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LGHL Buckeyes offer another top defensive lineman in the 2024 class, stay active on the hardwood as well
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Buckeyes offer another top defensive lineman in the 2024 class, stay active on the hardwood as well
Caleb Houser 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
Both the football and basketball staffs continue to stay active with their recruiting efforts.
With the defensive assistants pretty active lately, there’s some findings that are coming to the surface about potential plans for next season’s lineup, and certainly how coaches are looking to use their specific guys in certain spots. One of those areas is with the defensive line, and Larry Johnson is very much still wanting to mold his guys the way he always has.
Even with him climbing in age, Johnson still seems to be motivated for the tasks at hand, and that leads also into the recruiting efforts as well. Case and point, on Wednesday Ohio State dished out their latest offer in the 2024 class to defensive line target, Kamarion Franklin.
Taking to his social media to announce the latest in his recruitment, Franklin, a 6-foot-5, 260 pound athlete, added the Buckeyes to a loaded list of offers. Schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, and many others round out his list of over 30 offers to his name. Ohio State’s latest addition, with their track record of success at the defensive line positions, carries some weight.
The No. 21 player nationally, Franklin is also the fifth best player for his position as well as the top ranked player in Mississippi for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite. A five-star with the ability to go anywhere in the country, pulling a player out of SEC country is never easy, but Ohio State’s no slouch when it comes to bringing in elite defensive line talent from all four corners of the country.
Johnson has proven himself to be one of the best at his craft when it comes to development, and in recruiting he’s long been at or near the top as well. The Buckeyes will need to make up for some lost time with so many other schools already in the mix, but getting him to campus later this spring or summer would certainly help their chances of being a real threat to land his services.
It’s no secret as to how disappointing this basketball season has been for Ohio State. Marking the programs worst stretch in years, the negativity has been at all time high, but the only way to climb out of this is to get better in all areas. While that sounds simplistic, it’s also the truth — the players need to improve, the staff needs to improve, and many of the reasons as to why Holtmann will be in Columbus next year more than likely is due to his recruiting abilities.
Having put together some strong classes that are coming in as soon as next year, the only matter here is that it needs to continue.
Keeping recruiting a major priority, the basketball staff sent out their latest offer in the 2024 class earlier this week. On the receiving end was New York native, VJ Edgecombe. A 6-foot-5, 180 pound small forward, Edgecombe only has an handful offers to this point, but Ohio State getting into the mix will cause for other suitors to come around paying more attention.
Programs such as Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and St. John’s already threw their name into the running, but again, Holtmann and the Buckeyes may help cause some sort of domino effect here. Unranked as of now on 247Sports, additional offers that could be coming in the near future may fix that trend.
Ohio State does have a bright future if the next class coming in can develop quickly. While things aren’t great right now in the wins and losses column, Holtmann is still a highly respected coach and the Buckeyes have a lot going for them. Recruiting has been a bright spot for this team, and it looks as if they’re going to do their best to continue that feat until they get the current roster sorted out in a good way.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Both the football and basketball staffs continue to stay active with their recruiting efforts.
With the defensive assistants pretty active lately, there’s some findings that are coming to the surface about potential plans for next season’s lineup, and certainly how coaches are looking to use their specific guys in certain spots. One of those areas is with the defensive line, and Larry Johnson is very much still wanting to mold his guys the way he always has.
Even with him climbing in age, Johnson still seems to be motivated for the tasks at hand, and that leads also into the recruiting efforts as well. Case and point, on Wednesday Ohio State dished out their latest offer in the 2024 class to defensive line target, Kamarion Franklin.
Taking to his social media to announce the latest in his recruitment, Franklin, a 6-foot-5, 260 pound athlete, added the Buckeyes to a loaded list of offers. Schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, and many others round out his list of over 30 offers to his name. Ohio State’s latest addition, with their track record of success at the defensive line positions, carries some weight.
The No. 21 player nationally, Franklin is also the fifth best player for his position as well as the top ranked player in Mississippi for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite. A five-star with the ability to go anywhere in the country, pulling a player out of SEC country is never easy, but Ohio State’s no slouch when it comes to bringing in elite defensive line talent from all four corners of the country.
Johnson has proven himself to be one of the best at his craft when it comes to development, and in recruiting he’s long been at or near the top as well. The Buckeyes will need to make up for some lost time with so many other schools already in the mix, but getting him to campus later this spring or summer would certainly help their chances of being a real threat to land his services.
2024 hooper grabs OSU offer
It’s no secret as to how disappointing this basketball season has been for Ohio State. Marking the programs worst stretch in years, the negativity has been at all time high, but the only way to climb out of this is to get better in all areas. While that sounds simplistic, it’s also the truth — the players need to improve, the staff needs to improve, and many of the reasons as to why Holtmann will be in Columbus next year more than likely is due to his recruiting abilities.
Having put together some strong classes that are coming in as soon as next year, the only matter here is that it needs to continue.
Keeping recruiting a major priority, the basketball staff sent out their latest offer in the 2024 class earlier this week. On the receiving end was New York native, VJ Edgecombe. A 6-foot-5, 180 pound small forward, Edgecombe only has an handful offers to this point, but Ohio State getting into the mix will cause for other suitors to come around paying more attention.
Programs such as Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, and St. John’s already threw their name into the running, but again, Holtmann and the Buckeyes may help cause some sort of domino effect here. Unranked as of now on 247Sports, additional offers that could be coming in the near future may fix that trend.
Ohio State does have a bright future if the next class coming in can develop quickly. While things aren’t great right now in the wins and losses column, Holtmann is still a highly respected coach and the Buckeyes have a lot going for them. Recruiting has been a bright spot for this team, and it looks as if they’re going to do their best to continue that feat until they get the current roster sorted out in a good way.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball rebounds with 93-63 win over Minnesota
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Ohio State women’s basketball rebounds with 93-63 win over Minnesota
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
The Buckeyes returned home and faced a Golden Gophers side who took them to the brink in early Jan., but it was a vastly different night for Ohio State this time
The Ohio State women’s basketball team couldn’t ask for a game soon enough after their 36-point defeat to the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins on Sunday. It came Wednesday night, against the Golden Gophers, a team who went up 10 points against Ohio State on Jan. 5 only for the Scarlet and Gray to surge ahead in the fourth quarter.
Since then, that surge hasn’t been there for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side, losing four of their last five. On Wednesday, they got back to their winning ways, defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers big, 93-63.
The storyline that wasn’t really as scary as it looked was the absence of guard Jacy Sheldon. After missing 16 games in a row, Sheldon played 25 minutes against the Terrapins. For Wednesday, leaving Sheldon’s name off the roster was by design, allowing the guard to come back with a slower return schedule than going straight back into playing 40 minutes a game.
Before the game tipped, Ohio State celebrated. The first was for guard Taylor Mikesell. Against Wisconsin on Feb. 1, the Northeast Ohio guard hit her 1,000th point as a Buckeye in her second season. After Mikesell received a basketball commemorating the accomplishment, the Buckeyes began their Black History Month celebration.
With players and team managers wearing special Black History Month shirts, the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” played throughout the arena with every Buckeye standing on the sideline for it. Compared to only a handful staying on the court for the usual United States national anthem played before games.
Once the game began, the celebrations were over and the Buckeyes went to work. In the first quarter, Ohio State had its ups and downs, but mostly the ups.
The Scarlet and Gray forced nine turnovers on the young Golden Gophers side and went on eight and 13-point runs, leading 23-10 after the first quarter. A big part of that was the forward/guard combo Taylor Thierry.
Thierry had only four points but early on she was everywhere on the court. The starting guard had three steals, three assists, three rebounds, and a block. On the block inside the defensive paint, Thierry took the ball down the court herself and hit a layup, two of her four points in the quarter.
Steals came from leaping into the air at mid-court, poking the ball away from behind offensive players, and generally filling space with strong court vision, size, and athleticism.
In terms of the bad, it came at the 5:53 mark. After taking a shot from deep on the offensive end of the court, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková was bumped during a block. The Slovakian big was in obvious pain and needed help from team members to get off the court.
Then, with only 1:02 left in the quarter, Thierry joined Mikulášiková off the court. It wasn’t as serious as the injury to Mikulášiková, with Thierry knocked in the mouth and bleeding on the sideline into a cup. Thierry returned halfway through the second quarter.
The second quarter saw Minnesota come to life, scoring 15 points in the first 5:10 of the second quarter after scoring only 10 points total in the first quarter. However, the Buckeyes' lead stayed near 20 points because of outstanding shooting by Mikesell.
Halfway through the second quarter, Mikesell had 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting, hitting all four attempts she had from beyond the arc. It was a performance on the offensive end that Ohio State was missing over the past two weeks.
Defensively though, Minnesota was getting their points through mostly open looks. With the Buckeyes going hard on the full-court press, Minnesota found avenues for quick passing. Freshman guard Mara Braun scored eight points herself in the same time as Mikesell’s 14, going 2-for-2 from deep.
Ohio State kept the pace and pushed it further though, scoring 29 points on an astounding 84.6% shooting in the first half.
The second half began just like the first half ended: with a Mikesell three. Ohio State continued its onslaught in the third quarter, not letting up on the Golden Gophers. In past games where the third quarter with big leads meant a less energetic Buckeyes team, coach McGuff’s side wasn’t letting off the gas.
Within the first three minutes, Ohio State extended their 19-point lead up to 27, scoring 10 of the first 12 points of the quarter.
At a timeout by Minnesota, McGuff was either yelling to be heard over the crowd noise but red in the face, the Buckeyes coach was screaming at the team. It could be due to those previous lulls by Ohio State and pushing for the elusive 40-minute performance by the Buckeyes.
For the third quarter in a row, the Buckeyes continued to increase their lead. The Buckeyes out shot the Golden Gophers 28-14 on 66.7% shooting in the third quarter and went into the fourth quarter up a more than comfortable 33 points, leading 80-47.
The running continued in the fourth quarter. After Minnesota guard Mara Braun hit a three to start the scoring, Ohio State responded. It started with Mikesell. After being blocked in the paint, the Buckeyes held a fast break from the Gophers from turning into points. On the defensive rebound, starting point guard Rikki Harris launched a pass that looked like it was in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday.
Harris’ pass found Mikesell all alone running towards an open layup. Then, after Thierry was knocked to the ground on offense, the guard responded with three straight layups of her own. Ohio State went on a nine-point run following Minnesota’s three and it caused fans in attendance to avoid traffic, leaving en masse.
The Buckeyes went on to win comfortably 93-63.
On a night when Mikesell was honored for her career, the guard did something she’s done frequently in the last two seasons: she took the game over.
In the second quarter, Mikesell kept Ohio State’s near 20-point lead intact. The guard scored 14 of the team’s 29 points before halftime, after having tough performances over the past few games.
Mikesell’s 17 first-half points were higher than her total points in five of the Buckeyes’ last seven games. The former Oregon Duck ended the evening with 24 points.
Leading the Buckeyes in the win, in the scoring column, was McMahon. The Ohioan scored 25 points and went 100% from the free-throw line. That’s a huge feat for the freshman considering how often she gets to the line.
McMahon had nine free throw attempts thanks to her physical style of play, attacking the basket. With those nine free shots, McMahon increased her team-leading 119 free throw attempts. That’s good enough for eighth in the conference, and the second-highest for a freshman behind Rutgers guard Kaylene Smikle and her 139 attempts.
Once again, Thierry was pivotal for the Buckeyes. If it didn’t happen every night for Ohio State, it’d be a standout performance but instead, it was what fans of the Scarlet and Gray now expect.
Thierry ended the night with double-digit scoring for her ninth straight game and grabbing at least five rebounds in 14 straight. In the fourth quarter, she was substituted early with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block.
The all-around playmaker continued to do what she’s done all season: quickly become the next star of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State goes from near the bottom of the Big Ten standings in Minnesota to a match-up against the top team in the league on Monday. That’s when the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers come to the Schottenstein Center.
The last time the Buckeyes and Hoosiers took the court, Ohio State had a lead at halftime, only to fall in the third quarter and not find a way to get back up. So, the Scarlet and Gray hope they can avenge that 78-65 defeat and take that momentum into the final three games of the season.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
The Buckeyes returned home and faced a Golden Gophers side who took them to the brink in early Jan., but it was a vastly different night for Ohio State this time
The Ohio State women’s basketball team couldn’t ask for a game soon enough after their 36-point defeat to the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins on Sunday. It came Wednesday night, against the Golden Gophers, a team who went up 10 points against Ohio State on Jan. 5 only for the Scarlet and Gray to surge ahead in the fourth quarter.
Since then, that surge hasn’t been there for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side, losing four of their last five. On Wednesday, they got back to their winning ways, defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers big, 93-63.
The storyline that wasn’t really as scary as it looked was the absence of guard Jacy Sheldon. After missing 16 games in a row, Sheldon played 25 minutes against the Terrapins. For Wednesday, leaving Sheldon’s name off the roster was by design, allowing the guard to come back with a slower return schedule than going straight back into playing 40 minutes a game.
Before the game tipped, Ohio State celebrated. The first was for guard Taylor Mikesell. Against Wisconsin on Feb. 1, the Northeast Ohio guard hit her 1,000th point as a Buckeye in her second season. After Mikesell received a basketball commemorating the accomplishment, the Buckeyes began their Black History Month celebration.
With players and team managers wearing special Black History Month shirts, the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” played throughout the arena with every Buckeye standing on the sideline for it. Compared to only a handful staying on the court for the usual United States national anthem played before games.
Once the game began, the celebrations were over and the Buckeyes went to work. In the first quarter, Ohio State had its ups and downs, but mostly the ups.
The Scarlet and Gray forced nine turnovers on the young Golden Gophers side and went on eight and 13-point runs, leading 23-10 after the first quarter. A big part of that was the forward/guard combo Taylor Thierry.
Thierry had only four points but early on she was everywhere on the court. The starting guard had three steals, three assists, three rebounds, and a block. On the block inside the defensive paint, Thierry took the ball down the court herself and hit a layup, two of her four points in the quarter.
Steals came from leaping into the air at mid-court, poking the ball away from behind offensive players, and generally filling space with strong court vision, size, and athleticism.
In terms of the bad, it came at the 5:53 mark. After taking a shot from deep on the offensive end of the court, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková was bumped during a block. The Slovakian big was in obvious pain and needed help from team members to get off the court.
Then, with only 1:02 left in the quarter, Thierry joined Mikulášiková off the court. It wasn’t as serious as the injury to Mikulášiková, with Thierry knocked in the mouth and bleeding on the sideline into a cup. Thierry returned halfway through the second quarter.
The second quarter saw Minnesota come to life, scoring 15 points in the first 5:10 of the second quarter after scoring only 10 points total in the first quarter. However, the Buckeyes' lead stayed near 20 points because of outstanding shooting by Mikesell.
Halfway through the second quarter, Mikesell had 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting, hitting all four attempts she had from beyond the arc. It was a performance on the offensive end that Ohio State was missing over the past two weeks.
Defensively though, Minnesota was getting their points through mostly open looks. With the Buckeyes going hard on the full-court press, Minnesota found avenues for quick passing. Freshman guard Mara Braun scored eight points herself in the same time as Mikesell’s 14, going 2-for-2 from deep.
Ohio State kept the pace and pushed it further though, scoring 29 points on an astounding 84.6% shooting in the first half.
The second half began just like the first half ended: with a Mikesell three. Ohio State continued its onslaught in the third quarter, not letting up on the Golden Gophers. In past games where the third quarter with big leads meant a less energetic Buckeyes team, coach McGuff’s side wasn’t letting off the gas.
Within the first three minutes, Ohio State extended their 19-point lead up to 27, scoring 10 of the first 12 points of the quarter.
At a timeout by Minnesota, McGuff was either yelling to be heard over the crowd noise but red in the face, the Buckeyes coach was screaming at the team. It could be due to those previous lulls by Ohio State and pushing for the elusive 40-minute performance by the Buckeyes.
For the third quarter in a row, the Buckeyes continued to increase their lead. The Buckeyes out shot the Golden Gophers 28-14 on 66.7% shooting in the third quarter and went into the fourth quarter up a more than comfortable 33 points, leading 80-47.
The running continued in the fourth quarter. After Minnesota guard Mara Braun hit a three to start the scoring, Ohio State responded. It started with Mikesell. After being blocked in the paint, the Buckeyes held a fast break from the Gophers from turning into points. On the defensive rebound, starting point guard Rikki Harris launched a pass that looked like it was in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday.
Harris’ pass found Mikesell all alone running towards an open layup. Then, after Thierry was knocked to the ground on offense, the guard responded with three straight layups of her own. Ohio State went on a nine-point run following Minnesota’s three and it caused fans in attendance to avoid traffic, leaving en masse.
The Buckeyes went on to win comfortably 93-63.
Honoring Taylor Mikesell
On a night when Mikesell was honored for her career, the guard did something she’s done frequently in the last two seasons: she took the game over.
In the second quarter, Mikesell kept Ohio State’s near 20-point lead intact. The guard scored 14 of the team’s 29 points before halftime, after having tough performances over the past few games.
Mikesell’s 17 first-half points were higher than her total points in five of the Buckeyes’ last seven games. The former Oregon Duck ended the evening with 24 points.
A Dominant Cotie McMahon
Leading the Buckeyes in the win, in the scoring column, was McMahon. The Ohioan scored 25 points and went 100% from the free-throw line. That’s a huge feat for the freshman considering how often she gets to the line.
McMahon had nine free throw attempts thanks to her physical style of play, attacking the basket. With those nine free shots, McMahon increased her team-leading 119 free throw attempts. That’s good enough for eighth in the conference, and the second-highest for a freshman behind Rutgers guard Kaylene Smikle and her 139 attempts.
Taylor Thierry Having Another Night
Once again, Thierry was pivotal for the Buckeyes. If it didn’t happen every night for Ohio State, it’d be a standout performance but instead, it was what fans of the Scarlet and Gray now expect.
Thierry ended the night with double-digit scoring for her ninth straight game and grabbing at least five rebounds in 14 straight. In the fourth quarter, she was substituted early with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block.
The all-around playmaker continued to do what she’s done all season: quickly become the next star of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
What’s Next
Ohio State goes from near the bottom of the Big Ten standings in Minnesota to a match-up against the top team in the league on Monday. That’s when the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers come to the Schottenstein Center.
The last time the Buckeyes and Hoosiers took the court, Ohio State had a lead at halftime, only to fall in the third quarter and not find a way to get back up. So, the Scarlet and Gray hope they can avenge that 78-65 defeat and take that momentum into the final three games of the season.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State wrestling drops tough one to No. 1 Penn State, ends weekend with victory over Northwestern
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Ohio State wrestling drops tough one to No. 1 Penn State, ends weekend with victory over Northwestern
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Winners of nine NCAA Wrestling Championships since 2011, Penn State asserted dominance in Columbus on Friday night. But the Buckeyes bounced back with a Sunday road victory over No. 14 Northwestern.
The Ohio State wrestling team faced an absolute juggernaut this past Friday night when they hosted No. 1 Penn State inside Covelli Center. Winners of 9 of the last 11 (!) national championships, Cael Sanderson’s Nittany Lions are to college wrestling what the Harlem Globetrotters are to exhibition basketball. They simply do not lose... Unless it is to another Big Ten school, such as Iowa or Ohio State.
One of only two other programs to win a D1 wrestling title since 2011, OSU had PSU’s number in 2015, when the Buckeyes broke a four-year championship run by the Nittany Lions. The latter then won another four in a row (Tom Ryan’s team finished as runner-up three times during this period) before coming in second to Iowa in 2021. Penn State bounced back with a dominant title performance in 2022, and if history is any indication, they could very well be in the beginning stages of a new natty streak.
The defending champs had won 39 straight duals prior to this matchup in Columbus, and were expected to win by a comfortable margin. But Ohio State was riding its own hot streak, having ripped through January undefeated. The Buckeyes even put an exclamation on their flawless month by completing a Michigan sweep. However, the Nittany Lions presented a major step up in competition, to say the least.
Despite having a handful of grapplers ranked inside the top-5 or top-10 of their respective weight classes (10 classes total), OSU may have been favored in two matches heading into this dual. For the most part, those wearing Scarlet and Gray were viewed as significant underdogs. Even guys like Ethan Smith (174 pounds) and Kaleb Romero (184) – both of whom are enjoying fantastic seasons – were projected to lose their individual matches, because Penn State just so happens to have back-to-back national champions at both weight classes
Talk about a tall task... But Ryan’s Buckeyes never back down from a challenge, and Friday night was no exception.
Malik Heinselman (125) began the weekend’s first dual by giving Ohio State at least a little bit of hope. He scored a quick takedown and four-point near fall of PSU’s Gary Steen, before turning control into a first-period pin. It was Heinselman’s 19th victory of the season, including a perfect 9-0 record in duals. But his win was one of only two for the Buckeyes on Friday night, as the Nittany Lions mounted a comeback which proved to be too much for the fifth-ranked team in the country.
At 133, Penn State’s fifth-year senior and two-time defending NCAA champion (of which they have multiple) Roman Bravo-Young got his team on the board with an 8-2 decision over OSU true freshman Jesse Mendez. The Buckeyes’ young standout was unable to mount the slightest bit of offense, as RBY leaned on experience and late-period takedowns to outscore his younger opponent. Ohio State’s Dylan Demilio then lost his 141-pound match, resulting in a 6-6 stalemate after three matches.
Up next, Sammy Sasso notched a come-from-behind victory to give the Buckeyes’ their second and last winning result of the night. After giving up an early takedown and finding himself in an unfamiliar 0-2 hole, Sasso stormed back to double up the Nittany Lions’ Shayne Van Ness, a top-15 grappler at 149. The win also gave OSU its second lead of the night, but said lead unfortunately lasted for all of 10 minutes.
PSU would go on to win the next six matches, despite the Scarlet and Gray sending out a top-25 wrestler at each remaining weight class. The issue Ryan’s squad ran into, is that Penn State has top-10 wrestlers at each of those same weight classes, including three national champions from a year ago. So it’s really like going up against Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls during the 1990’s...
You might have a hell of a team, with hall of fame players (or wrestlers), but it’s still not enough. Kaleb Romero came the closest to pulling off an Ohio State upset at 185, but he ultimately ran out of time against Aaron Brooks, who has more national championships than he does losses in the last two seasons.
Friday’s end result was a lopsided 29-9 loss for the Buckeyes, but there is little time to rest or lick one’s wounds in the Big Ten. And one dual loss will not deter this veteran roster. There is/was work to be done, beginning with a Sunday afternoon matchup in Evanston, Illinois.
Roughly 40 hours after their humbling home loss, Ohio State made the trip to Welsh-Ryan Arena to take on a gritty Northwestern team. Ranked No. 14, the Wildcats rolled out top-20 wrestlers at 8 out of 10 weight classes. But they were no match for an OSU squad competing with a chip on its collective shoulder.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a big lead, thanks to wins by Mendez, Sasso, and Paddy Gallagher. They were then able to give Romero and Gavin Hoffman (197) a day off, as they cruised to an eventual 21-12 victory.
There was an ongoing theme during Sunday’s early matches, which I like to call “gut-check wrestling.” Three out of the first five went to sudden victory or tiebreaker, with Ohio State winning all three. Mendez and Sasso both took down very strong opponents, while Gallagher pulled off a much-needed upset of No. 11 Trevor Chumbley (NW, 157 lbs). OSU’s redshirt freshman had gone 2-4 over the course of his last six matches, with three of those losses coming by either one or two points.
Sunday’s decision over Chumbley should give him a nice confidence boost as he prepares for postseason competition. Other winners for the Scarlet and Gray included Carson Kharchla (165), Ethan Smith (174), Seth Shumate (184), and Luke Geog (197).
Ohio State will wrap up its Big Ten regular season schedule with a televised (BTN) home dual against Nebraska this Friday night. Another fringe top-10 team, the Cornhuskers won this season’s Cliff Keen Invitational and have only lost one dual (to No. 2 Iowa) since November 12. So I am predicting an intensely-fought battle. And it will be the Buckeyes’ last competition inside Covelli Center this season, which means you should absolutely tune in or go cheer them on as they look to end their B1G regular season in style.
Go Bucks!
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
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Winners of nine NCAA Wrestling Championships since 2011, Penn State asserted dominance in Columbus on Friday night. But the Buckeyes bounced back with a Sunday road victory over No. 14 Northwestern.
The Ohio State wrestling team faced an absolute juggernaut this past Friday night when they hosted No. 1 Penn State inside Covelli Center. Winners of 9 of the last 11 (!) national championships, Cael Sanderson’s Nittany Lions are to college wrestling what the Harlem Globetrotters are to exhibition basketball. They simply do not lose... Unless it is to another Big Ten school, such as Iowa or Ohio State.
One of only two other programs to win a D1 wrestling title since 2011, OSU had PSU’s number in 2015, when the Buckeyes broke a four-year championship run by the Nittany Lions. The latter then won another four in a row (Tom Ryan’s team finished as runner-up three times during this period) before coming in second to Iowa in 2021. Penn State bounced back with a dominant title performance in 2022, and if history is any indication, they could very well be in the beginning stages of a new natty streak.
The defending champs had won 39 straight duals prior to this matchup in Columbus, and were expected to win by a comfortable margin. But Ohio State was riding its own hot streak, having ripped through January undefeated. The Buckeyes even put an exclamation on their flawless month by completing a Michigan sweep. However, the Nittany Lions presented a major step up in competition, to say the least.
Despite having a handful of grapplers ranked inside the top-5 or top-10 of their respective weight classes (10 classes total), OSU may have been favored in two matches heading into this dual. For the most part, those wearing Scarlet and Gray were viewed as significant underdogs. Even guys like Ethan Smith (174 pounds) and Kaleb Romero (184) – both of whom are enjoying fantastic seasons – were projected to lose their individual matches, because Penn State just so happens to have back-to-back national champions at both weight classes
Talk about a tall task... But Ryan’s Buckeyes never back down from a challenge, and Friday night was no exception.
Malik Heinselman (125) began the weekend’s first dual by giving Ohio State at least a little bit of hope. He scored a quick takedown and four-point near fall of PSU’s Gary Steen, before turning control into a first-period pin. It was Heinselman’s 19th victory of the season, including a perfect 9-0 record in duals. But his win was one of only two for the Buckeyes on Friday night, as the Nittany Lions mounted a comeback which proved to be too much for the fifth-ranked team in the country.
At 133, Penn State’s fifth-year senior and two-time defending NCAA champion (of which they have multiple) Roman Bravo-Young got his team on the board with an 8-2 decision over OSU true freshman Jesse Mendez. The Buckeyes’ young standout was unable to mount the slightest bit of offense, as RBY leaned on experience and late-period takedowns to outscore his younger opponent. Ohio State’s Dylan Demilio then lost his 141-pound match, resulting in a 6-6 stalemate after three matches.
Up next, Sammy Sasso notched a come-from-behind victory to give the Buckeyes’ their second and last winning result of the night. After giving up an early takedown and finding himself in an unfamiliar 0-2 hole, Sasso stormed back to double up the Nittany Lions’ Shayne Van Ness, a top-15 grappler at 149. The win also gave OSU its second lead of the night, but said lead unfortunately lasted for all of 10 minutes.
PSU would go on to win the next six matches, despite the Scarlet and Gray sending out a top-25 wrestler at each remaining weight class. The issue Ryan’s squad ran into, is that Penn State has top-10 wrestlers at each of those same weight classes, including three national champions from a year ago. So it’s really like going up against Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls during the 1990’s...
You might have a hell of a team, with hall of fame players (or wrestlers), but it’s still not enough. Kaleb Romero came the closest to pulling off an Ohio State upset at 185, but he ultimately ran out of time against Aaron Brooks, who has more national championships than he does losses in the last two seasons.
Friday’s end result was a lopsided 29-9 loss for the Buckeyes, but there is little time to rest or lick one’s wounds in the Big Ten. And one dual loss will not deter this veteran roster. There is/was work to be done, beginning with a Sunday afternoon matchup in Evanston, Illinois.
Roughly 40 hours after their humbling home loss, Ohio State made the trip to Welsh-Ryan Arena to take on a gritty Northwestern team. Ranked No. 14, the Wildcats rolled out top-20 wrestlers at 8 out of 10 weight classes. But they were no match for an OSU squad competing with a chip on its collective shoulder.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a big lead, thanks to wins by Mendez, Sasso, and Paddy Gallagher. They were then able to give Romero and Gavin Hoffman (197) a day off, as they cruised to an eventual 21-12 victory.
There was an ongoing theme during Sunday’s early matches, which I like to call “gut-check wrestling.” Three out of the first five went to sudden victory or tiebreaker, with Ohio State winning all three. Mendez and Sasso both took down very strong opponents, while Gallagher pulled off a much-needed upset of No. 11 Trevor Chumbley (NW, 157 lbs). OSU’s redshirt freshman had gone 2-4 over the course of his last six matches, with three of those losses coming by either one or two points.
Sunday’s decision over Chumbley should give him a nice confidence boost as he prepares for postseason competition. Other winners for the Scarlet and Gray included Carson Kharchla (165), Ethan Smith (174), Seth Shumate (184), and Luke Geog (197).
Ohio State will wrap up its Big Ten regular season schedule with a televised (BTN) home dual against Nebraska this Friday night. Another fringe top-10 team, the Cornhuskers won this season’s Cliff Keen Invitational and have only lost one dual (to No. 2 Iowa) since November 12. So I am predicting an intensely-fought battle. And it will be the Buckeyes’ last competition inside Covelli Center this season, which means you should absolutely tune in or go cheer them on as they look to end their B1G regular season in style.
Go Bucks!
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2026 AZ DL Tony Cumberland (Oregon Signee)
- By MD Buckeye
- Football Recruiting
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Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, AZ)
Ht: 6'5"
Wt: 250 lbs
Class: 2026 (High School)
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Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, AZ)
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2024 MS DL Kamarion Franklin (Ole Miss Verbal)
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Lake Cormorant (MS)
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OL Maxwell Riley (Official Thread)
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- Buckeye Football
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Jaime Ffrench Jr (WR Texas, transfer to ttun)
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Mandarin (Jacksonville, FL)
Ht: 6'2"
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Was offered last summer.
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Mandarin (Jacksonville, FL)
Ht: 6'2"
Wt: 175 lbs
Class: 2025 (High School)
Was offered last summer.
LGHL Ohio State makes the top group for a four-star DL from Texas
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Ohio State makes the top group for a four-star DL from Texas
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nigel Smith II | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are firmly in the mix for a top 50 prospect after narrowing his list of suitors on Tuesday.
A relatively quiet Tuesday on the recruiting trail still resulted in some positive news for the Buckeyes, as defensive line coach Larry Johnson helped put the program in good position for a blue-chip prospect along the defensive front four. Plus, a Nashville standout is eyeing a return visit to Columbus in the near future.
There has been no shortage of suitors for 2024 four-star defensive lineman Nigel Smith II of Melissa (TX) as he has piled up over 35 offers from programs across the country.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder would ultimately decide on Tuesday that he was prepared to narrow things down, and now just 16 schools remain in the running for the Texas standout.
As seen above, the Buckeyes are one of the 16 schools that remain a real option for Smith. Ohio State will have 15 schools in their way, and with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, and more being included in the group, it won’t be an easy task.
It also speaks to the talent of Smith, as blue bloods from coast to coast are aiming to bring him into their respective program. Smith is currently graded as a Top 50 prospect in the class as he stands at No. 36 overall player. Among defensive lineman in the class, Smith slots in as the sixth highest graded of the bunch. The Sunshine State talent also grades as the fifth best player from Texas.
According to Bucknuts, newly hired graduate assistant and Ohio State great James Laurinaitis was “quickly in touch” with 2024 four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman of Lipscomb Academy (TN) since returning to Columbus.
Bucknuts continued by saying Spillman, a Nashville native, will soon return to the Buckeyes campus. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder was last in Columbus in April of last year, according to his Twitter account.
Spillman is a prospect that was long on the Ohio State radar as they offered him way back in June of 2021 — one of his first few offers he received as a prospect. Now with the addition of Laurinaitis to the coaching staff, there seems to be some added attention given to the Tennessee standout.
Spillman currently grades out as the No. 166 prospect overall in the class. Despite Tennessee being the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite, it won’t stop the Buckeyes pursuit of the No. 16 highest graded linebacker in the class and the second best player from the Volunteer State.
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Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nigel Smith II | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are firmly in the mix for a top 50 prospect after narrowing his list of suitors on Tuesday.
A relatively quiet Tuesday on the recruiting trail still resulted in some positive news for the Buckeyes, as defensive line coach Larry Johnson helped put the program in good position for a blue-chip prospect along the defensive front four. Plus, a Nashville standout is eyeing a return visit to Columbus in the near future.
Smith narrows recruitment to 16
There has been no shortage of suitors for 2024 four-star defensive lineman Nigel Smith II of Melissa (TX) as he has piled up over 35 offers from programs across the country.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder would ultimately decide on Tuesday that he was prepared to narrow things down, and now just 16 schools remain in the running for the Texas standout.
Four-Star DL Nigel Smith has narrowed his 35+ offer list down toSchools!
The 6’5 255 DL from Melissa, TX is ranked as a Top 50 Player in the ‘24 Class (No. 6 DL)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/4mb7ZQUOnt pic.twitter.com/57ppJLzER5
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 8, 2023
As seen above, the Buckeyes are one of the 16 schools that remain a real option for Smith. Ohio State will have 15 schools in their way, and with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, and more being included in the group, it won’t be an easy task.
It also speaks to the talent of Smith, as blue bloods from coast to coast are aiming to bring him into their respective program. Smith is currently graded as a Top 50 prospect in the class as he stands at No. 36 overall player. Among defensive lineman in the class, Smith slots in as the sixth highest graded of the bunch. The Sunshine State talent also grades as the fifth best player from Texas.
Spillman set to return to Columbus
According to Bucknuts, newly hired graduate assistant and Ohio State great James Laurinaitis was “quickly in touch” with 2024 four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman of Lipscomb Academy (TN) since returning to Columbus.
Bucknuts continued by saying Spillman, a Nashville native, will soon return to the Buckeyes campus. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder was last in Columbus in April of last year, according to his Twitter account.
Spillman is a prospect that was long on the Ohio State radar as they offered him way back in June of 2021 — one of his first few offers he received as a prospect. Now with the addition of Laurinaitis to the coaching staff, there seems to be some added attention given to the Tennessee standout.
Spillman currently grades out as the No. 166 prospect overall in the class. Despite Tennessee being the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite, it won’t stop the Buckeyes pursuit of the No. 16 highest graded linebacker in the class and the second best player from the Volunteer State.
Quick Hits
- 2024 three-star running back Sam Williams-Dixon of West Holmes (OH) took to Twitter on Tuesday that his recruitment is “still 100% wide open.” The Millersburg native added an offer from the Buckeyes last month and intends to trim down his list after spring practices.
- According to Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch, Ole Miss transfer cornerback Davison Igbinosun has officially enrolled at Ohio State. The SEC freshman all-American with the Rebels announced his commitment to the Buckeyes at the conclusion of last month.
- 2024 interior offensive lineman Marc Nave of Central Catholic (OH) received an invite to the Polynesian Bowl on Tuesday. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder is currently projected to chose the Buckeyes when all is said and done as the home team is the favorite on the 247Sports Crystal Ball.
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LGHL Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 8, 2023
- News
- 0 Replies
Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 8, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Three things to know about Harry Miller, the Ohio State football player who will attend the State of the Union
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Column: Ryan Day is taking a step in the right direction towards moving on from play-calling duties
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land
Was Buckeyes’ defense over-aggressive late in season? Might that change? Jim Knowles answers
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
Kyle McCord and Devin Brown Will Have “Blank Slate” from Ohio State Coaching Staff in Equal-Opportunity Quarterback Competition
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors
Key takeaways from Larry Johnson on Jack Sawyer, Buckeyes’ defensive line (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Larry Johnson Wants Jack Sawyer, Caden Curry to Refine Skills at One Position Rather Than Splitting Time at Jack and Defensive End
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State players who can help themselves most this offseason - offense
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Ohio State players who can help themselves most this offseason - defense
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Kamryn Babb Thankful for His Five Years at Ohio State, Excited for Next Chapter After Stepping Away from Football
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Key Takeaways as Keenan Bailey takes over tight ends (paywall)
Austin Ward
Yeah, that tracks:
Big Ten apologizes to Chris Holtmann for ‘far too quick’ second technical foul against Wisconsin
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
After revote, Bruce Thornton added to Ohio State’s captains
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
How big of an issue is leadership in the MBB locker room?
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Women’s Basketball: Mikesell Named to 2023 Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Midseason Team
Ohio State Athletics
The latest on Zed Key’s shoulder injury, Eugene Brown III’s role (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Ohio State men’s basketball in midst of historically poor run
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Buckeye softball set to open their season this week
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Jesse Mendez ‘puts on a show’ as Ohio State wrestling freshman
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Men’s Tennis: No. 2 Buckeyes Sweep No. 6 Longhorn Behind Strong Freshmen Showings
Luke Caputo, The Lantern
Men’s Lacrosse: Blanchard, Myers Named B1G Players of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
You’re Nuts: What is your favorite prop bet for this year’s Super Bowl?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land
I’ve got my tickets!
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
Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Three things to know about Harry Miller, the Ohio State football player who will attend the State of the Union
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Column: Ryan Day is taking a step in the right direction towards moving on from play-calling duties
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land
Was Buckeyes’ defense over-aggressive late in season? Might that change? Jim Knowles answers
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
Kyle McCord and Devin Brown Will Have “Blank Slate” from Ohio State Coaching Staff in Equal-Opportunity Quarterback Competition
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors
Key takeaways from Larry Johnson on Jack Sawyer, Buckeyes’ defensive line (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Larry Johnson Wants Jack Sawyer, Caden Curry to Refine Skills at One Position Rather Than Splitting Time at Jack and Defensive End
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State players who can help themselves most this offseason - offense
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Ohio State players who can help themselves most this offseason - defense
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Kamryn Babb Thankful for His Five Years at Ohio State, Excited for Next Chapter After Stepping Away from Football
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Key Takeaways as Keenan Bailey takes over tight ends (paywall)
Austin Ward
Yeah, that tracks:
On the Hardwood
Big Ten apologizes to Chris Holtmann for ‘far too quick’ second technical foul against Wisconsin
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
After revote, Bruce Thornton added to Ohio State’s captains
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
How big of an issue is leadership in the MBB locker room?
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Taylor Mikesell earned a spot on the Naismith Women's Player of the Year Midseason Team
: https://t.co/298isc99SQ#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/seVhn3OxXm
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 7, 2023
Women’s Basketball: Mikesell Named to 2023 Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Midseason Team
Ohio State Athletics
The latest on Zed Key’s shoulder injury, Eugene Brown III’s role (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Ohio State men’s basketball in midst of historically poor run
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Buckeye softball set to open their season this week
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Jesse Mendez ‘puts on a show’ as Ohio State wrestling freshman
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Men’s Tennis: No. 2 Buckeyes Sweep No. 6 Longhorn Behind Strong Freshmen Showings
Luke Caputo, The Lantern
Men’s Lacrosse: Blanchard, Myers Named B1G Players of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
You’re Nuts: What is your favorite prop bet for this year’s Super Bowl?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land
And now for something completely different...
I’ve got my tickets!
and now we wait for february 17 pic.twitter.com/0hOjb3PfCg
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) February 7, 2023
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