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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which former Buckeye do you want to see on Carmen’s Crew in the future?
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You’re Nuts: Which former Buckeye do you want to see on Carmen’s Crew in the future?
Brett Ludwiczak 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 Goodlett/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
On Sunday, Carmen’s Crew won The Basketball Tournament for a second time, netting $1 million for the team composed of a number of Ohio State alums. Not only did the team include recent Buckeyes Andre and Kaleb Wesson, Keyshawn Woods, and Kyle Young, also on the team was Jared Sullinger, who hit the winning shot of the tournament which gave Carmen’s Crew a 69-65 win over Forever Coogs in Louisville.
The Basketball Tournament first took place in 2014 and Carmen’s Crew has competed in TBT in seven of the last eight years, with 2022 being the only year they didn’t field a team. The 2019 team also was able to win the whole tournament with former Buckeyes William Buford, Aaron Craft, Jon Diebler, and David Lighty. Throughout the years, many memorable Ohio State alums have competed in the tournament. Greg Oden, Deshaun Thomas, and LaQuinton Ross are just a few of the 20 former Buckeyes who have suited up for Carmen’s Crew.
What makes Carmen’s Crew so fun to watch annually is seeing former Buckeyes come together to make another run at a title. The 2019 team was so fun to watch because it brought back together Buckeyes who made Final Four runs while in college. Even former NBA first round picks have played for Carmen’s Crew over the years. Now we want to know who should be the next Ohio State alums to suit up for Carmen’s Crew when they go for their third TBT title?
Tate might not have been the biggest or most talented Buckeye, but he certainly was one of the most beloved because of how hard he worked while at Ohio State. It became clear early on in his career that Tate bled scarlet and gray and would go on to play four seasons for the Buckeyes, being named second-team All-Big Ten in his final season as Buckeye in 2018.
Despite not being selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, Tate still worked tirelessly to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA. The forward would play in Belgium and Australia before signing with the Houston Rockets in 2020. Tate would go on to make the NBA’s All-Rookie Team, becoming just the second undrafted player to earn those honors. The 2021-22 season saw Tate start 77 of Houston’s 81 games, and after four seasons in the NBA Tate is averaging 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
For as hard as he has had to work for everything throughout his career, Tate deserves a chance at as many titles and accomplishments as possible. Plus, you know Tate would be an amazing leader of Carmen’s Crew since he always went above and beyond when Thad Matta and Chris Holtmann challenged him at Ohio State.
Then again, it doesn’t have to be too soon for Tate to play for Carmen’s Crew because we want him to play in the NBA for as long as he can before moving on to other ventures. Knowing how hard Tate works at his craft, he’ll be able to stick around the league for quite some time.
I’m not gonna lie, Jae’Sean Tate would have been my answer too had Brett not claimed him first. Not only was he arguably my favorite Buckeye of recent vintage, but we also graduated from the same high school, so there is an extra level of connection that I have with him that makes me root for his success all the time.
However, watching TBT games over the years — and especially this season — one thing I have learned is that big guys can dominate this tournament. And while Jae’Sean played a very undersized 4 for the Buckeyes, it’s legitimate big guys who can help win the million bucks in this event. Therefore, I am going with former Ivy League Player of the Year Seth Towns.
Now, before you start yelling at me, hear me out. I know that his time as a Buckeye was not exactly memorable, aside from the fact that he was memorably injured. However, he is a Columbus native and chose to transfer to OSU over Duke; the dude bleeds scarlet and gray. And, after he left Columbus, he did play college basketball last season, and again, he was a force.
As a member of the Howard basketball team, Towns was honored as an All-MEAC third-team selection after putting up 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. In fact, in this three full, non-injured seasons of college basketball, Towns only averaged double-figures in points and his rebounding totals increased in every campaign.
How great would it be to see a 6-foot-9 former Buckeye clogging up the paint for Carmen’s Crew? Who knows how long Jared Sullinger will continue to come back for TBT? Kaleb Wesson could be around for a while, but as we saw this season, it helps to have a second big, and Seth can help stretch the defense, shooting 38% from beyond the arc.
So, sign me up for a little bit of the Seth Towns Redemption Tour on Carmen’s Crew in 2025!
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
On Sunday, Carmen’s Crew won The Basketball Tournament for a second time, netting $1 million for the team composed of a number of Ohio State alums. Not only did the team include recent Buckeyes Andre and Kaleb Wesson, Keyshawn Woods, and Kyle Young, also on the team was Jared Sullinger, who hit the winning shot of the tournament which gave Carmen’s Crew a 69-65 win over Forever Coogs in Louisville.
The Basketball Tournament first took place in 2014 and Carmen’s Crew has competed in TBT in seven of the last eight years, with 2022 being the only year they didn’t field a team. The 2019 team also was able to win the whole tournament with former Buckeyes William Buford, Aaron Craft, Jon Diebler, and David Lighty. Throughout the years, many memorable Ohio State alums have competed in the tournament. Greg Oden, Deshaun Thomas, and LaQuinton Ross are just a few of the 20 former Buckeyes who have suited up for Carmen’s Crew.
What makes Carmen’s Crew so fun to watch annually is seeing former Buckeyes come together to make another run at a title. The 2019 team was so fun to watch because it brought back together Buckeyes who made Final Four runs while in college. Even former NBA first round picks have played for Carmen’s Crew over the years. Now we want to know who should be the next Ohio State alums to suit up for Carmen’s Crew when they go for their third TBT title?
Today’s question: Which former Buckeye do you want to see play for Carmen’s Crew in the future?
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: Jae’Sean Tate
Tate might not have been the biggest or most talented Buckeye, but he certainly was one of the most beloved because of how hard he worked while at Ohio State. It became clear early on in his career that Tate bled scarlet and gray and would go on to play four seasons for the Buckeyes, being named second-team All-Big Ten in his final season as Buckeye in 2018.
Despite not being selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, Tate still worked tirelessly to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA. The forward would play in Belgium and Australia before signing with the Houston Rockets in 2020. Tate would go on to make the NBA’s All-Rookie Team, becoming just the second undrafted player to earn those honors. The 2021-22 season saw Tate start 77 of Houston’s 81 games, and after four seasons in the NBA Tate is averaging 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
For as hard as he has had to work for everything throughout his career, Tate deserves a chance at as many titles and accomplishments as possible. Plus, you know Tate would be an amazing leader of Carmen’s Crew since he always went above and beyond when Thad Matta and Chris Holtmann challenged him at Ohio State.
Then again, it doesn’t have to be too soon for Tate to play for Carmen’s Crew because we want him to play in the NBA for as long as he can before moving on to other ventures. Knowing how hard Tate works at his craft, he’ll be able to stick around the league for quite some time.
Matt’s answer:
I’m not gonna lie, Jae’Sean Tate would have been my answer too had Brett not claimed him first. Not only was he arguably my favorite Buckeye of recent vintage, but we also graduated from the same high school, so there is an extra level of connection that I have with him that makes me root for his success all the time.
However, watching TBT games over the years — and especially this season — one thing I have learned is that big guys can dominate this tournament. And while Jae’Sean played a very undersized 4 for the Buckeyes, it’s legitimate big guys who can help win the million bucks in this event. Therefore, I am going with former Ivy League Player of the Year Seth Towns.
Now, before you start yelling at me, hear me out. I know that his time as a Buckeye was not exactly memorable, aside from the fact that he was memorably injured. However, he is a Columbus native and chose to transfer to OSU over Duke; the dude bleeds scarlet and gray. And, after he left Columbus, he did play college basketball last season, and again, he was a force.
As a member of the Howard basketball team, Towns was honored as an All-MEAC third-team selection after putting up 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. In fact, in this three full, non-injured seasons of college basketball, Towns only averaged double-figures in points and his rebounding totals increased in every campaign.
How great would it be to see a 6-foot-9 former Buckeye clogging up the paint for Carmen’s Crew? Who knows how long Jared Sullinger will continue to come back for TBT? Kaleb Wesson could be around for a while, but as we saw this season, it helps to have a second big, and Seth can help stretch the defense, shooting 38% from beyond the arc.
So, sign me up for a little bit of the Seth Towns Redemption Tour on Carmen’s Crew in 2025!
Continue reading...
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Can Schiano and the Scarlet Knights win nine games in 2024?
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B1G Thoughts: Can Schiano and the Scarlet Knights win nine games in 2024?
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 Michael Hickey/Getty Images
While the middle class may be disappearing off the field, these groups of teams are hoping to find their way into the Middle Class of the Big Ten.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 we will have a bunch of storylines to follow. Ryan Day and Ohio State are all in for the 2024 season.
Is Oregon a national championship contender or will they stumble in their first Big Ten season? How do the former members of the Big Ten West fair in the new divisionless format? This article tracks all these storylines and more as the Big Ten hopes to win back-to-back national championships. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Greg Schiano is objectively the best coach in the history of Rutgers University’s Football Program, a program that participated in the first-ever collegiate football game in 1869. Despite being the first to play the sport they have been lapped on and off the field and are hoping that Schiano can get Rutgers back to where they were in his first stint. The problem is, that was over a decade ago and the sport has changed considerably.
Despite the struggles to survive in the new landscape of college football, Rutgers may have made a great decision in bringing Schiano back as Rutgers is primed to take advantage of some continuity on their roster and a light conference schedule without Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State on the roster after the Big Ten got rid of divisions. Rutgers is in a position to have its best season since the 2014 season when they went 8-5 in their first year in the Big Ten.
USC and Washington are entering the Big Ten from different places and with different expectations but may see similar results. Washington was just at the mountaintop, they were one win away from winning a national championship behind one of the best offenses in college football. Instead, they lost to Michigan and between losing their head coach to Alabama, Offensive coordinator to the Seattle Seahawks, and 21 of their 22 starters to the NFL Draft or the transfer portal, Washington is starting over from scratch with new coach Jedd Fisch.
USC is in year three of the Lincoln Riley tenure but it has not gone as well as they hoped. Lincoln Riley came to Southern California with arguably the most talented quarterback in college football the past two seasons but went 19-8 without winning the PAC-12 or making the four-team playoff. Now he must enter a much tougher conference without the best quarterback he’s ever coached, sky-high expectations, and a brutal schedule that includes LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Penn State.
Wisconsin fired long-term coach Paul Chryst and went outside the Wisconsin family to hire Luke Fickell in hopes that he could make them contenders in the new Big Ten and lead them to a college football playoff berth. The first year was not encouraging as Fickell made major changes to their offensive and defensive philosophy and the coaches and players struggled to put a good product on the field. There’s hope that year two will go better but there are still questions namely, did Fickell make a mistake by hiring Phil Longo as offensive coordinator? The 2024 season rest on the hopes that Longo and Miami transfer Tyle Van Dyke can lead Wisconsin’s offense that is turning its back on the three yards and a cloud of dust style that made it successful in the Big Ten’s West Division. Time will tell if Wisconsin will be stuck in the middle class or if Luke Fickell can turn them into a winning machine akin to his former Cincinnati program albeit at a lower level.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
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 Michael Hickey/Getty Images
While the middle class may be disappearing off the field, these groups of teams are hoping to find their way into the Middle Class of the Big Ten.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 we will have a bunch of storylines to follow. Ryan Day and Ohio State are all in for the 2024 season.
Is Oregon a national championship contender or will they stumble in their first Big Ten season? How do the former members of the Big Ten West fair in the new divisionless format? This article tracks all these storylines and more as the Big Ten hopes to win back-to-back national championships. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Greg Schiano is objectively the best coach in the history of Rutgers University’s Football Program, a program that participated in the first-ever collegiate football game in 1869. Despite being the first to play the sport they have been lapped on and off the field and are hoping that Schiano can get Rutgers back to where they were in his first stint. The problem is, that was over a decade ago and the sport has changed considerably.
Despite the struggles to survive in the new landscape of college football, Rutgers may have made a great decision in bringing Schiano back as Rutgers is primed to take advantage of some continuity on their roster and a light conference schedule without Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State on the roster after the Big Ten got rid of divisions. Rutgers is in a position to have its best season since the 2014 season when they went 8-5 in their first year in the Big Ten.
USC and Washington are entering the Big Ten from different places and with different expectations but may see similar results. Washington was just at the mountaintop, they were one win away from winning a national championship behind one of the best offenses in college football. Instead, they lost to Michigan and between losing their head coach to Alabama, Offensive coordinator to the Seattle Seahawks, and 21 of their 22 starters to the NFL Draft or the transfer portal, Washington is starting over from scratch with new coach Jedd Fisch.
USC is in year three of the Lincoln Riley tenure but it has not gone as well as they hoped. Lincoln Riley came to Southern California with arguably the most talented quarterback in college football the past two seasons but went 19-8 without winning the PAC-12 or making the four-team playoff. Now he must enter a much tougher conference without the best quarterback he’s ever coached, sky-high expectations, and a brutal schedule that includes LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Penn State.
Wisconsin fired long-term coach Paul Chryst and went outside the Wisconsin family to hire Luke Fickell in hopes that he could make them contenders in the new Big Ten and lead them to a college football playoff berth. The first year was not encouraging as Fickell made major changes to their offensive and defensive philosophy and the coaches and players struggled to put a good product on the field. There’s hope that year two will go better but there are still questions namely, did Fickell make a mistake by hiring Phil Longo as offensive coordinator? The 2024 season rest on the hopes that Longo and Miami transfer Tyle Van Dyke can lead Wisconsin’s offense that is turning its back on the three yards and a cloud of dust style that made it successful in the Big Ten’s West Division. Time will tell if Wisconsin will be stuck in the middle class or if Luke Fickell can turn them into a winning machine akin to his former Cincinnati program albeit at a lower level.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
LGHL Three burning questions from the preseason Coaches’ Poll: What’s the margin between UGA and OSU?
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Three burning questions from the preseason Coaches’ Poll: What’s the margin between UGA and OSU?
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Who’s overrated? Who’s underrated? Who’s making the 12-team playoff?
With football season officially kicking off in just a few weeks, the annual preseason Coaches’ Poll was released yesterday. The poll results are merely indicative of the opinions of the people voting, so it’s important to keep in mind that they can’t predict the outcomes of the season. Top teams will fall, underdogs will rise, upsets will happen. But since we won’t have any real answers until the season plays itself out, they are a good conversation starter for early predictions, conversation and questions.
This year, the football landscape is changing drastically. The Pac-12 is no more, and the Big Ten and SEC have absorbed a number of powerhouse teams, leading to what essentially amounts to two superconferences, and then everyone else.
We see this reflected in the preseason rankings, with the SEC and the Big Ten each landing four teams in the preseason top 10.
The expanded 12-team playoff will also kick in this season, with at least three other conferences guaranteed a playoff spot in addition to the Big Ten and SEC. So just how dominant will these two conferences be? Will their powerhouse teams cancel each other out when the playoffs roll around? And which teams will fly under the radar to surprise us in the end?
The preseason poll clarified the opinions of some, but in many ways, it generated more questions for me than answers about how this season will shake out. Here are the burning questions on my mind after looking at the preseason Coaches’ Poll Top 25.
I don’t think we can say a No. 2 team is underrated, but I do think these teams are all but interchangeable in terms of talent and potential this season, so it surprised me a bit that the Buckeyes only received seven first-place votes to Georgia’s 46. I certainly expected this margin to be a little closer.
It’s hard to argue with Georgia’s dominance in recent years—despite their absolutely brutal schedule this season (they open against No. 14 Clemson, and they also have Kentucky, No. 5 Alabama, No. 4 Texas, and No. 6 Ole Miss on the road, plus they play host to Florida and No. 15 Tennessee), many people, myself included, are expecting their dominance to continue, especially with Heisman favorite Carson Beck under center for the Bulldogs.
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Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
But at the risk of sounding like a homer, the Buckeyes’ roster has the potential to be lightning in a bottle. Their particular cocktail of returning veterans and star transfers—including safety Caleb Downs, running back Quinshon Judkins, and perhaps most critically, quarterback Will Howard—could create the kind of magic that championship seasons are made of. They’ll face plenty of tests of their own this season, including No. 3 Oregon and No. 9 Penn State on the road, with No. 8 Michigan coming to Columbus to close out the regular season, but if the Buckeyes can take care of business, they could very well go all the way.
I suppose in some ways, rather than evaluating razor-thin margins between these two teams, we can cross our fingers and hope we get to see this showdown in the playoffs.
The SEC landed 9 teams in the top 25, followed by the Big Ten at six. We know the ACC and Big 12 conference champions will get an automatic bye week (I expect those to be No. 10 Florida State for the ACC and No. 13 Utah for the Big 12), but the SEC has six teams in the top 12, and the Big Ten has four. The only teams from outside of these conferences are the aforementioned FSU and No. 7 Notre Dame.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561253/usa_today_23887188.jpg "Syndication: The Greenville News")
Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
Could No. 14 Clemson, or even a team like No. 21 Arizona, Kansas State or even an SMU sneak in? It’s certainly possible, but this is one of the questions only the selection committee can answer for us. Does a two- or even a three-loss SEC or Big Ten team get in over an ACC/Big 12 team with fewer losses but a weaker schedule? As someone who wants to see a little balance amongst the conferences, I hope I’m proven wrong, but my gut tells me the ACC and Big 12 get the short end of the stick here.
Because there is such a wealth of riches between the Big Ten and the SEC this season, there are without a doubt teams that are currently flying under the radar while their flashier counterparts dominate headlines.
Assuming Utah gets the Big 12’s automatic playoff bid and the committee does want to prove me wrong in regards to question No. 2, the other team I’ve got my eye on is Arizona. While I’m going with Utah to win the Big 12, Arizona is certainly a contender. With most of their team returning, they feel underrated at No. 21 (I would put them a little higher, at around No. 17 or 18). Look to them to surprise some folks at home.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561256/1895742037.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 28 Valero Alamo Bowl - Arizona vs Oklahoma")
Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sitting just outside the top 10, No. 11 Mizzou is more than capable of wreaking a little havoc this season. Ranked fifth-highest among SEC teams, they could very well eke their way into the Top 10 before the season is up, especially with quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III returning this year. Mizzou finished at No. 8 last season after defeating the Buckeyes, 14-3, in the Cotton Bowl, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they had some more big wins in them this year.
While I’m not quite ready to include Texas A&M in my playoff predictions, I’m also not counting them out. The No. 20 Aggies retained a lot of talent from last season, and while head coach Mike Elko has his work cut out for him, there is a world in which the Aggies shock the SEC by climbing up the rankings. Their only game against a top-10 team is against Texas at home, and we know rivalry week means anything goes. They play Notre Dame in the first week of the season—also at home—and while this Notre Dame team should have no problem making the playoffs this year, they’ll also still have some kinks to work out that first week, particularly on the offensive line.
This cracks the door for the Aggies. A&M does have to play at the Swamp which is always tough, but their three toughest conference games (Missouri, LSU, and Texas) are all home games for the Aggies, and they don’t need to win all of them to be part of the playoff conversation in a year where everyone in the SEC is playing a brutal schedule.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Who’s overrated? Who’s underrated? Who’s making the 12-team playoff?
With football season officially kicking off in just a few weeks, the annual preseason Coaches’ Poll was released yesterday. The poll results are merely indicative of the opinions of the people voting, so it’s important to keep in mind that they can’t predict the outcomes of the season. Top teams will fall, underdogs will rise, upsets will happen. But since we won’t have any real answers until the season plays itself out, they are a good conversation starter for early predictions, conversation and questions.
This year, the football landscape is changing drastically. The Pac-12 is no more, and the Big Ten and SEC have absorbed a number of powerhouse teams, leading to what essentially amounts to two superconferences, and then everyone else.
We see this reflected in the preseason rankings, with the SEC and the Big Ten each landing four teams in the preseason top 10.
The expanded 12-team playoff will also kick in this season, with at least three other conferences guaranteed a playoff spot in addition to the Big Ten and SEC. So just how dominant will these two conferences be? Will their powerhouse teams cancel each other out when the playoffs roll around? And which teams will fly under the radar to surprise us in the end?
The preseason poll clarified the opinions of some, but in many ways, it generated more questions for me than answers about how this season will shake out. Here are the burning questions on my mind after looking at the preseason Coaches’ Poll Top 25.
How thin is the margin between Georgia and Ohio State?
I don’t think we can say a No. 2 team is underrated, but I do think these teams are all but interchangeable in terms of talent and potential this season, so it surprised me a bit that the Buckeyes only received seven first-place votes to Georgia’s 46. I certainly expected this margin to be a little closer.
It’s hard to argue with Georgia’s dominance in recent years—despite their absolutely brutal schedule this season (they open against No. 14 Clemson, and they also have Kentucky, No. 5 Alabama, No. 4 Texas, and No. 6 Ole Miss on the road, plus they play host to Florida and No. 15 Tennessee), many people, myself included, are expecting their dominance to continue, especially with Heisman favorite Carson Beck under center for the Bulldogs.
But at the risk of sounding like a homer, the Buckeyes’ roster has the potential to be lightning in a bottle. Their particular cocktail of returning veterans and star transfers—including safety Caleb Downs, running back Quinshon Judkins, and perhaps most critically, quarterback Will Howard—could create the kind of magic that championship seasons are made of. They’ll face plenty of tests of their own this season, including No. 3 Oregon and No. 9 Penn State on the road, with No. 8 Michigan coming to Columbus to close out the regular season, but if the Buckeyes can take care of business, they could very well go all the way.
I suppose in some ways, rather than evaluating razor-thin margins between these two teams, we can cross our fingers and hope we get to see this showdown in the playoffs.
Can the ACC or Big 12 land a second playoff team?
The SEC landed 9 teams in the top 25, followed by the Big Ten at six. We know the ACC and Big 12 conference champions will get an automatic bye week (I expect those to be No. 10 Florida State for the ACC and No. 13 Utah for the Big 12), but the SEC has six teams in the top 12, and the Big Ten has four. The only teams from outside of these conferences are the aforementioned FSU and No. 7 Notre Dame.
Could No. 14 Clemson, or even a team like No. 21 Arizona, Kansas State or even an SMU sneak in? It’s certainly possible, but this is one of the questions only the selection committee can answer for us. Does a two- or even a three-loss SEC or Big Ten team get in over an ACC/Big 12 team with fewer losses but a weaker schedule? As someone who wants to see a little balance amongst the conferences, I hope I’m proven wrong, but my gut tells me the ACC and Big 12 get the short end of the stick here.
Which sleeper teams should we keep an eye on?
Because there is such a wealth of riches between the Big Ten and the SEC this season, there are without a doubt teams that are currently flying under the radar while their flashier counterparts dominate headlines.
Assuming Utah gets the Big 12’s automatic playoff bid and the committee does want to prove me wrong in regards to question No. 2, the other team I’ve got my eye on is Arizona. While I’m going with Utah to win the Big 12, Arizona is certainly a contender. With most of their team returning, they feel underrated at No. 21 (I would put them a little higher, at around No. 17 or 18). Look to them to surprise some folks at home.
Sitting just outside the top 10, No. 11 Mizzou is more than capable of wreaking a little havoc this season. Ranked fifth-highest among SEC teams, they could very well eke their way into the Top 10 before the season is up, especially with quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III returning this year. Mizzou finished at No. 8 last season after defeating the Buckeyes, 14-3, in the Cotton Bowl, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they had some more big wins in them this year.
While I’m not quite ready to include Texas A&M in my playoff predictions, I’m also not counting them out. The No. 20 Aggies retained a lot of talent from last season, and while head coach Mike Elko has his work cut out for him, there is a world in which the Aggies shock the SEC by climbing up the rankings. Their only game against a top-10 team is against Texas at home, and we know rivalry week means anything goes. They play Notre Dame in the first week of the season—also at home—and while this Notre Dame team should have no problem making the playoffs this year, they’ll also still have some kinks to work out that first week, particularly on the offensive line.
This cracks the door for the Aggies. A&M does have to play at the Swamp which is always tough, but their three toughest conference games (Missouri, LSU, and Texas) are all home games for the Aggies, and they don’t need to win all of them to be part of the playoff conversation in a year where everyone in the SEC is playing a brutal schedule.
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LGHL In Conversation: Vibe check on OSU’s first four practices with Cameron Teague Robinson
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In Conversation: Vibe check on OSU’s first four practices with Cameron Teague Robinson
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Cameron provides his prediction for when Ryan Day will name a starting QB
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with the Ohio State beat writer for The Athletic, Cameron Teague Robinson. In our conversation, we get a vibe check from Cameron on how he thinks the first four practices of Ohio State’s preseason camp have gone. He also tells Matt that unless Will Howard completely fumbles it, Ryan Day should name him the starter by the end of the week.
The two also dive deep into what’s going on with the offensive line, how OSU is likely to split up the running back carries, and much more.
Connect with Cameron Teague Robinson
Twitter: @cj_teague
Read his work here: https://theathletic.com/author/cameron-teague-robinson
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Online Portfolio: https://authory.com/MattTamanini
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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
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Cameron provides his prediction for when Ryan Day will name a starting QB
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
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On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with the Ohio State beat writer for The Athletic, Cameron Teague Robinson. In our conversation, we get a vibe check from Cameron on how he thinks the first four practices of Ohio State’s preseason camp have gone. He also tells Matt that unless Will Howard completely fumbles it, Ryan Day should name him the starter by the end of the week.
The two also dive deep into what’s going on with the offensive line, how OSU is likely to split up the running back carries, and much more.
Connect with Cameron Teague Robinson
Twitter: @cj_teague
Read his work here: https://theathletic.com/author/cameron-teague-robinson
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Online Portfolio: https://authory.com/MattTamanini
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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LGHL Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
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Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
There is no podcast feed providing you more complete and varied coverage of Ohio State sports.
As we move into the first full week of August, the college football season is less than three weeks away, and Ohio State will kick off the season in less than four weeks. So, if you’ve turned your attention to other things during the offseason, now is the time to refocus on the Buckeyes and the rest of CFB.
Not only will Land-Grant Holy Land have you covered with our signature analysis and commentary without the conflicts of the beat’s access journalism. For more than a dozen years, we have been providing objective insight and analysis that a lot of people scoff at or get mad over in the moment, only to realize that we were right a few weeks or months later when everyone else starts saying what we’ve been writing, tweeting, and poding about the whole time.
While our articles and social media posts are full of fire, you also don’t want to miss a single episode from the Land-Grant Podcast Network. Throughout the fall, we will be releasing episodes nearly every single day with a variety of focuses. While, of course, we will have a ton of football coverage, you will also hear interviews and conversations about men’s and women’s basketball.
Every Monday, Jordan Williams and DaNaysia Jones will bring you a new episode of the “Power Two Podcast.” This show is for the die-hard and the casual college football fans. After every week of action, they will catch you up on all of the major matchups from the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. Lock in as they guide you through the two most important conferences in the college football landscape.
Starting in mid-August Michael Citro and Chip Minnich will begin releasing weekly episodes of one of the longest-running shows in the Ohio State football podcasting universe. The pair will bring their expertise and insight to all things Buckeye football, with a little bit of basketball thrown in as well. Every week, they will share their thoughts on the most recent game and preview that weekend’s upcoming matchup.
On Wednesday, you get the first of two weekly episodes from Land-Grant’s flagship podcast, “Hangout in the Holy Land.” is here! Josh Dooley is back for his fourth season leading the show, and this year, long-time LGHL columnist and podcaster Justin Golba joins him.
Wednesday shows will cover Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and more with a focus on the upcoming game. They will be back later in the week for a second episode, so come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Last season, Jami Jurich and Matt Tamanini did three different weekly podcasts together, some for the Land-Grant Podcast Network and others for the Fans First Sports Network. This year, they are combining all of those shows into a single weekly podcast designed to make sure that you are up-to-date on the biggest storylines for the Buckeyes and across college football.
Every week during the college football season, Matt and Jami will break down everything going on in Ohio State’s world before previewing the weekend’s slate of marquee games and picking who they think deserves to be in the College Football Playoff. They will also chime in with their Heisman Trophy picks after every week of action as well.
So tune in and remember, what starts with a fall wedding ends with a spring divorce.
With the expanded Big Ten now official, you need an expanded podcast to keep up with it. Every Thursday, Jordan Williams and Dante Morgan take you through all things B1G on the “I-80 Football Show.” On this show, they travel across I-80 to talk everything from Piscataway to Los Angeles.
This is the only Big Ten podcast that’ll cover all 18 teams. After every week of action, they will catch you up on all of the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that will matter most over the next week.
Until the men’s basketball season approaches, Land-Grant’s signature basketball podcast will come to you every other week, but once Jake Diebler’s team is getting ready to take the court, “Bucketheads” will go weekly. Hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, this is the first and only (I think) podcast dedicated solely to the Ohio State men’s basketball team.
In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State basketball and everything else happening in college hoops.
On “Land-Grant in Conversation,” Matt Tamanini talks to people in and around Ohio State athletics and the sporting world at large to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Over the years, Matt has talked to the likes of Mike Golic Jr. (see below), Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Mangold, Eddie George, tons of college football’s most plugged-in media members, and more.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “Land-Grant Tailgate Podcast.” He will run you through the stats, storylines, injuries, and more so that you are the most informed fan whether you are watching the game from inside the stadium, at a sports bar, or from your couch at home.
Get all of the details on the betting lines, where you can watch the game, and what The Best Damn Band in the Land has planned for halftime. There’s no better pregame show to get you ready for the Buckeyes to take the field.
On Sundays, Josh and Justin will be back to react to what they saw from the Buckeyes on the field on Saturday. Whether good, bad, or ugly, they will discuss everything without holding back from the cold, hard facts about how OSU performed... hopefully it will be good far more often than not this fall.
This is the one Land-Grant podcast that will be tough to pin down on the schedule. Given the nature of “Uncut,” these episodes will come following press conferences featuring Ohio State teams. This will include Ryan Day and Jim Knowles’ regularly scheduled weekly pressers as well as postgame availabilities from the football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball teams.
Matt Tamanini will bring you audio from football press conference, Connor Lemons will have uncut men’s basketball coverage, and Thomas Costello will bring you women’s basketball audio.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
There is no podcast feed providing you more complete and varied coverage of Ohio State sports.
As we move into the first full week of August, the college football season is less than three weeks away, and Ohio State will kick off the season in less than four weeks. So, if you’ve turned your attention to other things during the offseason, now is the time to refocus on the Buckeyes and the rest of CFB.
Not only will Land-Grant Holy Land have you covered with our signature analysis and commentary without the conflicts of the beat’s access journalism. For more than a dozen years, we have been providing objective insight and analysis that a lot of people scoff at or get mad over in the moment, only to realize that we were right a few weeks or months later when everyone else starts saying what we’ve been writing, tweeting, and poding about the whole time.
While our articles and social media posts are full of fire, you also don’t want to miss a single episode from the Land-Grant Podcast Network. Throughout the fall, we will be releasing episodes nearly every single day with a variety of focuses. While, of course, we will have a ton of football coverage, you will also hear interviews and conversations about men’s and women’s basketball.
Where Can You Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network?
- Apple Podcasts: Login to view embedded media
- iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1267-Land-Grant-Holy-Land-for-52318103
- RSS Feed: http://feeds.megaphone.fm/land-grant-holy-land
- Spotify: Login to view embedded media
Check out Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Fall Podcast Schedule
Monday: “Power 2 Podcast”
Every Monday, Jordan Williams and DaNaysia Jones will bring you a new episode of the “Power Two Podcast.” This show is for the die-hard and the casual college football fans. After every week of action, they will catch you up on all of the major matchups from the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. Lock in as they guide you through the two most important conferences in the college football landscape.
Tuesday: “Silver Bullets Podcast”
Starting in mid-August Michael Citro and Chip Minnich will begin releasing weekly episodes of one of the longest-running shows in the Ohio State football podcasting universe. The pair will bring their expertise and insight to all things Buckeye football, with a little bit of basketball thrown in as well. Every week, they will share their thoughts on the most recent game and preview that weekend’s upcoming matchup.
Wednesday Morning: “Hangout in the Holy Land” Preview Show
On Wednesday, you get the first of two weekly episodes from Land-Grant’s flagship podcast, “Hangout in the Holy Land.” is here! Josh Dooley is back for his fourth season leading the show, and this year, long-time LGHL columnist and podcaster Justin Golba joins him.
Wednesday shows will cover Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and more with a focus on the upcoming game. They will be back later in the week for a second episode, so come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Wednesday Afternoon: “No Fall Weddings”
Last season, Jami Jurich and Matt Tamanini did three different weekly podcasts together, some for the Land-Grant Podcast Network and others for the Fans First Sports Network. This year, they are combining all of those shows into a single weekly podcast designed to make sure that you are up-to-date on the biggest storylines for the Buckeyes and across college football.
Every week during the college football season, Matt and Jami will break down everything going on in Ohio State’s world before previewing the weekend’s slate of marquee games and picking who they think deserves to be in the College Football Playoff. They will also chime in with their Heisman Trophy picks after every week of action as well.
So tune in and remember, what starts with a fall wedding ends with a spring divorce.
Thursday Morning: “I-80 Football Show”
With the expanded Big Ten now official, you need an expanded podcast to keep up with it. Every Thursday, Jordan Williams and Dante Morgan take you through all things B1G on the “I-80 Football Show.” On this show, they travel across I-80 to talk everything from Piscataway to Los Angeles.
This is the only Big Ten podcast that’ll cover all 18 teams. After every week of action, they will catch you up on all of the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that will matter most over the next week.
Thursday Afternoon: “Bucketheads”
Until the men’s basketball season approaches, Land-Grant’s signature basketball podcast will come to you every other week, but once Jake Diebler’s team is getting ready to take the court, “Bucketheads” will go weekly. Hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, this is the first and only (I think) podcast dedicated solely to the Ohio State men’s basketball team.
In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State basketball and everything else happening in college hoops.
Friday: “In Conversation”
On “Land-Grant in Conversation,” Matt Tamanini talks to people in and around Ohio State athletics and the sporting world at large to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Over the years, Matt has talked to the likes of Mike Golic Jr. (see below), Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Mangold, Eddie George, tons of college football’s most plugged-in media members, and more.
Saturday: “Land-Grant Tailgate Podcast”
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “Land-Grant Tailgate Podcast.” He will run you through the stats, storylines, injuries, and more so that you are the most informed fan whether you are watching the game from inside the stadium, at a sports bar, or from your couch at home.
Get all of the details on the betting lines, where you can watch the game, and what The Best Damn Band in the Land has planned for halftime. There’s no better pregame show to get you ready for the Buckeyes to take the field.
Sunday: “Hangout in the Holy Land” Recap and Reaction Show
On Sundays, Josh and Justin will be back to react to what they saw from the Buckeyes on the field on Saturday. Whether good, bad, or ugly, they will discuss everything without holding back from the cold, hard facts about how OSU performed... hopefully it will be good far more often than not this fall.
Various Times Throughout the Week: “Uncut”
This is the one Land-Grant podcast that will be tough to pin down on the schedule. Given the nature of “Uncut,” these episodes will come following press conferences featuring Ohio State teams. This will include Ryan Day and Jim Knowles’ regularly scheduled weekly pressers as well as postgame availabilities from the football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball teams.
Matt Tamanini will bring you audio from football press conference, Connor Lemons will have uncut men’s basketball coverage, and Thomas Costello will bring you women’s basketball audio.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State makes the cut for a pair of 2026 prospects
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Ohio State makes the cut for a pair of 2026 prospects
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star edge Anthony Jones | via Blair Angulo, 247Sports
The Buckeyes made the top schools for a pair of blue-chippers.
It is starting to feel like football season in Ohio.
Last week, the NFL preseason kicked off in Canton for the Hall of Fame game. The matchup featured one of the best, young quarterbacks in the NFL, and former Buckeye C.J. Stroud, although he did not take a snap as was expected.
This past weekend, Ohio State started the first week of its training camp. After four-straight days of practice, Buckeye Nation got a glimpse into what this current group of Buckeyes is capable of ahead of a season with lofty expectations. On Monday, the Ohio State football team took a day off, but the program was still making headlines, especially in recruiting.
Ohio State’s 2025 recruiting class sits atop the 247Sports Class Rankings with 24 verbal commitments. The Buckeyes are still pursuing a handful of prospects in this current cycle, but they are also placing a lot of focus on the junior class. This past weekend, Ohio State made the top schools for a pair of 2026 five-star recruits, and on Monday they did more of the same.
2026 four-star edge Anthony Jones (Irvine, CA / CreanLutheran) narrowed down his list of suitors to nine, and Ohio State made the cut.
Alongside the Buckeyes, Michigan, Arizona State, Cal, Tennessee, Washington, Georgia, UCLA and Penn State. Of his contenders, Jones has been able to visit with Arizona State, Cal, Georgia, UCLA and Washington, but expect Jones to try and make it out to the remaining schools, including the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will need to get him on campus at least once during this upcoming season if it is going to remain a contender in his recruitment. However, the Ohio State coaching staff has to love it made the first cut, despite not getting him on campus yet. Of the contenders Cal and Georgia may seem to have an early leg up in his recruitment, but no team has separated themselves from the pack.
Jones is the No. 20 edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 242 overall prospect. He is also the No. 26 recruit from the talent-rich state of California.
This past weekend, Ohio State made the cut for multiple prospects, including 2026 four-star tight end Heze Kent (Brunswick, GA / Brunswick), who included the Buckeyes in his top seven schools.
Alongside Ohio State, Kent included Miami, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, Georgia and USC in his top schools.
Ohio State is one of Kent’s newest suitors, just offering him on May 14. Therefore, the Buckeye coaching staff has to like that in just a short amount of time, the team has been able to become a real contender.
Like the aforementioned Jones, Ohio State will need to get Kent on campus at least once this upcoming season and hopefully again next spring or summer for an official visit. No team in his top schools has separated themselves from the group, but hometown school Georgia looks to be an early favorite.
Kent is the No. 6 TE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 140 overall prospect. He is also the No. 17 recruit from Georgia.
Ohio State has some steep competition, as Kentucky, North Carolina, Pitt, Michigan State, UCONN, Xavier and Texas all made his top schools. Bundalo is the No. 1 recruit from Ohio and Ohio State head coach will need to continue to make him feel like a priority to keep him instate.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star edge Anthony Jones | via Blair Angulo, 247Sports
The Buckeyes made the top schools for a pair of blue-chippers.
It is starting to feel like football season in Ohio.
Last week, the NFL preseason kicked off in Canton for the Hall of Fame game. The matchup featured one of the best, young quarterbacks in the NFL, and former Buckeye C.J. Stroud, although he did not take a snap as was expected.
This past weekend, Ohio State started the first week of its training camp. After four-straight days of practice, Buckeye Nation got a glimpse into what this current group of Buckeyes is capable of ahead of a season with lofty expectations. On Monday, the Ohio State football team took a day off, but the program was still making headlines, especially in recruiting.
Ohio State’s 2025 recruiting class sits atop the 247Sports Class Rankings with 24 verbal commitments. The Buckeyes are still pursuing a handful of prospects in this current cycle, but they are also placing a lot of focus on the junior class. This past weekend, Ohio State made the top schools for a pair of 2026 five-star recruits, and on Monday they did more of the same.
Buckeyes make the cut for four-star DL
2026 four-star edge Anthony Jones (Irvine, CA / CreanLutheran) narrowed down his list of suitors to nine, and Ohio State made the cut.
GOD’S TIMING!!!@GregBiggins @ChadSimmons_ @adamgorney @BrandonHuffman @TomLoy247 @SWiltfong_ @CoachTroop3 @CreanFootball pic.twitter.com/JJLFXY6lSl
— 4️Anthony “poppa” Jones (@Ajones2026) August 5, 2024
Alongside the Buckeyes, Michigan, Arizona State, Cal, Tennessee, Washington, Georgia, UCLA and Penn State. Of his contenders, Jones has been able to visit with Arizona State, Cal, Georgia, UCLA and Washington, but expect Jones to try and make it out to the remaining schools, including the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will need to get him on campus at least once during this upcoming season if it is going to remain a contender in his recruitment. However, the Ohio State coaching staff has to love it made the first cut, despite not getting him on campus yet. Of the contenders Cal and Georgia may seem to have an early leg up in his recruitment, but no team has separated themselves from the pack.
Jones is the No. 20 edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 242 overall prospect. He is also the No. 26 recruit from the talent-rich state of California.
Four-star TE has Ohio State as a top school
This past weekend, Ohio State made the cut for multiple prospects, including 2026 four-star tight end Heze Kent (Brunswick, GA / Brunswick), who included the Buckeyes in his top seven schools.
I’ve narrowed down to my top 7 … Thank you to all the Coaches #llm #LLMrbrown @BrunswickFB @CoachGGrady @CoachSean_CAV @CoachBelker @RecruitGeorgia @912Recruits pic.twitter.com/TVkRj7V1LD
— Heze “superman” Kent (@HezeKent) August 3, 2024
Alongside Ohio State, Kent included Miami, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, Georgia and USC in his top schools.
Ohio State is one of Kent’s newest suitors, just offering him on May 14. Therefore, the Buckeye coaching staff has to like that in just a short amount of time, the team has been able to become a real contender.
Like the aforementioned Jones, Ohio State will need to get Kent on campus at least once this upcoming season and hopefully again next spring or summer for an official visit. No team in his top schools has separated themselves from the group, but hometown school Georgia looks to be an early favorite.
Kent is the No. 6 TE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 140 overall prospect. He is also the No. 17 recruit from Georgia.
Quick Hits
- The Ohio State football team was not the only one making the top schools for blue-chip prospects Monday. The Ohio State men’s basketball team made the cut for a major in-state prospect when 2025 five-star power forward Niko Bundalo (Hudson, OH / Western Reserve Academy) included the Buckeyes in his top eight schools.
Ohio State has some steep competition, as Kentucky, North Carolina, Pitt, Michigan State, UCONN, Xavier and Texas all made his top schools. Bundalo is the No. 1 recruit from Ohio and Ohio State head coach will need to continue to make him feel like a priority to keep him instate.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Overreacting to the early days of fall camp
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You’re Nuts: Overreacting to the early days of fall camp
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We’re taking what we’ve seen through the first few preseason practices and running with it...
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.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are only a few days/practices into fall camp. However, that won’t stop us (as fans, bloggers, media, etc.) from overreaching, overreacting, and/or getting overly excited about what we’ve seen and heard thus far.
Jim Knowles’ defense seems impenetrable? Of course it does! Will Howard might be the next Josh Allen? Book it! And on and on and on. In reality, we know next to nothing about this year’s Buckeyes. But it’s still fun to imagine and get the discourse going, right?
I mean, what else are we going to do after the Olympics? Plus, over-analyzing glorified walkthroughs certainly beats worrying about deleted text messages and Level 1 NCAA violations. Ya know, if one did have a reason to worry about such random yet specific things...
So Gene and I thought we’d get in on the fun bymildly wildly overreacting to at least one thing that we’ve seen or heard coming out of OSU’s first few practices. I’ll get the action started by saying that I am absolutely jacked to the t... (Big Short reference) for Damarion Witten’s move to wide receiver, Jelani Thurman’s impending breakout, and Ohio State’s ability to eventually deploy an “all freaks” lineup as a result.
Witten’s move had been rumored or in the works for some time, but because he chose to play his last season of basketball at Glenville High School and graduate (HS) on schedule, we had not really seen or heard from him in months. But now we have proof of concept. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound former Tarblooder is officially a WR — A big one. Witten joins Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith as the power forwards in Brian Hartline’s position room, giving OSU a trio of WRs comparable in size to Marvin Harrison Jr.
Then there’s Jelani Thurman, who is without a doubt one of the most physically impressive-looking players on the Buckeyes’ roster. He is currently listed at 6-foot-6, 258 and looks like he belongs on the outside. Except he’s a tight end! That being said, physical gifts only get one so far. Thurman is still learning and repping all the mental aspects of his position, which is likely why we only saw him in five games as a true freshman.
But in 2024, Ohio State needs (at least) one or two guys to step up at TE, and I firmly believe that Thurman will be one of those guys. Early reports from fall camp have done nothing to quell my not so quiet confidence. Word out of the Woody is that Thurman is shining like a 10-carat diamond, and I could not be more here for it. Thurman Stan No. 1 reporting for duty.
While I understand that Thurman and especially Witten are not likely to be big-time contributors right away this season, imagine the possibilities once both players find some level of comfort. Better yet, imagine a lineup featuring Tate, Smith, Witten, and Thurman! Four big, nasty freaks (complimentary) running past opposing defenders and then Moss-ing dudes in the endzone! I mean, I’m getting fired up just thinking about it.
If Witten and Thurman were in the new EA Sports College Football game, rest assured I would already be experimenting with said lineup. And probably putting up anywhere from 3 to 10 points playing on Heisman.
That’s what has me excited, Gene. I know it’s early – especially on the Witten front – but I can’t stop myself from imagining an “all bigs” or “all freaks” lineup. And these first few practices have only contributed or added to my excitement.
One of the biggest storylines heading into this new season is who Ohio State will have starting along the offensive line. A unit that was not up to par last year will return four of its starters, but only three of those guys are locked into their previous positions in left tackle Josh Simmons, left guard Donovan Jackson and right tackle Josh Fryar. Center, which was previously manned by Carson Hinzman, will be taken over by Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin, leaving one spot open at right guard.
During the spring, it appeared as though Luke Montgomery was one of the frontrunners to earn that final starting job, but now that the fall has arrived, things have changed. Now, the two guys seemingly in contention to top the depth chart at right guard are Tegra Tshabola and Hinzman. The pair are the only two guys to see consistent playing time with the ones during the first four days of camp, and with Tshabola getting more of the reps on Sunday, I’m going to stake my claim now that he will be Ohio State’s starting right guard against Akron.
Coming out of high school, Tshabola was a highly regarded offensive tackle. The West Chester, Ohio native was ranked as the No. 10 OT and the No. 104 player nationally on the 247Sports Composite in the 2022 class. However, since then nearly all indications for the 6-foot-6, 327-pound lineman have pointed to a future at guard rather than on the outside.
Hinzman, on the other hand, came to Ohio State has more of a guard before being thrusted into the center position last season out of necessity. Hinzman was the No. 9 IOL and No. 177 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite for the 2022 class, and has valuable — albeit not stellar — experience has a starter for the Buckeyes. Both of those factors likely give Hinzman the edge for the starting job at right guard, but since we’re overreacting to early snap counts in camp, I'm still saying Tshabola will be trotting out there with the ones to begin the season.
Tshabola is heading into year three at Ohio State. While he did not make any starts last season, he did appear in all 13 games for the Buckeyes on special teams. He has put in a ton of work this offseason to get himself and his body ready to compete for a job at guard, and it has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.
“He wants to be here. He wants to be a contributor to Ohio State,” Ryan Day said on Thursday. “It does matter. There are different places he could have gone and tried different avenues, but he stuck with it and it’s going to pay off for him if he continues to get better and show discipline and consistency. We’re excited about what he did this offseason. He’s gonna have every opportunity to become a major contributor on offense.”
Consistency seems to be the key word when it comes to Tshabola, as that seems to be what the final step would be in order for him to officially earn the starting job. But I'm willing to take Day’s words and a few practice snaps and run with it: Tegra Tshabola will be your starting right guard come Aug. 31.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We’re taking what we’ve seen through the first few preseason practices and running with it...
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.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Overreacting to the early days of fall camp.
Josh’s Take
The Ohio State Buckeyes are only a few days/practices into fall camp. However, that won’t stop us (as fans, bloggers, media, etc.) from overreaching, overreacting, and/or getting overly excited about what we’ve seen and heard thus far.
Jim Knowles’ defense seems impenetrable? Of course it does! Will Howard might be the next Josh Allen? Book it! And on and on and on. In reality, we know next to nothing about this year’s Buckeyes. But it’s still fun to imagine and get the discourse going, right?
I mean, what else are we going to do after the Olympics? Plus, over-analyzing glorified walkthroughs certainly beats worrying about deleted text messages and Level 1 NCAA violations. Ya know, if one did have a reason to worry about such random yet specific things...
So Gene and I thought we’d get in on the fun by
Witten’s move had been rumored or in the works for some time, but because he chose to play his last season of basketball at Glenville High School and graduate (HS) on schedule, we had not really seen or heard from him in months. But now we have proof of concept. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound former Tarblooder is officially a WR — A big one. Witten joins Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith as the power forwards in Brian Hartline’s position room, giving OSU a trio of WRs comparable in size to Marvin Harrison Jr.
Then there’s Jelani Thurman, who is without a doubt one of the most physically impressive-looking players on the Buckeyes’ roster. He is currently listed at 6-foot-6, 258 and looks like he belongs on the outside. Except he’s a tight end! That being said, physical gifts only get one so far. Thurman is still learning and repping all the mental aspects of his position, which is likely why we only saw him in five games as a true freshman.
But in 2024, Ohio State needs (at least) one or two guys to step up at TE, and I firmly believe that Thurman will be one of those guys. Early reports from fall camp have done nothing to quell my not so quiet confidence. Word out of the Woody is that Thurman is shining like a 10-carat diamond, and I could not be more here for it. Thurman Stan No. 1 reporting for duty.
While I understand that Thurman and especially Witten are not likely to be big-time contributors right away this season, imagine the possibilities once both players find some level of comfort. Better yet, imagine a lineup featuring Tate, Smith, Witten, and Thurman! Four big, nasty freaks (complimentary) running past opposing defenders and then Moss-ing dudes in the endzone! I mean, I’m getting fired up just thinking about it.
If Witten and Thurman were in the new EA Sports College Football game, rest assured I would already be experimenting with said lineup. And probably putting up anywhere from 3 to 10 points playing on Heisman.
That’s what has me excited, Gene. I know it’s early – especially on the Witten front – but I can’t stop myself from imagining an “all bigs” or “all freaks” lineup. And these first few practices have only contributed or added to my excitement.
Gene’s Take
One of the biggest storylines heading into this new season is who Ohio State will have starting along the offensive line. A unit that was not up to par last year will return four of its starters, but only three of those guys are locked into their previous positions in left tackle Josh Simmons, left guard Donovan Jackson and right tackle Josh Fryar. Center, which was previously manned by Carson Hinzman, will be taken over by Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin, leaving one spot open at right guard.
During the spring, it appeared as though Luke Montgomery was one of the frontrunners to earn that final starting job, but now that the fall has arrived, things have changed. Now, the two guys seemingly in contention to top the depth chart at right guard are Tegra Tshabola and Hinzman. The pair are the only two guys to see consistent playing time with the ones during the first four days of camp, and with Tshabola getting more of the reps on Sunday, I’m going to stake my claim now that he will be Ohio State’s starting right guard against Akron.
Coming out of high school, Tshabola was a highly regarded offensive tackle. The West Chester, Ohio native was ranked as the No. 10 OT and the No. 104 player nationally on the 247Sports Composite in the 2022 class. However, since then nearly all indications for the 6-foot-6, 327-pound lineman have pointed to a future at guard rather than on the outside.
Hinzman, on the other hand, came to Ohio State has more of a guard before being thrusted into the center position last season out of necessity. Hinzman was the No. 9 IOL and No. 177 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite for the 2022 class, and has valuable — albeit not stellar — experience has a starter for the Buckeyes. Both of those factors likely give Hinzman the edge for the starting job at right guard, but since we’re overreacting to early snap counts in camp, I'm still saying Tshabola will be trotting out there with the ones to begin the season.
Tshabola is heading into year three at Ohio State. While he did not make any starts last season, he did appear in all 13 games for the Buckeyes on special teams. He has put in a ton of work this offseason to get himself and his body ready to compete for a job at guard, and it has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.
“He wants to be here. He wants to be a contributor to Ohio State,” Ryan Day said on Thursday. “It does matter. There are different places he could have gone and tried different avenues, but he stuck with it and it’s going to pay off for him if he continues to get better and show discipline and consistency. We’re excited about what he did this offseason. He’s gonna have every opportunity to become a major contributor on offense.”
Consistency seems to be the key word when it comes to Tshabola, as that seems to be what the final step would be in order for him to officially earn the starting job. But I'm willing to take Day’s words and a few practice snaps and run with it: Tegra Tshabola will be your starting right guard come Aug. 31.
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball to face Stanford in San Francisco doubleheader
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Ohio State women’s basketball to face Stanford in San Francisco doubleheader
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Buckeyes make their first non-conference schedule announcement of the summer
On March 24, 2024, Ohio State women’s basketball saw their season end early when the Duke Blue Devils defeated the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament's second round. Monday, Ohio State announced its next game against an ACC side, when the Buckeyes travel to San Francisco, California to play Stanford on Dec. 20.
The Scarlet & Gray take on the new ACC side in a doubleheader, followed by another California team playing in a new conference with new Big Ten side UCLA taking on Creighton.
San Francisco’s Chase Center hosts both of the games of the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic, the home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
Ohio State and Stanford have five previous games against each other in program histories, with the Buckeyes holding a 3-2 record. However, the official record books don’t include two of the wins, both vacated by Ohio State sanctions, both coming in November of 2017.
That means the Buckeyes haven’t officially defeated the Stanford Cardinal since a 79-47 victory on Dec 28, 1984, before any of the current team’s rosters were born. Coincidentally, the coach at the time for Ohio State was legendary Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer, who left Ohio State for Stanford in 1985.
Stanford is coming off a 30-6 record, winning the final Pac-12 regular season championship, before falling to the USC Trojans in the Pac-12 tournament championship game. VanDerveer’s side made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, before falling to NC State.
Following the defeat, VanDerveer announced her retirement following 38 seasons coaching in the three-time NCAA tournament champions at Stanford. Taking her place is Kate Paye, former Stanford player from 1991-95 and assistant since 2007.
Heading into this season, Stanford is without its top three scorers, losing Cameron Brink to the WNBA and guard Hannah Jump to exhausted NCAA eligibility. Their top scorer, forward Kiki Iriafen, takes her 19.4 points per game average to USC.
However, Stanford added two transfers, and one has experience against Ohio State. Former Big Ten Freshman of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson left the Purdue Boilermakers after averaging 9.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. In Stevenson’s lone game against the Buckeyes this season, the forward had 12 points and seven rebounds in a defeat to head coach Kevin McGuff’s side.
The battle against Stanford is the first announced game on the 24-25 Ohio State schedule. On May 7, the conference announced who the Buckeyes will face at home and away, without official dates. This game in San Francisco is the third game for Ohio State in California this season, with both UCLA and USC slated to host conference games against the defending 23-24 Big Ten regular season champions.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Buckeyes make their first non-conference schedule announcement of the summer
On March 24, 2024, Ohio State women’s basketball saw their season end early when the Duke Blue Devils defeated the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament's second round. Monday, Ohio State announced its next game against an ACC side, when the Buckeyes travel to San Francisco, California to play Stanford on Dec. 20.
The Scarlet & Gray take on the new ACC side in a doubleheader, followed by another California team playing in a new conference with new Big Ten side UCLA taking on Creighton.
San Francisco’s Chase Center hosts both of the games of the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic, the home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
Ohio State and Stanford have five previous games against each other in program histories, with the Buckeyes holding a 3-2 record. However, the official record books don’t include two of the wins, both vacated by Ohio State sanctions, both coming in November of 2017.
That means the Buckeyes haven’t officially defeated the Stanford Cardinal since a 79-47 victory on Dec 28, 1984, before any of the current team’s rosters were born. Coincidentally, the coach at the time for Ohio State was legendary Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer, who left Ohio State for Stanford in 1985.
Stanford is coming off a 30-6 record, winning the final Pac-12 regular season championship, before falling to the USC Trojans in the Pac-12 tournament championship game. VanDerveer’s side made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, before falling to NC State.
Following the defeat, VanDerveer announced her retirement following 38 seasons coaching in the three-time NCAA tournament champions at Stanford. Taking her place is Kate Paye, former Stanford player from 1991-95 and assistant since 2007.
Heading into this season, Stanford is without its top three scorers, losing Cameron Brink to the WNBA and guard Hannah Jump to exhausted NCAA eligibility. Their top scorer, forward Kiki Iriafen, takes her 19.4 points per game average to USC.
However, Stanford added two transfers, and one has experience against Ohio State. Former Big Ten Freshman of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson left the Purdue Boilermakers after averaging 9.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. In Stevenson’s lone game against the Buckeyes this season, the forward had 12 points and seven rebounds in a defeat to head coach Kevin McGuff’s side.
The battle against Stanford is the first announced game on the 24-25 Ohio State schedule. On May 7, the conference announced who the Buckeyes will face at home and away, without official dates. This game in San Francisco is the third game for Ohio State in California this season, with both UCLA and USC slated to host conference games against the defending 23-24 Big Ten regular season champions.
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