Josh Dooley
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You’re Nuts: Picking a fifth Ohio State captain on the 2024 roster
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes have named their four captains for the season, but we are adding one more.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
The Ohio State football team named four captains this past weekend, with TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, Jack Sawyer, and Cody Simon all receiving honors for the 2024-25 season. The latter was also named recipient of OSU’s ceremonial “Block O” jersey, created in memory of Bill Willis.
Simon will be the fifth Buckeye to don No. 0, following in the footsteps of (other) inspirational leaders Jonathon Cooper, Thayer Munford, Kamryn Babb, and Xavier Johnson.
All four of the current players above are inarguably deserving of captaincy, for a multitude of seasons. Not the least of which is the fact that they were voted for by their teammates and peers.
Sawyer seemed like a no-brainer after he led the charge for several draft-eligible players to return to Columbus and chase a championship, while Simon exemplifies hard work, dedication, and persistence (among other strong character traits). Henderson and Egbuka are two of the most talented players on Ohio State’s roster, both of whom put off or delayed individual opportunities in order to pursue team goals.
With all of that being said, it seems like there are (at least) a few other deserving captains on this OSU team... In Gene and I’s opinion. Which doesn’t count for much. Or anything, really. But when we’re 12 days out from the Buckeyes’ opener and preseason debates seem redundant, those opinions inspire world-renowned You’re Nuts “debates”.
So, again, not that anybody did or would ask, but my writing partner and I decided to share or discuss who we thought could have – or should have? – been named a fifth and/or sixth captain for Ohio State. And I will keep my part brief, because I just wrote about this player last week.
In my opinion, Gee Scott Jr. would make a great captain. Because not only has he been a Buckeye for five years at this point, but he has also worked his tail off and made a ton of sacrifices in his OSU career. Originally recruited as a wide receiver, Scott Jr. was asked or encouraged to move to tight end and did so willingly. Rather than leave or even quit at the first sign of adversity, he instead put his team first and made an unselfish decision.
In today’s world of college football, most would not have done the same. Especially if or when they knew they were likely to sit behind others for three seasons and rarely catch a pass. But Scott Jr. put his ego aside and bought all the way in. And he believed in both his coaches and the Ohio State brotherhood.
But most of all, Scott Jr. believed in God’s plan, something about which the fifth-year Buckeye has been very vocal. And his words seem to have had or made a real impact on the “real” lives of many, including several of his OSU teammates. There is perhaps no better proof of this than the fact that on July 14, Scott Jr. personally baptized seven of them.
Whether one believes in a higher power or not, it seems impossible to argue that Gee Scott Jr.’s leadership is present both on and off the field. And that’s regardless of position, role, or stats. Which makes him a great captain candidate in my book.
Ohio State did a great job of balancing out its captains between two offensive and two defensive players, and like Josh previously laid out, all four guys to receive the honor are more than deserving. In the spirit of maintaining that balance, I will look to name my captain on the defensive side with my You’re Nuts partner adding to the offense.
My selection for an addition Buckeye captain is a no-brainer in my eyes: cornerback Denzel Burke.
The senior, like many of the talented players around him, could have elected to enter the NFL Draft at the conclusion of last season, but decided to return to Columbus for one more year to chase a national title. Burke has started in 35 games at Ohio State over the past three years, recording 95 total tackles, two interceptions and 26 pass breakups. The DB had a bit of a down year as a sophomore, but regained his lockdown corner abilities as a junior and is looking to parlay that into a dominant senior campaign.
Ohio State has a good group of captains to help lead the team in 2024, but pretty much all of them are a bit on the quieter side — at least publicly. While I'm sure guys like Egbuka and Henderson are vocal leaders behind closed doors, the Buckeyes could use a player who is going to light a fire under the team when it's needed on the field.
Burke has never been afraid to speak his mind. He is far and away the most entertaining interview of any of the players on the current roster, as he doesn’t shy away from saying exactly how he is feeling rather than sugarcoating things for the media or giving a cookie-cutter answer. Burke is also a player that gets visibly amped up after big plays by he and his teammates, and isn’t afraid to talk the talk to opposing players since he knows he can back it up.
The cornerback is going to be an incredibly important player for Ohio State this season, even though he isn’t officially one of the captains. He brings a ton of experience and leadership to a defensive unit that is expected to be one of the best in the country, and he will be an excellent motivator when the team could use a little extra juice. In my opinion, Burke would make a perfect captain for the 2024 Buckeyes.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes have named their four captains for the season, but we are adding one more.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Picking a fifth Ohio State captain on the 2024 roster
Josh’s Take
The Ohio State football team named four captains this past weekend, with TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, Jack Sawyer, and Cody Simon all receiving honors for the 2024-25 season. The latter was also named recipient of OSU’s ceremonial “Block O” jersey, created in memory of Bill Willis.
Simon will be the fifth Buckeye to don No. 0, following in the footsteps of (other) inspirational leaders Jonathon Cooper, Thayer Munford, Kamryn Babb, and Xavier Johnson.
All four of the current players above are inarguably deserving of captaincy, for a multitude of seasons. Not the least of which is the fact that they were voted for by their teammates and peers.
Sawyer seemed like a no-brainer after he led the charge for several draft-eligible players to return to Columbus and chase a championship, while Simon exemplifies hard work, dedication, and persistence (among other strong character traits). Henderson and Egbuka are two of the most talented players on Ohio State’s roster, both of whom put off or delayed individual opportunities in order to pursue team goals.
With all of that being said, it seems like there are (at least) a few other deserving captains on this OSU team... In Gene and I’s opinion. Which doesn’t count for much. Or anything, really. But when we’re 12 days out from the Buckeyes’ opener and preseason debates seem redundant, those opinions inspire world-renowned You’re Nuts “debates”.
So, again, not that anybody did or would ask, but my writing partner and I decided to share or discuss who we thought could have – or should have? – been named a fifth and/or sixth captain for Ohio State. And I will keep my part brief, because I just wrote about this player last week.
In my opinion, Gee Scott Jr. would make a great captain. Because not only has he been a Buckeye for five years at this point, but he has also worked his tail off and made a ton of sacrifices in his OSU career. Originally recruited as a wide receiver, Scott Jr. was asked or encouraged to move to tight end and did so willingly. Rather than leave or even quit at the first sign of adversity, he instead put his team first and made an unselfish decision.
In today’s world of college football, most would not have done the same. Especially if or when they knew they were likely to sit behind others for three seasons and rarely catch a pass. But Scott Jr. put his ego aside and bought all the way in. And he believed in both his coaches and the Ohio State brotherhood.
But most of all, Scott Jr. believed in God’s plan, something about which the fifth-year Buckeye has been very vocal. And his words seem to have had or made a real impact on the “real” lives of many, including several of his OSU teammates. There is perhaps no better proof of this than the fact that on July 14, Scott Jr. personally baptized seven of them.
Whether one believes in a higher power or not, it seems impossible to argue that Gee Scott Jr.’s leadership is present both on and off the field. And that’s regardless of position, role, or stats. Which makes him a great captain candidate in my book.
Gene’s Take
Ohio State did a great job of balancing out its captains between two offensive and two defensive players, and like Josh previously laid out, all four guys to receive the honor are more than deserving. In the spirit of maintaining that balance, I will look to name my captain on the defensive side with my You’re Nuts partner adding to the offense.
My selection for an addition Buckeye captain is a no-brainer in my eyes: cornerback Denzel Burke.
The senior, like many of the talented players around him, could have elected to enter the NFL Draft at the conclusion of last season, but decided to return to Columbus for one more year to chase a national title. Burke has started in 35 games at Ohio State over the past three years, recording 95 total tackles, two interceptions and 26 pass breakups. The DB had a bit of a down year as a sophomore, but regained his lockdown corner abilities as a junior and is looking to parlay that into a dominant senior campaign.
Ohio State has a good group of captains to help lead the team in 2024, but pretty much all of them are a bit on the quieter side — at least publicly. While I'm sure guys like Egbuka and Henderson are vocal leaders behind closed doors, the Buckeyes could use a player who is going to light a fire under the team when it's needed on the field.
Burke has never been afraid to speak his mind. He is far and away the most entertaining interview of any of the players on the current roster, as he doesn’t shy away from saying exactly how he is feeling rather than sugarcoating things for the media or giving a cookie-cutter answer. Burke is also a player that gets visibly amped up after big plays by he and his teammates, and isn’t afraid to talk the talk to opposing players since he knows he can back it up.
The cornerback is going to be an incredibly important player for Ohio State this season, even though he isn’t officially one of the captains. He brings a ton of experience and leadership to a defensive unit that is expected to be one of the best in the country, and he will be an excellent motivator when the team could use a little extra juice. In my opinion, Burke would make a perfect captain for the 2024 Buckeyes.
Continue reading...