Real Pod Wednesdays
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Top 10 Real Pod Wednesdays Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Real Pod Wednesdays episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Real Pod Wednesdays for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Real Pod Wednesdays episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
A Good First Game and A Big Test Ahead
Real Pod Wednesdays
10/28/20 • 89 min
“Some guys are walking around the locker room like, man, what happened? 52-17, that's a pretty good day, boys.”
That's what Ryan Day said Tuesday regarding the expectations surrounding his Ohio State team right now – which caused some Buckeyes to be displeased by their performance despite a 35-point win over Nebraska in Saturday's season opener – and we're sharing a similar message on this week's Real Pod Wednesdays.
While much of the narrative following Ohio State's first game has been about its shaky defensive start and its underwhelming running game, some growing pains in the Buckeyes' first game shouldn't have been unexpected – especially considering the unusual offseason and the fact they were opening the year against a conference opponent – and there were plenty of positives to take away from the game, like Justin Fields' almost perfect performance and Ohio State scoring 38 of the final 41 points.
So we spend the first 30 minutes of this week's show by talking about why you should be happy with how the Buckeyes started the season and what our biggest takeaways were from Saturday's opening game.
In the show's second trimester, we look ahead to what should be a tougher test this week at Penn State, where the goal for Ohio State should be just to get a win in its first road game of the year against the Big Ten team that's given the Buckeyes their most consistent competition for the past four years. We discuss what Ohio State must do to contain Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford and tight end Pat Freiermuth, why we're looking forward to the matchup between Ohio State's offensive tackles and Penn State's defensive ends and much more about Saturday night's showdown in Happy Valley.
In Three Things We Think (47:20), Dan argues that Ryan Day shouldn't have apologized to Scott Frost and considers the dose of reality that comes with Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz testing positive for COVID-19, and Colin shares his thoughts on Nicholas Petit-Frere's strong debut at right tackle, the continued wait for Tyreke Smith to break out and why he disagrees with the notion that Ohio State is playing the wrong linebackers.
Finally (1:05:00), we wrap up the show by answering a large batch of reader questions about why Justin Fields will likely continue to run the ball often, whether Ohio State will have a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver this season, who the Buckeyes' No. 3 receiver will be and whether Pete Werner should move back to Sam.
Real Pod Wednesdays, Ep. 52: New Life for Big Ten Football in 2020?
Real Pod Wednesdays
09/02/20 • 81 min
Real Pod Wednesdays, Ep. 11: Buckeyes are No. 1 and Basketball Begins
Real Pod Wednesdays
11/06/19 • 77 min
08/17/22 • 57 min
Two weeks into preseason camp, it’s becoming more clear which Ohio State players could be trending toward breakout years and where the Buckeyes still have concerns as the season draws closer.
Running back depth emerged as a concern this week when Evan Pryor suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice, and that’s where we begin this week’s show. Is there reason to worry about Ohio State having only three scholarship running backs, and do the Buckeyes need to move someone else to running back for additional depth?
While Ohio State might still have the nation’s best one-two punch at running back in TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, Pryor’s injury increases the importance of Dallan Hayden’s readiness, and we believe Kaleb Brown and Xavier Johnson – not Steele Chambers and Chip Trayanum – could be candidates to take snaps at running back if needed.
About 14 minutes into the show, we shift the conversation to everything else we learned from watching a full practice last week and talking to Kevin Wilson, Larry Johnson and their tight ends and defensive linemen this week. Among the topics we covered:
- 15:10: Cornerback depth concerns and walk-on Lloyd McFarquhar taking advantage of his opportunity
- 18:18: Tommy Eichenberg standing out in practice and whether that will translate to three-down success
- 21:20: Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka both making their case as they battle for starting spot
- 26:00: Cade Stover’s noticeable improvement as a pass-catcher
- 32:47: Defense making life more difficult for Ohio State’s offense on the practice field
- 35:14: Whether Kevin Wilson’s comments about the short-yardage run game are reason to worry
- 38:53: The depth of Ohio State’s defensive line and why J.T. Tuimoloau could be the unidentified “alpha dog”
- 46:55: Why Mike Hall is a player to watch even though he’s third on the nose tackle depth chart
Finally (beginning at 48:04), we talk about the six players Ohio State chose to be captains – Kamryn Babb, C.J. Stroud, Cade Stover, Tommy Eichenberg, Tyler Friday and Kourt Williams – and which players each of us were surprised to not see on the captain list.
01/25/23 • 57 min
It was a quiet first year for Ohio State’s freshman class of 2022, but many of those Buckeyes are candidates for breakout seasons in 2023.
That’s what we spend most of our time discussing on this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays.
First, we talk about the impact of a couple of Ohio State football news items that dropped over the past week: The addition of transfer offensive lineman Victor Cutler and the return of sixth-year safety Josh Proctor. Then, we talk about all 21 members of Ohio State’s 2022 class and discuss their outlooks going into their second year as Buckeyes.
The full rundown of this week’s show:
- 1:13: Victor Cutler isn’t the transfer addition we expected, but it’s an addition that makes sense once you dig into it
- 6:41: Cutler’s addition could keep Matt Jones at guard, but expect Ohio State to experiment with different combinations during the spring
- 9:37: Ohio State has already added more transfers than ever before, and that total could increase in May
- 13:07: With Josh Proctor returning, Ohio State has a lot of options to fill its starting safety spots this year
- 17:24: Proctor wouldn’t return if he didn’t think he’d be a starter, but he’s going to have to earn that job
- 20:51: All three returning sixth-year seniors could provide significant value for the 2023 Buckeyes
- 22:32: C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles have the skill sets to bolster the defense as linebacker/safety hybrids
- 28:31: Devin Brown has a chance to be Ohio State’s most important second-year Buckeye in 2023
- 30:14: Caden Curry looks poised to be the No. 3 defensive end; Kenyatta Jackson and Omari Abor should have opportunities, too
- 32:05: Second-year wide receivers will need big springs to earn playing time on loaded depth chart
- 35:33: Dallan Hayden played the biggest role of any freshman in 2022, yet his role could decrease in 2023
- 38:26: Buckeyes need Tegra Tshabola, George Fitzpatrick, Carson Hinzman to provide offensive line depth
- 41:11: Bennett Christian has a lot of competition at tight end, but his blocking ability gives him a chance to climb depth chart
- 44:37: Gabe Powers, Ryan Turner among freshmen who will have to battle to climb depth chart on defense
- 47:04: Jyaire Brown may be the frontrunner to start opposite Denzel Burke at cornerback
- 49:23: Hero Kanu well-positioned to earn spot on defensive tackle two-deep
- 51:47: Lack of playing time for freshmen in 2022 could hurt the Buckeyes in 2023
Ohio State’s 2024 Roster is Loaded, Especially on Defense
Real Pod Wednesdays
01/17/24 • 60 min
The Ohio State football team’s 2024 roster is loaded – especially on defense.
With TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, Donovan Jackson, Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom all choosing to stay at Ohio State for another year rather than enter the 2024 NFL draft, Ohio State’s roster could be the best in the country.
The Buckeyes’ defense, in particular, looks like it should be even better than it was this past season. Ohio State’s offense faces the same questions as it did last year – will its quarterback play and offensive line be good enough? – but will have the nation’s best running back tandem and is still loaded with talented receivers.
We spend the first half of this week’s show taking a closer look at Ohio State’s 2024 roster and how its starting lineup could stack up.
In the second half of the show, we switch gears and look at why Ohio State men’s basketball must correct course quickly and why Chris Holtmann’s job should be on the line if it doesn’t. Finally, we assess the hiring of Ross Bjork as Ohio State’s new athletic director and consider how the future of the athletic department could change under his leadership.
The full rundown for this week’s show:
- 0:30: Ohio State’s 2024 roster should be one of the best in the country, especially on defense
- 4:19: Ohio State’s defensive line, cornerback units will be two of nation’s top position groups
- 7:38: A move to LB makes sense for Sonny Styles – especially if OSU can get Caleb Downs
- 10:15: Ohio State’s top backups on defense next season would start just about anywhere else
- 14:21: Ramped-up NIL efforts a big reason why Ohio State retained so many draft-eligible stars
- 18:42: Offensive line is still the biggest question mark, so more portal moves should be considered
- 25:26: Ohio State should be able to lean more on running game with two elite running backs
- 26:56: Emeka Egbuka provides crucial experience in receiver unit full of young talent
- 28:48: Will Kacmarek, Gee Scott Jr. and Jelani Thurman are all players to watch at tight end
- 31:54: Ohio State basketball must snap out of slump quickly as it falls to NCAA Tournament bubble
- 40:02: The time for excuses has passed – Chris Holtmann must deliver results to keep his job
- 45:27: If OSU’s struggles continue, would Gene Smith make a change on his way out?
- 47:40: Ross Bjork brings strong reputation as fundraiser, pro-NIL approach to OSU
- 50:35: Bjork made a couple of high-profile mistakes, but shouldn’t be judged solely on that
- 56:51: Hiring Bjork over candidates with OSU ties suggests OSU wants more than continuity
Ohio State vs. Michigan Preview and Predictions
Real Pod Wednesdays
11/22/23 • 67 min
It’s all about The Game on this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays.
Typically, we start each week’s episode of RPW by breaking down the previous week’s game before previewing the next opponent. This week, however, we jump right into previewing Ohio State’s season-defining rivalry game with Michigan, weaving in a few takeaways from the Buckeyes’ 37-3 win over Minnesota but otherwise focusing fully on the impending clash of titans in Ann Arbor.
With the College Football Playoff set to expand to 12 teams next year, it’s not hyperbole to say that there might never be another regular-season game in college football as big as the one the Buckeyes and Wolverines will play this Saturday. Next year, Ohio State and Michigan would already be locks to make the CFP with their respective 11-0 records, but everything is on the line for both teams this week as they play for the Big Ten East title.
Of course, this game would be highly anticipated even without those stakes as the Buckeyes look to earn their first win over their rivals in four years. And the hatred between the two sides has only grown hotter amid the revelations of Michigan’s impermissible sign-stealing scandal that may have helped the Wolverines beat Ohio State in the last two meetings.
But even without Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stalions, Michigan presents the toughest test of the regular season for Ohio State. What do the Buckeyes need to do to beat the Wolverines, and do we think the Buckeyes will make it happen? We break all of that down in our hourlong lookahead to Saturday’s No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup.
The full rundown for this week’s show:
- 0:11: There might never be another regular-season college football game as big as this one
- 2:37: Ohio State or Michigan making the CFP with a loss looks much less likely than last year
- 4:18: Biggest positives from Minnesota: Ohio State’s run game, Jack Sawyer and no major injuries
- 9:16: Ohio State’s pass defense should have edge vs. Michigan, but stopping the run will be crucial
- 19:15: Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau could exploit Michigan’s offensive tackles as pass rushers
- 23:16: Ohio State’s defensive tackles face their biggest challenge of the year vs. Michigan guards
- 24:36: Ohio State’s run defense has shown improvement and ability to adjust over the season
- 29:04: How many points does Ohio State need to score to beat Michigan?
- 35:44: Kyle McCord, offensive line must rise to the occasion
- 41:25: TreVeyon Henderson, OSU’s other game-breaking playmakers can make the difference
- 47:31: Ohio State needs to avoid unforced errors on special teams, penalties and turnovers
- 51:46: A reason for confidence: Ohio State has shown it will find a way to win close games
- 54:31: Why we’re both picking Ohio State to win a close, low-scoring game
- 1:00:29: Fair or not, this game will be a referendum on Ryan Day as Ohio State’s coach
- 1:02:45: Whether you’re for or against CFP expansion, appreciate this game while you can
Post-Spring Outlook for the 2024 Ohio State Football Team
Real Pod Wednesdays
04/17/24 • 63 min
Spring football showcased how much talent Ohio State has on its 2024 roster, but two of the biggest question marks surrounding this year’s Buckeyes.
Quarterback and offensive line have been the biggest positions of concern for Ohio State dating back to this time last season, and that didn’t change this spring. While Will Howard still looks like the frontrunner to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes, our opportunities to watch him throw this spring left us wanting more. And it’s clear Ohio State still doesn’t have five offensive linemen that it fully trusts.
All of that said, we remain confident about Ohio State beating Michigan, getting back to the top of the Big Ten and making the College Football Playoff. We believe OSU’s chances of winning the national championship are as good as just about anyone else, too, though there are plenty of hurdles the Buckeyes will have to clear first to get there.
With spring practices now complete, we share our biggest takeaways from the spring game, what we expect from the Buckeyes in the post-spring transfer window and our post-spring outlook for Ohio State’s 2024 season on this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays.
The rundown:
- 0:07: The spring game showed OSU’s talent, but didn’t answer our QB and OL questions
- 4:51: Will Howard is still Ohio State’s likely starter; is he good enough to win a championship?
- 13:28: It seems the quarterbacks will have much more freedom to run the ball with Chip Kelly
- 17:19: Right guard is top transfer portal priority as offensive line isn’t where it needs to be yet
- 26:24: Aside from offensive line, OSU doesn’t need any other starters from the transfer portal
- 29:21: The offense “won” the spring game, but the defense was what stood out
- 31:09: Secondary allows OSU to be more aggressive with C.J. Hicks, Sonny Styles as blitzers
- 33:48: Post-spring transfer window will likely be busier this year, but Tuesday was a quiet first day
- 36:50: Jaylen McClain, Sam Williams-Dixon, Eddrick Houston among spring game freshman stars
- 38:41: Inky Jones, TC Caffey, Brennen Schramm among walk-ons who showed talent in spring game
- 40:39: It was fun to actually see some schematic wrinkles in the spring game for a change
- 43:29: Dan was “The Peoples Champ” of our spring game fantasy draft
- 47:42: Confidence percentages for OSU beating Michigan, winning Big Ten, making CFP, winning natty
Assessing Ohio State’s Week 1 Performance Against Indiana
Real Pod Wednesdays
09/06/23 • 78 min
Ohio State’s first game of the 2023 season gave us plenty to talk about.
While the Buckeyes were never in danger of losing and came back from Indiana with a 1-0 record and a Big Ten road win, Ohio State and its fans were left generally unsatisfied with the team’s performance on offense after the Buckeyes scored just two touchdowns in a 23-3 win.
That’s exacerbated concerns about whether Ohio State will have the quarterback play, offensive line and running game it needs to have a championship-caliber offense this year. On the bright side, Ohio State’s defense got the year off to a dominant start as it held the Hoosiers to just three points and 153 yards.
On this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays, we discuss what went well for Ohio State’s defense and what didn’t go well for the Buckeyes’ offense. We also consider whether the Buckeyes’ Week 1 showing changes our expectations for the 2023 season and look at some of the other top storylines from across college football’s opening weekend.
A rundown of what we discussed in our Week 1 recap:
- 1:00: Ohio State left Bloomington with a 1-0 record and that’s what matters most (just ask Clemson)
- 2:01: Indiana’s offense may be an “anomaly,” but OSU’s defensive dominance was still impressive
- 5:25: Some Week 1 offensive struggles were expected, but they weren’t supposed to last all game
- 8:35: The offensive issues are fixable, but they must be fixed quickly with Notre Dame coming soon
- 9:10: Kyle McCord wasn’t awful, but he (or Devin Brown) must be better for OSU to achieve its goals
- 13:52: Running the ball on third down remains a persistent problem for Buckeyes
- 18:02: Ohio State did a lot of experimenting offensively, which will probably continue in Weeks 2 and 3
- 22:12: Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka have to get the ball more than they did in Week 1
- 26:17: We got spoiled by C.J. Stroud’s ball placement, and Kyle McCord isn’t at that level right now
- 28:59: Cade Stover, Julian Fleming, Chip Trayanum were offensive bright spots
- 34:22: Josh Proctor looks like he belongs in the starting lineup (though bigger tests are coming)
- 40:22: Sonny Styles’ first start lived up to the hype (though bigger tests are coming)
- 44:12: Jim Knowles “loves” the defensive tackle rotation, but Andy thinks Mike Hall needs to play more
- 45:56: Triple option was a factor in no linebacker rotation, but we’ll believe more rotation when we see it
- 50:21: Our concerns and expectations for Ohio State haven’t changed too much from a week ago
- 59:50: Looking for passing improvement, running consistency and a potential shutout in Week 2
- 1:02:43: We’re not sure what to expect from Colorado this year, but it’s sure a fun team to watch
- 1:06:54: Drew Allar looks like the real deal, which makes Penn State a real threat in the Big Ten East
- 1:08:03: Notre Dame looks more dangerous with Sam Hartman (though it hasn’t faced much competition)
- 1:08:37: New clock rules mean more commercials, but fewer possessions comes with pros and cons
- 1:15:19: Texas/Alabama, Wisconsin/Washington State among Week 2 games to watch
Ohio State’s Top Competition in First Year of 18-Team Big Ten
Real Pod Wednesdays
06/26/24 • 65 min
The Big Ten will officially expand to 18 teams next week.
Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA will officially become members of the conference on Monday, bringing in a new era for what’s traditionally been a Midwest-based conference. From a football standpoint, the Big Ten’s newest round of expansion should immediately make the conference more competitive as Oregon enters 2024 as a major College Football Playoff contender while Washington is the defending national runner-up and USC has a history of competing for championships.
With that in mind, we thought this week would be a good time to take a look at how the Big Ten stacks up entering the 2024 season with a focus on the conference’s new teams and the teams that we expect to be Ohio State’s toughest competition for the conference title this year.
Both of us agree that Oregon will be Ohio State’s biggest challenger for the Big Ten championship this year while Penn State and Michigan round out the conference’s top tier of teams entering the 2024 season. Iowa, USC, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Rutgers – yes, Rutgers – are among the teams to watch in the second tier of the conference while Washington and Indiana are other teams we’ll be keeping an eye on in the Big Ten this year.
We spent the first 42-minutes of the show breaking down Ohio State’s competition in the Big Ten before concluding this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesday with some discussion about what’s been a very successful month of June for Ohio State on the recruiting trail.
The rundown for this week’s show:
- 0:00 Intro
- 1:25 Expansion Sacrifices Regionality But Makes Big Ten More Competitive
- 12:36 Oregon Will Be A Major Big Ten Contender in Year One
- 15:57 Penn State Has the Third-Best Roster in the Big Ten
- 18:38 Michigan Should Take A Step Back But Can’t Be Overlooked
- 22:55 USC Unlikely to Be Big Ten Championship Contender Right Away
- 25:49 Iowa, Nebraska Among Second-Tier Teams That Could Make Noise
- 29:11 Thanks to Schedules, Rutgers Could Finish Ahead of Wisconsin
- 33:32 Washington Lost A Lot of Talent But Shouldn’t Be Written Off
- 35:36 Indiana Has Potential to Make A Jump Under Curt Cignetti
- 36:39 Our Big Ten Championship Game Prediction
- 39:09 Our Big Ten Picks to Make the CFP
- 41:21 Why Ohio State vs. Michigan Could Have Very High Stakes on Both Sides
- 42:38 Ohio State is “Cooking” on the Recruiting Trail
- 43:59 Ryan Day Building His Best Defensive Recruiting Class
- 46:46 David Sanders Jr. is the Recruit Ohio State Must Land
- 51:26 Justin Hill, Dorian Brew, Defensive Tackles Among Ohio State’s Other Priorities
- 55:39 Taking More Chances on In-State Prospects Can Pay Off for Ohio State
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FAQ
How many episodes does Real Pod Wednesdays have?
Real Pod Wednesdays currently has 271 episodes available.
What topics does Real Pod Wednesdays cover?
The podcast is about Basketball, Ohio State, Football, Podcasts, Ohio State Football and Sports.
What is the most popular episode on Real Pod Wednesdays?
The episode title 'A Good First Game and A Big Test Ahead' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Real Pod Wednesdays?
The average episode length on Real Pod Wednesdays is 71 minutes.
How often are episodes of Real Pod Wednesdays released?
Episodes of Real Pod Wednesdays are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Real Pod Wednesdays?
The first episode of Real Pod Wednesdays was released on Aug 28, 2019.
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