6/21/2023 0 Comments Ohio time zone current time![]() ![]() Still, the Wolverines rattled our defense, particularly in the second half.īosa would bring an added dose of leadership to help keep the defense focused on the details and the execution, and he’d likely toss in a few key plays while he was at it. Michigan’s usually exceptional rush game limped into the Shoe, with standout rusher Blake Corum (who I still maintain should have been a Heisman finalist) playing only a few snaps and Donovan Edwards donning a cast on his arm. It wasn’t that the defensive ends were the big defensive gap in last year’s Game. But because it is only for this one very high-stakes game - a game the Buckeyes have to travel to Ann Arbor for - I want the reassurance that we’ve got an extra playmaker on defense. Keep in mind, if we were adding one alumnus back in for the entire season, this is not the choice I would make. Now about to enter his fifth season with the San Francisco 49ers, Bosa is still in playing shape - so much so that he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year at the end of last season. ![]() By the 2018 season, he was considered by some to be the best player in all of college football before a core muscle injury in the TCU game (just the third game of the year) ended his season. ![]() Accolades and honors rolled in - and so much of it was due to Bosa’s execution. Certainly, the gap is not due to lack of talent.īut as Tuimoloau himself said after OSU’s loss to Michigan last season, “In big games like this, it’s the little things.”Īnd since I cannot physically stomach another loss to Michigan, I’m calling in Nick Bosa to make sure he and Tuimoloau can take care of the big things.ĭuring Bosa’s time as a Buckeye, he secured his spot as one of the all-time great defensive linemen. Now Sawyer - and the backups - are all players I trust to get the job done this Fall, and I do think Sawyer will make up for lost time on the improvement front in the games leading up to Michigan. While it wasn’t used all the time, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has said this shift prevented Sawyer from really improving last season. When Mitchell Melton suffered a season-ending injury, Sawyer stepped in to fill the “Jack” position, a hybrid role between defensive end and linebacker, more than any other player on the team. Sawyer, for his part, spent much of last season adjusting. I trust the consistency is something that’s been worked on in the off-season, and he’s someone I want on the field as a leader in the Michigan game.īut for the Michigan game - and the Michigan game ONLY - I’d bring in Nick Bosa to start alongside Tuimoloau. Now, I’m not worried about Tuimoloau, even in the Michigan game. It was one of the greatest defensive performances ever by a defensive lineman. I mean, these are absolutely lights-out numbers in every column. ![]() Tuimoloau, for example, shone bright in the Penn State game, logging six tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble and fumble recovery (pauses to take a deep breath), and a touchdown. The talent is there, but the execution changes day to day. So why on earth would I worry about this position when there are so many other brilliant positions I could fill with alums?īecause the biggest issue we have on defense is consistency. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer projected to start, supported by a treasure trove of backups including sophomores Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson, and Omari Abor. Today’s Question: What if Ohio State could bring back any alum for this year’s Michigan game?īy all measures, Ohio State football is stacked at defensive end this season, with juniors J.T. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts. In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”What If?” articles here.Įverybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. This week is all about players to watch this upcoming season. From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. ![]()
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