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Any other coffee snobs out there?
- By Jake
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Yada, yada, yada...has anyone tried this shit?
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LGHL Ohio State 4-star safety target sets commitment date
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Ohio State 4-star safety target sets commitment date
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star safety Lathan Ransom lists Ohio State in his top three and plans to announce his decision in two weeks on his birthday.
Ohio State recruiting has been on fire the past two weeks, and with The Opening Finals beginning Monday, we think the momentum won’t slow down this week.
Case in point, we learned early Monday afternoon that one of Ohio State’s biggest remaining priorities included the Buckeyes in his final three schools and plans to make his announcement in two weeks, on his birthday.
Four-star safety Lathan Ransom (Tucson, AZ / Salpointe Catholic) spoke with Tom Loy of CBS Sports recently and said that Ohio State was one of his final three schools as well as Texas and Notre Dame.
Ransom is one of the best defensive prospects in this years recruiting class. The 247Sports Composite Rankings have him listed as the No. 4 safety and the No. 76 overall prospect.
The blue-chip safety recruit last visited Ohio State on June 21 and the Buckeyes are viewed as the overwhelming favorites to land his commitment. The 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions favor Ohio State with 93 percent of the 15 projections made.
Adding to Ohio State’s chances at landing Ransom is that he is taking part in The Opening Finals this week alongside multiple Buckeye verbal commits, including recent Ohio State four-star cornerback pledge Clark Phillips. The two have already been spotted chatting.
Clark Phillips and Lathan Ransom also warming up together and chatting.
— Marc Givler (@MarcGivlerBG) July 1, 2019
The Buckeyes are quietly building an impressive secondary haul in this year’s recruiting class. Along with Phillips, the Buckeyes hold a verbal commit from four-star safety Lejond Cavazos. If Ohio State is able to add Ransom to that group, a positional group that was once viewed as a weakness in this class could become a strength.
Ohio State center target could announce this week
Continuing to prove that Ohio State recruiting will continue its hot streak in recruiting this week, the Buckeyes could have a BOOM-ing Independence Day with some fireworks of their own. (Sorry I had to)
Three-star center prospect Josh Fryar took to Twitter Monday to say he will be making a big announcement this Thursday. And while this doesn’t mean he will making his official decision this week, it certainly puts him on commitment watch.
If Thursday is the day he will be making the big decision, Ohio State is the likely choice. The Buckeyes hold the majority of the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions with 91 percent of the 11 selections made. Also, he is coming off of an official visit at the University on June 21, which saw the Buckeyes play host to a plethora of talents for its new annual Backyard Bash and Barbecue.
Fryar holds offers from the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Purdue and Oregon and his play on the field outweighs his recruiting ranking, as is proved by his offer sheet.
Elias Ricks to Ohio State not over yet
Five-star LSU CB commit Elias Ricks has long been connected to Ohio State even after he made a verbal pledge to the Tigers in Baton Rouge.
His relationship with Ohio State, as well as his recruitment as a whole, has been a roller coaster ride filled with highs and lows. There have been multiple occasions in his recruitment, at all different stages of his recruitment, where it looked like Ohio State would be the school he signed his name to play for in the early signing period.
The talks of him and Columbus died down but lately have taken life again now the The Opening Finals have began and Ohio State verbal commits are already in his ear.
We already linked above where Buckeye four-star safety commit Lejond Cavazos and Ricks were caught talking early in the even Monday but that wasn’t where the rumblings stopped. Cavazos himself later took to Twitter to leave a very cryptic message to Buckeye Nation.
Now nowhere in Cavazos Tweet does it mention Ricks by name and yes, Cavazos is recruiting multiple other “great athletes” to join him at Ohio State this weekend, but it definitely appears that the Ohio State commit is doing his best to convince Ricks to flip.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star safety Lathan Ransom lists Ohio State in his top three and plans to announce his decision in two weeks on his birthday.
Ohio State recruiting has been on fire the past two weeks, and with The Opening Finals beginning Monday, we think the momentum won’t slow down this week.
Case in point, we learned early Monday afternoon that one of Ohio State’s biggest remaining priorities included the Buckeyes in his final three schools and plans to make his announcement in two weeks, on his birthday.
Four-star safety Lathan Ransom (Tucson, AZ / Salpointe Catholic) spoke with Tom Loy of CBS Sports recently and said that Ohio State was one of his final three schools as well as Texas and Notre Dame.
Ransom is one of the best defensive prospects in this years recruiting class. The 247Sports Composite Rankings have him listed as the No. 4 safety and the No. 76 overall prospect.
The blue-chip safety recruit last visited Ohio State on June 21 and the Buckeyes are viewed as the overwhelming favorites to land his commitment. The 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions favor Ohio State with 93 percent of the 15 projections made.
Adding to Ohio State’s chances at landing Ransom is that he is taking part in The Opening Finals this week alongside multiple Buckeye verbal commits, including recent Ohio State four-star cornerback pledge Clark Phillips. The two have already been spotted chatting.
Clark Phillips and Lathan Ransom also warming up together and chatting.
— Marc Givler (@MarcGivlerBG) July 1, 2019
The Buckeyes are quietly building an impressive secondary haul in this year’s recruiting class. Along with Phillips, the Buckeyes hold a verbal commit from four-star safety Lejond Cavazos. If Ohio State is able to add Ransom to that group, a positional group that was once viewed as a weakness in this class could become a strength.
Ohio State center target could announce this week
Continuing to prove that Ohio State recruiting will continue its hot streak in recruiting this week, the Buckeyes could have a BOOM-ing Independence Day with some fireworks of their own. (Sorry I had to)
Three-star center prospect Josh Fryar took to Twitter Monday to say he will be making a big announcement this Thursday. And while this doesn’t mean he will making his official decision this week, it certainly puts him on commitment watch.
If Thursday is the day he will be making the big decision, Ohio State is the likely choice. The Buckeyes hold the majority of the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions with 91 percent of the 11 selections made. Also, he is coming off of an official visit at the University on June 21, which saw the Buckeyes play host to a plethora of talents for its new annual Backyard Bash and Barbecue.
Fryar holds offers from the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Purdue and Oregon and his play on the field outweighs his recruiting ranking, as is proved by his offer sheet.
Elias Ricks to Ohio State not over yet
Five-star LSU CB commit Elias Ricks has long been connected to Ohio State even after he made a verbal pledge to the Tigers in Baton Rouge.
His relationship with Ohio State, as well as his recruitment as a whole, has been a roller coaster ride filled with highs and lows. There have been multiple occasions in his recruitment, at all different stages of his recruitment, where it looked like Ohio State would be the school he signed his name to play for in the early signing period.
The talks of him and Columbus died down but lately have taken life again now the The Opening Finals have began and Ohio State verbal commits are already in his ear.
We already linked above where Buckeye four-star safety commit Lejond Cavazos and Ricks were caught talking early in the even Monday but that wasn’t where the rumblings stopped. Cavazos himself later took to Twitter to leave a very cryptic message to Buckeye Nation.
Now nowhere in Cavazos Tweet does it mention Ricks by name and yes, Cavazos is recruiting multiple other “great athletes” to join him at Ohio State this weekend, but it definitely appears that the Ohio State commit is doing his best to convince Ricks to flip.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State rookies get Madden 20 player ratings
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State rookies get Madden 20 player ratings
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nick Bosa is the top Buckeye rookie, with Dwayne Haskins right behind him.
Check out all of the Rookies' #Madden20 Ratings!
https://t.co/MpUmRKdxUK
— Madden NFL 20 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 1, 2019
We are nearing the release of Madden NFL 20. Set to be released on Aug. 2, EA Sports announced the rookie player ratings in the game.
Ten former Ohio State Buckeyes got their first taste of being in a video game, with Nick Bosa and Dwayne Haskins leading the way with the top two spots among OSU rookies.
The younger Bosa brother, a member of the San Francisco 49ers, came in with a 79 overall. Haskins, a possible starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins, has an early grade of 72. Wide receiver Parris Campbell had the third best OSU rookie ranking behind Haskins, scoring a 71. And Haskins’ teammate, WR Terry McLaurin, is the last Buckeye rookie with a grade at or above 70; McLaurin’s grade was exactly a 70.
In the grand scheme of rookies, Bosa has the third best overall score. Slightly above him are defensive tackles Quinnen Williams (80) and Ed Oliver (79). Williams was picked one spot behind Bosa, going No. 3 to the New York Jets. Oliver, a standout for the Houston Cougars, went No. 9 to the Buffalo Bills.
Amongst rookie QBs, Haskins has the second best score—only behind overall No. 1 pick Kyler Murray, who has a 73. Daniel Jones, the New York Giants QB selection at No. 6 overall, had the lowest grade amongst the first round draft picks with a 65. Ouch.
Here’s a summary of all 32 1st round picks and their Madden NFL 20 overall. Your thoughts? pic.twitter.com/cPGnWpZ83P
— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) July 1, 2019
If you want to check other player rankings, you can do so here.
“Still, there are a lot of questions about this team that makes me uncomfortable betting the over here. Ryan Day has never run a program on his own, let alone a program of this size with these expectations. Justin Fields has never been a starting quarterback at the college level. The Buckeyes will also have to play Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan on the road this season.”
— Tom Fornelli on Ohio State getting under 10.5 wins this season | CBS Sports
With the lone football game about to come out, that means we’ve nearly survived the football offseason. Now, we’ve entered the time where season predictions are taking place.
Tom Fornelli at CBS Sports gave his predictions for the Big Ten this fall, saying whether or not teams would make the over/under in their win projections.
Ohio State was slotted at 10.5 wins, but Fornelli believes the Buckeyes won’t make the over (meaning 11-1 or better). A new coach and new quarterback are two of the big questions Fornelli had about the Buckeyes—and that’s just the internal stuff. Road contests against Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan—all teams looking for revenge against the Buckeyes—are also seen as problem points throughout Ryan Day’s first full season at the helm of the program.
Around the B1G, Fornelli has Michigan winning over 9.5 games, Nebraska winning over 8.5 games, and Northwestern winning over 6.5 games.
Some notable unders that Fornelli is calling for include: Michigan State winning under 7.5 games, Maryland winning under 4.5 games, and Penn State/Wisconsin winning less than 8.5.
“The answer can’t be just like last year because that’s how we’ve done it. That doesn’t work,” said Day, who also noted he has to consider how the offense affects the defense and special teams now that he is head coach.”
— Ryan Day, as reported by Marcus Hartman | Dayton Daily News
Marcus Hartman of the Dayton Daily News has once again wrote a great piece mixing the past and present. Writing about the evolution of the Ohio State offense, the focus of the piece is around Ryan Day and how he will shape the Buckeyes’ offensive identity.
Woody Hayes had three yards and a cloud of dust. Urban Meyer had the spread offense and speedsters all around the skill positions. Ryan Day has shown the West Coast concept last year, where Haskins torched the Big Ten (and the record books) en route to a Rose Bowl victory.
Hartman gives a primer in how the strategies have changed throughout time. Touching on the times of Paul Brown and Wes Fesler to Earle Bruce and John Cooper. Spliced in between are quotes from Day, as he prepares to usher OSU into a new era.
Stick to Sports
Continue reading...
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nick Bosa is the top Buckeye rookie, with Dwayne Haskins right behind him.
Check out all of the Rookies' #Madden20 Ratings!
https://t.co/MpUmRKdxUK
— Madden NFL 20 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 1, 2019
We are nearing the release of Madden NFL 20. Set to be released on Aug. 2, EA Sports announced the rookie player ratings in the game.
Ten former Ohio State Buckeyes got their first taste of being in a video game, with Nick Bosa and Dwayne Haskins leading the way with the top two spots among OSU rookies.
The younger Bosa brother, a member of the San Francisco 49ers, came in with a 79 overall. Haskins, a possible starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins, has an early grade of 72. Wide receiver Parris Campbell had the third best OSU rookie ranking behind Haskins, scoring a 71. And Haskins’ teammate, WR Terry McLaurin, is the last Buckeye rookie with a grade at or above 70; McLaurin’s grade was exactly a 70.
In the grand scheme of rookies, Bosa has the third best overall score. Slightly above him are defensive tackles Quinnen Williams (80) and Ed Oliver (79). Williams was picked one spot behind Bosa, going No. 3 to the New York Jets. Oliver, a standout for the Houston Cougars, went No. 9 to the Buffalo Bills.
Amongst rookie QBs, Haskins has the second best score—only behind overall No. 1 pick Kyler Murray, who has a 73. Daniel Jones, the New York Giants QB selection at No. 6 overall, had the lowest grade amongst the first round draft picks with a 65. Ouch.
Here’s a summary of all 32 1st round picks and their Madden NFL 20 overall. Your thoughts? pic.twitter.com/cPGnWpZ83P
— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) July 1, 2019
If you want to check other player rankings, you can do so here.
“Still, there are a lot of questions about this team that makes me uncomfortable betting the over here. Ryan Day has never run a program on his own, let alone a program of this size with these expectations. Justin Fields has never been a starting quarterback at the college level. The Buckeyes will also have to play Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan on the road this season.”
— Tom Fornelli on Ohio State getting under 10.5 wins this season | CBS Sports
With the lone football game about to come out, that means we’ve nearly survived the football offseason. Now, we’ve entered the time where season predictions are taking place.
Tom Fornelli at CBS Sports gave his predictions for the Big Ten this fall, saying whether or not teams would make the over/under in their win projections.
Ohio State was slotted at 10.5 wins, but Fornelli believes the Buckeyes won’t make the over (meaning 11-1 or better). A new coach and new quarterback are two of the big questions Fornelli had about the Buckeyes—and that’s just the internal stuff. Road contests against Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan—all teams looking for revenge against the Buckeyes—are also seen as problem points throughout Ryan Day’s first full season at the helm of the program.
Around the B1G, Fornelli has Michigan winning over 9.5 games, Nebraska winning over 8.5 games, and Northwestern winning over 6.5 games.
Some notable unders that Fornelli is calling for include: Michigan State winning under 7.5 games, Maryland winning under 4.5 games, and Penn State/Wisconsin winning less than 8.5.
“The answer can’t be just like last year because that’s how we’ve done it. That doesn’t work,” said Day, who also noted he has to consider how the offense affects the defense and special teams now that he is head coach.”
— Ryan Day, as reported by Marcus Hartman | Dayton Daily News
Marcus Hartman of the Dayton Daily News has once again wrote a great piece mixing the past and present. Writing about the evolution of the Ohio State offense, the focus of the piece is around Ryan Day and how he will shape the Buckeyes’ offensive identity.
Woody Hayes had three yards and a cloud of dust. Urban Meyer had the spread offense and speedsters all around the skill positions. Ryan Day has shown the West Coast concept last year, where Haskins torched the Big Ten (and the record books) en route to a Rose Bowl victory.
Hartman gives a primer in how the strategies have changed throughout time. Touching on the times of Paul Brown and Wes Fesler to Earle Bruce and John Cooper. Spliced in between are quotes from Day, as he prepares to usher OSU into a new era.
Stick to Sports
- Anthony Davis and Dwyane Wade will be on the cover of NBA 2K20.
- New member invitations for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- No tornado warning siren test this Wednesday (July 3) in Franklin County.
- Let’s get ready for another drama filled The Bachelorette episode.
- On this day in history: (1979) The Sony Walkman is introduced, changing the way music was listened to.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women’s lacrosse completes new coaching regime
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State women’s lacrosse completes new coaching regime
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Former Stanford head coach Amy Bokker is completing her staff.
While spring sports have wrapped up, coaching changes are revolutionizing women’s lacrosse heading into next season. Plus, Ohio State athletes from several programs have received postseason recognition, and an Ohio State assistant landed a head coaching gig out west.
Women’s lacrosse rounds out its new coaching staff
New women’s lacrosse head coach Amy Bokker has been working to complete her coaching staff since being named to the position in early June. Most recently, Kristen Carr joined the program as associate head coach.
Bokker became the third coach in program history after coming to Columbus from Stanford. During her 11-year tenure with the Cardinal, Bokker managed an overall record of 151-59, including an NCAA Tournament win and victory in the inaugural Pac-12 tournament in 2018. She also took her team to the NCAAs in eight of her 11 seasons.
Carr also came from Stanford, where she coached with Bokker for the past four seasons as defensive coordinator. During her time in Palo Alto, Carr’s defenses finished in the top-25 three out of four seasons. Carr, who spent her playing career at North Carolina, is also a current member of the U.S. National Women’s Lacrosse Team and plays for the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League.
Previously, Bokker brought on Kara Mupo, also from Stanford, as offensive coordinator, and Stephani Schmidt as director of player operations.
The women’s lacrosse team finished sixth in the Big Ten this season with a 1-5 conference record. Overall, the team went 5-11 on the season.
Rowing earns All-American honors
Five rowers from the women’s rowing squad, all members of the First Varsity Eight crew, took home Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-American honors. Ida Kruse and Lexie Nothdurft both earned first-team honors, while Anjalie Fernandes and Leonie Heuer were named to the second team. Ida Peterson rounded out the group with an honorable mention.
While Kruse wrapped up her collegiate career this spring, the other four rowers are set to return to Ohio State next season. The Buckeyes will once again be well-positioned for a run at the NCAA Championships, after winning three national titles in the past decade.
The First Varsity Eight boat took home a sixth-place finish in the NCAA Championships and second-place in the Big Ten. Overall, the women’s rowing team finished fifth in the NCAA Championships.
In addition to the five rowers recognized this week, 27 athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction earlier this spring.
Men’s lacrosse players take home scholastic recognition
The Big Ten lacrosse season didn’t exactly go Ohio State’s way, but several Ohio State players earned recognition for their academic achievements over the past year.
The U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) named defenseman Matt Borges, midfielder Jack Jasinski and midfielder Logan Maccani as USILA Scholar All-Americans. Previously, the trio, along with 21 teammates, were also recognized as academic All-Big Ten honorees. The program recognizes student-athletes based on their performance in the classroom, on the field and in their communities. Honorees are all seniors, must have a GPA above 3.0 and must be nominated by a coach.
Ohio State’s lacrosse program has a track record for this award, as at least one Buckeye has earned scholar all-American recognition for the past eight years. In all, there are now 17 USILA Scholar All-Americans in program history.
Assistant swim coach named to UCLA head coaching spot
Jordan Wolfrum, who served as an assistant head coach on the swimming and diving team at Ohio State for the past five seasons, was just named head coach for UCLA swimming and diving.
This past season, the Buckeyes’ men’s squad finished in ninth place at the NCAA Championships. Wolfrum also helped the women’s team to a 48-9 record in dual meets over five seasons, including four top-25 finishes in the NCAAs.
Wolfrum has one year of previous head coaching experience, having come to Columbus from the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota. While at Ohio State, Wolfrum also played a key role in recruiting, compliance and academics.
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Former Stanford head coach Amy Bokker is completing her staff.
While spring sports have wrapped up, coaching changes are revolutionizing women’s lacrosse heading into next season. Plus, Ohio State athletes from several programs have received postseason recognition, and an Ohio State assistant landed a head coaching gig out west.
Women’s lacrosse rounds out its new coaching staff
New women’s lacrosse head coach Amy Bokker has been working to complete her coaching staff since being named to the position in early June. Most recently, Kristen Carr joined the program as associate head coach.
Bokker became the third coach in program history after coming to Columbus from Stanford. During her 11-year tenure with the Cardinal, Bokker managed an overall record of 151-59, including an NCAA Tournament win and victory in the inaugural Pac-12 tournament in 2018. She also took her team to the NCAAs in eight of her 11 seasons.
Carr also came from Stanford, where she coached with Bokker for the past four seasons as defensive coordinator. During her time in Palo Alto, Carr’s defenses finished in the top-25 three out of four seasons. Carr, who spent her playing career at North Carolina, is also a current member of the U.S. National Women’s Lacrosse Team and plays for the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League.
Previously, Bokker brought on Kara Mupo, also from Stanford, as offensive coordinator, and Stephani Schmidt as director of player operations.
The women’s lacrosse team finished sixth in the Big Ten this season with a 1-5 conference record. Overall, the team went 5-11 on the season.
Rowing earns All-American honors
Five rowers from the women’s rowing squad, all members of the First Varsity Eight crew, took home Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-American honors. Ida Kruse and Lexie Nothdurft both earned first-team honors, while Anjalie Fernandes and Leonie Heuer were named to the second team. Ida Peterson rounded out the group with an honorable mention.
While Kruse wrapped up her collegiate career this spring, the other four rowers are set to return to Ohio State next season. The Buckeyes will once again be well-positioned for a run at the NCAA Championships, after winning three national titles in the past decade.
The First Varsity Eight boat took home a sixth-place finish in the NCAA Championships and second-place in the Big Ten. Overall, the women’s rowing team finished fifth in the NCAA Championships.
In addition to the five rowers recognized this week, 27 athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction earlier this spring.
Men’s lacrosse players take home scholastic recognition
The Big Ten lacrosse season didn’t exactly go Ohio State’s way, but several Ohio State players earned recognition for their academic achievements over the past year.
The U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) named defenseman Matt Borges, midfielder Jack Jasinski and midfielder Logan Maccani as USILA Scholar All-Americans. Previously, the trio, along with 21 teammates, were also recognized as academic All-Big Ten honorees. The program recognizes student-athletes based on their performance in the classroom, on the field and in their communities. Honorees are all seniors, must have a GPA above 3.0 and must be nominated by a coach.
Ohio State’s lacrosse program has a track record for this award, as at least one Buckeye has earned scholar all-American recognition for the past eight years. In all, there are now 17 USILA Scholar All-Americans in program history.
Assistant swim coach named to UCLA head coaching spot
Jordan Wolfrum, who served as an assistant head coach on the swimming and diving team at Ohio State for the past five seasons, was just named head coach for UCLA swimming and diving.
This past season, the Buckeyes’ men’s squad finished in ninth place at the NCAA Championships. Wolfrum also helped the women’s team to a 48-9 record in dual meets over five seasons, including four top-25 finishes in the NCAAs.
Wolfrum has one year of previous head coaching experience, having come to Columbus from the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota. While at Ohio State, Wolfrum also played a key role in recruiting, compliance and academics.
Continue reading...
LGHL D’Angelo Russell to join Golden State Warriors via sign-and-trade with Nets
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D’Angelo Russell to join Golden State Warriors via sign-and-trade with Nets
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The former Buckeye star is gonna get paid!
Just five and a half hours after NBA free agency began, former Ohio State star D’Angelo Russell learned that he would be playing in the city by the bay as a member of the Golden State Warriors when the 2019-20 NBA season begins.
With the Brooklyn Nets signing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan, there wasn’t room left for the Nets’ newly minted all-star. So, Brooklyn agreed to sign Russell to a four-year, $117m max contract and to then trade him to the Warriors.
Golden State and Brooklyn have agreed on a sign-and-trade, sending D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors on a four-year, $117M maximum contract, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
The deal between the Nets and Warriors reportedly will also include Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier. To make the salary cap math work, Golden State is also reportedly trading former Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and a 2024 first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies.
With Russell joining Stephen Curry in the Warriors’ new home in San Francisco, they will obviously be without Durant, and Klay Thompson will be rehabbing a torn ACL to start the season.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The former Buckeye star is gonna get paid!
Just five and a half hours after NBA free agency began, former Ohio State star D’Angelo Russell learned that he would be playing in the city by the bay as a member of the Golden State Warriors when the 2019-20 NBA season begins.
With the Brooklyn Nets signing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan, there wasn’t room left for the Nets’ newly minted all-star. So, Brooklyn agreed to sign Russell to a four-year, $117m max contract and to then trade him to the Warriors.
Golden State and Brooklyn have agreed on a sign-and-trade, sending D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors on a four-year, $117M maximum contract, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
The deal between the Nets and Warriors reportedly will also include Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier. To make the salary cap math work, Golden State is also reportedly trading former Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and a 2024 first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies.
With Russell joining Stephen Curry in the Warriors’ new home in San Francisco, they will obviously be without Durant, and Klay Thompson will be rehabbing a torn ACL to start the season.
Continue reading...
LGHL 4-star linebacker includes Ohio State in top schools list
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- 0 Replies
4-star linebacker includes Ohio State in top schools list
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes make the top-5 for a top 2020 Californian prospect
Even though college football is in the midst of a recruiting quiet period now, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been making more than enough noise in their 2020 class. With two more huge commitments this past weekend from the likes of four-star prospects Darrion Henry and Cody Simon, Ohio State is starting to really silence the doubters who were worried that this staff couldn’t recruit defensively.
With Nike’s The Opening also getting started this past weekend, the Buckeye commits that are on sight are not only impressing with their abilities on the field, but also other prospects with their recruiting abilities. It’s a great time to follow Ohio State recruiting, and with more success to come in the near future, let’s dive into more of the good news.
Williams includes Buckeyes in Top 5
When Ryan Day hired Greg Mattison to the Buckeye staff, Greg brought a little bit of his history with him. In 2019, Ohio State’s defense will have what they call the “Bullet” position. A hybrid position, the Bullet will be a combination of what is an outside linebacker/safety style of defender. While the current roster has guys such as Brendon White ready to take a crack at this role, the current defensive staff is already looking for guys they want to take the reigns in the years to come. Thankfully, they may even land their top target they’re pursuing.
Over the weekend, Kourt Williams, a four-star outside linebacker from Bellflower, Calif., released his final top five schools he will choose from before a final decision. Having just visited the Buckeyes last weekend on one of his officials, Williams left not only impressed, but also thought by many to have Ohio State as his clear leader in his recruitment. Making the cut for Williams included Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Penn State, and of course Ohio State.
“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:12
It’s been a rollercoaster journey...but we’re just getting started..
#Top 5
PC: @MoisaDesign pic.twitter.com/U4WVuo1EcH
—
️Kourt Williams II️ (@kourt22williams) June 28, 2019
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound outside linebacker is ranked currently as the No. 12 prospect at his position for the current class as well as the No. 15 player in a loaded state of California. Coming in as a top 200 player in the nation, it’s easy to see why Kourt has over 20 total offers from many of the top programs. As mentioned, the Buckeye visit for Williams went extremely well. A decision is nearing and, as it stands right now, Ohio State is sitting very well for another elite defensive player.
An update from Nike’s The Opening
Nike’s The Opening is one of the premier camp on the recruiting circuit each year. While Buckeye fans certainly care for how well their current commits perform in The Opening events and contests, the gist of this update is to discuss how the commits are doing in the ears of players the Ohio State staff is targeting for their 2020 class.
Guys such as Julian Fleming, Lejond Cavazos and Jack Miller are great at exactly that. Without further adieu, here are the latest rumblings from what’s going on in Texas currently and around the rest of the country regarding the Buckeyes.
Current LSU commit Elias Ricks is a player the Buckeyes have long targeted. Even though he has been committed to LSU for a while now, Ohio State has not given up. In fact, while the staff has always laid the groundwork Mater Dei five-star, the current commits are doing well enough with Ricks that he has taken to media to say Ohio State “is in a real good spot”. While that commitment to LSU remains, Ryan Day may be getting closer to earning the “spatula” nickname just as Urban Meyer before him had.
In more positive news regarding Ohio State, the noise in the air surrounding Bijan Robinson continues to look good for the Buckeyes. While Day and staff continue to look for their running back in the 2020 class, Robinson, their top target is out there and trending their way. In fact, a West Coast Rivals.com writer, Adam Gorney, put in a “Future Cast” which is similar to the 247sports crystal ball for Robinson to Ohio State. A decision is nearing and if the current trend continues, Ryan Day and Tony Alford may very well have their running back in the 2020 class in the fold.
Quick Hits:
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes make the top-5 for a top 2020 Californian prospect
Even though college football is in the midst of a recruiting quiet period now, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been making more than enough noise in their 2020 class. With two more huge commitments this past weekend from the likes of four-star prospects Darrion Henry and Cody Simon, Ohio State is starting to really silence the doubters who were worried that this staff couldn’t recruit defensively.
With Nike’s The Opening also getting started this past weekend, the Buckeye commits that are on sight are not only impressing with their abilities on the field, but also other prospects with their recruiting abilities. It’s a great time to follow Ohio State recruiting, and with more success to come in the near future, let’s dive into more of the good news.
Williams includes Buckeyes in Top 5
When Ryan Day hired Greg Mattison to the Buckeye staff, Greg brought a little bit of his history with him. In 2019, Ohio State’s defense will have what they call the “Bullet” position. A hybrid position, the Bullet will be a combination of what is an outside linebacker/safety style of defender. While the current roster has guys such as Brendon White ready to take a crack at this role, the current defensive staff is already looking for guys they want to take the reigns in the years to come. Thankfully, they may even land their top target they’re pursuing.
Over the weekend, Kourt Williams, a four-star outside linebacker from Bellflower, Calif., released his final top five schools he will choose from before a final decision. Having just visited the Buckeyes last weekend on one of his officials, Williams left not only impressed, but also thought by many to have Ohio State as his clear leader in his recruitment. Making the cut for Williams included Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Penn State, and of course Ohio State.
“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:12
It’s been a rollercoaster journey...but we’re just getting started..
#Top 5 PC: @MoisaDesign pic.twitter.com/U4WVuo1EcH
—
️Kourt Williams II️ (@kourt22williams) June 28, 2019The 6-foot-1, 220-pound outside linebacker is ranked currently as the No. 12 prospect at his position for the current class as well as the No. 15 player in a loaded state of California. Coming in as a top 200 player in the nation, it’s easy to see why Kourt has over 20 total offers from many of the top programs. As mentioned, the Buckeye visit for Williams went extremely well. A decision is nearing and, as it stands right now, Ohio State is sitting very well for another elite defensive player.
An update from Nike’s The Opening
Nike’s The Opening is one of the premier camp on the recruiting circuit each year. While Buckeye fans certainly care for how well their current commits perform in The Opening events and contests, the gist of this update is to discuss how the commits are doing in the ears of players the Ohio State staff is targeting for their 2020 class.
Guys such as Julian Fleming, Lejond Cavazos and Jack Miller are great at exactly that. Without further adieu, here are the latest rumblings from what’s going on in Texas currently and around the rest of the country regarding the Buckeyes.
Current LSU commit Elias Ricks is a player the Buckeyes have long targeted. Even though he has been committed to LSU for a while now, Ohio State has not given up. In fact, while the staff has always laid the groundwork Mater Dei five-star, the current commits are doing well enough with Ricks that he has taken to media to say Ohio State “is in a real good spot”. While that commitment to LSU remains, Ryan Day may be getting closer to earning the “spatula” nickname just as Urban Meyer before him had.
In more positive news regarding Ohio State, the noise in the air surrounding Bijan Robinson continues to look good for the Buckeyes. While Day and staff continue to look for their running back in the 2020 class, Robinson, their top target is out there and trending their way. In fact, a West Coast Rivals.com writer, Adam Gorney, put in a “Future Cast” which is similar to the 247sports crystal ball for Robinson to Ohio State. A decision is nearing and if the current trend continues, Ryan Day and Tony Alford may very well have their running back in the 2020 class in the fold.
Quick Hits:
- 2021 four-star offensive center Ryan Linthicum (Damascus, MD/Damascus) named his top-8 schools over the weekend. Making the cut included Michigan, Clemson, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, LSU, North Carolina and Ohio State.
- 2021 five-star receiver Agiye Hall (Plant City, Florida/Armwood) released his top-12 schools over the weekend. Including Ohio State on his list, other programs such as Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas, Ole Miss, Oregon, USC, LSU and Arizona State all round out his top schools.
- According to Bucknuts analyst, Bill Kurelic, four-star safety Lathan Ransom is likely to decide on his college destination on July 16, his birthday, but a commitment may even come sooner. Also, Kurelic put in a crystal ball for four-star 2020 receiver, Mookie Cooper to the Buckeyes over the weekend.
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LGHL What does Darrion Henry bring to Ohio State?
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What does Darrion Henry bring to Ohio State?
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes have struck again.
If the college football world can take anything from the last decade of Alabama dominance, and now the rise of Clemson as a potential dynasty, it should be the importance of elite defensive tackle play. Just look at some of the names Alabama and Clemson have brought through their programs up front. Names like Marcell Dareus, Terrence Cody, A’Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, Quinnen Williams.
That’s an unbelievable list. That kind of power in the middle of a defense can, as we saw in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl (playoff edition), absolutely wreck any offense. It can completely transform how a defense plays.
While the Ohio State Buckeyes have produced plenty of elite talent on the outside of their lines, the interior hasn’t reached the Clemson or Alabama levels yet, despite excellent coaching from Larry Johnson. Part of that can’t be helped. There are more elite defensive tackles in the south than there are in the north, and Clemson, Alabama, and really the entire southern part of college football are always going to have an advantage for the dominant tackles.
It does seem, however, like Ohio State is refocusing on defensive tackle recruiting under Ryan Day, after it slipped in the past few years. The Buckeyes have already landed Ty Hamilton, who I consider to be a bit of a diamond in the rough, and today, they landed a commitment from four-star defensive tackle and Cincinnati product Darrion Henry.
So, is Henry the type of dominant defensive tackle that the best teams in college football need to have? It certainly seems like it.
On the field
The first thing that I look for when watching a defensive tackle recruit is versatility. It’s not that hard to be a massive space filler, and that doesn’t necesarily reflect talent. It’s much more impressive when a tackle shows off athletic ability by lining up at tackle, end, and anywhere else he’s needed.
On his tape, I count four different spots for Henry: tackle, end, stand-up edge, and tight end. That gives a pretty resounding answer to the versatility question. Henry is a tremendous athlete for his size (6-foot-4.5, 279 pounds), which means Ohio State can likely add a little more weight to his frame to make him even more disruptive inside.
He has great quickness off the snap, and while he doesn’t have the best bend in the world, his strength and athletic ability make him a threat as both a power rusher and as a more refined finesse rusher. His move set isn’t quite there yet, but he flashes the ability to become a Michael Bennett-esque figure, where he can do whatever Ohio State needs.
On top of his quickness and strength, Henry is excellent at the point of contact. He knocks linemen back with ease, and has a quick first move after that initial contact. He rarely misses when he makes contact with the ball carrier, and I don’t see him going for arm tackles, which means he’s going to be an absolute handful for opposing teams to clear out when they want to run up the middle.
That’s exactly what Ohio State needs: an elite athlete, with good size, a solid fundamental base, and plenty of versatility. Those are the exact kind of guys Clemson and Alabama churn out every single year, and those are the exact kind of guys that make it so difficult to move the ball. Henry isn’t a space filler, he’s a football player. That’s what you want at tackle.
In the class
Henry is the 15th member of Ohio State’s 2020 class, and the latest commitment from last weekend’s mass visit, joining Clark Phillips III, who committed on Friday, Jayden Ballard, who committed last Thursday, and Cody Simon, who joined earlier today. He’s the fifth defender in the class, along with Phillips, Simon, Lejond Cavazos, and fellow defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. He’s also a pretty different player from Hamilton, which means that the two should compliment each other pretty well.
Henry committed to Ohio State over offers from, well, just about every team in the country. This recruitment really came down to the Buckeyes, and a quartet of SEC schools (Tennessee, Alabama, LSU and Georgia). Tennessee threatened for a second, as did LSU, but Ohio State was never in serious danger here. Larry Johnson rarely misses on top in-state line talent, and he wasn’t missing here.
Henry’s commitment moves Ohio State from their number five spot into the fourth spot in the 2020 class rankings. This, paired with the Simon commitment, was just enough to leapfrog Georgia. Next up, LSU, who holds a pretty sizable lead for the third spot.
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Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes have struck again.
If the college football world can take anything from the last decade of Alabama dominance, and now the rise of Clemson as a potential dynasty, it should be the importance of elite defensive tackle play. Just look at some of the names Alabama and Clemson have brought through their programs up front. Names like Marcell Dareus, Terrence Cody, A’Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, Quinnen Williams.
That’s an unbelievable list. That kind of power in the middle of a defense can, as we saw in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl (playoff edition), absolutely wreck any offense. It can completely transform how a defense plays.
While the Ohio State Buckeyes have produced plenty of elite talent on the outside of their lines, the interior hasn’t reached the Clemson or Alabama levels yet, despite excellent coaching from Larry Johnson. Part of that can’t be helped. There are more elite defensive tackles in the south than there are in the north, and Clemson, Alabama, and really the entire southern part of college football are always going to have an advantage for the dominant tackles.
It does seem, however, like Ohio State is refocusing on defensive tackle recruiting under Ryan Day, after it slipped in the past few years. The Buckeyes have already landed Ty Hamilton, who I consider to be a bit of a diamond in the rough, and today, they landed a commitment from four-star defensive tackle and Cincinnati product Darrion Henry.
So, is Henry the type of dominant defensive tackle that the best teams in college football need to have? It certainly seems like it.
On the field
The first thing that I look for when watching a defensive tackle recruit is versatility. It’s not that hard to be a massive space filler, and that doesn’t necesarily reflect talent. It’s much more impressive when a tackle shows off athletic ability by lining up at tackle, end, and anywhere else he’s needed.
On his tape, I count four different spots for Henry: tackle, end, stand-up edge, and tight end. That gives a pretty resounding answer to the versatility question. Henry is a tremendous athlete for his size (6-foot-4.5, 279 pounds), which means Ohio State can likely add a little more weight to his frame to make him even more disruptive inside.
He has great quickness off the snap, and while he doesn’t have the best bend in the world, his strength and athletic ability make him a threat as both a power rusher and as a more refined finesse rusher. His move set isn’t quite there yet, but he flashes the ability to become a Michael Bennett-esque figure, where he can do whatever Ohio State needs.
On top of his quickness and strength, Henry is excellent at the point of contact. He knocks linemen back with ease, and has a quick first move after that initial contact. He rarely misses when he makes contact with the ball carrier, and I don’t see him going for arm tackles, which means he’s going to be an absolute handful for opposing teams to clear out when they want to run up the middle.
That’s exactly what Ohio State needs: an elite athlete, with good size, a solid fundamental base, and plenty of versatility. Those are the exact kind of guys Clemson and Alabama churn out every single year, and those are the exact kind of guys that make it so difficult to move the ball. Henry isn’t a space filler, he’s a football player. That’s what you want at tackle.
In the class
Henry is the 15th member of Ohio State’s 2020 class, and the latest commitment from last weekend’s mass visit, joining Clark Phillips III, who committed on Friday, Jayden Ballard, who committed last Thursday, and Cody Simon, who joined earlier today. He’s the fifth defender in the class, along with Phillips, Simon, Lejond Cavazos, and fellow defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. He’s also a pretty different player from Hamilton, which means that the two should compliment each other pretty well.
Henry committed to Ohio State over offers from, well, just about every team in the country. This recruitment really came down to the Buckeyes, and a quartet of SEC schools (Tennessee, Alabama, LSU and Georgia). Tennessee threatened for a second, as did LSU, but Ohio State was never in serious danger here. Larry Johnson rarely misses on top in-state line talent, and he wasn’t missing here.
Henry’s commitment moves Ohio State from their number five spot into the fourth spot in the 2020 class rankings. This, paired with the Simon commitment, was just enough to leapfrog Georgia. Next up, LSU, who holds a pretty sizable lead for the third spot.
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LGHL BOOM! 4-star defensive tackle Darrion Henry commits to Ohio State
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BOOM! 4-star defensive tackle Darrion Henry commits to Ohio State
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 defensive line factory keeps on churning
The Ohio State Buckeyes have produced top-tier NFL talent along the defensive line in three of the last four years. Darrion Henry wants to be a part of the action, as the 2020 four-star defensive tackle has committed to the Buckeyes. Henry will join Ty Hamilton as the second defensive lineman to join the program in the 2020 class.
The 6-foot-4.5, 279-pound defensive lineman is yet another Ohio product for the in-state-focused Ryan Day, coming out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati. Henry is listed by the 247sports composite as the No. 11 defensive tackle in the country and No. 2 recruit in the state of Ohio. Internally, 247sports has him rated a bit lower, coming in as the No. 18 DT and No. 4 in the state.
The DT was very highly sought after, having received 26 offers in total. Henry is a huge win for the Buckeyes, especially having been able to lure him away from his hometown up-and-coming Cincinnati Bearcats, who cracked the lineman’s top six back at the end of April. Henry made official visits to both LSU and Tennessee before his official visit to Ohio State this Friday.
Henry will join high school teammate Paris Johnson Jr. on the Buckeyes, with the program having now hauled in the top two recruits in the state. He will get to continue to mold his craft with guidance from defensive line guru Larry Johnson as Ohio State looks to further establish what is shaping up to be a phenomenal 2020 class.
Check out highlights from Henry’s junior season:
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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 defensive line factory keeps on churning
The Ohio State Buckeyes have produced top-tier NFL talent along the defensive line in three of the last four years. Darrion Henry wants to be a part of the action, as the 2020 four-star defensive tackle has committed to the Buckeyes. Henry will join Ty Hamilton as the second defensive lineman to join the program in the 2020 class.
The 6-foot-4.5, 279-pound defensive lineman is yet another Ohio product for the in-state-focused Ryan Day, coming out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati. Henry is listed by the 247sports composite as the No. 11 defensive tackle in the country and No. 2 recruit in the state of Ohio. Internally, 247sports has him rated a bit lower, coming in as the No. 18 DT and No. 4 in the state.
The DT was very highly sought after, having received 26 offers in total. Henry is a huge win for the Buckeyes, especially having been able to lure him away from his hometown up-and-coming Cincinnati Bearcats, who cracked the lineman’s top six back at the end of April. Henry made official visits to both LSU and Tennessee before his official visit to Ohio State this Friday.
Henry will join high school teammate Paris Johnson Jr. on the Buckeyes, with the program having now hauled in the top two recruits in the state. He will get to continue to mold his craft with guidance from defensive line guru Larry Johnson as Ohio State looks to further establish what is shaping up to be a phenomenal 2020 class.
Check out highlights from Henry’s junior season:
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LGHL What does Cody Simon bring to Ohio State?
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What does Cody Simon bring to Ohio State?
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The New Jersey product could be a star.
Recruiting is a fickle game. No matter how good a coach is at recruiting, how good a school is at producing talent and winning games, or any other factors, there are some situations where the personalities just don’t quite gel. We saw it with Jackson Carman a few years back, nearly with Zach Harrison in the 2019 class, and prior to the promotion of Ryan Day, it would’ve likely been the case with Cody Simon.
That’s not to say that the prior regime at Ohio State wasn’t excellent at recruiting, it was just that some players didn’t quite fit with the personality of the program. Simon, in all likelihood, would have been such a player. Ohio State had very few ties to New Jersey on their old defensive staff, and it wasn’t until early May that the Buckeyes actually extended an offer to him.
Now, just over a month later, Simon has joined the Ohio State Buckeyes’ class. What does that mean for the Buckeyes?
On the field
Just like with the pursuit of Kourt Williams, Ohio State going after Cody Simon shows a commitment to fundamentally changing the way that Ohio State plays defense. Simon, at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, doesn’t look like your typical Ohio State linebacker. He isn’t a hulking, bulky, lumbering figure in the middle of the field. He’s an athlete first and foremost, just like Kourt Williams. While Williams is likely to play bullet in Columbus (if he chooses the Buckeyes) and Simon is being recruited to middle linebacker, the theme sticks with both.
That theme? Speed, and instinct. Simon has a nose for the ball, and the raw athletic ability to seek the ball out on every single play. He’s a legitimately great athlete, with rare speed, great burst, and lateral movement the likes of which Ohio State hasn’t seen since Darron Lee suited up in Columbus.
All of that shows most when Simon is disrupting running plays in the backfield, which he does frequently. He has great vision and general field awareness that he pairs with that athletic ability to blow through the line and blow up running backs before they can get to the line of scrimmage. It feels like it’s been a few years since we saw a Buckeye linebacker do that.
Now, Simon isn’t just a tackler. He’s capable in zone, and because he’ll be playing middle linebacker, that’s likely the only real coverage skill he’ll need. As long as he has the awareness and ability to survey the middle of the field within 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, he’ll be doing exactly what the Buckeyes want from him. His job in pass coverage is to stop anything and everything across the middle, underneath.
With Simon, the main knock seems to be his size, but as I said, that’s a feature for the Buckeyes, not a negative. He doesn’t look like a lot of the great linebackers in Buckeye history, but he doesn’t need to, because Ohio State’s new staff doesn’t want to play football in the past. They want a new prototype for linebackers, and that new prototype looks a whole lot like Cody Simon.
In the class
Simon is the 14th member of Ohio State’s 2020 class, and the first linebacker in the class, though he may be joined sooner than later by bullet/outside linebacker Kourt Williams, who also visited Ohio State last weekend.
His pledge serves as a pretty massive victory for Jeff Hafley and Al Washington. Hafley’s connection’s in New Jersey got Ohio State into this battle, and Washington sold the deal by emphasizing speed in Ohio State’s defense at every chance he gets. It’s obvious that Ohio State plans to do things different, and that was the sell to Simon.
From a more quantitative place, this commitment moves Ohio State way up the 247Sports team rankings, as they jump from eight to five, over top of Florida, Notre Dame and Michigan. The Buckeyes are just a point away from Georgia and the No. 4 spot, and they’ll look to make the jump at 5 p.m. ET today, when Darrion Henry is set to announce his commitment.
Continue reading...
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The New Jersey product could be a star.
Recruiting is a fickle game. No matter how good a coach is at recruiting, how good a school is at producing talent and winning games, or any other factors, there are some situations where the personalities just don’t quite gel. We saw it with Jackson Carman a few years back, nearly with Zach Harrison in the 2019 class, and prior to the promotion of Ryan Day, it would’ve likely been the case with Cody Simon.
That’s not to say that the prior regime at Ohio State wasn’t excellent at recruiting, it was just that some players didn’t quite fit with the personality of the program. Simon, in all likelihood, would have been such a player. Ohio State had very few ties to New Jersey on their old defensive staff, and it wasn’t until early May that the Buckeyes actually extended an offer to him.
Now, just over a month later, Simon has joined the Ohio State Buckeyes’ class. What does that mean for the Buckeyes?
On the field
Just like with the pursuit of Kourt Williams, Ohio State going after Cody Simon shows a commitment to fundamentally changing the way that Ohio State plays defense. Simon, at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, doesn’t look like your typical Ohio State linebacker. He isn’t a hulking, bulky, lumbering figure in the middle of the field. He’s an athlete first and foremost, just like Kourt Williams. While Williams is likely to play bullet in Columbus (if he chooses the Buckeyes) and Simon is being recruited to middle linebacker, the theme sticks with both.
That theme? Speed, and instinct. Simon has a nose for the ball, and the raw athletic ability to seek the ball out on every single play. He’s a legitimately great athlete, with rare speed, great burst, and lateral movement the likes of which Ohio State hasn’t seen since Darron Lee suited up in Columbus.
All of that shows most when Simon is disrupting running plays in the backfield, which he does frequently. He has great vision and general field awareness that he pairs with that athletic ability to blow through the line and blow up running backs before they can get to the line of scrimmage. It feels like it’s been a few years since we saw a Buckeye linebacker do that.
Now, Simon isn’t just a tackler. He’s capable in zone, and because he’ll be playing middle linebacker, that’s likely the only real coverage skill he’ll need. As long as he has the awareness and ability to survey the middle of the field within 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, he’ll be doing exactly what the Buckeyes want from him. His job in pass coverage is to stop anything and everything across the middle, underneath.
With Simon, the main knock seems to be his size, but as I said, that’s a feature for the Buckeyes, not a negative. He doesn’t look like a lot of the great linebackers in Buckeye history, but he doesn’t need to, because Ohio State’s new staff doesn’t want to play football in the past. They want a new prototype for linebackers, and that new prototype looks a whole lot like Cody Simon.
In the class
Simon is the 14th member of Ohio State’s 2020 class, and the first linebacker in the class, though he may be joined sooner than later by bullet/outside linebacker Kourt Williams, who also visited Ohio State last weekend.
His pledge serves as a pretty massive victory for Jeff Hafley and Al Washington. Hafley’s connection’s in New Jersey got Ohio State into this battle, and Washington sold the deal by emphasizing speed in Ohio State’s defense at every chance he gets. It’s obvious that Ohio State plans to do things different, and that was the sell to Simon.
From a more quantitative place, this commitment moves Ohio State way up the 247Sports team rankings, as they jump from eight to five, over top of Florida, Notre Dame and Michigan. The Buckeyes are just a point away from Georgia and the No. 4 spot, and they’ll look to make the jump at 5 p.m. ET today, when Darrion Henry is set to announce his commitment.
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LGHL 4-star outside linebacker Cody Simon commits to Ohio State
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4-star outside linebacker Cody Simon commits to Ohio State
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes pick up a defensive commitment for 2020.
The Ohio State Buckeyes had a solid commitment base on offense for 2020. Now, their defense is getting packed with top talent as four-star outside linebacker Cody Simon announced his verbal pledge to the scarlet and gray.
After much deliberation with my family and coaches, I have made the decision to attend THE Ohio State University
I am grateful to now be able to focus on my team and our success for the 2019 season. pic.twitter.com/e2CTj4U0VW
— Cody Simon (@Cody_Simon30) June 29, 2019
Simon comes in at 6-foot-1, 218 pounds, and is considered by the 247sports composite as the 154th best prospect in the class, 10th best OLB, and fourth best overall prospect from New Jersey.
He holds over 15 offers, rebuking the likes of Nebraska, Boston College, Rutgers, Notre Dame and Duke in favor of the Buckeyes. Earlier in June, he took one of his official visits to Lincoln, Neb., to see Scott Frost’s program. However, the Cornhuskers didn’t wind up getting the defensive star.
Accolade wise, Simon was selected to The Opening Finals. At the Opening Regionals, he recorded a 40-time of 4.62 seconds, a shuttle of 4.28 seconds, and a 38.90-inch vertical. With the likes of Mickey Marotti helping him at Ohio State, expect Simon to get bigger, faster and stronger before stepping onto the field.
For Al Washington and Jeff Hafley, the key recruiters for Simon, the Buckeye coaches secure a big win by getting the St. Peters Prep (N.J.) prospect to commit to OSU. That prep school is one of the best on the East Coast, and hopefully, this will strengthen a pipeline to the Buckeyes.
Continue reading...
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes pick up a defensive commitment for 2020.
The Ohio State Buckeyes had a solid commitment base on offense for 2020. Now, their defense is getting packed with top talent as four-star outside linebacker Cody Simon announced his verbal pledge to the scarlet and gray.
After much deliberation with my family and coaches, I have made the decision to attend THE Ohio State University
I am grateful to now be able to focus on my team and our success for the 2019 season. pic.twitter.com/e2CTj4U0VW— Cody Simon (@Cody_Simon30) June 29, 2019
Simon comes in at 6-foot-1, 218 pounds, and is considered by the 247sports composite as the 154th best prospect in the class, 10th best OLB, and fourth best overall prospect from New Jersey.
He holds over 15 offers, rebuking the likes of Nebraska, Boston College, Rutgers, Notre Dame and Duke in favor of the Buckeyes. Earlier in June, he took one of his official visits to Lincoln, Neb., to see Scott Frost’s program. However, the Cornhuskers didn’t wind up getting the defensive star.
Accolade wise, Simon was selected to The Opening Finals. At the Opening Regionals, he recorded a 40-time of 4.62 seconds, a shuttle of 4.28 seconds, and a 38.90-inch vertical. With the likes of Mickey Marotti helping him at Ohio State, expect Simon to get bigger, faster and stronger before stepping onto the field.
For Al Washington and Jeff Hafley, the key recruiters for Simon, the Buckeye coaches secure a big win by getting the St. Peters Prep (N.J.) prospect to commit to OSU. That prep school is one of the best on the East Coast, and hopefully, this will strengthen a pipeline to the Buckeyes.
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