Hello, all.
If you have not watched already, please take a second to watch this video. It shall be the neatest thing you see all day. Guaranteed.
This is what it is all about. Kamryn Babb second. pic.twitter.com/Ouyv4x7Byh
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 14, 2022
Let’s have Tuesday, we could?
HIT ‘EM WITH THE X. Xavier Johnson is the Swiss Army knife of The Ohio State University soccer workforce. Need a large receiver? Xavier. Need a kick and punt returner? Xavier. Need a working again? Xavier.
He actually can do all of it.
Johnson proved that when once more on Indiana, catching two passes for 47 yards, together with a swing move he grabbed out of the backfield that resulted in 34 yards and put the Ohio State offense deep inside Indiana territory.
The swing move to the working again >>>> pic.twitter.com/3OtPhY70hj
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 12, 2022
(The Buckeyes ought to have been working this play with TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams all season, however that is a narrative for one more time. Glad to see it lastly occurred on Saturday.)
But that wasn’t all Johnson did for Ohio State towards Indiana. On his lone carry of the recreation, the former walk-on from Cincinnati diced by way of the Hoosier protection for 71 yards and a landing. The Big Ten labeled it the convention’s play of the week on Sunday.
Injury pressured No. 2 @OhioStateFB to get artistic in its backfield.
Enter WR Xavier Johnson (@J5Xavier).
The versatile veteran’s absurd 71-yard TD claims our Week 11 .
@OldTrapper pic.twitter.com/jTgEUmFRlx
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 13, 2022
To be clear, Johnson made the play together with his legs, and he deserves loads of reward for the lengthy landing run. However, he isn’t the solely purpose the play was profitable. A couple of Buckeye Leaves must also go to Julian Fleming and Marvin Harrison Jr. for his or her blocks down the area that created lanes for Johnson to take his carry to the crib.
This block from Marvin Harrison Jr. >>> pic.twitter.com/3uOZGSqOeG
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 12, 2022
While it is fairly simple to see the influence of Harrison’s block as a result of it was each menacing and in the center of the display screen, Fleming’s block was equally vital to the run. He saved his fingers shut to his chest and drove his defender out of bounds, combining with Harrison to take the Hoosiers’ third-level defenders out of the play. It was textbook blocking for Fleming – one thing the Buckeyes persistently observe with drills like this:
Ohio State WRs utilizing tennis balls to encourage shut & energetic fingers to the punch throughout blocking drills
through Ohio Preps on YouTube pic.twitter.com/raeqAsHJQq
— PreSnap (@presnapinc) November 14, 2022
Perfect, A+ grades for Harrison and Fleming and an A++ for Johnson, who continues to show he generally is a helpful weapon for the Ohio State offense when wanted.
PAY THE RANSOM. Lathan Ransom has his greatest recreation as a Buckeye on Saturday with 9 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one move breakup and one punt block. Soooooooo, can we hand him the Jim Thorpe Award already?
OK – I will not get forward of myself.
Perhaps he shall be alright with Ohio State’s defensive and particular groups participant of the recreation and the Eleven Warriors defensive player of the week. That ought to be sufficient accolades for his efficiency towards Indiana. We’ll get to the Jim Thorpe ultimately.
offenses beware pic.twitter.com/pJ67ACMpEi
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 14, 2022
effort on pic.twitter.com/AD8Huxz0Xp
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 14, 2022
Ransom stated Saturday he was disillusioned in how he performed in the Northwestern recreation one week earlier, however he bounced again and performed a crucial position in Ohio State’s dominant win over the weekend.
Former Ohio State linebacker and present co-host of Morning Juice on 97.1 The Fan Bobby Carpenter defined why Ransom’s efforts have been vital for the Buckeyes past what the third-year security placed on the area Saturday, because it speaks volumes to the tradition Jim Knowles has created for the protection in his first season.
He was benched final week at northwestern he didnt cry about he got here out this week and received Defensive participant of the recreation and particular groups participant of the recreation
Lathan Ransom pure dude#CarpsCorner https://t.co/RvYTn6QGoZ pic.twitter.com/uND1WOUjdc
— Bobby Carpenter (@Bcarp3) November 14, 2022
Awesome. May that tradition proceed to work wonders for Ohio State on the observe area at the Woody and on the area throughout video games – most of all throughout the Michigan recreation on Nov. 26.
SCARY TERRY. Terry McLaurin’s path from four-time Indiana state champion, to clawing for snaps and catches at Ohio State to considered one of the greatest and highest-paid receivers in the NFL has been fairly the journey – one McLaurin argues is wholly distinctive.
In an interview with ESPN staff writer John Keim, McLaurin fought again tears describing what it meant to be the place he is right now.
“If you’re blessed to be in a situation to get a second contract, you know what that means for yourself, your future and your family. That part of it was awesome,” McLaurin stated when reflecting on his progress, a tear rolling down his cheek. “My journey was just different.”
McLaurin’s journey was completely different, however it wasn’t all that sudden when trying again. At least not to Curtis Samuel, McLaurin’s teammate at Ohio State and now on the Washington Commanders.
From Keim’s article:
Teammate Curtis Samuel stated once they roomed collectively at Ohio State, he noticed McLaurin’s competitiveness.
“After practice this man is still working,” Samuel stated. “I’m talking on days we got off I wake up and say, ‘Terry, what are you about to go do?’ He’d say, ‘I’m about to go to the facility, go run some routes, catch some passes.’ Where he’s at today is all because of that.”
That work has put McLaurin in the dialog as considered one of the greatest huge receivers in the NFL, together with gamers like Tyreek Hill, Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
While he may not be as quick as Hill, as polished a route runner as Kupp or as explosive as Diggs and Adams, McLaurin is gifted in his personal proper. That expertise stems from his want to win, his intense give attention to minute particulars and his emotional attachment to the recreation of soccer. Those traits and extra have formed him into the participant he is right now.
To attain this level, he endured: having to persuade Urban Meyer he was worthy of a scholarship to Ohio State, redshirting his freshman 12 months, catching no passes his first season taking part in and 11 in his second, having individuals doubt he might play nicely for the Buckeyes, ending fourth on the workforce in receptions in his final season, seeing his friends obtain extra rewards from their work, getting drafted in the third spherical as a particular groups participant and stable backup.
“A lot of those times are discouraging,” McLaurin stated. “You see your peers who went off to the NFL; you put in the same work but the results aren’t happening for you in the timing you think they should happen.”
Former Washington coach Jay Gruden stated they believed he could possibly be a dynamic receiver, having scouted him at the Senior Bowl.
But McLaurin stated he does really feel his pure expertise will get neglected at instances.
“Because I’ve worked so hard, a lot of people don’t give me my flowers on the God-given athletic ability,” he stated. “I’ve been touched by God to have this ability to run fast, jump high, be extremely strong, really smart, leadership. A lot of things you can’t quite coach and teach, but it comes out naturally because it’s who I am. It’s not a façade. … I’m not the flashiest player, you can’t look at me and say, ‘Wow, he does X well.’ I pride myself on being a complete receiver.”
…
Samuel stated, “When he first got to the league they said he was a special teams guy. That’s crazy. I’d seen this guy work his butt off every day. He’s a receiver. I’ve always said he’s a No. 1 receiver.”
It simply took a minute for it to occur.
“His journey was different,” Samuel stated. “But the journey he’s had has made him the man he is today. It’s all about timing.”
Sometimes the solely factor that issues is timing. I’m pleased it labored out for McLaurin in the method it did – the completely different journey and all. It seems like he’ll be round for some time in the league due to it, which makes all of it price it. I might discuss his brilliance continuous. Keep bein’ scary, Terry.
CFP X-FACTOR. The Ohio State working again room is extremely skinny as the Buckeyes strategy their ultimate two regular-season matchups towards Maryland and Michigan.
TreVeyon Henderson has missed the final two video games with a foot damage, whereas Miyan Williams has been banged-up a number of instances throughout the 12 months with completely different illnesses. With Ohio State’s two starters on the mend, Evan Pryor out for the 12 months and Chip Trayanum coping with an undisclosed damage, the Buckeyes turned to Dallan Hayden and – as talked about above – Johnson to carry the soccer towards Indiana on Saturday.
Like Johnson, Hayden proved he generally is a weapon for the offense when wanted.
Dallan Hayden, of us. pic.twitter.com/Odq7vkTq0N
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 12, 2022
Moving ahead, Ryan Day and Tony Alford could have to make the most of that duo greater than they have been anticipating in the season’s ultimate stretch. Knowing this, FOX school soccer author Bryan Fischer labeled Hayden as an X-factor for Ohio State because it makes an attempt to return to the College Football Playoff for the first time in two years.
Here is what Fischer had to say about Hayden:
The Buckeyes discovered the finish zone eight instances towards an overmatched Indiana on Saturday, however considered one of the extra noteworthy touchdowns got here from 14 yards out on a speedy scamper from a backup tailback. Only that backup — Hayden — is not the backup. Instead, he is the lone wholesome speeding risk for OSU. Miyan Williams exited towards the Hoosiers on crutches with a proper leg damage, and TreVeyon Henderson stays in a strolling boot till additional discover.
Even if each have been to return, the backfield is awfully skinny as is. That places much more on the shoulders of the true freshman as the schedule takes Ohio State to its most vital video games of the 12 months. The former four-star has proven flashes when given carries up to now, however he’ll see the workload improve considerably shifting ahead. Not solely that, he’ll have to grind out yards towards a number of fairly good defenses if the Buckeyes are to stay undefeated.
As a lot as the passing recreation with C.J. Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr. get all the press, the workforce nonetheless wants some steadiness on offense, and it could be solely up to Hayden to present it shifting ahead.
Despite a small pattern measurement, Hayden has confirmed he generally is a weapon for the Ohio State offense. The Memphis native has topped the century mark twice in 2022, together with a 17-carry, 108-yard efficiency towards Toledo in Week 3 and a 19-carry, 102-yard towards Indiana on Saturday. He scored a landing in each of these video games.
This season, Hayden has rushed the ball 73 instances for 357 yards and two touchdowns in seven video games. His 4.9 yards per carry ought to present sufficient confidence that he can carry out when referred to as upon. And with how the Ohio State working again room appears proper now, he shall be referred to as upon.
Next man up. Let’s see if Hayden can get the job finished.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John.
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