Tag: Garrett Wilson

How ESPN believes Ohio State becomes a national title contender in 2020

ESPN’s Bill Connelly believes these two things must happen in order for Ohio State to have a shot at taking home a national title in 2020.

Many believe the 2020 version of the Ohio State football team could contend for a national title again. It has a Heisman front-running quarterback coming back to lead the charge in Justin Fields, a slew of explosive weapons in the passing game, and a veteran offensive line.

So yeah, things should be set up for one whale of a run at some pretty special things once again this fall, but it won’t be easy. It’s not enough to just look good on paper. All the parts have to come together with development, motivation, injuries, and of course breaks. Truth be know, Ohio State didn’t get the breaks it needed in the Fiesta Bowl last year, and it kept the Buckeyes from playing in the national title game.

So what does OSU have to do in order to take the prize home this year?

ESPN has an opinion on that. Bill Connelly, ESPN’s advanced stats guru, put together a piece laying out what some of the top programs must do in order to be a national title contender. Even though Ohio State is expected to be one of those teams, he still believes some things have to be answered.

Next … What Ohio State must do according to Bill Connelly

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Ohio State assistant Brian Hartline doesn’t think he’d crack lineup of today’s Buckeye receiving corps

Could receiver coach BriantHartline, who is just five years removed from the NFL, play for the Buckeyes today? He doesn’t think so.

Brian Hartline has been one incredible addition to an elite Ohio State coaching staff.

While he inherited an elite group of receivers that feated K.J. Hill and Parris Campbell in 2018, his first season as the full-time positional coach, Hartline — a former NFL receiver himself — has taken the unit to the next level.

With Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Hill last season, the Buckeyes receivers were among the best in the nation, and much of their success can be attributed to Hartline.

The 33-year-old had a seven-year NFL career. Having played his last snaps for the Cleveland Browns in 2015, Hartline transitioned to coaching.

Hartline has turned into one of the hottest recruiters in the country, and a lot of the prospects are headed to his wide-receiver room in Columbus. With recruits like Garrett Wilson and Julian Fleming, does Hartline think he could still manage to play with the future NFL stars?

He doesn’t even think he’d make the top six according to the most recent episode of 247Sports’ Social Distancing with Barton Simmons.

“I’m not going to make the top six,” Hartline said with a laugh. “These guys in the room are ballers, man. So I’m going to keep my movements to a five-yard space, and I’m going to make sure they can see the movements and how we want to be excelling, re-excelling and that’s about it.”

Hartline was modest. While he may not have the quickness and may not be in shape enough to take them on now, give him a few months of preparing, and there’s no doubt in my mind he could be close to their level.

In two of his five seasons with the Dolphins, Hartline notched over 1,000 yards. That’s not an accomplishment that most in the league ever tough so it does show just how impressive Hartline the NFL player was.

For now, let’s just hope he can continue to pass down the lessons he’s learned to the next generation.

 

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Ohio State Football Profile Card: Garrett Wilson

A profile of Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson entering the 2020 college football season.

Name: Garrett Wilson

Number: 5

Position: WR

Class: Sophomore

Height: 6’

Weight: 193 lbs

Hometown: Austin, TX

High School: Lake Travis High School

2019-2020 Stats:

 

GP Rec YDs Avg TD Rec YPG Punt RET RET YDs Rush TDs RET YPA Total YPG
13 30 432 14.4 5 33.2 14 86 0 6.1 39.8

Overview:

If Wilson’s statistics from last season don’t wow you, that’s okay. Why should they? He was a true freshman and the fifth option in a very strong passing attack.

Wilson didn’t get a ton of focus or plays last year, but when he did he impressed. Just earning playing time as a true freshman in such a crowded wide receiver room is noteworthy in its own right. The freshman clearly started the year as the fifth option, behind K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor, Chris Olave, and Austin Mack.

By season’s end, though, Wilson had proven himself to be an elite receiver belonging with the crowd ahead of him. He even earned more receptions and yards than Mack on the season. Now, with Hill, Victor, and Mack all on NFL rosters, it will by Wilson’s time to shine.

The Buckeyes have an elite quarterback in Justin Fields––one of the best in the nation. He will also have an elite receiving corps to throw to, including some highly-ranked incoming recruits. Olave figures to be the main target in this high-powered passing game, but Wilson will have to be just as important if the Buckeyes want to live up to their potential.

Highlights

Want to know what makes Wilson so good? Check out his best plays from last season.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9WkyxAWkhQ&w=560&h=315]

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Ohio State athletics by joining the Buckeyes Wire Forum.

Ohio State Football Profile Card: Chris Olave

A profile of Ohio State star receiver Chris Olave.

Name: Chris Olave

Number: 2

Position: WR

Class: Junior

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 188 lbs

Hometown: San Marcos, CA

High School: Mission Hills High School, Kennesaw, GA

2019-2020 Stats:

GP Rec YDs Avg TD Rec YPG Rush ATT Rush YDs Rush TDs Rush YPA Total YPG
13 48 840 17.5 12 64.6 2 5 0 2.5 65

Overview:

Olave might not have been the expected heir to Ohio State’s tremendous receiving corps in previous seasons–he certainly didn’t show it for most of his freshman season. However, he had a huge game against Michigan in 2018, and ever since then he has been the go-to guy for the Buckeyes, and for tremendous reason.

Olave’s relationship with quarterback Justin Fields is going to be a huge asset for Ohio State this coming season. Olave’s development into his own player and a very difficult-to-guard receiver will only make him better and better as he continues to grow and develop.

Don’t let the numbers fool you–Olave is the heart and soul of Ohio State’s passing game. The Buckeyes had a very spread out attack, with each of Olave, K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor, Garrett Wilson, and Austin Mack all pulling in over 300 yards on the season. Ohio State also had a potent rushing attack, led by J.K. Dobbins’ 2,000 yards.

It is noteworthy how rarely the Buckeyes ran from the wide receiver position this past year. Olave had the most carries of any Ohio State receiver, with two. That’s a far cry from what we were used to seeing with guys like Jalin Marshall in the backfield. We’ll see if that changes going forward, though Austin Mack might be the most likely to get more carries.

Of course, the lasting memory of Olave–in both his mind and fans’ minds–is the final offensive play of the Fiesta Bowl. Olave and Fields were not on the same page, and it led to a game-ending interception. Don’t let that sit for too long, though. Olave is too good and too essential to this team to let that define him. He will provide plenty more happy highlights when he next gets back on the field.

Highlights

Want to know what makes Olave so good? Check out his best plays from last season.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASN_02Yk1Do&w=560&h=315]

Ohio State football post-spring 2020 projected depth chart

Spring football in Columbus has ended early thanks to the COVID-19 health crisis, so we look at the projected 2020 Ohio State depth chart.

We’ve already gone through this exercise just after the season ended, and then again right before spring. But we’ll continue to revisit it as we go through the offseason and on towards real, live American football in the fall — hopefully.

We now know the early departures for the NFL, and there’s a couple of dismissals to make note of. In addition, some early enrollees will have a chance to make their mark, and a big-time graduate transfer has arrived to provide immediate depth for the backfield.

And with the COVID-19 crisis shutting spring football and almost all areas of life down (and rightly so), it’s time to project where the depth chart is heading towards the fall. Hopefully, things get a little closer to normal and we have football this season.

Anyway, let’s start things off in the backfield.

Next … the quarterback/running back combination

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Ohio State football pre-spring 2020 projected depth chart

It’s almost time for some spring football in Columbus. We take a look at a projected pre-spring Ohio State two-deep depth chart for 2020.

We’ve already gone through this exercise just after the season ended, but we’ll continue to revisit it as we go through the offseason and on towards real, live American football in the fall.

We now know the early departures for the NFL, there’s a couple of dismissals to make note of, and a slew of early enrollees that will have a chance to make their mark. And with spring football right around the corner, it feels like a good time to do another projection for Ohio State football’s depth chart.

Disclaimer — this is clearly not set in stone and can and will change. But here we go for now with a two-deep.

Quarterback

1. Justin Fields**
2. Gunnar hoak

No change here. Fields is the guy, and based on what we saw last year, look for Gunnar Hoak to get the first crack at the backup job. He’ll be pushed though by incoming freshman C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller.

Running Back

1. Master Teague
2. marcus crowley

Teague still looks like the likely heir apparent to the dynamic Dobbins that’s off to the NFL. Look for Crowley to push for playing time and ultimately grab the backup role. Steele Chambers could also grab the backup spot in and open competition.

Next … the pass catchers

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Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba ready to do “whatever it takes to win”

The Buckeyes have an elite class of wide receivers inbound, and one recruit, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, is ready to do whatever it takes to win.

The Buckeyes have an elite class of wide receivers joining the team in 2020, and one five-star recruit, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, is ready to do whatever it takes to win.

Smith-Njigba is just one of several skilled receivers. Players like Julian Fleming and Gee Scott Jr. will also be ready to compete for their rightful spot on the team.

However, aside from those three, the team will still have weapons like Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. This team’s threats on the edge will be the best in the nation, and at least one recruit will be putting the team first.

Letterman Row’s Spencer Holbrook was able to sit down with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and ask him about the upcoming season and his potential role in the Buckeyes’ offense.

“You just got to look at the bigger picture. If you want to win, you’ll do whatever it takes to win. We got threats all across the field, so coming in, of course you want to see 15 balls a game. But realistically, it’s not going to happen at any level at any school. That’s really not in my mind. However many balls I have, I’ve just got to make the opportunity and take advantage of that,” Smith-Njigba said.

Smith-Njigba will likely be the team’s fourth-string receiver.

Although the fifth-best receiver in the Class of 2020, he’ll be battling with the likes of Fleming, the best receiver in the class, and Garrett Wilson, another five-star recruit and the second-best receiver in the Class of 2019.

It will be a tough battle out wide in Columbus. However, as long as players like Smith-Njigba, Wilson, and Fleming all take their respective roles as an opportunity to grow, this team will be just fine.

ESPN picks Ohio State football’s instant impact freshman for 2020

ESPN has identified Ohio State football’s instant impact freshman for 2020, and it’s someone that many are excited about.

It’s still almost seven excruciating months until Ohio State football is officially back, but we try to give you some content to bridge the gap on an almost daily basis. ESPN continues to project ahead too, and it has published a piece outlining each of its early top 25 programs’ impact freshman for 2020.

In the case of Ohio State — who is ranked No. 2 by ESPN by the way — there are plenty of kids to choose from. The wide-receiver room is going to have a ton of talent with a bunch of four and five-star recruits already practicing at the Woody, offensive lineman Paris Johnson, Jr is a beat and could make an immediate impact, and others could jump up and surprise. The class is loaded and some already making development strides in practice as early enrollees.

So which way did ESPN go? How about picking one of the top recruits in the entire country no matter what recruiting service you look at. Every program wanted Julian Fleming, but he chose Ohio State over Penn State and others. He was the consensus top-rated wide receiver coming out in the 2020 class and there’s good reason why.

At 6-2, 200 lbs., Fleming has the size and physicality to get off the line and make catches in traffic, but he’s got underrated speed too — almost winning the fastest man contest at The Opening.

Here is what Tom VanHaaren says about Fleming:

The Buckeyes are losing receivers K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack from the roster and have an opportunity for a receiver such as Fleming to come in and contribute early. There are other receivers on the roster, but as Garrett Wilson showed last season, coach Ryan Day isn’t afraid to let a freshman play often if he’s the best option. Fleming is a bigger-bodied receiver, at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, and has a lot of physical tools that should help him assimilate to the college game quickly. Wide receivers JaxonSmith-Njigba and Gee Scott Jr. will also have an opportunity to help the offense, but Fleming seems to be a step ahead.

Can you imagine if Fleming does flash his potential and play a lot in 2020? Combine him with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and it’ll be hard for opposing defenses to game plan against the weapons quarterback Justin Fields will be able to throw too.

One thing is for sure — it should be a lot of fun again in 2020 around and on the banks of the Olentangy.

Ohio State Football: 2020 will be Garrett Wilson’s time to shine

Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson showed flashes of potential as a freshman, and as a sophomore, he may be ready to take over as a top threat.

As Ohio State’s looks towards the future, it will have numerous options at wide receiver. Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and then five-star recruit Julian Fleming will all be top threats for Justin Fields.

Like Olave did for K.J. Hill, Wilson will step into that No. 2 role. After not being overly used by Ryan Day this past season, Wilson managed to occasionally showcase his dynamic athleticism — especially at the end of the year.

In 2020, he’ll get a chance to take that playmaking to the next level on the national stage. During his freshman season, Wilson managed to snag 30 receptions for 432 yards.

The 5-foot-11.5 Austin-native had a 118-yard breakout performance against Michigan. With just three catches and a touchdown, Wilson broke away for a couple of huge plays.

Now, with a year of experience under his belt, he should be able to come back even more impactful. Part of that may come when looking at who will be defending him. Likely seeing the team’s No. 2 cornerback, an experienced Wilson should have a field day in the Big Ten.

“Since I’ve been here, I haven’t seen anyone that possesses those ball skills and how naturally he’s able to locate the ball and high-point the ball. I think if you look at it with another offseason with [strength coach] Mick [Marotti] and [wide receivers coach Brian] Hartline and as he starts to mature as a player, he can only get so much better,” Jeff Okudah told Letterman Row’s Spencer Holbrook regarding Wilson’s skill set.

That’s high praise coming from a projected top-three overall pick. At the end of the day, Wilson’s path to the NFL is right in front of him, and exploding onto the scene in 2020 will be a huge step into the spotlight.

It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.

Is Ohio State football becoming wide-receiver U?

Ohio State has been known for being a run-heavy team throughout its history, but is it now becoming Wide Receiver U?

It’s been well documented that Ohio State has been laying claim as “DBU” for churning out NFL defensive backs throughout history. The Bucks may start claiming the title of “Wide Receiver U” before too long.

Ohio State was a little late to the passing game as Buckeye Legend Woody Hayes famously said: “There are only three things can happen on a pass, and two of them are bad.” But Ohio State would start to evolve with names like Chris Carter, Terry Glenn, and David Boston in the 80’s and 90’s.

However, you might be surprised to know that since the 2000 NFL draft, Ohio State has had more receivers drafted than any other college program. It’ll no doubt add to that total with guys like KJ Hill and Austin Mack this coming April.

It seems now, Columbus is the place to be for highly-touted receivers to land. The 2020 recruiting class lays claim to the No. 1, No. 5, No. 12, and No. 15 ranked receivers in the nation (Julian Flemming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Gee Scott, Jr., and Mookie Cooper). Add this class to what was a strong 2019 receiving class led by the No. 2 nationally-ranked receiver, Garrett Wilson, and there is something special in the making.

Speaking of Garrett Wilson, he and fellow Buckeye Wideout, Chris Olave just made the Pro Football Focus list of top 25 receivers returning to college football in 2020.  Wilson comes in at No. 24 and Olave makes the ranking at No. 10.

Brian Hartline is doing work not only bringing in top-level talent, but developing that talent as well. And we’re excited to see what this explosive group can do going forward.