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LGHL BOOOM!!! Ohio State lands their 2024 QB in Will Howard, five-star DB target set to announce commitment on Saturday
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BOOOM!!! Ohio State lands their 2024 QB in Will Howard, five-star DB target set to announce commitment on Saturday
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State is making moves and looking for more.
In case you missed it, the Buckeyes got some major news on Thursday evening when Kansas State transfer Will Howard announced he’s committed to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility. The sixth-best quarterback in the portal, Howard comes to the Buckeyes as a player looking to boost his stock before his plans of entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
With a Big 12 championship on his resume, Howard is a guy the Buckeyes identified as someone who can bring a wealth of experience to the position room with how many career starts he’s had, but also a player who can elevate is game even further. There seems to be a successful formula with guys leaving their first school for a second program with better talent around them.
Take Bo Nix or Michael Penix for example, and you see guys that were solid signal callers at their original school of choice, but transferring elsewhere to a place with more weapons as a supporting cast you saw their level of play increased greatly. Ohio State is hoping they can cash in on the same caliber of experience. Knowing the numbers Howard put up at Kansas State with his teammates, you see the potential knowing the talent the Buckeyes have now and coming in at the skill spots.
A 6-foot-5, 242 pound athlete, Howard is not the typical quarterback Ohio State has had recently. A more accurate arm in comparison to arm strength, the Buckeyes are getting a guy who not only can extend plays with his mobility, but is also pretty quick in his own right. With his size, you wouldn’t expect great speed, but Howard has no problem of making plays with his feet, with nine rushing touchdowns last season for the Wildcats and 19 in his career. Maybe the most exciting area of his game, imagine the red zone possibilities with his size down near the goal line.
Overall, the Buckeyes seem to have got their guy. Both Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz remain on the roster, and will certainly compete for the job in the spring alongside Air Noland, but it’s hard to believe the Buckeyes haven’t at least given him the inside track at the job considering other programs such as USC were also very much wanting Howard on their roster. Either way, this certainly boosts the level of play in the quarterback room, and that’s exactly what Ohio State needed to do.
The rumors had been swirling for a few days and now it’s official: Will Howard is a Buckeye!
Hoping to keep the positive news going, the Buckeyes await the decision of five-star cornerback target Devin Sanchez, which is coming tomorrow. The No. six player nationally and the second best cornerback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Sanchez has had it narrowed down to just three schools since early November, and set his decision date for Jan. 6 at the All-American Bowl festivities.
Down to just Alabama, Texas A&M, and Ohio State, it’s been the Buckeyes who have led the way for some time now as the favorite to land the elite Texas native. A nearly perfect cornerback prospect, Sanchez is a long 6-foot-2 athlete who has the range, coverage, speed, and ball-skills to play for any top team in the country. With every 247Sports Crystal Ball in favor of Ohio State, the Buckeyes and position coach Tim Walton are ready to hear their name called if Sanchez makes it official.
Currently, Ohio State’s 2025 class with just four commits ranks 11th nationally, but an addition of Sanchez would jump them three spots into the top 10 with only five guys in the fold. To make that stand out even more, every class currently in the top 10 has at least seven or eight commits, so being able to jump several programs with just five once again shows the quality of player the Buckeyes are bringing in.
It’s not a done deal yet of course, but it would be a surprise to see Sanchez pick anyone but Ohio State tomorrow.
A player that has come under some scrutiny for his snaps in the CFP Semifinal, McLaughlin is still a very solid player and may even project higher at the guard position. Once again, it’s important to note that the Buckeyes are at least doing their due diligence. Fans want the coaching staff to be aggressive in adding guys to the roster, and that’s what they’re trying to do.
Whether an elite player or not, he’s still a guy with tons of experience in the SEC, and if he does end up moving to guard, surely his play would rise up the ranks. A visit to Ole Miss for McLaughlin is still scheduled, but look for Ohio State to do their best to add him to the fold and soon.
A 6-foot-8, 300 pound athlete, Rucci could play multiple spots up front and is looking to do so at a new home. Having Big Ten experience, this makes sense for the staff to reach out, and it wouldn’t be a shock if in the next few days he is also on the list of guys who may be heading to Columbus to see what Ohio State has to offer.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State is making moves and looking for more.
In case you missed it, the Buckeyes got some major news on Thursday evening when Kansas State transfer Will Howard announced he’s committed to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility. The sixth-best quarterback in the portal, Howard comes to the Buckeyes as a player looking to boost his stock before his plans of entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
With a Big 12 championship on his resume, Howard is a guy the Buckeyes identified as someone who can bring a wealth of experience to the position room with how many career starts he’s had, but also a player who can elevate is game even further. There seems to be a successful formula with guys leaving their first school for a second program with better talent around them.
Take Bo Nix or Michael Penix for example, and you see guys that were solid signal callers at their original school of choice, but transferring elsewhere to a place with more weapons as a supporting cast you saw their level of play increased greatly. Ohio State is hoping they can cash in on the same caliber of experience. Knowing the numbers Howard put up at Kansas State with his teammates, you see the potential knowing the talent the Buckeyes have now and coming in at the skill spots.
A 6-foot-5, 242 pound athlete, Howard is not the typical quarterback Ohio State has had recently. A more accurate arm in comparison to arm strength, the Buckeyes are getting a guy who not only can extend plays with his mobility, but is also pretty quick in his own right. With his size, you wouldn’t expect great speed, but Howard has no problem of making plays with his feet, with nine rushing touchdowns last season for the Wildcats and 19 in his career. Maybe the most exciting area of his game, imagine the red zone possibilities with his size down near the goal line.
Overall, the Buckeyes seem to have got their guy. Both Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz remain on the roster, and will certainly compete for the job in the spring alongside Air Noland, but it’s hard to believe the Buckeyes haven’t at least given him the inside track at the job considering other programs such as USC were also very much wanting Howard on their roster. Either way, this certainly boosts the level of play in the quarterback room, and that’s exactly what Ohio State needed to do.
The rumors had been swirling for a few days and now it’s official: Will Howard is a Buckeye!
Buckeyes await the decision of five-star defensive back
Hoping to keep the positive news going, the Buckeyes await the decision of five-star cornerback target Devin Sanchez, which is coming tomorrow. The No. six player nationally and the second best cornerback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Sanchez has had it narrowed down to just three schools since early November, and set his decision date for Jan. 6 at the All-American Bowl festivities.
Down to just Alabama, Texas A&M, and Ohio State, it’s been the Buckeyes who have led the way for some time now as the favorite to land the elite Texas native. A nearly perfect cornerback prospect, Sanchez is a long 6-foot-2 athlete who has the range, coverage, speed, and ball-skills to play for any top team in the country. With every 247Sports Crystal Ball in favor of Ohio State, the Buckeyes and position coach Tim Walton are ready to hear their name called if Sanchez makes it official.
Currently, Ohio State’s 2025 class with just four commits ranks 11th nationally, but an addition of Sanchez would jump them three spots into the top 10 with only five guys in the fold. To make that stand out even more, every class currently in the top 10 has at least seven or eight commits, so being able to jump several programs with just five once again shows the quality of player the Buckeyes are bringing in.
It’s not a done deal yet of course, but it would be a surprise to see Sanchez pick anyone but Ohio State tomorrow.
Quick Hits
- Case and point of Ohio State upping their aggression in the transfer portal, along with Will Howard being on campus yesterday, the Buckeyes also played host to Alabama offensive line transfer Seth McLaughlin.
A player that has come under some scrutiny for his snaps in the CFP Semifinal, McLaughlin is still a very solid player and may even project higher at the guard position. Once again, it’s important to note that the Buckeyes are at least doing their due diligence. Fans want the coaching staff to be aggressive in adding guys to the roster, and that’s what they’re trying to do.
Whether an elite player or not, he’s still a guy with tons of experience in the SEC, and if he does end up moving to guard, surely his play would rise up the ranks. A visit to Ole Miss for McLaughlin is still scheduled, but look for Ohio State to do their best to add him to the fold and soon.
- Sticking with the trend of talking offensive line portal targets, on Thursday another name surfaced that Ohio State should definitely consider bringing in for at least a visit. Wisconsin’s Nolan Rucci is in the portal, and being a five-star talent in the 2021 class, the Buckeyes should be reaching out if improving the current unit is really a priority.
A 6-foot-8, 300 pound athlete, Rucci could play multiple spots up front and is looking to do so at a new home. Having Big Ten experience, this makes sense for the staff to reach out, and it wouldn’t be a shock if in the next few days he is also on the list of guys who may be heading to Columbus to see what Ohio State has to offer.
Continue reading...
LGHL With the addition of Will Howard, Ohio State looks to replicate transfer QB success of Nix, Penix Jr.
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With the addition of Will Howard, Ohio State looks to replicate transfer QB success of Nix, Penix Jr.
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 Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will hope for a final year renaissance from its new quarterback similar to that of other transfers this past season.
Ohio State made a somewhat sizable splash in the transfer portal on Thursday afternoon when former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. Howard, while not quite the same caliber a transfer as Justin Fields in 2019, brings with him four years of experience in the P5, having helped lead the Wildcats to a Big 12 title in 2022, as well as an impressive dual-threat ability for a player with a bigger frame at 6-foot-5, 242 pounds.
Howard’s numbers from this past season are nothing flashy. He completed just over 61% of his passes for 2,643 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Comparatively, Kyle McCord completed nearly 66% of his passes for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions — all better than Howard, aside from an equal number of passing TDs. However, Howard added another 351 yards and nine TDs on the ground, whereas McCord finished with -65 yards rushing and zero scores, and he did not have a Marvin Harrison Jr. at his disposal.
While maybe not a clear upgrade just looking at the stats, there are obvious areas of Howard’s game that Ohio State will look to capitalize on where he performed better than McCord this past season. Howard fared better under pressure, completing 45% of his passes (46-of-102) for 555 yards and eight TDs compared to 39% (31-of-79) for 387 yards and two TDs for McCord, per PFF. While the Buckeyes don't often ask their QB to run the ball, having a guy with nearly 1,000 career rushing yards and 19 TDs on the ground will also help in areas like the red zone, where Ohio State has had issues over the past several seasons without a true dual-threat QB.
Still, at the end of the day, Ryan Day will hope to get an even better version of Howard than we saw in his four seasons in Manhattan, Kansas. While it is tough to expect a significant leap from a guy heading into his fifth year of college football, there is a precedent for a quarterback to find a new gear with a better program — no disrespect to Kansas State — later in their career. It isn’t a perfect apples to apples comparison, but Day will look to mirror the success of guys like Bo Nix at Oregon and Michael Penix Jr. at Washington with Howard at Ohio State.
Nix was a borderline five-star prospect in the 2019 class, beginning his career at Auburn. In his three years with the Tigers, the Alabama native was largely average, completing under 60% of his passes with 39 TDs to 16 INTs over 34 games. He then transferred to Oregon, where he parlayed a 3,600-yard passing performance in 2022 with the Ducks into a 2023 campaign that saw him throw for over 4,500 yards with 45 TDs and just three picks, completing over 77% of his passes — all career highs — and finishing third for the Heisman Trophy.
Penix Jr. was a three-star prospect out of Florida in the 2018 class, beginning his career at Indiana. Often banged up with the Hoosiers, Penix compiled just under 4,200 yards passing with 29 TDs and 15 INTs in 21 games spanning four seasons in Bloomington. He then transferred to Washington, where he has transcended into superstardom with back-to-back 4,600-yard-plus passing seasons with 31 TDs and 8 INTs in 2022 to go along with 35 TDs and nine INTs in 2023 — finishing second for the Heisman — with still one game to play as he has helped lead the Huskies to the national title game.
Howard was a lower-rated player as a prospect than both Nix and Penix Jr., and will not have the added bonus of two years at his new destination with just one year of eligibility remaining. However, he is also coming from a better starting point than either of those other transfer QBs, as his performance in his four seasons at Kansas State was better than that of Nix at Auburn or Penix Jr. at Indiana. Again, it isn’t a perfect comparison, but the Buckeyes will be hoping for a similar leap in production for Howard at Ohio State. If nothing else, the tremendous increase in talent around him will aid in that improvement.
Deuce Vaughn was a talented backfield mate for Howard in his first three seasons at K-State, but Howard has never had anything near the caliber of weapons around him that he will with the Buckeyes. In 2023, the Wildcats’ three leading pass-catchers were a former walk-on tight end, a formerly unranked 5-foot-9 wide receiver, and a three-star freshman receiver ranked in the low 1,300s. I’m sure all three of these guys are wonderful teammates who have or will put together respectable collegiate careers, but Howard wasn’t exactly playing with a stacked deck. Kansas State has not had an offensive skill player drafted in the first five rounds since Tyler Lockett in 2015.
Now, Howard will be leading an offense with nothing but four- and five-star players across the board. It seems more than likely that TreVeyon Henderson — former five-star and No. 1 overall RB in 2021 — will return to join Howard in the backfield, while his receiver core will be made up of some combination of Carnell Tate (five-star), Brandon Inniss (five-star), Jeremiah Smith (five-star, No. 1 overall player in 2024) and potentially Emeka Egbuka (five-star) plus an exciting young tight end in Jelani Thurman (high four-star). Needless to say, Howard will have a lot more dependable options at his disposal at Ohio State, likely all of whom will be in the NFL in the near future.
I’m not saying that Will Howard is necessarily going to have the type of season that Nix or Penix had in 2023 with the Buckeyes in 2024, but it isn’t out of the question that the fifth-year man could see his play improve somewhat significantly next season with Day’s knowledge of the position and a treasure trove of supreme talent around him. Howard is coming to Ohio State to try to win a national championship and improve his NFL Draft stock, and he will have a chance to do both of those things as QB1 in Columbus.
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 Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will hope for a final year renaissance from its new quarterback similar to that of other transfers this past season.
Ohio State made a somewhat sizable splash in the transfer portal on Thursday afternoon when former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. Howard, while not quite the same caliber a transfer as Justin Fields in 2019, brings with him four years of experience in the P5, having helped lead the Wildcats to a Big 12 title in 2022, as well as an impressive dual-threat ability for a player with a bigger frame at 6-foot-5, 242 pounds.
Howard’s numbers from this past season are nothing flashy. He completed just over 61% of his passes for 2,643 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Comparatively, Kyle McCord completed nearly 66% of his passes for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions — all better than Howard, aside from an equal number of passing TDs. However, Howard added another 351 yards and nine TDs on the ground, whereas McCord finished with -65 yards rushing and zero scores, and he did not have a Marvin Harrison Jr. at his disposal.
While maybe not a clear upgrade just looking at the stats, there are obvious areas of Howard’s game that Ohio State will look to capitalize on where he performed better than McCord this past season. Howard fared better under pressure, completing 45% of his passes (46-of-102) for 555 yards and eight TDs compared to 39% (31-of-79) for 387 yards and two TDs for McCord, per PFF. While the Buckeyes don't often ask their QB to run the ball, having a guy with nearly 1,000 career rushing yards and 19 TDs on the ground will also help in areas like the red zone, where Ohio State has had issues over the past several seasons without a true dual-threat QB.
Still, at the end of the day, Ryan Day will hope to get an even better version of Howard than we saw in his four seasons in Manhattan, Kansas. While it is tough to expect a significant leap from a guy heading into his fifth year of college football, there is a precedent for a quarterback to find a new gear with a better program — no disrespect to Kansas State — later in their career. It isn’t a perfect apples to apples comparison, but Day will look to mirror the success of guys like Bo Nix at Oregon and Michael Penix Jr. at Washington with Howard at Ohio State.
Nix was a borderline five-star prospect in the 2019 class, beginning his career at Auburn. In his three years with the Tigers, the Alabama native was largely average, completing under 60% of his passes with 39 TDs to 16 INTs over 34 games. He then transferred to Oregon, where he parlayed a 3,600-yard passing performance in 2022 with the Ducks into a 2023 campaign that saw him throw for over 4,500 yards with 45 TDs and just three picks, completing over 77% of his passes — all career highs — and finishing third for the Heisman Trophy.
Penix Jr. was a three-star prospect out of Florida in the 2018 class, beginning his career at Indiana. Often banged up with the Hoosiers, Penix compiled just under 4,200 yards passing with 29 TDs and 15 INTs in 21 games spanning four seasons in Bloomington. He then transferred to Washington, where he has transcended into superstardom with back-to-back 4,600-yard-plus passing seasons with 31 TDs and 8 INTs in 2022 to go along with 35 TDs and nine INTs in 2023 — finishing second for the Heisman — with still one game to play as he has helped lead the Huskies to the national title game.
Howard was a lower-rated player as a prospect than both Nix and Penix Jr., and will not have the added bonus of two years at his new destination with just one year of eligibility remaining. However, he is also coming from a better starting point than either of those other transfer QBs, as his performance in his four seasons at Kansas State was better than that of Nix at Auburn or Penix Jr. at Indiana. Again, it isn’t a perfect comparison, but the Buckeyes will be hoping for a similar leap in production for Howard at Ohio State. If nothing else, the tremendous increase in talent around him will aid in that improvement.
Deuce Vaughn was a talented backfield mate for Howard in his first three seasons at K-State, but Howard has never had anything near the caliber of weapons around him that he will with the Buckeyes. In 2023, the Wildcats’ three leading pass-catchers were a former walk-on tight end, a formerly unranked 5-foot-9 wide receiver, and a three-star freshman receiver ranked in the low 1,300s. I’m sure all three of these guys are wonderful teammates who have or will put together respectable collegiate careers, but Howard wasn’t exactly playing with a stacked deck. Kansas State has not had an offensive skill player drafted in the first five rounds since Tyler Lockett in 2015.
Now, Howard will be leading an offense with nothing but four- and five-star players across the board. It seems more than likely that TreVeyon Henderson — former five-star and No. 1 overall RB in 2021 — will return to join Howard in the backfield, while his receiver core will be made up of some combination of Carnell Tate (five-star), Brandon Inniss (five-star), Jeremiah Smith (five-star, No. 1 overall player in 2024) and potentially Emeka Egbuka (five-star) plus an exciting young tight end in Jelani Thurman (high four-star). Needless to say, Howard will have a lot more dependable options at his disposal at Ohio State, likely all of whom will be in the NFL in the near future.
I’m not saying that Will Howard is necessarily going to have the type of season that Nix or Penix had in 2023 with the Buckeyes in 2024, but it isn’t out of the question that the fifth-year man could see his play improve somewhat significantly next season with Day’s knowledge of the position and a treasure trove of supreme talent around him. Howard is coming to Ohio State to try to win a national championship and improve his NFL Draft stock, and he will have a chance to do both of those things as QB1 in Columbus.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Recapping Ohio State’s wins over West Virginia and Rutgers, women’s hoops update with Thomas Costello
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Bucketheads Podcast: Recapping Ohio State’s wins over West Virginia and Rutgers, women’s hoops update with Thomas Costello
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Thomas is the LGHL Ohio State women’s vasketball beat writer, and we talked about everything within the program.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the 99th episode of ‘Bucketheads,’ Connor and Justin welcome back Thomas Costello, the Ohio State women’s basketball writer for Land-Grant Holy Land.
The boys talked with Thomas about all things Ohio State women’s basketball, the expectations for the team, the commitment of Jaloni Cambridge, Jacy Sheldon and how they have replaced Taylor Mikesell.
Before the conversation with Thomas, Connor and Justin talk about the Buckeye's wins over West Virginia and Rutgers, and how we feel about the team as they sit at 12-2.
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of your thoughts on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Thomas is the LGHL Ohio State women’s vasketball beat writer, and we talked about everything within the program.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the 99th episode of ‘Bucketheads,’ Connor and Justin welcome back Thomas Costello, the Ohio State women’s basketball writer for Land-Grant Holy Land.
The boys talked with Thomas about all things Ohio State women’s basketball, the expectations for the team, the commitment of Jaloni Cambridge, Jacy Sheldon and how they have replaced Taylor Mikesell.
Before the conversation with Thomas, Connor and Justin talk about the Buckeye's wins over West Virginia and Rutgers, and how we feel about the team as they sit at 12-2.
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of your thoughts on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Preview: No. 20 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Northwestern
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- 0 Replies
Game Preview: No. 20 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Northwestern
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After a rivalry defeat, the Buckeyes look to bounce back in a trip to Evanston.
It’s far too early in the Ohio State women’s basketball season to say that the Dec. 30 defeat to the Michigan Wolverines is going to sink the Buckeyes’ 2023-24 campaign. However, the loss was indicative of areas of concern for a team with high expectations heading into the second half of the season.
The 2024 calendar starts with a game that favors Ohio State. Can the scarlet and gray capitalize against the Northwestern Wildcats?
The Buckeyes and Wildcats are predicted to be on opposite sides of the Big Ten standings, but the last week for both teams hasn't been ideal as the two programs suffered especially difficult defeats. Numerically, the Wildcats’ was much worse.
Against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Wildcats were pounced 95-55. Northwestern gave up the ball 28 times and the Nittany Lions capitalized with 16 more shots than the Wildcats, even without star guard Makenna Marisa, who suffered an injury against the Buckeyes on Dec. 10.
Ohio State’s 69-60 loss looks much more palatable in comparison, but talk to the players and coaches and its a different story. The Buckeyes went three hours north to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and put up their worst offensive performance of the season.
In the 60-point showing, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side shot its worst game from beyond the arc of the year, and it wasn’t due to bad shot selection. Early in the game, Ohio State had open looks, but missed, seemingly giving the Wolverines less to worry about.
Friday, the Buckeyes have a shot at redemption, facing the last place team in the conference when it comes to opponent three-point percentage at 37.2%. If Ohio State continues that trend, it might be because of a return to form for forward Cotie McMahon.
The sophomore McMahon enters Friday in a tough offensive slump. It's the first time in the forward’s short NCAA career where she's scored less than 10 points in a game in four-straight contests. Against Michigan, it was because of foul trouble. McMahon played 17 minutes, scoring five points, grabbing no rebounds and picking up four fouls.
Anyone who’s watched McMahon knows the ability and talent, so it's likely destined to be a short-lived slump. When McMahon’s down, the team has trouble adjusting. Guard Jacy Sheldon has picked up scoring, but was also quiet against Michigan with seven points, although guard Celeste Taylor led the team with a personal scoring high in her partial season with Ohio State.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
Northwestern
G- Mellanie Daley
G- Casey Harter
G- Caroline Lau
G- Paige Mott
F- Caileigh Walsh
In a game where both sides have added motivation coming off tough defeats, it’ll be Ohio State making the most at the opportunity for redemption. Forwards Caileigh Walsh and Paige Mott will lead the Wildcats in rebounding, but it won’t be another single-digit scoring game for Sheldon and McMahon.
The Buckeyes will hurt the Wildcats in transition, forcing at least 25 turnovers. Those easier looks for McMahon will spur on the sophomore’s return to dominance.
Date: Friday, January 5, 2024
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois
Stream: B1G+
The Buckeyes early conference loss to Michigan gives Ohio State it’s first of the season. However, usually the winner of the Big Ten isn't losing too many in-conference.
Only once in the past four years has a team with three or more losses won the regular season title. The team to do that? The Ohio State women's basketball team in the 2021-22 season, where it shared a piece of the conference crown with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
That season, four teams had four losses, but with Covid-19 game cancellations, the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes had 14 wins, compared to 13 for the Maryland Terrapins and Michigan Wolverines.
There are still plenty of difficult games left in the Big Ten schedule, including a marquee matchup at the Schottenstein Center on Jan. 21, when guard Caitlin Clark and Iowa come to Columbus.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After a rivalry defeat, the Buckeyes look to bounce back in a trip to Evanston.
It’s far too early in the Ohio State women’s basketball season to say that the Dec. 30 defeat to the Michigan Wolverines is going to sink the Buckeyes’ 2023-24 campaign. However, the loss was indicative of areas of concern for a team with high expectations heading into the second half of the season.
The 2024 calendar starts with a game that favors Ohio State. Can the scarlet and gray capitalize against the Northwestern Wildcats?
Preview
The Buckeyes and Wildcats are predicted to be on opposite sides of the Big Ten standings, but the last week for both teams hasn't been ideal as the two programs suffered especially difficult defeats. Numerically, the Wildcats’ was much worse.
Against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Wildcats were pounced 95-55. Northwestern gave up the ball 28 times and the Nittany Lions capitalized with 16 more shots than the Wildcats, even without star guard Makenna Marisa, who suffered an injury against the Buckeyes on Dec. 10.
Ohio State’s 69-60 loss looks much more palatable in comparison, but talk to the players and coaches and its a different story. The Buckeyes went three hours north to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and put up their worst offensive performance of the season.
In the 60-point showing, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side shot its worst game from beyond the arc of the year, and it wasn’t due to bad shot selection. Early in the game, Ohio State had open looks, but missed, seemingly giving the Wolverines less to worry about.
Friday, the Buckeyes have a shot at redemption, facing the last place team in the conference when it comes to opponent three-point percentage at 37.2%. If Ohio State continues that trend, it might be because of a return to form for forward Cotie McMahon.
The sophomore McMahon enters Friday in a tough offensive slump. It's the first time in the forward’s short NCAA career where she's scored less than 10 points in a game in four-straight contests. Against Michigan, it was because of foul trouble. McMahon played 17 minutes, scoring five points, grabbing no rebounds and picking up four fouls.
Anyone who’s watched McMahon knows the ability and talent, so it's likely destined to be a short-lived slump. When McMahon’s down, the team has trouble adjusting. Guard Jacy Sheldon has picked up scoring, but was also quiet against Michigan with seven points, although guard Celeste Taylor led the team with a personal scoring high in her partial season with Ohio State.
Projected Lineups
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
Lineup Notes
- Should the starting five continue, both Cotie McMahon and forward Taylor Thierry are slated to start their 50th game in a row as Buckeyes.
- The Buckeyes’ 61.2 points per game allowed is the team’s best defensive season in the 11th year of coach Kevin McGuff at the helm.
- A win against Northwestern would be Ohio State’s fourth in a row against the Wildcats.
Northwestern
G- Mellanie Daley
G- Casey Harter
G- Caroline Lau
G- Paige Mott
F- Caileigh Walsh
Lineup Notes
- Northwestern has used five different lineups this season, but kept the projected group in the last three games, going 2-1 with wins over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Temple Owls.
- Junior forward Caileigh Walsh is having a career season, averaging 12.9 points and grabbing 5.9 rebounds per game — both highs for the third-year Wildcat.
- The Wildcats have three scorers averaging double figures with Melanie Daley (13.4), Caileigh Walsh (12.9) and Hailey Weaver (10.8).
Prediction
In a game where both sides have added motivation coming off tough defeats, it’ll be Ohio State making the most at the opportunity for redemption. Forwards Caileigh Walsh and Paige Mott will lead the Wildcats in rebounding, but it won’t be another single-digit scoring game for Sheldon and McMahon.
The Buckeyes will hurt the Wildcats in transition, forcing at least 25 turnovers. Those easier looks for McMahon will spur on the sophomore’s return to dominance.
How to Watch
Date: Friday, January 5, 2024
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Prediction: 82-67 Ohio State Buckeyes
Watching the Standings
The Buckeyes early conference loss to Michigan gives Ohio State it’s first of the season. However, usually the winner of the Big Ten isn't losing too many in-conference.
Only once in the past four years has a team with three or more losses won the regular season title. The team to do that? The Ohio State women's basketball team in the 2021-22 season, where it shared a piece of the conference crown with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
That season, four teams had four losses, but with Covid-19 game cancellations, the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes had 14 wins, compared to 13 for the Maryland Terrapins and Michigan Wolverines.
There are still plenty of difficult games left in the Big Ten schedule, including a marquee matchup at the Schottenstein Center on Jan. 21, when guard Caitlin Clark and Iowa come to Columbus.
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LGHL Updated NCAA Tournament seeding and bracketology predictions for Ohio State men’s basketball
- News
- 0 Replies
Updated NCAA Tournament seeding and bracketology predictions for Ohio State men’s basketball
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
As of now, everyone has the Buckeyes dancing in March.
After Wednesday night’s victory over Rutgers, the Ohio State Buckeyes sit at 12-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. Ohio State had a similar start last year, however, going 10-4 in its first 14 games and 2-1 to start Big Ten play. After that start, OSU finished 6-15 over its final 21 games and went 3-14 over the final 17 games of Big Ten play.
All of that is to say — none of this is a given. Things could go south. We’ve seen it with our own eyes, very recently in fact! But as of right now, anyone who is anyone has Ohio State safely in the NCAA Tournament field.
If the Buckeyes make the NCAA Tournament, it would be their first appearance since 2022 and Chris Holtmann’s fifth time taking Ohio State to the tournament. However, Holtmann is still looking for that elusive Sweet Sixteen appearance at Ohio State, with a combined 3-4 record in those other four appearances.
Here’s where a dozen “bracketologists” have the Buckeyes landing the NCAA Tournament, as of the first week of January. Experts have Ohio State anywhere from a 5-seed to a 10-seed, depending on who you ask. If the Buckeyes want to scoot up a line or two, they’ll need to rack up a bunch of wins in Big Ten play to sweeten the resume.
If you want to check out the entire bracket for each source, just click on the name of the site, in bold:
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Mississippi State in the first round.
Ohio State is an 8-seed, facing 9-seed Iowa State in the first round
Ohio State is a 5-seed, facing the winner of 12-seed play-in Kansas State & Virginia
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Colorado
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Gonzaga
Ohio State is a 9-seed, facing 8-seed Mississippi State
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Virginia
Ohio State is an 8-seed, facing 9-seed St. John’s
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Iowa State
Ohio State is an 8-seed, facing 9-seed Alabama
Ohio State is a 5-seed, facing the winner of 12-seed play-in TCU & Michigan State
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Mississippi State
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
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
As of now, everyone has the Buckeyes dancing in March.
After Wednesday night’s victory over Rutgers, the Ohio State Buckeyes sit at 12-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. Ohio State had a similar start last year, however, going 10-4 in its first 14 games and 2-1 to start Big Ten play. After that start, OSU finished 6-15 over its final 21 games and went 3-14 over the final 17 games of Big Ten play.
All of that is to say — none of this is a given. Things could go south. We’ve seen it with our own eyes, very recently in fact! But as of right now, anyone who is anyone has Ohio State safely in the NCAA Tournament field.
If the Buckeyes make the NCAA Tournament, it would be their first appearance since 2022 and Chris Holtmann’s fifth time taking Ohio State to the tournament. However, Holtmann is still looking for that elusive Sweet Sixteen appearance at Ohio State, with a combined 3-4 record in those other four appearances.
Here’s where a dozen “bracketologists” have the Buckeyes landing the NCAA Tournament, as of the first week of January. Experts have Ohio State anywhere from a 5-seed to a 10-seed, depending on who you ask. If the Buckeyes want to scoot up a line or two, they’ll need to rack up a bunch of wins in Big Ten play to sweeten the resume.
If you want to check out the entire bracket for each source, just click on the name of the site, in bold:
Bracket Matrix
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Mississippi State in the first round.
ESPN
Ohio State is an 8-seed, facing 9-seed Iowa State in the first round
FOX
Ohio State is a 5-seed, facing the winner of 12-seed play-in Kansas State & Virginia
Busting Brackets
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Colorado
131Sports
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Gonzaga
Bleacher Report
Ohio State is a 9-seed, facing 8-seed Mississippi State
Bracketometry
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Virginia
INCCStats.com
Ohio State is an 8-seed, facing 9-seed St. John’s
Made for March
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Iowa State
Making the Madness
Ohio State is an 8-seed, facing 9-seed Alabama
Bracket WAG
Ohio State is a 5-seed, facing the winner of 12-seed play-in TCU & Michigan State
Bracketville
Ohio State is a 7-seed, facing 10-seed Mississippi State
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State appears to be closing in on transfer portal QB, receives big news from Tyleik Williams
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State appears to be closing in on transfer portal QB, receives big news from Tyleik Williams
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes look poised and ready to battle in the transfer portal.
With Kyle McCord’s transfer to Syracuse, the Buckeyes shifted their focus to Devin Brown; Not only as the starter for the Cotton Bowl, but for potentially the 2024 season if all went well. Instead, Brown’s unfortunate injury caused him to miss most of the game, and though the jury cannot be totally out on him after just a two-series performance, this team’s directive of needing to add a legitimate signal caller has been upped.
It’s not the fault of Brown or Lincoln Kienholz for the Cotton Bowl loss, but with the game now in the rear view, this program must bring in a guy who has experience. You can’t gamble the 2024 season on hope, and if that offends a current roster player or causes them to leave then so be it. It’s a new era of college football, and with the way the team played this year, that position cannot be up in the air once again.
The rumors have been swirling for days now, but the smoke of Kansas State transfer Will Howard is almost catching fire at this point. Multiple outlets are going as far to say that Howard to the Buckeyes is basically a done deal, and if that is the case, Ohio State will have raised the level of play in the current room.
Not the elite Justin Field-type of transfer one dreams for — there aren’t exactly many of those — if the Buckeyes are in fact able to land Howard, it does give them a veteran presence in the room that has plenty of experience playing in big time contests as a starter. With Brown, Kienholz, and eventually Air Noland also around, Ohio State would have a competition for the starting job that not only would be solid, but would take the next step in terms of confidence that the team has a real dude behind center.
Ohio State has numerous areas to address if it wants to get back to competing for a national championship next season. The past month or so for the Buckeyes hasn’t been real positive with the fans when it comes the on-field product and staffing situations, but even when this program seems like it’s “down”, the end result is still an 11-2 season, which is a pretty high floor all things considered.
However, it’s obviously not good enough and needs to be addressed. The expectations at Ohio State are as high as they can be, and this program has to meet them in order to stick around. The standard is the standard for a reason, and Day and his crew need to get it done.
That said, knowing they need some good vibes and soon, on Wednesday Ohio State got some great news for the 2024 team when current Buckeye Tyleik Williams announced his plans to return to the Buckeyes for his senior season.
One of the key contributors this past 2023 season, Williams exploded onto the scene after a quiet first two years in the program. As a junior, the 6-foot-2, 290-pound lineman clearly figured it out, as his snap count and production were among the best in the country for defensive tackles. Taking into consideration how much he improved in just one season, the hopes for him as a senior are even higher now, and getting him back for another go will be huge for this defense overall.
From his play personally to his help in developing the younger guys, it can’t be understated how much of a win this is for the Buckeyes. While it’s not perfect, the defense took major strides in year two under Knowles, and you’d have to think if multiple other guys choose to come back to Ohio State, it only further helps their chances of being even better in 2024.
Williams is locked in, and as the staff awaits the decisions of several other key players on their own roster, this announcement could impact the thinking of his teammates who will soon also share their plans.
If you watched the Cotton Bowl at all, it didn’t take more than a series to realize Ohio State’s offensive line needs some serious help and improvement before 2024. Whether you think there needs to be a change of position coach or better players or even a combination of both, we can all agree that the line needs to get a ton better, and the portal is where that solution has to exist.
It might not be the perfect fix, but Ohio State has to give their best effort at bringing in not just one, but multiple guys to sure up the unit. Likely to take some time, Ohio State is at least already getting to work, as on Wednesday it became public that the Buckeyes hosted portal target, Derrick Graham.
A 6-foot-4, 315 pound lineman, Graham is transferring from Troy, where he started every game this season at tackle. Hard to say if he would stay at the tackle position, at the very least Graham is a proven starter already who would raise the level of competition for one, but could also potentially be a guy that could slide into a guard spot.
Again, Derrick cannot be the only guy the Buckeyes seriously look at and host for a visit, but this is a start. Some serious questions will need to be answered by Day regarding the position, and the quickest way to solve the issues are to address the players on the roster. Look for the staff to increase the efforts mightily in the coming days and weeks when it comes to this position group, as they too saw that this group did not perform anywhere near what is the expectation the last time they were on the field.
Turning heads in one-on-ones and in drill work, Smith, who was already thought to be ready for the next level, is once again showing why he was the nation’s best player in the 2024 class. Named the MVP for Day 2, Smith has showed no signs of slowing down the rest of this week.
It’s easy to see why so many believe Smith will come in and compete to start as a true freshman for the Buckeyes.
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
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes look poised and ready to battle in the transfer portal.
With Kyle McCord’s transfer to Syracuse, the Buckeyes shifted their focus to Devin Brown; Not only as the starter for the Cotton Bowl, but for potentially the 2024 season if all went well. Instead, Brown’s unfortunate injury caused him to miss most of the game, and though the jury cannot be totally out on him after just a two-series performance, this team’s directive of needing to add a legitimate signal caller has been upped.
It’s not the fault of Brown or Lincoln Kienholz for the Cotton Bowl loss, but with the game now in the rear view, this program must bring in a guy who has experience. You can’t gamble the 2024 season on hope, and if that offends a current roster player or causes them to leave then so be it. It’s a new era of college football, and with the way the team played this year, that position cannot be up in the air once again.
The rumors have been swirling for days now, but the smoke of Kansas State transfer Will Howard is almost catching fire at this point. Multiple outlets are going as far to say that Howard to the Buckeyes is basically a done deal, and if that is the case, Ohio State will have raised the level of play in the current room.
Not the elite Justin Field-type of transfer one dreams for — there aren’t exactly many of those — if the Buckeyes are in fact able to land Howard, it does give them a veteran presence in the room that has plenty of experience playing in big time contests as a starter. With Brown, Kienholz, and eventually Air Noland also around, Ohio State would have a competition for the starting job that not only would be solid, but would take the next step in terms of confidence that the team has a real dude behind center.
Buckeyes get a major player to return for 2024
Ohio State has numerous areas to address if it wants to get back to competing for a national championship next season. The past month or so for the Buckeyes hasn’t been real positive with the fans when it comes the on-field product and staffing situations, but even when this program seems like it’s “down”, the end result is still an 11-2 season, which is a pretty high floor all things considered.
However, it’s obviously not good enough and needs to be addressed. The expectations at Ohio State are as high as they can be, and this program has to meet them in order to stick around. The standard is the standard for a reason, and Day and his crew need to get it done.
That said, knowing they need some good vibes and soon, on Wednesday Ohio State got some great news for the 2024 team when current Buckeye Tyleik Williams announced his plans to return to the Buckeyes for his senior season.
One of the key contributors this past 2023 season, Williams exploded onto the scene after a quiet first two years in the program. As a junior, the 6-foot-2, 290-pound lineman clearly figured it out, as his snap count and production were among the best in the country for defensive tackles. Taking into consideration how much he improved in just one season, the hopes for him as a senior are even higher now, and getting him back for another go will be huge for this defense overall.
From his play personally to his help in developing the younger guys, it can’t be understated how much of a win this is for the Buckeyes. While it’s not perfect, the defense took major strides in year two under Knowles, and you’d have to think if multiple other guys choose to come back to Ohio State, it only further helps their chances of being even better in 2024.
Williams is locked in, and as the staff awaits the decisions of several other key players on their own roster, this announcement could impact the thinking of his teammates who will soon also share their plans.
RELOAD THAT MF CLIP#FREE91 pic.twitter.com/lxTeScUi9F
— Tyleik Williams € (@tyleikk) January 3, 2024
Ohio State set to host transfer portal offensive line target
If you watched the Cotton Bowl at all, it didn’t take more than a series to realize Ohio State’s offensive line needs some serious help and improvement before 2024. Whether you think there needs to be a change of position coach or better players or even a combination of both, we can all agree that the line needs to get a ton better, and the portal is where that solution has to exist.
It might not be the perfect fix, but Ohio State has to give their best effort at bringing in not just one, but multiple guys to sure up the unit. Likely to take some time, Ohio State is at least already getting to work, as on Wednesday it became public that the Buckeyes hosted portal target, Derrick Graham.
A 6-foot-4, 315 pound lineman, Graham is transferring from Troy, where he started every game this season at tackle. Hard to say if he would stay at the tackle position, at the very least Graham is a proven starter already who would raise the level of competition for one, but could also potentially be a guy that could slide into a guard spot.
Again, Derrick cannot be the only guy the Buckeyes seriously look at and host for a visit, but this is a start. Some serious questions will need to be answered by Day regarding the position, and the quickest way to solve the issues are to address the players on the roster. Look for the staff to increase the efforts mightily in the coming days and weeks when it comes to this position group, as they too saw that this group did not perform anywhere near what is the expectation the last time they were on the field.
Quick Hits
- No surprise at all, but Buckeye receiver signee Jeremiah Smith is already putting on a show at the All-American Bowl practices. While he’s been in the headlines for several topics such as his signing day decision down the stretch, the main newsworthy aspect worth discussing is his play on the field.
Turning heads in one-on-ones and in drill work, Smith, who was already thought to be ready for the next level, is once again showing why he was the nation’s best player in the 2024 class. Named the MVP for Day 2, Smith has showed no signs of slowing down the rest of this week.
It’s easy to see why so many believe Smith will come in and compete to start as a true freshman for the Buckeyes.
Continue reading...
