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DB Anthony Gwinn (Official Thread)
- By brodybuck21
- Buckeye Alumni
- 0 Replies
Ohio State Legacy and 2025 Quarterback Jaystin Gwinn Commits to Buckeyes As Preferred Walk-On
2025 quarterback Jaystin Gwinn, the nephew of late former Ohio State defensive end Jayson Gwinn, has committed to the Buckeyes as a preferred walk-on.
QB Jaystin Gwinn (Official Thread)
- By brodybuck21
- Buckeye Football
- 4 Replies
247
Rivals
On3
HUDL
Class: 2025
Position: QB
School: Westerville (OH) Central
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 lbs
Rivals
On3
HUDL
Class: 2025
Position: QB
School: Westerville (OH) Central
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 lbs
LGHL The unexpected trait freshman Elsa Lemmilä brings to Ohio State women’s basketball
- News
- 0 Replies
The unexpected trait freshman Elsa Lemmilä brings to Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
How the 6-foot-6 center is earning more minutes and making an impact.
Ohio State women’s basketball had glaring issues over the past few seasons. The Buckeyes had well-documented problems inside the paint, ending last year’s Big Ten slate dead last in rebounds per game, needing turnovers to push the tide in their favor.
That changed this season, bringing in a graduate senior forward from the SEC, but with a month remaining in the regular season, it’s a freshman who is coming into games and bringing something Ohio State isn’t a phrase connected often to the Buckeyes — it’s calm.
Before transferring to Ohio State, 6-foot-6 freshman Elsa Lemmilä tore her ACL, a devastating injury that takes a player out of action for nearly a year. That meant when Lemmilä stepped foot on campus, taking a long flight from her home in Espoo, Finland, the center was still on the road to recovery.
By the time the fall hit, Lemmilä was practicing fully, and making her way into games. Appearing in every game for the Buckeyes, Lemmilä averaged 17 minutes per game in the first 11 games of the season, even picking up a double-double against a smaller and less physical Ohio Bobcats side, scoring 21 points with 14 rebounds (eight on the offensive boards).
When Big Ten play ramped up though, the game picked up speed and Lemmilä’s minutes shrunk. Lemmilä averaged seven minutes in her next six games, and former Kentucky forward Ajae Petty leading inside the paint.
However, as January came to a close, Lemmilä’s effectiveness opened back up. It started against the then No. 8 Maryland Terrapins, picking up four blocks and five rebounds against a Terps side focused solely on trying to hurt the Buckeyes inside the paint. It was also a conference high 23 minutes for the big. In Nebraska, three days later, Lemmilä picked up nine rebounds in 22 minutes.
Then on Sunday, with the Washington Huskies in town, Lemmilä had her most impactful moment of the conference season.
Two seconds after Lemmilä came into the game, the Huskies hit a layup, their 20th points inside the paint in the first quarter and a half. Washington wouldn’t hit another one for the rest of the quarter, or any shots from the floor for that matter.
Lemmilä finished out the last six minutes of the quarter and was everywhere for Ohio State. The center grabbed three rebounds, tied guard Chance Gray with four points, the most for any Buckeye in the quarter, and halted any sort of inside game for the Huskies.
“Elsa does exactly what she’s supposed to do almost every time,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “She’s got great attention to detail and great execution on both ends of the floor for us. And she doesn’t try to do too much. And so, oddly for such a young player, it’s almost a little bit calming.”
Not only doing the stuff that tall players do, but getting into the turnover game like guards Taylor Thierry or Jaloni Cambridge.
Something Washington successfully employed in the first half to get around the Buckeye press was a quarterback-like inbound pass across half court, negating the worry of a 10-second violation and throwing the ball over Ohio State’s best press defenders.
When Lemmilä came in, that vanished. The freshman center closed down space on the floor and the next two attempts turned into Ohio State possessions. On the first, Lemmilä got hold of the ball and threw it off the Washington defender to keep it with Ohio State. On the next, Lemmilä leapt in the air to catch it without any sort of resistance.
“She looked like an Ohio State defensive back out there on those,” said McGuff. “DBU, right?”
Those interceptions went a long way for the Buckeyes, Sunday. Lemmilä’s big second quarter helped create a 12-point run that turned a Huskies lead into a double-digit Ohio State advantage.
There are still areas of Lemmilä’s game development that will benefit the Buckeyes in the long run. Mainly on the offensive side of the court.
For example, on two occasions Lemmilä grabbed offensive rebounds and on both the freshman’s first instinct was to find a teammate on the perimeter. This wasn’t something instructed to her by the coaching staff, but the center’s natural response. On the first, there was space for the center to turn it into direct second chance points. Lemmilä, who averages 4.5 point per game, is realistic about her play offensively so far this season.
“Recovering from my injury, I’ve kind of lost that confidence in my offense and it’s starting to come back,” said Lemmilä. “But I know I’ve always been good at defense. Defense has always been my thing. So I know that I can rely on that.”
Ohio State is a team, like many, that preaches that defense turns into offense. While it isn’t turning into direct offense for Lemmilä herself, it’s creating more possessions for the Buckeyes. Over time, as that confidence grows, it will turn Lemmilä into a double-double machine, and there are already signs of that offensive ability.
The defense for now is still important and vital to the success of the Scarlet and Gray. Lemmilä has the lowest defensive rating on the team (69.4), which is five points lower than the next lowest, which is another freshman in point guard Jaloni Cambridge.
While that’s with a lower amount of minutes per game, signs are pointing to that number growing as the season goes on, especially if the performances mirror the center’s impact in the first half of Sunday’s win.
Outside of the program is starting to notice Lemmilä’s production off the bench, but the team’s been fully aware of it for some time now.
“Elsa has improved so much, like just even from a confidence standpoint and as a team, like we are like seriously so proud of Elsa and I feel like we tell her that all the time,” said team leader Cotie McMahon. “But like we really mean it. Like we are so proud of Elsa. And the fact that we can count on her as a freshman is just something that, you know, not everybody has the opportunity to do.”
This is in year one, with the center only four months out of recovery of an ACL tear. Hearing and feeling that support can only help the freshman grow, especially from someone like McMahon who means every word she says.
“Coming back from such a big injury, like that just means so much to me,” said Lemmilä. “Also, moving to a new team at the same time, it was a lot of change for me, so it means a lot to hear that.”
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
How the 6-foot-6 center is earning more minutes and making an impact.
Ohio State women’s basketball had glaring issues over the past few seasons. The Buckeyes had well-documented problems inside the paint, ending last year’s Big Ten slate dead last in rebounds per game, needing turnovers to push the tide in their favor.
That changed this season, bringing in a graduate senior forward from the SEC, but with a month remaining in the regular season, it’s a freshman who is coming into games and bringing something Ohio State isn’t a phrase connected often to the Buckeyes — it’s calm.
Before transferring to Ohio State, 6-foot-6 freshman Elsa Lemmilä tore her ACL, a devastating injury that takes a player out of action for nearly a year. That meant when Lemmilä stepped foot on campus, taking a long flight from her home in Espoo, Finland, the center was still on the road to recovery.
By the time the fall hit, Lemmilä was practicing fully, and making her way into games. Appearing in every game for the Buckeyes, Lemmilä averaged 17 minutes per game in the first 11 games of the season, even picking up a double-double against a smaller and less physical Ohio Bobcats side, scoring 21 points with 14 rebounds (eight on the offensive boards).
When Big Ten play ramped up though, the game picked up speed and Lemmilä’s minutes shrunk. Lemmilä averaged seven minutes in her next six games, and former Kentucky forward Ajae Petty leading inside the paint.
However, as January came to a close, Lemmilä’s effectiveness opened back up. It started against the then No. 8 Maryland Terrapins, picking up four blocks and five rebounds against a Terps side focused solely on trying to hurt the Buckeyes inside the paint. It was also a conference high 23 minutes for the big. In Nebraska, three days later, Lemmilä picked up nine rebounds in 22 minutes.
Then on Sunday, with the Washington Huskies in town, Lemmilä had her most impactful moment of the conference season.
Two seconds after Lemmilä came into the game, the Huskies hit a layup, their 20th points inside the paint in the first quarter and a half. Washington wouldn’t hit another one for the rest of the quarter, or any shots from the floor for that matter.
Lemmilä finished out the last six minutes of the quarter and was everywhere for Ohio State. The center grabbed three rebounds, tied guard Chance Gray with four points, the most for any Buckeye in the quarter, and halted any sort of inside game for the Huskies.
“Elsa does exactly what she’s supposed to do almost every time,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “She’s got great attention to detail and great execution on both ends of the floor for us. And she doesn’t try to do too much. And so, oddly for such a young player, it’s almost a little bit calming.”
Not only doing the stuff that tall players do, but getting into the turnover game like guards Taylor Thierry or Jaloni Cambridge.
Something Washington successfully employed in the first half to get around the Buckeye press was a quarterback-like inbound pass across half court, negating the worry of a 10-second violation and throwing the ball over Ohio State’s best press defenders.
When Lemmilä came in, that vanished. The freshman center closed down space on the floor and the next two attempts turned into Ohio State possessions. On the first, Lemmilä got hold of the ball and threw it off the Washington defender to keep it with Ohio State. On the next, Lemmilä leapt in the air to catch it without any sort of resistance.
“She looked like an Ohio State defensive back out there on those,” said McGuff. “DBU, right?”
Those interceptions went a long way for the Buckeyes, Sunday. Lemmilä’s big second quarter helped create a 12-point run that turned a Huskies lead into a double-digit Ohio State advantage.
There are still areas of Lemmilä’s game development that will benefit the Buckeyes in the long run. Mainly on the offensive side of the court.
For example, on two occasions Lemmilä grabbed offensive rebounds and on both the freshman’s first instinct was to find a teammate on the perimeter. This wasn’t something instructed to her by the coaching staff, but the center’s natural response. On the first, there was space for the center to turn it into direct second chance points. Lemmilä, who averages 4.5 point per game, is realistic about her play offensively so far this season.
“Recovering from my injury, I’ve kind of lost that confidence in my offense and it’s starting to come back,” said Lemmilä. “But I know I’ve always been good at defense. Defense has always been my thing. So I know that I can rely on that.”
Ohio State is a team, like many, that preaches that defense turns into offense. While it isn’t turning into direct offense for Lemmilä herself, it’s creating more possessions for the Buckeyes. Over time, as that confidence grows, it will turn Lemmilä into a double-double machine, and there are already signs of that offensive ability.
The defense for now is still important and vital to the success of the Scarlet and Gray. Lemmilä has the lowest defensive rating on the team (69.4), which is five points lower than the next lowest, which is another freshman in point guard Jaloni Cambridge.
While that’s with a lower amount of minutes per game, signs are pointing to that number growing as the season goes on, especially if the performances mirror the center’s impact in the first half of Sunday’s win.
Outside of the program is starting to notice Lemmilä’s production off the bench, but the team’s been fully aware of it for some time now.
“Elsa has improved so much, like just even from a confidence standpoint and as a team, like we are like seriously so proud of Elsa and I feel like we tell her that all the time,” said team leader Cotie McMahon. “But like we really mean it. Like we are so proud of Elsa. And the fact that we can count on her as a freshman is just something that, you know, not everybody has the opportunity to do.”
This is in year one, with the center only four months out of recovery of an ACL tear. Hearing and feeling that support can only help the freshman grow, especially from someone like McMahon who means every word she says.
“Coming back from such a big injury, like that just means so much to me,” said Lemmilä. “Also, moving to a new team at the same time, it was a lot of change for me, so it means a lot to hear that.”
Continue reading...
Demolition Imminent for former Spaghetti Warehouse
- Open Discussion (Work-safe)
- 14 Replies
Been a long time since I went there on a date with my future wife. It will be a shame of they tear it down with the old trolley still inside.
www.nbc4i.com
Trolley car still inside, demolition looms for former Spaghetti Warehouse building
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The former Spaghetti Warehouse, a building that holds many memories of Columbus diners, will meet a wrecking ball or bulldozer within the next few weeks, and it appears the …
www.nbc4i.com
LGHL Updated Ryan Day narrative quickly faces adversity
- News
- 0 Replies
Updated Ryan Day narrative quickly faces adversity
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Getting over the hump and winning four consecutive “big games” changed the coach’s reputation, but significant roadblocks could keep him from building on it.
While anyone not part of Buckeye Nation was tut-tutting the Ohio State fan base for believing that Ryan Day should start beating Michigan (again), winning the Big Ten (again), and beating someone not named Clemson in the College Football Playoff, no one understood that mindset better than Day himself.
Day understood the assignment. He has discussed it numerous times, and he worked hard trying to do those things. Sometimes he probably overthought things, and other times, well, sometimes the team you coach simply doesn’t execute.
Because Day still hasn’t won The Game since his first year at the helm of the Buckeyes, and his last Big Ten title came in 2020, it was understandable that a loss to the most mediocre Wolverines team since the squad that opted out of the rivalry matchup during COVID — one that cost the Buckeyes a trip to Indy to square off again with Oregon — had fans upset.
While the media focused on the most unhinged instances, such as the abuse Day and his wife were subjected to, there was a growing — and far more reasonable — contingent of fans who simply began to question whether Day could get over the hump. The fact that they did so loudly and to anyone who would listen is no different than what would happen at other schools with rabid fanbases.
When Ohio State lost to Michigan on Nov. 30, it was reminiscent of the great 1990s teams under John Cooper that couldn’t get over the final hurdle. This was a Michigan team that hadn’t won a single road game. If not this year, people wondered, when could Day again notch a win over the Wolverines?
But that loss led to what we saw over the final four games of the season — a galvanized and focused group of players that fought hard for each other and for their head coach. Ohio State won four consecutive “big ones” and claimed Day’s first national championship as a head coach and the school’s first title in a decade.
In putting Tennessee and Oregon on full blast, staying out in front of Texas and ultimately putting the Longhorns away, and then dominating Notre Dame before fighting off their comeback attempt, Day silenced his critics and changed the narrative around his tenure at Ohio State.
Day rode that momentum by being everywhere — The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and the schools and living rooms of top recruits all over the country. Momentum was on Day’s side. He just had to beat Michigan and win the Big Ten without any players left over from the Meyer era, and the transformation would be complete.
But things change quickly. Less than a month after winning that title, and already knowing he was losing a giant chunk of his starting lineup to the NFL, Day is now left looking for new coordinators on both sides of the ball and a new offensive line coach.
It’s a lot to ask of Day to come anywhere close to 2024’s success in 2025. With 15 players likely getting drafted, there are a lot of starting positions up for grabs. New starters (again, especially at quarterback) need time to become cohesive — even if they’re not working with new coordinators. Even if Day knocks those coordinator hires out of the park, if they come in from outside, they’ll need time to adjust.
And then there’s the 2025 schedule, which opens against what figures to be a highly ranked Texas team. At least that’s at home. This group of Buckeyes will have to get their first road experience at Washington this year. Minnesota (at home) and Illinois (away) won’t be easy. Trips to Wisconsin are never easy either. And then there’s a game against a Penn State team that should be in the national championship picture.
Oh, and The Game is away. Ohio State will have a first-time starter in The Game yet again, and that’s always a challenge. The Wolverines should be better, because they could hardly be worse than they were in 2024, and they will be physical. The atmosphere will be difficult, and the weather may be as well.
In short, while I don’t expect the Day narrative to return to where it was the evening of Nov. 30, 2024, it will be difficult for him to build on it. Stranger things have happened, and anything is possible, but it’s an unlikely year to expect Ohio State to get over those other two humps in 2025. Maybe that will work in Day’s favor.
If Day manages to make the right hires to his coaching staff, get quarterback play anywhere close to the level of what Will Howard delivered, and get his new starters to perform at a high level again, the Ryan Day narrative could reach new heights of positivity. There will never be less pressure on Day to be successful than 2025. Most fans understand the level of turnover of staff and players that Ohio State has to overcome, and the good vibes of the championship linger.
If the team struggles, there will be grumbles again from Buckeye Nation, but not a full-scale revolt, as most Ohio State fans will give him the grace period that typically comes with winning a national title. In that case, however, the pressure would be back on in 2026 to show that the 2024 run wasn’t a one-off.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Getting over the hump and winning four consecutive “big games” changed the coach’s reputation, but significant roadblocks could keep him from building on it.
While anyone not part of Buckeye Nation was tut-tutting the Ohio State fan base for believing that Ryan Day should start beating Michigan (again), winning the Big Ten (again), and beating someone not named Clemson in the College Football Playoff, no one understood that mindset better than Day himself.
Day understood the assignment. He has discussed it numerous times, and he worked hard trying to do those things. Sometimes he probably overthought things, and other times, well, sometimes the team you coach simply doesn’t execute.
Because Day still hasn’t won The Game since his first year at the helm of the Buckeyes, and his last Big Ten title came in 2020, it was understandable that a loss to the most mediocre Wolverines team since the squad that opted out of the rivalry matchup during COVID — one that cost the Buckeyes a trip to Indy to square off again with Oregon — had fans upset.
While the media focused on the most unhinged instances, such as the abuse Day and his wife were subjected to, there was a growing — and far more reasonable — contingent of fans who simply began to question whether Day could get over the hump. The fact that they did so loudly and to anyone who would listen is no different than what would happen at other schools with rabid fanbases.
When Ohio State lost to Michigan on Nov. 30, it was reminiscent of the great 1990s teams under John Cooper that couldn’t get over the final hurdle. This was a Michigan team that hadn’t won a single road game. If not this year, people wondered, when could Day again notch a win over the Wolverines?
But that loss led to what we saw over the final four games of the season — a galvanized and focused group of players that fought hard for each other and for their head coach. Ohio State won four consecutive “big ones” and claimed Day’s first national championship as a head coach and the school’s first title in a decade.
In putting Tennessee and Oregon on full blast, staying out in front of Texas and ultimately putting the Longhorns away, and then dominating Notre Dame before fighting off their comeback attempt, Day silenced his critics and changed the narrative around his tenure at Ohio State.
Day rode that momentum by being everywhere — The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and the schools and living rooms of top recruits all over the country. Momentum was on Day’s side. He just had to beat Michigan and win the Big Ten without any players left over from the Meyer era, and the transformation would be complete.
But things change quickly. Less than a month after winning that title, and already knowing he was losing a giant chunk of his starting lineup to the NFL, Day is now left looking for new coordinators on both sides of the ball and a new offensive line coach.
It’s a lot to ask of Day to come anywhere close to 2024’s success in 2025. With 15 players likely getting drafted, there are a lot of starting positions up for grabs. New starters (again, especially at quarterback) need time to become cohesive — even if they’re not working with new coordinators. Even if Day knocks those coordinator hires out of the park, if they come in from outside, they’ll need time to adjust.
And then there’s the 2025 schedule, which opens against what figures to be a highly ranked Texas team. At least that’s at home. This group of Buckeyes will have to get their first road experience at Washington this year. Minnesota (at home) and Illinois (away) won’t be easy. Trips to Wisconsin are never easy either. And then there’s a game against a Penn State team that should be in the national championship picture.
Oh, and The Game is away. Ohio State will have a first-time starter in The Game yet again, and that’s always a challenge. The Wolverines should be better, because they could hardly be worse than they were in 2024, and they will be physical. The atmosphere will be difficult, and the weather may be as well.
In short, while I don’t expect the Day narrative to return to where it was the evening of Nov. 30, 2024, it will be difficult for him to build on it. Stranger things have happened, and anything is possible, but it’s an unlikely year to expect Ohio State to get over those other two humps in 2025. Maybe that will work in Day’s favor.
If Day manages to make the right hires to his coaching staff, get quarterback play anywhere close to the level of what Will Howard delivered, and get his new starters to perform at a high level again, the Ryan Day narrative could reach new heights of positivity. There will never be less pressure on Day to be successful than 2025. Most fans understand the level of turnover of staff and players that Ohio State has to overcome, and the good vibes of the championship linger.
If the team struggles, there will be grumbles again from Buckeye Nation, but not a full-scale revolt, as most Ohio State fans will give him the grace period that typically comes with winning a national title. In that case, however, the pressure would be back on in 2026 to show that the 2024 run wasn’t a one-off.
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut: Cotie McMahon, Elsa Lemmilä on a defensive-focused Ohio State win
- News
- 0 Replies
Uncut: Cotie McMahon, Elsa Lemmilä on a defensive-focused Ohio State win
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
McGuff and the Buckeyes discuss a home win before heading west to Los Angeles
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Ohio State women’s basketball returned from the closest they get to a bye week and defeated the Washington Huskies, 66-56, in Columbus. Following the game, head coach Kevin McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon and center Elsa Lemmilä spoke with media.
Coach McGuff first talked about the slow start and the recent series of slow starts for Ohio State. Also, the performance of Lemmilä in the second quarter and a night where McMahon broke through most cold spells for the Buckeyes to lead them to a 20th win this season.
McMahon and Lemmilä discuss what they’re bringing with them when they head to the Pacific Coast, last year’s performances against the two Los Angeles-based sides and the growing confidence of Lemmilä that’s leading to strong performances on the court.
That and more on the latest “Uncut.”
Connect with Thomas:
Bluesky: @ThomasCostello
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
McGuff and the Buckeyes discuss a home win before heading west to Los Angeles
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Ohio State women’s basketball returned from the closest they get to a bye week and defeated the Washington Huskies, 66-56, in Columbus. Following the game, head coach Kevin McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon and center Elsa Lemmilä spoke with media.
Coach McGuff first talked about the slow start and the recent series of slow starts for Ohio State. Also, the performance of Lemmilä in the second quarter and a night where McMahon broke through most cold spells for the Buckeyes to lead them to a 20th win this season.
McMahon and Lemmilä discuss what they’re bringing with them when they head to the Pacific Coast, last year’s performances against the two Los Angeles-based sides and the growing confidence of Lemmilä that’s leading to strong performances on the court.
That and more on the latest “Uncut.”
Connect with Thomas:
Bluesky: @ThomasCostello
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...