Burke and Egbuka returning to OSU
January 11th, 2024 at 10:17 AM ^
Impressive that Days convincing so many guys to sign up for going 0-4.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:39 AM ^
OSU is saving a good chunk of money by not having to make those stupid gold pants the last few years.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:29 PM ^
Columbus area tattoo artists hardest hit
January 11th, 2024 at 12:47 PM ^
will someone please think of the luxury car dealers??!!!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:57 AM ^
These guys are also staying at OSU against their own best interest. These aren't mid to late round guys, they're late first or early second round guys who any decent person would tell to leave for the draft. Day's seat is on fire
January 11th, 2024 at 11:45 AM ^
Imo Egbuka needs to return. First day pick could now rely on a combine performance showing out.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:10 AM ^
I think Coach Day is just ensuring he’ll have people actually have to attend his “going away” party after Nov. 30th, 2024. Pretty sure his invitations were created and stamped after last year’s game.
In all seriousness, good for OSU and Day to keep these pieces. Only problem is they still have to play the game. Dang it!
January 11th, 2024 at 11:20 AM ^
They’ve always done whatever it takes to win. Their system is set up like Alabama’s. Win at all costs, literally. Our natty made them nervous chickens.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:12 PM ^
Ryan Day already had the born on 3rd all star roster and couldn't deliver.
Now they are going full on super team because of the last 3 losses to UM and our National Title to top it off.
How many 5 stars does this guy need to get over the hump? Ultimately, there are diminishing returns on overall talent in that it is more important how well they are actually coached, developed, fit scheme and play together to create a winner.
Guy is literally standing on 3rd waiting for a balk or wild pitch to get home.
January 11th, 2024 at 1:16 PM ^
It's like, 'whatever you can do I can do better' Those Buckeyes are insane in the membrane
January 11th, 2024 at 10:17 AM ^
OSU is doing a great job keeping the roster together and adding pieces from the portal. Questions are still OL and whether they can up their toughness.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:23 AM ^
While I agree their OL is still a question mark, a major objective for their D will be getting stops in the second half against Michigan.
I'm still basking in Michigan's season - and, really won't think about this for a while.
FWIW - I promised my son (who is a junior at Michigan) that I'd take him to Columbus for a Michigan v OSU game - so, November 30th - we'll be there in person.
Go Blue!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:28 AM ^
Problem is that they didn't address the QB. They ran off a guy who was good, not elite, that would have probably been better...and ended up with a guy who is worse but older? If they're convincing people for an 'all in' type of year this year, that's the single biggest piece missing.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:55 AM ^
Howard has legs, though, which as we can all attest to with JJ, can completely change the offense. Not saying that means he takes OSU's offense to a new level, but I think there is high potential that he opens up more avenues for the Buckeyes.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:04 PM ^
Will Day actually take advantage of them? He turned Stroud into a statue.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:59 AM ^
Howard is an upgrade with his legs, but a downgrade with his arm. Watch some of his highlights. Dude barely can throw down the field
January 11th, 2024 at 11:27 AM ^
Just reading some K-State forums (emphasis added)...
Will Howard is anything but a game manager imo. He's a gunslinger.
Correct. Will is out there slanging rockets all over the field into holes that sometimes aren't there, absolute gunslinger mentality.
Howard will always hold a special place in K-State lore, the picture of him getting carried off the field after smoking OSU still makes me feel warm inside.
I'm excited for #AveryTime in the bowl game and wish Will the best of luck next year and I'll definitely be following/rooting for him.
I've thought he's been good at pre-snap reads but not great at reading after the snap. I think B12 defenses adjusted to that which caused him to be baited into dumb interceptions early too. I think he forced some balls due to overconfidence as well.
All in all, I think Howard was an above average quarterback that, when surrounded by the right tools, can really shine. I don't think he'll end up being one of the greats though who's able to take the team on his shoulders and go on to victory. We'll always have the Dr. Pepper though.
He's a much better than average QB who made remarkable progress in our program. Howevertheless, he lacks the magic of a superstar that his successor appears to have.
"Howevertheless" lol
January 11th, 2024 at 11:40 AM ^
Let's take a quick look at the last three Buckeye QB's and who appears to be arriving
Justin Fields - NFL QB - who can run.
JC Stroud - NFL QB - likely rookie of the year - with a very good arm - who could run but didn't against Michigan.
Kyle McCord - who threw for 270 yards - 9 YPA against Michigan
Will Howard - whose completion % and rating are lower than McCord's - against Big 12 defenses - and, yes - he can run.
What is OSU's offensive strength / philosophy - lead with the run or pass game? I think it's pass game oriented now.
The OSU's receiving corps has been one of the better groups in college football for a number of year - with a lot of talent. Throwing into tight spaces - with the accuracy and velocity necessary to beat some solid secondaires - is not an easy thing. It will be interesting to see what Howard can do.
The interesting news is - Howard will get to practice against the kind of defensive schemes he's seem for the last four years - a Big 12 defense. The other side of the coin is - he won't be facing Big 12 defenses on Saturdays - they'll be B1G defenses instead.
Grab your popcorn...
January 11th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^
I think issue for OSU last year was they didn't have an offensive identity. Day clearly wwanted to run more, but with injuries and an average OL they couldn't against Michigan...and the pass game wasn't what it had always been...in part because he wanted to run. I think Day bringing in the back from Ole Miss is him attempting to change to a run-first team.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:18 AM ^
Howard is coming in with some serious pressure on him. Days career is hanging on Howards shoulders and a fan base that will send him death threats if they lose to Michigan a 4th straight year. Who the hell would want to voluntarily walk into that situation?
We'll see if he has ice in his veins this year.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:36 PM ^
As we showed in 2021, if you have all the other pieces, a solid QB will get the job done. Day ran off a better than solid (just not stellar) QB with his impulsive mouth.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:31 AM ^
OSU is still weak in the trenches. If they don't figure out how to run the ball or run the QB, none of their moves are changing much
January 11th, 2024 at 10:46 AM ^
It's been about their OL for the last 2 to 3 years. They'll - obviously - be really good every year but with a so-so OL, they'll never be a NC team
January 11th, 2024 at 2:05 PM ^
There is still time left but what has Day focused on……retaining all his skill players. He has yet to sure up the trenches. What did Harbaugh do last year? He got just about everyone he could in the trenches to come back and then went out and got more portal players to make our O-line and D-line even better. There was not a player on Ohio Staye that concerned me coming back except Marvelous Marv and Kyle McCord (you read that right). Day’s QBs have been vastly improved in their 2nd seasons. Ryan Day has still not realized we have won the last 3 years in the trenches. I am confident we will still be better in the trenches next year which gives me confidence we will compete.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:32 AM ^
I’m not sure the roster matters if they don’t fix coaching.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
I hate to say it but they actually look good. For all the talk of them being garbage, six point loss in a close game to the national champions isn’t something to overlook. They look good on paper.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:22 AM ^
Yeah they honestly look like they are going to be loaded next year. Not that they usually arent every year anyway, but I still dont like it!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:25 AM ^
IIRC, in all but one of the last nine years, the Buckeyes have had a "Top Three" roster - according to 247's Team Talent Composite.
Talent is one thing - development is another - scheme / coaching is a third - and culture (IMO) can be the differentiator.
I'm more than happy with where Michigan is coming from.
Go Blue!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:28 AM ^
It is helpful to have experience - helped Michigan a lot this year. We were sending loads of seniors up against Bama 5* sophomores etc. Helps to have 22-23 year old man strength in the trenches vs 19 year olds. OSU has had the talent but often they went to the league as soon as they could.
If they are getting both the 5* freshmen ($$$) and paying them to stay as seniors ($$$) that's a pretty deadly combination. A lot of guys who came back are juniors reminiscent of Zinter, Mikey, Blake, Jenkins, etc
Anyhow we got our ring and I'm content. But looks like we woke up the bear in Ohio.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:51 AM ^
Alabama's lack of experience/production I agree with; they were something like 125th last year in returning production. But OSU was 48th overall and most of that was Stroud leaving at QB; they were 20th in returning defense while UM was 16th. They'll obviously have a lot of those guys coming back for one more go but they're still down Harrison Jr., Flemming, and possibly Henderson. Their offensive line should be fine but it wasn't great last year and assuming some of those guys will figure it out in an offseason isn't a given.
Defensively they should be really good but that isn't a huge surprise. But I don't think this woke up the guys in Columbus all that much; Burke is the only guy I'm a bit surprised is coming back. Egbuka is a good WR but clearly a step behind elite, and guys like Sawyer and JTT have always had really good measurables but struggled to live up to the hype. Maybe they put it all together but Michigan getting the gang back together and actually winning it all is pretty rare; more often than not these teams do okay but lose a game or two because of bad luck or an off game. With the playoffs expanding it's less likely they won't get a shot at a title but I still think they're behind teams like Georgia and whomever takes over Alabama, to say nothing of other teams that will likely surprise us all.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:25 AM ^
I wont be worried about osu until I see they are undefeated in November. They have games at PSU and Oregon that are going to be tough on them.
Ohio was loaded in 2022 when they were at home with Stroud and Michigan beat them without Corum.
This year when they play osu I dont think both teams will have 0 losses with the PAC teams joining. 2022 and 2023 games were something we never see again.
If JJ is back thats huge because he doesnt know what its like to lose to osu. The pressure will still be on the other state to win that game even if they are already playoff bound, which they should be.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:23 AM ^
It will be extremely difficult to win next year in Columbus, even if JJ comes back for another year.
They've had tons of guys come back that I didn't expect, done well in the portal and at least kept QB at the same level as last year (IMO).
They are going all in next year, very clear.
The flip side, if Michigan beats them, it will end their program as we currently know it.
January 11th, 2024 at 1:03 PM ^
We can definitely push them off the cliff into a death spiral.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:29 AM ^
Yeah that defense was about on par with UM this year and looks to be again next year.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:45 AM ^
They had a very good defense, but I'm not convinced any D in the nation was on par with Michigan.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:55 AM ^
Not so sure - both OSU and PSU's defenses were right there with ours. The difference between UM and OSU were the OLs and it showed on the most critical play of the game - that last interception of McCord when his OL collapsed again when they were driving for the winning score. And of course the HCs,,,,,,,,Day just doesn't come close to JH
January 11th, 2024 at 11:32 AM ^
Don't think their Dline was as good at pressuring the QB as UMs. UM was able pressure the QB both with its interior Dline and Edge play. That's a pretty rare and deadly combination.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:54 AM ^
Yes. That game was huge and the win was huge because both teams had legitimate shots to win the title. The winner *did* win the title. We said it might have been the biggest edition ever, and events have proven it to be true.
It was a great OSU team. Michigan was greater.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:27 AM ^
Did osu get better or worse since The Game?
Mizzou 14 Nuts 3
Will INT Howard will have his hands full in the B1G.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:54 AM ^
Ryan.Day.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery … and knowing who your master is … let’s see if the nuts have the Meechigan work ethic.. they certainly don’t have the leader !!!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:19 AM ^
So we get to say that OSU has a bunch of guys coming back and are full of grown men so their success is not really fair?
No? Because that was just another BS excuse? Ok cool.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:22 AM ^
I'm impressed. No snark.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:25 AM ^
Been stuck in National Champions mode past few days but just realizing Sawyer is coming back too along with a pretty good DT in Williams - along with multiple DBs aside Burke. They had a pretty darn good defense last year so looks like they are all in on the money cannon copying Michigan 2023.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:29 AM ^
We still have at least another week or two before we get back into nervous nelly mode.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:25 AM ^
I know we are all on Cloud 9, and soaking in our great moment. I am loving it.
However, I think anyone who thought OSU was 'buried' should re-adjust expectations. We have had a great three year run. But each time, we took down TOP level teams. They were all very, very good - we were just better. I think the idea that someway, somehow, OSU will 'crumble' is not accurate. They will continue to be very good. Honestly, how could they not be with their recruiting classes? Each of the last three games were close at some point. Even this year, they had the ball with a chance at the very end of the game.
These things often come down to a few key plays, and even to luck. It is truly a game of inches. I predict The Game will continue to be very hard, and OSU continues to have an excellent chance to win it. I would not be surprised if they are favored in 2024, or 2025, or any other year.
We just need to keep working and grinding with our excellent team, culture, and coaches. Anything less will lead to a slide. Because you know the whole country is gunning for us now!
Oh, and of course Go Blue. The victors valiant, leaders and best!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:33 AM ^
Momentum is a real thing in the Michigan/OSU rivalry. It is very streaky. When one of the teams goes on a run, they usually last quite a while. Of course OSU is not dead and buried but I feel like they still have at least one more loss before they get a win, maybe 2.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:57 AM ^
Did anyone really think OSU was going to crumble? i certainly didn't. But there is a TON of pressure on OSU to now make it work; this is the year they're "all in" and Ryan Day has no excuses. They brought in some guys from the portal, kept a lot of key players, everything is there in front of them. But it's been in front of them for 3 years now and they've struggled to win those big games. Missouri is a good team but there's no reason OSU should have been bullied around like they did especially since most of these returning guys played in that game. I think they'll be really good next year but that's been true for decades now. We'll see how they handle adversity and expectations given the fact their rival just won a title and they've had way too many opportunities to follow suit and fallen short.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:10 AM ^
In a lot of ways, this is set up as their 2007 Michigan season (albeit with a better result for 2023 Michigan than 2006 Ohio State).
Lose a close game to your rival on the road, get embarrassed in the bowl game, everyone comes back for one more go at a title.
Here's hoping Sparty or Akron can pull off the App State and Ryan Day gets carried off the field in the Citrus Bowl for his last game!
January 11th, 2024 at 11:30 AM ^
Dont forget these are the SAME osu guys that mailed it in against Mizzou. They are not automatically set this year.