2024 Ohio State Off-Season Thread

[Temp430]

Three reasons not to buy into the pre-season Buckeye hype...

https://saturdayblitz.com/posts/3-reasons-not-to-buy-into-ohio-state-football-preseason-hype-01j3k3p0wqz1

[Honestbuckeye]

Three reasons not to buy into the pre-season Buckeye hype...

https://saturdayblitz.com/posts/3-reasons-not-to-buy-into-ohio-state-football-preseason-hype-01j3k3p0wqz1

I actually agree with all of that.   

[MrNubbz]

I don't, Ohio ST will dog walk Michigan, Howard can't be worse than McCord good kid but reminded me a little of Stanley jackson with the deer in the headlights - he cost tOSU the Game at Michigan. That idiot who wrote the article prolly worx part time at WalMart on the weekends. May not win it all but we'll beat the Ann Arbor Astros

[Honestbuckeye]

It will be interesting to see.  How does the QB situation work out?  What will be their offensive identity with Chip Kelley.   Can Henderson stay healthy now that he will likely be sharing carries with Judkins. 

I would think they will be pretty solid on Defense since they were last year and brought most starters back, and added Downs.  But- 2 new starters at LB.  

Interesting sub plots.  

[Mdot21]

I actually agree with all of that. 

I agree with......some of that.

Will Howard is a good player, likely an upgrade from McCord, but he's simply put...not a life changer in the way CJ Stroud, Justin Fields, or Dwayne Haskins were. He's not a 1st round talent QB like those guys were. And that's OK, he doesn't have to be for Ohio State to be successful. Having said that, lot of people seem to think he's all that and a bag of chips...and well...he just isn't. He's a good starting QB, but he's not exactly Caleb Williams.

Ohio State will be fine at WR with Ebugka coming back and they have some big-time young talent in the wings, but Marvin Harrison was truly special. Not sure they'll be able to replace what he could do- but again not really sure they'll have to. Judkins coming over in the portal was a huge addition because it'll allow them to run the ball more often and more effectively and keep Henderson fresh. That's the hope at least. I don't think Judkins is as good as Henderson but he's obviously really damn good. That's a dangerous 1-2 punch if Henderson stays healthy.

Caleb Downs in the portal was like a gift from the gods. That kid is going to give them a ton of flexibility in the secondary because he can basically do it all- he's a future 1st round pick at safety. Simply put- they didn't have anyone in the secondary at that level- they just got one now. Ohio State seems poised to me to make an even bigger pivot away from the passing game this season and gear more towards running the football and playing stingy elite defense. And that's a combo that really works.

[Mdot21]

I don't, Ohio ST will dog walk Michigan, Howard can't be worse than McCord good kid but reminded me a little of Stanley jackson with the deer in the headlights - he cost tOSU the Game at Michigan. That idiot who wrote the article prolly worx part time at WalMart on the weekends. May not win it all but we'll beat the Ann Arbor Astros

like the confidence. 

Michigan has a lot of questions to answer on offense- QB being the biggest question mark obviously- and they'll have to rebuild the OL but they do have a couple really nice toys on offense with arguably the best TE in the country in Colston Loveland and arguably the most talented RB in the country in Donovan Edwards.

Michigan's defense shouldn't skip a beat this year. That defense is going to be one of the tops in the country again and it'll keep them in every game as long as whoever plays QB isn't atrocious and just a turnover machine.

[FearlessF]

[Mdot21]

well now that Jeem is gone Pete Finebaum over at ESPN has found his new punching bag: Ryan Day, and I'm all here for it. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mgjmVFsy1s

[Honestbuckeye]

well now that Jeem is gone Pete Finebaum over at ESPN has found his new punching bag: Ryan Day, and I'm all here for it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mgjmVFsy1s

What a gig though. Near as I can tell, Finebaum makes a couple mil a year to give those insightful takes.    Sign me up😂

[Mdot21]

What a gig though. Near as I can tell, Finebaum makes a couple mil a year to give those insightful takes.    Sign me up😂

yeah he's got a cushy gig. went from trashing Jeem for years to now trashing Ryan Day. if Ryan Day wins it all this year he'll turn his sights on Franklin or Lincoln Riley.

[Honestbuckeye]

yeah he's got a cushy gig. went from trashing Jeem for years to now trashing Ryan Day. if Ryan Day wins it all this year he'll turn his sights on Franklin or Lincoln Riley.

Yes- pretty sure there is a direct correlation between number of clicks and his compensation.  

[medinabuckeye1]

Three reasons not to buy into the pre-season Buckeye hype...
https://saturdayblitz.com/posts/3-reasons-not-to-buy-into-ohio-state-football-preseason-hype-01j3k3p0wqz1

I actually agree with all of that. 

I don't, Ohio ST will dog walk Michigan, Howard can't be worse than McCord good kid but reminded me a little of Stanley jackson with the deer in the headlights - he cost tOSU the Game at Michigan. That idiot who wrote the article prolly worx part time at WalMart on the weekends. May not win it all but we'll beat the Ann Arbor Astros

I agree with......some of that.

This is unusual, but I'm with @Mdot21 .  

As I see it, @Honestbuckeye is the tOSU pessimist, @MrNubbz is the tOSU optimist, and I'm in the middle.  On the three factors listed:

Will Howard is relatively unproven.  This is an odd statement to make about a guy who has been playing college football for four years but their snide remark about B12 defenses isn't completely without merit.  OTOH, they state that "the supporting cast around him has to be fantastic" and it should be.  Henderson has been a high-potential RB for years who has been shy of his potential due to injuries and various other circumstances.  Now he is paired with a proven RB.  The WR room even without MH is still the best or at least one of the best in the land and if the OL and QB are so much as serviceable this should be a potent offense.  

The loss of Marvin Harrison Jr. is substantial.  Marvin Harrison was a phenomenal talent but it isn't like the Buckeyes are without talent at the position without him.  Word around camp is that they have a freshman who is impressive and they have returning WR's who are proven.  

Why is Ohio State suddenly better than Michigan?  This simply cannot be discussed without addressing the elephant in the room:

Michigan's success over the last three years cannot be honestly evaluated without considering the fact that they engaged in the most comprehensive cheating operation in the modern history of College Football over that time.  When the Wolverines get their wrist slap from the NCAA, SMU is going to wonder why they got dinged so badly.  Michigan's antics make Auburn look like choirboys.  

Sherrone Moore will presumably not be able to text his buddy Connor to find out what play Ohio State is going to run anymore.  You'll find that Ohio State is considerably harder to defend when you don't know their plays in advance through rampant cheating.  In this century Michigan has only beaten Ohio State three times without the aid of unsustainable levels of cheating.  Unless the Wolverines have found some novel new way to break the rules, we should return to the 2000-2019 situation when the Buckeyes went 17-3 in THE GAME.  

[Honestbuckeye]

I don’t think I’m a pessimist at all when it comes to analyzing my buckeyes. 

Will Howard From the sounds of it is starting to take over the reps with the number one offense in practice and is looking very solid. But even with that said he does not throw a great deep ball, but rather really good at short and intermediate routes.   By All counts he is also a very good runner.  But you have to take some of this with a grain of salt, knowing that their offense has changed, maybe dramatically with Chip Kelley calling plays.  I just want to see what that looks like before I make too much of judgment.  To their benefit, they are loaded at running back and wide receiver 

As far as beating Michigan, you have to remember that in the game last year, which in my opinion was Michigan’s toughest game, Late in that game Michigan when needed to score They were able to against OSU’s great defense and Ohio State needed to score they could not.  Fact.

Until they prove to me that they can do it I’m going to have a pretty neutral approach to it, if not a bit optimistic 

Lastly, how often does the team ranked number one or number two in preseason actually pull it off and win it all      I saw a stat today that the team ranked number one in the coaches poll to start. The season has not won it all since 2017.  Alabama.

So all I’m saying is I want to see how they look before I get too excited 

I don’t think that’s being pessimistic   

[Mdot21]

This is unusual, but I'm with @Mdot21 . 

As I see it, @Honestbuckeye is the tOSU pessimist, @MrNubbz is the tOSU optimist, and I'm in the middle.  On the three factors listed:

Will Howard is relatively unproven.  This is an odd statement to make about a guy who has been playing college football for four years but their snide remark about B12 defenses isn't completely without merit.  OTOH, they state that "the supporting cast around him has to be fantastic" and it should be.  Henderson has been a high-potential RB for years who has been shy of his potential due to injuries and various other circumstances.  Now he is paired with a proven RB.  The WR room even without MH is still the best or at least one of the best in the land and if the OL and QB are so much as serviceable this should be a potent offense. 

The loss of Marvin Harrison Jr. is substantial.  Marvin Harrison was a phenomenal talent but it isn't like the Buckeyes are without talent at the position without him.  Word around camp is that they have a freshman who is impressive and they have returning WR's who are proven. 

Why is Ohio State suddenly better than Michigan?  This simply cannot be discussed without addressing the elephant in the room:Michigan's success over the last three years cannot be honestly evaluated without considering the fact that they engaged in the most comprehensive cheating operation in the modern history of College Football over that time.  When the Wolverines get their wrist slap from the NCAA, SMU is going to wonder why they got dinged so badly.  Michigan's antics make Auburn look like choirboys. 

Sherrone Moore will presumably not be able to text his buddy Connor to find out what play Ohio State is going to run anymore.  You'll find that Ohio State is considerably harder to defend when you don't know their plays in advance through rampant cheating.  In this century Michigan has only beaten Ohio State three times without the aid of unsustainable levels of cheating.  Unless the Wolverines have found some novel new way to break the rules, we should return to the 2000-2019 situation when the Buckeyes went 17-3 in THE GAME. 

god damn son get off that f*cking copium 

why is Ohio State suddenly better than Michigan? Gee, maybe because Ohio State are returning most of their roster and Michigan just lost 13 guys to the NFL draft, the best starting QB they've ever had in JJ McCarthy and they have no real option to replace him, their entire starting OL, Blake Corum, and a 4-5 starters/co-starters on defense including their team captain and maybe the best slot corner in all of CFB last season in Mikey Sainistril? 

players in the trenches win football games. Ohio State had been softer than baby sh*t in the trenches in 2021-2022 under Ryan Day meanwhile Michigan has been a team built on tough ass mean dudes in the trenches. Ohio State grew up a little bit last year and finally had them trench boys- we'll see if they can take that next step this year. Having all those guys on the DL come back when they could've went pro was huge for them. my guess is Ohio State will finally have the trench warfare necessary to win a tittle this year.