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LGHL Five good omens for 2025 from Ohio State’s Spring Game
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Five good omens for 2025 from Ohio State’s Spring Game
Michael Citro 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
Several performances and plays from the OSU Spring Game were potential harbingers of good things for the upcoming college football season.
Sure, this may be the latest Ohio State Spring Game story in the history of OSU Spring Game stories, but I didn’t want to interrupt the three-week countdown ranking the touchdowns from the Buckeyes’ national championship run. I also wanted to have the opportunity to watch the Spring Game a couple of times, so waiting to write this column afforded me the chance to do that.
It’s easy to overreact to a glorified practice like the OSU Spring Game. It looks like a football game, so it gives the appearance that the things happening on the field are transferrable. Some things are transferrable, but it’s still a scrimmage. Game planning isn’t a part of it and it’s impossible to gauge how aggressive the defense is, knowing they aren’t going to be allowed to blow up the quarterback, running backs, and receivers the way they could in a real game.
That tendency to overreact is why I wanted to get multiple looks to see if there was anything that might translate into the 2025 season. I definitely saw some things I liked, and I’m not going to read too much into the defense not getting more stops or making more big plays. I believe the rules of the Spring Game tend to hinder the defense playing more like it would in a real game.
This is what stood out to me:
One of the big questions for 2025 is how Ohio State can replicate the success the Buckeyes had in the run game in 2024 with both Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson leaving and the offensive line getting rebuilt on the outside. The offense may have partially shown the answer in the Spring Game.
Again, taking into account the fact that sometimes whistles blew without contact and the defense not being allowed to tee off, the running game was impressive. Bo Jackson (88 yards), Sam Williams-Dixon (64), and C.J. McDonald (35) — albeit the latter in more limited action — all looked good.
As important as that was to see, it was even more important to see the offensive line opening holes that allowed those running backs to routinely gain three to five yards without being touched. If Ohio State’s offensive line can play opposing defenses that well in games that matter, it’ll be a great 2025 for the running game.
Although Lincoln Kienholz started with the first teamers at the beginning of the game and Julian Sayin started with the twos, the latter looked like the more game-ready quarterback. Kienholz’s first drive was riddled with nervy throws that missed open receivers.
Sayin looked poised and in command of the offense, and he threw accurate passes. Sayin completed 17 of his 24 attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. Mylan Graham could have given him another touchdown pass but stumbled out of his break and couldn’t get his second hand up to catch a pass while wide open in the end zone.
More than his accuracy, Sayin looked like he understood what he was seeing on the field and making the appropriate reads and check downs.
It’s a long-running joke that every year is “the year of the tight end” at Ohio State. The Buckeyes have had some great tight ends, but the receivers have been so good, it’s almost a win for the defense to check down from Jeremiah Smith to Jelani Thurman.
Transfer Max Klare, who scored a touchdown in the Spring Game, is the kind of tight end who could have a huge year if Ohio State’s play calling allows him to. Klare should blast past any linebacker assigned to cover him. He runs great routes, gets open, and snatches the ball out of the air well.
Klare should be able to soften up any defense that keeps its safeties wide to compress the room Smith, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and others have to work in.
Redshirt freshman Graham looks like a future star who might not have to wait long to enjoy that future. His long catch and run for a touchdown was a highlight, but Graham did a lot of good things in the Spring Game, and he must get snaps in 2025.
I think he will get those snaps, much like Tate and Inniss each got on the field early, but Graham may end up better than both of them, and there is a greater than zero percent chance that he finishes 2025 not only as a starter, but perhaps even the team’s second-leading receiver.
All of the above is about the offense, but there were good performances on the defense as well, although the format of the Spring Game is not necessarily conducive to flash on defense, especially for the starters who left the game after only a few snaps. Sonny Styles showed up early in the game and made a few plays, including a tackle for loss on a Donaldson run.
Aaron Scott Jr. was a defensive back who made some plays. Although he was also on the ground for the missed touchdown Graham couldn’t haul in from Sayin, Scott made several good plays in coverage, including an effective pass breakup in the end zone on Graham.
Inky Jones made a great break on the ball for his third-quarter interception after Eric Mensah put pressure on Tavien St. Clair. Faheem Delane’s interception also was the result of a great read and a quick, decisive undercut of the route.
Staying with the secondary, Lorenzo Styles Jr. made a great pass breakup down the sideline on Graham. Jaylen McClain broke up a pass in the end zone that was all but caught already by Thurman.
Finally, Logan George pressured the quarterback on a couple of successive plays early in the game. Linebacker Payton Pierce had a big pop on Donaldson on the game’s second series as well.
All of the above could be good omens for the 2025 Buckeyes. Losing such integral pieces at quarterback, the top two running back spots, and along the offensive line, probably the most optimistic takeaway was the running game, but we’ll see the fall if the Buckeyes can do that against a defense with a game plan and no restrictions on who (or how hard) they can hit.
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
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Several performances and plays from the OSU Spring Game were potential harbingers of good things for the upcoming college football season.
Sure, this may be the latest Ohio State Spring Game story in the history of OSU Spring Game stories, but I didn’t want to interrupt the three-week countdown ranking the touchdowns from the Buckeyes’ national championship run. I also wanted to have the opportunity to watch the Spring Game a couple of times, so waiting to write this column afforded me the chance to do that.
It’s easy to overreact to a glorified practice like the OSU Spring Game. It looks like a football game, so it gives the appearance that the things happening on the field are transferrable. Some things are transferrable, but it’s still a scrimmage. Game planning isn’t a part of it and it’s impossible to gauge how aggressive the defense is, knowing they aren’t going to be allowed to blow up the quarterback, running backs, and receivers the way they could in a real game.
That tendency to overreact is why I wanted to get multiple looks to see if there was anything that might translate into the 2025 season. I definitely saw some things I liked, and I’m not going to read too much into the defense not getting more stops or making more big plays. I believe the rules of the Spring Game tend to hinder the defense playing more like it would in a real game.
This is what stood out to me:
Take a Bow, Running Game
One of the big questions for 2025 is how Ohio State can replicate the success the Buckeyes had in the run game in 2024 with both Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson leaving and the offensive line getting rebuilt on the outside. The offense may have partially shown the answer in the Spring Game.
Again, taking into account the fact that sometimes whistles blew without contact and the defense not being allowed to tee off, the running game was impressive. Bo Jackson (88 yards), Sam Williams-Dixon (64), and C.J. McDonald (35) — albeit the latter in more limited action — all looked good.
As important as that was to see, it was even more important to see the offensive line opening holes that allowed those running backs to routinely gain three to five yards without being touched. If Ohio State’s offensive line can play opposing defenses that well in games that matter, it’ll be a great 2025 for the running game.
Julian Sayin Looks the Part
Although Lincoln Kienholz started with the first teamers at the beginning of the game and Julian Sayin started with the twos, the latter looked like the more game-ready quarterback. Kienholz’s first drive was riddled with nervy throws that missed open receivers.
Sayin looked poised and in command of the offense, and he threw accurate passes. Sayin completed 17 of his 24 attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. Mylan Graham could have given him another touchdown pass but stumbled out of his break and couldn’t get his second hand up to catch a pass while wide open in the end zone.
More than his accuracy, Sayin looked like he understood what he was seeing on the field and making the appropriate reads and check downs.
Max Klare is a Weapon
It’s a long-running joke that every year is “the year of the tight end” at Ohio State. The Buckeyes have had some great tight ends, but the receivers have been so good, it’s almost a win for the defense to check down from Jeremiah Smith to Jelani Thurman.
Transfer Max Klare, who scored a touchdown in the Spring Game, is the kind of tight end who could have a huge year if Ohio State’s play calling allows him to. Klare should blast past any linebacker assigned to cover him. He runs great routes, gets open, and snatches the ball out of the air well.
Klare should be able to soften up any defense that keeps its safeties wide to compress the room Smith, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and others have to work in.
Speaking of Weapons...
Redshirt freshman Graham looks like a future star who might not have to wait long to enjoy that future. His long catch and run for a touchdown was a highlight, but Graham did a lot of good things in the Spring Game, and he must get snaps in 2025.
I think he will get those snaps, much like Tate and Inniss each got on the field early, but Graham may end up better than both of them, and there is a greater than zero percent chance that he finishes 2025 not only as a starter, but perhaps even the team’s second-leading receiver.
What About the Defense?
All of the above is about the offense, but there were good performances on the defense as well, although the format of the Spring Game is not necessarily conducive to flash on defense, especially for the starters who left the game after only a few snaps. Sonny Styles showed up early in the game and made a few plays, including a tackle for loss on a Donaldson run.
Aaron Scott Jr. was a defensive back who made some plays. Although he was also on the ground for the missed touchdown Graham couldn’t haul in from Sayin, Scott made several good plays in coverage, including an effective pass breakup in the end zone on Graham.
Inky Jones made a great break on the ball for his third-quarter interception after Eric Mensah put pressure on Tavien St. Clair. Faheem Delane’s interception also was the result of a great read and a quick, decisive undercut of the route.
Staying with the secondary, Lorenzo Styles Jr. made a great pass breakup down the sideline on Graham. Jaylen McClain broke up a pass in the end zone that was all but caught already by Thurman.
Finally, Logan George pressured the quarterback on a couple of successive plays early in the game. Linebacker Payton Pierce had a big pop on Donaldson on the game’s second series as well.
All of the above could be good omens for the 2025 Buckeyes. Losing such integral pieces at quarterback, the top two running back spots, and along the offensive line, probably the most optimistic takeaway was the running game, but we’ll see the fall if the Buckeyes can do that against a defense with a game plan and no restrictions on who (or how hard) they can hit.
Continue reading...
2025 scUM Shenanigans, Arguments, etc.
- By Trevi
- College Football
- 4361 Replies
Back to the fun stuff. The number of "victims" (or whatever you want to call them) filing lawsuits against Mr. Weiss and scum is mounting
markets.financialcontent.com
More Survivors Come Forward as Student-Athletes Sue Ex-Coach Matt Weiss Over Alleged Nationwide Privacy Breach and Digital Exploitation | FinancialContent
More Survivors Come Forward as Student-Athletes Sue Ex-Coach Matt Weiss Over Alleged Nationwide Privacy Breach and Digital Exploitation
markets.financialcontent.com
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LGHL Ohio State squared off with Kansas State for the first time in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl
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Ohio State squared off with Kansas State for the first time in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The random Ohio State bowl victory that we are going to focus on today is the clash with Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of the 2003 season.
Much like in 2003, Ohio State will be defending their national championship in the 2025 season. Ryan Day and company are hoping for a season that doesn’t have quite as much drama as what Jim Tressel’s team faced heading into the 2003 season.
Despite having to deal with a lot on and off the field, Ohio State still put together a very strong campaign in 2003, with their season coming to a close in the same place that it did just 12 months before, although the stakes weren’t quite as high as their trip to Tempe to take on Miami at the beginning of 2003.
Heading into the 2003 season, there were plenty of questions surrounding the status of running back Maurice Clarett. After starring for the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2002, Clarett was at the center of not only an academic cheating scandal, but allegations of improper benefits.
Even though Clarett wasn’t officially suspended for Ohio State’s first two games of the season, on Sept. 10 the running back from Youngstown was suspended for the rest of the season. Following the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Clarett would never suit up for another game for the Buckeyes.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25960615/2821276.jpg "Purdue v Ohio State")
Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images
Without Clarett, Ohio State wasn’t quite as strong running the football as they were in 2002. That doesn’t mean Tressel didn’t work his running backs, as Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall combined to rush for over 1,100 yards and 11 scores. The Buckeyes benefited from having an experienced quarterback behind center in Craig Krenzel.
The passing game opened up a little more in 2003 with Krenzel having receivers Michael Jenkins and Santonio Holmes at his disposal. Jenkins finished the season with 55 catches for 834 yards and seven touchdowns, while Holmes added 32 receptions for 549 yards and seven scores.
Despite missing their starting running back, Ohio State started off the season with a win over Washington in Columbus in a battle between ranked teams. Included in their five straight wins to open up the 2003 season was a triple overtime thriller against Philip Rivers and NC State, with the Buckeyes earning a 44-38 win at home.
The first setback for Tressel since the 2002 Outback Bowl came in October against Wisconsin. The Badgers were able to top Ohio State 17-10 in Madison.
At least the Buckeyes were able to bounce back quickly from the loss to Wisconsin, returning home to beat Iowa, who was ranked ninth in the country at the time, 19-10 the following Saturday. The victory over the Hawkeyes sparked a five-game winning streak for Ohio State, which included wins at home over ranked Michigan State and Purdue squads.
Unfortunately, the Buckeyes would close out the regular season by suffering one of Tressel’s few losses to Michigan, as the Wolverines beat Ohio State 35-21 in Ann Arbor in the 100th meeting all-time between the rivals.
When the dust settled on the announcement of the bowl schedule, Ohio State found out they would be making the trip to Tempe for the second year in a row, this time to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, marking the first time the two programs have squared off on the football field.
Following an 11-2 season in 2002, capped off by a victory in the Holiday Bowl over Arizona State, Kansas State again reached double digits in the win column, entering the Fiesta Bowl with an 11-3 record.
Bill Snyder’s 15th season in charge in Manhattan was a bit of an odd ride. The Wildcats opened up the season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, winning the BCA Classic against Cal, sparking a four-game winning streak to start the season. Then in the middle of the year Kansas State lost three straight games to Marshall, Texas, and Oklahoma State by a combined 15 points.
The Wildcats rebounded from the losing streak to win their final seven games of the season, capped off by a 35-7 destruction over top-ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. The conference championship was the first since 1934 for the Kansas State football program.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25960617/2789869.jpg "Kansas State v Oklahoma")
Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Powering the Wildcats was a dominant combination on the ground of running back Darren Sproles and quarterback Eli Roberson. Sproles was fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, finishing the season with 1,986 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Roberson added 15 scores and 975 yards rushing to go along with 2,545 yards through the air and 24 passing touchdowns.
The Kansas State quarterback did enter the Fiesta Bowl with a major distraction though, as he was accused of sexual assault the night before the game, but he would end up starting for the Wildcats. No charges were ever filed against Roberson in response to the allegations.
Early on in the Fiesta Bowl it looked like Kansas State was focusing on everything but a football game. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead when John Hollins returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, followed by Santonio Holmes hauling in a six-yard pass from Craig Krenzel for a touchdown to push Ohio State’s lead to 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes would add to their advantage when Krenzel found Michael Jenkins from 17 yards out to increase the lead to 21-0 with 6:49 left in the second quarter. Sproles would cut into the lead before half when his rushing touchdown sent the Wildcats into the break trailing 21-7.
After halftime, Kansas State quarterback Eli Roberson started to find his rhythm. Roberson was able to pull the Wildcats within a score when his 14-yard touchdown run with 8:59 left in the third quarter made the score 21-14. Kansas State’s defense couldn’t contribute to the comeback effort, though. Krenzel found Jenkins for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:53 left in the third quarter, followed by a 31-yard receiving touchdown for Santonio Holmes just before the end of the quarter to push the lead to 35-14.
The Wildcats would make Buckeye Nation sweat a bit in the final quarter when Ayo Saba scored early in the quarter, and Roberson rushed for his second touchdown of the game with just under three left in the contest to close the gap to 35-28 before running out of time.
Ohio State was able to use their big early lead, as well as strong defensive contributions from A.J. Hawk, Will Smith, and others to hold Kansas State to just 84 yards rushing in the game, well below their season average.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25960618/2953033.jpg "Kansas State v Ohio State")
Both programs fell short of expectations in the 2004 season. Kansas State failed to qualify for a bowl game, posting a 4-7 record. Ohio State took a while to get their offense going without starting quarterback Craig Krenzel in 2004, winning just eight games in a season that ended with an Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.
Even though the 2004 season wasn’t one of the more memorable campaigns in history, it set the table for a strong 2005 season, which was followed by a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in 2006.
Starting with the trip to Tempe for the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Ohio State would play in four Fiesta Bowls between 2003 and 2009, winning three of those contests. The Buckeyes have played in nine Fiesta Bowl games overall, winning five of them.
Currently, Ohio State has a two-game losing streak in Fiesta Bowl games, with both of those losses coming to the Clemson Tigers. The contest with the Wildcats at the end of the 2003 season remains the only time the two programs have met.
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
The random Ohio State bowl victory that we are going to focus on today is the clash with Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of the 2003 season.
Much like in 2003, Ohio State will be defending their national championship in the 2025 season. Ryan Day and company are hoping for a season that doesn’t have quite as much drama as what Jim Tressel’s team faced heading into the 2003 season.
Despite having to deal with a lot on and off the field, Ohio State still put together a very strong campaign in 2003, with their season coming to a close in the same place that it did just 12 months before, although the stakes weren’t quite as high as their trip to Tempe to take on Miami at the beginning of 2003.
Heading into the 2003 season, there were plenty of questions surrounding the status of running back Maurice Clarett. After starring for the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2002, Clarett was at the center of not only an academic cheating scandal, but allegations of improper benefits.
Even though Clarett wasn’t officially suspended for Ohio State’s first two games of the season, on Sept. 10 the running back from Youngstown was suspended for the rest of the season. Following the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Clarett would never suit up for another game for the Buckeyes.
Without Clarett, Ohio State wasn’t quite as strong running the football as they were in 2002. That doesn’t mean Tressel didn’t work his running backs, as Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall combined to rush for over 1,100 yards and 11 scores. The Buckeyes benefited from having an experienced quarterback behind center in Craig Krenzel.
The passing game opened up a little more in 2003 with Krenzel having receivers Michael Jenkins and Santonio Holmes at his disposal. Jenkins finished the season with 55 catches for 834 yards and seven touchdowns, while Holmes added 32 receptions for 549 yards and seven scores.
Despite missing their starting running back, Ohio State started off the season with a win over Washington in Columbus in a battle between ranked teams. Included in their five straight wins to open up the 2003 season was a triple overtime thriller against Philip Rivers and NC State, with the Buckeyes earning a 44-38 win at home.
The first setback for Tressel since the 2002 Outback Bowl came in October against Wisconsin. The Badgers were able to top Ohio State 17-10 in Madison.
At least the Buckeyes were able to bounce back quickly from the loss to Wisconsin, returning home to beat Iowa, who was ranked ninth in the country at the time, 19-10 the following Saturday. The victory over the Hawkeyes sparked a five-game winning streak for Ohio State, which included wins at home over ranked Michigan State and Purdue squads.
Unfortunately, the Buckeyes would close out the regular season by suffering one of Tressel’s few losses to Michigan, as the Wolverines beat Ohio State 35-21 in Ann Arbor in the 100th meeting all-time between the rivals.
When the dust settled on the announcement of the bowl schedule, Ohio State found out they would be making the trip to Tempe for the second year in a row, this time to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, marking the first time the two programs have squared off on the football field.
Following an 11-2 season in 2002, capped off by a victory in the Holiday Bowl over Arizona State, Kansas State again reached double digits in the win column, entering the Fiesta Bowl with an 11-3 record.
Bill Snyder’s 15th season in charge in Manhattan was a bit of an odd ride. The Wildcats opened up the season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, winning the BCA Classic against Cal, sparking a four-game winning streak to start the season. Then in the middle of the year Kansas State lost three straight games to Marshall, Texas, and Oklahoma State by a combined 15 points.
The Wildcats rebounded from the losing streak to win their final seven games of the season, capped off by a 35-7 destruction over top-ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. The conference championship was the first since 1934 for the Kansas State football program.
Powering the Wildcats was a dominant combination on the ground of running back Darren Sproles and quarterback Eli Roberson. Sproles was fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, finishing the season with 1,986 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Roberson added 15 scores and 975 yards rushing to go along with 2,545 yards through the air and 24 passing touchdowns.
The Kansas State quarterback did enter the Fiesta Bowl with a major distraction though, as he was accused of sexual assault the night before the game, but he would end up starting for the Wildcats. No charges were ever filed against Roberson in response to the allegations.
Early on in the Fiesta Bowl it looked like Kansas State was focusing on everything but a football game. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead when John Hollins returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, followed by Santonio Holmes hauling in a six-yard pass from Craig Krenzel for a touchdown to push Ohio State’s lead to 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes would add to their advantage when Krenzel found Michael Jenkins from 17 yards out to increase the lead to 21-0 with 6:49 left in the second quarter. Sproles would cut into the lead before half when his rushing touchdown sent the Wildcats into the break trailing 21-7.
After halftime, Kansas State quarterback Eli Roberson started to find his rhythm. Roberson was able to pull the Wildcats within a score when his 14-yard touchdown run with 8:59 left in the third quarter made the score 21-14. Kansas State’s defense couldn’t contribute to the comeback effort, though. Krenzel found Jenkins for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:53 left in the third quarter, followed by a 31-yard receiving touchdown for Santonio Holmes just before the end of the quarter to push the lead to 35-14.
The Wildcats would make Buckeye Nation sweat a bit in the final quarter when Ayo Saba scored early in the quarter, and Roberson rushed for his second touchdown of the game with just under three left in the contest to close the gap to 35-28 before running out of time.
Ohio State was able to use their big early lead, as well as strong defensive contributions from A.J. Hawk, Will Smith, and others to hold Kansas State to just 84 yards rushing in the game, well below their season average.
Both programs fell short of expectations in the 2004 season. Kansas State failed to qualify for a bowl game, posting a 4-7 record. Ohio State took a while to get their offense going without starting quarterback Craig Krenzel in 2004, winning just eight games in a season that ended with an Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.
Even though the 2004 season wasn’t one of the more memorable campaigns in history, it set the table for a strong 2005 season, which was followed by a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in 2006.
Starting with the trip to Tempe for the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Ohio State would play in four Fiesta Bowls between 2003 and 2009, winning three of those contests. The Buckeyes have played in nine Fiesta Bowl games overall, winning five of them.
Currently, Ohio State has a two-game losing streak in Fiesta Bowl games, with both of those losses coming to the Clemson Tigers. The contest with the Wildcats at the end of the 2003 season remains the only time the two programs have met.
Continue reading...
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