The Buckeye Weekly Podcast

What are Ryan Day's major concerns right now regarding the Ohio State defense?

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss Day's answer to that question and how those concerns can be eased. They discuss some things that Kenyatta Jackson had to say about "hero ball" as well and talk about how quickly the fixes might take hold.

The No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes will travel to Iowa City this weekend to take on the No. 14 Iowa Hawkeyes. Any trip to Kinnick Stadium can be dicey, especially for a top-15 team. In fact, the Hawkeyes are have won four of their last nine home games against top-15 opponents, and even many of their losses have come down to the final minute and a single possession. 

So what makes Kinnick Stadium such a tough place to play, and why is Kirk Ferentz's team so successful at dragging visitors into low-scoring slugfests?

In this special bonus episode, you'll hear Ohio State head coach answer that and much more, including an update on talented true freshman DE Khary Wilder's role, Day's biggest concerns on defense, and more. 

Ohio State freshman nickel back Jay Timmons was injured in last Saturday's win against Illinois. His status this week is still up in the air, but Ryan Day did discuss what the Buckeyes might do without him.

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr talk about the options presented, which include senior Cam Calhoun and true freshman Jordan Thomas. What does this mean for Jermaine Mathews? The fellas discuss every possible scenario.

Ohio State QB Julian Sayin was a Heisman Trophy Finalist as a first-time starter and redshirt freshman in 2025. Now, in 2026, Sayin has shown noticeable signs of progress in a number of areas, most notably in his willingness and ability to run the football when needed.

In this special bonus episode, you'll hear directly from Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, and his thoughts on Sayin's season, his progress, and the passing game on the whole.

With a top-15 showdown on deck in Iowa City this Saturday, it's time for a few bonus episodes to let you hear directly from Ohio State head coach Ryan Day with some of his thoughts on the play of the Buckeyes' offense. 

Day has been challenging his team over the past month - challenging the offensive line to get more push, and the running backs to run harder - angry, even. So is he seeing that on the field?

In this special bonus episode, you'll hear directly Day about that, the status of talented true freshman Legend Bey, and much more.

Why aren't talented Ohio State freshmen Legend Bey and Khary Wilder seeing more playing time for the Buckeyes?

Ryan Day answered that question on Tuesday. In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tom Orr and Tony Gerdeman break down Day's answers and discuss what he said and what he didn't for each of the two exciting freshmen.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the current Heisman favorite, but how much does that mean in September?

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss Smith's Heisman odds and what it would take for him to actually win the award. How close is he to matching DeVonta Smith's numbers when he won it? How will the Ohio State defense factor into this? And isn't it just KNOWN that Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football? The fellas talk about all of this and more.

Ohio State beat Illinois 42-19, but after going back and rewatching the game, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr found plenty more to talk about on the Buckeye Weekly Podcast.

Jeremiah Smith was once again the biggest story, and the rewatch only reinforced one obvious conclusion: Ohio State should keep getting him the football. From easy red-zone opportunities to quick-game concepts and explosive plays, Smith continues to make the difficult look routine.   

Tony and Tom also take a closer look at Julian Sayin’s running, Nate Roberts’ emergence at tight end, Ohio State’s offensive line, Riley Pettijohn’s growing role, the Buckeyes’ unusual run fits on defense, the lack of proven stars in the front seven, and why some of the defensive issues may be more schematic than individual.

They also discuss young players like T.J. Alford, Khary Wilder and Jordan Thomas, what Ohio State may do defensively against Iowa, and one veteran move from Carson Hinzman that deserves its own football terminology.

0:00 — Rewatching Ohio State’s 42-19 win over Illinois
0:28 — What is a bold prediction for Jeremiah Smith anymore?
0:53 — Just throw the ball to Jeremiah Smith
3:02 — Why even simple throws to Smith are so effective
4:31 — Jeremiah Smith does the little things too
5:41 — Julian Sayin running and Nate Roberts emerging
6:36 — Ohio State’s tight end rotation
8:05 — Jake Cook as a short-yardage weapon
8:44 — Julian Sayin finally using his legs
10:37 — Why Sayin’s scrambling can change the offense
12:28 — The Ohio State defense is still a work in progress
13:03 — Weird run fits and difficult assignments
14:49 — Is Matt Patricia asking too much of this defense?
16:42 — Riley Pettijohn’s good and bad moments
18:01 — Ohio State’s young linebackers continue to grow
20:04 — Qua Russaw was more noticeable on the rewatch
20:56 — Why the Iowa game could tell us a lot about the front seven
22:12 — How Ohio State may line up against Iowa
22:35 — Jordan Thomas making his case on special teams
23:48 — Jay Timmons’ status and the nickel question
25:51 — Secondary communication issues
26:24 — Carson Hinzman’s veteran “boop” move
27:18 — Final thoughts

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss the Michigan Wolverines' performance in their loss at home to Iowa.

How did it happen? Why did it happen? Who is to blame? Should it have ever happened in the first place? The fellas talk about all of this and much, much more. Including Michigan's ongoing struggles running the ball, the growing weaponry of Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan, Bryce Underwood's improved play, and how much any of this really matters.

We don't normally do a show with postgame clips from Ohio State's next opponent, but when that opponent stuns Michigan on the final play of the day in Ann Arbor, we understand that Buckeyes fans might be a little more interested than usual. 

In this special bonus episode, you'll hear from Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz in the wake of his team's 20-19 shocker over the Wolverines, including his thoughts on the play of QB Hank Brown, WR Reece Vander Zee, that final play on the whole, and much more.