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LGHL BOOM! Ohio State finds its 2024 quarterback in Georgia four-star Air Noland

BOOM! Ohio State finds its 2024 quarterback in Georgia four-star Air Noland
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


air_nolan_ohio_state_commit_quarterback.0.jpeg

Twitter | @AirNoland_

The No. 84 player in the country will play his college football in Columbus.

Business has been BOOOOOOMing for the Buckeyes lately, both on the gridiron and on the hardwood. But on Saturday, it was the football team’s turn to get back on the commitment train as Ryan Day found his quarterback for the 2024 class in Fairburn, Ga. top-100 prospect Prentiss “Air” Noland.

The No. 84 player in the country according to 247Sports Composite Ratings — though No. 55 in 247’s internal rankings — is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound left-handed quarterback who had 35 offers, but ultimately chose the Buckeyes over Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, Miami, Oregon, Texas A&M, and many more.

Though Noland had been high on OSU’s list for months, he did not officially earn an offer until last weekend when he visited Columbus for an unofficial visit. Despite the fact that Day, quarterback coach Corey Dennis, and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline have been recruiting the QB for a while, they wanted to make sure that they could see him throw in person before making it official, and they did that last weekend, and obviously, both sides were impressed with that they saw on the visit.

Since the beginning of 2023, Noland has been hitting up some of the best programs in the country, visiting Alabama’s Junior Day in January, then Clemson’s, Arkansas, Miami, and Texas A&M before coming to Columbus. He did make one more trip to Tuscaloosa this past Monday, but apparently, it was not enough to persuade him away from OSU.

In December, following the conclusion of his junior season, 247Sports’ Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins compared him to former Indiana Hoosier QB Michael Penix Jr.

“A lefty that can attack all three levels of the field ... Owns a quick, compact release that is believed to be one of the fastest –if not the fastest– in the 2024 cycle. More than comfortable on the move and has plenty of experience running RPOs out of a single-back spread attack. Will beat defenders to the sticks with his legs, and is more than creative when the pocket starts to break down, but shouldn’t be considered a run-first quarterback as he keeps his eyes downfield while working through his progressions and always seems to be looking for the home run.”

Noland was just one touchdown pass from tying the Georgia single-season record of 55. During his junior season, his Langston Hughes High School team went 15-0 to win the AAAAAA state title. Ivins believes that Noland could end up as an NFL starter if he finds the right college home and continues his development.

He should have a pretty good chance to do that working under Day and Dennis. Since The former came to Columbus he has coached three-straight first-round selections at the position (presuming C.J. Stroud doesn’t unthinkably fall out over the next few weeks). All three players — Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and Stroud — also finished as Heisman Finalists and have earned the last five Big Ten Quarterback of the Year awards.

Based on his film and all of the scouts, it seems like Noland has the chance to eventually follow in their footsteps.

“Accurate and not one to make too many mistakes,” Ivins said. “Must adjust to the speed and everyday demands of big-time college football, but has the tools and mechanics to not only win games on Saturdays, but also be a true difference-maker on offense.”

Noland is the ninth player to join the 2024 class, which is already loaded with offensive talent. Ohio State has already landed the No. 2 player in the country in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith along with No. 27 player nationally WR Mylan Graham, No. 69 prospect running back James Peoples, and No. 88 interior offensive lineman Ian Moore.

Also in the class are No. 139 linebacker Garrett Stover, offensive line twins Deontae Armstrong (No. 313) and Devontae Armstrong (No. 354), and IOL Marc Nave (No. 551).

The commitment keeps OSU at No. 4 in the national recruiting rankings, but the team is now within 1.37 points of No. 3 LSU. The Buckeyes’ average player ranking of 94.23 is third nationally behind Alabama (95.09) and Florida (94.93).

Check out Air Noland’s Junior Season Highlights:


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SF Jamison Battle (Toronto Raptors)

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JAMISON BATTLE'S 3-POINT SHOOTING WILL PROVIDE NEW WRINKLE IN CHRIS HOLTMANN'S OFFENSE​

Chris Holtmann's teams, both at Ohio State and in his career, aren't used to having a player that shoots a bunch of 3-pointers.

It seems as though that will likely change next season.

The addition of Jamison Battle – the No. 25 overall player in the transfer portal – will provide immediate scoring, veteran leadership, depth and 3-point shooting to the 2022-23 Buckeyes on the hardwood. The latter might be the biggest area Battle could help Ohio State next season.
In four college seasons, including the last two at Minnesota, the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward has averaged 7.1 3-point attempts per game. Throughout his four-year career, Battle has shot 35% from beyond the arc, including a career-best 36.6% in 2021-22 and a career-low 31.1% this past season. His seven 3-point attempts per game tied for the 70th-most in Division I in 2022-23.

Even in his worst season as a 3-point shooter this past season, Battle's 2.2 made 3-pointers per game would have been by far the best number for the Buckeyes. Ohio State was led by Brice Sensabaugh (1.8 3-pointers per game) and had just three players – Sensabaugh, Sean McNeil (1.7) and Bruce Thornton (1.2) – average more than one 3-pointer per game this past season.

JAMISON BATTLE'S CAREER 3-POINT SHOOTING
SEASON 3PA/G (3P%)
2019-20 7.6 (36.6%)
2020-21 6.4 (35.4%)
2021-22 7.1 (36.6%)
2022-23 7.0 (31.1%)
Career 7.1 (35%)
His ability to knock down 3-pointers at a reasonable clip is something for Buckeye fans to be excited about, but the number of long-distance shots that Battle takes sticks out. Ohio State fans haven't seen that much over the last 21 years, let alone in the Chris Holtmann era. Anything over 5.5 3-point attempts per game by a player has been a rarity over the last six years. Seven attempts are almost unheard of, not only during Holtmann's time leading the Buckeyes but in his career as a head coach.

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What Jamison Battle's transfer means for Ohio State​

The Ohio State men's basketball team addressed one of the team's biggest needs on Thursday when former Minnesota forward Jamison Battle announced his commitment to the Buckeyes from the transfer portal. Battle is a player who spent the last two seasons with the Gophers, after playing his first two years of college basketball at George Washington, and will bring that experience in the Big Ten to the Scarlet and Gray.

This experience is one of the reasons Battle was attractive to Ohio State. Over the last two years, he has played, and started, 56 games in the Big Ten, averaging 36.2 minutes per game for Minnesota. Unlike other recent incoming transfers for the Buckeyes, Battle won't have to adjust to moving conferences and the grind of the Big Ten. He's lived it.

Battle also brings overall college basketball experience to what is likely to be one of the younger teams in the country next season. While the Scarlet and Gray's freshman class got plenty of playing time this past year, at least seven of the Scarlet and Gray's 13 scholarship players next season will be in their first or second years.

Battle's addition gives Ohio State a fifth-year senior who has been around the block in this sport. He will join Zed Key and Tanner Holden as the three upperclassmen on the Buckeye roster and could quickly become a leader for this team, similar to Isaac Likekele last season.

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What is Ohio State men’s basketball getting in Jamison Battle?​

A big body on the perimeter

Someone to stretch the floor, open up driving lanes

Experience

An able (but not great) defender

A man of many talents

Someone who can (and will) take over games

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