Matt Tamanini
Guest
LGHL Asks: Are you worried about cornerback depth? Who joins Stroud at Heisman ceremony?
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 / USA TODAY NETWORK
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.
Last week, our friends at SBNation Reacts helped us run a survey to take the temperature of Buckeye Nation on two questions about the upcoming Ohio State football season. Here are the answers from LGHL readers.
Question 1: How concerned are you about the lack of cornerback depth in the Ohio State secondary?
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Look, we all know that Ohio State fans don’t exactly have a reputation for being the most level-headed group of folks in the college football world. So, I was pleasantly surprised that the two extremes in the question’s continuum only totaled out at 18%.
Currently, there are only six scholarship corners on the Buckeye roster and a handful of safeties have been cross-training at the other secondary spot in order to provide some additional depth, should it become needed.
We’ve also heard of some minor injuries to various CBs during fall camp, but based on media availabilities with players and coaches this week, it sounds like everybody should be ready to go for next Saturday’s matchup against No. 5 Notre Dame. Will they all be 100% healthy, probably not, but the fact that — as of now — it sounds like everybody will be on the field is a huge bonus for the Buckeyes.
The Domers have not exactly been an explosive passing team in recent years, although their best offensive weapon will likely be tight end Michael Mayer. However, the responsibility to cover him will probably fall on the defenses linebacker-safety hybrid Kourt Williams who also appears to finally be healthy heading into his third season in Columbus.
Question 2: Other than C.J. Stroud, which Buckeye has the best chance to be a Heisman Trophy finalist?
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Jaxson Smith-Njigba is of course the right answer here as if someone other than the OSU quarterback is going to go to New York it is almost certainly going to be the most talented skill-position player on a team that will have the most talented offense and passing attack in the game. So, no arguments from me here.
However, I am intrigued by how many people think that TreVeyon Henderson has a shot at an invite. Don’t get me wrong, I would love for that to happen. Last season, after only his third collegiate game, I said that he reminded me of a mix of J.K. Dobbins, Ezekiel Elliott, and Maurice Clarett, pretty ridiculous, right?
Maybe, maybe not, but he is immensely talented, and I am very on board for him getting enough touches to warrant inclusion in the Heisman Trophy discussion. Under head coach Ryan Day, the OSU offense has been far more pass-heavy than it was during the bulk of Urban Meyer’s tenure. Despite Ohio State’s offense leading the country in yards and points, they ranked 47th nationally in rushing yards and 102nd in attempts — despite the fact that many second halves featured little to no passing.
So, if you were to tell me that I had a choice of guaranteeing that Henderson of JSN was invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony, I would take the running back every time. We know that with Stroud distributing the ball to Brian Hartline’s insane conglomeration of talent, the passing attack will continue to be electric this season, but if Henderson is one of the best players in the country this year, that means that the ground-game will have to take a gigantic step forward, and that can only be good for the overall healthy of the Ohio State offense and team as a whole.
Continue reading...
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 / USA TODAY NETWORK
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.
Last week, our friends at SBNation Reacts helped us run a survey to take the temperature of Buckeye Nation on two questions about the upcoming Ohio State football season. Here are the answers from LGHL readers.
Question 1: How concerned are you about the lack of cornerback depth in the Ohio State secondary?
Look, we all know that Ohio State fans don’t exactly have a reputation for being the most level-headed group of folks in the college football world. So, I was pleasantly surprised that the two extremes in the question’s continuum only totaled out at 18%.
Currently, there are only six scholarship corners on the Buckeye roster and a handful of safeties have been cross-training at the other secondary spot in order to provide some additional depth, should it become needed.
We’ve also heard of some minor injuries to various CBs during fall camp, but based on media availabilities with players and coaches this week, it sounds like everybody should be ready to go for next Saturday’s matchup against No. 5 Notre Dame. Will they all be 100% healthy, probably not, but the fact that — as of now — it sounds like everybody will be on the field is a huge bonus for the Buckeyes.
The Domers have not exactly been an explosive passing team in recent years, although their best offensive weapon will likely be tight end Michael Mayer. However, the responsibility to cover him will probably fall on the defenses linebacker-safety hybrid Kourt Williams who also appears to finally be healthy heading into his third season in Columbus.
Question 2: Other than C.J. Stroud, which Buckeye has the best chance to be a Heisman Trophy finalist?
Jaxson Smith-Njigba is of course the right answer here as if someone other than the OSU quarterback is going to go to New York it is almost certainly going to be the most talented skill-position player on a team that will have the most talented offense and passing attack in the game. So, no arguments from me here.
However, I am intrigued by how many people think that TreVeyon Henderson has a shot at an invite. Don’t get me wrong, I would love for that to happen. Last season, after only his third collegiate game, I said that he reminded me of a mix of J.K. Dobbins, Ezekiel Elliott, and Maurice Clarett, pretty ridiculous, right?
Maybe, maybe not, but he is immensely talented, and I am very on board for him getting enough touches to warrant inclusion in the Heisman Trophy discussion. Under head coach Ryan Day, the OSU offense has been far more pass-heavy than it was during the bulk of Urban Meyer’s tenure. Despite Ohio State’s offense leading the country in yards and points, they ranked 47th nationally in rushing yards and 102nd in attempts — despite the fact that many second halves featured little to no passing.
So, if you were to tell me that I had a choice of guaranteeing that Henderson of JSN was invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony, I would take the running back every time. We know that with Stroud distributing the ball to Brian Hartline’s insane conglomeration of talent, the passing attack will continue to be electric this season, but if Henderson is one of the best players in the country this year, that means that the ground-game will have to take a gigantic step forward, and that can only be good for the overall healthy of the Ohio State offense and team as a whole.
Continue reading...