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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball roster snapshot: How well do the pieces fit together right now?
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Ohio State men’s basketball roster snapshot: How well do the pieces fit together right now?
Connor Lemons 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
Jake Diebler continues to stack talent, but will the roster turn out to be as flexible as he is hoping it will be?
The Ohio State men’s basketball team still has two available scholarships, but nearly all of the 2024-2025 roster — Jake Diebler’s first as head coach — is together. The Buckeyes lost Jamison Battle and Dale Bonner to graduation, and Bowen Hardman, Roddy Gayle, Zed Key, and Scotty Middleton to the transfer portal. That’s 46.5 points per game the team lost, and thus far has added Aaron Bradshaw (formerly Kentucky), Meechie Johnson (formerly South Carolina, but also Ohio State), Juni Mobley (freshman), and Colin White (freshman) to replace them.
Diebler and his new-look staff needed to address three issues this off-season, and so far they’ve done one of them:
Bradshaw, a former McDonald’s All-American, five-star recruit, top-five player, and Kentucky Wildcat committed to Ohio State on April 15 after one season in Lexington. He played sparingly (13.8 minutes per game), but flashed potential as someone who could become a real menace to opposing bigs by stepping out and knocking down jumpers in addition to patrolling the paint. He was a projected lottery pick going into his freshman year, but a broken foot in June that took five months to heal took away his entire summer and pre-season. He wound up averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 26 games last season.
When Meechie Johnson announced on April 2 that he was coming back to Ohio State after two years away, it looked like Diebler was going to have a three-headed snake at guard with him, Bruce Thornton, and Roddy Gayle. This would’ve been a non-traditional lineup with two “smaller” guards plus Gayle, but then Gayle transferred away the very next day. Now it is pretty cut and dry that Thornton and Johnson will both start for Ohio State in a more traditional lineup.
Even with the additions of Bradshaw and Johnson, Ohio State has not done much to replace the three-point shooting that was lost, nor has it filled the void in the middle of the lineup at the forward spots. Presently, it looks like the 3 and 4 will be some combination of Devin Royal, Evan Mahaffey, and Bradshaw. That trio poses plenty of questions, despite the clear upside of all three.
Ohio State still has two scholarships available, and the transfer portal doesn’t close for another 12 days. It could be weeks until the final pieces of the roster are locked in. As of today, here is what the Buckeyes are working with:
Guards:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Taison Chatman
Juni Mobley
Forwards/wings:
Devin Royal
Evan Mahaffey
Kalen Etzler
Colin White
Centers:
Felix Okpara
Aaron Bradshaw
Austin Parks
Possible lineup 1:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Devin Royal
Aaron Bradshaw
Felix Okpara
If Ohio State does not add a forward who is clearly better than Royal, this very well may be your starting lineup against Texas on November 4. The success of this group will be very dependent on how well the 7-foot-1 Bradshaw can operate on the perimeter, guard away from the basket, and knock down the occasional jump shot. He doesn’t need to be a 40% three-point shooter, but if Bradshaw can’t hit jumpers, he and Okpara will not be able to work together.
This collective group shot a combined 31.1% last season from three-point range, so success will also be reliant on Thornton and Johnson hitting those at a rate closer to 35% than their career averages, and for Bradshaw and Royal to show gradual improvement in that area, too.
There’s a lot to like here, but some pretty clear red flags, too.
Possible lineup 2:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Juni Mobley
Aaron Bradshaw
Felix Okpara
Could Diebler go with a three-guard lineup, adding Mobley to the mix right away to inject some perimeter offense that is clearly lacking? Not to compare the two, but there’s some precedent for this. From 2020-2022 Justin Ahrens started 37 of the 63 games he appeared in, but averaged just under 20 minutes per game. By all accounts, Mobley has a more well-rounded game than Ahrens — who earned a reputation for being an all-or-nothing three-point shooter.
The top-50 freshman is going to bring more to Columbus than just shooting, but having him on the floor will stretch defenses and give others more space. If Thornton, Johnson, and Bradshaw don’t start hitting outside shots early in the season, you will see more of Mobley. The modern-day game is so reliant on teams being able to hit the triple, and Mobley was the best shooter in all of high school basketball the past few years.
Possible lineup 3:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Devin Royal
Evan Mahaffey
Felix Okpara
Look familiar? This is last year’s starting five, with Johnson swapped in for Gayle and Royal swapped in for Battle. This lineup will be on the floor together at times this season, but it won’t be plan A, B, or (hopefully) C. There’s not enough outside shooting in this collective group, and it will lead to quite a bit of isolation plays for Thornton and Johnson, since defenses won’t be afraid to give the other three space.
If this lineup is used and Bradshaw doesn’t start, the 7-footer will still get in and play “starter’s minutes.” This is a scenario where playing Bradshaw and Okpara together for 20+ minutes doesn’t work, and the coaching staff has to pivot.
Even after Chris Holtmann was fired, Diebler continued to start Mahaffey. He believes in the value he provides in all facets of the game, but both Mahaffey and Okpara still have limited offensive skill sets. Those two playing together wasn’t ideal at the tail end of last season. That won’t change unless they both make big strides this summer.
Diebler and his staff still need to find a way to add:
Oakland’s Trey Townsend is on campus as we speak, and could play alongside Royal or Mahaffey. He doesn’t bring much in the way of outside shooting, but if Ohio State adds him, he will be one of the best under-the-radar transfer additions in the country. The reigning Horizon League Player of the Year just finds ways to put the ball in the basket and rebounds like a madman.
Central Arkansas’ Tucker Anderson will visit Ohio State this weekend as well. He’s a 6-foot-9 knockdown three-point shooter who connected on triples at a clip of 38%, scored 14 points per game, and was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year. He didn’t rebound particularly well for his size (for comparison, 6-foot-4 Roddy Gayle averaged 4.6 per game while Anderson at five inches taller averaged 3.7) and there’s always the looming question of how well his game would translate to a higher level. Still, simply having a perimeter presence on the floor makes a difference.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Jake Diebler continues to stack talent, but will the roster turn out to be as flexible as he is hoping it will be?
The Ohio State men’s basketball team still has two available scholarships, but nearly all of the 2024-2025 roster — Jake Diebler’s first as head coach — is together. The Buckeyes lost Jamison Battle and Dale Bonner to graduation, and Bowen Hardman, Roddy Gayle, Zed Key, and Scotty Middleton to the transfer portal. That’s 46.5 points per game the team lost, and thus far has added Aaron Bradshaw (formerly Kentucky), Meechie Johnson (formerly South Carolina, but also Ohio State), Juni Mobley (freshman), and Colin White (freshman) to replace them.
Diebler and his new-look staff needed to address three issues this off-season, and so far they’ve done one of them:
- Add some size to play center behind Felix/play the four at times
- Add three-point shooting
- Add a forward who can play the three/four and plug in next to Devin Royal and/or Evan Mahaffey
Bradshaw, a former McDonald’s All-American, five-star recruit, top-five player, and Kentucky Wildcat committed to Ohio State on April 15 after one season in Lexington. He played sparingly (13.8 minutes per game), but flashed potential as someone who could become a real menace to opposing bigs by stepping out and knocking down jumpers in addition to patrolling the paint. He was a projected lottery pick going into his freshman year, but a broken foot in June that took five months to heal took away his entire summer and pre-season. He wound up averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 26 games last season.
When Meechie Johnson announced on April 2 that he was coming back to Ohio State after two years away, it looked like Diebler was going to have a three-headed snake at guard with him, Bruce Thornton, and Roddy Gayle. This would’ve been a non-traditional lineup with two “smaller” guards plus Gayle, but then Gayle transferred away the very next day. Now it is pretty cut and dry that Thornton and Johnson will both start for Ohio State in a more traditional lineup.
Even with the additions of Bradshaw and Johnson, Ohio State has not done much to replace the three-point shooting that was lost, nor has it filled the void in the middle of the lineup at the forward spots. Presently, it looks like the 3 and 4 will be some combination of Devin Royal, Evan Mahaffey, and Bradshaw. That trio poses plenty of questions, despite the clear upside of all three.
Possible lineup configurations — how bold will Diebler get?
Ohio State still has two scholarships available, and the transfer portal doesn’t close for another 12 days. It could be weeks until the final pieces of the roster are locked in. As of today, here is what the Buckeyes are working with:
Guards:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Taison Chatman
Juni Mobley
Forwards/wings:
Devin Royal
Evan Mahaffey
Kalen Etzler
Colin White
Centers:
Felix Okpara
Aaron Bradshaw
Austin Parks
Possible lineup 1:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Devin Royal
Aaron Bradshaw
Felix Okpara
If Ohio State does not add a forward who is clearly better than Royal, this very well may be your starting lineup against Texas on November 4. The success of this group will be very dependent on how well the 7-foot-1 Bradshaw can operate on the perimeter, guard away from the basket, and knock down the occasional jump shot. He doesn’t need to be a 40% three-point shooter, but if Bradshaw can’t hit jumpers, he and Okpara will not be able to work together.
This collective group shot a combined 31.1% last season from three-point range, so success will also be reliant on Thornton and Johnson hitting those at a rate closer to 35% than their career averages, and for Bradshaw and Royal to show gradual improvement in that area, too.
There’s a lot to like here, but some pretty clear red flags, too.
Possible lineup 2:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Juni Mobley
Aaron Bradshaw
Felix Okpara
Could Diebler go with a three-guard lineup, adding Mobley to the mix right away to inject some perimeter offense that is clearly lacking? Not to compare the two, but there’s some precedent for this. From 2020-2022 Justin Ahrens started 37 of the 63 games he appeared in, but averaged just under 20 minutes per game. By all accounts, Mobley has a more well-rounded game than Ahrens — who earned a reputation for being an all-or-nothing three-point shooter.
The top-50 freshman is going to bring more to Columbus than just shooting, but having him on the floor will stretch defenses and give others more space. If Thornton, Johnson, and Bradshaw don’t start hitting outside shots early in the season, you will see more of Mobley. The modern-day game is so reliant on teams being able to hit the triple, and Mobley was the best shooter in all of high school basketball the past few years.
Possible lineup 3:
Bruce Thornton
Meechie Johnson
Devin Royal
Evan Mahaffey
Felix Okpara
Look familiar? This is last year’s starting five, with Johnson swapped in for Gayle and Royal swapped in for Battle. This lineup will be on the floor together at times this season, but it won’t be plan A, B, or (hopefully) C. There’s not enough outside shooting in this collective group, and it will lead to quite a bit of isolation plays for Thornton and Johnson, since defenses won’t be afraid to give the other three space.
If this lineup is used and Bradshaw doesn’t start, the 7-footer will still get in and play “starter’s minutes.” This is a scenario where playing Bradshaw and Okpara together for 20+ minutes doesn’t work, and the coaching staff has to pivot.
Even after Chris Holtmann was fired, Diebler continued to start Mahaffey. He believes in the value he provides in all facets of the game, but both Mahaffey and Okpara still have limited offensive skill sets. Those two playing together wasn’t ideal at the tail end of last season. That won’t change unless they both make big strides this summer.
Existing needs
Diebler and his staff still need to find a way to add:
- Three-point shooting
- A wing/forward with some shooting ability
Oakland’s Trey Townsend is on campus as we speak, and could play alongside Royal or Mahaffey. He doesn’t bring much in the way of outside shooting, but if Ohio State adds him, he will be one of the best under-the-radar transfer additions in the country. The reigning Horizon League Player of the Year just finds ways to put the ball in the basket and rebounds like a madman.
Central Arkansas’ Tucker Anderson will visit Ohio State this weekend as well. He’s a 6-foot-9 knockdown three-point shooter who connected on triples at a clip of 38%, scored 14 points per game, and was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year. He didn’t rebound particularly well for his size (for comparison, 6-foot-4 Roddy Gayle averaged 4.6 per game while Anderson at five inches taller averaged 3.7) and there’s always the looming question of how well his game would translate to a higher level. Still, simply having a perimeter presence on the floor makes a difference.
Continue reading...
LGHL Chip Kelly plans to visit in-state QBs, top 2026 defensive back reps the OSU brand
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Chip Kelly plans to visit in-state QBs, top 2026 defensive back reps the OSU brand
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
Ohio State continues to work hard at evaluating the 2026 quarterback class.
Ohio State has their guy in the 2025 class thanks to Ohio native, Tavien St. Clair. The No. 17 player nationally and fourth best signal caller in the class per the 247Sports Composite, St. Clair has been committed for nearly a year now and is a major part of the Buckeyes’ future at the position. Obviously one of the more important positions to land in a recruiting cycle, St. Clair’s leadership and ability to peer recruit make him that much more valuable.
Knowing they have a real dude in 2025 already locked in, it allows the coaching staff to focus more attention on the upcoming 2026 class. Ohio State has sent out several offers to 2026 quarterbacks all over the country, and as both Day and Kelly begin to sort through their top targets and options, names are going to rise to the top.
The Buckeyes under Day have recruited the quarterback position about as well as anyone, and bringing in Kelly looks to only continue that successful trend. Set to get out on the road visiting 2026 prospects as early as next week, Kelly already has a few guys in mind from right inside Ohio’s borders.
Plans to see Ashland native Nathan Bernhard, the No. 91 player nationally and seventh best quarterback in the 2026 cycle per the 247Sports Composite does not yet hold an Ohio State offer, but is certainly on their radar. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Bernhard has the stature of a true drop-back quarterback. While Kelly’s scheme includes mobility from the position, Bernhard is garnering some serious attention.
With nearly double-digit offers to his name and from schools such as Louisville, Indiana, Michigan State, and Penn State, this is another high-profile athlete Ohio is developing. A great sign for the state and for the Buckeyes, having these caliber of quarterbacks right in their backyard helps ensure that there’s always going to be strong in-state options worth taking a close look at.
Kelly will also stop in to see Olentangy Orange product Levi Davis. A 5-foot-11, 175 pound athlete, Davis has offers from several MAC schools such as Bowling Green, Miami, UMass, and Toledo to his name early on. Another player that’s just a short trek from campus, the Buckeyes are well aware of Davis’ abilities, and taking the time to visit him shows they are impressed with his game thus far.
With still two full seasons of prep ball still to be played, Davis’ stock may continue to rise and surely this staff will pay close attention to his recruitment. Though there’s more national guys Day has shown he is after, these two Ohio products won’t be left out of the mix when it comes to talking potential options for the 2026 signal caller.
Not a bad sign at all, looking at Dorian Barney in the 2026 class shows the Buckeyes are very much in the mix for the four-star cornerback. The No. 32 player nationally and third best cornerback in the class per the 247Sports Composite, Barney has well over 30 offers to his name and from every top program in the country.
Much like the players Tim Walton has been able to lock up the last two recruiting cycles, Barney is another top tier athlete and would be a major boom for any defensive secondary. The fortunate part, Barney has already listed the Buckeyes in his top schools that he put out earlier this month. Though apparel isn’t a major sign of a recruit’s allegiance, it also doesn’t hurt to see a top prospect repping the brand.
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
Ohio State continues to work hard at evaluating the 2026 quarterback class.
Ohio State has their guy in the 2025 class thanks to Ohio native, Tavien St. Clair. The No. 17 player nationally and fourth best signal caller in the class per the 247Sports Composite, St. Clair has been committed for nearly a year now and is a major part of the Buckeyes’ future at the position. Obviously one of the more important positions to land in a recruiting cycle, St. Clair’s leadership and ability to peer recruit make him that much more valuable.
Knowing they have a real dude in 2025 already locked in, it allows the coaching staff to focus more attention on the upcoming 2026 class. Ohio State has sent out several offers to 2026 quarterbacks all over the country, and as both Day and Kelly begin to sort through their top targets and options, names are going to rise to the top.
The Buckeyes under Day have recruited the quarterback position about as well as anyone, and bringing in Kelly looks to only continue that successful trend. Set to get out on the road visiting 2026 prospects as early as next week, Kelly already has a few guys in mind from right inside Ohio’s borders.
Plans to see Ashland native Nathan Bernhard, the No. 91 player nationally and seventh best quarterback in the 2026 cycle per the 247Sports Composite does not yet hold an Ohio State offer, but is certainly on their radar. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Bernhard has the stature of a true drop-back quarterback. While Kelly’s scheme includes mobility from the position, Bernhard is garnering some serious attention.
With nearly double-digit offers to his name and from schools such as Louisville, Indiana, Michigan State, and Penn State, this is another high-profile athlete Ohio is developing. A great sign for the state and for the Buckeyes, having these caliber of quarterbacks right in their backyard helps ensure that there’s always going to be strong in-state options worth taking a close look at.
Kelly will also stop in to see Olentangy Orange product Levi Davis. A 5-foot-11, 175 pound athlete, Davis has offers from several MAC schools such as Bowling Green, Miami, UMass, and Toledo to his name early on. Another player that’s just a short trek from campus, the Buckeyes are well aware of Davis’ abilities, and taking the time to visit him shows they are impressed with his game thus far.
With still two full seasons of prep ball still to be played, Davis’ stock may continue to rise and surely this staff will pay close attention to his recruitment. Though there’s more national guys Day has shown he is after, these two Ohio products won’t be left out of the mix when it comes to talking potential options for the 2026 signal caller.
Quick Hits
- While visits and interviews definitely give the best insight to where a prospect is at, you can look at social media as well to see what schools are at or near the top of a player’s thought process.
Not a bad sign at all, looking at Dorian Barney in the 2026 class shows the Buckeyes are very much in the mix for the four-star cornerback. The No. 32 player nationally and third best cornerback in the class per the 247Sports Composite, Barney has well over 30 offers to his name and from every top program in the country.
Much like the players Tim Walton has been able to lock up the last two recruiting cycles, Barney is another top tier athlete and would be a major boom for any defensive secondary. The fortunate part, Barney has already listed the Buckeyes in his top schools that he put out earlier this month. Though apparel isn’t a major sign of a recruit’s allegiance, it also doesn’t hurt to see a top prospect repping the brand.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Creative ideas to slyly skirt Ohio’s nepotism rule and get Jon Diebler on staff
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You’re Nuts: Creative ideas to slyly skirt Ohio’s nepotism rule and get Jon Diebler on staff
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 Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We are not attorneys, nor do we claim to be.
It’s week three of the offseason, but the college basketball offseason barely even feels like it these days with the transfer portal, NIL moves and coaching changes. Ohio State has been particularly busy, as Chris Holtmann’s old staff has mostly trickled out of the building.
Meanwhile, first-year head coach Jake Diebler took on the transfer portal with the help of just one assistant coach initially (Dave Dickerson), but has been filling out his staff over the last two weeks. Diebler has now hired four assistants: Joel Justus, Jamall Walker, Luke Simons, and Dickerson. One spot remains, and we will talk about that in a moment.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which player from the men’s team will take the biggest step forward next season. Connor won the poll with 61% of the vote and his pick of sophomore forward Devin Royal. 26% sided with Justin, who picked Taison Chatman. 13% of the readers picked “other.”
Connor- 74
There’s one open spot on Jake Diebler’s staff, and according to multiple reports (Columbus Dispatch, Buckeye Huddle, and 247Sports, to name a few), Diebler was intending on hiring his younger brother, Jon, to be the final piece of the staff. Jon just finished his second season on Butler’s staff as the director of recruiting, is the greatest three-point shooter in Ohio State history, and played professionally overseas. Not to mention, he’s a TBT champion.
That should suffice to be the final assistant on a high-major staff, right?
Normally yes, but in this particular case — no. Ohio State’s legal office informed Diebler recently that due to Ohio’s nepotism laws, Diebler would not be able to hire his brother for a position that he would oversee him in. He also cannot “give” a public contract to a family member, as he himself is a public employee.
In other words, Jon Diebler is free to work for Ohio State, and could work for any athletic team at the university as long as it’s not one where his brother would be his boss. There’s no way around this, and Jake Diebler will have to go a different direction with his final assistant coach spot.
Or... does he?
We aren’t advocating for the Diebler family to take these drastic measures to get Jon on staff. We also aren’t discouraging them from looking into these avenues. Are they a bit extreme? Perhaps! But you’ve got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette, or something.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25408045/usa_today_3650024.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Division I Championship-Ohio State vs Siena")
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t see any way around this issue that doesn’t involve Jon and Jake somehow severing their family ties and no longer (legally) being related to each other. It’s a drastic measure, but are the Diebler brothers in it for the feel-good story, or are they in it to make Ohio State a winner?
If the answer is the latter, then 35-year old Jon Diebler needs to be adopted by someone else, so that he and Jake are no longer brothers — technically. Jake gets to remain the son of Keith Diebler, because he is older and wins the tiebreaker. Sorry, Jon.
If someone adopts Jon, he would no longer be Jake’s brother, and therefore could be hired by his former brother, Jake. This would not violate Ohio’s nepotism rules, because Jon would not fall under any of the statuses that the Ohio Ethics Commission lays out:
“For purposes of the Ohio Ethics Law, a public official or employee’s “family” includes parents, step-parents, grandparents, children of any age, step-children (whether dependent or not), grandchildren, spouse, or siblings (regardless of where these family members reside). Therefore, public officials or employees cannot participate in these hires even if their family members live in other households. A public official or employee also cannot hire anyone to whom he or she is related by blood or marriage (aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws) and who is also residing in the same household with the official or employee.”
If Jon Diebler is adopted by someone else, he would not fall under any of these titles. But who would do Jon such a momentous favor? Well, why not Thad Matta?
Matta recruited Jon from Upper Sandusky High School. He coached him for four years at Ohio State, reassuring him that he was going to be a great three-point shooter even after shooting just 28.9% as a freshman — boy was he right. Then, he hired him to his staff at Butler in 2022, despite having never worked in college athletics before. They seem pretty tight, no?
It wouldn’t become an odd Step Brothers situation where Jon would have to live with Thad or anything — literally nothing would change other than the fact that Jon and Jake would no longer be related. Jon could continue living his life as he already had, but would also need to hastily pack, because his brother would have an office ready with his name on it at the Schottenstein center soon after.
It’s foolproof, truly.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25408065/usa_today_16453873.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Nicolas Galindo/The Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC
To fix this for good, we need to get someone on the inside, undercover, and for one purpose. We have to have someone run for office, get into the Ohio General Assembly, and simply change the law.
I watched “When a Bill Becomes a Law” growing up, and I am sure you did, too, so we all know how this works. Actually, to be honest, I have no idea how this works. But I don’t need to know how it works. The guy that we put on the inside does.
Jon Diebler is my favorite Buckeye of all time. I tried to mirror my shot after his when I was growing up and playing AAU, and I made a living (not literally) on the cardio three coming off two ball screens. So, I would love to see him on the staff after he has spent time learning under Thad Matta and a short stint in the NBA.
I think our best choice would be Aaron Craft. He is respected in Columbus and is beloved, so he should be able to make waves and people will respect what he says. He can run for office in Hancock County, where he grew up, change the law, and then the Dieblers can be reunited.
The next election is Nov. 5. That’s plenty of time to get Aaron an office in the Ohio State House.
Simple as that.
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 Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We are not attorneys, nor do we claim to be.
It’s week three of the offseason, but the college basketball offseason barely even feels like it these days with the transfer portal, NIL moves and coaching changes. Ohio State has been particularly busy, as Chris Holtmann’s old staff has mostly trickled out of the building.
Meanwhile, first-year head coach Jake Diebler took on the transfer portal with the help of just one assistant coach initially (Dave Dickerson), but has been filling out his staff over the last two weeks. Diebler has now hired four assistants: Joel Justus, Jamall Walker, Luke Simons, and Dickerson. One spot remains, and we will talk about that in a moment.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which player from the men’s team will take the biggest step forward next season. Connor won the poll with 61% of the vote and his pick of sophomore forward Devin Royal. 26% sided with Justin, who picked Taison Chatman. 13% of the readers picked “other.”
After 148 weeks:
Connor- 74
Justin- 55
Other- 15
(There have been four ties)
There’s one open spot on Jake Diebler’s staff, and according to multiple reports (Columbus Dispatch, Buckeye Huddle, and 247Sports, to name a few), Diebler was intending on hiring his younger brother, Jon, to be the final piece of the staff. Jon just finished his second season on Butler’s staff as the director of recruiting, is the greatest three-point shooter in Ohio State history, and played professionally overseas. Not to mention, he’s a TBT champion.
That should suffice to be the final assistant on a high-major staff, right?
Normally yes, but in this particular case — no. Ohio State’s legal office informed Diebler recently that due to Ohio’s nepotism laws, Diebler would not be able to hire his brother for a position that he would oversee him in. He also cannot “give” a public contract to a family member, as he himself is a public employee.
In other words, Jon Diebler is free to work for Ohio State, and could work for any athletic team at the university as long as it’s not one where his brother would be his boss. There’s no way around this, and Jake Diebler will have to go a different direction with his final assistant coach spot.
Or... does he?
We aren’t advocating for the Diebler family to take these drastic measures to get Jon on staff. We also aren’t discouraging them from looking into these avenues. Are they a bit extreme? Perhaps! But you’ve got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette, or something.
This week’s question: Creative ideas to slyly skirt Ohio’s nepotism rule to get Jon Diebler on staff
Connor: Thad Matta adopts Jon Diebler
I don’t see any way around this issue that doesn’t involve Jon and Jake somehow severing their family ties and no longer (legally) being related to each other. It’s a drastic measure, but are the Diebler brothers in it for the feel-good story, or are they in it to make Ohio State a winner?
If the answer is the latter, then 35-year old Jon Diebler needs to be adopted by someone else, so that he and Jake are no longer brothers — technically. Jake gets to remain the son of Keith Diebler, because he is older and wins the tiebreaker. Sorry, Jon.
If someone adopts Jon, he would no longer be Jake’s brother, and therefore could be hired by his former brother, Jake. This would not violate Ohio’s nepotism rules, because Jon would not fall under any of the statuses that the Ohio Ethics Commission lays out:
“For purposes of the Ohio Ethics Law, a public official or employee’s “family” includes parents, step-parents, grandparents, children of any age, step-children (whether dependent or not), grandchildren, spouse, or siblings (regardless of where these family members reside). Therefore, public officials or employees cannot participate in these hires even if their family members live in other households. A public official or employee also cannot hire anyone to whom he or she is related by blood or marriage (aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws) and who is also residing in the same household with the official or employee.”
If Jon Diebler is adopted by someone else, he would not fall under any of these titles. But who would do Jon such a momentous favor? Well, why not Thad Matta?
Matta recruited Jon from Upper Sandusky High School. He coached him for four years at Ohio State, reassuring him that he was going to be a great three-point shooter even after shooting just 28.9% as a freshman — boy was he right. Then, he hired him to his staff at Butler in 2022, despite having never worked in college athletics before. They seem pretty tight, no?
It wouldn’t become an odd Step Brothers situation where Jon would have to live with Thad or anything — literally nothing would change other than the fact that Jon and Jake would no longer be related. Jon could continue living his life as he already had, but would also need to hastily pack, because his brother would have an office ready with his name on it at the Schottenstein center soon after.
It’s foolproof, truly.
Justin: Put someone on the inside
To fix this for good, we need to get someone on the inside, undercover, and for one purpose. We have to have someone run for office, get into the Ohio General Assembly, and simply change the law.
I watched “When a Bill Becomes a Law” growing up, and I am sure you did, too, so we all know how this works. Actually, to be honest, I have no idea how this works. But I don’t need to know how it works. The guy that we put on the inside does.
Jon Diebler is my favorite Buckeye of all time. I tried to mirror my shot after his when I was growing up and playing AAU, and I made a living (not literally) on the cardio three coming off two ball screens. So, I would love to see him on the staff after he has spent time learning under Thad Matta and a short stint in the NBA.
I think our best choice would be Aaron Craft. He is respected in Columbus and is beloved, so he should be able to make waves and people will respect what he says. He can run for office in Hancock County, where he grew up, change the law, and then the Dieblers can be reunited.
The next election is Nov. 5. That’s plenty of time to get Aaron an office in the Ohio State House.
Simple as that.
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LGHL I-80 Football Show: The Big Ten will be well represented at next week’s NFL Draft
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I-80 Football Show: The Big Ten will be well represented at next week’s NFL Draft
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
The NBA Playoffs are on deck as well.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
The guys are back, and there is a lot to talk about. The spring transfer portal is open, and while there are not many key Big Ten players in the portal, the system isn’t going anywhere.
The NCAA just approved unlimited transferring, which means players finally have freedom of movement. While we agree that the players should be able to move freely, Jordan thinks there needs to be a few guidelines in place to protect the players. Most of the players who transfer more than once are not going to be headed to the NFL, so what obligation does the NCAA have to protect them academically?
The NFL Draft is around the corner, and there are a bunch of current or future Big Ten schools represented in the first round. Led by USC’s Caleb Williams, the top of the draft will have representation all over the board. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze are at the top of the board, while Penn State’s Olu Fashanu is one of the highest-rated offensive linemen in the draft.
It may be a bit of a reach if you ask us, but Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy is projected to hear his name called in the first five picks! Stay tuned as the Big Ten will be heavily represented in the top-10 picks.
The NBA playoffs are here. Does anyone have a chance to stop the Nuggets and Celtics from making the finals? Plus, are Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic on track to be better than LeBron James? Dante thinks so.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
The NBA Playoffs are on deck as well.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
The guys are back, and there is a lot to talk about. The spring transfer portal is open, and while there are not many key Big Ten players in the portal, the system isn’t going anywhere.
The NCAA just approved unlimited transferring, which means players finally have freedom of movement. While we agree that the players should be able to move freely, Jordan thinks there needs to be a few guidelines in place to protect the players. Most of the players who transfer more than once are not going to be headed to the NFL, so what obligation does the NCAA have to protect them academically?
The NFL Draft is around the corner, and there are a bunch of current or future Big Ten schools represented in the first round. Led by USC’s Caleb Williams, the top of the draft will have representation all over the board. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze are at the top of the board, while Penn State’s Olu Fashanu is one of the highest-rated offensive linemen in the draft.
It may be a bit of a reach if you ask us, but Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy is projected to hear his name called in the first five picks! Stay tuned as the Big Ten will be heavily represented in the top-10 picks.
The NBA playoffs are here. Does anyone have a chance to stop the Nuggets and Celtics from making the finals? Plus, are Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic on track to be better than LeBron James? Dante thinks so.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
LGHL Eboni Walker granted final year of eligibility, staying with Ohio State women’s basketball
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Eboni Walker granted final year of eligibility, staying with Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Walker’s return gives the Buckeyes veteran forward depth.
The transfer portal prompts questions about where players are going or staying. In the case of Ohio State women’s basketball, forward Eboni Walker was hoping for any eligibility at all. Wednesday, the forward announced on Instagram that she received another year of eligibility and is staying put with the Scarlet and Gray.
Questions arose about Walker earning another year of eligibility during the Buckeyes’ 2023-24 season. Head coach Kevin McGuff shared that the team was looking into getting Walker a redshirt season for her lone year with the Syracuse Orange.
After playing two years at Arizona State, Walker transferred to Upstate New York in a tumultuous year for the program. After 15 seasons in charge of the Orange, head coach Quentin Hillsman resigned after accusations of verbal abuse by former players.
Walker transferred into Syracuse before 12 players on the roster transferred out. After six appearances in the 2021-22 season, where Walker never started but averaged 22 minutes, an injury took the forward out for the remainder of the campaign. The forward was on the bench on Dec. 21 when the Buckeyes traveled to Syracuse and lost in the ACC/B1G Challenge.
Following the season’s end, Walker transferred to Ohio State. After not playing for close to a year, Walker worked on her conditioning and the former Gatorade Nevada Basketball Player of the Year became a boost of energy off the bench for Coach McGuff.
By the end of the 2022-23 season, Walker was starting for the Buckeyes. At first, it was due to an ankle injury for starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. However, when the Slovakian forward returned to full health, Walker held onto her starting position through the end of the season, starting the last 11 games for the Scarlet and Gray.
However, the 2023-24 season saw Walker back on the bench. Starting only one game due to a Mikulášiková illness, the forward averaged 10.4 minutes per game in 23 appearances, down 5 minutes per game from her debut season in Columbus.
Then, in a 79-66 win against the Maryland Terrapins on Feb. 25, 2024, Walker left the game early and didn’t return. Walker wasn’t with the team when they lifted the Big Ten regular season title three days later and wasn’t seen again with the Scarlet and Gray publicly until the Selection Sunday NCAA Tournament announcement party on campus.
That’s when coach McGuff announced Walker’s return to the team following a three-game hiatus. Walker played two minutes in the NCAA Tournament against the Maine Black Bears. As the crowd began chanting “EBONI,” the Buckeyes made wholesale changes in the five on the court with a double-digit lead against Maine.
Now, Walker returns to a team that needs veteran forward depth. Following the end of the season, Mikulášiková and fellow forward Taiyier Parks both ended their NCAA careers. It left a gaping hole, especially if Walker was not granted an additional year.
With Walker’s additional season and the transfer of Kentucky Wildcats graduate senior Ajae Petty, Ohio State now has a strong pair to take up the No. 5 position for Coach McGuff. Plus a second season for center Faith Carson and the addition of freshmen Ella Hobbs and Elsa Lemmilä.
Petty joins Ohio State coming off a season where she averaged a double-double with a struggling Wildcats team. It’ll be some time before anyone sees which way McGuff goes, but now there are options to play alongside a potentially strong 2024-25 team. A team that includes the return of Taylor Thierry, Cotie McMahon, and Madison Greene; plus incoming top freshman guard recruit Jaloni Cambridge.
Walker’s return brings the Buckeyes roster to 14 for next season, leaving room for one more addition. Coach McGuff cited rebounding as an area needing improvement and the additions of Petty and Walker help. Oregon transfer Chance Gray helps the Buckeyes’ perimeter shooting, the other area McGuff hoped to shore up in the offseason.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25406416/Screenshot_2024_04_18_at_7.06.47_AM.png)
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
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Walker’s return gives the Buckeyes veteran forward depth.
The transfer portal prompts questions about where players are going or staying. In the case of Ohio State women’s basketball, forward Eboni Walker was hoping for any eligibility at all. Wednesday, the forward announced on Instagram that she received another year of eligibility and is staying put with the Scarlet and Gray.
Questions arose about Walker earning another year of eligibility during the Buckeyes’ 2023-24 season. Head coach Kevin McGuff shared that the team was looking into getting Walker a redshirt season for her lone year with the Syracuse Orange.
After playing two years at Arizona State, Walker transferred to Upstate New York in a tumultuous year for the program. After 15 seasons in charge of the Orange, head coach Quentin Hillsman resigned after accusations of verbal abuse by former players.
Walker transferred into Syracuse before 12 players on the roster transferred out. After six appearances in the 2021-22 season, where Walker never started but averaged 22 minutes, an injury took the forward out for the remainder of the campaign. The forward was on the bench on Dec. 21 when the Buckeyes traveled to Syracuse and lost in the ACC/B1G Challenge.
Following the season’s end, Walker transferred to Ohio State. After not playing for close to a year, Walker worked on her conditioning and the former Gatorade Nevada Basketball Player of the Year became a boost of energy off the bench for Coach McGuff.
By the end of the 2022-23 season, Walker was starting for the Buckeyes. At first, it was due to an ankle injury for starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. However, when the Slovakian forward returned to full health, Walker held onto her starting position through the end of the season, starting the last 11 games for the Scarlet and Gray.
However, the 2023-24 season saw Walker back on the bench. Starting only one game due to a Mikulášiková illness, the forward averaged 10.4 minutes per game in 23 appearances, down 5 minutes per game from her debut season in Columbus.
Then, in a 79-66 win against the Maryland Terrapins on Feb. 25, 2024, Walker left the game early and didn’t return. Walker wasn’t with the team when they lifted the Big Ten regular season title three days later and wasn’t seen again with the Scarlet and Gray publicly until the Selection Sunday NCAA Tournament announcement party on campus.
That’s when coach McGuff announced Walker’s return to the team following a three-game hiatus. Walker played two minutes in the NCAA Tournament against the Maine Black Bears. As the crowd began chanting “EBONI,” the Buckeyes made wholesale changes in the five on the court with a double-digit lead against Maine.
Now, Walker returns to a team that needs veteran forward depth. Following the end of the season, Mikulášiková and fellow forward Taiyier Parks both ended their NCAA careers. It left a gaping hole, especially if Walker was not granted an additional year.
With Walker’s additional season and the transfer of Kentucky Wildcats graduate senior Ajae Petty, Ohio State now has a strong pair to take up the No. 5 position for Coach McGuff. Plus a second season for center Faith Carson and the addition of freshmen Ella Hobbs and Elsa Lemmilä.
Petty joins Ohio State coming off a season where she averaged a double-double with a struggling Wildcats team. It’ll be some time before anyone sees which way McGuff goes, but now there are options to play alongside a potentially strong 2024-25 team. A team that includes the return of Taylor Thierry, Cotie McMahon, and Madison Greene; plus incoming top freshman guard recruit Jaloni Cambridge.
Walker’s return brings the Buckeyes roster to 14 for next season, leaving room for one more addition. Coach McGuff cited rebounding as an area needing improvement and the additions of Petty and Walker help. Oregon transfer Chance Gray helps the Buckeyes’ perimeter shooting, the other area McGuff hoped to shore up in the offseason.
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LGHL Where Ohio State has been, where its headed in the 2025 class
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Where Ohio State has been, where its headed in the 2025 class
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
Former Ohio State targets are finding their own path.
Though spring football practice has concluded, it’s still a busy time for Ohio State. The quiet periods in recruiting are coming and going, but this group of coaches are all in on doing everything in their power to land the next great Buckeyes in the current 2025 cycle and beyond. Over the last few months, the fruits of their labor have shown in a major way, as this class sits atop the country per the 247Sports recruiting rankings.
With the transfer portal window once again open, Ohio State may even be recruiting their current roster and having real-life talks about certain guys’ futures. A non-stop grind, the Buckeyes have only lost two guys to the portal so far in this window, and while more may come in the near future, the trust this staff has earned the last few months should ease any worries.
Regardless, this roster is loaded with talent, and could even improve further before the first kickoff takes place. It should be a fun 2024 season for this Ohio State program.
Before Ohio State went all in on their current quarterback commit, Tavien St. Clair, it was thought that fellow Ohio native Ryan Montgomery would be the likely target to lead the 2025 class. The younger brother to current Buckeye offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, Ryan was the easy guess to be the guy for the Buckeyes with his ties and his abilities, but this staff saw something in St. Clair and focused on him from late fall and on.
Putting Montgomery in a situation where he would be looking elsewhere, Ohio State never fully shuts off the communication with an in-state recruit of his caliber, but certainly knew St. Clair was the top choice. After several visits the last few months, Montgomery made his commitment public when he announced his pledge to Georgia on Wednesday.
The No. 170 player nationally and the 14th best quarterback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Montgomery joins the Georgia class that sits at 11th in the overall class rankings. A Findlay, Ohio product, the nod to the Buckeye State for producing two of the top quarterbacks nationally is a welcomed aspect in today’s recruiting landscape. With so many players at the position coming from the West Coast and southeastern part of the country, seeing Ohio still able to pan out top talent is a pretty impressive feat.
Again, Ohio State has their guy and is completely sold on the attributes St. Clair brings to the table. Not to mention, he’s already one of the better recruiting leaders in the last few years considering how present he is on campus for other top target visit dates, and also how vocal he has been in peer recruiting of his own. The quarterback spot for 2025 with Ohio prospects is put to bed and set in place.
It wasn’t that long ago that Florida’s Jayvan Boggs was Ohio State’s lone receiver commit in the 2025 class. After re-opening his recruitment and hearing the intel on the situation, it seemed more like a mutual parting of ways between Boggs and Ohio State, as Jayvan still had desires to take visits and see other programs.
Typically not a real issue, as the staff likes guys to be fully committed and sure of their decision, the Buckeyes having several top receivers on their radar helps ease any loss Boggs would be. At any rate, when a player decommits from a school it’s not always likely that player continues his relationship with that staff, and in this case with Boggs that is the latest.
Taking to his Twitter account on Thursday to release a top schools list, Boggs included seven programs he is considering, and left Ohio State out of the mix. His new list of Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, and UCF shows the Buckeyes are no longer on his mind — and that’s ok.
Ohio State has things cooking right now at the receiver spot, and while any loss to a recruiting class seems like a negative, there really can’t be much that hurts a position group like Brian Hartline’s receiver position considering who is leading the charge. Hartline has dominated on the trail since the moment he took over the room, and that’s not changing any time soon.
Set up for multiple top guys once again, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the more impressive classes.
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
Former Ohio State targets are finding their own path.
Though spring football practice has concluded, it’s still a busy time for Ohio State. The quiet periods in recruiting are coming and going, but this group of coaches are all in on doing everything in their power to land the next great Buckeyes in the current 2025 cycle and beyond. Over the last few months, the fruits of their labor have shown in a major way, as this class sits atop the country per the 247Sports recruiting rankings.
With the transfer portal window once again open, Ohio State may even be recruiting their current roster and having real-life talks about certain guys’ futures. A non-stop grind, the Buckeyes have only lost two guys to the portal so far in this window, and while more may come in the near future, the trust this staff has earned the last few months should ease any worries.
Regardless, this roster is loaded with talent, and could even improve further before the first kickoff takes place. It should be a fun 2024 season for this Ohio State program.
In-state QB commits to Georgia
Before Ohio State went all in on their current quarterback commit, Tavien St. Clair, it was thought that fellow Ohio native Ryan Montgomery would be the likely target to lead the 2025 class. The younger brother to current Buckeye offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, Ryan was the easy guess to be the guy for the Buckeyes with his ties and his abilities, but this staff saw something in St. Clair and focused on him from late fall and on.
Putting Montgomery in a situation where he would be looking elsewhere, Ohio State never fully shuts off the communication with an in-state recruit of his caliber, but certainly knew St. Clair was the top choice. After several visits the last few months, Montgomery made his commitment public when he announced his pledge to Georgia on Wednesday.
The No. 170 player nationally and the 14th best quarterback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Montgomery joins the Georgia class that sits at 11th in the overall class rankings. A Findlay, Ohio product, the nod to the Buckeye State for producing two of the top quarterbacks nationally is a welcomed aspect in today’s recruiting landscape. With so many players at the position coming from the West Coast and southeastern part of the country, seeing Ohio still able to pan out top talent is a pretty impressive feat.
Again, Ohio State has their guy and is completely sold on the attributes St. Clair brings to the table. Not to mention, he’s already one of the better recruiting leaders in the last few years considering how present he is on campus for other top target visit dates, and also how vocal he has been in peer recruiting of his own. The quarterback spot for 2025 with Ohio prospects is put to bed and set in place.
Boggs sets top schools list showing
It wasn’t that long ago that Florida’s Jayvan Boggs was Ohio State’s lone receiver commit in the 2025 class. After re-opening his recruitment and hearing the intel on the situation, it seemed more like a mutual parting of ways between Boggs and Ohio State, as Jayvan still had desires to take visits and see other programs.
Typically not a real issue, as the staff likes guys to be fully committed and sure of their decision, the Buckeyes having several top receivers on their radar helps ease any loss Boggs would be. At any rate, when a player decommits from a school it’s not always likely that player continues his relationship with that staff, and in this case with Boggs that is the latest.
Taking to his Twitter account on Thursday to release a top schools list, Boggs included seven programs he is considering, and left Ohio State out of the mix. His new list of Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, and UCF shows the Buckeyes are no longer on his mind — and that’s ok.
Ohio State has things cooking right now at the receiver spot, and while any loss to a recruiting class seems like a negative, there really can’t be much that hurts a position group like Brian Hartline’s receiver position considering who is leading the charge. Hartline has dominated on the trail since the moment he took over the room, and that’s not changing any time soon.
Set up for multiple top guys once again, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the more impressive classes.
Continue reading...
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Ranking the Big Ten football coaches for the 2024 season
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B1G Thoughts: Ranking the Big Ten football coaches for the 2024 season
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
It’s the ranking season, so let’s rank Big Ten Coaches going into the 2024 season.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 this article will also include the newest members, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington. Check out the “I-80 Football Show” for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
It’s the off-season which means it’s talking season. All of your favorite and most hated analysts, Twitter “gurus” and fans spend weeks arguing and ranking any and everything. So why not join in, this is my 2024 edition of the Big Ten rankings. I did this in 2023 but please don’t reference it because I didn’t and therefore have no idea what I said and can not be held liable for any changes.
While it’s not official until later this summer the Big Ten is expanding to 18 teams which means even more coaches to rank and create a stir on social media. In my opinion, this ranking is one of the hardest to do because for starters there are not nearly as many bad coaches in the conference as there have been previously. If you follow me or listen to my podcast you’ll know I’ve been leading the charge to fire bad coaches and almost everyone on my list has been axed, I’m still coming for you, Kirk.
The 2024 version of the Big Ten includes two first-time head coaches Sherrone Moore and DeShaun Foster. Two coaches entering their second year as coaches Ryan Walters and David Braun, as well as five experienced coaches who are either first or second-year coaches at their Big Ten school in Jedd Fisch, Jonathan Smith, Matt Rhule, Curt Cignetti, and Luke Fickell. Dan Lanning and Lincoln Riley have been at USC and Oregon respectively for two seasons but their third season will be their first in the Big Ten. This is a long way to say the Big Ten is influx and regardless of their level of confidence or how loud they scream it, no one knows anything about these coaches entering 2024.
Yet… it’s no fun to not rank them! I have no problem being wrong or putting my opinion to paper so let’s do it. Here are my rankings for the 2024 Big Ten Coaches as well as some of my thoughts on a few coaches.
Oregon fans are one of the loudest fan bases on my timeline and will ultimately have a major issue with Dan Lanning being seven so let’s get this out of the way. I think Lanning is a good coach with a lot of potential. I think he has the best chance of anyone to jump Ryan Day and earn the spot as the best coach in the Big Ten. He is young, charismatic, can cut a promo that would make the WWE proud, and is an aggressive recruiter. All of that can be true but it’s also true that he has only been a coach for two seasons and has lost all the important games he’s played. He lost to Georgia which shouldn’t be held against him but he’s also 0-3 against Washington including 0-2 in 2023 with a PAC-12 championship and a spot in the CFB Playoff on the line.
Bret Bielema has three Big Ten championships with Wisconsin and is in the process of turning around a historically bad program with half the resources of Oregon. Cignetti has won multiple FCS national championships and went 19-4 at James Madison. Luke Fickell went undefeated in back-to-back seasons at Cincy and brought a G5 team to the playoffs. Oregon plays Illinois and Wisconsin this year and I’m going to pick them to win both games but I can’t justify putting Lanning over proven winners who have done it in the Big Ten or at multiple schools at multiple levels.
This is simple, James Franklin could go 19-8 in two years at USC in the PAC-12. I don’t think Riley could go 21-5 the last two seasons at Penn State in the Big Ten East. To be clear, with Riley’s last two rosters, I’d bet my next paycheck that Franklin would win the conference and make the playoffs. If Franklin has Caleb Williams at Penn State he probably wins the Big Ten last year. Riley is a good coach, Day, Riley, and Franklin all have issues when it comes to winning big games, especially against other top 5 programs but Franklin won at Vanderbilt and brought Penn State out of harsh sanctions while Riley went 7-6 with the soon to be no. one pick Caleb Williams didn’t win a conference title or make the playoffs either.
Kirk may be better than the ninth-best coach in the conference but he refuses to develop an offense, had to be forced to fire his nepo baby son, and was in the Big Ten West. It’s hard to give credit to a guy who is winning despite himself. He also has had no real success against any Big Ten East team which also counts in his legacy.
I struggled with Braun because you could argue going 8-5 at Northwestern was the best coaching job in the country last season. Especially when you consider the state of the program when he received it and the fact that Northwestern is facing multiple lawsuits from athletes in various sports regarding hazing and racial discrimination. I predicted Northwestern would win one game last semester and he won eight. Still, it was one season and the Big Ten is about to get harder, I’m rooting for him to do it again though!
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
It’s the ranking season, so let’s rank Big Ten Coaches going into the 2024 season.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 this article will also include the newest members, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington. Check out the “I-80 Football Show” for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
It’s the off-season which means it’s talking season. All of your favorite and most hated analysts, Twitter “gurus” and fans spend weeks arguing and ranking any and everything. So why not join in, this is my 2024 edition of the Big Ten rankings. I did this in 2023 but please don’t reference it because I didn’t and therefore have no idea what I said and can not be held liable for any changes.
While it’s not official until later this summer the Big Ten is expanding to 18 teams which means even more coaches to rank and create a stir on social media. In my opinion, this ranking is one of the hardest to do because for starters there are not nearly as many bad coaches in the conference as there have been previously. If you follow me or listen to my podcast you’ll know I’ve been leading the charge to fire bad coaches and almost everyone on my list has been axed, I’m still coming for you, Kirk.
The 2024 version of the Big Ten includes two first-time head coaches Sherrone Moore and DeShaun Foster. Two coaches entering their second year as coaches Ryan Walters and David Braun, as well as five experienced coaches who are either first or second-year coaches at their Big Ten school in Jedd Fisch, Jonathan Smith, Matt Rhule, Curt Cignetti, and Luke Fickell. Dan Lanning and Lincoln Riley have been at USC and Oregon respectively for two seasons but their third season will be their first in the Big Ten. This is a long way to say the Big Ten is influx and regardless of their level of confidence or how loud they scream it, no one knows anything about these coaches entering 2024.
Yet… it’s no fun to not rank them! I have no problem being wrong or putting my opinion to paper so let’s do it. Here are my rankings for the 2024 Big Ten Coaches as well as some of my thoughts on a few coaches.
Dan Lanning, Oregon
Oregon fans are one of the loudest fan bases on my timeline and will ultimately have a major issue with Dan Lanning being seven so let’s get this out of the way. I think Lanning is a good coach with a lot of potential. I think he has the best chance of anyone to jump Ryan Day and earn the spot as the best coach in the Big Ten. He is young, charismatic, can cut a promo that would make the WWE proud, and is an aggressive recruiter. All of that can be true but it’s also true that he has only been a coach for two seasons and has lost all the important games he’s played. He lost to Georgia which shouldn’t be held against him but he’s also 0-3 against Washington including 0-2 in 2023 with a PAC-12 championship and a spot in the CFB Playoff on the line.
Bret Bielema has three Big Ten championships with Wisconsin and is in the process of turning around a historically bad program with half the resources of Oregon. Cignetti has won multiple FCS national championships and went 19-4 at James Madison. Luke Fickell went undefeated in back-to-back seasons at Cincy and brought a G5 team to the playoffs. Oregon plays Illinois and Wisconsin this year and I’m going to pick them to win both games but I can’t justify putting Lanning over proven winners who have done it in the Big Ten or at multiple schools at multiple levels.
Lincoln Riley, USC
This is simple, James Franklin could go 19-8 in two years at USC in the PAC-12. I don’t think Riley could go 21-5 the last two seasons at Penn State in the Big Ten East. To be clear, with Riley’s last two rosters, I’d bet my next paycheck that Franklin would win the conference and make the playoffs. If Franklin has Caleb Williams at Penn State he probably wins the Big Ten last year. Riley is a good coach, Day, Riley, and Franklin all have issues when it comes to winning big games, especially against other top 5 programs but Franklin won at Vanderbilt and brought Penn State out of harsh sanctions while Riley went 7-6 with the soon to be no. one pick Caleb Williams didn’t win a conference title or make the playoffs either.
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Kirk may be better than the ninth-best coach in the conference but he refuses to develop an offense, had to be forced to fire his nepo baby son, and was in the Big Ten West. It’s hard to give credit to a guy who is winning despite himself. He also has had no real success against any Big Ten East team which also counts in his legacy.
David Braun, Northwestern
I struggled with Braun because you could argue going 8-5 at Northwestern was the best coaching job in the country last season. Especially when you consider the state of the program when he received it and the fact that Northwestern is facing multiple lawsuits from athletes in various sports regarding hazing and racial discrimination. I predicted Northwestern would win one game last semester and he won eight. Still, it was one season and the Big Ten is about to get harder, I’m rooting for him to do it again though!
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LGHL You’re Nuts: What is getting you through the summer until Ohio State football returns?
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You’re Nuts: What is getting you through the summer until Ohio State football returns?
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 Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
On Saturday we saw Ohio State wrap up their spring practices with the annual spring game. Now comes a lull in the athletic calendar. No disrespect to baseball, softball, and all the other spring sports but they don’t move the needle in terms of attention compared to football and basketball. With not as much attention being paid to Ohio State sports from mid-April till mid-August, it gives Buckeye fans a chance to step away a bit and recharge their batteries.
Today we want to know what is going to get you through the spring & summer until Ohio State football starts back up. Luckily here in Columbus, there are plenty of sporting events on the schedule over the next few months. Not only is there The Memorial Tournament up at Muirfield in June, but there will be plenty of Columbus Crew matches, as well as the MLS All-Star Game. Also, we can’t forget about the Columbus Clippers and some of their famous dime-a-dog nights. Elsewhere around Ohio, there are Reds and Guardians games, SummerSlam in Cleveland in early August, and professional tennis tournaments down near Cincinnati.
For some people, the best way to get ready for the football season is to step away from sports fandom completely. For those people, the best way to unwind might be traveling, going to music concerts and festivals, or just spending time with friends and family. Everybody has their own interests and likes, so there is no wrong answer when it comes to how you spend your time outside of being an Ohio State sports fan.
This summer is going to be huge for soccer in Columbus. Not only are the Columbus Crew the defending MLS champs, but they’ll be hosting the MLS All-Star Game against the Liga MX All-Stars in July, as well as a friendly against English Premier League side Aston Villa shortly after. While tickets for the MLS All-Star Game likely won’t come cheap, those in attendance will have a chance to see some of the best players in the MLS and Liga MX in Mexico.
Since I’m a Chelsea FC supporter, what I’m looking forward to most this summer is the friendly between Manchester City and Chelsea at Ohio Stadium. I was there a decade ago when PSG and Real Madrid played at The Horseshoe and I wasn’t even a fan of either squad, I was just happy to see soccer being played at the iconic venue. In a perfect world, Ohio Stadium would be a host site for the World Cup in 2026 but I know that isn’t a possibility because the field isn’t quite big enough to accommodate a soccer pitch. The requirements aren’t quite as strict for a soccer friendly. Really the big clubs on tours of the United States before their domestic seasons begin are just looking for venues where they can bring in the most fans.
When it comes to Chelsea, over the last few years the club hasn’t been as strong as they had been over the last 20 years. There has been a change in ownership, along with a number of managers that have failed to produce. I’m sure nobody is going to feel sorry for me because of the way Chelsea has spent money in the past. Honestly, I became a Chelsea fan while drunkenly playing FIFA with friends during my teenage years. This was back when the Premier League was rarely on television in the United States. Now you can see every game on NBC, USA, or Peacock.
I’m not only excited to see Cole Palmer and the rest of the Chelsea players, I’m also pumped to see all the stars Manchester City has on their roster. It’s not often when teams stocked with world-class players come to Columbus, so I’ll take every advantage I can to see them when they do. Plus, while we won’t see both squads playing their most popular players for a full 90 minutes since they are building towards the start of the season a few weeks later, we should at least see them for a decent amount of time on the pitch. It should be a great night under the lights in early August at Ohio Stadium!
My Ohio State fandom is inextricably tied to the fact that I grew up as the son of two Ohio State alums. Long before I became an Ohio State student, there was no doubt that I would bleed scarlet and gray for the entirety of my life. However, during the summer months, that scarlet blood does warm up a little bit and turns are particularly attractive shade of red.
Even though both of my parents were raised in Central Ohio, they came of age in the era of the Big Red Machine, so just as I was taught to root for the Buckeyes from birth, my love of the Cincinnati Reds was also part and parcel with being a member of my family. So, as the football offseason is now officially upon us, it is time for me to turn at least one eye toward the happenings at Great American Ballpark.
Despite getting swept by the Seattle Mariners earlier this week, the Reds are currently just 2.5 games out of first place in the NL Central, perhaps the most competitive division in all of baseball. They are also 1.5 games out of one of the NL Wild Card spots. Of course, it is only April, so those standings don’t mean anything, but after the excitement generated by the Rally Reds in 2023, the start to the 2024 season has been gratifying.
Led by guys like Elly De La Cruz, Jonathan India, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, Hunter Green, Alexis Díaz, and more, the youth on the team means that there will continue to be some growing pains — as evidenced by the trip to the Pacific Northwest — but they are incredibly competitive and resilient.
I always used to say that all I cared about was the Reds staying in the hunt until August when the Buckeyes’ fall camp started, and then everything that they did in the final months of the season was a bonus. But I’m starting to think differently about this team. With the expanded Wild Card situation and all of the young talent, I really think that this team can make some noise in the postseason, so I’m hoping to have to split my sports attention between the Reds and the Buckeyes deep into the fall.
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 Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
On Saturday we saw Ohio State wrap up their spring practices with the annual spring game. Now comes a lull in the athletic calendar. No disrespect to baseball, softball, and all the other spring sports but they don’t move the needle in terms of attention compared to football and basketball. With not as much attention being paid to Ohio State sports from mid-April till mid-August, it gives Buckeye fans a chance to step away a bit and recharge their batteries.
Today we want to know what is going to get you through the spring & summer until Ohio State football starts back up. Luckily here in Columbus, there are plenty of sporting events on the schedule over the next few months. Not only is there The Memorial Tournament up at Muirfield in June, but there will be plenty of Columbus Crew matches, as well as the MLS All-Star Game. Also, we can’t forget about the Columbus Clippers and some of their famous dime-a-dog nights. Elsewhere around Ohio, there are Reds and Guardians games, SummerSlam in Cleveland in early August, and professional tennis tournaments down near Cincinnati.
For some people, the best way to get ready for the football season is to step away from sports fandom completely. For those people, the best way to unwind might be traveling, going to music concerts and festivals, or just spending time with friends and family. Everybody has their own interests and likes, so there is no wrong answer when it comes to how you spend your time outside of being an Ohio State sports fan.
Today’s question: What is going to get you through the summer until Ohio State football returns in August?
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: The Manchester City/Chelsea friendly at Ohio Stadium
This summer is going to be huge for soccer in Columbus. Not only are the Columbus Crew the defending MLS champs, but they’ll be hosting the MLS All-Star Game against the Liga MX All-Stars in July, as well as a friendly against English Premier League side Aston Villa shortly after. While tickets for the MLS All-Star Game likely won’t come cheap, those in attendance will have a chance to see some of the best players in the MLS and Liga MX in Mexico.
Since I’m a Chelsea FC supporter, what I’m looking forward to most this summer is the friendly between Manchester City and Chelsea at Ohio Stadium. I was there a decade ago when PSG and Real Madrid played at The Horseshoe and I wasn’t even a fan of either squad, I was just happy to see soccer being played at the iconic venue. In a perfect world, Ohio Stadium would be a host site for the World Cup in 2026 but I know that isn’t a possibility because the field isn’t quite big enough to accommodate a soccer pitch. The requirements aren’t quite as strict for a soccer friendly. Really the big clubs on tours of the United States before their domestic seasons begin are just looking for venues where they can bring in the most fans.
When it comes to Chelsea, over the last few years the club hasn’t been as strong as they had been over the last 20 years. There has been a change in ownership, along with a number of managers that have failed to produce. I’m sure nobody is going to feel sorry for me because of the way Chelsea has spent money in the past. Honestly, I became a Chelsea fan while drunkenly playing FIFA with friends during my teenage years. This was back when the Premier League was rarely on television in the United States. Now you can see every game on NBC, USA, or Peacock.
I’m not only excited to see Cole Palmer and the rest of the Chelsea players, I’m also pumped to see all the stars Manchester City has on their roster. It’s not often when teams stocked with world-class players come to Columbus, so I’ll take every advantage I can to see them when they do. Plus, while we won’t see both squads playing their most popular players for a full 90 minutes since they are building towards the start of the season a few weeks later, we should at least see them for a decent amount of time on the pitch. It should be a great night under the lights in early August at Ohio Stadium!
Matt’s answer: The Cincinnati Reds
My Ohio State fandom is inextricably tied to the fact that I grew up as the son of two Ohio State alums. Long before I became an Ohio State student, there was no doubt that I would bleed scarlet and gray for the entirety of my life. However, during the summer months, that scarlet blood does warm up a little bit and turns are particularly attractive shade of red.
Even though both of my parents were raised in Central Ohio, they came of age in the era of the Big Red Machine, so just as I was taught to root for the Buckeyes from birth, my love of the Cincinnati Reds was also part and parcel with being a member of my family. So, as the football offseason is now officially upon us, it is time for me to turn at least one eye toward the happenings at Great American Ballpark.
Despite getting swept by the Seattle Mariners earlier this week, the Reds are currently just 2.5 games out of first place in the NL Central, perhaps the most competitive division in all of baseball. They are also 1.5 games out of one of the NL Wild Card spots. Of course, it is only April, so those standings don’t mean anything, but after the excitement generated by the Rally Reds in 2023, the start to the 2024 season has been gratifying.
Led by guys like Elly De La Cruz, Jonathan India, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, Hunter Green, Alexis Díaz, and more, the youth on the team means that there will continue to be some growing pains — as evidenced by the trip to the Pacific Northwest — but they are incredibly competitive and resilient.
I always used to say that all I cared about was the Reds staying in the hunt until August when the Buckeyes’ fall camp started, and then everything that they did in the final months of the season was a bonus. But I’m starting to think differently about this team. With the expanded Wild Card situation and all of the young talent, I really think that this team can make some noise in the postseason, so I’m hoping to have to split my sports attention between the Reds and the Buckeyes deep into the fall.
Continue reading...
