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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Biggest of the B1G: Non-conference games
Ohio State at Oregon – Obviously this one tops our list for a lot of reasons. The Buckeyes are a perfect 9-0 against the Oregon Ducks and have only played the one time in Eugene (Ore.), and for those historians out there, that game was in 1967.
We will believe that this game will take place, once it takes place. Things are trending in the right direction, but we are taking nothing for granted.
How will a second year starting Justin Fields fare against a really good Oregon defense? How will Oregon bounce back after losing Justin Herbert at quarterback, and where will the offense come from?
Autzen Stadium is supposed to be one of the loudest stadiums in America but there really is not a scenario that we see where the stadium is full, so the homefield advantage takes a bit of a hit with few to no fans likely in attendance, if this game goes off as planned.
But it does not change the fact that the Buckeyes will have to fly across the country, stay in hotels that they have never been in before, be in a locker room that is unfamiliar with them, and really make the first road trip of the season under different “rules” when it comes to how mass gatherings and football in general will operate.
Throw in that Oregon is a top-10 caliber team and this game should present a strong challenge to the Buckeyes. Ohio State ‘should’ win this game, but we know that is not always how things work out, so this is far and away the non-conference game in the B1G that will draw the most attention.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
How is Fields' rapport with new receivers?
Justin Fields enters 2020 without three of his top five targets from a season ago.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will undoubtedly be his go-to guys out of the receiver room, but with all the production lost to the departures of KJ Hill, Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack, the four freshman wideouts could be instrumental to the success of the Ohio State offense this year.
Ryan Day said the spring was particularly important for getting the highly touted group that includes Julian Fleming, Mookie Cooper, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Gee Scott up to speed, but the virus cut that opportunity short.
The quickness with which Fields, Brian Hartline and the group of young receivers can make up for lost time during voluntary workouts could play a huge role in how polished the Buckeye passing attack is early on in the season.
Will Coombs have enough time with new secondary?
Kerry Coombs arrives at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center Monday as players returned for voluntary workouts.
Jeff Hafley was crucial to a one-year turnaround that helped the Ohio State defense go from much maligned in 2018 to No. 1 in the country this past year, but concerns over his departure gave way to relief for Buckeye fans as former Ohio State secondary coach Kerry Coombs returned to fill in.
Coombs had been gone only two years, and he recruited many of the roster’s defensive backs, which are both indications that his transition should be smooth.
However, his secondary may have the most question marks of any position group on the team heading into the new year as three starters from a season ago will be replaced.
The more time Coombs has to mold the new unit the better for the Ohio State defense, and the COVID-19 layoff has limited it –– at least on the field.
With staff and players returning to facilities, the way Coombs and the secondary mesh will be important to hold over the Buckeyes’ pass defense with a mostly new group.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
SKULL SESSION: ANONYMOUS COACHES DISCUSS THE BUCKEYES, COLUMBUS COULD HOST THE MODIFIED TBT, AND TREVEYON HENDERSON YEARNS TO PLAY MICHIGAN
ANONYMOUS #TAKES. I work under the assumption that no less than 72 percent of anonymous Internet quotes are made up, in some fashion or another.
Maybe that's cynical, maybe that's unfair, but I find it's a good rule of thumb to keep me from getting needlessly worked up about information from an "insider" that's really just third-hand conjecture from Donatos delivery guy whose friend knows a student manager.
All that to say, here are some anonymous #takes about this year's Buckeye football team that are allegedly from opposing "coaches." Do what you wish with them.
"They're a favorite to win the conference and the national title, and it's for a very good reason," the coach said. "They're operating at the highest level. They're dominant in every phase of construction. They recruit, develop and coach better than anyone in the conference and as good as Alabama or Clemson."
...
Another coach appears to be skeptical about OSU maintaining the same production all the way through on defense in 2020, but even if there are growing pains, an offense led by junior quarterback Justin Fields and other playmakers should help easy any transition.
"They might be a step behind on defense, but they should be able to score points and really hurt your feelings with that offense," the second coach said. "They're still the gold standard on recruiting; nothing has changed there. They're the prohibitive favorite to win it all. It's that or bust."
Yes, you needed an anonymous quote to inform you that Ohio State is very good at offense and recruiting, and that coach absolutely needed the anonymity to protect him from those extremely provocative and inflammatory takes. I'm glad we did this.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...-host-the-modified-tbt-and-treveyon-henderson
ANONYMOUS #TAKES. I work under the assumption that no less than 72 percent of anonymous Internet quotes are made up, in some fashion or another.
Maybe that's cynical, maybe that's unfair, but I find it's a good rule of thumb to keep me from getting needlessly worked up about information from an "insider" that's really just third-hand conjecture from Donatos delivery guy whose friend knows a student manager.
All that to say, here are some anonymous #takes about this year's Buckeye football team that are allegedly from opposing "coaches." Do what you wish with them.
"They're a favorite to win the conference and the national title, and it's for a very good reason," the coach said. "They're operating at the highest level. They're dominant in every phase of construction. They recruit, develop and coach better than anyone in the conference and as good as Alabama or Clemson."
...
Another coach appears to be skeptical about OSU maintaining the same production all the way through on defense in 2020, but even if there are growing pains, an offense led by junior quarterback Justin Fields and other playmakers should help easy any transition.
"They might be a step behind on defense, but they should be able to score points and really hurt your feelings with that offense," the second coach said. "They're still the gold standard on recruiting; nothing has changed there. They're the prohibitive favorite to win it all. It's that or bust."
Yes, you needed an anonymous quote to inform you that Ohio State is very good at offense and recruiting, and that coach absolutely needed the anonymity to protect him from those extremely provocative and inflammatory takes. I'm glad we did this.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...-host-the-modified-tbt-and-treveyon-henderson
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someone with more knowledge or belief in this virus ordeal correct/inform me if I'm wrong, but, doesn't direct sunlight kill this virus and most others?
If so, wouldn't training outside be near foolproof to prevent anyone "catching" this thing? I assume people that have it already wont be able to completely beat this virus outside but it seems it would eliminate the spread while they're all out there. Hell I don't know just play some football!
If so, wouldn't training outside be near foolproof to prevent anyone "catching" this thing? I assume people that have it already wont be able to completely beat this virus outside but it seems it would eliminate the spread while they're all out there. Hell I don't know just play some football!
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It takes minutes for the virus to die in direct sunlight. It takes a few dozen milliseconds to inhale it and get infected.
The issue I have with it though is that the count of schools that have had football players test positive is up to about 5 by my count and all of them have been asymptomatic. It seems to be a complete nothing when it's up against a young person's immune system. So even though contact sports are a great way of spreading this kind of virus; how much danger is there to division 1 athletes?
On the other hand it is well known that when the body’s recovery-ability is occupied (like recovering from a tough workout or playing football), the immune system is suppressed to one extent or another. How this will affect the virulence of this virus is something I don't know.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
UNLIKELY TO REDSHIRT
PARIS JOHNSON JR., OT
The fact that Johnson is already contending for the starting right tackle job as a true freshman makes it crystal clear that Ohio State expects him to play early in his career. Even if he doesn’t win that job, he’s still in line for a spot on the two-deep as the backup left or right tackle, and barring injury, there’s almost no chance he takes a redshirt year.
While it’s rare for Ohio State offensive linemen to leave early for the NFL draft, Johnson has the talent to be a first-round pick after just three years in Columbus, so even if he doesn’t start this year, the Buckeyes will want to get him as much experience as possible to prepare him to potentially succeed Thayer Munford at left tackle next year.
JULIAN FLEMING, WR
Ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in the entire recruiting class of 2020, Fleming is simply too talented to take a redshirt year. He’ll likely prove he belongs in Ohio State’s wide receiver rotation as a true freshman, and like Johnson, he’s far more likely to be in Columbus for only three years than to stay for five. Much like Garrett Wilson last season, Fleming projects to earn immediate playing time on the outside and emerge as an impact playmaker in year one.
JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, WR
Smith-Njigba isn’t quite the lock not to redshirt this year that Johnson and Fleming are, but it would still be a surprise if he did. Also a five-star recruit, Smith-Njigba comes to Ohio State with a polished skill set that should have him ready to contribute immediately, potentially as a backup to Wilson in the slot.
Smith-Njigba faces substantial competition for that spot in the rotation from C.J. Saunders, Demario McCall and fellow freshman Mookie Cooper, so the Buckeyes would have reason to consider redshirting him if he isn’t on the two-deep. Even then, though, Ohio State could play him all season and find opportunities to get him on the field when it can, much like it did with Jameson Williams last year – with four top-100 receivers in this year’s freshman class, and at least two coming in next year, the Buckeyes don’t need to redshirt them all.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
WILL RYAN DAY AND OHIO STATE STAND UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS?
Expectations are always high at Ohio State, as they were in 2019 despite a new head coach on the sideline in Ryan Day and a new quarterback behind center in Justin Fields.
Day and Fields stood up to those expectations in a huge way, running off arguably the most dominant 13-0 start to a season in program history.
The Buckeyes fell short against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, but with Fields back and Day igniting the roster with a top five recruiting class, its national title or bust once again in Columbus this fall.
Ohio State has a tough schedule to tackle with an early trip to Oregon, mid-season road games against Penn State and Michigan State, and of course, the season-ending matchup against Michigan at home.
If the Buckeyes can find suitable replacements for running back J.K. Dobbins and defensive end Chase Young, a return trip to the college football playoff is certainly on the table.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
So what does this mean for the Buckeyes?
It means that by arriving when they did, they will be much better equipped for the full-scall ramp-up.
Ohio State strength coach Mickey Marotti said earlier in the spring that once players arrived for voluntary workouts, they would be assessed and put into groups based on how much they needed to catch up.
Marotti and his staff will have over a month to get players as caught up as possible before any of the required workouts begin.
Then on July 13 -- assuming the NCAA's model -- the required workouts can get underway.
The Buckeyes -- young and old, scholarship and walk-on -- will then begin preparing for the two-week stage prior to camp.
The two-week "spring" session will give Ohio State an opportunity to install things that they didn't get to in the spring, and the walk-throughs and meetings will allow the players to see it first-hand.
The Buckeyes didn't get the benefit of spring ball they were hoping to provide for their true freshmen, but this will be better than nothing, and it will also include the rest of the freshman class who didn't enroll early.
This two-week period will not only be a timely refresher for the early enrollees, but also an informative preview for the late-arriving freshmen.
Overall, with the entire team having been scattered across the country since March, getting the Buckeyes back to campus for two entire months before fall camp even begins is a very big deal and one that shouldn't be overlooked once the season begins.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
1. Solid group of players to fill the open spots from last season. (The only ? may be the DBs, and I think we will be OK there.)
2. Rated #1 or #2 in the pre season polls.
3. There is only 2 'tier 1" QBs, and we have one of them.
4. Fairly favorable schedule.
5. Great betting odds on getting back into the CFPs.
6. We should have beaten Clemson last year, lost on a few calls that didn't go our way. (Even with a QB that had a bum knee) we had the better team.
7. If the team stays healthy, we're better than Clemson this year too.
Just sayin':.......
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A couple of SEC guys give their take on the Buckeyes. These are the dudes who do analytics during the year that are very similar to the stuff that I used to do back when I had time to do it (I may have that kind of time again soon... stay tuned).
There are people that don't like them; that's fine. But I know that there are others on this board that do appreciate what these guys do. My only issue with these guys really (judging them by the YouTube standard, not as national sports media) is that they care too much what other people think.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
The clock is ticking for NCAA, conference officials and university leaders to begin making decisions about if, when and how the college football season will proceed forward amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
As the calendar turns to July 1 – yes, 2020 is only halfway over – a pivotal month begins that could determine whether or not the college football season will begin on time in September and what measures will be in place for the safety of players, coaches and fans if and when the season takes place.
In his most recent teleconference with reporters in May, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said he believed decisions about the Buckeyes’ schedule would need to be made sooner than later once July begins.
“We need to allow time, which in my view may take all of June,” Smith said then. “But I think somewhere in early July, we need to have clarity on what we're doing because, one, we need to think about the student-athletes and their families and what their schedule looks like in their world. Then, of course, we need to consider the operational time that needs to be put in place to manage whatever we ultimately do. So I would say early July would be our time period.”
Ohio State and the NCAA have made some significant steps since then that have, at minimum, kept hope alive that the season could start on time this fall. Ohio State announced in early June that students will be back on campus for an on-time start to in-person fall semester classes. Buckeye football players returned to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for voluntary workouts on June 8, and the NCAA’s Division I Council recently approved a preseason practice plan that will allow teams to begin required workouts and walk-through practices later this month.
That said, there’s still a lot that needs to happen – and a lot of questions that need to be answered – just for those practices to be able to start on time, let alone the opening weekend of games.
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