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LGHL Ohio State’s projected two-deep following the first day of 2023 fall football camp
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Ohio State’s projected two-deep following the first day of 2023 fall football camp
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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sonny Styles can, should, and will be a starter for the season opener.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Ohio State football program would actually publish depth charts to make it easier for the media and fans to understand what was happening with the team. Not only that, but the Buckeyes actually did it on a weekly basis, giving interested onlookers an insight into the roster before every game.
Gone are those more carefree days of yore as head coach Ryan Day has closed ranks around his program, instead of open and honest transparency opting for secrecy and surreptitiousness. While wanting to keep proprietary information out of the hands of opponents certainly makes sense, unfortunately, it makes it more difficult for fans to know what’s going on with the team that they love, and it can end up causing headaches for OSU players and coaches as well.
So, short of an actual two-deep release, I am going to read the tea leaves from what we saw in the spring, heard throughout the summer, and witnessed from the first day of fall camp on Thursday to try and predict what will happen at every position by the time the season opener against Indiana rolls around.
This one seems pretty much set in stone at this point. While the athleticism of Devin Brown is intriguing, I think the writing on the wall is pretty clear at this point that Kyle McCord will be the Buckeyes' Day 1 starter. In the middle of last season, I actually had talked myself into thinking that Brown would be the 2023 starter because Day seemed so hesitant to let McCord do practically anything in games. But, that now appears to have been more about trying to get as much Heisman love for C.J. Stroud as anything else. So, I think the veteran will be the starter for the Buckeyes this fall before probably turning into a first-round NFL Draft pick next spring.
In terms of running back, I don’t think it really matters who starts between these two, because I think they will both have a substantial, and fairly equal, role in the offense this year. However, coming off of a really frustrating sophomore season, it seems like TreVeyon Henderson is healthy and ready to prove that his freshman campaign was no fluke; so I am looking for him to prove that he is once again one of the best backs in the country.
Rinse, repeat; Ohio State has the best receiving corps in the country. They will continue to just funnel top-line talent into the pros with no speed bumps for the foreseeable future ad infinitum, in perpetuity, forever and ever, amen.
Here’s the one area that I am going to venture at least a little bit off of the conventional wisdom and what we saw at Thursday’s first open practice. Apparently, Zen Michalski was getting the first team reps at right tackle, which is all well and good, but I do believe that San Diego State transfer Josh Simmons will eventually be the starter at the open tackle position.
However, since he came over following spring practice, today was his first official practice as a Buckeye. So, once he gets acclimated to the program, I do think that his experience will carry him to a starting spot and will likely push Zen to the left side where he can be the backup to Josh Fryar.
The one little bit of news that we got about the defensive line coming out of Thursday was that Tyliek Williams went down with a bit of an injury. While he remained on the field for the rest of practice, he did not participate. So, that is likely all precautionary, but I do think it plays into the fact that he will almost certainly be the third man in the d-line rotation this year behind Mike Hall and Ty Hamilton.
Day said on Wednesday that the coaches’ plan is to rotate less up front on defense, so how deep they actually go is yet to be seen, but Williams is a pretty scary presence to have as a backup for that unit.
The two-deep at linebacker seems to be pretty cut and dry, but on Thursday we learned that oft-injured safety Kourt Williams had made the transition to linebacker and will be playing exclusively there this season.
“Kourt is a guy we always felt would be better off closer to the line of scrimmage,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “We had debated that move for a while and thought it was the right time to move him down fully. He’ll still play sam linebacker in our 4-3 defense, he’s a first-class young man and it’s great to have him at linebacker.”
I have been excited to see what Wiliams could do since he got to campus and he was touted as the perfect fit for the Bullet position that never actually manifested on the field. So, after having three shoulder surgeries late in the 2022 season, let’s hope that he is ready to go as a LB this fall.
Ok, here’s where things get interesting. I think that the corners are more or less set with Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock locked in as starters with Ole Miss transfer Davison Igbinosun the next man up, but when we move to safety, that’s where things get weird.
All spring, the OSU coaches were talking up how great Josh Proctor had played, making many to assume that he had reclaimed the starting free safety spot that he lost after one half of football last fall. However, when the first practice got underway on Thursday, it was Syracuse transfer Ja’Had Carter at the Adjuster position.
While that was a surprise in itself, perhaps the bigger shock was that 18-year-old sophomore Sonny Styles was running with the 1s at the Nickel position. The accepted wisdom had been that veteran Cam Martinez would occupy that spot, but coaches had been increasingly talking about trying to get the uber-athletic Styles on the field all offseason, and it looks like this is how they do it.
I appreciate that Proctor and Martinez could have theoretically left after disappointing 2022 campaigns — especially Proctor who shocked practically everyone in returning — but Styles needs to be on the field. You win with athletes in this sport, and if the gap between veterans and youngsters is small, I always side with the youngsters because they have more room for growth and improvement.
Similarly, after being a modest three-star recruit coming out of high school, Carter has improved to the point that he was the No. 1 safety in the portal this offseason. If the Buckeyes want a defense that can hang with Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, USC, and the like, you need studs, and while Proctor and Martinez have proven to be solid contributors, they have yet to seize the opportunities that have been given to them, so it’s time to let some other guys have a chance.
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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sonny Styles can, should, and will be a starter for the season opener.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Ohio State football program would actually publish depth charts to make it easier for the media and fans to understand what was happening with the team. Not only that, but the Buckeyes actually did it on a weekly basis, giving interested onlookers an insight into the roster before every game.
Gone are those more carefree days of yore as head coach Ryan Day has closed ranks around his program, instead of open and honest transparency opting for secrecy and surreptitiousness. While wanting to keep proprietary information out of the hands of opponents certainly makes sense, unfortunately, it makes it more difficult for fans to know what’s going on with the team that they love, and it can end up causing headaches for OSU players and coaches as well.
So, short of an actual two-deep release, I am going to read the tea leaves from what we saw in the spring, heard throughout the summer, and witnessed from the first day of fall camp on Thursday to try and predict what will happen at every position by the time the season opener against Indiana rolls around.
Offense
Backfield
This one seems pretty much set in stone at this point. While the athleticism of Devin Brown is intriguing, I think the writing on the wall is pretty clear at this point that Kyle McCord will be the Buckeyes' Day 1 starter. In the middle of last season, I actually had talked myself into thinking that Brown would be the 2023 starter because Day seemed so hesitant to let McCord do practically anything in games. But, that now appears to have been more about trying to get as much Heisman love for C.J. Stroud as anything else. So, I think the veteran will be the starter for the Buckeyes this fall before probably turning into a first-round NFL Draft pick next spring.
In terms of running back, I don’t think it really matters who starts between these two, because I think they will both have a substantial, and fairly equal, role in the offense this year. However, coming off of a really frustrating sophomore season, it seems like TreVeyon Henderson is healthy and ready to prove that his freshman campaign was no fluke; so I am looking for him to prove that he is once again one of the best backs in the country.
Pass Catchers
Rinse, repeat; Ohio State has the best receiving corps in the country. They will continue to just funnel top-line talent into the pros with no speed bumps for the foreseeable future ad infinitum, in perpetuity, forever and ever, amen.
Offensive Line
Here’s the one area that I am going to venture at least a little bit off of the conventional wisdom and what we saw at Thursday’s first open practice. Apparently, Zen Michalski was getting the first team reps at right tackle, which is all well and good, but I do believe that San Diego State transfer Josh Simmons will eventually be the starter at the open tackle position.
However, since he came over following spring practice, today was his first official practice as a Buckeye. So, once he gets acclimated to the program, I do think that his experience will carry him to a starting spot and will likely push Zen to the left side where he can be the backup to Josh Fryar.
Defense
Defensive Line
The one little bit of news that we got about the defensive line coming out of Thursday was that Tyliek Williams went down with a bit of an injury. While he remained on the field for the rest of practice, he did not participate. So, that is likely all precautionary, but I do think it plays into the fact that he will almost certainly be the third man in the d-line rotation this year behind Mike Hall and Ty Hamilton.
Day said on Wednesday that the coaches’ plan is to rotate less up front on defense, so how deep they actually go is yet to be seen, but Williams is a pretty scary presence to have as a backup for that unit.
Linebacker
The two-deep at linebacker seems to be pretty cut and dry, but on Thursday we learned that oft-injured safety Kourt Williams had made the transition to linebacker and will be playing exclusively there this season.
“Kourt is a guy we always felt would be better off closer to the line of scrimmage,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “We had debated that move for a while and thought it was the right time to move him down fully. He’ll still play sam linebacker in our 4-3 defense, he’s a first-class young man and it’s great to have him at linebacker.”
I have been excited to see what Wiliams could do since he got to campus and he was touted as the perfect fit for the Bullet position that never actually manifested on the field. So, after having three shoulder surgeries late in the 2022 season, let’s hope that he is ready to go as a LB this fall.
Secondary
Ok, here’s where things get interesting. I think that the corners are more or less set with Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock locked in as starters with Ole Miss transfer Davison Igbinosun the next man up, but when we move to safety, that’s where things get weird.
All spring, the OSU coaches were talking up how great Josh Proctor had played, making many to assume that he had reclaimed the starting free safety spot that he lost after one half of football last fall. However, when the first practice got underway on Thursday, it was Syracuse transfer Ja’Had Carter at the Adjuster position.
While that was a surprise in itself, perhaps the bigger shock was that 18-year-old sophomore Sonny Styles was running with the 1s at the Nickel position. The accepted wisdom had been that veteran Cam Martinez would occupy that spot, but coaches had been increasingly talking about trying to get the uber-athletic Styles on the field all offseason, and it looks like this is how they do it.
I appreciate that Proctor and Martinez could have theoretically left after disappointing 2022 campaigns — especially Proctor who shocked practically everyone in returning — but Styles needs to be on the field. You win with athletes in this sport, and if the gap between veterans and youngsters is small, I always side with the youngsters because they have more room for growth and improvement.
Similarly, after being a modest three-star recruit coming out of high school, Carter has improved to the point that he was the No. 1 safety in the portal this offseason. If the Buckeyes want a defense that can hang with Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, USC, and the like, you need studs, and while Proctor and Martinez have proven to be solid contributors, they have yet to seize the opportunities that have been given to them, so it’s time to let some other guys have a chance.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which college football game in August are you most looking forward to watching?
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You’re Nuts: Which college football game in August are you most looking forward to watching?
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 Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Our annual national nightmare is almost over! We have finally reached the point of the year where we can say “college football starts this month!”. With the recent introduction of “Week 0”, now we are assured of college football games being played in the month of August, while in years before the soft opening weekend, there were years in which the first college football games of the season were played in September.
Much like last year’s season that started with Nebraska/Northwestern over in Dublin, the first game of the season will again be played over in Ireland, except this year we’ll see Notre Dame and Navy square off inside Aviva Stadium. Later on that day, fans of the Ohio Bobcats will see their team travel to San Diego State to take on the Aztecs. The highest-ranked team in action on the first day of the season will be the USC Trojans, who host San Jose State. That game will be on Pac-12 Network, so the seven people in the country who get that channel will be able to see how the Trojans look as they have their eyes on a CFP spot.
The start to Week 1 of the college football season will take place on Thursday, Aug. 31. FOX will feature the first Big Ten game of the season, as Minnesota hosts Nebraska. Also kicking off at the same time will be a rematch of the thrilling contest from the opening weekend of last year’s college football season, as Florida heads out west to take on Utah in a battle of former employers of Urban Meyer. UCF’s first game as a member of the Big Ten will be a non-conference matchup against Kent State, and the other game between FBS schools on the final day of the month will see NC State take on UConn.
Since by the time the end of the month rolls around and we’ll have already been doing our best to get our fix for football off the snicklefritz that is NFL preseason action, we’ll all certainly be jonesing to watch football where the results actually count for something. What we want to know today is what college football game in the month of August are you most looking forward to watching. Even though there are just two days in the month when college football games are being played, there are enough quality options to make this an interesting question.
Last year’s season opener between these two teams in Gainesville was bonkers, with Florida upsetting the Utes 29-26 in head coach Billy Napier’s first game as head coach of the Gators. Anthony Richardson was massive for Florida, with the quarterback doing a lot of work on the ground, rushing for three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter. The teams went in opposite directions the rest of the season with Utah reaching the Rose Bowl for the second straight season, while Florida was rolled in the Las Vegas Bowl by Oregon State to finish the season 6-7.
Even though Anthony Richardson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, there is still an interesting quarterback matchup in this game. Utah will have Cam Rising returning for another season as the starter, while Florida brought in Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz. Backing up Mertz will be former Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller, who started the Las Vegas Bowl loss to Oregon State.
While expectations aren’t very high for Florida this year, the same can’t be said for Utah, who will likely be a factor in the Pac-12 title race. The Utes have won the last two conference championship games, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them in Las Vegas defending their crown in December. With USC, Oregon, and Washington all looking like they have teams capable of making the College Football Playoff, it should be a fun year to watch some Pac-12 football before USC and UCLA depart the conference for the Big Ten after this season.
If the game ends up being a laugher, at least we will likely get some enjoyment from hearing stories about Florida fans in Salt Lake City. It is refreshing to see the Gators take a trip outside of the South for a non-conference game in a hostile environment. We have seen Florida play a neutral-site game in Dallas against Michigan and bowl games in Glendale and Las Vegas, but I can’t remember the last time they took on a non-conference opponent on the road outside the South. Hopefully, this becomes more of a normal occurrence for the Gators, as well as other teams that don’t travel outside their comfort zone very often.
Now, I know, technically, Brett is operating inside the rules of our prompt for today, but he kind of took the easy way out opting for a Week 1 game played on Thursday night, while I am stuck with Week 0 games. So while Utah and Florida is the most big=picture intriguing, there is a Week 0 game that is worth paying attention to, even if it isn’t played on United States soil.
The first FBS game of the season will be played on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET and broadcast on NBC and Peacock as the Navy Midshipmen prepare for a war abroad with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. I have pulled for Navy ever since I read John Feinstein’s book “A Civil War: Army vs. Navy” nearly two decades ago, so I am predisposed to root for them, but if you put them against one of my least favorite programs in college football, and I am especially geeked up. But when you factor in that Ohio State will be squaring off against the Golden Domers in Week 3, that just makes the game even more appointment television.
It also doesn’t hurt that we will get to see a little bit more of what NBC has in terms of its broadcast plans and capabilities for the season since Big Ten games will be airing on the network and streaming on Peacock for the first time this season. While obviously NBC has long been ND’s broadcast partner and has been doing NFL “Sunday Night Football” for years, now that the Buckeyes are going to play at least two games (Notre Dame and Michigan State have already been designated for the network) on NBC this season.
Navy was a pretty bad 4-8 last year, while we all saw the Irish have an up-and-down campaign in the first season under former Buckeye Marcus Freeman. So, I’m not expecting an upset from the Middies, but it will be nice to see what ND is working with before the season starts in earnest the following week.
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 Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Our annual national nightmare is almost over! We have finally reached the point of the year where we can say “college football starts this month!”. With the recent introduction of “Week 0”, now we are assured of college football games being played in the month of August, while in years before the soft opening weekend, there were years in which the first college football games of the season were played in September.
Much like last year’s season that started with Nebraska/Northwestern over in Dublin, the first game of the season will again be played over in Ireland, except this year we’ll see Notre Dame and Navy square off inside Aviva Stadium. Later on that day, fans of the Ohio Bobcats will see their team travel to San Diego State to take on the Aztecs. The highest-ranked team in action on the first day of the season will be the USC Trojans, who host San Jose State. That game will be on Pac-12 Network, so the seven people in the country who get that channel will be able to see how the Trojans look as they have their eyes on a CFP spot.
The start to Week 1 of the college football season will take place on Thursday, Aug. 31. FOX will feature the first Big Ten game of the season, as Minnesota hosts Nebraska. Also kicking off at the same time will be a rematch of the thrilling contest from the opening weekend of last year’s college football season, as Florida heads out west to take on Utah in a battle of former employers of Urban Meyer. UCF’s first game as a member of the Big Ten will be a non-conference matchup against Kent State, and the other game between FBS schools on the final day of the month will see NC State take on UConn.
Since by the time the end of the month rolls around and we’ll have already been doing our best to get our fix for football off the snicklefritz that is NFL preseason action, we’ll all certainly be jonesing to watch football where the results actually count for something. What we want to know today is what college football game in the month of August are you most looking forward to watching. Even though there are just two days in the month when college football games are being played, there are enough quality options to make this an interesting question.
Today’s question: Which college football game in August are you most looking forward to watching?
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: Florida vs. No. 10 Utah
Last year’s season opener between these two teams in Gainesville was bonkers, with Florida upsetting the Utes 29-26 in head coach Billy Napier’s first game as head coach of the Gators. Anthony Richardson was massive for Florida, with the quarterback doing a lot of work on the ground, rushing for three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter. The teams went in opposite directions the rest of the season with Utah reaching the Rose Bowl for the second straight season, while Florida was rolled in the Las Vegas Bowl by Oregon State to finish the season 6-7.
Even though Anthony Richardson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, there is still an interesting quarterback matchup in this game. Utah will have Cam Rising returning for another season as the starter, while Florida brought in Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz. Backing up Mertz will be former Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller, who started the Las Vegas Bowl loss to Oregon State.
While expectations aren’t very high for Florida this year, the same can’t be said for Utah, who will likely be a factor in the Pac-12 title race. The Utes have won the last two conference championship games, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them in Las Vegas defending their crown in December. With USC, Oregon, and Washington all looking like they have teams capable of making the College Football Playoff, it should be a fun year to watch some Pac-12 football before USC and UCLA depart the conference for the Big Ten after this season.
If the game ends up being a laugher, at least we will likely get some enjoyment from hearing stories about Florida fans in Salt Lake City. It is refreshing to see the Gators take a trip outside of the South for a non-conference game in a hostile environment. We have seen Florida play a neutral-site game in Dallas against Michigan and bowl games in Glendale and Las Vegas, but I can’t remember the last time they took on a non-conference opponent on the road outside the South. Hopefully, this becomes more of a normal occurrence for the Gators, as well as other teams that don’t travel outside their comfort zone very often.
Matt’s answer: Navy vs. No. 13 Notre Dame
Now, I know, technically, Brett is operating inside the rules of our prompt for today, but he kind of took the easy way out opting for a Week 1 game played on Thursday night, while I am stuck with Week 0 games. So while Utah and Florida is the most big=picture intriguing, there is a Week 0 game that is worth paying attention to, even if it isn’t played on United States soil.
The first FBS game of the season will be played on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET and broadcast on NBC and Peacock as the Navy Midshipmen prepare for a war abroad with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. I have pulled for Navy ever since I read John Feinstein’s book “A Civil War: Army vs. Navy” nearly two decades ago, so I am predisposed to root for them, but if you put them against one of my least favorite programs in college football, and I am especially geeked up. But when you factor in that Ohio State will be squaring off against the Golden Domers in Week 3, that just makes the game even more appointment television.
It also doesn’t hurt that we will get to see a little bit more of what NBC has in terms of its broadcast plans and capabilities for the season since Big Ten games will be airing on the network and streaming on Peacock for the first time this season. While obviously NBC has long been ND’s broadcast partner and has been doing NFL “Sunday Night Football” for years, now that the Buckeyes are going to play at least two games (Notre Dame and Michigan State have already been designated for the network) on NBC this season.
Navy was a pretty bad 4-8 last year, while we all saw the Irish have an up-and-down campaign in the first season under former Buckeye Marcus Freeman. So, I’m not expecting an upset from the Middies, but it will be nice to see what ND is working with before the season starts in earnest the following week.
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LGHL Could Garrett Wilson win Offensive Player of the Year?
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Could Garrett Wilson win Offensive Player of the Year?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
He has a higher chance than you think...
Has the NFL season started yet? No. Has the Hall of Fame game even been played yet? Nope. Does that mean it’s the perfect time to predict who is going to win the end-of-season awards? Obviously!
There are plenty of Buckeyes in the NFL to look forward to watching this season. The player in particular that I will have my eyes on will be Garrett Wilson. I am a Jets fan, so I will be watching him each week anyway, but I am really excited to see how he follows his rookie campaign. Wilson won Offensive Rookie of the Year last season (which I predicted in Week 2 on this site; pretty proud of myself), so there are a lot of expectations on him for this season.
It’s shaping up to be a pretty good football season for me. The Jets should actually be good this year, and Wilson is going to play a major role in their success. Clearly, the main factor here is that New York traded for Aaron Rodgers, a future Hall-of-Famer and the leader this team desperately needed at quarterback.
Wilson’s season in 2022 was even more impressive once you think about who he had throwing to him. Zach Wilson had seven interceptions and six touchdowns, Mike White had four interceptions and three touchdowns and Joe Flacco had five touchdowns and three interceptions. What a dumpster fire at the QB position.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24826209/1456021049.jpg "New York Jets v Miami Dolphins")
Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images
Despite all of this, Garrett Wilson had 1,103 yards on 83 receptions and four touchdowns. He certainly was the offense’s bright spot, besides fellow rookie Breece Hall, a running back out of Iowa State. So, just imagine what Wilson can do with a competent QB throwing to him —more than competent, one of the all time greats!
Right now, Wilson is tied for the eighth-best odds to take home the OPOY trophy. As of late, it has become a non-quarterback award. In three of the past four years, receivers have won it, and in the year they didn’t it was a running back. A quarterback hasn’t won it since Patrick Mahomes in 2018.
At the top of the list with the best odds is Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase, and last year’s winner, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson. These guys have proven themselves to be some of the top receivers in the league, but Wilson isn’t too far behind them. In fact, Wilson had more receiving yards than Chase last season!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24826233/1453838458.jpg "New York Jets v Seattle Seahawks")
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
So, does Wilson really have a shot at winning this award? I think a lot of it depends on how well Rodgers plays this season. He is coming off one of his worst seasons of his career, albeit, he played with a broken thumb, so it will be interesting to see how he bounces back this year, especially with a new team. However, being reunited with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, along with bringing some of his weapons he had in Green Bay with him, definitely shouldn’t hurt.
I anticipate Rodgers having a great year, therefore Wilson should have one too. Rodgers health is a concern, as he is 39 years old, so hopefully he can remain injury-free for the entirety of the season.
So, if this duo can stay healthy and play to their potential, I truly don’t see any reason why Wilson wouldn’t be in the conversation to win OPOY. The hype surrounding the Jets this season I think is deserved, and Wilson is going to have to go out there and prove it. He had no trouble doing so at Ohio State, so I don’t think he is going to start now.
Continue reading...
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
He has a higher chance than you think...
Has the NFL season started yet? No. Has the Hall of Fame game even been played yet? Nope. Does that mean it’s the perfect time to predict who is going to win the end-of-season awards? Obviously!
There are plenty of Buckeyes in the NFL to look forward to watching this season. The player in particular that I will have my eyes on will be Garrett Wilson. I am a Jets fan, so I will be watching him each week anyway, but I am really excited to see how he follows his rookie campaign. Wilson won Offensive Rookie of the Year last season (which I predicted in Week 2 on this site; pretty proud of myself), so there are a lot of expectations on him for this season.
It’s shaping up to be a pretty good football season for me. The Jets should actually be good this year, and Wilson is going to play a major role in their success. Clearly, the main factor here is that New York traded for Aaron Rodgers, a future Hall-of-Famer and the leader this team desperately needed at quarterback.
Wilson’s season in 2022 was even more impressive once you think about who he had throwing to him. Zach Wilson had seven interceptions and six touchdowns, Mike White had four interceptions and three touchdowns and Joe Flacco had five touchdowns and three interceptions. What a dumpster fire at the QB position.
Despite all of this, Garrett Wilson had 1,103 yards on 83 receptions and four touchdowns. He certainly was the offense’s bright spot, besides fellow rookie Breece Hall, a running back out of Iowa State. So, just imagine what Wilson can do with a competent QB throwing to him —more than competent, one of the all time greats!
Right now, Wilson is tied for the eighth-best odds to take home the OPOY trophy. As of late, it has become a non-quarterback award. In three of the past four years, receivers have won it, and in the year they didn’t it was a running back. A quarterback hasn’t won it since Patrick Mahomes in 2018.
At the top of the list with the best odds is Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase, and last year’s winner, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson. These guys have proven themselves to be some of the top receivers in the league, but Wilson isn’t too far behind them. In fact, Wilson had more receiving yards than Chase last season!
So, does Wilson really have a shot at winning this award? I think a lot of it depends on how well Rodgers plays this season. He is coming off one of his worst seasons of his career, albeit, he played with a broken thumb, so it will be interesting to see how he bounces back this year, especially with a new team. However, being reunited with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, along with bringing some of his weapons he had in Green Bay with him, definitely shouldn’t hurt.
I anticipate Rodgers having a great year, therefore Wilson should have one too. Rodgers health is a concern, as he is 39 years old, so hopefully he can remain injury-free for the entirety of the season.
So, if this duo can stay healthy and play to their potential, I truly don’t see any reason why Wilson wouldn’t be in the conversation to win OPOY. The hype surrounding the Jets this season I think is deserved, and Wilson is going to have to go out there and prove it. He had no trouble doing so at Ohio State, so I don’t think he is going to start now.
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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 30
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 30
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 30 days remaining.
One of my favorite moments in the recent history of The Game. Justin Fields, fresh off what looked like could be a significant knee injury, made his return to the field. On his very first play back, Fields found Garrett Wilson for this gorgeous 30-yard touchdown that effectively shut the door in what would be a 56-27 win for Ohio State. Fields threw for over 300 yards with four TDs in this game, while J.K. Dobbins rushed for another 211 and four scores on the ground. Wilson led the way in the receiving department with 118 yards and this TD.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 30 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Justin Fields/Garrett Wilson 30-yard TD vs. Michigan (2019)
One of my favorite moments in the recent history of The Game. Justin Fields, fresh off what looked like could be a significant knee injury, made his return to the field. On his very first play back, Fields found Garrett Wilson for this gorgeous 30-yard touchdown that effectively shut the door in what would be a 56-27 win for Ohio State. Fields threw for over 300 yards with four TDs in this game, while J.K. Dobbins rushed for another 211 and four scores on the ground. Wilson led the way in the receiving department with 118 yards and this TD.
Players to Wear the #30 (since 2010):
- Devan Bogard (2012-14)
- Tyler Durbin (2015)
- Jared Drake (2015-17)
- Demario McCall (2016-19)
- Kevin Dever (2017-20)
- Corban Cleveland (2022)
- Will Hartson (present)
- Cody Simon (2021-present)
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LGHL July was a crazy month for former Ohio State baseball player Dominic Canzone
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July was a crazy month for former Ohio State baseball player Dominic Canzone
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
After making his MLB debut early in July with Arizona, Canzone was traded to Seattle at the end of the month.
2023 has been quite a year for former Ohio State outfielder Dominic Canzone. Not only did Canzone make his MLB debut with Arizona last month, but earlier this week he was traded to the Seattle Mariners a day prior to the trade deadline. Now the former Buckeye will get to line up in the outfield next to one of baseball’s young stars, Julio Rodríguez.
Canzone attended Walsh Jesuit High School in the Akron area, where he earned All-Ohio honorable mention honors as a senior. After going undrafted in the 2016 MLB Draft, Canzone came to Ohio State, where he hit .343 and drove in 36 runs in 49 games as a freshman in 2017, resulting in Canzone being an unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten freshman team.
Following a strong freshman season, Canzone saw even more time on the field as a sophomore, playing in 60 games and getting over 100 more plate appearances than he did in his first year with the Buckeyes. Even though Canzone’s average was a little lower and his home run and RBI numbers were nearly identical in his second season at Ohio State, the biggest increase came with the 18 doubles he recorded.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24826726/965622312.jpg "NCAA BASEBALL: JUN 01 South Carolina v Ohio State")
Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 2019 season is where Canzone really broke out. Not only was Canzone named a team captain prior to the season, he went on to be named first team All-Big Ten after leading the conference in hits, runs scored, slugging percentage, and total bases. For the season, Canzone hit .345 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs in 63 games. Canzone broke a school record by reaching base in 59 consecutive games.
Following his outstanding career at Ohio State, Canzone was drafted in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 242nd overall pick. The outfielder would sign for $170,000, and shortly thereafter would make his professional debut in rookie ball with Missoula in the Pioneer League. In 25 games with the Osprey, Canzone hit five homers and drove in 26 runs, earning him a promotion to the Hillsboro, Arizona’s A-ball affiliate in the Northwest League. Canzone would close out 2019 with a .261 average in 21 games.
Then 2020 happened. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an abbreviated MLB season, and no minor league baseball. Even though minor leaguers were able to get back on the field in 2021, Canzone only appeared in 79 games due to injuries. While he had trouble staying on the field at times, Canzone made the most of his at-bats when he was healthy, hitting .302 with 14 homers and 52 RBIs. 44 of those games in 2021 came at Hillsboro before he was promoted to Arizona’s AA affiliate in Amarillo.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24826723/1412896906.jpg "Corpus Christi Hooks v Amarillo Sod Poodles")
Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images
Canzone started the 2022 season with Amarillo, but it didn’t take the outfielder long to move one step closer to the majors, as Arizona promoted him to AAA Reno after just a handful of games in the Texas League last year. Had it not been for an injury he suffered in June with the Aces, Canzone’s MLB debut might have come last season instead of this year. In 103 combined games with Amarillo and Reno, Canzone hit .301 with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs.
The 2023 season started with more of the same for Canzone, as he tore up AAA with a .354 average, 16 home runs and 71 RBIs in 71 games for Reno. On July 7, Canzone was promoted to the majors, and would make his debut the following day against Pittsburgh, going hitless in four at-bats. Even though he would have to wait for his first hit in the majors, Canzone did score the game-tying run in the 10th inning after starting the inning on second base.
The first hit of Canzone’s MLB career came on July 18 against the Atlanta Braves in a wild 16-13 win for the Diamondbacks. Canzone’s hit came in the eighth inning when Arizona was trailing 13-12. The line drive single to right field by Canzone drove in Christian Walker. The Diamondbacks would go on to score three more runs the next inning to secure the win.
After notching his first hit, it didn’t take Canzone long to hit his first big fly in the majors. Two days later, Canzone hit a three-run home run off NL Cy Young candidate Spencer Strider to give Arizona a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning. Even though the Diamondbacks would end up losing to the Braves, the performance showed that Canzone has the skills to hang with the best hurlers in the big leagues.
Just as Canzone was getting comfortable with the Diamondbacks, the outfielder was dealt to Seattle on Monday. Arizona was looking to upgrade their closer, resulting in the team dealing Canzone and Josh Rojas to the Mariners for Paul Sewald. In his first game with Seattle on August 1 against Boston, Canzone ripped a double for his first hit with the team.
Unlike Arizona, who had a plethora of talented outfielders in the big leagues, as well as in the minors, Seattle doesn’t have quite the same depth. After making the playoffs last year, it is looking unlikely the Mariners will make the postseason this year, unless they are able to go on a run in the last two months of the season. This will allow them to take a long look at Canzone to see where the talented prospect stands with the organization heading into next season, and also determine where he might best help the team on the field.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
After making his MLB debut early in July with Arizona, Canzone was traded to Seattle at the end of the month.
2023 has been quite a year for former Ohio State outfielder Dominic Canzone. Not only did Canzone make his MLB debut with Arizona last month, but earlier this week he was traded to the Seattle Mariners a day prior to the trade deadline. Now the former Buckeye will get to line up in the outfield next to one of baseball’s young stars, Julio Rodríguez.
Canzone attended Walsh Jesuit High School in the Akron area, where he earned All-Ohio honorable mention honors as a senior. After going undrafted in the 2016 MLB Draft, Canzone came to Ohio State, where he hit .343 and drove in 36 runs in 49 games as a freshman in 2017, resulting in Canzone being an unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten freshman team.
Following a strong freshman season, Canzone saw even more time on the field as a sophomore, playing in 60 games and getting over 100 more plate appearances than he did in his first year with the Buckeyes. Even though Canzone’s average was a little lower and his home run and RBI numbers were nearly identical in his second season at Ohio State, the biggest increase came with the 18 doubles he recorded.
The 2019 season is where Canzone really broke out. Not only was Canzone named a team captain prior to the season, he went on to be named first team All-Big Ten after leading the conference in hits, runs scored, slugging percentage, and total bases. For the season, Canzone hit .345 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs in 63 games. Canzone broke a school record by reaching base in 59 consecutive games.
Following his outstanding career at Ohio State, Canzone was drafted in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 242nd overall pick. The outfielder would sign for $170,000, and shortly thereafter would make his professional debut in rookie ball with Missoula in the Pioneer League. In 25 games with the Osprey, Canzone hit five homers and drove in 26 runs, earning him a promotion to the Hillsboro, Arizona’s A-ball affiliate in the Northwest League. Canzone would close out 2019 with a .261 average in 21 games.
Then 2020 happened. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an abbreviated MLB season, and no minor league baseball. Even though minor leaguers were able to get back on the field in 2021, Canzone only appeared in 79 games due to injuries. While he had trouble staying on the field at times, Canzone made the most of his at-bats when he was healthy, hitting .302 with 14 homers and 52 RBIs. 44 of those games in 2021 came at Hillsboro before he was promoted to Arizona’s AA affiliate in Amarillo.
Canzone started the 2022 season with Amarillo, but it didn’t take the outfielder long to move one step closer to the majors, as Arizona promoted him to AAA Reno after just a handful of games in the Texas League last year. Had it not been for an injury he suffered in June with the Aces, Canzone’s MLB debut might have come last season instead of this year. In 103 combined games with Amarillo and Reno, Canzone hit .301 with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs.
The 2023 season started with more of the same for Canzone, as he tore up AAA with a .354 average, 16 home runs and 71 RBIs in 71 games for Reno. On July 7, Canzone was promoted to the majors, and would make his debut the following day against Pittsburgh, going hitless in four at-bats. Even though he would have to wait for his first hit in the majors, Canzone did score the game-tying run in the 10th inning after starting the inning on second base.
The first hit of Canzone’s MLB career came on July 18 against the Atlanta Braves in a wild 16-13 win for the Diamondbacks. Canzone’s hit came in the eighth inning when Arizona was trailing 13-12. The line drive single to right field by Canzone drove in Christian Walker. The Diamondbacks would go on to score three more runs the next inning to secure the win.
After notching his first hit, it didn’t take Canzone long to hit his first big fly in the majors. Two days later, Canzone hit a three-run home run off NL Cy Young candidate Spencer Strider to give Arizona a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning. Even though the Diamondbacks would end up losing to the Braves, the performance showed that Canzone has the skills to hang with the best hurlers in the big leagues.
Just as Canzone was getting comfortable with the Diamondbacks, the outfielder was dealt to Seattle on Monday. Arizona was looking to upgrade their closer, resulting in the team dealing Canzone and Josh Rojas to the Mariners for Paul Sewald. In his first game with Seattle on August 1 against Boston, Canzone ripped a double for his first hit with the team.
Unlike Arizona, who had a plethora of talented outfielders in the big leagues, as well as in the minors, Seattle doesn’t have quite the same depth. After making the playoffs last year, it is looking unlikely the Mariners will make the postseason this year, unless they are able to go on a run in the last two months of the season. This will allow them to take a long look at Canzone to see where the talented prospect stands with the organization heading into next season, and also determine where he might best help the team on the field.
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LGHL Bucketheads: How will two Ohio five-star prospects impact the Buckeyes’ 2024 recruiting?
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Bucketheads: How will two Ohio five-star prospects impact the Buckeyes’ 2024 recruiting?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of 247Sports
The state of Ohio will soon have a pot of in-state talent we haven’t seen in over a decade.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
During Episode 81, Connor and Justin discuss Carmen’s Crew’s run to the Sweet 16 of The Basketball Tournament this month, as well as what roster tweaks need to happen for the Ohio State alumni team to go further next year.
Then, the guys discuss Ohio State’s roster for the 2023 season and beyond. With nine freshmen and sophomores on the team this season, there will be a squeeze on both the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes, barring unforeseen roster turnover. How will Chris Holtmann and his staff manage the few openings that they have, knowing the 2025 class is one of the best Ohio has had in years?
They spend some time discussing Jerry Easter — the No. 24 player in the 2025 class and a Toledo kid — and Darryn Peterson — the No. 3 player in the 2025 class and a Cleveland kid. Which of the two will Ohio State prioritize? Which of the two will be easier to land, and what have the two said about Ohio State recently?
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of 247Sports
The state of Ohio will soon have a pot of in-state talent we haven’t seen in over a decade.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
During Episode 81, Connor and Justin discuss Carmen’s Crew’s run to the Sweet 16 of The Basketball Tournament this month, as well as what roster tweaks need to happen for the Ohio State alumni team to go further next year.
Then, the guys discuss Ohio State’s roster for the 2023 season and beyond. With nine freshmen and sophomores on the team this season, there will be a squeeze on both the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes, barring unforeseen roster turnover. How will Chris Holtmann and his staff manage the few openings that they have, knowing the 2025 class is one of the best Ohio has had in years?
They spend some time discussing Jerry Easter — the No. 24 player in the 2025 class and a Toledo kid — and Darryn Peterson — the No. 3 player in the 2025 class and a Cleveland kid. Which of the two will Ohio State prioritize? Which of the two will be easier to land, and what have the two said about Ohio State recently?
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL Buckeyes targeting in-state RB, 2024 DL ready to narrow down final schools
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Buckeyes targeting in-state RB, 2024 DL ready to narrow down final schools
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State is wasting no time as they’re allowed to contact high school junior targets in the 2025 class.
This week the calendar flipped to August, and that of course meant college coaches around the country could finally contact prospects who are starting their junior year of high school this fall. The Buckeyes took full advantage of the opportunity to express their interests, and did so with guys both in-state and nationally.
The idea in every class is to lock down the state of Ohio first and continue their national brand. With that in mind, Ryan Day and crew have plenty of work to finish in the current cycle, but there’s no time to be wasted as the future classes also are off and running.
One prospect that heard from the Buckeyes bright and early Tuesday morning was in-state running back Bo Jackson, per Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts. A name worth recruiting by itself, Jackson is a 6-foot-1, 190 pound athlete already with double-digit offers to his name. The Cleveland, Ohio product earned his Ohio State offer over a year ago now, but in the past couple of weeks he has really started to get serious with his recruitment by visiting multiple programs such as Rutgers and Maryland.
Excited that Day and Tony Alford made him a priority, it’s safe to say the Buckeyes are clearly all in on making him a serious target in the 2025 class. The No. 120 player nationally, Jackson is the 10th best running back and third best player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite. With other big time offers from the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and a host of others, Ohio State will have to put in some work to land this commitment.
As it’s been seen lately, the best players in Ohio tend to stay in Ohio. Here’s to hoping that stays the same.
This week has seen some serious highs and lows on the defensive recruiting efforts. Landing the commitments of Aaron Scott and Nigel Glover is huge, but also soured when you see a top target in Dylan Stewart commit elsewhere, showing once again the Buckeyes and Larry Johnson need to be better with their closings.
At any rate, all is not lost considering the staff still is in great shape for some other top players at the position. On Wednesday, one target the Buckeyes are high on decided to take the next step in his recruitment by sharing his plans to narrow it down.
Taking to Twitter to hint at some sort of update, it was just moments later that Florida product Booker Pickett Jr. shared he was ready to name a list of top schools on Aug. 4. The No. 190 player nationally, Pickett is the 13th best edge rusher in the class per the 247Sports Composite, and holds nearly 40 offers to his name from every major program.
The nephew to former Buckeye Ryan Pickett, Booker has quite an impressive lineage, with his father also playing college football at Miami. Knowing how critical this position is for Ohio State in this current class, the staff should be all over this one and will likely see their names in the final schools list as Florida State, Georgia, and Miami are the other schools listed as “warm” on his 247Sports profile.
Still, if they want to win out in the end it’s going to take some serious effort and likely a different approach near the end.
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
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State is wasting no time as they’re allowed to contact high school junior targets in the 2025 class.
This week the calendar flipped to August, and that of course meant college coaches around the country could finally contact prospects who are starting their junior year of high school this fall. The Buckeyes took full advantage of the opportunity to express their interests, and did so with guys both in-state and nationally.
The idea in every class is to lock down the state of Ohio first and continue their national brand. With that in mind, Ryan Day and crew have plenty of work to finish in the current cycle, but there’s no time to be wasted as the future classes also are off and running.
One prospect that heard from the Buckeyes bright and early Tuesday morning was in-state running back Bo Jackson, per Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts. A name worth recruiting by itself, Jackson is a 6-foot-1, 190 pound athlete already with double-digit offers to his name. The Cleveland, Ohio product earned his Ohio State offer over a year ago now, but in the past couple of weeks he has really started to get serious with his recruitment by visiting multiple programs such as Rutgers and Maryland.
Excited that Day and Tony Alford made him a priority, it’s safe to say the Buckeyes are clearly all in on making him a serious target in the 2025 class. The No. 120 player nationally, Jackson is the 10th best running back and third best player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite. With other big time offers from the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and a host of others, Ohio State will have to put in some work to land this commitment.
As it’s been seen lately, the best players in Ohio tend to stay in Ohio. Here’s to hoping that stays the same.
Edge rusher ready to narrow it down
This week has seen some serious highs and lows on the defensive recruiting efforts. Landing the commitments of Aaron Scott and Nigel Glover is huge, but also soured when you see a top target in Dylan Stewart commit elsewhere, showing once again the Buckeyes and Larry Johnson need to be better with their closings.
At any rate, all is not lost considering the staff still is in great shape for some other top players at the position. On Wednesday, one target the Buckeyes are high on decided to take the next step in his recruitment by sharing his plans to narrow it down.
Taking to Twitter to hint at some sort of update, it was just moments later that Florida product Booker Pickett Jr. shared he was ready to name a list of top schools on Aug. 4. The No. 190 player nationally, Pickett is the 13th best edge rusher in the class per the 247Sports Composite, and holds nearly 40 offers to his name from every major program.
The nephew to former Buckeye Ryan Pickett, Booker has quite an impressive lineage, with his father also playing college football at Miami. Knowing how critical this position is for Ohio State in this current class, the staff should be all over this one and will likely see their names in the final schools list as Florida State, Georgia, and Miami are the other schools listed as “warm” on his 247Sports profile.
Still, if they want to win out in the end it’s going to take some serious effort and likely a different approach near the end.
Continue reading...
