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LGHL Ranking all 19 Ohio State touchdowns in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff (Part 3)
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Ranking all 19 Ohio State touchdowns in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff (Part 3)
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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images
The offseason is dark and full of terrors, so let’s finish our look back at 19 enjoyable touchdowns in three easy-to-read columns.
Last week, we continued our look back at all 19 of Ohio State’s touchdowns from the Buckeyes’ 2024 College Football Playoff national championship. The countdown began two weeks ago with No. 19 through 11 — largely supersized due to four nearly identical 1-yard runs by Quinshon Judkins. Then, last week, we started our journey through the Top 10, with a look at No. 10 through 6.
This week, we complete our review of Ohio State’s historic four-game run through the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff with a look at touchdowns No. 5 through No. 1 in the countdown. This is, admittedly, completely subjective, but I did consider some criteria to make my decisions.
Among those was the degree of difficulty of each scoring play, the magnitude of the moment (i.e., how clutch they were), and the “wow” factor. Was I consistent in applying these criteria? I don’t know. As always, I’m just a guy with a keyboard who loves college football.
This week’s first entry is a great effort by Jeremiah Smith early in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. The rematch against the Ducks was always going to be a critical step on the path to the national championship. Ohio State narrowly ran out of time to beat the Ducks in Eugene during the regular season. The Buckeyes left no room for doubt in Pasadena, and it all started less than a minute into the game.
Smith caught a Howard swing pass behind the line of scrimmage on a misdirection play that fooled most of the Oregon defense. The freshman then showed two of the aspects that made him so special throughout the season. He used his speed to blaze down the field behind a Gee Scott, Jr. block, then broke a tackle as the only two Ducks with a shot at him tried to shut the door.
Once he shrugged off that final obstacle, he breezed down the field and into the end zone to set the tone for Ohio State’s eventual destruction of Oregon.
Staying in the Rose Bowl for a moment, the Buckeyes started to make their statement midway through the first quarter. The teams traded punts after Smith’s catch and run in the first minute of the game, and the OSU defense got another stop on the second Ducks possession. Ohio State took over in good field position at its own 47-yard line and quickly picked up a first down in Oregon territory on just two plays.
On the third play of the drive, Ryan Day and Chip Kelly decided to take a shot downfield, and it paid off. Howard dropped back and sent a dart to Egbuka at the goal line. The coverage was good from Brandon Johnson. Howard’s pass hit the defender’s arm, but Egbuka maintained his concentration, snatching it off the defender and securing it to make it 14-0, stunning Oregon and igniting the Buckeye offense as it jumped to an eventual 34-0 lead.
This one reaches the lofty No. 3 position just for the “coolness factor.” I’m probably not the only one who remembers Alabama’s DeVonta Smith destroying Ohio State with a similar play in a College Football Playoff final and thinking, ‘Man, that would be a cool play to have in our playbook.’ Day and Kelly debuted it at the perfect time.
Ohio State trailed Notre Dame 7-0 in the national title game after a long opening drive by the Irish. The Buckeyes spent the final five minutes of the first quarter and the first minute of the second quarter driving down the field from their own 25-yard line. Ohio State lined up on second-and-5 from the Notre Dame 8 and pulled out what amounted to a trick play, with plenty of eye candy.
Smith had single coverage on the right and his defensive back knew something was up, but perhaps not exactly what was coming. Smith circled back into the backfield as if he were going to run an end around. Instead, he broke quickly back toward the boundary, took a short swing pass from Howard behind the line of scrimmage, and ran untouched into the end zone to tie the game.
Using ghosts of losses past to beat the opponent in front of you is a cool idea, and it worked like a charm against the Irish.
The Longhorns had just put a drive together and tied the Cotton Bowl 7-7 with 29 seconds remaining in the first half. Momentum was firmly on the Texas sideline with a long way to go in this College Football Playoff semifinal matchup in the Longhorns’ back yard. It didn’t last long.
Ohio State answered in just 16 seconds. After a touchback gave the Buckeyes the ball on their own 25-yard line, Howard dropped back and did well to avoid an onrushing defensive lineman, tossing a screen pass to Henderson behind the line of scrimmage. The running back started right, then set up two blocks, moving defenders with his eyes and sudden body shifts. Setting up those blocks gave him a clean path to a big play, and his speed negated a defender’s angle to give him a wide-open run down the sideline to the end zone.
The touchdown with just 13 ticks left on the clock in the second quarter re-established Ohio State’s momentum and sucked the air out of the Texas balloon. It was an important touchdown for the Buckeyes, as Texas pulled even again late in the third quarter before Ohio State took over in the fourth.
There could hardly be another choice for Ohio State’s top touchdown of the national championship run. The game was in the balance late with Ohio State clinging to a 21-14 lead as Texas took over at its own 25-yard line.
A stop would almost guarantee a trip to the CFP title game, but former Buckeye Quinn Ewers started making plays and had the Longhorns inside the OSU 10 in six plays. A Lathan Ransom pass interference penalty gave Texas a first down and moved the ball to the OSU 2 with 4:04 remaining in the game.
Ohio State’s vaunted goal-line defense got a big stop on first down, stuffing Jarrick Gibson for no gain. That stop, coupled with the reputation of the Buckeyes at their goal line, created uncertainty in the Texas play calling. The Longhorns might be expected to slam it up in there again or bring in Arch Manning with a run/pass option call, but instead, the Longhorns got too cute and it backfired.
Quintrevion Wismer took a toss to the left on second down and was thrown for a huge loss by the aggressive Buckeye secondary. Caleb Downs blew it up and Ransom and Davison Igbinosun cleaned it up back at the OSU 8-yard line. Jack Sawyer was held on third down but still got enough pressure on Ewers to make him throw it early, and it fell incomplete, setting up fourth and goal from the 8 with two and a half minutes remaining. ‘
A failure to score wasn’t the end for Texas, as the Longhorns had two timeouts remaining. Still, they had to go for it.
And that’s when a Buckeye legend’s legacy was sealed forever.
On fourth down, the OSU defensive line went after Ewers, with Sawyer attacking from the field side and flushing the right-hander to his left. Ewers tried to get the ball out as Sawyer arrived, but the Buckeye defensive end knocked the ball free on the quarterback’s backswing. The ball bounced up perfectly for Sawyer, who scooped it up and began racing down the sideline.
He had a lot of friends with him, and his escort stayed disciplined, walling off any would-be tacklers as Sawyer took the ball the distance for the Cotton Bowl-sealing touchdown, booking the Buckeyes’ spot in the title game.
Downs intercepted Ewers on the third play of the ensuing drive and the Buckeyes kneeled out the remaining time, earning a spot in the final against Notre Dame.
That’s it. We’ve counted them all. Ohio State scored a lot of touchdowns in just four games, and many of them were unforgettable. The ones above will no doubt live in the minds of Buckeye fans for the rest of their days.
Let me know in the comments where you agree/disagree with my rankings, or just enjoy them for what they were — a glorious look back at an incredible four-game run by Ohio State.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
The offseason is dark and full of terrors, so let’s finish our look back at 19 enjoyable touchdowns in three easy-to-read columns.
Last week, we continued our look back at all 19 of Ohio State’s touchdowns from the Buckeyes’ 2024 College Football Playoff national championship. The countdown began two weeks ago with No. 19 through 11 — largely supersized due to four nearly identical 1-yard runs by Quinshon Judkins. Then, last week, we started our journey through the Top 10, with a look at No. 10 through 6.
This week, we complete our review of Ohio State’s historic four-game run through the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff with a look at touchdowns No. 5 through No. 1 in the countdown. This is, admittedly, completely subjective, but I did consider some criteria to make my decisions.
Among those was the degree of difficulty of each scoring play, the magnitude of the moment (i.e., how clutch they were), and the “wow” factor. Was I consistent in applying these criteria? I don’t know. As always, I’m just a guy with a keyboard who loves college football.
5. Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith from 45 yards vs. Oregon
This week’s first entry is a great effort by Jeremiah Smith early in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. The rematch against the Ducks was always going to be a critical step on the path to the national championship. Ohio State narrowly ran out of time to beat the Ducks in Eugene during the regular season. The Buckeyes left no room for doubt in Pasadena, and it all started less than a minute into the game.
Smith caught a Howard swing pass behind the line of scrimmage on a misdirection play that fooled most of the Oregon defense. The freshman then showed two of the aspects that made him so special throughout the season. He used his speed to blaze down the field behind a Gee Scott, Jr. block, then broke a tackle as the only two Ducks with a shot at him tried to shut the door.
Once he shrugged off that final obstacle, he breezed down the field and into the end zone to set the tone for Ohio State’s eventual destruction of Oregon.
4. Howard to Emeka Egbuka from 42 yards vs. Oregon
Staying in the Rose Bowl for a moment, the Buckeyes started to make their statement midway through the first quarter. The teams traded punts after Smith’s catch and run in the first minute of the game, and the OSU defense got another stop on the second Ducks possession. Ohio State took over in good field position at its own 47-yard line and quickly picked up a first down in Oregon territory on just two plays.
On the third play of the drive, Ryan Day and Chip Kelly decided to take a shot downfield, and it paid off. Howard dropped back and sent a dart to Egbuka at the goal line. The coverage was good from Brandon Johnson. Howard’s pass hit the defender’s arm, but Egbuka maintained his concentration, snatching it off the defender and securing it to make it 14-0, stunning Oregon and igniting the Buckeye offense as it jumped to an eventual 34-0 lead.
HOWARDEGBUKA
BUCKEYES UP 14-0 OVER THE DUCKS pic.twitter.com/nx3yuMHX4K
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 1, 2025
3. Howard to Smith from 8 yards vs. Notre Dame
This one reaches the lofty No. 3 position just for the “coolness factor.” I’m probably not the only one who remembers Alabama’s DeVonta Smith destroying Ohio State with a similar play in a College Football Playoff final and thinking, ‘Man, that would be a cool play to have in our playbook.’ Day and Kelly debuted it at the perfect time.
Ohio State trailed Notre Dame 7-0 in the national title game after a long opening drive by the Irish. The Buckeyes spent the final five minutes of the first quarter and the first minute of the second quarter driving down the field from their own 25-yard line. Ohio State lined up on second-and-5 from the Notre Dame 8 and pulled out what amounted to a trick play, with plenty of eye candy.
Smith had single coverage on the right and his defensive back knew something was up, but perhaps not exactly what was coming. Smith circled back into the backfield as if he were going to run an end around. Instead, he broke quickly back toward the boundary, took a short swing pass from Howard behind the line of scrimmage, and ran untouched into the end zone to tie the game.
Using ghosts of losses past to beat the opponent in front of you is a cool idea, and it worked like a charm against the Irish.
2. Howard to TreVeyon Henderson from 75 yards vs. Texas
The Longhorns had just put a drive together and tied the Cotton Bowl 7-7 with 29 seconds remaining in the first half. Momentum was firmly on the Texas sideline with a long way to go in this College Football Playoff semifinal matchup in the Longhorns’ back yard. It didn’t last long.
Ohio State answered in just 16 seconds. After a touchback gave the Buckeyes the ball on their own 25-yard line, Howard dropped back and did well to avoid an onrushing defensive lineman, tossing a screen pass to Henderson behind the line of scrimmage. The running back started right, then set up two blocks, moving defenders with his eyes and sudden body shifts. Setting up those blocks gave him a clean path to a big play, and his speed negated a defender’s angle to give him a wide-open run down the sideline to the end zone.
The touchdown with just 13 ticks left on the clock in the second quarter re-established Ohio State’s momentum and sucked the air out of the Texas balloon. It was an important touchdown for the Buckeyes, as Texas pulled even again late in the third quarter before Ohio State took over in the fourth.
Going end-to-end#CFBPlayoff • #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/VxtVM7LZ4U
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 11, 2025
1. Jack Sawyer’s 83-yard fumble recovery vs. Texas
There could hardly be another choice for Ohio State’s top touchdown of the national championship run. The game was in the balance late with Ohio State clinging to a 21-14 lead as Texas took over at its own 25-yard line.
A stop would almost guarantee a trip to the CFP title game, but former Buckeye Quinn Ewers started making plays and had the Longhorns inside the OSU 10 in six plays. A Lathan Ransom pass interference penalty gave Texas a first down and moved the ball to the OSU 2 with 4:04 remaining in the game.
Ohio State’s vaunted goal-line defense got a big stop on first down, stuffing Jarrick Gibson for no gain. That stop, coupled with the reputation of the Buckeyes at their goal line, created uncertainty in the Texas play calling. The Longhorns might be expected to slam it up in there again or bring in Arch Manning with a run/pass option call, but instead, the Longhorns got too cute and it backfired.
Quintrevion Wismer took a toss to the left on second down and was thrown for a huge loss by the aggressive Buckeye secondary. Caleb Downs blew it up and Ransom and Davison Igbinosun cleaned it up back at the OSU 8-yard line. Jack Sawyer was held on third down but still got enough pressure on Ewers to make him throw it early, and it fell incomplete, setting up fourth and goal from the 8 with two and a half minutes remaining. ‘
A failure to score wasn’t the end for Texas, as the Longhorns had two timeouts remaining. Still, they had to go for it.
And that’s when a Buckeye legend’s legacy was sealed forever.
On fourth down, the OSU defensive line went after Ewers, with Sawyer attacking from the field side and flushing the right-hander to his left. Ewers tried to get the ball out as Sawyer arrived, but the Buckeye defensive end knocked the ball free on the quarterback’s backswing. The ball bounced up perfectly for Sawyer, who scooped it up and began racing down the sideline.
He had a lot of friends with him, and his escort stayed disciplined, walling off any would-be tacklers as Sawyer took the ball the distance for the Cotton Bowl-sealing touchdown, booking the Buckeyes’ spot in the title game.
Downs intercepted Ewers on the third play of the ensuing drive and the Buckeyes kneeled out the remaining time, earning a spot in the final against Notre Dame.
That’s it. We’ve counted them all. Ohio State scored a lot of touchdowns in just four games, and many of them were unforgettable. The ones above will no doubt live in the minds of Buckeye fans for the rest of their days.
Let me know in the comments where you agree/disagree with my rankings, or just enjoy them for what they were — a glorious look back at an incredible four-game run by Ohio State.
Continue reading...
LGHL Power Two Podcast: The 10 nost interesting conference games in the SEC
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Power Two Podcast: The 10 nost interesting conference games in the SEC
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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images
In this episode, we look at 10 must-watch SEC games in 2025, the WNBA Draft and the NBA Playoffs.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
On this week’s episode, DJ and Jordan discuss the firing of Kent State’s head coach Kenni Burns. Unfortunately, it is not due to his back-to-back losing seasons, but it may potentially be due to gambling allegations.
It looks like Tennessee Football will begin shopping for a new quarterback, because Nico Iamaleava refused to show up to Spring Practice. It seems that he is demanding even more money and Tennessee did not fall for it. It will be very interesting to see where he lands and if he demands the same amount of funds from another program.
In the two-minute drill, DJ and Jordan discuss the upcoming WNBA Draft. DJ shares the list of invitees that includes the presumed first pick Paige Beuckers, Georgia Amoore, Dominique Molanga, Kiki Irafen, Aneesah Morrow and so many more. Jordan discusses why some athletes who were eligible opted to forgo this year’s draft and wait until 2026.
DJ and Jordan also discuss the NBA Playoffs, which start April 15 with the Play-In Tournament. Some teams to watch are the Thunder and Lakers as well as the Cavaliers for title contention.
In the pre-game power sweep, DJ and Jordan discuss their top matchups for the SEC. Jordan’s picks were:
DJ’s picks were:
In the two-minute warning, Jordan shares a series called Zero Day and a movie called G 20 to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime. DJ shares her distaste with the WNBA’s social media promotion of the draft.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
In this episode, we look at 10 must-watch SEC games in 2025, the WNBA Draft and the NBA Playoffs.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
On this week’s episode, DJ and Jordan discuss the firing of Kent State’s head coach Kenni Burns. Unfortunately, it is not due to his back-to-back losing seasons, but it may potentially be due to gambling allegations.
It looks like Tennessee Football will begin shopping for a new quarterback, because Nico Iamaleava refused to show up to Spring Practice. It seems that he is demanding even more money and Tennessee did not fall for it. It will be very interesting to see where he lands and if he demands the same amount of funds from another program.
In the two-minute drill, DJ and Jordan discuss the upcoming WNBA Draft. DJ shares the list of invitees that includes the presumed first pick Paige Beuckers, Georgia Amoore, Dominique Molanga, Kiki Irafen, Aneesah Morrow and so many more. Jordan discusses why some athletes who were eligible opted to forgo this year’s draft and wait until 2026.
DJ and Jordan also discuss the NBA Playoffs, which start April 15 with the Play-In Tournament. Some teams to watch are the Thunder and Lakers as well as the Cavaliers for title contention.
In the pre-game power sweep, DJ and Jordan discuss their top matchups for the SEC. Jordan’s picks were:
DJ’s picks were:
- Georgia-Tennessee
- Alabama-Georgia
- LSU-Ole Miss
- Alabama-Vanderbilt
- Texas-Texas A&M.
In the two-minute warning, Jordan shares a series called Zero Day and a movie called G 20 to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime. DJ shares her distaste with the WNBA’s social media promotion of the draft.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
2027 CA S Isala Aisa Wily-Ava(Verbal Offer)
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Class: 2027
Position: S
School: Bellflower(CA) St. John Bosco
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 200lbs
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Class: 2027
Position: S
School: Bellflower(CA) St. John Bosco
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 200lbs
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2027 CA S Gavin Williams(Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
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Class: 2027
Position: S
School: La Verne(CA) Damien
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 180lbs
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HudL
Class: 2027
Position: S
School: La Verne(CA) Damien
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 180lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Three takeaways from the Ohio State spring game
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Three takeaways from the Ohio State spring game
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
We got our first taste of the 2025 Buckeyes on Saturday.
Originally slated to finish out the spring practice period with more of a showcase than a true scrimmage, Ryan Day elected instead to reverse course and go with the more typical spring game on Saturday. While the decision to flip-flop led to a much smaller crowd than year’s past — 40,136 officially in attendance, the lowest in four years — it was ultimately the right choice, as we got to see a nice little glimpse at the 2025 Buckeyes.
A ton of fresh faces took the field for Ohio State as the offense beat the defense, 50-31. Six different player scored touchdowns in the game, three different quarterbacks took reps and the 2024 national champions received their rings. All-in-all, it was a fun mini-celebration of Buckeye football and a good sign of things to come.
Here are three of the biggest takeaways from Saturday’s action...
Ohio State will be just fine at quarterback
Much has been made of the quarterback competition for the Buckeyes this offseason. Even when the choice atop the depth chart seems obvious, it feels like we do this song and dance every year. This time around, the competition has raged on between redshirt freshman Julian Sayin and junior Lincoln Kienholz.
Both guys put together impressive performances on Saturday, but it was Sayin who appeared to have the edge between the two. Sayin finished the afternoon completing 17 of his 24 pass attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. The Alabama transfer led the Buckeyes’ offense on three consecutive scoring drives on his first three series at the helm, including a nice touchdown pass over the middle to Purdue transfer Max Klare.
Kienholz wasn’t too shabby in his own right, however, completing 12 of his 18 passes for 158 yards and two TDs. It took the South Dakota native a little longer to get going, but he settled in and made some nice throws as the game got going. Five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair got some run as well, completing 11-of-15 pass attempt for 116 yards and a TD, but also threw two picks.
While it would appear Sayin has the edge for QB1 coming out of spring practice — as was the prevailing thought coming into the offseason — all three quarterbacks showed a ton of positives in a very limited setting. Regardless of who wins the starting job come August, there should be little concern that the standard the position has seen under Ryan Day will not once again be met or exceeded.
Jeremiah Smith returns to Ohio State for his sophomore campaign after a ridiculous 1,300-yard, 15-touchdown performance as a freshman. Still, the Buckeyes have some big shoes to fill opposite Smith, as the program’s all-time receptions leader Emeka Egbuka is off to the NFL. Guys like Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss both played well behind those two last season, but will Brian Hartline’s room have enough to get the job done?
As if we didn’t know already, Saturday’s showcase of pass-catching talent answered that question with a resounding yes. The big names like Smith and Tate remain, but we also got a glimpse at the next wave of talent in Ohio State’s wide receiver room.
Chief among that list was Mylan Graham, who led the way in the receiving department with four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. The former five-star prospect looked every bit the part, making a handful of nice grabs highlight by an impressive 51-yard catch-and-run score. Five-star freshman Quincy Porter got in on the action with four catches for 50 yards, while fellow freshman Phillip Bell caught three balls for 30 yards and a TD.
Outisde of the young guns, we also got our first look at the aforementioned Purdue transfer, Max Klare. The skilled pass-catching tight end has a chance to be a real weapon in Ohio State’s offense with all of the attention opposing defenses will have to pay to this treasure trove of wide receivers. Klare caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown in the spring game.
Defensive line could use more depth
It’s tough to glean much about the defense in a game where ‘thud’ tackling is the preferred method, but I would’ve liked to see a bit more from Ohio State’s defensive line — especially against a group of inexperienced quarterbacks.
The unofficial stat sheet did not keep track of tackles or sacks, but from my own recollection, FCS transfer Logan George recorded a pair of sacks on the Buckeyes’ final drive, and CJ Hicks recorded a sack now at his new position of defensive end after spending the last few seasons at linebacker. Outside of those two, it was a mostly quiet day for Larry Johnson’s group.
Ohio State has a bunch of options at defensive end, but nobody really jumped off the page on Saturday. Some combination of Hicks, Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson will be the starters to begin the season with George rotating in as well. Behind them, it seems like freshman Zion Grady and redshirt sophomore Joshua Pickens would be the next men up. I wouldn't be surprised if the Buckeyes try to supplement that group with a transfer in the spring window.
Defensive tackle is likely set, with Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald your starters and a group of four guys behind them that includes Jason Moore, Eric Mensah, Will Smith Jr. and Tywone Malone. That unit doesn't necessarily need any additions, but if the right player became available it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ohio State jump at the opportunity.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
We got our first taste of the 2025 Buckeyes on Saturday.
Originally slated to finish out the spring practice period with more of a showcase than a true scrimmage, Ryan Day elected instead to reverse course and go with the more typical spring game on Saturday. While the decision to flip-flop led to a much smaller crowd than year’s past — 40,136 officially in attendance, the lowest in four years — it was ultimately the right choice, as we got to see a nice little glimpse at the 2025 Buckeyes.
A ton of fresh faces took the field for Ohio State as the offense beat the defense, 50-31. Six different player scored touchdowns in the game, three different quarterbacks took reps and the 2024 national champions received their rings. All-in-all, it was a fun mini-celebration of Buckeye football and a good sign of things to come.
Here are three of the biggest takeaways from Saturday’s action...
Ohio State will be just fine at quarterback
Much has been made of the quarterback competition for the Buckeyes this offseason. Even when the choice atop the depth chart seems obvious, it feels like we do this song and dance every year. This time around, the competition has raged on between redshirt freshman Julian Sayin and junior Lincoln Kienholz.
Both guys put together impressive performances on Saturday, but it was Sayin who appeared to have the edge between the two. Sayin finished the afternoon completing 17 of his 24 pass attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. The Alabama transfer led the Buckeyes’ offense on three consecutive scoring drives on his first three series at the helm, including a nice touchdown pass over the middle to Purdue transfer Max Klare.
Kienholz wasn’t too shabby in his own right, however, completing 12 of his 18 passes for 158 yards and two TDs. It took the South Dakota native a little longer to get going, but he settled in and made some nice throws as the game got going. Five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair got some run as well, completing 11-of-15 pass attempt for 116 yards and a TD, but also threw two picks.
While it would appear Sayin has the edge for QB1 coming out of spring practice — as was the prevailing thought coming into the offseason — all three quarterbacks showed a ton of positives in a very limited setting. Regardless of who wins the starting job come August, there should be little concern that the standard the position has seen under Ryan Day will not once again be met or exceeded.
No shortage of receiving options
Jeremiah Smith returns to Ohio State for his sophomore campaign after a ridiculous 1,300-yard, 15-touchdown performance as a freshman. Still, the Buckeyes have some big shoes to fill opposite Smith, as the program’s all-time receptions leader Emeka Egbuka is off to the NFL. Guys like Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss both played well behind those two last season, but will Brian Hartline’s room have enough to get the job done?
As if we didn’t know already, Saturday’s showcase of pass-catching talent answered that question with a resounding yes. The big names like Smith and Tate remain, but we also got a glimpse at the next wave of talent in Ohio State’s wide receiver room.
Chief among that list was Mylan Graham, who led the way in the receiving department with four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. The former five-star prospect looked every bit the part, making a handful of nice grabs highlight by an impressive 51-yard catch-and-run score. Five-star freshman Quincy Porter got in on the action with four catches for 50 yards, while fellow freshman Phillip Bell caught three balls for 30 yards and a TD.
Outisde of the young guns, we also got our first look at the aforementioned Purdue transfer, Max Klare. The skilled pass-catching tight end has a chance to be a real weapon in Ohio State’s offense with all of the attention opposing defenses will have to pay to this treasure trove of wide receivers. Klare caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown in the spring game.
Defensive line could use more depth
It’s tough to glean much about the defense in a game where ‘thud’ tackling is the preferred method, but I would’ve liked to see a bit more from Ohio State’s defensive line — especially against a group of inexperienced quarterbacks.
The unofficial stat sheet did not keep track of tackles or sacks, but from my own recollection, FCS transfer Logan George recorded a pair of sacks on the Buckeyes’ final drive, and CJ Hicks recorded a sack now at his new position of defensive end after spending the last few seasons at linebacker. Outside of those two, it was a mostly quiet day for Larry Johnson’s group.
Ohio State has a bunch of options at defensive end, but nobody really jumped off the page on Saturday. Some combination of Hicks, Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson will be the starters to begin the season with George rotating in as well. Behind them, it seems like freshman Zion Grady and redshirt sophomore Joshua Pickens would be the next men up. I wouldn't be surprised if the Buckeyes try to supplement that group with a transfer in the spring window.
Defensive tackle is likely set, with Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald your starters and a group of four guys behind them that includes Jason Moore, Eric Mensah, Will Smith Jr. and Tywone Malone. That unit doesn't necessarily need any additions, but if the right player became available it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ohio State jump at the opportunity.
Other individual standout performances (all stats unofficial)
- RB - Bo Jackson: 13 carries for 88 yards, 1 TD
- RB - CJ Donaldson: 4 carries for 35 yards, 1 TD
- RB - Sam Williams-Dixon: 11 carries for 64 yards, 2 catches for 21 yards, 1 TD
- TE - Nate Roberts: 4 catches for 41 yards
- TE - Jelani Thurman: 2 catches for 35 yards
- S - Faheem Delane: 1 interception
- S - Brenten Jones: 1 interception
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who should Jake Diebler hire to replace Talor Battle?
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You’re Nuts: Who should Jake Diebler hire to replace Talor Battle?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Jardy/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
There’s an open spot on the coaching staff, but Diebler isn’t going to rush to fill it.
Welcome back to the 199th edition of You’re Nuts, where two of Land-Grant Holy Land’s college basketball writers debate a variety of hotly contested topics that (usually) fall under the subject of college hoops.
We’re officially in the off-season now, with the Florida Gators being crowned champions on Monday night, nearly a full month after Ohio State’s season ended. The Buckeyes are nearly done working in the transfer portal, having added former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly, former Wright State forward Brandon Noel, and former Indiana guard Gabe Cupps. They may add another player at some point as well to add a bit of shooting to the perimeter.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated if Bruce Thornton, who is expected to return to Ohio State for his senior year — per Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler — will beat the program’s all-time scoring record, currently held by Dennis Hopson. Thornton is currently 610 points away, and has never scored 600 points in one season before.
By a pretty strong margin, the readers sided with Justin, who said that no, Thornton will not pass Hopson’s record. 68% of the people agreed with him, while the remaining 32% were on Connor’s side.
Connor- 89
While Ohio State has a mostly full roster, there is a clear vacancy on the coaching staff. Former Penn State legend Talor Battle was offered a spot on Mike Rhoades’ staff, so the program’s all-time leading scorer packed his bags and headed back to Happy Valley.
At some point, Diebler will fill that spot with another assistant coach, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the priority at this point in the off-season. There are several directions he could go, but here are two of our guesses.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25948555/usa_today_17820454.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Seth Towns would be, in my opinion, a great person to have on staff at Ohio State. Since Battle was the least experienced coach on staff last year — and not the highest compensated — I do not think Diebler will necessarily go after some well-known associate head coach or top assistant with decades of experience.
Battle was responsible for opponent scouting each week, as well as in-game assignments and adjustments. Battle was the main assistant coach who compiled film and statistics on the opposing team and helped prepare during video sessions and practice. He helped on the floor, too, but his main responsibility was game preparation.
Towns holds degrees from Harvard and Ohio State, and began working on a PhD at Howard. He’s one of the brightest guys to come through the program in many years, and would be an asset to Diebler and his staff. Towns is also from Columbus, is very familiar with Ohio High School basketball, and could grow into a solid recruiter with experience.
It's not meant to be a knock on Seth, but I also anticipate Diebler seeking out a young coach who does not need to be compensated as much as (or more than at least) Battle was. That takes many experienced coaches out of contention but gives Diebler the opportunity to bring a younger, up-and-coming coach into the mix.
Towns just finished his first year on staff at Harvard under Tommy Amaker. He’s a former Ivy League Player of the Year, and it could come down to the question of how much Towns values Howard vs how much he would value coming home to Columbus to coach at his other alma mater.
I am taking the same route as Connor with a former Buckeye player, but I am going with a guard.
Former Ohio State point guard CJ Walker.
Walker played his collegiate career with Florida State and Ohio State. He played two seasons at Florida State, where he was the starting point guard for an Elite Eight run. He then transferred to Ohio State, where he averaged 9.5 points per game and 4.4 assists in his senior year. He played for Ohio State for two seasons after sitting out one year due to NCAA transfer rules.
Walker played one season professionally overseas and then decided to take his talents to the coaching world.
He was an assistant coach and video coordinator for Saint Mary of the Woods College from October 2023 to March 2025, where they accumulated a record of 53-15 and an NAIA Sweet 16 appearance.
He obtained his Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University and is currently on track to earn his master’s in teaching at Marian University by 2026.
Talor Battle was a young coach and former collegiate guard who was towards the end of the bench in the coaching rotation. What better way to replace him than with the same type of player/coach? And a former Buckeye who understands what it takes to win as a starter in the Elite Eight.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Jardy/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
There’s an open spot on the coaching staff, but Diebler isn’t going to rush to fill it.
Welcome back to the 199th edition of You’re Nuts, where two of Land-Grant Holy Land’s college basketball writers debate a variety of hotly contested topics that (usually) fall under the subject of college hoops.
We’re officially in the off-season now, with the Florida Gators being crowned champions on Monday night, nearly a full month after Ohio State’s season ended. The Buckeyes are nearly done working in the transfer portal, having added former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly, former Wright State forward Brandon Noel, and former Indiana guard Gabe Cupps. They may add another player at some point as well to add a bit of shooting to the perimeter.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated if Bruce Thornton, who is expected to return to Ohio State for his senior year — per Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler — will beat the program’s all-time scoring record, currently held by Dennis Hopson. Thornton is currently 610 points away, and has never scored 600 points in one season before.
By a pretty strong margin, the readers sided with Justin, who said that no, Thornton will not pass Hopson’s record. 68% of the people agreed with him, while the remaining 32% were on Connor’s side.
After 199 weeks:
Connor- 89
Justin- 85
Other- 19
(There have been six ties)
While Ohio State has a mostly full roster, there is a clear vacancy on the coaching staff. Former Penn State legend Talor Battle was offered a spot on Mike Rhoades’ staff, so the program’s all-time leading scorer packed his bags and headed back to Happy Valley.
At some point, Diebler will fill that spot with another assistant coach, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the priority at this point in the off-season. There are several directions he could go, but here are two of our guesses.
This week’s question: Who should Jake Diebler hire to replace Talor Battle?
Connor: Seth Towns
Seth Towns would be, in my opinion, a great person to have on staff at Ohio State. Since Battle was the least experienced coach on staff last year — and not the highest compensated — I do not think Diebler will necessarily go after some well-known associate head coach or top assistant with decades of experience.
Battle was responsible for opponent scouting each week, as well as in-game assignments and adjustments. Battle was the main assistant coach who compiled film and statistics on the opposing team and helped prepare during video sessions and practice. He helped on the floor, too, but his main responsibility was game preparation.
Towns holds degrees from Harvard and Ohio State, and began working on a PhD at Howard. He’s one of the brightest guys to come through the program in many years, and would be an asset to Diebler and his staff. Towns is also from Columbus, is very familiar with Ohio High School basketball, and could grow into a solid recruiter with experience.
It's not meant to be a knock on Seth, but I also anticipate Diebler seeking out a young coach who does not need to be compensated as much as (or more than at least) Battle was. That takes many experienced coaches out of contention but gives Diebler the opportunity to bring a younger, up-and-coming coach into the mix.
Towns just finished his first year on staff at Harvard under Tommy Amaker. He’s a former Ivy League Player of the Year, and it could come down to the question of how much Towns values Howard vs how much he would value coming home to Columbus to coach at his other alma mater.
Justin: CJ Walker
I am taking the same route as Connor with a former Buckeye player, but I am going with a guard.
Former Ohio State point guard CJ Walker.
Walker played his collegiate career with Florida State and Ohio State. He played two seasons at Florida State, where he was the starting point guard for an Elite Eight run. He then transferred to Ohio State, where he averaged 9.5 points per game and 4.4 assists in his senior year. He played for Ohio State for two seasons after sitting out one year due to NCAA transfer rules.
Walker played one season professionally overseas and then decided to take his talents to the coaching world.
He was an assistant coach and video coordinator for Saint Mary of the Woods College from October 2023 to March 2025, where they accumulated a record of 53-15 and an NAIA Sweet 16 appearance.
He obtained his Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University and is currently on track to earn his master’s in teaching at Marian University by 2026.
Talor Battle was a young coach and former collegiate guard who was towards the end of the bench in the coaching rotation. What better way to replace him than with the same type of player/coach? And a former Buckeye who understands what it takes to win as a starter in the Elite Eight.
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LGHL Who do college hoops fans think will win the 2026 national championship?
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Who do college hoops fans think will win the 2026 national championship?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Wait, who has the third best odds to win it all next year?
This past week, the men’s college basketball season wrapped up with a thrilling national championship game. But since we are a “what have you done for me lately” society, we are already looking toward the 2025-26 season.
So, this week, our friends at SB Nation Reacts surveyed college hoops fans about who they think will be cutting down the nets a year from now. We are going to take a look at the results and compare them to what the Vegas bookmakers have to say.
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Even though Matt Painter’s squad lost in the Sweet 16 to the eventual runners-up, the Purdue Boilermakers are the favorites in the SBN Reacts poll, albeit by the slimmest of margins. The Choo-Choos are followed closely by two Final 4 participants, the Duke Blue Devils and Houston Cougars.
Likely not coincidentally, those are three of the top four teams in the current FanDuel Sportsbook odds to take home the title next year. However, Purdue is tied for third in those rankings at +1400 — who are they tied with, you ask? More on that in a second.
Duke is in first place at +1000, and Houston is in second at +1200. But right alongside Purdue at +1400 are the BYU Cougars, who, like the Boilermakers, lost in the Sweet 16, getting demolished by the Arizona Wildcats 113-88.
Now, it would make sense that people — fans and bookmakers alike — have faith in Purdue as they are a consistently high-quality team, capable of winning a title just about every year. However, you might be wondering why a team that has never been particularly relevant on the national stage is getting the same benefit of the doubt after being beaten by 25 points in the tournament.
The answer is likely that folks are excited about what first-year head coach Kevin Young was able to do in his first season in Provo. With eight seasons as an NBA assistant first with the Philadelphia 76ers and then the Phoenix Suns (where he was eventually the associate head coach), Young has the experience and expertise to lead a team looking to take the next step forward, but also to convince talented players to come to Utah and play at a school with an honor code.
BYU fans are already talking about the 2025-26 roster perhaps being the best in program history, and if any of them want to break the honor code and put some money on that, they can make $1,400 with just a $100 bet if the Cougars win the national title next April.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Wait, who has the third best odds to win it all next year?
This past week, the men’s college basketball season wrapped up with a thrilling national championship game. But since we are a “what have you done for me lately” society, we are already looking toward the 2025-26 season.
So, this week, our friends at SB Nation Reacts surveyed college hoops fans about who they think will be cutting down the nets a year from now. We are going to take a look at the results and compare them to what the Vegas bookmakers have to say.
Even though Matt Painter’s squad lost in the Sweet 16 to the eventual runners-up, the Purdue Boilermakers are the favorites in the SBN Reacts poll, albeit by the slimmest of margins. The Choo-Choos are followed closely by two Final 4 participants, the Duke Blue Devils and Houston Cougars.
Likely not coincidentally, those are three of the top four teams in the current FanDuel Sportsbook odds to take home the title next year. However, Purdue is tied for third in those rankings at +1400 — who are they tied with, you ask? More on that in a second.
Duke is in first place at +1000, and Houston is in second at +1200. But right alongside Purdue at +1400 are the BYU Cougars, who, like the Boilermakers, lost in the Sweet 16, getting demolished by the Arizona Wildcats 113-88.
Now, it would make sense that people — fans and bookmakers alike — have faith in Purdue as they are a consistently high-quality team, capable of winning a title just about every year. However, you might be wondering why a team that has never been particularly relevant on the national stage is getting the same benefit of the doubt after being beaten by 25 points in the tournament.
The answer is likely that folks are excited about what first-year head coach Kevin Young was able to do in his first season in Provo. With eight seasons as an NBA assistant first with the Philadelphia 76ers and then the Phoenix Suns (where he was eventually the associate head coach), Young has the experience and expertise to lead a team looking to take the next step forward, but also to convince talented players to come to Utah and play at a school with an honor code.
BYU fans are already talking about the 2025-26 roster perhaps being the best in program history, and if any of them want to break the honor code and put some money on that, they can make $1,400 with just a $100 bet if the Cougars win the national title next April.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State football record is next to be broken?
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You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State football record is next to be broken?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Last Sunday afternoon, Alexander Ovechkin scored a goal against the New York Islanders, but this wasn’t just any old goal, though. Ovechkin potted his 895th career goal, passing Wayne Gretzky for most goals scored in NHL history. Even more incredible is that Gretzky scored his 894 goals in 1,487 games, while Ovechkin’s 895th goal came in his 1,487th career game. At one time, Gretzky’s record felt like it was untouchable, and then Ovechkin came along and passed The Great One’s record in the exact same number of games.
Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s record made us curious about what Ohio State football records could be under attack. The expansion of the College Football Playoff has left us wondering how records are going to be treated these days. Teams are playing more games these days, making some records a little easier to break these days, but then again, there are more players utilizing the transfer portal, so there aren’t quite as many players sticking around for four years at the same school to threaten some career school records.
Today, we want to know what Ohio State record you think will be broken next? Maybe you think a Buckeye is going to have a monster season statistically and break a single-season record. Then again, you might think there is a player who is looking to hang around Columbus for a number of years and is a threat to break a school’s career record. Right or wrong, it’s never too early to start envisioning future success for the football program!
Currently, the Ohio State single-season record for receptions by a tight end is the 55 catches Billy Anders made all the way back in 1966. After years of tight ends not being featured all that much in Ohio State’s passing attack, lately there has been an uptick in targets for the tight ends. Cade Stover hauled in 41 passes in 2023, while last season, Gee Scott Jr. made some big catches during the Buckeye playoff run.
The newest tight end on the Ohio State roster is Max Klare, who transferred into the program from Purdue following the conclusion of the 2024 regular season of the Boilermakers. On a Purdue team that was dreadful last season, Klare was one of the few bright spots, catching 51 passes. It’ll be interesting to see how Klare plays when surrounded by a functioning offense. Opponents of the Boilermakers last year didn’t have much to prepare for aside from slowing down Klare, and he still was able to record more than 50 receptions.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25943849/2183607258.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 09 Purdue at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I’m high on Klare having a big 2025 season for a couple of reasons. Obviously, the top target for Ohio State in the passing game is going to be Jeremiah Smith. If teams decide to do what Texas did in the Cotton Bowl to try and shut Smith down, there are going to be other quality options for whoever is starting at quarterback for the Buckeyes. Another reason is that the new Ohio State quarterback could find comfort with a target like Klare early on, with the tight end establishing himself as a trusted safety valve early on.
Maybe I’m being a little too optimistic about the effect Klare is going to have as a receiving threat, since he could have just been a big fish in a small pond in West Lafayette. Klare is going to have to fight off Jelani Thurman and Will Kacmarek as tight end options in the passing game, as both had a few moments last season. If I’m wrong, it definitely won’t be the first time. I just have a good feeling about what Klare is going to bring to an offense that will have a lot of new pieces in important spots.
Brett said it right there in his response, “Obviously, the top target for Ohio State in the passing game is going to be Jeremiah Smith.”
Brett knows it, I know it, you know, every defensive coach and player in the country knows it, every NFL scout knows it, and yet none of that makes one single, solitary bit of difference. As his cousin, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said, Jeremiah has the ability to be the best wide receiver of all time; not best Ohio State receiver of all time, not best college receiver of all time, but actual, legitimate GOAT wide receiver.
While J.J. will clearly get massive levels of attention from opposing defenses this fall, with Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and the rest of Brian Hartline’s room, defensive coordinators will have to pick their poison. So, I fully anticipate Jeremiah getting his fair share of catches.
Last season, he hauled in 76, which is 19 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba record-setting 95 from 2021. But what’s funny about Smith’s 2024 total is that he wasn’t even No. 1 on the team last year; that was Emeka Egbuka with 81.
Although you can’t count on a national championship run every year, the expanded playoff gives Jeremiah so many more opportunities to rack up receptions. Ohio State could play a total of 17 games in a season, but let’s give ourselves some wiggle room and say they don’t make the Big Ten Championship Game, or they do make it and then get the First Round bye. In either of those cases, it would give them 16 games.
For J.J. to hit 96 receptions over a 16-game season, he would only have to average six catches per game. Last season, as a true freshman, he put up 4.75. It seems well within the realm of possibilities for Smith to take 1.25 catches per game away from Egbuka’s total.
And, not for nothing, but if he does hit 96 this season, that would put Jeremiah Smith at 172 career catches, just 33 behind Emeka’s recently set program career record, so after the single-season total, that might be the next record to fall.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Last Sunday afternoon, Alexander Ovechkin scored a goal against the New York Islanders, but this wasn’t just any old goal, though. Ovechkin potted his 895th career goal, passing Wayne Gretzky for most goals scored in NHL history. Even more incredible is that Gretzky scored his 894 goals in 1,487 games, while Ovechkin’s 895th goal came in his 1,487th career game. At one time, Gretzky’s record felt like it was untouchable, and then Ovechkin came along and passed The Great One’s record in the exact same number of games.
Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s record made us curious about what Ohio State football records could be under attack. The expansion of the College Football Playoff has left us wondering how records are going to be treated these days. Teams are playing more games these days, making some records a little easier to break these days, but then again, there are more players utilizing the transfer portal, so there aren’t quite as many players sticking around for four years at the same school to threaten some career school records.
Today, we want to know what Ohio State record you think will be broken next? Maybe you think a Buckeye is going to have a monster season statistically and break a single-season record. Then again, you might think there is a player who is looking to hang around Columbus for a number of years and is a threat to break a school’s career record. Right or wrong, it’s never too early to start envisioning future success for the football program!
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Max Klare will break the single-season tight end receptions record
Currently, the Ohio State single-season record for receptions by a tight end is the 55 catches Billy Anders made all the way back in 1966. After years of tight ends not being featured all that much in Ohio State’s passing attack, lately there has been an uptick in targets for the tight ends. Cade Stover hauled in 41 passes in 2023, while last season, Gee Scott Jr. made some big catches during the Buckeye playoff run.
The newest tight end on the Ohio State roster is Max Klare, who transferred into the program from Purdue following the conclusion of the 2024 regular season of the Boilermakers. On a Purdue team that was dreadful last season, Klare was one of the few bright spots, catching 51 passes. It’ll be interesting to see how Klare plays when surrounded by a functioning offense. Opponents of the Boilermakers last year didn’t have much to prepare for aside from slowing down Klare, and he still was able to record more than 50 receptions.
I’m high on Klare having a big 2025 season for a couple of reasons. Obviously, the top target for Ohio State in the passing game is going to be Jeremiah Smith. If teams decide to do what Texas did in the Cotton Bowl to try and shut Smith down, there are going to be other quality options for whoever is starting at quarterback for the Buckeyes. Another reason is that the new Ohio State quarterback could find comfort with a target like Klare early on, with the tight end establishing himself as a trusted safety valve early on.
Maybe I’m being a little too optimistic about the effect Klare is going to have as a receiving threat, since he could have just been a big fish in a small pond in West Lafayette. Klare is going to have to fight off Jelani Thurman and Will Kacmarek as tight end options in the passing game, as both had a few moments last season. If I’m wrong, it definitely won’t be the first time. I just have a good feeling about what Klare is going to bring to an offense that will have a lot of new pieces in important spots.
Matt’s answer: Jeremiah Smith will break the single-season receptions record
Brett said it right there in his response, “Obviously, the top target for Ohio State in the passing game is going to be Jeremiah Smith.”
Brett knows it, I know it, you know, every defensive coach and player in the country knows it, every NFL scout knows it, and yet none of that makes one single, solitary bit of difference. As his cousin, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said, Jeremiah has the ability to be the best wide receiver of all time; not best Ohio State receiver of all time, not best college receiver of all time, but actual, legitimate GOAT wide receiver.
While J.J. will clearly get massive levels of attention from opposing defenses this fall, with Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and the rest of Brian Hartline’s room, defensive coordinators will have to pick their poison. So, I fully anticipate Jeremiah getting his fair share of catches.
Last season, he hauled in 76, which is 19 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba record-setting 95 from 2021. But what’s funny about Smith’s 2024 total is that he wasn’t even No. 1 on the team last year; that was Emeka Egbuka with 81.
Although you can’t count on a national championship run every year, the expanded playoff gives Jeremiah so many more opportunities to rack up receptions. Ohio State could play a total of 17 games in a season, but let’s give ourselves some wiggle room and say they don’t make the Big Ten Championship Game, or they do make it and then get the First Round bye. In either of those cases, it would give them 16 games.
For J.J. to hit 96 receptions over a 16-game season, he would only have to average six catches per game. Last season, as a true freshman, he put up 4.75. It seems well within the realm of possibilities for Smith to take 1.25 catches per game away from Egbuka’s total.
And, not for nothing, but if he does hit 96 this season, that would put Jeremiah Smith at 172 career catches, just 33 behind Emeka’s recently set program career record, so after the single-season total, that might be the next record to fall.
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