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LGHL Cover Six: The best defensive performance since 2019
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Cover Six: The best defensive performance since 2019
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
Ohio State beat Indiana 23-3 behind a dominant defensive showing from the Silver Bullets.
In football terms, Cover Six is a zone coverage that combines Cover Four and Cover Two. While on the field it is designed to negate the deep pass and offer extra support underneath to protect against the run, in this case, Cover Six is a weekly column focused on Ohio State’s defense under coordinator Jim Knowles.
Every week, it will cover six aspects of the defense’s performance, including big moments, key stats, film analysis, and areas in need of improvement. Join me as I follow the defense as it tries to bring back the Silver Bullets swagger that we know and love!
Coming into the season there were a lot of concerns and nervous energy about the Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes haven’t had a good unit since 2019, and with questions at offensive line and quarterback, a good defense was needed this year more than ever.
Entering his second season, Jim Knowles had the unenviable task of returning this defense to its former glory or facing fan outrage that he has maybe never seen before in his coaching career. While it’s too early to say all the defensive woes are fixed and this will assuredly be a top-five unit, I can’t help but be impressed after Week 1.
The Buckeyes defense held Indiana to 153 yards on offense. Their quarterbacks combined to go 9-of-20 for 82 yards. They had a combined 71 rushing yards on 33 carries, which averages out to 2.2 yards per carry. All of this while facing an offense they didn’t prepare for since Indiana came out running the triple option.
By holding the Hoosiers to three points, the Buckeyes did something they haven’t done since October of 2019. Now before you say it’s just Indiana, over the past four seasons Ohio State has allowed bad teams to consistently put up points on them. They still have a lot to prove, but this was a very encouraging sign for the Silver Bullets.
Larry Johnson has made famous his ‘Rushmen’ package, utilizing the flexibility and pass-rushing ability of his defensive ends by putting an extra defensive end or two on the interior in pass-rushing situations. Against Indiana, Johnson debuted the 2023 version of the Rushmen package, including putting second-year pass rusher Caden Curry at defensive tackle.
Early in the first quarter on a 3rd-and-11 with Indiana backed up against the end zone, Johnson substituted the Rushmen package, which put Jack Sawyer, Mike Hall, Caden Curry, and J.T. Tuimoloau all on the field at the same time. That is a scary quartet of pass rushers. There were not many chances to utilize this package against Indiana, but I expect to see good things from this group this season.
The Sonny Styles hype has been at an all-time high since he reached campus, but it reached a fever pitch this offseason. Knowles hasn’t done anything to quiet the hype, essentially admitting that Styles is rarely if ever going to leave the field, and praising him for his ability to play multiple positions.
Styles was arguably the best player on the field Saturday, and while his stat line may not have looked impressive, his impact was felt. Styles finished with four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He was all over the field, showcasing his unreal speed but also an ability to quickly diagnose plays and find the ball. Styles is going to be a key player for this defense, and Knowles is going to be able to use him in unique ways.
Against Indiana, Styles lined up all over the field, showcasing his ability to be the ultimate chess piece.
After a long battle for the starting adjustor position between Josh Proctor, Malik Hartford, and Ja’Had Carter, Knowles and safeties coach Perry Eliano gave Josh Proctor the nod at starting adjustor.
Proctor, a super senior, had shown flashes through his career, but hasn’t been able to maintain a high level of play. Ryan Day and Knowles seem to believe in him, and Proctor showed why early in the game. The safety may be a liability against passing teams, but he was perfect against the triple option, showing an elite ability to diagnose the play and come downhill to make a stop.
In his Tuesday press conference, Day said that Proctor has done enough to hold on to the starting job, so here’s hoping he can maintain the level of play we saw against Indiana.
One of the biggest issues with the Buckeye defense last season was the secondary. Anyone with a right arm and a football could put up 250+ yards on this defense. The secondary was young and injured, and is one of the main reasons Ohio State lost to Michigan and Georgia.
Again, it was Week 1, but the secondary looked amazing. All offseason we heard how the defensive backs were getting their hands on more passes. Ohio State was credited with four passes deflected on 20 pass attempts, and that number feels low. After a disappointing 2022 season, Denzel Burke had two passes deflected and looked like the lockdown corner we saw in 2021.
If Ohio State is going to beat Michigan and make the national championship, they’ll need this secondary to be real… and need to see it against much better competition.
Ohio State only had one sack against Indiana, and it came from an unlikely source. Redshirt freshman Hero Kanu made a great move and notched the first sack of his career. Kanu is at best the 5th defensive tackle in the rotation. If Kanu can get after the quarterback in his limited snaps, Ohio State will have arguably the deepest interior defensive line in the country!
On this sack, Kanu does a great job winning against the right guard. He displays a quick first step and the power to push the guard into the quarterback’s lap. Once the quarterback was in reach, Kanu made sure to finish the job. This is the first of hopefully many sacks in his career.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330 or @LandGrantPods
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Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
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JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Ohio State beat Indiana 23-3 behind a dominant defensive showing from the Silver Bullets.
In football terms, Cover Six is a zone coverage that combines Cover Four and Cover Two. While on the field it is designed to negate the deep pass and offer extra support underneath to protect against the run, in this case, Cover Six is a weekly column focused on Ohio State’s defense under coordinator Jim Knowles.
Every week, it will cover six aspects of the defense’s performance, including big moments, key stats, film analysis, and areas in need of improvement. Join me as I follow the defense as it tries to bring back the Silver Bullets swagger that we know and love!
Cover 1: The defense was absolutely dominant
Coming into the season there were a lot of concerns and nervous energy about the Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes haven’t had a good unit since 2019, and with questions at offensive line and quarterback, a good defense was needed this year more than ever.
Entering his second season, Jim Knowles had the unenviable task of returning this defense to its former glory or facing fan outrage that he has maybe never seen before in his coaching career. While it’s too early to say all the defensive woes are fixed and this will assuredly be a top-five unit, I can’t help but be impressed after Week 1.
The Buckeyes defense held Indiana to 153 yards on offense. Their quarterbacks combined to go 9-of-20 for 82 yards. They had a combined 71 rushing yards on 33 carries, which averages out to 2.2 yards per carry. All of this while facing an offense they didn’t prepare for since Indiana came out running the triple option.
By holding the Hoosiers to three points, the Buckeyes did something they haven’t done since October of 2019. Now before you say it’s just Indiana, over the past four seasons Ohio State has allowed bad teams to consistently put up points on them. They still have a lot to prove, but this was a very encouraging sign for the Silver Bullets.
Cover 2: A new ‘Rushmen’ package?
Larry Johnson has made famous his ‘Rushmen’ package, utilizing the flexibility and pass-rushing ability of his defensive ends by putting an extra defensive end or two on the interior in pass-rushing situations. Against Indiana, Johnson debuted the 2023 version of the Rushmen package, including putting second-year pass rusher Caden Curry at defensive tackle.
Early in the first quarter on a 3rd-and-11 with Indiana backed up against the end zone, Johnson substituted the Rushmen package, which put Jack Sawyer, Mike Hall, Caden Curry, and J.T. Tuimoloau all on the field at the same time. That is a scary quartet of pass rushers. There were not many chances to utilize this package against Indiana, but I expect to see good things from this group this season.
Cover 3: Sonny Styles is a freak
The Sonny Styles hype has been at an all-time high since he reached campus, but it reached a fever pitch this offseason. Knowles hasn’t done anything to quiet the hype, essentially admitting that Styles is rarely if ever going to leave the field, and praising him for his ability to play multiple positions.
Styles was arguably the best player on the field Saturday, and while his stat line may not have looked impressive, his impact was felt. Styles finished with four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He was all over the field, showcasing his unreal speed but also an ability to quickly diagnose plays and find the ball. Styles is going to be a key player for this defense, and Knowles is going to be able to use him in unique ways.
Against Indiana, Styles lined up all over the field, showcasing his ability to be the ultimate chess piece.
Cover 4: Proctor did a nice job, but can he keep it up?
After a long battle for the starting adjustor position between Josh Proctor, Malik Hartford, and Ja’Had Carter, Knowles and safeties coach Perry Eliano gave Josh Proctor the nod at starting adjustor.
Proctor, a super senior, had shown flashes through his career, but hasn’t been able to maintain a high level of play. Ryan Day and Knowles seem to believe in him, and Proctor showed why early in the game. The safety may be a liability against passing teams, but he was perfect against the triple option, showing an elite ability to diagnose the play and come downhill to make a stop.
In his Tuesday press conference, Day said that Proctor has done enough to hold on to the starting job, so here’s hoping he can maintain the level of play we saw against Indiana.
Cover 5: Please be real… I need this!
One of the biggest issues with the Buckeye defense last season was the secondary. Anyone with a right arm and a football could put up 250+ yards on this defense. The secondary was young and injured, and is one of the main reasons Ohio State lost to Michigan and Georgia.
Again, it was Week 1, but the secondary looked amazing. All offseason we heard how the defensive backs were getting their hands on more passes. Ohio State was credited with four passes deflected on 20 pass attempts, and that number feels low. After a disappointing 2022 season, Denzel Burke had two passes deflected and looked like the lockdown corner we saw in 2021.
If Ohio State is going to beat Michigan and make the national championship, they’ll need this secondary to be real… and need to see it against much better competition.
Cover 6: Hero Kanu’s first sack!
Ohio State only had one sack against Indiana, and it came from an unlikely source. Redshirt freshman Hero Kanu made a great move and notched the first sack of his career. Kanu is at best the 5th defensive tackle in the rotation. If Kanu can get after the quarterback in his limited snaps, Ohio State will have arguably the deepest interior defensive line in the country!
On this sack, Kanu does a great job winning against the right guard. He displays a quick first step and the power to push the guard into the quarterback’s lap. Once the quarterback was in reach, Kanu made sure to finish the job. This is the first of hopefully many sacks in his career.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330 or @LandGrantPods
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
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LGHL A look at Week 2’s notable betting lines
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A look at Week 2’s notable betting lines
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Checking out this weekend’s college football slate
With Ohio State taking on an FCS opponent this week, there are unfortunately no betting lines set for the Buckeyes. However, that isn’t stopping us from taking a look at what the rest of the Week 2 slate has to offer us. Let’s run through some of the spreads for this weekend’s top games.
All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
The primetime game on Friday night, the Illini will travel to Lawrence to take on the Jayhawks. Illinois narrowly avoided an upset this past weekend, edging out Toledo 30-28 on a last-second field goal. Kansas, on the other hand, was not seriously challenged by Missouri State, defeating the Bears 48-17.
After missing the season opener, it sounds like Jayhawks starting QB Jalon Daniels could return for this contest. Throwing for over 2,000 yards and rushing for another 425 with 25 total touchdowns in 2022, having Daniels back would be massive for Lance Leipold’s group. Backup Jason Bean had a strong showing in Daniels’ absence, completing 22 of his 28 pass attempts for 276 yards and two TDs in Week 1, but Illinois is a big step up from the FCS opponent he faced in that game.
On the other side, Illinois will be pointing at Kansas having just a 17-10 lead at halftime as reason for optimism that they can rebound against the Jayhawks. Ole Miss transfer QB Luke Altmeyer will try to build off his performance in the opener, passing for 206 yards and two scores while also adding 76 yards on the group against the Rockets. Kansas’ defense is certainly not its strong suit, so if they can limit Daniels through the air, the Illini could pull off a small upset here.
One of the biggest stories of the weekend was Coach Prime leading his Buffaloes over TCU as huge underdogs in his first game as the program’s head coach. Nebraska experienced the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, dropping a 13-10 contest to Minnesota after allowing a game-winning field goal following a late turnover.
While everyone is talking bout Deion Sanders, Colorado has some really talented guys on this year’s roster. Travis Hunter is one of the most exciting players in college football, as the former five-star prospect plays on both sides of the football — leading the Buffs with 11 catches for 119 yards on offense and also intercepting a pass on defense. Coach Prime’s son, Shedeur Sanders, was electric at QB in Week 1, torching the Horned Frogs for 510 yards and four TDs.
Nebraska, meanwhile, kicked off the Matt Rhule era by paying homage to Scott Frost with yet another one-score loss — their 25th such defeat over the last five seasons. A new coaching staff couldn’t shake off the bad vibes of the previous regime, as Georgia Tech transfer QB Jeff Sims threw three picks, including one with under a minute left that ultimately lost the game. Now, the Cornhuskers must try to regroup as underdogs on the road to a team that is feeling pretty good right now.
Week 2’s action brings us a non-conference in-state rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State. The Hawkeyes had dominated the rivalry until the Cycles earned the victory last season, with Kirk Ferentz’s guys winning the previous six matchups and 10 of the last 14 meetings. Iowa has a 46-23 advantage in the all-time series.
Iowa made it look like Brian Ferentz had finally learned to coordinate an offense in Week 1, jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead over Utah State. Things slowed down from there, however, as the Hawkeyes scored just one TD over the final three quarters in a 24-14 win. Michigan transfer Cade McNamara was solid in his Iowa debut, passing for 191 yards and two TDs, while the Hawkeye defense was its usual self. Iowa allowed only 88 rushing yards on 36 attempts, holding to Aggies to 2.4 yards per carry.
Iowa State will actually be playing its second contest of the year against another in-state program, defeating Northern Iowa 30-9 in the opener. The Cyclones opened up the scoring with a 58-yard pick-six by Jeremiah Cooper, and ISU went on to score the game’s first 30 points. Rocco Becht completed 10 of his 13 passes for 113 yards with two TDs and rushed for another score. Defensively, Iowa State held the Panthers to 3-of-15 on third down.
These two teams always seem to play each other close, and this should be another instance of that, as the four-point spread would tell you.
The big ranked matchup of the weekend sees No. 11 Texas traveling to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 3 Alabama. The two programs meet for the second year in a row, with the Crimson Tide narrowly escaping Austin with a 20-19 win last time around.
Texas comes into the new campaign with a lot of hope, led by quarterback Quinn Ewers. The former five-star prospect threw for 260 yards and three TDs while rushing for a fourth in the Longhorns’ 37-10 win over Rice in Week 1. Gone is Bijan Robinson at running back, but Texas has some really nice weapons at wide receiver, returning all three of last season’s top pass-catchers. The leader in that room is Xavier Worthy, who also led on the field this past weekend with seven receptions for 90 yards.
Alabama, meanwhile, had to break in a brand new QB against Middle Tennessee in Jaden Milroe, but showed no ill effects offensively as they cruised to a 56-7 win. Milroe had a great game through the air and on the ground, passing for 194 yards and three TDs and rushing for another 48 yards and two TDs. Three different receivers hauled in touchdown passes for the Tide, including Georgia transfer Jermaine Burton. Eight different players got carries in the run game for Bama, with three of them being QBs.
Expect this year’s matchup to be a bit higher scoring than last year’s.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Checking out this weekend’s college football slate
With Ohio State taking on an FCS opponent this week, there are unfortunately no betting lines set for the Buckeyes. However, that isn’t stopping us from taking a look at what the rest of the Week 2 slate has to offer us. Let’s run through some of the spreads for this weekend’s top games.
All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Friday, Sept. 8: Illinois vs. Kansas (-3)
The primetime game on Friday night, the Illini will travel to Lawrence to take on the Jayhawks. Illinois narrowly avoided an upset this past weekend, edging out Toledo 30-28 on a last-second field goal. Kansas, on the other hand, was not seriously challenged by Missouri State, defeating the Bears 48-17.
After missing the season opener, it sounds like Jayhawks starting QB Jalon Daniels could return for this contest. Throwing for over 2,000 yards and rushing for another 425 with 25 total touchdowns in 2022, having Daniels back would be massive for Lance Leipold’s group. Backup Jason Bean had a strong showing in Daniels’ absence, completing 22 of his 28 pass attempts for 276 yards and two TDs in Week 1, but Illinois is a big step up from the FCS opponent he faced in that game.
On the other side, Illinois will be pointing at Kansas having just a 17-10 lead at halftime as reason for optimism that they can rebound against the Jayhawks. Ole Miss transfer QB Luke Altmeyer will try to build off his performance in the opener, passing for 206 yards and two scores while also adding 76 yards on the group against the Rockets. Kansas’ defense is certainly not its strong suit, so if they can limit Daniels through the air, the Illini could pull off a small upset here.
Saturday, Sept. 9: Nebraska vs. Colorado (-3)
One of the biggest stories of the weekend was Coach Prime leading his Buffaloes over TCU as huge underdogs in his first game as the program’s head coach. Nebraska experienced the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, dropping a 13-10 contest to Minnesota after allowing a game-winning field goal following a late turnover.
While everyone is talking bout Deion Sanders, Colorado has some really talented guys on this year’s roster. Travis Hunter is one of the most exciting players in college football, as the former five-star prospect plays on both sides of the football — leading the Buffs with 11 catches for 119 yards on offense and also intercepting a pass on defense. Coach Prime’s son, Shedeur Sanders, was electric at QB in Week 1, torching the Horned Frogs for 510 yards and four TDs.
Nebraska, meanwhile, kicked off the Matt Rhule era by paying homage to Scott Frost with yet another one-score loss — their 25th such defeat over the last five seasons. A new coaching staff couldn’t shake off the bad vibes of the previous regime, as Georgia Tech transfer QB Jeff Sims threw three picks, including one with under a minute left that ultimately lost the game. Now, the Cornhuskers must try to regroup as underdogs on the road to a team that is feeling pretty good right now.
Saturday, Sept. 9: Iowa (-4) vs. Iowa State
Week 2’s action brings us a non-conference in-state rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State. The Hawkeyes had dominated the rivalry until the Cycles earned the victory last season, with Kirk Ferentz’s guys winning the previous six matchups and 10 of the last 14 meetings. Iowa has a 46-23 advantage in the all-time series.
Iowa made it look like Brian Ferentz had finally learned to coordinate an offense in Week 1, jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead over Utah State. Things slowed down from there, however, as the Hawkeyes scored just one TD over the final three quarters in a 24-14 win. Michigan transfer Cade McNamara was solid in his Iowa debut, passing for 191 yards and two TDs, while the Hawkeye defense was its usual self. Iowa allowed only 88 rushing yards on 36 attempts, holding to Aggies to 2.4 yards per carry.
Iowa State will actually be playing its second contest of the year against another in-state program, defeating Northern Iowa 30-9 in the opener. The Cyclones opened up the scoring with a 58-yard pick-six by Jeremiah Cooper, and ISU went on to score the game’s first 30 points. Rocco Becht completed 10 of his 13 passes for 113 yards with two TDs and rushed for another score. Defensively, Iowa State held the Panthers to 3-of-15 on third down.
These two teams always seem to play each other close, and this should be another instance of that, as the four-point spread would tell you.
Saturday, Sept. 9: Texas vs. Alabama (-7.5)
The big ranked matchup of the weekend sees No. 11 Texas traveling to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 3 Alabama. The two programs meet for the second year in a row, with the Crimson Tide narrowly escaping Austin with a 20-19 win last time around.
Texas comes into the new campaign with a lot of hope, led by quarterback Quinn Ewers. The former five-star prospect threw for 260 yards and three TDs while rushing for a fourth in the Longhorns’ 37-10 win over Rice in Week 1. Gone is Bijan Robinson at running back, but Texas has some really nice weapons at wide receiver, returning all three of last season’s top pass-catchers. The leader in that room is Xavier Worthy, who also led on the field this past weekend with seven receptions for 90 yards.
Alabama, meanwhile, had to break in a brand new QB against Middle Tennessee in Jaden Milroe, but showed no ill effects offensively as they cruised to a 56-7 win. Milroe had a great game through the air and on the ground, passing for 194 yards and three TDs and rushing for another 48 yards and two TDs. Three different receivers hauled in touchdown passes for the Tide, including Georgia transfer Jermaine Burton. Eight different players got carries in the run game for Bama, with three of them being QBs.
Expect this year’s matchup to be a bit higher scoring than last year’s.
Other Notable Week 2 Matchups:
(All on Saturday unless otherwise noted)
- Notre Dame (-7.5) vs. NC State
- Utah (-7.5) vs. Baylor
- Texas A&M (-4.5) vs. Miami FL
- Oregon (-6.5) vs. Texas Tech
- Wisconsin (-6) vs. Washington State
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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LGHL Top-5 tight end to decide between Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama this month
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Top-5 tight end to decide between Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama this month
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
247Sports
We also run through all of the commits and prospect who will be on campus this weekend.
While much of the attention across Buckeye Nation is focused on breaking down every single aspect of Ohio State’s 23-3 victory over Indiana this past Saturday, the gears of the recruiting machine continue to grind as the Buckeyes got some information about a handful of recruits on Thursday.
On Tuesday, 2025 four-star tight end Ethan Barbour announced that he will make his college decision on Friday, Sept. 22. Ohio State is one of five finalists, joining Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina in the mix. Last week, 247Sport’s director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong logged a crystal ball prediction in favor of the defending two-time national champion Bulldogs. Similarly, the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives UGA an 81.2% chance to land the TE.
Barbour is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound tight end from Alpharetta, Ga. who is rated as the No. 181 player in the country and the No. 4 tight end in the 2025 cycle. Currently, the only commit in the Buckeyes’ 2025 class is four-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair. While it doesn’t seem like the Buckeyes are in line to land Barbour, stranger things have happened, and we’ve got two and a half weeks to see if OSU can pull off the upset.
Yesterday, four-star running back Tiqwai Hayes from Aliquippa, Pa. announced the top eight schools that he is considering. The No. 340 player in the 2025 cycle according to 247Sports Composite rankings, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound back has narrowed down his college selections to Ohio State, Cincinnati, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia.
No news yet on when Hayes plans to make a commitment.
The Buckeyes also got welcome news from 2025 linebacker Elijah Melendez yesterday. The No. 251 player in the country according to 247 told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic that OSU was currently one of the top schools that he is considering.
“I was very excited and Ohio State is in my top 5 right now,” Melendez said. “I have already built a great relationship with a couple coaches there and I’m loving it.”
Melendez is a 6-foot-1.5, 223-pound linebacker from Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Fla. — which just so happens to be where I live. The backer plans to come up for a game this season, but has not yet determined when he will make the trip up to Columbus.
Yesterday, Kurelic also ran through the list of players who are currently scheduled to attend OSU’s game against Youngstown State on Saturday. While the game against the Penguins isn’t going to draw nearly the high-profile names that future games against Penn State, Michigan State, or Minnesota are, there are still a handful of interesting names, including some of the Buckeyes’ top committed players from the 2024 class.
Also, planning to be on campus for Saturday, Sept. 16’s game against Western Kentucky are former Notre Dame commit, four-star 2024 tight end Nate Roberts; four-star 2025 running back Bo Jackson; and 2026 cornerback Elbert Hill. All three players hold Ohio State offers.
I cannot blame 6-foot-11, high four-star center Malachi Moreno for making the most of the NCAA visit rules. The No. 57 player in the 2025 class, Moreno has lined up an impressive list across the Midwest this fall to take in some games at some big-time football schools.
From Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Ky., Moreno currently has plans to visit eight schools in as many weeks, taking in such games as Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Tennessee vs. South Carolina, Ohio State vs. Penn State, and Kentucky vs. Tennessee.
Currently, the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine pins Iowa as the favorite with a 35.4% chance to land the center.
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
247Sports
We also run through all of the commits and prospect who will be on campus this weekend.
While much of the attention across Buckeye Nation is focused on breaking down every single aspect of Ohio State’s 23-3 victory over Indiana this past Saturday, the gears of the recruiting machine continue to grind as the Buckeyes got some information about a handful of recruits on Thursday.
Buckeyes to Learn Fate of Four-Star Tight End This Month
On Tuesday, 2025 four-star tight end Ethan Barbour announced that he will make his college decision on Friday, Sept. 22. Ohio State is one of five finalists, joining Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina in the mix. Last week, 247Sport’s director of football recruiting Steve Wiltfong logged a crystal ball prediction in favor of the defending two-time national champion Bulldogs. Similarly, the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives UGA an 81.2% chance to land the TE.
Barbour is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound tight end from Alpharetta, Ga. who is rated as the No. 181 player in the country and the No. 4 tight end in the 2025 cycle. Currently, the only commit in the Buckeyes’ 2025 class is four-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair. While it doesn’t seem like the Buckeyes are in line to land Barbour, stranger things have happened, and we’ve got two and a half weeks to see if OSU can pull off the upset.
Buckeyes Make the Cut for Multiple Prospects
Yesterday, four-star running back Tiqwai Hayes from Aliquippa, Pa. announced the top eight schools that he is considering. The No. 340 player in the 2025 cycle according to 247Sports Composite rankings, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound back has narrowed down his college selections to Ohio State, Cincinnati, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia.
No news yet on when Hayes plans to make a commitment.
Top 8blessed to be sharing this #Goddid pic.twitter.com/kM8co5CF8x
—tikey
The Buckeyes also got welcome news from 2025 linebacker Elijah Melendez yesterday. The No. 251 player in the country according to 247 told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic that OSU was currently one of the top schools that he is considering.
“I was very excited and Ohio State is in my top 5 right now,” Melendez said. “I have already built a great relationship with a couple coaches there and I’m loving it.”
Melendez is a 6-foot-1.5, 223-pound linebacker from Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Fla. — which just so happens to be where I live. The backer plans to come up for a game this season, but has not yet determined when he will make the trip up to Columbus.
On Campus This Weekend
Yesterday, Kurelic also ran through the list of players who are currently scheduled to attend OSU’s game against Youngstown State on Saturday. While the game against the Penguins isn’t going to draw nearly the high-profile names that future games against Penn State, Michigan State, or Minnesota are, there are still a handful of interesting names, including some of the Buckeyes’ top committed players from the 2024 class.
Also, planning to be on campus for Saturday, Sept. 16’s game against Western Kentucky are former Notre Dame commit, four-star 2024 tight end Nate Roberts; four-star 2025 running back Bo Jackson; and 2026 cornerback Elbert Hill. All three players hold Ohio State offers.
Top Basketball Prospect Sets Fall Visit Schedule
I cannot blame 6-foot-11, high four-star center Malachi Moreno for making the most of the NCAA visit rules. The No. 57 player in the 2025 class, Moreno has lined up an impressive list across the Midwest this fall to take in some games at some big-time football schools.
From Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Ky., Moreno currently has plans to visit eight schools in as many weeks, taking in such games as Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Tennessee vs. South Carolina, Ohio State vs. Penn State, and Kentucky vs. Tennessee.
Currently, the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine pins Iowa as the favorite with a 35.4% chance to land the center.
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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: In the words of Belichick, ‘We’re on to Columbus’
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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: In the words of Belichick, ‘We’re on to Columbus’
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
Josh and Chuck leave the memories of Bloomington behind as they preview Ohio State’s home opener and a much-needed opportunity for the Buckeyes to get their swagger back.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Josh and Chuck circle back to some of their Week 1 thoughts, now that they’ve had a few days to sit and reflect. Both agree that while Ohio State looked shaky in Bloomington, it could be much, much worse... Like being a Clemson fan.
The Buckeyes take on the Youngstown StateFighting Tressels Penguins in Week 2, and the Hangout Boys are back with a scintillating preview. I mean, what else would you expect for a game of this magnitude?
In all seriousness, these hosts are anticipating a much stronger showing from the Scarlet and Gray this weekend. After a conservative approach to open the season on the road, Josh and Chuck expect to see Ryan Day and company really let loose back in the friendly and comfortable confines of The Shoe. And if they don’t, well then Columbus, we may have a problem.
Plus, the guys react to Day’s weekly presser and do their best to make sense of the Buckeyes’ current quarterback situation.
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
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
Josh and Chuck leave the memories of Bloomington behind as they preview Ohio State’s home opener and a much-needed opportunity for the Buckeyes to get their swagger back.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Josh and Chuck circle back to some of their Week 1 thoughts, now that they’ve had a few days to sit and reflect. Both agree that while Ohio State looked shaky in Bloomington, it could be much, much worse... Like being a Clemson fan.
The Buckeyes take on the Youngstown State
In all seriousness, these hosts are anticipating a much stronger showing from the Scarlet and Gray this weekend. After a conservative approach to open the season on the road, Josh and Chuck expect to see Ryan Day and company really let loose back in the friendly and comfortable confines of The Shoe. And if they don’t, well then Columbus, we may have a problem.
Plus, the guys react to Day’s weekly presser and do their best to make sense of the Buckeyes’ current quarterback situation.
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut Podcast: Ryan Day says offensive play ‘won’t be good enough’ to reach goals
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Uncut Podcast: Ryan Day says offensive play ‘won’t be good enough’ to reach goals
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ryan Day and Jim Knowles also discuss how the new clock rules hampered rotation.
Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from their respective Tuesday, Sept. 5 press conferences. The pair of coaches discussed their impressions of the 23-3 victory over Indiana on Saturday. While Day noted that the offense would have to improve for the team to reach its goals, Knowles was overall pleased by his unit’s performance, aside from a few third-down plays.
Both coaches said that the new clock rules hampered their ability to rotate players in more, including Devin Brown and Xavier Johnson on offense and C.J. Hicks and Ja’Had Carter on defense.
Watch the full press conference on Ohio State’s official Facebook Page: Login to view embedded media
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
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
Ryan Day and Jim Knowles also discuss how the new clock rules hampered rotation.
Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from their respective Tuesday, Sept. 5 press conferences. The pair of coaches discussed their impressions of the 23-3 victory over Indiana on Saturday. While Day noted that the offense would have to improve for the team to reach its goals, Knowles was overall pleased by his unit’s performance, aside from a few third-down plays.
Both coaches said that the new clock rules hampered their ability to rotate players in more, including Devin Brown and Xavier Johnson on offense and C.J. Hicks and Ja’Had Carter on defense.
Watch the full press conference on Ohio State’s official Facebook Page: Login to view embedded media
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Music by: www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
