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LGHL Buckeye Heroes: The greatest offensive fireworks displays in Ohio State football history
- News
- 0 Replies
Buckeye Heroes: The greatest offensive fireworks displays in Ohio State football history
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State has had their fair share of elite offense, but which firework displays truly deserve the best of all time denotion.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
The Fourth of July brings a ton of festive activities centered around celebrating the United States’ declaration of independence from Great Britain all those years ago. Across the country barbecues are had, hot dogs are eaten at amusement parks, and the most famous tradition of them all is fireworks.
If you go anywhere across the country, you will see beautiful and extravagant shows of lights across the sky. In some areas, you may even see people playing with them in the street. But the one aspect about fireworks, they have come to be the metaphor most commonly used for explosive offenses when they are having an exciting game.
When an offense is churning, it may feel like a thousand little low-explosive pyrotechnic explosions. The ways it happens can be seen as the different colors, but the real reason I am talking so much about fireworks is not the festivities on July 4th.
As I looked to the sky from my apartment window and saw fireworks exploding, it got me thinking about the recent successes of Ohio State’s offenses – kind of messed up, right? In those thoughts, I wanted to take a look back and try to find some of the more explosive offenses in Ohio State’s history.
In this post-Fourth of July celebration, Ohio State has plenty of offenses to choose from.
This was not Woody Hayes’ national championship team, they also lost to Michigan. On this list though they might have been the most explosive offense in the Hayes era at Ohio State. There are quite a few teams with Archie Griffin that could have found their way onto this list, but in 1969 Ohio State ran the ball at will and put up huge numbers in the points category which was not the way Hayes tried to coach his teams to victory.
The 1969 Buckeye squad on offense averaged 42.6 points per game and obliterated their fair share of opponents in the process. Ohio State scored 62 points to open up the season against TCU and scored more than 40 points in seven out of nine games. This was an absurd performance from an offense during the time. With future head coach Earle Bruce calling the plays, iconic names like Rex Kern and Jim Otis led the Buckeyes to their most respective offensive year from a scoring standpoint under Hayes.
Is this the most explosive offense in school history, the numbers say no. Era-adjusted though, this offense scored at will and ran a lot of plays. Even if the changing ways of the game made Hayes’ blood boil at times, there is no question of the success he had when he bought into change. Just look what happened when Hayes bought into Bruce’s option playbook. Here’s 42 minutes of Ohio State taking on USC and O.J. Simpson in 1969 because why not.
The 1995 Ohio State offense was part of arguably the biggest “what if” team in the history of the Buckeyes’ football program. This group might not have had the most points per game or most yards per game in school history, This team was stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. Arguably John Cooper’s most talented team, he had a Heisman Trophy winner in Eddie George, and the rest of the group wasn’t too bad either.
George led the offense with 2,344 yards out of the backfield with 25 touchdowns to go with it. To add to the George effort, the great Terry Glenn added 1411 yards and 17 touchdowns on the other side of Bobby Hoying’s throws. The highlights and explosive plays were plentiful, and the Buckeyes definitely rode their workhorse back George.
In front of him, Orlando Pace meaning the Buckeyes might have had their best running back and best offensive linemen in school history at the same time. There are not a lot of defenses that could have slowed this group down, but unfortunately, like much of the Cooper era, the Buckeyes fell short in the end.
The 2014 offense was so underrated despite winning a national championship, what Tom Herman and Urban Meyer were able to do with a backup quarterback was absurd. Ohio State’s offense from 2014 is in the top-5 in almost every major statistical category. Rushing yards, yards per rush attempt, passing yards, yards per pass attempt, and they averaged 44.8 points per game.
Now looking at the stats, you might tell me the 2013 offense was better. The only thing about that is they did not win the championship, the 2014 team did. Now Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde were a dynamic tandem, but the group after truly exemplified offensive explosiveness once they got rolling. The Buckeyes scored more than 30 points in all but one game that year en route to a national championship.
Getting into the names, J.T. Barrett led the way yardage wise doing his best to minimize the loss of Braxton Miller. At receiver Michael Thomas took a leap, Jalin Marshall provided an all-around game in the slot, and Devin Smith continued his downfield dominance. On the line, the Buckeyes might have had their best group of the decade with multiple NFL players up front.
This offense was truly elite, and where would Ohio State be if the Buckeyes did not land quarterback Justin Fields? When you look at the offensive football at Ohio State changing to the modern era, this is where it starts. 2018 wasn’t an explosive offense year, but it had to be behind Dwayne Haskins. The offense in 2018 compared to 2019 was also more individual effort and lack of adapting by Urban Meyer to go all-in on the modern passing game.
Justin Fields was dynamic throwing the ball, and this was the year Ohio State got their first taste of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave playing together. J.K. Dobbins ran for over 2000 yards and K.J. Hill caught everything thrown his direction. Talent for talent, this might be the best group on the list despite only Dobbins having his career-best season.
The 2019 offense averaged 46.9 points per game which was the most in school history. They ranked in the top-5 in every major offensive category in school history, and the Buckeyes exceeded media expectations winning the Big Ten, and making the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State 1917: The 1917 team was one of the first, if not, the first great team in Ohio State’s history. Led by Chic Harley, the Buckeyes outscored opponents 292-6 and somehow did not win a national championship under John Wilce that season. I guess that is what happens when the schedule includes Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, and Camp Sherman (Chillicothe).
Ohio State 2006: Tressel Ball had its way of endearing itself onto the Buckeye faithful, but the few times Ohio State had the horses the man in the sweater vest let it rip. Given his avoidance of anything with pace of play, the anti-Chip Kelly still found himself behind one of the best offenses in school history. The names on this squad include Heisman Winner Troy Smith, receivers Anthony Gonzalez, Brian Hartline, Brian Robiskie, and Ted Ginn Jr. They lived up to expectations.
There are years of great offenses to look back on at Ohio State, and even with differing eras the offensive talent has always been in the upper echelon throughout the country. Over the years the Buckeyes have had multiple Heisman Winners, conference record holders, and great individual efforts. When a group comes together offensively at Ohio State, the results usually have the Buckeyes in contention to win trophies.
On the flip side, the lesson I have learned from writing this article, a balanced team is better for winning a national title. All of the teams on the list were absolutely dynamic offensively, they also all fell short of the ultimate goal in winning a national championship. For the Buckeyes this year, they will be one of the more electric groups in the country. The history they are apart of will be decided in how the offense performs when it matters most.
To take this back to the beginning, there is nothing more annoying than fireworks being set off by neighbors weeks before any holiday they are part of the celebration. When the time is right and everything comes together, fireworks can truly be spectacular. This to say, there is nothing more frustrating than wasting all-time great offenses. The Buckeyes have done that quite a bit outside of the 2014 squad.
Offense is fun, but without a defense it likely won’t be enough to win a championship. We’re in the best offensive era in school history, not it is time to turn that into a trophy.
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
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State has had their fair share of elite offense, but which firework displays truly deserve the best of all time denotion.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
The Fourth of July brings a ton of festive activities centered around celebrating the United States’ declaration of independence from Great Britain all those years ago. Across the country barbecues are had, hot dogs are eaten at amusement parks, and the most famous tradition of them all is fireworks.
If you go anywhere across the country, you will see beautiful and extravagant shows of lights across the sky. In some areas, you may even see people playing with them in the street. But the one aspect about fireworks, they have come to be the metaphor most commonly used for explosive offenses when they are having an exciting game.
When an offense is churning, it may feel like a thousand little low-explosive pyrotechnic explosions. The ways it happens can be seen as the different colors, but the real reason I am talking so much about fireworks is not the festivities on July 4th.
As I looked to the sky from my apartment window and saw fireworks exploding, it got me thinking about the recent successes of Ohio State’s offenses – kind of messed up, right? In those thoughts, I wanted to take a look back and try to find some of the more explosive offenses in Ohio State’s history.
In this post-Fourth of July celebration, Ohio State has plenty of offenses to choose from.
Ohio State 1969
This was not Woody Hayes’ national championship team, they also lost to Michigan. On this list though they might have been the most explosive offense in the Hayes era at Ohio State. There are quite a few teams with Archie Griffin that could have found their way onto this list, but in 1969 Ohio State ran the ball at will and put up huge numbers in the points category which was not the way Hayes tried to coach his teams to victory.
The 1969 Buckeye squad on offense averaged 42.6 points per game and obliterated their fair share of opponents in the process. Ohio State scored 62 points to open up the season against TCU and scored more than 40 points in seven out of nine games. This was an absurd performance from an offense during the time. With future head coach Earle Bruce calling the plays, iconic names like Rex Kern and Jim Otis led the Buckeyes to their most respective offensive year from a scoring standpoint under Hayes.
Is this the most explosive offense in school history, the numbers say no. Era-adjusted though, this offense scored at will and ran a lot of plays. Even if the changing ways of the game made Hayes’ blood boil at times, there is no question of the success he had when he bought into change. Just look what happened when Hayes bought into Bruce’s option playbook. Here’s 42 minutes of Ohio State taking on USC and O.J. Simpson in 1969 because why not.
Ohio State 1995
The 1995 Ohio State offense was part of arguably the biggest “what if” team in the history of the Buckeyes’ football program. This group might not have had the most points per game or most yards per game in school history, This team was stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. Arguably John Cooper’s most talented team, he had a Heisman Trophy winner in Eddie George, and the rest of the group wasn’t too bad either.
George led the offense with 2,344 yards out of the backfield with 25 touchdowns to go with it. To add to the George effort, the great Terry Glenn added 1411 yards and 17 touchdowns on the other side of Bobby Hoying’s throws. The highlights and explosive plays were plentiful, and the Buckeyes definitely rode their workhorse back George.
In front of him, Orlando Pace meaning the Buckeyes might have had their best running back and best offensive linemen in school history at the same time. There are not a lot of defenses that could have slowed this group down, but unfortunately, like much of the Cooper era, the Buckeyes fell short in the end.
Ohio State 2014
The 2014 offense was so underrated despite winning a national championship, what Tom Herman and Urban Meyer were able to do with a backup quarterback was absurd. Ohio State’s offense from 2014 is in the top-5 in almost every major statistical category. Rushing yards, yards per rush attempt, passing yards, yards per pass attempt, and they averaged 44.8 points per game.
Now looking at the stats, you might tell me the 2013 offense was better. The only thing about that is they did not win the championship, the 2014 team did. Now Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde were a dynamic tandem, but the group after truly exemplified offensive explosiveness once they got rolling. The Buckeyes scored more than 30 points in all but one game that year en route to a national championship.
Getting into the names, J.T. Barrett led the way yardage wise doing his best to minimize the loss of Braxton Miller. At receiver Michael Thomas took a leap, Jalin Marshall provided an all-around game in the slot, and Devin Smith continued his downfield dominance. On the line, the Buckeyes might have had their best group of the decade with multiple NFL players up front.
Ohio State 2019
This offense was truly elite, and where would Ohio State be if the Buckeyes did not land quarterback Justin Fields? When you look at the offensive football at Ohio State changing to the modern era, this is where it starts. 2018 wasn’t an explosive offense year, but it had to be behind Dwayne Haskins. The offense in 2018 compared to 2019 was also more individual effort and lack of adapting by Urban Meyer to go all-in on the modern passing game.
Justin Fields was dynamic throwing the ball, and this was the year Ohio State got their first taste of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave playing together. J.K. Dobbins ran for over 2000 yards and K.J. Hill caught everything thrown his direction. Talent for talent, this might be the best group on the list despite only Dobbins having his career-best season.
The 2019 offense averaged 46.9 points per game which was the most in school history. They ranked in the top-5 in every major offensive category in school history, and the Buckeyes exceeded media expectations winning the Big Ten, and making the College Football Playoff.
Honorable Mentions
Ohio State 1917: The 1917 team was one of the first, if not, the first great team in Ohio State’s history. Led by Chic Harley, the Buckeyes outscored opponents 292-6 and somehow did not win a national championship under John Wilce that season. I guess that is what happens when the schedule includes Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, and Camp Sherman (Chillicothe).
Ohio State 2006: Tressel Ball had its way of endearing itself onto the Buckeye faithful, but the few times Ohio State had the horses the man in the sweater vest let it rip. Given his avoidance of anything with pace of play, the anti-Chip Kelly still found himself behind one of the best offenses in school history. The names on this squad include Heisman Winner Troy Smith, receivers Anthony Gonzalez, Brian Hartline, Brian Robiskie, and Ted Ginn Jr. They lived up to expectations.
There are years of great offenses to look back on at Ohio State, and even with differing eras the offensive talent has always been in the upper echelon throughout the country. Over the years the Buckeyes have had multiple Heisman Winners, conference record holders, and great individual efforts. When a group comes together offensively at Ohio State, the results usually have the Buckeyes in contention to win trophies.
On the flip side, the lesson I have learned from writing this article, a balanced team is better for winning a national title. All of the teams on the list were absolutely dynamic offensively, they also all fell short of the ultimate goal in winning a national championship. For the Buckeyes this year, they will be one of the more electric groups in the country. The history they are apart of will be decided in how the offense performs when it matters most.
To take this back to the beginning, there is nothing more annoying than fireworks being set off by neighbors weeks before any holiday they are part of the celebration. When the time is right and everything comes together, fireworks can truly be spectacular. This to say, there is nothing more frustrating than wasting all-time great offenses. The Buckeyes have done that quite a bit outside of the 2014 squad.
Offense is fun, but without a defense it likely won’t be enough to win a championship. We’re in the best offensive era in school history, not it is time to turn that into a trophy.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State is expecting a major BOOM today as 2024 four-star defensive back set to commit
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State is expecting a major BOOM today as 2024 four-star defensive back set to commit
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Miles Lockhart | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are hopeful they’ll add 2024 cornerback, Miles Lockhart to their class.
Like everybody else, Ohio State’s staff deserves a little vacation every once in a while, and the Buckeye coaches are enjoying some much-needed time away right now. With the hectic month of June camps now in the rearview mirror, Ryan Day and his crew can sit back for a moment or two and see the fruits of their labor hopefully begin to take hold.
Putting in countless hours of work with official visitors and even evaluations, Ohio State’s June was as busy as could be and the goal is to see some rewards for their efforts. A few instances of good news have already presented themselves and later today could be the next in a line of many more BOOOOOMing good things to come.
It might sound ironic because he’s yet to be committed, but the recruitment of Arizona native Miles Lockhart has been one of the easier processes to follow. The four-star defensive back was offered by Ohio State last June and since then, it’s seemingly been all Buckeyes. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback has tallied up an impressive offer list with over 20 schools in the mix, and though programs such as Oregon, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, and a host of others fall under that category, OSU has far and away been the heavy favorite throughout.
Simply put, this recruitment has been pretty easy to keep track of because Lockhart hasn’t waivered from his interest in Ohio State. Making it clear publicly numerous times, he’s been vocal that the Buckeyes are the team to beat and he hasn’t been shy about that being the case for some time. Hearing from multiple analysts, this is a recruitment that’s a breath of fresh air for many. Not to place any blame on other top targets, but Lockhart has just been direct in his desires. You can’t fault a kid for wanting to go through the process and even enjoy the attention that recruitment can bring, but Miles certainly has been a welcomed difference.
Announce his commitment in just a few hours, the Buckeyes are the team to beat and it would be a complete shock if Ohio State isn’t the pick here. Tallying up another 247Sports crystal ball prediction last night, every single submission is in favor of the Buckeyes, including many from the top analysts in the country who can be trusted to make the right call.
The No. 365 player nationally, Lockhart is the 33rd-best cornerback in the country and the eighth-best player in Arizona for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite grades. Maybe not the highest-ranked cornerback, Ohio State has no trouble with where he’s currently slated as he has long been a priority on the team’s board and should be a major addition to the class when all is said and done. As the second CB in the class — joining Bryce West — there are likely two spots more spots at the position in the Buckeyes’ class, and Ohio State knows exactly who it wants to claim them.
Some advice here, be excited about this commitment if it does come to pass. While some higher-ranked targets are out there and getting close to deciding their own fate, if this does end up going in favor of the Buckeyes, celebrate what is clearly a kid dedicated to the program and doing things the right way. It’s just a matter of time now, but a BOOM should be coming!
While any offered player is worth watching, Gude would be a pretty big surprise if he chose the Buckeyes. At any rate, Ohio State is still in a good position with some of its top targets at the safety position and will continue to put in the work until at least one is added to the mix.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Miles Lockhart | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are hopeful they’ll add 2024 cornerback, Miles Lockhart to their class.
Like everybody else, Ohio State’s staff deserves a little vacation every once in a while, and the Buckeye coaches are enjoying some much-needed time away right now. With the hectic month of June camps now in the rearview mirror, Ryan Day and his crew can sit back for a moment or two and see the fruits of their labor hopefully begin to take hold.
Putting in countless hours of work with official visitors and even evaluations, Ohio State’s June was as busy as could be and the goal is to see some rewards for their efforts. A few instances of good news have already presented themselves and later today could be the next in a line of many more BOOOOOMing good things to come.
Buckeyes looking for another BOOM later today
It might sound ironic because he’s yet to be committed, but the recruitment of Arizona native Miles Lockhart has been one of the easier processes to follow. The four-star defensive back was offered by Ohio State last June and since then, it’s seemingly been all Buckeyes. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback has tallied up an impressive offer list with over 20 schools in the mix, and though programs such as Oregon, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, and a host of others fall under that category, OSU has far and away been the heavy favorite throughout.
Simply put, this recruitment has been pretty easy to keep track of because Lockhart hasn’t waivered from his interest in Ohio State. Making it clear publicly numerous times, he’s been vocal that the Buckeyes are the team to beat and he hasn’t been shy about that being the case for some time. Hearing from multiple analysts, this is a recruitment that’s a breath of fresh air for many. Not to place any blame on other top targets, but Lockhart has just been direct in his desires. You can’t fault a kid for wanting to go through the process and even enjoy the attention that recruitment can bring, but Miles certainly has been a welcomed difference.
Announce his commitment in just a few hours, the Buckeyes are the team to beat and it would be a complete shock if Ohio State isn’t the pick here. Tallying up another 247Sports crystal ball prediction last night, every single submission is in favor of the Buckeyes, including many from the top analysts in the country who can be trusted to make the right call.
The No. 365 player nationally, Lockhart is the 33rd-best cornerback in the country and the eighth-best player in Arizona for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite grades. Maybe not the highest-ranked cornerback, Ohio State has no trouble with where he’s currently slated as he has long been a priority on the team’s board and should be a major addition to the class when all is said and done. As the second CB in the class — joining Bryce West — there are likely two spots more spots at the position in the Buckeyes’ class, and Ohio State knows exactly who it wants to claim them.
Some advice here, be excited about this commitment if it does come to pass. While some higher-ranked targets are out there and getting close to deciding their own fate, if this does end up going in favor of the Buckeyes, celebrate what is clearly a kid dedicated to the program and doing things the right way. It’s just a matter of time now, but a BOOM should be coming!
Quick Hits:
- Also set to decide later today is 2024 defensive back Jakob Gude. The four-star safety has an impressive offer list of over 20 schools and the Buckeyes are one of them. Though Ohio State has been in the mix down the stretch, Gude is likely headed to UCF as the lone crystal ball prediction favors him heading to Orlando, Florida.
While any offered player is worth watching, Gude would be a pretty big surprise if he chose the Buckeyes. At any rate, Ohio State is still in a good position with some of its top targets at the safety position and will continue to put in the work until at least one is added to the mix.
Continue reading...
LGHL No, LSU isn’t better at producing wide receivers than Ohio State football
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- 0 Replies
No, LSU isn’t better at producing wide receivers than Ohio State football
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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Don’t let some silly point system make you think otherwise, just use some common sense.
Hopefully you spent your 4th of July doing better things than trying to process an asinine column that argues LSU is better at producing wide receivers than Ohio State. Then again, it’s not like we haven’t had to deal with clown material from the author. Just remember back to 2021 when it seemed like every Sunday we were raging about the ridiculous rankings that Young gave us as we worked our way through the college football season.
It doesn’t take long to find the first mistake from Young, as he says Michael Jenkins was a fourth round pick in 2004, when he was actually drafted in the first round with the 29th overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. At least Young didn’t screw up the other Buckeye wide receiver drafted in 2004, as he correctly mentioned that Drew Carter was selected in the fifth round.
Not acknowledging Jenkins as a first round pick skews his point system, which gives schools 15 points for producing a first round pick. Not that it was enough to put Ohio State ahead of LSU, but it is sets the table for how bad this all is.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24771991/72546679.jpg "Sugar Bowl X")
There are some receivers on this list that were great at the college level, but their talents didn’t translate at the professional level. Take Josh Reed, who won the Biletnikoff Award and was a second round pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 2003 NFL Draft. As a Bills fan, I watched Reed in the NFL, and he just wasn’t very good. He never caught more than 60 passes, accumulated more than 600 yards receiving in a season, and he only caught 10 career touchdowns. I am well aware that the Bills didn’t have good quarterbacks during that stretch, but Reed was always a player we were expecting more from.
An LSU wide receiver that I totally forgot about was Buster Davis, who was drafted with the 30th overall pick by the Chargers in the 2007 NFL Draft. Then again, it is easy to forget about Davis since he did nothing in the NFL. In 25 games, Davis caught just 51 catches for 558 yards, with two of those catches resulting in touchdowns. At least Dwayne Bowe lived up to the hype when he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the first round of the same draft.
Another suspect first round pick out of LSU was Michael Clayton, who was taken 15th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Clayton was outstanding in college, catching 182 passes for 2,582 yards, and 21 touchdowns in three years with the Tigers. Clayton barely surpassed those numbers in the NFL, hauling in 223 passes for 2,955 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clayton had a strong rookie season with Tampa Bay, catching 80 passes for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns. Following his first campaign at the professional level, Clayton didn’t do much of anything.
Not that Ohio State doesn’t have their own questionable first round picks. Anthony Gonzalez was selected with the last pick of the first round in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. While the former Buckeye was working his way towards becoming a trusted target of Peyton Manning, injuries slowed the momentum and Gonzalez caught just five passes after his first two years in the NFL. Ted Ginn Jr. was taken earlier in the same draft as Gonzalez and was mocked for his lack of production early in his career, but Ginn went on to play in nearly 200 games, and played in a couple Super Bowls.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24771993/71950374.jpg "Cincinnati Bearcats v Ohio State Buckeyes")
So where am I going with all this? I just feel like LSU has more forgettable wide receivers that they’re getting credit for than Ohio State does. Do you remember Malachi Dupre? Skyler Green? James Wright? If you do, you need to go and stand over there with the sickos. By comparison, there aren’t nearly as many receivers from Ohio State that don’t end up doing anything in the NFL. Noah Brown was a seventh round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he is still a contributing member of the receiving corps of the Dallas Cowboys.
I certainly will give LSU credit for producing two of the best wide receivers in the NFL right now in Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. Ohio State is right there, though. Terry McLaurin has been great for a bad Washington team. Garrett Wilson’s stock will only go up as he has a real quarterback throwing the football to him this year, and we should see Chris Olave get even better this year now that Derek Carr is the quarterback in New Orleans.
All that, and we haven’t even mentioned Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is a great fit in Seattle, or Marvin Harrison Jr., who is primed to be Ohio State’s first Biletnikoff Award winner since 1995, and will likely be the best receiver out of all those mentioned here.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and I’ve been told a few times that my opinions are terrible. Still, I just don’t get the love for LSU here, even with the point system that is used. The Tigers have put a few more receivers in the NFL, but they also have had more receivers that didn’t do much of anything at the professional level. While some will argue LSU is better at producing wide receivers, I’ll argue that Ohio State is better at producing receivers that are ready to contribute in the pros.
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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Don’t let some silly point system make you think otherwise, just use some common sense.
Hopefully you spent your 4th of July doing better things than trying to process an asinine column that argues LSU is better at producing wide receivers than Ohio State. Then again, it’s not like we haven’t had to deal with clown material from the author. Just remember back to 2021 when it seemed like every Sunday we were raging about the ridiculous rankings that Young gave us as we worked our way through the college football season.
It doesn’t take long to find the first mistake from Young, as he says Michael Jenkins was a fourth round pick in 2004, when he was actually drafted in the first round with the 29th overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. At least Young didn’t screw up the other Buckeye wide receiver drafted in 2004, as he correctly mentioned that Drew Carter was selected in the fifth round.
Not acknowledging Jenkins as a first round pick skews his point system, which gives schools 15 points for producing a first round pick. Not that it was enough to put Ohio State ahead of LSU, but it is sets the table for how bad this all is.
There are some receivers on this list that were great at the college level, but their talents didn’t translate at the professional level. Take Josh Reed, who won the Biletnikoff Award and was a second round pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 2003 NFL Draft. As a Bills fan, I watched Reed in the NFL, and he just wasn’t very good. He never caught more than 60 passes, accumulated more than 600 yards receiving in a season, and he only caught 10 career touchdowns. I am well aware that the Bills didn’t have good quarterbacks during that stretch, but Reed was always a player we were expecting more from.
An LSU wide receiver that I totally forgot about was Buster Davis, who was drafted with the 30th overall pick by the Chargers in the 2007 NFL Draft. Then again, it is easy to forget about Davis since he did nothing in the NFL. In 25 games, Davis caught just 51 catches for 558 yards, with two of those catches resulting in touchdowns. At least Dwayne Bowe lived up to the hype when he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the first round of the same draft.
Another suspect first round pick out of LSU was Michael Clayton, who was taken 15th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Clayton was outstanding in college, catching 182 passes for 2,582 yards, and 21 touchdowns in three years with the Tigers. Clayton barely surpassed those numbers in the NFL, hauling in 223 passes for 2,955 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clayton had a strong rookie season with Tampa Bay, catching 80 passes for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns. Following his first campaign at the professional level, Clayton didn’t do much of anything.
Not that Ohio State doesn’t have their own questionable first round picks. Anthony Gonzalez was selected with the last pick of the first round in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. While the former Buckeye was working his way towards becoming a trusted target of Peyton Manning, injuries slowed the momentum and Gonzalez caught just five passes after his first two years in the NFL. Ted Ginn Jr. was taken earlier in the same draft as Gonzalez and was mocked for his lack of production early in his career, but Ginn went on to play in nearly 200 games, and played in a couple Super Bowls.
So where am I going with all this? I just feel like LSU has more forgettable wide receivers that they’re getting credit for than Ohio State does. Do you remember Malachi Dupre? Skyler Green? James Wright? If you do, you need to go and stand over there with the sickos. By comparison, there aren’t nearly as many receivers from Ohio State that don’t end up doing anything in the NFL. Noah Brown was a seventh round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he is still a contributing member of the receiving corps of the Dallas Cowboys.
I certainly will give LSU credit for producing two of the best wide receivers in the NFL right now in Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. Ohio State is right there, though. Terry McLaurin has been great for a bad Washington team. Garrett Wilson’s stock will only go up as he has a real quarterback throwing the football to him this year, and we should see Chris Olave get even better this year now that Derek Carr is the quarterback in New Orleans.
All that, and we haven’t even mentioned Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is a great fit in Seattle, or Marvin Harrison Jr., who is primed to be Ohio State’s first Biletnikoff Award winner since 1995, and will likely be the best receiver out of all those mentioned here.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and I’ve been told a few times that my opinions are terrible. Still, I just don’t get the love for LSU here, even with the point system that is used. The Tigers have put a few more receivers in the NFL, but they also have had more receivers that didn’t do much of anything at the professional level. While some will argue LSU is better at producing wide receivers, I’ll argue that Ohio State is better at producing receivers that are ready to contribute in the pros.
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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 58
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 58
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 Ben Jackson/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 58 days remaining.
The first but certainly not the last time the Route Man will be featured on our Ohio State countdown, this time Marvin Harrison Jr. takes it 58-yards to the crib against Indiana in 2022. Stroud had an easy day picking apart the Hoosier secondary, passing for just under 300 yards and five touchdowns, with Harrison Jr. his favorite target at seven catches for 147 yards and the score. The run game was equally effective, as Miyan Williams and Dallan Hayden combined for 249 yards on the ground and a TD apiece in a 56-14 rout for the home team.
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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 Ben Jackson/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 58 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 58-yard TD vs. Indiana (2022)
The first but certainly not the last time the Route Man will be featured on our Ohio State countdown, this time Marvin Harrison Jr. takes it 58-yards to the crib against Indiana in 2022. Stroud had an easy day picking apart the Hoosier secondary, passing for just under 300 yards and five touchdowns, with Harrison Jr. his favorite target at seven catches for 147 yards and the score. The run game was equally effective, as Miyan Williams and Dallan Hayden combined for 249 yards on the ground and a TD apiece in a 56-14 rout for the home team.
Players to Wear the #58 (since 2010):
- Nick Piening (2010)
- Joshua Alabi (2015-19)
- Ty Hamilton (2020-present)
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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 59
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 59
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 Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/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 60 days remaining.
In my eyes, there was no other moment I could use to represent 59 days remaining until Ohio State’s season than the Buckeyes’ historic 59-0 beatdown of Wisconsin in the 2014 Big Ten Championship game. Cardale Jones aired it out for 257 yards and three touchdowns while Ezekiel Elliott went off for 220 rushing yards and two scores, including a long 81-yard TD run. Ohio State’s defense was stifling, forcing four turnovers — one of which a Joey Bosa fumble return TD that really put the game on ice before halftime. This was one of the most dominant performances you will see on this type of stage.
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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 Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/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 60 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Ohio State defeats Wisconsin 59-0 in B1G Title (2014)
In my eyes, there was no other moment I could use to represent 59 days remaining until Ohio State’s season than the Buckeyes’ historic 59-0 beatdown of Wisconsin in the 2014 Big Ten Championship game. Cardale Jones aired it out for 257 yards and three touchdowns while Ezekiel Elliott went off for 220 rushing yards and two scores, including a long 81-yard TD run. Ohio State’s defense was stifling, forcing four turnovers — one of which a Joey Bosa fumble return TD that really put the game on ice before halftime. This was one of the most dominant performances you will see on this type of stage.
Players to Wear the #59 (since 2010):
- Sam Longo (2009-10)
- Stewart Smith (2010-12)
- Tyquan Lewis (2013-16)
- Isaiah Prince (2015-18)
- Zach Stevenson (2019-21)
- Darrion Henry-Young (2020-21)
- Victor Cutler Jr. (present)
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LGHL You’re Nuts: ‘Buckeye Heros’ - Favorite OSU player you saw in-person
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You’re Nuts: ‘Buckeye Heros’ - Favorite OSU player you saw in-person
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Which former Buckeye stood out to you the most at the Horseshoe.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
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: Favorite Ohio State player you saw in-person
This week’s LGHL content theme is Buckeye Heroes, and I gotta be honest, I had trouble drawing a clear line between ‘Favorite Buckeye’ (not a thing, other than in my head) and the aforementioned theme. That, and ever since I joined LGHL, I have admittedly experienced a bit of trouble... err, frustration... trying to encapsulate the heroics of an athlete like Jesse Owens, Jack Nicklaus, or Archie Griffin.
How am I going to do those men justice? Or women, because Katie Smith is certainly in the Ohio State hero conversation as well. Better writers and better podcasters have already lapped anything I could come up with regarding certain Buckeye Heroes.
Fortunately, Mean Gene threw out a You’re Nuts idea that allowed us to straddle the fence a little bit. And it goes something like this: favorite Buckeye Hero you got to see in person. This is different than simply ‘favorite’ because hero is still the point of emphasis here. Like, even if Dane Sanzenbacher was my favorite Buckeye, it seems like a stretch to call him a hero (no offense to the small slot GOAT). So I had to jump in the way-back machine, and I think I came up with a good one... Or ones.
My favorite Buckeye Hero that I ever saw in person is/was actually a trio of Buckeyes. Sorry Gene, but if you ain’t cheating’, you ain’t tryin’. The heroes I am referring to are A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, and Anthony Schlegel — also known (by me) as the Triumvirate of Tackle.
Hawk, Carpenter, and Schlegel played together for two seasons (2004 and 2005) and formed arguably the greatest Ohio State linebacker trio of all-time. During those two seasons, the long-haired legends combined for 570 tackles, 26 sacks, and 6 interceptions, while wreaking absolute havoc against opposing offense. They also helped Ohio State finished 20th (‘04) and 5th (‘05) nationally in points per game allowed. And I got to witness a bunch of their achievements live and in-person.
I am dating myself a bit, but my freshman year at OSU coincided with that of Hawk and Carpenter (2002). So I got to watch these guys for the entirety of their college careers and form an emotional attachment to them (as players for my team, nothing weird). I attended 20+ games in the student section during their time in Columbus, and watched them grow from special teamers to All-Big Ten and All-American performers. It also helped that they contributed to a national championship team during my freshman year. After that, it became a no-brainer that I was going to root for these guys forever.
Then Schlegel comes along in ‘04, and not only was he (also) a badass LB, but he also had the same sort of attitude and aura as both Hawk and Carpenter. They seemed like three kindred spirits, and they were incredibly easy and fun to root for. The Buckeyes’ record wasn’t great during their time together, but I don’t think that takes away from their hero status as a group.
When I think of all-time teams or groups at OSU, this one comes to mind. And obviously Hawk is the headliner. Because if you (just) want to talk about individual Buckeye Heroes, No. 47 is or should be on every short list. He totaled nearly 400 career tackles in Columbus and was a two-time All-American, among other accolades earned. But Carpenter and Schlegel were studs too! They made heroic plays, even if you do not consider either one to be a singular Buckeye Hero... And let’s not forget Schlegel’s Rock Bottom of an unruly fan in 2014. That right there earned him hero status, and he wasn’t even in uniform.
This LB trio was a ton of fun to watch, and I was fortunate enough to do so on many occasions. They even became a pop culture entity, which only adds to their hero lore. But more (or most?) importantly, Hawk, Carpenter, and Schlegel were great Buckeyes. And that is what this week’s theme is all about.
I thought this would be a great topic for Josh and I to tackle — see what I did there? — because there is no overlap between our time periods at Ohio State, and so it was impossible that we would have to fight over our favorite Buckeye Heroes that we got to witness during our stints in Columbus.
I was fortunate that my freshman year at Ohio State just so happened to be in 2014, when the Buckeyes went on to win a national title despite losing their top two starting quarterbacks. I’m not saying that I brought the team good luck, but all I’m saying is that in my first year on campus Ohio State won it all, and they went 4-0 against Michigan while I was attending the university. Needless to say, they’ve lost two games to the Wolverines since I left, and have yet to win another national championship. Ryan Day, hit my line with some free season tickets so we can get that good juju back flowing!
But I digress.
I had the honor of watching some truly special Buckeyes on the field during my OSU tenure, including the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, J.K. Dobbins, Michael Thomas, Nick and Joey Bosa, Marshon Lattimore, Denzel Ward and the list goes on and on. While the 2015-18 Ohio State teams failed to reach the heights they did in my freshman year, those rosters still contained some great players who have since gone on to make a name for themselves at the next level as well. However, none of those guys were my favorite to watch in-person.
I was close to picking Zeke, as I was there in Indy to watch Ohio State dismantle Wisconsin 59-0 in the 2014 Big Ten Championship, but while the stud running back was a treat to watch week in and week out, it wasn’t quite the same as watching Malik Hooker dominate in the defensive backfield.
It’s easy to stand out as the star running back in an offense that loved to run the ball. It’s not as easy to stand out as a defensive back, especially in the run-heavy Big Ten. Most DBs can be game planned for — simply don’t throw the ball to their side of the field. That wasn’t an option for teams against Hooker, because he was everywhere.
That 2016 season by Hooker was otherworldly. The safety picked off seven passes that year, including three he returned for touchdowns. I can distinctly remember him taking an interception to the house as the rain began to pour against Tulsa early in the year, and I can even more distinctly remember his massive pick-six against Michigan which we scored right in front of my end zone as I stood in awe in Block O South.
Hooker was everything you could ask for from a safety. He was the very definition of a ball hawk, he was a sure-tackler, and it seemed like he was in the area of the play regardless of where the ball wound up. Whether he was jumping into the air to tip a ball back to himself or running the route better than the receiver to pick off a pass on the sideline, Hooker was truly a treat to watch.
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
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Which former Buckeye stood out to you the most at the Horseshoe.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
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: Favorite Ohio State player you saw in-person
Josh’s Take
This week’s LGHL content theme is Buckeye Heroes, and I gotta be honest, I had trouble drawing a clear line between ‘Favorite Buckeye’ (not a thing, other than in my head) and the aforementioned theme. That, and ever since I joined LGHL, I have admittedly experienced a bit of trouble... err, frustration... trying to encapsulate the heroics of an athlete like Jesse Owens, Jack Nicklaus, or Archie Griffin.
How am I going to do those men justice? Or women, because Katie Smith is certainly in the Ohio State hero conversation as well. Better writers and better podcasters have already lapped anything I could come up with regarding certain Buckeye Heroes.
Fortunately, Mean Gene threw out a You’re Nuts idea that allowed us to straddle the fence a little bit. And it goes something like this: favorite Buckeye Hero you got to see in person. This is different than simply ‘favorite’ because hero is still the point of emphasis here. Like, even if Dane Sanzenbacher was my favorite Buckeye, it seems like a stretch to call him a hero (no offense to the small slot GOAT). So I had to jump in the way-back machine, and I think I came up with a good one... Or ones.
My favorite Buckeye Hero that I ever saw in person is/was actually a trio of Buckeyes. Sorry Gene, but if you ain’t cheating’, you ain’t tryin’. The heroes I am referring to are A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, and Anthony Schlegel — also known (by me) as the Triumvirate of Tackle.
Hawk, Carpenter, and Schlegel played together for two seasons (2004 and 2005) and formed arguably the greatest Ohio State linebacker trio of all-time. During those two seasons, the long-haired legends combined for 570 tackles, 26 sacks, and 6 interceptions, while wreaking absolute havoc against opposing offense. They also helped Ohio State finished 20th (‘04) and 5th (‘05) nationally in points per game allowed. And I got to witness a bunch of their achievements live and in-person.
I am dating myself a bit, but my freshman year at OSU coincided with that of Hawk and Carpenter (2002). So I got to watch these guys for the entirety of their college careers and form an emotional attachment to them (as players for my team, nothing weird). I attended 20+ games in the student section during their time in Columbus, and watched them grow from special teamers to All-Big Ten and All-American performers. It also helped that they contributed to a national championship team during my freshman year. After that, it became a no-brainer that I was going to root for these guys forever.
Then Schlegel comes along in ‘04, and not only was he (also) a badass LB, but he also had the same sort of attitude and aura as both Hawk and Carpenter. They seemed like three kindred spirits, and they were incredibly easy and fun to root for. The Buckeyes’ record wasn’t great during their time together, but I don’t think that takes away from their hero status as a group.
When I think of all-time teams or groups at OSU, this one comes to mind. And obviously Hawk is the headliner. Because if you (just) want to talk about individual Buckeye Heroes, No. 47 is or should be on every short list. He totaled nearly 400 career tackles in Columbus and was a two-time All-American, among other accolades earned. But Carpenter and Schlegel were studs too! They made heroic plays, even if you do not consider either one to be a singular Buckeye Hero... And let’s not forget Schlegel’s Rock Bottom of an unruly fan in 2014. That right there earned him hero status, and he wasn’t even in uniform.
This LB trio was a ton of fun to watch, and I was fortunate enough to do so on many occasions. They even became a pop culture entity, which only adds to their hero lore. But more (or most?) importantly, Hawk, Carpenter, and Schlegel were great Buckeyes. And that is what this week’s theme is all about.
Gene’s Take
I thought this would be a great topic for Josh and I to tackle — see what I did there? — because there is no overlap between our time periods at Ohio State, and so it was impossible that we would have to fight over our favorite Buckeye Heroes that we got to witness during our stints in Columbus.
I was fortunate that my freshman year at Ohio State just so happened to be in 2014, when the Buckeyes went on to win a national title despite losing their top two starting quarterbacks. I’m not saying that I brought the team good luck, but all I’m saying is that in my first year on campus Ohio State won it all, and they went 4-0 against Michigan while I was attending the university. Needless to say, they’ve lost two games to the Wolverines since I left, and have yet to win another national championship. Ryan Day, hit my line with some free season tickets so we can get that good juju back flowing!
But I digress.
I had the honor of watching some truly special Buckeyes on the field during my OSU tenure, including the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, J.K. Dobbins, Michael Thomas, Nick and Joey Bosa, Marshon Lattimore, Denzel Ward and the list goes on and on. While the 2015-18 Ohio State teams failed to reach the heights they did in my freshman year, those rosters still contained some great players who have since gone on to make a name for themselves at the next level as well. However, none of those guys were my favorite to watch in-person.
I was close to picking Zeke, as I was there in Indy to watch Ohio State dismantle Wisconsin 59-0 in the 2014 Big Ten Championship, but while the stud running back was a treat to watch week in and week out, it wasn’t quite the same as watching Malik Hooker dominate in the defensive backfield.
It’s easy to stand out as the star running back in an offense that loved to run the ball. It’s not as easy to stand out as a defensive back, especially in the run-heavy Big Ten. Most DBs can be game planned for — simply don’t throw the ball to their side of the field. That wasn’t an option for teams against Hooker, because he was everywhere.
That 2016 season by Hooker was otherworldly. The safety picked off seven passes that year, including three he returned for touchdowns. I can distinctly remember him taking an interception to the house as the rain began to pour against Tulsa early in the year, and I can even more distinctly remember his massive pick-six against Michigan which we scored right in front of my end zone as I stood in awe in Block O South.
Hooker was everything you could ask for from a safety. He was the very definition of a ball hawk, he was a sure-tackler, and it seemed like he was in the area of the play regardless of where the ball wound up. Whether he was jumping into the air to tip a ball back to himself or running the route better than the receiver to pick off a pass on the sideline, Hooker was truly a treat to watch.
Continue reading...