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LGHL Imagining what an Ohio State WrestleMania card would look like
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Imagining what an Ohio State WrestleMania card would look like
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Not only are there more than enough storylines to fill a card out, Ohio Stadium would be the perfect venue.
We have finally made it to one of the biggest weekends of the year! I’m not talking about Final Four weekend, I’m talking about WrestleMania weekend! The biggest annual event in professional wrestling used to be only one night, but a few years ago they turned it into a two-night spectacle. Not only are there two huge WWE events, but there are also a number of other promotions that hold big events over the weekend, so for fans, it feels like a non-stop barrage of wrestling. Just think of the first two days of the NCAA Tournament, except instead of a basketball court there is a wrestling ring.
While there have been a number of talented professional wrestlers from Columbus and the state of Ohio like Alexa Bliss, The Miz, and Jon Moxley, it would be loads of fun to have an Ohio State WrestleMania. Over the last 10-15 years, Wrestlemania has been held at big stadiums, there is already the perfect spot to hold the event on campus. Just imagine an Ohio State WrestleMania at Ohio Stadium. For those that can’t attend, they’ll be able to watch on Big Ten Network, and we can even have Paul Keels on the call.
So who is wrestling at Ohio State WrestleMania? There will be some traditional matches, but I figured we would load this card with specialty matches. If there is gonna be an Ohio State WrestleMania, we are going to make it as entertaining as possible. I can tell you one match that there won’t be, though. If any wrestling fans remember the “Judy Bagwell on a pole match” there will not be a “Shelley Meyer on a pole match”.
When I was a little B-Leez, the first WrestleMania that I really remember being invested in was WrestleMania X. While the headliners for the event were title matches between Lex Luger & Yokozuna, and Bret Hart and Yokozuna later in the night, the match that stole the show was the ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon. At the time, the ladder match was a very original concept, but now it is done numerous times a year. WWE even has a pay-per-view event called Money In The Bank that features men’s and women’s ladder matches for a title shot.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24553657/usa_today_18823169.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
What better way to decide who starts this year for Ohio State at quarterback than by having the two climb a ladder to capture a briefcase (or some other object) that says “QB1” on it? This way you can see who REALLY wants to be the next starting quarterback for the Buckeyes. We know both Brown and McCord have the talent to be the next starter, now we can see who has the most heart and is willing to go to new heights to take the snaps next for Ohio State.
A lot of times to determine who is next in line for a title shot, there is a match between top contenders. Instead of a match to figure out who will get the next crack at the title, at Ohio State WrestleMania, there is a match to determine who will be the next Ohio State football coach. What better opponents for this match than co-offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and assistant linebackers coach James Laurinaitis?
Even though these two used to be teammates, there is plenty of differences between them. Hartline got a head start in the coaching game, Laurinaitis is incredibly passionate about everything he does. While Laurinaitis does have a bit of an advantage when it comes to size and physicality, wrestling doesn’t always see the bigger fighter win, sometimes it goes to the combatant with the better game plan.
Maybe this match should take place right before the #1 Contenders Match, especially if Day fails to earn the victory. Over the last year, there has been plenty of criticism hurled at both the Ohio State football coach, and the Buckeyes men’s basketball coach. Has it been warranted? In some areas yes, while at some times it has been a little over the top. No matter where you stand, this would be a great way to see who has the desire to stay in Columbus.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24553655/usa_today_14124338.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Michigan at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Imagine how much juice the winner of this match would have when it comes to his team, and also with recruiting. The winning coach could champion himself as a man who had his back against the wall and fought his way out of it. Then he could ask his team to play the same way he did when he was literally fighting for his job.
With the number of outstanding brothers that we have seen at Ohio State, what better way to crown the best set of brothers than by having a tag team match? This would undoubtedly be a fun matchup since there isn’t a huge size discrepancy between the three teams either. The Bosa brothers may have dominated at defensive end on the football field, but the Wessons and Sullingers ate in the paint on the court. This would be a real hoss fight.
In professional wrestling, you’ll often hear a match with no rules referred to as a “Texas Death Match”. Since we are nowhere near Texas, we might as well call it a Toledo Death Match since Ohio and Michigan already have squabbled over the Toledo area. What better combatants for this match than the two men who had a 10-year war in college football’s biggest rivalry?
Even if there we rules in this match, it’s not like Woody Hayes would follow them. We know how much Woody hated Michigan, so it would be interesting to see just how far he would go to beat his fiercest rival. This feels like it would be as intense as the rivalry between Undertaker and Mankind, with both combatants going to extreme lengths to earn the victory.
What an incredible year it was for both the Ohio State women’s hockey team and the women’s basketball team. The Puckeyes almost repeated as national champs, falling to Wisconsin in the title game. Sheldon and the Ohio State shooty-hoopers made it all the way to the Elite Eight and hung with Virginia Tech, falling just short of making the Final Four.
Jaques was the star of women’s college hockey this year, winning the Patty Kazmeier Memorial Award as the best player in the country. Sheldon dealt with some injury issues but was able to be a key contributor during the NCAA Tournament run for the Buckeyes. Sheldon has already announced that she will be returning to Columbus next year.
The advantage in a fight seems like it would go to a hockey player, but don’t count out Sheldon, who has dealt with plenty of adversity this year as she fought hard to get back onto the court after suffering a lower-leg injury. There’s no doubt both of these great athletes would pull out all the stops, much like they have done in their respective sports.
This pairing probably looks odd, but hear me out. I figured the true championship match should be between the last two quarterbacks to lead Ohio State football to national titles. Since football is king in Columbus, it would be fitting if these two fought each other. Also, if Cardale Jones was going to be fighting in this match, J.T. Barrett should at least in some way be involved, since he did a ton of the work to get the 2014 team in position to compete for a national title.
This might look like a bit of a mismatch since Cardale was an absolute tank in the final three games of the 2014 season but don’t forget that Krenzel went up against the Miami defense in the BCS National Championship Game and didn’t blink. Even though he might not be as flashy as Jones, Krenzel knows how to get the job done in big pressure spots. I don’t see why that would change when it came to the wrestling ring.
As an added twist, I’d assume that Jones is going to bring Brian Schottenstein as his manager. “Da Schott” would definitely fit into the role of the slimy manager that cuts corners and tries to give his client an advantage by using cheap tricks when the referee isn’t looking.
There are certainly more matches that could be added to the card, but this feels like it would be a good start. Maybe like a “WarGames” style match between recent wide receivers and cornerbacks. Add in a celebrity match just for some kicks, as well. There certainly wouldn’t be a lack of dream matches that could fill a few years of Ohio State WrestleManias!
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Not only are there more than enough storylines to fill a card out, Ohio Stadium would be the perfect venue.
We have finally made it to one of the biggest weekends of the year! I’m not talking about Final Four weekend, I’m talking about WrestleMania weekend! The biggest annual event in professional wrestling used to be only one night, but a few years ago they turned it into a two-night spectacle. Not only are there two huge WWE events, but there are also a number of other promotions that hold big events over the weekend, so for fans, it feels like a non-stop barrage of wrestling. Just think of the first two days of the NCAA Tournament, except instead of a basketball court there is a wrestling ring.
While there have been a number of talented professional wrestlers from Columbus and the state of Ohio like Alexa Bliss, The Miz, and Jon Moxley, it would be loads of fun to have an Ohio State WrestleMania. Over the last 10-15 years, Wrestlemania has been held at big stadiums, there is already the perfect spot to hold the event on campus. Just imagine an Ohio State WrestleMania at Ohio Stadium. For those that can’t attend, they’ll be able to watch on Big Ten Network, and we can even have Paul Keels on the call.
So who is wrestling at Ohio State WrestleMania? There will be some traditional matches, but I figured we would load this card with specialty matches. If there is gonna be an Ohio State WrestleMania, we are going to make it as entertaining as possible. I can tell you one match that there won’t be, though. If any wrestling fans remember the “Judy Bagwell on a pole match” there will not be a “Shelley Meyer on a pole match”.
Ladder Match: Kyle McCord v. Devin Brown
When I was a little B-Leez, the first WrestleMania that I really remember being invested in was WrestleMania X. While the headliners for the event were title matches between Lex Luger & Yokozuna, and Bret Hart and Yokozuna later in the night, the match that stole the show was the ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon. At the time, the ladder match was a very original concept, but now it is done numerous times a year. WWE even has a pay-per-view event called Money In The Bank that features men’s and women’s ladder matches for a title shot.
What better way to decide who starts this year for Ohio State at quarterback than by having the two climb a ladder to capture a briefcase (or some other object) that says “QB1” on it? This way you can see who REALLY wants to be the next starting quarterback for the Buckeyes. We know both Brown and McCord have the talent to be the next starter, now we can see who has the most heart and is willing to go to new heights to take the snaps next for Ohio State.
#1 Contender Match: Brian Hartline v. James Laurinaitis
A lot of times to determine who is next in line for a title shot, there is a match between top contenders. Instead of a match to figure out who will get the next crack at the title, at Ohio State WrestleMania, there is a match to determine who will be the next Ohio State football coach. What better opponents for this match than co-offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and assistant linebackers coach James Laurinaitis?
Even though these two used to be teammates, there is plenty of differences between them. Hartline got a head start in the coaching game, Laurinaitis is incredibly passionate about everything he does. While Laurinaitis does have a bit of an advantage when it comes to size and physicality, wrestling doesn’t always see the bigger fighter win, sometimes it goes to the combatant with the better game plan.
Loser Leaves Town Match: Ryan Day v. Chris Holtmann
Maybe this match should take place right before the #1 Contenders Match, especially if Day fails to earn the victory. Over the last year, there has been plenty of criticism hurled at both the Ohio State football coach, and the Buckeyes men’s basketball coach. Has it been warranted? In some areas yes, while at some times it has been a little over the top. No matter where you stand, this would be a great way to see who has the desire to stay in Columbus.
Imagine how much juice the winner of this match would have when it comes to his team, and also with recruiting. The winning coach could champion himself as a man who had his back against the wall and fought his way out of it. Then he could ask his team to play the same way he did when he was literally fighting for his job.
Triple Threat Tag Team Match: Kaleb & Andre Wesson v. J.J. & Jared Sullinger v. Joey & Nick Bosa
With the number of outstanding brothers that we have seen at Ohio State, what better way to crown the best set of brothers than by having a tag team match? This would undoubtedly be a fun matchup since there isn’t a huge size discrepancy between the three teams either. The Bosa brothers may have dominated at defensive end on the football field, but the Wessons and Sullingers ate in the paint on the court. This would be a real hoss fight.
Toledo Death Match: Woody Hayes v. Bo Schembechler
In professional wrestling, you’ll often hear a match with no rules referred to as a “Texas Death Match”. Since we are nowhere near Texas, we might as well call it a Toledo Death Match since Ohio and Michigan already have squabbled over the Toledo area. What better combatants for this match than the two men who had a 10-year war in college football’s biggest rivalry?
Even if there we rules in this match, it’s not like Woody Hayes would follow them. We know how much Woody hated Michigan, so it would be interesting to see just how far he would go to beat his fiercest rival. This feels like it would be as intense as the rivalry between Undertaker and Mankind, with both combatants going to extreme lengths to earn the victory.
Women’s Championship Match: Sophie Jaques v. Jacy Sheldon
What an incredible year it was for both the Ohio State women’s hockey team and the women’s basketball team. The Puckeyes almost repeated as national champs, falling to Wisconsin in the title game. Sheldon and the Ohio State shooty-hoopers made it all the way to the Elite Eight and hung with Virginia Tech, falling just short of making the Final Four.
Jaques was the star of women’s college hockey this year, winning the Patty Kazmeier Memorial Award as the best player in the country. Sheldon dealt with some injury issues but was able to be a key contributor during the NCAA Tournament run for the Buckeyes. Sheldon has already announced that she will be returning to Columbus next year.
The advantage in a fight seems like it would go to a hockey player, but don’t count out Sheldon, who has dealt with plenty of adversity this year as she fought hard to get back onto the court after suffering a lower-leg injury. There’s no doubt both of these great athletes would pull out all the stops, much like they have done in their respective sports.
Championship Match: Craig Krenzel v. Cardale Jones - Special Guest Referee J.T. Barrett
This pairing probably looks odd, but hear me out. I figured the true championship match should be between the last two quarterbacks to lead Ohio State football to national titles. Since football is king in Columbus, it would be fitting if these two fought each other. Also, if Cardale Jones was going to be fighting in this match, J.T. Barrett should at least in some way be involved, since he did a ton of the work to get the 2014 team in position to compete for a national title.
This might look like a bit of a mismatch since Cardale was an absolute tank in the final three games of the 2014 season but don’t forget that Krenzel went up against the Miami defense in the BCS National Championship Game and didn’t blink. Even though he might not be as flashy as Jones, Krenzel knows how to get the job done in big pressure spots. I don’t see why that would change when it came to the wrestling ring.
As an added twist, I’d assume that Jones is going to bring Brian Schottenstein as his manager. “Da Schott” would definitely fit into the role of the slimy manager that cuts corners and tries to give his client an advantage by using cheap tricks when the referee isn’t looking.
There are certainly more matches that could be added to the card, but this feels like it would be a good start. Maybe like a “WarGames” style match between recent wide receivers and cornerbacks. Add in a celebrity match just for some kicks, as well. There certainly wouldn’t be a lack of dream matches that could fill a few years of Ohio State WrestleManias!
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball centers this season?
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You’re Nuts: What would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball centers this season?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Felix Okpara was unexpectedly thrust into a major role at the end of the season, and the second half of Zed Key’s season was lost to injury.
Welcome to the 94th edition of “You’re Nuts” — college hoops edition! This week, we’re wrapping up our three-part series where we grade out each position group.
Last week, we looked at Ohio State’s frontcourt, but specifically the forwards. This week we’re focusing solely on the Buckeyes centers — Felix Okpara and Zed Key. How do you think they fared in their vastly different roles this year?
Last week, Connor graded gave the frontcourt a C, which was the most popular choice with 45% of the popular vote. Justin graded the unit B, which only 15% of the people agreed with. The final 40% went with the “D or F” option. Ohio State fans have always been an optimistic bunch.
With Connor being last week’s big winner, here are the standings through 94 weeks:
Justin- 41
This week, we’re looking at Ohio State’s centers — Key and Okpara. We are not including Owen Spencer, who did see extended minutes against Purdue but was essentially just used to throw five fouls at Zach Edey that day.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24549331/usa_today_19880305.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Indiana")
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The plan this past season was for Key to play major minutes for Ohio State at center, where he would continue to improve on his sophomore season when he scored 7.8 PPG and averaged 5.6 rebounds per game. Okpara was to be his backup, playing 10-ish minutes per game behind Key.
That plan played out for the first two months of the season, and then Key severely injured his shoulder against Purdue in early January. Key tried to play through it for the next five or so weeks, but he was clearly compromised. Not only did his field goal percentage drop drastically, his rebounding totals did as well. He was wearing a very restrictive shoulder brace that “made it hard for him to breathe at times” according to Chris Holtmann, and it clearly hindered his play.
By mid-February Key had shut it down, and Okpara was asked to play 25+ minutes per game about a year earlier than was expected. Offensively Okpara had his ups and downs, but regardless of the offense, he impacted every single shot around the basket on the defensive end. It’s fair to wonder if Holtmann should have swapped Okpara in for Key in early January rather than mid-February, as the freshman looked fresher, springier, and more explosive down the stretch than the injured version of Key did for the five weeks he was playing injured.
Key ended the season averaging 10.8 PPG and 7.5 rebounds per game, both up from his sophomore season. His shooting percentage of 55% was a career-low, however, and it took a steep drop in January when he was injured. Key had the potential to have a very strong junior season, but the second half was derailed by injury. If I had to grade him individually I’d give him a C.
Okpara didn’t put up huge counting numbers, but I thought his contributions far exceeded what anybody expected of his as a freshman. Over the final nine games of the season Okpara averaged 5.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and and two blocks per game. He impacted every single shot that was taken around the basket — even if he wasn’t blocking a shot, shooters had to change the arc of their shot to avoid getting it blocked by the lanky freshman.
Okpara showed down the stretch run of this past season that he’s ready to be an impact player in the Big Ten starting this fall. The timeline was sped up out of necessity, but it might’ve been the best possible thing for him. I’d grade him an A because he impressed me beyond what I expected out of him as a freshman.
And if you average an A and a C together, you get B. So, there you go.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24549446/usa_today_20202362.jpg "Syndication: Journal-Courier")
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
This is honestly a tough one for me because I have been riding for Key and Okpara all season, but I am giving them a lower grade than I want to. I want to give a B, but I am giving them a C. However, I am giving them an A on the vibes check scale. But on the court this season? C.
I think Key and Okpara will be one of the best frontcourts and one-two punches at center in the Big Ten next season, but I have to grade them on this season, and to me it was the tale of two halves for these two guys.
Zed Key started off the season well, averaging over 13 points and right around eight rebounds with six double-doubles through the first 10 games. However, he was a little bit inconsistent at times. Then against Purdue, he got hurt and was never quite the same for the rest of the season. He tried to play through his injury, but ultimately had to be shut down for the remainder of the season, leaving the team struggling at depth at the five position.
Obviously, Key getting injured is not his fault and it derailed what was a promising start to his season, but they struggled with him on the floor when he was working through his injury because he could not be as physical as he normally is with his shoulder being hurt.
For Felix Okpara, he finished the season incredibly strong and showed that he can be a legitimate two-way threat down low as a finisher in the paint and an elite rim protector and shot blocker down low. However, he struggled a bit early on, which is completely understandable for a freshman, but we are grading these guys on this season.
Key was good early on and Okpara was good late, but they weren’t ever really a force together and that is what I am excited to see next season.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Felix Okpara was unexpectedly thrust into a major role at the end of the season, and the second half of Zed Key’s season was lost to injury.
Welcome to the 94th edition of “You’re Nuts” — college hoops edition! This week, we’re wrapping up our three-part series where we grade out each position group.
Last week, we looked at Ohio State’s frontcourt, but specifically the forwards. This week we’re focusing solely on the Buckeyes centers — Felix Okpara and Zed Key. How do you think they fared in their vastly different roles this year?
Last week, Connor graded gave the frontcourt a C, which was the most popular choice with 45% of the popular vote. Justin graded the unit B, which only 15% of the people agreed with. The final 40% went with the “D or F” option. Ohio State fans have always been an optimistic bunch.
With Connor being last week’s big winner, here are the standings through 94 weeks:
After 94 weeks:
Justin- 41
Connor- 38
Other- 11
(There have been four ties)
This week, we’re looking at Ohio State’s centers — Key and Okpara. We are not including Owen Spencer, who did see extended minutes against Purdue but was essentially just used to throw five fouls at Zach Edey that day.
Today’s Question: What would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball centers this season?
Connor: B
The plan this past season was for Key to play major minutes for Ohio State at center, where he would continue to improve on his sophomore season when he scored 7.8 PPG and averaged 5.6 rebounds per game. Okpara was to be his backup, playing 10-ish minutes per game behind Key.
That plan played out for the first two months of the season, and then Key severely injured his shoulder against Purdue in early January. Key tried to play through it for the next five or so weeks, but he was clearly compromised. Not only did his field goal percentage drop drastically, his rebounding totals did as well. He was wearing a very restrictive shoulder brace that “made it hard for him to breathe at times” according to Chris Holtmann, and it clearly hindered his play.
By mid-February Key had shut it down, and Okpara was asked to play 25+ minutes per game about a year earlier than was expected. Offensively Okpara had his ups and downs, but regardless of the offense, he impacted every single shot around the basket on the defensive end. It’s fair to wonder if Holtmann should have swapped Okpara in for Key in early January rather than mid-February, as the freshman looked fresher, springier, and more explosive down the stretch than the injured version of Key did for the five weeks he was playing injured.
Key ended the season averaging 10.8 PPG and 7.5 rebounds per game, both up from his sophomore season. His shooting percentage of 55% was a career-low, however, and it took a steep drop in January when he was injured. Key had the potential to have a very strong junior season, but the second half was derailed by injury. If I had to grade him individually I’d give him a C.
Okpara didn’t put up huge counting numbers, but I thought his contributions far exceeded what anybody expected of his as a freshman. Over the final nine games of the season Okpara averaged 5.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and and two blocks per game. He impacted every single shot that was taken around the basket — even if he wasn’t blocking a shot, shooters had to change the arc of their shot to avoid getting it blocked by the lanky freshman.
Okpara showed down the stretch run of this past season that he’s ready to be an impact player in the Big Ten starting this fall. The timeline was sped up out of necessity, but it might’ve been the best possible thing for him. I’d grade him an A because he impressed me beyond what I expected out of him as a freshman.
And if you average an A and a C together, you get B. So, there you go.
Justin: C
This is honestly a tough one for me because I have been riding for Key and Okpara all season, but I am giving them a lower grade than I want to. I want to give a B, but I am giving them a C. However, I am giving them an A on the vibes check scale. But on the court this season? C.
I think Key and Okpara will be one of the best frontcourts and one-two punches at center in the Big Ten next season, but I have to grade them on this season, and to me it was the tale of two halves for these two guys.
Zed Key started off the season well, averaging over 13 points and right around eight rebounds with six double-doubles through the first 10 games. However, he was a little bit inconsistent at times. Then against Purdue, he got hurt and was never quite the same for the rest of the season. He tried to play through his injury, but ultimately had to be shut down for the remainder of the season, leaving the team struggling at depth at the five position.
Obviously, Key getting injured is not his fault and it derailed what was a promising start to his season, but they struggled with him on the floor when he was working through his injury because he could not be as physical as he normally is with his shoulder being hurt.
For Felix Okpara, he finished the season incredibly strong and showed that he can be a legitimate two-way threat down low as a finisher in the paint and an elite rim protector and shot blocker down low. However, he struggled a bit early on, which is completely understandable for a freshman, but we are grading these guys on this season.
Key was good early on and Okpara was good late, but they weren’t ever really a force together and that is what I am excited to see next season.
Continue reading...
LGHL Three Questions about the 2023 Ohio State defensive line
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Three Questions about the 2023 Ohio State defensive line
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are in need of a stronger pass rush.
“I feel a physical happiness when spring is coming.” ~ Halldor Laxness
So do I, Mr. Laxness. It is called summer here in the great state of Ohio.
As Ohio State spring football has officially started, I have decided to write a series of articles on a weekly basis to identify and rank the position groups, from least to most concerning, as they pertain to the upcoming 2023 season. Each week, I will point out questions I have about these position groups, and it is my hope that several, if not all, of these questions will be answered by the Ohio State Spring Game on April 15.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Defensive Line | Concern Ranking: 3rd
Reason for my ranking: Ohio State’s pass rush has lacked a dominant pass rusher since Chase Young took his considerable talents to the NFL after the 2019 season. With Zach Harrison off to the NFL and Javonte Jean-Baptiste now at Notre Dame as a transfer, Ohio State needs the returning players on the roster to step up to help Ohio State regain a dominant defense.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last season, J.T. Tuimoloau had arguably one of the most impressive performances ever seen by Ohio State fans at Penn State on Oct. 29, as he had 6 tackles, 3 of which were solo, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 pass defensed that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. It was the kind of performance that Ohio State fans were certainly hoping to see replicated throughout the remainder of 2022, but it did not happen.
As for Jack Sawyer, Sawyer was tried at the “Jack” hybrid defensive end-linebacker position, and never truly became comfortable. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has stated that Sawyer will focus exclusively on being a defensive end this season.
Tuimoloau had 3.5 sacks in 2022, while Sawyer tied for the team lead alongside interior defensive lineman teammate Michael Hall Jr. with 4.5 sacks each. Can they both ramp up the pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2023, as this could be their final season in Ohio State uniforms?
2. Does Ohio State have adequate depth along its interior?
Ohio State fans have been hoping for Tyleik Williams and Michael Hall Jr. to emerge as the type of defensive linemen capable of clogging up the opposing offense’s running game, while also collapsing the pocket on passing downs. Hall suffered shoulder injuries that deeply limited his effectiveness over the second half of the season.
Ty Hamilton is also in the mix, but are Hero Kanu and Jaden McKenzie ready to contribute? With Hall’s injury history, and Williams’ history of inconsistent play, the Buckeyes need to make sure that they have a strong interior defensive line as they approach the 2023 season.
3. Are the days of heavy defensive line rotation over at Ohio State?
While Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson has earned his reputation for developing strong defensive linemen throughout his career, Johnson has also enjoyed the autonomy of rotating defensive linemen in and out of games, with the mindset of keeping players fresh. Could that actually have become more of a detriment for the Ohio State defense, as players are being shuttled in and out along the Ohio State defensive line?
It is one thing if a player is actually fatigued and needs a rest, but perhaps Ohio State would benefit from keeping their starters in the game, and cutting back on the abundant rotation along the defensive line?
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
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are in need of a stronger pass rush.
“I feel a physical happiness when spring is coming.” ~ Halldor Laxness
So do I, Mr. Laxness. It is called summer here in the great state of Ohio.
As Ohio State spring football has officially started, I have decided to write a series of articles on a weekly basis to identify and rank the position groups, from least to most concerning, as they pertain to the upcoming 2023 season. Each week, I will point out questions I have about these position groups, and it is my hope that several, if not all, of these questions will be answered by the Ohio State Spring Game on April 15.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Defensive Line | Concern Ranking: 3rd
- Scholarship Players Lost From The 2022 Squad: Jerron Cage, Tyler Friday, Zach Harrison, Javonte Jean-Baptiste, Taron Vincent
- Scholarship Players Returning From The 2022 Squad: Omari Abor, Caden Curry, Michael Hall, Jr., Ty Hamilton, Kenyatta Jackson, Hero Kanu, Jaden McKenzie, Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams
- Freshmen Players Participating In 2023 Spring Football: Will Smith, Jr.
Reason for my ranking: Ohio State’s pass rush has lacked a dominant pass rusher since Chase Young took his considerable talents to the NFL after the 2019 season. With Zach Harrison off to the NFL and Javonte Jean-Baptiste now at Notre Dame as a transfer, Ohio State needs the returning players on the roster to step up to help Ohio State regain a dominant defense.
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- Can J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer form a fearsome pass rush combo?
Last season, J.T. Tuimoloau had arguably one of the most impressive performances ever seen by Ohio State fans at Penn State on Oct. 29, as he had 6 tackles, 3 of which were solo, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 pass defensed that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. It was the kind of performance that Ohio State fans were certainly hoping to see replicated throughout the remainder of 2022, but it did not happen.
As for Jack Sawyer, Sawyer was tried at the “Jack” hybrid defensive end-linebacker position, and never truly became comfortable. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has stated that Sawyer will focus exclusively on being a defensive end this season.
Tuimoloau had 3.5 sacks in 2022, while Sawyer tied for the team lead alongside interior defensive lineman teammate Michael Hall Jr. with 4.5 sacks each. Can they both ramp up the pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2023, as this could be their final season in Ohio State uniforms?
2. Does Ohio State have adequate depth along its interior?
Ohio State fans have been hoping for Tyleik Williams and Michael Hall Jr. to emerge as the type of defensive linemen capable of clogging up the opposing offense’s running game, while also collapsing the pocket on passing downs. Hall suffered shoulder injuries that deeply limited his effectiveness over the second half of the season.
Ty Hamilton is also in the mix, but are Hero Kanu and Jaden McKenzie ready to contribute? With Hall’s injury history, and Williams’ history of inconsistent play, the Buckeyes need to make sure that they have a strong interior defensive line as they approach the 2023 season.
3. Are the days of heavy defensive line rotation over at Ohio State?
While Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson has earned his reputation for developing strong defensive linemen throughout his career, Johnson has also enjoyed the autonomy of rotating defensive linemen in and out of games, with the mindset of keeping players fresh. Could that actually have become more of a detriment for the Ohio State defense, as players are being shuttled in and out along the Ohio State defensive line?
It is one thing if a player is actually fatigued and needs a rest, but perhaps Ohio State would benefit from keeping their starters in the game, and cutting back on the abundant rotation along the defensive line?
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2024 FL TE Colton Heinrich (Georgia Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 6 Replies
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Class: 2024
Position: TE
School: Ft. Lauderdale(FL) Cardinal Gibbons
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 225lbs
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Class: 2024
Position: TE
School: Ft. Lauderdale(FL) Cardinal Gibbons
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 225lbs
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2025 PA RB Tiqwai Hayes (Penn St. Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 3 Replies
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Class: 2025
Position: RB
School: Aliquippa(PA) Aliquippa
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 190lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: RB
School: Aliquippa(PA) Aliquippa
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 190lbs
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