2022 Rose Bowl (Ohio State vs Utah)

Before I get started, I have a couple of admissions to make. First, I'm in the "NC or bust" camp when it comes to the Buckeyes. Ohio State is historically a top-5 (or top-3) program, and the Buckeyes are in the midst of perhaps their best run ever, so it's not unreasonable to expect the team to compete for a national championship every single year and win a few along the way (more than one a decade, IMHO). So every season that does not result in an NC (with a few exceptions) is necessarily a "failure" to some degree. With that being said, I can deem a season like 2021 a failure overall yet still enjoy individual moments or games along the way and appreciate them for what they are. Last night was one of those games.

My second admission is this: I had Utah winning the game fairly comfortably, something like 38-27, primarily because the Buckeyes were missing four All Americans (Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Nicholas Petit-Frere, and Haskell Garrett) due to opt outs, and several other key players to injury; and also because I believed that Utah (much like Michigan) would be more physical and more motivated than Ohio State. And for the entire first half and much of the second, my prediction looked to be spot on. Then, talent took over and Ohio State made a memorable comeback....

1. What a great game! If you're just a fan of college football and had no rooting interest in either team, then last night's Rose Bowl was probably the Game of the Year for you. And if somehow you missed it, don't worry: this game will be replayed forever as one of the all-time classics of the sport.

After Utah jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, the Ohio State offense finally got going in the second quarter with 21 points of their own. The only problem was that the Ohio State defense remained stuck in neutral and surrendered three more touchdowns to the Utes, who took a 35-21 lead at halftime.

At that point, I basically counted out Ohio State, figuring that the Utes would find even more motivation in the locker room while the Buckeyes would be considering collectively opting out for the second half. And my suspicion seemed well-founded when C.J. Stroud threw an uncharacteristic interception (one of his only bad reads/throws of the night) in the end zone on the opening drive of the third quarter. Stroud's pick was just the latest in a series of "bad luck" plays that had victimized Ohio State to that point in the game: a fumble by Jaxon Smith-Njigba at the end of a 49-yard reception that could've been a touchdown; a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown by Utah's Britain Covey; a 62-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak by Utah's Cam Rising (that appeared to be a busted play); and a strange series at the end of the half that saw Ohio State go 58 yards in 35 seconds but fail to get either a Hail Mary or a field goal attempt (time outs mean sometime, Mr. Day!).

But then the luck changed. Of course in football as in life, you often make your own luck (or at least contribute to it), and the Buckeye defense manufactured a bit of fortune on the ensuing drive when it forced a punt after a three-and-out. Well, to be completely accurate, the Buckeye defense forced a punt attempt, as the Utah punter had trouble with the snap and was tackled for a huge loss before he could make the kick. After taking over at the Utah 11-yard line, the Buckeye offense needed only two plays to notch their fourth touchdown of the game and cut the Utes' lead to just seven points. The teams then traded field goals, and the third quarter ended with Utah having the 38-31 lead, but Ohio State having the momentum.

And the momentum really swung in the Buckeyes' favor when the Utes got stuffed on a 4th-and-3 play early in the fourth quarter on a great open-field tackle from Ronnie Hickman (who had whiffed on a similar chance earlier in the game). Ohio State then went 7-plays, 71-yards for the tying score (special shout out to walk-on tight end Mitch Rossi, who had a career-long 22-yard reception on that drive, on what looked like a designed play!). After a quick three-and-out from Utah, Ohio State went 85 yards in 9 plays to take its first lead of the game, 45-38.

With just 4:22 left on the clock, all the Buckeye defense needed to do was force one stop and it was likely game over. But no, that was simply too big an ask from a unit that had not been known for its stoutness all season long. Despite playing much better in the second half, the defense quickly reverted to its first half form and surrendered a 6-play, 57-yard touchdown that tied the score (with Utah's back-up QB at the helm, no less), thanks in part to a pair of pass interference penalties.

One good thing about a porous defense is that it gives the offense plenty of time to do its thing, and in this case C.J. Stroud & Company had nearly two minutes left in which to operate. The Buckeye offense had previously engineered touchdown drives of 35 seconds (2 plays; 60 yards) and 15 seconds (1 play; 52 yards), so the question wasn't so much would the Buckeyes be able to score in the final 1:54, but rather would they leave too much time on the clock for Utah to come back and tie or win the game. After a nice 33-yard kick return from Emeka Egbuka, the Buckeyes methodically (for them) drove 56 yards down to the 2-yard line, then Noah Ruggles capped off his All American season with the game-winning 19-yard field goal. Final score: Ohio State 48, Utah 45.

2. Now on to the individual performances, but where to begin? Normally it would be with quarterback C.J. Stroud, and that would be especially true after a record-setting performance from the Buckeye signal caller: 37 of 46 (.804) for 573 yards, 6 touchdowns, an interception, and no sacks. Stroud's 573 yards passing obliterated the Ohio State single-game mark, formerly 499 yards by Dwayne Haskins versus Northwestern in 2018; and his six passing touchdowns tied the team record (held jointly by Justin Fields, Dwayne Haskins, J.T. Barrett, Kenny Guiton, and himself). Outside of the one interception (more on that in a bit), Stroud was nearly perfect for the game, and several of his passes were absolutely NFL throws. All season long, Stroud had been vacillating between Freshman and Heisman, but last night's performance was likely the final turning point in Stroud's career, and he should enter the 2022 season as the clear favorite to win Ohio State's eighth Heisman Trophy....

3. Or maybe not. As good as Stroud was last night, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was arguably better (and he, not Stroud, earned the Rose Bowl MVP award). All JSN did was catch 15 passes for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns (30 yards; 50 yards; 52 yards); he also had a 49-yard reception that nearly resulted in another score but instead ended up being a "bad luck" fumble that was recovered in the end zone by Utah (more on that fumble later). JSN's 347 receiving yards was not only a Buckeye record (beating Terry Glenn's 26-year old mark by nearly a century), but also an FBS bowl record and the 5th-best FBS performance of all time. Sure, quarterbacks generally get most of the Heisman love, and the Buckeye offense will be loaded with weapons next season, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba will definitely be in the Heisman discussion.

4. In addition to the single-game records, JSN also set an Ohio State single-season record for receiving yardage with 1,606 yards (besting David Boston's mark of 1,435 yards set in 1998), which is also the Big Ten single season record (topping the 1,545 yards posted by Wisconsin's Lee Evans in 2001). JSN also set the Ohio State single-season record for pass receptions with 95 (breaking Parris Campbell's mark of 90 set during the 2018 season).

5. With Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson sitting out to protect their draft stock (and rightly so, given the possibly serious knee injury that top QB prospect Matt Corral suffered in last night's Sugar Bowl), true freshman Marvin Harrison, Jr. got his first extended minutes at wide receiver, and he made the most of his opportunity. Although Harrison's coming out party (6 receptions, 71 yards, 3 touchdowns) was obviously overshadowed by JSN's historic performance, it certainly bodes well for next season when Harrison will be expected to continue the All American play from the wide receiving corps. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Harrison is already being compared to former Buckeye great Michael Thomas. While that comparison is certainly reasonable, Harrison should easily outperform Thomas (113 receptions, 1,602 yards, 18 touchdowns for his career) given the players' respective offensive systems (pro-style vs read-option) and quarterbacks (C.J. Stroud vs J.T. Barrett). For the year, Harrison made 11 receptions for 139 yards (12.6 average) and 3 touchdowns.

6. Also subbing for Wilson and Olave were true freshman Emeka Egbuka (3 receptions, 46 yards) and sophomore Julian Fleming (5 receptions, 35 yards). In addition, Egbuka had a 75-yard kick return that was called back due to a phantom hold by Fleming. It will be interesting to see which of this pair emerges next season as WR3 next to Smith-Njigba and (presumably) Harrison. My money would be on Egbuka, who has incredible elusiveness, with Fleming (if he sticks around) evolving into more of a red zone/possession receiver.

7. Lost among the great performances and breakout games was TreVeyon Henderson, who quietly had 110 yards from scrimmage (17 rushes, 83 yards; 4 receptions, 27 yards). It's really hard to complain about Ohio State's offensive performance yesterday - and for most of the season - but next year the staff could do a better job of giving Henderson opportunities to make plays in space, as running between the tackles is not really his speciality. Henderson finishes his freshman season with 1,560 yards from scrimmage (183 rushes, 1,248 yards, 6.8 average; 27 receptions, 312 yards, 11.6 average) and 19 total touchdowns (including three of 50+ yards).

8. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert ended his Buckeye career as we all might have imagined, with an underwhelming performance (3 receptions, 25 yards). Despite having been a near 5-star recruit back in 2018, and possessing a near-perfect TE physique (6-foot-5, 250 pounds), Ruckert never really had his breakout game at Ohio State, or even a memorable play (maybe his one-handed TD grab in the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game?). Ruckert finishes his Buckeye career with 54 receptions for 615 yards (11.4 average) and 12 touchdowns. I suspect that Ruckert will have a better career in the NFL, especially if he hooks up with a team like the Browns that likes to involve the tight ends in its offense.

9. The offensive line had a typical performance last night - adequate run blocking (20 carries, 110 yards, 5.5 average) and exceptional pass protection (zero sacks allowed and plenty of time and space for Stroud to operate). What was missing from this year's OL was an All American caliber interior lineman. In 2018, J.K. Dobbins was Lydell Ross 2.0 (1,053 yards, 4.6 average, 10 TDs); in 2019, he nearly doubled his production and set the Buckeye's single-season rushing record (2,003 yards, 6.7 average, 21 TDs). In 2019, Trey Sermon was an afterthought in Oklahoma's offense (54 carries, 385 yards); in 2020, he set Ohio State records for single-game rushing yards (331 yards vs Northwestern) and single-season yards per carry (7.5 average). The common denominator? Two-time All American guard Wyatt Davis, who routinely turned opposing defensive lines into train wrecks. If the Buckeyes can find at least one mauler in 2022, then their often anemic rushing attack should be able to adequately compliment a passing game that will likely be the best in all of CFB.

10. Utah entered the Rose Bowl with the #10 total defense in the country, giving up 315.4 yards per game and 4.85 yards per play. Ohio State laid 683 yards, 10.2 per play, on the Utes. The Utes also had one of the better scoring defenses in the country, surrendering just 20.6 points per game; the Buckeyes more than doubled that mark with 48.

11. Circling back to Stroud and JSN for a moment.... Despite their historic performances, each player had a turnover in the end zone that cost the Buckeyes points, and almost cost them the game. Even the best players can make mistakes, sometimes very big mistakes in very big moments. But part of what makes players great is their ability to shrug off the mistakes and quickly get back to greatness. Props to both players for doing just that, and to the Buckeye coaching staff for trusting that their greatest players would continue to make great plays during the greatest games of their respective careers.

12. Now on to the defense.... For a variety of reasons (talent, scheme, coaching, effort, lack of depth), the 2021 Buckeye defense was often bad, as it surrendered 35 points to Oregon, 42 points to Michigan, and 45 points to Utah. But here's the good news: The Buckeye defense doesn't need to get all that much better to become championship caliber, because the Buckeye offense scored 550 points (42.3 per game) on the season (the defense chipped in with 44 points of their own, with six touchdowns and a safety). A lot of the Buckeyes' defensive woes (I think) can be solved with a better overall scheme, although there is an appalling lack of talent (and depth) at linebacker (maybe 2022 signees C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers, and Sonny Styles can provide some immediate help at that position).

13. Speaking of linebackers, the oft-maligned Tommy Eichenberg played a borderline great game last night, with 17 total tackles (11 solos) and a TFL. Although the stats are certainly nice, what was even nicer was seeing Eichenberg play with energy and confidence and anticipation that was generally lacking earlier in the season. I doubt that Eichenberg will ever be accounted among the many Buckeye greats at linebacker (Gradishar, Cousineau, Spielman, Hawk, Laurinaitis, Shazier, etc.), but if can at least evolve into Anthony Schlegel then the 2022 defense should take a huge leap forward. Eichenberg finished the season with 64 tackles (33 solo), 4.5 TFLs, an interception, and a fumble recovery.

14. There is a lot of recency bias against Ohio State's defense, and that is bound to happen what you give up 42 points and 45 points in consecutive games (the first time that's happened to the Buckeyes since 1891). Now I don't want to take a statistic out of context, but Ohio State actually finished 38th in FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 22.8 points per game. Granted, a lot of that apparent success came against Akron and a host of Big Ten bottom feeders, but to say that the 2021 defense was historically bad (as Buckeye Twitter Nation claimed last night) is inaccurate. Let's just say that things aren't as bleak as they seem, and with an infusion of talent next year (both on and off the field) there is hope for the future.

15. Entering the Rose Bowl, Ohio State's kick coverage team had allowed an average of just 15.3 yards per return (long of 26 yards) on 32 total returns, which is simply amazing. Of course, they blew all that goodwill away when they allowed Utah's Britain Covey to house one from 97 yards. With that being said, props to walk-on WR Chris Booker for making the final tackle of the 2021 season on the kick-off following the game-winning field goal.

16. RB/WR/DB/KR Demario McCall has been a Buckeye, at least unofficially, since March 28, 2015, and officially since February 3, 2016. Despite being the #44 overall recruit in his class, McCall never really found his niche at Ohio State (865 yards from scrimmage, 8 total TDs, 7 tackles, PBU). Nearly seven years later, McCall's Ohio State journey finally comes to an end. The journey may have been disappointing, but the end was undoubtedly worth it:

Sure seems like bball is back tonight at 8pm...

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hope theres gonna be a torrent for this crazy ass game

does anyone gonna have a torrent for these.ty in advance

Will not miss 2021, but at least it ended with Michigan looking foolish.

It's 2022, and guess what? Michigan still sucks, and I've got the box score to prove it....

No, I'm not talking about my posting history on Buckeye Planet.

I came across this story and considered originally posting the article in the "weird headlines outside of Florida thread," but this isn't really a headline from a news publication per se, and the more I looked into this story, more layers were revealed.

I also have been considering of making a thread for terrible Content, as I must confess that I am an aficionado and connoisseur of painfully bad and cringeworthy content (i.e. Ed Wood movies, tacky YouTube click bait videos, Georgia Bulldog Football in clutch/big games, etc.), and I figured that many of those would be out of place in the "favorite youtube video" thread. So like how there's a thread for good commercials, and there is a thread for bad commercials, I figured the same could be done for YouTube videos and other Internet content.

Now, without any further ado, let's get to it:

90 Day Fiance’s Stephanie Matto Says She’s Made $100K Selling Her Farts in Jars
By Eliza Thompson
December 16, 2021
https://www.usmagazine.com/entertai...-stephanie-matto-ive-made-100k-selling-farts/

That’s one way to freelance! 90 Day Fiancé alum Stephanie Matto has been supplementing her income — and her method is certainly unique.

The reality star, 31, went viral after she claimed in a Tuesday, December 14, YouTube video that she’s made nearly $100,000 selling her farts in jars. “I think the moment that I knew, like, ‘Wow, I’ve really made it,’ was when Lance Bass from ‘NSync commented on my jarred farts TikTok,” the Before the 90 Days alum said the video. “P.S., Lance — if you’d like a jar for free, I’d love to send you one, so just let me know. Slide in the DMs.”

Last month, the TLC personality posted a TikTok video about “the day in the life of a girl who sells her farts in a jar.” In the post, which currently has more than 6.7 million views, Matto detailed the diet she uses to encourage flatulence, including protein shakes, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt and beans. She also explained that she adds flower petals to each jar because she believes they hold the scent well.

“I have perfected my craft,” Matto said on Tuesday. “I kind of feel like I am the Einstein of fart jars at this point, because I’ve figured out the perfect formula for making the most in the least amount of time but also causing me the least amount of pain.”

The content creator went on to note that she’s sold around 175 jars for a total of nearly $100,000 in profits, adding that she has “the monopoly on farts” in jars.

“It is pretty crazy,” Matto told In Touch on Tuesday. “The thing is — what I find really awesome about this whole entire new, like, fart jar venture is that I think it’s inspired a lot of people to think outside of the box, as far as ways that they can make money.”

The YouTuber made her 90 Day Fiancé debut during season 4 of Before the 90 Days, which aired in 2020. At the time, Matto was in a relationship with Erika Owens, who lived in Australia. The duo, who called it quits during the May 2020 finale, were the first same-sex couple to ever appear on the show.

During the season, the influencer also came out to her family as bisexual. “I felt like this was, like, ripping the Band-Aid off, like, the ultimate coming out,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2020, explaining why she decided to disclose her identity on TV. “You can’t back out now, you just got to do it. You got to jump right in.”

Last month, Matto rejoined the 90 Day universe in season 2 of The Single Life, which is currently streaming on Discovery+.

Click to expand...

I'm willing to bet that 95% of the orders are shipped to Ann Arbor.

There's soXething that I've Xeant to tell y'all, but haven't yet.

Until now...

There is no way that Harry Bailey could have gone to war and saved the life of every man on that transport. Assuming the timeline in the movie is correct, Bailey graduated from high school in 1925 or 1926 (an assumption made upon both the popularity of the Charleston at his high school graduation and the fact that the run on the banks occurred after his college graduation). Since he wasn't career Nvay (he got the fuck out of Bedford Falls to work for his father in law in Buffalo), there's no way, even had his eyesight held up, that he would be accepted into flight school as a 33 or 34 year old in 1942. Harry Bailey spent the war behind a desk in San Diego or Norfolk. Every man on that transport died, and it didn't matter whether George Bailey had been born or not.

To my fellow vets on Buckeye Planet; Welcome Home! Happy Holidays!
Forrest Brandt
Vietnam '68 - '69,
Desert Storm December '90 - May '91

Is ok to sell tickets to the game here? Rose Bowl. Ohio State side. Section 13H Row 52. Four (4) tickets together. Face value $185 each. Can transfer tickets immediately. Venmo payment. Email [email protected] or message if interested.

“I got problems with a lot of you people!”

Didn't see a thread for this week so here you go.

FWIW, the "2022 Alumni Season Ticket Window" is now open.

On behalf of the Department of Athletics, we write to thank you for being a loyal Ohio State Football season ticket holder. This is a reminder that your 2022 Ohio State football season ticket invoice is available online beginning today for those interested in renewing early or taking advantage of year-
end tax deductible contributions. The deadline to renew is March 1, 2022. Beginning this season, we are providing various payment plan options to choose from in order to give all ticket holders the opportunity to extend the payments for up to 9 months. Your invoice will include all season tickets, applicable Per-Seat Contributions, season parking permits and parking qualifying contributions.

My season ticket package for 2 tickets/game ($559 x 2 = $1118.00) is actually cheaper than last year ($1404.00) and there is an additional home game in 2022. Now I am just in "Zone 6" though.



Several games last year were not sellouts so maybe they are actually lowering the prices for 2022 to try an fill the stadium to capacity for every game. The Ticketmaster processing fee did go up $5 to $40 for 2022. Here's what they say individual game tickets will cost:

SINGLE GAME PRICE



https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ticke...pJobID=1400425624&spReportId=MTQwMDQyNTYyNAS2

Where does a healthy Justice Sueing fit in Ohio’s State’s lineup?
Connor Lemons 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/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The return of Ohio State’s third-leading scorer from last season is imminent. Whose minutes will be impacted?

At some point later today, we should have a little more information on both Justice Sueing and Seth Towns’ individual rehab assignments, but what we know for sure is that Ohio State expects both to play at some point this month. Two weeks ago, Chris Holtmann said that both Sueing and Towns are “weeks away.” Prior to the Wisconsin game on Saturday (an Ohio State win), Holtmann specifically ruled both guys out — something he had not done for either player since Sueing re-injured himself between the Niagara and Bowling Green games last month.


While this could be speculation on my end, Holtmann ruling Towns and Sueing out for the Wisconsin game infers that both players are getting close to returning — close enough that their odds to be activated for that Wisconsin game were greater than zero. Towns has been targeting a December-ish return since he had back surgery in September. Sueing’s absence was considered indefinite originally, but Holtmann’s “weeks away” comment inferred that he’d be back sometime this month, hopefully.

It’s unlikely that Towns starts at any point this season. Once healthy, he’ll be one of Ohio State’s go-to bench scorers — adding to a treasure trove of weapons that have already proven to be very useful this season. The Buckeyes’ recent wins over Duke and Towson have largely been thanks to their bench, and Towns will make that bench even deeper. On Monday, Holtmann said that Towns will be Ohio State’s “sixth or seventh” guy.

But during that same radio appearance on 97.1 FM, Holtmann referred to Sueing as “one of our starters” and “our second-best scorer.” That means that once he’s healthy, Sueing will not be used off the bench a la Kyle Young. Perhaps initially while his minutes are being ticked back up he will, but it will not be long until Sueing is back in the starting lineup.

With that said, who gets bumped out? Holtmann mixed a few different lineups early on, but for the last several games it’s been Jamari Wheeler, Malaki Branham, Justin Ahrens, E.J. Liddell, and Zed Key. Clearly, someone is getting bumped to a reserve role once Sueing returns.

Below, I outlined the two most-likely scenarios for when Sueing returns. I also included a third option that almost certainly won’t happen, but we might as well include it — just in case.

Ahrens out, Sueing in

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

From a traditional standpoint, this makes the most sense. Sueing takes Ahrens’ spot, the guards stay the same, and Key continues to anchor everything down low. A career 31% three-point shooter, Sueing is nowhere close to the same threat Ahrens is from outside (42% 3PT), but he can score in more ways than his fellow left-handed teammate.

Sueing is a passable outside shooter, but more importantly he’s great at driving to the basket and then picking where to pull up from that 6-10-foot range versus where to attack all the way to the rim (54% shooter from two-point range). He’s also a reliable free throw shooter and an above-average rebounder (5.5 rebounds per game last season). Sueing is also a better all-around defender than Ahrens, even taking into consideration the huge strides the latter has made this season on defense.

Overall, Sueing just brings more to the table than Ahrens does. That’s not a knock on Justin — he is still a solid player — but them’s the facts.

Branham out, Sueing in

Nicolas Galindo/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Personally, this is what I believe would be the best — and most interesting — switch. Sueing is not a traditional guard (on or off-ball) at 6-foot-7, but we saw last season that Holtmann trusts him to at least get the ball past half court without incident. That goofy behind the back turnover against Michigan lingers in a lot of folks’ minds, but for the most part he was pretty passable.

Also: what has Malaki Branham done so far this season that Sueing can’t do? Branham is going to be a star, but right now he’s young and still figuring things out. In 21.8 minutes per game as a starter, he’s scoring 6.3 PPG to go along with 3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.8 turnovers per night. He’s shooting 38.8% overall and 33% from three-point land. None of these stats are great, and some are subjectively bad. Again, I think Branham is going to be a star very soon, — probably an NBA draftee eventually.

But if the position listed on the roster next to a guy’s name is why you think Branham needs to stay in the lineup, think again. Sueing can do everything Branham has so far, but much more efficiently. A lineup of Wheeler, Sueing, Ahrens, Liddell, and Key has some serious thump to it, and after a 2-0 start in B1G play, the Buckeyes should slam their foot on the gas pedal and try to keep that streak alive.

Just play your best five guys!

Sueing comes off the bench

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

I had to include this because there’s an off-chance it happens, I suppose. Kyle Young has been super efficient off the bench so far, and it’s looking like that’s where he’ll stay for the duration of this season. While having your sixth through eighth guys in the rotation be Sueing, Young, and Towns would be menacing for opposing teams, holding all three back just seems silly.

Both Branham and Ahrens have some very obvious flaws in their game still, and so does Key. Ohio State is one of the deepest teams in the nation, but keeping Sueing on the bench and starting Ahrens and Branham over him seems silly. If Holtmann truly thinks Sueing is his second-best scorer, he needs to be in that starting lineup.

But hey, Young is coming off the bench, and Holtmann has the utmost confidence in both Branham and Ahrens. So who knows!

Continue reading...

Reviewing the early signing period for the Buckeyes and their 2022 class
Caleb Houser 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 had a rather uneventful early signing period, but did unfortunately lose one member of the class on a flip to another program

Wednesdays of course marked the beginning of early signing period for the 2022 class. With the fax machine being watched by the entire Ohio State coaching staff all morning, the Buckeyes had a relatively easy early signing day, as they officially welcomed 17 players to the fold in the current cycle. Now before fans get too worried, yes, there are 18 current guys in the fold and the coaches firmly expect to accept the signature of in-state linebacker, Gabe Powers, this coming Friday, as he is doing a special ceremony to commemorate the moment to complete the list of guys who were already committed.

However, the word relatively was used earlier to describe how “easy” the day went, but there was one major negative to the day when Ohio State’s highest-ranked cornerback in the class, Terrance Brooks, flipped to Texas to stay close to home. Making it back to back classes where the Buckeyes lose out on their top corner in the class, Ryan Day even said in his press conference that the staff was not expecting the move, but rumblings all over social media just hours before and the late push made by the Texas staff seemed to be too prevalent, and of course where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.

Before getting too worked up about the flip by Brooks, it’s important to note than even with only 18 members in the class, the Buckeyes still boast the nation’s fourth-best class per the 247Sports class rankings. What makes it more impressive is seeing that the school in the top five with the closest number of players in comparison to Ohio State’s 18 is Alabama with 24. A whopping six more guys in their class, that should show how talented this Buckeyes’ group is in terms of individual rankings for each guy in the fold. Fortunately, Day and the rest of the staff fully expect to sign three or four more players by time February rolls around, which will only further increase this class score.

Overall, the 2022 recruiting class is another top five group, and will keep the Buckeyes right at the top of the country in terms of having the most talented rosters in college football. There are still high profile players that Ohio State is in a great spot with, and while this class isn’t completely over yet, the coaching staff knows who they have to focus in on and also have time to really hammer the transfer portal for players that fill needs for the next season. In addition, the 2023 class will see a little more attention now that they’re the major priority moving forward. As you know, recruiting never stops.

Ohio State sends out offer to 2023 offensive tackle


You would think the Ohio State coaching staff would be a little preoccupied with the 2022 early signing day, and of course they were, but they still had time to do some recruiting on Wednesday when they sent out their latest offer. Taking to his Twitter account to share the update, 2023 offensive line prospect Olaus Alinen was the latest player on the receiving end of an Ohio State offer, and showed his excitement that the Buckeyes had now entered the race for his services.

A monstrous 6-foot-7, 315 pound offensive tackle, Alinen already has college-ready size, but amazingly still has a full year to develop his game and get stronger, which is pretty scary considering all that he brings to the table currently as a high school junior. Ranked as the 12th-best offensive tackle in the 2023 class, Alinen is also considered to be the top player in his home state of Connecticut, and the 125th-best player nationally all per the 247Sports Composite.

With over 30 offers to his name already, it’s almost a little surprising the Buckeyes had yet to offer this elite tackle prospect considering how important the position is in each recruiting class. Already in the fold are most of the top college programs in the country. Schools such as Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, USC, and several more have already thrown their hat in to the ring, but with Ohio State now in the running, the Buckeyes will look to make up for some lost time. Fortunately, their offer as mentioned was welcomed, and had Alinen excited to start a relationship with the Buckeye coaches.

Quick Hits

• There was some more defensive back news yesterday as Elias Ricks, the one time five-star cornerback announced his plans to transfer to Alabama from LSU. A Buckeye consideration originally, developments took place that Ohio State took their name out of the running for his commitment. Whether it be due to the rumored “red flags” surrounding Ricks, the injury history, or even wanting to keep current guys on the roster at the same position happy, he is no longer an option.

Where Ohio State goes from here is a little bit unknown, but there does look like there’s a clear need at cornerback with the Brooks flip to Texas. Maybe the staff will stick with what they already have in the position room, but whatever the case, there needs to be some serious development of younger guys this offseason.


Continue reading...

Column: Does Ohio State have to be worried about Penn State’s off-the-field moves?
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Happenings off the field may shift the balance toward the Nittany Lions.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons might be the best rookie in the league. He’s already getting compared to Lawrence Taylor and, according to Parsons himself in speaking to Sports Illustrated, he doesn’t, “really think the NFL is hard.”

Truth is, the former Penn State star is making it look pretty easy. Through 13 games, Parsons has had a dozen sacks and three forced fumbles. Jevon Kearse holds the rookie sack record at 14.5 — a mark Parsons looks poised not only to break, but to demolish. Most recently against the Washington Football Team, Parsons had two sacks, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble.

Micah Parsons opted out of the entire 2020 college football season due to COVID-19, but still managed to be a first-round draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, with the Cowboys taking him 12th overall. His time at Penn State had been plenty impressive, and it was clear the Nittany Lions missed him as James Franklin’s team dropped their first five games of the 2020 season without their best player on the field. Parsons was a consensus All-American in 2019, and brought home the Butkus-Fitzgerald award honoring the Big Ten’s best linebacker.

Like Chase Young, Nick Bosa and Joey Bosa have done for DE in both the college and NFL ranks, seeing Parsons have such monster success as a rookie is a boon for Penn State on the recruiting front. With the Early Signing Period today, that influence will surely help as the Nittany Lions lock in a star-studded class.

That recruiting benefit will no doubt be aided by Manny Diaz getting brought in as defensive coordinator, as well as James Franklin’s massive contract extension this season, which locks him in with the Nittany Lions for the next decade. Led by Diaz, the Hurricanes ranked 11th in the recruiting for the class for 2021 and 17th in 2020.

Now, Penn State has signed one of the nation’s top classes, sitting at fifth nationally for the class of 2022 (including one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Drew Allar). Last year, the Nittany Lions were 21st for the class of 2021, with no five-star recruits.

Franklin, the offensive-minded coach who cut his teeth coaching receivers, has effectively transformed Penn State’s offense from something that looks like what we think of when we think Iowa football to one that has a propensity to put up points — this season’s performance against Illinois notwithstanding. However, that offensive bend sways somewhat from the tradition of Penn State which, like Iowa, is known for stout defense and not much else.

Diaz is a big name to replace Brent Pry, who left the Nittany Lions to fill the head coaching vacancy at Virginia Tech. Diaz is an incredible addition for many tangible reasons, like recruiting the fertile South Florida region, but also for intangible ones, such as the panache he brings to a program that may have been perceived as shifting its philosophy to scoring points rather than stopping them.

But, the thing is, Penn State’s defense has not actually been bad (in fact, it’s been really good), and the addition of Diaz, combined with the success of Parsons, means that Penn State presents a balanced team that has a reputation for being elite on both sides of the ball.

What do these changes in Happy Valley mean for Ohio State? Unfortunately, it means the Buckeyes are no longer the talk of the town in every football-related category. Sure, they’ve got offense on lockdown (another shoutout to another Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback), but the trends on defense have been troubling.

Until facing Alabama last season in the College Football Playoff finals, the Buckeyes, like Penn State, boasted an elite defense. This season, that defense was regularly exploited. The passing defense finished 12th in the Big Ten, giving up 247 yards per game through the air. There were also those games against Minnesota, Oregon and Michigan where the Buckeyes allowed 200+ yards on the ground in each matchup.

These shifts felt like they’ve been in the works for some time, though. In the 2021 NFL Draft, for the first time since 2015, the Buckeyes did not have a defensive player taken in the first round of the draft. It was a far cry from just a few years before when, for instance, Ohio State had three defensive backs taken in the first round alone, or three seasons where defensive ends were taken within the top-three picks.

However, is one very poor season of performances on defense enough to press the panic button? The Buckeyes have made their own moves at defensive coordinator, bringing on Oklahoma State’s Jim Knowles. While not a name like Diaz (because he’s never been a head coach at a Power Five program), his Cowboys gave up under 17 points per game this season. In theory, that shift should solve many of the on-field challenges we’ve seen from the defense in the last year.

When it comes to pro-level talent, there’s also a degree of the NFL being something of a numbers game which, unfortunately, is not as skewed in favor of the Buckeyes as one might think: Ohio State has 44 players on NFL rosters currently to Penn State’s 33. Further, there are many notable Nittany Lions at many positions: Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin at wide receiver, Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders at running back, heck, even Robbie Gould at kicker. And of course, Micah Parsons.

Ohio State finished this season ranked 50th in scoring defense nationally and seventh in the Big Ten. For a brand that’s prided itself for years on developing NFL-caliber talent, that’s bad, especially when one of the teams well ahead — Penn State, which was seventh nationally and third in the conference — has had such vivid performances from former players and made such high-profile offseason moves.

For several seasons in recent memory, Penn State rose to become the most threatening team on Ohio State’s schedule, but the Nittany Lions have fallen off somewhat in the last three seasons. Now, however, Penn State’s success in the NFL, elite recruiting and premier coaching staff have created a competing brand in the Big Ten East — and one the Buckeyes will have to watch out for on the recruiting trail and the football field alike.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Early Signing Day, Quinn Ewers to Texas, Urban Meyer’s downfall
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Five-star OSU linebacker commit CJ Hicks | via @imcjhicks on Twitter

There is lots to discuss in the Buckeyeverse this week.

Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is back for a brand new season with brand new co-hosts! We will be now be coming at you twice a week to preview and recap each Ohio State game as well as any and all Buckeye news. 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


In this episode, Gene and Josh discuss Ohio State’s latest commitment in the 2022 class, Caden Curry, and preview Early Signing Day. They break down the Buckeyes’ current group as well as a handful of other guys they could still land in the cycle, as well as one transfer offensive linemen they could potentially add via the portal. They then discuss Quinn Ewers’ transfer to Texas and the discourse surrounding that move, as well as Urban Meyer’s abject failure as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The guys also find the time to bring up Brian Kelly’s cringey recruiting video, as well as Dabo Swinney’s “new” staff at Clemson.


** Disclaimer: This was recorded on Tuesday and Gene was very wrong about the potential de-commitment of Terrence Brooks — whoops! **

Hangout in the Holy Land’s schedule may be a bit different as Ohio State is set to enter the offseason, but we will continue to follow the rest of the 2021 college football season, including the Buckeyes’ bowl game and the College Football Playoffs. 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:
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Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh:
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Deep Dive: A breakdown on Ohio State’s latest commit, Caden Curry
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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The Buckeyes have added a major piece to the depth of their defensive line in the 2022 class

In case you haven’t heard already, the Buckeyes received a major BOOM for their 2022 recruiting class on Tuesday thanks to the commitment of Indiana native, Caden Curry. Picking Ohio State over other suitors such as Alabama, Indiana, Oregon, and Clemson, the Buckeyes yet again won out for a top defensive lineman and have position coach Larry Johnson in large part to thank for this latest addition. Whether it be his track record itself or the development he offers his players, Johnson’s efforts on the trail have paid off in a major way as this class needed to reload along the defensive line.

The 14th-ranked defensive lineman in the class, Curry is also considered to be the third-best player in Indiana and 88th best player nationally regardless of position per the 24Ssports Composite. Easily the player along the defensive line the Buckeyes recruited both the longest and hardest in this 2022 cycle, if you’re reading this chances are you already knew how important landing Curry was for the coaching staff. Fortunately, the staff and their relentless efforts in pursuit of the Center Grove product and his services has finally paid off.

There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Curry and what he’ll bring to the Buckeyes in terms of his on field abilities. With Ohio State likely losing some key depth pieces on the defensive line, the staff knew this cycle would need to be a big one for future success. For many reasons, Curry checks most if not all of the boxes. Without further hesitation, let’s get into a couple of the biggest assets Curry will bring the Ohio State defense thanks to his elite skillset.

Versatility to play multiple spots


Without getting into too much scheme, the Buckeyes tend to recruit defensive ends who specialize in rushing the passer and defensive tackles who can do the same, but more so focus on stopping the rush thanks to their bigger body types. Each year we see Ohio State play their four-down front, and whether it’s the typical two ends and two tackles or their “rushmen” package with four defensive end body types, the Buckeyes like variety and love when one of their players can play multiple spots in the trenches, lining up both inside and on the edge.

In regards to Curry, he fits that role perfectly. In his prep film of just his junior campaign, Curry is lined up in multiple ways by his Center Grove squad. In a four front, Curry often lines up inside as a defensive tackle, and you can see how comfortable he is in both rushing the passer and defending the run game. Realizing this is last year’s film, Curry still displays how he attacks offensive linemen. More so with his overall strength and power, he tends to get the best of his opponent. Still, you can see where he’s been taught to use his hands in combat in pursuit of the ball, which is what many of Larry Johnson’s players have raved about is his ability to teach them hand combat to win the rep.

In this clip below, you can see how Caden uses his power to push the offensive linemen back enough where he has the leverage. In addition, the raw power is just truly what sets him apart not only on this specific rep, but in every game he plays. Like most of the clips on his film, his pursuit of the ball carrier ends successfully. Surely the Buckeyes will love his presence inside as a powerful defensive tackle.


Ohio State is not a team that will run a three front on the defensive line, and that’s the case even with new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles. For further proof of Curry’s versatility, here you can see his prep team using him as a true 0-technique, which means he is lined up directly over the center as a nose tackle. Once again, his get off and power prove to be major assets to his rush abilities. He’ll likely not be asked to line up as a 0-technique tackle in Columbus, but he certainly could if needed. Just another example of his ability to play in multiple areas.


Furthermore, Curry being lined up in those areas aren’t the only two schematic ways he can be used on the defensive line. He may play defensive tackle more so than defensive end, but his 6-foot-3, 250 pound frame will definitely allow him to also be an edge rusher at the next level if that’s the route the staff sees him most suitable at. For reference, Nick Bosa is currently 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, which obviously isn’t a world of difference in comparison to Curry’s frame that has yet to enter coach Marotti’s strength program.

Overall, if Ohio State wants to bulk him up to be a true defensive tackle, then they’ll do so. But, if they want him to be more of an edge rusher, he’s able to do that too. Either way, his versatility is a major reason why he was a critical piece for this 2022 recruiting class.

Relentless motor and technicality


Of all the important aspects on the defensive side of the ball, there’s arguably none bigger than pursuit. In coaching, 11 hats to the ball means exactly what it sounds like. Defensive coaches want every player to have a nose for the ball, and the key word again is pursuit. Whether it be in practice drills or in game play, seeing the defense swarm to the ball carrier gives the notion that the team plays with effort, but also understands more hats to the ball prevents missed tackles, big plays, and cutbacks by running backs and receivers. On his tape, Curry shows a relentless motor that LJ and Knowles will love having on the field.

In this clip below, you see the ball is run to the left side of the field away from the right edge where Curry is line up. It doesn’t matter, though. Having a nose for the football, Curry rids the blocker with pretty impressive hand combat and violently attacks the ball carrier. Highlights like these have a coaching staff drooling at the high motor and effort he plays with on every snap.


On the technical side of things, it was already mentioned how Curry uses his strength and hands to attack offensive lineman, but if there’s one specific move he’s known for, it’s his spin move when rushing the passer. Not a move he’ll be able to use every snap at the next level, he’s surely fine tuned it at the prep level and will be able to add that to his repertoire of pass rush moves that will separate him from the pack as a difference maker on the defensive line. Larry Johnson is a wizard at pass rush moves and hand combat, so having a player like Curry coming in with already a few great moves of his own should help him pick up more quicker than most, which hopefully gets him on the field faster.

There’s a ton of clips that show the spin move, but see below for just one example. His first step quickness off the ball is what allows the move to be so successful.


Wrapping it all up, what the Buckeyes are getting is one of the best defensive linemen in the country. Yes, he’s ranked as the 14th best player at the position and 88th best overall, but in all honesty, he’s probably underrated being where he’s from in Indiana, which isn’t a place known for big time D-I prospects. Still, Ohio State is getting a two-time state champion, Mr. Football candidate, and a player that plays with great pad level, relentless effort, and the versatility to be used in a variety of ways.

Larry Johnson, you’ve done it again.

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Ohio State wrestling is rolling into 2022 with positive momentum
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kaleb Romero’s return from injury has provided a spark for the wrestling Buckeyes | Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images

The Buckeye grapplers are now healthy and ready to begin the Big Ten season. The conference is a gauntlet, but one that Tom Ryan should have his guys ready for.

The Ohio State wrestling Buckeyes are off to a solid start as they look to bounce back from a disappointing (for them) 2020-21 campaign. OSU has won all four of its duals by a combined score of 121-32, and finished an impressive second out of 27 teams at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The team now gets a short break before a tune-up against American University and the start of the Big Ten schedule.

So far, the Buckeyes look like the perennial Big Ten and NCAA contender that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing under Tom Ryan.


Last season was difficult for a variety of reasons, and I don’t really read too much into the results. The team finished ninth in their conference, but also ninth in the NCAA Championships. Such is life in the Big Ten; it is a grind. However, prior to the awkward Covid-influenced season, the Buckeyes had finished no lower than third in both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. Ryan has turned this program into a national powerhouse, and early results from this 2021-22 season tell me one thing: Ohio State has the potential to reclaim its status as one of the best teams in the country.

Now for a small disclaimer: OSU has not faced the toughest schedule. Their most difficult matchups will come throughout the entirety of the Big Ten season. That being said, three of their four dual victories have come against ACC schools, one of which (Virginia Tech) has a top-10 team. The second-place finish in Las Vegas was promising not necessarily because of the level of competition, but because the Buckeyes saw a couple wrestlers secure high finishes in their first invitational or first overall appearance of the season.

At the Keen Invitational, Sammy Sasso lost in the finals at 149, but Sasso wrestling in any finals is no surprise; He will likely see Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell again in the NCAA’s. At 165, Carson Kharchla finished third, as he continues to look great in his return from injury. Kharchla was a former HS Wrestler of the Year, and back-to-back Ohio State Champion, but had not been a part of the main roster until this season. The Keen was his first large tournament as “the guy” at 165, and he showed that he could be a sleeper candidate to podium for the Buckeyes.

Ethan Smith is a vet who keeps getting better with experience, and he took second at 174. To me, the surprise of the meet for the Buckeyes, was Kaleb Romero at 184. Romero had previously spent time at 165 and 174, and though the jump up in weight was expected, this was his first event at 184 — ever. He missed all of November due to injury, but coach Ryan felt comfortable throwing him into the deep end. He more than rewarded the staff for their confidence and looks to be a viable threat at his third weight class. Tate Orndorff also finished fourth at 285.

The Keen Invitational was wrapped up on Dec. 4, leaving the Buckeyes one more dual before their holiday-induced layoff. OSU throttled the Pitt Panthers 30-7 this past Sunday, dropping only two matches and running away with many others. Sasso and Smith scored huge tech falls, and Ohio State soundly beat a Pitt team that currently ranks No. 23 in the country. With the exception of fifth-ranked North Carolina State, OSU took out the best the ACC has to offer, and they will now shift their attention to the Big Ten.


Ohio State will be out of action until after the holidays, when they visit D.C. to take on American, on Jan. 3. The conference slate begins shortly thereafter, and it is a true gauntlet. Big Ten teams currently hold the first three spots in the team rankings, along with five other teams being ranked inside the top-15. Iowa is a unanimous No. 1 and the favorite to win it all. Penn State and Michigan are right behind the Hawkeyes, but it was encouraging to see the Buckeyes finish ahead of the Wolverines in the Keen Invitational.

The first six weeks of 2022 will be put up or shut up time for the Buckeyes. Five of their eight conference duals are against teams currently ranked in the top-14. They will face Iowa, Penn State, and Michigan (currently ranked 1-3) all in span of three weeks. If OSU hits a rough patch, they could easily finish outside of the top-3 yet again. But with Kharchla and Romero now healthy, and Smith continuing his ascent, I think this team will surprise some people.

If the Buckeyes become a national contender, we might even see Paddy Gallagher thrown into the mix. The stud freshman and 2021 Cliff Keen preseason Wrestler of the Year is currently unattached (sort of like JV, but not really), and Ryan has mentioned the possibility of keeping Gallagher off the main roster this season to save a year of eligibility. However, he is the most talented wrestler at 157. Jashon Hubbard and Bryce Hepner have split duties at that weight, and although talented in their own right, they don’t possess the upside that Gallagher does. He could be a secret weapon down the stretch.

The Big Ten season will be a wild ride to begin 2022, as it always is. The Buckeyes are well-positioned to make some noise, and possibly surprise some people. This team has a ton of veteran talent, and high-upside young guys in the pipeline. It should be a fun and exciting rest of the season, as Tom Ryan’s group attempts to climb the proverbial mountain. They are a longshot to finish on top when all is said and done, but expectations are high once again. And that is a good thing for Ohio State wrestling.

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: When will we see another defensive player win the Heisman?
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Plus, what the heck is happening in Jacksonville?

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Megan and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Welcome back! With bowl season nearly upon us, we’re rapidly approaching one of the most wonderful times of the year. The only downside is that we just had our last regular season college football game of 2021 with the annual Army vs. Navy game this past weekend.

But of course, there’s no shortage of off the field drama to discuss, and Megan and Meredith talked through some of the biggest headlines of the last week, including more coaching carousel moves, transfer portal decisions and, on the NFL side, Urban Meyer’s continued struggles to find his way as an NFL head coach in Jacksonville.

But even without an abundance of football, there’s been plenty of excitement from the hardcourt, including a huge conference win for the Ohio State men’s basketball team over Wisconsin.


Contact Megan Husslein
Twitter: @meganhusslein

Contact Meredith Hein
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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Ohio State adds four-star DL from Indiana before the early signing period begins
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Caden Curry | Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports

The Buckeyes were on the receiving end of their 19th pledge in the 2022 class on Tuesday — a major defensive prospect.

Welcome to day one of the early signing period for the 2022 recruiting class. Today is the day in which the vast majority of prospects across the country will sign with their future programs.

For Ohio State, they will look to officially welcome a 19-man haul (for now) that currently ranks as the No. 4 recruiting class in the country and features 17 blue chip prospects, including a massive, long-time target of the Buckeyes that made his pledge to the program Tuesday evening.

Buckeyes land major DL target


Aside from five-star linebacker C.J. Hicks of Alter (OH), Ohio State was on the receiving end of arguably their biggest target on the recruiting trail for the entire class on Tuesday. The Buckeyes were able to finally reel in the pledge of four-star defensive lineman Caden Curry of Center Grove (IN), a prospect that they were in full pursuit of since offering in May of last year.

Curry, the No. 88 overall prospect, chose Ohio State over Alabama, Clemson, Indiana, and Oregon with the Crimson Tide seemingly being the biggest threat in this recruitment. The Greenwood (IN) native grades as the 14th-best defensive lineman in the class and the third-best player in The Hoosier State.

The newest verbal pledge is the sixth-highest graded defensive prospect in the Buckeyes’ class, and 247Sports’ Allen Trieu gave an impressive look into what he can bring to the table for new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and the Ohio State defense.

Brooks set to make final call


While today will likely be relatively drama-free for the Buckeyes, there is one prospect who will be making his final decision in just a few hours. That player is four-star cornerback Terrance Brooks of Little Elm (TX), an Ohio State commit since June, who will either stick with his pledge or instead stay home and suit up for the Longhorns.


The No. 8 cornerback in the country initially chose the Buckeyes over Alabama, Florida, Oregon, Texas, and Texas A&M. However, the burnt orange and white have made a significant push for the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder in recent weeks, including an in-home visit by the program’s head man in Steve Sarkisian.

All indications are that the Longhorns have been in Brooks’ ear about a potential parting between Ohio State and assistant Kerry Coombs, the primary recruiter for the No. 59 overall prospect. However, that seems unlikely at this time, and would come as a surprise given Coombs’ success on the recruiting trail.

Nonetheless, the final call for Brooks will come at 9:45 AM EST, and I would expect head coach Ryan Day and Coombs to work this one until the final minute in hopes of outlasting the Longhorns’ push.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State landed a pair of preferred walk-on pledges on Tuesday as Hubbard (OH) running back TC Caffey and IMG Academy (FL) kicker Jayden Fielding announced their commitment to Ohio State.
• In basketball news, 2023 four-star shooting guard Jahnathan Lamothe of St. Frances Academy (MD) had high praise for the Buckeyes when updating his recruitment with 247Sports’ Dushawn London on Tuesday. “Our relationship is going good, I’m real close with Tony Skinn, the assistant coach,” the Top 100 prospect who holds an Ohio State offer stated. “I also got to meet Coach (Chris) Holtmann on my visit and they really like me and what I bring to the table so I really like them.”

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Jamari Wheeler has been exactly what Ohio State has needed
justingolba 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

The Buckeyes needed a point guard coming into the season and they found him.

Coming into this season, there were a lot of questions about the Ohio State basketball team. Who will replace Duane Washington and his almost 17 points per game? When will Justice Sueing and Seth Towns be healthy? Who will be the consistent point guard that C.J. Walker was? Well, after the first 10 games of the season, you can safely check one of those off your list; Jamari Wheeler is firmly entrenched as OSU’s starting point guard.

Anyone who has paid attention to Big Ten basketball over the last few seasons knew that the commitment from Penn State transfer was a huge deal. He was a proven veteran with a defensive mindset joining a team that had a clear weakness on that side of the court.

Wheeler started at the point guard position for three years at Penn State, so the learning curve when it came to adjusting to the style and level of play was not nearly as large for Wheeler as it has been for transfers who have made the move to bigger conferences. OSU head coach Chris Holtmann and his staff knew that Wheeler could be a plug-and-play guy from the jump, which is a massive boost from any transfer, since the growing pains can sometimes be a large hill to overcome.

Last season, Walker was a constant for the Buckeyes, averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He gave up just 2.0 turnovers per game and, for the most part, was an incredibly reliable ball-handler for the Buckeyes. He missed some time with an injury during the B1G slate and when that happened, it was evident that the Buckeyes didn’t have anyone behind him that was yet ready to fill his shoes. Sueing handled the ball for the most part in his absence — a role that he filled serviceably, but it was clearly not his strongest suit as it forced him to play way out of position and comfort level.

It was obvious that Holtmann agreed, as they immediately and forcefully went after Wheeler once his name hit the transfer portal. In his four years at Penn State, Wheeler averaged 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. None of those stats jump off the page at you and scream “Superstar!”, but he also averaged 1.5 steals and just 1.4 turnovers per game. That is for his entire career, so from the minute he stepped on campus as a freshman, he was a stalwart on defense and handled the ball well.

Wheeler stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 170 pounds, so he isn’t a force of nature by any means, but he is a pestering guard who can make life miserable for opponents, as evidenced by his two B1G All-Defensive Team selections.

So far this season, Wheeler is having a career year, averaging 6.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He is also still averaging those 1.5 steals and 1.4 turnovers per game — exactly his career mark.

Wheeler is sixth in the Big Ten in assists per game and his assist/turnover ratio is third in the conference. This number would be even higher, but against Duke he had two assists and five turnovers; it is the only game this season that his turnover number was higher than his assist number.

I know the points and assists numbers aren’t flashy, and he’s never going to give you 20 points per game, but that is not what he was brought to Ohio State to do. He was brought to Columbus for three very important reasons.

First of all, his defense, which has been fantastic. He has made life hard on every opponent’s point guard and has been a menace with his on-ball defense, turning steals and turnovers into offense for the Buckeyes. He even faced off against Duke’s Trevor Keels Duke who is 6-foot-4, 240 pounds and forced him to take contested jump shots all game, finishing 3-for-12 from the field.

Secondly, he was brought to Columbus to be a reliable ball-handler. In OSU’s 10 games thus far, Wheeler has two or fewer turnovers in nine of them. So suffice it to say, so far that has been a major plus for the Buckeyes and gives the young guards like Meechie Johnson Jr. and Malaki Branham a chance to grow without having to have the ball in their hands constantly. Wheeler has made it his personal mission to facilitate others and keep the turnovers at a minimum, at least from him. He also has finished with five or more assists in six out of the 10 games in the early season. Really the only thing keeping him from having an astonishing assist/turnover ratio is that pesky Duke game; but I’ve got a feeling he’s happier with the win than personal stats.

Last — but certainly not least — his veteran presence was a must on this team. As mentioned before, the Buckeyes lost Walker to graduation and all of their guards who play significant minutes are young (no offense to senior guard Jimmy Sotos who doesn’t get in the game often). Wheeler has brought energy, wisdom and calm under pressure to a team that desperately needed just that thing. In the stretch run of games, having a guy like Wheeler who has that experience and doesn't turn the ball over is such a crucial element for a team looking to have a special season. Look at recent national champions; every single one of them has had a reliable, experienced point guard running the offense. It is simply a must have.

Wheeler has also been very efficient in his scoring, shooting 48% form the field, 37% from three-point range and 87.5% from the free-throw line (even though he is only 7-for-8).

We know that Wheeler isn’t going to light up the scoring column or give you 15-20 points every game, but what he has given the Buckeyes is a reliable hand with the ball and veteran leadership and he’s given opponents an absolute defensive nightmare; and on this specific team, that is likely even more valuable than another scoring threat.

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BOOOOM! Four-star DL Caden Curry commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Four-star Center Grove DL Caden Curry | Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports

The Buckeyes add another huge piece to their top-five 2022 recruiting class.

Early Signing Day is upon us, as Dec. 15 marks the first day that recruits in the 2022 class can sign their national letters of intent. A day that has really taken over the recruiting landscape and rendered the actual National Signing Day (Feb. 2) more or less irrelevant, this week you will see a ton of the nation’s top remaining uncommitted prospects commit to their schools of choice. On Tuesday afternoon, Ohio State was on the receiving end of one of these decisions.

Four-star defensive lineman Caden Curry announced live on CBS Sports HQ that he will be taking his talents to Columbus next year as a member of the Buckeyes’ 2022 class. Curry is the nation’s No. 14 DL, and the No. 88 player in the class overall as the No. 3 player from his home state of Indiana. Ohio State beat out a number of large suitors for Curry, as he held over two dozen offers with a top five list that also included Alabama, Clemson, Indiana and Oregon.


Curry has been a monster for Center Grove High School in Greenwood, IN. Helping the Trojans to a 14-0 record in 2020 and back-to-back Indiana 6A State Championships in his junior and senior campaigns, he has been an integral part of the varsity team for four years. In 55 games played at Center Grove, Curry has amassed a whopping 290 total tackles with 83.5 tackles for loss and 28 sacks. He also played a very limited role at running back for the Trojans, scoring five touchdowns in his last two seasons. Being recognized for his efforts, Curry was named the Mr. Football position award winner for defensive line.

While the in-state Hoosiers were always a player in his recruitment and the Crimson Tide made a late push for his services, Curry ended up choosing Ohio State. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson no doubt played a huge role in his recruitment, but the Buckeyes were once again the beneficiaries of some peer recruitment. Both J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer gave their pitch to Curry when he visited campus back in September, and clearly the thought of those three playing together was enticing enough for him to chose the Buckeyes.

“They just told me about it and how they fit in,” Curry told Eleven Warriors in October. “They told me if I went there it would definitely be us three, honestly seeing that it would fit perfectly well. It was cool. Honestly just seeing that day-to-day basis from them after they’ve been there a few months is helpful.”

Here is what 247Sports’ National Recruiting Analyst Allen Trieu had to say of Curry’s abilities:


Curry is the second defensive lineman to commit to Ohio State in this cycle, joining four-star edge rusher Kenyatta Jackson. Overall, Curry becomes the 19th commit for the Buckeyes in the 2022 class, which bumps their total up to 296.49 — good for the No. 4 group nationally and the No. 1 class in the Big Ten. Ohio State’s class is now comprised of two five-stars, 15 four-stars and two three-star prospects, with still a chance for another addition or two along the way.

Despite sitting in fourth, Ohio State is only about 10 points behind Georgia for the No. 1 spot, which is even more impressive given that the Bulldogs have seven more commits in their class. The Buckeyes’ average player ranking is second in the country to only Alabama, and so surely Ryan Day will be quite pleased with another successful recruiting cycle, even if another commitment doesn’t come their way. For what it’s worth, I have a good feeling Ohio State will be adding one more defensive lineman before we can fully put a bow on this year’s class.

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You’re Nuts: Who is your favorite Ohio State player that fell short of winning the Heisman Trophy?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

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

Over the weekend, C.J. Stroud became the eighth Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State since 1982. While Stroud finished fourth in the final voting, since he is just a redshirt freshman, the quarterback is a favorite to return to New York City in 2022 as a finalist for the award given annually to the best player in college football.

The Buckeyes have had six players with college football’s most prestigious award seven times, with Archie Griffin being the only two-time recipient of the Heisman Trophy. Troy Smith was the last Ohio State player to win the award, bringing the golden stiff-arm to Columbus in 2006. Since then four Buckeyes have been Heisman Trophy finalists, with all four of them coming since 2018.

While the list of Ohio State players to win the Heisman Trophy has some pretty big names, the Buckeyes who came up just short of winning the award is even more impressive. Since 2018, the three other Buckeyes aside from Stroud to be invited to New York City for the ceremony have all been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, and it looks like that same fate could be in store for Stroud, possibly in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Today’s question: Who is your favorite Ohio State player that fell short of winning the Heisman Trophy?


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: Orlando Pace, offensive tackle


Times were quite different at Ohio State, as well as in college football, over 20 years ago. Orlando Pace was just the second-ever true freshman to start on opening day. Pace came to Columbus from Sandusky, where he was not only a Parade All-American as an offensive lineman, but also a USA Today All-American defensive lineman. While expectations were sky-high for Pace, he not only met those expectations, he surpassed them.

What Pace did on the offensive line for Ohio State was unheard of. Pace was credited with bringing popularity to the “pancake block”. Even though some teams had been using the term “pancake block”, usage of it really gained steamed with Pace’s dominance on the offensive line. Not only was Pace the only player to win the Lombardi Award twice, he also won the Outland Trophy, joining Dave Riminigton as the only other player to total three combined Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award victories.

What makes Orlando Pace my favorite Buckeye to fail to win the Heisman Trophy, is he is the only offensive line to finish in the top-four in Heisman Trophy voting since fellow Buckeye John Hicks finished second in 1973. Pace received 599 votes for the Heisman Trophy, which was less than 100 behind Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer, who finished in third place. Florida’s Danny Wuerffel went on to win the award with 1,363 votes.

It’s likely that we will never see another offensive lineman named a Heisman Trophy finalist, which just proves how special of a talent Pace was. With the frequency that quarterbacks and running backs are honored for the Heisman, it’s extremely rare than a defensive player is named a finalist, let alone an offensive lineman. While offensive linemen are recognized through other awards for their contributions, they don’t get the respect they truly deserve. There will never be an offensive lineman quite like Orlando Pace.

Meredith’s answer: Chase Young, defensive end


The narrative around defensive players winning the Heisman Trophy has been well worn. It seems that in years where no one wants to win college football’s biggest award, the committee throws a bone to the other side of the ball and lets a defender in the milieu just to keep things interesting.

But then Chase Young had his 2019 season, and the call for Young as a true Heisman contender was rooted in the fact he truly was among the nation’s best players (he would, after all, go on to be the No. 2-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft behind Heisman winner Joe Burrow). Through 13 games, Young had 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Like Aidan Hutchinson this year, Young was an unstoppable force on the field — there was nothing even elite college offensive lines could do to contain him — and he altered the outcomes of games like few defenders could do on their own.

I’m not saying Joe Burrow didn’t deserve the Heisman — he had a monster season with LSU. However, we see quarterbacks with monster stats year in and year out (because, spoiler, they touch the ball on every offensive play). It’s not often that we see a game changing force on defense a la Young. Young would ultimately finish fourth in the Heisman voting behind Burrow, Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts and teammate Justin Fields.

2019 was a fun year in the Heisman race for a lot of reasons. Besides Burrow (who, for the purposes of this column, we’ll consider an Ohio State product) and Fields, JK Dobbins finished sixth in the voting. Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor finished fifth, bringing a strong Big Ten bend to the season’s award.

Young would have been an amazing Heisman winner for Ohio State because his performance in 2019 was the culmination of years of success at the defensive end position for the Buckeyes, and would have been an incredible nod to Larry Johnson and his efforts in bringing that consistency year in and year out.

The cry to include more defensive players in the Heisman conversation has grown stronger in recent years. Michigan’s Hutchinson did finish second in the voting behind Bryce Young over the weekend, so perhaps someday soon we could see a defensive end as disruptive as Young take home college football’s ultimate prize.

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