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MotS&G For The Roses
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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
Continue reading...
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
Continue reading...
LGHL Film Review: Record breaking performances, same old defense in Ohio State Rose Bowl win
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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.
Continue reading...
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.
Continue reading...
LGHL Whose breakout Rose Bowl performance has you most excited for 2022?
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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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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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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball holds steady at No. 13 in AP Poll
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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
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
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:
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
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:
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: C.J. Stroud will be the 2022 Heisman winner
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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.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23141285/1362278367.jpg)
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!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23141286/1362298148.jpg)
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?
Continue reading...
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.
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!
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?
Continue reading...
LGHL I-70 Football Podcast: Recapping B1G bowl season, remembering John Madden
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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:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
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
Continue reading...
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:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
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
Continue reading...
2022 Rose Bowl Postgame
- By LordJeffBuck
- Buckeye Football
- 2 Replies
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:
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:
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Locked
2022 ttun Shenanigans, Arguments, Surrender Cobras, and Feckless Marmots
- By LordJeffBuck
- College Football
- 2402 Replies
It's 2022, and guess what? Michigan still sucks, and I've got the box score to prove it....
Christmas Greetings
- By cincibuck
- Open Discussion (Work-safe)
- 1 Replies
To my fellow vets on Buckeye Planet; Welcome Home! Happy Holidays!
Forrest Brandt
Vietnam '68 - '69,
Desert Storm December '90 - May '91
Forrest Brandt
Vietnam '68 - '69,
Desert Storm December '90 - May '91
2022 Season Ticket Prices
- By ScriptOhio
- Tickets and Travel
- 0 Replies
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
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
LGHL Where does a healthy Justice Sueing fit in Ohio’s State’s lineup?
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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
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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
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23100491/usa_today_17172336.jpg)
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
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23100493/usa_today_17149858.jpg)
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...
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
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
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
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...
LGHL Reviewing the early signing period for the Buckeyes and their 2022 class
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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.
#AGTG Extremely honored to receive an offer from The Ohio State University!! #BuckeyeNation @CoachStudOL @CoachCookOL @Coach_P_Fleming pic.twitter.com/QY3NZXaYW0
— Olaus Alinen (@alinen_olaus) December 15, 2021Quick Hits
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...
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.
#AGTG Extremely honored to receive an offer from The Ohio State University!! #BuckeyeNation @CoachStudOL @CoachCookOL @Coach_P_Fleming pic.twitter.com/QY3NZXaYW0
— Olaus Alinen (@alinen_olaus) December 15, 2021
- 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...
