The mailbag is a tried-and-true formula for good discussion in the content-bereft stretch of covering Ohio State sports from May until Big Ten Media Days.
I've fielded 10 of your top questions surrounding Ohio State sports (alright, maybe one where I nerd out about music) and have penned my best answers. No need to beat around the bush, you all understand the concept. Let's get into it.
What does Ohio State need to do to repeat? – BuckeyeChief
As I look around the roster, to me, the top position group that needs to step up is the defensive line. All four starters are gone from the title team and the only body in the room with proven collegiate production to this point is North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson. He had 7.5 sacks at North Carolina in 2024. No one else in Ohio State’s defensive line room has posted a three-sack season to date.
Game-wrecking defensive linemen were essential to Ohio State’s College Football Playoff run. Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau combined for 36 tackles, 11 sacks, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble returned 83 yards into Buckeye history. The replay of said Scoop-and-Sawyer is mandatory, but the music is dealer’s choice. Here is Captain Jack (in slow motion!) set to the Pirates of the Caribbean theme.
Ive seen a lot of Captain Jack Sawyer on this app, so here we go. pic.twitter.com/daq5K9FAPP
— Michael Good (@michaellgood) January 13, 2025
I think you can make an argument that such backfield-eviscerating defensive linemen are the second-most important piece of a championship-caliber college football team after a reliable quarterback. They’re how you create big defensive plays and are the foundation of any defense. Football is still won and lost in the trenches.
Entering the offseason, there was confidence that Kenyatta Jackson Jr. or Caden Curry could finally be those types of defensive ends entering their fourth years and that Ohio State had a solid four-man rotation with them, Idaho State transfer Logan George and converted linebacker C.J. Hicks. But clearly, the coaching staff wasn’t confident enough in that quartet and went out and grabbed Atkinson.
Nose guard Kayden McDonald made big plays in goal-line situations in 2024 and should be dependable as, at the very least, a space-eating nose guard, but the problem at his position is depth. There’s no clear second nose to reliably spell McDonald. The Buckeyes’ top three backups, Jason Moore, Tywone Malone Jr. and Will Smith Jr., are all primarily three-technique defensive tackles. Then, you’ve gotta hope Eddrick Houston takes the next step as the starting three-tech. He’s got the talent as a five-star prospect, but does he approach that pedigree as a sophomore?
So, Ohio State needs disruption from its defensive line. If they get it and Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz is the quarterback the team needs, I think they have a legit shot to repeat. But it will also take time to settle in under two new coordinators, Matt Patricia and Brian Hartline.
Are there any football players that you think will have a big impact on the team this fall, but not enough people are talking about? – Lighteyes
Beyond the QB battle, what (or who) else should we be paying attention to during fall camp? – Hovenaut
I’ll offer two names that fit both of these descriptions: Payton Pierce and Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese are Ohio State’s two starting linebackers, but linebacker No. 3 has played more and more in the rotation under James Laurinaitis and Pierce is getting talked up as a special talent by the coach and Buckeye great. And watching Pierce fly around the field in practices open to the media and in the spring game, it’s easy to see why. He has incredible instincts and a can’t-be-blocked mentality that I think is going to make him a fan favorite here soon.
“Payton's awesome. Tough,” Laurinaitis said in late March. “Just like an absolute natural. Absolute natural middle linebacker. His feel in the box and his ability to maneuver and feel blocking schemes. He's got that wrestling background, so his striking ability and the way he snags and then runs his feet on contact, like, it's just a throwback, man. I love Payton. I expect Payton to have a lot of playing time.”
I think often the assumption with fifth-year guys like Styles is that they haven’t started yet because they aren’t good enough, but there have been numerous examples to counter that point. Josh Proctor popped in year six at free safety in 2023. And keep in mind this will only be Styles’ third year as a defensive back after converting from wide receiver and transferring in from Notre Dame.
With all the talent in a loaded Ohio State cornerback room, Styles still has work to do this offseason to lock down the Buckeyes’ starting nickel job in place of Jordan Hancock. But his coverage numbers were excellent when he saw the field in dime packages or in relief of Hancock last season, allowing just nine receptions for 79 yards on 18 targets, per Pro Football Focus. That’s a measly 4.4 yards per target. And I thought he had a phenomenal spring. Plus, his confidence is unrivaled.
“You've got to be a little delusional,” Styles said in April. “You've got to be a little delusional coming into such a competitive place. I came here playing receiver. I want to show my boy (Ransom) that I wasn't delusional. So I'm going to put it all together this year. I've always been a guy who's still talking trash, even when I might not have it all together yet. I'm just still trying to get better every day.”
What needs to happen to make the gray legacy stripes a permanent feature of our uniforms? – CorkyTheCactus
Some special pleading to Ross Bjork, I suppose. I’ll gladly join the pleaders. They’ve always looked slick and should be a jersey staple.
Your way too early thoughts on wins and losses and who are the losses, if any? Who starts at QB? – Kiddbuckeye
I’m already on record as saying I don’t think Ohio State beats Texas in Week 1. Two new coordinators, a boatload of new starters and depth pieces, I just don’t see everything clicking that quickly, even at home. The Longhorns also have a new quarterback and lost several other stars from last year (Thorpe Award-winning corner Jahdae Barron and leading wide receiver Matthew Golden, to name a few), but I also think the revenge factor plays a part since Texas' CFP semifinal loss to Ohio State will be a fresh wound.
I also predicted on my podcast with Dan Hope, Real Pod Wednesdays, that the Buckeyes’ regular season record will be 10-2. The two other obvious candidates for those losses are Penn State and Michigan, though Illinois, Washington and Wisconsin all have the potential to be sneaky-tough road games. Forced to make the call to answer the question, I’ll pick Penn State as the second loss.
The Nittany Lions are likely to be my national champion pick this year (that roster is ludicrous) and after Ryan Day rewrote so many narratives about his career, and Georgia's Kirby Smart before him, James Franklin could be the next coach to do the same. That’s not going to hit the ears of many Ohio State fans well, especially given some of the angst surrounding Jim Knowles’ departure to go there, and the fact that it’s in the Shoe, plus the Nittany Lions' eight-game losing streak to the Buckeyes gives me a lot of pause. But I actually think this is finally the year Day breaks his Michigan losing streak – definition of insanity noted – so my two losses are Texas and Penn State.
As for who wins the quarterback competition, I’m riding with Julian Sayin. Something clicked for him in the spring game, and I think his talent is off the charts.
The lacrosse team got a bad deal (and we won't even mention what happened to women's hockey), but it felt like we had a decent run of non-revenue sports success and championships for a bit. Any others on the horizon? – Darksungm
In terms of “on the horizon,” the only sport still going this time of year is track and field. The Buckeyes are currently competing in the NCAA qualifiers. One exciting athlete I’ll shout out is sprinter Leah Bertrand, who is a national title contender in the women’s 100-meter dash. She’s a two-time Big Ten outdoor champion in that event and set Ohio State’s school record at 10.92 seconds on Thursday. Braxton Brann also set a program record Friday in men’s 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.36 seconds.
Generally, I’ll say it’s been an incredible year for the Buckeyes’ non-rev sports even outside those you mentioned. The pistol, dance and cheer teams all won national championships. Artistic swimming didn’t win its 35th national title but it remains a powerhouse under Holly Vargo-Brown. Softball had an excellent first year under Kirin Kumar, having an offensive renaissance and posting its first 40-win season since 2009 by going 41-14-1. They were one win away from advancing through Knoxville Regionals in the NCAA Tournament with a record of 2-2.
Then there’s men’s soccer, which made the NCAA Tournament Final Four before losing to Marshall. That will be a sport to watch this fall. Men’s tennis continues stacking up Big Ten championships while still chasing its elusive first outdoor team national title, and women’s tennis won the conference tournament, too.
Ohio State remains the premier non-revenue sports school in the Big Ten.
Create a Mount Rushmore of musical acts you love.
Criteria
1. You can only make one (1) selection from a decade and it MUST be considered their prime or a significant reinvention era. You must identify them by their respective era (e.g. 90s, 80s)
2. Please explain the impact to you as a person and why you made the selection. Embedded songs (or jams) are a must.
3. You may include an honorable mention at your discretion and it may overlap a selected decade
4. Make it Happen
– GINNandjuice
Fitting that GINNandjuice’s username is a play on one of Snoop Dogg’s most famous songs, because I love the G-funk era of rap that it comes from. That won’t be my 90s choice, however.
My four favorite decades of music (at least in terms of musical acts) are the 1970s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. This question is challenging, but I love talking music, so I’ll build my Mount Rushmore around those four decades.
*A warning to some that 75% of this section will be about rap music*
1970s - Billy Joel
Joel is one of my favorite lyricists of all time, and his keyboard riffs can be so ear-catching. And there are a lot of deep cuts I like in his catalogue. Plus, he has an incredible ability to blend genres and go different places in his music. I think the best example of that song-wise is Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, which is off my favorite album of his, The Stranger (1977). Glass Houses (1980) is a close second.
Joel had a ton of 80s hits and even some in the 90s, but to me his peak came in the late 70s, plus I generally prefer the 70s to the 80s thanks to rock acts like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Pink Floyd and AC/DC. And I can’t talk about favorite 70s performers without mentioning Jim Croce or Jimmy Buffett, either.
*A second warning to some that the rest of this Mount Rushmore will be rappers*
1990s - The Notorious B.I.G.
Biggie is my favorite musical artist ever. Rap and hip hop have continued evolving and improving since the East Coast/West Coast era of the mid-to-late 1990s, but those years are just my favorite. The rapper formerly known as MC Cwest had the smoothest flow and was the best storyteller of his generation. I think one of the best showcases of both those abilities is the hypnotically violent song Warning, but that’s too vulgar to share here. The Eleven Warriors Mailbag is a PG-13 program. Here’s his biggest hit and one of my karaoke go-tos, Juicy, instead.
Other favorite 90s rap acts include 2Pac, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, OutKast, Nas and anything produced by Dr. Dre. The Red Hot Chili Peppers top my list as far as non-rap acts go.
2000s - MF DOOM
MF DOOM got his name from the Fantastic Four antagonist Doctor Doom. His beats often included samples from Fantastic Four cartoons, and he played the part of a vile comic book villain come to destroy rap.
It sounds wild trying to explain it, but trust me, Daniel Dumile, the man behind the mask (he wore a metal mask on stage), was a genius. He influenced an entire generation of rappers with some of the most intricate and technical flows ever written and with his punchline delivery. He could rhyme seemingly every syllable of a line and still make cogent points. All while performing in said villain character. (Lore note: there were a few other side characters he played, too, like Viktor Vaughn and King Geedorah. DOOM is shrouded in mystery.) He was an incredible producer to boot.
My favorite MF DOOM album is either Mm..Food (2004) or Madvillainy (also 2004). But this song from Dumile's first album as DOOM, Operation: Doomsday (1999), is a great introduction for those unfamiliar. It’s from when the mask was still in its infancy. It has a particular soft spot in my heart after Dumile’s sudden passing due to an adverse reaction to a blood pressure medication in October 2020. He was 49 years old.
Just remember, All Caps when you spell the man’s name.
2010s - Kendrick Lamar
K-dot made my two favorite albums of the 2010s and I have both on vinyl: good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012) and To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). He was very famous then, of course, but he’s reached a much broader audience after winning a Pulitzer Prize in Music and having his biggest hits yet on DAMN (2017). I'm also a huge fan of his latest album, GNX (2024).
Practically everyone knows the name Kendrick Lamar these days after he danced on Drake’s grave in their rap beef, then did it in front of millions for a Super Bowl halftime show that I, personally, enjoyed very much.
But here’s something I’ll bet some reading this don’t know: Kendrick and Drake have a song together from good kid, m.A.A.d city. Both deliver excellent performances. Separate from any thoughts on their feud, it’s a lovely slow jam.
If you want an A+ but R-rated Kendrick performance, my favorite is m.A.A.d city, which is an epic about the violence and poor circumstances he faced growing up in the Compton projects. Other 2010/2020s faves: Denzel Curry, Pusha T, JID, Tyler the Creator, Key Glock and Freddie Gibbs. And anything produced by The Alchemist.
To what extent does the Ohio State football program use analytics to manage player workloads? – Wishbone5
I have no inside knowledge about the exact extent of that, but given how much Ohio State invests in its facilities and training/medical staff, I’d assume they have access to a lot of great data on load management. Day has referenced load management in several press conferences. They’re collecting data on player reps in both practices and games, at the very least.
Last season, OSU was the 3rd slowest playing team in the country. Day said this was intentional, in order to shorten games and avoid injuries for the long season. In theory, this made some sense, and it worked out. But it was incredibly frustrating and I think it also caused the offense to not get into rhythm a lot of the time. It also hurts the stats for guys. Wouldn’t trying to get a big lead early and put in your backups also accomplish the same thing? It would also allow your backups to get more experience and playing time, something that we couldn’t do last year as early in games. – KYBuck4858
It’s a fair question to ponder whether Ohio State should incorporate more tempo in its offense. But as KYBuck stated, it worked out. The proof is in the result: The Buckeyes won a national championship.
But I do think the methodical approach fit the strengths of last year’s roster extraordinarily well. Why? Because it was a bunch of veterans who played a lot of football. They had the ball knowledge and technical mastery to out-execute their opponents. A secondary effect is that it saved reps for the long CFP grind, though yes, getting some big leads could have helped with that too. But against Tennessee, Oregon and Notre Dame’s vaunted defenses, Ohio State started 21-0, 34-0 (we have a shirt!) and 31-7.
The games are shorter now, too, with the clock running after first downs. Efficiency is king, and the methodical approach was efficient for last year’s team, mostly. It’s not about being the most entertaining, and it’s not about stats; it’s about winning at the end of the day.
Then again, Ohio State’s only significant offense (after the first drive) during its Michigan disaster came in the two-minute drill, so KYBuck has a point. What will be important for this year’s squad is building a scheme that fits them. Maybe that involves some additional no-huddle, maybe not.
It's not news that Ohio State men's basketball has pretty much become an afterthought in the last decade-plus. We don't need to rehash how we got here. The reasons are many. (...) We kept our core for this season, and I think this roster is better than last year (and have said so many times) but I mean...meh?? Still a middle-of-the-pack B1G team that will be on the bubble? (...) So at the end of this novel, my question to you is, why did it have to be this way?
– TheShookster
This is the CliffsNotes version of TheShookster’s 400-word prompt. While I appreciate him laying his thoughts bare in full detail, space is limited here.
I’m not holding it against any fan for expressing their frustration at the state of affairs in Ohio State basketball. Apathetic (or “an afterthought” as put above) is a valid way to feel about a program that’s missed three straight NCAA Tournaments.
As a reporter, though I (me personally, at the very least) was taught to avoid as much bias as I can when covering a team. But we all have inherent biases that will never get removed. And the truth is, I want people to care about the team. I wrote a column where I dove into these emotions and the state of the program in much greater detail in March.
Saving my full thoughts on a roster with some good pieces but a lot of questions for a later date after it's finalized, I don’t know how this season is going to go. I’ve been wrong, you've been wrong, we've all been wrong many times before in our lives. I’ve also seen a lot of unexpected things happen in sports. There’s a world where Jake Diebler’s program takes a leap in year two, one where maybe he shows that he is up to the challenge of pulling it into Big Ten relevance and proves you and a lot of other people who are out on the program wrong. Ohio State’s belt is already fastened for the roller coaster ride in 2025-26. Might as well hope it sees more peaks than valleys.
In the meantime, I’ll try to ask Diebler harder-hitting – though still polite, professional and balanced – questions this year about what the plan of action is to right the ship. It’s something I can do a better job of. Then, if it all goes to shit and Ohio State is searching for a new coach next year, I’ll readily ponder about why it had to be this way.
