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LGHL Column: Where have all the sacks gone?
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Column: Where have all the sacks gone?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State used to be one of the most dominant pass rushing teams in the country, but recent years show this is not the case anymore.
Ohio State built their success under Urban Meyer on the backs of dominant play in the trenches. College football has changed as quarterbacks get the ball out faster, but the Buckeyes’ pass rush statistics falling off has now become a trend.
In 2022, the Buckeyes ranked 38th in total sacks with 34 on the year, which is good for 2.6 per game. To add to those numbers on all downs, Ohio State ranked 67th converting sacks on 8.1 percent of opportunities. Looking at how the game of football comes together, the lack of pass rush can attribute itself to some of the issues on the back end, and vice versa.
With better coverage, there would probably be more sacks, and with more sacks the coverage would probably feel better than it has been in recent years. That is why there needs to be better execution up front when it comes to getting to the passer.
Jim Knowles’ tenure relies on pressure from the second level, not the same level of individual effort that a Chase Young or Joey Bosa brought to the table. The difference in the numbers between the years with those rushers and now show there has been a drop off.
Looking at each season on the list, the numbers aren’t always flashy, with two outliers being very obvious in Chase Young’s 16.5 sacks in 2019 as well as Joey Bosa’s 13.5 in 2014. In 2014, Bosa was followed by two players in Michael Bennett and Darron Lee who had 7.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Those players would have led the 2022 team in sacks.
Diving into Young’s Heisman finalist year – obviously not a fair expectation to hold players to – but Davon Hamilton and Baron Browning had 6.0 and 5.0 sacks. Even in a year where a player was a one man wrecking crew, the Buckeyes still had two players produce more sacks than this season’s leader in each of the past three seasons.
This is a trend. The Buckeyes can’t just point to a strong year of individual players because there isn’t always going to be a “best player in school history” level player to anchor the defensive line.
Even in the years without a double-digit sack leader, the Buckeyes have taken a step back since the peak in 2019. Playing only seven games, the Buckeyes averaged a higher per-game sack total in 2021 than the following two seasons, meaning the defense has been on a downward trajectory from a pass rush standpoint.
Using both tables, we can see that there isn’t necessarily a direct impact on the total with a dominant individual rusher. That being said, there needs to be a better success rate in the pass rushing area for the defense to improve in the passing game.
For Ohio State, this lack of pass rushing can be attributed to the changing scheme in three of the last four seasons. There is also the questions surrounding player skillset. The top-end recruits on the defensive line in recent years have not come in with the pass rushing traits.
Zach Harrison was the player who was supposed to follow in the footsteps as a five-star recruit. His best season total was 3.5, which he had as a freshman and a senior. While Harrison turned out to be more than just a pure pass-rusher, that raises questions about development in the room, and the Buckeyes now have two more five-stars who are expected to have big years in 2023.
Looking at J.T. Tuimoloau as the first five-star, he’s had 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He has five pass deflections to go with those sacks, and is similar to Harrison in the way he is able to impact games in a variety of ways. For the Buckeyes defense to a take a leap, this might be an area where an individual improvement in one aspect of his game can take the defense to another level.
On the other side of the line, Jack Sawyer has moved into a new role which provided its own sets of challenges. As the year went on, his comfort grew as well as his sack total, which tells me that Sawyer is the player to watch in this department. Sawyer has the athleticism and bend to become a 10-sack player. If the other players can provide a similar output, there is a real optimism that the pass rush can have a huge impact on how opponents game plan.
The importance of this all lies in the passing defense as a holistic unit, and that is why this trend of lower sack numbers stands out.
Knowles wants to play man-coverage, and he wants to do this to be able to play with how offenses are able to prepare for playing Ohio State. We saw late in the year how the Buckeyes pass rush and blitzers failing to get to the quarterback can lead to opposing quarterbacks making big throws.
This final table above shows us that there is a weak correlation between sack totals and pass yards per game. There are tons of other variables that go into this, including opponents passing offense rankings, level of secondary play, and how often teams are playing from behind against the Buckeyes. But with that context, there is definitely some evidence that the higher a sack number is, the lower the passing yard number is.
The Buckeyes definitely need to take some steps forward in the secondary this year, and in a second season under a coach that should be an expectation. Notice the lack of improvement in year two of Coombs is a significant reason the Buckeyes now employ Knowles. That raises the expectations in year two for all three levels, and there is a pathway forward in 2023.
Knowles is known for his gambling nature, this is boom-or-bust when it comes to his coverages and blitzes. If the back end can’t cover there are easy throws for opposing quarterbacks because the blitz won’t be able to get home in time. In situations where defenders are asked to cover for a long time, this can result in the unfortunate big plays that occurred late in the year.
Now neither group was perfect. Improved play is needed in both areas. That being said, there is a drop off in performance in line with Ohio State’s peak in sack totals. This year was a major improvement in the pass yards per game category. One issue that came about in research was Ohio State played the 38th best passing yards per game offense in the regular season in Maryland.
Ohio State played Penn State (45th), Michigan (79th), and Maryland (38th), allowing 322.3 yards per game against the three. These were not necessarily great passing units, but once the talent was closer to equal, the Buckeyes were exposed in both fronts. They only got regular pressure against Maryland, this exposed the secondary to some struggles. Against Penn State, the Buckeyes had five sacks, but Parker Washington had a day. In the biggest jump in yards of the three, Michigan allowed just one sack.
One of the back breaking plays that swung the momentum against Michigan was the max-pressure which left Cam Brown on an island. He missed a tackle, and a touchdown was given up turning the whole game on its head. For the Buckeyes, the synergy of the defensive backs and defensive line will be challenged again.
Teams will be looking for ways to attack Ohio State’s secondary in blitzing situations, and Knowles has a tendency to gamble in third-and-long situations. If teams can time these plays up, there are direct opportunities for opponents to make big plays.
Ohio State improved in many areas last season, but the Buckeyes will need to improve in the pass rushing next season for the defense to take another step. We saw that the drop off has had a direct impact on how the passing defense has looked statistically.
Without taking a shot at Larry Johnson due to his legacy, the development has fallen short on the defensive line, and with the recruiting struggles on the back end, the results from both showed on the field. Both will be challenged this year with the returning five-stars on the defensive line. The defensive backfield will also have a raised recruiting profile compared to past seasons.
Combining those things with the return of the linebackers, and there is a recipe for immense improvement in every defensive category. For Knowles, the defense needs to take another step forward in 2023 and this is the area to start.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State used to be one of the most dominant pass rushing teams in the country, but recent years show this is not the case anymore.
Ohio State built their success under Urban Meyer on the backs of dominant play in the trenches. College football has changed as quarterbacks get the ball out faster, but the Buckeyes’ pass rush statistics falling off has now become a trend.
In 2022, the Buckeyes ranked 38th in total sacks with 34 on the year, which is good for 2.6 per game. To add to those numbers on all downs, Ohio State ranked 67th converting sacks on 8.1 percent of opportunities. Looking at how the game of football comes together, the lack of pass rush can attribute itself to some of the issues on the back end, and vice versa.
With better coverage, there would probably be more sacks, and with more sacks the coverage would probably feel better than it has been in recent years. That is why there needs to be better execution up front when it comes to getting to the passer.
Jim Knowles’ tenure relies on pressure from the second level, not the same level of individual effort that a Chase Young or Joey Bosa brought to the table. The difference in the numbers between the years with those rushers and now show there has been a drop off.
Looking at each season on the list, the numbers aren’t always flashy, with two outliers being very obvious in Chase Young’s 16.5 sacks in 2019 as well as Joey Bosa’s 13.5 in 2014. In 2014, Bosa was followed by two players in Michael Bennett and Darron Lee who had 7.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Those players would have led the 2022 team in sacks.
Diving into Young’s Heisman finalist year – obviously not a fair expectation to hold players to – but Davon Hamilton and Baron Browning had 6.0 and 5.0 sacks. Even in a year where a player was a one man wrecking crew, the Buckeyes still had two players produce more sacks than this season’s leader in each of the past three seasons.
This is a trend. The Buckeyes can’t just point to a strong year of individual players because there isn’t always going to be a “best player in school history” level player to anchor the defensive line.
Even in the years without a double-digit sack leader, the Buckeyes have taken a step back since the peak in 2019. Playing only seven games, the Buckeyes averaged a higher per-game sack total in 2021 than the following two seasons, meaning the defense has been on a downward trajectory from a pass rush standpoint.
Using both tables, we can see that there isn’t necessarily a direct impact on the total with a dominant individual rusher. That being said, there needs to be a better success rate in the pass rushing area for the defense to improve in the passing game.
For Ohio State, this lack of pass rushing can be attributed to the changing scheme in three of the last four seasons. There is also the questions surrounding player skillset. The top-end recruits on the defensive line in recent years have not come in with the pass rushing traits.
Zach Harrison was the player who was supposed to follow in the footsteps as a five-star recruit. His best season total was 3.5, which he had as a freshman and a senior. While Harrison turned out to be more than just a pure pass-rusher, that raises questions about development in the room, and the Buckeyes now have two more five-stars who are expected to have big years in 2023.
Looking at J.T. Tuimoloau as the first five-star, he’s had 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He has five pass deflections to go with those sacks, and is similar to Harrison in the way he is able to impact games in a variety of ways. For the Buckeyes defense to a take a leap, this might be an area where an individual improvement in one aspect of his game can take the defense to another level.
On the other side of the line, Jack Sawyer has moved into a new role which provided its own sets of challenges. As the year went on, his comfort grew as well as his sack total, which tells me that Sawyer is the player to watch in this department. Sawyer has the athleticism and bend to become a 10-sack player. If the other players can provide a similar output, there is a real optimism that the pass rush can have a huge impact on how opponents game plan.
The importance of this all lies in the passing defense as a holistic unit, and that is why this trend of lower sack numbers stands out.
Knowles wants to play man-coverage, and he wants to do this to be able to play with how offenses are able to prepare for playing Ohio State. We saw late in the year how the Buckeyes pass rush and blitzers failing to get to the quarterback can lead to opposing quarterbacks making big throws.
This final table above shows us that there is a weak correlation between sack totals and pass yards per game. There are tons of other variables that go into this, including opponents passing offense rankings, level of secondary play, and how often teams are playing from behind against the Buckeyes. But with that context, there is definitely some evidence that the higher a sack number is, the lower the passing yard number is.
The Buckeyes definitely need to take some steps forward in the secondary this year, and in a second season under a coach that should be an expectation. Notice the lack of improvement in year two of Coombs is a significant reason the Buckeyes now employ Knowles. That raises the expectations in year two for all three levels, and there is a pathway forward in 2023.
Knowles is known for his gambling nature, this is boom-or-bust when it comes to his coverages and blitzes. If the back end can’t cover there are easy throws for opposing quarterbacks because the blitz won’t be able to get home in time. In situations where defenders are asked to cover for a long time, this can result in the unfortunate big plays that occurred late in the year.
Now neither group was perfect. Improved play is needed in both areas. That being said, there is a drop off in performance in line with Ohio State’s peak in sack totals. This year was a major improvement in the pass yards per game category. One issue that came about in research was Ohio State played the 38th best passing yards per game offense in the regular season in Maryland.
Ohio State played Penn State (45th), Michigan (79th), and Maryland (38th), allowing 322.3 yards per game against the three. These were not necessarily great passing units, but once the talent was closer to equal, the Buckeyes were exposed in both fronts. They only got regular pressure against Maryland, this exposed the secondary to some struggles. Against Penn State, the Buckeyes had five sacks, but Parker Washington had a day. In the biggest jump in yards of the three, Michigan allowed just one sack.
One of the back breaking plays that swung the momentum against Michigan was the max-pressure which left Cam Brown on an island. He missed a tackle, and a touchdown was given up turning the whole game on its head. For the Buckeyes, the synergy of the defensive backs and defensive line will be challenged again.
Teams will be looking for ways to attack Ohio State’s secondary in blitzing situations, and Knowles has a tendency to gamble in third-and-long situations. If teams can time these plays up, there are direct opportunities for opponents to make big plays.
Ohio State improved in many areas last season, but the Buckeyes will need to improve in the pass rushing next season for the defense to take another step. We saw that the drop off has had a direct impact on how the passing defense has looked statistically.
Without taking a shot at Larry Johnson due to his legacy, the development has fallen short on the defensive line, and with the recruiting struggles on the back end, the results from both showed on the field. Both will be challenged this year with the returning five-stars on the defensive line. The defensive backfield will also have a raised recruiting profile compared to past seasons.
Combining those things with the return of the linebackers, and there is a recipe for immense improvement in every defensive category. For Knowles, the defense needs to take another step forward in 2023 and this is the area to start.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women drop to No. 10 in AP Poll
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Ohio State women drop to No. 10 in AP Poll
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes fall after their three-game losing streak last week
The Ohio State women’s basketball team tied their program high No. 2 ranking on Jan. 16. Life was good for the Buckeyes until one week after receiving the honor. Since then, it’s been tough for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side and on Monday the Associate Press voters dropped the Buckeyes to No. 10.
Ohio State’s new ranking is warranted after a week where the Scarlet & Gray ended it black and blue following three straight losses. It began with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 23, continued with the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 26 and the icing on the cake Sunday, when Ohio State fell to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Before Sunday, there was an argument to be made that the Buckeyes would still hold a top-10 ranking because of the quality of teams who handed them defeats. The then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes out rebounded the Buckeyes 51-31 on their way to a triple-double by Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. In front of a home sellout crowd, the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes 83-72.
Just three days later, it was the then No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers. This time at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Buckeyes took a four-point half time lead into their second worst quarter of the season. In the third, Indiana held Ohio State to only six points of offense and the Buckeyes needed to come back from 17 points in the final 10 minutes.
The Buckeyes weren't able to accomplish the feat and lost 78-65. In the defeat, Ohio State’s rebounding improved but the Scarlet & Gray couldn’t stop forward Mackenzie Holmes. The forward had 26 points, exposing the Buckeyes defense in the paint. Then, guard Yarden Garzon hit a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
With those two defeats in their heads, Ohio State couldn’t stop the Boilermakers Sunday. Purdue got off to a 14-point first quarter lead on 7-for-9 shooting from three-point range. Even though the Buckeyes eventually tied the game at 58-58, the Boilermakers took advantage of guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the Buckeyes most consistent player this season, fouling out to surge ahead for the 73-65 win.
All season, the Buckeyes have assured people that the ranking doesn’t matter. Ohio State is focused on the long game or competing again in March at the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament, but the play that’s gotten Ohio State further down the AP Poll is concerning.
Coach McGuff links it to the team losing its identity. Part of that lost identity is not having guard Jacy Sheldon. Until last week, the Buckeyes continued winning without her but the lack of energy in Ohio State’s press can only improve with her return.
This week, with or without Sheldon, the Buckeyes have two chances to get back on the right track, first in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. After that Wednesday night away trip, Ohio State heads east to the Maryland Terrapins in another ranked matchup.
Also, No. 10 is still higher than where Ohio State began the season, at No. 14. With the Buckeyes’ three losses, Indiana, Iowa and Maryland each moved up in the polls to No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8. With Purdue’s win over the Buckeyes, and Thursday over Illinois, they received enough votes to sit five spots outside of the top-25.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes fall after their three-game losing streak last week
The Ohio State women’s basketball team tied their program high No. 2 ranking on Jan. 16. Life was good for the Buckeyes until one week after receiving the honor. Since then, it’s been tough for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side and on Monday the Associate Press voters dropped the Buckeyes to No. 10.
Ohio State’s new ranking is warranted after a week where the Scarlet & Gray ended it black and blue following three straight losses. It began with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 23, continued with the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 26 and the icing on the cake Sunday, when Ohio State fell to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Before Sunday, there was an argument to be made that the Buckeyes would still hold a top-10 ranking because of the quality of teams who handed them defeats. The then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes out rebounded the Buckeyes 51-31 on their way to a triple-double by Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. In front of a home sellout crowd, the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes 83-72.
Just three days later, it was the then No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers. This time at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Buckeyes took a four-point half time lead into their second worst quarter of the season. In the third, Indiana held Ohio State to only six points of offense and the Buckeyes needed to come back from 17 points in the final 10 minutes.
The Buckeyes weren't able to accomplish the feat and lost 78-65. In the defeat, Ohio State’s rebounding improved but the Scarlet & Gray couldn’t stop forward Mackenzie Holmes. The forward had 26 points, exposing the Buckeyes defense in the paint. Then, guard Yarden Garzon hit a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
With those two defeats in their heads, Ohio State couldn’t stop the Boilermakers Sunday. Purdue got off to a 14-point first quarter lead on 7-for-9 shooting from three-point range. Even though the Buckeyes eventually tied the game at 58-58, the Boilermakers took advantage of guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the Buckeyes most consistent player this season, fouling out to surge ahead for the 73-65 win.
All season, the Buckeyes have assured people that the ranking doesn’t matter. Ohio State is focused on the long game or competing again in March at the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament, but the play that’s gotten Ohio State further down the AP Poll is concerning.
Coach McGuff links it to the team losing its identity. Part of that lost identity is not having guard Jacy Sheldon. Until last week, the Buckeyes continued winning without her but the lack of energy in Ohio State’s press can only improve with her return.
This week, with or without Sheldon, the Buckeyes have two chances to get back on the right track, first in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. After that Wednesday night away trip, Ohio State heads east to the Maryland Terrapins in another ranked matchup.
Also, No. 10 is still higher than where Ohio State began the season, at No. 14. With the Buckeyes’ three losses, Indiana, Iowa and Maryland each moved up in the polls to No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8. With Purdue’s win over the Buckeyes, and Thursday over Illinois, they received enough votes to sit five spots outside of the top-25.
Continue reading...
LGHL Rough playoff exit for several former Buckeyes
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Rough playoff exit for several former Buckeyes
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Sunday was unkind to a bunch of former Ohio State players.
Sports can be cruel, and investing emotionally in the performance of any team is going to bite you at some point. There are just not many good endings.
But, like when you finally hit a sweet golf shot amid a full morning of hacking the ball around, it makes everything worthwhile and you invest emotionally all over again.
My condolences to those of our readers who live and die with the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers, who each saw their team’s season end on Sunday, but in quite different ways.
For Ohio State fans who back the 49ers, the game seemed over before it began. Brock Purdy, already the team’s third quarterback used this season, got hurt early in the game, and San Francisco just didn’t have enough firepower to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles. Josh Johnson did manage to get the team down the field once to tie the game at 7-7, but then the defense allowed a score before the half and Johnson took his eye off a snap, then proceeded to do very little to cover the ball on the ensuing drive.
Philadelphia recovered, scored again, and never looked back. Nick Bosa’s season ended with a four-tackle performance that included two tackles for loss, but he and his defensive colleagues got no help from the offense and wore down.
Is it less painful to get blown out than to lose a heartbreaker? I think it is, although the narrow defeats at least can provide the consolation of pride in the team’s fight.
Bengals fans had it a bit tougher on Sunday night. The team had the ball in a tie game late with a chance to drive for a winning score. The offensive line, which was porous all night, didn’t allow former Buckeye Joe Burrow — and yes, I do claim him, as is my right and with his permission, no less — to get the job done.
Still, overtime seemed a likely outcome until ex-Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman’s kick was returned into Cincinnati territory. The defense was asked to hold and it nearly did. But it was an uncalled hold on Trey Hendrickson on a decisive third-down scramble by Patrick Mahomes that will haunt Cincy fans’ dreams — especially combined with what happened on the back end of that run.
Kansas City still had a long field goal to make with the yardage that Mahomes picked up, but Joseph Ossai then committed an egregious personal foul with a late hit out of bounds on the Kansas City quarterback, giving Harrison Butker a much shorter kick to make. He did, and it ended the season of five former Buckeyes — one, Isaiah Prince, on the practice squad, and five on the roster — and those who claim Burrow can add him to the list. The Cincinnati loss knocked Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Sam Hubbard, Chrisman, Prince, and Burrow out of the postseason in the penultimate game.
Bell led the Bengals with seven tackles. Apple had six stops, including a tackle for loss, but he also committed a costly defensive holding penalty that kept a Chiefs drive alive. Hubbard had two stops, a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, and a key fumble recovery that helped his team get back in the game. Chrisman averaged 49 yards on four punts, with a long of 54.
Burrow completed 26 of 41 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown while under pressure all night. He did throw two interceptions, but he also made the “onions” play of the night on a 4th-and-6 play, connecting with Ja’Marr Chase on a scoring drive that tied things up.
The only remaining former Buckeye in the postseason is Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon, but don’t look for him to be the Super Bowl MVP.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Sunday was unkind to a bunch of former Ohio State players.
Sports can be cruel, and investing emotionally in the performance of any team is going to bite you at some point. There are just not many good endings.
But, like when you finally hit a sweet golf shot amid a full morning of hacking the ball around, it makes everything worthwhile and you invest emotionally all over again.
My condolences to those of our readers who live and die with the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers, who each saw their team’s season end on Sunday, but in quite different ways.
For Ohio State fans who back the 49ers, the game seemed over before it began. Brock Purdy, already the team’s third quarterback used this season, got hurt early in the game, and San Francisco just didn’t have enough firepower to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles. Josh Johnson did manage to get the team down the field once to tie the game at 7-7, but then the defense allowed a score before the half and Johnson took his eye off a snap, then proceeded to do very little to cover the ball on the ensuing drive.
Philadelphia recovered, scored again, and never looked back. Nick Bosa’s season ended with a four-tackle performance that included two tackles for loss, but he and his defensive colleagues got no help from the offense and wore down.
Is it less painful to get blown out than to lose a heartbreaker? I think it is, although the narrow defeats at least can provide the consolation of pride in the team’s fight.
Bengals fans had it a bit tougher on Sunday night. The team had the ball in a tie game late with a chance to drive for a winning score. The offensive line, which was porous all night, didn’t allow former Buckeye Joe Burrow — and yes, I do claim him, as is my right and with his permission, no less — to get the job done.
Still, overtime seemed a likely outcome until ex-Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman’s kick was returned into Cincinnati territory. The defense was asked to hold and it nearly did. But it was an uncalled hold on Trey Hendrickson on a decisive third-down scramble by Patrick Mahomes that will haunt Cincy fans’ dreams — especially combined with what happened on the back end of that run.
Kansas City still had a long field goal to make with the yardage that Mahomes picked up, but Joseph Ossai then committed an egregious personal foul with a late hit out of bounds on the Kansas City quarterback, giving Harrison Butker a much shorter kick to make. He did, and it ended the season of five former Buckeyes — one, Isaiah Prince, on the practice squad, and five on the roster — and those who claim Burrow can add him to the list. The Cincinnati loss knocked Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Sam Hubbard, Chrisman, Prince, and Burrow out of the postseason in the penultimate game.
Bell led the Bengals with seven tackles. Apple had six stops, including a tackle for loss, but he also committed a costly defensive holding penalty that kept a Chiefs drive alive. Hubbard had two stops, a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, and a key fumble recovery that helped his team get back in the game. Chrisman averaged 49 yards on four punts, with a long of 54.
Burrow completed 26 of 41 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown while under pressure all night. He did throw two interceptions, but he also made the “onions” play of the night on a 4th-and-6 play, connecting with Ja’Marr Chase on a scoring drive that tied things up.
The only remaining former Buckeye in the postseason is Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon, but don’t look for him to be the Super Bowl MVP.
Continue reading...
LGHL I-70 Football Podcast: 2022 Season Recap - Tier Two
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I-70 Football Podcast: 2022 Season Recap - Tier Two
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
The guys are back discussing the NFL conference championships and tier-two teams from the ‘22 season.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games, and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
The NFL season is winding down as the Conference Championship games took place on Sunday. Dante and Jordan predicted the Eagles and Chiefs winning their games, setting up a highly anticipated super bowl.
Brock Purdy may be the 49ers quarterback of the future, but Jordan doesn’t think he’s ready for this type of environment. Dante doesn’t believe Mahomes will lose to Joe Burrow again, especially with how Travis Kelce has played recently. Before breaking down tier two, the guys also talk about former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks’s potential lawsuit after being passed up for the job by former Colts head coach Frank Reich.
After discussing three East division teams in tier one, tier two is full of teams from the West. Tier two consist of the West division champion Purdue Boilermakers, the llinois Fighting Illini and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Minnesota entered the 2022 season as the favorite to win the West after continually getting better the past three years and the return of super seniors Tanner Morgan, Mo Ibrahim, John Michael-Schmitz, and Chris Autman-Bell. Injuries ended a dream season, as Morgan and Aultman-Bell missed an extended amount of time.
Illinois entered 2022 with pretty low expectations in the second year of their rebuild under Bret Bielema, but they were one of the big surprises of the season. They won eight games, and were a late season collapse away from winning the west division entirely.
Purdue entered 2022 with super senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell leading the team, but was without star players David Bell and George Karloftis, who both entered the 2022 NFL Draft. O’Connell, buoyed by childhood best friend and Iowa transfer Charlie Jones, led Purdue to the Big Ten championship game. O’Connell battled injury and did not recapture the magic from the 2021 season, but that meant little as Jones and freshman running back Devin Mockobee kept the Boilermakers afloat when O’Connell was not at 100%.
The defense was a mess, but the trio of O’Connell, Jones, and Mockobee did enough to win Purdue’s first ever Big Ten West division title.
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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The guys are back discussing the NFL conference championships and tier-two teams from the ‘22 season.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games, and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
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The NFL season is winding down as the Conference Championship games took place on Sunday. Dante and Jordan predicted the Eagles and Chiefs winning their games, setting up a highly anticipated super bowl.
Brock Purdy may be the 49ers quarterback of the future, but Jordan doesn’t think he’s ready for this type of environment. Dante doesn’t believe Mahomes will lose to Joe Burrow again, especially with how Travis Kelce has played recently. Before breaking down tier two, the guys also talk about former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks’s potential lawsuit after being passed up for the job by former Colts head coach Frank Reich.
After discussing three East division teams in tier one, tier two is full of teams from the West. Tier two consist of the West division champion Purdue Boilermakers, the llinois Fighting Illini and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Minnesota entered the 2022 season as the favorite to win the West after continually getting better the past three years and the return of super seniors Tanner Morgan, Mo Ibrahim, John Michael-Schmitz, and Chris Autman-Bell. Injuries ended a dream season, as Morgan and Aultman-Bell missed an extended amount of time.
Illinois entered 2022 with pretty low expectations in the second year of their rebuild under Bret Bielema, but they were one of the big surprises of the season. They won eight games, and were a late season collapse away from winning the west division entirely.
Purdue entered 2022 with super senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell leading the team, but was without star players David Bell and George Karloftis, who both entered the 2022 NFL Draft. O’Connell, buoyed by childhood best friend and Iowa transfer Charlie Jones, led Purdue to the Big Ten championship game. O’Connell battled injury and did not recapture the magic from the 2021 season, but that meant little as Jones and freshman running back Devin Mockobee kept the Boilermakers afloat when O’Connell was not at 100%.
The defense was a mess, but the trio of O’Connell, Jones, and Mockobee did enough to win Purdue’s first ever Big Ten West division title.
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
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Wt: 180 lbs
Class: 2025 (High School)
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