Everyone knows that the best part of being a sports fan is discussing and analyzing the most important (and least important) issues in the sports world with your friends. So we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL employees take different viewpoints on an issue and argue passionately. At the end, it’s up to you to decide who’s right and who’s crazy.
This week’s topic: Taking temperatures ahead of Ohio State’s 2024 season opener
Josh’s opinion
It’s time, folks. Ohio State football is finally, officially back! Well, starting this weekend, it will be. You know what I mean. The Buckeyes host Akron on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, on CBS of all places. How weird does that sound?
Actually… forget I asked. I don’t want to think about it and potentially kill the mood. Not even Gary Danielson and/or Brad Nessler can ruin the return of OSU football. Nothing against either, I just prefer my Big Ten football commentators to be all Gus with no brakes, if you know what I mean.
To get back to the topic: Yes, the CFB season is Really almost there. Week 0 was a nice foretaste, but now we are Eateat. Fans will be treated to several exciting matchups between ranked teams this weekend, while Ohio State should definitely devour an Akron Zips team and program that has won a total of seven games over the last five seasons. And now I realize I shouldn’t have skipped breakfast this morning.
Anyway, before this morning (yesterday), when Gene and I were trying to decide what to debate and/or discuss, You’re crazyhe asked me a simple question: “How are you?” And at first I thought that was his way of connecting with his favorite writing partner in a real, meaningful way. So I said, “Great man, thanks for asking. I really needed that.” Only to hear from him, “No, I meant the Buckeyes, you simpleton.” That really ruined the moment.
But his content-creating mind was in the right place, even if his heart wasn’t. Gene thought today would be a good time to discuss how we feel about Ryan Day’s team in general before one play, one quarter, or one game causes us to overreact. And I agree.
Without further ado, I would say that I cautiously optimistic about OSU as they prepare to start the 2024-25 season. I think they are well-coached, loaded with talent, and fully capable of winning a national championship. I might even put a few coins on the Buckeyes going undefeated. That said, I’m still partly on the fence for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, the Big Ten is just better now. With the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington, Ohio State and Michigan are unlikely to pull away by October. There are now more than two big underdogs in the race, three if you include Penn State beforehand. And the Buckeyes are playing all of those (other) serious contenders, plus what is likely to be a much-improved Nebraska team. Some say it comes down to one or two games for OSU this season, but I see four or five that could cause ulcers.
The other reason that makes me cautiously optimistic — as opposed to over-the-top or wildly optimistic — is the weight of expectations that Ohio State’s players and coaches may or may not be feeling. All season, the Buckeyes have been hyped as world-class players… But results aren’t decided on paper! Games have to be played, players have to stay healthy and perform, coaches have to put their guys in a position to succeed, all that stuff. OSU isn’t going to be handed the CFP National Championship trophy; they have to go out and earn it. And that’s really, really hard. Even for the most talented teams in college football.
As for expectations for this year’s Ohio State team, mine are high. Possibly higher than ever before. But I wouldn’t say I’m cocky or overconfident. Because I think the Buckeyes have a tougher schedule than some would like to admit, and pressure can sometimes get the best of you. However, all the ingredients are there in Ryan Day’s kitchen. And I firmly believe he and his team can execute a title recipe to perfection.
So LFG!
Gene’s opinion
Let me start by saying that I am well aware that I am a pessimistic sports fan (blame the New York Mets for that). I understand that this Ohio State team is incredibly talented and has a good chance of winning an undefeated season and/or a national title. However, I have my concerns.
At this level, when you’re among the elite of the elite like the Buckeyes are, the only real improvements you can make year to year are marginal. Signing a five-star recruit at a certain position doesn’t change much when most of the other players both around him and on opponents are of the same caliber. There’s only so much you can do to make noticeable improvements from one season to the next, and to some extent, Ohio State did a good job of that this offseason.
First of all, they finally fired Parker Fleming, which ended several years of abysmal special teams play. They brought in Chip Kelly as a playmaker and relieved Ryan Day of that responsibility on game days. They replaced Perry Eliano, who had done a good but not great job, with Matt Guerrieri, an expected improvement. Ohio State even made a possible relief addition, with Carlos Locklyn filling in for Tony Alford.
These moves are, of course, in addition to the numerous players coming through the transfer portal, including Caleb Downs, Quinshon Judkins and Seth McLaughlin.
However, this offseason has not addressed some of the areas where the Buckeyes have shown weaknesses over the past few seasons. When you can only make improvements around the edges, not addressing some of these areas can lead to less than desirable results, and I fear these mistakes — three in particular — could jeopardize an otherwise excellent season for Ohio State.
The first and most obvious problem was a lack of aggressiveness in the transfer portal on the offensive line. Sure, signing McLaughlin could fill a hole at center, but you’re putting a lot of weight on the guy who played a major role in Alabama’s loss to Michigan in the CFP last season. They also failed to sign an impactful tackle, forcing Josh Fryar to play another position again when he probably would have been much better suited as a guard. This Ohio State offensive line brings a ton of experience and should be better than last year, but the coaching staff hasn’t set itself up for success.
Second, we’re in for another season where the stubborn defensive line coach will prevent the defensive coordinator from implementing his scheme. Part of what made Jim Knowles’ defenses so good at his previous stops was the use of the stand-up JACK position along the defensive line. Larry Johnson, on the other hand, refuses to play anything other than a traditional four-down front. Ryan Day failed to settle that argument and force LJ to stick with the DC, and so now a position that would be nearly perfect for guys like CJ Hicks and Arvell Reese will go largely unused.
And finally, Mick Marotti is still employed as the team’s strength coach. Marotti’s strength and conditioning program, a holdover from Urban Meyer, has consistently let down his players, resulting in a plethora of soft tissue injuries and standard performances based solely on position group rather than a player’s skill or body type. Marotti’s methods are outdated, and as a result, Ohio State has fallen behind compared to other major programs in terms of the physical development of its players.
Can Ohio State overcome these issues and still win a national title? Absolutely! This squad will be more talented than 95% of the opponents they’ll face, and I think the coaching staff as a whole is in a great position to lead this team to achieve its ultimate goals. However, when you have three glaring issues that easily could’ve been fixed this offseason, I’m a little skeptical that they’ll actually pull it off – especially given the greater difficulty of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
