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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which college football coach is on the hot seat this year?

You’re Nuts: Which college football coach is on the hot seat this year?
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Wisconsin v Northwestern

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

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 the most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Burning Questions” articles here.



One area of college football that Ohio State rarely has to worry about is the coaching hot seat. Since 2001, Ohio State has had just three head coaches, four if you count the 2011 season where the Buckeyes were led by interim head coach Luke Fickell. The hiring of Jim Tressel in 2001 was the last time Ohio State was truly part of the coaching carousel. Urban Meyer was an obvious hire to take over for Fickell following 2011, and the Buckeyes kept things in-house when Meyer retired, hiring offensive assistant Ryan Day.

Even though some Ohio State fans have turned up the heat on Ryan Day, it’s hard to believe that Day truly is on the “hot seat”. Despite Day’s inability to lead his team to victory over Michigan the last two years, Ohio State won the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2021 season, and made it to the playoff last year for the third time under Day. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams next year, it’ll likely take a lot to go wrong for the Buckeyes to part ways with Day.

Just look at last year in college football, where Auburn, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and a number of other Power 5 schools decided a change was needed at head coach. This year will feature some more programs looking to shake things up, and the cycle will continue year after year. What we want to know today is what coach is on college football’s hot seat this year?

Today’s question: What college football head coach is on the hot seat this year?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.


Brett’s answer: Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald


I know Northwestern isn’t an easy place to win at, and it’s not an attractive job. Pat Fitzgerald has been great for his alma mater. Not only did Fitzgerald step up when head coach Randy Walker passed away, but he has led the Wildcats to some strong seasons. In his 17 seasons as head coach in Evanston, Fitzgerald has a 110-101 record, and led the Wildcats to 10 bowl games, posting a 5-5 record in those contests.

Things have started to go downhill for Northwestern over the last few years, though. Following the 2017 and 2018 seasons where the Wildcats were a combined 19-8, over the past four years Northwestern has gone 14-31. Half of those wins came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season where the Wildcats were 7-2. Last season Northwestern was 1-11, with their only win coming in the season opener against Nebraska in Ireland.

Standards around college football are being raised as conferences are negotiating higher television contracts. As new, expensive facilities are being built, program budgets are going up, and spots in the CFP are expanding, more is being expected out of programs. Northwestern isn’t immune to all of this. A $260 million dollar football facility opened on the lakeshore in 2018, and it sounds like a new football stadium at the school is in the works.

Fitzgerald can certainly be credited with helping the school to be competitive enough to bring in the donations needed for the football facility to be built, as well as there to be plans for a new stadium. Northwestern can’t allow the results of the last couple seasons to become the norm. It feels like Fitzgerald isn’t one that is welcoming to change, either. Lately it seems like whenever Fitzgerald is criticized for anything, it isn’t his fault, but instead the fault of social media or it’s because the work ethic of student-athletes isn’t like it was when he was in college.

Sometimes it is hard for those that have been together for so long to separate. If Northwestern finds itself in the basement of the Big Ten West again this year, it could be time for the Wildcats to rip off the band-aid. Better than prolonging the inevitable.


Matt’s answer: Syracuse’s Dino Babers


While I was tempted to go with a Big Ten name, just to keep it in the conference (I was leaning towards Indiana’s Tom Allen), I didn’t think his seat was hot enough just yet. I then thought about maybe going with former Ohio State defensive coordinator (who probably could have had a much bigger job had he stayed another year) Jeff Hafley at Boston College.

However, I am going to go with a guy whose seat I think is hot, but also who has one of the weirdest trajectories in recent years; that guy is Syracuse head coach Dino Babers. Now, I am old enough to remember when the Orange were ranked as high as No. 14 in the country. In fact, you are also old enough to remember that, because if you are reading this, certainly you were alive following Week 7 of the 2022 college football season.

Babers’ squad won its first six games of the campaign, climbing into the top-15. However, they lost their next five, beat Hafley’s BC Eagles in the regular season finale, and then fell to Minnesota in Pinstripe Bowl to finish 7-6. That marked only the team’s second winning season since Babers got to town in 2016, following its 10-3 mark in 2018.

I know that the ‘Cuse is not nearly the football factory that it once was, but there have been moments over Dino’s seven seasons when it felt like the team was turning a corner. They’ve played Clemson incredibly well, including in 2017 when they knocked off the then-No. 2 Tigers in the Carrier Dome. That is what Syracuse fans demand of their team, and with an ACC that currently has no quality teams north of (or even near) the Mason-Dixon line (I’m not counting you, Notre Dame), there is room for a program to carve itself a little niche on that side of the conference.

Babers is 36-49 during his tenure at Syracuse, meaning he’s averaging a 5-7 season. That’s certainly not going to cut it long term, even if the school has essentially given up on being competitive. I think there’s an opening in the ACC, and if Syracuse wants to get back even a modicum of relevance in the sport, bringing in a new coach now to turn things around could be the best way to do it.

I personally like Dino. I think he’s fun and charismatic and he was considered to be Ohio State’s next head coach before Gene Smith decided to give the reins to Ryan Day, but, unless he can figure out a way to be more consistently competent this year, I think he will end up being an offensive analyst at Alabama next season (if Saban would even have him).

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LGHL Burning Questions: Rebuilding or fresh start? What’s next for OSU women’s volleyball?

Burning Questions: Rebuilding or fresh start? What’s next for OSU women’s volleyball?
JamiJurich
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: Austin American-Statesman

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After losing five starters to the transfer portal, how will the Buckeyes bounce back this fall?

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 the most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Burning Questions” articles here.

The end of last season presented a perfect storm of changes for Ohio State volleyball. The powerhouse team ended the 2022 season with an Elite Eight loss to Texas in the NCAA Tournament, but the more devastating loss was the one they knew would follow — the loss of the majority of their roster.

Due to COVID, the NCAA extended player eligibility for one year, and along with the additional year, teams were allowed to exceed their twelve-scholarship limit. But beginning in 2023, the scholarship limit returns, and with four incoming freshmen on the roster, OSU women’s volleyball coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg knew some roster changes would need to be made.

Oldenburg’s decision was not an easy one — ask the incoming freshmen to walk on without scholarships in order to keep her five seniors for an additional year, or part with beloved players.

Oldenburg chose to play the long game. This meant losing five starters — Gabby Gonzales, Jenaisya Moore, Kylie Murr, Mac Podraza, and Adria Powell — to the transfer portal to find schools where they could use their additional year of eligibility.

Returning players opposite hitter Emily Londot (a second-team All-American), middle blocker Rylee Rader, and defensive specialist Sarah Sue Morbitzer are left to lead the team into the 2023 season.

What remains to be seen is whether they will be leading the team through a rebuilding year or a fresh start. But there is good reason to be hopeful.

The returners seem eager to rise to the challenge, and if anyone can be trusted at the helm of a ship, it’s Oldenburg, with Londot’s leadership on the court a key element to this team as well.

Oldenburg knows how to hit the reset button, a skill that will serve this team well heading into the 2023 season.

In fact, heading into the NCAA Tournament in 2022, the team was on a four-game losing streak. But under Oldenburg’s coaching, the team managed sweeps in the first two rounds before upsetting No. 2-seed Minnesota in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to the Elite Eight (the fourth Elite Eight appearance in program history).

She’ll need to help this team hit reset again heading into the fall. It’s an entirely new group with far less collegiate experience than the 2022 roster.

But with that comes opportunity. There’s an opportunity for progress. There’s an opportunity to establish this team as one to watch. There’s an opportunity for this team to build something new. rather than live in the shadow of the 2022 team.

And with opportunity comes power.

That’s not to say there won’t be growing pains. Already, the team saw some of these play out in spring ball. Two early enrollees — Mia Tuman and Grace Egan — saw firsthand the difference in pace and level of play in collegiate volleyball.

The Big Ten won’t make it easy, either. The conference is one of the most competitive in women’s volleyball, and it will present a unique challenge for young players trying to gain their footing.

But perhaps baptism by fire will speed up the learning. And diving into the intensity early means there’s also more time for the young players to adapt. Their work is cut out for them, but the incoming freshmen seem eager to rise to the challenge.

There’s also an opportunity for some of the younger returners to step up as leaders on the court, and while lack of experience can be detrimental, Oldenburg is framing this as an opportunity, which is the exact outlook a team trying to hit reset needs.

All-in-all, it might be tough for the women’s volleyball team to replicate last season’s magic this year. But it seems likely that even if that’s the case, Oldenburg and her veterans are laying the foundation for this team to excel in seasons to come.

After all, volleyball is played in five sets, and the most successful teams know progress and victory are always about the long game.

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LGHL Five-star cornerback to visit Ohio State, while four-star DE cancels trip to Columbus

Five-star cornerback to visit Ohio State, while four-star DE cancels trip to Columbus
Dan Hessler
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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2025 five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez via @Devin2416 on Twitter

Ohio State is following up a big recruiting weekend by playing host to a 2025 five-star CB.

Ohio State’s football team had a busy weekend. The Buckeyes played host to a handful of blue-chip prospects last weekend, and as a result the team now finds itself in a great situation to land a pair of elite-level defensive prospects. While it would be understandable for things to slow down, things are far from the opposite for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is set to play host to even more recruits this summer, including a five-star cornerback.

Five-star CB to visit Ohio State today


Ohio State is set to have a busy Tuesday, playing host to another handful of prospects — albeit a smaller group than last weekend. The group visiting today may not be as large, but the impact it could have on the Buckeyes recruiting success is much closer to equal.

The big name planning to visit with Ohio State today is 2025 five-star CB Devin Sanchez (Houston, TX / North Shore), who is taking an unofficial visit with the Buckeyes.

I will be at The Ohio State tomorrow.@CoachDuHart @CoachTimWalton @Coach_Eliano @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/mu84OAQMWG

— Devin Sanchez (@Devin2416) June 19, 2023

The visit today will not be the first to Columbus for Sanchez, who was offered by Ohio State back in January. Sanchez participated in a spring camp at Ohio State back in April, and in his own words, he “had a great time”.

Ohio State has made cornerback a priority in the 2025 recruiting class, offering more than a dozen prospects at the position already. However, none have the pedigree that Sanchez holds. Sanchez is viewed as one of, if not the best cornerback in next year’s class by many recruiting websites.

With such pedigree, the Buckeyes are not alone in pursuing Sanchez. He holds more than a reported 30 scholarship offers, and has already taken summer visits with Alabama and Texas after making spring visits with Oklahoma and LSU. Sanchez has not yet released a top schools list, but it can be safe to assume all of the aforementioned schools, as well as Ohio State, are high on it.

The Buckeyes have seen a lot of success in all of the recruits they have hosted in recent weeks, and all expectations are this will continue. Ohio State will need to put a lot of work in recruiting Sanchez if it is going to steal him from Texas and the other southern schools that present the biggest threat to Ohio State.

Sanchez is the No. 1 CB and is the No. 6 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings for the 2025 class. He is also the No. 1 recruit from the talent-rich state of Texas.

Quick Hits

  • Sanchez will not be alone today for his visit to Ohio State. 2025 three-star athlete Dominik Hulak (Elmhurst, IL / Immaculate Conception) also announced on Monday that he will be visiting Ohio State today. Hulak has received offers from the likes of Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Purdue, Purdue, etc. but he is still awaiting one from the Buckeyes.

However, if he has a good showing at today’s camp, an offer could soon follow. Hulak is the No. 33 athlete in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 359 overall prospect.

I will be at The Ohio State University tomorrow for camp and an unofficial visit! @ryandaytime @CoachJimKnowles @CoachMcGrath22 @MattBowen41 @MDohertyICCP @ICCPFootball pic.twitter.com/VHvhmCI5dK

— Dominik Hulak (@DominikHulak) June 19, 2023
  • Monday didn’t only bring positive recruiting news for the Buckeyes, however, as 2024 four-star defensive end prospect Elias Rudolph (Deerfield Beach, FL / Deerfield Beach) announced that he will no longer be taking an official visit to Ohio State this month. Rudolph also announced a final three schools of Michigan, Florida and Pitt.

The news is definitely not good for the Buckeyes, but Ohio State is sitting in good shape for multiple other defensive line prospects in this class such as Marquise Lightfoot, Booker Pickett Jr., Justin Scott, Eddrick Houston, Dominick McKinley and others.

I will like to announce that I will be committing on July 3rd at Taft highschool , at 530, and I will not be goin to Ohio state official this weekend

— Elias Rudolph (@EliasRudolph6) June 19, 2023

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