The Red Wolves come to Columbus for their first-ever matchup with the Buckeyes.

Marcus Freeman leads the Domers into Columbus to try to get their first win over the Buckeyes since 1936.

Snoop Dogg Is Planning Hot Dog Brand Called ‘Snoop Doggs’
The hip hop legend already sells gin, cannabis, cookbooks and more. A new legal filing says he might be adding hot dogs to the list.
https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/snoop-dogg-trademark-hot-dogs-1235017107/

Six years after saying he “ain’t never eating a m*****f****** hot dog” again, Snoop Dogg is apparently planning to launch his own brand of frankfurters called “Snoop Doggs,” according to a recent legal filing at the federal trademark office.

Attorneys for the hip-hop legend – real name Calvin Broadus – applied last month at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a federal trademark registration on the term “Snoop Doggs,” saying he plans to use it to sell hot dogs and other types of sausage.

The December filing came with little detail on the planned products. Snoop’s attorneys filed it as a so-called intent-to-use application, meaning Snoop has not yet launched a brand — but that he has a serious intent to do so and wants to lock down the name ahead of time. An attorney for Snoop did not return a request for comment on Monday.

A hot dog brand would be just the latest consumer venture from Snoop. In 2015, the marijuana aficionado started a cannabis company called Leafs By Snoop, and in 2020, the “Gin and Juice” rapper debuted a liquor line called Indoggo Gin. He’s also released his own cookbook, and has repeatedly appeared on cooking television segments with close friend Martha Stewart.

But the choice of hot dogs is perhaps a bit surprising, given his public history with the tubular food.


Back in 2016, Snoop made headlines with an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in which he watched a step-by-step process of how hot dogs are made and tried to guess what he was watching. By the end of the segment, Snoop said: “This is a hot dog!? Oh cuz, I ain’t never eating a m*****f****** hot dog! If that’s how they make hot dogs, I don’t want one. I’m good.”

Of course, the whole “Snoop Doggs” project might still come to nothing. Back in 2011, Snoop filed a similar trademark application for “Snoop Scoops” for use as a brand name for ice cream, but he abandoned the effort a few years later and it doesn’t appear that an actual product was ever released under the name.

Snoop is represented at the trademark office by Lawrence E. Apolzon, a partner at the powerhouse trademark firm Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu PC. The law firm has also repped Beck, Dr. Dre, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Mariah Carey, Nirvana, Mary J. Blige and many other music bigwigs on similar issues.

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Here's Snoop's trademark application on Scribd:
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Dublin (OH) Coffman
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Dust has settled on the new coaches.
Pantoni indicated all 11 are out on the road recruiting today.

I submit the next thing on the agenda is the status of the 2 in subject title.

I believe the have until 1/17 to declare for draft.

We sometimes discount the guys that have been in the program and focus on potential recruits or the portal.

Having these 2 back would be huge in terms of next years outlook.

Maybe Dewand even more as our depth at T isn't great.

I tend to think both will be back but have no inside bonafides.

Greetings! Double OSU alumnus here, currently stuck living in That State Up North (booooooo, although I'm moving back to my native NW Ohio soon). I haven't visited campus since an early-season 2012 football game, and I haven't been to a men's hoops game in even longer. I'm looking to take my Dad to the Maryland game on Feb. 6, and I'm just wondering if I should drop a few hundy on decent seats, or if it'd be possible for us to move down from the nosebleeds. Any insight is greatly appreciated! Go BUCKS!!!

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FIVE THINGS THAT MUST HAPPEN FOR OHIO STATE TO WIN THE 2022-23 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

DEFENSE MUST IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY
Some of you might say that this should be all five items on this list. It’s undoubtedly the most important one.

The biggest reason why Ohio State didn’t play for a national title in 2021 was that it didn’t have a championship-caliber defense. While all four College Football Playoff teams ranked in the top 20 nationally in both total and scoring defense, Ohio State ranked 38th in points allowed per game (22.8) and 59th in yards allowed per game (372.6). The Buckeyes gave up more than 30 points in five games this season, and more than 40 points in each of their last two games of the year.
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C.J. STROUD MUST CONTINUE ELITE PLAY
The biggest reason why Ohio State is viewed as one of the top contenders to win the next national championship is because Stroud is returning for a second season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.

Stroud was one of college football’s elite quarterbacks in 2021, finishing the season with the second-best passer rating (186.6) and third-most passing yards per game (369.6) in the Football Bowl Subdivision. And he got better as the season progressed – capping the year off with a school record-setting 574-yard game in the Rose Bowl – as he gained more experience and got healthier after injuring his shoulder in the season opener.
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BUCKEYES MUST BE ABLE TO TRUST RUN GAME
While high-flying passing offenses get most of the love these days, an effective running game is also crucial to winning in the playoff.

Need evidence of that? The team that has rushed for more yards has won 21 out of 24 games in the first eight years of the College Football Playoff. Ohio State’s rushing offense was certainly pivotal to its last national championship, as Ezekiel Elliott ran for at least 220 yards in each of the Buckeyes’ final three games to lead the way to a title.
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OHIO STATE MUST START SEASON STRONG
The Buckeyes’ path to the College Football Playoff quickly became more difficult this past season when they lost to Oregon in their second game of the year. They’ll face another major early-season test when they host what will likely be a top-10-ranked Notre Dame team in their 2022 season opener.

Calling that a must-win game would be too much, as Ohio State’s 2014 championship run proved a non-conference loss is not fatal to a team’s title hopes. Every game after that would become a must-win game if Ohio State loses, however, and it was clear that took a toll on the Buckeyes in 2021 as they tried to survive their way through a challenging Big Ten schedule.
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BUCKEYES MUST GET REVENGE IN THE GAME
If Ohio State can win its first 11 games of the regular season, it’s possible the Buckeyes could lose to Michigan and still have a chance to win the national championship. But that’s not a scenario the Buckeyes should entertain in the slightest right now.

Losing to Michigan crushed Ohio State’s playoff hopes in 2021, and it’s very possible they could ride on winning The Game once again in 2022. Although Michigan is losing numerous key players on both sides of the ball – and could even lose Jim Harbaugh – the Wolverines still project to be Ohio State’s top competition for the Big Ten East title.
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continued

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...tate-to-win-the-2022-23-national-championship

Ohio State is ranked #2 in most way-too-early polls for the 2022 season. Expectations will likely be off the charts. All the pieces are potentially there to make a strong run at the National Championship. Expectations will likely be off the charts. 2022 could be the season to grab the proverbial "brass ring".

The 2022 Way-Too-Early college football top 25

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

2. Ohio State Buckeyes
2021 record: 11-2 (8-1 Big Ten)
Starters expected to return: 6 offense, 7 defense, 1 special teams
Key starters expected to leave: WR Garrett Wilson, WR Chris Olave, G Thayer Munford, OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, DT Haskell Garrett, DE Tyreke Smith, CB Marcus Williamson, PK Noah Ruggles
Key additions: ATH Alex Styles, OLB C.J. Hicks, DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., OLB Gabe Powers, ATH Kaleb Brown, DT Caden Curry

Outlook: The Buckeyes just missed making the College Football Playoff for a third straight time under coach Ryan Day, with a humbling 42-27 loss at rival Michigan knocking them out of contention. Much of Ohio State's problems in 2021 can be attributed to the defense. Day hired Jim Knowles, who revamped Oklahoma State's defense the past two seasons, and Knowles will have his work cut out for him. With quarterback C.J. Stroud and running back TreVeyon Henderson coming back, the offense should again be explosive, even with Wilson and Olave turning pro. The receiver corps is in good hands with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The 2022 season will be demanding, with a home opener against Notre Dame, Big Ten road games against Michigan State and Penn State and divisional crossover games versus Iowa and Wisconsin at home.

3. Georgia Bulldogs

4. Texas A&M Aggies

5. Michigan Wolverines

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

7. Utah Utes

8. NC State Wolfpack

9. Oklahoma State Cowboys

10. Michigan State Spartans

11. Clemson Tigers

Entire article: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...he-2022-way-too-early-college-football-top-25

Here's another "way too early" 2022 Top 25:
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Just sayin': Dabo (i.e. Clemson) is in his rightful place in both polls/lists, i.e. #11.........

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Wildcats come to Value City Arena as the Buckeyes look to bounce back.

Here we go. Let’s keep the scoring average, the total yards, the average yards per play;

but let’s also be able to convert on 3rd and 1 with standard running plays!

Transfer from Oklahoma St.

https://okstate.com/sports/football/roster/tanner-mccalister/9641



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Bucks travel to Bloomington tomm night

Post here whenever one of your eyelids is twitching.

First.

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


Photo Credit: Ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Keanu Reeves played a role as a former Ohio State Quarterback in The Replacements. In Shane Falco’s words: Pain heals. Chicks dog scars. Glory lasts forever. After being on the rare receiving end of a trashing from their arch rival Michigan, the Buckeyes find themselves outside of the big dance, without a conference title and wounded in the aftermath.

The wounds are still fresh but they’ve scabbed over. Now, in the form of a New Years Six bid, the Buckeyes will represent the BIG 10 in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl and they will square off against a gritty PAC 12 champ Utah team that had obliterated Oregon twice this season.

As it stands, the intentions of both Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are unknown. If they play, it would most likely be their last appearance in the scarlet and gray. Although it is a huge “if”, I’ll keep hope that they’ll suit up one more time for their brothers to wash away the salt from a let down in Ann Arbor.

Currently, the Buckeyes are the slight favorites to win in what should be a great, competitive game. The Utes have their stout, stingy defense and the Buckeyes have their dynamic, explosive offense. These two teams combine the right ingredients to create an everlasting, memorable game for all the Roses.

According to the most reviewed sportsbooks at SportsBettingDime.com, the Buckeyes are 6.5 point favorites in this game. If they beat the Utes, the damage will likely be dealt with their passing prowess. With their trio of the nations best wideouts in Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba look to finish the season with a win.

This will be a stiff test, but the Buckeyes seem angry. They are sure talking like they’re taking this seriously as well but we will see. Again, this is a battle of wills, in the trenches. Utah has a similar play style to TTUN and they are also just as physical.

All in all, I am rolling with the Buckeyes in a close one. I am predicting Stroud to play out of his mind with or without Olave and Wilson. I am also predicting Henderson to make a splash with the O-Line reverting back to their early season form. As much as I love predicting blowout, I’ll predict a closer than expected score.

Prediction: Buckeyes over Utes 42-31




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Film Review: Record breaking performances, same old defense in Ohio State Rose Bowl win
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 Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

In this film review Chris Renne takes a look at the incredible offensive performance and shows how the same issues still plagued the Ohio State defense.

Ohio State beat Utah 48-45 thanks to some record breaking performances in one of the best Rose Bowl games of all-time. After enduring a physical drubbing by their rivals from up north, the first two series of the Rose Bowl made it feel like we were on the verge of another disappointing Ohio State performance. Then C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba got in sync, leading to an explosive offensive performance unlike anything we’ve literally ever seen.

With the offense chasing two scores, all the Buckeyes needed was for the defense to make a few stops. Utah’s physical run game, mix of screens, and the quarterback run all gave Ohio State’s patchwork defense a lot of problems; and giving up 35 first half points proved that this was in fact the exact same group that we’ve seen all year. While they did turn things around — to an extent in the second half — the defense struggled to tackle and got pushed around by Utah leading to some big gains. The defense continued to lack consistency, but they did do enough to get the win.

Today we’re going to focus on the amazing performances that closed out the year on offense, and we’re going to look at some of the defensive plays that I hope I never have to witness again.

Offense


The Buckeyes got off to a slow start on their two first offensive possessions, some of which can probably be attributed to nerves, but this has been a common theme this season. The difference was that from there, Ohio State attacked the Utah defense without remorse the remainder of the game.

Throwing for almost 600 yards, rushing for over 100 yards, and having a receiver break two single game records is quite the offensive performance. So, we’re going to look at some of the most electric moments of the game, before we have to have a rough conversation.

The first play that we’re going to look at is the one that got the Buckeyes on the board and really kickstarted the day for the whole team. After the alluded two atrocious first drives, Ohio State got the ball and began the second quarter down 14-0, needing to find some life.

In the play below, we see the Buckeyes lined up in a trips formation with three receivers to the left on the field side. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (No. 11) is the inside slot receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 18) is the middle slot receiver, and Julian Fleming (No. 4) is the outside receiver meaning there were a lot of recruiting stars to one side. The play concept is “Smash” with a slot fade instead of a traditional corner route.

Harrison Jr. wins against press-man coverage and with the fade being from the slot, this gives him a lot of room to work and Stroud delivers a perfect strike over the outside shoulder. This play was textbook and the start of a lot more to come.


The next play that we’re going to look at is an extremely well-designed run-pass option (RPO) that was called in the perfect situation. Utah was playing this game with a running back playing a corner, while still getting carries and catches for the offense. So by aligning in 12-personnel, Ohio State forces Utah’s corner out onto an island with Smith-Njigba.

The run action here is a standard inside zone-read, the offensive line blocks as if it is a run play, indicating that this is in fact an actual RPO, and not just a pass play designed to look like one.

Stroud identifies that he has solo coverage over Smith-Njigba, so where he was going to go with the football was decided pre-snap. The run-fake does enough to confuse Utah’s Micah Bernard (the running back moonlighting as a corner), and Stroud drops an egg softly into JSN’s basket.

Smith-Njigba turns this from a good play into a great one by out running the Ute defense, stiff arming the defender, and scoring an explosive play to pull the Buckeyes within one score.


After the game, we learned that Stroud has a nickname for Harrison Jr.: “Route Man Marv,” which is pretty much the theme on this next play. After the inconsistency that the buckeyes have experienced in the red zone this year, this was a sight for sore eyes.

We already know that Utah was shorthanded at corner (not that OSU can talk, they started a tight end at linebacker), but what was most surprising is that they didn’t really do much to help him out.

Ohio State receivers took advantage of Bernard in coverage all day and none more so than on this play. This is a “Flood” concept from doubles, the routes across the board are a post from Harrison Jr. (No. 18), an over-route from Smith-Njigba (No. 11), a quick out from Jeremy Ruckert (No. 88), and a fade from Julian Fleming (No. 4).

Harrison Jr. has one-on-one coverage against a non-defensive player, and he gets an easy release and uses his route stem to set up the defender. Once he breaks off of his route, the ball is already in the air with a perfect throw from Stroud for the touchdown.


The last offensive play that we’re going to look at is the one that should have been the dagger in the game. An unbelievable effort from both the quarterback and receiver to go up 45-38 with a few minutes left on the clock leaving Ryan Day swearing in disbelief.

Once again, Ohio State uses the “Smash Fade” concept, so no need to go into those details again. Stroud reads through all of his progressions on this play coming back to his third read — Smith-Njigba’s slot fade.

When a quarterback is playing at a high level, his head is moving so much it is noticeable to the television viewer. Stroud’s eyes tell the story as he goes through each progression, then quickly makes the decision to throw to JSN. to cap it off, the record-breaking receiver who makes an exceptional over the shoulder grab, which is why we had to give it to you from two different angles.

Defense


There is not much more to be said about the defense under Kerry Coombs and the already departed Matt Barnes, but this article would be doing a disservice if we did not look at the failures that plagued this defensive regime.

Ohio State was physically moved out of the way throughout the first half, and the effort was excruciatingly painful to watch. We’re going to take a look at the issues that stemmed once again for the Buckeyes.

In the first play that we’re going to look at, we are going to see one of the most embarrassing defensive efforts I’ve ever seen. Professionalism be damned here, this one is hard to watch and should never be on any football field let alone one with Ohio State players.

This play is a “Quarterback Power” all the way, after a quick fake, Utah’s quarterback Cameron Rising stumbles. However, he is able to follow his lead blockers through the gap, and this is where it gets bad.

The first thing wrong here, is that linebacker Teradja Mitchell (No. 3) is lined up directly where they are running the ball, but the slight fake is enough for him to chase the down block taking him out of the play.

Then, safety Bryson Shaw (No. 17) over pursues and gets blocked by two people, linebacker Steele Chambers (No. 22) takes on a block eliminating him from the play, and Utah’s QB runs through Mitchell’s arm tackle.

There is zero reason Cade Stover (No. 16) — who has been a linebacker for all of 23:29 of game time — should be the closest defender to making a tackle here. Utah scores a long touchdown and this play embodies everything that has been wrong with Ohio State’s defense this season.


The next play looks frustratingly familiar, and if you go back to the Oregon or Michigan games, you’ll see things extremely similar throughout. Utah is inside the 10 and on the left hashmark, which is important because this has happened all year.

Utah runs a counter with the guard and H-back pulling to the short side of the field. The left side of Utah’s line downblocks and we see Stover (No. 16), Zach Harrison (No. 9) and Mitchell (No. 3) get washed down inside.

Safety/linebacker/bullet Kourt Williams (No. 2) gets kicked out by the pulling guard (No. 78) opening up a wide open hole. The tight end runs through and defensive back Cam Martinez (No. 10) fills weakly, leading to Utah scoring an easy, untouched touchdown.

This is the same type of play that has plagued the Buckeyes in short yardage all season.


Ohio State has consistently failed to get pressure this season against good offensive lines, and this was the case once again. However, when the Buckeyes needed a play they did find pressure and were able to get to Rising for the only sack of the game. This hit also knocked the Utah QB out for the duration of the contest.

Utah went with 12-personnel on this play and dialed up max protection to try to take a deep shot. In this scenario, max protection is keeping both tight ends in to assist in pass protection, this can be used when teams think that an opposing team is about to bring a lot of pressure.

Ohio State rushes four and Jaylahn “J.T.” Tuimoloau (No. 44) is able to get some initial pressure. After Williams (No. 2) and Chambers (No. 22) realize that they have no coverage responsibility, they become pseudo spies on Rising who is a run threat.

After the initial rush forces Utah’s quarterback to retreat, Williams attacks and is able to secure the sack with a violent hit. We cut this play short because the end result is hard to watch, but this was the pressure that the Buckeyes had been missing for most of the game, but desperately needed here.


After Rising went down, they had to bring in their back up quarterback — Bryson Barnes — a walk-on from rural Utah where he used to show pigs growing up, thanks for the info Chris Fowler.

With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, Ohio State’s defense had allowed only three points in the second half, but that was more than enough time for them to blow one more huge play.

All year, safety Ronnie Hickman (No. 14) has been one of the brightest spots on OSU’s defense, but being young, at times he has struggled in coverage. Hickman has Utah’s tight end (No. 86) in man coverage and the TE aligns in the slot creating a size mismatch for the Utes.

They run a slot fade to him and Hickman gives him a free pass around him. Utah’s quarterback looked at his first read and had what he wanted, completing the pass for an easy touchdown.

This play perfectly exemplifies the issues that Ohio State’s defense has had this year from poor fundamentals, a lack of consistent effort, and probably a lazy play-call given the circumstances.

Ohio State rushed four and a lot of players were standing around doing nothing, which is what this defense has essentially provided all season.


Bonus Plays

In a key moment of the game, Ohio State found an unlikely hero on 2nd-and-6. This was a game of redemption for the offense, and in an expanded tight end role, Mitch Rossi (No. 34) not only held his own as a blocker, but as a receiver as well.

Spider-2 Y-Banana is a pro-style offense staple, popularized by Jon Gruden, and that is the call here. In the words of now unemployed coach, “Always throw to the banana,” which in this case goes to fullback Mitch Rossi.

After getting the first down Rossi was thinking much, much more. He makes a defender miss and turns a quick out into a big play for the Buckeyes with one of the most legendary first down celebrations of all-time.


Lost in the exceptional effort of Smith-Njigba, were the under the radar catches that his running mates at receiver made. To highlight them, Emeka Egbuka was an elite returner, Julian Fleming made some incredible catches, and Marvin Harrison Jr. had three touchdowns.

In this play, I want to highlight the underrated aspect that isn’t always noticed. In this Smith-Njigba touchdown, after he makes the catch, he makes a man miss. You see Fleming (No. 4) hustle up the field and take out the only defender who had an angle on Smith-Njigba.

The extra effort is what makes you appreciate this receiver unit that much more than you already do thanks to their talent. This is a testament to the standard set in that room and to the types of players that Brian Hartline brings in.

Conclusion


Ohio State did not win pretty on Saturday and for most of the game there was probably a lot of doubt in the minds of the Buckeye faithful. As we saw, the defense has a long way to go and although against undermanned opponents they were able to improve, it took a galactic effort from the offense to pull out the win in Pasadena.

Offensively we saw the electricity that we’ve become accustomed to, but in the absence of two all-time great receivers, we saw a new hero rise in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. C.J. Stroud took more steps into his “villain origin story” with an air attack that would make any of Batman’s villains jealous.

Going into 2022 there should be a ton of excitement, but did you notice that we barely talked about one important aspect of the Ohio State team? The run game was just okay in the Rose Bowl, and we are certainly going to need to see more from that aspect next year.

Defensively, is there anymore to say besides, “I can’t wait for Jim Knowles to takeover,”? In the first half, Ohio State’s defense showed the lack of effort and energy that has plagued them all year. They were pushed around for three and a half quarters, but to give credit where it’s due, they did enough to secure a win.

For now, that is it for my football film review because there a no more games, but I’m extremely grateful to all of you who took this journey of learning with me this season. Now begins a fun — and probably very eventful — offseason.

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Whose breakout Rose Bowl performance has you most excited for 2022?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

C.J. Stroud and JSN excluded, because we already knew those guys are studs.

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 week’s topic: Whose breakout Rose Bowl performance has you most excited for 2022?

Josh’s Take: Tommy Eichenberg


The 2022 Rose Bowl was, without a doubt, one of the most exciting Ohio State football games in recent memory. It wasn’t the greatest — that title is reserved for a championship-winning performance, or perhaps a win over TTUN — but the New Year’s Day thriller we just witnessed in Pasadena had it all: intrigue during the lead-up, a legendary football venue, frustration as a result of the poor start, and a thrilling comeback.

The Buckeye victory also produced a number of historic, memorable performances. Offensively, C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are still hooking up for chunk plays, and Marvin Harrison Jr. announced his presence to the world. The offensive line did not open up holes for a Buick to fit through, but they kept Stroud clean in the passing game. Time in the pocket was a huge factor in OSU’s ability to mount a comeback during the second half. Really, it’s fair to say that the entire offense had a memorable game, which should give us plenty of excitement for the 2022 season.

On the other side of the ball, our excitement should stem from... I don’t know, maybe a new, re-structured coaching staff? Gene, the six quarters preceding the second half of this Rose Bowl were scenes from a horror film. However, I do want to recognize certain guys that stepped up. With limited reps, Cade Stover and Kourt Williams performed admirably. Taron Vincent, who I’ve been down on for what seems like a decade, was the only guy who showed passion up front. This was arguably his best game as a Buckeye. And the pièce de résistance - the guy whose performance has me most excited for 2022 — was Tommy Eichenberg!

Two-down Tommy messed around and damn near had 20 tackles against a team that really wanted to establish the run and get physical with Ohio State. He finished with 17 tackles (11 solo), which was the most since Joshua Perry had 18 against Penn State in 2014. Without Haskell Garrett, Antwuan Jackson, Cody Simon and others, it was Eichenberg who absolutely led the charge against Utah. And while I still think he is limited in coverage – as evidenced by him getting beat on a wheel route we all saw from a mile away – I also believe he could be the leader of a re-vamped linebacker group next season.

It is not a hot take to say that OSU linebackers underperformed this season... and last season... let’s just say for a few seasons now. It is part of the reason Jim Knowles was brought in as the new defensive coordinator. He is a linebacker guy. That being said, coaches need talent at their disposal. I believe Ohio State has plenty of it at the linebacker position, but nobody has established themselves as the leader of the pack. Eichenberg could be that guy, especially while C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers, and others learn the ropes of the college game.

Tommy had 47 tackles entering the Rose Bowl, and it’s easy to look at this game as an aberration, but he showed significant improvement during the second half of the season. During the Oregon game, I was calling for him to enter the transfer portal at halftime. With this performance against Utah, he vaulted up to second on the team in total tackles. His deficiencies in coverage were obvious, but was he ever put in a position to succeed? These coaches are the same ones who had Tuf freaking Borland on Devonta Smith during the championship game last season. Eichenberg also didn’t have a ton of help around him, referring to his fellow linebackers. Cody Simon was up and down, Teradja Mitchell played himself off the field, and Steele Chambers is a converted running back. Hell, Ohio State’s No. 2 tight end, Cade Stover, was playing snaps in the bowl game!

The Buckeyes struggled all year at linebacker, but scheme and coaching were at least partially to blame. Moving forward, I believe that both will improve, and they will need the players to do so as well. Eichenberg’s closing stretch showed that he can be a foundational piece of the defense in 2022. At the very least, I would argue that he is Ohio State’s top returning linebacker — and the most consistent. Eichenberg may never reach that A.J. Hawk, James Laurinaitis, or Raekwon McMillan level, but I do believe he will hold down the middle next season. With so much uncertainty on that side of the ball, his presence and improvement could give them an anchor to build around. I’m excited about his potential, and that of the OSU defense in the future. Go Bucks!

Gene’s Take: Marvin Harrison Jr.


I appreciate Josh going out on more of a limb in this one and choosing a member of the defense as a reason to be exited for 2022. The two of us had a long discussion about the future of Ohio State’s defense on this week’s Hangout in the Holy Land, and both of us agreed that after we were less than impressed with Tommy Eichenberg over the first few weeks of the season, he really showed improvement throughout the year, culminating in his great individual performance in the Rose Bowl. It is tough to find many positives among that unit, and the Jim Knowles era can’t start soon enough, but Eichenberg was definitely a bright spot.

Even better for me is that Josh choosing Eichenberg allows me to talk about the Buckeyes’ incredible receiving core. Ohio State was without Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in Pasadena, as both opted out in favor of the NFL Draft where they will both be first-round picks. Despite missing two of the best wideouts in the country, C.J. Stroud threw for 573 yards and six touchdowns against a very good Utah defense, obviously highlighted by Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s record-breaking 347 yards and three touchdowns. Clearly, that duo should give Ohio State fans a ton of excitement for 2022, but choosing either of them for this piece would be far too big a cop out.

Instead, I will gladly go with Marvin Harrison Jr., who after catching just five passes during the regular season, finally got a chance to shine on Saturday with his six catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns.

The son of NFL Hall of Fame Marvin Harrison, the 6-foot-3 St. Joseph’s Prep star came to Columbus as a four-star prospect and a top-100 overall recruit in the 2021 class. Even before the season began, it was clear that the younger Harrison was going to be a special player. After drawing rave reviews in preseason practices, the true freshman put together an impressive display in Ohio State’s Spring Game, hauling in a touchdown catch and looking like a seasoned veteran from the jump. Unfortunately for him, despite the obvious talent, he would not get a chance to make an impact throughout the season behind guys like Olave, Wilson and Smith-Njigba.

Now, two of those guys are off to the league, and with JSN returning as the team’s obvious No. 1 receiver in 2022, there will be two other spots behind him up for grabs, and Harrison Jr. will almost certainly be a recipient of one of those. There is no shortage of talent behind him, with Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka both former No. 1 wide receivers in their respective recruiting classes, and while I think we will see a bit more rotation among that group than we saw this season, Harrison Jr. is simply too good to come off the field, especially in the red zone. His big frame, excellent route running and great hands make him a dangerous weapon in the corner of the end zone, as we have already seen a small glimpse of in the Rose Bowl.

Ohio State’s passing offense is going to once again be stellar in 2022. Stroud will enter the season as the Heisman frontrunner, Jaxon Smith-Njigba looks like he is every bit a future first round pick, Fleming and Egbuka were they top-rated players at their positions coming out of high school — with Egbuka already showing tremendous value as a return man in the kicking game — and then you have Harrison Jr., the son of an NFL great who looks like he could be the next Michael Thomas. Combine all that with the return of a dynamic duo at running back in TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, as well as an offensive line that will be playing the correct positions, and it is hard not to be excited about what’s to come next season.

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Ohio State men’s basketball holds steady at No. 13 in AP Poll
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes’ overtime win in Lincoln was not enough to jump them over the likes of Auburn and Houston.

For two consecutive weeks, No. 13 Ohio State (9-2, 3-0) inched up the AP Poll despite not playing games while on pause due to COVID-19 cases in the program. Before their pause, they were No. 15. Two weeks later, they were No. 13 and finally ready to start playing again.

Back on the floor last night for the first time since December 11, the Buckeyes struggled against Nebraska on the road, losing the lead and trailing by five points with fewer than 30 seconds remaining. But thanks to a career night from Malaki Branham, two clutch free throws from E.J. Liddell, and one massive block by Eugene Brown, they were able to force overtime and then win in OT, 87-79.


However, during a week where only one team ahead of them (No. 11 Iowa State) lost, Ohio State’s close win against a horrible Nebraska team wasn’t enough to boost them in the poll. For the first time in three weeks, the Buckeyes stayed right where they were at No. 13. After debuting at No. 17 in the pre-season, early losses to No. 22 Xavier and Florida dropped them out of the poll before they began steadily climbing again.

The top five teams remain unchanged in the poll, with No. 1 Baylor followed by Duke, Purdue, Gonzaga, and UCLA.

Three other Big Ten teams were ranked this week. They are: No. 3 Purdue, No. 10 Michigan State, and No. 23 Wisconsin.

Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota also received votes but were left outside the top-25.

You can check out the full poll here:

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Column: C.J. Stroud will be the 2022 Heisman winner
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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

I admit, I had my doubts about Stroud throughout the season, but his performance in the Rose Bowl solidified his potential for greatness in 2022.

Alright, alright, the time has come. C.J. Stroud has finally proven himself (at least to me) that he is great. He hasn’t let all of the hate thrown his way this season get to him, and he’s battled through some serious adversity. Finishing fourth in the Heisman voting definitely unleashed a monster, and the Rose Bowl was only the beginning.


Let me back up a little bit. This entire season I have been extremely iffy about Stroud. I’m aware that he is a freshman, but frankly I didn’t care. I believe that if you’re the starting quarterback at The Ohio State University, you should be able to handle pretty much anything.

I was really impressed by him in the first two games of the season against Minnesota and Oregon. However, when he didn’t play against Akron, I was a little bit annoyed. I know that he had an injured shoulder and Akron isn’t the strongest of opponents, but I thought that he might have just been milking it. I’m now sure that wasn’t the case, though.

His play against Tulsa was severely concerning to me. Four games into the season, and I was seriously questioning if he should be the starting QB. I did want to see how he would stick it out, so I’m glad that he remained the starter. He bounced back the following week against Rutgers and never looked back.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Now, was he perfect in these games? Absolutely not. However, for a first-time starter, I would say that Stroud had one of the best debut seasons in Buckeye history. After all, he is still a freshman, so he’s still maturing and learning how to lead this team. Additionally, just like a baby giraffe, he is trying to figure out how to use his legs.

All of this being said, his play against Utah was just unbelievable. Coming into the game, many people doubted his abilities citing the fact that Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson weren’t going to be playing. I didn’t think this would have any impact on him, because the true No. 1 receiver — Jaxon Smith-Njigba — would finally have his chance to shine. The other guys named Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming did pretty well too.

Like I said earlier, finishing the way that he did in the Heisman voting really seemed to have lit a fire in him. I predicted that he would go off in this game, but I don’t think that anyone thought that he would’ve thrown for 573 yards and six touchdowns!

Also, how about in the first half when his last three pass attempts were three consecutive touchdowns? My personal favorite was the 10 yards he rushed for to get a first down! His legs do work!

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

This game made me so excited for next season. Clearly, there won’t be any drop-off in the receiver room. The offensive line did a great job of giving Stroud enough time to make a play. His accuracy and arm strength was on full display and was astounding to watch. He made difficult passes look easy. Perhaps the greatest part of it all? Stroud stayed calm the entire game, putting the team on his back, refusing to go down without a fight.

Therefore, I have no doubt in my mind that C.J. Stroud will be the 2022 Heisman winner. Unless it’s JSN or TreVeyon Henderson. With a phenomenal freshman campaign, he can only get better. While I think he could throw to just about anyone and succeed, it doesn’t hurt that his receivers will make him look even better. Can it be Sept. 3 already?

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I-70 Football Podcast: Recapping B1G bowl season, remembering John Madden
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 Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

In this episode we recap all ten Big Ten bowl games and honor the life of the legend John Madden.

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:

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Happy New Years! We hope you had a wonder holiday and good luck on all your resolutions. In this week’s episode we recap a pretty success and wild bowl slate for the Big Ten. After starting 5-0 the conference ended bowl season with a 6-4 record, not bad but not great. W

e get into Michigan’s disappointing showing against a dominant Georgia team, Michigan State’s 11th win, and instant classics from Purdue against Tennessee and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl against Utah.

We also discuss Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell and C.J. Stroud both throwing for over 500 yards as their teams find a way to win 48-45 in their respective matchups.

Jordan wins the bowl game competition with a record of 8-2 bringing his final tally to 103-75 for the season. Dante finishes 6-4 with a final record of 99-79, so he must wear a Clemson shirt and buy wings for the National Championship.

In their weekly pit stops, Dante can’t stand ex-players, coaches, and media members who complain about players who opt out of bowl games; stop saying they don’t love football by trying to protect their future.

Jordan gets into the Black QB revolution. Slowly but surely, the number of Black quarterbacks in the NFL is increasing and will continue to do so as Stroud and Bryce Young look to be the first quarterbacks taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. ‘

Lastly, they remember the legends John Madden and Betty White. Condolences to their family and thank you for all of the memories we have of them and their work!


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216

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any hope of this torrent. sorry being a pain in the ass