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LGHL You’re Nuts: Predicting scoring averages for every player on the Ohio State men’s basketball team

You’re Nuts: Predicting scoring averages for every player on the Ohio State men’s basketball team
Connor Lemons
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Michigan v Ohio State

Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

For the first time since late March, Ohio State has a full roster.

With the additions of sixth-year guard Ques Glover and first-year center Ivan Njegovan this week, the Ohio State men’s basketball team officially has a full roster after four-plus months of navigating the transfer portal. With rosters crystallizing, it’s no longer “too early” to make some predictions.

Last week, Connor and Justin both picked former Buckeyes who would’ve been stars in Columbus if they weren’t blocked by someone else at their same position. Justin picked former Buckeye guard Shannon Scott, who still had a solid four-year career at Ohio State, three-fourths of which was spent backing up Aaron Craft. Connor picked Jaedon LeDee, who turned into an All-American this year at San Diego State, but was initially stuck behind Kaleb Wesson at Ohio State.

Justin’s pick of Scott picked up 58% of the vote, while the remaining 42% sided with Connor.

After 163 weeks:

Connor- 79
Justin- 64
Other- 16

(There have been four ties)


This week we are embarking on the thankless task of predicting the scoring averages of all 16 players on the Ohio State men’s basketball team. With nine new players, three incoming freshmen, and one season-ending injury, the odds of us being close on most of these are not great.

But if there’s one thing to know about Land-Grant Holy Land, it’s that being wrong once sure isn’t going to stop us from being wrong again.


Connor


Bruce Thornton - 16.8 PPG - Bruce is going to lead Ohio State in scoring and will be a First Team All-Big Ten Selection this season.

Meechie Johnson - 13.1 PPG - Meechie will take a minor step back in scoring from last season, but the tradeoff will be worth it when he helps lead a deep Ohio State team back to the NCAA Tournament.

Aaron Bradshaw - 10.1 PPG - It’ll be a breakout season for the former five-star recruit, nearly doubling his minutes per game and nearly tripling his points per game.

Devin Royal - 8.4 PPG - He averaged nearly 9.0 PPG and shot over 60% from two-point range over the final eight games of last season.

Sean Stewart - 8.0 PPG - Stewart will get tons of opportunities to score, and this number could be higher if he can keep people honest with a jumper every now and then.

Micah Parrish - 7.3 PPG - Parrish will be a useful but inconsistent offensive player, but a very flexible and versatile defender for Jake Diebler’s first team.

John Mobley Jr. - 5.0 PPG - Expect some inconsistency but also at least a few games where Mobley knocks down three or more triples in the same game.

Ques Glover - 4.7 PPG - Glover scored in double-digits six times at Florida, but was held scoreless several times as well.

Evan Mahaffey - 3.4 PPG - A lot of mouths to feed around him, scoring isn’t his biggest weapon.

Colin White - 2.1 PPG - His playing time will get squeezed once Big Ten play starts.

Austin Parks - 1.8 PPG

Ivan Njegovan - 1.2 PPG

Kalen Etzler - 0.4 PPG

Colby Baumann - 0.2 PPG

Braylen Nash - N/A

Taison Chatman - N/A


Justin


Bruce Thornton – 18.5 PPG - I think Thornton will not only lead Ohio State in scoring, but will be one of the best scorers in the conference. He is coming for that all-time scoring record.

Meechie Johnson —16.0 PPG—Johnson will be a solid contributor and second-best scorer to Thornton. He will have a couple of 20 to 25-point games that propel Ohio State to some key wins, which will help take some of the burden off Thornton.

Aaron Bradshaw —12.5 PPG- Bradshaw is a talented scorer, so if he can stay out of foul trouble and on the court, he will be one of the best-scoring big men in the conference.

Devin Royal —9.0 PPG— I think Royal will come off the bench but play valuable minutes and score at an effective level.

Sean Stewart – 8.0 PPG – Stewart will average eight points and nine rebounds this season, and I feel very good about that.

Micah Parrish – 7.0 PPG – Parrish brings more on the defensive end than the offensive, but he is still a solid shooter who can create his own shot.

Juni Mobley —6.0 PPG— His minutes might be sporadic since he is a freshman, but he shoots the ball so well that he will score. A couple of scoreless games can likely be expected.

Evan Mahaffey – 5.0 PPG – Mahaffey will be more of a defensive piece and facilitator in the offense, but he will get his where he can.

Ques Glover —4.8 PPG— Glover is a talented scorer, but he has not played competitive basketball in over a year, so the jury is out on how much he can contribute.

Colin White —3.0 PPG— I don’t think White will play a huge role as a freshman on this team, but he will play enough to score some buckets.

Austin Parks – 3.0 PPG – I think Parks will back up Bradshaw over Njegovan, so he will get some points in that regard. But the majority of scoring on this team will come from guards.

Kalen Etzler – TBD – Not sure he will play much.

Ivan Njegovan – TBD – Not sure he will play much.

Colby Baumann – N/A

Taison Chatman – N/A

Braylen Nash – N/A



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LGHL Roddy Gayle discusses reason for transferring to Michigan, attitude on rivalry for first time

Roddy Gayle discusses reason for transferring to Michigan, attitude on rivalry for first time
Connor Lemons
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Michigan v Ohio State

Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

The former Buckeye turned Michigan Man spoke publicly for the first time since transferring to Michigan in late April.

Earlier this week, former Ohio State guard Roddy Gayle Jr. opened up about his transfer to arch-rival Michigan for the first time since making the decision public in late April, talking to Brian Boesch on Michigan’s “Defend the Block” podcast. During the interview, Gayle talked about why he opted to transfer, what he was looking for in a new school, and the emphasis he placed on the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry while he was in Columbus.

Here are a few of the things that Gayle and discussed during the 15-minute long interview. If you want to listen to it in its entirety, you can find it here.


Ohio State firing Chris Holtmann was the driving factor in Gayle’s decision


Gene Smith firing Holtmann on Valentine’s Day may have given Ohio State fans heart eyes when they heard the news, but it made Gayle question if Ohio State was where he wanted to be if the coach that recruited him was gone.

“Obviously, Coach (Holtmann) getting fired kind of, you know, my mind was kind of racing those last few months of the basketball season, just because it’s hard to stay in the moment. That was one thing that Coach Holtmann preached to us throughout the season, but then a dramatic change like that kind of hindered everything.” Gayle said.

New Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler was Gayle’s primary recruiter in high school, and the rising junior had perhaps the closest and most unique relationship with Diebler out of anybody on last year’s team. However, the change in leadership and direction clearly made Gayle question his future with the program.

Gayle was considering a return to Ohio State after entering the portal


Even after announcing on April 3 that he was transferring, Gayle told Boesch that he was considering a return to Ohio State among all of his options. That means that it is unlikely that the relationship between Gayle and Diebler soured, or that Gayle had any ill feelings towards Ohio State other than questioning his role moving forward in a quickly changing program.

“After the the season ended I decided I would like to enter the portal, with Ohio State still being one of my options.” Gayle told Boesch.

He continued, “I just wanted to have all of my options on the table to put me and my family in the best position to reach my goals, which is having a degree and hopefully having my name called on draft night.”

Gayle, “was not sure why” he was taught to hate Michigan at Ohio State


When Gayle announced that he was going to travel north of the border and transfer to Ohio State’s biggest rival, Buckeye fans reacted as poorly as you would expect — maybe worse. He is the only player to player to transfer between the two programs in recent memory, aside from Andrew Dakich in 2017 — although Dakich was a walk-on at Michigan and played a minor role for the 2017-2018 Buckeyes.

Gayle, on the other hand, was a foundational piece of the Ohio State men’s basketball program that first-year coach Jake Diebler was expecting to have this season. During the interview, Gayle told Boesch that he was taught to hate Michigan, but wasn’t sure why.

“At first, when Michigan was announced as a possible landing spot, it was weird for me. Being at Ohio State for two years, I was taught to hate them, not really knowing why. But Coach Dusty and his staff reached out, and it made the most sense.”

Gayle is from New York, and did not grow up with the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. It’s understandable that a deep-rooted hatred of maize and blue hasn’t been growing inside him like it does for a lot of Ohio-born Buckeyes, but the bluntness of saying he wasn’t sure why he was supposed to hate the Wolverines did not sit well with Ohio State fans on Tuesday afternoon.

Many people pinned their frustration on former head coach Chris Holtmann, insinuating that he “didn’t recruit players who understand the rivalry.” In Holtmann and Gayle’s defense, the Ohio State-Michigan basketball rivalry pales in comparison to the same rivalry on the gridiron. Still, Gayle’s general indifference towards the Wolverines after two years in Columbus is noteworthy.

Gayle wanted to be able to show the world, “who he really is” and play in a more free-flowing offense


While we technically won’t see a Dusty May Michigan offense for three more months, Gayle said that he felt that May and Michigan’s style of play would allow him to show the world “who he really is” and that May and his staff put the most effort forth in recruiting him out of the portal.

“I felt like they put the most effort into recruiting me. Their style of play is what I want to (play), I feel like their style of play allows me to show the world who I really am — just the free basketball they play, the freelance. And great guys around me, not only that, but my teammates around me, I feel like we have a great system of people who can play off of each other, which is amazing.

It sounds like Gayle wants to be utilized in a different fashion than he was at Ohio State, but not necessarily in terms of quantity. Last season Gayle was second on the team in minutes per game (30.9), third in shot attempts (376), and third in points per game (13.5). He was first on the team in possession percentage at 24.5%, per KenPom. This meant that Ohio State’s offensive possessions ended with Gayle doing something 24.5% of the time — that could be taking a shot, turning the ball over, or anything else. That mark led the team.

Gayle attributes his shooting struggles to a wrist injury he dealt with all season


He did not disclose when the injury first occurred last season, but Gayle did tell Boesch that he felt teams were able to scout him as a “drive-first” player as the season went on because of his wrist injury and his struggles shooting the ball from deep. This caused him to see more traffic around the basket, and forced him to take more difficult, contested shots than normal.

“Obviously, teams were going to scout me to be more of a driver. So now with a healthy wrist I feel like my capability to be a 40% shooter will really start to show, because how healthy I feel right now and the offense that Coach May has.”

As a freshman, Gayle shot 42.9% from three-point range. He shot 28.4% from deep last season on double the attempts.

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LGHL Everything you need to know about Ohio State’s first day of preseason camp

Everything you need to know about Ohio State’s first day of preseason camp
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Football: Cotton Bowl-Missouri at Ohio State

Kyle Robertso-USA TODAY Sports

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!


For your Earholes...


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


Players to Watch Week


Player to Watch: Jack Sawyer has unfinished business to handle at Ohio State
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land

You’re Nuts: Who is a dark horse candidate for the 2024 Heisman Trophy?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


On the Gridiron


Ohio State practice observations: Running diary from Day 1 of camp (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Ohio State Practice Observations: Sonny Styles Runs With the Starters, Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith Shine
Dan Hope and Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

5 takeaways from opening day of OSU training camp
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

More fit Will Howard shows improved zip, command on first day of training camp (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Practice Observations as Buckeyes officially open training camp (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Ohio State football: Defensive observations from the first day of training camp
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Cold Talks Day 1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/Ipcj0XLzGA

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 1, 2024

‘I don’t think there is a limit to what he can be.’ Takeaways from Ryan Day’s first fall camp press conference (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Ryan Day Says He’s “Excited” About What Tegra Tshabola Did This Offseason as He Competes for the Starting Right Guard Job
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Analyzing Ryan Day quotes after first day of preseason training camp (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Ohio State football’s Jim Knowles Q&A: ‘There’s no limits to how good we can be.’
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Cold Talks Day 1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/Ipcj0XLzGA

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 1, 2024

Emeka Egbuka lands on Hornung Award preseason watch list
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin named to 2024 Wuerffel Trophy watch list
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Ohio State offers 2027 running back, makes top schools for another 2025 basketball target
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land


On the Hardwood


The guys talk about OSU MBB’s recent additions and get a full TBT Final Four preview:


Outside the Shoe and Schott


Women’s Volleyball: Emily Londot Named to Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Ohio State Athletics

Welcome, new friends!


Rise and shine ️

The @bigten horizon just got brighter #B1GWelcome pic.twitter.com/DaJsUHOez5

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 2, 2024

And now for something completely different...


The undisputed GOAT!


A MOMENT TO REMEMBER.

The floor routine that secured Simone Biles' second Olympic all-around gold medal.

#ParisOlympics on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/6mWPgXfsHs

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 2, 2024

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LGHL I-80 Football Show: What happens to Minnesota after missing its chance to win the Big Ten West?

I-80 Football Show: What happens to Minnesota after missing its chance to win the Big Ten West?
JordanW330
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2024 Big Ten Football Media Days

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

The I-80 Football Show’s 2024 season previews continue as the guys break down the four teams in the rebuilding tier.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. This is the only Big Ten Podcast that’ll cover all 18 teams. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.



We’re back for another preview episode this time focusing on the rebuilding programs in the Big Ten. Starting with Minnesota, excluding the pandemic they won nine-plus games in three years including an eleven-win campaign in 2019. Despite their success, they were never able to break through and win the Big Ten West Division leaving them scrambling in a new landscape with nothing to show for their previous efforts. Entering 2024 they’re hoping to rebound after a tough season last year but their schedule may not allow for much success.

Maryland has performed admirably under Mike Locksley. They’ve gone to and won three straight bowl games but you could argue that they have underperformed as well relative to the talent on their roster. This season they must replace Tualia Tagovilioa, the most decorated quarterback in Terrapin history, and replace key starters on both sides of the ball. Can offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and Roman Hemby lead Maryland to another successful season or will they take a step back in 2024?

UCLA and Michigan State are tough teams to preview going into the 2024 season as they both have new coaches and are replacing major parts of their rosters. Michigan State at least has a potential star at quarterback and an experienced head coach to lean on as they try to fix one of the worst offenses in the country and a leaky pass defense. UCLA is under the command of a first-time head coach and an offensive coordinator with mixed reviews. For both programs, 2024 may be a year to forget as they draw some of the toughest teams in the conference.



Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow

Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216

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LGHL Ohio State offers 2027 running back, makes top schools for another 2025 basketball target

Ohio State offers 2027 running back, makes top schools for another 2025 basketball target
Caleb Houser
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes’ latest offer went out on Thursday to a running back in the 2027 class.

Friday will bring the second day of fall practice as Ohio State quickly approaches the 2024 campaign. A team destined for a deep postseason run if all pans out, Ryan Day and the rest of the coaching staff got right after it on Thursday, and did so in front of plenty fans who paid to take in the sights and sounds of what training camp entails.

While practice sessions are the main priority, Ohio State was still active on the recruiting front yesterday, dishing out a new offer in a future class. This program rarely has downtime in recruiting, and this August will be no different even with a loaded agenda of season preparations.

2027 athlete receives Ohio State offer​


The latest prospect to hear from the Buckeyes, Ohio State dipped into the 2027 class on Thursday by offering youngster, David Gabriel Georges. A 6-foot, 190 pound athlete, Gabriel Georges is really starting to see his recruitment take off, as this latest offer is now his sixth in total.

A Quebec native, Gabriel Georges took to social media earlier this year to announce he would be leaving Canada and transferring to Chattanooga, Tennessee’s Baylor School. A school that gave Ohio State Max LeBlanc in the 2024 class, this 2027 prospect is as close as it gets to a déjà vu scenario, as LeBlanc is another Canadian that choose the Baylor School to finish his prep career. Having landed his commitment just over a year ago, the Buckeyes can try to use that to their advantage once again with Gabriel Georges and his new offer.

Joining the likes of Ole Miss, Oregon, Syracuse, and Tennessee, the offer coming from Ohio State makes sense, as his first offer came from Oregon — and more specifically, Carlos Locklyn. Now at Ohio State, it’s clear that Locklyn has kept his eye on Gabriel Georges, and will continue to do so for the long haul.


#AGTG I'm blessed to receive my 6th D1 offer from The Ohio State University !! @Ryandaytime @Locklyn33@OhiostateFB @ErikKimrey @BaylorSchoolFB@jay_agenor @ecwagnac@ChadSimmons_ @adamgorney @RivalsFriedman @SWiltfong pic.twitter.com/cY0RmDA00P

— David Gabriel Georges (@DavidGG27) August 1, 2024

Buckeyes continue their streak on the hardwood​


Lately it seems like every big-time 2025 basketball recruit is keeping Ohio State near the top of their list when it comes to recruiting. After sharing multiple players that announced top schools on Thursday’s recruiting roundup, the Buckeyes once again find their name in the mix for another highly-touted athlete in the current recruiting cycle.

Releasing a list of just 10 schools on Thursday, the Buckeyes made the cut for North Carolina native, Isaiah Denis. The No. 72 player nationally and 13th best combo guard in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Denis is really starting to hone in on his decision, and did so by cutting out well over half of the programs who have offered thus far. With nearly 30 offers to his name and from some of the best schools in college hoops, deciding now between just 10 programs gets this recruitment one step closer to a decision.

Rounding out the rest of the finalists, Ohio State is joined by Cincinnati, Kansas, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Pitt, Tennessee, and Wake Forest. Official visits next up for Denis, the Buckeyes are slated to host him in September, and while they’re not the first or last stop on his agenda, look for the coaching staff to roll out the red carpet as they’re continuing to do when it comes to the better players in this 2025 cycle.


NEWS: 2025 four-star PG Isaiah Denis has cut his list to 10 schools, he tells @On3Recruits.

Five official visits have been set (On3+): https://t.co/gkdAlmF0l6 pic.twitter.com/yDHVywKlSi

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 1, 2024

Quick Hits​

  • All over social media, the current 2025 Ohio State commits took time to share their official offers from the Buckeyes. Graphics that further cement their status as future Ohio State players, the staff made sure to share these tweets and posts as this top-ranked class has every reason to be bragged on.

Beyond Blessed Dream Come true! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/jGmKCbblmj

— Tavien St. Clair (@TJSaint_1) August 2, 2024

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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who is a dark horse candidate for the 2024 Heisman Trophy?

You’re Nuts: Who is a dark horse candidate for the 2024 Heisman Trophy?
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 30 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Ole Miss vs Penn State

Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

As preseason camp begins this week, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.



We are now less than a month away from the start of the college football season. We have already seen conferences release their preseason all-conference teams, and soon enough we are going to see positional awards name their preseason watch lists. While the most prestigious individual award in college football doesn’t have its own watch list, there have been odds posted on who will win this year’s Heisman Trophy for months.

More often than not the Heisman Trophy finalists end up being composed of those with some of the lowest odds in the preseason, but there are also players who don’t get as much attention heading into the season who find their way to New York City in December. Today we want to know what dark horse candidate you think could factor into the conversation for the golden stiff-arm this year.

By “dark horse” candidate, we’ll go with any player that has posted odds of +3000 or higher to win this year’s Heisman Trophy. Last year’s finalists all had lower odds than that, but back in 2022 Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett had preseason odds of +8000. A few of the favorites to win this year’s Heisman Trophy are Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Carson Beck of Georgia, Texas signal-caller Quinn Ewers, and Ohio State’s Will Howard.

Today’s question: Who is a dark horse candidate for the 2024 Heisman Trophy?

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: Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (+3500)


Even though it pains me to say anything positive about Penn State, I think there is some great value in Drew Allar’s odds of winning the Heisman. Last year Allar took over for Sean Clifford, who exhausted his college eligibility after starting at quarterback for the Nittany Lions for what felt like 37 years. In his first year as the starter, Allar completed nearly 60 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,631 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. While Allar did have rough starts against Michigan and Ohio State, he did throw for four touchdowns against a stout Iowa defense.

Not only should Allar be even more comfortable running the Penn State offense in his second year as the starter, the Nittany Lions have a pretty favorable schedule. The toughest game on Penn State’s schedule is in early November when they’ll host Ohio State. Honestly, the Nittany Lions don’t even have to win the game for Allar to stay in the Heisman conversation, he just has to make some throws to keep Penn State in the game.

The rather soft schedule should keep Penn State in the running for a spot in the College Football Playoff, which will benefit Allar’s chances. A road game at USC could be in primetime, and Allar should be able to carve up the soft defense of the Trojans. A couple weeks later Penn State travels to Wisconsin, where they’ll see a raucous crowd at Camp-Randall Stadium in a winnable game against the Badgers. Then the Nittany Lions will host Washington following the Ohio State game. If Penn State goes 3-1 or better in that stretch, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Allar as a Heisman contender.

What will also help Allar is he’ll be the star of the Penn State offense, unlike Ohio State where you could see a few of their offensive weapons stealing votes from each other. The talent the Buckeyes have amassed will be better for winning the national title, where Allar could do enough to lead the Nittany Lions to a playoff spot and be named a Heisman finalist, but it’ll be hard for them to get over the next hurdle in late December and beyond.


Matt’s answer: Utah quarterback Cam Rising (+4000)


When Cam Rising is healthy, he is one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college football, but following an injury suffered in the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2022 season, the Utah Utes quarterback missed all of the 2023 campaign. However, he has apparently healed from his ACL, meniscus, MPFL, and MCL tears and is looking to lead his squad in the newly configured Big 12.

In 2022, Rising completed 66.2% of his passes for 2,939 yards through the air and accounted for 31 total touchdowns — six on the ground. There’s no telling yet exactly how the QBs rebuilt knee will respond and if he will be the same player as he was before. However, it is safe to expect that he will be one of the better quarterbacks in the Big 12.

With Oklahoma and Texas now departed for the SEC, there is a power vacuum at the top of the league and Utah seems like as good of a program to take advantage as any. Avery Johnson at Kansas State, Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman, Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, new Baylor signal-caller Dequan Finn (previously of Toledo), and Rising will compete for the top QB spot in the league.

Because of the Utes’ always sturdy defense, it’s likely that they will be in more games than not, so that should give Rising the opportunity to have multiple Hesiman moments. And when it comes to projecting the contenders for the biggest individual award in the sport, you can’t overestimate the importance of narrative.

After a second season-ending injury (Rising injured his shoulder in 2020 against USC causing him to miss the remainder of the season), if the Utah QB ends up being one of the best players in college football, the story will be a part of every pregame show, broadcast, and conversation about the season. This is the type of thing that can often have a major impact on who ends up getting an invite to New York and winning the award.

Cam Rising 2022 Season Highlights:

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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: A full TBT Final Four preview with Andrew Zoldan

Bucketheads Podcast: A full TBT Final Four preview with Andrew Zoldan
justingolba
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


240729QuarterG1_15MG.0.jpg

The Basketball Tournament

Plus, Darryn Peterson lists his final eight schools, and the Ohio State hoops roster has been officially filled out.

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.



Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio



We are back for episode 126 of Bucketheads, and, once again, we are joined by Andrew Zoldan of The Basketball Tournament to preview Carmen’s Crew Final Four matchup with La Familia, the Kentucky alumni team. What does Carmen’s Crew have to do to win, and is it even possible for them to pull off the upset?

Also, we talk about Darryn Peterson listing Ohio State in his final eight schools and the Buckeyes finalizing its 2024-2025 roster with transfer guard Ques Glover and transfer center Ivan Njegovan. What do the two bring to the team, and what can we expect from this roster?

To close, Connor tests Justin again with the new “name this recruit” game. Name change to be determined.

Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!



Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter:
@BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:
Twitter:
@lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter:
@justin_golba

Connect with Andrew:
Twitter:
@AndrewZoldan

Connect with TBT:
Twitter:
@thetournament

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