Sometimes, life be like this.
Memory Lane isn't as welcoming as I hoped it would be pic.twitter.com/6xH2dC8gbl
— Mark Titus (@clubtrillion) September 9, 2021
Word of the Day: Extemporaneous.
IT'S GONNA GET WILD. Oregon's in for a wild time when they stroll into the 'Shoe packed with 100,000 strong. For most of them, it's going to be like nothing they've ever experienced before, and they know it.
But no building almost any of Oregon’s players have ever or will ever play in will be as big or certainly as loud as when they enter Ohio Stadium on Saturday (9 a.m. PT, Fox).
“That’s probably in the top 3 of places I’ve coached throughout 24 years,” said offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, who visited Ohio State while in the same role at Penn State in 2017. “I think over 100,000. You’re there and the stands seem like they go straight up in the air forever and a very intelligent and passionate fan base that can be really loud at times. It’s a very, very tough environment to play.”
...
“You make sure that everything you’re doing in practice prepares you for a situation where verbal communication is really probably not an option,” Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said. “That’s part of our processes anyways. At the same time, you make sure that you don’t make it something bigger than what it is. If you’re not prepared for it, it’s a really big deal; it is. Home-field advantages are real in college football and in the NFL, especially if you don’t prepare for them.”
Honestly, with no fans in the stands last year and most guys not playing meaningful snaps their first year on campus, there's probably a solid chunk of this roster that's never played in front of a road crowd at all in their college careers.
This will be uh... one hell of a first time! Best of luck!
MADE THE TREK. We still have no idea if Kayvon Thibodeaux will be able to play for the Ducks on Saturday, but we do know he made the trip to Columbus, so it's still an option.
Based on his IG post, Kayvon Thibodeaux made the trip with Oregon to Columbus
— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) September 10, 2021
Really, this doesn't mean all that much, because it shouldn't be surprising if you think there's even a slight chance that the guy who is probably the best football player in the country could be able to play on Saturday.
Personally, I want him to play. And I wish it was clear that he was at full strength. I don't want any excuses when the Buckeyes lay 52 on that defense come Saturday. You can forgive me for having faith in an offensive line that can do this to an opponent:
Ohio States offensive line pic.twitter.com/LqLmh75XMW
— Stephen Means (@Stephen_Means) September 8, 2021
I'm not saying Thibodeaux ain't going to touch Stroud if he plays, but I'm certainly not not saying that, either.
ALL-PANCAKER TEAM. Rimington, Outland and Lombardi be damned – I can think of no more prestigious honor for an offensive lineman than this one. And I'm pleased to inform you all that Nicholas Petit-Frere is an honoree.
Denny's has signed four of the nation's top pancake blockers to NIL deals
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 8, 2021
They're joining the diner's first "All Pancaker Team"
Jalen Mckenzie, USC
Mark Evans II, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Tristan Leigh, Clemson
Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State pic.twitter.com/r179h9UfEO
It's just a damn shame the rules never allowed The Pancake Man himself to strike this deal in college. This was an endorsement deal basically invented for him.
COMPLETE TIGHT END. Jeremy Ruckert could have gone to pretty much any program in the country and probably seen the field earlier in his career and gotten a hell of a lot more targets.
But he came to Ohio State because he didn't just want to be a large receiver. He wanted to be this, too:
Some of hardest guys to sell in a draft room when coaches become part of evaluation process are finesse pass-catching F-only tight ends. TE coaches generally want nothing to do with those guys. Scouts wont have that issue with @OhioStateFB Jeremy Ruckert (@Jeremy_Ruckert1). pic.twitter.com/mEsBv8tIkm
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) September 9, 2021
There were a lot of people second-guessing his decision to come to Ohio State based on the program's outright refusal to throw the ball to the tight end historically, but I truly think he's made himself a lot of money in the long run in Columbus.
Cause it's not like his hands disappeared, either.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Juke Box Hero" by Foreigner.
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