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LGHL BOOOOM! Four-star RB James Peoples commits to Ohio State
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BOOOOM! Four-star RB James Peoples commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio Stadium
Plus, the Buckeyes enter the mix for a top QB.
It seems like only yesterday Ohio State’s recruiting was dead and buried because it lost an in-state running back to its rival up North. The Wolverines pillaging an Ohio back had social media in a frenzy, and dooming OSU to lose the rivalry for the next 10 years. As it would turn out, that is not quite the case, as this weekend saw the Buckeyes land an even higher-rated player at the position — one who was at the very top of their board.
The player in question, of course, is none other than four-star running back James Peoples. The 5-foot-10, 192-pound ball-carrier out of San Antonio, Texas is the No. 5 RB and No. 69 player overall in the 2024 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He is also the No. 15 player out of the Lone Star State. Peoples is scheduled to take an official visit to Columbus on June 23, but seems to have liked what he saw enough on his unofficial trip this weekend to pull the trigger now.
Peoples had around 30 offers to his name, but had cut things down to a top five of Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU, Texas and OSU. Ohio State had offered the talented tailback back in October of 2022, but the Buckeyes really began surging for Peoples these last few weeks. Already viewed as the leader in the race, this last visit was enough to push them to the finish line.
“I like the people, the coaching staff, the family focus, the environment, it’s like a family,” Peoples said. “When they say family they really mean it. Ohio State is a very successful program with one of the top offenses in the country. They already have four offensive line commitments so they have the people up front. And I like the rivalry with the team up north. It’s the biggest rivalry in college football.”
While in Columbus, Peoples spent time with two fellow Ohio State commits in Deontae and Devantae Armstrong, who joined the Buckeyes’ class just last week. The group got lunch and spent a bunch of time together, as a big reason for the return trip for the twin offensive linemen was to help recruit Peoples to OSU. That seems to have gone about as well as planned, as all three are now members of this 2024 group for Ohio State that currently ranks No. 5 in the country.
There is still a long way to go in this cycle, but the addition of Peoples is a big one. Ohio State and position coach Tony Alford will be looking to land two running backs in this class, and with Peoples already in the fold, Alford has afforded himself the opportunity to pick and choose who else he’d like to recruit to join him. A pair of names to keep an eye out for are four-star Stacy Gage out of Florida and three-star Sam Williams-Dixon from Ohio.
The other big news of the weekend came in the latest Ohio State offer, with stud quarterback prospect Air Noland on the receiving end. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound lefty currently stands as the No. 7 QB in the country and the No. 55 player overall according to 247Sports’ rankings.
Despite just receiving his offer now, Noland is no stranger to Ohio State. The Buckeyes have long been on the talented QB’s radar, as the Buckeyes were even include among his top seven schools last weekend even before Ryan Day officially entered the mix. Noland’s bond with Ohio State seemingly got even stronger this weekend, as all seemed to go very well during his visit to Columbus.
“Everything you can ask for is at Ohio State, especially from a quarterback standpoint,” Noland told 247Sports.
With a commitment date set for April 8 — a date that was set before the Ohio State offer came in, it is worth mentioning — it will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Noland and the Buckeyes clearly have some mutual interest, but did Day and his staff wait to long to offer that Noland has his heart set elsewhere. Or, does he want to be the next in line to become a first round draft pick at the quarterback spot for the Buckeyes?
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio Stadium
Plus, the Buckeyes enter the mix for a top QB.
It seems like only yesterday Ohio State’s recruiting was dead and buried because it lost an in-state running back to its rival up North. The Wolverines pillaging an Ohio back had social media in a frenzy, and dooming OSU to lose the rivalry for the next 10 years. As it would turn out, that is not quite the case, as this weekend saw the Buckeyes land an even higher-rated player at the position — one who was at the very top of their board.
The player in question, of course, is none other than four-star running back James Peoples. The 5-foot-10, 192-pound ball-carrier out of San Antonio, Texas is the No. 5 RB and No. 69 player overall in the 2024 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He is also the No. 15 player out of the Lone Star State. Peoples is scheduled to take an official visit to Columbus on June 23, but seems to have liked what he saw enough on his unofficial trip this weekend to pull the trigger now.
I Wanted to thank my Family, Coaches, and Friends for supporting me through this entire process. I wanted to also thank all the Universities who have recruited me… With that being said I will be Committing to the University OF ️HIO STATE@OhioStateFB @Bucknuts247 @Birm pic.twitter.com/LvRrNcWoOP
— James (@James_peoples17) April 3, 2023
Peoples had around 30 offers to his name, but had cut things down to a top five of Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU, Texas and OSU. Ohio State had offered the talented tailback back in October of 2022, but the Buckeyes really began surging for Peoples these last few weeks. Already viewed as the leader in the race, this last visit was enough to push them to the finish line.
“I like the people, the coaching staff, the family focus, the environment, it’s like a family,” Peoples said. “When they say family they really mean it. Ohio State is a very successful program with one of the top offenses in the country. They already have four offensive line commitments so they have the people up front. And I like the rivalry with the team up north. It’s the biggest rivalry in college football.”
While in Columbus, Peoples spent time with two fellow Ohio State commits in Deontae and Devantae Armstrong, who joined the Buckeyes’ class just last week. The group got lunch and spent a bunch of time together, as a big reason for the return trip for the twin offensive linemen was to help recruit Peoples to OSU. That seems to have gone about as well as planned, as all three are now members of this 2024 group for Ohio State that currently ranks No. 5 in the country.
There is still a long way to go in this cycle, but the addition of Peoples is a big one. Ohio State and position coach Tony Alford will be looking to land two running backs in this class, and with Peoples already in the fold, Alford has afforded himself the opportunity to pick and choose who else he’d like to recruit to join him. A pair of names to keep an eye out for are four-star Stacy Gage out of Florida and three-star Sam Williams-Dixon from Ohio.
Noland finally earns Buckeye offer
The other big news of the weekend came in the latest Ohio State offer, with stud quarterback prospect Air Noland on the receiving end. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound lefty currently stands as the No. 7 QB in the country and the No. 55 player overall according to 247Sports’ rankings.
Despite just receiving his offer now, Noland is no stranger to Ohio State. The Buckeyes have long been on the talented QB’s radar, as the Buckeyes were even include among his top seven schools last weekend even before Ryan Day officially entered the mix. Noland’s bond with Ohio State seemingly got even stronger this weekend, as all seemed to go very well during his visit to Columbus.
“Everything you can ask for is at Ohio State, especially from a quarterback standpoint,” Noland told 247Sports.
With a commitment date set for April 8 — a date that was set before the Ohio State offer came in, it is worth mentioning — it will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Noland and the Buckeyes clearly have some mutual interest, but did Day and his staff wait to long to offer that Noland has his heart set elsewhere. Or, does he want to be the next in line to become a first round draft pick at the quarterback spot for the Buckeyes?
Quick Hits
- Ohio State will soon be welcoming to town five-star wide receiver and their top commit in the 2024 class, Jeremiah Smith. A truly can't-miss prospect at the receiver position, even with all the talent we’ve seen come through Columbus at the spot, Smith is the No. 1 WR and the No. 2 overall player on the 247Sports Composite. Drawing comparisons to NFL receiver Julio Jones as just a high school junior, this is an important talent to keep in the fold.
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LGHL Column: Realistic expectations for Ohio State’s D-line after dominant scrimmage
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Column: Realistic expectations for Ohio State’s D-line after dominant scrimmage
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State’s defense improved immensely in 2022, but the only way that improvement continues is if the defensive line takes another step forward this season.
Ohio State football hosted their annual Student Appreciation Day, and with that a full scrimmage for the student supporters who make the program go. The offense battled it out with the defense, and on this day the defense was the group that excelled.
The large group of students were treated to some touchdown passes, a few big runs by the running backs who are healthy, and the first recorded interception of camp in a scrimmage by Davison Igbinosun. One group made a huge impression on everybody in attendance with a dominant day all around from everyone at the position.
That group was the defensive line, led by a healthy Mike Hall and a group of edge rushers who have shown this year is going to be different. With the injuries on the offensive line, the defensive line overmatched their counterparts the majority of the day. For Ohio State’s defense to take another step in year two under Jim Knowles, the defensive line stacking up the dominant practices and doing the work in the offseason is the main point of emphasis.
Expectations are high, but looking at this unit’s performance last year makes even the loftiest expectations feel realistic.
There has always been a causal relationship between sacks and coverage in the secondary. Over the past few seasons, Ohio State’s defensive backs have not lived up to expectations, and the sack numbers have been on a downward trajectory. These two positions have both had inconsistencies in recruiting, which has led to inconsistencies on the field.
That has created a yearly chicken-and-egg argument about whether pressure leads to better coverage or does coverage lead to better pressure. The obvious answer is both, which is why if the defensive backs do not improve, the expectations for the defensive line have to be held in a different light. If the coverage is better, then the pressure is on the defensive line to improve on their recent production.
Hearing that the defensive backs this offseason have been improving and consistently making plays is pleasant talk. Until there is real action and opponents lineup across from the Buckeyes, the secondary will definitely need to prove it. With the new faces in the unit, the second year in the scheme, and newfound health up to this point, Ohio State’s secondary should be in for an improved season.
If that’s the case, then the pass rush should be more dangerous, and the defensive line and secondary will find success, which would take the defense to another level.
Looking at the last two years and the Covid year adjusted to match a full season, the Buckeyes sack total has taken a step back each season. This is not the be-all-end-all to a successful defense, but outside of turnovers, sacks are the most impactful play on the football field.
If the scrimmage was any case for believing that this year might be a big year in the sack department, look no further than the three sacks by J.T. Tuimoloau and Mike Hall’s back-to-back sacks as evidence.
After three-straight years of 40-plus sacks with two incredible single season performances by Chase Young, there was bound to be a step backwards at some point. The issue is there has not been a dominant sack season. Looking at the sack leaders, the individual player total has fallen short as well.
This season is make-or-break for Larry Johnson’s group. Two former top-5 recruits spearhead the edge and a host of top-100 recruits are sprinkled throughout the defensive line. Johnson made it a point to make Jack Sawyer a full-time hand in the ground defensive end, and Tuimoloau showed flashes of pure dominance last season that can be built on. If Mike Hall can stay healthy, Tyliek Williams can find every down consistency, and the young guys can take a step – the sack total should climb.
With the experience and talent level in the room at the highest level in years, the expectation should absolutely be an improved sack total.
Using the line stats from Footballoutsiders gives more context to the success of the group last season. The key numbers for the Buckeyes when looking at defensive line success are sack rate, stuff rate, and power success rate. These three stats give an analytical looks to the three areas the defensive line can make the biggest differences in the game.
Ohio State ranked 30th in total sack rate. It shows that the Buckeyes were not a dominant team rushing the passer in any circumstance. It gets even more evident that Buckeyes weren’t dominant because they ranked 67th in sack rate on passing downs. This gets weirder due to the Buckeyes having the best sack rate on standard downs, meaning that the Buckeyes were more successful when the passing situation wasn’t obvious.
When you look at the other two stats, they are representative to the impact the Buckeyes defensive line has in the run game. Ohio State ranked sixth in power success rate, meaning in short yardage situations the defensive line stepped up. On a down-by-down basis they ranked 26th in stuff rate, meaning teams were getting to the second level. This shows that the consistency was not there for the Buckeyes, and that is the key to really turning into a dominant group and turning Ohio State into a defensive power again.
Ryan Day’s goal last year was to have a top-10 defense. They finished 12th in opponents yards per game and 29th in yards per play, which means they fell short. Improving in the advanced stats and in key situations will be the step forward that gets the Buckeyes through that threshold. Once again, that level of improvement should be the bare minimum expectation.
The expectation for the Buckeye defensive line is taking a step forward in 2023, which means going from having dominant moments to being a dominant group. This starts with the veteran players such as Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Hall, Williams, and Hamilton all setting the tone on a daily basis.
Ryan Day talked about wanting consistency from this group. Every head coach knows to win a national championship you need a defensive line to dominate. That means the expectation is to be a truly dominant group, and that should show up statistically. Hearing that the line was dominant in the most recent scrimmage should not only add to the confidence that a step forward will be taken, but the defense as a whole can be even better.
This is obviously just a practice in spring, but this is where it all starts. The Buckeyes had insane performances from Tuimoloau, Hall, and Sawyer last season that all show the high ceiling the group has. For the defense to reach the expectations Day set, the defensive line will have to reach that ceiling more often. For the defensive line to do that, it starts with stacking elite practices.
Last week, the older Buckeyes showed the room what it was like to work the entire scrimmage, making plays late in the day. This week they showed they can dominate from start to finish – even if the offensive line has its injuries. This dominance was not limited to the ones, with both second year players Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson having big days as well. The talented depth should raise expectations.
The defense will go as far as the defensive line takes them, and that starts in practice. Being dominant every day is the only way they will be dominant come the regular season, and a truly elite unit is exactly what should be expected from Larry Johnson’s defensive line.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State’s defense improved immensely in 2022, but the only way that improvement continues is if the defensive line takes another step forward this season.
Ohio State football hosted their annual Student Appreciation Day, and with that a full scrimmage for the student supporters who make the program go. The offense battled it out with the defense, and on this day the defense was the group that excelled.
The large group of students were treated to some touchdown passes, a few big runs by the running backs who are healthy, and the first recorded interception of camp in a scrimmage by Davison Igbinosun. One group made a huge impression on everybody in attendance with a dominant day all around from everyone at the position.
That group was the defensive line, led by a healthy Mike Hall and a group of edge rushers who have shown this year is going to be different. With the injuries on the offensive line, the defensive line overmatched their counterparts the majority of the day. For Ohio State’s defense to take another step in year two under Jim Knowles, the defensive line stacking up the dominant practices and doing the work in the offseason is the main point of emphasis.
Expectations are high, but looking at this unit’s performance last year makes even the loftiest expectations feel realistic.
Secondary-Defensive Line Correlation
There has always been a causal relationship between sacks and coverage in the secondary. Over the past few seasons, Ohio State’s defensive backs have not lived up to expectations, and the sack numbers have been on a downward trajectory. These two positions have both had inconsistencies in recruiting, which has led to inconsistencies on the field.
That has created a yearly chicken-and-egg argument about whether pressure leads to better coverage or does coverage lead to better pressure. The obvious answer is both, which is why if the defensive backs do not improve, the expectations for the defensive line have to be held in a different light. If the coverage is better, then the pressure is on the defensive line to improve on their recent production.
Hearing that the defensive backs this offseason have been improving and consistently making plays is pleasant talk. Until there is real action and opponents lineup across from the Buckeyes, the secondary will definitely need to prove it. With the new faces in the unit, the second year in the scheme, and newfound health up to this point, Ohio State’s secondary should be in for an improved season.
If that’s the case, then the pass rush should be more dangerous, and the defensive line and secondary will find success, which would take the defense to another level.
Improving on the sack total
Looking at the last two years and the Covid year adjusted to match a full season, the Buckeyes sack total has taken a step back each season. This is not the be-all-end-all to a successful defense, but outside of turnovers, sacks are the most impactful play on the football field.
If the scrimmage was any case for believing that this year might be a big year in the sack department, look no further than the three sacks by J.T. Tuimoloau and Mike Hall’s back-to-back sacks as evidence.
After three-straight years of 40-plus sacks with two incredible single season performances by Chase Young, there was bound to be a step backwards at some point. The issue is there has not been a dominant sack season. Looking at the sack leaders, the individual player total has fallen short as well.
This season is make-or-break for Larry Johnson’s group. Two former top-5 recruits spearhead the edge and a host of top-100 recruits are sprinkled throughout the defensive line. Johnson made it a point to make Jack Sawyer a full-time hand in the ground defensive end, and Tuimoloau showed flashes of pure dominance last season that can be built on. If Mike Hall can stay healthy, Tyliek Williams can find every down consistency, and the young guys can take a step – the sack total should climb.
With the experience and talent level in the room at the highest level in years, the expectation should absolutely be an improved sack total.
Advanced stats
Using the line stats from Footballoutsiders gives more context to the success of the group last season. The key numbers for the Buckeyes when looking at defensive line success are sack rate, stuff rate, and power success rate. These three stats give an analytical looks to the three areas the defensive line can make the biggest differences in the game.
Ohio State ranked 30th in total sack rate. It shows that the Buckeyes were not a dominant team rushing the passer in any circumstance. It gets even more evident that Buckeyes weren’t dominant because they ranked 67th in sack rate on passing downs. This gets weirder due to the Buckeyes having the best sack rate on standard downs, meaning that the Buckeyes were more successful when the passing situation wasn’t obvious.
When you look at the other two stats, they are representative to the impact the Buckeyes defensive line has in the run game. Ohio State ranked sixth in power success rate, meaning in short yardage situations the defensive line stepped up. On a down-by-down basis they ranked 26th in stuff rate, meaning teams were getting to the second level. This shows that the consistency was not there for the Buckeyes, and that is the key to really turning into a dominant group and turning Ohio State into a defensive power again.
Ryan Day’s goal last year was to have a top-10 defense. They finished 12th in opponents yards per game and 29th in yards per play, which means they fell short. Improving in the advanced stats and in key situations will be the step forward that gets the Buckeyes through that threshold. Once again, that level of improvement should be the bare minimum expectation.
What should we expect from this group in 2023
The expectation for the Buckeye defensive line is taking a step forward in 2023, which means going from having dominant moments to being a dominant group. This starts with the veteran players such as Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Hall, Williams, and Hamilton all setting the tone on a daily basis.
Ryan Day talked about wanting consistency from this group. Every head coach knows to win a national championship you need a defensive line to dominate. That means the expectation is to be a truly dominant group, and that should show up statistically. Hearing that the line was dominant in the most recent scrimmage should not only add to the confidence that a step forward will be taken, but the defense as a whole can be even better.
This is obviously just a practice in spring, but this is where it all starts. The Buckeyes had insane performances from Tuimoloau, Hall, and Sawyer last season that all show the high ceiling the group has. For the defense to reach the expectations Day set, the defensive line will have to reach that ceiling more often. For the defensive line to do that, it starts with stacking elite practices.
Last week, the older Buckeyes showed the room what it was like to work the entire scrimmage, making plays late in the day. This week they showed they can dominate from start to finish – even if the offensive line has its injuries. This dominance was not limited to the ones, with both second year players Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson having big days as well. The talented depth should raise expectations.
The defense will go as far as the defensive line takes them, and that starts in practice. Being dominant every day is the only way they will be dominant come the regular season, and a truly elite unit is exactly what should be expected from Larry Johnson’s defensive line.
Continue reading...
LGHL LGHL Asks: Ohio State fans aren’t too worried about Michigan landing Ohio prospects
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LGHL Asks: Ohio State fans aren’t too worried about Michigan landing Ohio prospects
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Buckeye fans are flocking to other sports during postseason runs.
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There’s a long history of Michigan grabbing talented players from the state of Ohio, which is why I found the latest hand-wringing over two Ohioans committing to play football for the Wolverines a little odd. Granted, the Buckeyes really wanted to land four-star running back Jordan Marshall from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, but they hadn’t even offered three-star offensive lineman Ben Roebuck from St. Edward’s in Lakewood.
And while OSU would have really liked to get a pledge from Marshall — the No. 91 player in the country and No. 7 running back — things worked out ok for Tony Alford and the Ohio State coaching staff as yesterday they got a commitment from No. 69 player nationally and No. 5 RB James Peoples; so things worked out alright.
So, I am completely in agreement with the near majority on this question; it’s damn near impossible for the Buckeyes to keep every top-ranked (depending on how you define that) player from leaving the state. As I outlined in the article linked above, during Ryan Day’s tenure as the head coach in Columbus, they’ve done a really impressive job of securing commitments from the highest-rated Ohio high school players, especially when they don’t already have a top prospect at the position.
So, as long as the Marshall-type defections are limited, it’s inevitable that some Ohio-raised players will look to sow their wild oats in the state up north. If it turns into a trend in which multiple major Ohio prospects spurn the Buckeyes and head to TTUN, then we can get worried, but for now, when it’s one or two every few cycles, I think it’s fine for us to stay calm, but vigilent.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24556039/OhioState_2_033123.png)
I know that Ohio State is mostly considered “a football school,” but I gotta tell you, the women’s basketball, women’s hockey, and men’s hockey teams supplied a lot of excitement over the past month for fans who were paying attention. The women’s basketball team ended UConn’s absolutely unimaginable Elite Eight streak, before falling to Virginia Tech one win away from the Final Four.
The women’s hockey team lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Wisconsin in the national championship game, ending their season just shy of back-to-back titles. And the men’s team obliterated Harvard in the Sweet Sixteen before losing to No. 1 Quinnipiac in the NCAA Regional Finals. The wrestling team also finished fourth at the NCAA Championships.
It might not be the “marquee” sports that we are used to cheering for, but those three teams certainly filled a significant part of the void left by the men’s basketball team not being in the Big Dance for me. And, judging by the results of the poll, it looks like a lot of you agreed, and that makes me happy.
When it comes to varsity sports, Ohio State has one of the largest selections in the country, and it’s nice to see that fans will show up (either in person or by watching TV) when they are in a postseason run. We’ve seen great crowds for volleyball, soccer, track and field, and other sports throughout the years as well. It’s just a nice reminder that Ohio State is far more than just a football school.
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Buckeye fans are flocking to other sports during postseason runs.
Question 1: How do you feel about Michigan landing commits from Ohio?
There’s a long history of Michigan grabbing talented players from the state of Ohio, which is why I found the latest hand-wringing over two Ohioans committing to play football for the Wolverines a little odd. Granted, the Buckeyes really wanted to land four-star running back Jordan Marshall from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, but they hadn’t even offered three-star offensive lineman Ben Roebuck from St. Edward’s in Lakewood.
And while OSU would have really liked to get a pledge from Marshall — the No. 91 player in the country and No. 7 running back — things worked out ok for Tony Alford and the Ohio State coaching staff as yesterday they got a commitment from No. 69 player nationally and No. 5 RB James Peoples; so things worked out alright.
So, I am completely in agreement with the near majority on this question; it’s damn near impossible for the Buckeyes to keep every top-ranked (depending on how you define that) player from leaving the state. As I outlined in the article linked above, during Ryan Day’s tenure as the head coach in Columbus, they’ve done a really impressive job of securing commitments from the highest-rated Ohio high school players, especially when they don’t already have a top prospect at the position.
So, as long as the Marshall-type defections are limited, it’s inevitable that some Ohio-raised players will look to sow their wild oats in the state up north. If it turns into a trend in which multiple major Ohio prospects spurn the Buckeyes and head to TTUN, then we can get worried, but for now, when it’s one or two every few cycles, I think it’s fine for us to stay calm, but vigilent.
Question 2: How have you followed the Ohio State women’s basketball, women’s hockey, men’s hockey, wrestling runs in the NCAA Tournament?
I know that Ohio State is mostly considered “a football school,” but I gotta tell you, the women’s basketball, women’s hockey, and men’s hockey teams supplied a lot of excitement over the past month for fans who were paying attention. The women’s basketball team ended UConn’s absolutely unimaginable Elite Eight streak, before falling to Virginia Tech one win away from the Final Four.
The women’s hockey team lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Wisconsin in the national championship game, ending their season just shy of back-to-back titles. And the men’s team obliterated Harvard in the Sweet Sixteen before losing to No. 1 Quinnipiac in the NCAA Regional Finals. The wrestling team also finished fourth at the NCAA Championships.
It might not be the “marquee” sports that we are used to cheering for, but those three teams certainly filled a significant part of the void left by the men’s basketball team not being in the Big Dance for me. And, judging by the results of the poll, it looks like a lot of you agreed, and that makes me happy.
When it comes to varsity sports, Ohio State has one of the largest selections in the country, and it’s nice to see that fans will show up (either in person or by watching TV) when they are in a postseason run. We’ve seen great crowds for volleyball, soccer, track and field, and other sports throughout the years as well. It’s just a nice reminder that Ohio State is far more than just a football school.
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: My first Ohio State game
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Column: My first Ohio State game
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Already a Buckeye fan as a child, my first trip to the Horseshoe could not have been a bigger affirmation of my team of choice in a thrilling shootout vs. Illinois.
I never really stood a chance of not becoming a Buckeye. My family may have moved to Central Ohio from New Jersey when I was midway through my kindergarten year, but I was watching Ohio State games on the giant console television set in the living room as far back as I can remember even knowing there was a sport called football.
It helped that the early days of my seeing the Buckeyes play on TV coincided with the careers of Archie Griffin and Pete Johnson, certainly, but there was never a doubt after my first trip to Ohio Stadium. I could hardly have had a better introduction to the live college football experience — and I wasn’t even there to watch the game (or at least I wasn’t supposed to).
The first time I set foot in the Horseshoe, the Buckeyes and Illinois Fighting Illini played a game for the ages.
At the time, I was in the Boy Scouts, joining my friend’s troop at his urging. I was working my way through merit badges and skill awards but not taking it terribly seriously. Our troop was among those selected to serve as ushers at an Ohio State game as the Buckeyes battled the Fighting Illini for the Illibuck Trophy on Nov. 8, 1980. I was a couple of months past my 14th birthday and excited to see the Shoe in person for the first time after seeing it so many times on television.
Before the game, we received our instructions on what to do to help folks find their seats and given our section assignments. I was placed in C Deck on the opposite side of the stadium from the press box. I don’t remember much about the instructions we got, but I do know we were supposed to be “working” rather than watching the game, although if there wasn’t much going on in our section, we could stand and watch a few plays here and there.
Nobody much moved during the game in my section because the game was just that compelling. Ohio Staet quarterback Art Schlichter and his Illini counterpart, Dave Wilson, engaged in one of the biggest aerial displays in the history of Big Ten football.
I didn’t have a seat. I wasn’t supposed to be sitting, after all. I was supposed to be standing in the aisle, helping people find their seats. The numbers seemed to be marked clearly on the section, the rows, and the seats to me. I had never been up that high and not had a roof over my head before and it was a little dizzying. I sat on the steps and tried to stay out of the way, keeping one eye out for any adults in a scout uniform.
In truth, I rarely took my eyes off the field. Schlichter was yet to experience his long fall from grace and he was a star in college. A good-looking, athletic guy who could throw the ball all over the field, the Washington Court House native had opened a lot of eyes by starting as a true freshman under Woody Hayes. By 1980, Schlichter was a beloved veteran Buckeye in his junior season with great weapons at the wide receiver position.
He wasted no time putting the Buckeyes ahead that day, hitting Gary Williams for a 43-yard score less than five minutes into the game. Midway through the quarter, he found Doug Donley from seven yards out and Ohio State was up 14-0 at the end of one.
In truth, it looked like the Buckeyes were going to run away with the game. A 2-yard Tim Spencer run and another 7-yard TD pass — this time to tight end Brad Dwelle — pushed the OSU lead to 28-0 and the Shoe was rocking. It hardly seemed to matter that Wilson hit Greg Dentino for an Illini touchdown just before halftime. The Buckeyes had it in the bag, right? After all, a three-touchdown lead at home with what had been to that point in the season one of the top pass defenses in the country felt pretty safe.
It wasn’t.
Wilson put on a show in the second half, carving the Buckeye secondary largely with short throws but mixing in some longer ones and keeping Ohio State off balance. He threw for 344 yards and five touchdowns in the second half alone.
A 26-yard pass from Schlichter to Donley increased the OSU lead back to four touchdowns, at 35-7. The Illini completely abandoned the run from that point on and Wilson went to work, capping the first Illinois possession with a 38-yard touchdown to tight end Lee Boeke. Wilson then found Dentino again late in the third quarter and then added a third scoring pass in the quarter when he hit Mike Martin with two and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter. That cut Ohio State’s lead to 35-28 and suddenly the Shoe was nervous.
I was no longer keeping an eye out for scoutmasters. This was a nailbiter with a full quarter to go and they could go ahead and kick me out of the troop if they wanted but I wasn’t taking my eyes off that field down below.
Things got tense when the Illini forced an OSU punt on the next series. Suddenly, Illinois was set up to be in position to tie the game. But Dentino fumbled the punt and Ohio State recovered.
Calvin Murray pushed the Buckeye lead to two scores on a 13-yard run and it became a bit easier to breath up in the thin air of C Deck. But that came in the first minute of the fourth quarter. There was a lot of game left and Wilson was feeling it.
A short touchdown pass to Greg Foster pulled Illinois back within one score, capping an 83-yard drive as an incredulous Ohio Stadium looked on.
The Buckeyes responded quickly, taking advantage of a pass interference call on a play designed to go to Donley. Spencer ran the ball for the final two yards, making it 49-35 with 10:55 remaining.
After getting burned all game long, the OSU defense came up big down the stretch. Just when it looked like Wilson was going to respond again, hitting a big pass play to Martin covering 62 yards, cornerback Vince Skillings knocked the ball free and his fellow corner Ray Ellis fell on the ball for the Buckeyes at his own 8-yard line.
Schlichter and the offense picked up only one first down, but took more than two and a half minutes off the clock and moved the ball out to the 37-yard line before having to punt it back.
The Illini took over at their 26, still down two scores but with nearly half of the final quarter remaining. A quick pass for 13 yards and a 22-yard pass play with a 15-yard personal foul tacked onto the end of it moved the ball all the way to the OSU 24 in just two plays. A sack helped a little but only temporarily.
Wilson moved the Illini to the 1-yard line and it looked like we’d be back to a one-score game again. But the Illini had a false start, moving it off the goal line. Two plays later, Wilson threw into the end zone and Skllings was there to intercept it with just over three minutes remaining.
Ohio State punted it back and Wilson tacked on a short touchdown pass to Foster with just 11 seconds left as the Illini offense ran out of time.
The Buckeyes had won one of the wildest games anyone had ever seen and I was there for the first time. I felt the roar of the crowd in my chest, even as I added to it with my own voice.
Wilson had thrown for 621 yards and six touchdowns on 43-of-69 passing. He also threw three interceptions, which is likely the only thing that kept the Buckeyes from losing that day. Schlichter completed 17 of 21 passes for 284 yards and a career-high four touchdowns without throwing a pick. The teams combined for more than 1,050 yards of total offense.
The back-and-forth affair that had started as a laugher and grew incredibly tense over the course of the second half was an incredible thing to behold. I’ve been fortunate to attend a few games that measured up to that first one, but to set the bar that high right off the bat was an unbelievable high.
I never did make Eagle Scout, topping out at First Class, just a couple of skill awards shy of Star. It didn’t feel cool to be a scout in my mid-teens and I found other pursuits. One of those was watching every Ohio State game I could.
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Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Already a Buckeye fan as a child, my first trip to the Horseshoe could not have been a bigger affirmation of my team of choice in a thrilling shootout vs. Illinois.
I never really stood a chance of not becoming a Buckeye. My family may have moved to Central Ohio from New Jersey when I was midway through my kindergarten year, but I was watching Ohio State games on the giant console television set in the living room as far back as I can remember even knowing there was a sport called football.
It helped that the early days of my seeing the Buckeyes play on TV coincided with the careers of Archie Griffin and Pete Johnson, certainly, but there was never a doubt after my first trip to Ohio Stadium. I could hardly have had a better introduction to the live college football experience — and I wasn’t even there to watch the game (or at least I wasn’t supposed to).
The first time I set foot in the Horseshoe, the Buckeyes and Illinois Fighting Illini played a game for the ages.
At the time, I was in the Boy Scouts, joining my friend’s troop at his urging. I was working my way through merit badges and skill awards but not taking it terribly seriously. Our troop was among those selected to serve as ushers at an Ohio State game as the Buckeyes battled the Fighting Illini for the Illibuck Trophy on Nov. 8, 1980. I was a couple of months past my 14th birthday and excited to see the Shoe in person for the first time after seeing it so many times on television.
Before the game, we received our instructions on what to do to help folks find their seats and given our section assignments. I was placed in C Deck on the opposite side of the stadium from the press box. I don’t remember much about the instructions we got, but I do know we were supposed to be “working” rather than watching the game, although if there wasn’t much going on in our section, we could stand and watch a few plays here and there.
Nobody much moved during the game in my section because the game was just that compelling. Ohio Staet quarterback Art Schlichter and his Illini counterpart, Dave Wilson, engaged in one of the biggest aerial displays in the history of Big Ten football.
I didn’t have a seat. I wasn’t supposed to be sitting, after all. I was supposed to be standing in the aisle, helping people find their seats. The numbers seemed to be marked clearly on the section, the rows, and the seats to me. I had never been up that high and not had a roof over my head before and it was a little dizzying. I sat on the steps and tried to stay out of the way, keeping one eye out for any adults in a scout uniform.
In truth, I rarely took my eyes off the field. Schlichter was yet to experience his long fall from grace and he was a star in college. A good-looking, athletic guy who could throw the ball all over the field, the Washington Court House native had opened a lot of eyes by starting as a true freshman under Woody Hayes. By 1980, Schlichter was a beloved veteran Buckeye in his junior season with great weapons at the wide receiver position.
He wasted no time putting the Buckeyes ahead that day, hitting Gary Williams for a 43-yard score less than five minutes into the game. Midway through the quarter, he found Doug Donley from seven yards out and Ohio State was up 14-0 at the end of one.
In truth, it looked like the Buckeyes were going to run away with the game. A 2-yard Tim Spencer run and another 7-yard TD pass — this time to tight end Brad Dwelle — pushed the OSU lead to 28-0 and the Shoe was rocking. It hardly seemed to matter that Wilson hit Greg Dentino for an Illini touchdown just before halftime. The Buckeyes had it in the bag, right? After all, a three-touchdown lead at home with what had been to that point in the season one of the top pass defenses in the country felt pretty safe.
It wasn’t.
Wilson put on a show in the second half, carving the Buckeye secondary largely with short throws but mixing in some longer ones and keeping Ohio State off balance. He threw for 344 yards and five touchdowns in the second half alone.
A 26-yard pass from Schlichter to Donley increased the OSU lead back to four touchdowns, at 35-7. The Illini completely abandoned the run from that point on and Wilson went to work, capping the first Illinois possession with a 38-yard touchdown to tight end Lee Boeke. Wilson then found Dentino again late in the third quarter and then added a third scoring pass in the quarter when he hit Mike Martin with two and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter. That cut Ohio State’s lead to 35-28 and suddenly the Shoe was nervous.
I was no longer keeping an eye out for scoutmasters. This was a nailbiter with a full quarter to go and they could go ahead and kick me out of the troop if they wanted but I wasn’t taking my eyes off that field down below.
Things got tense when the Illini forced an OSU punt on the next series. Suddenly, Illinois was set up to be in position to tie the game. But Dentino fumbled the punt and Ohio State recovered.
Calvin Murray pushed the Buckeye lead to two scores on a 13-yard run and it became a bit easier to breath up in the thin air of C Deck. But that came in the first minute of the fourth quarter. There was a lot of game left and Wilson was feeling it.
A short touchdown pass to Greg Foster pulled Illinois back within one score, capping an 83-yard drive as an incredulous Ohio Stadium looked on.
The Buckeyes responded quickly, taking advantage of a pass interference call on a play designed to go to Donley. Spencer ran the ball for the final two yards, making it 49-35 with 10:55 remaining.
After getting burned all game long, the OSU defense came up big down the stretch. Just when it looked like Wilson was going to respond again, hitting a big pass play to Martin covering 62 yards, cornerback Vince Skillings knocked the ball free and his fellow corner Ray Ellis fell on the ball for the Buckeyes at his own 8-yard line.
Schlichter and the offense picked up only one first down, but took more than two and a half minutes off the clock and moved the ball out to the 37-yard line before having to punt it back.
The Illini took over at their 26, still down two scores but with nearly half of the final quarter remaining. A quick pass for 13 yards and a 22-yard pass play with a 15-yard personal foul tacked onto the end of it moved the ball all the way to the OSU 24 in just two plays. A sack helped a little but only temporarily.
Wilson moved the Illini to the 1-yard line and it looked like we’d be back to a one-score game again. But the Illini had a false start, moving it off the goal line. Two plays later, Wilson threw into the end zone and Skllings was there to intercept it with just over three minutes remaining.
Ohio State punted it back and Wilson tacked on a short touchdown pass to Foster with just 11 seconds left as the Illini offense ran out of time.
The Buckeyes had won one of the wildest games anyone had ever seen and I was there for the first time. I felt the roar of the crowd in my chest, even as I added to it with my own voice.
Wilson had thrown for 621 yards and six touchdowns on 43-of-69 passing. He also threw three interceptions, which is likely the only thing that kept the Buckeyes from losing that day. Schlichter completed 17 of 21 passes for 284 yards and a career-high four touchdowns without throwing a pick. The teams combined for more than 1,050 yards of total offense.
The back-and-forth affair that had started as a laugher and grew incredibly tense over the course of the second half was an incredible thing to behold. I’ve been fortunate to attend a few games that measured up to that first one, but to set the bar that high right off the bat was an unbelievable high.
I never did make Eagle Scout, topping out at First Class, just a couple of skill awards shy of Star. It didn’t feel cool to be a scout in my mid-teens and I found other pursuits. One of those was watching every Ohio State game I could.
Continue reading...
LGHL Softball: Buckeyes struggle this weekend, get swept by Hoosiers
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Softball: Buckeyes struggle this weekend, get swept by Hoosiers
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
ohiostatebuckeyes.com
No. 24 Indiana’s offense was extremely impressive.
Ohio State’s hot streak of winning 16 of its last 17 games coming into the Indiana series came to a screeching halt, as it lost all three games this past weekend. The Buckeyes’ offense wasn’t a problem, but the Hoosiers’ definitely was.
Game 1
The first game started on Friday, but was suspended due to weather in the middle of the game, so it picked back up on Saturday. Before the suspension, the Bucks only trailed by one. They got on the board first in the second inning by way of a Destinee Noury RBI single.
Then, the third inning came. A pair of back-to-back home runs came off the bats of Melina Wilkison (more on her later) and Kami Kortokrax. Then, Meggie Otte had an RBI double to put Ohio State up 4-0.
However, Allison Smith struggled big time in this inning, as she gave up seven runs on four hits, including a three-run home run. At this point, after a hot offensive start, the Buckeyes went down by three. It continued to be a slugfest the remainder of the game, as Ohio State scored four runs in the fourth to retake the lead by one before Indiana scored three more runs in the bottom half of the frame to make it 10-8, Hoosiers.
Lexi Paulsen came in for relief during this inning and continued into the fifth, where she gave up three runs and Kennedy Kay finished out the inning. While Ohio State tacked one run on the board in the sixth, Kay gave up three runs which allowed the run rule to go into effect, as Indiana was up by eight runs after the sixth inning.
Smith took the loss and the score ended up being 17-9.
Game 2
You got to give it to the Bucks— they showed up Sunday ready to fight for a win, and this first game of the doubleheader demonstrated their grit, but it was just not enough for a W.
Wilkison homered in her first at-bat (yes, the same Wilkison who homered Saturday), to give Ohio State the early lead. It was Wilkison’s sixth home run of the season and fourth in the last four games. Then, Sam Hackenbracht singled her in during the third inning, making it 2-0. Emily Ruck was the starter in this one and cruised through the first two innings before hitting a road block in the third.
After a throwing error, walk and passed ball, the first run from Indiana scored and three more were added on before the inning ended, off of just two hits. Two singles allowed two runs the next inning, but the Buckeyes were coming back in the fifth. Down 6-2, Wilkison (who else?) got the offense going with a RBI single, then Kortokrax had a two-RBI single to narrow the score to 6-5.
Ruck had a strong sixth inning to give Ohio State a chance to come back in the top of the seventh, but three straight outs ended the game for the Buckeyes, 6-5, who just couldn’t pull out the win.
Game 3
Smith was back on the bump for the final game of the series, and she continued to struggle. She gave up two home runs right off the bat, giving Indiana the 3-0 lead. But, the offense bailed her out in the third inning, as Wilkison tripled, then scored on a wild pitch before Hackenbracht hit a two-run home run of her own to even up the score at three.
But, the bottom half of the inning was just as productive for the Hoosiers, as a bases-clearing double gave them the lead once again. Ruck came in to pitch in the fourth and struck out the only two batters she faced. Her offense gave her some support, as Hackenbracht’s RBI double and Noury’s RBI single put the Buckeyes within one.
Ruck gave up two runs off three hits, one of them being the long ball, in the bottom of the inning. However, Ohio State wasn’t done yet as freshman catcher Hannah Church led off the top of the sixth with her first collegiate home run! This made it 8-6, but Ruck gave up two more home runs in the sixth to further the Hoosiers’ lead.
The Bucks scored one run in the seventh by way of some crafty base running, but that’s the only run they would get as they fell to Indiana for a third time this weekend, 10-7.
Overall, this was definitely one of the toughest opponents they have run up against all season. Indiana’s offense is clearly extremely powerful, as they jacked seven home runs across three games and 33 runs in total. Ohio State’s offense kept up for the most part, but both Smith and Ruck had pretty rough weekends.
The Buckeyes will look to get back in the win column Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Ohio University, which will be streamed on BTN+.
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
ohiostatebuckeyes.com
No. 24 Indiana’s offense was extremely impressive.
Ohio State’s hot streak of winning 16 of its last 17 games coming into the Indiana series came to a screeching halt, as it lost all three games this past weekend. The Buckeyes’ offense wasn’t a problem, but the Hoosiers’ definitely was.
Game 1
The first game started on Friday, but was suspended due to weather in the middle of the game, so it picked back up on Saturday. Before the suspension, the Bucks only trailed by one. They got on the board first in the second inning by way of a Destinee Noury RBI single.
Then, the third inning came. A pair of back-to-back home runs came off the bats of Melina Wilkison (more on her later) and Kami Kortokrax. Then, Meggie Otte had an RBI double to put Ohio State up 4-0.
However, Allison Smith struggled big time in this inning, as she gave up seven runs on four hits, including a three-run home run. At this point, after a hot offensive start, the Buckeyes went down by three. It continued to be a slugfest the remainder of the game, as Ohio State scored four runs in the fourth to retake the lead by one before Indiana scored three more runs in the bottom half of the frame to make it 10-8, Hoosiers.
Lexi Paulsen came in for relief during this inning and continued into the fifth, where she gave up three runs and Kennedy Kay finished out the inning. While Ohio State tacked one run on the board in the sixth, Kay gave up three runs which allowed the run rule to go into effect, as Indiana was up by eight runs after the sixth inning.
Smith took the loss and the score ended up being 17-9.
Game 2
You got to give it to the Bucks— they showed up Sunday ready to fight for a win, and this first game of the doubleheader demonstrated their grit, but it was just not enough for a W.
Wilkison homered in her first at-bat (yes, the same Wilkison who homered Saturday), to give Ohio State the early lead. It was Wilkison’s sixth home run of the season and fourth in the last four games. Then, Sam Hackenbracht singled her in during the third inning, making it 2-0. Emily Ruck was the starter in this one and cruised through the first two innings before hitting a road block in the third.
After a throwing error, walk and passed ball, the first run from Indiana scored and three more were added on before the inning ended, off of just two hits. Two singles allowed two runs the next inning, but the Buckeyes were coming back in the fifth. Down 6-2, Wilkison (who else?) got the offense going with a RBI single, then Kortokrax had a two-RBI single to narrow the score to 6-5.
Ruck had a strong sixth inning to give Ohio State a chance to come back in the top of the seventh, but three straight outs ended the game for the Buckeyes, 6-5, who just couldn’t pull out the win.
Game 3
Smith was back on the bump for the final game of the series, and she continued to struggle. She gave up two home runs right off the bat, giving Indiana the 3-0 lead. But, the offense bailed her out in the third inning, as Wilkison tripled, then scored on a wild pitch before Hackenbracht hit a two-run home run of her own to even up the score at three.
But, the bottom half of the inning was just as productive for the Hoosiers, as a bases-clearing double gave them the lead once again. Ruck came in to pitch in the fourth and struck out the only two batters she faced. Her offense gave her some support, as Hackenbracht’s RBI double and Noury’s RBI single put the Buckeyes within one.
Ruck gave up two runs off three hits, one of them being the long ball, in the bottom of the inning. However, Ohio State wasn’t done yet as freshman catcher Hannah Church led off the top of the sixth with her first collegiate home run! This made it 8-6, but Ruck gave up two more home runs in the sixth to further the Hoosiers’ lead.
The Bucks scored one run in the seventh by way of some crafty base running, but that’s the only run they would get as they fell to Indiana for a third time this weekend, 10-7.
Overall, this was definitely one of the toughest opponents they have run up against all season. Indiana’s offense is clearly extremely powerful, as they jacked seven home runs across three games and 33 runs in total. Ohio State’s offense kept up for the most part, but both Smith and Ruck had pretty rough weekends.
The Buckeyes will look to get back in the win column Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Ohio University, which will be streamed on BTN+.
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