The Reload: Running Backs
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

The running back room is also affected by uncertainty with Trey Sermon’s status up in the air. He suffered an injury that took him out of the game and it cost the Buckeyes. It is his decision to make but all signs point to him pursuing his NFL dream. The talent that is in place and the backs that are coming in will be exciting to say the least.

Master Teague played in place of Sermon and he did what he could, scoring twice and running for 65 yards. This season, he will be in his third year with the program and he is the early favorite to be the bell cow for the Buckeyes. Yes, he’s no Sermon, but he could fill a leadership role and he brings experience in a mostly green room of backs. He could take his game up a notch while guiding the younger backs under the tutelage of Tony Alford, but this is if the redshirt sophomore decides to stay.

Marcus Crowley is the next talented back and he is a former Gatorade Player of the Year in the talent-rich state of Florida. He saw a few snaps in the championship game when the game was out of reach and he showed some burst but not a ton. As talented as he is, all he is waiting for is his shot for some meaningful snaps. I hope he sticks around for the long haul.

Steele Chambers, out of Roswell, Georgia is the third back on the reload and he is coming off a year where he was recovering from an ACL injury and we will see how he feels in 2021. When he was in the game, he always got his yards and I’m hoping the rust shakes off quickly.

Miyan Williams is the third and “bowling ball” really went out there against Clemson and played like a man possessed. He will ride that momentum moving forward and watching the tape, he really is a downhill runner that isn’t afraid of contact. He is also deceptively shifty which won’t hurt either.

The incoming freshman are TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor, two talented back that will come into the fold soon. Henderson, a five star out of Hopewell, VA has a lot of potential to overtake the talent above. Electric and sudden, he will give the Buckeyes a potential game breaker in the backfield. His stablemate Pryor from Cornelius, NC is a four star but also has the same traits that compliment Henderson. The pair are the #1 and #2 players at their position and they will look to make an immediate impact as freshman.

Regardless of who stays or goes, the room is in good hands. Coach Alford has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal and I know we will be fine. Attrition wouldn’t shock me either, but until we know enjoy the talent we have been stockpiling.

#GoBucks




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5-star Buckeye commit Quinn Ewers, Caroll Dragons ready for state title game:
Mike via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State five-star commit Quinn Ewers, the country’s No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2022 is ready for the big stage.

Ewers, and his Carroll Dragons will take on Cade Klubnik and Austin Westlake for the Texas 6A Division 1 title game.

Despite missing six games due to a sports hernia, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Ewers has been a force for the Dragon’s offense all season long.

Ewers has played in seven games, throwing for 2,091 yards, 25 touchdowns, with a 125 QBR.

Last season the Dragons suffered a fourth-round playoff loss to Duncanville — Ewers, as a sophomore threw for 393 yards and 3 touchdowns despite the losing efforts —

The Dragons got their revenge this season defeating Duncanville 34-27 advancing to the state title. Ewers threw only 11 times for 168 yards with 2-total touchdowns — one rushing, one throwing. —

According to Maxpreps.com, the Dragons are currently ranked No. 3 in the state and No. 21 nationally while Austin Westlake is ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 10 nationally.

Ewers and the Dragons will take on Westlake at AT&T Stadium with a 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST) start time.

The game will be streamed on Fox Sports Southwest:

foxsportssouthwest.com




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Ohio State-Penn State rescheduled for this Wednesday
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

The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 6 but was postponed due to COVID-issues within the Penn State program.

Ohio State’s game against Penn State originally scheduled for Jan. 6 that was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Penn State program has been rescheduled for this Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 7:00 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

The No. 15 Buckeyes (12-4, 6-4) were slated to have a seven-day break in between their game against No. 10 Wisconsin (which they won, 74-62) and their game against Michigan State on Sunday. Instead, they will host the Nittany Lions, who suddenly became available when the state of Michigan shut down the University of Michigan’s athletic department for “up to 14 days” due to a student athlete testing positive for the new B.1.1.7.-variant of COVID-19. Penn State was set to host Michigan Wednesday night, but instead they will travel to Columbus. There were reportedly zero cases within the men’s or women’s basketball programs at Michigan.

Ohio State will be the home favorite in this one, winning four of their last five games including three victories over ranked teams on the road. Penn State (5-6, 2-5) has started slow, but still have 13 conference games to play after they had several cancelled due to their COVID-outbreak, and are coming off of back-to-back wins. Most fans have not forgotten Ohio State’s 2-5 start in B1G play last season either, before the Buckeyes got hot and finished the year 11-9 in conference play.

With their next two games at home against teams who are sub-.500 in conference play, the Buckeyes will have an opportunity to improve to 8-4 in B1G play before traveling to Iowa on Feb. 4.

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Moments that mattered: Ohio State’s 74-62 victory over No. 10 Wisconsin
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes knocked off the Badgers in Madison for the first time since 2017 in yet another top-10 win for Chris Holtmann’s team.

The importance of Saturday afternoon’s game in Madison really depends on how you perceive this Ohio State men’s basketball team. So, the No. 15 Buckeyes’ 74-62 victory could be seen as another major addition to a growing tournament resume, or just OSU finally finishing a game that they led by double digits.

Wisconsin has been an elite program for over a decade, especially at home, where they have racked up 143 Big Ten wins at the Kohl Center over the past 15 years. Losing on the road to a top-10 team would have been nothing to hang your head about, and had they lost, the Buckeyes still look every bit of an NCAA Tournament team. That is one way to look at it.

On the other hand, the Buckeyes (12-4, 6-4) were 5-3 in the B1G before Purdue came to town on Tuesday evening. Had they won that game, they would have been 6-3 in conference play and in third place in the Big Ten — not fifth, where they stand now, at 5-4. If you believe Ohio State is good enough to finish in the top three or four in the conference, Saturday’s game was another must-win for them to avoid falling to 5-5 and getting lost in the murky middle of the toughest conference in college basketball.

The day began on a high note when it was announced that CJ Walker would be active against the No. 10 Badgers (12-4, 6-3). Ohio State went 3-1 in his absence while he rehabbed his injured right hand, but the turnovers were beginning to mount and the Buckeyes’ offense looked disjointed and lethargic in key moments without their floor general, especially against the Boilermakers. Walker finished the game with eight points and three assists in 24 minutes today against Wisconsin.

While the Badgers do not possess one “star” post player like Purdue and Illinois do, they have depth in their front court that other teams don’t, and were able to throw length at Ohio State all afternoon. Nate Reuvers and former-Buckeye Micah Potter have exhausted the Big Ten all season long, but 6-foot-9 sophomore Tyler Wahl has come on strong lately as well, including 14 points in Wisconsin’s win over Northwestern on Wednesday. Potter, Reuvers, and Wahl combined for 26 points today, and Ohio State out-rebounded a bigger Wisconsin team 35-30.

The undersized Buckeyes, clad in their new all-black uniforms, were spread out and forced to defend size mismatches all afternoon. But a balanced offensive attack kept the Badgers on their toes, while the Buckeye defense repeatedly forced Wisconsin to pass around and shoot at the very end of the shot clock. E.J. Liddell and Kyle Young guarded Potter and Reuvers especially tight, limiting Wisconsin’s big men to a combined nine points at halftime.

Led by Seth Towns’ eight points, the Buckeyes held a 32-25 lead at the break. Ohio State out-rebounded Wisconsin 19-17 in the first half, and only one Buckeye was called for more than one foul (Walker) in the opening frame.

Ohio State and Wisconsin went punch-for-punch in the second half, trading blows while the Buckeyes kept their foes at arm’s length for most of the second half. Justin Ahrens contributed from downtown as he always does, but his defense hurt the Buckeyes repeatedly as he fouled Potter and Trevor Anderson on made baskets that would send them to the line for a free throw after the basket.

The rest of Ohio State did a remarkable job defending Wisconsin’s deep and balanced offense, holding Trice and Potter — Wisconsin’s leading scorers — to 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Badgers cut Ohio State’s lead to as few as six points in the final minute, but the Buckeyes were able to hang on, hit their free throws, and escape Wisconsin with their third-straight victory over a top-15 team on the road. The Buckeyes were led by Liddell’s 20 points and seven rebounds, while Towns was the only other Buckeye to score in double digits. He finished with 10 points.

What were the key plays from Ohio State’s win today? Here are the moments that mattered:

Davison with the kick save


With Ohio State leading 6-3 roughly three minutes into the game, Wisconsin’s Brad Davison shot a three-pointer and nailed it, while Justin Ahrens collided with Davison’s legs. Both players hit the deck, and Davison was ready to walk to the free-throw line to finish the four-point play.

However, the referee standing directly behind the play ruled that Davison kicked his leg out in a “not natural” way, drawing the contact and forcing the foul. An offensive foul was called on Davison instead, the basket was waved off, and Ohio State got the ball back. The Buckeyes would go on to score the very next possession, taking a 9-3 lead into the first media timeout. A swing of potentially seven points that allowed OSU to continue to build an early lead.

Three in the key, or three for me?


Trailing by eight with 11:35 to go in the first half, Wisconsin’s Micah Potter took on not one, not two, but three Buckeye defenders in the paint. He finished the shot, and Seth Towns was called for the foul. Chris Holtmann immediately jumped up, claiming that Potter was in the key for more than the allowed three seconds, but the zebras wanted none of his grumblings. Potter finished off the three-point play, and Ohio State’s lead was cut to 15-10.

“Balanced ... as all things should be”


After attempting 35 three-pointers during their loss to Purdue, including an ice cold performance from deep in the second half (when they surrendered their lead), Ohio State made a conscious effort to attack the basket in the first half against Wisconsin while only shooting from beyond the arc a few times.

With 8:24 to go in the first half, Duane Washington connected for the Buckeyes’ first three-pointer of the game, which extended their lead to 24-13. At this point of the game, the Buckeyes had 14 two-point tries and only three three-point attempts. Ohio State finished 5-of-16 from beyond the arc. Washington Jr. struggled, finishing with nine points on 1-of-9 shooting.

Johnson’s first career block


With 2:39 left in the first half and Wisconsin trying to cut into the Buckeyes’ lead, 22-year old senior Brad Davison tried to back down 17-year old, should-still-be-high-school-senior Meechie Johnson. Davison took three dribbles with his back to the basket, but when he turned around Johnson was able to go straight up for a clean block, sending Davison packing. It was Johnson’s first collegiate block.

Welcome to flavor Towns


Seth Towns looked healthy and efficient in the first half of today’s contest, scoring eight points on 4-of-5 shooting in the period. He played just nine minutes in the opening frame, but showed how efficient a scorer he can be when healthy. He was the Buckeyes’ leading scorer in the first half, showing flashes of the player he once was at Harvard and the type of player he hopefully will be again once he is fully healthy. Towns finished the game with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting while also grabbing two rebounds.

No call, no matter


With 17:36 left in the game and Ohio State leading 37-28, E.J. Liddell picked off a Wisconsin entry pass intended for Potter and brought it down the court himself. He found Kyle Young down low, who used a shot fake to get Aleem Ford in the air. Young then went straight up for the layup, drawing contact on the bucket and extending the Buckeye lead to 39-28. No foul was called, but Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard was forced to call a timeout with the momentum beginning to swing back in OSU’s direction. Young would end the day with eight points and four rebounds, two of which came on the offensive end.

Ahrens giveth and Ahrens taketh away


Justin Ahrens — who at 50% is the best three-point shooter in the B1G with a minimum of 50 attempts — continued to show why he is a hot commodity. With 14:29 to go, he hit his third triple of the game to extend Ohio State’s lead out to 49-36.

But minutes later with Ohio State up by 11, Ahrens fouled Potter on an easy layup; Ahrens’ second and-one foul of the game, and third foul overall. Potter completed the three-point play again, and the Buckeye lead was cut back to eight points with just over 12 minutes remaining in the game.

Ford goes 3-for-3 from three


With 6:36 left in the game, Aleem Ford — the worst three-point shooter in Wisconsin’s starting lineup at 31.7% — nailed a three-pointer from the left corner, cutting the Ohio State lead to 57-50. Ford would then go on to connect from downtown on each of the next two Wisconsin possessions, sandwiched around a Kyle Young three-point play. By the final media timeout at the 3:40 mark, the Buckeyes’ lead — which was 13 at one point — had been cut to just four, 62-58.

Trice misses both at the line


With Ohio State leading 66-58 with 1:52 left in the game, Kyle Young fouled D’Mitrik Trice, a 77% free-throw shooter. Shockingly, Trice missed both free throws, allowing Ohio State to hold on to their eight-point lead in the closing minutes.

Up Next:


Ohio State now has seven days off before their next game, which is scheduled for Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. ET against Michigan State (8-4, 2-4) in Columbus. The Spartans’ previous three games have been postponed due to COVID-19 cases within the program, but their games against Rutgers on Thursday and Ohio State on Sunday are still on the schedule. If their game with MSU is cancelled, the Buckeyes’ next game would not be until Feb. 4 at Iowa. Ohio State’s game with Michigan State will be broadcast on CBS.

Note: On Friday, Chris Holtmann hinted at the possibility of adding a non-conference game during the upcoming week to replace their Dec. 5 game against Alabama A&M that was cancelled. He did not specify if it would be against Alabama A&M or a different team.

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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Wisconsin: Game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes will try and shake off Tuesday’s tough loss to Purdue when they hit the road to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in a battle of ranked Big Ten foes this afternoon.

Ohio State saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday night in Columbus when they couldn’t close out Purdue. The Buckeyes led by as many as 11 points in the first half, but Purdue never stopped fighting. The Boilermakers were able to sweep the regular season series with the Buckeyes when Jaden Ivey hit a game-winning three-pointer with five seconds to go. Ivey finished with 15 points off the bench for Purdue.

In the loss to Purdue, Duane Washington Jr. hit six three-pointers and finished with a team-high 21 points. The junior recorded his 800th career point in the loss, and currently sits at 802 points as a Buckeye. Washington has now scored at least 20 points in three of his last five games, and is leading Ohio State with 15.7 points per contest.

Washington wasn’t the only Buckeye to reach a milestone in the loss to Purdue. E.J. Liddell pulled down his 200th career rebound, and finished the game with seven boards to go along with his 11 points. Liddell is now just nine points away from reaching 400 career points. The sophomore forward sits behind Washington with 14.1 points per game and a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game this year.

Preview


To get back on the winning track, Ohio State will have to earn a win against a team that has had their number lately. The Buckeyes have dropped three straight games to Wisconsin, and is 73-88 all-time against the Badgers, including a 30-47 mark against Wisconsin in Madison. At least the Buckeyes have had a little success against the Badgers when both teams have been ranked, with Ohio State holding an 8-4 edge in those contests.

This will be the third straight road game that Ohio State will be taking on a team ranked in the top-15. The Buckeyes defeated Rutgers two weeks ago when the Scarlet Knights were ranked 15th in the country. Ohio State then defeated the 14th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini last Saturday in Champaign. Now Wisconsin enters this game ranked 10th in the country.

Ohio State could receive a big boost today if guard C.J. Walker is able to return to the court. Walker has missed the last four games while dealing with a hand injury. In Walker’s absence, Justice Sueing has taken over as the main ballhandler for Ohio State. Even though the Buckeyes have gone 3-1 in Walker’s absence, the offense will likely flow a little better with a veteran point guard back in the mix.

The possible return of Walker to the starting lineup could send Justin Ahrens back to the back. The junior sharpshooter has stepped up while Walker has been on the sidelines, and is hitting 50% of his three-point attempts this season. Ahrens has attempted 64 three-pointers this season, and just two field goals from inside the arc. On Tuesday night, Ahrens hit three three-pointers and finished with 12 points, which marked the third straight game that Ahrens has scored at least 11 points.

Ohio State will be taking on a Wisconsin team that is sitting ahead of them in the Big Ten standings. The Badgers enter today’s game having won four of their last five games. Oddly enough, Wisconsin’s only three losses this season have come against Michigan, Maryland, and Marquette — all teams that start with M. The Badgers are getting close to their 14th season of at least 20 wins in the last 15 years.

The last time Wisconsin took the court was on Wednesday night, where we saw the Badgers easily handle Northwestern 68-52 in Madison. Wisconsin led 41-34 at half, and then really turned up the defensive pressure, allowing just 18 points in the second half. Tyler Wahl scored a career-high 14 points to lead the way for the Badgers, while D’Mitrik Price added 12 points. Wisconsin did a great job of sharing the basketball, dishing out 14 assists on their 24 made field goals.

Ohio State will be going up against a familiar foe today, as former Buckeye Micah Potter is one of the key Wisconsin big men. Potter spent the first 59 games of his college basketball career, starting 16 games for Ohio State before deciding to transfer out of the program. During his time in Columbus, Potter averaged 4.1 points per game for the Buckeyes. Since then Potter has upped his game, and is scoring 12.1 points per game this year while grabbing 6.7 rebounds per game. The senior from Mentor has failed to reach double figures in the scoring column in just three games this season.

A fixture for Wisconsin over the last half-decade has been D’Mitrik Trice. The fifth-year senior guard is currently leading the Badgers with 14.8 points per game, which is a career-high. Today will be Trice’s 128th career game and 93rd career start for Wisconsin. The Buckeyes have done a good job at holding Trice in check over the years, only allowing the Huber Heights native to score more than 10 points once in six games between the schools. Trice really picked up his production around Christmas, scoring at least 20 points four times in a five-game span.

Along with Trice and Potter, expect to hear plenty from Wisconsin’s Brad Davison. The senior is essentially Wisconsin’s version of Aaron Craft. While Davison might not quite be at the same level as Craft was when the latter was with the Buckeyes, he is tremendous at making life miserable for opponents. Last year Davison was even suspended for a game after striking Iowa’s Connor McCaffery in the groin. Davison has averaged at least 9.8 points per game in each of his four years with the Badgers, and has started 108 games.

Prediction


Ohio State seems to perform their best this year when their backs are against the wall, and that will certainly be the case today against Wisconsin. Last Saturday not many gave Ohio State a chance against Illinois, but the Buckeyes were able to build a lead against the Fighting Illini and hold off a late charge from the home team.

These days it is extremely tough to get a win in Madison. The Badgers have won 18 of their 19 games at the Kohl Center, and over the last 15 years Wisconsin is 143-27 at home in Big Ten games. Dating back to 2001, Ohio State has lost 13 of their last 16 trips to Madison. Last year Wisconsin secured a regular season sweep of the Buckeyes with a 70-57 win in Madison in February.

The return of C.J. Walker to the lineup would be huge for Ohio State’s chances in this game, but it still might not be enough. Not only will the Buckeyes have to contend with the size Wisconsin will throw at them with Potter, Wahl, and Nate Reuvers, but they’ll also have to contend with the experience in the backcourt that Wisconsin has with Trice and Davison.

Even if Ohio State doesn’t win this game, the sky isn’t falling. The key for the Buckeyes will be to at least stay competitive here. If Ohio State can keep things close in Wisconsin, they can compete anywhere with any team in the Big Ten. A win would be great for Ohio State for Big Ten and NCAA Tournament seeding purposes, but a loss won’t ruin their season.

Ohio State is going to need to be at their best if they want to take down the Badgers in Madison. The Buckeyes are getting better with Ahrens getting more time on the floor, Meechie Johnson getting his feet wet in the college game, and Seth Towns continuing to build up his playing time. Ohio State just isn’t quite to the level Wisconsin is at yet. There’s no shame in losing to the Badgers on their home court, especially with how loaded the Big Ten is this year.

ESPN BPI: Wisconsin 65.3%
4:00 PM ET
TV: CBS

LGHL Score Prediction: 67-62 Wisconsin

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Can Ryan Day work his magic in the transfer portal again this offseason?
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Who could the Buckeyes target if they want to add some playmakers to the roster?

In his first two seasons in Columbus, Ryan Day has brought in some massive additions to the Ohio State roster via the transfer portal. Guys like Justin Fields, Jonah Jackson, and most recently Trey Sermon have made huge contributions as Buckeyes after coming in from elsewhere. With many big names looking for a new home this offseason, Day and his staff will once again have the opportunity to perhaps make a splash in what has become the college football equivalent of NFL free agency.

While it isn’t entirely clear whether or not Ohio State is looking to add new players via the portal this year, there are a number of guys with links to the program who would have a chance to make an instant impact should they wind up in Columbus. The Buckeyes lost a handful of key guys at the conclusion of the 2020 season, and there is certainly reason to consider making a move to shore up some important positions heading into 2021.

Here are a few of the names to keep an eye out for moving forward...

Jalen Green (Cornerback, Texas)

Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Green intercepts a pass against Oklahoma State

Just this week, Longhorns defensive back Jalen Green entered the NCAA transfer portal. A former five-star prospect in the Top247, Green was the No. 6 cornerback and the No. 47 player overall in the 2018 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound DB played in nine games at Texas this past season, recording 14 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and a pass breakup. A veteran of 30 games played in Austin, Green fell out of favor in the rotation a bit in a new scheme under defensive coordinator Chris Ash in 2020.

Ohio State has some prior history with Green, as the program had gone after him hard during his original recruitment. Originally recruited by Kerry Coombs, the Texas native had the Buckeyes in his top five schools as he neared his college decision, but the departure of Coombs to the NFL muddied that relationship and aided in his eventual commitment to the Longhorns instead. Now, with Ohio State searching for answers in the secondary, it isn’t entirely out of the question that the two sides would seek a reunion.

Palaie Gaoteote IV (Linebacker, USC)

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

One of the most intriguing players in the transfer portal is linebacker Palaie Gaoteote. A former five-star prospect in the 2018 class, Gaoteote was the No. 1 ILB and No. 15 player overall in the cycle. He has had some brilliant flashes at USC, starting five games as a freshman in 2018 with 38 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, but injuries have severely hampered his Trojans career. A pair of ankle injuries limited Gaoteote to just seven games as a sophomore, and he played in only two contests in this past shortened PAC-12 season after suffering a concussion in the win against Arizona.

Reportedly Gaoteote has significant interest in Ohio State, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he is the cousin of Buckeyes defensive tackle Haskell Garrett. In addition, a quick look at his Twitter page shows that almost all of his likes in recent weeks are of Ohio State-related posts. Especially at a position where Al Washington is losing all three starting members of his unit, adding a player with the upside of Gaoteote would be a huge boost to the linebacker core in 2021. However, he is not the only transfer LB on the Buckeyes’ radar.

Henry To’o To’o (Linebacker, Tennessee)

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Another guy who falls in that category is Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o. Amid all of the chaos happening within the Vols program, the star linebacker elected to enter the transfer portal this past Wednesday. The No. 3 OLB and the No. 44 player overall in the 2019 class, the former four-star prospect led Tennessee with 68 total tackles this season to go along with 7.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pick-six. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound veteran of 22 starts in two seasons in Knoxville was the Vols’ best defensive player in 2020, and he will be highly sought after in the transfer market.

While schools like Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon and USC appear early to be some of the likely land spots for To’o To’o, don't count out Ohio State just yet. According to Lettermen Row, there have been preliminary discussions between the Buckeyes and the California native, and they expect there to be further conversations in the coming days. None of the linebackers on Ohio State’s current roster have any previous experience as starters on a Power 5 defense, and so adding someone like Gaoteote or To’o To’o could be massive for a unit full of question marks in 2021.

Elias Ricks (Cornerback, LSU)

Gainesville Sun-USA TODAY NETWORK

I was hesitant to throw this one in at all, because Ricks has not yet officially entered his name into the transfer portal, but there has been some smoke that it is a move that could be coming, and if it does become a reality it likely means great things for Ohio State. The former five-star prospect was the No. 2 cornerback and No. 14 overall player in the 2020 class, and the Buckeyes recruited him hard. Even after his commitment to LSU, Ohio State continued to attempt to flip him for months unsuccessfully. If he were to take his talents elsewhere, OSU and USC would be at the top of his list.

They were right in trying to flip the California native, as Ricks was one of the nation’s top cover corners in 2020 as a freshman. In his first year with the Tigers, the 6-foot-2, 196-pound DB hauled in four interceptions — two of which he returned for touchdowns — with five pass breakups. A freshman All-American, Ricks would instantly become the best player in the Ohio State secondary should he decide to leave Baton Rouge. However, as previously stated, nothing is official, and until his name does pop up in the portal, we should assume he will remain at LSU.

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Podcast: Breaking down the impact of Ohio State departures, returns
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Russell Costanza-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Olave and Haskell Garrett coming back are huge, but how will the rest of the roster shake out for 2021?

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


On today’s episode, I chat with Land-Grant Holy Land co-managing editor Gene Ross about the biggest news of the week: which Buckeyes are heading to the NFL and which Buckeyes are coming back for another year in Columbus.

We look at how Chris Olave’s return impacts the wide receiver room and what him being back can tell us about C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller’s — and Kyle McCord’s for that matter — potential to lead the 2021 Buckeyes back to the College Football Playoff.

We also discuss the potential for true-freshman Jack Sawyer to make an impact on the defensive line this fall, while also breaking down what we think the linebacker and defensive back rotations will look like.

Finally, we do a quick run around the draft potential for the Buckeyes now headed to the NFL. Where will players like Justin Fields, Shaun Wade, Tommy Togiai, and Trey Sermon end up at the next level?


Connect with Gene Ross
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23 / @HolyLandPod

Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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buckeyebri said:

If they do one about having to get up multiple times to go to the bathroom I will lose my shit....

Click to expand...

Wouldnt losing your shit come under the heading of NOT getting up to go to the bathroom?

Login to view embedded media Hey, Wisconsin....

“IT'S OHIO STATE.” Mookie Cooper sure isn't the first highly-touted player to transfer out of Ohio State without ever playing a snap, and realistically, he won't be the last. But by all accounts, it seems to be one of the most drama-free departures I've seen in a while.

Based on how his former coach, Arnold Britt, explains his situation, it seems everyone involved understood the roster situation with no ill-feelings, but Mookie just couldn't wait around.

The Buckeyes would eventually kick off a shortened season and reach the College Football Playoff championship game, but Cooper didn’t crack a loaded rotation at receiver. Late in the year, Cooper realized his path to playing time might take longer than he expected, Britt said, especially with how the Buckeyes only played a small core of wideouts. In OSU’s eight games this past season, only three receivers played more than 300 snaps — and all three would return in 2021, including fellow St. Louis native Jameson Williams.

“I told him, ’It’s Ohio State. Not to knock any other schools, but they had a hell of a recruiting class,’” Britt said. “He could wait until his junior year because none of those guys in the Ohio State (receiver) room deserved to lose a starting spot.”

If Cooper stayed, Britt was concerned Ohio State might ask him to gain weight and move to running back. Otherwise, playing time could be sparse.

“And he hasn’t touched the field in two and a half years,” Britt said. “That’s not gonna sit well.”

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...w-he-couldnt-wait-to-play-and-seth-towns-isnt

Years pass and you forget how really good he was (or was too young to remember).

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Yes please.

Let's hope he goes ballistic on Bama

Didn't get my usual game alert and missed this one. Seems like it slipped away much like the NW game... two games now where we should have pulled it out and it makes a big difference in the grand scheme of things. But I guess you could also look at the Illinois game from the outside looking in and think we got away with one there, and to some extent the ND game earlier in the year, so maybe it all equals out. This conference is tough and deep as hell, I suppose these types of losses will happen. Big opportunity on Saturday to right the wrong.

LordJeffBuck said:

Donated 10 boxes

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Thank you!

Buckeyeskickbuttocks said:

Recruits are buzzing about it.

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Like flies on shit

I think that, realistically, if Ohio State can win a championship every 10 years, I'll be happy.
I think if you break any 10-year period down, based on the last 20 years, we can hope/expect to see this:
1-2 national championships,
1-2 losses in championship games (3 total national championship games, with 1-2 wins)
3 more years with losses in first round of playoffs (assuming our current 4-team playoff format)
2 years where the Buckeyes are >right there<. Maybe they lost to Purdue or Iowa or Michigan State or Oklahoma and they're ranked 5-6.
2 years where the luck was with the other guys all year, for who knows what reason. The Buckeyes get 3-4 losses and finish ranked 10-15 or so.

Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then

Chimdi Chekwa and Bryant Browning are opening a Pit BBQ Grille location in Clintonville, plus a stall at North Market Bridge Park:

https://www.dispatch.com/story/busi...-open-latest-pit-bbq-clintonville/6613415002/

Ice storm pics for the win.

Young man looks good in the playoffs. Not sure what the medical staff saw almost 6 years ago but he proved them all wrong. Good for Jamel.

Here's who played how many snaps in the CFP CG and entire season of 2020:

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Buckeye86 said:

Well, upon further review, he’s not even a starter. So I’d say that yes, the backup OLB () is not the focus of their defensive schemes.

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So a backup NFL LB was a starting DT at tsun?

The Reload: Quarterback
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

The combination of the current group of Ohio State quarterbacks and the incoming freshman over the next two seasons helps Coach Day and Coach Dennis build toward the future of the program. They certainly have the talent at their disposal, but even that could be put into jeopardy with a surprise return from Justin Fields. Let’s say he leaves and what do we have left? Who is available to make some noise? Who will come in in the future?

Jack Miller III and C.J. Stroud the understudies to Justin Fields in the 2020 season and they have had their moment when called upon. When games were out of play, they were put in and when each got their shot, the electricity was evident for each. Jack Miller III was the first of the pair to be thrust into the game against Nebraska. He had no pass attempts but carried the ball twice for 23 yards and a score. C.J. Stroud on the other hand played in the Michigan State game and carried the ball once for a 48-yard scamper for six. Both will have a leg up on the incoming players, but even their talent is notable.

Joining Miller and Stroud in the summer, Kyle McCord and is another player that will show up and add to the competition within this position group. McCord, according to 24/7, is a quarterback from Pennsylvania is the #25 overall player in the nation, the third-best quarterback and oh, he’s one of the five five-star players that is coming in. Spicy, but having competition never hurt anyone, especially at a blue blood school like Ohio State.

Looking into the future, we have Quinn Ewers currently committed. Obviously, he is a 2022 recruit and the McCord of the class that will hopefully add to the QB room. He is a big-time player that will be playing in the Texas State Championship Game and he is one of the few players to have a perfect grade of 1.000 on the 24/7 composite. It is still a long way until he signs, but he looks like a gunslinger, and imagine if he is fully developed under Coach Day.

Each of these quarterbacks brings a diverse set of skills. It is up to Coach Day to develop them as men and as players, and the competition this spring will be a storyline to watch. It’ll be a three-way deadlock and the competition will be fierce to be “the man” at Ohio State.

The future at Ohio State is bright. There is no taking away from that. The reload is here. Buckle up.

#GoBucks




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