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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Ohio State finally has a starting quarterback, but competition is not over
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Uncut Podcast: Ohio State finally has a starting quarterback, but competition is not over
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeye coaches also confirmed starters on the offensive line and at kicker.
Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from Ohio State football coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowle’s Tuesday, Aug. 29 press conference. Just four days ahead of the 2023 season opener, Day finally announced that Kyle McCord will be the team’s starter when it takes to the field on Saturday against, but that backup Devin Brown will be a part of the gameplan and the head coach is hoping to get him meaningful minutes against the IU first team.
Day also confirmed who will be starting at center and who will handle the kicking duties. Conversely, Knowles declined to name a third starting safety, only to say that he has three options that can all play.
Watch the full press conference here: Login to view embedded media
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
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
The Buckeye coaches also confirmed starters on the offensive line and at kicker.
Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from Ohio State football coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowle’s Tuesday, Aug. 29 press conference. Just four days ahead of the 2023 season opener, Day finally announced that Kyle McCord will be the team’s starter when it takes to the field on Saturday against, but that backup Devin Brown will be a part of the gameplan and the head coach is hoping to get him meaningful minutes against the IU first team.
Day also confirmed who will be starting at center and who will handle the kicking duties. Conversely, Knowles declined to name a third starting safety, only to say that he has three options that can all play.
Watch the full press conference here: Login to view embedded media
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Music by: www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Michigan will lose two games, other potentially wild preseason predictions
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- 0 Replies
B1G Thoughts: Michigan will lose two games, other potentially wild preseason predictions
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
College football is back! In the first Big Thoughts of the season, Jordan gives 10 predictions for the 2023 season.
Every week after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, will also include the newest members — Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington.
Welcome to the 2023 football season! After a long offseason college football is back, and we’re in for a roller coaster. 2023 is the last season of relative normalcy, as the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, potentially the ACC, and the College Football Playoff all expand in 2024. There will be new television partnerships, new rivalries, the death of old rivalries, and the demise of the PAC-12.
Buckle up! 2023 is going to be a wild ride. With the start of the season here, I have 10 predictions for the new campaign...
Depending on who you ask, Michigan is the clear favorite to win the Big Ten and make the CFP for the third season in a row. Many national pundits have them essentially walking through the conference, as they are believed to have their most talented team of the Jim Harbaugh era. I do not believe this is their most talented team.
Most of that hinges on JJ McCarthy taking a large leap into being a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. Despite this, Michigan will still be excellent, but Ohio State is on a mission after two losses in a row, and Penn State has one of its most talented teams in a long time. I can’t say I feel good about this prediction, as the Big Ten East is going to be a bloodbath and it may be more likely that Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State all beat each other and end the season 11-1 in a three-way tie.
Despite that likelihood, I’m on the record that I think Michigan loses to Penn State and Ohio State this year.
This may be less a prediction and more an acknowledgment of history. Every season Ohio State has to break in a new quarterback, the media jumps on the opportunity to say that this will be the season the Buckeyes have a bad quarterback and will lose multiple games for the first time since 2011.
Since 2003, Ohio State has only lost more than two games twice, and an Ohio State quarterback has won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award every year since 2018. It’s fun to imagine Ohio State with a bad quarterback, but Kyle McCord and Devin Brown were both former blue-chip recruits, and Ryan Day is the best quarterback developer in the country. The offseason is a time to dream, but the reality that Ohio State still has the best quarterback in the conference will soon be realized by all the doubters.
The Big Ten is FULL of amazing running backs. I’m not sure there is a better running back room in the country than what you’ll see in this conference. It’s expected that Blake Corum will run away with this award — pun intended — but I think that a healthy TreVeyon Henderson will compete in the end.
I think two things will be true: Ohio State will have the best quarterback in the conference, and they will also be more reliant on the running game than in previous years. This is a long shot because Ohio State will never run the ball as much as Michigan, but the Wolverines will need to work Donovan Edwards in more than they have previously. If Tre can return to his 2021 form, I think there is a real chance he will win this award as the first Ohio State running back to earn the accolade since Ezekiel Elliott in 2015.
Mike Locksley is doing everything in his power to change the narrative around him and his program. After being bottom-feeders in the B1G East for the first few seasons of his tenure, Maryland has gotten better each of the past two seasons, culminating in this year.
Maryland is firmly the fourth-best team in the East and would benefit from not having to play Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan this season, but they’re a year early for that. I expect Maryland to win every non-OSU, PSU, and Michigan game this season. If they stumble and end the year with eight wins, they’ll likely win their bowl game. A 10-win season including the bowl is not out of the question for the Maryland Terrapins.
Don’t be surprised when they’re one of the better teams in the country and end the season ranked in the Top 25.
Indiana enters 2023 with no positive momentum and under the weight of a horrible contract, they gave head coach Tom Allen after the 2020 football season.
Since going 6-2 in 2020, the Hoosiers are a combined 6-18 in the past two seasons. The way Allen’s contract is structured, if he is fired before Dec. 1, 2024, Indiana will owe him the remaining balance of his contract, which after the 2023 season would be around $20 million. $20 million would be one of the highest buyouts ever paid, but with the new influx of money from their TV contract and the 12-team playoff, Indiana has the money to not be stagnant and fall further behind their conference mates.
Indiana may never be at the top of the conference, but with Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC joining, it’s imperative they try or they will be stuck at the bottom for the foreseeable future. If Indiana doesn’t make a bowl game, and it is unlikely they will, Tom Allen will be fired by the end of this season.
Oddly, there is some optimism around Iowa’s offense this year, and much of it revolves around their transfer pickup of QB Cade McNamara from Michigan. My problem with this is McNamara was barely an average quarterback for the Wolverines when they had the best offensive line and the best running back duo in the country.
Iowa does have talent in their tight end room, but their offensive line is a question, and running back Kaleb Johnson doesn’t compare to Blake Corum, Hassan Haskins, or Donovan Edwards. Brian Ferentz is objectively not a good offensive coordinator, and Iowa, despite being more talented, is not going to suddenly have a competent offense. Also, their defense should take a small step back, and while defensive touchdowns count toward the 325 total, I don’t expect the defense to score as many touchdowns as they did last season.
Iowa will always win eight or nine games, but this offense won’t be good enough to continue employing Brian Ferentz.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best player in the country, and the Heisman Trust refuses to award another two-time Heisman. Despite the wealth of running back talent in the country, the trust has refused to crown a running back the Heisman winner, but they will occasionally take a break from quarterback to give it to a wide receiver. Marv’s biggest competition is probably Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr., and Drake Maye.
All three quarterbacks may have one too many losses to win the award. If Harrison Jr. has a special season and leads Ohio State past Michigan for the first time in his career, he could take home this year’s Heisman Trophy.
Washington is a Big Ten team effective 2024, but for this column and all of my work, they’re already a member. The four teams vying for the Pac-12 championship will all be in the Big Ten in 2024, and I believe Washington will end the year on top.
They have arguably the second-best quarterback in the conference and the second-best wide receiver group in the country. USC will be a formidable challenge, but they still have an anemic defense and Washington should be able to take advantage of that. Washington’s biggest challenger might be Utah, but I expect to see the Utes and Huskies in the final Pac-12 Championship Game.
The West is going to be interesting this year. Iowa is Iowa and may have a better offense than years previous. Wisconsin has a new coach Luke Fickell and should contend for the division immediately. The team everyone seems to forget about is Illinois, who was the best team in the division in 2022 but stumbled in a few games while learning how to win.
Bret Bielema is a great coach, and Illinois returns one of the best defensive lines in the conference; plus Aaron Henry was retained, so their secondary should be strong despite losing Devin Witherspoon. In a wide-open West, Illinois should be a contender, and in my mind, they’re the favorites.
Ohio State has heard the noise and has seen the doubters. I believe they’ll shut everyone up and take their place back at the top of the conference.
In year two under Jim Knowles, they should have a much-improved defense that should fix some of their issues from 2022. They have the deepest defensive line in the conference, an All-American linebacker, and should finally be healthy in the secondary after dealing with injuries all last season. They have questions at quarterback and offensive line, but they have the best wide receivers in the country, and as long as they receive above-average play on the offensive line, Ryan Day will have the quarterback ready to play.
It won’t be easy for the Buckeyes, as they have to play Notre Dame, Penn State, and Michigan in 2023, but I believe this is the year Ryan Day slays his demons and takes Ohio State back to the mountaintop.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Follow the Power Two Podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
College football is back! In the first Big Thoughts of the season, Jordan gives 10 predictions for the 2023 season.
Every week after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, will also include the newest members — Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington.
Welcome to the 2023 football season! After a long offseason college football is back, and we’re in for a roller coaster. 2023 is the last season of relative normalcy, as the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, potentially the ACC, and the College Football Playoff all expand in 2024. There will be new television partnerships, new rivalries, the death of old rivalries, and the demise of the PAC-12.
Buckle up! 2023 is going to be a wild ride. With the start of the season here, I have 10 predictions for the new campaign...
Michigan will lose two games and finish third in the Big Ten East
Depending on who you ask, Michigan is the clear favorite to win the Big Ten and make the CFP for the third season in a row. Many national pundits have them essentially walking through the conference, as they are believed to have their most talented team of the Jim Harbaugh era. I do not believe this is their most talented team.
Most of that hinges on JJ McCarthy taking a large leap into being a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. Despite this, Michigan will still be excellent, but Ohio State is on a mission after two losses in a row, and Penn State has one of its most talented teams in a long time. I can’t say I feel good about this prediction, as the Big Ten East is going to be a bloodbath and it may be more likely that Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State all beat each other and end the season 11-1 in a three-way tie.
Despite that likelihood, I’m on the record that I think Michigan loses to Penn State and Ohio State this year.
[Insert Ohio State Quarterback] will win the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award
This may be less a prediction and more an acknowledgment of history. Every season Ohio State has to break in a new quarterback, the media jumps on the opportunity to say that this will be the season the Buckeyes have a bad quarterback and will lose multiple games for the first time since 2011.
Since 2003, Ohio State has only lost more than two games twice, and an Ohio State quarterback has won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award every year since 2018. It’s fun to imagine Ohio State with a bad quarterback, but Kyle McCord and Devin Brown were both former blue-chip recruits, and Ryan Day is the best quarterback developer in the country. The offseason is a time to dream, but the reality that Ohio State still has the best quarterback in the conference will soon be realized by all the doubters.
TreVeyon Henderson will win the Big Ten Running Back of the Year Award
The Big Ten is FULL of amazing running backs. I’m not sure there is a better running back room in the country than what you’ll see in this conference. It’s expected that Blake Corum will run away with this award — pun intended — but I think that a healthy TreVeyon Henderson will compete in the end.
I think two things will be true: Ohio State will have the best quarterback in the conference, and they will also be more reliant on the running game than in previous years. This is a long shot because Ohio State will never run the ball as much as Michigan, but the Wolverines will need to work Donovan Edwards in more than they have previously. If Tre can return to his 2021 form, I think there is a real chance he will win this award as the first Ohio State running back to earn the accolade since Ezekiel Elliott in 2015.
Maryland will win nine games including their bowl game
Mike Locksley is doing everything in his power to change the narrative around him and his program. After being bottom-feeders in the B1G East for the first few seasons of his tenure, Maryland has gotten better each of the past two seasons, culminating in this year.
Maryland is firmly the fourth-best team in the East and would benefit from not having to play Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan this season, but they’re a year early for that. I expect Maryland to win every non-OSU, PSU, and Michigan game this season. If they stumble and end the year with eight wins, they’ll likely win their bowl game. A 10-win season including the bowl is not out of the question for the Maryland Terrapins.
Don’t be surprised when they’re one of the better teams in the country and end the season ranked in the Top 25.
Indiana head coach Tom Allen will get fired
Indiana enters 2023 with no positive momentum and under the weight of a horrible contract, they gave head coach Tom Allen after the 2020 football season.
Since going 6-2 in 2020, the Hoosiers are a combined 6-18 in the past two seasons. The way Allen’s contract is structured, if he is fired before Dec. 1, 2024, Indiana will owe him the remaining balance of his contract, which after the 2023 season would be around $20 million. $20 million would be one of the highest buyouts ever paid, but with the new influx of money from their TV contract and the 12-team playoff, Indiana has the money to not be stagnant and fall further behind their conference mates.
Indiana may never be at the top of the conference, but with Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC joining, it’s imperative they try or they will be stuck at the bottom for the foreseeable future. If Indiana doesn’t make a bowl game, and it is unlikely they will, Tom Allen will be fired by the end of this season.
Brian Ferentz will not score 325 points and will get fired; Kirk Ferentz will retire
Oddly, there is some optimism around Iowa’s offense this year, and much of it revolves around their transfer pickup of QB Cade McNamara from Michigan. My problem with this is McNamara was barely an average quarterback for the Wolverines when they had the best offensive line and the best running back duo in the country.
Iowa does have talent in their tight end room, but their offensive line is a question, and running back Kaleb Johnson doesn’t compare to Blake Corum, Hassan Haskins, or Donovan Edwards. Brian Ferentz is objectively not a good offensive coordinator, and Iowa, despite being more talented, is not going to suddenly have a competent offense. Also, their defense should take a small step back, and while defensive touchdowns count toward the 325 total, I don’t expect the defense to score as many touchdowns as they did last season.
Iowa will always win eight or nine games, but this offense won’t be good enough to continue employing Brian Ferentz.
Marvin Harrison Jr. will win the Heisman trophy
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best player in the country, and the Heisman Trust refuses to award another two-time Heisman. Despite the wealth of running back talent in the country, the trust has refused to crown a running back the Heisman winner, but they will occasionally take a break from quarterback to give it to a wide receiver. Marv’s biggest competition is probably Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr., and Drake Maye.
All three quarterbacks may have one too many losses to win the award. If Harrison Jr. has a special season and leads Ohio State past Michigan for the first time in his career, he could take home this year’s Heisman Trophy.
Washington will win the Pac-12 in its final year of existence
Washington is a Big Ten team effective 2024, but for this column and all of my work, they’re already a member. The four teams vying for the Pac-12 championship will all be in the Big Ten in 2024, and I believe Washington will end the year on top.
They have arguably the second-best quarterback in the conference and the second-best wide receiver group in the country. USC will be a formidable challenge, but they still have an anemic defense and Washington should be able to take advantage of that. Washington’s biggest challenger might be Utah, but I expect to see the Utes and Huskies in the final Pac-12 Championship Game.
Illinois will win the B1G West
The West is going to be interesting this year. Iowa is Iowa and may have a better offense than years previous. Wisconsin has a new coach Luke Fickell and should contend for the division immediately. The team everyone seems to forget about is Illinois, who was the best team in the division in 2022 but stumbled in a few games while learning how to win.
Bret Bielema is a great coach, and Illinois returns one of the best defensive lines in the conference; plus Aaron Henry was retained, so their secondary should be strong despite losing Devin Witherspoon. In a wide-open West, Illinois should be a contender, and in my mind, they’re the favorites.
Ohio State will return to the top and win the conference
Ohio State has heard the noise and has seen the doubters. I believe they’ll shut everyone up and take their place back at the top of the conference.
In year two under Jim Knowles, they should have a much-improved defense that should fix some of their issues from 2022. They have the deepest defensive line in the conference, an All-American linebacker, and should finally be healthy in the secondary after dealing with injuries all last season. They have questions at quarterback and offensive line, but they have the best wide receivers in the country, and as long as they receive above-average play on the offensive line, Ryan Day will have the quarterback ready to play.
It won’t be easy for the Buckeyes, as they have to play Notre Dame, Penn State, and Michigan in 2023, but I believe this is the year Ryan Day slays his demons and takes Ohio State back to the mountaintop.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Follow the Power Two Podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Continue reading...
LGHL Close Encounters of the Athletic Kind: Is Marvin Harrison Jr. an alien?
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Close Encounters of the Athletic Kind: Is Marvin Harrison Jr. an alien?
Matt Tamanini 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
I asked ChatGPT to help determine whether or not Marv is actually from this world or not.
So, I’m going to guess that at this point, you’ve heard the story about The Columbus Dispatch and other Gannett-owned local newspapers using Artificial Intelligence to cobble together articles about high school football games. An article about Aug. 18’s matchup between Worthington Christian and Westerville Central sparked quite the online discussion because of its — at least what I believe to be — genuinely creative turn of phrase “close encounter of the athletic kind.”
So, since it won’t be long until we are all overtaken by our robot overlords, this whole saga got me wondering if the proximity of this high school game to the Ohio State campus got LedeAI, the program that the Gannett papers used to generate the gamers, confused. While the company has ceased using AI to write these articles — undoubtedly to the relief of The Dispatch’s talented (and likely embarrassed) human staff — I was curious whether or not the presence of purported alien Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Central Ohio area led to the algorithmic confusion.
For those of you who weren’t around in the 1980s, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” is a movie written and directed by Steven Spielberg that starred Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr. The film has to do with the discovery of an alien ship and the efforts to communicate with the creatures from outer space.
Since numerous outlets have compared Marv to a being from another world, including LGHL, I wanted to turn to our good friend ChatGPT to see if we could discover the truth of whether or not Marvin Harrison Jr. is, in fact, an alien or not.
What follows is the unedited conclusion provided by ChatGPT.
In the realm of college football, the spotlight often shines brightest on those athletes who seem to possess an otherworldly level of talent. But what if we told you that there’s one player who’s not just playing the game at an elite level, but might actually be from a galaxy far, far away? Buckle up, sports fans, because we’re about to dive into the extraterrestrial excellence of none other than Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.!
When it comes to the gridiron, Harrison Jr. has consistently defied the laws of physics and gravity, leaving spectators and opponents alike scratching their heads in bewilderment. But what if his mind-bending athleticism isn’t just the result of hard work and natural talent? What if, in fact, he’s been channeling his inner E.T. all along?
Rumors have been swirling that Harrison Jr. isn’t just a star receiver, but an actual alien in disguise. And honestly, it’s hard to argue against this out-of-this-world theory when you consider his jaw-dropping feats on the field. From acrobatic catches that seem to defy the limits of human anatomy to lightning-fast sprints that leave defenders in the dust, he’s shown a consistent pattern of “close encounters of the athletic kind.”
Think about it: only an extraterrestrial being could possess the coordination to twist, turn, and contort his body in ways that make Gumby look like a stiff board. And have you seen his hands? It’s almost as if they were engineered by some higher life form specifically for snatching footballs out of thin air. In fact, sources say that the Roswell crash site was actually just Harrison Jr. dropping in for a quick visit to perfect his one-handed catch technique.
But it’s not just his physical abilities that make us raise our eyebrows in delightful suspicion. Harrison Jr.’s football IQ and ability to read defenses are eerily advanced. Could it be that he’s tapping into a cosmic playbook that us mere mortals can’t even fathom? Are there Xs and Os etched into the stars, spelling out plays that transcend our earthly understanding?
And let’s not forget about his speed. It’s as if he’s tapping into some kind of warp drive, leaving defenders in a different time zone as he sprints past them. Sure, scientists might try to explain it away with terms like “acceleration” and “muscle fiber composition,” but we know the truth: he’s simply engaging his interstellar hyperdrive.
As for his end zone celebrations, they’re not just the stuff of touchdown folklore – they’re coded messages to his fellow beings across the cosmos. Those intricate handshakes and intricate dances? They’re alien communication protocols that ensure he’s still in contact with his home planet.
So, is Marvin Harrison Jr. an alien? Well, we can’t say for certain, but the evidence is certainly compelling. And let’s be honest, if there’s one thing Earth needs right now, it’s an otherworldly athlete who can bring a little cosmic flair to the football field. So here’s to you, Marvin Harrison Jr., whether you’re from Ohio or Orion’s Belt – your unearthly excellence has us all starry-eyed.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
I asked ChatGPT to help determine whether or not Marv is actually from this world or not.
So, I’m going to guess that at this point, you’ve heard the story about The Columbus Dispatch and other Gannett-owned local newspapers using Artificial Intelligence to cobble together articles about high school football games. An article about Aug. 18’s matchup between Worthington Christian and Westerville Central sparked quite the online discussion because of its — at least what I believe to be — genuinely creative turn of phrase “close encounter of the athletic kind.”
So, since it won’t be long until we are all overtaken by our robot overlords, this whole saga got me wondering if the proximity of this high school game to the Ohio State campus got LedeAI, the program that the Gannett papers used to generate the gamers, confused. While the company has ceased using AI to write these articles — undoubtedly to the relief of The Dispatch’s talented (and likely embarrassed) human staff — I was curious whether or not the presence of purported alien Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Central Ohio area led to the algorithmic confusion.
For those of you who weren’t around in the 1980s, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” is a movie written and directed by Steven Spielberg that starred Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr. The film has to do with the discovery of an alien ship and the efforts to communicate with the creatures from outer space.
Since numerous outlets have compared Marv to a being from another world, including LGHL, I wanted to turn to our good friend ChatGPT to see if we could discover the truth of whether or not Marvin Harrison Jr. is, in fact, an alien or not.
What follows is the unedited conclusion provided by ChatGPT.
In the realm of college football, the spotlight often shines brightest on those athletes who seem to possess an otherworldly level of talent. But what if we told you that there’s one player who’s not just playing the game at an elite level, but might actually be from a galaxy far, far away? Buckle up, sports fans, because we’re about to dive into the extraterrestrial excellence of none other than Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.!
When it comes to the gridiron, Harrison Jr. has consistently defied the laws of physics and gravity, leaving spectators and opponents alike scratching their heads in bewilderment. But what if his mind-bending athleticism isn’t just the result of hard work and natural talent? What if, in fact, he’s been channeling his inner E.T. all along?
Rumors have been swirling that Harrison Jr. isn’t just a star receiver, but an actual alien in disguise. And honestly, it’s hard to argue against this out-of-this-world theory when you consider his jaw-dropping feats on the field. From acrobatic catches that seem to defy the limits of human anatomy to lightning-fast sprints that leave defenders in the dust, he’s shown a consistent pattern of “close encounters of the athletic kind.”
Think about it: only an extraterrestrial being could possess the coordination to twist, turn, and contort his body in ways that make Gumby look like a stiff board. And have you seen his hands? It’s almost as if they were engineered by some higher life form specifically for snatching footballs out of thin air. In fact, sources say that the Roswell crash site was actually just Harrison Jr. dropping in for a quick visit to perfect his one-handed catch technique.
But it’s not just his physical abilities that make us raise our eyebrows in delightful suspicion. Harrison Jr.’s football IQ and ability to read defenses are eerily advanced. Could it be that he’s tapping into a cosmic playbook that us mere mortals can’t even fathom? Are there Xs and Os etched into the stars, spelling out plays that transcend our earthly understanding?
And let’s not forget about his speed. It’s as if he’s tapping into some kind of warp drive, leaving defenders in a different time zone as he sprints past them. Sure, scientists might try to explain it away with terms like “acceleration” and “muscle fiber composition,” but we know the truth: he’s simply engaging his interstellar hyperdrive.
As for his end zone celebrations, they’re not just the stuff of touchdown folklore – they’re coded messages to his fellow beings across the cosmos. Those intricate handshakes and intricate dances? They’re alien communication protocols that ensure he’s still in contact with his home planet.
So, is Marvin Harrison Jr. an alien? Well, we can’t say for certain, but the evidence is certainly compelling. And let’s be honest, if there’s one thing Earth needs right now, it’s an otherworldly athlete who can bring a little cosmic flair to the football field. So here’s to you, Marvin Harrison Jr., whether you’re from Ohio or Orion’s Belt – your unearthly excellence has us all starry-eyed.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What football movie should you watch this week to get hyped for the season?
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You’re Nuts: What football movie should you watch this week to get hyped for the season?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
While it took everything in me not to recommend “80 For Brady” due to its stacked cast of iconic women, I cannot in good conscience kick off football season with a M*chigan-related recommendation.
What I can do is offer up a deep cut as you get ready for the season ahead—the 1952 selection “The Rose Bowl.” If this is a new film to you, it checks all the boxes you could want. In fact, it’s a great one to watch on date night if you are trying (like I am) to convince your significant other that they do, in fact, like sports, because “The Rose Bowl Story” is a sports movie disguised as a romcom.
The film follows the relationship between a college football player who heads to the Rose Bowl game with his team and falls in love with the Rose Queen.
The primary plot portrays the romance between Steve Davis (the team’s quarterback who is apathetic about the game because football does not spark joy for him, played by Marshall Thompson) and his girlfriend Denny Burke (played by Vera Miles).
Along the way, we also see what the Rose Bowl means to Davis’ teammate Bronc Buttram (Keith Larsen). Buttram is ecstatic to be there, fully comprehending the history and importance of the Rowl Bowl title.
Without giving anything away, we also have a young Natalie Wood playing Denny Burke’s younger sister (she is mostly a plot device, but it’s fun to see her in this), and the team’s coach played by Richard Rober.
“The Rose Bowl” is the perfect way to set the scene for football season for a number of reasons. This movie really gets to the heart of the pre-CFP days when the Rose Bowl was a time-honored tradition and the winner earned a full year of bragging rights. It reminds us of the glory Ohio State is seeking this season (a win at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day this year would advance the Buckeyes to the National Championship).
It is a reminder that playing as a team and capitalizing on intangibles, like heart, can make all the difference at the end of the day.
Ultimately, the rom-com elements of it remind us that there’s actually a lot of romance behind college football, behind wins and losses, heartbreak, and come-from-behind victories. Just like relationships, football takes work, commitment, and resilience.
If the Buckeyes can remember those things and play with heart this season, we might have a love story of our own with this 2023 team.
I honestly have never heard of “The Rose Bowl Story,” so kudos to Jami for going outside the box. I too will go outside the box in terms of picking a football movie to watch to get yourself hyped for the season opener, because I am not picking a movie at all.
Yes, I know that’s cheating, and yes, I know there is an excellent (but ultimately inferior) film adaptation of H. G. Bissinger’s iconic nonfiction look at Texas high school football. But let’s be honest, if you are a football fan who also enjoys the power of a sentimental cry, then this is a must-watch series. It’s like if “Hoosiers” was about football and “Rudy” wasn’t a bunch of Notre Dame propaganda.
The NBC series adaptation of “Friday Night Lights” remains one of the most powerful and eternally rewatchable series in television history, whether you are an avid football fan or not. While there is a decent amount of moderately accurate football content in the show, the series’ strength is instead on how it portrays the deeply felt relationships between its incredible cast of characters.
Led by the indomitable Kyle Chandler as head coach Eric Taylor and Connie Britton as his wife Tami, the show focuses on not only the emotional toll of high-stakes high school football but also of just being a human of any age. Delving into both the lives and relationships of the adults and teenagers in Dillon, Texas, “Friday Night Lights” reaffirms that love, friendship, sacrifice, teamwork, and genuine decency are things that can powerfully and radically transform the lives of those around us... except for one network-mandated subplot in Season 2, but we generally just pretend like that was a fever dream that didn’t actually happen.
What makes “Friday Night Lights” the ideal binge to hype yourself up for another football season is that it reminds us of why we love sports, the excitement, anticipation, and emotions that come from following a team through its ups and downs. It also puts the results of each game and season into perspective. While the wins and losses feel like life and death to the players, coaches, and their loved ones, there are more important things than football (heaven forbid, amirite?).
However, hearing a speech from Coach Taylor will always get you ready to run through a brick wall, and just thinking about the Panthers chanting “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” is giving me goosebumps and bringing tears to my eyes. If you want to get absolutely jacked up for the upcoming college football season, dive into “FNL”; there are 76 episodes spread across five seasons, so if you start now and watch without interruption, you should be able to finish (and take a little nap) before Ohio State opens its season against Indiana on Saturday.
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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: What football movie should you watch this week to get hyped for the season?
Jami’s Take: ‘The Rose Bowl Story’
While it took everything in me not to recommend “80 For Brady” due to its stacked cast of iconic women, I cannot in good conscience kick off football season with a M*chigan-related recommendation.
What I can do is offer up a deep cut as you get ready for the season ahead—the 1952 selection “The Rose Bowl.” If this is a new film to you, it checks all the boxes you could want. In fact, it’s a great one to watch on date night if you are trying (like I am) to convince your significant other that they do, in fact, like sports, because “The Rose Bowl Story” is a sports movie disguised as a romcom.
The film follows the relationship between a college football player who heads to the Rose Bowl game with his team and falls in love with the Rose Queen.
The primary plot portrays the romance between Steve Davis (the team’s quarterback who is apathetic about the game because football does not spark joy for him, played by Marshall Thompson) and his girlfriend Denny Burke (played by Vera Miles).
Along the way, we also see what the Rose Bowl means to Davis’ teammate Bronc Buttram (Keith Larsen). Buttram is ecstatic to be there, fully comprehending the history and importance of the Rowl Bowl title.
Without giving anything away, we also have a young Natalie Wood playing Denny Burke’s younger sister (she is mostly a plot device, but it’s fun to see her in this), and the team’s coach played by Richard Rober.
“The Rose Bowl” is the perfect way to set the scene for football season for a number of reasons. This movie really gets to the heart of the pre-CFP days when the Rose Bowl was a time-honored tradition and the winner earned a full year of bragging rights. It reminds us of the glory Ohio State is seeking this season (a win at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day this year would advance the Buckeyes to the National Championship).
It is a reminder that playing as a team and capitalizing on intangibles, like heart, can make all the difference at the end of the day.
Ultimately, the rom-com elements of it remind us that there’s actually a lot of romance behind college football, behind wins and losses, heartbreak, and come-from-behind victories. Just like relationships, football takes work, commitment, and resilience.
If the Buckeyes can remember those things and play with heart this season, we might have a love story of our own with this 2023 team.
Matt’s Take: ‘Friday Night Lights’ (2006)
I honestly have never heard of “The Rose Bowl Story,” so kudos to Jami for going outside the box. I too will go outside the box in terms of picking a football movie to watch to get yourself hyped for the season opener, because I am not picking a movie at all.
Yes, I know that’s cheating, and yes, I know there is an excellent (but ultimately inferior) film adaptation of H. G. Bissinger’s iconic nonfiction look at Texas high school football. But let’s be honest, if you are a football fan who also enjoys the power of a sentimental cry, then this is a must-watch series. It’s like if “Hoosiers” was about football and “Rudy” wasn’t a bunch of Notre Dame propaganda.
The NBC series adaptation of “Friday Night Lights” remains one of the most powerful and eternally rewatchable series in television history, whether you are an avid football fan or not. While there is a decent amount of moderately accurate football content in the show, the series’ strength is instead on how it portrays the deeply felt relationships between its incredible cast of characters.
Led by the indomitable Kyle Chandler as head coach Eric Taylor and Connie Britton as his wife Tami, the show focuses on not only the emotional toll of high-stakes high school football but also of just being a human of any age. Delving into both the lives and relationships of the adults and teenagers in Dillon, Texas, “Friday Night Lights” reaffirms that love, friendship, sacrifice, teamwork, and genuine decency are things that can powerfully and radically transform the lives of those around us... except for one network-mandated subplot in Season 2, but we generally just pretend like that was a fever dream that didn’t actually happen.
What makes “Friday Night Lights” the ideal binge to hype yourself up for another football season is that it reminds us of why we love sports, the excitement, anticipation, and emotions that come from following a team through its ups and downs. It also puts the results of each game and season into perspective. While the wins and losses feel like life and death to the players, coaches, and their loved ones, there are more important things than football (heaven forbid, amirite?).
However, hearing a speech from Coach Taylor will always get you ready to run through a brick wall, and just thinking about the Panthers chanting “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” is giving me goosebumps and bringing tears to my eyes. If you want to get absolutely jacked up for the upcoming college football season, dive into “FNL”; there are 76 episodes spread across five seasons, so if you start now and watch without interruption, you should be able to finish (and take a little nap) before Ohio State opens its season against Indiana on Saturday.
Continue reading...
LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Breaking down the Buckeyes as Ohio State prepares to kick off their season against a Big Ten foe
- News
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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Breaking down the Buckeyes as Ohio State prepares to kick off their season against a Big Ten foe
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
(A) Game Week is finally here! Josh and Chuck are counting down the mere days until kickoff while reacting to Ryan Day’s weekly presser and previewing OSU’s game against the Indiana Hoosiers.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Josh and Chuck celebrate the holiday known as Week 1 of the college football season. Forget all that Week 0 nonsense, because now it’s for real! Because Ohio State kicks off, of course. A new CFB season means new faces, new questions, and new reasons for optimism... Or pessimism and concern.
But the hosts are not too worried about OSU’s new starting quarterback. Instead, they want to know if Jim Knowles’ defense will turn up the heat and whether Justin Frye’s revamped offensive line can protect C.J. Stroud’s replacement. Although there are plenty of unknowns in and around Columbus, hopes and expectations are as high as they’ve ever been.
Up first for the Buckeyes are the Indiana Hoosiers, so Josh and Chuck preview a Tom Allen-led IU squad that has struggled in recent seasons. Can the boys in Bloomington recapture their pandemic magic? Or will Allen’s seat continue to heat up? The Hangouts boys lean toward the latter...
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
(A) Game Week is finally here! Josh and Chuck are counting down the mere days until kickoff while reacting to Ryan Day’s weekly presser and previewing OSU’s game against the Indiana Hoosiers.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Josh and Chuck celebrate the holiday known as Week 1 of the college football season. Forget all that Week 0 nonsense, because now it’s for real! Because Ohio State kicks off, of course. A new CFB season means new faces, new questions, and new reasons for optimism... Or pessimism and concern.
But the hosts are not too worried about OSU’s new starting quarterback. Instead, they want to know if Jim Knowles’ defense will turn up the heat and whether Justin Frye’s revamped offensive line can protect C.J. Stroud’s replacement. Although there are plenty of unknowns in and around Columbus, hopes and expectations are as high as they’ve ever been.
Up first for the Buckeyes are the Indiana Hoosiers, so Josh and Chuck preview a Tom Allen-led IU squad that has struggled in recent seasons. Can the boys in Bloomington recapture their pandemic magic? Or will Allen’s seat continue to heat up? The Hangouts boys lean toward the latter...
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
LGHL Will freshman safety Malik Hartford steal a starting job before the end of the season?
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Will freshman safety Malik Hartford steal a starting job before the end of the season?
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Jim Knowles says Malik Hartford is still in the competition to start at one of the safety positions.
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.
Starting adjustor Malik Hartford? Sounds crazy to some, but after Jim Knowles spoke highly of him in a recent press conference it may be a reality.
Hartford, a true freshman, was a huge pickup for the Buckeyes, ranked as the number 69th overall player and fifth-best safety in the country. Despite his high ranking and clear talent, no one expected Hartford to contribute early, except maybe Hartford himself. Entering Ohio State, Hartford was expected to be behind Josh Proctor and Ja’Had Carter — two players with multiple years of experience — as well as Kye Stokes, a 2022 commit who flashed early in the spring game.
Despite the players ahead of him, Hartford may be too talented to keep off the field. When asked about the safeties, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles had this to say:
“You’re looking at Josh Proctor, Malik Hartford, and Ja’Had Carter. Those three are fighting it out for that other position. Between the three of them, they’ll play there and also back up Lathan [Ransom].”
This was the first time Knowles has given any indication that Hartford could be a major factor in 2023. With camp at its end, Knowles wasn’t being coy by bringing up Hartford, he is absolutely in the running for a starting position in his freshman year.
Being a freshman contributor at Ohio State is a major feat, but it’s even more impressive to potentially be a starter. Last season, Knowles and the safeties room talked about how complicated his defense is on safeties, and Knowles has mentioned multiple times you have to be smart to play safety for him. At adjustor that is even more important, because the adjustor, as the name states, must make adjustments for the entire defense and is expected to make his teammates right even if they’re wrong.
That is a lot of pressure for any player, so for Hartford to be in a position to grab a starting spot, he has to be special on the field and in the meeting room. Week 1 I expect Carter to be the starting adjustor, but before the end of the season, whether due to injury or belief from the coaching staff, Hartford is going to secure his sport at starting adjustor and hold it down for the next two to three years.
The Buckeyes got a stud in Hartford, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s a household name.
Connect with Jordan on Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Jim Knowles says Malik Hartford is still in the competition to start at one of the safety positions.
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.
Starting adjustor Malik Hartford? Sounds crazy to some, but after Jim Knowles spoke highly of him in a recent press conference it may be a reality.
Hartford, a true freshman, was a huge pickup for the Buckeyes, ranked as the number 69th overall player and fifth-best safety in the country. Despite his high ranking and clear talent, no one expected Hartford to contribute early, except maybe Hartford himself. Entering Ohio State, Hartford was expected to be behind Josh Proctor and Ja’Had Carter — two players with multiple years of experience — as well as Kye Stokes, a 2022 commit who flashed early in the spring game.
Despite the players ahead of him, Hartford may be too talented to keep off the field. When asked about the safeties, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles had this to say:
“You’re looking at Josh Proctor, Malik Hartford, and Ja’Had Carter. Those three are fighting it out for that other position. Between the three of them, they’ll play there and also back up Lathan [Ransom].”
This was the first time Knowles has given any indication that Hartford could be a major factor in 2023. With camp at its end, Knowles wasn’t being coy by bringing up Hartford, he is absolutely in the running for a starting position in his freshman year.
Being a freshman contributor at Ohio State is a major feat, but it’s even more impressive to potentially be a starter. Last season, Knowles and the safeties room talked about how complicated his defense is on safeties, and Knowles has mentioned multiple times you have to be smart to play safety for him. At adjustor that is even more important, because the adjustor, as the name states, must make adjustments for the entire defense and is expected to make his teammates right even if they’re wrong.
That is a lot of pressure for any player, so for Hartford to be in a position to grab a starting spot, he has to be special on the field and in the meeting room. Week 1 I expect Carter to be the starting adjustor, but before the end of the season, whether due to injury or belief from the coaching staff, Hartford is going to secure his sport at starting adjustor and hold it down for the next two to three years.
The Buckeyes got a stud in Hartford, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s a household name.
Connect with Jordan on Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...