I-70 Football Podcast: Looking at Big Ten’s lower-tier bowl teams
JordanW330 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 Hickey/Getty Images

In this episode, we discuss the four teams who we think will make lower-tier bowl games this season.

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

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We are a few weeks away from the start of the 2022-23 football season, so it is time to switch gears from off-season talk to diving headfirst into real football content. What better way to start football season than ranking teams and picking games?

In our season preview series, we rank the Big Ten into four tiers: Non-bowl tier, lower-bowl tier, New Year’s Six Bowl tier, and Contenders tier. We also predict records and finishes for all 14 teams leading to 168 games picked.

In this episode, we discuss the three or four teams that we think will make lower-ranked bowl games. Jordan believes that Mike Locksley — an overall bad coach — will stumble into back-to-back bowl games on the shoulders of his talented quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and his pass catchers Rakim Jarrett and Dontay Demus Jr., however, Dante disagrees.

They both agree that after a shocking 5-7 season, the Fighting Illini will reach six wins and make it to a bowl game in the second year under Bret Bielema. There may be a ceiling to what Illinois can be in the Big Ten, but behind Chase Brown and Josh McCray, they will be a tough team to face.

While Maryland and Illinois may be happy about being placed in this tier, the same cannot be said for the next two teams in this tier. After winning the Big Ten West and facing Michigan in the championship game last year, Iowa is set up to take a step back. Their defense will be good — as always — but with some losses on offense and without a change on that side of the ball’s staff, this team should lose more games than last year.

Penn State is the final team in this tier in our estimation. Their ceiling will remain limited with Sean Clifford as their starting quarterback. They should have a rejuvinated James Franklin but losing Jahan Dotson, Jaquan Brisker, and Brent Pry will be tough to deal with. This team should be better in the future, but with a tough schedule, they will not contend for the Big Ten East crown this year.

In their weekly pit stops, Dante gives a shout-out to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ kicker Chris Boswell's new contract extension, while Jordan expresses anger about the Deshaun Watson suspension and the overall process.


Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216

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Ohio State’s men’s basketball team learns their first 2022 Maui Invitational opponent
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by David Becker/Getty Images

The Buckeyes will take on San Diego State, who they opened up their last trip to Maui back in 2003 against


Ohio State’s first opponent in the 2022 Maui Jim Maui Invitational was announced on Monday. The Buckeyes will play in the third game on the first day of the annual tournament, squaring off against San Diego State. This year’s edition of the tournament will be a little more special than recent years, as COVID-19 has kept the last two tournaments away from Hawaii. In 2020, Asheville, North Carolina was the home of the tournament, followed by last year’s Maui Invitational being played in Las Vegas.

This will be the first time Ohio State has played in the Maui Invitational since 2003, when they also were matched up with San Diego State in the first round. The Buckeyes will be hoping for a different result this year, as the Aztecs topped the Buckeyes, 83-61, 19 years ago. The game was tied at 32 heading into the halftime break before San Diego State used a 21-1 run in the second half to put some distance on the Buckeyes. The Aztecs hit 13 three-pointers in the game, which at the time was a school record.

Following the loss to San Diego State, Ohio State would rebound to defeat Central Michigan 77-71, followed by edging Villanova 67-66 to earn fifth place honors in 2003. The only time the Buckeyes won their first game of the Maui Invitational was in 1993, when they took down Tennessee Tech 98-77 before losing 100-88 to Kentucky. Ohio State closed out the 1993 with a 69-67 win over Boston College, with the third place finish being their best finish in three Maui appearances. Their first trip to Maui in 1988 saw them finish in fifth place beating DePaul and Vanderbilt after an opening round loss to Oklahoma.

The Aztecs and Buckeyes have met on two other occasions, splitting a home-and-home series. Ohio State won 72-56 in Columbus in 1995, while San Diego State defended their home court with an 81-75 win the following year. Last season, Brian Dutcher’s team finished with a 23-9 record, falling to Creighton 72-69 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Buckeyes could be matching up with a familiar face when they battle the Aztecs. After starting his college career in Columbus, Jaedon LeDee played in 26 games for Ohio State before transferring to TCU. LeDee had a couple really good performances for the Buckeyes, scoring 16 points against Purdue-Fort Wayne, as well as against Purdue before announcing his transfer to TCU, where he only scored more than 16 points in a game once. After redshirting last season due to transfer rules, LeDee is eligible to play for San Diego State this year.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Cincinnati

After playing San Diego State, the Buckeyes will take on either Cincinnati or Arizona, depending on the results of the first round of the tournament. Obviously the juicier matchup would be if the Buckeyes and Bearcats were to meet in the winners bracket in Hawaii. Ohio State has won their last four meetings against Cincinnati. The in-state foes opened up the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons against each other, with Ohio State taking both legs of the home-and-home series by a 64-56 scoreline.

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Last season, Cincinnati was 18-15 in Wes Miller’s first season as head coach. The Bearcats should field a tougher squad this year, with leading scorers David DeJulius and Jeremiah Davenport returning, as well as the addition of four-star guard Daniel Skillings. If the schools meet and Cincinnati is able to beat Ohio State, it would be the first win by the Bearcats over the Buckeyes since 1962.


Arizona

If it plays out that Ohio State and Arizona meet in Maui, it will be the first time the schools have met in the regular season since 1971, when the Buckeyes cruised to a 90-47 victory. Since then, Ohio State and Arizona have split two NCAA Tournament appearances. The Buckeyes won a thriller in the 2013 Sweet Sixteen in Los Angeles, edging the Wildcats 73-70. Two years later Arizona earned a bit of revenge with a 73-58 victory over Ohio State in Portland. Following an overtime win over VCU in the first round, D’Angelo Russell had nothing left in the tank against Arizona, going just 3-of-19 from the field.

Last season, the Wildcats were a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing 72-60 to Houston in the Sweet Sixteen, finishing with a 33-4 record. Tommy Lloyd will be looking to go farther in the tourney in his second season in Tucson, as he has the 10th-ranked recruiting class in the country, as well as Texas transfer Courtney Ramey in the fold. The Wildcats are the only team in the field to previous win a Maui Invitational, taking home the title in 2000 and 2014.


Louisville

Rounding out the field is Texas Tech, Creighton, Louisville, and Arkansas. Louisville is the team Ohio State has matched up with most in the past, with the Cardinals holding a 5-4 edge in past meetings with the Buckeyes. The last time Ohio State and Louisville faced each other was in the 2014 ACC/Big Ten Challenge, where the Cardinals earned a 66-54 win at home over the Buckeyes. Russell scored 17 points against his hometown team, but Ohio State shot just 30% from the field.

The Cardinals will be looking to turn around a program that has been dealing with turmoil over the last few seasons. Head coach Chris Mack was suspended for the first six games of last season before being let go in late January. Louisville finished the season 13-19 and will now turn to former player Kenny Payne to lead the program. This will be Payne’s first head coaching job after spending time as an assistant with the New York Knicks, as well as at Oregon and Kentucky at the college level.


Creighton

Aside from Cincinnati, the most recent team the Buckeyes have faced are the Creighton Blue Jays. Ohio state traveled to Omaha in 2018, where they defeated Creighton 69-60 in the Gavitt Games thanks to a combined 31 points off the bench from Keyshawn Woods and Duane Washington Jr.

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott was seriously considered to take over as head coach at Ohio State following the departure of Thad Matta, but the Buckeyes eventually turned to Chris Holtmann. McDermott will be entering his 13th season as head coach of the Blue Jays. Last season Creighton snuck by San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual champion Kansas 79-72 in the second round.


Texas Tech & Arkansas

The final two teams the Buckeyes could possibly face in Maui are Texas Tech and Arkansas, who were the last two teams that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski defeated in his legendary coaching career. Texas Tech fell to Duke 78-73 in the Sweet Sixteen, while Arkansas lost 78-69 before the Blue Devils were defeated by North Carolina in the Final Four.

Ohio State has faced Texas Tech just twice, with the teams meeting for a home-and-home in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. The Red Raiders won 80-72 in their first matchup, followed by Ohio State earning a 77-71 win the next season. If Ohio State and Texas Tech meet, Buckeye fans will hear a name that caused them pain a couple years ago, as Oral Roberts forward Kevin Obanor transferred into the program prior to last season.

Arkansas holds a 2-1 advantage all-time against Ohio State, but the teams haven’t met since 1986. The only three meetings between the teams happened during a three-year stretch that started in 1984. The Buckeyes took the first meeting 85-84 before the Razorbacks won the next two. Arkansas has been strong in Eric Musselman’s first three seasons as head coach in Fayetteville, winning at least 20 games in each season. The Razorbacks have reached the Elite Eight in each of the last two seasons.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 8, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season

On the Gridiron


Sights and Sounds: Ohio State players report to team hotel for preseason camp
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Highlights from Ohio State’s 2022 Camp Hotel Check-In
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors


Four-star linebacker Arvell Reese commits to Ohio State
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

What Arvell Reese’s Commitment Means for Ohio State’s 2023 Recruiting Class
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Twitter reacted after LB Arvell Reese announced commitment to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Alabama, Ohio State favorites to reach CFP (paywall)
The Athletic Staff

He is inevitable:


Ohio State distributing reps at running back ‘pretty evenly’ during camp
Jacob Benge, Dotting The Eyes

Ted Ginn Sr. sees potential in 2023 Ohio State commit Arvell Reese
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

https://twitter.com/albertbreer/status/1555937236645842949?s=12

On the Hardwood


BOOOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball gets commitment from top-35 forward Scotty Middleton
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

What Scotty Middleton’s commitment means to Ohio State basketball
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Yeah, this dude’s legit!


Ohio State beats Egypt: Five key plays from the exhibition win
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Buckeyes complete 2-0 exhibition trip with win over Puerto Rico
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Ohio State men’s basketball lands in final five schools for Columbus Africentric’s Dailyn Swain
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: Bowen Hardman
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

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

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Student-Athletes Receive Degrees on Sunday at Summer Commencement
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Swimming & Diving: Buckeyes Shine at Summer Nationals
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


So. Damn. MANY!


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Ohio State adds four-star pledges in both football and basketball
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Arvell Reese | Steve Wiltfong

The Buckeyes saw a pair of additions this weekend with blue-chip prospects on the gridiron and hardwood pledging to the program.

It was a big weekend on both the gridiron and the hardwood in Columbus. The Buckeyes secured a pledge from an in-state linebacker on the football side of things, and Chris Holtmann followed that up by welcoming a high four-star standout from Kansas.

Reese stays home, chooses Buckeyes


Ohio State went back to familiar territory for their latest pledge on the gridiron when 2023 four-star linebacker Arvell Reese of Glenville (OH) announced his commitment to the program on Saturday.


The Cleveland native now joins a long line of former Tarblooders to ultimately pick the Buckeyes including Ted Ginn Jr., Cardale Jones, Marshon Lattimore, Troy Smith, Donte Whitner, and many more.

Reese secured 25 offers from programs across the nation but ultimately would chose Ohio State over the likes of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, and USC, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

The in-state standout becomes the first prospect from Glenville High School to commit to Ohio State since the 2014 recruiting class when the Buckeyes were able to land three-star offensive guard Marcelys Jones, the aforementioned four-cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and four-star safety Erick Smith. Fortunately for Ohio State, Reese is currently teammates with another top target for the program in 2024 four-star cornerback Bryce West.

Reese currently slots in as the No. 277 over prospect in this year’s recruiting class. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder also comes in as the 20th highest graded linebacker this cycle and is a Top 10 player from the state of Ohio.

Holtmann lands Middleton


Ryan Day wasn’t the only head man in Columbus that picked up good news this weekend. Hoops coach Chris Holtmann also had himself quite a weekend when he landed 2023 four-star small forward Scotty Middleton of Sunrise Christian (KS).


Middleton, a Wichita native, chose the Buckeyes on Sunday over Connecticut, Kansas, Seton Hall, and Texas A&M — the four other programs that were named finalists for Middleton just one month ago.

The latest addition for the Buckeyes gives them the No. 3 recruiting class in the country for the time being. Ohio State’s four man 2023 class that now includes Middleton, four-star center Austin Parks of Memorial (OH), four-star small forward Devin Royal of Pickerington Central (OH), and four-star combo guard George Washington III of Chaminade Julienne (OH) ranks behind only Duke and Kentucky.

Middleton, who is just outside of five-star status, is currently positioned as the No. 34 overall prospect in the class. The 6-foot-6, 180-pounder additionally comes in as the sixth best small forward in the class and is the third highest graded prospect from Kansas in the cycle.

Quick Hits

• After a near handful of predictions in favor of Ohio State landing 2023 four-star safety Jayden Bonsu on Thursday, another came about on Friday. 247Sports’ Sean Scherer, a Michigan State insider, also casted a crystal ball forecast on Friday that pegged the No. 4 player from New Jersey to the Buckeyes.
• Despite one addition to the linebacker room this weekend in the aforementioned Reese, Ohio State also saw 2023 four-star linebacker/defensive end Derion Gullette of Teague (TX) make his pledge to the Longhorns. According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, Gullette chose Texas over Ohio State and Texas A&M.
• According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, the Buckeyes are likely to get a visit from 2024 four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman of Lipscomb Academy (TN) this fall. Hodge notes that the visit from Spillman, a Top 100 prospect, is likely to be for the Michigan game near seasons end.

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BOOOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball gets commitment from top-35 forward Scotty Middleton
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Chris Holtmann and company got their second major commitment in a week!

In the words of the great D.J. Khaled, “Anotha one.” It has been one heck of a week for Ohio State basketball recruiting. On Wednesday, four-star forward from Pickerington Central Devin Royal announced his verbal commitment to Ohio State.

Then, another Columbus four-star forward, Dailyn Swain, announced on Friday that Ohio State was in his final five alongside Xavier, Clemson, Arizona State, and Arkansas. Now, the Buckeyes get arguably their biggest commitment in the 2023 class.


Small forward Scotty Middleton from Sunrise Christian High School in Wichita, Kan. has verbally committed to Ohio State on Instagram live with ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.

The 6-foot-6, 180-pound rising senior is a guy who could finish as a five-star recruit, but for now is a consensus four-star. He is ranked as the No. 34 recruit in the country, the sixth-best small forward recruit in the class, and the third-ranked recruit from Kansas, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.

“I like how they are together,” Middleton told 247Sports last month when discussing Chris Holtmann’s Buckeyes. “They have a saying, ‘Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.’ I think that goes so far with them because guys always come back and show love just because they want to teach the players.”

Middleton joins Royal in the Buckeyes’ 2023 class, which also includes No. 60 national player, shooting guard George Washington III and No. 105 player, center Austin Parks. With Middleton’s pledge, the Buckeyes move up to the No. 3 ranked class in the country behind only Duke and Kentucky.

Middleton originally listed five schools in his final school list. Those five were Ohio State, Seton Hall, UConn, Kansas, and Texas A&M. He then cut out Kansas and Texas A&M and gave a final three of Ohio State, Seton Hall, and UConn. In the end, it came down to Ohio State and Seton Hall. Ultimately, Middleton decided he wanted to commit to Holtmann and the Buckeyes.

Middleton visited Columbus on March 4 and got a good understanding of the Buckeyes and the culture that they have built under Chris Holtmann:

“My visit was really good,” Middleton said. “I got to see what Ohio State is really about and what it is to be a Buckeye. I like how the coaches and fans love their players and how some NBA guys come back and work with the players.”

Check out highlights for Scotty Middleton:

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Ohio State men’s basketball lands in final five schools for Columbus Africentric’s Dailyn Swain
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo courtesy of Steve Helwagen - 247Sports

Chris Holtmann’s persistence on the recruiting trail has the Buckeyes in position to land another dynamic wing.

Just days after landing a commitment from Pickerington Central’s Devin Royal, the Buckeyes found themselves in the top-five on Friday for another talented Columbus player in the 2023 class — four-star small forward Dailyn Swain.


Swain listed the Buckeyes alongside Xavier, Arizona State, Clemson, and Arkansas. While Ohio State may look like the favorite from the outside, it appears more and more likely that the Buckeyes will land a commitment from a player very similar to Swain before Swain makes a final decision. Scotty Middleton — the No. 34 player in the country — will announce his college decision tomorrow, and there are more than a few whispers that the Buckeyes are his preference. If that happens, Ohio State may not be the best fit for the No. 75 player in the nation, Swain.

Swain made an unofficial visit to Ohio State on June 24, 2021 and received a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes the same day. Similarly to how Ohio State views Brice Sensabaugh and how they viewed star E.J. Liddell, Swain said that the Buckeyes love his versatility and ability to defend multiple positions:

“They showed me they could beat any team in the country; they beat Duke, who was No. 1 at the time. They showed how they stay together and are really good with game plans. Their players are coachable and when they follow the game plan from the coaches, they can play with anyone. They feel like I can play any position on the floor and guard the one through four. The coaches really like my versatility.”

Swain plays alongside current Ohio State commits George Washington III and Royal on All-Ohio Red, an AAU team in the EYBL circuit. Royal, who just committed on Wednesday, said that he would “Definitely be talking to” Swain and trying to get him to join the 2023 class as well. Swain is currently the No. 75 player in the nation, the No. 15 small forward, and the No. 3 player in the state of Ohio according to 247Sports. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 175 pounds.

Swain’s recruitment has been much quieter and closer to the vest than Royal’s was. Ohio State has been viewed as a slight favorite because of Swain’s connections to the program and its 2023 class, but if there isn’t space for him or he goes elsewhere, it’s tough to say where he might wind up. Xavier and Arizona State are two programs that have been involved with Swain for nearly as long as the Buckeyes.

Ohio State’s 2023 class currently sits at No. 5 in the nation with three four-star recruits, according to 247Sports.

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Any year we have won a title, we have not been expected to in the preseason.

In modern times, every time we were a preseason favorite, it has not happened.

JUSTIN AHRENS, JIMMY SOTOS AMONG 29 OHIO STATE STUDENT-ATHLETE SUMMER GRADUATES

The graduating class of summer 2022 features two of the most recent season's basketball players in Justin Ahrens and Jimmy Sotos.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...9-ohio-state-student-athlete-summer-graduates

LovelandBuckeye said:

Not MNF but is Amazon trying to have nobody watch TNF?

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If I were an announcer, I think I'd be offended. And I actually like Dude Perfect (compared to all the other garbage my daughter watches on Youtube).

I went back about 7 pages and couldn't find a good thread to put info in but if there is one, feel free to move this thread elsewhere.

Paige Bueckers for UCONN just tore her ACL and will miss the entire season. Crushing blow for the best player in the country and one of the best teams. Not bad news for the Bucks chances though. I love watching this young lady play basketball so this season is going to be missing some big time entertainment value in that regard.

UConn Huskies women's basketball star Paige Bueckers to miss 2022-23 season after tearing ACL

UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee Monday and will miss the 2022-23 season, the school announced Wednesday.

Bueckers injured her knee in a pickup basketball game, according to the school's release, and an MRI later that evening confirmed the ACL tear. The release did not say where the junior guard from Hopkins, Minnesota, was playing when the injury occurred. It was the same knee she injured last year, causing her to miss significant time.

My bad, not trying to derail this thread over another’s hurt feelings over something that wasn’t targeted towards them. This thread is about Richard Young, not a petty disagreement between an adult and a child. I won’t respond further if it doesn’t pertain to Young and his recruitment

Yep, I was at OSU during White's time there as well. I am also from Western Ohio like he is (Lima). I remember when I heard he committed to Earle Bruce, good times. Rest in Peace, you are a true Buckeye.

Sorry this is so late. Had stuff going on.

calibuck said:

Nothing or everything could shock me.....if a kid's body develops under Coach Mick's tutalege, and 'good weight' is added, voila, one has a DT. If can add weight and keep that 'first step', then stay a DE? Also, if a kid sees alot of cordwood stacked against him at DE, he might say he wants to play inside to get on the field sooner. And you know LJ tries to bring in one or two 5* DEs annually. That being said, Tyleke, Hall and a couple more are being 'kept warm' on the sidelines to go inside at DT. This Covid thing is stringing out player eligibility for several that should really have gone on, so game minutes are hard to come by. If Caden goes inside, would you really be surprised Oregon? Maybe for a while, but if he does well in some body bag games, and gains minutes in some of the bigger games, then yay! LJ has done it again.

Click to expand...

Considering Day thinks he's on the smaller side for even DE, yes I would be surprised if Curry ever plays inside for a substantial amount of time.

Ohio State women’s basketball linked with games against Virginia Tech, Oregon, Arkansas
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

While there’s nothing official, an announcement by the Razorbacks puts Ohio State in a potential San Diego tournament

While the Ohio State men’s basketball non-conference schedule has gone live, the women’s schedule is still trickling in here and there. On July 11, the Big Ten announced the 2022 ACC/B1G Challenge with the Buckeyes traveling south for a matchup against the University of Louisville, but nothing else on the non-conference side has been announced. Wednesday, a hint of two future games went public, linking Ohio State to the San Diego Invitational at the end of December, facing the Virginia Tech Hokies, Oregon Ducks, or Arkansas Razorbacks.

On Wednesday, the University of Arkansas announced its non-conference schedule and featured a potential game on Dec. 21 against either the Buckeyes or Hokies, under the heading of the San Diego Invitational. A team representative for Ohio State could not confirm the report, stating that final contracts for additional non-conference games haven’t been finalized. However, if the Razorbacks’ schedule is correct, OSU has the makings of a very strong schedule outside of the Big Ten.

The tournament itself hasn’t gone public, but Arkansas plays the Ducks on Dec. 20 and either the Hokies or Buckeyes the next day. Considering it’s likely a four-team tournament — a common event in NCAA women’s basketball — that leaves Ohio State and Virginia Tech to play on Dec. 20, with whoever comes out on top facing the winner of the Ducks and Razorbacks.

Of the four teams linked with the in-season tournament, all four took part in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Oregon and Arkansas each entered the tournament as five-seeds after finishing second and third in their respective Pac-12 and SEC conferences during the regular season.

In the tournament, each side lost in the first round; Oregon had the most shocking upset of the early tournament, going up against the Belmont Bruins. In an overtime thriller, Belmont shocked the Ducks 73-70, with Kilyn McGuff — daughter of Buckeyes head coach Kevin McGuff — and the Bruins moving into the second round.

To add even more intrigue to a potential matchup with Oregon, Ohio State standout guard Taylor Mikesell, who was second on the Buckeyes in scoring in the 2021-22 season, played with the Ducks before transferring. Mikesell, who entered college playing for the Maryland Terrapins after playing at Jackson High School in Massillon, Ohio, played one season in Eugene before returning home to the Buckeye state.

After Mikesell announced her return for a final year of college eligibility, she gave advice to anyone transferring to pick a school where they “feel appreciated.” The not-so-thinly veiled comment could add some intrigue to a game against Oregon, where Mikesell’s playing time didn’t come close to her impact with the Terrapins or Buckeyes.

For Virginia Tech, the Hokies lost to Florida Gulf Coast in the first round. Even that matchup had an Ohio State connection with forward Kierstan Bell leading the way for FGC. The former Buckeye, who transferred in 2020, led the Eagles into the second round before losing to the Terps.

In the 2021-22 season, the Scarlet and Gray’s non-conference schedule wasn’t nearly as strong, with an unranked Syracuse as their toughest regular-season non-conference opponent. Even then, the Orange entered the game with an interim head coach and mass transfers leading into last season. Ohio State lost 97-91 but won every other non-conference game leading into Big Ten play.

Assuming that this tournament becomes official for more than just the Razorbacks, it gives Ohio State two more challenging games in the fall, in addition to its ACC/B1G Challenge game. Once contracts become final, the entire non-conference schedule will be announced this summer.

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Bold Prediction: Wisconsin will present the toughest challenge on Ohio State’s schedule
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Tyleik William and the Buckeye defensive line will have their hands full against the Badgers. | Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Forget Notre Dame and Michigan. With a strong defense and good running game: the Badgers are just the kind of team that the Buckeyes struggle with.

As we look up and down the 2022 Ohio State schedule, it’s pretty easy to identify games that might spell trouble and other games that very likely will be easy victories. In the former category, we have, of course, Notre Dame. And then, too, the usual suspects in the Big Ten East: Michigan State, Penn State, and TTUN. And then there are a couple of teams from the West – Iowa and Wisconsin.

Since this is LGHL’s week of “Bold Predictions,” here’s mine: Wisconsin will be the toughest game of the season. I’m not saying that the Buckeyes will lose to the Badgers (although they could), but the line play of Wisconsin will be trouble.

Series records


When we examine the Ohio State vs. Wisconsin series, we see the typical lopsided Buckeye dominance over a Big Ten opponent. The series record stands at 61-18-5 in the Bucks’ favor. The last Wisconsin win came in 2010; The Buckeyes are riding an eight-game winning streak, three of those wins coming in conference championship games. On the other side, the Badgers’ longest win streak against the Buckeyes is three – 1913, 1914, 1915 – the first three times that the teams met on the football field. Over a hundred years ago. OSU enjoyed a 21-game streak in the series from 1960 to 1980. Dominance.

But the Badgers, as we remember, can be pesky. Recall the 2019 B1G Championship game. The unbeaten Bucks had handled Wisconsin easily in the regular season matchup, 38-7. But in Indianapolis, the Badgers surprised Ohio State (and their fans) by taking a 21-7 lead into the halftime locker room. The Buckeyes recovered with 27 unanswered second-half points to win 34-21, but it looked rocky there for a while. That game was the last time that the two teams played.

Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022


There’s no way that the Buckeyes will overlook Wisconsin. It’s the first conference game of the 2022 season, and it comes between two games that should be wins – Toledo and Rutgers. But when I look at Wisconsin, I see bad news, then some good news, and finally more bad news.

The Wisconsin defense is bad news. All last year every college football follower marveled at the Georgia defense. The strong defensive line and the linebackers that were too big, too quick for other teams to handle. Even Alabama found that out in the end. Giving up a miserly 269 yards a game, however, ranked the Bulldogs only second in overall defense, way behind Wisconsin’s 239 a game.

In yards per play, UGA was No. 1, at 4.16, but the Badgers were right behind, barely behind, at 4.17. The Wisconsin rushing defense was No. 1 (with 2.12 yards per carry), the scoring defense was No. 4, passing yards allowed was No. 4, third-down conversion percentage No. 3 (28.7%). Get the picture? The 2021 Badger defense was good — really good.

So, what’s the good news? Most of those defensive studs are gone. In fact, four of the Badgers’ top five tackling leaders have moved on. I’m glad that Ohio State doesn’t have to face Leo Chenal, who last year recorded 115 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and eight sacks. He’s with the Chiefs now. Jack Sanborn, Noah Burks, and Scott Nelson have also departed, and they played a lot of snaps in 2021. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig returns, though, and he’s on most preseason All-Big Ten teams, and on a lot of All-American teams. Last year he had 61 tackles, 14.5 TFL, and nine sacks. A handful.

So, there will be new guys in a lot of defensive positions. Of the 22 starters on both sides of the ball last season, only eight are back for the Badgers in 2022. But head coach Paul Chryst and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will have the defense ready for the Buckeyes. That’s for sure. It will be a defense geared toward shutting down the run and harassing the passer. And it will be challenging for the OSU offensive line.

More bad news on the other side of the ball. Most Buckeye fans regard TreVeyon Henderson as the best running back in the Big Ten, maybe the best in the nation. If there’s anybody around who is good enough to contest that notion, it’s Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen. Badger quarterback Graham Mertz doesn’t worry me, but Allen’s another matter.

Wisconsin likes to run. They always have a powerful offensive line and good runners. Allen is one of their best. Last year, Allen gained 1,268 yards on 186 carries – good enough for a very impressive 6.8 yards per carry. Allen’s backup, Chez Mellusi, gained over 800 yards himself, and he’s back also for 2022. The point is that Wisconsin will have a potent running attack, and OSU had trouble last year against good running teams. The Badgers will provide a key test to see if that problem has been solved.

If the Bucks can contain Allen and force Mertz to pass, things will be easier. Mertz is a decent, not great, quarterback with some accuracy issues. Additionally, he loses his top three receivers from last year – TE Jake Ferguson (who led the team with 46 receptions), and wide receivers Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor. Mertz will have a few games to break in his new receivers, but I’m guessing that they’ll have real difficulties against the Buckeye secondary.

Bottom line


Because of the kind of team that Wisconsin is, they’ll be the toughest on the Buckeye schedule. They’ll want to run the ball and control the clock, and they’re good at it, ranking No. 8 in the nation last year in time of possession. They were also No. 8 in interceptions last year. C.J. Stroud is a very difficult passer to pick off, but the Badgers will want to win the turnover battle and also have fewer penalties. They won’t beat themselves. Contrarily, the Buckeyes will need to stop the Wisconsin running game, get the Badgers off the field on third-down, and protect Stroud against the pass rush.

The game may well come down to the quality of line play on both sides of the ball. It often does, of course. But Ohio State so frequently overwhelms teams with the sheer number of points that they put up that we focus our attention away from the lines. I don’t think that the Buckeyes will blow Wisconsin away. Look for a close game, and a lower-scoring game than we are accustomed to. The lead will change hands, and I hope that it ends in OSU’s favor.

Prediction: Ohio State 28, Wisconsin 24.

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Buckeyes dish out latest 2024 offer, await decision on 2023 defensive lineman
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Aneyas Williams | 247Sports

Ohio State sends out their latest offer in the 2024 class to a Missouri native.

Big Ten Media Days always signifies Ohio State football being just around the corner. With only about a week before fall camp starts for the Buckeyes, Ryan Day and crew have all eyes toward the 2022 campaign and doing everything they can to right the wrongs of last season.

As Day mentioned in his presser on Wednesday, an 11-2 season for most would signify a strong year, but at Ohio State it is not quite good enough. Though last season saw areas of needed improvement, this year seems to be bringing back the swagger that the Buckeyes have sorely missed. Whether it’s off or on the field, the media showings from Ohio State yesterday gave great insight as to how hard this squad is working to get back to the top, and also how fun this year can be.

Though it may seem recruiting is starting to take a backseat with camp fast approaching, this coaching staff never turns off their efforts on the trail. While the success on the defensive side of the ball has hit a bit of a rough patch, rest assured it’s not for a lack of trying. The Buckeyes know there’s plenty of work to be done in this 2023 class, and with spots still up for grabs, it’s still a top priority to focus on getting the job done.

2024 Missouri native lands Buckeye offer


Thanks to the national approach Ohio State has on the recruiting trail, there’s really not a state where the Buckeyes cannot have success at least once. Specifically speaking, Missouri is a state that Ohio State has benefitted from mightily over the years, and guys like Ezekiel Elliot, Cam Brown, Kam Babb, and even Jameson Williams prove that this staff has no trouble going into the Show Me State and leaving with a solid investment.

On Wednesday, the Buckeyes made another splash in Missouri when they offered the latest prospect in the 2024 class. Taking to his Twitter account to share the news, four-star athlete Aneyas Williams was on the receiving end of an Ohio State offer.

A 5-foot-10, 195 pound athlete, Williams is currently the No. 311 player nationally and the 46th best athlete in the country for his class per the 247Sports Composite. A two-way standout for his prep team, Williams lined up as a slot receiver and running back, scoring 47 touchdowns his sophomore year while also playing defense as well. With 15 offers to his name from the likes of Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, Oregon and more, it only makes sense that the Buckeyes join this recruitment.

The Buckeyes have proven success when recruiting in Missouri, and while they’re certainly not the first to get in on Williams, they have plenty of time to make a strong first impression. With the offer now in hand, Ohio State can work on getting him to campus and show him like the many before him that coming to Columbus from his home state is a plan that leads to success. This will be a name worth watching for the foreseeable future concerning the 2024 cycle.

Buckeyes will know fate later today


Calling it like it is, Ohio State’s defensive recruiting has just had a rough go lately. For no lack of effort, the Buckeyes seen multiple guys in the last week or two choose to go their own way, and none of them have opted for Columbus. From Troy Bowles and Tackett Curtis recently to Caleb Downs yesterday, the defensive recruiting has really hit a rough patch. While that comes with the territory sometimes when you recruit the nation’s top guys, it still stings just as bad.

Probably to no fault of the current staff either, the theme right now has surfaced that until Ohio State’s defense proves itself as being “fixed”, the recruiting success isn’t going to be as high as you’d like it to be, and certainly not as high as the offensive side of the ball for the Buckeyes. Ohio State will hope that once the defense gets going all will be right in the world, because obviously both the quality and quantity of guys the offensive staff is bringing in is off the charts thanks directly to their on-field success.

Later today, the defensive staff is going to hear their fate when John Walker announces his commitment. Sharing on Wednesday that he’d be committing today, Walker is choosing between Michigan, Miami, Florida, Ohio State, and UCF ,though this really feels like a two-horse race between the Buckeyes and Central Florida.

The No. 99 player overall, Walker is the 11th best defensive lineman in the class per the 247Sports Composite, and up until about two weeks ago, all signs pointed toward Columbus as the eventual destination for the Florida native. Now though, it looks as if the close to home program, UCF, will be the call today at 6:00 p.m. ET, thanks in large part to what many have said is a family preference for wanting to be closer to home.

Anything is possible and the Buckeyes are still certainly in the mix, but seeing the Crystal Ball predictions switching over from Ohio State to UCF is a pretty strong indication that Walker is likely to stay home for his college career, and that would be yet another blow to the defensive recruiting these last couple of weeks. It hasn’t been a very positive stretch, but here’s to hoping there’s some sort of change before today’s announcement, or at least success with the other top ranked guys the staff is after.


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Bold Prediction: The Big Ten will set an attendance record in 2022
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images

If the rest of entertainment, leisure and travel is any indicator.

My husband and I took a long-awaited trip to Italy in April and caught the travel bug once again. As we were searching for our next trip, we noticed that ticket prices had almost tripled for some routes (including the one we’d just been on a few months ago). That’s because everyone else has caught the travel bug too now that COVID restrictions have largely lifted. As a result, the willingness to pay for these experiences is significantly higher.

Moving a little closer to home, the addition of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten will mean the conference is literally a national brand stretching coast to coast. Will we find Big Ten fans regularly willing to foot the travel costs to follow their teams to cross-country games? That’s a story for a different season, but for now, suffice to say that all indicators point to a record year for attendance at Big Ten football games.

All eyes might be on the conference’s impending media rights deal, which was already expected to be record-setting on its own before the announcement of USC and UCLA joining the fray. However, the thirst for the in-person experience, which had in some ways been waning before the pandemic, means the Big Ten schools can reliably count on another source of revenue this season.

Already, Iowa announced that five of its seven home games are sold out, including two non-conference matchups against Nevada and Iowa State. While we’ve not seen similar announcements from the rest of the Big Ten programs, we could anticipate that programs like Michigan, coming off a banner year, and Michigan State, with lots of enthusiasm around Mel Tucker, will see similar results ahead of the start of the season. Even teams like Illinois, which will see Brett Bielema returning for his second season as head coach, have reason for excitement.

There’s also the question of Penn State, which, like Michigan State, gave head coach James Franklin a massive extension, but which has struggled to meet expectations in recent seasons. Will fans continue to flock to white out games? Probably. Will they be keen to attend a noon game against the Ohio Bobcats? Less likely.

And then there’s Nebraska, which claims the longest sellout streak in football. The Huskers might be struggling on many fronts, but fans will certainly show up for the Huskers’ Sept. 17 matchup against former Big 12 foe Oklahoma.

Will this spirit trickle down to teams like Rutgers, Indiana and Maryland? That much is unclear, but these games could prove accessible for other reasons — mainly for fans of other teams. Given that the going rate for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame tickets is $240+, perhaps we’ll see more Ohio State fans making the six-hour trek to Evanston to see the Buckeyes on the road at a much lower price. Having attended several Northwestern games in 2018, I can acknowledge that the majority of fans in the small stadium are often cheering for the road team. Perhaps even Northwestern will see a sellout of several hot games with away team fans traveling in. And even if they aren’t sellouts, it will probably be enough to set an attendance record.

Granted, this record would be a challenging one to set because the bar is already so high. Three programs — Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State — have averaged 100,000+ fans per game in recent years (2020 excluded). However, the other 11 programs in the conference could see a rush of ticket sales — if Iowa is any indication, at least.

This year could perhaps be an anomaly, as sellouts are somewhat counter to the trends we’ve been seeing in live sports in recent years. The at-home experience (from elite broadcast talent to better TVs and more) has become so comfortable, but we’ve been at home so much in the last two (plus) years. Whether the desire to spend on out-of-home experiences continues once folks have gotten it out of their system remains to be seen, but the demand is certainly there now.

Revenue generation doesn’t stop at tickets, though. In terms of alcohol sales, this could also prove a boon for the member schools, about half of which have implemented alcohol in their concessions repertoire in the last decade or so. Moreover, in-stadium sponsorships become even more valuable and competitive, another key driver for program revenue.

Even beyond the stadium, the ecosystem of bars, restaurants and shops that operate around college football — those that suffered the most when there were no fans at games in the 2020 season — look to benefit from this increase in traffic.

The global trend of high willingness to pay for entertainment will of course extend to college football, and the Big Ten is well positioned to capitalize on it. The record year is well within sight.

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Column: It’s time to level the playing field
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Women’s tackle football has long existed, but not at the collegiate level. The NCAA needs to close that gap.

As a child, I was a ballerina who also happened to play tackle football (what can I say? I contain multitudes). I’m the daughter of a collegiate football player, and my neighborhood friends were mostly boys. Our version of The Sandlot was football at the local elementary school.

In the summers, when my mom would send me outside to play with instructions not to return until it got dark, my options were to read or play alone or to join the boys on the gridiron. I think maybe my deep competitive streak began during those summers with my need to prove to the boys that I belonged on the field (to their credit, I was always welcome with open arms, and they tackled me just as hard as they tackled each other).

Eventually, I begged my parents to let me play in the community tackle football league. For one glorious year, I suited up every Saturday to play with the boys.

Unfortunately, after one season, my dad, who already had concerns about the safety of football given what we know now in terms of concussions, pulled me for safety because my age was going to require me to bump up a weight class, though I was well under the weight itself. That was the end of my football career, but not the end of my love for the sport.

Fast forward to a few years ago. My dear friend Molly called me up to tell me she was joining a competitive women’s tackle football team called the Boston Renegades. They had, she said, won many national championships as part of the Women’s Football Alliance. Molly had a history of collegiate sports, but she was new to the game of football.

My mind was blown. I had never heard of the Women’s Football Alliance, nor did I realize that competitive tackle football for women was an option. As it turns out, women’s tackle football teams and leagues have been around for decades. Columbus even had a team of its own — the Columbus Pacesetters — from 1974-1988 before they became a flag football team.

Over the past five years, women’s tackle football has seen tremendous growth in both the number of teams and the level of competition, in large part thanks to the WFA’s work to make women’s tackle football accessible as a community investment. There’s even a U.S. Women’s National tackle football team.


But there aren’t teams at the collegiate level. Given the growth of women’s tackle football in recent years, one has to wonder – will it ever become an NCAA sport?

Football has long been a male-dominated sport, and while I am hoping that in the near future, we move away from gendered sports altogether in favor of more inclusive systems, as long as we are still working under gendered sports, I would love to see more women on football fields across America.

While there are no rules barring women from taking the field in NCAA football games, women are few and far between, in part due to the physical size of most football players. When we do see them on the field, it’s usually in placekicker or holder roles — positions which are rarely involved in full contact. Only four women have ever played in non-kicking positions at the collegiate level.

But if there is such a large — and growing — interest in women’s tackle football for adults, wouldn’t it make sense that there are women at the collegiate level who would be interested in playing as well? Women who could theoretically feed into adult leagues?

The WFA is making incredible strides in bringing women’s tackle football to the forefront, and I think it’s time for the NCAA to catch up to the times, even if it starts at the club level. The impact of adding women’s tackle football teams to the NCAA would be vast, likely rippling down to high schools and youth leagues.

Surely I wasn’t the only young girl in America who had an interest in tackle football. But I also think many of my friends didn’t see it as an option for them; It was a boys’ club. Having women’s tackle football at the collegiate level would create exposure in a way that would help middle and high school athletes visualize that as a realistic option for them to consider, should they want to.

Playing football at a young age taught me toughness, persistence, resilience (having to get up for the next play after being dropped on your ass will teach you to bounce back in life in ways little else will). We know team sports are beneficial to young people even if they don’t choose to become professional athletes, and as safety continues to improve in the sport, football can help youth players develop life skills — skills which women and young girls should also have access to.

We’re also seeing a surge for professional women’s sports across the board. The NWLS and WNBA have both soared in popularity in recent years, and the NCAAW March Madness tournament saw record numbers this year. There’s no reason to believe that same sentiment couldn’t translate to tackle football.

It wouldn’t be an overnight shift, but it is also not out of the realm of possibility. The long-term payoff, in my opinion, is worth the investment.

The NCAA is in a position to meet the times and create a world in which football is a sport for everyone, not just boys. Where women are on the field enough that their presence isn’t a news headline. Where young girls could turn on the television on Saturday mornings to see people like them playing tackle football, with all of the strength and toughness that requires, and think “I could do that too.”

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Someone forgot to tell him there's no hockey in Alabama. Hmmpfff

WNBA Buckeye Report’s somber return
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images

After the All-Star break, an Ohio State alum kept up their big performances, but with a team still rebuilding.

The WNBA Buckeye Report brings you updates throughout the WNBA season for former Ohio State Buckeyes playing in America’s top women’s basketball league. This week comes in a more somber tone, and this time not another complaint about a former All-American guard being snubbed for a WNBA All-Star spot for a fifth-straight season — but its close.

The Indiana Fever, Kelsey Mitchell’s team, are officially eliminated from the WNBA playoffs. After beginning the season with five wins in their first two months, the Fever are two games away from not winning a single contest in July. As the Chicago Skys and Las Vegas Aces of the world clinched their spot in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs, Mitchell and the Fever are left on the outside looking in.

Mitchell isn’t the reason for it, either. In the past two weeks, Mitchell’s averaged 17 points per game and 4.8 assists, including the guard’s best performance of the season on Sunday in Indiana. Against the Dallas Wings, Mitchell was a player possessed. In 35 minutes, Mitchell scored 34 points, added six rebounds and five assists. Those points were well distributed too.

All game, Mitchell was attacking the basket and stretching the Dallas defense. In the first quarter, Mitchell defied her 5-foot-8 frame and charged into the lane. Mitchell created five of those 34 points from the free throw line. When Mitchell wasn’t driving, she was shooting from deep. Mitchell hit three of six from beyond the arc on the way to her season high.

Unfortunately for Indiana, a fast start didn’t turn into a consistent performance for four quarters. Up six at the end of the first quarter, Dallas outscored the home side 61 to 38 in the second and third, ultimately winning 96-86. The performance is consistent with the Fever’s play this year, with Mitchell leading the team in scoring in 19 out of 30 games and leading in assists in 17.

While Mitchell adds never playing in a WNBA Playoff game to an All-Star snub, Ohio’s neighbor to the west has potential in the future. The Fever feature rookies NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo in the starting lineup, who have each grown through the year, and Mitchell still has one more season under contract with the Fever after signing a three-year deal in 2021.

With that contract, and Mitchell as the obvious star that Indiana is building around, next year is pivotal for the Fever to make a competitive leap.

Elsewhere in the world of former Buckeyes in the WNBA, the Seattle Storm’s Jantel Lavender returned to the court for the first time since July 7, with new center Tina Charles taking up minutes that Lavender occupied entering the month. Lavender scored four points in the Storm’s 16-point defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury on July 22, and didn’t receive any minutes in Seattle’s next game on July 24.

Down in Las Vegas, former Buckeye turned Florida Gulf Coast transfer Kierstan Bell continues to receive inconsistent minutes in the forward’s first pro season. The Alliance, Ohio native’s seen time on the court in four games since the All-Star break, scoring seven points combined across under 22 combined minutes.

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Bold prediction(s): Evan Pryor will finish second among OSU running backs in total yardage, and Julian Fleming will finish second in receptions
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Is Pryor Ohio State’s best kept secret? | Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Pryor flashed do-it-all versatility during OSU’s spring game, suggesting he could play a role in this year’s offense. And for the third consecutive year, I am spending an increasingly lonely summer at my timeshare on Fleming Island.

I am giving you two bold predictions, because I simply have too much boldness. Or maybe I have taken up residence in Hot Take Fairytale Land, where pundits such as Skip Bayless make a living. TBD, I guess. But really, I just happen to think that we will see a lot of different “stuff” from the Buckeyes this year. My apologies for not being overly eloquent, but it is difficult to explain.

I do not see an offense that suddenly averages 40 rushing attempts per game. And I certainly don’t expect a top-5 national defense in Jim Knowles’ first season. But I do envision change, and some of that will occur by default, due to the losses of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. So on offense, I think that equates to spreading the wealth, and not being so reliant on C.J. Stroud, TreVeyon Henderson, and one or two wide receivers. That is where Evan Pryor and Julian Fleming coming in.


You (or I) would encounter minimal opposition if we were to suggest that Henderson is arguably the top running back in the country. After a true freshman season which saw him rip off chunk play after chunk play, and total nearly 1,600 yards and 19 TD in 2021, the argument likely comes down to he and Bijan Robinson. But Henderson was not exactly Wolverine out on the field. He did play in all 13 games, but was banged up a number of times. He also had five games in which he was fed less than double-digit carries. His workload was likely by design, but I would expect it to be similar in 2022.

Miyan Williams was Ohio State’s primary backup last season, and I do not think that will change — nor should it. Williams is the hammer to Henderson’s nail, or the thunder to his lightning. But unlike 2021, when there was little trust in other running backs, I believe the coaching staff has a third ball carrier they want to get into the mix with regularity, and that is Pryor. He looked explosive in OSU’s spring game, and displayed legitimate receiving potential. He could be the Swiss Army back this program has been looking for since a guy like Curtis Samuel played dual roles.

Now, I am not suggesting that Pryor could line up (often) as a traditional wide receiver or H-back, but he himself said that he feels like he can do a lot of the stuff the team did with Jaxson Smith-Njigba out of the backfield. Yes, JSN – arguably the top returning wide receiver in college football. I think Pryor was alluding to specific sets and/or looks, but I love that he has that confidence in himself. And who am I to say that Pryor is not capable of lining up in the slot or as the primary receiving option in a two-RB look? After all, he did rack up 646 receiving yards as a high school junior.

The sixth-ranked RB in the 2021 class, Pryor has a chance to bridge the gap between Henderson and Williams, and possibly even give you a little bit of what both of those guys provide. He likely won’t wear down opponents in the manner that Williams can, but he is a superior pass catcher. And he might not match Henderson’s overall rushing ability, but he could be a hell of an understudy. That is why I think he is going to have a productive season.


I predict that Pryor will finish third in carries, but second in receptions (among RB). He will announce his presence on a few passing downs, and then begin to play in-tandem with Henderson or Williams. And by the end of the season, we will be talking about a jack-of-all-trades, as well as one of the best ground attacks in the country. Pryor should be a big part of it.


That brings us to Fleming. Pardon me for still having faith in the top-ranked wide receiver from the 2020 recruiting class! Side note: If you want proof that recruiting is a roll of the dice, check out the college stats for the top 10 or 20 WR from this class. One 1,000-yard season from the top-15 WRs in that class combined, and it belongs to JSN. There have been a few injuries, but those guys have combined to play nearly 30 college seasons.

I am not saying the class is or was weak, I am actually attempting to prove why my prediction is not completely out of left field. Not every player hits the ground running, and it certainly is not fair to call any of them busts after two years. Fleming finds himself in a loaded WR room, but I believe in his talent.

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Fleming could be sneaky important in a room lacking a ton of experience

Fleming was the No. 3 overall player in his class, a consensus five-star recruit, and Ohio State’s highest rated WR recruit of all-time. And he still is. Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka, Brandon Inniss... Fleming was ranked higher than all of Brian Hartline’s past, present, and future weapons. Unfortunately, his career thus far has been significantly impacted by injuries. He has appeared in 15 games over two seasons, but rarely seemed to be playing at 100 percent — if ever. Then wouldn’t you know, he missed OSU’s spring game with a minor injury. Coaches said there was not a high level of concern, but tell that to my realtor on Fleming Island.

I am not sure why I find myself so bullish on Fleming, maybe it is simply based on his past reputation. At the same time, it is easy to see why he was once so highly touted. Listed at 6-foot-2, 205, he almost has a little Deebo Samuel or A.J. Brown to him — big, thick, muscular frame(s) for the wide receiver position, and athleticism to boot. Fleming was a standout basketball player in high school, showing off a diverse skillset when combined with his experience on the gridiron. That athleticism may have waned in recent years, but we’re talking about a 21-year old kid, and it’s not as if he has torn an ACL or Achilles. If healthy, I think he can be that guy again.

On the field, we have seen glimpses of what could make Fleming a special player. He started the Big Ten Championship Game in 2020 (as a freshman), and hauled in four catches for 53 yards. Last season, he played a significant role in the Rose Bowl, and had a few other almost-highlight worthy moments earlier in the year. He can run, he can certainly jump, and I have not seen him drop a pass in his limited opportunities. He should have more of those opportunities with Olave and Wilson playing in the NFL.

Fleming is projected as the third or fourth WR on the depth chart, and as long as he ends up in the top three, he will see plenty of time on the field. The Buckeyes are not going to be running a ton of two-receiver sets, meaning that Fleming could line up anywhere. JSN will presumably spend the most time in the slot, but I would also like to see his classmate in that position. Fleming has the build to do damage underneath, and potentially make plays with the ball in his hands. If he gravitates to the outside, I also think he could be a threat as a screen and/or boundary guy. He might not be a homerun threat, but we have not seen enough to say that with any certainty.

This collection of Ohio State wide receivers is an embarrassment of riches, but we need to remember that most of these guys are short on experience. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Egbuka excited us down the stretch last season, but they also totaled 20 catches between them. Fleming had more than either one of them in 2021, albeit with fewer highlights. But the third-year player does have an experience edge, and he is more than willing to block downfield. With Jeremy Ruckert also moving on to the NFL, the Buckeyes might want another option out there, although I am not saying Fleming should move to tight end.

The caveat with Fleming is health. I am just choosing to believe that he will get and remain healthy, and by the end of the 2022 season, carve out a niche for himself. I do not expect him to be a big-play threat, but more of a consistent security blanket. He might finish fourth or fifth on the team in receiving TD, but I think this is a big year for Fleming fans. Don’t sleep on the former top recruit.

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