Ohio State still in good position with five-star wide receiver
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Five-star 2021 wide receiver Emeka Egbuka | Brandon Huffman, 247Sports

The Buckeyes are looking to fill out the 2021 class with a pair of top prospects

It’s kind of hard to believe, but signing day for the 2021 class is right around the corner. Many of Ohio State’s commits in the current class plan on signing early, with the Early Signing Period beginning on Dec. 16. National Signing Day is not too far along after, with that period opening up on Feb. 3. All of this is to say: things are coming to a close.

However, while the majority of Ryan Day's group is well in hand, there are a few pieces still outstanding — and they are rather large pieces at that. One of them is a top-10 player in the country and the top guy at his position.

We’ve spoke ad nauseam about five-star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. The Washington native has long been pegged as an Ohio State lean, and despite keeping his recruitment under wraps throughout the process, we learned a little more about where things stand this week.

Speaking to 247Sports National Recruiting Editor Brandon Huffman, Egbuka says he has narrowed his top four list down to just three programs.

“It’s more like a top three,” said Egbuka. “Ohio State, Oklahoma and Washington. I haven’t talked to Clemson in a long time, so it’s really just those three schools,”

With the Tigers now off the list, the nation’s No. 1 WR is now basically just waiting to visit Oklahoma’s campus before making a final decision. Egbuka has been to Columbus twice in the past on unofficial visits, and has made numerous trips to see the Huskies as they are the local program. However, since the NCAA has extended the recruiting dead period to April 15, Egbuka will have to make the trek to Norman on his own dime.

“I kind of figured that I’d have to visit Oklahoma by my own means, since it’s the only place I haven’t been,” said Egbuka. “I figured I’d go with my dad or go with my mom and check out Norman and see what it’s about. So that hasn’t changed that aspect. My dad and I have some airline points to redeem since we had to cancel before so I’ll probably do that at some point.”

Egbuka has a good relationship with Oklahoma QB commit Caleb Williams, and doesn’t want to make his decision without at least checking in with the Sooners. The talented wideout has connections at each of his top three choices, also being in close contact with Washington QB commit Sam Huard and talking constantly with Ohio State WR Gee Scott Jr. — who is also from WA.

Ohio State has not relented in their pursuit of Egbuka even as he continues to weigh his options. In regards to Brian Hartline, Egbuka says the two speak on the phone nearly every day, and he hears from Ryan Day at least once a week.

“I talk mostly with coach (Brian) Hartline and coach (Keenan) Bailey and I also talk to coach (Ryan) Day,” said Egbuka. “I talk to a lot of the players too- I talk with Gee Scott, he’ll coach me up on some things and send me clips. I talk with Julian (Fleming), Jaxon Smith-Ngijba, Chris (Olave), Garrett (Wilson) and Justin (Fields) too. It’s pretty cool to get on the phone with him and talk with him. I also talk with CJ Stroud.”

Even without a concrete decision in mind, Egbuka says there is still a chance he decides to sign and enroll early if high school football in Washington isn’t played.

“I kind of have a timeline in my head, but nothing official,” said Egbuka. “A lot of it is based on my high school, how many games we’ll play, when we play, if we play at all. If we don’t end up playing, then I’ll look to enroll early. My plan right now is that I will sign in December, but I guess it’s possible I could wait till February

There are currently 10 Crystal Ball predictions in for Egbuka, with eight of them in favor of Ohio State. There is one pick in for Oklahoma, and the lone remaining pick is undecided.

Quick Hits

• In yesterday’s State Secrets, we spoke about how an offer could come soon following a virtual visit with four-star center Donovan Clingan. Well, that is exactly what happened, as the nation’s No. 6 center and the No. 44 player overall in the 2022 class took to Twitter to announce his official offer from Ohio State on Monday night.

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Column: How nervous should you be about Ohio State’s defensive position groups?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

I broke down the offensive position groups yesterday, it’s the defense’s turn today.

As I said in yesterday’s column, I know that it sounds weird, but the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes are now halfway through their 2020 regular season. While they are guaranteed (or at least as guaranteed as a team can be in 2020) at least two postseason games, coming off of the unexpected bye week felt like a good time to see where each position group has performed thus far and how worried we should be about them. I started with the offensive side of the ball yesterday, so today is defense and special teams; gird your loins.


As a whole, the defense hasn’t played awfully. Yes, they’ve given up more points than I think that they should have relative to the competition, but I think a lot of that can be explained away by having lost a ton of talent from last year’s team, and not having the normal offseason opportunities to fully set new schemes and get players comfortable playing next to each other. They also have a new defensive coordinator running the show this year with Kerry Coombs calling the shots along with Greg Mattison this year, so that will take some time for folks to adjust as well.

I do think that the defense as a whole will continue to improve as they get more playing (and practicing) time together, especially on the essentially completely rebuilt defensive line and in the secondary where Shaun Wade is the only returning starter, but he’s not even returning to start at the same position. The linebackers on the other hand, that’s a whole other story...

Ok, as I explained yesterday, I will be grading each position group based on the amount of worry that you should have about them and how it corresponds to another Big Ten East team (see the chart below).

And, just to be clear, I am personally less worried about the long-term future of Penn State than I am for Michigan. I think that 2020 is just an unusual accumulation of shittiness for James Franklin’s team, while this season is a complete culmination of years of backsliding for Jim Harbaugh’s. But, PSU is 0-4, so they are at the bottom of my scientifically constructed scale.

Penn State (0-4) = Peak worry
Michigan (1-3) = Extremely worried; we’re teetering on the edge of an abyss
Rutgers (1-3) = Kind of worried, there was optimism, but it’s fading
Michigan State (1-3) = Vaguely worried; we knew this was coming, but hopefully it won’t last long
Maryland (2-1) = Not really worried, things could creep up, but overall it’s great so far
Indiana (4-0) = Not worried at all

Defensive Line

Level of Worry: Somewhere between Maryland and Michigan State


Coming into the season, I assumed that because of injuries and the departure of a number of talented veterans, that the interior defensive line would be the weak spot of the OSU defense. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Through three games, I think that it’s safe to say that the front line has been the most pleasantly surprising part of the Buckeye defense — although, that’s not saying much.

Now, part of my initial assumption was due to Ohio State not sharing information about injuries, so there was no way that we could have known that Haskell Garrett would not only play this season, but would prove to be the best lineman on the team in the early goings.


Also inside, the physical freak Tommy Togiai has become another solid lineman for Larry Johnsons’ unit, and players like Jerron Cage and Taron Vincent (also back from injury) have proven steady while they’ve gotten adjusted to more playing time. The interior of the line has been a bit weak in run defense though, something that they will need to address before they finally play elite offenses in the postseason.

Similarly on the outside, the defensive ends have just not turned up the pressure all that much through three games. DE Jonathon Cooper leads the team with 11 QB pressures and Tyreke Smith has eight, but those 19 pressures account for 65.5% of the team’s total created by ends so far.

With the way that Johnson rotates players, you would like to see more guys disrupting things in the backfield. Obviously there’s no Bosa brother or Chase Young on this team, so they are going to have to do it by committee, and through three games there have been some veteran bright spots, but the youth and inexperience has proven to be an anchor on the defensive line’s potential in the early season.

As I said before, they’ve been good, but not great. If the defensive line can find a way to create more of a rush — from the inside and/or the outside — that could elevate them to an impressively well-rounded unit by season’s end.

Linebackers

Level of Worry: Rutgers


I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t have super high expectations for the linebackers this season, mainly for two reasons; Tuf Borland and Pete Werner. While I know that the defensive coaching staff loves what these guys bring to the table, I just can’t understand what exactly that is.

Sure, Werner provided some flexibility and consistency in the Sam LB position last year, but he got moved to Will for 2020, and I don’t think that the change has helped him. Thus far in the season, Borland and Werner have graded out as two of the worst three backers on the team according to Pro Football Focus, and what has been especially lacking is their coverage skills; which I can only imagine will be exploited by the more dynamic offenses that the Buckeyes are likely to face in the playoff.

I did have hope though coming into the season that the elevation of Baron Browning to the starting Sam would mean that the defensive coaching staff has finally realized that athleticism is more important at the LB position in the modern college game than old-school form-tackling and assignment football. And while Browning has been above average in his new role, Borland is even more firmly entrenched at the Mike position.

Dallas Gant has flashed in fairly limited opportunities in the middle, but he has also struggled in coverage and in tackling. I said at the beginning of the season that I would like to see Teradja Mitchell be Borland’s co-starter at Mike, but he has mostly been Werner’s backup at Will, although grading out significantly higher than the starter.

So, if you asked me what I would do with the linebackers to prepare for the more athletically skilled offenses waiting for the Buckeyes when they finish Big Ten play, I would say start Mitchell at weak-side, Gant in the middle, and Browning at strong-side. Will you have to deal with some some blown plays and missed tackles? Probably, but you’re still getting that with the less athletic veterans now, so you might as well accept that as the trade off for guys who should be able to keep up with more explosive opponents in the future.

Secondary

Level of Worry: Michigan State


Here’s the thing, Shaun Wade came into the season with a lot of expectations. He was projected a first-round pick as a slot corner, but having moved to the outside, he has not lived up to what everyone envisioned he would be. He’s allowing completions on 65% of passes that target the man that he is covering, resulting in 167 yards and three of the four passing touchdowns that the OSU defense has given up on the season. Not great, Bob.

But, I still have faith in Wade. Leading into what was supposed to be the Maryland game, the DB talked about knowing where he was lacking, and working diligently to address those issues in both practice and games. I believe that he can and will make those adjustments.

Then you look at Sevyn Banks at the other corner, while he has probably underachieved a little based on preseason expectations, he is a new starter who had to soldier through an unusual offseason, so it’s not unexpected that he would need time to get fully comfortable in his new role. Like Wade, I feel good about his ability to get there.

The safeties have been another unusual situation this year, because coming into the season, the assumption was that Josh Proctor would be the one to play single-high, but Marcus Hooker has been the starter there this season with Proctor playing in the nickel and/or as the bullet. While Hooker has struggled, especially in tackling, Proctor has been one of the bright spots on the entire defense, grading out as the best DB on the team.

It’s important to keep in mind that the secondary is still in a bit of flux this season. With Jeff Hafley departing for Boston College and Kerry Coombs returning to Columbus, the DBs are still adjusting to a new system, without the benefit of a spring practice, summer workouts, a tradition fall camp, or even non-conference games. It is going to take time for the newly reconfigured secondary to gel, but I have faith that they eventually will. I just hope it’s in time to take on the ferocious passing attacks of Clemson and/or Alabama.

Special Teams

Level of Worry: Michigan State


This one is weird, because of all of the different components of special teams, but let’s start with the best; Drue Chrisman has been solid in 2020, despite his rather infrequent opportunities to contribute. The OSU punter does not qualify to be ranked in the official punting stats, because he has not averaged 3.6 punts per contest (he’s currently at 2.7), but five of his eight punts have been downed inside the 20, and only one has been returned — that crazy 58-yard touchdown return against Rutgers.


But overall, Chrisman has been as solid as ever. The same cannot be said about the placekicking. The Buckeyes are 2-for-4 on field goals so far this season, and while that obviously is largely because Blake Haubeil is injured — leading to his own miss and walk-on Dominic DiMaccio going 1-for-2 — it is still a bit concerning.

Since the Buckeyes don’t give out information on players, we don’t really have an idea as to what the timetable might be for Haubeil’s return. If he is back and 100% for the College Football Playoff, then I don’t think that there is any reason to worry.

While missing a field goal or two against overmatched opponents might be frustrating, it’s not likely to matter (and I kind of like the idea of Ryan Day going for it more than settling for FGs). But, you can’t miss scoring opportunities against the Clemsons and Alabamas of the college football world. While settling for FGs against the Tiger came back to bite them in the Fiesta Bowl last season, imagine how deflating it would have been had Haubeil missed those attempts instead of making them?

So, needless to say OSU will need to have a reliable field goal kicker for any post season run, whether that’s Haubeil or true-freshman Jake Seibert.

Now let’s turn our attention to the return game <sigh>. The Ohio State kickoff and punt return teams have been so underwhelming for a decade that it has transitioned from being frustrating to just being something that I actively don’t think about anymore. There was a time — 10 to 15 years ago — when I would factor in a return touchdown to my score predictions nearly every week. Nowadays, I don’t even assume that there will be one in an entire season.

The last OSU kick return for a touchdown was against TTUN in 2010 when Jordan Hall returned one to the house, and on Sunday, it will be six years since the team’s last punt return for a touchdown. On Nov. 22, 2014, Jalin Marshall returned a punt to the end zone against Indiana. Could the drought be broken this week against the Hoosiers? I sure hope so, but I doubt it.

The fact of the matter is, the Buckeyes’ returners rarely even try to return kicks and punts. OSU’s kick returns are currently averaging 6.6 yards per return (last in the B1G), while the punt returns are averaging 7.2 (10th in the B1G). We all know that Ohio State has more than enough talent to have far better return numbers than it has in recent memory, but it is obvious that since the start of the Urban Meyer era, returns have just not been prioritized.

The coaches know that their offenses are so good that the extra field position that could result from a return is not worth the potential for a turnover or injury. Whatever potential yardage might be abandoned by taking the safe route is believed to be worth it, because the offenses at OSU are generally so dominant that they can make up that ground; and it’s just not worth the opportunity cost of potentially turning the ball or getting someone hurt on a return.

So, tl;dr:

- Punting is solid and more than serviceable.
- Field goal kicking will continue to be suspect until Blake Haubeil returns, unless the young gun Jake Seibert proves ready.
- I’ve given up waiting for the return game to be of any consequence for the Buckeyes.


After some unexpected start and stops, I am back to posting a column every single day from preseason camp until whenever Ohio State’s football season ends. Some days they will be longer and in depth, some days they will be short and sweet. Let me know what you think of this one, and what you’d like to see me discuss in the comments or on Twitter. Go Bucks!

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Buckeye Bits: Ryan Day and the team preview Top-10 battle with Indiana
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

After a week hiatus, Ohio State football is set to retake the field this weekend for a matchup with No. 9 Indiana this Saturday at the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes will hope that everything runs smoothly this week both within their own program and among the Hoosiers so that Ryan Day and his guys don't have to miss anymore time.

Let’s jump right into today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Ohio State hoops virtually visit with four-star center
(Dan Hessler, LGHL)

Recruiting news isn’t always just surrounding the football team, as Chris Holtmann has proven himself a worthy recruiter in his time in Columbus.

Ohio State basketball 2020-21 stats preview
(Gene Ross, LGHL)

The Buckeyes’ hoops team lost leading scorer Kaleb Wesson to the NBA Draft and a pair of guards to transfers this offseason. Where will they make up some of that production?

Buckeye Clips: NFL Week 10 highlights
(Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Davon Hamilton picked up his first career sack, Malcolm Jenkins recorded another pick, and Terry McLaurin continued to be awesome in this week’s OSU alum NFL highlights.

Podcast: Crimson Quarry’s Mike Miller previews Ohio State-Indiana
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

It’s always great to get the point of view of the opposition heading into a big matchup. In today’s In Conversation, Matt sits down with Crimson Quarry managing editor Mike Miller to talk Buckeyes-Hoosiers.

From around the gridiron...


On Tuesday, we got to hear from Ryan Day and a handful of Buckeyes as they sat down with the media to preview the Indiana game. As usual, the head coach was the first to the podium.

Day opened up by talking about trying to keep things moving after the Maryland game was cancelled. He says the team tried to replicate game reps as best as possible in practice, but Indiana really gets the added bonus of being in rhythm with four-straight weeks of play.


The former quarterback coach had lots of praise for Indiana QB Michael Penix.


Day says he understands that there is no margin of error for Ohio State, especially now that they will be playing at least one fewer game. He says the team was disappointed and angry about the Maryland cancellation, but handled it maturely and got right to work.


Like many in the Big Ten sphere, Day is not surprised by Indiana’s rise this season.


While the fans have certainly expressed their feelings in regards to the team needing to make improvements following the Rutgers game, Ohio State’s players have felt the same.


Day also had praise for Indiana head coach Tom Allen, who has done a phenomenal job building the Hoosier into the program they have become so far this season.


In case you were worried about an early exit, Ryan Day loves coaching at Ohio State.


Defensive end Tyler Friday was up next at the mic, and he began his time praising the work of his fellow defensive linemen as they continue to improve each week.


Friday, like the rest of us, thinks this college football season has been really odd.


Friday finished up by acknowledging how important it will be for Ohio State to get pressure on Penix and make him uncomfortable. He then passed things over to Thayer Munford.

The talented offensive tackle does not think the Buckeyes have come close to hitting their peak.


Ohio State beat Indiana 51-10 last season, but the Buckeyes know that doesn’t carry much weight into this year’s meeting.


Munford’s offensive line mate Josh Myers spoke next, and he began by talking about how the team isn’t quite satisfied yet with the way the running game has looked.


Harry Miller has been a topic of discussion, as the first-year guard has struggled a bit early on, but Myers isn’t worried. Day acknowledged earlier that Miller has been thrown into the fire at a new position, but lauded his ability to learn from his mistakes. Myers expressed a similar sentiment.


Josh Proctor was the final Buckeye to speak on Tuesday, and he classified himself as the “Swiss Army knife” of the defense with his willingness to play anywhere he is needed. Proctor is impressed by the athleticism of Indiana’s receivers, and knows this is an important week for the Ohio State secondary to step up.


Proctor finished up the afternoon talking about his experience in playing man-to-man coverage, even as a safety, as former DC Jeff Hafley had him practicing with the corners at times last season.


Speaking of Indiana, the last time these two teams met a man by the name of J.K. Dobbins had a pretty great afternoon. Maybe this is the week an Ohio State running back steps up and pours in some big numbers for the Buckeye offense.

From around the hardwood...


We are just one day away from the NBA Draft, and Kaleb Wesson is hoping to hear his name called on Wednesday night. Most draft analysts have the forward as a late second-round pick.


On the women’s side of things, Ohio State junior Dorka Juhasz has been named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List. Juhasz averaged 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds last season, and finished fourth in the Big Ten with 10 double-doubles. She is the first Buckeye in program history to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding in each of her first two seasons.


In addition to Wesson and Juhasz, you know who else at Ohio State can hoop?

Thats right, wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

From everywhere else...


Former Ohio State outfielder Nick Swisher will be on the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time. A Columbus native, Swisher spent 12 years in the MLB, spending the majority of his career with the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians.


Indiana confirmed on Tuesday that basketball games will be played inside an empty Assembly Hall for an indefinite period of time. It is unlikely that any Big Ten program will have fans in their arenas to begin the college basketball season.


In significant baseball news, Theo Epstein is stepping down from his role as the Chicago Cubs’ President of Baseball Operations. Epstein is credited with playing a significant role in helping both the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox overcome World Series droughts.


As a NY pizza snob, I was never much of a Catfish Biffs fan myself.


Pfizer is inching even closer to releasing its COVID-19 vaccine. While this is very good news, we must continue to do our part by social distancing and wearing masks to help limit the spread until a vaccine is widely available to the public.


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Podcast: Crimson Quarry’s Mike Miller helps preview Ohio State-Indiana
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

What makes Tom Allen and Michael Penix Jr. so special?

On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


This week the 4-0, ninth-ranked Big Ten East leading Indiana Hoosiers will travel to Columbus to take on the lowly, 3-0, third-ranked, and second-place in the Big Ten East Ohio State Buckeyes.

This is certainly not the Big Ten marquee matchup that everyone foresaw at the beginning of the season, but it has become the biggest game on Ohio State’s regular season slate, and honestly, it’s not even close.

So, on today’s episode, we are in conversation with the managing editor of our Indiana sister site Crimson Quarry, Mike Miller. In our conversation, Mike and I discuss what IU head coach Tom Allen has done to turn the Hoosier program around, what makes quarterback Michael Penix Jr. so dangerous, how the Indiana secondary will look to corral Justin Fields and his talented wide receivers, and much more.


Contact Mike Miller
Twitter: @MikeMillerSTL

Contact Crimson Quarry
https://www.crimsonquarry.com/
Twitter: @crimsonquarry

Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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Committed to the Dawgs this morning at his HS gym.

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GETTING GRADUATED. Ohio State's athletic department has got more teams and more student-athetes than anyone else in the country, but it's not been at the detriment of academics.

In graduation data released by the NCAA Tuesday, Ohio State student-athletes have a four-class average (2010-13) of 88 percent in the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and, in the 2013-14 cohort, held steady with a Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) of 74 percent, five points above the national average.

...

The NCAA established the GSR in 2002 as a means of understanding student-athletes’ academic completion rates more concretely. It does so by accounting for two groups that play an increasingly prominent role in collegiate athletics: mid-year, first-time enrollees and transfers.

“Since the GSR was established, OSU’s GSR has improved markedly, reaching a kind of plateau of 86 percent from 2017-19,” Davidson said. “Seen in that context, this year’s improvement by two points to 88 percent is truly significant. Our student-athletes are performing extremely well academically, and the entire department is focused on continuing to improve. Everyone from coaches to athletics leadership to academic staff take this as a point of pride.

“Still, the credit goes to the inspirational young men and women who dedicate themselves to being the best they can be as students and athletes.”

There's still a stigma around athletes that they don't put in the same work academically as everybody else, but I can tell you with authority that at least 98 percent of them were better students than I – the fellow who skipped an entire semester of macroeconomics and calculus to watch Bones and Castles all day.

R.I.P.

Buckeye Clips: NFL Week 10 highlights
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
DaVon Hamilton gets first career sack, Pat Elflein finds a new home

While Ohio State didn’t play over the weekend due to Maryland’s elevated COVID-19 cases, Buckeye alum had themselves a day in the NFL. Below are some of the standout performances, as well as a few honorable mentions.

The Rookies


It was a pretty quiet day for the rookies, the exception being Davon Hamilton, who recorded his first career NFL sack, bringing down none other than the legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Hamilton also recorded four tackles and one tackle for loss.


Other miscellaneous news and notes for Buckeye rookies

• Austin Mack had one catch for nine yards for the New York Giants
• Jeff Okudah recorded three tackles and one tackle for loss for the Detroit Lions.
• In his first game back from injury, Jordan Fuller recorded three tackles for the LA Rams.
• Malik Harrison recorded two tackles for the Ravens while J.K. Dobbins had five carries for 13 yards and one catch for one yard on the other side of the ball.
• Jonah Jackson started at left guard.

Veterans


New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins snagged an interception for the second week in a row. He finished the game with five total tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception.


One day, we will publish one of these without a Terry McLaurin highlight. Today is not that day. In his team’s close loss to the Detroit Lions, McLaurin caught seven of the nine passes thrown his way for a total of 95 yards, making it his third straight game with at least 90 receiving yards. He also had one carry for 27 yards.


After being released by the Minnesota Vikings last week, it didn’t take long for another team to scoop up former Ohio State center Pat Elflein.


Other miscellaneous news and notes for Buckeye veterans

• Patriots DE John Simon recorded five tackles, a sack and a pass breakup in their victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
• Bengals safety Vonn Bell had three tackles and two pass breakups and defensive end Sam Hubbard had three tackles and one pass breakup in their loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Denzel Ward, Dre’Mont Jones and Marshon Lattimore each recorded five tackles for the Browns, Broncos and Saints respectively.
• Tyquan Lewis recorded three tackles and two tackles for loss for the Colts.
• For the Saints, Michael Thomas had two receptions for 27 yards.
• Curtis Samuel had nine receptions for eight yards and three carries for four yards for the Panthers.
• Michael Jordan, Andrew Norwell, Taylor Decker and Corey Linsley started for their respective offensive lines.

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Ohio State basketball 2020-21 stats preview
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 Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
What do the Buckeyes have in terms of returning production, and what did they lose the most in departures?

The 2019-20 Ohio State mens basketball team was probably one of the most confusing teams the Buckeyes have fielded in maybe any sport in quite some time. At certain points in the year, like when they were beating up on No. 6 Kentucky and No. 10 Villanova, it looked as though Chris Holtmann’s group was Final Four worthy. At other times, like the entire month of January, it looked like Ohio State didn't even deserve to make the field of 64.

The Buckeyes ultimately finished 21-10 on the season. They picked up six wins against ranked opponents — with four of those victories against teams ranked in the Top 10 — and were 6-4 overall against teams in the AP Top 25. As previously mentioned, January was when things really went south, as Ohio State went an abysmal 2-5 to start the new calendar year. However, they bounced back once the month of terrors finally concluded, winning eight of their last 11 games to close out the regular season.

All of this is to say that while Holtmann will look to build off of the successes of last year and look to improve on some of the shortcomings, he will have to do so with a roster that features a significant amount of turnover. As you are all likely well aware of by now, the Ohio State roster has seen somewhat of a mass exodus this offseason through graduation, transfers, and a big NBA Draft declaration.

Gone is leading scorer Kaleb Wesson, who will be hoping to be selected in Wednesday night’s NBA Draft. So too is his brother, Andre Wesson, who exhausted his eligibility with last year being his senior season. Then comes the transfers, with guards D.J. Carton and Luther Muhammad as well as forward Alonzo Gaffney all taking their talents elsewhere.

So just how significant are these losses to this year’s roster? Well, as a team, Ohio State averaged 72.1 points per game last season. These five guys combined for 42.4 points per game in 2019-20 — nearly 60% of the offense a year ago. The most significant of these losses are the Wesson brothers, who combined for 23.2 points per game as a duo. Carton also poured in 10.4 points per game off the bench, but had left the team to focus on mental health issues at the end of January.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Point guard D.J. Carton transferred to Marquette in the offseason

What about some of the other important offensive statistics, like assists and rebounds? As a team, the Buckeyes averaged 13.3 assists and 36.8 boards per game a year ago. These five guys combined for 8.2 assists per game (62%) and 19.7 rebounds (54%). The lion’s share of those assists were Carton and the Wesson bros’ 6.8 dimes per contest as a trio, while Kaleb Wesson led the way with his 9.3 rebounds per game.

In terms of losses on the defensive side of the court, the metrics are a bit harder to gauge, but they will certainly feel the losses of both Kaleb Wesson and Muhammad. Kaleb Wesson was the team’s biggest body under the rim, and while it got him in foul trouble all too often, he led the team with a defensive win share of 2.2 as he ate up space in the paint. Muhammad was perhaps the teams best defensive guard, leading the team in defensive box plus/minus at 4.1 and finishing second on the Buckeyes with 30 steals on the year.

So what does this all mean for the 2020-21 campaign? Well, now that we know where the most significant losses are coming from, we can begin to project where Ohio State will be able to make up some of that production.

To win basketball games, you obviously have to score points, and with nearly 60% of the scoring from last year now gone, including leading scorer Kaleb Wesson’s 14 points per game, Ohio State will have to look to a guy like Duane Washington Jr. to step up his play.

Washington Jr. was the second-leading scorer on the Buckeyes a year ago, averaging 11.5 points per game despite only starting in 15 of his 28 games played. The sharpshooter’s biggest issue as a sophomore was his consistency, shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc on the season but experiencing stretches of extreme hot and extreme cold. There has been a ton of talk this offseason about Washington Jr. working hard to improve heading into his junior year, but Ohio State will have to see it on the court if they want to be successful.

Where else will the Buckeyes look for offense? Of course, they expect to see more solid numbers from guys like C.J. Walker and Kyle Young. Walker was a solid contributor shooting the rock in his first season in Columbus, averaging 8.7 points per game with a mean midrange jumper, while Young led the team with 61.3% true shooting percentage. However, they can also look to some of their new additions, especially transfers Seth Towns and Justice Sueing.

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Forward Justice Sueing at Cal

Towns has missed the past two seasons with a knee injury, and his health to begin the season remains an unknown, but the forward is an absolute force when healthy. Earning Ivy League Player of the Year as a sophomore at Harvard, the 6-foot-8 big man averaged a team-high 16 points per game while shooting an impressive 44% from deep. Sueing, a transfer from California, was equally as productive at his previous destination. The forward averaged a team-high 14.3 points per game for the Golden Bears in the 2018-19 season before sitting out at Ohio State last year due to transfer rules.

Rebounding should not be a problem for this Buckeyes unit, as the roster features a plethora of capable glass eaters. The team still features Young and E.J. Liddell, who were second and fourth in total rebounds for OSU last season, respectively. The aforementioned Towns averaged 5.7 boards per game in his last season at Harvard, while the 6-foot-7 Sueing averaged six rebounds per game at Cal. The team will also have 6-foot-8 freshman forward Zed Key, who led Long Island Lutheran HS with 8.7 boards per game as a senior.

The assist numbers will be a bit more tricky, as the team has some question marks in terms of depth at the guard spots. Walker led the Buckeyes a year ago with 3.5 apples per game, but Carton and the Wesson brothers rounded out the top four dimers. Holtmann is hoping to have Musa Jallow back for his redshirt junior season after missing all of last year with an ankle injury, but it will likely be some of the fresh faces contributing in this category.

For starters, Ohio State is thrilled that Bucknell transfer Jimmy Sotos has been granted immediate eligibility, as the guard led the Bison last season with his 3.9 assists per game while also being the team’s leading scorer, averaging 11.5 points. The Buckeyes will also look to get some additional production in the backcourt from Washington Jr. in this area, finishing fifth on the team in assists a year ago. Holtmann will hope to see big things from his freshmen guards as well, including reclassified four-star PG Meechie Johnson (who will be eligible to join the team in January) and four-star SG Eugene Brown III.

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Guard Jimmy Sotos at Bucknell

There shouldn't be much concern on the defensive side of things, as Chris Holtmann’s tenure at Ohio State has been highlighted by his teams’ commitment to locking down the opposition. Last year’s Buckeyes were in the top 25 in both points per game allowed and opposing shooting percentage, and the expectation is that emphasis on defense will continue in year four of Holtmann in Columbus.

Some key defensive-minded guys to keep an on eye this year are Walker, Liddell and Young. Walker led the team in steals last season with 40, while Liddell and Young were hosting a block party with 29 and 13 rejections, respectively — second and third on the team behind Kaleb Wesson. Sueing and Towns are no slouches on the defensive end either, with Sueing leading Cal with 1.7 steals per game and Towns tied for second in defensive win share in his last season at Harvard.

Of course, it’s tough to really know what you’re going to get from some of the transfers and freshmen, but Ohio State’s roster looks really good on paper to begin the year. Sure they lost a ton of production from last season, but Holtmann has been able to put together a really solid group of guys this offseason for what is hopefully a successful 2020-21 campaign.

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Ohio State hoops virtually visit with four-star center
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Four-star center Donovan Clingan | Via Top Dog Camp on Twitter (@TopDogCamp1)
Chris Holtmann and the Buckeyes virtually visited with one of the nation’s top centers.

The Ohio State basketball season will soon be underway, barring any last second schedule changes due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With the first game now scheduled for later this month, Chris Holtmann and the basketball Buckeyes will take the court for the first time following a longer than usual offseason.

Despite focus being shifted more towards starting the season strong, Holtmann and his staff continue to make recruiting a focal point. The work continued Monday as Ohio State’s head coach met virtually with one of the nation’s top center prospects.

Four-star center Donovan Clingan (Bristol, CT/Bristol Central) reportedly virtually visited with the Buckeyes as was first reported by Jake Weingarten of Stock Risers. The 2022 blue-chip prospect has yet to receive an offer from Ohio State, but one may follow soon after if the meeting went well. If the Buckeyes were to enter the race, they would be joining the likes of UConn, Notre Dame, Rutgers, and Georgetown, who Clingan has also recently spoken with.

While the road ahead in securing a commitment from Clingan will be long and difficult, the Buckeyes do have some reason to be hopeful. When speaking with Weingarten, he mentioned point guard Avery Brown as someone he has spoken with teaming up with at the next level. Brown recently completed a virtual visit with Holtmann and Ohio State as well. If the duo decide the package deal is their preferred route, the fact that the Buckeyes are recruiting both keeps them as a contender.

Clingan is the No. 6 center in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 44 overall prospect in the 2022 class.

Update on top receiver target


While it may be hard to believe, the Early Signing Period is just around the corner. We already know that a majority of current commits will sign with the Buckeyes Dec. 16 - 18, but there are a couple other recruits Ohio State is still hoping will sign with them next month.

One of those guys is Emeka Egbuka (Stellacoom, WA/Stellacoom) — the nation’s top wide receiver prospect. Egbuka has long been associated with Ohio State and because of that, the Buckeyes have long been viewed as the favorites to land him. However, nothing is set in stone at this time.

Steve Wilfong of 247Sports recently took a look at some of the top prospects looking to sign in December, including Egbuka. In the article, both Wiltfong and 247Sports National Recruiting Insider Brandon Huffman selected Ohio State as the Washington native’s predicted school of choice.

Egbuka is not just the nation’s top WR, but he is one of the top recruits in the country. This Wednesday, he will be virtually presented with with his All-American jersey at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State 2022 LB commit C.J.Hicks posted his junior season highlights on Twitter Monday. Check out what the Buckeyes will be getting in the rising four-star prospect.

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Column: How nervous should you be about Ohio State’s offensive position groups?
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 Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
Tomorrow, I will break down the defensive position groups.

Believe it or not, we are now halfway through Ohio State’s “regular” season. Despite the fact that the Buckeyes have only played three games — the equivalent of the non-conference slate in a regular season — after having last week’s Maryland game canceled, the Buckeyes are four weeks into an eight-week schedule.

So, since the Buckeyes have experienced all types of ups and downs through their first three games — especially in the far-from-perfect contests against Penn State and Rutgers — I figured that now would be a good time to take a look at each of the position groups to see how worried OSU fans should be about them.

I’m going to start with the much more positive offensive side of the ball today, before getting into the more messy defensive groups tomorrow.

For this exercise, I have worked out my own grading system based on the current B1G East standings.

Penn State (0-4) = Peak worry
Michigan (1-3) = Extremely worried; we’re teetering on the edge of an abyss
Rutgers (1-3) = Kind of worried, there was optimism, but it’s fading
Michigan State (1-3) = Vaguely worried; we knew this was coming, but hopefully it won’t last long
Maryland (2-1) = Not really worried, things could creep up, but overall it’s great so far
Indiana (4-0) = Not worried at all

Quarterback

Level of Worry: Maryland


Let’s start with this: Justin Fields is the perfect quarterback. He is 72-for-83 on the season for 908 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has continued to show the impressive accuracy and arm strength that was evident during the 2019 season, but his biggest improvement has been in his development as an elite-level student of the game.

Fields has seemingly increased his decision making speed, and is now able to process what is going on in front of him with much more specificity. Last year, it was not uncommon for OSU’s QB to focus on one receiver from snap to throw. However, in 2020, his command of the offense and understanding of different defensive schemes being used against him has allowed him to a) identify the best receiver to throw to, and b) influence defenders with his eyes and body mechanics.


As I am sure you have heard by now, Fields has thrown as many touchdowns (11) and he has incompletions (also 11) and has yet to throw an interception <knocks on wood>. Fields leads the country in quarterback rating by five points over Western Michigan’s Kaleb Eleby, and by 12 points over Alabama’s Mac Jones who is in third place.

So, you might be asking, if Fields is as perfect of a quarterback specimen as I seem to believe he is, why am I still saying that fans should have a little Maryland level of worry? Well, it’s certainly not because of Fields; instead it is what is behind Fields.


Three games into the season, and not a single person has thrown a pass for the Buckeyes who is not god’s gift to quarterbacking. While I love seeing Fields being able to pad his stats for a Heisman Trophy run, I am certain that playing nearly every snap of every game was not the plan that Ryan Day had in mind when the season started.

While I think that Jack Miller III and C.J. Stroud will both be at least solid college quarterbacks, to feel fully confident in the position group this season, I’d like to see them get at least a throw under their belts.

Running Backs

Level of Worry: Rutgers


Look, the OSU running backs aren’t great this year, and we kind of knew they weren’t going to be great coming into the season. But if I’m being honest, they’re still worse than I anticipated. There was a lot of optimism that Trey Sermon would bring an explosive dimension to the running game that would pair nicely with Master Teague’s between-the-tackles strength.


However, while Teague has been mostly as advertised, Sermon has essentially been a bust thus far. While there are still (hopefully) seven games left on the schedule for him to work himself into a valuable member of the backfield, I am on the record believing that Teague should now be getting the majority of the carries, and that other, more dynamic backs like Steele Chambers and Demario McCall (#FreeDemario) should be given opportunities to complement the more traditional, three-yards-in-a-cloud-of-dust back.

I don’t think that OSU needs to have a running game to rival Wisconsin’s to win a national title, but giving defenses reason to think about something other than how to stop Fields through the air will be vital as the season progresses.

Wide Receivers

Level of Worry: Indiana


The way that Ryan Day and Brian Hartline have used the OSU receivers this season has been different than I anticipated. I expected them to lean on the depth of talent in the WR room to stretch opposing defenses to a breaking point, but that hasn’t exactly happened. Instead, we’ve seen an absolutely dominating three games from Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.

From the slot, Wilson leads the B1G in receiving yards per game, and on the outside Olave is tied for second in TD receptions. What’s been most impressive about both receivers is that they seem to be able to do it all this season; they can beat man-to-man defenders to get open, they can find holes in zones, and they can make ridiculously impressive contested catches as well.

And while we haven’t seen as much from Jameson Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Julian Fleming, and Gee Scott Jr. as I thought we would, the former two have shown themselves very capable of of competing and producing on this level in the early goings of the season.

So, while I dinged the QB position a bit because of a lack of depth, I think the WR room has it in spades, but just hasn’t had to deploy yet.

Tight Ends

Level of Worry: Maryland


I have always thought that to assume anything out of Ohio State tight ends is foolish. Sure, you can generally count on them to block well, but anything on the skilled side of their job description probably isn’t going to happen... until it does.

Jeremy Ruckert has three touchdowns through three games this year, which seems like something out of a fairy tale for OSU. So, while I wouldn’t say that either the run or pass blocking has been great from Ruckert or Luke Farrell, the contributions in the receiving game bring this one up a notch for me.

Any time you can give a QB like Fields another big target to throw to, it can only be a positive.

Offensive Line

Level of Worry: Maryland (with a Michigan State rising)


This is the position group on the offensive side of the ball that has been the most disappointing for me thus far. I firmly believed that with the returning veterans and young talent, the OSU o-line would be one in the best in the country, and while they still might be come season’s end, they haven’t shown really anything close to that yet.

Furthermore, I assumed that the interior would be a strength for the Bucks, with Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers returning and the former five-star Harry Miller joining the starting lineup. At tackle, you had Thayer Munford — who has been plagued by injuries in recent years — and Nicholas Petit-Frere, who was in his third year, but had yet to have an impact, so I thought that the outside of the line could be the weak spot. Boy was I wrong.

Munford and NPF are now arguably the best pair of tackles in the country, allowing only a single quarterback pressure all season, while Davis has taken a step back from his All-American expectations, Myers has been serviceable at best, and Miller has struggled at times, both in pass blocking and with penalties.


While the offensive line is 10th in the conference in terms of sacks allowed per game (2.33), some of that falls on Fields’ shoulders, as he is hesitant to just throw the ball away without exhausting all options to make a play.

But in terms of run blocking, with ball-carriers who don’t appear to have the ability to make plays on their own, they are going to be reliant on the line to bust open as big of holes as possible, and — through three games — that just hasn’t been in the cards for this unit; which is part of the reason that the running game has been so underwhelming thus far.


After some unexpected start and stops, I am back to posting a column every single day from preseason camp until whenever Ohio State’s football season ends. Some days they will be longer and in depth, some days they will be short and sweet. Let me know what you think of this one, and what you’d like to see me discuss in the comments or on Twitter. Go Bucks!

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Buckeye Bits: Is Indiana Week the new Penn State Week?
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Happy Monday! I’m sorry to report that I am back to my “Mask Up” announcements because COVID-19 numbers are the highest they’ve ever been! More on that later, though. Here’s what’s happening in the sports world.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


We have lots of good stuff for you on the ole home page, but I’m going to plug our basketball content here because folks...the season begins in just nine days.

The case for an All-Ohio basketball tournament to begin the season

Connor Lemons, LGHL

Connor explains how an All-Ohio basketball tournament could work. We can dream, can’t we?

Ohio State to open season against Illinois State on Nov. 25

Connor Lemons, LGHL

It was then announced on Wednesday that Ohio State will open the season against Illinois State on Nov. 25 as part of a multi-team event, and Connor has all the deets.

Tired: Penn State Week

Wired: Indiana Week


Despite Ohio State being favorited by 21 points and having a win probability of 90 percent over 4-0 Indiana, you’d be remiss to believe the Hoosiers won’t be going down without a fight. We’re in for a long, suspenseful 60 minutes on Saturday, and Indiana head coach Tom Allen knows it.

During his media availability on Monday, Allen started off by praising Justin Fields, saying he’s “extremely poised” and he’s “definitely the hardest test we’ve faced this year”


Allen said he’s fully aware that Ohio State has held the standard for recruiting and winning games in the Big Ten for a long time, but that it’s “who’s going to play high-level football for 60 minutes” that will ultimately come out of Saturday’s game victorious.


For more quotes from Allen, as well as Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and coordinators Nick Sheridan and Kane Wommack, Eleven Warriors has you covered.

Week 6 schedule update...


Like I understand not featuring Michigan/Penn State on Big Noon, but that game is going to be so entertaining.

Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night!

Meanwhile in Michigan...


In case you missed it, former Michigan QB1 Joe Milton threw an interception in each of Michigan’s first two drives. Along came backup quarterback Cade McNamara, who went 4-for-10 (but threw a touchdown at least!) in the Wolverine’s loss to Wisconsin. Now the question is...who will start against Penn State?

They’re playing bas...ket...ballllll


Lots of basketball news today! The biggest coming from the NCAA, who announced on Monday that they are relocating their early-round March Madness sites.

The NCAA is in “preliminary talks with the state of Indiana and the city of Indianapolis to potentially host the 68-team tournament around the metropolitan area during the coordinated dates in March and April.”


Some injury updates out of the Buckeyes’ locker room...

Thoughts?


Yes, both of Pennsylvania’s are gas stations. Yes, Pennsylvania’s is the best. If you disagree, I can say with 100% certainty that you have never been inside a Sheetz or a Wawa.

Monday Inspo...


If Tua can do THAT, you can answer those last couple of emails in your inbox.

Stay home


Guys. I’m so tired. I’m so so tired of this. Please, for the love of all that is good, cancel your social engagements. I know it’s tough with it being the holidays, but I promise you we will get out of this sooner if you do. (Other countries have literally proved this to be true!)

Brunch will be there when this is all over.


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Damn that Zander Diamont

Ohio State to open season against Illinois State on Nov. 25
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
After withdrawing from the Crossover Classic, Chris Holtmann is moving quickly to fill out the schedule.

Entering a season that is sure to be altered and interrupted by COVID-19, Chris Holtmann and the No. 23 Ohio State Buckeyes had a full 27-game schedule put together on Nov. 4.

But that afternoon, the Ohio Department of Health issued a list of states where Ohioans need to self-quarantine for 14 days after visiting. Unfortunately for both the Buckeyes and the Dayton Flyers, the Crossover Classic Tournament is being held in South Dakota. Both teams were forced to withdraw, because taking 14 days off afterwards is not possible in the middle of the season.

Suddenly the Buckeyes had three open game slots on their schedule, and until today, no news on which teams would fill them. This morning I wrote about how an All-Ohio Tournament in Columbus, featuring four different Ohio schools, would be fun and reasonable, even if logistics of getting schools to agree may be difficult.

However, dreams of a Buckeye Classic in the capitol were squashed later this morning, when Chris Holtmann announced on 97.1 FM’s Morning Juice that the Buckeyes will be facing the Illinois State Redbirds on Nov. 25 as part of a four-team MTE (multi-team event).


The other two teams involved have not been announced, nor has the location. With the addition of this tournament, Ohio State’s nonconference schedule will have seven games and looks like this:

• Illinois State (location TBD) - Nov. 25
• Second MTE game (opponent and location TBD)
• Third MTE game (opponent and location TBD)
• Morehead State (Columbus, OH) - Dec. 2
• Alabama A&M (Columbus, OH) - Dec. 5
• Notre Dame (South Bend, IN) - Dec. 8
• No. 16 North Carolina (Cleveland, OH) - Dec. 19

Illinois State is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, where they went 5-13 last season (10-21 overall). They are No. 194 in KenPom’s rankings, and are only returning one key playmaker from last year’s team — junior guard DJ Horne.

With these seven games on the books plus 20 conference games which are still to be announced, the Buckeyes are back to the NCAA maximum of 27 games. Holtmann said that he expects the remaining two games to be announced in the next week or so.

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The case for an All-Ohio basketball tournament to begin the season
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Kareem Elgazzar/ Marion Star
As teams scramble to fill out their schedules, why not allow the top programs in Ohio to fight each other for bragging rights?

On November 4, Ohio State had a full schedule of 27 games, which was the maximum number of games allowed per NCAA rules, not counting the Big Ten Tournament. In addition to their 20 conference games (which still haven’t been announced), the Buckeyes were set to face Morehead State, Alabama A&M, Notre Dame, and North Carolina in their nonconference slate. They were also supposed to participate in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis, which was actually moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and renamed the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic. This tournament would have given the Buckeyes up to three more games, which would round out their schedule.

However, on November 5, Head Coach Chris Holtmann sent out this tweet, informing everyone that Ohio State would no longer be participating in the Battle 4 Atlantis/ Crossover Classic.


Holtmann did not give an explanation why Ohio State bowed out, but a tweet from Governor Mike DeWine sent just one day earlier helped connect the dots. South Dakota was included with six other states as places where Ohioans need to quarantine for 14 days at home after returning from those destinations. Therefore, if Ohio State played in the Crossover Classic from November 25-30, they would not be able to do any basketball activities for 14 days upon returning. This explains Holtmann’s quick (and reasonable) decision to withdraw from the event.


Now, there was a second noteworthy Ohio team that had to pull out of Crossover Classic, one that many have been clamoring for the Buckeyes to play for several years. That team is the Dayton Flyers. Dayton, who went 29-2 last season and rose all the way to No. 3 in the AP Poll, were also the undefeated A-10 champions. Not to mention that they had Obi Toppin, the National Player of the Year, on their team.

No longer involved in the Crossover Classic, both the Buckeyes and Flyers suddenly have some flexibility on their schedules. Neither Chris Holtmann nor Dayton Head Coach Anthony Grant want to leave those slots open, so I expect both teams will move swiftly to schedule new games and fill out their schedules. But could we potentially see the two teams stay in-state and play each other for the first time since 2014?


The last time Ohio State and Dayton met up was the 2014 NCAA Tournament, where the 11-seeded Flyers shocked the 6-seed Buckeyes in the first round, knocking off the top basketball program in the state of Ohio. That win helped propel the Flyers all the way to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament, which was their deepest NCAA tournament run since 1984.

Chris Holtmann and Athletic Director Gene Smith have publicly discussed the possibility of playing the other in-state schools, but noted how difficult it can be to fit in a game with someone like Dayton when (during a normal year) you’re also playing 20 conference games, a handful of nonconference games, and early-season tournaments.

“Chris and I haven’t specifically talked about Dayton or Xavier, but he and I share a similar philosophy that we ought to try and play Ohio schools if possible, which is why we’re doing that with the exhibition games as well,” Smith said in November of 2019, “So he and I haven’t talked about those two in particular, but I imagine down the road we probably will.” This comment was following the completion of a home-and-home series with Cincinnati, in which the Buckeyes took both games.

While nothing was ever ironed out schedule-wise, it seems there was some discourse between Ohio State and Dayton previously. In late 2019, University of Dayton Athletic Director Neil Sullivan told the Dayton Daily News that “There’s been some good conversation, but the stars just haven’t lined up the right way yet.”

He goes on: “We’ve got a ton of respect for Ohio State, a ton of respect for Gene Smith. We’ve had some dialogue, and I think there just has been tough, primarily on their side, just some tough logistics related to their conference, but you know we certainly would be interested in playing Ohio State, UC or Xavier. We’re interested in all of those. We’d do all of those for sure.”

AP/ Frank Franklin II
The Dayton Flyers celebrate their victory over Ohio State in the 2014 NCAA Tournament

So what are we waiting for? The circumstances surrounding it are unfortunate, but what we have here are two of the top programs in the country who happen to be from the same state, but rarely play each other. Two rabid fan bases who have not been able to hold bragging rights over each other in nearly a decade. With Dayton and Ohio State both withdrawing from the Crossover Classic, it provides a perfect opportunity for the two schools to play for the first time in six years.

I am not a coach or a director of basketball operations. I am certain that more goes into scheduling a game than just “Hey are you free over Thanksgiving weekend?”, but going strictly off availability and what’s best for the athletes health-wise, holding an all-Ohio tournament in Columbus seems like a doable and awesome idea. Here is what I propose:

The Battle for Ohio

• November 25-30
• Columbus, OH (Schottenstein Center)
• 4 participating teams, all from Ohio
• All participating teams play all other teams (each team gets 3 games)
• One day in between games, allowing for COVID testing on off days (games on the 26, 28, and 30th)
• If a team produces a positive test, they must withdraw from the tournament

At the surface, it seems simple. Get each of these teams three additional games on the schedule against schools they don’t get to play often. This also simplifies travel and allows teams to drive home at the conclusion of the tournament, rather than flying.

The four schools that most people would want to see are Xavier, Cincinnati, Ohio State, and Dayton, naturally. But I went ahead and double-checked the schedules of eight Ohio teams to make sure they all have fewer than 27 games, and therefore could participate in the Battle for Ohio. They are:

Priority Teams

• Ohio State - 24 games
• Dayton - 20 games
• Cincinnati - 22 games
• Xavier - 12 games (games still being added)

Alternates

• Wright State - 21 games
• Akron - 22 games
• Ohio University - 21 games
• Bowling Green - 22 games

All of the above schools could add three games and still be at or below the NCAA maximum of 27 games for this season. While the OSU/ Dayton/ Xavier/ Cincinnati group would probably bring the highest level of talent, any combination of the above schools would create a unique all-Ohio tournament that’s never been done before.

Akron has been very successful in the MAC lately, and could turn heads in a weekend-long tournament where they’re playing close to home. Ohio University’s basketball program is led by former Thad Matta-assistant Jeff Boals. Wright State appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years in 2018, and look to be on the upswing in the Horizon League. Any way you mix and match it, an all-Ohio tournament would be an awesome way to kick off the college basketball season.

As I said before, I am not a college basketball coach nor do I work in the athletic departments of any of the schools listed here. I’m simply a fan, just like you, who sees a window of opportunity for the best basketball programs in the state to duke it out and rightfully claim the title as the best college basketball team in Ohio. Who wouldn’t love to see that?

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Ohio State makes headway with a pair of 2022 linemen
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Five-star 2022 OT Zach Rice | Rivals.com
The Buckeyes made the shortlist for a duo of juniors of the weekend

Unfortunately, Ohio State did not take the field this past Saturday, as Maryland’s program was hit with a small COVID-19 outbreak, but that doesn’t mean the Buckeyes stayed out of the headlines. Ryan Day has been absolutely killing it on the recruiting trail ever since he stepped foot on campus in Columbus, and that hard work continued to pay off as OSU made the short list for a pair of 2022 prospects over the weekend.

The good news starting rolling in on Friday night, when four-star defensive end Isaac Haam announced that Ohio State has made his top four schools list. Holding around eight total offers, Hamm has cut his list in half, as the Buckeyes made the cut alongside a trio of other Midwest powers in Notre Dame, Penn State and Wisconsin.


Hamm, a native of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is the No. 14 SDE in the 2022 class, the No. 5 player in the Badger State, and the No. 231 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite. Interestingly enough, despite making Hamm’s final four, Ohio State has not yet sent an official offer to the 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior.

If the Buckeyes are serious about landing the four-star edge rusher, that offer would likely have to come sometime soon. As things currently stand, Wisconsin seems to have an edge being the in-state program. There are two Crystal Ball predictions already in for Hamm, and both of them are in favor of the Badgers. There is a ways left to go in this recruitment, but it is clear that Hamm has some interest in becoming the next Larry Johnson disciple.

The next bit of good news came on Saturday, when five-star offensive tackle Zach Rice included Ohio State in his top eight. With at least 31 offers thus far as one of the top prospects in the entire 2022 class, Rice has cut his list down to Florida, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, UNC and Virginia alongside the Buckeyes.


With tackle being a massive area of need for Ohio State moving forward, especially with some big recruiting misses in 2021, Day and position coach Greg Studrawa would certainly love to land a player of Rice’s caliber. The 6-foot-6, 282-pound blocker is the No. 2 OT in the cycle, the No. 3 player in Virginia, and the No. 29 player overall in the 2022 class.

There is clearly a solid level of mutual interest between the two parties, as Rice was one of a few guys that had put Ohio State football in his Instagram bio a short while back when it seemed like the Buckeyes were gaining significant steam in the junior class. The offer from the Buckeyes was a huge deal for Rice and his family back in April, with his mother getting especially emotional upon hearing the news.

“Coach Stud offered me, and I was really shocked,” Rice told Eleven Warriors. “But then my mom – she’s a counselor – she got off the phone with one of the ladies she works with. After she got off the phone, I finally got it on speaker phone (with Coach Stud), and my mom, as he told her he was offering me, her knees buckled. She almost fell. It was crazy.

He has also been seen chopping it up with 2021 Ohio State RB commit TreVeyon Henderson on Twitter in the past.


There is still likely a long way to go in this recruitment, but the addition of Rice to the 2022 class would be an absolutely monumental get for Studrawa and the Bucks.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State offered five-star cornerback Jaheim Singletary on Nov. 5, and the elite DB prospect has had nothing but good things to say about the Buckeyes since. Speaking to Joseph Hastings of Buckeye Grove, Singletary says that he and the OSU staff are in constant contact, and he acknowledged Ohio State as ‘DBU’ for their ability to put guys in the league at his position. The Florida native is the No. 4 CB in the nation, and the No. 9 player overall in the 2022 class.

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Ohio State fans lose faith in Buckeyes according to SBN Reacts survey
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ironically though, the rest of the country didn’t.



This isn’t a surprise to anyone who pays attention to Ohio State football, but us Buckeye fans can be a fickle bunch. So after back-to-back double-digit (but not perfect) wins, we apparently have collectively lost about six percent confidence in the direction of the team. Oddly, despite the hubbub following the Penn State victory the week before, no one in the LGHL portion of the SB Nation Reacts survey lost faith in OSU, as confidence was at 100%. But, only beating Rutgers 49-27 after being up 35-3 at half, and six percent jump ship.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are certainly things to be concerned about when it comes to Ohio State’s execution in both games, but in the middle of the weirdest season in college football history, to be upset about a three-touchdown victory seems pretty shortsighted.


But, that’s how we roll here in Buckeye Nation. We are a people of extreme emotions. We can go from embracing Ohio Versus the World to complaining that networks who make a crap-ton of money from broadcasting our team’s games are actually involved in a vast, international criminal conspiracy to sabotage our program at the drop of the hat.

We have no chill. We don’t know how to moderate our emotions when it comes to college football. But, as I said before the season even started, it’s going to take some time for the team to get to fully operational. Now, I admit that at times, I forget this as well. I forget that this team had no spring practice; I forget that all of the players had to work out on their own for most of the summer; I forget that they were jerked around when it came to whether or not they were even going to have a season to play this fall.

But, when it comes down to it, they are still one of the three best teams in the country, and they’ve still got five games to get better before the selection committee determines who is in the College Football Playoffs.

If you want to vote every week in the SB Nation Reacts surveys, sign up here!


What’s funny about it is that while Ohio State fans are freaking out a bit over the last two games, most of the country is seeing them for what they are, all-important dubs in the weirdest of seasons. In the national portion of the SB Nation Reacts survey this week, Alabama took the No. 1 spot in playoff projections, but the Buckeyes came in second, ahead of No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Notre Dame.

What this suggests is that most of the country expects the Tide and Buckeyes to win out and for Clemson — with Trevor Lawrence back at quarterback — to beat the Fighting Irish in the ACC Championship. From there, there is more than a 50 percent voting gap between No. 4 ND and the No. 5 Florida Gators.



Now, for anyone watching college football this season, it should be no surprise that the Big Ten’s already tenuous reputation has taken a bit of a hit with Penn State and Michigan looking like dog doodoo and Wisconsin having only been able to play a single game so far this season.

Ohio State is clearly the top team in the B1G and while they will play a top-10 Indiana a week from today, there is a significant gap between the Bucks and whomever is next in the conference, be it IU, Wisconsin, Northwestern, etc.

While the SEC has certainly been a bit of a dumpster fire this year, they still clearly have more top teams than any other conference, and the normally garbage ACC is aided by Notre Dame’s inclusion this season.

That obviously explains why the Big Ten received the least amount of votes when fans were asked which of the top three conferences in the country is currently the best, in fact, I would have been surprised if the results said something different.



To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.


After some unexpected start and stops, I am back to posting a column every single day from preseason camp until whenever Ohio State’s football season ends. Some days they will be longer and in depth, some days they will be short and sweet. Let me know what you think of this one, and what you’d like to see me discuss in the comments or on Twitter. Go Bucks!

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CFB viewing guide for Ohio State fans this Saturday
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
With the Buckeyes out of commission, what other matchups are worth keeping an eye on this weekend?

We’ve seen it happen numerous times across the college football landscape this season as programs continue to try and play through a pandemic: game cancellations.

While it has seemed throughout the process that Ohio State has taken their COVID-19 protocols very seriously, there are two sides to every matchup. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, this weeks opponent, Maryland, has run into an outbreak. As a result, this Saturday’s game against the Terrapins has been cancelled.

Now this is not to say that Maryland did not take their protocols seriously, as I'm sure they have. It is impossible to totally eliminate the risk of contracting a highly contagious virus. Even wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, it is as simple as going to the grocery store, touching something someone with the virus coughed on, and then forgetting to wash your hands before touching your face.

The Big Ten left itself no wiggle room with its new fall schedule, and so things like this were bound to happen. It is unfortunate, but we should be content with having any football at all this season. With that being said, what should fans of Ohio State direct their eyes to this weekend?

With the Buckeyes on the shelf, we’ve got you covered with a full slate of action for your viewing pleasure.

10 a.m. — The Masters (CBSSports.com/CBS Sports App)


Up early before the first kickoff of the day? Go out and get yourself a nice take-out breakfast sandwich from your local deli or family-owned restaurant (it’s important to support small business during these tough times) and plop yourself on the couch for some golf.

Now 19 months removed from his historic victory at Augusta in 2019, Tiger Woods returns to try and defend his crown among the field of 93 golfers. Originally scheduled to take place in April, the pandemic has moved the Masters to mid-November, where the azaleas have been replaced by the fall foliage and the patrons are nowhere to be seen — for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately with the way the coverage is set up this year, the only way to watch all of the early-morning action at the Masters is by streaming it through CBS’ website or app. If you aren’t interested in watching college football that doesn’t involve Ohio State on Saturday, the tournament will jump to the TV broadcast at 1 p.m. on CBS.

9 a.m. - Noon — College Gameday (ESPN)


If golf isn't your thing, then you can fill the time between the morning and the opening kickoff with College Gameday, which will broadcast for the first time ever live from Augusta National Golf Club.

Between the inability to host large crowds of fans with witty signs like the show usually does and the postponement of the original scheduled date of the Masters, the Gameday crew gets a rare opportunity to do their pre-game show from a historic golf course. The stage will be overlooking Ike’s Pond and the 9th green of the Par 3 course at Augusta. For fans of both sports, it is a rare opportunity to see the two very different worlds collide.

12 p.m. — No. 10 Indiana vs. Michigan State (ABC)


If I would have told you preseason that the Indiana-Michigan State game would be must-watch TV for Ohio State fans in mid-November, would you have believed me?

The Spartans are a very strange team in their first year under Mel Tucker. After losing their first game of the season to Rutgers — an improved Rutgers, but still RUTGERS — Michigan State defeated rival Michigan 27-24 in Ann Arbor. They came back the following week only to get dominated by an Iowa squad that began the year 0-2. Needless to say, I have no idea what to think about Michigan State.

Then there is everyones favorite Big Ten underdog Indiana. Many had pegged the Hoosiers to be a strong competitor in the East division this year, and here we are heading into the fourth week of B1G play with Indiana ranked in the AP Top 10. With Ohio State not playing, a win this week would give Tom Allen’s squad sole possession of first place in the division. It would certainly make for a very interesting matchup next weekend, when the Hoosiers head to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes with a spot in the Big Ten title game on the line.

3 p.m. — No. 2 Notre Dame vs. Boston College (ABC)


You don't even have to change the channel once that one is over, as you can stick with ABC for a big ACC matchup between the Fighting Irish and the Eagles.

Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is off to a very encouraging start in his first year as head coach at Boston College. At 5-3 on the season, his team nearly completed upsets against both UNC and Clemson before ultimately coming up short. He has been getting some excellent QB play this season from Phil Jurkovec, who has thrown for over 2,000 yards through eight games. The Notre Dame transfer will look to upset his former team in what will function as the Eagles’ Red Bandana Game.

Notre Dame is coming off perhaps the biggest win for any college football team so far this year with their OT victory over then-No. 1 Clemson last weekend. The absence of Trevor Lawrence was no excuse for the Tigers’ performance in that game, as the Fighting Irish totaled 518 yards of offense in South Bend. Notre Dame QB Ian Book as been very efficient on the year, completing 60% of his passes for over 1,500 yards with 13 total TDs to just one INT. Book and the Irish will have to avoid a let down, as an undefeated regular season would almost certainly cement their spot in the College Football Playoff.

7:30 p.m. — No. 13 Wisconsin vs. Michigan (ABC)


Man, ABC really lucked out with the ultimate parlay of intriguing games for Ohio State fans this weekend, didn’t they? You’ll likely have some time before this one kicks off to grab yourself some dinner and restock the beverage cooler as you settle in for the night slate.

Wisconsin is playing their first game since the season opener after missing the past two weeks with a COVID-19 outbreak. It still isn’t entirely clear whether or not Badgers starting QB Graham Mertz will be suiting up for this one, but at this time all signs point to that being the case. Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst will be hoping to see a repeat performance from Mertz, after completing 20-of-21 passes for 248 yards and five TDs in his debut against Illinois. Against this Michigan secondary, any QB on their roster could probably have a field day.

Speaking of that Wolverines secondary, Jim Harbaugh will have to hope his defense can figure things out. After convincingly defeating Minnesota in their season opener — a team we now know is not very good — Michigan has lost two games in a row to Michigan State and Indiana. Hoosier QB Michael Penix absolute diced up the UM defense, passing for 342 yards and three TDs. On the offensive side of things, Joe Milton has not exactly been the revolutionary QB some had expected, and the run game will have to be better than the putrid 18 carries for 13 yards they contributed against Indiana.

I’ll throw an honorable mention here for the Northwestern-Purdue game at 7:30 p.m. on BTN. If this game gets out of hand, it will probably be worth flipping over to catch the battle for Big Ten West supremacy.

10:30 p.m. — Oregon State vs. Washington (FS1)


It is so good to get some West Coast football back in our lives. It doesn’t get much better than capping off a long day of college football with some weird and wild action over in #PAC12AfterDark. This spot was originally slated for the Utah vs. UCLA game, but alas...

Oregon State kicked off their season with a loss to Washington State in the opener, now finding themselves losers of four of their last five games dating back to last season. The Beavers offense actually looked pretty good against the Cougars, as junior QB Tristan Gebbia passed for 329 yards and a TD while RB Jermar Jefferson rushed for 120 yards and three scores. The defense was not spectacular, allowing 456 yards against Wazzu including 229 yards on the ground.

For Washington, this will be their first game of the 2020 campaign after the season opener against Cal was cancelled for COVID-19 problems in the Golden Bears program. The Huskies still have questions as to who will start at QB, but it is expected to be Sacramento State transfer Kevin Thomson. The 2019 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year threw for over 3,200 yards with 39 total TDs last season. Washington has won the last eight meetings between the two programs dating back to 2012.

Look, I'm not going to try to sell you on this being a great game, but it is quite literally the last remaining late-night kickoff other than UNLV-San Jose State. The Utah-UCLA game would have been much more entertaining, but we’ve gotta work with what we have.

Thanks a lot, COVID.

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Very well written and you broke down everything that most OSU fans have been saying for years. But the media has done nothing but given Hairball a pass since day 1, which fed into their arrogance. I remember feeding into the hype in a miniscule manner at first, but actually being jealous of having Don Brown when we had Schiano. But Brown looks like a coach stuck in the past that would do better at a G5 school and now seems immensely over his head and overpaid(like his boss). I don't see scUM pulling themselves out of this hole for a VERY long time, and getting the wrong successor to Hairball will push that timeline back even further. And I can't wait to beat the brakes off of scUM to OSU getting the all time wins record and shutting those arrogant fucks up

Zander42 said:

Ok, wasn't on BP last night but did anyone notice that there was a surrender cobra cutout in the stands. I think they zoomed in on it after the 2nd interception in the 1st quarter.

Some magnificent SOB actually bought a surrender cobra cardboard cutout and paid to put in the pig house.

Tug Speedwell is that you??

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That was absolutely priceless. The instant we saw it, the entire room laughed out loud. In Africa.

Now if UK can get a Berry commit they will be in business

Division I five-year clock: If you play at a Division I school, you have five-calendar years in which to play four seasons of competition. Your five-year clock starts when you enroll as a full-time student at any college.

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Question: Does this automatically add a 6th year of eligibility for those already on their 5th year (i.e. or who have already taken a red shirt year), etc.?

Matt R said:

Will there be a Rutgers torrent?

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hope he's not sick

Buckeye Bits: Ryan Day talks schedule, Big Bob talks Togiai
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 Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Look, there’s no Ohio State football game this weekend, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t an incredibly important competition that you can follow. On today’s edition of our Stick to Sports podcast, the illustrious Tia Johnston and I released the finalists for the Tortilla Region in our 2020 Chip Championship Bracket.

Tia’s favorite, Tostitos with a Hint of Lime is (somehow) the No. 1 seed, and my favorite, Tostitos Cantina (Traditional Style) is No. 3. Only one will make it to the Chip Final Four, and it is all up to you. So, vote! And unlike in other recent votes, if you vote more than once, it isn’t a felony!

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Ohio State still going after five-star LB in 2022 class

Caleb Houser, LGHL

If Shawn Murphy does join Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class, I look forward to seeing what he looks like after he sits behind Tuf Borland and Pete Werner for three years.

Stick to Sports podcast: Help us decide which tortilla chip is the best tortilla chip

Tia Johnston (and me), LGHL

Despite the obvious importance of the 2020 Chip Championship, Tia and I discuss many other vital topics on the show this week like TikTok, HBO’s “The Undoing,” and the “Masked Singer.” We aren’t your normal Ohio State podcast, we’re a cool Ohio State podcast.

But, if you are wondering how we settled on our final two chips in the Tortilla Region, here is the full regional bracket that we argued down to two on the show.


Indiana looks to stay undefeated, Wisconsin-Michigan clash in Week 4 Big Ten action

Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL

Well, my weekend just freed up, so it looks like I am going to have a lot more time to watch non-Ohio State football this Saturday.

Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade emphasizing film to grow on the field

Also BLeez, LGHL

The transition from the slot to No. 1 outside corner hasn’t been as smooth as Shaun Wade and his coaching staff would have liked. But, I have full faith that if anyone can make adjustments to improve his game, it’s Wade.

From around the gridiron...


Despite there not being a game this weekend, Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day still held his weekly radio show and media availability on Thursday afternoon. He discussed his and his team’s disappointment with having Saturday’s game against Maryland canceled, but stressed that they would begin using the extra time to focus on No. 10 Indiana as early as Thursday’s practice. The rest of the week will be handled as normally as possible as they will transition into a bye week schedule, including a practice on Saturday.

Day also discussed IU and praised their passing attack and noted that OSU’s secondary was going to need to step up to the challenge. In terms of his own passing attack, Day said that both Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson “have great ball skills,” but added how important the tight ends have been to the passing game as well.

He noted that having the extra weapon of pass-catching tight ends puts additional stress on the defense. He added that while Jake Hausmann will miss the next couple of weeks, that he is expected to be back and a part of that rotation once healthy.

In addition to talking to the local media, Day spoke to Ohio native Dan Patrick on his show as well.


If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas, Coach. But I like where your head’s at.

BuckIQ: Strength, technique allowing Tommy Togiai to run rampant

Lettermen Row Staff, Lettermen Row (obvi)

This video is worth a watch if for nothing other than the fact that the one, the only; the myth, the man, the legend; the cowboy hate-wearing, Fruit Roll-up-distributing heart-throb Robert “Big Bob” Landers breaks down his former teammate Tommy Togiai.

The massive Utahan has been an absolute monster in the middle of the OSU defensive line this season and his development has substantially sured up one of the least experienced spots on the Buckeyes’ team this season.

A day in the life of Justin Fields and why it’s so important to Ohio State football that he keeps to his routine

Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Not gonna lie, Justin Fields’ life sounds pretty great. I mean, I’m deathly allergic to dogs, so I’d skip the hanging out with Uno part, but going to practice, coming back home, hiding from the world, and casually being the best player in college football seems like it would be a pretty good life to me. Where do I sign up?

I’m not gonna lie, I’d take this in a heartbeat.


Buckeyes have enough talent, creativity to do anything on offense

Tim May, Lettermen Row

I understand what the great Tim May is saying here, and his points are valid that times have changed in college football since the days of Woody Hayes and that Day and Kevin Wilson are expert schemers and game-planners. But, until Justin Fields runs the ball at least a few times per quarter, this Buckeye team is never going to have a dynamic running game, imo.

I think that there are ways that the coaches can tinker around the edges by matching the right back with the right play and down-and-distance, but they don’t have a difference-making back on the roster this year, and the only way to make what they do have become an impactful part of the offense is to balance it with the threat of the uber-dynamic Fields in the run game.

Now, I don’t think that the Buckeyes will need to do this until they get to the playoffs, but I do hope that it is in the plans for later in the season. Maybe sprinkle it in a bit against TTUN to make Harbaugh’s head explode.

It feels like Jahan Dotson got all 10 of these against Shaun Wade a few weeks ago.

From around the hardwood...


Ohio State Hoops Notebook: Seth Towns and Musa Jallow remain limited, schedule nearing completion, “very few” coronavirus interruptions

Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors

Not gonna lie, the news that both Musa Jallow and Seth Towns will be unavailable to start the Buckeyes’ season was a major bummer for me. With all of the turmoil that this roster went through in the offseason, I was looking forward to having those guys provide some depth and experience.

However, with the news that Meechie Johnson will reclassify and join the team in January, perhaps aiming to have the roster fully intact for the start of the new year is a better plan. I don’t expect that Johnson will contribute more than depth right away, but it’s a smart move for him, given the free year of eligibility.

Either way, when you start watching Buckeye basketball later this month, expect lots of changes over the course of the season.

The Ohio State video team is whether it is for football or basketball!

From everywhere else...


Former Buckeye talking about the first time that he went up against the former Buckeye that he will be going up against this weekend.


And if you can’t get jazzed up for last night’s #MACTION ending, then you don’t deserve to call yourself a legitimate college football fan.

And now for something completely different...


And here is an explainer on the best pro sports mascot in the world.


After some unexpected start and stops, I am back to posting a column every single day from preseason camp until whenever Ohio State’s football season ends. Some days they will be longer and in depth, some days they will be short and sweet. Let me know what you think of this one, and what you’d like to see me discuss in the comments or on Twitter. Go Bucks!

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