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LGHL B1G Thoughts: Kyle McCord is Ohio State’s QB1, Iowa still can’t hit 25
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B1G Thoughts: Kyle McCord is Ohio State’s QB1, Iowa still can’t hit 25
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images
Iowa and Nebraska refuse to change, but at least Ohio State has found its starting quarterback!
Every week after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, this article will also include the newest members, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Congrats Ohio State, you have a quarterback. Is he a good quarterback? Probably. Is he a star? That is yet to be determined, but what should be determined is he should be the starter for the rest of the season.
McCord showed major areas of improvement in his second game. Namely, he remembered that he had the two best wide receivers in the country on his team. McCord played limited snaps — 30 in total — but completed 15-of-20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. He found his star receivers, showed a willingness to throw deep, and was accurate on most of his passes.
McCord has a long way to go to be mentioned among CJ Stroud and Justin Fields. He has a lot of ground to make up if he wants to win Big Ten Quarterback of the Year or become a Heisman finalist. He may not reach those heights, and we won’t know until his career is over, but he has earned the right to be QB1 for this season. He needs to play every important snap against Western Kentucky to prepare for Notre Dame in two weeks.
Objectively and at near consensus, Ohio State entered the season with the best wide receiver corp in the country, and two potential first-round picks in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. You wouldn’t have known that after Week 1, when they combined for five catches for 34 yards. In Week 2 against Youngstown State, you could tell McCord wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.
On their first drive of the game, McCord found Marv for a 71-yard touchdown and made amends for forgetting he existed. Harrison Jr. finished the game with seven catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Emeka also got involved in the action with five catches for 94 yards and one touchdown. For Ohio State to have any success this season, they need Marv and Emeka to play to their ability every week.
It was encouraging to see Ohio State’s star receivers dominating, Of course, this needs to continue against better competition, but now the Ohio State season has officially started.
Nebraska has a problem, and its name is Jeff Sims. This was always going to be a tough year for Nebraska under new head coach Matt Rhule, but after two games there hasn’t been much to be proud of.
One of the biggest reasons for Nebraska’s struggles has been transfer quarterback Jeff Sims. In two games, Sims has thrown four interceptions and lost two fumbles. Sims, already a limited passer, is costing the Cornhuskers with poorly timed turnovers that in many cases have stopped promising drives. If Nebraska wants to right the ship, it starts with Sims, who must do a better job taking care of the ball.
It took two weeks for everyone to realize that Iowa was always going to Iowa while Brian Ferentz is in charge. You may have believed things would be different this year, but you were wrong and that’s okay. Welcome to the right side of history… we have snacks.
I understood the optimism. They got former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara and tight end Erick All. They also got a former four-star receiver from Ohio State and they had all the motivation in the world to be good on offense. The problem? McNamara was an average quarterback at Michigan while playing behind a Joe Moore-winning offensive line and handing the ball off to three NFL-caliber running backs.
Iowa does not have a Joe Moore-winning offensive line. They do not have one — moreover three — NFL-caliber running backs. They also do not have a functional adult calling the plays. Two games in and Iowa has yet to score 25 points. Their offense looked anemic… again. At least their defense can still score points, because without it they won’t even crack 300 points this season.
Somewhere deep in Minnesota country, there is a farm. This farm doesn’t provide any sort anything of substance for the human body. Instead, they’re raising bell cow running backs for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
It’s been one week, so I don’t want to overreact, but Minnesota found themselves a running back who could handle 25-plus carries in a game. After struggling to run the ball in Week 1, Minnesota decided to give the ball to freshman running back Darius Taylor. Taylor ran the ball for 193 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries at 5.8 yards per carry.
He’ll need to do it against better competition, but Minnesota may have found their new bell cow. Taylor has a long way to go before attempting to fill the shoes of Gophers legend Mo Ibrahim, but in a season that may be lost before it starts, finding the running back of the future is a big win for this program.
All the concerns Wisconsin fans had about hiring Phil Longo as their offensive coordinator returned this week. Longo put some salve on those concerns last week, running for almost 200 yards, but as soon as the Badgers got in trouble he gave up on the running game and asked Tanner Mordecai to lead them to victory.
That was not successful, as they lost to future Mountain West member Washington State for the second year in a row. Wisconsin’s star running back Braelon Allen was held to 20 rushing yards on seven carries. Chez Mellusi had 49 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. 19 carries a week after running for a combined 198 yards last week is concerning.
Wisconsin may be further away from success than we thought when they hired Luke Fickell. I still believe Fickell will turn it around, but they have some clear issues they need to fix if they hope to contend in the West as expected.
Want to know the best thing about being 2-0? Ask the Oregon Ducks, who survived a scare from Texas Tech on Saturday. Oregon scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning field goal with less than two minutes left in the game. The Ducks sealed the deal with a sack fumble that was returned for a touchdown with under a minute left in the game.
Oregon has some things to figure out in the running department, as Bo Nix finished the game as their leading rusher with 46 total yards. Still, it’s much easier to fix those issues after winning. Oregon will have to be much better if it hopes to contend for the Pac-12 in its final season before joining the Big Ten in 2024.
Penn State destroyed FCS opponent Deleware 63-7. They did it with the ultimate team performance, rushing the ball for 315 yards and six touchdowns on 60 carries. Seven players recorded three or more rushing attempts for the Nittany Lions, and four of them reached the end zone.
Kaytron Allen led the charge with 103 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. Nick Singleton was not as efficient, running for 47 yards on 12 carries, but got in the end zone three times. Penn State played two quarterbacks on Saturday, and they both finished with a passing and rushing touchdown.
It was Deleware, a team that Penn State should have beat soundly, but after the running game looked out of sync in Week 1 it was nice for them to get to have success in Week 2.
Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson is having an amazing start to the 2023 season. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy has thrown five touchdowns thus far, and Wilson has been on the receiving end of all five. So far in 2023, Wilson has 10 catches for 167 yards and five touchdowns. Eventually, J.J. will throw a touchdown to someone else, but they’re building a rapport early in the season and Wilson is making himself McCarthy’s go-to option.
Michigan will always be a run-first team, but if this connection can last, Michigan will be dangerous as they attempt to three-peat as Big Ten champions and look to get another go at a national championship
Michigan State’s head coach Mel Tucker has been suspended without pay once news broke that he was being investigated for sexual harassment. Michigan State tried its best to hide these allegations and acquiesced to Tucker, allowing him to continue coaching and even scheduled his trial for their bye week. Once it became public knowledge that Tucker had been accused, the Spartan administration suspended him, and this will most likely end in him being fired for cause.
This is a bad look for Tucker and Michigan State, who are still dealing with the Larry Nassar scandal. Tucker has denied some of the claims, but has admitted to a “consensual” relationship of sorts with a business partner, which is also a fireable offense at most universities. Tucker has gone on the offensive, trying to make himself the victim of an “unfair investigation”. Ultimately, this probably ends up with Tucker being fired, but he’s going down swinging…
Michigan State had a chance to get this right, and now must watch this play out in public. It’s another scandal for a university that has dealt with a lot of negative press in the past few years.
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JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images
Iowa and Nebraska refuse to change, but at least Ohio State has found its starting quarterback!
Every week after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, this article will also include the newest members, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Kyle McCord is Ohio State’s QB1
Congrats Ohio State, you have a quarterback. Is he a good quarterback? Probably. Is he a star? That is yet to be determined, but what should be determined is he should be the starter for the rest of the season.
McCord showed major areas of improvement in his second game. Namely, he remembered that he had the two best wide receivers in the country on his team. McCord played limited snaps — 30 in total — but completed 15-of-20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. He found his star receivers, showed a willingness to throw deep, and was accurate on most of his passes.
McCord has a long way to go to be mentioned among CJ Stroud and Justin Fields. He has a lot of ground to make up if he wants to win Big Ten Quarterback of the Year or become a Heisman finalist. He may not reach those heights, and we won’t know until his career is over, but he has earned the right to be QB1 for this season. He needs to play every important snap against Western Kentucky to prepare for Notre Dame in two weeks.
Welcome back Marv and Emeka, happy to have you
Objectively and at near consensus, Ohio State entered the season with the best wide receiver corp in the country, and two potential first-round picks in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. You wouldn’t have known that after Week 1, when they combined for five catches for 34 yards. In Week 2 against Youngstown State, you could tell McCord wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.
On their first drive of the game, McCord found Marv for a 71-yard touchdown and made amends for forgetting he existed. Harrison Jr. finished the game with seven catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Emeka also got involved in the action with five catches for 94 yards and one touchdown. For Ohio State to have any success this season, they need Marv and Emeka to play to their ability every week.
It was encouraging to see Ohio State’s star receivers dominating, Of course, this needs to continue against better competition, but now the Ohio State season has officially started.
We understand they may have done this a time or two in high school. @kylemccord16@MarvHarrisonJr = @OhioStateFB TD
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/dLv92VTOz6
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 9, 2023
Nebraska, you have a problem
Nebraska has a problem, and its name is Jeff Sims. This was always going to be a tough year for Nebraska under new head coach Matt Rhule, but after two games there hasn’t been much to be proud of.
One of the biggest reasons for Nebraska’s struggles has been transfer quarterback Jeff Sims. In two games, Sims has thrown four interceptions and lost two fumbles. Sims, already a limited passer, is costing the Cornhuskers with poorly timed turnovers that in many cases have stopped promising drives. If Nebraska wants to right the ship, it starts with Sims, who must do a better job taking care of the ball.
Blown tire on the road to 325
It took two weeks for everyone to realize that Iowa was always going to Iowa while Brian Ferentz is in charge. You may have believed things would be different this year, but you were wrong and that’s okay. Welcome to the right side of history… we have snacks.
I understood the optimism. They got former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara and tight end Erick All. They also got a former four-star receiver from Ohio State and they had all the motivation in the world to be good on offense. The problem? McNamara was an average quarterback at Michigan while playing behind a Joe Moore-winning offensive line and handing the ball off to three NFL-caliber running backs.
Iowa does not have a Joe Moore-winning offensive line. They do not have one — moreover three — NFL-caliber running backs. They also do not have a functional adult calling the plays. Two games in and Iowa has yet to score 25 points. Their offense looked anemic… again. At least their defense can still score points, because without it they won’t even crack 300 points this season.
Minnesota, where are you raising these runningbacks?
Somewhere deep in Minnesota country, there is a farm. This farm doesn’t provide any sort anything of substance for the human body. Instead, they’re raising bell cow running backs for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
It’s been one week, so I don’t want to overreact, but Minnesota found themselves a running back who could handle 25-plus carries in a game. After struggling to run the ball in Week 1, Minnesota decided to give the ball to freshman running back Darius Taylor. Taylor ran the ball for 193 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries at 5.8 yards per carry.
He’ll need to do it against better competition, but Minnesota may have found their new bell cow. Taylor has a long way to go before attempting to fill the shoes of Gophers legend Mo Ibrahim, but in a season that may be lost before it starts, finding the running back of the future is a big win for this program.
Oh no baby, what is you doing…
All the concerns Wisconsin fans had about hiring Phil Longo as their offensive coordinator returned this week. Longo put some salve on those concerns last week, running for almost 200 yards, but as soon as the Badgers got in trouble he gave up on the running game and asked Tanner Mordecai to lead them to victory.
That was not successful, as they lost to future Mountain West member Washington State for the second year in a row. Wisconsin’s star running back Braelon Allen was held to 20 rushing yards on seven carries. Chez Mellusi had 49 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. 19 carries a week after running for a combined 198 yards last week is concerning.
Wisconsin may be further away from success than we thought when they hired Luke Fickell. I still believe Fickell will turn it around, but they have some clear issues they need to fix if they hope to contend in the West as expected.
A win is a win is a win
Want to know the best thing about being 2-0? Ask the Oregon Ducks, who survived a scare from Texas Tech on Saturday. Oregon scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning field goal with less than two minutes left in the game. The Ducks sealed the deal with a sack fumble that was returned for a touchdown with under a minute left in the game.
Oregon has some things to figure out in the running department, as Bo Nix finished the game as their leading rusher with 46 total yards. Still, it’s much easier to fix those issues after winning. Oregon will have to be much better if it hopes to contend for the Pac-12 in its final season before joining the Big Ten in 2024.
There’s no I in team
Penn State destroyed FCS opponent Deleware 63-7. They did it with the ultimate team performance, rushing the ball for 315 yards and six touchdowns on 60 carries. Seven players recorded three or more rushing attempts for the Nittany Lions, and four of them reached the end zone.
Kaytron Allen led the charge with 103 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. Nick Singleton was not as efficient, running for 47 yards on 12 carries, but got in the end zone three times. Penn State played two quarterbacks on Saturday, and they both finished with a passing and rushing touchdown.
It was Deleware, a team that Penn State should have beat soundly, but after the running game looked out of sync in Week 1 it was nice for them to get to have success in Week 2.
Roman Reloaded
Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson is having an amazing start to the 2023 season. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy has thrown five touchdowns thus far, and Wilson has been on the receiving end of all five. So far in 2023, Wilson has 10 catches for 167 yards and five touchdowns. Eventually, J.J. will throw a touchdown to someone else, but they’re building a rapport early in the season and Wilson is making himself McCarthy’s go-to option.
Michigan will always be a run-first team, but if this connection can last, Michigan will be dangerous as they attempt to three-peat as Big Ten champions and look to get another go at a national championship
Mel Tucker, what the f***
Michigan State’s head coach Mel Tucker has been suspended without pay once news broke that he was being investigated for sexual harassment. Michigan State tried its best to hide these allegations and acquiesced to Tucker, allowing him to continue coaching and even scheduled his trial for their bye week. Once it became public knowledge that Tucker had been accused, the Spartan administration suspended him, and this will most likely end in him being fired for cause.
This is a bad look for Tucker and Michigan State, who are still dealing with the Larry Nassar scandal. Tucker has denied some of the claims, but has admitted to a “consensual” relationship of sorts with a business partner, which is also a fireable offense at most universities. Tucker has gone on the offensive, trying to make himself the victim of an “unfair investigation”. Ultimately, this probably ends up with Tucker being fired, but he’s going down swinging…
Michigan State had a chance to get this right, and now must watch this play out in public. It’s another scandal for a university that has dealt with a lot of negative press in the past few years.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330
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LGHL Ohio State offers a pair of in-state prospects in 2025, 2026
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Ohio State offers a pair of in-state prospects in 2025, 2026
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 offensive tackle Maxwell Riley via Mick Walker - @MickWalker247Sports, 247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a pair of Ohio prospects this weekend in a 2026 offensive tackle and a 2025 defensive end.
Ohio State is now 2-0 following a win over Youngstown State. The offensive side of the ball looked much improved from the week prior, and the defense had another impressive showing. That being said, there are still a lot of things this team will need to work on this week, and most of the coaching staff’s focus will be on preparing for this weekend’s game against Western Kentucky.
However, the Ohio State coaching staff will also continue to dedicate time towards recruiting in efforts to maintain the program’s status as one of the upper-tier college football schools in the country.
Ryan Day has made it known that recruiting the top talents in Ohio is one of Ohio State’s biggest priorities. The Buckeyes have eight verbal commitments in their 2024 class from Ohio, and they are working on continuing this thought process in future classes.
The Buckeyes played host to 2026 four-star offensive tackle Maxwell Riley (Avon Lake, OH/Avon Lake) during for their home opener against Youngstown state.
Ohio State started recruiting Riley early on in his recruitment, offering him back in March. The offer was one of his first from a Division I school, and the head-start the Buckeyes have given themselves may be crucial in keeping him in Ohio.
Riley has already shown the potential to be an elite prospect. He is a top-15 prospect according to 247Sports, and his offer sheet matches his potential. Riley holds an impressive 13 offers already from schools like Florida State, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, etc.
Because of the close proximity, many believe the Buckeyes to be an early favorite to earn his commitment. He also was very excited to receive the scholarship offer from Ohio State. Following his offer, Riley spoke with cleveland.com and had the following to say:
It is still early in Riley’s recruitment and he will likely take more visits to the above schools, including a re-visit with the Buckeyes. He told cleveland.com that he was trying to have fun with his recruitment, but that he could also see himself becoming a leader for Ohio State’s 2026 class, alongside Ohio State five-star wider receiver commit Chris Henry Jr.
Riley is the No. 3 OT according to 247Sports, and he is the No. 14 overall prospect. He is also the No. 2 recruit from Ohio, trailing only Henry Jr.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 offensive tackle Maxwell Riley via Mick Walker - @MickWalker247Sports, 247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a pair of Ohio prospects this weekend in a 2026 offensive tackle and a 2025 defensive end.
Ohio State is now 2-0 following a win over Youngstown State. The offensive side of the ball looked much improved from the week prior, and the defense had another impressive showing. That being said, there are still a lot of things this team will need to work on this week, and most of the coaching staff’s focus will be on preparing for this weekend’s game against Western Kentucky.
However, the Ohio State coaching staff will also continue to dedicate time towards recruiting in efforts to maintain the program’s status as one of the upper-tier college football schools in the country.
Ohio State offers elite Ohio OT
Ryan Day has made it known that recruiting the top talents in Ohio is one of Ohio State’s biggest priorities. The Buckeyes have eight verbal commitments in their 2024 class from Ohio, and they are working on continuing this thought process in future classes.
The Buckeyes played host to 2026 four-star offensive tackle Maxwell Riley (Avon Lake, OH/Avon Lake) during for their home opener against Youngstown state.
Had a great time back at The Ohio State University today. Congrats on the win and thank you for your hospitality @CoachJFrye @CoachSollenne @etwill21 @markpantoni. #GoBucks @coachkostelnik @DaleRodick @CoachLowe212 pic.twitter.com/oESerY6CoE
— Maxwell Riley(@bigmax2026) September 10, 2023
Ohio State started recruiting Riley early on in his recruitment, offering him back in March. The offer was one of his first from a Division I school, and the head-start the Buckeyes have given themselves may be crucial in keeping him in Ohio.
Riley has already shown the potential to be an elite prospect. He is a top-15 prospect according to 247Sports, and his offer sheet matches his potential. Riley holds an impressive 13 offers already from schools like Florida State, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, etc.
Because of the close proximity, many believe the Buckeyes to be an early favorite to earn his commitment. He also was very excited to receive the scholarship offer from Ohio State. Following his offer, Riley spoke with cleveland.com and had the following to say:
It is still early in Riley’s recruitment and he will likely take more visits to the above schools, including a re-visit with the Buckeyes. He told cleveland.com that he was trying to have fun with his recruitment, but that he could also see himself becoming a leader for Ohio State’s 2026 class, alongside Ohio State five-star wider receiver commit Chris Henry Jr.
Riley is the No. 3 OT according to 247Sports, and he is the No. 14 overall prospect. He is also the No. 2 recruit from Ohio, trailing only Henry Jr.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State is keeping with the trend of offering the best recruits in Ohio. On Monday, the Buckeyes offered 2025 defensive end Jameil Hamm (Cleveland, OH / Glenville). The offer was his 10th, and the Buckeyes join the likes of Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Toledo, etc.
- The Ohio State football coaching staff are not the only Buckeyes hitting the recruiting trail head-first. The Ohio State men’s basketball team, led by Chris Holtmann, offered 2026 point guard Jonathan Sanderson (Saline, MI / Saline) on Monday. The Buckeyes join the likes of Illinois, Iowa, Marshall, Michigan, Ohio, etc.
- Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State men’s basketball team made multiple recruiting headlines Monday, as Recruits Zone reported 2026 point guard Dezhon Hall (Indianapolis, IN / Pike) will make an unofficial visit to Ohio State next month.
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2025 OH DL Jameil Hamm (Miami, OH Signee)
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Class: 2025
Position: DE
School: Cleveland (OH) Glenville
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 235lbs
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HudL
Class: 2025
Position: DE
School: Cleveland (OH) Glenville
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 235lbs
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LGHL Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State
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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images
The most aggravating moments and plays from the Buckeyes’ 35-7 win over the Penguins at Ohio Stadium.
We quickly find ourselves two weeks into Ohio State’s 2023 football season, and although the Buckeyes showed some improvement in some areas in their 35-7 Week 2 win over Youngstown State, there’s still a sense that this year’s team has a much longer way to go than anticipated.
It is said that teams make their biggest jump between the first two games of the season, but in many ways, Saturday’s home victory over the FCS Penguins did not put to rest some of the unsettled feelings from the win at Indiana.
The following items were among those that had me shaking my head at the television on Saturday:
An unnecessary holding penalty on Carson Hinzman on what would have been a first down run by TreVeyon Henderson was an early irritation. Henderson went for nine yards on the game’s first play, then would have picked up the first down even without the hold. Hinzman turned a second-and-1 into a second-and-11 situation. The Buckeyes converted on third down, thanks to a 71-yard touchdown pass from Kyle McCord to Marvin Harrison Jr., but that penalty could easily have led to a three-and-out possession.
It was the first of three holding penalties on the day for Ohio State — two on the offensive line and one on blocking back Chip Trayanum that nullified a Miyan Williams touchdown run on a second-half possession that finished with a turnover on downs. That many holds in one game would be troubling against any opponent, but it’s especially aggravating that the Buckeyes committed these infractions against FCS competition.
For much of the game, the OSU defense showed a remarkable lack of intensity, in my view. Lesser opponents often bring out the best in a defense, as players tee off on smaller or less talented competition than they’re used to seeing. That was not the case on Saturday.
There was a shocking lack of disruption by the defensive line. Youngstown State seemed capable of picking up at least three yards on any given running play, and quarterback pressure rarely existed without bringing a linebacker. The entire defense looked disinterested on the first Youngstown State drive after Ohio State had grabbed the early 7-0 lead. This was highlighted by Cam Martinez getting roasted by an FCS receiver for a big play down the field.
Through two games, Ohio State’s defense has managed just two sacks and one takeaway against two of the weaker opponents it will face all season. Hopefully it’s just a slow start and not the start of a worrying trend that will get worse when the competition level improves.
After the Penguins tied the game on their first drive, the OSU offense sputtered with a three-and-out on the second Buckeye drive. Two plays quickly put Ohio State in a third-and-one situation and, once again, the Buckeyes called a stretch run into the boundary. This has been a disaster of a play call through two games already, and Josh Simmons exacerbated the one-yard loss by holding on the play.
Youngstown State, fearing Ryan Day would go for it on 4th-and-2, accepted the penalty, and it paid off when Kyle McCord’s pass to a not-very-open Emeka Egbuka was broken up. That brought out punter Jesse Mirco for the first of three times on the day. If you’d told me before this game that Ohio State would punt three times against an FCS opponent, I would not have believed you.
There isn’t much “special” in Ohio State’s special teams so far this season, and that continued Saturday. Egbuka’s punt-returning decisions are curious ones. On his first attempt, he lost three yards back to his own 7-yard line while trying to outrun the entire Youngstown State team laterally across the field. He could have planted and gone straight up the field after beating the first defender for a decent gain (and certainly a gain as opposed to a loss).
Even if the play was called for him to return it right, you’d hope your return man would be able to scan the field and adjust as needed. He also had multiple fair catches on what appeared to be very returnable punts.
(Editors Note: Parker Fleming. Just saying)
Marvin Harrison Jr. appeared to be set to pull in his third long touchdown reception of the day when he was interfered with in the end zone in obvious fashion. However, for whatever reason, it wasn’t called. Ohio State managed to score later in the drive anyway but the officials screwed that up initially as well.
On TreVeyon Henderson’s stretch into the end zone, it appeared obvious on television that the ball didn’t come out until his arm hit the ground in the end zone, but the game officials called it a fumble and had to overturn it after reviewing the replay. It was an adventurous day for the officiating crew, as it often is in college football, but those seemed to be two rather obvious ones that the crew couldn’t handle.
Henderson actually scored his touchdown twice, because Simmons ruined his first one by taking a personal foul penalty for illegal hands to the face. It was the second double-digit yardage penalty by the left tackle on the day. Henderson’s burst from 17 yards out was an impressive run that deserved to be rewarded. He did it again moments later from 13 yards out, and Simmons’ hands came dangerously close to repeating the mistake on the one that (eventually) counted.
It didn’t end up costing Ohio State, but it was irritating to see seemingly half the defense jump offside on a third-and-6 play on Youngstown State’s first possession after Henderson’s touchdown. It turned a long-yardage situation into a more manageable third-and-1, but Mitch Davidson threw three incompletions to stall the drive. Had Youngstown State run the football straight ahead, the way Ohio State’s defense played on Saturday, the Penguins likely would have extended their drive. Instead, it became one of just three three-and-outs on the day forced by the OSU defense.
I was eager to see what the offense would look like in the hurry-up, and Ohio State took over the ball at its own 37-yard line with 1:56 remaining in the first half. McCord got the drive off to a good start with a completion to Henderson for 13 yards to reach midfield. But then the wheels fell off the drive.
McCord led Henderson too much on first down, and the receiver was unable to get his foot down in bounds on the sideline catch. The second-down play was a rare drop by Harrison on a well-thrown ball. On the third-and-long play, McCord appeared to bail on his pocket earlier than necessary and decided to try to run for it. He didn’t get very far. McCord picked up just one yard before being tackled, bringing the possession to an end.
Ohio State has been money in the two-minute drill over the last several years, so it was disappointing to see it sputter, particularly with perhaps the team’s most talented player making a rare mistake.
Youngstown State got the ball to start the second half and quickly picked up two first downs with some short runs and passes. But then a sack by Tommy Eichenberg set the Penguins back. In fact, it could have been a huge play by the defense, because Eichenberg forced a Davidson fumble on the play, but Ohio State was unable to recover.
Things got worse for the Penguins when they took a delay-of-game penalty prior to their next snap, putting the visitors in a second-and-22 situation. The Buckeyes should have been in a great position to thwart the drive right there and then. However, a 14-yard Davidson pass to Bryce Oliver beat Davison Igbinosun and gave YSU a manageable third-and-8 situation.
A Beau Brungard pass on third down went 14 yards as Youngstown State converted. The drive was eventually thwarted due to a fantastic interception in the end zone by Denzel Burke, but that set of downs did not cover the defense in glory with the starters still on the field.
I could go on about this game, but I won’t. While I didn’t expect the Buckeyes to hang 70 points on the Penguins, I did expect a wider margin of victory, much like Penn State had against Delaware. There were other points left on the field, such as Devin Brown’s egregious overthrow to a wide-open Carnell Tate in the end zone.
There were obviously some good things, too. McCord looked much more comfortable in Week 2, with only six incompletions — one of which was Harrison’s drop. He clearly is the better quarterback at this point. Burke continued his rebirth with another outstanding game. Sonny Styles and Michael Hall Jr. looked good, and should probably never come off the field unless they ask to.
What bothered you about the game? Let me know in the comments section below.
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Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images
The most aggravating moments and plays from the Buckeyes’ 35-7 win over the Penguins at Ohio Stadium.
We quickly find ourselves two weeks into Ohio State’s 2023 football season, and although the Buckeyes showed some improvement in some areas in their 35-7 Week 2 win over Youngstown State, there’s still a sense that this year’s team has a much longer way to go than anticipated.
It is said that teams make their biggest jump between the first two games of the season, but in many ways, Saturday’s home victory over the FCS Penguins did not put to rest some of the unsettled feelings from the win at Indiana.
The following items were among those that had me shaking my head at the television on Saturday:
Stop Holding
An unnecessary holding penalty on Carson Hinzman on what would have been a first down run by TreVeyon Henderson was an early irritation. Henderson went for nine yards on the game’s first play, then would have picked up the first down even without the hold. Hinzman turned a second-and-1 into a second-and-11 situation. The Buckeyes converted on third down, thanks to a 71-yard touchdown pass from Kyle McCord to Marvin Harrison Jr., but that penalty could easily have led to a three-and-out possession.
It was the first of three holding penalties on the day for Ohio State — two on the offensive line and one on blocking back Chip Trayanum that nullified a Miyan Williams touchdown run on a second-half possession that finished with a turnover on downs. That many holds in one game would be troubling against any opponent, but it’s especially aggravating that the Buckeyes committed these infractions against FCS competition.
Silver… Bullets?
For much of the game, the OSU defense showed a remarkable lack of intensity, in my view. Lesser opponents often bring out the best in a defense, as players tee off on smaller or less talented competition than they’re used to seeing. That was not the case on Saturday.
There was a shocking lack of disruption by the defensive line. Youngstown State seemed capable of picking up at least three yards on any given running play, and quarterback pressure rarely existed without bringing a linebacker. The entire defense looked disinterested on the first Youngstown State drive after Ohio State had grabbed the early 7-0 lead. This was highlighted by Cam Martinez getting roasted by an FCS receiver for a big play down the field.
Through two games, Ohio State’s defense has managed just two sacks and one takeaway against two of the weaker opponents it will face all season. Hopefully it’s just a slow start and not the start of a worrying trend that will get worse when the competition level improves.
Lack of Response
After the Penguins tied the game on their first drive, the OSU offense sputtered with a three-and-out on the second Buckeye drive. Two plays quickly put Ohio State in a third-and-one situation and, once again, the Buckeyes called a stretch run into the boundary. This has been a disaster of a play call through two games already, and Josh Simmons exacerbated the one-yard loss by holding on the play.
Youngstown State, fearing Ryan Day would go for it on 4th-and-2, accepted the penalty, and it paid off when Kyle McCord’s pass to a not-very-open Emeka Egbuka was broken up. That brought out punter Jesse Mirco for the first of three times on the day. If you’d told me before this game that Ohio State would punt three times against an FCS opponent, I would not have believed you.
Ordinary Teams
There isn’t much “special” in Ohio State’s special teams so far this season, and that continued Saturday. Egbuka’s punt-returning decisions are curious ones. On his first attempt, he lost three yards back to his own 7-yard line while trying to outrun the entire Youngstown State team laterally across the field. He could have planted and gone straight up the field after beating the first defender for a decent gain (and certainly a gain as opposed to a loss).
Even if the play was called for him to return it right, you’d hope your return man would be able to scan the field and adjust as needed. He also had multiple fair catches on what appeared to be very returnable punts.
(Editors Note: Parker Fleming. Just saying)
Inexcusable Non-Call
Marvin Harrison Jr. appeared to be set to pull in his third long touchdown reception of the day when he was interfered with in the end zone in obvious fashion. However, for whatever reason, it wasn’t called. Ohio State managed to score later in the drive anyway but the officials screwed that up initially as well.
On TreVeyon Henderson’s stretch into the end zone, it appeared obvious on television that the ball didn’t come out until his arm hit the ground in the end zone, but the game officials called it a fumble and had to overturn it after reviewing the replay. It was an adventurous day for the officiating crew, as it often is in college football, but those seemed to be two rather obvious ones that the crew couldn’t handle.
Simmons’ Second Infraction
Henderson actually scored his touchdown twice, because Simmons ruined his first one by taking a personal foul penalty for illegal hands to the face. It was the second double-digit yardage penalty by the left tackle on the day. Henderson’s burst from 17 yards out was an impressive run that deserved to be rewarded. He did it again moments later from 13 yards out, and Simmons’ hands came dangerously close to repeating the mistake on the one that (eventually) counted.
Getting Jumpy
It didn’t end up costing Ohio State, but it was irritating to see seemingly half the defense jump offside on a third-and-6 play on Youngstown State’s first possession after Henderson’s touchdown. It turned a long-yardage situation into a more manageable third-and-1, but Mitch Davidson threw three incompletions to stall the drive. Had Youngstown State run the football straight ahead, the way Ohio State’s defense played on Saturday, the Penguins likely would have extended their drive. Instead, it became one of just three three-and-outs on the day forced by the OSU defense.
Two-Minute Foibles
I was eager to see what the offense would look like in the hurry-up, and Ohio State took over the ball at its own 37-yard line with 1:56 remaining in the first half. McCord got the drive off to a good start with a completion to Henderson for 13 yards to reach midfield. But then the wheels fell off the drive.
McCord led Henderson too much on first down, and the receiver was unable to get his foot down in bounds on the sideline catch. The second-down play was a rare drop by Harrison on a well-thrown ball. On the third-and-long play, McCord appeared to bail on his pocket earlier than necessary and decided to try to run for it. He didn’t get very far. McCord picked up just one yard before being tackled, bringing the possession to an end.
Ohio State has been money in the two-minute drill over the last several years, so it was disappointing to see it sputter, particularly with perhaps the team’s most talented player making a rare mistake.
Oh, Come On!
Youngstown State got the ball to start the second half and quickly picked up two first downs with some short runs and passes. But then a sack by Tommy Eichenberg set the Penguins back. In fact, it could have been a huge play by the defense, because Eichenberg forced a Davidson fumble on the play, but Ohio State was unable to recover.
Things got worse for the Penguins when they took a delay-of-game penalty prior to their next snap, putting the visitors in a second-and-22 situation. The Buckeyes should have been in a great position to thwart the drive right there and then. However, a 14-yard Davidson pass to Bryce Oliver beat Davison Igbinosun and gave YSU a manageable third-and-8 situation.
A Beau Brungard pass on third down went 14 yards as Youngstown State converted. The drive was eventually thwarted due to a fantastic interception in the end zone by Denzel Burke, but that set of downs did not cover the defense in glory with the starters still on the field.
I could go on about this game, but I won’t. While I didn’t expect the Buckeyes to hang 70 points on the Penguins, I did expect a wider margin of victory, much like Penn State had against Delaware. There were other points left on the field, such as Devin Brown’s egregious overthrow to a wide-open Carnell Tate in the end zone.
There were obviously some good things, too. McCord looked much more comfortable in Week 2, with only six incompletions — one of which was Harrison’s drop. He clearly is the better quarterback at this point. Burke continued his rebirth with another outstanding game. Sonny Styles and Michael Hall Jr. looked good, and should probably never come off the field unless they ask to.
What bothered you about the game? Let me know in the comments section below.
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LGHL Column: Should Chip Trayanum be RB1?
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Column: Should Chip Trayanum be RB1?
Megan.Husslein 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 Hickey/Getty Images
There’s been more than a few rumblings about this...
Two games into the season, and there has still not been a solidified starting quarterback. Additionally, there has been no clear-cut starting running back. While the automatic assumption goes toward TreVeyon Henderson being RB1, some are saying that Chip Trayanum should be.
Entering this season, it seemed that Henderson would be atop the depth chart, with Miyan Williams being RB2 and Trayanum/Dallan Hayden being pretty much tied for RB3. So far, Hayden has zero rushing yards, and Evan Pryor hasn’t played.
Williams has rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns. Trayanum has rushed for 77 yards on 14 carries, and Henderson leads the team with 103 yards on 17 carries and two TDs. Through these first two games, a different running back has proven to be pivotal. Williams scored twice against Indiana, and Henderson scored twice against Youngstown State. While Chip hasn’t scored, he has performed well when called upon.
Above are some of Trayanum’s runs against Indiana, showing off a few different skills that he has. He is an extremely versatile player. Trayanum is very agile as seen by the jump cut in the first part of the video. He’s also quick and has great hands, shown by the catch he made towards the end of the video. Yes, he’s still waiting on his first touchdown of the season, but his runs set up both of Ohio State’s rushing touchdowns against the Hoosiers.
However, I am not saying all of this to discount Henderson. Clearly, he had a good game on Saturday. He has proven that he is fully healthy as demonstrated by his hurdle in the second half, and his second touchdown where he juked two or three defenders on his way to the endzone.
Henderson’s longest run was the 30-yard touchdown and Trayanum’s was for 17 yards. Henderson also edges him out for yards per carry, as he is averaging 6.1, while Trayanum’s is at 5.5.
But, if you’re going off the eye test, some might say that Trayanum doesn’t get stuffed at the line of scrimmage as much as Henderson. The offensive line didn’t play great against Indiana, which is where Henderson failed to convert on a couple of third downs, but this is still something to take note of.
Both running backs are having a solid start to the season, in my opinion. I also don’t see a need to have a true RB1. Why declare one when you have multiple? I haven’t even brought Williams into this conversation, but he is right up there with them — he is just a different style of back. They all bring something valuable to the table, and it is nice to rotate them so that each of them can have fresh legs.
Overall, if the offensive line continues to improve, then the run game will improve too. I would like to see some more of Hayden and Pryor at some point, but for now, I am happy with what I’m seeing from the other three running backs.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein 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 Hickey/Getty Images
There’s been more than a few rumblings about this...
Two games into the season, and there has still not been a solidified starting quarterback. Additionally, there has been no clear-cut starting running back. While the automatic assumption goes toward TreVeyon Henderson being RB1, some are saying that Chip Trayanum should be.
Entering this season, it seemed that Henderson would be atop the depth chart, with Miyan Williams being RB2 and Trayanum/Dallan Hayden being pretty much tied for RB3. So far, Hayden has zero rushing yards, and Evan Pryor hasn’t played.
Williams has rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns. Trayanum has rushed for 77 yards on 14 carries, and Henderson leads the team with 103 yards on 17 carries and two TDs. Through these first two games, a different running back has proven to be pivotal. Williams scored twice against Indiana, and Henderson scored twice against Youngstown State. While Chip hasn’t scored, he has performed well when called upon.
Above are some of Trayanum’s runs against Indiana, showing off a few different skills that he has. He is an extremely versatile player. Trayanum is very agile as seen by the jump cut in the first part of the video. He’s also quick and has great hands, shown by the catch he made towards the end of the video. Yes, he’s still waiting on his first touchdown of the season, but his runs set up both of Ohio State’s rushing touchdowns against the Hoosiers.
However, I am not saying all of this to discount Henderson. Clearly, he had a good game on Saturday. He has proven that he is fully healthy as demonstrated by his hurdle in the second half, and his second touchdown where he juked two or three defenders on his way to the endzone.
Henderson’s longest run was the 30-yard touchdown and Trayanum’s was for 17 yards. Henderson also edges him out for yards per carry, as he is averaging 6.1, while Trayanum’s is at 5.5.
But, if you’re going off the eye test, some might say that Trayanum doesn’t get stuffed at the line of scrimmage as much as Henderson. The offensive line didn’t play great against Indiana, which is where Henderson failed to convert on a couple of third downs, but this is still something to take note of.
Both running backs are having a solid start to the season, in my opinion. I also don’t see a need to have a true RB1. Why declare one when you have multiple? I haven’t even brought Williams into this conversation, but he is right up there with them — he is just a different style of back. They all bring something valuable to the table, and it is nice to rotate them so that each of them can have fresh legs.
Overall, if the offensive line continues to improve, then the run game will improve too. I would like to see some more of Hayden and Pryor at some point, but for now, I am happy with what I’m seeing from the other three running backs.
Continue reading...