Ohio State 17.5-point favorites over Notre Dame
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

The Buckeyes are heavy betting favorites in their season opener.

DraftKings Sportsbook odds: Betting Line: Ohio State -17.5 // Over/Under: 58.5

No. 2 Ohio State is set to kick off its season with a Top-5 matchup at home on Saturday night, as they will host No. 5 Notre Dame in a tough non-conference battle. C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes will look to build off last year’s electric offense by hopefully pairing it with a competent defense under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, while Marcus Freeman enters his first full season as the headman of the Fighting Irish needing to replace both his starting quarterback and running back from a year ago.

The Vegas odds favor Ryan Day’s squad heavily, as Ohio State begins the week as over a two-touchdown favorite in the team’s first contest of 2022. This number is likely leaning heavily on the Buckeyes’ offense, as Stroud begins the campaign as the Heisman frontrunner with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back TreVeyon Henderson at his disposal. Despite losing a pair of first-round wide receivers to the NFL Draft in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, Day’s offense is expected to not miss a beat with a stable of five-star wide receivers, a two-headed monster at RB with Henderson and Miyan Williams, and an offensive line that is playing its talent at the correct positions.

The defense will be the real question mark for the Buckeyes, as Day brought in Knowles as well as Perry Eliano and Tim Walton to try and fix a much maligned unit from the past few seasons. The talent is certainly there, with a trio of former five-star prospects on the defensive line in Zach Harrison, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau up front and a bunch of returning stars in the back seven, but it remains to be seen whether they will be finally able to put it all together after ranking 60th in the nation in total defense a year ago — a number which even feels high given how bad they looked in 2021.

Notre Dame, on the other hand, will be looking to replace both quarterback Jack Coan and running back Kyren Williams — two of the most important players on the offense a year ago. Dual-threat QB Tyler Buchner will be leading the charge for the Irish offense this season, and he will have the luxury of tossing the rock to tight end Michael Mayer. On of the nation’s top talents at the position, Mayer led the team a season ago with 71 catches for 840 yards and seven TDs. They will, however, be without wide receiver Avery Davis, who tore his ACL in the preseason, and will potentially be without guard Jarrett Patterson, who is questionable with a foot injury.

The Fighting Irish defense has some playmakers at all three levels, led by defensive end Isaiah Foskey and safety Brandon Joseph. Foskey, an edge-rusher with some first-round NFL Draft grades, led Notre Dame a year ago with 10 sacks to go along with 52 total tackles. Joseph, whom Ohio State fans will remember from his time at Northwestern, is one of the country’s premier safeties coming off a 79-tackle and three-pick season with the Wildcats. Cornerback depth is a bit of a concern, which could be a significant issue going up against a team like the Buckeyes who will certainly look to air it out.

Despite their preseason No. 5 rating, the oddsmakers are clearly not buying into the hype surrounding Notre Dame. The 17.5-point spread is quite hefty for a battle between a pair of teams ranked this highly, and it makes sense given all that the Fighting Irish lost from a year ago. Notre Dame finished last season at No. 8, and then went on to lose its starting QB and RB as well as its head coach as Brian Kelly jumped ship to LSU. This game could be closer than the spread would indicate if Ohio State’s defense continues to struggle, but if Knowles can right the ship and the Buckeyes’ offense continues to hum as expected, things could get ugly quickly.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Sun Belt Billy gets fired from UFail after one season

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You’re Nuts: Which non-Ohio State game are you most excited for in Week 1?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

We have put Week 0 behind us, and we are ready for the REAL start of the college football season.

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: Which non-Ohio State game are you most excited for in Week 1?

Josh’s Take:


It. Is. Here! Week 1, Gene. We finally made it. We somehow survived the spring and summer seasons without football, which was especially tough for me due to Cincinnati disemboweling their professional baseball team and calling it quits on the season. To borrow a page from Lana Del Ray: I got that summertime, summertime sadness. But the Buckeyes are back to lift my spirits, and I am excited for some college football.

Before we get to the Week 1 matchups we find most exciting, it is important for us to acknowledge Week 0. I do not want to completely ignore it, and proper respect must be paid. So without further ado: Week 0, you were... actual college football for which records are kept. Beyond that, I think we’re better off as acquaintances. I might shoot you the occasional glance or a courtesy nod, but until you spend time reflecting and really improving yourself, I do not envision us having a deep, meaningful, or even friendly relationship. Call me shallow, but I don’t find you attractive. I am into sexy, ranked teams. Always have been. If you “glow up”, maybe we can grab a cup of coffee and talk. Until then, my heart belongs to Weeks 1-14.

With that out of my system, Gene, let’s talk big boy football games. I think there are plenty of interesting ones on the schedule. And I’m not just saying that because, as the kids would say, I am thirsty for CFB. While there are only a few matchups involving two ranked teams, you don’t have to look far to find other intriguing options. West Virginia - Pitt has some history, Penn State - Purdue is a nice Big Ten surprise on a Thursday, the neutral site games on Sunday and Monday will get some eyeballs... I could go on and on. But other than Ohio State’s battle with Notre Dame, I am most interested in the game involving Ohio State’s last opponent. I am of course referring to the Utah Utes, as they go toe-to-toe with the Florida Gators in Gainesville on Saturday night.

Utah gave OSU all they could handle in the 2022 Rose Bowl, and Florida is hoping to return to their previous form under new head coach Billy Napier. So this should be a good game, between two teams (and coaches) that I am either impressed or highly intrigued by. Furthermore, it is just an interesting, sort of off-the-wall non-conference matchup that I typically find appealing. I appreciate when good teams challenge themselves early in the season, going up against another team with which they rarely cross paths. The Utes and the Gators have only played each other once, back in 1977, making this game all the more unique.

As far as players and coaches go, I am slightly more familiar with Utah, given their very recent bowl game against the Buckeyes. On offense, they return the terrific trio of Cameron Rising, Tavion Thomas, and Micah Bernard. Rising and Thomas could find themselves on plenty of watch lists, while Bernard is a perfect complimentary piece. If a receiver or two can make up for the loss of 12-year college vet Britain Covey, the Utes could wind up with an explosive unit — albeit one that smashes your face in, as opposed to throwing over the top. And what is wild to think about, is that if Rising were to miss time, the team has another former Texas QB waiting in the wings. Ja’Quinden Jackson only saw action in three games last year, but was a former four-star recruit and top-10 player in the state of Texas (ESPN had him ranked No. 2 in the talent-rich Lonestar State).

Utah’s defense did lose star linebacker Devin Lloyd and leading sacker Mika Tafua, but their secondary should be better than what we saw in the Rose Bowl, and they added both a stud transfer and a stud recruit at linebacker. The Utes’ defense also gets the benefit of going up against a talented but largely unproven Florida offense. The Gators averaged nearly 31 points per game, but lost their leading rusher and leading receiver.

It might sound like I am making a case for Utah here, but I am genuinely interested to see what Florida looks like under Napier, and with Anthony Richardson entrenched as the starting QB. Napier compiled a 40-12 record at his last stop (Louisiana), and is known to have a strong offensive acumen. He has also been recruiting well, so I would imagine Florida will improve over their 6-7 record in 2021. At the very least, their new coach is not a visor guy — a huge step up from established visor guy.

The Gators’ offense will be led by Richardson, who is a tank of a QB. At 6-foot-3, 230, I have heard him compared to Cam Newton, and I can definitely see it. He was not wildly efficient in a timeshare last season, but I expect improvement now that the job is officially his. Behind him we’ll see Montrell Johnson Jr., who played for Napier at Louisiana, as well (potentially) Trevor Etienne – brother of Travis – and Lorenzo Lingard. The latter has not yet broken through as a college player, but was a consensus five-star recruit in 2018. Can the Gators throw? That is the important question. TBD on the results.

Florida also needs to be better than 74th in scoring defense (2020 & 2021) — which they typically have been. However, they do not return many guys who “wow” you on that side of the ball. The number of recruiting stars is there, but players will have to step up, and maybe they get contributions from freshman Chris McClellan and/or transfer Jalen Kimber. Again, TBD, but that is part of the reason I am excited to watch this game.

Utah and Florida is not a matchup we’re likely to see again in the CFP. But that’s fine. It should be a good football game, featuring two teams potentially on the rise — both possessing a great deal of talent. And that’s all I need, Gene. Let’s really get this thing going!

Gene’s Take:


Josh was kind enough to not pick one of the ranked-on-ranked matchups this coming weekend, and for that he will be getting a (metaphorical) raise. In his defense, however, there are not many to choose from, and those that do exist aren’t all that exciting outside of Ohio State’s game — which is off limits for this exercise. Besides the Buckeyes, the only games that feature a pair of ranked teams are Cincinnati-Arkansas and Oregon-Georgia. The Bearcats are a fantastic story under Luke Fickell, but I worry they’ve lost too much to replicate that success in 2022. The Ducks are led by Bo Nix — need I say more?

There are a bunch of teams I’m interested in seeing for the first time this season. I’m very high on NC State this year and I think they have a legitimate chance to win the ACC, but their opener against East Carolina doesn’t exactly knock my socks off. Penn State at Purdue will be a really fun game on Thursday night, and I’m very intrigued to see what both of those squads look like to kick off the year. Houston, BYU and Kentucky are all teams in the latter half of the preseason AP Poll that are looking to have big years, and I like UCLA and Maryland as a pair of unranked teams who should have made the Top 25, but all begin the year against sub-par opponents.

So, the game I’m looking forward to is one that’s a bit off the radar, as neither team begins the 2022 campaign with a number next to their name. However, it could be one of the more entertaining and hotly contested games of Week 1, and it will be played in one of college football’s most gorgeous venues. I am, of course, talking about the North Carolina Tar Heels at Appalachian State Mountaineers in Boone, NC.

On the UNC side of things, we’ve already seen them in action this season with their Week 0 win over Florida A&M, 56-24. Sam Howell is gone, but in his place is Drake Maye — brother of former Tar Heels hooper Luke Maye — who shined in his debut as the team’s starter, completing 29 of 37 passes for 294 yards and five touchdowns. Josh Downs returns as one of college football’s top receivers, catching nine passes for 78 yards and a pair of scores on Saturday. On defense, Power Echols (phenomenal linebacker name) led the the team with 10 total tackles and a pair of sacks against the Rattlers.

App State, on the other hand, returns seven starters on offense, including quarterback Chase Brice. The former Clemson and Duke QB had a career year in 2021, throwing for over 3,300 yards with 27 touchdowns to 11 interceptions as he led the Mountaineers to an 10-4 record. The core of senior receivers from a year ago are gone, but they return a two-headed monster at running back with Camerun Peoples and Nate Noel. The defense must replace three of their top six tacklers, but senior linebackers Trey Cobb and Nick Hampton will lead the charge, as well as super-senior corner Steven Jones Jr.

This should be a really fun game between two teams from the same state, and the Vegas odds would agree. As things currently stand on Monday morning, North Carolina is a just a 1-point favorite on the road. With things set to kick off at noon on ESPNU, there aren’t a ton of other big games at the time slot to draw your eyes — unless you’re into Colorado State at Michigan or Sam Houston at Texas A&M. I plan on watching as much college football this coming Saturday as my body can handle, and I will be starting things off hopefully with a banger between the Tar Heels and the Mountaineers.

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Get your limited edition Brutus Buckeye bighead bobblehead today
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



There are less than 300 of these bad boys in the world, your OSU memorabilia collection needs one of them.

Let’s face it, the Ohio State fanbase has been accused of having an over-inflated sense of self-worth in the greater college football landscape, so having a bobblehead that depicts our beloved mascot with an exaggeratedly large head, just kind of fits. To be fair, no one is ever going to accuse Brutus Buckeye of having a small, nutty noggin, but the OSU installment of FOCO’s Bigheads collection ups the silliness even more than normal.

Get your limited edition Brutus Buckeye Bigheads bobblehead!



These collectibles are extremely limited, there are only 222 versions featuring Brutus standing on a traditional scarlet and gray platform, and only 72 of him on a gold base; it’s gold, so you know it’s special.

The 10-inch, handcrafted, hand-painted figures retail for $55 and would make a perfect addition to any oversized Ohio State collection. As with everything that you can get from. our friends at FOCO, these bighead bobbleheads are officially licensed, and because they are such collector’s items, they are individually numbered.

Hurry and order yours now, before supplies run out!

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Film Study: What does Notre Dame’s Tyler Buchner bring to the quarterback position?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Buchner is a dangerous runner, but what else does he bring to the table?

As Ohio State makes its final preparations for the Week 1 matchup against Notre Dame, it will be taking a closer look at recently announced starting quarterback, Tyler Buchner. The Fighting Irish QB was used in a change of pace fashion last season due to his ability as a runner that gave a different look to their starter, Jack Coan. For the Irish, they will lean on his ability to make plays with his feet, but there are questions remaining about who he is as a passer.

Buchner entered Notre Dame as a consensus four-star recruit as the No. 71 player nationally. On Aug. 13, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman announced that Buchner was going to be the starter Week 1, leaving no questions to who will be taking the field for those first snaps against Jim Knowles’ new Ohio State defense. Knowles will be looking at Buchner’s ability as a runner as something the Buckeyes will need to takeaway immediately. Buchner’s inexperience as a passer brings an interesting dynamic for the Irish offense, and they will need to throw the football to have any chance.

Buchner has shown in limited experience that he can be a capable starting quarterback. Without seeing him in the Spring Game, that leaves film exclusive to his spot duty, with only significant snaps coming against Virginia Tech. Outside of his running ability, there is not a large sample size, but there is enough to get a semblance of what Buchner is bringing to the table as a quarterback.

Running Ability


This is where Buchner earned his stripes, er, golden dome for Notre Dame. Buchner is a surprisingly physical and elusive runner who is hard to bring down. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees tries to utilize Buchner’s legs in a variety of ways, including zone reads, moving the pocket, and short yardage QB powers. Bringing this dimension as a running threat from the quarterback position will be a challenge for Ohio State’s defense. Looking into a few concepts Notre Dame likes to use, there’s a lot to see from Buchner, even in his limited role.

Zone Read

In this first play, Notre Dame is running a zone read off of a split-zone concept. Buchner is keying on the play side defensive end here. Once the defender commits to taking on the block inside, Buchner pulls the ball, taking it to the outside. Buchner shows his burst by getting to the edge and getting upfield. He also shows his balance with the stiff arm at the end of the run.

Ohio State will need to be well prepared for this. The linebackers and defensive ends will need to be on the same page on who is taking the running back or quarterback on any given play. Staying disciplined is the No. 1 key to slowing down the zone read with a quarterback like Buchner.


QB Power

This next play should look familiar to Ohio State fans, and if you take a look at any Ohio State game in the Urban Meyer era, this play probably gives some mixed feelings. Like Meyer, Rees really trusts his quarterback with the ball in his hands in short yardage situations. This play is a run the whole way. Buchner does a play fake by showing pass to let the running back lead through the hole. Buchner follows and fights through contact to get a first down. Using his size and strength he is able to fight for extra yards.

For a quarterback, Buchner does not avoid contact. This might change with him as the starter, but that would take away a significant part of his skillset.


Elusiveness

The last aspect to look at with Buchner is his elusiveness. He is able to break tackles and shows his escapability here. In the play below, Notre Dame is in a 3rd-and-long situation, which means this is an obvious passing down. Purdue has the play covered pretty well downfield, and All-American, first round NFL Draft pick George Karlaftis applies pressure in the pocket. Buchner is able to break a tackle in the backfield and scrambles for a first down.

Ohio State will need to create pressure, but it will be important for the Buckeyes to maintain their rush lane integrity. If they get upfield or overcommit, Buchner has the ability to do some damage moving the sticks.

Passing Ability


Notre Dame used Buchner as a change of pace quarterback last year due to his ability to run the football. Jack Coan was a much more consistent passer compared to the second-year Buchner, but the Fighting Irish let Buchner loose as a passer at times. We’re going to look at how Buchner was able to do some damage downfield, but we’ll also see the inconsistency he showed as a passer last season.

Downfield Passing

In the first play, Notre Dame uses Buchner’s legs as a weapon. They fake a quarterback run and slip the receivers behind the defenders. Buchner takes a hard step like he’s running to the outside, sets his feet and hits the receiver in wide open space. This is a great concept Rees used here, using the first receiver to clear out and using Buchner’s running ability to suck in the defenders. By using the danger of his legs, Notre Dame created an easy throw and a big play. Buchner did not do anything significant here, but this shows the conflict his skillset can create for defenses.


In the next play, Notre Dame is playing Virginia Tech, who uses exclusively man coverage on the outside. Buchner gets solid protection from the offensive line and steps into his throw after a quick drop. With a one-on-one match up to the outside, Buchner knows if he makes a good throw his receiver will have a chance. For a quarterback with some accuracy issues, the arm strength and touch Buchner puts on this throw is impressive. He throws it where only his receiver gets it, and shows that he can deliver some throws downfield if he is kept clean in the pocket.


In the last play of this section, Buchner once again has some time to throw. This is a classic four verticals concept with all the receivers getting up field. Virginia Tech shows a one high look, which means the slot receiver is going to work across the one-high safety’s face. This is not a challenging throw, but Buchner gets some velocity on the throw with solid ball placement that allows the receiver to turn up the field.

Buchner is not a bad passer by any means, but his struggles with consistency led to some mistakes. If the Buckeyes can get pressure, Buchner has shown a tendency to let that effect him as a passer. As we can see, Buchner has the arm talent to be dangerous from a clean pocket.

Accuracy Issues


Buchner was by no means a perfect passer, and that is a big reason he was a change of pace player instead of a full-time starter. In this play, Buchner is pressured and in a situation in his own half of the field there are a few options. In this case, taking the sack and bringing the punt team on would have been best case scenario, or throwing the football away. Instead he forces the issue and tries to make a big play through contact. This leads to a pick in plus territory for the opponent, and shows that sometimes Buchner is unwilling to give up on a play, leading to mistakes.

If Ohio State can create consistent pressure, Buchner struggled when he was uncomfortable in the pocket.


In the next play, Buchner uses his athleticism once again to try to extend the play. Buchner gets out of the pocket and is looking downfield. Cincinnati has this play well-covered, but Buchner forces the issues anyway trying to make a play that is not there. The throw is late across the middle, but does come up short, showing the limit to Buchner’s abilities.


The last play shows why Buchner is classified as a dual-threat. There is no reason a quarterback should miss a throw on a bubble screen, but here is an example of that. Notre Dame has a two-on-one advantage to the outside, which is why the bubble is being thrown. Buchner rushes his mechanics with two players getting in the passing lane, but if you look closely neither player is in position to alter the play. This shows the levels to Buchner’s passing game. We saw deep throws in great locations and now missed bubbled screens.


For Ohio State to contain Notre Dame’s offense, the Buckeyes will need to stop Buchner from beating them with his legs. Buchner is an athletic, elusive quarterback who doesn’t fear contact and the coaching staff is heavily reliant on his physicality in short yardage. The Fighting Irish will look to get Buchner the ball in a multitude of ways. The quarterback run will be an added dimension that is hard to prepare for, but if Ohio State can remain disciplined in containing the quarterback run, this Notre Dame offense can become one dimensional fast.

As a passer Buchner, has arm-talent, but he is limited as a passer from an accuracy standpoint. Buchner didn’t throw a lot last year, but he had his moments flashing some arm strength. With that sample size, we also saw how pressure can effect him as a thrower. If Ohio State can contain him as a scrambler and get pressure on Buchner, he can be inconsistent as a passer.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 29, 2022
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 Christian Petersen/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: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

LGHL Asks: Who do college football fans think will win it all? SBN Reacts survey has that answer and more
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

LGHL Asks: How will Ohio State’s season go? Which position group is going to improve the most?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


Buckeyes announce game-day protocols, unveil new on-field sponsor
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

First Look: Buckeyes pointed toward much-anticipated opener vs. Notre Dame
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Film Study: A look at Jim Knowles’ defense vs. Notre Dame’s offense
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

The Big Ten leaves ESPN and all of a sudden they can’t find anyone from Ohio to be the guest picker?


One thought on each of Ohio State’s 85 scholarship players (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Five young Buckeyes who impressed in August as training camp officially ends (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

2022 Season Preview: The 10 Biggest Questions Surrounding Ohio State
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Breaking down best players Buckeyes will face in nonconference slate (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Best offense ever? Loaded Ohio State unit could prove it in 2022
Bill Bender, The Sporting News

2022 Season Preview: A Final Preseason Projection of Ohio State’s Depth Chart
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

The clown show never ends with this guy...



2022 Season Preview: Key Players, Breakout Candidates and Expectations for the Ohio State Offense
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba be Ohio State’s greatest receiver ever by season’s end?
David M. Wheeler, Land-Grant Holy Land

Emeka Egbuka becoming ‘multifaceted’ as Ohio State kick returner, receiver
Jacob Benge, Dotting the Eyes

Julian Fleming shouldering setbacks, growing on, off football field
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes

Jayden Ballard already ahead of schedule developing into Ohio State football’s deep threat
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Man, I can’t get enough of these videos.


2022 Season Preview: Key Players, Breakout Candidates and Expectations for Ohio State’s Defense
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Jack Sawyer ‘attacking every day’ in new Buckeyes defense
Jacob Benge, Dotting the Eyes

Ohio State Kick Return Unit Searching for First Touchdown in Over a Decade
Jack Emerson, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Three Things to Watch: New Big Ten media contract
Chip Minnich, Land-Grant Holy Land

Funny what happens when you block for your quarterback


Big Ten players to watch for the 2023 NFL Draft
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land

Former OSU great Eddie George says son can’t play for Michigan
Nick Gray, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

2022 Buckeyes in the NFL Fantasy Football Preview: Terry McLaurin
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

#DevelopedHere

On the Hardwood


Buyouts increase in Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann’s new deal
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Column: The curious case of Dailyn Swain
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

Interesting timing...


You’re Nuts: Who is the best Columbus basketball recruit in Ohio State history?
Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Field Hockey: No. 22 Ohio State Begins Season Undefeated, Leaves New York with Two Wins
Greg Wilson, The Lantern

Men’s Soccer: Rookies Lead the Way in Win over Cal Poly
Ohio State Athletics


College notes: Ohio State’s Olney selected in the Major League Rugby draft
Adam Conn, The Columbus Dispatch

And now for something completely different...


I still can’t get over this...


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I-70 Football Podcast: Previewing Ohio State vs. Notre Dame and the rest of the Week 1 slate
JordanW330 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

Football season is officially here! With the offseason in the books, the guys into their Week 1 preview.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show we talk all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Welcome to the 2022-23 college football season! The offseason is over, and Week 1 is here bringing us an entertaining slate of games, starting with the helmet game of all helmet games: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame. With a long season ahead of us, the guys put the offseason behind them. No more media deals, no more transfer portal, no more USC and UCLA or realignment talk. It’s all ball as we go back to a podcast that talks about what going on in between the lines from here on out.

In this episode, the guys get into some of the interesting storylines of the season, starting with Michigan’s quarterback competition. While most programs are announcing their starting quarterbacks, Jim Harbaugh won’t commit to a No. 1 guy and Jordan thinks that has a chance to set their season off on the wrong foot. In-season quarterback competitions don’t work — just ask 2015 Ohio State. While Michigan has no chance to lose against Colorado, it’s a bad look for the program if a starter isn’t announced and given full reign. Michigan has an easy out-of-conference schedule, but we will still be looking to see who steps up on their new-look defense and if there are any offensive playmakers they can count on.

After a Week 0 game against Wyoming, Illinois enters Week 1 with a must-win game against Indiana. With four strong teams in the West, if Illinois wants to reach bowl eligibility, they must beat teams that are worse than them. Tom Allen’s campaign to save his job starts here, but the guys do not have much faith in Indiana. Both programs enter this game with new starting quarterbacks via the transfer portal. Connor Bazelak will make his first start for Indiana as they look to move on from Michael Penix Jr., while Tommy DeVito enters his second for the Fighting Illini. Expect a steady diet of Josh McCray and Chase Brown. Can Allen, who has taken back defensive play-calling, fix his defense and put a stop to Illinois’s running game?

Penn State enters the 2022-23 season hoping to regain form. It’s been an interesting couple of years for a program that is used to being at the top of the Big Ten food chart. Sean Clifford returns for a sixth season and James Franklin is fresh off a 10-year extension after rumors of greener pastures ended with USC hiring Lincoln Riley. Purdue is coming off a season where they almost captured Big Ten West glory. Can they improve and finally capture a West title? These are two programs in similar situations with similar strengths and weaknesses. It should be a great game as both programs look to start their campaign with a win

In the final preview of the episode, the guys get into No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame. The AP Poll and the media seem to believe in Notre Dame, but we do not. Expect this game to get ugly, especially in the second quarter. The biggest question for OSU is how their defense looks under Jim Knowles and a revamped defensive staff. This game lost a little luster with Notre Dame dealing with injuries to starters, but OSU will be looking to start dominating as C.J. Stroud looks to lead his team to a national championship,

In our weekly pit stops, we do a combined pitstop where we discuss what we’re most excited to see this season, which teams outside the Big Ten we can’t wait to watch, and our expectations for our alma mater — the Kent State Golden Flashes.


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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Two more blue-chip defensive prospects will take in Ohio State’s contest against Notre Dame
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Keon Keeley | 247Sports

The Buckeyes’ big recruiting weekend grows even more as a pair of defensive targets announce their plans to be in Columbus.

It is officially game week in Columbus, and to the surprise of no one, more prospects emerged this weekend as visitors for the contest against the Irish. Plus, a Maryland defensive lineman that included the Buckeyes as a finalist in his recruitment is set to announce his commitment to the program of his choice later today.

Keeley, West to visit next weekend


As the contest against Notre Dame inches closer and closer, the Buckeyes’ mammoth recruiting weekend seems to grow by the minute. This weekend was no different on that front.

According to On3, 2023 five-star defensive end Keon Keeley of Berkeley Prep (FL) will be making an official visit to take in the action this Saturday. Keeley, a long-time target for defensive line coach Larry Johnson, was formerly committed to the Irish but has since re-opened his recruitment.

Keeley, a Tampa native, is currently graded as the No. 7 overall prospect in the class and the weekend visit with the Buckeyes is one to monitor closely as Ohio State has been in pursuit since December of last year and refused to let his pledge to Notre Dame push away their efforts.

Another prospect that revealed his plans to be inside of Ohio Stadium on Saturday is 2024 four-star cornerback Bryce West of Glenville (OH).


West is an in-state prospect at a premium position, so it is no surprise that the Buckeyes would want to keep him home to suit up for the Scarlet and Gray. West, who is teammates with 2023 four-star linebacker commit Arvell Reese, slots in as the No. 2 player in the state for next year’s cycle and Ohio State is the favorite for the Cleveland native on the 247Sports Crystal Ball with a big visit on tap.

Not to be forgotten, Joe Tipton of On3 reports that 2023 four-star combo guard Bronny James, son of LeBron James, of Sierra Canyon (CA) is eyeing a Buckeye visit with this weekend’s game against Notre Dame being the likely bet. 2024 three-star tight end Aidan Steinfeldt of Bloomington North (IN) will also be in attendance, according to a tweet from Bucknuts.

Decision day for Umeozulu


After narrowing down the list of potential suitors for his pledge earlier this month, 2023 four-star defensive end Desmond Umeozulu of Charles Herbert Flowers (MD) is set to reveal his commitment to his future program later today.


The 6-foot-6, 239-pounder will be selecting between the likes of North Carolina, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and South Carolina. While it is yet to be seen if the door will stay slightly cracked opened for the Buckeyes to circle back to Umeozulu at a later date, the expectation is that the Maryland standout will chose the Gamecocks today.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball favorites the SEC program unanimously, with four analysts expecting an impressive pickup on the recruiting trail for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. Despite the Buckeyes not expected to be the pick for Umeozulu, Larry Johnson still has targets at the position to potentially fill the void, including the aforementioned Keeley.

Quick Hits

• On Sunday, Ohio State became the latest program to send out an offer to 2025 four-star offensive tackle David Sanders of Providence Day School (NC). The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder, who has already eclipsed 20 offers, is currently graded by 247Sports as the No. 1 player in the country for his respective class.
• Buckeye commit and 2023 four-star running back Mark Fletcher of American Heritage (FL) put together an impressive performance on Saturday in the Patriots’ 56-27 victory over Los Alamitos (CA). Fletcher, a Fort Lauderdale native, tallied 224 yards rushing on 19 carries and added two touchdowns in the win.
• Chris Holtmann and the hoops program will welcome a pair of unofficial visitors on campus next month. According to Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com, the Buckeyes will host 2025 combo guard Jalen Haralson of Fishers (IN) on Sept. 10 and 2025 shooting guard Trey McKenney of St. Mary’s (MI) on Sept. 24.
• According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, 2024 four-star athlete Miles Lockhart of Basha (AZ) and 2025 four-star quarterback Collin Hurley of Trinity Christian Academy (FL) will both be in Columbus for the Buckeyes revenge game against Michigan to conclude the regular season. Both blue-chip prospects have already secured early offers from the Buckeyes, among many others, thus far.

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Big Ten players to watch for the 2023 NFL Draft
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletics' Dane Brugler released his pre-season top 50 players, which includes multiple Big Ten players.

The college football season is here. Week 0 has come and gone, and while most of us are turning our attention to the 2022-23 season, draftniks are turning their attention to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Mock drafts and top 50 draft boards before the season starts are useless exercises, yet they do numbers for people like me — and anyone reading this article. We all like to look and see who from our team made the list. It’s hard to determine if we are looking for agreement or arguments more, but every list generates numbers as fans celebrate their players being on the list or get mad when they feel someone is snubbed.

Mock drafts and draft boards are an inexact science, and there is no way to be 100% accurate, but it is a great conversation starter and provides a list of payers for fans to pay attention to during the season. Recently The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who is one of the best in the industry, dropped his pre-season top 50 big board, and multiple Big Ten players made the list, including four in the top 20. There were also a few who were snubbed, so let’s get into it. Just remember if you disagree with the list, don’t blame the messenger!

Dane Brugler’s 2023 NFL Draft Top 50

No. 3 - C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (6-foot-3, 220 lbs.)


This is as easy as it gets. In most cases Stroud is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. His biggest competition is Alabama’s Will Anderson, who is rated No. 1 on this big board. The biggest surprise here may be Brugler’s ability to find two players he thinks are better than Stroud — the other being Georga’s Jalen Carter.

No. 16 - Peter Skoronski, G/T, Northwestern (6-foot-4, 310 lbs.)


A name you will know if you pay attention to offensive line play, Skoronski is fighting to be the top tackle in the draft. Some analysts view him as a guard in the NFL, but he should be drafted highly with another good season. Skoronski is one of the few bright spots on the Northwestern roster after stepping in for Rashawn Slater in 2020.

No. 17 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (6-foot, 200 lbs.)


Smith-Njigba made a name for himself by arguably outplaying Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave — the No. 10 and No. 11 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft — last season. Truthfully, I expected to see Smith-Njigba come in higher on this list, but there are concerns about his size and ability to sustain in the NFL.

No. 18 - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State (6-foot-6, 315 lbs.)


Johnson Jr., a former five-star and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting class, is looking to turn one season as Ohio State’s starting left tackle into a high draft pick. After spending 2021 as the starting right guard, Johnson is hoping that his experience as a guard translates to tackle. In a weak tackle class, a stellar year could shoot Johnson into the top 10 and a chance to be the first offensive tackle taken.

No. 32 - Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State (6-foot-2, 200 lbs.)


Porter Jr., son of NFL linebacker Joey Porter, is a future NFL corner based on size alone. At 6-foot-2, he will get a look at many teams. The NFL pedigree helps. He goes into the season as Penn State’s No. 1 corner. On the edge of the first round, Porter Jr. will need to improve to crack the first round, but don’t expect him to last far into the second round.

No. 40 - Zach Harrison, Edge, Ohio State (6-foot-6, 266 lbs.)


Harrison has not lived up to the pass-rushing hype placed on the former five-star and No. 12 player in the country in the 2019 recruiting class. Whatever he may lack in pass rush production — only 7.5 sacks in three seasons — he makes up for in his ability to stop the run. A strong 2022 campaign can vault Harrison into the first round, but if he doesn’t hear his name in the first 32 picks, expect a team to take a flier on him due to the fact he was built in a lab at 6-foot-6, 266 pounds with 4.5-speed.

No. 47 - Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland (6-foot-6, 288 lbs.)


Last but not least a slightly underrated player in the Big Ten, Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan. Duncan is a major key to Maryland’s success and is tasked with protecting Taulia Tagovailoa. Duncan has guard-tackle flexibility in the NFL and should expect to see his draft profile rise in the coming months.

Biggest Snubs


Dane has seven Big Ten players in his top 50 and that seems low. In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Big Ten had 13 players drafted in the top 51 picks, and I would not be surprised to see double-digit players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s easy to criticize draft analysts for missing out on players, but we can’t match the hours of film and conversation that goes into their big board. Even still it wouldn’t be fun to accept their word for law, so here are some players I believe have a punchers chance at cracking Brugler’s final top 50 big board.

• Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin (6-foot-4, 315 lbs.)
• Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin (6-foot-2, 228 lbs.)
• John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota (6-foot-4, 320 lbs.)
• Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue (6-foot-3, 210 lbs.)
• Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan (6-foot-3, 307 lbs.)

Other names to watch


Some of these players, based on the importance of their positions, have a better chance than others. The most likely risers belong to the positions of need: quarterback, wide receiver, and edge rusher. Positions like center, tight end, and safety aren’t usually the focus early in the draft. This list serves to recognize players who have a chance to improve their draft stock and crack the top 100 players drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. I fully understand that not all these players will be drafted top 50 — or even top 100 — but I hope it serves as a primer for players to watch this upcoming season.

• Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State (5-foot-11, 208 lbs.)
• Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa (6-foot-5, 246 lbs.)
• Julian Fleming, WR, Ohio State (6-foot-2, 205 lbs.)
• Ronnie Hickman, S, Ohio State (6-foot-1, 207 lbs.)
• Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State (6-foot-8, 359 lbs.)
• Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa (6-foot-4, 249 lbs.)
• Riley Moss, DB, Iowa (6-foot-1, 193 lbs.)
• Taron Vincent, DT, Ohio State (6-foot-2, 300 lbs.)

*Players listed alphabetically by last name

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Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba be Ohio State’s greatest receiver ever by season’s end?
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


JSN runs away from a Ute defender | Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Comparing JSN to the Buckeye greats who have come before him.

I guess that it seems a bit odd, given the long and storied history of Ohio State football, that we’d take seriously the question above. After all, JSN has been a starter for only one year. Granted, it was a hell of a year. But do we have enough information to be talking about him in the same breath with David Boston, Cris Carter, Terry Glenn, Joey Galloway, Michael Jenkins, Chris Olave, and Michael Thomas?

Oh, yeah. I think that we do.

JSN in 2021


First, keep in mind that for at least the first half or two-thirds of the season, JSN was the No. 3 receiver. Perhaps he wasn’t covered by opponents’ best cornerbacks or safeties, but he wasn’t usually the first target either. By the end of the season, Stroud was clearly looking for him. Remember the Rose Bowl.

I called JSN’s 2021 performance a “hell of a season.” How good was it? Here are some of the receiving records that he broke. Receptions in a single season: 95. The previous high was Parris Campbell’s 90, set in 2018. Receiving yards in a single season: 1606. He beat David Boston’s 1998 record by 171 yards. Receiving yards in a game: 347 vs. Utah in the Rose Bowl. Previous record was Terry Glenn’s 253 against Pitt in 1995. Receptions in a game: 15. JSN did it twice in 2021, against Nebraska and again against Utah. Boston had 14 versus Penn State in 1997.

Average receptions per game in a season: 7.3. Olave (2020) and Boston (1998) had seasons with averages of 7.1. Average receptions per game in a career: JSN is currently first with 5.3 (just ahead of Boston’s 5.2). Given that Smith-Njigba had hardly any stats for 2020 (10 receptions for 49 yards in seven games), he’s likely to hold onto this record. JSN is also currently riding a five-game streak with 100 or more yards receiving. That ties the record with Cris Carter. 100 yards against Notre Dame will secure the record for himself.

It’s an easy case to argue, I think, that Smith-Njigba in 2021 had the greatest receiving season in Buckeye history. But one year isn’t enough to stake a claim for greatest receiver ever. There are three more criteria and sets of data that we have to examine: career performance at Ohio State, overall career performance (including the NFL), and those intangibles – qualities that are difficult to quantify but define greatness, nonetheless.

JSN’s Buckeye career


We all expect 2022 to be JSN’s final season in scarlet and gray. That will give him really only two full seasons, not the three or even four that most of the other great receivers played. That said, there are some career receiving records within reach for Smith-Njigba and some beyond even his ample reach.

With one more season to play, Smith-Njigba isn’t going to touch the career receiving touchdown mark that Olave set last year at 35. JSN sits at 10 receiving TDs heading into 2022. 26 to break the record? No way. He would have to shatter Terry Glenn’s season record of 17 by nine. The career yards per catch will be beyond him too, simply because he’ll have far more career receptions than the 80 total that Cedric Anderson (1980-83) caught to reach his impressive 21.3.

But the two most important receiving stats – number of receptions and yards gained – are within reach. If the Rose Bowl performance was any indication of how JSN plays without Olave and Garrett Wilson on the field, those records are well within reach. Career receptions: K.J. Hill (2016-19) holds the Buckeye record with 201. Boston is second with 191, Olave third at 176. Smith-Njigba currently ranks No. 23 with 105 catches. He needs 97 to break the record, two more than he had last year. Possible for sure – more likely if his teammates can help him to play 15 games in 2022.

Career receiving yards: Michael Jenkins (2000-03) reigns in this category with 2,898 yards. Again, Boston is second, Gary Williams third, Carter fourth, and Olave fifth. JSN ranks No. 22 with 1,655 yards. He would need 1,244 to set a new career mark. That’s 362 fewer yards than he gained in 2021. I think that he has better than even odds to get this one, despite likely drawing foes’ best cover guy. If he sits atop either of these career categories and holds most of the single-season records, then he’s in the running for greatest. And if he returns, surprisingly, for a fourth season in 2023, he smashes all career records.

NFL?


While we might confidently predict Smith-Njigba getting drafted early in the first round, we’ll obviously have to wait 10 or even 15 years before we can assess his pro career. Of the Buckeye great receivers, Cris Carter, by far I think, enjoyed the best NFL career. He played 16 years in the League, played in 234 games, caught 1,101 passes for 13,899 yards and scored 130 touchdowns. He played in eight Pro Bowl games and was first-team All Pro twice, in 1994 and 1999. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Many of the other Buckeye greats also had stellar pro careers. Here’s how I’d rank them behind Carter: Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn, Michael Thomas (and rising), Santonio Holmes, and Ted Ginn, Jr. Terry McLaurin’s three seasons promise a first-rate career. So much depends upon staying healthy over the long haul. Carter managed it, and David Boston didn’t. We’ll have to see about Thomas this year. As for JSN, I fully expect him to have a great pro career; he has all of the skills.

The intangibles


Clearly, it’s easy (and fun) to compare stats. There are so many of them these days. If you’re at the top of your pile, you’re great. But there are other qualities, qualities without numbers, that contribute to greatness. Are you a good teammate, helping less-experienced players, responding well to coaches’ criticisms? Are you the team’s “go-to” guy, when the game’s on the line, when a big play is needed? Can you carry the team on your back when other players might be struggling? (It’s easier, no doubt, for a quarterback or even a running back to do the team-carrying.) Are you a winner? Does the team win when you’re on the field?

As JSN assumes more of a leadership role this season, we’ll be better able to answer some of these questions and make our judgments about the intangibles. If he leads the Bucks to a national championship, we’ll have one very important answer. And if he ends his OSU career sitting as the leader in receiving yards (or receptions, or both), then I would say that Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as he heads into his pro career, is a frontrunner to go down in history as the greatest Buckeye receiver of all time.

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: Please, sports bars, start playing women’s sports
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Plus, an angry rant about Scott Frost and a not-angry rant about Maria Taylor.

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Jami and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Why aren’t there any sports bars specifically geared toward women’s sports? On this week’s edition of Play Like a Girl, Jami and Meredith dive into the topic, including highlighting two cool bar concepts in the Pacific Northwestern and discussing ideas for making other sports bars more inclusive.

Jami and Meredith also discuss Scott Frost’s recent statements celebrating how his offensive linemen are regularly vomiting during practices. Spoiler: players shouldn’t be vomiting during practice for many reasons, but notably because it’s absolutely bad for players and is a practice that should have died when we all got grossed out by it in Remember the Titans in 2000.

On a more positive note, the pair wrap with a plea to get Maria Taylor in the broadcast booth for “Saturday Night Football” on NBC. Please.

Check out the full pod for more.


Contact Jami Jurich:
Twitter: @jamiurich

Contact Meredith Hein:
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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Thank you!

South Carolina

ScriptOhio said:

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Captain Buckeye with a pick, love it. CJ is going to be a great player here, wouldn't surprise me if he sneaks up and grabs significant PT this year at LB. Hoping the coaching changes help free the LBs up to make plays, I am convinced the talent is there if they are coached up right.

Buckeneye said:

And I'm sorry for that loss.

I had never understood the concept of self forgiveness, I always thought it was a self-pity type charade. In time I found that I was wrong and survivors guilt can be a real thing.
We almost always find ourselves asking 'what more could I have done?'. Unfortunately that sort of question is done through the perspective of hindsight. All we can do is the best we have with the tools, knowledge and a bit of compassion from our current moment. Perhaps try to be better and utilize this experience for anything that might occur later. So while it isn't something I struggled with, I did finally have to admit that there was almost nothing I, or damn near anyone else for that matter, could have done to save my brother.

Sadly it just ends up being something we have to accept and live with. Perhaps even find or develop better parts of ourselves we didn't know existed.
I hope the passing of time eases your grief, and you find some semblance of peace.

Or to quote one of my favorite lines (which ended up as a deleted scene)

- "What can anyone do when faced with such death?.... You go on living"



Tu Salud

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Yes I feel bad because he was my little brother, younger b 6 years. He was always hard headed, could never get him to play sports, climb trees, go to the creek and look from crawdads, all he wanted to do was watch TV and then eventually got into video games, first Atari then Nintendo. After he graduated he moved to Las Vegas, got a job in a casino and worked his way up from dishwasher to bartender. Had a pretty good gig at one of the casinos on the strip but unfortunately between the gambling, booze,coke and hookers he could never get ahead and struggled to pay his bills. One night he came home so blitzed that he drove his truck through his neighbor's garage door. He got out, went next door to his house and went to bed, the next thing he knew the cops were waking him up. He did some time and had to pay restitution. After that he bounced around with whoever would take him in but he never got his vices under control. He never had a serious relationship with a woman, never really grew up and was content to drive Uber and live with one of our parents. He eventually got into trading stocks, he found wall street bets on Reddit and got hooked. He said it gave him a bigger thrill than gambling. During the pandemic he was somehow able to get a 8 grand check from the state for unemployment but it sounded to me that there was some kind of fraud. My father who is also on his last legs is one of those who doesn't believe in banks and he gave him cash to hold, foolishly. He ended up investing it in crypto and lost it, them the state came calling for the money they gave him. Nobody knows what he was thinking because never liked to talk much about what he was doing but one day he didn't come home. His phone was off so no one could call him. Ten days later they found him in a dry lake bed 30 miles outside of town. He shot himself in the head with a family heirloom that again my father had given him to hold onto.it was really sad but on the other hand I'm grateful that whatever hell he'd been going through his whole life was over. Of course I wish that I had been able to do or say something to set him on a better path but the reality is he never listened to anyone and this was inevitable. The majority of my memories of him are from when he was really little and I used to play with him inside the house. One of his hobbies was farting into a tape recorder and playing them back for people. For some reason that made him laugh, seeing our faces, trying not to laugh and at the same time being deeply disturbed. As an adult one of his favorite bands was a metal group called Fudge Tunnel and I remember him being upset that I wouldn't give them a listen. RIP little Joe

Since Troy Smith's thread is "Not open for further replies"; I'll post this video here:

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Ask LGHL: How good are C.J. Stroud’s odds to win the Heisman Trophy?
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 Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

Question: How good are C.J. Stroud’s odds to win the Heisman Trophy?


In 2021, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was one of four finalists invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The Buckeye ended up coming in fourth with 399 total points, behind winner Alabama QB Bryce Young (2,311 points), TTUN edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (954), and Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (631).

However, with Hutchinson and Pickett off to the NFL, Stroud has leapfrogged Young and is now the nearly unanimous favorite to win the Heisman come Dec. 5. While one yahoo from Ann Arbor continued the needling of Stroud that he started at last year’s Heisman ceremony and believes that Young should be the favorite solely because he was the last man to win the award. That kind of lazy, regressive thinking is what gives us nearly useless “analysts” like Desmond Howard and Danny Kanell.


Anyway, back to Stroud and his chances to win the most prized trophy in college sports. Coming into the 2021 season, the Heisman front-runner was Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler (11-2), followed by Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei (7-1). Then came Young (9-1) and Stroud (10-1); neither Hutchinson nor Pickett were anywhere near consideration.

In 2020, the preseason favorite was OSU’s Justin Fields (we know how that worked out for the greatest QB in Buckeye history). Fields finished seventh and was not invited to New York while Crimson Tide WR DeVonta Smith took home the trophy. He was not in the top 20 preseason.

In 2019, it was Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence who entered the season as the favorite, but it was Ohio State legend and forever-Buckeye Joe Burrow who won the award. I could go on, but you get the picture, the preseason favorite rarely wins the Heisman, and that’s not just a function of bookmakers being wrong.

There is always an element of narrative that factors into the Heisman voting. Commentators love to talk about candidates needing a “Heisman moment,” even though the trophy is supposed to be awarded for play throughout the season, not because they juked a defender out of his shoes during the fourth quarter of a rivalry game. So, for guys who come in with loads of hype already at their backs, it is difficult for them to sustain the excitement and the story of their rise to the top of college football.

Instead, because their skills are so well known, analysts, commentators, and fans often start focusing on every perceived imperfection in the players’ game, because their sustained excellence is just not as interesting to talk about, making it difficult for a well-known player to maintain the necessary levels of momentum throughout the year.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen, just that it’s difficult. Coming into the 2022 campaign, Stroud is the favorite amongst fans and bookies alike. According to the SBN Reacts preseason survey, more than one-quarter of all respondents picked the Buckeye signal-caller to receive the individual honor this season.

That plurality puts him in first place, ahead of Young (18%) and his Alabama teammate linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (8%). Oklahoma USC quarterback Caleb Williams was the only other player to warrant a mention at 5%.



Now here’s the thing, Bryce Young isn’t going to win the Heisman in 2022, so you can just go ahead and take him out of consideration right now. Now don’t get me wrong, he is absolutely a quality quarterback; in fact, I’d say he’s slightly better than fine. But he is nowhere near transcendent, and that’s what one would need to be in order to win the trophy in back-to-back years in today’s landscape.

While of course as Buckeye fans, we love that we can claim Archie Griffin as “college football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner,” but this isn’t about my admitted Buckeye homerism; it goes back to that whole narrative thing I mentioned above. In my opinion, Young won the Heisman last year by default. He was the quarterback on the best team in the country, and for whatever reason, voters can’t bring themselves to vote for a defensive player, even if he objectively deserves the award (sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Young averaged 324.8 yards passing per game, while Stroud put up 369.3. Young averaged 3.13 touchdowns per outing, while Stroud went for 3.67. Young did have the slightest of edges in the interception department averaging 0.47 picks per contest to Stroud’s 0.5. The only difference? The Tide were undefeated and the Buckeyes lost two games.

Now, this is not to say that Young isn’t a worthy candidate, he had an unequivocally above-average performance last year, but nothing that is going to make a bunch of crusty old college football writers light five decades of history on fire. So, advantage Stroud.

That could be part of the rationale behind DraftKings Sportsbook giving the OSU QB a fairly sizeable advantage in the pre-season Heisman odds. At +220, bettors who go with Stroud will take home $220 for every $100 they bet, compared to Young, who comes in second at +380. Stroud’s premier receiving target Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in sixth place — and the top-rated WR — at +2,500, while Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson is tied with Miami QB and former Buckeye backup Quinn Ewers in eighth at +3,500.



Numbers and odds and narratives are all well and good, but what I think that Stroud truly has going for him — in addition to perhaps the best offense in college football history — is the fact he still has opportunities to surprise and impress. Obviously, anyone who watched him play throughout 2021 saw the marked improvement that he made from week to week.

However, many non-Ohio State fans and reporters are likely still stuck on the memory of Stroud “struggling” at the beginning of last season and a certain nasty subset of fans calling for him to be replaced. Because of that, if he comes out this fall — especially in the season-opener against a top-five Notre Dame — he has the ability to shock the casuals who dismissed him as a Dollar Store Justin Fields just a year ago.

Will C.J. Stroud win the Heisman in 2022? What do I look like, a Magic 8 Ball? I honestly have no idea, and history suggests that it’s not especially likely, but if there is any quarterback in any situation who could buck(eye) those trends, I’d put my money on No. 7.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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MC&J: Week 0 sees the college football season start across the pond
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

College football in 2022 gets a soft opening with Northwestern and Nebraska kicking off the season over in Dublin.

Last season: 127-100-6 (67-59-2 National, 60-41-4 B1G)

We’re back for yet another season of Money, Cash, & Joes here at Land-Grant Holy Land! Just to think, this all started during the 2011 season with Joe Bauserman being the inspiration for the title of this weekly picks piece. It felt like at first my picks articles were on target about as much as Bauserman was against Nebraska that season. Luckily for those that have stuck around throughout the years, I have improved my accuracy.

Last season was the best year that I can remember for MC&J, and hopefully there is even more success this year. The game is about to change in a few months with sports betting becoming legal in Ohio on Jan. 1. While only five college football games this season are scheduled after Jan. 1, I’ll still be picking games throughout the season so we are in top form once the new gambling laws go into effect.

Week 0 games:


(All lines courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook.)

Northwestern v. Nebraska (-13) - 8/27 12:30 PM EST - FOX

Nebraska is taking their comedy tour overseas! Last year the Cornhuskers were a bunch of lovable losers, dropping eight games by eight points or less. The only game that was decided by more than eight points was a 26-17 setback to Ohio State. Even though head coach Scott Frost is just 15-29 in four years in Lincoln, Nebraska is giving him another shot to right the ship.

Heading into this game all I hear is “How can a Fitzgerald lose a game in Ireland?” Well, it’s pretty easy to imagine since Fitzgerald is an overrated head coach. The best part of Fitzgerald as a head coach is watching him blame technology and everyone except for himself when the Wildcats lose a game.

Nebraska will have a new face at quarterback in Casey Thompson, who transferred from Texas to replace Adrian Martinez, who himself transferred to Kansas State. There are plenty of other new players in Lincoln, with 22 transfers trying to help Frost earn his first winning season as head coach of the Cornhuskers.

Last year’s game between the two teams was a bit of an anomaly, with Nebraska winning 56-7. Of the 11 games between the Big Ten West foes, nine of those games have been decided by 11 points or less. Northwestern not only has running back Evan Hull returning, but they also have Cam Porter returning from injury. Expect the Wildcats to lean heavily on running behind All-American tackle Peter Skoronski to keep things from getting out of hand in Dublin.

Nebraska 27, Northwestern 17


Wyoming v. Illinois (-11) - 8/27 4:00 PM EST - BTN

Wyoming finished last season with a bang, beating Kent State in the Potato Bowl. Unfortunately for head coach Craig Bohl, this led to a number of key pieces of the offense transferring out of the program. Quarterback Levi Williams is now at Utah State, running back Xazavian Valladay moved on to Arizona State, and wide receiver Isaiah Neyor decided Texas was his next stop before suffering a season-ending injury in preseason camp.

Even though I don’t think Illinois is a threat to win the Big Ten West, they aren’t going to be a pushover. The Fighting Illini should have a little more stability with quarterback Tommy DeVito, who transferred from Syracuse. If Illinois is smart, they’ll hand the football off to Chase Brown as much as possible this year. Last year Brown ran for 1,005 yards and five touchdowns. Brown should have a big game against a Wyoming defense that was 99th against the run last year.

Wyoming has just eight starters back from last year’s team, so there should be a lot of growing pains this year. Illinois and Brown should be able to take advantage of the inexperience of the Cowboys, winning by at least two touchdowns in Champaign on Saturday afternoon.

Illinois 31, Wyoming 14


UConn v. Utah State (-27) - 8/27 4:00 PM EST - FS1

Last year UConn opened up the season with a 45-0 loss at Fresno State. The Huskies will start the 2022 season with another trip west, and it’s likely we’ll see a similar result in Jim Mora Jr.’s debut as UConn head coach. Last year the Huskies lost seven games by at least 27 points.

Unlike UConn, Utah State has a lot to be excited about heading into this year. The Aggies finished last season by winning eight of nine games, including a 24-13 win over Oregon State in the LA Bowl. Logan Bonner threw for 36 touchdowns in Blake Anderson’s first season as head coach of the Aggies. Expect Utah State to pile on the points and have some fun since they know they’ll be in for a world of pain next week at Alabama.

Utah State 48, UConn 13


Charlotte v. FAU (-7.5) - 8/27 7:00 PM EST - CBS Sports Network

FAU has a few familiar names in the fold heading into this season. Head coach Willie Taggart will be starting his third year as head coach, and on his staff is former Ohio State assistant Ed Warinner. Starting at quarterback is Miami transfer N’Kosi Perry, who threw 20 touchdowns for the Owls last year.

I’ll be honest that I don’t know a ton about either squad, aside from Charlotte also having a returning starting quarterback. Chris Reynolds threw 26 touchdowns for the 49ers last year in a 5-7 season for head coach Will Healy’s team. Last year Florida Atlantic dominated Charlotte, and while it might be closer this year, the Owls still start their final season in Conference USA out strong.

Florida Atlantic 34, Charlotte 21


North Texas (-1) v. UTEP - 8/27 9:00 PM EST - Stadium

The Mean Green and Aggies both finished the season at 6-7 after losing their bowl games. The two teams had drastically different seasons, with North Texas struggling at the start of the year, and UTEP wasting a great start to the year in the second half.

Last year North Texas squeaked by UTEP 20-17 in November in Denton. Now the Miners are hoping to return the favor with a win to start the 2022 season before they have to take on Oklahoma next week. UTEP returns quarterback Gavin Hardison and running backs Ronald Awatt and Deion Hankins. Even though Hardison will miss Jacob Cowing, who was his favorite target from last season, the Miners prove they are tough to beat in El Paso.

UTEP 24, North Texas 20


Nevada (-9) v. New Mexico State - 8/27 10:00 PM EST - ESPN2

New Mexico State actually hired human gopher Jerry Kill to be head coach and Tim Beck as offensive coordinator. That just screams that they are a deeply unserious program. Nevada might have lost a lot of pieces from last year after Jay Norvell took over as head coach at Colorado State, but new head coach Ken Wilson spend a lot of time in Reno as an assistant, and will have the Wolfpack ready to play with some pride.

Nevada 38, New Mexico State 21


Vanderbilt (-8.5) v. Hawaii - 8/27 10:30 PM EST - CBS Sports Network

This line feels a little weird to me. Even though Vanderbilt is the better team, they are still the class of the bottom of the SEC East. Last year the Commodores went 2-10 in Clark Lea’s first year as head coach, with their wins coming against Colorado State and UConn.

Hawaii will probably have a pep in their step this game just because Todd Graham is no longer the head coach. Replacing Graham is Hawaii hero Timmy Chang. Even though the Rainbow Warriors have a lot of work to do, I expect them to play with passion in Chang’s head coaching debut for his alma mater. Remember, the trip to the big island is never easy. Vanderbilt wins, but Hawaii gives the Commodores everything they can handle.

Vanderbilt 27, Hawaii 24

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See sportsbook.draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Column: Monster media rights means monster coverage
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

Huzzah, NBC!

Last week, the Big Ten announced the largest media rights deal in college football history — by a long shot. Given the reach of the conference, including huge brands and large media markets that make advertisers salivate, the conference engaged a set of networks who were willing to pay up rather than focusing on a more limited partnership. Notably, the $7 billion deal effectively cut ESPN out of the conference’s repertoire in favor of a mélange of CBS, FOX, and NBC.

The move felt shocking, but natural — like when the last carriage left the streets of New York as automobiles took over, because Big Ten football on ESPN, in its glory days, is a vestige of another time.

For many years, ESPN was the gold standard of sports as cable television overtook broadcast production in terms of quality. Monday Night Football, moving from ABC to ESPN, was the premier game of the week. The Disney halo made the event magical, something to brighten the doldrums of Mondays.

More recently and in the collegiate sphere, the College Football Playoff is an example of how that excellent production quality translated to college football. I will always associate the black and gold branding of the CFP when I hear Fall Out Boy’s Centuries, and the pageantry of that first championship in 2014 was on a different level.

But like Icarus, ESPN flew too close to the sun. They went too far with the pageantry to the point where even finding a classic view of the game at hand became a challenge. For elite games, ESPN’s natural goal is to fill all of its many networks and radio stations with content, but the dueling simulcasts, the skycams, the local voiceovers, the competing commentary — it’s all too much and it’s a distraction when I simply want to watch a football game.

Some of these ideas in isolation are cool — who didn’t love Peyton and Eli’s complementary broadcast during Monday Night Football? — but in aggregate, they are overwhelming.

In many ways, College Gameday has gone much the same way as the rest of ESPN: Overproduced, overwhelming and over-the-top. It pains me to acknowledge that, because Lee Corso is all of our grandfathers.

Moreover, the focus on the pageantry seems to detract from the on-field product with core competencies like broadcasting (though I will forever love the crew of Molly McGrath, Todd Blackledge, and Sean McDonough). ESPN has lost some of its high-profile talent in recent years to the networks, including Tom Rinaldi and Maria Taylor.

Does this focus on production impact the bottom line? January’s College Football Playoff Championship, even rebounding from a low in 2021, still saw low ratings. Moreover, the Big Ten and SEC Championship and rivalry games in the final weeks of the season, including Ohio State vs. Michigan, were played on FOX and CBS — and beat ESPN in ratings by a long shot.

Compare ESPN’s production to the incredible quality of what is now the gold standard in football production: Sunday Night Football. From the team in the studio on Football Night in America anchored by Maria Taylor (a smooth transition from the post long held by Mike Tirico, who is moving to fill Al Michael’s role alongside Chris Collinsworth) to the on-field talent, it’s a clean, classy, drama-free production.

In particular, NBC has managed to weave analytics, which had become a buzzword, into an actual differentiator. As much as we might roll our eyes that it is Collinsworth’s company, Pro Football Focus, that supplies the analytics for Sunday Night Football, there’s no denying their analytical focus is far better than the regular analysis of Jon Gruden that “He’s a football player!” It makes the modern game more interesting when viewers can learn about data rather than hear announcers ogling over big hits. How cool will it be to see those tools applied in real-time for Ohio State games?

More broadly, now, the Big Ten can benefit from the halo of production value. From a talent perspective, might we even see Maria Taylor playing a role on the Saturday night crew? She was incredible in her days on ESPN on the sideline, and maybe someday we’ll see her in the booth (I can dream!). Taylor already holds one of the most coveted broadcast roles in sports in her aforementioned new role hosting Football Night in America.

NBC as a network is also no stranger to college football, given their long-standing contract with Notre Dame which is already in the process of renegotiations. If this contract is renewed (though perhaps not at the valuation the Fighting Irish are hoping for), the Big Ten also serves to benefit from advertising for Saturday night football during Notre Dame’s noon and afternoon games.

Even on FOX, Big Noon Kickoff has become an oft preferred alternative to College Gameday, having beaten out the behemoth in ratings for the first time in 2019 and continuing to provide top-tier analysis directly ahead of FOX’s oddly branded primetime slot.

That’s not even to mention the afternoon slot on CBS, which also tends to draw in significant national audiences.

What does all this mean for Ohio State? On the deal side itself, the Buckeyes bring exactly what the advertisers for these major networks want: eyeballs. There’s no doubt that Ohio State pulled the greatest weight of any individual team when it came to negotiating the media rights deal overall. Ohio State has brought broadcast and cable television some of the most highly-rated football games of the last decade (and beyond that), with the Buckeyes regularly in the top three of most-watched games year in and year out.

Naturally, FOX will be looking to book Ohio State in its own primetime spot — Big Noon kickoff — while NBC will be jockeying to put the Buckeyes on Saturday nights. It will be interesting to see how the push and shove of these two networks with their non-competing premier timeslots will play out.

For fans, the new media rights deal means fresh and quality production on networks that have proven themselves experts in college football in recent years.

We also must remember that it’s not all about Ohio State. Negotiation based on one team would have resulted in a Longhorn Network equivalent and we all saw how that turned out. Expansion — and the announcement thereof — only further emphasizes Kevin Warren’s savvy as commissioner. The Big Ten brings a lot to love for advertisers, from the top-three media markets in the US (New York, LA, Chicago) to big brands even beyond Ohio State.

But back to the season at hand — or what the season at hand will be in a few short years: The production value for Big Ten games moving forward looks to be incredible. As a fan, I simply cannot resist — which is exactly what those advertisers were going for.

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Previewing Week 0 in the Big Ten
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


QB Aidan O’Connell will lead the Boilermakers against Penn State. | Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Before Ohio State even takes the field, three B1G rivals will be 1-0 in conference play.

For months (seemingly years), we’ve been waiting patiently (well, maybe not) for Sept. 3, the day that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish come to Ohio Stadium to take on the Buckeyes. Week 1. We regard it as the start of the college football season. But it’s really not. Week 1 doesn’t start on Saturday; it begins on Thursday. And Week 1 isn’t the first week; there’s a Week 0. Go figure. Next year, be on the lookout for week 00 – just like roulette.

While we’re waiting for that evening kickoff with the Irish, it might be fun to take a look at these early Big Ten games. There’s a carnival-like opener on Saturday, Aug. 27. There’s an interesting matchup on Thursday, Sept. 1 that should tell us some things about a couple of teams that hope to contend. And then, on Friday, Sept. 2, there’s a game that looks from here to be in the loser’s bracket.

Saturday, Aug. 27, 12:30 ET, in Dublin, Ireland:
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers


Sponsor Aer Lingus is calling this game a “College Football Classic.” I think that it’s the second game to go by this title, but it hasn’t been played every year. And, when an American college game has been played in Ireland, it’s usually Notre Dame or Boston College – some place with some Irish credentials. Lincoln, Nebraska? Evanston, Illinois? Maybe, but the locals are going all out for this one.

It will be played in the relatively new and architecturally cool Aviva Stadium, a place that usually witnesses rugby or soccer and holds 44,000 when configured for American football. Hoping for thousands of American fans – or Irish pretending to be American fans – the sponsors have scheduled pep rallies for each team on the evening before the game. While you won’t be able to park your pickup next to the stadium for a little tailgating, each team will have a designated “official” team bar. If you’re wearing purple, go to Fitzsimons’ Temple Bar. If you’re wearing a sweatshirt with one of those weird Cornhusker guys on it, your place is Busker’s.

Once the game gets underway, at 5:30 Irish time, it might be fun. Both teams are coming off of very disappointing 2021 campaigns and need to get off to a good start. Although I’ve seen odds for this game favoring Nebraska by around 13 points, it’s really hard to have much confidence in Scott Frost’s team. Frost has hired a bunch of new offensive coaches and stocked his roster with transfer players. With all that’s new, it’s difficult to make a prediction here.

At least Adrian Martinez is gone after playing for something like 12 years. Texas transfer Casey Thompson is the likely starting quarterback, but we’ll have to wait and see about the ‘Husker offense. On the other hand, the defense was pretty good last year and should be again this year, led by preseason all-Big Ten linebacker Garrett Nelson. The team will be hoping to contend for the west championship. Not likely, I don’t think, but they might have a shot at a bowl. If they make it, it will be Frost’s first with the team.

Northwestern was 3-9 last year and probably won’t be much better. (I’m thinking 4-8 for them.) Last year’s offense wasn’t any good, and the quarterback position this year is a question mark. The Wildcats do have a true star in offensive lineman Peter Skoronsky. Tough for him to win a game on his own, though. On the other hand, I’m not sure that I’d want to bet against a guy named Patrick Fitzgerald in a game played in Dublin. I’d take Northwestern with the spread but not straight up.

Prediction: Nebraska 27, Northwestern 17.

Thursday, Sept. 1, 8:00 pm ET:
Penn State Nittany Lions at Purdue Boilermakers


Although both of these teams are likely to finish in the middle of the pack in their respective Big Ten divisions, there’s also a chance that they could both compete for titles. The loser in this early matchup, though, starts in a hole.

The Nittany Lions started off on fire last year, 5-0. We all thought that they were back after a bad COVID 2020 season. But then they won only two more games to finish 7-6 for the year. The defense, a strength last year, loses a lot of its starters from a year ago but has a new coordinator in Manny Diaz. Sean Clifford returns at QB, for better or for worse. He’s been inconsistent, but then again, he often finds himself on his back on passing plays, as PSU gave up the most sacks in the conference in 2021. It will be exciting to watch true freshman running back Nick Singleton play in his first college game. If he’s only half as good as his hype, he’ll be something.

Jeff Brohm’s Boilermakers were 9-4 in 2021, featuring a splendid passing game. Aidan O’Connell is back at quarterback, and I’d rank him as the league’s No. 3 signal-caller. His primary target from a year ago, David Bell, however, will be catching passes for the Browns this season. The running game was a problem last year and was a point of emphasis in offseason practices. The bookies see Purdue by 3. That’s about right in West Lafayette.

Prediction: Purdue 34, Penn State 28.

Friday, September 2, 8:00 pm ET:
Illinois Fighting Illini at Indiana Hoosiers


If this game were being played at the end of the season, rather than at the beginning, we might call it the “who cares?” bowl. A real yawner. But it’s an early game, so we’ll watch it. And I went to Illinois, so I care (sort of) about the outcome.

The Illini, led by running back Chase Brown, could run the ball last year. And I think that they’ll be able to do it again this year. Illinois was thought to be a program on an upswing after just missing a bowl game last year, with a 5-7 record and wins over Penn State, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Without a passing game, Illinois may find those wins tougher to come by in 2022.

I said, in an earlier column, that Indiana was the worst team in the Big Ten. I haven’t changed my mind. After going 2-10 and losing all nine of their conference games last year, coach Tom Allen fired everybody and kept his eyes firmly on the transfer portal. Clearly, he wanted a restart. Whether it happens will depend on how well, and how quickly those transfers at offensive skill positions are able to get the job done. The spread in this game is Indiana by 4.5. Too high, and time for an upset.

Prediction: Illinois 20, Indiana 16.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 25, 2022
Matt Tamanini 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

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: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

LGHL Asks: Are you worried about cornerback depth? Who joins Stroud at Heisman ceremony?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


Nine Buckeyes named to Senior Bowl preseason watch list
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

Pressure and opportunity: Ryan Day enters his most critical season at Ohio State (paywall)
Ari Wasserman, The Athletic

We’re listening, Luke...


WR videos: Hartline, Smith-Njigba, Harrison Jr., Egbuka, Fleming, Johnson, Ballard
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts

“Anything Below That Is Unacceptable”: Watch Ohio State Wideouts, Brian Hartline, Parker Fleming and Bradley Robinson Discuss Lofty Expectations for 2022 Season
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Practice Report: Buckeyes wide receivers enter season with massive expectations
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Kamryn Babb: Ohio State captain ‘confident’ in return, won’t need surgery (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes


How Ohio State’s Julian Fleming popped his shoulder back in and became a preseason scrimmage legend
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

“He’s Really the Best I’ve Been Around”: C.J. Stroud’s Football Intelligence, Mastery of Ohio State Offense Impressing Coaches in Camp
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

You’re Nuts: What Ohio State tradition are you most looking forward to coming back?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State’s Zach Harrison is only concerned about his own expectations: ‘I’m trying to be a game changer’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Tim Walton Relishes Return to Ohio State in Coaching Role
Jack Emerson, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

There is a reason that she’s the best in the business! She knows what she’s talking about.


Why versatile captain Kourt Williams became leader in Buckeyes safeties room
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Denzel Burke Feeling More Confident Heading Into Year Two
Braden Moles, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

How Lathan Ransom went from Rose Bowl injury to camp standout in rapid time
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

2022 Buckeyes in the NFL Fantasy Football Preview: Garrett Wilson
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Clark Kellogg ‘overwhelmed with gratitude’ at GCBLA induction
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

I too would like for Ohio State to pay for me to come and watch that game.

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Women’s Ice Hockey: Buckeyes Add Familiar Faces to Coaching Staff
Brett Price, The Lantern

Women’s Ice Hockey: Four Buckeyes To Compete at World Championships
Ohio State Athletics


Women’s Soccer: No. 20 Buckeyes Host No. 9 BYU in Home Opener Friday
Ohio State Athletics

Field Hockey: Bough, Goldean, Webster Are Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Volleyball: No. 7 Ohio State Opens Season Against No. 2 Texas at Home
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


My day job is covering this stuff, and even I am shocked by how poorly David Zaslav is running Warner Bros. Discovery.


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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: 2022 Big Ten Previews — Iowa and Wisconsin
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Who will emerge victorious in the Big Ten West this season?

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On this week’s episode, Gene and Josh continue their Big Ten previews with a look at Iowa and Wisconsin. Two teams that finished atop the standings in the West division last year, both programs had stellar defenses to go along with subpar offenses. Will it be more of the same for the Badgers and Hawkeyes this season, or will they finally figure out the forward pass? Plus, how do they stack up to their projected win totals on the DraftKings Sportsbook, with Iowa at 7.5 and Wisconsin at 8.5?

“Hangout in the Holy Land” is will be dropping one episode per week during the offseason, coming out every Wednesday (don’t hold us to that). Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: Bruce Thornton
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Andrew Jansen/News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Let’s talk about the only true point guard on the roster

As the basketball offseason continues and we move into the fall, Land-Grant Holy Land will put out basketball player and team previews. There will be two previews a week leading all the way into the start of the season, starting with player previews.

Last time to we talked about Roddy Gayle Jr. and what he can bring to the program as a freshman. This time, we are taking a look at fellow freshman and the only true point guard on the roster, Bruce Thornton.


Name: Bruce Thornton
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 205 pounds
High School: Milton High School
Class: Freshman
2021-22 stats: N/A

Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK
Outlook


Thornton is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound point guard from Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia. According to 247Sports, he is the 52nd ranked player in the 2022 class, the 10th ranked point guard in the country and the No. 1 player from the state of Georgia. Thornton was named the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year and is the second recruit in the class for the Buckeyes to receive that honor this year in their respective state (Brice Sensabaugh, Florida).

Sensabaugh has really taken over a lot of the individual hype as the 2022 class gets to Columbus, but for a large part of their recruitment, Thornton was the guy that Ohio State fans were most excited to see — and for good reason.

Here is the scouting report from 247 Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins, who also compared to Thornton to former Syracuse point guard Scoop Jardine:


This scouting report makes sense when you learn that Bruce Thornton Sr., Bruce’s father, played four seasons in the NFL after being a fourth round pick out of the University of Georgia. He might have the body of a football player, but Thornton Jr. is a hooper at heart.

Thornton is also the recruit that most people pointed to as the most college-ready player in the class. However, he talked about his first couple of weeks on campus being somewhat of a struggle.

“It was rough my first week getting my feet wet,” Thornton told Eleven Warriors in July. “But everybody comes together being very cohesive, connecting together. The bond is just great. I love my team no matter what. The season didn’t even start yet, but I already love them. I feel like we’ve got big things ahead of us.”

Thornton added, “The toughest part is just everyday consistency, making sure you go hard every single day. That’s a big main thing. But when you get your feet wet, you understand it’s a business. So, when you take it as a business, you have great success.”

Expectation


Thornton does not have the luxury that many other freshmen have in terms of development and starting off slow. The Buckeyes will need him to be productive from day one if they want to be successful, and especially when they head to Maui for the Maui Invitational.

He will likely be the starting point guard at some point this season, and there is a real good chance that he is the starting point guard from the very beginning. Anytime you have a true freshman running the show, there can be a learning curve. But Thornton has been praised for his flexibility and his game IQ, so he should be able to step in and learn as he goes.

Prediction


Thornton basically has the opportunity to play as much as he wants or earns. Guys like Isaac Likekele and Justice Sueing can play the one, but Thornton is the only true point guard on the roster, and there is a real scenario that he starts day one. Him playing anywhere from 20-30 or even around 32 minutes a game come in conference play is a real possibility. I would look more in the 24-28 minutes per game range since the Buckeyes are very deep and will try to tap into that depth. But there is no doubt, Buckeye fans will be seeing a lot of Thornton this season.

Highlights

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LGHL Asks: Are you worried about cornerback depth? Who joins Stroud at Heisman ceremony?
Matt Tamanini 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

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

Last week, our friends at SBNation Reacts helped us run a survey to take the temperature of Buckeye Nation on two questions about the upcoming Ohio State football season. Here are the answers from LGHL readers.

Question 1: How concerned are you about the lack of cornerback depth in the Ohio State secondary?



Look, we all know that Ohio State fans don’t exactly have a reputation for being the most level-headed group of folks in the college football world. So, I was pleasantly surprised that the two extremes in the question’s continuum only totaled out at 18%.

Currently, there are only six scholarship corners on the Buckeye roster and a handful of safeties have been cross-training at the other secondary spot in order to provide some additional depth, should it become needed.

We’ve also heard of some minor injuries to various CBs during fall camp, but based on media availabilities with players and coaches this week, it sounds like everybody should be ready to go for next Saturday’s matchup against No. 5 Notre Dame. Will they all be 100% healthy, probably not, but the fact that — as of now — it sounds like everybody will be on the field is a huge bonus for the Buckeyes.

The Domers have not exactly been an explosive passing team in recent years, although their best offensive weapon will likely be tight end Michael Mayer. However, the responsibility to cover him will probably fall on the defenses linebacker-safety hybrid Kourt Williams who also appears to finally be healthy heading into his third season in Columbus.

Question 2: Other than C.J. Stroud, which Buckeye has the best chance to be a Heisman Trophy finalist?



Jaxson Smith-Njigba is of course the right answer here as if someone other than the OSU quarterback is going to go to New York it is almost certainly going to be the most talented skill-position player on a team that will have the most talented offense and passing attack in the game. So, no arguments from me here.

However, I am intrigued by how many people think that TreVeyon Henderson has a shot at an invite. Don’t get me wrong, I would love for that to happen. Last season, after only his third collegiate game, I said that he reminded me of a mix of J.K. Dobbins, Ezekiel Elliott, and Maurice Clarett, pretty ridiculous, right?

Maybe, maybe not, but he is immensely talented, and I am very on board for him getting enough touches to warrant inclusion in the Heisman Trophy discussion. Under head coach Ryan Day, the OSU offense has been far more pass-heavy than it was during the bulk of Urban Meyer’s tenure. Despite Ohio State’s offense leading the country in yards and points, they ranked 47th nationally in rushing yards and 102nd in attempts — despite the fact that many second halves featured little to no passing.

So, if you were to tell me that I had a choice of guaranteeing that Henderson of JSN was invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony, I would take the running back every time. We know that with Stroud distributing the ball to Brian Hartline’s insane conglomeration of talent, the passing attack will continue to be electric this season, but if Henderson is one of the best players in the country this year, that means that the ground-game will have to take a gigantic step forward, and that can only be good for the overall healthy of the Ohio State offense and team as a whole.

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