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LGHL Three questions about the 2023 Ohio State tight ends
- News
- 0 Replies
Three questions about the 2023 Ohio State tight ends
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes need to focus upon the depth at tight end.
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” ~ Margaret Atwood
Personally, I am not sure if that is necessarily the case. Considering Ohio State plays and practices on FieldTurf, perhaps the Buckeyes smell more like the black rubber pellets that are underneath the field.
As Ohio State spring football has officially started, I have decided to write a series of articles on a weekly basis to identify and rank the position groups, from least to most concerning, as they pertain to the upcoming 2023 season. Each week, I will point out questions I have about these position groups, and it is my hope that several, if not all, of these questions will be answered by the Ohio State Spring Game on April 15.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Tight Ends | Concern Ranking: 6th
Reason for my ranking: Ohio State returns the bulk of its tight end group, but the loss of Mitch Rossi as a hybrid fullback-tight end should not be minimized. Even with starter Cade Stover’s return, Ohio State needs to get a solid handle on which tight end(s) will be able to contribute for the upcoming 2023 season.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Listed at 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, Rossi was often used as a blocking fullback by Ohio State, as well as at tight end. Is there someone on the roster, such as Bennett Christian (listed at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds) or Sam Hart (listed at 6-foot-5, 248 pounds), who will take on this important role in 2023?
2. Can Jelani Thurman contribute as a true freshman in 2023?
Ohio State football recruiting fans exhaled when Jelani Thurman’s signed letter of intent arrived in December. The son of former WNBA player Kara Braxton and former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, Jelani enrolled early and made quite an impression in the first practice when viewed by the assembled media. Could Thurman move up the depth chart this spring and contribute as a true freshman?
3. Can Cade Stover stay healthy throughout the 2023 season?
Cade Stover had a strong 2022 season, with 36 receptions for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns. Stover had the most receptions by a tight end since Ben Hartsock had 33 receptions in 2003, and Stover’s return in 2023 was welcomed by Ohio State’s coaches and fans.
Unfortunately, injuries impacted Stover’s effectiveness down the home stretch of the season, and Ohio State fans could see the impact Stover’s absence had, especially in The Peach Bowl semi-final game versus Georgia.
Gee Scott Jr. (5 receptions for 28 yards, 1 touchdown) and Joe Royer (2 receptions for 10 yards) return, as well as all of the players listed above. Even so, Ohio State needs to figure out which player or players can play in the same manner as Cade Stover, in the event Stover misses time as he did in 2022.
Continue reading...
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes need to focus upon the depth at tight end.
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” ~ Margaret Atwood
Personally, I am not sure if that is necessarily the case. Considering Ohio State plays and practices on FieldTurf, perhaps the Buckeyes smell more like the black rubber pellets that are underneath the field.
As Ohio State spring football has officially started, I have decided to write a series of articles on a weekly basis to identify and rank the position groups, from least to most concerning, as they pertain to the upcoming 2023 season. Each week, I will point out questions I have about these position groups, and it is my hope that several, if not all, of these questions will be answered by the Ohio State Spring Game on April 15.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Tight Ends | Concern Ranking: 6th
- Scholarship Players Lost From The 2022 Squad: Mitch Rossi
- Scholarship Players Returning From The 2022 Squad: Bennett Christian, Sam Hart, Joe Royer, Gee Scott, Jr., Cade Stover
- Freshmen Players Participating In 2023 Spring Football: Jelani Thurman
Reason for my ranking: Ohio State returns the bulk of its tight end group, but the loss of Mitch Rossi as a hybrid fullback-tight end should not be minimized. Even with starter Cade Stover’s return, Ohio State needs to get a solid handle on which tight end(s) will be able to contribute for the upcoming 2023 season.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Who can emerge as this season’s Mitch Rossi?
Listed at 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, Rossi was often used as a blocking fullback by Ohio State, as well as at tight end. Is there someone on the roster, such as Bennett Christian (listed at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds) or Sam Hart (listed at 6-foot-5, 248 pounds), who will take on this important role in 2023?
2. Can Jelani Thurman contribute as a true freshman in 2023?
Ohio State football recruiting fans exhaled when Jelani Thurman’s signed letter of intent arrived in December. The son of former WNBA player Kara Braxton and former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, Jelani enrolled early and made quite an impression in the first practice when viewed by the assembled media. Could Thurman move up the depth chart this spring and contribute as a true freshman?
3. Can Cade Stover stay healthy throughout the 2023 season?
Cade Stover had a strong 2022 season, with 36 receptions for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns. Stover had the most receptions by a tight end since Ben Hartsock had 33 receptions in 2003, and Stover’s return in 2023 was welcomed by Ohio State’s coaches and fans.
Unfortunately, injuries impacted Stover’s effectiveness down the home stretch of the season, and Ohio State fans could see the impact Stover’s absence had, especially in The Peach Bowl semi-final game versus Georgia.
Gee Scott Jr. (5 receptions for 28 yards, 1 touchdown) and Joe Royer (2 receptions for 10 yards) return, as well as all of the players listed above. Even so, Ohio State needs to figure out which player or players can play in the same manner as Cade Stover, in the event Stover misses time as he did in 2022.
Continue reading...
LGHL Buck Off Podcast: Spring practice chatter, an offensive line discussion, and codebreaking coach speak
- News
- 0 Replies
Buck Off Podcast: Spring practice chatter, an offensive line discussion, and codebreaking coach speak
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State is finishing up their first week of spring practice, and the guys are here to discuss the noise coming out of the Woody.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to discuss the changing seasons and Ohio State starting spring practice.
We start the episode with a discussion about why spring football is so exciting for everyone around the program. There is nothing but excitement this time of year, and this is the time for all of the hottest takes.
After that, our discussion turns to the chatter coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Things start out with the big conversation about quarterbacks, and discuss exactly what we know at this point about the competition – hint, it’s not much. We continue talking about the questions, and how the offensive line might be decided by the end of spring.
We close out the first half of the show with some rapid fire question answers regarding the remaining noise out of the first couple spring practices. Topics included are Jim Knowles playing more linebackers, no Jack position in the spring, and Marvin Harrison Jr. returning punts.
After the break we decide to become codebreakers, and decipher the coach speak that was happening at the pressers. There’s nothing that we can’t figure out, and this leads to us discussing why certain Buckeyes might not play as much as anticipated.
To close out the show, we discuss how big the Buckeyes got this winter and why you should wear plenty of Scarlet-and-Gray this weekend.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
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
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State is finishing up their first week of spring practice, and the guys are here to discuss the noise coming out of the Woody.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to discuss the changing seasons and Ohio State starting spring practice.
We start the episode with a discussion about why spring football is so exciting for everyone around the program. There is nothing but excitement this time of year, and this is the time for all of the hottest takes.
After that, our discussion turns to the chatter coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Things start out with the big conversation about quarterbacks, and discuss exactly what we know at this point about the competition – hint, it’s not much. We continue talking about the questions, and how the offensive line might be decided by the end of spring.
We close out the first half of the show with some rapid fire question answers regarding the remaining noise out of the first couple spring practices. Topics included are Jim Knowles playing more linebackers, no Jack position in the spring, and Marvin Harrison Jr. returning punts.
After the break we decide to become codebreakers, and decipher the coach speak that was happening at the pressers. There’s nothing that we can’t figure out, and this leads to us discussing why certain Buckeyes might not play as much as anticipated.
To close out the show, we discuss how big the Buckeyes got this winter and why you should wear plenty of Scarlet-and-Gray this weekend.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...
Ohio State vs Michigan State, Mar 10, 2023, 2:30 PM EST, BTN
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 143 Replies
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Not many would have predicted it coming into the week, but the No. 13 seed Ohio State men's basketball team will play a game on Friday in the Big Ten Tournament. After having to hold on for dear life on Wednesday to defeat No. 12 seed Wisconsin 65-57, the Buckeyes managed to take care of business against No. 5 seed Iowa on Friday in a 73-69 win.
.
.
.
The Scarlet and Gray advance to the third round of the Big Ten Tournament and keep hopes of an improbable NCAA Tournament berth -- which will only happen if Ohio State wins all five games at the United Center -- alive. On Friday, the Buckeyes will face No. 4 seed Michigan State. The Spartans had a double bye, so this will be their first game in this year's Big Ten Tournament.
Ohio State and Michigan State will tip off at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET from the United Center in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament.
spartanswire.usatoday.com
Prediction: MSU 71, Ohio State 64
Ohio State is finally rounding out into the team we expected them to be after a disappointing season. But this will be the third game in three days for the Buckeyes and I got to believe there will be some tired legs in the second half. Michigan State makes a few more shots than Ohio State in the final minutes to pick up the victory.
With the benefit of a double-bye, Michigan State men's basketball has been able to sit back and enjoy watching the first two days of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament.
Now, the Spartans know who they will play in their first tournament game — Ohio State. After a first round win over 12-seed Wisconsin on Wednesday, the 13th-seeded Buckeyes defeated Iowa in the second round on Thursday, 73-69, to advance to the quarterfinal round where Michigan State awaits.
Ohio State to face Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament third round
Not many would have predicted it coming into the week, but the No. 13 seed Ohio State men's basketball team will play a game on Friday in the Big Ten Tournament. After having to hold on for dear life on Wednesday to defeat No. 12 seed Wisconsin 65-57, the Buckeyes managed to take care of business against No. 5 seed Iowa on Friday in a 73-69 win.
.
.
.
The Scarlet and Gray advance to the third round of the Big Ten Tournament and keep hopes of an improbable NCAA Tournament berth -- which will only happen if Ohio State wins all five games at the United Center -- alive. On Friday, the Buckeyes will face No. 4 seed Michigan State. The Spartans had a double bye, so this will be their first game in this year's Big Ten Tournament.
Ohio State and Michigan State will tip off at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET from the United Center in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament.
MSU basketball vs. Ohio State at Big Ten Tournament: Stream, broadcast info, three things to watch, prediction
MSU basketball faces Ohio State on Friday at the Big Ten Tournament– here’s what you need to know for this matchup between the Spartans and Buckeyes
spartanswire.usatoday.com
Prediction: MSU 71, Ohio State 64
Ohio State is finally rounding out into the team we expected them to be after a disappointing season. But this will be the third game in three days for the Buckeyes and I got to believe there will be some tired legs in the second half. Michigan State makes a few more shots than Ohio State in the final minutes to pick up the victory.
Michigan State to face Ohio State in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals
The Spartans will begin their run at a conference tournament title on Friday afternoon...With the benefit of a double-bye, Michigan State men's basketball has been able to sit back and enjoy watching the first two days of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament.
Now, the Spartans know who they will play in their first tournament game — Ohio State. After a first round win over 12-seed Wisconsin on Wednesday, the 13th-seeded Buckeyes defeated Iowa in the second round on Thursday, 73-69, to advance to the quarterfinal round where Michigan State awaits.
LGHL Column: Saturday’s Ohio State women's ice hockey game can’t be played at OSU Ice Rink
- News
- 0 Replies
Column: Saturday’s Ohio State women's ice hockey game can’t be played at OSU Ice Rink
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Justin Berl/NCAA Photos/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Its time to treat the national champions appropriately.
When I moved to Columbus with my wife, two kids and dog, we, like any transplants, needed to find something to do with our time. As a person who loves watching athletic competition and stuff to do with young kids, the Ohio State University was the first place we looked for affordable options — aka we didn’t look for football tickets.
Moving in the fall, we went to soccer games because of the free tickets and free parking price tag. We saw last second game-winning goals, extra time thrillers and got our fair share of free popcorn.
As the temperature dropped, the easiest decision for us was going to Ohio State women’s hockey games. In the first year for Buckeyes head coach Nadine Muzerall, we were at the OSU Ice Rink just about every other weekend.
The first game we attended, the arena usher called me to invite my daughters to the entrance of the rink at the end of the period. A tradition of letting kids in the crowd give the players fist bumps and get an icy cold puck from the referees.
That experience turned into a stack of pucks, one set of dual pucks after a WCHA playoff shootout, autographs and more memories than we can count.
Since we started attending that 2016-17 season, coach Muzerall and the Buckeyes have created memories of their own. In seven seasons, the Scarlet & Gray won one regular season conference title, two conference tournament trophies, appeared in three Frozen Four NCAA final tournaments and won the granddaddy of them all last season, Ohio State’s first National Championship in ice hockey, regardless of gender.
Saturday, Ohio State goes for the back-to-back, taking on the winner of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Quinnipiac (a play-in game on Thursday March 9) in the first round of the Frozen Four, with the winner moving on to the semifinals. It’s a game that’s likely to sell out, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.
That’s because the OSU Ice Rink is not suited for competitive NCAA hockey. The arena that holds a few hundred people, all on one side of the ice, is more like a public rink than a home for a National Champion.
Opponents use the locker room below the ice level, walking upstairs to get to the ice. Ohio State uses a locker room across a covered walkway inside St. John’s Arena, requiring a few stride walk outside to get from the lockers to the ice rink.
Ohio State is rectifying this situation, announcing their hopes for a new men and women’s hockey-specific arena on campus, but it could be shut down by the board of directors, and a projected open date of April 2024 doesn’t help the Buckeyes in 2023.
Good news though, Ohio State and NCAA, I’ve got you covered. I did the research for you. Move the Saturday Frozen Four game to Nationwide Arena.
Now, you might be wondering, why can’t they use the Schottenstein Center, the home of the national championshipless Ohio State men’s hockey team? The OHSAA high school wrestling state championships are at the Schott. That’s ok, because the Schott isn’t fit for champions anyway.
Moving the games to Nationwide Arena would be a win-win, with a minor schedule change. Push the Frozen Four quarterfinal to Sunday afternoon. It would give the visiting team an extra day of rest and Nationwide Arena is already hosting a slew of hockey games, so there’d be no venue updates needed.
OHSAA has their hands all over Columbus this weekend, hosting the men’s high school finals this weekend at Nationwide Arena. Saturday even has a double-header with the amateur athletes competing in the morning and the Columbus Blue Jackets playing Saturday night.
So, shift the OSU game to Sunday after the OHSAA State Final drops puck at noon ET. Sell tickets at general admission cost, the Ice Rink tickets were only eight dollars till they went sold out in Emma Maltais shot speed.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24487058/usa_today_19333365.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Bump the tickets up to $10 or $15 dollars, have both teams be honored at the Blue Jackets game to get those butts in the arena seats coming back for more hockey the next day. Give Blue Jackets season ticket holders a discounted rate or sell the general admissions right there in the lobby of Nationwide Arena. Give the local NHL fans a chance to watch actual good hockey, something they’ve been pining for all season.
Penn State, who plays in a different conference due to the Big Ten not having a women’s hockey conference (don’t get me started on the situation up in Michigan with the Wolverines’ women’s hockey club), would draw a crowd.
The Nittany Lions have their own hockey barn: Pegula Ice Arena. It’s a hockey-specific arena that holds over 5,700 people, a great size for the college game and suitable enough for an NCAA championship game. Coincidentally enough, the very place the Buckeyes lifted their first NCAA title.
Should Quinnipiac beat the Nittany Lions, they’re also a side that will travel well for a game of this magnitude, sitting in 10th in the country in average attendance.
That doesn’t include all the Buckeyes fans who could attend from here in Columbus. Scarlet & Gray supporters who won’t have to miss the game to watch guys run, jump and catch balls at a combine this weekend.
So, NCAA, Ohio State and Nationwide Arena, give more families the opportunities to create memories while watching a Buckeyes team who’s more than worthy of a large crowd. I mean, the citizens of the city are the ones paying off the arena, why not let the local public university use it for a game of this stature?
Let’s get this done. You have Land-Grant Holy Land’s full support.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Justin Berl/NCAA Photos/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Its time to treat the national champions appropriately.
When I moved to Columbus with my wife, two kids and dog, we, like any transplants, needed to find something to do with our time. As a person who loves watching athletic competition and stuff to do with young kids, the Ohio State University was the first place we looked for affordable options — aka we didn’t look for football tickets.
Moving in the fall, we went to soccer games because of the free tickets and free parking price tag. We saw last second game-winning goals, extra time thrillers and got our fair share of free popcorn.
As the temperature dropped, the easiest decision for us was going to Ohio State women’s hockey games. In the first year for Buckeyes head coach Nadine Muzerall, we were at the OSU Ice Rink just about every other weekend.
The first game we attended, the arena usher called me to invite my daughters to the entrance of the rink at the end of the period. A tradition of letting kids in the crowd give the players fist bumps and get an icy cold puck from the referees.
That experience turned into a stack of pucks, one set of dual pucks after a WCHA playoff shootout, autographs and more memories than we can count.
Since we started attending that 2016-17 season, coach Muzerall and the Buckeyes have created memories of their own. In seven seasons, the Scarlet & Gray won one regular season conference title, two conference tournament trophies, appeared in three Frozen Four NCAA final tournaments and won the granddaddy of them all last season, Ohio State’s first National Championship in ice hockey, regardless of gender.
Saturday, Ohio State goes for the back-to-back, taking on the winner of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Quinnipiac (a play-in game on Thursday March 9) in the first round of the Frozen Four, with the winner moving on to the semifinals. It’s a game that’s likely to sell out, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.
That’s because the OSU Ice Rink is not suited for competitive NCAA hockey. The arena that holds a few hundred people, all on one side of the ice, is more like a public rink than a home for a National Champion.
Opponents use the locker room below the ice level, walking upstairs to get to the ice. Ohio State uses a locker room across a covered walkway inside St. John’s Arena, requiring a few stride walk outside to get from the lockers to the ice rink.
Ohio State is rectifying this situation, announcing their hopes for a new men and women’s hockey-specific arena on campus, but it could be shut down by the board of directors, and a projected open date of April 2024 doesn’t help the Buckeyes in 2023.
Good news though, Ohio State and NCAA, I’ve got you covered. I did the research for you. Move the Saturday Frozen Four game to Nationwide Arena.
Now, you might be wondering, why can’t they use the Schottenstein Center, the home of the national championshipless Ohio State men’s hockey team? The OHSAA high school wrestling state championships are at the Schott. That’s ok, because the Schott isn’t fit for champions anyway.
Moving the games to Nationwide Arena would be a win-win, with a minor schedule change. Push the Frozen Four quarterfinal to Sunday afternoon. It would give the visiting team an extra day of rest and Nationwide Arena is already hosting a slew of hockey games, so there’d be no venue updates needed.
OHSAA has their hands all over Columbus this weekend, hosting the men’s high school finals this weekend at Nationwide Arena. Saturday even has a double-header with the amateur athletes competing in the morning and the Columbus Blue Jackets playing Saturday night.
So, shift the OSU game to Sunday after the OHSAA State Final drops puck at noon ET. Sell tickets at general admission cost, the Ice Rink tickets were only eight dollars till they went sold out in Emma Maltais shot speed.
Bump the tickets up to $10 or $15 dollars, have both teams be honored at the Blue Jackets game to get those butts in the arena seats coming back for more hockey the next day. Give Blue Jackets season ticket holders a discounted rate or sell the general admissions right there in the lobby of Nationwide Arena. Give the local NHL fans a chance to watch actual good hockey, something they’ve been pining for all season.
Penn State, who plays in a different conference due to the Big Ten not having a women’s hockey conference (don’t get me started on the situation up in Michigan with the Wolverines’ women’s hockey club), would draw a crowd.
The Nittany Lions have their own hockey barn: Pegula Ice Arena. It’s a hockey-specific arena that holds over 5,700 people, a great size for the college game and suitable enough for an NCAA championship game. Coincidentally enough, the very place the Buckeyes lifted their first NCAA title.
Should Quinnipiac beat the Nittany Lions, they’re also a side that will travel well for a game of this magnitude, sitting in 10th in the country in average attendance.
That doesn’t include all the Buckeyes fans who could attend from here in Columbus. Scarlet & Gray supporters who won’t have to miss the game to watch guys run, jump and catch balls at a combine this weekend.
So, NCAA, Ohio State and Nationwide Arena, give more families the opportunities to create memories while watching a Buckeyes team who’s more than worthy of a large crowd. I mean, the citizens of the city are the ones paying off the arena, why not let the local public university use it for a game of this stature?
Let’s get this done. You have Land-Grant Holy Land’s full support.
Continue reading...
