A top edge rush target in the 2023 class sheds light on decision timeline
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Damon Wilson | 247Sports

Ohio State is still going all in on a top 2023 target, Damon Wilson as he nears a commitment.

It’s pretty clear that Ohio State is doing their last heavy lifting in the 2023 recruiting class along the defensive line with just a few spots up for grabs. Now set with interior guys in this cycle after the commitment of Kayden McDonald on Monday, all eyes are on the defensive end position and the big three of Damon Wilson, Keon Keeley and Matayo Uiagalelei. Each has long been in the thick of things, but time is starting to run down on their uncommitted statuses with the December signing period getting closer.

The Buckeyes, thanks to position coach Larry Johnson, are in solid position with all three of the top talents, but odds are Ohio State isn’t going to land all of them. Still, with momentum riding at a steady rate for all three candidates, crunch time is on until each of them make the final call, and hopefully two or even one of these elite edge rushers pick the good guys in the end.

In this regard, the latest on Damon Wilson gives way to his recruitment coming to an end in the near future. In an interview with Director of Recruiting for 247Sports, Steve Wiltfong, Wilson talks about his upcoming visit to the Georgia versus Tennessee matchup this weekend, and how that visit will wrap up the remaining trips he has set. In addition to speaking on the three finalists of Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State, Wilson made it known that he will, “probably make it after this Georgia visit” in terms of a final decision.

With Georgia the biggest threat to Ohio State, the Buckeyes are hoping to really stay out in front here as the 247Sports Crystal Ball suggests. At any rate, at least a decision looks to be coming rather soon. If Ohio State can win this one, the Buckeyes would be adding the No. 19 player nationally and the fifth best edge rusher in the 2023 class per the 247Sports Composite grades. Make no mistake about it either, the play this past weekend from J.T. Tuimoloau was not only seen by Wilson, but is playing a role in why Ohio State is so highly thought of by defensive linemen.

The countdown is on for coach Johnson and the Buckeyes. To read more of what Wilson had to say in his piece with Wiltfong, read below.

Quick Hits

• Thanks to the recent commitment of offensive tackle Ian Moore, Ohio State’s 2024 class is starting to really take off in terms of guys who are ready to join the fold for the Buckeyes. As the class becomes the top priority following 2023, the Ohio State coaches are already all over it and doing their due diligence to stay out in front for their top targets.

While it’s not everything, yesterday Mark Pantoni took to his Twitter account and retweeted the highlight film that Illinois native Christian Bentancur posted. The No. 107 player nationally, Bentancur is the fourth ranked tight-end in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite rankings, and with the 2024 class likely to take two at the position, Ohio State is all in on being present early and often for their top targets.

At nearly 35 offers to his name already, it’s going to be a bit before Bentancur makes the final call of his recruitment, but seeing Pantoni sharing his film clearly shows the staff is all in on him and making him a name that will be seen and heard for the long haul.

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LGHL Asks: Tell us what you think is going to happen against Northwestern on Saturday
Matt Tamanini 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 via Imagn Content Services, LLC

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

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Question 1: Which opponent before The Game worries you the most?


For all intents and purposes, Ohio State is back in tune-up mode for the next three weeks. Having gotten through the moderate mid-season tests of Iowa and Penn State, the Buckeyes have three consecutive contests against middling to downright awful teams before The Game at the end of the month.

In all honesty, none of the three games — against Northwestern, Indiana, and Maryland — should really worry you all that much, at least not in terms of the eventual outcomes. But, if you are an OSU fan who came of age during the John Cooper era, I understand why any and all games could get you a bit skittish.

I don’t know that any of them actually scare me, but there is one that I am most interested to see. Are you at least apprehensive about the Wildcats, Hoosiers, or Terps?

Question 2: What is most likely to happen on Saturday against Northwestern?


As I said above, Northwestern is awful, like haven’t-won-a-game-on-U.S.-soil-this-season awful. So, that brings up a number of different possibilities for what could happen when the Buckeyes visit Ryan Field on Saturday.

Now, to be fair, I would not be surprised if more than one of these things happens this weekend, but when it comes down to which one is most likely to happen, what do you think?

Do you think the offense is more likely to put on a show? Or will the defense put up its first shutout of the season? Will this be a passing or running-dominated game? As always, I won’t share my thoughts until your results are in as not to unduly influence the outcome, but I do have a thought (or two or three) about this one.

Question 3: How many points do you think Ohio State beats Northwestern by this week?


Look, the Buckeyes opened as 36.5-point favorites over Northwestern and in my mind, the only way they don’t cover that is if Ryan Day decides to just throw bubble screens and run out of under-center formations all game — then, they will probably just win by 35.


So, what do you think? Will this be a four? five? six? seven touchdown victory on Saturday? Let us know in the survey below, and if you have additional thoughts, please share them in the comments below.


Have your voice heard and share your thoughts on the Buckeyes here:


Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State Buckeyes fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Northwestern shouldn’t provide much of a challenge for 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


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes are heavy favorites for a reason.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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On this week’s episode, Gene and Josh preview Ohio State’s next game against Northwestern. After facing off against a tough Iowa defense and battling Penn State on the road, the Buckeyes should find things a bit easier this week as the Wildcats are having a pretty dreadful year. Sitting at 1-7 on the season, Pat Fitzgerald’s team has already made a chance at quarterback, and does not have the usual stout defense you would expect under the 17th-year head coach. The guys expect Ohio State to roll in this one, and also give their predictions for Tuesday night’s initial College Football Playoff rankings.

“Hangout in the Holy Land” will be posting two episodes per week during the regular season, with an episode before and after each Ohio State game to give you all the preview and recap content you may need. Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Northwestern Defensive Player to Watch: Linebacker Bryce Gallagher
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Bryce Gallagher has developed into a leader and sure tackler for the Wildcats.

As the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats prepare to face off on Saturday, both teams unequivocally know that NU’s defense is what could determine the outcome (AKA severity of the spread, let’s be honest).

For years under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats’ defense has been their calling card. It makes total sense, given the coach’s background and storied career as an All-American linebacker. In fact, only twice in the past decade has Northwestern’s defense finished outside the top-50 nationally in points per game allowed. Many years they have finished in or around the top-25, with 2020 being Fitzgerald’s masterpiece (15.9 PPG allowed, good for fifth in FBS). Unfortunately for the guys in Evanston, they have won only four games since the end of that pandemic-shortened season, and their defense has taken a big step back.

In this case, the root cause seems to be NU’s inability to stop the run. Last year, the Wildcats surrendered an average of 213.9 rushing yards per game (!) to their opponents, finishing near the bottom of FBS rankings. They also gave up nearly 5.4 yards per carry. Teams were unafraid to run against Northwestern, and clearly for good reason. The ‘Cats have improved to the point where they are currently allowing 186.4 rushing yards per game in 2022, but that number barely puts them inside the top-100. Playing in the Big Ten has only made matters worse, as Penn State, Wisconsin, and Iowa in particular have run all over Fitzgerald’s bunch. And I expect the Buckeyes to do the same.

To hang with OSU this weekend, Northwestern will need all of their biggest, baddest, best defenders to play well... Like, really, really well. Because one or two guys having a fantastic game is unlikely to slow down Ohio State’s offense — at least not each and every weapon at Ryan Day’s disposal. So it will take a total group effort, with NU’s leaders stepping up on that side of the ball.

One of those impressive leaders is linebacker Bryce Gallagher. This redshirt junior and family legacy did not see the field often during his first two seasons, but developed into a defensive stalwart once given the opportunity. He is now one of the leading tacklers in the Big Ten – both currently, and since the beginning of 2021 – as well as this week’s Defensive Player to Watch.

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Bryce, a 6-foot-2, 240-pounder from Massachusetts, followed in older brother Blake’s footsteps by committing to Fitzgerald and Northwestern all the way back in 2017 (enrolled in 2019). The Gallaghers shared a position room and technically played together for two seasons, but it was Blake who arrived first and gained most of the notoriety... and all of the playing time. Which was well-deserved, because from 2017-2020, he racked up 332 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and five interceptions, while earning various Big Ten honors. Bryce was ultimately forced to take a back seat to big brother, until replacing him in the Wildcats’ starting lineup last season. From that point on, he has continued the family legacy.

Gallagher (Bryce from here on out) took to his new role quite well in 2021, despite a bit of a slow start. After being credited with just one tackle in NU’s opener last year, he put up five against Indiana State in Week 2. Then seven. Then five again. Solid, but certainly not Luke Kuechly-esque for a four-game stretch. However, he then went on to average exactly 10 tackles per game through mid-November, totaling 70 across seven games. And he was incredibly consistent in doing to. Gallagher’s tackles by game went 10-10-14-12-9-9-6, with 4.5 TFL and one sack for good measure. He had fully arrived, and finished the season with 90 total tackles.

2022 has seen much of the same from this now fourth-year LB. Gallagher sits at 79 tackles through eight games to go with 1.5 sacks. The Wildcats’ best defender has also added an interception and a forced fumble, but turnovers and big plays are not typically a huge part of his game. In fact, it is fair to say he is severely lacking in that department. Because in 30 career appearances, he has totaled just 2.5 sacks, 11 TFL, one interception, and a single forced fumble. Less than ideal, but somebody has to do the dirty work, right?

That is what Gallagher does: Studies his opponent, follows the gameplan, and makes a bunch of tackles when he is near the ball. Flashy? Not at all. But dozens of teams across the country would love to have his steady presence in the middle of their defense. I do not view the Northwestern’s MLB as a game-changing player come Saturday, but he is unlikely to blow an assignment, commit a foolish penalty, or miss many tackles throughout the course of the game. He is fundamentally sound, and will go down swinging until the final whistle blows or he is removed from the game.

The Wildcats would likely need 11 of this guy to stand a chance on defense, but do not tell that to Bryce Gallagher.

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B1G Thoughts: Reviewing the Big Ten at the two-thirds mark
JordanW330 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

With Halloween out of the way, we’re two-thirds of the way through the season and it’s time to see what’s changed in the last four weeks.

Every week after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke or two. Be sure to check out the I-70 Football Show in the Land-Grant Holy Land podcast feed for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.

Halloween is over and people are starting to put up Christmas decorations. Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas’ is making its way up the charts, and soon enough we will be plunged into darkness by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. That means we are two-thirds of the way through the college football season. Now is not the time to lament that CFB is the shortest compared to all the major sports — and yes CFB is a major sport. Nor is it the time to fear the end, as we still have a couple of glorious months, plus MACtion, so we can’t let the seasonal depression win.

Every team in the Big Ten has played eight games. At this point in the season, we know who all these teams are. Sure, some teams like Ohio State may have extra gears they can reach, but for the most part it is safe to assume who these teams are. Illinois has all but locked up the Big Ten West. Can they maintain their focus and complete one of the greatest seasons in their program history? Ohio State and Michigan have been on a collision course since the Wolverines dominated The Game last year. Can Michigan avoid an upset loss to Illinois? Ohio State has three easier games, but teams like Northwestern and Indiana are looking to play spoiler as their seasons are all but over anyway.

Since the one-third season review, we’ve had coaches fired, players enter the transfer portal, arguments over tunnels, and even a disgusting show of disrespect with a number of Michigan State players jumping Michigan players. With four games left, there are a number of teams still fighting for post-season eligibility, while for others it may be time to make decisions on coaches or let younger players — e.g. Drew Allar at Penn State — get some playing time to prepare for next season. Bret Bielema is well on his way to Big Ten and potentially National Coach of the Year, while Kirk Ferentz and Pat Fitzgerald are playing the legacy card in hopes of keeping their jobs.

This season hasn’t disappointed us yet, so let’s take a look at the past eight games.


I would be lying if I did not admit there are a lot of surprises at this point in the season. We all could have predicted Ohio State and Michigan at the top of the East. Anyone who didn’t believe in Fitz’s Magic (maybe he should grow a beard to match Ryan Fitzpatrick) could have predicted Northwestern would struggle this season. On the flip side, Wisconsin being at 4-4 with an interim head coach wasn’t imaginable this season. I had them going 11-1 or 12-0 with a trip to Indianapolis already booked. Instead, Illinois is the class of the West, and if you predicted that congrats on becoming a multi-millionaire.


After four more weeks of evidence, there were major changes to my Big Ten Power rankings. Ohio State and Michigan stay at the top where they should always be, but Illinois has proven itself and taken the No. 3 spot, replacing Minnesota.

Minnesota has struggled as of late and falls to the middle of the pack, while Maryland jumps from No. 8 to No. 5, showing they can win in multiple ways even without their star quarterback playing. Northwestern and Indiana round out the bottom of the conference and should be looking for new coaches this offseason. I am more confident that Indiana will make the move, and there is an obvious hire in former defensive coordinator and current South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack. Northwestern will probably just build a statue of Pat Fitzgerald and let him run their program in the ground.

*Denotes the same player led the category at the one-thirds review


Almost all of our offensive stat leaders stayed the same, as C.J. Stroud, Chase Brown, Blake Corum and Charlie Jones continue to have amazing seasons. Marvin Harrison Jr. caught Jones from behind and now leads the conference with 10 touchdowns. Most offensive awards go to quarterbacks, and Stroud is deserving, but if things were equal the race for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year could get spicy in the final four weeks.

On the defensive side of the ball, there has been much more change, which should be expected as some more recognizable players have started to round into shape. Coming into the season many people projected Jack Campbell and Nick Herbig to be two of the best defensive players in the conference, so it was surprising when they were not leading any stats at the one-third mark. Eight games in and there is not a single Ohio State or Michigan player leader in these categories, as both teams have morphed into more team defenses versus their previous star-led units.

*Denotes projected division winners


I have watched every one of these teams play — yes, even Iowa and Northwestern — so i’m putting my reputation on the line by predicting all 14 teams' final records. I tried to account for upsets and weirdness that happens in rivalry games, as hatred makes team play better. If my predictions are accurate or even close, the Big Ten is looking at eight teams making bowl games, which is not great.

This has been a bad year for the conference, with many typical powers struggling. One thing to note: if Jim Leonhard gets Wisconsin to bowl eligibility I imagine they will give him the job. Mickey Joseph on the other hand is probably not keeping the Nebraska job. This season has been full of surprises, breakouts, and awesome games. Put on your seat belts, the final four weeks are going to be a wild ride.

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Column: The Big Ten is not good enough for two College Football Playoff teams
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Sorry :(

As non-SEC fans, it’s always frustrating to see the near-default of two SEC teams getting into the College Football Playoff so regularly. It would seem that, with Ohio State and Michigan playing among the best football in the country, this year might finally be the Big Ten’s to feature two teams of our own.

But no, just stop.

The Big Ten is top-heavy — as in the top-two teams are really good. From there, there is a precipitous dropoff. Illinois, which entered the first College Football Rankings at the No. 16 spot, is the third-best team in the conference (since, you know, Penn State which technically came in above the Illini at No. 15 already has two losses in the Big Ten East). Previous division winners Michigan State, Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin are all experiencing disappointing seasons.

We don’t want a repeat of 2006. Remember that season when No. 1 Ohio State beat No. 2 Michigan in a nail biter in Columbus and folks argued that the Buckeyes and Wolverines should get a rematch in the BCS Championship Game? Things didn’t work out so well. As it turns out, the Big Ten was really not that strong, because the Buckeyes got effectively thwacked by the Florida Gators on national television. Michigan got pummeled by USC in the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten went 2-5 in bowl games that season.

*shakes head to rid myself of bad memories.*

Back to 2022: Michigan’s non-conference schedule hurt them in the inaugural rankings, and the Wolverines have ground to make up to make it into the CFP — namely, beating Ohio State. Given these initial rankings, it feels even less likely that even two really good Big Ten teams would make the four-team field.

The other issue is the stacking of SEC teams. The SEC East champion — No. 1 Tennessee or No. 3 Georgia — is all but assured of a playoff bid. In the initial rankings, the committee has Alabama sitting on the doorstep as the best one-loss team (the Crimson Tide entered the Playoff picture at No. 6).

If Alabama runs the table they will likely receive a second bid for the conference. Of course, the Crimson Tide have a challenging trip to Baton Rouge on deck, and a two-loss LSU team would probably be the odd one out unless Georgia or Tennessee were to somehow lose two games apiece (reminder that they play each other this weekend on Super Saturday in the SEC).

Then there’s the consideration of, if the SEC has two teams and the Big Ten gets one, who gets the fourth Playoff spot? Clemson and TCU remain undefeated, but questions abound about Clemson’s strength of schedule and about TCU’s defense which is giving up north of 27 points per game. A one-loss Pac-12 champion (Oregon, USC or UCLA) would also have an outside shot, with Oregon holding a strong case if Georgia ends the season undefeated (Oregon’s sole loss came at the hands of the Bulldogs all the way back in week one). Then again, if USC or UCLA got the last spot, the Big Ten would sort of have two teams!

Given that, at this point, only four teams could possibly remain undefeated (since there are two head-to-head matchups of currently undefeated programs), perhaps that would be the clearest route to the field — one representative from four conferences. That arrangement would leave both SEC and Big Ten fans with hands outstretched begging for an expanded playoff.

In the Playoff rankings, the Big Ten was not looking strong compared to the rest of the Power Five. The SEC, ACC and Pac-12 all had five teams in the opening rankings. The Big Ten and Big 12 each had four.

As excited as we were about the Big Ten heading into the season, it’s yet another healthy reminder of why preseason polls are clown shoes. Along with highly touted Ohio State and Michigan programs, Michigan State and Wisconsin were both ranked at the start of the year while Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, Purdue and even Nebraska received votes (in the case of the Huskers, it was indeed just one vote). Heck, Tennessee was unranked to start the season.

We actually have to play the games and cannot base the Playoff picture on paper conjecture, but the downgrade is still painful. And sure, we can digress into an argument for why an expanded Playoff is long overdue. But that’s not happening this year. So let’s save ourselves the heartache and put the entire fate of the conference’s reputation squarely on Ohio State’s shoulders — again.

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Visiting Locker Room: Previewing Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s basketball with Corn Nation
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Who are the Cornhuskers this season after surprising the conference last year, and now start the 2022-23 season in the top-25?

The Ohio State Buckeyes weren’t the only team on the red color scale last year to surprise the Big Ten. Although they never achieved top-25 status, the Nebraska Cornhuskers began their 2021-22 campaign winning their first 12 games. Now, they return to conference play with a strong pair in Jaz Shelley and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alex Markowski.

To learn more about them and go deeper into who the Cornhuskers for 2022-23, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to a site that knows a thing or two about the subject. Jill Heemstra of Corn Nation shared more about Markowski, expectations for the coming season and the impact of losing two staring-level players to the transfer portal.

Land-Grant Holy Land: In 2021-22, the Cornhuskers debuted a future star in Alexis Markowski. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year is back for her second season. Where do you see the ceiling for Markowski? What does Markowski do that makes her so dangerous?


LGHL: Nebraska returns their two top scorers in Jaz Shelley and Markowski this year but overall there are questions around the roster. First, how big of an impact does losing Ashley Scoggin and Bella Cravens to the transfer portal have on the Cornhuskers? Also, does losing four players, two starters, bring cause for concern?


LGHL: The next question around their roster is leadership. Nebraska is a young team, with only one senior and three juniors on their roster. Who steps into the leadership role on the court?


LGHL: Finally, what are your way-too-early predictions for where the Cornhuskers end in the final conference standings and how far do they make it in the NCAA Tournament, if they make it?


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Class: 2024
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Holtmann, Holden, Gayle, and Thornton discuss exhibition win over Chaminade
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Despite the win, Chris Holtmann said his team has a lot to improve on before next week.

Throughout the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


Following Ohio State’s 101-57 victory over the Chaminade Silverswords at Value City Arena, Tanner Holden, Bruce Thornton, and Roddy Gayle spoke to the media about their first game in front of fans as Buckeyes. The three players said that they’re confident in themselves against anyone in the nation if they can continue to improve defensively, but also that there were some nerves — especially for the freshmen.

After that, head coach Chris Holtmann spoke to the media for about 20 minutes and was especially critical of his team’s rebounding effort (Ohio State only out-rebounded Chaminade by eight, despite winning by 44). Holtmann said that Ohio State played very well for “several stretches” but that he wanted to see a bit more effort, hustle, and certainly more production on the glass.

Holtmann was non-committal on the status of Justice Sueing (ankle) and Gene Brown (concussion) for next week’s season opener.


Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

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Scientifically ranking all five of Ohio State’s touchdowns against Penn State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

We are using a scientific set of rules to systematically rank all of OSU’s touchdowns by degree of difficulty, athleticism, entertainment value, and anything else we want to judge them by.

There were a decent number of touchdowns scored by the Buckeyes against the Penn State Nittany Lions, five of them to be exact. So, since we live in a listicle world, we are breaking them down, scientifically, of course.

And since this is my column, I reserve the right to change my judging criteria week to week, heck, even touchdown to touchdown. In some cases, I will judge a play by its importance in the grand scheme of the game, others will be by the degree of difficulty, backstory, and sheer entertainment value.

If you disagree with my ranking (which my six+ years here at LGHL tells me you absolutely will), feel free to share your list in the comments below.

Ok, now, without further ado, drumroll, please.........

Fifth Place: Touchdown No. 4
TreVeyon Henderson 7-Yard Run


It wasn’t a great day for Ohio State’s running game, but this was a fairly easy rush for TreVeyon Henderson. He was sprung by excellent blocking on the left side of the line, giving him a completely unencumbered path the paydirt.

In this game and in others recently, Henderson has gotten into a habit of not hitting holes as quickly and directly as he should, but this rush was purposeful and aggressive, even if Penn State essentially did nothing to actually stop him from scoring.

Fourth Place: Touchdown No. 1
Miyan Williams 4-Yard Run


Normally, a four-yard run that is essentially a dive over the middle wouldn’t warrant being ranked over any other touchdowns, but this one is a great example of just how difficult it is to get Miyan Wiulliams to the ground. He must be contacted by half a dozen defenders and yet he continues to plow forward toward the goal line.

While it isn’t called initially, upon further review he does get into the end zone, demonstrating one of the unique qualities that Chop brings to the table — an unrelenting desire to keep moving forward.

Third Place: Touchdown No. 3
Cade Stover 24-Yard Reception from C.J. Stroud


This touchdown reception from Cade Stover receives similar marks to Henderson’s touchdown, because the tight end simply refuses to go down. This is a pass that only travels five ysrds in the air from the line of scrimmage, and yet, Stover turns it into a 24-yard score.

En route, three different Nittsny Lions half-heartedly attempt to bring him down, and each time he essentially laughs at their feeble attempts as he continues his path to paydirt. What an absolute weapon Stover has become this season, and I am glad that he is finally getting an opportunity to show what he is capable of.

Second Place: Touchdown No. 2
TreVeyon Henderson 41-Yard Run


As I said earlier, running against Penn State’s defense was not something that Ohio State did exceptionally well on Saturday. However, this rush was pretty impressive. This is a perfect combination of excellent blocking across the board and the breakaway speed that Henderson possesses when he gets going.

The mountain that is right tackle Dawand Joneshas the final block that not only seals Henderson’s path, but also seals the touchdown as he cuts across and opens up the hole. Henderson, in turn, makes the slightest of moves to avoid a defender and the rest is simply him running away from the out of position guys in blue.

First Place: Touchdown No. 5
J.T. Tuimoloau 14-Yard Interception Return


I mean, what can I say about J.T. Tuimoloau that hasn’t already been said. In fact, immediately after the game, I said what many people have also said, that his performance was the best by a defensive player in Ohio State’s long and illustrious history of playing college football.


This pick-six is just another example of the freak athleticism that the sophomore possesses. Not only does he completely shed the block from the hapless right tackle, but he high-points the ball, catches it, and is able to run into the end zone with no one around to get in his way.

Not only that, but the fact that he palms the football in one hand on his way down the field and then politely places it down on the ground once he crosses the goal line is a pretty baller move, if you ask me — which you tacitly did when you opened this article.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Day, Knowles, Hartline discuss playcalling, injuries, single-tunnel stadiums
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



The trio of coaches provides insight into what the Buckeyes have (and have not) been getting right on the field.

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On this episode of “Land-Grant Holy Land Uncut,” we have audio from Tuesday, Nov. 1’s afternoon football press conference that featured Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and wide receiver and passing game coordinator Brian Hartline.

The trio recapped last weekend’s win over Penn State and talked about what the team needs to improve upon heading into the home stretch. Day specifically answered a lot of questions about his play calling, especially when it came to running the ball, and essentially explained any ineffectiveness in the running game as being born out of execution and not play calling.

He also re-established the team’s approach to discussing injuries, but did explain that Miyan Williams injured his hand because the chain crew did not drop the chain when he was approaching the sideline, leading to the running back being wrapped up in the chain. The head coach also wanted absolutely nothing to do with discussing the issues around having a single tunnel in Big Ten stadiums.

Knowles also said that J.T. Tuimoloau’s performance against PSU was the best that he has ever seen from a defensive lineman, but he was still disappointed with the number of big plays that his unit has given up. For his part, Hartline praised Marvin Harrison Jr. (and other guys in his room) for his work ethic and said he had “huge confidence” that Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be back this season.

You can watch the full press conference on the official Ohio State athletics website.


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: www.bensound.com

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2025 Ohio quarterback to visit the Buckeyes later this month
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ryan Montgomery | 247Sports

Ohio State will get a visit from one of their top quarterback targets in 2025 near the end of November.

As the Buckeyes slotted in as the No. 2 team in the country on the initial College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, they also saw an underclassman signal-caller reveal an upcoming stop to the Ohio State campus. Plus, a former Buckeye hoops pledge is headed to an arch-rival program after backing off of his commitment to the scarlet and gray.

Montgomery sets November visits


With his older brother Luke already in the fold for the Buckeyes in 2023, one could assume that their position is rather favorable In their pursuit of 2025 quarterback Ryan Montgomery of Findlay (OH). Now, they will have the luxury of getting yet another opportunity to impress Montgomery with a visit to Columbus on deck.

On Tuesday morning, Montgomery revealed on Twitter that a busy November is in store with a quartet of visits coming.


Montgomery will kick his November tour off this weekend as he heads to Athens, along with Luke, to see the Bulldogs square off against Tennessee. Following his stop at Georgia, Montgomery will then head to Clemson for their game against Louisville the week after and prior to his final visit of the month, he will be in Kentucky for their home tilt with Georgia.

Lastly, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder will cap off November with an unsurprising stop in Columbus as they aim for revenge on Michigan. The weekend is already being dubbed as a major recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes with many visitors expected on campus, so it’s no surprise that Montgomery will end his tour with “The Game.”

With Montgomery being one of just two quarterbacks in his respective class to secure an early offer from Ohio State, it shows how big of a priority he is for the program at this point. Any opportunity you get to bring the in-state signal-caller to campus is an opportunity that head coach Ryan Day will take every time.

While it is far too early for any sort of class rankings for Montgomery and the 2025 prospects, the offer sheet is undeniable. Montgomery is wanted by a host of programs including Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, and more but as of now, it’s Ohio State who is the unanimous favorite on the 247Sports Crystal Ball.

Wolverines add Washington III


It was just two months ago that Ohio State saw 2023 four-star shooting guard George Washington III of Chaminade Julienne (OH) decommit from the program after being in the class for about ten months.

Of course Ohio State had little problem addressing the loss of Washington III as they welcomed 2023 four-star combo guard Taison Chatman of Totino-Grace (MN) to fill the void shortly after. However, fast forward to Tuesday morning and know that the Buckeyes haven’t seen the last of Washington III.

The 6-foot-2, 165-pounder announced his commitment to Michigan over Dayton, Louisville, Virginia, and Wake Forest.


While the Buckeyes are likely better off after adding Chatman, this is still something to monitor in upcoming seasons as the two parties will cross paths again in the future. The addition of Washington III for the Wolverines gives them a prospect just outside of the Top 100 and the No. 2 player from the state of Ohio in 2023.

Quick Hits

• 2023 three-star running back Trey Cornist of Winton Woods (OH) added a trio of offers on Tuesday from Kentucky, Michigan State, and Western Kentucky. The Cincinnati native has yet to secure an offer from the Buckeyes but is a likely candidate for one, if Ohio State decides it wants to add a second back to the fold to pair with four-star running back Mark Fletcher of American Heritage (FL).

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Five things we learned from Ohio State’s 101-57 victory over Chaminade
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes handled business against a clearly inferior opponent, but the score isn’t the only thing we’re paying attention to.

With only four players returning from an Ohio State team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, Tuesday night’s exhibition game against Chaminade was an opportunity to showcase the Buckeyes’ highly touted freshman class as well as its three experienced transfers. The 2022-23 iteration of the Ohio State men’s basketball team is looking to sharpen up some areas it struggled with last season, in particular its defense (No. 111 in adjusted defense) and rebounding (12th in the Big Ten in rebounds per game).

With Justice Sueing (ankle) and Gene Brown (concussion) unavailable tonight, Holtmann rolled out a lineup of Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Brice Sensabaugh, Isaac Likekele, and Zed Key. It should be noted, however, that Sueing would have played through the ankle injury if this was a regular season game — per Ohio State.

Isaac Amaral-Artharee opened the scoring with a three-pointer for the Silverswords 55 seconds into the game, but Key followed with a little 4-0 run by himself to put the Buckeyes back in front. The next 10 minutes or so were a back and forth affair, with Ohio State trying to put distance between themselves and Chaminade but failing to do so. Even when the Silverswords would miss air-ball a three or get their pocket picked coming up the floor, the Buckeyes struggled to take advantage at the other end.

After shooting 35% from the floor over the first 10 minutes of the game, the Buckeyes finished the half on a 19-2 run to head to the locker room with a 46-23 lead over their D-II counterparts. Tanner Holden led all scorers with 19 points, including a 7-0 run all on his own at one point. He also blocked a shot, had a steal, and pulled down three rebounds during the first half.

The Buckeyes scored 17 points over the first five minutes of the second half, stretching their lead to 63-29. Likekele — who only has 19 career three-pointers to his name — knocked down a triple, while McNeil connected twice from downtown over a two-minute stretch from 18:59 to 16:51.

Holtmann subbed in Owen Spencer, Bowen Hardman, and Kalen Etzler with 11 minutes remaining, but after three consecutive Chaminade baskets Thornton, Sensabaugh, and Holden re-entered the game. Hardman stayed in, however, and wound up knocking down three three-pointers over a 3:06 stretch to help give Ohio State an 88-50 lead in the closing minutes.

By the time the final horn blew, the Buckeyes had wrapped up a 101-57 victory over the Silverswords at Value City Arena. Tanner Holden led all scorers with 25 points on 10-12 shooting. Key, Likekele, Hardman, and Gayle all scored in double digits as well.

What can we really take away from tonight’s victory over Division-II Chaminade? A few things:

Tanner Holden and Roddy Gayle heading up the second line


Holden and Gayle were the first and second players to check into the game off the bench at the 15:49 mark. Holden would go on to play essentially the rest of the first half, clocking 14 minutes of the remaining 15:49. Gayle played 12 of the final 15:49. The only other player to sub in for Ohio State during a competitive first half — besides Holden and Gayle — was Felix Okpara, who played nine minutes during the opening stanza.

The defense should be better


Thanks in large part to the versatility of guys like Likekele, Holden, and Sueing — who did not play — Ohio State’s defense should step up from their 11th-ranked defense last season in the Big Ten. During the first half alone, Holden had a block and a steal, while Likekele was constantly switching on defense to guard the two through five positions. Sueing — who is 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds — will be able to do a lot of the same things Likekele does on defense.

Ohio State needs to be more aggressive on the glass


The Buckeyes struggled mightily last season on the glass, especially defensively. Giving second-chance opportunities to teams in the B1G who have quality centers will lead to second-chance points more often than not, so it’s an area Ohio State has to improve on this season.

Unfortunately that did not happen during the first half of tonight’s game, as they out-rebounded Chaminade by just one board, 25-24. Nine of those Chaminade rebounds were of the offensive variety, which led to six second-chance points. Comparatively, Ohio State had four offensive rebounds, which led to just three second-chance points.

OSU won the rebounding battle while the game was still competitive, but barely. Against a Division-II team that kind of effort will fly, but it won’t against Purdue, Michigan, or Indiana. Collectively, the Buckeyes have to get after it on the glass — on both ends.

Holden might be your drought-snapper


One of the biggest questions with this particular Ohio State team is “who will get you a bucket when everything goes stale?” In basketball terms: when an offensive possession is going nowhere and the shot clock starts to dwindle, who do you pass the ball to and tell to go make something happen? Tonight, that person was, without a question, Holden.

The fourth-year transfer from Wright State had 19 first-half points on 7-9 shooting, including hitting two three-pointers and going 3-4 from the free throw line. It is D-II competition, but Holden drove to the basket with conviction repeatedly with both hands and on both sides of the basket.

Justice Sueing will be one of Ohio State’s biggest offensive weapons this season, but perhaps his absence was good for Holden to build confidence leading into the Buckeyes’ season opener next week.

Sean McNeil is not the next Justin Ahrens...… Bowen Hardman is


After a lot of effort and correction during the off-season and preseason, Chris Holtmann and his staff hammered the message home that despite McNeil being a career 38% three-point shooter, he is not “just like another player that this program had recently.” McNeil’s game is more well-rounded than that “mystery player” that Holtmann would not specifically name but we all knew who he was talking about — Ahrens.

That’s because the next Justin Ahrens is actually Bowen Hardman. Hardman, the overlooked member of Ohio State’s top-10 fresman class, scored 12 points on 4-5 shooting tonight, all from three-point land. Listed at a generous 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, Hardman isn’t quite as far along physically as the other four freshmen class, but he made some noise during tonight’s game.

It was against a terrible defense and Hardman will certainly be at the back end of the Buckeyes’ rotation this season, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to redshirt. In fact, don’t be shocked if the Cincinnati Princeton graduate plays some meaningful minutes here and there for Ohio State.

Up Next:


With their exhibition with Chaminade in the books, the Buckeyes have five days off before they take on Robert Morris on Monday evening in their first official game of the season. The Colonials went 8-24 last season and 5-16 in the Horizon League. RMU is No. 293 in KenPom’s preseason rankings, and was picked to finish eighth (out of 11) in the Horizon League.

Ohio State’s season opener against Robert Morris tips off at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast exclusively on B1G+.

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Ohio State debuts at No. 2 in the first College Football Playoff ranking of 2022
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 OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes have earned a spot in the top four of the initial CFP rankings.

We knew Ohio State would be included among the top four teams when the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2022 season dropped on Tuesday night, but we didn’t quite know at which spot. The Buckeyes have been one of the most impressive units in the country through the beginning of November, and currently rank No. 2 in the AP Poll. However, while they have done everything they’ve needed to do in dominating the opponents on their schedule, would it be enough to put them ahead of teams with resumés like Georgia and Tennessee?

The top four teams in the country debuted as follows:

1. Tennessee
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson

Tennessee checks in as the No. 1 team in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. The Volunteers have been incredibly impressive this season, currently boasting the best scoring offense in the country at 49.4 points per game. They are lead by a Heisman favorite in quarterback Hendon Hooker, and they also have the best win of any team this year with their 52-49 victory over Alabama. This weekend’s matchup against Georgia has massive CFP implications, as the winner will almost certainly get to represent the SEC East in the conference title game.

Ohio State clearly doesn’t have the best resumé in the world, but they have done exactly what they have needed to do thus far — beat up on inferior opponents. You can only play the teams on your schedule, and the Buckeyes have beaten the opposition this year by an average margin of 32 points, having now added a 13-point road win over a now No. 16 Penn State team on the road as another bullet point. Ohio State’s offense ranks second behind only Tennessee with 48.9 points per game, and the defensive is leaps and bounds above what it was a year ago. That’s good enough to put them at No. 2

As the defending national champs, Georgia debuts at No. 3 in the first CFP ranking of the year. The defense lost a ton of key pieces from last season, but that hasn’t stopped them from ranking second in the nation allowing just 10.5 points per game. They played a pair of head-scratchers against Kent State and Missouri in games that were closer than they should have been, but they have taken care of business lately and also dominated the only ranked team they’ve played so far in a 49-3 thrashing of Oregon in the season opener.

Finally, it was the Clemson Tigers coming in at the No. 4 spot. Dabo Swinney’s team hasn’t looked particularly strong at really any point this year, but they have still managed to remain undefeated and have wins over three teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 (Wake Forest, NC State and Syracuse). Clemson will likely get to coast through the rest of its remaining schedule with games against Notre Dame, Louisville, Miami (FL) and South Carolina to finish off the regular season, but could potentially get tested against probably UNC in the ACC title game. Both the offense and defense rank outside of the top 15 in the country, but the CFP committee clearly valued their schedule to this point over a team like Michigan.

As of Tuesday morning, here were the betting odds for the College Football Playoff, courtesy of the DraftKings Sportsbook...

To make the College Football Playoff

• Ohio State -650
• Georgia -600
• Clemson -180
• Tennesse +105
• Alabama +140
• Michigan +190
• Oregon +650
• USC +700
• TCU +750
• UCLA +1700

To win the National Title

• Ohio State +200
• Georgia +200
• Alabama +350
• Tennessee +800
• Clemson +1600
• Michigan +1600
• Oregon +4000
• USC +5000
• TCU +6000
• Ole Miss +10000

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Big Ten stat leaders through Week 9
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 by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Now 2⁄3 of the way through the regular season schedule, where do the Buckeyes stack up among conference leaders?

With each team in the conference now having played eight games, we are now officially at the 2/3 point of the regular season. As is usually the case with one of the country’s top conferences, this year’s Big Ten contains a ton of talent that will soon be playing on Sundays, but before then has spent the year putting up big numbers week in and week out. Where do all our favorite Buckeyes ran among the conference’s best?

Let’s take a look at the statistical leaders in the B1G after Week 9.

Passing Yards

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 2,377
2. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue - 2,270
3. Connor Bazelak, Indiana - 2,099

Passing Touchdowns

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 29
2. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin - 17
3. Sean Clifford, Penn State - 16

Passing Efficiency

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 200.2
2. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan - 164.5
3. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin - 159.6

Rushing Yards

1. Chase Brown, Illinois - 1,208
2. Blake Corum, Michigan - 1,078
3. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 955

(Ohio State’s leader: TreVeyon Henderson - 552 — 10th)

Rushing Touchdowns

1. Blake Corum, Michigan - 14
2. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 13
3. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 10

Yards Per Carry (min. 50 attempts)

1. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 6.9
2. Donovan Edwards, Michigan - 6.6
3. Roman Hemby, Maryland - 6.5

Receiving Yards

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 840
2. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 788
3. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 783

Receiving Touchdowns

1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 10
2. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 9
3. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 7

Receptions

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 72
2. Isaiah Williams, Illinois - 56
3. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 48

Total Tackles

1. Jack Campbell, Iowa - 82
2. Bryce Gallagher, Northwestern - 79
3. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State - 72

Tackles for Loss

1. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State - 10.5
2. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 9.5
3. Four players tied with 9.0

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr. - 7.5 — 7th)

Sacks

1. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 6.0
2. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State - 5.5
3. Mike Morris, Michigan - 5.5

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr. - 4.5 — 5th)

Interceptions

1. John Torchio, Wisconsin - 5
2. Kendal Smith, Illinois - 4
3. Nine players tied with 3, including Tanner McCalister

Team Stats - Scoring Offense

1. Ohio State - 48.9 PPG
2. Michigan - 41.0 PPG
3. Maryland - 34.1 PPG

Team Stats - Scoring Defense

1. Illinois - 8.9 PPG allowed
2. Michigan - 11.5 PPG allowed
3. Minnesota - 14.4 PPG allowed

(Ohio State - 16.9 PPG allowed — 5th)

Team Stats - Total Offense

1. Ohio State - 509.3 YPG
2. Michigan - 469.8 YPG
3. Maryland - 454.4 YPG

Team Stats - Total Defense

1. Illinois - 224.5 YPG allowed
2. Michigan - 250.3 YPG allowed
3. Iowa - 265.6 YPG allowed

(Ohio State - 270.1 YPG allowed — 4th)

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Game Notes: No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Notre Dame College
1ThomasCostello 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

Sharing thoughts about Monday’s exhibition tune-up before the Nov. 8 season tip

Monday’s Halloween night exhibition was scary, mostly for Notre Dame College. In a game that wasn’t expected to be close, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team took care of business to the tune of a 118-33 scoreline. While the game doesn’t count in any sort of standings, there are notes from the Scarlet & Gray’s performance. Here are the things that stood out.

The Starting Five


Head coach Kevin McGuff went with a different look Monday. He went with the usual starters with guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell, along with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The other two spots were the surprises.

As preseason practice began, the talk focused on the return of Madison Greene, offseason improvements for returning sophomore Taylor Thierry and incoming four-star recruit Cotie McMahon.

McMahon and Thierry got the starting nod. It was surprising at first, but the final numbers on the night told a different story of who could lineup against the Tennessee Volunteers on Nov. 8.

McMahon Impresses


In McMahon’s first game with Ohio State, she set the tone early, from right after the tip-off. McMahon charged the basket and drew the first foul of the game within seconds. The freshman made her first free throw, and after missing the second charged the basket to grab her own rebound and hit the lay-up, completing an unconventional three-point play.

That was a good representation of McMahon’s night as a whole. The speed she possesses was evident, with her looking like the fastest player on the court using the eye test.

Anytime McMahon had the ball, there was a strong chance that she was attacking the basket. When McMahon wasn’t trying to score herself, she was making big passes. In the second half, McMahon made two court-length passes. The first, to Mikesell, was made in Mikesell’s stride, making for the easiest lay-up for the guard on the evening.

Also, the forward’s court presence was fantastic, with McMahon leading everyone on the court in assists, with six.

However, the excitement of her first game led to McMahon forcing some situations that with time will turn into more assists. Even so, McMahon’s decision to join the Buckeyes in Jan. was still evident.

Greene Returns


Although Greene didn’t start, she played 20:38, one of only two players to hit the 20-minute mark. Greene had 12 points, five assists, and two steals on the evening, and looked confident after returning from knee surgery. Not only did she lead the team in minutes but in the +/-, with Ohio State hitting 49 with Greene on the court.

It didn’t look like Greene hasn’t played for the Buckeyes in 628 days.

Shumate Hits Her Shots


Transfer and Newark, Ohio native Emma Shumate came in as a substitute guard and showed off her shooting skills. Shumate’s shot looks effortless, even from deep and on the corners. The West Virginia transfer hit four of six from deep, leading all players with 18 points.

Looking at Minutes


Post-game, McGuff talked about how Monday’s game focused on getting different groups onto the floor to see how they played together. Looking at the stat sheet, two players had more time than anyone else in McMahon and Greene.

Mikesell, Sheldon, and Mikulášiková played less than 20 minutes a piece, but that’s likely by design. They’re each frontrunners to start at their positions, after all.

Last season, McGuff played a rotation of eight different players. Monday, 10 players showed that they can log minutes, including guard Hevynne Bristow who started one game last season before being relegated to a bench role for the rest of the year.

The remaining four players, transfer forward Karla Vres and a trio of underclassmen guards in Kaitlyn Costner, Mya Perry and Kaia Henderson played 5:37 or less. Barring injury or blowouts on the scoreboard, it feels like there won’t be much of them in games this year.

Thierry’s Night


For the second season in a row, Thierry started in a Buckeyes exhibition game. This time around though, it was in a guard position. McGuff opted for McMahon and Mikulášiková as his two forwards Monday, when Thierry and McMahon fighting for the starting forward spot seemed evident.

It doesn’t mean that the fight changes, with Greene a likely starter in Thierry’s place, but McMahon and Thierry played different games Monday.

Thierry’s evening was scrappier than McMahon’s. The sophomore took three shots, making two, and didn’t do much on the boards. Instead, Thierry was dishing and stealing. Of Ohio State’s 40 forced turnovers, Thierry led the team with four steals. Twice coming up from behind, poking the ball away, and creating a Buckeyes fast break, highlighted in the video below.


Unfortunately for Thierry, she also got in the most foul trouble, earning four. Although it could be argued that some of the fouls came from referees who are also in the preseason.

McMahon and Thierry bring different things to the court, and Monday isn’t the lone deciding factor in who starts against Tennessee, but if the offense is the deciding factor, McMahon is the favorite.

Walker’s Introduction


Playing almost 20 minutes on the night was Syracuse and Arizona State transfer, forward Eboni Walker. In those minutes, Walker played in Mikulášiková’s center role and almost hit a double-double but was one rebound shy.

Walker’s play looked effortless out there as if there’s another level underneath the surface that a big game could bring to the surface.

The forward hit all five of her shots, including one from midrange. Walker also added two assists, a steal, and a block on top of her 10 points. Playing the minutes Walker played makes sense, considering she transferred this summer and needs time to acclimate.


However, if Walker’s performance, and plays like the buzzer-beating rebound and pass to Greene can be replicated against teams like Tennessee, Indiana, and Iowa, she might not be a backup for long.

The Usual Suspects


Players like Sheldon, Mikesell, and Harris didn’t need to show a lot in the game. They each showed their abilities last season, leading the Buckeyes to a regular-season conference title.

Each played how you’d expect. There was some rust for Mikesell and Sheldon, going 2-for-10 from deep, with Mikesell hitting 2-for-8. It looked like nothing more than rust, and not needing to prove anything in the preseason.

Mikesell played stronger defense, creating a steal/block combo play under Notre Dame’s basket in the first quarter. Sheldon was the first player on the court to hit double-digit scoring.

Harris came into the game later than expected, after Shumate, but Harris played strong. The guard tied Greene in +/- and had 13 points and six assists.

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Seven things to watch for during Ohio State’s exhibition against Chaminade
Connor Lemons 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

How much info can we glean from a game vs. a D-II team? We’re about to find out.

For the first time since March 20, the Ohio State men’s basketball team will take the court for a live, competitive-ish basketball contest. They take on the Division-II Chaminade Silverswords tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center, and the game is open to fans — although it will likely be a sparse crowd. If you want to watch on TV, you’ll have to purchase a BTN+ subscription.

Chaminade went 9-18 overall last season and 7-13 in the Pacific West Conference. The Buckeyes are facing the Silverswords in Columbus as part of their participation in the Maui Invitational later this month, as Chaminade will also travel to Cincinnati and Louisville for exhibitions — two other teams who are participating in the invitational. With all due respect to Chaminade, they should not pose a challenge to Ohio State, and this piece will focus solely on the Buckeyes.

As has been heavily advertised throughout the offseason, this Ohio State roster is almost unrecognizable compared to the one that fell to Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Tournament back in March. The Buckeyes return just four players from last year’s team, but only two of them — Zed Key and Gene Brown — played more than two games.

With so many new faces in the mix, we’ve been making our best guesses for months on who will start, who will fill various roles, and if this year’s iteration of the men’s basketball Buckeyes can go farther than last season’s. Tuesday night’s exhibition will give us our first sneak peak at the team in competition, and maybe start answering a few of these questions.

There are tons of things we’ll be keeping our eye on, but here’s seven things to watch for during tonight’s action against Chaminade.

How aggressive will Justice Sueing be?

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The long-running narrative of “Is Justice Sueing finally healthy?” is dead. It was asked over and over and over and over for the past three months, and each time Chris Holtmann has told us that yes, Sueing is good to go. Each time we’ve had the chance to ask Justice himself, he has also said that he feels great and is ready to play. Will there be some rust after having basically 18 months off? Probably. But the “will he play” plotline is dead. He’s playing.

The question we should focus on is how aggressive Sueing will be after such a long layoff. Two seasons ago when he was healthy, Sueing logged 28.3 minutes per game for Ohio State, scoring 10.7 PPG on 49.1% shooting. He also shot 36.1% from three-point land, but only attempted two per game. He averaged 7.2 shot attempts overall, which was a far reach from the 11 shots per game he took at Cal from 2017-2019.

Sueing will be looked to as one of the team’s main weapons on offense, if not the main weapon on offense. There will be some rust, but if the Buckeyes want to find success in their early-season stretch of tough games, Sueing will need to take 10-11 shots per game, like he did early in his career out west.

Will he be ready to do that after being inactive for so long?

Is Brice Sensabaugh really “him” ?

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last season, Malaki Branham was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, one of the best overall shooters in the Big Ten, and wound up as a first round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He was a high four-star recruit, one of the best Ohio recruits over the past decade, and played at the same high school as LeBron James.

And somehow, Brice Sensabaugh has generated even more preseason hype leading into his freshman season than Branham did one year ago.

Now why is that?



Maybe it’s the insane dunks he threw down recently at Buckeyes on the Blacktop. Maybe it’s the 50-point game he put together at the Kingdom Summer League. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s a 6-foot-6, 235-pound power forward who is expected to be one of the better three-point shooters in the conference. Maybe it’s how easily his game reminds people of another recent NBA draftee, E.J. Liddell. It’s probably all of that, combined.

In fact, Branham was actually a higher rated recruit than Sensabaugh. Perhaps Branham’s success is making people raise their expectations for Brice, too. But for the Buckeyes to be successful this season, Sensabaugh will need to develop into a reliable, three-level scorer and at least a tolerable defender.

He may not reach the same level Branham did last season with multiple 30-point games, but there’s no question the “Baby Sensa” hype is very real from the fanbase.

Will Tanner Holden expand his range?

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

At 20.1 PPG last season, Tanner Holden was actually No. 18 in the nation last season when hr was at Wright State. His 37-point game in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four was highly publicized, but he actually had a 38-point game earlier last season, too.

However, there’s real reason to believe the adjustment from the Horizon League to the Big Ten will not be perfectly smooth. The jump in talent and size is obvious, especially in a conference dominated by big men. He simply will not get the same looks that he did at Wright State last season at Ohio State.

On top of that, Holden is not a three-point shooter — not even a little bit. He averaged 1.1 3PT attempts per game last season, despite taking 12.5 shots per game. He hit 34% of those, but that’s such a small sample size.

Holden attempted 280 free throws last season, which was the second-most in the nation (he hit 79% of them). He’s a great slasher and uses his 6-foot-6 frame to get to the basket — and the charity stripe — often, but his transition to the Big Ten will be a lot smoother if he can also expand his range a bit and knock down some jumpers. Chris Holtmann has harped on this quite a bit during the preseason.

How many positions will Isaac Likekele play?

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Perhaps the most fascinating addition to this team is 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard/forward Isaac Likekele, formerly of Oklahoma State. It’s still to be seen if he starts the Buckeyes’ first game against Robert Morris, but even if not, “Ice” is going to see a lot of minutes. He’s a versatile player and a switchable piece on defense, which makes him someone Holtmann will want on the floor as much as possible.

Likekele racked up over 600 rebounds and 400 assists at the orange OSU, while also scoring over 1,000 points. He can run point, play off the ball at the second guard spot, occupy either forward position, and even play center in a small-ball lineup.

There may be some games he is the primary ballhandler for Ohio State and racks up double-digit assists. There may also be a game or two where he backs down the opposing team’s big and winds up with double-digit rebounds. He will do every job that needs to be done on the floor. It’ll be interesting to see how he is used Tuesday night.

How much will we see from Kalen Etzler?

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Etzler redshirted last season, put on some additional muscle, and has been somewhat of an afterthought heading into his second season with the team. Now that the redshirt season is over, Etzler is expected to be part of Ohio State’s regular rotation and could become a crucial contributor if he can defend.

At 6-foot-8 and close to 200 pounds, Etzler isn’t nearly as thin anymore as the picture above depicts. His teammates have spoken highly of his offseason work ethic, noting during media day last month that he’s added muscle and has been one of the better shooters at practice thus far.

With four freshmen in the rotation and only one player on the team that’s already proven themselves as a knock-down shooter at the collegiate level (Sean McNeil), there will be an opportunity for Etzler to force Holtmann’s hand and give him consistent minutes. I’m excited to see how he plays Tuesday evening.

Will Ohio State play fast?

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Out of 358 D-I teams, Ohio State was No. 289 in adjusted tempo (possessions per 40 minutes) last season. The Buckeyes played slow, and to be frank, they’ve played slow every season since Chris Holtmann became the head coach. Not that it’s a bad thing, because Ohio State’s offense has also been one of the most efficient in the country since he got to Columbus, but it has not been the swiftest. The Buckeyes have been outside of the top-200 in adjusted tempo every season since 2017.

Ohio State apparently wants to play faster this season. Holtmann has mentioned wanting to “push it” with Bruce Thornton at point guard, even if that means an extra turnover here or there. He told us at media day last month that he doesn’t want to see Ohio State passing the ball “just to pass” — if someone has an open look five seconds into the possession, take the shot. Getting an open shot doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work the clock down to single digits, and moving faster gives yourself more shot attempts, too.

However, we’ve heard this before, and the Buckeyes still tend to hover in the mid-200’s in tempo every single year. Keep an eye on their pace tonight, it could be a sneak peak at how they want to run the offense moving forward.

Who becomes the “we need a bucket” guy?

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Liddell was Batman, and Branham was Robin, except on the nights Branham was Batman and Liddell was also Batman.

Two seasons ago, Duane Washington Jr. was Batman and Liddell was Robin.

The season prior, Kaleb Wesson was the guy, and both Washington and Liddell were also around. During Holtmann’s first season, Keita Bates-Diop was the go-to guy.

This season, Ohio State really might not have a go-to “guy”. When the shot clock hits five seconds and absolutely nothing is cooking on offense, who will the Buckeyes pass the ball to and say “go make something happen” ? The last few seasons, that question was easy to answer: Liddell, Branham, Wesson, Bates-Diop, etc.

This season it could be Sueing, the elder statesman of the team and a guy who has averaged 14 points per game during a season once already. It could be Sensabaugh, the mismatch nightmare whose ceiling seems to go up each day we get closer to the season. It could be Roddy Gayle or Bruce Thornton, two guys who are better “attack the basket” guys than they are jump shooters. Maybe it’s Sean McNeil, a fifth-year senior who is a career 37% three-point shooter and will join the 1,000-point club before the calendar flips to 2023?

My guess is Sueing, but keep an eye on who gets the ball Tuesday night when the offense stalls out and Ohio State needs to cook something up with only a few seconds left on the shot clock.

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You’re Nuts: What Ohio State player had injury issues that hit you the hardest?
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Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.


After playing sparingly two weeks ago against Iowa, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was unavailable for Saturday’s game against Penn State. Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of the season opener against Notre Dame which has kept him on the sidelines for most of the first eight games of the season. While Ohio State has been able to keep their offense rolling without Smith-Njigba thanks to the efforts of Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, it would be great to see the Buckeye passing game operate with one of the best receivers in the country added to the mix.

Prior to the season, Smith-Njigba was a front-runner for the Biletnikoff Award after an outstanding 2021 season and a record-breaking Rose Bowl. It’ll be interesting to see if Smith-Njigba is able to get back on the field this season. If the wide receiver returns, it likely won’t be until the Michigan game since Ohio State’s next three opponents should be easy victories for the Buckeyes. It is understandable if we have seen the last of Smith-Njigba in the scarlet and gray since he is projected as a high draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but hopefully we can see him play a couple more games with the Buckeyes.

Injuries are part of football, but there are some Buckeye players that have had their time in Columbus effected by injuries that hit harder than others. Maybe it was an injury to a fan favorite, a key player, or it could be a player that dealt with a number of injuries during their time in college.

Today’s question: What Ohio State player had injury issues that hit you the hardest?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: Nick Bosa


After his brother left Ohio State and was drafted with the third pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, Nick Bosa came to Columbus and pick up where Joey left off. Following a five sack freshman season, Nick was even better in his second year in the scarlet and gray, recording 8.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, earning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. The younger Bosa looked primed to be in the mix to win the Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in college football.

Bosa came out of the gates strong in 2018, recording four sacks and a touchdown in the first three games of the season. Unfortunately for Bosa and the Buckeyes, the junior was injured in the third game of the season, suffering an injury that required core muscle surgery. After holding out hope Bosa would be able to return later in the season, it was announced a month a later that he would be out the rest of the season, and was declaring for the NFL Draft.

The reason why I feel like Bosa’s injury was so tough to stomach was because we didn’t get a true conclusion to his Ohio State career. The defensive end obviously made the right decision since he was the second overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, and is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL. It would have been fun to see just how many sacks and tackles for loss Bosa could have racked up if he was able to play the full 2018 season. Would Bosa have been able to top the 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss his older brother posted in 2014? Nick certainly had a good start towards reaching those marks had he not been injured against TCU.

Meredith’s answer: Ted Ginn Jr.


What’s interesting about this question is how injuries often have played out in ways that have benefited Ohio State. For example, remember when Braxton Miller got hurt, leading to J.T. Barrett being the starting quarterback? And then when Barrett got hurt against Michigan and Cardale Jones took over? It turned into a national title season for the Buckeyes.

However, I’m surprised Brett didn’t pick Ted Ginn Jr. He covered the “what if?” scenario of if the Buckeyes’ star receiver would not have gotten injured after scoring on the opening kickoff in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. Ginn returned the kick 93 yards for a score and subsequently got hurt on the celebration, exiting the game for good with an ankle injury.

Ginn is my pick because things went very dramatically down from there for Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes. While Brett argued that the Buckeyes would not have beaten Florida even if Ginn were in for the whole game, it would have been closer and probably less embarrassing. It was literally adding insult to injury.

This particular injury also burns because, while it was an amazing play (I feel like we regularly discuss how few special teams touchdowns we get and when we anticipate the next one coming), I hate that such a great Ohio State player went down with an injury so early in his last game. It was Ginn’s last play as a Buckeye and it stinks that it ended with him hurt.

Things worked out for Ginn, obviously, who just retired in 2021 after a successful 14-year NFL career.

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Big Ten men’s basketball team preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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What can Ben Johnson do in year two in Minneapolis?

Team: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Coach: Ben Johnson (second season)
2021-22 record: 13-17 (4-16)

Season finish: No postseason

Players returning: Jamison Battle, Parker Fox, Isaiah Ihnen, Treyton Thompson

Players departed: Payton Willis, E.J. Stephens, Luke Loewe, Eric Curry, Abdoulaye Thiam, Charlie Daniels and Sean Sutherlin

Key additions: Dawson Garcia (North Carolina), Ta’Lon Cooper (Morehead State), Taurus Samuels (Dartmouth), Pharrel Payne, Josh Ola-Joseph, Braedon Carrington, Jaden Henley

Outlook


A lot of people would agree that Minnesota was the surprise of the Big Ten last season. They went 4-16 in conference play, but played a lot of close games and started the season 10-1 with wins over Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Princeton. The only loss the Gophers suffered before the new year was a single-digit loss to Michigan State. They tripped up in conference play and finished with a losing record overall, but the first year under head coach Ben Johnson turned out being an interesting and oddly successful one, as some people went as far to say they may not win a conference game.

The Gophers lost seven of their top eight scorers from last season, but do bring back their leading scorer Jamison Battle, who should be one of the top players in the conference this season. Battle averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season, and single handily keep the Gophers in games at times.

Losing Payton Willis, Luke Loewe and E.J. Stephens will hurt, but the Minnesota staff did a good job hitting the transfer portal hard and filling out a solid roster for this season. Former top-30 recruit and Minnesota native Dawson Garcia comes from North Carolina, Ta’Lon Cooper is a great point guard from Morehead State and Taurus Samuels is an experienced guard from Dartmouth. Braeden Carrington is also a freshman guard that could see starting minutes this season.

Their depth will be a question after losing all that they lost, but they have a great young coach and a solid starting five that will help them compete in games.

X Factor


Dawson Garcia. It has been a journey for Garcia thus far in his collegiate career, but he makes his way back to his home state of Minnesota after stops at Marquette and North Carolina. Garcia played well in both stops, specifically in his freshman year at Marquette. With the Golden Eagles, he averaged 13 points and 6.6 rebounds while averaging 30 minutes per game and starting every game he played in.

At North Carolina, Garcia was a key piece in their rotation, but only he only played in 16 games, starting in 12 of those. Garcia averaged 20 minutes with 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Even though he has played well in his first two seasons, Garcia wanted to come home and play for the state he grew up in.

“Minnesota across my chest, it’s where I grew up,” Garcia said at media day. “It’s where I’m from, and it’s what I’m fighting for,” he said. “(Having) my family and all the people I grew up with and all the people in the stands this year will be incredible.”

It is also safe to say he will be in Minnesota for the foreseeable future.

“There are some highs, some lows, but at the end of the day I got the Minnesota across my chest now,” Garcia said. “I look forward to building something special for years and years to come.”

Garcia has also made a great early impression on his teammates.

“He works his (butt) off, and I think that is something that you want as a player and you want as a teammate,” Jamison Battle said at media day. “The thing with him is the versatility he brings. He can go inside, he can stretch it out to the perimeter. Having a guy like that, with that kind of versatility, (who) can also guard a (center) in the Big Ten is something that not a lot of teams have.”

Prediction


I don’t think Minnesota is a real competitor in the conference or a tournament team yet, but what Johnson has done in his first two seasons is nothing to scoff at. Bringing Garcia back to Minnesota and adding transfers like Cooper and Samuels, they are building something in Minnesota. It could be another long year after losing guys like Eric Curry, E.J. Stephens and Payton Willis, but the future looks bright with Johnson at the helm.

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But Who Has He Played?!

Most non-Buckeye fans will point to Ohio State's recent games against Iowa and Penn State and say that C.J. Stroud hasn't been at his best recently, at least not in the first three quarters of those two contests: "See!! See!! As soon as Stroud plays a defense with a pulse he doesn't look so great does he?!?!" Unfortunately for such fans, the fourth quarters of those games really did happen. For example, against Penn State, Stroud was 6 of 8 for 128 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter (in a span of just 4:06, to be precise), for a pass efficiency (PE) of 250.65. That is oddly similar to his season-long fourth quarter PE of 250.36. Unfortunately for Ohio State fans, however, the first three quarters of those games really did happen as well.

It would be just as disingenuous for us to cherry pick Stroud's spectacular fourth quarter numbers as it would be for other fans to dismiss them, so let's consider the entirety of Ohio State's last game, when Stroud was 26 of 33 for 354 yards and a touchdown for a PE of 178.897. While other fans would like to focus only on the first three quarters of that game, or better yet, to stop asking "Who has he played?" altogether, this is exactly when Ohio State fans should be pointing out just who it was that Stroud and his Buckeyes torched so badly.

Against everyone not named Ohio State, Penn State has an average pass efficiency defense (PED) of 102.828. If they hadn't played Ohio State, that would be good enough for third place in the country. After Stroud was done with them, they're now sitting at 111.04, or tenth in the country. To put it another way, Stroud's PE of 178.897 was 60 points better than what anyone else has done against Penn State all season thus far (Auburn's quarterbacks posted a combined 118.85 PE against Penn State in week three). To put it in even another way, you would have to multiply Penn State's average defensive pass efficiency against everyone else (102.828) by 1.740 to get the 178.897 that C.J. posted against them. That 1.740 number is a ratio (his PE vs the opponent's average PED) and represents Stroud's Differential Pass Efficiency (DPE). Now let's pause for a moment and reflect on the fact that Stroud's performance against Penn State has been called by all and sundry an "off day" for him. However, what if we used this ratio to compare Stroud's day versus Penn State to various other quarterback's best games of the season.

We can begin by comparing Stroud in this game to himself, that is to say, his other games. Compared to Stroud's game against Penn State:
In fairness it does appear, even by DPE, last Saturday's performance was not one of his better efforts.

We can also compare Stroud to the four other quarterbacks who are in the top five in the nation for PE. Let start with Tennessee's Hendon Hooker, who along with Stroud is a frontrunner for this season's Heisman Trophy:
Those two games with a higher DPE are from his two most recent FBS games. Some will say that means everything; some will say that means nothing. Both are wrong. It is certainly worth keeping an eye on Hooker to see if the uptrend continues, but it does not warrant more than that (yet).

Next up is Drake Maye (North Carolina):
Continuing on to a hot new name on the Heisman watch, TCU's Max Duggan:
Finally we have Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina:
For good measure let's also consider the second-rated QB in the B1G, namely Michigan's J.J. McCarthy:
To summarize: The other members of the top-five in PE and the second-place quarterback in PE in the B1G have all combined to have four games in which they have thrown for a higher percentage of their opponent's average DPE than what Stroud did in his "off-day" against Penn State. Stroud by himself has also had four such games.

I’d like the reader to let that sink in for a moment. Stroud’s game against Penn State resulted in a DPE of 1.740. Trust me, that's a great number. But Stroud on his own has as many games that were better than that as five other top quarterbacks combined. Makes one wonder why Pete Fiutak, et al., are turning their backs on his Heisman campaign already. Just… wow.

We could stop our analysis here, having made our point, but this is only beginning to get fun.

Remember everyone's favorite question when it comes to quarterbacks? "Who Has He Played?" Let's explore this. Consider: Taking the average ranking in pass efficiency defense (PED) of each quarterback's opponents reveals the following:

Rank	Quarterback	Overall PE	Opponent PED
1	Stroud	200.17	51.4
2	Hooker	191.64	53.4
3	Maye	185.48	68.0
4	Duggan	182.54	82.0
5	McCall	176.07	78.3
13	McCarthy	164.48	67.3

As before, we could probably stop here. We know that Stroud is leading the nation in PE. Now we know that his opponents have a higher average ranking in PED than anyone else in the top five. Quod erat demonstrandum, right?

There are people who might say that a 51.4 isn't all that impressive for an average ranking of opponents' PED. That's because most people don't realize just how deceptive average rankings can be. A number that is easier to understand, though much more cumbersome to calculate, is the composite ranking of your opponents' PED. That is achieved by taking all of the attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions thrown against your opponents all year and coming up with pass efficiency for that, then figuring out where THAT pass efficiency would rank nationally if it had been posted by a single team. That would be awfully tedious for most people. But when you're a stats nerd who already has numerous spreadsheets that calculate differential pass efficiency? Well, in that case, it's super easy, barely an inconvenience. Doing so reveals the following:

Rank	Quarterback	Overall PE	Opponent PED	Composite PED
1	Stroud	200.17	51.4	27
2	Hooker	191.64	53.4	31
3	Maye	185.48	68.0	34
4	Duggan	182.54	82.0	82
5	McCall	176.07	78.3	67
13	McCarthy	164.48	67.3	59

That puts things just a little more in perspective, doesn't it? It's worth noting that Stroud and Hooker are really well ahead of everyone else. That's because their opponents are ranking that high against the stronger defenses of the B1G and the SEC respectively, whereas Maye's opponents are only ranking 34th while having played much softer ACC schedules. Everyone else is just sad.

So now we can stop, right? Well, no. We haven't had enough fun just yet. We can continue rubbing it in by determining the Differential Pass Efficiency (DPE) ratio for the entire season for each of the above quarterbacks. Much like the game-by-game breakdowns at the top, this adds both data points and context to the analysis and helps us to dispense with the question: "Who Have They Played?"

The columns in the following table can be interpreted as follows:

Quarterback: The quarterback to whom the numbers in that row apply. Glad I could clear that up for you.

DPE: Differential Pass Efficiency - Ratio of your PE to your opponents' average PED

Rigidity: A number that indicates how well a quarterback maintains performance against the best competition. Positive numbers indicate better performance against better competition where as negative numbers are indicative of bullies who pad stats against lesser competition.

Quarterback	PE vs FBS	QB's DPE	Rigidity
Stroud	200.2	1.683	32.0
Hooker	189.0	1.565	50.2
Maye	184.8	1.507	93.8
Duggan	172.5	1.301	81.9
McCall	174.5	1.346	11.0
McCarthy	164.5	1.288	32.2

Observations about the above:

• If FCS game's were included, Duggan's rigidity would have plummeted and Hooker's would've also gone down.

• The Rigidity being positive for all of them is not a surprise. Getting a good DPE against a really bad opponent can be a challenge, so decent quarterbacks will usually have a positive rigidity. If a team is already allowing its opponents to achieve a lot of passing success on average, doing 68% better than that (Stroud's overall DPE) can be a lot more difficult than doing 74% better than average against Penn State (like Stroud did).

• This is a two-man race for the Heisman. With their remaining schedules, it will be almost impossible for Hooker to catch Stroud in terms of raw PE, but he might do so in terms of DPE as the higher rated defenses he's playing provide easier opportunities for higher DPE. (Stroud would have to get a 239.95 against Northwestern just to maintain his DPE while Hooker could improve on his DPE by doing just 16 points better against Georgia than Kent State did.).

Stroud's detractor's might like to ask "Who Has He Played?", but when you really examine that question, C.J. Stroud is leading the best passing offense in the country, and the difference is bigger than traditional stats would have you believe. If the Heisman voters are really paying attention, then their choice is not really that hard this year.

Mike Netti is in his first season as assistant coach in 2022-23. He has been on staff with Holtmann for a total of 12 years, including the last five at Ohio State as special assistant to the head coach. The two were first together at Gardner Webb when they were assistant coaches for Rick Scruggs from 2003-06. Netti returned to Gardner Webb as an assistant for Holtmann from 2011-13.

Netti also spent time at St. Francis College as an assistant coach, Lackawanna College as a head coach and East Carolina as an assistant coach. He guided Lackawanna to 43 wins in his two seasons, including a 25-7 mark in 2008-09. Two of his Falcon players earned NJCAA Division II All-America honors, and one signed with a Big East Conference program.

In Netti’s four seasons at East Carolina, the Pirates won 58 games as Netti saw a pair of student-athletes garner American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team honors. During his first season in Greenville in 2013-14, Netti also helped guide Akeem Richmond to an NCAA-best 155 three-pointers made. As an assistant under Holtmann at Gardner-Webb, Netti helped the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a school Division I record 21 victories in 2012-13. In addition, Netti helped guide guard Tashan Newsome to second team All-Big South Conference honors.

Netti was a two-year varsity letterman at Division III Alvernia College in Reading, Pa., helping the team to a Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Title and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2002.
Netti and his wife Natalie have two children — a son Ryan and a daughter Emily.

PLAYER PROFILE

• WEIGHT - 215
• HEIGHT - 6-9
• YEAR - JR.
• HOMETOWN - CINCINNATI, OHIO
• H.S. - Cincinnati Turpin
• Transfer from The Citadel

PRIOR TO OHIO STATE

• Played two seasons at the Citadel, appearing in 23 games and scoring 20 points and pulling down 41 rebounds
• Scored season-high seven points against Toccoa Falls on Dec. 5, 2020
• Was three-time varsity letterwinner at Turpin High School, and was the team captain his senior year
• As a senior, averaged 11.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 assist per game in 22 games

PERSONAL

• Son of David and Sarah Spencer
• Father, David, ran track and field at Tri-State University
• Uncle, Kevin Kiser, rowed for Purdue, was named the team MVP in 1986, and was invited to the Olympic Trials in both 1984 and 1988. He also earned All-American honors in the shot put, and earned six Big-10 titles between the shot put and discus, and was named the Purdue Male Athlete of the Year
• Is studying biology and would like to be a heart surgeon

247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Highlights
Twitter: @ayeemikee1_



Class: 2024 (high school)
Position: Tight End
School: Savannah (GA) Calvary Day
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220 lbs

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Column: New month, new goals for the Buckeyes
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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Who doesn’t love to make some resolutions on the first of the month?

It’s officially November, AKA TTUN month! The season has absolutely flown by and the Buckeyes have had an extremely impressive one through the first nine weeks. However, there is always room to improve of course, so here is a fresh set of goals for the team.

1. Get the running backs healthy

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson have proven to be the best 1-2 punch at RB in the nation. Unfortunately, they have both been banged up this year and played through some injuries. After the Penn State game, where Williams got injured and didn’t return, the entire load fell on Henderson.

At this point in the season, the Bucks cannot rely on just one running back. Even though third-stringer Dallan Hayden has looked good when called upon, I would feel a heck of a lot better if I knew both of the starters were fully healthy. If that does mean Hayden — or Chip Trayanum for that matter — gets some more reps in these next few weeks against Northwestern, Indiana and Maryland, so be it. Ohio State needs both Williams and Henderson fully healthy for TTUN and beyond.

2. Figure out what to do with JSN

Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has had a really bad run of poor luck this year. From getting injured in the first half against Notre Dame, trying to make his return against Toledo and re-injuring himself, and then two weeks ago against Iowa injuring himself again, he has struggled to stay fully healthy.

However, I feel like testing him in each of these games is only making it worse for him. Playing when not fully healthy is just delaying when he will be fully healthy. Additionally, this could risk injuring other muscles in his left leg, which is the leg he injured his hamstring, or hurt something in his right leg by overcompensating. It’s just simply not smart to test it.

Being this far along in the season, I feel like he has to be shut down for at least the next three games. There is no point in playing him until TTUN, because he shouldn’t be needed. This would give him a full month to work on recovery, since he didn’t play against Penn State. I know all of Buckeye Nation, myself included, feels awful for him and we all simply want what is best for him.

3. Continue producing turnovers on defense

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

I know I just expressed it in my previous column, but man, do I love this defense! They are so exciting to watch and have produced at least one turnover in each of the past seven games. The best part is, they aren’t all coming from one player. Seven different Buckeyes have an INT so far this season, as well as seven different defenders with one or more forced fumbles.

The 2021 defense had 12 total interceptions for the entire season, but the 2022 team already has 10 with four weeks remaining in the regular season. Turnovers have been absolutely huge for this team, whether points are scored are not. They usually come at crucial parts of the game and have been huge momentum changers. Let’s see how long the Bucks can keep the turnover streak alive.

4. Finish undefeated and beat TTUN (duh)

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The latter portion of this goal is what I am obviously most worried about. Northwestern is currently dead last in the Big Ten with a 1-7 record and Indiana is tied for last in the Big Ten East with a 3-5 record. Maryland is 6-2, but these past couple of weeks it has barely managed to defeat both Northwestern and Indiana.

TTUN is a whole ‘nother story. This game has huge ramifications from many different angles. First off, revenge. It’s in the Horseshoe this year so there’s an advantage for Ohio State. Second, playoffs. If both teams win out up until that game, the winner advances to the Big Ten Championship, and most likely, the College Football Playoff. Both teams have been playing extremely well this season, so it will all come down to this game.

Let’s hope each of these goals can be crossed off, but especially this one.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for November 1, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

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BOOOOM! 2023 four-star DL Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land


Kayden McDonald is a Buckeye: The impact
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Analyzing impact as 2023 four-star Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State (paywall)
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting for Eyes

What Kayden McDonald commitment means for Ohio State
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

What Kayden McDonald’s commitment means to Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Twitter reacted after Kayden McDonald announced commitment to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

On the Gridiron


Column: Ohio State’s run game is back to being incredibly predictable
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Buckeyes tied with Tennessee at No. 2 in Associated Press poll
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State names four players of the game vs. Penn State
Patrick Murphy, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ryan Day Says Penn State Win “Wasn’t About Trying to Get Style Points,” Looks Ahead to Northwestern on 97.1 The Fan
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

As if there was ever any doubt:


Film Review: Ohio State’s offense explodes again backed by an all-time defensive performance
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State Rewatch: Second thoughts on a win at Penn State (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Five Buckeyes who helped their cause, impressed in win over Penn State (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Column: What did we learn from the Penn State game?
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Gotta love these guys:


J.T. Tuimoloau’s dominance isn’t a surprise to those who know him best (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

In C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State’s talent won out again against Penn State
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State at Penn State
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land

Listen to Jordan and Dante’s take on the Big Ten week that was:

On the Hardwood


Three storylines for No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball exhibition game vs. Notre Dame College
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

That seems good:

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Women’s Volleyball: Podraza Claims Fourth Big Ten Setter of the Week Award
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Ice Hockey: WCHA Awards Jaques Defender of the Week Honors
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


It wouldn’t have been Halloween without this...

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