-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
Latest activity
Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Other OSU and Professional Sports
- 12194 Replies
Blue Jackets gaining belief in the Bowness era | Columbus Blue Jackets
The new head coach has repeatedly said he's in charge of a good team, and the results are showing it
www.nhl.com
Blue Jackets gaining belief in the Bowness era
The new head coach has repeatedly said he's in charge of a good team, and the results are showing it
When Rick Bowness took over as head coach of the Blue Jackets, one of the key factors why he came out of retirement and accepted the team's offer was he thought he could win hockey games and do it quickly.
Columbus needed to vault up the standings to get back in the Eastern Conference playoff race, but when Bowness looked at the roster and reflected on what he had watched on the ice this year, he saw the bones – no pun intended – of a team that had potential.
“I look at that team and I said, ‘I think I can help that team. They’re better than their record looks,’” Bowness said at his introductory press conference. “I did feel like Columbus is one of the teams I honestly feel I could help, so I'm here.”
Six games in, he’s been proven right. The Blue Jackets have won five of those contests since Bowness took over, and the early days of his tenure have been marked by a few changes to the team’s philosophy. He’s preached playing a pressure game and being more defensively responsible, and the Blue Jackets have responded by allowing just eight 5-on-5 goals in the last six games while being harder to play against.
But perhaps the biggest adjustment has come between the ears – or at least on their torsos. A new shirt with the words “Raise the bar, Expect to win” has been delivered to players, and it’s that last part in particular that Bowness has wanted to instill in his new squad.
“You better walk into the rink expecting to win,” Bowness said. “That’s the only way to do it, man. You don’t walk in with having so much respect for the opposition, you don’t play your game. To hell with that. You walk in, you have swagger, you have confidence in your team and the way you play.”
The Blue Jackets still have work to do to make it where they want to go in the standings, as they sit eight points behind the final wild card spot and six behind the Islanders for third in the division, but that confident mind-set seems to have them on the right track. As evidence, the team’s last three wins – at Pittsburgh and at home vs. Dallas and Tampa Bay – came against teams that are currently in the top 10 in the NHL in points percentage.
In the Blue Jackets dressing room, the belief never seemed to waver, but hearing someone come from the outside to deliver the message seems to have had an impact.
“First and foremost, we believe that with this group,” Mathieu Olivier said. “We still believed it when Dean (Evason) was coach, but you have another coach come in, he becomes part of the family, right, and kind of leads our way and says the same things (we believe). It just validates what we thought originally.
“We knew we were a better team than our record. For some reason, we couldn’t get it together, but we’re in a little bit of a good run here. Overall, we’re getting the results, but the way we’re playing is a lot more suited to what we should be doing out there.”
In fact, Bowness has delivered the message not just in the press – where he’s spoken a number of times about how much he believes in the quality of his squad – but in the dressing room.
“If I’m coming back, I wanted a chance to win,” he said in his first meeting with the squad Jan. 13, as detailed in Behind The Battle presented by PNC Bank. “I’ve watched your games enough this year, and I believe in you guys.”
.
.
.
continued
Just sayin': They are currently 10 points away from a wild card spot with 30 games to play.
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
CB Dominick Kelly (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 19 Replies
The quiet addition with loud upside: Why Dominick Kelly may be Ohio State’s most underrated transfer
Why Ohio State’s quiet addition from Georgia could become a cornerstone of the Buckeyes’ secondary in the years ahead
www.landgrantholyland.com
The quiet addition with loud upside: Why Dominick Kelly may be Ohio State’s most underrated transfer
Why Ohio State’s quiet addition from Georgia could become a cornerstone of the Buckeyes’ secondary in the years aheadWhen Ohio State’s transfer class was taking shape this offseason, most of the attention gravitated toward proven production, veteran experience, and immediate fixes. Bigger names, clearer roles, instant impact. Lost in that noise was a move that may not pay off loudly in 2026, but could end up reshaping the Buckeyes’ secondary in the long term, and that is the addition of former Georgia cornerback Dominick Kelly.
Kelly does not arrive in Columbus with the hype of an All-Conference resume or the expectations of an instant starter. Instead, he arrives with something Ohio State has again quietly prioritized this cycle. High-level developmental talent from an elite program, molded in a system that demands technical precision and physicality. That combination makes Kelly one of the most intriguing and underrated additions on the entire roster.
Why Georgia didn’t want to lose him
Kelly’s departure from Georgia was not met with indifference. Inside the Georgia program and fanbase, his transfer raised eyebrows for a reason. As a true freshman, Kelly cracked the rotation in one of the deepest and most competitive secondaries in college football. That alone is telling.Georgia does not hand out snaps to freshmen at cornerback unless they trust them. Kelly appeared in multiple games, gaining exposure to elite competition and absorbing one of the most demanding defensive structures in the sport. While his statistical output was limited, his value came from something less visible but arguably more important: reps in real games against NFL-caliber receivers.
At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Kelly already carries the prototype frame Ohio State covets on the outside. More importantly, his foundation is strong. Georgia’s coaching staff trusted his technique, alignment, and understanding of coverage rules enough to put him on the field early, and that trust from Kirby Smart is rarely misplaced. When Georgia coaches are unhappy to see a young defensive back leave the building, it usually means the player was viewed as a key part of the future.
Short-term role, long-term vision
Kelly is unlikely to be asked to carry the room in 2026, but that is not the point. Ohio State’s cornerback group is clearly top-heavy, with established starters ahead of him and younger players fighting for rotational snaps. That context actually benefits Kelly. Early on, his role projects as a third or fourth corner, a depth piece capable of handling meaningful snaps without being truly exposed. That role fits his profile perfectly. He can be brought along deliberately, learning Tim Walton’s style and Matt Patricia’s system without the pressure of weekly matchup assignments against WR1s.This is where Kelly’s value becomes clear. Ohio State is not asking him to be great immediately; they are asking him to develop correctly. With Walton’s track record of development at the position, Kelly’s blend of length and technical base gives him real upside. He already understands how to survive in a press-heavy, matchup-driven system. The next step is refinement, not reinvention.
.
.
.
continued
Upvote
0
Titanic (official thread)
- Open Discussion (Work-safe)
- 211 Replies
About TITANIC II - Welcome to the home of Titanic II
www.bluestarline.com.au
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
Upvote
0
