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2026 AL DL Tyson Bacon (Miami, Fl. Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 3 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: DL
School: Hoover(AL) Hoover
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 260lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: DL
School: Hoover(AL) Hoover
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 260lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Basketball Buckeyes are BOOMing as wide receivers talk spring practice
- News
- 0 Replies
Basketball Buckeyes are BOOMing as wide receivers talk spring practice
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
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!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Wide Receivers and Special Teams Spoke with the Media
Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hits: Brandon Inniss Feels His Time is Now for Ohio State, Jeremiah Smith Calls Quincy Porter “The Next One”
Andy Anders, Chase Brown, Garrick Hodge, and Dan Hope; Eleven Warriors
What Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith feels is his next step
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Brandon Inniss still working, ‘chasing’ more in Buckeyes offense
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
OSU’s Fielding reveals injury ailed him during 2024 struggles, UM loss
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Jayden Fielding aiming for more consistency after up-and-down championship season
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Will Howard Says He Knew Ohio State Had Tennessee After Players Ran out of the Tunnel Shirtless, Expands on CFP Run in an Interview with Jon Gruden
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors
Jon Gruden compares OSU’s Will Howard to NFL super stars
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch
You’re Nuts: Who do you love hearing broadcasting Ohio State games?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
BOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball lands Wright State transfer Brandon Noel
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Check out these Brandon Noel highlights:
Wright State transfer forward Brandon Noel commits to Ohio State
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
What addition of former Wright State forward Brandon Noel means for Ohio State
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
Here’s where Ohio State sits in way-too-early 2025-26 projections
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
See which Ohio State Spring Sports teams dominated last weekend
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Swim & Dive: Clark, Finlin Make Open Water National Teams
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Lacrosse: Marinier Named B1G Offensive Player of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
I’d watch:
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
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
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!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Wide Receivers and Special Teams Spoke with the Media
Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hits: Brandon Inniss Feels His Time is Now for Ohio State, Jeremiah Smith Calls Quincy Porter “The Next One”
Andy Anders, Chase Brown, Garrick Hodge, and Dan Hope; Eleven Warriors
What Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith feels is his next step
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Brandon Inniss still working, ‘chasing’ more in Buckeyes offense
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
OSU’s Fielding reveals injury ailed him during 2024 struggles, UM loss
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Jayden Fielding aiming for more consistency after up-and-down championship season
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Will Howard Says He Knew Ohio State Had Tennessee After Players Ran out of the Tunnel Shirtless, Expands on CFP Run in an Interview with Jon Gruden
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors
Jon Gruden compares OSU’s Will Howard to NFL super stars
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch
You’re Nuts: Who do you love hearing broadcasting Ohio State games?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
BOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball lands Wright State transfer Brandon Noel
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Check out these Brandon Noel highlights:
Wright State transfer forward Brandon Noel commits to Ohio State
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
What addition of former Wright State forward Brandon Noel means for Ohio State
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
Here’s where Ohio State sits in way-too-early 2025-26 projections
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Outside the Shoe and Schott
See which Ohio State Spring Sports teams dominated last weekend
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Swim & Dive: Clark, Finlin Make Open Water National Teams
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Lacrosse: Marinier Named B1G Offensive Player of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
I’d watch:
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball lands Wright State transfer Brandon Noel
- News
- 0 Replies
BOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball lands Wright State transfer Brandon Noel
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
This is the third transfer the Buckeyes have secured a commitment from this cycle.
The 2025-26 Ohio State men’s basketball roster is starting to take shape.
Bruce Thornton, Devin Royal, and John Mobley Jr. have all announced they will be returning to Columbus next season. Thornton will go through the NBA Draft process to get feedback, but will likely return to Ohio State.
In addition, guard Gabe Cupps of Indiana, the 2022 Ohio Mr. Basketball, center Christoph Tilly of Santa Clara, and now forward Brandon Noel, formerly of Wright State, will all be joining the Buckeyes this season.
The 6-foot-8 Noel was the preseason Horizon League player of the year last season. He’s a two-time second-team all-league pick and averaged 19.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Noel shot 55.2 percent overall from the floor, putting him third in the Horizon League and top 50 nationally. He was also ranked in the top 15 nationally for his 238 field goals made throughout his 2024-25 season.
This past season, he recorded 20 points and eight rebounds against Kentucky on Nov. 4 and 24 points and 10 rebounds against Toledo on Nov. 13.
“The decision to leave was a really hard one, and it was not due to me being unhappy here at all. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and would do it again in a heartbeat,” Noel said in a statement to the Wright State Guardian when he made the decision to enter the transfer portal.
Noel is an Ohio native, hailing from Lucasville and attending Chillicothe high school. The forward redshirted in 2020-21 and 2021-22 after tearing his ACL and having surgery on both knees — the left one to repair his ACL and the one on the right from which his patella tendon was taken to assist in the reconstruction.
In 2022-23, he appeared in all 33 games with 26 starts, averaging 29.1 minutes per game, third-most on the roster. He averaged 13.0 points per game, the most among freshmen in the Horizon League, while his 60.9 overall shooting percentage was tops in the Horizon League and finished No. 19 nationally. He averaged 8.7 rebounds per game, which was the third-most in the Horizon League.
He finished third in the Horizon League that season with 288 total rebounds, a top-50 mark nationally. His 215 defensive rebounds were the second-most in the Horizon League and he recorded eleven double-doubles on the season.
In 2023-24, he appeared and started in 31 games, averaging 34.4 minutes per game, which was the second-most on the roster. He averaged 14.5 points per game and led the team with 8.0 rebounds per game.
He scored double figures in 26 games, including six games with 20 points or more. According to Wright State Athletics, he was top-15 in the conference in statistical marks in rebounds per game (3rd), field goal percentage (3rd), minutes (7th), blocks (10th), and points per game (12th).
He is one of 23 players in Wright State program history with 500-plus career rebounds, and was named Second-Team All-Horizon League.
It is to be determined if Noel will start in the frontcourt along with Tilly or be the sixth man off the bench. With the Buckeyes likely to add at least one more transfer, it also depends on who Jake Diebler and his staff add to the roster after this.
Ohio State lost Meechie Johnson, Evan Mahaffey, Austin Parks, and Aaron Bradshaw to the transfer portal. Micah Parrish and Ques Glover exhausted their eligibility.
With the addition of Noel, Ohio State has now accounted for all 15 of its available roster spots for the 2025-26 season. The Buckeyes will only be able to add another player to the roster if someone who is currently on the roster transfers or otherwise moves on prior to the April 22 deadline.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
This is the third transfer the Buckeyes have secured a commitment from this cycle.
The 2025-26 Ohio State men’s basketball roster is starting to take shape.
Bruce Thornton, Devin Royal, and John Mobley Jr. have all announced they will be returning to Columbus next season. Thornton will go through the NBA Draft process to get feedback, but will likely return to Ohio State.
In addition, guard Gabe Cupps of Indiana, the 2022 Ohio Mr. Basketball, center Christoph Tilly of Santa Clara, and now forward Brandon Noel, formerly of Wright State, will all be joining the Buckeyes this season.
The 6-foot-8 Noel was the preseason Horizon League player of the year last season. He’s a two-time second-team all-league pick and averaged 19.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Noel shot 55.2 percent overall from the floor, putting him third in the Horizon League and top 50 nationally. He was also ranked in the top 15 nationally for his 238 field goals made throughout his 2024-25 season.
This past season, he recorded 20 points and eight rebounds against Kentucky on Nov. 4 and 24 points and 10 rebounds against Toledo on Nov. 13.
“The decision to leave was a really hard one, and it was not due to me being unhappy here at all. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and would do it again in a heartbeat,” Noel said in a statement to the Wright State Guardian when he made the decision to enter the transfer portal.
Noel is an Ohio native, hailing from Lucasville and attending Chillicothe high school. The forward redshirted in 2020-21 and 2021-22 after tearing his ACL and having surgery on both knees — the left one to repair his ACL and the one on the right from which his patella tendon was taken to assist in the reconstruction.
In 2022-23, he appeared in all 33 games with 26 starts, averaging 29.1 minutes per game, third-most on the roster. He averaged 13.0 points per game, the most among freshmen in the Horizon League, while his 60.9 overall shooting percentage was tops in the Horizon League and finished No. 19 nationally. He averaged 8.7 rebounds per game, which was the third-most in the Horizon League.
He finished third in the Horizon League that season with 288 total rebounds, a top-50 mark nationally. His 215 defensive rebounds were the second-most in the Horizon League and he recorded eleven double-doubles on the season.
In 2023-24, he appeared and started in 31 games, averaging 34.4 minutes per game, which was the second-most on the roster. He averaged 14.5 points per game and led the team with 8.0 rebounds per game.
He scored double figures in 26 games, including six games with 20 points or more. According to Wright State Athletics, he was top-15 in the conference in statistical marks in rebounds per game (3rd), field goal percentage (3rd), minutes (7th), blocks (10th), and points per game (12th).
He is one of 23 players in Wright State program history with 500-plus career rebounds, and was named Second-Team All-Horizon League.
It is to be determined if Noel will start in the frontcourt along with Tilly or be the sixth man off the bench. With the Buckeyes likely to add at least one more transfer, it also depends on who Jake Diebler and his staff add to the roster after this.
Ohio State lost Meechie Johnson, Evan Mahaffey, Austin Parks, and Aaron Bradshaw to the transfer portal. Micah Parrish and Ques Glover exhausted their eligibility.
With the addition of Noel, Ohio State has now accounted for all 15 of its available roster spots for the 2025-26 season. The Buckeyes will only be able to add another player to the roster if someone who is currently on the roster transfers or otherwise moves on prior to the April 22 deadline.
Continue reading...
SF Brandon Noel (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 24 Replies
24/7 Sports
Rivals
Stats at Wright State
wsuraiders.com
Brandon Noel
2023-24: Appeared and started 31 games, averaging 34.4 minutes per game, second-most on the roster… Averaged 14.5 points per game and led the team with 8 rebounds per game… Scored double figures in 26 games, including six games with 20 points or more… Top-15 in HL statistical marks in rebounds per game (3rd), Field Goal Percentage (3rd), minutes (7th), blocks (10th), and points per game (12th)… Season-high 25 points on 9-14 shooting in the home win over Miami (OH) on Dec. 19… Recorded nine double-doubles, including 19 points and 16 rebounds in the win over NCAA tournament qualifier, Oakland in Rochester on Feb. 25… One of 23 players in Wright State program history with 500-plus career rebounds… Named Second-Team All-Horizon League, Horizon League All-Academic Team, and the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.
2022-23: Appeared in all 33 games with 26 starts, averaging 29.1 minutes per game, third-most on the roster… Averaged 13.0 points per game, a Top 15 mark in the HL and the most among freshman in the Horizon League, while his 60.9 overall shooting percentage was tops in the Horizon League and finished No. 19 nationally… His 8.7 rebounds per game average was third-most in the Horizon League, while in Horizon League-specific games, his 10.1 rebounds per game led all players in the HL… Finished third in the Horizon League with 288 total rebounds, a Top 50 mark nationally, while his 215 defensive rebounds were the second-most in the HL… Tallied 11 double-doubles on the season, the third-most the Horizon League, while recording HL-best eight double-doubles in League play… Recorded double figures scoring 23 times with seven games of 20-plus points… Had 13 double-digit rebound games and five or more rebounds in 28 contests… Named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year on the court… Member of Horizon League Basketball All-Academic Team before being named 2023 Horizon League Winter Scholar-Athlete of the season.
2021-22: Redshirted.
2020-21: Redshirted.
Notes: Played at Chillicothe High School, where he was an Ohio First Team All-State Division 1 selection as a senior... Helped lead Chillicothe to its second consecutive Frontier Athletic Conference championship as a junior... Also earned second team Division I All-District honors, first team All-District honors on the D-I and D-II District 14 Coaches Association team, and All-Ohio honorable mention in D-I after averaging 16 points per game and over eight rebounds per game in 2018-19.
www.espn.com
Rivals
Stats at Wright State
Brandon Noel - Men's Basketball - Wright State University Athletics
Brandon Noel (14) Forward - 2024-25: Appeared in and started all 33 games, averaging 33.8 minutes per game… Averaged 19.0 points per game and 7.7 rebounds pe...
Brandon Noel
- Position: Forward
- Height: 6-8
- Weight: 240
- Class for 2025/2026 season: Redshirt Senior
- Hometown: Lucasville, OH
- Highschool: Chillicothe
2023-24: Appeared and started 31 games, averaging 34.4 minutes per game, second-most on the roster… Averaged 14.5 points per game and led the team with 8 rebounds per game… Scored double figures in 26 games, including six games with 20 points or more… Top-15 in HL statistical marks in rebounds per game (3rd), Field Goal Percentage (3rd), minutes (7th), blocks (10th), and points per game (12th)… Season-high 25 points on 9-14 shooting in the home win over Miami (OH) on Dec. 19… Recorded nine double-doubles, including 19 points and 16 rebounds in the win over NCAA tournament qualifier, Oakland in Rochester on Feb. 25… One of 23 players in Wright State program history with 500-plus career rebounds… Named Second-Team All-Horizon League, Horizon League All-Academic Team, and the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.
2022-23: Appeared in all 33 games with 26 starts, averaging 29.1 minutes per game, third-most on the roster… Averaged 13.0 points per game, a Top 15 mark in the HL and the most among freshman in the Horizon League, while his 60.9 overall shooting percentage was tops in the Horizon League and finished No. 19 nationally… His 8.7 rebounds per game average was third-most in the Horizon League, while in Horizon League-specific games, his 10.1 rebounds per game led all players in the HL… Finished third in the Horizon League with 288 total rebounds, a Top 50 mark nationally, while his 215 defensive rebounds were the second-most in the HL… Tallied 11 double-doubles on the season, the third-most the Horizon League, while recording HL-best eight double-doubles in League play… Recorded double figures scoring 23 times with seven games of 20-plus points… Had 13 double-digit rebound games and five or more rebounds in 28 contests… Named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year on the court… Member of Horizon League Basketball All-Academic Team before being named 2023 Horizon League Winter Scholar-Athlete of the season.
2021-22: Redshirted.
2020-21: Redshirted.
Notes: Played at Chillicothe High School, where he was an Ohio First Team All-State Division 1 selection as a senior... Helped lead Chillicothe to its second consecutive Frontier Athletic Conference championship as a junior... Also earned second team Division I All-District honors, first team All-District honors on the D-I and D-II District 14 Coaches Association team, and All-Ohio honorable mention in D-I after averaging 16 points per game and over eight rebounds per game in 2018-19.
Brandon Noel - Ohio State Buckeyes Forward - ESPN
View the profile of Ohio State Buckeyes Forward Brandon Noel on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
Career Stats
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/4702994/brandon-noel| Stats |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
| 2023-24 |
| 2022-23 |
| GP | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PF | TO | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 33.9 | 55.2 | 35.8 | 75.3 | 7.7 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 19.0 |
| 31 | 34.4 | 53.5 | 40.0 | 79.8 | 8.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 14.5 |
| 33 | 29.2 | 60.9 | 35.7 | 77.3 | 8.7 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 13.0 |
LGHL You’re Nuts: Who do you love hearing broadcasting Ohio State games?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Who do you love hearing broadcasting Ohio State games?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
A few weeks ago, CBS analyst Gary Danielson announced he would be retiring following the 2025 season, which will mark his 36th season on television, making him the longest-tenured college football analyst on any network. Danielson joined CBS in 2006, which had him calling marquee SEC games for nearly the last two decades.
Ohio State fans who don’t remember Danielson from his time with ESPN/ABC from 1990 to 2005 became a little more familiar with Danielson over the last couple of years since the Big Ten replaced the SEC in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot on the network.
While we all know the best broadcaster for Ohio State games is undoubtedly Paul Keels, unfortunately, “Big Daddy” is only available on the Ohio State Radio Network. With Buckeye games being spread between CBS, FOX, NBC, and the Big Ten Network, there are plenty of different voices who call Ohio State games. Some of those voices are beloved, others are hated, and then there are some that fans are indifferent to.
Today, we want to know who you love hearing broadcast Ohio State games. Even though football is king, we are also interested in hearing answers pertaining to basketball broadcasts as well. With so many different networks airing Ohio State games, there are bound to be a variety of options. While there are also some great options from years past, like the legendary Keith Jackson, we are going to try and keep the answers to this question to those currently broadcasting.
If we’re being honest, I would listen to Kevin Harlan read the dictionary. Just look up some calls from Harlan when some idiot fan runs on the field and security is chasing them. Harlan can make something as trivial as somebody getting liquored up and running on the field sound like art. He knows when it is appropriate to get excited and does the moment justice when it calls for it, which is something Gus Johnson struggles mightily with since he tries to make a 2nd and 7 play in a 0-0 game in the middle of the first quarter sound like the last play of the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, we only get to listen to Harlan call Ohio State basketball games since he is currently working NFL games on Sundays during the regular season, which doesn’t allow him to work CBS college football games on Saturdays. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Brad Nessler, so it’s a little easier to stomach not getting Harlan to call college football games. Maybe it changes in the future, but it’s hard to see Harlan stepping away from NFL broadcasting since the league is obviously the top professional sports league in the country.
As tough as it has been to watch Ohio State basketball over the last few years, at least when they are on CBS, there is a chance that Harlan will be on the call, making the inevitable shenanigans from the Buckeye hoopers a little easier to stomach. In the end, Harlan is truly a pro’s pro. He has been doing this long enough that he has seen about everything there is to see, and knows how to treat certain moments. Plus, Harlan has worked with Reggie Miller, so he knows how to handle someone who talks too much and says some ridiculous things.
I know many of you love Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt, and I am happy that you enjoy them, since we Buckeye fans are stuck with so many Big Noon games, but I’ve got two different commentary teams that I wish got more time calling Ohio State games.
Both of these teams lean far more on substance than style, which has long been my problem with Gus and Joel. I’ll start with the Fox option, since there is more of a possibility that the Buckeyes could draw them at some point than the ESPN entry.
Jason Benetti and Brock Huard generally do games in Big 12 territory and West, since Huard is a Pacific Northwest guy; although Benetti does live in the Midwest as the new play-by-play man for the Detroit Tigers after eight years with the Chicago White Sox. Benetti isn’t going to make calls that are going to become memes like “You got barbeque back there and you didn’t invite me. Hurt my feelings!” But what he is going to do is call a clean game, clearly articulating what is happening on the field while understanding the sport and its rules; something that you cannot always say about Gus.
While I do think that Joel does a good job of breaking down the football specifics, he also likes to hear himself talk, and I think he gets caught up in his partner’s antics. Look, Ohio State football is exciting enough on its own, I don’t need a bunch of histrionics to make me pay attention.
Huard delivers all of Joel’s insight (and more) while making viewers who aren’t football experts feel like they can understand the finer points of the game as if they had been playing and coaching the sport for years. So, if Ohio State is going to be stuck on Fox for the foreseeable future, I would far prefer that it was with Jason and Brock than Gus and Joel.
I have similar feelings about Mark Jones and Louis Riddick, but the chances of them ever calling a Buckeye game are slim to none due to the Big Ten’s current media rights deals. Even if OSU does play on the Worldwide Leader in Sports for a non-conference or playoff game, they will almost certainly get one of the more high-profile broadcast duos, which is too bad, because Mark and Louis are everything I want in a play-by-play team.
Mark is an excellent play-by-play announcer with years of experience in both football and basketball. He is calm, measured, and professional as a baseline, and excited when need be. Obviously, Louis has years of experience as a player, but when you throw in his years in player evaluation, he brings something to broadcasts that nearly no one else does.
So, I know that it’s unlikely that we see this pair call a Buckeye game anytime soon (if ever), but I would far prefer them to just about everyone else in the regular rotation.
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
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
A few weeks ago, CBS analyst Gary Danielson announced he would be retiring following the 2025 season, which will mark his 36th season on television, making him the longest-tenured college football analyst on any network. Danielson joined CBS in 2006, which had him calling marquee SEC games for nearly the last two decades.
Ohio State fans who don’t remember Danielson from his time with ESPN/ABC from 1990 to 2005 became a little more familiar with Danielson over the last couple of years since the Big Ten replaced the SEC in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot on the network.
While we all know the best broadcaster for Ohio State games is undoubtedly Paul Keels, unfortunately, “Big Daddy” is only available on the Ohio State Radio Network. With Buckeye games being spread between CBS, FOX, NBC, and the Big Ten Network, there are plenty of different voices who call Ohio State games. Some of those voices are beloved, others are hated, and then there are some that fans are indifferent to.
Today, we want to know who you love hearing broadcast Ohio State games. Even though football is king, we are also interested in hearing answers pertaining to basketball broadcasts as well. With so many different networks airing Ohio State games, there are bound to be a variety of options. While there are also some great options from years past, like the legendary Keith Jackson, we are going to try and keep the answers to this question to those currently broadcasting.
Today’s question: Who do you love hearing broadcast Ohio State games?
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: Kevin Harlan
If we’re being honest, I would listen to Kevin Harlan read the dictionary. Just look up some calls from Harlan when some idiot fan runs on the field and security is chasing them. Harlan can make something as trivial as somebody getting liquored up and running on the field sound like art. He knows when it is appropriate to get excited and does the moment justice when it calls for it, which is something Gus Johnson struggles mightily with since he tries to make a 2nd and 7 play in a 0-0 game in the middle of the first quarter sound like the last play of the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, we only get to listen to Harlan call Ohio State basketball games since he is currently working NFL games on Sundays during the regular season, which doesn’t allow him to work CBS college football games on Saturdays. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Brad Nessler, so it’s a little easier to stomach not getting Harlan to call college football games. Maybe it changes in the future, but it’s hard to see Harlan stepping away from NFL broadcasting since the league is obviously the top professional sports league in the country.
As tough as it has been to watch Ohio State basketball over the last few years, at least when they are on CBS, there is a chance that Harlan will be on the call, making the inevitable shenanigans from the Buckeye hoopers a little easier to stomach. In the end, Harlan is truly a pro’s pro. He has been doing this long enough that he has seen about everything there is to see, and knows how to treat certain moments. Plus, Harlan has worked with Reggie Miller, so he knows how to handle someone who talks too much and says some ridiculous things.
Matt’s answer: Jason Benetti and Brock Huard; Mark Jones and Louis Riddick
I know many of you love Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt, and I am happy that you enjoy them, since we Buckeye fans are stuck with so many Big Noon games, but I’ve got two different commentary teams that I wish got more time calling Ohio State games.
Both of these teams lean far more on substance than style, which has long been my problem with Gus and Joel. I’ll start with the Fox option, since there is more of a possibility that the Buckeyes could draw them at some point than the ESPN entry.
Jason Benetti and Brock Huard generally do games in Big 12 territory and West, since Huard is a Pacific Northwest guy; although Benetti does live in the Midwest as the new play-by-play man for the Detroit Tigers after eight years with the Chicago White Sox. Benetti isn’t going to make calls that are going to become memes like “You got barbeque back there and you didn’t invite me. Hurt my feelings!” But what he is going to do is call a clean game, clearly articulating what is happening on the field while understanding the sport and its rules; something that you cannot always say about Gus.
While I do think that Joel does a good job of breaking down the football specifics, he also likes to hear himself talk, and I think he gets caught up in his partner’s antics. Look, Ohio State football is exciting enough on its own, I don’t need a bunch of histrionics to make me pay attention.
Huard delivers all of Joel’s insight (and more) while making viewers who aren’t football experts feel like they can understand the finer points of the game as if they had been playing and coaching the sport for years. So, if Ohio State is going to be stuck on Fox for the foreseeable future, I would far prefer that it was with Jason and Brock than Gus and Joel.
I have similar feelings about Mark Jones and Louis Riddick, but the chances of them ever calling a Buckeye game are slim to none due to the Big Ten’s current media rights deals. Even if OSU does play on the Worldwide Leader in Sports for a non-conference or playoff game, they will almost certainly get one of the more high-profile broadcast duos, which is too bad, because Mark and Louis are everything I want in a play-by-play team.
Mark is an excellent play-by-play announcer with years of experience in both football and basketball. He is calm, measured, and professional as a baseline, and excited when need be. Obviously, Louis has years of experience as a player, but when you throw in his years in player evaluation, he brings something to broadcasts that nearly no one else does.
So, I know that it’s unlikely that we see this pair call a Buckeye game anytime soon (if ever), but I would far prefer them to just about everyone else in the regular rotation.
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