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LGHL Ohio State to host No. 1 2026 running back later this year, welcomes in-state linebacker on Saturday
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Ohio State to host No. 1 2026 running back later this year, welcomes in-state linebacker on Saturday
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Savion Hiter | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are gearing up to host some major recruiting targets in the coming weeks.
After seeing the Buckeyes’ dominating performance against Western Michigan, the idea of Ohio State getting better from week to week seems to be already well on it’s way. Though no game was played last Saturday, Ryan Day and the rest of his coaching staff made the most of their time off the field.
Calling it their “improvement week”, it will be fun to see the strides the Buckeyes took when they take the field against Marshall in just a couple of days. Off the field, you can guarantee the week off gave this staff increased time for recruiting, and they took full advantage of that.
More marquee contests coming up for Ohio State, improvement week is now in the books and it’s time to get back to showing just how special this season can be.
Through two games, the evidence of Ohio State’s running back tandem being the best in the country is pretty clear. Seeing both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins having early success is music to the ears of fans and this coaching staff, but this is really only just the beginning.
From a recruiting standpoint, top targets seeing the success and stardom has to give the Buckeyes an edge when pitching these top players. With several home games coming up as opportunities to host these talented prospects, surely the staff will use their two studs as an advantage.
Setting his visit plans for the fall, the nation’s top running back in the country for the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite has included Ohio State among his stops. Five-star talent Savion Hiter has his agenda for a handful of schools in the works, and plans to see the Buckeyes on Nov. 9 when Purdue comes to town. In addition, Hiter will also see Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Michigan, and Penn State in that order all before heading to Columbus.
A Virginia native, Hiter has to love what they Buckeyes have done with fellow Virginian, TreVeyon Henderson. A ploy Carlos Locklyn surely could use to further boost his recruiting chops, it’s testimony for Ohio State to prove that another player like Henderson with a same prep ranking could very well come in and have similar success.
Getting a player like Hater on campus at any time is a major win in recruiting, but having this current tandem only further increases the Buckeyes’ chances of continuing to land elite running back targets.
The No. 115 player nationally and eighth-best linebacker in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Johnson is also the fourth best player in Ohio. With nearly 20 offers to his name already, Ohio State has yet to be one of them, but the program is likely to pull the trigger eventually knowing the pipeline this program has helped build.
You can bet position coach James Laurinaitis will be all over this one on Saturday, and an offer in the near future wouldn’t be a total surprise as his stock continues to rise.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Savion Hiter | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are gearing up to host some major recruiting targets in the coming weeks.
After seeing the Buckeyes’ dominating performance against Western Michigan, the idea of Ohio State getting better from week to week seems to be already well on it’s way. Though no game was played last Saturday, Ryan Day and the rest of his coaching staff made the most of their time off the field.
Calling it their “improvement week”, it will be fun to see the strides the Buckeyes took when they take the field against Marshall in just a couple of days. Off the field, you can guarantee the week off gave this staff increased time for recruiting, and they took full advantage of that.
More marquee contests coming up for Ohio State, improvement week is now in the books and it’s time to get back to showing just how special this season can be.
Top 2026 running back sets fall visit plans
Through two games, the evidence of Ohio State’s running back tandem being the best in the country is pretty clear. Seeing both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins having early success is music to the ears of fans and this coaching staff, but this is really only just the beginning.
From a recruiting standpoint, top targets seeing the success and stardom has to give the Buckeyes an edge when pitching these top players. With several home games coming up as opportunities to host these talented prospects, surely the staff will use their two studs as an advantage.
Setting his visit plans for the fall, the nation’s top running back in the country for the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite has included Ohio State among his stops. Five-star talent Savion Hiter has his agenda for a handful of schools in the works, and plans to see the Buckeyes on Nov. 9 when Purdue comes to town. In addition, Hiter will also see Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Michigan, and Penn State in that order all before heading to Columbus.
A Virginia native, Hiter has to love what they Buckeyes have done with fellow Virginian, TreVeyon Henderson. A ploy Carlos Locklyn surely could use to further boost his recruiting chops, it’s testimony for Ohio State to prove that another player like Henderson with a same prep ranking could very well come in and have similar success.
Getting a player like Hater on campus at any time is a major win in recruiting, but having this current tandem only further increases the Buckeyes’ chances of continuing to land elite running back targets.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State is no stranger to hosting in-state players for game days, and multiple are taking this weekend as one of those opportunities. Making the trek from Cleveland, Glenville product Cincere Johnson has plans to be at Ohio State this weekend for the Marshall game.
The No. 115 player nationally and eighth-best linebacker in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Johnson is also the fourth best player in Ohio. With nearly 20 offers to his name already, Ohio State has yet to be one of them, but the program is likely to pull the trigger eventually knowing the pipeline this program has helped build.
You can bet position coach James Laurinaitis will be all over this one on Saturday, and an offer in the near future wouldn’t be a total surprise as his stock continues to rise.
I’ll be down at the Shoe This Saturday! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/vuRk23NOGO
— Cincere Johnson 4️ (@JCincere8) September 18, 2024
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LB Cincere Johnson (Official Thread)
- By pnuts34
- Buckeye Football
- 96 Replies
LGHL You’re Nuts: What are you hoping to learn about Ohio State before conference play?
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You’re Nuts: What are you hoping to learn about Ohio State before conference play?
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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
Today’s Question: What are you hoping to learn about Ohio State before conference play?
The Buckeyes' offense has been firing on almost all cylinders under new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, with quarterback Will Howard surrounded by a wealth of weapons, including running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, and wide receivers Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith.
Through two games, the team has 644 passing yards, 443 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 54 first downs.
The craziest part? They’re doing it with a limited playbook. Head coach Ryan Day said a few days ago that Kelly hasn’t opened up the full offensive playbook yet, which means Kelly has more up his sleeve.
Huge, if true.
The Buckeyes’ offense hasn’t really been tested yet, so it’s not yet clear just how high their ceiling is—but they already look like they’re playing national championship-caliber football.
That doesn’t mean it’s been perfect. The offensive line has had its share of challenges, and frankly, the right side in particular has some issues they need to sort out before Ohio State has to face a competitor like Oregon. They’re doing a fine job, but they’ll need to be a little more confident and explosive against some of the tougher Big Ten opponents than was required of them against Akron or Western Michigan.
Still, the offensive line as a whole improved drastically between Week 1 and Week 2, and they’ll get Donovan Jackson back this weekend after he missed the first two games with an injury, which brings some added leadership to the group.
Even with the offensive line’s room for improvement, if I were a defensive coordinator, I would hate to see Ohio State coming. Based on talent alone, they would be a nightmare to defend. But even more challenging is that Kelly’s play-calling is unpredictable. We haven’t even gotten to the good stuff.
By the time the Buckeyes get to the meat of their conference schedule, I expect the offense Kelly is going to have them running to look entirely different than what we see today.
For starters, other teams are making adjustments to how they’ll defend us based on these early games. As Smith heats up, for example, the coverage on him will tighten, freeing Egbuka to play the starring role everyone expected him to play before the season started.
Kelly’s offense will have to adjust, which is part of why the depth he’s been talking about is so critical. It gives him more options. Plus, a longer season necessitates depth to avoid wear and tear on your top guys, it becomes even more important to have other players lined up and ready to go at the drop of a hat. Kelly can work with that.
But don’t expect Kelly to take a reactive approach to football. He’s a proactive guy, and he’s going to coax aggression out of his players, no matter who the opponent is or where the player is in his depth chart.
That means we can expect to see even more creativity in the play-calling. Chip Kelly isn’t new to play-calling, but it’s going to be exciting to see what he can really do with this much talent. If this is what this team is accomplishing and we’re only a few chapters into his playbook, just imagine how high they can fly.
The further we get into Kelly’s plans, the more we’re going to learn about just how special this team is and exactly how they stack up against the other top teams in the country.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure that there’s a lot that will really satisfy my cravings for knowledge by watching the Buckeyes play Marshall this Saturday, because, well... it’s Marshall. But there is one area where the Thundering Herd conceivably will give OSU a challenge.
Coming into their Week 4 matchup, Marshall currently has the fourth-best defensive pressure grade according to Pro Football Focus. I don’t put a ton of stock into PFF grades, but they can be a useful tool to point you in the right direction of things to look for, or to confirm what you see with the naked eye.
Ohio State will be welcoming back Donovan Jackson to the offensive line this weekend, so I am curious to see what the legitimate first-team offensive line can do against a defensive attack that at least has some semblance of ability to put pressure on Will Howard. Granted, Marshall was far more effective at generating pressure versus Stony Brook than it was against Virginia Tech, but the Herd still graded out with a solid 68.5 against the Hokies.
So while the offensive line looked reasonably improved against Western Michigan, I would like to know if they are ready for a legitimate Big Ten challenge. Again, I’m not sure that we will actually be able to glean that based solely on a matchup with Marshall, but before the conference slate officially starts, it might be the one thing that we actually able to get any insight on.
The Buckeyes’ pass protection has been pretty solid thus far, ranking in the top 20 according to PFF. But by sliding Jackson back in, it is possible that things don’t look as cohesive as we would like. Even if that’s the case, I would welcome seeing what Howard can truly do on the move.
We’ve seen him avoid pressure in the pocket through the first two games, but I am curious what he will be able to do against a front seven that is truly bearing down on him. Obviously I hope we never have to find out, but I remain unconvinced that the offensive line is capable of anything approaching Joe Moore Award-level. So, if by chance, Marshall is able to get some free runners in the backfield at some point, I wouldn’t necessarily like it, but I would welcome the ability to see what Howard does in those situations.
So, ultimately, as I wrap up this rambling missive, I want to feel confident in the Ohio State offensive line’s ability to protect Will Howard, I’m just not so sure that we will have a definitive answer before the Bucks kick off the B1G schedule against Michigan State next weekend.
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
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
Today’s Question: What are you hoping to learn about Ohio State before conference play?
Jami’s Take: Just how high is the offense’s ceiling under Chip Kelly?
The Buckeyes' offense has been firing on almost all cylinders under new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, with quarterback Will Howard surrounded by a wealth of weapons, including running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, and wide receivers Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith.
Through two games, the team has 644 passing yards, 443 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 54 first downs.
The craziest part? They’re doing it with a limited playbook. Head coach Ryan Day said a few days ago that Kelly hasn’t opened up the full offensive playbook yet, which means Kelly has more up his sleeve.
Huge, if true.
The Buckeyes’ offense hasn’t really been tested yet, so it’s not yet clear just how high their ceiling is—but they already look like they’re playing national championship-caliber football.
That doesn’t mean it’s been perfect. The offensive line has had its share of challenges, and frankly, the right side in particular has some issues they need to sort out before Ohio State has to face a competitor like Oregon. They’re doing a fine job, but they’ll need to be a little more confident and explosive against some of the tougher Big Ten opponents than was required of them against Akron or Western Michigan.
Still, the offensive line as a whole improved drastically between Week 1 and Week 2, and they’ll get Donovan Jackson back this weekend after he missed the first two games with an injury, which brings some added leadership to the group.
Even with the offensive line’s room for improvement, if I were a defensive coordinator, I would hate to see Ohio State coming. Based on talent alone, they would be a nightmare to defend. But even more challenging is that Kelly’s play-calling is unpredictable. We haven’t even gotten to the good stuff.
By the time the Buckeyes get to the meat of their conference schedule, I expect the offense Kelly is going to have them running to look entirely different than what we see today.
For starters, other teams are making adjustments to how they’ll defend us based on these early games. As Smith heats up, for example, the coverage on him will tighten, freeing Egbuka to play the starring role everyone expected him to play before the season started.
Kelly’s offense will have to adjust, which is part of why the depth he’s been talking about is so critical. It gives him more options. Plus, a longer season necessitates depth to avoid wear and tear on your top guys, it becomes even more important to have other players lined up and ready to go at the drop of a hat. Kelly can work with that.
But don’t expect Kelly to take a reactive approach to football. He’s a proactive guy, and he’s going to coax aggression out of his players, no matter who the opponent is or where the player is in his depth chart.
That means we can expect to see even more creativity in the play-calling. Chip Kelly isn’t new to play-calling, but it’s going to be exciting to see what he can really do with this much talent. If this is what this team is accomplishing and we’re only a few chapters into his playbook, just imagine how high they can fly.
The further we get into Kelly’s plans, the more we’re going to learn about just how special this team is and exactly how they stack up against the other top teams in the country.
Matt’s Take: How the offensive line holds up against a decent pass rush
Unfortunately, I’m not sure that there’s a lot that will really satisfy my cravings for knowledge by watching the Buckeyes play Marshall this Saturday, because, well... it’s Marshall. But there is one area where the Thundering Herd conceivably will give OSU a challenge.
Coming into their Week 4 matchup, Marshall currently has the fourth-best defensive pressure grade according to Pro Football Focus. I don’t put a ton of stock into PFF grades, but they can be a useful tool to point you in the right direction of things to look for, or to confirm what you see with the naked eye.
Ohio State will be welcoming back Donovan Jackson to the offensive line this weekend, so I am curious to see what the legitimate first-team offensive line can do against a defensive attack that at least has some semblance of ability to put pressure on Will Howard. Granted, Marshall was far more effective at generating pressure versus Stony Brook than it was against Virginia Tech, but the Herd still graded out with a solid 68.5 against the Hokies.
So while the offensive line looked reasonably improved against Western Michigan, I would like to know if they are ready for a legitimate Big Ten challenge. Again, I’m not sure that we will actually be able to glean that based solely on a matchup with Marshall, but before the conference slate officially starts, it might be the one thing that we actually able to get any insight on.
The Buckeyes’ pass protection has been pretty solid thus far, ranking in the top 20 according to PFF. But by sliding Jackson back in, it is possible that things don’t look as cohesive as we would like. Even if that’s the case, I would welcome seeing what Howard can truly do on the move.
We’ve seen him avoid pressure in the pocket through the first two games, but I am curious what he will be able to do against a front seven that is truly bearing down on him. Obviously I hope we never have to find out, but I remain unconvinced that the offensive line is capable of anything approaching Joe Moore Award-level. So, if by chance, Marshall is able to get some free runners in the backfield at some point, I wouldn’t necessarily like it, but I would welcome the ability to see what Howard does in those situations.
So, ultimately, as I wrap up this rambling missive, I want to feel confident in the Ohio State offensive line’s ability to protect Will Howard, I’m just not so sure that we will have a definitive answer before the Bucks kick off the B1G schedule against Michigan State next weekend.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
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LGHL Three Buckeye offensive players who deserve more playing time this season
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Three Buckeye offensive players who deserve more playing time this season
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A lot of Buckeyes have gotten reps so far this year, but a few have impressed us enough that we’d like to see more
Heading into this season, head coach Ryan Day spoke about the importance of depth, particularly in this age of longer seasons and expanded playoffs. Already this year, we’ve seen Ohio State start to share some of the wealth in terms of giving reps to a number of different guys, and as we edge closer to conference play, we’ve started to see the evolution of Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s vision for this offense.
Still, on a roster overflowing with talent, there are a few players it would be nice to see either take more reps or take on a larger role in some aspect of the offense. Some of these guys don’t necessarily need to start at their position to step into these roles, but given what we’ve seen so far, it would be nice to see more of them.
In a wide receiving room that includes Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, it would be easy for Inniss to get lost. Instead, he’s stepped up as an impact player on special teams (an area the Buckeyes struggled last season), where he has done an exceptional job returning punts.
We’ve seen him take snaps on offense, but he’s been much less utilized than the three other aforementioned wide receivers despite excellent route running and speed on his punt returns. Inniss has proven that he can be a weapon, and while I wouldn’t expect him to step into a starting role this year, it would be great to see him take more reps on offense, especially knowing the other three will face wear and tear as the season goes on.
Inniss is more than capable of holding his own with this offense, and with a little more experience under his belt, he could add even more depth for the Buckeyes at wide receiver, helping to keep the top guys rested and healthy while helping Inniss get valuable game-time experience.
After missing last season due to an unfortunate suspension, Christian is ready to make up for lost time, and while we haven’t seen much from him while other tight ends Gee Scott Jr., Will Kacmarek, and Jelani Thurman take the majority of the snaps, Christian is already making the most of the time he’s had on the field.
The tight ends room has proven to be adept blockers, but they’ve been underutilized as receivers. Christian has the potential to do both—and did against Marshall in Week Two, putting up a 55-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. He’s an excellent route runner as well, in addition to strong blocking, and while the tight ends have to split receptions with an already-stacked offense, it would be nice to see Christian get his hands on the ball a bit more than he is at present.
Christian has said he’s comfortable playing unselfishly and flying a bit under the radar, but this is another case where more reps could help take some of the pressure off Kacmarek, Scott, and Thurman. Christian believes he’s got the mental and physical toughness to be an impact player for the Buckeyes, and he’s already shown he can overcome adversity off the field. More experience in these early games could help him unlock that full potential.
Currently third on the Buckeyes’ depth chart at quarterback, everything we’ve seen so far from Sayin has left us wanting more.
The true freshman, who was the top-rated quarterback and the No. 6 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class, has only taken four snaps, with the majority of the playing time going to starter Will Howard and backup QB Devin Brown, but he’s made the most of each opportunity, going 2-for-2 and maintaining his composure under pressure in key situations. He has put up 61 yards, including the 55-yard touchdown pass to Christian mentioned above, which came on a 4th-and-1 play against Western Michigan.
He’s quick, great in the pocket, and his accurate arm makes him extremely dangerous. And perhaps more importantly, Sayin is one of those guys you just know is going to get better with age.
He has the natural talent, without question, but he also has the kind of attitude that creates champions. While it was a long shot that he’d land the starting job this year, he was never truly out of the running in the offseason despite his lack of experience at the collegiate level. When he does finally get the starting job in the future, more reps now could mean less time getting his sea legs down the road, setting the Buckeyes up for success not just this season but well into the future.
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Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A lot of Buckeyes have gotten reps so far this year, but a few have impressed us enough that we’d like to see more
Heading into this season, head coach Ryan Day spoke about the importance of depth, particularly in this age of longer seasons and expanded playoffs. Already this year, we’ve seen Ohio State start to share some of the wealth in terms of giving reps to a number of different guys, and as we edge closer to conference play, we’ve started to see the evolution of Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s vision for this offense.
Still, on a roster overflowing with talent, there are a few players it would be nice to see either take more reps or take on a larger role in some aspect of the offense. Some of these guys don’t necessarily need to start at their position to step into these roles, but given what we’ve seen so far, it would be nice to see more of them.
Brandon Inniss, WR
In a wide receiving room that includes Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, it would be easy for Inniss to get lost. Instead, he’s stepped up as an impact player on special teams (an area the Buckeyes struggled last season), where he has done an exceptional job returning punts.
We’ve seen him take snaps on offense, but he’s been much less utilized than the three other aforementioned wide receivers despite excellent route running and speed on his punt returns. Inniss has proven that he can be a weapon, and while I wouldn’t expect him to step into a starting role this year, it would be great to see him take more reps on offense, especially knowing the other three will face wear and tear as the season goes on.
Inniss is more than capable of holding his own with this offense, and with a little more experience under his belt, he could add even more depth for the Buckeyes at wide receiver, helping to keep the top guys rested and healthy while helping Inniss get valuable game-time experience.
Bennett Christian, TE
After missing last season due to an unfortunate suspension, Christian is ready to make up for lost time, and while we haven’t seen much from him while other tight ends Gee Scott Jr., Will Kacmarek, and Jelani Thurman take the majority of the snaps, Christian is already making the most of the time he’s had on the field.
The tight ends room has proven to be adept blockers, but they’ve been underutilized as receivers. Christian has the potential to do both—and did against Marshall in Week Two, putting up a 55-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. He’s an excellent route runner as well, in addition to strong blocking, and while the tight ends have to split receptions with an already-stacked offense, it would be nice to see Christian get his hands on the ball a bit more than he is at present.
Christian has said he’s comfortable playing unselfishly and flying a bit under the radar, but this is another case where more reps could help take some of the pressure off Kacmarek, Scott, and Thurman. Christian believes he’s got the mental and physical toughness to be an impact player for the Buckeyes, and he’s already shown he can overcome adversity off the field. More experience in these early games could help him unlock that full potential.
Julian Sayin, QB
Currently third on the Buckeyes’ depth chart at quarterback, everything we’ve seen so far from Sayin has left us wanting more.
The true freshman, who was the top-rated quarterback and the No. 6 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class, has only taken four snaps, with the majority of the playing time going to starter Will Howard and backup QB Devin Brown, but he’s made the most of each opportunity, going 2-for-2 and maintaining his composure under pressure in key situations. He has put up 61 yards, including the 55-yard touchdown pass to Christian mentioned above, which came on a 4th-and-1 play against Western Michigan.
He’s quick, great in the pocket, and his accurate arm makes him extremely dangerous. And perhaps more importantly, Sayin is one of those guys you just know is going to get better with age.
He has the natural talent, without question, but he also has the kind of attitude that creates champions. While it was a long shot that he’d land the starting job this year, he was never truly out of the running in the offseason despite his lack of experience at the collegiate level. When he does finally get the starting job in the future, more reps now could mean less time getting his sea legs down the road, setting the Buckeyes up for success not just this season but well into the future.
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