-
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 Badgers beat Buckeyes 71-60 as OSU offense stalls down the stretch
- News
- 0 Replies
Badgers beat Buckeyes 71-60 as OSU offense stalls down the stretch
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State defense was tough throughout, but the offense let them down in the end.
Last February, Wisconsin came into Columbus, took a 43-27 halftime lead, and never looked back in a 65-60 victory over the Buckeyes. It was Ohio State’s eighth loss in a nine-game stretch and one that they still have not forgotten. Ohio State sophomore center Felix Okpara said Wednesday night’s game was a “redemption” game for the Buckeyes (12-4, 2-3), who were looking to stay perfect in the Big Ten at home.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, came into this game as the only team with zero Big Ten losses. The Badgers (12-3, 4-0) are up to No. 15 in the most recent AP Poll and are No. 12 in KenPom.
Chris Holtmann rolled with the same lineup Ohio State has used all season, with sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Felix Okpara, and Evan Mahaffey along with senior forward Jamison Battle. Wisconsin went with a lineup of Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, Tyler Wahl, AJ Storr, and Steven Crowl.
The Buckeyes hit five of their first seven shots in this one and took an 11-8 lead at the first media timeout, 6:26 into the game. They led despite three early turnovers, which was a big problem in the Indiana loss, and reared its head immediately in Wednesday night’s contest. That lead stretched out to 25-17 by the under-eight media timeout, with Thornton and Battle combining for 19 of the Buckeyes’ 25 points. Ohio State did a pretty good job switching on defense in the first half, making it hard for Wisconsin to find open lanes to the basket.
The exception to that was Storr, who torched the nets in the first half to the tune of 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Ohio State tried to put several guys on him, but nothing worked and the former St. John’s star burnt the Buckeyes on all three levels.
Wisconsin ended the first half on a 6-0 run and took a lead into the locker room for the second straight year in Columbus. Last year it was a 16-point lead, this year it was a two-point lead, 35-33.
Storr led all first-half scorers with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while the entire rest of the Wisconsin team scored 20 collectively. Battle led Ohio State with 14 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point land. Collectively, the Badgers shot an even 50% in the first half, while Ohio State shot a very similar 48.1%. All in all, a very evenly played first 20 minutes of basketball.
By the 14-minute mark of the second half, Ohio State had made no progress cutting into the slight deficit, and still trailed 43-40. Gayle continued to search for his shot, knocking down just one of his first five in this one while turning the ball over twice as many times he made a basket, to that point of the game.
After falling behind 48-42, Ohio State responded with an 8-0 run over a 2:15-long span to take its first lead of the second half with just under 10 minutes remaining, 50-48. The run was capped off by a fast break possession that all started with Okpara swatting Crowl’s shot, Thornton running down the loose ball in the corner, and then sprinting back up the floor. Eventually, Thornton found Middleton on the far wing for the open three-pointer, putting the Buckeyes up two. Greg Gard immediately called timeout, with the crowd standing and roaring. By the under-eight timeout, Wisconsin had knotted things back up at 52-all.
With 5:14 left in the game, Klesmit — who averages 7.2 points per game — started an improbable run all by himself, scoring eight consecutive points to put the Badgers up 62-56 with 3:03 left in the game. His 8-0 run included two three-pointers that were created because of the attention Wahl and Crowl drew below the basket.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle between two quality teams in the B1G, but in the end, Ohio State was unable to get the defensive stops it needed in the closing minutes to edge out the Badgers, falling 71-60.
If you weren’t around tonight to see Wisconsin knock off the Buckeyes at home for the season year in a row, here are a few key moments that ultimately played out to be a Badger winner:
We all hate when officials make the game about themselves, take the game out of the hands of the athletes, and just generally disrupt the flow of the game with a bunch of fouls. Wednesday night was the opposite of that. Through the first 9:47 of tonight’s game, the two teams were called for a total of just two fouls — one per team. There was a decent amount of pushing and shoving, but nothing too flagrant. It made for a much smoother game.
Even after a very forgettable game at Indiana over the weekend, Thornton didn’t show up on Wednesday night looking hesitant with his shot. Thornton came out and scored six of Ohio State’s first 11 points, consistently getting to some of his favorite mid-range spots and elevating over Hepburn for baskets. The two guards are the same height, but Thornton took advantage of his nearly 20-pound weight difference over Wisconsin’s junior point guard. Thornton totaled 11 first-half points on 5-of-10 shooting.
Battle totaled 21 three-pointers over the previous four games coming into this one, and kept on that torrid pace in the first half of tonight’s game. The senior forward knocked down four more triples over the first 20 minutes in this one, including back-to-back step-back three-pointers over Klesmit that got the crowd on its feet and shouting.
It’s true that Battle’s defense leaves a lot to be desired, but to this point, the Big Ten’s leading three-point shooter has contributed more than enough on offense to make up for it.
Wisconsin scored 35 in the first half and shot 50% overall, which isn’t shabby at all. However, a whopping 15 of those points came from one man — AJ Storr. The sophomore transfer from St. John’s took 11 of the Badgers’ 30 shots in the first half, and Ohio State had no answer.
The 6-foot-7 forward had multiple dunks, multiple mid-range jumpers, and a three-pointer for good measure. Gayle and Mahaffey were guarding him for the most part, but neither were able to handle him one-on-one during the first 20 minutes.
Trailing 48-47 with 9:47 remaining, Okpara swatted Crowl’s shot below the basket, which led to a fast-break possession for the Buckeyes. Thornton found Middleton open on the far wing, and the freshman knocked it down to give Ohio State a 50-48 lead over the No. 15 Badgers.
Trailing 56-54, Klesmit — a 31% three-point shooter — found himself open after Ohio State sent a double team to Crowl below the basket. Crowl found Wahl, who kicked out to Klesmit, who knocked it down without touching any rim. Klesmit would score again 90 seconds later to put Wisconsin up 59-56, and another three 30 seconds after that to put the Badgers up six.
Klesmit’s 8-0 run over a 2:14 span of game time put the Badgers up 62-56 with 3:03 left.
Ohio State (12-4, 2-3) has four days off before traveling to *nn *rbor to face off with the Michigan Wolverines (6-9, 1-3). Michigan has struggled this year, but the fans are hoping that having the national champions of the college football world in the house will pick the basketball team up, as Jim Harbaugh and the CFP champion Wolverines will be honored on the court during the game.
Michigan guard Dug McDaniel was suspended for Michigan’s next six road games on Wednesday evening, but he will be available and in uniform for Monday’s game against Ohio State at home.
Ohio State’s game against Michigan tips off at noon and will be a nationally televised broadcast on FOX.
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
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State defense was tough throughout, but the offense let them down in the end.
Last February, Wisconsin came into Columbus, took a 43-27 halftime lead, and never looked back in a 65-60 victory over the Buckeyes. It was Ohio State’s eighth loss in a nine-game stretch and one that they still have not forgotten. Ohio State sophomore center Felix Okpara said Wednesday night’s game was a “redemption” game for the Buckeyes (12-4, 2-3), who were looking to stay perfect in the Big Ten at home.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, came into this game as the only team with zero Big Ten losses. The Badgers (12-3, 4-0) are up to No. 15 in the most recent AP Poll and are No. 12 in KenPom.
Chris Holtmann rolled with the same lineup Ohio State has used all season, with sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Felix Okpara, and Evan Mahaffey along with senior forward Jamison Battle. Wisconsin went with a lineup of Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, Tyler Wahl, AJ Storr, and Steven Crowl.
The Buckeyes hit five of their first seven shots in this one and took an 11-8 lead at the first media timeout, 6:26 into the game. They led despite three early turnovers, which was a big problem in the Indiana loss, and reared its head immediately in Wednesday night’s contest. That lead stretched out to 25-17 by the under-eight media timeout, with Thornton and Battle combining for 19 of the Buckeyes’ 25 points. Ohio State did a pretty good job switching on defense in the first half, making it hard for Wisconsin to find open lanes to the basket.
STORR SLAM@BadgerMBB pic.twitter.com/DjMg39UXUY
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 11, 2024
The exception to that was Storr, who torched the nets in the first half to the tune of 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Ohio State tried to put several guys on him, but nothing worked and the former St. John’s star burnt the Buckeyes on all three levels.
Wisconsin ended the first half on a 6-0 run and took a lead into the locker room for the second straight year in Columbus. Last year it was a 16-point lead, this year it was a two-point lead, 35-33.
Storr led all first-half scorers with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while the entire rest of the Wisconsin team scored 20 collectively. Battle led Ohio State with 14 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point land. Collectively, the Badgers shot an even 50% in the first half, while Ohio State shot a very similar 48.1%. All in all, a very evenly played first 20 minutes of basketball.
By the 14-minute mark of the second half, Ohio State had made no progress cutting into the slight deficit, and still trailed 43-40. Gayle continued to search for his shot, knocking down just one of his first five in this one while turning the ball over twice as many times he made a basket, to that point of the game.
After falling behind 48-42, Ohio State responded with an 8-0 run over a 2:15-long span to take its first lead of the second half with just under 10 minutes remaining, 50-48. The run was capped off by a fast break possession that all started with Okpara swatting Crowl’s shot, Thornton running down the loose ball in the corner, and then sprinting back up the floor. Eventually, Thornton found Middleton on the far wing for the open three-pointer, putting the Buckeyes up two. Greg Gard immediately called timeout, with the crowd standing and roaring. By the under-eight timeout, Wisconsin had knotted things back up at 52-all.
With 5:14 left in the game, Klesmit — who averages 7.2 points per game — started an improbable run all by himself, scoring eight consecutive points to put the Badgers up 62-56 with 3:03 left in the game. His 8-0 run included two three-pointers that were created because of the attention Wahl and Crowl drew below the basket.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle between two quality teams in the B1G, but in the end, Ohio State was unable to get the defensive stops it needed in the closing minutes to edge out the Badgers, falling 71-60.
If you weren’t around tonight to see Wisconsin knock off the Buckeyes at home for the season year in a row, here are a few key moments that ultimately played out to be a Badger winner:
Just letting the kids play
We all hate when officials make the game about themselves, take the game out of the hands of the athletes, and just generally disrupt the flow of the game with a bunch of fouls. Wednesday night was the opposite of that. Through the first 9:47 of tonight’s game, the two teams were called for a total of just two fouls — one per team. There was a decent amount of pushing and shoving, but nothing too flagrant. It made for a much smoother game.
The point guard’s new groove
Even after a very forgettable game at Indiana over the weekend, Thornton didn’t show up on Wednesday night looking hesitant with his shot. Thornton came out and scored six of Ohio State’s first 11 points, consistently getting to some of his favorite mid-range spots and elevating over Hepburn for baskets. The two guards are the same height, but Thornton took advantage of his nearly 20-pound weight difference over Wisconsin’s junior point guard. Thornton totaled 11 first-half points on 5-of-10 shooting.
Bomb’s away
Battle totaled 21 three-pointers over the previous four games coming into this one, and kept on that torrid pace in the first half of tonight’s game. The senior forward knocked down four more triples over the first 20 minutes in this one, including back-to-back step-back three-pointers over Klesmit that got the crowd on its feet and shouting.
It’s true that Battle’s defense leaves a lot to be desired, but to this point, the Big Ten’s leading three-point shooter has contributed more than enough on offense to make up for it.
Storr putting the Badgers on his back
Wisconsin scored 35 in the first half and shot 50% overall, which isn’t shabby at all. However, a whopping 15 of those points came from one man — AJ Storr. The sophomore transfer from St. John’s took 11 of the Badgers’ 30 shots in the first half, and Ohio State had no answer.
The 6-foot-7 forward had multiple dunks, multiple mid-range jumpers, and a three-pointer for good measure. Gayle and Mahaffey were guarding him for the most part, but neither were able to handle him one-on-one during the first 20 minutes.
Middleton’s three gives Ohio State its first lead of the second half
Trailing 48-47 with 9:47 remaining, Okpara swatted Crowl’s shot below the basket, which led to a fast-break possession for the Buckeyes. Thornton found Middleton open on the far wing, and the freshman knocked it down to give Ohio State a 50-48 lead over the No. 15 Badgers.
Klesmit’s three puts Wisconsin back up with five minutes to go
Trailing 56-54, Klesmit — a 31% three-point shooter — found himself open after Ohio State sent a double team to Crowl below the basket. Crowl found Wahl, who kicked out to Klesmit, who knocked it down without touching any rim. Klesmit would score again 90 seconds later to put Wisconsin up 59-56, and another three 30 seconds after that to put the Badgers up six.
Klesmit’s 8-0 run over a 2:14 span of game time put the Badgers up 62-56 with 3:03 left.
Up Next
Ohio State (12-4, 2-3) has four days off before traveling to *nn *rbor to face off with the Michigan Wolverines (6-9, 1-3). Michigan has struggled this year, but the fans are hoping that having the national champions of the college football world in the house will pick the basketball team up, as Jim Harbaugh and the CFP champion Wolverines will be honored on the court during the game.
Michigan guard Dug McDaniel was suspended for Michigan’s next six road games on Wednesday evening, but he will be available and in uniform for Monday’s game against Ohio State at home.
Ohio State’s game against Michigan tips off at noon and will be a nationally televised broadcast on FOX.
Continue reading...
Safeties Coach Matt Guerrieri (National Champion)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 27 Replies
Ohio State Hires Former Indiana Co-Defensive Coordinator, OSU Senior Advisor and Analyst Matt Guerrieri As Safeties Coach
Ohio State has hired former senior advisor and analyst Matt Guerrieri as its safeties coach after a year at Indiana as co-defensive coordinator.
OHIO STATE HIRES FORMER INDIANA CO-DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, OSU SENIOR ADVISOR AND ANALYST MATT GUERRIERI AS SAFETIES COACH
A familiar face is back to coach safeties for Ohio State's defense.
Matt Guerrieri, who served as a senior advisor and analyst for the Buckeyes in 2022 before a year as Indiana's co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, is back to replace the recently fired Perry Eliano. Ohio State officially announced Guerrieri’s hiring on Wednesday.
Login to view embedded media
Guerrieri has coached alongside Knowles for seven seasons between their time together at Duke and his year as an OSU analyst.
“He’s been everything,” Guerrieri said of Knowles in a September interview with Eleven Warriors. “I didn't know anybody in coaching, so I worked as many camps as I possibly could, and one of the camps that I worked was Duke’s camp. ... I just worked the camp with him, that's how I got to know him, on a Saturday in the middle of June. And anyways, built a relationship with him, was fortunate to shortly after that interview for a GA job there, and was fortunate to get that and then our relationship kind of took off from there. So since I've been with him, he put his arm around me and mentored me, and on and off the field, he's been a huge influence on my life.”
“HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME AND MENTORED ME, AND ON AND OFF THE FIELD, HE'S BEEN A HUGE INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE.”– MATT GUERRIERI ON JIM KNOWLES' INFLUENCE ON HIM
Matt Guerrieri - Safeties Coach - Football Coaches - Ohio State
Matt Guerrieri Safeties Coach (Pronounced: gurr-AIR-ee) Guerrieri, the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Indiana in 2023, ha...
Matt Guerrieri
Safeties Coach
(Pronounced: gurr-AIR-ee)
Guerrieri, the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Indiana in 2023, has Ohio and Ohio State ties. He is from Willoughby Hills, Ohio and is a graduate of Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School, and he spent the 2022 season in Columbus as Ohio State’s senior advisor and analyst on defense. He has a seven-year history with Buckeye defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, stretching back to 2012 when the pair first worked together at Duke University.
Guerrieri has extensive experience – eight years – coaching safeties. He was a graduate assistant for three seasons at Duke before being named safeties coach prior to the 2015 season. He coached safeties for the Blue Devils from 2015-21 and, when Knowles left Duke after the 2017 season to go to Oklahoma State, Guerrieri became the team’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the next four seasons (2018-21).
While at Duke, Guerrieri was one of three finalists for the 2020 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Assistant Coach of the Year award, a nominee for the 2018 Broyles Award, and one of 247Sports’ Top 30 Coaches Under 30 in both 2018 and 2019. He mentored All-American Jeremy Cash and five additional all-conference honorees. Cash, the 2015 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, was also a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, Thorpe Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
Guerrieri also coached at Duke Michael Carter II, a fifth-round NFL Draft pick who has played in 47 games and started 20 times the past three seasons for the New York Jets.
Before joining the Blue Devils, Guerrieri spent the 2011 season as a defensive graduate assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne University, where he helped coach the secondary and the outside linebackers.
Guerrieri was a three-year letterman at Davidson College and a starting safety for the Wildcats. He was a senior captain and a three-time All-Pioneer Football League honor roll selection. He graduated from Davidson in 2011 with a degree in sociology. He earned his master's degree in Christian studies from Duke in 2014.
Guerrieri is married to the former Alex Thompson, from Asheville, N.C. The couple has two young sons, James and Max.
LGHL Why will the 2024 season be different than 2023 for Ohio State?
- News
- 0 Replies
Why will the 2024 season be different than 2023 for Ohio State?
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
Mindset... and a new QB.
I think everyone believed that 2023 was going to be THE season for the Buckeyes. I know I certainly did. I truly thought that it would be impossible for them to lose to TTUN again and fail to make it to the College Football Playoffs. But, I was proved wrong. I absolutely refuse for that to be the case again next season, though.
I must admit, I 100% believed in this latest team. I thought the mindset was there, the brotherhood was there, the talent was there. I didn’t think anything was going to hold this team back. Clearly, I was wrong.
Kyle McCord was not the right fit at quarterback for Ryan Day and Ohio State. The offensive line never exceeded expectations. This year, the offense held this team back instead of the defense. Yet, they continued to find a way to win all season long.
If only McCord’s pass wasn’t picked off at the end of TTUN game... but then who knows what would’ve happened in the playoff. Obviously, after what happened at the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State did not deserve to be in the playoffs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25214614/1905673529.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 29 Goodyear Cotton Bowl - Missouri vs Ohio State")
Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
So, what’s going to make this next team different? I think 2023 hit rock bottom, and there is literally no choice but to be great next year. Yes, rock bottom for Ohio State is going 11-1 and losing its bowl game, but everyone knows that it’s more than that. Three years of losing to TTUN, no conference championship, no playoff. Enough is enough.
And I think the players realize that. That is why so many of the big names have announced they are returning for another season when they have the option to go pro. I think that’s why a lot of them are taking a while to make their decisions, too.
These guys chose to come to Ohio State to WIN. Period. And they haven’t done that, and won’t be satisfied until they do so. Yes, some guys have entered the transfer portal and some have gone pro. But, a heck of a lot more are staying than you thought would at the beginning of the season.
Plus, the Bucks have landed some extremely talented players from the portal. A strong, veteran QB in Will Howard, a GEM of a running back in Quinshon Judkins to make up the best backfield in the country if TreVeyon Henderson stays, and a solid offensive lineman from Alabama in Seth McLaughlin.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25214640/1895193591.jpg "Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Ole Miss v Penn State")
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
A lot of people still believe in this program and its winning culture. Guys are choosing to stick around and join the team because of the chance to win. This team HAS to. Ryan Day is on the hot seat. A lot of guys are using their final year of eligibility.
Yes, the Bucks will reload, they always do. But these guys who are still on the team deserve a rivalry win, a conference championship, and more.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
Mindset... and a new QB.
I think everyone believed that 2023 was going to be THE season for the Buckeyes. I know I certainly did. I truly thought that it would be impossible for them to lose to TTUN again and fail to make it to the College Football Playoffs. But, I was proved wrong. I absolutely refuse for that to be the case again next season, though.
I must admit, I 100% believed in this latest team. I thought the mindset was there, the brotherhood was there, the talent was there. I didn’t think anything was going to hold this team back. Clearly, I was wrong.
Kyle McCord was not the right fit at quarterback for Ryan Day and Ohio State. The offensive line never exceeded expectations. This year, the offense held this team back instead of the defense. Yet, they continued to find a way to win all season long.
If only McCord’s pass wasn’t picked off at the end of TTUN game... but then who knows what would’ve happened in the playoff. Obviously, after what happened at the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State did not deserve to be in the playoffs.
So, what’s going to make this next team different? I think 2023 hit rock bottom, and there is literally no choice but to be great next year. Yes, rock bottom for Ohio State is going 11-1 and losing its bowl game, but everyone knows that it’s more than that. Three years of losing to TTUN, no conference championship, no playoff. Enough is enough.
And I think the players realize that. That is why so many of the big names have announced they are returning for another season when they have the option to go pro. I think that’s why a lot of them are taking a while to make their decisions, too.
These guys chose to come to Ohio State to WIN. Period. And they haven’t done that, and won’t be satisfied until they do so. Yes, some guys have entered the transfer portal and some have gone pro. But, a heck of a lot more are staying than you thought would at the beginning of the season.
Plus, the Bucks have landed some extremely talented players from the portal. A strong, veteran QB in Will Howard, a GEM of a running back in Quinshon Judkins to make up the best backfield in the country if TreVeyon Henderson stays, and a solid offensive lineman from Alabama in Seth McLaughlin.
A lot of people still believe in this program and its winning culture. Guys are choosing to stick around and join the team because of the chance to win. This team HAS to. Ryan Day is on the hot seat. A lot of guys are using their final year of eligibility.
Yes, the Bucks will reload, they always do. But these guys who are still on the team deserve a rivalry win, a conference championship, and more.
Continue reading...
LGHL One of college football’s premier programs says goodbye to coaching legend
- News
- 0 Replies
One of college football’s premier programs says goodbye to coaching legend
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Photo unrelated.
On Wednesday, the biggest coaching carousel news of the 2024 offseason hit when Ohio State announced that it would finally be parting ways with special teams coordinator Parker Fleming. Since being promoted to a full-time staffer in 2021, Fleming laid claim to one of the nation’s worst special teams units in the country, highlighted by countless procedural penalties, failed fake punts and general confusion on the simplest of tasks.
While no replacement has been named on special teams, the position will almost certainly not be ran by a full-time staffer moving forward, as the Buckeyes look to even up the offensive and defensive full-timers at five apiece. They got one step closer to doing just that on Wednesday as well, with Matt Guerrieri being named the new safeties coach, replacing Perry Eliano. Gurrieri was a senior analyst for Ohio State in 2022 before serving as Indiana’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2023.
Oh, yeah. And I guess Nick Saban retired too or something.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Photo unrelated.
On Wednesday, the biggest coaching carousel news of the 2024 offseason hit when Ohio State announced that it would finally be parting ways with special teams coordinator Parker Fleming. Since being promoted to a full-time staffer in 2021, Fleming laid claim to one of the nation’s worst special teams units in the country, highlighted by countless procedural penalties, failed fake punts and general confusion on the simplest of tasks.
While no replacement has been named on special teams, the position will almost certainly not be ran by a full-time staffer moving forward, as the Buckeyes look to even up the offensive and defensive full-timers at five apiece. They got one step closer to doing just that on Wednesday as well, with Matt Guerrieri being named the new safeties coach, replacing Perry Eliano. Gurrieri was a senior analyst for Ohio State in 2022 before serving as Indiana’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2023.
Oh, yeah. And I guess Nick Saban retired too or something.
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOM!!! Buckeyes land four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis for their 2025 recruiting class
- News
- 0 Replies
BOOM!!! Buckeyes land four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis for their 2025 recruiting class
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Zahir Mathis | 247Sports
Zahir Mathis is a Buckeye!
The start of 2024 has been surprisingly good for the Ohio State football program and the drum of good news beats on as on Wednesday, Jan. 10, four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis announced that he was committing to play for Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes. The Philadelphia native is the sixth player in OSU’s 2025 class and pushes them up to the No. 6 team in the recruiting rankings.
Considering the way that the 2023 season ended, the Buckeyes needed their fortunes to change, and with recent transfer portal wins and recruiting pledges, it sure seems like they have been able to secure some pretty strong positives to head into the offseason.
Watch Zahri Mathis’ commitment to Ohio State:
The No. 37 player nationally, Mathis is the fifth-best edge rusher in the class and the top player from Pennsylvania per the 247Sports Composite grades for 2025. Taking to his Twitter account to announce his decision this afternoon, the news comes as less of a surprise to Ohio State fans thanks to rumors and crystal balls that have surrounded Zahir’s name the last few days. At any rate, this latest commitment moves the Buckeyes up to the nation’s current sixth-ranked class in the country with just six commitments, proving yet again Ohio State’s ability to bring in quality over quantity. They currently have the No. 3-ranked average player ranking.
A 6-foot-6, 225-pound athlete, Mathis really started to trend toward the Buckeyes earlier this week when he saw three different 247Sports crystal ball predictions for Ohio State. The prototypical edge rush body type, this addition has to give both the staff and fans a sigh of relief as the last couple of classes have been a little light in terms of the number of elite defensive end recruits. Of course, 11 months before Mathis can officially sign, one would be excused for being concerned about holding onto him until the Early Signing Period.
That of course is always something to worry about in the new era of college football, but for now, this pledge has to be a major cause for celebration across Buckeye Nation. Regardless of what comes of Larry Johnson’s status on the staff moving future, the Buckeyes are showing that they still have things very much under control and there’s still a ton of excitement surrounding the near future of Ohio State football.
Odds are, LJ will still be in Columbus for the next year, and whether or not Ryan Day brings on another defensive line coach to sure up the succession plan, recruiting at that position certainly isn’t slowing down any time soon.
A Philadelphia native, the Buckeyes have done well when it comes to recruiting the neighboring state; and stealing a stud from Penn State territory is never something to undersell. The 2025 class is off to a fantastic start and Zahir is the latest to join its ranks, but as the momentum continues, this class could very well just be getting started.
Just a look at what Mathis will bring, take a look at Zahir’s sophomore campaign below. Safe to say that te Buckeyes are getting an incredible prospect who still has tons of room to grow and increase his stock.
Watch Zahir Mathis working out at an Ohio State camp this summer:
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
Zahir Mathis | 247Sports
Zahir Mathis is a Buckeye!
The start of 2024 has been surprisingly good for the Ohio State football program and the drum of good news beats on as on Wednesday, Jan. 10, four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis announced that he was committing to play for Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes. The Philadelphia native is the sixth player in OSU’s 2025 class and pushes them up to the No. 6 team in the recruiting rankings.
Considering the way that the 2023 season ended, the Buckeyes needed their fortunes to change, and with recent transfer portal wins and recruiting pledges, it sure seems like they have been able to secure some pretty strong positives to head into the offseason.
Watch Zahri Mathis’ commitment to Ohio State:
Buckeyes land big-time edge rusher for 2025
The No. 37 player nationally, Mathis is the fifth-best edge rusher in the class and the top player from Pennsylvania per the 247Sports Composite grades for 2025. Taking to his Twitter account to announce his decision this afternoon, the news comes as less of a surprise to Ohio State fans thanks to rumors and crystal balls that have surrounded Zahir’s name the last few days. At any rate, this latest commitment moves the Buckeyes up to the nation’s current sixth-ranked class in the country with just six commitments, proving yet again Ohio State’s ability to bring in quality over quantity. They currently have the No. 3-ranked average player ranking.
A 6-foot-6, 225-pound athlete, Mathis really started to trend toward the Buckeyes earlier this week when he saw three different 247Sports crystal ball predictions for Ohio State. The prototypical edge rush body type, this addition has to give both the staff and fans a sigh of relief as the last couple of classes have been a little light in terms of the number of elite defensive end recruits. Of course, 11 months before Mathis can officially sign, one would be excused for being concerned about holding onto him until the Early Signing Period.
That of course is always something to worry about in the new era of college football, but for now, this pledge has to be a major cause for celebration across Buckeye Nation. Regardless of what comes of Larry Johnson’s status on the staff moving future, the Buckeyes are showing that they still have things very much under control and there’s still a ton of excitement surrounding the near future of Ohio State football.
Odds are, LJ will still be in Columbus for the next year, and whether or not Ryan Day brings on another defensive line coach to sure up the succession plan, recruiting at that position certainly isn’t slowing down any time soon.
A Philadelphia native, the Buckeyes have done well when it comes to recruiting the neighboring state; and stealing a stud from Penn State territory is never something to undersell. The 2025 class is off to a fantastic start and Zahir is the latest to join its ranks, but as the momentum continues, this class could very well just be getting started.
Just a look at what Mathis will bring, take a look at Zahir’s sophomore campaign below. Safe to say that te Buckeyes are getting an incredible prospect who still has tons of room to grow and increase his stock.
Watch Zahir Mathis working out at an Ohio State camp this summer:
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State’s Men’s Basketball vs. Wisconsin: Game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State’s Men’s Basketball vs. Wisconsin: Game preview and prediction
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 John Fisher/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to rebound from Saturday’s loss when they host Wisconsin tonight
Following Saturday night’s tough 71-65 loss in Bloomington to Indiana, Ohio State returns home tonight to host the Wisconsin Badgers. After seeing their four-game winning streak snapped by the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes (12-3, 2-2) will look to put an end to the four-game winning streak the Badgers (11-3, 3-0) will bring to Columbus. Ohio State will be trying to keep January from spiraling out of control like it did last season when the Buckeyes lost five straight games, and seven of nine games played in the first month of the calendar year.
The Buckeyes certainly had their chances to beat the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on Saturday night, but in the end Chris Holtmann’s team ended up being their own worst enemy. Despite Ohio State finishing the game with a 49-28 edge on the glass, what really hurt the Buckeyes in the loss were their 14 turnovers, which were 10 more than the Hoosiers committed. Both Roddy Gayle Jr. and Jamison Battle shared a dubious team-high, committing five turnovers each in the game. Along with the turnovers, Gayle really struggled from the field, shooting just 3-17 overall. Since scoring a career-high 32 points in the overtime win over West Virginia, Gayle is just 7-32 from the field in the last two games.
After taking a 38-37 lead into halftime against Indiana, Ohio State came out of the break on fire, scoring the first eight points of the second half. Unfortunately the Buckeyes couldn’t make the lead stick, as not only did the Hoosiers go on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 48 with 12 minutes left, Indiana would then outscore Ohio State 18-8 to open up a 66-56 lead. The Buckeyes would close the gap to within a bucket late in the game, but they couldn’t tie the game or take the lead. Battle led Ohio State with 17 points in the game, while Zed Key was the only other Buckeye to reach double figures in the scoring column, finishing with 11 points in 17 minutes on the floor.
This isn’t the same type of Wisconsin team that people have become accustomed to over the years. With their 88-72 win over Nebraska on Sunday, the Badgers have now scored at least 80 points in three straight games, marking the first time they have accomplished that feat since the 2014-15 season when they would eventually advance to the national championship game. The 75.8 points per game Wisconsin is averaging through 14 games this season is their highest scoring total since they averaged 77.9 points per game in the 1993-94 season. One reason for the boost in scoring so far this season has been Wisconsin’s ability to get to the charity stripe, as they are averaging six more free throws per contest than they did last year.
What has helped the Badgers put more points on the scoreboard this year has been their depth. After Wisconsin’s five starters all averaged more than 27 minutes per game last year, this season only two players have been on the floor for more than 27 minutes per contest. Along with spreading time on the court this season, the Badgers are also much improved when it comes to rebounding the basketball. After Wisconsin finished last season with a -3.4 rebounding margin, this year the Badgers are +5.8 boards on the glass.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25215253/1913591470.jpg "Nebraska v Wisconsin")
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
Leading Wisconsin in scoring this year is A.J. Storr, who is averaging 14.7 points per game. The St. John’s transfer guard has reached double figures in scoring in all but two games this year, with his season-high coming just before Christmas when he netted 29 points in a blowout win over Chicago State. Storr is one of three Badgers averaging at least 10 points per game, with veteran big men Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl being the other two. John Blackwell, Chucky Hepburn, and Max Klesmit are also capable scorers, as they all are averaging at least 7.2 points per game this year.
At 11-3, Wisconsin is off to a good start if they want to return to the NCAA Tournament. Last year the Badgers weren’t a part of the field of 68, instead making a run to the NIT semifinals before they were defeated by North Texas. While there still is a lot of season left for Greg Gard’s team to navigate, two of their three losses so far this season have come to teams that were ranked in the top-10 when they played the Badgers. Following tonight’s game against the Buckeyes, Wisconsin returns home to take on Northwestern on Saturday.
Tonight’s game is one Ohio State must win. Even though the Buckeyes only have three losses on the season, they have no margin for error because of how the majority of Chris Holtmann’s seasons in Columbus have gone. Even though the Buckeyes do have a winnable stretch of games following tonight’s contest, in reality there are no easy games in the Big Ten. A win against a tough, experienced Wisconsin team could kickstart a winning streak that could end up with the Buckeyes jumping into the top-25 rankings.
Unlike against Indiana, Ohio State can’t afford to make mistakes like they did against the Hoosiers. Wisconsin has played a tough schedule so far this season, so playing in Columbus won’t be something that rattles the Badgers. With how efficient Wisconsin has been scoring this year, the Buckeyes can’t give the Badgers extra possessions. Despite this game being played in early January, Ohio State almost has to treat this like a NCAA Tournament game since it could be a big win when it comes to their standing for the “big dance”.
What Ohio State is going to need most is Roddy Gayle Jr. and Bruce Thornton to pick up their play. Gayle and Thornton struggled against Indiana, combining to shoot just 7-34 from the field. If Gayle and Thornton are hitting their shots, it takes some of the pressure off of Jamison Battle, who has been exceptional lately, becoming the first Buckeye since Jon Diebler in 2009 to hit at least five three-pointers in three straight games.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25214846/usa_today_22238894.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Indiana")
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
The x-factor in this game for Ohio State is going to be Felix Okpara. The Buckeye big man is coming off the best defensive performance of his career, pulling down 15 rebounds and blocking five shots against Indiana, with both being career-highs. Wisconsin has some size with Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl, but they don’t have the toughness that Okpara and Zed Key have shown in the paint. If Okpara and Key can continue their recent strong play, they’ll force Wisconsin to have to hit more shots from the perimeter, and those shots might not fall quite as easily as they tend to in Madison.
ESPN BPI: Wisconsin 50.1%
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: BTN
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 John Fisher/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to rebound from Saturday’s loss when they host Wisconsin tonight
Following Saturday night’s tough 71-65 loss in Bloomington to Indiana, Ohio State returns home tonight to host the Wisconsin Badgers. After seeing their four-game winning streak snapped by the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes (12-3, 2-2) will look to put an end to the four-game winning streak the Badgers (11-3, 3-0) will bring to Columbus. Ohio State will be trying to keep January from spiraling out of control like it did last season when the Buckeyes lost five straight games, and seven of nine games played in the first month of the calendar year.
The Buckeyes certainly had their chances to beat the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on Saturday night, but in the end Chris Holtmann’s team ended up being their own worst enemy. Despite Ohio State finishing the game with a 49-28 edge on the glass, what really hurt the Buckeyes in the loss were their 14 turnovers, which were 10 more than the Hoosiers committed. Both Roddy Gayle Jr. and Jamison Battle shared a dubious team-high, committing five turnovers each in the game. Along with the turnovers, Gayle really struggled from the field, shooting just 3-17 overall. Since scoring a career-high 32 points in the overtime win over West Virginia, Gayle is just 7-32 from the field in the last two games.
After taking a 38-37 lead into halftime against Indiana, Ohio State came out of the break on fire, scoring the first eight points of the second half. Unfortunately the Buckeyes couldn’t make the lead stick, as not only did the Hoosiers go on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 48 with 12 minutes left, Indiana would then outscore Ohio State 18-8 to open up a 66-56 lead. The Buckeyes would close the gap to within a bucket late in the game, but they couldn’t tie the game or take the lead. Battle led Ohio State with 17 points in the game, while Zed Key was the only other Buckeye to reach double figures in the scoring column, finishing with 11 points in 17 minutes on the floor.
Preview
This isn’t the same type of Wisconsin team that people have become accustomed to over the years. With their 88-72 win over Nebraska on Sunday, the Badgers have now scored at least 80 points in three straight games, marking the first time they have accomplished that feat since the 2014-15 season when they would eventually advance to the national championship game. The 75.8 points per game Wisconsin is averaging through 14 games this season is their highest scoring total since they averaged 77.9 points per game in the 1993-94 season. One reason for the boost in scoring so far this season has been Wisconsin’s ability to get to the charity stripe, as they are averaging six more free throws per contest than they did last year.
What has helped the Badgers put more points on the scoreboard this year has been their depth. After Wisconsin’s five starters all averaged more than 27 minutes per game last year, this season only two players have been on the floor for more than 27 minutes per contest. Along with spreading time on the court this season, the Badgers are also much improved when it comes to rebounding the basketball. After Wisconsin finished last season with a -3.4 rebounding margin, this year the Badgers are +5.8 boards on the glass.
Leading Wisconsin in scoring this year is A.J. Storr, who is averaging 14.7 points per game. The St. John’s transfer guard has reached double figures in scoring in all but two games this year, with his season-high coming just before Christmas when he netted 29 points in a blowout win over Chicago State. Storr is one of three Badgers averaging at least 10 points per game, with veteran big men Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl being the other two. John Blackwell, Chucky Hepburn, and Max Klesmit are also capable scorers, as they all are averaging at least 7.2 points per game this year.
At 11-3, Wisconsin is off to a good start if they want to return to the NCAA Tournament. Last year the Badgers weren’t a part of the field of 68, instead making a run to the NIT semifinals before they were defeated by North Texas. While there still is a lot of season left for Greg Gard’s team to navigate, two of their three losses so far this season have come to teams that were ranked in the top-10 when they played the Badgers. Following tonight’s game against the Buckeyes, Wisconsin returns home to take on Northwestern on Saturday.
Prediction
Tonight’s game is one Ohio State must win. Even though the Buckeyes only have three losses on the season, they have no margin for error because of how the majority of Chris Holtmann’s seasons in Columbus have gone. Even though the Buckeyes do have a winnable stretch of games following tonight’s contest, in reality there are no easy games in the Big Ten. A win against a tough, experienced Wisconsin team could kickstart a winning streak that could end up with the Buckeyes jumping into the top-25 rankings.
Unlike against Indiana, Ohio State can’t afford to make mistakes like they did against the Hoosiers. Wisconsin has played a tough schedule so far this season, so playing in Columbus won’t be something that rattles the Badgers. With how efficient Wisconsin has been scoring this year, the Buckeyes can’t give the Badgers extra possessions. Despite this game being played in early January, Ohio State almost has to treat this like a NCAA Tournament game since it could be a big win when it comes to their standing for the “big dance”.
What Ohio State is going to need most is Roddy Gayle Jr. and Bruce Thornton to pick up their play. Gayle and Thornton struggled against Indiana, combining to shoot just 7-34 from the field. If Gayle and Thornton are hitting their shots, it takes some of the pressure off of Jamison Battle, who has been exceptional lately, becoming the first Buckeye since Jon Diebler in 2009 to hit at least five three-pointers in three straight games.
The x-factor in this game for Ohio State is going to be Felix Okpara. The Buckeye big man is coming off the best defensive performance of his career, pulling down 15 rebounds and blocking five shots against Indiana, with both being career-highs. Wisconsin has some size with Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl, but they don’t have the toughness that Okpara and Zed Key have shown in the paint. If Okpara and Key can continue their recent strong play, they’ll force Wisconsin to have to hit more shots from the perimeter, and those shots might not fall quite as easily as they tend to in Madison.
ESPN BPI: Wisconsin 50.1%
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: BTN
LGHL Score Prediction: Ohio State 75, Wisconsin 71
Continue reading...
Ohio State vs. #15 Wisconsin, Jan 10, 8:30 PM ET, BTN
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 127 Replies
Login to view embedded media
www.elevenwarriors.com
Presser Bullets: Wisconsin “As Good And As Deep” As Chris Holtmann Has Seen It Be, Felix Okpara Feels Added Size Has Helped With Rebounding
Chris Holtmann said this year's Wisconsin team is “as deep and as talented” as he's seen from the Badgers and that Roddy Gayle Jr.'s decision-making and ball skills need to improve.
PRESSER BULLETS: WISCONSIN “AS GOOD AND AS DEEP” AS CHRIS HOLTMANN HAS SEEN IT BE, FELIX OKPARA FEELS ADDED SIZE HAS HELPED WITH REBOUNDING
Login to view embedded media- A variety of players will guard star Wisconsin small forward AJ Storr, Holtmann said.
- Roddy Gayle Jr. needs to take a step in managing the offense when the ball is in his hands, Holtmann said. "It's decision-making combined with his ball skills growing and getting better. ... He's gotta make some corrections in terms of simplifying his attack, reading situations better."
- More on Gayle: "He needs to be more consistent. ... We need that from Roddy, we need to that to experience the kind of growth that he wants to experience."
- On Felix Okpara and whether his effort stood out where Ohio State's defense might have fallen short as a whole against Indiana: "He's got real gifts and we're different defensively when he's on the floor. ... It's gotta be a team effort, and I think we were good at times but not good enough. But at the end of the day, it was really turnovers that got us in that game."
- Gayle's also had difficulties now that teams have more film on him, Holtmann said. "His minutes weren't as consistent until the end of the year (last year). ... Now that's changed. Now there's more film on you, there's more tendencies. That's changed, so he needs to adjust."
- On Wisconsin: "I think it's probably as deep and as talented of a Wisconsin team as we've seen. ... They have a number of guys. The addition of a couple of freshmen has helped them."
- On Badger forward Tyler Wahl: "Really tough, tremendous motor and really smart."
- Wisconsin can be a threat from the perimeter, though Holtmann sees their attack as balanced overall. "We just need to have great awareness, they have a number of guys that can make shots."
- With Gayle and star point guard Bruce Thornton combining to shoot 7-of-34 against Indiana, Holtmann wanted to see other players step up. "We really needed to be a little better collectively across the board when two of your top players aren't shooting well and one is struggling."
- Devin Royal has missed time with an illness, but Holtmann said that he's recovering well and that it "thankfully" hasn't spread to other players yet.
