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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which new Big Ten team has the best chance to win the conference next season?
- News
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You’re Nuts: Which new Big Ten team has the best chance to win the conference next season?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Can any of the four new teams compete for the title in year one?
Rosters are still in flux and we’ve reached peak mayhem of the transfer portal, but we’ve reached a point where most teams have a pretty good idea of what their teams will look like in the fall.
Most Big Ten teams are still looking to add one or two more players, but even Michigan — which had with four scholarship players left when Dusty May was hired — almost has a full roster. We can kind of start piecing together what the conference will look like.
Last week, Connor and Justin each schemed up a way for Ohio State to get around Ohio’s nepotism laws and find a way that Jake Diebler could hire his brother, Jon. 24% of readers liked Connor’s idea of having Thad Matta adopt Jon so that he technically was not Jake’s brother anymore. 26% of people sided with Justin, saying that the Buckeyes needed to get someone elected to the Ohio General Assembly and change the law.
50% of the readers actually liked both ideas so much, they picked both. Makes sense — they were both foolproof.
Connor- 74
The Big Ten is expanding with the dissolvement of the PAC-12, picking up Washington, USC, Oregon, and UCLA. Two of those teams have new coaches this year, with Eric Musselman leaving Arkansas for USC and Washington hiring former Utah State coach Danny Sprinkle.
These four teams won’t be picked to win the Big Ten this season, but of the four, which one has the best chance to do it?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25419109/usa_today_22777351.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Pac-12 Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-UCLA vs Oregon")
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
UCLA is the only one of these four teams to be showing up in any of the “way-too-early” lists. The Bruins are bringing back three of their top four scorers from last year, including guards Dylan Andrews (12.9 PPG) and Sebastian Mack (12.1 PPG). Mick Cronin then went to work in the transfer portal, adding former USC guard Kobe Johnson (10.9 PPG), Oregon State big man Tyler Bilodeau (14.3 PPG), Oklahoma forward Eric Dailey (9.3 PPG), South Dakota State forward William Kyle (13.1 PPG), and former top guard recruit/Illinois guard/Louisville guard Skyy Clark (13.2 PPG).
That’s a lot of talent — especially in the backcourt — for a team that also finished in the top-50 in defensive efficiency last year, despite finishing with 17 losses. It’s also a ton of depth, because Johnson and Clark will likely have to come off the bench behind UCLA’s incumbent starters. Adding Bilodeau was a sneaky add too — a big man who stepped out and hit threes at close to a 35% clip last season.
Andrews more than tripled his scoring output from his freshman to sophomore year and Mack was phenomenal as a freshman, so I expect them to be one of the better starting backcourts in the Big Ten this season.
I don’t think UCLA will be picked to finish top-four in the Big Ten this year, but I could see them being picked to finish five or six, easily. Cronin is one of the best coaches in this league, and has always had more of a midwestern identity to his teams, even after leaving for the west coast.
Washington and USC are both in transition periods right now, so I don’t think either will compete at the top of the conference and either making the NCAA Tournament would surprise me. Oregon has some intriguing young players and will trip up some really good teams with the combo of Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr, too. But if any of them over-perform, it’s going to be UCLA.
I will be honest. More than likely, USC will finish at the bottom of the Big Ten and will not even remotely be in the hunt deep into the conference season. But when you are on the Mussbus, anything is possible.
Former Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman is entering his first year as the Trojans’ head coach. He takes over for Andy Enfield, who left USC for SMU after the season ended.
The Trojans lost a bunch of players, including top guards Isaiah Collier and Boogie Ellis, to the NBA Draft. Freshman Bronny James also declared for the Draft and entered the transfer portal.
However, so far, Musselman has done a good job reloading and retooling in the transfer portal. Former Boise State and Texas Tech guard Chibuzo Agbo is Musselman’s latest addition.
Agbo, a San Diego native, committed to USC Monday. He’s the fifth transfer portal prospect to pick USC in the last four days, joining guard Bryce Pope from UC San Diego, forward Matt Knowling from Yale, forward Saint Thomas from Northern Colorado, and forward Rashaun Agee from Bowling Green.
Agbo could be the most impactful of the group. He was an All-Mountain West honorable mention selection with Boise State last season, and shot a career-best 45.2 percent from the field, averaging 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Agbo shot 40.9 percent from three-point range and made 72.2 percent of his free throws. He was one of two players in the Mountain West to shoot at least 50 percent on two-pointers and at least 41 percent on three-pointers.
USC returns some key pieces, and if these transfers all hit, who knows? There is a lot of shakeup in the Big Ten this upcoming season.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Can any of the four new teams compete for the title in year one?
Rosters are still in flux and we’ve reached peak mayhem of the transfer portal, but we’ve reached a point where most teams have a pretty good idea of what their teams will look like in the fall.
Most Big Ten teams are still looking to add one or two more players, but even Michigan — which had with four scholarship players left when Dusty May was hired — almost has a full roster. We can kind of start piecing together what the conference will look like.
Last week, Connor and Justin each schemed up a way for Ohio State to get around Ohio’s nepotism laws and find a way that Jake Diebler could hire his brother, Jon. 24% of readers liked Connor’s idea of having Thad Matta adopt Jon so that he technically was not Jake’s brother anymore. 26% of people sided with Justin, saying that the Buckeyes needed to get someone elected to the Ohio General Assembly and change the law.
50% of the readers actually liked both ideas so much, they picked both. Makes sense — they were both foolproof.
After 148 weeks:
Connor- 74
Justin- 55
Other- 16
(There have been four ties)
The Big Ten is expanding with the dissolvement of the PAC-12, picking up Washington, USC, Oregon, and UCLA. Two of those teams have new coaches this year, with Eric Musselman leaving Arkansas for USC and Washington hiring former Utah State coach Danny Sprinkle.
These four teams won’t be picked to win the Big Ten this season, but of the four, which one has the best chance to do it?
This week’s question: Which new Big Ten team has the best chance to win the conference next season?
Connor: UCLA
UCLA is the only one of these four teams to be showing up in any of the “way-too-early” lists. The Bruins are bringing back three of their top four scorers from last year, including guards Dylan Andrews (12.9 PPG) and Sebastian Mack (12.1 PPG). Mick Cronin then went to work in the transfer portal, adding former USC guard Kobe Johnson (10.9 PPG), Oregon State big man Tyler Bilodeau (14.3 PPG), Oklahoma forward Eric Dailey (9.3 PPG), South Dakota State forward William Kyle (13.1 PPG), and former top guard recruit/Illinois guard/Louisville guard Skyy Clark (13.2 PPG).
That’s a lot of talent — especially in the backcourt — for a team that also finished in the top-50 in defensive efficiency last year, despite finishing with 17 losses. It’s also a ton of depth, because Johnson and Clark will likely have to come off the bench behind UCLA’s incumbent starters. Adding Bilodeau was a sneaky add too — a big man who stepped out and hit threes at close to a 35% clip last season.
Andrews more than tripled his scoring output from his freshman to sophomore year and Mack was phenomenal as a freshman, so I expect them to be one of the better starting backcourts in the Big Ten this season.
I don’t think UCLA will be picked to finish top-four in the Big Ten this year, but I could see them being picked to finish five or six, easily. Cronin is one of the best coaches in this league, and has always had more of a midwestern identity to his teams, even after leaving for the west coast.
Washington and USC are both in transition periods right now, so I don’t think either will compete at the top of the conference and either making the NCAA Tournament would surprise me. Oregon has some intriguing young players and will trip up some really good teams with the combo of Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr, too. But if any of them over-perform, it’s going to be UCLA.
Justin: USC
I will be honest. More than likely, USC will finish at the bottom of the Big Ten and will not even remotely be in the hunt deep into the conference season. But when you are on the Mussbus, anything is possible.
Former Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman is entering his first year as the Trojans’ head coach. He takes over for Andy Enfield, who left USC for SMU after the season ended.
The Trojans lost a bunch of players, including top guards Isaiah Collier and Boogie Ellis, to the NBA Draft. Freshman Bronny James also declared for the Draft and entered the transfer portal.
However, so far, Musselman has done a good job reloading and retooling in the transfer portal. Former Boise State and Texas Tech guard Chibuzo Agbo is Musselman’s latest addition.
Agbo, a San Diego native, committed to USC Monday. He’s the fifth transfer portal prospect to pick USC in the last four days, joining guard Bryce Pope from UC San Diego, forward Matt Knowling from Yale, forward Saint Thomas from Northern Colorado, and forward Rashaun Agee from Bowling Green.
Agbo could be the most impactful of the group. He was an All-Mountain West honorable mention selection with Boise State last season, and shot a career-best 45.2 percent from the field, averaging 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Agbo shot 40.9 percent from three-point range and made 72.2 percent of his free throws. He was one of two players in the Mountain West to shoot at least 50 percent on two-pointers and at least 41 percent on three-pointers.
USC returns some key pieces, and if these transfers all hit, who knows? There is a lot of shakeup in the Big Ten this upcoming season.
Continue reading...
2025 GA OL Andrew Stargel (UCF Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 8 Replies
247
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HudL
Class: 2025
School: Roswell(GA) Roswell
Position: OG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 305lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2025
School: Roswell(GA) Roswell
Position: OG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 305lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Kyle Snyder to represent U.S. again, several current and former Ohio State wrestlers fare well at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials
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Kyle Snyder to represent U.S. again, several current and former Ohio State wrestlers fare well at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials
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 Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
The Buckeyes were well-represented at the U.S. team trials, led by Snyder, who booked his third trip to the Olympic Games.
This past weekend in State College, PA, several former Ohio State wrestlers competed in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The group was led by two-time Olympian and all-word grappler Kyle Snyder, but also included the likes of Joey McKenna and Kollin Moore, both of whom won multiple Big Ten titles and earned All-American status during their OSU career(s).
Joining them was current Buckeye and NCAA Champion Jesse Mendez, continuing his wildly impressive 2023-24 run.
The four names mentioned above all performed very well, as did Nick Boykin, who might be a bit of an unknown to Ohio State wrestling fans despite taking part in the team’s most recent Senior Day. However, Boykin is a highly accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler, as opposed to the freestyle version of the sport that we regularly see on TV and/or inside Covelli Center.
Other former OSU grapplers competing were Fritz Schierl, Tate Orndorff, Brady Koontz (finished college career at Duke), and Gary Traub (finished at Oregon State). This group, like Boykin, competed primarily in the Greco-Roman category, with the exception being Traub.
Unsurprisingly, Snyder was the top performer of the Scarlet and Gray group, booking a third trip to the Olympic Games and adding to his ridiculous list of achievements. One of the best and most accomplished wrestlers of this or any other generation, he received a bye into the finals where he faced U23 World Champ Isaac Trumble in a best-of-three format.
Despite being one of the best young grapplers America has to offer, Trumble was simply no match for Snyder. The former Buckeye/wrestling triple crown winner did not cede a single point to Trumble, shutting the latter out in back-to-back matches. As a result, Snyder will represent the U.S. in Paris this summer, where he will be gunning for his second gold medal.
Future medal or not, Snyder further solidified his case as one of the greatest U.S. wrestlers ever this past weekend, becoming just the 11th American to qualify for three Olympics. He also has several World Championships and Pan-Am Game medals, in addition to his achievements at Ohio State.
Interestingly enough, Snyder could have faced another former Buckeye in the 97 KG final had Moore toppled Trumble in the semis. An accomplished international wrestler in his own right, Moore competed in the same weight class as Snyder and began his trials 3-0. He was then defeated by Trumble via tech fall, robbing OSU fans of an all-Buckeye final. Moore would go on to take third, adding another impressive performance to his resume.
While a Snyder-Moore match never came to fruition, multiple Buckeye v. Buckeye battles did occur in Happy Valley. Boykin faced Orndorff for second place at 97 KG/Greco, with the former winning a 4-3 decision. And at 65 KG, McKenna and Mendez wrestled each other twice (!), splitting a pair of decisions. McKenna won the second matchup, earning him a third-place finish, while Mendez settled for fourth.
Although they are not currently slated to participate in the Olympics themselves, McKenna, Mendez, Moore, Boykin, and Orndorff all earned a spot on the national team. Meaning they can and/or will continue to train and/or compete with said team, alongside Snyder and others. Surely, a great accomplishment for all.
For more information on USA Wrestling, check out themat.com. And be sure to follow Snyder in the upcoming Olympics, which begin on July 26.
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 Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
The Buckeyes were well-represented at the U.S. team trials, led by Snyder, who booked his third trip to the Olympic Games.
This past weekend in State College, PA, several former Ohio State wrestlers competed in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The group was led by two-time Olympian and all-word grappler Kyle Snyder, but also included the likes of Joey McKenna and Kollin Moore, both of whom won multiple Big Ten titles and earned All-American status during their OSU career(s).
Joining them was current Buckeye and NCAA Champion Jesse Mendez, continuing his wildly impressive 2023-24 run.
The four names mentioned above all performed very well, as did Nick Boykin, who might be a bit of an unknown to Ohio State wrestling fans despite taking part in the team’s most recent Senior Day. However, Boykin is a highly accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler, as opposed to the freestyle version of the sport that we regularly see on TV and/or inside Covelli Center.
Other former OSU grapplers competing were Fritz Schierl, Tate Orndorff, Brady Koontz (finished college career at Duke), and Gary Traub (finished at Oregon State). This group, like Boykin, competed primarily in the Greco-Roman category, with the exception being Traub.
Unsurprisingly, Snyder was the top performer of the Scarlet and Gray group, booking a third trip to the Olympic Games and adding to his ridiculous list of achievements. One of the best and most accomplished wrestlers of this or any other generation, he received a bye into the finals where he faced U23 World Champ Isaac Trumble in a best-of-three format.
Despite being one of the best young grapplers America has to offer, Trumble was simply no match for Snyder. The former Buckeye/wrestling triple crown winner did not cede a single point to Trumble, shutting the latter out in back-to-back matches. As a result, Snyder will represent the U.S. in Paris this summer, where he will be gunning for his second gold medal.
Future medal or not, Snyder further solidified his case as one of the greatest U.S. wrestlers ever this past weekend, becoming just the 11th American to qualify for three Olympics. He also has several World Championships and Pan-Am Game medals, in addition to his achievements at Ohio State.
Interestingly enough, Snyder could have faced another former Buckeye in the 97 KG final had Moore toppled Trumble in the semis. An accomplished international wrestler in his own right, Moore competed in the same weight class as Snyder and began his trials 3-0. He was then defeated by Trumble via tech fall, robbing OSU fans of an all-Buckeye final. Moore would go on to take third, adding another impressive performance to his resume.
While a Snyder-Moore match never came to fruition, multiple Buckeye v. Buckeye battles did occur in Happy Valley. Boykin faced Orndorff for second place at 97 KG/Greco, with the former winning a 4-3 decision. And at 65 KG, McKenna and Mendez wrestled each other twice (!), splitting a pair of decisions. McKenna won the second matchup, earning him a third-place finish, while Mendez settled for fourth.
Although they are not currently slated to participate in the Olympics themselves, McKenna, Mendez, Moore, Boykin, and Orndorff all earned a spot on the national team. Meaning they can and/or will continue to train and/or compete with said team, alongside Snyder and others. Surely, a great accomplishment for all.
For more information on USA Wrestling, check out themat.com. And be sure to follow Snyder in the upcoming Olympics, which begin on July 26.
Continue reading...