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LGHL You’re Nuts: What does Ohio State have to do to beat Auburn?
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You’re Nuts: What does Ohio State have to do to beat Auburn?
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 Jack Gorman/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will face their toughest test of the season Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (6-3, 1-1) will face its toughest challenge of the season Saturday afternoon — a statement that could cause some uneasiness among fans who watched the Buckeyes fall behind by 33 points at halftime just last week.
The Buckeyes are set to take on the No. 2 Auburn Tigers Saturday afternoon in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers are led by National Player of the Year frontrunner Johni Broome, who is averaging 19.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game thus far. Auburn’s only loss of the season came at the hands of Duke at Cameron Indoor earlier this month.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated whether Ohio State’s game against Rutgers was a must-win game. With 60% of the vote, Justin won (he said yes).
Connor- 82
The Buckeyes are facing a top-two team in the nation this weekend. Based on the current trends, Ohio State is not likely to face another top-two team for the remainder of the year. Therefore, this is one of the biggest opportunities the team has to add some eye candy to its NCAA Tournament resume.
Here are our thoughts on the game. Specifically, what does Ohio State absolutely have to do to get out of Atlanta with the upset?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25787906/2186899417.jpg "Maui Invitational")
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
It might sound counter-productive to foul the other team’s best player over and over, but when that player’s free throw percentage is barely as high as his overall shooting percentage, it could be worth a shot. Johni Broome is shooting 58.3% from the free throw line this season, which is the second-lowest mark of his five-year career. Yet somehow he’s only drawing 4.5 fouls per game, which isn’t even the highest mark on his own team.
Last year against Purdue, Ohio State fouled Zach Edey more than 10 times. Sometimes they fouled him on the shot and sent him to the free throw line, where he finished the game a perfect 8-for-8. More often, however, they fouled Edey on the catch, stopping play before he had a chance to reach up and “drunk” the ball using his vine-like arms.
Yes, the Buckeyes racked up the fouls and yes, Edey wound up having a good — but not great — game. He finished with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and was perfect at the free throw line. He had 13 rebounds and three blocks. Edey took fewer shots against the Buckeyes than he was averaging, because the Buckeyes were getting physical and fouling him before he even had a chance to shoot.
Felix Okpara fouled out. Zed Key picked up four fouls. Jamison Battle picked up four fouls. Even Austin Parks checked in for a few minutes and picked up a foul.
Ohio State won that game, 73-69.
So, while the Buckeyes will need to be strategic with how they deploy their forwards — especially with Aaron Bradshaw’s status up in the air — it would make a lot of sense to use a similar strategy against Broome and the Tigers.
When Auburn tries to feed Broome the ball in the post, rip for the ball. If they blow the whistle, they blow the whistle. When Broome tries to drive to the basket, hack at the ball. If they call a foul, then a 58% free throw shooter heads to the line.
No easy baskets, and no big momentum plays for the team playing much closer to home that will probably own 75% of the fans in the arena. Make Broome beat you at the free throw line, or make him defer to his teammates.
If the National Player of the Year goes 8-for-8 from the line again, tip your cap. Or if you can limit Broome, but everyone else lights it up from three, you tip your cap. But the Buckeyes can’t let Broome get confident or allow him easy looks... and for him, a free throw is not an easy look.
There is one player who has the most experience playing Auburn on this team, and they will need him to have his best game of the season if the Buckeyes want to pull off an upset: South Carolina transfer Meechie Johnson.
The senior guard has been okay so far with the Buckeyes, but he has not been able to catch the wave that he found last year at South Carolina. His three-point shooting is up, but his overall field goal percentage is down, and he is struggling to finish at the basket.
Johnson was All-SEC last season as a Gamecock and had one of his better games against Auburn. He is averaging 9.6 points per game this season, down from 14.1 points per game last season.
Bruce Thornton is one of the top guards in the conference and the country, and many people were excited to see him paired with Johnson. Meechie Johnson’s ability to carry some of the scoring load is a big way to help unlock Thornton and help him reach his full potential.
Johnson has shot the ball well from three-point range, but he can improve his overall scoring ability this season. If the Buckeyes want to upset Auburn, he will have to have an efficient game on offense and make sure the defense cannot key in on Thornton offensively.
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 Jack Gorman/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will face their toughest test of the season Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (6-3, 1-1) will face its toughest challenge of the season Saturday afternoon — a statement that could cause some uneasiness among fans who watched the Buckeyes fall behind by 33 points at halftime just last week.
The Buckeyes are set to take on the No. 2 Auburn Tigers Saturday afternoon in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers are led by National Player of the Year frontrunner Johni Broome, who is averaging 19.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game thus far. Auburn’s only loss of the season came at the hands of Duke at Cameron Indoor earlier this month.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated whether Ohio State’s game against Rutgers was a must-win game. With 60% of the vote, Justin won (he said yes).
After 182 weeks:
Connor- 82
Justin- 77
Other- 18
(There have been five ties)
The Buckeyes are facing a top-two team in the nation this weekend. Based on the current trends, Ohio State is not likely to face another top-two team for the remainder of the year. Therefore, this is one of the biggest opportunities the team has to add some eye candy to its NCAA Tournament resume.
Here are our thoughts on the game. Specifically, what does Ohio State absolutely have to do to get out of Atlanta with the upset?
This week’s question: What does Ohio State have to do to beat Auburn?
Connor: Foul Johni Broome as much as necessary
It might sound counter-productive to foul the other team’s best player over and over, but when that player’s free throw percentage is barely as high as his overall shooting percentage, it could be worth a shot. Johni Broome is shooting 58.3% from the free throw line this season, which is the second-lowest mark of his five-year career. Yet somehow he’s only drawing 4.5 fouls per game, which isn’t even the highest mark on his own team.
Last year against Purdue, Ohio State fouled Zach Edey more than 10 times. Sometimes they fouled him on the shot and sent him to the free throw line, where he finished the game a perfect 8-for-8. More often, however, they fouled Edey on the catch, stopping play before he had a chance to reach up and “drunk” the ball using his vine-like arms.
Yes, the Buckeyes racked up the fouls and yes, Edey wound up having a good — but not great — game. He finished with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and was perfect at the free throw line. He had 13 rebounds and three blocks. Edey took fewer shots against the Buckeyes than he was averaging, because the Buckeyes were getting physical and fouling him before he even had a chance to shoot.
Felix Okpara fouled out. Zed Key picked up four fouls. Jamison Battle picked up four fouls. Even Austin Parks checked in for a few minutes and picked up a foul.
Ohio State won that game, 73-69.
So, while the Buckeyes will need to be strategic with how they deploy their forwards — especially with Aaron Bradshaw’s status up in the air — it would make a lot of sense to use a similar strategy against Broome and the Tigers.
When Auburn tries to feed Broome the ball in the post, rip for the ball. If they blow the whistle, they blow the whistle. When Broome tries to drive to the basket, hack at the ball. If they call a foul, then a 58% free throw shooter heads to the line.
No easy baskets, and no big momentum plays for the team playing much closer to home that will probably own 75% of the fans in the arena. Make Broome beat you at the free throw line, or make him defer to his teammates.
If the National Player of the Year goes 8-for-8 from the line again, tip your cap. Or if you can limit Broome, but everyone else lights it up from three, you tip your cap. But the Buckeyes can’t let Broome get confident or allow him easy looks... and for him, a free throw is not an easy look.
Justin: Meechie Johnson masterclass
There is one player who has the most experience playing Auburn on this team, and they will need him to have his best game of the season if the Buckeyes want to pull off an upset: South Carolina transfer Meechie Johnson.
The senior guard has been okay so far with the Buckeyes, but he has not been able to catch the wave that he found last year at South Carolina. His three-point shooting is up, but his overall field goal percentage is down, and he is struggling to finish at the basket.
Johnson was All-SEC last season as a Gamecock and had one of his better games against Auburn. He is averaging 9.6 points per game this season, down from 14.1 points per game last season.
Bruce Thornton is one of the top guards in the conference and the country, and many people were excited to see him paired with Johnson. Meechie Johnson’s ability to carry some of the scoring load is a big way to help unlock Thornton and help him reach his full potential.
Johnson has shot the ball well from three-point range, but he can improve his overall scoring ability this season. If the Buckeyes want to upset Auburn, he will have to have an efficient game on offense and make sure the defense cannot key in on Thornton offensively.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Is playing a mid-December night game going to impact Ohio State’s playoff game?
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You’re Nuts: Is playing a mid-December night game going to impact Ohio State’s playoff game?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
I’m going to be honest: When Ohio State takes the field against Tennessee on December 21, I don’t think the weather is going to be as big a factor as people are making it seem. I won’t go so far as to call it a non-factor, but it’s highly unlikely cold weather alone is going to be the thing that costs the Volunteers the game.
The early forecasts are projecting temperatures between 23 and 33 degrees, with a real-feel of 17 degrees. That is cold-cold. Cold enough that it’s not fun to play in no matter which jersey you’re wearing.
Some folks are arguing that the Buckeyes are used to it, while Tennessee is not. But Tennessee has a much more seasonal climate than some of the other SEC schools, despite being in the South. Other than today and tomorrow, Knoxville’s temperatures are in the same ballpark as those in Columbus. In fact, as I sit down to write this, I’m in the middle of texting my little brother—a Tennessee graduate—who was pleased to inform me it snowed in Knoxville today and the Volunteers practiced in it.
Now, it’s not going to hit 17 degrees in Knoxville between now and game day, and in the years they make a Bowl Game, the Vols are typically traveling somewhere warm for postseason football. But cold weather isn’t a foreign concept to the Vols.
Except Nico Iamaleava, the Volunteers’ quarterback from Southern California. I’m writing this from Southern California, where I’m bundled up on my couch with a space heater running, and it’s not even close to being below freezing. Iamaleava is certainly not accustomed to playing in that kind of cold—but, I would argue, neither is anyone. It might affect Iamaleava’s play a bit, but who’s to say it won’t also affect the Buckeyes?
Do we ever really get used to that kind of cold? I spent 20 years of my life in Chicago and I’ve lived in places with cold winters for 90 percent of my time on this planet: No amount of living in it makes it feel less cold. How much of an advantage does it really give the Buckeyes, then?
According to NFL data, not much. We have to take NFL data with a grain of salt because NFL teams play more games in cold weather, and most college students haven’t played in that kind of cold yet, but according to Sports-Reference, since 2010, the climate has not drastically impacted the outcome of games.
Individual teams had some variance, but it could be due to a wide range of factors (for example, the New England Patriots—a cold-weather team—had the highest success rate in cold-weather games. However, they also had a stacked roster and played in three Super Bowls in that time, so is it the weather or something else?)
The real trends that emerge from the data show that there are fewer passing yards across the board in cold games—which frankly, might actually work against the Buckeyes (see also: the complete collapse of our rushing game against the Wolverines).
If wind or snow were to factor in, in addition to the cold, that might be a different story. Wind can actively impact kickoffs, punts, field goals, and passing, while snow makes it slippery. Those have much greater implications for the game than temperature alone, and the Buckeyes are categorically more prepared for those types of weather events than the Volunteers.
In the case of either wind or snow, I’d expect some detrimental impact on Tennessee’s performance. But right now, we’re expecting no precipitation and only a mild breeze.
Victory, then, is likely to be less about the weather itself and more about how successfully the coaches can help their players execute and stay focused in temps that would drive most humans to sit by a fire and drink cocoa.
It’s not that the cold won’t affect the game at all, but if the current forecast stands, I don’t think the cold will impact Tennessee more than it does Ohio State. Rather, I think we’ll see two very evenly matched teams adjust their game plans a bit to attempt to account for frigid temperatures, and the team that adjusts more successfully will walk away with a narrow win in a nail-biter.
Let’s call a spade a spade, the Buckeye offense stunk the last time it played a game in particularly cold weather. Against Michigan, the temperatures were in the mid to upper-20s and there were winds from 15 to 25 miles per hour throughout the afternoon.
Now, whether that was the cause for the disjointed, poorly called offense, I don’t know. It could also potentially be the fact that OSU’s quarterback took an ungodly shot to his head in the second quarter, or that the Buckeyes’ head coach can’t seem to get out of his own way in big games. Who’s to say?
But whatever the reason is, it is clear that the Tennessee Volunteers are far more suited to move the ball on offense in poor weather than the Buckeyes are. Just over 50% of the Vols' total yards of offense this season came on the ground, while OSU saw only 40% of its yards come via the running game.
Josh Huepel’s squad ranked second among Power 4 schools with 232 rushing yards per game while Ohio State was 59th nationally at 169.17 ypg. Of course, all stats can be deceiving, especially when trying to compare cross-conference resumes against very different schedules. The Buckeyes also hurt their raw numbers by running far fewer plays than in recent years. Ryan Day’s team ranked 116th nationally in terms of how many seconds it took them to run a play on offense at 28.3. Tennessee snapped the ball every 24 seconds. Now, you might not think that’s a big deal, but that was good enough for them to rank 21st in FBS.
The point is that the Vols run the ball a lot. And while they are fairly balanced, if the weather becomes inclement, they have a much better chance of overcoming it by doing what they do best.
If the winds are swirling inside Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, there is substantial doubt in my mind about whether or not Day and Chip Kelly will trust Will Howard to put the ball in the air. Personally, I think that the Kansas State transfer has been excellent this year, but he has admittedly struggled to connect on deep passes, suggesting either a lack of elite arm strength or fundamentals, both of which are required against gusting winds.
Personally, I think that Howard has the capabilities to throw the ball anywhere on the field regardless of any non-catastrophic conditions, but I’m not sure that the OSU offensive brain trust will be able to emerge from their turtle shell long enough to realize it.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: Is playing Tennessee at night in mid-December at Ohio Stadium going to impact the outcome of the College Football Playoff game?
Jami’s Take: Not unless it snows
I’m going to be honest: When Ohio State takes the field against Tennessee on December 21, I don’t think the weather is going to be as big a factor as people are making it seem. I won’t go so far as to call it a non-factor, but it’s highly unlikely cold weather alone is going to be the thing that costs the Volunteers the game.
The early forecasts are projecting temperatures between 23 and 33 degrees, with a real-feel of 17 degrees. That is cold-cold. Cold enough that it’s not fun to play in no matter which jersey you’re wearing.
Some folks are arguing that the Buckeyes are used to it, while Tennessee is not. But Tennessee has a much more seasonal climate than some of the other SEC schools, despite being in the South. Other than today and tomorrow, Knoxville’s temperatures are in the same ballpark as those in Columbus. In fact, as I sit down to write this, I’m in the middle of texting my little brother—a Tennessee graduate—who was pleased to inform me it snowed in Knoxville today and the Volunteers practiced in it.
Now, it’s not going to hit 17 degrees in Knoxville between now and game day, and in the years they make a Bowl Game, the Vols are typically traveling somewhere warm for postseason football. But cold weather isn’t a foreign concept to the Vols.
Except Nico Iamaleava, the Volunteers’ quarterback from Southern California. I’m writing this from Southern California, where I’m bundled up on my couch with a space heater running, and it’s not even close to being below freezing. Iamaleava is certainly not accustomed to playing in that kind of cold—but, I would argue, neither is anyone. It might affect Iamaleava’s play a bit, but who’s to say it won’t also affect the Buckeyes?
Do we ever really get used to that kind of cold? I spent 20 years of my life in Chicago and I’ve lived in places with cold winters for 90 percent of my time on this planet: No amount of living in it makes it feel less cold. How much of an advantage does it really give the Buckeyes, then?
According to NFL data, not much. We have to take NFL data with a grain of salt because NFL teams play more games in cold weather, and most college students haven’t played in that kind of cold yet, but according to Sports-Reference, since 2010, the climate has not drastically impacted the outcome of games.
Individual teams had some variance, but it could be due to a wide range of factors (for example, the New England Patriots—a cold-weather team—had the highest success rate in cold-weather games. However, they also had a stacked roster and played in three Super Bowls in that time, so is it the weather or something else?)
The real trends that emerge from the data show that there are fewer passing yards across the board in cold games—which frankly, might actually work against the Buckeyes (see also: the complete collapse of our rushing game against the Wolverines).
If wind or snow were to factor in, in addition to the cold, that might be a different story. Wind can actively impact kickoffs, punts, field goals, and passing, while snow makes it slippery. Those have much greater implications for the game than temperature alone, and the Buckeyes are categorically more prepared for those types of weather events than the Volunteers.
In the case of either wind or snow, I’d expect some detrimental impact on Tennessee’s performance. But right now, we’re expecting no precipitation and only a mild breeze.
Victory, then, is likely to be less about the weather itself and more about how successfully the coaches can help their players execute and stay focused in temps that would drive most humans to sit by a fire and drink cocoa.
It’s not that the cold won’t affect the game at all, but if the current forecast stands, I don’t think the cold will impact Tennessee more than it does Ohio State. Rather, I think we’ll see two very evenly matched teams adjust their game plans a bit to attempt to account for frigid temperatures, and the team that adjusts more successfully will walk away with a narrow win in a nail-biter.
Matt’s Take: Yes, particularly if it is windy
Let’s call a spade a spade, the Buckeye offense stunk the last time it played a game in particularly cold weather. Against Michigan, the temperatures were in the mid to upper-20s and there were winds from 15 to 25 miles per hour throughout the afternoon.
Now, whether that was the cause for the disjointed, poorly called offense, I don’t know. It could also potentially be the fact that OSU’s quarterback took an ungodly shot to his head in the second quarter, or that the Buckeyes’ head coach can’t seem to get out of his own way in big games. Who’s to say?
But whatever the reason is, it is clear that the Tennessee Volunteers are far more suited to move the ball on offense in poor weather than the Buckeyes are. Just over 50% of the Vols' total yards of offense this season came on the ground, while OSU saw only 40% of its yards come via the running game.
Josh Huepel’s squad ranked second among Power 4 schools with 232 rushing yards per game while Ohio State was 59th nationally at 169.17 ypg. Of course, all stats can be deceiving, especially when trying to compare cross-conference resumes against very different schedules. The Buckeyes also hurt their raw numbers by running far fewer plays than in recent years. Ryan Day’s team ranked 116th nationally in terms of how many seconds it took them to run a play on offense at 28.3. Tennessee snapped the ball every 24 seconds. Now, you might not think that’s a big deal, but that was good enough for them to rank 21st in FBS.
The point is that the Vols run the ball a lot. And while they are fairly balanced, if the weather becomes inclement, they have a much better chance of overcoming it by doing what they do best.
If the winds are swirling inside Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, there is substantial doubt in my mind about whether or not Day and Chip Kelly will trust Will Howard to put the ball in the air. Personally, I think that the Kansas State transfer has been excellent this year, but he has admittedly struggled to connect on deep passes, suggesting either a lack of elite arm strength or fundamentals, both of which are required against gusting winds.
Personally, I think that Howard has the capabilities to throw the ball anywhere on the field regardless of any non-catastrophic conditions, but I’m not sure that the OSU offensive brain trust will be able to emerge from their turtle shell long enough to realize it.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
Continue reading...
Ohio State vs. #2 Auburn (in Atlanta), Dec. 14 @ 1pm ET, ESPN2
- By brodybuck21
- Buckeye Basketball
- 53 Replies
Ohio State vs Auburn: 2024-25 College basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Joey Loose | Dec 11, 2024
Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) goes up for a layup as Auburn Tigers take on Richmond Spiders at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2024. / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ohio State meets Auburn in Atlanta as part of the Holiday Hoopsgiving; will the Tigers keep rolling this season or do the Buckeyes get back on track with a marquee victory?
TV schedule: Saturday, December 14, 1:00 pm ET. ESPN2Arena: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
Trying to ride the high of last season’s ending, Ohio State (6-3) showed promise in a season-opening victory over Texas but recent weeks have been less prosperous. Jake Diebler’s first full season in command has had its share of challenges, including a recent overtime loss to Pittsburgh and tough showing in road losses against Maryland and Texas A&M. Regardless, this trip to Atlanta brings major opportunity.
Much like last season, the Buckeyes lean heavily on junior guard Bruce Thornton (16.2 ppg, 5.7 apg), a great shooter and the key cog in running this offense. After coming off the bench last year, Devin Royal (14.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) has taken a nice step forward as a sophomore, carving out a major role in this frontcourt. A few of the newer pieces in the lineup are still adjusting, though freshman John Mobley (12.9 ppg) is satisfying early expectations, shooting 56% from outside the arc.
The Buckeyes have been unranked as a result of their recent defeats, though they sit 29th in KenPom and were 23rd in the most recent NET rankings. This program is still figuring things out for this season, especially with their new faces in the frontcourt not exactly standing out. The offense was putrid just over a week ago against the Terrapins, though the shooting for the most part has been solid this season. In this matchup, Ohio State clearly needs to put together a complete game, much like against Texas in early November.
Things are far clearer at Auburn (8-1), as these Tigers just might be one of the elite teams in the nation this season. This program has already stockpiled impressive wins including Houston, Iowa State, and North Carolina and their lone loss came last week at Duke, a tough place for anyone to win. Much like with the Buckeyes, the Tigers see the opportunity in Atlanta and won’t show up flat.
The leading story with Auburn is clearly Johni Broome (19.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg), the fifth-year senior forward who just might be the best frontcourt player in the entire country. He’s been impressive throughout the Tigers’ awesome opening month. Chad Baker-Mazara (13.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg) is another name to watch, as he’s developed into quite the leader and scorer for Auburn in his second year in town. This senior-laden lineup does have some young talent, as freshman Tahaad Pettiford (11.3 ppg, 2.8 apg) has been playing some inspired ball in recent weeks.
Last week’s loss in Durham only dro
Ohio State vs Auburn: 2024-25 College basketball game preview, TV schedule
Ohio State meets Auburn in Atlanta as part of the Holiday Hoopsgiving; will the Tigers keep rolling this season or do the Buckeyes get back on track with a marq
bustingbrackets.com
LGHL Seth McLaughlin becomes Ohio State’s fourth Remington winner
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Seth McLaughlin becomes Ohio State’s fourth Remington winner
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Seth McLaughlin Wins 2024 Rimington Trophy
Ohio State Athletics
Not bad for a guy who Alabama discarded and only played 10 games this season:
Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin Are Walter Camp First-Team All-Americans, Jeremiah Smith Makes Second Team
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State AD Bjork discusses Ryan Day’s future as Buckeyes head coach
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State prioritizing transfer portal recruiting with the 2025 class wrapped up
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State AD Ross Bjork reveals more details about Buckeyes hosting first-round CFP game
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Seth McLaughlin Still Trying to Help Buckeyes from Sidelines, Says Ohio State Has Been “Everything I Needed”
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
MC&J: The 2024-25 college football bowl season kicks off on Saturday night
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State likely to remain shorthanded against No. 2 Auburn
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Will Bruce Thornton enjoy Atlanta return? 4 Ohio State-Auburn questions
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Devin Royal emerging for Ohio State men’s basketball at the right time
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Always get nervous seeing Dick Van Dyke’s name trending, especially after he had to evacuate his home due to a wildfire. But very happy that it was just because it was his 99th birthday!
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Seth McLaughlin Wins 2024 Rimington Trophy
Ohio State Athletics
Not bad for a guy who Alabama discarded and only played 10 games this season:
Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin Are Walter Camp First-Team All-Americans, Jeremiah Smith Makes Second Team
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State AD Bjork discusses Ryan Day’s future as Buckeyes head coach
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State prioritizing transfer portal recruiting with the 2025 class wrapped up
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State AD Ross Bjork reveals more details about Buckeyes hosting first-round CFP game
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Seth McLaughlin Still Trying to Help Buckeyes from Sidelines, Says Ohio State Has Been “Everything I Needed”
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
MC&J: The 2024-25 college football bowl season kicks off on Saturday night
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Ohio State likely to remain shorthanded against No. 2 Auburn
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Will Bruce Thornton enjoy Atlanta return? 4 Ohio State-Auburn questions
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Devin Royal emerging for Ohio State men’s basketball at the right time
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
And now for something completely different...
Always get nervous seeing Dick Van Dyke’s name trending, especially after he had to evacuate his home due to a wildfire. But very happy that it was just because it was his 99th birthday!
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LGHL Ohio State continues to search the transfer portal, boasts the nation’s top center
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Ohio State continues to search the transfer portal, boasts the nation’s top center
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are leaving no stone unturned this offseason when it comes to the transfer portal.
Just over a week until the big game, Ohio State continues to take care of matters that not only concern the rest of this season, but looking ahead to 2025 as well. Taking measures to make the transfer portal a priority, this staff looks poised to bring in the talent and depth needed to reach their ultimate goals.
With this week bringing several bouts of news that the coaches are ready to host top portal targets, you hope the guys being pursued make the choice to make Ohio State their next home. Whether it’s a direct access to playing time, the potential to compete at the highest of levels, or even the NIL front, Ryan Day and the rest of his crew have to make these next few months a difference maker.
The list of names the Buckeyes are going after in the portal is already very interesting, and that doesn’t even count the guys who still could choose to enter. Day made it clear this program fully intends to bring in a sizable amount of players — and it’s needed. Fortunately, the interest from several players looks to be mutual.
Maybe not the biggest need on the team, Ohio State still is looking to add to their defensive backfield, and a new name on that front is LSU safety Sage Ryan, who has plans to find a new home for next season. The No. 144 player overall and the seventh best safety in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, Ryan has made it clear that he has an interest in the Buckeyes as a potential landing spot, and very well could be a player Ohio State looks to host for a visit in the coming weeks.
Already in on Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman, it’s not an expectation that the Buckeyes take two safeties in the portal, but keeping their attention on multiple guys is the plan as of now. For the immediate future, follow the visits for who the Buckeyes are targeting the hardest to help bolster the back end with Caleb Downs in 2025.
Sticking with the secondary theme, the Buckeyes have also reportedly reached out to Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey. A player that is sure to garner a ton of attention, 247Sports lists him as the 30th best player in the portal and the third best cornerback as well, which isn’t a surprise seeing the amount of programs who are also heavily in the mix interest wise.
A 6-foot-1, 195 pound cornerback, Humphrey has three years of experience under his belt and has shined in many of his chances. The Buckeyes do have plenty of talent already in the position room, but this staff has said they want to add valuable depth, and here’s another name worth watching moving forward with others likely to follow.
Proof to his development at Ohio State, this is not only an awesome feat for McLaughlin, but Justin Frye as well. Having left Alabama with some scrutiny on his play in 2023, McLaughlin was all Ohio State needed and then some as the anchor of their offensive line, and that is something this program can sell moving forward to recruits and portal targets as well.
A job well done, it’s evident how much this team has benefitted from McLaughlin’s play, and would obviously love for that to be the case once again next week if not for his injury.
A five-star recruitment this far in advance can sometimes lead to cause for concern and wonder if the player sticks to his commitment, but safe to say in this situation it’s all Ohio State for the Huber Heights Wayne Warrior.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are leaving no stone unturned this offseason when it comes to the transfer portal.
Just over a week until the big game, Ohio State continues to take care of matters that not only concern the rest of this season, but looking ahead to 2025 as well. Taking measures to make the transfer portal a priority, this staff looks poised to bring in the talent and depth needed to reach their ultimate goals.
With this week bringing several bouts of news that the coaches are ready to host top portal targets, you hope the guys being pursued make the choice to make Ohio State their next home. Whether it’s a direct access to playing time, the potential to compete at the highest of levels, or even the NIL front, Ryan Day and the rest of his crew have to make these next few months a difference maker.
Portal additions continue to show interest in the Buckeyes
The list of names the Buckeyes are going after in the portal is already very interesting, and that doesn’t even count the guys who still could choose to enter. Day made it clear this program fully intends to bring in a sizable amount of players — and it’s needed. Fortunately, the interest from several players looks to be mutual.
Maybe not the biggest need on the team, Ohio State still is looking to add to their defensive backfield, and a new name on that front is LSU safety Sage Ryan, who has plans to find a new home for next season. The No. 144 player overall and the seventh best safety in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, Ryan has made it clear that he has an interest in the Buckeyes as a potential landing spot, and very well could be a player Ohio State looks to host for a visit in the coming weeks.
Already in on Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman, it’s not an expectation that the Buckeyes take two safeties in the portal, but keeping their attention on multiple guys is the plan as of now. For the immediate future, follow the visits for who the Buckeyes are targeting the hardest to help bolster the back end with Caleb Downs in 2025.
Sticking with the secondary theme, the Buckeyes have also reportedly reached out to Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey. A player that is sure to garner a ton of attention, 247Sports lists him as the 30th best player in the portal and the third best cornerback as well, which isn’t a surprise seeing the amount of programs who are also heavily in the mix interest wise.
A 6-foot-1, 195 pound cornerback, Humphrey has three years of experience under his belt and has shined in many of his chances. The Buckeyes do have plenty of talent already in the position room, but this staff has said they want to add valuable depth, and here’s another name worth watching moving forward with others likely to follow.
Georgia Transfer CB Julian Humphrey has heard from theseSchools since entering the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/Zs56o1j4Vx pic.twitter.com/wVwKuXUvsj
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 12, 2024
Quick Hits
- One of the more impressive awards an offensive linemen and specifically a center can earn, Ohio State on Thursday night saw Seth McLaughlin take home the Rimington Trophy for the nation’s top center. The fourth Buckeye to bring home the award, it’s a terrific accomplishment to end Seth’s career considering how he left Alabama.
Proof to his development at Ohio State, this is not only an awesome feat for McLaughlin, but Justin Frye as well. Having left Alabama with some scrutiny on his play in 2023, McLaughlin was all Ohio State needed and then some as the anchor of their offensive line, and that is something this program can sell moving forward to recruits and portal targets as well.
A job well done, it’s evident how much this team has benefitted from McLaughlin’s play, and would obviously love for that to be the case once again next week if not for his injury.
- He might only be in the 2027 class, but five-star and latest commit Jamier Brown is already proving how proud he is to be a Buckeye. The No. 7 player nationally and the top ranked receiver per the 247Sports Composite for his cycle, Brown literally inked his way to showing his future home.
A five-star recruitment this far in advance can sometimes lead to cause for concern and wonder if the player sticks to his commitment, but safe to say in this situation it’s all Ohio State for the Huber Heights Wayne Warrior.
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LGHL Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
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Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have been better with a QB who put up insane stats playing glorified 7-on-7 ball this season.
First off, yes, I believe that Ohio State is far better off with Will Howard than it was or would have been with Kyle McCord. I will make my case momentarily. Secondly, I’m not hating on McCord here, the sub-headline is simply an accurate depiction of the games in which the former Buckeye participated this season.
McCord and Syracuse faced exactly one top-50 pass defense (PYPG allowed) while avoiding SMU and Clemson in the ACC. But because Fran Brown’s team was often involved in shootouts, and rarely in a position to rest or sit starters, McCord never came off the field and attempted more passes than any other quarterback in the country. The former Buckeye put up huge stats thanks in no small part to his 558 (!) passing attempts, but were those gaudy numbers really just empty calories?
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure fans of the Orange didn’t and don’t care. Nor should they.
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Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images
But let’s get back to OSU’s current signal caller and the question at hand. Was Howard a better option — for this team — than McCord would have been? How about Cam Ward or Riley Leonard? Well, despite what the trio of McCord/Ward/Riley was able to accomplish this season, I believe that Ryan Day and co. absolutely made the right choice when choosing this year’s QB. And this belief is derived from — or influenced by — far more than just Howard’s on-field performance. The former Kansas State Wildcat has provided incredible leadership and gives this team a substantial upgrade in the intangible department.
Of course that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Howard’s play, by the way. Stats matter, just like stars matter. So let me make myself crystal clear: If teammates and coaches loved Howard but he stunk out loud, I would be first in line to buy him a bus or plane ticket out of Columbus.
Hell, I’m willing to sit here and say (write) that I believe his performance against TTUN was one of the primary reasons that Ohio State lost. But that is only one part of a very complicated equation.
There are so many other factors at play when assessing Howard’s status as OSU’s QB, especially when it comes to quarterback success and said QB influencing (or not influencing) his team’s success.
We know this because as fans of college football, we’ve all seen supremely talented QBs put up video game stats but fail in areas that matter most: Leading and lifting up those around them — which Howard seems very, very good at — and rising to the occasion when the game or season is on the line.
Until Saturday, Nov. 30, nothing that Howard had said or done had given me reason to doubt his ability to do the latter. Whereas last season... well, let’s just say things were different in that respect
Now, was I sold a false bill of goods? Should Buckeye Nation have seen Howard’s performance in The Game coming from a mile away? Again, maybe, maybe not. But one thing I’m damn sure of is the unequivocal fact that OSU coaches did not put their QB and team in the best position to win. Which is why I’m willing to give Howard some benefit of the doubt.
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Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Because all Howard has done since he arrived in Columbus is prepare and go about things the right way. He has carried himself like a leader; something or someone that Ohio State maybe, kinda, sorta lacked last season. But I’ll even hedge there by saying that it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Day and McCord did not have the best of relationships. This is why I’m not assigning blame on the ‘Cuse QB, but rather just voicing what I have witnessed.
Nobody knows if OSU would be a 10-2 playoff team (or better) with McCord this season. But along the same lines, did you have supreme confidence that things were trending in the right direction after last season? I’m guessing not.
Nonetheless, Howard is now leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff, and I’m not sure that I would have it any other way. When it comes down to it, the divorce between McCord and Ohio State — as well as the pursuit and acquisition of Howard — seems to have benefited all. The former put up video game numbers, while the latter is preparing to chase a national title. So maybe we just leave it at that. Maybe all parties made the right choices, including, but not limited t,o OSU.
Or maybe McCord played Mickey Mouse football this season, Howard couldn’t handle the moment in a serious conference, and the Buckeyes were doomed either way... I dunno. Losing to TTUN sucks and makes me question everything. Damnit.
Anyway, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have been better with a QB who put up insane stats playing glorified 7-on-7 ball this season.
First off, yes, I believe that Ohio State is far better off with Will Howard than it was or would have been with Kyle McCord. I will make my case momentarily. Secondly, I’m not hating on McCord here, the sub-headline is simply an accurate depiction of the games in which the former Buckeye participated this season.
McCord and Syracuse faced exactly one top-50 pass defense (PYPG allowed) while avoiding SMU and Clemson in the ACC. But because Fran Brown’s team was often involved in shootouts, and rarely in a position to rest or sit starters, McCord never came off the field and attempted more passes than any other quarterback in the country. The former Buckeye put up huge stats thanks in no small part to his 558 (!) passing attempts, but were those gaudy numbers really just empty calories?
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure fans of the Orange didn’t and don’t care. Nor should they.
But let’s get back to OSU’s current signal caller and the question at hand. Was Howard a better option — for this team — than McCord would have been? How about Cam Ward or Riley Leonard? Well, despite what the trio of McCord/Ward/Riley was able to accomplish this season, I believe that Ryan Day and co. absolutely made the right choice when choosing this year’s QB. And this belief is derived from — or influenced by — far more than just Howard’s on-field performance. The former Kansas State Wildcat has provided incredible leadership and gives this team a substantial upgrade in the intangible department.
Of course that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Howard’s play, by the way. Stats matter, just like stars matter. So let me make myself crystal clear: If teammates and coaches loved Howard but he stunk out loud, I would be first in line to buy him a bus or plane ticket out of Columbus.
Hell, I’m willing to sit here and say (write) that I believe his performance against TTUN was one of the primary reasons that Ohio State lost. But that is only one part of a very complicated equation.
There are so many other factors at play when assessing Howard’s status as OSU’s QB, especially when it comes to quarterback success and said QB influencing (or not influencing) his team’s success.
We know this because as fans of college football, we’ve all seen supremely talented QBs put up video game stats but fail in areas that matter most: Leading and lifting up those around them — which Howard seems very, very good at — and rising to the occasion when the game or season is on the line.
Until Saturday, Nov. 30, nothing that Howard had said or done had given me reason to doubt his ability to do the latter. Whereas last season... well, let’s just say things were different in that respect
Now, was I sold a false bill of goods? Should Buckeye Nation have seen Howard’s performance in The Game coming from a mile away? Again, maybe, maybe not. But one thing I’m damn sure of is the unequivocal fact that OSU coaches did not put their QB and team in the best position to win. Which is why I’m willing to give Howard some benefit of the doubt.
Because all Howard has done since he arrived in Columbus is prepare and go about things the right way. He has carried himself like a leader; something or someone that Ohio State maybe, kinda, sorta lacked last season. But I’ll even hedge there by saying that it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Day and McCord did not have the best of relationships. This is why I’m not assigning blame on the ‘Cuse QB, but rather just voicing what I have witnessed.
Nobody knows if OSU would be a 10-2 playoff team (or better) with McCord this season. But along the same lines, did you have supreme confidence that things were trending in the right direction after last season? I’m guessing not.
Nonetheless, Howard is now leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff, and I’m not sure that I would have it any other way. When it comes down to it, the divorce between McCord and Ohio State — as well as the pursuit and acquisition of Howard — seems to have benefited all. The former put up video game numbers, while the latter is preparing to chase a national title. So maybe we just leave it at that. Maybe all parties made the right choices, including, but not limited t,o OSU.
Or maybe McCord played Mickey Mouse football this season, Howard couldn’t handle the moment in a serious conference, and the Buckeyes were doomed either way... I dunno. Losing to TTUN sucks and makes me question everything. Damnit.
Anyway, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
LGHL Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
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Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Kuntz - Cleveland.com
The Thierry Twins are on opposing teams for the first time this weekend, and it’s a game packed with meaning.
Children shake up everything. From the moment they’re born, they command constant attention through feeding, changing and trying to get them to sleep for at least an hour, maybe two.
Over the years they become more independent, but for the parents it’s a smokescreen. Sure there are great moments when they start doing the dishes for you, do their homework without being reminded or reaching the age where they can watch their siblings and the parents can get a much needed night away. Even with that little bit of freedom, they’re always on the minds of the ones who did the raising.
They’re also celebrated at every turn. From using an actual toilet for the first time to playing a solo in the band’s winter recital. Positive reinforcement is not only for the kids themselves, but it’s also for the parents. It lets you know that something is working.
For Elin Thierry, the mother of college basketball twins Taylor and Haley Thierry, hearing about Saturday’s game between the fraternal twins at Ohio State and Youngstown State was not one of those moments.
“My initial reaction was no,” said Elin. “Of course, I would rather them be playing on the same team. But yeah, I still have mixed feelings about it.”
After three seasons playing for their respective in-state schools, the twins from Cleveland face each other for the first time. Like many siblings, the Thierrys grew up playing together, culminating in their final formal game of basketball on the same team at the Laurel School.
To the twins, their reactions are different from their mom.
“I’ve been wanting to play my sister for the last like four years up until now. So that being the opportunity to play against my sister after, you know, three years is like really exciting for me,” said Haley. “My initial reaction was like, this can’t be real.”
That’s Haley, who is playing in her final season with the Youngstown Penguins, of the Horizon League.
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Robert Hayes - Youngstown State University
“Yeah, my sister is definitely excited about that more than I am,” said Taylor. “I never thought I’d be playing against my sister at the collegiate level, but here we are. So I’m excited to compete against them.”
The difference in excitement levels from the Thierry twins isn’t based solely upon Haley playing for the smaller school tucked in the corner of Northeast Ohio, playing against the in-state juggernaut that is Ohio State. A university whose fandom stretches to all state borders and beyond.
It is because the Thierry sisters are their own people. Taylor is a 6-foot-1 hybrid guard/forward whose vertical causes issues for opponents, and Haley is a 5-foot-9 defensive-minded guard who impacts games beyond what you see in a stat sheet — and that is only talking about basketball.
Off the court, both Thierry twins can be reserved, but Haley is the one more likely to join in at a party. For Taylor, she’s happy being around a gathering, taking it all in.
Watch Ohio State and that doesn’t come as a surprise. The Buckeye forward, who has started every game since the start of her sophomore season, makes big plays but is known for consistency. Thierry’s known for being the team’s foundation who picks up rebounds, is integral in the full court press at half court and scores baskets with high efficiency.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25786776/usa_today_24747382.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Taylor isn’t likely to lead the team in scoring each night but her Ohio State teammates know what they’ll get game in and game out. The senior is involved in every play, reads game situations well and makes good decisions, but Taylor’s play is nowhere near her ceiling.
“I know my sister, like she can dunk,” said Haley. “I always tell her, I’m like, if you get the opportunity, do it. Like, no matter what, like, that would be so exciting for everyone. And knowing like how, like the amount of work she puts in and all that kind of stuff.”
There’s been no physical evidence showing a Taylor dunk, at least to those watching the team, but Haley knows. The Thierry sisters don’t always talk basketball but when they do it is helping each other’s game, telling them what they see and even videos of a Taylor dunk.
The Ohio State forward doesn’t have to dunk to impact a game but regardless, that’s not Taylor’s style. That’s unwanted attention. If dunking was Taylor’s game, or she saw Saturday as the perfect time debut it, it won’t be on her sister, if its up to Haley.
“My coaches were like, ‘what if she posts to you and dunks on you? What are you going to do,’” said Haley. “And I was like, ‘she’s not dunking on me.’”
Growing up, the Thierry twins lived in a home built on family, faith and hard work. After all, their parents Elin and John Thierry were both college athletes. Their mom played volleyball at the University of Oklahoma and their dad played football at Alcorn State University, followed up by a nine-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
Elin and John’s three daughters all excelled athletically, but like any good parents, they weren’t pushing their personal dreams or past athletic ambition onto their kids. Instead, an environment where if something was done, it was done right.
Older sister Jordan had the same work in athletics, and was as talented as her sisters, but focused instead on the arts. Haley and Taylor have both received commendations from their hometown mayor for their educational achievements throughout high school and college, including Haley’s spot on the YSU Honor Roll and Thierry’s place in back-to-back Academic All-Big Ten teams.
When the Thierry family has their mind set on something, it’s getting done the right way, even if it sometimes the kids took it to another level.
“We had to pull Taylor away from the court when she was in elementary school, middle school, high school,” said Elin. “Like Taylor, you have to go home and eat and go to bed. She’d be there for hours and just, she just thrived. She just loved that.”
Their dad helped them along the way, Haley and Taylor shared in a 2020 interview. Taking them to the gym, using some of the drills he used in professional football to help his daughters’ movement on the court and being both a dad and a coach to his twin girls.
“They have worked their little butts off and sacrificed a lot, you know, socially, especially in elementary and middle school, high school, they didn’t go do all the fun stuff kids were doing on the weekend,” said Elin. “They didn’t always go. It was, it was basketball and school, and school and basketball, and meeting with our congregation and community service.”
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Elin Thierry
A young Taylor and Haley Thierry
In-home competition was also part of that development. Sure, Saturday is the first time they’re playing against each other formally, but siblings are going to have some sort of rivalry. For the Thierrys, they channeled it.
“I think that’s helped us to get better as players and throughout our career,” said Taylor.
Look at the two sisters and it’s clear they have benefited. In Haley’s junior season, the guard led the team in steals and was second in rebounds and that was with 15 starts on the season. Taylor has been Ohio State’s most consistent player over the past three years, and was the highest rated offensive player in the country in the 23-24 season.
When the two Ohio sides play, it’ll feature two athletes who have excelled in every stage of their basketball upbringings.
There’s a real chance that the two could go up against each other, in-game. Haley plays a second or third guard position, while Thierry normally occupies the third guard/third forward role for Ohio State.
“I definitely have a size advantage on her,” said Taylor. “But maybe I will have to guard her. I don’t know.”
In high school, Haley was taller than Taylor until the Ohio State forward had a growth spurt, now standing a few inches taller than Haley. Regardless of the size difference, the two competitors will compete if called to face each other on Saturday.
For Elin, that competition doesn’t stretch into Ohio State’s game with the Youngstown Penguins. The Thierry family matriarch isn’t choosing one daughter over the other. Apply the same idea to the family, who’s not only traveling from the Cleveland area to see the Thierrys but even members of the family out of state, from as far as Louisiana.
The current count is up to 12 people, but that doesn’t include the friends who’ve reached out to both Haley and Taylor letting them know they would be there. For the ones who can’t make it, their eyes will be focused on the two sisters.
Even though competition runs through the most recent generations of the Thierry family, Saturday goes beyond a final scoreline.
“It’s just an opportunity for us to dote on Taylor and Haley and really praise them for the work they’ve put into what they’ve done,” said Elin.
Saturday’s game is a celebration. Sure, there will be a final score, the result will be analyzed and one team will win and one team will lose, but it’s the culmination of the love and sacrifice of a family. It starts the process of closing at least one of its chapters.
When the Thierry’s mom says she has mixed feelings about the game, it’s the competitive part that gets the negative connotations involved when people say they have “mixed feelings.”
There are a lot of feelings, and another piece of Saturday is pride. Being proud of a family legacy. The competition part will one day be forgotten. There will be bragging, and likely jokes about it for the foreseeable future, but what the weekend matchup represents is something that dives much deeper.
Back in 2017, six days before what would have been the twins first high school basketball game for the Laurel Gators, John passed away suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 46. Elin and the girls were ready to meet up with John and his family for Thanksgiving when Elin received the call.
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Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
It’s a moment that never leaves you. A moment that sits with you for the rest of your life. You are reminded of it at all the crossroads of life. What would it be like if they were around for this or that?
“He probably would not sit in the arena,” said Elin. “He would just be outside of the arena, watching it on one of the TVs probably, but he would be, you know what, he would probably be a little emotional and he’s not an emotional person in that sense.”
Watch anyone you love succeed and it elicits emotion. Watch the Buckeyes’ family section on any given game and they’re cheering players on, giving referees constructive criticism and sometimes standing up to a chant.
“He can be very silly and just funny and but serious about work and doing, taking care of responsibilities,” said Elin. “But I think he would just kind of sit back and take it in and you know, reflect like I’m reflecting in all the work that’s been put in and to see us come to this moment and just the culmination of everything over the past 20 some years. It’s remarkable.”
Elin sees Taylor’s stoic on the outside work ethic and hilarious sense of humor when it's time with family, friends or her congregation.
“Like, I will gut laugh from her facial expressions, her quick wit, her snarkiness. She’s very funny,” said Elin.
There is a misconception that having kids takes away your own goals, but it doesn’t. Suddenly your own goals don’t live up to wanting the best for them.
“He said, ‘once we have these girls, it’s about them,’” said Elin. “ And he was very serious about that. And so his life was about these girls.”
The Thierry twins have those pieces of their dad and mom. Haley’s caring mentality and excitement to compete against her sister, Taylor’s hard work and focus in what she does but the hilarity behind the scenes.
On Saturday, all that will be on display and more. The “more” comes from the Thierry twins road to get to this point. Both are nearing the end of their college basketball journeys. By April, both sisters will move on to the next chapter.
It’s looking back at who these twins were leaving high school, going their separate ways (which one was more excited about than the other) and seeing who they now as they crossover from the final months of adolescence into full-blown adulthood.
“It makes me emotional because my husband and I really put in a lot of effort and thought into how we were going to raise them and who we surround them with and the environment with which they grew up in. So their schooling, their friends, our congregation, just the community with which they have grown in has helped develop them into these beautiful human beings,” said Elin. “And a lot of it has to do with what they put into it also. So not only are they these tremendous student athletes, they are loving and kind and funny and caring and sympathetic and nurturing, hardworking, like all the adjectives.”
Success is not measured the same for everybody. Athletics aren’t the only avenue in which someone can excel and be a source of pride for a parent.
Raising a child is about pouring all that you can into a person and hope that it works out in the end. It’s hard to know if what is being poured in is working. For Elin and John Thierry, they know.
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
John Kuntz - Cleveland.com
The Thierry Twins are on opposing teams for the first time this weekend, and it’s a game packed with meaning.
Children shake up everything. From the moment they’re born, they command constant attention through feeding, changing and trying to get them to sleep for at least an hour, maybe two.
Over the years they become more independent, but for the parents it’s a smokescreen. Sure there are great moments when they start doing the dishes for you, do their homework without being reminded or reaching the age where they can watch their siblings and the parents can get a much needed night away. Even with that little bit of freedom, they’re always on the minds of the ones who did the raising.
They’re also celebrated at every turn. From using an actual toilet for the first time to playing a solo in the band’s winter recital. Positive reinforcement is not only for the kids themselves, but it’s also for the parents. It lets you know that something is working.
For Elin Thierry, the mother of college basketball twins Taylor and Haley Thierry, hearing about Saturday’s game between the fraternal twins at Ohio State and Youngstown State was not one of those moments.
“My initial reaction was no,” said Elin. “Of course, I would rather them be playing on the same team. But yeah, I still have mixed feelings about it.”
“She’s not dunking on me”
After three seasons playing for their respective in-state schools, the twins from Cleveland face each other for the first time. Like many siblings, the Thierrys grew up playing together, culminating in their final formal game of basketball on the same team at the Laurel School.
To the twins, their reactions are different from their mom.
“I’ve been wanting to play my sister for the last like four years up until now. So that being the opportunity to play against my sister after, you know, three years is like really exciting for me,” said Haley. “My initial reaction was like, this can’t be real.”
That’s Haley, who is playing in her final season with the Youngstown Penguins, of the Horizon League.
“Yeah, my sister is definitely excited about that more than I am,” said Taylor. “I never thought I’d be playing against my sister at the collegiate level, but here we are. So I’m excited to compete against them.”
The difference in excitement levels from the Thierry twins isn’t based solely upon Haley playing for the smaller school tucked in the corner of Northeast Ohio, playing against the in-state juggernaut that is Ohio State. A university whose fandom stretches to all state borders and beyond.
It is because the Thierry sisters are their own people. Taylor is a 6-foot-1 hybrid guard/forward whose vertical causes issues for opponents, and Haley is a 5-foot-9 defensive-minded guard who impacts games beyond what you see in a stat sheet — and that is only talking about basketball.
Off the court, both Thierry twins can be reserved, but Haley is the one more likely to join in at a party. For Taylor, she’s happy being around a gathering, taking it all in.
Watch Ohio State and that doesn’t come as a surprise. The Buckeye forward, who has started every game since the start of her sophomore season, makes big plays but is known for consistency. Thierry’s known for being the team’s foundation who picks up rebounds, is integral in the full court press at half court and scores baskets with high efficiency.
Taylor isn’t likely to lead the team in scoring each night but her Ohio State teammates know what they’ll get game in and game out. The senior is involved in every play, reads game situations well and makes good decisions, but Taylor’s play is nowhere near her ceiling.
“I know my sister, like she can dunk,” said Haley. “I always tell her, I’m like, if you get the opportunity, do it. Like, no matter what, like, that would be so exciting for everyone. And knowing like how, like the amount of work she puts in and all that kind of stuff.”
There’s been no physical evidence showing a Taylor dunk, at least to those watching the team, but Haley knows. The Thierry sisters don’t always talk basketball but when they do it is helping each other’s game, telling them what they see and even videos of a Taylor dunk.
The Ohio State forward doesn’t have to dunk to impact a game but regardless, that’s not Taylor’s style. That’s unwanted attention. If dunking was Taylor’s game, or she saw Saturday as the perfect time debut it, it won’t be on her sister, if its up to Haley.
“My coaches were like, ‘what if she posts to you and dunks on you? What are you going to do,’” said Haley. “And I was like, ‘she’s not dunking on me.’”
“Taylor, you have to go home and eat and go to bed”
Growing up, the Thierry twins lived in a home built on family, faith and hard work. After all, their parents Elin and John Thierry were both college athletes. Their mom played volleyball at the University of Oklahoma and their dad played football at Alcorn State University, followed up by a nine-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
Elin and John’s three daughters all excelled athletically, but like any good parents, they weren’t pushing their personal dreams or past athletic ambition onto their kids. Instead, an environment where if something was done, it was done right.
Older sister Jordan had the same work in athletics, and was as talented as her sisters, but focused instead on the arts. Haley and Taylor have both received commendations from their hometown mayor for their educational achievements throughout high school and college, including Haley’s spot on the YSU Honor Roll and Thierry’s place in back-to-back Academic All-Big Ten teams.
When the Thierry family has their mind set on something, it’s getting done the right way, even if it sometimes the kids took it to another level.
“We had to pull Taylor away from the court when she was in elementary school, middle school, high school,” said Elin. “Like Taylor, you have to go home and eat and go to bed. She’d be there for hours and just, she just thrived. She just loved that.”
Their dad helped them along the way, Haley and Taylor shared in a 2020 interview. Taking them to the gym, using some of the drills he used in professional football to help his daughters’ movement on the court and being both a dad and a coach to his twin girls.
“They have worked their little butts off and sacrificed a lot, you know, socially, especially in elementary and middle school, high school, they didn’t go do all the fun stuff kids were doing on the weekend,” said Elin. “They didn’t always go. It was, it was basketball and school, and school and basketball, and meeting with our congregation and community service.”
A young Taylor and Haley Thierry
In-home competition was also part of that development. Sure, Saturday is the first time they’re playing against each other formally, but siblings are going to have some sort of rivalry. For the Thierrys, they channeled it.
“I think that’s helped us to get better as players and throughout our career,” said Taylor.
Look at the two sisters and it’s clear they have benefited. In Haley’s junior season, the guard led the team in steals and was second in rebounds and that was with 15 starts on the season. Taylor has been Ohio State’s most consistent player over the past three years, and was the highest rated offensive player in the country in the 23-24 season.
When the two Ohio sides play, it’ll feature two athletes who have excelled in every stage of their basketball upbringings.
There’s a real chance that the two could go up against each other, in-game. Haley plays a second or third guard position, while Thierry normally occupies the third guard/third forward role for Ohio State.
“I definitely have a size advantage on her,” said Taylor. “But maybe I will have to guard her. I don’t know.”
In high school, Haley was taller than Taylor until the Ohio State forward had a growth spurt, now standing a few inches taller than Haley. Regardless of the size difference, the two competitors will compete if called to face each other on Saturday.
For Elin, that competition doesn’t stretch into Ohio State’s game with the Youngstown Penguins. The Thierry family matriarch isn’t choosing one daughter over the other. Apply the same idea to the family, who’s not only traveling from the Cleveland area to see the Thierrys but even members of the family out of state, from as far as Louisiana.
The current count is up to 12 people, but that doesn’t include the friends who’ve reached out to both Haley and Taylor letting them know they would be there. For the ones who can’t make it, their eyes will be focused on the two sisters.
Even though competition runs through the most recent generations of the Thierry family, Saturday goes beyond a final scoreline.
“It’s just an opportunity for us to dote on Taylor and Haley and really praise them for the work they’ve put into what they’ve done,” said Elin.
“Once we have these girls, it’s about them”
Saturday’s game is a celebration. Sure, there will be a final score, the result will be analyzed and one team will win and one team will lose, but it’s the culmination of the love and sacrifice of a family. It starts the process of closing at least one of its chapters.
When the Thierry’s mom says she has mixed feelings about the game, it’s the competitive part that gets the negative connotations involved when people say they have “mixed feelings.”
There are a lot of feelings, and another piece of Saturday is pride. Being proud of a family legacy. The competition part will one day be forgotten. There will be bragging, and likely jokes about it for the foreseeable future, but what the weekend matchup represents is something that dives much deeper.
Back in 2017, six days before what would have been the twins first high school basketball game for the Laurel Gators, John passed away suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 46. Elin and the girls were ready to meet up with John and his family for Thanksgiving when Elin received the call.
It’s a moment that never leaves you. A moment that sits with you for the rest of your life. You are reminded of it at all the crossroads of life. What would it be like if they were around for this or that?
“He probably would not sit in the arena,” said Elin. “He would just be outside of the arena, watching it on one of the TVs probably, but he would be, you know what, he would probably be a little emotional and he’s not an emotional person in that sense.”
Watch anyone you love succeed and it elicits emotion. Watch the Buckeyes’ family section on any given game and they’re cheering players on, giving referees constructive criticism and sometimes standing up to a chant.
“He can be very silly and just funny and but serious about work and doing, taking care of responsibilities,” said Elin. “But I think he would just kind of sit back and take it in and you know, reflect like I’m reflecting in all the work that’s been put in and to see us come to this moment and just the culmination of everything over the past 20 some years. It’s remarkable.”
Elin sees Taylor’s stoic on the outside work ethic and hilarious sense of humor when it's time with family, friends or her congregation.
“Like, I will gut laugh from her facial expressions, her quick wit, her snarkiness. She’s very funny,” said Elin.
There is a misconception that having kids takes away your own goals, but it doesn’t. Suddenly your own goals don’t live up to wanting the best for them.
“He said, ‘once we have these girls, it’s about them,’” said Elin. “ And he was very serious about that. And so his life was about these girls.”
The Thierry twins have those pieces of their dad and mom. Haley’s caring mentality and excitement to compete against her sister, Taylor’s hard work and focus in what she does but the hilarity behind the scenes.
“All the adjectives”
On Saturday, all that will be on display and more. The “more” comes from the Thierry twins road to get to this point. Both are nearing the end of their college basketball journeys. By April, both sisters will move on to the next chapter.
It’s looking back at who these twins were leaving high school, going their separate ways (which one was more excited about than the other) and seeing who they now as they crossover from the final months of adolescence into full-blown adulthood.
“It makes me emotional because my husband and I really put in a lot of effort and thought into how we were going to raise them and who we surround them with and the environment with which they grew up in. So their schooling, their friends, our congregation, just the community with which they have grown in has helped develop them into these beautiful human beings,” said Elin. “And a lot of it has to do with what they put into it also. So not only are they these tremendous student athletes, they are loving and kind and funny and caring and sympathetic and nurturing, hardworking, like all the adjectives.”
Success is not measured the same for everybody. Athletics aren’t the only avenue in which someone can excel and be a source of pride for a parent.
Raising a child is about pouring all that you can into a person and hope that it works out in the end. It’s hard to know if what is being poured in is working. For Elin and John Thierry, they know.
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson of Feed the Post joins the show
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Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson of Feed the Post joins the show
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We discuss all things Big Ten basketball and Ohio State men’s hoops with Jackson.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 140 of Bucketheads, we welcome back Joe Jackson of Feed the Post. Joe is one of the top Big Ten Basketball analysts, posting videos on Twitter and his YouTube page daily.
We discuss the state of Big Ten basketball and see if Joe has any early favorites to win the conference. Who has stood out so far, and who has been the biggest disappointment?
Then, we talk about Ohio State specifically. What should Ohio State expect moving forward from Meechie Johnson and Devin Royal, and is Ohio State a tournament team right now? What will Aaron Bradshaw bring to the team when he returns?
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We discuss all things Big Ten basketball and Ohio State men’s hoops with Jackson.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 140 of Bucketheads, we welcome back Joe Jackson of Feed the Post. Joe is one of the top Big Ten Basketball analysts, posting videos on Twitter and his YouTube page daily.
We discuss the state of Big Ten basketball and see if Joe has any early favorites to win the conference. Who has stood out so far, and who has been the biggest disappointment?
Then, we talk about Ohio State specifically. What should Ohio State expect moving forward from Meechie Johnson and Devin Royal, and is Ohio State a tournament team right now? What will Aaron Bradshaw bring to the team when he returns?
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State prioritizing transfer portal recruiting with the 2025 class wrapped up
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Ohio State prioritizing transfer portal recruiting with the 2025 class wrapped up
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are focusing on the portal now that their 2025 class is signed and completed.
It’s only been about two weeks since Ohio State has played their regular season finale, and already so much has gone on as the team prepares for their College Football Playoff matchup with Tennessee. Whether it be signing their 2025 class, focusing recruiting efforts towards the transfer portal or having staffers reportedly interview elsewhere, there’s been zero down time for the Buckeyes.
With plenty more to come and go over the next couple of weeks, Ohio State's first priority will be doing their best to beat Tennessee at home, but if this program wants any chance of being better in 2025, that transfer portal needs to have their full attention. At least right now that fortunately seems to be the case.
Last offseason Ohio State landed the commitment of Caleb Downs when he decided to leave Alabama after Nick Saban’s departure. Far and away the best player on Ohio State’s defense this past season, Downs gave the Buckeyes an elite safety to not only secure the back end, but really lead the unit entirely with Lathan Ransom as his counterpart.
Looking to 2025, the Buckeyes know they’ll need to replace the production of Ransom. While there’s certainly suitors on the current roster, you’d be foolish in today’s landscape not to look at the portal for what could provide potentially a better player to fit the system, and right now that’s exactly what Ohio State is doing.
Purdue transfer target Dillon Thieneman looks to be next in line for Ohio State’s plan of adding elite safeties from the portal, and the staff seems to be in a good position. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year during the 2023 season, Thieneman is arguably the best safety in the portal and would be an incredible addition to the back end of this defense. Pairing him with Downs, the secondary would have a hole filled immediately and would without much debate be the best safety tandem in the country if this works out.
Planning a future visit to Columbus in the coming days, the Buckeyes will have other programs to beat out such as Notre Dame and Oregon, but the best pitch is knowing they too are close enough to Dillon’s home state of Indiana and they have every ability to compete for championships as well as selling the fact they have the current best safety in the country.
Work to be done, but this is a recruitment from the portal the staff needs to win. For now, the momentum seems to be growing.
In sticking with the transfer portal theme, it takes no real thought to realize Ohio State’s biggest area of need is along their offensive line. A unit that plain and simple needs to be overhauled with depth, Justin Frye and the Buckeyes have to be as successful in the portal this winter if they want to have any shot of reaching their ultimate goals in 2025. Needing to secure at least one and likely two offensive tackles, this position group should be turning over every stone.
Plenty of big names already entering the portal, Ohio State should be going after a bunch of them with resources that help their cause, and Nevada’s Isaiah World may be the first in line to not only hear from Ohio State, but also have a strong interest in becoming a Buckeye for his next home.
Arguably the best offensive tackle in the portal currently, World is an impressive 6-foot-8, 310 pounds and has plenty of stock behind why he’s being so highly sought after. Allowing just 13 sacks in three years with over 1,200 hundred pass-blocking snaps, World did not allow a single sack in 2024, and would be the absolute home run for this staff that needs to land two guys to help anchor the tackle positions in 2025.
Right now, there’s growing belief that World is keeping Ohio State atop of his list and may even be the leader in his recruitment thus far. Reports coming from Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts stating that Ohio State is in good position to win this battle needs to be the consensus moving forward, but if Frye is able to land this one sooner rather than later, you have to like the chances the Buckeyes have of getting more done to get this unit to where it needs to be.
Immediately a connection because of the family relation, you’d have to think Ohio State has a real shot here at landing 247Sport’s 55th ranked corner in his 2022 class at the time. For now, play close attention to where he visits, and if Columbus is on the list, the Buckeyes may be the frontrunner here.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are focusing on the portal now that their 2025 class is signed and completed.
It’s only been about two weeks since Ohio State has played their regular season finale, and already so much has gone on as the team prepares for their College Football Playoff matchup with Tennessee. Whether it be signing their 2025 class, focusing recruiting efforts towards the transfer portal or having staffers reportedly interview elsewhere, there’s been zero down time for the Buckeyes.
With plenty more to come and go over the next couple of weeks, Ohio State's first priority will be doing their best to beat Tennessee at home, but if this program wants any chance of being better in 2025, that transfer portal needs to have their full attention. At least right now that fortunately seems to be the case.
Securing the back end of the defense
Last offseason Ohio State landed the commitment of Caleb Downs when he decided to leave Alabama after Nick Saban’s departure. Far and away the best player on Ohio State’s defense this past season, Downs gave the Buckeyes an elite safety to not only secure the back end, but really lead the unit entirely with Lathan Ransom as his counterpart.
Looking to 2025, the Buckeyes know they’ll need to replace the production of Ransom. While there’s certainly suitors on the current roster, you’d be foolish in today’s landscape not to look at the portal for what could provide potentially a better player to fit the system, and right now that’s exactly what Ohio State is doing.
Purdue transfer target Dillon Thieneman looks to be next in line for Ohio State’s plan of adding elite safeties from the portal, and the staff seems to be in a good position. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year during the 2023 season, Thieneman is arguably the best safety in the portal and would be an incredible addition to the back end of this defense. Pairing him with Downs, the secondary would have a hole filled immediately and would without much debate be the best safety tandem in the country if this works out.
Planning a future visit to Columbus in the coming days, the Buckeyes will have other programs to beat out such as Notre Dame and Oregon, but the best pitch is knowing they too are close enough to Dillon’s home state of Indiana and they have every ability to compete for championships as well as selling the fact they have the current best safety in the country.
Work to be done, but this is a recruitment from the portal the staff needs to win. For now, the momentum seems to be growing.
Do whatever it takes to win!
In sticking with the transfer portal theme, it takes no real thought to realize Ohio State’s biggest area of need is along their offensive line. A unit that plain and simple needs to be overhauled with depth, Justin Frye and the Buckeyes have to be as successful in the portal this winter if they want to have any shot of reaching their ultimate goals in 2025. Needing to secure at least one and likely two offensive tackles, this position group should be turning over every stone.
Plenty of big names already entering the portal, Ohio State should be going after a bunch of them with resources that help their cause, and Nevada’s Isaiah World may be the first in line to not only hear from Ohio State, but also have a strong interest in becoming a Buckeye for his next home.
Arguably the best offensive tackle in the portal currently, World is an impressive 6-foot-8, 310 pounds and has plenty of stock behind why he’s being so highly sought after. Allowing just 13 sacks in three years with over 1,200 hundred pass-blocking snaps, World did not allow a single sack in 2024, and would be the absolute home run for this staff that needs to land two guys to help anchor the tackle positions in 2025.
Right now, there’s growing belief that World is keeping Ohio State atop of his list and may even be the leader in his recruitment thus far. Reports coming from Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts stating that Ohio State is in good position to win this battle needs to be the consensus moving forward, but if Frye is able to land this one sooner rather than later, you have to like the chances the Buckeyes have of getting more done to get this unit to where it needs to be.
The #Buckeyes move into a good spot for a huge transfer portal offensive tackle.
@Bill_Kurelic https://t.co/X2CIX1EVK2 pic.twitter.com/FRnEKlHFTl
— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) December 12, 2024
Quick Hits
- No shortage of younger guys ready to step up, Ohio State is still looking at the transfer portal for depth to help the secondary and specifically at the cornerback position. A name that has surfaced quickly as a potential match is Virginia Tech’s Mansoor Delane, who of course is the older brother to recent 2025 signee, Faheem Delane.
Immediately a connection because of the family relation, you’d have to think Ohio State has a real shot here at landing 247Sport’s 55th ranked corner in his 2022 class at the time. For now, play close attention to where he visits, and if Columbus is on the list, the Buckeyes may be the frontrunner here.
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