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LGHL What a regular season trend says about Ohio State’s chances in the NCAA Tournament
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What a regular season trend says about Ohio State’s chances in the NCAA Tournament
ThomasCostello 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
How the Buckeyes responded to pressure in the regular season tells a story heading into March Madness.
In one day, Ohio State women’s basketball returns to the NCAA Tournament for the 29th time in program history. There is the usual excitement for March Madness, but the focus surrounding the program is how will the team respond from a horrible display against the UCLA Bruins in the last game of the Buckeyes’ last game of the Big Ten Tournament.
For clues, take a look at the road that the Scarlet and Gray traveled to Friday’s NCAA Tournament tip.
There is no denying that the Ohio State loss to the UCLA Bruins was the worst loss of the season. The Buckeyes lost by 29 points and that was only because the Scarlet and Gray went on a 10-point run to end the game. At the end of the third quarter, UCLA built a 37-point lead, a program-record deficit for the Buckeyes after 30 minutes.
Even if no loss so far this season has touched that level of difficulty in Ohio State’s game, there have been other games this season where the Buckeyes went into games and either walked out with a loss or won by the skin of their teeth.
Look at the third game of the season against the Belmont Bruins where the Buckeyes took a three-point deficit into the fourth quarter that extended to eight points before freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge saved the day in the final minute.
Then there was the first loss of the season for the Buckeyes when the Penn State Nittany Lions shocked Ohio State in State College with a 62-59 upset victory. That was Penn State’s only Big Ten win in 18 games.
After each game, the Buckeyes responded with a victory. Now, the near loss to Belmont had more mid-major non-conference games follow it, but Ohio State did not let up on teams, winning 14 games in a row by an average margin of 26.9 points per game. That included a neutral site game against the Stanford Cardinal where the Buckeyes won by 25 points.
Following the loss to Penn State, Ohio State regrouped and beat three tournament teams in a row against Maryland, Nebraska, and Washington.
So, the Buckeyes are a team that can be great but a lot of it comes after the team gets startled.
“We’re kind of in a similar place we’ve been most of the year in that our good is really good,” OSU head coach Kevin McGuff said. “We just have been an inconsistent team.”
That inconsistency led to a stretch of three losses in five games, with each loss coming to tournament teams like the pair of Big Ten No. 1 ranked teams from Los Angeles with the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans.
Ohio State responded, winning the next three games after an upset defeat to the Indiana Hoosiers, in Bloomington. Those wins earned the Buckeyes a guaranteed No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Buckeyes lost to Maryland, in overtime, to end the season but recovered in the Big Ten Tournament against Iowa.
When the Buckeyes are feeling up for a game, the result against the Hawkeyes happens. It was a knockdown, drag-out, defensive battle but Ohio State was ready for the challenge, unlike the next night against the Bruins in the semifinal.
Following the loss, the Scarlet and Gray quickly packed up and headed home. There were no player-only meetings or motivational speeches between teammates. The players put their frustrations into practice.
“We just all just try to look at ourselves and what we could have done better,” guard Chance Gray said. “I think most of that issue was just how hard we were playing and the mentality that we came out with and carried it into practice. We had a really good couple of days of practice and I think we always try to do a better job of not dwelling on the loss, but moving on.”
Aside from playing the toughest road trip in the country, playing two top-four teams in Los Angeles in the span of four days, Ohio State has not dwelled on losses and turned them into extra motivation for the next game.
It’s a helpful quality in the regular season but how does that work in the NCAA Tournament? The Buckeyes also did the opposite where they had lulls following emotionally charged games. Both games against Iowa, each featuring games that went down to the wire, turned into losses.
After losing to UCLA in the regular season, a game where the Buckeyes put in the work for three quarters to tie the game in the first minute of the fourth quarter, the lull hit in the final nine minutes and carried into a one-sided game against the USC Trojans.
In March Madness, teams cannot pick and choose who they decide to play at full intensity. A potential win for top seeds in Columbus on Friday means the Buckeyes take on the Tennessee Volunteers of the SEC. Survive that game and it’s a potential matchup in the Sweet Sixteen against the No. 1 Texas Longhorns.
The road to a national title is not easy, but that’s how the tournament is designed — the best teams aiming to become the best in the country. Does Ohio State have enough fight to be in the conversation in the second and third weekends of the tournament?
There is one thing for sure, the Buckeyes have yet to peak this season and for any program success in this year’s tournament, now is the best time to start the ascent.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
How the Buckeyes responded to pressure in the regular season tells a story heading into March Madness.
In one day, Ohio State women’s basketball returns to the NCAA Tournament for the 29th time in program history. There is the usual excitement for March Madness, but the focus surrounding the program is how will the team respond from a horrible display against the UCLA Bruins in the last game of the Buckeyes’ last game of the Big Ten Tournament.
For clues, take a look at the road that the Scarlet and Gray traveled to Friday’s NCAA Tournament tip.
There is no denying that the Ohio State loss to the UCLA Bruins was the worst loss of the season. The Buckeyes lost by 29 points and that was only because the Scarlet and Gray went on a 10-point run to end the game. At the end of the third quarter, UCLA built a 37-point lead, a program-record deficit for the Buckeyes after 30 minutes.
Even if no loss so far this season has touched that level of difficulty in Ohio State’s game, there have been other games this season where the Buckeyes went into games and either walked out with a loss or won by the skin of their teeth.
Look at the third game of the season against the Belmont Bruins where the Buckeyes took a three-point deficit into the fourth quarter that extended to eight points before freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge saved the day in the final minute.
Then there was the first loss of the season for the Buckeyes when the Penn State Nittany Lions shocked Ohio State in State College with a 62-59 upset victory. That was Penn State’s only Big Ten win in 18 games.
After each game, the Buckeyes responded with a victory. Now, the near loss to Belmont had more mid-major non-conference games follow it, but Ohio State did not let up on teams, winning 14 games in a row by an average margin of 26.9 points per game. That included a neutral site game against the Stanford Cardinal where the Buckeyes won by 25 points.
Following the loss to Penn State, Ohio State regrouped and beat three tournament teams in a row against Maryland, Nebraska, and Washington.
So, the Buckeyes are a team that can be great but a lot of it comes after the team gets startled.
“We’re kind of in a similar place we’ve been most of the year in that our good is really good,” OSU head coach Kevin McGuff said. “We just have been an inconsistent team.”
That inconsistency led to a stretch of three losses in five games, with each loss coming to tournament teams like the pair of Big Ten No. 1 ranked teams from Los Angeles with the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans.
Ohio State responded, winning the next three games after an upset defeat to the Indiana Hoosiers, in Bloomington. Those wins earned the Buckeyes a guaranteed No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Buckeyes lost to Maryland, in overtime, to end the season but recovered in the Big Ten Tournament against Iowa.
When the Buckeyes are feeling up for a game, the result against the Hawkeyes happens. It was a knockdown, drag-out, defensive battle but Ohio State was ready for the challenge, unlike the next night against the Bruins in the semifinal.
Following the loss, the Scarlet and Gray quickly packed up and headed home. There were no player-only meetings or motivational speeches between teammates. The players put their frustrations into practice.
“We just all just try to look at ourselves and what we could have done better,” guard Chance Gray said. “I think most of that issue was just how hard we were playing and the mentality that we came out with and carried it into practice. We had a really good couple of days of practice and I think we always try to do a better job of not dwelling on the loss, but moving on.”
Aside from playing the toughest road trip in the country, playing two top-four teams in Los Angeles in the span of four days, Ohio State has not dwelled on losses and turned them into extra motivation for the next game.
It’s a helpful quality in the regular season but how does that work in the NCAA Tournament? The Buckeyes also did the opposite where they had lulls following emotionally charged games. Both games against Iowa, each featuring games that went down to the wire, turned into losses.
After losing to UCLA in the regular season, a game where the Buckeyes put in the work for three quarters to tie the game in the first minute of the fourth quarter, the lull hit in the final nine minutes and carried into a one-sided game against the USC Trojans.
In March Madness, teams cannot pick and choose who they decide to play at full intensity. A potential win for top seeds in Columbus on Friday means the Buckeyes take on the Tennessee Volunteers of the SEC. Survive that game and it’s a potential matchup in the Sweet Sixteen against the No. 1 Texas Longhorns.
The road to a national title is not easy, but that’s how the tournament is designed — the best teams aiming to become the best in the country. Does Ohio State have enough fight to be in the conversation in the second and third weekends of the tournament?
There is one thing for sure, the Buckeyes have yet to peak this season and for any program success in this year’s tournament, now is the best time to start the ascent.
Continue reading...
LGHL Grading every Ohio State men’s basketball transfer of the last decade
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Grading every Ohio State men’s basketball transfer of the last decade
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 Rich Schultz /Getty Images
Ohio State’s transfers over the past decade have been a mixed bag — some A’s and a few F’s.
College athletes transferring from one school to another has been happening for decades, and even before the transfer portal existed, the Ohio State men’s basketball program has been using transfers to supplement the roster in hopes of winning championships. Ron Lewis, Scoonie Penn, and Lawrence Funderburke – three program legends – transferred before it was “cool” to do so.
But at the turn of the decade, a global pandemic shook up eligibility rules by giving athletes a fifth year of eligibility if they played during the pandemic-impacted 2020-2021 season. In April 2021, it was announced that players would be able to transfer one time without having to sit out a year, and in 2024 the NCAA removed the “one time” from that rule, allowing players to transfer as many times as they want and become immediately eligible.
And thus, the transfer portal was born.
Wheeling and dealing in the transfer portal has livened up what used to be a dull college basketball offseason, with a batch of nearly 2,000 players transferring last spring. Ohio State added five transfers last season and saw four players transfer out.
But even before the portal, Ohio State has been supplementing its roster with at least one or two transfers nearly every season. A few have been key pieces to very successful teams. Others have fallen well short of expectations, costing the Buckeyes wins by playing poorly or not playing at all.
With that said, here is a list of every single player that has transferred into Ohio State in the last 10 years, starting with the 2014-15 season and ending with this past season. Each player is affixed with a grade based on how well they played or contributed to Ohio State’s success, based on a scientific and not at all subjective grading scale.
Walk-ons fall into their own category, and transfer players who are still at Ohio State at the time of publishing fall into the “Jury’s Out” category because those players still have time to improve or regress.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919165/1137659316.jpg "Ohio State v Iowa State")
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Woods only averaged 10.1 points per game at Ohio State during the 2018-2019 season, but fans will remember him for stepping up big time in the final games of the season, scoring 18 points in a de-facto play-in game in the Big Ten Tournament against Indiana to get Ohio State into the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed. He then scored a season-high 19 points against Iowa State to help the Buckeyes upset Tyrese Haliburton and 6-seed Iowa State.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919173/932523964.jpg "South Dakota State v Ohio State")
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Jackson was recruited out of Eastern Florida State College by Thad Matta in 2016, and wound up being the Buckeyes’ starting point guard for two seasons under Chris Holtmann, averaging 12.3 points per game his final two seasons. He also stunned Indiana at Assembly Hall on Senior Day 2018 with this incredible buzzer-beating three. For a player who was brought up from a junior college, Jackson exceeded expectations at Ohio State in three seasons.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919174/usa_today_22786286.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-Ohio State vs Illinois")
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Although Ohio State did not make the NCAA Tournament in Battle’s lone year in Columbus, it doesn’t seem fair to put blame on him. In fact, you could say that without him, Ohio State would have finished with an even worse record during the 2023-2024 season. Battle set a career-high by shooting 43.3% from three-point range and averaged 19.4 points per game over the final 10 games of the season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22381185/usa_today_15730201.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament-Ohio State vs Illinois")
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
This might be controversial because he only averaged 9.1 points per game in two seasons, but Walker was the perfect point guard for an Ohio State team that earned a 2-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. His assist-to-turnover ratio was better than 2-to-1 and he averaged 11 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game in the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament. He was also a 94% free throw shooter in his final season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919177/usa_today_25584506.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Parrish played one season at Ohio State, setting a career-high in points per game at 13.3 and leading the Buckeyes in scoring eight different times throughout the 2024-2025 season. He almost single-handedly carried the Buckeyes to a stunning road win at Purdue by scoring 22 on 8-of-10 shooting but also led the team in turnovers, many of which were of the unforced variety.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24532234/usa_today_20193153.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals - Michigan State vs Ohio State")
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Even if you ask Sueing himself, he probably doesn’t think he reached his peak potential at Ohio State after transferring from Cal, but he was still a very steady contributor from 2020-2023, averaging double-digit points in two seasons with a lost season (due to a groin injury) sandwiched in between. Sueing scored 10+ points in 41 of his 68 games while at Ohio State, and averaged 12.3 per game during the 2022-2023 season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919190/usa_today_9763481.jpg "NCAA Basketball: NC-Asheville at Ohio State")
Joe Maiorana-Imagn Images
Thompson was a rock-solid center for Ohio State from 2014 to 2017 after transferring from Virginia Tech. He was second in the Big Ten during the 2016-17 season in rebounds per game (9.2) despite only playing 23 minutes per game. He was Honorable Mention All-Big Ten that season, scoring 10.6 points per game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919191/usa_today_20193525.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals - Michigan State vs Ohio State")
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
McNeil was a solid contributor to an Ohio State team that finished 16-19 in 2023, averaging 9.7 points per game. He scored in double-digits in 17 of Ohio State’s 35 games, stretched the floor a bit, and was the best player in Ohio State’s Big Ten Tournament win over Wisconsin, scoring 17.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919196/usa_today_17980115.jpg "NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round Pittsburgh")
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Wheeler’s calling card when he transferred to Ohio State for the 2021-2022 season after four years at Penn State was his defense, being named to the Big Ten All-Defensive team twice. His defense lagged a bit in his final college season, but he did set career-highs in points per game (7.1) three-pointers made (38), and free throw percentage (86.1%), while helping take Ohio State to its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23249014/usa_today_17693351.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Russell was fine in limited minutes for Ohio State during the 2021-2022 season, scoring 4.2 points per game in 30 games and averaging roughly 13 minutes per game. However, he will forever be remembered as a hero for scoring a season-high 12 points off the bench against Duke at home, helping Ohio State upset the No. 1 team in the country. Prior to that game, Russell had scored a combined three points in Ohio State’s first four games.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25304751/usa_today_22619732.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Michigan State")
Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Similar to Russell, Bonner was a role player during his one year at Ohio State, starting two of the Buckeyes’ 36 games and averaging 4.9 points on 32.8% shooting. His big moment came against Michigan State on February 25, 2024, knocking down a game-winning three-pointer over Tyson Walker to beat the Spartans, 70-67. It snapped Ohio State’s 17-game losing streak and also broke a 12-year drought where Ohio State had not won in East Lansing since the middle of the Thad Matta days.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919202/usa_today_17820410.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Rounding out the “single-game heroics” part of the list is Brunk, who played for Chris Holtmann at Butler for one season and then transferred to Ohio State for the 2021-2022 season to finish his college career. He appeared in 28 of Ohio State’s 32 games, averaging 7.6 minutes and 2.4 points per game.
But against Michigan State on March 3, 2022, against Michigan State, Brunk played 32 minutes, scoring 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting as the Buckeyes won, 80-69. Both Zed Key and Kyle Young were unavailable for that game, forcing Brunk into action. After the game, Michigan State guard Gabe Brown said Brunk wasn’t even on the Spartan’s scouting report.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919205/933258316.jpg "Ohio State v Gonzaga")
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Dakich was a fine role player for Ohio State during Chris Holtmann’s first season, averaging 19 minutes per game and 2.2 shot attempts per game. His half-court buzzer-beater against top-ranked Michigan State is a core memory for a lot of fans, but in general, Dakich brought the ball up, didn’t turn it over, and only took wide-open shots. He did the job he was asked to do.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919206/usa_today_20182828.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round - Iowa vs Ohio State")
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
“Ice” Likekele contributed across the stat sheet, leading Ohio State in assists nine times during the 2022-23 season and grabbing five or more rebounds 12 different times. He handled the ball quite a bit and only averaged 1.1 turnovers per game during the season, but generally, Likekele did not excel in any area of the game and did not give Ohio State the scoring pop it hoped he would bring after averaging 8.9 points per game at Oklahoma State for four years prior to transferring.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22702169/usa_today_15530987.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Iowa")
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Since he was a local product, everyone was rooting for Seth Towns to be a star at Ohio State when he transferred from Harvard in 2020, but knee injuries never let him fully show what he had from 2020-2022. His 3.8 points per game during his one healthy Ohio State season sticks out like a sore thumb on his career stats page, and he only averaged 11 minutes per game. It’s unfortunate that his body did not allow him to play freely for his hometown school.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919210/460789898.jpg "Miami v Ohio State")
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
After leading the AAC in rebounding at Temple during the 2013-2014 season, Lee transferred to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility but gradually lost minutes to both Amir Williams and Trey McDonald before suffering a season-ending groin injury against Rutgers on February 8, 2015. Lee ended the season averaging 3.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919211/usa_today_25581262.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Admittedly, Glover was forced into a larger role this past season than was originally planned for a guy who had not played basketball in two years. Meechie Johnson abruptly leaving the team after 10 games slid Glover up the totem pole from emergency ball handler to the main backup to Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. Glover had moments where he played high-level defense and forced turnovers.
Still, those moments were overshadowed by puzzling shot selection and too many times where larger players took advantage of his height on defense. For the season, he averaged 4.4 points on 34.5% shooting and was 34.4% from beyond the arc.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919214/usa_today_19776793.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Even with his buzzer-beating, game-winning shot against Rutgers on December 8, Holden’s full body of work during the 2022-2023 season fell far short of what everyone expected after being named First Team All-Horizon League twice at Wright State.
Statistically speaking, Holden was fine in small samples, shooting 47.8% overall and 50% from three-point range, but he only played 13.5 minutes per game and it seemed like the role he envisioned at Ohio State may not have been the role the coaching staff had in mind when he transferred. After scoring 12 points against Robert Morris in the season opener, Holden did not score in double-digits again for the rest of the season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919218/usa_today_17694136.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Sotos never really got comfortable at Ohio State, only appearing in 12 games during the 2020-2021 season before a separated shoulder ended his season. He appeared in 19 games the following season, averaging 7.7 minutes per game and scoring 1.8 points per game.
By the end of the season, he had fallen behind Malaki Branham, Jamari Wheeler, and even Cedric Russell on the depth chart. All together, Sotos scored 54 points in 31 games at Ohio State over two seasons.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25919222/usa_today_24933051.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Johnson’s return to Ohio State was brief and not particularly successful. He appeared in 10 games this past season, averaging 9.1 points on 35.5% shooting and 35.7% from downtown. After scoring five points in a loss to Auburn on December 14, it was announced that Johnson was taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, and he never returned.
Johnson’s absence added a tremendous amount of pressure on all of Ohio State’s guards, particularly John Mobley Jr., who was forced to abandon the training wheels immediately and play 30+ minutes per night. Johnson’s 10-game performance was not an “F” but his season-long contributions fell tremendously short of what Ohio State planned on getting from the Cleveland kid when he transferred back to Ohio State.
Danny Hummer (2017-20) and Owen Spencer (2022-24) transferred to Ohio State as walk-ons. Both get an A for effort.
Evan Mahaffey (2023), Aaron Bradshaw (2024), and Sean Stewart (2024) all have at least one year of eligibility remaining. They weren’t included here, because they are still on the roster and any evaluation of their complete performance at Ohio State would be premature right now.
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 Rich Schultz /Getty Images
Ohio State’s transfers over the past decade have been a mixed bag — some A’s and a few F’s.
College athletes transferring from one school to another has been happening for decades, and even before the transfer portal existed, the Ohio State men’s basketball program has been using transfers to supplement the roster in hopes of winning championships. Ron Lewis, Scoonie Penn, and Lawrence Funderburke – three program legends – transferred before it was “cool” to do so.
But at the turn of the decade, a global pandemic shook up eligibility rules by giving athletes a fifth year of eligibility if they played during the pandemic-impacted 2020-2021 season. In April 2021, it was announced that players would be able to transfer one time without having to sit out a year, and in 2024 the NCAA removed the “one time” from that rule, allowing players to transfer as many times as they want and become immediately eligible.
And thus, the transfer portal was born.
Wheeling and dealing in the transfer portal has livened up what used to be a dull college basketball offseason, with a batch of nearly 2,000 players transferring last spring. Ohio State added five transfers last season and saw four players transfer out.
But even before the portal, Ohio State has been supplementing its roster with at least one or two transfers nearly every season. A few have been key pieces to very successful teams. Others have fallen well short of expectations, costing the Buckeyes wins by playing poorly or not playing at all.
With that said, here is a list of every single player that has transferred into Ohio State in the last 10 years, starting with the 2014-15 season and ending with this past season. Each player is affixed with a grade based on how well they played or contributed to Ohio State’s success, based on a scientific and not at all subjective grading scale.
Walk-ons fall into their own category, and transfer players who are still at Ohio State at the time of publishing fall into the “Jury’s Out” category because those players still have time to improve or regress.
Keyshawn Woods – A
Woods only averaged 10.1 points per game at Ohio State during the 2018-2019 season, but fans will remember him for stepping up big time in the final games of the season, scoring 18 points in a de-facto play-in game in the Big Ten Tournament against Indiana to get Ohio State into the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed. He then scored a season-high 19 points against Iowa State to help the Buckeyes upset Tyrese Haliburton and 6-seed Iowa State.
CJ Jackson – A
Jackson was recruited out of Eastern Florida State College by Thad Matta in 2016, and wound up being the Buckeyes’ starting point guard for two seasons under Chris Holtmann, averaging 12.3 points per game his final two seasons. He also stunned Indiana at Assembly Hall on Senior Day 2018 with this incredible buzzer-beating three. For a player who was brought up from a junior college, Jackson exceeded expectations at Ohio State in three seasons.
Jamison Battle – A
Although Ohio State did not make the NCAA Tournament in Battle’s lone year in Columbus, it doesn’t seem fair to put blame on him. In fact, you could say that without him, Ohio State would have finished with an even worse record during the 2023-2024 season. Battle set a career-high by shooting 43.3% from three-point range and averaged 19.4 points per game over the final 10 games of the season.
CJ Walker – A
This might be controversial because he only averaged 9.1 points per game in two seasons, but Walker was the perfect point guard for an Ohio State team that earned a 2-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. His assist-to-turnover ratio was better than 2-to-1 and he averaged 11 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game in the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament. He was also a 94% free throw shooter in his final season.
Micah Parrish – B+
Parrish played one season at Ohio State, setting a career-high in points per game at 13.3 and leading the Buckeyes in scoring eight different times throughout the 2024-2025 season. He almost single-handedly carried the Buckeyes to a stunning road win at Purdue by scoring 22 on 8-of-10 shooting but also led the team in turnovers, many of which were of the unforced variety.
Justice Sueing – B+
Even if you ask Sueing himself, he probably doesn’t think he reached his peak potential at Ohio State after transferring from Cal, but he was still a very steady contributor from 2020-2023, averaging double-digit points in two seasons with a lost season (due to a groin injury) sandwiched in between. Sueing scored 10+ points in 41 of his 68 games while at Ohio State, and averaged 12.3 per game during the 2022-2023 season.
Trevor Thompson – B+
Thompson was a rock-solid center for Ohio State from 2014 to 2017 after transferring from Virginia Tech. He was second in the Big Ten during the 2016-17 season in rebounds per game (9.2) despite only playing 23 minutes per game. He was Honorable Mention All-Big Ten that season, scoring 10.6 points per game.
Sean McNeil – B
McNeil was a solid contributor to an Ohio State team that finished 16-19 in 2023, averaging 9.7 points per game. He scored in double-digits in 17 of Ohio State’s 35 games, stretched the floor a bit, and was the best player in Ohio State’s Big Ten Tournament win over Wisconsin, scoring 17.
Jamari Wheeler – B
Wheeler’s calling card when he transferred to Ohio State for the 2021-2022 season after four years at Penn State was his defense, being named to the Big Ten All-Defensive team twice. His defense lagged a bit in his final college season, but he did set career-highs in points per game (7.1) three-pointers made (38), and free throw percentage (86.1%), while helping take Ohio State to its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance.
Cedric Russell – B-
Russell was fine in limited minutes for Ohio State during the 2021-2022 season, scoring 4.2 points per game in 30 games and averaging roughly 13 minutes per game. However, he will forever be remembered as a hero for scoring a season-high 12 points off the bench against Duke at home, helping Ohio State upset the No. 1 team in the country. Prior to that game, Russell had scored a combined three points in Ohio State’s first four games.
Dale Bonner – B-
Similar to Russell, Bonner was a role player during his one year at Ohio State, starting two of the Buckeyes’ 36 games and averaging 4.9 points on 32.8% shooting. His big moment came against Michigan State on February 25, 2024, knocking down a game-winning three-pointer over Tyson Walker to beat the Spartans, 70-67. It snapped Ohio State’s 17-game losing streak and also broke a 12-year drought where Ohio State had not won in East Lansing since the middle of the Thad Matta days.
Joey Brunk – C
Rounding out the “single-game heroics” part of the list is Brunk, who played for Chris Holtmann at Butler for one season and then transferred to Ohio State for the 2021-2022 season to finish his college career. He appeared in 28 of Ohio State’s 32 games, averaging 7.6 minutes and 2.4 points per game.
But against Michigan State on March 3, 2022, against Michigan State, Brunk played 32 minutes, scoring 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting as the Buckeyes won, 80-69. Both Zed Key and Kyle Young were unavailable for that game, forcing Brunk into action. After the game, Michigan State guard Gabe Brown said Brunk wasn’t even on the Spartan’s scouting report.
Andrew Dakich – C
Dakich was a fine role player for Ohio State during Chris Holtmann’s first season, averaging 19 minutes per game and 2.2 shot attempts per game. His half-court buzzer-beater against top-ranked Michigan State is a core memory for a lot of fans, but in general, Dakich brought the ball up, didn’t turn it over, and only took wide-open shots. He did the job he was asked to do.
Isaac Likekele – C-
“Ice” Likekele contributed across the stat sheet, leading Ohio State in assists nine times during the 2022-23 season and grabbing five or more rebounds 12 different times. He handled the ball quite a bit and only averaged 1.1 turnovers per game during the season, but generally, Likekele did not excel in any area of the game and did not give Ohio State the scoring pop it hoped he would bring after averaging 8.9 points per game at Oklahoma State for four years prior to transferring.
Seth Towns – C-
Since he was a local product, everyone was rooting for Seth Towns to be a star at Ohio State when he transferred from Harvard in 2020, but knee injuries never let him fully show what he had from 2020-2022. His 3.8 points per game during his one healthy Ohio State season sticks out like a sore thumb on his career stats page, and he only averaged 11 minutes per game. It’s unfortunate that his body did not allow him to play freely for his hometown school.
Anthony Lee – D
After leading the AAC in rebounding at Temple during the 2013-2014 season, Lee transferred to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility but gradually lost minutes to both Amir Williams and Trey McDonald before suffering a season-ending groin injury against Rutgers on February 8, 2015. Lee ended the season averaging 3.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Ques Glover – D
Admittedly, Glover was forced into a larger role this past season than was originally planned for a guy who had not played basketball in two years. Meechie Johnson abruptly leaving the team after 10 games slid Glover up the totem pole from emergency ball handler to the main backup to Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. Glover had moments where he played high-level defense and forced turnovers.
Still, those moments were overshadowed by puzzling shot selection and too many times where larger players took advantage of his height on defense. For the season, he averaged 4.4 points on 34.5% shooting and was 34.4% from beyond the arc.
Tanner Holden – D
Even with his buzzer-beating, game-winning shot against Rutgers on December 8, Holden’s full body of work during the 2022-2023 season fell far short of what everyone expected after being named First Team All-Horizon League twice at Wright State.
Statistically speaking, Holden was fine in small samples, shooting 47.8% overall and 50% from three-point range, but he only played 13.5 minutes per game and it seemed like the role he envisioned at Ohio State may not have been the role the coaching staff had in mind when he transferred. After scoring 12 points against Robert Morris in the season opener, Holden did not score in double-digits again for the rest of the season.
Jimmy Sotos – F
Sotos never really got comfortable at Ohio State, only appearing in 12 games during the 2020-2021 season before a separated shoulder ended his season. He appeared in 19 games the following season, averaging 7.7 minutes per game and scoring 1.8 points per game.
By the end of the season, he had fallen behind Malaki Branham, Jamari Wheeler, and even Cedric Russell on the depth chart. All together, Sotos scored 54 points in 31 games at Ohio State over two seasons.
Meechie Johnson – F
Johnson’s return to Ohio State was brief and not particularly successful. He appeared in 10 games this past season, averaging 9.1 points on 35.5% shooting and 35.7% from downtown. After scoring five points in a loss to Auburn on December 14, it was announced that Johnson was taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, and he never returned.
Johnson’s absence added a tremendous amount of pressure on all of Ohio State’s guards, particularly John Mobley Jr., who was forced to abandon the training wheels immediately and play 30+ minutes per night. Johnson’s 10-game performance was not an “F” but his season-long contributions fell tremendously short of what Ohio State planned on getting from the Cleveland kid when he transferred back to Ohio State.
WALK ON’S
Danny Hummer (2017-20) and Owen Spencer (2022-24) transferred to Ohio State as walk-ons. Both get an A for effort.
JURY’S OUT
Evan Mahaffey (2023), Aaron Bradshaw (2024), and Sean Stewart (2024) all have at least one year of eligibility remaining. They weren’t included here, because they are still on the roster and any evaluation of their complete performance at Ohio State would be premature right now.
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LGHL Ohio State quarterbacks and running backs meet with the media following practice
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Ohio State quarterbacks and running backs meet with the media following practice
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics
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 to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Ohio State names three Iron Buckeyes from winter workouts
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Football: The Buckeyes Spoke to the Media After Spring Practice
Ohio State Athletics
Billy Fessler Says Ohio State is a “Long Way Away” from Even Talking About How Close the QB Competition Is, Julian Sayin Praises Will Howard’s Leadership from Last Season
Garrick Hodge, Andy Anders, and Dan Hope; Eleven Warriors
Carlos Locklyn Sees James Peoples “Pushing to Be Great,” CJ Donaldson Says He’s “Running Like the Flash” After Losing 18 Pounds
Chase Brown, Dan Hope, Garrick Hodge, and Andy Anders; Eleven Warriors
Observations from Buckeyes second day of spring football practice
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Practice Observations as Buckeyes hit second day of camp
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Highlights and Observations from Ohio State’s Second Practice of the Spring
Dan Hope, Chase Brown, and Andy Anders; Eleven Warriors
Is Sayin the favorite to be Ohio State’s QB?
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Julian Sayin Drilling Down on Finer Points of Quaterbacking in Bid for Buckeyes’ Starting Job
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Blocking out the noise, Julian Sayin is working on improving as a quarterback this offseason
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Lincoln Kienholz: Veteran Ohio State quarterback poised for spring battle
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Revisiting Ohio State’s 2004 Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma State
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon earns AP All-American Honorable Mention
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
How do you think the Ohio State women will do in the NCAA tournament?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Women’s March Madness Memories: Buckeyes ground Hawkeyes in Final Four overtime
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
OHSAA adding Aaron Craft, Jacy Sheldon to Circle of Champions
Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch
Softball: Big First Inning Lifts Buckeyes over Youngstown State
Ohio State Athletics
Buckeyes Earn Academic All-Big Ten Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Gymnastics: Parker Thackston Named College Gymnastics Association Specialist of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
I will never not be angry with David Zaslav for shelving this movie.
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
Ohio State Athletics
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 to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Ohio State names three Iron Buckeyes from winter workouts
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Football: The Buckeyes Spoke to the Media After Spring Practice
Ohio State Athletics
Billy Fessler Says Ohio State is a “Long Way Away” from Even Talking About How Close the QB Competition Is, Julian Sayin Praises Will Howard’s Leadership from Last Season
Garrick Hodge, Andy Anders, and Dan Hope; Eleven Warriors
Carlos Locklyn Sees James Peoples “Pushing to Be Great,” CJ Donaldson Says He’s “Running Like the Flash” After Losing 18 Pounds
Chase Brown, Dan Hope, Garrick Hodge, and Andy Anders; Eleven Warriors
Observations from Buckeyes second day of spring football practice
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Practice Observations as Buckeyes hit second day of camp
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Highlights and Observations from Ohio State’s Second Practice of the Spring
Dan Hope, Chase Brown, and Andy Anders; Eleven Warriors
Is Sayin the favorite to be Ohio State’s QB?
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Julian Sayin Drilling Down on Finer Points of Quaterbacking in Bid for Buckeyes’ Starting Job
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Blocking out the noise, Julian Sayin is working on improving as a quarterback this offseason
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Lincoln Kienholz: Veteran Ohio State quarterback poised for spring battle
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Revisiting Ohio State’s 2004 Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma State
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon earns AP All-American Honorable Mention
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
How do you think the Ohio State women will do in the NCAA tournament?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Women’s March Madness Memories: Buckeyes ground Hawkeyes in Final Four overtime
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
OHSAA adding Aaron Craft, Jacy Sheldon to Circle of Champions
Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch
An-run 1st inning powered @OhioStateSB to a 12-1 win over YSU
Catch them all here#B1GSoftball pic.twitter.com/M7kkzYPZ3O
— Big Ten Softball (@B1Gsoftball) March 19, 2025
Softball: Big First Inning Lifts Buckeyes over Youngstown State
Ohio State Athletics
Buckeyes Earn Academic All-Big Ten Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Gymnastics: Parker Thackston Named College Gymnastics Association Specialist of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
I will never not be angry with David Zaslav for shelving this movie.
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LGHL Ohio State offers pair of visiting 2026 offensive linemen during spring practice
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Ohio State offers pair of visiting 2026 offensive linemen during spring practice
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 via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are staying active on the trail, dishing out multiple offers on Wednesday in the 2026 class.
With spring practice well underway, it’s been fun to see Ohio State back on the field... even if it’s in limited drills. There is talent all over the place, including the newly arrived freshmen, and the Buckeyes will once again be among the most talented rosters in the country with plenty to play for.
Off the field, these spring practices present major recruiting opportunities for the coaching staff, and Wednesday was no different. Whether it be visits or new offers going out, there’s no down time for Ohio State on and off the field.
New offensive line coach Tyler Bowen is making his rounds in the recruiting world. Offering new players and making sure to keep relationships with the guys already targeted before his arrival, the plan in place seems to lead to a casting a wider net than in years past. Nothing shows that better than two offers going out on Tuesday to a pair of 2026 offensive tackle prospects.
First on the list and making an unofficial visit, Florida native Chancellor Campbell made the trek to see Ohio State and came away with the latest offer to his name. The No. 617 player nationally and the No. 50 offensive tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Campbell has nearly 20 offers in total.
A 6-foot-8, 295 pound offensive tackle, the size alone sticks out, but seeing schools such as Florida, Miami, Penn State, Texas A&M, and others pulling the trigger makes sense for the Buckeyes to join the fold. This is a name worth keeping track of moving forward as the offensive line continues to be a priority in the 2026 cycle.
Next on the board, Ohio State also saw fit to extend another offer in the 2026 class to Arizona native, Aaron Thomas. A 6-foot-7, 285 pound tackle with 20 offers to his name and a three-star ranking, Ohio State was able to host Thomas as well for an unofficial visit on Wednesday during practice.
The No. 546 player nationally and No. 47 tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Thomas currently holds offers from the likes of Arizona, Arkansas, Cal, Texas A&M, and Washington in addition to Ohio State. From the jump, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the Buckeyes are the biggest offer to date, which could cause a domino effect of more schools taking notice — or at least put Ohio State in real contention for his services.
Either way, with two new names being offered at the offensive tackle spot, it shouldn’t be a concern that the staff doesn’t sit well with their top targets already offered, but more so a new approach that allows the Buckeyes to have real options if they don’t hit on the guys they’ve been in on for some time.
This new philosophy should be a welcomed change.
The No. 123 player nationally and No. 10 signal caller in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite remains uncommitted, and Ohio State is more than interested.
The No. 447 player nationally and 35th best linebacker per the 247Sports Composite, it’s pretty clear the Buckeyes are in the lead for his services, and a cycle that will look to take multiple players at the position, Sanna fits that bill.
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 via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are staying active on the trail, dishing out multiple offers on Wednesday in the 2026 class.
With spring practice well underway, it’s been fun to see Ohio State back on the field... even if it’s in limited drills. There is talent all over the place, including the newly arrived freshmen, and the Buckeyes will once again be among the most talented rosters in the country with plenty to play for.
Off the field, these spring practices present major recruiting opportunities for the coaching staff, and Wednesday was no different. Whether it be visits or new offers going out, there’s no down time for Ohio State on and off the field.
Buckeyes dish out new offer to 2026 offensive linemen
New offensive line coach Tyler Bowen is making his rounds in the recruiting world. Offering new players and making sure to keep relationships with the guys already targeted before his arrival, the plan in place seems to lead to a casting a wider net than in years past. Nothing shows that better than two offers going out on Tuesday to a pair of 2026 offensive tackle prospects.
First on the list and making an unofficial visit, Florida native Chancellor Campbell made the trek to see Ohio State and came away with the latest offer to his name. The No. 617 player nationally and the No. 50 offensive tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Campbell has nearly 20 offers in total.
A 6-foot-8, 295 pound offensive tackle, the size alone sticks out, but seeing schools such as Florida, Miami, Penn State, Texas A&M, and others pulling the trigger makes sense for the Buckeyes to join the fold. This is a name worth keeping track of moving forward as the offensive line continues to be a priority in the 2026 cycle.
Next on the board, Ohio State also saw fit to extend another offer in the 2026 class to Arizona native, Aaron Thomas. A 6-foot-7, 285 pound tackle with 20 offers to his name and a three-star ranking, Ohio State was able to host Thomas as well for an unofficial visit on Wednesday during practice.
The No. 546 player nationally and No. 47 tackle per the 247Sports Composite, Thomas currently holds offers from the likes of Arizona, Arkansas, Cal, Texas A&M, and Washington in addition to Ohio State. From the jump, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the Buckeyes are the biggest offer to date, which could cause a domino effect of more schools taking notice — or at least put Ohio State in real contention for his services.
Either way, with two new names being offered at the offensive tackle spot, it shouldn’t be a concern that the staff doesn’t sit well with their top targets already offered, but more so a new approach that allows the Buckeyes to have real options if they don’t hit on the guys they’ve been in on for some time.
This new philosophy should be a welcomed change.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State hosted Texas quarterback target Bowe Bentley for spring practice, as he made his stop in Columbus on Tuesday to see the Buckeyes in action. Spending time with Ryan Day and position coach Billy Fessler, there’s no better duo to show a quarterback around the Woody, and Bentley had no shortage of attention.
The No. 123 player nationally and No. 10 signal caller in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite remains uncommitted, and Ohio State is more than interested.
- One more visit worth noting and a short trek at that, Ohio State also welcomed in-state target CJ Sanna yesterday for another unofficial visit. A frequent guest on campus, Sanna was offered by the Buckeyes in late January, and has been closely linked to the in-state power since then.
The No. 447 player nationally and 35th best linebacker per the 247Sports Composite, it’s pretty clear the Buckeyes are in the lead for his services, and a cycle that will look to take multiple players at the position, Sanna fits that bill.
Had a great day at THE Ohio State! Thank you to all the coaches and staff for an amazing time. Go Bucks @JLaurinaitis55 @ryandaytime @jchorba16 @OhioStateFB @OHSBravesFB pic.twitter.com/39RmBIdzHw
— CJ️
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Women’s basketball writer Thomas Costello joins for an NCAA Tournament preview
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Bucketheads Podcast: Women’s basketball writer Thomas Costello joins for an NCAA Tournament preview
justingolba 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 via Imagn Images
We recap the women’s basketball team’s season and preview their first-round tournament game against Montana State.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
For episode 155, we are joined by Land-Grant Holy Land writer and Ohio State women’s basketball beat reporter Thomas Costello for a special NCAA women’s tournament preview. To start the episode, we recap the Buckeyes' season, its highs and lows, and how they achieved a home game in the Big Dance.
Then, we preview the Montana State game and what the Buckeyes have to do to win that game to advance and take on Tennessee. Also, what do we have to know about Ohio State’s region and Texas, who is the No. 1 seed.
We finish off with a conversation about Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff, and how far the Buckeyes can go with him at the helm, as well as make our predictions for the tournament.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: 1ThomasCostello
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We recap the women’s basketball team’s season and preview their first-round tournament game against Montana State.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
For episode 155, we are joined by Land-Grant Holy Land writer and Ohio State women’s basketball beat reporter Thomas Costello for a special NCAA women’s tournament preview. To start the episode, we recap the Buckeyes' season, its highs and lows, and how they achieved a home game in the Big Dance.
Then, we preview the Montana State game and what the Buckeyes have to do to win that game to advance and take on Tennessee. Also, what do we have to know about Ohio State’s region and Texas, who is the No. 1 seed.
We finish off with a conversation about Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff, and how far the Buckeyes can go with him at the helm, as well as make our predictions for the tournament.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: 1ThomasCostello
Continue reading...
LGHL Revisiting Ohio State’s 2004 Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma State
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Revisiting Ohio State’s 2004 Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma State
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Even though they were without quarterback Troy Smith, the Buckeyes overwhelmed the Cowboys in San Antonio.
While we’ll have plenty of content this offseason about the upcoming Ohio State football team, I figured it would be fun to pay some respect to Buckeye teams of the past. A great way to do that would be to look back on random Ohio State bowl game wins.
The Buckeyes are 30-29 in bowl games over the years, so there are more than enough bowl game victories to pick away at each week. Before you know it it’ll be late August and it’ll be time to turn our full attention to the season opener against the Texas Longhorns!
The 2004 season felt like a good place to start since it was a bit of a transitional year for Ohio State. The Buckeyes were coming off two phenomenal seasons, beating Miami to win the BCS National Championship at the end of the 2002 season, followed by an 11-2 season and a win in the Fiesta Bowl over Kansas State in 2003.
2004 wasn’t quite as smooth since quarterback Craig Krenzel had exhausted his eligibility, meaning there was going to be a new starting quarterback in Columbus.
Highly touted recruit Justin Zwick got the first crack at trying to fill Krenzel’s shoes. Early on things went well, as the Buckeyes got off to a 3-0 start with wins over Cincinnati, Marshall, and NC State. Ohio State hit a rough patch in October, dropping three straight games to Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
To make matters even worse at the time, Zwick was injured in the Iowa game, leaving Troy Smith to take the snaps at quarterback.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25917474/51770516.jpg "Michigan v Ohio State")
Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Even though you’re never rooting for a player to get injured, Smith replacing Zwick due to injury might have been a bit of a blessing considering what Smith would do in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. The future Heisman Trophy winner would go on to win four of five starts to close out the regular season, including a 37-21 victory over rival Michigan in Columbus.
With the victory over the Wolverines, Ohio State would finish the regular season with a 7-4 record.
After accepting a bid to the Alamo Bowl to play Oklahoma State, Jim Tressel announced they would be without Smith in San Antonio after the quarterback was suspended for an unspecified team rules violation. The suspension would eventually be extended to the first game of the 2005 season when it was revealed Smith accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith unavailable to play, Zwick would get another chance to state his case to be the team’s starting quarterback in the second game of the 2005 season when the Buckeyes would host the Texas Longhorns.
The opponent for Ohio State would be Les Miles and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Like the Buckeyes, the Cowboys entered the Alamo Bowl with a 7-4 record. Oklahoma State started off the season strong, beating UCLA at the Rose Bowl on their way to five straight wins to open 2004.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they would lose four of their last six regular season games. Oklahoma State almost created some waves in the BCS when they narrowly lost to Oklahoma in Stillwater, falling to the rival Sooners 38-35 in Bedlam.
Quarterbacking the Oklahoma State offense was Donovan Woods, but the bread and butter of the offense was their running game with Vernand Morency, who ran for 1,474 yards and 12 touchdowns. Woods added 10 scores on the ground, while throwing for 13 touchdowns.
D’Juan Woods was the top threat for the Cowboys at wide receiver, with Prentiss Elliott and Billy Bajema proving to be reliable options when Woods decided to throw the ball.
The suspension of Smith was a big storyline heading into the Alamo Bowl, but there was also talk of head coach Les Miles leaving Stillwater for greener pastures. Early on it became obvious that the Buckeyes were the more focused team in San Antonio, jumping out to a 7-0 lead when Zwick found Anthony Gonzalez for a 23-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Ohio State would slowly extend the lead throughout the first half, using three Mike Nugent field goals and a Lydell Ross touchdown to take a 23-0 lead into halftime.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25917468/53359451.jpg "MasterCard Alamo Bowl")
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
With such a big lead, the Buckeyes were essentially on cruise control the rest of the game. Ted Ginn Jr. ran for a touchdown and Nugent kicked his fourth field goal of the game before the Cowboys were able to avoid being shut out when they scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
The victory would be Ohio State’s third straight bowl victory. Ross rushed for 99 yards in the game, but the big story was Ginn. The speedster caught six passes for 78 yards, and added 51 yards rushing.
The win over Oklahoma State set high expectations for the Buckeyes in 2005. Not only would Smith be available after the first game of the season, also in the mix were Ted Ginn Jr., leading receiver Santonio Holmes, and a trio of outstanding linebackers led by A.J. Hawk, who registered 141 tackles in 2004.
Ohio State would unfortunately lose hotly contested games to Texas and Penn State, but they would beat Michigan and go on to defeat Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl. Smith would go on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2006, leading the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Game against Florida.
Just five days after losing to Ohio State in the Alamo Bowl, Les Miles would agree to take the LSU job. Taking over for Miles was offensive coordinator Mike Gundy, who is still the head coach of the Cowboys. In his first season as head coach in 2005, Gundy’s Oklahoma State squad would go just 4-7, which would end up being their last losing season before posting a 3-9 record in 2024.
Miles would get his revenge on Tressel and Ohio State when he led LSU to a win in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Even though they were without quarterback Troy Smith, the Buckeyes overwhelmed the Cowboys in San Antonio.
While we’ll have plenty of content this offseason about the upcoming Ohio State football team, I figured it would be fun to pay some respect to Buckeye teams of the past. A great way to do that would be to look back on random Ohio State bowl game wins.
The Buckeyes are 30-29 in bowl games over the years, so there are more than enough bowl game victories to pick away at each week. Before you know it it’ll be late August and it’ll be time to turn our full attention to the season opener against the Texas Longhorns!
The 2004 season felt like a good place to start since it was a bit of a transitional year for Ohio State. The Buckeyes were coming off two phenomenal seasons, beating Miami to win the BCS National Championship at the end of the 2002 season, followed by an 11-2 season and a win in the Fiesta Bowl over Kansas State in 2003.
2004 wasn’t quite as smooth since quarterback Craig Krenzel had exhausted his eligibility, meaning there was going to be a new starting quarterback in Columbus.
Highly touted recruit Justin Zwick got the first crack at trying to fill Krenzel’s shoes. Early on things went well, as the Buckeyes got off to a 3-0 start with wins over Cincinnati, Marshall, and NC State. Ohio State hit a rough patch in October, dropping three straight games to Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
To make matters even worse at the time, Zwick was injured in the Iowa game, leaving Troy Smith to take the snaps at quarterback.
Even though you’re never rooting for a player to get injured, Smith replacing Zwick due to injury might have been a bit of a blessing considering what Smith would do in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. The future Heisman Trophy winner would go on to win four of five starts to close out the regular season, including a 37-21 victory over rival Michigan in Columbus.
With the victory over the Wolverines, Ohio State would finish the regular season with a 7-4 record.
After accepting a bid to the Alamo Bowl to play Oklahoma State, Jim Tressel announced they would be without Smith in San Antonio after the quarterback was suspended for an unspecified team rules violation. The suspension would eventually be extended to the first game of the 2005 season when it was revealed Smith accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith unavailable to play, Zwick would get another chance to state his case to be the team’s starting quarterback in the second game of the 2005 season when the Buckeyes would host the Texas Longhorns.
The opponent for Ohio State would be Les Miles and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Like the Buckeyes, the Cowboys entered the Alamo Bowl with a 7-4 record. Oklahoma State started off the season strong, beating UCLA at the Rose Bowl on their way to five straight wins to open 2004.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they would lose four of their last six regular season games. Oklahoma State almost created some waves in the BCS when they narrowly lost to Oklahoma in Stillwater, falling to the rival Sooners 38-35 in Bedlam.
Quarterbacking the Oklahoma State offense was Donovan Woods, but the bread and butter of the offense was their running game with Vernand Morency, who ran for 1,474 yards and 12 touchdowns. Woods added 10 scores on the ground, while throwing for 13 touchdowns.
D’Juan Woods was the top threat for the Cowboys at wide receiver, with Prentiss Elliott and Billy Bajema proving to be reliable options when Woods decided to throw the ball.
The suspension of Smith was a big storyline heading into the Alamo Bowl, but there was also talk of head coach Les Miles leaving Stillwater for greener pastures. Early on it became obvious that the Buckeyes were the more focused team in San Antonio, jumping out to a 7-0 lead when Zwick found Anthony Gonzalez for a 23-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Ohio State would slowly extend the lead throughout the first half, using three Mike Nugent field goals and a Lydell Ross touchdown to take a 23-0 lead into halftime.
With such a big lead, the Buckeyes were essentially on cruise control the rest of the game. Ted Ginn Jr. ran for a touchdown and Nugent kicked his fourth field goal of the game before the Cowboys were able to avoid being shut out when they scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
The victory would be Ohio State’s third straight bowl victory. Ross rushed for 99 yards in the game, but the big story was Ginn. The speedster caught six passes for 78 yards, and added 51 yards rushing.
Aftermath
The win over Oklahoma State set high expectations for the Buckeyes in 2005. Not only would Smith be available after the first game of the season, also in the mix were Ted Ginn Jr., leading receiver Santonio Holmes, and a trio of outstanding linebackers led by A.J. Hawk, who registered 141 tackles in 2004.
Ohio State would unfortunately lose hotly contested games to Texas and Penn State, but they would beat Michigan and go on to defeat Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl. Smith would go on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2006, leading the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Game against Florida.
Just five days after losing to Ohio State in the Alamo Bowl, Les Miles would agree to take the LSU job. Taking over for Miles was offensive coordinator Mike Gundy, who is still the head coach of the Cowboys. In his first season as head coach in 2005, Gundy’s Oklahoma State squad would go just 4-7, which would end up being their last losing season before posting a 3-9 record in 2024.
Miles would get his revenge on Tressel and Ohio State when he led LSU to a win in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.
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2026 FL OL Chancellor Campbell (Florida Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2026
Position: OT
School: St. Petersburg(FL) Lakewood
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 290lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: OT
School: St. Petersburg(FL) Lakewood
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 290lbs
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