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LGHL Ohio State dishes out new 2025 basketball offer, prep for busy summer of camps and visits
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State dishes out new 2025 basketball offer, prep for busy summer of camps and visits
Caleb Houser 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
The Buckeyes look to have another loaded summer full of recruiting on the agenda.
With school getting out soon for high school prospects across the country, Ohio State’s coaching staff is gearing up for another busy summer on the recruiting front. Spending the last several weeks out on the road paying visits to long-time priorities and new players as well, we’ve seen how much effort has gone into these current and upcoming classes, which bodes well for the Buckeyes overall.
As the staff spends more time in Columbus during the summer months, it’s camps and visits that will take up much of their time. Big recruiting weekends are already on the schedule with several top players Ohio State is trying to land, and surely the chance to host players for one-day camps will bring up a handful of new names as well.
Last summer was an effective one for the Buckeyes for the 2024 class, and this year should be no different. Knowing this haul can see upwards of 25-plus players, Ohio State has an awesome start so far, but there’s plenty more to be done in order to be satisfied. Odds are the list of names flocking to campus in the coming weeks does nothing but continue to grow.
Most of the time when Ohio State sends an offer out to prospective player, they do so based on what they’ve already seen on film. Sure, some offers are common sense and don’t need much evaluation, but the Buckeyes do their due diligence and have a staff dedicated to watching countless hours of film so they can make a call on whether to offer a certain athlete or not.
That said, when the Buckeyes believe they need a second look, camp invites are often sent out, giving a player the opportunity to work out for the staff and “earn” the offer from Ohio State. Seen before in cases with former Buckeyes like Terry McLaurin, this staff doesn’t hand out anything for free, but camp performances many times can lead to bigger things.
Top players just want to compete, and doing so in front of Ohio State’s staff can further boost their stock. Whatever the scenario, the Buckeyes are going to have tons of kids in front of them during their camp dates, and that’s a great thing for the Buckeyes pursuit of current targets and even potential prospects as well.
Looking at some of the guys already making plans to camp with Ohio State, on Thursday Jabari Mack shared some of his upcoming summer plans, and made sure to include the Buckeyes. The No. 59 player nationally and seventh-best receiver in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Mack is another top player at the position Brian Hartline will look to coach up, and with a loaded offer list to his name already, it won’t be much of a surprise to see the Buckeyes get in the mix in the near future.
The 6-foot, 190 pound athlete currently holds offers from the likes of Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and a host of others, but as it’s been seen time and time again, top recruits at this position tend to have Ohio State somewhere in the mix if not right at the top of their minds.
Moving back inside of the Ohio state lines, Cincinnati, Ohio native Drayden Pavey will also look to camp with the Buckeyes this coming summer, as his plans include a trip on June 5. Coming from a school the staff knows well and produces college football talent annually, Ohio State is no stranger to Pavey, and will love to see him perform on campus as he preps for a strong senior campaign.
A 6-foot-3, 305 pound defensive lineman, Pavey is currently the No. 96 DL in the country per the 247Sports Composite. Cincinnati, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin, and others have already entered his recruitment, but Ohio State has yet to offer, which makes this a potential case of Pavey camping to try and receive one from his in-state blue blood program.
The Buckeyes have two guys already committed on their defensive line for the 2025 class, but still need to work on the interior. A strong performance and senior campaign may just lead to Pavey having a shot.
A 6-foot-5, 180 pound shooting guard, Mullins is currently the No. 108 player nationally and 13th best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite. Holding offers from the likes of Creighton, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford, the Buckeyes now offering allow them to try and make up some ground.
An impressive kid academically looking at the schools he has heard from, head coach Jake Diebler wants to surround himself with full-package type of guys. Being close in distance doesn’t hurt either, but now the next step will be getting him to campus.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser 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
The Buckeyes look to have another loaded summer full of recruiting on the agenda.
With school getting out soon for high school prospects across the country, Ohio State’s coaching staff is gearing up for another busy summer on the recruiting front. Spending the last several weeks out on the road paying visits to long-time priorities and new players as well, we’ve seen how much effort has gone into these current and upcoming classes, which bodes well for the Buckeyes overall.
As the staff spends more time in Columbus during the summer months, it’s camps and visits that will take up much of their time. Big recruiting weekends are already on the schedule with several top players Ohio State is trying to land, and surely the chance to host players for one-day camps will bring up a handful of new names as well.
Last summer was an effective one for the Buckeyes for the 2024 class, and this year should be no different. Knowing this haul can see upwards of 25-plus players, Ohio State has an awesome start so far, but there’s plenty more to be done in order to be satisfied. Odds are the list of names flocking to campus in the coming weeks does nothing but continue to grow.
Visit season is nearly here for Ohio State prospects
Most of the time when Ohio State sends an offer out to prospective player, they do so based on what they’ve already seen on film. Sure, some offers are common sense and don’t need much evaluation, but the Buckeyes do their due diligence and have a staff dedicated to watching countless hours of film so they can make a call on whether to offer a certain athlete or not.
That said, when the Buckeyes believe they need a second look, camp invites are often sent out, giving a player the opportunity to work out for the staff and “earn” the offer from Ohio State. Seen before in cases with former Buckeyes like Terry McLaurin, this staff doesn’t hand out anything for free, but camp performances many times can lead to bigger things.
Top players just want to compete, and doing so in front of Ohio State’s staff can further boost their stock. Whatever the scenario, the Buckeyes are going to have tons of kids in front of them during their camp dates, and that’s a great thing for the Buckeyes pursuit of current targets and even potential prospects as well.
Looking at some of the guys already making plans to camp with Ohio State, on Thursday Jabari Mack shared some of his upcoming summer plans, and made sure to include the Buckeyes. The No. 59 player nationally and seventh-best receiver in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Mack is another top player at the position Brian Hartline will look to coach up, and with a loaded offer list to his name already, it won’t be much of a surprise to see the Buckeyes get in the mix in the near future.
The 6-foot, 190 pound athlete currently holds offers from the likes of Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and a host of others, but as it’s been seen time and time again, top recruits at this position tend to have Ohio State somewhere in the mix if not right at the top of their minds.
Moving back inside of the Ohio state lines, Cincinnati, Ohio native Drayden Pavey will also look to camp with the Buckeyes this coming summer, as his plans include a trip on June 5. Coming from a school the staff knows well and produces college football talent annually, Ohio State is no stranger to Pavey, and will love to see him perform on campus as he preps for a strong senior campaign.
A 6-foot-3, 305 pound defensive lineman, Pavey is currently the No. 96 DL in the country per the 247Sports Composite. Cincinnati, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin, and others have already entered his recruitment, but Ohio State has yet to offer, which makes this a potential case of Pavey camping to try and receive one from his in-state blue blood program.
The Buckeyes have two guys already committed on their defensive line for the 2025 class, but still need to work on the interior. A strong performance and senior campaign may just lead to Pavey having a shot.
Quick Hits
- The basketball program is also putting in the recruiting work, and sent out their latest offer yesterday in the 2025 class to Indiana native, Braylon Mullins.
A 6-foot-5, 180 pound shooting guard, Mullins is currently the No. 108 player nationally and 13th best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite. Holding offers from the likes of Creighton, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford, the Buckeyes now offering allow them to try and make up some ground.
An impressive kid academically looking at the schools he has heard from, head coach Jake Diebler wants to surround himself with full-package type of guys. Being close in distance doesn’t hurt either, but now the next step will be getting him to campus.
After a great conversation with @JakeDiebler I am blessed to receive an offer from @OhioStateHoops!!! Thank you for the opportunity!!️ pic.twitter.com/tP10A1loVr
— Braylon Mullins (@mullins_braylon) May 23, 2024
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State’s football team got good grades, so Ryan Day got paid
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State’s football team got good grades, so Ryan Day got paid
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
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Ryan Day adds to bonus total after Buckeyes’ academic achievement
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
NCAA, Power Conferences Approve Settlement to Allow for Revenue Sharing
Amanda Christovich, Front Office Sports
If I Was in Charge: I would name a starting QB ASAP
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Post-spring college football SP+ rankings and takeaways
Bill Connelly, ESPN
Way-too-early Big Ten power rankings after heated transfer portal arms race
Isaac Trotter, 247Sports
Former Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. signs rookie NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
OSU won’t play Friday night Big Ten game on FOX in 2024
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Four most intriguing Buckeyes heading into summer workouts (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
B1G Thoughts: Ranking FOX’s Friday night football lineup
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land
What does the success of prior McDonald’s All-Americans mean for Aaron Bradshaw, Sean Stewart?
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
If I Was in Charge: The NCAA Tournament would never expand
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Women’s Track & Field: Buckeye Women Have Eight Move Onto NCAA Quarterfinals
Ohio State Athletics
Track & Field: Tobias Punches Ticket to NCAA Championships on Wednesday in East First Round
Ohio State Athletics
Cannot wait for this one:
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
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Ryan Day adds to bonus total after Buckeyes’ academic achievement
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
NCAA, Power Conferences Approve Settlement to Allow for Revenue Sharing
Amanda Christovich, Front Office Sports
If I Was in Charge: I would name a starting QB ASAP
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Post-spring college football SP+ rankings and takeaways
Bill Connelly, ESPN
Way-too-early Big Ten power rankings after heated transfer portal arms race
Isaac Trotter, 247Sports
Former Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. signs rookie NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
OSU won’t play Friday night Big Ten game on FOX in 2024
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Four most intriguing Buckeyes heading into summer workouts (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
B1G Thoughts: Ranking FOX’s Friday night football lineup
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
What does the success of prior McDonald’s All-Americans mean for Aaron Bradshaw, Sean Stewart?
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
If I Was in Charge: The NCAA Tournament would never expand
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Women’s Track & Field: Buckeye Women Have Eight Move Onto NCAA Quarterfinals
Ohio State Athletics
Track & Field: Tobias Punches Ticket to NCAA Championships on Wednesday in East First Round
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Cannot wait for this one:
Continue reading...
2026 FL RB Derrek Cooper (Texas Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 28 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: RB
School: Hollywood (FL) Chaminade Madonna
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: RB
School: Hollywood (FL) Chaminade Madonna
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Ranking FOX’s Friday night football lineup
- News
- 0 Replies
B1G Thoughts: Ranking FOX’s Friday night football lineup
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 Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Starting in 2024, FOX will be showcasing Big Ten football on Friday nights. Let’s rank the 2024 games.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
As a part of the new multi-billion dollar contract the Big Ten signed with FOX, NBC, and CBS, the Big Ten has agreed to play football games on Friday nights. All told, there are rumored to be 16 total games on Fridays, including nine games on FOX and a Black Friday doubleheader including Nebraska vs. Iowa and an unannounced game.
FOX is trying to separate itself in the college football media space first by abandoning the prototypical Saturday primetime slot to put their No. 1 game at Noon on Saturday, following a new pre-game show called Big Noon Kickoff, a direct rival to College Gameday. After seeing success with Big Noon Kickoff, FOX is continuing to try and separate itself by going all in on Friday nights.
Time will tell how successful this endeavor will be, considering that the biggest brands in the Big Ten have fought to stay off Friday nights and FOX’s No. 1 game will always be Saturday at Noon. But lucky for FOX, the four newcomers are big brands and do not have the power to say no to this lineup.
With all that said, let’s look at the nine games and rank them from worst to best...
Have you started Christmas shopping yet? Do you have your groceries for Thanksgiving? I promise you that there are better things to do than to watch this game. Check the score at halftime, and if it’s a good game turn it on in the second half.
Don’t watch this game. Iowa is Iowa, and UCLA has a new coach and lost a lot of its talent. Nov. 8 is past the halfway point of the season, and we have to get ready for the first 12-team playoff. It’s not worth it.
Outside of this being Washington’s first trip to New Jersey I can find many reasons to watch this one. Rutgers will be trying to prove itself and avoid the cellar of the Big Ten. In the long term, I’d expect Washington to be much better than the Scarlet Knights, but in 2024, Rutgers may have a chance for the upset as the Huskies get used to their new conference and travel schedule.
This is the only Friday night matchup between two former Pac-12 schools, but the last time they played it was a 40-32 high-scoring affair. UCLA and Washington both have new coaches and remade rosters, but this could still be a fun game.
I do not think Rutgers nor USC will be good in 2024, but this game could showcase the difference between the Big Ten and the Pac-12. USC should be significantly better than Rutgers, but last season we saw the Scarlet Knights dominate Ohio State on the line of scrimmage in an upset bid. If USC’s defense isn’t fixed and Rutgers gets better quarterback play, this could be a sneaky upset game on a Friday night in October.
Northwestern overachieved last season in the first year of David Braun’s tenure. It is unlikely they will reach those heights again, but winning a primetime game against Maryland could prove Northwestern is here to stay and won’t be returning to the pit of the conference after a resurgent 2023 campaign.
Illinois was a late-season collapse away from winning the Big Ten West in 2022. They struggled last year, but Bret Bielema is one of the best coaches in the conference. Matt Rhule has engineered successful turnarounds at Temple and Baylor, and recently landed five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola. In the early season window, this will be one of our first chances to see Raiola play, and it’s likely to be a good game as well.
This is my No. 2 game because Oregon is primed to make a run at a national championship, and nobody likes ruining national championship hopes more than Purdue. Oregon may want to reach out to Ohio State to gain insight into avoiding the Spoilermakers.
This is my top game largely due to helmets. Oregon is set up to be one of the best teams in the conference from day one, and for my money they’re the only ones ready to make the jump. Similarly, I think Michigan State has the best chance to be successful out of the teams with first and second-year coaches. Michigan State has good access to talent, Jonathan Smith is a great coach and he brought his quarterback with him. If there is any game that will prove to be significant in this lineup, I’d put my money on this one.
Truthfully, this is not a great slate of games. FOX may be spending over a billion dollars on the Big Ten’s tier-one rights, but they were not able to get the big dogs to play ball on Friday night. Unless something surprising happens, none of these games should have any real implications on the Big Ten title race or the 12-team College Football Playoff.
I won’t be skipping date night for any of these games, but if I’m home I’ll tune in.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330
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
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Starting in 2024, FOX will be showcasing Big Ten football on Friday nights. Let’s rank the 2024 games.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
As a part of the new multi-billion dollar contract the Big Ten signed with FOX, NBC, and CBS, the Big Ten has agreed to play football games on Friday nights. All told, there are rumored to be 16 total games on Fridays, including nine games on FOX and a Black Friday doubleheader including Nebraska vs. Iowa and an unannounced game.
FOX is trying to separate itself in the college football media space first by abandoning the prototypical Saturday primetime slot to put their No. 1 game at Noon on Saturday, following a new pre-game show called Big Noon Kickoff, a direct rival to College Gameday. After seeing success with Big Noon Kickoff, FOX is continuing to try and separate itself by going all in on Friday nights.
Time will tell how successful this endeavor will be, considering that the biggest brands in the Big Ten have fought to stay off Friday nights and FOX’s No. 1 game will always be Saturday at Noon. But lucky for FOX, the four newcomers are big brands and do not have the power to say no to this lineup.
With all that said, let’s look at the nine games and rank them from worst to best...
No. 9: Purdue at Michigan State
Friday, Nov. 22 @ 8:00 p.m.
Have you started Christmas shopping yet? Do you have your groceries for Thanksgiving? I promise you that there are better things to do than to watch this game. Check the score at halftime, and if it’s a good game turn it on in the second half.
No. 8: Iowa at UCLA
Friday, Nov. 8 @ 9:00 p.m.
Don’t watch this game. Iowa is Iowa, and UCLA has a new coach and lost a lot of its talent. Nov. 8 is past the halfway point of the season, and we have to get ready for the first 12-team playoff. It’s not worth it.
No. 7: Washington at Rutgers
Friday, Sept. 27 - @ 8:00 p.m.
Outside of this being Washington’s first trip to New Jersey I can find many reasons to watch this one. Rutgers will be trying to prove itself and avoid the cellar of the Big Ten. In the long term, I’d expect Washington to be much better than the Scarlet Knights, but in 2024, Rutgers may have a chance for the upset as the Huskies get used to their new conference and travel schedule.
No. 6: UCLA at Washington
Friday, Nov. 15 - @ 9:00 p.m.
This is the only Friday night matchup between two former Pac-12 schools, but the last time they played it was a 40-32 high-scoring affair. UCLA and Washington both have new coaches and remade rosters, but this could still be a fun game.
No. 5: Rutgers at USC
Friday, Oct. 25 @ 11:00 p.m.
I do not think Rutgers nor USC will be good in 2024, but this game could showcase the difference between the Big Ten and the Pac-12. USC should be significantly better than Rutgers, but last season we saw the Scarlet Knights dominate Ohio State on the line of scrimmage in an upset bid. If USC’s defense isn’t fixed and Rutgers gets better quarterback play, this could be a sneaky upset game on a Friday night in October.
No. 4: Northwestern at Maryland
Friday, Oct. 11 @ 8:00 p.m.
Northwestern overachieved last season in the first year of David Braun’s tenure. It is unlikely they will reach those heights again, but winning a primetime game against Maryland could prove Northwestern is here to stay and won’t be returning to the pit of the conference after a resurgent 2023 campaign.
No. 3: Illinois at Nebraska
Friday, Sept. 20 @ 8:00 p.m.
Illinois was a late-season collapse away from winning the Big Ten West in 2022. They struggled last year, but Bret Bielema is one of the best coaches in the conference. Matt Rhule has engineered successful turnarounds at Temple and Baylor, and recently landed five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola. In the early season window, this will be one of our first chances to see Raiola play, and it’s likely to be a good game as well.
No. 2: Oregon at Purdue
Friday, Oct. 18 @ 8:00 p.m.
This is my No. 2 game because Oregon is primed to make a run at a national championship, and nobody likes ruining national championship hopes more than Purdue. Oregon may want to reach out to Ohio State to gain insight into avoiding the Spoilermakers.
No. 1: Michigan State at Oregon
Friday, Oct. 4 @ 9:00 p.m.
This is my top game largely due to helmets. Oregon is set up to be one of the best teams in the conference from day one, and for my money they’re the only ones ready to make the jump. Similarly, I think Michigan State has the best chance to be successful out of the teams with first and second-year coaches. Michigan State has good access to talent, Jonathan Smith is a great coach and he brought his quarterback with him. If there is any game that will prove to be significant in this lineup, I’d put my money on this one.
Truthfully, this is not a great slate of games. FOX may be spending over a billion dollars on the Big Ten’s tier-one rights, but they were not able to get the big dogs to play ball on Friday night. Unless something surprising happens, none of these games should have any real implications on the Big Ten title race or the 12-team College Football Playoff.
I won’t be skipping date night for any of these games, but if I’m home I’ll tune in.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330
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
Continue reading...
LGHL If I Was in Charge: I would name a starting QB ASAP
- News
- 0 Replies
If I Was in Charge: I would name a starting QB ASAP
Megan.Husslein 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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We all know what happened last year...
June is right around the corner, so you know that means: Ohio State summer football practices! All throughout last summer, Ryan Day didn’t know who the starting quarterback was going to be. If I was in charge, I would make sure to change that this year.
Obviously one of the main problems last season was that Kyle McCord just wasn’t the right fit to be the Buckeyes’ QB1. However, I think a big contributor to that was due to the fact that he was named the starting quarterback so late into the process.
Ryan Day had said that he was favoring Devin Brown for a good portion of the summer and fall practices. Yet, McCord really came on towards the end of those practices and took the lead. While he ended up with the starting job, he most likely was not mentally prepared, since he physically wasn’t the starter until August.
Now, I’m not making excuses for him; He should have been ready no matter the circumstances. After all, you’re the starting quarterback for Ohio State. However, I think being named the starter as early as possible is clearly beneficial for the player and the team as a whole.
Will Howard transferred here for a reason. He has one season of eligibility left and he chose to come to Ohio State and be QB1, improve his draft stock and win a national championship. But with so much competition, the starting job isn’t just going to be handed to him. In fact, for the majority of what the media saw in the winter and spring, including the spring game, Howard was taking second-team reps to Brown.
Brown has stuck it out and put in his time in this program. He is a fiery leader for this team and has dual-threat abilities. One downside — he has gotten injured a lot. He really has had bad luck staying healthy, especially in the Cotton Bowl, which was really his time to show what he’s got after McCord transferred. But, there is no denying that he is talented and a great veteran presence.
Now, I haven’t even mentioned Lincoln Kienholz, Julian Sayin and Air Noland, the other quarterbacks on this insanely talented roster. While there is definitely a lot of buzz surrounding Sayin, including from Day himself, I just find it hard to believe that a freshman would get the starting job over Howard or Brown.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460468/2147786543.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: APR 13 Ohio State Spring Game")
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I am not writing this article to declare who the starting QB is going to be. I truly don’t know. Day can definitely surprise us all sometimes. My point is, I think he needs to make the decision as soon as possible. I know that’s not as easy as it sounds, and you don’t want to make the wrong decision, but I don’t think he should wait until a couple weeks before the first game to announce it.
This team has the talent and the veterans to accomplish all of their goals. There is absolutely no doubt about that. The offense features with the best running back duo in the country, along with the best wide receiver room. They need a playmaker under center to make it all happen.
Personally, I think a good time frame to name the starter would be around mid-July. That way, the team will have been practicing with whoever it will be for over a solid month before the first game. Also, that way the quarterback can mentally build confidence as he is taking the first-team reps. He doesn’t have the additional worry of if he’s going to win the job; he can just focus on doing it.
We will see if this actually happens. Typically in the past it has not worked out well for a starter to be named late, or to go into the season with two starters. I’m interested to see who wins the job and when he will be named. Let the best man win!
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein 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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We all know what happened last year...
June is right around the corner, so you know that means: Ohio State summer football practices! All throughout last summer, Ryan Day didn’t know who the starting quarterback was going to be. If I was in charge, I would make sure to change that this year.
Obviously one of the main problems last season was that Kyle McCord just wasn’t the right fit to be the Buckeyes’ QB1. However, I think a big contributor to that was due to the fact that he was named the starting quarterback so late into the process.
Ryan Day had said that he was favoring Devin Brown for a good portion of the summer and fall practices. Yet, McCord really came on towards the end of those practices and took the lead. While he ended up with the starting job, he most likely was not mentally prepared, since he physically wasn’t the starter until August.
Now, I’m not making excuses for him; He should have been ready no matter the circumstances. After all, you’re the starting quarterback for Ohio State. However, I think being named the starter as early as possible is clearly beneficial for the player and the team as a whole.
Will Howard transferred here for a reason. He has one season of eligibility left and he chose to come to Ohio State and be QB1, improve his draft stock and win a national championship. But with so much competition, the starting job isn’t just going to be handed to him. In fact, for the majority of what the media saw in the winter and spring, including the spring game, Howard was taking second-team reps to Brown.
Brown has stuck it out and put in his time in this program. He is a fiery leader for this team and has dual-threat abilities. One downside — he has gotten injured a lot. He really has had bad luck staying healthy, especially in the Cotton Bowl, which was really his time to show what he’s got after McCord transferred. But, there is no denying that he is talented and a great veteran presence.
Now, I haven’t even mentioned Lincoln Kienholz, Julian Sayin and Air Noland, the other quarterbacks on this insanely talented roster. While there is definitely a lot of buzz surrounding Sayin, including from Day himself, I just find it hard to believe that a freshman would get the starting job over Howard or Brown.
I am not writing this article to declare who the starting QB is going to be. I truly don’t know. Day can definitely surprise us all sometimes. My point is, I think he needs to make the decision as soon as possible. I know that’s not as easy as it sounds, and you don’t want to make the wrong decision, but I don’t think he should wait until a couple weeks before the first game to announce it.
This team has the talent and the veterans to accomplish all of their goals. There is absolutely no doubt about that. The offense features with the best running back duo in the country, along with the best wide receiver room. They need a playmaker under center to make it all happen.
Personally, I think a good time frame to name the starter would be around mid-July. That way, the team will have been practicing with whoever it will be for over a solid month before the first game. Also, that way the quarterback can mentally build confidence as he is taking the first-team reps. He doesn’t have the additional worry of if he’s going to win the job; he can just focus on doing it.
We will see if this actually happens. Typically in the past it has not worked out well for a starter to be named late, or to go into the season with two starters. I’m interested to see who wins the job and when he will be named. Let the best man win!
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Guest co-host Joe Gemma talks men’s basketball transition, sandwiches, and more
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Bucketheads Podcast: Guest co-host Joe Gemma talks men’s basketball transition, sandwiches, and more
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We also talked about Joe’s new job with Ohio State, the firing of Chris Holtmann, the hiring of Jake Diebler and much more.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
For episode 120 of the Bucketheads podcast, we welcome back Joe Gemma of Ohio State Athletics for a record-setting fourth time. Joe joined us to talk about his new job with the athletic department and his role with the basketball program moving forward.
We also discussed the 24 hours before and after Chris Holtmann's firing and navigating that as a social media manager, plus the three weeks after the firing as Jake Diebler was the head coach and what it was like when he was officially named head coach.
At the end, we discuss Roddy Gayle's transfer to Michigan, and then get off the rails a bit and discuss Columbus sandwiches and Joe’s hot take about a certain NFL quarterback.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @JoeDGemma
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We also talked about Joe’s new job with Ohio State, the firing of Chris Holtmann, the hiring of Jake Diebler and much more.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
For episode 120 of the Bucketheads podcast, we welcome back Joe Gemma of Ohio State Athletics for a record-setting fourth time. Joe joined us to talk about his new job with the athletic department and his role with the basketball program moving forward.
We also discussed the 24 hours before and after Chris Holtmann's firing and navigating that as a social media manager, plus the three weeks after the firing as Jake Diebler was the head coach and what it was like when he was officially named head coach.
At the end, we discuss Roddy Gayle's transfer to Michigan, and then get off the rails a bit and discuss Columbus sandwiches and Joe’s hot take about a certain NFL quarterback.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @JoeDGemma
Continue reading...
LGHL Unpopular Opinions: Ohio Stadium is not a top-5 college football venue
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- 0 Replies
Unpopular Opinions: Ohio Stadium is not a top-5 college football venue
Josh Dooley 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
Relax, relax. The Shoe is fantastic and a top-5 weekly venue. But for certain marquee matchups, big night games, and one-offs, there are a handful of better environments.
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 what we would do if we were in charge of our favorite position group, team, conference, or sport. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”If I Was in Charge” articles here.
As sports fans – or I guess people in general – we all have opinions that stink. That’s why they say that opinions are like... Well, you know the rest. And it’s true, right? Even the most arrogant, stubborn individuals on the planet have opinions that are just plain bad. Or wrong.
So there is no sense in ignoring this undeniable truth. Or getting upset about it. Instead, we should just embrace and possibly even laugh about it. Which is what LGHL is doing this week. And being the company man that I am, I decided to really commit to the bit. I wanted to give you, the reader(s), an Unpopular Opinion the likes of which you’ve never seen or heard... Ok, that’s probably a bit much. But I did make an effort to go off-menu.
Without further ado, my unpopular opinion (realistically speaking, I have many) is that Ohio Stadium AKA The Horseshoe or simply The Shoe is not a top-5 college football stadium/venue.
At least not when it comes to hosting marquee matchups, night games, one-offs, and/or special occasions. In other words, attending a run-of-the-mill game in or at The Shoe is not a top-5 CFB experience.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460271/1811977894.jpg)
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Now, before I go any further, I’d like – nay, I need – to apologize to my Buckeye brethren and sisten (yes, it’s a real word): I am truly, truly sorry, and I ask for your forgiveness. I take no joy in writing this piece. But allow me to explain...
First or all, I love Ohio Stadium and do believe that it is a top-5 week-to-week venue. What I mean by that is that if you love college football and/or the Buckeyes, or you have season tickets, or you want to bring friends and family to a game, or you just want to guarantee yourself a great gameday experience, then The Shoe is always going to deliver. It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s historic, it’s loud, it’s just an amazing place be.
However, if one is looking for a CFB-related bucket list experience, then I would say that there are at least five venues better than the nearly 102-year-old stadium located at 411 Woody Hayes Drive in Columbus, Ohio. There just are. Although, I will sort of contradict myself here and say that The Shoe is really, really tough to beat when Ohio State hosts Michigan. But I still believe that there are (at least five) better experiences to be had elsewhere.
**I should point out that I have only attended a handful of non-OSU CFB games in a handful stadiums, so take my unpopular opinion with a grain of salt. But I stand by it.
Here are my top five CFB venues (atmosphere/game-specific), in no particular order:
Any big game at the Rose Bowl (UCLA) – To be clear, I am fully aware that it is Rose Bowl Stadium. But I will always refer to it as just the Rose Bowl. For my money, the Rose Bowl is the most beautiful CFB setting in existence. Night games are great, but the sun setting during an afternoon marquee matchup is even better. Who cares if UCLA stinks, the Bruins’ home stadium is a iconic.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460300/1245942407.jpg)
Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Night game at Tiger Stadium AKA “the real Death Valley” (LSU) – Night games at Tiger Stadium are pure electricity. But I can’t pinpoint one reason why; I think it’s just the combination of everything. Regardless, Death Valley at night seems louder, more rowdy, and more raucous than any other stadium in CFB, so that’s why it gets a spot in my top-5.
Night white out game at Beaver Stadium (Penn State) – Begrudgingly, I had to put a different Big Ten venue in my top-5. But there is simply no denying that night white out games go extremely hard in the paint.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460311/1703451735.jpg)
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Any big game at Notre Dame Stadium (ND) – Sure, there are older, bigger, louder stadiums, but Notre Dame’s is (the most?) synonymous with college football. It is steeped in history and tradition, and every game at “The House that Rockne Built” seems like an event. In that way, Notre Dame Stadium is like Madison Square Garden... Iconic.
Night game at Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech) – Two words: Enter Sandman. The Hokies taking the field to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for a night game is absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt the coolest freaking thing in CFB. I won’t hear anything to the contrary. VT might not be a good team, but I get chills just watching them run out of the tunnel. For now, I can only imagine what that’s like in person.
So there ya have it. That wasn’t so bad or unpopular, was it? I didn’t badmouth or eviscerate Ohio Stadium. And I certainly didn’t make a case for “The Big House” as a top-5 CFB venue. I just happen to think that there are at least a handful of other stadiums and/or sites that provide a better one-off experience than The Shoe.
Don’t shoot the messenger, folks. I think we all know that it’s true.
But still, Go Bucks!
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
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Relax, relax. The Shoe is fantastic and a top-5 weekly venue. But for certain marquee matchups, big night games, and one-offs, there are a handful of better environments.
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 what we would do if we were in charge of our favorite position group, team, conference, or sport. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”If I Was in Charge” articles here.
As sports fans – or I guess people in general – we all have opinions that stink. That’s why they say that opinions are like... Well, you know the rest. And it’s true, right? Even the most arrogant, stubborn individuals on the planet have opinions that are just plain bad. Or wrong.
So there is no sense in ignoring this undeniable truth. Or getting upset about it. Instead, we should just embrace and possibly even laugh about it. Which is what LGHL is doing this week. And being the company man that I am, I decided to really commit to the bit. I wanted to give you, the reader(s), an Unpopular Opinion the likes of which you’ve never seen or heard... Ok, that’s probably a bit much. But I did make an effort to go off-menu.
Without further ado, my unpopular opinion (realistically speaking, I have many) is that Ohio Stadium AKA The Horseshoe or simply The Shoe is not a top-5 college football stadium/venue.
At least not when it comes to hosting marquee matchups, night games, one-offs, and/or special occasions. In other words, attending a run-of-the-mill game in or at The Shoe is not a top-5 CFB experience.
Now, before I go any further, I’d like – nay, I need – to apologize to my Buckeye brethren and sisten (yes, it’s a real word): I am truly, truly sorry, and I ask for your forgiveness. I take no joy in writing this piece. But allow me to explain...
First or all, I love Ohio Stadium and do believe that it is a top-5 week-to-week venue. What I mean by that is that if you love college football and/or the Buckeyes, or you have season tickets, or you want to bring friends and family to a game, or you just want to guarantee yourself a great gameday experience, then The Shoe is always going to deliver. It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s historic, it’s loud, it’s just an amazing place be.
However, if one is looking for a CFB-related bucket list experience, then I would say that there are at least five venues better than the nearly 102-year-old stadium located at 411 Woody Hayes Drive in Columbus, Ohio. There just are. Although, I will sort of contradict myself here and say that The Shoe is really, really tough to beat when Ohio State hosts Michigan. But I still believe that there are (at least five) better experiences to be had elsewhere.
**I should point out that I have only attended a handful of non-OSU CFB games in a handful stadiums, so take my unpopular opinion with a grain of salt. But I stand by it.
Here are my top five CFB venues (atmosphere/game-specific), in no particular order:
Any big game at the Rose Bowl (UCLA) – To be clear, I am fully aware that it is Rose Bowl Stadium. But I will always refer to it as just the Rose Bowl. For my money, the Rose Bowl is the most beautiful CFB setting in existence. Night games are great, but the sun setting during an afternoon marquee matchup is even better. Who cares if UCLA stinks, the Bruins’ home stadium is a iconic.
Night game at Tiger Stadium AKA “the real Death Valley” (LSU) – Night games at Tiger Stadium are pure electricity. But I can’t pinpoint one reason why; I think it’s just the combination of everything. Regardless, Death Valley at night seems louder, more rowdy, and more raucous than any other stadium in CFB, so that’s why it gets a spot in my top-5.
Night white out game at Beaver Stadium (Penn State) – Begrudgingly, I had to put a different Big Ten venue in my top-5. But there is simply no denying that night white out games go extremely hard in the paint.
Any big game at Notre Dame Stadium (ND) – Sure, there are older, bigger, louder stadiums, but Notre Dame’s is (the most?) synonymous with college football. It is steeped in history and tradition, and every game at “The House that Rockne Built” seems like an event. In that way, Notre Dame Stadium is like Madison Square Garden... Iconic.
Night game at Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech) – Two words: Enter Sandman. The Hokies taking the field to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for a night game is absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt the coolest freaking thing in CFB. I won’t hear anything to the contrary. VT might not be a good team, but I get chills just watching them run out of the tunnel. For now, I can only imagine what that’s like in person.
So there ya have it. That wasn’t so bad or unpopular, was it? I didn’t badmouth or eviscerate Ohio Stadium. And I certainly didn’t make a case for “The Big House” as a top-5 CFB venue. I just happen to think that there are at least a handful of other stadiums and/or sites that provide a better one-off experience than The Shoe.
Don’t shoot the messenger, folks. I think we all know that it’s true.
But still, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
