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LGHL You’re Nuts: ‘Broken Records’ - Which Ohio State record would you like to see broken this year?
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You’re Nuts: ‘Broken Records’ - Which Ohio State record would you like to see broken this year?
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Within reason, what record would you like to see fall in 2023?
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 records, the ones that have been broken, the ones that could be broken, and the ones that will never be broken. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Broken Records” 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.
This week’s topic: Which Ohio State record would you like to see broken this year?
LGHL’s summer content theme this week is Broken Records, and when it was first presented to us, or I first gave it any thought, two things jumped out rather quickly: 1) Ohio State football has some impressive (to say the least) records. And 2) I don’t see any of them falling in 2023. But the latter does not mean I expect OSU to stink this season. In fact, I am rather optimistic about the upcoming campaign.
That being said, if you just look at the player names and the years in which many of these Ohio State records were set, then I think it becomes easier to at least understand why I feel this way (about records), even if you do not agree. Most of the passing records belong to Barrett, Haskins, and Stroud, all certified Buckeye legends. Rushing records? How about names like Archie, Eddie, and Zeke? Certain receiving records might be within reach, but then you jump over to the defensive side of the ball and see a lot of Spielman, Cousineau, Vrabel, and Sensibaugh — guys who played in Columbus 20, 30, even 40 years ago.
While I am optimistic about the upcoming season, I also want to be reasonable when it comes to player expectations. Whoever wins the starting quarterback job will be unproven, meaning fans should not expect Stroud-esque production right away (if ever). In the backfield, OSU boasts a million running backs, making it easy to spread the wealth... if they get solid blocking from a revamped offensive line. As far as the receiving stuff goes, I have a feeling that Marvin Harrison Jr. will be mentioned often this week, so I will let others lead the Marv charge. That leaves defense. And it is on that side of the ball that I want to see records fall in 2023.
**Side note: I did not mean to rhyme just now, but that was a hot bar!
Some of the Ohio State defensive records are just insane. Many were set in a different era when offenses were far less sophisticated and/or teams ran the ball 50 times per game. Case in point: Marcus Marek’s total career tackles record of 572. I mean, c’mon. The highest total for a player who saw action after 1990 is 408 (Steve Tovar). 572 will stand the test of time forever, no doubt in my mind.
Gene and I are talking about records we personally want to see broken, but I still want to avoid sounding like a delusional homer here. Which is why I had to avoid all career total records. Few Buckeyes are starting for 3+ years, and if they do, they are not putting up numbers like Sensibaugh, Marek, or Vrabel. Single game records seem fun, but also fluky, and as much as I might want J.T. Tuimoloau or Jack Sawyer to rack up five sacks against Penn State or TTUN, there is that whole ‘reasonable’ thing I mentioned earlier.
So pretty much by default, I ended up looking at team defensive records. And I asked myself: What do I want from Jim Knowles and the Ohio State defense? Furthermore, what do the Buckeyes need to be successful and potentially win games in spite of their offense? The answer to both questions was the same... Sacks.
OSU has struggled to get to the opposing quarterback in recent seasons, bottoming out with just 34 sacks in 2022. Even in today’s game, with air-it-out offenses becoming more and more prevalent, that (34 sacks) is not going to get it done. There can certainly be a chicken or the egg argument here, but minimal pressure on the opposing QB has often resulted in big play after big play being given up by the Buckeyes’ secondary. And those big plays have been Ohio State’s Achilles heel.
Which is why Larry Johnson and his guys up front need to be better in 2023. And I certainly want them to be better. In fact, I want them to be so much better that they break the program’s team sack record of 54 set in 2019. Given what we’ve seen recently, 54 sacks might not seem reasonable. But I believe that this current d-line group is the most talented one we’ve seen in Columbus in many years.
Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Hall, Williams... the list goes on and on. And playing in front of what is expected to be a much-improved OSU secondary, there should be ample opportunity for the big dogs to eat. Also, don’t forget about the Knowles factor.
Prior to his time in Columbus, Knowles was known as a guy who could create pressure with odd looks and aggressive blitz packages, as evidenced by his Oklahoma State defense racking up 55 sacks in 2021. I don’t think he forgot to coach, and he certainly has access to far better talent in Columbus, so I am expecting a bounceback season in 2023. Something along the lines of 55 sacks, maybe?
It might be coincidence that Knowles’ Cowboys totaled exactly one more (sack) than the Buckeyes’ team record, but that is exactly what I want, Gene. And I think that this record, unlike many, many others, is one that is actually within reach.
As Josh outlined at the top, many of the records compiled throughout Ohio State history are likely unattainable today for a variety of reasons. Single-game records are fluky, and its highly unlikely the Buckeyes will ever pick off eight passes in one game again like they did against Chicago in 1938. Career records like Mike Vrabel’s 36 sacks and J.T. Barrett’s 104 passing touchdowns will probably stand the test of time because guys who put up big numbers like that don’t stick around long enough to reach those sorts of career totals.
The best chance for any Ohio State records to be broken in 2023 would have to be of the single-season or single-game variety, but even many of those are incredibly lofty goals, which is to be expected at a school that has had so much NFL talent walk through its doors over the years.
I don’t see Kyle McCord or Devin Brown breaking Dwayne Haskins’ 4,831 single-season passing yards record — not by any lack of talent on their own, but simply because that year’s Ohio State team could not run the ball to save its life, and I would hope McCord/Brown aren’t asked to shoulder that sort of load this year. J.K. Dobbins’ single-season rushing record of 2,003 yards will be tough to beat as well, both because its an impressive number and because I don’t trust this offensive line.
The obvious guy I looked to first for any sort of potential record-breaking is Marvin Harrison Jr., who is an absolute freak of nature who should be capable of doing big things in 2023 ahead of being the first wide receiver off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft. Still, even as the top dog at the position, Brian Hartlines room might be too loaded for Harrison Jr. to break either of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s single-season records of 95 receptions or 1,606 receiving yards.
I do, however, think there is one record that Harrison Jr. is capable of breaking even with all the talent around him — albeit a bit more specific. I think Harrison Jr. could potential break the single-season record for most 100-yard receiving games, which is currently owned by David Boston with nine. If Ohio State plays 15 games — in an ideal world — I think Harrison Jr. could actually do this rather easily.
In a season where the Buckeyes played 13 games, missing the Big Ten Championship Game and coming just shy of playing in the national title game, Harrison put up seven 100-yard games. His biggest performance (yardage wise) of the year came against Penn State, wherein he hauled in 10 passes for 185 yards. It was one yard greater than his seven-catch, 184-yard performance against Arkansas State, where he also added three touchdowns to the ledger. Harrison Jr. eclipsed 120 yards in a game on five separate occasions, and even passed the century mark in the Peach Bowl against Georgia.
If McCord ends up winning the quarterback job, which would be the odds-on favorite at this point, he and Harrison Jr. have built-in chemistry as former high school teammates. The wide receiver room is loaded, but Harrison Jr. is the best guy in the room and a dependable safety blanket for a new starting quarterback that has plenty of experience throwing him the rock. At 6-foot-4, he’s a pretty easy target to hit, and he is open more often than not even despite the double teams and extra attention thrown at him.
I could easily see Harrison Jr. putting up 10-plus 100-yard games this season. I also dont think its too far-fetched to believe he could break Terry Glenn’s record of 17 touchdown receptions in a single season, as Harrison Jr. came awfully close last year with 14 TDs even without a B1G title game or national title game to play in. At a program that has had superstar after superstar take the field at wide receiver, Harrison Jr. has a chance to put his name in the record books as one of the best of the best.
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Within reason, what record would you like to see fall in 2023?
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 records, the ones that have been broken, the ones that could be broken, and the ones that will never be broken. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Broken Records” 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.
This week’s topic: Which Ohio State record would you like to see broken this year?
Josh’s Take
LGHL’s summer content theme this week is Broken Records, and when it was first presented to us, or I first gave it any thought, two things jumped out rather quickly: 1) Ohio State football has some impressive (to say the least) records. And 2) I don’t see any of them falling in 2023. But the latter does not mean I expect OSU to stink this season. In fact, I am rather optimistic about the upcoming campaign.
That being said, if you just look at the player names and the years in which many of these Ohio State records were set, then I think it becomes easier to at least understand why I feel this way (about records), even if you do not agree. Most of the passing records belong to Barrett, Haskins, and Stroud, all certified Buckeye legends. Rushing records? How about names like Archie, Eddie, and Zeke? Certain receiving records might be within reach, but then you jump over to the defensive side of the ball and see a lot of Spielman, Cousineau, Vrabel, and Sensibaugh — guys who played in Columbus 20, 30, even 40 years ago.
While I am optimistic about the upcoming season, I also want to be reasonable when it comes to player expectations. Whoever wins the starting quarterback job will be unproven, meaning fans should not expect Stroud-esque production right away (if ever). In the backfield, OSU boasts a million running backs, making it easy to spread the wealth... if they get solid blocking from a revamped offensive line. As far as the receiving stuff goes, I have a feeling that Marvin Harrison Jr. will be mentioned often this week, so I will let others lead the Marv charge. That leaves defense. And it is on that side of the ball that I want to see records fall in 2023.
**Side note: I did not mean to rhyme just now, but that was a hot bar!
Some of the Ohio State defensive records are just insane. Many were set in a different era when offenses were far less sophisticated and/or teams ran the ball 50 times per game. Case in point: Marcus Marek’s total career tackles record of 572. I mean, c’mon. The highest total for a player who saw action after 1990 is 408 (Steve Tovar). 572 will stand the test of time forever, no doubt in my mind.
Gene and I are talking about records we personally want to see broken, but I still want to avoid sounding like a delusional homer here. Which is why I had to avoid all career total records. Few Buckeyes are starting for 3+ years, and if they do, they are not putting up numbers like Sensibaugh, Marek, or Vrabel. Single game records seem fun, but also fluky, and as much as I might want J.T. Tuimoloau or Jack Sawyer to rack up five sacks against Penn State or TTUN, there is that whole ‘reasonable’ thing I mentioned earlier.
So pretty much by default, I ended up looking at team defensive records. And I asked myself: What do I want from Jim Knowles and the Ohio State defense? Furthermore, what do the Buckeyes need to be successful and potentially win games in spite of their offense? The answer to both questions was the same... Sacks.
OSU has struggled to get to the opposing quarterback in recent seasons, bottoming out with just 34 sacks in 2022. Even in today’s game, with air-it-out offenses becoming more and more prevalent, that (34 sacks) is not going to get it done. There can certainly be a chicken or the egg argument here, but minimal pressure on the opposing QB has often resulted in big play after big play being given up by the Buckeyes’ secondary. And those big plays have been Ohio State’s Achilles heel.
Which is why Larry Johnson and his guys up front need to be better in 2023. And I certainly want them to be better. In fact, I want them to be so much better that they break the program’s team sack record of 54 set in 2019. Given what we’ve seen recently, 54 sacks might not seem reasonable. But I believe that this current d-line group is the most talented one we’ve seen in Columbus in many years.
Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Hall, Williams... the list goes on and on. And playing in front of what is expected to be a much-improved OSU secondary, there should be ample opportunity for the big dogs to eat. Also, don’t forget about the Knowles factor.
Prior to his time in Columbus, Knowles was known as a guy who could create pressure with odd looks and aggressive blitz packages, as evidenced by his Oklahoma State defense racking up 55 sacks in 2021. I don’t think he forgot to coach, and he certainly has access to far better talent in Columbus, so I am expecting a bounceback season in 2023. Something along the lines of 55 sacks, maybe?
It might be coincidence that Knowles’ Cowboys totaled exactly one more (sack) than the Buckeyes’ team record, but that is exactly what I want, Gene. And I think that this record, unlike many, many others, is one that is actually within reach.
Gene’s Take
As Josh outlined at the top, many of the records compiled throughout Ohio State history are likely unattainable today for a variety of reasons. Single-game records are fluky, and its highly unlikely the Buckeyes will ever pick off eight passes in one game again like they did against Chicago in 1938. Career records like Mike Vrabel’s 36 sacks and J.T. Barrett’s 104 passing touchdowns will probably stand the test of time because guys who put up big numbers like that don’t stick around long enough to reach those sorts of career totals.
The best chance for any Ohio State records to be broken in 2023 would have to be of the single-season or single-game variety, but even many of those are incredibly lofty goals, which is to be expected at a school that has had so much NFL talent walk through its doors over the years.
I don’t see Kyle McCord or Devin Brown breaking Dwayne Haskins’ 4,831 single-season passing yards record — not by any lack of talent on their own, but simply because that year’s Ohio State team could not run the ball to save its life, and I would hope McCord/Brown aren’t asked to shoulder that sort of load this year. J.K. Dobbins’ single-season rushing record of 2,003 yards will be tough to beat as well, both because its an impressive number and because I don’t trust this offensive line.
The obvious guy I looked to first for any sort of potential record-breaking is Marvin Harrison Jr., who is an absolute freak of nature who should be capable of doing big things in 2023 ahead of being the first wide receiver off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft. Still, even as the top dog at the position, Brian Hartlines room might be too loaded for Harrison Jr. to break either of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s single-season records of 95 receptions or 1,606 receiving yards.
I do, however, think there is one record that Harrison Jr. is capable of breaking even with all the talent around him — albeit a bit more specific. I think Harrison Jr. could potential break the single-season record for most 100-yard receiving games, which is currently owned by David Boston with nine. If Ohio State plays 15 games — in an ideal world — I think Harrison Jr. could actually do this rather easily.
In a season where the Buckeyes played 13 games, missing the Big Ten Championship Game and coming just shy of playing in the national title game, Harrison put up seven 100-yard games. His biggest performance (yardage wise) of the year came against Penn State, wherein he hauled in 10 passes for 185 yards. It was one yard greater than his seven-catch, 184-yard performance against Arkansas State, where he also added three touchdowns to the ledger. Harrison Jr. eclipsed 120 yards in a game on five separate occasions, and even passed the century mark in the Peach Bowl against Georgia.
If McCord ends up winning the quarterback job, which would be the odds-on favorite at this point, he and Harrison Jr. have built-in chemistry as former high school teammates. The wide receiver room is loaded, but Harrison Jr. is the best guy in the room and a dependable safety blanket for a new starting quarterback that has plenty of experience throwing him the rock. At 6-foot-4, he’s a pretty easy target to hit, and he is open more often than not even despite the double teams and extra attention thrown at him.
I could easily see Harrison Jr. putting up 10-plus 100-yard games this season. I also dont think its too far-fetched to believe he could break Terry Glenn’s record of 17 touchdown receptions in a single season, as Harrison Jr. came awfully close last year with 14 TDs even without a B1G title game or national title game to play in. At a program that has had superstar after superstar take the field at wide receiver, Harrison Jr. has a chance to put his name in the record books as one of the best of the best.
Continue reading...
LGHL Broken Records: Archie Griffin’s career Ohio State rushing yards mark will never fall
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Broken Records: Archie Griffin’s career Ohio State rushing yards mark will never fall
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
SetNumber: X18300 TK1 R27 F5
Anyone who approaches Griffin’s mark will leave for the NFL before they can reach his OSU career record for rushing yards.
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 records, the ones that have been broken, the ones that could be broken, and the ones that will never be broken. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Broken Records” articles here.
They say that records are made to be broken, and that has nearly always been true, but because of the way players approach college football and a professional career beyond, there’s one Ohio State career mark that I don’t believe will ever fall. That OSU record is Archie Griffin’s career record for most rushing yards.
The primary reason for this has nothing to do with Griffin’s talent or the talent that walks through the Woody Hayes Athletic Center each year. Times have simply changed in a way that makes any approach to Griffin’s record seriously unlikely at best.
Griffin amassed 5,589 yards rushing on 924 attempts from 1972-75, scoring 26 touchdowns in those four seasons — many of his would-be scores were vultured near the goal line by Pete Johnson or quarterback keepers. Archie’s closest pursuer in the nearly half century since he last played has been J.K. Dobbins.
Dobbins racked up 4,459 on 725 carries from 2017-19, scoring 38 touchdowns. He averaged more yards per carry than Griffin (6.2 ypc, compared to Archie’s 6.0). While Dobbins played in only four fewer games than Griffin (42, to Archie’s 46), he still fell more than 1,100 yards shy of catching the two-time Heisman Trophy winner. If he had returned for his senior season rather than declaring for the NFL Draft, he had an excellent chance to set a new career school record.
Therein lies the rub.
Any running back at Ohio State who, like Dobbins, gets to within striking distance of Griffin’s mark in three seasons is likely going to receive a high draft grade. The lure of a lucrative NFL contract is too good for these young players to pass up, because football is a violent sport and anything can happen. One wrong cut that puts too much torque on the knee and a player may never see the same kind of salary he would have if he’d turn pro. The players know this and that’s why even a third-round draft grade can be enough to sway a college player to enter the draft.
NIL would probably have to substantially challenge NFL salaries in order for a player with big rushing totals to stick around for their fourth year of eligibility.
It’s possible that some running back could covet Griffin’s career OSU record enough to stay in school and get it done, but that would be an extraordinary decision. It’s also possible that someone could put up 2,000 yards per season and get it done in three years, but that too seems unlikely unless the current pass-happy style of football falls out of fashion. That doesn’t seem like something that could happen, given the evolution of the game over the past decade, barring a rules change that helps defensive backs to the point that attempting more running plays makes more sense.
Ohio State will try to keep up with what the other top programs are doing. It’s hard to imagine the Buckeyes would hire a coach who prefers to run the football more than 50 or 60 percent of the time, and the fanbase would likely riot if a triple-option head coach were hired.
With the trend of athletes opting to pursue a professional career at the first sign of a decent draft grade, Griffin’s record seems safe. It would take some kind of sea change in NIL and/or the game of college football — or just someone who cares more about setting the record than NFL dollars — in order for it to be broken.
Until that record does fall, I will forever remain skeptical that it can.
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
SetNumber: X18300 TK1 R27 F5
Anyone who approaches Griffin’s mark will leave for the NFL before they can reach his OSU career record for rushing yards.
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 records, the ones that have been broken, the ones that could be broken, and the ones that will never be broken. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Broken Records” articles here.
They say that records are made to be broken, and that has nearly always been true, but because of the way players approach college football and a professional career beyond, there’s one Ohio State career mark that I don’t believe will ever fall. That OSU record is Archie Griffin’s career record for most rushing yards.
The primary reason for this has nothing to do with Griffin’s talent or the talent that walks through the Woody Hayes Athletic Center each year. Times have simply changed in a way that makes any approach to Griffin’s record seriously unlikely at best.
Griffin amassed 5,589 yards rushing on 924 attempts from 1972-75, scoring 26 touchdowns in those four seasons — many of his would-be scores were vultured near the goal line by Pete Johnson or quarterback keepers. Archie’s closest pursuer in the nearly half century since he last played has been J.K. Dobbins.
Dobbins racked up 4,459 on 725 carries from 2017-19, scoring 38 touchdowns. He averaged more yards per carry than Griffin (6.2 ypc, compared to Archie’s 6.0). While Dobbins played in only four fewer games than Griffin (42, to Archie’s 46), he still fell more than 1,100 yards shy of catching the two-time Heisman Trophy winner. If he had returned for his senior season rather than declaring for the NFL Draft, he had an excellent chance to set a new career school record.
Therein lies the rub.
Any running back at Ohio State who, like Dobbins, gets to within striking distance of Griffin’s mark in three seasons is likely going to receive a high draft grade. The lure of a lucrative NFL contract is too good for these young players to pass up, because football is a violent sport and anything can happen. One wrong cut that puts too much torque on the knee and a player may never see the same kind of salary he would have if he’d turn pro. The players know this and that’s why even a third-round draft grade can be enough to sway a college player to enter the draft.
NIL would probably have to substantially challenge NFL salaries in order for a player with big rushing totals to stick around for their fourth year of eligibility.
It’s possible that some running back could covet Griffin’s career OSU record enough to stay in school and get it done, but that would be an extraordinary decision. It’s also possible that someone could put up 2,000 yards per season and get it done in three years, but that too seems unlikely unless the current pass-happy style of football falls out of fashion. That doesn’t seem like something that could happen, given the evolution of the game over the past decade, barring a rules change that helps defensive backs to the point that attempting more running plays makes more sense.
Ohio State will try to keep up with what the other top programs are doing. It’s hard to imagine the Buckeyes would hire a coach who prefers to run the football more than 50 or 60 percent of the time, and the fanbase would likely riot if a triple-option head coach were hired.
With the trend of athletes opting to pursue a professional career at the first sign of a decent draft grade, Griffin’s record seems safe. It would take some kind of sea change in NIL and/or the game of college football — or just someone who cares more about setting the record than NFL dollars — in order for it to be broken.
Until that record does fall, I will forever remain skeptical that it can.
Continue reading...
LGHL Broken Records: Could Ohio State’s offense be the most dominant in school history?
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Broken Records: Could Ohio State’s offense be the most dominant in school history?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
Ohio State has an elite group of offensive skill talent. Looking at some all-time records, we can see how good they could be.
Records are meant to be broken. That is especially the case when a team is built like Ohio State with a freightage of talent at the disposal of the offensive staff. The Buckeyes have routinely paced with the best offenses in the country, but with the veteran skill talent this year could be one where the exceptional happens.
Ohio State still has significant questions to answer in regards to who exactly will be on the field at some key positions. The quarterback battle is unsettled, but both quarterbacks in the room in Kyle McCord and Devin Brown ooze pedigree and talent. Offensive line coach Justin Frye has worked with less-talented groups prior and found significant success. If those questions are answered, the sky is the limit for this offensive group.
Surprisingly enough, historically the team after the team with the top-5 pick/NFL prospect at quarterback is the one that wins it all. Looking back to Peyton Manning, it was Tee Martin who finally held up the trophy. Down in Alabama, Tua Tagovailoa was the one who threw the pass to knock off Georgia, but it was Mac Jones who led the most explosive offense in school history. College football is filled with succession plans like these where the amazing comes when the worst could be expected.
This Ohio State team can be the next in the long line of football teams that outperform their more lauded predecessors. Looking at some national and school records relating to total offense, we can look at the potential thresholds that this team could reach given their talent on the offensive side of the ball.
In 2014 Ohio State set their program bench mark for total offense with 7,674 yards in the 15 games on the way to a national championship. The 2014 offense was an incredibly dynamic show led by red-shirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett and running back Ezekiel Elliott. The Buckeyes also ran out Michael Thomas and deep-threat Devin Smith, who were responsible for their share of explosiveness in the offense. Overall this group had similar questions heading into their season after the shock injury to incumbent starting quarterback Braxton Miller.
The 2014 offense was the greatest in total yards, but before we get into how this current group can get themselves into the record books, let’s take a look at the most yards per game offense in school history. That group was the 2018 no defense Buckeyes led by Dwayne Haskins Jr. The Buckeyes set countless passing records in both the school’s history and the Big Ten’s. They needed every single ounce of those yards, and ended up with two losses in spite of the offensive output due to challenges converting points at times.
That takes me to these records being broken, and why the 2022 team can be the one to unseat them. The first area of getting past the total yards on the season record is playing 15 games. If they get to 15 games, the record is in reach because each of the last four Ryan Day led teams would have eclipsed that number with 15 games. Now I know that is imaginative thinking, but the 2019 team was 200 yards short of being the best. If they take on LSU that following Monday, we may have a different idea on who the best offense in school history was.
For the yards per game, that just means the talent needs to show up on a week-to-week basis. What all the teams have in common is a dynamic backfield – Treveyon Henderson, MIyan Williams, Chip Trayanum, Dallan Hayden, and Evan Pryor definitely check those boxes. The group also needs explosive receivers on the outside, the son of a hall of farmer who is already on that trajectory himself in Marvin Harrison Jr. is a start. You add Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, and the elite freshman coming in, and there is definitely a group of players capable of making big plays.
All this to say, the offense should put up a lot of yards. Questions on the offense line have limited teams before, but if that group can find its footing the other questions will answer themselves. At quarterback, Day’s track record is elite with none of his quarterbacks having bad stats in year one. Lastly, to have the most yards the team has to win a lot of football games to play in a lot of football games. With the backfield and the receivers, the next quarterback at Ohio State just needs to not crash the car and these records will be in reach.
Verdict: They can break both of these records if every thing goes right (or things go horribly wrong on defense)
The last two seasons Ohio State has had the No. 1 yards per play offense and No. 3 yards per play offense in school history. This is the state of the offensive side of the program, and this year the expectation is that this will continue. Ohio State has consistently ranked near the top offenses in yards per play since Urban Meyer took over the program in 2012, and that has set a lofty standard.
In school history, the highest yards per play in a single season was the 7.8 YPP in 2021-2022 when the Buckeyes had a breakout year from Treveyon Henderson, two first round draft picks at wide receiver, and a quarterback in C.J. Stroud who grew into the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Ohio State will have a healthy Henderson back which is a big step, and in addition to Miyan Williams the No. 2 back, they should have more depth behind them as well this season.
Ohio State also has two first round wide receivers on their roster at this moment as well, and would you look at that, a first year starter at quarterback. A big reason the yards per play stat can be even greater this year is the balance the offense will try to find with a young starting quarterback. The offense won’t be simpler, but as we saw in Stroud’s first season, Day is willing to scheme up some big time throws down field.
Against Rutgers after Stroud returned from injury, he threw for five touchdowns with three of them coming off of well designed plays off of the run actions. This is what happens when a coach is trying to build the confidence of his quarterback, and when the running game is on there is that much more danger for defenses which is why this yards per play record should be in jeopardy.
Getting to eight yards per play is no small task, but the Buckeyes were incredibly close with the last two games hurting them. This season, it will once again come down to the final weeks. If the Buckeyes grow, improve, and become more dynamic as the season goes as they should. This record might be the most in jeopardy of them all, and could very well be broken with or without serious success.
Verdict: Having a young quarterback means the starter will be in games longer to get reps, the quality will be higher for longer and the Buckeyes have their most yards per play in a season
The last section is the most important because you can’t win a football without scoring points even though schools like Iowa continue to try. Ohio State is on the opposite end of that spectrum every single year, so looking at the history books 2019 is the year to beat. The Buckeyes led by Justin Fields averaged 46.9 points per game, and were looking to make a statement every time they stepped on the field.
Ryan Day has his back against the wall, he’s handed the keys over to Brian Hartline in terms of play-calling, so this year has the makings of a prove it year like 2019. There is also the similarities between this team and the 2019 team. Ohio State had a first year starting quarterback, a star running back, and elite receivers all looking to make sure every defense paid for any mistakes.
Looking at Ohio State’s schedule, the Buckeyes only play two teams who ranked in the top-10 in opponent’s points per game and I’m sure you can guess who the two are. For the Buckeyes to break this record, they will need to maintain the offensive explosiveness agains their two rivals as well as not having low scoring games like Northwestern or Notre Dame from last year. With two early games against Western Kentucky and Youngstown State, the stat padding can be real.
Verdict: Long shot because 47 points per game is a lot, even in a good year.
The Buckeyes can break all three of these records on offense for a multitude of reasons, but it all starts with figuring out the starting lineup. Once the Buckeyes have the offensive line and quarterback position settled, we can really dive into the skill sets and how the coaching staff will build their plan of attack. With differing skill sets at the quarterback position, the offense’s strengths will be different depending on who wins the starting job. The only reason there is little concern there from my side is Day’s track record with quarterbacks.
Day has lost two important games that are seen as unforgivable, but he has routinely paced the country with explosive offenses. This years team at the skill positions might be the most talented on paper since Day took over. That means on paper all these records are breakable if things come together. For Day, trusting Hartline to manage the games and building the offensive line with Frye will be the difference in this offense being an all-time great group, or falling flat.
The final verdict here is answering the question, could this group be the most dominant in school history? They absolutely have the talent to get that done, the schedule is favorable, and outside the trips to Ann Arbor, Madison, and South Bend, there is a lot of opportunity in non-hostile environments to blow some numbers out of the water. If they play well in those match ups, and get the job done there is no reason this group can’t be seen as the most dominant in school history.
A lot of things need to go right, but the ceiling of this offense is untenable, if they don’t fall through the floor they have the makings of a group that can be truly special. Now it is time for Day to bring that talent together, and go prove it on the field.
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Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
Ohio State has an elite group of offensive skill talent. Looking at some all-time records, we can see how good they could be.
Records are meant to be broken. That is especially the case when a team is built like Ohio State with a freightage of talent at the disposal of the offensive staff. The Buckeyes have routinely paced with the best offenses in the country, but with the veteran skill talent this year could be one where the exceptional happens.
Ohio State still has significant questions to answer in regards to who exactly will be on the field at some key positions. The quarterback battle is unsettled, but both quarterbacks in the room in Kyle McCord and Devin Brown ooze pedigree and talent. Offensive line coach Justin Frye has worked with less-talented groups prior and found significant success. If those questions are answered, the sky is the limit for this offensive group.
Surprisingly enough, historically the team after the team with the top-5 pick/NFL prospect at quarterback is the one that wins it all. Looking back to Peyton Manning, it was Tee Martin who finally held up the trophy. Down in Alabama, Tua Tagovailoa was the one who threw the pass to knock off Georgia, but it was Mac Jones who led the most explosive offense in school history. College football is filled with succession plans like these where the amazing comes when the worst could be expected.
This Ohio State team can be the next in the long line of football teams that outperform their more lauded predecessors. Looking at some national and school records relating to total offense, we can look at the potential thresholds that this team could reach given their talent on the offensive side of the ball.
Total Offense
In 2014 Ohio State set their program bench mark for total offense with 7,674 yards in the 15 games on the way to a national championship. The 2014 offense was an incredibly dynamic show led by red-shirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett and running back Ezekiel Elliott. The Buckeyes also ran out Michael Thomas and deep-threat Devin Smith, who were responsible for their share of explosiveness in the offense. Overall this group had similar questions heading into their season after the shock injury to incumbent starting quarterback Braxton Miller.
The 2014 offense was the greatest in total yards, but before we get into how this current group can get themselves into the record books, let’s take a look at the most yards per game offense in school history. That group was the 2018 no defense Buckeyes led by Dwayne Haskins Jr. The Buckeyes set countless passing records in both the school’s history and the Big Ten’s. They needed every single ounce of those yards, and ended up with two losses in spite of the offensive output due to challenges converting points at times.
That takes me to these records being broken, and why the 2022 team can be the one to unseat them. The first area of getting past the total yards on the season record is playing 15 games. If they get to 15 games, the record is in reach because each of the last four Ryan Day led teams would have eclipsed that number with 15 games. Now I know that is imaginative thinking, but the 2019 team was 200 yards short of being the best. If they take on LSU that following Monday, we may have a different idea on who the best offense in school history was.
For the yards per game, that just means the talent needs to show up on a week-to-week basis. What all the teams have in common is a dynamic backfield – Treveyon Henderson, MIyan Williams, Chip Trayanum, Dallan Hayden, and Evan Pryor definitely check those boxes. The group also needs explosive receivers on the outside, the son of a hall of farmer who is already on that trajectory himself in Marvin Harrison Jr. is a start. You add Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, and the elite freshman coming in, and there is definitely a group of players capable of making big plays.
All this to say, the offense should put up a lot of yards. Questions on the offense line have limited teams before, but if that group can find its footing the other questions will answer themselves. At quarterback, Day’s track record is elite with none of his quarterbacks having bad stats in year one. Lastly, to have the most yards the team has to win a lot of football games to play in a lot of football games. With the backfield and the receivers, the next quarterback at Ohio State just needs to not crash the car and these records will be in reach.
Verdict: They can break both of these records if every thing goes right (or things go horribly wrong on defense)
Yards per play
The last two seasons Ohio State has had the No. 1 yards per play offense and No. 3 yards per play offense in school history. This is the state of the offensive side of the program, and this year the expectation is that this will continue. Ohio State has consistently ranked near the top offenses in yards per play since Urban Meyer took over the program in 2012, and that has set a lofty standard.
In school history, the highest yards per play in a single season was the 7.8 YPP in 2021-2022 when the Buckeyes had a breakout year from Treveyon Henderson, two first round draft picks at wide receiver, and a quarterback in C.J. Stroud who grew into the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Ohio State will have a healthy Henderson back which is a big step, and in addition to Miyan Williams the No. 2 back, they should have more depth behind them as well this season.
Ohio State also has two first round wide receivers on their roster at this moment as well, and would you look at that, a first year starter at quarterback. A big reason the yards per play stat can be even greater this year is the balance the offense will try to find with a young starting quarterback. The offense won’t be simpler, but as we saw in Stroud’s first season, Day is willing to scheme up some big time throws down field.
Against Rutgers after Stroud returned from injury, he threw for five touchdowns with three of them coming off of well designed plays off of the run actions. This is what happens when a coach is trying to build the confidence of his quarterback, and when the running game is on there is that much more danger for defenses which is why this yards per play record should be in jeopardy.
Getting to eight yards per play is no small task, but the Buckeyes were incredibly close with the last two games hurting them. This season, it will once again come down to the final weeks. If the Buckeyes grow, improve, and become more dynamic as the season goes as they should. This record might be the most in jeopardy of them all, and could very well be broken with or without serious success.
Verdict: Having a young quarterback means the starter will be in games longer to get reps, the quality will be higher for longer and the Buckeyes have their most yards per play in a season
Total Scoring
The last section is the most important because you can’t win a football without scoring points even though schools like Iowa continue to try. Ohio State is on the opposite end of that spectrum every single year, so looking at the history books 2019 is the year to beat. The Buckeyes led by Justin Fields averaged 46.9 points per game, and were looking to make a statement every time they stepped on the field.
Ryan Day has his back against the wall, he’s handed the keys over to Brian Hartline in terms of play-calling, so this year has the makings of a prove it year like 2019. There is also the similarities between this team and the 2019 team. Ohio State had a first year starting quarterback, a star running back, and elite receivers all looking to make sure every defense paid for any mistakes.
Looking at Ohio State’s schedule, the Buckeyes only play two teams who ranked in the top-10 in opponent’s points per game and I’m sure you can guess who the two are. For the Buckeyes to break this record, they will need to maintain the offensive explosiveness agains their two rivals as well as not having low scoring games like Northwestern or Notre Dame from last year. With two early games against Western Kentucky and Youngstown State, the stat padding can be real.
Verdict: Long shot because 47 points per game is a lot, even in a good year.
The Buckeyes can break all three of these records on offense for a multitude of reasons, but it all starts with figuring out the starting lineup. Once the Buckeyes have the offensive line and quarterback position settled, we can really dive into the skill sets and how the coaching staff will build their plan of attack. With differing skill sets at the quarterback position, the offense’s strengths will be different depending on who wins the starting job. The only reason there is little concern there from my side is Day’s track record with quarterbacks.
Day has lost two important games that are seen as unforgivable, but he has routinely paced the country with explosive offenses. This years team at the skill positions might be the most talented on paper since Day took over. That means on paper all these records are breakable if things come together. For Day, trusting Hartline to manage the games and building the offensive line with Frye will be the difference in this offense being an all-time great group, or falling flat.
The final verdict here is answering the question, could this group be the most dominant in school history? They absolutely have the talent to get that done, the schedule is favorable, and outside the trips to Ann Arbor, Madison, and South Bend, there is a lot of opportunity in non-hostile environments to blow some numbers out of the water. If they play well in those match ups, and get the job done there is no reason this group can’t be seen as the most dominant in school history.
A lot of things need to go right, but the ceiling of this offense is untenable, if they don’t fall through the floor they have the makings of a group that can be truly special. Now it is time for Day to bring that talent together, and go prove it on the field.
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LGHL Burning Questions: Will the 2023 season be the return of the dominant defensive end
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Burning Questions: Will the 2023 season be the return of the dominant defensive end
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 Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
After Chase Young left for the NFL, Ohio State’s defensive end production dropped drastically.
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 the most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content and our ”Burning Questions” articles here.
It’s time to ask a question that has been on my mind since Chase Young was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL draft: Will the 2023 season be the return of the dominant defensive end at Ohio State?
For a seven year period, 2013-2019, Ohio State had at least one dominant force on their defensive line. Joey Bosa starred for the Buckeyes from 2013-2015 before being selected No. 3 in the 2016 NFL Draft. Nick Bosa followed in his brother’s footsteps from 2016 to 2018 and was taken No. 2 in the 2019 NFL Draft. Chase Young followed after the Bosa brothers going No. 2 in the 202 NFL draft.
For seven seasons the best defensive player in the country wore scarlet and gray and resided in Columbus Ohio, but since then there has been a drastic drop off in production.
Former five-star recruit Zach Harrison was supposed to be the next best thing, and while he had a good career at Ohio State, he never turned into a star. Following Harrison, Ohio State landed two five-star defensive ends in Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, who to this point have only shown flashes of greatness, but have not broken out like their predecessors.
Tuimoloau and Sawyer are entering their third season, in which the Bosa brothers and Chase Young broke out, solidifying themselves as the top defensive player in their respective drafts. The major difference between Tuimoloau, Sawyer, and the previous three stars is their level of production through their first two seasons.
Check out the chart below for a comparison:
As you can see through their first two seasons, Sawyer and Tuimoloau are nowhere close to keeping up with the statistical outputs of the former three superstars. For comparison, If you combined JT and Jack’s numbers, they would have 80 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. Combined the two of them are still not beating Joey Bosa in any singular category besides interceptions, where J.T. is responsible for two interceptions throughout his career.
Now, I don’t want you to misconstrue the tone of this article. I am not by any means saying that J.T. and Jack are bad players or that they’re busts, but they have not reached the level of play that we had gotten used to with Larry Johnson led defensive lines.
Ohio State hasn’t won the Big Ten or beat Michigan in the past two seasons, and while that is not solely based on the performance of the defensive line, the lack of dominant defensive ends has contributed to a defense more susceptible to big plays. From 2015 to 2020 Ohio State had six defensive backs drafted in the first round. While a few of them turned into stars in the league, it’s fair to say that for a couple of them, their value was inflated due to having back to back to back quarterback killers who forced offenses to either throw quickly or abandon the passing game altogether.
Without a dominant defensive end, the linebacker play has dropped and the secondary has been picked apart in almost every big game — including last season’s game against Michigan. For Ohio State to reach its goals in 2023, it will need one or both of its highly-ranked defensive ends to make the third-year leap. The Bosa Brothers and Chase Young were all individually dominant in their third season, and while we probably have enough information to accept that J.T. and Jack are not on their level, we still need a big season from both guys before they head to the NFL.
Check out the third-year stats from the previous stars:
Joey, Nick, and Chase all found a way to raise their games in their third season, helping Ohio State’s defense become one of the best in the nation. We may never see another individual season like Chase Young in 2019, but if Ohio State wants to take control back from Michigan and stop Georgia from a three-peat, they will need a dominant pass rush, and that requires J.T. or Jack to take a massive jump in their third season.
Larry Johnson is a legend, but if neither Sawyer nor Tuimoloau breaks out in 2023, he will be 0-for-3 in developing his last three five-star defensive ends. A lot is resting on this defense in 2023. The Buckeyes can’t afford to have a mediocre pass rush for a fourth straight season.
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JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
After Chase Young left for the NFL, Ohio State’s defensive end production dropped drastically.
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 the most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content and our ”Burning Questions” articles here.
It’s time to ask a question that has been on my mind since Chase Young was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL draft: Will the 2023 season be the return of the dominant defensive end at Ohio State?
For a seven year period, 2013-2019, Ohio State had at least one dominant force on their defensive line. Joey Bosa starred for the Buckeyes from 2013-2015 before being selected No. 3 in the 2016 NFL Draft. Nick Bosa followed in his brother’s footsteps from 2016 to 2018 and was taken No. 2 in the 2019 NFL Draft. Chase Young followed after the Bosa brothers going No. 2 in the 202 NFL draft.
For seven seasons the best defensive player in the country wore scarlet and gray and resided in Columbus Ohio, but since then there has been a drastic drop off in production.
Former five-star recruit Zach Harrison was supposed to be the next best thing, and while he had a good career at Ohio State, he never turned into a star. Following Harrison, Ohio State landed two five-star defensive ends in Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, who to this point have only shown flashes of greatness, but have not broken out like their predecessors.
Tuimoloau and Sawyer are entering their third season, in which the Bosa brothers and Chase Young broke out, solidifying themselves as the top defensive player in their respective drafts. The major difference between Tuimoloau, Sawyer, and the previous three stars is their level of production through their first two seasons.
Check out the chart below for a comparison:
As you can see through their first two seasons, Sawyer and Tuimoloau are nowhere close to keeping up with the statistical outputs of the former three superstars. For comparison, If you combined JT and Jack’s numbers, they would have 80 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. Combined the two of them are still not beating Joey Bosa in any singular category besides interceptions, where J.T. is responsible for two interceptions throughout his career.
Now, I don’t want you to misconstrue the tone of this article. I am not by any means saying that J.T. and Jack are bad players or that they’re busts, but they have not reached the level of play that we had gotten used to with Larry Johnson led defensive lines.
Ohio State hasn’t won the Big Ten or beat Michigan in the past two seasons, and while that is not solely based on the performance of the defensive line, the lack of dominant defensive ends has contributed to a defense more susceptible to big plays. From 2015 to 2020 Ohio State had six defensive backs drafted in the first round. While a few of them turned into stars in the league, it’s fair to say that for a couple of them, their value was inflated due to having back to back to back quarterback killers who forced offenses to either throw quickly or abandon the passing game altogether.
Without a dominant defensive end, the linebacker play has dropped and the secondary has been picked apart in almost every big game — including last season’s game against Michigan. For Ohio State to reach its goals in 2023, it will need one or both of its highly-ranked defensive ends to make the third-year leap. The Bosa Brothers and Chase Young were all individually dominant in their third season, and while we probably have enough information to accept that J.T. and Jack are not on their level, we still need a big season from both guys before they head to the NFL.
Check out the third-year stats from the previous stars:
Joey, Nick, and Chase all found a way to raise their games in their third season, helping Ohio State’s defense become one of the best in the nation. We may never see another individual season like Chase Young in 2019, but if Ohio State wants to take control back from Michigan and stop Georgia from a three-peat, they will need a dominant pass rush, and that requires J.T. or Jack to take a massive jump in their third season.
Larry Johnson is a legend, but if neither Sawyer nor Tuimoloau breaks out in 2023, he will be 0-for-3 in developing his last three five-star defensive ends. A lot is resting on this defense in 2023. The Buckeyes can’t afford to have a mediocre pass rush for a fourth straight season.
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LGHL Ohio State leapfrogs Michigan for No. 2 class in 2024 with pair of big Glenville commits
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Ohio State leapfrogs Michigan for No. 2 class in 2024 with pair of big Glenville commits
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 Ohio State commit Bryce West | 247Sports
The Buckeyes picked up two major BOOOOMs over the weekend.
What was already expected to be a massive recruiting weekend in Columbus got even larger on Saturday when the Buckeyes earned a pair of stellar commitments out of Cleveland Glenville. The Ohio high school pipeline that produced Ted Ginn Jr., Marshon Lattimore, Donte Whitner, Troy Smith, Cardale Jones and most recently 2023 linebacker Arvell Reese has once again provided Ohio State with some premiere talent at two positions of need.
First up, a move that had felt like a long time coming but was by no means a guarantee, the Buckeyes got a major boost to their defensive secondary with the commitment of cornerback Bryce West.
West immediately becomes the highest-rated defensive player in Ohio State’s 2024 class as the No. 4 CB and No. 49 overall player in the country per the 247Sports Composite. The No. 1 player in Ohio in this cycle, it was imperative that the Buckeyes beat out rival Michigan for his pledge, as West was highly considering the Wolverines in addition to schools like Oregon and Georgia also remaining in the mix, albeit less so than the two B1G programs.
Comparing his play to that of Darius Slay, a five-time NFL Pro-Bowl corner, here is what 247Sports’ Allen Trieu has to say of West’s abilities:
West was nothing short of a lockdown corner for the Tarblooders as a junior, not allowing a single touchdown in coverage and intercepting four passes for a team that finished 15-0 and won a state title. He was named a Junior All-American by MaxPreps for his efforts. Needless to say, he was an absolute must-have for Ohio State in this cycle, and landing him six months before signing day allows for Tim Walton and Perry Eliano to continue chasing their other top targets at the position in what will likely be a three or four corner class.
As previously mentioned, West is the highest-ranked defensive player in the Buckeyes’ 2024 group thus far and the fourth defensive player overall, joining linebackers Garrett Stover and Payton Pierce as well as safety Jaylen McCLain. As the top in-state player in the cycle, Ohio State now holds commitments from five of the top 12 prospects in Ohio, one of which we will get to in a moment. They will hope to make it six of the top 12 if they can seal the deal with corner Aaron Scott Jr., the No. 2 in-state player in the class.
The other big addition on Saturday came on offense, as Ohio State was able to land its second tight end pledge in 2024 with the commitment of Damarion Witten.
The 6-foot-4 Glenville product currently ranks as the No. 19 TE in the country and the No. 11 player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite. He joins Max LeBlanc as the Buckeyes finally are able to put together a two tight end class — something Ohio State has not done since 2016, when they landed three tight ends. If both LeBlanc and Witten do end up officially signing with OSU, it will be the fifth time since 1996 the program has scored multiple tight ends in a single recruiting class.
Witten is a big get for new position coach Keenan Bailey as the top in-state target at the position. Former offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was actually the one who offered Witten back in September, but Bailey made sure to keep the Cleveland native in high regard. Ultimately he was able to get the job done, beating out schools among the likes of Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas and others for his services.
With Witten and West now in the fold, Ohio State has passed over Michigan for the No. 2 class in the country, even despite holding only 16 commitments to the Wolverines’ 23. The Buckeyes’ player average of 93.31 is nearly three points higher than TTUN’s (90.63), and is only 0.12 behind No. 1 Georgia’s (93.43). Off to a fantastic start, there is still a long way to go for Ryan Day and his staff as they look for their first defensive line commitment of the cycle as well as further additions in other key areas.
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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
2024 Ohio State commit Bryce West | 247Sports
The Buckeyes picked up two major BOOOOMs over the weekend.
What was already expected to be a massive recruiting weekend in Columbus got even larger on Saturday when the Buckeyes earned a pair of stellar commitments out of Cleveland Glenville. The Ohio high school pipeline that produced Ted Ginn Jr., Marshon Lattimore, Donte Whitner, Troy Smith, Cardale Jones and most recently 2023 linebacker Arvell Reese has once again provided Ohio State with some premiere talent at two positions of need.
First up, a move that had felt like a long time coming but was by no means a guarantee, the Buckeyes got a major boost to their defensive secondary with the commitment of cornerback Bryce West.
West immediately becomes the highest-rated defensive player in Ohio State’s 2024 class as the No. 4 CB and No. 49 overall player in the country per the 247Sports Composite. The No. 1 player in Ohio in this cycle, it was imperative that the Buckeyes beat out rival Michigan for his pledge, as West was highly considering the Wolverines in addition to schools like Oregon and Georgia also remaining in the mix, albeit less so than the two B1G programs.
Comparing his play to that of Darius Slay, a five-time NFL Pro-Bowl corner, here is what 247Sports’ Allen Trieu has to say of West’s abilities:
West was nothing short of a lockdown corner for the Tarblooders as a junior, not allowing a single touchdown in coverage and intercepting four passes for a team that finished 15-0 and won a state title. He was named a Junior All-American by MaxPreps for his efforts. Needless to say, he was an absolute must-have for Ohio State in this cycle, and landing him six months before signing day allows for Tim Walton and Perry Eliano to continue chasing their other top targets at the position in what will likely be a three or four corner class.
As previously mentioned, West is the highest-ranked defensive player in the Buckeyes’ 2024 group thus far and the fourth defensive player overall, joining linebackers Garrett Stover and Payton Pierce as well as safety Jaylen McCLain. As the top in-state player in the cycle, Ohio State now holds commitments from five of the top 12 prospects in Ohio, one of which we will get to in a moment. They will hope to make it six of the top 12 if they can seal the deal with corner Aaron Scott Jr., the No. 2 in-state player in the class.
The other big addition on Saturday came on offense, as Ohio State was able to land its second tight end pledge in 2024 with the commitment of Damarion Witten.
The 6-foot-4 Glenville product currently ranks as the No. 19 TE in the country and the No. 11 player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite. He joins Max LeBlanc as the Buckeyes finally are able to put together a two tight end class — something Ohio State has not done since 2016, when they landed three tight ends. If both LeBlanc and Witten do end up officially signing with OSU, it will be the fifth time since 1996 the program has scored multiple tight ends in a single recruiting class.
Witten is a big get for new position coach Keenan Bailey as the top in-state target at the position. Former offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was actually the one who offered Witten back in September, but Bailey made sure to keep the Cleveland native in high regard. Ultimately he was able to get the job done, beating out schools among the likes of Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas and others for his services.
With Witten and West now in the fold, Ohio State has passed over Michigan for the No. 2 class in the country, even despite holding only 16 commitments to the Wolverines’ 23. The Buckeyes’ player average of 93.31 is nearly three points higher than TTUN’s (90.63), and is only 0.12 behind No. 1 Georgia’s (93.43). Off to a fantastic start, there is still a long way to go for Ryan Day and his staff as they look for their first defensive line commitment of the cycle as well as further additions in other key areas.
Quick Hits
- Witten and West weren’t the only high-profile names on campus this past weekend. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and Justin Scott, a pair of top-100 defenders, were also in Columbus on their official visits, and appear to have enjoyed what they saw during their trip. Scott, a five-star, is the No. 3 DL and No. 14 overall player in the 2024 class, while Viliamu-Asa is the No. 7 LB in the country, all per the 247Sports Composite.
- Of course, the other name to keep a close eye on from this past weekend was none other than Aaron Scott Jr., whom the Buckeyes would love to pair with West as the two top players in the state in this cycle. Ohio State continues to battle it out with Michigan for the nation’s No. 5 CB and No. 53 overall prospect, but seem to have the inside track as things currently stand with all three Crystal Ball predictions in favor of OSU.
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