BOOOOM! 2022 four-star OLB Gabe Powers commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo via @GabePowers21 on Twitter
The Buckeyes added the nation’s No. 2 OLB on Saturday.

The one potential flaw in the absolutely loaded 2021 recruiting class is the lack of depth at the linebacker spot. It’s hard to find much to complain about in terms of the nation’s No. 1 class, but especially with all three of the current starting linebackers graduating at the end of the season, Day and position coach Al Washington knew that linebacker would be a big need looking ahead to 2022.

They’ve now addressed that need in a huge way already, as 2022 four-star OLB Gabe Powers committed to Ohio State on Saturday. Powers, an incredibly important in-state prospect as the No. 1 player in Ohio, is the No. 2 OLB in the country and the No. 45 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite.


Powers was raised in a football family, with his father Mike a member of the Marysville staff and a former college football player himself. A middle linebacker prior to his sophomore year, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete played outside linebacker this past season, compiling 90 tackles for the Monarchs. Powers has trained with a pair of former Buckeyes this offseason, both with Olympic gold medal sprinter Butch Reynolds and former OSU corner Donald Washington.

Powers has long been linked to Ohio State, with all six of his Crystal Ball predictions having been in favor of OSU. Two of these predictions rolled in late Friday night with the announcement that Powers would be making his decision on Saturday, and just this past Thursday 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong upgraded the confidence of his prediction from a six to a 10.

Holding over 18 scholarship offers, the Buckeyes beat out some of the nation’s top programs, including Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford and USC. Powers had previously wanted to take his official visits before coming to a decision, but came to the conclusion that he already knew where he wanted to go, so there was no reason to wait any further. He attended two Ohio State games last season, appearing in The Shoe for their wins over Michigan State and Penn State.

Powers is the fourth member of Ohio State’s 2022 class, and the highest-rated of the bunch. He joins a trio of other four-star prospects in corner Jyaire Brown, fellow OLB C.J. Hicks, and offensive tackle Tegra Tshabola. Between Powers and Hicks, who is the No. 8 OLB in the cycle, the Buckeyes are off to a phenomenal start in their quest to sign what will likely be either three or four linebackers next year.

Most impressively, Ryan Day has now been able to haul in four of the top five players from the state of Ohio in 2022 — after getting five of the top six guys in 2021. Did I mention it’s only August? The now second-year head coach has made in-state recruiting a priority early on in his tenure, and so far it is paying dividends. With Powers’ commitment, Ohio State has gotten the top player in Ohio for the fourth consecutive cycle.

Check out these highlights of the newest future Buckeye in action this past season:

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What items and brands do you swear by? It doesn't need to be expensive or luxury, just solid, well-made shit that over delivers for the money.

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Williamstown (NJ) Williamstown High School - Transfer to IMG Academy

Athlete
6-3
195 lbs
Class of 2022


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Just offered by Bucks. Athletic 6'10 center/forward from North Dakota. Class of '22.

Peppers and Woodley for sure, Gary somehow got a 1st round pick after being a total under performer. Otherwise nothing. I do think Daxton Hill will be special otherwise the rest were busts

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Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, FL)
Ht: 6'
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Class: 2023 (High School)

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Ohio State has 'offered' this athlete out of Jacksonville Trinity Christian. I guess with kids this young it's more like just letting them know the offer will be there when it's time. Anyhow, he comes highly recommended by Randy Wade (Shaun's dad).

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Kissimmee (FL) Osceola High School

Defensive End
6-5
240 lbs
Class of 2023


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Which former Ohio State cornerback would you want back in Columbus?
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
State your case in the comments!

Ohio State has become nothing short of a defensive back factory for the NFL. Just last season, the Buckeyes sent another pair of first round-caliber corners to the league in Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette. This year, Kerry Coombs will be looking to recreate the magic in his second stint in Columbus as he takes the reins over Shaun Wade and a group of talented but inexperienced DBs.

There should be no issues with the defensive secondary this season, as there are more than a few guys in that room who can step up and become more than serviceable Big Ten starters. However, what if Coombs had the option of bringing in one former Ohio State corner to join this year’s roster? There’s no shortage of options to choose from, so who gets the nod?

You could start your search all the way back in the late 90s, where guys like Shawn Springs and Antoine Winfield Sr. were patrolling the Buckeye backfield. Springs was a consensus All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1996, while Winfield was also a consensus All-American and Jim Thorpe Award recipient. Both guys would go on to be first round NFL Draft picks.

The 2000s feature some enticing options as well, highlighted by Chris Gamble and Malcolm Jenkins. Gamble was a two-way player, and an essential member of the 2002 National Championship team that finished 14-0. He was an electric player as both a corner and a receiver, intercepting seven passes and catching 40 passes for over 600 yards in his career. Jenkins, before moving to safety in the NFL, was a consensus All-American cornerback at Ohio State, winning the Thorpe Award in 2008.

As we move into this past decade, the Buckeyes reign as DBU really begins to take off. The first half of the decade features players like Chimdi Chekwa and Bradley Roby. Chekwa was a First Team All-American who intercepted six passes during his Ohio State career, and Roby was a three-year starter who picked off eight passes in that time. Fun fact, Roby was the only defensive player in the country in 2012 to score touchdowns in three different ways, returning a fumble, a blocked punt, and an interception all for scores.

The most recent half-decade has seen a truly incredible run of talent at the cornerback position, including guys like Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, Denzel Ward, and now most recently Okudah and Arnette.

Lattimore and Ward, specifically, are likely to be popular choices for this exercise. Lattimore was a one-year wonder at Ohio State, but boy was it one hell of a year. After suffering injuries early in his collegiate career, he made the most of his one full season as a starter in 2016, intercepting four passes with nine pass breakups and making the First Team All-Big Ten. Ward was another guy who only had one full year as a starter, but made the absolute most of it, breaking up 15 passes and picking off two as he too was named First Team All-Big Ten. Both guys were taken within the first 11 picks of their respective NFL Draft.

Of course Okudah and Arnette are still options even though they just left. If you want to bring back Okudah for one more year in Columbus I'm certainly not going to stop you, but I think my choice would be Lattimore. With Wade and Lattimore on the outside this year and either Cam Brown or Sevyn Banks in the slot, Ohio State’s pass defense would be nearly impenetrable. I was very tempted to go with Okudah, but I'll let him enjoy his first year in the league before I force him back to the Buckeyes.

So, let’s hear it.

Which former Ohio State cornerback would you want back in Columbus? Let us know in the comments!

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Ohio State makes 2022 tight end’s top three
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
Plus, a 2021 offensive guard’s commitment date is approaching.

As Gene predicted yesterday, Bennett Christian — the No. 18 tight end in the class of 2022 and No. 26 player out of the state of Georgia — has announced his top three schools.


Unsurprisingly, Ohio State made the cut, along with Penn State and Tennessee.

Christian has already visited Penn State and Tennessee, and said he plans on visiting Ohio State once the pandemic subsides.

“Ohio State is one of my top schools,” Christian told Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts. “Every week I talk to coach (Kevin) Wilson or coach (Tim) Hinton. I call coach Wilson each week.”

As Gene notes, Kevin Wilson and Ryan Day’s uneventful 2021 TE recruiting has them planning ahead for 2022. Christian is one of four 2022 tight ends that have received an offer from Ohio State. The No. 1 TE in the class, Donovan Green, also holds an offer from the Buckeyes, along with the No. 4 TE, Holden Staes, and Benji Gosnell, who is ranked No. 10 at the position, according to 247Sports.


The No. 3 offensive guard in the class of 2021, Rocco Spindler, is set to announce his commitment live on CBS Sports HQ on Saturday, August 8 at 6 p.m. ET.


The four star from Clarkston (Mich.) will be choosing between Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and LSU, with the Wolverines and Fighting Irish as the most likely candidates. Not only is he in close contact with both school’s offensive line coaches, but, according to Allen Trieu of Bucknuts, Spindler has developed close relationships with both school’s recruiting classes as well.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball has four predictions each for Notre Dame and Michigan, however the Irish have a higher confidence level.

“Education… that’s number one, top priority,” Spindler told The Michigan Insider when asked about what he seeks in a program. “Development; who am I going to be developed by the best to get me a shot the NFL? The brotherhood aspect… I want to be part of a great family. And networking... that’s a great thing as well because I want to get jobs after I’m done playing football and know a lot of great people. And just biggest thing for me is who’s going to take care of me after football ends? And, of course a national championship would be awesome as well.

Spindler is the No. 3 prospect in the state of Michigan and No. 48 prospect overall.

Quick Hits

• On Wednesday, Ohio State offered 2023 offensive tackle Payton Kirkland. The Buckeyes are just the latest in what is now a whopping 25 total offers for the Florida native, which includes some of the nation’s top program’s among the likes of Auburn, Georgia, Florida, and Penn State. Kirkland, whose mother grew up a Buckeye fan, does not yet have a rating on 247Sports, but expect him to be one of the region’s top prospects when those ratings are released.

• Kirkland wasn’t the only big name to see an Ohio State offer come his way on Wednesday, as the program also offered 2023 defensive end Derrick LeBlanc. The Buckeyes were the latest team to throw their hat in the ring for the elite edge rusher, who now holds at least 37 offers from top schools like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, and a ton of others. Like the rest of his 2023 counterparts, LeBlanc is not yet rated on 247Sports.

• Zack Carpenter of Eleven Warriors reported that Ohio State’s 2021 five-star defensive end commit Jack Sawyer’s rehab for his MCL tear is “going phenomenal” and that he is “way ahead of schedule.” The No. 3 player in the class even went so far as to say that he feels better than he ever has in his life.
• In Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts’ latest edition of his “Top 10 prospects from the Ohio class of 2022”, Marysville linebacker Gabe Powers continues his reign at the top of the list. Powers is the No. 1 prospect in the state of Ohio, and the No. 2 outside linebacker in the country. He has four 247Sports Crystal Balls for Ohio State (100%). Powers’ college decision may be coming sooner rather than later, if you read into the latest tweet from OSU recruiting extraordinaire C.J. Hicks:

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Buckeye Bits: Joey Bosa gets $135 million contract extension, the NBA bubble actually works, more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Another day, another news cycle filled with COVID-19 updates, former Ohio State players getting paid, corny Clemson players, and panic about the possibility (or lack thereof) of a college football season. I have all that and more for you in today’s Buckeye Bits, but first, another PSA from Ohio State Athletics, who are quite literally begging fans to wear a mask.


If you’re reading this article, I assume you like sports and, therefore, I assume you would also like a season. So....#MaskUp. Now, onto today’s headlines.


From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

Paul Bixler, OSU’s Mr. Inconsistent as head coach

Jim Baird, LGHL

Next up in our “24 Club” series, Jim tells the story of Paul Bixner, who coached the Buckeyes for exactly one season in 1946 before his team suffered a 52-point loss against Michigan— the worst defeat for any OSU team against the Wolverines in Columbus.

Even in the 1940s, Ohio State would not tolerate a head coach who loses to Michigan by that big of a deficit. On a completely unrelated note, Jim Harbaugh is approaching his sixth season as head coach of Michigan.


Which former Ohio State safety would you want back in Columbus?

Me, LGHL

Malik Hooker. Next.


Ohio State 2022 tight end target could be nearing a decision

Gene Ross, LGHL

Ryan Day and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson have made a great impression on the No. 18 tight end in the 2022 class. The Georgia-native tweeted that he had “big news coming soon”, and told Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts that Ohio State is “one of his top three schools.”

(Update to Gene’s article: Bennett Christian announced his top three. Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee)

From around the gridiron...


Gov. DeWine: Too early to know Ohio State football’s 20 percent capacity plan is safe during COVID-19

Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com

On Tuesday, Ohio State announced that Ohio Stadium will be at “no more than 20 percent” capacity this fall (which is obviously subject to change before the season begins), however shortly after the announcement, Gov. DeWine held a press conference where he said he was not aware of this plan, and that it’s still too early to know if 20 percent capacity is doable.


Five Ohio State freshmen who can make special teams impact

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

The guys who stand out on special teams one year, usually find themselves a solidified spot on offense or defense the next year. Holbrook predicts which true freshmen will make the biggest impact on special teams this season, thus getting a head start on their position battles.


Swapping Justin Fields — Would the Ohio State QB beat the Buckeyes if he played for other teams? Buckeye Talk Podcast

Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com

On their Buckeye Talk podcast, Cleveland.com’s Lesmerises and Nathan Baird answer the horrific question: What if Justin Fields played for another team? If he played for Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin or Georgia, could they beat the Buckeyes? In other words, just how valuable is a starting quarterback and how does the rest of the offense’s talent impact his performance?


Kyle McCord’s accuracy stands out at QB Collective event

Steve Wiltfong, Bucknuts

Ohio State five-star quarterback 2021 commit Kyle McCord took part in the QB Collective event over the weekend in Indianapolis. A former NFL signal-caller said that “his strength is going to be his accuracy,” and another QB collective coach added that McCord was “one of the prettiest throwers.”


CBS Sports hot-seat rankings: Where Big Ten coaches stand

Brad Crawford, Bucknuts

Ryan Day is not on the hot seat, per CBS Sports.


Same, Jeff.


Clemson’s TikTok is a disgrace to the sport of college football, as were the referees on the night of December 28, 2019.

From everywhere else...


Joey Bosa just became the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player.


Bosa and the Chargers have agreed to a $135 million contract extension that includes $78 million fully guaranteed at signing and $102 million in total guarantees, which are both NFL records for a defensive player. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Bosa is now the highest-paid former Buckeye in the NFL, surpassing Michael Thomas, who signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension with the Saints a year ago.


Attention recruits! You play for Ohio State, you get paid. It’s as simple as that.


Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa join Ohio State football alums on NFL’s Top 100 for 2020 list

Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Nick Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and Joey Bosa (not a bad day for Joey) were named to the NFL’s Top 100 for 2020 list, ranking No. 17, No. 24 and No. 34, respectively. They join Marshon Lattimore (No. 76) and Cameron Heyward (No. 84) who were announced earlier this week.

The top 10 players will be revealed at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on NFL Network.


I think it’s time we take our College Football Island idea a little more seriously...


Meanwhile, another Miami Marlins player tested positive for COVID-19 today, bringing their total to 18 reported positive cases!

The MLB is not playing in a bubble.

CFB and the NFL will likely not play in a bubble.

You do the math.

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Paul Bixler, OSU’s Mr. Inconsistent as head coach
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Bixler’s short tenure featured some big wins — and one of the worst losses to Michigan in the history of the program.

There have been 24 head coaches in the history of Ohio State football. Each has a story and legacy. This offseason, Land-Grant Holy Land’s new series 24 Club will help you get to know the coaches from past and present who built the program. Today we look at Ohio State’s 17th head coach — Paul Bixler, who lead the program to big wins and even bigger losses.


Name: Paul Bixler
Seasons Coached: One (1946)
Overall Record: 4-3-2

Where Does He Rank in the 24 Club?
Overall Wins: No. 22 out of 24 OSU Coaches
Winning Percentage: No. 20 out of 24 OSU Coaches


Entering the 1946 season, Ohio State played its own version of musical chairs. After two winning seasons, OSU coach Carroll Widdoes stepped down and remained on staff as an assistant. Paul Bixler, who had been an assistant for Widdoes, took over as head coach.

Bixler lasted a single season in his new role. The team’s inconsistent play was his downfall. Ohio State shut out USC 21-0 in Los Angeles, and bested No. 6 Northwestern in Evanston. However, losses to Illinois and Wisconsin along with draws against a mediocre Missouri team and a bad Purdue squad turned up the heat on the new coach.

Unfortunately, Bixler’s seat went from warm to a couple of degrees hotter than the surface of the sun after the Wolverines came to town to end the season. Michigan bested Ohio State 58-6 in Columbus. The 52 point loss remains the worst defeat for any OSU team against the Wolverines in Columbus. Ohio State finished the year with a 4-3-2 record, and Bixler stepped aside.

In six seasons from 1941-1946, the Buckeyes had said hello and goodbye to three head coaches — Paul Brown, Carroll Widdoes and now Paul Bixler. Ohio State needed coaching stability. The search for the perfect fit continued.

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Which former Ohio State safety would you want back in Columbus?
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sound off in the comments!

Ohio State, otherwise known as “DBU,” is nothing if not a safety/cornerback conveyer belt for the NFL. In the 2020 Draft, the Buckeyes saw Jeff Okudah go No. 3 overall, Damon Arnette go No. 19 overall and Jordan Fuller go No. 199. In recent years, we’ve also seen the likes of Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple, Malik Hooker, Vonn Bell and Denzel Ward make a name for themselves in the league.

Since Gene already covered the cornerbacks, its time to zone in on the safety position, which happens to be one of the big question marks on Ohio State’s roster as we approach the 2020-21 season.

Fuller is now with the Los Angeles Rams, and its looking like junior safety Josh Proctor will be the next man up. Last season, Proctor played in nine games, and totaled 13 total tackles, one interception and three pass breakups.


While we haven’t seen a whole lot of what he can do, Proctor obviously shows promise. In fact, he’s expected to be less of a Fuller-type safety and more Malik Hooker-esque, meaning he’s likely to take more chances at the position, go for the interception, and overall be a little less reserved than Fuller.

Behind Proctor on the depth chart there’s sophomore Marcus Hooker (Malik’s younger brother), redshirt freshmen Ronnie Hickman and Bryson Shaw, and freshmen Lathan Ransom and Kourt Williams.

There’s really no reason to believe that Proctor won’t be on the field come September, but again, for this series’ purposes, we’re going to imagine a world where Proctor gets injured, loses all his talent, mysteriously vanishes, whatever story you want to go with, and Ryan Day is allowed to teleport any former Ohio State safety and put him in this season’s lineup. Who would you want him to choose?

If it were up to me, I’d go with Malik Hooker. For one, we lost him to the NFL way too soon. He only played one real season as a Buckeye in 2016 before getting drafted No. 15 overall to the Indianapolis Colts. During that season, he racked up 74 total tackles, seven interceptions, three defensive touchdowns and four pass breakups. I miss the electricity Hooker brought to the Buckeyes’ secondary, and while we’ve had insanely good talent succeed him, we haven’t really had a seven-interception guy since Hooker.

The only Buckeye safety to have pulled off more than seven single season interceptions is Mike Sensibaugh, who had eight in 1970 and nine in 1969.

Speaking of which, maybe you’d like Day to bring back Sensibaugh, who is not only tied as the program leader for single season interceptions, but also career interceptions (22).

Another solid option would be Mike Doss, who collected a total of 331 tackles, six quarterback sacks, eight interceptions, eight fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns. Doss was also chosen as Defensive MVP of the 2002 Fiesta Bowl 31-24 double-overtime victory over Miami.

We all have our favorite Ohio State safeties, and your first choice will likely be based on the fond memories you have of watching that particular player. But, I urge you to pick your player based on the current 2020-21 roster, coaching staff and schedule. I’d kill to see a Hooker/Wade duo on the field this season (but hey, we just might be getting that with Proctor anyway!)

So, let’s hear it.

Which former Ohio State safety would you want back in Columbus? Let us know in the comments!

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Orlando (FL) Dr. Phillips High School

Offensive Tackle
6-7
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Class of 2023

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Winningest coach in Illinois history was laid to rest today. Took the Illini and New Mexico State to a Final Four.

Came to Illinois in 1975 and built up the program from literally nothing. The Orange Krush student section was founded in his living room. Great man and coach who loved the U of I.

RIP
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/r...cle_0dc0860e-ed11-5cac-9494-4b1cebfd3d08.html

Yep.....that thread title will definitely hold up in 10 years.

Anyway.....we need a new roof. How the hell do you decide what you need in a new roof. We can get an Amish crew for about $3k less than the other estimates...but you don't get the guarantees or warranties or anything with that. Do I need any of the fancy shit they're pushing or is that like undercoating on a car? The only thing I know is the plan is to be in this house for a long ass time.

Ohio State 2022 tight end target could be nearing a decision
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Allatoona tight end Bennett Christian | Rusty Mansell, 247Sports
The Buckeyes will likely look to sign two TEs in next year’s cycle

Ohio State really wants to get two tight ends in 2021, but it doesn’t look all too promising that it will become a reality. Holding just one commitment at the position from three-star prospect Sam Hart, the Buckeyes are running out of options in the current class. It is not a total impossibility, with guys like Dametrious Crownover and Jordan Dingle still on the table, but Ryan Day and position coach Kevin Wilson are planning ahead.

It seems like they have already made quite the impact on 2022 tight end Bennett Christian. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Georgia native was offered a scholarship by Ohio State back at the beginning of June, and since then the relationship between the two parties has continued to grow.

“Ohio State is one of my top schools,” Christian told Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts. “Every week I talk to coach (Kevin) Wilson or coach (Tim) Hinton. I call coach Wilson each week.”

Christian, currently rated as the No. 18 TE in the 2022 class, already holds 12 scholarship offers including some of the nation’s top programs, including the likes of Kentucky, Penn State, Tennessee, and others. However, it sounds like the Allatoona product is nearing a decision.


While it could very well be that Christian makes his commitment sometime soon, it sounds a lot like it will just be a top schools list.

“I’m talking to a lot of schools, but I’m kind of narrowing it down to three,” Christian told Kurelic. “The main three are Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee. I’m talking to those three each week. It’s pretty much those three.”

Christian also said he plans on visiting Ohio State once the whole COVID situation dies down, having already been to both Penn State and Tennessee. Only time will tell what exactly his “big news” tweet is in reference too, but my money would be on an official top schools list in the coming days.

Quick Hits

• One of 2022’s top prospects, offensive guard Earnest Greene, is also close to naming his top schools list, and Ohio State is expected to make the cut. Greene, the No. 2 OG and No. 48 overall player in the 247Sports Composite, told Greg Biggins of 247Sports that he is looking to name a top seven or top 10 within the next month. Greene said he talks a lot with OSU guard Wyatt Davis and has a good relationship with Greg Studrawa, so expect the Buckeyes to be on that list.
• One of 2022’s top basketball recruits will be on the move at the high school level, as five-star shooting guard Chris Livingston is set to return to Akron Buchtel HS after spending his sophomore year at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. Livingston, the No. 3 player overall in the 2022 class and the No. 1 player in Ohio, is obviously a massive target for Chris Holtmann. After hauling in the top three in-state players in 2021, Holtmann will be hoping to once again bring a huge local talent to Columbus.

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Buckeye Bits: All FBS schools allowed to play Week 0, Ohio State football plans to have limited fans (for now), more
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Welcome to Buckeye Bits, our daily news roundup of all things Ohio State. We still don't really know for sure whether or not there will be a college football season in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to run rampant through the country, but the NCAA is still trying do everything in its power to make it happen. The big news on Tuesday was that the association will allow all FBS schools to start their season on Aug. 29, AKA “Week 0”, in order to provide greater flexibility to the scheduling process.


The blanket waiver, which only applies to the 2020 season, now gives teams an extra week to work with as they try to rebuild their upcoming schedules. For schools in the Big Ten and Pac-12, which have both decided to play only conference opponents this year, this now makes it even easier for them to try and figure out how and when they will fit in what will likely be 10 regular season contests. It is unclear at this time whether Ohio State will look to schedule a Week 0 game.

With the latest update from the NCAA out of the way, let’s get to the rest of today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

• Ohio State offers 2023 offensive tackle
  (Dan Hessler, LGHL)

On Monday, Ohio State sent out an offer to 2023 offensive tackle Aidan Leigh. If that last name sounds familiar to you, it’s because he is the younger brother of 2021 five-star OT Tristan Leigh, one of the Buckeyes’ top remaining targets in this year’s class. Ryan Day and position coach Greg Studrawa certainly would not hate to add the pair of Leighs to their offensive line in the next few years.

• Which former Ohio State offensive lineman would you want back in Columbus?
  (Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)

Continuing our ongoing series where we bring back former Buckeyes at each position, today Brett takes a look back through the offensive line archives. There have been some really good blockers to come through Ohio State over the program’s history, but the clear and obvious option for Brett (and myself) is Orlando Pace. Imagine Pace lining up alongside Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers? Totally unfair.

• Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits
  (Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Check out Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits from any of the latest Ohio State news you may have missed on Monday, including the Buckeyes’ 2020 NFL Draft class raking in over $111 million in rookie contracts, Marshon Lattimore and Cam Heyward making the first section of the NFL Top 100, some more COVID-related college football news, and more!

From around the gridiron...

• On Tuesday, Ohio State announced that Ohio Stadium will be at “no more than 20 percent” capacity if fans are allowed to attend college football games at all this fall. The restricted access, which would be comprised of an undecided mixture of season ticker holders and students, would put attendance around 20,000 people. Other stipulations of the plan include mandatory mask wearing inside the stadium, limited concessions, and no Skull Session or tailgating before games.

• 247Sports came out with its Top 50 players in college football on Tuesday, and three Ohio State players made the cut. Justin Fields was the highest-rated at No. 3, coming in behind only Trevor Lawrence and Oregon’s Penei Sewell. The other pair of Buckeyes on the list were Wyatt Davis at No. 14 and Shaun Wade at No. 47. I think Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson would like to have a word with somebody.

• Why does Ohio State keep beating Michigan and Penn State? This is why.

• How Garrett Wilson is going to break Ohio State’s return drought
  (Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row)

It has been quite a while since Ohio State has had a truly electric return man out there fielding kicks and punts, but Garrett Wilson could be the guy to change that. He didn’t get all that many opportunities last season as a freshman, but in the few instances Wilson had a chance to make some magic in the return game, he looked to be on the verge of breaking a big one. Now in year two with a chance to be the team’s full-time returner, watch out for Garrett Wilson on special teams.

• Alex Boone, a former Ohio State offensive lineman and a veteran of 105 games played in the NFL, is working on making his return to the league after retiring in 2017. Boone was a four-year starter with the Buckeyes, and was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection before going undrafted in 2009. Ironically, he would find a spot on Jim Harbaugh’s San Francisco 49ers, where he would go on to spend the first six years of his NFL career, starting in 59 games over his final four seasons with the team. Still just 33 years old, Boone is now looking to make a comeback.

From around the hardwood...

• The Ohio State women's hoops team made an addition on Tuesday, with Ohio native Tanya Beacham joining the Buckeyes as a grad transfer. Beacham spent the last three seasons at Toledo, posting a career-high 10.8 points per game last season. She also led the Rockets in field goal percentage this past year, hitting at a 58.3 percent clip. Beacham played her high school ball first at Youngstown Ursuline before spending her last two years at Toledo Rogers. She will have one year of eligibility remaining.

From everywhere else...

• Can we really blame Lou Williams for leaving the NBA bubble for food that looks like THIS:

• If there is college football to be played in 2020, I'm sure we will see a lot more of this.

• With that being said, don't get mad at athletes for making their safety a priority.

• The MLB season — which started last Thursday — is going... swell?

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Which former Ohio State offensive lineman would you want back in Columbus?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


There has been a long list of outstanding offensive linemen to come through Columbus over the years, but there is one that takes the (pan)cake.

If you play on the offensive line at Ohio State, there’s a good chance you have what it takes to play in the NFL. Since 2000, Ohio State has seen 19 offensive linemen taken in the NFL Draft, with numerous others latching on to teams as undrafted free agents. The list of Buckeye offensive linemen drafted will only grow in the near future, as guys like Wyatt Davis, Thayer Munford, and Josh Myers are among the best in the country.

Recently at LGHL, we have been asking our readers which former Buckeye they’d bring back to start the first game of this season. Tia started off the fun by breaking down what running back she’d most like to see return, and it’s hard to go wrong with the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner. We have continued the exercise for quarterback and wide receiver.

Now we have made our way to the offensive line. There are plenty of tremendous offensive linemen who have donned the scarlet and gray throughout the year. From Bill Willis, Jim Parker, and John Hicks of years gone by, to more recent trench warriors like Nick Mangold, LeCharles Bentley, and Taylor Decker.

Ohio State has been producing quality offensive linemen for nearly 80 years. Bill Willis was a two-time All-American in 1943 and 1944, while Jim Parker was the first Buckeye to win the Outland Trophy in 1955. John Hicks won the Outland and Lombardi in 1973 and was a two-time All-American. Jim Lachey played in Columbus in the early 1980s and went on to an illustrious NFL career.

More recently, Korey Stringer was a three-year starter and a first round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings before his life ended tragically at training camp in 2001. LeCharles Bentley won the Rimington Award, which is an award that Pat Elflein and Billy Price also earned. We also can’t forget about Nick Mangold if we are going to talk about great Buckeye centers.

As incredible as some of those options are, the answer to which Ohio State offensive linemen I’d bring back to play in 2020 is an easy one. Orlando Pace is the greatest offensive lineman to ever suit up for Ohio State, and was one of the best to ever play in the NFL, as evidenced by his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Pace was so good when he arrived in Columbus that he became just the second true freshman to start on opening day for the Buckeyes.

How good was Pace? He became known as “The Pancake Man” because of the frequency in which he dished out pancake blocks. While the term “pancake block” had been used by some teams prior to Pace’s arrival in college football, the term became widely used because of Pace. The Sandusky native was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1994, but that was only beginning of hardware that Pace would earn.

1995 was a true breakout season for Pace, as he not only was named an All-American, but he also earned the Lombardi Award, given annually to the nation’s best college football player regardless of position. Prior to Pace, previous winners of the award from Ohio State were Jim Stillwagon, John Hicks, and Chris Spielman.

As good as 1995 was for Pace, 1996 was even better. Not only did Pace become the first player to win back-to-back Lombardi Awards, but he was also the winner of the Outland Trophy, which is given to the best interior lineman in college football. Parker, Stillwagon, and Hicks all had won the award prior to Pace taking home the honor in 1996.

Do you know how many offensive linemen have finished in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting since Orlando Pace finished fourth in 1996? Zero. Zilch. None. That should tell you just how respected Pace was. It’s rare to even see a defensive lineman in the running for the Heisman. An offensive lineman finishing that high is unheard of.

Another testament to Pace’s greatness was being voted the Big Ten’s most valuable player and offensive player of the year in 1996. Ohio State went 11-1 and won the Rose Bowl that season, but without Pace it’s possible the Buckeyes could have been handed two or three more losses that season. It’s incredible just how much Pace changed the game when he was on the field. Pepe Pearson rushed for 1,484 yards in 1996, but just 869 in 1997 after Pace left Columbus.

Just imagine the sense of calm that Justin Fields would have with Orlando Pace protecting him, especially since Pace didn’t allow a sack in his final two seasons in Columbus. Running backs Trey Sermon and Master Teague would feel a lot less pressure in trying to replace J.K. Dobbins if they could have Pace clearing the way for them. As unstoppable as Ohio State looks right now, they’d be even more feared with Orlando Pace on the offensive line.

What do you think? Are you going against the grain and opting for one of the other phenomenal offensive linemen mentioned earlier, or do you have a favorite that was omitted?

Which former Ohio State offensive lineman would you want back in Columbus? Let us know in the comments!

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Ohio State offers 2023 offensive tackle, brother of big 2021 target
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes sent an official scholarship offer to the younger brother of a top 2021 prospect.

The Ohio State football team has been on a tear in its 2021 recruiting class. Just last week, the Buckeyes earned their most recent BOOM by flipping four-star CB Jordan Hancock from Clemson.

The recent addition fully cements Ohio State atop the 247Sports 2021 class rankings, though Alabama is quickly closing the gap. As a result, the Buckeyes are far from finished.

One of the most important recruits remaining on Ohio State’s list of targets is offensive tackle Tristan Leigh (Fairfax, VA/Robinson Secondary). The five-star prospect recently included the Buckeyes in his top five schools, however Clemson and LSU seem to have an edge at the moment.

Monday morning, the Buckeyes officially offered the brother of Tristan, Aidan Leigh (Fairfax, VA/Robinson Secondary). The move might first appear targeted at securing a commitment from the older brother. However, Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff have been very selective in who they offer, and when presented, it means the program is fully interested in the recruit. While the move certainly is not insignificant in the recruitment of Tristan, Aidan has already been able to show off his potential as a member of the 2023 recruiting class.


Ohio State was the second official scholarship offer presented to the younger Leigh, with Big Ten foe Maryland being the first. However, the Buckeyes are not the only new team targeting Aidan. Shortly after the OSU offer came in on Monday, LSU also offered the younger Leigh. The Tigers are another team that was included in Tristan’s top five.

Aidan has yet to receive any recruiting rankings as of yet, as is common with a recruit this early on in the process. However, expect his name to be high on the list once announced. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder will hope to achieve similar success to his brother and could grow into a larger body by the time he reaches the same point in his recruitment.

Tristan will likely try and withhold from making a final decision and will look to take those five allocated official visits, once the dead period due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been lifted. Nonetheless, the No. 3-rated OT in the country certainly noticed his brother’s Ohio State offer.

Quick Hits:

• Ohio State 2022 OLB target Dasan McCullough continues to look impressive. Buckeye OLB commit C.J. Hicks has been heavily recruiting McCullough to join him in Columbus as the two have established a budding friendship.

• Ohio State also offered 2023 athlete Joenel Aguero on Monday. The St. Johns Prep (Danvers, MA) product currently holds 12 official scholarship offers at this early stage in his recruitment, with some big programs in on the sophomore including Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, USC and others. The 6-foot, 170-pound Aguero does not yet have a rating on 247Sports, like the rest of his 2023 counterparts.

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Buckeye Bits: 2020 draft class tops $111 million in rookie contracts, Lattimore and Heyward among NFL’s top 100, more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Congratulations! You’ve made it through another Monday in quarantine. Hopefully by now, you’ve shut down your work laptop, poured yourself a drink, takeout is on the way and Netflix is streaming. Speaking of Netflix, I have finally finished The Last Dance (ESPN aired it way past my bedtime), and...just a few things:

1. I think about Scottie Pippen’s teeth once a day. Like...are we just not going to talk about how immaculate they are?
2. The Bulls’ warmup gray sweatsuits. Where can I find them in a size XS?
3. Michael Jordan...wow. LeBron is better, but wow.

But now that I’m done with that documentary, I’m in the market for a new Netflix series. I hate violence, gore (I’m talking even a spec of blood), horror, drama (couldn’t make it past the first episode of Outer Banks), suspense and sci-fi— all of which, I have realized, is what everyone else loves. The Game of Thrones era was a lonely one for me. Anyway, leave your recommendations in the comments below!

Now, on to today’s headlines!

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Column: Ohio State’s most intriguing out-of-conference matchups

Meredith Hein, LGHL

Going with the theme of potential matchups for Ohio State, Meredith chose a team from each conference who, she believes, would be the most intriguing matchup for the Buckeyes, including non-Power-5 and Independents.


Leaders of the Room: Will there be a go-to guy at running back for Ohio State this year?

Matt Tamanini, LGHL

The Ohio State running back room is young, injured and relatively inexperienced. Although there’s talk of former Oklahoma RB Trey Sermon taking most of the snaps this season, Matt believes it’ll be more of a group effort.


Ohio State among early leaders for Florida safety

Charles Doss, LGHL

Good news and bad news. The 11th ranked safety in the 2022 class has Ohio State in his top 11, and Alabama is now on Ohio State’s heels in the 2021 class rankings after they earned the commitment of Michigan’s No. 1 prospect on Sunday.

From around the gridiron...


Ohio State’s 2020 draft class signs more than $100 million in rookie contracts, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah already among NFL’s highest-paid players at their positions

Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Ohio State’s 2020 draft pick contracts equal $111,601,871 in total contract value, which just barely passed the infamous 2016 NFL draft class (Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Eli Apple, Taylor Decker, Darron Lee, Michael Thomas, Vonn Bell, Adolphus Washington, Braxton Miller, Nick Vannett, Joshua Perry and Cardale Jones) for the highest-paid draft class in school history.

Why even have a recruiting staff at this point?


Ex-Buckeyes Lattimore, Heyward among NFL’s top 100 players

Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

The NFL Network began its countdown of the league’s top 100 players on Sunday night, and New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward ranked No. 76 and No. 84, respectively.

You can expect to see more Buckeyes added to the list when the countdown continues tonight at 8 p.m. on their network and via Twitter (@NFLNetwork).


Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Five Questions as Buckeyes look to press advantage on special teams

Austin Ward, Lettermen Row

It’s Specialists Week over at Lettermen Row, and today, Austin looked at the five biggest questions surrounding the position group, including the likelihood of more punt/kickoff returns this season and what we can expect from the main guys.


If you told me the pictures on the left were the video game, I’d believe you.


You can literally be Chase Young when Madden 21 releases for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on August 25.


Breaking: Ohio State is set up for success this season.


Also, remember when we didn’t have a returning coach or a returning quarterback? Good times.

From everywhere else...


Across Ohio, college football for the fall is being canceled

Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com

Mount Union, John Carroll, Oberlin, Baldwin Wallace, Case Western and Kenyon are among several Ohio schools who are postponing or cancelling college football for the fall.

Meanwhile, the state’s Division I schools such as Ohio State, Kent State, Akron, Toledo and Bowling Green are still up in the air, as the NCAA has pushed back its decision for another few weeks.


Columbus City Council to vote on 10 p.m. closing time for bars, restaurants to slow Covid-19 spread

Carrie Ghose, Columbus Business First

Columbus bars and restaurants are expected to have 10 p.m. closing times starting Tuesday to slow the spread of coronavirus. While people can still order takeout past 10 p.m., the goal is to eliminate the rowdiness that usually occurs at these establishments in the late hours of the evening.


Rutgers quarantines football team after six more positive tests for coronavirus

ESPN

The Scarlet Knights have stopped all in-person team activities and are quarantining the entire football program after six more people tested positive for COVID-19. Since returning to campus on June 15, the program has had 10 total positive tests.

This comes after Michigan State announced on Friday that it would also be quarantining its entire team after a second staff member and one athlete tested positive.


Speaking COVID-19 outbreaks...


We need to figure out how to put college football in a bubble. It’s the only way. Luckily, our own George Eisner has the solution!

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How does Ohio's other MLS team not have its own thread? (Can they get a pin?)

Despite looking in over their heads most of the season, including getting waxed 4-0 by the Crew not long ago, they're still alive (for now) in the round of 16.

Portland 0-0 Cincinnati, half time.

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Danvers (MA) St. John’s Prep - Transfer to IMG Academy

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Fairfax (VA) Robinson Secondary

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Column: Ohio State’s most intriguing out-of-conference matchups
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Plus, happy adoption day, Ruthie!

Today happens to be my dog’s adoption day, so happy “birthday,” Ruthie! Sports are one of the best things ever, and dogs probably are the best ever, so putting these two together makes for some pretty tremendous happiness. Anyway, here’s a pic of my dog repping her favorite bandanas. Enjoy!




Okay, so it’s been a minute, but in my column from July 6 (a moment, perhaps, when I was more optimistic about having a college football season), we started parsing out the ideal conferences for out of conference matchups in the hopes of getting to the ideal out-of-conference opponent for Ohio State. That thought came out of a column from Brett Ludwiczak on the top matchups the Buckeyes have never had. Those matchups are headlined by Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Iowa State.

(Unrelated, I still find it shocking Ohio State hasn’t played Iowa State. I guess I just associate our win in the 2013 NCAA Tournament as being encompassing of all sports. Thanks, Aaron Craft!)

To recap the conference discussion: IMHO, the Pac-12 offers the best opportunity, in terms of historical panache and a comparatively different style of play than what we see week-in and week-out in the Big Ten. The SEC, meanwhile, is irksome in every way, and that’s coming from a self-proclaimed annoying Ohio State fan.

Given the Big Ten’s announcement this month that the football season would be limited to conference play only, the point of this article is entirely moot. But hey, we’ve got to have all our ducks in a row for when we get a COVID-19 vaccine and hopefully have a 2021 college football season...assuming the inherent economics of the system don’t cause widespread, irreversible collapse before then.

Alright, enough of me being a Negative Nancy. Back to the question at hand: Who are the best out-of-conference matchups for the Buckeyes?

Since there are 130 FBS teams, I’ll continue to take the conference-by-conference approach:

ACC


The most frequent opponent for Ohio State in the ACC happens to be Pitt, over whom the Buckeyes hold a 19-5-1 advantage. But the Panthers are certainly not top of the list in the ACC as a future non-conference matchup for the Buckeyes.

Who is? Obviously the revenge tour (which will be something of a theme here) would be great to allow Ohio State to overcome its deficits to Clemson (0-4) and Florida State (0-3). Louisville and NC State, over whom the Buckeyes hold 2-0 marks, would be cool to see in certain years as well (imagine watching Lamar Jackson vs. Nick Bosa).

Big 12


While there are several intriguing matchups coming out of the Big 12 — including two that Ohio State has had home-and-homes with in recent memory (Oklahoma and Texas) — West Virginia and TCU happen to be the most common opponents for the Buckeyes. Ohio State holds a 5-1-1 record over the Horned Frogs, its most recent win coming in 2018, and 5-1-0 mark over the Mountaineers.

That being said, Texas has to be the most intriguing opponent from the Big 12 — now more than ever, in fact. First, the Longhorns are the only Big 12 team that the Buckeyes have a losing record against (1-2). Evening up that score is a tremendous value prop for Ohio State. Then there’s the fact Tom Herman, former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Urban Meyer at Ohio State, is head coach at Texas. Finally, Texas, like Ohio State, is one of the biggest college football brands in the nation with one of the most prominent and, I’ll say it again, annoying fan bases in the sport. Plus, the Buckeyes already have a home-and-home scheduled for 2025-26 with Texas, so I’ll take that as confirmation that I’m right.

Pac-12


As alluded to above, the Pac-12 presents probably the best conference worth of opponents for Ohio State. Frankly, there are few Pac-12 teams that wouldn’t be exciting opponents to watch (Oregon State being one of them). But between USC, Stanford, Oregon, Utah, Arizona State, Washington and others, the Buckeyes have a laundry list of opponents whom they’ve mainly faced in bowl games, but who would be cool in week one or two, too.

The Buckeyes hold their best record over Oregon (9-0), and yet the Ducks still offer a unique matchup for Ohio State whenever they face off. The only two teams Ohio State has losing records against, USC (10-13-1) and Stanford (2-3), are squads that the Buckeyes could certainly go on a revenge tour against.

SEC


Okay, here goes the list I care least about top-to-bottom. The Buckeyes hold losing records against six SEC teams (Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia), but the biggest margin is just two games. So it would be great to rectify these records, but I also have zero desire to deal with Tennessee fans (even though their dog is super cute) or traveling to the state of Alabama.

That being said, there is an obvious buzz around the Buckeyes’ home-and-home against Bama, scheduled for 2027 and 2028. And yeah, despite what I just said...I’m looking forward to it.

Non-Power-5


Where to begin here, because there are actually some exciting teams outside the Power-5 who have proven chippy in the past and who remain interesting matchup possibilities looking forward. As Brett mentioned, Boise State, a team Ohio State has never faced in program history, has been a killer of giants en route to the Broncos transforming almost into giants themselves. My personal favorite Boise State moment (and probably everyone else’s) was the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, when the Broncos stuck it to Oklahoma in overtime on a Statue of Liberty, after which the tailback Ian Johnson proposed to his girlfriend. All the feels.

But then there’s UCF, whom Ohio State has only faced once — a win in 2012. The Golden Knights have been getting pretty darn close to Boise State’s level in recent years, culminating in their 2018 Peach Bowl win over Auburn. UCF has won the American Athletic Conference two of the last three seasons, and presents a stronger opponent from the AAC than, say, Cincinnati.

Independents


Okay, I could have lumped this group in with the non-Power-5 group, but just wanted to explicitly say that Notre Dame doesn’t count. The Buckeyes hold a 4-2 record over the Irish, their most recent wins coming in 2006 and 2016 Fiesta Bowls. Note that Notre Dame’s last win over Ohio State came in 1936. They should just join a conference already. Maybe a season where they’re shut out of competition when the rest of the major players stick to conference-only play will motivate them to do so.

On that note, bye for now.

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