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LGHL Column: Ohio State is the lacrosse team to beat
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Column: Ohio State is the lacrosse team to beat
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Things are falling into place.
The No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes men’s lacrosse team moved to 3-0 over the weekend after a win over then-No.19 North Carolina. The win came at the Buckeyes’ new, dedicated lacrosse stadium in Columbus. Despite being the lowest-scoring game of the year, it was also decisive, with a shut-down defense holding the Tar Heels to just one goal in the second half in an 8-5 comeback victory.
Things don’t get easier for Ohio State from here. The matchups in coming weeks remain some of the most challenging we’ll see all season long as the Buckeyes face No. 1 Virginia in Florida, No. 4 Cornell in Columbus and No. 2 Notre Dame in South Bend. But if Ohio State can survive that stretch, this could prove to be a breakthrough season for a squad that has been waiting for its shot.
The Buckeyes have outscored opponents 34-19 through three games in 2023. Led by specialist Drew Blanchard, Ohio State has gone 39-21 on faceoffs and hauled in 76 ground balls to 49 for their combined opponents. Senior attackman Jack Myers, an anchor on offense, leads the team with 14 points, including six goals.
Having made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 last season, Ohio State had hype and high expectations heading into the season, especially its highly touted defense. Along with Myers, defensemen Marcus Hudgins and Bobby Van Buren were named to the Tewaaraton Award watch list, which recognizes the national player of the year. Senior goalie Skylar Wahlund, versus the Tar Heels, had a dozen saves, including a hot second half that kept the Buckeyes in the game after being down at the break.
Alongside these veterans, incoming freshmen are already making an impact. Freshman Dillon Magee, playing in the midfield, has already established himself as a starter. Most recently, in an exemplary defensive performance, freshman defenseman Cullen Brown helped hold North Carolina to just five goals on the day — less than a third of what the Tar Heels had been averaging before.
It doesn’t hurt that Ohio State also has a veteran coach in Nick Myers, who’s been at the helm in Columbus since 2009.
Yes, all the pieces seem to be in place for Ohio State to make a run, and Ohio State seems to be in the driver’s seat. After seasons of heartbreak with the Buckeyes right on the cusp of success (including in 2017 when Ohio State finished the season as NCAA runner-up), this could be the season that they actually breakthrough.
Lacrosse has been an afterthought in the Big Ten for most of its existence — because the Big Ten didn’t even sponsor lacrosse on the men’s side until 2015. And it didn’t help Ohio State’s cause that lacrosse only became an official sport with the addition of traditional lacrosse powers like Maryland and Johns Hopkins.
Ohio State hasn’t won a Big Ten regular season or tournament title, coming close as runners-up in 2015 and 2017. Now, however, Ohio State is the top-ranked team in the conference, sliding into the rankings just ahead of No. 9 Maryland. And we all know the easiest way to get into the NCAA Tournament is by winning the conference, which Ohio State would seem to have the edge for before the start of conference play.
The momentum continues to build. Ohio State has the No. 10 ranked class in the 2023 recruiting class according to Inside Lacrosse, anchored by Caleb Fyock — one of the top high school goalies in the nation. As we’ve seen with the football team in the last decade, there’s a cumulative impact on recruiting begetting on-field success and leading to more success in recruiting.
It’s still early (far too early to get excited, if we learned anything from Ohio State’s men’s basketball team this season), but all the puzzle pieces — from veteran leadership to freshman talent to a quality win early in the season — might just be in place for a magical season.
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Things are falling into place.
The No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes men’s lacrosse team moved to 3-0 over the weekend after a win over then-No.19 North Carolina. The win came at the Buckeyes’ new, dedicated lacrosse stadium in Columbus. Despite being the lowest-scoring game of the year, it was also decisive, with a shut-down defense holding the Tar Heels to just one goal in the second half in an 8-5 comeback victory.
Things don’t get easier for Ohio State from here. The matchups in coming weeks remain some of the most challenging we’ll see all season long as the Buckeyes face No. 1 Virginia in Florida, No. 4 Cornell in Columbus and No. 2 Notre Dame in South Bend. But if Ohio State can survive that stretch, this could prove to be a breakthrough season for a squad that has been waiting for its shot.
The Buckeyes have outscored opponents 34-19 through three games in 2023. Led by specialist Drew Blanchard, Ohio State has gone 39-21 on faceoffs and hauled in 76 ground balls to 49 for their combined opponents. Senior attackman Jack Myers, an anchor on offense, leads the team with 14 points, including six goals.
Having made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 last season, Ohio State had hype and high expectations heading into the season, especially its highly touted defense. Along with Myers, defensemen Marcus Hudgins and Bobby Van Buren were named to the Tewaaraton Award watch list, which recognizes the national player of the year. Senior goalie Skylar Wahlund, versus the Tar Heels, had a dozen saves, including a hot second half that kept the Buckeyes in the game after being down at the break.
Alongside these veterans, incoming freshmen are already making an impact. Freshman Dillon Magee, playing in the midfield, has already established himself as a starter. Most recently, in an exemplary defensive performance, freshman defenseman Cullen Brown helped hold North Carolina to just five goals on the day — less than a third of what the Tar Heels had been averaging before.
It doesn’t hurt that Ohio State also has a veteran coach in Nick Myers, who’s been at the helm in Columbus since 2009.
Yes, all the pieces seem to be in place for Ohio State to make a run, and Ohio State seems to be in the driver’s seat. After seasons of heartbreak with the Buckeyes right on the cusp of success (including in 2017 when Ohio State finished the season as NCAA runner-up), this could be the season that they actually breakthrough.
Lacrosse has been an afterthought in the Big Ten for most of its existence — because the Big Ten didn’t even sponsor lacrosse on the men’s side until 2015. And it didn’t help Ohio State’s cause that lacrosse only became an official sport with the addition of traditional lacrosse powers like Maryland and Johns Hopkins.
Ohio State hasn’t won a Big Ten regular season or tournament title, coming close as runners-up in 2015 and 2017. Now, however, Ohio State is the top-ranked team in the conference, sliding into the rankings just ahead of No. 9 Maryland. And we all know the easiest way to get into the NCAA Tournament is by winning the conference, which Ohio State would seem to have the edge for before the start of conference play.
The momentum continues to build. Ohio State has the No. 10 ranked class in the 2023 recruiting class according to Inside Lacrosse, anchored by Caleb Fyock — one of the top high school goalies in the nation. As we’ve seen with the football team in the last decade, there’s a cumulative impact on recruiting begetting on-field success and leading to more success in recruiting.
It’s still early (far too early to get excited, if we learned anything from Ohio State’s men’s basketball team this season), but all the puzzle pieces — from veteran leadership to freshman talent to a quality win early in the season — might just be in place for a magical season.
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 16 Ohio State women beat No. 12 Michigan 74-61, secure double-bye in Big Ten Tournament
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No. 16 Ohio State women beat No. 12 Michigan 74-61, secure double-bye in Big Ten Tournament
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
On a day when the Buckeyes slipped in the AP Polls, they accomplished an important goal in Ann Arbor.
It was simple for the Ohio State women’s basketball team on Monday: Win and get a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. It was by no means an easy task, however, traveling north three hours to Ann Arbor, Mich. against the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines.
After a slow start to the game, the Buckeyes responded by going ahead and maintaining their lead when it counted: At the final buzzer. The Buckeye clinched the double-bye with a 74-61 victory.
Absent from the game again was guard Jacy Sheldon, missing her fourth game in a row. The guard is still returning from a foot injury sustained at the end of 2022. Sheldon’s started one game since Nov. 30 when the Buckeyes beat the Louisville Cardinals in Kentucky.
Speaking of injuries, forward Eboni Walker made her third start in a row for forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, who suffered a high ankle sprain against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Feb. 8. The forward’s played since then, but in a limited bench role.
From the jump, the Buckeyes had trouble scoring. Ohio State went 1-for-4 from the field before head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout. The reason for the quick T.O. was the fact that Michigan started off exactly the opposite from the floor.
The Wolverines went up 10-2 in the first three minutes of the game. Before the game, guard Leigha Brown for Michigan was honored for her 1,000th point in her NCAA career and added three more early. Brown hit a three-point shot and on the following offensive possession Ohio State passed the ball into traffic and guard Maddie Nolan went on the fastbreak, hitting the layup.
Out of the timeout, the Buckeyes looked like they calmed down, and with it came an offensive surge. Ohio State outscored Michigan 22-7, not missing any of their six three-point attempts following the timeout.
The Buckeyes achieved it through extra passes and forcing turnovers. Michigan gave up the ball seven times in the first quarter, leading to seven points off turnovers for the visiting Scarlet and Gray.
In the passing game, guard Taylor Mikesell was given even less space, often finding a double-team once she got near the perimeter. In response, Mikesell found open teammates or started a string of multiple passes to find the open player. It paid dividends.
Mikesell and guard/forward Taylor Thierry were 5-for-5 from deep, with Mikesell hitting three of the five. Ohio State went from eight points down to seven points up after the first quarter. Ahead of the home side 24-17.
Ohio State continued their 11-point run into the second quarter, with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková hitting her only shot of the first half. It pushed the Buckeyes to their largest lead of the half at 10 points.
Michigan and Ohio State played an even second quarter, overall. Scoring-wise, it was a showdown against two guards. Brown for the Wolverines and Harris for the Buckeyes. By halftime, both team leaders surpassed their season averages for scoring thanks to a big second quarter.
Of 20 second-quarter points for the Maize and Blue, Brown had 14 on 6-for-10 shooting, with only one coming from the free throw line. By the halftime whistle, Brown already had 21 points and five rebounds, similar to Penn State guard Makenna Marisa who put up 18 against the Buckeyes in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s Thursday night win.
For the Scarlet and Gray, Harris was perfect in the second quarter but what impressed the most was improved free throw shooting. Harris entered the game averaging 59.6% shooting from the line. By halftime, Harris was up perfect in her five attempts from the charity stripe.
An area that helped the home side immensely was rebounding. Michigan outrebounded Ohio State 16-9 in the first two quarters. That gave the Wolverines more chances at point-scoring opportunities. For example, forward Emily Kiser went to the line for two free throws and missed both.
Instead of a lucky defensive possession for McGuff’s Buckeyes, Michigan won the rebound and hit a three, the lone shot from deep for Brown in the second quarter. With 1:28 remaining in the second quarter, Michigan shrunk their 10-point deficit down to one. Harris was fouled on a three attempt and hit all three to end the quarter, pushing Ohio State’s lead back up to four with a 41-37 lead halfway through the game.
Scoring slowed down immensely in the second half. With two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Buckeyes held the Wolverines to eight points, and half coming from Brown.
With that, Ohio State was able to increase their lead back up to eight points, thanks to performances from multiple Buckeyes. Absent from that impact was forward Cotie McMahon. After averaging 4.7 trips to the free throw line this season, because of her ability to get into the paint and attack the basket, McMahon didn’t have a foul called her way while shooting.
It resulted in missed layup attempts and only two points through three quarters. McMahon had more fouls than points, earning her fourth foul and a trip to the bench with 3:15 left in the third quarter.
In McMahon’s place was guard Emma Shumate. The Newark, Ohio native hasn’t played many minutes in meaningful game moments the last few weeks but made the most of her appearance in the third. Shumate scored two points but more impressively grabbed two offensive rebounds in a game where the Buckeyes were being outrebounded heavily.
Also, Mikulášiková led the Buckeyes scoring four points in the third, all from inside the post. Because Ohio State’s defense held Michigan to 11 third-quarter points, there wasn’t a need for an offensive explosion and the Scarlet & Gray went into the final quarter up 55-48.
On New Year’s Eve, Ohio State had a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Wolverines cut it to two with 6:47 left in the game. Ohio State still won that holiday game but the Buckeyes would need to avoid a collapse like that to earn their second win over the Wolverines this season.
Ohio State did that by outscoring the Wolverines 7-2 to start the final quarter. Michigan began it going 0-for-7 from the field, with the only two points coming from free throws by Brown.
Defensively, the Buckeyes kept up the pressure on their rivals. Ohio State forced four turnovers halfway through the quarter. With 5:01 remaining, the visitor’s lead was nine points.
The shots continued to not fall for the Wolverines through the end of the game and Ohio State pilled on. In front of a loud Crisler Center crowd, including Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh and his family, the Buckeyes beat their rivals 74-61.
With a mostly neutralized McMahon, it was Harris who stepped up for the Buckeyes. The point guard scored 23 points, seven steals, and five assists on the defense side of the game. Harris was everywhere for the Buckeyes and had her biggest game of the season when Ohio State needed it the most.
Although Harris fouled out, it was when the Buckeyes were up 12 points and in control of the game.
Ohio State was effective on Monday because of a return to their dangerous full-court press. While the Scarlet & Gray have used the defensive set all season, even in defeats, it was lethal against the Maize & Blue.
The Buckeyes forced 27 turnovers, resulting in 17 points off turnovers. Even though Michigan controlled the boards all night, it didn’t matter. Ohio State forced three 10-second violations in the backcourt, not letting the Wolverines get into rhythm.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes have one game remaining in the regular season, Friday night at 6 p.m. ET in Columbus against the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins. It’s the last chance Ohio State has to redeem its ranking and push to host the first two rounds of the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
In their last game out, the Terrapins beat the Buckeyes by 34 points, Ohio State’s largest defeat of the season.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
On a day when the Buckeyes slipped in the AP Polls, they accomplished an important goal in Ann Arbor.
It was simple for the Ohio State women’s basketball team on Monday: Win and get a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. It was by no means an easy task, however, traveling north three hours to Ann Arbor, Mich. against the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines.
After a slow start to the game, the Buckeyes responded by going ahead and maintaining their lead when it counted: At the final buzzer. The Buckeye clinched the double-bye with a 74-61 victory.
Absent from the game again was guard Jacy Sheldon, missing her fourth game in a row. The guard is still returning from a foot injury sustained at the end of 2022. Sheldon’s started one game since Nov. 30 when the Buckeyes beat the Louisville Cardinals in Kentucky.
Speaking of injuries, forward Eboni Walker made her third start in a row for forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, who suffered a high ankle sprain against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Feb. 8. The forward’s played since then, but in a limited bench role.
From the jump, the Buckeyes had trouble scoring. Ohio State went 1-for-4 from the field before head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout. The reason for the quick T.O. was the fact that Michigan started off exactly the opposite from the floor.
The Wolverines went up 10-2 in the first three minutes of the game. Before the game, guard Leigha Brown for Michigan was honored for her 1,000th point in her NCAA career and added three more early. Brown hit a three-point shot and on the following offensive possession Ohio State passed the ball into traffic and guard Maddie Nolan went on the fastbreak, hitting the layup.
Out of the timeout, the Buckeyes looked like they calmed down, and with it came an offensive surge. Ohio State outscored Michigan 22-7, not missing any of their six three-point attempts following the timeout.
The Buckeyes achieved it through extra passes and forcing turnovers. Michigan gave up the ball seven times in the first quarter, leading to seven points off turnovers for the visiting Scarlet and Gray.
In the passing game, guard Taylor Mikesell was given even less space, often finding a double-team once she got near the perimeter. In response, Mikesell found open teammates or started a string of multiple passes to find the open player. It paid dividends.
Mikesell and guard/forward Taylor Thierry were 5-for-5 from deep, with Mikesell hitting three of the five. Ohio State went from eight points down to seven points up after the first quarter. Ahead of the home side 24-17.
Ohio State continued their 11-point run into the second quarter, with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková hitting her only shot of the first half. It pushed the Buckeyes to their largest lead of the half at 10 points.
Michigan and Ohio State played an even second quarter, overall. Scoring-wise, it was a showdown against two guards. Brown for the Wolverines and Harris for the Buckeyes. By halftime, both team leaders surpassed their season averages for scoring thanks to a big second quarter.
Of 20 second-quarter points for the Maize and Blue, Brown had 14 on 6-for-10 shooting, with only one coming from the free throw line. By the halftime whistle, Brown already had 21 points and five rebounds, similar to Penn State guard Makenna Marisa who put up 18 against the Buckeyes in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s Thursday night win.
For the Scarlet and Gray, Harris was perfect in the second quarter but what impressed the most was improved free throw shooting. Harris entered the game averaging 59.6% shooting from the line. By halftime, Harris was up perfect in her five attempts from the charity stripe.
An area that helped the home side immensely was rebounding. Michigan outrebounded Ohio State 16-9 in the first two quarters. That gave the Wolverines more chances at point-scoring opportunities. For example, forward Emily Kiser went to the line for two free throws and missed both.
Instead of a lucky defensive possession for McGuff’s Buckeyes, Michigan won the rebound and hit a three, the lone shot from deep for Brown in the second quarter. With 1:28 remaining in the second quarter, Michigan shrunk their 10-point deficit down to one. Harris was fouled on a three attempt and hit all three to end the quarter, pushing Ohio State’s lead back up to four with a 41-37 lead halfway through the game.
Scoring slowed down immensely in the second half. With two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Buckeyes held the Wolverines to eight points, and half coming from Brown.
With that, Ohio State was able to increase their lead back up to eight points, thanks to performances from multiple Buckeyes. Absent from that impact was forward Cotie McMahon. After averaging 4.7 trips to the free throw line this season, because of her ability to get into the paint and attack the basket, McMahon didn’t have a foul called her way while shooting.
It resulted in missed layup attempts and only two points through three quarters. McMahon had more fouls than points, earning her fourth foul and a trip to the bench with 3:15 left in the third quarter.
In McMahon’s place was guard Emma Shumate. The Newark, Ohio native hasn’t played many minutes in meaningful game moments the last few weeks but made the most of her appearance in the third. Shumate scored two points but more impressively grabbed two offensive rebounds in a game where the Buckeyes were being outrebounded heavily.
Also, Mikulášiková led the Buckeyes scoring four points in the third, all from inside the post. Because Ohio State’s defense held Michigan to 11 third-quarter points, there wasn’t a need for an offensive explosion and the Scarlet & Gray went into the final quarter up 55-48.
On New Year’s Eve, Ohio State had a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Wolverines cut it to two with 6:47 left in the game. Ohio State still won that holiday game but the Buckeyes would need to avoid a collapse like that to earn their second win over the Wolverines this season.
Ohio State did that by outscoring the Wolverines 7-2 to start the final quarter. Michigan began it going 0-for-7 from the field, with the only two points coming from free throws by Brown.
Defensively, the Buckeyes kept up the pressure on their rivals. Ohio State forced four turnovers halfway through the quarter. With 5:01 remaining, the visitor’s lead was nine points.
The shots continued to not fall for the Wolverines through the end of the game and Ohio State pilled on. In front of a loud Crisler Center crowd, including Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh and his family, the Buckeyes beat their rivals 74-61.
Rikki Harris’ Night
With a mostly neutralized McMahon, it was Harris who stepped up for the Buckeyes. The point guard scored 23 points, seven steals, and five assists on the defense side of the game. Harris was everywhere for the Buckeyes and had her biggest game of the season when Ohio State needed it the most.
Although Harris fouled out, it was when the Buckeyes were up 12 points and in control of the game.
Full Court Press Does the Job
Ohio State was effective on Monday because of a return to their dangerous full-court press. While the Scarlet & Gray have used the defensive set all season, even in defeats, it was lethal against the Maize & Blue.
The Buckeyes forced 27 turnovers, resulting in 17 points off turnovers. Even though Michigan controlled the boards all night, it didn’t matter. Ohio State forced three 10-second violations in the backcourt, not letting the Wolverines get into rhythm.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes have one game remaining in the regular season, Friday night at 6 p.m. ET in Columbus against the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins. It’s the last chance Ohio State has to redeem its ranking and push to host the first two rounds of the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
In their last game out, the Terrapins beat the Buckeyes by 34 points, Ohio State’s largest defeat of the season.
Continue reading...
LGHL LGHL Uncut Podcast: Ohio State’s McGuff and Harris talk following rivalry win over Michigan
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Ohio State’s McGuff and Harris talk following rivalry win over Michigan
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After the win, the Buckeyes highlighted what they did well, a second big night in a row for guard Rikki Harris and their double-bye in the conference tournament
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
The Ohio State women’s basketball team looked like their early season selves on Monday in a trip to the Michigan Wolverines. In the 74-61 Buckeyes rivalry win, Ohio State clinched a top-four spot and a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, and showed that they can compete and win against ranked Big Ten teams.
Following the victory, head coach Kevin McGuff and guard Rikki Harris spoke to the media at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. Coach McGuff applauded Harris’ 23-point night, leading Ohio State in the win. Also, the adjustments the team had to make early in the first quarter, the effectiveness of the full court press and how Taylor Mikesell and Cotie McMahon made their presence known for moments of the game.
Harris follows the coach and talks about her impressive night, how she came into college as a scorer and is now getting back to that with more patient shooting and a surprise reaction to hear that Ohio State’s win put them into the third round of the Big Ten Tournament automatically.
That and more in the first of two final regular season games of the 22-23 NCAA season.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After the win, the Buckeyes highlighted what they did well, a second big night in a row for guard Rikki Harris and their double-bye in the conference tournament
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
The Ohio State women’s basketball team looked like their early season selves on Monday in a trip to the Michigan Wolverines. In the 74-61 Buckeyes rivalry win, Ohio State clinched a top-four spot and a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, and showed that they can compete and win against ranked Big Ten teams.
Following the victory, head coach Kevin McGuff and guard Rikki Harris spoke to the media at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. Coach McGuff applauded Harris’ 23-point night, leading Ohio State in the win. Also, the adjustments the team had to make early in the first quarter, the effectiveness of the full court press and how Taylor Mikesell and Cotie McMahon made their presence known for moments of the game.
Harris follows the coach and talks about her impressive night, how she came into college as a scorer and is now getting back to that with more patient shooting and a surprise reaction to hear that Ohio State’s win put them into the third round of the Big Ten Tournament automatically.
That and more in the first of two final regular season games of the 22-23 NCAA season.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Most impactful transfers for Ohio State football in the Transfer Portal era
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Most impactful transfers for Ohio State football in the Transfer Portal era
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images
The transfer portal is a mainstay in college football at this point and you can’t tell Ohio State’s story under Ryan Day without it.
College football has changed immensely since the transfer portal was instituted back in 2018. New legislation in 2021 created the opportunity for players to transfer one time without sitting out a year creating a new element in both recruiting and the offseason to follow.
Ohio State has not been reliant on the transfer portal, and many fans believe the Buckeyes should be doing more to fill in perceived weak links on the roster. The Buckeyes have stayed strong in the mindset of only bringing in a transfer that is a culture fit and a significantly better option than what is already on the roster.
Looking back at the past few seasons since the transfer portal opened there were some significant transfers in – and out– of the program. This year the crop of talent coming in from the portal includes Freshman All-SEC corner Davison Igbinosun; All-ACC safety Ja’Had Carter; and versatile offensive lineman in Victor Cutler. On paper, they fit the profile of what Ohio State looks for in transfers, and the importance comes because Ohio State is losing a significant amount of players to the portal as well.
The plan has netted success for the Buckeyes, and for Ohio State keeping up starts with strengthening the roster by any means necessary. Sticking to the plan has worked out and the list of impactful transfers is long. Time will tell with the group that came in, but looking back the portal has been a focal point of Ohio State’s story over recent years.
Tanner McCalister
When Jim Knowles was brought in, the immediate question for fans was, who is Knowles bringing over from Oklahoma State? That answer came in the form of Tanner McCalister who brought experience in Knowles’ system. Coming in, there wasn’t a lot of expectations on what he was bringing outside of knowledge, but McCalister did end up becoming a reliable starter in the Big Ten.
His impact was felt early in the season, with his comfortability in the scheme he brought a steady hand to the secondary. In this past season, McCalister had three interceptions and 24 tackles. The steadiness kept him in the rotation, but the impact he provided early was not there at the end of the year as the secondary as a whole collapsed down the stretch. This was not the most impactful transfer, but the Buckeyes would have been in a significantly worse place to start the season without McCalister in the fold.
Jameson Williams
One of the two most significant transfers to leave the program, James Williams went on to star at Alabama winning the Biletnikoff. At Ohio State, Williams was a third receiver in the shortened six-game season making his impact for the Buckeyes feel small. His touchdown against Clemson was a sign that there was more to come, but that wasn’t at Ohio State.
Williams transferring ended up not hurting the Buckeyes too much when Chris Olave announced he was returning for his senior season at Ohio State, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba breaking out the next season. But the Williams transfer ended with a story the Buckeyes are all too familiar with. A player has significant success after leaving the program, Williams was a first-round selection getting selected right behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Williams' impact adds to Hartline as an ultra-developer at the position, but it also gives opposing fans a place to take credit where Ohio State couldn’t – which to me is the worst type of impact.
Jonah Jackson
An underrated transfer was Jonah Jackson leaving Rutgers for Ohio State. Entering the graduate transfer portal, Jackson was one of the earliest additions the Buckeyes made from the portal. Jackson came to Ohio State with 36 starts under his belt and accolades including making an All-Big Ten team. He provided stability to a unit that has multiple first-time starters including Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers, and Branden Bowen.
Having success at Rutgers did not get people excited, but the level of play that Jackson brought to Ohio State was exactly what the Buckeyes needed. Jackson was part of the playoff team that lost to Clemson but was a key figure in the first year under head coach Ryan Day. Jackson was a first All-Big Ten performer and provided a bridge that was needed on the offensive line for the Buckeyes.
Joe Burrow
The most significant transfer out of the program is obvious, Joe Burrow leaving for LSU. Burrow narrowly lost the starting job to Dwayne Haskins Jr. after breaking his hand in Spring Practice. That history is well known because as we all know Burrow went on to dominate college football, win the Heisman Trophy, and win a national championship.
Ohio State ended up with Dwayne Haskins who owns most of the single-season passing records for the Buckeyes and Justin Fields who led Ohio State to back-to-back playoff appearances. Without knowing what Joe Burrow would become, the Buckeyes ended up with an incredible three-year stretch. The impact was culturally the most significant, Joe Burrow is a Buckeye, and many fans across the country will never accept it. Now every Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals play, there is always a pocket on the internet arguing about who can claim Burrow.
Trey Sermon
Now on the field, Trey Sermon had the greatest two-game stretch in Ohio State history from the running back position. In eight games, Sermon had 870 yards and four touchdowns for the Buckeyes. To start the year Sermon was sold, but just wasn’t having the explosive that was billed when he arrived. Out of nowhere, the former Oklahoma Sooner entered his name into the Ohio State record books.
Sermon ran for 331 yards in the Big Ten Championship game breaking Eddie George’s record in the process. He followed that up with 193 yards and a touchdown against Clemson leading the Buckeyes to revenge in the 2020 playoffs. Despite coming in during the shortened COVID season, Sermon’s impact led the Buckeyes to the highest the program had been since winning the national title, and even though the time was short, Sermon’s place in Buckeye lore stands tall making him one of the most significant transfers Ohio State has brought in.
Justin Fields
The transfer of Justin Fields was by far the most significant in the portal era. Ohio State was going through the tumultuous end to the Urban Meyer era and was in an odd place at the quarterback position when Ryan Day took over. When stories in the South began to arise that Fields was looking to enter the portal and seek immediate eligibility, the math was perfect with Ohio State needing a quarterback.
When Fields arrived the expectations were high, the former No. 2 overall recruit in the 247sports composite – behind only Trevor Lawrence who won a national title with Clemson – was now at Ohio State. Fields had an incredible first season leading the Buckeyes to the playoff, a Big Ten title, and a win over Michigan. In his second season, he saved the Big Ten football season and was triumphant in leading the Buckeyes in a revenge win over Clemson. Fields was a legend for the Buckeyes and the most vital player brought into the program in the Ryan Day era. Without Fields, the program might be in a different place, and that is why the significance of his transfer raises the expectation of every player Ohio State brings in.
The transfer portal has become an entire segment of college football, and the Buckeyes have had to get involved with it. Since the transfer portal was created in 2018, Ohio State has brought in its share of players. Some players have been role players, but the Buckeyes have found and lost stars to the portal.
In hindsight, the Buckeyes have done a great job of bringing in impact transfers. This is why the expectations are high whenever the portal opens because the Buckeyes have found a ton of success in evaluating players to fit the program. Roster management has completely changed over the last four seasons and the Buckeyes have done their best to navigate this area of the sport.
With the addition of NIL to the landscape, there is another variable in the importance of the transfer portal. Making every player brought in and lost that much more significant.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images
The transfer portal is a mainstay in college football at this point and you can’t tell Ohio State’s story under Ryan Day without it.
College football has changed immensely since the transfer portal was instituted back in 2018. New legislation in 2021 created the opportunity for players to transfer one time without sitting out a year creating a new element in both recruiting and the offseason to follow.
Ohio State has not been reliant on the transfer portal, and many fans believe the Buckeyes should be doing more to fill in perceived weak links on the roster. The Buckeyes have stayed strong in the mindset of only bringing in a transfer that is a culture fit and a significantly better option than what is already on the roster.
Looking back at the past few seasons since the transfer portal opened there were some significant transfers in – and out– of the program. This year the crop of talent coming in from the portal includes Freshman All-SEC corner Davison Igbinosun; All-ACC safety Ja’Had Carter; and versatile offensive lineman in Victor Cutler. On paper, they fit the profile of what Ohio State looks for in transfers, and the importance comes because Ohio State is losing a significant amount of players to the portal as well.
The plan has netted success for the Buckeyes, and for Ohio State keeping up starts with strengthening the roster by any means necessary. Sticking to the plan has worked out and the list of impactful transfers is long. Time will tell with the group that came in, but looking back the portal has been a focal point of Ohio State’s story over recent years.
Tanner McCalister
When Jim Knowles was brought in, the immediate question for fans was, who is Knowles bringing over from Oklahoma State? That answer came in the form of Tanner McCalister who brought experience in Knowles’ system. Coming in, there wasn’t a lot of expectations on what he was bringing outside of knowledge, but McCalister did end up becoming a reliable starter in the Big Ten.
His impact was felt early in the season, with his comfortability in the scheme he brought a steady hand to the secondary. In this past season, McCalister had three interceptions and 24 tackles. The steadiness kept him in the rotation, but the impact he provided early was not there at the end of the year as the secondary as a whole collapsed down the stretch. This was not the most impactful transfer, but the Buckeyes would have been in a significantly worse place to start the season without McCalister in the fold.
Jameson Williams
One of the two most significant transfers to leave the program, James Williams went on to star at Alabama winning the Biletnikoff. At Ohio State, Williams was a third receiver in the shortened six-game season making his impact for the Buckeyes feel small. His touchdown against Clemson was a sign that there was more to come, but that wasn’t at Ohio State.
Williams transferring ended up not hurting the Buckeyes too much when Chris Olave announced he was returning for his senior season at Ohio State, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba breaking out the next season. But the Williams transfer ended with a story the Buckeyes are all too familiar with. A player has significant success after leaving the program, Williams was a first-round selection getting selected right behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Williams' impact adds to Hartline as an ultra-developer at the position, but it also gives opposing fans a place to take credit where Ohio State couldn’t – which to me is the worst type of impact.
Jonah Jackson
An underrated transfer was Jonah Jackson leaving Rutgers for Ohio State. Entering the graduate transfer portal, Jackson was one of the earliest additions the Buckeyes made from the portal. Jackson came to Ohio State with 36 starts under his belt and accolades including making an All-Big Ten team. He provided stability to a unit that has multiple first-time starters including Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers, and Branden Bowen.
Having success at Rutgers did not get people excited, but the level of play that Jackson brought to Ohio State was exactly what the Buckeyes needed. Jackson was part of the playoff team that lost to Clemson but was a key figure in the first year under head coach Ryan Day. Jackson was a first All-Big Ten performer and provided a bridge that was needed on the offensive line for the Buckeyes.
Joe Burrow
The most significant transfer out of the program is obvious, Joe Burrow leaving for LSU. Burrow narrowly lost the starting job to Dwayne Haskins Jr. after breaking his hand in Spring Practice. That history is well known because as we all know Burrow went on to dominate college football, win the Heisman Trophy, and win a national championship.
Ohio State ended up with Dwayne Haskins who owns most of the single-season passing records for the Buckeyes and Justin Fields who led Ohio State to back-to-back playoff appearances. Without knowing what Joe Burrow would become, the Buckeyes ended up with an incredible three-year stretch. The impact was culturally the most significant, Joe Burrow is a Buckeye, and many fans across the country will never accept it. Now every Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals play, there is always a pocket on the internet arguing about who can claim Burrow.
Trey Sermon
Now on the field, Trey Sermon had the greatest two-game stretch in Ohio State history from the running back position. In eight games, Sermon had 870 yards and four touchdowns for the Buckeyes. To start the year Sermon was sold, but just wasn’t having the explosive that was billed when he arrived. Out of nowhere, the former Oklahoma Sooner entered his name into the Ohio State record books.
Sermon ran for 331 yards in the Big Ten Championship game breaking Eddie George’s record in the process. He followed that up with 193 yards and a touchdown against Clemson leading the Buckeyes to revenge in the 2020 playoffs. Despite coming in during the shortened COVID season, Sermon’s impact led the Buckeyes to the highest the program had been since winning the national title, and even though the time was short, Sermon’s place in Buckeye lore stands tall making him one of the most significant transfers Ohio State has brought in.
Justin Fields
The transfer of Justin Fields was by far the most significant in the portal era. Ohio State was going through the tumultuous end to the Urban Meyer era and was in an odd place at the quarterback position when Ryan Day took over. When stories in the South began to arise that Fields was looking to enter the portal and seek immediate eligibility, the math was perfect with Ohio State needing a quarterback.
When Fields arrived the expectations were high, the former No. 2 overall recruit in the 247sports composite – behind only Trevor Lawrence who won a national title with Clemson – was now at Ohio State. Fields had an incredible first season leading the Buckeyes to the playoff, a Big Ten title, and a win over Michigan. In his second season, he saved the Big Ten football season and was triumphant in leading the Buckeyes in a revenge win over Clemson. Fields was a legend for the Buckeyes and the most vital player brought into the program in the Ryan Day era. Without Fields, the program might be in a different place, and that is why the significance of his transfer raises the expectation of every player Ohio State brings in.
The transfer portal has become an entire segment of college football, and the Buckeyes have had to get involved with it. Since the transfer portal was created in 2018, Ohio State has brought in its share of players. Some players have been role players, but the Buckeyes have found and lost stars to the portal.
In hindsight, the Buckeyes have done a great job of bringing in impact transfers. This is why the expectations are high whenever the portal opens because the Buckeyes have found a ton of success in evaluating players to fit the program. Roster management has completely changed over the last four seasons and the Buckeyes have done their best to navigate this area of the sport.
With the addition of NIL to the landscape, there is another variable in the importance of the transfer portal. Making every player brought in and lost that much more significant.
Continue reading...
LGHL Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 21, 2023
- News
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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 21, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
OSU’s Ryan Day on NIL, transfer portal and desire for new facility (paywall)
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Assessing Year 1 of Jim Knowles’ defense and the focus for Year 2 (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Ohio State’s Second-Year Defensive Linemen Could Play Significant Roles in 2023 Rotation
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Most impactful transfers for Ohio State football in the Transfer Portal era
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: What are you most looking forward to from spring practice?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
The Ohio State Spring Game got weird a decade ago
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
No. 16 Ohio State women beat No. 12 Michigan 74-61, secure double-bye in Big Ten Tournament
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Women’s Basketball: McMahon Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann talks Purdue, Zed Key and more on radio
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Zed Key, family have decision ‘in terms of what’s the next direction to go in’ with shoulder injury
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
We’ll talk about this later: Celebrity games and ‘Space Jam’
Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Women’s Ice Hockey: Bizal, Maltais Garner Final WCHA Player of the Week Awards
Ohio State Athletics
This was the best thing to happen to me in weeks:
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
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
OSU’s Ryan Day on NIL, transfer portal and desire for new facility (paywall)
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Assessing Year 1 of Jim Knowles’ defense and the focus for Year 2 (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Ohio State’s Second-Year Defensive Linemen Could Play Significant Roles in 2023 Rotation
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Most impactful transfers for Ohio State football in the Transfer Portal era
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: What are you most looking forward to from spring practice?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
The Ohio State Spring Game got weird a decade ago
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
No. 16 Ohio State women beat No. 12 Michigan 74-61, secure double-bye in Big Ten Tournament
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Women’s Basketball: McMahon Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann talks Purdue, Zed Key and more on radio
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Zed Key, family have decision ‘in terms of what’s the next direction to go in’ with shoulder injury
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
We’ll talk about this later: Celebrity games and ‘Space Jam’
Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Women’s Ice Hockey: Bizal, Maltais Garner Final WCHA Player of the Week Awards
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
This was the best thing to happen to me in weeks:
Continue reading...
LGHL Softball Bucks had rough weekend at Clemson
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- 0 Replies
Softball Bucks had rough weekend at Clemson
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStateSB Twitter
Ohio State went 1-3, with a couple of ugly losses.
It’s looking like it is taking a bit of time for the softball Buckeyes to find their groove, as they are now 3-5 on the season. After splitting a two-game series with Notre Dame this past weekend and losing to Clemson twice, it’ll be interesting to see what changes are made next weekend.
Notre Dame series
During the first game against the Fighting Irish, Ohio State really struggled to string together any offense. The team totaled just four hits, and Destinee Noury had both RBIs. She’s actually going to be an interesting player to watch, as she played in just four games last season, but has already started about half of the games this season. First baseman Niki Carver graduated last year, so the Bucks need a replacement and Noury has been filling in just fine.
On the other side of the ball, lefty Allison Smith got the start. She had a great first three innings, but then things fell apart in the 4th. A three-run home run gave ND the one-run lead. Then, freshman Lexi Paulsen took over in the 5th before giving up her own three-run home run in the 6th. Ohio State simply had no answer.
So, with a lack of offense and pitching struggles, the Buckeyes took the L, 7-2. However, they came back Saturday ready to rebound, and that they did in exciting fashion. It took nine innings, but Ohio State won 6-5 thanks to some key players on offense and a solid bullpen job by redshirt freshman Kennedy Kay.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24447232/Screen_Shot_2023_02_20_at_3.28.10_PM.png)
Zachary Rilley, The Lantern Photo Editor
Junior Emily Ruck got the start and went three innings, giving up five hits and three runs, Kay came in the 4th and gave up a run, putting the Buckeyes into a 4-0 deficit. However, super-senior centerfielder Meggie Otte came through with a 2-RBIs triple to cut the Irish’s lead in half. Kay gave up a solo shot in the 5th, but that would be the last run ND would get in the game, as Kay shut the offense down.
Freshman catcher Hannah Church was the hero in this one. First, she knocked in a run with her RBI double, then she scored on a bases-loaded walk, narrowing the margin to one. Otte continued her big day with a RBI double in the 6th to tie the game at five. Fast forward to the bottom of the 9th, Church’s walk-off RBI double gave the Bucks the win. What a big day for the fifth-year and the first-year!
Clemson series
The second game of the day on Saturday was not as exciting, as once again, the Buckeyes produced very minimal offense. Facing Clemson, the scarlet and gray only had three hits in 24 at-bats. Smith got the start once again, and while she had double-digit strikeouts, she also gave up five runs in the 5-1 loss.
An error resulting in a run and a fielder’s choice leading to a run put the Tigers up 2-1 in the 3rd inning. However, the crushing blow came the next inning by way of a three-run home run off Smith. She pitched a complete game, giving up five runs off six hits, seven walks and 11 strikeouts. It was really just those two innings she struggled, as she was otherwise pretty dominant, but that’s all a team needs to take a lead.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24447236/Screen_Shot_2023_02_20_at_3.30.20_PM.png)
Ohio State Athletic Department
Saving the worst for last, the Bucks ended the weekend by way of a 10-0 run-rule loss to the Tigers. The team went 2-for-17 at the plate, and use three pitchers during the five innings played.
Ruck started and didn’t record a single out. She really struggled and gave up two home runs right off the bat. Kay came in to pitch and immediately gave up a home run. She settled in for a few innings, as it was 5-0 at the start of the 5th before things got ugly.
The freshman gave up a three-run home run before freshman Julia Miller made her collegiate pitching debut. She gave up a two-RBI single to give the Tigers their ninth and 10th runs, and the Buckeyes couldn’t respond.
I think the main takeaway is that this team just needs time. They’ve only been playing for two weeks and there has been some positives. All around softball, the women are getting used to playing again, as there have been upsets GALORE! Even No. 1 Oklahoma was taken down by Baylor on Sunday.
The freshmen pitchers are getting some innings in, the team is facing some solid pitching and they are getting the reps in. Next weekend, they head to the Mary Nutter Classic in California for a four-game slate. Let’s see if the Bucks can have a bounce-back series.
Continue reading...
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStateSB Twitter
Ohio State went 1-3, with a couple of ugly losses.
It’s looking like it is taking a bit of time for the softball Buckeyes to find their groove, as they are now 3-5 on the season. After splitting a two-game series with Notre Dame this past weekend and losing to Clemson twice, it’ll be interesting to see what changes are made next weekend.
Notre Dame series
During the first game against the Fighting Irish, Ohio State really struggled to string together any offense. The team totaled just four hits, and Destinee Noury had both RBIs. She’s actually going to be an interesting player to watch, as she played in just four games last season, but has already started about half of the games this season. First baseman Niki Carver graduated last year, so the Bucks need a replacement and Noury has been filling in just fine.
On the other side of the ball, lefty Allison Smith got the start. She had a great first three innings, but then things fell apart in the 4th. A three-run home run gave ND the one-run lead. Then, freshman Lexi Paulsen took over in the 5th before giving up her own three-run home run in the 6th. Ohio State simply had no answer.
So, with a lack of offense and pitching struggles, the Buckeyes took the L, 7-2. However, they came back Saturday ready to rebound, and that they did in exciting fashion. It took nine innings, but Ohio State won 6-5 thanks to some key players on offense and a solid bullpen job by redshirt freshman Kennedy Kay.
Junior Emily Ruck got the start and went three innings, giving up five hits and three runs, Kay came in the 4th and gave up a run, putting the Buckeyes into a 4-0 deficit. However, super-senior centerfielder Meggie Otte came through with a 2-RBIs triple to cut the Irish’s lead in half. Kay gave up a solo shot in the 5th, but that would be the last run ND would get in the game, as Kay shut the offense down.
Freshman catcher Hannah Church was the hero in this one. First, she knocked in a run with her RBI double, then she scored on a bases-loaded walk, narrowing the margin to one. Otte continued her big day with a RBI double in the 6th to tie the game at five. Fast forward to the bottom of the 9th, Church’s walk-off RBI double gave the Bucks the win. What a big day for the fifth-year and the first-year!
Clemson series
The second game of the day on Saturday was not as exciting, as once again, the Buckeyes produced very minimal offense. Facing Clemson, the scarlet and gray only had three hits in 24 at-bats. Smith got the start once again, and while she had double-digit strikeouts, she also gave up five runs in the 5-1 loss.
An error resulting in a run and a fielder’s choice leading to a run put the Tigers up 2-1 in the 3rd inning. However, the crushing blow came the next inning by way of a three-run home run off Smith. She pitched a complete game, giving up five runs off six hits, seven walks and 11 strikeouts. It was really just those two innings she struggled, as she was otherwise pretty dominant, but that’s all a team needs to take a lead.
Saving the worst for last, the Bucks ended the weekend by way of a 10-0 run-rule loss to the Tigers. The team went 2-for-17 at the plate, and use three pitchers during the five innings played.
Ruck started and didn’t record a single out. She really struggled and gave up two home runs right off the bat. Kay came in to pitch and immediately gave up a home run. She settled in for a few innings, as it was 5-0 at the start of the 5th before things got ugly.
The freshman gave up a three-run home run before freshman Julia Miller made her collegiate pitching debut. She gave up a two-RBI single to give the Tigers their ninth and 10th runs, and the Buckeyes couldn’t respond.
I think the main takeaway is that this team just needs time. They’ve only been playing for two weeks and there has been some positives. All around softball, the women are getting used to playing again, as there have been upsets GALORE! Even No. 1 Oklahoma was taken down by Baylor on Sunday.
The freshmen pitchers are getting some innings in, the team is facing some solid pitching and they are getting the reps in. Next weekend, they head to the Mary Nutter Classic in California for a four-game slate. Let’s see if the Bucks can have a bounce-back series.
Continue reading...
2025 GA OT Dontrell Glover (Georgia Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 4 Replies
247
Rivals
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HudL
Class: 2025
School: Fairburn (GA) Langston Hughes
Postion: OT
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 293lbs
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HudL
Class: 2025
School: Fairburn (GA) Langston Hughes
Postion: OT
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 293lbs
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2024 MA OL Guerby Lambert (Notre Dame Verbal)
- By MD Buckeye
- Football Recruiting
- 19 Replies
247 Profile
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HUDL Highlights
Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, MA)
Ht: 6'7"
Wt: 280 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
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On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, MA)
Ht: 6'7"
Wt: 280 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
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2024 GA S Jakob Gude (UCF Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 1 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2024
School: Fairburn(GA) Langston Hughes
Position: S
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 183lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2024
School: Fairburn(GA) Langston Hughes
Position: S
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 183lbs
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State athlete, past or present, would you like to see in a dunk contest?
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You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State athlete, past or present, would you like to see in a dunk contest?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
The NBA’s All-Star Weekend was held over the weekend in Salt Lake City. Unlike last year when Jae’Sean Tate was a participant in the Rising Stars Challenge, no former Ohio State Buckeyes were involved in any of this year’s festivities in Utah. We still have no idea how Malaki Branham was playing in the Rising Stars Challenge, especially with how he has been playing over the last month for San Antonio. If Branham continues his upward trajectory, it will be impossible for the NBA to keep him out of the game next season.
Even though it doesn’t have quite as much notoriety as it used to, the Slam Dunk Contest is always a highlight of NBA All-Star Weekend. Gone are the days when we saw some of the best players in the NBA take part in the dunk contest, and instead we get some role players and end-of-the-bench guys trying to make a name for themselves by winning the crown. Honestly, how many people had heard of Mac McClung before Saturday?
While Ohio State has been a part of pretty much every part of All-Star Weekend over the years, there has never been a former Buckeye in the dunk contest. Even though he never played in the league, the NBA missed the boat by not letting Sam Thompson participate. There have been a number of other Buckeyes over the years who should have been in the contest, but hopefully in the future an Ohio State hooper will be tabbed to be a part of the annual event.
Today we aren’t going to ask what former Ohio State basketball player should have been a dunk contest participant. If you remember back in 2017, there was a dunk contest held by the football team that ended up being more riveting than the actual NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Since there are plenty of phenomenal Buckeye athletes, we want to know what present or former Ohio State athlete you’d most like to see in a dunk contest.
My initial thought when we came up with this question was Dawand Jones. Even though the future NFL offensive lineman is a mountain of a man, the dunk contest isn’t usually kind to big guys. Aside from Dwight Howard, it’s pretty rare to see notable big men do well in this type of contest because their smaller opponents can wow crowds more. Now if Dawand can start hitting three-pointers on a regular basis, I’d be all for seeing him participate in a three-point contest.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24447457/1209733562.jpg "NFL Combine - Day 6")
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
While creativity is important in a dunk contest, it also helps to have a crazy vertical. Former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah posted a 41-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine in 2020. Okudah’s dunks would pop almost as much as McClung’s did, since even though McClung’s vertical is a couple inches higher, Okudah is an inch shorter than McClung. Any current or former cornerbacks or wide receivers are going to have a huge advantage in a dunk contest over their teammates since they are asked to go up for the football more than anyone else on the field.
I know there are a ton of other great athletes playing other sports at Ohio State, but it just feels like the skills of football players translate the easiest onto the basketball court. It’s hard to see a hockey player, baseball player, or swimmer creating as much buzz in a dunk contest as a football player. Not that I’m trying to slight those that can’t, especially since I would be a complete failure in a dunk contest, there just seems to be more football players that are successful on the basketball court than any other sports.
Wide receivers probably have a natural advantage when it comes to dunking contests. They’ve got the hops and the ball skills. They also have practice dunking over goal posts after touchdowns. We saw this skill in action with some elite wide outs on the hardcourt at the NBA’s All-Star weekend when Calvin Johnson and DK Metcalf played in the celebrity game.
When it comes to Ohio State players who would be thrilling to watch in a dunk contest, we have to go no further than Marvin Harrison Jr. Standing at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, Harrison has a size advantage over current NBA dunk champion, Mac McLung. That size, combined with his athleticism in going vertical, would be a natural advantage to being able to dunk.
But the dunk contest isn’t about getting to the rim — it’s about getting there with style. Even beyond Harrison’s Louis Vuitton cleats, his ball skills are just extra. How can we forget that catch against Indiana?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24193539/usa_today_19422574.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK
That style, grace and flexibility get called into action when Harrison is matched up against defensive backs because he is a wizard who can manage to catch the ball even in the most pressing of coverages. In other words, when he has to go high, low or to the side so he can complete the catch, Harrison makes it fancy. Just imagine what he could do with an open court and no defender.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
The NBA’s All-Star Weekend was held over the weekend in Salt Lake City. Unlike last year when Jae’Sean Tate was a participant in the Rising Stars Challenge, no former Ohio State Buckeyes were involved in any of this year’s festivities in Utah. We still have no idea how Malaki Branham was playing in the Rising Stars Challenge, especially with how he has been playing over the last month for San Antonio. If Branham continues his upward trajectory, it will be impossible for the NBA to keep him out of the game next season.
Even though it doesn’t have quite as much notoriety as it used to, the Slam Dunk Contest is always a highlight of NBA All-Star Weekend. Gone are the days when we saw some of the best players in the NBA take part in the dunk contest, and instead we get some role players and end-of-the-bench guys trying to make a name for themselves by winning the crown. Honestly, how many people had heard of Mac McClung before Saturday?
While Ohio State has been a part of pretty much every part of All-Star Weekend over the years, there has never been a former Buckeye in the dunk contest. Even though he never played in the league, the NBA missed the boat by not letting Sam Thompson participate. There have been a number of other Buckeyes over the years who should have been in the contest, but hopefully in the future an Ohio State hooper will be tabbed to be a part of the annual event.
Today we aren’t going to ask what former Ohio State basketball player should have been a dunk contest participant. If you remember back in 2017, there was a dunk contest held by the football team that ended up being more riveting than the actual NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Since there are plenty of phenomenal Buckeye athletes, we want to know what present or former Ohio State athlete you’d most like to see in a dunk contest.
Today’s question: Which Ohio State athlete, past or present, would you like to see in a dunk contest?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Jeff Okudah
My initial thought when we came up with this question was Dawand Jones. Even though the future NFL offensive lineman is a mountain of a man, the dunk contest isn’t usually kind to big guys. Aside from Dwight Howard, it’s pretty rare to see notable big men do well in this type of contest because their smaller opponents can wow crowds more. Now if Dawand can start hitting three-pointers on a regular basis, I’d be all for seeing him participate in a three-point contest.
While creativity is important in a dunk contest, it also helps to have a crazy vertical. Former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah posted a 41-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine in 2020. Okudah’s dunks would pop almost as much as McClung’s did, since even though McClung’s vertical is a couple inches higher, Okudah is an inch shorter than McClung. Any current or former cornerbacks or wide receivers are going to have a huge advantage in a dunk contest over their teammates since they are asked to go up for the football more than anyone else on the field.
I know there are a ton of other great athletes playing other sports at Ohio State, but it just feels like the skills of football players translate the easiest onto the basketball court. It’s hard to see a hockey player, baseball player, or swimmer creating as much buzz in a dunk contest as a football player. Not that I’m trying to slight those that can’t, especially since I would be a complete failure in a dunk contest, there just seems to be more football players that are successful on the basketball court than any other sports.
Meredith’s answer: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Wide receivers probably have a natural advantage when it comes to dunking contests. They’ve got the hops and the ball skills. They also have practice dunking over goal posts after touchdowns. We saw this skill in action with some elite wide outs on the hardcourt at the NBA’s All-Star weekend when Calvin Johnson and DK Metcalf played in the celebrity game.
When it comes to Ohio State players who would be thrilling to watch in a dunk contest, we have to go no further than Marvin Harrison Jr. Standing at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, Harrison has a size advantage over current NBA dunk champion, Mac McLung. That size, combined with his athleticism in going vertical, would be a natural advantage to being able to dunk.
But the dunk contest isn’t about getting to the rim — it’s about getting there with style. Even beyond Harrison’s Louis Vuitton cleats, his ball skills are just extra. How can we forget that catch against Indiana?
That style, grace and flexibility get called into action when Harrison is matched up against defensive backs because he is a wizard who can manage to catch the ball even in the most pressing of coverages. In other words, when he has to go high, low or to the side so he can complete the catch, Harrison makes it fancy. Just imagine what he could do with an open court and no defender.
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LGHL An in-state pipeline that deserves more recognition for it’s recruiting success
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An in-state pipeline that deserves more recognition for it’s recruiting success
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Why Huber Heights Wayne is a key program for Ohio State
Recruiting pipelines don’t happen often, but when they do it can be a real game changer for any football program. With how many big time prospects there are each year, having one or two P5 athletes at a specific high school is a real accomplishment for most prep programs.
There are some outliers, and more national powers such as IMG Academy, St. John Bosco, and St. Thomas Aquinas have several DI recruits every year, but for most high schools across the country, one a year is typically an over the top kind of measure.
Speaking from some personal experience here as a high school coach, this past season we had one DI football player — and that was on a team that won a state championship this year. That said, this specific player was only one of just a few DI signees in our program in the last several years. It’s hard to get to that level of college football, and while several programs make it look easy every recruiting cycle, the fact of the matter is a recruiting pipeline is rare, and when they’re available, it’s a big advantage.
In Ohio State’s case, a couple of high schools stick out when thinking about the term “pipeline”. Surely Cleveland Glenville is atop of the list with players like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Cardale Jones, Marshon Lattimore, and more over the years, but more national programs like the aforementioned St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida fit that mold too. The Bosa brothers most notably, but with how often the Buckeyes are active at STA, that pipeline idea still applies.
In this case though, the focus is on one specific Ohio high school program that may not get the recognition it deserves when talking about a pipeline and how many players have attended this school only to play at the next level for the Buckeyes. I’ll admit, there is some bias here as someone whose grandfather and father taught at the school and graduated from there, but there’s also a lot of truth to making it an Ohio State pipeline.
Just north of Dayton, Ohio, Huber Heights Wayne High School has been a major help to the Buckeyes and their recruiting efforts. Sending some highly touted and very notable players to Columbus over the years, and in general to the college ranks, the Warriors just don’t get the recognition they deserve.
Not a school that’s slighted by any means however, the attention Wayne should get could be at the same level of the Glenville’s of the world, or even other Ohio programs such as the Pickerington schools or the Catholic powers like Cincinnati Moeller, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Lakewood St. Edward and on down the list. Again, Wayne isn’t scoffed at, but in this light they should receive more praise.
Right off the bat, Braxton Miller jumps out as one of the most popular players to play for Ohio State in the last two decades or more. Whether it was at quarterback at the start of the Urban Meyer era or even at receiver, Miller will always be amongst the Buckeye favorites, and his career at Wayne cannot be overlooked. Taking the Warriors in his senior year to the state finals, Braxton was one of the most electric high school players in the country, and committing to Jim Tressel in 2010 as the top player in Ohio in his class was just the beginning.
Once in Columbus, he was thrown into the fire a bit during the 2011 season having to start under center as a true freshman, but in 2012 the Miller show really began to take off. It’s true that Miller didn’t get to finish his time at Ohio State how he’d have liked to, but leaving as a national champion and one of the more decorated quarterbacks Ohio State has seen, his career at Ohio State made a huge impact on the program, and that’s once again a big credit to Huber Heights Wayne.
Next on the list, Marcus Freeman is an easy one just like Miller. The former Ohio State linebacker was a two-time second team All-Big Ten selection and finished in the top 20 for tackles all time for the Buckeyes. Now at Notre Dame as the head coach of the Irish, Freeman is arguably one of the more impressive Ohio State alums when it comes to their career path outside just their playing days.
The Buckeyes will see Freeman again this fall just as they did this past season, and while there’s some tension between the two parties now having to compete against each other on the field directly and off the field in recruiting, Marcus is still one of the more well-known Warriors to have a great career for the Buckeyes and a major piece to the pipeline Wayne has build to Columbus.
Moving right along, you can’t leave out Will Allen when discussing Wayne graduates to play major roles for Ohio State. A 2002 national champion for the Buckeyes, Allen was a consensus All-American and first team All-Big Ten selection at defensive back. A fourth round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft as well, Allen shows why he makes this list as an easy addition.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Pittsburgh Steeler, and Dallas Cowboy, Will was just before Freeman at Wayne, and that gave Ohio State two major defensive talents from the same prep program that not only played in starting roles, but were legitimate game changers for Tressel’s teams.
The three names mentioned above will steal most of the attention, there’s also been some more recent Warriors to head to Columbus. Guys such as Robert “BB” Landers still should receive some major dues for their Ohio State careers. An under-rated player in high school, Landers dominated during his senior season, earning an offer from the Buckeyes. Even with his shorter stature, Landers played a big time role for Larry Johnson’s defensive line down the stretch and cements himself on this list.
Additionally, players like L’Christian “Blue” Smith, though he transferred, was one of the top receivers in his class to commit to Ohio State. Just this past recruiting cycle, Wayne once again helped the Buckeyes out when offensive lineman Joshua Padilla was the first member of the 2023 class for Ohio State.
Simply put, Huber Heights Wayne is a powerhouse when it comes to churning out P5 caliber talent as an in-state Ohio high school program. Though it may not be directly to Ohio State every year, the amount of players coming out of Wayne and signing to DI schools is nothing short of impressive.
Over the years, the Buckeyes have really struck a goldmine with multiple players at Wayne, and though it may not repeat itself in 2024 or 2025, the Warriors and their track record point to it being just a matter of time before they give Ohio State another elite player.
Wayne is very much a pipeline for Ohio State, and that shouldn’t be overlooked.
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
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Why Huber Heights Wayne is a key program for Ohio State
Recruiting pipelines don’t happen often, but when they do it can be a real game changer for any football program. With how many big time prospects there are each year, having one or two P5 athletes at a specific high school is a real accomplishment for most prep programs.
There are some outliers, and more national powers such as IMG Academy, St. John Bosco, and St. Thomas Aquinas have several DI recruits every year, but for most high schools across the country, one a year is typically an over the top kind of measure.
Speaking from some personal experience here as a high school coach, this past season we had one DI football player — and that was on a team that won a state championship this year. That said, this specific player was only one of just a few DI signees in our program in the last several years. It’s hard to get to that level of college football, and while several programs make it look easy every recruiting cycle, the fact of the matter is a recruiting pipeline is rare, and when they’re available, it’s a big advantage.
In Ohio State’s case, a couple of high schools stick out when thinking about the term “pipeline”. Surely Cleveland Glenville is atop of the list with players like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Cardale Jones, Marshon Lattimore, and more over the years, but more national programs like the aforementioned St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida fit that mold too. The Bosa brothers most notably, but with how often the Buckeyes are active at STA, that pipeline idea still applies.
In this case though, the focus is on one specific Ohio high school program that may not get the recognition it deserves when talking about a pipeline and how many players have attended this school only to play at the next level for the Buckeyes. I’ll admit, there is some bias here as someone whose grandfather and father taught at the school and graduated from there, but there’s also a lot of truth to making it an Ohio State pipeline.
Huber Heights Wayne - Home of the Warriors
Just north of Dayton, Ohio, Huber Heights Wayne High School has been a major help to the Buckeyes and their recruiting efforts. Sending some highly touted and very notable players to Columbus over the years, and in general to the college ranks, the Warriors just don’t get the recognition they deserve.
Not a school that’s slighted by any means however, the attention Wayne should get could be at the same level of the Glenville’s of the world, or even other Ohio programs such as the Pickerington schools or the Catholic powers like Cincinnati Moeller, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Lakewood St. Edward and on down the list. Again, Wayne isn’t scoffed at, but in this light they should receive more praise.
Notable alumni
Right off the bat, Braxton Miller jumps out as one of the most popular players to play for Ohio State in the last two decades or more. Whether it was at quarterback at the start of the Urban Meyer era or even at receiver, Miller will always be amongst the Buckeye favorites, and his career at Wayne cannot be overlooked. Taking the Warriors in his senior year to the state finals, Braxton was one of the most electric high school players in the country, and committing to Jim Tressel in 2010 as the top player in Ohio in his class was just the beginning.
Once in Columbus, he was thrown into the fire a bit during the 2011 season having to start under center as a true freshman, but in 2012 the Miller show really began to take off. It’s true that Miller didn’t get to finish his time at Ohio State how he’d have liked to, but leaving as a national champion and one of the more decorated quarterbacks Ohio State has seen, his career at Ohio State made a huge impact on the program, and that’s once again a big credit to Huber Heights Wayne.
Next on the list, Marcus Freeman is an easy one just like Miller. The former Ohio State linebacker was a two-time second team All-Big Ten selection and finished in the top 20 for tackles all time for the Buckeyes. Now at Notre Dame as the head coach of the Irish, Freeman is arguably one of the more impressive Ohio State alums when it comes to their career path outside just their playing days.
The Buckeyes will see Freeman again this fall just as they did this past season, and while there’s some tension between the two parties now having to compete against each other on the field directly and off the field in recruiting, Marcus is still one of the more well-known Warriors to have a great career for the Buckeyes and a major piece to the pipeline Wayne has build to Columbus.
Moving right along, you can’t leave out Will Allen when discussing Wayne graduates to play major roles for Ohio State. A 2002 national champion for the Buckeyes, Allen was a consensus All-American and first team All-Big Ten selection at defensive back. A fourth round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft as well, Allen shows why he makes this list as an easy addition.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Pittsburgh Steeler, and Dallas Cowboy, Will was just before Freeman at Wayne, and that gave Ohio State two major defensive talents from the same prep program that not only played in starting roles, but were legitimate game changers for Tressel’s teams.
Additional successes
The three names mentioned above will steal most of the attention, there’s also been some more recent Warriors to head to Columbus. Guys such as Robert “BB” Landers still should receive some major dues for their Ohio State careers. An under-rated player in high school, Landers dominated during his senior season, earning an offer from the Buckeyes. Even with his shorter stature, Landers played a big time role for Larry Johnson’s defensive line down the stretch and cements himself on this list.
Additionally, players like L’Christian “Blue” Smith, though he transferred, was one of the top receivers in his class to commit to Ohio State. Just this past recruiting cycle, Wayne once again helped the Buckeyes out when offensive lineman Joshua Padilla was the first member of the 2023 class for Ohio State.
Simply put, Huber Heights Wayne is a powerhouse when it comes to churning out P5 caliber talent as an in-state Ohio high school program. Though it may not be directly to Ohio State every year, the amount of players coming out of Wayne and signing to DI schools is nothing short of impressive.
Over the years, the Buckeyes have really struck a goldmine with multiple players at Wayne, and though it may not repeat itself in 2024 or 2025, the Warriors and their track record point to it being just a matter of time before they give Ohio State another elite player.
Wayne is very much a pipeline for Ohio State, and that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Continue reading...
