Buckeye Bits: NCAA eligibility news, B1G parents protest in Chicago, more
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 Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

What a crazy decade these past few weeks have been. Last week, the Big Ten cancelled the 2020 fall season, and this week commissioner Kevin Warren provided a ton of answers and transparency released a blanket press release that didn’t answer really any of the prevailing questions.

As we’ve said time and time again on this site, while it isn’t Warren’s fault there won’t be Ohio State football this fall — that decision comes via the university presidents — it is his job to take the heat and answer questions in the aftermath, which he is STILL yet to do. We are all anxiously awaiting the next steps in the process, which is something you would figure should be planned for ahead of time before you cancel a football season. But what do I know?

Hopefully the powers that be are able to come up with a viable plan to return to football action sooner rather than later. When those details do eventually materialize, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land will be sure to keep you updated. Until then, let’s get to today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Latest on Emeka Egbuka, OSU makes top-five for 2022 LB
(Caleb Houser, LGHL)

Ryan Day won’t be tasked with leading a football team on the field this fall, but I can guarantee you he will be putting in work off the field as he continues tearing it up in the recruiting game. Ohio State is still very much in on a pair of five-star recruits from Washington, but with the global pandemic putting a halt on official visits, it could still be some time before we get their final decisions.

12-for-12: Ohio State’s Perfect Season
(Gene Ross, LGHL)

We have all sorts of different fun and outside-the-box ideas to help get you guys through a football-less fall, and I'm very excited about this new series. Using one game from each of the past 12 Ohio State seasons, we have constructed a 12-game schedule for the Buckeyes, complete with both non-conference and Big Ten foes as well as a postseason. The first edition will be dropping next Thursday, so keep an eye out for that.

Crew SC are ready to fill the sports void in Columbus
(Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)

Our last attempt to fill the football void with a non-Ohio State team didn’t work out so well, as the Columbus Blue Jackets were bounced from the NHL Playoffs on Wednesday. Hopefully the second time is the charm, as we are now directing your attention to the Columbus Crew. The local MLS soccer club won 3-0 last night against the Chicago Fire in their return to MAPFRE Stadium, and Brett has all the info to get you up to speed on a potentially exciting unit in the capital city.

How would you feel about a Big Ten football season in January?
(Gene Ross, LGHL)

There has been a lot of talk about Ohio State playing football in January, but what do you think about the idea? I laid out Ryan Day’s plan for a shortened season in the winter, as well as how some of the logistical aspects would work in regards to cold weather and championship aspirations, among other things. Be sure to cast your vote as to what you think about the idea of Buckeye football to open up 2021.

From around the gridiron...


One of the biggest questions people have been asking in the wake of college football season cancellations is in regards to player eligibility. What happens to guys’ scholarships if they aren’t playing a season this fall, and will seniors be able to come back next year without losing their final year of eligibility? The NCAA answered those questions on Friday, as the board of directors approved a blanket waiver allowing fall sport athletes to keep their year of eligibility regardless of if they play their sport this season or not.

Like things worked with spring sports, while schools are required to uphold the players’ eligibility, they are not required to match the aid they are currently getting. For example, a current senior will be allowed to return to his team and play football next season, but the school can choose to reduce or not renew that player’s scholarship if they elect to do so. Scholarships that are given to returning seniors will not count against team scholarship limits.

This does, however, mean that if the ACC, Big 12 and SEC do play football this season, that their players will get to put a full year of experience under their belt without burning a year of eligibility. This could potentially put the Big Ten and Pac-12 at a severe disadvantage if they cannot find a way to play in the spring, as the underclassmen in the conferences that do play will get a free season, likely allowing freshman to play all year without having to worry about redshirt rules.

In addition, the NCAA basically outlawed any form of waiver that would require players to sign it in order to play while relieving their institution of liability.


On Friday, about 30 or so parents from players in the Big Ten traveled to Chicago to participate in a peaceful protest in response to the cancelled season. Led by Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade’s father Randy Wade, the spirited group gathered outside of the conference offices mainly to ask for some transparency in regards to what led to the hasty decision, as well as to start the conversation as to what is next.

While the group realizes that the reality of re-instituting the fall season is all but lost, they want to make sure the Big Ten is doing everything in its power to come up with a plan to play football at some point in the near future, whether that be in the winter or the spring. The players and the parents are all still begging for answers, and while the decision to cancel may ultimately end up being the right one, there is no arguing that Kevin Warren and the Big Ten PR department have botched this whole thing at every possible turn.


We interrupt our regularly scheduled and frustrating Big Ten debacle programming to bring you this piece of breaking news: Chase Young is good at football.


You know who else was good at football? Archie Griffin. Happy Birthday to a legend!

From everywhere else...


On Friday, Ohio State announced its first ever Excellence Award winners. One of the recipients of the seven different categories of awards was everyone’s favorite Associate AD, Jerry Emig, who was one of two winners of the Respect Award. Emig is now in his 19th year with the Buckeyes, and if you’ve ever had a run-in headman of Ohio State’s athletic communications, you’ll know it is an honor that is well deserved.


Also on Friday, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association voted in favor of moving forward with fall sports, including football. This means that Ohio State commits Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. will get to play their senior seasons of high school football this fall. However, it also now means that while both Ohio and Pennsylvania high schools will be taking the field, Ohio State and Penn State will not.


The XFL is now officially under new ownership. Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?


While it is obviously correct to want to limit gatherings during a pandemic, it is going to be excruciatingly difficult to tell college kids to not be college kids.


Continue reading...

Fungo Squiggly said:

Really it was a matter of pragmatism and manpower. Either commit their already limited resources to updating their shit to NOT send out these interest payments or just say fuck it and let it ride. Compared to everything else? Drop in the bucket. They made the right call here, IMO.

Click to expand...

Yeah but now those sonsofbitches are going to want .41 cents of it back next April (if there is a next April)

Tough break for Jashon Cornell, injuring his left achilles in practice.

DETROIT LIONS PLACE JASHON CORNELL ON INJURED RESERVE WITH “PRETTY SEVERE” ACHILLES INJURY

Jashon Cornell will spend his rookie NFL season on injured reserve.

The former Ohio State defensive tackle was placed on injured reserve by the Detroit Lions, who selected him in the seventh round of this year's NFL draft, on Thursday after he suffered what Lions head coach Matt Patricia described as a “pretty severe” injury in practice on Tuesday. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Cornell “injured his left Achilles tendon during a one-on-one pass-rushing drill near the end of practice.”

Click to expand...

OregonBuckeye said:

Easier to look buffer when your frame is that much smaller

Click to expand...

Exactly, I see an ideal DE frame for a senior to be in high school. Looks like a lot of range and room to add muscle.

Side note - are we trying to get some payback here on Adeleye?

Sounds like KSB is doing something right, maybe reciprocating? Anyway, as the story goes......Do you know why the bride is all smiley during the wedding? Pause,,,,, no more blowjobs......

Buckeye Bits: Big Ten will not revisit their decision, Gene Smith views postponed season as a “temporary delay,” more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Welcome back to Buckeye Bits, where we round up all of the headlines from around the Ohio State beat. There’s quite a bit of them today, so before we get into it, I thought I’d go through a quick rundown of the most recent events:

The Big Ten released its conference-only schedule two weeks ago. Supposedly, the making of this schedule was incredibly complex, tedious and specific to ensure maximum flexibility in case games needed to be moved around.

A few days later, the Big Ten announced out of nowhere that they were canceling the fall sports season. Their official statement basically said: “Fall sports canceled for players’ safety. Maybe spring season? Who knows! LOL”

The Big Ten does not offer an explanation or a concrete backup plan, meanwhile schools are facing blows of hundreds of millions of dollars without football, players who have dedicated their lives to training, practicing and preparing for the season are left wondering if and when they’ll play next, and coaches and athletic directors can’t lead their respective teams because they have zero information to give them.

Parents from almost every school in the conference have written letters to the Big Ten, asking them to reconsider their decision. Some are even peacefully protesting in front of the B1G headquarters in Chicago on Friday.

Justin Fields started a #WeWantToPlay petition that is well on its way to 300,000 signatures, and has appeared on multiple talk shows to state his case. The quarterback is showing impeccable leadership, made even more impressive by the fact that he is projected to go top-five in the 2021 NFL Draft whether he plays another collegiate snap or not.

And the rest of the football world— the SEC, ACC, even Ohio high schools— is still set to kickoff this September. If other conferences do in fact play this fall, it could be detrimental to the future of Ohio State recruiting.

Which brings us to today— the day the Big Ten has come out of its bunker to put all hopes and dreams of a fall season to rest.


In a statement released eight days after the conference’s initial cancelation announcement, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren revealed more details behind the decision and reaffirmed that they would not be reversing it. The primary reasons behind he and the conference presidents’ decision to cancel include:


While the statement still did not include plans for moving forward, according to Austin Ward of Lettermen Row, “the Big Ten is still formulating an exact plan for what will come next, and Ohio State has been actively involved in that process by helping put together a proposal for a winter/spring season that could potentially start in January. Details for that have not been finalized, but multiple sources have confirmed to Lettermen Row that the winter format has gained traction provided it can be done safely.”

Additionally, Ohio State AD Gene Smith released a statement of his own where he announced that the conference has established the “Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force” to develop plans for winter and spring competition models:


Fall sports returning by the end of the year? I’m listening.

With that being said...

Justin Fields undecided whether he would play a spring college football season, taking “each day at a time”

Kevin Harrish, Eleven Warriors

In an interview with Good Morning America on Wednesday, Fields said he hasn’t considered whether he will play a spring college football season.


via GIPHY


If a season happens anywhere close to April, Fields knows damn-well he’s not playing another collegiate snap. However, if Ward’s sources are correct and a spring season can be done in January, or if football can somehow make a return by the end of the year, I could see Fields potentially suiting up for one last go as a Buckeye.


Good news for all the other conferences, I guess.


The NCAA Division I Council decided on Wednesday that student-athletes in fall sports will preserve this season of eligibility regardless of the amount of competitions they take part in. It will be interesting to see how scholarship limits are adjusted for the incoming 2021 class if these athletes do choose to return for their extra year.


Illinois’ parents have entered the chat.


Obviously this was before the Big Ten issued their statement on Wednesday evening, however it’s impressive how many groups of people the conference managed to piss off in just eight days.


And not sure if this is still happening...


I would assume it is, however, because the Big Ten did not release its actual data or medical findings in their statement— something that should, without question, be made public as well as released to the other conferences.


Penn State head coach James Franklin offers his thoughts on how the Big Ten has handled things thus far.


How did Ohio State football’s season end up with conflict, chaos and cancellation? A look back

Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Why can Ohio high schools play football if the Ohio State Buckeyes can’t?

Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com

The guys at cleveland.com have answered the questions everyone is asking. First, Nathan Baird walks us through the last few months in an attempt to figure out how exactly we got to this point. Then, Doug explains why 15-year-olds can play football at their D5 high school while some of the most elite athletes in the country at the state-of-the-art program that is Ohio State cannot.

From around the hardwood...


College basketball bubble in the works?


A bubble is the one and only answer to a college basketball season happening safely. It is absolutely adamant that they figure this out ASAP.

From everywhere else...


Lions lose rookie Jashon Cornell to serious injury

Alex Seats, 247Sports

On Tuesday, former Ohio State DT Jashon Cornell went down in practice with what Lions head coach Matt Patricia called a “pretty serious” Achilles injury. If its a tear, he could miss his entire rookie season.


Another one bites the dust.


The SEC is a strange place.


Continue reading...

Ohio State sends out a pair of scholarship offers on Tuesday
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

2021 defensive end Justus Boone | Hale McGranahan, 247Sports
The Buckeyes remained busy after earning a commitment this week

Ohio State’s coaches and staff are going to have a ton of extra time this fall to put in work on the recruiting trail without a football season to worry about. While some believe the Big Ten’s cancellation would hurt recruiting efforts, that apparently has not been the case for the Buckeyes — at least early on — as they gained a commitment from four-star athlete Dasan McCullough on Tuesday.

Ryan Day and Co. are looking to close out the class of 2021 strong, and they still hold the No. 1 group in the nation, but Alabama is rapidly closing on their heels. While Ohio State looks to maintain their lead in the current cycle, they are also making sure they keep things rolling in future classes as well. The staff looked to keep momentum going in both areas on Tuesday, as in addition to the latest commitment, the program sent out a pair of new offers.

The first went out to 2021 Florida commit Justus Boone. Standing at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, the Sumter, SC native is the No. 19 SDE in the class and the No. 307 player overall in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.


Boone holds at least 19 scholarship offers at this time, including from some of the nation’s top programs among the likes of Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee and most recently Ohio State. He has been committed to the Gators since the end of February.

247Sports national writer Charles Power had this to say of Boone’s abilities:


Ohio State’s second offer on Tuesday went out to 2022 offensive tackle Kenji Swanson. The Chatsworth, CA native is currently the No. 29 OT and the No. 303 player overall in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite.


Swanson, a three-star prospect early in his recruitment, currently holds at least 12 scholarship offers heading into his junior year of high school, including from some top programs like Auburn, Oregon, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame. The 6-foot-6, 307-pound tackle looks like a men amongst boys out on the field with his immense size, so expect his stock to rise as there is still a long ways to go in his recruiting process.

Quick Hits

• An Ohio State 2022 commit earned a fifth star in the 247Sports Composite on Tuesday, as the updated Rivals rankings provided enough juice to make linebacker Gabe Powers a five-star prospect. Previously listed as the No. 47 player in the class, Powers — the No. 1 player in Ohio and No. 1 OLB in 2022 — is now the No. 33 player in the country overall. He is the highest-rated player of the five guys that make up Ohio State’s No. 2 recruiting class in 2022, where they trail only LSU.

Continue reading...

Buckeye Bits: A look at Ohio State’s newest commit, Al Washington getting the job done in all facets, more
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 Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Welcome to Buckeye Bits, our daily news roundup of all things Ohio State. It’s Tuesday, which means it has been officially one week since the Big Ten decided to cancel the 2020 fall season, and still we are left with way more questions than answers.


Personally, I am in the camp that the conference’s decision will ultimately end up being the right one, but the way it has been handled from start to finish has been wholly incorrect. Even if you fully believe you could not safely play football at this time, there is absolutely no reason the season could not have been postponed until the end of September, giving you additional time to figure things out and hope the country’s handling of the pandemic improves in that time — even as unlikely as that appears.

It has also become a PR nightmare for the Big Ten. Outside of a brief interview B1G commish Kevin Warren gave on the day of the announcement — solely on the conference’s own network, I might add — there has been zero transparency as to what led to the cancellation. Despite immense backlash from players, parents, and of course fans, it has been crickets from the Big Ten. Justin Fields’ petition and letters from parents of players at the conference’s major institutions, including Ohio State, have — to this point — been totally ignored.

So, as I said before, even if this decision winds up being the correct one, the Big Ten could not have screwed things up anymore than they already have. With every day that passes without additional information or transparency, the hole the conference has dug itself continues to get deeper. With that spiel out of the way, let’s get to today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Could Ohio State get a BOOM today?
(Dan Hessler, LGHL)

While the main question of Dan’s recruiting piece this morning has already been answered, which we will get to in a second, he also provided additional information regarding Ohio State’s recruitment of four-star power forward Mason Miller — the son of former two-time NBA champion Mike Miller. Plus, a bunch of Ohio State targets and commits saw their ratings increase in the latest Rivals 2022 class rankings.

BOOOOM! 2022 athlete Dasan McCullough commits to Ohio State
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

As I previously alluded to, the Buckeyes picked up a huge commitment today with 2022 athlete Dasan McCullough announcing he will be playing his college ball in Columbus. The announcement was certainly not a surprise, as he and fellow Ohio State commit C.J. Hicks have developed a strong relationship, which likely influenced his decision. McCullough is the fifth commit for Ryan Day in the 2022 cycle, and while being listed as an athlete, he projects as a linebacker at the next level, making him already the third LB to join the group. More on him later.

Coach Earle Bruce’s magic touch against Michigan
(Jim Baird, LGHL)

Over the past few months, Jim has taken us through the timeline of all the head coaches to lead Ohio State through the years. This week, he is up to the 20th head coach of the 24 in the school’s history: Earle Bruce. Coaching the Buckeyes for nine seasons, Bruce compiled an overall record of 81-26-1, but was best known for racking up five wins over Michigan in that span — which, at the time, was the most wins over the Wolverines by any OSU coach not named Woody Hayes.

From around the gridiron...


What Dasan McCullough’s commitment means for OSU’s 2022 recruiting class
(Zack Carpenter, Eleven Warriors)

Just because everyone expected McCullough to choose Ohio State today doesn’t make it any less of a big deal. This kid can ball. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound athlete has compiled over 43 scholarship offers — and he’s only still a junior in high school. What makes McCullough so special is his wide-ranging skillset. He has the size and speed to play anywhere from safety to linebacker, which his why he’s drawn comparisons to former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons. The Buckeyes plan to use him as a Sam linebacker, where he will get to do everything from stopping the run and blitzing to dropping back into coverage.

Still not convinced? Check out McCullough’s highlight tape from his sophomore (SOPHOMORE) season at Blue Valley North in Kansas.


While we’re throwing out praise for McCullough, we must also recognize the work that is being done by linebackers coach Al Washington. After Ryan Day pillaged the young assistant from Michigan’s staff, he was able to turn around a unit that was dreadful in 2018 and make them a strength in 2019. Now, he is dominating on the recruiting trail, helping to land McCullough alongside the top two players in Ohio in the 2022 cycle in LBs Gabe Powers and C.J. Hicks. As a result, he's currently the No. 1 recruiter in 247Sports’ rankings for the 2022 class.


Hey, remember that guy Chase Young? You know, the one who was without question the best player in all of college football last season as he racked up 16.5 sacks, got invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony as a purely defensive player and then went on to be the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft? Yea, I think he’s gonna be just fine at the next level...


In case you wanted any more fuel added to the fire that is the Big Ten’s cancellation of their fall season, today Ohio governor Mike DeWine ruled that all high school sports, including football, could move forward as scheduled this season. Which means, as things currently stand, Ohio high schools, Cincinnati, the Bengals and the Browns will all be on the field this fall, but Ohio State will not be. Pain.

From around the hardwood...


As our eyes begin to shift from college football to college basketball in the realm of pandemic land, it is still unclear what the plan will be for the return to hoops action. The NCAA expects to come to some sort of a decision as to when the season will begin sometime in mid-September, where, as Andy Katz lays out, the association can either choose to start on time, delay until the weekend before Thanksgiving, or move it back all the way until the beginning of December.


I say it time and time again: Ohio State basketball’s throwback jerseys just hit different.

From everywhere else...


If you went to bed at a reasonable hour and weren’t up watching a baseball game that you had no real rooting interest in between the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers, then you may have missed the boomers getting mad about one of the game’s young superstars being good at baseball. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a grand slam on a 3-0 count with his team already leading 10-3 in the 8th inning, and Rangers manager Chris Woodward was mad the he violated some “unwritten rule” by not taking the pitch.

I love the game of baseball, but the old folks who get mad at the younger generation for showing out and having some fun just completely ruin the sport for everyone else. If you don't want to get blown out, maybe you should have pitched better.


With everything going on in 2020, this suggestion is becoming increasingly difficult.


This is what life could look like right now if we had taken COVID seriously from the jump. Wuhan is having massive pool parties, while we can’t even have college football.


Continue reading...

BOOOOM! Top-70 2022 athlete Dasan McCullough commits to Ohio State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Four-star 2022 athlete Dasan McCullough | Collin Kennedy, 247Sports
Man, did we need some good news right about now?

It’s been a rough week for the Ohio State Buckeyes, as just one week ago the word came down that the fall football season had been canceled by the Big Ten presidents. While we have experienced the five stages of grief since that announcement was made, on Tuesday, we finally got some good news to brighten our spirits in the form of a big time BOOM!

Dasan McCullough, the No. 70 player in the 2022 recruiting cycle according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, has pledged to play for Ryan Day’s Buckeyes. The top-rated player in the state of Kansas is listed as the No. 7 athlete in the country, but his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame projects him to be a linebacker once he reaches Columbus.


Fittingly, OSU LB coach Al Washington led his recruiting, beating out 43 other programs, including powers such as Clemson, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, USC, Morgan State, and others.

According to 247Sports’ Allen Trieu, McCullough compares favorably to Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl champ and four-time Pro Bowler Kam Chancellor, but that’s because he played in the secondary as a sophomore. Projecting to the next level, McCullough’s long frame, willingness to tackle, and coverage skills should allow him to transition to the elusive “bullet”/hybrid position that Pete Werner currently occupies for the Buckeyes.

McCullough is the fifth commit in what is already the No. 2 class in the country — behind only LSU — joining fellow linebackers Gabe Powers and C.J. Hicks, cornerback Jyaire Brown, and offensive tackle Tegra Tshbola. All of OSU’s 2022 pledges are players in the top 145 nationally, and McCullough is behind only Powers, who ranks No. 46. The Overland Park, Kan. native is the first out-of-state player in the class.

Check out Dasan McCullough’s highlights:

Continue reading...

Could Ohio State get a BOOM today?
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

2022 four-star athlete Dasan McCullough | via @Dasan2022 on Twitter
Important Ohio State athlete target Dasan McCullough looks to be ready to commit today.

Ryan Day and the Ohio State football program could be getting a more than welcome BOOM today.

Ohio State 2022 athlete target Dasan McCullough (Overland Parks, KS/Blue Valley North) appears to have reached a decision, and will be announcing it this afternoon. The news comes from a somewhat-cryptic Tweet, in which McCullough told his followers to stay tuned at 12:30 today when he intends to shock the world.


If McCullough does in fact commit to Ohio State, it will be in great thanks to Buckeyes 2022 OLB commit C.J. Hicks.

Hicks, who has taken up the moniker “Captain Buckeye” for the 2022 recruiting class, has been in McCullough’s ear basically since he committed. The two have developed a strong friendship and because of this, the tea leaves started reading Ohio State.

Hicks and Ohio State’s coaching staff have been selling McCullough on creating what they hope becomes one of the top LB recruiting hauls in this class. In addition to McCullough, Hicks has also been recruiting inside LB Shawn Murphy to join them at Ohio State. Position coach Al Washington has also already added four-star OLB Gabe Powers to the class as well.

As a testament to how close Hicks and McCullough have become, if he becomes the next member to join Ohio State, it looks like Hicks was given the news early.


McCullough is the No. 7 ATH in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 70 overall prospect in the class.

Ohio State heating up with 2021 four-star PF


Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann continues to prove he is one of the nation’s best at college basketball recruiting.

Last month, the program earned its most recent commitment in the 2021 recruiting class when the No. 1 recruit from the state of Ohio, Malaki Branham, committed to the Buckeyes. The addition greatly boosted the programs recruiting rankings, now viewed as the No. 6 class by 247Sports and No. 2 in the Big Ten behind Michigan State.

Alongside Branham, Holtmann and the Buckeyes also hold commitments from four-star guard Meechie Johnson and four-star power forward Kalen Etzler.

However, don’t think the Buckeyes are done yet. The team is still looking to add at least one more member to the class. One of those prospects is four-star power forward Mason Miller (Germantown, TN/Houston). Miller recently decided to play his senior season of high school basketball under his dad, former NBA star Mike Miller.

Multiple reports have Ohio State as one of his top contenders. Alongside the Buckeyes, Miller is also interested in Indiana, Creighton and TCU, with the Hoosiers looking like the current favorite.

If the Buckeyes are able to secure a commitment from Miller, it would be a testament to Holtmann’s recruiting prowess. The reason being is he would need to sell Miller on a role on the team with E.J. Liddell already on the roster, and aforementioned verbal commit Etzler at the same position — both being similar players to what Miller projects.

However, if Holtmann believes this team’s future looks best with Miller onboard, look for the Buckeyes to continue making him a priority. The Buckeyes have already reportedly hosted Miller for an unofficial virtual visit, so it appears as if the interest is there.

Miller is the No. 15 PF in the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and is the No. 60 overall prospect in the 2021 class.

Rivals new five-stars littered with potential future Buckeyes


Rivals released their updated five-star prospects in the 2022 recruiting class. Among the 14 selected, multiple Ohio State targets and commits made the cut. Below is a list of those included, as well as some highlights:

No. 14 Ohio State target ILB Shawn Murphy

No. 13 Ohio State CB target William Johnson

No. 11 Ohio State OT target Zach Rice

No. 10 Ohio State OT target Kam DewBerry

No. 9 Ohio State WR target Luther Burden

No. 8 Ohio State OT target Julian Armella

No. 5 Ohio State CB target Jaheim Singletary

No. 4 Ohio State OLB commit C.J. Hicks

No. 2 Ohio State CB target Domani Jackson

No. 1 Ohio State DT target Walter Nolen


Continue reading...

Buckeye Bits: Justin Fields’ petition draws over 240,000 signatures, Big Ten’s formal vote remains “unclear,” more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond

Happy Monday, LGHL reader! Last week was a doozy, eh? Hopefully this week contains better news, which shouldn’t be too hard considering last week’s news was: “FOOTBALL IS CANCELED AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY.”

So yeah, it can really only go up from here. In fact, quite a bit has happened since our last Buckeye Bits publication. Here’s a quick sneak peak of today’s updates:

• If anyone saves the Big Ten’s college football season, it’ll be Justin Fields.
• The Big Ten...may have not even held a formal vote to postpone the season??????
• We have not heard a peep from the Big Ten, despite parents, players and coaches demanding answers

The saga continues. Without further ado, here’s what’s happening...

Around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Column: So what is ‘expertise’ anyway?

Meredith Hein, LGHL

We live in a world where everyone seems to think they know everything about everything. Throw in a global health pandemic (where protecting others has become a political stance) and a canceled football season, and all of the self-proclaimed “experts” will begin to crawl out of the woodworks. In her column this week, Meredith explains what an expert actually is, and let’s just say, unless you’re an epidemiologist, I promise you that you have absolutely no idea whether or not its safe to play football this fall.

24 Club: Coach Earle Bruce’s magic touch against Michigan

Jim Baird, LGHL

Next up in our 24 Club series is the legendary Earl Bruce, the man who was given one of the most challenging tasks in Ohio State coaching history: replacing Woody Hayes.

Tennessee legacy talks Ohio State visit, commitment plans

Charles Doss, LGHL

Charles caught up with three-star class of 2022 tight end Bennett Christian, who tweeted on Sunday that he will be announcing his decision on Sept. 1.

From around the gridiron...

Months from becoming a multimillionaire, Justin Fields leads charge to save college football season


Kevin Harrish, Eleven Warriors

Justin Fields does not have to play a single snap this season to improve his draft stock. He will be a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft no matter what. In fact, it would make more sense for Fields to opt out.

And YET, Fields has done more in regards to bringing back the college football season and demanding answers from the Big Ten than any athletic director, president or head coach. On Sunday, Fields released a petition addressed to the Big Ten titled “#WeWantToPlay.”


Here’s what he’s asking:


The petition, as of Monday at 4 p.m., has received 248,582 signatures, with the latest goal being 300,000. While many of the sports’ top players are beginning to opt out, like Penn State’s Micah Parsons and, most recently, LSU’s Kary Vincent Jr., Fields is fighting to play his final college season.

Fields guested on an ESPN radio show Monday morning, on which he was asked why he is fighting for a season, considering he, like Kevin said, “is months away from becoming a millionaire.”

“Really, it’s just my love for the game and college football and my teammates and for Ohio State,” Fields replied. “I’ve seen guys battle back from injuries. I’ve seen how hard our coaches have fought for us to play. It is really just my love for the game.”

I mean, no matter what conference you’re in or what team you’re a fan of, you have to respect the hell out of this kid. Like Ryan Day said:


However, I think Kevin said it best:


Ohio State football parents write letter to Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren asking for a reversal of the decision to cancel the 2020 season

Johnny Ginter and Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Fields isn’t the only one knocking on the Big Ten’s door. The parents of Ohio State football players wrote a letter to Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren on Saturday, saying:


Among other asks, they also requested a reinstatement of the schedule released on Aug. 5, full transparency regarding the data used to reach their decision, a Zoom meeting with Warren, a detailed action plan including standard practices and safety protocols for all teams, and a response by Wednesday.

The Big Ten has also received letters from the parents of Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State and, most recently, Michigan, all demanding the same thing: Bring back the fall football season.


After a petition signed by 250,000 and letters from the parents of your five most prominent schools, you’d think someone ANYONE from the Big Ten would make some sort of statement.


The Big Ten’s approach of ghosting all of its football players, coaches, and parents is a weird flex but okay.


The Big Ten’s decision to cancel fall football, and the multiple sides to the story

Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com

The GOAT Doug Lesmerises talked to people on ALL sides of this sh*t show to find out why this is happening, how we got here and where we’re probably headed. It really is important to remember that, despite what the players and parents want, this is all about keeping players safe and the Big Ten (supposedly) had its reasons. We just... haven’t heard what they are yet.


Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour isn’t confident that the B1G will reverse decision.


Because if the decision really was based on information from medical professionals deeming it too dangerous to play football this fall, the Big Ten can’t go back on that, no matter how badly players, coaches and parents want to play.

Barbour also said that it’s still “unclear” whether the Big Ten even held a formal vote.


Look, we’re trying to stay somewhat neutral here. Obviously we want a college football season, but not if it costs the players and coaches their health— whether that be presently or in the long run. However, the Big Ten is making it incredibly hard to trust them and to have faith in their decision. And their silence is pretty deafening at this point.


Contrary to what these photos are saying, Gee Scott Jr. is only a freshman.


RIP opposing defenses.

From around the hardwood...


College basketball answers coming mid-September


They’ve been discussing the 2021 college basketball season since March, and things are looking promising thus far. Here’s what Jardy wrote:


All they have to do is learn from football’s mistakes and basically just do whatever the NBA is doing.

From everywhere else...


The Canadian Football League’s 2020 season has been cancelled.


Meanwhile in America...


Ron Rivera diversifying the Washington Football Team. We love to see it.


Friendly reminder! Some of you forget this!


Continue reading...

Column: So what is ‘expertise’ anyway?
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Hint: Let’s leave health decisions to the experts. But also let’s understand tradeoffs.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 have officially cancelled fall sports (not just football, remember). It stinks, and, to be explicitly clear, no one actually wanted it to happen. Cancelling sports benefits no one financially, but health and safety are binary concerns that cannot be compromised.

I’m not denying that folks can be feeling pretty crappy about this situation. When I saw the news of Ohio State football being cancelled, I sat on my bed and cried for 30 minutes, clutching a Brutus Buckeye doll my friend gave to me years ago. It was an irrational reaction, and as I went through the stages of grief as recommended by Tia Johnston, I recognized that we all have something we care about that COVID-19 has taken away, something that causes us to be hit irrationally hard. We are fortunate if that “something” is not the death or illness of a loved one, but, as we’ve seen, it doesn’t make the hurt any less acute.

When it comes to football, I also need to acknowledge that the Big Ten certainly didn’t execute the past couple weeks perfectly. Like many things in the world, this decision falls on a spectrum. It wasn’t just “to play or not to play.” Instead, there are factors like involving players in the decision, considerations of a spring season and the holistic communication plan which also played a part in the response, and which made the decision feel more harsh, perhaps, than it needed to even under these already harsh circumstances.

Even so, fans who are upset who seem to have trouble identifying the source of their emotions are instead lashing out at public figures who they perceive to have “slighted” them, personally on some occasions. Parents of athletes are speaking out. Athletes themselves - those who have literally the most right of anyone to be upset - are, in fact, upset. Go figure.

In that vein, it’s been interesting to watch fans latch on to individuals who really have no authority or expertise to make decisions relating to public health, but who just happen to have opinions and thoughts with which these fans align.

Hence, we get to the challenge of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is defined (by Wikipedia, obviously) as “the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs of theories.”

What this means in practice is that you’ll believe what you want to believe, and you’ll seek evidence to confirm your opinion. Tia and I touched on it briefly in last week’s Play Like a Girl podcast. Essentially it can result in you believing, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that your opinions are valid because you see new evidence, no matter how trite, as consequential.

Let’s take a few examples from major powers in the Big Ten. Ryan Day is an expert in football. He’s not a doctor or someone with any knowledge of public health or medicine. Jim Harbaugh, some might say, is also an expert in football, but he also is not a doctor. Scott Frost, if you can sense a theme here, is also not a doctor.

So why are we following the whims of these individuals at all when it comes to their opinions on the health and safety of playing a football season in the middle of a pandemic? In my opinion, Day fell squarely in the middle of Frost and Harbaugh when it came to his desire to have a football season. Perhaps he recognized that the Ohio State fan base would latch onto his words, pointing to him as a perceived expert and arguing in favor of a season because “Ryan Day said it was okay.”

Yes, we all love it when individuals with authority have opinions that align with our own. But there are different kinds of expertise. It’s always abundantly clear when we see athletic directors interfering with on-field football play, because we recognize that those decisions should be left to the coach. So why do we assume that football coaches are medical, financial, operations or public relations experts?

It’s been an issue we’ve faced throughout the pandemic. But for obvious reasons, we’re not getting into it now.

So let’s immediately jump back into football and the issue of people speaking on topics for which they’re not actually experts. Realistically, these situations expand to more than just questions of on-field activities for some coaches. Why was it okay that Jim Harbaugh sent out that letter about college football player eligibility? Well he actually was a college player and coach and NFL player and coach. He’s lived those experiences, so he has expertise that makes him an authority figure.

What that experience does not train him for are questions of public health. Harbaugh has a degree in communications, and experience coaching specifically football at the collegiate and professional levels (I say football, because the decision to move football was part of a larger decision to shift all fall sports).

The thing is that opinions, like Harbaugh’s, have some value - though not at the level of responsibility or even accountability. If you’re familiar with the RACI model, you might know where this is going.

Essentially, in decision making, there are individuals who are “responsible, accountable, consulted and informed.” The individuals in the former two categories have specific roles in effectuating and executing the decision, while the latter two are groups who have vested interests, though not the capacity or capability to make a credible decision. This model is used for determining roles and responsibilities for a project or process. It often supports cross-functional decision making, clarifying who needs to play what role or provide what information to accomplish a task. You can see why this type of model would be helpful in considering whether to have a college football season, allowing for individual states, colleges, health experts, coaches and others to play a part.

Which brings us to the situation the Big Ten finds itself in this week. Justin Fields’ petition is calling on the Big Ten to allow players and teams to make the decision to reinstate the season. While there are obviously factors Fields is not an expert on - once again, public health being top of mind - he has a natural and vested interest in having his voice heard. And given his status as a star player in a major conference, his voice, and those of his teammates, should be heard.

Yes, the conference made a grave error by not adding players to the “consulted” category. And in the end, the decision may not have changed at all if players were consulted. However, it would have made the public relations campaign significantly stronger. During a pandemic, those with public health backgrounds should be the authoritative source. But they’re not the only ones. There are tradeoffs, and experts must collaborate. Information must be credible and reliable.

So as challenge number one, take a look at where you get your information, and ask yourself where the people you trust get their information? Yes, right now, epidemiologists run the world. Because it’s a pandemic. And I’m okay with that. During wartime, no one questions the authority of generals to have control over their troops. We don’t challenge pilots on how they fly their planes. We don’t challenge doctors diagnosing patients.

For those people continuing to lash out at college presidents who are constantly collaborating with public health experts, trying to find a safe way to open their schools back up, I’d like to offer a second unsolicited challenge: Take a moment to examine why you’re actually mad. Remember that we’re all in this together, and the quicker we can come together (in spirit and certainly not physically in groups of greater than 10) to put an end to this pandemic, the sooner we will be able to get back to the sports we love.

In other words, wear a mask.

Byeeeeeeeeeeee for now.

Continue reading...

24 Club: Coach Earle Bruce’s magic touch against Michigan
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
When Bruce left Ohio State, he had more wins against Michigan than any OSU coach not named Woody Hayes.

There have been 24 head coaches in the history of Ohio State football. Each has a story and legacy. This offseason, Land-Grant Holy Land’s new series 24 Club will help you get to know the coaches from past and present who built the program. Today we look at Ohio State’s 20th head coach — Earle Bruce.


Name: Earle Bruce
Seasons Coached: Nine (1979-1987)
Overall Record: 81-26-1

Where Does He Rank in the 24 Club?
Overall Wins: No. 5 out of 24 OSU Coaches
Winning Percentage: No. 7 out of 24 OSU Coaches


Earle Bruce’s task was impossible — he had to replace Woody Hayes. Bruce knew Ohio. He played at Ohio State, served as an assistant to coach Hayes for six seasons, and racked up wins as one of Ohio’s top high school coaches. He jumped in as a college head coach and led the University of Tampa to a 10-2 record before moving to Iowa State. At ISU, he became the first coach since 1919 to leave the school with a winning record.

When coach Bruce came to Columbus in 1979, he picked up right where Woody left off. The Buckeyes went undefeated in the regular season, only to come up one point short of a perfect year and national championship against No. 3 USC in the Rose Bowl. Bruce would capture four Big Ten titles during his tenure, but would never recapture the magic of that first season. The Buckeyes lost at least three games each season in his final eight years at the helm.

Bruce did know how to beat Michigan, posting a 5-4 record against the Wolverines. At that time, that was more wins against Michigan than any OSU coach not named Woody Hayes. One of the highlights of his tenure was his last game as Ohio State’s head coach against the Wolverines in 1987. OSU’s president fired Bruce after a home loss to Iowa a week earlier. Bruce would coach out the season finale against the Wolverines before moving on.

On game day, every Ohio State player wore a headband with “Earle” written on it to honor their outgoing coach. OSU walked away with a 23-20 win. Bruce’s ebullient Buckeyes carried him off the field in Ann Arbor.

Coach Bruce went out a winner against Michigan. The same could not be said about his successor: John Cooper.

Continue reading...

Tennessee legacy talks Ohio State visit, commitment plans
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

2022 TE Bennett Christian
The Georgia native found time to check out what the Ohio State campus has to offer.

After landing his chance to don the Scarlet and Gray and the college level in June, three-star class of 2022 tight end Bennett Christian told Land-Grant Holy Land the following:

“I was on the phone with Coach Wilson and Coach Day got on the line as well. We were talking for a little bit about how much he likes me as a player and a person as he congratulated me on my Ohio State offer. The next steps are really just to continue these relationships with those awesome coaches and getting up to Columbus as soon as possible.”

Fast forward a couple months and the Georgia native finally found the time to make the trek from the Peach State to Columbus to get a better feel at what the Ohio State University has to offer.

“The trip was amazing. I got to see any and everything I needed to see. The only downside was I couldn’t go inside anywhere, but it was very beneficial. love it” Christian said.

“One thing that really stood out to me was the greenery around the campus. I was expecting a bunch of buildings but there is a ton of historic buildings and trees everywhere. It was a great trip.” The 6-foot-6, 235-pound standout added.


Although he couldn’t meet with the staff face-to-face, Christian was in constant contact with his potential college coaches throughout his time in the states capitol.

“I spoke with Coach Wilson and Coach Day a ton. Me and Coach Wilson talked all day over the phone while I was up there. Both of them made sure that I knew that they were ready to take my commitment.”

Earning around a dozen scholarships throughout the process, the Allatoona High junior is down to two programs. Considering either Ohio State or Tennessee, where his father played his college ball, Christian will let the world know his plans in the coming weeks.

“I’m committing on Sept. 1st between OSU and UT. I’m really looking for a school that can help me be the best I can be in every area.”


Displaying a solid skill set, Christian was one of the main reasons Allatoona once again made a deep run in the Georgia state playoffs last season. Helping the Buccaneers finish the year off with 11 wins, he accounted for over 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore.

Buckeyes offer 2022 tackle


While Christian’s recruitment is coming to an end, another class of 2022 standout’s chance to call Columbus home is just beginning. Receiving his scholarship opportunity from the Buckeyes staff on Friday, massive offensive tackle Aliou Bah could now follow in the footsteps of former Whitehaven (TN) product Cormontae Hamilton and line up for the Big Ten power.

“Coach Stud broke the news to me and said moving forward they really want me. They love my game and how I’m continuously developing and getting better. And that OSU is a great place and has many opportunities in store.” The 6-foot-6 325-pounder told Land-Grant Holy Land.


With programs such as USC, Florida State, and Texas A&M sticking out at the moment, his chance to roll with the Buckeyes isn’t something he’s taking very lightly.

“When I think of OSU I think of winning, competition, tradition, and first-round NFL picks. OSU is a big time one for me. They will definitely be one of my top schools.”

Want to see what caught the Buckeyes attention? Check out these highlights of Aliou Bah in action:

Quick Hits

• Ohio State also sent out a scholarship offer on Saturday to 2023 defensive end Brenan Vernon. The offer means a lot to the 6-foot-5, 250-pound edge rusher, who reportedly teared up after hearing the news. The Mentor High School product is the first in-state offer for the Buckeyes in the class. Vernon already holds 10 offers so far, with Ohio State and Notre Dame seemingly at the top of his list.

Continue reading...

A few CB’s to Notre Dame, including Wiltfong. I’m not sure Ohio State was pushing much here.

buckeyebri said:

There were girls on BP??? Who knew...

Click to expand...

They're in the horseshoes and hand grenades board. Something about being healthy and reproductive organs. They haven't gone anywhere.

I’ve just tried this game for the first time yesterday. I was impressed and enjoyed it. I’m still learning the basics. But it’s been fun. I only have the Battle royale game mood unlocked. Only thing I dislike is the massive and frequent updates. Otherwise it’s been a great first impression.

I judge most game through my personal standard of Halo, as you can tell from my Buckeyeplanet Avatar, but I’d compare this to a much deeper, smoother, and functional version of PUBG.

I play primarily on Xbox. But I think this is cross platform. My tag is: Its Shack

ScriptOhio said:

2020 Preseason College Football Rankings


21. Cincinnati
22. Michigan

Anyone else find it amusing that the Juggalos are ranked ahead of scUM?

Click to expand...

Do ya think Luke isn't enjoying the shit out of this?

247 will be updating their 2022 class ratings soon. Wiltfong says Goodwin will be receiving a pretty good bump from last year's 3 star rating.