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LGHL You’re Nuts: Things to watch for in Ohio State men’s basketball’s opener against Oakland
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You’re Nuts: Things to watch for in Ohio State men’s basketball’s opener against Oakland
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s time to see if last year’s baby Bucks are ready to make the leap that so many people have been predicting.
Happy opening week, everyone! Ohio State’s first game is Monday night at home against Oakland, which means that we have officially made it through the off-season. If you read our basketball-related debate articles all throughout the spring, summer, and fall — kudos to you. The content will be plentiful for the next six months.
Last week, Connor and Justin made their pre-season Final Four picks. Connor went with Arizona, Arkansas, Creighton, and Miami. Justin also picked Creighton, but his other three were Duke, Kansas, and Michigan State. The people sided with Justin — 77% of the people, specifically.
Connor- 56
Now that it’s game week, we’re shifting our eyes to the Buckeyes and their opponent this week, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. We’ve essentially been previewing this season since January when it became clear that the 2022-2023 season wasn’t going anywhere.
There are plenty of storylines or areas of concern that we’ll be paying attention to Monday night, as we begin to learn more and more about the 125th iteration of Ohio State men’s basketball. Here are the specific things that Connor and Justin are going to keep an eye on Monday night.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25054549/usa_today_21713634.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State was eighth in the Big Ten in defensive rebounding last season. That’s not awful, but it’s not where you want to be if you truly believe you’re capable of winning the Big Ten. They were pretty bad at this in the Dayton exhibition a few weeks ago, allowing the Flyers to grab seven offensive rebounds in the first half and another seven in the second half, leading to 17 second-chance points.
Overall, Ohio State only lost the rebounding battle 33-31 and actually out-rebounded Dayton in the second half. But the 14 offensive rebounds allowed aren’t going to cut it against good teams in the Big Ten, some of whom are comparable to the Flyers.
The reason it’s so problematic for this team in particular is because Ohio State has been downright stinky on the defensive end since 2020. They allow teams to go on extended runs where their opponent might score on five out of six possessions, so when the Buckeyes finally get a stop, they have to be able to get the rebound and end the possession.
Giving teams an additional possession when you have the numbers advantage below the basket for the rebound is a killer. Defensive rebounding has been one of — if not the singular — biggest priority for Ohio State this offseason.
It was one of Chris Holtmann’s first concerns after the Dayton exhibition last month. It’s something he has specifically mentioned Jamison Battle needs to be better at, but he also goes out of his way to praise other players’ rebounding when they do it well. During the Dayton game, the players on the very end of the bench (Owen Spencer, Colby Baumann, Bowen Hardman, and Kalen Etzler) were jumping up and shouting “board, board, board!” every time Dayton took a shot. And if one of their teammates grabbed the rebound, everyone on the bench pointed it out and shouted at their teammate on the floor who snagged it.
It’s something they’ve been emphasizing, and it’s mostly effort-based. We’ll see how the Buckeyes do against Oakland, a team they should have a size advantage over.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25054613/usa_today_21686300.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hopefully, there is not too much to take away from this one because the Buckeyes win by a bunch. But, no matter what, we are going to see Felix Okpara and Zed Key on the floor. The two questions are simple.
Will Okpara and Key play together? And, throughout the 40 minutes of game time, what will the minute’s distribution look like?
This has been a key topic on a lot of fans’ minds. Who will start, and more importantly, who will finish games? We did not get a great look at who will finish games in the exhibition game against Dayton, but Okpara did get the start, and it looks like Okpara will get the start against Oakland on Monday night.
This is a fun topic because Key and Okpara bring different attributes and skills to the table. Okpara is a defensive juggernaut that will affect every drive to the paint that happens and be a force for the Buckeyes as a rim protector. However, he has some growing to do on offense.
However, Key is an offensive threat that can give you 12-15 points per game and started last season with five straight double-doubles. But he is not nearly the rim protector that Okpara is. He is also a new man after he trimmed about 20 pounds off this offseason, and should help his agility in the paint.
Chris Holtmann has implied that Okpara and Key will see the floor together, but that is a wait-and-see for me. Floor spacing could be an issue with that lineup if Key has not added to his perimeter game. So we will see on that, but I am skeptical.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s time to see if last year’s baby Bucks are ready to make the leap that so many people have been predicting.
Happy opening week, everyone! Ohio State’s first game is Monday night at home against Oakland, which means that we have officially made it through the off-season. If you read our basketball-related debate articles all throughout the spring, summer, and fall — kudos to you. The content will be plentiful for the next six months.
Last week, Connor and Justin made their pre-season Final Four picks. Connor went with Arizona, Arkansas, Creighton, and Miami. Justin also picked Creighton, but his other three were Duke, Kansas, and Michigan State. The people sided with Justin — 77% of the people, specifically.
After 124 weeks:
Connor- 56
Justin- 50
Other- 14
(There have been four ties)
Now that it’s game week, we’re shifting our eyes to the Buckeyes and their opponent this week, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. We’ve essentially been previewing this season since January when it became clear that the 2022-2023 season wasn’t going anywhere.
There are plenty of storylines or areas of concern that we’ll be paying attention to Monday night, as we begin to learn more and more about the 125th iteration of Ohio State men’s basketball. Here are the specific things that Connor and Justin are going to keep an eye on Monday night.
Today’s Question: What will you be watching for in Ohio State’s season opener against Oakland?
Connor: Defensive rebounding
Ohio State was eighth in the Big Ten in defensive rebounding last season. That’s not awful, but it’s not where you want to be if you truly believe you’re capable of winning the Big Ten. They were pretty bad at this in the Dayton exhibition a few weeks ago, allowing the Flyers to grab seven offensive rebounds in the first half and another seven in the second half, leading to 17 second-chance points.
Overall, Ohio State only lost the rebounding battle 33-31 and actually out-rebounded Dayton in the second half. But the 14 offensive rebounds allowed aren’t going to cut it against good teams in the Big Ten, some of whom are comparable to the Flyers.
The reason it’s so problematic for this team in particular is because Ohio State has been downright stinky on the defensive end since 2020. They allow teams to go on extended runs where their opponent might score on five out of six possessions, so when the Buckeyes finally get a stop, they have to be able to get the rebound and end the possession.
Giving teams an additional possession when you have the numbers advantage below the basket for the rebound is a killer. Defensive rebounding has been one of — if not the singular — biggest priority for Ohio State this offseason.
It was one of Chris Holtmann’s first concerns after the Dayton exhibition last month. It’s something he has specifically mentioned Jamison Battle needs to be better at, but he also goes out of his way to praise other players’ rebounding when they do it well. During the Dayton game, the players on the very end of the bench (Owen Spencer, Colby Baumann, Bowen Hardman, and Kalen Etzler) were jumping up and shouting “board, board, board!” every time Dayton took a shot. And if one of their teammates grabbed the rebound, everyone on the bench pointed it out and shouted at their teammate on the floor who snagged it.
It’s something they’ve been emphasizing, and it’s mostly effort-based. We’ll see how the Buckeyes do against Oakland, a team they should have a size advantage over.
Justin: How the minutes are split at center
Hopefully, there is not too much to take away from this one because the Buckeyes win by a bunch. But, no matter what, we are going to see Felix Okpara and Zed Key on the floor. The two questions are simple.
Will Okpara and Key play together? And, throughout the 40 minutes of game time, what will the minute’s distribution look like?
This has been a key topic on a lot of fans’ minds. Who will start, and more importantly, who will finish games? We did not get a great look at who will finish games in the exhibition game against Dayton, but Okpara did get the start, and it looks like Okpara will get the start against Oakland on Monday night.
This is a fun topic because Key and Okpara bring different attributes and skills to the table. Okpara is a defensive juggernaut that will affect every drive to the paint that happens and be a force for the Buckeyes as a rim protector. However, he has some growing to do on offense.
However, Key is an offensive threat that can give you 12-15 points per game and started last season with five straight double-doubles. But he is not nearly the rim protector that Okpara is. He is also a new man after he trimmed about 20 pounds off this offseason, and should help his agility in the paint.
Chris Holtmann has implied that Okpara and Key will see the floor together, but that is a wait-and-see for me. Floor spacing could be an issue with that lineup if Key has not added to his perimeter game. So we will see on that, but I am skeptical.
Continue reading...
LGHL Five-star CB Devin Sanchez receives Crystal Ball to Ohio State, Tony Alford builds positive momentum
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Five-star CB Devin Sanchez receives Crystal Ball to Ohio State, Tony Alford builds positive momentum
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Devin Sanchez | 247Sports
Ohio State takes another step towards landing an elite cornerback.
One could make the argument for any position on the defensive side of the ball for being the most important, but when Ohio State’s defense has looked its best, it’s been in large part because of the defensive secondary holding their own. Whether it’s this season or in the past, Ohio State’s cornerback and safety play has allowed them to take major steps of improvement. While a ton of that success comes from development, it also comes from recruiting elite talents to take those spots on the field.
Right now the Buckeyes have a great secondary, and thanks to some major wins in the 2024 cycle, the position group will be reloading rather than rebuilding. Knowing continued success is going to be needed on the recruiting front, both Tim Walton and Perry Eliano are all over it in the 2025 class, looking to go back-to-back with recruiting classes that boast some of the nation’s best players. Right now, there’s some serious momentum in the 2025 cycle, and Thursday was another step in the right direction for Ohio State to land the top cornerback in the nation.
Texas native Devin Sanchez is the No. six player nationally and the top cornerback in 2025 per the 247Sports Composite. A 6-foot-2, 175 pound athlete, Sanchez has long been the apple of any major program’s eye when it comes to defensive back recruiting, and an offer list of over 30 schools shows just how coveted he is. With programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, LSU, and a ton of others all vying for his services, it’s starting to take shape at least for now who Sanchez is really considering.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, things are trending their way. Making it to campus for the Penn State contest just last month, Sanchez came away from his visit more than just impressed with Ohio State. Certainly the environment plays a role in that, but more importantly is the play of the secondary. In that game and the others this season, Devin has to be pleased with the level of play and development being seen. So much so that after his departure from Columbus, thoughts were the Buckeyes had put themselves in a great spot, and that continues to be the case.
While it’s not everything, on Thursday Director of Recruiting for 247Sports, Steve Wiltfong placed his Crystal Ball prediction for Sanchez in favor of Ohio State, and when it comes from him, that means something. There’s still plenty of work to do in this case, but with the feelings between Sanchez and the Buckeyes the way they are right now, Ohio State has the lead in this recruitment, and this typically works out for the coaches who try and lock it up early and often.
Maybe it’s an entirely different subject matter, but yesterday position coach Tony Alford took to his Twitter account and shared a rather cryptic message that could be made out in a couple of ways. Trying to piece together what it could mean, the closest thing that comes to mind is the situation with the aforementioned Lyle who may have been wavering in his commitment. If so, clearly Alford is doing what he can to calm the waters between the two parties and keep his pledge to Ohio State.
At any rate, with the early signing period quickly approaching, the Buckeyes and their second-ranked class will look to put the finishing touches on some few remaining open spots, but also keep a guy like Lyle locked in and run off the other suitors, mainly Miami.
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
Devin Sanchez | 247Sports
Ohio State takes another step towards landing an elite cornerback.
One could make the argument for any position on the defensive side of the ball for being the most important, but when Ohio State’s defense has looked its best, it’s been in large part because of the defensive secondary holding their own. Whether it’s this season or in the past, Ohio State’s cornerback and safety play has allowed them to take major steps of improvement. While a ton of that success comes from development, it also comes from recruiting elite talents to take those spots on the field.
Right now the Buckeyes have a great secondary, and thanks to some major wins in the 2024 cycle, the position group will be reloading rather than rebuilding. Knowing continued success is going to be needed on the recruiting front, both Tim Walton and Perry Eliano are all over it in the 2025 class, looking to go back-to-back with recruiting classes that boast some of the nation’s best players. Right now, there’s some serious momentum in the 2025 cycle, and Thursday was another step in the right direction for Ohio State to land the top cornerback in the nation.
Texas native Devin Sanchez is the No. six player nationally and the top cornerback in 2025 per the 247Sports Composite. A 6-foot-2, 175 pound athlete, Sanchez has long been the apple of any major program’s eye when it comes to defensive back recruiting, and an offer list of over 30 schools shows just how coveted he is. With programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, LSU, and a ton of others all vying for his services, it’s starting to take shape at least for now who Sanchez is really considering.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, things are trending their way. Making it to campus for the Penn State contest just last month, Sanchez came away from his visit more than just impressed with Ohio State. Certainly the environment plays a role in that, but more importantly is the play of the secondary. In that game and the others this season, Devin has to be pleased with the level of play and development being seen. So much so that after his departure from Columbus, thoughts were the Buckeyes had put themselves in a great spot, and that continues to be the case.
While it’s not everything, on Thursday Director of Recruiting for 247Sports, Steve Wiltfong placed his Crystal Ball prediction for Sanchez in favor of Ohio State, and when it comes from him, that means something. There’s still plenty of work to do in this case, but with the feelings between Sanchez and the Buckeyes the way they are right now, Ohio State has the lead in this recruitment, and this typically works out for the coaches who try and lock it up early and often.
Quick Hits
- If you follow Ohio State recruiting at all, you would probably know by now that there’s some rumors swirling current Buckeye commit Jordan Lyle and the potential for him to flip his commitment status. Lyle has been the subject of several conversations, and the theme has been a worry that he would end up staying closer to home and picking Miami. While that’s still certainly an option for the No. 147 player nationally and 13th best running back per the 247Sports Composite, the coaching staff would love to keep him in the fold.
Maybe it’s an entirely different subject matter, but yesterday position coach Tony Alford took to his Twitter account and shared a rather cryptic message that could be made out in a couple of ways. Trying to piece together what it could mean, the closest thing that comes to mind is the situation with the aforementioned Lyle who may have been wavering in his commitment. If so, clearly Alford is doing what he can to calm the waters between the two parties and keep his pledge to Ohio State.
At any rate, with the early signing period quickly approaching, the Buckeyes and their second-ranked class will look to put the finishing touches on some few remaining open spots, but also keep a guy like Lyle locked in and run off the other suitors, mainly Miami.
Continue reading...
LGHL Get your limited edition Stroud, Smith-Njigba Mini Bighead bobbleheads
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Get your limited edition Stroud, Smith-Njigba Mini Bighead bobbleheads
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Come on, you know you need these!
While Saturdays might be all about college football, that doesn’t mean that you have to stop rooting for the Buckeyes on Sundays. Our friends at Foco are helping you do just that with two Mini Bigheads of former Buckeyes who are now setting the NFL on fire during their rookie seasons; the Houston Texans’ record-breaking quarterback C.J. Stroud and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Bigheads are similar to standard bobbleheads but come with an even larger head for you to bobble with. The mini version scales them down, but keeps all of the meticulous detail that you expect, and it means that they are far cheaper than their larger counterparts. Each OSU Mini Bighead is available for just $35! Both C.J. and JSN are decked out in scarlet and grey and stand atop an Ohio State base with their names displayed in front and the school’s logo in multiple places.
There are only 144 individually numbered units available for preorder, so don’t miss your opportunity to get one of these before they are gone.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25053293/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_Mini_Bigheads.jpg)
FOCO has been killing it with Ohio State bobbleheads over the past year. Just last month, they released a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. This fall they’ve also released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads. Earlier this month, they introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead, and in August, they introduced a Brutus training camp bobblehead and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead. Those followed the NFL Draft, when FOCO released figures to celebrate the selections of C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then, last fall, they released an absolute must-have Brutus “Then and Now” bobblehead featuring the current and original versions of everybody’s favorite poisonous nut!
And in October 2022, to celebrate Halloween, the company released a “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobblehead featuring our boy Brutus in a picture-perfect Spooky Season costume. The company also released a Thanksgiving Day Parade-inspired Brutus bobblehead and a Brutus in Christmas pajamas in front of the fireplace bobblehead. Also, last summer, FOCO released a very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead.
In addition, FOCO just released a pair of bobbleheads to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium. One features Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has some other college team Peanut options that you might be interested in as well.
If for some reason you think you might need one of these for another school, I guess you can find the right one here.
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
Come on, you know you need these!
While Saturdays might be all about college football, that doesn’t mean that you have to stop rooting for the Buckeyes on Sundays. Our friends at Foco are helping you do just that with two Mini Bigheads of former Buckeyes who are now setting the NFL on fire during their rookie seasons; the Houston Texans’ record-breaking quarterback C.J. Stroud and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Bigheads are similar to standard bobbleheads but come with an even larger head for you to bobble with. The mini version scales them down, but keeps all of the meticulous detail that you expect, and it means that they are far cheaper than their larger counterparts. Each OSU Mini Bighead is available for just $35! Both C.J. and JSN are decked out in scarlet and grey and stand atop an Ohio State base with their names displayed in front and the school’s logo in multiple places.
There are only 144 individually numbered units available for preorder, so don’t miss your opportunity to get one of these before they are gone.
Get Your Stroud, Smith-Njigba Mini Bigheads NOW!
FOCO has been killing it with Ohio State bobbleheads over the past year. Just last month, they released a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. This fall they’ve also released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads. Earlier this month, they introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead, and in August, they introduced a Brutus training camp bobblehead and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead. Those followed the NFL Draft, when FOCO released figures to celebrate the selections of C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then, last fall, they released an absolute must-have Brutus “Then and Now” bobblehead featuring the current and original versions of everybody’s favorite poisonous nut!
And in October 2022, to celebrate Halloween, the company released a “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobblehead featuring our boy Brutus in a picture-perfect Spooky Season costume. The company also released a Thanksgiving Day Parade-inspired Brutus bobblehead and a Brutus in Christmas pajamas in front of the fireplace bobblehead. Also, last summer, FOCO released a very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead.
In addition, FOCO just released a pair of bobbleheads to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium. One features Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has some other college team Peanut options that you might be interested in as well.
If for some reason you think you might need one of these for another school, I guess you can find the right one here.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State vs. Rutgers: 2023 game preview and prediction
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State vs. Rutgers: 2023 game preview and prediction
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 Rich Schultz/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to run their record to 10-0 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.
Following last week’s 24-10 win at Wisconsin, Ohio State hits the road again this week. The Buckeyes will be in New Jersey to take on Rutgers, who they are 9-0 against all-time. A win over the Scarlet Knights on Saturday would mark the first time Ohio State has won their first 10 meetings with one opponent. Last year the Buckeyes had little trouble with Rutgers in Columbus, beating the Scarlet Knights 49-10. Ohio State has scored at least 49 points in each of their previous nine meetings with Rutgers.
Last week the Buckeyes were sparked by the return of running back TreVeyon Henderson, who put together a massive performance in the hard-fought win over the Badgers in Madison. After missing the previous three games after suffering an injury in the second half against Notre Dame, Henderson looked sharp against Wisconsin, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, while also hauling in four passes for 45 yards. The 33-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Buckeyes, extending their lead to two touchdowns.
Along with Henderson’s performance, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. continued to state his case as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Harrison finished with six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. The second touchdown reception from Harrison broke a 10-10 tie in the third quarter, giving Ohio State the lead for good in the game. The wide receiver is now 111 yards from reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the second time, which would make him the only Buckeye receiver to ever record 1,000 receiving yards in two seasons.
Harrison is also working his way up the Ohio State career receiving record books. With another 100-yard receiving performance, Harrison now has 13 games where he has reached triple digits in a game, putting him just one 100-yard game away from tying David Boston’s school record. For his career, Harrison has 2,291 yards receiving, which is five yards away from passing Santonio Holmes for 10th place in school history, and 42 away from moving past K.J. Hill. Harrison also needs just five catches to move past Holmes’ career total of 140 catches, and move into the top-10.
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Ohio State on Saturday night, though. The Buckeyes did turn the football over three times in the victory, marking the first time since the Indiana game in 2020 where they had three turnovers in a game. After throwing one interception in the first seven games this year, Kyle McCord was picked off twice against the Badgers, and he also coughed up the football which resulted in a fumble recovery by Wisconsin. To go along with his two interceptions, McCord completed 17 of his 26 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns in Madison.
While Henderson returned to the lineup last week, the Ohio State running back room seems like it is never fully healthy. Not only did Miyan Williams miss the game against Wisconsin, on Tuesday head coach Ryan Day announced Williams would miss the rest of the season after undergoing a medical procedure. With Williams now sidelined, that leaves Chip Trayanum’s bruising running style to complement Henderson’s speed and shiftiness. It will be interesting to see if Evan Pryor plays a bigger role with Williams injured since it’s obvious Day is doing everything possible to try and preserve Dallan Hayden’s redshirt.
On the other side of the football, the Ohio State defense continued their domination of their opponents this year. The Buckeyes have not only not allowed more than 17 points in a game so far this season, the Silver Bullets are one of just two teams in the country that have yet to give up a play of more than 40 yards this season, with Rutgers being the other team. Overall, the Ohio State defense is allowing just 260 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the country.
The Buckeye secondary received a boost with the return of Denzel Burke after the cornerback missed the Penn State game. Unfortunately the good health news wouldn’t last through the game, as safety Lathan Ransom was injured early in the fourth quarter on Saturday night after suffering an apparent lower leg injury. It is unknown how long Ransom will be sidelined for, but while Ransom is out of action expect Sonny Styles to step in at the “bandit” position. With Styles taking over for Ransom, cornerback Jordan Hancock will now see even more time at the nickel position, which is a spot where he and Styles had been splitting time.
One defensive back that will be itching to have a big performance on Saturday is Davison Igbinosun, who grew up in New Jersey. The cornerback has had little trouble settling into his role at Ohio State after transferring to Columbus after one season at Ole Miss. Igbinosun has 35 tackles this season, three pass breakups, and after recovering a fumble last week against Wisconsin, he now has two fumble recoveries this season. As if returning to his home state wasn’t motivation enough for Igbinosun, he’ll also want to outperform his brother, who is a safety at Rutgers.
One thing Ohio State wasn’t able to do a lot of against Wisconsin was put pressure on the quarterback. There was one exception, as defensive tackle Tyleik Williams recorded a sack and two tackles for loss against the Badgers. Williams is now the team’s leading tackler amongst defensive lineman, as he has 33 stops, and his eight tackles for loss are a team-high. Along with the strong work he is doing on the defensive line, Williams has also been able to get his big paws up at the right time, registering five pass breakups so far this year.
A big reason the Buckeyes weren’t able to put quite as much pressure on Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke was because J.T. Tuimoloau was injured in the first half against the Badgers. Even though Tuimoloau was able to return to the game in the second half, it was obvious he wasn’t at 100 percent. Since he wasn’t able to get to the quarterback, Tuimoloau saw his three-game streak of recording at least one sack snapped.
Even though Ohio State’s defensive line wasn’t able to get into the backfield much on Saturday night, defensive end Jack Sawyer was still working hard in the game. Sawyer finished the contest with a career-high six tackles. The tackle output for Sawyer ranked second on the team in the game, one behind Tommy Eichenberg and one ahead of Steele Chambers. The linebackers are the team’s top-two tacklers so far this year. Eichenberg heads into the Rutgers game with 61 tackles, while Chambers has 47 stops.
This isn’t quite the same Rutgers team we have become used to since they joined the Big Ten. The improved Scarlet Knights are playing with pride and confidence. With their 31-14 win two weeks ago over Indiana, Rutgers is already bowl eligible. Their 6-2 start is their best start to a season since they started the 2012 season 7-1. Not only do the Scarlet Knights have six wins before entering November for the first time since joining the Big Ten, their three conference wins already have tied a season-high.
Standing across the sidelines from Ryan Day will be Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. These two coaches are very familiar with each other since they were both members of the Ohio State coaching staff under Urban Meyer. Day knows Schiano is going to throw every trick he can at the Buckeyes, and it’s likely Schiano will have even more odd looks up his sleeve for Ohio State on Saturday since Rutgers is coming off a bye week. Under Schiano, the Scarlet Knights are 11-5 when coming off a bye.
One of the biggest surprises this year in the Big Ten has been the improvement of Rutgers on offense. The Scarlet Knights are the most improved team in the conference on offense, averaging 45 more yards of total offense per game this year, as well as 10.7 more points per game. The area on offense where Rutgers has been excelling the most this year has been with their running game, as the Scarlet Knights already have four games with at least 250 rushing yards. Prior to this year, Rutgers had just four games with 250 yards rushing over their last 70 games.
In their most recent game against Indiana, Rutgers ran for 276 yards, which set a school Big Ten record. Leading the charge on the ground was quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, who ran for 143 yards, which was the most be a quarterback in school history. Wimsatt also found the end zone three times on the ground. For the season, Wimsatt has ran for 362 yards and seven touchdowns. Along with his rushing prowess, Wimsatt has thrown for 1,134 yards and seven touchdowns, but also has tossed four interceptions.
Along with Wimsatt, Kyle Monangai powers the running attack of the Scarlet Knights. Monangai is the workhorse of the Rutgers ground game, carrying the football 144 times, which is the most in the Big Ten. Monangai has rushed for 744 yards and seven touchdowns entering Saturday’s contest. Not only has Monangai hit the 100-yard mark on the ground in four games this season, he has done so in each of the last two games. With 76 rushing yards, Monangai will reach 1,500 career rushing yards.
With how much they run the football, the Rutgers receivers don’t have huge numbers. That doesn’t mean Ohio State can overlook Wimsatt’s targets. Senior wide receiver Christian Dremel leads the team with 23 catches, 294 yards, and three touchdowns. JaQuae Jackson ranks second with 17 catches and 290 yards. The only other receivers with more than 100 yards receiving are Isaiah Washington and Ian Strong.
Not only has the offense of Rutgers reached new levels this season, the defense of the Scarlet Knights has been stout. The 126 points allowed through their first eight games is the fewest points given up at this point of the season since 2012 when they allowed just 114 points through their first eight games. Like the Buckeyes, Rutgers is averaging less than 300 yards per game entering Saturday’s contest.
Leading the way for the defense of the Scarlet Knights are linebackers Tyreem Powell and Deion Jennings. Powell leads Rutgers with 53 tackles, while Deion Jennings is just two tackles behind his partner at linebacker. At the third linebacker spot is Desmond Igbinosun, who is the brother of Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun. The Rutgers Igbinosun has made it a habit of making his way into the backfield of opponents this year, registering 5.5 tackles for loss. Mohamed Toure has also played a big roll with the unit as he has comeback from a knee injury suffered last year.
Even though they’ll have their work cut out for them against the Ohio State receiving corps, Rutgers does have some quality talent at defensive back. Safety Flip Dixon leads the secondary with 48 tackles and five pass breakups. At cornerback, the Scarlet Knights have a couple players who have made some impact plays throughout the season. Robert Longerbeam has two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a pick. On the other side, Max Melton has a sack, interception, fumble recovery, and forced fumble.
On the defensive line, defensive ends Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey lead the team with three sacks each. On the inside of the defensive line are tackles Isaiah Iton and Mayan Ahanotu. As a team, Rutgers has 17 sacks through their first eight games this season, and will look to add to that total against an Ohio State offensive line that has struggled so far this year.
As if Ohio State didn’t already have a big enough target on them as one of the top teams in the Big Ten, that target got even bigger on Tuesday night when the Buckeyes were put atop the College Football Playoff rankings. Ohio State knows they have a showdown in Ann Arbor with Michigan at the end of the month that will have massive implications in the Big Ten, as well as the CFP. The Buckeyes can’t afford to overlook their opponents the next three weeks.
What Ohio State needs to do on Saturday is play sound football. Greg Schiano knows the Buckeyes are the more talented team, so he’ll have to come up with some quirky ways to generate offense. We saw it back in 2020 when the Scarlet Knights threw about every trick play they could at Ohio State in the closest matchup between the two teams, although the Buckeyes still won by more than three touchdowns in Columbus.
The key for Ohio State is going to be to get Kyle McCord into a rhythm early on. If McCord is on his mark and finding Harrison and tight end Cade Stover, it will allow things to open up for TreVeyon Henderson, who can take over a game with his big play ability. Where McCord gets into trouble is when he gets flustered early and starts missing passes. While he usually ends up settling down in the second half, when he is off it allows opponents to hang around longer than they should.
The defense for Ohio State shouldn’t have too much trouble bottling up the Rutgers offense. Since they don’t have a ton to offer throwing the football, the Buckeyes should be able to load up to stop the run. If Ohio State is able to force a few quick punts they could put some distance on the Scarlet Knights early, which will be a problem for Rutgers because they aren’t built to put points on the scoreboard quickly.
Obviously it’s not a good idea to overlook a Greg Schiano team since he has ways to help his team stay close. Ohio State should be able to handle their business against the Scarlet Knights, much like Michigan did against Rutgers. While the Scarlet Knights will play tough as they try and defend their home turf, there is still a pretty big gap between the two teams. About the only things Rutgers will likely accomplish in this game is hold the Buckeyes under 49 points for the first time in 10 meetings between the schools.
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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 Rich Schultz/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to run their record to 10-0 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.
Following last week’s 24-10 win at Wisconsin, Ohio State hits the road again this week. The Buckeyes will be in New Jersey to take on Rutgers, who they are 9-0 against all-time. A win over the Scarlet Knights on Saturday would mark the first time Ohio State has won their first 10 meetings with one opponent. Last year the Buckeyes had little trouble with Rutgers in Columbus, beating the Scarlet Knights 49-10. Ohio State has scored at least 49 points in each of their previous nine meetings with Rutgers.
Hendo, Harrison, and the rest of the Ohio State offense
Last week the Buckeyes were sparked by the return of running back TreVeyon Henderson, who put together a massive performance in the hard-fought win over the Badgers in Madison. After missing the previous three games after suffering an injury in the second half against Notre Dame, Henderson looked sharp against Wisconsin, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, while also hauling in four passes for 45 yards. The 33-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Buckeyes, extending their lead to two touchdowns.
Along with Henderson’s performance, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. continued to state his case as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Harrison finished with six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. The second touchdown reception from Harrison broke a 10-10 tie in the third quarter, giving Ohio State the lead for good in the game. The wide receiver is now 111 yards from reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the second time, which would make him the only Buckeye receiver to ever record 1,000 receiving yards in two seasons.
Harrison is also working his way up the Ohio State career receiving record books. With another 100-yard receiving performance, Harrison now has 13 games where he has reached triple digits in a game, putting him just one 100-yard game away from tying David Boston’s school record. For his career, Harrison has 2,291 yards receiving, which is five yards away from passing Santonio Holmes for 10th place in school history, and 42 away from moving past K.J. Hill. Harrison also needs just five catches to move past Holmes’ career total of 140 catches, and move into the top-10.
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Ohio State on Saturday night, though. The Buckeyes did turn the football over three times in the victory, marking the first time since the Indiana game in 2020 where they had three turnovers in a game. After throwing one interception in the first seven games this year, Kyle McCord was picked off twice against the Badgers, and he also coughed up the football which resulted in a fumble recovery by Wisconsin. To go along with his two interceptions, McCord completed 17 of his 26 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns in Madison.
While Henderson returned to the lineup last week, the Ohio State running back room seems like it is never fully healthy. Not only did Miyan Williams miss the game against Wisconsin, on Tuesday head coach Ryan Day announced Williams would miss the rest of the season after undergoing a medical procedure. With Williams now sidelined, that leaves Chip Trayanum’s bruising running style to complement Henderson’s speed and shiftiness. It will be interesting to see if Evan Pryor plays a bigger role with Williams injured since it’s obvious Day is doing everything possible to try and preserve Dallan Hayden’s redshirt.
The Silver Bullets continue to fly
On the other side of the football, the Ohio State defense continued their domination of their opponents this year. The Buckeyes have not only not allowed more than 17 points in a game so far this season, the Silver Bullets are one of just two teams in the country that have yet to give up a play of more than 40 yards this season, with Rutgers being the other team. Overall, the Ohio State defense is allowing just 260 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the country.
The Buckeye secondary received a boost with the return of Denzel Burke after the cornerback missed the Penn State game. Unfortunately the good health news wouldn’t last through the game, as safety Lathan Ransom was injured early in the fourth quarter on Saturday night after suffering an apparent lower leg injury. It is unknown how long Ransom will be sidelined for, but while Ransom is out of action expect Sonny Styles to step in at the “bandit” position. With Styles taking over for Ransom, cornerback Jordan Hancock will now see even more time at the nickel position, which is a spot where he and Styles had been splitting time.
One defensive back that will be itching to have a big performance on Saturday is Davison Igbinosun, who grew up in New Jersey. The cornerback has had little trouble settling into his role at Ohio State after transferring to Columbus after one season at Ole Miss. Igbinosun has 35 tackles this season, three pass breakups, and after recovering a fumble last week against Wisconsin, he now has two fumble recoveries this season. As if returning to his home state wasn’t motivation enough for Igbinosun, he’ll also want to outperform his brother, who is a safety at Rutgers.
One thing Ohio State wasn’t able to do a lot of against Wisconsin was put pressure on the quarterback. There was one exception, as defensive tackle Tyleik Williams recorded a sack and two tackles for loss against the Badgers. Williams is now the team’s leading tackler amongst defensive lineman, as he has 33 stops, and his eight tackles for loss are a team-high. Along with the strong work he is doing on the defensive line, Williams has also been able to get his big paws up at the right time, registering five pass breakups so far this year.
A big reason the Buckeyes weren’t able to put quite as much pressure on Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke was because J.T. Tuimoloau was injured in the first half against the Badgers. Even though Tuimoloau was able to return to the game in the second half, it was obvious he wasn’t at 100 percent. Since he wasn’t able to get to the quarterback, Tuimoloau saw his three-game streak of recording at least one sack snapped.
Even though Ohio State’s defensive line wasn’t able to get into the backfield much on Saturday night, defensive end Jack Sawyer was still working hard in the game. Sawyer finished the contest with a career-high six tackles. The tackle output for Sawyer ranked second on the team in the game, one behind Tommy Eichenberg and one ahead of Steele Chambers. The linebackers are the team’s top-two tacklers so far this year. Eichenberg heads into the Rutgers game with 61 tackles, while Chambers has 47 stops.
The Schianoman is thriving at Rutgers
This isn’t quite the same Rutgers team we have become used to since they joined the Big Ten. The improved Scarlet Knights are playing with pride and confidence. With their 31-14 win two weeks ago over Indiana, Rutgers is already bowl eligible. Their 6-2 start is their best start to a season since they started the 2012 season 7-1. Not only do the Scarlet Knights have six wins before entering November for the first time since joining the Big Ten, their three conference wins already have tied a season-high.
Standing across the sidelines from Ryan Day will be Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. These two coaches are very familiar with each other since they were both members of the Ohio State coaching staff under Urban Meyer. Day knows Schiano is going to throw every trick he can at the Buckeyes, and it’s likely Schiano will have even more odd looks up his sleeve for Ohio State on Saturday since Rutgers is coming off a bye week. Under Schiano, the Scarlet Knights are 11-5 when coming off a bye.
The offense of the Scarlet Knights
One of the biggest surprises this year in the Big Ten has been the improvement of Rutgers on offense. The Scarlet Knights are the most improved team in the conference on offense, averaging 45 more yards of total offense per game this year, as well as 10.7 more points per game. The area on offense where Rutgers has been excelling the most this year has been with their running game, as the Scarlet Knights already have four games with at least 250 rushing yards. Prior to this year, Rutgers had just four games with 250 yards rushing over their last 70 games.
In their most recent game against Indiana, Rutgers ran for 276 yards, which set a school Big Ten record. Leading the charge on the ground was quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, who ran for 143 yards, which was the most be a quarterback in school history. Wimsatt also found the end zone three times on the ground. For the season, Wimsatt has ran for 362 yards and seven touchdowns. Along with his rushing prowess, Wimsatt has thrown for 1,134 yards and seven touchdowns, but also has tossed four interceptions.
Along with Wimsatt, Kyle Monangai powers the running attack of the Scarlet Knights. Monangai is the workhorse of the Rutgers ground game, carrying the football 144 times, which is the most in the Big Ten. Monangai has rushed for 744 yards and seven touchdowns entering Saturday’s contest. Not only has Monangai hit the 100-yard mark on the ground in four games this season, he has done so in each of the last two games. With 76 rushing yards, Monangai will reach 1,500 career rushing yards.
With how much they run the football, the Rutgers receivers don’t have huge numbers. That doesn’t mean Ohio State can overlook Wimsatt’s targets. Senior wide receiver Christian Dremel leads the team with 23 catches, 294 yards, and three touchdowns. JaQuae Jackson ranks second with 17 catches and 290 yards. The only other receivers with more than 100 yards receiving are Isaiah Washington and Ian Strong.
Rutgers on defense
Not only has the offense of Rutgers reached new levels this season, the defense of the Scarlet Knights has been stout. The 126 points allowed through their first eight games is the fewest points given up at this point of the season since 2012 when they allowed just 114 points through their first eight games. Like the Buckeyes, Rutgers is averaging less than 300 yards per game entering Saturday’s contest.
Leading the way for the defense of the Scarlet Knights are linebackers Tyreem Powell and Deion Jennings. Powell leads Rutgers with 53 tackles, while Deion Jennings is just two tackles behind his partner at linebacker. At the third linebacker spot is Desmond Igbinosun, who is the brother of Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun. The Rutgers Igbinosun has made it a habit of making his way into the backfield of opponents this year, registering 5.5 tackles for loss. Mohamed Toure has also played a big roll with the unit as he has comeback from a knee injury suffered last year.
Even though they’ll have their work cut out for them against the Ohio State receiving corps, Rutgers does have some quality talent at defensive back. Safety Flip Dixon leads the secondary with 48 tackles and five pass breakups. At cornerback, the Scarlet Knights have a couple players who have made some impact plays throughout the season. Robert Longerbeam has two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a pick. On the other side, Max Melton has a sack, interception, fumble recovery, and forced fumble.
On the defensive line, defensive ends Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey lead the team with three sacks each. On the inside of the defensive line are tackles Isaiah Iton and Mayan Ahanotu. As a team, Rutgers has 17 sacks through their first eight games this season, and will look to add to that total against an Ohio State offensive line that has struggled so far this year.
Summary
As if Ohio State didn’t already have a big enough target on them as one of the top teams in the Big Ten, that target got even bigger on Tuesday night when the Buckeyes were put atop the College Football Playoff rankings. Ohio State knows they have a showdown in Ann Arbor with Michigan at the end of the month that will have massive implications in the Big Ten, as well as the CFP. The Buckeyes can’t afford to overlook their opponents the next three weeks.
What Ohio State needs to do on Saturday is play sound football. Greg Schiano knows the Buckeyes are the more talented team, so he’ll have to come up with some quirky ways to generate offense. We saw it back in 2020 when the Scarlet Knights threw about every trick play they could at Ohio State in the closest matchup between the two teams, although the Buckeyes still won by more than three touchdowns in Columbus.
The key for Ohio State is going to be to get Kyle McCord into a rhythm early on. If McCord is on his mark and finding Harrison and tight end Cade Stover, it will allow things to open up for TreVeyon Henderson, who can take over a game with his big play ability. Where McCord gets into trouble is when he gets flustered early and starts missing passes. While he usually ends up settling down in the second half, when he is off it allows opponents to hang around longer than they should.
The defense for Ohio State shouldn’t have too much trouble bottling up the Rutgers offense. Since they don’t have a ton to offer throwing the football, the Buckeyes should be able to load up to stop the run. If Ohio State is able to force a few quick punts they could put some distance on the Scarlet Knights early, which will be a problem for Rutgers because they aren’t built to put points on the scoreboard quickly.
Obviously it’s not a good idea to overlook a Greg Schiano team since he has ways to help his team stay close. Ohio State should be able to handle their business against the Scarlet Knights, much like Michigan did against Rutgers. While the Scarlet Knights will play tough as they try and defend their home turf, there is still a pretty big gap between the two teams. About the only things Rutgers will likely accomplish in this game is hold the Buckeyes under 49 points for the first time in 10 meetings between the schools.
LGHL Prediction: Ohio State 41, Rutgers 13
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Emma Shumate
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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Emma Shumate
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After a quiet first season in Columbus, can the shooter find her stride on a team needing offense?
The Ohio State women’s basketball team lost one player last year from its starting lineup. Not a bad year of turnover for most schools, but for the Buckeyes, the loss of guard Taylor Mikesell leaves an empty spot on the roster for distance shooting.
While all starters will be responsible for filling the void, someone off the bench has potential to surprise people. That could be guard Emma Shumate.
Name: Emma Shumate
Position: Guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
High School: Newark High School (Newark, Ohio)
2022-23 Stats: 1.6 ppg, 1.03 rpg, 0.5 apg, .240 FG%, .231 3FG%, .500 FT%
Shumate came to the Buckeyes following one season with the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Newark, Ohio guard who head coach Kevin McGuff initially recruited added Shumate via the transfer portal after one year south of the Buckeye state border.
Redshirted in her first season, Shumate came to Ohio State with four years of eligibility and family history surrounding the game of basketball. Raised by then Newark High School basketball coach J.R. Shumate, the guard came into a Buckeyes team that had a solidified starting lineup.
Off the bench, Shumate never made the impact some fans of local high school basketball expected. Known as a strong deep shooter, Shumate never had the time on the court to reinforce the stories. In 32 appearances, the guard averaged 11.3 minutes per game, going 12-for-52 from beyond the arc. Shumate’s scoring high was six, achieved twice at opposite ends of the regular season.
Shumate is a tall guard who’s known for her shooting stroke, even if last year’s limited minutes didn’t necessarily show it. During the season, McGuff referenced that he can see Shumate as someone hitting multiple three-point shots a game. Of the guard’s 31 appearances last season, Shumate hit two three-point shots in two games.
For the offensive struggle, one surprise area where the Buckeyes benefited from Shumate’s play was inside the paint. The 6-foot-1 guard with impressive wingspan used her long arms to swat down 27 blocks, which led everyone on the scarlet and gray.
Ohio State’s struggled in the paint defensively over the past two seasons. This year, with reinforcements joining the team in the paint, Shumate may be able to focus more on contributing on the offensive half of the court.
With the abundance of upperclassmen guard depth, Shumate is a name to watch off the bench. Even then, it’ll be behind guard Rikki Harris, who’s the likely sixth player for the Buckeyes this season.
Shumate’s role this year could look a lot like Hevynne Bristow’s time with the Buckeyes before transferring to James Madison University in the summer. Last year, Bristow played around 15 minutes per game during the middle of the season, before losing minutes late in the year.
If Shumate’s shooting adjusts to the NCAA, those minutes are sure to rise.
Of Shumate’s made shots, the most memorable came against rivals. On New Year’s Eve, 2022, Shumate sent the Buckeyes into halftime up three thanks to a buzzer beating three.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After a quiet first season in Columbus, can the shooter find her stride on a team needing offense?
The Ohio State women’s basketball team lost one player last year from its starting lineup. Not a bad year of turnover for most schools, but for the Buckeyes, the loss of guard Taylor Mikesell leaves an empty spot on the roster for distance shooting.
While all starters will be responsible for filling the void, someone off the bench has potential to surprise people. That could be guard Emma Shumate.
Name: Emma Shumate
Position: Guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
High School: Newark High School (Newark, Ohio)
2022-23 Stats: 1.6 ppg, 1.03 rpg, 0.5 apg, .240 FG%, .231 3FG%, .500 FT%
Last Season
Shumate came to the Buckeyes following one season with the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Newark, Ohio guard who head coach Kevin McGuff initially recruited added Shumate via the transfer portal after one year south of the Buckeye state border.
Redshirted in her first season, Shumate came to Ohio State with four years of eligibility and family history surrounding the game of basketball. Raised by then Newark High School basketball coach J.R. Shumate, the guard came into a Buckeyes team that had a solidified starting lineup.
Off the bench, Shumate never made the impact some fans of local high school basketball expected. Known as a strong deep shooter, Shumate never had the time on the court to reinforce the stories. In 32 appearances, the guard averaged 11.3 minutes per game, going 12-for-52 from beyond the arc. Shumate’s scoring high was six, achieved twice at opposite ends of the regular season.
What to Expect
Shumate is a tall guard who’s known for her shooting stroke, even if last year’s limited minutes didn’t necessarily show it. During the season, McGuff referenced that he can see Shumate as someone hitting multiple three-point shots a game. Of the guard’s 31 appearances last season, Shumate hit two three-point shots in two games.
For the offensive struggle, one surprise area where the Buckeyes benefited from Shumate’s play was inside the paint. The 6-foot-1 guard with impressive wingspan used her long arms to swat down 27 blocks, which led everyone on the scarlet and gray.
Ohio State’s struggled in the paint defensively over the past two seasons. This year, with reinforcements joining the team in the paint, Shumate may be able to focus more on contributing on the offensive half of the court.
Prediction
With the abundance of upperclassmen guard depth, Shumate is a name to watch off the bench. Even then, it’ll be behind guard Rikki Harris, who’s the likely sixth player for the Buckeyes this season.
Shumate’s role this year could look a lot like Hevynne Bristow’s time with the Buckeyes before transferring to James Madison University in the summer. Last year, Bristow played around 15 minutes per game during the middle of the season, before losing minutes late in the year.
If Shumate’s shooting adjusts to the NCAA, those minutes are sure to rise.
Highlights
Of Shumate’s made shots, the most memorable came against rivals. On New Year’s Eve, 2022, Shumate sent the Buckeyes into halftime up three thanks to a buzzer beating three.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
- Jacy Sheldon
- Rebeka Mikulášiková
- Diana Collins
- Taiyier Parks
- Rikki Harris
- Taylor Thierry
- Kennedy Cambridge
- Faith Carson
- Madison Greene
- Celeste Taylor
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Sheldon, McMahon on new season of Ohio State women’s basketball
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Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Sheldon, McMahon on new season of Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Before the start of the Buckeyes’ 23-24 season, Ohio State talks expectations, starters for the season and more
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.
Monday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team held a public practice one week before the start of the 23-24 season. Before practice, head coach Kevin McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon, and guard Jacy Sheldon spoke with the media.
Coach McGuff talked about the upcoming game against USC, how he thinks this Buckeyes team could be special, and how they aren’t close to where they could be right now. Also, the scarlet and gray’s leader named Rebeka Mikulášiková the starting forward following the end of the 22-23 season where the Slovakian graduate senior lost her starting role at the end of the season.
McMahon talks about going into her sophomore season with a lot more preseason accolades following a breakout second half of her freshman season. The forward also talks about her growing role as a leader on the team, playing alongside people that she’ll play against Monday against USC, and what she’s worked on in the offseason to make her a better basketball player.
For Sheldon, the guard discussed how she doesn’t think much about this being her final season, or at least tries not to. She also talks about the growing relationship between her and shooting guard Celeste Taylor and more.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Before the start of the Buckeyes’ 23-24 season, Ohio State talks expectations, starters for the season and more
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.
Monday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team held a public practice one week before the start of the 23-24 season. Before practice, head coach Kevin McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon, and guard Jacy Sheldon spoke with the media.
Coach McGuff talked about the upcoming game against USC, how he thinks this Buckeyes team could be special, and how they aren’t close to where they could be right now. Also, the scarlet and gray’s leader named Rebeka Mikulášiková the starting forward following the end of the 22-23 season where the Slovakian graduate senior lost her starting role at the end of the season.
McMahon talks about going into her sophomore season with a lot more preseason accolades following a breakout second half of her freshman season. The forward also talks about her growing role as a leader on the team, playing alongside people that she’ll play against Monday against USC, and what she’s worked on in the offseason to make her a better basketball player.
For Sheldon, the guard discussed how she doesn’t think much about this being her final season, or at least tries not to. She also talks about the growing relationship between her and shooting guard Celeste Taylor and more.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
Game Thread Nebraska at tOSU, Sat. Oct. 26, 12pm ET, FOX
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- 2024 Football Season Capsule
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Game Thread tOSU vs BYE, Sat. Oct. 19, for the second time this season
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Locked
Game Thread tCun at tOSU, THE GAME, Sat. Nov. 30, 12pm ET, FOX
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LGHL MC&J: Washington will try and stay undefeated in Week 10’s national action
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MC&J: Washington will try and stay undefeated in Week 10’s national action
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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The Huskies will try and add to Alex Grinch’s woes. Plus, picks for seven other games outside the Big Ten.
Last week was a bit strange, since I struggled with my Big Ten picks while hitting the majority of my national picks. Essentially we have a clean slate for the final month of the regular season as we are heading into November with a 74-74 record.
No. 23 Kansas State v. No. 7 Texas (-4.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Texas was able to easily navigate their first game without Quinn Ewers, beating BYU 35-6 last week in Austin. Maalik Murphy threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns against the Cougars in his first start for the Longhorns. Texas also got nearly 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground from Jonathon Brooks, as well as a punt return for a score from Xavier Worthy early in the game.
After losing at Oklahoma State early in October, Kansas State has started to figure things out recently, winning their last three games. The Wildcats have looked especially dominant in their last two contests, beating TCU and Houston by a combined score of 82-3. If there was ever a team to throw a wrench into the Longhorns’ plans of winning the Big 12 to state their case for a spot in the CFP, it feels like Kansas State is that team since they have done just that to a number of teams in the conference in the last decade.
Kansas State 33, Texas 30
Texas A&M v. No. 10 Ole Miss (-3) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Texas A&M is sort of that mosquito that keeps flying around. Even though you keep swatting at it, for some reason it takes forever to actually hit it. They pose no real danger, they are just super annoying. The Aggies hung around Alabama and Tennessee before losing to the Crimson Tide and Volunteers. Texas A&M does have a really good defense, I’m just not sure exactly how good they are because they haven’t played anyone with an offense quite like what they’ll see from Ole Miss.
If only the Rebels didn’t collapse in the second half against Alabama, we might be talking about an undefeated Ole Miss team right now. Quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins power an offense that is averaging 474 yards per game so far this year. On the other side of the football, the defense is gaining confidence. After allowing 49 points to LSU, over the last three games the defense of the Rebels has given up a combined 48 points.
I’m actually a little surprised this line is as low as it is. I know Texas A&M is a solid team, I just think Ole Miss is a tier above them right now. Besides, it feels like since Jimbo Fisher has arrived in College Station the Aggies always seem to fall apart in November. In three of the last four seasons, Texas A&M has lost at least two games in November. Lane Kiffin adds to Fisher’s November woes.
Ole Miss 34, Texas A&M 24
No. 15 Notre Dame (-3) v. Clemson - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC
I’ll be honest, I just want to see Clemson keep losing games because I want the Dabo Swinney meltdowns to get funnier with each loss. The Tigers have now lost two straight games and Dabo is more worried about Tyler from Spartanburg taking shots at him on his weekly call-in show. Dabo and Clemson have lost the plot, and a home game isn’t going to save them this week.
If anything, Sam Hartman and the Fighting Irish are only going to make things worse for Clemson. Notre Dame continues their recent strong play as they win their third-straight game.
Notre Dame 31, Clemson 21
No. 12 Missouri v. No. 2 Georgia (-15.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
This Georgia team is ridiculously tough to get a read on. Just when you think the Bulldogs might be vulnerable, that’s when they put a hurtin’ on their opponents. Then when you think they are going to steamroll somebody, it ends up being a one-score game. No Brock Bowers for Georgia? No problem, since last week against Florida Ladd McConkey made everyone remember just how dangerous he is at receiver.
I think Missouri is actually a pretty good team. The Tigers have a really good offense and an underrated defense. Too bad Eli Drinkwitz is such a whiny nerd. As much as I have been impressed by Missouri when I watch them, this feels like the type of game where Kirby Smart shoves Drinkwitz in a locker. Plus, I bet Georgia is a little chapped they weren’t ranked in the top spot of the first CFP rankings, so they’ll make the committee recognize this week.
Georgia 38, Missouri 20
No. 9 Oklahoma (-5.5) v. Oklahoma State - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
This will be the last installment of Bedlam for who knows how long since the Sooners are moving to the SEC following this year. Oklahoma enters this game heading in the wrong direction after their win against Texas. Not only did the Sooners struggle with UCF a couple weeks ago, last week Oklahoma was beaten by Kansas in Lawrence.
As much as I can’t stand Mike Gundy, a part of me wants to see Oklahoma State win this game just to see how smug he is after the win. In a way it’s like rooting for the bad guy to win a wrestling match. You know you’re going to hate yourself for siding with him, yet you still want it to happen. With the way Ollie Gordon and the rest of the Cowboys are playing lately, I actually do think Oklahoma State pulls off the victory over the Sooners in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon.
Oklahoma State 37, Oklahoma 30
No. 21 Kansas v. Iowa State (-2.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
This feels like it should be a prime letdown spot for Kansas after a huge win last week over Oklahoma. Were the Jayhawks coached by pretty much anyone aside from Lance Leipold, I would pick Iowa State to win this game. Even without their starting quarterback for most of the season, Kansas is still 6-2, and still has a shot at making it to the Big 12 Championship Game next month. Running back Devin Neal is a big reason for that, as he leads a Jayhawk ground attack that is averaging over 200 yards per game.
After starting the season dealing with the effects from a gambling scandal (ironic this is mentioned in a gambling article, right?), Iowa State has found their way lately, winning their last three games. Freshman Rocco Becht is looking like the quarterback of the future for the Cyclones, as he has thrown 13 touchdowns so far this season. For as good as Becht has been, I’m just not convinced Iowa State can pull off the upset of Kansas in this one.
Kansas 27, Iowa State 23
No. 5 Washington (-3) v. No. 20 USC - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Michael Penix and the Washington offense against Alex Grinch’s defense is going to be a snuff film. The last time the Trojans allowed less than 30 points in a game was back in September when they beat Arizona State 42-28. Imagine what Penix and the Huskies will be able to do on Saturday night, especially since Washington knows right now they are just on the outside of the playoff in the CFP rankings right now.
Really though, we could say the same about Caleb Williams going up against the Washington defense, which has struggled of late. This is certainly going to be a fun game to watch with a lot of points put on the scoreboard. In the end, Washington is the more complete team, which is why I think they clear another hurdle on their way to an undefeated regular season. After a couple off weeks, Penix gets back into the Heisman Trophy race with a big performance on Saturday night.
Washington 45, USC 34
No. 14 LSU v. No. 8 Alabama (-3) - 7:45 p.m. ET - CBS
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has done everything you could possibly do in college football. While not much can rattle Saban anymore, I feel like last year’s loss at LSU still has to eat at him after the Tigers won in overtime when they went for two after scoring a touchdown. The loss to LSU drove a stake through the heart of Alabama’s CFP hopes, as it was their second loss of the season.
This year LSU has been cooking on offense. The problem for the Tigers is their defense has been brutal. If Brian Kelly’s team had any semblance of a defense, they might be undefeated right now. Instead, LSU has lost to Florida State and Ole Miss, and even though they could still make the SEC Championship Game, they aren’t going to be a factor in the playoff.
Even though Alabama’s offense has really struggled at times this year, we have seen it get better recently. I think the growth continues with Jalen Milroe at quarterback after last week’s bye week allowed them the chance to tighten things up even more. LSU hasn’t seen a defense as good as what they’ll see from Alabama on Saturday. While Jayden Daniels will make some plays, the Crimson Tide defense will rise up in key spots.
Alabama 28, LSU 24
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The Huskies will try and add to Alex Grinch’s woes. Plus, picks for seven other games outside the Big Ten.
Last week ATS: 5-7 (4-3 National, 1-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 74-74 (33-44 National, 41-30 B1G)
Last week was a bit strange, since I struggled with my Big Ten picks while hitting the majority of my national picks. Essentially we have a clean slate for the final month of the regular season as we are heading into November with a 74-74 record.
National games
No. 23 Kansas State v. No. 7 Texas (-4.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Texas was able to easily navigate their first game without Quinn Ewers, beating BYU 35-6 last week in Austin. Maalik Murphy threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns against the Cougars in his first start for the Longhorns. Texas also got nearly 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground from Jonathon Brooks, as well as a punt return for a score from Xavier Worthy early in the game.
After losing at Oklahoma State early in October, Kansas State has started to figure things out recently, winning their last three games. The Wildcats have looked especially dominant in their last two contests, beating TCU and Houston by a combined score of 82-3. If there was ever a team to throw a wrench into the Longhorns’ plans of winning the Big 12 to state their case for a spot in the CFP, it feels like Kansas State is that team since they have done just that to a number of teams in the conference in the last decade.
Kansas State 33, Texas 30
Texas A&M v. No. 10 Ole Miss (-3) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Texas A&M is sort of that mosquito that keeps flying around. Even though you keep swatting at it, for some reason it takes forever to actually hit it. They pose no real danger, they are just super annoying. The Aggies hung around Alabama and Tennessee before losing to the Crimson Tide and Volunteers. Texas A&M does have a really good defense, I’m just not sure exactly how good they are because they haven’t played anyone with an offense quite like what they’ll see from Ole Miss.
If only the Rebels didn’t collapse in the second half against Alabama, we might be talking about an undefeated Ole Miss team right now. Quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins power an offense that is averaging 474 yards per game so far this year. On the other side of the football, the defense is gaining confidence. After allowing 49 points to LSU, over the last three games the defense of the Rebels has given up a combined 48 points.
I’m actually a little surprised this line is as low as it is. I know Texas A&M is a solid team, I just think Ole Miss is a tier above them right now. Besides, it feels like since Jimbo Fisher has arrived in College Station the Aggies always seem to fall apart in November. In three of the last four seasons, Texas A&M has lost at least two games in November. Lane Kiffin adds to Fisher’s November woes.
Ole Miss 34, Texas A&M 24
No. 15 Notre Dame (-3) v. Clemson - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC
I’ll be honest, I just want to see Clemson keep losing games because I want the Dabo Swinney meltdowns to get funnier with each loss. The Tigers have now lost two straight games and Dabo is more worried about Tyler from Spartanburg taking shots at him on his weekly call-in show. Dabo and Clemson have lost the plot, and a home game isn’t going to save them this week.
If anything, Sam Hartman and the Fighting Irish are only going to make things worse for Clemson. Notre Dame continues their recent strong play as they win their third-straight game.
Notre Dame 31, Clemson 21
No. 12 Missouri v. No. 2 Georgia (-15.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
This Georgia team is ridiculously tough to get a read on. Just when you think the Bulldogs might be vulnerable, that’s when they put a hurtin’ on their opponents. Then when you think they are going to steamroll somebody, it ends up being a one-score game. No Brock Bowers for Georgia? No problem, since last week against Florida Ladd McConkey made everyone remember just how dangerous he is at receiver.
I think Missouri is actually a pretty good team. The Tigers have a really good offense and an underrated defense. Too bad Eli Drinkwitz is such a whiny nerd. As much as I have been impressed by Missouri when I watch them, this feels like the type of game where Kirby Smart shoves Drinkwitz in a locker. Plus, I bet Georgia is a little chapped they weren’t ranked in the top spot of the first CFP rankings, so they’ll make the committee recognize this week.
Georgia 38, Missouri 20
No. 9 Oklahoma (-5.5) v. Oklahoma State - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
This will be the last installment of Bedlam for who knows how long since the Sooners are moving to the SEC following this year. Oklahoma enters this game heading in the wrong direction after their win against Texas. Not only did the Sooners struggle with UCF a couple weeks ago, last week Oklahoma was beaten by Kansas in Lawrence.
As much as I can’t stand Mike Gundy, a part of me wants to see Oklahoma State win this game just to see how smug he is after the win. In a way it’s like rooting for the bad guy to win a wrestling match. You know you’re going to hate yourself for siding with him, yet you still want it to happen. With the way Ollie Gordon and the rest of the Cowboys are playing lately, I actually do think Oklahoma State pulls off the victory over the Sooners in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon.
Oklahoma State 37, Oklahoma 30
No. 21 Kansas v. Iowa State (-2.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
This feels like it should be a prime letdown spot for Kansas after a huge win last week over Oklahoma. Were the Jayhawks coached by pretty much anyone aside from Lance Leipold, I would pick Iowa State to win this game. Even without their starting quarterback for most of the season, Kansas is still 6-2, and still has a shot at making it to the Big 12 Championship Game next month. Running back Devin Neal is a big reason for that, as he leads a Jayhawk ground attack that is averaging over 200 yards per game.
After starting the season dealing with the effects from a gambling scandal (ironic this is mentioned in a gambling article, right?), Iowa State has found their way lately, winning their last three games. Freshman Rocco Becht is looking like the quarterback of the future for the Cyclones, as he has thrown 13 touchdowns so far this season. For as good as Becht has been, I’m just not convinced Iowa State can pull off the upset of Kansas in this one.
Kansas 27, Iowa State 23
No. 5 Washington (-3) v. No. 20 USC - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Michael Penix and the Washington offense against Alex Grinch’s defense is going to be a snuff film. The last time the Trojans allowed less than 30 points in a game was back in September when they beat Arizona State 42-28. Imagine what Penix and the Huskies will be able to do on Saturday night, especially since Washington knows right now they are just on the outside of the playoff in the CFP rankings right now.
Really though, we could say the same about Caleb Williams going up against the Washington defense, which has struggled of late. This is certainly going to be a fun game to watch with a lot of points put on the scoreboard. In the end, Washington is the more complete team, which is why I think they clear another hurdle on their way to an undefeated regular season. After a couple off weeks, Penix gets back into the Heisman Trophy race with a big performance on Saturday night.
Washington 45, USC 34
No. 14 LSU v. No. 8 Alabama (-3) - 7:45 p.m. ET - CBS
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has done everything you could possibly do in college football. While not much can rattle Saban anymore, I feel like last year’s loss at LSU still has to eat at him after the Tigers won in overtime when they went for two after scoring a touchdown. The loss to LSU drove a stake through the heart of Alabama’s CFP hopes, as it was their second loss of the season.
This year LSU has been cooking on offense. The problem for the Tigers is their defense has been brutal. If Brian Kelly’s team had any semblance of a defense, they might be undefeated right now. Instead, LSU has lost to Florida State and Ole Miss, and even though they could still make the SEC Championship Game, they aren’t going to be a factor in the playoff.
Even though Alabama’s offense has really struggled at times this year, we have seen it get better recently. I think the growth continues with Jalen Milroe at quarterback after last week’s bye week allowed them the chance to tighten things up even more. LSU hasn’t seen a defense as good as what they’ll see from Alabama on Saturday. While Jayden Daniels will make some plays, the Crimson Tide defense will rise up in key spots.
Alabama 28, LSU 24
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