Bold Prediction: The Big Ten will set an attendance record in 2022
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If the rest of entertainment, leisure and travel is any indicator.

My husband and I took a long-awaited trip to Italy in April and caught the travel bug once again. As we were searching for our next trip, we noticed that ticket prices had almost tripled for some routes (including the one we’d just been on a few months ago). That’s because everyone else has caught the travel bug too now that COVID restrictions have largely lifted. As a result, the willingness to pay for these experiences is significantly higher.

Moving a little closer to home, the addition of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten will mean the conference is literally a national brand stretching coast to coast. Will we find Big Ten fans regularly willing to foot the travel costs to follow their teams to cross-country games? That’s a story for a different season, but for now, suffice to say that all indicators point to a record year for attendance at Big Ten football games.

All eyes might be on the conference’s impending media rights deal, which was already expected to be record-setting on its own before the announcement of USC and UCLA joining the fray. However, the thirst for the in-person experience, which had in some ways been waning before the pandemic, means the Big Ten schools can reliably count on another source of revenue this season.

Already, Iowa announced that five of its seven home games are sold out, including two non-conference matchups against Nevada and Iowa State. While we’ve not seen similar announcements from the rest of the Big Ten programs, we could anticipate that programs like Michigan, coming off a banner year, and Michigan State, with lots of enthusiasm around Mel Tucker, will see similar results ahead of the start of the season. Even teams like Illinois, which will see Brett Bielema returning for his second season as head coach, have reason for excitement.

There’s also the question of Penn State, which, like Michigan State, gave head coach James Franklin a massive extension, but which has struggled to meet expectations in recent seasons. Will fans continue to flock to white out games? Probably. Will they be keen to attend a noon game against the Ohio Bobcats? Less likely.

And then there’s Nebraska, which claims the longest sellout streak in football. The Huskers might be struggling on many fronts, but fans will certainly show up for the Huskers’ Sept. 17 matchup against former Big 12 foe Oklahoma.

Will this spirit trickle down to teams like Rutgers, Indiana and Maryland? That much is unclear, but these games could prove accessible for other reasons — mainly for fans of other teams. Given that the going rate for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame tickets is $240+, perhaps we’ll see more Ohio State fans making the six-hour trek to Evanston to see the Buckeyes on the road at a much lower price. Having attended several Northwestern games in 2018, I can acknowledge that the majority of fans in the small stadium are often cheering for the road team. Perhaps even Northwestern will see a sellout of several hot games with away team fans traveling in. And even if they aren’t sellouts, it will probably be enough to set an attendance record.

Granted, this record would be a challenging one to set because the bar is already so high. Three programs — Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State — have averaged 100,000+ fans per game in recent years (2020 excluded). However, the other 11 programs in the conference could see a rush of ticket sales — if Iowa is any indication, at least.

This year could perhaps be an anomaly, as sellouts are somewhat counter to the trends we’ve been seeing in live sports in recent years. The at-home experience (from elite broadcast talent to better TVs and more) has become so comfortable, but we’ve been at home so much in the last two (plus) years. Whether the desire to spend on out-of-home experiences continues once folks have gotten it out of their system remains to be seen, but the demand is certainly there now.

Revenue generation doesn’t stop at tickets, though. In terms of alcohol sales, this could also prove a boon for the member schools, about half of which have implemented alcohol in their concessions repertoire in the last decade or so. Moreover, in-stadium sponsorships become even more valuable and competitive, another key driver for program revenue.

Even beyond the stadium, the ecosystem of bars, restaurants and shops that operate around college football — those that suffered the most when there were no fans at games in the 2020 season — look to benefit from this increase in traffic.

The global trend of high willingness to pay for entertainment will of course extend to college football, and the Big Ten is well positioned to capitalize on it. The record year is well within sight.

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Column: It’s time to level the playing field
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Women’s tackle football has long existed, but not at the collegiate level. The NCAA needs to close that gap.

As a child, I was a ballerina who also happened to play tackle football (what can I say? I contain multitudes). I’m the daughter of a collegiate football player, and my neighborhood friends were mostly boys. Our version of The Sandlot was football at the local elementary school.

In the summers, when my mom would send me outside to play with instructions not to return until it got dark, my options were to read or play alone or to join the boys on the gridiron. I think maybe my deep competitive streak began during those summers with my need to prove to the boys that I belonged on the field (to their credit, I was always welcome with open arms, and they tackled me just as hard as they tackled each other).

Eventually, I begged my parents to let me play in the community tackle football league. For one glorious year, I suited up every Saturday to play with the boys.

Unfortunately, after one season, my dad, who already had concerns about the safety of football given what we know now in terms of concussions, pulled me for safety because my age was going to require me to bump up a weight class, though I was well under the weight itself. That was the end of my football career, but not the end of my love for the sport.

Fast forward to a few years ago. My dear friend Molly called me up to tell me she was joining a competitive women’s tackle football team called the Boston Renegades. They had, she said, won many national championships as part of the Women’s Football Alliance. Molly had a history of collegiate sports, but she was new to the game of football.

My mind was blown. I had never heard of the Women’s Football Alliance, nor did I realize that competitive tackle football for women was an option. As it turns out, women’s tackle football teams and leagues have been around for decades. Columbus even had a team of its own — the Columbus Pacesetters — from 1974-1988 before they became a flag football team.

Over the past five years, women’s tackle football has seen tremendous growth in both the number of teams and the level of competition, in large part thanks to the WFA’s work to make women’s tackle football accessible as a community investment. There’s even a U.S. Women’s National tackle football team.


But there aren’t teams at the collegiate level. Given the growth of women’s tackle football in recent years, one has to wonder – will it ever become an NCAA sport?

Football has long been a male-dominated sport, and while I am hoping that in the near future, we move away from gendered sports altogether in favor of more inclusive systems, as long as we are still working under gendered sports, I would love to see more women on football fields across America.

While there are no rules barring women from taking the field in NCAA football games, women are few and far between, in part due to the physical size of most football players. When we do see them on the field, it’s usually in placekicker or holder roles — positions which are rarely involved in full contact. Only four women have ever played in non-kicking positions at the collegiate level.

But if there is such a large — and growing — interest in women’s tackle football for adults, wouldn’t it make sense that there are women at the collegiate level who would be interested in playing as well? Women who could theoretically feed into adult leagues?

The WFA is making incredible strides in bringing women’s tackle football to the forefront, and I think it’s time for the NCAA to catch up to the times, even if it starts at the club level. The impact of adding women’s tackle football teams to the NCAA would be vast, likely rippling down to high schools and youth leagues.

Surely I wasn’t the only young girl in America who had an interest in tackle football. But I also think many of my friends didn’t see it as an option for them; It was a boys’ club. Having women’s tackle football at the collegiate level would create exposure in a way that would help middle and high school athletes visualize that as a realistic option for them to consider, should they want to.

Playing football at a young age taught me toughness, persistence, resilience (having to get up for the next play after being dropped on your ass will teach you to bounce back in life in ways little else will). We know team sports are beneficial to young people even if they don’t choose to become professional athletes, and as safety continues to improve in the sport, football can help youth players develop life skills — skills which women and young girls should also have access to.

We’re also seeing a surge for professional women’s sports across the board. The NWLS and WNBA have both soared in popularity in recent years, and the NCAAW March Madness tournament saw record numbers this year. There’s no reason to believe that same sentiment couldn’t translate to tackle football.

It wouldn’t be an overnight shift, but it is also not out of the realm of possibility. The long-term payoff, in my opinion, is worth the investment.

The NCAA is in a position to meet the times and create a world in which football is a sport for everyone, not just boys. Where women are on the field enough that their presence isn’t a news headline. Where young girls could turn on the television on Saturday mornings to see people like them playing tackle football, with all of the strength and toughness that requires, and think “I could do that too.”

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WNBA Buckeye Report’s somber return
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After the All-Star break, an Ohio State alum kept up their big performances, but with a team still rebuilding.

The WNBA Buckeye Report brings you updates throughout the WNBA season for former Ohio State Buckeyes playing in America’s top women’s basketball league. This week comes in a more somber tone, and this time not another complaint about a former All-American guard being snubbed for a WNBA All-Star spot for a fifth-straight season — but its close.

The Indiana Fever, Kelsey Mitchell’s team, are officially eliminated from the WNBA playoffs. After beginning the season with five wins in their first two months, the Fever are two games away from not winning a single contest in July. As the Chicago Skys and Las Vegas Aces of the world clinched their spot in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs, Mitchell and the Fever are left on the outside looking in.

Mitchell isn’t the reason for it, either. In the past two weeks, Mitchell’s averaged 17 points per game and 4.8 assists, including the guard’s best performance of the season on Sunday in Indiana. Against the Dallas Wings, Mitchell was a player possessed. In 35 minutes, Mitchell scored 34 points, added six rebounds and five assists. Those points were well distributed too.

All game, Mitchell was attacking the basket and stretching the Dallas defense. In the first quarter, Mitchell defied her 5-foot-8 frame and charged into the lane. Mitchell created five of those 34 points from the free throw line. When Mitchell wasn’t driving, she was shooting from deep. Mitchell hit three of six from beyond the arc on the way to her season high.

Unfortunately for Indiana, a fast start didn’t turn into a consistent performance for four quarters. Up six at the end of the first quarter, Dallas outscored the home side 61 to 38 in the second and third, ultimately winning 96-86. The performance is consistent with the Fever’s play this year, with Mitchell leading the team in scoring in 19 out of 30 games and leading in assists in 17.

While Mitchell adds never playing in a WNBA Playoff game to an All-Star snub, Ohio’s neighbor to the west has potential in the future. The Fever feature rookies NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo in the starting lineup, who have each grown through the year, and Mitchell still has one more season under contract with the Fever after signing a three-year deal in 2021.

With that contract, and Mitchell as the obvious star that Indiana is building around, next year is pivotal for the Fever to make a competitive leap.

Elsewhere in the world of former Buckeyes in the WNBA, the Seattle Storm’s Jantel Lavender returned to the court for the first time since July 7, with new center Tina Charles taking up minutes that Lavender occupied entering the month. Lavender scored four points in the Storm’s 16-point defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury on July 22, and didn’t receive any minutes in Seattle’s next game on July 24.

Down in Las Vegas, former Buckeye turned Florida Gulf Coast transfer Kierstan Bell continues to receive inconsistent minutes in the forward’s first pro season. The Alliance, Ohio native’s seen time on the court in four games since the All-Star break, scoring seven points combined across under 22 combined minutes.

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Bold prediction(s): Evan Pryor will finish second among OSU running backs in total yardage, and Julian Fleming will finish second in receptions
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Is Pryor Ohio State’s best kept secret? | Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Pryor flashed do-it-all versatility during OSU’s spring game, suggesting he could play a role in this year’s offense. And for the third consecutive year, I am spending an increasingly lonely summer at my timeshare on Fleming Island.

I am giving you two bold predictions, because I simply have too much boldness. Or maybe I have taken up residence in Hot Take Fairytale Land, where pundits such as Skip Bayless make a living. TBD, I guess. But really, I just happen to think that we will see a lot of different “stuff” from the Buckeyes this year. My apologies for not being overly eloquent, but it is difficult to explain.

I do not see an offense that suddenly averages 40 rushing attempts per game. And I certainly don’t expect a top-5 national defense in Jim Knowles’ first season. But I do envision change, and some of that will occur by default, due to the losses of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. So on offense, I think that equates to spreading the wealth, and not being so reliant on C.J. Stroud, TreVeyon Henderson, and one or two wide receivers. That is where Evan Pryor and Julian Fleming coming in.


You (or I) would encounter minimal opposition if we were to suggest that Henderson is arguably the top running back in the country. After a true freshman season which saw him rip off chunk play after chunk play, and total nearly 1,600 yards and 19 TD in 2021, the argument likely comes down to he and Bijan Robinson. But Henderson was not exactly Wolverine out on the field. He did play in all 13 games, but was banged up a number of times. He also had five games in which he was fed less than double-digit carries. His workload was likely by design, but I would expect it to be similar in 2022.

Miyan Williams was Ohio State’s primary backup last season, and I do not think that will change — nor should it. Williams is the hammer to Henderson’s nail, or the thunder to his lightning. But unlike 2021, when there was little trust in other running backs, I believe the coaching staff has a third ball carrier they want to get into the mix with regularity, and that is Pryor. He looked explosive in OSU’s spring game, and displayed legitimate receiving potential. He could be the Swiss Army back this program has been looking for since a guy like Curtis Samuel played dual roles.

Now, I am not suggesting that Pryor could line up (often) as a traditional wide receiver or H-back, but he himself said that he feels like he can do a lot of the stuff the team did with Jaxson Smith-Njigba out of the backfield. Yes, JSN – arguably the top returning wide receiver in college football. I think Pryor was alluding to specific sets and/or looks, but I love that he has that confidence in himself. And who am I to say that Pryor is not capable of lining up in the slot or as the primary receiving option in a two-RB look? After all, he did rack up 646 receiving yards as a high school junior.

The sixth-ranked RB in the 2021 class, Pryor has a chance to bridge the gap between Henderson and Williams, and possibly even give you a little bit of what both of those guys provide. He likely won’t wear down opponents in the manner that Williams can, but he is a superior pass catcher. And he might not match Henderson’s overall rushing ability, but he could be a hell of an understudy. That is why I think he is going to have a productive season.


I predict that Pryor will finish third in carries, but second in receptions (among RB). He will announce his presence on a few passing downs, and then begin to play in-tandem with Henderson or Williams. And by the end of the season, we will be talking about a jack-of-all-trades, as well as one of the best ground attacks in the country. Pryor should be a big part of it.


That brings us to Fleming. Pardon me for still having faith in the top-ranked wide receiver from the 2020 recruiting class! Side note: If you want proof that recruiting is a roll of the dice, check out the college stats for the top 10 or 20 WR from this class. One 1,000-yard season from the top-15 WRs in that class combined, and it belongs to JSN. There have been a few injuries, but those guys have combined to play nearly 30 college seasons.

I am not saying the class is or was weak, I am actually attempting to prove why my prediction is not completely out of left field. Not every player hits the ground running, and it certainly is not fair to call any of them busts after two years. Fleming finds himself in a loaded WR room, but I believe in his talent.

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Fleming could be sneaky important in a room lacking a ton of experience

Fleming was the No. 3 overall player in his class, a consensus five-star recruit, and Ohio State’s highest rated WR recruit of all-time. And he still is. Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka, Brandon Inniss... Fleming was ranked higher than all of Brian Hartline’s past, present, and future weapons. Unfortunately, his career thus far has been significantly impacted by injuries. He has appeared in 15 games over two seasons, but rarely seemed to be playing at 100 percent — if ever. Then wouldn’t you know, he missed OSU’s spring game with a minor injury. Coaches said there was not a high level of concern, but tell that to my realtor on Fleming Island.

I am not sure why I find myself so bullish on Fleming, maybe it is simply based on his past reputation. At the same time, it is easy to see why he was once so highly touted. Listed at 6-foot-2, 205, he almost has a little Deebo Samuel or A.J. Brown to him — big, thick, muscular frame(s) for the wide receiver position, and athleticism to boot. Fleming was a standout basketball player in high school, showing off a diverse skillset when combined with his experience on the gridiron. That athleticism may have waned in recent years, but we’re talking about a 21-year old kid, and it’s not as if he has torn an ACL or Achilles. If healthy, I think he can be that guy again.

On the field, we have seen glimpses of what could make Fleming a special player. He started the Big Ten Championship Game in 2020 (as a freshman), and hauled in four catches for 53 yards. Last season, he played a significant role in the Rose Bowl, and had a few other almost-highlight worthy moments earlier in the year. He can run, he can certainly jump, and I have not seen him drop a pass in his limited opportunities. He should have more of those opportunities with Olave and Wilson playing in the NFL.

Fleming is projected as the third or fourth WR on the depth chart, and as long as he ends up in the top three, he will see plenty of time on the field. The Buckeyes are not going to be running a ton of two-receiver sets, meaning that Fleming could line up anywhere. JSN will presumably spend the most time in the slot, but I would also like to see his classmate in that position. Fleming has the build to do damage underneath, and potentially make plays with the ball in his hands. If he gravitates to the outside, I also think he could be a threat as a screen and/or boundary guy. He might not be a homerun threat, but we have not seen enough to say that with any certainty.

This collection of Ohio State wide receivers is an embarrassment of riches, but we need to remember that most of these guys are short on experience. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Egbuka excited us down the stretch last season, but they also totaled 20 catches between them. Fleming had more than either one of them in 2021, albeit with fewer highlights. But the third-year player does have an experience edge, and he is more than willing to block downfield. With Jeremy Ruckert also moving on to the NFL, the Buckeyes might want another option out there, although I am not saying Fleming should move to tight end.

The caveat with Fleming is health. I am just choosing to believe that he will get and remain healthy, and by the end of the 2022 season, carve out a niche for himself. I do not expect him to be a big-play threat, but more of a consistent security blanket. He might finish fourth or fifth on the team in receiving TD, but I think this is a big year for Fleming fans. Don’t sleep on the former top recruit.

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What in the world is going on with Ohio State’s linebacker recruiting?
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Jim Knowles | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After missing out on two top targets, is there a worry about linebacker recruiting for Ohio State?

It’s no secret that the defense is what has held Ohio State back the last few years as a whole. Offensively, Ryan Day has kept the Buckeyes humming, and while that has certainly been good enough to win a national title, it’s been their counterparts on defense that have basically prevented any chance of that.

In today’s college football landscape, offenses have arguably never been better, but the defense needs to do it’s part in keeping a team in the game. Last year alone, fans saw what an average at best defense did for Ohio State. Two games were lost, and without the stellar offensive production in the Rose Bowl, it could have even been three games.

Choosing Kerry Coombs as the defensive coordinator prior to the 2020 season was just the wrong hire, to be blunt. The 2021 season was just further proof that while he was beloved in Columbus for the development of his defensive backs, Coombs was not the right fit to run the defense from a scheme standpoint. Unfortunately, that was evident in Ohio State’s biggest matchups a season ago.

Insert the hiring of Jim Knowles, and immediately it was like the defense had finally been saved. Sure, not one snap of his defense has been on the field yet for Ohio State, but his track record and previous success at places with lesser talent give you the feeling like this was the fix the Buckeyes needed. He’s a true schemer on that side of the ball, and many times does more with less. His previous stop at Oklahoma State is a great example, where his defense was far superior to Ohio State’s with significantly less four and five-stars on the field.

For all the good, is there some bad?


From all the great things Knowles brings to the program, there’s still been at least some recent concerns about the recruiting successes at his position. A linebacker coach at heart, Knowles’ recruiting efforts weren’t exactly expected to wow anyone, as he’s much more of a scheme guy than a recruiter. But at Ohio State, every position coach is expected to pull their weight when it comes to getting after elite players in addition to developing them once they’re on campus.

The beginning of the 2023 cycle for the Buckeyes saw now-Georgia commit Troy Bowles as the top target at the linebacker position, and for some time it really looked like Ohio State was in prime position to land his eventual commitment. After Knowles came aboard, much of the focus shifted to his top guy, Tackett Curtis. With how many times Knowles was in Louisiana to see Curtis, you saw the writing on the wall that he was clearly the new OSU DC’s top priority on the trail.

Seeing Bowles commit to Georgia stung, but it wasn’t a big surprise for Ohio State recruiting followers. The trend moved toward Georgia months ago, and while the Buckeyes were still always in the mix, the Bulldogs proved to be in a better spot. The saving grace so to speak was that the aforementioned Curtis was still out there and looked to be Ohio State’s to lose, thanks to all of the groundwork Knowles had laid. But his pledge to USC was the blow that really made many ask: what in the world is going on here?

Wait and see mode


The most plausible reason for what is going on at the linebacker spot is a “wait and see” type of attitude from the players Ohio State is recruiting. Targeting national guys is always going to be a battle with other top suitors, especially in the south where the Bamas and Georgias of the world are. But losing out on the top two players on the board just doesn’t sit well when you consider how successful the Buckeyes are at the other positions, and that directly seems to have an impact.

Looking at Brian Hartline, it makes perfect sense why the receiver recruiting has been so successful. The on-field production has been off the charts, the NFL Draft has been a key tool, and both have correlated with positive results in consecutive classes. The quarterback position is no different. Can that be said for linebacker though? Probably not.

While linebacker play hasn’t been horrible in Columbus, you still see the difference in the linebacker production in comparison to some of the more glamorous spots, especially on offense. In this regard, prospective players at the position may need to see Knowles prove himself a bit at the helm of the Buckeye defense and show why the group is at least somewhat “fixed” with improvement at linebacker being a key factor in that turnaround.

In the end


It’s not time to panic. Should there be some frustration? Absolutely. Regardless of position, the Buckeyes are held to a higher standard than most, and that’s their own doing. Missing out on your top targets isn’t going to slide with fans, and surely the staff feels the same way.

Knowles deserves at least a year under his belt to prove why he’s the guy in Columbus to right the ship on defense. If and when that does happen, look for the recruiting success to increase, and that goes for all positions. With the exception of Larry Johnson, it’s important to remember this staff is all brand new. Like it or not, in a perfect world a new staff may earn some benefit of the doubt, and clearly they’re still doing a pretty solid job at the other spots as this class is starting to come together.

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Downs set to announce commitment, while the visitor list for the Notre Dame game grows
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Caleb Downs | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports

The Buckeyes and Perry Eliano anxiously await the decision for one of their top targets in the defensive secondary.

The Buckeyes will learn their fate for a top defensive back target later today, as the highly-coveted prospect will make his collegiate declaration. Plus, a pair of prospects have their sights set on Ohio State’s opening contest this season for their next visit to Columbus.

Downs to announce later today


The time has finally come for one of 2023’s top recruits to put a conclusion to his recruitment as five-star safety Caleb Downs of Mill Creek (GA) will announce his commitment just after noon. Downs, a Hoschton native, sorted through over 30 scholarship offers and is now prepared to choose between Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

For the Buckeyes, Downs has been a prospect that safeties coach Perry Eliano has pursued for quite some time, and it was never a secret on just how highly the program felt about Downs ever since they delivered an offer back in June of last year. Now, we wait as they will find out whether their efforts on the trail end in a major victory for the coaching staff.

On one side of things, it’s a plus that Ohio State had the luxury of being the last official visit taken by Downs. How much weight that holds is up for debate.

But on the other hand, the 247Sports Crystal Ball currently favors the Crimson Tide. While the forecast comes from a highly-respected recruiting analyst in Steve Wiltfong, it is the lone prediction placed for the 6-foot, 180-pounder. So, it’s safe to say that Downs has done a fine job of keeping things close to the vest, and that is a good reason that multiple programs will be on the edge of their seats as they await the decision.

If it is the Buckeyes that come out on top, Downs will bring a high-profile to Columbus that includes being slotted as the No. 12 overall prospect in the class. The Georgia standout also stands alone at the top of his position and is the highest-graded player from the Peach State in this year’s cycle.

Smith II, Watkins Jr. eye Buckeye visit


According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, Ohio State could be on the verge of securing upcoming visits with 2024 four-star defensive lineman Nigel Smith II of Melissa (TX) and 2025 wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. of IMG Academy (FL).

Smith II is widely considered one of the top prospects along the defensive front in next year’s class, and the 30 offers already under his belt backs that claim. Hodge notes that the Texas standout plans on attending the season opener against Notre Dame.

It was more of the same for Winston Jr., a Texas A&M pledge, who also revealed to Hodge that he plans on being in Columbus for the contest against the Irish. The Florida pass-catcher has been committed to the Aggies since December, but it seems as if he remains interested in the Buckeyes and a potential in-season visit could pay off in a big way for Brian Hartline.

Quick Hits

• 2023 four-star defensive lineman Jalen Thompson of Cass Tech (MI) revealed on Twitter that he took a visit to the Buckeyes’ campus on Monday. The Detroit native dropped a top five list earlier this month that included Cincinnati, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, and Pittsburgh as finalists for his pledge.
• Ohio State is set to welcome 2024 three-star interior offensive lineman Jake Guarnera of Ponte Verda (FL) today, he announced on Twitter. The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder has yet to claim an offer from the Buckeyes, but he has added opportunities from Florida, Florida State, and Penn State, among others.

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A tribute to 2022 Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Aaron Craft
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O captain, my captain.

If you have been following Ohio State basketball for any amount of years, you know exactly who Aaron Craft is and what he means to the program. Craft is one of the most liked and revered Buckeye hoopers of all-time, and gave Ohio State fans some of their best memories of the past 20 years in Buckeye basketball.

For good reason, Craft is being inducted into the class of 2022 Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in September, along with 14 other former Buckeye athletes.

The class of 2022 includes Billy Ray Anders (football), Greg Bice (men’s lacrosse), John Bluem (men’s soccer coach), Charles W. Bolen (football/men’s basketball), Joel Brown (men’s track), Adam Crompton (men’s fencing), Jenna Harris Griffin (women’s track), Alayna Markwordt (women’s lacrosse), Russ Nagelson (baseball), Shawn Springs (football), Logan Stieber (wrestling), Jonathan Sweet (baseball), Tom Tupa (football), Dan Whitacre (wrestling) and Craft for men’s basketball.

Aaron Craft played for the Buckeyes basketball program from 2010-2014. He came in as a big time recruit in the state of Ohio, averaging 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and 3.2 steals per game during his senior year at Liberty-Benton High School in Findlay, Ohio. He was ranked as a high four-star and a top 100 player in the country when he committed to Ohio State.

When he got to Columbus, he immediately slotted in as the starting point guard on a team with national title ambitions. He made the Big Ten All-Freshman team and Big Ten All-Defensive team after his first season. He proceeded to make the All-Defensive team all four years he was at Ohio State.

He made his mark on defense and controlling the flow of the offense from the minute he got to Ohio State and never let up in either of those regards. Craft was named to the Big Ten Network’s All-Decade Team as a Third Team member, and holds the record for most steals in Ohio State basketball history and Big Ten basketball history with 337.


Through his four years with the Buckeyes, Craft averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He also averaged 2.3 steals per contest and averaged as high as 2.5 steals per game his sophomore and senior season. Craft finished Second Team All-Big Ten in 2013 and Third Team All-Big Ten in 2014.

He also hit a game winning shot in the NCAA tournament against Iowa State to advance the Buckeyes to the Elite Eight during his junior season. A man not known for his jumper, but he stepped up when needed time and time again.


And with all of the stats, accolades and records that he holds, none of that is what made Aaron Craft so special to Ohio State basketball and to the fans.

When Ohio State fans think of Aaron Craft, they think of the tenacity in which he played every game with. The true embodiment of, “leaving it all out on the court”. He was a player that Ohio State fans loved and every other fanbase hated — and those are the best kind. He did it all without ever stooping to anyone’s level or playing dirty. It takes serious skill to play four years as a defensive stalwart and never gain a bad moniker around the country.

The way Aaron Craft carried the Ohio State name when he was in Columbus was admiral, but he has even continued to do so in the now 10 years that he has been gone. Craft has been a mainstay for the Ohio State Alumni team, Carmen’s Crew, in The Basketball Tournament, and he comes back every year for vet week to help mentor and teach the young and active Ohio State players.


So congrats to Aaron Craft for his induction to the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. Well deserved.

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You’re Nuts: What is your boldest non-Ohio State prediction for the 2022 college football season?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

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

With it being Bold Predictions Week here at LGHL, we figured we would try to knock your socks off with a couple prognostications for the upcoming college football season. There won’t be a shortage of spicy Ohio State predictions for the 2022 season on this website this week, but we figured we’d branch out a little bit and look beyond Columbus for today’s predictions.

There has been plenty of changes around the college football world since the end of the 2021 season. Lincoln Riley, Caleb Williams, and Jordan Addison are now all in California, as they look to restore some of the glory at USC. Brian Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU, and five minutes later was already speaking with a fake southern accent. Those moves are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the movement of players and coaches during the offseason.

For today’s question, we are looking for the boldest prediction for the upcoming season that doesn’t involve Ohio State. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t pick Wisconsin to win the Big Ten, or picking a team that the Buckeyes play to have the Heisman Trophy winner. The prediction just can’t be about Ohio State.

Today’s question: What is your boldest non-Ohio State prediction for the 2022 college football season?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: NC State will win the ACC


At first glance this might not seem like all that bold of a prediction since the Wolfpack will likely be ranked in the top-15 heading into the season. The reason I think putting my chips on Dave Doeren’s team to win the ACC is bold is because the last time the Wolfpack finished the season at the top of the conference was 1979.

Last year, North Carolina State finished the season at 9-3, with a 6-2 record in the ACC. Had a couple bounces went in favor of the Wolfpack, there’s an argument to be made that NC State could have finished the year 8-0 in the ACC, which would have matched them up against Pitt in the ACC Championship Game. The Wolfpack lost to Miami, 31-30, and Wake Forest, 45-42.

A positive that came out of NC State’s 2021 season is they were able to finally beat Clemson, snapping an eight-game losing streak to the Tigers with the 27-21 win in double overtime in Raleigh. Now the Wolfpack will go to Clemson this season, where they will be looking for their first road win over the Tigers since 2002. Even though they finished the 2021 season with six-straight wins, we still don’t know what we’ll get from Clemson after the Tigers lost their offensive and defensive coordinators, and the jury is still out on quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.

The road to the ACC title isn’t going to be easy for NC State, especially since they close the season with road games against Louisville and North Carolina. The good news is they’ll get Wake Forest at home this year, as well as their toughest non-conference opponent, Texas Tech.

What I love about the Wolfpack is they have quarterback Devin Leary returning. Leary is coming off a season where he threw 35 touchdowns and five interceptions. Even though it’s probably never wise to bet on a Tim Beck offense, Leary was able to put up numbers with Beck as his offensive coordinator last season.

I would love to really shock the world by saying NC State will be in the playoff this year, but I think they’ll suffer a loss somewhere in the season, which will keep them from being in the mix. Even if the Wolfpack went undefeated, it might be tough to see them as a playoff team, especially if the usual playoff suspects are playing at the level we have been accustomed to. At least with a strong defense and some pieces on offense, NC State will make life tough for everyone they square off against this season.

Meredith’s answer: Rutgers will finish 4th or higher in the Big Ten East


I’ll give one to Rutgers, and predict that the Scarlet Knights will finish fourth or higher in the Big Ten East standings. Perhaps you’re thinking that it’s a lame “bold prediction” to select a middle-of-the-division standing, but that would mean that Rutgers would do something it hasn’t managed to do since it joined the Big Ten in 2014: beat out three teams in its own division.

Of course it is a challenge — the Scarlet Knights have to compete every season against the quartet of Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State. To finish fourth or higher, Rutgers would have to beat out one of these teams in the standings. Competing against Indiana and Maryland, while not nearly on the same level, isn’t exactly a cakewalk year in and year out, either.

This year’s conference schedule is as follows for the Scarlet Knights:

• Iowa (Sept. 24)
• @ Ohio State (Oct. 1)
• Nebraska (Oct. 7)
• BYE
• Indiana (Oct. 22)
• @ Minnesota (Oct. 29)
• Michigan (Nov. 5)
• @ Michigan State (Nov. 12)
• Penn State (Nov. 19)
• @ Maryland (Nov. 26)

Looking at the schedule, there are some clear opportunities for Rutgers to capitalize on, like home games against Nebraska and Indiana. While they’ve been hit or miss against Maryland in the past, that final game of the season could also be a reasonable victory for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights could also keep things close against Iowa (because Iowa, remember, doesn’t score points), and, on the stretch of Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, could catch one of those teams unaware. Those five games could be enough to get the No. 4 spot or higher in the Big Ten East.

It’s bold, because this schedule is a challenging one. Last year, the Scarlet Knights won just two conference games against Indiana and Illinois. However, things could turn around this season with Greg Schiano in his third season as head coach. With more of his recruits in Piscataway (including what should be a much-improved offensive line), Rutgers could have a shot at wins against most of the middle-to-bottom teams in the conference.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: 2022 Big Ten Previews — Nebraska and Rutgers
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Moving along with our B1G previews as we break down the Cornhuskers and Scarlet Knights.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On this week’s episode, Gene and Josh continue their Big Ten previews with a look at Nebraska and Rutgers. Before getting into that, they discuss the latest in Ohio State football recruiting, including the newest 2023 commit as well as some troubling trends on the defensive side of the ball after a big whiff at linebacker. The rest of the show is all about the Huskers and the Scarlet Knights, two teams that are looking to improve in 2022 with new quarterbacks. Will Scott Frost do enough to keep his job? Can Rutgers survive in the B1G East? Who knows!

“Hangout in the Holy Land” is will be dropping one episode per week during the offseason, coming out every Wednesday (don’t hold us to that). Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Film Study: Ohio State has the coach and talent to improve their run game shortcomings in 2022
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State struggled with predictability in short yardage situations, and their lack of physicality led to some rough-looking plays in big situations.

Ohio State’s offense was one of the best in the country last year, but that does not mean there is not significant room for improvement in some important aspects. This offseason, most of the emphasis has been on Ohio State’s needed improvement on the defensive side of the ball. They added three new coaches to that side, and decided a major overhaul was necessary. Offensively, a major overhaul is not necessary, but the run game does need to improve if Ohio State wants their offense to be truly maximized.

In 2021, the Buckeyes got stagnant at times and failed to sustain key drives due to failures running the football in short yardage situations. Looking at the team having young, inexperienced running backs and offensive linemen playing outside of their natural position led to these struggles. However, another huge part of the issue was Ryan Day’s predictability on obvious running downs, which will need to change in 2022.

The running game was by no means bad, but there is a lot that can improve the success heading into next season. Looking at the shortcomings one last time before heading into the season will give a baseline of what should be expected, and most importantly show that even with great stats, there is always room for improvement.

Short Yardage Failures


Last year this was the main issue for the Buckeyes, and there wasn’t just one reason that Ohio State struggled in short yardage situations. With the offense not succeeding in this regard, they struggled to maintain momentum and put teams away. Finding the why is not hard, and that is what is being shown here. The play below encapsulates almost every reason the Buckeyes lacked consistency in third-and-short, specifically.

Ohio State is playing Penn State and is down in the game early. They get into the middle of the field, which always puts offenses in a decision making bind, but Ryan Day is a coach that usually goes for it in this area past the 50. The Buckeyes lined up in an offset gun with the tight end and Treveyon Henderson on the same side. When the ball is snapped, the offensive line takes their zone steps to the right. This gives the Penn State defense an easy read for their keys to attack exactly where the ball is going.

Penn State’s three-technique defensive tackle (No. 91) blows this play up in the backfield. Ohio State has three guys responsible for three guys. Instead, they double team the defensive end, and Thayer Munford gets a weak hand on the defender not even slowing him down before he moves to the second level. The general lack of physicality and the running back being hit as he gets the hand off is not ideal.

The play call was predictable, the offensive line gave a player a free shot in the backfield, and Ohio State did not pick up the first down.

Predictability


Last play showed the predictability, but looking again at Ohio State’s run game, there were some obvious tells in what they were planning to do on certain plays. Below, the Buckeyes line up in a pistol formation in another third-and-short scenario. When Ohio State was in pistol last season, they rarely ever threw the ball, and instead ran the ball almost every single time. The two plays out of this formation were split zone and stretch. This harps back to the first play: giving the defense an incredibly easy set of keys to look at.

Ohio State is running stretch to the field side in this example, and you can guess how this play goes. The Buckeyes’ offensive line takes their stretch steps, and a key to running this play successfully is getting across the face of the defender in the step path to seal them off from the play. This play gets blown up by the backside nose tackle in a one-technique. Paris Johnson Jr. steps, but is beaten upfield by the tackle, and that is the beginning to the end of this play. There were multiple other issues here. The play side three-tech swims his blocker and gets up field before Munford can get hands on him, and this player would have just as easily stopped this play.

Knowing what was coming and being able to attack is what defenses seemed to always be able to do against the Buckeyes. This was frustrating, and the predictability wasn't the root of the problem, but amplified the other issues of lacking physicality and allowing early interior penetration.

Outlook on the offensive line in 2022


The Buckeyes are looking to revamp the offensive line, which is a big reason Ohio State brought in Justin Frye. Now what that means is something we will have to wait to find out. Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson have not shown a willingness to integrate a dosage of gap schemes to the mix, mainly sticking exclusively with their zone run actions.

A good mix of split zone, inside zone, outside zone, and stretch can give you quite a bit of balance, but with formational predictability, this makes that much harder. Knowing what is coming based purely on formation and play-calling with almost no chance of getting hit with something else really allowed for defenses to tee off on an uninspired run game, but there are some fixes coming.

This year, Ohio State will have multiple fresh faces on the offensive line, and a player like Paris Johnson Jr. playing in his natural position should pay immediate dividends. The main aspect that should lead to success is getting guard body types back on the field. Last year, the Buckeyes played with four tackles, which on paper had people dreaming of major success for this unit. With Matthew Jones being pencilled in to the lineup and five-star second year guard Donovan Jackson looking physically ready, the Buckeyes will have the bodies needed to dominate in short yardage.

When asked about what Frye wants out his offensive line when he was hired, he said, “If you really have presence, then Zoe Rose Frye, my 9-year-old daughter, needs to be sitting up in her seat saying, ‘They’re gonna run the ball right there’ and we don’t care, we just do it. We get the job done.”

If the Buckeyes want to be a team that can instill fear again in these situations, they need to be able to do what they want to when they want to, regardless of the situation. Last year, the Buckeyes ran the ball effectively, but teams knew in certain situations the Buckeyes were going to run the ball, and without the mindset in the quote above, teams were able to win those battles against the Buckeyes.


Ohio State’s predictability question will remain up in the air, but Justin Frye as the new offensive line coach does come from a Chip Kelly offense with a diverse run game – which you can actually look at here. The UCLA offense ran plays like GT-Counter, mixed in some power, and still had an incredibly physical zone run scheme. Ryan Day has not shown a willingness to evolve in the run game like his mentor, but Frye should still be able to get the most out of this unit bringing his focus on physicality.

In addition, Henderson and Miyan Williams with another year of experience under their belts should improve the run game as well. Experience in this department and another year in the weight room should give the Buckeyes more confidence in their durability. The talent in the backfield is there. If the running back talent can create synergy with a physical offensive line, the Buckeyes should never have to worry in third-and-short again.

Overall, going into this season the combination of being less predictable, more physical, players being in their natural positions, and formational variability should improve this unit. The talent is there for the Buckeyes to be successful in 2022, they just need to get back to the roots of the program and dominate up front. If they do that, the run game can become the cornerstone piece of a team capable of winning a national title.

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247 Profile
Rivals
HUDL
ON3



Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Defensive Line
School: Lake City (SC) Lake City
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 285 lbs

This kid is likely to start grabbing a lot of offers over the next year.

Five best landing spots for Duane Washington Jr.
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images

Where does the former Buckeye hooper fit best in the league?

I had two immediate thoughts when I saw the Indiana Pacers were waving former Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. after his rookie season. The first one was, “man that’s weird,” and the second one was, “thank god.” The Pacers are a trainwreck, and Washington is better off really anywhere else. They don’t have an identity right now and they are struggling to really make much of their future. Not the best place for a rookie to be.

Based off how he played last season in just his rookie campaign, Washington proved he can be a valuable rotation player in the league. He showed flashes of elite and streaky shooting, shot creation and improved passing and defense from his collegiate days.

Washington averaged 9.9 points per game averaging 20 minutes per contest with the Indiana Pacers his rookie season.


He originally signed a two-way contract, and that was converted to a standard contract after the season. And then he was released from the Pacers in order for them to be able to offer Deandre Ayton a max contract offer sheet. However, the Suns matched the offer sheet the Pacers gave Ayton, and Ayton will be returning to Phoenix. Kind of a mess for the Pacers.

NBA teams may have up to two players under NBA Two-Way Contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team. Two-way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players in their fourth NBA season or earlier are able to sign two-way contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

Since Washington and the Pacers have parted ways, where could the former Buckeye guard land?

Los Angeles Lakers

Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

This is the obvious one and the one I have already seen floated around. The formula to play and succeed with LeBron James is not difficult. Surround him with shooters and guys who can create off the dribble — AKA, Duane Washington Jr.

There is no reason Washington cant have a season like Austin Reeves, Talen Horton Tucker or even Malik Monk had this past season. Russell Westbrook is struggling, but he can still average 10 assists per game, and Anthony Davis is still a top five player in the NBA if he is healthy. A big if at this point no doubt.

If they can get all their big three on the court at the same time, Washington could be a perfect glove fit on that team.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images

What is a good list without a little bit of bias? I am a Cavs fan, and I want Washington off the bench. That is pretty much the reason. The Cavs have been going against the grain and the traditional NBA with the size they play, with so bringing in a guy like Washington can help even that out.

Plus, they have yet to extend the contracts of Caris Levert and Collin Sexton, so they may need some new guards if they do not end up doing that, especially ones that may be cheaper to sign so they can hold out hope that LeBron James might return. But I am not going down that rabbit hole right now.

Dallas Mavericks

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

I am pretty sure every shooter in the league would give up an arm and a leg to play with Luka Doncic right now. One of the best passers in the game, Doncic has elite vision and can find anyone on the court at any time. Plus, the Mavericks just lost Jalen Brunson to New York, so they need a guard to step in and attempt to fill that void. Washington doesn’t have to come in and be a 20-point per game guy, but he can step in and help give the Mavs some much needed shooting help next to Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney Smith.

Phoenix Suns

Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

The Suns are one of the five or six teams that are the main contenders for an NBA championship next season, pushing their chips into the middle of the table with the re-signing of center Deandre Ayton to a max contract.

Also, the Pacers released Washington to make space for signing Deandre Ayton, so Washington landing with the Suns and inevitably playing with Ayton feels fitting. Plus, any shooter playing with Chris Paul and Devin Booker should be loving life pretty much immediately.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

This one is a little more off the wall, but I like the fit immensely. First of all, the Thunder were dead last during this past season in three-point field goal percentage, so adding a shooter cant hurt. Plus, the Thunder have a very solid young core in Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren and Tre Mann, Washington fits on that team very well and can help them grow. Washington could be a key piece to the Thunder’s evolution.

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You’re Nuts: Which broken record sets you off the most?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

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

There are some topics that no matter how silly they are, they are things that people can’t let go of, so we end up having to spending a bit of time annually writing or talking about them. Often times they aren’t things that even happen in a game, instead they are decisions being made by old executives whose only care is about how much money it is going make them.

What channels the games are on, who is calling those games, what times those games start, what uniforms are being worn in the game are just a few examples of silly things we end up getting worked up about. Do the players care about these things? The uniforms might put a pep in their step if they like them, and they might care a little about game times because it will effect their game prep, but they could care less about the other things.

Of course there are numerous other things that have become constant sources of rage for Buckeye Nation. We want to know what is a thing that sets you off without fail, no matter how dumb it is.

Today’s question: Which broken record sets you off the most?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: ESPN hates Ohio State


In my opinion, this has been one of the dumbest complaints from Ohio State fans. ESPN actually loves the Buckeyes because of the great numbers Ohio State games do on their networks. Is the coverage of Ohio State a little iffy at times? You certainly could argue that, but that’s just because sometimes ESPN knows they may have to push a few buttons to get Buckeye Nation talking about them.

In pro wrestling, the worst thing a wrestler can encounter is getting no reaction from the fans. If they get cheered or booed, it doesn’t matter because it means they are moving the needle in one way or anything. The same can be said about coverage of sports teams. In most cases, the last thing you want is to not be talked about at all. If you’re not being talked about, you’re essentially just Rutgers or Illinois.

I would cite incidents that have drawn the ire of Buckeye fans but there are too many to choose from over the years. Usually it leads to the Ohio State faithful saying things like “I’M CANCELLING ESPN!” or “NOW I ONLY WATCH LIVE SPORTING EVENTS ON ESPN!”. Both statements are so incredible stupid. If you only watch live sporting events on ESPN, you are still watching ESPN, so they are still lining their pockets. Even if you go to cancel ESPN, I haven’t come across any cable providers that let you cancel just ESPN, you have to cancel a package so you’re losing a lot more than just ESPN. About the only way I think this is possible is if you rely on ESPN+ and cancel that streaming package.

What some Ohio State fans need to do is getting a little thicker skin. When these fans cry about the type of coverage they get from ESPN and think the network hates them, the fans are playing right into the network’s hands because they are talking about the network. Besides, sometimes it is fun to be the bad guy. Embrace the hate a little more, because it will make victory a little more sweeter.

Meredith’s answer: Scheduling championship games on Mondays


My broken record topic is one that I write about at least twice per year: a rant against Monday night championship games.

For both the College Football Playoff and the finals of the NCAA Tournament, organizers seem to find value in hosting the game not on a weekend, when people might want to host a party and make a night of it, but instead on Mondays. Moreover, the kick (or tipoff) is never at a convenient time. It often starts after my bedtime which, granted, is early.

The combo of a late kick and a Monday date mean that I enjoy the games significantly less than I should. I am wiped from the work day and dread the thought of losing sleep and throwing off my routine for the rest of the week to stay up and watch.

But those are pretty selfish and self-serving reasons. There is something to be said for supporting the next generation of sports fans by putting the biggest games of the year on nights when they will be allowed to stay up for them — that is, not on school nights.

From a ratings perspective, Monday night games aren’t doing the sport any favors. Yes, a game aired on ESPN will see a higher than usual cable audience for a Monday event, but how much larger would the audience be for the same game played on a weekend? The CFP championship game this year, a rematch of the SEC title game, drew 22.6 million viewers, which was 19% higher than the record low we saw in 2021.

While I have a similar complaint about basketball, at least the games are short.

Unfortunately for you readers, I will continue to write my semi-annual column on the topic until championship games stop being played on Monday night.

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You’re Nuts: What Ohio State record will be broken this season?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Which program record is most likely to fall in 2022?

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

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts. This time around, the guys will be keeping in tune with the theme of the week: Broken Records.

This week’s topic: What Ohio State record will be broken this season?

Josh’s Take:


As I was thinking about Ohio State football records that have the potential to be broken in 2022, I found myself saying “damn, some of these are just absurd.” Not that I was unfamiliar with them before, but I can legitimately see some of these current records continuing to stand for decades. The game is different, and I don’t envision ground-and-pound offenses, old school middle linebackers, or four-year starters coming back. So in my opinion, I think most of the attainable records are single-game or single-season marks. Most, not all.

I was tempted to go out on a limb by predicting that Tommy Eichenberg will set the OSU single-game record for tackles (currently 29, held by Chris Spielman), but I couldn’t quite get there. Or how about Jordan Hancock or Kye Stokes to pick off double-digit passes in a single season? Not in 2022, but eventually. I wanted to be outlandish here, but ultimately settled on realistic. Boring, I know.

The records I have in mind were just set last year. And I predict that the same player who set them will be the one to break them in 2022. In doing so, he will not only set single-season records, but also go down as one of the all-time Buckeye legends. This player’s name is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and I believe that he will meet or exceed his incredible 2021 output, breaking all sorts of Ohio State receiving records in the process.

JSN finished last season with 95 receptions for 1,606 yards. He also had two games with 15 receptions each, and a Rose Bowl performance during which he racked up 347 yards — all records! The area in which he was “lacking”, was touchdowns. He scored three in the Rose Bowl, and nine all season, but frankly did not show much of a nose for the endzone... please don’t aggregate this, I am clearly joking. JSN did all of this while playing alongside Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Jeremy Ruckert. Well, newsflash: all of those guys are gone, and I expect JSN to reap benefits from a statistical standpoint.

Olave, Wilson, and Ruckert combined for 161 receptions in 2021, on well over 200 targets. Those targets are now available for JSN. Obviously, I do not anticipate a 256-catch season from the third-year star, but there will be plenty of opportunity. Because for as much as we all hype up Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming (my personal darkhorse), they are largely unproven. You could have easily said the same thing about JSN prior to 2021, but he has now (clearly) established the strongest rapport with C.J. Stroud. He is the absolute go-to in just about every situation.

I predict that JSN will finish with right around 100 receptions, 1,500 yards, and double-digit TD. As long as both Stroud and JSN remain healthy – and play at least 13 games – the breakdown is pretty simple: 100 catches = 7.7 per game, 1,500 yards = 115 per, plus 10 or more TD. Prior to 2021, I would not have thrown these projections out with such ease, but the QB/WR duo formed such perfect chemistry, that I would be surprised if they did not dominate once again. Lofty expectations? Sure. Realistic? I believe so.

If JSN is able to finish 2022 somewhere in the neighborhood of my predictions, he will not only set another single-season receptions record, but in essentially two years, he will also have re-written the career record books at Ohio State. K.J. is the all-time leader in receptions at OSU, with a total of 201. JSN is 23rd already, but 100 catches would give him 205, putting him above all other Buckeyes. The current record-holder for career receiving yards is Michael Jenkins, with 2,898. JSN needs 1,244 to put his name at the top of the list. Those records are well within reach.

The one area I am staying away from is TD. JSN would need 26 to break the career record set by Olave in 2021... AKA, nine more than the single-season record currently held by Terry Glenn (1995). JSN could absolutely break Glenn’s mark, but I am not willing to throw a prediction out on that one. With so much other talent on the offensive side of the ball, I believe scoring will be done by a large committee.

I would be very surprised if JSN does not break at least one impressive record in 2022. And at the end of the season, I expect him to reign supreme in just about every receiving category. If he continues his current trajectory, Jaxson Smith-Njigba will be one of, if not the, most decorated wide receiver in Ohio State history... Mind. Blown.

Gene’s Take:


Like Josh, I dont know if many of Ohio State’s career-best numbers will be broken with the amount of players the Buckeyes are sending to the NFL these days. Guys aren’t staying for four years, especially those putting up the numbers needed to break records in Columbus. A such, I agree with my podcast cohost that if a record is going to be broken in the 2022 season, it would almost certainly have to be a single-season or single-game mark. Since Josh went single-season, I’ll go a bit outside the box in search of a spectacular single-game performance that tops the charts.

There are no shortage of elite talents on this Ohio State roster, but I'm not quite willing to predict any records to be broken on offense. The Buckeyes should be a lot better on that side of the ball this season, but I'm taking more of a ‘believe it when I see it’ mentality with Jim Knowles and his Silver Bullets. So, we move to the offense, where Josh has already predicted that JSN will break his own receiving record. So as to not be too boring, I'll stray away from that star-studded group of wide receivers and into the running back room, where Ohio State is expecting a much better performance as well this year behind a hopefully improved offensive line.

TreVeyon Henderson is a special talent coming out of the backfield. We saw almost immediately in year one what he is capable of, and I don’t think he has even remotely reached his peak just yet. What makes a former five-star prospect like Henderson so impressive is the range of his skillset. Not only does he showcase track-athlete speed, but his quick feet and ballcarrier vision allow him to find the smallest holes in the defense to potentially break the home run ball. He also showed a tremendous ability as a pass-catcher, using that speed and elusiveness to catch passes out of the backfield on screens and wheel routes. As such, I think TreVeyon Henderson has the chance to break the single-game all-purpose yards mark set by Keith Byars in 1984.

Byars put up an impressive 354 all-purpose yards in one game in 1984, a very impressive mark by a fellow running back. While it seems like a nearly unattainable goal, it isn’t so far-fetched when you look at some of Henderson’s best games in his freshman season.

When it comes to rushing, Henderson’s career-high was 270 yards against Tulsa in the third week of the season. He racked up all that yardage on 23 carries, and added just one catch for five yards for his season-high in all-purpose yards at 275 — just 84 yards shy of Byars with really no involvement in the passing game to speak of. Ohio State’s offense didn’t feature Henderson’s pass-catching prowess all that much in his first year, but he still managed three 50-plus yard receiving performances, all on five or less receptions. Putting together his best rushing performance, 23 carries for 270 yards, with his best receiving performance, 1 catch for 70 yards against Minnesota, and Henderson would be just 14 yards shy of Byars’ record.

I think the Buckeyes will look to get more creative with Henderson this season, especially in the passing game. He is far too deadly on those screen and swing passes to not put the ball in his hands more often, which could open him up for the potential of a 100-yard receiving performance — especially given his ability to turn a small gain into a long touchdown. Combine that with a 200-plus yard rushing performance, which I expect we will see from Henderson on more than one occasion in 2022, and I dont think it is all that crazy to hit that 354-yard mark.

Even if it comes against one of the lesser opponents on Ohio State’s schedule, put me down for a 260-yard rushing, 100-yard receiving performance for Henderson in a game this season to break the program record for all-purpose yards in a single contest.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for July 19, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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On the Gridiron


Buckeyes sending three talented veterans to Big Ten Media Days
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Here’s which Ohio State players made Maxwell Award watch list
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Opens up Washington and Oregon (and maybe Utah) to join the Big Ten, imo.


Four Buckeyes sign six-figure deal, helped by NIL collective The Foundation
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Denzel Burke’s piece of $550,000 Ohio State football endorsement deal may send message to prospects
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

The Potential First-Year Regular Starters Who Could Play the Biggest Roles for Ohio State in 2022
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Film Study: Jim Knowles’ base defense alignment will bring a new level of organization to the Buckeyes
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

Two Ohio State commitments receive huge bumps in updated 2023 Top247
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts


College Football’s Biggest Trap Games for Playoff Contenders in 2022
Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports

Broken Record: Stroud could break Ohio State’s single season TD record
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Angry about reports, J.K. Dobbins says he’ll be ready for 2022 season
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Will the Big Ten wield its increasing leverage in the College Football Playoff expansion discussion?
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

On the Hardwood


Ohio State among nine finalists for Pickerington Central’s Devin Royal
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

Wessons reunite, Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger stars in summer league
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

I love that this is becoming an annual tradition!


Ohio State hall of fame induction a humbling moment for Aaron Craft
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Ohio State RHP TJ Brock taken by Toronto in 2022 MLB draft
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Roosevelt alum Kayla Fischer enters final season at OSU with big goals
Jonah Rosenblum, Record-Courier

Men’s Track & Field: Three Buckeyes Complete Competition at the World Athletics Championships
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...




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Ohio State linebacker recruiting update after major target commits to USC
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2023 four-star LB Arvell Reese via Steve Wiltfong of247Sports

The Buckeyes have recently seen two of its top linebacker prospects commit elsewhere, but they still have options at the position.

Ohio State once again made the recruiting headlines on Monday. While the news on the football side of things was not positive, the men’s basketball team received good news regarding a top Ohio prospect. If you missed anything yesterday, no need to worry as Land-Grant Holy Land has you covered.

Ohio State LB targets commit elsewhere


Ryan Day and the Ohio State football team have accumulated an impressive haul in its 2023 recruiting class. The class currently sits atop the 247Sports Class Rankings with a total of 19 verbal commitments.

With the offensive side of the game mostly wrapped up in the class, the Buckeyes will be focusing mainly on defense to finish out the class. Ohio State has been able to build an impressive list of targets along the defensive line that the team feels it is in a favorable position with.

However, the Buckeyes don’t sit nearly as pretty with the other main position of importance to close out the class — linebacker.

In the past few days, Ohio State saw two of its top targets at the position commit elsewhere. Four-star LB Troy Bowles (Tampa, FL / Jesuit) committed to Georgia over the weekend, and Ohio State’s top LB target and four-star LB Tackett Curtis (Many, LA / Many) committed to USC on Monday.


While Bowles would’ve made for an excellent addition to the Buckeyes’ top-rated class, the writing had been on the wall for some time that Bowles would choose Georgia. Curtis on the other hand was more of a surprise. It was no secret Ohio State and new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles had made Curtis their top priority at the position. He was the first recruit to secure an offer from Knowles and he had just taken an official visit to Ohio State late last month. A visit in which everything seemed to have gone as well as possible, making his decision to commit to USC sting that much more.

The recent dominoes to fall certainly have not favored Ohio State, but the team is not dead to rights at the position, despite how it may appear online. The Buckeyes still are in good standing with four-star LB Arvell Reese (Cleveland, OH / Glenville), who is favored to pick Ohio State by multiple 247Sports Recruiting Experts.

Reese has not yet taken an official visit to Ohio State, but the Buckeyes are not alone, as Reese has only visited with one team as of yet, Penn State, and it was an unofficial visit. Despite this, Reese is certainly familiar with the Buckeyes after growing up in Ohio.

The Buckeyes are also not out of contention with four-star LB Derion Gullette (Marlin, TX / Marlin) who officially visited Columbus in June. Although, Knowles, Day and Ohio State as a whole will need to roll out the red carpet for him in the coming months if they are to steal him from Texas.

Reese is easily the Buckeyes new top-target at the position, but expect them to ramp up their activity with Gullette. Additionally, the team may spread their net out more as the class comes to a finish.

Reese is the No. 22 LB and is the No. 288 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also the No. 7 prospect from Ohio.

Quick Hits

• Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State men’s basketball team moved one step closer in securing one of Ohio’s top talents on the hardwood. 2023 four-star small forward Devin Royal (Pickerington, OH / Pickerington Central) included the Buckeyes in his top nine schools alongside Alabama, Clemson, Marquette, Michigan, Miami, Michigan State, Ole Miss and Penn State. Land-Grant Holy Lands’ own Connor Lemons spoke more on Royal’s game and Ohio State’s chances in securing him.

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Ohio State among nine finalists for Pickerington Central’s Devin Royal
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Chris Holtmann and his staff have made Royal a priority in the 2023 class.

Four-star forward Devin Royal — a Columbus native — announced his top nine schools on Monday afternoon, and the Buckeyes were among the programs he is considering as he enters his senior year at Pickerington Central.


Royal listed Ohio State, as well as Alabama, Clemson, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Miami, and Penn State as the schools he is considering. Royal made his official visit to Ohio State on July 3. He took an official visit to Michigan State two weeks earlier, on June 19. He has also made a visit to Penn State.

Chris Holtmann and his assistants — staff changes be damned — have been the most persistent school recruiting Royal over the past two years. During his junior season and the current AAU circuit, Holtmann has made sure that either he or one of his assistants were in attendance for each and every game Royal played in. The Buckeyes, along with Big Ten rival Michigan State, seem to have pulled away from the pack as the two favorites. While Tom Izzo is trying to convince Royal to leave Columbus and blaze his own path, Holtmann and Co. continue to lay out a roadmap for him where he can become the next great Columbus kid who turned into a Buckeye great.

It’s been Royal’s stance for over a year now that he’d like to have his recruitment wrapped up and a decision made before his senior season starts, which means a final decision will likely be made by the end of the summer. Royal is currently the No. 76 player in the nation, the No. 14 small forward, and the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio according to 247Sports. When Ohio State offered Royal in October of 2021, he was a three-star recruit and outside of the top-100. With his versatile game and big frame (6-foot-6, 210 pounds) Royal’s stock continues to rise.

Royal is currently playing AAU for All-Ohio Red on the EYBL circuit, playing alongside current Ohio State commit George Washington III. The Buckeyes have locked up a guard in Washington and a center in four-star Austin Parks, but have yet to add a larger wing such as Royal. The Buckeyes would like to wind up with one of — if not two of — Royal, Scotty Middleton (No. 36 overall), and Dailyn Swain (No. 78 overall), but from the outside it appears Royal is their primary target.

Ohio State’s 2023 class currently sits at No. 8 in the nation with two four-star recruits, according to 247Sports. They are mere decimal points behind Indiana, so an Ohio State commit before an Indiana commit would likely flip the two programs in the 2023 rankings.

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Broken Record: Stroud could break Ohio State’s single season TD record
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Stroud had 44 passing touchdowns in 12 games last year. Breaking the 50-burger is certainly within the realm of possibility this season.

You could say C.J. Stroud had one of the best seasons EVER for a Buckeye quarterback — and it was only his first one. He set the Ohio State single-season records for completion percentage, passer rating and passing yards per game. He also set the record for most yards thrown in one game, with 574 in the Rose Bowl. Like I said, he had a pretty dang good season. However, I predict him to elevate his play even more, and break a hefty record set by Dwayne Haskins.

When Haskins set the Ohio State and Big Ten single season passing TD record of 50 back in 2018, it was quite shocking at the time. The previous record for a Buckeye QB was 35 set by J.T. Barrett, so an increase of 15 touchdowns was sort of unfathomable — yntil Haskins came along with his gunslinger of an arm. He was built for that type of role, though. He was big and extremely strong.

Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Stroud is listed as the same height, 6-foot-3, and only about 10 pounds lighter than Haskins. Obviously, he has the same arm strength and accuracy as him, too. He has shown that he doesn't like to use his legs very much, so he does rely on his arm, and it works. He tossed 44 touchdowns last year in 12 games, and that was with sitting out of the Akron game.

This year, I see no reason why he can’t break the record. As long as he stays healthy and plays in all of the games, including (hopefully) some playoff games, it’s honestly a no-brainer that he is going to break it. While he did lose Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson to the pros, who caught a combined 25 touchdowns last season, he still has his main man, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who caught nine TDs and will obviously expand upon that this season as the No. 1 receiver.

Yes, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jayden Ballard... whoever ends up becoming the new starting receivers, they have big shoes to fill. However, Harrison caught three TDs ALONE in the Rose Bowl, showing just a glimpse of what he is capable of doing for an entire season. Him and Stroud seem to have a really great connection already, and I’m excited to see how they look in the fall after working together all offseason.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Another advantage that the Buckeyes have when it comes to receivers is that teams don’t have film on them. Obviously, teams knew about Olave and Wilson (and still couldn't stop them). However, Egbuka, Ballard and Julian Fleming haven’t seen the field much, so when they burst onto the scene this year, it’s going to take some time for opposing team’s defenses to figure out how to stop them. Therefore, I’m betting on a good portion of Stroud’s TDs to go to these guys.

When you take a look at the Buckeyes’ schedule, there’s some obvious games where Stroud can pad his stats. Their opponents for Week 2 and Week 3 are Arkansas State and Toledo. While he probably won’t play for the entirety of those games, he can still do a lot in one half, including throwing for three or four TDs. I think by the halfway point of the season, he will already have over 25 passing TDs.

This will most likely be Stroud’s final collegiate season. He’s going to want to go out with a bang. There’s certainly a few records he could break this season, including passing yards in a season, passing attempts in a season, heck, even career passing yards. However, the one I am most intrigued by is the single season TD mark, and I think that the cards are in Stroud’s favor to break it.

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I-70 Football Show: Football Season is almost here
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In this episode, the guys get into what they’re most excited about for the upcoming football season

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show we talk all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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

In this episode, the guys discuss what they are most excited for in the upcoming football season. Jordan is excited for the communal aspect of watching football games and interacting with people on social media. Dante cannot wait to use football as an excuse not to leave the house. We are both looking forward to hopefully watching Clemson’s further demise.

Picking up from a couple of weeks ago, we get into Weeks five, six and seven of the upcoming season. Once again, the Big Ten needs help with scheduling, as Weeks five and six are going to be tough to find much enjoyment. At least Week 6 has Ohio State versus Michigan State, even though that could just be a blowout like last year. Week 7 is more interesting, with Penn State playing Michigan and Wisconsin playing Michigan State.

Taking a step away from college football, the guys get into Roger Goodell mentioning that Sunday Ticket will be on a streaming service in 2023, while some NFL “analysts” think Lamar Jackson is not a top-10 quarterback. In their weekly pit stop, Jordan talks about some fun basketball games as LeBron James plays in the Drew League and TBT is at Rucker Park. Dante thinks Tiger Woods and all legends need to know when it is time to hang it up and retire.


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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Film Study: Jim Knowles’ base defense alignment will bring a new level of organization to the Buckeyes
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Knowles brings a nuance and an emphasis on safety play to the traditional “4-2-5” defense

As the football season approaches, the offseason questions have been asked, and now comes the final approach to the first Saturday of college football. Over the course of the offseason for the Ohio State Buckeyes, the main questions revolve around if the defense can be better this year. This is the question Jim Knowles has been brought in to answer.

The Buckeyes under Kerry Coombs failed to meet the expectations of the fan base and what should be expected from a defense with national championship aspirations. The major issues were the oversimplified schemes used, lack of adjustment, and inconsistent preparation. Throughout the 2020 and 2021, the Buckeyes stuck to their base 4-2-5 defense, utilizing one high safety coverages like Cover-1 and Cover-3, and wondered how teams could figure them out so easily.

Last season, Matt Barnes took over the play calling duties after the Tulsa match up, and the Buckeyes added a few 2-High cover looks. Once again, those base looks did not have a lot of safety movement, and also did not have a lot checks in the case of motion, leading to disorganization. This lack of identity and simplicity led to an incredibly underwhelming defensive performance by the 2021 Buckeyes.

The reason the base scheme of a defense is so important and why the organization of the scheme matters is because everything else builds off of it. This is where Jim Knowles comes into play. There will be similar coverages and similar base alignment, but the difference will be in how flexible Knowles can make this defense from their base look.

With the small tweaks Knowles is bringing and the changing emphasis on attacking in multiple ways from the same look, this alone should help improve the defensive results. Teams were able to take advantage of the overly structured and limited defense of the previous regime. By looking at pre-snap alignment, this will show that the changes aren’t overarching, but more so in the small details, which are the difference between middle of the pack and the best in the country.

Ohio State’s 2021 Defensive Alignment


The Buckeyes under head coach Ryan Day have built the Ohio State defense on the Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawks Cover-3 base. This is a simple defensive structure that relies on an elite pass rush and disciplined defensive backs to maintain the integrity of the back end. When all the parts are working cohesively, this defense can be vaunting to get past. But in the two year under Coombs this was not the case.

In the first snapshot, we see Ohio State’s alignment against Oregon’s Trips 11-personnel. Looking at the safeties first pre-snap, the short side safety is already giving away the rotation if the play is a pass, and also highlighting where he will be in his run fill responsibility. This allows Oregon to have a clean pre-snap look, as well as gives them opportunity to check to another look to attack the alignment. The other concerning aspect is the spacing of the linebackers. They are over the offensive guard and tackle, respectively, which leaves the numbers bare on one side of the formation.

Overall, these are small details pre-snap, but this gives good offenses easy keys to read.



In the second pre-snap snapshot, the safety is in the box and the linebackers have more spacing. The issue now is the numbers in the box have changed, and now there is a ton of space to work the running back out of the backfield. There will be limited safety help to the short side because of the trips to the field. Ohio State has lost this play before the snap, and this is totally an aspect that is within the coaching staff’s control. The coverage is a 1-high safety look, and there are seven blockers for seven players in the run game. These types of looks put the Buckeye defense in detrimental positions before the ball was even snapped.


Oklahoma State’s 2021 Defensive Alignment


To learn more about what Jim Knowles is bringing to Columbus from his time in Stillwater, at Oklahoma State we can see a different level of organization.

In the screen grab below, we get the same defensive alignment with a 4-2-5 look. Looking at the safeties first, they are on different levels, but there is a lot more flexibility in what defense can do. Looking at the alignment of the corners, this can easily be a 2-high or 1-high look, The arrows show where the safeties rotate, but overall there is no definitive tell by the safeties. The next aspect is the linebackers are at the same level and the corners are as well, giving a hard to read shell.

With the safety rotation and linebacker fills, the responsibilities for both run and pass are still easy to get to for the defenders while still giving the offense more trouble pre-snap.



In the next picture, after the snap Iowa State runs a play action pass. Looking at the linebacker, he has run responsibility to the gap he is filling, but Knowles has also made him responsible for the running back in the passing game. After identifying that the running back is not a threat, his next job is as an additional rusher. The defense ends up in man coverage. The short side safety rotates over to the middle, similarly to what the Buckeyes did in the play above, but the organization of the secondary leaves no easy window throws post snap.

With the linebacker having the running back taken care of, the boundary side corner doesn’t hesitate to follow his receiver, and we also see how every receiving target is accounted for.



This level of organization allows for a flexible defense, but the difference between the Knowles 4-2-5 and the Coombs 4-2-5 is every offensive option is accounted for. The run fill lanes are all taken care of, and there is not a receiver without coverage. Pre-snap the offense was not able to get a clean read, and this play leads to an incompletion by the offense.

Ohio State’s Spring Game Alignment


The 2022 Spring Game gives an early look into Knowles’ base defensive look for his Ohio State defense. Knowles did not get overly exotic in pre-snap alignments in the scrimmage, but the basic structure is the first key to a successful defense. The base look is what a team plays in the most, so being great and organized in that look is the difference between an average and great defense.

Compared to the 2021 defense, the first noticeable aspect is the safety and linebacker alignment. The safeties are on the same level and the linebackers are even with each other on the same level as well while also having space between them. Against doubles 11-personnel, this makes it hard for the offense to identify the strength of the defense. The other aspect is the run fill lanes are, once again, easily identifiable. If there was a line in front of each player, that would easily work for having every run lane covered.



After the snap, the safeties both come into the box because the play is a run. With the mentioned gap responsibilities, the positioning in the run fills is straight forward. The right side defensive tackle gets doubled and the linebacker play side should be filling the new space aggressively, which in this case isn’t happening. The Buckeyes are in man coverage and the corners/nickel are playing their responsibility, showing how their alignment allows for comfortable coverage opportunities.



The Buckeyes are still a work in progress, but the organization compared to 2021 has already improved in quite a few ways. Even though there will still be some growing pains in the structure and post-snap responsibility, the organization of the defense should raise the floor of results quite a bit. Knowles has already organized the defense, now getting the players to play fast and hard is the next step in the process.


There are no easy fixes in college football, as the Buckeyes learned last year with their patchwork defense in the second half of the season. The one aspect that needs to be taken into consideration though is the 2021 defense was disorganized and simple. On pre-snap alignment, looking at one play against Oregon the cracks were apparent, and the results against teams that can take advantage of those cracks showed up in the loss column.

Knowles probably doesn’t need to get as crazy with the talent he has at Ohio State, but just the basic organization pre-snap should limit the big plays the Buckeyes gave up in 2021. Even though the players will still need to make the plays, Knowles having them more organized will allow them to focus and maximize their responsibilities on a play-to-play basis.

Now this is only the start, and the real moment of truth will be against Notre Dame come September, but looking at the level of organization and flexibility compared to 2021 should give fans something to be excited about. For the Buckeyes to be successful this season, the organization of the defense will make them a much more formidable group. With week one on the horizon, Knowles will finally get to show Buckeye Nation what his defenses are made of.

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Ohio State reclaims top spot after adding four-star tight end from Georgia
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Jelani Thurman | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports

The Buckeyes push ahead of the Irish yet again in the recruiting rankings after welcoming their latest pledge to the fold.

Ohio State was back at it again on the recruiting trail this weekend, as it was Kevin Wilson hitting a home run and securing a pledge from another blue-chip tight end as the final piece to the puzzle at the position. Plus, a top offensive line target reveals an upcoming decision date and shows the program they are still in the running for his coveted commitment.

Thurman picks the Buckeyes


Despite entering the weekend with 2023 four-star tight end Ty Lockwood of Independence (TN) already in the fold, it was no secret that tight ends coach Kevin Wilson was always looking to add another at the position in hopes of welcoming much-needed talent to the position room.

While it was no secret that the Buckeyes were in the running for 2023 four-star tight end Jelani Thurman of Langston Hughes (GA), the Fairburn native decided on Sunday that he was ready to fill the vacancy in the class and become the second piece of the tight end puzzle.


Thurman, a noted Spider-Man fan, gathered close to 30 offers from programs across the country but ultimately decided on Ohio State over the likes of Alabama, Auburn Jackson State, Michigan State, and many more. It is notable that Georgia was not considered a finalist in this recruitment despite the fact that his father, the late Odell Thurman, spent his collegiate career in Athens before being drafted to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The pick up for the Buckeyes is certainly one that should not be understated. Thurman becomes yet another blue-chip prospect on the offensive side of the ball to claim their spot in the class and the addition of Thurman actually pushed Ohio State back in front of Notre Dame for the top slot in the team recruiting rankings.

Thurman is currently graded as the No. 135 prospect overall in this years recruiting class. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder also slots in as the ninth highest graded player among all tight ends and is also listed as the eleventh best prospect that the state of Georgia has to offer.

Alinen sets decision date


With Thurman now in the fold for the Buckeyes, perhaps the program can shift their focus up front for newly hired offensive line coach Justin Frye.

Despite Ohio State already having pledges from the likes of Luke Montgomery, Joshua Padilla, Austin Siereveld, and Miles Walker, the Buckeyes are hoping to add long-time target and four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen of The Loomis Chaffee School (CT) to join the quartet. The key here is that the Buckeyes won’t have to wait too much longer to learn their fate with the current Windsor native.

On Friday evening, Alinen revealed that he will be making his decision on July 22. Among the programs still being considered for the Finland standout include Alabama, Georgia, Miami (FL), Ohio State, and Oregon.


Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, it is the Hurricanes who are surging on the 247Sports Crystal Ball as the likely landing spot for Alinen. We will have to stay tuned to see if that changes before decision day arrives for the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder.

Nonetheless, Alinen currently slots in as a Top 150 prospect in the class as he currently stands at No. 132 overall. The hopeful Buckeye also is penciled in as the 15th best offensive tackle in the class and the very best prospect from the state of Connecticut.

Quick Hits

• After offering back in January of this year and securing an official visit just a couple of months later, the Buckeyes now know where they stand in their pursuit of 2023 small forward Scotty Middleton of Sunrise Christian (KS). On Sunday, the Wichita native announced that he will be making his collegiate commitment on Aug. 6, and will be choosing between Connecticut, Kansas, Ohio State, Seton Hall, and Texas A&M.
• Much like Middleton, 2023 combo guard Taison Chatman of Totino-Grace (MN) also revealed the finalist in his recruitment this weekend. The No. 47 prospect overall and top-ranked player in his respective state announced a top five that includes the likes of Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio State, Virginia, and Xavier.
• On the gridiron side of things, the Buckeyes did see a pair of targets head elsewhere this weekend. Despite including Ohio State as a finalist, 2023 four-star linebacker Troy Bowles of Jesuit (FL) announced his pledge to Georgia and 2023 four-star running back Justice Haynes of Buford (GA) chose Alabama this weekend.

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Twitter: @IanMoore 2024



Class: 2024 (high school)
Position: Offensive Line (inside)
School: New Palestine (IN) New Palestine
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 310 lbs

Has anyone had any interactions with this group? Seems it was started by some parents and maybe alumni after the murder of an Ohio State student. Looking at some of their stuff while to their core they obviously want the campus area to be safe they seem to not understand that campus is in the middle of a large city and the city can not focus only on the campus area. Many of them seem to be swooning over this video, which has points is not the award winning doc they all seem to want it to be.

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Burning Questions: Will the Ohio State running game be much improved in 2022?
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Buckeyes seek consistency first, then rushing dominance.

Since the 2021 Ohio State offense averaged about 560 yards per game and led the nation in yards per play, points per game, and yards per game, it seems ridiculous to be looking for improvement. Nevermind framing the issue as a “burning question.”

But the fact remains that the Buckeye running game last season was inconsistent. There were crucial moments when it needed to step up and get the job done — and it didn’t. The inconsistency didn’t matter in the runaway games. But in the losses to Oregon and Michigan and in the few close victories, it did matter. I have no doubt that it will matter this season too.

Last year’s No. 1 offense was unbalanced. The Bucks averaged 381 yards per game passing but only 181 yards rushing per game. They averaged 16.5 first downs and 3.5 touchdowns passing. Conversely, the running attack produced an average of nine first downs and 1.3 touchdowns a game.

That kind of unbalance isn’t typical of Ryan Day’s offenses, nor of Urban Meyer’s before him. In Day’s previous two seasons leading the Buckeyes, his teams averaged 262.5 yards per game passing and 256.9 yards per game rushing in the shortened 2020 season, and 263.1 yards passing and 267.3 yards rushing per game in 2019. With the exception of 2018, when Dwayne Haskins seemingly passed on every down, Meyer’s teams had a similar balance. The 2014 championship team, for instance, averaged 247 yards passing and 264.5 yards per game running.

What was different about 2021?


First, C.J. Stroud isn’t a running quarterback and not a true dual-threat. We thought he was, and early in the season we wanted him to run more. Some still do, but I don’t really expect it to happen. Additionally, the Buckeyes last year had a trio of starting receivers whose combined quality has perhaps never been seen in the college game. Get them the ball. Finally, given the gigantic (and not particularly mobile) offensive line, the offense seemed born to pass.

In 2018, one of the reasons that Haskins passed so much was that the running backs – J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber – didn’t have very good years. Dobbins averaged only 4.6 yards per carry, far below his figure in 2017 or 2019. Meyer alternated Dobbins and Weber, and neither seemed to evolve into the go-to guy. Granted, Haskins wasn’t much of a runner either. So, the Buckeyes passed

Last year, though, the Buckeyes were loaded with superior running talent. TreVeyon Henderson proved to be a true star. Miyan Williams looked nearly as good. And both Master Teague III and Evan Pryor were strong reserves. The problem wasn’t with the backs. No, the problem with the Ohio State running game in 2021 was with the line and with the play-calling.

The running game was very predictable in certain formations: under center, pistol. Defenses knew that a run was coming and stuffed it. The line, great at pass protection, couldn’t pull wide and couldn’t get out on linebackers. The Bucks couldn’t always count on the run, and so they passed. And passed.

But let’s go back to the earlier question. Does balance matter? If OSU had the nation’s best offense – and they did – does it matter if they get their yards and TDs on the ground or in the air? Yes, and here’s why.

The importance of run/pass balance


One of the aims of any football offense is to keep the opposing defense on its heels, off balance, unsure. A well-balanced attack can do that, especially if a team can run or pass from varied formations, looks or personnel packages.

If an offense is nearly certain to pass, the safeties and linebackers are taking a first step back. The defensive line is rushing full go at the quarterback. On a sure running play, the linebackers and safeties step toward the line of scrimmage, the defensive line stays put and reads the play.

A balanced attack, at worst, has the defense holding its position — reacting, rather than anticipating. With the Buckeyes’ speed, a false step on the part of the defense could be fatal.

Third-down plays


Obviously, 3rd-and-1 and 3rd-and-13 are different situations calling for different plays. But over the long haul of a season, a three-to-one ratio of passing for first downs against running for them (the Bucks’ ratio last year) works against offensive efficiency. You’re looking at pass defense packages, blitzes, and stunts. A balanced attack takes away that predictability. The defense has to play straight up.

Red zone offense


Let’s acknowledge it: the Buckeyes have had some trouble with red zone offense. Fortunately, they had a good kicker last year, but “settling” for field goals after good-looking drives is unsatisfying and can produce a momentum shift.

The problem with a passing attack near the opponents’ goal line is lack of room. There’s only 10 yards between the goal line and the end line. Tough to spread out the defensive backs, tough to get separation for the receivers. That end line is a defensive wall.

I know that Meyer always liked a running QB in the red zone, but a run-blocking O-line and a good back will get you over the goal line. A solid running game will freeze linebackers and open up short hook routes if you choose to throw.

The end game


With a small lead in the fourth quarter, the offense wants to be able to run the clock. Keep possession. Eat up time. A short passing game might accomplish the task. But you run the risk of incompletion (or even interception), a sack, a holding call. Any of which can stunt the drive and bring the foes’ offense back on the field. A strong running attack will have worn down the defense, and five yards a carry will finish them off.

Crush the will


A running attack that successfully picks up yardage and first downs not only wears down the defensive line but, eventually, will sap the defensive will. They realize that they really can’t stop the run. They’re getting beat on every running play. Once that happens (and it happened to the Buckeye defense in Ann Arbor), it’s very difficult to regain that confidence.

The 2022 season


Will the Buckeye running game be much improved? Yes, I definitely think so. There’s still the great passer, the nation’s best receiver, and several soon-to-be stars at wideout, but there will be a concerted effort to run the ball. Day has hired his old buddy Justin Frye to coach the offensive line. We’ll see some innovative blocking schemes designed to free Henderson, or whoever is carrying the ball.

Day has also been made very aware of his formation tendencies. I don’t think that we’ll have that problem this year. Someone (other than sportswriters and opposing coaches) is sure to be tracking tendency for the Bucks.

Then, there’s the physicality issue. The Buckeyes last year had no trouble running on weaker teams. Henderson and Williams racked up some impressive yardage. Against elite teams, however, the Buckeye line couldn’t open holes. Tough line play is certain to be emphasized in fall camp.

All in all, I think that we can expect a much more balanced offense from Ohio State this fall.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for July 14, 2022
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