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'19 GA PG Kyle Sturdivant (USC Verbal)
- By LitlBuck
- 2011 & Beyond Basketball Recruiting
- 18 Replies
Kyle, 6-foot-3, 190-pound point guard from Norcross (Ga.) committed to USC on Thursday.
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'19 SC PG Josiah James (Tennessee Verbal)
- By ScriptOhio
- 2011 & Beyond Basketball Recruiting
- 6 Replies
Committed to Tennessee. Clemson is beside themselves
Five-star guard Josiah James surprisingly picks Tennessee giving Rick Barnes his biggest recruiting win
James is the highest-rated prospect to commit to the Vols since Rick Barnes was hired in March 2015
Josiah James, a five-star combo guard from Charleston, South Carolina, verbally committed to Tennessee on Wednesday. The development came as a surprise to recruiting analysts, almost all of whom were projecting James to remain in-state and eventually sign a National Letter of Intent with Clemson.
In other words, it's heartbreak again for Clemson.
Last year, surprisingly, Brad Brownell's Tigers lost in-state star Zion Williamson to Duke. Now they've lost another in-state star, once again surprisingly, this time to the Vols.
Entire article: https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...iving-rick-barnes-his-biggest-recruiting-win/
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LGHL Zachery Harris (and the rest of the Tulane linebackers) will be responsible for stopping...
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Zachery Harris (and the rest of the Tulane linebackers) will be responsible for stopping Dobbins, Weber
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Urban Meyer said the Buckeye run game can improve. Expect the Tulane defense to be tested on the ground this weekend.
Over the first three games of the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes have showcased their ability to be a passing tour de force. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins has balled out, including a 344-yard breakthrough against the Bucks’ toughest opponent this year, TCU. But, with Urban Meyer back on the sidelines, we could see a change in the way OSU’s offense operates this weekend.
Meyer has already reiterated during this week’s coach’s press conference that he wants to see the running game improve. While production from J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber hasn’t been Heisman caliber, they do pack a punch against opposing defenses. Meyer wants to see that improve, and what better way to see improvement than to test it out in real, meaningful snaps.
Whether it be more run-pass option plays centered around Haskins and Dobbins/Weber, or straight up the middle rushing, the focus for the Tulane Green Wave will be to stop the Buckeyes’ running game. With Dobbins and Weber having the speed and power to break through the line of scrimmage, everything hinges on the linebacking play of Zachery Harris and Lawrence Graham.
A great outing from them could keep Tulane in the game; allow the running game to blossom, and the Green Wave defense will be chasing down a rusher into the end zone.
Stacking the cards this weekend, Tulane will have to use this game as a rebound. In their last game (UAB), the Green Wave defense gave up 269 yards on the ground in a losing effort. Granted, UAB had 59 attempts on the ground, but if you do the math, the yards per carry average was 4.8. That’s not really good. What’s also not really good—at least from Tulane’s perspective—is that UAB isn’t in the same category as Ohio State. Ohio State has a much, much more effective ground game. If Dobbins gets a full head of steam on Saturday, he may have 269 yards on the ground all by himself.
On the depth chart, Zachery Harris and Marvin Moody are the ones listed as starters at LB. However, looking at the last two games worth of stats, it’s been Harris and Graham leading the way with tackles. Last weekend, Harris and Graham both walked away with nine tackles apiece—with Graham leading the way in solo tackles at seven. Regardless of who is playing behind the line, they’ll need to be fresh; tired tacklers leads to broken tackles, and both Dobbins and Weber have the ability to not only speed past you, but can run through you in the process.
Here’s an example of what happens when the linebackers can’t get to Weber.
MIKE WEBER AGAIN!! 35-0 Buckeyes! pic.twitter.com/2dK38uMe3a
— Buckeye Videos+ (@BuckeyeVideos) November 11, 2017
Those kinds of runs will give Meyer what he’s looking for: improvement on the ground. Downfield blocking by the OSU offense will compound the problems of Tulane’s LBs. Not only do they have to track down whomever has the ball, but because of the weight and height differential at the offensive line, whomever has the ball will, more than likely, have a path to run through.
While rushing hasn’t seen huge numbers, it’s worth mentioning that Ohio State’s first three opponents were Power 5 programs. Rutgers might be the closest team to Tulane that OSU has faced. In that game, the Buckeyes had 242 total rush yards off 40 rushes. Giving up 5.6 yards per pop is a good way for the Green Wave to be warming up the buses at halftime. Stop the run, and they might have a chance at making this game interesting—especially if Meyer is dead set on emphasizing the run in his first game back as head coach.
Playing against Ohio State is a more physical version of chess. Stop the run game and Ohio State will try and beat you in the air. Haskins has an arm, and will still continue to make throws this week. How many he’ll get is anybody’s guess, but if the Buckeye run game goes cold, Haskins will start airing it out.
For Tulane, stopping the run is only half the equation—but it’s an important one. If they fail to stop the run, then Dobbins and Weber (and maybe even Brian Snead or Master Teague) will get in on the action. Urban Meyer is hungry to get back onto the field to coach, and will want to hit the ground running against Tulane before he coaches in one of the biggest games of the season against Penn State.
Tulane is up against a Goliath this week, but they can make things interesting by holding the OSU rushers in check.
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
Urban Meyer said the Buckeye run game can improve. Expect the Tulane defense to be tested on the ground this weekend.
Over the first three games of the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes have showcased their ability to be a passing tour de force. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins has balled out, including a 344-yard breakthrough against the Bucks’ toughest opponent this year, TCU. But, with Urban Meyer back on the sidelines, we could see a change in the way OSU’s offense operates this weekend.
Meyer has already reiterated during this week’s coach’s press conference that he wants to see the running game improve. While production from J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber hasn’t been Heisman caliber, they do pack a punch against opposing defenses. Meyer wants to see that improve, and what better way to see improvement than to test it out in real, meaningful snaps.
Whether it be more run-pass option plays centered around Haskins and Dobbins/Weber, or straight up the middle rushing, the focus for the Tulane Green Wave will be to stop the Buckeyes’ running game. With Dobbins and Weber having the speed and power to break through the line of scrimmage, everything hinges on the linebacking play of Zachery Harris and Lawrence Graham.
A great outing from them could keep Tulane in the game; allow the running game to blossom, and the Green Wave defense will be chasing down a rusher into the end zone.
Stacking the cards this weekend, Tulane will have to use this game as a rebound. In their last game (UAB), the Green Wave defense gave up 269 yards on the ground in a losing effort. Granted, UAB had 59 attempts on the ground, but if you do the math, the yards per carry average was 4.8. That’s not really good. What’s also not really good—at least from Tulane’s perspective—is that UAB isn’t in the same category as Ohio State. Ohio State has a much, much more effective ground game. If Dobbins gets a full head of steam on Saturday, he may have 269 yards on the ground all by himself.
On the depth chart, Zachery Harris and Marvin Moody are the ones listed as starters at LB. However, looking at the last two games worth of stats, it’s been Harris and Graham leading the way with tackles. Last weekend, Harris and Graham both walked away with nine tackles apiece—with Graham leading the way in solo tackles at seven. Regardless of who is playing behind the line, they’ll need to be fresh; tired tacklers leads to broken tackles, and both Dobbins and Weber have the ability to not only speed past you, but can run through you in the process.
Here’s an example of what happens when the linebackers can’t get to Weber.
MIKE WEBER AGAIN!! 35-0 Buckeyes! pic.twitter.com/2dK38uMe3a
— Buckeye Videos+ (@BuckeyeVideos) November 11, 2017
Those kinds of runs will give Meyer what he’s looking for: improvement on the ground. Downfield blocking by the OSU offense will compound the problems of Tulane’s LBs. Not only do they have to track down whomever has the ball, but because of the weight and height differential at the offensive line, whomever has the ball will, more than likely, have a path to run through.
While rushing hasn’t seen huge numbers, it’s worth mentioning that Ohio State’s first three opponents were Power 5 programs. Rutgers might be the closest team to Tulane that OSU has faced. In that game, the Buckeyes had 242 total rush yards off 40 rushes. Giving up 5.6 yards per pop is a good way for the Green Wave to be warming up the buses at halftime. Stop the run, and they might have a chance at making this game interesting—especially if Meyer is dead set on emphasizing the run in his first game back as head coach.
Playing against Ohio State is a more physical version of chess. Stop the run game and Ohio State will try and beat you in the air. Haskins has an arm, and will still continue to make throws this week. How many he’ll get is anybody’s guess, but if the Buckeye run game goes cold, Haskins will start airing it out.
For Tulane, stopping the run is only half the equation—but it’s an important one. If they fail to stop the run, then Dobbins and Weber (and maybe even Brian Snead or Master Teague) will get in on the action. Urban Meyer is hungry to get back onto the field to coach, and will want to hit the ground running against Tulane before he coaches in one of the biggest games of the season against Penn State.
Tulane is up against a Goliath this week, but they can make things interesting by holding the OSU rushers in check.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State basketball prepares for big end to 2019 class
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Ohio State basketball prepares for big end to 2019 class
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Can Chris Holtmann close out one of the best classes in school history?
The start of the Chris Holtmann era has had quite a few highs, and very few lows. Despite a disappointing loss to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA tournament last year, and three losses to one team in a single season (Penn State), news around Ohio State’s basketball program has been overwhelmingly positive since Holtmann was hired last June.
While Holtmann wasn’t heralded as a big recruiter, a lot of the positivity around the program has come from his recruiting, and after a solid 2018 class, Holtmann seems to have really found a groove in Columbus in the 2019 class. With the early signing period coming up in just under two months, Ohio State holds two commitments in that 2019 class from five star guard DJ Carton and four star wing Alonzo Gaffney.
While those two alone would make for an awesome class (and have the Buckeyes sitting at 10th nationally), Ohio State is looking for one or two more prospects to add to the group. Whoever the Buckeyes add will likely be a big man to go with the smaller counterparts (though calling Gaffney or Carton small would just be wrong).
With that in mind, Ohio State is really starting to key in on adding a third member before the signing period begins. We talked yesterday about Minnesota power forward Zeke Nnaji and his upcoming in-home visit with the Buckeyes, but today we have yet another big man to talk about. This time, it’s Montverde (FL) center Omar Payne.
The #Buckeyes will now be hosting Omar Payne (@Ogomarpayne) on an official visit Oct. 5. Date moved due to a school function. Payne is a four-star big man prospect and the No. 38 recruit in the 2019 class.
— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) September 15, 2018
Payne was expected for a visit this coming weekend originally, but as indicated in the tweet, that visit was moved further back as a result of a scheduling conflict. Chris Holtmann visited Payne just days ago, according to Rivals, and seems to be fighting hard to land the four-star big man.
While Nnaji and Payne are certainly options, I still think the favorite to take that third spot is power forward EJ Liddell. Liddell included Ohio State in his top three a week ago, along with Illinois and his home state team, Missouri. Liddell is expected to announce his commitment soon, and at this point, my prediction is that he picks the Buckeyes.
Back to Garfield Heights
While the Buckeyes look to finish of their 2019 class with a big man, they’re also looking ahead to the future, and specifically the 2021 class. After having success recruiting Garfield Heights (near Cleveland) when they went in and landed Alonzo Gaffney earlier this year, Ohio State wants to make further in-roads.
While Gaffney has since moved onto Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, Ohio State still has a good relationship with quite a few of the players at Garfield Heights, and perhaps most importantly, the coach of the program, Sonny Johnson. Johnson, a former Mr. Ohio winner and Ohio Bobcat has developed quite the program at Garfield Heights.
Part of that program, and seemingly the future of the program, is Johnson’s nephew Meechie Johnson, and his son, freshman Sonny Johnson Jr. Ohio State has offered the former, and will likely be offering the latter as he gets older. On Monday, Ohio State assistant Ryan Pedon checked in on the young duo.
Can OHIO STATE assistant coach @ryanpedon Get the job done with @HWBBall15 and Little Meechie @AdamJardy @BillLandis25 @mgoul @MunchCleveland @c Lol let's go pic.twitter.com/ufPon9fp91
— Sonny Johnson (@sonnyjohnson32) September 17, 2018
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Ohio State was to land both Meechie and Sonny Jr, and they may look at 2020 forward Brent Darby Jr, the son of the late Brent Darby, a former Buckeye guard under Jim O’Brien.
Quick hits
Excited, Honored, and Humbled to announce that I have received an offer to play football at The Ohio State University! @OhioStateFB @OSUCoachMeyer @ryandaytime @CoachStudOL @devonssmith @markpantoni @Coach_Willey_FB @MissionAE pic.twitter.com/RmnoqWnU9x
— Zak Zinter (@zak_zinter) September 18, 2018
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
Can Chris Holtmann close out one of the best classes in school history?
The start of the Chris Holtmann era has had quite a few highs, and very few lows. Despite a disappointing loss to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA tournament last year, and three losses to one team in a single season (Penn State), news around Ohio State’s basketball program has been overwhelmingly positive since Holtmann was hired last June.
While Holtmann wasn’t heralded as a big recruiter, a lot of the positivity around the program has come from his recruiting, and after a solid 2018 class, Holtmann seems to have really found a groove in Columbus in the 2019 class. With the early signing period coming up in just under two months, Ohio State holds two commitments in that 2019 class from five star guard DJ Carton and four star wing Alonzo Gaffney.
While those two alone would make for an awesome class (and have the Buckeyes sitting at 10th nationally), Ohio State is looking for one or two more prospects to add to the group. Whoever the Buckeyes add will likely be a big man to go with the smaller counterparts (though calling Gaffney or Carton small would just be wrong).
With that in mind, Ohio State is really starting to key in on adding a third member before the signing period begins. We talked yesterday about Minnesota power forward Zeke Nnaji and his upcoming in-home visit with the Buckeyes, but today we have yet another big man to talk about. This time, it’s Montverde (FL) center Omar Payne.
The #Buckeyes will now be hosting Omar Payne (@Ogomarpayne) on an official visit Oct. 5. Date moved due to a school function. Payne is a four-star big man prospect and the No. 38 recruit in the 2019 class.
— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) September 15, 2018
Payne was expected for a visit this coming weekend originally, but as indicated in the tweet, that visit was moved further back as a result of a scheduling conflict. Chris Holtmann visited Payne just days ago, according to Rivals, and seems to be fighting hard to land the four-star big man.
While Nnaji and Payne are certainly options, I still think the favorite to take that third spot is power forward EJ Liddell. Liddell included Ohio State in his top three a week ago, along with Illinois and his home state team, Missouri. Liddell is expected to announce his commitment soon, and at this point, my prediction is that he picks the Buckeyes.
Back to Garfield Heights
While the Buckeyes look to finish of their 2019 class with a big man, they’re also looking ahead to the future, and specifically the 2021 class. After having success recruiting Garfield Heights (near Cleveland) when they went in and landed Alonzo Gaffney earlier this year, Ohio State wants to make further in-roads.
While Gaffney has since moved onto Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, Ohio State still has a good relationship with quite a few of the players at Garfield Heights, and perhaps most importantly, the coach of the program, Sonny Johnson. Johnson, a former Mr. Ohio winner and Ohio Bobcat has developed quite the program at Garfield Heights.
Part of that program, and seemingly the future of the program, is Johnson’s nephew Meechie Johnson, and his son, freshman Sonny Johnson Jr. Ohio State has offered the former, and will likely be offering the latter as he gets older. On Monday, Ohio State assistant Ryan Pedon checked in on the young duo.
Can OHIO STATE assistant coach @ryanpedon Get the job done with @HWBBall15 and Little Meechie @AdamJardy @BillLandis25 @mgoul @MunchCleveland @c Lol let's go pic.twitter.com/ufPon9fp91
— Sonny Johnson (@sonnyjohnson32) September 17, 2018
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Ohio State was to land both Meechie and Sonny Jr, and they may look at 2020 forward Brent Darby Jr, the son of the late Brent Darby, a former Buckeye guard under Jim O’Brien.
Quick hits
- Ohio State extended an offer to 2020 three-star tackle Zak Zinter. I expect he’ll visit Columbus at some point this season, but he seems like a long shot at this point.
Excited, Honored, and Humbled to announce that I have received an offer to play football at The Ohio State University! @OhioStateFB @OSUCoachMeyer @ryandaytime @CoachStudOL @devonssmith @markpantoni @Coach_Willey_FB @MissionAE pic.twitter.com/RmnoqWnU9x
— Zak Zinter (@zak_zinter) September 18, 2018
- Five-star safety Daxton Hill committed to Michigan. He listed Ohio State in his top six, but was never seriously considering Ohio State.
#918 Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State trusted in Austin Mack, and it will continue to pay off
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State trusted in Austin Mack, and it will continue to pay off
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes continued targeting Mack against TCU, and the trust shown should help down the line.
“We are really close. So I was just saying, ‘Look, play. If you mess up, I’m going to keep coming to you, throwing you the ball.’ It was hard for him having those drops like that in key moments in the game, but he kept pushing. And I relied on him again in the big moments, and he came through for me.”
- Dwayne Haskins on Austin Mack via Austin Ward, Lettermen Row
Ohio State and Dwayne Haskins had a tough decision to make in the midst of a dogfight with TCU last Saturday. Wide receiver Austin Mack started the game off brilliantly, providing the first highlight of the night on a beautiful catch that set the Buckeyes up near the goal line. It would result in a field goal for Ohio State, but partly because of what happened next from Mack. A dropped pass in the endzone would further stall the drive.
That was followed by several other drops that Mack usually is pretty reliable for. And it was clear at a certain point that he was getting in his own head. But instead of the coaching staff benching him in favor of another receiver, they kept him in the game and Haskins made a point to keep throwing his direction.
A show of veteran leadership from Haskins may pay off down the line as Mack seemed to gain his confidence back after making a couple of nice grabs later on in the game.
“[Best wins of the nonconference season] 3. Ohio State 40, TCU 28”
- Heather Dinich, ESPN
Heather Dinich of ESPN has covered the road to the College Football Playoff for several seasons now and generally has a good sense of what the committee looks at in terms of who gets in to the playoff and who does not. So the latest breakdown of which teams made the most noise during the nonconference schedule can help determine a lot about a team early on in the season. And it looks like that’s good news for the Buckeyes as they try to get back to the semifinals.
Ohio State put aside TCU, 40-28, in what was virtually a home game for the Horned Frogs, and did so with the help of some explosive play from Haskins and the Buckeye defense. Dre’Mont Jones’ pick six and Nick Bosa’s forced fumble in the endzone that resulted in a touchdown were big reasons why the Buckeyes left Texas sitting at 3-0. The win landed third on the most impressive wins during the nonconference slate, behind Clemson’s win over Texas A&M and Auburn’s win over Washington.
STICK TO SPORTS
Continue reading...
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes continued targeting Mack against TCU, and the trust shown should help down the line.
“We are really close. So I was just saying, ‘Look, play. If you mess up, I’m going to keep coming to you, throwing you the ball.’ It was hard for him having those drops like that in key moments in the game, but he kept pushing. And I relied on him again in the big moments, and he came through for me.”
- Dwayne Haskins on Austin Mack via Austin Ward, Lettermen Row
Ohio State and Dwayne Haskins had a tough decision to make in the midst of a dogfight with TCU last Saturday. Wide receiver Austin Mack started the game off brilliantly, providing the first highlight of the night on a beautiful catch that set the Buckeyes up near the goal line. It would result in a field goal for Ohio State, but partly because of what happened next from Mack. A dropped pass in the endzone would further stall the drive.
That was followed by several other drops that Mack usually is pretty reliable for. And it was clear at a certain point that he was getting in his own head. But instead of the coaching staff benching him in favor of another receiver, they kept him in the game and Haskins made a point to keep throwing his direction.
A show of veteran leadership from Haskins may pay off down the line as Mack seemed to gain his confidence back after making a couple of nice grabs later on in the game.
“[Best wins of the nonconference season] 3. Ohio State 40, TCU 28”
- Heather Dinich, ESPN
Heather Dinich of ESPN has covered the road to the College Football Playoff for several seasons now and generally has a good sense of what the committee looks at in terms of who gets in to the playoff and who does not. So the latest breakdown of which teams made the most noise during the nonconference schedule can help determine a lot about a team early on in the season. And it looks like that’s good news for the Buckeyes as they try to get back to the semifinals.
Ohio State put aside TCU, 40-28, in what was virtually a home game for the Horned Frogs, and did so with the help of some explosive play from Haskins and the Buckeye defense. Dre’Mont Jones’ pick six and Nick Bosa’s forced fumble in the endzone that resulted in a touchdown were big reasons why the Buckeyes left Texas sitting at 3-0. The win landed third on the most impressive wins during the nonconference slate, behind Clemson’s win over Texas A&M and Auburn’s win over Washington.
STICK TO SPORTS
- Absolutely here for a Wheel of Fortune-type of game from HQ Trivia.
- Moondust could be used to help build a lunar base.
- Here’s the review for Apple’s iPhone XS and XS Max.
Continue reading...
LGHL Tulane’s offensive line will need to protect QB Jonathan Banks against Ohio State
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Tulane’s offensive line will need to protect QB Jonathan Banks against 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
Keeping Banks upright needs to be the main priority if the Green Wave wants to upset the Buckeyes.
The Tulane Green Wave are coming off of a loss to UAB in which their starting quarterback Jonathan Banks was sacked six times.
If they stand to have a chance against the Ohio State Buckeyes, keeping Banks upright has to be mission critical. If they don’t protect their QB, then expect a long afternoon for the Green Wave in Columbus. The OSU defensive line has been, arguably, the strongest unit this season for the Bucks. Between Nick Bosa, Dre’Mont Jones and Chase Young, the line has dominated the Oregon State Beavers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights and (contained) the TCU Horned Frogs.
Bosa forced fumbles against Oregon State and TCU, while Jones and Young have found ways to either sack the opposing QB or force turnovers of their own. Last week, Jones made a highlight worthy snatch, and ran it back for a game-changing TD.
Dre’Mont Jones: best @PFF_College pass-rushing grade in the nation among interior D-Linemen.
Best 290-pound running back? pic.twitter.com/Ns3xaxIM0E
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) September 16, 2018
What Tulane has going for them is that Bosa will be inactive on Saturday, as he heals from an injured leg/groin sustained against the Horned Frogs. So, instead of blocking against three of the best D-lineman in the Big Ten, the Green Wave will only have to block two. (Which is just slightly better).
While the Green Wave offense won’t have to navigate around Bosa, there still lingers the big question of how to protect Banks—especially on drives that have scoring opportunities. In the second quarter against UAB, Tulane was driving down the field to equalize the game at 14-14. However, on a fourth-and-9 from the UAB 39, Banks was sacked for a 9-yard loss on the play—and fumbled the football. That fumble was scooped up and ran back for a touchdown, pushing their deficit to 21-7.
When the clock hit all zeros, Tulane’s comeback fell short, and they took the road loss in Birmingham, 31-24. If Banks and the Green Wave offense get anywhere near scoring territory, they have to capitalize on it. Ohio State is a completely different animal than UAB. There’s a good chance that the Buckeyes will hang 31 points on visitors before halftime, compared to UAB’s 31 points for an entire game.
Keeping the signal-caller upright is only half of the equation; the Green Wave also needs to create time for Banks to make his throws. Passing was not a strong suit last week, as Banks went 7-of-24 for 180 yards. If he’s taking pressure in the pocket and forcing throws, now there is real potential for another problem to show up: interceptions.
Banks only lobbed one pick in his last game, but it nearly put the game out of reach at halftime. On the following drive after the fumble and score, Banks threw his lone pick versus UAB at his own 38. Now, the Tulane defense forced an interception on the following drive and stopped any points from materializing, but that turnover could’ve put the Green Wave in a 28-7 deficit before the break. A couple passes right into the hands of Buckeye defenders will make life extremely difficult for Tulane—and if they happen early in the game, will leave them drifting off into blowout territory before halftime.
More of Week 1 Tulane needs to make an appearance on Saturday, rather that Week 3 Tulane. In the season opener, the Green Wave went the distance with Wake Forest, and forced an overtime period. Even though they lost, there was some promise on the offensive side; Banks threw for 281 yards and two scores on 18-of-37 passing. And, he didn’t throw an interception. Again, Wake Forest isn’t even in the same tier as Ohio State when it comes to on-field production, but it shows that good offensive play will keep you afloat. A 281-yard afternoon for Banks may need to be dialed up for a competitive game on Saturday.
Ohio State has given up a scary amount of big plays this season. Against the Beavers, a combination of big runs and passes enabled a surprising 31 points to be put on the scoreboard. TCU only scored 28 last week, but a 93-yard TD run extended the Horned Frogs lead at the time.
Tulane will probably take a couple of chunk plays for scores against OSU. But, they’ll need to constantly stay on the attack without turnovers in order to have even the faintest of chances— unfortunately for them, no team this season has been able to do that for four quarters against Ohio State.
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
Keeping Banks upright needs to be the main priority if the Green Wave wants to upset the Buckeyes.
The Tulane Green Wave are coming off of a loss to UAB in which their starting quarterback Jonathan Banks was sacked six times.
If they stand to have a chance against the Ohio State Buckeyes, keeping Banks upright has to be mission critical. If they don’t protect their QB, then expect a long afternoon for the Green Wave in Columbus. The OSU defensive line has been, arguably, the strongest unit this season for the Bucks. Between Nick Bosa, Dre’Mont Jones and Chase Young, the line has dominated the Oregon State Beavers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights and (contained) the TCU Horned Frogs.
Bosa forced fumbles against Oregon State and TCU, while Jones and Young have found ways to either sack the opposing QB or force turnovers of their own. Last week, Jones made a highlight worthy snatch, and ran it back for a game-changing TD.
Dre’Mont Jones: best @PFF_College pass-rushing grade in the nation among interior D-Linemen.
Best 290-pound running back? pic.twitter.com/Ns3xaxIM0E
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) September 16, 2018
What Tulane has going for them is that Bosa will be inactive on Saturday, as he heals from an injured leg/groin sustained against the Horned Frogs. So, instead of blocking against three of the best D-lineman in the Big Ten, the Green Wave will only have to block two. (Which is just slightly better).
While the Green Wave offense won’t have to navigate around Bosa, there still lingers the big question of how to protect Banks—especially on drives that have scoring opportunities. In the second quarter against UAB, Tulane was driving down the field to equalize the game at 14-14. However, on a fourth-and-9 from the UAB 39, Banks was sacked for a 9-yard loss on the play—and fumbled the football. That fumble was scooped up and ran back for a touchdown, pushing their deficit to 21-7.
When the clock hit all zeros, Tulane’s comeback fell short, and they took the road loss in Birmingham, 31-24. If Banks and the Green Wave offense get anywhere near scoring territory, they have to capitalize on it. Ohio State is a completely different animal than UAB. There’s a good chance that the Buckeyes will hang 31 points on visitors before halftime, compared to UAB’s 31 points for an entire game.
Keeping the signal-caller upright is only half of the equation; the Green Wave also needs to create time for Banks to make his throws. Passing was not a strong suit last week, as Banks went 7-of-24 for 180 yards. If he’s taking pressure in the pocket and forcing throws, now there is real potential for another problem to show up: interceptions.
Banks only lobbed one pick in his last game, but it nearly put the game out of reach at halftime. On the following drive after the fumble and score, Banks threw his lone pick versus UAB at his own 38. Now, the Tulane defense forced an interception on the following drive and stopped any points from materializing, but that turnover could’ve put the Green Wave in a 28-7 deficit before the break. A couple passes right into the hands of Buckeye defenders will make life extremely difficult for Tulane—and if they happen early in the game, will leave them drifting off into blowout territory before halftime.
More of Week 1 Tulane needs to make an appearance on Saturday, rather that Week 3 Tulane. In the season opener, the Green Wave went the distance with Wake Forest, and forced an overtime period. Even though they lost, there was some promise on the offensive side; Banks threw for 281 yards and two scores on 18-of-37 passing. And, he didn’t throw an interception. Again, Wake Forest isn’t even in the same tier as Ohio State when it comes to on-field production, but it shows that good offensive play will keep you afloat. A 281-yard afternoon for Banks may need to be dialed up for a competitive game on Saturday.
Ohio State has given up a scary amount of big plays this season. Against the Beavers, a combination of big runs and passes enabled a surprising 31 points to be put on the scoreboard. TCU only scored 28 last week, but a 93-yard TD run extended the Horned Frogs lead at the time.
Tulane will probably take a couple of chunk plays for scores against OSU. But, they’ll need to constantly stay on the attack without turnovers in order to have even the faintest of chances— unfortunately for them, no team this season has been able to do that for four quarters against Ohio State.
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