-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL Sean Stewart announces he will enter the transfer portal after one season at Ohio State
- News
- 0 Replies
Sean Stewart announces he will enter the transfer portal after one season at Ohio State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Stewart will look for his third team in three seasons after averaging 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
After one season at Ohio State playing both power forward and center, rising junior Sean Stewart announced today that he plans to enter the transfer portal, seeking his third basketball program in three seasons. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward played his freshman season at Duke before transferring to Ohio State last spring.
Stewart played in 30 of Ohio State’s 32 games this past season, starting all 30 he played in. He averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and shot 54.2% overall.
Despite starting every game he played in, Stewart only played 18.4 minutes per game this past season due to foul trouble. While he was the 13th-best defensive rebounder in the nation according to KenPom, that ability was hindered by his inability to stay on the floor. Part of it may have been that Stewart was playing out of position at center, but the sophomore averaged one foul every 5.4 minutes of play last season. He fouled out seven times last season.
Stewart scored in double-digits four times this past season, including a season-high 14 points against Oregon on January 9. He also grabbed nine rebounds and had two steals against the Ducks, playing 23 minutes in the Ohio State loss.
The original plan was for Stewart to start at power forward for Ohio State this season, with Aaron Bradshaw starting at center. However, Bradshaw’s mid-season absence due to a university investigation opened the door for Devin Royal, who stepped into the starting lineup and averaged 18.6 points per game during the seven games Bradshaw missed.
When Bradshaw returned, Jake Diebler had no choice but to leave Royal in the lineup, starting him at power forward and moving Stewart to center. That is where Stewart started for the remainder of the season, consistently going up against much bigger post players.
If Stewart can stay out of foul trouble, he’s the type of player who should be able to provide 10+ rebounds per game pretty consistently. His offensive game remains limited, but the ability to grab offensive rebounds will always open up opportunities for players like Stewart to get high-percentage shots near the basket for easy points — if he can stay on the floor to do so.
Stewart was a five-star recruit and the No. 17 player in the 2023 recruiting class. He was the second-highest rated player in the state of Florida that year, and the No. 5 power forward in the nation. After playing his freshman season at Duke, he transferred to Ohio State last spring looking for an expanded role, which he got, seeing his minutes per game jump from 8.4 as a freshman to 18.4 as a sophomore.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Stewart will look for his third team in three seasons after averaging 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
After one season at Ohio State playing both power forward and center, rising junior Sean Stewart announced today that he plans to enter the transfer portal, seeking his third basketball program in three seasons. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward played his freshman season at Duke before transferring to Ohio State last spring.
Stewart played in 30 of Ohio State’s 32 games this past season, starting all 30 he played in. He averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and shot 54.2% overall.
Despite starting every game he played in, Stewart only played 18.4 minutes per game this past season due to foul trouble. While he was the 13th-best defensive rebounder in the nation according to KenPom, that ability was hindered by his inability to stay on the floor. Part of it may have been that Stewart was playing out of position at center, but the sophomore averaged one foul every 5.4 minutes of play last season. He fouled out seven times last season.
Stewart scored in double-digits four times this past season, including a season-high 14 points against Oregon on January 9. He also grabbed nine rebounds and had two steals against the Ducks, playing 23 minutes in the Ohio State loss.
The original plan was for Stewart to start at power forward for Ohio State this season, with Aaron Bradshaw starting at center. However, Bradshaw’s mid-season absence due to a university investigation opened the door for Devin Royal, who stepped into the starting lineup and averaged 18.6 points per game during the seven games Bradshaw missed.
When Bradshaw returned, Jake Diebler had no choice but to leave Royal in the lineup, starting him at power forward and moving Stewart to center. That is where Stewart started for the remainder of the season, consistently going up against much bigger post players.
If Stewart can stay out of foul trouble, he’s the type of player who should be able to provide 10+ rebounds per game pretty consistently. His offensive game remains limited, but the ability to grab offensive rebounds will always open up opportunities for players like Stewart to get high-percentage shots near the basket for easy points — if he can stay on the floor to do so.
Stewart was a five-star recruit and the No. 17 player in the 2023 recruiting class. He was the second-highest rated player in the state of Florida that year, and the No. 5 power forward in the nation. After playing his freshman season at Duke, he transferred to Ohio State last spring looking for an expanded role, which he got, seeing his minutes per game jump from 8.4 as a freshman to 18.4 as a sophomore.
Continue reading...
LGHL Five updates on Ohio State spring sports that are worth cheering for this week
- News
- 0 Replies
Five updates on Ohio State spring sports that are worth cheering for this week
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Softball player Skylar Limon hits the ball during the Buckeyes’ three-game series against Michigan. | @OhioStateSB on X.com
From a perfect Big Ten season to Big Ten Honors and everything in between, the Buckeyes are heating up across the sporting world.
With several sports heading into playoff season, the Buckeyes left us with much to celebrate this past weekend. Here are the top updates from last weekend and all the upcoming fun you’ll want to mark your calendars for.
No. 3 Men’s and No. 9 Women’s tennis wrap a stellar regular season
The No. 3 Buckeye men’s tennis team clinched an outright Big Ten title and finished their season undefeated in the Big Ten with wins over Indiana and Purdue.
Their 4-0 win over Indiana secured them their 19th consecutive Big Ten title. They secured the doubles point with wins from Will Jansen and Aidan Kim and Brandon Carpico and Nikita Filin. Singles wins from Jansen, Jack Anthrop, and Chris Li sealed the deal.
The Buckeyes then secured their perfect 13-0 season in the Big Ten with their 4-2 win over Purdue on Sunday. While Purdue claimed the doubles win, singles wins from Alexander Bernard, Bryce Nakashima, Li, and Anthrop brought it home for the Buckeyes, who now prepare for the Big Ten Tournament.
OSU will host and has the No. 1 seed. Their first match — in the quarterfinal — is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m. ET.
On the women’s side, the No. 9 Buckeyes defeated both Wisconsin and Minnesota to finish their regular season 12-1 in the Big Ten. In their 4-0 win over Wisconsin, OSU earned the doubles point with wins from Sydni Ratliff and Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev and Audrey Spencer and Nao Nishino. Their three singles points came from Ratliff, Nashino, and Alessia Cau.
Against Minnesota, the Gophers took the doubles point, but singles wins from Luciana Perry, Nashino, Ratliff, and Shelly Bereznyak earned OSU a 4-1 win. Now, they’ll get ready to head to Ojai, California, on Wednesday for the Big Ten Tournament.
OSU holds the No. 2 seed and receives a bye until the quarterfinals. They’ll play their quarterfinal match Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
Men’s and women’s golf bring home big wins
Ohio State’s men’s and women’s golf teams also had a big weekend on both fronts, with the women’s team competing in the Big Ten Championships and the men’s team earning its second tournament win in as many weekends.
The women finished fourth overall at the Big Ten Championships, with a team score of 873 (+9) and a final round score of 291 (+3).
Leading the pack was Kary Hollenbaugh, who added a silver medal to what has already been a spectacular season. Hollenbaugh tied for second after shooting a five-under 67 in the final round, jumping up 15 places on the leaderboard.
Up next, the Buckeyes will host NCAA Regionals at the OSU Scarlet Course, May 5-7. The selection show is set to take place this Wednesday.
On the men’s side, OSU won the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate on Saturday at the OSU Golf Club, closing a three-shot deficit in the final round to secure the victory. They also boasted two top-five finishes. Topher Reed, playing as an individual, shot a career-best 56-hole score of 214 to finish as the runner-up, while Timotej Formanek finished at 3-over for fourth place.
The Buckeyes head to Baltimore for the Big Ten Championships this coming Friday, with play continuing through Sunday.
Men’s Volleyball advances to the MIVA Semifinals
The train keeps rolling for No. 3-seed men’s volleyball after they defeated No. 6 Lindenwood, 3-1, at home last weekend to advance to the MIVA Tournament Semifinals. Shane Wetzel, who was named First Team All-MIVA, earned his 1,000th career kill to lead the Buckeyes.
Their next match is against No. 2 McKendree on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. OSU split their two previous meetings with McKendree this season, losing 1-3 on the road in late February but defeating the Bearcats, 3-2, at home at the end of March.
Track & Field earns 4 event titles and 11 personal bests
Track & Field had groups competing at both the Tom Jones Memorial Invite at the University of Florida and the Virginia Challenge this weekend, closing out the weekend of competition with four event titles and 11 personal bests.
Their wins came in women’s 800m, with Amelia Figler taking the first spot with a new PR of 2:07.86; Katie Castelli in the women’s 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:32.50; Tanner Watson in men’s discus throw with a best distance of 57.31m/188’0”; and DJ Fillmore in the men’s long jump, with a best distance of 7.64m/25’0.75”.
The Buckeyes also claimed the runner-up spot in the women’s 800m, with Carina Napoleon’s time of 2:09.74. Leah Bertrand finished fourth in the women’s 100m with a time of 11.22 seconds. Edidiong Udo’s 45.19 seconds in the men’s 400m is his new personal best and is also the fourth-fastest time in the event in school history.
On the field side, the Buckeyes earned seven top-five finishes in addition to Watson and Fillmore’s wins.
The Buckeyes head to Iowa for the Drake Relays this Friday and Saturday for their next competition.
Softball sweeps Michigan & gets Big Ten Honors
The Buckeyes didn’t just win four softball games this weekend, including an 11-2 win over Dayton and its first-ever series sweep over Michigan — they did it in style, with two standout performances across the weekend.
In Game 1 against Michigan, OSU earned the come-from-behind win thanks to a go-ahead home run from Skylar Limon, who also made a game-saving catch. In Game 2, OSU came back from a 4-0 deficit and secured the win with a three-run walk-off home run from Hadley Parisien. Limon also hit a home run in Game 2, her third consecutive game with a homer.
Parisien wasn’t done yet, either. Her Game 3 walk-off grand slam put the Buckeyes up, 15-7, to end the game in the sixth. The home run was the team’s 118th for the season, tying them with the 2015 Wolverines for the most-ever by a Big Ten team, with seven regular-season games still to play.
The Buckeyes have had 35 games this season with multiple home runs.
For Limon’s efforts this weekend, she was named Big Ten Player of the Week. She hit .600 across all four games, homering in three consecutive games, hitting .500 against Michigan with six runs scored, two home runs, three RBI, and had a .600 on-base percentage in the series.
Up next, OSU heads to Athens, Ohio, to face the Ohio Bobcats in the Buckeyes’ final midweek game. They’ll finish out the weekend with their final home stand of the year, hosting Purdue in a three-game series, Friday through Sunday.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Softball player Skylar Limon hits the ball during the Buckeyes’ three-game series against Michigan. | @OhioStateSB on X.com
From a perfect Big Ten season to Big Ten Honors and everything in between, the Buckeyes are heating up across the sporting world.
With several sports heading into playoff season, the Buckeyes left us with much to celebrate this past weekend. Here are the top updates from last weekend and all the upcoming fun you’ll want to mark your calendars for.
No. 3 Men’s and No. 9 Women’s tennis wrap a stellar regular season
The No. 3 Buckeye men’s tennis team clinched an outright Big Ten title and finished their season undefeated in the Big Ten with wins over Indiana and Purdue.
Their 4-0 win over Indiana secured them their 19th consecutive Big Ten title. They secured the doubles point with wins from Will Jansen and Aidan Kim and Brandon Carpico and Nikita Filin. Singles wins from Jansen, Jack Anthrop, and Chris Li sealed the deal.
The Buckeyes then secured their perfect 13-0 season in the Big Ten with their 4-2 win over Purdue on Sunday. While Purdue claimed the doubles win, singles wins from Alexander Bernard, Bryce Nakashima, Li, and Anthrop brought it home for the Buckeyes, who now prepare for the Big Ten Tournament.
OSU will host and has the No. 1 seed. Their first match — in the quarterfinal — is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m. ET.
On the women’s side, the No. 9 Buckeyes defeated both Wisconsin and Minnesota to finish their regular season 12-1 in the Big Ten. In their 4-0 win over Wisconsin, OSU earned the doubles point with wins from Sydni Ratliff and Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev and Audrey Spencer and Nao Nishino. Their three singles points came from Ratliff, Nashino, and Alessia Cau.
Against Minnesota, the Gophers took the doubles point, but singles wins from Luciana Perry, Nashino, Ratliff, and Shelly Bereznyak earned OSU a 4-1 win. Now, they’ll get ready to head to Ojai, California, on Wednesday for the Big Ten Tournament.
OSU holds the No. 2 seed and receives a bye until the quarterfinals. They’ll play their quarterfinal match Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
Men’s and women’s golf bring home big wins
Ohio State’s men’s and women’s golf teams also had a big weekend on both fronts, with the women’s team competing in the Big Ten Championships and the men’s team earning its second tournament win in as many weekends.
The women finished fourth overall at the Big Ten Championships, with a team score of 873 (+9) and a final round score of 291 (+3).
Leading the pack was Kary Hollenbaugh, who added a silver medal to what has already been a spectacular season. Hollenbaugh tied for second after shooting a five-under 67 in the final round, jumping up 15 places on the leaderboard.
Up next, the Buckeyes will host NCAA Regionals at the OSU Scarlet Course, May 5-7. The selection show is set to take place this Wednesday.
On the men’s side, OSU won the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate on Saturday at the OSU Golf Club, closing a three-shot deficit in the final round to secure the victory. They also boasted two top-five finishes. Topher Reed, playing as an individual, shot a career-best 56-hole score of 214 to finish as the runner-up, while Timotej Formanek finished at 3-over for fourth place.
The Buckeyes head to Baltimore for the Big Ten Championships this coming Friday, with play continuing through Sunday.
Men’s Volleyball advances to the MIVA Semifinals
The train keeps rolling for No. 3-seed men’s volleyball after they defeated No. 6 Lindenwood, 3-1, at home last weekend to advance to the MIVA Tournament Semifinals. Shane Wetzel, who was named First Team All-MIVA, earned his 1,000th career kill to lead the Buckeyes.
Their next match is against No. 2 McKendree on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. OSU split their two previous meetings with McKendree this season, losing 1-3 on the road in late February but defeating the Bearcats, 3-2, at home at the end of March.
Track & Field earns 4 event titles and 11 personal bests
Track & Field had groups competing at both the Tom Jones Memorial Invite at the University of Florida and the Virginia Challenge this weekend, closing out the weekend of competition with four event titles and 11 personal bests.
Their wins came in women’s 800m, with Amelia Figler taking the first spot with a new PR of 2:07.86; Katie Castelli in the women’s 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:32.50; Tanner Watson in men’s discus throw with a best distance of 57.31m/188’0”; and DJ Fillmore in the men’s long jump, with a best distance of 7.64m/25’0.75”.
The Buckeyes also claimed the runner-up spot in the women’s 800m, with Carina Napoleon’s time of 2:09.74. Leah Bertrand finished fourth in the women’s 100m with a time of 11.22 seconds. Edidiong Udo’s 45.19 seconds in the men’s 400m is his new personal best and is also the fourth-fastest time in the event in school history.
On the field side, the Buckeyes earned seven top-five finishes in addition to Watson and Fillmore’s wins.
The Buckeyes head to Iowa for the Drake Relays this Friday and Saturday for their next competition.
Softball sweeps Michigan & gets Big Ten Honors
The Buckeyes didn’t just win four softball games this weekend, including an 11-2 win over Dayton and its first-ever series sweep over Michigan — they did it in style, with two standout performances across the weekend.
In Game 1 against Michigan, OSU earned the come-from-behind win thanks to a go-ahead home run from Skylar Limon, who also made a game-saving catch. In Game 2, OSU came back from a 4-0 deficit and secured the win with a three-run walk-off home run from Hadley Parisien. Limon also hit a home run in Game 2, her third consecutive game with a homer.
Parisien wasn’t done yet, either. Her Game 3 walk-off grand slam put the Buckeyes up, 15-7, to end the game in the sixth. The home run was the team’s 118th for the season, tying them with the 2015 Wolverines for the most-ever by a Big Ten team, with seven regular-season games still to play.
Bottom 6th | HADLEY PARISIEN CALLS GAME
Parisien's grand slam completes the rivalry sweep!
FINAL | OSU 15, Wolverines 7 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/d5ongaoyTH
— Ohio State Softball (@OhioStateSB) April 20, 2025
The Buckeyes have had 35 games this season with multiple home runs.
For Limon’s efforts this weekend, she was named Big Ten Player of the Week. She hit .600 across all four games, homering in three consecutive games, hitting .500 against Michigan with six runs scored, two home runs, three RBI, and had a .600 on-base percentage in the series.
Up next, OSU heads to Athens, Ohio, to face the Ohio Bobcats in the Buckeyes’ final midweek game. They’ll finish out the weekend with their final home stand of the year, hosting Purdue in a three-game series, Friday through Sunday.
Continue reading...
LGHL Power Two Podcast: 2025 Big Ten conference games, plus new NCAA rules
- News
- 0 Replies
Power Two Podcast: 2025 Big Ten conference games, plus new NCAA rules
JordanW330 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
On this episode we discuss the NFL Draft, the NCAA and College Football Playoff meetings, and the top Big Ten Conference games in 2025.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
Colorado decided to retire Shedeur Sander’s and Travis Hunter’s jerseys. DJ and Jordan share some very strong opinions about retiring jerseys. Jordan also shares his thoughts about nepotism playing into Sanders’ jersey retirement. DJ makes the comparison to the Manning family and how they would most likely do the same thing. This prompted a conversation about UConn Women’s basketball and their jersey retirement requirements.
DJ met the Executive Director of the College Football Playoffs and shared some news about the upcoming season. Starting this week, there will be discussions and voting regarding the seeding for the 2025 season and beyond. There will also be discussions about expanding past 12 teams.
The last piece of news is the upcoming House Settlement and the implications for the NCAA. They have proposed a laundry list of rule changes, including NIL, scholarships, roster limits, and more, to accommodate the changing landscape of NIL.
In the two minute drill, DJ and Jordan talk about the upcoming NFL Draft. Jordan discusses what he wants to see from his Colts. DJ shares that she’s looking forward to the draft fashion.
In this week’s power sweep, DJ and Jordan share their picks for the BIG 10 conference games. DJ picks include Indiana-Oregon and Penn State-Ohio State, while Jordan picked Ohio State-Michigan and Oregon-Penn State, among others.
In the two minute warning, Jordan shares his recent favorite tv show, X Men ‘97. DJ shares that she’s feeling fomo for not having seen the movie Sinners yet even though it just came out.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
JordanW330 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
On this episode we discuss the NFL Draft, the NCAA and College Football Playoff meetings, and the top Big Ten Conference games in 2025.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
Colorado decided to retire Shedeur Sander’s and Travis Hunter’s jerseys. DJ and Jordan share some very strong opinions about retiring jerseys. Jordan also shares his thoughts about nepotism playing into Sanders’ jersey retirement. DJ makes the comparison to the Manning family and how they would most likely do the same thing. This prompted a conversation about UConn Women’s basketball and their jersey retirement requirements.
DJ met the Executive Director of the College Football Playoffs and shared some news about the upcoming season. Starting this week, there will be discussions and voting regarding the seeding for the 2025 season and beyond. There will also be discussions about expanding past 12 teams.
The last piece of news is the upcoming House Settlement and the implications for the NCAA. They have proposed a laundry list of rule changes, including NIL, scholarships, roster limits, and more, to accommodate the changing landscape of NIL.
In the two minute drill, DJ and Jordan talk about the upcoming NFL Draft. Jordan discusses what he wants to see from his Colts. DJ shares that she’s looking forward to the draft fashion.
In this week’s power sweep, DJ and Jordan share their picks for the BIG 10 conference games. DJ picks include Indiana-Oregon and Penn State-Ohio State, while Jordan picked Ohio State-Michigan and Oregon-Penn State, among others.
In the two minute warning, Jordan shares his recent favorite tv show, X Men ‘97. DJ shares that she’s feeling fomo for not having seen the movie Sinners yet even though it just came out.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State trending for four-star offensive line target
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State trending for four-star offensive line target
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star offensive lineman Pierre Dean | via @deanpj56 on X
The Buckeyes are beginning to trend for one of the nation’s top interior offensive line prospects in the 2026 class.
Ohio State has reached the end of the spring practice schedule, but that doesn’t mean anything has slowed down for the football team. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff will be hard at work with the football team in preparation to follow up on a season where Ohio State won the newly-expanded College Football Playoff Championship.
Recruiting will also continue to be a top priority for the Buckeyes as well. Currently, the hot-button topic with college football recruiting is the transfer portal. Players have been able to officially enter their names into the portal for the offseason, and once again we are seeing crazy numbers.
So far, the portal has been kind to Ohio State, as many of the returning Buckeyes from the previous season are moving on from their college football careers or staying in Columbus. Ohio State is active on the other side though, as they have shown interest in numerous entrants. The Buckeyes will soon be playing host to transfer prospects as well as recruits still in high school.
Traditional recruiting is obviously a top priority for the Ohio State coaching staff, and the Buckeyes played host to dozens of recruits during the spring practice sessions — and that work seems to already be paying off. Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class currently ranks at No. 3 in the 247Sports Class Rankings with 11 verbal commitments.
The Buckeyes will continue to add to the class, and are now trending for one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects in Pierre Dean (Clemmons, NC / West Forsyth). Ohio State was recently the recipient of a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction for Dean from 247Sports Ohio State Insider Bill Kurelic. Ohio State is also viewed as the leader in his recruitment by On3 as well.
Ohio State visited with Dean last month, and the visit culminated in former Buckeye offensive line coach Justin Frye presenting him with an official scholarship offer. The coaching staff has remained in contact with Dean, and he returned the favor by visiting Ohio State for the spring game. He also has an official visit scheduled with the Buckeyes for June 13.
While the Buckeyes should certainly be viewed as the current favorites in his recruitment, they are not alone. Dean also has official visits scheduled with South Carolina and Georgia, who at one point was thought to be the leaders in his recruitment.
Dean has not yet scheduled a commitment date and has not mentioned anything about announcing one anytime soon. He likely also goes through with his upcoming official visits in order to ensure he picks the school best for him. However, that isn’t to say he won’t make up his mind before then either.
Ohio State currently holds commitments from three recruits along the offensive line in four-star offensive tackles Maxwell Riley and Sam Greer and three-star interior lineman Tucker Smith. The Buckeyes want to add to this haul, and Dean would be an excellent fit.
Dean is the No. 4 IOL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 59 overall recruit. He is also the No. 5 recruit from the talent-rich state of North Carolina.
The Ohio State coaching staff hit the recruiting trail head first on Monday as Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn visited with one of Ohio’s top running back recruits Favour Akih (Delaware, OH / Rutherford B Hayes). Akih is one of the top recruits in the state and the Buckeyes have done a great job at making him feel like a priority in his recruitment.
The work has paid off as the Buckeyes are viewed as the favorites in his recruitment, but they also know better than to rest on their Laurels. Akih is the No. 14 RB and the No. 167 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also the No. 8 recruit from Ohio.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star offensive lineman Pierre Dean | via @deanpj56 on X
The Buckeyes are beginning to trend for one of the nation’s top interior offensive line prospects in the 2026 class.
Ohio State has reached the end of the spring practice schedule, but that doesn’t mean anything has slowed down for the football team. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff will be hard at work with the football team in preparation to follow up on a season where Ohio State won the newly-expanded College Football Playoff Championship.
Recruiting will also continue to be a top priority for the Buckeyes as well. Currently, the hot-button topic with college football recruiting is the transfer portal. Players have been able to officially enter their names into the portal for the offseason, and once again we are seeing crazy numbers.
So far, the portal has been kind to Ohio State, as many of the returning Buckeyes from the previous season are moving on from their college football careers or staying in Columbus. Ohio State is active on the other side though, as they have shown interest in numerous entrants. The Buckeyes will soon be playing host to transfer prospects as well as recruits still in high school.
Traditional recruiting is obviously a top priority for the Ohio State coaching staff, and the Buckeyes played host to dozens of recruits during the spring practice sessions — and that work seems to already be paying off. Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class currently ranks at No. 3 in the 247Sports Class Rankings with 11 verbal commitments.
The Buckeyes will continue to add to the class, and are now trending for one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects in Pierre Dean (Clemmons, NC / West Forsyth). Ohio State was recently the recipient of a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction for Dean from 247Sports Ohio State Insider Bill Kurelic. Ohio State is also viewed as the leader in his recruitment by On3 as well.
Ohio State visited with Dean last month, and the visit culminated in former Buckeye offensive line coach Justin Frye presenting him with an official scholarship offer. The coaching staff has remained in contact with Dean, and he returned the favor by visiting Ohio State for the spring game. He also has an official visit scheduled with the Buckeyes for June 13.
While the Buckeyes should certainly be viewed as the current favorites in his recruitment, they are not alone. Dean also has official visits scheduled with South Carolina and Georgia, who at one point was thought to be the leaders in his recruitment.
Dean has not yet scheduled a commitment date and has not mentioned anything about announcing one anytime soon. He likely also goes through with his upcoming official visits in order to ensure he picks the school best for him. However, that isn’t to say he won’t make up his mind before then either.
Ohio State currently holds commitments from three recruits along the offensive line in four-star offensive tackles Maxwell Riley and Sam Greer and three-star interior lineman Tucker Smith. The Buckeyes want to add to this haul, and Dean would be an excellent fit.
Dean is the No. 4 IOL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 59 overall recruit. He is also the No. 5 recruit from the talent-rich state of North Carolina.
Quick Hits
The Ohio State coaching staff hit the recruiting trail head first on Monday as Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn visited with one of Ohio’s top running back recruits Favour Akih (Delaware, OH / Rutherford B Hayes). Akih is one of the top recruits in the state and the Buckeyes have done a great job at making him feel like a priority in his recruitment.
The work has paid off as the Buckeyes are viewed as the favorites in his recruitment, but they also know better than to rest on their Laurels. Akih is the No. 14 RB and the No. 167 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also the No. 8 recruit from Ohio.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State squared off with Kansas State for the first time in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State squared off with Kansas State for the first time in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The random Ohio State bowl victory that we are going to focus on today is the clash with Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of the 2003 season.
Much like in 2003, Ohio State will be defending their national championship in the 2025 season. Ryan Day and company are hoping for a season that doesn’t have quite as much drama as what Jim Tressel’s team faced heading into the 2003 season.
Despite having to deal with a lot on and off the field, Ohio State still put together a very strong campaign in 2003, with their season coming to a close in the same place that it did just 12 months before, although the stakes weren’t quite as high as their trip to Tempe to take on Miami at the beginning of 2003.
Heading into the 2003 season, there were plenty of questions surrounding the status of running back Maurice Clarett. After starring for the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2002, Clarett was at the center of not only an academic cheating scandal, but allegations of improper benefits.
Even though Clarett wasn’t officially suspended for Ohio State’s first two games of the season, on Sept. 10 the running back from Youngstown was suspended for the rest of the season. Following the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Clarett would never suit up for another game for the Buckeyes.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25960615/2821276.jpg "Purdue v Ohio State")
Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images
Without Clarett, Ohio State wasn’t quite as strong running the football as they were in 2002. That doesn’t mean Tressel didn’t work his running backs, as Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall combined to rush for over 1,100 yards and 11 scores. The Buckeyes benefited from having an experienced quarterback behind center in Craig Krenzel.
The passing game opened up a little more in 2003 with Krenzel having receivers Michael Jenkins and Santonio Holmes at his disposal. Jenkins finished the season with 55 catches for 834 yards and seven touchdowns, while Holmes added 32 receptions for 549 yards and seven scores.
Despite missing their starting running back, Ohio State started off the season with a win over Washington in Columbus in a battle between ranked teams. Included in their five straight wins to open up the 2003 season was a triple overtime thriller against Philip Rivers and NC State, with the Buckeyes earning a 44-38 win at home.
The first setback for Tressel since the 2002 Outback Bowl came in October against Wisconsin. The Badgers were able to top Ohio State 17-10 in Madison.
At least the Buckeyes were able to bounce back quickly from the loss to Wisconsin, returning home to beat Iowa, who was ranked ninth in the country at the time, 19-10 the following Saturday. The victory over the Hawkeyes sparked a five-game winning streak for Ohio State, which included wins at home over ranked Michigan State and Purdue squads.
Unfortunately, the Buckeyes would close out the regular season by suffering one of Tressel’s few losses to Michigan, as the Wolverines beat Ohio State 35-21 in Ann Arbor in the 100th meeting all-time between the rivals.
When the dust settled on the announcement of the bowl schedule, Ohio State found out they would be making the trip to Tempe for the second year in a row, this time to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, marking the first time the two programs have squared off on the football field.
Following an 11-2 season in 2002, capped off by a victory in the Holiday Bowl over Arizona State, Kansas State again reached double digits in the win column, entering the Fiesta Bowl with an 11-3 record.
Bill Snyder’s 15th season in charge in Manhattan was a bit of an odd ride. The Wildcats opened up the season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, winning the BCA Classic against Cal, sparking a four-game winning streak to start the season. Then in the middle of the year Kansas State lost three straight games to Marshall, Texas, and Oklahoma State by a combined 15 points.
The Wildcats rebounded from the losing streak to win their final seven games of the season, capped off by a 35-7 destruction over top-ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. The conference championship was the first since 1934 for the Kansas State football program.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25960617/2789869.jpg "Kansas State v Oklahoma")
Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Powering the Wildcats was a dominant combination on the ground of running back Darren Sproles and quarterback Eli Roberson. Sproles was fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, finishing the season with 1,986 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Roberson added 15 scores and 975 yards rushing to go along with 2,545 yards through the air and 24 passing touchdowns.
The Kansas State quarterback did enter the Fiesta Bowl with a major distraction though, as he was accused of sexual assault the night before the game, but he would end up starting for the Wildcats. No charges were ever filed against Roberson in response to the allegations.
Early on in the Fiesta Bowl it looked like Kansas State was focusing on everything but a football game. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead when John Hollins returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, followed by Santonio Holmes hauling in a six-yard pass from Craig Krenzel for a touchdown to push Ohio State’s lead to 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes would add to their advantage when Krenzel found Michael Jenkins from 17 yards out to increase the lead to 21-0 with 6:49 left in the second quarter. Sproles would cut into the lead before half when his rushing touchdown sent the Wildcats into the break trailing 21-7.
After halftime, Kansas State quarterback Eli Roberson started to find his rhythm. Roberson was able to pull the Wildcats within a score when his 14-yard touchdown run with 8:59 left in the third quarter made the score 21-14. Kansas State’s defense couldn’t contribute to the comeback effort, though. Krenzel found Jenkins for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:53 left in the third quarter, followed by a 31-yard receiving touchdown for Santonio Holmes just before the end of the quarter to push the lead to 35-14.
The Wildcats would make Buckeye Nation sweat a bit in the final quarter when Ayo Saba scored early in the quarter, and Roberson rushed for his second touchdown of the game with just under three left in the contest to close the gap to 35-28 before running out of time.
Ohio State was able to use their big early lead, as well as strong defensive contributions from A.J. Hawk, Will Smith, and others to hold Kansas State to just 84 yards rushing in the game, well below their season average.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25960618/2953033.jpg "Kansas State v Ohio State")
Both programs fell short of expectations in the 2004 season. Kansas State failed to qualify for a bowl game, posting a 4-7 record. Ohio State took a while to get their offense going without starting quarterback Craig Krenzel in 2004, winning just eight games in a season that ended with an Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.
Even though the 2004 season wasn’t one of the more memorable campaigns in history, it set the table for a strong 2005 season, which was followed by a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in 2006.
Starting with the trip to Tempe for the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Ohio State would play in four Fiesta Bowls between 2003 and 2009, winning three of those contests. The Buckeyes have played in nine Fiesta Bowl games overall, winning five of them.
Currently, Ohio State has a two-game losing streak in Fiesta Bowl games, with both of those losses coming to the Clemson Tigers. The contest with the Wildcats at the end of the 2003 season remains the only time the two programs have met.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The random Ohio State bowl victory that we are going to focus on today is the clash with Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of the 2003 season.
Much like in 2003, Ohio State will be defending their national championship in the 2025 season. Ryan Day and company are hoping for a season that doesn’t have quite as much drama as what Jim Tressel’s team faced heading into the 2003 season.
Despite having to deal with a lot on and off the field, Ohio State still put together a very strong campaign in 2003, with their season coming to a close in the same place that it did just 12 months before, although the stakes weren’t quite as high as their trip to Tempe to take on Miami at the beginning of 2003.
Heading into the 2003 season, there were plenty of questions surrounding the status of running back Maurice Clarett. After starring for the Buckeyes as a freshman in 2002, Clarett was at the center of not only an academic cheating scandal, but allegations of improper benefits.
Even though Clarett wasn’t officially suspended for Ohio State’s first two games of the season, on Sept. 10 the running back from Youngstown was suspended for the rest of the season. Following the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Clarett would never suit up for another game for the Buckeyes.
Without Clarett, Ohio State wasn’t quite as strong running the football as they were in 2002. That doesn’t mean Tressel didn’t work his running backs, as Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall combined to rush for over 1,100 yards and 11 scores. The Buckeyes benefited from having an experienced quarterback behind center in Craig Krenzel.
The passing game opened up a little more in 2003 with Krenzel having receivers Michael Jenkins and Santonio Holmes at his disposal. Jenkins finished the season with 55 catches for 834 yards and seven touchdowns, while Holmes added 32 receptions for 549 yards and seven scores.
Despite missing their starting running back, Ohio State started off the season with a win over Washington in Columbus in a battle between ranked teams. Included in their five straight wins to open up the 2003 season was a triple overtime thriller against Philip Rivers and NC State, with the Buckeyes earning a 44-38 win at home.
The first setback for Tressel since the 2002 Outback Bowl came in October against Wisconsin. The Badgers were able to top Ohio State 17-10 in Madison.
At least the Buckeyes were able to bounce back quickly from the loss to Wisconsin, returning home to beat Iowa, who was ranked ninth in the country at the time, 19-10 the following Saturday. The victory over the Hawkeyes sparked a five-game winning streak for Ohio State, which included wins at home over ranked Michigan State and Purdue squads.
Unfortunately, the Buckeyes would close out the regular season by suffering one of Tressel’s few losses to Michigan, as the Wolverines beat Ohio State 35-21 in Ann Arbor in the 100th meeting all-time between the rivals.
When the dust settled on the announcement of the bowl schedule, Ohio State found out they would be making the trip to Tempe for the second year in a row, this time to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, marking the first time the two programs have squared off on the football field.
Following an 11-2 season in 2002, capped off by a victory in the Holiday Bowl over Arizona State, Kansas State again reached double digits in the win column, entering the Fiesta Bowl with an 11-3 record.
Bill Snyder’s 15th season in charge in Manhattan was a bit of an odd ride. The Wildcats opened up the season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, winning the BCA Classic against Cal, sparking a four-game winning streak to start the season. Then in the middle of the year Kansas State lost three straight games to Marshall, Texas, and Oklahoma State by a combined 15 points.
The Wildcats rebounded from the losing streak to win their final seven games of the season, capped off by a 35-7 destruction over top-ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. The conference championship was the first since 1934 for the Kansas State football program.
Powering the Wildcats was a dominant combination on the ground of running back Darren Sproles and quarterback Eli Roberson. Sproles was fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, finishing the season with 1,986 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Roberson added 15 scores and 975 yards rushing to go along with 2,545 yards through the air and 24 passing touchdowns.
The Kansas State quarterback did enter the Fiesta Bowl with a major distraction though, as he was accused of sexual assault the night before the game, but he would end up starting for the Wildcats. No charges were ever filed against Roberson in response to the allegations.
Early on in the Fiesta Bowl it looked like Kansas State was focusing on everything but a football game. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead when John Hollins returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, followed by Santonio Holmes hauling in a six-yard pass from Craig Krenzel for a touchdown to push Ohio State’s lead to 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes would add to their advantage when Krenzel found Michael Jenkins from 17 yards out to increase the lead to 21-0 with 6:49 left in the second quarter. Sproles would cut into the lead before half when his rushing touchdown sent the Wildcats into the break trailing 21-7.
After halftime, Kansas State quarterback Eli Roberson started to find his rhythm. Roberson was able to pull the Wildcats within a score when his 14-yard touchdown run with 8:59 left in the third quarter made the score 21-14. Kansas State’s defense couldn’t contribute to the comeback effort, though. Krenzel found Jenkins for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:53 left in the third quarter, followed by a 31-yard receiving touchdown for Santonio Holmes just before the end of the quarter to push the lead to 35-14.
The Wildcats would make Buckeye Nation sweat a bit in the final quarter when Ayo Saba scored early in the quarter, and Roberson rushed for his second touchdown of the game with just under three left in the contest to close the gap to 35-28 before running out of time.
Ohio State was able to use their big early lead, as well as strong defensive contributions from A.J. Hawk, Will Smith, and others to hold Kansas State to just 84 yards rushing in the game, well below their season average.
Both programs fell short of expectations in the 2004 season. Kansas State failed to qualify for a bowl game, posting a 4-7 record. Ohio State took a while to get their offense going without starting quarterback Craig Krenzel in 2004, winning just eight games in a season that ended with an Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.
Even though the 2004 season wasn’t one of the more memorable campaigns in history, it set the table for a strong 2005 season, which was followed by a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in 2006.
Starting with the trip to Tempe for the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami, Ohio State would play in four Fiesta Bowls between 2003 and 2009, winning three of those contests. The Buckeyes have played in nine Fiesta Bowl games overall, winning five of them.
Currently, Ohio State has a two-game losing streak in Fiesta Bowl games, with both of those losses coming to the Clemson Tigers. The contest with the Wildcats at the end of the 2003 season remains the only time the two programs have met.
Continue reading...
