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LGHL Buck Off Podcast: Ohio State coaches getting paid, biggest storylines from spring practice, and free agents
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Buck Off Podcast: Ohio State coaches getting paid, biggest storylines from spring practice, and free agents
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 Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The yearly coaching raises are here and the guys discuss that along with the other big storylines from the Buckeyes.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to to talk about the pay increases for the Ohio State coaching staff, along with some other spring practice storylines.
We start the episode with a discussion about the pay raises for the Ohio State football staff. There are some interesting raises, including Tim Walton, who is now the defensive passing game coordinator, and Parker Fleming is in the exact same role with higher pay. We get into what each raise means, and how crazy the amount assistant coaches are making is.
After that, our discussion turns to the chatter coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. I can’t hold back my excitement about a certain group of receivers, and we discuss why the linebacker room is in the best place it has been in years. This talk leads to a lot of bullish energy on the two rooms over the next few years.
We start the second half of the show with a talking about the two transfer defensive backs, and why the excitement should be contained with the Ole Miss Transfer Davison Igbinosun. The corner room under Walton might be in its best place since 2019.
After that we get into out last major discussion talking about the Buckeyes in the NFL during their free agency. This conversation gets into the current situations, who got paid, and who might not get paid.
To close out the show, we discuss other news around the country including a conversation about conference pro days.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
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 Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The yearly coaching raises are here and the guys discuss that along with the other big storylines from the Buckeyes.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to to talk about the pay increases for the Ohio State coaching staff, along with some other spring practice storylines.
We start the episode with a discussion about the pay raises for the Ohio State football staff. There are some interesting raises, including Tim Walton, who is now the defensive passing game coordinator, and Parker Fleming is in the exact same role with higher pay. We get into what each raise means, and how crazy the amount assistant coaches are making is.
After that, our discussion turns to the chatter coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. I can’t hold back my excitement about a certain group of receivers, and we discuss why the linebacker room is in the best place it has been in years. This talk leads to a lot of bullish energy on the two rooms over the next few years.
We start the second half of the show with a talking about the two transfer defensive backs, and why the excitement should be contained with the Ole Miss Transfer Davison Igbinosun. The corner room under Walton might be in its best place since 2019.
After that we get into out last major discussion talking about the Buckeyes in the NFL during their free agency. This conversation gets into the current situations, who got paid, and who might not get paid.
To close out the show, we discuss other news around the country including a conversation about conference pro days.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...
LGHL Freshman Cotie McMahon enters first March Madness playing upperclassmen basketball
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Freshman Cotie McMahon enters first March Madness playing upperclassmen basketball
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Ohio State’s relied on McMahon this season and will continue to do so in the freshman’s first NCAA Tournament
Ohio State transfer guard Taylor Mikesell’s no stranger to the NCAA Tournament. In five seasons, the Massillon, Ohio native has nine tournament games under her belt, three of which donning scarlet and gray. Saturday pushes the guard into double-digits in the final season of her career. It’s the beginning of the end of the journey for Mikesell in the NCAA. Freshman forward Cotie McMahon just pulled onto the road.
McMahon enrolled in Ohio State in January of 2022, a full 11 months before the forward would see any action on the court for head coach Scarlet & Gray. That didn’t mean it took year to stand out.
“The one thing you never really know until they get on campus is how hard they’re going to work. From Day 1, she’s worked incredibly hard,” said coach Kevin McGuff before Saturday’s NCAA Tournament clash against James Madison University. “That’s sort of rare for a freshman. It’s usually a big adjustment, but for her, her intensity and her competitive character was evident from Day 1.”
That hard work mentality meant that once McMahon did see the court, she was in the starting lineup.
McMahon started her NCAA career scoring 10 points against the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, which is no small feat in a collegiate debut. Those points included steals, fast breaks and the energy and intensity that’s become synonymous with McMahon over the past four months.
Ohio State won that game and 18 more before a defeat popped up in the loss column. In those 19 victories, McMahon’s growth was on display but it took some time. Then, after one game all things seemed to change.
In the first six games of the season, McMahon had 13 rebounds and seven assists total. On Nov. 30, on a trip to face the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals, McMahon only played six minutes, earning two fouls in limited minutes.
It wasn’t an injury that sidelined her, but the high intensity play of someone Coach McGuff calls “the most exciting five seconds in college basketball” didn’t come with the complete game that playing in a power five conference requires.
“In the beginning she was kind of mowing people down around the basket,” said McGuff. “She’s a little more under control and a little more measured, and her vision is a little better about where she’s going.”
Following that Buckeyes comeback victory in Louisville, McMahon was different. The forward still showed those blistering runs that made her so dangerous, but the game began slowing down.
Instead of having a laser eye on the rim, McMahon looked around for options if a clear path, or a higher percentage look was on the court. Rebounding-wise, the forward got into the scrap more often, using her athleticism and vision to be in the right place to grab rebounds.
Only three games after that benching, McMahon grabbed 10 rebounds against a Michigan State Spartans team that took the Buckeyes to the wire. McMahon’s first double-digit rebounding game, but not her last. The freshman also had eight points that day, a possession shy of her first collegiate double-double.
After that Big Ten home victory, and a month after the Louisville benching, McMahon became the reason Ohio State was winning. On Dec. 20, taking on the USF Bulls, McMahon hit another level. The forward scored 30 points and also the game-winning assist in overtime, off a block by forward Eboni Walker.
The performance came in a game where the Buckeyes went down 18 points in the first half and lost point guard Madison Greene in the fourth quarter to a season-ending knee injury.
McMahon’s performance against USF and increasing distribution and court awareness won her a B1G Freshman of the Week honor on Jan. 2. Since then, McMahon’s won five more, tying former Buckeye Kelsey Mitchell for the most in program history.
“I mean, it’s kind of crazy to think that she’s only a freshman,” said Mikesell. “She’s going to be sitting up here three years from now, and you’re going to be asking her all the questions about where she was three years ago.”
Now, McMahon is on the cusp of McMahon’s first NCAA game. As the stage has grown this season, so have the individual performances. Although Ohio State lost to the Indiana Hoosiers in the regular season, the Crimson had no answer for her for half of the Jan. 26 game in Bloomington, Indiana. McMahon took on two to three defenders, spinning through making acrobatic layups, something now common place for the freshman.
Overall, McMahon shifted a beginning of the year averaging 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1 assist in the seven games to 16.52 points, 6.24 rebounds and 3 assists in the final 25. That includes three double-doubles, two coming in the first pair of Big Ten Tournament games two weeks ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In that same 25-game span, McMahon is second on the team in average points, behind only Mikesell and second in rebounds, behind sophomore and fellow standout Taylor Thierry. It’s not normal freshman behavior.
“I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” said McMahon, with a laugh. “Yeah, at the beginning of the season I wasn’t very confident. I was very passive. I feel like I’m still obviously passive, but I feel like I kind of have more confidence in myself to be able to score and stuff like that.”
Now, the attention is laser focused on March Madness and, for a player who didn’t get as much national attention entering the season, that focus has a big focus on the freshman McMahon.
Defenses can’t seem to stop her and she’s improving by the week. McMahon looks to continue that trajectory against the James Madison Dukes, but an increasing confidence and improved performances doesn’t change everything for the student athlete.
“Yeah. Yeah, I still feel like a freshman,” said McMahon, laughing. “I feel like a freshman as far as, you know, all these old heads on the team.”
We’ll see what McMahon has to say in three years.
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Ohio State’s relied on McMahon this season and will continue to do so in the freshman’s first NCAA Tournament
Ohio State transfer guard Taylor Mikesell’s no stranger to the NCAA Tournament. In five seasons, the Massillon, Ohio native has nine tournament games under her belt, three of which donning scarlet and gray. Saturday pushes the guard into double-digits in the final season of her career. It’s the beginning of the end of the journey for Mikesell in the NCAA. Freshman forward Cotie McMahon just pulled onto the road.
McMahon enrolled in Ohio State in January of 2022, a full 11 months before the forward would see any action on the court for head coach Scarlet & Gray. That didn’t mean it took year to stand out.
“The one thing you never really know until they get on campus is how hard they’re going to work. From Day 1, she’s worked incredibly hard,” said coach Kevin McGuff before Saturday’s NCAA Tournament clash against James Madison University. “That’s sort of rare for a freshman. It’s usually a big adjustment, but for her, her intensity and her competitive character was evident from Day 1.”
That hard work mentality meant that once McMahon did see the court, she was in the starting lineup.
McMahon started her NCAA career scoring 10 points against the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, which is no small feat in a collegiate debut. Those points included steals, fast breaks and the energy and intensity that’s become synonymous with McMahon over the past four months.
Ohio State won that game and 18 more before a defeat popped up in the loss column. In those 19 victories, McMahon’s growth was on display but it took some time. Then, after one game all things seemed to change.
In the first six games of the season, McMahon had 13 rebounds and seven assists total. On Nov. 30, on a trip to face the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals, McMahon only played six minutes, earning two fouls in limited minutes.
It wasn’t an injury that sidelined her, but the high intensity play of someone Coach McGuff calls “the most exciting five seconds in college basketball” didn’t come with the complete game that playing in a power five conference requires.
“In the beginning she was kind of mowing people down around the basket,” said McGuff. “She’s a little more under control and a little more measured, and her vision is a little better about where she’s going.”
Following that Buckeyes comeback victory in Louisville, McMahon was different. The forward still showed those blistering runs that made her so dangerous, but the game began slowing down.
Instead of having a laser eye on the rim, McMahon looked around for options if a clear path, or a higher percentage look was on the court. Rebounding-wise, the forward got into the scrap more often, using her athleticism and vision to be in the right place to grab rebounds.
Only three games after that benching, McMahon grabbed 10 rebounds against a Michigan State Spartans team that took the Buckeyes to the wire. McMahon’s first double-digit rebounding game, but not her last. The freshman also had eight points that day, a possession shy of her first collegiate double-double.
After that Big Ten home victory, and a month after the Louisville benching, McMahon became the reason Ohio State was winning. On Dec. 20, taking on the USF Bulls, McMahon hit another level. The forward scored 30 points and also the game-winning assist in overtime, off a block by forward Eboni Walker.
The performance came in a game where the Buckeyes went down 18 points in the first half and lost point guard Madison Greene in the fourth quarter to a season-ending knee injury.
McMahon’s performance against USF and increasing distribution and court awareness won her a B1G Freshman of the Week honor on Jan. 2. Since then, McMahon’s won five more, tying former Buckeye Kelsey Mitchell for the most in program history.
“I mean, it’s kind of crazy to think that she’s only a freshman,” said Mikesell. “She’s going to be sitting up here three years from now, and you’re going to be asking her all the questions about where she was three years ago.”
Now, McMahon is on the cusp of McMahon’s first NCAA game. As the stage has grown this season, so have the individual performances. Although Ohio State lost to the Indiana Hoosiers in the regular season, the Crimson had no answer for her for half of the Jan. 26 game in Bloomington, Indiana. McMahon took on two to three defenders, spinning through making acrobatic layups, something now common place for the freshman.
Overall, McMahon shifted a beginning of the year averaging 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1 assist in the seven games to 16.52 points, 6.24 rebounds and 3 assists in the final 25. That includes three double-doubles, two coming in the first pair of Big Ten Tournament games two weeks ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In that same 25-game span, McMahon is second on the team in average points, behind only Mikesell and second in rebounds, behind sophomore and fellow standout Taylor Thierry. It’s not normal freshman behavior.
“I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” said McMahon, with a laugh. “Yeah, at the beginning of the season I wasn’t very confident. I was very passive. I feel like I’m still obviously passive, but I feel like I kind of have more confidence in myself to be able to score and stuff like that.”
Now, the attention is laser focused on March Madness and, for a player who didn’t get as much national attention entering the season, that focus has a big focus on the freshman McMahon.
Defenses can’t seem to stop her and she’s improving by the week. McMahon looks to continue that trajectory against the James Madison Dukes, but an increasing confidence and improved performances doesn’t change everything for the student athlete.
“Yeah. Yeah, I still feel like a freshman,” said McMahon, laughing. “I feel like a freshman as far as, you know, all these old heads on the team.”
We’ll see what McMahon has to say in three years.
Continue reading...
LGHL That’s Nuts! New study says that Brutus is the most popular college mascot in the country!
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That’s Nuts! New study says that Brutus is the most popular college mascot in the country!
Matt Tamanini 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
Duh! Have you seen that lovable, moderately poisonous nut?
When your name is on the masthead of a website next to the word “Editor,” and you make the mistake of including your email address, you get a lot of unsolicited emails. For some reason, there are tons of people who are suddenly really concerned about your Google rankings and willing to help you fix them and even more people who want to actually pay you to publish a sponsored post that they write. I’ve never actually taken any of these “people” up on their offers, so I don’t exactly know what their angle is, but I have been on the internet long enough to know that it is some sort of scam that probably involves a Nigerian prince of some sort.
There is one other category of random email that you get when you’re the editor of a website, random press releases that have a very slight connection to the content you cover. In the case of Land-Grant Holy Land, I get a lot of emails about things like “The Most Popular Off-Brand Candy in the State of Ohio,” “The Most Deadly Intersection in the State of Ohio,” and “The Most Viewed TikToks Involving Children Under the Age of Five and Live Animals in the State of Ohio.” Again, generally I ignore these types of press releases, because all they usually are are other websites trying to use LGHL’s Google standing to boost their own algorithmic stature with linkbacks.
Again, in 99.9% of the cases, I ignore these emails because 1) they generally have nothing to do with Ohio State sports, 2) they are usually from super shady websites that I’m afraid will end up giving my computer a virus if I simply read the email, and 3) I don’t care.
However, you wanna know how to hook me? Send me a study that says that Brutus Buckeye is the bestest, most popular mascot in all of college sports. That I 100% care about and will publish pretty much every time, and so I am.
A website I was heretofore unfamiliar with called Betway (which I am sure has nothing to do with sports gambling and is therefore in no way in competition with SB Nation’s official sports betting partner DraftKings) crunched the numbers on social media interactions for college mascots and, unsurprisingly to all of us in Buckeye Nation, the beloved, moderately poisonous, nut ranks at the top of the list.
In terms of positive sentiment, Brutus has a 3.5% advantage over second-place Billiken from Saint Louis University (coincidentally, my aunt is a professor at SLU). Brutus also had the second highest views on TikTok per year, behind only Michigan State’s Sparty. However, by the looks of the latter’s numbers, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was juicing those, just like he was juicing his biceps.
I’m a little surprised that Iowa’s Herky was the next Big Ten school on the list in fifth, followed by Wisconsin’s Bucky the Badger in 14th, Maryland’s Testudo in 20th, and the aforementioned Sparty in 21st.
Minnesota’s Goldy Gopher ranks 28th, and is the last B1G mascot on the list. Notice there was no mention of TTUN in the top 41 presented by Betway (which is a really weird number to finish a list with). That’s because those pretentious Michigan Men believe that having a mascot is beneath them.
As I have spent way too much time discussing in the hallowed pages of Land-Grant Holy Land over the years, Brutus is the best mascot in all of college sports, but beyond him, the Stanford Tree is unquestionably at the top of the list.
So, to have it down at No. 27 puts Betway’s list in an unbecoming light. But also, how is the Oregon Duck not on this list at all? And UC Santa Cruz’s Sammy the Slug is No. 24? Alabama’s adorable elephant Big Al isn’t included? Let alone the inflatable Lil’ Red from Nebraska?
Look, I’m not one to call out others’ scientific endeavors, because I got through the bare minimum of math and science classes in high school and college thanks to sheer charm and luck, but besides Brutus, this list is absurd.
Anyway, stick with LGHL for all of your absolutely correct mascot hot takes and DraftKings for your sports betting needs.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Duh! Have you seen that lovable, moderately poisonous nut?
When your name is on the masthead of a website next to the word “Editor,” and you make the mistake of including your email address, you get a lot of unsolicited emails. For some reason, there are tons of people who are suddenly really concerned about your Google rankings and willing to help you fix them and even more people who want to actually pay you to publish a sponsored post that they write. I’ve never actually taken any of these “people” up on their offers, so I don’t exactly know what their angle is, but I have been on the internet long enough to know that it is some sort of scam that probably involves a Nigerian prince of some sort.
There is one other category of random email that you get when you’re the editor of a website, random press releases that have a very slight connection to the content you cover. In the case of Land-Grant Holy Land, I get a lot of emails about things like “The Most Popular Off-Brand Candy in the State of Ohio,” “The Most Deadly Intersection in the State of Ohio,” and “The Most Viewed TikToks Involving Children Under the Age of Five and Live Animals in the State of Ohio.” Again, generally I ignore these types of press releases, because all they usually are are other websites trying to use LGHL’s Google standing to boost their own algorithmic stature with linkbacks.
Again, in 99.9% of the cases, I ignore these emails because 1) they generally have nothing to do with Ohio State sports, 2) they are usually from super shady websites that I’m afraid will end up giving my computer a virus if I simply read the email, and 3) I don’t care.
However, you wanna know how to hook me? Send me a study that says that Brutus Buckeye is the bestest, most popular mascot in all of college sports. That I 100% care about and will publish pretty much every time, and so I am.
A website I was heretofore unfamiliar with called Betway (which I am sure has nothing to do with sports gambling and is therefore in no way in competition with SB Nation’s official sports betting partner DraftKings) crunched the numbers on social media interactions for college mascots and, unsurprisingly to all of us in Buckeye Nation, the beloved, moderately poisonous, nut ranks at the top of the list.
In terms of positive sentiment, Brutus has a 3.5% advantage over second-place Billiken from Saint Louis University (coincidentally, my aunt is a professor at SLU). Brutus also had the second highest views on TikTok per year, behind only Michigan State’s Sparty. However, by the looks of the latter’s numbers, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was juicing those, just like he was juicing his biceps.
I’m a little surprised that Iowa’s Herky was the next Big Ten school on the list in fifth, followed by Wisconsin’s Bucky the Badger in 14th, Maryland’s Testudo in 20th, and the aforementioned Sparty in 21st.
Minnesota’s Goldy Gopher ranks 28th, and is the last B1G mascot on the list. Notice there was no mention of TTUN in the top 41 presented by Betway (which is a really weird number to finish a list with). That’s because those pretentious Michigan Men believe that having a mascot is beneath them.
As I have spent way too much time discussing in the hallowed pages of Land-Grant Holy Land over the years, Brutus is the best mascot in all of college sports, but beyond him, the Stanford Tree is unquestionably at the top of the list.
So, to have it down at No. 27 puts Betway’s list in an unbecoming light. But also, how is the Oregon Duck not on this list at all? And UC Santa Cruz’s Sammy the Slug is No. 24? Alabama’s adorable elephant Big Al isn’t included? Let alone the inflatable Lil’ Red from Nebraska?
Look, I’m not one to call out others’ scientific endeavors, because I got through the bare minimum of math and science classes in high school and college thanks to sheer charm and luck, but besides Brutus, this list is absurd.
Anyway, stick with LGHL for all of your absolutely correct mascot hot takes and DraftKings for your sports betting needs.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball backcourt this season?
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- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: What would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball backcourt this season?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The future is bright, but how did they play as a unit this season?
Welcome to another edition of “You’re Nuts!” Also, welcome to the NCAA Tournament!
But for Ohio State fans, it’s welcome to the offseason. Last week, we took a look the NCAA Tournament bubble and picked a few teams we thought could make a run in the dance. This week, we’re reflecting a bit on Ohio State’s season that just wrapped up.
As stated, last week’s discussion focused on the NCAA “bubble” teams — teams that we figured would make the tournament, but barely. Justin went with the Penn State Nittany Lions, which is a 10-seed in the Midwest region of the bracket. Connor went with the North Carolina State Wolfpack, which is an 11-seed in the south region.
Penn State earned 74% of the vote and North Carolina State got 26%, which means Justin was out big winner last week. Here are the updated standings after 92 weeks:
Justin- 41
This week, we’re talking about Ohio State’s guards. Namely Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Isaac Likekele, and Sean McNeil. How would you grade their performance as a unit? Here are our thoughts:
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24514966/usa_today_20193152.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals - Michigan State vs Ohio State")
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The Ohio State backcourt was a mixed bag this past season. Bruce Thornton was clearly a bright spot, but we got mixed results from the transfer guards, Sean McNeil and Isaac Likekele. We’re only doing one grade overall for the sake of keeping it simple, but if I had to assign grades individually I’d probably go with this:
Bruce Thornton: A
Sean McNeil: B-
Roddy Gayle: C
Isaac Likekele: D
Thornton and McNeil get above-average grades in my book. Ohio State’s freshman point guard averaged over 10 points per game his first season and played over 30 minutes per game. His availability and consistency was one of the few things Ohio State was able to rely on this past season (Brice Sensabaugh scoring 15 points every night the only other given). He had an assist to turnover ratio of 2:1 his freshman year and refused to settle for difficult shots, taking nearly double as many two-point attempts as three-pointers.
McNeil didn’t bust the doors down, but he was steady and consistent as a starter for the Buckeyes during his lone season in Columbus. He averaged 9.6 points per game on 43% shooting and 36.9% from three-point land. He wasn’t much of a ballhandler so his assists and turnovers aren’t too, relevant — he was brought to Columbus to score. He did that, scoring in double digits in 17 of the Buckeyes’ 35 games.
Gayle certainly finished the season with a flourish, but he had a very uneven freshman year. He averaged 4.6 points per game, and his minutes swung up and down during the first half of the season (before the ship completely sank in late January and the freshmen began to play more). I didn’t expect Gayle to arrive on campus and be a double-digit scorer right away, but I did expect a bit more production from the high four-star recruit. What we saw at the end of the season could be a sneak peak at what is to come for the talented guard.
It’s hard to look through any kind of lense and not see Likekele’s lone season at Ohio State as under-achieving. “Ice” essentially averaged nine points, four assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game through four seasons at Oklahoma State. In his lone season for the Buckeyes, Likekele averaged 3.8 points, 2.8 assists, and four rebounds per game over 21.8 minutes per contest. He shot 38.8% from the floor and 47.2% from the free throw line (although he did hit some big ones in the Big Ten Tournament).
Likekele did deal with some tragic circumstances in his personal life mid-season which could have impacted his energy and play, but you still can’t look at his season and say he came anywhere close to what the Ohio State staff probably expected for him when they recruited him to the school.
I didn’t think Ohio State’s backcourt was horrid this season, but there were inconsistencies from pretty much everyone but Thornton. It’ll need to be better next season if they want to compete at the top of the Big Ten.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24512832/usa_today_20192586.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals - Michigan State vs Ohio State")
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to the Buckeye backcourt this season, I don’t think anyone truly knew what we were getting. When you are relying on two freshmen and two transfers, it is hard to judge exactly how everything will mesh.
Obviously the Ohio State season did not go as planned and was one of the more disappointing seasons of the last couple of decades. However, I don’t think the main issue was the guards, and they set us up to be excited about the future.
Isaac Likekele and Sean McNeil were both Big 12 transfers that the Buckeyes brought in to be impactful but in different ways. McNeil is a sharpshooting guard that can be physical on defense coming from Bob Huggins and West Virginia. Likekele is a Swiss army knife that can guard multiple positions and the other team’s best player.
They were both up and down all season, and showed signs of what they were brought into Columbus to be. But ultimately, neither seemed to get adjusted to the Big Ten and maximize their potential on the Buckeyes.
However, both played well at times and also struggled with things outside of basketball. Ice took a leave of absence from the team in December and McNeil’s father dealt with health issues throughout the season. These guys are world class athletes, but they are also humans and deal with human problems that likely affected them on the court in some ways. As it would to anyone.
As for the freshmen, it was up and down as well for them, but it ended about as well as it could gave. Bruce Thornton ran the point position all season and did a great job overall. He hit a slight freshman slump and wall in the middle of Big Ten conference play, but he started off the season great and finished the season great and there is a lot of excitement around him coming back to Columbus after a full offseason.
Roddy Gayle was not as impactful to start the season, but he was a good defender that provided some much needed energy off the bench at times. However, at the end of the season and in the conference tournament, Gayle became basically the Buckeyes go-to scorer and a guy that made nine three-pointers in a row throughout three games.
Thornton and Gayle are going to be a fantastic duo over the next couple of years and showed signs of greatness throughout the season. Ice and McNeil played well at times but were inconsistent for parts of the season. Ultimately, I give the backcourt a B because I do not think they were the main issue with the team.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The future is bright, but how did they play as a unit this season?
Welcome to another edition of “You’re Nuts!” Also, welcome to the NCAA Tournament!
But for Ohio State fans, it’s welcome to the offseason. Last week, we took a look the NCAA Tournament bubble and picked a few teams we thought could make a run in the dance. This week, we’re reflecting a bit on Ohio State’s season that just wrapped up.
As stated, last week’s discussion focused on the NCAA “bubble” teams — teams that we figured would make the tournament, but barely. Justin went with the Penn State Nittany Lions, which is a 10-seed in the Midwest region of the bracket. Connor went with the North Carolina State Wolfpack, which is an 11-seed in the south region.
Penn State earned 74% of the vote and North Carolina State got 26%, which means Justin was out big winner last week. Here are the updated standings after 92 weeks:
After 92 weeks:
Justin- 41
Connor- 36
Other- 11
(There have been four ties)
This week, we’re talking about Ohio State’s guards. Namely Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Isaac Likekele, and Sean McNeil. How would you grade their performance as a unit? Here are our thoughts:
Today’s Question: What would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball backcourt this season?
Connor: C
The Ohio State backcourt was a mixed bag this past season. Bruce Thornton was clearly a bright spot, but we got mixed results from the transfer guards, Sean McNeil and Isaac Likekele. We’re only doing one grade overall for the sake of keeping it simple, but if I had to assign grades individually I’d probably go with this:
Bruce Thornton: A
Sean McNeil: B-
Roddy Gayle: C
Isaac Likekele: D
Thornton and McNeil get above-average grades in my book. Ohio State’s freshman point guard averaged over 10 points per game his first season and played over 30 minutes per game. His availability and consistency was one of the few things Ohio State was able to rely on this past season (Brice Sensabaugh scoring 15 points every night the only other given). He had an assist to turnover ratio of 2:1 his freshman year and refused to settle for difficult shots, taking nearly double as many two-point attempts as three-pointers.
The future, it's so bright.
Watch Bruce Thornton's #B1GMBBT highlight reel.@Bruce2T_ x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/bQW7g6aCan
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) March 12, 2023
McNeil didn’t bust the doors down, but he was steady and consistent as a starter for the Buckeyes during his lone season in Columbus. He averaged 9.6 points per game on 43% shooting and 36.9% from three-point land. He wasn’t much of a ballhandler so his assists and turnovers aren’t too, relevant — he was brought to Columbus to score. He did that, scoring in double digits in 17 of the Buckeyes’ 35 games.
Gayle certainly finished the season with a flourish, but he had a very uneven freshman year. He averaged 4.6 points per game, and his minutes swung up and down during the first half of the season (before the ship completely sank in late January and the freshmen began to play more). I didn’t expect Gayle to arrive on campus and be a double-digit scorer right away, but I did expect a bit more production from the high four-star recruit. What we saw at the end of the season could be a sneak peak at what is to come for the talented guard.
It’s hard to look through any kind of lense and not see Likekele’s lone season at Ohio State as under-achieving. “Ice” essentially averaged nine points, four assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game through four seasons at Oklahoma State. In his lone season for the Buckeyes, Likekele averaged 3.8 points, 2.8 assists, and four rebounds per game over 21.8 minutes per contest. He shot 38.8% from the floor and 47.2% from the free throw line (although he did hit some big ones in the Big Ten Tournament).
Likekele did deal with some tragic circumstances in his personal life mid-season which could have impacted his energy and play, but you still can’t look at his season and say he came anywhere close to what the Ohio State staff probably expected for him when they recruited him to the school.
I didn’t think Ohio State’s backcourt was horrid this season, but there were inconsistencies from pretty much everyone but Thornton. It’ll need to be better next season if they want to compete at the top of the Big Ten.
Justin: B
When it comes to the Buckeye backcourt this season, I don’t think anyone truly knew what we were getting. When you are relying on two freshmen and two transfers, it is hard to judge exactly how everything will mesh.
Obviously the Ohio State season did not go as planned and was one of the more disappointing seasons of the last couple of decades. However, I don’t think the main issue was the guards, and they set us up to be excited about the future.
Isaac Likekele and Sean McNeil were both Big 12 transfers that the Buckeyes brought in to be impactful but in different ways. McNeil is a sharpshooting guard that can be physical on defense coming from Bob Huggins and West Virginia. Likekele is a Swiss army knife that can guard multiple positions and the other team’s best player.
They were both up and down all season, and showed signs of what they were brought into Columbus to be. But ultimately, neither seemed to get adjusted to the Big Ten and maximize their potential on the Buckeyes.
However, both played well at times and also struggled with things outside of basketball. Ice took a leave of absence from the team in December and McNeil’s father dealt with health issues throughout the season. These guys are world class athletes, but they are also humans and deal with human problems that likely affected them on the court in some ways. As it would to anyone.
As for the freshmen, it was up and down as well for them, but it ended about as well as it could gave. Bruce Thornton ran the point position all season and did a great job overall. He hit a slight freshman slump and wall in the middle of Big Ten conference play, but he started off the season great and finished the season great and there is a lot of excitement around him coming back to Columbus after a full offseason.
Roddy Gayle was not as impactful to start the season, but he was a good defender that provided some much needed energy off the bench at times. However, at the end of the season and in the conference tournament, Gayle became basically the Buckeyes go-to scorer and a guy that made nine three-pointers in a row throughout three games.
Thornton and Gayle are going to be a fantastic duo over the next couple of years and showed signs of greatness throughout the season. Ice and McNeil played well at times but were inconsistent for parts of the season. Ultimately, I give the backcourt a B because I do not think they were the main issue with the team.
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LGHL 7 Cent Drafts: The best Buckeye values from each round of the modern NFL Draft - 6th Round
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7 Cent Drafts: The best Buckeye values from each round of the modern NFL Draft - 6th Round
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
These Scarlet and Gray legends produced the highest ROI relative to when they were selected in the NFL Draft.
Since 1936, the first year in which an official pro football draft took place, 481 Ohio State Buckeyes have been selected in the NFL Draft. Two players – Russ Thomas and Bob Meyers – were actually drafted into the NFL twice, in back-to-back (but separate) years. And 14 of those 481 former Buckeyes were also taken in the AFL Draft, including the legendary Hall of Fame wideout Paul Warfield. That makes 497 total draft picks for OSU since Gomer Jones was selected by the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals nearly a century ago.
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Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Warfield counts for two
Of the nearly 500 Buckeyes taken, hundreds have enjoyed successful pro careers, while others flamed out and/or never playing a snap after their time in Columbus. The Ohio State football program has produced NFL Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers, Players and Rookies of the Year, ten-year tackling dummies, one-and-doners, monumental busts, and everything in between.
All of these former OSU football players share one thing in common, which is their affiliation with THE greatest university on the planet. Conversely, one thing that sets them all apart is their varying degrees of success (or lack thereof) in the NFL.
Another way to look at it is in terms of value. Each of these players produced value – positive or negative – for the team which drafted them. And that is what I am going to look at in the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. I am going to attempt to identify the seven best Scarlet and Gray values, picking only one player from each round (length of the modern draft, and going in reverse order).
Before we get started, “best” and “most” must be sorted out. Best value is not the same as most valuable. And most valuable is not same as best value. Warfield, Eddie George, Orlando Pace, Jack Tatum, or Jim Parker would inarguably be among the most valuable (former) Buckeyes at the professional level. All became team captains, Pro Bowlers, eventual Hall of Famers, you name it. But they were also taken within the first 20 picks of their respective drafts, whereas Dick LeBeau made the NFL Hall of Fame as a fifth-rounder.
I might argue that LeBeau was the better overall value because of where/when he was drafted. But going round by round means I do not have to choose between Pace or LeBeau, which is a good thing because there are already plenty of difficult decisions ahead... Without further ado, let’s go bargain shopping.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24492232/124869321.jpg)
Ebner, a world-class rugby player, joined the Ohio State football team as a walk-on safety in 2009. While obviously familiar with the game, he never even played football for his high school team. And he was a third-year college student by the time he walked on in Columbus! Out of practice and out of his natural element, Ebner’s physicality and aggressiveness earned him an unlikely spot on the roster.
But in three seasons as a Buckeye, he made little if any impact at his DB position. Instead, Ebner made his mark on special teams. Blessed with good speed (4.5 in the 40), he sprinted down the field with reckless abandon on kick coverage. He was known for his win-at-all-costs mentality and willingness to sacrifice his body. Because of his mental makeup and toughness, he quickly garnered respect as a leader on the gridiron. He also earned the nickname “Leonidas” for his resemblance to actor Gerard Butler in the movie 300.
By the end of 2009, Ebner was already considered one of OSU’s best special teams players. And if you remember anything about those Jim Tressel-coached Buckeyes, you remember the emphasis placed on special teams. So to be mentioned as one of the best players on that unit was a real honor, and speaks volumes about how he was viewed by coaches and teammates.
The rugby-playing walk-on more than earned his spot on the roster during the next few seasons. He accumulated 30 special teams tackles during his Ohio State career, but made a larger impact than the stats would tell you. By 2011, Ebner was on scholarship and voted the team’s most inspirational player, as well as its best special teamer.
He also excelled in the classroom, earning All-Academic Big Ten each season he played for OSU. Ebner epitomized what it meant (and means) to be a Buckeye, and was revered by those in the program. His reputation and pro day performance would go on to earn him an unlikely opportunity in the NFL.
As most players do – even if they are not believed to be a highly-coveted draft prospect – Ebner participated in Ohio State’s pro day held after the 2011 season. Despite his limited role, NFL teams and personnel took notice. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, had a 39.5 inch vertical jump, and benched 225 pounds 23 times. At 6-feet and just over 200 pounds, he was viewed as a special athlete. Against all odds, the New England Patriots selected Ebner with pick No. 197 in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft.
And wouldn’t you know, he contributed right away as a rookie, finishing second on the Pats in special teams tackles and playing close to forty snaps as a safety. Ebner became a roster mainstay in short order and enjoyed plenty of success over the next eight seasons as a core special teamer with virtually no “traditional” positional value.
Ebner won three Super Bowls with New England, was named Second-Team All Pro in 2016, and received unusually high praise from Bill Belichick. The legendary coach once said of the former Buckeye:
The Pats never won fewer than 11 regular season games with Ebner on their roster, although Tom Brady’s presence also played a role in the team’s unprecedented success. But Ebner was a key contributor. Furthermore, he was revered by coaches and teammates and provided leadership and attitude not easily found elsewhere.
Ebner spent years 9 and 10 of his NFL career with the New York Giants, for whom he last suited up in 2021... A decade in the league for a rugby-playing safety, taken in the sixth round of the draft, with one career pass breakup. Pretty unique. And pretty damn impressive.
Ebner only totaled 105 tackles, but played in 133 games during his NFL career — which again, lasted 10 seasons. He received an All-Pro nod in 2016 and legitimately contributed to three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England. While his traditional stats do not jump off the page, there is absolutely no question that Ebner provided tremendous value as a sixth-round draft pick.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
These Scarlet and Gray legends produced the highest ROI relative to when they were selected in the NFL Draft.
Since 1936, the first year in which an official pro football draft took place, 481 Ohio State Buckeyes have been selected in the NFL Draft. Two players – Russ Thomas and Bob Meyers – were actually drafted into the NFL twice, in back-to-back (but separate) years. And 14 of those 481 former Buckeyes were also taken in the AFL Draft, including the legendary Hall of Fame wideout Paul Warfield. That makes 497 total draft picks for OSU since Gomer Jones was selected by the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals nearly a century ago.
Warfield counts for two
Of the nearly 500 Buckeyes taken, hundreds have enjoyed successful pro careers, while others flamed out and/or never playing a snap after their time in Columbus. The Ohio State football program has produced NFL Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers, Players and Rookies of the Year, ten-year tackling dummies, one-and-doners, monumental busts, and everything in between.
All of these former OSU football players share one thing in common, which is their affiliation with THE greatest university on the planet. Conversely, one thing that sets them all apart is their varying degrees of success (or lack thereof) in the NFL.
Another way to look at it is in terms of value. Each of these players produced value – positive or negative – for the team which drafted them. And that is what I am going to look at in the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. I am going to attempt to identify the seven best Scarlet and Gray values, picking only one player from each round (length of the modern draft, and going in reverse order).
Before we get started, “best” and “most” must be sorted out. Best value is not the same as most valuable. And most valuable is not same as best value. Warfield, Eddie George, Orlando Pace, Jack Tatum, or Jim Parker would inarguably be among the most valuable (former) Buckeyes at the professional level. All became team captains, Pro Bowlers, eventual Hall of Famers, you name it. But they were also taken within the first 20 picks of their respective drafts, whereas Dick LeBeau made the NFL Hall of Fame as a fifth-rounder.
I might argue that LeBeau was the better overall value because of where/when he was drafted. But going round by round means I do not have to choose between Pace or LeBeau, which is a good thing because there are already plenty of difficult decisions ahead... Without further ado, let’s go bargain shopping.
Round 6: Nate Ebner, Safety
Ebner, a world-class rugby player, joined the Ohio State football team as a walk-on safety in 2009. While obviously familiar with the game, he never even played football for his high school team. And he was a third-year college student by the time he walked on in Columbus! Out of practice and out of his natural element, Ebner’s physicality and aggressiveness earned him an unlikely spot on the roster.
But in three seasons as a Buckeye, he made little if any impact at his DB position. Instead, Ebner made his mark on special teams. Blessed with good speed (4.5 in the 40), he sprinted down the field with reckless abandon on kick coverage. He was known for his win-at-all-costs mentality and willingness to sacrifice his body. Because of his mental makeup and toughness, he quickly garnered respect as a leader on the gridiron. He also earned the nickname “Leonidas” for his resemblance to actor Gerard Butler in the movie 300.
By the end of 2009, Ebner was already considered one of OSU’s best special teams players. And if you remember anything about those Jim Tressel-coached Buckeyes, you remember the emphasis placed on special teams. So to be mentioned as one of the best players on that unit was a real honor, and speaks volumes about how he was viewed by coaches and teammates.
The rugby-playing walk-on more than earned his spot on the roster during the next few seasons. He accumulated 30 special teams tackles during his Ohio State career, but made a larger impact than the stats would tell you. By 2011, Ebner was on scholarship and voted the team’s most inspirational player, as well as its best special teamer.
He also excelled in the classroom, earning All-Academic Big Ten each season he played for OSU. Ebner epitomized what it meant (and means) to be a Buckeye, and was revered by those in the program. His reputation and pro day performance would go on to earn him an unlikely opportunity in the NFL.
As most players do – even if they are not believed to be a highly-coveted draft prospect – Ebner participated in Ohio State’s pro day held after the 2011 season. Despite his limited role, NFL teams and personnel took notice. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, had a 39.5 inch vertical jump, and benched 225 pounds 23 times. At 6-feet and just over 200 pounds, he was viewed as a special athlete. Against all odds, the New England Patriots selected Ebner with pick No. 197 in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft.
And wouldn’t you know, he contributed right away as a rookie, finishing second on the Pats in special teams tackles and playing close to forty snaps as a safety. Ebner became a roster mainstay in short order and enjoyed plenty of success over the next eight seasons as a core special teamer with virtually no “traditional” positional value.
Ebner won three Super Bowls with New England, was named Second-Team All Pro in 2016, and received unusually high praise from Bill Belichick. The legendary coach once said of the former Buckeye:
The Pats never won fewer than 11 regular season games with Ebner on their roster, although Tom Brady’s presence also played a role in the team’s unprecedented success. But Ebner was a key contributor. Furthermore, he was revered by coaches and teammates and provided leadership and attitude not easily found elsewhere.
Ebner spent years 9 and 10 of his NFL career with the New York Giants, for whom he last suited up in 2021... A decade in the league for a rugby-playing safety, taken in the sixth round of the draft, with one career pass breakup. Pretty unique. And pretty damn impressive.
Ebner only totaled 105 tackles, but played in 133 games during his NFL career — which again, lasted 10 seasons. He received an All-Pro nod in 2016 and legitimately contributed to three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England. While his traditional stats do not jump off the page, there is absolutely no question that Ebner provided tremendous value as a sixth-round draft pick.
Continue reading...
LGHL Four Storylines: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 James Madison
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Four Storylines: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 14 James Madison
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
What to watch in the match-up between the Buckeyes and Dukes
Saturday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team plays their first game of the NCAA Tournament. Facing the James Madison Dukes of the Sun Belt Conference, the Buckeyes are hoping to win their first tournament game inside the Schottenstein Center.
That, increased minutes for guard Jacy Sheldon and more in four storylines for the opening round of March Madness.
Since a Scarlet & Gray route of the McNeese State Cowgirls on Nov. 20, 2022, Sheldon hasn’t played a game at home for Ohio State. The guard returned for a Nov. 30 trip to the Louisville Cardinals before going out with a lower leg injury, later confirmed as a foot injury.
Last weekend, at the Big Ten Tournament, Sheldon made a triumphant return for Ohio State. Sheldon had six points, six assists and six steals across her 15.3 minutes average per game. While the numbers don’t leap off the stat sheet, Sheldon’s defense was integral in the Buckeyes’ 24-point comeback. Also, Sheldon is generally a player who helps in numerous way.
“I feel like she makes all of us better. Without her, we all make each other better as well, but Jacy just adds that extra little push, especially with her game,” said McMahon. “She can create for others but also create for herself. She gives us a lot of opportunities as well as herself.”
For the NCAA Tournament, head coach Kevin McGuff doesn’t have a set number of minutes in mind for the guard but Sheldon will play more. The guard’s comfort back into the game aspects of the team are improved since getting crucial tournament minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
No word if that means a start for the guard or another more minutes off the bench.
Last season, freshman forward Cotie McMahon came to Ohio State and began practicing with the Buckeyes as a spring enrollee. However, the Centerville, Ohio native didn’t travel with the Scarlet & Gray in their trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
This weekend is McMahon’s first March Madness. There won’t be a lot of time to take in the moment for the freshman, because the Buckeyes need what she’s brought to the team, especially McMahon’s second half of the season.
“It’s been awesome just to see her grow, as a person as well as as a player,” said Mikesell. “It’s kind of rare to see a freshman come in and be so vocal, just be so willing to want to do the work and want to come in and work every single day and get better. It’s kind of crazy to think she’s only a freshman.”
Since the start of 2023, the freshman is second on the team in points per game, averaging 16.7, just under Mikesell’s team-leading 16.8 points per game. The impact doesn’t stop there, McMahon is grabbing 6.6 rebounds in the same stretch, ballooning up to 11 rebounds per game when it counted in the Big Ten Tournament.
Against James Madison, a team who rebounds well and could give the Buckeyes problems in getting second chance points. McMahon and forward Taylor Thierry are the two leading in boards for Ohio State.
The two Scarlet & Gray underclassmen will have guard Kiki Jefferson, averaging 7.9 rebounds per game, and center Kseniia Kozlova averaging 5.9.
James Madison’s defense has the ability to give teams problems. The Dukes switch from man to zone coverage frequently, meaning Ohio State will need to make adjustments on the fly. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, they’re a team whose guard play is full of veterans.
If guard Rikki Harris or Sheldon starts the game at point, they each have the ability to run the Buckeyes’ offense effectively. Although the edge goes to Sheldon who’s played in the position more than Harris
It’s also yet to be seen if the Dukes will employ the same strategy against Mikesell as other teams have in the past few months. That’s putting a lone defender on the sharpshooting guard regardless of the defensive set chosen overall.
Either way, playing in the Big Ten affords Ohio State the experience of playing vastly different defenses throughout the season.
A McGuff led team hasn’t lost in the first round of the NCAA women’s tournament and if the Buckeyes adjust there shouldn’t be a reason that changes in 2023.
With the Buckeyes landing a top-16 seed in the big dance, it affords Ohio State the added incentive of playing at home.
That means a home crowd will be in attendance to root on the Scarlet & Gray for potentially two games, should the Buckeyes win Saturday against the Dukes. It benefits everyone on the team, but it especially gives a handful of players the chance for family to be in attendance.
Of the seven players coach McGuff has played most this season, five are from the Buckeye State. Mikesell, Thierry, McMahon, Sheldon and substitute guard Emma Shumate are each from inside state lines. It creates an extra bonus.
“It means a lot. Last year, we made the tournament, which was great, but we had to take a trip down to LSU and had an unfavorable crowd for both games,” said Mikesell. “It’s pretty cool to have our home fans here with us. Just being able to be in our home state, get to practice in our arena. There’s a familiarity with it and it’s pretty comforting.”
Should the top seeds each win in Columbus on Saturday, that comfort will help against a tough No. 6 seed in the North Carolina Tar Heels of the ACC.
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
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
What to watch in the match-up between the Buckeyes and Dukes
Saturday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team plays their first game of the NCAA Tournament. Facing the James Madison Dukes of the Sun Belt Conference, the Buckeyes are hoping to win their first tournament game inside the Schottenstein Center.
That, increased minutes for guard Jacy Sheldon and more in four storylines for the opening round of March Madness.
Jacy Sheldon Returns Home
Since a Scarlet & Gray route of the McNeese State Cowgirls on Nov. 20, 2022, Sheldon hasn’t played a game at home for Ohio State. The guard returned for a Nov. 30 trip to the Louisville Cardinals before going out with a lower leg injury, later confirmed as a foot injury.
Last weekend, at the Big Ten Tournament, Sheldon made a triumphant return for Ohio State. Sheldon had six points, six assists and six steals across her 15.3 minutes average per game. While the numbers don’t leap off the stat sheet, Sheldon’s defense was integral in the Buckeyes’ 24-point comeback. Also, Sheldon is generally a player who helps in numerous way.
“I feel like she makes all of us better. Without her, we all make each other better as well, but Jacy just adds that extra little push, especially with her game,” said McMahon. “She can create for others but also create for herself. She gives us a lot of opportunities as well as herself.”
For the NCAA Tournament, head coach Kevin McGuff doesn’t have a set number of minutes in mind for the guard but Sheldon will play more. The guard’s comfort back into the game aspects of the team are improved since getting crucial tournament minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
No word if that means a start for the guard or another more minutes off the bench.
Cotie McMahon’s NCAA Tournament Debut
Last season, freshman forward Cotie McMahon came to Ohio State and began practicing with the Buckeyes as a spring enrollee. However, the Centerville, Ohio native didn’t travel with the Scarlet & Gray in their trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
This weekend is McMahon’s first March Madness. There won’t be a lot of time to take in the moment for the freshman, because the Buckeyes need what she’s brought to the team, especially McMahon’s second half of the season.
“It’s been awesome just to see her grow, as a person as well as as a player,” said Mikesell. “It’s kind of rare to see a freshman come in and be so vocal, just be so willing to want to do the work and want to come in and work every single day and get better. It’s kind of crazy to think she’s only a freshman.”
Since the start of 2023, the freshman is second on the team in points per game, averaging 16.7, just under Mikesell’s team-leading 16.8 points per game. The impact doesn’t stop there, McMahon is grabbing 6.6 rebounds in the same stretch, ballooning up to 11 rebounds per game when it counted in the Big Ten Tournament.
Against James Madison, a team who rebounds well and could give the Buckeyes problems in getting second chance points. McMahon and forward Taylor Thierry are the two leading in boards for Ohio State.
The two Scarlet & Gray underclassmen will have guard Kiki Jefferson, averaging 7.9 rebounds per game, and center Kseniia Kozlova averaging 5.9.
Quick Adjustments
James Madison’s defense has the ability to give teams problems. The Dukes switch from man to zone coverage frequently, meaning Ohio State will need to make adjustments on the fly. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, they’re a team whose guard play is full of veterans.
If guard Rikki Harris or Sheldon starts the game at point, they each have the ability to run the Buckeyes’ offense effectively. Although the edge goes to Sheldon who’s played in the position more than Harris
It’s also yet to be seen if the Dukes will employ the same strategy against Mikesell as other teams have in the past few months. That’s putting a lone defender on the sharpshooting guard regardless of the defensive set chosen overall.
Either way, playing in the Big Ten affords Ohio State the experience of playing vastly different defenses throughout the season.
A McGuff led team hasn’t lost in the first round of the NCAA women’s tournament and if the Buckeyes adjust there shouldn’t be a reason that changes in 2023.
History in the Schott
With the Buckeyes landing a top-16 seed in the big dance, it affords Ohio State the added incentive of playing at home.
That means a home crowd will be in attendance to root on the Scarlet & Gray for potentially two games, should the Buckeyes win Saturday against the Dukes. It benefits everyone on the team, but it especially gives a handful of players the chance for family to be in attendance.
Of the seven players coach McGuff has played most this season, five are from the Buckeye State. Mikesell, Thierry, McMahon, Sheldon and substitute guard Emma Shumate are each from inside state lines. It creates an extra bonus.
“It means a lot. Last year, we made the tournament, which was great, but we had to take a trip down to LSU and had an unfavorable crowd for both games,” said Mikesell. “It’s pretty cool to have our home fans here with us. Just being able to be in our home state, get to practice in our arena. There’s a familiarity with it and it’s pretty comforting.”
Should the top seeds each win in Columbus on Saturday, that comfort will help against a tough No. 6 seed in the North Carolina Tar Heels of the ACC.
Continue reading...
LGHL Three questions about 2023 Ohio State special teams
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Three questions about 2023 Ohio State special teams
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Special teams coach Parker Fleming is under scrutiny by Ohio State fans
“Autumn arrives in early morning, but spring at the close of a winter day...” ~ Elizabeth Bowen
Personally, as a lifelong Ohioan, I do not know if we truly get the close of a winter day in Ohio. It just seems as though we get less and less cold, and then suddenly, we have summer weather.
As Ohio State spring football has officially started, I have decided to write a series of articles on a weekly basis to identify and rank the position groups, from least to most concerning, as they pertain to the upcoming 2023 season. Each week, I will point out questions I have about these position groups, and it is my hope that several, if not all, of these questions will be answered by the Ohio State Spring Game on April 15.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Special Teams Units | Concern Ranking: 5th
Reason for my ranking: Special teams is always one of those areas that fans overlook or take for granted, but will certainly notice when or if something goes wrong or not as planned. Think about the last play of The Peach Bowl, when Noah Ruggles’ field goal attempt to win the game, or during “THE GAME” when a fake punt was not called, and could have been truly impactful.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
It is truly unfortunate that a lasting memory for Ohio State fans of Noah Ruggles is that field goal attempt in the Peach Bowl that was not successful. Ruggles was 17 of 20 in 2022 on field goals, and 20 of 21 in 2021, so Ohio State fans may want to stop and reflect upon how consistent Ruggles was at making field goals.
Ruggles showed up at Ohio State as a transfer, after the 2021 spring game caused Ohio State head coach Ryan Day concern and angst over the placekicking that was on hand.
Jake Siebert returns, and former USC kicker Parker Lewis seem likely to be the primary competitors for the placekicking job. Walk-ons Casey Magyar and Jayden Fielding will also be in the mix. Fielding handled the kickoff responsibilities last season, so perhaps Fielding may not be involved in the placekicking duties.
2. Can Ohio State find a consistent punt or kickoff returner?
Before I continue too much further — no, Ohio State fans, Marvin Harrison, Jr. is not going to be this year’s punt returner. Much angst about this topic has been on social media, and Harrison let the media know why he was involved on the punt return team after Ohio State concluded its second spring practice.
Said Harrison, “I just go back there more so just enhancing ball tracking skills and everything like that. There’s a good chance I won’t be back there at any point during the season. But in an emergency situation, if I need to go back there, I think I can.” Hopefully, that will put that issue to rest.
Now as to the larger issue, here are some sobering facts that many Ohio State may have forgotten, or have overlooked. The last time Ohio State returned a punt for a touchdown? 2014, when Jalin Marshall single-handedly saved the game for the Buckeyes versus Indiana. The last time Ohio State returned a kickoff for a touchdown? 2010, when Jordan Hall did it in THE GAME in what would be the unfortunate and unforeseen last game for Jim Tressel as Ohio State’s head coach.
I am willing to cut Ohio State’s kickoff returners some slack, as the new rules for fair catching a kickoff make it more likely for a team’s returner to not attempt a return. That being said, Ohio State has so many highly-recruited athletes that it is puzzling the Buckeyes have not found a consistent returner in nearly a decade. And that leads to...
3. Can Parker Fleming regain the faith of the fans?
Fleming was recently the recipient of a two-year contract extension. The aforementioned fake punt that was not called against Michigan was not the only blemish on Fleming in 2022. Ohio State was going to try for a fake punt versus Georgia in The Peach Bowl, but Georgia called a timeout to snuff it out. Ohio State was actually fortunate, as they have 12 men on the field.
Late in the game at Maryland game, Ohio State had a PAT blocked that was returned for two points. Ohio State won the game, but these type of mistakes have led Ohio State fans to openly question how effective Fleming is at directing the special teams units.
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Special teams coach Parker Fleming is under scrutiny by Ohio State fans
“Autumn arrives in early morning, but spring at the close of a winter day...” ~ Elizabeth Bowen
Personally, as a lifelong Ohioan, I do not know if we truly get the close of a winter day in Ohio. It just seems as though we get less and less cold, and then suddenly, we have summer weather.
As Ohio State spring football has officially started, I have decided to write a series of articles on a weekly basis to identify and rank the position groups, from least to most concerning, as they pertain to the upcoming 2023 season. Each week, I will point out questions I have about these position groups, and it is my hope that several, if not all, of these questions will be answered by the Ohio State Spring Game on April 15.
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Special Teams Units | Concern Ranking: 5th
- Scholarship Players Lost From The 2022 Squad: K Noah Ruggles
- Scholarship Players Returning From The 2022 Squad: LS John Ferlmann, K Parker Lewis, P Jesse Mirco, K Jake Siebert
- Freshmen Players Participating In 2023 Spring Football: None
Reason for my ranking: Special teams is always one of those areas that fans overlook or take for granted, but will certainly notice when or if something goes wrong or not as planned. Think about the last play of The Peach Bowl, when Noah Ruggles’ field goal attempt to win the game, or during “THE GAME” when a fake punt was not called, and could have been truly impactful.
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- Who will replace Noah Ruggles as Ohio State’s placekicker?
It is truly unfortunate that a lasting memory for Ohio State fans of Noah Ruggles is that field goal attempt in the Peach Bowl that was not successful. Ruggles was 17 of 20 in 2022 on field goals, and 20 of 21 in 2021, so Ohio State fans may want to stop and reflect upon how consistent Ruggles was at making field goals.
Ruggles showed up at Ohio State as a transfer, after the 2021 spring game caused Ohio State head coach Ryan Day concern and angst over the placekicking that was on hand.
Jake Siebert returns, and former USC kicker Parker Lewis seem likely to be the primary competitors for the placekicking job. Walk-ons Casey Magyar and Jayden Fielding will also be in the mix. Fielding handled the kickoff responsibilities last season, so perhaps Fielding may not be involved in the placekicking duties.
2. Can Ohio State find a consistent punt or kickoff returner?
Before I continue too much further — no, Ohio State fans, Marvin Harrison, Jr. is not going to be this year’s punt returner. Much angst about this topic has been on social media, and Harrison let the media know why he was involved on the punt return team after Ohio State concluded its second spring practice.
Said Harrison, “I just go back there more so just enhancing ball tracking skills and everything like that. There’s a good chance I won’t be back there at any point during the season. But in an emergency situation, if I need to go back there, I think I can.” Hopefully, that will put that issue to rest.
Now as to the larger issue, here are some sobering facts that many Ohio State may have forgotten, or have overlooked. The last time Ohio State returned a punt for a touchdown? 2014, when Jalin Marshall single-handedly saved the game for the Buckeyes versus Indiana. The last time Ohio State returned a kickoff for a touchdown? 2010, when Jordan Hall did it in THE GAME in what would be the unfortunate and unforeseen last game for Jim Tressel as Ohio State’s head coach.
I am willing to cut Ohio State’s kickoff returners some slack, as the new rules for fair catching a kickoff make it more likely for a team’s returner to not attempt a return. That being said, Ohio State has so many highly-recruited athletes that it is puzzling the Buckeyes have not found a consistent returner in nearly a decade. And that leads to...
3. Can Parker Fleming regain the faith of the fans?
Fleming was recently the recipient of a two-year contract extension. The aforementioned fake punt that was not called against Michigan was not the only blemish on Fleming in 2022. Ohio State was going to try for a fake punt versus Georgia in The Peach Bowl, but Georgia called a timeout to snuff it out. Ohio State was actually fortunate, as they have 12 men on the field.
Late in the game at Maryland game, Ohio State had a PAT blocked that was returned for two points. Ohio State won the game, but these type of mistakes have led Ohio State fans to openly question how effective Fleming is at directing the special teams units.
Continue reading...