-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
LGHL Game Gallery: No. 13 Ohio State’s loss to No. 2 Indiana
- News
- 0 Replies
Game Gallery: No. 13 Ohio State’s loss to No. 2 Indiana
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
Scenes from the Buckeyes’ tough defeat at the hands of the Hoosiers on Monday.
Monday wasn’t an ideal result for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. For the second time this season, they fell to the Indiana Hoosiers, this time by a margin of 83-59. A 24-point loss coming eight days after a 34-point defeat.
While the Buckeyes were down with injuries, and the Hoosiers have proven time and time again this season that they’re a Final Four caliber program, it was still a night the team is likely wanting to forget.
Land-Grant Holy Land was there covering the game from the media section and on the baselines. Here are some pictures from the game from photographer Ben Cole.
Instagram: @BenColeImaging
Twitter: @BenColeImaging
Website: www.bencoleimaging.com
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
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
Scenes from the Buckeyes’ tough defeat at the hands of the Hoosiers on Monday.
Monday wasn’t an ideal result for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. For the second time this season, they fell to the Indiana Hoosiers, this time by a margin of 83-59. A 24-point loss coming eight days after a 34-point defeat.
While the Buckeyes were down with injuries, and the Hoosiers have proven time and time again this season that they’re a Final Four caliber program, it was still a night the team is likely wanting to forget.
Land-Grant Holy Land was there covering the game from the media section and on the baselines. Here are some pictures from the game from photographer Ben Cole.
Connect with Ben Cole:
Instagram: @BenColeImaging
Twitter: @BenColeImaging
Website: www.bencoleimaging.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: Modern offenses call for modern tight ends (Ohio State…)
- News
- 0 Replies
Column: Modern offenses call for modern tight ends (Ohio State…)
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s a dinosaur no more.
Travis Kelce, a two-star high school prospect at Cleveland Heights, is now a two-time Super Bowl champion. Most recently, the tight end recorded six catches on six targets for 81 yards and a touchdown versus the Eagles. The 33-year-old Kelce was the “Mr. Reliable” the Kansas City Chiefs needed with an injured Patrick Mahomes in the pocket.
Kelce didn’t get too much recruiting love from the Power Five, let alone Ohio State. He had seven offers coming out of high school from Miami (FL) (a notable exception), Pitt, Akron, Eastern Michigan, UConn, Cleveland State and Cincinnati. He certainly was not on Ohio State’s radar back in 2008. And yet now, he is the favorite target of one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL.
How did this happen? It might just have something to do with the shifting role of tight ends.
Mahomes and Kelce have changed the view of the tight end position in a way that led to major shifts in just a few years’ time. For an offense that was nearly unstoppable with Mahomes’ legs and arm, Kelce made the Chiefs actually unstoppable because Mahomes had a reliable outlet in short- and mid-yardage situations. Cue Iowa’s TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant both going in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and quickly becoming among the most valuable offensive assets in the league. See expanded roles for George Kittle, David Njoku and Mark Andrews. And see the high-profile, mid-season move of Zach Ertz to Arizona to fill a void for a mobile Kyler Murray — and Philadelphia continuing to target Dallas Goedert, who had six catches for 60 yards in the Super Bowl.
When tight end Kyle Pitts was drafted No. 4-overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, a lot of folks thought the Falcons were reaching. Atlanta could have traded their pick and gotten him later in the first round. After all, there are just nine tight ends in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates were the faces of the position for many years before Rob Gronkowski teamed up with Tom Brady for what was easy to view as a fluke.
But that attitude doesn’t reflect this changing role of the tight end at the professional level, which naturally trickles to the collegiate players who will fill those spots in years to come and the college programs which fit these players in schemes that make them ripe for NFL careers.
We’ve seen that shift play out at Georgia, where tight end Brock Bowers led the Bulldogs in receiving. Bowers had four catches for 64 yards in the College Football Playoff semi-final against Ohio State, where the Buckeyes actually did a good job defending him. While Bowers is not eligible for the NFL Draft in 2023, many mock drafts have multiple tight ends going in the first round this year as pro squads see the value of a dynamic player at this position. Fellow Bulldog tight end Darnell Washington could be another first-rounder in 2023. In terms of other foes Ohio State has lost to in recent memory, Michigan has also leveraged the tight end position far more than the Buckeyes.
Why does all this matter for Ohio State? Offensively, the Buckeyes have not been a tight end forward squad. Why would they have to be? Under Ryan Day, Ohio State has followed a model of downfield passing balanced with a strong, standalone running game. With the stable of receivers Brian Hartline has recruited in recent years, there’s not been a need for a short outlet, though Day will certainly work tight ends in the rotation in the red zone to offer more size in short-field situations.
Things have shifted moderately this season as Cade Stover has taken a more active role in the offense, catching 406 receiving yards and five touchdowns on the season. What’s interesting about those catches though is that they’ve come in situations other than the red zone. But it’s not a fully evolved strategy.
As injuries mounted at the running back position in 2022, Ohio State’s prolific offense shifted to be far more one-dimensional as the regular season wore on. In lessons learned for 2023 and beyond, it would have been a boon to have another fold to add some optionality beyond downfield passing (since we know those screens to Emeka Egbuka just weren’t doing it). And that fold just might be a more active tight end.
Tight ends also play an important role as an extension of the running game, since they’re naturally better blockers in a three-receiver set. It gives the quarterback more optionality, as the Mahomes/Kelce combo has made clear, in both run/pass option and traditional passing situations.
The Buckeyes seem to be addressing this void, bringing in four-star tight end Jelani Thurman, the third-ranked tight end in the 2023 recruiting class. How Thurman will be leveraged in the post-Stroud offense remains to be seen.
On the other side of the ball, the role of the tight end runs in tandem with the role of linebackers. A long, long time ago, I wrote about the declining role of linebackers at both the collegiate and NFL levels in favor of speedy edge rushers and shiftier safeties. Those positions could see a resurgence of their own in response as teams look to cover more dynamic tight ends.
When we consider the macro trends of where the tight end position is heading at the professional level, it’s clear that things are going a certain way. Bowers could very well be another high-first-round pick when his time comes. Ohio State, meanwhile, isn’t quite developing tight ends in the same way it’s been churning out receivers as of late. The last Ohio State tight end to go in the first round was Rickey Dudley to the Oakland Raiders in 1996. Since then, tight ends have been selected in rounds 3-5, and none have played on the level of Kelce (also a third-round selection). Then again, who has?
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s a dinosaur no more.
Travis Kelce, a two-star high school prospect at Cleveland Heights, is now a two-time Super Bowl champion. Most recently, the tight end recorded six catches on six targets for 81 yards and a touchdown versus the Eagles. The 33-year-old Kelce was the “Mr. Reliable” the Kansas City Chiefs needed with an injured Patrick Mahomes in the pocket.
Kelce didn’t get too much recruiting love from the Power Five, let alone Ohio State. He had seven offers coming out of high school from Miami (FL) (a notable exception), Pitt, Akron, Eastern Michigan, UConn, Cleveland State and Cincinnati. He certainly was not on Ohio State’s radar back in 2008. And yet now, he is the favorite target of one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL.
How did this happen? It might just have something to do with the shifting role of tight ends.
Mahomes and Kelce have changed the view of the tight end position in a way that led to major shifts in just a few years’ time. For an offense that was nearly unstoppable with Mahomes’ legs and arm, Kelce made the Chiefs actually unstoppable because Mahomes had a reliable outlet in short- and mid-yardage situations. Cue Iowa’s TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant both going in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and quickly becoming among the most valuable offensive assets in the league. See expanded roles for George Kittle, David Njoku and Mark Andrews. And see the high-profile, mid-season move of Zach Ertz to Arizona to fill a void for a mobile Kyler Murray — and Philadelphia continuing to target Dallas Goedert, who had six catches for 60 yards in the Super Bowl.
When tight end Kyle Pitts was drafted No. 4-overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, a lot of folks thought the Falcons were reaching. Atlanta could have traded their pick and gotten him later in the first round. After all, there are just nine tight ends in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates were the faces of the position for many years before Rob Gronkowski teamed up with Tom Brady for what was easy to view as a fluke.
But that attitude doesn’t reflect this changing role of the tight end at the professional level, which naturally trickles to the collegiate players who will fill those spots in years to come and the college programs which fit these players in schemes that make them ripe for NFL careers.
We’ve seen that shift play out at Georgia, where tight end Brock Bowers led the Bulldogs in receiving. Bowers had four catches for 64 yards in the College Football Playoff semi-final against Ohio State, where the Buckeyes actually did a good job defending him. While Bowers is not eligible for the NFL Draft in 2023, many mock drafts have multiple tight ends going in the first round this year as pro squads see the value of a dynamic player at this position. Fellow Bulldog tight end Darnell Washington could be another first-rounder in 2023. In terms of other foes Ohio State has lost to in recent memory, Michigan has also leveraged the tight end position far more than the Buckeyes.
Why does all this matter for Ohio State? Offensively, the Buckeyes have not been a tight end forward squad. Why would they have to be? Under Ryan Day, Ohio State has followed a model of downfield passing balanced with a strong, standalone running game. With the stable of receivers Brian Hartline has recruited in recent years, there’s not been a need for a short outlet, though Day will certainly work tight ends in the rotation in the red zone to offer more size in short-field situations.
Things have shifted moderately this season as Cade Stover has taken a more active role in the offense, catching 406 receiving yards and five touchdowns on the season. What’s interesting about those catches though is that they’ve come in situations other than the red zone. But it’s not a fully evolved strategy.
As injuries mounted at the running back position in 2022, Ohio State’s prolific offense shifted to be far more one-dimensional as the regular season wore on. In lessons learned for 2023 and beyond, it would have been a boon to have another fold to add some optionality beyond downfield passing (since we know those screens to Emeka Egbuka just weren’t doing it). And that fold just might be a more active tight end.
Tight ends also play an important role as an extension of the running game, since they’re naturally better blockers in a three-receiver set. It gives the quarterback more optionality, as the Mahomes/Kelce combo has made clear, in both run/pass option and traditional passing situations.
The Buckeyes seem to be addressing this void, bringing in four-star tight end Jelani Thurman, the third-ranked tight end in the 2023 recruiting class. How Thurman will be leveraged in the post-Stroud offense remains to be seen.
On the other side of the ball, the role of the tight end runs in tandem with the role of linebackers. A long, long time ago, I wrote about the declining role of linebackers at both the collegiate and NFL levels in favor of speedy edge rushers and shiftier safeties. Those positions could see a resurgence of their own in response as teams look to cover more dynamic tight ends.
When we consider the macro trends of where the tight end position is heading at the professional level, it’s clear that things are going a certain way. Bowers could very well be another high-first-round pick when his time comes. Ohio State, meanwhile, isn’t quite developing tight ends in the same way it’s been churning out receivers as of late. The last Ohio State tight end to go in the first round was Rickey Dudley to the Oakland Raiders in 1996. Since then, tight ends have been selected in rounds 3-5, and none have played on the level of Kelce (also a third-round selection). Then again, who has?
Continue reading...
LGHL Banged up Buckeye wrestlers lose Big Ten finale on Senior Night, but hopes remain high
- News
- 0 Replies
Banged up Buckeye wrestlers lose Big Ten finale on Senior Night, but hopes remain high
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com
While the Senior Night stumble certainly stings, Ohio State is still well-positioned to make noise in the postseason.
Whether out of necessity or an abundance of caution, Tom Ryan’s Ohio State wrestling team went into last Friday’s dual against No. 8 Nebraska already at a major disadvantage. They were forced to take on an uber-talented Cornhuskers squad – and celebrate Senior Night in Covelli Center – without the services of several key contributors.
All-American candidates Carson Kharchla (165), Kaleb Romero (184), and Gavin Hoffman (197) were all sidelined due to injury, positioning the Buckeyes’ very much behind the proverbial eight ball. But even a healthy OSU lineup would have had its hands full with the Huskers, who would go on to dominate this dual by a score of 25-16.
Going in traditional order, Friday’s first match took place at 125 pounds and featured a pair of top-10 grapplers. Unfortunately, neither was able to mount much offense, resulting in a bit of an opening snoozefest. Nebraska’s Liam Cronin scored the only non-escape points of the match with a second-period takedown, handing Malik Heinselman just his fourth loss of the season. However, two of those have come in back-to-back duals, against the best competition Heinselman has faced since last year’s Big Ten and NCAA Championships.
The road ahead will not get any easier for Ohio State’s “leadoff hitter”, but Heinselman has 93 career wins under his belt and should not be overwhelmed by the demands of the postseason.
Jesse Mendez got OSU on the board at 133 with an impressive 22-11 major decision over the Huskers’ Justin Burwick. Needing to flip momentum for the Scarlet and Gray, it was actually Mendez who surrendered the match’s first takedown. After a general feeling out period, the Buckeyes’ star freshman began to impose his will, scoring takedown after takedown of his own. The result pushed Mendez’ record to 13-2 on the season, with six victories over ranked opponents. Unfortunately, his win was only one of two on the night for Ryan’s squad.
Up next was the 141-pound match, where Ohio State’s Dylan D’Emilio suffered yet another tough loss. Seemingly always competitive against top-tier competition, OSU’s redshirt junior tied his match with fifth-ranked Brock Hardy (NEB) in the closing seconds of the third period. But Hardy got the last laugh, scoring a takedown in sudden victory and handing D’Emilio his third straight loss — all to top-8 opponents, by a total of five points.
Sammy Sasso secured the last (legitimate) victory of the night for OSU with a pin of Nebraska’s Dayne Morton. The pin was Sasso’s 10th of the season, matching his total from the previous two seasons combined. Now 21-3 on the season, Ohio State’s 149-pounder appears poised to compete for another Big Ten title. Wisconsin’s Austin Gomez stands firmly in his way as the reigning B1G champ, but Sasso will be seeking revenge for a November loss to Gomez, during which the Buckeyes’ veteran leader was ahead after two periods.
Friday’s 157-pound match ended in a bit of controversy, and anyone viewing it through scarlet-tinted glasses could make an argument that OSU and Paddy Gallagher were given a raw deal. Taking on Peyton Robb, the Huskers’ top-ranked grappler and national title contender, Gallagher trailed by just one in the closing seconds. He then took a shot and appeared to gain control over Robb, but no points were given.
Ohio State coaches used a challenge, and after further review, Gallagher’s takedown attempt looked even better to yours truly. However, the referees did not share my opinion, resulting in Gallagher’s fourth Big Ten loss in his last five matches. All have come to top-15 opponents, but such is life in wrestling’s most competitive and demanding conference. This former junior champion and Ohio state champ will begin to see results go his way sooner rather than later.
The back half of this dual was dominated by Nebraska, with the Buckeyes sending out “backups” at nearly every remaining weight class. Ethan Smith was the only lineup fixture to compete down the stretch, and wouldn’t you know it, he (also) lost his 174-pound match in frustrating fashion. Tied 4-4 with second-ranked Mikey Labriola, Smith surrendered a takedown in the final seconds of the match, resulting in a 6-4 decision for the Huskers.
OSU heavyweight Tate Orndorff was awarded a win by forfeit, but his six points were inconsequential. Nebraska had built a commanding lead through nine matches, leaving no need to send out their own heavyweight representative. This losing result put a damper on Senior Night, but the Scarlet and Gray should still have plenty of confidence moving forward.
Many individuals are performing well, and the team has yet to reach its collective peak. There is a higher ceiling, and I truly believe Ryan’s squad can make a run at postseason glory with this group. Nobody is predicting a national title, but a top-3 finish is not out of the question... If they get and remain healthy.
The Buckeyes will compete in the Spartan Combat Dual this Saturday (against Cornell), before shifting their focus to the Big Ten Championship taking place March 4th and 5th. Here’s hoping they can get back to full health in the next few weeks and contend with the full complement of their talented roster.
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
Ohio State Athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com
While the Senior Night stumble certainly stings, Ohio State is still well-positioned to make noise in the postseason.
Whether out of necessity or an abundance of caution, Tom Ryan’s Ohio State wrestling team went into last Friday’s dual against No. 8 Nebraska already at a major disadvantage. They were forced to take on an uber-talented Cornhuskers squad – and celebrate Senior Night in Covelli Center – without the services of several key contributors.
All-American candidates Carson Kharchla (165), Kaleb Romero (184), and Gavin Hoffman (197) were all sidelined due to injury, positioning the Buckeyes’ very much behind the proverbial eight ball. But even a healthy OSU lineup would have had its hands full with the Huskers, who would go on to dominate this dual by a score of 25-16.
We cannot thank the Class of 2023 enough for the years of dedication representing the scarlet and grey. Malik, Ethan, Kaleb, and Tate will be sorely missed. You all make Buckeye Nation proud.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/AgqX50oVFu
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) February 11, 2023
Going in traditional order, Friday’s first match took place at 125 pounds and featured a pair of top-10 grapplers. Unfortunately, neither was able to mount much offense, resulting in a bit of an opening snoozefest. Nebraska’s Liam Cronin scored the only non-escape points of the match with a second-period takedown, handing Malik Heinselman just his fourth loss of the season. However, two of those have come in back-to-back duals, against the best competition Heinselman has faced since last year’s Big Ten and NCAA Championships.
The road ahead will not get any easier for Ohio State’s “leadoff hitter”, but Heinselman has 93 career wins under his belt and should not be overwhelmed by the demands of the postseason.
Jesse Mendez got OSU on the board at 133 with an impressive 22-11 major decision over the Huskers’ Justin Burwick. Needing to flip momentum for the Scarlet and Gray, it was actually Mendez who surrendered the match’s first takedown. After a general feeling out period, the Buckeyes’ star freshman began to impose his will, scoring takedown after takedown of his own. The result pushed Mendez’ record to 13-2 on the season, with six victories over ranked opponents. Unfortunately, his win was only one of two on the night for Ryan’s squad.
Up next was the 141-pound match, where Ohio State’s Dylan D’Emilio suffered yet another tough loss. Seemingly always competitive against top-tier competition, OSU’s redshirt junior tied his match with fifth-ranked Brock Hardy (NEB) in the closing seconds of the third period. But Hardy got the last laugh, scoring a takedown in sudden victory and handing D’Emilio his third straight loss — all to top-8 opponents, by a total of five points.
Sammy Sasso secured the last (legitimate) victory of the night for OSU with a pin of Nebraska’s Dayne Morton. The pin was Sasso’s 10th of the season, matching his total from the previous two seasons combined. Now 21-3 on the season, Ohio State’s 149-pounder appears poised to compete for another Big Ten title. Wisconsin’s Austin Gomez stands firmly in his way as the reigning B1G champ, but Sasso will be seeking revenge for a November loss to Gomez, during which the Buckeyes’ veteran leader was ahead after two periods.
Friday’s 157-pound match ended in a bit of controversy, and anyone viewing it through scarlet-tinted glasses could make an argument that OSU and Paddy Gallagher were given a raw deal. Taking on Peyton Robb, the Huskers’ top-ranked grappler and national title contender, Gallagher trailed by just one in the closing seconds. He then took a shot and appeared to gain control over Robb, but no points were given.
Ohio State coaches used a challenge, and after further review, Gallagher’s takedown attempt looked even better to yours truly. However, the referees did not share my opinion, resulting in Gallagher’s fourth Big Ten loss in his last five matches. All have come to top-15 opponents, but such is life in wrestling’s most competitive and demanding conference. This former junior champion and Ohio state champ will begin to see results go his way sooner rather than later.
The back half of this dual was dominated by Nebraska, with the Buckeyes sending out “backups” at nearly every remaining weight class. Ethan Smith was the only lineup fixture to compete down the stretch, and wouldn’t you know it, he (also) lost his 174-pound match in frustrating fashion. Tied 4-4 with second-ranked Mikey Labriola, Smith surrendered a takedown in the final seconds of the match, resulting in a 6-4 decision for the Huskers.
OSU heavyweight Tate Orndorff was awarded a win by forfeit, but his six points were inconsequential. Nebraska had built a commanding lead through nine matches, leaving no need to send out their own heavyweight representative. This losing result put a damper on Senior Night, but the Scarlet and Gray should still have plenty of confidence moving forward.
Many individuals are performing well, and the team has yet to reach its collective peak. There is a higher ceiling, and I truly believe Ryan’s squad can make a run at postseason glory with this group. Nobody is predicting a national title, but a top-3 finish is not out of the question... If they get and remain healthy.
The Buckeyes will compete in the Spartan Combat Dual this Saturday (against Cornell), before shifting their focus to the Big Ten Championship taking place March 4th and 5th. Here’s hoping they can get back to full health in the next few weeks and contend with the full complement of their talented roster.
Continue reading...
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Five offseason questions for Iowa
- News
- 0 Replies
B1G Thoughts: Five offseason questions for Iowa
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
The Hawkeyes enter 2023 surrounded with drama with their offensive coordinator, but that is not the only issue they have to fix this offseason.
The 2022 season has come to an end. It was a great season that leaves many questions to be answered as we enter the 2023 offseason. Michigan won the Big Ten for the second year in a row, taking the crown from Ohio State.
Ohio State enters the new year a field goal away from a national championship appearance, but now has to replace C.J. Stroud. Will this be the first time in almost a decade that the best quarterback in the conference doesn’t wear scarlet and grey?
Nebraska, Purdue, and Wisconsin enter 2023 with new coaches while Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Indiana’s Tom Allen enter on the hot seat. Penn State has high expectations, Illinois will try to rebound from a late-season collapse, and Minnesota is trying to replace four of the best players in program history.
This is the final offseason before USC and UCLA enter the conference and the new TV deal starts. Teams must build a foundation that will last in the ever-changing landscape of college football. The 2023 offseason is essential for every team, so let’s dive in and see which five questions each team must answer before the 2023 season begins.
The biggest story surrounding Iowa this offseason is the status of offensive coordinator and nepotism hire Brian Ferentz. The son of head coach Kirk Ferentz led a dismal offense that averaged a measly 17.7 points per game in 2022. It became a running joke all season that Iowa’s defense and special teams would out-score the offense on any given Saturday, and bettors won big by betting the Iowa under on a weekly basis.
The offense drew more and more attention throughout the season as the defense continued to play well, ending the campaign with 40 points scored on six defensive touchdowns and two safeties. After the season, nearly everyone — fans, casual observers, and local and national media members alike — all called for Kirk to relieve his son of duty.
A firing wasn’t necessary. He’s a good offensive line coach, but removing the offensive coordinator title at least. Instead, Kirk stood strong behind his son, and athletic director Gary Barta reworked his contract. In 2023, Brian will have a $50k pay cut, and must reach performance metrics of averaging 25 points per game and winning seven games this season. If he reaches these goals, he’ll get a bonus that will make up the lost salary plus some and a contract extension. Missing the mark will lead to his contract ending in June 2024.
This may have satisfied Kirk, but to the rest of college football, this is a joke. Scoring 25 points per game is a laughably low standard, good for roughly 85th in the country, and seven wins are below Iowa’s standards. These numbers were clearly selected for Brian to pass with flying colors. In his six seasons as offensive coordinator, Iowa has only failed to reach 25 ppg twice. Even with the low bar, Iowa’s offense is abysmal, and it’s no guarantee that they will meet this mark.
I can go on for days discussing Iowa’s offense and my lack of faith in Brian Ferentz, but it’s not my opinion that matters. What does matter is that Iowa put its faith in the right quarterback. After putting up with Spencer Petras for the past three seasons, the Ferentz’s are rolling with former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara.
McNamara is absolutely an upgrade over Petras, but how much of an upgrade is yet to be determined. As the starter in 2020, McNamara played his role perfectly, handing the ball off to stud running backs Hasan Haskins and Blake Corum. He was not asked to throw much, but when he did he limited turnovers, throwing only six interceptions in 14 games.
The issue with putting your trust in Cade is he was operating behind a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, had three NFL running backs on the roster and a defense full of players who would ultimately get picked in the top 100 of their respective NFL Drafts, including first-round pick Aidan Hutchinson.
In one season as a starter, McNamara had a 15-to-6 touchdown to interception ratio. In three seasons, Petras had a 24-to-19 touchdown to interception ratio. At a minimum, McNamara should turn the ball over less than Petras, but he is going into a situation with significantly less talented players on offense. If Iowa is expecting McNamara to save them they may be in trouble, but if they can some offensive skill players to support him their offense may come back to life just enough to score 25 points per game.
Iowa is a finalist for tight end university, consistently having some of the best tight ends in college football. The best tight end on the roster is almost guaranteed to be an NFL Draft pick, and his backup is probably going to step up and immediately fill his shoes. Iowa has had George Kittle, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, and Sam LaPorta in the last 10 years.
LaPorta won the Big Ten Tight End of the Year this past season, and is one of the top-ranked players at his position in the 2023 NFL Draft. LaPorta led the team in receiving with 657 yards. Whether Iowa refuses to recruit wide receivers or wide receivers refuse to go there, they lack talent at that position. Charlie Jones’s explosion at Purdue won’t help with the recruiting of wide receivers either when it is clear they stunted his growth and lack the ability to use his talent.
That makes finding another star tight end that much more important. The next guy up may already be on the roster, as their second leader in receiving yards was a backup tight end in Luke Lachey. Lachey ended the year with 398 yards and four touchdowns. At 6-foot-6 Lachey has the size to be a match-up nightmare. For this offense to have any chance to succeed, they will need Lachey or someone else on the roster to fill the hole left by another NFL tight end pursuing a professional career.
Despite Petras and his many struggles — and trust me there were a lot of them — he was not helped by Iowa’s inability to run the football.
After losing running back Tyler Goodson and all-world center Tyler Linderbaum, the Hawkeye rushing attack plummeted. As a team, they averaged 94.9 yards per game, 2.9 yards per carry, and 0.9 touchdowns per game. I don’t need to tell you how bad that is. Starting running back Kaleb Johnson had his moments, finishing with 779 yards and six touchdowns.
The problem is there are multiple backup running backs who had more yards and touchdowns. Add in the fact that the second-leading rusher only had 413 rushing yards and you start to see the problem.
As a team, Iowa ran for 1,234 yards and 12 touchdowns. Four running backs in the conference ran for more yards singularly, and another four had 12 or more touchdowns. It is unacceptable for a single player to be able to outrush an entire team, and unthinkable for four players to do. Whether it be the offensive line talent or the running back, Iowa has to find a consistent and effective running game or it is doomed to repeat last year’s awful performance.
Iowa’s success has always relied on its defense. Even at its best under Brian Ferentz, the offense was only 40th in the country. Meanwhile, the defense is almost always in the top five, typically finishing top two nationally. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker has built enough cache for us to believe he will have his defense ready to play no matter what, but they are losing some key contributors.
They enter 2023 without defensive end and sack leader Lukas Van Ness, star linebacker and unanimous All-American Jack Campbell as well as second-leading tackler Seth Benson in addition to Riley Moss and Kaevon Merriweather, who played corner and safety, respectively. If you’re following along, they lost key members at every level of the defense, but they’re hit the hardest at linebacker.
They return Cooper Dejean, who will enter 2023 as a betting favorite for Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year after getting three pick-sixes in 2022. Former five-star safety Xavier Nwankpa is expected to step in for Merriwether, and transfer linebacker Nick Jackson hopes to fill a piece of the void left by Campbell and Benson. The only unit that is whole is a defensive line that returns seven out of nine players who played the most snaps.
It would be naive to think the Hawkeyes will take a major step back in 2023, but it is also unlikely they score 40 defensive points on the season. Even an incremental step back could be disastrous for the program if the offense can’t find a way to put points on the board. Parker has a tough job this offseason trying to find the right combination to carry the Hawkeyes program for another season.
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
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
The Hawkeyes enter 2023 surrounded with drama with their offensive coordinator, but that is not the only issue they have to fix this offseason.
The 2022 season has come to an end. It was a great season that leaves many questions to be answered as we enter the 2023 offseason. Michigan won the Big Ten for the second year in a row, taking the crown from Ohio State.
Ohio State enters the new year a field goal away from a national championship appearance, but now has to replace C.J. Stroud. Will this be the first time in almost a decade that the best quarterback in the conference doesn’t wear scarlet and grey?
Nebraska, Purdue, and Wisconsin enter 2023 with new coaches while Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Indiana’s Tom Allen enter on the hot seat. Penn State has high expectations, Illinois will try to rebound from a late-season collapse, and Minnesota is trying to replace four of the best players in program history.
This is the final offseason before USC and UCLA enter the conference and the new TV deal starts. Teams must build a foundation that will last in the ever-changing landscape of college football. The 2023 offseason is essential for every team, so let’s dive in and see which five questions each team must answer before the 2023 season begins.
Will they reach the 25 points per game and seven win threshold?
The biggest story surrounding Iowa this offseason is the status of offensive coordinator and nepotism hire Brian Ferentz. The son of head coach Kirk Ferentz led a dismal offense that averaged a measly 17.7 points per game in 2022. It became a running joke all season that Iowa’s defense and special teams would out-score the offense on any given Saturday, and bettors won big by betting the Iowa under on a weekly basis.
The offense drew more and more attention throughout the season as the defense continued to play well, ending the campaign with 40 points scored on six defensive touchdowns and two safeties. After the season, nearly everyone — fans, casual observers, and local and national media members alike — all called for Kirk to relieve his son of duty.
A firing wasn’t necessary. He’s a good offensive line coach, but removing the offensive coordinator title at least. Instead, Kirk stood strong behind his son, and athletic director Gary Barta reworked his contract. In 2023, Brian will have a $50k pay cut, and must reach performance metrics of averaging 25 points per game and winning seven games this season. If he reaches these goals, he’ll get a bonus that will make up the lost salary plus some and a contract extension. Missing the mark will lead to his contract ending in June 2024.
This may have satisfied Kirk, but to the rest of college football, this is a joke. Scoring 25 points per game is a laughably low standard, good for roughly 85th in the country, and seven wins are below Iowa’s standards. These numbers were clearly selected for Brian to pass with flying colors. In his six seasons as offensive coordinator, Iowa has only failed to reach 25 ppg twice. Even with the low bar, Iowa’s offense is abysmal, and it’s no guarantee that they will meet this mark.
Is Cade McNamara the quarterback that will unlock this stagnant offense?
I can go on for days discussing Iowa’s offense and my lack of faith in Brian Ferentz, but it’s not my opinion that matters. What does matter is that Iowa put its faith in the right quarterback. After putting up with Spencer Petras for the past three seasons, the Ferentz’s are rolling with former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara.
McNamara is absolutely an upgrade over Petras, but how much of an upgrade is yet to be determined. As the starter in 2020, McNamara played his role perfectly, handing the ball off to stud running backs Hasan Haskins and Blake Corum. He was not asked to throw much, but when he did he limited turnovers, throwing only six interceptions in 14 games.
The issue with putting your trust in Cade is he was operating behind a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, had three NFL running backs on the roster and a defense full of players who would ultimately get picked in the top 100 of their respective NFL Drafts, including first-round pick Aidan Hutchinson.
In one season as a starter, McNamara had a 15-to-6 touchdown to interception ratio. In three seasons, Petras had a 24-to-19 touchdown to interception ratio. At a minimum, McNamara should turn the ball over less than Petras, but he is going into a situation with significantly less talented players on offense. If Iowa is expecting McNamara to save them they may be in trouble, but if they can some offensive skill players to support him their offense may come back to life just enough to score 25 points per game.
Is there another tight end ready to enter stardom?
Iowa is a finalist for tight end university, consistently having some of the best tight ends in college football. The best tight end on the roster is almost guaranteed to be an NFL Draft pick, and his backup is probably going to step up and immediately fill his shoes. Iowa has had George Kittle, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, and Sam LaPorta in the last 10 years.
LaPorta won the Big Ten Tight End of the Year this past season, and is one of the top-ranked players at his position in the 2023 NFL Draft. LaPorta led the team in receiving with 657 yards. Whether Iowa refuses to recruit wide receivers or wide receivers refuse to go there, they lack talent at that position. Charlie Jones’s explosion at Purdue won’t help with the recruiting of wide receivers either when it is clear they stunted his growth and lack the ability to use his talent.
That makes finding another star tight end that much more important. The next guy up may already be on the roster, as their second leader in receiving yards was a backup tight end in Luke Lachey. Lachey ended the year with 398 yards and four touchdowns. At 6-foot-6 Lachey has the size to be a match-up nightmare. For this offense to have any chance to succeed, they will need Lachey or someone else on the roster to fill the hole left by another NFL tight end pursuing a professional career.
Can they develop a competent rushing attack?
Despite Petras and his many struggles — and trust me there were a lot of them — he was not helped by Iowa’s inability to run the football.
After losing running back Tyler Goodson and all-world center Tyler Linderbaum, the Hawkeye rushing attack plummeted. As a team, they averaged 94.9 yards per game, 2.9 yards per carry, and 0.9 touchdowns per game. I don’t need to tell you how bad that is. Starting running back Kaleb Johnson had his moments, finishing with 779 yards and six touchdowns.
The problem is there are multiple backup running backs who had more yards and touchdowns. Add in the fact that the second-leading rusher only had 413 rushing yards and you start to see the problem.
As a team, Iowa ran for 1,234 yards and 12 touchdowns. Four running backs in the conference ran for more yards singularly, and another four had 12 or more touchdowns. It is unacceptable for a single player to be able to outrush an entire team, and unthinkable for four players to do. Whether it be the offensive line talent or the running back, Iowa has to find a consistent and effective running game or it is doomed to repeat last year’s awful performance.
Who will step up to replace defensive stars?
Iowa’s success has always relied on its defense. Even at its best under Brian Ferentz, the offense was only 40th in the country. Meanwhile, the defense is almost always in the top five, typically finishing top two nationally. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker has built enough cache for us to believe he will have his defense ready to play no matter what, but they are losing some key contributors.
They enter 2023 without defensive end and sack leader Lukas Van Ness, star linebacker and unanimous All-American Jack Campbell as well as second-leading tackler Seth Benson in addition to Riley Moss and Kaevon Merriweather, who played corner and safety, respectively. If you’re following along, they lost key members at every level of the defense, but they’re hit the hardest at linebacker.
They return Cooper Dejean, who will enter 2023 as a betting favorite for Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year after getting three pick-sixes in 2022. Former five-star safety Xavier Nwankpa is expected to step in for Merriwether, and transfer linebacker Nick Jackson hopes to fill a piece of the void left by Campbell and Benson. The only unit that is whole is a defensive line that returns seven out of nine players who played the most snaps.
It would be naive to think the Hawkeyes will take a major step back in 2023, but it is also unlikely they score 40 defensive points on the season. Even an incremental step back could be disastrous for the program if the offense can’t find a way to put points on the board. Parker has a tough job this offseason trying to find the right combination to carry the Hawkeyes program for another season.
Continue reading...
LGHL Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 15, 2023
- News
- 0 Replies
Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 15, 2023
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-USA TODAY Sports
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Ohio State adds former Michigan State GA Gerren DuHart
Sam Marsdale, 247Sports
Georgia leads 2023 preseason college football SP+ rankings, Ohio State No. 2
Bill Connelly, ESPN
Five Buckeyes crack latest NFL Draft prospect top-100 ranking (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Kyle McCord vs. Devin Brown: Ohio State’s 2023 quarterback breakdown (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic
James Laurinaitis on his new role with Ohio State: ‘Really go and attack it and coach the room’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Ohio State’s Zed Key continues to be affected by shoulder injury, ‘But I just can’t let that stop me’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Notebook: Inability to touch paint spells doom for Ohio State against Spartans (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Listen to the postgame press conference for the No. 13 Ohio State women’s loss to No. 2 Indiana:
‘Dog mentality’ missing for Ohio State in key moments, Okpara says
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State’s alumni team Carmen’s Crew to return to TBT this year
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Buckeye ice hockey getting upgraded to a new rink
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Tennis: Ohio State Overpowers Baylor 4-0, Ascends to 12-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Golf: Ohio State Places Sixth at Therese Hession Regional Challenge
Ohio State Athletics
Baseball: Mix of Old and New Players Fuels Infield’s Hopes to Bounce Back in 2023
Tyler Danburg, The Lantern
Column: Roses are Red, We’re Scarlet and Gray
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial and moment?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land
I am ready for Marvel’s First Family to finally show up in the MCU!
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-USA TODAY Sports
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Ohio State adds former Michigan State GA Gerren DuHart
Sam Marsdale, 247Sports
Georgia leads 2023 preseason college football SP+ rankings, Ohio State No. 2
Bill Connelly, ESPN
Five Buckeyes crack latest NFL Draft prospect top-100 ranking (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Kyle McCord vs. Devin Brown: Ohio State’s 2023 quarterback breakdown (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic
James Laurinaitis on his new role with Ohio State: ‘Really go and attack it and coach the room’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
On the Hardwood
Ohio State’s Zed Key continues to be affected by shoulder injury, ‘But I just can’t let that stop me’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Notebook: Inability to touch paint spells doom for Ohio State against Spartans (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Listen to the postgame press conference for the No. 13 Ohio State women’s loss to No. 2 Indiana:
‘Dog mentality’ missing for Ohio State in key moments, Okpara says
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State’s alumni team Carmen’s Crew to return to TBT this year
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
en’s Crew (@CarmensCrew) Outside the Shoe and Schott
Buckeye ice hockey getting upgraded to a new rink
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Tennis: Ohio State Overpowers Baylor 4-0, Ascends to 12-0
Ohio State Athletics
High’s all around at the TTTC! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/1QnnCgCENo
— Ohio State M Tennis (@OhioStateMTEN) February 15, 2023
Women’s Golf: Ohio State Places Sixth at Therese Hession Regional Challenge
Ohio State Athletics
Baseball: Mix of Old and New Players Fuels Infield’s Hopes to Bounce Back in 2023
Tyler Danburg, The Lantern
Column: Roses are Red, We’re Scarlet and Gray
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial and moment?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land
And now for something completely different...
I am ready for Marvel’s First Family to finally show up in the MCU!
Continue reading...
LGHL LGHL Uncut Podcast: Coach McGuff, Walker and McMahon talk after Indiana defeat
- News
- 0 Replies
LGHL Uncut Podcast: Coach McGuff, Walker and McMahon talk after Indiana defeat
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
After a 24-point defeat at home, there are more questions than answers for the Buckeyes with three regular season games remaining.
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
It’s gone from bad to worse for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Not only because of their 83-59 home loss to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers, but a growing list of injuries coming at the wrong time of the season.
Following the Buckeyes’ defeat, head coach Kevin McGuff and forwards Eboni Walker and Cotie McMahon spoke to the media about not only the loss but Ohio State’s recent form.
McGuff specifically called out the moments in the first half that allowed their deficit to balloon up to 27 points, and what the team is doing when games get tough that didn’t help against a well-balanced Indiana side. Also, McGuff gives updates on guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, both of whom missed Monday’s game.
Following the coach is Walker and McMahon. After Walker discusses what the team needs to do to get back to their winning ways, McMahon discusses the three final games of the season. Also, the freshman talks about the recent change in how officials call her game.
That and more in the latest Uncut podcast.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
After a 24-point defeat at home, there are more questions than answers for the Buckeyes with three regular season games remaining.
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
It’s gone from bad to worse for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Not only because of their 83-59 home loss to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers, but a growing list of injuries coming at the wrong time of the season.
Following the Buckeyes’ defeat, head coach Kevin McGuff and forwards Eboni Walker and Cotie McMahon spoke to the media about not only the loss but Ohio State’s recent form.
McGuff specifically called out the moments in the first half that allowed their deficit to balloon up to 27 points, and what the team is doing when games get tough that didn’t help against a well-balanced Indiana side. Also, McGuff gives updates on guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, both of whom missed Monday’s game.
Following the coach is Walker and McMahon. After Walker discusses what the team needs to do to get back to their winning ways, McMahon discusses the three final games of the season. Also, the freshman talks about the recent change in how officials call her game.
That and more in the latest Uncut podcast.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
