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MotS&G MOTSAG Pretend College Playoffs: #1 Ohio State vs. #8 Memphis
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MOTSAG Pretend College Playoffs: #1 Ohio State vs. #8 Memphis
Scott 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
A couple seasons ago the pretend college football playoff matchup between top-seeded Ohio State and No. 8 Memphis would have scared the Michigan out of Buckeye fans.
But this isn’t a couple years ago. This is now.
And now does not belong to the Memphis Tigers. The Buckeyes scored on their first play of the game and rolled to a devilish 66-6 win over the AAC champs.
Memphis came in averaging 40 points and 485 yards of offense per game and a stingy defense that allowed less than 200 yards passing per game. All week the Tigers talked about how they felt they could slow down Ohio State’s high-octane offense. They were so confident that after winning the coin toss the deferred and sent their defense on the field first.
Whoops.
Following a 25-yard kick return by Garrett Wilson, JK Dobbins took a pitch from Justin Fields and motored 75 yards for a touchdown. Coach Ryan Day felt that was so easy, he called for a surprising onside kick, which was recovered by Chris Olave near midfield.
Since he made such a nice play on the kick, Day called his number again on the first play of the possession — a slant play that totally burnt the Memphis defense for a long and easy pitch and catch from Fields.
Memphis managed two yards on its next possession and was forced to punt. The Buckeyes took over on their own 35 and methodically marched down the field, covering the 65 yards on 10 plays, using some short runs and passes to physically wear down the Memphis defense.
Both teams punted on their next possessions, ending the first quarter at 21-0 Buckeyes.
With the ball on its own 30, Memphis tried some trickeration as QB Brady White pitched to Kenneth Gainwell, who then attempted a pass back to White.
OSU’s Jordan Fuller had other ideas and picked off the pass at the OSU 30, returning it 70 yards for the score.
Memphis was actually able to move the ball a little on the ensuing drive, partly because OSU had some backups in and partly because the officials were apparently backups as well, calling several bogus penalties.
But the Tigers had a drive stall and settled for a field goal to make it 28-3.
On their next drive, the Buckeyes went 70 yards on five plays, highlighted by a 50-yard from from Dobbins. Fields called his own number to score on a 15-yard run to make it 35-3.
Memphis got another field goal shortly before halftime to make the score 35-6 Buckeyes at halftime.
On the first play of the second half, Gainwell fumbled on the OSU 35.
Two plays later it was 42-6 after Wilson turned a crossing route into a 30-yard score.
That was it for both team’s starters as Day wanted to give some younger guys a chance, while making sure the starters stayed healthy. Memphis Coach Ryan Silverfield waved the provebial white flag as well.
OSU got three TD runs from Master Teague and a field goal to account for the final points.
OSU finished with 710 yards of offense, tons on the ground in the second half, and limited Memphis to 120 total yards.
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Scott 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
A couple seasons ago the pretend college football playoff matchup between top-seeded Ohio State and No. 8 Memphis would have scared the Michigan out of Buckeye fans.
But this isn’t a couple years ago. This is now.
And now does not belong to the Memphis Tigers. The Buckeyes scored on their first play of the game and rolled to a devilish 66-6 win over the AAC champs.
Memphis came in averaging 40 points and 485 yards of offense per game and a stingy defense that allowed less than 200 yards passing per game. All week the Tigers talked about how they felt they could slow down Ohio State’s high-octane offense. They were so confident that after winning the coin toss the deferred and sent their defense on the field first.
Whoops.
Following a 25-yard kick return by Garrett Wilson, JK Dobbins took a pitch from Justin Fields and motored 75 yards for a touchdown. Coach Ryan Day felt that was so easy, he called for a surprising onside kick, which was recovered by Chris Olave near midfield.
Since he made such a nice play on the kick, Day called his number again on the first play of the possession — a slant play that totally burnt the Memphis defense for a long and easy pitch and catch from Fields.
Memphis managed two yards on its next possession and was forced to punt. The Buckeyes took over on their own 35 and methodically marched down the field, covering the 65 yards on 10 plays, using some short runs and passes to physically wear down the Memphis defense.
Both teams punted on their next possessions, ending the first quarter at 21-0 Buckeyes.
With the ball on its own 30, Memphis tried some trickeration as QB Brady White pitched to Kenneth Gainwell, who then attempted a pass back to White.
OSU’s Jordan Fuller had other ideas and picked off the pass at the OSU 30, returning it 70 yards for the score.
Memphis was actually able to move the ball a little on the ensuing drive, partly because OSU had some backups in and partly because the officials were apparently backups as well, calling several bogus penalties.
But the Tigers had a drive stall and settled for a field goal to make it 28-3.
On their next drive, the Buckeyes went 70 yards on five plays, highlighted by a 50-yard from from Dobbins. Fields called his own number to score on a 15-yard run to make it 35-3.
Memphis got another field goal shortly before halftime to make the score 35-6 Buckeyes at halftime.
On the first play of the second half, Gainwell fumbled on the OSU 35.
Two plays later it was 42-6 after Wilson turned a crossing route into a 30-yard score.
That was it for both team’s starters as Day wanted to give some younger guys a chance, while making sure the starters stayed healthy. Memphis Coach Ryan Silverfield waved the provebial white flag as well.
OSU got three TD runs from Master Teague and a field goal to account for the final points.
OSU finished with 710 yards of offense, tons on the ground in the second half, and limited Memphis to 120 total yards.
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MotS&G MOTSAG Pretend College Football Playoffs: #6 Utah vs. #3 Clemson
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MOTSAG Pretend College Football Playoffs: #6 Utah vs. #3 Clemson
Charles 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
Great defense vs a great offense always makes for an intriguing matchup. Do the heralded units cancel each other out, which of the unsung, or at least less-sung, units steps up to make the difference? This quarterfinal game will provide an answer as the powerful defense of 6th seeded Utah faces off against the high-powered offense of 3rd seeded Clemson. Clemson enjoyed a first round bye while Utah pulled off a close win against Florida Atlantic in the opening round.
Clemson got the ball to start the game and was promptly shut down by the Utah defense, going three and out. Clemson got off a good punt but Utah broke a nice 25-yard return to give their offense the ball near midfield. An efficient mix of run and pass plays followed, capped off with Tyler Hunting find Jaylen Dixon open in the endzone for a touchdown to put Utah up 7-0. Clemson’s quick strike ability was on display on the next drive as two plays gained them over 50 yards but Utah’s defense stiffened and held the Tigers to a field goal.
The two teams traded punts for the next several possessions with Clemson slowly winning the field position battle. Midway through the second quarter, the Tigers capitalized, getting the ball near midfield and going on a quick 5 play drive capped by Trevor Lawrence scampering into the endzone to put Clemson up 10-7. That would mark all of the scoring in the first half as the defenses held sway.
Utah opened the third quarter with the ball and found a bit of offensive success, moving the ball into Clemson territory before being forced to punt. A big stop by the Utah defense on 3rd and 3 led to a short Clemson punt, giving the Utes great field position. They once again capitalized as star running back Zack Moss ran over Clemson’s defense, ultimately finding the endzone to put Utah back on top 14-10. The Utah defense snuffed the next two Tiger drives and suddenly all the momentum seemed to be with the Ute’s who once again found themselves with good field position to start a drive. Unfortunately, quarterback Tyler Huntley’s first down pass was intercepted and the Tigers wasted no time, taking advantage of the short field to retake the lead, 17-14 thanks to a Travis Etienne touchdown run. Huntley, clearly rattled, threw another interception on Utah’s next drive and Clemson looked positioned to take complete control. However, the Utah defense held, forcing a field goal to keep it a one score game, 20-14.
Clemson had another scoring opportunity early in the fourth quarter but missed a 44-yard field goal. The Utes took advantage, using a big pass from Huntley to Brant Kuithe to get them deep into Clemson territory. Three successive runs were stuffed and Utah had to settle for a field goal to pull within three, 20-17. The momentum swung again as a promising Clemson drive fizzled out, ending in another missed field goal and Utah responded with a run dominated drive that ended in a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 20. Another defensive stop gave Utah the ball with a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter but they couldn’t capitalize, giving the ball back to Clemson with two minutes to go. We were set with the ultimate showdown, tied game, clock running down, and a great offense with the ball facing a great defense. The Utah defense had been stellar for most of the game, coming up with key stops to keep the Utes in the game but the battle had worn them down and the Clemson offense moved quickly and easily as Lawrence completed four straight passes, the last one to Justyn Ross in the back corner of the endzone. Clemson led 27-20 but there was still 30 seconds left on the clock, giving Utah one more chance. All season the Utah offense had hung its hat on being well balanced and using the run to set up the pass; something they couldn’t take advantage of with so little time on the clock. The Utes hit a couple short passes but couldn’t get find anything open downfield as time ran out, giving Clemson the win, 27-20.
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Charles 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
Great defense vs a great offense always makes for an intriguing matchup. Do the heralded units cancel each other out, which of the unsung, or at least less-sung, units steps up to make the difference? This quarterfinal game will provide an answer as the powerful defense of 6th seeded Utah faces off against the high-powered offense of 3rd seeded Clemson. Clemson enjoyed a first round bye while Utah pulled off a close win against Florida Atlantic in the opening round.
Clemson got the ball to start the game and was promptly shut down by the Utah defense, going three and out. Clemson got off a good punt but Utah broke a nice 25-yard return to give their offense the ball near midfield. An efficient mix of run and pass plays followed, capped off with Tyler Hunting find Jaylen Dixon open in the endzone for a touchdown to put Utah up 7-0. Clemson’s quick strike ability was on display on the next drive as two plays gained them over 50 yards but Utah’s defense stiffened and held the Tigers to a field goal.
The two teams traded punts for the next several possessions with Clemson slowly winning the field position battle. Midway through the second quarter, the Tigers capitalized, getting the ball near midfield and going on a quick 5 play drive capped by Trevor Lawrence scampering into the endzone to put Clemson up 10-7. That would mark all of the scoring in the first half as the defenses held sway.
Utah opened the third quarter with the ball and found a bit of offensive success, moving the ball into Clemson territory before being forced to punt. A big stop by the Utah defense on 3rd and 3 led to a short Clemson punt, giving the Utes great field position. They once again capitalized as star running back Zack Moss ran over Clemson’s defense, ultimately finding the endzone to put Utah back on top 14-10. The Utah defense snuffed the next two Tiger drives and suddenly all the momentum seemed to be with the Ute’s who once again found themselves with good field position to start a drive. Unfortunately, quarterback Tyler Huntley’s first down pass was intercepted and the Tigers wasted no time, taking advantage of the short field to retake the lead, 17-14 thanks to a Travis Etienne touchdown run. Huntley, clearly rattled, threw another interception on Utah’s next drive and Clemson looked positioned to take complete control. However, the Utah defense held, forcing a field goal to keep it a one score game, 20-14.
Clemson had another scoring opportunity early in the fourth quarter but missed a 44-yard field goal. The Utes took advantage, using a big pass from Huntley to Brant Kuithe to get them deep into Clemson territory. Three successive runs were stuffed and Utah had to settle for a field goal to pull within three, 20-17. The momentum swung again as a promising Clemson drive fizzled out, ending in another missed field goal and Utah responded with a run dominated drive that ended in a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 20. Another defensive stop gave Utah the ball with a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter but they couldn’t capitalize, giving the ball back to Clemson with two minutes to go. We were set with the ultimate showdown, tied game, clock running down, and a great offense with the ball facing a great defense. The Utah defense had been stellar for most of the game, coming up with key stops to keep the Utes in the game but the battle had worn them down and the Clemson offense moved quickly and easily as Lawrence completed four straight passes, the last one to Justyn Ross in the back corner of the endzone. Clemson led 27-20 but there was still 30 seconds left on the clock, giving Utah one more chance. All season the Utah offense had hung its hat on being well balanced and using the run to set up the pass; something they couldn’t take advantage of with so little time on the clock. The Utes hit a couple short passes but couldn’t get find anything open downfield as time ran out, giving Clemson the win, 27-20.
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MotS&G MOTSAG Pretend College Football Playoffs: #5 Georgia vs. #4 Oklahoma
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MOTSAG Pretend College Football Playoffs: #5 Georgia vs. #4 Oklahoma
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
In a battle for conference supremacy this round pits #4 Oklahoma up against #5 Georgia. Oklahoma got some much needed rest as Georgia ran managed to stave off Miami (OH) with a clutch field goal and a crucial defensive stop to end their dreams of advancing.
These two teams have explosive offenses and the last time both of these teams met was in the Rose Bowl the 2017-2018 season. That very game was a barn burner and it ended in a 54-48, double overtime thriller. This years hypothetical matchup would future a familiar foe for Georgia in Jalen Hurts, the former Alabama quarterback. Jake Fromm versus Jalen Hurts vie for a shot to advance.
During the coin toss, the calm before the storm was evident. Both teams stand tall, calm and stoic and Georgia calls the toss and defers giving Hurts the balls first. After a touchback in the opening kickoff Hurts approaches the huddle and calls the play out. Georgia, who had struggled against inferior opponents finds themselves with their pants down on the opening snap. Boom! Hurts finds Lamb on a slant and he takes it to the house for six. On the ensuing kickoff, Swift nearly provides an immediate answer as he takes it to the 50 yard line. Georgia takes their times during the drive, but is stopped in the red zone. Blankenship puts the Bulldogs on the board.
Hurts starts at the 30 on this drive and he leans on Sermon and Brooks and they drive to the 30 before adding three to their lead. Fromm begins the drive and he finds George Pickens on a streak to tie the contest at 10-10. Georgia usually struggles with the quick scoring game, but the cheating safety misjudged Pickens’ speed and got burnt for six.
Hurts controls the current drive late into the first quarter with a balance of QB option runs and timing routes and they are knocking at the door before the quarter came to a close. To open the second quarter, Brooks finds the seam and he barges in for a touchdown. Georgia’s defense was just bloodied in the last drive and the Bulldog’s got them some well deserved rest as they use up the majority of the second quarter before Swift plunges it into the end zone with a little over two minutes left in the half.
In a 17 all game, Hurts runs the two minute drill to perfection. Finding his running backs on swing passes before finding Lamb once again for a touchdown, Hurts puts his teams back up 24-17 before Fromm took a knee to send it into the half. To open the second half, Georgia came out firing. Fromm finds Cager in the seams at will, but in the red zone, Fromm forces a errant pass over the middle that ended up becoming a pick-six–Oklahoma extends their lead to 31-17.
On Fromm’s next possession, the timing and the momentum was all in the Sooners’ favor as they end up punting in the next three possessions. Both teams are struggling to find a rhythm on offense but the defenses are playing lights out. Hurts’ team has the ball late into the third quarter and he loses the exchange with Brooks and Georgia recovers. Three players later, Swift breaks through for a 20 yard dash to the end zone to cut the lead to 24-31.
The Sooners respond with a strike to Charleston Rambo to put them back up by double-digits early in the fourth quarter. Georgia tried to respond, but after back-to-back drive ending interceptions by Kenneth Murray and Brendan Radley-Hines, the Bulldogs fall 38-24. The same turnover-prone quarterback play resurfaced and Fromm just couldn’t put it all together. The Sooners get their revenge and advance.
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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
In a battle for conference supremacy this round pits #4 Oklahoma up against #5 Georgia. Oklahoma got some much needed rest as Georgia ran managed to stave off Miami (OH) with a clutch field goal and a crucial defensive stop to end their dreams of advancing.
These two teams have explosive offenses and the last time both of these teams met was in the Rose Bowl the 2017-2018 season. That very game was a barn burner and it ended in a 54-48, double overtime thriller. This years hypothetical matchup would future a familiar foe for Georgia in Jalen Hurts, the former Alabama quarterback. Jake Fromm versus Jalen Hurts vie for a shot to advance.
During the coin toss, the calm before the storm was evident. Both teams stand tall, calm and stoic and Georgia calls the toss and defers giving Hurts the balls first. After a touchback in the opening kickoff Hurts approaches the huddle and calls the play out. Georgia, who had struggled against inferior opponents finds themselves with their pants down on the opening snap. Boom! Hurts finds Lamb on a slant and he takes it to the house for six. On the ensuing kickoff, Swift nearly provides an immediate answer as he takes it to the 50 yard line. Georgia takes their times during the drive, but is stopped in the red zone. Blankenship puts the Bulldogs on the board.
Hurts starts at the 30 on this drive and he leans on Sermon and Brooks and they drive to the 30 before adding three to their lead. Fromm begins the drive and he finds George Pickens on a streak to tie the contest at 10-10. Georgia usually struggles with the quick scoring game, but the cheating safety misjudged Pickens’ speed and got burnt for six.
Hurts controls the current drive late into the first quarter with a balance of QB option runs and timing routes and they are knocking at the door before the quarter came to a close. To open the second quarter, Brooks finds the seam and he barges in for a touchdown. Georgia’s defense was just bloodied in the last drive and the Bulldog’s got them some well deserved rest as they use up the majority of the second quarter before Swift plunges it into the end zone with a little over two minutes left in the half.
In a 17 all game, Hurts runs the two minute drill to perfection. Finding his running backs on swing passes before finding Lamb once again for a touchdown, Hurts puts his teams back up 24-17 before Fromm took a knee to send it into the half. To open the second half, Georgia came out firing. Fromm finds Cager in the seams at will, but in the red zone, Fromm forces a errant pass over the middle that ended up becoming a pick-six–Oklahoma extends their lead to 31-17.
On Fromm’s next possession, the timing and the momentum was all in the Sooners’ favor as they end up punting in the next three possessions. Both teams are struggling to find a rhythm on offense but the defenses are playing lights out. Hurts’ team has the ball late into the third quarter and he loses the exchange with Brooks and Georgia recovers. Three players later, Swift breaks through for a 20 yard dash to the end zone to cut the lead to 24-31.
The Sooners respond with a strike to Charleston Rambo to put them back up by double-digits early in the fourth quarter. Georgia tried to respond, but after back-to-back drive ending interceptions by Kenneth Murray and Brendan Radley-Hines, the Bulldogs fall 38-24. The same turnover-prone quarterback play resurfaced and Fromm just couldn’t put it all together. The Sooners get their revenge and advance.
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MotS&G MOTSAG Pretend CFP Playoffs: Quarter finals; #2 LSU versus #7 Oregon
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MOTSAG Pretend CFP Playoffs: Quarter finals; #2 LSU versus #7 Oregon
Chris 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
This should be a match-up for the ages as far as playoff games go in this first ever quarter final, but #7 Oregon hasn’t had much of a break after winning the PAC12 championship game and coming right back and playing a very game Appalachian State the following week in a play-in game.
Justin Herbert had to lead the ducks down the field on the final drive to defeat the Mountaineers 35-28.
These two teams met in 2011 and it was mostly the Tigers as they won 40-27.
Joe Burrow and his on fire Tigers of the Bayou have had a nice rest since rolling over Jake Fromm and the Georgia Bulldogs 37-10 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta, Georgia and appear perched for a run to possibly meet his former Buckeyes in the final.
First Quarter – The Tigers wasted little time scoring and Joe Burrow had nothing to do with it. On the first play from scrimmage for the Ducks, Derek Stingley Jr. stepped in front of an Justin Herbert quick out and took it to the house 27 yards later. The next drive by the Ducks stalled at their own 43 and after a 45 yard punt, Joe burrow and the guys took over at their 17.
The expected winner of the Heisman Trophy completed a 12 play 83 yard drive eating most of the first quarter clock and made the score 14-0 at the end of one.
Second Quarter – Justin Herbert, Oregon’s all-time leader in pass completions (827) and pass attempts (1,293), took a golden opportunity after a great kick-off return by Mykael Wright for 65 yards to LSU’s 35 yard line and then connected with Johnny Johnson III on a 35 yard scoring strike and pulled within 7 at 14-7.
That lasted for all of 15 seconds as Edwards-Helaire return the kick-off for a 100 yard score and put the Tigers back up two scores 21-7. That’s would be the score at the half and neither team had much offensive statistics to boast. Herbert finished 4-9 for 57 yards, one pick-six and one score. Joe Burrow wasn’t much better but was enjoying a perfect day throwing the ball, 8 of 8 for 75 yards and one score.
Third Quarter – Joe Burrow and the tigers got the second half kick-off and did what they have been doing all season. Continuing to be perfect in the passing category, he lead the team down the field and finished the drive with a 7 yard TD toss to a wide open Thaddeus Moss all but sealing the Duck’s fate. 35 – 7
Fourth Quarter – Justin Herbert tried to make things better for his draft prospects but finished he day with two pick-sixes and two scored himself finishing with stats he’d probably like to forget. Joe burrow finally had an incompletion but did what he has been doing to defenses all season. The former Buckeye finished the day 15 of 18 for 234 yards and three scores. Final Score from the Bayou, Tigers 42 the Ducks 14.
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Chris 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
This should be a match-up for the ages as far as playoff games go in this first ever quarter final, but #7 Oregon hasn’t had much of a break after winning the PAC12 championship game and coming right back and playing a very game Appalachian State the following week in a play-in game.
Justin Herbert had to lead the ducks down the field on the final drive to defeat the Mountaineers 35-28.
These two teams met in 2011 and it was mostly the Tigers as they won 40-27.
Joe Burrow and his on fire Tigers of the Bayou have had a nice rest since rolling over Jake Fromm and the Georgia Bulldogs 37-10 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta, Georgia and appear perched for a run to possibly meet his former Buckeyes in the final.
First Quarter – The Tigers wasted little time scoring and Joe Burrow had nothing to do with it. On the first play from scrimmage for the Ducks, Derek Stingley Jr. stepped in front of an Justin Herbert quick out and took it to the house 27 yards later. The next drive by the Ducks stalled at their own 43 and after a 45 yard punt, Joe burrow and the guys took over at their 17.
The expected winner of the Heisman Trophy completed a 12 play 83 yard drive eating most of the first quarter clock and made the score 14-0 at the end of one.
Second Quarter – Justin Herbert, Oregon’s all-time leader in pass completions (827) and pass attempts (1,293), took a golden opportunity after a great kick-off return by Mykael Wright for 65 yards to LSU’s 35 yard line and then connected with Johnny Johnson III on a 35 yard scoring strike and pulled within 7 at 14-7.
That lasted for all of 15 seconds as Edwards-Helaire return the kick-off for a 100 yard score and put the Tigers back up two scores 21-7. That’s would be the score at the half and neither team had much offensive statistics to boast. Herbert finished 4-9 for 57 yards, one pick-six and one score. Joe Burrow wasn’t much better but was enjoying a perfect day throwing the ball, 8 of 8 for 75 yards and one score.
Third Quarter – Joe Burrow and the tigers got the second half kick-off and did what they have been doing all season. Continuing to be perfect in the passing category, he lead the team down the field and finished the drive with a 7 yard TD toss to a wide open Thaddeus Moss all but sealing the Duck’s fate. 35 – 7
Fourth Quarter – Justin Herbert tried to make things better for his draft prospects but finished he day with two pick-sixes and two scored himself finishing with stats he’d probably like to forget. Joe burrow finally had an incompletion but did what he has been doing to defenses all season. The former Buckeye finished the day 15 of 18 for 234 yards and three scores. Final Score from the Bayou, Tigers 42 the Ducks 14.
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LGHL Ohio State heavily targeting five-star center
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Ohio State heavily targeting five-star center
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Andrews Osborne Academy center Charles Bediako | FIBA
The Buckeyes recently completed another virtual visit with a top basketball prospect
The Ohio State football program celebrated with fireworks of their own this Memorial Day weekend. The Buckeyes secured their 19th verbal commitment in their 2021 recruiting class when four-star athlete Denzel Burke announced he would continue his football career in Columbus.
The addition separated Ohio State even further from the field in the 247Sports class rankings, and Burke is now the 15th top-200 player to commit to Day and the program.
However, the football team was not the only sport hitting the recruiting trail during the extended weekend. Chris Holtmann and the basketball Buckeyes have gotten off to a quick start in the 2021 recruiting class and continued to do so last weekend.
Jake Weingarten of stockrisers.com reported that Ohio State completed another virtual visit with five-star center Charles Bediako (St. Catharines, ON/Andrews Osborne Academy).
Source: Ohio State’s staff just completed another virtual visit with five-star junior Charles Bediako. They’ve completed multiple, are targeting him heavily.
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) May 24, 2020
Bediako is both one of the top talents in the nation and one of Ohio State’s top targets in the class. He is listed as the No. 4 center and the No. 22 overall prospect of the 2021 recruiting class.
In addition to the five-star ranking, Bediako’s play has also earned him an impressive offer letter. Alongside Ohio State, he holds offers from the likes of Maryland, Illinois, Rutgers, Duke, Louisville, USC, Arizona State, TCU, Baylor, USC, Tennessee, Alabama and a handful of others.
Currently, there have been no Crystal Ball predictions made for him on 247Sports. However, Holtmann and Co. have made Bediako a priority and it appears the interest is mutual, giving the Buckeyes a legitimate chance of securing a commitment from him in the future.
Bediako will likely wait to make a decision to see if he is able to make in-person visits with his schools of choice.
The five-star prospect would make for a great addition to Ohio State’s already No. 5-ranked recruiting class, already holding verbal commits from four-star combo-guard Meechie Johnson and three-star power forward Kalen Etzler.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes recently completed another virtual visit with a top basketball prospect
The Ohio State football program celebrated with fireworks of their own this Memorial Day weekend. The Buckeyes secured their 19th verbal commitment in their 2021 recruiting class when four-star athlete Denzel Burke announced he would continue his football career in Columbus.
The addition separated Ohio State even further from the field in the 247Sports class rankings, and Burke is now the 15th top-200 player to commit to Day and the program.
However, the football team was not the only sport hitting the recruiting trail during the extended weekend. Chris Holtmann and the basketball Buckeyes have gotten off to a quick start in the 2021 recruiting class and continued to do so last weekend.
Jake Weingarten of stockrisers.com reported that Ohio State completed another virtual visit with five-star center Charles Bediako (St. Catharines, ON/Andrews Osborne Academy).
Source: Ohio State’s staff just completed another virtual visit with five-star junior Charles Bediako. They’ve completed multiple, are targeting him heavily.
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) May 24, 2020
Bediako is both one of the top talents in the nation and one of Ohio State’s top targets in the class. He is listed as the No. 4 center and the No. 22 overall prospect of the 2021 recruiting class.
In addition to the five-star ranking, Bediako’s play has also earned him an impressive offer letter. Alongside Ohio State, he holds offers from the likes of Maryland, Illinois, Rutgers, Duke, Louisville, USC, Arizona State, TCU, Baylor, USC, Tennessee, Alabama and a handful of others.
Currently, there have been no Crystal Ball predictions made for him on 247Sports. However, Holtmann and Co. have made Bediako a priority and it appears the interest is mutual, giving the Buckeyes a legitimate chance of securing a commitment from him in the future.
Bediako will likely wait to make a decision to see if he is able to make in-person visits with his schools of choice.
The five-star prospect would make for a great addition to Ohio State’s already No. 5-ranked recruiting class, already holding verbal commits from four-star combo-guard Meechie Johnson and three-star power forward Kalen Etzler.
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LGHL Buckeye Bits: Impact of Denzel Burke’s commitment, Harry Miller is a man of many talents, more
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Buckeye Bits: Impact of Denzel Burke’s commitment, Harry Miller is a man of many talents, more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.
Happy Memorial Day, friends! In between grilling out, playing corn hole, sitting around the bonfire, taking the boat out, or whatever else you’re doing on this lovely holiday, please take a moment to honor what this day is really about.
Today on Memorial Day, we honor all who gave their lives for our freedom. We are forever grateful for their sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/5uXmwVbZSU
— Ohio State (@ohiostate) May 25, 2020
In other news (literally), let’s take a look at what our friends around the Ohio State beat have been up to over this holiday weekend.
From around Land-Grant Holy Land...
What if there had been a 2020 NCAA Tournament? Predicting the madness that never was
Connor Lemons, LGHL
Just when you’re finally starting to get over the heartbreak from the 2020 NCAA Tournament getting cancelled, Connor goes and writes about what could have been.
Column: I kind of miss Ohio State being an underdog
Matt Tamanini, LGHL
To cap off last week’s underdog theme, Matt wrote about why he misses the excitement and satisfaction that being an underdog brings. Sorry, Matt. I don’t think you’re going to be feeling any of that excitement anytime soon.
Podcast: I Want to Go Back - A Legend Arrives on Campus
Jim Baird, LGHL
In the second episode of Jim’s podcast series I Want to Go Back, he walks us through the time Ohio State turned to a new head coach to guide them in their first season of play in the Western Conference.
Just how important is Trey Sermon to Ohio State’s plans this season?
Gene Ross, LGHL
Spoiler: Pretty important. Gene writes about the Buckeyes’ running back room, what Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon brings to said room, and whether or not he has the potential to replace the infamous J.K. Dobbins.
From around the gridiron...
Analyzing impact of Denzel Burke committing to Ohio State
Birm, Lettermen Row
In case ya missed it, Denzel Burke—a four-star athlete from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro High School and one of the country’s top-ranked 2021 prospects— committed to Ohio State on Sunday despite never making an in-person visit.
Birm of Lettermen Row writes about what Burke brings to the table and how his commitment impacts Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class.
Seven recruits who could be next to commit to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Speaking of the 2021 class, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts predicts the seven prospects who may be next to announce their commitment to Ohio State.
With Burke’s commitment, Ohio State now has 19 commits in its class, nine of which are top 2021 recruits. Now, Ohio State running back commitment TreVeyon Henderson wants to know...
Potentially overlooked players at every position who could make an impact for Ohio State in 2020
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Similar to the article our Gene Ross wrote last week in honor of Underdog Week, Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors took a look at one Buckeye from five position groups on both offense and defense who have the potential to make a name for themselves this year.
This is one of those times where, if you read this article and then one of the players listed has a breakout game, you can be like “oh yeah, I totally knew he was good, like, way before everyone else.”
Michigan president says no college football in the fall if students aren’t on campus
Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire
After a week filled with nothing but hopeful news, leave it to Michigan to put a damper on everyone else’s fun. This obviously brought about some good tweets, as you can imagine:
Can’t lose to Ohio State if you don’t play them. pic.twitter.com/H3tzgLpaY0
— Klondike (@baconballs3) May 24, 2020
College football has hurdles to clear in making safe return this fall
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Now that the first steps have been taken by the NCAA, various conferences and schools toward a possible football season this fall, the question remains: How will it work?
Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch asked several medical experts how football can return safely, considering the entire sport is based on contact.
The most valuable guard returning to college football in 2020:
Ohio State's Wyatt Davis pic.twitter.com/gNdKSr9lOb
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 23, 2020
Pro Football Focus named Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis its most valuable returning guard in college football for the 2020 season.
After a dominant season as a redshirt sophomore in 2019, with 459 pass-blocking snaps and zero sacks allowed, this should come as no surprise.
I’d argue Harry Miller is also a valuable returning guard...for many reasons.
I’ve been bored in quarantine so I’m gonna start a thread of the music I’ve been putting together.
“Watermelon Sugar” - @Harry_Styles pic.twitter.com/3sXduefrPy
— Harry Miller (@h_miller76) May 25, 2020
My favorite is the extra screen he filled with him just snacking on watermelon.
From around the hardwood...
National sites update projections for 2020-21 Ohio State hoops
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Since the NCAA extended their former June 3 deadline for basketball players who have declared for the draft to announce a return to their college program, some college programs’ rosters are a little unpredictable at the moment.
So, if we have to eat, drink and sleep roster projections until we know what the heck is happening, then so be it. Steve Helwagen of Bucknuts rounded up some of the recent projections of Ohio State’s roster from national websites, along with schedule updates.
A little pick-me-up from Carmen’s Crew.
If you need a pick-me-up today, here’s the exact moment we won TBT 2019! pic.twitter.com/P4q3k5P34Q
— Car
en’s Crew (@CarmensCrew) May 25, 2020
Anyone else pumped for this season of TBT?!
From everywhere else...
Cannon Kingsley is an amazing name for a tennis player.
For the first time, a Buckeye has been named the ITA National Rookie of the Year. Congrats Cannon! #GoBucks
LINK: https://t.co/IMhfxyie1k pic.twitter.com/SpHdA9riDN
— Ohio State M Tennis (@OhioStateMTEN) May 25, 2020
After his first season as a Buckeye, Ohio State freshman Cannon Kingsley was given the nation’s top award for a rookie as he was named the ITA National Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Ohio State freshman to be named national rookie of the year and the fourth freshman to earn All-American honors.
Check out all of Kingsley’s 2019-20 accomplishments via the link in the tweet above, because it is literally too long to list here.
We know.
Top 10 College Football Towns (2020)
1 Ohio State (Columbus)
2 Arizona State (Tempe)
3 Tennessee (Knoxville)
4 UCF (Orlando)
5 Nebraska (Lincoln)
6 Georgia (Athens)
7 Penn State (State College)
8 LSU (Baton Rouge)
9 West Virginia (Morgantown)
10 Texas A&M (College Station)
— College Football Quotes (@cfbquotes) May 25, 2020
Not sure how valid or official this rankings list is, but hey, we’ll take it.
My goosebumps’ goosebumps have goosebumps.
Wow, I miss sports.
Continue reading...
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.
Happy Memorial Day, friends! In between grilling out, playing corn hole, sitting around the bonfire, taking the boat out, or whatever else you’re doing on this lovely holiday, please take a moment to honor what this day is really about.
Today on Memorial Day, we honor all who gave their lives for our freedom. We are forever grateful for their sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/5uXmwVbZSU
— Ohio State (@ohiostate) May 25, 2020
In other news (literally), let’s take a look at what our friends around the Ohio State beat have been up to over this holiday weekend.
From around Land-Grant Holy Land...
What if there had been a 2020 NCAA Tournament? Predicting the madness that never was
Connor Lemons, LGHL
Just when you’re finally starting to get over the heartbreak from the 2020 NCAA Tournament getting cancelled, Connor goes and writes about what could have been.
Column: I kind of miss Ohio State being an underdog
Matt Tamanini, LGHL
To cap off last week’s underdog theme, Matt wrote about why he misses the excitement and satisfaction that being an underdog brings. Sorry, Matt. I don’t think you’re going to be feeling any of that excitement anytime soon.
Podcast: I Want to Go Back - A Legend Arrives on Campus
Jim Baird, LGHL
In the second episode of Jim’s podcast series I Want to Go Back, he walks us through the time Ohio State turned to a new head coach to guide them in their first season of play in the Western Conference.
Just how important is Trey Sermon to Ohio State’s plans this season?
Gene Ross, LGHL
Spoiler: Pretty important. Gene writes about the Buckeyes’ running back room, what Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon brings to said room, and whether or not he has the potential to replace the infamous J.K. Dobbins.
From around the gridiron...
Analyzing impact of Denzel Burke committing to Ohio State
Birm, Lettermen Row
In case ya missed it, Denzel Burke—a four-star athlete from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro High School and one of the country’s top-ranked 2021 prospects— committed to Ohio State on Sunday despite never making an in-person visit.
Birm of Lettermen Row writes about what Burke brings to the table and how his commitment impacts Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class.
Seven recruits who could be next to commit to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Speaking of the 2021 class, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts predicts the seven prospects who may be next to announce their commitment to Ohio State.
With Burke’s commitment, Ohio State now has 19 commits in its class, nine of which are top 2021 recruits. Now, Ohio State running back commitment TreVeyon Henderson wants to know...
Potentially overlooked players at every position who could make an impact for Ohio State in 2020
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Similar to the article our Gene Ross wrote last week in honor of Underdog Week, Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors took a look at one Buckeye from five position groups on both offense and defense who have the potential to make a name for themselves this year.
This is one of those times where, if you read this article and then one of the players listed has a breakout game, you can be like “oh yeah, I totally knew he was good, like, way before everyone else.”
Michigan president says no college football in the fall if students aren’t on campus
Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire
After a week filled with nothing but hopeful news, leave it to Michigan to put a damper on everyone else’s fun. This obviously brought about some good tweets, as you can imagine:
Can’t lose to Ohio State if you don’t play them. pic.twitter.com/H3tzgLpaY0
— Klondike (@baconballs3) May 24, 2020
College football has hurdles to clear in making safe return this fall
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Now that the first steps have been taken by the NCAA, various conferences and schools toward a possible football season this fall, the question remains: How will it work?
Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch asked several medical experts how football can return safely, considering the entire sport is based on contact.
The most valuable guard returning to college football in 2020:
Ohio State's Wyatt Davis pic.twitter.com/gNdKSr9lOb
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 23, 2020
Pro Football Focus named Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis its most valuable returning guard in college football for the 2020 season.
After a dominant season as a redshirt sophomore in 2019, with 459 pass-blocking snaps and zero sacks allowed, this should come as no surprise.
I’d argue Harry Miller is also a valuable returning guard...for many reasons.
I’ve been bored in quarantine so I’m gonna start a thread of the music I’ve been putting together.
“Watermelon Sugar” - @Harry_Styles pic.twitter.com/3sXduefrPy
— Harry Miller (@h_miller76) May 25, 2020
My favorite is the extra screen he filled with him just snacking on watermelon.
From around the hardwood...
National sites update projections for 2020-21 Ohio State hoops
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Since the NCAA extended their former June 3 deadline for basketball players who have declared for the draft to announce a return to their college program, some college programs’ rosters are a little unpredictable at the moment.
So, if we have to eat, drink and sleep roster projections until we know what the heck is happening, then so be it. Steve Helwagen of Bucknuts rounded up some of the recent projections of Ohio State’s roster from national websites, along with schedule updates.
A little pick-me-up from Carmen’s Crew.
If you need a pick-me-up today, here’s the exact moment we won TBT 2019! pic.twitter.com/P4q3k5P34Q
— Car
en’s Crew (@CarmensCrew) May 25, 2020Anyone else pumped for this season of TBT?!
From everywhere else...
Cannon Kingsley is an amazing name for a tennis player.
For the first time, a Buckeye has been named the ITA National Rookie of the Year. Congrats Cannon! #GoBucks
LINK: https://t.co/IMhfxyie1k pic.twitter.com/SpHdA9riDN
— Ohio State M Tennis (@OhioStateMTEN) May 25, 2020
After his first season as a Buckeye, Ohio State freshman Cannon Kingsley was given the nation’s top award for a rookie as he was named the ITA National Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Ohio State freshman to be named national rookie of the year and the fourth freshman to earn All-American honors.
Check out all of Kingsley’s 2019-20 accomplishments via the link in the tweet above, because it is literally too long to list here.
We know.
Top 10 College Football Towns (2020)
1 Ohio State (Columbus)
2 Arizona State (Tempe)
3 Tennessee (Knoxville)
4 UCF (Orlando)
5 Nebraska (Lincoln)
6 Georgia (Athens)
7 Penn State (State College)
8 LSU (Baton Rouge)
9 West Virginia (Morgantown)
10 Texas A&M (College Station)
— College Football Quotes (@cfbquotes) May 25, 2020
Not sure how valid or official this rankings list is, but hey, we’ll take it.
My goosebumps’ goosebumps have goosebumps.
Wow, I miss sports.
Continue reading...
LGHL Just how important is Trey Sermon to Ohio State’s plans this season?
- News
- 0 Replies
Just how important is Trey Sermon to Ohio State’s plans this season?
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 Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Replacing J.K. Dobbins will be no easy task for the Buckeye backfield
Ohio State expects to compete for a national title in 2020, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t come without its fair share of question marks. While many expect the Buckeyes offense to dominate this upcoming season with a returning Justin Fields and a stacked receiver core, there is still a bit of cause for concern surrounding the running back position.
It’s mostly uncharted territory for OSU in the past few years, as since 2017 they have been able to rely on the trustworthy legs of J.K. Dobbins. After Mike Weber began that season with an injury, a true freshman Dobbins got the rock for the very first time in the opener against Indiana. That night in Bloomington, the Texas native ran for 181 yards as he instantly burst onto the scene. He’d finish his freshman campaign with over 1,400 yards rushing despite having less than 200 carries as Weber bounced in and out of the lineup.
His sophomore season was just a bit less productive as he was forced to fully split carries with Weber, albeit still rushing for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was this last year that Dobbins reached his final form and cemented himself as the next great Ohio State running back.
A true bell-cow back for the Buckeyes in 2019, Dobbins ran the ball 301 times for just over 2,000 yards with 21 rushing TDs. Finally with the full brunt of the workload, the junior was able to put his entire skillset on display, and really was the cog that kept Ohio State’s offense on schedule. The speed and power demonstrated by Dobbins alongside the threat of Fields keeping the ball and taking it himself created a powerful one-two punch for Ryan Day — both halves of which they were without when both players were hobbled against Clemson.
Now, Dobbins is off to continue toting the rock for the Baltimore Ravens, where he and Lamar Jackson will look to repeat a very similar rushing attack to the one in Columbus. For Ohio State, they still have Fields, but the Heisman frontrunner QB will need a strong backfield mate if the Bucks have aspirations of winning it all in 2020.
Heading into this offseason, Master Teague was the guy tasked with filling the large shoes left by Dobbins’ departure to the NFL. As a redshirt freshman this past season, Teague did show flashes of high potential, finishing the year with almost 800 yards rushing and four TDs at just under six yards per carry. However, most of his carries came in mop up duty against lesser teams whose defenses had already been beaten to a pulp by Ohio State’s starters through two or three quarters.
It’s a bit tough to say for sure how good Teague truly is, and I'm sure the fans and coaching staff alike were excited to see what he’d be able to do in spring ball. That would not come to fruition unfortunately, as before COVID-19 shut down practices for good, Teague went down with an achilles injury. With Marcus Crowley already out recovering from an ACL injury, this left just Steele Chambers as the only healthy scholarship RB on the roster.
Enter: Trey Sermon.
Ryan Day has done a phenomenal job utilizing the transfer portal in his early tenure with Ohio State, obviously snagging Fields from Georgia but also getting a big piece along the offensive line in Jonah Jackson out of Rutgers. He and position coach Tony Alford are hoping to strike gold once again with the addition of Sermon to a beat up running back room.
Having originally been recruited by Alford back in 2017 before committing to the Sooners, Sermon spent the past three seasons in Norman, racking up over 2,000 yards and 23 TDs. Despite only carrying the rock 54 times in 2019 in Oklahoma’s pass-heavy offense, the back averaged a very good 7.1 yards per carry (384 total yards) and found the end zone four times. He joins Ohio State as a grad transfer, able to suit up immediately.
Now, Sermon obviously does not come without his own injury woes. In his final season with the Sooners, he suffered an ACL injury that ended his campaign after just nine games. Having not been added to the roster until after practices had shut down, Buckeye fans really had no gauge of the current bill of health for their new RB. However, he has recently been seen working out in a video on Twitter, cutting and practicing his footwork, and looks to be in great shape.
Athlete: @treyera
Position: Running Back
College: The Ohio State Univeristy
Trey has a solid frame and uses it well when running between the tackles .
Break tackles and pick up yards after contact like it ain’t nothing! Extreme shifty too! Elusive. pic.twitter.com/2tM8EchSKF
— Footwork_King (@footwork_king1) May 22, 2020
With Teague’s return in question, it looks as though Sermon will be Ohio State’s starting RB when the season finally comes along. His skillset meshes very well with the Buckeye offense, and his running style is actually very similar to that of Dobbins.
With decent speed, having been clocked at around a 4.5 40-time (compared to Dobbins’ 4.4), Sermon is your prototypical five yards and a cloud of dust runner between the tackles. Given the strength of Ohio State’s offensive line this season, especially on the interior, Sermon will have a chance to absolutely flourish on this offense if fully healthy. The added benefit of Fields’ ability with his legs will just make it that much harder for opposing offenses to slow down the Buckeye run game once again.
Still, it’s tough to put true expectations on just how good Sermon will be at Ohio State. Is he going to be the next J.K. Dobbins? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be an incredibly important player in 2020.
Everyone expects Ryan Day to air it out a bit more this upcoming season given the way the roster is configured, albeit likely not as much as the pass-heavy offense the Buckeyes saw with Dwayne Haskins in 2018. With the skill and depth from the team’s receivers, Sermon doesn’t have to be a Heisman contender for Ohio State to be successful. As long as he is able to keep the offense on schedule and provide a serviceable rushing attack to then build the passing game off of, the team in Columbus will be in phenomenal shape.
Anything extra would be gravy.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Replacing J.K. Dobbins will be no easy task for the Buckeye backfield
Ohio State expects to compete for a national title in 2020, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t come without its fair share of question marks. While many expect the Buckeyes offense to dominate this upcoming season with a returning Justin Fields and a stacked receiver core, there is still a bit of cause for concern surrounding the running back position.
It’s mostly uncharted territory for OSU in the past few years, as since 2017 they have been able to rely on the trustworthy legs of J.K. Dobbins. After Mike Weber began that season with an injury, a true freshman Dobbins got the rock for the very first time in the opener against Indiana. That night in Bloomington, the Texas native ran for 181 yards as he instantly burst onto the scene. He’d finish his freshman campaign with over 1,400 yards rushing despite having less than 200 carries as Weber bounced in and out of the lineup.
His sophomore season was just a bit less productive as he was forced to fully split carries with Weber, albeit still rushing for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was this last year that Dobbins reached his final form and cemented himself as the next great Ohio State running back.
A true bell-cow back for the Buckeyes in 2019, Dobbins ran the ball 301 times for just over 2,000 yards with 21 rushing TDs. Finally with the full brunt of the workload, the junior was able to put his entire skillset on display, and really was the cog that kept Ohio State’s offense on schedule. The speed and power demonstrated by Dobbins alongside the threat of Fields keeping the ball and taking it himself created a powerful one-two punch for Ryan Day — both halves of which they were without when both players were hobbled against Clemson.
Now, Dobbins is off to continue toting the rock for the Baltimore Ravens, where he and Lamar Jackson will look to repeat a very similar rushing attack to the one in Columbus. For Ohio State, they still have Fields, but the Heisman frontrunner QB will need a strong backfield mate if the Bucks have aspirations of winning it all in 2020.
Heading into this offseason, Master Teague was the guy tasked with filling the large shoes left by Dobbins’ departure to the NFL. As a redshirt freshman this past season, Teague did show flashes of high potential, finishing the year with almost 800 yards rushing and four TDs at just under six yards per carry. However, most of his carries came in mop up duty against lesser teams whose defenses had already been beaten to a pulp by Ohio State’s starters through two or three quarters.
It’s a bit tough to say for sure how good Teague truly is, and I'm sure the fans and coaching staff alike were excited to see what he’d be able to do in spring ball. That would not come to fruition unfortunately, as before COVID-19 shut down practices for good, Teague went down with an achilles injury. With Marcus Crowley already out recovering from an ACL injury, this left just Steele Chambers as the only healthy scholarship RB on the roster.
Enter: Trey Sermon.
Ryan Day has done a phenomenal job utilizing the transfer portal in his early tenure with Ohio State, obviously snagging Fields from Georgia but also getting a big piece along the offensive line in Jonah Jackson out of Rutgers. He and position coach Tony Alford are hoping to strike gold once again with the addition of Sermon to a beat up running back room.
Having originally been recruited by Alford back in 2017 before committing to the Sooners, Sermon spent the past three seasons in Norman, racking up over 2,000 yards and 23 TDs. Despite only carrying the rock 54 times in 2019 in Oklahoma’s pass-heavy offense, the back averaged a very good 7.1 yards per carry (384 total yards) and found the end zone four times. He joins Ohio State as a grad transfer, able to suit up immediately.
Now, Sermon obviously does not come without his own injury woes. In his final season with the Sooners, he suffered an ACL injury that ended his campaign after just nine games. Having not been added to the roster until after practices had shut down, Buckeye fans really had no gauge of the current bill of health for their new RB. However, he has recently been seen working out in a video on Twitter, cutting and practicing his footwork, and looks to be in great shape.
Athlete: @treyera
Position: Running Back
College: The Ohio State Univeristy
Trey has a solid frame and uses it well when running between the tackles .
Break tackles and pick up yards after contact like it ain’t nothing! Extreme shifty too! Elusive. pic.twitter.com/2tM8EchSKF
— Footwork_King (@footwork_king1) May 22, 2020
With Teague’s return in question, it looks as though Sermon will be Ohio State’s starting RB when the season finally comes along. His skillset meshes very well with the Buckeye offense, and his running style is actually very similar to that of Dobbins.
With decent speed, having been clocked at around a 4.5 40-time (compared to Dobbins’ 4.4), Sermon is your prototypical five yards and a cloud of dust runner between the tackles. Given the strength of Ohio State’s offensive line this season, especially on the interior, Sermon will have a chance to absolutely flourish on this offense if fully healthy. The added benefit of Fields’ ability with his legs will just make it that much harder for opposing offenses to slow down the Buckeye run game once again.
Still, it’s tough to put true expectations on just how good Sermon will be at Ohio State. Is he going to be the next J.K. Dobbins? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be an incredibly important player in 2020.
Everyone expects Ryan Day to air it out a bit more this upcoming season given the way the roster is configured, albeit likely not as much as the pass-heavy offense the Buckeyes saw with Dwayne Haskins in 2018. With the skill and depth from the team’s receivers, Sermon doesn’t have to be a Heisman contender for Ohio State to be successful. As long as he is able to keep the offense on schedule and provide a serviceable rushing attack to then build the passing game off of, the team in Columbus will be in phenomenal shape.
Anything extra would be gravy.
Continue reading...
LGHL More on Ohio State’s latest commitment, the 2021 class
- News
- 0 Replies
More on Ohio State’s latest commitment, the 2021 class
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star athlete and OSU commit Denzel Burke | Brandon Huffman, 247Sports
The Buckeyes continue to haul in the nation’s top talents
Hopefully you’re enjoying your Memorial Day Weekend. As you embark on your extra day off, you may have missed some of the Ohio State news from the past couple days. In the land of recruiting, that means yet another BOOOOM from the Buckeyes’ No. 1-ranked 2021 class. We here at Land-Grant Holy Land are here to get you up to speed on the latest commit for Ryan Day and the gang and what it means moving forward.
In case you went full Zero Dark Thirty to enjoy the holiday weekend, on Sunday Ohio State picked up a commitment from four-star athlete Denzel Burke. The 6-foot Scottsdale, AZ native is the No. 7 athlete in the nation, and the No. 4 player out of Arizona in the 2021 class. Playing both receiver and corner at Saguaro, Burke projects as a DB at the next level.
Heres what Mountain Region recruiting analyst Blair Angulo has to say of Burke’s skillset:
Thin build with long arms and projectable frame. Should take good on weight over next few years. Fluid athlete that could thrive on offense or defense. Very good ball skills. Dynamic receiver with quickness to explode out of his breaks. Sets up defenders well to gain separation after the catch. Speed makes him a threat to score from anywhere. Decent in coverage as a defender with fluidity to stick to wideouts. Must improve physicality and durability. Potential multi-year starter and NFL Draft Day 3 selection.
High praise for the latest Buckeye DB commit, now the sixth member of the position group in the current class. Which begs the question — are the Buckeyes now done in the secondary in this cycle?
Already holding commitments from a trio of four-star prospects in safeties Andre Turrentine and Jantzen Dunn and corner Jakailin Johnson as well as a pair of three-star DBs in Jaylen Johnson and Devonta Smith, the room is starting to get a bit crowded. However, that does not mean you should entirely rule out Ohio State making at play at some of the nation’s top remaining defensive backs. A couple of guys still remain on the target board, with the main focus appearing to shift to Derrick Davis Jr. and Jaylin Davies.
No. 1 on the Buckeyes’ list seems to be Davis, the nation’s No. 2 safety and the No. 55 overall recruit in 2021. Out of Monroeville, PA, Ohio State would be fighting off heavy opposition from both Clemson and the in-state team, Penn State. The four-star safety currently seems to be leaning towards the Nittany Lions according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball, but never rule out Ryan Day and Kerry Coombs. If the Buckeyes are looking to add a seventh DB, they would take Davis right now.
However, it does not put to bed the recruitment of the four-star corner Davies. The 6-foot-1 Mater Dei product is the No. 12 CB in the nation, and the No. 139 player overall in the cycle. About a week ago, Davies listed Ohio State in his final four alongside Arizona State, Oregon and USC. There is clearly mutual interest between the two parties, but the Buckeyes would like to get Davies on campus before adding him to the fold, and with COVID-19 restrictions still in place, who knows when that would be.
Regardless, even if Burke is the final commit for Ohio State in the secondary, the team is in fantastic position moving forward with all of the young talent coming in the last two classes. You don't get the nickname “DBU” for nothing. It starts with recruiting.
Quick Hits
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes continue to haul in the nation’s top talents
Hopefully you’re enjoying your Memorial Day Weekend. As you embark on your extra day off, you may have missed some of the Ohio State news from the past couple days. In the land of recruiting, that means yet another BOOOOM from the Buckeyes’ No. 1-ranked 2021 class. We here at Land-Grant Holy Land are here to get you up to speed on the latest commit for Ryan Day and the gang and what it means moving forward.
In case you went full Zero Dark Thirty to enjoy the holiday weekend, on Sunday Ohio State picked up a commitment from four-star athlete Denzel Burke. The 6-foot Scottsdale, AZ native is the No. 7 athlete in the nation, and the No. 4 player out of Arizona in the 2021 class. Playing both receiver and corner at Saguaro, Burke projects as a DB at the next level.
Heres what Mountain Region recruiting analyst Blair Angulo has to say of Burke’s skillset:
Thin build with long arms and projectable frame. Should take good on weight over next few years. Fluid athlete that could thrive on offense or defense. Very good ball skills. Dynamic receiver with quickness to explode out of his breaks. Sets up defenders well to gain separation after the catch. Speed makes him a threat to score from anywhere. Decent in coverage as a defender with fluidity to stick to wideouts. Must improve physicality and durability. Potential multi-year starter and NFL Draft Day 3 selection.
High praise for the latest Buckeye DB commit, now the sixth member of the position group in the current class. Which begs the question — are the Buckeyes now done in the secondary in this cycle?
Already holding commitments from a trio of four-star prospects in safeties Andre Turrentine and Jantzen Dunn and corner Jakailin Johnson as well as a pair of three-star DBs in Jaylen Johnson and Devonta Smith, the room is starting to get a bit crowded. However, that does not mean you should entirely rule out Ohio State making at play at some of the nation’s top remaining defensive backs. A couple of guys still remain on the target board, with the main focus appearing to shift to Derrick Davis Jr. and Jaylin Davies.
No. 1 on the Buckeyes’ list seems to be Davis, the nation’s No. 2 safety and the No. 55 overall recruit in 2021. Out of Monroeville, PA, Ohio State would be fighting off heavy opposition from both Clemson and the in-state team, Penn State. The four-star safety currently seems to be leaning towards the Nittany Lions according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball, but never rule out Ryan Day and Kerry Coombs. If the Buckeyes are looking to add a seventh DB, they would take Davis right now.
However, it does not put to bed the recruitment of the four-star corner Davies. The 6-foot-1 Mater Dei product is the No. 12 CB in the nation, and the No. 139 player overall in the cycle. About a week ago, Davies listed Ohio State in his final four alongside Arizona State, Oregon and USC. There is clearly mutual interest between the two parties, but the Buckeyes would like to get Davies on campus before adding him to the fold, and with COVID-19 restrictions still in place, who knows when that would be.
Regardless, even if Burke is the final commit for Ohio State in the secondary, the team is in fantastic position moving forward with all of the young talent coming in the last two classes. You don't get the nickname “DBU” for nothing. It starts with recruiting.
Quick Hits
- In case you thought the OSU staff would rest on their laurels and take the rest of MDW off, think again. This group of 2021 commits has done a phenomenal job of doing some recruiting themselves via social media, and they seem to be pretty well tied in to what is going on and when the next commitments are coming. If this tweet by RB commit Evan Pryor is any indication, the class could be adding another member sooner rather than later.
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LGHL Podcast: I Want to Go Back - A Legend Arrives on Campus
- News
- 0 Replies
Podcast: I Want to Go Back - A Legend Arrives on Campus
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Relive the greatest stories from Ohio State football history in Season 2 of Land-Grant Holy Land’s exclusive podcast series.
Ohio State football has an unrivaled tradition and history. Now, it’s time to relive those epic moments once more. Each Monday over the coming weeks, you can listen to a new episode from Season 2 of I Want to Go Back — Land-Grant Holy Land’s exclusive podcast series that brings to life the greatest lost stories from Ohio State football history. This season, we’ll go back to OSU’s rise to power in the early days of the Big Ten Conference.
On this week’s episode — a legend arrives on campus...
The Ohio State football program was taking on water leading into the 1913 season. The program was about to take a major step up in conference play — moving from playing the powers of Ohio in the Ohio Athletic Conference to the powers of the Midwest in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, OSU had become a revolving door for head coaches — three consecutive coaches left after a single season. The biggest blow of all happened after the 1912 season.
Ohio State put its faith in head coach Big John Richards to lead the team as it prepared to join the Western Conference. The West was the forerunner to the Big Ten and the Buckeyes were set to start conference play during the 1913 season. Coach Richards played and coached at Wisconsin and knew what he was doing from the sidelines. Ohio State finished as conference champs in 1912 in their final season as members of the Ohio Athletic Conference. But Richards, the coaching magician, saved his greatest trick for the offseason: he decided to disappear. Big John quit to pursue a business opportunity in Chicago.
Now the Buckeyes were again on the hunt for a new head coach. A coach who could bring stability to the program. A coach who could recruit top talent. A coach that could help the program take the next step against the ferocious step-up in competition in the Western Conference. OSU didn’t have a lot of time to find the right fit. The moves Ohio State made next built the program we know today.
Continue reading...
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Relive the greatest stories from Ohio State football history in Season 2 of Land-Grant Holy Land’s exclusive podcast series.
Ohio State football has an unrivaled tradition and history. Now, it’s time to relive those epic moments once more. Each Monday over the coming weeks, you can listen to a new episode from Season 2 of I Want to Go Back — Land-Grant Holy Land’s exclusive podcast series that brings to life the greatest lost stories from Ohio State football history. This season, we’ll go back to OSU’s rise to power in the early days of the Big Ten Conference.
On this week’s episode — a legend arrives on campus...
The Ohio State football program was taking on water leading into the 1913 season. The program was about to take a major step up in conference play — moving from playing the powers of Ohio in the Ohio Athletic Conference to the powers of the Midwest in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, OSU had become a revolving door for head coaches — three consecutive coaches left after a single season. The biggest blow of all happened after the 1912 season.
Ohio State put its faith in head coach Big John Richards to lead the team as it prepared to join the Western Conference. The West was the forerunner to the Big Ten and the Buckeyes were set to start conference play during the 1913 season. Coach Richards played and coached at Wisconsin and knew what he was doing from the sidelines. Ohio State finished as conference champs in 1912 in their final season as members of the Ohio Athletic Conference. But Richards, the coaching magician, saved his greatest trick for the offseason: he decided to disappear. Big John quit to pursue a business opportunity in Chicago.
Now the Buckeyes were again on the hunt for a new head coach. A coach who could bring stability to the program. A coach who could recruit top talent. A coach that could help the program take the next step against the ferocious step-up in competition in the Western Conference. OSU didn’t have a lot of time to find the right fit. The moves Ohio State made next built the program we know today.
Continue reading...
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F/C Brad Sellers (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Alumni
- 7 Replies
In the category of: Where are they now?
Did anyone know he is the Mayor of Warensville Heights, OH?
Mayor Bradley D. Sellers
Biography
Bradley D. Sellers is the seventh mayor of the City of Warrensville Heights. He is the first native resident of Warrensville Heights to be elected to the office. He was elected to his first term as mayor on November 8, 2011. His vision for the city is inclusive of providing great city services, expanding the tax base, preserving great neighborhoods, and creating opportunities for the city's children.
Education
Mayor Sellers attended The Ohio State University, and spent fifteen years as a professional athlete in his first post-collegiate career. In 1986, he was selected in the first round of the National Basketball Association draft by the Chicago Bulls. As a member of the Bulls he had the opportunity to learn and play alongside some of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Family
Mayor Sellers, and his brother Marvin, are the sons of long time Warrensville Heights residents Robert and Jean Sellers. Mayor Sellers is also the proud father of four daughters: Sydney, Syarra, Shayla and Shyanne.
Employment
Before becoming Mayor, he served as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Warrensville Heights for 11 years. Mayor Sellers, with his development background, has prioritized the economic development and job creation agenda for the city. Under his direction, the City of Warrensville Heights helped create over 3,000 jobs and over $500 million dollars in construction projects. He continues to use a collaborative development strategy that has been well received by both the public and private sector.
Entire article: https://www.cityofwarrensville.com/190/Mayor-Bradley-D-Sellers
Guinness World Records overlooks 7-foot-tall Warrensville Heights Mayor Brad Sellers as tallest politician
Sellers said he plans to contact Guinness for a shot at the tallest title.
“I stand by it,” Sellers said.
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019...mayor-brad-sellers-as-tallest-politician.html
Did anyone know he is the Mayor of Warensville Heights, OH?
Mayor Bradley D. Sellers
Biography
Bradley D. Sellers is the seventh mayor of the City of Warrensville Heights. He is the first native resident of Warrensville Heights to be elected to the office. He was elected to his first term as mayor on November 8, 2011. His vision for the city is inclusive of providing great city services, expanding the tax base, preserving great neighborhoods, and creating opportunities for the city's children.
Education
Mayor Sellers attended The Ohio State University, and spent fifteen years as a professional athlete in his first post-collegiate career. In 1986, he was selected in the first round of the National Basketball Association draft by the Chicago Bulls. As a member of the Bulls he had the opportunity to learn and play alongside some of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Family
Mayor Sellers, and his brother Marvin, are the sons of long time Warrensville Heights residents Robert and Jean Sellers. Mayor Sellers is also the proud father of four daughters: Sydney, Syarra, Shayla and Shyanne.
Employment
Before becoming Mayor, he served as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Warrensville Heights for 11 years. Mayor Sellers, with his development background, has prioritized the economic development and job creation agenda for the city. Under his direction, the City of Warrensville Heights helped create over 3,000 jobs and over $500 million dollars in construction projects. He continues to use a collaborative development strategy that has been well received by both the public and private sector.
Entire article: https://www.cityofwarrensville.com/190/Mayor-Bradley-D-Sellers
Guinness World Records overlooks 7-foot-tall Warrensville Heights Mayor Brad Sellers as tallest politician
Sellers said he plans to contact Guinness for a shot at the tallest title.
“I stand by it,” Sellers said.
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019...mayor-brad-sellers-as-tallest-politician.html
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Which coach (besides JT) would you most hate to lose?
- By shetuck
- Buckeye Football
- 19 Replies
Hairball?
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