-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL You’re Nuts: Which transfer portal player should Ohio State roll out the red carpet for?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Which transfer portal player should Ohio State roll out the red carpet for?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Jake Diebler and his staff have a crucial spring and summer ahead of them after missing the NCAA Tournament in year one.
Ohio State isn’t playing in the NCAA Tournament (again), but in a weird way, the FOMO isn’t as bad as we thought it would be. That’s partially because the Buckeyes have jumped on the transfer portal early — two Buckeyes have left the program via transfer (Austin Parks and Evan Mahaffey), and one has joined the team (Gabe Cupps).
As of Friday morning, Ohio State only had one open spot remaining on the 2025-2026 roster. The transfer portal will stay open until April 22, however, and we expect that at least one more spot — if not more — will open up on the men’s basketball roster. Today, we’ll be talking about specific players who have entered the portal, which we think Jake Diebler and his staff should prioritize right away.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which position should be the immediate priority for Ohio State when scouring the portal. Connor said a starting center, and Justin said a shooting wing to play the small forward spot, replacing what Micah Parrish provided and Jamison Battle before that.
By an overwhelming margin, the readers sided with Connor, with 90% of them agreeing that the Buckeyes should focus on a center first. As it turns out, Ohio State did neither, as Gabe Cupps — a point guard — was the first player to transfer into the program this spring.
Connor- 88
Now that the portal is open, time is money, and money is time. If you’re not lining up visits with players, those players are visiting elsewhere. And if you’re a player and you don’t put your name into the portal immediately when it opens, that just means teams are going to add players that fit what they need, and you’ll be left out in the cold. It’s a three-week blitz and then a slow trickle for the rest of the summer after that. Almost all of the movement will be over by the end of April, so teams have to use their time wisely.
You ever hear the phrase “best available vs best fit” when it comes to the NBA or NFL draft? I think that’s the situation here, as Swain does not play a position Ohio State desperately needs, and yet he would still make them a much better team.
As shown in the video here, Swain is an above-average on-ball defender with good instincts and a huge wingspan that could help him become a better shot blocker. He averaged 5.5 rebounds per game last season at Xavier, playing 28.4 minutes per game, and was a starter for the first time in his college career.
Swain also averaged 11 points per game on 53.2% overall shooting, but was just 7-of-28 from three-point land for the season. His 81.6% career free-throw percentage shows that there is potential for his jump shooting to improve, however.
Positionally, I’m not sure where Diebler would slot Swain into the lineup. It’s possible Swain could play small forward, Devin Royal would play power forward, and then someone would play center (either a transfer or Sean Stewart). That lineup would probably lack shooting, but it should be a stronger rebounding lineup than what Ohio State had last season as well as a better defensive lineup.
Also, Ohio State was fourth in the Big Ten this past season in team three-point shooting, and where did it get them? Perhaps sacrificing a bit of perimeter shooting at the cost of getting better defensively and on the glass is a trade worth making.
On top of the X’s and O’s, it would just be fun. Swain is very good friends with Royal, who has taken it upon himself recently to recruit his buddy to Ohio State. Swain is also from Columbus, and one of the very few Columbus City League athletes to get an Ohio State offer when he was playing for Africentric High School.
Three years ago, Swain was talking about how he grew up and Ohio State fan and that Ohio State “wasn’t just another school on his list.” Ultimately, he wound up at Xavier and the Buckeyes took Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal. Maybe things could be coming full circle?
Dailyn Swain would be a great get and feels like a nice plug-and-play option, but after losing Micah Parrish last year and Jamison Battle the year before, I think the Buckeyes need to add a guy who can shoot from deep a little bit better.
Swain is only a 25 percent three-point shooter, while Powell is a 35 percent three-point shooter on 5.7 attempts per game as a freshman at West Virginia. Those are solid numbers for a first-year guy who will likely get better as he gets more comfortable.
Powell was a top-ten recruit in Ohio last year and was a prospect the Buckeyes were high on until they got their two commitments from John Mobley and Colin White.
Powell ended up committing to West Virginia and averaged 8.3 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game. He played in 32 games, starting in 23, and averaged 30 minutes per game.
Similar to Mobley for Ohio State, Powell played heavy minutes as a freshman and had his ups and downs, but he gained valuable experience and should be able to have a big second-year jump.
In an ideal world, you get Swain and Powell, but due to his youth and three-point shooting prowess, I would prefer Powell.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Jake Diebler and his staff have a crucial spring and summer ahead of them after missing the NCAA Tournament in year one.
Ohio State isn’t playing in the NCAA Tournament (again), but in a weird way, the FOMO isn’t as bad as we thought it would be. That’s partially because the Buckeyes have jumped on the transfer portal early — two Buckeyes have left the program via transfer (Austin Parks and Evan Mahaffey), and one has joined the team (Gabe Cupps).
As of Friday morning, Ohio State only had one open spot remaining on the 2025-2026 roster. The transfer portal will stay open until April 22, however, and we expect that at least one more spot — if not more — will open up on the men’s basketball roster. Today, we’ll be talking about specific players who have entered the portal, which we think Jake Diebler and his staff should prioritize right away.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which position should be the immediate priority for Ohio State when scouring the portal. Connor said a starting center, and Justin said a shooting wing to play the small forward spot, replacing what Micah Parrish provided and Jamison Battle before that.
By an overwhelming margin, the readers sided with Connor, with 90% of them agreeing that the Buckeyes should focus on a center first. As it turns out, Ohio State did neither, as Gabe Cupps — a point guard — was the first player to transfer into the program this spring.
After 197 weeks:
Connor- 88
Justin- 84
Other- 19
(There have been six ties)
Now that the portal is open, time is money, and money is time. If you’re not lining up visits with players, those players are visiting elsewhere. And if you’re a player and you don’t put your name into the portal immediately when it opens, that just means teams are going to add players that fit what they need, and you’ll be left out in the cold. It’s a three-week blitz and then a slow trickle for the rest of the summer after that. Almost all of the movement will be over by the end of April, so teams have to use their time wisely.
This week’s question: Which transfer portal player should Ohio State roll out the red carpet for?
Connor: Dailyn Swain
You ever hear the phrase “best available vs best fit” when it comes to the NBA or NFL draft? I think that’s the situation here, as Swain does not play a position Ohio State desperately needs, and yet he would still make them a much better team.
As shown in the video here, Swain is an above-average on-ball defender with good instincts and a huge wingspan that could help him become a better shot blocker. He averaged 5.5 rebounds per game last season at Xavier, playing 28.4 minutes per game, and was a starter for the first time in his college career.
Swain also averaged 11 points per game on 53.2% overall shooting, but was just 7-of-28 from three-point land for the season. His 81.6% career free-throw percentage shows that there is potential for his jump shooting to improve, however.
Positionally, I’m not sure where Diebler would slot Swain into the lineup. It’s possible Swain could play small forward, Devin Royal would play power forward, and then someone would play center (either a transfer or Sean Stewart). That lineup would probably lack shooting, but it should be a stronger rebounding lineup than what Ohio State had last season as well as a better defensive lineup.
Also, Ohio State was fourth in the Big Ten this past season in team three-point shooting, and where did it get them? Perhaps sacrificing a bit of perimeter shooting at the cost of getting better defensively and on the glass is a trade worth making.
On top of the X’s and O’s, it would just be fun. Swain is very good friends with Royal, who has taken it upon himself recently to recruit his buddy to Ohio State. Swain is also from Columbus, and one of the very few Columbus City League athletes to get an Ohio State offer when he was playing for Africentric High School.
Three years ago, Swain was talking about how he grew up and Ohio State fan and that Ohio State “wasn’t just another school on his list.” Ultimately, he wound up at Xavier and the Buckeyes took Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal. Maybe things could be coming full circle?
Justin: Jonathan Powell
Dailyn Swain would be a great get and feels like a nice plug-and-play option, but after losing Micah Parrish last year and Jamison Battle the year before, I think the Buckeyes need to add a guy who can shoot from deep a little bit better.
Swain is only a 25 percent three-point shooter, while Powell is a 35 percent three-point shooter on 5.7 attempts per game as a freshman at West Virginia. Those are solid numbers for a first-year guy who will likely get better as he gets more comfortable.
Powell was a top-ten recruit in Ohio last year and was a prospect the Buckeyes were high on until they got their two commitments from John Mobley and Colin White.
Powell ended up committing to West Virginia and averaged 8.3 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game. He played in 32 games, starting in 23, and averaged 30 minutes per game.
Similar to Mobley for Ohio State, Powell played heavy minutes as a freshman and had his ups and downs, but he gained valuable experience and should be able to have a big second-year jump.
In an ideal world, you get Swain and Powell, but due to his youth and three-point shooting prowess, I would prefer Powell.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State linebackers and tight ends discuss spring practice successes
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State linebackers and tight ends discuss spring practice successes
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Football: LBs and TEs Met With The Media
Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hits: James Laurinaitis Says All of Ohio State’s Linebackers Are “Flashing” and Calls Arvell Reese a “Special Talent”
Garrick Hodge, Andy Anders, and Chase Brown; Eleven Warriors
“Ultimate pro” Sonny Styles stepping into major leadership role for Buckeyes defense
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Quick Hits: Keenan Bailey Thinks Ohio State is “Super Deep” at Tight End and Will Kacmarek is “The Best Blocking Tight End in the Country”
Dan Hope, Garrick Hodge, Andy Anders, and Chase Brown; Eleven Warriors
What led TE Max Klare to transfer from Purdue to Ohio State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
How transfer TE Max Klare and Ohio State can help each other
Bill Landis, Dotting The Eyes
Results, highlights from Ohio State’s pro day
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Howard sizzles during throwing session at Ohio State pro day
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Donovan Jackson helps himself with strong workout at Ohio State’s pro day
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
What will it take for you to consider Ohio State’s 2025-26 football season a success?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
What does Ohio State women’s basketball look like without Cotie McMahon
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Diving Into Ohio State’s Early Transfer Portal Targets As Buckeyes Address Needs at Wing, Center
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State’s Meechie Johnson Jr. explains midseason departure
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Why did Ohio State add Gabe Cupps, where will Buckeyes look next in the transfer portal
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State guard John Mobley Jr. announces return for sophomore season
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Basketball fans predict just 1 of 4 remaining Big Ten teams to make Final 4
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 9 Buckeyes Drop NCAA Regional Opener to No. 8 BU
Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Volleyball: No. 17 Ohio State Outlasts No. 10 McKendree, 3-2
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Swim & Dive: Buckeyes Earn All-American Honors in Both Relays on Day One of NCAAs
Ohio State Athletics
Softball: No. 22 Ohio State Stays Hot, Tops Akron 13-6
Ohio State Athletics
You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State loss on Sunday was more disappointing?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
On the Gridiron
Football: LBs and TEs Met With The Media
Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hits: James Laurinaitis Says All of Ohio State’s Linebackers Are “Flashing” and Calls Arvell Reese a “Special Talent”
Garrick Hodge, Andy Anders, and Chase Brown; Eleven Warriors
“Ultimate pro” Sonny Styles stepping into major leadership role for Buckeyes defense
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Quick Hits: Keenan Bailey Thinks Ohio State is “Super Deep” at Tight End and Will Kacmarek is “The Best Blocking Tight End in the Country”
Dan Hope, Garrick Hodge, Andy Anders, and Chase Brown; Eleven Warriors
What led TE Max Klare to transfer from Purdue to Ohio State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
How transfer TE Max Klare and Ohio State can help each other
Bill Landis, Dotting The Eyes
Results, highlights from Ohio State’s pro day
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Howard sizzles during throwing session at Ohio State pro day
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Donovan Jackson helps himself with strong workout at Ohio State’s pro day
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
What will it take for you to consider Ohio State’s 2025-26 football season a success?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
What does Ohio State women’s basketball look like without Cotie McMahon
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Diving Into Ohio State’s Early Transfer Portal Targets As Buckeyes Address Needs at Wing, Center
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State’s Meechie Johnson Jr. explains midseason departure
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Why did Ohio State add Gabe Cupps, where will Buckeyes look next in the transfer portal
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State guard John Mobley Jr. announces return for sophomore season
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Basketball fans predict just 1 of 4 remaining Big Ten teams to make Final 4
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 9 Buckeyes Drop NCAA Regional Opener to No. 8 BU
Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Volleyball: No. 17 Ohio State Outlasts No. 10 McKendree, 3-2
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Swim & Dive: Buckeyes Earn All-American Honors in Both Relays on Day One of NCAAs
Ohio State Athletics
Softball: No. 22 Ohio State Stays Hot, Tops Akron 13-6
Ohio State Athletics
You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State loss on Sunday was more disappointing?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
And now for something completely different...
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State dishes out trio of new offers, set to host the top running back in the country
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State dishes out trio of new offers, set to host the top running back in the country
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes had a busy Thursday, offering three new names in the 2027 class.
Spring practice, visits, and more, the Buckeyes are having a loaded month of March when it comes to their on and off the field priorities. These spring practices are being put to good use by the coaching staff, and Thursday saw plenty of their efforts present when a handful of new offers were dished out, further proving it’s always evaluation mode for Ohio State’s staff.
First on the list, the Buckeyes are the latest program to offer 2027 edge rusher, Jabarrius Garror. A 6-foot-2, 220 pound athlete, Garror is currently the No. 41 player nationally and the fifth best edge rusher per the 247Sports Composite. An Alabama commit since July of last year, it will be hard to pull the four-star talent from the in-state powerhouse program, but the Buckeyes clearly see enough reason to shoot their best shot with all that he brings to the table.
Offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Tennessee, and several others, the Buckeyes may be a little later to the mix than the others, but with the 2026 class being the current cycle, there’s plenty of time to make sure Garror knows all of the assets this Ohio State program offers.
Again, no easy feat swaying him away from his current pledge to the Crimson Tide, the Buckeyes have fared well in Alabama recently with the 2025 signings of Zion Grady and Anthony Rogers, and are looking to keep their lines of communication open in the state with this latest offer to another elite defensive line target.
Next up, Ohio State stayed in the 2027 class when they sent out another new offer to linebacker prospect, Taven Epps. A 6-foot-4, 210 pound California native, Epps is a taller linebacker than most and could potentially move into an edge rusher position if he keeps growing, but either way, he’s got all of the talent in the world to be a big-time playmaker at the next level.
The No. 54 player nationally and second best linebacker per the 247Sports Composite, Epps is a highly coveted four-star with over 30 offers to his name and rightfully so. Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, USC, Washington and others worth mentioning, it’s another easy reason to see why Ohio State and position coach, James Laurinaitis felt it was time to get involved.
Sure, focusing on the 2026 class is the primary goal right now for the Ohio State coaches, but being able to target and start strong relationships with the future class top prospects is a major advantage as well. Now they have that with one of the top players not only at his spot, but regardless of position.
Ohio State had one more offer sent out on Thursday, and it came by way of Tennessee native, Omarii Sanders. Another class of 2027 talent, Sanders is a 6-foot-4, 195 pound safety with already an impressive offer list of his own. Holding offers from 30 schools thus far, programs such as Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and several others stick out as some of the premier schools interested.
The No. 44 player nationally and fifth best safety in the class per the 247Sports Composite, the four-star ranking makes sense and like the previous two mentioned athletes, Sanders is another easy player to offer when looking at all he’s able to do on the field from his defensive back position.
Always a key position for Ohio State to recruit, the safety spot is critical to the defense the Buckeyes deploy. Seeing guys like Caleb Downs man the back end has to speak volumes to these younger recruits. Odds are Sanders is a name that will be repeatedly mentioned for the long haul in the 2027 class as Ohio State keeps their tabs on him.
Hosting top talent all spring long, the Buckeyes have been fortunate to welcome some of the top players in the country already this spring. This weekend have another opportunity to play host to a major five-star target.
The No. 13 player nationally and top running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, the Buckeyes will have Virginia native Savion Hiter on campus this weekend for an unofficial visit. It’s one worth discussing considering how talented Hiter is at a position this staff wants to hit big on.
Set to arrive shortly, Carlos Locklyn is sure to be all over this recruitment this weekend. Releasing a top four schools of Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio State back in February, the Buckeyes have stayed in the mix and would love nothing more than to win out in the end especially over their biggest rival.
A player that has made it no secret how highly he thinks of his other finalists, Ohio State will try and use this weekend to make up any ground and even give them the best shot at potentially taking a lead. Knowing how successful fellow Virginia running back native TreVeyon Henderson was with the Buckeyes, surely they’ll use that to their advantage as well.
Ohio State has their fair share of offers out in the running back position, but Hiter may just be the crown jewel of the class at his spot. This weekend is a win to have him back on campus, and hopefully that’s just the start of all this upcoming visit will bring.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes had a busy Thursday, offering three new names in the 2027 class.
Spring practice, visits, and more, the Buckeyes are having a loaded month of March when it comes to their on and off the field priorities. These spring practices are being put to good use by the coaching staff, and Thursday saw plenty of their efforts present when a handful of new offers were dished out, further proving it’s always evaluation mode for Ohio State’s staff.
First on the list, the Buckeyes are the latest program to offer 2027 edge rusher, Jabarrius Garror. A 6-foot-2, 220 pound athlete, Garror is currently the No. 41 player nationally and the fifth best edge rusher per the 247Sports Composite. An Alabama commit since July of last year, it will be hard to pull the four-star talent from the in-state powerhouse program, but the Buckeyes clearly see enough reason to shoot their best shot with all that he brings to the table.
Offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Tennessee, and several others, the Buckeyes may be a little later to the mix than the others, but with the 2026 class being the current cycle, there’s plenty of time to make sure Garror knows all of the assets this Ohio State program offers.
Again, no easy feat swaying him away from his current pledge to the Crimson Tide, the Buckeyes have fared well in Alabama recently with the 2025 signings of Zion Grady and Anthony Rogers, and are looking to keep their lines of communication open in the state with this latest offer to another elite defensive line target.
Blessed to receive an Offer from Ohio State️ #AGTG @coachmaye3 @JLaurinaitis55 pic.twitter.com/FouBHy8urG
— Jabarrius Garr0r (@GarrorJabarrius) March 28, 2025
Next up, Ohio State stayed in the 2027 class when they sent out another new offer to linebacker prospect, Taven Epps. A 6-foot-4, 210 pound California native, Epps is a taller linebacker than most and could potentially move into an edge rusher position if he keeps growing, but either way, he’s got all of the talent in the world to be a big-time playmaker at the next level.
The No. 54 player nationally and second best linebacker per the 247Sports Composite, Epps is a highly coveted four-star with over 30 offers to his name and rightfully so. Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, USC, Washington and others worth mentioning, it’s another easy reason to see why Ohio State and position coach, James Laurinaitis felt it was time to get involved.
Sure, focusing on the 2026 class is the primary goal right now for the Ohio State coaches, but being able to target and start strong relationships with the future class top prospects is a major advantage as well. Now they have that with one of the top players not only at his spot, but regardless of position.
Ohio State had one more offer sent out on Thursday, and it came by way of Tennessee native, Omarii Sanders. Another class of 2027 talent, Sanders is a 6-foot-4, 195 pound safety with already an impressive offer list of his own. Holding offers from 30 schools thus far, programs such as Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and several others stick out as some of the premier schools interested.
The No. 44 player nationally and fifth best safety in the class per the 247Sports Composite, the four-star ranking makes sense and like the previous two mentioned athletes, Sanders is another easy player to offer when looking at all he’s able to do on the field from his defensive back position.
Always a key position for Ohio State to recruit, the safety spot is critical to the defense the Buckeyes deploy. Seeing guys like Caleb Downs man the back end has to speak volumes to these younger recruits. Odds are Sanders is a name that will be repeatedly mentioned for the long haul in the 2027 class as Ohio State keeps their tabs on him.
Grateful to receive an offer from @JLaurinaitis55 and THE Ohio State University! Thank you to @OhioStateFB for this opportunity. #GoBucks - @CoachEdSanders@ChadSimmons_ @shaynep_media @SeanW_247sports@SWiltfong_@adamgorney@tomloy247@joe_spears7 @TNSelect7V7 pic.twitter.com/9FjTqUoFhz
—marii Sanders (@omariisanders) March 27, 2025
Buckeyes set to host five-star running back
Hosting top talent all spring long, the Buckeyes have been fortunate to welcome some of the top players in the country already this spring. This weekend have another opportunity to play host to a major five-star target.
The No. 13 player nationally and top running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, the Buckeyes will have Virginia native Savion Hiter on campus this weekend for an unofficial visit. It’s one worth discussing considering how talented Hiter is at a position this staff wants to hit big on.
Set to arrive shortly, Carlos Locklyn is sure to be all over this recruitment this weekend. Releasing a top four schools of Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio State back in February, the Buckeyes have stayed in the mix and would love nothing more than to win out in the end especially over their biggest rival.
A player that has made it no secret how highly he thinks of his other finalists, Ohio State will try and use this weekend to make up any ground and even give them the best shot at potentially taking a lead. Knowing how successful fellow Virginia running back native TreVeyon Henderson was with the Buckeyes, surely they’ll use that to their advantage as well.
Ohio State has their fair share of offers out in the running back position, but Hiter may just be the crown jewel of the class at his spot. This weekend is a win to have him back on campus, and hopefully that’s just the start of all this upcoming visit will bring.
Continue reading...
LGHL Basketball fans predict just 1 of 4 remaining Big Ten teams to make Final 4
- News
- 0 Replies
Basketball fans predict just 1 of 4 remaining Big Ten teams to make Final 4
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
But Vegas oddsmakers have an even grimmer view of the conference’s chances.
There are 16 teams left in the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament; four of them hail from the Big Ten Conference. However, as the remaining squads fight for a spot in the Final 4, it is logistically and mathematically impossible for all four spots in the national semifinals to be from the league of Leaders and Legends.
That is because the Mitten State siblings of Michigan State and Michigan both find themselves in the South Region. While the two teams could match up for a spot in the Final 4, obviously, they both can’t make it.
Of course, that still means that three of the four final spots in the tournament could be claimed by B1G combatants. However, because everyone outside of the Rust Belt (and now the West Coast) hates everything that the Big Ten stands for, it does not appear that there is much faith in the B1G running the table to claim 75% of the Final 4 invites.
Today, our friends from SB Nation Reacts are revealing the groundthink predictions from their latest survey. They asked who hoops fans expected to emerge from each region, and only one Big Ten squad got the nod, and even that is an upset.
Unfortunately, the fan predictions are even more pro-Big Ten than what the experts at the FanDuel SportsBook are predicting. The biggest difference to my eye is that the oddsmakers have Auburn as the favorite to emerge from the South. They have the Tigers at -155 and Sparty at +310. That’s a much bigger margin than the 5% in the SBN Reacts poll.
In the West, the fans are favoring Maryland far more than the bookies are. FanDuel has Florida as -120 favorites while the Turtles are in third in the region at +470. Then, Vegas has Purdue as the least likely team to emerge from the Midwest. They have Houston at -120 and the Boilermakers at +700.
Chalk one up for the good guys.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25929320/_National_1_32525.png)
As if I don’t always want to see the Gators get upset, it would be even sweeter if the Terps pulled it off.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25929321/_National_2_32525.png)
No Big Ten teams... who cares? Rooting for anyone other than Duke... or Alabama... or BYU. Ok, I’m rooting for Arizona.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25929322/_National_3_32525.png)
This is the MIDWEST Region and people are picking someone other than Purdue to emerge? That just don’t make no sense.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25929323/_National_4_32525.png)
Continued Big Ten Supremacy!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25929326/_National_6_32525.png)
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
But Vegas oddsmakers have an even grimmer view of the conference’s chances.
There are 16 teams left in the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament; four of them hail from the Big Ten Conference. However, as the remaining squads fight for a spot in the Final 4, it is logistically and mathematically impossible for all four spots in the national semifinals to be from the league of Leaders and Legends.
That is because the Mitten State siblings of Michigan State and Michigan both find themselves in the South Region. While the two teams could match up for a spot in the Final 4, obviously, they both can’t make it.
Of course, that still means that three of the four final spots in the tournament could be claimed by B1G combatants. However, because everyone outside of the Rust Belt (and now the West Coast) hates everything that the Big Ten stands for, it does not appear that there is much faith in the B1G running the table to claim 75% of the Final 4 invites.
Today, our friends from SB Nation Reacts are revealing the groundthink predictions from their latest survey. They asked who hoops fans expected to emerge from each region, and only one Big Ten squad got the nod, and even that is an upset.
Unfortunately, the fan predictions are even more pro-Big Ten than what the experts at the FanDuel SportsBook are predicting. The biggest difference to my eye is that the oddsmakers have Auburn as the favorite to emerge from the South. They have the Tigers at -155 and Sparty at +310. That’s a much bigger margin than the 5% in the SBN Reacts poll.
In the West, the fans are favoring Maryland far more than the bookies are. FanDuel has Florida as -120 favorites while the Turtles are in third in the region at +470. Then, Vegas has Purdue as the least likely team to emerge from the Midwest. They have Houston at -120 and the Boilermakers at +700.
South Region:
Chalk one up for the good guys.
West Region:
As if I don’t always want to see the Gators get upset, it would be even sweeter if the Terps pulled it off.
East Region:
No Big Ten teams... who cares? Rooting for anyone other than Duke... or Alabama... or BYU. Ok, I’m rooting for Arizona.
Midwest Region:
This is the MIDWEST Region and people are picking someone other than Purdue to emerge? That just don’t make no sense.
Bonus Question:
Continued Big Ten Supremacy!
Continue reading...
2027 AL DL Jabarrius Garror (Alabama Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: DE
School: Prichard(AL)Vigor
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 215lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: DE
School: Prichard(AL)Vigor
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 215lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State loss on Sunday was more disappointing?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State loss on Sunday was more disappointing?
Brett Ludwiczak 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Sunday was a rough day for a couple Ohio State teams. Not only did the women’s hockey team lose in overtime to the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Championship Game, the women’s basketball team lost at home to Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While both teams were successful enough during the regular season to make the NCAA Tournament, which is something the men’s basketball team wasn’t able to do, they both fell short of their ultimate goal of winning a national title.
This isn’t meant to bring down either team since they had tremendous seasons, today we are dealing more with our personal feelings. The women’s hockey team has now not only made five straight Frozen Fours, they have made three straight championship games, with Wisconsin being their opponent in each of those games. The women’s basketball team won 26 games this season, finishing tied for third in the Big Ten behind USC and UCLA. There is no questioning the effort of either team.
Today we want to know which of the losses on Sunday hit you harder. Maybe it was the hockey team’s loss to Wisconsin since it came in the title game. It would be completely understandable if the loss by the Ohio State women’s basketball team hit a little harder since the hockey team has already won a couple titles this decade, so you felt it was time for the basketball team to get theirs. It would also be a valid reason for the women’s basketball team’s loss being tougher to stomach since it came on Ohio State’s home court. We all process losses in different ways.
I’m a Buffalo Bills fan, so I am more than familiar with losing in the playoffs. Usually, when people ask me in the fall what I think about the Bills' chances, I pretty much always tell them I hope for the best and expect the worst. In a wa,y I feel the same way about Ohio State women’s basketball. Kevin McGuff is running a quality program, but they just aren’t quite at the top tier like UConn or South Carolina. The program made their only Final Four in school history in 1993, and since then, the furthest they have advanced was the Elite Eight in 2023. Don’t get me wrong, the loss to Tennessee hurts, especially since it happened at home. I’m just not all that surprised it happened since it seems more often than not the program gets bounced from the tournament before the second weekend.
On the other hand, the women’s hockey team has captured the moment more often than not under head coach Nadine Muzerall. Wisconsin was a juggernaut this year, but the Buckeyes had not only beaten the Badgers in regulation this season, they also bested Wisconsin at Wrigley Field in a shootout. Ohio State was even up 3-1 early in the second period, and held a 3-2 lead until there were less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
The Badgers needed to not only be on a power play and pull their goalie to tie the score, but they also needed Buckeye goaltender Amanda Thiele to lose her stick, causing a teammate to cover the puck up in the crease with her glove, which resulted in a penalty shot that Wisconsin converted.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25925566/2206104544.jpg "2025 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship - Finals")
Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The loss probably wouldn’t have left such a sour taste in my mouth had the refs not had such a big hand in it. The awarding of a penalty shot after a challenge was sketchy at best. Then it could be argued that the Badger who took the penalty shot actually let the puck move backwards before taking her shot, which should have immediately caused the penalty shot to be called dead at that point.
Then, there could have been an argument made that the game-winning goal was offside. If we are being honest, Wisconsin didn’t beat Ohio State, the refs were the ones who beat the Buckeyes.
Maybe the women’s hockey team goes on to win the national title next year, which makes feeling so disappointed in Sunday’s loss look silly. In my head, you need to win every national title game you make it to, since you never know the next time you are going to be there, especially these days with student-athletes hitting the transfer portal in record numbers. At least the loss is easier to stomach with Muzerall in charge since she has proven she can build a winner, even with top talent leaving annually.
In a vacuum, yes, I agree with Brett. Losing in such a painful way in the national championship game is devastating and overwhelmingly disappointing. However, the OSU women’s hockey program is — along with new national champs Wisconsin — at the top of the sport, and that does not appear to be changing anytime soon. So, while an incredibly painful loss for the team and its fans, there is plenty to be optimistic about going forward.
But things do not feel as rosy over on the women’s hoops side. Not only was getting bounced in the Round of 32 an underwhelming and disappointing performance for a squad that showed flashes of elite play throughout the year (though not as consistently as incarnations in the recent past), but the fallout since the defeat has made things more difficult to hope for a better result in 2025-26.
Yesterday, it was confirmed that arguably head coach Kevin McGuff’s best and most consistent player Cotie McMahon would enter the transfer portal after three seasons in Columbus. While McGuff has had success in the portal before — especially following the departure of a massive star — there is no guarantee that he is going to be able to pull a Taylor Mikesell-sized rabbit out of the hat this time.
The Buckeyes have only advanced past the Sweet 16 once since 1993, when Katie Smith led OSU to the title game against Texas Tech (which the Bucks painfully lost 84-82). The other time was in 2023 — McMahon’s freshman season. Otherwise, they have been upset by lower-seeded teams 11 times in their 18 trips to the Big Dance in the 21st Century. You want to guess how many times they’ve upset a higher seed?
You probably don’t, honestly, but the answer is three; just three times in 18 trips to the tournament has Ohio State beaten a higher seed. One of those wins was in McMahon’s freshman year of 2023 when OSU beat the UConn Huskies who were led in part by former Buckeye All-American Dorka Juhasz.
Of course, you have to factor in that the Buckeyes’ average seed in those appearances has been 3.8, so there are far more teams ranked below them than above them. But they still haven’t been able to pull off the victories when they matter the most.
So, when you couple that troubling history with another disappointing end to the season, that’s bad enough, but then it leads directly to the departure of your best veteran leader, and it is hard not to feel like the Buckeyes are falling a bit further behind in the race to conference and national titles.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Sunday was a rough day for a couple Ohio State teams. Not only did the women’s hockey team lose in overtime to the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Championship Game, the women’s basketball team lost at home to Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While both teams were successful enough during the regular season to make the NCAA Tournament, which is something the men’s basketball team wasn’t able to do, they both fell short of their ultimate goal of winning a national title.
This isn’t meant to bring down either team since they had tremendous seasons, today we are dealing more with our personal feelings. The women’s hockey team has now not only made five straight Frozen Fours, they have made three straight championship games, with Wisconsin being their opponent in each of those games. The women’s basketball team won 26 games this season, finishing tied for third in the Big Ten behind USC and UCLA. There is no questioning the effort of either team.
Today we want to know which of the losses on Sunday hit you harder. Maybe it was the hockey team’s loss to Wisconsin since it came in the title game. It would be completely understandable if the loss by the Ohio State women’s basketball team hit a little harder since the hockey team has already won a couple titles this decade, so you felt it was time for the basketball team to get theirs. It would also be a valid reason for the women’s basketball team’s loss being tougher to stomach since it came on Ohio State’s home court. We all process losses in different ways.
Today’s question: Which Ohio State loss on Sunday was most disappointing?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Ohio State women’s hockey
I’m a Buffalo Bills fan, so I am more than familiar with losing in the playoffs. Usually, when people ask me in the fall what I think about the Bills' chances, I pretty much always tell them I hope for the best and expect the worst. In a wa,y I feel the same way about Ohio State women’s basketball. Kevin McGuff is running a quality program, but they just aren’t quite at the top tier like UConn or South Carolina. The program made their only Final Four in school history in 1993, and since then, the furthest they have advanced was the Elite Eight in 2023. Don’t get me wrong, the loss to Tennessee hurts, especially since it happened at home. I’m just not all that surprised it happened since it seems more often than not the program gets bounced from the tournament before the second weekend.
On the other hand, the women’s hockey team has captured the moment more often than not under head coach Nadine Muzerall. Wisconsin was a juggernaut this year, but the Buckeyes had not only beaten the Badgers in regulation this season, they also bested Wisconsin at Wrigley Field in a shootout. Ohio State was even up 3-1 early in the second period, and held a 3-2 lead until there were less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
The Badgers needed to not only be on a power play and pull their goalie to tie the score, but they also needed Buckeye goaltender Amanda Thiele to lose her stick, causing a teammate to cover the puck up in the crease with her glove, which resulted in a penalty shot that Wisconsin converted.
The loss probably wouldn’t have left such a sour taste in my mouth had the refs not had such a big hand in it. The awarding of a penalty shot after a challenge was sketchy at best. Then it could be argued that the Badger who took the penalty shot actually let the puck move backwards before taking her shot, which should have immediately caused the penalty shot to be called dead at that point.
Then, there could have been an argument made that the game-winning goal was offside. If we are being honest, Wisconsin didn’t beat Ohio State, the refs were the ones who beat the Buckeyes.
Maybe the women’s hockey team goes on to win the national title next year, which makes feeling so disappointed in Sunday’s loss look silly. In my head, you need to win every national title game you make it to, since you never know the next time you are going to be there, especially these days with student-athletes hitting the transfer portal in record numbers. At least the loss is easier to stomach with Muzerall in charge since she has proven she can build a winner, even with top talent leaving annually.
Matt’s answer: Ohio State women’s basketball
In a vacuum, yes, I agree with Brett. Losing in such a painful way in the national championship game is devastating and overwhelmingly disappointing. However, the OSU women’s hockey program is — along with new national champs Wisconsin — at the top of the sport, and that does not appear to be changing anytime soon. So, while an incredibly painful loss for the team and its fans, there is plenty to be optimistic about going forward.
But things do not feel as rosy over on the women’s hoops side. Not only was getting bounced in the Round of 32 an underwhelming and disappointing performance for a squad that showed flashes of elite play throughout the year (though not as consistently as incarnations in the recent past), but the fallout since the defeat has made things more difficult to hope for a better result in 2025-26.
Yesterday, it was confirmed that arguably head coach Kevin McGuff’s best and most consistent player Cotie McMahon would enter the transfer portal after three seasons in Columbus. While McGuff has had success in the portal before — especially following the departure of a massive star — there is no guarantee that he is going to be able to pull a Taylor Mikesell-sized rabbit out of the hat this time.
The Buckeyes have only advanced past the Sweet 16 once since 1993, when Katie Smith led OSU to the title game against Texas Tech (which the Bucks painfully lost 84-82). The other time was in 2023 — McMahon’s freshman season. Otherwise, they have been upset by lower-seeded teams 11 times in their 18 trips to the Big Dance in the 21st Century. You want to guess how many times they’ve upset a higher seed?
You probably don’t, honestly, but the answer is three; just three times in 18 trips to the tournament has Ohio State beaten a higher seed. One of those wins was in McMahon’s freshman year of 2023 when OSU beat the UConn Huskies who were led in part by former Buckeye All-American Dorka Juhasz.
Of course, you have to factor in that the Buckeyes’ average seed in those appearances has been 3.8, so there are far more teams ranked below them than above them. But they still haven’t been able to pull off the victories when they matter the most.
So, when you couple that troubling history with another disappointing end to the season, that’s bad enough, but then it leads directly to the departure of your best veteran leader, and it is hard not to feel like the Buckeyes are falling a bit further behind in the race to conference and national titles.
Continue reading...
2027 TN LB Omarii Sanders(Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Nashville(TN) Franklin Road Academy
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 205lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Nashville(TN) Franklin Road Academy
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 205lbs
Login to view embedded media
Attachments
2027 CA LB Taven Epps (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Tustin(CA) Tustin
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Tustin(CA) Tustin
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL What will it take for you to consider Ohio State’s 2025-26 football season a success?
- News
- 0 Replies
What will it take for you to consider Ohio State’s 2025-26 football season a success?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Also, how do you think Ryan Day did in reconfiguring his coaching staff following the deep run into January?
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Now that the basketball seasons are over for both of Ohio State’s squads, we no longer have to split our focus between the hardwood and the gridiron. So, as we get to a belated fan survey this week, all eyes are on the football Buckeyes as they continue on with spring practice.
So, as we recalibrate our attention on Ryan Day and his squad, we’ve got a couple of questions for Buckeye Nation; one looking forward to the 2025-26 season and one looking back at the new folks that the head coach has added to his staff since winning the national title.
Check out the questions in the sections below, and then head down to the survey at the bottom of the article and have your say. Then, if you don’t see your feelings reflected in the survey options, you can write in your perspective in the comments at the bottom of the page.
There is no doubt that Ryan Day and the Buckeyes climbed to the top of the college football mountain last season. But now, they are back at base camp with everyone else, preparing to start the trek to the summit once again.
So, of course, everyone is going to be wondering whether or not they can do it again, but the question on my mind is whether or not a second-straight title is all that can satisfy you as a fan. Or, will making the semifinals, winning the Big Ten title, or beating Michigan be enough to satisfy you?
What Day had to deal with is far from unprecedented following a national championship season, but losing both coordinators, plus a handful of other position coaches and staffers after playing deep into January does not make for the best situation when trying to put a staff together.
Nonetheless, based on word out of the Woody and early recruiting results, it looks like the staff is settling into place and having some success. Based on what we’ve seen so far, how are you feeling about the job Day did in reconfiguring his coaching staff in short order?
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Also, how do you think Ryan Day did in reconfiguring his coaching staff following the deep run into January?
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Now that the basketball seasons are over for both of Ohio State’s squads, we no longer have to split our focus between the hardwood and the gridiron. So, as we get to a belated fan survey this week, all eyes are on the football Buckeyes as they continue on with spring practice.
So, as we recalibrate our attention on Ryan Day and his squad, we’ve got a couple of questions for Buckeye Nation; one looking forward to the 2025-26 season and one looking back at the new folks that the head coach has added to his staff since winning the national title.
Check out the questions in the sections below, and then head down to the survey at the bottom of the article and have your say. Then, if you don’t see your feelings reflected in the survey options, you can write in your perspective in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Question 1: What would the minimum be for you to consider the 2025-26 football season a success for Ohio State?
There is no doubt that Ryan Day and the Buckeyes climbed to the top of the college football mountain last season. But now, they are back at base camp with everyone else, preparing to start the trek to the summit once again.
So, of course, everyone is going to be wondering whether or not they can do it again, but the question on my mind is whether or not a second-straight title is all that can satisfy you as a fan. Or, will making the semifinals, winning the Big Ten title, or beating Michigan be enough to satisfy you?
Question 2: How would you grade Ryan Day’s offseason staff moves?
What Day had to deal with is far from unprecedented following a national championship season, but losing both coordinators, plus a handful of other position coaches and staffers after playing deep into January does not make for the best situation when trying to put a staff together.
Nonetheless, based on word out of the Woody and early recruiting results, it looks like the staff is settling into place and having some success. Based on what we’ve seen so far, how are you feeling about the job Day did in reconfiguring his coaching staff in short order?
Share your thoughts here:
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
LGHL What does Ohio State women’s basketball look like without Cotie McMahon?
- News
- 0 Replies
What does Ohio State women’s basketball look like without Cotie McMahon?
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
The Buckeyes have bounced back from bigger transfer losses, so how will this edition of Ohio State do?
The foundation of the Ohio State women’s basketball program took a hit on Wednesday when junior forward Cotie McMahon joined the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. With the forward not lacking suitors for her intensity and basketball ability, a move away from Columbus is practically a done deal. So, how do head coach Kevin McGuff and the Scarlet and Gray move forward?
There is recent evidence to support Ohio State bouncing back quickly.
After the 2020-21 season, the Buckeyes lost two starting forwards in the portal, with Dorka Juhasz the biggest loss of the pair. Juhasz led Ohio State for three seasons inside the paint, nearly averaging a double-double in her time in scarlet and gray. When Juhasz left, she took 14.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, with the latter good for second-best in the Big Ten.
Ohio State did not hang their heads too low when Juhasz left for head coach Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies. McGuff’s side got busy in the transfer portal.
While the Buckeyes’ rebounding has not looked the same since Juhasz left, dropping from a top-three team on the boards to in the bottom third of the conference for the next four seasons, McGuff adjusted the way his team played and built around it.
Shooting guard Taylor Mikesell came in and teamed up with a group of returning players, including guards Jacy Sheldon and Rikki Harris, who ended up being the leaders of the program for nearly five years when it was all said and done.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23227472/usa_today_17596313.jpg "Syndication: HawkCentral")
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
The team did not sink into oblivion, which is the normal reaction when a player of McMahon’s magnitude decides to leave. Ohio State won the Big Ten regular season championship.
Now the Buckeyes are in a familiar spot and have a similar group of young players who can lead, starring freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge.
Ohio State never truly hit its peak in the 24-25 season, and that is due in part to the team’s own offensive identity crisis. It was not evident who was running the team between Cambridge and McMahon. While McGuff wanted Cambridge to take the lead, McMahon was often the focal point of the squad, in both good and not-so-good ways.
Cambridge is now firmly in the driver’s seat. Like Sheldon, Cambridge has the speed, defensive ability and diverse scoring to propel the Buckeyes roster, and should the freshman stay the duration of her college career in Columbus, be a player that athletes will want to team up with from the transfer portal.
It has not been a week into the portal yet, but there are already some forwards who could make an impact in the program, should they choose Ohio State.
Outside of McMahon, who is near the top of the portal in terms of quality and experience, there are forwards Serah Williams and Laura Ziegler.
Big Ten fans know Williams well. The forward played three seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers under former head coach Marisa Moseley. In the last two seasons, Williams averaged 18.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, which earned the New York native the 2023-24 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, spots on the All-Big Ten team, and most recently a place on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team for the 24-25 season.
Williams is a marquee name in the portal and already has public interest from the UConn Huskies, which does not exactly bode well for the Buckeyes’ chances, if they go for the forward at all.
Ziegler joined Saint Joseph’s out of Denmark, and the 6-foot-2 forward excelled in the A10 conference. The forward started all but one of her 93 appearances for the Hawks and this season had a career year with 17.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Ziegler’s 8.8 rebounds on the defensive boards are the third best in the nation. Named a finalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, Ziegler can also find open teammates with 4.3 assists per game, the fourth highest in the A10.
Ohio State also has three forwards who will possibly debut for the team next season. On the team already is the forward pair of Seini Henry and Ella Hobbs. Should both stay in the program after having redshirt freshman seasons, they bring different games to the lineup.
Hobbs has the potential to be important for the Buckeyes inside the paint. The 6-foot-4 forward missed her freshman season recovering from an ACL injury, but if paired with center Elsa Lemmila, could create a duo that is unmatched inside the paint. That will mean less dynamic drives to the basket that McMahon was known for, but the Buckeyes will be tough around the rim.
Henry plays more of a guard-turned-forward role like McMahon. While the forward does not have the same size as the soon-to-be ex-Buckeye, Henry could play an important role off the bench.
The third is incoming freshman Daria “Dasha” Biriuk. After leaving Ukraine nearly three years ago due to the war with Russia, Biriuk made a name for herself in the United States. Just three weeks ago, Biriuk led the Webb School to a state title with 26 points and 10 rebounds and will soon play at the Nike Hoop Summit in April.
None of these three is at the same level as McMahon, and each brings a slightly different game, but each has the potential, and four years of eligibility, to grow like guard/forward Taylor Thierry did in the program.
Then there are the non-forwards on the team that Ohio State will rely on, like they did Sheldon, Harris, Madison Greene, and Rebeka Mikulasikova. Should they all return, they will be a new foundation of the program.
Outside of Jaloni Cambridge is her sister Kennedy Cambridge, who can slide into a third guard role as a starter with the graduation of Thierry. Kennedy Cambridge brings flashes on offense, but on defense, does not relent. Jaloni Cambridge’s older sister has two years of eligibility remaining, and the two sisters will pair up with either shooting guard Chance Gray or Ava Watson.
Of the current roster, Gray is the most likely to put her name in the transfer portal after losing minutes at the end of games in the second half of the season. The guard went on a cold streak as the expected three-point shooting focused No. 2 guard. Should she not return for a final year of eligibility in Columbus, freshman shooting guard Watson will be the next player up.
Watson and Jaloni Cambridge have experience playing travel basketball together, and were friends long before joining the Buckeyes. Plus, Watson has shown moments of effectiveness from beyond the arc in a limited role off the bench, like a 4-for-4 game from deep against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Feb. 13.
Does all this mean that the Buckeyes roster is set and there will only be transfers into Columbus from here on out? Not likely. The portal is open until April 22, and in that time, there will likely be more players coming and going. Should Ohio State’s transfers out stop, though, the Buckeyes would not find themselves in a horrible spot... but either way, it is the start of a new era for Ohio State without McMahon on the roster.
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
The Buckeyes have bounced back from bigger transfer losses, so how will this edition of Ohio State do?
The foundation of the Ohio State women’s basketball program took a hit on Wednesday when junior forward Cotie McMahon joined the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. With the forward not lacking suitors for her intensity and basketball ability, a move away from Columbus is practically a done deal. So, how do head coach Kevin McGuff and the Scarlet and Gray move forward?
There is recent evidence to support Ohio State bouncing back quickly.
After the 2020-21 season, the Buckeyes lost two starting forwards in the portal, with Dorka Juhasz the biggest loss of the pair. Juhasz led Ohio State for three seasons inside the paint, nearly averaging a double-double in her time in scarlet and gray. When Juhasz left, she took 14.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, with the latter good for second-best in the Big Ten.
Ohio State did not hang their heads too low when Juhasz left for head coach Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies. McGuff’s side got busy in the transfer portal.
While the Buckeyes’ rebounding has not looked the same since Juhasz left, dropping from a top-three team on the boards to in the bottom third of the conference for the next four seasons, McGuff adjusted the way his team played and built around it.
Shooting guard Taylor Mikesell came in and teamed up with a group of returning players, including guards Jacy Sheldon and Rikki Harris, who ended up being the leaders of the program for nearly five years when it was all said and done.
The team did not sink into oblivion, which is the normal reaction when a player of McMahon’s magnitude decides to leave. Ohio State won the Big Ten regular season championship.
Now the Buckeyes are in a familiar spot and have a similar group of young players who can lead, starring freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge.
Ohio State never truly hit its peak in the 24-25 season, and that is due in part to the team’s own offensive identity crisis. It was not evident who was running the team between Cambridge and McMahon. While McGuff wanted Cambridge to take the lead, McMahon was often the focal point of the squad, in both good and not-so-good ways.
Cambridge is now firmly in the driver’s seat. Like Sheldon, Cambridge has the speed, defensive ability and diverse scoring to propel the Buckeyes roster, and should the freshman stay the duration of her college career in Columbus, be a player that athletes will want to team up with from the transfer portal.
It has not been a week into the portal yet, but there are already some forwards who could make an impact in the program, should they choose Ohio State.
Outside of McMahon, who is near the top of the portal in terms of quality and experience, there are forwards Serah Williams and Laura Ziegler.
Big Ten fans know Williams well. The forward played three seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers under former head coach Marisa Moseley. In the last two seasons, Williams averaged 18.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, which earned the New York native the 2023-24 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, spots on the All-Big Ten team, and most recently a place on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team for the 24-25 season.
Williams is a marquee name in the portal and already has public interest from the UConn Huskies, which does not exactly bode well for the Buckeyes’ chances, if they go for the forward at all.
Ziegler joined Saint Joseph’s out of Denmark, and the 6-foot-2 forward excelled in the A10 conference. The forward started all but one of her 93 appearances for the Hawks and this season had a career year with 17.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Ziegler’s 8.8 rebounds on the defensive boards are the third best in the nation. Named a finalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, Ziegler can also find open teammates with 4.3 assists per game, the fourth highest in the A10.
Ohio State also has three forwards who will possibly debut for the team next season. On the team already is the forward pair of Seini Henry and Ella Hobbs. Should both stay in the program after having redshirt freshman seasons, they bring different games to the lineup.
Hobbs has the potential to be important for the Buckeyes inside the paint. The 6-foot-4 forward missed her freshman season recovering from an ACL injury, but if paired with center Elsa Lemmila, could create a duo that is unmatched inside the paint. That will mean less dynamic drives to the basket that McMahon was known for, but the Buckeyes will be tough around the rim.
Henry plays more of a guard-turned-forward role like McMahon. While the forward does not have the same size as the soon-to-be ex-Buckeye, Henry could play an important role off the bench.
The third is incoming freshman Daria “Dasha” Biriuk. After leaving Ukraine nearly three years ago due to the war with Russia, Biriuk made a name for herself in the United States. Just three weeks ago, Biriuk led the Webb School to a state title with 26 points and 10 rebounds and will soon play at the Nike Hoop Summit in April.
None of these three is at the same level as McMahon, and each brings a slightly different game, but each has the potential, and four years of eligibility, to grow like guard/forward Taylor Thierry did in the program.
Then there are the non-forwards on the team that Ohio State will rely on, like they did Sheldon, Harris, Madison Greene, and Rebeka Mikulasikova. Should they all return, they will be a new foundation of the program.
Outside of Jaloni Cambridge is her sister Kennedy Cambridge, who can slide into a third guard role as a starter with the graduation of Thierry. Kennedy Cambridge brings flashes on offense, but on defense, does not relent. Jaloni Cambridge’s older sister has two years of eligibility remaining, and the two sisters will pair up with either shooting guard Chance Gray or Ava Watson.
Of the current roster, Gray is the most likely to put her name in the transfer portal after losing minutes at the end of games in the second half of the season. The guard went on a cold streak as the expected three-point shooting focused No. 2 guard. Should she not return for a final year of eligibility in Columbus, freshman shooting guard Watson will be the next player up.
Watson and Jaloni Cambridge have experience playing travel basketball together, and were friends long before joining the Buckeyes. Plus, Watson has shown moments of effectiveness from beyond the arc in a limited role off the bench, like a 4-for-4 game from deep against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Feb. 13.
Does all this mean that the Buckeyes roster is set and there will only be transfers into Columbus from here on out? Not likely. The portal is open until April 22, and in that time, there will likely be more players coming and going. Should Ohio State’s transfers out stop, though, the Buckeyes would not find themselves in a horrible spot... but either way, it is the start of a new era for Ohio State without McMahon on the roster.
Continue reading...
LGHL Why did Ohio State add Gabe Kupps, where will Buckeyes look next in the transfer portal?
- News
- 0 Replies
Why did Ohio State add Gabe Kupps, where will Buckeyes look next in the transfer portal?
Connor Lemons 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
Kupps transferred to Ohio State on Wednesday after two seasons at Indiana.
In what could be a make-or-break season for Jake Diebler and a pivotal season for the Ohio State men’s basketball program, the Buckeyes kicked off transfer portal season on Wednesday afternoon by adding the 2022 Ohio Mr. Basketball award winner, Gabe Kupps.
Kupps, a Dayton-native and a graduate of Centerville High School, committed to Indiana in November 2021 over Ohio State and Stanford. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard started 22 games as a freshman at IU two years ago, averaging 2.6 points per game on 36.4% shooting and 35.9% from three-point land. Forty-four percent of his shots came from beyond the arc.
With the addition of Kupps, Ohio State now has each of the last three Ohio Mr. Basketball award winners on the roster: Kupps (2022), Devin Royal (2023), and Colin White (2024). The 2025 Ohio Mr. Basketball — Marcus Johnson — has already committed to play for Ohio State in the class of 2026.
As soon as Kupps entered the transfer portal last week, Ohio State was immediately rumored to be a school reaching out to him. Alleged NIL offers to Kupps were shared on the internet, but ultimately the agreements between players and NIL collectives are not public, so none of those figures could be confirmed. By Wednesday noon, however, Kupps had tweeted out that he was headed back to the Buckeye state.
Diebler and the staff went out and got another guard who could handle running point behind Bruce Thornton and absorb some of the lost minutes from Micah Parrish, Ques Glover, and what should have been Meechie Johnson last season. Cupps is also an Ohio kid who was recruited heavily by Ohio State a few years ago, and — as we’ve seen — the relationships you build during high school recruitment can pay dividends down the road.
In a limited sample size, Cupps has shown the ability to knock down the three-ball, hitting them at 35.9% as a freshman. He will get more opportunities at Ohio State, so we will know pretty quickly if Cupps can be counted on as a shooter off the bench, or just a depth option behind Thornton and John Mobley Jr. to handle the ball on occasion.
Kupps was recruited to Indiana by now-former head coach Mike Woodson, who was fired mid-season by Indiana but was allowed to coach out the remainder of the season. Once the season ended, Kupps entered the transfer portal and opted not to return to Indiana to play for new head coach Darian DeVries.
As a freshman, Kupps played in all 33 of Indiana’s games, starting 22 of them in place of Xavier Johnson, who was injured for much of the 2023-2024 season. In 21.6 minutes per game, Kupps’ 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He only took 88 shot attempts all season long, which was eighth on the team, despite playing the fifth-most minutes on the team.
Kupps took more two-point attempts than three-pointers, but many of his jump shots were created off the dribble with a ball screen brought to him at the top of the key. He was adequate enough on catch-and-shoot threes, but more often Kupps was creating for himself off the dribble, either driving to the basket or firing away after waiting for one screen.
His career-high is an 11-point showing against Auburn on December 9, 2023. In 31 minutes, Kupps was 4-of-6 overall, 2-for-3 from the three-point line, had five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Indiana lost the game, 104-76.
This past season, Kupps was shut down in early December with a meniscus injury that cost him the remainder of the season. He only appeared in four games, totaling 25 minutes, and did not score in those four appearances. He is expected to be granted a medical redshirt and will be considered a redshirt sophomore at Ohio State.
It depends how aggressive Ohio State is in the transfer portal for the rest of the spring. If Diebler and his staff are able to also add a solid starting center and a small forward who can shoot, then the addition of Kupps is a smart depth move. In that scenario, the addition of Kupps may even get overlooked as we get closer to the season, and the team will be very grateful to have a former top-100 recruit as a backup guard.
If Kupps turns out to be the diamond of the off-season, it meant Ohio State did not go out and add the established talent and production it needed to in order to create a winning roster.
As of Wednesday night, Ohio State only has one more roster spot available for the 2025-2026 season, unless someone else transfers out. Odds are, at least one more spot will become available this week.
While having depth at guard is a blessing, adding more to the existing backcourt was not the priority for this team. Assuming no departures, Ohio State now has Thornton, Mobley, Taison Chatman, Kupps, and Dorian Jones vying for minutes in the backcourt.
Look for Diebler and his staff to prioritize an established center or power forward next. Ohio State did not have any post presence last season, and that lack of foundation made everything harder within the offense. A reliable center who could get Ohio State 8-10 points per game next year is a must.
Thus far, Ohio State has been linked to several post players, with former Rutgers center Lathan Sommerville being one and former Santa Clara center Chris Tilly being another.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons 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
Kupps transferred to Ohio State on Wednesday after two seasons at Indiana.
In what could be a make-or-break season for Jake Diebler and a pivotal season for the Ohio State men’s basketball program, the Buckeyes kicked off transfer portal season on Wednesday afternoon by adding the 2022 Ohio Mr. Basketball award winner, Gabe Kupps.
Kupps, a Dayton-native and a graduate of Centerville High School, committed to Indiana in November 2021 over Ohio State and Stanford. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard started 22 games as a freshman at IU two years ago, averaging 2.6 points per game on 36.4% shooting and 35.9% from three-point land. Forty-four percent of his shots came from beyond the arc.
With the addition of Kupps, Ohio State now has each of the last three Ohio Mr. Basketball award winners on the roster: Kupps (2022), Devin Royal (2023), and Colin White (2024). The 2025 Ohio Mr. Basketball — Marcus Johnson — has already committed to play for Ohio State in the class of 2026.
As soon as Kupps entered the transfer portal last week, Ohio State was immediately rumored to be a school reaching out to him. Alleged NIL offers to Kupps were shared on the internet, but ultimately the agreements between players and NIL collectives are not public, so none of those figures could be confirmed. By Wednesday noon, however, Kupps had tweeted out that he was headed back to the Buckeye state.
Why did Ohio State pursue Gabe Kupps?
Diebler and the staff went out and got another guard who could handle running point behind Bruce Thornton and absorb some of the lost minutes from Micah Parrish, Ques Glover, and what should have been Meechie Johnson last season. Cupps is also an Ohio kid who was recruited heavily by Ohio State a few years ago, and — as we’ve seen — the relationships you build during high school recruitment can pay dividends down the road.
In a limited sample size, Cupps has shown the ability to knock down the three-ball, hitting them at 35.9% as a freshman. He will get more opportunities at Ohio State, so we will know pretty quickly if Cupps can be counted on as a shooter off the bench, or just a depth option behind Thornton and John Mobley Jr. to handle the ball on occasion.
Why did Kupps leave Indiana?
Kupps was recruited to Indiana by now-former head coach Mike Woodson, who was fired mid-season by Indiana but was allowed to coach out the remainder of the season. Once the season ended, Kupps entered the transfer portal and opted not to return to Indiana to play for new head coach Darian DeVries.
What did Kupps do at Indiana?
As a freshman, Kupps played in all 33 of Indiana’s games, starting 22 of them in place of Xavier Johnson, who was injured for much of the 2023-2024 season. In 21.6 minutes per game, Kupps’ 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He only took 88 shot attempts all season long, which was eighth on the team, despite playing the fifth-most minutes on the team.
Kupps took more two-point attempts than three-pointers, but many of his jump shots were created off the dribble with a ball screen brought to him at the top of the key. He was adequate enough on catch-and-shoot threes, but more often Kupps was creating for himself off the dribble, either driving to the basket or firing away after waiting for one screen.
His career-high is an 11-point showing against Auburn on December 9, 2023. In 31 minutes, Kupps was 4-of-6 overall, 2-for-3 from the three-point line, had five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Indiana lost the game, 104-76.
This past season, Kupps was shut down in early December with a meniscus injury that cost him the remainder of the season. He only appeared in four games, totaling 25 minutes, and did not score in those four appearances. He is expected to be granted a medical redshirt and will be considered a redshirt sophomore at Ohio State.
How excited should we be about the addition of Kupps?
It depends how aggressive Ohio State is in the transfer portal for the rest of the spring. If Diebler and his staff are able to also add a solid starting center and a small forward who can shoot, then the addition of Kupps is a smart depth move. In that scenario, the addition of Kupps may even get overlooked as we get closer to the season, and the team will be very grateful to have a former top-100 recruit as a backup guard.
If Kupps turns out to be the diamond of the off-season, it meant Ohio State did not go out and add the established talent and production it needed to in order to create a winning roster.
What will Ohio State do next in the transfer portal?
As of Wednesday night, Ohio State only has one more roster spot available for the 2025-2026 season, unless someone else transfers out. Odds are, at least one more spot will become available this week.
While having depth at guard is a blessing, adding more to the existing backcourt was not the priority for this team. Assuming no departures, Ohio State now has Thornton, Mobley, Taison Chatman, Kupps, and Dorian Jones vying for minutes in the backcourt.
Look for Diebler and his staff to prioritize an established center or power forward next. Ohio State did not have any post presence last season, and that lack of foundation made everything harder within the offense. A reliable center who could get Ohio State 8-10 points per game next year is a must.
Thus far, Ohio State has been linked to several post players, with former Rutgers center Lathan Sommerville being one and former Santa Clara center Chris Tilly being another.
Continue reading...
