So how 'bout the Basketbucks, am I right?
I would like to blame that loss on Kaleb Wesson's absence, but Ohio State scored 17 points in a half and at one point had more air balls than field goals. Kaleb would have helped, but lets not undersell how terrifyingly bad that offensive performance was.
The good news is, the Buckeyes still might be in the NCAA Tournament field, because everyone else is equally or more bad!
Thank God for spring football.
ICYMI
- Spring practice observations.
- Ryan Day says he will call plays himself in the fall.
- Our enduring fixation on tight ends.
- Ryan Day says there is a quarterback battle between Justin Fields and Matthew Baldwin.
- Ohio State's NCAA Tournament chances are on life support.
Word of the Day: Indelible.
BUCKS NO. 5. I've mentioned this before, but one of my favorite stupid things about college football is how we treat spring practices like they're a separate season in themselves.
Spring football is just a two-month stretch of mostly closed practices that don't even feature all of next year's team, yet we count down the days until it starts, lead up to it with an entire spring preview article series, and blanket it with coverage.
This year Athlon even put out pre-spring rankings for all 130 teams. That's probably insane and something we absolutely should not care about at this point, but I kinda do because the Bucks are in the top-five.
From AthlonSports.com:
5. Ohio State
All eyes in Columbus will be on new coach Ryan Day this season, and the cupboard is stocked for another run at the Big Ten title and CFB Playoff. Georgia transfer quarterback Justin Fields should thrive under Day’s watch, with running back J.K. Dobbins and receivers K.J. Hill, Chris Olave and Austin Mack providing plenty of options in the passing game. Ohio State’s defense slipped on the stat sheet last fall, but Day is hoping veteran Greg Mattison and co-coordinator Jeff Hafley return this unit to elite status.
Athlon also has Cincinnati at No. 30, setting up one hell of an early-season, in-state matchup. And as expected, the lowest-ranked Power Five team is Rutgers at No. 107, just one spot ahead of Liberty.
GOING UNDER CENTER? Incredible news, I think Ohio State might be learning about the quarterback sneak this spring.
Ryan Day says Ohio State's offense will "look at some under-center stuff this spring."
— Colin Hass-Hill (@chasshill) March 6, 2019
I've always begrudgingly understood that if every play in the playbook is out of shotgun, there's no reason to waste reps going under center. But at the same time, it seems to really box you in during particular scenarios. Like, for example, goal line situations.
I'm all for installing the quarterback sneak into the offense (that sentence is hilarious to type), but I also hope the quarterback keeper out of shotgun makes a comeback with Justin Fields at the helm.
Y'all can go ahead and burn me in effigy for that #take, but it was just old faithful when the Bucks needed a yard or two, even if the defense knew exactly what was coming.
FOLLOWING BIG (BEAR) FOOTSTEPS. Joey Bosa went to the NFL and was immediately one of the top pass rushers in the league.
The same thing – if not more – is expected from Nick, and even if he isn't directly competing with Joey's success, he knows there's pressure to live up to it.
From Ricky Henne of Chargers.com:
“Definitely not a rivalry,” (Nick Bosa) said while at the Combine. “I just want to do everything I can here to let all the coaches know that I’m ready to go and I’ll be a good NFL player…The success (Joey’s) had, I think he had the quickest to 20 career sacks or something like that, which is pretty unbelievable when you look back at all the pass rushers that have played the game. We come from the same coach, coach Larry Johnson at Ohio State, and he’s given us some really good tool blocks to work off of. Now it’s up to us to keep developing.”
However, while there may not be a sibling rivalry, that doesn’t mean there isn’t pressure to live up to the Bosa name, particularly with how quickly Joey established himself among the NFL’s elite.
“There’s always pressure,” Nick admitted. “I followed Joey at St. Thomas, I followed Joey at Ohio State and now I’m following Joey into the league. I’m kind of used to it by now.”
My prayer is that we get to see them on the same defensive line in the NFL at some point in their careers. That would almost make up for all of the Nick/Chase Young and Joey/Noah Spence games that were stolen from us.
OHIO STATE AD IN WAITING? When Gene Smith eventually decides to retire, his replacement is going to have enormous shoes to fill.
I know a lot of y'all are going to be clamoring for Ohio State to hire Urban Meyer or Jim Tressel to take the reins. While I certainly wouldn't object to either of them, keep in mind that the 2018 Athletic Director of the Year will likely also be an option.
Congratulations to our leader @pat_chun on being named @NACDA Athletic Director of the Year! We appreciate all that you've done for the Crimson and Gray!
— Washington State Athletics (@WSUCougars) March 6, 2019
Read more here: https://t.co/qsSi4JdBRq#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/VndwzBEL3P
Pat Chun is an Ohio State alum and a former Ohio State athletics administrator. He'd likely be at or near the top of any short list of candidates and I've got a hunch this job would be nearly impossible to turn down.
SILKY HANDLES. I thought y'all might need some positive hoops highlights as a pick-me-up after how the past two games have gone. So here, have a D'Angelo Russell ankle-breaker.
D-Lo brought out the shammgod pic.twitter.com/RI56Cb7xFx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 7, 2019
He's no Oleh Onopriienko, but I think it's safe to say he excels at basketball.
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