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LGHL Player of the Year: Max Klare will outscore all other Buckeye tight ends combined
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Player of the Year: Max Klare will outscore all other Buckeye tight ends combined
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The transfer from Purdue brings a skill set that rounds out the tight end room and gives the Buckeyes an additional receiving option.
From now until preseason camp starts on July 31, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the players who will shine this season. Whether they are superstars, diamonds in the rough, or journeymen, these are the Buckeyes who will define the 2025-26 season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Player of the Year” articles here.
With four of six tight ends from Ohio State’s 2024 National Championship-winning roster returning this season, the room’s foundation looks rock solid.
Will Kacmarek, who missed part of last season with an injury, took 296 offensive snaps in 12 games, good for 86 yards on eight receptions. Bennett Christian followed Kacmarek with two receptions, 61 yards, and a touchdown on 235 snaps. Jelani Thurman netted 42 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. All three are returning this season, along with Max LeBlanc, who redshirted but saw action in four games (the maximum number allowed without losing the year of eligibility), including the CFP game against Tennessee.
In spite of all that, it’s possible the tight end deserving of the most fanfare will be the new kid in town: Max Klare.
Klare transferred to Ohio State from Purdue during the offseason, ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the portal after an impressive season with the Boilermakers. Averaging 13.4 yards per play, he totaled 685 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 51 catches, numbers that are even more impressive when you consider he accrued them on a team that lost 11-straight during their one-win season.
Klare not only led the team; he blew everyone else out of the water, with 300 more receiving yards and more than double the receptions of the next-highest guy on the team. No other Boilermaker scored more than twice.
No Buckeye tight end scored twice either, and while this is in large part due to the fact that OSU doesn’t have to rely as heavily on its tight ends as receivers given the wealth of other offensive weapons to choose from in its wide receiver and running back rooms, Klare provides the team with an opportunity to complement an already-dominant offense with an additional receiving option.
He brings a skill set to his new team that differs from some of his tight end counterparts. While Kacmarek and Christian are known for their blocking acumen, Klare’s strengths are more on the pass-catching side of the tight end duties, making the room more well-rounded. He’s a strong route-runner with great ball skills.
At Purdue, Klare managed to not only produce offensively, but he also generated offensive opportunities for a team that offered him far less offensive line support than he will see with the Buckeyes. If there’s a hole in coverage, expect Klare to find it.
We’ve already seen flashes of it: In this year’s spring game, he was good for 28 yards on two receptions, one of which was possibly the highlight of the scrimmage. Klare found a hole in coverage, and then he found the endzone on a 26-yard perfect pass from quarterback Julian Sayin.
Because of the structure of the Buckeyes’ offense, Klare’s receiving duties won’t carry the same weight they did at Purdue, where he was the primary offensive target. Ohio State already has wide receivers like Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss for that.
But Klare presents an additional possibility, and it allows the Buckeyes to utilize their tight ends to their full potential. I previously made the case for Klare to be the top-producing tight end in the NCAA, and while that might be a stretch, there is no doubt he should be the top-producing tight end for the Buckeyes this season, outscoring the rest of a room that is better than it’s been in years.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The transfer from Purdue brings a skill set that rounds out the tight end room and gives the Buckeyes an additional receiving option.
From now until preseason camp starts on July 31, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the players who will shine this season. Whether they are superstars, diamonds in the rough, or journeymen, these are the Buckeyes who will define the 2025-26 season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Player of the Year” articles here.
With four of six tight ends from Ohio State’s 2024 National Championship-winning roster returning this season, the room’s foundation looks rock solid.
Will Kacmarek, who missed part of last season with an injury, took 296 offensive snaps in 12 games, good for 86 yards on eight receptions. Bennett Christian followed Kacmarek with two receptions, 61 yards, and a touchdown on 235 snaps. Jelani Thurman netted 42 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. All three are returning this season, along with Max LeBlanc, who redshirted but saw action in four games (the maximum number allowed without losing the year of eligibility), including the CFP game against Tennessee.
In spite of all that, it’s possible the tight end deserving of the most fanfare will be the new kid in town: Max Klare.
Klare transferred to Ohio State from Purdue during the offseason, ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the portal after an impressive season with the Boilermakers. Averaging 13.4 yards per play, he totaled 685 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 51 catches, numbers that are even more impressive when you consider he accrued them on a team that lost 11-straight during their one-win season.
Klare not only led the team; he blew everyone else out of the water, with 300 more receiving yards and more than double the receptions of the next-highest guy on the team. No other Boilermaker scored more than twice.
No Buckeye tight end scored twice either, and while this is in large part due to the fact that OSU doesn’t have to rely as heavily on its tight ends as receivers given the wealth of other offensive weapons to choose from in its wide receiver and running back rooms, Klare provides the team with an opportunity to complement an already-dominant offense with an additional receiving option.
He brings a skill set to his new team that differs from some of his tight end counterparts. While Kacmarek and Christian are known for their blocking acumen, Klare’s strengths are more on the pass-catching side of the tight end duties, making the room more well-rounded. He’s a strong route-runner with great ball skills.
At Purdue, Klare managed to not only produce offensively, but he also generated offensive opportunities for a team that offered him far less offensive line support than he will see with the Buckeyes. If there’s a hole in coverage, expect Klare to find it.
We’ve already seen flashes of it: In this year’s spring game, he was good for 28 yards on two receptions, one of which was possibly the highlight of the scrimmage. Klare found a hole in coverage, and then he found the endzone on a 26-yard perfect pass from quarterback Julian Sayin.
Because of the structure of the Buckeyes’ offense, Klare’s receiving duties won’t carry the same weight they did at Purdue, where he was the primary offensive target. Ohio State already has wide receivers like Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss for that.
But Klare presents an additional possibility, and it allows the Buckeyes to utilize their tight ends to their full potential. I previously made the case for Klare to be the top-producing tight end in the NCAA, and while that might be a stretch, there is no doubt he should be the top-producing tight end for the Buckeyes this season, outscoring the rest of a room that is better than it’s been in years.
Continue reading...
LGHL Player of the Year: Jeremiah Smith, meet Troy Smith
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Player of the Year: Jeremiah Smith, meet Troy Smith
AlexFrank via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) reacts after making a catch against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes All-American receiver is poised for a huge second season... and some prestigious hardware.
From now until preseason camp starts on July 31, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the players that will shine this season. Whether they are superstars, diamonds in the rough, or journeymen, these are the Buckeyes who will define the 2025-26 season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Player of the Year” articles here.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 18 seasons since an Ohio State player won the Heisman Trophy, with Troy Smith the last Buckeye to win it in 2006. For a program like Ohio State to go nearly two decades without winning the most prestigious honor in college football, it’s almost hard to fathom.
Droughts of this length have happened before at Ohio State since the Heisman Trophy was first awarded in 1935. The Buckeyes went 19 seasons without a player winning the award from 1955 to 1974. They also went 20 years from 1975 (Archie Griffin) to 1995 (Eddie George) without a Heisman Trophy coming to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
The current drought for Ohio State without a Heisman Trophy could end this season, if All-American wide receiver Jeremiah Smith brings home the hardware this December. In addition, Smith is my pick to be the Buckeyes’ Player of the Year in 2025.
When a player lives up to the anticipation he has when he arrives on campus, it’s really special to watch their career unfold. That’s what it was like to watch Jeremiah Smith’s freshman season in Columbus in 2024, and he got better and better as the stages got bigger and bigger.
Smith’s touchdown on the Buckeyes’ first drive against Tennessee in the First Round of the College Football Playoff was the catalyst for Ohio State’s offense to take off for the next month. Then, with the National Championship hanging in the balance, Smith came up with the biggest play of the Buckeyes season when he hauled in a 57-yard reception on third-and-11 to all but seal the game.
What can Smith do for an encore this season? Become the eighth player in the history of Ohio State Football to win the Heisman Trophy.
Smith has the talent and exposure to do it. He’s the only player that ranked in the top 10 in the FBS in receiving yards last season to return for the 2025 season. That gives him a huge head start in his Heisman campaign this season.
Football is a quarterback-driven game. Quarterbacks get all the success when their teams win, and all the criticism among players when their teams lose. But the Buckeyes are a little different...
Any success new quarterback Julian Sayin has this season will be because of the wide receivers he will be throwing to, mainly Smith. With him, Carnell Tate and Max Klare to throw to, those guys are going to help bring Sayin along and help him progress into an outstanding quarterback.
The Buckeyes’ offense is led by their wide receivers, and the best player in that room is Jeremiah Smith. Even with the success that recent quarterbacks like Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud, and Will Howard had in Columbus, Ohio State — at least during Brian Hartline’s tenure — has always been highlighted and led by their wide receivers.
That will be the case this season, and Smith is poised to have a huge year. There have been two wide receivers who have won the Heisman Trophy in the last five seasons, which makes it even more likely for Smith to win it this season. He is the face of College Football right now, and another prolific season will earn him another accolade in his trophy case and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Smith will not only be the Buckeyes’ Player of the Year this season. He is going to be the eighth Ohio State player to win the Heisman Trophy.
Continue reading...
AlexFrank via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) reacts after making a catch against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes All-American receiver is poised for a huge second season... and some prestigious hardware.
From now until preseason camp starts on July 31, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the players that will shine this season. Whether they are superstars, diamonds in the rough, or journeymen, these are the Buckeyes who will define the 2025-26 season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Player of the Year” articles here.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 18 seasons since an Ohio State player won the Heisman Trophy, with Troy Smith the last Buckeye to win it in 2006. For a program like Ohio State to go nearly two decades without winning the most prestigious honor in college football, it’s almost hard to fathom.
Droughts of this length have happened before at Ohio State since the Heisman Trophy was first awarded in 1935. The Buckeyes went 19 seasons without a player winning the award from 1955 to 1974. They also went 20 years from 1975 (Archie Griffin) to 1995 (Eddie George) without a Heisman Trophy coming to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
The current drought for Ohio State without a Heisman Trophy could end this season, if All-American wide receiver Jeremiah Smith brings home the hardware this December. In addition, Smith is my pick to be the Buckeyes’ Player of the Year in 2025.
When a player lives up to the anticipation he has when he arrives on campus, it’s really special to watch their career unfold. That’s what it was like to watch Jeremiah Smith’s freshman season in Columbus in 2024, and he got better and better as the stages got bigger and bigger.
Smith’s touchdown on the Buckeyes’ first drive against Tennessee in the First Round of the College Football Playoff was the catalyst for Ohio State’s offense to take off for the next month. Then, with the National Championship hanging in the balance, Smith came up with the biggest play of the Buckeyes season when he hauled in a 57-yard reception on third-and-11 to all but seal the game.
What can Smith do for an encore this season? Become the eighth player in the history of Ohio State Football to win the Heisman Trophy.
Smith has the talent and exposure to do it. He’s the only player that ranked in the top 10 in the FBS in receiving yards last season to return for the 2025 season. That gives him a huge head start in his Heisman campaign this season.
Football is a quarterback-driven game. Quarterbacks get all the success when their teams win, and all the criticism among players when their teams lose. But the Buckeyes are a little different...
Any success new quarterback Julian Sayin has this season will be because of the wide receivers he will be throwing to, mainly Smith. With him, Carnell Tate and Max Klare to throw to, those guys are going to help bring Sayin along and help him progress into an outstanding quarterback.
The Buckeyes’ offense is led by their wide receivers, and the best player in that room is Jeremiah Smith. Even with the success that recent quarterbacks like Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud, and Will Howard had in Columbus, Ohio State — at least during Brian Hartline’s tenure — has always been highlighted and led by their wide receivers.
That will be the case this season, and Smith is poised to have a huge year. There have been two wide receivers who have won the Heisman Trophy in the last five seasons, which makes it even more likely for Smith to win it this season. He is the face of College Football right now, and another prolific season will earn him another accolade in his trophy case and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Smith will not only be the Buckeyes’ Player of the Year this season. He is going to be the eighth Ohio State player to win the Heisman Trophy.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State picked to finish second in the Big Ten behind Penn State
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Ohio State picked to finish second in the Big Ten behind Penn State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
USA TODAY Sports Network’s Big Ten football preseason rankings, championship pick
Aaron Ferguson, Indianapolis Star
Three takeaways from Big Ten preseason media poll
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Four Buckeyes named to USA Today’s 2025 preseason All-Big Ten team
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
College football program valuations: Ranking every Power 4 team by how much they’d sell for
Matt Baker, The Athletic
Day ‘fired up’ about new Ohio State DC Patricia
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
What to watch for: Ohio State at Big Ten Media Days
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Five questions for Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith at 2025 Big Ten Media Days
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Analyzing options as Ohio State looks for new starter at nickel
Austin Ward, Lettermen Row
Luke Montgomery is enjoying first offseason as an Ohio State starter: ‘I think we’re a super close unit’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
OSU’s Moore asks to ‘keep our former Buckeye George Fitzpatrick’ in prayers
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Carmen’s Crew Continues Title Defense with 73-69 Victory over Fort Wayne Champs
11W Staff, Eleven Warriors
A renewed love of art helps Madison Greene transition to life after basketball
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Women’s Volleyball: Ohio State Receives AVCA Team Academic Award
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: Buckeyes Garner ITA Academic Team and Individual Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
On the Gridiron
USA TODAY Sports Network’s Big Ten football preseason rankings, championship pick
Aaron Ferguson, Indianapolis Star
Three takeaways from Big Ten preseason media poll
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Four Buckeyes named to USA Today’s 2025 preseason All-Big Ten team
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
College football program valuations: Ranking every Power 4 team by how much they’d sell for
Matt Baker, The Athletic
Day ‘fired up’ about new Ohio State DC Patricia
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
What to watch for: Ohio State at Big Ten Media Days
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Five questions for Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith at 2025 Big Ten Media Days
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Analyzing options as Ohio State looks for new starter at nickel
Austin Ward, Lettermen Row
Luke Montgomery is enjoying first offseason as an Ohio State starter: ‘I think we’re a super close unit’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
OSU’s Moore asks to ‘keep our former Buckeye George Fitzpatrick’ in prayers
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
On the Hardwood
Carmen’s Crew Continues Title Defense with 73-69 Victory over Fort Wayne Champs
11W Staff, Eleven Warriors
A renewed love of art helps Madison Greene transition to life after basketball
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Women’s Volleyball: Ohio State Receives AVCA Team Academic Award
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: Buckeyes Garner ITA Academic Team and Individual Honors
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
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LGHL Tell us who you think will be Ohio State’s offensive, defensive MVPs this season
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Tell us who you think will be Ohio State’s offensive, defensive MVPs this season
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
As we head toward fall camp kicking off next week, it is Player of the Year Week here at LGHL, meaning that we are going to be looking at the Buckeyes that we think will have exceptionally impactful seasons in one way or another.
Therefore, for this week’s fan survey, we are asking you to predict who will lead each side of the ball for the Scarlet and Gray. This isn’t necessarily the best players on either offense or defense, but the most valuable, the ones who will define the season.
I couldn’t include every potential player, but I tried to provide as many players as possible. So, check out the offensive and defensive options below and then vote in the survey at the bottom of the article. Then, if you want to explain your vote or write in someone else, head to the comments. We will reveal the results later this week, so make sure to come back and see who you and your fellow fans chose.
I know that the easy answer here is going to be Caleb Downs, after all, he is arguably the best defensive player in all of college football, so he is a safe bet to be the Buckeyes’ defensive MVP. If you vote for the All-American safety, no one would be able to fault you at all.
However, I do think that there are some other compelling options as well, including some that will play closer to the ball and therefore, could have a more consistent impact. Guys like Kenyatta Jackson Jr., who is finally going to get the opportunity to turn his flashes of brilliance as a backup into production as a down-in and down-out starter.
There’s also Sonny Styles, who successfully made the transition from safety to linebacker last year and now looks to be the man in the middle of the OSU D. The uber-talented, but penalty-plagued Davison Igbinosun is going to be focused on erasing his handsy stigma, and if he does, could be the Buckeyes’ next great corner.
Then throw in North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson and a slew of young talents, and there are plenty of credible and exciting options. So, who are you going to pick?
Obviously, we are dealing with a similar situation on the offensive side of the ball, where Jeremiah Smith will be the no-brainer pick for many folks. After just one season, the Buckeye wide receiver is already showing historic ability and turning in record-breaking numbers, so J.J. is clearly the leading candidate.
However, when talking about offensive MVP awards, it’s always a wide bet to factor in quarterbacks. Of course, we don’t yet know for sure who will be starting behind center for OSU, will it be the uber-talented sophomore Julian Sayin or the dark horse from South Dakota, Lincoln Kienholz? Which over QB ends up getting the start would obviously be in the running for the team’s offensive MVP.
Then there is a stable of exciting running backs led by West Virginia transfer C.J. Donaldson and sophomore James Peoples, not to mention the glut of talented receivers populating Brian Hartline’s position room: Mylan Graham, Brandon Inniss, Quincy Porter, Bryson Rodgers, Carnell Tate, et. al. What about the pass-catching tight ends like Purdue transfer Max Klare or Will Kacmarek? Unlikely that a TE will be the MVP, but you never know.
Similarly, while it's unlikely that an offensive lineman would ever get enough attention to earn the award, there is no undervaluing the impact that a solid o-lineman can have on a team.
So, are we overcomplicating things by looking anywhere other than Jeremiah Smith, or do you think that someone else could be the OMVP this season?
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
As we head toward fall camp kicking off next week, it is Player of the Year Week here at LGHL, meaning that we are going to be looking at the Buckeyes that we think will have exceptionally impactful seasons in one way or another.
Therefore, for this week’s fan survey, we are asking you to predict who will lead each side of the ball for the Scarlet and Gray. This isn’t necessarily the best players on either offense or defense, but the most valuable, the ones who will define the season.
I couldn’t include every potential player, but I tried to provide as many players as possible. So, check out the offensive and defensive options below and then vote in the survey at the bottom of the article. Then, if you want to explain your vote or write in someone else, head to the comments. We will reveal the results later this week, so make sure to come back and see who you and your fellow fans chose.
Question 1: Who will be Ohio State’s defensive MVP this season?
I know that the easy answer here is going to be Caleb Downs, after all, he is arguably the best defensive player in all of college football, so he is a safe bet to be the Buckeyes’ defensive MVP. If you vote for the All-American safety, no one would be able to fault you at all.
However, I do think that there are some other compelling options as well, including some that will play closer to the ball and therefore, could have a more consistent impact. Guys like Kenyatta Jackson Jr., who is finally going to get the opportunity to turn his flashes of brilliance as a backup into production as a down-in and down-out starter.
There’s also Sonny Styles, who successfully made the transition from safety to linebacker last year and now looks to be the man in the middle of the OSU D. The uber-talented, but penalty-plagued Davison Igbinosun is going to be focused on erasing his handsy stigma, and if he does, could be the Buckeyes’ next great corner.
Then throw in North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson and a slew of young talents, and there are plenty of credible and exciting options. So, who are you going to pick?
Question 2: Who will be Ohio State’s offensive MVP this season?
Obviously, we are dealing with a similar situation on the offensive side of the ball, where Jeremiah Smith will be the no-brainer pick for many folks. After just one season, the Buckeye wide receiver is already showing historic ability and turning in record-breaking numbers, so J.J. is clearly the leading candidate.
However, when talking about offensive MVP awards, it’s always a wide bet to factor in quarterbacks. Of course, we don’t yet know for sure who will be starting behind center for OSU, will it be the uber-talented sophomore Julian Sayin or the dark horse from South Dakota, Lincoln Kienholz? Which over QB ends up getting the start would obviously be in the running for the team’s offensive MVP.
Then there is a stable of exciting running backs led by West Virginia transfer C.J. Donaldson and sophomore James Peoples, not to mention the glut of talented receivers populating Brian Hartline’s position room: Mylan Graham, Brandon Inniss, Quincy Porter, Bryson Rodgers, Carnell Tate, et. al. What about the pass-catching tight ends like Purdue transfer Max Klare or Will Kacmarek? Unlikely that a TE will be the MVP, but you never know.
Similarly, while it's unlikely that an offensive lineman would ever get enough attention to earn the award, there is no undervaluing the impact that a solid o-lineman can have on a team.
So, are we overcomplicating things by looking anywhere other than Jeremiah Smith, or do you think that someone else could be the OMVP this season?
Share your thoughts here:
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State four-star QB target sets commitment date
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Ohio State four-star QB target sets commitment date
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2027 four-star QB Teddy Jarrard | via @JarrardTeddy on X
The Buckeyes also remain finalists for a five-star safety who will commit this summer.
Ohio State is quickly approaching the 2025-26 regular season as August is less than two weeks away. Additionally, its 2026 recruiting class is most finished up as well. Most of the attention surrounding Ohio State is on the upcoming season, where the Buckeyes will try and repeat after winning the College Football Playoff last year.
That being said, recruiting never stops for Ohio State, and there are still a few targets remaining in the Buckeyes’ recruiting class this year. Ryan Day and the coaching staff are also increasing their efforts recruiting next year’s class, and that hard work may soon payoff.
Ohio State four-star quarterback target Teddy Jarrard (Kennesaw, GA / North Cobb) announced Monday that he is going to be committing to his school of choice on July 24, and will be choosing between Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State.
Jarrard has had a busy summer visiting with numerous schools, including with Ohio State in June. However, going into his commitment, Notre Dame appears to be the heavy favorite, and if he were to commit elsewhere it would be a big surprise.
If Ohio State is to miss on him as is expected, the team has to like where it sits in the cycle anyway as high four-star signal-caller Brady Edmunds (Huntington Beach, CA / Huntington Beach) is already a member of the class.
The Buckeyes would still like to add another quarterback to next year’s group, and Jarrard would be a great addition. He is the No. 15 QB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 195 national prospect. He is also the No. 28 recruit out of Georgia.
Switching gears back to the 2026 recruiting class, one of Ohio State remaining targets is five-star safety Bralan Womack (Flowood, MS / Hartfield Academy), who has long been a top priority for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State offered Womack in June of last year, and because of the longstanding relationship he has built up with the Buckeyes, Ohio State has long been a legitimate contender for his commitment. In fact, for most of his recruitment, Ohio State has been viewed as the favorites to land him.
However, the Buckeyes are not alone in his recruitment, and leading up to his commitment, Womack has a final four of Auburn, Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M. As of late Auburn has been gaining momentum in his recruitment, so Ohio State still has some work to do.
Womack has not closed off his recruitment to just these two schools, and things could easily change before he is set to commit on Aug 21. Ohio State and Auburn are just the two schools with the most momentum currently, but NIL has shown already that there are no guarantees in recruiting and each of his four finalists are still in contention to land him.
Womack is the No. 1 safety in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 21 national recruit. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of Mississippi.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2027 four-star QB Teddy Jarrard | via @JarrardTeddy on X
The Buckeyes also remain finalists for a five-star safety who will commit this summer.
Ohio State is quickly approaching the 2025-26 regular season as August is less than two weeks away. Additionally, its 2026 recruiting class is most finished up as well. Most of the attention surrounding Ohio State is on the upcoming season, where the Buckeyes will try and repeat after winning the College Football Playoff last year.
That being said, recruiting never stops for Ohio State, and there are still a few targets remaining in the Buckeyes’ recruiting class this year. Ryan Day and the coaching staff are also increasing their efforts recruiting next year’s class, and that hard work may soon payoff.
Ohio State four-star quarterback target Teddy Jarrard (Kennesaw, GA / North Cobb) announced Monday that he is going to be committing to his school of choice on July 24, and will be choosing between Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State.
Jarrard has had a busy summer visiting with numerous schools, including with Ohio State in June. However, going into his commitment, Notre Dame appears to be the heavy favorite, and if he were to commit elsewhere it would be a big surprise.
If Ohio State is to miss on him as is expected, the team has to like where it sits in the cycle anyway as high four-star signal-caller Brady Edmunds (Huntington Beach, CA / Huntington Beach) is already a member of the class.
The Buckeyes would still like to add another quarterback to next year’s group, and Jarrard would be a great addition. He is the No. 15 QB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 195 national prospect. He is also the No. 28 recruit out of Georgia.
Top Ohio State Safety target to announce in August
Switching gears back to the 2026 recruiting class, one of Ohio State remaining targets is five-star safety Bralan Womack (Flowood, MS / Hartfield Academy), who has long been a top priority for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State offered Womack in June of last year, and because of the longstanding relationship he has built up with the Buckeyes, Ohio State has long been a legitimate contender for his commitment. In fact, for most of his recruitment, Ohio State has been viewed as the favorites to land him.
However, the Buckeyes are not alone in his recruitment, and leading up to his commitment, Womack has a final four of Auburn, Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M. As of late Auburn has been gaining momentum in his recruitment, so Ohio State still has some work to do.
Womack has not closed off his recruitment to just these two schools, and things could easily change before he is set to commit on Aug 21. Ohio State and Auburn are just the two schools with the most momentum currently, but NIL has shown already that there are no guarantees in recruiting and each of his four finalists are still in contention to land him.
Womack is the No. 1 safety in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 21 national recruit. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of Mississippi.
Quick Hits
- Switching from the gridiron to the hardwood, Jake Diebler and the Ohio State men’s basketball team is also making recruiting headlines of their own. 2027 five-star power forward and the No. 1 recruit out of Ohio, Jaylan Mitchell (Geneva, OH / SPIRE Academy) will be taking an unofficial visit with the Buckeyes on Aug. 1.
2028 5️ Kam Mercer will take an unofficial visit to Ohio State on August 1st, sources told @LeagueRDY.
Mercer is a 6-foot-5 lefty guard who just wrapped up his freshman season of high school. He’s one of the top overall prospects in the ‘28 class.
#6 in the ESPN25. pic.twitter.com/JCVwAPViSd
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) July 14, 2025
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LGHL Game of the Year: Ohio State can’t get caught sleeping at Camp Randall
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Game of the Year: Ohio State can’t get caught sleeping at Camp Randall
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It might not be the highest-profile game this year, but if the Buckeyes overlook the Badgers, it could derail their season unexpectedly.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about this season’s marquee matchups. Whether they feature the Buckeyes, other Big Ten schools, or major teams across the country. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Game of the Year” articles here.
Wisconsin’s football program has taken a bit of a downward turn in recent seasons, finishing the 2024 season with just five wins, but that is, to some extent, what makes Ohio State’s trip to Madison so sticky this year.
In fact, I’m naming this a “Game of the Year” for exactly that reason. It’s not the Buckeyes’ biggest matchup—Wisconsin likely won’t even be ranked. Instead, it’s a game that could be so easy for Ohio State to overlook in their quest to defend their national title that it catches them off guard.
Part of this is where it is positioned on the schedule: Sandwiched between what will presumably be two ranked matchups for the Buckeyes, on the road at Illinois the week prior and at home against Penn State (one of the two toughest games on the schedule) two weeks later (with a bye week after the Wisconsin game), the Badgers have the potential to slip through the cracks on OSU’s radar.
Wisconsin, frankly, has one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten this season, with tough games against Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and Illinois (plus a preseason matchup against Alabama). If the Badgers head into the Ohio State game with three or four losses already, this game could mark a massive momentum shift for them — and head coach Luke Fickell knows that.
The Badgers will have the home crowd on their side, too, with the game set to take place at Camp Randall. A notoriously tough stadium to play a road game in, if the Buckeyes look past the Badgers to focus on Penn State, the stadium crowd there could be enough to rattle them after a mistake or two.
And then there’s the Fickell Factor: Facing the Buckeyes for the first time since 2023, Fickell has the opportunity to get his first win against his alma mater. Badgers fans have criticized Fickell for both the five consecutive losses that ended last season and his “Why does it matter?” comment when asked who would be calling the plays for the Badgers after he fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo after 10 games.
But you know what would get the fans back on Fickell’s side? A home win over the defending national champions.
While the season likely won’t be a stellar one for the Badgers, sometimes the morale boost that comes from a marquee win in a mediocre season is enough to make a case for a contract extension. If Fickell can pull it off in a year where many experts are predicting Ohio State to run the table, it positions him well to get another chance to build his program.
He’s also made some additions since last season, replacing Longo with new offensive coordinator Phil Grimes in a move that could revitalize the offense. Grimes’ offensive scheme plays to the Badgers’ strengths, focusing on wide-zone runs and play-action passes, so it could breathe new life into the program. Additionally, they have the offensive weapons to execute the scheme with running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree.
Oh, and they’ve got a wide receiver who might look familiar to Buckeye fans: Jayden Ballard, who transferred to Wisconsin from OSU for his final year of eligibility. Ballard will certainly be hungry to prove himself in this specific game, and while the Buckeyes aren’t struggling defensively or offensively, sometimes when things are personal, it lights a fire that even the most well-equipped firefighters can’t douse.
Do I realistically think the Buckeyes will lose the Wisconsin game? No. And I believe Ryan Day has done a good job of coaching his team not to look past the seemingly easy games. But if the Badgers manage to fly under the radar, they could catch the Buckeyes sleeping, and a loss against a mediocre Wisconsin team would do damage beyond just the one loss when playoff ranking time comes ‘round.
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Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It might not be the highest-profile game this year, but if the Buckeyes overlook the Badgers, it could derail their season unexpectedly.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about this season’s marquee matchups. Whether they feature the Buckeyes, other Big Ten schools, or major teams across the country. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Game of the Year” articles here.
Wisconsin’s football program has taken a bit of a downward turn in recent seasons, finishing the 2024 season with just five wins, but that is, to some extent, what makes Ohio State’s trip to Madison so sticky this year.
In fact, I’m naming this a “Game of the Year” for exactly that reason. It’s not the Buckeyes’ biggest matchup—Wisconsin likely won’t even be ranked. Instead, it’s a game that could be so easy for Ohio State to overlook in their quest to defend their national title that it catches them off guard.
Part of this is where it is positioned on the schedule: Sandwiched between what will presumably be two ranked matchups for the Buckeyes, on the road at Illinois the week prior and at home against Penn State (one of the two toughest games on the schedule) two weeks later (with a bye week after the Wisconsin game), the Badgers have the potential to slip through the cracks on OSU’s radar.
Wisconsin, frankly, has one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten this season, with tough games against Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and Illinois (plus a preseason matchup against Alabama). If the Badgers head into the Ohio State game with three or four losses already, this game could mark a massive momentum shift for them — and head coach Luke Fickell knows that.
The Badgers will have the home crowd on their side, too, with the game set to take place at Camp Randall. A notoriously tough stadium to play a road game in, if the Buckeyes look past the Badgers to focus on Penn State, the stadium crowd there could be enough to rattle them after a mistake or two.
And then there’s the Fickell Factor: Facing the Buckeyes for the first time since 2023, Fickell has the opportunity to get his first win against his alma mater. Badgers fans have criticized Fickell for both the five consecutive losses that ended last season and his “Why does it matter?” comment when asked who would be calling the plays for the Badgers after he fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo after 10 games.
But you know what would get the fans back on Fickell’s side? A home win over the defending national champions.
While the season likely won’t be a stellar one for the Badgers, sometimes the morale boost that comes from a marquee win in a mediocre season is enough to make a case for a contract extension. If Fickell can pull it off in a year where many experts are predicting Ohio State to run the table, it positions him well to get another chance to build his program.
He’s also made some additions since last season, replacing Longo with new offensive coordinator Phil Grimes in a move that could revitalize the offense. Grimes’ offensive scheme plays to the Badgers’ strengths, focusing on wide-zone runs and play-action passes, so it could breathe new life into the program. Additionally, they have the offensive weapons to execute the scheme with running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree.
Oh, and they’ve got a wide receiver who might look familiar to Buckeye fans: Jayden Ballard, who transferred to Wisconsin from OSU for his final year of eligibility. Ballard will certainly be hungry to prove himself in this specific game, and while the Buckeyes aren’t struggling defensively or offensively, sometimes when things are personal, it lights a fire that even the most well-equipped firefighters can’t douse.
Do I realistically think the Buckeyes will lose the Wisconsin game? No. And I believe Ryan Day has done a good job of coaching his team not to look past the seemingly easy games. But if the Badgers manage to fly under the radar, they could catch the Buckeyes sleeping, and a loss against a mediocre Wisconsin team would do damage beyond just the one loss when playoff ranking time comes ‘round.
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LGHL Ohio State lands four-star WR, misses on five-star RB
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Ohio State lands four-star WR, misses on five-star RB
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 WR Jerquaden Guilford with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day | via @QuayGuilford on Twitter
The Buckeyes are active on the trail across multiple sports.
Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class has hit a bit of a rough patch over the last month or so.
The Buckeyes’ current group still ranks good for No. 7 in the country, which would be incredible for almost any other school in the country. That being said, Ohio State has missed out on a number of its top targets recently, most specifically along the defensive line, and it feels like the national title win is not reflecting on the trail right now.
However, the program was able to get back in the win column over the weekend when four-star wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford announced his commitment to Ohio State. Choosing the Buckeyes over Ole Miss, who reportedly had a far greater NIL offer on the table, it is yet another recruiting victory for Brian Hartline — but what else is new?
Guilford comes in as a four-star prospect and the No. 50 WR in the class, ranking as the No. 315 overall player in the class, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound pass-catcher is also the No. 1 player out of his home state of Indiana. Guilford had been previously committed to Penn State since last December, but re-opened his recruitment in February before eventually landing with the Buckeyes.
“I want to be special so I got to join a special program. An elite program. I want to be an elite receiver. Elite receivers go to Ohio State.” Guilford told On3. “The people. The development. Coach Hartline’s process don’t lie. He develops guys the best way. Always has first rounders. The receiver room is excellent. You’re going to be around that environment every day competing.”
Here is some of 247Sports national analyst Hudson Standish had to say of Guilford’s abilities:
Guilford becomes the fifth and most likely final receiver commit for Ohio State in this 2026 class, joining five-star Chris Henry Jr., a top-100 overall player in Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and another pair of four-stars in Jaeden Ricketts and Brock Boyd. Guilford will become the second Fort Wayne-area wideout on the roster, joining former New Haven standout Mylan Graham.
Another job well done for Hartline, college football’s No. 1 recruiter and talent developer can now shift his focus fully onto the 2027 class, where he already holds a commitment from the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver in five-star Jamier Brown.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 WR Jerquaden Guilford with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day | via @QuayGuilford on Twitter
The Buckeyes are active on the trail across multiple sports.
Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class has hit a bit of a rough patch over the last month or so.
The Buckeyes’ current group still ranks good for No. 7 in the country, which would be incredible for almost any other school in the country. That being said, Ohio State has missed out on a number of its top targets recently, most specifically along the defensive line, and it feels like the national title win is not reflecting on the trail right now.
However, the program was able to get back in the win column over the weekend when four-star wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford announced his commitment to Ohio State. Choosing the Buckeyes over Ole Miss, who reportedly had a far greater NIL offer on the table, it is yet another recruiting victory for Brian Hartline — but what else is new?
Guilford comes in as a four-star prospect and the No. 50 WR in the class, ranking as the No. 315 overall player in the class, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound pass-catcher is also the No. 1 player out of his home state of Indiana. Guilford had been previously committed to Penn State since last December, but re-opened his recruitment in February before eventually landing with the Buckeyes.
“I want to be special so I got to join a special program. An elite program. I want to be an elite receiver. Elite receivers go to Ohio State.” Guilford told On3. “The people. The development. Coach Hartline’s process don’t lie. He develops guys the best way. Always has first rounders. The receiver room is excellent. You’re going to be around that environment every day competing.”
Here is some of 247Sports national analyst Hudson Standish had to say of Guilford’s abilities:
Guilford becomes the fifth and most likely final receiver commit for Ohio State in this 2026 class, joining five-star Chris Henry Jr., a top-100 overall player in Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and another pair of four-stars in Jaeden Ricketts and Brock Boyd. Guilford will become the second Fort Wayne-area wideout on the roster, joining former New Haven standout Mylan Graham.
Another job well done for Hartline, college football’s No. 1 recruiter and talent developer can now shift his focus fully onto the 2027 class, where he already holds a commitment from the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver in five-star Jamier Brown.
Quick Hits
- Guilford wasn’t the only BOOOM for Buckeyes’ athletic programs over the weekend, as Kevin McGuff’s squad added their first member of the 2026 class with the commitment of four-star guard Atlee Vanesko. The No. 5 combo guard and No. 57 overall player in the cycle per the 247Sports Composite, Vanesko helped Westtown School win its fourth-straight PAISAA championship during the 2024-25 season.
- Staying on the hardwood, the men’s team learned on Sunday that they would be receiving a visit from 2027 guard LJ Smith. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound North Carolina native currently ranks as the No. 2 CG and No. 27 overall player in the class as a five-star prospect. Smith does not yet hold an Ohio State offer, but does have offers from more than a dozen schools, including Georgia, Kansas, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and others.
- Ohio State missed out on one of its few remaining running back targets on Sunday when five-star RB Derrek Cooper announced his commitment to Texas. The nation’s No. 2 RB and No. 29 player overall chose the Longhorns out of a top five schools that also included the Buckeyes alongside Florida State, Georgia and Miami.
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LGHL Ohio State starts 2026 class commitments with guard Atlee Vanesko
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Ohio State starts 2026 class commitments with guard Atlee Vanesko
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Atlee Vanesko on Instagram | @atlee.vanesko
Head coach Kevin McGuff begins a potentially large 2026 class with top-100 point guard recruit.
While the stars of the WNBA were performing at All-Star weekend on Friday night, Ohio State women’s basketball began putting together their 2026 recruiting class. That is when point guard recruit Atlee Vanesko took to Instagram and announced her commitment to the Buckeyes.
Vanesko is a 5-foot-11 guard out of the Westtown School in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a town northwest of Philadelphia. The guard is ranked No. 57 on 247Sports and No. 78 on ESPN’s NEXT 100 rankings. Vanesko also led Westtown to four straight PAISAA titles.
With Vanesko, the Buckeyes get a player who can deliver offensively as a three-level scorer and can find teammates through accurate passing. The combo guard chose Ohio State over the University of Miami, Stanford and Virginia Tech and is the first player to choose Ohio State for the program’s 2026 class.
That gives head coach Kevin McGuff depth at the point guard role next season behind then junior Jaloni Cambridge. Should Cambridge play all four seasons in scarlet and gray, the addition of Vanesko gives the guard two seasons backing up Cambridge before potentially sliding into a starting position.
Vanesko is one of potentially many recruits to join Ohio State in this cycle, if all goes the way McGuff and the Buckeyes hope.
At media day in the fall of 2024, McGuff addressed the program’s recruiting plan. After Ohio State brought in five freshman in the 2024 class, all of whom are still in the program, 2025 was set to be a light year. Ohio State brought in two recruits with Daria Biriuk and Bryn Martin. The latter, the 2025 Ohio Division I Player of the Year, flipped her commitment from the Washington Huskies to the Buckeyes late in the cycle, on May 18.
With much of the recruiting class still uncommitted, and Ohio State offering scholarships to many of the top names in the class, the recruiting news is not over for the Buckeyes.
Named Gatorade D.C. Player of the Year, small forward Jordyn Jackson (No. 8 ESPN, No. 16 247Sports) also included Ohio State in her top six schools, alongside TCU, Alabama, University of Miami, Maryland and South Carolina.
Another name to watch is McKenna Woliczko (No. 6 ESPN and 247Sports). The 6-foot-2 forward from California who has Ohio State in her top four schools, alongside fellow Big Ten schools Iowa and USC, plus Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The addition of Vanesko is a strong start for Ohio State and fills a need at the position. Currently, Cambridge and fellow sophomore Ava Watson are the two guard options for the Buckeyes in the upcoming 2025-26 season with the graduation of Madison Greene and transfer of graduate senior Kaia Henderson.
Below are highlights of the guard from 2024. In them, Vanesko shows her ability to run to the basket, hit shots from midrange and deep.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Atlee Vanesko on Instagram | @atlee.vanesko
Head coach Kevin McGuff begins a potentially large 2026 class with top-100 point guard recruit.
While the stars of the WNBA were performing at All-Star weekend on Friday night, Ohio State women’s basketball began putting together their 2026 recruiting class. That is when point guard recruit Atlee Vanesko took to Instagram and announced her commitment to the Buckeyes.
Vanesko is a 5-foot-11 guard out of the Westtown School in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a town northwest of Philadelphia. The guard is ranked No. 57 on 247Sports and No. 78 on ESPN’s NEXT 100 rankings. Vanesko also led Westtown to four straight PAISAA titles.
With Vanesko, the Buckeyes get a player who can deliver offensively as a three-level scorer and can find teammates through accurate passing. The combo guard chose Ohio State over the University of Miami, Stanford and Virginia Tech and is the first player to choose Ohio State for the program’s 2026 class.
That gives head coach Kevin McGuff depth at the point guard role next season behind then junior Jaloni Cambridge. Should Cambridge play all four seasons in scarlet and gray, the addition of Vanesko gives the guard two seasons backing up Cambridge before potentially sliding into a starting position.
Vanesko is one of potentially many recruits to join Ohio State in this cycle, if all goes the way McGuff and the Buckeyes hope.
At media day in the fall of 2024, McGuff addressed the program’s recruiting plan. After Ohio State brought in five freshman in the 2024 class, all of whom are still in the program, 2025 was set to be a light year. Ohio State brought in two recruits with Daria Biriuk and Bryn Martin. The latter, the 2025 Ohio Division I Player of the Year, flipped her commitment from the Washington Huskies to the Buckeyes late in the cycle, on May 18.
With much of the recruiting class still uncommitted, and Ohio State offering scholarships to many of the top names in the class, the recruiting news is not over for the Buckeyes.
Named Gatorade D.C. Player of the Year, small forward Jordyn Jackson (No. 8 ESPN, No. 16 247Sports) also included Ohio State in her top six schools, alongside TCU, Alabama, University of Miami, Maryland and South Carolina.
Another name to watch is McKenna Woliczko (No. 6 ESPN and 247Sports). The 6-foot-2 forward from California who has Ohio State in her top four schools, alongside fellow Big Ten schools Iowa and USC, plus Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The addition of Vanesko is a strong start for Ohio State and fills a need at the position. Currently, Cambridge and fellow sophomore Ava Watson are the two guard options for the Buckeyes in the upcoming 2025-26 season with the graduation of Madison Greene and transfer of graduate senior Kaia Henderson.
Below are highlights of the guard from 2024. In them, Vanesko shows her ability to run to the basket, hit shots from midrange and deep.
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LGHL A renewed love of art helps Madison Greene transition to life after basketball
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A renewed love of art helps Madison Greene transition to life after basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Madison Greene at the “Intersections” art exhibit pop-up, March 28,. 2025 | Danielle Williams
Soon after the end of the college basketball season, Greene stood up in front of a much different crowd
Imagine spending over 20 years with a singular focus. Sure, there are extracurricular activities, other responsibilities, and time spent with friends and family, but for a vast majority of college basketball players, the court looms over it all. Whether it's traveling for hours to play in youth AAU matchups, skipping high school hangouts to practice, or hopping on a plane to fly across the country with a university’s name stitched across your chest — Ohio State women’s basketball guard Madison Greene lived that life.
The Pickerington, Ohio native, raised just outside of Columbus proper in the halo of suburbs that surround the state’s capital, went from highly touted youth basketball player to top 100 recruit to Big Ten champion. For six years, nearly a fourth of Greene’s life, the guard’s play sprinkled on top of key moments in the program’s history.
Then, on March 23, 2025, it all ended. Ohio State took a four-point lead into the second quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, which vanished quickly. The Scarlet and Gray never recovered.
Now, for that vast majority of players, minus a select few who make playing basketball professionally a career, the final defeat is a screeching halt for a major chapter of life.
Greene knows about screeching halts. Despite making it into the starting five as a late recruited freshman and being a quiet leader in her years in Columbus, Greene is most known, basketball-wise, as a player whose career was hampered by severe injuries. In both 2021 and 2022, Greene tore her ACL and required a combined two years of recovery before her final year and a half as a Buckeye.
Those final two seasons saw Greene move into a role player for Ohio State. She played behind fellow 2019 freshman recruit Jacy Sheldon and freshman star Jaloni Cambridge.
So, after that final loss for any player, what’s next? Many move into the “real world,” find jobs and become “productive members of society,” while some try anyway to stay in the sport, and who can blame them? Spend all of your formative years around a game as fun as basketball, and compare it to that “real world,” and the better option is clear.
For Greene, it was not the sport that dictated what she did next, but the injuries. More specifically, the life passion that came from those years of recovery. Five days after that loss, Greene was back in front of the public but not on a basketball court. Greene stepped onto the art studio floor and showed elements of herself that no fan saw in six years at Ohio State.
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Madison Greene
Flower Girl or I am not broken by Madison Greene
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Madison Greene
Flower Girl or I am not broken art piece description, by Madison Greene.
“Flower Girl or I am not broken” was the first piece of art that Greene created during the recovery from her first ACL tear. The piece uses paint, flowers, and real shards of glass to represent the different parts of Greene’s life. The pieces that make Madison Greene Madison Greene.
Greene wrote in the piece’s description, “if the painting was missing any of these three mediums, it would be less interesting, less special and less beautiful,” and it is not hard to see the connection between the broken glass and the trials Greene faced in her six seasons at Ohio State.
Art interpretation is up to the person interpreting the art, and this one tells a story. It also serves as a reminder that a person is not only the bad things that happen but the sum of the pain, celebrations, and beauty that make life.
During the season, Greene spoke more about this specific piece, explained this “self-portrait,” and more on Ohio State’s social media.
That work of art was one of two pieces by Greene displayed at Ohio State’s Urban Art Space from March 28 through April 5, part of their “Intersections” pop-up exhibit. Friend and former team manager Danielle Matthews urged Greene to submit her art to try and get into the exhibit. Greene followed the advice and nearly missed that she was selected.
“I didn’t know that I got accepted, because they told me through an email,” said Greene. “I had just gotten a new email that I put in there, so I did not realize that they had sent me that I got accepted.”
Fortunately for Greene, she eventually checked it and five days after her basketball career ended, stood in front of her work for friends, family, and complete strangers to see and read.
Now, for a top-tier college athlete who has played in front of crowds of tens of thousands of people, standing for a few hours does not seem too difficult, but while sports and art overlap, there is a different level of vulnerability.
“Basketball is definitely more people watching you, and it’s a bigger audience, and they really just see the outside. They see the sports side of you,” said Greene. “But with the art stuff, it just felt more personable.”
For hours, Greene stood by her paintings to talk to fellow artists, visitors of the exhibit and family, friends, and former teammates. It was an opportunity to build a community where relationships are built on art that originates from complicated, sometimes nagging, thoughts and feelings for Greene.
“I’ve always enjoyed art, like even when I was little,” said Greene. “I never was like, amazing at it or put a lot of effort into it, I would just like to have a random art class, and just do what the teacher told me to do. But I think that painting definitely kind of started the whole trajectory.”
It was no coincidence that the first piece of art she created, which was not assigned to her by a high school art teacher, featured the broken elements. While Ohio State went on to win the Big Ten Regular Season title in the 2021-22 season, Greene was with the team every moment of the surprise season, but always on the sidelines, watching practice or taking shots on her own.
Greene rehabbed her torn ACL and took time away from being able to play the game she loved. Years of spending time dribbling a ball and living on the court, gone in an instant. Art was not to fill Greene’s downtime, which is not much for a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Athlete. No, it was part of Greene’s recovery.
Not only did Greene recover twice, but she also strengthened her desire to express herself creatively through art.
“A lot of the time, it really just happens randomly,” said Greene. “I’ll get thoughts in my head like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool idea,’ or sometimes like it’s just emotions or experiences or thoughts that I continuously have something that’s been lasting in my mind for, let’s say, a couple weeks or a couple months. Then I’m like, ‘Oh, this feeling or thought means something to me.’”
One of Greene’s moments of inspiration turned into a drawing of a phoenix. The fiery bird that rises up from the ashes, often used to represent coming back to life. A situation all too familiar to Greene.
“Something that I wanted to remind myself about before I even drew it or before I came up with the idea was that I’m powerful, that I’m magical, that I’m beautiful, I’m lovable, and that I’m valuable,” said Greene.
She reminded herself of that when she made the phoenix painting that still hangs up in Greene’s room, which in and of itself serves as a constant reminder to herself about who she is as a person.
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Also created in 2022, “The Meaning is in the Middle” focuses on the juxtaposition of life and death, fear and beauty. Between a face of life and another of death is a Venn diagram-like effect with the two overlapping eyes bursting into an area of stars. Instead of contrasting them, it shows how the ends of the spectrums of life are connected. Spiders and butterflies live in harmony.
The pieces submitted and on display at the exhibit center around Greene’s identity, each coming from those thoughts and feelings on her mind that she wants to get out.
Now, Greene herself is in the middle of one of the largest life transitions people will face — the end of formal education and the start of the rest of your life. For Greene, it will not be spent trying to earn a training camp contract in the WNBA or globe-hopping across Europe and Asia for opportunities to continue playing basketball. The love of the sport is there, but Greene’s rediscovery of art has taken control.
Through friends and other connections, Greene has interned for different artists and industries. From pressing wedding bouquets into pieces of art with a local floral preservation company called Story Pressed or shadowing event planners and florists, Greene is taking something that was once a tool in rehabilitation to become the focus of how she wants to live the rest of her life.
“I want to do something that I’m passionate about, something that’s creative, something that has variety, and it’s fun,” said Greene.
That does not mean that it will be easy. It’s well known that the arts do not compare to the business or tech worlds in terms of income, but for Greene, right now, it’s about the process of learning while she spends time in the middle of this life transition.
The art exhibit represents that movement. It’s the first step of a long journey for the former basketball star. Once basketball stopped looming over each part of her life, it did not come with fear to share her art. Sure, there were the usual feelings associated with losing a game of sports, especially at the highest level, but the usually quiet and reserved Greene was the exact opposite about sharing her artwork.
“It kind of lifted my spirits in a way to be able to express myself and do something that I’ve never done before. I think it’s really just going to help me figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life,” said Greene. “I’m not really sure yet, obviously, but I think having that exhibition, after the tournament, it was exciting, just to see where life could take me in the future.”
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Madison Greene at the “Intersections” art exhibit pop-up, March 28,. 2025 | Danielle Williams
Soon after the end of the college basketball season, Greene stood up in front of a much different crowd
Imagine spending over 20 years with a singular focus. Sure, there are extracurricular activities, other responsibilities, and time spent with friends and family, but for a vast majority of college basketball players, the court looms over it all. Whether it's traveling for hours to play in youth AAU matchups, skipping high school hangouts to practice, or hopping on a plane to fly across the country with a university’s name stitched across your chest — Ohio State women’s basketball guard Madison Greene lived that life.
The Pickerington, Ohio native, raised just outside of Columbus proper in the halo of suburbs that surround the state’s capital, went from highly touted youth basketball player to top 100 recruit to Big Ten champion. For six years, nearly a fourth of Greene’s life, the guard’s play sprinkled on top of key moments in the program’s history.
Then, on March 23, 2025, it all ended. Ohio State took a four-point lead into the second quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, which vanished quickly. The Scarlet and Gray never recovered.
Now, for that vast majority of players, minus a select few who make playing basketball professionally a career, the final defeat is a screeching halt for a major chapter of life.
Greene knows about screeching halts. Despite making it into the starting five as a late recruited freshman and being a quiet leader in her years in Columbus, Greene is most known, basketball-wise, as a player whose career was hampered by severe injuries. In both 2021 and 2022, Greene tore her ACL and required a combined two years of recovery before her final year and a half as a Buckeye.
Those final two seasons saw Greene move into a role player for Ohio State. She played behind fellow 2019 freshman recruit Jacy Sheldon and freshman star Jaloni Cambridge.
So, after that final loss for any player, what’s next? Many move into the “real world,” find jobs and become “productive members of society,” while some try anyway to stay in the sport, and who can blame them? Spend all of your formative years around a game as fun as basketball, and compare it to that “real world,” and the better option is clear.
For Greene, it was not the sport that dictated what she did next, but the injuries. More specifically, the life passion that came from those years of recovery. Five days after that loss, Greene was back in front of the public but not on a basketball court. Greene stepped onto the art studio floor and showed elements of herself that no fan saw in six years at Ohio State.
Flower Girl or I am not broken
Flower Girl or I am not broken by Madison Greene
Flower Girl or I am not broken art piece description, by Madison Greene.
“Flower Girl or I am not broken” was the first piece of art that Greene created during the recovery from her first ACL tear. The piece uses paint, flowers, and real shards of glass to represent the different parts of Greene’s life. The pieces that make Madison Greene Madison Greene.
Greene wrote in the piece’s description, “if the painting was missing any of these three mediums, it would be less interesting, less special and less beautiful,” and it is not hard to see the connection between the broken glass and the trials Greene faced in her six seasons at Ohio State.
Art interpretation is up to the person interpreting the art, and this one tells a story. It also serves as a reminder that a person is not only the bad things that happen but the sum of the pain, celebrations, and beauty that make life.
During the season, Greene spoke more about this specific piece, explained this “self-portrait,” and more on Ohio State’s social media.
That work of art was one of two pieces by Greene displayed at Ohio State’s Urban Art Space from March 28 through April 5, part of their “Intersections” pop-up exhibit. Friend and former team manager Danielle Matthews urged Greene to submit her art to try and get into the exhibit. Greene followed the advice and nearly missed that she was selected.
“I didn’t know that I got accepted, because they told me through an email,” said Greene. “I had just gotten a new email that I put in there, so I did not realize that they had sent me that I got accepted.”
Fortunately for Greene, she eventually checked it and five days after her basketball career ended, stood in front of her work for friends, family, and complete strangers to see and read.
Now, for a top-tier college athlete who has played in front of crowds of tens of thousands of people, standing for a few hours does not seem too difficult, but while sports and art overlap, there is a different level of vulnerability.
“Basketball is definitely more people watching you, and it’s a bigger audience, and they really just see the outside. They see the sports side of you,” said Greene. “But with the art stuff, it just felt more personable.”
For hours, Greene stood by her paintings to talk to fellow artists, visitors of the exhibit and family, friends, and former teammates. It was an opportunity to build a community where relationships are built on art that originates from complicated, sometimes nagging, thoughts and feelings for Greene.
“I’ve always enjoyed art, like even when I was little,” said Greene. “I never was like, amazing at it or put a lot of effort into it, I would just like to have a random art class, and just do what the teacher told me to do. But I think that painting definitely kind of started the whole trajectory.”
It was no coincidence that the first piece of art she created, which was not assigned to her by a high school art teacher, featured the broken elements. While Ohio State went on to win the Big Ten Regular Season title in the 2021-22 season, Greene was with the team every moment of the surprise season, but always on the sidelines, watching practice or taking shots on her own.
Greene rehabbed her torn ACL and took time away from being able to play the game she loved. Years of spending time dribbling a ball and living on the court, gone in an instant. Art was not to fill Greene’s downtime, which is not much for a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Athlete. No, it was part of Greene’s recovery.
Not only did Greene recover twice, but she also strengthened her desire to express herself creatively through art.
“A lot of the time, it really just happens randomly,” said Greene. “I’ll get thoughts in my head like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool idea,’ or sometimes like it’s just emotions or experiences or thoughts that I continuously have something that’s been lasting in my mind for, let’s say, a couple weeks or a couple months. Then I’m like, ‘Oh, this feeling or thought means something to me.’”
One of Greene’s moments of inspiration turned into a drawing of a phoenix. The fiery bird that rises up from the ashes, often used to represent coming back to life. A situation all too familiar to Greene.
“Something that I wanted to remind myself about before I even drew it or before I came up with the idea was that I’m powerful, that I’m magical, that I’m beautiful, I’m lovable, and that I’m valuable,” said Greene.
She reminded herself of that when she made the phoenix painting that still hangs up in Greene’s room, which in and of itself serves as a constant reminder to herself about who she is as a person.
The Meaning is in the Middle
Also created in 2022, “The Meaning is in the Middle” focuses on the juxtaposition of life and death, fear and beauty. Between a face of life and another of death is a Venn diagram-like effect with the two overlapping eyes bursting into an area of stars. Instead of contrasting them, it shows how the ends of the spectrums of life are connected. Spiders and butterflies live in harmony.
The pieces submitted and on display at the exhibit center around Greene’s identity, each coming from those thoughts and feelings on her mind that she wants to get out.
Now, Greene herself is in the middle of one of the largest life transitions people will face — the end of formal education and the start of the rest of your life. For Greene, it will not be spent trying to earn a training camp contract in the WNBA or globe-hopping across Europe and Asia for opportunities to continue playing basketball. The love of the sport is there, but Greene’s rediscovery of art has taken control.
Through friends and other connections, Greene has interned for different artists and industries. From pressing wedding bouquets into pieces of art with a local floral preservation company called Story Pressed or shadowing event planners and florists, Greene is taking something that was once a tool in rehabilitation to become the focus of how she wants to live the rest of her life.
“I want to do something that I’m passionate about, something that’s creative, something that has variety, and it’s fun,” said Greene.
That does not mean that it will be easy. It’s well known that the arts do not compare to the business or tech worlds in terms of income, but for Greene, right now, it’s about the process of learning while she spends time in the middle of this life transition.
The art exhibit represents that movement. It’s the first step of a long journey for the former basketball star. Once basketball stopped looming over each part of her life, it did not come with fear to share her art. Sure, there were the usual feelings associated with losing a game of sports, especially at the highest level, but the usually quiet and reserved Greene was the exact opposite about sharing her artwork.
“It kind of lifted my spirits in a way to be able to express myself and do something that I’ve never done before. I think it’s really just going to help me figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life,” said Greene. “I’m not really sure yet, obviously, but I think having that exhibition, after the tournament, it was exciting, just to see where life could take me in the future.”
Continue reading...