A. was bad, and the WR at least tries to fight for possession of the ball, but he never even remotely has possession of the ball in B. Just horrific that one was overturned.

Evan is still making music, playing all around Ohio as lead singer for the country band North to Nashville. They'll be playing at the O-Zone Tailgate tomorrow.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news...van-blankenship-now-sings-country/8256241002/

NC State commit

Bestbuck36 said:

Burton Leon Reynolds Jr and thats it.

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Or Turd Ferguson....

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Height 6-8
Weight 205
High School St. Rita
City Chicago, IL
Class 2024

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FCollinsBuckeye said:

Right on! I heard the shows were great, I couldn't make any this year. The wife and I caught one Phish show at Dick's a few years back, great time and a great venue! I love the soccer-sized field, seemed nice and roomy. Hope it was great for you!

I've been lucky enough to catch a few shows this summer, Billy and the Kids at Red Rocks back in July (was able to hit both nights, killer band with Billy Strings, etc.) and the wife and I saw Herbie Hancock play last Saturday at the outdoor venue at Gardens at Spring Creek here in Fort Collins. Herbie is 81 and he still brings it! Really great show and great band!

@colobuck79 we should meet up for a proper beer or 3 this fall - would love to hang out some time!

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10-4 on that. I still have a boy in the Fort but haven't made it up there in awhile. The Phish show was great. I'm getting too old to do three shows on consecutive nights, so just the Saturday show this year.

Duke basketball recruiting: Dereck Lively II, the No. 2 recruit in 2022, picks Blue Devils over Kentucky, UNC

The second-ranked recruit in the Class of 2022, Dereck Lively II, committed to Duke on Monday evening over a final list that included Kentucky and hometown favorite Penn State. Lively II, who was the top uncommitted five-star in his class, puts Duke into the driver's seat to secure the top spot in the team rankings for the cycle with his commitment.

Lively II is the third five-star commitment for Duke in the 2022 class and the third top-10 prospect to commit to the program since July, joining Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski. A 7-foot-1 center from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania's Westtown School, Lively II follows Filipowski as the second center in the class for Duke in what will be the first recruiting class to arrive on campus next year for Mike Krzyzewski's successor, Jon Scheyer.

Entire article: https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...-in-2022-picks-blue-devils-over-kentucky-unc/

EM1966 said:

Your loss as I posted the full game last night in 720p.

Click to expand...

Most of us would rather wait for a 1080p version that we can safely download without getting malware....

Thank you!!

kujirakira said:

That was like a 10th effort... officials giving a lot of makeups with some of these calls lol

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Hahahaha!! And they still don't get it.
I already know BWI is going crazy.

MC&J: Alabama-Florida takes center stage in Week 3’s national schedule
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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Alabama will be looking for their eighth straight win against the Gators, plus picks for five other solid national contests.

Last week ATS: 6-10 (3-3 National, 3-7 B1G)

Season ATS: 15-16-1 (7-6 National, 8-10-1 B1G)

This week’s picks for the games involving B1G teams can be found here.

National games:


No. 15 Virginia Tech v. West Virginia (-3) - 12:00 PM EST - FS1

It feels like a crime that Virginia Tech and West Virginia don’t play every year. From 1991 to 2003 the two schools were members of the Big East contest, with the Hokies holding an 8-5 edge during that time. Overall, West Virginia is 28-23-1 against Virginia Tech, but the Hokies have won the last three meetings.

Virginia Tech surprised me a bit by taking down North Carolina in their season opener. The Hokies might have a little more than to work with than I originally thought heading the season. One hit Justin Fuente’s team has taken recently is they lost tight end James Mitchell for the rest of the season due to injury.

While there is a lot of things that West Virginia does right, what worries me about the Mountaineers is the issues they had with turnovers against Maryland. West Virginia turned the football over four times against the Terrapins, and we could see another repeat performance against a tough Virginia Tech defense. This game is going to be a grind. Virginia Tech plays a little smarter football, which is why I like them to make it four in a row against the Mountaineers.

Virginia Tech 24, West Virginia 20


No. 1 Alabama (-14.5) v. No. 11 Florida - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

A very popular pick this week seems to be Florida. I don’t know if I’m buying it. Alabama looked invincible in their season opener against Miami. Even though the Crimson Tide has had to replace a lot of offense this year, they always have backups that could start on pretty much any other team in the country. Bryce Young has tossed seven touchdowns in the first two games of the season, with two of those going to former Ohio State wide receiver Jameson Williams.

Florida has also had to replace some offensive pieces this year. Gone are Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts. Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson have been fine for the Gators so far this year, but this will undoubtedly be their toughest test. Florida will get a little help since Alabama will be without linebacker Christopher Allen, and Will Anderson has been dealing with some injury issues.

I get wanting to take Florida with the points, especially after how the Gators played Alabama in the SEC Championship Game last year. The problem is I just don’t know how Florida is going to pass the football in this one. If the Crimson Tide jump out to an early lead it will make the Gators one-dimensional. I just think Alabama ends up smothering Florida in Gainesville. While the score won’t be as lopsided as when Alabama beat Miami a couple weeks ago, the Crimson Tide will win by at least 17.

Alabama 38, Florida 17


USC (-8) v. Washington State - 3:30 PM EST - FOX

USC is finally free! I’ve been saying for years that Clay Helton was not a good coach, and the Trojans finally pulled the trigger on sending Helton packing after USC quit against Stanford last week. I expect that we’ll see a lot better performance from the Trojans since they can play a little more relaxed now that Helton has been kicked to the curb.

Washington State has coaching issues of their own. The thing is, their coaching issues are mainly from an off-the-field issue, as Nick Rolovich has refused to get the COVID-19. While that’s Rolovich’s choice, it is obviously not helping the team’s performance on the field. The Cougars lost in their season opener before beating up on Portland State last week.

I expect we’ll get a big day from Kedon Slovis and the USC offense. Washington State has been awful on defense, which will play right into USC’s hands. While the Cougars will put up some points, the Trojans will get enough stops to add to Rolovich’s woes.

USC 41, Washington State 28


Tulane v. No. 17 Ole Miss (-14) - 8:00 PM EST - ESPN2

This could be one of the most exciting games of the weekend. Both Tulane and Ole Miss can put points on the board, so the better bet for this game might be the over, which sits at 76. In each of their first two games this year, both teams have scored at least 35 points.

Tulane has already shown they can hang with one of the best teams in the country this year, only losing by five against Oklahoma in their season opener. What was more impressive about the Green Wave was they didn’t give up in the game despite falling behind the Sooners by 23 points.

Lane Kiffin’s team looks like they could be a contender in the SEC West. Obviously the Rebels will know where they stand in a couple weeks when they take on Alabama. Matt Corral has thrown six touchdowns already this year, and the Ole Miss offense is averaging 600 yards per game.

What I like about taking Tulane in this game is even if they do fall behind by a few scores, they have the offensive firepower to at least thrown some touchdowns late in the game to bring the final deficit closer. I think we get a focused Ole Miss squad since they have a bye next week before taking on Alabama, but Tulane is up to the task and keeps things close enough.

Ole Miss 45, Tulane 34


No. 19 Arizona State (-4) v. No. 23 BYU - 10:15 PM EST - ESPN

BYU has certainly been tested so far this year. The Cougars are already 2-0 against Pac-12 teams, taking down Arizona and Utah in the first two games of the year. Not only did BYU snap their losing streak against Utah last week, they pretty much dominated their rivals, which is something I didn’t see coming. Jaren Hall has done a great job taking over for Zach Wilson, throwing five touchdowns this year.

We still don’t know a lot about Arizona State since they have only played Southern Utah and UNLV so far this year. Sparky has Jayden Daniels at quarterback, which should help in the hostile environment they’ll face in Provo. The thing is, Daniels is going to face a ton of heat from the BYU pass rush. To me this game feels like a toss-up, so I’ll side with the home team and the points.

BYU 27, Arizona State 24


Fresno State v. No. 13 UCLA (-11) - 10:45 PM EST - Pac-12 Network

UCLA has been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far. Chip Kelly has the Bruins on the rise. Zach Charbonnet continues to impress now that he has the Michigan stink off of him, rushing for 223 yards and four touchdowns in two games. Even more impressive for UCLA has been their rush defense, which is giving up just 37.5 yards per game.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, Fresno State is going to take to the air in the game. Jake Haener, who started his college career at Washington, is lighting it up passing the football, throwing for 1,009 yards and eight touchdowns through three games. The Fresno State defense has been pretty good as well, holding Oregon largely in check in the close loss to the Ducks a few weeks ago.

UCLA had a bye last week, which means they’ve had two weeks of hearing how great they are. Not that the Bruins aren’t talented, I just don’t know if LSU is quite as good as everyone thinks they are. Fresno State has proved they are a good team, so I see this game being decided by single digits. UCLA is pushed to the wire, much like Oregon didn’t win until late against the Bulldogs.

UCLA 35. Fresno State 31

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Defense 101: Fixing Ohio State’s pass defense from the ground up
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Ohio State’s defense is... not great! So I’m going to fix it. Last time the run defense was the focus. Now let’s work on the pass defense.

Welcome back to another installment of Defense 101: Fixing Ohio State’s defense from the ground up! In the previous article, I focused largely on Ohio State’s run defense, and for good reason. In the last two games, OSU has given up a million yards and an abundance of touchdowns in a way Buckeye fans haven’t seen in a long time... perhaps ever.

Unfortunately for fans, players, and coaches, the run defense isn’t the only issue. The pass defense isn’t great either, and was largely the biggest issue coming into this season as OSU allowed 464 passing yards and 5 touchdowns in the National Championship game against Alabama.


So we’ve fixed the run defense (theoretically) and honestly that was a large task in itself, so is it realistic that we can fix the pass defense as well? Who knows, but I’m going to give it the old college try. So as a recap, OSU runs a 4-2-5 defense. The scheme, which has come under a lot of fire, actually refers to the pass defense strategy, as stopping the run is basically the same regardless of scheme. So lets start there...

The Scheme


Ohio State under the guidance (?), direction (?) command (?) of Ryan Day, runs a single high-safety defense (more on this later) that includes Cover 1 and Cover 3 options. This defense was made famous by Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. This defense gave birth to what became known as the Legion of Boom and put fear into a lot of NFL offenses.

But why would this particular defense put fear into offensive coaches? I’ll put in basic terms, this defense relies on the defensive backs living on an island, which allows the in-the-box defenders to wreck havoc in the run game and pressure the quarterback. Defenses like to match coverages that look the same, but do different things. Cover 1 and Cover 3 both rely on a single high safety which is why Ohio State relies on both coverages.

As an aside, the number in the coverage typically refers to how many people are deep, let’s say 15 yards and deeper. So Cover 1 = 1 person deep, Cover 2 = 2 people deep, Cover 3 = 3 people deep. Now that we’ve covered that, lets talk coverages.

Cover 1


Cover 1 is essentially man to man defense. As mentioned before, in Cover 1 there is only one person deep with “zone” responsibilities. This means that every other player is in man defense. Man defense is simply following one particular player everywhere he goes across the field. If you’re counting, there are seven people who can be in pass coverage at one time. One of the benefits of Cover 1 is that you can add players who don’t have a specific man to guard into the coverage, essentially playing some sort of. You can also have them double-team a dynamic playmaker, or you can have them blitz.

As you can see in the image below, the defense is lined up in a 4-2-5. Players are lined up in front of the player that they are responsible for. In this instance, the offense only has six players who can run a route, so there is a linebacker who is free to play zone or blitz.


Cover 3


Cover 3 is a zone defense. Zone, unlike man, means that defenders do not guard one particular player; instead the guard an area of the field or a “zone,” and become responsible for anyone who comes into that area. In Cover 3, defenses drop all seven non-linemen into zone and they each cover their predetermined area.

The benefit to a zone defense is that while you are defending the pass, all eyes are focused on the quarterback. The defense can react to the pass as expected, but can also provide help if the offense runs the ball. Like every defense, there are fundamental flaws in Cover 3, but if you are running Cover 3, your primary goal is to prevent big plays, defend the run, and keep all pass short so that your defense can rally to the ball.

This is a “bend but don’t break” style of coverage. Cover 3 should force QBs to throw short routes to the flats or attempt tight window throws up the seam (effectively the hash lines in college football).


Is the scheme broken?


The term “scheme” is simply how you defend the run and pass. A scheme itself cannot be broken. The issue with a scheme is when either you do not have the right players to run the particular scheme, or you cannot coach the scheme. I have a hard time believing that Ohio State’s bevy of four and five-star players cannot properly play Cover 1 and/or Cover 3, so that just leaves the issue of coaching.

With obvious exceptions, most defenses are pretty standard; I call out a specific scheme, anyone who knows what the defense is should be able to draw it up. There is not a cute way to play Cover 1 or Cover 3. You can disguise your coverage (which Ohio State does not do), you can trick teams by moving players around, by adding blitzes, or even by switching play responsibilities, but it’s still Cover 1 or Cover 3.


Which leads to the biggest problem in Ohio State’s defense, when you watch the film, you have no idea what defense they’re running. Players are not in the right position, their eyes are not in the right place, and therefore they are not doing the right things. Therefore, nothing that the specific defensive scheme is designed to stop is actually being stopped.

So how do you fix it?


So again I ask, if the scheme is not the issue and it’s most likely not going to be changed midseason — or perhaps ever as long as Ryan Day is the head coach at Ohio State — what can be done instead? Well, the coaches can get back to the basics and teach players the fundamentals.

Pass defense has a lot of minor intricacies that I'm not going to break down in this article. Like everything, there are many different techniques to do the same thing, but the fundamentals never change.

Defending the pass really begins with two things; first, know it’s a pass and second, know your responsibilities. It may seem redundant to say that you have to know it’s a pass, but on any given play there are three to five players who have both run and pass responsibilities, and if they cannot identify the pass they’re already at a disadvantage. So let’s get into fundamental:

1. Line up correctly: If you do not line up correctly you’ve already lost. You must align yourself based on what the offense is showing. One of the benefits of the 4-2-5 defense is that alignment should be easy, because the defense essentially has the same position on both sides. The offense dictates your alignment.
2. Know the coverage: This is definitely defense 101. You need to know if you’re playing Cover 1 or Cover 3, because each player has drastically different responsibilities determined by the coverage.
3. Read your keys: This is of the utmost importance, because the key will tell you whether it’s a run or pass. Multiple players on defense have run and pass responsibilities so it’s important to know what the offense is doing so that you can react correctly.
4. Execute the correct responsibility: This is underrated; defense is the epitome of teamwork. In man coverage, you are singularly responsible for one player. If you do not guard that player then you’ve let your team down and potentially let a big play occur. In zone, you are responsible for an area of the field. To even attempt to defend the pass, everyone has to know what they’re responsible for, how to execute said responsibility, and ultimately actually execute it.
5. Trust your eyes/communicate/play fast: Sometimes this is really the most important part of defense. The offense’s whole job is to confuse you; the opposing players are on scholarship too, so they are likely pretty good at what they do. If you trust your eyes, communicate with your team, work as a cohesive unit, and play fast, you at least give yourself a chance.

If you read the previous article, you may notice that I basically have the same fundamentals for preventing the run and the pass. No, that is not laziness on my part, instead it’s because in order to play defense, you need the same fundamentals no matter the situation.

Defenses are best when they’re simple and players can just play. That is essentially the No. 1 issue with Ohio State’s D. It is not simple, players cannot just play, and they do not have the correct fundamentals.

Know the defense


If we’re being honest, outside of their linebackers, Ohio State’s pass defense has been presently surprising. Despite injuries to the expected starters, freshman corner Denzel Burke has shown himself to be a reliable option who has grown with each quarter of action, and Cam Brown played pretty well on one leg against Oregon, after missing the season opener against Minnesota.

The biggest issues with OSU’s pass defense have been the lack of pressure by the defensive line and poor fundamentals and play recognition by the linebackers, slot corner, and bullet.

In the clip below, there are two separate passes by Oregon QB Anthony Brown and the biggest issue with both is that it’s impossible to tell what defense is being played. This is because the players either don’t know the defense or don’t know their responsibilities.


In the first play, there are some teaching points for the corner, but overall, this is just a good throw and catch. The issues pile up after that. First, the defensive line gets zero pass rush which gives Brown a lot of time to find a receiver.

Second, some players are playing man while others are playing zone. Watch the slot corner at the bottom. He sees it’s pass, does not trust his eyes. and stands in one place, which allows the wide receiver to run past him.

The bigger issue though is that everyone else is playing man. The receiver who ran past him was his responsibility and luckily, Brown didn’t see him or it would’ve been a bigger play.

On the second play, Ohio State’s defense blitzes. This time the corners play man and the bullet and slot corner both play zone. You can argue that this is Cover 3, but most blitzes are paired with man coverage, because there aren’t enough people to cover every zone when there are extra guys rushing the passer.

If you watch each player, they are all doing something different. The players at the top of the screen are playing zone and the CB doesn’t get enough depth, which leads to a double covered look. At the bottom, OSU safety Bryan Shaw is playing man, while the slot corner is playing zone; once again letting a WR run right past him.

Luckily the defense was not burnt by these plays, but a better QB is going to take notice and hit a big play. If you cannot look at the defensive players and tell what coverage they’re running, you have a major issue.

Read your keys and trust your eyes


A lot of offenses use run-pass options and play action passes to confuse the defense. This is where the importance of reading your keys and trusting your eyes comes into play. In this play, Oregon runs what I believe is an RPO, but OSU is clearly not prepared for it.

The defense appears to be expecting run and doesn’t consider that Oregon might pass. The entire linebacker corp bites on the run fake and therefore is unable to defend the pass. The worst part of this play is that no one sees the linebacker blitzing — including Cody Simon who actually runs into the TE and for some reason continues to try and defend the player who is clearly not getting the ball.

If Simon actually defends the tight end, Brown has no where to go with the ball and gets sacked by OSU’s Javontae Jean-Baptise for a safety. Kudos to Oregon for calling this play, but OSU should have had it defended. Instead Oregon drives 99 yards and scores a touchdown.

This is becoming a pattern


If you’re starting to see a theme, you’re not alone. In this clip, either the players again have no idea what they’re doing, or they have absolutely zero idea how to play man coverage.

Let’s start with bullet Ronnie Hickman. He immediately bails on the snap, implying that it’s a zone, although let’s be honest, that doesn’t make sense because he doesn’t drop to the deep third of the field and there is already a deep safety.

By him dropping at the snap, he single handedly gives the TE a huge cushion which Brown immediately finds. Now just because the ball goes to the spot that Hickman cleared out doesn’t mean that we should look at what the other players on the field were doing on the play.

Both corners and the free safety are playing some sort of zone which further emphasizes that Hickman is in the wrong spot. Lathan Ransom is lined up like he’s playing man, but he literally does nothing and allows a free release. One linebacker is also clearly playing man, while the other is completely lost. There are two wide receivers open on this play, and if it went on longer, I can’t promise that there wouldn’t have been more.


In conclusion, it’s almost impossible to tell what the correct coverage is on any given play. Each player is playing something different, and none of them are playing it particularly well. Wide receivers are left wide open and tight ends might as well not exist until they’ve caught a pass for a first down.

The pass rush is legitimately non-existent. The only reason that this defense wasn’t burned for a touchdown in the passing game is because Anthony Brown is not all that great of a quarterback and missed some open reads. Plus when you’re running so well, who needs to pass?

The first step to fixing this defense is honestly just to re-teach it as its clear that no one is on the same page; there is no cohesion or communication on this defense. There is no understanding of concept or even where they’re supposed to be on a given play. Some players are playing man, some are playing zone, and some are playing the run when it’s clearly a pass.

This defense is fundamentally broken. Kerry Coombs or who ever the active defensive coordinator is when this article drops needs to scrap the game plan and just let the defense play. Athletes play best when they’re not thinking. Get in the film room, find your best players who can do what is asked of them and hope for the best.

Now, I’m not sure that this can be fixed in-season; Ohio State is lucky that they haven’t played a team who believes in a 21st century passing attack or they could be 0-2.

The best hope for this passing defense is that the coaches stop trying to get cute. If only 11 players can play, then those 11 need to play every single snap. Lastly, go back to the seventh grade, install a first day of practice defense and allow your collection of athletes to simply be the best players on the field; which they should be in every single game aside from when/if they play Alabama and Georgia.

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You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State basketball loss has hurt you the most?
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 OhioStateBuckeyes.com | Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

There, there. Let it all out.

Pain. It is something everyone is familiar with. As Ohio State fans, we experienced it on Saturday after the football team dropped a tough one against the Ducks. So we figured we would bring the pain to the hoops realm and discuss which Ohio State loss on the basketball court has brought you personally the most pain.


Last week, thanks to the full schedule being released, we discussed what we believed to be the hardest game on the Buckeyes’ schedule. Connor won with 57% (30 votes) with his pick of the game at Purdue. Justin got 30% (16 votes) with his pick of the battle against Michigan in Ann Arbor (is a whore). And other got 13% (7 votes) but again, the others did not listen and tell us who they picked (except one for vote for Illinois which is hard to argue against).

After 19 weeks:

Connor- 11
Justin- 5
Other- 2


(There has been one tie)

But back to present day. So what game brings you the most pain? Live it with us. Let us know in the comments, or tweet us @LandGrant33 or @BucketheadsLGHL.

Today’s Question: Which Ohio State basketball game has hurt you the most?

Connor: Penn State 82, No. 13 Ohio State 79 (January 25, 2018)

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Photo courtesy of OhioStateBuckeyes.com

The 2017-18 Ohio State men’s basketball team — Chris Holtmann’s first team — had a knack for falling behind early and digging themselves out of it in the final few minutes. They did it against Purdue on the road. They did it against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. And they did it against Penn State at home.

The Buckeyes were 9-0 in Big Ten play heading into this one, surprising many pundits and experts who penciled them into the middle to bottom of the conference before the season started.

Armed with the future B1G POY in Keita Bates-Diop, a future NBA starter in Jae’Sean Tate, and the almighty Andrew Dakich, this team (in hindsight) was fantastic. Having risen from unranked all the way up to No. 13 in the country by January, the Buckeyes were an actual, legitimate threat to win their first B1G title in six years. Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue were tangling with Ohio State at the top of the standings. Penn State was not.

This Nittany Lion team in particular was only 3-5 in conference play leading into that fateful night, but they also had two future pros in Lamar Stevens and Tony Carr — who we’ll talk about in just a moment. New Ohio State point guard Jamari Wheeler was a freshman on this Penn State team, too. They truly were not a bad team, and actually wound up finishing sixth in the conference that year and won the NIT.

Regardless, Ohio State was in the top-25 and riding some serious momentum, having won eight straight games. A home matchup with Penn State was merely a blip on the radar. Fans trickled in as the ball tipped off in the Schottenstein Center, but neither the home team nor the home crowd seemed too concerned about Penn State.

The Nittany Lions responded by putting on a shooting clinic the likes of which we have never seen, going 11-14 from beyond the arc (79%) and pulling ahead by as many as a dozen points in the second half. Each time that Ohio State scored a bucket to begin the climb back, Penn State responded. Stevens scored 15. Shep Garner — who is Flavor Flav’s cousin, believe it or not — had 14. Carr dropped a team-high 28. It was like trying to keep a boat afloat that just kept springing a new leak every few seconds.

The Buckeyes shot the ball well themselves, shooting it at a 56% clip overall and 46% from deep. Normally, this would suffice. Not on a night when Penn State was putting on the most impressive shooting clinic we’ve seen in years.


Down by nine with two minutes left, our good friend Keita canned back-to-back triples to make it a one-possession game with 1:14 to go. He finished the game with 25 points. After a Penn State miss, Tate took Mike Watkins down low and scored easily with the left hand, making it a one-point game with 19 seconds remaining. The Buckeyes had no choice but to foul, so C.J. Jackson picked up the foul and sent the man of the hour — Carr — to the line. He hit both, unsurprisingly, making it a three-point, 79-76 Penn State lead with 14 seconds remaining.

And then it happened.

The most exiting, heart-wrenching, rage-inducing, show-stopping, scream-at-your-TV ending that I can recall in recent memory.


Bates-Diop connects on a long triple with five seconds left, tying the game at 79. He landed doing the splits, something a 6-foot-9, 240 pound man should not be able to do. His teammates wanted to rush the court, mob him, and celebrate overtime, but first they had to make sure Penn State didn’t do the impossible. Well, they did.

Carr nonchalantly brought the ball down the floor and tossed up a prayer from a few feet in front of the half-court line. It caromed off the glass and into the basket just before the horn sounded, and Penn State escaped Columbus with one of the most exiting — and impressive — wins of the season.

The Schott went from utter mayhem following Bates-Diop’s make to dead silence on Carr’s buzzer-beater. The student section stood with their hands on their head, in disbelief.


Final score: Penn State 82, Ohio State 79. The Buckeyes would go on to finish in second-place in the Big Ten... just one game behind Michigan State.

Justin: Oral Roberts 75, Ohio State 72 (March 19, 2021)

IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to pain, there is one game that stands out. And this picture says it all. It is a game that I honestly didn’t think I would ever have to think about it again. It’s the last game that the Ohio State men’s basketball team has played, and it is one that made people on the internet really lose their mind. It is when the No. 2 seeded Ohio State Buckeyes fell to the No. 15 seeded Oral Roberts Eagles 75-72.

The game that made someone on the internet go as far to call me a coward and other mean words because I jokingly quoted a meme to him. He obviously had not seen the meme. The game that made a lot of people question Chris Holtmann as a coach, despite the fact that many people directly involved in the game will call him one of the more underrated coaches in the country.

The game that made people forget exactly how good Duane Washington Jr. is and actual cowards on the internet threatened E.J. Liddell; as if he wasn’t the sole reason the Buckeyes were in the game in the first place.


This game hurt for a number of reasons. The main one being that every single person who is not an Ohio State fan had the best day of their lives because — for some odd reason — they hate Ohio State and enjoyed seeing 18-21 year old men having one of the worst days of their lives. I think that is weird behavior, but I digress. I can’t tell you how many text messages I received. Not. Fun.

The other reason was that I truly believe that this Ohio State team could have made a deep run. I do not think they would have gotten past Baylor in the Elite Eight, but I do think that they could have fairly easily made it that far. Heck, Oral Roberts almost did.

Not to mention, the Buckeyes got really unlucky. It is not an excuse; it is a fact. Oral Roberts was a disastrous matchup from the start and the Buckeyes went into that game without Kyle Young, who would have made a huge difference on Kevin Obanor down low. Not to mention, as we have since learned, Young did not play and Seth Towns and Liddell were not fully healthy. With hindsight, you could almost see this coming.

This game was a strange one because — to be very honest — I never thought the Buckeyes were going to lose until the final buzzer sounded in overtime. It just felt like one of those games that they would struggle, but ultimately live to fight another day. Who knew it was more like a last stand. I just feel bad for the players. It is hard to have your failures unfold on national TV and it is even harder when you are 18-21 years old and everyone is enjoying it.

Some might call this regency bias. I say, “Who cares?” Pain.

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Tulsa Defensive Player to Watch: DT Jaxon Player
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Player is a big man in the middle of Tulsa’s defensive front, and he will be looking to disrupt the line of scrimmage against OSU | Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Player is undersized, but he is still a heck of a physical presence for OSU’s interior linemen to deal with.

The 2021 Tulsa defense is not going to be confused with the ’86 Chicago Bears any time soon. They did however hold UC Davis to 19 points, and Mike Gundy’s typically high-powered Oklahoma State to 28 in consecutive losses to begin the season. They should not be a pushover for some — or most — of their opponents this season, but Ohio State is no common opponent. The Buckeyes are currently tied for eighth in the country in total offense, averaging 553.5 yards per game. Tulsa sits middle-of-the-pack(ish) in most defensive metrics, so they are likely to give up some big plays and plenty of points this weekend.


The Golden Hurricane were actually very good — if not great — on defense last year, so there is recent evidence that Phillip Montgomery and his defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie can coach up a solid group. Gillespie was even named Football Scoop’s Linebackers Coach of the Year and was a finalist for their Defensive Coordinator of the Year honor in 2020. Tulsa was a top-20 team in the NCAA in total yards allowed per game and finished 27th in points per game. In nine games, they totaled 23 sacks, 10 fumble recoveries, and six interceptions. The problem is, they lost an elite talent, and his former teammates have thus far struggled without him.

Linebacker Zaven Collins was a consensus All-American, and swept the Bednarik, Nagurski, and Lombardi Awards in 2020. He was a do-it-all force for Tulsa, before the Arizona Cardinals picked him up in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Without Collins on the field, the Golden Hurricane defense has looked pedestrian (T-71 in total defense).

It is also fair to point out that multiple defensive starters were suspended for their opener against UC Davis, so sample size has to be taken into consideration. That being said, Collins is arguably the best defensive player to come out of Tulsa — or at least the most accomplished at the NCAA level — so there is an enormous hole in the middle of this year’s unit.

The Golden Hurricane are not without talent. However, junior linebacker Justin Wright was second on the team in total tackles and first in TFL last season (over Collins), then added a pick-six in his first 2021 appearance. He was one of the starters suspended for the opener, resulting from a brawl that broke out after the 2020 Armed Forces Bowl. For the record, a brawl after the Armed Forces Bowl just sounds right.

Kendarin Ray is a big safety… literally. At 6’3” nearly 210 pounds, he can pack some punch from the secondary, and he led last year’s team in total tackles and pass breakups. However, I am not rolling with a linebacker or safety from an undermanned defense against Ohio State as the player to watch. I just don’t think that they will be around the line of scrimmage enough — and once the OSU skill players are in space, forget about it. So, my choice for this week’s Defensive Player to Watch, is defensive lineman Jaxon Player.


Player is in his fourth season with the Golden Hurricane, but only truly broke out in 2020. He was voted First Team All-AAC and performed very well during Tulsa’s “postseason.” In the AAC Championship Game, Player posted four tackles (0.5 for loss), recovered a fumble, and blocked a field goal attempt. He then added five of his 37 tackles for the season against Mississippi State in that infamous Armed Forces Bowl. Both games ultimately ended in defeat for Tulsa, but they were competitive and played in the program’s first bowl since 2016. All in all, Player’s breakout was at least part of what made the defense a top-20 unit. For his performance, he was named to 2021’s preseason watch list for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy.

Although undersized, Player is able to create pressure at the line of scrimmage and penetrate the backfield with regularity. He has 17 TFL in 17 career starts. Furthermore, he has blocked four kicks during his time at Tulsa — despite being only 6-feet tall on a humid day. He is very physical, with a great first step, and cites Aaron Donald as his favorite NFL player. Donald obviously shares similar size and certain characteristics with the Tulsa defensive lineman, so it is easy to see why Player would model his game after the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.


Player will have his hands full against Ohio State Saturday, but it is nothing new for the undersized lineman. With the exception of Dawand Jones, nobody along the OSU front will tower over Player. He is used to being the smaller player in a position battle, and it’s not as if offensive lineman in the AAC average 6’3”, 265 pounds. He has taken on big ol’ “hog mollies” before, and proven himself to be a heck of a football player — despite his smaller stature.

Player spends most of his time at the nose tackle or DT position. Tulsa prefers a 3-3-5 defensive alignment, and Player is the anchor up front. As a bit of a “compact” individual, it really makes the most sense to have him use his strength and physicality in order to plug up the middle.

As impressive as it is to see him be productive on the interior at 6-foot, 295 pounds, it would be unheard of for him to be a successful pass rusher at that size; he has only three sacks in his career. He is the wrecking ball going through the middle of the wall, it’s as simple as that. Luke Wypler, Thayer Munford, and Paris Johnson Jr. will be relied upon if Ohio State is going to get its interior running game going.

The fact of the matter is, I expect the Buckeyes to put up a lot of points. They totaled 600 yards against Oregon, and were only able to come away with 28 points in a loss. They should play angry and with aggression in the first game following that painful defeat. Ohio State is seventh in the country in total offense after going up against two solid units, and doing so with an inexperienced signal caller. Tulsa is average right now; their defense is the stronger of the two primary units, but I just think they are outclassed in this one.

That being said, good players can still have good games. Justin Wright, Kendarin Ray, and especially Jaxon Player, are all solid football players. I just don’t see Wright or Ray coming up with one-on-one stops against Ohio State athletes, but maybe they force a turnover. I think Player can have a greater impact by creating pressure up front. The OSU run game has not been otherworldly thus far, so the Tulsa NT can help make it tough sledding up front. If Player can push the pocket, maybe C.J. Stroud struggles to make his reads and find open players. Although we expect a big Buckeye victory, keep an eye on the aspiring Aaron Donald (Jaxon Player) in the middle of the hurricane… (Ed. note: yes, that was a walk-off pun.)

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Buck Off: Staff reshuffling, Tulsa preview, need for massive improvements
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

On this episode the guys talk about the need for changes on the staff and what Ohio State needs to do against Tulsa to get back on track.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I am joined as always by Jordan Williams. We get into a discussion about Ohio State’s current staff issues and what we expect to see moving forward from the Buckeyes.

Ryan Day did not mince words in his presser and we discuss what the expectations need to be moving forward, possible changes in scheme, and what the coaches need to do better. When it comes to staff reshuffling as we pepper it throughout the show, we get into how the roles will move and why there are so many on field coaches.

Moving forward, we get into a discussion about what Ohio State needs to do against Tulsa to get back on the right track and it all starts with effort on both sides of the ball. Finding an identity will be a major key for both sides of the ball, and we will get to see how this team responds to adversity for the first time under Ryan Day.

Then we talk about Tulsa and what type of challenges they will bring to Ohio State that Ohio State can really find noticeable improvements against. Jordan tells us what he needs to see to gain his trust back in the Buckeyes and I tell you guys what we need to see.

Lastly, we make our score predictions and we discuss a lot for you guys to listen to leading up to this 3:30 PM barn burner.


Connect with the Show
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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GOSNELL CLOSE TO CHOOSING SCHOOL

After decommitting from Ohio State on July 27, former OSU tight end commit Benji Gosnell is reportedly close to deciding on his new school, per 247Sports’ Brian Dohn. According to Dohn, Gosnell’s recruitment is coming down to North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...a-blessing-while-kam-dewberry-receives-a-2022

This is some serious RWSF shit and I’m here for it

Vince Iwuchukwu is down to five finalists including Baylor, Kansas, Texas, USC and UCLA. USC is the favorite.

You’re Nuts: What was the single most promising aspect of Ohio State’s loss to Oregon?
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 via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

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

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

Today’s Question: What was the single most promising aspect of Ohio State’s loss to Oregon?

Jami’s Take: The Receivers


I know any loss is a tough pill to swallow for Buckeye fans - it doesn’t happen often and we’re not used to the sour feeling of defeat. But this loss against Oregon wasn’t a total wash in spite of the outcome - there were still some bright spots to prove there are things to look forward to this season, and the brightest was OSU’s receiving corps.

As a collective, the receivers are an elite bunch, arguably the best in the nation. And though the game didn’t end in victory, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba came ready to play Saturday.

All three of them delivered. Olave had 12 receptions for 126 yards, Wilson had 8 receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps most impressively, Njigba made himself a household name with 7 receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time in Ohio State history that three receivers had more than 100 yards in a single game.

Had this group of guys not been on that field, it’s hard to imagine Ohio State even being in contention against Oregon. I’m also firmly in the camp that Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell led with his helmet and should have been charged with targeting against Olave, a flag which would have resulted in a first down on third-and-20 for the Buckeyes and given them a chance to tie the game on that drive. It would have also allowed the receivers to put up even bigger numbers.

We knew going into Saturday’s game how special Olave and Wilson are. But perhaps most impressive was sophomore Smith-Njigba. In Week 1 against Minnesota, Smith-Njigba had two receptions for 12 yards. This week, he lit up. He was expected to be a weapon this season after his strong showing in spring and summer camps, and this weekend he proved exactly what he can do.

His ability to separate himself, particularly at the line of scrimmage, is impressive and it rounded out an already-powerful receiving corps, making this group a nightmare for opposing defenses. Olave and Wilson are both projected to be first-round prospects in the NFL Draft, and Smith-Njigba is quickly joining their ranks as someone to watch.

All three receivers have really special playmaking ability, and as the season progresses, I anticipate it will only get better. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is still settling in, and once he finds his groove, he’s going to be able to fire on all cylinders with these three.

The receiving corps was not the only silver lining of Saturday’s messy game. Stroud put up near-record numbers with 454 yards. Running back TreVeyon Henderson, though his numbers were average, gave us glimpses of his potential that make me excited to see where the season will take him.

However, none of these silver linings outweigh how brightly this receiving corps shone on Saturday in spite of the loss. The defense needs to drastically improve across the board. We will need to see much higher numbers in the running game. We can’t afford costly turnovers from Stroud. Even Olave dropped what should have been a touchdown pass.

But overall, the receiving corps is setting the bar, and if the rest of the team can rise to their level, even with the loss, this should be a fun season for the Buckeyes.

Matt’s Take: TreVeyon Henderson is RB1


Jami, of course, is not wrong to praise the Ohio State wide receivers, especially with the emergence of Jaxson Smith-Njigba, not only as a talented up-and-comer who has the ability to show flashes of greatness, but as a legitimately great wide receiver.

Though it came in a loss, JSN’s break out game is as impressive as any in recent memory. But, here’s the thing, if my esteemed colleague had just gone with Smith-Njigba, I probably would have found it difficult to argue with her (I still would have found a way, don’t worry), but since she decided upon the wide receivers collectively, I have notes.

While C.J. Stroud was far from perfect, neither were his pass catchers. There were anywhere from five to eight drops (depending on how harshly you want to grace the WRs) that you would expect to be caught by talents as good as Ohio State has. There were also times when it appeared that receivers might have misjudged balls and either gave up too early on them or mistimed a jump. So, while having three receivers go over 100 yards is obviously impressive and deserving of celebration, I’ve got a much more exciting option for your consideration.


As Chris Renne discussed in his film review linked above, the Buckeyes abandoned the run far too easily against the Ducks, rendering them effectively one dimensional for most of the game. However, there is something that I found to be very interesting in the ground game on Saturday that I think bodes very well for the future of the OSU offense.

In total against Oregon, the starting RB Miyan Williams had 14 carries for 77 yards, while his back-up TreVeyon Henderson had 12 attempts for 54 yards and 1 touchdown. Not a spectacular day for either, obviously.

But, what is eye brow-raising is that 11 of Williams’ carries came in the first half and he had zero in the entire third quarter, while 10 of Henderson’s carries came after halftime. Again, neither were especially effective on the ground against the Ducks, but the fact that Henderson received 77% of the running back carries in the second half of an important game that saw Ohio State trailing almost from the jump is noteworthy.

We have all known that Henderson was the most talented back in the Buckeyes’ impressive stable, but we also assumed that it would take him time to prove to the coaches that he could be trusted with the bulk of the work.

Well, given how piss-poor things looked in the last game, and how Ryan Day and company have no room for error for the rest of the season, it is time for the best guys to get on the field, and that is absolutely Henderson, and it seems like Day gets that.

Williams — and even Master Teague and Marcus Crowley — should still have spots in the rotation as situations dictate, but at this point in the year, there should be no excuse for Henderson not to be the bell cow back, and based on how things went down the stretch on Saturday, I absolutely expect him to be just that for the remainder of his time in Columbus.

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Tulsa Offensive Player to Watch: RB Shamari Brooks
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brooks is not physically imposing at 5’9”, 190, but he makes up for it with quickness and vision | Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Returning from a serious injury and splitting time with Deneric Prince through two games, only Brooks can claim a 1,000 yard rushing season and multiple preseason award nominations.

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane have an absolutely fantastic mascot (Captain Cane), went undefeated in the AAC during the 2020 season, and… that’s about all they can hang their hat on right now. Apologies to their fanbase, but the last handful of seasons have been a disappointment — and 2021 has not gotten off to great start. They lost their opener to something called a “UC Davis”, which is apparently a big-time football program. The Hurricane then took on in-state rival Oklahoma State this past weekend, and gave up 21 fourth quarter points in a 28-23 loss.

It has been a rough start for a team that showed promise during the pandemic-shortened 2020 and finished in a tie for first in their conference. However, last season seems to be a rare outlier under current head coach Philip Montgomery. Since 2015, the team is 31-42 under Montgomery, with only two winning seasons. Remove 2016 (10-3) from the equation, and his record looks pretty dreadful.

Ohio State fans could actually be in store for a repeat of that 2016 season, which is when the Buckeyes last played Tulsa. J.T. Barrett led the Buckeyes to a 48-3 victory. The Hurricane’s best shot at hanging around in this game is to pound the rock with their running backs, and that is why I’ve tabbed Shamari Brooks as this week’s Offensive Player to Watch.

Photo by Khris Hale / Icon Sportswire
J.T. Barrett led the Buckeyes over Tulsa in 2016, but OSU could use a performance like the one their defense gave five years ago; limiting the Golden Hurricane to three points

Brooks missed all of 2020 with an ACL injury, and is only Tulsa’s second-leading rusher through two games in 2021. So what makes him a player to watch? Well, prior to last season, Brooks had been a very productive back for the Golden Hurricane. His impressive career started as a true freshman in 2017, when he rushed for 687 yards and 10 touchdowns. He did so in just nine appearances, missing three games due to a broken collarbone.

Injuries like the collarbone one suffered as a freshman have robbed him of one full season, plus four additional games. They are likely part of the reason why he is splitting backfield reps with Deneric Prince, as he looks to bounce back from the ACL. Both backs ran well against UC Davis, and both struggled against Oklahoma State… but once fully up to speed, Brooks is the one capable of carrying Tulsa on his back.

In 2018 and 2019, Brooks played in all but one game and worked his way up to fifth on the program’s all-time rushing list. As a sophomore, his production was primarily volume-based. He only averaged 4.2 YPC, but carried the ball 229 times in 11 games. He was a workhorse. It wasn’t always pretty, but Tulsa’s offense had little else going for it. That’s how a team finishes with a 3-9 record. Opponents were able to stack the box against Brooks and limit his effectiveness. Despite being the focus of every defense, he was still able to run for nearly 1,000 yards.

2019 was a bit of a breakout for Brooks, and one that would earn him a few preseason award nominations prior to 2020. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, finishing with 1,046. He added six touchdowns, and upped his YPC to 4.6. The YPC average was still nothing to brag about, but he was now a known commodity and running behind a less-than-imposing offensive line. For his 2019 performance, Brooks was named to the 2020 preseason watch list(s) for both the Doak Walker and Maxwell awards. However, last season was not meant to be for the talented running back, as he tore his ACL the week prior to Tulsa’s opener.

So far in 2021, Brooks has been 1B to Prince’s 1A as a ball carrier, but I am choosing not to ignore back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons (967 in 2018, but who’s counting). He toted the rock for 8.0 yards per carry in his first game back from injury and had the better average per touch against Oklahoma State. Neither back was impressive against the Cowboys, but it took Prince 21 touches to produce 79 total yards. Brooks accounted for 58 yards on only 12 opportunities. It is a small sample size, and Prince looked great against UC Davis, but I remain bullish on Brooks.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Deneric Prince currently leads the Golden Hurricane in rushing, but the more experienced Brooks could pop at any time

His counterpart in the backfield (Prince) has rushed for 676 yards in his entire career, and played second fiddle to Corey Taylor for Tulsa last season. He was unable to get on the field at Texas A&M, while Brooks was producing as the Golden Hurricane’s lead back. Prior to the UC Davis game, Brooks hadn’t played in well over a year, so it was always going to take time for him to get his legs back. He has had two games to do so, and now looks fully healthy. If the backs continue to split carries, I do believe Brooks will be the more effective runner.

Against the Buckeyes, Brooks should have an opportunity to prove that he is once again an NFL prospect. It hurts to admit, but Ohio State has shown nothing against the run so far in 2021. Mo Ibrahim and C.J. Verdell embarrassed the Silver Bullets, and Tulsa will (or should) rely heavily on the run as well. Their quarterback, Davis Brin, has totaled 425 yards though the air, to go with zero touchdowns. The Golden Hurricane want nothing to do with a shootout, so Brooks and Prince should see plenty of carries.

Whether it is Brooks, Prince, or even the early 70’s version of Drew Pearson (Tulsa alum - NFL HOF) on the field for Tulsa, the Ohio State defense should finally have a chance to pin its ears back and recapture the swagger that fans believe still exists. If the Golden Hurricane can establish dominance up front and run all over the Buckeyes, it could be a long, miserable season for Kerry Coombs and Co. That being said, Shamari Brooks is a proven back and poses a threat to the Buckeyes. It is good to see him on the field and productive after a serious injury, but here’s hoping he is not too productive in The Shoe on Saturday.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Changes coming on D, previewing Tulsa
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

There is a lot we’d like to see from Ohio State heading into Week 3 against a lesser opponent.

Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is back for a brand new season with brand new co-hosts! We will be now be coming at you twice a week to preview and recap each Ohio State game as well as any and all Buckeye news. Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


As interesting as it would be to break down Tulsa’s roster from top to bottom, Gene and Josh instead spent most of this week’s preview breaking down what they’d like to see from Ohio State. In his press conference this week, Ryan Day said the defense is looking to make structural changes, and we are waiting to see exactly what that means. The guys discuss some of the issues they would like to see corrected on both sides of the ball, and who/what they are looking out for during Saturday’s tilt against the Golden Hurricanes.

Hangout in the Holy Land is back to two episodes a week, with a preview episode breaking down each of Ohio State’s opponents and a postgame reactions episode following the game each weekend. Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, as we’ve started to get that account a little more active as the regular season is now upon us, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh:
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for September 15, 2021
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

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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On the Gridiron


Ryan Day isn’t happy about Ohio State’s defense, and changes are coming
- Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

How can Ohio State possibly move forward with Kerry Coombs as DC?
- Bill Landis, The Athletic

Ohio State Cornerback Sevyn Banks “Not Too Injured To Play” Moving Forward
- Andrew Lind, Sports Illustrated

This is a really strange list


What is up with Sevyn Banks, and why has he not played this season?
- Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com

‘We’re going to look at everything.’ Ryan Day says changes are coming to defense
- Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State regular season loss has hurt you the most?
- Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

What We Learned as Ryan Day evaluates critical next steps for Buckeyes ($$)
- Austin Ward, Lettermen Row

With Proctor out, OSU is going to need more depth at safety


‘That was not our issue:’ Ryan Day pleased with QB C.J. Stroud’s performance
- Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

Column: In response to Twitter users who think they’d be better than C.J. Stroud
- Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land

NFL Mock Draft: Ohio State football tight end Jeremy Ruckert lands in first round
- Kevin Flaherty, 247Sports

Buckeyes Crootin’ 2022 Class-In-Review: Wide receiver Caleb Burton
- Shane Bailey, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


E.J. Liddell, Buckeyes picked third in Big Ten in Lindy’s preseason magazine
- Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Outside The Shoe and Schott


Luke Fickell ain’t leaving Cincinnati for USC because that would be stupid.

And now for something completely different...


Godspeed, Norm

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