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LGHL Ohio State’s offensive coordinator is officially a better job than UCLA’s head coach

Ohio State’s offensive coordinator is officially a better job than UCLA’s head coach
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: UCLA at Arizona

Zachary BonDurant-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


Ohio State hires Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator
Joey Kaufman and Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Analyzing Chip Kelly hire as Buckeyes move quickly for coordinator (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes


25 years before their Ohio State reunion, Chip Kelly’s 1st year as New Hampshire’s OC in 1999 w/QB Ryan Day (12). Final 2 plays at USF, UNH trails 42-35 in 2nd OT pic.twitter.com/k4d7MXj5sM

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) February 11, 2024

Chip Kelly leaving UCLA head coaching position for Ohio State OC job stuns college football world
Grant Hughes, 247Sports

New Ohio State Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly Has History of Leading Elite Offenses, Especially in the Run Game
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

How recruiting can improve with Chip Kelly as new Ohio State offensive coordinator (paywall)
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

Are you a casual football fan just tuning in for the Super Bowl?

Do you love low scoring contests? Games between Californians and the Midwest? Questionable officiating? PUNTS?!?

Good news! The fun doesn't have to end now! Let me introduce you to something called

The Big Ten

— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) February 12, 2024

Recruits react big after Chip Kelly named Ohio State offensive coordinator
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Chip Kelly brings Ohio State ‘immediate value’, Ryan Day says
Brad Crawford, 247Sports


On the Hardwood


Rejoice! For the Ohio State men’s basketball team won a game, beating Maryland 79-75 in double overtime.
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


I think you can be disappointed and frustrated with the season and still also be happy for a group of kids who won a basketball game. I think we can even let them be happy for like, an hour or so.

— Joe Gemma (@JoeDGemma) February 11, 2024

No. 5 Ohio State women’s basketball runs over Michigan State 86-71
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State Women’s Basketball Takes Outright Lead in Big Ten With 11th Straight Win, Defeating Michigan State 86-71
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors


Buckeyes' 2024 record still has a Blank Space in the loss column. https://t.co/PH9MVXcLho

— Thomas Costello (@1ThomasCostello) February 11, 2024

Outside the Shoe and Schott


No. 6 Ohio State Steamrolls No. 22 Indiana 32-6 on Senior Day
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

Women’s Lacrosse: Buckeyes Move to 2-0 with 17-6 Win over Kent State
Ohio State Athletics

Gunshot victim, OSU wrestler Sammy Sasso says he’s very ‘lucky’
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Dominant in Singles, Top No. 4 South Carolina 6-1
Ohio State Athletics


And now for something completely different...


The Third Coming. #DeadpoolWolverine pic.twitter.com/Cdioeu3MuG

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) February 11, 2024

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LB Joey Velazquez (National Champion)

A former Michigan Wolverine is now an Ohio State Buckeye.

Michigan graduate Joey Velazquez – a Columbus native and DeSales High School graduate – has transferred to Ohio State, a program spokesperson confirmed to Eleven Warriors. A three-star recruit in the 2019 class, Velazquez will be a walk-on for the Buckeyes in 2024.
The 6-foot, 222-pound linebacker appeared in 16 games across five seasons with the Wolverines. His appearances came as a freshman in 2019 (one), a redshirt sophomore in 2021 (10) and a redshirt junior in 2022 (five). He did not see any action in the 2020 or 2023 seasons. Velazquez finished his Michigan career with eight tackles and one fumble recovery.
Velazquez also played baseball at Michigan. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Wolverines as an outfielder and helped advance to two NCAA Regionals in 2021 and 2022. In 100 games, Velazquez made 68 starts and hit .255 with 17 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 51 RBIs. An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed Velazquez will play only football for the Buckeyes.
On Sunday, Ohio State's linebacker room watched Super Bowl LVIII together, and graduate assistant James Laurinaitis posted a photo of the coaches and players. Velazquez can be seen in the back of the photo wearing a black Nike jacket.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Gayle, Thornton talk windmill dunks and big shots after double OT win over Maryland

Uncut Podcast: Gayle, Thornton talk windmill dunks and big shots after double OT win over Maryland
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: Maryland at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State’s guards were all smiles after snapping a five-game losing streak.

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


Following a thrilling double overtime win over Maryland Saturday afternoon, the media spoke with Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Chris Holtmann about the victory that snapped the Buckeyes’ five-game losing streak.

Gayle was immediately asked about the windmill dunk he threw down with four seconds remaining after Zed Key more or less sealed the game by blocking Donta Scott below the basket. The sophomore guard said he “got the green light” from his teammates, but definitely not the coaches.

Thornton spent some time talking about validation, and how they needed all the work they’ve been putting in to finally pay off with wins. He also said Key is “always ready” even though the senior was very ill the day before the game.

Chris Holtmann said his players needed a win to feel like all the work they put in is worth it, and said that Tuesday’s loss to Indiana was a “gut punch” Holtmann spent time talking about several different players, naming Thornton, Gayle, Key, and Devin Royal as four players who made a big impact.



Connect with Connor:
Twitter:
@lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com


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LGHL No. 5 Ohio State women’s basketball runs over Michigan State 86-71

No. 5 Ohio State women’s basketball runs over Michigan State 86-71
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


OSU_9155.0.jpeg

Ohio State University athletic department

Even with three starters missing key minutes with foul trouble, the Buckeyes roll over the Spartans

Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball played the final conference game of the day, taking on the Michigan State Spartans. It was the last of five games on the day, with No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers grabbing most of the attention. Behind a quiet fourth quarter by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, the Hawkeyes suffered an upset defeat in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Buckeyes 86-71 win over the Spartans puts Ohio State alone at the top of the Big Ten standings, defeating Michigan State without usual minutes from three starters due to early foul trouble.

From the jump, it looked like the Buckeyes were facing off against themselves. Both teams employed a similar style of defensive press to try and throw the other side out of its rhythm. Early on, it was Michigan State getting the best of Ohio State.

Sparty forced two quick turnovers but offensively couldn’t capitalize. Neither side went on runs because of the pressure. Instead, each team took turns hitting shots and keeping the game close. It appeared the game would come down to who could break the press first.

Helping the Buckeyes was rebounding by sophomore Cotie McMahon. The Ohio State star had five to start the game, but headed to the bench. At first, it was because she picked up two fouls, but those two fouls turned into three, thanks to a technical assessed.

Going in for a layup, McMahon heard the whistle for a clear charging call. On the way back to the bench, the forward received a technical foul, giving her three on the day with 1:19 remaining in the first quarter. Guard Jacy Sheldon responded.

Sheldon closed the quarter out with a steal, assist and layup. It shot Ohio State’s three-point lead up to seven points. That and four shots missed to end the first quarter by the Spartans, gave the Buckeyes the seven-point advantage entering the second quarter.

The advantage grew quickly. Ohio State entered the second quarter looking like a team who practices against a press every day, scoring the first eight points of the quarter before Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick called a timeout to regroup.

Sparty came out of the timeout deciding to go hard at the paint. With four minutes gone in the second quarter, Ohio State was out-fouling Michigan State 11-to-5. Joining McMahon on the bench with three fouls was guard/forward Taylor Thierry. Also, Sheldon had two herself but was kept in the game. The graduate senior ended a seven-point Spartans run, including three free throws.

Even so, the Buckeyes still had a 12-point lead to protect in the remaining six minutes of the half, but it would get more difficult with another foul call. This time, it was Sheldon picking up her third of the half on a clear charging foul.

Ohio State was without its three leading scorers for the last five minutes of the first half. In those situations, its expected that there’s a dip and a chance for the Spartans to get back into the game.

That's not what happened.

The Buckeyes scored 15 of the last 20 points of the quarter, missing only two shots for the remainder of the half. Leading the way was guard Celeste Taylor. Although the guard picked up her second late in the second quarter, head coach Kevin McGuff kept her in the game.

Taylor led Ohio State with 16 points, playing all 20 minutes of the first half. The graduate senior guard did it on 6-for-9 shooting, going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Those 16 points matching the guard’s season high as a Buckeye, in the Dec. 30 defeat to the Michigan Wolverines.

At halftime though, it didn’t look like another trip to Michigan would end with a loss. The Buckeyes entered halftime with a 22-point lead, 53-31. Mostly due to turnovers.

On Jan. 14, the Buckeyes forced a season low eight turnovers against the Spartans. In the first half, Ohio State forced 11. The Buckeyes’ growing lead came in part because Michigan State didn’t get off many shots.

Ohio State outshot Michigan State 16-9 in the second quarter, but the Spartans with 3-for-9 on those shots, missing all three shots attempted from beyond the arc.

To start the second half, Coach McGuff brought back his starting five, with Taylor quickly joining three of her teammates by picking up her third foul. However, the start of the half was all Ohio State.

Michigan State added three more turnovers, inching closer to its season high of 15 turnovers in a game, and continued to shoot cold. For the Buckeyes, it picked up where it left off, going on a 10-point run after the Spartans hit one free throw to start the scoring in the third quarter.

The home side fought back out of a timeout, scoring the next six points, but it was three- point shooting bringing the game back to a consistent lead near 30 points for the Buckeyes. By the end of the third quarter, the Buckeyes were 7-for-12 from three-point range.

Also, outstanding scoring from forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The Slovakian scored eight points in the third quarter, putting her total to 19 points at the start of the fourth quarter. All of those third quarter points came inside the paint as the Spartans were giving her too much space on the other end of its press.

With 10 minutes still remaining, the Buckeyes were up 28 points, with 27 points coming off a Spartans season-high 16 turnovers. Ohio State’s rout continued.

McMahon and Thierry got the scoring started with a midrange jumper and three-point shot. It gave the scarlet and gray a 33-point lead.

Entering the game with four minutes remaining was former Michigan State Spartans forward Taiyier Parks. The graduate forward had her moment to play in her old home arena, finishing the game out for Ohio State.

There was no miracle comeback in East Lansing. The Buckeyes hold on to win 86-71, with a scoreline that made the game look much closer.

Taylor and Mikulášiková led things for the Buckeyes, in the scoring department. The Duke transfer scored 20, eclipsing her previous high of 16 points as a member of the scarlet and gray. Mikulášiková was right behind Taylor with 10 points. Also, despite playing only 19 minutes, McMahon still grabbed seven rebounds to lead Ohio State on the boards.

Team Basketball


Following Ohio State’s win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday, the coveted “Dub Chain,” given to a player who stood out in an Ohio State victory, went to the entire team because of a 23-assist game.

On Sunday, the Buckeyes had 28. Only six baskets made in the run of play didn’t come off an Ohio State assist. Of the 10 Buckeyes who made it onto the court, eight had at least an assist. McMahon, Mikulášiková and Sheldon led Ohio State with five assists each in a game that wasn’t in question for much of the 40 minutes.

Moving Ahead of Iowa


After the game, the Buckeyes shared that they knew Iowa lost to Nebraska before the tipoff. It didn’t get into Ohio State’s head and with the win, the scarlet and gray own its destiny in terms of winning the regular season title. If the Buckeyes win out, the trophy stays with Ohio State alone.

If the scarlet and gray lose to Iowa, and win every game before it, the Buckeyes will earn a share of the title with the Hawkeyes.

What’s Next


Ohio State has one more game before an eight-day break between contests. It comes Wednesday, at the Schottenstein Center, when the Nebraska Cornhuskers come to Columbus for a Valentine’s Day matchup.

Nebraska had quite the Super Bowl Sunday, defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes after going down 14 points in the fourth quarter. That’s behind a fourth quarter for guard Caitlin Clark who took six shots in the final quarter, not scoring a single point. Its the only time the guard hasn’t scored a point in the fourth quarter in her four seasons with Iowa.

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LGHL Game Preview: No. 5 Ohio State women’s basketball at Michigan State

Game Preview: No. 5 Ohio State women’s basketball at Michigan State
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Spartans host the Buckeyes three days after a debilitating Michigan State defeat against the Indiana Hoosiers

Are you ready for some Ohio State women’s basketball? That's the question for Michigan State on Sunday as the Buckeyes and Spartans face each other for the second time this season.

While the scarlet and gray bettered the green and white the first time the two teams met less than a month ago, will the Spartans learn from previous mistakes or will the Buckeyes play better than that low-scoring game on Jan. 14?


Preview


Back in January, the Spartans came to the Schottenstein Center and left with a 70-65 defeat. The Buckeyes, known for a havoc-inducing full court press, forced a season-low eight turnovers from Michigan State. Instead, Ohio State won the day on half court defense.

Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side held the green and white to 65 points, after entering the game scoring 89.9 points per game. The Buckeyes held the Spartans to 37.9% shooting in the win, at the time the lowest percentage of the season.

Since then, the Spartans have seen mixed results. Michigan State beat up the Northwestern Wildcats after the loss to the Buckeyes, but then suffered its worse loss of the Big Ten season, losing by 19 points to the Minnesota Golden Gophers (before the loss of star guard Mara Braun).

In the four games since that lopsided defeat, the Spartans responded.

Michigan State won its next four games by 19.7 points per game, including a 21-point win over the lone team to beat the Buckeyes in the Big Ten schedule, the Michigan Wolverines. Thursday night, it looked like another marquee win for the Spartans at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

With 4:38 remaining in the third quarter, a three-point shot by forward Tory Ozment put Sparty up 11 points, but Indiana wasn’t finished. Indiana scored 13 of the last 17 points of the third quarter and outscored the Spartans 28-23 in the final 10 minutes to come away with the home victory.

Now, the Buckeyes, fresh off a 71-47 win over the Golden Gophers, go to East Lansing to take on a side who had a season-shifting win slip through its hands.

Sunday will likely not include anomalies that gave Ohio State the win in the first matchup. For example, junior guard DeeDee Hagemann. In Columbus, the point guard who averages 13.1 points and 5.0 assists per game took 11 shots, but made only one, going 1-for-7 on shots inside the arc, mostly through drives to the basket.

In that scarlet and gray win, Hagemann looked for calls on many of those runs into the paint. That could mean a more aggressive Hagemann on Sunday, willing to take a hit to get to the line. Plus, the guard welcomes the Buckeyes on a four-game run where she’s averaging 15.3 points and 6.0 assists per game, plus a 19-point, 10-assist, double-double in the defeat to the Hoosiers.


DeeDee has a knack for finding her teammates! Julia for threeeee!#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/7W9u06Pq3u

— Michigan State Women's Basketball (@MSU_WBasketball) February 9, 2024

Another is deep shooting. Ohio State held Michigan State to 5-for-21 shooting from deep, only the second time all season Sparty hit five or less in a game (both defeats). Credit to the Buckeyes for closing in on players, but there were also clear unlucky bounces. If shots fall at closer to the team’s season average 36.9%, it’ll require more of a shooting response from the scarlet and gray.

Ohio State hasn’t hit 10 three-point shots in a game since the Jan. 21 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes. That doesn’t mean that a poor shooting game would do the Buckeyes in. Far from it, because that isn’t how the Buckeyes defeated the Spartans on Jan. 14.

In Columbus, the scarlet and gray won by out rebounding the Spartans, who shot 11 more times than the Buckeyes in the loss (making one less shot than Ohio State).

The Buckeyes still have to contend with the shooting of Michigan State. Four of the five expected starters can hit shots from deep, meaning getting back on defense and closing down shooters. To do that, starters have to stay on the court.

Shooting guard Celeste Taylor has missed crucial minutes for the Buckeyes of late, picking up four fouls in a game in four of the last seven. Often times, taking Taylor out of the game in the first half after picking up early fouls.

Also, while not foul-induced, forward Taylor Thierry’s been in a lull of late, one that Thursday showed she might be finding her way out. After averaging 6.5 rebounds in the first six games of the 2024 calendar, Thierry’s had 11 in the last four games. However, the guard/forward hybrid was crucial for the Buckeyes in the first half.

Playing 23 minutes, Thierry had three steals and three assists, with all assists coming in the second half. A place where the Buckeyes can hurt the Spartans is in the paint and Thierry can be key in that department for Ohio State.

Defensively though, the paint wasn’t the Buckeyes’ friend back in January against the green and white. Namely in backup guard Ozment. In the defeat, Ozment came off the bench to lead Michigan State in scoring with 18 points. Of those 18, only one was a three-point shot, meaning she found a way to score in the post.

Ohio State’s last three games came against teams strong in the paint, stronger than the Spartans, in Wisconsin forward Serah Williams, Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes and the pair of Mallory Heyer and Sophie Hart in Minnesota. The group of starters Jocelyn Tate, Julia Ayrault and Ozment are formidable, but will the recent run for the Buckeyes put them in a better position in East Lansing?


Ohio State


G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova

Lineup Notes

  • Guard Jacy Sheldon’s 12 points against the Minnesota Golden Gophers puts her at 1858 for her career.
  • Sheldon leads the Big Ten in steals per game with 2.3.
  • Ohio State has three players in the top 15 in the Big Ten in steals: Sheldon, Celeste Taylor (4th) and Taylor Thierry (6th)

Michigan State

G- DeeDee Hagemann
G- Moira Joiner
G- Abbey Kimball
G- Julia Ayrault
F- Jocelyn Tate

Lineup Notes

  • This group of players is likely to start its 21st game together Sunday, going 16-4 in the previous 20 games.
  • Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is one assist away from having 400 in her career.
  • Michigan State’s 53 points against the Hoosiers in Thursday’s first half was the highest in a half all season.

Prediction


Sunday will play out a lot like the first meeting between the sides, except the Buckeyes offense will play better. Shooting from beyond the arc will be improved, and the full court press of Ohio State will play better than on Jan. 14.

Sheldon matches up against a similar style guard in Hagemann, but the graduate senior will get the better of the junior on Sunday, leading the Buckeyes in scoring. Especially from three-point range.


How to Watch


Date: Sunday, February 11, 2024
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Where: Breslin Arena, East Lansing, Michigan
Stream: Peacock


LGHL Prediction: 88-79 Ohio State Buckeyes


Unfortunate Scheduling


Sports and Taylor Swift fans all across the country know that Sunday means the Super Bowl. Whether people are there to watch the game, halftime show or commercials, one group missing most of it will be the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes 4:00 p.m. ET tip starts two hours before the Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET. That means the game likely ends near 6:00 p.m. ET, followed by a postgame talk, media and then preparing to fly or bus home.

While the game beats watching hours of pregame coverage for the big game, there are lingering questions why games are scheduled close to the Super Bowl in the first place.

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Columbus Symphony Orchestra wants to build $275 million performance space


90


The Columbus Symphony Orchestra unveiled plans for a new 200,000 square foot performance and community space on the Scioto Peninsula that will cost an estimated $275 million to build.

Renderings released show a boomerang shaped facility on the banks of the Scioto River just south of COSI. The large glass building has a spacious atrium flanked on two sides by a large 1,600 seat auditorium for the symphony to perform and another multi-floor column of multipurpose rooms for offices, a community theater and educational space.

The symphony's Executive Director Denise Rehg told WOSU the high cost to build a dedicated performance space is justified to create something iconic to put Columbus on the map.

"It should not be acceptable in some respects to (Columbus) that we don't put up such a building. The reality is we've been growing and we have such a wonderful story to tell as a community," Rehg said.

The symphony first submitted a site plan earlier this year to build the facility on the 6-acre West Bank Park.

Rehg said the symphony has already raised $20 million to build the venue, but other government funding including a potential $10 million grant award from the state and private philanthropic donations will help them reach their goal.

Rehg said she jokes that the facility has the potential to be Columbus' Sydney Opera House, comparing its potential to the iconic Australian venue. She said Columbus needs a dedicated music hall like fellow major Ohio cities including Dayton and Cincinnati.

The symphony currently performs in the Ohio Theatre in downtown Columbus and would move almost all of its performances to this new venue. Rehg said since the symphony does not perform year round, other performance groups will have the opportunity to perform there.

"Part of its purpose is meant to be to create something iconic, in the city proper that will create a draw and hopefully help put Columbus on the map," Rehg said.

Columbus Association of the Performing Arts (CAPA) CEO Chad Whittington told WOSU on All Sides Weekend last Friday that the symphony is aiming to build a smaller venue with better acoustics. Whittington said the project could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Rehg said the facility could finish construction and open by 2028.

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