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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who is your wildest choice for Ohio State men’s basketball coach?

You’re Nuts: Who is your wildest choice for Ohio State men’s basketball coach?
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State v Dayton

Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

Even though Ohio State’s men’s basketball team has wins over Purdue and Michigan State recently, it feels like the biggest question surrounding the team right now is who will be named head coach once the season ends. A couple of weeks ago Ohio State decided it was time to move on from head coach Chris Holtmann, leaving assistant coach Jake Diebler to finish out the season. Despite the Buckeyes upsetting the Boilermakers, as well as snapping a school-record road losing streak on Sunday at Michigan State, it’s hard to imagine Diebler having the interim tag removed from his job title once the season ends.

Since Ohio State is one of the most attractive jobs in the country, there are already candidates being linked with the position. Former Buckeyes Chris Jent and Scoonie Penn have already stated their interest in coming back to Columbus to take over as head coach. Once the college basketball season winds down there is sure to be even more current college basketball head coaches who will be eager to take on the challenge of restoring Ohio State to basketball glory. South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris and Xavier’s Sean Miller are a couple of coaches that have already been talked about as possible replacements for Holtmann.

Today we are going to have a bit of fun with the head coaching search. We want to know who your wildest choice for Ohio State men’s basketball head coach is. This could be a former player, former assistant, or maybe a high-profile coach who is likely a pipe dream for the head coaching position in Columbus. Obviously, these coaching choices are meant for entertainment purposes only, and shouldn’t be taken seriously. We just wanted to introduce a little bit of fun chaos before the real candidates are vetted.

Today’s question: Who is your wildest choice for the Ohio State men’s basketball head coaching position?

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: Aaron Craft


Even though Craft has no coaching experience, there is a bit of coaching in his blood since his father was the coach of a junior high basketball team. Because of his father’s position, the Ohio State guard would end up participating in defensive drills while he was in just second and third grade, which helps to explain why Craft was so tenacious on defense throughout his basketball career. Craft would go on to become one of the most beloved Buckeyes in school history, and one of the most hated college basketball players when it comes to the rest of the country.

Not that former players taking head coaching positions is anything new, but recently there has been a number of notable former players taking head coaching positions. Duke hired Jon Scheyer to take over for Coach K when he retired, Georgia Tech hired Damon Stoudemire after last season, and Cal did the same when they brought in Mark Madsen. Just make sure if you’re going to hire a former player as head coach, it doesn’t go as sideways as it has with Michigan and Juwan Howard.

Another reason why Craft would be an interesting head coaching choice is he is highly intelligent, as evidenced by being accepted into Ohio State’s medical school. If Craft is able to handle dealing with making decisions that might mean life or death for patients, he should be able to easily handle recruiting, NIL, the transfer portal, and the rest of the obstacles that come with being a head coach in college sports. Plus, it would be amazing to see how the rest of the fans of Big Ten teams reacted to having Craft back on the college basketball scene after they thought they had seen the last of him a decade ago as a player.


Matt’s answer: Greg Oden

Syndication: The Enquirer
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Look, I was seriously considering going with Thad Matta. He is back at Butler, looks healthy, and has the Bulldogs above .500. Remember, Thad is only in his mid-50s, so he’s got plenty of coaching still left in him, and given the fervor from fans to return to the time when he had the Buckeyes competing for Big Ten and national titles on a regular basis, I think a not-insignificant portion of Buckeye Nation would be on board for a Matta return.

However, The Columbus Dispatch men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy beat me to it, so my initially silly, off-the-wall suggestion lacks the impact I had hoped for. So, I am going to pivot to a guy currently on Matta’s staff. The one and only Greg Oden.

When it comes to a former player becoming the MBB coach, I would prefer the point guard of my first few teams as an OSU student Scoonie Penn, or my childhood basketball idol Chris Jent, but since both have been reportedly interested in the position, I don’t think that they could be considered “wild choices.”

So, give me the big man. He is Ohio State’s only No. 1 NBA draft pick, he played nine years of professional basketball, and he has worked on staff at both Ohio State and Butler — not to mention with Carmen’s Crew. Oden currently serves as the director of basketball operations for Matta’s program.

Yeah, sure, incoming OSU athletic director Ross Bjork has stressed that coaching experience — including as a head coach — will be important in the hiring of Chris Holtmann’s replacement, but come on, it’s Greg Oden. He would be uniquely equipped to talk about the issues impacting modern athletes, both physically and emotionally. Very few players have had to deal with their bodies letting them down and the shame and doubt that surrounds those circumstances.

He knows what it’s like to succeed at a high level at college and to have huge amounts of money thrown at you; while he didn’t play in the NIL era, few players turned coaches probably understand the thought process of dealing with those opportunities better than Oden.

Can Oden actually coach? I don’t know. Is he prepared to be the head coach of a major Big Ten program? Almost certainly not. But at least he’s been a part of multiple college basketball coaching staffs, unlikely Brett’s pick of Dr. Craft!

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LGHL Marvin Harrison Jr. won’t test at the NFL Combine, nor does he need to

Marvin Harrison Jr. won’t test at the NFL Combine, nor does he need to
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Football: Cotton Bowl-Missouri at Ohio State

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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...


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On the Gridiron


Marvin Harrison Jr. Is a Prospect Training for the 2024 NFL Season—Not the Combine
Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

Who’s the latest key person Ohio State has plucked from Alabama?
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Petitto hiring a big win for the Buckeyes (paywall)
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts


Nothing but work. pic.twitter.com/BiB8gVFkuH

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 26, 2024

You’re Nuts: Who will be Ohio State’s highest-rated player in EA Sports College Football 25?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

James Laurinaitis brings ‘been there, done that’ player perspective to new coaching role (paywall)
Tim May, Lettermen Row

Certainly not ideal:


A cautionary tale: Ex-#Raiders first-round pick CB Damon Arnette was arrested on Jan. 6 at 3:30 am and charged with possession of less than a gram of meth and unlawful carrying of a firearm, per me and @HollowayNFLN. The previously unreported arrest was in Richardson, TX.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2024

Five Position Battles to Watch During Ohio State’s 2024 Spring Practices
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Five questions for Ohio State’s running backs heading into spring practice (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Three Questions for Ohio State running backs heading into spring (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

College Football Playoff expansion talk premature with 12-team model still to come
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land


On the Hardwood


How the turns have tabled: Bonner’s big shot finally put Ohio State on the other side of heartbreak
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


Scarlet Sunrise: Jamison Battle injury not expected to be long term
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Could a Thad Matta return make sense for Ohio State basketball?
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Two Big Wins Renew NCAA Tournament Hopes for Ohio State, Though Its Path Is a Narrow One
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

The former OSU staffer is absolutely correct:


This will never happen, but in talking to some of my @OhioStAthletics friends, I told them I would modernize St. John Arena the way ⁦@KUHoops⁩ did with Allen Fieldhouse. It would be one of the grade home courts in college basketball. pic.twitter.com/fLypGZGb4D

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) February 26, 2024

Ohio State freshman Devin Royal steps up, breaks out at Michigan State
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Women’s Basketball: Ohio State stays at No. 2 in Week 17 AP Poll rankings
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts


Outside the Shoe and Schott


USG Passes Resolution Encouraging University to Give Students Discounted Tickets for 2025 NHL Stadium Series
Grant Lieberman, The Lantern

Women’s Ice Hockey: Kirk Named WCHA Goaltender of the Week
Ohio State Athletics


And now for something completely different...


Over Dave Thomas’ dead body... oh wait...


Wendy’s planning Uber-style ‘surge pricing’ where burger prices fluctuate based on demand https://t.co/OqMsvy3FsR pic.twitter.com/kTSYxAFNz5

— New York Post (@nypost) February 26, 2024

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LGHL Ohio State preparing for busy spring as Multiple targets schedule visits

Ohio State preparing for busy spring as Multiple targets schedule visits
Dan Hessler
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


12053587__1_.0.jpg

2025 four-star linebacker Justin Hill via USA TODAY Sports, 247Sports

The Buckeyes will be busy both on and off the field in the coming months.

More and more it is beginning to feel like spring in Columbus. March is just days away, and it is shaping up to be a busy month for the Ohio State coaching staff. The current roster of Buckeyes will be taking the field to prepare for an upcoming season that holds mountains of expectations. Alongside this, Ryan Day and the staff will also be playing host to a list of recruits that builds by the day.

Ohio State adds to spring visitor list


Ohio State’s visitor list for upcoming spring camps is seemingly growing by the day. The two most recent names to add their names to the list were 2025 four-star defensive end Justin Hill (Cincinnati, OH / Winton Woods) and 2025 four-star wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. (Naples, FL / First Baptist Academy).

Hill has scheduled his visit for March 19, and Watkins plans to travel to Columbus on April 9. Both visits were announced by 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong on X.


Spring visit dates for Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods Top247 edge Justin Hill.#USC - 23rd of March #Miami - 30th of March#OhioState - 19th of March#PennState- 6th of April#Alabama - 13th of April

Hill recently enjoyed trips to #Georgia and #Oregon.…

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) February 26, 2024

Naples (Fla.) First Baptist Academy Top247 WR Winston Watkins Jr. (@winstonwatkins_) mapped out a fun spring of college visits.#Florida: March 7 #Clemson: March 11 #Pittsburgh: March 21 #Syracuse: March 27 #Indiana: April 2 #OhioState: April 9 #FloridaState: April 16…

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) February 26, 2024

Both Hill and Watkins Jr. are not new names for those that follow Ohio State recruiting. Hill, who is from Ohio, has long been familiar with the Buckeyes, and Ohio State has made him a priority target at the Jack linebacker position in Jim Knowles system. Hill made multiple visits to Columbus last season, and was offered this past spring after attending a recruiting camp.

While Ohio State has to like where it sits with Hill, they are not without competition. Hill is coming off a visit to Oregon that appears to have gone as well as possible. Additionally, he also has visits planned for USC, Miami, Penn State and Alabama alongside the Ohio State visit.

There have yet to be any 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions cast for Hill, who has hinted at committing around his birthday this summer. There is still plenty of time for the Buckeyes in his recruitment, and they will need to continue making him a priority if they wish to land him. Day has made it a point to keep the state’s top talents in Ohio and Hill is one they want to stay here.

Hill is currently rated as the No. 13 DE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 140 overall recruit. He is also the No. 6 recruit out of Ohio.

The other recruit to recently announce an upcoming visit with the Buckeyes, Watkins Jr., is also not a new one for Ohio State recruiting. Despite being committed to Texas A&M earlier in his recruitment, the Buckeyes never stopped recruiting the blue-chip receiver, and he has made multiple visits to Columbus.

Ohio State also has to like where it sits with Watkins Jr., however this one seems to be more uncertain. Watkins has double-digit visits scheduled this spring with schools like Florida, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Indiana, Florida State, Texas, Oregon, Tennessee and Ohio State.

Ohio State only has one verbal commitment at wide receiver in its 2025 class in three-star Jayvon Boggs (Cocoa, FL/ Cocoa). The Buckeyes will certainly add recruits alongside Boggs at the position, and Watkins Jr. would make for an excellent addition.

Watkins Jr. is the No. 17 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 126 overall recruit. He is also the No. 18 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Florida.

Quick Hits

  • Ryan Day and the Ohio State football staff know that as quickly as spring approaches, it will leave. The Buckeyes are not only scheduling recruiting visits for the spring, but also for the summer.

The most recent recruit to add his name to the summer visitor list was 2025 four-star defensive end Mariyon Dye (Elkhart, IN / Elkhart) who will be making the trip to Columbus June 14. Alongside Ohio State, Dye also has visits scheduled to Miami, Georgia and Tennessee. Dye is the No. 24 DE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 314 overall prospect. He is the No. 5 recruit from Indiana.

4-star EDGE Mariyon Dye has lined up four official visits and broke down each school with @ChadSimmons_

Dye ranks No. 47 NATL. (No. 5 EDGE) in the 2025 On300⭐

Read: https://t.co/LCVcIdawU1 pic.twitter.com/TiSG79mGoZ

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) February 26, 2024

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Jake Diebler, Dale Bonner discuss Ohio State’s stunner in East Lansing

Uncut Podcast: Jake Diebler, Dale Bonner discuss Ohio State’s stunner in East Lansing
Connor Lemons
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Michigan State

Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports

We heard from both head coaches, as well as Bonner and Devin Royal after Ohio State’s first win in East Lansing since 2012.

Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


Moments after Ohio State won its first game in East Lansing since 2012, Devin Royal, Dale Bonner, Jake Diebler, and Tom Izzo spoke to the collective media about what they saw.

Bonner started and said he “knew the shot was going in” as soon as he took the three-pointer that would turn out to be the game-winning basket. He also said Jamison Battle (who missed the game with an ankle injury) was very active on the bench, talking to teammates and telling them what he was seeing.

Diebler said the togetherness of the team is what helped them stay in the game when at times it looked like Michigan State could’ve run away with it. He also pointed out Devin Royal’s inbounds pass on the final play of the game as being crucial and said that Ohio State’s ability to run up and down without slowing down or subbing at times gave them an advantage.

A very surly and disappointed Tom Izzo said that the loss is on the coaches and that they need to “figure some stuff out” but that his players also need to take some time to “figure some stuff out.” He also said he thought not having Jamison Battle might have “helped Ohio State” but admitted after that he “knows that sounds stupid.”



Connect with Connor:
Twitter:
@lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com


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