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Which forwards are most likely to play "starter minutes" next season?

Jallow, Sueing, Liddell, Towns, Young, Ahrens, Key, Brown... take your pick of 3.

Some people think we are playing primarily 3-guard next season but I can't see it with our quality depth strength at forward and only 3 guards total on the roster (though that is subject to change if they take a grad transfer guard).

This is a tough call between some of the forwards. I think I am leaning Sueing, Liddell, Young but not sure if that's enough shooting/scoring (have to play Washington at SG with that group). Towns might play the vast majority of whatever minutes at 3-4 that Sueing and Liddell don't, but I don't want to discount what 4th-year Jallow could bring to the equation.

I am higher on Brown than most but kind of hard to see how he is going to get on the court now his first two seasons. Maybe we find backcourt minutes for him somehow because I would hate him to be another "we hardly knew ye" situation. I think with some refinement his combination of athleticism, length, and shooting will eventually result in a special player.

What are you doing while on Shelter-In-Place/Lockdown?

Good thing I have all on last season's game (except for the Fiesta Bowl) on DVR. Think I'll run through the season chronologically a game a day (maybe two on the Saturdays and Sundays) and repeat (along with alternating with BluRays of Star Trek I~VI movies and Bourne movie collections. Also have a 12-pack of Sapporo beer in the fridge...

Malachi Nelson (QB Southern Cal, transfer to ???)

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Malachi Nelson
"Pro" style QB
Height: 6'-3"
Weight: 180 ibs.
Los Alamitos, CA
Class: 2023

https://247sports.com/Player/Malachi-Nelson-46086657/

See videos: https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/ma...?videoid=cd92d1aa-8516-4079-afe1-08a75b225ee5


THE HURRY-UP: “NATURAL, SMOOTH” THROWER MALACHI NELSON IS ANOTHER RISING CALIFORNIA QUARTERBACK STAR WHO OHIO STATE HAD MADE EARLY IMPRESSIONS ON

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The Hurry-Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.

NELSON ANOTHER RISING QB TO WATCH
We detailed for you on Thursday the talent and recruiting update of Junipero Serra (Calif.) High School quarterback Maalik Murphy.

Looking even further into the future, the Buckeyes’ recruitment of quarterbacks in the 2023 class got a major head start in November, when former Ohio State quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich threw an offer to one of Murphy’s friends, teammates at STARS and fellow Californian Malachi Nelson, Los Alamitos High School’s 6-foot-3, 180-pound quarterback.

Immediately when watching Nelson’s freshman season game tape, it was obvious what jumped out. He has a very fluid throwing motion and looks like a future star if he continues to develop. Jason Kwon, Chandler Whitmer and Yurcich (in that order) were in on Nelson early. Each of those are former Ohio State assistants after taking coaching jobs at Boston College, Clemson and Texas, respectively – Kwon as director of scouting; Whitmer as an offensive assistant; Yurcich as offensive coordinator.

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But Yurcich wanted to extend that offer early to Nelson so that he could get the Buckeyes’ foot in the door. He knew the potential Nelson already was gifted with at such a young age and that’s why he made Nelson such a high priority, which has extended to the Buckeye staff after he left for the Longhorns.

“He could definitely throw with some of the guys on college rosters right now,” Nelson’s personal quarterback trainer, Danny Hernandez, told Eleven Warriors shortly after Ohio State offered him. “He could keep up with some college quarterbacks right now. I feel comfortable with him being able to make every throw. The ball comes out nice, it looks the right way. Mechanically, he’s generating power from the right sources.

“When the ball’s flying out, he doesn’t look like that kid doing the heave-ho. You see kids throwing the ball that far and hard at his age, their heads are all flying to the side and legs lifted in the air. They’re off balance and throwing with all their might at that point. He’s looking smooth. He looks like he knows what he’s doing, and he does.”

NATURAL THROWER
With many of the talented passers who Hernandez trains at STARS training facility in Southern California, he says that his job as a quarterback coach is often “to not reinvent the wheel and cookie cutter these guys and make them all the same” because so many of them are natural throwers.

“For Malachi, with his right arm, there’s nothing I really have to work on. That’s just a natural, smooth flick of the wrist that he already has,” Hernandez said. “Are there ways where I can get him to engage his back hip in the throw a little more and be more stable with his front shoulder? Work on those little things so he’s more in sequence? Those are the things I can work with more.

“But his right arm alone? Never had to do a single thing with that because he was just so smooth and natural already with that.”

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That was a few months ago when Hernandez detailed how talented Nelson is, and when Eleven Warriors touched base with him last week, he said the offseason has been going as well as he continues to hone his craft of being a quarterback and work on perfecting his mechanics.

“I have been trying to work on getting my ball carriage up and getting the ball out on time,” Nelson said. “I’m going to try to hit as many camps as I can and the same with visits.

“It’s been good so far, trying to hit a couple camps here and there but also focus on getting better every day in the weight room and in the classroom.”

Part of that offseason regimen is to continue working with and competing with guys like Murphy, as the two share a friendship and bond as quarterbacks but also want to outdo each other. It’s the exact same atmosphere that has been going on at STARS for a while with some of the top-tier quarterbacks that have been developed there.

“(Malachi and I) work with each other very good,” Murphy told Eleven Warriors. “We compete really well there, usually every camp and every workout (we’re together). We’ve created a strong bond just through quarterback stuff.”
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Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ng-california-quarterback-star-who-ohio-state

2020 tOSU Special Teams Discussion

Buckeyes have plenty of options to spark return game

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There is nothing more mystifying than how arguably the most talented roster in the country continues to struggle to find a consistency returning punts and kickoffs.

Eventually the touchdown drought, the muffed kicks and the roller-coaster of emotions on special teams is going to end for Ohio State. It’s almost unthinkable that it has lasted this long for the Buckeyes, but there’s been some sort of hex on that position that zaps the powers of game-changers at their normal positions the second they drop back to catch a kickoff or punt.

This should be the season that spell is broken. And if a pool of candidates that includes Garrett Wilson, Demario McCall, Mookie Cooper, Jameson Williams and potentially C.J. Saunders can’t break through, maybe the Buckeyes really are doomed.

So, who is going to light the fuse? The smart money is on Wilson grabbing hold of the punt-return gig and never letting it go. Heading into his sophomore year, Ohio State is already making it clear by tweaking his role at wide receiver to put him in the slot that it wants the football in his hands as frequently as possible. And it proved last year that it was willing to endure a couple growing pains with him at punt returner, viewing that as an investment in his future by letting him keep learning with live reps.

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Wilson is a truly special athlete, and it feels inevitable that he’ll bust loose on a punt — and potentially snap the touchdown skid that dates all the way back to 2014.

“We have confidence in Garrett,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “He’s certainly a young player who made a mistake, and he’s going to learn from it and move on. But he’s going to practice better and again a lot of it goes back to how you practice, if you’re going to practice intently and do a good job with that, then, yeah, we’re going to have confidence because we see it in practice.

“If for whatever reason we don’t see it in practice, then we have to make a decision.”

Odds are Wilson is going to make it an easy call for the Buckeyes, though there will be competition from those other four wideouts — assuming Saunders gets his sixth year of eligibility approved, as he should.

The recent rule changes have really diminished the impact of kickoff returners, so it’s possible that Ohio State might consider rotating guys in with Wilson if there’s not a big gap between him and speedy threats like Williams and Cooper or an elusive weapon like McCall. Saunders is essentially the security blanket thanks to his sure hands, and there’s a case to be made that given Ohio State’s explosive offense, all it really needs is to make a fair catch and secure possession on every punt.

There will also still be occasional opportunities to return kickoffs, and that’s probably a spot that has McCall’s name on it with Williams angling for his shot alongside him. Return touchdowns are certainly tougher to come by given the current rules and the risk/reward with touchbacks allowing teams to start on the 25-yard line, but there will still be chances for the Buckeyes to break a drought there that extends all the way back to 2010.

Ohio State has more than enough talent on hand to break through. And if this group can’t get it done, there might really be some dark magic at play.

Entire article: https://lettermenrow.com/ohio-state...yes-football-special-teams-return-candidates/

Re: Eventually the touchdown drought, the muffed kicks and the roller-coaster of emotions on special teams is going to end for Ohio State.

Hopefully it ends this season......:nod:

NCAA Will Give Spring Sports Athletes Another Year Of Eligibility

NCAA WILL GIVE SPRING SPORTS ATHLETES ANOTHER YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY, STILL CONSIDERING WHETHER TO DO SO FOR WINTER SPORTS ATHLETES

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After their seasons all came to an abrupt end on Thursday, spring sports athletes are in line to receive another year of eligibility from the NCAA.

The NCAA announced Friday that it has “agreed that eligibility relief is appropriate for all Division I student-athletes who participated in spring sports.”

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The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach and Stadium's Jeff Goodman both reported on Friday that the NCAA's Division I Council Coordinator Committee is still considering whether to do the same for winter sports athletes whose seasons also ended early on Thursday, when the NCAA announced it was canceling all of its championship competitions for the remainder of the academic year.

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Athletes in spring sports – which include baseball and softball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, rowing, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, track and field and men’s volleyball at Ohio State – did not even get the opportunity to play a full regular season after Thursday's announcements by the NCAA and by the Big Ten which announced that all competitions for conference schools would be canceled for the remainder of the academic year.

For winter sports athletes, that decision could be more complicated, as some had already concluded their seasons before Thursday while most – including men's and women's basketball, men's and women's hockey and wrestling – had completed their regular seasons, though their postseasons were cut short.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/coll...bility-still-considering-whether-to-do-so-for

#19 The Ohio State University vs Purdue: Thursday, March 12 @ 6:30 PM, BTN

Well, there is a B1G game today:

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Those who bought tickets for following games "should direct any ticket refund inquiries to the original point of purchase," the conference said.

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Update: Both Minnesota (game 1) and Indiana (game 2) advance.
Game 1: No. 12 Minnesota 74, No. 13 Northwestern 57
Game 2: No. 11 Indiana 89, No. 14 Nebraska 64

MotS&G Buckeye Draft Profiles: Chase Young

Buckeye Draft Profiles: Chase Young
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


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Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
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Jp Waldron/CSM/Shutterstock

Chase Young, a stud at defensive end has left it all on the field during his time at Ohio State. He has been a force his entire career as a Buckeye, but the 2019 season was a great send off season for him before stepping foot into the pro ranks. Young and his team finished the season with a 13-1 record, but he did a ton of damage to opposing teams and their offensive aspirations. In an era where stats are recorded and scrutinized, Young’s individual stats are impressive. He finished 2019 with 16.5 total sacks (14 solo/5 assisted sacks), averaging 1.38 sacks per game which led the nation. He also led the nation in forced fumbles with 6 for the year. With tackles for loss, he had 21 for the season and averaged 1.8 per game.

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Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Most draft experts are pegging him as a can’t miss prospect and the former Buckeye is projected as a Top-2 pick for this years NFL Draft. According to Sascha Paruk from SportsBettingDime, “there is no debate about who the first Buckeye off the board will be at the 2020 draft.” Adding, “Chase Young is the consensus best prospect in the class and will only fall from #1 because the Bengals have the #1 pick and need a franchise QB like Joe Burrow.” Paruk also speculated that “IF Chase Young doesn’t go second overall, it will be because Washington trades its pick to another QB-needy team, like the Dolphins or the Chargers.”

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Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

For now, Chase Young is mocked to the Washington Redskins but with talks about potential trade down chatter, would make the 2020 NFL Draft more interesting. It makes sense from a re-building standpoint to stockpile picks to accelerate the entire process. The Redskins had a tough time this year finishing 3-13, but they have a few pieces in stock. Former Buckeyes, Dwayne Haskins might be their QB of the future and Terry McLaurin appear to be solid building blocks of the future. Their defense needs some help and Young makes sense, but Okudah does too with an aging Josh Norman. We will never know until Commissioner Goodell unveils the pick to make things official. The ball is in their court and the choice to make the pick or trade down is theirs alone. This draft will definitely be interesting and an exciting one.


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MotS&G Recruiting Targets: Hits & Misses

Recruiting Targets: Hits & Misses
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


In another long-awaited installment of the hits & misses content, I will be looking at the 2017 class which features a bunch of familiar names. This was the year where eventual stars would join the fold and what better time to do it than right now?

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DeMatha High School’s own Chase Young. Credit: 24/7sports.com
Hit: Chase Young, WDE


When I spoke of a legendary class in terms of talent, the 2017 class was the tipping point when building depth and collecting talent. Defensive Ends were plentiful and most players at Ohio State had to wait their turn, but Young, the Buckeyes own predator took the same route the Bosa’s took to their rise to stardom. The slight wait was worth it and while he turned into the guy, the impact he made was by his talents along, but we have seen this before with lesser known or less heralded recruits.

Chase Young has declared for the NFL Draft this year and he is locked in to be a potential top-3 pick. He also might join two familiar faces in Haskins and McLaurin, but we will see how the draft process unfolds. It is unpredictable, but it has been worth seeing the development and the talent turn into stars and make an impact like Young.

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Jeffrey Okudah in high school. Credit: Dallasnews.com
Hit: Jeffrey Okudah, CB


Like Young, Okudah also was highly recruited and he excelled after some time in the system. He was recruited and he sat and learned behind the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward, but the wait has been worth it as well. He essentially played it out and played himself into being a top-10 pick in this years draft. He was the shutdown corner that everyone avoided during games. He was one of three cornerbacks taken in the class, with Sheffield blossoming into a good player in the NFL and with Wade turning down the NFL for another shot at redemption.

Okudah has been preparing himself for years and he has maximized his talents. He left an everlasting impression and he should have passed-on some pointers to Wade and the younger BIA stablemates. His legacy has been fulfilled, even though it has left a year early.

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Dobbins carrying the ball. Credit: Hudl.com
Hit: J.K. Dobbins, RB


And the hits keep coming, with J-K-All-Day being the third member of a stellar class to blossom into a full-fledged star in the Buckeyes offensive attack. In 2018, he shared the ball carrier duties with Mike Weber. He had over 1,000 yards that season, but he thought it was a failure. Fast forward to this past season, he reached his potential en route to breaking records and cementing himself and his legacy in Columbus. The added time and conditioning have been wonders and he surely plunged himself into uncharted territory being a top 3 running back.

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Cass Tech’s own Donovan Peoples-Jones. Credit: Bleacherreport.com
Miss: Donovan Peoples-Jones


Now, let us get a couple of misses in the article, and this one comes from our most bitter rival, Michigan and a one-time Buckeyes lean, Donovan Peoples-Jones. The pipe line at Cass Tech was flourishing, but I have no clue what went wrong in his recruitment. It also was a miss, but the team has been stacking talent over the past two seasons and well into the 2021 season. Sure, he is a star returner and he was needed in an unproven class that has two 6-5 players in Jaylen Harris, Elijah Gardiner and a 6-3 playmaker in Trevon Grimes.

DPJ is now leaving for the NFL and he left 0-3 against the Buckeyes and he never really made an impact during The Game. He is a valuable player, but the older, more-experienced players have held the team together for the time being.

The Replacements: Fast forward to now, the two big-bodied players have yet to reach their potential and Grimes is returning to Florida for one last ride. There are a lot of factors to consider, injuries, lack of experience or playing time, but it takes time to build yourself. Prime example, Johnnie Dixon. Injuries have plagued him his first three years, but the last two were memorable and productive. You cannot close the books on them but Grimes is no longer on the team and the other two could still make some noise.

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The last NSD I watched with a hilarious twist with Darnay Holmes’ UCLA decision. Credit: Larrybrownsports.com
Miss: Darnay Holmes, CB


Last miss would be the youtube sensation “decision” from cornerback Darnay Holmes. He spurned the Buckeyes to go to UCLA and his little buddy was not happy to say the least. I know it is based on their decision in the end, but this is funny and it is needed during recruiting. Separating myself from that has helped and I don’t think it is that serious anymore. This one really grinded my gears, but now its all water under the bridge. Now he has announced his intent to pursue his NFL dreams, but with the transfer portal, rumors have been flying about him coming to Ohio State to sharpen his skills. I doubt that’ll happen, but I have seen weird things happen since following anything College Football.

Replacements: To call Sheffield, Okudah and Wade the replacements is foul, but with Holmes slipping away, they stepped up big-time. I would not change anything with this class, and I am happy that we still have Wade for one more season. If Holmes does come full circle, cool, but if not, it’s fine. You cannot predict things, but things have turned out pretty well so we can’t complain.


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MotS&G MOTSAG Roundtable: Ohio State Football 2019

MOTSAG Roundtable: Ohio State Football 2019
Chris
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


What were your expectations of the 2019 season and how did they change by the end of the season and why were you right or wrong?

Scott – I expected a BIG title and a playoff berth. There was plenty of talent and with the defensive changes Day made I knew OSU would have a great season.

Jeremiah – My expectations are the same as the teams every year. Beat Michigan, Win the B1G East, Win the B1G CCG, and give yourself a chance to make the playoffs. The team met my expectations but the way they did it far exceeded them. To have a top 5 offense and defense never happens. Was a truly magical season.

Richard- I had a BIG title, another pair of gold pants, and a playoff berth. The end of the season was bittersweet, but the team met my expectations. I had a gut feeling about getting a title this year, but the team and the coaches performed well. Still a great season that Ryan Day will build on, even after the NFL exodus.

Chris – I had mild concerns about Justin Fields and Ryan Day for the season, but my biggest concern was how the defense would really improve given very little personnel change. I also believed they would still win against TTUN and have a shot at the B1G title when all was said and done! I was shown I had no reason to worry about the things that I did and this team became one of my all-time favorites .., ever!

At what point early in the season did you realize Justin Fields was a special football player and what was is best play/series of the season?

Scott – Cincinnati game. He was fantastic against a good team. He made it look easy.

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Jeremiah – FAU for sure. 295 yards and 72% completion and 5 TDs. I knew we had somehing cooking.

Richard- FAU contest. Special and never rattled after going down 5-0. Kept the momentum going and he flashed the rest of the season after he became comfortable. The INT at the end of the season will plunge him into another level. We should all be excited for angry Fields/Day in 2020.

Chris – I am with Scott here, 20/25 224 and 2 TD’s passing and 9 carries for 42 yards and 2 more scores against a very good Cincy team.

The Buckeyes offense has been setting and breaking records that have been around for decades. What are some of the reasons they have been able to keep it up against some of the best defenses in America?

Scott – The offensive line played up to its capability and a mobile QB kept the defense honest.

Jeremiah – Limiting mistakes. When your QB has 3 INTs all season you can gain a ton of yards. When your WRs dont drop balls. When your OL doesnt have a false start every other play. OSU has stopped killing themselves and become extremely efficient.

Richard- Balance is the key to a successful offense and the Buckeyes have it in spades at every position. The Buckeyes are deep on offense and the line and the playmakers wore down opposing defenses as the game progressed. With a new RB, it could stall a bit, but once he gets that wiggle, back to the balanced offense.

Chris – This hasn’t just been a this year success story. Honestly, since Ryan Day has arrived the Buckeyes have been able to impose their running will on some of the best including Clemson. A big part of it’s scheme but a lot of it has to do with the front five on offense too. The Buckeyes have been enjoying some great success along the front since Stud took over.

Giving the defensive struggles of 2018, when and why were you convinced this was going to be the defense it was?

Scott – When Day cleaned house defensively. Boom!

Jeremiah – Deep down inside I never was. I know I am Mr. Positive but every game I kept waiting for this defense to have a Purdue or Iowa game and it never happened. Kudos to them.

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Richard- Just the will to blow things up with the staff. That willingness from Day was a good sign for the future and it shows that he values production and accountability over relationships (even though he values relationships).

Chris – This is unanimous kinda. I think when Day cleaned house and took ownership himself in how they were approaching the players and what schemes to go with. Not throwing shade on past coaches(lacking talent) but knowing how to speak to the players and simplifying the coverage’s made a huge impact.

What player/players or coaches were responsible for the defensive turnaround? What was the biggest difference from last year to this year?

Scott – All the credit to Greg Mattson and Jeff Hafley for the scheme changes and of course having Chase Young didn’t hurt either.

Jeremiah – All of them. That said Al Washington had the biggest improvement on the defense. His LBers played great this year. They wont get the credit they deserve but Borland and Werner were really good this season.

Richard- Jeff Hafley and Greg Mattison. They worked well together and locked down the back seven. The Rushmen benefited from great DB/LB play.

Chris – Already mentioned above the coaching change and the simplification of coverage’s really helped. I also believe that Ryan Day has let the cat out of the bag about his say in the defense. Why I won’t be concerned in Silver Bullets in the future.

Knowing who’s returning and who’s not for the most part, what are the expectations of the 2020 version of Ohio State Football?

Scott – I expect to be preseason No. 1 based on the offensive players returning. While the defense takes some hits, they have been recruiting at a high level. B1G title and playoff berth should be on the radar.

Jeremiah – Beat Michigan, win the B1G East, Win the B1G CCG, and get in the playoffs.

Richard- Preseason top ¾ ranking for sure. The BIG bowls haven’t been good and I can see them getting slighted again to work their way back up the polls and rankings. Defense is not as stout, but they are a solid group with Riep, Brown and Proctor using their experiences to turn into dogs in the offseason. BIG title for sure and a playoff berth. Might be another good year with an ending we all want.

Chris – Pre-season #1 and a really pi$$ed off football team. The offense will set some new records just not the single season rushing one. Prediction of a national title in 2020.


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MotS&G Thank You Buckeyes by Ben Van Ooyen

Thank You Buckeyes by Ben Van Ooyen
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


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Thank you Buckeyes

Thank you Seniors Damon Arnette, Jordan Fuller, Binjimen Victor, Jashon Cornell, Austin Mack, Rashod Berry, K.J. Hill, Malik Harrison, Davon Hamilton, Joshua Alabi, Robert Landers, Jonah Jackson, Brandon Bowen, and C.J. Saunders.

Thank you Juniors J.K. Dobbins, Chase Young and Jeffrey Okudah and Shaun Wade

Last night was a hard pill to swallow. I watched like the rest of you as the Buckeyes roared out to a nice 16-0 lead with the intensity that they played with all season. I watched as after that 16-0 lead the Buckeyes had a 3rd and 5 with a chance to get the ball back when Shaun Wade came on a blitz and lowered his body to sack Trevor Lawrence. The Buckeyes were going to get the ball back with around 5 minutes left while still keeping Clemson scoreless in the first half. That is when it all shifted. The call on the field of a sack and a 4th down punt got sent to the review booth to look at targeting. After a few minutes of deliberation with the review booth it was determined that Wade lowered his head and hit with the crown of his helmet while Lawrence ducked as he knew the sack was impending. Was it targeting? Some will say yes, and others will say no. I know that Wade did not go for that hit with the intent of targeting Trevor Lawrence. He had a clear sack and wanted to wrap up and make sure he took the 6’6” gunslinger to the ground. He accomplished that goal and got thrown out of the game because of it. There are pictures and videos out there of different angles and Chase Young getting a fist in the face during that same play, but nonetheless it was called and the game shifted. Clemson then took advantage of Amir Riep who came in for Wade getting a pass interference call and went down and punched in the touchdown.

The Buckeyes got the ball back and immediately went three and out, and Clemson got the ball back with all the momentum and broke off a big play. We hadn’t seen the big play go against this defense much this season, but Lawrence juked Josh Proctor and took it 67 yards to the house to make it 16-14 at the half.

Clemson would get the ball to start the half, riding a 14-0 close out to the first half. The Buckeyes were without one of their leaders on defense in Wade, and J.K. Dobbins was favoring his ankle and it looked likely he wouldn’t be able to continue the amazing first half he had. Speaking of people not being able to continue, I am not sure how a guy who is held out of the rest of the first half after he hit his head, is able to all of a sudden come back in the second half as if nothing happened. I’ve never had a concussion, but I am assuming that if the doctors keep you out as a precaution then you probably shouldn’t be on the field again.

The second half started and the Buckeyes forced the surging Tigers to go three and out giving the Buckeyes the ball with a chance to extend their slim margin. Master Teague was now the feature back as Dobbins worked on his ankle. The Buckeyes drove down to the 45 and were stopped forcing a punt by Drue Chrisman who knocked a pretty punt down to the 1.

The defense again came out and it looked like they were going to get themselves off the field and the Buckeyes would get the ball back in great field position. On 4th and 6, the punt unit for Clemson came out and Cameron Brown came off the edge on what looked like a punt block attempt. He didn’t make it there in time and ran into the kicker for Clemson who I might say did a pretty good job of grabbing onto Brown and making the hit look way worse than it was. If you watch the play again, you can see Brown slowing down and hitting the kicker, but to call that roughing seemed a bit much. Clemson keeps the ball, and marches down the field and takes their first lead at 21-16.

The Buckeyes thought they had taken the lead when a Lawrence pass to Justyn Ross was completed and Jeffery Okudah knocked the ball out after Ross took three to four steps with the ball. Jordan Fuller picked up the loose ball and took in the distance giving the Buckeyes an apparent 23-16 lead. The call on the field was a fumble and after another quick review it was determined that Ross never had possession of the football during the catch and it was determined to be an incomplete pass. Someone tweeted that if that catch had been in the endzone it would have been called a touchdown, and I don’t disagree. Another stomach punch to the Buckeyes late in the game.

After that punt, Justin Fields threw his second interception of the season. The Buckeyes quickly got the ball back with a little over a minute left in the 3rd quarter. Dobbins was back from his ankle injury, and the Buckeyes marched the ball down the field in a little under five minutes. Fields hit Olave with a beautiful pass on 4th and 1 and the Buckeyes again had the lead.

The Buckeyes forced Clemson to punt on their next possession and looked to be driving down the field again to make the lead two scores, but after getting stopped on 3rd and 5 for a one yard gain, Ryan Day punted and Chrisman knocked another one down inside the 10. Four plays later Travis Etienne was again in the endzone and the Buckeyes found themselves down 29-23 with 1:50 left on the clock.

Fields hit Dobbins for two quick passes to start the drive and then K.J. Hill for another to get the ball to the Clemson 40 with a little over a minute left. After another completion out of the backfield to Dobbins, Fields missed Mack and set up a 3rd down which he converted with his feet. 1:04 on the clock and the Buckeyes had the ball with a first down on the 31 yard line. Another run by Fields for three, and a timeout for the Buckeyes. The play call looked very similar to the 4th down play that was scored on earlier in the 4th, but Chris Olave broke off his route thinking that Fields was scrambling and the throw was intercepted by Clemson sealing the Fiesta Bowl in their favor.

The Buckeyes were the better team last night and probably deserved to win. I said it last night, and I will say it again, I am not going to say the officiating cost us the game as they had plenty of chances to score, but the amount of very judgemental calls certainly did not help either.

This Buckeye team ranks pretty high for me on a best team I’ve watched play in my lifetime scale. We dominated nearly every game from start to finish all year, and had three of the top six Heisman vote getters. Chase Young set records on defense, and J.K. set records on offense. I assume that next year we will see them suiting up on Sunday along with about 50 other Ohio State Buckeyes in the NFL. While we will be losing a lot of talent to the draft and graduation later this year, we are also bringing in a very highly regarded recruiting class next summer/fall.

The future is still bright at Ohio State.

Thank you Buckeyes!


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