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LGHL That Team Up North: Are special teams a problem for the Wolverines heading into the 2023 season?
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That Team Up North: Are special teams a problem for the Wolverines heading into the 2023 season?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Seriously... TTUN lost All-Big Ten talents at both kicker and punter, as well as their top return man from the last two seasons. Will these losses come back to haunt, preferably against the Buckeyes?
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.
Is this piece really about special teams? Yes, yes, it is. Because you’re just not getting a whole lot from me when it comes to TTUN. I could have written their 2023 season preview, but frankly, I have/had no interest. I could have highlighted the Wolverines’ best players, but I prefer not to give any of those guys credit. I could have even focused on The Game, but... Damn, that’s actually great content. I probably should have done that. Oh well, hindsight and all that jazz. Let’s talk about punts and field goals!
In all seriousness, TTUN boasted arguably the best-kicking duo in college football during each of the last two seasons. Kicker Jake Moody won the Lou Groza Award in 2021 and was named a finalist in 2022, while punter Brad Robbins grew a fantastic mustache and made a habit of pinning opponents deep inside their own territory. That may have been the result of both specialists perfecting their craft(s) for a decade in Ann Arbor, but more power to ‘em. Moody and Robbins also became just the second kicker/punter (teammate) tandem taken in the same NFL Draft in the modern era.
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Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Now TTUN will look to fill the all-important shoes of both Moody and Robbins, as well as those of last season’s leading return man, A.J. Henning. The latter returned a total of 57 punts in 2021 and 2022, which is 46 more than the rest of his teammates combined. Henning also returned nearly two dozen kickoffs before transferring elsewhere. However, since the NCAA is doing its best to eliminate returns – and most physical contact in general – replacing those reps is not nearly as important.
But special teams, as a component or phase of the game, are (important)! Just ask Jim Tressel and/or Urban Meyer. And no, I did not mistakenly omit Ryan Day. Moving on...
That is why I find the Wolverines’ situation interesting. Because special teams matter. Maybe not all the time. But like, in a CFP semifinal game, for example. Then they definitely matter. And I understand that specialists either move on or get replaced all the time, but it is far less common for a title-contending team to be tasked with replacing an all-conference kicking battery and its only (truly) experienced returner in one fell swoop. I think. Or maybe it’s not uncommon at all. Look, I don’t spend a lot of time breaking down ST units. But even I know that TTUN had a great one during each of the last two seasons. Now both of their former kicking specialists are cashing NFL checks, and Henning is in Evanston (playing for Northwestern).
To address their (place)kicking situation, the Wolverines turned to the transfer portal and brought in James Turner, formerly of Louisville. Turner does not have the same howitzer leg as Moody (1/6 in his career from 50+ yards), but he was incredibly accurate in 2022. The former Cardinal went 20/22, including a perfect 17/17 from short range (under 40 yards). Turner is also a Michigan native, so returning home appears to be a win-win for both he and TTUN. Consider the kicking box checked, although Moody will be sorely missed up north.
At punter, Jim Harbaugh and his staff will likely depend on the versatile leg of Tommy Doman. The latter was the No. 2 punter in the 2021 recruiting class, ranked just ahead of three dozen Australians. He also has kicking experience, including two made extra points for the Wolverines last season, but is primarily viewed as the successor to Robbins. Replacing the mustachioed Michigan man is easier said than done. Robbins was consistent with his hang time and surgical with his ball placement. His ability to pin opponents deep was a real weapon for TTUN. Doman will hope to match his predecessor’s precision.
Last but certainly not least is the matter and/or replacement of the Wolverines’ return specialist. Henning will never be confused with Devin Hester, but he did score on both a kickoff and punt return during his career in Ann Arbor. He also rushed for 162 yards and 2 TD (on 9 carries) in 2021 but saw his role drastically reduced in 2022. Hence the transfer to Northwestern. TTUN will have plenty of options to replace Henning, but my money is on Roman Wilson, thanks to his sub-4.4 speed and previous (albeit limited) experience returning kickoffs. Fielding punts is something entirely different and unique, but I assume Wilson could figure that out as well. If Harbaugh and Co. would rather keep their experienced wide receiver out of harm's way, then keep an eye on freshman WR Semaj Morgan. 247Sports compared the newcomer to Brandin Cooks as a high school recruit, so he likely has some juice.
There ya have it, folks. That’s a special team's breakdown of a bitter rival if I’ve ever seen one! TTUN has some work to do, but Turner was a solid addition, and last year provided even more evidence that ol’ Harbaugh finally has some speed up north. Do not be surprised if the Wolverines boast one of the Big Ten’s best ST units again in 2023... And if you’re a Buckeye fan, take solace in the fact that it is far from guaranteed.
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
Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Seriously... TTUN lost All-Big Ten talents at both kicker and punter, as well as their top return man from the last two seasons. Will these losses come back to haunt, preferably against the Buckeyes?
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.
Is this piece really about special teams? Yes, yes, it is. Because you’re just not getting a whole lot from me when it comes to TTUN. I could have written their 2023 season preview, but frankly, I have/had no interest. I could have highlighted the Wolverines’ best players, but I prefer not to give any of those guys credit. I could have even focused on The Game, but... Damn, that’s actually great content. I probably should have done that. Oh well, hindsight and all that jazz. Let’s talk about punts and field goals!
In all seriousness, TTUN boasted arguably the best-kicking duo in college football during each of the last two seasons. Kicker Jake Moody won the Lou Groza Award in 2021 and was named a finalist in 2022, while punter Brad Robbins grew a fantastic mustache and made a habit of pinning opponents deep inside their own territory. That may have been the result of both specialists perfecting their craft(s) for a decade in Ann Arbor, but more power to ‘em. Moody and Robbins also became just the second kicker/punter (teammate) tandem taken in the same NFL Draft in the modern era.
Now TTUN will look to fill the all-important shoes of both Moody and Robbins, as well as those of last season’s leading return man, A.J. Henning. The latter returned a total of 57 punts in 2021 and 2022, which is 46 more than the rest of his teammates combined. Henning also returned nearly two dozen kickoffs before transferring elsewhere. However, since the NCAA is doing its best to eliminate returns – and most physical contact in general – replacing those reps is not nearly as important.
But special teams, as a component or phase of the game, are (important)! Just ask Jim Tressel and/or Urban Meyer. And no, I did not mistakenly omit Ryan Day. Moving on...
That is why I find the Wolverines’ situation interesting. Because special teams matter. Maybe not all the time. But like, in a CFP semifinal game, for example. Then they definitely matter. And I understand that specialists either move on or get replaced all the time, but it is far less common for a title-contending team to be tasked with replacing an all-conference kicking battery and its only (truly) experienced returner in one fell swoop. I think. Or maybe it’s not uncommon at all. Look, I don’t spend a lot of time breaking down ST units. But even I know that TTUN had a great one during each of the last two seasons. Now both of their former kicking specialists are cashing NFL checks, and Henning is in Evanston (playing for Northwestern).
To address their (place)kicking situation, the Wolverines turned to the transfer portal and brought in James Turner, formerly of Louisville. Turner does not have the same howitzer leg as Moody (1/6 in his career from 50+ yards), but he was incredibly accurate in 2022. The former Cardinal went 20/22, including a perfect 17/17 from short range (under 40 yards). Turner is also a Michigan native, so returning home appears to be a win-win for both he and TTUN. Consider the kicking box checked, although Moody will be sorely missed up north.
At punter, Jim Harbaugh and his staff will likely depend on the versatile leg of Tommy Doman. The latter was the No. 2 punter in the 2021 recruiting class, ranked just ahead of three dozen Australians. He also has kicking experience, including two made extra points for the Wolverines last season, but is primarily viewed as the successor to Robbins. Replacing the mustachioed Michigan man is easier said than done. Robbins was consistent with his hang time and surgical with his ball placement. His ability to pin opponents deep was a real weapon for TTUN. Doman will hope to match his predecessor’s precision.
Last but certainly not least is the matter and/or replacement of the Wolverines’ return specialist. Henning will never be confused with Devin Hester, but he did score on both a kickoff and punt return during his career in Ann Arbor. He also rushed for 162 yards and 2 TD (on 9 carries) in 2021 but saw his role drastically reduced in 2022. Hence the transfer to Northwestern. TTUN will have plenty of options to replace Henning, but my money is on Roman Wilson, thanks to his sub-4.4 speed and previous (albeit limited) experience returning kickoffs. Fielding punts is something entirely different and unique, but I assume Wilson could figure that out as well. If Harbaugh and Co. would rather keep their experienced wide receiver out of harm's way, then keep an eye on freshman WR Semaj Morgan. 247Sports compared the newcomer to Brandin Cooks as a high school recruit, so he likely has some juice.
There ya have it, folks. That’s a special team's breakdown of a bitter rival if I’ve ever seen one! TTUN has some work to do, but Turner was a solid addition, and last year provided even more evidence that ol’ Harbaugh finally has some speed up north. Do not be surprised if the Wolverines boast one of the Big Ten’s best ST units again in 2023... And if you’re a Buckeye fan, take solace in the fact that it is far from guaranteed.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State makes cut for four-star small forward
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Ohio State makes cut for four-star small forward
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star small forward Jalen Shelley via Jody Demling, 247Sports
The Ohio State men’s basketball team is on the short list for a top-50 small forward.
The recruiting front has been quieter this month for Ohio State and the rest of the college football recruiting landscape. The Buckeyes earned two commitments in July, but it has been more than two weeks since the team has added to its No. 2 overall recruiting class. Ohio State has also seen a massive slowdown in hosting recruits on visits this month too, especially when compared to June, which has become one of the busiest recruiting months.
However, the Buckeyes are hoping this lull will soon cease. Multiple Ohio State targets are set to announce their commitments in the coming weeks, including two linebacker targets who are scheduled to announce this weekend. Four-star linebackers Edwin Spillman and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa are scheduled to commit July 21 and July 23, respectively, and both have the Buckeyes in their top schools list.
Spillman is down to just Ohio State and Tennessee with the home-state Volunteers looking like the favorites, while Viliamu-Asa has a final group of Ohio State, Notre Dame and USC. Ohio State seems to be in a better position to land Viliamu-Asa as opposed to Spillman, but if the Buckeyes were to miss out on both blue-chip linebackers, it would definitely be a loss for the class.
Make sure to follow Land-Grant Holy Land and we will help you stay up-to-date on all things Ohio State recruiting, including both of the above recruitments.
While many of the headlines surrounding Ohio State recruiting have been focusing on the football team, the Ohio State men’s basketball Buckeyes have also been crushing it on the recruiting front. In last year’s cycle, Chris Holtmann and his staff were able to build the No. 12 class in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Indiana.
The Buckeyes are already off to a hot start for this year’s cycle, with four-star combo-guard John Mobley Jr. already committed to the class. Mobley Jr. is the No. 38 overall prospect and the top-rated recruit from Utah.
Ohio State is looking to add to this class and one of the targets the team is looking at is four-star small forward Jalen Shelley. Ohio State only offered Shelley last month, but on Monday he released a top schools list, and the Buckeyes made the cut.
Alongside Ohio State, Shelley also listed Louisville, Marquette, Houston, Colorado, LSU, Texas A&M and Arkansas in his top eight schools. Shelley has only taken one official visit as of yet, to Louisville, but he has also taken unofficials to Houston and Arkansas. He told Joe Tipton that he is working on upcoming visits to LSU, Texas A&M, Marquette and Ohio State.
It will behoove Ohio State greatly to get him on campus, as Arkansas, LSU, Louisville, Houston and Marquette are likely above the Buckeyes in the pecking order currently. However, there is still plenty of time remaining in his recruitment. Additionally, with only being in the race for a month, already making his top schools list is certainly a win.
Holtmann has an undeniably impressive track record when it comes to recruiting during his time at Ohio State. If Holtmann and the Buckeyes can add Shelley to the class alongside Mobley Jr., this year’s class could be even better than last.
Shelley is the No. 14 SF in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 45 overall prospect. He is also the No. 3 recruit from Missouri.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star small forward Jalen Shelley via Jody Demling, 247Sports
The Ohio State men’s basketball team is on the short list for a top-50 small forward.
The recruiting front has been quieter this month for Ohio State and the rest of the college football recruiting landscape. The Buckeyes earned two commitments in July, but it has been more than two weeks since the team has added to its No. 2 overall recruiting class. Ohio State has also seen a massive slowdown in hosting recruits on visits this month too, especially when compared to June, which has become one of the busiest recruiting months.
However, the Buckeyes are hoping this lull will soon cease. Multiple Ohio State targets are set to announce their commitments in the coming weeks, including two linebacker targets who are scheduled to announce this weekend. Four-star linebackers Edwin Spillman and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa are scheduled to commit July 21 and July 23, respectively, and both have the Buckeyes in their top schools list.
Spillman is down to just Ohio State and Tennessee with the home-state Volunteers looking like the favorites, while Viliamu-Asa has a final group of Ohio State, Notre Dame and USC. Ohio State seems to be in a better position to land Viliamu-Asa as opposed to Spillman, but if the Buckeyes were to miss out on both blue-chip linebackers, it would definitely be a loss for the class.
Make sure to follow Land-Grant Holy Land and we will help you stay up-to-date on all things Ohio State recruiting, including both of the above recruitments.
Ohio State makes the cut for four-star SF
While many of the headlines surrounding Ohio State recruiting have been focusing on the football team, the Ohio State men’s basketball Buckeyes have also been crushing it on the recruiting front. In last year’s cycle, Chris Holtmann and his staff were able to build the No. 12 class in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Indiana.
The Buckeyes are already off to a hot start for this year’s cycle, with four-star combo-guard John Mobley Jr. already committed to the class. Mobley Jr. is the No. 38 overall prospect and the top-rated recruit from Utah.
Ohio State is looking to add to this class and one of the targets the team is looking at is four-star small forward Jalen Shelley. Ohio State only offered Shelley last month, but on Monday he released a top schools list, and the Buckeyes made the cut.
Alongside Ohio State, Shelley also listed Louisville, Marquette, Houston, Colorado, LSU, Texas A&M and Arkansas in his top eight schools. Shelley has only taken one official visit as of yet, to Louisville, but he has also taken unofficials to Houston and Arkansas. He told Joe Tipton that he is working on upcoming visits to LSU, Texas A&M, Marquette and Ohio State.
It will behoove Ohio State greatly to get him on campus, as Arkansas, LSU, Louisville, Houston and Marquette are likely above the Buckeyes in the pecking order currently. However, there is still plenty of time remaining in his recruitment. Additionally, with only being in the race for a month, already making his top schools list is certainly a win.
Holtmann has an undeniably impressive track record when it comes to recruiting during his time at Ohio State. If Holtmann and the Buckeyes can add Shelley to the class alongside Mobley Jr., this year’s class could be even better than last.
Shelley is the No. 14 SF in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 45 overall prospect. He is also the No. 3 recruit from Missouri.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: ‘That Team Up North’ - Wolverine slayers
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You’re Nuts: ‘That Team Up North’ - Wolverine slayers
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Who comes to mind when you think of an Ohio State player that dominated against Michigan?
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.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
It is That Team Up North week on LGHL, which means that I am in a foul, foul mood. Because there are few things worse than spending a week trying to come up with content relative to the *ichigan Wolverines. I mean, just thinking about their maize and blue color scheme gets me heated. Call it yellow! Or gold! Get outta here with that ‘maize’ stuff.
The week takes on extra meaning – or becomes even more of an annoyance (please don’t get mad editors, I understand) – when Ohio State is in the midst of a two-game losing streak to their bitter rival. I would much rather be on the winning end and poke fun at TTUN, but that has been difficult to do in recent years. Instead, we have been forced to give them credit. And admit that Jim Harbaugh might be a good football coach. Gross.
I really had no interest in doing that (above), so when Gene and I were coming up with a topic for You’re Nuts, I thought to myself: How can we write about TTUN without giving them any kudos or credit? And how can we celebrate the Buckeyes without coming across as a couple of bitter berries? Well, I thought, when all else fails, you can always talk about the greats. Great games, great players, whatever... As long as the content is still somehow relevant to TTUN.
With ‘greats’ serving as our motivation, Gene and I both kind of arrived at the same destination. Or ended up with a similar question in mind. That being: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
And I had to think long and hard about this one. Because there are so many players to choose from, that have played well and impacted The Game/The Rivalry during my lifetime. My core memories really only go back to the mid-to-late nineties, and although the beginning of that stretch was a rough one, the last 20 or so years have been pretty damn enjoyable as an Ohio State fan. We have been fortunate to watch a lot of winning football, and to see dozens of Buckeye legends leave their mark.
The one (Buckeye Legend) who stands out to me, due to their play in The Game, only started one game against TTUN. And all together, he didn’t even play six quarters against them! But this player’s impact was felt, it was awesome, and his numbers may never be topped. Call it recency bias, but the player who comes to mind when I think about great performances against TTUN is none other than the late, great Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins was a redshirt freshman in 2017, who had appeared in seven games prior to the Buckeyes’ regular season finale in Ann Arbor. He saw extended playing time against UNLV in Week 2 but was otherwise your typical young backup at OSU. However, when J.T. Barrett went down with an injury against the Buckeyes’ bitter rival, Haskins was forced into action in one of the most high-pressure moments a college football player can face. He wasn’t just playing in a pivotal November conference game; he was playing in The Game. And his team was trailing!
The future Heisman candidate went 6-of-7 (passing) for 94 yards and added a 22-yard run, helping Ohio State complete an exciting comeback victory. It was not the flashiest or prettiest of games, but Haskins acquitted himself quite well in relief of Barrett. And he began to establish his brief but memorable legacy against TTUN, with plenty of fireworks to come the following season.
OSU’s offense, led by the record-breaking Haskins, was elite in 2018. But TTUN’s defense was pretty damn good too. The Wolverines had not surrendered more than 21 points since Week 1 against Notre Dame, and they were coming off of a four-game stretch during which they allowed just 10 PPG to Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, and Indiana. Unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes’ now-experienced signal caller was a man on a mission, and he pumped out one of the greatest individual performances in the history of The Rivalry.
Haskins was the ‘man on fire’ meme on Nov. 24, 2018, lighting TTUN up to the tune of 396 yards passing and 6 (!) TD. He was absolutely surgical in dicing up the Wolverines’ secondary and getting the ball to his playmakers, specifically Parris Campbell. The latter accounted for 192 yards and 2 TD, but it was still Haskins’ day. To pick apart a top-10, top-15 defense, in the manner he did... on the stage that he did... was absolutely incredible. The end result was a 62-39 thrashing of a 10-1 (at the time) *ichigan team. That’s special, folks!
62 points is the most points (single game) put up by either team in The Rivalry. Unless we’re counting the Wolverines’ 86 in 1902, but I’m not sure I trust that record-keeping. And Haskins was responsible for 36 of them. I know there are players who have a larger body of work in The Game. Or four pairs of gold pants. Or maybe they just made a single memorable play that will go down in infamy. But Simba is the guy for me. He put forth one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, period. And he did so while absolutely dismantling TTUN. It doesn’t get much better or more memorable than that.
It makes sense that Josh and I went with two of the quarterbacks who played for Ohio State during their historic eight-game win streak against Michigan from 2012-19. While my counterpart went with the man who replaced J.T. Barrett in Columbus, I want to talk about Barrett himself.
Funny enough, I’m actually not a huge Barrett fan. Overall I think he was a largely average QB who did a great job at handling the system he was in and was a great runner but a below-average passer. However, it’s hard to knock the fact that he won games in his time at Ohio State, and none moreso than the games against Michigan, wherein Barrett went a perfect 4-0 as the Buckeyes’ starting QB.
In his four starts against the Wolverines, Barrett compiled over 860 total yards with 10 total touchdowns and only one interception thrown. That’s even including the game in 2017, where he only threw for 30 yards and ran for another 67 before getting injured and being replaced by Haskins. In fact, Barrett has been injured twice during The Game, as he also famously broke his leg in the 2014 rendition before Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott helped lead OSU to the promised land.
Barrett’s numbers over those four games certainly aren’t gaudy by any means, but he did what he needed to do for Ohio State to win those games and made some huge plays along the way.
In 2014, Barrett found Nick Vannett for the game’s opening touchdown. Then later, with the Buckeyes trailing 14-7, he scored back-to-back rushing TDs for the game-tying and go-ahead scores and Ohio State never trailed again, going on to win 42-28 after pulling away late.
The 2015 game was a bloodbath, with Ohio State easily dispatching Michigan, 42-13 in Ann Arbor. Statistically, this was Barrett’s best performance in The Game. The QB went 9-of-15 passing with 113 yards and a TD while adding 139 yards and three scores on the ground. Barrett scored the opening and the final TD with two more in the middle as he and Zeke (214 yards and two TDs) beat up on the Wolverines at The Big House.
2016, of course, is when Barrett’s most famous play in the rivalry occurred. With Ohio State trailing 27-24 in double overtime, Curtis Samuel’s 8-yard run on 3rd-and-9 left the Buckeyes just short of the sticks. On 4th-and-1, Urban Meyer drew up ole reliable and Barrett took the ball up the middle and fell forward just past the line of gain for a first down. The play was reviewed for what felt like an eternity for fans on both sides, but the Spot Was Good, and on the very next play Samuel’s 15-yard TD run walked it off for Ohio State.
An injury limited Barrett’s effectiveness in the 2017 matchup, and as Josh outlined it was Haskins who led the comeback for the Buckeyes this time around. However, with Ohio State trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, it was Barrett who helped even things up. A 21-yard TD run at the 9:50 mark of the period put the Buckeyes on the board and cut the Michigan lead in half, and a short while later Barrett found Marcus Baugh for a 25-yard TD as things were all tied up heading into the break. From there, Haskins took care of business.
Barrett was never going to be an NFL QB, and he certainly isn’t one of the best quarterbacks Ohio State has seen of late — especially under Ryan Day — but what he did against Michigan can never be taken away from him. To this day, Barrett remains the only Buckeye quarterback ever to go 4-0 against the Wolverines, and that is something even his most adamant detractors will appreciate forever.
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
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Who comes to mind when you think of an Ohio State player that dominated against Michigan?
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.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
Josh’s Take
It is That Team Up North week on LGHL, which means that I am in a foul, foul mood. Because there are few things worse than spending a week trying to come up with content relative to the *ichigan Wolverines. I mean, just thinking about their maize and blue color scheme gets me heated. Call it yellow! Or gold! Get outta here with that ‘maize’ stuff.
The week takes on extra meaning – or becomes even more of an annoyance (please don’t get mad editors, I understand) – when Ohio State is in the midst of a two-game losing streak to their bitter rival. I would much rather be on the winning end and poke fun at TTUN, but that has been difficult to do in recent years. Instead, we have been forced to give them credit. And admit that Jim Harbaugh might be a good football coach. Gross.
I really had no interest in doing that (above), so when Gene and I were coming up with a topic for You’re Nuts, I thought to myself: How can we write about TTUN without giving them any kudos or credit? And how can we celebrate the Buckeyes without coming across as a couple of bitter berries? Well, I thought, when all else fails, you can always talk about the greats. Great games, great players, whatever... As long as the content is still somehow relevant to TTUN.
With ‘greats’ serving as our motivation, Gene and I both kind of arrived at the same destination. Or ended up with a similar question in mind. That being: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
And I had to think long and hard about this one. Because there are so many players to choose from, that have played well and impacted The Game/The Rivalry during my lifetime. My core memories really only go back to the mid-to-late nineties, and although the beginning of that stretch was a rough one, the last 20 or so years have been pretty damn enjoyable as an Ohio State fan. We have been fortunate to watch a lot of winning football, and to see dozens of Buckeye legends leave their mark.
The one (Buckeye Legend) who stands out to me, due to their play in The Game, only started one game against TTUN. And all together, he didn’t even play six quarters against them! But this player’s impact was felt, it was awesome, and his numbers may never be topped. Call it recency bias, but the player who comes to mind when I think about great performances against TTUN is none other than the late, great Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins was a redshirt freshman in 2017, who had appeared in seven games prior to the Buckeyes’ regular season finale in Ann Arbor. He saw extended playing time against UNLV in Week 2 but was otherwise your typical young backup at OSU. However, when J.T. Barrett went down with an injury against the Buckeyes’ bitter rival, Haskins was forced into action in one of the most high-pressure moments a college football player can face. He wasn’t just playing in a pivotal November conference game; he was playing in The Game. And his team was trailing!
The future Heisman candidate went 6-of-7 (passing) for 94 yards and added a 22-yard run, helping Ohio State complete an exciting comeback victory. It was not the flashiest or prettiest of games, but Haskins acquitted himself quite well in relief of Barrett. And he began to establish his brief but memorable legacy against TTUN, with plenty of fireworks to come the following season.
OSU’s offense, led by the record-breaking Haskins, was elite in 2018. But TTUN’s defense was pretty damn good too. The Wolverines had not surrendered more than 21 points since Week 1 against Notre Dame, and they were coming off of a four-game stretch during which they allowed just 10 PPG to Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, and Indiana. Unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes’ now-experienced signal caller was a man on a mission, and he pumped out one of the greatest individual performances in the history of The Rivalry.
Haskins was the ‘man on fire’ meme on Nov. 24, 2018, lighting TTUN up to the tune of 396 yards passing and 6 (!) TD. He was absolutely surgical in dicing up the Wolverines’ secondary and getting the ball to his playmakers, specifically Parris Campbell. The latter accounted for 192 yards and 2 TD, but it was still Haskins’ day. To pick apart a top-10, top-15 defense, in the manner he did... on the stage that he did... was absolutely incredible. The end result was a 62-39 thrashing of a 10-1 (at the time) *ichigan team. That’s special, folks!
62 points is the most points (single game) put up by either team in The Rivalry. Unless we’re counting the Wolverines’ 86 in 1902, but I’m not sure I trust that record-keeping. And Haskins was responsible for 36 of them. I know there are players who have a larger body of work in The Game. Or four pairs of gold pants. Or maybe they just made a single memorable play that will go down in infamy. But Simba is the guy for me. He put forth one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, period. And he did so while absolutely dismantling TTUN. It doesn’t get much better or more memorable than that.
Gene’s Take
It makes sense that Josh and I went with two of the quarterbacks who played for Ohio State during their historic eight-game win streak against Michigan from 2012-19. While my counterpart went with the man who replaced J.T. Barrett in Columbus, I want to talk about Barrett himself.
Funny enough, I’m actually not a huge Barrett fan. Overall I think he was a largely average QB who did a great job at handling the system he was in and was a great runner but a below-average passer. However, it’s hard to knock the fact that he won games in his time at Ohio State, and none moreso than the games against Michigan, wherein Barrett went a perfect 4-0 as the Buckeyes’ starting QB.
In his four starts against the Wolverines, Barrett compiled over 860 total yards with 10 total touchdowns and only one interception thrown. That’s even including the game in 2017, where he only threw for 30 yards and ran for another 67 before getting injured and being replaced by Haskins. In fact, Barrett has been injured twice during The Game, as he also famously broke his leg in the 2014 rendition before Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott helped lead OSU to the promised land.
Barrett’s numbers over those four games certainly aren’t gaudy by any means, but he did what he needed to do for Ohio State to win those games and made some huge plays along the way.
In 2014, Barrett found Nick Vannett for the game’s opening touchdown. Then later, with the Buckeyes trailing 14-7, he scored back-to-back rushing TDs for the game-tying and go-ahead scores and Ohio State never trailed again, going on to win 42-28 after pulling away late.
The 2015 game was a bloodbath, with Ohio State easily dispatching Michigan, 42-13 in Ann Arbor. Statistically, this was Barrett’s best performance in The Game. The QB went 9-of-15 passing with 113 yards and a TD while adding 139 yards and three scores on the ground. Barrett scored the opening and the final TD with two more in the middle as he and Zeke (214 yards and two TDs) beat up on the Wolverines at The Big House.
2016, of course, is when Barrett’s most famous play in the rivalry occurred. With Ohio State trailing 27-24 in double overtime, Curtis Samuel’s 8-yard run on 3rd-and-9 left the Buckeyes just short of the sticks. On 4th-and-1, Urban Meyer drew up ole reliable and Barrett took the ball up the middle and fell forward just past the line of gain for a first down. The play was reviewed for what felt like an eternity for fans on both sides, but the Spot Was Good, and on the very next play Samuel’s 15-yard TD run walked it off for Ohio State.
An injury limited Barrett’s effectiveness in the 2017 matchup, and as Josh outlined it was Haskins who led the comeback for the Buckeyes this time around. However, with Ohio State trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, it was Barrett who helped even things up. A 21-yard TD run at the 9:50 mark of the period put the Buckeyes on the board and cut the Michigan lead in half, and a short while later Barrett found Marcus Baugh for a 25-yard TD as things were all tied up heading into the break. From there, Haskins took care of business.
Barrett was never going to be an NFL QB, and he certainly isn’t one of the best quarterbacks Ohio State has seen of late — especially under Ryan Day — but what he did against Michigan can never be taken away from him. To this day, Barrett remains the only Buckeye quarterback ever to go 4-0 against the Wolverines, and that is something even his most adamant detractors will appreciate forever.
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