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LGHL Player to Watch: After the memorable game against Penn State last year, J.T. Tuimoloau looking for more consistency in 2023
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Player to Watch: After the memorable game against Penn State last year, J.T. Tuimoloau looking for more consistency in 2023
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 Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even though the defensive end had a once-in-a-lifetime game against Penn State, he disappeared at times the rest of the year.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
Last year we saw one of the greatest individual defensive performances in college football history when J.T. Tuimoloau wreaked havoc against Penn State in State College. The defensive end recorded six tackles, with three of those stops being for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The 14-yard interception return for a touchdown with less than three minutes to go gave Ohio State a 44-24 lead in a game they would end up winning 44-31.
How good was Tuimoloau against Penn State? With two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, he became the first player in the 21st century to record those stats in a FBS game. The once-in-a-lifetime performance earned Tuimoloau plenty of honors following the game. Tuimoloau was named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, the Bednarik Award Player of the Week, and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
Even though Tuimoloau was named first team All-Big Ten by the coaches, it felt like the sophomore disappeared at times last season. Outside of the Penn State game, Tuimoloau recorded 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, and broke up five passes. The Buckeyes are going to need more consistency this year from Tuimoloau if the defense wants to be one of the best in the country. While the junior doesn’t have to put up numbers every game like he did against Penn State, he will need to make more of an impact than he did in the majority of the other games last year.
The type of game like Tuimoloau had against Penn State can be both a gift and a curse. Of course it’s going to feel amazing to take over a game in a hostile environment like Beaver Stadium, but after people can see you are capable of dominating a game, they expect you to play like that every week. After a while Tuimoloau probably has gotten sick of talking about the game and people wondering why he isn’t playing like that all the time.
As if trying to live up to the Penn State game wasn’t enough for Tuimoloau, he also has had to deal with being the highest-rated defensive prospect to sign with Ohio State in the modern recruiting era, which started in 2000. Over the last decade there have been great defensive ends like Chase Young and the Bosa brothers that have gone on to be top-five picks in the NFL Draft. With being a top recruit, many likely expected Tuimoloau to step in and dominate from day one.
Unfortunately, sometimes it isn’t that simple. Tuimoloau played in all 13 games during his freshman year, but signing with the Buckeyes late in the recruiting period kept him off the field more than he possibly could have been had he been an early enrollee at Ohio State. Also, it didn’t help that the defense in 2021 was a mess during the Kerry Coombs/Matt Barnes experiment. Last year Tuimoloau was able to familiarize himself with what defensive coordinator Jim Knowles wanted him to do on the field.
Despite being frustrated with Tuimoloau’s inconsistency at times last year, we have to remember that he is still only entering his junior season. There’s no reason to think Tuimoloau can’t get everything to click and make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks like he did to Sean Clifford last year. Not only has Tuimoloau gotten a taste of what it’s like to dominate a game, he also has one of the best defensive line coaches in college football history helping to try and make him the best he can be.
What should also help Tuimoloau this year is he has a ton of talent surrounding him on defense, pushing him to be even better. At the other end of the defensive line is Jack Sawyer, he was almost as highly-touted as Tuimoloau coming out of high school. With two outstanding defensive ends, it creates a big problem for opposing offensive coordinators as they have to decide how to allocate their resources to try and slow the duo down. If Tuimoloau is able to get into the backfield like we saw against Penn State, it makes life so much easier for the rest of the defense.
This feels like it could be a real breakout season for Tuimoloau. We have already seen how great he can be, now he just needs to show it on more of a consistent basis. Even though Tuimoloau loves the accolades and praise he has gotten for his big game, it also has to eat at him that he didn’t make as much of an impact throughout the season. There is likely going to be a chip of the junior’s shoulder this year as he works to show the rest of the college football world that he deserves to be in the conversation as one of the best defensive ends in the country, and NFL teams should be looking at him as a possible first round pick next year.
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 Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even though the defensive end had a once-in-a-lifetime game against Penn State, he disappeared at times the rest of the year.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
Last year we saw one of the greatest individual defensive performances in college football history when J.T. Tuimoloau wreaked havoc against Penn State in State College. The defensive end recorded six tackles, with three of those stops being for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The 14-yard interception return for a touchdown with less than three minutes to go gave Ohio State a 44-24 lead in a game they would end up winning 44-31.
How good was Tuimoloau against Penn State? With two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, he became the first player in the 21st century to record those stats in a FBS game. The once-in-a-lifetime performance earned Tuimoloau plenty of honors following the game. Tuimoloau was named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, the Bednarik Award Player of the Week, and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
Even though Tuimoloau was named first team All-Big Ten by the coaches, it felt like the sophomore disappeared at times last season. Outside of the Penn State game, Tuimoloau recorded 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, and broke up five passes. The Buckeyes are going to need more consistency this year from Tuimoloau if the defense wants to be one of the best in the country. While the junior doesn’t have to put up numbers every game like he did against Penn State, he will need to make more of an impact than he did in the majority of the other games last year.
The type of game like Tuimoloau had against Penn State can be both a gift and a curse. Of course it’s going to feel amazing to take over a game in a hostile environment like Beaver Stadium, but after people can see you are capable of dominating a game, they expect you to play like that every week. After a while Tuimoloau probably has gotten sick of talking about the game and people wondering why he isn’t playing like that all the time.
As if trying to live up to the Penn State game wasn’t enough for Tuimoloau, he also has had to deal with being the highest-rated defensive prospect to sign with Ohio State in the modern recruiting era, which started in 2000. Over the last decade there have been great defensive ends like Chase Young and the Bosa brothers that have gone on to be top-five picks in the NFL Draft. With being a top recruit, many likely expected Tuimoloau to step in and dominate from day one.
Unfortunately, sometimes it isn’t that simple. Tuimoloau played in all 13 games during his freshman year, but signing with the Buckeyes late in the recruiting period kept him off the field more than he possibly could have been had he been an early enrollee at Ohio State. Also, it didn’t help that the defense in 2021 was a mess during the Kerry Coombs/Matt Barnes experiment. Last year Tuimoloau was able to familiarize himself with what defensive coordinator Jim Knowles wanted him to do on the field.
Despite being frustrated with Tuimoloau’s inconsistency at times last year, we have to remember that he is still only entering his junior season. There’s no reason to think Tuimoloau can’t get everything to click and make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks like he did to Sean Clifford last year. Not only has Tuimoloau gotten a taste of what it’s like to dominate a game, he also has one of the best defensive line coaches in college football history helping to try and make him the best he can be.
What should also help Tuimoloau this year is he has a ton of talent surrounding him on defense, pushing him to be even better. At the other end of the defensive line is Jack Sawyer, he was almost as highly-touted as Tuimoloau coming out of high school. With two outstanding defensive ends, it creates a big problem for opposing offensive coordinators as they have to decide how to allocate their resources to try and slow the duo down. If Tuimoloau is able to get into the backfield like we saw against Penn State, it makes life so much easier for the rest of the defense.
This feels like it could be a real breakout season for Tuimoloau. We have already seen how great he can be, now he just needs to show it on more of a consistent basis. Even though Tuimoloau loves the accolades and praise he has gotten for his big game, it also has to eat at him that he didn’t make as much of an impact throughout the season. There is likely going to be a chip of the junior’s shoulder this year as he works to show the rest of the college football world that he deserves to be in the conversation as one of the best defensive ends in the country, and NFL teams should be looking at him as a possible first round pick next year.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 20
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 20
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 20 days remaining.
It would not be a true Ohio State countdown if we did not include fan-favorite Demario McCall scoring a touchdown. Spending some time on both sides of the ball over his six-year stint in Columbus, the Buckeyes never truly figured out how to best use the dynamic athlete. Still, McCall managed to rack up nearly 900 yards of total offense with eight total TDs on offense before switching to defense in 2021, where he played sparingly. A really fun player whenever he got on the field, it would be really interesting to see how Brian Hartline and Ryan Day would look to utilize his skillset in the current offense.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 20 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Demario McCall’s 20-yard TD vs. Rutgers (2016)
It would not be a true Ohio State countdown if we did not include fan-favorite Demario McCall scoring a touchdown. Spending some time on both sides of the ball over his six-year stint in Columbus, the Buckeyes never truly figured out how to best use the dynamic athlete. Still, McCall managed to rack up nearly 900 yards of total offense with eight total TDs on offense before switching to defense in 2021, where he played sparingly. A really fun player whenever he got on the field, it would be really interesting to see how Brian Hartline and Ryan Day would look to utilize his skillset in the current offense.
Players to Wear the #20 (since 2010):
- Russell Doup (2010-12)
- Nate Oliver (2010-11)
- Ross Oltorik (2012)
- Ron Tanner (2013-14)
- Devlin McDaniel (2014)
- Khaleed Franklin (2015-16)
- Pete Werner (2017-20)
- Dominic DiMaccio (2017-21)
- Arvell Reese (present)
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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 21
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 21
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Lon Horwedel/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 21 days remaining.
We’ve already shown a couple of plays from this game thus far during this countdown, but this easy 21-yard rushing touchdown for J.T. Barrett opened up the floodgates for Ohio State, who trailed 14-0 at the time but would outscore Michigan 31-6 the rest of the way en route to a 31-20 victory for the Buckeyes. A hobbled Barrett was not great through the air, going just 3-for-8 passing with 30 yards, but did manage to throw and run for a TD apiece before he was eventually replaced by Dwayne Haskins, and the rest is history.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Lon Horwedel/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 21 days remaining.
Play of the Day: J.T. Barrett’s 21-yard TD run vs. Michigan (2017)
We’ve already shown a couple of plays from this game thus far during this countdown, but this easy 21-yard rushing touchdown for J.T. Barrett opened up the floodgates for Ohio State, who trailed 14-0 at the time but would outscore Michigan 31-6 the rest of the way en route to a 31-20 victory for the Buckeyes. A hobbled Barrett was not great through the air, going just 3-for-8 passing with 30 yards, but did manage to throw and run for a TD apiece before he was eventually replaced by Dwayne Haskins, and the rest is history.
Players to Wear the #21 (since 2010):
- Jamie Wood (2010-12)
- Jake Russell (2011)
- Devlin McDaniel (2013)
- Parris Campbell (2014-18)
- Trevon Forte (2015-16)
- Marcus Williamson (2017-20)
- Palaie Gaoteote (2021-22)
- Evan Pryor (2021-present)
- Jayden Bonsu (present)
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LGHL Get ready for the season with this limited edition Training Camp Brutus bobblehead
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Get ready for the season with this limited edition Training Camp Brutus bobblehead
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Even mascots have to get into shape during fall camp!
Let’s be honest; it’s been over seven months since the football Buckeyes have been on the field for a real game and no matter the amount of scrimmages, film sessions, and trips to the weight room, there is still work to be done during fall camp... and the same applies to Brutus Buckeye.
Now, you can commemorate the start of a new season as hope springs eternal with a new training camp Brutus bobblehead from our friends at FOCO. This limited-edition item stands 8 inches tall and is completely hand-painted and depicts Brutus pushing a tackling dummy in front of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Brutus doesn’t exactly have great technique, he needs to get lower so that his pad level is beneath that of the player he’s blocking, but that’s nothing that a few fall practices couldn’t fix! In fact, you can help with that, because this bobblehead is interactive!
The bobble features Brutus standing atop a field and is connected to a lever on the side that allows you to move the nutty mascot across the field. The front of the base displays Brutus’s name alongside the Ohio State logo. Above the Woody is a sign that says “Back to Work” to remind Brutus that even mascots have to get back to the grind.
There are only 144 of these bobbleheads available, so you need to order yours right away. They sell for $95 and make the perfect addition to your Ohio State shrine in honor of the new football season!
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FOCO has been killing it with Ohio State bobbleheads in recent months. For Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead and following the NFL Draft, they released figures to celebrate the selections of C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then, last fall, they released an absolute must-have Brutus “Then and Now” bobblehead featuring the current and original versions of everybody’s favorite poisonous nut!
And in October 2022, to celebrate Halloween, the company released a “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobblehead featuring our boy Brutus in a picture-perfect Spooky Season costume. The company also released a Thanksgiving Day Parade-inspired Brutus bobblehead and a Brutus in Christmas pajamas in front of the fireplace bobblehead. Also, last summer, FOCO released very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead.
In addition, FOCO just released a pair of bobbleheads to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium. One features Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe. Also, OSU great Chris Olave got his own Gate Series bobblehead joining fellow former Buckeye greats Chase Young, Justin Fields, Cameron Heyward, Carlos Hyde, Joey Bosa, and Michael Thomas who had their boobleheads released last August.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has some other Americana Mascot options that you might be interested in as well.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24846378/College_Training_Camp_Bobbleheads.jpg)
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
Even mascots have to get into shape during fall camp!
Let’s be honest; it’s been over seven months since the football Buckeyes have been on the field for a real game and no matter the amount of scrimmages, film sessions, and trips to the weight room, there is still work to be done during fall camp... and the same applies to Brutus Buckeye.
Now, you can commemorate the start of a new season as hope springs eternal with a new training camp Brutus bobblehead from our friends at FOCO. This limited-edition item stands 8 inches tall and is completely hand-painted and depicts Brutus pushing a tackling dummy in front of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Brutus doesn’t exactly have great technique, he needs to get lower so that his pad level is beneath that of the player he’s blocking, but that’s nothing that a few fall practices couldn’t fix! In fact, you can help with that, because this bobblehead is interactive!
The bobble features Brutus standing atop a field and is connected to a lever on the side that allows you to move the nutty mascot across the field. The front of the base displays Brutus’s name alongside the Ohio State logo. Above the Woody is a sign that says “Back to Work” to remind Brutus that even mascots have to get back to the grind.
There are only 144 of these bobbleheads available, so you need to order yours right away. They sell for $95 and make the perfect addition to your Ohio State shrine in honor of the new football season!
Get Your Brutus Buckeye Training Camp Bobblehead Here!
FOCO has been killing it with Ohio State bobbleheads in recent months. For Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead and following the NFL Draft, they released figures to celebrate the selections of C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then, last fall, they released an absolute must-have Brutus “Then and Now” bobblehead featuring the current and original versions of everybody’s favorite poisonous nut!
And in October 2022, to celebrate Halloween, the company released a “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobblehead featuring our boy Brutus in a picture-perfect Spooky Season costume. The company also released a Thanksgiving Day Parade-inspired Brutus bobblehead and a Brutus in Christmas pajamas in front of the fireplace bobblehead. Also, last summer, FOCO released very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead.
In addition, FOCO just released a pair of bobbleheads to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium. One features Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe. Also, OSU great Chris Olave got his own Gate Series bobblehead joining fellow former Buckeye greats Chase Young, Justin Fields, Cameron Heyward, Carlos Hyde, Joey Bosa, and Michael Thomas who had their boobleheads released last August.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has some other Americana Mascot options that you might be interested in as well.
Continue reading...
LGHL Is Josh ‘Jimmy’ Simmons the key to Ohio State’s new-look offensive line?
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Is Josh ‘Jimmy’ Simmons the key to Ohio State’s new-look offensive line?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Offensive line is the biggest question for the Buckeyes this season, but the San Diego State transfer might just be the answer.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
For most of the college football world, I think it’s safe to say that their biggest questions about the Ohio State team coming into the 2023 season are at quarterback and in the defensive secondary. However, maybe it’s my scarlet and gray colored glasses, but I’m not really worried about those things.
Might there be a step back at QB? Yeah, I think there probably will be, but how big of a step is it going to be with a former five-star signal caller in a Ryan Day offense with all of those weapons at his disposal?
The secondary — especially the cornerbacks — was probably what stood between the Buckeyes and a national championship last season (even if it was far from the only issue on that team), but with a second year in Jim Knowles’ system, deeper ranks at both CB and safety, and a healthier (knock on wood) starting lineup, I truly believe that they have the chance to be a positive difference maker this season.
I think for those of us that follow the Buckeyes more closely than those in the college football world at large, there’s a legitimate case to be made that the biggest issue facing this year’s team is on the offensive line. With the key departures of Paris Johnson Jr., Dawand Jones, and Luke Wypler, an already shaky offensive line unit is being forced to fill some seriously gaping holes this fall. While arguments could be made that Jones and Wypler would have been better served to stay in Columbus for another year, that was not the path that either of them took, so Day and o-line coach Justin Frye are having to make do with what they’ve got.
Fortunately, there are a handful of guys who are returning, and should provide at least a little bit of stability. Donovan Jackson is back to start at guard, presumably on the left side. He will be accompanied on the other side by Matt Jones, who was also one of the stalwarts on last year’s line.
While Josh Fryar only played about one-third of what Jones did and a quarter of what Jackson did, he does come into the season with a somewhat substantial number of snaps under his belt, and based on what has been said about him throughout the offseason, it sounds like he is locked into one of the tackle spots... which one? We’ll get back to that.
At center, it seems that Carson Hinzman is leading that battle with Vic Cutler ahead of a still-injured Jakob James.
So, when I attempted to project Ohio State’s depth chart following the team’s first fall practice, I assumed that Fryar — given his experience in the program and at this level — he would be the left tackle and that San Diego State transfer Joshua Simmons would be on the right side. However, at his press conference earlier this week, Day dropped some interesting nuggets.
Not only is Simmons now practicing on the left side, but apparently he prefers to be called Jimmy instead of Josh or Joshua; so left tackle Jimmy Simmons it is. There are still three weeks before the Buckeyes kick off their season against Indiana, but if a player who only got to campus after spring practice is now getting the first team reps at what is considered the most important position on the offensive line — especially with a first-time starter at quarterback — then that’s saying something.
Simmons comes over from the Aztecs where he started all 13 of SDS’s games last season, totaling 799 snaps — which would put him between Jackson and Jones. Pro Football Focus doesn’t have him particularly highly rated, giving him a grade of 65.3 in pass blocking and 47.7 in run blocking. Those grades would be toward the bottom of the new OSU two-deep, but I don’t always put a lot of stock in PFF’s grades, especially when comparing across teams, schemes, and levels of competition.
However, he is a player who has started for a full season at the college level, albeit in the Mountain West. That being said, the Buckeye coaching staff kind of screwed the pooch when it came to the transfer portal. They were not very active at offensive line in the immediate post-regular season window. Admittedly, they were more focused on the College Football Playoff, but there were far more experienced and talented players available that go around than there were in the post-spring window.
While OSU did make overtures to some players in December, it felt half-hearted, at least publicly. So, they ended up bringing in Simmons in May and have been getting him acclimated to the program ever since. Now, just because he transferred in doesn’t mean that he was guaranteed the chance to start. Other players like Tegra Tshabola, Zen Michalski, and George Fitzpatrick seem to have been getting at least a little run with the 1s so far in camp, but to me, the most telling thing is that Simmons has seemingly supplanted Fryar on the blind side.
For better or for worse, the coaching staff knows what Fryar can do. They recruited him (to a certain degree), they have worked with him for years, he has been in the strength and conditioning program for multiple seasons, he is a known commodity. Simmons, on the other hand, is very much none of those things. Not only is he a relatively unknown to Day and Frye, but is also an unknown on the Power 5 level and on a national title contender. So, if the staff feels comfortable enough to run him out as the starter on the left side — and then to tell the media about it — that has to at least be an indication of a change in the pecking order on the offensive line.
Sure, that could be because Fryar just couldn’t hack it on the left side, so they went with the next most experienced option, but I don’t know if that tracks with this staff. While they appear to be more open to play young guys over veterans (look at the fact that 18-year-old Sonny Styles seems to be assured a starting safety spot), they only seem to do that when there is a demonstrable difference between the players. So, if it was close, I would assume that Fryar would get the nod on the left, and Simmons (if he is the next man up) would be on the right.
But, by moving Simmons to LT and having Fryar at RT, that tells me that the San Diego State transfer is significantly outperforming both Fryar and the rest of the tackle contenders. Now, I am not expecting this to mean that Simmons is the next Orlando Pace, or even that he will be an All-Conference caliber tackle, but it does give me a little bit of hope that the Buckeyes stumbled into a guy that can help solidify their o-line.
Having an experienced guy take that type of step forward takes a lot of pressure off of the Buckeyes to get a younger player ready to play perhaps before he’s ready. We all know that getting on the field is harder for offensive linemen than perhaps any other position in football, and if OSU was forced to get Fitzpatrick, Tshabola, or Michalski reps at tackle in games this season, that could have posed a problem with a conference game to open the season and a trip to South Bend just a few weeks later. But, being able to plug and play Simmons in at tackle, should have a ripple effect of solidifying the rest of the line and allowing the unit to develop some cohesion before the season starts.
There are still significant questions about the depth on the line — if someone goes down for a substantial amount of time, the Buckeyes could be in big trouble — but lining up Simmons, Jackson, Hinzman, Jones, and Fryar isn’t the worst thing that could happen to the offense. So, while I still have my doubts about what the group will do, and whether the offense as a whole can maintain the sky-high production of the last five years, if the line can at least work its way into a consistently steady unit, that could pay huge dividends for Ohio State this season.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Offensive line is the biggest question for the Buckeyes this season, but the San Diego State transfer might just be the answer.
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.
For most of the college football world, I think it’s safe to say that their biggest questions about the Ohio State team coming into the 2023 season are at quarterback and in the defensive secondary. However, maybe it’s my scarlet and gray colored glasses, but I’m not really worried about those things.
Might there be a step back at QB? Yeah, I think there probably will be, but how big of a step is it going to be with a former five-star signal caller in a Ryan Day offense with all of those weapons at his disposal?
The secondary — especially the cornerbacks — was probably what stood between the Buckeyes and a national championship last season (even if it was far from the only issue on that team), but with a second year in Jim Knowles’ system, deeper ranks at both CB and safety, and a healthier (knock on wood) starting lineup, I truly believe that they have the chance to be a positive difference maker this season.
I think for those of us that follow the Buckeyes more closely than those in the college football world at large, there’s a legitimate case to be made that the biggest issue facing this year’s team is on the offensive line. With the key departures of Paris Johnson Jr., Dawand Jones, and Luke Wypler, an already shaky offensive line unit is being forced to fill some seriously gaping holes this fall. While arguments could be made that Jones and Wypler would have been better served to stay in Columbus for another year, that was not the path that either of them took, so Day and o-line coach Justin Frye are having to make do with what they’ve got.
Fortunately, there are a handful of guys who are returning, and should provide at least a little bit of stability. Donovan Jackson is back to start at guard, presumably on the left side. He will be accompanied on the other side by Matt Jones, who was also one of the stalwarts on last year’s line.
While Josh Fryar only played about one-third of what Jones did and a quarter of what Jackson did, he does come into the season with a somewhat substantial number of snaps under his belt, and based on what has been said about him throughout the offseason, it sounds like he is locked into one of the tackle spots... which one? We’ll get back to that.
At center, it seems that Carson Hinzman is leading that battle with Vic Cutler ahead of a still-injured Jakob James.
So, when I attempted to project Ohio State’s depth chart following the team’s first fall practice, I assumed that Fryar — given his experience in the program and at this level — he would be the left tackle and that San Diego State transfer Joshua Simmons would be on the right side. However, at his press conference earlier this week, Day dropped some interesting nuggets.
Not only is Simmons now practicing on the left side, but apparently he prefers to be called Jimmy instead of Josh or Joshua; so left tackle Jimmy Simmons it is. There are still three weeks before the Buckeyes kick off their season against Indiana, but if a player who only got to campus after spring practice is now getting the first team reps at what is considered the most important position on the offensive line — especially with a first-time starter at quarterback — then that’s saying something.
Simmons comes over from the Aztecs where he started all 13 of SDS’s games last season, totaling 799 snaps — which would put him between Jackson and Jones. Pro Football Focus doesn’t have him particularly highly rated, giving him a grade of 65.3 in pass blocking and 47.7 in run blocking. Those grades would be toward the bottom of the new OSU two-deep, but I don’t always put a lot of stock in PFF’s grades, especially when comparing across teams, schemes, and levels of competition.
However, he is a player who has started for a full season at the college level, albeit in the Mountain West. That being said, the Buckeye coaching staff kind of screwed the pooch when it came to the transfer portal. They were not very active at offensive line in the immediate post-regular season window. Admittedly, they were more focused on the College Football Playoff, but there were far more experienced and talented players available that go around than there were in the post-spring window.
While OSU did make overtures to some players in December, it felt half-hearted, at least publicly. So, they ended up bringing in Simmons in May and have been getting him acclimated to the program ever since. Now, just because he transferred in doesn’t mean that he was guaranteed the chance to start. Other players like Tegra Tshabola, Zen Michalski, and George Fitzpatrick seem to have been getting at least a little run with the 1s so far in camp, but to me, the most telling thing is that Simmons has seemingly supplanted Fryar on the blind side.
For better or for worse, the coaching staff knows what Fryar can do. They recruited him (to a certain degree), they have worked with him for years, he has been in the strength and conditioning program for multiple seasons, he is a known commodity. Simmons, on the other hand, is very much none of those things. Not only is he a relatively unknown to Day and Frye, but is also an unknown on the Power 5 level and on a national title contender. So, if the staff feels comfortable enough to run him out as the starter on the left side — and then to tell the media about it — that has to at least be an indication of a change in the pecking order on the offensive line.
Sure, that could be because Fryar just couldn’t hack it on the left side, so they went with the next most experienced option, but I don’t know if that tracks with this staff. While they appear to be more open to play young guys over veterans (look at the fact that 18-year-old Sonny Styles seems to be assured a starting safety spot), they only seem to do that when there is a demonstrable difference between the players. So, if it was close, I would assume that Fryar would get the nod on the left, and Simmons (if he is the next man up) would be on the right.
But, by moving Simmons to LT and having Fryar at RT, that tells me that the San Diego State transfer is significantly outperforming both Fryar and the rest of the tackle contenders. Now, I am not expecting this to mean that Simmons is the next Orlando Pace, or even that he will be an All-Conference caliber tackle, but it does give me a little bit of hope that the Buckeyes stumbled into a guy that can help solidify their o-line.
Having an experienced guy take that type of step forward takes a lot of pressure off of the Buckeyes to get a younger player ready to play perhaps before he’s ready. We all know that getting on the field is harder for offensive linemen than perhaps any other position in football, and if OSU was forced to get Fitzpatrick, Tshabola, or Michalski reps at tackle in games this season, that could have posed a problem with a conference game to open the season and a trip to South Bend just a few weeks later. But, being able to plug and play Simmons in at tackle, should have a ripple effect of solidifying the rest of the line and allowing the unit to develop some cohesion before the season starts.
There are still significant questions about the depth on the line — if someone goes down for a substantial amount of time, the Buckeyes could be in big trouble — but lining up Simmons, Jackson, Hinzman, Jones, and Fryar isn’t the worst thing that could happen to the offense. So, while I still have my doubts about what the group will do, and whether the offense as a whole can maintain the sky-high production of the last five years, if the line can at least work its way into a consistently steady unit, that could pay huge dividends for Ohio State this season.
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