The Buckeye Weekly Podcast

Ohio State Kickoff Times: Big Noon Picks, TV Draft Tea Leaves & Schedule Speculation

On the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss early TV time/network announcements and what they suggest about Ohio State’s 2026 schedule. They note Ohio State–Michigan is set for noon on Fox and Oklahoma–Michigan is also a noon Fox game, then explain Fox drafts weeks (not individual games) and likely used three top picks on Week 13 (Michigan), Week 2 (Oklahoma at Michigan), and Oct. 17 (Ohio State at Indiana). They speculate that Ohio State–Oregon likely won’t be Big Noon and could land at 3:30 on CBS, discuss how Notre Dame NBC windows, Big Ten Network obligations, and potential Peacock decisions affect placements, and project possibilities for early nonconference games, Texas in primetime, and Ohio State at Nebraska likely earlier to set up Michigan week.

00:00 Welcome and Setup
01:03 Big Noon Picks Explained
01:55 Fox Week Draft Mystery
03:50 Ohio State Oregon Time Guess
04:46 Other Marquee Games
06:20 Early Season Kickoffs
08:38 Network Obligations Peacock
10:39 More Schedule Clues Ahead
12:47 Midseason Game Time Projections
15:28 November Nights Nebraska
18:23 Wrap Up and Subscribe

How NCAA’s ‘Five Years to Play Five’ Rule Could Reshape Ohio State’s 2027 Roster | Buckeye Weekly

Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss a pending NCAA rule that would allow players five years of eligibility to play five seasons and how it could impact Ohio State’s 2027 roster by potentially keeping 2026 true seniors for an extra year. They run through possible returnees—WRs Devin McCuin and Brandon Innis, TE Mason Williams, LG Luke Montgomery, DT James Smith, LB Christian Allegro, and CB Jermaine Matthews—debating draft projections, NIL tradeoffs, positional needs, and whether retaining veterans could replace portal additions. They highlight the value of continuity and frame the change as a way to re-sign in-house “free agents” before turning to the portal.

00:00 Welcome Back Banter
01:22 NCAA Five Years Rule
02:43 Wide Receiver Decisions
06:43 Tight End Return Case
09:22 Luke Montgomery O Line
13:18 James Smith D Line
16:18 Christian Alliegro Outlook
20:28 Jermaine Mathews Debate
23:17 Portal Style Roster Building
26:12 Wrap Up And Subscribe

In this episode of Buckeye Huddle Primetime, host Juck Milletti shares some recruiting updates on a handful of high-value targets, and then discusses the Ohio State freshman class and how they fared this spring and the expectations for this season.

Buckeye Weekly Podcast: What Will More QB Run Look Like for Ohio State in 2026?

On this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr answer a listener question about what “more QB run” should look like for Ohio State this year, focusing on Julian Sayin. They discuss the importance of quarterbacks contributing on the ground—especially rushing for at least one touchdown—and how even a few timely scrambles or option pulls can extend drives, help in short-yardage and goal-line situations, and force defenses to account for the quarterback. They compare recent Ohio State quarterback rushing production (including sack-adjusted stats) to players like CJ Stroud, Kyle McCord, and Will Howard, reference examples like Dwayne Haskins, and debate realistic season highs, single-game rushing yard projections, touchdown totals, and a 200-yard season benchmark.

00:00 Welcome and Listener Questions
00:41 What More QB Run Means
02:27 Touchdowns and the Threat Factor
04:20 Strategic Use vs Texas
05:49 Last Season Rushing Context
06:49 Comparing QBs and Carry Limits
09:30 Haskins Example and Attempt Targets
11:04 Over Unders and Predictions
14:05 Wrap Up and Subscribe

Can Ohio State’s Defense Still Be Elite After Losing NFL Draft Stars? | Buckeye Weekly Podcast

On the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr kick off “listener question season” by answering whether Ohio State’s defense can make its own mark after major NFL Draft departures from last year’s historic unit. They discuss the challenge of matching a program-best standard while noting Ohio State recently lost eight defensive starters to the draft and then seven more, yet still has the talent and coaching continuity to remain near last year’s level. They highlight how unexpected breakouts (like Arvell Reese and Kayden McDonald) can happen again, point to potential risers such as Kenyatta Jackson, and emphasize the transfer portal’s role in replacing starters with experienced players, including additions like Qua Russaw, James Smith, John Walker, Christian Alliegro, and Earl Little. They also expect schematic adjustments and possibly more aggressive, higher-variance play in 2026.

00:00 Listener Question Season
01:00 Can This Defense Match 2025
02:31 Next Breakout Stars
04:04 Portal Depth and Projection
06:51 Roster Management Reality
08:33 New Scheme and Creativity
10:57 Final Take and Wrap Up

Ohio State Injury Updates + Ryan Day on Mental Health | Buckeye Weekly Podcast

On the Buckeye Weekly podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss Ryan Day’s update that Ohio State players who missed spring with various injuries and procedures (including issues like labrums and meniscus) are expected to be healed in time to have full summers, emphasizing how crucial summer work is for preparing for fall camp, especially for offensive linemen and running backs. They note spring is the right time to be cautious and get nagging issues cleaned up, while also highlighting the need for a mental break after spring ball. The conversation shifts to Day’s children’s mental health initiatives with Nina Day through the Kids Mental Health Foundation, including an event in New Hampshire focused on improving access, reducing stigma, and building resiliency, with encouragement for philanthropy and broader national expansion.

00:00 Welcome and Big Update
00:27 Spring Injuries Healing Timeline
01:33 Summer Work Matters Most
02:11 O Line and RBs Getting Reps
04:28 Legend Bay Development Plan
06:29 Recovery and Avoiding Lingering Issues
07:17 Mental Breaks and Player Wellness
09:07 Kids Mental Health Foundation Event
10:07 Access and Ending the Stigma
13:57 Wrap Up and Subscribe

Buckeyes Go 4 in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft + Ryan Day on Being “NFL Ready”

On the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr discuss Ohio State’s 2026 NFL Draft first-round results and what Ryan Day said in a Zoom about the Buckeyes being “pro ready.” They react to four first-round picks—Carnell Tate going fourth overall to the Titans (a surprise as the first Buckeye taken), Arvell Reese to the Giants, Sonny Styles to the Commanders, and Caleb Downs to the Cowboys—and explain how Ohio State’s day-to-day competition, media pressure, and NFL-style schemes help players transition seamlessly to the league. They highlight Reese’s upside and versatility, Styles’ maturity and community involvement, and Downs as a near “sure shot” despite size concerns. The hosts also connect Ohio State’s draft success to recruiting momentum and note the program’s historic draft production by position.

00:00 Draft Night Kickoff
00:46 Buckeyes Go Pro Ready
03:43 Arvell Reese Breakdown
04:57 Sonny Styles Spotlight
08:02 Carnell Tate Surprise
08:41 Caleb Downs Steal
13:05 Recruiting Impact Angle
13:43 NFL Style Development
17:23 Position Dominance Stats
18:24 Quarterback History Talk
19:24 Wrap Up And Thanks

Buckeye Weekly Draft Day: Which Big Ten Stars Would We Add to Ohio State in 2026?

On NFL Draft day, Buckeye Weekly hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom do a hypothetical “draft” where Ohio State can add any Big Ten players to the 2026 roster. They target some of the Big Ten's best, as well as some new faces as well.

00:00 Welcome and Draft Day Setup
01:10 Rules and Draft Strategy
03:15 Pick One
06:19 Pick Two
08:33 Interior Line Luxury Picks
11:39 More Targets and O Line Ideas
13:24 Freshmen and Tight End Options
16:18 Wrap Up and Viewer Picks

Which New Buckeyes Surprised Us Most This Spring? | Buckeye Weekly Podcast

On the Buckeye Weekly podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom discuss which new Ohio State players surprised them most during spring practice, focusing on one true freshman and one transfer each. They highlight freshman wide receiver Brock Boyd for losing his black stripe extremely early and flashing as a versatile playmaker, and Tony notes freshman center Mason Wilhelm as an unexpected early contributor with the twos and threes, with mentions of freshman tackle Sam Greer and running back Favour Akih also looking more ready than expected. For transfers, Tom points to defensive back Earl Little for immediate impact, based on an early black stripe removal and strong reviews from teammates and coaches despite missing late spring due to a knee procedure. They also discuss transfer corner Dominick Kelly pushing for a rotation role and Alabama defensive line transfers James Smith and Qua Russaw carving out roles, with Russaw drawing praise for holding up vs. the run.

00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:57 Freshman Surprise Brock Boyd
04:11 Underrated Center Mason Wilhelm
06:09 Sam Greer and RB Favour Akih
08:50 Transfer Standout Earl Little
11:57 Dominick Kelly and Bama DL Adds
15:51 Wrap Up and Subscribe

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, hosts Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr share their thoughts after watching the 2026 Michigan Spring Game. They discuss quarterback Bryce Underwood's underwhelming performance, the possibility of a quarterback battle with freshman Tommy Carr, a pair of very talented running backs, some new names defensively, and more.