BuckBackHome said:

Do people still call it Wexnerville?

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I've never heard it called Wexnerville. However, it has been referred to as Wexley, a combition of Wexner and Bexley (i.e. suburb where he used to live).

Eddie

Six times!

2019 NFL Draft: Dwayne Haskins
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Dwayne Haskins, Quarterback


PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks to make a pass during the first half in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2019, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)


Dwayne Haskins had a wonderful year during his only season as the starting Quarterback for the Buckeyes. After torching the Ohio State record books, he will look ahead toward his future as an NFL Quarterback.

Although he could use another year to sharpen and hone his skills, he has the necessary tools and traits to succeed at the next level. The lucky team who covets him will get a baller with very few flaws.

Haskins is surely capable of playing at a high level and if he gets a shot early he could make some noise, but every team interested in his services seems to have a veteran in place for the time being.

Having a seasoned veteran in place isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker in the Haskins sweepstakes. In a pre-draft interview, he mentioned that he was open to learning under an established veteran, so although we would have to wait some time for the Dwayne Haskins era to begin, he will have an opportunity to become an understudy until his number is called.

Here is a list of Quarterback-needy teams to keep an eye on for the upcoming draft. There is a lot of smoke from multiple teams, so it will be an interesting ride for Haskins the fans out there (including myself!) to get drafted by their own NFL franchise. Buckle up, folks!



Arizona Cardinals, #1 Overall Pick:

Arizona has been connected to a Quarterback prospect in the draft, but unfortunately, it isn’t to Haskins. They have their eyes set on Kyler Murray, the Oklahoma Sooners stud who spurned the Oakland A’s to pursue football instead of baseball.

I know that it isn’t Haskins, but its the NFL Draft, the pick could change. There can be a situation (a la Aaron Rodgers) where Murray could slip down after a last-minute discovery.

It seems likely that it will not happen, but it is always fun to play the “what if” game before the draft. Given their infatuation with the type of Quarterbacks Kliff Kingsbury has had at Texas Tech, Murray fits that Gunslinger mold similar to Mahomes, so there is that.

The team also spent a 1st Rounder last year on Josh Rosen. There has been some speculation about his future, but we will see what continues to develop as the NFL Draft inches closer. There might be a surprise or a few on draft day.

Chances: 5%



Oakland Raiders, #4 Overall Pick

Oakland has a franchise Quarterback in place in Derek Carr, but John Gruden might be ready to turn the page on him with Haskins. By acting as the understudy, it would give time for him to master the playbook while biding his time. There could also be some waves during the draft and we could see Carr getting traded during the draft.

You honestly never know about the draft, but it is possible. Chucky is also always somewhat connected to anything Ohio State. Like before Urban Meyer accepted the job, Gruden was always mentioned as a potential candidate for the job.

I have been seeing a lot of draft experts talking about Haskins at this pick, but it could be more smoke and mirrors, and we could see a trade happen if the right offer comes up. The fit for Haskins would work as well, but with the number of talented pass-rushers in the AFC West, he might spend a lot of his time on the ground as he learns, but he could thrive under the Raiders system.

Chances: 40%



New York Giants, #6 Overall Pick

The Giants are the most connected to when talking about Dwayne Haskins. With the combination of being a lifelong Giants fan and the teams need for a solution after Eli calls it quits, it seems like a perfect storm for the team.

With the departure of Odell Beckham Jr and the extension of Sterling Sheppard, it would be a fun offense to watch with the addition of Haskins and the rise of Barkley. This would be the ideal situation for him to thrive and learn under another Super Bowl winning Quarterback.

He would certainly be up for sitting behind Eli as he continues to develop and learn the playbook. It would be a shock if they don’t take him.

Chances: 75%



Jacksonville Jaguars, #7 Overall Pick

The Jaguars are in dire need of a Quarterback after cutting ties with Blake Bortles. They have put a bandaid on the situation with the former Eagles Super Bowl hero Nick Foles, but the future remains murky.

Haskins could fall to the Jags if the Raiders and the Giants end up taking other needs and he would fit here too. With a solid defense in tow and a punishing running attack, he could thrive with little pressure to put up points.

All he has to do is become more productive than Bortles was and cutting down on the turnovers or mistakes. If he could do that, he would be golden. This makes sense because of the age and the wear and tear with Foles.

Chances: 35%



Denver Broncos, #10 Overall Pick

Denver has needed a Quarterback since the end of Peyton Manning’s playing days and it is beginning to show. Firstly, I am a fan of this franchise and it hurts, but Haskins at this spot would restore my faith in John Elway.

The Broncos, Elway specifically is infatuated with Drew Lock at this spot. Kind of like the Brock Osweiler experiment, the Trevor Siemian season, the Paxton Lynch debacle, and the Chad Kelly gamble. Each of them reminded Elway of himself and each selection was a bad one. This year, Elway has a chance to change that if he selects Dwayne Haskins, but will he be willing to do it?

New Head Coach Vic Fangio would like to bolster the defense with a game-changing Linebacker and with Joe Flacco joining the team, they could wait another year to draft his successor OR they could grab a Haskins who is plummeting in the draft (allegedly).

Haskins fits with the Broncos and he could study under a Super Bowl winning Quarterback like Joe Flacco. I would certainly enjoy it and start watching the NFL more, but it is up to Elway to work his magic.

Chances: 50%



Cincinnati Bengals, #11 Overall Pick



The Bengals are in a spot where they could keep the former Ohio State product in the state of Ohio and it could certainly happen. Andy Dalton has been iffy over the last couple of season and his health is a huge concern.

Haskins is like a tank and he has been fortunate enough to not be seriously hurt by the injury bug. Haskins to Green/Eifert has a nice ring to it and I am positive that a few Bengals fans would love it too.

Although the learn under the Super Bowl winning Quarterback does not apply here, he can stay in Ohio and he has a decent offense to work with Mixon being there for the handoffs in the running game. Their defense will undergo a lot of changes, but with the addition of Haskins, you never know.

Chances: 85%



Miami Dolphins, #12 Overall Pick

The Dolphins moved on from Tannehill and they could get a steal with a plummeting Dwayne Haskins. If all of the previous teams pass on him, I would be upset, but it is the name of the game.

He could learn under Ryan Fitzmagic for the time being before earning the starting job. The offense is not as good as the other teams, but it the cupboard isn’t bare and Haskins could inject some energy into the team.

He also would have a good defense and he would reconnect with former Buckeye Linebackers Jerome Baker and Raekwon McMillan, which would be awesome to see at the next level.

Chances: 85%



Washington Redskins, #15 Overall Pick

The last team on the docket is the Washinton Redskins. They have a lot of depth in the Quarterback room with Alex Smith recovering from a gruesome leg injury, the recent trade with Denver for Case Keenum and then there is Colt McCoy too.

The situation could get more complicated with the addition of Haskins, especially when having that many players at the same position. The only way this would happen is to make draft day trades, but we shall see what they could manage.

If Haskins joins the fold, he would have a pretty explosive offense with a punishing running game. The defense is always good in D.C. He would learn under three Quarterbacks with varying levels of success in the league.

Chances: 25%




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Dawn of A New Day at Ohio State
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



With the annual Spring Game just around the corner, there are many reasons to be excited about the 2019 team. The biggest elephant in the room is the changing of the guard between Urban Meyer and Ryan Day. In epic fashion, the keys were handed over to him, leaving Ohio State in more than capable hands to lead this new era of Ohio State football forward and onto big things.

From day one of taking the sticks from Coach Meyer, he assembled quite an impressive staff that returned only Brian Hartline, who is now their full-time wide receivers coach, Larry Johnson, who will act as the teams Associate Head Coach and the defensive shot-caller, Tony Alford, who returns to coach the Running Backs, Kevin Wilson, who is responsible for the Tight Ends and finally, Greg Studrawa, the O-Line head honcho.

The Buckeyes lost a few of their coaches. Some were not retained and others left for jobs elsewhere, but I personally wish them the best, but they also managed to improve on the fly by poaching a couple of former rivals to add to the team in Greg Mattison and Al Washington. They both jumped ship to help the team improve the play of the front seven. Jeff Hafley was added to coach up the DB’s and he came after a stint with the 49ers. Day also added the former Oklahoma State O-Coordinator Mike Yurich, who is a bright, young offensive mind who will be coaching the Quarterback room.

Coach Day has assembled a team comparable to the Avengers, with every coach being some form of a rising star or a threat to opposing coaches, with the core group of coaches acts as the foundation to ensure their potential is reached. The offense has the potential to scorch teams and the defense has the depth to outlast teams in the trenches. Excitement outweighs the dread, but we have to be patient.

Expectations:

Offense:

Even with a new Head Coach, the expectations at Ohio State remain sky-high. That is what all coaches to don the Scarlet and Gray have hovering over their heads. With a couple of pass-friendly and pass-happy coaching in tow, the Buckeyes have a potent group of coaches that will look to maximize their talent and play to their players strengths.

I fully expect a balanced offense that fall in the 55/45 model. Balance is key and so is speed. The Buckeyes are loaded at just about every level on offense and defense, but a 55% pass and 45% run gameplan could cause defenses to scramble or panic. This would be awesome and as a fan I am excited to see what develops as the season inches closer.

Quarterback is a two-man race, with Fields likely to be the starter. He is locked in a battle with Baldwin, but you just never know. The odds are in his favor and it is his job to lose. For Running Back, it is Dobbins’ show as the feature back with Teague, Crowley, and McCall vying for playing time. This is not the deepest skill position at Ohio State. The Wide Receivers room is stocked full of talent with Mack, Victor and Hill being the most experienced and young players like Olave, Gill, Wilson, Harris and Gardiner looking for snaps as well. Tight End is also competitive with Farrell leading the way and Berry and Ruckert waiting in the wings. The O-Line will have to find new starters and they have a lot of former four/five stars fighting for the jobs available, but Jonah Jackson, a Grad Transfer from Rutgers will be one of the key cogs along the line with Wyatt Davis.

Defense:

The defense is also very deep at every position. With the addition of three new defensive coaches, their collective views will show in year one of the Day Era. Not only have they stockpiled the talent over the years at Ohio State at just about every position, the position coaches have also been compiled and every coach on the roster either brings years of experience with them or is a rising young coach that got his shot at one of the best places in Ohio State.

The front four is beyond deep, even after the losses of Dre’Mont Jones and Nick Bosa. Young returns, as Smith and Harrison continue to develop during the offseason. Defensive Tackle is also deep with Landers returning and Vincent, Garrett and Togiai in tow, the look to get after opposing offenses by consistently harassing and disrupting opposing offenses.

The Linebackers also get a boost with a simplified defense that will allow them to fly around the field and make plays. DB’s get a boost as well being taught to look back for the ball, which was part of the problem last year as they look to turn it around. Playing faster will help the defense a lot and I cannot wait to see them dominate with the new scheme because the defense over the last couple of years has been so frustrating, but I believe it will revert back to the Silver Bullet standards over the next couple of seasons.

Special Teams:

I think with Haubeil and Chrisman at the forefront, the Buckeyes have game changers at their disposal. The returner positions and gunners need to be identified and with recent struggles with fielding kicks, I hope they find sure-handed players that won’t make mistakes. Either way, Special Teams is in good hands.










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Podcast: Ohio State baseball NCAA Regional preview
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes play Vanderbilt on Friday night in Nashville.

Outside the Shoe is a podcast that focuses on Ohio State sports that aren’t football or men’s basketball.

In this episode of Outside the Shoe, Meredith Hein and Geoff Hammersley review the Buckeyes Big Ten Tournament win, and preview the Friday night contest at Vanderbilt in the NCAA Regionals.

Additionally, Meredith and Geoff take a look at the rest of the Big Ten teams that punched their ticket to the Regionals, and figure out which team has the best chance to make a run to the College World Series.

Podcast breakdown


00:00 — Intro
00:42 — What has been going right for the Buckeyes this postseason?
2:42 — What can the Big Ten do to compete on the national level?
5:15 — Big Ten team with the best chance for Super Regionals and College World Series
9:23 — Impact of the Vanderbilt crowd on Ohio State
11:22 — Adjustments OSU has to make?

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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes hoping to land 5-star WR later today
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The nation’s top ranked receiver will make his commitment tonight.

Over the first few months of the head coaching tenure of Ryan Day, recruiting the offensive positions has been a strength. With a staff loaded with guys who can recruit their various positions, the Buckeyes aren’t lacking by any means in terms of landing talent for their future rosters. When you look at the current class, all but one of the pledges are on the offensive side of the ball. While some may worry, it may be necessary to take a step back and realize that, with basically an entire new defensive staff, those new assistants have to not only begin, but also build over time relationships with their top targets.

In recruiting, relationships are everything. While the defensive guys are for sure to come relatively soon, Ohio State and Brian Hartline may be in for a treat larger than any other as they await the decision of a not only a five-star receiver, but a prospect that is as good as it gets.

The decision awaits...


The recruitment of Julian Fleming has been one to have its twists and turns. The 2020, five-star receiver, who is the top receiver in the country, the sixth best player in the nation and the top player in Pennsylvania, has his decision slated for later today. The final schools to be in the mix are Penn State, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State.

Being a Pennsylvania native and going to high school under two hours from Happy Valley, Penn State was the long time favorite to keep this native son at home. However, recruiting took its course, and Clemson catapulted into the conversation as a favorite to receive Fleming’s pledge. Fast forward until the last month or so and it’s Ohio State that is thought to not only be the leader, but the likely destination that Julian decides on later today.

It really started when Fleming was in town for a spring visit just a few short weeks ago that also held Student Appreciation Day at Ohio State during one of the team spring practices. While on this visit, Fleming was not only able to see another inside scoop to Ohio State’s program, but also hang around guys such as Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon. Add in the fact that the relationship between Julian and Coach Hartline is strong, and you have what seems to be the perfect recipe for success.

When Julian decides later today, most believe it will in fact be in favor of the Buckeyes. Realizing that a commitment isn’t 100 percent cemented until signing day, the Buckeyes (if they land Julian) know they’ll have to keep Penn State, Clemson, Alabama, and Georgia off of him as much as possible. If today goes as planned though, Ohio State’s loaded receiver room will get a boost every program in the nation will envy. As Day continues to impress with his offensive abilities, the future continues to be bright in Columbus.

An all important visitor


As if today wasn’t big enough already, arguably the Buckeyes top running back target, five-star Kendall Milton, begins his official visit in Columbus. The nation’s third best running back and the 21st ranked player in the country overall will be on a multiple day stay at Ohio State and Ryan Day has his staff more than ready to roll out the red carpet for this visit to keep the momentum riding high. With Milton, Oklahoma was the once thought to be favorite, but as it stands now, Ohio State and Georgia look to be the two out in front with LSU not far off behind. Lately though, the Buckeyes have seen continued good news as the ever so popular 247sports crystal ball predictions have seen casts in favor of the Buckeyes regarding Kendall.

This weekend is as important as it can be in regards to landing Kendall. While a decision isn’t necessarily expected to come this weekend, never rule out the possibility for the hype and excitement at Ohio State to send Milton over the top. What Ohio State can present that others can’t is the fact that they have a wide open depth chart as soon as Milton steps on campus. With a No. 2 back behind Dobbins not completely solidified, Milton has to like what he could do to potentially earn early playing time. With his size and abilities too, early playing time isn’t anything out of the question. With the example of Ezekiel Elliott in the NFL, those types of recruiting tactics don’t hurt either. Being that Day has a West Coast background too, the ability to appeal from that far away area is seemingly becoming easier.

Milton’s first official visit starts today with the Buckeyes, and if this visit is everything Kendall could imagine, it could set the tone, and even set the Buckeyes closer to their chances of landing his services. Combined with the potential to strike gold today with Fleming, the timing of Milton’s visit isn’t only interesting, but also could be part of a larger plan to cement Day’s first class as one to remember.

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C.J. Jackson is the latest former Ohio State player to commit to playing in The Basketball Tournament
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


After wrapping up his Ohio State career in March, guard C.J. Jackson will join former Buckeyes Jae’Sean Tate and Andrew Dakich on Team Big X in The Basketball Tournament


Guard C.J. Jackson is the latest former Buckeye to commit to playing in The Basketball Tournament this summer. Jackson will join forward Jae’Sean Tate and former Ohio State graduate transfer Andrew Dakich, who will serve as head coach for Big X. Jackson averaged 12 points per game, four rebounds per game, and 3.5 assists per game in his senior season, which was his third season in Columbus after transferring from Eastern Florida State CC.

Ohio State alumni have found plenty of success in The Basketball Tournament with Team Scarlet and Gray. While it is expected that the team of Aaron Craft, Jared Sullinger, David Lighty, and other former Buckeyes will play in The Basketball Tournament, due to “Scarlet and Gray” being a registered trademark of Ohio State, the team will have to change their name this year. In 2017, Team Scarlet and Gray made the Final Four before falling to Team Challenge ALS, while last year the former Buckeyes were bounced in the quarterfinals by Team Fredette.

The Columbus Regional of The Basketball Tournament will take place at Capital University July 19th-21st, with the finals of the $2 million dollar “winner take all” tournament taking place in Chicago August 1st-6th. All games of the yearly tournament will take place on the ESPN family of networks.

“The crowds are a big part of the pro game that we don’t see in college or in amateur golf. Knowing I can handle my nerves and prove to myself I can handle it, I can’t be any prouder to have a chance to represent myself, Ohio State and Cincinnati at the Memorial Tournament.”

Ohio State golfer Will Grimmer via Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts


Will Grimmer is just three days removed from closing out his golfing career at Ohio State, and today he was part of the field that teed off at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Country Club in Dublin. After writing a letter to the Memorial Tournament, Grimmer received a sponsors exemption to participate in the event, which he has been attending as a fan since 2001.

Grimmer will be looking to rebound from a rough finish to his Ohio State career, in which he shot 15-over-par during the four days of the NCAA Tournament in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The score placed Grimmer at 53rd in the event, while Ohio State went on to finish in 13th place in the team standings. Grimmer closed out his senior campaign with six top-10 finishes. The highlight of Grimmer’s senior season came when he won his second career college event, placing first at the Musketeer Classic in his hometown of Cincinnati.

The Memorial is part of a packed schedule for Grimmer, who will play in a U.S. Open qualifier on Monday before returning to Arkansas to play for Team USA in the Arnold Palmer Cup, which is a Ryder Cup-style event which features the top college golfers in the United States squaring off against some of the best college golfers from Europe.

If Grimmer is able to qualify for the U.S. Open, it will be his third appearance in the major championship. Grimmer qualified for the event in 2014 and 2018. Last year Grimmer made the cut at Shinnecock Hills, finishing in 66th place. This year’s U.S. Open will be played June 13-16 at historic Pebble Beach.

Even though Grimmer’s schedule is packed, he’ll certainly enjoy playing in Jack Nicklaus’ annual tournament, since he has spent so much time watching it over the years. Despite his performance last week, Grimmer does have some confidence heading into this week’s tournament, and hopefully will be able to put himself into position to make some noise this weekend. Grimmer teed off at 1:49 p.m. earlier today, and is scheduled to start his second round at 8:59 a.m. ET on Friday morning.

“We talked when we left Minnesota that this can’t define us, we still have opportunities, we still can control our own destiny. We really tried to keep the guys in move-forward mode. Let’s get going and keep moving.”

Ohio State baseball coach Greg Beals via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Earlier this month, it looked as if any hopes of postseason baseball for Ohio State were nonexistent. The Buckeyes had been just been swept in a three-game series at Minnesota, and were sitting at 24-23 overall and 7-11 in the Big Ten. With just eight teams making the Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State had no margin for error.

Ohio State has answered the call over the past three weeks, winning 11 of 13 games. The brilliant stretch by the Buckeyes was capped off by a win over Nebraska in the Big Ten baseball tournament championship. The win over the Cornhuskers earned Ohio State their third NCAA Tournament bid in four years.

When the NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed, Ohio State was slotted in the Nashville regional with Vanderbilt, who is the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament. Depending on how Friday’s results shakeout, the Buckeyes will then play either Indiana State or McNeese State.

While getting by the Commodores won’t be easy, Ohio State has their eyes on making it back to a couple places they haven’t been in a while. If the Buckeyes are able to emerge from the Nashville regional, they’ll advance to the Super Regionals, which they haven’t done since 2003. The next step after the Super Regionals would be the College World Series, where the Buckeyes haven’t been since 1967.

Ohio State has made it to where they are today with a lot of youth to compliment a few key veterans. Junior closer Andrew Magno saved three games in the Big Ten Tournament and was named most outstanding player, but 83 percent of the innings pitched by the Ohio State staff has been by newcomers.

Along with Magno, right fielder Dominic Canzone was a member of Ohio State’s 2017 squad, which finished with a 22-34 record. Canzone has sparked the offense this season, hitting a team-leading .351 and is tied for the team lead with 15 home runs. If the Buckeyes are going to advance in the NCAA Tournament, they’ll need some more big performances from the juniors, as well as solid outings from the young pitching staff.

“We are so excited for Lilli and Emily to finish their careers as All-Americans together. They have pushed each other and brought the best out of each other during their careers and it’s fitting for them to leave their mark together.”

Ohio State softball head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly via the Ohio State Athletic Department


Seniors Lilli Piper and Emily Clark closed out their Ohio State careers by being named National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Americans on Wednesday. Piper received honors for the third consecutive season, being named a NFCA second team All-American, while Clark was recognized for the first time by being named a third team All-American. Piper and Clark were the 12th and 13th Buckeyes to earn All-American honors, and the first pair of Buckeyes to be named All-Americans in the same season since 2009.

Piper finished up her Ohio State career by becoming the sixth Ohio State player to be named first team All-Midwest Region in three consecutive seasons. In 158 career games, Piper finished with a .419 average, which is second all-time in school history, and she never hit below .404 in her four seasons at Ohio State, becoming the first Buckeye to accomplish that feat. Piper leaves Ohio State with 48 career home runs, which is the third-most in school history.

Clark closed out her Ohio State career with one of the best offensive seasons in school history, finishing with 54 RBIs and 41 runs scored. Clark joins Piper and Maddy McIntyre in 2016 as the only Buckeyes to record at least 50 RBIs and 40 runs scored in a season. Clark finished the season with a .383 average, which was her highest in four years in Columbus.

Even though their Ohio State careers are over, Piper and Clark will continue their softball careers in the state of Ohio. The duo were taken with the 15th and 16th picks by the Cleveland Comets in the 2019 National Pro Fastpitch College Draft. With the tremendous gifts both Piper and Clark possess on the softball diamond, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them in contention for a spot on the US Women’s National Team in the future.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Katalina’s has announced they are opening a second location in Clintonville on Monday.
• Hilliard has announced the tenants of their “mini North Market” along with a tentative opening date.
• MillerCoors is sending 50,000 cans of drinking water to southwest Ohio after the tornado outbreak earlier this week.
• Family Dollar will soon start selling alcohol in about 1,000 stores.
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is slated to be released in late October.

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Ranking the 20 most re-watchable games in Ohio State history: Nos. 18 and 17
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Dominance from Orlando Pace, and a gutty Maurice Clarett effort continue our countdown.

We’re back!

After a brief hiatus, the Holy Land Pod Boys™ have returned, and we’re continuing our list of the 20 most re-watchable games in Ohio State football history today with numbers 18 and 17. If you want to read our thoughts on the first two games that made our list, go here, and keep up with us on Apple Podcasts, and also on Spotify.


As a reminder, these aren’t necessarily the best games in Ohio State history, but rather the ones that we think have the most replay value, namely to help you get through another hellish off-season. Let us know what you think of our list so far in the comments below, and let’s get to this week’s games.

No. 18: The 1997 Rose Bowl win over Arizona State


Colton: First off, can we get some love for the big-ass shoulder pad era? This game was smack dab in the middle of it, and by god do I miss seeing linebackers that looked like they had turrets attached to their shoulders. These are inarguably Ohio State’s best uniforms ever. As for the game itself, Ohio State not only won their first Rose Bowl in 20-plus years in dramatic fashion, but kept ASU —of all teams— from winning the National Championship. This is probably the high-point of the Cooper era. This game is worth watching for Orlando Pace alone; he just absolutely obliterates everyone in his path, including this poor linebacker:



Spoiler: This is also the oldest game on our list, so if you’re waiting for something from the Woody era, you’re gonna have to break out the VCR instead.

Patrick: We mention it on the episode, but I think the talent of the John Cooper era really goes underappreciated at times, and it was on full display in this game. Orlando Pace is a great rewatch anytime, David Boston was one of the most physically dominant receivers to come through Ohio State, and that Buckeye defense was just excellent. This certainly isn’t the most explosive game on the list, but it’s a good rewatch if you want to watch some really great players, or if the last four seasons of excellent talent and less than excellent coaching wasn’t enough for you.

No. 17: The 14-9 win over Michigan in 2002


Colton: I campaigned against this one, and still don’t think it should be on the list, but it’s hard to argue against its significance. Even 17 years later, you can still feel the Ohio Stadium crowd almost waiting for John Cooper to show up and lose. The nervous energy is next level, and of course this Ohio State team dragged it out literally to the last second. If you want to make your case that Maurice Clarett was the most valuable player to his team in 2002, this is exhibit A. He’s operating at about 60 percent, and still rushes for over 110 yards, with four or five emotionally charged game-changing plays. They probably get shut out if he doesn’t play. This game is ugly as hell, and I never want to watch it in full again, but the drama is top notch.

Patrick: God, Mo C was so good. As Colton mentions, he wasn’t full strength for basically the second half of the 2002 season, and he was still, even with that, easily the best player on the field in this, the biggest game of the regular season. This certainly isn’t pretty, but the significance, and the nervous energy of every fan there is just too much to leave off the list.


What do you think of our list so far? Would you have anything different? Let us know here in the comments, and send us a Tweet @HolyLandPod!

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Ohio State announces game times for six fall football contests
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


So far, Northwestern and Michigan State will be primetime kickoffs.

On Thursday, the Ohio State University announced the kick times for a half dozen of this fall’s football games. The season will start with a trio of noon starts, while October will see back-to-back primetime games, before the regular season ends with the already announced noon start for The Game.


Ohio State will host Florida Atlantic on Aug. 31 in a game broadcast on FOX. Then on Sept. 7, they will welcome home Luke Fickell and his Cincinnati Bearcats in an ABC contest, and the final of the three noon-kicks to start the season will be on the road to open up Big Ten play against the Indiana Hoosiers on Sept. 14 on FOX.

Earlier this month, FOX — who owns the top-line B1G media rights — announced that more of their high-profile games will get noon starts this season, so more early kicks could be on the way.

We are still waiting on kick times for OSU’s Sept. 21 game against Miami (Ohio), Sept. 28 at Nebraska, Oct. 26 against Wisconsin, and three November games versus Maryland, Rutgers, and Penn State.

This season, Ryan Day’s Buckeyes will have two open dates, as they will be off on Oct. 12 and Nov. 2.

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Any motorcycle owners here? I'm considering getting back on a bike for the first time in decades. I figure I am basically starting from scratch.

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View the matchups for the 2019 Gavitt Games
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The matchups for the 2019 Gavitt Games were released Wednesday afternoon, and the fifth year of the series between the Big Ten and BIG EAST will be played November 11-14. It all starts with DePaul at Iowa on Monday, Nov. 11, with at least two games a night Tuesday-Thursday.

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kujirakira said:

... otherwise we're Michigan.

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Ohio State dishes out another WR offer

Wide receiver coach Brian Hartline is hitting the recruiting trail hard, sending out another offer Monday.

Odunze is a three-star prospect but his offer list shows that his potential outweighs his star ranking. The Las Vegas native holds 31 official offers from the likes of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas, USC and plenty of others.

Odunze doesn’t have a true leader in his recruitment. This is because his recruitment has recently taken off. However, Miami would have to be viewed as one of his top schools at this moment solely due to the fact he is recently coming off an unofficial visit to the school and it reportedly went well.

The blue-chip prospect would be a great addition to this year’s class and a combination of Scott Jr., Smith-Njaba, Fleming and Odunze would put Big Ten defenses on their toes. But if Ohio State wants to become a true contender for his services, they will have to get him on campus in the coming year.

Odunze is rated as the No. 91 WR in this year’s class, the No. 504 overall prospect and the No. 3 recruit hailing from the state of Nevada, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Entire article: https://www.landgrantholyland.com/2...e-football-recruiting-rome-odunze-kyle-mccord

nomatta said:

what a befuddling career VJ has had. he looked pretty much like a sure thing out of HS. he hasn't improved his game at all, though.

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I just saw this bumped and thought he committed. Granted, I don’t pay a ton of attention, but I managed to miss his entire college career.

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LovelandBuckeye said:

Yeah, Clinton and W. Bush were some strange times.

Great post though. That is the hardest thing when sitting remembering those we have lost. What if...

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I thought he meant Ford, but then I remembered he wasn’t elected.

I think I’d take a mystery coach in Columbus over anything you’ll see in Spokane.

Absolutely amazing. Keep the hotness going!

Just terrible. I wonder if the 23 year old was drunk? Sad sad sad

The season finale of Silicon Valley's first season. Cried from laughing so hard, and it hurt.