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LGHL Five-star OL sets commitment date, four-star EDGE puts Ohio State in top schools
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Five-star OL sets commitment date, four-star EDGE puts Ohio State in top schools
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Five-star IOL Darius Gray | via @dariusgrayy_ on Twitter
The Buckeyes’ season is rapidly approaching, but the recruiting efforts continue on.
We are now only five Saturdays from Ohio State’s season-opening banger against Texas, and the Buckeyes will soon be back on the practice field in preparation. Off the field, Ryan Day and the coaching staff have assembled the nation’s No. 7 recruiting class, but they are hoping to continue to add to it ahead of signing day with still a number of top prospects on the board.
One of those names happens to be one of the very best offensive line recruits in the country in five-star IOL Darius Gray. On Friday, the Richmond, Virginia native announced a commitment date of Aug. 22, where he will choose between a top five schools list containing Clemson, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio State.
Gray comes in as the No. 1 IOL and No. 16 overall prospect in the class per 247Sports’ rankings. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound lineman holds a whopping 45 scholarship offers to his name, and made official visits to all five of his finalists, including a trip to Columbus back on June 10. While there is no clear leader in his recruitment, LSU and South Carolina seem to be atop the list, but a lot can still change in a month’s time.
That said, position coach Tyler Bowen has developed a great relationship with Gray dating back to his time as the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes are also very much still in limbo over their handling of NIL efforts, which will obviously impact how aggressively they are able to pursue the remaining prospects on their board.
All that to say: we’ll have to wait and see. If it’s Ohio State vs. the field in this recruitment, i’d lean towards the field. Bowen has put together a very solid offensive line group in his first offseason at the helm of the position, landing a pair of top-10 national tackles in Sam Greer and Maxwell Riley in addition to three-stars Aaron Thomas and Tucker Smith. Adding Gray would obviously be massive, but it isn’t a make-or-break recruitment for this cycle.
Looking ahead to the 2027 class, Ohio State is already hard at work. Larry Johnson and crew know that the 2026 defensive line haul isn’t nearly good enough, and while there is still time in this current cycle to rectify things, they are getting a head start down the road.
On Friday, the Buckeyes got one step closer with a four-star EDGE as Krew Jones included Ohio State among his top 12 schools. Holding nearly 30 offers, Jones is already moving things along in the process, cutting things down to a dozen with the Buckeyes in the mix alongside Florida State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, Tennessee and others.
Jones currently ranks as the No. 18 EDGE and the No. 138 overall prospect in the 2027 class. He is also the No. 1 player out of his home state, Utah. Ohio State offered Jones not too long ago at the end of April, and clearly made a large enough impression to still make his top schools list. It helped that the offer came from Ryan Day himself during one of the Buckeyes’ recruiting camps.
“It meant a lot, I mean, just showing me that it’s in my right path, I’m on the right track to get what I want to get,” Jones told Eleven Warriors. “I mean, getting offered from a big school like that really shows you that you just keep working and you’ll get what you want.(Coach Day) just told me that he liked my talent, he was watching my film, he saw what I could do, and he just told me to keep working, and he sees me as a great big athlete and a great player for them.”
Jones had nothing but good things to say about the program following his trip to Columbus.
“It was crazy, something different from what I’ve seen in the past at colleges. They definitely have that winning culture, that mindset of developing kids, sending them to the league, as you see with the draft, the amount of edges and the amount of players they sent, so it was awesome,” Jones said.
“I mean, that culture, that trophy room, you walk in there and it’s like, ‘Wow.’ Huge. Their motto is like that fight, that brotherhood, they’re developed here, that’s big with them. That’s something I just haven’t seen in other schools, but yeah, it’s that culture, that winning mentality.”
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Five-star IOL Darius Gray | via @dariusgrayy_ on Twitter
The Buckeyes’ season is rapidly approaching, but the recruiting efforts continue on.
We are now only five Saturdays from Ohio State’s season-opening banger against Texas, and the Buckeyes will soon be back on the practice field in preparation. Off the field, Ryan Day and the coaching staff have assembled the nation’s No. 7 recruiting class, but they are hoping to continue to add to it ahead of signing day with still a number of top prospects on the board.
One of those names happens to be one of the very best offensive line recruits in the country in five-star IOL Darius Gray. On Friday, the Richmond, Virginia native announced a commitment date of Aug. 22, where he will choose between a top five schools list containing Clemson, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio State.
NEWS: Five-Star IOL Darius Gray will announce his Commitment August 22nd, he tells me for @rivals
The No. 1 IOL in the ‘26 Class will choose between Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, South Carolina, & Tennessee
Where Should He Go?https://t.co/IzBo6ymbmE pic.twitter.com/Dkm5w3a2rK
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 26, 2025
Gray comes in as the No. 1 IOL and No. 16 overall prospect in the class per 247Sports’ rankings. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound lineman holds a whopping 45 scholarship offers to his name, and made official visits to all five of his finalists, including a trip to Columbus back on June 10. While there is no clear leader in his recruitment, LSU and South Carolina seem to be atop the list, but a lot can still change in a month’s time.
That said, position coach Tyler Bowen has developed a great relationship with Gray dating back to his time as the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes are also very much still in limbo over their handling of NIL efforts, which will obviously impact how aggressively they are able to pursue the remaining prospects on their board.
All that to say: we’ll have to wait and see. If it’s Ohio State vs. the field in this recruitment, i’d lean towards the field. Bowen has put together a very solid offensive line group in his first offseason at the helm of the position, landing a pair of top-10 national tackles in Sam Greer and Maxwell Riley in addition to three-stars Aaron Thomas and Tucker Smith. Adding Gray would obviously be massive, but it isn’t a make-or-break recruitment for this cycle.
Looking ahead to the 2027 class, Ohio State is already hard at work. Larry Johnson and crew know that the 2026 defensive line haul isn’t nearly good enough, and while there is still time in this current cycle to rectify things, they are getting a head start down the road.
On Friday, the Buckeyes got one step closer with a four-star EDGE as Krew Jones included Ohio State among his top 12 schools. Holding nearly 30 offers, Jones is already moving things along in the process, cutting things down to a dozen with the Buckeyes in the mix alongside Florida State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, Tennessee and others.
Jones currently ranks as the No. 18 EDGE and the No. 138 overall prospect in the 2027 class. He is also the No. 1 player out of his home state, Utah. Ohio State offered Jones not too long ago at the end of April, and clearly made a large enough impression to still make his top schools list. It helped that the offer came from Ryan Day himself during one of the Buckeyes’ recruiting camps.
“It meant a lot, I mean, just showing me that it’s in my right path, I’m on the right track to get what I want to get,” Jones told Eleven Warriors. “I mean, getting offered from a big school like that really shows you that you just keep working and you’ll get what you want.(Coach Day) just told me that he liked my talent, he was watching my film, he saw what I could do, and he just told me to keep working, and he sees me as a great big athlete and a great player for them.”
Jones had nothing but good things to say about the program following his trip to Columbus.
“It was crazy, something different from what I’ve seen in the past at colleges. They definitely have that winning culture, that mindset of developing kids, sending them to the league, as you see with the draft, the amount of edges and the amount of players they sent, so it was awesome,” Jones said.
“I mean, that culture, that trophy room, you walk in there and it’s like, ‘Wow.’ Huge. Their motto is like that fight, that brotherhood, they’re developed here, that’s big with them. That’s something I just haven’t seen in other schools, but yeah, it’s that culture, that winning mentality.”
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball to face TCU at Coretta Scott King Classic
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Ohio State women’s basketball to face TCU at Coretta Scott King Classic
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
The Buckeyes announced their third non-conference game of the season, this time taking place in Newark, New Jersey
Normally the non-conference schedule ends late November or early December, but this season will be different for Ohio State women’s basketball. On Tuesday, the Coretta Scott King Classic announced the addition of the Buckeyes in a doubleheader that pits the Big Ten against the Big 12 and SEC.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes take on the TCU Horned Frogs first in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day neutral site event. The next edition takes place Monday, January 19, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“I am deeply honored to announce our participation in the 2026 Coretta Scott King Classic,” said Kevin McGuff in a press release. “This event is a powerful celebration of Coretta Scott King’s enduring legacy as a champion for equality, justice and empowerment. It is a privilege for our team to compete in an event that not only showcases the strength and talent of women’s basketball but also pays tribute to Mrs. King’s profound impact on our society.”
The TCU Horned Frogs enter this season off a conference sweep in the Big 12, winning both their conference championship and conference tournament championship. However, that team featured guard Hailey Van Lith and forward Sedona Prince, a one-two outside and inside combination that dominated the scoring and rebounding columns for TCU. The Horned Frogs made a splash in the summer transfer window and added All-American Olivia Miles, the former Notre Dame standout at guard.
So far, the matchup with Miles is the toughest test for sophomore guard Jaloni Cambridge on the non-conference schedule, with most games still pending release.
This is the first time the two programs play each other in their respective histories.
Named after the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., the Coretta Scott King Classic honors the late activist’s contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement.
“The Coretta Scott King Classic is a testament to the enduring power of my mother’s legacy,” said Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Coretta Scott King and CEO of The King Center. “She believed deeply in the transformative nature of education and public engagement, and this event continues to bring that vision to life for a new generation of athletes, fans, and leaders.”
Ohio State’s game tips at noon ET on FOX. At 2 p.m. ET, the Michigan Wolverines face the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second game of the doubleheader.
Tuesday’s announcement is the third non-conference game for the Buckeyes, although the opponents for the first two games are still up in the air. That is because Ohio State travels to the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship on the week of Thanksgiving. At the tournament, the Buckeyes will play from a pool of programs including Alabama, Belmont, Harvard, Minnesota, South Florida, West Virginia and an eighth school that has not been announced, as of publishing.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
The Buckeyes announced their third non-conference game of the season, this time taking place in Newark, New Jersey
Normally the non-conference schedule ends late November or early December, but this season will be different for Ohio State women’s basketball. On Tuesday, the Coretta Scott King Classic announced the addition of the Buckeyes in a doubleheader that pits the Big Ten against the Big 12 and SEC.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes take on the TCU Horned Frogs first in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day neutral site event. The next edition takes place Monday, January 19, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“I am deeply honored to announce our participation in the 2026 Coretta Scott King Classic,” said Kevin McGuff in a press release. “This event is a powerful celebration of Coretta Scott King’s enduring legacy as a champion for equality, justice and empowerment. It is a privilege for our team to compete in an event that not only showcases the strength and talent of women’s basketball but also pays tribute to Mrs. King’s profound impact on our society.”
The TCU Horned Frogs enter this season off a conference sweep in the Big 12, winning both their conference championship and conference tournament championship. However, that team featured guard Hailey Van Lith and forward Sedona Prince, a one-two outside and inside combination that dominated the scoring and rebounding columns for TCU. The Horned Frogs made a splash in the summer transfer window and added All-American Olivia Miles, the former Notre Dame standout at guard.
So far, the matchup with Miles is the toughest test for sophomore guard Jaloni Cambridge on the non-conference schedule, with most games still pending release.
This is the first time the two programs play each other in their respective histories.
Named after the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., the Coretta Scott King Classic honors the late activist’s contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement.
“The Coretta Scott King Classic is a testament to the enduring power of my mother’s legacy,” said Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Coretta Scott King and CEO of The King Center. “She believed deeply in the transformative nature of education and public engagement, and this event continues to bring that vision to life for a new generation of athletes, fans, and leaders.”
Ohio State’s game tips at noon ET on FOX. At 2 p.m. ET, the Michigan Wolverines face the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second game of the doubleheader.
Tuesday’s announcement is the third non-conference game for the Buckeyes, although the opponents for the first two games are still up in the air. That is because Ohio State travels to the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship on the week of Thanksgiving. At the tournament, the Buckeyes will play from a pool of programs including Alabama, Belmont, Harvard, Minnesota, South Florida, West Virginia and an eighth school that has not been announced, as of publishing.
Continue reading...
LGHL On the Record: Ohio State needs to win the Big Ten Championship this season
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On the Record: Ohio State needs to win the Big Ten Championship this season
AlexFrank via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dec 7, 2019; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day (center) holds the Big Ten Championship Trophy as he celebrates with Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver K.J. Hill (left), wide receiver Binjimen Victor (middle left), and defensive end Chase Young (middle right) after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes need to get back to the top of college football’s toughest conference.
From now until preseason camp starts later this week, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the things we need to get off our chests before the season starts; the things we need to get on the record. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”On the Record” articles here.
It’s a fascinating case study of what’s more important to Buckeyes fans: beating Michigan or winning the national championship.
Conventional thinking should mean that winning a national championship is more important, since that indicates no team in college football is better than Ohio State. Then again, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is unlike any in sports, especially when viewed from the perspective of Buckeye fans.
When looking at the upcoming 2025 season, it’s clear that Ohio State needs to beat the Wolverines. Amending that, Ryan Day, in particular, needs to beat Michigan, and there’s no further explanation needed to explain why he does.
In addition to needing to beat Michigan this season, though, the Buckeyes also need to win the Big Ten Championship.
It’s been five years since the Buckeyes won the Big Ten. The last time they did, in 2020, the world was a very different place. That season was heavily impacted by COVID-19, with the Buckeyes playing only five regular-season games plus the Big Ten Championship.
Justin Fields was the quarterback, Trey Sermon and Master Teague were the running backs, and Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were both still in their second-to-last seasons at Ohio State. Not to mention, Greg Mattison and Kerry Coombs were co-defensive coordinators, and Kevin Wilson was the offensive coordinator.
Needless to say, it’s been a long time (did I mention NIL wasn’t yet officially a thing in college football in 2020?).
Ohio State hasn’t even played in the Big Ten Championship in each of the last four seasons. Even when it seemed like the Buckeyes were a lock to at least play Oregon in the Big Ten Championship in 2024, we all know what happened. Great Buckeyes players over the last four seasons never got to play at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
To me, that’s unacceptable.
Ohio State has won 39 Big Ten conference titles. That makes going four-straight seasons without playing in the championship game — let alone winning it — impossible to think about.
The talent has been there in each of the last four seasons. Even though the Buckeyes won the national championship in 2024, and nothing will take what they accomplished away from them, it’s still disappointing to think that none of the previous four teams have been the ones hoisting the Big Ten Championship trophy in Indianapolis.
Michigan won three-straight Big Ten titles from 2021 to 2023, and they beat Ohio State in each of those seasons to punch their ticket to Indianapolis. Oregon, in its first season in the Big Ten, went 13-0 and won the conference title. So, in the last four seasons, Ohio State has seen its biggest rival and a new tough conference challenger take home the glory.
The Big Ten is only getting better. That’s not just a result of realignment, but also a result of the conference’s big dogs being able to go toe-to-toe and beat the SEC’s best teams. That also means it’s going to get even more difficult for the Buckeyes to get back to the championship podium in Indianapolis.
Expectations remain the same in Columbus: Beat Michigan, win the Big Ten Championship, and win the national championship. It’s been weird, eerie, not feeling right seeing the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game in each of the last four seasons.
That needs to change this season, with the Buckeyes reclaiming their seat on the throne in college football’s toughest conference.
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
Dec 7, 2019; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day (center) holds the Big Ten Championship Trophy as he celebrates with Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver K.J. Hill (left), wide receiver Binjimen Victor (middle left), and defensive end Chase Young (middle right) after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes need to get back to the top of college football’s toughest conference.
From now until preseason camp starts later this week, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the things we need to get off our chests before the season starts; the things we need to get on the record. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”On the Record” articles here.
It’s a fascinating case study of what’s more important to Buckeyes fans: beating Michigan or winning the national championship.
Conventional thinking should mean that winning a national championship is more important, since that indicates no team in college football is better than Ohio State. Then again, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is unlike any in sports, especially when viewed from the perspective of Buckeye fans.
When looking at the upcoming 2025 season, it’s clear that Ohio State needs to beat the Wolverines. Amending that, Ryan Day, in particular, needs to beat Michigan, and there’s no further explanation needed to explain why he does.
In addition to needing to beat Michigan this season, though, the Buckeyes also need to win the Big Ten Championship.
It’s been five years since the Buckeyes won the Big Ten. The last time they did, in 2020, the world was a very different place. That season was heavily impacted by COVID-19, with the Buckeyes playing only five regular-season games plus the Big Ten Championship.
Justin Fields was the quarterback, Trey Sermon and Master Teague were the running backs, and Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were both still in their second-to-last seasons at Ohio State. Not to mention, Greg Mattison and Kerry Coombs were co-defensive coordinators, and Kevin Wilson was the offensive coordinator.
Needless to say, it’s been a long time (did I mention NIL wasn’t yet officially a thing in college football in 2020?).
Ohio State hasn’t even played in the Big Ten Championship in each of the last four seasons. Even when it seemed like the Buckeyes were a lock to at least play Oregon in the Big Ten Championship in 2024, we all know what happened. Great Buckeyes players over the last four seasons never got to play at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
To me, that’s unacceptable.
Ohio State has won 39 Big Ten conference titles. That makes going four-straight seasons without playing in the championship game — let alone winning it — impossible to think about.
The talent has been there in each of the last four seasons. Even though the Buckeyes won the national championship in 2024, and nothing will take what they accomplished away from them, it’s still disappointing to think that none of the previous four teams have been the ones hoisting the Big Ten Championship trophy in Indianapolis.
Michigan won three-straight Big Ten titles from 2021 to 2023, and they beat Ohio State in each of those seasons to punch their ticket to Indianapolis. Oregon, in its first season in the Big Ten, went 13-0 and won the conference title. So, in the last four seasons, Ohio State has seen its biggest rival and a new tough conference challenger take home the glory.
The Big Ten is only getting better. That’s not just a result of realignment, but also a result of the conference’s big dogs being able to go toe-to-toe and beat the SEC’s best teams. That also means it’s going to get even more difficult for the Buckeyes to get back to the championship podium in Indianapolis.
Expectations remain the same in Columbus: Beat Michigan, win the Big Ten Championship, and win the national championship. It’s been weird, eerie, not feeling right seeing the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game in each of the last four seasons.
That needs to change this season, with the Buckeyes reclaiming their seat on the throne in college football’s toughest conference.
Continue reading...
