Category: Buckeyes Wire

Chase Young says the plan is for him to return to Ohio State for his senior season. Umm, okay.

Ohio State defensive end Chase Young was quoted by TMZ Sports about returning to Ohio State next year. That ain’t happening folks.

In case you missed what amounted to a perceived bombshell earlier today, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young was quoted by TMZ Sports as saying he’s not thinking about the NFL Draft right now, and that his “plan” is to return to Ohio State.

Okay, forgive me if I don’t hold my breath.

I know Young loves being at Ohio State and all of that, and he’s clearly speaking out of the emotion of the moment. But do we really believe when it’s all said and done that what might be the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is going to forego millions of dollars for “the love of being a college student.”

No way, no how.

There is absolutely nothing to prove for the 6-5, 265 lb. game-wrecker if he were to come back for another fantastic run. Sure, maybe he picks up more steam on his Heisman campaign, or perhaps he wants to set the NCAA record for single-season sacks, or sacks in a career. Either way, that pales in comparison to what he’d be risking if he were to stay a so-called amateur.

There’s about as much of a chance of that happening as Jim Harbaugh becoming a spokesman for Levis jeans.

Young would be able to get insurance to cover himself in his graduation year should he sustain an unfortunate injury, but that won’t cover everything that goes with any signing bonus and long-term type deal he can get as a high, high draft pick.

So while it would be fun and a bit unfair to watch one of the greatest defensive ends in the history of the college game to come back and mess with the game plans of college defensive coordinators again, I wouldn’t put any stock in these comments.

But hey, maybe he meant the plan was to come back to Ohio with the Cincinnati Bengals? That is something many Buckeye fans could get behind as a consolation prize.

Do we really appreciate what Ohio State defensive end Chase Young has done this year?

Ohio State defensive end Chase Young has had a year for the ages. But do we really appreciate what he’s done in 2019?

By now everyone has heard about the dominance of Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. I’m sure other teams have gotten tired of hearing just how great he is, but in reality, the guy is truly a phenom that we are watching.

We might know it, but do we really know and embrace it. There may not ever be another guy like him at the defensive end position on the Banks of the Olentangy. Or at least, not for a very, very, long time.

While his accolades speak for themselves, the amount of awards he’s picked up during the college football awards circuit is astounding. In case you haven’t already been made aware, Chase Young added five trophies alone in the last week. Here’s a quick run down of all that’s happened for the junior defensive end.

Ready for this? Young averages more sacks per game than 37 teams in the country. That’s equal to about a quarter of all the teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Let that sink in for a minute. Especially seeing how he had to sit for two games because of accepting and paying back a loan from a family friend.

Let’s not mention the fact that the games he did play in he didn’t even play in all four quarters. Ohio State was so dominant in 2019 that he wasn’t needed often at the end of blowout wins. The point here is that the stats could have been even greater, like single-season NCAA record-setting greater.

While Buckeye fans love to compare the junior gamed-wrecker with the Bosa brothers, but their productivity didn’t even touch what Young has put on tape. Young has statistically had a better season than either brother ever had at Ohio State, and the games aren’t even over yet. All he did set the single-season sack record in Columbus with 16.5 sacks in just eleven games.

Then there’s tackles for loss. Young is tied Joey Bosa with 21.5 tackles for loss in just one season at Ohio State, but lets us not forget big brother Joey played 15 games, to again — just eleven for Young. There’s a good bet that record will fall as well on December 28.

While we will always look back at the Bosas with fond memories of their dominance, we’d be remiss not to mention the fact that we are watching arguably the best defensive lineman in OSU history.

Now all Young needs to do is score a touchdown. He’s done everything else after all.

The X Factor player for Ohio State Against Clemson is …

If Ohio State hopes to dethrone Clemson and get into the national championship game, it’ll need this player to come up big.

While it seems that everyone is picking Clemson to win the titanic struggle in the desert, maybe there is one specific player that can make all the difference in the world for Ohio State.

In the Big Ten Championship game, KJ Hill was crucial to the success of Ohio State with his ability to catch the underneath routes to balance the deep threat ability of Chris Olave. Everyone has raved about Olave since he emerged last year against That Team Up North, but KJ Hill is as reliable as it gets and is often overshadowed and underappreciated.

In the Wisconsin game, Hill had a game-high seven receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns. His performance in the second half is what allowed Ohio State to open up the deep passing game to Olave.

The tandem of Olave and Hill is crucial to the success of Ohio State, but without the underneath routes, the safeties can stay high and limit the deep threat. Hill is second on the team in touchdowns, but he often gets the tough and dirty underneath yardage that isn’t nearly as glorious.

In order to reach the pinnacle of where this Ohio State team hopes to end up in 2019, it’ll need to rely on the experience of Hill to keep the defense guessing in the passing game. The fact that Hill is Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions says he’s up to the task.

Here’s where Ohio State can cause issues for Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl

The Ohio State football team has its work cut out for it against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. There’s one area that could be the difference.

While Vegas odds have Clemson as the favorite over a higher seeded and higher ranked Ohio State squad, it may just play to the advantage of the Buckeyes to play the underdog role in a game where virtually everyone is picking the Tigers.

It’s interesting how the narrative has changed from just one half of football even though everyone was on the OSU train during the regular season as the most complete and dominant team. Now, it must embrace the role of being slighted and find those advantages to pull one off against the defending national champions.

But here’s the deal. This will be a game in which the talent is equal. That means winning will come down to execution of advantages you have over other teams, and for Ohio State, the one thing that could cause issues for the  Clemson attack, is its ability to get to the quarterback.

It is clear that both teams have electric offenses and stout defenses, but with what we’ve seen, there’s a good chance we see some decent scoring in the desert night. So, a play here and a game changing play there could mean the difference between moving on to New Orleans vs. turning the page to the early signing period in recruiting.

If you’re looking for that one area that can change the game, it’s on the defensive line for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is leading the country in sacks with an impressive 51 sacks in thirteen games. While everyone knows that Chase Young has racked up a plethora of awards and leads the country in sacks with a total of 16.5, you can bet Clemson will look to limit him by double and triple teaming him. That’s okay. His dominance should allow for the emergence of other players up front.

That’s where Zach Harrison, BB Landers, Davon Hamilton, Jashon Cornell and gang come in. If you look at the film in the games against The Team Up North and Wisconsin you could say that teams were able to limit Chase Young, but that didn’t stop others from getting in on the act.

While it is easy to forget about the rest of the defensive line with such a big name as Chase Young, it is certainly important to recognize the others who have been such a big factor in the trenches. It may seem like everyone else’s stats seem quite small compared to Chase Young, but let’s realize that they all feed off each other.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a difference-making talent at quarterback. In order to win this one, Ohio State has to disrupt the flow of the passing game. The Buckeyes are more equipped to do that than any other team in the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State 2019 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP Brendon White to enter NCAA Transfer Portal?

Ohio State 2019 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP to enter NCAA Transfer Portal?

What a difference one year can make. Ohio State Football safety Brendon White was helping to improve the OSU defense just one year ago, but he has entered his name in the NCAA transfer pool per multiple sources.

He finished the 2018 football season as a break-out defensive player with 45 tackles including four tackles for loss, and one interception. His performance against Washington in the Rose Bowl resulted in Defensive MVP honors with his seven tackles, including two for loss and one pass breakup.

White was a junior coming into the current football season for Ohio State and was expected to continue to have a major impact at the new “Bullet” position — a hybrid safety/linebacker position. His time on the field was limited to start the season and non-existent the final few games with the Buckeyes employing mostly just one high safety in a new scheme.

He recorded 19 tackles this season including two tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass breakup through the first 10 games, but did not play against Penn State, The Team Up North, or against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship. When asked about his absence for the B1G Ten Championship, head coach Ryan Day stated: “He wasn’t available for personal reasons” and it is to be determined if he will travel with the team to the Fiesta Bowl.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are set to compete against the Clemson Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, December 28th at 8:00 PM EST. The winner will earn a spot in the National Championship game.

But first, we’re getting some of the end of the regular season drama and nuggets that seem to work their way out into the light this time of year. There’s no word on where White is looking to transfer to, but as that materializes, we’ll let you know.

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Buckeye Battle Cry: What makes this matchup with Clemson different?

It’s our latest Buckeye Battle Cry and we’re talking Fiesta Bowl against Clemson. What makes this game more winnable for Ohio State?

Ohio State has yet to crack the Clemson code. There’s only three meetings between the two programs, but the Buckeyes have yet to breakthrough, losing in 1978 in the infamous Woody punch game, in 2013 at the Orange Bowl, and then again in 2016 in the now infamous 31-0 turd that resulted in a lot of assistant coaching changes.

It’s a small sample size, but there’s many Ohio State fans a little apprehensive about the prospects of laying another egg against a program clearly at the top of the college football world right now. The Buckeyes are also close to the pinnacle, but Clemson has two national titles in three years, and are the reigning champs after administering a public flogging to big, bad Alabama in last year’s national title game.

So, we decided to ask ourselves what makes this year different. Can we talk Ohio State fans off the ledge just a bit by providing reason why the Buckeyes might have a better shot at slaying the Tigers on December 28.

We’ll let Mark kick it off first.

Next … Mark says …

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This Ryan Day guy has been pretty good at coaching American football so far

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has had one fantastic season by all accounts and measures. Buckeye fans should feel lucky to have him.

So far Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has thoroughly impressed Buckeye Nation with an unblemished coaching record. And with the College Football Playoff looming in the near future, it gives Buckeye fans a unique opportunity to reflect back on the season to date, and to see just how truly blessed Ohio State is to have had such a seamless transition from Urban Meyer to the man wearing the headset today.

In the months before the start of this year’s season, so many speculated about an Ohio State slide. Instead, we saw quite the opposite. In Columbus, the expectations are incredibly high, and rightfully so due to the lineage of great coaches and players in the history of the program.

But Day has taken the baton (and whistle) handed to him by Meyer and somehow exceeded those lofty expectations by racing out to a unblemished record in truly dominating fashion.

Most analysts and experts outside the program believed Ohio State would be about a ten-win team with a couple of blemishes during the season. Some in the media didn’t even list Ohio State as one of the top three teams to win the Big Ten.

Undaunted, all the Buckeye program did under Day’s guidance is finish the season in the top five in total offense and defense. The dominance and superlatives are numerous. Ohio State leads the country in sacks and in third-down conversion percentage. The defense is 2nd in the nation in yards given up per game, and third in scoring.

Perhaps most important for many fans, Day prolonged the misery of That Team Up North by stomping the living maize and blue out of it — something every OSU coach is judged by.

While we don’t know how this season will end, we do know that Day has picked up where Meyer left off, and is sprinting ahead with a real shot at hanging another banner in the ‘Shoe.

I’d say so far he’s passed the test with flying scarlet and gray colors.

 

More sources coming forward that Jeff Hafley will be Boston College’s next head coach

Ohio State may be losing one of its best assistant coaches. Sources continue to point towards Jeff Hafley accepting the Boston College job.

We’ve heard the rumor mill, but to this point nothing has been confirmed by either Ohio State or Boston College. But as the days pass, more and more sources and reports are being circulated that current Buckeye defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jeff Hafley is set to become the next head coach at Boston College.

Hafley was recruited to Ohio State to help revamp an Ohio State defense that struggled mightily in 2018. He, along with Michigan’s Greg Mattison and Al Washington have helped retool and revive a defense that has had a more simplified and aggressive scheme. The results have been drastic.

The Buckeye defense improved from one that gave up far too many big plays in 2018, to one that is 3rd in the country in scoring defense, 2nd in yards per game, and 2nd in passing yards per game.

Now, it appears as though Hafley may only be in Columbus for just one year. With success, comes these types of opportunities. Urban Meyer had to deal with it often, and now Ryan Day may have to work on plugging a big hole in the coaching staff if these reports end up being true.

Things began to emerge a few days ago, with one of the most credible sources coming from Bruce Feldman of the Athletic.

Since then, other reports have circulated, and now we have a solid report from the Ohio State end from John Brice of Letterman Row.

We must reiterate that there is still nothing official from either of the schools, but as soon as something materializes we’ll be on top of it. These things can be awfully tough to tiptoe when big things are still on the line with Hafley’s OSU team still working on trying to win a national championship, and with the timing of the early signing period for recruits.

Stay tuned.

Re-live Ohio State’s Big Ten Championship win in Indy

If you’re looking for a way to re-live the come-from-behind-win in Indianapolis over Wisconsin, Ohio State shared a video you have to see.

We’re used to the Ohio State creative team dropping a trailer of the next opponent every Thursday during the season, but we’re in a bit of a holding pattern as we wait for Fiesta Bowl week. But never fear, apparently the folks in charge of these sorts of things don’t need a game on tap to produce high quality content.

We know you are still reveling in the come-from-behind win last weekend in Indianapolis. We also know you’re all about re-living the theatrics of a football script that had some adversity, drama, and — most importantly — a happy ending.

Well, you’re in luck.

If you want to get the warm and fuzzy feeling all over, you can do so by watching the highlight video the official Twitter feed of Ohio State football shared to Twitter Friday.

Just click on the below, turn it up, and send it to all your Wisconsin and Michigan fans. Heck, go ahead and push share and throw it on over to your Penn State fans too.

Pretty good stuff here. Hopefully the OSU creative team is busy making a similar video after all the fun on December 28.

Ohio State favored over Clemson according to ESPN’s FPI Matchup Predictor

Ohio State may be the underdog according odds makers, but per ESPN’s FPI Matchup Predictor, it’s favored to beat Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

Well, not everyone believes Clemson will beat Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Just most everyone. Despite the avalanche of media analysts and websites predicting the Buckeyes’ inevitable defeat at the hands of the defending national champions, we found one metric that actually favors the Big Ten champions.

According to ESPN’s FPI matchup predictor, it’s not Clemson that has the best chance to win, but rather Ohio State. In fact, it gives the scarlet and gray a 54% chance at winning the Fiesta Bowl once all the confetti falls in the desert night on December 28.

So why does the FPI like Ohio State? Because once all the game metrics and play had time to roll into the big, bad machine that analyzes all the data, the Buckeyes broke records for some of the metrics used to determine just how good a team is. So, you’re seeing a carryover.

Of course, this is all just on paper, and we could go on and on about how flawed ESPN’s measurements are (it had Ohio State outside the top ten preseason), but it’s still a nod to how dominant this year’s OSU team has been.

Now it’s all about putting all those analytics to work when the rubber pellets meet the desert air.