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LGHL If I Was in Charge: TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins would be on the field together
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If I Was in Charge: TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins would be on the field together
Michael Citro 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
With a younger-than-usual receiving corps, an offensive coordinator who excels in the run game, and pehaps the two best running backs in the country, Henderson and Judkins would by dynamic together.
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.
Chip Kelly walked into a loaded Ohio State running backs room, and while the loss of Dallan Hayden thins out the group a little, the Buckeyes are in great shape ahead of the 2024 college football season. Kelly has two of the nation’s top returning ball carriers — arguably the two very best — in his backfield in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. They have different strengths, but both are capable of doing whatever Ohio State needs them to do. Add in a younger-than-normal group of receivers for a new quarterback, and Ohio State should play both of its stud runners at the same time.
With Kelly relying on both inside and outside run concepts, having Henderson and Judkins both on the field at the same time would help the Buckeyes avoid tipping their hand. Rather than building tendencies and then trying to break them, Kelly could simply mix and match plays for his best outside runner (Henderson) and his best inside runner (Judkins). Faking to one and giving to the other some of the time, while handing off immediately on other occasions would likely be wildly successful in keeping defenses off balance. Mixing in zone running plays, draws, and sweeps with this talented duo has a good chance of keeping opposing defensive coordinators up at night, breaking some explosive plays in the run game, and simply wearing out the other team’s defense.
Henderson has game-breaking speed and an ability to excel (and accelerate) in the open field. Judkins can get the tough yards up the middle and break tackles, coming out the other side of the pile. A steady diet of both, while sometimes changing up the roles of each runner — and mixing in some fake handoffs with jet sweep concepts or play action passing, along with multiple types of designed quarterback runs for Will Howard or Devin Brown — is a likely path to a level of success that could have the Buckeyes among the nation’s best-rushing teams in 2024. Ryan Day should be pushing for this to help his second consecutive first-year starter under center.
Defenses would be hard-pressed to diagnose inside runs versus outside runs prior to the snap, because both running backs would be on the field. Movement at the snap might not tell them anything either, because Judkins could be used outside and Henderson inside — or the ball could go somewhere else entirely. The extra second or two bought by the indecision of a college defense is huge. It could be the difference between no gain and going the distance on any given play.
If successfully deployed, such an offense would allow Emeka Egbuka and the younger receivers on the team more time to get deep downfield, split seams left by the secondary, or find the level behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. If whoever wins the quarterback position can make accurate throws in rhythm, the running game should make their job much easier.
Imagine being a middle linebacker and looking across the line of scrimmage, where both Henderson and Judkins are getting into their stances. If plays are mixed and matched regularly, it’s all guesswork where the ball would go at the snap. Is Howard going to give it to Judkins? Fake it to him inside and pitch it to Henderson? Is Henderson going to run an inside zone? Is judkins going to run a stretch play? It would be a nightmare. Add in a late switch between the positioning of the two before the snap, and it only makes it more difficult to anticipate.
Day brought Kelly in for many reasons, but one of them is his ability to succeed in the run game. Having both Judkins and Henderson on the team already seems unfair. Using them together to keep the other team off balance seems like the best way to use them both while still not overloading either runner with too many carries.
If Kelly can get the blocking he needs up front while using such a dynamic, two-man system, Judkins and Henderson will be off the field by halftime in most of Ohio State’s games anyway — each with more than, or close to, 100 yards.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro 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
With a younger-than-usual receiving corps, an offensive coordinator who excels in the run game, and pehaps the two best running backs in the country, Henderson and Judkins would by dynamic together.
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.
Chip Kelly walked into a loaded Ohio State running backs room, and while the loss of Dallan Hayden thins out the group a little, the Buckeyes are in great shape ahead of the 2024 college football season. Kelly has two of the nation’s top returning ball carriers — arguably the two very best — in his backfield in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. They have different strengths, but both are capable of doing whatever Ohio State needs them to do. Add in a younger-than-normal group of receivers for a new quarterback, and Ohio State should play both of its stud runners at the same time.
With Kelly relying on both inside and outside run concepts, having Henderson and Judkins both on the field at the same time would help the Buckeyes avoid tipping their hand. Rather than building tendencies and then trying to break them, Kelly could simply mix and match plays for his best outside runner (Henderson) and his best inside runner (Judkins). Faking to one and giving to the other some of the time, while handing off immediately on other occasions would likely be wildly successful in keeping defenses off balance. Mixing in zone running plays, draws, and sweeps with this talented duo has a good chance of keeping opposing defensive coordinators up at night, breaking some explosive plays in the run game, and simply wearing out the other team’s defense.
Henderson has game-breaking speed and an ability to excel (and accelerate) in the open field. Judkins can get the tough yards up the middle and break tackles, coming out the other side of the pile. A steady diet of both, while sometimes changing up the roles of each runner — and mixing in some fake handoffs with jet sweep concepts or play action passing, along with multiple types of designed quarterback runs for Will Howard or Devin Brown — is a likely path to a level of success that could have the Buckeyes among the nation’s best-rushing teams in 2024. Ryan Day should be pushing for this to help his second consecutive first-year starter under center.
Defenses would be hard-pressed to diagnose inside runs versus outside runs prior to the snap, because both running backs would be on the field. Movement at the snap might not tell them anything either, because Judkins could be used outside and Henderson inside — or the ball could go somewhere else entirely. The extra second or two bought by the indecision of a college defense is huge. It could be the difference between no gain and going the distance on any given play.
If successfully deployed, such an offense would allow Emeka Egbuka and the younger receivers on the team more time to get deep downfield, split seams left by the secondary, or find the level behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. If whoever wins the quarterback position can make accurate throws in rhythm, the running game should make their job much easier.
Imagine being a middle linebacker and looking across the line of scrimmage, where both Henderson and Judkins are getting into their stances. If plays are mixed and matched regularly, it’s all guesswork where the ball would go at the snap. Is Howard going to give it to Judkins? Fake it to him inside and pitch it to Henderson? Is Henderson going to run an inside zone? Is judkins going to run a stretch play? It would be a nightmare. Add in a late switch between the positioning of the two before the snap, and it only makes it more difficult to anticipate.
Day brought Kelly in for many reasons, but one of them is his ability to succeed in the run game. Having both Judkins and Henderson on the team already seems unfair. Using them together to keep the other team off balance seems like the best way to use them both while still not overloading either runner with too many carries.
If Kelly can get the blocking he needs up front while using such a dynamic, two-man system, Judkins and Henderson will be off the field by halftime in most of Ohio State’s games anyway — each with more than, or close to, 100 yards.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What is your most Unreasonable Expectation for Ohio State’s defense this year?
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You’re Nuts: What is your most Unreasonable Expectation for Ohio State’s defense this year?
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 Ryan Kang/Getty Images
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 our Unreasonable Expectations. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our Unreasonable Expectations here.
Now that we have had a month to digest the Ohio State spring game, now is a great time to really start thinking about what we expect from the Buckeyes this year. The 2024 season is going to be a wild ride for a number of reasons. Ohio State has brought in a number of high-profile names in the transfer portal, this will be the first year of a 12-team College Football Playoff, and the Big Ten has added Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA. Because of these massive changes, the expectations for Ohio State are supersized this season.
Today we are going to focus on the Buckeye defense. Not only are defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T Tuimoloau returning for the 2024 season, cornerback Denzel Burke is also coming back for another season in the scarlet and gray. Along with the talented returning starters, the defense received a massive boost when Alabama safety Caleb Downs entered the transfer portal and announced he would be coming to Ohio State. After being one of the most dominant defenses in college football last season, even more is expected from the Buckeyes this season.
What we want to know is what is your most unreasonable expectations for the Ohio State defense this year. Whether it be a crazy statistical number for a player on the defense, or it could be a goal set for the unit as a whole, we want to know how confident you are in the Buckeye defense this year. Since we know how Buckeye Nation operates, we are expecting some lofty expectations for the 2024 season.
Is this likely to happen? Since the prestigious award seems to be reserved for quarterbacks and the occasional running back or wide receiver, it’s hard to imagine Downs lifting the golden stiff-arm in December. On the other hand, if there is a player that could join Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson as the only primarily defensive player to win the award in the modern era, it is Downs. In 2023 at Alabama, Downs became the first freshman to lead the Crimson Tide in tackles, registering 107 stops. The safety also picked off two passes on his way to earning second-team All-American honors and being named the SEC’s Freshman of the Year.
The scary thing for the rest of college football is Downs is only going to get better. Last year, Downs was the best player on the Alabama defense as a freshman. Imagine how much of an impact Downs is going to have on games this year, as well as next season before he likely declares for the NFL Draft following his junior season. If Downs continues on his current trajectory, it is likely he is going to be a top-10 pick when he declares for the NFL Draft.
Along with how talented he is, another reason I think Downs is going to have a massive impact this year at Ohio State is because of the talent he’ll have around him. Along with Burke and Davison Igbinosun at cornerback, lining up with Downs at safety will be Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles, who is a prime candidate for the hybrid linebacker/safety spot in the Buckeye defense. With so much proven talent around him, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will likely allow Downs to trust his instincts if he feels like he can make a huge play.
Unfortunately, we’ll likely see the 2024 Heisman Trophy go to another quarterback. The last three winners of the award have been quarterbacks, and over the last 10 years, there have only been two non-quarterbacks to lift the trophy. Plus, talented running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will likely get the bulk of Heisman Trophy attention for Ohio State this year. The only hope Downs has to win the award is if the Buckeyes struggle during the regular season but the play of Downs leads to a number of victories in key games. No matter what happens, we can all agree it is going to be fun to watch Downs on the field in 2024.
Last season, the Ohio State defense was one of the best units in all of college football. Jim Knowles’ squad allowed only 11.2 points per game, the second-best ppg total in the country (Michigan was No. 1 at 10.4). However, I think that was just the appetizer for the main course that will come this fall.
I am going to go out on a limb and say that I am unreasonably expecting the Buckeyes to lead the country in points allowed per game with less than 10 points given up every time out. Seven of the teams on OSU’s 2024 schedule were ranked worse than 100th in points scored per game last season, and two more were at 87 and 90.
If Ohio State holds those nine teams to a touchdown per game, which seems more than reasonable, that means that they need to allow less than 19 points per game against Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan. While OSU will play the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley this season, I think you can safely put them in below 19. Last season, the Nits averaged 36.2 ppg, but only got 12 against the Buckeyes.
So, I am going to keep them at those 12 points against the Bucks in 2024. Then it’s just the Ducks and Wolverines. Let’s start in reverse chronological order. I think that considering that the reigning national champions have essentially lost their entire team and coaching staff, The Game is in Columbus, and the Buckeyes are out for revenge, I’m going to slot TTUN in for 17 points. That means that if the Buckeyes can hold Oregon to 27 points or less (which might be too unreasonable even for this column), the season average will be 9.916666667 points allowed per game.
With the vast majority of OSU’s defense back from last year and the addition of Brett’s Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Downs, I think this is possible, as unreasonable as it might be.
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 Ryan Kang/Getty Images
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 our Unreasonable Expectations. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our Unreasonable Expectations here.
Now that we have had a month to digest the Ohio State spring game, now is a great time to really start thinking about what we expect from the Buckeyes this year. The 2024 season is going to be a wild ride for a number of reasons. Ohio State has brought in a number of high-profile names in the transfer portal, this will be the first year of a 12-team College Football Playoff, and the Big Ten has added Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA. Because of these massive changes, the expectations for Ohio State are supersized this season.
Today we are going to focus on the Buckeye defense. Not only are defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T Tuimoloau returning for the 2024 season, cornerback Denzel Burke is also coming back for another season in the scarlet and gray. Along with the talented returning starters, the defense received a massive boost when Alabama safety Caleb Downs entered the transfer portal and announced he would be coming to Ohio State. After being one of the most dominant defenses in college football last season, even more is expected from the Buckeyes this season.
What we want to know is what is your most unreasonable expectations for the Ohio State defense this year. Whether it be a crazy statistical number for a player on the defense, or it could be a goal set for the unit as a whole, we want to know how confident you are in the Buckeye defense this year. Since we know how Buckeye Nation operates, we are expecting some lofty expectations for the 2024 season.
Today’s question: What is your most Unreasonable Expectation for the Ohio State defense this season?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Caleb Downs wins the Heisman Trophy
Is this likely to happen? Since the prestigious award seems to be reserved for quarterbacks and the occasional running back or wide receiver, it’s hard to imagine Downs lifting the golden stiff-arm in December. On the other hand, if there is a player that could join Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson as the only primarily defensive player to win the award in the modern era, it is Downs. In 2023 at Alabama, Downs became the first freshman to lead the Crimson Tide in tackles, registering 107 stops. The safety also picked off two passes on his way to earning second-team All-American honors and being named the SEC’s Freshman of the Year.
The scary thing for the rest of college football is Downs is only going to get better. Last year, Downs was the best player on the Alabama defense as a freshman. Imagine how much of an impact Downs is going to have on games this year, as well as next season before he likely declares for the NFL Draft following his junior season. If Downs continues on his current trajectory, it is likely he is going to be a top-10 pick when he declares for the NFL Draft.
Along with how talented he is, another reason I think Downs is going to have a massive impact this year at Ohio State is because of the talent he’ll have around him. Along with Burke and Davison Igbinosun at cornerback, lining up with Downs at safety will be Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles, who is a prime candidate for the hybrid linebacker/safety spot in the Buckeye defense. With so much proven talent around him, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will likely allow Downs to trust his instincts if he feels like he can make a huge play.
Unfortunately, we’ll likely see the 2024 Heisman Trophy go to another quarterback. The last three winners of the award have been quarterbacks, and over the last 10 years, there have only been two non-quarterbacks to lift the trophy. Plus, talented running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will likely get the bulk of Heisman Trophy attention for Ohio State this year. The only hope Downs has to win the award is if the Buckeyes struggle during the regular season but the play of Downs leads to a number of victories in key games. No matter what happens, we can all agree it is going to be fun to watch Downs on the field in 2024.
Matt’s answer: Ohio State will lead the country in points per game allowed at under 10 ppg
Last season, the Ohio State defense was one of the best units in all of college football. Jim Knowles’ squad allowed only 11.2 points per game, the second-best ppg total in the country (Michigan was No. 1 at 10.4). However, I think that was just the appetizer for the main course that will come this fall.
I am going to go out on a limb and say that I am unreasonably expecting the Buckeyes to lead the country in points allowed per game with less than 10 points given up every time out. Seven of the teams on OSU’s 2024 schedule were ranked worse than 100th in points scored per game last season, and two more were at 87 and 90.
If Ohio State holds those nine teams to a touchdown per game, which seems more than reasonable, that means that they need to allow less than 19 points per game against Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan. While OSU will play the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley this season, I think you can safely put them in below 19. Last season, the Nits averaged 36.2 ppg, but only got 12 against the Buckeyes.
So, I am going to keep them at those 12 points against the Bucks in 2024. Then it’s just the Ducks and Wolverines. Let’s start in reverse chronological order. I think that considering that the reigning national champions have essentially lost their entire team and coaching staff, The Game is in Columbus, and the Buckeyes are out for revenge, I’m going to slot TTUN in for 17 points. That means that if the Buckeyes can hold Oregon to 27 points or less (which might be too unreasonable even for this column), the season average will be 9.916666667 points allowed per game.
With the vast majority of OSU’s defense back from last year and the addition of Brett’s Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Downs, I think this is possible, as unreasonable as it might be.
Continue reading...
