force, and while I don’t think they’re good enough to bump either OSU or Michigan in a world in which two Big Ten teams get into the playoffs, I do think they could greatly impact the Committee’s view of the Big Ten strength of schedule.
The dream path for Buckeye fans would be for Ohio State AND an SEC team to finish the regular season undefeated, with OSU then taking the No. 2 slot because we all know the SEC is holding that No. 1 slot in this case.
For this particular path, Michigan’s only loss would have to be the Buckeyes, and it would have to be a close enough game that the Committee felt they’d done enough. The Buckeyes’ wins over Penn State and Wisconsin would probably have to be really close, and Michigan’s road win over PSU would have to be a blowout. And of course, the SEC’s results would have to fall in Michigan’s favor (one undefeated conference champ/everyone else with two losses or something of that nature).
If an undefeated SEC winner took the No. 1 slot, with an undefeated OSU in the No. 2 slot, the winner of a third conference in the No. 3 slot, and Michigan as the most competitive remaining 1-loss team coming in at No. 4, we could see OSU and Michigan square off in the Championship if both teams won their first playoff game.
This is, I’m sorry to say, the more likely scenario in which we’d get an OSU-UM matchup in the National Championship.
What OSU has working for it is strength of schedule. As if tough conference games against Penn State, Wisconsin, and Michigan (the latter two on the road) wasn’t enough, OSU’s pre-conference schedule includes a road game against Notre Dame. Assuming ND finishes in the Top 25 this season, OSU could reasonably afford a loss and still make the playoffs.
Neither Michigan nor Penn State (nor some of the SEC teams) have the same strength of schedule in their non-conference games as OSU does, so unfortunately what I’m about to suggest does seem to be the most likely “strength of schedule” path to a playoff with both OSU and Michigan in it.
If OSU beats Penn State, Penn State beats Michigan and Michigan beats OSU, there would be a three-way tie for the conference title. If Michigan can take the conference title and OSU can edge out Penn State in the tiebreaker with a road win over a Top-25 Notre Dame team, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to think the committee might look favorably on the Buckeyes’ strength of schedule and allow them to eke in at No. 4 behind UM at No. 2 or No. 3.
To be clear, for as much as I would love an OSU-Michigan National Championship game, I’m not rooting for a path that involves losing to Michigan or letting our destiny be controlled by other teams, both in and out of our conference. I could live with Option 2, but I don’t particularly want to.
I could, however, be very behind Option 1 as it would allow the Buckeyes to go undefeated AND beat Michigan twice in one season. What could be sweeter than that?
Continue reading...
JamiJurich 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
We came so close last season. What are the odds it could happen for real this year?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
My friends, we came so close to The Game not even being the most important game against Michigan last season.
Many of us had mixed feelings about whether or not we wanted them to meet in the National Championship. The worst-case scenario would have been Michigan advancing and the Buckeyes losing, and because Michigan’s game was first, many people felt the safer option was rooting for them to lose.
And while I am generally an advocate for rooting against Michigan in all scenarios, can you imagine for one moment how electric a Big Ten Rivals National Championship Game would have been? With those heightened stakes, the trash talk would have been trashier, the emotions higher. That’s what it’s all about.
It felt a bit like lightning in a bottle. It seems unlikely both teams would make the playoffs again.
But it’s not impossible. After all, the selection committee has to know how much money is on the line with that kind of rivalry — it’s enough to make even the most unlikely dreams come true.
In fact, with the exception of the Buckeye quarterback, both OSU and Michigan look comparable to last season heading into the fall. Now, I’m no dummy — I know losing our Heisman finalist quarterback does throw a wrench in things for the Buckeyes. But as we have not yet played a single down of football yet this season, let’s remain optimistic since I’m already taking bold swings here.
The way I see it, there are two paths to both teams making the playoffs (one is certainly more preferable for us, though the less preferable one is probably more likely to actually yield the Rivalry Results in question). All of this is also assuming certain other outcomes completely out of the Big Ten’s control — I’ll break these down later.
Let’s assume the following: The Buckeyes have a competent starting quarterback and both teams remain relatively injury-free. It is not out of the realm of possibility for these teams to meet in the National Championship.
On the whole, the Big Ten is looking tough this year. Penn State in particular looks to be a force, and while I don’t think they’re good enough to bump either OSU or Michigan in a world in which two Big Ten teams get into the playoffs, I do think they could greatly impact the Committee’s view of the Big Ten strength of schedule.
Path No. 1
The dream path for Buckeye fans would be for Ohio State AND an SEC team to finish the regular season undefeated, with OSU then taking the No. 2 slot because we all know the SEC is holding that No. 1 slot in this case.
For this particular path, Michigan’s only loss would have to be the Buckeyes, and it would have to be a close enough game that the Committee felt they’d done enough. The Buckeyes’ wins over Penn State and Wisconsin would probably have to be really close, and Michigan’s road win over PSU would have to be a blowout. And of course, the SEC’s results would have to fall in Michigan’s favor (one undefeated conference champ/everyone else with two losses or something of that nature).
If an undefeated SEC winner took the No. 1 slot, with an undefeated OSU in the No. 2 slot, the winner of a third conference in the No. 3 slot, and Michigan as the most competitive remaining 1-loss team coming in at No. 4, we could see OSU and Michigan square off in the Championship if both teams won their first playoff game.
Path No. 2
This is, I’m sorry to say, the more likely scenario in which we’d get an OSU-UM matchup in the National Championship.
What OSU has working for it is strength of schedule. As if tough conference games against Penn State, Wisconsin, and Michigan (the latter two on the road) wasn’t enough, OSU’s pre-conference schedule includes a road game against Notre Dame. Assuming ND finishes in the Top 25 this season, OSU could reasonably afford a loss and still make the playoffs.
Neither Michigan nor Penn State (nor some of the SEC teams) have the same strength of schedule in their non-conference games as OSU does, so unfortunately what I’m about to suggest does seem to be the most likely “strength of schedule” path to a playoff with both OSU and Michigan in it.
If OSU beats Penn State, Penn State beats Michigan and Michigan beats OSU, there would be a three-way tie for the conference title. If Michigan can take the conference title and OSU can edge out Penn State in the tiebreaker with a road win over a Top-25 Notre Dame team, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to think the committee might look favorably on the Buckeyes’ strength of schedule and allow them to eke in at No. 4 behind UM at No. 2 or No. 3.
To be clear, for as much as I would love an OSU-Michigan National Championship game, I’m not rooting for a path that involves losing to Michigan or letting our destiny be controlled by other teams, both in and out of our conference. I could live with Option 2, but I don’t particularly want to.
I could, however, be very behind Option 1 as it would allow the Buckeyes to go undefeated AND beat Michigan twice in one season. What could be sweeter than that?
Continue reading...
