-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL C.J. Stroud is officially the NFL’s top ‘Good Guy,’ Garrett Wilson praises OSU training
- News
- 0 Replies
C.J. Stroud is officially the NFL’s top ‘Good Guy,’ Garrett Wilson praises OSU training
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 Don Juan Moore/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!
Former Ohio State Quarterback C.J. Stroud Wins PFWA’s Good Guy. Award as NFL’s Most Media-Friendly Player
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State slight favorite over Oregon to win Big Ten championship
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
Unpopular Opinion: There should be limitations on the transfer portal
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Garrett Wilson thinks OSU develops five-star wide receivers well
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Re-ranking Ohio State’s 2020 recruiting class four years down the road (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Hardworking TC Caffey never gave up on Ohio State dream, now is important piece of RB room (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Colin White eager to get enrolled at Ohio State, begin journey as a Buckeye
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Meechie Johnson “Always Wanted to Be a Buckeyes,” Has Matured as player and Person Since Previous Stint at Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Rowing: Kate Sweeney Resigns as Rowing Team Coach
Ohio State Athletics
Hoping for some more upper-90s coming soon:
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 Don Juan Moore/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
Former Ohio State Quarterback C.J. Stroud Wins PFWA’s Good Guy. Award as NFL’s Most Media-Friendly Player
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State slight favorite over Oregon to win Big Ten championship
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
Unpopular Opinion: There should be limitations on the transfer portal
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Garrett Wilson thinks OSU develops five-star wide receivers well
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Re-ranking Ohio State’s 2020 recruiting class four years down the road (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Hardworking TC Caffey never gave up on Ohio State dream, now is important piece of RB room (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
On the Hardwood
Colin White eager to get enrolled at Ohio State, begin journey as a Buckeye
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Meechie Johnson “Always Wanted to Be a Buckeyes,” Has Matured as player and Person Since Previous Stint at Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Rowing: Kate Sweeney Resigns as Rowing Team Coach
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Hoping for some more upper-90s coming soon:
Continue reading...
LGHL Unpopular Opinion: Roddy Gayle Jr. transferring to Michigan is OK with me
- News
- 0 Replies
Unpopular Opinion: Roddy Gayle Jr. transferring to Michigan is OK with me
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
We’ve seen glimpses of the guard’s potential, but his departure isn’t a big deal for Ohio State’s basketball team.
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 unpopular opinions. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
In a perfect world, no Ohio State fan would ever see a starter transfer to Michigan. No self-respecting Buckeye would ever join that team up north, but — in my opinion — while losing guard Roddy Gayle Jr. in the transfer portal to the Wolverines isn’t optimal, it also isn’t that big of a deal.
On the surface, Jake Diebler’s team will be missing its third-leading scorer from the 2023-24 season; Gayle made 45% of his field goal attempts last season and averaged 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Those are solid, if unspectacular numbers. Gayle has unbelievable athletic ability and has shown glimpses of what kind of player he could become, including his hot start to last season.
In addition to the numbers above, Gayle finished second on the team in assists, with 111, was fourth in steals, with 27, and contributed six blocks. That last number is surprisingly low, given Gayle’s vertical leap, long arms, and athleticism.
However, Diebler has seemingly added players who have the potential to elevate the team by doing many of the things that Gayle did for the Buckeyes last season. In addition to big men Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart, the new head coach has welcomed back former Buckeye-turned-South Carolina Gamecock Meechie Johnson Jr. this offseason, and in many ways, he will slide straight into Gayle’s spot on the roster.
Johnson averaged 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in the SEC last season, connecting on 40% of his shots from the floor. He also added 95 assists and 30 steals in 154 fewer minutes on the floor than Gayle.
So, while Meechie’s numbers are not dramatically different than Roddy’s, there does appear to be one significant area where the returning Buckeye is far stronger than the departing one. Last season, Johnson tallied 52 turnovers — 3.3 per 100 possessions — while Gayle had 87 and 4.6 per 100 possessions; Jamison Battle committed OSU’s second-highest total of turnovers with 55. While Gayle continues to have a ton of potential, his biggest weakness through two seasons of collegiate basketball has always been his inconsistency.
My biggest beef with Gayle was that it felt like he was where Ohio State fast breaks went to die. Any time it appeared that a clear-cut transition basket was coming, something weird would happen if Gayle was leading the break. Whether he dribbled off his foot, lost control momentarily and stepped on the end line while regathering the ball, traveled, committed a charge on the only defensive player back while ignoring two open teammates, or simply blew a layup, those mistakes have been costly in close games.
It’s possible that I’ll regret writing this if Gayle develops into the kind of player in Ann Arbor that he showed signs of becoming in Columbus. However, I’ll probably be OK with that, since I’d rather not have the uncertainty of what might happen late in a close game if Gayle had a contested layup in the lane. After investing years into rooting for a player, not to mention the time coveting him as a top-50 recruit, it is always tough to see someone choose to play elsewhere, especially when they opt to side with your school’s rival. But given the seemingly on-court upgrade that Diebler has pulled off across his roster this offseason, it's hard to be too upset over Gayle’s departure.
And perhaps the state of the OSU program is another reason why it has been easy to say goodbye to the guard. Diebler turned around a floundering club and came within a whisker of getting the Buckeyes into the NCAA Tournament. The team played with passion and worked hard for Diebler; it seemed like the chemistry between the coach and his players was incredibly strong, especially since he was the lead recruiter for many of them, including Gayle.
While in today’s day and age, you can’t fault players for seeking out the places that they feel are going to be best for them, their futures, and their families, it does sting a little that Gayle chose to leave a team that seemingly had its momentum going in the right direction, especially when he chose to join a squad in even more desperate need of a rebuild.
As bad as the Buckeyes’ 2023-24 season was, the Wolverines’ was even worse. OSU finished the season 22-14 (9-11) and ended up ninth in the Big Ten, but were within a bucket of making it to the B1G Tournament semifinals. TTUN, on the other hand, was 8-24 (3-17) on the campaign and dead last in the conference. Both schools parted ways with their coaches with Diebler taking over for Chris Holtmann and one-time leading OSU candidate Dusty May replacing Juwan Howard.
While there is certainly reason for excitement around both new coaches, it doesn’t sit incredibly well that Gayle would leave OSU for TTUN given all of the known circumstances. Again with the state of college athletics being what they are, there is likely far more going on behind the scenes than we know, and perhaps there are deeply personal reasons for Gayle’s decision to abandon ship and join his former rival’s squad. But, given the positivity and excitement around what Diebler is doing in Columbus, there’s no reason to long for someone who was obviously not 100% on board with what the Buckeyes were building.
So, in that case, we wish Roddy the best of luck and look forward to seeing him on the court when Ohio State welcomes the Maize and Blue to the Schott this season, I’m sure that the Nut House will be on its best behavior !!
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
We’ve seen glimpses of the guard’s potential, but his departure isn’t a big deal for Ohio State’s basketball team.
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 unpopular opinions. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
In a perfect world, no Ohio State fan would ever see a starter transfer to Michigan. No self-respecting Buckeye would ever join that team up north, but — in my opinion — while losing guard Roddy Gayle Jr. in the transfer portal to the Wolverines isn’t optimal, it also isn’t that big of a deal.
On the surface, Jake Diebler’s team will be missing its third-leading scorer from the 2023-24 season; Gayle made 45% of his field goal attempts last season and averaged 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Those are solid, if unspectacular numbers. Gayle has unbelievable athletic ability and has shown glimpses of what kind of player he could become, including his hot start to last season.
In addition to the numbers above, Gayle finished second on the team in assists, with 111, was fourth in steals, with 27, and contributed six blocks. That last number is surprisingly low, given Gayle’s vertical leap, long arms, and athleticism.
However, Diebler has seemingly added players who have the potential to elevate the team by doing many of the things that Gayle did for the Buckeyes last season. In addition to big men Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart, the new head coach has welcomed back former Buckeye-turned-South Carolina Gamecock Meechie Johnson Jr. this offseason, and in many ways, he will slide straight into Gayle’s spot on the roster.
Johnson averaged 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in the SEC last season, connecting on 40% of his shots from the floor. He also added 95 assists and 30 steals in 154 fewer minutes on the floor than Gayle.
So, while Meechie’s numbers are not dramatically different than Roddy’s, there does appear to be one significant area where the returning Buckeye is far stronger than the departing one. Last season, Johnson tallied 52 turnovers — 3.3 per 100 possessions — while Gayle had 87 and 4.6 per 100 possessions; Jamison Battle committed OSU’s second-highest total of turnovers with 55. While Gayle continues to have a ton of potential, his biggest weakness through two seasons of collegiate basketball has always been his inconsistency.
My biggest beef with Gayle was that it felt like he was where Ohio State fast breaks went to die. Any time it appeared that a clear-cut transition basket was coming, something weird would happen if Gayle was leading the break. Whether he dribbled off his foot, lost control momentarily and stepped on the end line while regathering the ball, traveled, committed a charge on the only defensive player back while ignoring two open teammates, or simply blew a layup, those mistakes have been costly in close games.
It’s possible that I’ll regret writing this if Gayle develops into the kind of player in Ann Arbor that he showed signs of becoming in Columbus. However, I’ll probably be OK with that, since I’d rather not have the uncertainty of what might happen late in a close game if Gayle had a contested layup in the lane. After investing years into rooting for a player, not to mention the time coveting him as a top-50 recruit, it is always tough to see someone choose to play elsewhere, especially when they opt to side with your school’s rival. But given the seemingly on-court upgrade that Diebler has pulled off across his roster this offseason, it's hard to be too upset over Gayle’s departure.
And perhaps the state of the OSU program is another reason why it has been easy to say goodbye to the guard. Diebler turned around a floundering club and came within a whisker of getting the Buckeyes into the NCAA Tournament. The team played with passion and worked hard for Diebler; it seemed like the chemistry between the coach and his players was incredibly strong, especially since he was the lead recruiter for many of them, including Gayle.
While in today’s day and age, you can’t fault players for seeking out the places that they feel are going to be best for them, their futures, and their families, it does sting a little that Gayle chose to leave a team that seemingly had its momentum going in the right direction, especially when he chose to join a squad in even more desperate need of a rebuild.
As bad as the Buckeyes’ 2023-24 season was, the Wolverines’ was even worse. OSU finished the season 22-14 (9-11) and ended up ninth in the Big Ten, but were within a bucket of making it to the B1G Tournament semifinals. TTUN, on the other hand, was 8-24 (3-17) on the campaign and dead last in the conference. Both schools parted ways with their coaches with Diebler taking over for Chris Holtmann and one-time leading OSU candidate Dusty May replacing Juwan Howard.
While there is certainly reason for excitement around both new coaches, it doesn’t sit incredibly well that Gayle would leave OSU for TTUN given all of the known circumstances. Again with the state of college athletics being what they are, there is likely far more going on behind the scenes than we know, and perhaps there are deeply personal reasons for Gayle’s decision to abandon ship and join his former rival’s squad. But, given the positivity and excitement around what Diebler is doing in Columbus, there’s no reason to long for someone who was obviously not 100% on board with what the Buckeyes were building.
So, in that case, we wish Roddy the best of luck and look forward to seeing him on the court when Ohio State welcomes the Maize and Blue to the Schott this season, I’m sure that the Nut House will be on its best behavior !!
Continue reading...
LGHL Unpopular Opinions: Ohio Stadium is not a top-5 college football experience
- News
- 0 Replies
Unpopular Opinions: Ohio Stadium is not a top-5 college football experience
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Relax, relax. The Shoe is fantastic and a top-5 weekly venue. But for certain marquee matchups, big night games, and one-offs, there are a handful of better environments.
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 what we would do if we were in charge of our favorite position group, team, conference, or sport. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”If I Was in Charge” articles here.
As sports fans – or I guess people in general – we all have opinions that stink. That’s why they say that opinions are like... Well, you know the rest. And it’s true, right? Even the most arrogant, stubborn individuals on the planet have opinions that are just plain bad. Or wrong.
So there is no sense in ignoring this undeniable truth. Or getting upset about it. Instead, we should just embrace and possibly even laugh about it. Which is what LGHL is doing this week. And being the company man that I am, I decided to really commit to the bit. I wanted to give you, the reader(s), an Unpopular Opinion the likes of which you’ve never seen or heard... Ok, that’s probably a bit much. But I did make an effort to go off-menu.
Without further ado, my unpopular opinion (realistically speaking, I have many) is that Ohio Stadium AKA The Horseshoe or simply The Shoe is not a top-5 college football stadium/venue.
At least not when it comes to hosting marquee matchups, night games, one-offs, and/or special occasions. In other words, attending a run-of-the-mill game in or at The Shoe is not a top-5 CFB experience.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460271/1811977894.jpg)
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Now, before I go any further, I’d like – nay, I need – to apologize to my Buckeye brethren and sistren (yes, it’s a real word): I am truly, truly sorry, and I ask for your forgiveness. I take no joy in writing this piece. But allow me to explain...
First of all, I love Ohio Stadium and do believe that it is a top-5 week-to-week venue. What I mean by that is that if you love college football and/or the Buckeyes, or you have season tickets, or you want to bring friends and family to a game, or you just want to guarantee yourself a great gameday experience, then The Shoe is always going to deliver. It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s historic, it’s loud, it’s just an amazing place to be.
However, if one is looking for a CFB-related bucket list experience, then I would say that there are at least five venues better than the nearly 102-year-old stadium located at 411 Woody Hayes Drive in Columbus, Ohio. There just are. Although, I will sort of contradict myself here and say that The Shoe is really, really tough to beat when Ohio State hosts Michigan. But I still believe that there are (at least five) better experiences to be had elsewhere.
**I should point out that I have only attended a handful of non-OSU CFB games in a handful of stadiums, so take my unpopular opinion with a grain of salt. But I stand by it.
Here are my top five CFB venues (atmosphere/game-specific), in no particular order:
To be clear, I am fully aware that it is Rose Bowl Stadium. But I will always refer to it as just the Rose Bowl. For my money, the Rose Bowl is the most beautiful CFB setting in existence. Night games are great, but the sun setting during an afternoon marquee matchup is even better. Who cares if UCLA stinks, the Bruins’ home stadium is iconic.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460300/1245942407.jpg)
Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Night games at Tiger Stadium are pure electricity. But I can’t pinpoint one reason why; I think it’s just the combination of everything. Regardless, Death Valley at night seems louder, more rowdy, and more raucous than any other stadium in CFB, so that’s why it gets a spot in my top-5.
Begrudgingly, I had to put a different Big Ten venue in my top-5. But there is simply no denying that night White Out games go extremely hard in the paint.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460311/1703451735.jpg)
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Sure, there are older, bigger, louder stadiums, but Notre Dame’s is (the most?) synonymous with college football. It is steeped in history and tradition, and every game at “The House that Rockne Built” seems like an event. In that way, Notre Dame Stadium is like Madison Square Garden... Iconic.
Two words: Enter Sandman. The Hokies taking the field to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for a night game is absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt the coolest freaking thing in CFB. I won’t hear anything to the contrary. VT might not be a good team, but I get chills just watching them run out of the tunnel. For now, I can only imagine what that’s like in person.
So there ya have it. That wasn’t so bad or unpopular, was it? I didn’t badmouth or eviscerate Ohio Stadium. And I certainly didn’t make a case for “The Big House” as a top-5 CFB venue. I just happen to think that there are at least a handful of other stadiums and/or sites that provide a better one-off experience than The Shoe.
Don’t shoot the messenger, folks. I think we all know that it’s true.
But still, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Relax, relax. The Shoe is fantastic and a top-5 weekly venue. But for certain marquee matchups, big night games, and one-offs, there are a handful of better environments.
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 what we would do if we were in charge of our favorite position group, team, conference, or sport. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”If I Was in Charge” articles here.
As sports fans – or I guess people in general – we all have opinions that stink. That’s why they say that opinions are like... Well, you know the rest. And it’s true, right? Even the most arrogant, stubborn individuals on the planet have opinions that are just plain bad. Or wrong.
So there is no sense in ignoring this undeniable truth. Or getting upset about it. Instead, we should just embrace and possibly even laugh about it. Which is what LGHL is doing this week. And being the company man that I am, I decided to really commit to the bit. I wanted to give you, the reader(s), an Unpopular Opinion the likes of which you’ve never seen or heard... Ok, that’s probably a bit much. But I did make an effort to go off-menu.
Without further ado, my unpopular opinion (realistically speaking, I have many) is that Ohio Stadium AKA The Horseshoe or simply The Shoe is not a top-5 college football stadium/venue.
At least not when it comes to hosting marquee matchups, night games, one-offs, and/or special occasions. In other words, attending a run-of-the-mill game in or at The Shoe is not a top-5 CFB experience.
Now, before I go any further, I’d like – nay, I need – to apologize to my Buckeye brethren and sistren (yes, it’s a real word): I am truly, truly sorry, and I ask for your forgiveness. I take no joy in writing this piece. But allow me to explain...
First of all, I love Ohio Stadium and do believe that it is a top-5 week-to-week venue. What I mean by that is that if you love college football and/or the Buckeyes, or you have season tickets, or you want to bring friends and family to a game, or you just want to guarantee yourself a great gameday experience, then The Shoe is always going to deliver. It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s historic, it’s loud, it’s just an amazing place to be.
However, if one is looking for a CFB-related bucket list experience, then I would say that there are at least five venues better than the nearly 102-year-old stadium located at 411 Woody Hayes Drive in Columbus, Ohio. There just are. Although, I will sort of contradict myself here and say that The Shoe is really, really tough to beat when Ohio State hosts Michigan. But I still believe that there are (at least five) better experiences to be had elsewhere.
**I should point out that I have only attended a handful of non-OSU CFB games in a handful of stadiums, so take my unpopular opinion with a grain of salt. But I stand by it.
Here are my top five CFB venues (atmosphere/game-specific), in no particular order:
Any big game at the Rose Bowl (UCLA)
To be clear, I am fully aware that it is Rose Bowl Stadium. But I will always refer to it as just the Rose Bowl. For my money, the Rose Bowl is the most beautiful CFB setting in existence. Night games are great, but the sun setting during an afternoon marquee matchup is even better. Who cares if UCLA stinks, the Bruins’ home stadium is iconic.
Night game at Tiger Stadium AKA “the real Death Valley” (LSU)
Night games at Tiger Stadium are pure electricity. But I can’t pinpoint one reason why; I think it’s just the combination of everything. Regardless, Death Valley at night seems louder, more rowdy, and more raucous than any other stadium in CFB, so that’s why it gets a spot in my top-5.
Night White Out game at Beaver Stadium (Penn State)
Begrudgingly, I had to put a different Big Ten venue in my top-5. But there is simply no denying that night White Out games go extremely hard in the paint.
Any big game at Notre Dame Stadium (ND)
Sure, there are older, bigger, louder stadiums, but Notre Dame’s is (the most?) synonymous with college football. It is steeped in history and tradition, and every game at “The House that Rockne Built” seems like an event. In that way, Notre Dame Stadium is like Madison Square Garden... Iconic.
Night game at Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech)
Two words: Enter Sandman. The Hokies taking the field to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for a night game is absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt the coolest freaking thing in CFB. I won’t hear anything to the contrary. VT might not be a good team, but I get chills just watching them run out of the tunnel. For now, I can only imagine what that’s like in person.
So there ya have it. That wasn’t so bad or unpopular, was it? I didn’t badmouth or eviscerate Ohio Stadium. And I certainly didn’t make a case for “The Big House” as a top-5 CFB venue. I just happen to think that there are at least a handful of other stadiums and/or sites that provide a better one-off experience than The Shoe.
Don’t shoot the messenger, folks. I think we all know that it’s true.
But still, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
LGHL A busy June of recruiting visits continues for Ohio State
- News
- 0 Replies
A busy June of recruiting visits continues for Ohio State
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
The Buckeyes are set for a loaded month of June, and it all starts this weekend.
It’s the end of May, and that means one thing for Ohio State football recruiting: Visit season. It all gets started this weekend as the coaching staff starts to bring in priority recruiting targets now that June is here, and these next several weeks could play a major role in the eventual outcome of the 2025 class and beyond.
Seeing new names added to the list of visitors scheduled to be in Columbus throughout this next month, Wednesday was another example of visit plans being shared by some of the top future prospects across the country.
Ohio State has offered 10 quarterbacks in the 2026 class from various recruiting hotbeds. Seeing several players own Buckeye offers in California, Georgia and Florida, it’s clear to see where both Ryan Day and Chip Kelly are focusing the bulk of their attention when it comes to finding the signal caller in the next cycle.
In great shape in 2025 thanks to Tavien St. Clair, Ohio State has really been able to prioritize the future cycles, and that frees up a ton of time to work on the next big name. It’s up in the air still on who “the guy” is going to be, but with a very talented cycle at the quarterback position and plenty of elite depth already in Columbus, odds are the Buckeyes should fare pretty well.
That said, these offered players are going to start coming around more often this summer. On Wednesday, 2026 signal caller Brodie McWhorter revealed his plans for the coming months. A busy few weeks for the Georgia native, McWhorter will be at Ohio State on June 17, but has other trips planned to see the likes of Clemson, North Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia all before Ohio State.
Fortunately, as of now it helps the Buckeyes that they get the last visit as things are currently slotted.
The No. 269 player nationally, McWhorter is the 17th-best QB in the class per the 247Sports Composite.
Every position is a priority this June when it comes to visits, and Illinois is becoming a fairly fertile recruiting ground Ohio State is paying attention to over the last few cycles. In 2026, it boasts some of the more talented tight ends the class has to offer.
That starts with Mack Sutter, the top player in Illinois for 2026. Sutter is a 6-foot-5, 215 pound athlete with a frame that creates an advantage in the pass game already, but also has the potential to be a great in-line talent once weight is added.
The No. 102 player nationally and eighth best athlete in per the 247Sports Composite, Mack has plans to see the Buckeyes on June 6. A big-time visit for position coach Keenan Bailey, a chance to host the top player in Illinois is no small feat.
With offers from every major program in the country, for Sutter to make the trek to Columbus — even if it’s just a short day-trip — says a lot about how he feels towards Ohio State. The staff will take it every time, as they need at least one and potentially two tight ends in this cycle.
Switching gears to the other Illinois native tight end, the Buckeyes will also play host to JC Anderson on June 11. Another impressive prospect, Anderson is a bigger tight end at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds. Only a high school sophomore, it’s exciting to think about what he will look like at the end of his senior season, which will be two years more to grow and improve on an already skilled profile.
The No. 119 player nationally and sixth best tight-end in the 2026 cycle per the 247Sports Composite, Anderson holds offers from the likes of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee and several others, but Ohio State has yet to pull the trigger.
Visiting in just a few short weeks, however, shows that very well could change in a hurry, especially with how well Bailey does with his recruiting relationships. Odds are JC will be another name worth paying attention to for the long haul considering all that he brings to the table.
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
The Buckeyes are set for a loaded month of June, and it all starts this weekend.
It’s the end of May, and that means one thing for Ohio State football recruiting: Visit season. It all gets started this weekend as the coaching staff starts to bring in priority recruiting targets now that June is here, and these next several weeks could play a major role in the eventual outcome of the 2025 class and beyond.
Seeing new names added to the list of visitors scheduled to be in Columbus throughout this next month, Wednesday was another example of visit plans being shared by some of the top future prospects across the country.
2026 QB sets visit plans to see Ohio State
Ohio State has offered 10 quarterbacks in the 2026 class from various recruiting hotbeds. Seeing several players own Buckeye offers in California, Georgia and Florida, it’s clear to see where both Ryan Day and Chip Kelly are focusing the bulk of their attention when it comes to finding the signal caller in the next cycle.
In great shape in 2025 thanks to Tavien St. Clair, Ohio State has really been able to prioritize the future cycles, and that frees up a ton of time to work on the next big name. It’s up in the air still on who “the guy” is going to be, but with a very talented cycle at the quarterback position and plenty of elite depth already in Columbus, odds are the Buckeyes should fare pretty well.
That said, these offered players are going to start coming around more often this summer. On Wednesday, 2026 signal caller Brodie McWhorter revealed his plans for the coming months. A busy few weeks for the Georgia native, McWhorter will be at Ohio State on June 17, but has other trips planned to see the likes of Clemson, North Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia all before Ohio State.
Fortunately, as of now it helps the Buckeyes that they get the last visit as things are currently slotted.
The No. 269 player nationally, McWhorter is the 17th-best QB in the class per the 247Sports Composite.
Pair of Illinois tight ends eyeing the Buckeyes
Every position is a priority this June when it comes to visits, and Illinois is becoming a fairly fertile recruiting ground Ohio State is paying attention to over the last few cycles. In 2026, it boasts some of the more talented tight ends the class has to offer.
That starts with Mack Sutter, the top player in Illinois for 2026. Sutter is a 6-foot-5, 215 pound athlete with a frame that creates an advantage in the pass game already, but also has the potential to be a great in-line talent once weight is added.
The No. 102 player nationally and eighth best athlete in per the 247Sports Composite, Mack has plans to see the Buckeyes on June 6. A big-time visit for position coach Keenan Bailey, a chance to host the top player in Illinois is no small feat.
With offers from every major program in the country, for Sutter to make the trek to Columbus — even if it’s just a short day-trip — says a lot about how he feels towards Ohio State. The staff will take it every time, as they need at least one and potentially two tight ends in this cycle.
Switching gears to the other Illinois native tight end, the Buckeyes will also play host to JC Anderson on June 11. Another impressive prospect, Anderson is a bigger tight end at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds. Only a high school sophomore, it’s exciting to think about what he will look like at the end of his senior season, which will be two years more to grow and improve on an already skilled profile.
The No. 119 player nationally and sixth best tight-end in the 2026 cycle per the 247Sports Composite, Anderson holds offers from the likes of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee and several others, but Ohio State has yet to pull the trigger.
Visiting in just a few short weeks, however, shows that very well could change in a hurry, especially with how well Bailey does with his recruiting relationships. Odds are JC will be another name worth paying attention to for the long haul considering all that he brings to the table.
Quick Hits
- In-state 2026 receiver prospect Justen Hodge announced via X that he plans to camp at Ohio State on June 17. A 6-foot-1, 180 pound athlete out of Mentor, Hodge is not currently ranked on his 247Sports profile, but does hold early offers from the likes of Miami (OH), Bowling Green, and bigger schools such as Michigan State and West Virginia.
Continue reading...
LGHL Unpopular Opinion: There should be limitations on the transfer portal
- News
- 0 Replies
Unpopular Opinion: There should be limitations on the transfer portal
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Hear me out...
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 unpopular opinions. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
Ah, the transfer portal. So many good things have come from it (thank you for Justin Fields, Caleb Downs, Quinshon Judkins, etc.). However, I think we all can agree it’s getting a little out of control. Or, maybe just me? It’s certainly a controversial topic, so let’s get into it.
Let me just state right away that I love the transfer portal. I think it is a great tool for athletes to do what is best for them. Perhaps the school they chose when they were 17 or 18 years old no longer suits them. Whether it be a head coach departure, a rough culture or it turned out to simply not be the right fit, the transfer portal definitely comes in handy.
Yet, we must keep in mind that when an athlete commits to a school, they call it a “commitment” for a reason. This athlete pledges to give their everything to whichever program they choose. Do they promise four years? Not usually. But it’s a two-way street.
An athlete chooses a school because they think it is what is best for them individually. The school chooses them because it thinks they can help their program win. Maybe that doesn’t happen in the first year or two an athlete is there, so they jump ship to a different school.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t be allowed to do that. They should have the choice to leave. However, I do think they owe it to the program to at least finish out the season. So many athletes enter the transfer portal — that decision alone can disrupt a team’s chemistry — before the season ends. Or, they just fully transfer.
The most recent fall/winter window officially opened on Dec. 4, 2023, and closed on Jan. 2, 2024, giving athletes 30 days to enter the portal at the end of the regular season. Over 2,000 student-athletes entered the portal, setting a record.
So, many of these athletes skipped bowl games. You might think this isn’t a big deal. But personally, I believe that they shouldn’t be allowed to. Yes, a lot of players sit them out because they are going pro. But most of the time, they still stay with the team for the game.
For the majority of the players on a team, this could be their last game ever. They will not go pro. Therefore, a bowl game is most likely the biggest game of their career. I believe that they should have the best opportunity to win, which means having as much of their core roster as possible. I think an athlete can finish the season with their team before they choose to transfer.
Another piece of the puzzle is how many times should a player be allowed to transfer. The NCAA has no set limit on this amount, as long as the student-athlete remains in good academic standing.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25468485/2149468642.jpg "Florida State Spring Football Garnet and Gold Spring Showcase Game")
Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
The one-and-done tactic has moved into the college football world but in a different sense. Many players are playing one year for a school before they transfer to another and another. Take D.J. Uiagalelei for example. He started his career at Clemson, before transferring to Oregon State and now he is at Florida State.
This screws up college’s recruiting process and is also making collegiate athletics more like the pros. If a player doesn’t like the team he is on, he can request a trade. In college, they can just transfer. I think there need to be some more regulations, with some exceptions of course in specific situations and circumstances.
The transfer portal is as lenient as it has ever been. We have seen positive and negative effects from it. What do you think should happen in the future of the transfer portal?
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Hear me out...
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 unpopular opinions. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
Ah, the transfer portal. So many good things have come from it (thank you for Justin Fields, Caleb Downs, Quinshon Judkins, etc.). However, I think we all can agree it’s getting a little out of control. Or, maybe just me? It’s certainly a controversial topic, so let’s get into it.
Let me just state right away that I love the transfer portal. I think it is a great tool for athletes to do what is best for them. Perhaps the school they chose when they were 17 or 18 years old no longer suits them. Whether it be a head coach departure, a rough culture or it turned out to simply not be the right fit, the transfer portal definitely comes in handy.
Yet, we must keep in mind that when an athlete commits to a school, they call it a “commitment” for a reason. This athlete pledges to give their everything to whichever program they choose. Do they promise four years? Not usually. But it’s a two-way street.
An athlete chooses a school because they think it is what is best for them individually. The school chooses them because it thinks they can help their program win. Maybe that doesn’t happen in the first year or two an athlete is there, so they jump ship to a different school.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t be allowed to do that. They should have the choice to leave. However, I do think they owe it to the program to at least finish out the season. So many athletes enter the transfer portal — that decision alone can disrupt a team’s chemistry — before the season ends. Or, they just fully transfer.
The most recent fall/winter window officially opened on Dec. 4, 2023, and closed on Jan. 2, 2024, giving athletes 30 days to enter the portal at the end of the regular season. Over 2,000 student-athletes entered the portal, setting a record.
So, many of these athletes skipped bowl games. You might think this isn’t a big deal. But personally, I believe that they shouldn’t be allowed to. Yes, a lot of players sit them out because they are going pro. But most of the time, they still stay with the team for the game.
For the majority of the players on a team, this could be their last game ever. They will not go pro. Therefore, a bowl game is most likely the biggest game of their career. I believe that they should have the best opportunity to win, which means having as much of their core roster as possible. I think an athlete can finish the season with their team before they choose to transfer.
Another piece of the puzzle is how many times should a player be allowed to transfer. The NCAA has no set limit on this amount, as long as the student-athlete remains in good academic standing.
The one-and-done tactic has moved into the college football world but in a different sense. Many players are playing one year for a school before they transfer to another and another. Take D.J. Uiagalelei for example. He started his career at Clemson, before transferring to Oregon State and now he is at Florida State.
This screws up college’s recruiting process and is also making collegiate athletics more like the pros. If a player doesn’t like the team he is on, he can request a trade. In college, they can just transfer. I think there need to be some more regulations, with some exceptions of course in specific situations and circumstances.
The transfer portal is as lenient as it has ever been. We have seen positive and negative effects from it. What do you think should happen in the future of the transfer portal?
Continue reading...