It's almost time, friends.
Only the Ryan Day Radio Show, a lightning round with the head coach and a few more articles on Eleven Warriors are between you and an Ohio State football game on Saturday.
You only get 12 regular-season contests to watch each fall, plus whatever postseason opportunities the Buckeyes are afforded. Take advantage of them.
Let's have a good Thursday, shall we?
WELCOME ABOARD. Before the Ohio State season began, I researched the football team's 12 new walk-ons. I wanted to know who they were and from where they came. The most surprising information I found was on running back TC Caffey of Hubbard, Ohio.
As a high school senior, Caffey rushed for 2,638 yards and 37 touchdowns, averaging 219 yards per contest and 8.3 yards per carry. He was named the Trumbull County Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division III. Caffey finished his high school career with 4,659 yards and 57 touchdowns in 39 games.
Back in January we had a stacking meeting of some of the top RBs in Ohio. 22' RB TC Caffey was a player we thought had tremendous upside. Pound for pound as physical a runner we have seen. @tC2_2Caffey @ohsfca @prospectnys pic.twitter.com/cUllcQvnQu
— All Northeast (@All_Northeast) June 23, 2021
I wondered how Caffey ended up a preferred walk-on at Ohio State with stats like those. Surely he had to have Division I schools lining up to offer him a scholarship, but as it turns out, the most he received were opportunities with Army, Charlotte, Kentucky and Youngstown State.
So Caffey became a Buckeye. And, folks, he seems to be doing well for himself thus far. On Wednesday, the freshman ball carrier became the 10th member of the 2022 class to shed his black stripe.
newest member of tote nation, @tC2_2Caffey pic.twitter.com/9gpRHjapLJ
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 14, 2022
Caffey is officially part of The Brotherhood, as they say. While it remains to be seen how that will impact his Ohio State career, we will shine the spotlight on the walk-on paving his way in the program. Cheers, TC.
DEVELOPED HERE. Ohio State has plenty of players who could have prosperous futures in the NFL starting as soon as next season. Among them are C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Paris Johnson Jr.
That's how ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller saw it when he ranked the class of prospects for the 2023 NFL draft, a pool of players he considers to be headlined by the Buckeyes mentioned above.
What are the deepest positions in the '23 Draft class?
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 14, 2022
Well, there are a lot of them.https://t.co/4njwz0kqS6
According to Miller, Stroud is a proven talent with a legitimate first-round grade from pro scouts, and the same can be said for Smith-Njigba. He sees both going off the board within the first top 10 picks in 2023. Miller doesn't have Johnson as a surefire top pick but believes he has the potential to be one of two first-round tackles, along with Northwestern's Peter Skoronski.
Miller also name-dropped three more Buckeyes – Dawand Jones, Zach Harrison and Cameron Brown – as players receiving attention from front offices at the next level. He placed all six Ohio State products in tiers at their respective positions:
- Tier 1: Serious first-round buzz - C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Paris Johnson Jr.
- Tier 2: Potential to rise up draft boards - Zach Harrison
- Tier 3: Possible mid-rounders to watch - Cameron Brown and Dawand Jones
My reason for sharing this is two-fold, with the primary purpose being to show you that Ohio State has some talented players on the roster this season. Secondly, it’s that many of Ohio State’s top players this season are players who might not actually be in the 2023 NFL draft.
Miller didn't write about every position, so I can't relay his thoughts on Tommy Eichenberg, Steele Chambers, Ronnie Hickman or Josh Proctor, but I found it interesting that only six Buckeyes were listed in this article.
However, the 2024 class could be full of early entrants to the draft, including Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, J.T. Tuimoloau, Mike Hall and Jack Sawyer, while featuring a few more veterans in the draft class. That's why Ohio State is one of the country's best teams this season and will be consistently successful for years to come.
A PACK OF DOGS. Palaie Gaoteote has made a significant impact on special teams for the Buckeyes this season, winning back-to-back special teams player of the week awards for his performances against Notre Dame and Arkansas State.
The Ohio State football Twitter account shared a video of Gaoteote explaining how important winning the special teams battle is for the Buckeyes and why he takes pride in being a part of the unit.
:
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 14, 2022
week 02 - @PalaieGaoteote
#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Z9WTU3YVTg
“My mindset as I run down the field is to do what I can for my brothers,” Gaoteote said in the video. “I look to my left and right, and I have guys beside me, so I don't feel alone when I'm out there. We also have a thing of a pack of hungry dogs. We run it down all in one unit, and that's the mindset I go down with every day.”
Gaoteote's Ohio State experience might not look exactly as he thought it would have over a year after he transferred from USC to be a Buckeye. However, the veteran seems pleased to do the dirty work and make the hard-nosed plays for his team. The program needs players like him if they want to achieve their goals.
THE PEOPLE. THE TRADITION. THE EXCELLENCE. Woody Hayes once said, “You win with people.” They were wise words at the time, and they are still wise words today.
The fall sports at Ohio State must have that motto in their locker rooms because the fine men and women running and competing for those programs are winning a lot. In fact, six Buckeye squads are ranked in the top 25 of their respective sports this week, so yeah, they are winning a lot.
6 Buckeye squads ranked in the Top 25 this week !
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) September 14, 2022
: @OhioStateFB takes on Toledo Saturday at 7:00 PM ET
: https://t.co/He7w8aQLnY | @HondaInOhio | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/wZcFHiE7RA
Women’s hockey leads all programs as the No. 1 team in their poll, followed by football at No. 3, women’s volleyball at No. 5, women’s soccer at No. 21, men’s soccer at No. 22 and field hockey at No. 23.
I'd say things are pretty darn good for Ohio State sports right now. Still, it's one thing to be there now and another thing to be there at the end of the year. Buckeye Nation expects national championships, so it's time for those programs to prove they belong among the best of the best. Let's check back again later in the fall.
SONG OF THE DAY. “LOVER (You Don't Treat Me No Good No More)” by Sonia Dada.
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