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LGHL Column: Ryan Day is taking a step in the right direction towards moving on from play-calling duties
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Column: Ryan Day is taking a step in the right direction towards moving on from play-calling duties
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
There is still a lot to be decided, but the first steps in passing the sticks are upon us, as Ryan Day is letting Brian Hartline call plays during practice.
Ohio State’s coaches spoke to the media last week, and a major topic was the discussion surrounding the Buckeyes’ play-calling duties. Ryan Day announced that Brian Hartline would call plays in the spring, creating an opportunity for the highly lauded receiver coach to further put his stamp on the program.
Day went into reasons Hartline was the right fit for a promotion to offensive coordinator, siting his NFL experience, his part in game-planning during the 2022 season, and his ability as a recruiter. The notion of passing the sticks is a shift in identity for Day, who has made his career in college football as a play-caller. With the changing landscape of the sport, the head coach has additional responsibilities in recruiting and roster management, leaving a short time to prepare for calling plays.
“I think when you, year after year, you sit down and you evaluate everything in the program, and certainly evaluate where college football is and demands of the job the way it is now as opposed to two years ago and four years ago,” Day said during his media availability.
Even if a coach and program can’t directly partake in NIL, there are still a lot of aspects that this effects on a day-to-day basis. Combining that with the new transfer rules, and any coach in college football needs to be involved with all parts of the roster to have a more intuitive view in potential changes. The job of a head coach is always changing, and so are the needs of the program. That one more additional responsibility of play-calling is time consuming, and an art that can’t be rushed.
That is why Day is making the correct decision in moving on from play-calling, and taking the CEO role many play-calling head coaches take on too late.
The plan is simple: Day is giving Hartline the spring to test-pilot play-calling duties. The Buckeyes plan to run more competitive live periods of offense vs. defense, where both coordinators are scheming against each other. This is a significant opportunity for Hartline to learn, given his opposition on the defensive side in 34-year defensive coaching veteran Jim Knowles.
This may seem like a small ask when it comes to spring practice, but the importance of play-calling in any capacity is huge. Hartline will likely be responsible for coming up with the practice period scripts, building out the run game plan with new run-game coordinator Justin Frye, and taking on a larger role in managing all the groups on the practice field.
On the other side, this is a perfect time for Day to take a step back and truly evaluate the aspects of the team. Looking at Hartline, he will be a small part of how Day sees the offense develop without him calling the plays. He will still be the architect of the offensive plans and philosophies, but the more hands off approach will allow him to give input rather than having to make every little decision for the offense on a play-by-play basis.
From both a rhythm and coaching standpoint, play-calling is a role that should be taken on with full-time attention. When the defense takes the field, a play-caller is often still going over the next drive. Before the defense is off the field, the head coach’s attention shifts away from the now to the next offensive series. If a defensive issue arises, when is Day addressing that ? While he is addressing the issue, how much is preparing for the next series?
Those are the questions he is trying to find the answer for this offseason. When he talked about evaluating himself as a coach, he mentioned time management. During a 60-minute football game, that is equally as important to all of the day-to-day tasks a coach has to deal with during a practice week. Maximizing his time on the sideline during a game is something I think many of us expect, and by passing the play-calling baton, this should be the expectation.
Moving back to Hartline, this is a huge opportunity for one of the fastest rising coaches in the business. Day cited recruiting ability and his NFL experience as reasons he’s excited for Hartline in the OC role. Hartline comes into the spot with a quarterback competition — no pressure there at all to start the job. This also gives a natural place for a transition.
Whether the quarterback is Kyle McCord or Devin Brown, the relationship between offensive coordinator and quarterback is one of the most vital in sports. Understanding the skillset and limits a quarterback has is a challenge. Hartline will be dealing with two relatively different quarterback skillsets. This adds an important dynamic to play-calling.
For Hartline, he does have an incredible staff of experienced offensive minds around him and a load of talent to go with it. Running back coach Tony Alford as well as Frye have enough experience to aid Hartline in that area. Having Day to lean on is an added bonus in managing the quarterbacks and to lean on during games with input for play-calling decisions.
To me, Hartline getting the opportunity as the offensive coordinator wasn’t the most exciting hire. When Kirk Herbstreit talked about his conversation with Day giving up play-calling duties, I wanted a seasoned play-caller with a background in designing a dynamic running game due to the static nature in Ohio State’s. Instead the Buckeyes promoted from within, giving the position to a coach with a background in the same part of the game as the head coach giving him the opportunity.
At least with Kevin Wilson, he brought a different skill set at the time Urban Meyer brought him in with Day, and he also gave the Buckeyes a new dynamic zone running game. That’s where my questions with Hartline come into play. Outside of recruiting, he didn’t necessarily yell offensive evolution. But then I thought about why Hartline is a special receiver coach.
Hartline is a hardworking, personable coach who spent almost a decade in the NFL in a multitude of different offenses. In his time in the NFL, he learned more about football than many of us will ever know, and that experience is irreplaceable. Will all that translate to being a successful play-caller? We’ll find out. The real story though is he earned enough trust during the interview process and in his time at Ohio State to earn an opportunity to call plays.
That is no small feat given the stature of the man he is replacing in that duty. Ryan Day has called top-10 offenses every season he has been at Ohio State. Hartline is following those foot steps, and he has the man who built the offense behind him in the head coach who had to call plays for the first time once.
Day talked about that, discussing when a person is ready for calling plays, how do you know? The answer is you can’t, but now is the time to get a fresh set of eyes behind the wheel. That is why even the relatively small opportunity of calling plays in the spring can turn into a big one down the road.
Hartline will make mistakes, but at least there will be some freshness when it comes to the man in the booth. This will also give Day an opportunity to evaluate the program in a more holistic manner on and off the field. With Hartline being one of the fastest rising coaches in the country, the promotion and additional responsibilities just make too much sense.
Now there is another exciting story to follow. Hartline calling the plays will be a significant difference for the program. There will be bumps in the road, but the offense was stale these past couple of seasons barring the few games Day got additional time to prepare. Now they will have a coach whose sole job is preparing the offense. That sounds like a good deal to me, especially with the improvement we saw on the defensive side of the ball in 2022.
Ryan Day is showing a willingness to change the status quo of his program, moving on from past iterations of the Buckeyes in his tenure. With spring practice on the horizon, this is another story to follow — and we’ll get our first look at what the offense will look like with Hartline calling the plays April 15 during Ohio State’s spring game.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
There is still a lot to be decided, but the first steps in passing the sticks are upon us, as Ryan Day is letting Brian Hartline call plays during practice.
Ohio State’s coaches spoke to the media last week, and a major topic was the discussion surrounding the Buckeyes’ play-calling duties. Ryan Day announced that Brian Hartline would call plays in the spring, creating an opportunity for the highly lauded receiver coach to further put his stamp on the program.
Day went into reasons Hartline was the right fit for a promotion to offensive coordinator, siting his NFL experience, his part in game-planning during the 2022 season, and his ability as a recruiter. The notion of passing the sticks is a shift in identity for Day, who has made his career in college football as a play-caller. With the changing landscape of the sport, the head coach has additional responsibilities in recruiting and roster management, leaving a short time to prepare for calling plays.
“I think when you, year after year, you sit down and you evaluate everything in the program, and certainly evaluate where college football is and demands of the job the way it is now as opposed to two years ago and four years ago,” Day said during his media availability.
Even if a coach and program can’t directly partake in NIL, there are still a lot of aspects that this effects on a day-to-day basis. Combining that with the new transfer rules, and any coach in college football needs to be involved with all parts of the roster to have a more intuitive view in potential changes. The job of a head coach is always changing, and so are the needs of the program. That one more additional responsibility of play-calling is time consuming, and an art that can’t be rushed.
That is why Day is making the correct decision in moving on from play-calling, and taking the CEO role many play-calling head coaches take on too late.
The plan is simple: Day is giving Hartline the spring to test-pilot play-calling duties. The Buckeyes plan to run more competitive live periods of offense vs. defense, where both coordinators are scheming against each other. This is a significant opportunity for Hartline to learn, given his opposition on the defensive side in 34-year defensive coaching veteran Jim Knowles.
This may seem like a small ask when it comes to spring practice, but the importance of play-calling in any capacity is huge. Hartline will likely be responsible for coming up with the practice period scripts, building out the run game plan with new run-game coordinator Justin Frye, and taking on a larger role in managing all the groups on the practice field.
On the other side, this is a perfect time for Day to take a step back and truly evaluate the aspects of the team. Looking at Hartline, he will be a small part of how Day sees the offense develop without him calling the plays. He will still be the architect of the offensive plans and philosophies, but the more hands off approach will allow him to give input rather than having to make every little decision for the offense on a play-by-play basis.
From both a rhythm and coaching standpoint, play-calling is a role that should be taken on with full-time attention. When the defense takes the field, a play-caller is often still going over the next drive. Before the defense is off the field, the head coach’s attention shifts away from the now to the next offensive series. If a defensive issue arises, when is Day addressing that ? While he is addressing the issue, how much is preparing for the next series?
Those are the questions he is trying to find the answer for this offseason. When he talked about evaluating himself as a coach, he mentioned time management. During a 60-minute football game, that is equally as important to all of the day-to-day tasks a coach has to deal with during a practice week. Maximizing his time on the sideline during a game is something I think many of us expect, and by passing the play-calling baton, this should be the expectation.
Moving back to Hartline, this is a huge opportunity for one of the fastest rising coaches in the business. Day cited recruiting ability and his NFL experience as reasons he’s excited for Hartline in the OC role. Hartline comes into the spot with a quarterback competition — no pressure there at all to start the job. This also gives a natural place for a transition.
Whether the quarterback is Kyle McCord or Devin Brown, the relationship between offensive coordinator and quarterback is one of the most vital in sports. Understanding the skillset and limits a quarterback has is a challenge. Hartline will be dealing with two relatively different quarterback skillsets. This adds an important dynamic to play-calling.
For Hartline, he does have an incredible staff of experienced offensive minds around him and a load of talent to go with it. Running back coach Tony Alford as well as Frye have enough experience to aid Hartline in that area. Having Day to lean on is an added bonus in managing the quarterbacks and to lean on during games with input for play-calling decisions.
To me, Hartline getting the opportunity as the offensive coordinator wasn’t the most exciting hire. When Kirk Herbstreit talked about his conversation with Day giving up play-calling duties, I wanted a seasoned play-caller with a background in designing a dynamic running game due to the static nature in Ohio State’s. Instead the Buckeyes promoted from within, giving the position to a coach with a background in the same part of the game as the head coach giving him the opportunity.
At least with Kevin Wilson, he brought a different skill set at the time Urban Meyer brought him in with Day, and he also gave the Buckeyes a new dynamic zone running game. That’s where my questions with Hartline come into play. Outside of recruiting, he didn’t necessarily yell offensive evolution. But then I thought about why Hartline is a special receiver coach.
Hartline is a hardworking, personable coach who spent almost a decade in the NFL in a multitude of different offenses. In his time in the NFL, he learned more about football than many of us will ever know, and that experience is irreplaceable. Will all that translate to being a successful play-caller? We’ll find out. The real story though is he earned enough trust during the interview process and in his time at Ohio State to earn an opportunity to call plays.
That is no small feat given the stature of the man he is replacing in that duty. Ryan Day has called top-10 offenses every season he has been at Ohio State. Hartline is following those foot steps, and he has the man who built the offense behind him in the head coach who had to call plays for the first time once.
Day talked about that, discussing when a person is ready for calling plays, how do you know? The answer is you can’t, but now is the time to get a fresh set of eyes behind the wheel. That is why even the relatively small opportunity of calling plays in the spring can turn into a big one down the road.
Hartline will make mistakes, but at least there will be some freshness when it comes to the man in the booth. This will also give Day an opportunity to evaluate the program in a more holistic manner on and off the field. With Hartline being one of the fastest rising coaches in the country, the promotion and additional responsibilities just make too much sense.
Now there is another exciting story to follow. Hartline calling the plays will be a significant difference for the program. There will be bumps in the road, but the offense was stale these past couple of seasons barring the few games Day got additional time to prepare. Now they will have a coach whose sole job is preparing the offense. That sounds like a good deal to me, especially with the improvement we saw on the defensive side of the ball in 2022.
Ryan Day is showing a willingness to change the status quo of his program, moving on from past iterations of the Buckeyes in his tenure. With spring practice on the horizon, this is another story to follow — and we’ll get our first look at what the offense will look like with Hartline calling the plays April 15 during Ohio State’s spring game.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What is your favorite prop bet for this year’s Super Bowl?
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- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: What is your favorite prop bet for this year’s Super Bowl?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Super Bowl week is upon us! Are we allowed to call it the Super Bowl? Or do we have to call it something like “the big game” so we don’t violate any copyright that is owned by the NFL? It’s probably too late now, so we might as well just go ahead and go wild with it.
Even though the matchup this year doesn’t provide much interest for those around Ohio, there still is plenty of reasons to tune in, or at least gather with friends to consume gluttonous food and tasty beverages.
This year’s Super Bowl features just one former Ohio State player in the game. Running back Trey Sermon is on the Eagles roster, but it’s unlikely we’ll see the holder of the school’s single-game rushing play on Sunday. Sermon has just two carries this year for Philadelphia, with both of them coming back in early October.
Since there isn’t much to root for when it comes to Buckeyes in this year’s Super Bowl, the next best thing to root for is money! A popular way people choose to wager on the Super Bowl is with Super Bowl squares pools. This way takes absolutely no skill, and really just comes down to luck. The entry fees for the squares can vary as well, so it’s not like you have to sink a ton of money into a pool to win a good chunk of change.
Another way to bet on the game is what prop bets. Over the years these bets have become more and more popular. For the Super Bowl pretty much every part of the game can be bet on. The coin toss, the length of the National Anthem, how many times during the game will Tom Brady retire and un-retire during the game. Alright, the last one isn’t really an option, but it probably should be.
As a Buffalo Bills fan, the Super Bowl always brings me memories of pain. Thankfully I was only six years old when the Bills lost four straight Super Bowls, but I remember the losses. The third straight Super Bowl they went to was especially painful, since I was terribly sick with the flu heading into the game, and then the Cowboys went on to cream the Bills.
Back to the topic at hand. How much do I love prop bets? I’m actually in a pool where there is a group where we each nominate 10 prop bets and then go around drafting the prop bets, and whoever drafts your props, you get the opposite side of their choosing. It is pretty wild trying to keep track of all the sides that you are on.
While I love the scorigami prop, that is more of a long-shot prop bet. One that is a little more attainable is the combined jersey numbers of all the touchdown scorers. Just look at it this way, if you took the over all you need is a Travis Kelce score, one from Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Hurts to rush for a touchdown. If you have the under, then you are going to love seeing touchdowns from A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Isaiah Pacheco.
This just seems like a way to root for some fun in the game without having to really choose a side. You’re either team big numbers if you take the over, or team low numbers if you’re an under backer. All those plans could backfire or work out perfectly with a defensive touchdown, so you have to take some things into account.
No matter what side you’re on during the game with any prop bets, may those sides be profitable for you!
One of my favorite prop bets is always how long the national anthem will take to sing before kickoff. The current record for shortest anthem is 62 seconds (Neil Diamond, Super Bowl XXI), with the longest clocking in at 155 seconds (Alicia Keys, Super Bowl XLVII).
The average length is 116 seconds, with the renditions seeming to get longer over time.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24413988/181708872.jpg "Super Bowl XLVII - Baltimore Ravens v San Francico 49ers")
This year, country star Chris Stapleton will have the mic for the Star-Spangled Banner. He’s the first of three singers performing various patriotic tunes before the official start of the game, so I’d have to guess that there will be some limit to an excessively long rendition. Then again, Stapleton does love those acoustic renditions and it just might be a slow, soulful performance. Depending on the site, the over/under ranges from 119.5 - 125 seconds.
Last year, Mickey Guyton (also of the country genre) headlined as the anthem singer, performing the song in 110 seconds. The pregame over/under was 106 seconds.
As an aside, there is also a prop bet on if any scoring drive will take less time than the national anthem performance. With Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, it’s not out of the question.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Super Bowl week is upon us! Are we allowed to call it the Super Bowl? Or do we have to call it something like “the big game” so we don’t violate any copyright that is owned by the NFL? It’s probably too late now, so we might as well just go ahead and go wild with it.
Even though the matchup this year doesn’t provide much interest for those around Ohio, there still is plenty of reasons to tune in, or at least gather with friends to consume gluttonous food and tasty beverages.
This year’s Super Bowl features just one former Ohio State player in the game. Running back Trey Sermon is on the Eagles roster, but it’s unlikely we’ll see the holder of the school’s single-game rushing play on Sunday. Sermon has just two carries this year for Philadelphia, with both of them coming back in early October.
Since there isn’t much to root for when it comes to Buckeyes in this year’s Super Bowl, the next best thing to root for is money! A popular way people choose to wager on the Super Bowl is with Super Bowl squares pools. This way takes absolutely no skill, and really just comes down to luck. The entry fees for the squares can vary as well, so it’s not like you have to sink a ton of money into a pool to win a good chunk of change.
Another way to bet on the game is what prop bets. Over the years these bets have become more and more popular. For the Super Bowl pretty much every part of the game can be bet on. The coin toss, the length of the National Anthem, how many times during the game will Tom Brady retire and un-retire during the game. Alright, the last one isn’t really an option, but it probably should be.
Today’s question: What is your favorite prop bet for this year’s Super Bowl?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Combined jersey numbers of all touchdown scorers (O/U 170.5)
As a Buffalo Bills fan, the Super Bowl always brings me memories of pain. Thankfully I was only six years old when the Bills lost four straight Super Bowls, but I remember the losses. The third straight Super Bowl they went to was especially painful, since I was terribly sick with the flu heading into the game, and then the Cowboys went on to cream the Bills.
Back to the topic at hand. How much do I love prop bets? I’m actually in a pool where there is a group where we each nominate 10 prop bets and then go around drafting the prop bets, and whoever drafts your props, you get the opposite side of their choosing. It is pretty wild trying to keep track of all the sides that you are on.
While I love the scorigami prop, that is more of a long-shot prop bet. One that is a little more attainable is the combined jersey numbers of all the touchdown scorers. Just look at it this way, if you took the over all you need is a Travis Kelce score, one from Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Hurts to rush for a touchdown. If you have the under, then you are going to love seeing touchdowns from A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Isaiah Pacheco.
This just seems like a way to root for some fun in the game without having to really choose a side. You’re either team big numbers if you take the over, or team low numbers if you’re an under backer. All those plans could backfire or work out perfectly with a defensive touchdown, so you have to take some things into account.
No matter what side you’re on during the game with any prop bets, may those sides be profitable for you!
Meredith’s answer: Length of national anthem (O/U 170.5)
One of my favorite prop bets is always how long the national anthem will take to sing before kickoff. The current record for shortest anthem is 62 seconds (Neil Diamond, Super Bowl XXI), with the longest clocking in at 155 seconds (Alicia Keys, Super Bowl XLVII).
The average length is 116 seconds, with the renditions seeming to get longer over time.
This year, country star Chris Stapleton will have the mic for the Star-Spangled Banner. He’s the first of three singers performing various patriotic tunes before the official start of the game, so I’d have to guess that there will be some limit to an excessively long rendition. Then again, Stapleton does love those acoustic renditions and it just might be a slow, soulful performance. Depending on the site, the over/under ranges from 119.5 - 125 seconds.
Last year, Mickey Guyton (also of the country genre) headlined as the anthem singer, performing the song in 110 seconds. The pregame over/under was 106 seconds.
As an aside, there is also a prop bet on if any scoring drive will take less time than the national anthem performance. With Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, it’s not out of the question.
Continue reading...
LGHL How big of an issue is leadership in the MBB locker room?
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How big of an issue is leadership in the MBB locker room?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
sports.yahoo.com
This is a problem.
Before every sports season starts, captains are voted upon. These are usually players with a veteran presence who lead by example, either physically and/or vocally. For the men’s basketball team, three were voted on prior to the season. Yet, last week they had a second meeting to re-vote. This isn’t a good sign, is it?
Justice Sueing, Zed Key and Isaac Likekele were all nominated to be the leaders of Team 124. These three guys have been veterans of the game or of the sport collegiately for at least three years. Sueing is now a sixth-year, Key is a junior and Likekele is a fifth-year transfer. Based off of this, one would think that the Buckeyes would be well-led.
However, over the course of the season, that hasn’t looked like it has been the case. The team has just looked like a disaster on the court. It’s also hard to go from the group of leaders last year, to a whole new crew this year.
Last year, the team was led by Kyle Young, E.J. Liddell, Cedric Russell and Jamari Wheeler, along with three other seniors. That is a quality group of leaders.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24413757/usa_today_19909802.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Sueing assumed into the leadership role, as this is his sixth-year playing college basketball, even though he was injured for the entirety of last season. Likekele showed promise during the summer as a transfer. And Key has been an important part of this team ever since his freshman year. So, it was pretty much given these guys would be captains.
Yet, this team just hasn’t clicked like last year’s. Anyone that watched them could just tell that these guys got along really well off the court, which translated into their play. They had fun posting on TikTok, they went out to eat together and overall were great friends. That’s not to say that this year’s team doesn’t get along, but they just haven’t known each other for as long since there are only three returning starters.
Having a team filled with freshmen and transfers has got to be difficult to manage from a leadership standpoint. Set aside the fact that you have to figure out who plays well together and what role everyone is going to play on the court. Who is going to step up and lead the team? When the majority of the team has never played together, it is nearly impossible to figure that out.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24413765/usa_today_19776759.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
So, I guess that is why the team had a captain re-vote session last week. Freshman Bruce Thornton was named a captain, and the previous three remained captains. It’s rare to see a freshman step up vocally as much as Thornton has, but the team needs it. Apparently he has been one of two players to talk to the team after losses, including the loss to TTUN.
This locker room cannot fall apart. It’s hard to tell from the outside how solid of a group this really is, but for now, it still seems to be standing. Teammates cannot place blame on each other or turn on each other. The players insist that everything is fine between them. Clearly, they can get along somewhat, as they started the season 10-3 before falling to 11-12 this past weekend.
Whatever they were doing at the beginning of the season, they need to do that. Maybe Thornton being named captain is what this team needs— a new, passionate, young voice to lead them. The veterans need to hold themselves and the whole team accountable to keep grinding and finish the season strong. This may be a down year for the Bucks, but the core of this team will be on this team for years to come. Leadership cannot be a problem.
Continue reading...
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Thoughts on Ohio State’s loss at home against Wisconsin
The Buckeyes basketball pain continues #GoBucks
This is a problem.
Before every sports season starts, captains are voted upon. These are usually players with a veteran presence who lead by example, either physically and/or vocally. For the men’s basketball team, three were voted on prior to the season. Yet, last week they had a second meeting to re-vote. This isn’t a good sign, is it?
Justice Sueing, Zed Key and Isaac Likekele were all nominated to be the leaders of Team 124. These three guys have been veterans of the game or of the sport collegiately for at least three years. Sueing is now a sixth-year, Key is a junior and Likekele is a fifth-year transfer. Based off of this, one would think that the Buckeyes would be well-led.
However, over the course of the season, that hasn’t looked like it has been the case. The team has just looked like a disaster on the court. It’s also hard to go from the group of leaders last year, to a whole new crew this year.
Last year, the team was led by Kyle Young, E.J. Liddell, Cedric Russell and Jamari Wheeler, along with three other seniors. That is a quality group of leaders.
Sueing assumed into the leadership role, as this is his sixth-year playing college basketball, even though he was injured for the entirety of last season. Likekele showed promise during the summer as a transfer. And Key has been an important part of this team ever since his freshman year. So, it was pretty much given these guys would be captains.
Yet, this team just hasn’t clicked like last year’s. Anyone that watched them could just tell that these guys got along really well off the court, which translated into their play. They had fun posting on TikTok, they went out to eat together and overall were great friends. That’s not to say that this year’s team doesn’t get along, but they just haven’t known each other for as long since there are only three returning starters.
Having a team filled with freshmen and transfers has got to be difficult to manage from a leadership standpoint. Set aside the fact that you have to figure out who plays well together and what role everyone is going to play on the court. Who is going to step up and lead the team? When the majority of the team has never played together, it is nearly impossible to figure that out.
So, I guess that is why the team had a captain re-vote session last week. Freshman Bruce Thornton was named a captain, and the previous three remained captains. It’s rare to see a freshman step up vocally as much as Thornton has, but the team needs it. Apparently he has been one of two players to talk to the team after losses, including the loss to TTUN.
This locker room cannot fall apart. It’s hard to tell from the outside how solid of a group this really is, but for now, it still seems to be standing. Teammates cannot place blame on each other or turn on each other. The players insist that everything is fine between them. Clearly, they can get along somewhat, as they started the season 10-3 before falling to 11-12 this past weekend.
Whatever they were doing at the beginning of the season, they need to do that. Maybe Thornton being named captain is what this team needs— a new, passionate, young voice to lead them. The veterans need to hold themselves and the whole team accountable to keep grinding and finish the season strong. This may be a down year for the Bucks, but the core of this team will be on this team for years to come. Leadership cannot be a problem.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: The Buckeye Grammys
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- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: The Buckeye Grammys
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Which Ohio State players will take home these (fake) awards?
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.
This week’s topic: The Buckeye Grammys
In honor of last night’s Grammy Awards, Gene and I decided to do a musical tie-in for this week’s installment of You’re Nuts. We thought: How can we intertwine our love of music with our love of the Buckeyes? Should we compare Ohio State athletes to our favorite musicians? Discuss how this year’s men’s basketball team has us singing the blues? Or do we just take our cues directly from the Grammys and attempt to make some sort of connection?
Ultimately, we settled on the latter and chose a Grammy category which we believe pertains to an OSU football player (or two).
Before we each state our case, I have to admit something. I was the driving force behind this topic, and I am pretty sure Gene thought I was nuts — no pun intended. But frankly, your boy was feeling topical. And even though the Grammys are wildly out of touch (see: Ozzy Osbourne and ABBA being nominated in the year 2023) I still watch them every year. So I’ll take the blame if this one falls flat. That’s what I am here for.
The Grammy category that I always find interesting is Best New Artist. Even though it is meant to recognize the music world’s “rookie” of the year, it is often given to an individual or group who has been on the scene for quite some time. Perhaps they put out an album or two in years prior, but it took a while for their music to reach the top of the charts.
Using the same standard or thought process, I felt I had some leeway in choosing my award recipient. So my Best New Artist (BNA) is/was not a freshman for the Buckeyes, but rather a breakout player in 2022. His name is Marvin Harrison Jr., a player who will likely receive a many awards in the future — of the football variety.
Harrison Jr. put out a single at the end of the 2021 season, and it was a certified banger (2022 Rose Bowl). However, the 2022 season became his true BNA campaign. Looking to fill the shoes of departed stars Chris Olave and/or Garrett Wilson, this second generation wideout quickly found himself performing on center stage. Due to the loss of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Harrison Jr. was called upon to step up and become the focal point of Ohio State’s passing game... Which is exactly what he did, in loud and resounding fashion.
After an 11-catch freshman season which I will refer to as dropping his EP, Route Man Marv put out a full length album in 2022, featuring tracks such as F*ck it, Marv Down There Somewhere, East Lansing Acrobatics, and Me Against the World (Happy Valley Remix). He blossomed into both a superstar and the best wide receiver in college football, all while brushing off defensive backs like Pusha T brushes off diss tracks. Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt may have won the 2022 Biletnikoff Award, but to quote DJ Khaled: We (really) the best (in Columbus).
Harrison Jr. finished his season with 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns, numbers which could have been better had he not been concussed during the Peach Bowl. However, 12.75 games was more than enough to cement his status as not only the Best New Artist, but also one of the best and most creative artists in the entire game. I expect him to be on the short list for Best Solo Performance or Record of the Year next year, as long as the Buckeyes’ quarterback play is up to snuff. And with Kyle McCord possibly acting as the ATL Jacob to Harrison Jr.’s Future, I expect just that — and then some.
J.T. Tuimoloau and Dallan Hayden were other nominees in the BNA category, but their track list(s) just could not compete with that of Harrison Jr. Too many chart-toppers, too many hits from Super Marv. Do not be surprised if he goes all Harry Styles or Beyonce on us next year, walking away with all the hardware. But this time around, in my scarlet and gray music scene, Harrison Jr. will just have to settle for Best New Artist.
I did indeed think Josh was a little nuts in his suggestion for this week’s topic, but after hearing him out and now reading how he made it work, I'm all in. Like Josh, I'm a big music guy, but unlike my counterpart I'm not a huge awards show guy, so I'm coming at this with a bit less expertise in the field. Still, I think my nominee has greatly earned his award in this year’s Buckeye Grammys.
My artist is being recognized for Song of the Year. A football season is very much like an album. It consists of 12-15 games (tracks), some good and some bad. Whereas the Song of the Year category in this analogy would point to the award going to a particular game, mine is going to the player (artist) that put that track on the charts and made it a hit rather than a flop. As such, my Song of the Year is being awarded to J.T. Tuimoloau for his performance against Penn State.
Ohio State’s matchups with Penn State for the last several years deserve an album on their own. Even though the Nittany Lions have only came away victorious once in the last 10 meetings — and it took a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown to do it — pretty much every game between the two programs has been close during that span. Even on years where Penn State is down and the Buckeyes are rolling, James Franklins guys find a way to make things interesting.
That was again the case in 2022, as the Nits gave Ohio State everything they could handle in Happy Valley back in October. Penn State held a 14-10 lead in the second quarter, a 21-16 lead in the fourth quarter, and had the ball back down just 23-21 with over eight minutes remaining and a chance to re-take the lead. The Buckeyes’ play-calling left a lot to be desired in that game, but the defense really came through en route to earning a 44-31 victory that was a lot closer than the final score would indicate.
The win was only made possible by J.T. Tuimoloau, whose performance is every bit worthy of his Song of the Year accolade. The Ohio State defensive end tallied a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six to really seal the deal for the Buckeyes’ final score of the afternoon, and also registered a sack-fumble, recovering the football himself, on that fourth quarter drive for Penn State that could have allowed them to re-gain the lead. That turnover would set up an immediate touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Cade Stover, and the rest is history.
Tuimoloau had one of the best individual performances for an Ohio State defensive player since Chase Young’s four-sack, five-TFL performance against Wisconsin in 2019. An edge rusher recording one interception is a rare feat, but TWO in the same game including a pick-six is unheard of. Pair that with his crucial sack fumble, one of two sacks for the sophomore on the day, and Tuimoloau could have earned himself EGOT status for his performance in that one game alone.
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
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Which Ohio State players will take home these (fake) awards?
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.
This week’s topic: The Buckeye Grammys
Josh’s Take
In honor of last night’s Grammy Awards, Gene and I decided to do a musical tie-in for this week’s installment of You’re Nuts. We thought: How can we intertwine our love of music with our love of the Buckeyes? Should we compare Ohio State athletes to our favorite musicians? Discuss how this year’s men’s basketball team has us singing the blues? Or do we just take our cues directly from the Grammys and attempt to make some sort of connection?
Ultimately, we settled on the latter and chose a Grammy category which we believe pertains to an OSU football player (or two).
Before we each state our case, I have to admit something. I was the driving force behind this topic, and I am pretty sure Gene thought I was nuts — no pun intended. But frankly, your boy was feeling topical. And even though the Grammys are wildly out of touch (see: Ozzy Osbourne and ABBA being nominated in the year 2023) I still watch them every year. So I’ll take the blame if this one falls flat. That’s what I am here for.
The Grammy category that I always find interesting is Best New Artist. Even though it is meant to recognize the music world’s “rookie” of the year, it is often given to an individual or group who has been on the scene for quite some time. Perhaps they put out an album or two in years prior, but it took a while for their music to reach the top of the charts.
Using the same standard or thought process, I felt I had some leeway in choosing my award recipient. So my Best New Artist (BNA) is/was not a freshman for the Buckeyes, but rather a breakout player in 2022. His name is Marvin Harrison Jr., a player who will likely receive a many awards in the future — of the football variety.
Harrison Jr. put out a single at the end of the 2021 season, and it was a certified banger (2022 Rose Bowl). However, the 2022 season became his true BNA campaign. Looking to fill the shoes of departed stars Chris Olave and/or Garrett Wilson, this second generation wideout quickly found himself performing on center stage. Due to the loss of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Harrison Jr. was called upon to step up and become the focal point of Ohio State’s passing game... Which is exactly what he did, in loud and resounding fashion.
After an 11-catch freshman season which I will refer to as dropping his EP, Route Man Marv put out a full length album in 2022, featuring tracks such as F*ck it, Marv Down There Somewhere, East Lansing Acrobatics, and Me Against the World (Happy Valley Remix). He blossomed into both a superstar and the best wide receiver in college football, all while brushing off defensive backs like Pusha T brushes off diss tracks. Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt may have won the 2022 Biletnikoff Award, but to quote DJ Khaled: We (really) the best (in Columbus).
Harrison Jr. finished his season with 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns, numbers which could have been better had he not been concussed during the Peach Bowl. However, 12.75 games was more than enough to cement his status as not only the Best New Artist, but also one of the best and most creative artists in the entire game. I expect him to be on the short list for Best Solo Performance or Record of the Year next year, as long as the Buckeyes’ quarterback play is up to snuff. And with Kyle McCord possibly acting as the ATL Jacob to Harrison Jr.’s Future, I expect just that — and then some.
J.T. Tuimoloau and Dallan Hayden were other nominees in the BNA category, but their track list(s) just could not compete with that of Harrison Jr. Too many chart-toppers, too many hits from Super Marv. Do not be surprised if he goes all Harry Styles or Beyonce on us next year, walking away with all the hardware. But this time around, in my scarlet and gray music scene, Harrison Jr. will just have to settle for Best New Artist.
Gene’s Take
I did indeed think Josh was a little nuts in his suggestion for this week’s topic, but after hearing him out and now reading how he made it work, I'm all in. Like Josh, I'm a big music guy, but unlike my counterpart I'm not a huge awards show guy, so I'm coming at this with a bit less expertise in the field. Still, I think my nominee has greatly earned his award in this year’s Buckeye Grammys.
My artist is being recognized for Song of the Year. A football season is very much like an album. It consists of 12-15 games (tracks), some good and some bad. Whereas the Song of the Year category in this analogy would point to the award going to a particular game, mine is going to the player (artist) that put that track on the charts and made it a hit rather than a flop. As such, my Song of the Year is being awarded to J.T. Tuimoloau for his performance against Penn State.
Ohio State’s matchups with Penn State for the last several years deserve an album on their own. Even though the Nittany Lions have only came away victorious once in the last 10 meetings — and it took a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown to do it — pretty much every game between the two programs has been close during that span. Even on years where Penn State is down and the Buckeyes are rolling, James Franklins guys find a way to make things interesting.
That was again the case in 2022, as the Nits gave Ohio State everything they could handle in Happy Valley back in October. Penn State held a 14-10 lead in the second quarter, a 21-16 lead in the fourth quarter, and had the ball back down just 23-21 with over eight minutes remaining and a chance to re-take the lead. The Buckeyes’ play-calling left a lot to be desired in that game, but the defense really came through en route to earning a 44-31 victory that was a lot closer than the final score would indicate.
The win was only made possible by J.T. Tuimoloau, whose performance is every bit worthy of his Song of the Year accolade. The Ohio State defensive end tallied a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six to really seal the deal for the Buckeyes’ final score of the afternoon, and also registered a sack-fumble, recovering the football himself, on that fourth quarter drive for Penn State that could have allowed them to re-gain the lead. That turnover would set up an immediate touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Cade Stover, and the rest is history.
Tuimoloau had one of the best individual performances for an Ohio State defensive player since Chase Young’s four-sack, five-TFL performance against Wisconsin in 2019. An edge rusher recording one interception is a rare feat, but TWO in the same game including a pick-six is unheard of. Pair that with his crucial sack fumble, one of two sacks for the sophomore on the day, and Tuimoloau could have earned himself EGOT status for his performance in that one game alone.
Continue reading...
LGHL 2024 offensive lineman sets return visit to Ohio State
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2024 offensive lineman sets return visit to Ohio State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 offensive lineman Andrew Dennis via @andrewdennis_08 on Twitter
A three-star offensive lineman from Michigan sets a return visit to Ohio State.
National Signing Day has come and gone, and it would be completely reasonable for those who follow Ohio State recruiting to forget that it even happened. The Buckeyes had officially wrapped up their 2023 recruiting class during the early signing period, so last Wednesday was a quiet one in Columbus.
With that over, the 2024 recruiting class is now in the driver’s seat. Expect Ohio State to continue to make the recruiting headlines.
For the month of February, the recruiting dead period is in place. While recruits are not able to visit schools of interest this month, they are already planning visits for March. Ohio State has seen multiple recruits already schedule visits, and we recently learned of a new March visit for the Buckeyes.
2024 three-star offensive lineman Andrew Dennis (Mount Pleasant, MI / Mt. Pleasant) announced on Sunday that he will be soon making a visit to Columbus.
Dennis is planning to visit Ohio State on March 7, but the visit will not be his first to Columbus. Dennis made his first trip to Columbus in October of last year for the Iowa game. While he did not leave the visit with an official scholarship offer, Dennis appeared to enjoy his visit and was able to spend time with members of the Ohio State coaching staff and some of Ohio State’s 2023 commitments.
As was previously mentioned, Dennis does not yet hold a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes. He does hold a dozen Division I offers from the likes of Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Louisville, Miami (Oh), Missouri, etc. If Ohio State decides to extend an offer following the upcoming visit, they would quickly jump to near the top of his list of offers.
Dennis is the No. 37 IOL in the 247Sports rankings and is the No. 17 recruit from Michigan.
Collins committed to Alabama in July of last year over the likes of Ohio State, LSU, South Carolina, Auburn, etc. Auburn appears to be the early favorite in Collins’ recruitment, but expect Ohio State to put in some effort in getting him in their class as he is once again available.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 offensive lineman Andrew Dennis via @andrewdennis_08 on Twitter
A three-star offensive lineman from Michigan sets a return visit to Ohio State.
National Signing Day has come and gone, and it would be completely reasonable for those who follow Ohio State recruiting to forget that it even happened. The Buckeyes had officially wrapped up their 2023 recruiting class during the early signing period, so last Wednesday was a quiet one in Columbus.
With that over, the 2024 recruiting class is now in the driver’s seat. Expect Ohio State to continue to make the recruiting headlines.
Andrew Dennis sets return visit
For the month of February, the recruiting dead period is in place. While recruits are not able to visit schools of interest this month, they are already planning visits for March. Ohio State has seen multiple recruits already schedule visits, and we recently learned of a new March visit for the Buckeyes.
2024 three-star offensive lineman Andrew Dennis (Mount Pleasant, MI / Mt. Pleasant) announced on Sunday that he will be soon making a visit to Columbus.
Dennis is planning to visit Ohio State on March 7, but the visit will not be his first to Columbus. Dennis made his first trip to Columbus in October of last year for the Iowa game. While he did not leave the visit with an official scholarship offer, Dennis appeared to enjoy his visit and was able to spend time with members of the Ohio State coaching staff and some of Ohio State’s 2023 commitments.
As was previously mentioned, Dennis does not yet hold a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes. He does hold a dozen Division I offers from the likes of Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Louisville, Miami (Oh), Missouri, etc. If Ohio State decides to extend an offer following the upcoming visit, they would quickly jump to near the top of his list of offers.
Dennis is the No. 37 IOL in the 247Sports rankings and is the No. 17 recruit from Michigan.
Quick Hits
- On Monday, Ohio State learned one of their targets in the 2024 class is now back on the table. Four-star ATH Martavious Collins decommitted from Alabama, and the Buckeyes will likely begin increasing their contact with him if they haven’t done so already. Collins projects as a tight end at the college level, and this is a position the Buckeyes have made a priority in this class.
Collins committed to Alabama in July of last year over the likes of Ohio State, LSU, South Carolina, Auburn, etc. Auburn appears to be the early favorite in Collins’ recruitment, but expect Ohio State to put in some effort in getting him in their class as he is once again available.
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LGHL LGHL Uncut Podcast: Justice Sueing, Bruce Thornton, Chris Holtmann discuss Ohio State’s most recent setback
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Justice Sueing, Bruce Thornton, Chris Holtmann discuss Ohio State’s most recent setback
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Ohio State’s freefall has yet to bottom out.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Following Ohio State’s 77-69 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor, the media was able to speak with Bruce Thornton, Justice Sueing, and Chris Holtmann about the loss, the losing streak, and what needs to improve to finish the season on a positive note.
Thornton spoke more than Sueing and was asked about the career-high 22 he scored in the loss. Thornton said he felt like he and the team were able to play “more free” than before, but that did not lead to a victory. Sueing insisted that this is a talented team that just keeps coming up a bit short.
Holtmann spoke about his team’s defense — or lack thereof — saying that his team was in a position several times to tie the game or make it a one-possession game and could not. He said there were several stretches of really good play, and the team brought good energy and motivation into this game. Despite that, the Buckeyes were not able to make the final push at any point in this game.
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Ohio State’s freefall has yet to bottom out.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant Holy Land 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 | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Following Ohio State’s 77-69 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor, the media was able to speak with Bruce Thornton, Justice Sueing, and Chris Holtmann about the loss, the losing streak, and what needs to improve to finish the season on a positive note.
Thornton spoke more than Sueing and was asked about the career-high 22 he scored in the loss. Thornton said he felt like he and the team were able to play “more free” than before, but that did not lead to a victory. Sueing insisted that this is a talented team that just keeps coming up a bit short.
Holtmann spoke about his team’s defense — or lack thereof — saying that his team was in a position several times to tie the game or make it a one-possession game and could not. He said there were several stretches of really good play, and the team brought good energy and motivation into this game. Despite that, the Buckeyes were not able to make the final push at any point in this game.
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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