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LGHL BOOOOM! Trajen Odom commits to Ohio State, another DL commitment on the way?
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BOOOOM! Trajen Odom commits to Ohio State, another DL commitment on the way?
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State 2025 commit Trajen Odom (center) with coaches Larry Johnson (left) and LaAllen Clark (right). | via @traajenn on Twitter
Plus, a Buckeyes defensive back target commits elsewhere.
June has now come to a close, and it couldn’t have gone much better for Ohio State on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes added eight new members to their 2025 class this past month, bringing the total to 21 commits for a group ranked No. 1 in the country. The latest addition came on Friday, when Larry Johnson secured another big name in his unit.
That commitment came from four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom, the No. 31 DL and No. 284 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
The defensive tackle from North Carolina chose the Buckeyes out of a top six schools list that included Colorado, Georgia, Oregon, UCLA and USC. Listed at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, Odom quickly became a priority target for Ohio State on the interior. Odom was originally offered by Johnson back in January, and after making his first visit to campus in March, returned again in May before his official visit on June 7. That OV, as well as his relationship with Johnson, was enough to sway him towards Columbus.
“Being in Columbus, the visit was great,” Odom told Eleven Warriors following his visit in March. “The atmosphere and the area were cool. I liked the relationships I built with coach Day, coach Johnson and the whole defensive staff was great. [...] A big thing is the developmental piece that coach Johnson has put into his players and everything. It’s really a brotherhood there and a great relationship between the players and staff.”
Odom’s commitment gives Ohio State now four total pledges along the defensive line, joining fellow recent commit Zion Grady as well as Zahir Mathis and London Merritt. The Buckeyes really need a big haul at the position in this class, especially with both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau set to go pro after this upcoming season. Johnson is off to a great start, but there is still some more work to be done.
One of the bigger names still in play is none other than Ohio native Justin Hill. Ranked as the No. 7 EDGE and No. 72 overall prospect in the cycle, the Winton Woods product is a must-get for Ohio State. James Laurinaitis and Tim Walton, his primary recruiters with Hill being recruited as the ‘Jack’ position, will find out if their hard work has paid off when Hill announces his commitment this week on July 3.
There are no Crystal Ball predictions for Hill on 247Sports, but the Buckeyes are far and away the leader in the clubhouse according to On3, with all four RPMs in Ohio State’s favor — including from Steve Wiltfong in early June. Despite being an in-state prospect, it is certainly not a slam dunk for him to end up in Columbus, and the Buckeyes will have to seal the deal in a battle against Alabama, Oregon and USC for Hill’s services. The Ducks are likely Ohio State’s biggest competition in this one.
Elsewhere along the defensive line, Johnson and company are still working on Maxwell Roy, who is set to announce his commitment on Monday afternoon. The defensive tackle plays his prep ball at St. Joseph’s Prep in Pennsylvania, the same school that produced Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord, in addition to current OSU running back commit Isaiah West. Roy, the No. 19 DL and No. 152 overall prospect per 247Sports, received a flurry of Crystal Ball predictions in Ohio State’s favor just last week, and they are the clear favorite over rival Michigan — the original favorite in Roy’s recruitment.
While pretty much everything has gone Ohio State’s way on the trail over the last month, there was one negative this past weekend, as defensive back target Dorian Brew committed to Oregon over the Buckeyes.
At one point considered a near-lock to Ohio State, the No. 5 CB and No. 27 overall prospect is instead taking his talents to Eugene. Despite being a five-star prospect, Brew would have been the No. 3 guy at the position in the Buckeyes’ class behind fellow five-stars Devin Sanchez (No. 1 CB) and Na’eem Offord (No. 2 CB). While Tim Walton obviously would have loved to add Brew to that group, it appears Brew would prefer to be the clear top dog elsewhere.
Ohio State certainly isn’t hurting for defensive backs in this class, with an elite corner duo of Sanchez and Offord as well as a trio of talented safeties in Faheem Delane, DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. There are still clear targets out there at safety, including five-stars Tre McNutt and Jonah Williams. However, with their top remaining cornerback target now off the board, Tim Walton and the staff will have to look elsewhere for depth.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State 2025 commit Trajen Odom (center) with coaches Larry Johnson (left) and LaAllen Clark (right). | via @traajenn on Twitter
Plus, a Buckeyes defensive back target commits elsewhere.
June has now come to a close, and it couldn’t have gone much better for Ohio State on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes added eight new members to their 2025 class this past month, bringing the total to 21 commits for a group ranked No. 1 in the country. The latest addition came on Friday, when Larry Johnson secured another big name in his unit.
That commitment came from four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom, the No. 31 DL and No. 284 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
The defensive tackle from North Carolina chose the Buckeyes out of a top six schools list that included Colorado, Georgia, Oregon, UCLA and USC. Listed at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, Odom quickly became a priority target for Ohio State on the interior. Odom was originally offered by Johnson back in January, and after making his first visit to campus in March, returned again in May before his official visit on June 7. That OV, as well as his relationship with Johnson, was enough to sway him towards Columbus.
“Being in Columbus, the visit was great,” Odom told Eleven Warriors following his visit in March. “The atmosphere and the area were cool. I liked the relationships I built with coach Day, coach Johnson and the whole defensive staff was great. [...] A big thing is the developmental piece that coach Johnson has put into his players and everything. It’s really a brotherhood there and a great relationship between the players and staff.”
Odom’s commitment gives Ohio State now four total pledges along the defensive line, joining fellow recent commit Zion Grady as well as Zahir Mathis and London Merritt. The Buckeyes really need a big haul at the position in this class, especially with both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau set to go pro after this upcoming season. Johnson is off to a great start, but there is still some more work to be done.
One of the bigger names still in play is none other than Ohio native Justin Hill. Ranked as the No. 7 EDGE and No. 72 overall prospect in the cycle, the Winton Woods product is a must-get for Ohio State. James Laurinaitis and Tim Walton, his primary recruiters with Hill being recruited as the ‘Jack’ position, will find out if their hard work has paid off when Hill announces his commitment this week on July 3.
There are no Crystal Ball predictions for Hill on 247Sports, but the Buckeyes are far and away the leader in the clubhouse according to On3, with all four RPMs in Ohio State’s favor — including from Steve Wiltfong in early June. Despite being an in-state prospect, it is certainly not a slam dunk for him to end up in Columbus, and the Buckeyes will have to seal the deal in a battle against Alabama, Oregon and USC for Hill’s services. The Ducks are likely Ohio State’s biggest competition in this one.
Elsewhere along the defensive line, Johnson and company are still working on Maxwell Roy, who is set to announce his commitment on Monday afternoon. The defensive tackle plays his prep ball at St. Joseph’s Prep in Pennsylvania, the same school that produced Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord, in addition to current OSU running back commit Isaiah West. Roy, the No. 19 DL and No. 152 overall prospect per 247Sports, received a flurry of Crystal Ball predictions in Ohio State’s favor just last week, and they are the clear favorite over rival Michigan — the original favorite in Roy’s recruitment.
While pretty much everything has gone Ohio State’s way on the trail over the last month, there was one negative this past weekend, as defensive back target Dorian Brew committed to Oregon over the Buckeyes.
At one point considered a near-lock to Ohio State, the No. 5 CB and No. 27 overall prospect is instead taking his talents to Eugene. Despite being a five-star prospect, Brew would have been the No. 3 guy at the position in the Buckeyes’ class behind fellow five-stars Devin Sanchez (No. 1 CB) and Na’eem Offord (No. 2 CB). While Tim Walton obviously would have loved to add Brew to that group, it appears Brew would prefer to be the clear top dog elsewhere.
Ohio State certainly isn’t hurting for defensive backs in this class, with an elite corner duo of Sanchez and Offord as well as a trio of talented safeties in Faheem Delane, DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. There are still clear targets out there at safety, including five-stars Tre McNutt and Jonah Williams. However, with their top remaining cornerback target now off the board, Tim Walton and the staff will have to look elsewhere for depth.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State running back target Shekai Mills-Knight released his top eight schools over the weekend, with the Buckeyes making the cut alongside Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Mills-Knight, the No. 31 RB and the No. 13 player out of his home state of Tennessee, would be an excellent addition to a group that already includes Bo Jackson and the aforementioned West. Of note, Mills-Knight was position coach Carlos Locklyn’s first official offer upon his arrival at Ohio State.
Committing soonwhere’s home ?? pic.twitter.com/sGcdGDe21c
— Shekai Mills-Knight️ (@sk_begreat) June 29, 2024
- Ohio State will also be hoping to add to its recruiting class on the basketball side of things on Monday, with four-star shooting guard Dorian Jones set to announce his commitment. The Cleveland native is the No. 12 SG and No. 72 overall prospect per the 247Sports Composite, and is set to choose between Ohio State, Michigan, Missouri and Rutgers.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which non-football Ohio State record feels unbreakable?
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You’re Nuts: Which non-football Ohio State record feels unbreakable?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State AD Gene Smith with OSU Hall of Fame inductee Justin Fry (2019) | Via Ohio State Athletics
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about records, the ones that have been broken, the ones that could be broken, and the ones that will never be broken. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Broken Records” articles here.
Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, Wayne Gretzky 1,963 assists, and Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points in an NBA game are just a few records that feel like they are unbreakable. The closest challenger to DiMaggio’s hitting streak was Pete Rose in 1978 and he still fell 12 games short of tying the record. Even if Wayne Gretzky hadn’t scored a goal in his career, he’d still be the all-time leading point scorer in NHL history because of all his assists. When it comes to Chamberlain’s 100-point game, nobody has come closer than Kobe Bryant in 2006 when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. For anyone to challenge these records, it feels like a superhuman effort is going to be needed.
Today we are going to look at some Ohio State records we feel will never be broken. With some many great athletes who passed through Columbus over the years, there are plenty of marks that have been set that seem like they’ll never be broken. Although it would be fun to imagine a star Buckeye setting sights on these records and doing their best to try and match it, the college game in pretty much all sports has changed so much over the years, which makes it even tougher to reach these marks than those who set these records had it.
It’s safe to say Ohio State basketball isn’t going to see another shot blocker as prolific as Ken Johnson. From 1998 to 2001, Johnson was credited with 444 blocked shots, which is 116 more blocks than the previous record holder Herb Williams, who has over 100 more blocks than third-place Dallas Lauderdale.
In his four seasons as a Buckeye, Johnson totaled at least 100 blocks in three of those seasons. Since 2002, there has only been one Ohio State player with at least 100 blocks in a season, as Greg Oden had 105 blocks during the 2006-07 season.
The fact is basketball isn’t played like it used to be, both on and off the court. The transfer portal and some players leaving for the NBA after just a season or two has assured many old records are going to stand for quite some time because players aren’t on campus nearly as long as they used to be.
Just look at Felix Okpara, who was a shot-blocking machine while at Ohio State. Okpara blocked 83 shots last year and had 44 swats in 2022-23. Even with his 127 career blocks, Okpara was still over 200 blocks shy of second place in school history. To catch Williams, Okpara would have to be just the third different Buckeye to record at least 100 blocks in a season, and he would have to do that twice!
These days basketball is played more on the perimeter and less in the paint, which has cut down on the number of blocked shots. When you look at the leaders in blocked shots in Division I recently, the last time the leader in the country had over 150 blocked shots was during the 2011-12 season when Anthony Davis had 186 rejections.
Those stats alone should tell you that if any Buckeye is going to challenge the block record of Johnson, they’ll have to not only be prolific, they’ll also have to stick around in Columbus for three or four years. While that could become a thing with NIL, it’s hard to imagine a defensive force not jumping to the NBA after a couple years in college.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Ohio State’s 40-year-old offensive line coach somehow played baseball for the Buckeyes in the ‘90s? The answer to that is obviously no, as the football staffer is spelled Justin Frye, and is of course no relation to the OSU baseball legend Justin Fry.
Fry is unquestionably the greatest pitcher to ever toe the rubber in the scarlet and gray. The 6-foot-3 right-hander is the program record-holder in wins (36), innings pitched (419.2), and strikeouts (382). Fry was named the 1997 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, posting a 10-3 record, but was perhaps his best in his final season at Ohio State in 1999. In that senior campaign, Fry was named a First Team All-American and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year with an 11-2 record and 3.70 ERA.
While many of pitcher’s records seem unbreakable, the one I want to look at specifically is his strikeout total. With 382 punch-outs in his career, Fry is nearly 100 ahead of the next-highest player on the list — Steve Arlin with 294 from 1965-66. The only Ohio State pitchers in the last decade to even break the 200-strikeout mark were Seth Lonsway (266) in 2019-21 and Ryan Feltner (204) in 2016-18.
The reason Fry was able to accomplish such a loft strikeout total was his incredible consistency. Fry recorded at least 100 strikeouts in three consecutive seasons, fanning 101 in 1997, 113 in 1998 and 104 in 1999. In addition to that, Fry was someone who regularly pitched deep into games — something not many starting pitchers do in today’s era of baseball. Fry pitched 24 complete games in his Ohio State career, good for third-most in school history.
That combination of skill, longevity and consistency makes this record virtually unbeatable. Even if another star pitcher was to play four collegiate seasons with the Buckeyes, starting pitchers just don't throw as many pitches or go as deep into games as they used to. There’s a reason only two players have even cracked the 200-mark in the last decade, and it seems unthinkable that there will ever be another player to crack 300, let alone hit the 382 mark necessary to unseat Fry.
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
Ohio State AD Gene Smith with OSU Hall of Fame inductee Justin Fry (2019) | Via Ohio State Athletics
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about records, the ones that have been broken, the ones that could be broken, and the ones that will never be broken. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Broken Records” articles here.
Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, Wayne Gretzky 1,963 assists, and Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points in an NBA game are just a few records that feel like they are unbreakable. The closest challenger to DiMaggio’s hitting streak was Pete Rose in 1978 and he still fell 12 games short of tying the record. Even if Wayne Gretzky hadn’t scored a goal in his career, he’d still be the all-time leading point scorer in NHL history because of all his assists. When it comes to Chamberlain’s 100-point game, nobody has come closer than Kobe Bryant in 2006 when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. For anyone to challenge these records, it feels like a superhuman effort is going to be needed.
Today we are going to look at some Ohio State records we feel will never be broken. With some many great athletes who passed through Columbus over the years, there are plenty of marks that have been set that seem like they’ll never be broken. Although it would be fun to imagine a star Buckeye setting sights on these records and doing their best to try and match it, the college game in pretty much all sports has changed so much over the years, which makes it even tougher to reach these marks than those who set these records had it.
Today’s question: Which Ohio State record feels unbreakable?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Ken Johnson’s 444 career blocks
It’s safe to say Ohio State basketball isn’t going to see another shot blocker as prolific as Ken Johnson. From 1998 to 2001, Johnson was credited with 444 blocked shots, which is 116 more blocks than the previous record holder Herb Williams, who has over 100 more blocks than third-place Dallas Lauderdale.
In his four seasons as a Buckeye, Johnson totaled at least 100 blocks in three of those seasons. Since 2002, there has only been one Ohio State player with at least 100 blocks in a season, as Greg Oden had 105 blocks during the 2006-07 season.
The fact is basketball isn’t played like it used to be, both on and off the court. The transfer portal and some players leaving for the NBA after just a season or two has assured many old records are going to stand for quite some time because players aren’t on campus nearly as long as they used to be.
Just look at Felix Okpara, who was a shot-blocking machine while at Ohio State. Okpara blocked 83 shots last year and had 44 swats in 2022-23. Even with his 127 career blocks, Okpara was still over 200 blocks shy of second place in school history. To catch Williams, Okpara would have to be just the third different Buckeye to record at least 100 blocks in a season, and he would have to do that twice!
These days basketball is played more on the perimeter and less in the paint, which has cut down on the number of blocked shots. When you look at the leaders in blocked shots in Division I recently, the last time the leader in the country had over 150 blocked shots was during the 2011-12 season when Anthony Davis had 186 rejections.
Those stats alone should tell you that if any Buckeye is going to challenge the block record of Johnson, they’ll have to not only be prolific, they’ll also have to stick around in Columbus for three or four years. While that could become a thing with NIL, it’s hard to imagine a defensive force not jumping to the NBA after a couple years in college.
Gene’s Answer: Justin Fry’s 382 career strikeouts
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Ohio State’s 40-year-old offensive line coach somehow played baseball for the Buckeyes in the ‘90s? The answer to that is obviously no, as the football staffer is spelled Justin Frye, and is of course no relation to the OSU baseball legend Justin Fry.
Fry is unquestionably the greatest pitcher to ever toe the rubber in the scarlet and gray. The 6-foot-3 right-hander is the program record-holder in wins (36), innings pitched (419.2), and strikeouts (382). Fry was named the 1997 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, posting a 10-3 record, but was perhaps his best in his final season at Ohio State in 1999. In that senior campaign, Fry was named a First Team All-American and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year with an 11-2 record and 3.70 ERA.
While many of pitcher’s records seem unbreakable, the one I want to look at specifically is his strikeout total. With 382 punch-outs in his career, Fry is nearly 100 ahead of the next-highest player on the list — Steve Arlin with 294 from 1965-66. The only Ohio State pitchers in the last decade to even break the 200-strikeout mark were Seth Lonsway (266) in 2019-21 and Ryan Feltner (204) in 2016-18.
The reason Fry was able to accomplish such a loft strikeout total was his incredible consistency. Fry recorded at least 100 strikeouts in three consecutive seasons, fanning 101 in 1997, 113 in 1998 and 104 in 1999. In addition to that, Fry was someone who regularly pitched deep into games — something not many starting pitchers do in today’s era of baseball. Fry pitched 24 complete games in his Ohio State career, good for third-most in school history.
That combination of skill, longevity and consistency makes this record virtually unbeatable. Even if another star pitcher was to play four collegiate seasons with the Buckeyes, starting pitchers just don't throw as many pitches or go as deep into games as they used to. There’s a reason only two players have even cracked the 200-mark in the last decade, and it seems unthinkable that there will ever be another player to crack 300, let alone hit the 382 mark necessary to unseat Fry.
Continue reading...
