Bucknuts Happy Hour: Spring has sprung

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2:23What's a buck I fans? It's Patrick Murphy with Buck Nuts and 24 seven sports here with you for another episode of the Buck Nuts Happy Hour. We haven't done one of these since the NFL Combine, which feels like a while ago. I had a small surgical procedure that I had to do some recovery from. But don't worry, I am okay as I know you were probably concerned. But I wanted to make sure I was back and ready to go for this time of year because it is a crazy time of year for college athletics. You've got Ohio State Spring practice kicking off this week. You've got the buck eyes in the Big Ten men's basketball tournament that just kicked off again this week. So a lot going on, a lot to talk about. We're going to get to both football basketball in this podcast. Before we get into today's show, please make sure that if you're watching this on YouTube, you go ahead and hit that thumbs up button. Click the bell for notifications. So you get not only all of our podcasts,

3:25but also our videos, our interviews. We started with spring practice, as I mentioned. And we've had interviews with Ryan Day, Julian Saiyan, Kenyatta Jackson. So you'll want to check those out. Good stuff from all of them. As well as basketball, Steve Halwagas in Chicago for the men's basketball tournament. And he will have everything as long as the buck eyes are going there. They'll also be headed to the NCAA tournament because the buck eyes are going dancing, regardless of what happens in the Big Ten tournament. So today's show, as I mentioned, we will talk about both football and basketball. We're going to start on the basketball side of things. And we will be joined shortly by Kyle Tucker, who recently joined the 24-7 sports team as our director of basketball content. He's a guy who's been around college basketball for quite some time. And so we're excited to have Kyle on board at 24-7 sports. He's going to join us to tell you guys a little bit about himself, where he comes from, all that good stuff.

4:26And then we're going to talk some buck eyes. And it's an exciting time for basketball because, as I mentioned, they're headed back to the dance for the first time in four years. So we'll get some insight from somebody who covers the sport on a national level, get his perspective. And then I will talk some football. We've been out at football practice both days that the buck eyes have been at the at the at the whack. So good amount to talk about there. Kind of talk about some observations we've had. You may have seen some of that on Buck Nuts. Dave Biddle and I did a short video after the first practice. But now we've been out there twice. So even more to talk about for the buck eyes. So let's get into it. And let's get Kyle Tucker in here to talk about the men's basketball team. And now we are joined on the Buck Nuts happy hour by new 24-7 sports national college basketball writer Kyle Tucker. Kyle, thanks for joining me. You're at what the SEC tournament right now? I am, yes.

5:26Kentucky just beat Missouri in a quarter of a thriller. And I think just a little after I have states provided its own it's own thriller. So yeah, that's a that's nuts. We'll get to Ohio State and your thoughts on the buck eyes here in a minute. But you just joined the 24-7 sports team. You've obviously had experience covering college basketball, Kentucky in the past for those who don't know. Could you give just some of your background to introduce yourself to some of the people here in the 24-7 sports network and on our site? Yeah, absolutely. I covered Kentucky for a long time for different outlets, which the athletic did national college basketball in the last couple of years I was there. I popped out of the business for about a year and a half or did some agency work for some professional sports teams and it couldn't miss out on this amazing college basketball season. So I'll hop back in now doing national college basketball for 24-7. It's going to be a fun ride just kind of getting started again

6:29but I'm excited about it. What do you hope to bring to 24-7 sports? We've had various national guys in the past. There are national guys on the football side that I think people know but this is the first time we've had a guy I think who's going to cover college basketball in the way that I imagine you want to do. Yeah, I mean, I just think that the sport is full of incredible stories. The players come and go and they're very, a lot of them have very interesting stories. We'll certainly tell those. I think the trends of the way that the sport is kind of reshaping itself year after year. It doesn't look anything like the sport I was covering 10 years ago. I think that's really interesting. So the trends are certainly going to be a part of it. And then I think what people are latching on to right now in the coaches more than the players because the coaches are sort of the constant. And I think early on I've leaned a lot into that because I think those guys program builders how they do it the different ways people do it the beauty of college basketball

7:29unlike the sort of homogenous NBA where everything is sort of the same stylistically. There's a lot of different ways to win in college basketball. There's guys who go small and spread you out and shoot 33s again. There are guys. I mean the best teams in the sport right now have gone big. Florida and Michigan and some others are just massively big. And Florida can't make a three to save its life. It's gotten a little better in the back court. But at one point we're shooting under 30% as a team and still look like one of the best teams in America. And so the ways that guys build their rosters I think through the transfer portal or not. I mean Duke right now has done it not through the transfer portal and is the best team in the country. You know some of the guys that mix and match is even watching how some teams have overspent. I just mentioned I'm here covering Kentucky and you know they've had some injuries but you spend 22 million dollars on a roster and you're kind of scuffling along on the 678 seed line is interesting. All those things I think are really fascinating

8:30and like I said certainly back to the idea of players. There are compelling players and then maybe not a more compelling individual player in the country right now than Bruce Thornton. A guy who I think anybody who cares about college basketball certainly anybody that's a purist kind of fell in love with and was rooting for you know was hoping against you know against hope it seemed like for a while that he wouldn't be the greatest college basketball player not to make the NCAA turn. I'm glad that's off the table now. I was state you know having one corner row that I think they're firmly in I think that's a great story and it's one I'm actually working on right now. You know what why stay four years and then you know especially why stay four years when you can go somewhere else and you're not getting the results you want where you are but there's maybe some lessons in why he stayed and I think that's a great story. Well let's let's start with Bruce there. What has been yours as you're working on this? What has been your impression of him? Obviously we've covered him here. Fans were watching this have gotten to know him

9:30but from an outside perspective somebody who has as you said like to me that was the most interesting thing about him breaking the scoring record at Ohio State wasn't that he did it. It's that he stayed and he you know put in the time with this program when he could have left. What's just your general impression of a guy like that and Bruce in particular? Yeah I mean it's an incredible story of loyalty. I think you know Jake latched on him early. They created a bond that was strong enough to carry him through and I think you know Ohio State's also really lucky that he had the exact mom that he had because he told me that his mom would never let him quit anything that he started. He had to finish everything that he started and there's some great anecdotes about that. I don't want to give too much away but I think you're just that's you know you can tell that that's like ingrained in his DNA like you started you finished it. You know and it's funny because I've heard I've heard multiple people refer to him as the most tampered with player in college basketball. I mean you can only imagine that. You know who scored 2,000 points he was a top 50 recruit who's

10:33you know played at a high level from the day stepped on campus he's good enough to score more than 2,000 points you would think every single year and especially when it's sort of he's sort of primed for the picking when you know in Deary a guy that's that good but he's playing on teams that can't get it get to the postseason you know the prime candidate transfer but he hasn't because you know he believes that he should stay in finish and I think to see that get rewarded in that way and really kind of at the 11th hour I mean you go into the last regular season game with no real certainty that that's going to happen is is kind of a almost a storybook kind of conclusion to his story to more or less clenched going to the tournament on the day that he breaks the scoring record and he plays great of course as he always does in that game and it depends again today. I think that's you know I would say what what people would describe college basketball is all about. Yeah kind of the old school college basketball player right? Yes it sticks with it and yeah he also had never beaten

11:34Indiana before that was something he talked about postgame was that was a goal of his because you look at you know you think go high estate Michigan but really basketball has been Ohio State Indiana so he was aware of that which I thought was cool. You brought up Jake Debler and I wanted to ask you about him obviously only in his second year the second you're doing it but there's been frustration among Buckeye fans about sort of the ups and downs of these first two years. What do you make of Jake as a young coach in a big time program? Yeah I think the reviews are mixed obviously and the results have been mixed as well but I would say you sort of judge these especially a new or coach on how to handle the pressure cooker and I don't know you couldn't be you know under pressure then getting towards the end of Bruce Lawrence career and you might not get him to the NCAA tournament and I talked to Jake about that like you know he said he felt personal pressure not just for the team in the program but individually for you know I can't be the guy who doesn't get Bruce

12:36Thornton to be in the NCAA tournament and I think facing it the way they were facing it and it was a very you get February 25th to get smacked by Iowa you're 9 and 7 and the big 10 you've got 11 losses you're staring at maybe not making it again and this is a very different conversation to win four in a row the way they have and I would say win four in a row at a moment when ever just about every bubble team in America has face planted like every bubble team that's had a chance to improve its standing just about has face planted I know high-estate has done the opposite and so I give him a lot of credit for that I give him a lot of credit for being a guy who had developed such a connection to Bruce Thornton that it it listed some some very as we said you know arguably the most tampered with player player in college basketball so you know and I would say too he's got a couple other guests to stay I mean part of the story is about you know for all those who left I mean everybody in that class that came in with Bruce left um you know they he's got a couple guys in this team stay with him you know

13:37a couple of other you know top 50 players who stayed you know Devin Boyle John Mobley those guys are multi-year a lot of state guys those are guys who could have gone in the pool at all as well and so it feels like he's maybe stabilized you know this season down the stretch of this season and to me he's the kind of guy you give a you certainly give a little more time to see what he can do and I and I'd say a key point of emphasis you also need to give support to you know like give him a give him a war chest I don't know I'm not privy to their numbers but if you're getting if you're losing players to the portal year after year then your war chest is probably not big enough and so if you want to if you if you have a coach you believe in and they clearly do I think believe in j then reward him and give him what he needs to go to go get players and to keep his keep his guys yeah I think that's going to be a big offseason conversation in these parts about what what that looks like I have conversations with people about Ohio State

14:40basketball a lot because football obviously drives the the discussion in in Columbus in your eyes what does an Ohio what should this Ohio State program look like someone who's who's not connected to it doesn't cover it's not a fan you've had ups you've had downs there was obviously the Fadmata era but what do you think of when you think Ohio State basketball well it's more when I think of when I think of Ohio State as a brand you know and like you're you're this huge national brand and you have some history in basketball you have some really good history in basketball it should matter to I mean football and basketball should matter to all big brands in my opinion and if you're not good it's hard to be good in both I get that but you know to me they're sort of your the front door to your to your school you know football cares at most of the time in a place like Ohio State but like this time of year you do you not want to be part of that conversation you not want to be on that marquee billboard that is the

15:40insane term that you know making deep runs in the insane term and I think it matters I think it says something you know your success and your commitment financially to basketball says something about you know what you aspire to be as a total program and so you know I don't I think anybody who's just resting on their football at this point it's a bit foolish you know especially as the landscape keeps changing and we keep talking about you know maybe the power conference is breaking off and you know negotiating their own TV contracts um when you think about it in those terms like if you're one of those brands you want to be you want to have a seat at the table on both those sports and those those television contract conversations um so yeah I think I think Ohio State should be um should think of itself as one of the handfuls schools that can compete at the highest level in both for Ohio State to make a run um obviously they're they're trying to do it in the big ten tournament but once the NCAA tournament starts what has to go right for the buckais in your eyes other than you know matchups

16:43that fall their way well Bruce has got to be Bruce but I think I think I think addition to that it's just like get some help you know the mobile mobile today you know came up with a huge play and free throws at the end of it you need you need um I think um it's kind of always been the story right like Bruce is going to do what he does almost relentlessly consistent consistently um you know do they have enough other guys will step up and make those plays but you know I think two momentum really matters this time of year it's interesting to me that the tournament really doesn't take into account anymore like it used to be last you know your last ten games going in the fraction Sunday matter and now it doesn't I guess in theory it doesn't um I think it matters you know I think the way that teams are playing I think that note about you know nobody's won a national championship without making at least their confidence in my finals tells me that like having some momentum matters and Ohio State's got a bunch of it right now I think if they can you know no matter how far they go in this big ten tournament if they can

17:44still feel like they're riding momentum um you know they've got a chance when you look at just the big ten as a whole we we talked about Ohio State you brought up Michigan earlier what do you think the outlook is for for this conference going into the big dance um you know it's it's obviously been a long time since they've won a national championship but they've had some really good teams and obviously do again this year yeah and Michigan has been kind of a juggernaut you know it's it's really impressive impressive what Dusty May has done there ten wins I think now thirty plus points nearly all their wins by double digits including two against their rival Michigan State you know smoked a really good Gonzaga team by forty on the bag it's early in the season you know one at one at Michigan State by a dozen one at Illinois by 14 you know they're they're only lost and they'll ask what two and a half months is on a neutral court to Duke in a game that was very close you know they're on the very very short list of you know national title favorites

18:45and Michigan State's not far behind you know every every loss they have except at Minnesota has been to a top three seed in the NCAA tournament a likely top three seed in the NCAA you know they're they're fascinating Illinois is so interesting because they've got the number one most efficient offense in the country um but they've kind of faltered a little bit um of late and keepin logway those just must must see TV Nebraska is so interesting as this team it's only lost five games I mean just and that historic season for them under Hoegers but like if they're if they're ever going to win their first NCAA tournament games it better be now the the fact that they haven't ever won one is kind of amazing but they're built certainly to do it they're going to get a great seed the tournament if it's not now it may never happen Purdue and Wisconsin are like the two most interesting teams in the league to me for different reasons like Purdue preseason number one started 17-1 and they've kind of faced planted and they they're six and seven the rest of the way and they've lost four games at Mackey which is

19:48kind of unthinkable right and so I don't really I don't really know what to make of Purdue because they've got veteran guys they've got veterans from teams that have won a ton of games um and you know early in the season looked really good themselves and they've just kind of fallen off the cliff and then the flip side of that Wisconsin to me is is a fascinating team because who in the country has a better you know quad of wins than at Michigan at Illinois Michigan State and at Purdue um those are that's about as good a full-of-win pack as you get put together and they're you know they are not sure if their defense is good enough but they can really score and Nick Void is is an absolute hooker and so they're the kind of team to me that you know they could be a five six seven seed in the NCAA tournament but make a really deep run because they they feel like a team they can get hot and truly can be anybody in the country awesome Kyle will I appreciate your time uh I know you're there at the SEC tournament so I don't want to hold you up too long but really appreciate your

20:50insight we'll look forward to that Bruce Thornton story coming out and everything else you're doing at 247 sports with us I I'm looking forward to having you a part of the team and I appreciate it all right thanks all right thanks to Kyle Tucker for coming on one of our newest teammates here at 247 sports and someone I'm really excited to uh to have I think the you know we we talk a lot of football right this is Ohio State um so so football is is King here but there is obviously a portion of of the fan base who's really into college basketball I think hopefully as Jake Debler builds this thing uh more and more people will get on as the buck guys continue to do things like make runs in postseason tournaments and and things like that so having Kyle as a national voice I think will be really good for our sport um but now we do want to get into the football side of things the buck guys have had two practices so far this spring we have been there for both of them we got to watch the first hour of each practice which uh was more than than we often get when uh

21:56when we we get to watch practice I uh I think there was plenty to take away and I know Dave Vittel and I talked about some of it after the first practice I know that we will have uh more stuff as we go on the buck guys will go on spring break this next week so we'll have we'll be rehashing some of what we saw and and whatnot but I want to get into some things that have stood out to me uh so far from from spring practice the first I think is is something that I'm sure a lot of people have discussed so far and it's just how new this team is from what ended the 2025 season against Miami on New Year's Eve to opening spring practice on Tuesday Ryan Day talked about it 50 one new players that includes transfers uh freshman and then walk-ons or or whatever we're calling the what was the non scholarship players now that everything is done differently in in in the sport uh so a lot of new faces and that was evident

22:57as soon as we walked in to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and the practice field there not only were there you know the normal okay who are the freshmen who are the few transfers let's look to see what numbers they're wearing um who's changed numbers it was an onslaught of new new guys and I think some of this is something we're gonna have to get used to I don't know if it'll be 51 players every year that sort of the roster turnover or or a number right around there but I do think this is going to be more of the norm at least as the rules of the sport are right now um two years ago I said this a couple times I think Ohio State didn't really feel the effects of of the modern transfer portal and NIL era that we're in because they made that run to the national championship remember the transfer portal window would close now both Ohio State Notre Dame's window opens so guys can leave but you know you just gone on this run you'd won the national championship everyone's on a high you also had so many guys that had come back

23:59leaving so there was opportunities for a lot of guys I think this year is probably closer to the norm and and maybe the answer is somewhere in between the handful of guys Ohio State lost after the 2024 season and the huge number they lost after the 2025 season but I do think that we'll see more of this this will be like a more professional sports situation where guys are coming guys are going in each each off season now what the difference obviously is you don't have contracts so guys can leave every off season it's it's free agency every off season which is something that I think needs to change in the sport but that's a different topic so you walk in I mean almost every position group is affected by new players including quarterback where you have your returning Heisman trophy finalists coming back um and that's going to be something that the buck guys have to balance and I think there's obviously the on field part of it you have to get those guys up to speed um you know regardless of where they came from this is a team you know there's it's only one team that's one national championship more

25:00recently than Ohio State and that's Indiana and they don't have any players transferring from Indiana so even if you came from an Alabama like three of these guys did this isn't mix Sabin's dynasty Alabama right the standard may be a little different even if it's not how you do things you know Terry Moore coming from Duke or a little coming from Florida State you know the expectations may be big at Florida State but is is the reality the same and the work the same that's taking away from Florida State but this is these are just examples it's going to be different but then you also have to you know learn the facility where you're going how you practice all of those things uh it was noticeable on day one and then you add in the freshman class I think took a pretty big freshman class uh this last offseason and some of these guys are going to have to contribute and while I don't think the buckeye's will ever say they're going to play players earlier because they want them to stay around I do think you have to consider that I mean look at the number of guys that left after one or two years uh this last offseason because they weren't getting the playing time they want

26:05even if there was an opportunity maybe this upcoming season so I do think if if you were talking about some of these higher profile uh freshman like a Chris Henry Jr uh for instance you have to get him ready to play not only to help you but so that you feel comfortable getting him on the field so that he feels comfortable being in this program so you don't have to go through what you did this offseason of losing some guys that may have been able to make an impact um so that was all very apparent on day one um just and even day two just going out and seeing how many guys were new we're going through this for the first time um you know it honestly one of the things I thought about was my first time going to in Ohio State practice and like figuring out what I'm looking at where I'm supposed to be watching as a media member trying to take notes and like they're moving the drills around and things like that you know I've been doing this for a while now but at that point and it took a while to kind of learn how to cover a practice well these guys are

27:08in practice and they're getting yelled at and things like that which I think is obviously more difficult than what I went through so I can only imagine what uh what it's like for especially young guys but even guys coming out of the transfer portal uh that uh you know are stepping into a new program and learning the ropes of that and that kind of takes me to the second thing that stood out from both days and that's the way the buckais are coaching uh these players the the buckais staff and I think that this is nothing new um but I do think it's important at this time of year especially the young guys because again you need these guys to be ready to play even if they don't maybe get the snaps that you know they may have hope or or whatnot you need them to be ready just in case right and it's it's not a team that has the depth that it used to um you know you can't just stack talent on talent on talent and guys can't really go anywhere anymore that's just not the way college football works so you need your young guys to be ready and we watched you know Carlos Lachlan is is the best

28:13example and it it may just be you know it's his personality to coach these guys hard he'll tell you that but it also happened to be the running backs tend to be right in front of where uh the media the sidelines the media is allowed to stand on so so we hear it all from Carlos Lachlan and he does not care he gets on these guys hard you know both legend day and favor a key the two young running backs we'll see where legend day ends up he did some live receivers work on Thursday um but the the the way he gets on them you know about little things even you know you you have to be he wants perfection while realizing that perfection is is not there is not likely not possible even um you know he wants perfection out of these guys so he gets on them hard and you know there was a play um where where one of the running backs did not do what he wanted he let him hear about it asked him questions and then send him on a lap around the field and but then when they come back

29:14or towards the end of practice when he gets the opportunity arm around the shoulder you know and and and it's tough love and there's the emphasis on both of those words tough and love you're going to be coached hard and and these guys know this this happened you know Carlos Lachlan and the rest of the Ohio State coaches aren't sure coding things in recruiting uh but they then are going to show how much they care and I think that that's the important part right you don't just scream at a guy and you know rip them a new one and then not then you know go and and kind of talking through it after the fact so uh I think Carlos Lachlan is is one example but all of these guys are our coaching guys hard um because they know again what what how important it is especially this time of year to to make sure that they're ready to go even if it isn't in a a prominent role um and get these guys up to speed and it's you know I'm using the freshman as the example but it's not just just that you know if we stick with the running backs

30:15to Kobe Jackson yeah he's he's in a seventh year of college football but is not in seventh year to high state um and you know I know he spent the last couple of years at Florida uh but again different different expectations I imagine um from from what he had to go through down there so you know he's gonna be coached hard as well and you know you can you can extrapolate this out to to various positions um but right again running back was just one that happened to be right in front of us and I think that's going to be important going forward for these guys um you know sticking with the running backs and and putting it to the rest of the team the the injuries um you know no bow Jackson no Isaiah West so this is a really inexperienced at least from an Ohio State perspective room um and Ohio State doesn't have a ton of injuries right in day at least the the ones that they disclose the two running backs Riley Patajon the linebacker uh Bennett Christian the tie-dand and uh one more than I'm forget guys by now you've heard me talk about

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32:17at DSW we ask the important questions like what shoes are you going to wear whether you're prepping for wedding season festival season or just planning the ultimate vacate the right shoes can make or break an RSVP so on the moment you've got big plans and we've got just the shoes at the perfect price of course get ready to get ready with designer shoe warehouse that's your DSW store or DSW dot com today and let us surprise you think that I'll think of in a second but you know injuries are going to happen right and and you're going to have issues at times so you're going to have to deal with that throughout fall camp and you're going to have to manage these as they go through uh Joshua Pedia who is is limited um now we'll say I think Ohio State is doing a good job with this because these guys are still out on the field they may not be going through all of the drills but like the running backs again for example as they go through their drill go Jackson and Isaiah

33:20West who both had shoulder procedures after the season are going you know either mock sort of going through it without the ball or you know going through the ones that they can without um you know that don't involve any unless unless they contact things like that Riley Petagion was out there doing some things today um and you know there's a period at the beginning of practice where they sort of practice lining up and you know they snap the ball but it's not a play they just kind of walk through some of the stuff just to get everybody you know you know where you need to be you know what to do with pre snap motion and all that stuff Riley Petagion was out there for some of that and um you know Bennett Christian was in uniform um Josh Padilla Brian Day said he'd be limited so we'll see how much he ends up doing um I think it's unfortunate for you know obviously you want more reps for Bo Jackson for Isaiah West but I do think those guys are are going to be what they were you know Isaiah West may step into a bigger role but you know what you're getting out of Bo Jackson after a very solid season uh but like a guy like Riley Petagion unfortunate because

34:26this is a guy who a lot of people coming out of last season thought would just kind of move up you know he was sort of the fourth linebacker was going to move up to um you know the the second line backer because you lost your two starters along with Peyton Pierce when I were out in the spring out for the spring um or at least out for for a decent part of it contact part whenever it may be that opportunity to sort of stake your claim that that that's lost and that's unfortunate that's part of injuries uh things like that but you know I I always feel for guys and Josh Padilla same thing you know he and Gabe Van Sickle um probably competing for that right guard spot I'll I'll come back to that um with more offensive line talk in a minute but those injuries I think are unfortunate and hopefully these guys can do enough that they can you know still be in these competitions um I think Bennett Christian you know again a guy who with two tight ends leaving you assume he just moves up the spot to the starting tie-down perhaps it'll has to brought into

35:28transfer tie-downs with a lot of experience um and Hunter Welcing from Northwestern and Mason Williams from from OU and you know now those guys have the opportunity to be on the field going through everything where Bennett Christian doesn't so um you know this happens it's it's not uncommon in each spring um there are some other guys that it looks like maybe you know they're just not doing as much because they played a lot like Jermaine Matthews isn't always on the field with the first team defense um or or takes you know a drill all a uh a rep in a drill off um because he's you know he's played a lot of football guys like that so um I think that that you know you you have to overcome those injuries but there are some unfortunate circumstances that come out of it there um I think when talking about the transfers at least looking now that the Buckeyes aren't in pads at this point but the you going through just watching them in in the sort of shoulder pad uh helmet you know not everything on it's kind of the spider pads shell pads or whatever you want to call it

36:32I think it's a good looking group um you know and and I think Ohio State's done a good job obviously there's there's a lot to go you know they'll put on pads after they get back from spring break uh they will obviously have summer and fall camp and and you know these guys as a transfer class will be judged down the road but a lot of the guys look at the part of of what they are expected to do you know that I haven't seen one of the transfers or I'm like well that guy looks out of place like you know what why why do they go get that guy and I think that's you know that that only tells you so much um it doesn't tell you he's gonna be great or or this that or the other thing but it does tell you that you know they have done their homework at least physically on these guys and and they've come in ready to go it seems um and one guy who's really stood out to me when we're talking transfers is is Christian Allegro the linebacker from Wisconsin um I wrote about this and our practice report from the first day but you know the the there was um they were doing some red zone drills that it was like three on three with the quarterback throwing passes and close Christian

37:35Allegro was in on a couple pass breaks up pass breakups um and you had CJ Barnett standing in the back of the end zone you know sort of sort of yelling like I see you Wisconsin like that's a look fickle guy right there and and it's clear he has been coached how to play in the big 10 um you know for me I'm talking about right Riley Petagion earlier you already have this new guy coming in who has a lot of experience that you were going to compete with now you're out like it would not surprise me if week one Christian Allegro and Peyton Pierce are the two starting linebackers with Riley Petagion and you know TJ Alfred and and Garrett Stover competing but whoever wins sort of that battle uh as that third linebacker um but I was really impressed with with Christian Allegro in in that first first day of practice I sort of paid more attention to the defense and then Dave Biddle and I switched on Thursday so um I was really impressed with him like of the transfers that I sort of got time to watch he was one that that stood out Kyle Parker and Devon McEwan

38:39we haven't really seen them open it up in terms of speed and and downfield and all that but those are two guys who I think are going to be interesting in this wide receiver room and that's not to not say you know bring up some of the returning guys like Philip Bell and um uh busy jones but the you know you just naturally I think kind of look towards some of the newer guys um fair unfair and I think those guys are going to be interesting a Kyle Parker's smaller than than I thought he would be um and I don't know if that's me not looking at height weight uh that closely but um you know what one thing that does stand out when the buck is line up is there's not that obvious outside receiver other than Jeremiah Smith who I think looks ready to go again no surprise there um there was one play when we were watching on Thursday where he dropped a pass right in front of where we were all standing and you would have thought he was he had just lost the national championship for the buck guys with with how kind of

39:42irritated he was at himself going back to the huddle uh that's that expectation of perfection uh that I I think you know we we everyone needs to have it Ohio State but but he certainly does and um you know he I I assume that assuming health knock on wood uh that that Jeremiah Smith is going to have another monster season I think he looks a little bit leaner as well so you know obviously working on his his body there um but the other guys they're just isn't that you know these last few years you had Jeremiah Smith and Carl Tate um the last couple years he had Marvin Harrison Junior and um you know Mecca Buka Mecca was more of a slack guy but could play the outside but I say it's done a good job of largely having two guys that could be you know you're sort of stereotypical outside wide receivers um and just on the look test you don't see that now one guy who could be that is Chris Henry Junior um you know the the five star freshmen who everyone is going to be excited about

40:48my expectation for Chris Henry though is is that he comes along similar to what Garrett Wilson Marvin Harrison Mecca Buka you know all those guys Crystal LaVay the day did it's it's not all going to come at once because you know I think people saw Jeremiah Smith and that can't be your expectation for a freshman wide receiver he is in a class of his own um there are a few guys who have played college football at that position that can come in and do what he did as a freshman at a program like Ohio State and so I think it's unfair to expect that out of Chris Henry now can he come in and and you know slowly work his way um up the death chart or whatever it may be I think yes I think he's going to have to probably play some um and by the end of the season I would expect assuming you don't have guys that you know other guys that really break out that Chris Henry is uh you know a guy who's who's getting snaps and making catches and you know maybe really generating buzz going into a sophomore season um I don't think he looks out of place

41:53and I wrote that today in our practice report on bucknuts um you know he is he is skinny no doubt you know six five I don't know if my roster in front of me um on his weight but he's he's definitely skinny but he doesn't like stand out as like ooh you know that guy is just not ready to to be on a college football field yet he's not that um but he's still learning you know there was a play today where he came on a route actually tweet out a video of it and uh caught the ball but then sort of fell on the sideline and Ryan Day was right there like get up get up get up get up get up you don't finish the play type of things it's it's stuff like that you know we're finding his route running um you know he's going to have to create separation with college cornerbacks and things like that so I think that we are you know the expectation needs to be this is an exciting freshman um who who can make it some of it somewhat of an impact but I don't think it can be comparing him to Jeremiah Smith or anyone to Jeremiah Smith um just because I don't I don't think that's fair

42:57uh but you know Ken Kyle Parker can Dev McHughan be that that other guy um I thought Brandon Innis was moving around a lot better than he was towards the end of the season you know obviously he was slow to get up quite a bit in games at the end of the year and he looked healthier I thought which which is to be expected um in these these first few spring practices um Edgar Houston is a guy obviously last year the big expectations that he had coming into the season the starter next to uh Kaden McDonald and it did not go the way I think I expected Buck I fans expected Edgar Houston expected um I think he looks you know there's just a different look to him um you know physically but also just like uh I guess I'd call it a seriousness like I think you know last year it was like it was supposed to happen well this year and again it's two practices so let's keep that in mind but it looks like hey you know this is I'm going to force this I'm going

44:00to be this guy um and I think that's important for the buck guys that interior of the defensive line like Ryan Day said running back was his biggest concern mostly because you don't have Bo Jackson and Isaiah West in there um and I think going back to the earlier topic of Carlos Lachlan coaching them hard like I think that sends a message when when the head coach says that and I'm sure he's sent that that has been voiced one way or the other to to the coaching staff um but I think after that like the interior of the defensive line you know that there's not a Kaden McDonald that's like that guy is expected to go in and be that unless it's an educator Houston Will Smith Jr like can he elevate to that level um you know Dave Biddle wrote today that he thought he got there were good things from him and he expects him to to be the starter um but you need you need two guys in there right you need probably four guys total so you know you got James Smith um you got John Walker uh both transferring in what does that look like

45:06so you know beyond the running back I would guess that Ryan Day's next biggest concern is probably the interior of the defensive line um what was concerned going to last year they figured it out it was it was pretty good uh for most of the year I think you know end of the season you can maybe make some some arguments that it didn't quite live up to those positions in quite live up to expectation um but you can say that about a lot of what do I say at the end of that season so if Edrick Houston can take that step and not only you know fully entrench himself as a starter and not a guy who starts some games and you know plays varying levels of snaps but can be dominant which he certainly has in his locker then I think that that really changes the equation uh defensively for the buck guys um offensive line I I think this is going to be something that it's going to be talked about a lot of season I know there are a book I fans out there that are frustrated that Ohio State didn't feel the need to go do more um in the transfer portal to try

46:06and address what let's be honest was not a great offensive line down the stretch and obviously in the post season last year uh the production was not the same as as what it was through like the first half of the season I've said it I think some of that is injuries like I was in the locker room after they lost to Miami the guys were we're pretty you know I mean obviously Austin Servel had to leave that game but guys have things wrapped and whatnot and like that shouldn't be an excuse it's a season everyone goes through it Miami's guys were banged up I assume as well but I do think that played a part in sort of the decline um but this is a really experienced group coming back and I think that's what Ohio State really values is is this veteran group you know you only have one open spot yeah how do they fill that spot well I think there are options um you know I mentioned Josh Fadea earlier he's a guy when he gets healthy can can be in that conversation Gabe Van Sickle um who obviously played a decent about last year so are those the only two well

47:06Ryan Day was asked about you know got certain guys moving you know he said Phil Daniels is staying at tackle Austin Servel staying at tackle I do wonder if that is a forever thing or if that's a hey we're gonna go through spring with these guys at tackle you know they they've seen Austin Servel play guard right and at a pretty high level he did it on the national championship you know Phil Daniels not a guy who's who's played guard for Ohio State but um you know I think that's something if you decide to move him at some point you could do that later later on for me I think it probably depends on what Ian Moore does where his sort of push this off season is you know I thought he played well in the second half when he came in against Miami for Austin Serveled can he push far enough to be a starting tackle for this team be it left or right I think if he does then you have the luxury of being able to move Austin Serveled assuming Phil Daniel stays at right tackle

48:10to that uh right guard spot um and and now you have a a pretty experienced offensive line you're one guy yes is your left tackle which is a big position but it's a guy that you hope has pushed far enough that you believe in him and and what he can do so I think it'll be interesting to kind of monitor that throughout the off season does the offensive line stay the same and just you you put Gabe Van Cycle or Josh Padilla in at that right guard spot um you know I think Austin Serveled had a good year at left tackle wasn't perfect here again part of the decline sort of at the end of the of the season but um I like I like this group I think another year with this group and continuity and experience playing together and all that is is going to be going to be interesting and you know the offensive lineman also practice on the side where you know to go through drills on the side where um the the media is permitted to go and you know they're being coached you know after every set after every rep in the drill you know coaches are they've got three offensive line coaches um

49:13you know are are talking to them and coaching them up and and things like that so um you know I know some people will say it didn't work the way you wanted last year I agree and you know I was someone for half the season talking about like well the offensive line numbers you know they're getting by because they didn't play great teams but um you know I think I'm not ready to write it off as like this was a big big miss because I do think these guys can get better this off season and you have that experience and and all that um and the last thing I'll talk about is Julian say and and um I think that he you know I think he's sort of been forgotten from the national conversation like when I see he's been trophy discussions or I see the NFL draft next year they're not talking about Julian saying very much this he's the only returning highs and trophy finalist right like uh you know he's a guy who can who who set the regular season record for completion percentage now

50:17again like the offensive line who were you playing things like that when when he got into the post season it was not as good um some of that may be on the offensive line some of that may be on Julian I think there's probably a mix of both um but he's working and he talked about it on Thursday with us you know he realizes there's a lot of room to improve and I think that that's important um to to have as a quarterback and look everyone knows in the off season they're going to improve but you know Julian's talking about um you know some of his decision making and things like that um he talked about having Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator and you know a guy who is coached in the NFL you know the one at the highest level he coached Aaron Rogers granted in your heyday Aaron Rogers or in his heyday Aaron Rogers but still an elite quarterback um you know when we're talking about the NFL and and whatnot so you know what he can teach him um and then obviously I know that this sort of went around but Ryan Day talking about him leveling up

51:20and the X factor being his legs and Julian was was asked about that on Thursday talking about you know he he has a clock in his head and he understands um you know that he has to be more mobile and you know sort of make plays when he talks about how Billy Fessler talks about it when things aren't as you draw them up right or when things sort of break down um and I think that if he can do that on top of his accuracy and and whatnot remember this was his first year starting like there was a lot of comparisons in the Big Ten Championship game between Julian and Fernando Mendoza. Fernando Mendoza had been a multi-year starter obviously not Indiana but at Cal so like he knew some of those things also I think more of an innate runner but I do think Julian in year two there was a lot that went into last year right and learning and things like that and so I think that he can build on the really good things he did last season and then you know now he has a full season of tape to watch in terms of some of his decisions in big in those big

52:23games at the end of the year can work on these these you know being more mobile basically and when did when he needs to take off and and all the stuff that we talked about at the end of last season so I think that that is really important for him uh to you know not only acknowledge but then work on and and whatnot so if he can if he again if he can build on what he did last year you know I think he's got all of the tools to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country again this season and and I emphasize again because he was last year or even with some of the flaws he had um he was still really really good so there's an opportunity there and and look when Ryan Day has had quarterbacks for multiple years think about Justin Fields two seasons and what he was like from his first season as a starter to his second season as a starter CJ Stroud going from his first season to his second season like usually and by usually I mean all the time now it's a small sample size but all the time those guys get better and you have Billy Fessler working with

53:25him you have Arthur Smith working with him and you have Ryan Day in that room so I think that that you know it points to what should be a really you know a step or as Ryan Day put it leveling up of Julian Sayon um and he talked about his leadership too right like we we heard him on Thursday after Ryan Day got done talking to the team before practice it was Julian who was next up and he had some really choice words uh some words I can't say but basically telling guys to uh yeah be uh you know be dogs was more or less what what the message was um he talked about how you know he's telling wide receivers you need to be here like this I'm the quarterback you need to be where I'm gonna put the ball um you know it's up to you to be at the right spot and you know not necessarily for him to have to find the receiver and I don't think he was saying stuff like that last year and so I think that shows growth at least in the leadership aspect um so those are just some of my thoughts from the first couple days I could probably go on um as I sort of look

54:28at my notes here uh you know we could go position by position and whatnot maybe we'll do that over the next week or so but um you know I just want to get some of them out there to uh to you guys here and talk a little football after we talk some basketball so thank you guys for tuning in I want to thank Kyle Tucker again get our new national college basketball expert um for joining us and and talking a little buck I hoops and big 10 hoops and everything and um yeah we should be back next week I'm hoping to get back on a more regular schedule uh again Ohio State's on spring break next week so there will be no practice but like I said playing talk about plus we'll be heading into the NCAA tournament with the buck guys back in the big dance so I'll probably try and do a show before that all gets going either Wednesday or early Thursday um and we'll see when when the buck guys are going to play and where they are but again thank you guys thanks Kyle Tucker I appreciate everyone if remember if you're watching this on youtube hit the thumbs up button um hit the bell for

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