Tag: ohio state

Which jersey number is Chase Young going to use with the Saints?

Forget the contract and schematic fit. The real question is which jersey number is Chase Young going to use with the New Orleans Saints?

The New Orleans Saints made a splash in free agency by signing Chase Young, who could do a lot to change Cameron Jordan’s role and allow them to both play their best football. But beyond the salary cap ramifications of acquiring Young and how he’ll fit into the defense, we’ve got to consider the most important question: what jersey number is Young going to be wearing?

Young has worn two different numbers in the NFL, choosing No. 99 (with Washington) and No. 92 (with San Francisco). Right now, both of those are taken by Khalen Saunders and Tanoh Kpassagnon, respectively. Before he turned pro Young used No. 2 at Ohio State, and while that is available the Saints showed last year they didn’t understand the new rules by not allowing Jason Pierre-Paul to wear a linebacker number. They insisted he be listed as a defensive end, who are not eligible for wearing single digits.

Chris Olave has already shown an interest in switching to No. 2 (which he also wore in college at Ohio State), and there wouldn’t be any question about a wide receiver using it.

What about Young’s high school number? He transferred from St. Vincent Pallotti High School, where he wore No. 34, to DeMatha Catholic High School, where he switched to No. 9. Drew Brees’ number is unofficially retired, so we can scratch that out. Which means the only number Young has used before, No. 34, is also the only one still available. But it isn’t eligible for defensive linemen, so the Saints would have to list Young on the roster as an outside linebacker, which they’ve been reluctant to do before.

There are two numbers in the nineties that could appeal to Young: Nos. 91 and 97, last used by Kyle Phillips and Malcolm Roach. It’s also possible he could buy out his preferred number from Saunders or Kpassagnon, or go with something fresh altogether. It’s a curious situation, but honestly pretty low-stakes given everything else going on with this team and the world at large. We’ll keep an eye out for an update.

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Former second overall draft pick Chase Young visiting Saints

Former second-overall draft pick Chase Young is visiting the Saints on Friday. He might be the best pass rusher remaining in free agency:

The New Orleans Saints have scheduled a big free agent visit on Friday with Chase Young coming to town, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. Young might be the best pass rusher still on the market after bagging 7.5 sacks last season with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders (with another sack in the playoffs). He was picked second overall in the 2020 draft right after Joe Burrow, having played college football at Ohio State.

And Young is a highly sought-after player. He already met with the Carolina Panthers and has lined up another free agent visit with the Tennessee Titans. There’s a good chance he meets with Saints brass, hears what they have to offer, and then heads out to continue gauging his value around the league. He’ll turn 25 next month and has a big decision in front of him.

We’ll see if the Saints can keep him from ever setting out for Nashville. They badly need a high-end pass rusher in the rotation who can replace Cameron Jordan on third downs and in obvious passing situations. The Saints tied for the fourth-fewest sacks last season, and Young could do a lot to help them. As with many things, though, this is going to come down to money.

Update: Young’s visit has been rescheduled, Underhill reports. Fans shouldn’t read into this one way or another until we have more information. It could be as simple as Young’s flight getting canceled. Either way, this story isn’t going to wrap up quickly.

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Chris Olave may be going back to his college jersey number

With the loss of Jameis Winston to the Cleveland Browns, Chris Olave has floated the thought of changing back to his jersey number:

The offseason is in full swing, and with that, the New Orleans Saints are reportedly going to be losing Jameis Winston to the Cleveland Browns. It’s an opportunity for wide receiver Chriis Olave to return to his old college jersey number.

In his first two seasons at Ohio State, Olave wore No. 17 as his teammate J.K. Dobbins was using  No. 2; however, Olave would snap it up in his junior and senior years. Then he had to move on to No. 12 in the NFL with Jameis Winston having already claimed it. However, with Winston reportedly gone, that frees up Olave to return to his preferred number.

Olave responded to Alontae Taylor, who wears No. 1, on Twitter when Taylor asked if he wanted to rep the “1 & 2 combo” and his brother Josh Olave would also send out a post about the potential number change:

If this number change were to go into effect, Olave would be the first wide receiver to wear it for the Saints. There have only been six others to wear No. 2 for New Orleans, all of whom were kickers or quarterbacks:

  • K Chip Lohmiller: 1995
  • QB Aaron Brooks: 2000-2005
  • K Olindo Mare: 2007
  • K John Kasay: 2011
  • K Zach Hocker: 2015
  • QB Jameis Winston: 2020-2023

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Panthers cutting former Saints safety Vonn Bell

The new Panthers GM is cutting many of his predecessor’s free agent signings, including former Saints safety Vonn Bell. Would a reunion make sense?

The Carolina Panthers are releasing veteran safety Vonn Bell, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who they just signed a year ago. Depending on whether or not the Panthers are designating Bell a post-June 1 cut, they’ll be paying $7.9 million to $9.8 million in dead money while Bell is playing elsewhere.

Could he return to the New Orleans Saints? Bell, who turned 29 in December, has developed into a well-rounded safety with better ball skills than he showed in his four years with the Saints. After intercepting just one pass (and breaking up 14 others) in his first 61 games, all in New Orleans, Bell has picked off opposing quarterbacks 6 times with 23 pass deflections in his last 61 games, all starts for the Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals.

Bell clearly knows the system Dennis Allen is running very well. He just had the misfortune of being stuck in Carolina during the middle of a regime change with new general manager Dan Morgan torching many of the contracts his predecessor handed out, including Bell’s. The Saints have to be looking for a replacement at free safety after deciding to release Marcus Maye, or at least competition for second-year pro Jordan Howden. Bell would fit the bill.

So this is something to watch in the days ahead. Bell is several years younger than Malcolm Jenkins was when he reunited with the Saints after a successful run on the Philadelphia Eagles, and he may still have something left in the tank. We’ll see if any interest materializes.

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The Big Ten regular season is over as Rutgers men’s basketball falls to Ohio State

Rutgers men’s basketball lost their Big Ten regular season finale.

On Sunday afternoon, Rutgers men’s basketball could not get much going offensively in their regular-season finale against Ohio State. After a strong start, Rutgers fell apart in the second half as Ohio State left New Jersey with a 73-51 win.

Rutgers finished the regular season 15-16 (7-13 Big Ten). They lost their last three games including six of their last seven.

As Ohio State outscored Rutgers 43-23 in the second half, they got impressive performances from Roddy Gayle Jr. and Bruce Thornton. Gayle Jr. led Ohio State in scoring with 14 points. Thornton added 11 points to his resume and was tied for second on the team in rebounds with five.

While Sunday ended in disappointing fashion, there were still a few bright spots for Rutgers. That list includes Aundre Hyatt and Clifford Omoruyi. Hyatt led the team in scoring with 11 points in 28 minutes of action. Omoruyi continued to make an impact on the board with a team-high seven rebounds.

 

 

In this matchup, Ohio State was able to build its lead partly due to its success from beyond the arc. The Buckeyes shot 45 percent from three-point range, while Rutgers shot 22.2 percent. They also had success close to the basket, outscoring Rutgers 28-20 in the paint.

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Although Rutgers regular season is over, the last few months have provided optimism for the future, with prospects like Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper months away from starting their college careers.

Oh, and there is the upcoming Big Ten Tournament as well.

Lady Vols shut out Ohio State to end Tennessee Invitational

Lady Vols shut out Ohio State to end play in the Tennessee Invitational.

No. 8 Tennessee (18-4) defeated Ohio State (10-5), 11-0 in five innings, on Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The contest was part of the Tennessee Invitational.

Karlyn Pickens (9-2) started for the Lady Vols. She pitched five innings and recorded five strikeouts. Pickens totaled 73 pitches, including 48 strikes, against 18 batters.

Tennessee totaled nine hits against the Buckeyes, including two home runs by Sophia Nugent and Zaida Puni.

The Lady Vols will next play at Howard on Monday. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. EDT in Washington, D.C.

Tennessee will open Southeastern Conference play on Friday against Missouri at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. EDT (SEC Network+).

Lady Vols shut out Ohio State in Tennessee Invitational

Lady Vols softball shuts out Ohio State in the Tennessee Invitational.

No. 8 Tennessee (17-4) defeated Ohio State (10-5), 5-0, on Saturday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Saturday’s contest was part of the Tennessee Invitational.

Payton Gottshall (7-2) started for the Lady Vols and pitched 5.2 innings. She recorded six strikeouts, while allowing three hits and zero walks. Gottshall totaled 84 pitches, including 60 strikes, against 21 batters.

Karlyn Pickens pitched 1.1 innings in relief for the Lady Vols and recorded two strikeouts.

Tennessee totaled six hits in the contest to Ohio State’s three.

The Lady Vols and Buckeyes are slated to play on Sunday in the Tennessee Invitational. First pitch between Tennessee and Ohio State is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 61, Ohio State S Josh Proctor

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Ohio State safety Josh Proctor.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers have a new defensive coordinator in town. While this may be Jeff Hafley’s first stint as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, he’s had plenty of stops along the way to lead one to believe he could be a successful coordinator. One of those stops was at Ohio State in 2019, where he served as a co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach.

A player that Hafley coached at Ohio State is Josh Proctor. Given his familiarity with Hafley, the Ohio State safety could be a Day 3 target in the 2024 NFL Draft for the Packers as they look for safety help this offseason.

A four-star recruit, Proctor picked off one pass and broke up three more passes during the 2019 season. The following season, the Ohio State safety picked off one pass and recorded one tackle for loss.

Proctor suffered a compound fracture during the 2021 season and started to look like his former self this past season. Proctor recorded 47 tackles, four tackles for loss, one interception and broke up eight passes.

“Josh Proctor was the guy who tied everything together for the Ohio State defense,” Tony Gerdeman, the lead writer for Buckeye Huddle, said. “The Buckeyes generally play a two-high defense and Proctor was the free safety playing the wide side of the field. He was often the last line of defense for a unit that allowed just two plays of 40 yards on the season. He was a sixth-year guy last year so he’s seen everything and played in multiple defensive systems. Last year was the first time in his OSU career that he played in the same defensive system with the same defensive coordinator two years in a row, which has also hampered his growth and production.”

Proctor brings a certain level of versatility to the secondary. He can line up in the slot and matchup with wide receivers and has the size to cover tight ends. The former four-star recruit also can play deep. 

“Proctor had a compound fracture of his right leg in 2021 so he’s probably not the athlete he once was, but he never looked held back last year,” Gerdeman said. “Some people will tell you that his greatest strength is his physicality, but that implies he’s an in-the-box safety, which doesn’t truly describe his overall skill set. He can cover ground as a deep safety or be a strong safety to help out closer to the line of scrimmage. His greatest strength is probably that he can be any kind of safety you need.”

Whoa, impressive wingspan. The Ohio State safety is well-put together and has long arms and a wide tackle radius to lasso ball carriers to the ground. He’s a reliable tackler and is fearless coming downhill. He runs the alley with purpose and closes with burst. 

“Proctor is best known by Ohio State fans for this big hit from his sophomore season back in 2019, so he doesn’t shy away from the contact and has the size to hold up,” Gerdeman said. “You don’t see him miss many tackles. It’s never been an issue with him.”

In coverage, Proctor has good range playing centerfield and gets proper depth. The former four-star recruit has good field vision and trusts his eyes. He’s a smart player and keeps everything in front of him. The Buckeye safety understands angles and gets from point A to point B quickly. He uses his length to choke passing lanes. 

“Early in his career Proctor was known as a guy who had a way of finding the football,” Gerdeman said. “In fall camp as a sophomore, he was coming up with multiple interceptions each week. He even started earning some comparisons to 2016 OSU First-Team All-American Malik Hooker, who was a first-round pick in 2017. Former defensive coordinator Greg Schiano would also talk about his range back then. He was the backup to Jordan Fuller during his first two years on campus. Consistency has been an issue throughout his career, however. Last year was his first consistent season in coverage. He opened the 2022 season as the starting strong safety but lost the job after a few games.”

Proctor has the makings of a core special teams player at the next level. During his time at Ohio State, Proctor logged 412 snaps on special teams. 

“Special teams will likely be in his future in order to make the 53-man roster until he proves himself as a viable two-deep guy on defense,” Gerdeman said. “He has had various roles there in his career, including kickoff coverage and punt gunner. The importance of special teams is preached constantly at Ohio State so I don’t think he would have a problem embracing that kind of role.”

Fit with the Packers

Brian Gutekunst wants his safeties to be versatile. Proctor is an interchangeable piece that could play in the slot, free safety, or strong safety. 

“It really helps your defense to be multiple and flexible so teams can’t get a bead on what you’re doing,” Gutekunst said via Packers.com, at the NFL Scouting Combine.  “So, in a perfect world, quite frankly, between the two safeties and the nickel, those three guys almost need to be interchangeable completely.”

Proctor is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type prospect. He’s a reliable open-field tackler and is a willing participant in run support. He’s rock-solid in coverage and is rarely out of position. The former Buckeye safety is just a well-rounded prospect who doesn’t necessarily have any flash to his game and that’s okay, every team needs those glue guys that quietly go about their business. 

“One of the reasons Josh Proctor came back for his sixth season was to improve his stock and show the NFL what he was truly capable of doing,” Gerdeman said. “He was on a mission. He didn’t have a guaranteed job on the defense when he decided to come back but he won the free safety job and then made it his. An NFL team is going to get somebody who has seen it all and done most of it as well. If I were a general manager, I know the Ohio State coaches would have nothing but good things to say about him physically, mentally, or culturally. He’s working to live out his dream. It’s taken him a long time to get here so don’t expect him to give up on it without a fight. The doctors will also have their say.”

The Packers need help at safety. It was their weakest position on the roster last season and it’s a room that’s in desperate need of a makeover. 

While Proctor is not regarded as one of the top safeties in the 2024 NFL Draft, he could step in and provide depth at multiple spots in the secondary, while being an ace on special teams.

The Packers own six picks on Day 3 of the draft. The Ohio State safety could be a potential target with one of those selections. 

Rutgers basketball closes out their Big Ten regular season against Ohio State

Rutgers basketball faces a big game on Sunday.

On Sunday afternoon, Rutgers men’s basketball will be looking for revenge when they take on Ohio State. In the first matchup between these two teams this season in January, Ohio State recorded a 76-72. While Ohio State has a better record, they will play the role of the underdogs, according to ESPN.

Rutgers is 15-15 (7-12 Big Ten) and coming off consecutive Big Ten losses.

Entering this game, Bruce Thornton has been the Buckeyes’ best offensive player. The Alpharetta, Georgia native is averaging a team-high 16.2 points per game. Against Michigan State on February 3rd, Thornton added 17 points to his resume in 32 minutes of action.

 

As Ohio State looks to complete the season sweep, they will be tasked with stopping Jeremiah Williams. In 10 games this season, the talented junior is averaging 13.3 points per game. Against Wisconsin on Thursday, he scored 16 points and hauled in two rebounds.

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When these two teams met in January, Ohio State pulled out a win partly due to its three-point shooting. Rutgers only shot 25 percent from beyond the arc, while Ohio State shot 45.8 percent. Having Williams in the lineup could help even those numbers out.

Additionally, Rutgers has been hard to beat at home this season where they have posted a 12-4 record at Jersey Mike’s Arena. On the road, Ohio State has gone 1-8. This game should provide plenty of entertaining moments, with both teams having plenty to prove.

How to watch Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Big Ten hockey quarterfinals

How to watch Wisconsin vs Ohio State in the Big Ten

There is nothing more exciting in all of sports than playoff hockey. Time to lock in as the Big Ten postseason has arrived.

The Big Ten hockey tournament gets underway this weekend, which includes a quarterfinal clash between Wisconsin and Ohio State.

WATCH: 2024 Big Ten Hockey Tournament on B1G+

The second-seeded Badgers will host the Buckeyes for the best-of-three series at the Kohl Center in Wisconsin. Games are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday, if necessary.

Wisconsin (25-9-2) enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten bracket and is the No. 5 ranked squad in the country. Meanwhile, Ohio State (12-18-4) is the No. 7 seed.

[afflinkbutton text=”How to watch Wisconsin vs. Ohio State hockey on B1G+” link=”bit.ly/OSUvsWIS3_8_24″]

As every sports fan knows, records only mean so much when we get to the postseason.

In December, the Badgers swept the Buckeyes. Then during their next weekend series in February, Ohio State took three of the four points up for grabs, including an overtime win. That ended up being costly for Wisconsin as it gave Michigan State the regular season conference championship.

The stage is set for a huge weekend of hockey in the Big Ten, here’s how to catch all the action:

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Game 1 on B1G+” link=”bit.ly/OSUvsWIS3_8_24″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Game 2 on B1G+” link=”bit.ly/OSUvsWIS3_9_24″]