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LGHL Power Two Podcast: Are you sure SMU can’t beat Penn State?
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Power Two Podcast: Are you sure SMU can’t beat Penn State?
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
From Rich Rod’s homecoming to Deion’s legacy, Jordan and DJ tackle the week’s biggest stories and pick their first-round winners.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
In this week’s episode, Jordan and DJ discuss high school reunions and food. After they get the random topics out of the way, they dive into the news of, shocker, coaches’ hirings.
WVU welcomes Rich Rod home, which prompted some nostalgia from Jordan. DJ and Jordan discuss the ridiculousness of Bill Belichick getting the first college head coaching job of his career. It feels like a publicity stunt, so we will see how that goes. Jackson State won the Celebration Bowl, prompting a conversation about Deion Sanders’ impact on HBCUs.
In the two-minute drill, Jordan and DJ discuss the schedule of the College Football Playoff. Jordan isn’t the biggest fan of all the eight-to-10 day breaks between each game. DJ isn’t the biggest fan of the home team hosting because these games are so close to graduation. Jordan believes that CFP should be pushed up a couple of weeks to mitigate that. Only time will tell...
In the pre-game power sweep, Jordan and DJ share the schedule. The games are:
DJ and Jordan also share their projected winners and we will see if they are right.
In the two-minute warning, Jordan talks about how great it is to work in higher ed and get two weeks of holiday vacation. DJ shares her excitement about attending the SMU vs Duke basketball game.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
From Rich Rod’s homecoming to Deion’s legacy, Jordan and DJ tackle the week’s biggest stories and pick their first-round winners.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
In this week’s episode, Jordan and DJ discuss high school reunions and food. After they get the random topics out of the way, they dive into the news of, shocker, coaches’ hirings.
WVU welcomes Rich Rod home, which prompted some nostalgia from Jordan. DJ and Jordan discuss the ridiculousness of Bill Belichick getting the first college head coaching job of his career. It feels like a publicity stunt, so we will see how that goes. Jackson State won the Celebration Bowl, prompting a conversation about Deion Sanders’ impact on HBCUs.
In the two-minute drill, Jordan and DJ discuss the schedule of the College Football Playoff. Jordan isn’t the biggest fan of all the eight-to-10 day breaks between each game. DJ isn’t the biggest fan of the home team hosting because these games are so close to graduation. Jordan believes that CFP should be pushed up a couple of weeks to mitigate that. Only time will tell...
In the pre-game power sweep, Jordan and DJ share the schedule. The games are:
- Friday: Indiana-Notre Dame
- Saturday, Noon: SMU-Penn State
- Saturday, Mid-Day: Clemson-Texas
- Saturday, Primetime: Tennessee-OSU.
DJ and Jordan also share their projected winners and we will see if they are right.
In the two-minute warning, Jordan talks about how great it is to work in higher ed and get two weeks of holiday vacation. DJ shares her excitement about attending the SMU vs Duke basketball game.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State welcomes big-time transfer prospects, men’s soccer falls in semifinals
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State welcomes big-time transfer prospects, men’s soccer falls in semifinals
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 Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
No. 1 OT visits Ohio State; Buckeyes lose transfer portal target to Oregon
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State related Transfer Portal info as new week begins
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
What we know after one week of Buckeyes transfer portal activity
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is the 247Sports True Freshman of the Year
Chris Hummer, 247Sports
Buckeye fans expect The Shoe to be rocking vs. Tennessee, and they are absolutely right
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Interior Linemen Joshua Padilla, Luke Montgomery Competing for Spots As Buckeyes Evaluate Best Offensive Line for CFP
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Using CFB 25 to predict the College Football Playoff
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Thierry sisters reunite, No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball defeat Youngstown 87-39
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘I just couldn’t stop smiling,’ the Thierrys reflect on a matchup four years in the making
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State gets run off the court by Auburn, falling to the Tigers 91-53
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Size a big issue after Ohio State’s loss to Auburn: 5 takeaways
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Where does Ohio State basketball go after another blowout loss?
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes Set to Earn Degrees at Autumn Commencement
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: Season Ends For No. 1 Ohio State in 1-0 loss to No. 13 Marshall
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: Adedokun/Magnusson Named USC 2024 1st Team All-Americans
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 15 Buckeyes Down Irish, 3-1
Ohio State Athletics
Wrestling: No. 6 Ohio State Rallies for 20-17 Win at Pitt
Ohio State Athletics
I love Ashton Jeanty, but, to me, this was the right call.
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 Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
No. 1 OT visits Ohio State; Buckeyes lose transfer portal target to Oregon
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State related Transfer Portal info as new week begins
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
What we know after one week of Buckeyes transfer portal activity
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is the 247Sports True Freshman of the Year
Chris Hummer, 247Sports
Buckeye fans expect The Shoe to be rocking vs. Tennessee, and they are absolutely right
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Interior Linemen Joshua Padilla, Luke Montgomery Competing for Spots As Buckeyes Evaluate Best Offensive Line for CFP
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Using CFB 25 to predict the College Football Playoff
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Thierry sisters reunite, No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball defeat Youngstown 87-39
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘I just couldn’t stop smiling,’ the Thierrys reflect on a matchup four years in the making
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State gets run off the court by Auburn, falling to the Tigers 91-53
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Size a big issue after Ohio State’s loss to Auburn: 5 takeaways
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Where does Ohio State basketball go after another blowout loss?
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Outside The Shoe and The Schott
Buckeyes Set to Earn Degrees at Autumn Commencement
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: Season Ends For No. 1 Ohio State in 1-0 loss to No. 13 Marshall
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: Adedokun/Magnusson Named USC 2024 1st Team All-Americans
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 15 Buckeyes Down Irish, 3-1
Ohio State Athletics
Wrestling: No. 6 Ohio State Rallies for 20-17 Win at Pitt
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
I love Ashton Jeanty, but, to me, this was the right call.
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: Ohio State needs double-digit transfer additions this offseason to even compete in 2025
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- 0 Replies
Column: Ohio State needs double-digit transfer additions this offseason to even compete in 2025
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
With a roster in compete flux heading into next season, there has never been a more perfect time to find a new head coach...
The No. 1 thing on Ryan Day’s mind right now is getting his team ready for Saturday’s College Football Playoff matchup against Tennessee. However, we are also currently in the midst of the first transfer portal window, which opened last week and closes on Dec. 28.
The Buckeyes will be losing a mass exodus of players this offseason to the NFL Draft and graduation, and they cannot afford to be complacent in adding talent for next year’s roster despite still competing this year.
Ohio State brought back a huge contingency of players in 2024 with hopes of righting the wrongs of seasons past. That did not happen — barring a miracle national title run — but now all of those guys will be leaving for real, on top of the obvious holes the current roster has even with that glut of returnees. All told, the 2025 team is going to look a lot different, and it is going to need a ton of help from the transfer portal.
The obvious focus on that front is along the offensive line, where Ohio State will need to add three offensive linemen at minimum. The Buckeyes are set to lose both starting tackles and their starting center. You can probably find two interior starters among the group of Carson Hinzman, Austin Siereveld, Tegra Tshabola, Luke Montgomery and Josh Padilla — the first three of which played extensively this season — but you will need at least one more proven commodity up the middle as well as both tackles replaced.
The other side of the trenches is in an equally dire position, as Ohio State is set to lose its entire starting defensive line. Behind those guys are only two defensive ends who have played any meaningful snaps in Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson with nothing to speak of behind them. Kayden McDonald is your top returnee at defensive tackle, and outside of freshman end-turned-tackle Eddrick Houston, there is little proven depth there either. The Buckeyes likely need to add at least one if not two edge rushers to feel comfortable about that unit.
Elsewhere, Ohio State will also need to add a running back, as both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are set to leave — there’s a small chance Judkins returns, but very unlikely. That leaves freshman James Peoples as the only player in the room to have played gotten any significant reps, and even he played less than 100 snaps total. The Buckeyes have been linked to both USC transfer Quinten Joyner and Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, and I’d have to imagine one of those guys ends up in scarlet and gray.
They could also use a tight end, as the Buckeyes’ entire position group in 2024 combined to be less productive than Joe Royer, who transferred from Ohio State to Cincinnati this past offseason and went on to catch 50 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns for the Bearcats.
On defense, Ohio State will also likely need two defensive backs — one at corner and one at safety. Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock will be gone, leaving only Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Davison Igbinosun at corner. Igbinosun struggled mightily this past season with penalties, and could be better suited with a move to safety. The Buckeyes will also lose Lathan Ransom at said safety spot, so should Iggy move to the back end alongside Caleb Downs, you’re looking at adding at least one corner and probably a slot guy or another safety just to be safe.
The team will also need to find some new specialists, as both the kicking and punting game have been completely inadequate. Ohio State has already lost too many games over the past few seasons because of bad special teams play and the inability to make field goals, and that cannot continue as the margins against other top teams continues to get smaller and smaller.
That brings the conservative total of transfer portal additions needed to 10 players. That is a ton of roster turnover for a team coming off a year where they were supposed to be one of the best units in the country, and it will be hard to replicate the talent base the Buckeyes had in 2024 by piecing it together with transfers in 2025. As such, it begs the question:
What is the benefit of bringing Ryan Day back for another season?
I’m not trying to belabor the point, as I’m well established on record as wanting Day gone, but on paper there is no better time for Ohio State to move on from its head coach than right now.
There is very little to provide optimism for next season as things are currently constructed in Columbus. On top of the obvious flaws plaguing the roster and the staff, Ohio State’s schedule only gets harder in 2025, opening the season against Texas and playing what will be a much improved Michigan team on the road. With Penn State also coming to town and intriguing road games at Washington and Wisconsin, the Buckeyes’ ceiling could be 10-2 with a fifth-straight loss in the rivalry and another year without a Big Ten title.
So the roster is already in flux, the road to achieve the program’s goals is only getting tougher, and even more to the point a clear and obvious replacement is sitting right there for the taking in Mike Vrabel. The Buckeyes would not have to pay any sort of buyout on Vrabel to land the Ohio State alum, he would be a slam dunk hire who by all accounts would be interested in the job and would likely be the best case to limit any sort of further attrition via a potential transfer portal exodus.
Even if Ohio State was to lose players as a result of firing Day, it seems pretty clear that 2025 is going to be a bit of a step back for the team anyway. The Buckeyes also just brought in a five-star quarterback in Tavien St. Clair, who has been a lifelong Ohio State fan and committed to the program itself and not the head coach. You would have St. Clair ready and waiting in the wings for a bounce-back season in 2026, and there is no reason to believe a guy like Vrabel wouldn’t attract talent to Columbus to accompany him — both on the field and on his coaching staff.
The stars are aligned for Ohio State make the change and stop the skid. There has been no better opportunity for the Buckeyes to move on from this failing regime than right now. What is the point in retaining Day for one more season, just to ultimately fire him a year from now anyway and potentially miss out on an obvious upgrade while falling even further down the pecking order of the sport’s elite programs?
Ryan Day just suffered one of the worst losses in Ohio State football history, and all of the things that once made him an attractive option — dominant offenses, elite recruiting, maintaining a strong locker room — have all started to slip. Barring an unlikely run at a national title, it’s time to pull the plug and begin a new era of Ohio State football.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
With a roster in compete flux heading into next season, there has never been a more perfect time to find a new head coach...
The No. 1 thing on Ryan Day’s mind right now is getting his team ready for Saturday’s College Football Playoff matchup against Tennessee. However, we are also currently in the midst of the first transfer portal window, which opened last week and closes on Dec. 28.
The Buckeyes will be losing a mass exodus of players this offseason to the NFL Draft and graduation, and they cannot afford to be complacent in adding talent for next year’s roster despite still competing this year.
Ohio State brought back a huge contingency of players in 2024 with hopes of righting the wrongs of seasons past. That did not happen — barring a miracle national title run — but now all of those guys will be leaving for real, on top of the obvious holes the current roster has even with that glut of returnees. All told, the 2025 team is going to look a lot different, and it is going to need a ton of help from the transfer portal.
The obvious focus on that front is along the offensive line, where Ohio State will need to add three offensive linemen at minimum. The Buckeyes are set to lose both starting tackles and their starting center. You can probably find two interior starters among the group of Carson Hinzman, Austin Siereveld, Tegra Tshabola, Luke Montgomery and Josh Padilla — the first three of which played extensively this season — but you will need at least one more proven commodity up the middle as well as both tackles replaced.
The other side of the trenches is in an equally dire position, as Ohio State is set to lose its entire starting defensive line. Behind those guys are only two defensive ends who have played any meaningful snaps in Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson with nothing to speak of behind them. Kayden McDonald is your top returnee at defensive tackle, and outside of freshman end-turned-tackle Eddrick Houston, there is little proven depth there either. The Buckeyes likely need to add at least one if not two edge rushers to feel comfortable about that unit.
Elsewhere, Ohio State will also need to add a running back, as both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are set to leave — there’s a small chance Judkins returns, but very unlikely. That leaves freshman James Peoples as the only player in the room to have played gotten any significant reps, and even he played less than 100 snaps total. The Buckeyes have been linked to both USC transfer Quinten Joyner and Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, and I’d have to imagine one of those guys ends up in scarlet and gray.
They could also use a tight end, as the Buckeyes’ entire position group in 2024 combined to be less productive than Joe Royer, who transferred from Ohio State to Cincinnati this past offseason and went on to catch 50 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns for the Bearcats.
On defense, Ohio State will also likely need two defensive backs — one at corner and one at safety. Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock will be gone, leaving only Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Davison Igbinosun at corner. Igbinosun struggled mightily this past season with penalties, and could be better suited with a move to safety. The Buckeyes will also lose Lathan Ransom at said safety spot, so should Iggy move to the back end alongside Caleb Downs, you’re looking at adding at least one corner and probably a slot guy or another safety just to be safe.
The team will also need to find some new specialists, as both the kicking and punting game have been completely inadequate. Ohio State has already lost too many games over the past few seasons because of bad special teams play and the inability to make field goals, and that cannot continue as the margins against other top teams continues to get smaller and smaller.
That brings the conservative total of transfer portal additions needed to 10 players. That is a ton of roster turnover for a team coming off a year where they were supposed to be one of the best units in the country, and it will be hard to replicate the talent base the Buckeyes had in 2024 by piecing it together with transfers in 2025. As such, it begs the question:
What is the benefit of bringing Ryan Day back for another season?
I’m not trying to belabor the point, as I’m well established on record as wanting Day gone, but on paper there is no better time for Ohio State to move on from its head coach than right now.
There is very little to provide optimism for next season as things are currently constructed in Columbus. On top of the obvious flaws plaguing the roster and the staff, Ohio State’s schedule only gets harder in 2025, opening the season against Texas and playing what will be a much improved Michigan team on the road. With Penn State also coming to town and intriguing road games at Washington and Wisconsin, the Buckeyes’ ceiling could be 10-2 with a fifth-straight loss in the rivalry and another year without a Big Ten title.
So the roster is already in flux, the road to achieve the program’s goals is only getting tougher, and even more to the point a clear and obvious replacement is sitting right there for the taking in Mike Vrabel. The Buckeyes would not have to pay any sort of buyout on Vrabel to land the Ohio State alum, he would be a slam dunk hire who by all accounts would be interested in the job and would likely be the best case to limit any sort of further attrition via a potential transfer portal exodus.
Even if Ohio State was to lose players as a result of firing Day, it seems pretty clear that 2025 is going to be a bit of a step back for the team anyway. The Buckeyes also just brought in a five-star quarterback in Tavien St. Clair, who has been a lifelong Ohio State fan and committed to the program itself and not the head coach. You would have St. Clair ready and waiting in the wings for a bounce-back season in 2026, and there is no reason to believe a guy like Vrabel wouldn’t attract talent to Columbus to accompany him — both on the field and on his coaching staff.
The stars are aligned for Ohio State make the change and stop the skid. There has been no better opportunity for the Buckeyes to move on from this failing regime than right now. What is the point in retaining Day for one more season, just to ultimately fire him a year from now anyway and potentially miss out on an obvious upgrade while falling even further down the pecking order of the sport’s elite programs?
Ryan Day just suffered one of the worst losses in Ohio State football history, and all of the things that once made him an attractive option — dominant offenses, elite recruiting, maintaining a strong locker room — have all started to slip. Barring an unlikely run at a national title, it’s time to pull the plug and begin a new era of Ohio State football.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State’s returning draft-eligible players have just one remaining goal among the “unfinished business”
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State’s returning draft-eligible players have just one remaining goal among the “unfinished business”
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Seven players who likely would have been NFL Draft picks (some quite high) returned to OSU citing “unfinished business.” After not achieving two of those goals, the biggest is still out there.
Ohio State fans were delighted last off-season when several players announced they would return for another year in Columbus, despite having excellent NFL Draft outlooks. Those players included some of the team’s brightest stars, including running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, defensive lineman Tyleik Williams, cornerback Denzel Burke, and offensive guard Donovan Jackson.
As each announcement dropped, we all read statements about unfinished business from a members of a group that had fallen short of some of the biggest team goals Ohio State has on its annual list — beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten Championship Game, and winning a national title. The Buckeyes had done none of those things over the past four seasons, meaning all of the above players had not experienced achieving any of those three goals.
They all started in 2021, which was the year Ryan Day’s Buckeyes began their current losing streak against the Wolverines. Collectively, this group of players and their classmates started their careers with a Rose Bowl win over Utah at the end of their first season, saw a late missed Noah Ruggles field goal sail wide against Georgia in 2022 that knocked them out of a shot at the national championship against TCU, and lost a miserable Cotton Bowl against Missouri last year.
The frustration was understandable, and the players did not shy away from expressing it in interviews and on social media. They vowed to work harder. They claimed to be more committed than ever. They would get the next one. They would bring it home for Buckeye Nation. For the brotherhood.
So far, that hasn’t happened.
And things haven’t been better in 2024 than in previous years, despite Ohio State perhaps having the most talent of any team in their collegiate careers. Each of those players coming back was the equivalent of getting a five-star recruit who already knew the system and had multiple years of college football experience.
Additionally, the team brought in an All-American safety, an additional starting-caliber running back to spell Henderson, the eventual Rimington Trophy-winning center, and you can also throw in perhaps the greatest wide receiver prospect in school history.
Ohio State was loaded entering 2024.
That doesn’t mean there weren’t holes. Everyone knew the offensive line was thin and needed to stay healthy to maximize the Buckeyes’ chances of a special season. That didn’t happen either.
Josh Simmons went down for the season. Then his replacement got banged up. Center Seth McLaughlin was the next to go out for the year with an injury. The coaching staff patched up the line as best they could, and it’s mostly worked, but things haven’t been nearly as smooth, especially in the running game.
The lack of a run game was a big factor in this group of players going out without a win against Michigan or a Big Ten title. Ohio State was well positioned to beat the Wolverines, but shockingly entered with a game plan that called for trusting a cobbled-together offensive line and slamming their running backs (and quarterback) into the teeth of Michigan’s strength — its defensive line.
We all saw how that worked out, and it brings no solace to hear the postgame confirmation from Day that he thought the Buckeyes ran the ball too much.
Fans saw it unfolding and knew it couldn’t continue, but the coaching staff didn’t change what it was doing while the team’s three goals could still be achieved. Ohio State lost, and in large part because the OSU coaches failed the players who came back to win that game and to play for a conference title.
It also, however, lost in part because those players didn’t play well enough against Michigan, although there were a few bright spots — Sawyer’s interception leaps to mind.
While the loss to Michigan was strike one, it brought with it strike two — also lost that day was the chance to face the Oregon Ducks in a rematch with a Big Ten championship on the line. The group of returnees is down to its collective last strike, and the odds have never been more difficult to overcome.
Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff. But unlike years (and decades) past, the Buckeyes won’t be champions by beating one or two great teams. Ohio State must run a gauntlet of four tough opponents to lift the crystal football at the end of the season and bring this group the one available prize remaining out of the three they were chasing in their quest to complete their unfinished business.
Their last chance begins Saturday in the Horseshoe against the Tennessee Volunteers out of the Southeastern Conference. Ohio State got a difficult draw, but the Buckeyes will be at home, playing in front of their fans under the lights on the bigggest stage. But even winning would only be the first step of the last chance for Henderson, Egbuka, Sawyer, Tuimoloau, Williams, Burke, and Jackson to accomplish one of the goals for which they returned.
They are by no means alone. Their teammates have the same goals. In fact, many of those teammates probably want to achieve this goal for that group more than they want it for themselves.
But how will this play out? Will we see Sawyer, Tuimoloau, and Williams help shut down the No. 8 offense in the country by stuffing the run and sacking the quarterback? Will Egbuka get back to catching five to seven passes for triple digits in yards, as was once commonplace? Will Jackson help keep Will Howard’s pocket clean and open holes for Henderson to gain not only the tough yards, but also so he can pop a couple of big runs?
Can Henderson break a tackle at a critical time and pick up a key first down to keep a drive alive or blast through the defense for one of those long rushing touchdowns that we’ve seen so many times in his career (but so little of since the line started suffering casualties)? Will Burke play like the lock-down guy we saw last year and up until the Oregon game in 2024?
I’ll be watching on Saturday, just like all of you. But I’ll especially be watching the guys who said they wanted this. The guys who had unfinished business.
They said they wanted to beat Michigan — they didn’t.
They said they wanted to win a conference title — they didn’t.
They said they wanted to win a national championship. Will they?
To do so, they need to win four big games. That has to start Saturday against Tennessee.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Seven players who likely would have been NFL Draft picks (some quite high) returned to OSU citing “unfinished business.” After not achieving two of those goals, the biggest is still out there.
Ohio State fans were delighted last off-season when several players announced they would return for another year in Columbus, despite having excellent NFL Draft outlooks. Those players included some of the team’s brightest stars, including running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, defensive lineman Tyleik Williams, cornerback Denzel Burke, and offensive guard Donovan Jackson.
As each announcement dropped, we all read statements about unfinished business from a members of a group that had fallen short of some of the biggest team goals Ohio State has on its annual list — beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten Championship Game, and winning a national title. The Buckeyes had done none of those things over the past four seasons, meaning all of the above players had not experienced achieving any of those three goals.
They all started in 2021, which was the year Ryan Day’s Buckeyes began their current losing streak against the Wolverines. Collectively, this group of players and their classmates started their careers with a Rose Bowl win over Utah at the end of their first season, saw a late missed Noah Ruggles field goal sail wide against Georgia in 2022 that knocked them out of a shot at the national championship against TCU, and lost a miserable Cotton Bowl against Missouri last year.
The frustration was understandable, and the players did not shy away from expressing it in interviews and on social media. They vowed to work harder. They claimed to be more committed than ever. They would get the next one. They would bring it home for Buckeye Nation. For the brotherhood.
So far, that hasn’t happened.
And things haven’t been better in 2024 than in previous years, despite Ohio State perhaps having the most talent of any team in their collegiate careers. Each of those players coming back was the equivalent of getting a five-star recruit who already knew the system and had multiple years of college football experience.
Additionally, the team brought in an All-American safety, an additional starting-caliber running back to spell Henderson, the eventual Rimington Trophy-winning center, and you can also throw in perhaps the greatest wide receiver prospect in school history.
Ohio State was loaded entering 2024.
That doesn’t mean there weren’t holes. Everyone knew the offensive line was thin and needed to stay healthy to maximize the Buckeyes’ chances of a special season. That didn’t happen either.
Josh Simmons went down for the season. Then his replacement got banged up. Center Seth McLaughlin was the next to go out for the year with an injury. The coaching staff patched up the line as best they could, and it’s mostly worked, but things haven’t been nearly as smooth, especially in the running game.
The lack of a run game was a big factor in this group of players going out without a win against Michigan or a Big Ten title. Ohio State was well positioned to beat the Wolverines, but shockingly entered with a game plan that called for trusting a cobbled-together offensive line and slamming their running backs (and quarterback) into the teeth of Michigan’s strength — its defensive line.
We all saw how that worked out, and it brings no solace to hear the postgame confirmation from Day that he thought the Buckeyes ran the ball too much.
Fans saw it unfolding and knew it couldn’t continue, but the coaching staff didn’t change what it was doing while the team’s three goals could still be achieved. Ohio State lost, and in large part because the OSU coaches failed the players who came back to win that game and to play for a conference title.
It also, however, lost in part because those players didn’t play well enough against Michigan, although there were a few bright spots — Sawyer’s interception leaps to mind.
While the loss to Michigan was strike one, it brought with it strike two — also lost that day was the chance to face the Oregon Ducks in a rematch with a Big Ten championship on the line. The group of returnees is down to its collective last strike, and the odds have never been more difficult to overcome.
Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff. But unlike years (and decades) past, the Buckeyes won’t be champions by beating one or two great teams. Ohio State must run a gauntlet of four tough opponents to lift the crystal football at the end of the season and bring this group the one available prize remaining out of the three they were chasing in their quest to complete their unfinished business.
Their last chance begins Saturday in the Horseshoe against the Tennessee Volunteers out of the Southeastern Conference. Ohio State got a difficult draw, but the Buckeyes will be at home, playing in front of their fans under the lights on the bigggest stage. But even winning would only be the first step of the last chance for Henderson, Egbuka, Sawyer, Tuimoloau, Williams, Burke, and Jackson to accomplish one of the goals for which they returned.
They are by no means alone. Their teammates have the same goals. In fact, many of those teammates probably want to achieve this goal for that group more than they want it for themselves.
But how will this play out? Will we see Sawyer, Tuimoloau, and Williams help shut down the No. 8 offense in the country by stuffing the run and sacking the quarterback? Will Egbuka get back to catching five to seven passes for triple digits in yards, as was once commonplace? Will Jackson help keep Will Howard’s pocket clean and open holes for Henderson to gain not only the tough yards, but also so he can pop a couple of big runs?
Can Henderson break a tackle at a critical time and pick up a key first down to keep a drive alive or blast through the defense for one of those long rushing touchdowns that we’ve seen so many times in his career (but so little of since the line started suffering casualties)? Will Burke play like the lock-down guy we saw last year and up until the Oregon game in 2024?
I’ll be watching on Saturday, just like all of you. But I’ll especially be watching the guys who said they wanted this. The guys who had unfinished business.
They said they wanted to beat Michigan — they didn’t.
They said they wanted to win a conference title — they didn’t.
They said they wanted to win a national championship. Will they?
To do so, they need to win four big games. That has to start Saturday against Tennessee.
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LGHL No. 1 OT visits Ohio State; Buckeyes lose transfer portal target to Oregon
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No. 1 OT visits Ohio State; Buckeyes lose transfer portal target to Oregon
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 OT Jackson Cantrell | Via @jcantwell2499 on Twitter
Ohio State remains active on the recruiting trail with its CFP game less than a week away.
Ohio State has a College Football Playoff game at home in less than a week, but thanks to the NCAA’s eternal lack of foresight and planning, it is also a pivotal time for the Buckeyes to be active in the transfer portal. Ohio State’s staff also must maintain their focus on the traditional recruiting trail for the 2026 class, with only three players currently committed in next year’s cycle and a ton of work to be done.
Luckily, it seems as though game preparation has not prevented Ryan Day and his crew from hosting some big names on visits this past weekend. With offensive line a massive point of emphasis for the program moving forward, perhaps none of those visits are more important than 2026 offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.
Making the trek to Columbus on Saturday, the 6-foot-7.5 lineman is the No. 1 OT and the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. With at least 30 offers to his name from all of the nation’s top programs, Ohio State is obviously not alone in its pursuit of Cantwell, who also made a trip to Ann Arbor on Sunday to check in with rival Michigan. Following his visit, Cantwell told On3’s Steve Wiltfong that the Buckeyes are, “in the mix,” moving forward.
Having offered the standout tackle back in October of 2023, Ohio State has to be happy to get one of the early visits in the process, but will have their work cut out from them in luring him north from his home state of Missouri. The son of two Olympic shot put throwers, and a two-time Missouri Class 5A state champion in the shot put himself, Cantwell’s father is a Mizzou alum. On top of owning the national record for a sophomore in shot put, Cantwell was named the 2024 MaxPreps Missouri High School Football Player of the Year.
Speaking of offensive linemen, Ohio State will need to add at least two guys and probably even three through the transfer portal this offseason, and that have already begun zeroing in on a handful of big names. That includes former Northwestern OL Josh Thompson, former Nevada OT Isaiah World, and former Texas A&M OL Kam Dewberry.
Thompson, the No. 5 IOL in the transfer portal according to 247Sports, visited Ohio State on Friday, and has further visits scheduled with Michigan State, Michigan and Auburn. Set to be a fifth-year senior in 2025, Thompson has experience at both tackle and guard with the Wildcats, having spent the 2023 season as Northwestern’s starting tackle, but the Buckeyes would likely slot him in as a guard should be decide to continue his career in Columbus.
World, the No. 1 OT and No. 19 overall player in the transfer portal per 247Sports, appears to have some mutual interest with Ohio State. The 6-foot-8, 309-pound blocker reportedly plans to visit with the Buckeyes sometime this week, and is obvious a huge priority for Justin Frye and company as OSU will need two new tackles next season. World has three years of starting experience at Nevada, and allowed zero sacks in 13 games this past season per PFF.
Dewberry is an interesting prospect, as Ohio State had previously finished second in his initial recruitment before he ultimately committed to Texas A&M. At one point, he had told Alex Gleitman of On3 that his trip to Columbus was the, “best visit he ever had.” It is unclear whether Ohio State has reached out to Dewberry now that he is in the portal, but it would be surprising for the Buckeyes to not at least check in on the No. 9 transfer IOL having clearly had some mutual interest in the past.
Elsewhere, Ohio State would also like to add a running back via the transfer portal with both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins set to move on to the NFL. Position coach Carlos Locklyn brought in an impressive haul of backs in the 2025 class with the trio of Bo Jackson, Anthony Rogers and Isaiah West, but the Buckeyes would love to add an experienced ball-carrier to pair with second-year man James Peoples next season.
One of the names linked to Ohio State at the position has been former USC running back Quinten Joyner. Joyner, who visited Columbus this past weekend, is set to be just a redshirt sophomore in 2025, but has already racked up over 600 yards and four touchdowns over parts of two seasons with the Trojans. The 5-foot-11 Texas native is the No. 5 RB in the portal per 247Sports, has already proven he can be a successful runner in the Big Ten, and would be an instant contributor for the Buckeyes.
The other big running back linked to Ohio State is Alabama transfer Justice Haynes. Like the aforementioned Dewberry, Ohio State finished as the likely No. 2 during Haynes’ recruitment before he committed to Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide. Now back on the market, Pete Nakos on On3 has reported that there is, “significant interest” from the Buckeyes in the rising junior back. Of note, Haynes is good friends with Caleb Downs, with the two having both played high school football in Georgia in addition to their time in Tuscaloosa.
Haynes is the No. 1 RB in the transfer portal, per 247Sports. The sophomore ran for a little under 500 yards and seven touchdowns on just 79 carries while catching 17 passes for 99 for Alabama this past season.
Thieneman was the No. 1 safety in the transfer portal.
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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
2026 OT Jackson Cantrell | Via @jcantwell2499 on Twitter
Ohio State remains active on the recruiting trail with its CFP game less than a week away.
Ohio State has a College Football Playoff game at home in less than a week, but thanks to the NCAA’s eternal lack of foresight and planning, it is also a pivotal time for the Buckeyes to be active in the transfer portal. Ohio State’s staff also must maintain their focus on the traditional recruiting trail for the 2026 class, with only three players currently committed in next year’s cycle and a ton of work to be done.
Big Time Visitor in Columbus
Luckily, it seems as though game preparation has not prevented Ryan Day and his crew from hosting some big names on visits this past weekend. With offensive line a massive point of emphasis for the program moving forward, perhaps none of those visits are more important than 2026 offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.
Making the trek to Columbus on Saturday, the 6-foot-7.5 lineman is the No. 1 OT and the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. With at least 30 offers to his name from all of the nation’s top programs, Ohio State is obviously not alone in its pursuit of Cantwell, who also made a trip to Ann Arbor on Sunday to check in with rival Michigan. Following his visit, Cantwell told On3’s Steve Wiltfong that the Buckeyes are, “in the mix,” moving forward.
Having offered the standout tackle back in October of 2023, Ohio State has to be happy to get one of the early visits in the process, but will have their work cut out from them in luring him north from his home state of Missouri. The son of two Olympic shot put throwers, and a two-time Missouri Class 5A state champion in the shot put himself, Cantwell’s father is a Mizzou alum. On top of owning the national record for a sophomore in shot put, Cantwell was named the 2024 MaxPreps Missouri High School Football Player of the Year.
The Latest Transfer Portal Rumblings
Speaking of offensive linemen, Ohio State will need to add at least two guys and probably even three through the transfer portal this offseason, and that have already begun zeroing in on a handful of big names. That includes former Northwestern OL Josh Thompson, former Nevada OT Isaiah World, and former Texas A&M OL Kam Dewberry.
Thompson, the No. 5 IOL in the transfer portal according to 247Sports, visited Ohio State on Friday, and has further visits scheduled with Michigan State, Michigan and Auburn. Set to be a fifth-year senior in 2025, Thompson has experience at both tackle and guard with the Wildcats, having spent the 2023 season as Northwestern’s starting tackle, but the Buckeyes would likely slot him in as a guard should be decide to continue his career in Columbus.
World, the No. 1 OT and No. 19 overall player in the transfer portal per 247Sports, appears to have some mutual interest with Ohio State. The 6-foot-8, 309-pound blocker reportedly plans to visit with the Buckeyes sometime this week, and is obvious a huge priority for Justin Frye and company as OSU will need two new tackles next season. World has three years of starting experience at Nevada, and allowed zero sacks in 13 games this past season per PFF.
Dewberry is an interesting prospect, as Ohio State had previously finished second in his initial recruitment before he ultimately committed to Texas A&M. At one point, he had told Alex Gleitman of On3 that his trip to Columbus was the, “best visit he ever had.” It is unclear whether Ohio State has reached out to Dewberry now that he is in the portal, but it would be surprising for the Buckeyes to not at least check in on the No. 9 transfer IOL having clearly had some mutual interest in the past.
Elsewhere, Ohio State would also like to add a running back via the transfer portal with both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins set to move on to the NFL. Position coach Carlos Locklyn brought in an impressive haul of backs in the 2025 class with the trio of Bo Jackson, Anthony Rogers and Isaiah West, but the Buckeyes would love to add an experienced ball-carrier to pair with second-year man James Peoples next season.
One of the names linked to Ohio State at the position has been former USC running back Quinten Joyner. Joyner, who visited Columbus this past weekend, is set to be just a redshirt sophomore in 2025, but has already racked up over 600 yards and four touchdowns over parts of two seasons with the Trojans. The 5-foot-11 Texas native is the No. 5 RB in the portal per 247Sports, has already proven he can be a successful runner in the Big Ten, and would be an instant contributor for the Buckeyes.
The other big running back linked to Ohio State is Alabama transfer Justice Haynes. Like the aforementioned Dewberry, Ohio State finished as the likely No. 2 during Haynes’ recruitment before he committed to Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide. Now back on the market, Pete Nakos on On3 has reported that there is, “significant interest” from the Buckeyes in the rising junior back. Of note, Haynes is good friends with Caleb Downs, with the two having both played high school football in Georgia in addition to their time in Tuscaloosa.
Haynes is the No. 1 RB in the transfer portal, per 247Sports. The sophomore ran for a little under 500 yards and seven touchdowns on just 79 carries while catching 17 passes for 99 for Alabama this past season.
Quick Hits
- One player Ohio State knows it will not be landing in the transfer portal this offseason is former Purdue safety Dillon Thieneman, who committed to Oregon over the weekend. The Buckeyes have gotten accustomed to losing out to the Ducks on premiere defensive back talent of late, including the signing day flip of five-star corner Na’eem Offord as well as fellow DB targets Dorian Brew and Trey McNutt.
Thieneman was the No. 1 safety in the transfer portal.
- Ohio State could potential see a familiar face lined up across the field next season, as Buckeyes wide receiver transfer Jayden Ballard made a trip to Wisconsin this past weekend. Ballard spent each of the past four seasons in Columbus, but caught only 11 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown during that time. Ohio State will play Wisconsin in Madison on Oct. 18, 2025.
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