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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who is your favorite Michigan Musical Theatre graduate?
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You’re Nuts: Who is your favorite Michigan Musical Theatre graduate?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” 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.
She might not be a household name outside of musical theatre circles (yet), but there’s only one Michigan graduate I would commit light vandalism for (and, in fact, have), and that’s Tony Award Winner Celia Keenan-Bolger.
If you’ve had the great fortune of seeing four-time Tony Award nominee CKB perform live, you know she is both a person with immense star power AND tremendous range.
She has the emotional maturity and groundedness of someone wise beyond her years. She moves with the playful innocence of a small child who hasn’t yet figured out what to do with their limbs. She can make you laugh. She can break your heart. She can sing. She can blow you away with a monologue. The list goes on…
The beloved Broadway and television actress received a Tony Award nomination for her Broadway debut as Olive Ostrovsky in the 2005 William Finn musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
From there, CKB has showcased her consistent excellence in a number of Broadway shows, performing in both plays and musicals and receiving Tony nominations for her roles in “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “The Glass Menagerie.”
In 2019, Keenan-Bolger won her first Tony Award for her performance as Scout in Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill A Mockingbird.” In a year that was stacked with star turns, Keenan-Bolger was the talk of the town. She blew audiences and critics away with her ability to convincingly play a child. She nailed not only the emotional innocence, empathy, and curiosity of Scout but also the physical mannerisms of children that are often so hard for adults to replicate (once you learn limb control, it’s hard to go back).
The thing about Keenan-Bolger that sets her apart in her work is that she is excellent in everything she does, regardless of the quality of the material. She can elevate even the most mediocre material, and she takes good material and makes it unforgettable.
And if you’ve missed her theatrical performances, not to worry — you can catch her on HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” as Mrs. Bruce, a role she will return to in Season 2 as a series regular.
But more than her superpowers onstage, it is who she is offstage that really sets Keenan-Bolger apart.
Keenan-Bolger is a tireless advocate for kindness, for leaving the world better than you found it, and for starting open and honest conversation about challenges both in the industry and in existing as humans on this planet.
Her podcast “Sunday Pancakes” is ripe with wisdom, insight, and honesty on topics such as perfectionism, social disruption, resilience, and how to have hard conversations with the people we love. Her warmth is palpable. She feels like an old friend. And she is a prime example of what it means to truly be present and listen to the people around you. She is a generous host and one you feel you can relate to in spite of her impressive resume and stack of accolades.
“Our honor defend” might be an Ohio State catchphrase, but for both who she is onstage and off, there’s no one whose honor I’m more readily prepared to defend than that of former Wolverine Celia Keenan-Bolger.
I’m going to be honest with you, had I gotten to pick first on this one, I would have gone with Celia Keenan-Bolger as well. She is not only my favorite Michigan musical theatre grad, but also one of my favorite performers. In fact, for the past seven-ish years, every time I get a text message, Celia says “Hi, Matt Tamanini,” thanks to a mutual friend who knew how much I loved her.
But, since Jami claimed my pick, I am going to broaden my scope to musical theatre folks who graduated from Michigan, regardless of program. While there are some great non-musical theatre stars I could have gone with, like James Earl Jones, Gilda Radner, Arthur Miller, Margo Martindale, and more, I wanted to stay as close to the original prompt as possible.
So, I went with four-time Tony nominee — including a win in 2021 for “A Soldier’s Play” — David Alan Grier. While most people know Grier as an incredible comedic actor in film and television, he actually got his first big break playing Jackie Robinson in a musical of the baseball barrier breaker in 1981 called ”The First.” The show was a flop, running only a total of 64 performances, but it did net three Tony nominations, including one for Grier.
He went on to replace in the original Broadway production of “Dreamgirls,” and continued to do theatre (musical, modern, and classic) before really breaking through in 1990 as a member of the iconic sketch comedy show “In Living Color.”
While Grier has starred in countless sitcoms and movies since then, he has also kept a foot in the theatre, including the musical variety. He replaced Whoopi Goldberg (who replaced Nathan Lane) in the mid-1990s revival of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” was nominated for a Tony for his work in David Mamet’s play “Race,” and was nominated again two years later in 2012 for playing Sportin’ Life in the revival of “Porgy and Bess.”
Grier will be merging his musical and film talents in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” It is currently scheduled to be released on Christmas Day, but various strikes could push it back.
If all you know Grier from is “In Living Color,” “Martin,” Life with Bonnie,” “The Carmichael Show,” or any of his movies, you know that he is incredibly funny, but you might not know what a sensational, classically trained actor he is. After graduating from that school up north, he got a Masters of Fine Arts from Yale and did numerous Shakespearean productions early in his career. Those skills were again on display in the Broadway production of “A Soldier’s Play,” a show that he appeared in during the original Off-Broadway run in 1982 and then in the film version in 1984.
David Alan Grier has been one of the most consistent performers on both stage and screen for over four decades. He has proven is talent in comedies, dramas, and musicals, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more years to come.
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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” 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.
Today’s Question: Who is your favorite Michigan Musical Theatre graduate?
Jami’s Take: Celia Keenan-Bolger
She might not be a household name outside of musical theatre circles (yet), but there’s only one Michigan graduate I would commit light vandalism for (and, in fact, have), and that’s Tony Award Winner Celia Keenan-Bolger.
If you’ve had the great fortune of seeing four-time Tony Award nominee CKB perform live, you know she is both a person with immense star power AND tremendous range.
She has the emotional maturity and groundedness of someone wise beyond her years. She moves with the playful innocence of a small child who hasn’t yet figured out what to do with their limbs. She can make you laugh. She can break your heart. She can sing. She can blow you away with a monologue. The list goes on…
The beloved Broadway and television actress received a Tony Award nomination for her Broadway debut as Olive Ostrovsky in the 2005 William Finn musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
From there, CKB has showcased her consistent excellence in a number of Broadway shows, performing in both plays and musicals and receiving Tony nominations for her roles in “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “The Glass Menagerie.”
In 2019, Keenan-Bolger won her first Tony Award for her performance as Scout in Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill A Mockingbird.” In a year that was stacked with star turns, Keenan-Bolger was the talk of the town. She blew audiences and critics away with her ability to convincingly play a child. She nailed not only the emotional innocence, empathy, and curiosity of Scout but also the physical mannerisms of children that are often so hard for adults to replicate (once you learn limb control, it’s hard to go back).
The thing about Keenan-Bolger that sets her apart in her work is that she is excellent in everything she does, regardless of the quality of the material. She can elevate even the most mediocre material, and she takes good material and makes it unforgettable.
And if you’ve missed her theatrical performances, not to worry — you can catch her on HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” as Mrs. Bruce, a role she will return to in Season 2 as a series regular.
But more than her superpowers onstage, it is who she is offstage that really sets Keenan-Bolger apart.
Keenan-Bolger is a tireless advocate for kindness, for leaving the world better than you found it, and for starting open and honest conversation about challenges both in the industry and in existing as humans on this planet.
Her podcast “Sunday Pancakes” is ripe with wisdom, insight, and honesty on topics such as perfectionism, social disruption, resilience, and how to have hard conversations with the people we love. Her warmth is palpable. She feels like an old friend. And she is a prime example of what it means to truly be present and listen to the people around you. She is a generous host and one you feel you can relate to in spite of her impressive resume and stack of accolades.
“Our honor defend” might be an Ohio State catchphrase, but for both who she is onstage and off, there’s no one whose honor I’m more readily prepared to defend than that of former Wolverine Celia Keenan-Bolger.
Matt Take: David Alan Grier
I’m going to be honest with you, had I gotten to pick first on this one, I would have gone with Celia Keenan-Bolger as well. She is not only my favorite Michigan musical theatre grad, but also one of my favorite performers. In fact, for the past seven-ish years, every time I get a text message, Celia says “Hi, Matt Tamanini,” thanks to a mutual friend who knew how much I loved her.
But, since Jami claimed my pick, I am going to broaden my scope to musical theatre folks who graduated from Michigan, regardless of program. While there are some great non-musical theatre stars I could have gone with, like James Earl Jones, Gilda Radner, Arthur Miller, Margo Martindale, and more, I wanted to stay as close to the original prompt as possible.
So, I went with four-time Tony nominee — including a win in 2021 for “A Soldier’s Play” — David Alan Grier. While most people know Grier as an incredible comedic actor in film and television, he actually got his first big break playing Jackie Robinson in a musical of the baseball barrier breaker in 1981 called ”The First.” The show was a flop, running only a total of 64 performances, but it did net three Tony nominations, including one for Grier.
He went on to replace in the original Broadway production of “Dreamgirls,” and continued to do theatre (musical, modern, and classic) before really breaking through in 1990 as a member of the iconic sketch comedy show “In Living Color.”
While Grier has starred in countless sitcoms and movies since then, he has also kept a foot in the theatre, including the musical variety. He replaced Whoopi Goldberg (who replaced Nathan Lane) in the mid-1990s revival of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” was nominated for a Tony for his work in David Mamet’s play “Race,” and was nominated again two years later in 2012 for playing Sportin’ Life in the revival of “Porgy and Bess.”
Grier will be merging his musical and film talents in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” It is currently scheduled to be released on Christmas Day, but various strikes could push it back.
If all you know Grier from is “In Living Color,” “Martin,” Life with Bonnie,” “The Carmichael Show,” or any of his movies, you know that he is incredibly funny, but you might not know what a sensational, classically trained actor he is. After graduating from that school up north, he got a Masters of Fine Arts from Yale and did numerous Shakespearean productions early in his career. Those skills were again on display in the Broadway production of “A Soldier’s Play,” a show that he appeared in during the original Off-Broadway run in 1982 and then in the film version in 1984.
David Alan Grier has been one of the most consistent performers on both stage and screen for over four decades. He has proven is talent in comedies, dramas, and musicals, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more years to come.
Continue reading...
LGHL Three Ohio State Buckeyes are playing in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
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Three Ohio State Buckeyes are playing in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
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 Maddie Meyer - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Two former Buckeyes will be playing in Australia & New Zealand, and one current Ohio State player will join them.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicked off early Thursday morning on the other side of the world. The anticipated event is being hosted by Australia and New Zealand, marking the first time that either country has hosted the Women’s World Cup.
The United States will be trying to become the first country to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup three-straight times, and they will be looking to win their fifth overall Women’s World Cup. This edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first with 32 teams participating in the event.
Even though there are no Ohio State Buckeyes playing for the United States Women’s National Team, there are three current and past Buckeyes playing for other countries in the event. Tiffany Cameron and Peyton McNamara were named to Jamaica’s squad, while Nichelle Prince will be playing for Canada. Prince and Cameron will be making their second trips to the World Cup, as they played for their countries back in 2019 in France.
After growing up in Toronto, Cameron came to Ohio State in 2009. In her four years in Columbus, Cameron became one of the most decorated athletes in program history. Cameron was twice named first team All-Big Ten and NSCAA second team All-American. The forward would leave Ohio State as the school’s all-time leading goal scorer, netting 40 goals, with 21 of those tallies coming in 2012.
Cameron originally started her international career with Canada, making six appearances for the national team before deciding to switch her affiliation to Jamaica. Since all six of her appearances for Canada came in friendlies, Cameron was still eligible to play for Jamaica. After making her debut for Jamaica’s National Team, Cameron appeared in two of three games Jamaica played at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Overall, Cameron has appeared in 12 matches for Jamaica, scoring five goals while on the pitch.
A current member of the Ohio State women’s soccer team that will be at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is midfielder Peyton McNamara, who will also be playing for Jamaica. McNamara was the 2021 Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year after scoring six times, with two of those goals being game-winners. After a strong first season at Ohio State, McNamara had a bit of a setback as an ankle injury only allowed her to appear in five games as a sophomore. McNamara bounced back last year, scoring seven goals, which ranked third on the team.
The Ohio State midfielder was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, but was able to play for the Jamaican National Team because of her mother’s heritage. McNamara made her debut for Jamaica back in June 2021 against Nigeria, and has made one other appearance for the national team since. Even if McNamara doesn’t see a ton of minutes in this year’s World Cup, she should feature heavily in the future of Jamaica’s national team.
McNamara and Cameron’s first match in Group F is scheduled for Sunday morning against France in Sydney. The Reggae Girlz will then travel to Perth to take on Panama on Saturday morning, followed by their final game in the group stage on Wednesday August 2nd against Brazil in Melbourne. If Jamaica is able to make it to the knockout stage it will be the first time they have advanced past the group stage.
During Nichelle Prince’s time at Ohio State from 2013 to 2016, the forward appeared in 72 games for the Buckeyes, scoring 27 goals during that span. Prince ranks eighth all-time in program history in goals, and fifth in assists. While at Ohio State, Prince was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. After graduating from Ohio State, Prince was selected by the Houston Dash with the 28th overall pick in the 2017 NWSL Draft.
While Prince had a great college career, as well becoming a mainstay in Houston, her international career has had a few more ups-and-downs. Prince became the first Ohio State women’s soccer player to compete in the Olympics when she was part of Canada’s team that won a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics, her 2019 World Cup was cut short by a torn meniscus. Following the injury, Prince would become a two-time medalist when Canada won a gold medal in the 2020 Olympics.
There was doubt Prince would be available for this year’s World Cup when she ruptured her achilles in a friendly at Brazil back in November. There was some surprise when Prince was named to Canada’s squad, but with 13 goals in 90 appearances for Canada, it would have been hard to leave her off the roster. Prince came on as a substitute in Canada’s first match in Group B against Nigeria, entering the match in the 82nd minute. Canada would go on to draw Nigeria 0-0 in Melbourne. The next match for Canada will take place against Ireland on Wednesday morning in Perth, and they will close out the group stage against Australia on Monday July 31 back in Melbourne.
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 Maddie Meyer - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Two former Buckeyes will be playing in Australia & New Zealand, and one current Ohio State player will join them.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicked off early Thursday morning on the other side of the world. The anticipated event is being hosted by Australia and New Zealand, marking the first time that either country has hosted the Women’s World Cup.
The United States will be trying to become the first country to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup three-straight times, and they will be looking to win their fifth overall Women’s World Cup. This edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first with 32 teams participating in the event.
Even though there are no Ohio State Buckeyes playing for the United States Women’s National Team, there are three current and past Buckeyes playing for other countries in the event. Tiffany Cameron and Peyton McNamara were named to Jamaica’s squad, while Nichelle Prince will be playing for Canada. Prince and Cameron will be making their second trips to the World Cup, as they played for their countries back in 2019 in France.
Tiffany Cameron - Forward - Jamaica
After growing up in Toronto, Cameron came to Ohio State in 2009. In her four years in Columbus, Cameron became one of the most decorated athletes in program history. Cameron was twice named first team All-Big Ten and NSCAA second team All-American. The forward would leave Ohio State as the school’s all-time leading goal scorer, netting 40 goals, with 21 of those tallies coming in 2012.
Cameron originally started her international career with Canada, making six appearances for the national team before deciding to switch her affiliation to Jamaica. Since all six of her appearances for Canada came in friendlies, Cameron was still eligible to play for Jamaica. After making her debut for Jamaica’s National Team, Cameron appeared in two of three games Jamaica played at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Overall, Cameron has appeared in 12 matches for Jamaica, scoring five goals while on the pitch.
Peyton McNamara - Midfield - Jamaica
A current member of the Ohio State women’s soccer team that will be at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is midfielder Peyton McNamara, who will also be playing for Jamaica. McNamara was the 2021 Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year after scoring six times, with two of those goals being game-winners. After a strong first season at Ohio State, McNamara had a bit of a setback as an ankle injury only allowed her to appear in five games as a sophomore. McNamara bounced back last year, scoring seven goals, which ranked third on the team.
The Ohio State midfielder was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, but was able to play for the Jamaican National Team because of her mother’s heritage. McNamara made her debut for Jamaica back in June 2021 against Nigeria, and has made one other appearance for the national team since. Even if McNamara doesn’t see a ton of minutes in this year’s World Cup, she should feature heavily in the future of Jamaica’s national team.
McNamara and Cameron’s first match in Group F is scheduled for Sunday morning against France in Sydney. The Reggae Girlz will then travel to Perth to take on Panama on Saturday morning, followed by their final game in the group stage on Wednesday August 2nd against Brazil in Melbourne. If Jamaica is able to make it to the knockout stage it will be the first time they have advanced past the group stage.
Nichelle Prince - Forward - Canada
During Nichelle Prince’s time at Ohio State from 2013 to 2016, the forward appeared in 72 games for the Buckeyes, scoring 27 goals during that span. Prince ranks eighth all-time in program history in goals, and fifth in assists. While at Ohio State, Prince was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. After graduating from Ohio State, Prince was selected by the Houston Dash with the 28th overall pick in the 2017 NWSL Draft.
While Prince had a great college career, as well becoming a mainstay in Houston, her international career has had a few more ups-and-downs. Prince became the first Ohio State women’s soccer player to compete in the Olympics when she was part of Canada’s team that won a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics, her 2019 World Cup was cut short by a torn meniscus. Following the injury, Prince would become a two-time medalist when Canada won a gold medal in the 2020 Olympics.
There was doubt Prince would be available for this year’s World Cup when she ruptured her achilles in a friendly at Brazil back in November. There was some surprise when Prince was named to Canada’s squad, but with 13 goals in 90 appearances for Canada, it would have been hard to leave her off the roster. Prince came on as a substitute in Canada’s first match in Group B against Nigeria, entering the match in the 82nd minute. Canada would go on to draw Nigeria 0-0 in Melbourne. The next match for Canada will take place against Ireland on Wednesday morning in Perth, and they will close out the group stage against Australia on Monday July 31 back in Melbourne.
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LGHL That Team Up North: Is J.J. McCarthy really all that?
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That Team Up North: Is J.J. McCarthy really all that?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images
AND a bag of chips? Unfortunately, he just might be.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
There were quite a few ugly parts of last year’s rivalry game. The TTUN cheerleader running back and forth down the end zone with the UM flag after every touchdown. Running back Donovan Edwards repeatedly breaking free and scoring. Perhaps the worst of all was true sophomore J.J. McCarthy just making it look easy tearing up the Ohio State defense.
Last year was McCarthy’s first year as a starter after sitting behind Cade McNamara in 2021. His stats aren’t eye-popping; there isn’t really one game that sticks out to you. He finished the season with 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 79.1 QBR, good for 16th in the nation.
It must be noted that he is also a dual-threat quarterback. He ended 2022 with 306 rushing yards on 70 carries and five touchdowns. Is that impressive? Yes, I would definitely say so. I’m certainly not bashing McCarthy — he had a really solid first season as a starter. He even performed pretty well in the CFB Playoff game versus TCU, passing for 343 yards and running for an additional 52. Clearly, the guy is cool under pressure.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24803208/1454901789.jpg "Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Michigan v TCU")
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
But, what is his outlook for the 2023 season and beyond? If he decides to go pro following this season, a lot of analysts have him going easily in the first round, possibly as the second QB taken overall behind Heisman winner Caleb Williams.
He has already impressed many despite only being 20 years old (he was actually 19 for the entirety of last season, which is insane). McCarthy is very mature for his age and head coach Jim Harbaugh touts his leadership qualities. The fact that he had the ability to lead his team to the CFB Playoff and a 13-1 season at just 19 is really impressive.
When you combine those skills with his size (about 6 feet 3 inches, 200 pounds), running ability and arm talent, you got yourself a pretty dang good QB. The Wolverines didn’t have any mind-boggling receivers last season either — no 1,000-yard guys, and their leading WR, Ronnie Bell, went pro, so truly, the offense runs through McCarthy.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24803234/1453520248.jpg "Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Michigan v TCU")
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Yes, it helps that he had two great running backs in Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards (and they’re both back this year, unfortunately). But, even without Corum against Ohio State or TCU, the offense still dominated. McCarthy is the leader, no doubt.
Now, with a year under his belt as a starter, he should be even scarier this year. Coming into last year’s season, he missed spring ball as a result of offseason shoulder surgery. Now, he is fully healthy and played a full spring, feeling ready to go.
If McCarthy stays healthy and plays to his full potential this season, I don’t see many other quarterbacks being better than him. He definitely has what it takes to take this team back to the CFB Playoff. Hopefully now that Ohio State’s defense has played against him once, they have figured out what it takes to stop him the second time around.
Continue reading...
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images
AND a bag of chips? Unfortunately, he just might be.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
There were quite a few ugly parts of last year’s rivalry game. The TTUN cheerleader running back and forth down the end zone with the UM flag after every touchdown. Running back Donovan Edwards repeatedly breaking free and scoring. Perhaps the worst of all was true sophomore J.J. McCarthy just making it look easy tearing up the Ohio State defense.
Last year was McCarthy’s first year as a starter after sitting behind Cade McNamara in 2021. His stats aren’t eye-popping; there isn’t really one game that sticks out to you. He finished the season with 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 79.1 QBR, good for 16th in the nation.
It must be noted that he is also a dual-threat quarterback. He ended 2022 with 306 rushing yards on 70 carries and five touchdowns. Is that impressive? Yes, I would definitely say so. I’m certainly not bashing McCarthy — he had a really solid first season as a starter. He even performed pretty well in the CFB Playoff game versus TCU, passing for 343 yards and running for an additional 52. Clearly, the guy is cool under pressure.
But, what is his outlook for the 2023 season and beyond? If he decides to go pro following this season, a lot of analysts have him going easily in the first round, possibly as the second QB taken overall behind Heisman winner Caleb Williams.
He has already impressed many despite only being 20 years old (he was actually 19 for the entirety of last season, which is insane). McCarthy is very mature for his age and head coach Jim Harbaugh touts his leadership qualities. The fact that he had the ability to lead his team to the CFB Playoff and a 13-1 season at just 19 is really impressive.
When you combine those skills with his size (about 6 feet 3 inches, 200 pounds), running ability and arm talent, you got yourself a pretty dang good QB. The Wolverines didn’t have any mind-boggling receivers last season either — no 1,000-yard guys, and their leading WR, Ronnie Bell, went pro, so truly, the offense runs through McCarthy.
Yes, it helps that he had two great running backs in Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards (and they’re both back this year, unfortunately). But, even without Corum against Ohio State or TCU, the offense still dominated. McCarthy is the leader, no doubt.
Now, with a year under his belt as a starter, he should be even scarier this year. Coming into last year’s season, he missed spring ball as a result of offseason shoulder surgery. Now, he is fully healthy and played a full spring, feeling ready to go.
If McCarthy stays healthy and plays to his full potential this season, I don’t see many other quarterbacks being better than him. He definitely has what it takes to take this team back to the CFB Playoff. Hopefully now that Ohio State’s defense has played against him once, they have figured out what it takes to stop him the second time around.
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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 41
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 41
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 41 days remaining.
Master Teague wasn’t the most consistent running back Ohio State has had in recent memory, but he was capable of some big runs in the open field, including this 41-yard scamper against Indiana back in 2020. This game nearly got away from the Buckeyes, as a 35-7 lead early in the third quarter was cut down to 42-35 with the Hoosiers in possession of the ball with a chance to tie at the end of the fourth quarter. Ohio State was able to hold on despite an uncharacteristic three-interception game by Justin Fields. Teague finished the afternoon with 169 yards rushing and two TDs.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 41 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Master Teague’s 41-yard TD vs. Indiana (2020)
Master Teague wasn’t the most consistent running back Ohio State has had in recent memory, but he was capable of some big runs in the open field, including this 41-yard scamper against Indiana back in 2020. This game nearly got away from the Buckeyes, as a 35-7 lead early in the third quarter was cut down to 42-35 with the Hoosiers in possession of the ball with a chance to tie at the end of the fourth quarter. Ohio State was able to hold on despite an uncharacteristic three-interception game by Justin Fields. Teague finished the afternoon with 169 yards rushing and two TDs.
Players to Wear the #41 (since 2010):
- Tony Jackson (2008-11)
- Bryce Haynes (2012-15)
- Aaron Mawhirter (2013)
- Hayden Jester (2016-18)
- Josh Proctor (2019-present)
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