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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Zed Key, Devin Royal, and Jake Diebler discuss Ohio State’s blowout win over New Orleans
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Uncut Podcast: Zed Key, Devin Royal, and Jake Diebler discuss Ohio State’s blowout win over New Orleans
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans’ 36 points were the fewest for an Ohio State opponent since 2013.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Following Ohio State’s 78-36 win over the New Orleans Privateers on Thursday night, Zed Key, Devin Royal, and acting head coach Jake Diebler spoke with a small group of media members about the game and the circumstances surrounding tonight’s sudden coaching substitution.
Royal and Key spoke first, and the biggest topic was how the game was different for the two guys with Diebler calling the shots instead of Holtmann. Key said that “it wasn’t different at all” because Diebler is the offensive coordinator, and he called plays tonight as well. Royal said he is feeling more comfortable with the college game as he goes on, but that he knew New Orleans was not a good defensive rebounding team, so he would have opportunities on the glass.
Diebler talked about how working for Holtmann has helped prepare him for moments like this, and how their preparation as a staff made things easier for him. He said substitutions were challenging, and that “there’s a lot more that goes into it than you’d think.”
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
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
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans’ 36 points were the fewest for an Ohio State opponent since 2013.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Following Ohio State’s 78-36 win over the New Orleans Privateers on Thursday night, Zed Key, Devin Royal, and acting head coach Jake Diebler spoke with a small group of media members about the game and the circumstances surrounding tonight’s sudden coaching substitution.
Royal and Key spoke first, and the biggest topic was how the game was different for the two guys with Diebler calling the shots instead of Holtmann. Key said that “it wasn’t different at all” because Diebler is the offensive coordinator, and he called plays tonight as well. Royal said he is feeling more comfortable with the college game as he goes on, but that he knew New Orleans was not a good defensive rebounding team, so he would have opportunities on the glass.
Diebler talked about how working for Holtmann has helped prepare him for moments like this, and how their preparation as a staff made things easier for him. He said substitutions were challenging, and that “there’s a lot more that goes into it than you’d think.”
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball gifts Belmont 84-55 defeat
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No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball gifts Belmont 84-55 defeat
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
The Buckeyes head into a small holiday break on a convincing win over an upset-minded Bruins side.
Monday night was difficult for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. The Buckeyes fell to the UCLA Bruins 77-71, after nearly coming back from a 22-point deficit to start the fourth quarter. Friday, it was another game against the Bruins, except this time it was the Belmont Bruins of the Missouri Valley Conference.
In a game that was highlighted with Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff coaching against his daughter, guard Kilyn McGuff, the dad’s side pulled out the victory. Ohio State enters the holiday break with a win over Belmont 84-55.
Ohio State looked motivated from the jump. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Thierry continued their runs from Monday where the two combined for 50 total points. Following a Sheldon layup, Thierry grabbed a steal on the following inbound pass by Belmont and hit a layup right under the rim.
The Buckeyes started with a six-point run, but once the Bruins began scoring, it became a much closer contest. Starting things off for Belmont was forward Kendal Cheesman. Although the forward averaged 11 points per game entering, she has the ability to have big scoring games, especially from deep.
Cheesman started with a three-point shot, then a layup on the next offensive drive. Thanks to a bad pass for the Buckeyes on its next offensive possession, Belmont’s McGuff went on the fast break, getting the visitors within one point.
Belmont’s adjustment to the game continued, and the Bruins secured a first-quarter lead, albeit a fleeting one. In a two-minute stretch, Belmont outscored the Buckeyes 8-2, earning a one-point lead by passing and cutting through Ohio State’s half-court defense.
Guard Celeste Taylor and the Buckeyes had adjustments of their own and found a groove to end the quarter. Ohio State ended the first 10 minutes of the game on a seven-point run, starting with a key turnover on the defensive end of the court.
Taylor intercepted a pass, sending the ball towards out of bounds, with sophomore forward Cotie McMahon saving the possession. Forward Eboni Walker got the run started, hitting a midrange shot a couple of feet within the corner of the arc. Taylor hit an impressive layup next, moving around the Belmont defense. Sheldon ended the quarter, hitting a three-point shot right before the first-quarter buzzer. It was the ninth point for Sheldon in the game, leading the Buckeyes.
The six-point Ohio State lead didn’t last long into the second quarter. That’s because Belmont had a seven-point run of its own, erasing the strong end of the quarter for the Buckeyes. It took almost four minutes for the scarlet and gray to hit a shot from the floor. Until then, three free throws for Ohio State kept the deficit manageable.
Halfway into the second quarter, the Buckeyes were 1-for-6 from the floor, so it wasn’t scoring getting Ohio State back into the lead. It was defense. Belmont missed six shots in a row, thanks in part to good assignments and a couple of poor attempts by the Bruins.
Before the media timeout, Taylor added another key defensive moment in the Buckeyes’ first half. Going up against the taller forward, Tessa Miller, Taylor was backed in near the post. Miller turned to go for the layup attempt and Taylor timed her jump perfectly, blocking the attempt to hold the Ohio State lead.
Belmont helped Ohio State, hitting only two shots in the second half of the quarter. Ohio State hit only four, but the final three were from beyond the arc, by three different Buckeyes. Taylor and Sheldon hit the first two, but the third got people out of their seats.
With six seconds remaining, Sheldon missed a three attempt of her own and Belmont grabbed the ball and seemed caught off guard. The Bruins gave the ball away to Buckeyes’ guard Rikki Harris. The redshirt senior took a few steps and launched a three-point shot as time expired. It gave Ohio State a 10-point lead going into halftime, 38-28.
The cold shooting stymied the Bruins into the second half. Belmont hit only one shot in its first eight attempts of the quarter, as the Ohio State lead grew. While there was never one long sustained Buckeyes run of the quarter, Ohio State hit four-straight three-point shots on a run of seven-straight makes.
It was part of a larger 11-for-12 run that put the Buckeyes up 20 points at the end of the third quarter. In the quarter, six different Ohio State players had points, including four third quarter points by forward Eboni Walker. The starting forward for the Buckeyes in their postseason run last season hasn’t featured much this season, but hit a season high in minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds.
In the fourth quarter, Belmont tried to get back into the game with shots from deep. However, its first four chances were missed in a 1-for-6 scoring drought to start the final quarter. Compare that to 4-for-5 shooting for the home side. That swing put Ohio State up 27 points, with hope dwindling quickly for McGuff’s Bruins. Coach McGuff’s daughter scored four points on 2-for-10 shooting, but grabbed six rebounds in the defeat.
Buckeyes guards were the story on the day. Sheldon and Taylor had 31 and 15 points respectively as Ohio State gets the 84-55 win over Belmont University.
Ohio State started the season with a few different Buckeyes taking the scoring lead. However, it’s been all Sheldon over the past few games. Friday, Sheldon led the scarlet and gray in scoring for a fourth straight game. Her 31 points gave the guard her seventh 30-point game in her career. Of those seven, three of them are in the 23-24 season.
While Sheldon isn’t quite at the level she was two seasons ago, when the guard led Ohio State with 19.7 points per game, Sheldon’s hitting her stride at the right time, with Big Ten play approaching.
Key for the Buckeyes on Friday was Taylor, and honestly key for the Buckeyes in most games over the month of December.
Taylor had her fourth game in double-digit scoring in scarlet and gray. It was also her best game from deep as a Buckeye, hitting three. A great offensive showing for a player who’s excelled defensively. Taylor did that too.
The reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year forced turnovers through forcing jump balls, getting a highlight reel block and more traditional steals.
The Buckeyes are off for eight days following Friday’s game against the Bruins. Ohio State returns to start the remaining slate of conference matchups, starting up north in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Saturday, Dec. 30 at noon et, the rivalry between the Buckeyes and Wolverines renews. So far this season, Michigan is 10-3 after dropping to a pair of SEC teams in the Ole Miss Rebels and Florida Gators. The third came against the Toledo Rockets, who held the maize and blue to a season-low 46 points, in Toledo.
So, who knows which Michigan team will show up to end the 2023 year.
Then, on Jan. 5, it’s 16-straight Big Ten games to close out the 2023-24 regular season.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
The Buckeyes head into a small holiday break on a convincing win over an upset-minded Bruins side.
Monday night was difficult for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. The Buckeyes fell to the UCLA Bruins 77-71, after nearly coming back from a 22-point deficit to start the fourth quarter. Friday, it was another game against the Bruins, except this time it was the Belmont Bruins of the Missouri Valley Conference.
In a game that was highlighted with Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff coaching against his daughter, guard Kilyn McGuff, the dad’s side pulled out the victory. Ohio State enters the holiday break with a win over Belmont 84-55.
Ohio State looked motivated from the jump. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Thierry continued their runs from Monday where the two combined for 50 total points. Following a Sheldon layup, Thierry grabbed a steal on the following inbound pass by Belmont and hit a layup right under the rim.
The Buckeyes started with a six-point run, but once the Bruins began scoring, it became a much closer contest. Starting things off for Belmont was forward Kendal Cheesman. Although the forward averaged 11 points per game entering, she has the ability to have big scoring games, especially from deep.
Cheesman started with a three-point shot, then a layup on the next offensive drive. Thanks to a bad pass for the Buckeyes on its next offensive possession, Belmont’s McGuff went on the fast break, getting the visitors within one point.
Belmont’s adjustment to the game continued, and the Bruins secured a first-quarter lead, albeit a fleeting one. In a two-minute stretch, Belmont outscored the Buckeyes 8-2, earning a one-point lead by passing and cutting through Ohio State’s half-court defense.
Guard Celeste Taylor and the Buckeyes had adjustments of their own and found a groove to end the quarter. Ohio State ended the first 10 minutes of the game on a seven-point run, starting with a key turnover on the defensive end of the court.
Taylor intercepted a pass, sending the ball towards out of bounds, with sophomore forward Cotie McMahon saving the possession. Forward Eboni Walker got the run started, hitting a midrange shot a couple of feet within the corner of the arc. Taylor hit an impressive layup next, moving around the Belmont defense. Sheldon ended the quarter, hitting a three-point shot right before the first-quarter buzzer. It was the ninth point for Sheldon in the game, leading the Buckeyes.
The six-point Ohio State lead didn’t last long into the second quarter. That’s because Belmont had a seven-point run of its own, erasing the strong end of the quarter for the Buckeyes. It took almost four minutes for the scarlet and gray to hit a shot from the floor. Until then, three free throws for Ohio State kept the deficit manageable.
Halfway into the second quarter, the Buckeyes were 1-for-6 from the floor, so it wasn’t scoring getting Ohio State back into the lead. It was defense. Belmont missed six shots in a row, thanks in part to good assignments and a couple of poor attempts by the Bruins.
Before the media timeout, Taylor added another key defensive moment in the Buckeyes’ first half. Going up against the taller forward, Tessa Miller, Taylor was backed in near the post. Miller turned to go for the layup attempt and Taylor timed her jump perfectly, blocking the attempt to hold the Ohio State lead.
Belmont helped Ohio State, hitting only two shots in the second half of the quarter. Ohio State hit only four, but the final three were from beyond the arc, by three different Buckeyes. Taylor and Sheldon hit the first two, but the third got people out of their seats.
With six seconds remaining, Sheldon missed a three attempt of her own and Belmont grabbed the ball and seemed caught off guard. The Bruins gave the ball away to Buckeyes’ guard Rikki Harris. The redshirt senior took a few steps and launched a three-point shot as time expired. It gave Ohio State a 10-point lead going into halftime, 38-28.
The cold shooting stymied the Bruins into the second half. Belmont hit only one shot in its first eight attempts of the quarter, as the Ohio State lead grew. While there was never one long sustained Buckeyes run of the quarter, Ohio State hit four-straight three-point shots on a run of seven-straight makes.
It was part of a larger 11-for-12 run that put the Buckeyes up 20 points at the end of the third quarter. In the quarter, six different Ohio State players had points, including four third quarter points by forward Eboni Walker. The starting forward for the Buckeyes in their postseason run last season hasn’t featured much this season, but hit a season high in minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds.
In the fourth quarter, Belmont tried to get back into the game with shots from deep. However, its first four chances were missed in a 1-for-6 scoring drought to start the final quarter. Compare that to 4-for-5 shooting for the home side. That swing put Ohio State up 27 points, with hope dwindling quickly for McGuff’s Bruins. Coach McGuff’s daughter scored four points on 2-for-10 shooting, but grabbed six rebounds in the defeat.
Buckeyes guards were the story on the day. Sheldon and Taylor had 31 and 15 points respectively as Ohio State gets the 84-55 win over Belmont University.
Jacy Sheldon’s Run Continues
Ohio State started the season with a few different Buckeyes taking the scoring lead. However, it’s been all Sheldon over the past few games. Friday, Sheldon led the scarlet and gray in scoring for a fourth straight game. Her 31 points gave the guard her seventh 30-point game in her career. Of those seven, three of them are in the 23-24 season.
While Sheldon isn’t quite at the level she was two seasons ago, when the guard led Ohio State with 19.7 points per game, Sheldon’s hitting her stride at the right time, with Big Ten play approaching.
Celeste Taylor Does it All
Key for the Buckeyes on Friday was Taylor, and honestly key for the Buckeyes in most games over the month of December.
Taylor had her fourth game in double-digit scoring in scarlet and gray. It was also her best game from deep as a Buckeye, hitting three. A great offensive showing for a player who’s excelled defensively. Taylor did that too.
The reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year forced turnovers through forcing jump balls, getting a highlight reel block and more traditional steals.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes are off for eight days following Friday’s game against the Bruins. Ohio State returns to start the remaining slate of conference matchups, starting up north in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Saturday, Dec. 30 at noon et, the rivalry between the Buckeyes and Wolverines renews. So far this season, Michigan is 10-3 after dropping to a pair of SEC teams in the Ole Miss Rebels and Florida Gators. The third came against the Toledo Rockets, who held the maize and blue to a season-low 46 points, in Toledo.
So, who knows which Michigan team will show up to end the 2023 year.
Then, on Jan. 5, it’s 16-straight Big Ten games to close out the 2023-24 regular season.
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: The Big Ten starts to get into college football’s bowl mix
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MC&J: The Big Ten starts to get into college football’s bowl mix
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Between Saturday and Tuesday there are 10 more bowl games on the schedule, including two Big Ten teams getting on the field.
Even though we aren’t even a quarter into bowl season, it has been a roller coaster. Ohio rolling Georgia Southern, Miami (OH) and Appalachian State slogging through a monsoon, and the crazy Western Kentucky comeback. Luckily late opt-outs haven’t bit us so far, since both Western Kentucky and UTSA ended up covering after shaky starts. Hopefully more winners are on the horizon.
Saturday 12/23 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC
This should be the Interim Coach Bowl since both Troy and Duke will play with interim head coaches. Troy head coach Jon Sumrall won’t coach in this game after taking the Tulane job, while Duke head coach Mike Elko is already off at Texas A&M trying to clean up the mess left by Jimbo Fisher.
Normally losing a player like quarterback Riley Leonard would be too much for a team to overcome, but Leonard was banged up enough during the year so the Blue Devils are at least somewhat familiar with not having Leonard on the field. Duke is scrappy enough on both sides of the football to keep this one close.
Troy is a really good squad, I think this might be just a few too many points for them to be laying in this game. I feel like Duke thrives on being the underdog. Add in not having their head coach and starting quarterback and they’ll be even more amped to prove people wrong for doubting them. While I think Troy wins this one, the Blue Devils push them to the limit.
Troy 27, Duke 24
Saturday 12/23 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
I’m not going to get too crazy with my analysis for this bowl game. There is one thing I want you to think about if you are looking for a side in this game: Do you really trust Arkansas State head coach Butch Jones as a favorite? I know that isn’t something that interests me.
Northern Illinois has running back Antario Brown, who has run for 1,164 yards and 10 scores. Give me the Huskies in this one.
Northern Illinois 28, Arkansas State 20
Saturday 12/23 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Air Force really fell apart at the end of the season. The Falcons lost their final four games after starting the season 8-0. It’s not rocket science trying to figure out what you’re going to see from Air Force. Stopping it is another story. The task doesn’t look quite as daunting though after seeing how teams were able to bottle them up over the last month of the season.
James Madison had a dream season, only losing to Appalachian State in overtime in their second to last game of the season. Quarterback Jordan McCloud was amazing this year for the Dukes, throwing for 3,400 yards and 32 touchdowns. You know James Madison is going to be excited to play in a bowl game since entering the season they weren’t supposed to be eligible for a bowl.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25179297/1815021989.jpg "James Madison v Coastal Carolina")
Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Even though it’s probably not smart to go against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, James Madison is just too good. While trying to stop the triple option can be rough, having a couple weeks to plan for it can make things a little easier. The Dukes build a lead and force the Falcons to play catch-up, which isn’t what they’re built to do.
James Madison 24, Air Force 14
Saturday 12/23 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
For as bad as Air Force was to close out the regular season, Georgia State was even worse, dropping their last five games after starting the year 6-1. It’s not even that the Panthers lost five in a row, they got worked in most of them, losing four games during their losing streak by 17 points or more.
Utah State had a pretty wild season, losing three of their first four games before closing out the year winning three of four, including two of those victories coming in double overtime. Not only do the Aggies have some confidence heading into this game with their close to the regular season, they also don’t have to worry about slowing down running back Marcus Carroll, who hit the transfer portal and is headed to Missouri after rushing for over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns this year. The Aggies feel like the right side in this one.
Utah State 34, Georgia State 24
Saturday 12/23 7:00 p.m ET - ESPN
There’s no question South Alabama should win this game. Are they 16.5 points better than Eastern Michigan? I’m not sure about that. The Jaguars do have a sexy win beating Oklahoma State, while Eastern Michigan’s wins have come against some dreadful teams. Chris Creighton has done a great job during his time in charge at Eastern Michigan, turning them into a respectable program. I think they’ll play with some pride, keeping this from being a blowout.
South Alabama 37, Eastern Michigan 23
Saturday 12/23 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
There’s no doubt Northwestern is one of the most improved teams from where they were at the start of the season. Back in early September the Wildcats were still reeling from the firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. After seven games Northwestern was just 3-4 before winning four of their last five games, leading to the interim tag being removed from head coach David Braun’s job title.
It’s pretty crazy that 8-4 feels like a bit of disappointing season for Utah. Heading into the season the Utes were thought of as a dark horse candidate for the College Football Playoff, but quarterback Cam Rising never took the field as he recovered from a knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl. Bryson Barnes was solid filling in for Rising, he just didn’t have quite enough to keep up with some of the great quarterbacks in the Pac-12 this year.
If you like offense, this isn’t the bowl game for you. Both teams rely on their defense to make some plays and set their offenses up in favorable positions. The Utes are just a little more tested than Northwestern is after playing teams like Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, and a number of other strong teams. Utah gets some revenge for the 2018 Holiday Bowl loss to the Wildcats.
Utah 23, Northwestern 14
Saturday 12/23 10:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Don’t overthink this one. Somehow former Ohio State assistant Tim Beck conned a team into hiring him as their head coach. If that wasn’t reason enough to pick against the Chanticleers, Coastal Carolina won’t have quarterback Grayson McCall, who has already announced he is transferring to NC State.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25179281/1813726358.jpg "James Madison v Coastal Carolina")
Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
San Jose State is already familiar with traveling to Hawai’i, trouncing the Rainbow Warriors 35-0 in Honolulu at the end of October. The Spartans won’t have any trouble moving the football with quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. The Honolulu native will be looking for a big performance in his hometown on Saturday night. San Jose State should win this one by at least two touchdowns.
San Jose State 38, Coastal Carolina 21
Tuesday 12/26 2:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Minnesota might be the least deserving bowl team of all time. After posting a 5-7 record this year, the Golden Gophers only are playing in Detroit on Tuesday because of their APR standing. Even quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis didn’t want to play in this game, as he jumped into the transfer portal after the regular season. Kaliakmanis wasn’t all that good this year, so I don’t even want to imagine who will line up under center for P.J. Fleck’s team.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25179294/1775037386.jpg "Illinois v Minnesota")
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
This will be a rematch from a couple years ago when Bowling Green beat Minnesota 14-10 in Minneapolis in 2021. The Falcons are nothing special this year, but they don’t have to be in this game. Bowling Green has a solid quarterback in Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak and they know how to control the clock. Scot Loeffler squeaks out another win over P.J. Fleck.
Bowling Green 20, Minnesota 17
Tuesday 12/26 5:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
I feel like this will be the first Texas State game I have ever watched. This will actually be the first bowl game for the Bobcats. In his first year as Texas State head coach, G.J. Kinne has transformed the Bobcats into one of the funnest teams to watch in college football. Former LSU and Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley has thrown for over 3,200 yards and 24 touchdowns this year. Texas State has scored at least 40 points in five games this season.
The issue for the Bobcats has been a leaky defense. Tuesday’s matchup with the Owls doesn’t look quite as daunting after Rice quarterback J.T. Daniels retired from football due to injury issues. Maybe the Owls can let wide receiver Luke McCaffrey move back to quarterback after he started his career at that position at Nebraska. No matter who starts for Rice at QB, I don’t think they can keep pace with Finley and the Bobcats.
Texas State 42, Rice 30
Tuesday 12/26 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
UNLV has been a great story this year, as former Missouri coach Barry Odom has led the Rebels to one of the best seasons in school history. Tuesday night’s game in Phoenix marks just the third bowl game since 2000 for UNLV. For as good as the Rebels were this year, they lost some steam at the end of the season, falling to San Jose State before getting rolled by Boise State in the Mountain West Championship Game.
It would have been interesting to see what Kansas could have been this season if Jalon Daniels wasn’t injured for most of the year. Daniels only attempted 75 passes, leaving most of the snaps to Jake Bean, who held his own behind center. The Jayhawks still beat Oklahoma and finished with eight wins this season, showing why Lance Leipold is one of the best coaches in college football.
All Kansas has to do is follow Boise State’s blueprint to beat the Rebels. Bean, along with running backs Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr., should be able to find the end zone early and often on a UNLV defense that has some holes. Even though the Rebels should lose this one by at least 14 points, they still had a season to be proud of.
Kansas 45, UNLV 28
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Between Saturday and Tuesday there are 10 more bowl games on the schedule, including two Big Ten teams getting on the field.
Bowl games ATS: 4-3-1 (South Florida +3 and UCF -4.5 pending)
Season ATS: 117-106-2 (58-65-2 National, 59-41 B1G)
Even though we aren’t even a quarter into bowl season, it has been a roller coaster. Ohio rolling Georgia Southern, Miami (OH) and Appalachian State slogging through a monsoon, and the crazy Western Kentucky comeback. Luckily late opt-outs haven’t bit us so far, since both Western Kentucky and UTSA ended up covering after shaky starts. Hopefully more winners are on the horizon.
Birmingham Bowl: Troy (-7.5) v. Duke
Saturday 12/23 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC
This should be the Interim Coach Bowl since both Troy and Duke will play with interim head coaches. Troy head coach Jon Sumrall won’t coach in this game after taking the Tulane job, while Duke head coach Mike Elko is already off at Texas A&M trying to clean up the mess left by Jimbo Fisher.
Normally losing a player like quarterback Riley Leonard would be too much for a team to overcome, but Leonard was banged up enough during the year so the Blue Devils are at least somewhat familiar with not having Leonard on the field. Duke is scrappy enough on both sides of the football to keep this one close.
Troy is a really good squad, I think this might be just a few too many points for them to be laying in this game. I feel like Duke thrives on being the underdog. Add in not having their head coach and starting quarterback and they’ll be even more amped to prove people wrong for doubting them. While I think Troy wins this one, the Blue Devils push them to the limit.
Troy 27, Duke 24
Camellia Bowl: Arkansas State (-3) v. Northern Illinois
Saturday 12/23 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
I’m not going to get too crazy with my analysis for this bowl game. There is one thing I want you to think about if you are looking for a side in this game: Do you really trust Arkansas State head coach Butch Jones as a favorite? I know that isn’t something that interests me.
Northern Illinois has running back Antario Brown, who has run for 1,164 yards and 10 scores. Give me the Huskies in this one.
Northern Illinois 28, Arkansas State 20
Armed Forces Bowl: James Madison (-2.5) v. Air Force
Saturday 12/23 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Air Force really fell apart at the end of the season. The Falcons lost their final four games after starting the season 8-0. It’s not rocket science trying to figure out what you’re going to see from Air Force. Stopping it is another story. The task doesn’t look quite as daunting though after seeing how teams were able to bottle them up over the last month of the season.
James Madison had a dream season, only losing to Appalachian State in overtime in their second to last game of the season. Quarterback Jordan McCloud was amazing this year for the Dukes, throwing for 3,400 yards and 32 touchdowns. You know James Madison is going to be excited to play in a bowl game since entering the season they weren’t supposed to be eligible for a bowl.
Even though it’s probably not smart to go against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, James Madison is just too good. While trying to stop the triple option can be rough, having a couple weeks to plan for it can make things a little easier. The Dukes build a lead and force the Falcons to play catch-up, which isn’t what they’re built to do.
James Madison 24, Air Force 14
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Georgia State v. Utah State (-2.5)
Saturday 12/23 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
For as bad as Air Force was to close out the regular season, Georgia State was even worse, dropping their last five games after starting the year 6-1. It’s not even that the Panthers lost five in a row, they got worked in most of them, losing four games during their losing streak by 17 points or more.
Utah State had a pretty wild season, losing three of their first four games before closing out the year winning three of four, including two of those victories coming in double overtime. Not only do the Aggies have some confidence heading into this game with their close to the regular season, they also don’t have to worry about slowing down running back Marcus Carroll, who hit the transfer portal and is headed to Missouri after rushing for over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns this year. The Aggies feel like the right side in this one.
Utah State 34, Georgia State 24
68 Ventures Bowl: South Alabama (-16.5) v. Eastern Michigan
Saturday 12/23 7:00 p.m ET - ESPN
There’s no question South Alabama should win this game. Are they 16.5 points better than Eastern Michigan? I’m not sure about that. The Jaguars do have a sexy win beating Oklahoma State, while Eastern Michigan’s wins have come against some dreadful teams. Chris Creighton has done a great job during his time in charge at Eastern Michigan, turning them into a respectable program. I think they’ll play with some pride, keeping this from being a blowout.
South Alabama 37, Eastern Michigan 23
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah (-6.5) v. Northwestern
Saturday 12/23 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
There’s no doubt Northwestern is one of the most improved teams from where they were at the start of the season. Back in early September the Wildcats were still reeling from the firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. After seven games Northwestern was just 3-4 before winning four of their last five games, leading to the interim tag being removed from head coach David Braun’s job title.
It’s pretty crazy that 8-4 feels like a bit of disappointing season for Utah. Heading into the season the Utes were thought of as a dark horse candidate for the College Football Playoff, but quarterback Cam Rising never took the field as he recovered from a knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl. Bryson Barnes was solid filling in for Rising, he just didn’t have quite enough to keep up with some of the great quarterbacks in the Pac-12 this year.
If you like offense, this isn’t the bowl game for you. Both teams rely on their defense to make some plays and set their offenses up in favorable positions. The Utes are just a little more tested than Northwestern is after playing teams like Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, and a number of other strong teams. Utah gets some revenge for the 2018 Holiday Bowl loss to the Wildcats.
Utah 23, Northwestern 14
Hawai’i Bowl: Coastal Carolina v. San Jose State (-9.5)
Saturday 12/23 10:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Don’t overthink this one. Somehow former Ohio State assistant Tim Beck conned a team into hiring him as their head coach. If that wasn’t reason enough to pick against the Chanticleers, Coastal Carolina won’t have quarterback Grayson McCall, who has already announced he is transferring to NC State.
San Jose State is already familiar with traveling to Hawai’i, trouncing the Rainbow Warriors 35-0 in Honolulu at the end of October. The Spartans won’t have any trouble moving the football with quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. The Honolulu native will be looking for a big performance in his hometown on Saturday night. San Jose State should win this one by at least two touchdowns.
San Jose State 38, Coastal Carolina 21
Quick Lane Bowl: Bowling Green v. Minnesota (-4.5)
Tuesday 12/26 2:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Minnesota might be the least deserving bowl team of all time. After posting a 5-7 record this year, the Golden Gophers only are playing in Detroit on Tuesday because of their APR standing. Even quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis didn’t want to play in this game, as he jumped into the transfer portal after the regular season. Kaliakmanis wasn’t all that good this year, so I don’t even want to imagine who will line up under center for P.J. Fleck’s team.
This will be a rematch from a couple years ago when Bowling Green beat Minnesota 14-10 in Minneapolis in 2021. The Falcons are nothing special this year, but they don’t have to be in this game. Bowling Green has a solid quarterback in Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak and they know how to control the clock. Scot Loeffler squeaks out another win over P.J. Fleck.
Bowling Green 20, Minnesota 17
First Responder Bowl: Texas State (-5.5) v. Rice
Tuesday 12/26 5:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
I feel like this will be the first Texas State game I have ever watched. This will actually be the first bowl game for the Bobcats. In his first year as Texas State head coach, G.J. Kinne has transformed the Bobcats into one of the funnest teams to watch in college football. Former LSU and Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley has thrown for over 3,200 yards and 24 touchdowns this year. Texas State has scored at least 40 points in five games this season.
The issue for the Bobcats has been a leaky defense. Tuesday’s matchup with the Owls doesn’t look quite as daunting after Rice quarterback J.T. Daniels retired from football due to injury issues. Maybe the Owls can let wide receiver Luke McCaffrey move back to quarterback after he started his career at that position at Nebraska. No matter who starts for Rice at QB, I don’t think they can keep pace with Finley and the Bobcats.
Texas State 42, Rice 30
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas (-12.5) v. UNLV
Tuesday 12/26 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
UNLV has been a great story this year, as former Missouri coach Barry Odom has led the Rebels to one of the best seasons in school history. Tuesday night’s game in Phoenix marks just the third bowl game since 2000 for UNLV. For as good as the Rebels were this year, they lost some steam at the end of the season, falling to San Jose State before getting rolled by Boise State in the Mountain West Championship Game.
It would have been interesting to see what Kansas could have been this season if Jalon Daniels wasn’t injured for most of the year. Daniels only attempted 75 passes, leaving most of the snaps to Jake Bean, who held his own behind center. The Jayhawks still beat Oklahoma and finished with eight wins this season, showing why Lance Leipold is one of the best coaches in college football.
All Kansas has to do is follow Boise State’s blueprint to beat the Rebels. Bean, along with running backs Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr., should be able to find the end zone early and often on a UNLV defense that has some holes. Even though the Rebels should lose this one by at least 14 points, they still had a season to be proud of.
Kansas 45, UNLV 28
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LGHL You’re Nuts: What gift is Ohio State men’s basketball hoping to get this Christmas?
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You’re Nuts: What gift is Ohio State men’s basketball hoping to get this Christmas?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes are 10-2 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play, with one game left before the calendar flips to 2024.
Happy holidays to all those who frequent Land-Grant Holy Land dot com on a weekly basis! Particularly to the people who hang around to read all of the men’s and women’s basketball content, we pump out on a daily basis! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holidays around this time, we hope you enjoy some time off and get to spend quality time with the people closest to you.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated what exactly Ohio State needed to clean up before facing UCLA, after losing to Penn State 83-80 on the road. Connor said OSU needed to limit second-chance points. Justin said OSU needed to guard the opposing team’s guards better. 58% of the readers sided with Connor, who was concerned about the glass.
Connor- 63
With Christmas just three days away, Connor and Justin are picking two things they know Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State men’s basketball team would love to find under their tree on Monday morning.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25180523/usa_today_22119248.jpg "NCAA Basketball: CBS Sports Classic-Ohio State at UCLA")
Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
More than anything else, Ohio State would love it if UCLA, Penn State, and West Virginia would get their crap together and win some games — especially the Nittany Lions.
What once looked like a gauntlet of a non-conference schedule now actually looks pretty weak, with all three of the aforementioned teams now sitting outside of the top 75 in KenPom (Penn State and West Virginia are actually outside of the top 100, but UCLA is 78).
Ohio State’s loss to Penn State (when they blew an 18-point lead on the road) is currently a Quad-3 loss in the NET rankings, which is pulling Ohio State’s ranking down — the Buckeyes currently sit at No. 38 in the NET. Penn State is currently No. 138 in the NET. If the ‘Nits can get up to 135, that would become a Quad-2 loss for Ohio State, and if they somehow got into the top 75, it would be a Quad-1 loss. As it stands, that loss is actively hurting Ohio State’s tournament chances and likely seed.
Ohio State’s win over UCLA is currently a Quad-3 win because UCLA is No. 153 in the NET as of Thursday night. If UCLA was able to get inside the top 100 of the NET, it would become a Quad-2 win for the Buckeyes.
After Christmas, the Buckeyes will face a reeling West Virginia team that has lost back-to-back games to UMass and Radford. It will be a neutral site game in Cleveland, so that will also make a potential win less sweet for Ohio State and a loss even more painful. The Mountaineers are currently No. 202 in the NET, which means it’ll probably be a Quad-3 win or loss for the entire year — the odds of WVU getting into the top 100 don’t look great right now.
If you want to read about how the “Quads” are broken down, click here.
Ohio State’s only Quad-1 win right now is its neutral site win over Alabama in the Emerald Coast Classic. Six months ago, a schedule that included UCLA (very good last year) and West Virginia (looked good but then Bob Huggins said some things and got fired) looked pretty strong. Now, those teams stink, so wins against them don’t mean a ton and losses are devastating. What a raw deal!
In summation, Chris Holtmann would probably shout with glee if he opened up a few additional Quad-2 wins on Christmas morning, as well as his current Quad-3 loss turning into a Quad-1 or Quad-2 loss.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25180723/usa_today_22141607.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Morehead State at Indiana")
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
I thought about health here, but that is more of a season-long wish, and I wanted to stay somewhat close to Christmas time. But I do always wish for sustained health.
This is about two weeks after Christmas, but I will wish for it now and hope it comes true later.
The Buckeyes are 10-2 after bouncing back from the Penn State collapse and beating UCLA and New Orleans, leaving two fairly winnable games coming up. The Buckeyes take on a struggling West Virginia team on Dec. 30 in Cleveland and then start 2024 on Jan. 2nd at home against Rutgers.
Rutgers is a solid team with a good defense, but with that game being in Columbus, I like the Buckeyes’ chances with Rutgers’s inability to score at times.
Then, the Buckeyes head to Bloomington for a showdown against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall.
It is not a secret that Assembly Hall is one of the toughest places to play, and no matter how good Indiana is any given year, it is a dogfight.
Over the last 10 years, Ohio State has been 3-7 at Assembly Hall. Since 1990, the Buckeyes are 10-22 in Bloomington. They are 20-9 against the Hoosiers in Columbus, so there is clearly a correlation there.
The Buckeyes have a bad loss on the resume, and unlike years past, there are not a lot of great chances for quality wins due to the Big Ten being down this season and Ohio State’s schedule being favorable
A win at Assembly Hall would be a huge resume boost and a momentum builder heading into three coin toss games for Ohio State.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes are 10-2 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play, with one game left before the calendar flips to 2024.
Happy holidays to all those who frequent Land-Grant Holy Land dot com on a weekly basis! Particularly to the people who hang around to read all of the men’s and women’s basketball content, we pump out on a daily basis! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holidays around this time, we hope you enjoy some time off and get to spend quality time with the people closest to you.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated what exactly Ohio State needed to clean up before facing UCLA, after losing to Penn State 83-80 on the road. Connor said OSU needed to limit second-chance points. Justin said OSU needed to guard the opposing team’s guards better. 58% of the readers sided with Connor, who was concerned about the glass.
After 131 weeks:
Connor- 63
Justin- 50
Other- 14
(There have been four ties)
With Christmas just three days away, Connor and Justin are picking two things they know Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State men’s basketball team would love to find under their tree on Monday morning.
Today’s Question: What gift is Ohio State men’s basketball hoping to get this Christmas?
Connor: For UCLA, West Virginia, and Penn State to win some games
More than anything else, Ohio State would love it if UCLA, Penn State, and West Virginia would get their crap together and win some games — especially the Nittany Lions.
What once looked like a gauntlet of a non-conference schedule now actually looks pretty weak, with all three of the aforementioned teams now sitting outside of the top 75 in KenPom (Penn State and West Virginia are actually outside of the top 100, but UCLA is 78).
Ohio State’s loss to Penn State (when they blew an 18-point lead on the road) is currently a Quad-3 loss in the NET rankings, which is pulling Ohio State’s ranking down — the Buckeyes currently sit at No. 38 in the NET. Penn State is currently No. 138 in the NET. If the ‘Nits can get up to 135, that would become a Quad-2 loss for Ohio State, and if they somehow got into the top 75, it would be a Quad-1 loss. As it stands, that loss is actively hurting Ohio State’s tournament chances and likely seed.
Ohio State’s win over UCLA is currently a Quad-3 win because UCLA is No. 153 in the NET as of Thursday night. If UCLA was able to get inside the top 100 of the NET, it would become a Quad-2 win for the Buckeyes.
After Christmas, the Buckeyes will face a reeling West Virginia team that has lost back-to-back games to UMass and Radford. It will be a neutral site game in Cleveland, so that will also make a potential win less sweet for Ohio State and a loss even more painful. The Mountaineers are currently No. 202 in the NET, which means it’ll probably be a Quad-3 win or loss for the entire year — the odds of WVU getting into the top 100 don’t look great right now.
If you want to read about how the “Quads” are broken down, click here.
Ohio State’s only Quad-1 win right now is its neutral site win over Alabama in the Emerald Coast Classic. Six months ago, a schedule that included UCLA (very good last year) and West Virginia (looked good but then Bob Huggins said some things and got fired) looked pretty strong. Now, those teams stink, so wins against them don’t mean a ton and losses are devastating. What a raw deal!
In summation, Chris Holtmann would probably shout with glee if he opened up a few additional Quad-2 wins on Christmas morning, as well as his current Quad-3 loss turning into a Quad-1 or Quad-2 loss.
Justin: A win at Assembly Hall on Jan. 6
I thought about health here, but that is more of a season-long wish, and I wanted to stay somewhat close to Christmas time. But I do always wish for sustained health.
This is about two weeks after Christmas, but I will wish for it now and hope it comes true later.
The Buckeyes are 10-2 after bouncing back from the Penn State collapse and beating UCLA and New Orleans, leaving two fairly winnable games coming up. The Buckeyes take on a struggling West Virginia team on Dec. 30 in Cleveland and then start 2024 on Jan. 2nd at home against Rutgers.
Rutgers is a solid team with a good defense, but with that game being in Columbus, I like the Buckeyes’ chances with Rutgers’s inability to score at times.
Then, the Buckeyes head to Bloomington for a showdown against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall.
It is not a secret that Assembly Hall is one of the toughest places to play, and no matter how good Indiana is any given year, it is a dogfight.
Over the last 10 years, Ohio State has been 3-7 at Assembly Hall. Since 1990, the Buckeyes are 10-22 in Bloomington. They are 20-9 against the Hoosiers in Columbus, so there is clearly a correlation there.
The Buckeyes have a bad loss on the resume, and unlike years past, there are not a lot of great chances for quality wins due to the Big Ten being down this season and Ohio State’s schedule being favorable
A win at Assembly Hall would be a huge resume boost and a momentum builder heading into three coin toss games for Ohio State.
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LGHL Buckeyes still active in the 2024 class, remain just as active in the portal
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Buckeyes still active in the 2024 class, remain just as active in the portal
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State is showing no sign of slowing down as they continue to monitor the portal and class of 2024 targets.
It wasn’t all that long ago when recruiting slowed down a bit after signing day. In 2023 though, Ohio State and the rest of the college football landscape are just as busy hours after the 2024 class was signed as staffs look to continue their efforts on the trail.
For the Buckeyes, roster management is everything right now even in the midst of next week’s Cotton Bowl. Ryan Day has made it clear that his staff is still on the grind as they work through their current roster, with several players still having decisions to make. Until then, the coaches are all over the transfer portal, and though nobody has been added to Ohio State’s team yet, it will all shake out in the coming weeks.
In the 2023 class, there’s no linebacker target Jim Knowles wanted more than Tackett Curtis. Knowles basically was paying rent in Louisiana with how much he was in town to see Curtis during his recruitment, but the Buckeyes fell short in the end when he chose USC over Ohio State. Certainly a blow when you put that much time into a specific player, the Buckeyes had to see him off to another program. But in today’s world of college football, it’s not really “over” once a player commits elsewhere due to the transfer portal.
Curtis’ name is in fact in the transfer portal, and obviously the relation to Ohio State makes it easy to see why the staff would once again be interested. Reaching out shortly after his name was entered, Ohio State is going to be in on this recruitment for the second time, and you’d think they’d have a strong chance at landing him considering where they finished the first time around.
Still, it’s been reported that other schools too are now in the mix, as LSU, Florida State, TCU, and Nebraska all have also expressed their interest. As of now, the Buckeyes do not have a visit date set with Curtis, but in the coming days that very well could change. Getting through the bowl game will help the scheduling of this, but the Buckeyes have reached out and look to be once again very interested in trying to bring in Curtis to help bolster the linebacker room that will see some departures.
Cody Simon has already announced his return to Ohio State for the 2024 season, and CJ Hicks should almost certainly finally see his time come, but with how many linebackers the Buckeyes use in a season depth is a priority and Curtis just makes sense. The second time around may go better than the first, but a visit needs to get locked in before this really stands a chance.
Though they were able to keep five-star Eddrick Houston in the 2024 class, with only two defensive line signees in the current cycle Ohio State’s depth up front isn’t great. What makes it tough is not yet knowing who is going to come back from the current roster. The Buckeyes are in sort of a pickle as they try to navigate the position until these decision by the players are made, but a plan has to be in place either way.
If Ohio State is able to bring several current guys back for next season, then the need to land more high school defensive linemen or even portal options decreases a bit. That said, Ohio State is definitely still going hard after players knowing there’s at least room for one more prep target after losing out on Amaris Williams to Auburn.
One high-profile target that is hearing from the Buckeyes is Louisiana native, Dominick McKinley. The five-star defensive lineman is the No. 26 player nationally and the sixth best player at his position for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite. A Texas A&M commit, McKinley’s recruitment got a whole lot more interesting as he decided not to sign with the Aggies on Wednesday, leaving it wide open for other schools to get in the mix.
Already having an Ohio State offer to his name, the Buckeyes have reached out and expressed their interest, but it’s not going to be an easy battle here as Tennessee has already been able to schedule a visit with the Louisiana native. Texas is also interested, but the Buckeyes do have the advantage of selling to him that with only two signees in the fold, he would have the chance to come in and compete right away.
Once again, this recruitment would get a lot more interesting if the Buckeyes are able to get him to Columbus. If they do, Larry Johnson may just have a little more magic up his sleeve for this class.
Yesterday, Ramsey committed to USC, staying right in LA for his next stop leaving the Buckeyes in the same position. Without another safety, it does lead to the belief for the potential for Lathan Ransom to return, but odds are the staff will know better once again after the Cotton Bowl.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State is showing no sign of slowing down as they continue to monitor the portal and class of 2024 targets.
It wasn’t all that long ago when recruiting slowed down a bit after signing day. In 2023 though, Ohio State and the rest of the college football landscape are just as busy hours after the 2024 class was signed as staffs look to continue their efforts on the trail.
For the Buckeyes, roster management is everything right now even in the midst of next week’s Cotton Bowl. Ryan Day has made it clear that his staff is still on the grind as they work through their current roster, with several players still having decisions to make. Until then, the coaches are all over the transfer portal, and though nobody has been added to Ohio State’s team yet, it will all shake out in the coming weeks.
The second time around
In the 2023 class, there’s no linebacker target Jim Knowles wanted more than Tackett Curtis. Knowles basically was paying rent in Louisiana with how much he was in town to see Curtis during his recruitment, but the Buckeyes fell short in the end when he chose USC over Ohio State. Certainly a blow when you put that much time into a specific player, the Buckeyes had to see him off to another program. But in today’s world of college football, it’s not really “over” once a player commits elsewhere due to the transfer portal.
Curtis’ name is in fact in the transfer portal, and obviously the relation to Ohio State makes it easy to see why the staff would once again be interested. Reaching out shortly after his name was entered, Ohio State is going to be in on this recruitment for the second time, and you’d think they’d have a strong chance at landing him considering where they finished the first time around.
Still, it’s been reported that other schools too are now in the mix, as LSU, Florida State, TCU, and Nebraska all have also expressed their interest. As of now, the Buckeyes do not have a visit date set with Curtis, but in the coming days that very well could change. Getting through the bowl game will help the scheduling of this, but the Buckeyes have reached out and look to be once again very interested in trying to bring in Curtis to help bolster the linebacker room that will see some departures.
Cody Simon has already announced his return to Ohio State for the 2024 season, and CJ Hicks should almost certainly finally see his time come, but with how many linebackers the Buckeyes use in a season depth is a priority and Curtis just makes sense. The second time around may go better than the first, but a visit needs to get locked in before this really stands a chance.
Looking for more in the 2024 class
Though they were able to keep five-star Eddrick Houston in the 2024 class, with only two defensive line signees in the current cycle Ohio State’s depth up front isn’t great. What makes it tough is not yet knowing who is going to come back from the current roster. The Buckeyes are in sort of a pickle as they try to navigate the position until these decision by the players are made, but a plan has to be in place either way.
If Ohio State is able to bring several current guys back for next season, then the need to land more high school defensive linemen or even portal options decreases a bit. That said, Ohio State is definitely still going hard after players knowing there’s at least room for one more prep target after losing out on Amaris Williams to Auburn.
One high-profile target that is hearing from the Buckeyes is Louisiana native, Dominick McKinley. The five-star defensive lineman is the No. 26 player nationally and the sixth best player at his position for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite. A Texas A&M commit, McKinley’s recruitment got a whole lot more interesting as he decided not to sign with the Aggies on Wednesday, leaving it wide open for other schools to get in the mix.
Already having an Ohio State offer to his name, the Buckeyes have reached out and expressed their interest, but it’s not going to be an easy battle here as Tennessee has already been able to schedule a visit with the Louisiana native. Texas is also interested, but the Buckeyes do have the advantage of selling to him that with only two signees in the fold, he would have the chance to come in and compete right away.
Once again, this recruitment would get a lot more interesting if the Buckeyes are able to get him to Columbus. If they do, Larry Johnson may just have a little more magic up his sleeve for this class.
Quick Hits
- Recently Ohio State was able to host Kamari Ramsey for a visit. The former UCLA safety hit the transfer portal, and the three schools to surge to the top for his services included USC, Washington, and Ohio State.
Yesterday, Ramsey committed to USC, staying right in LA for his next stop leaving the Buckeyes in the same position. Without another safety, it does lead to the belief for the potential for Lathan Ransom to return, but odds are the staff will know better once again after the Cotton Bowl.
Continue reading...
LGHL On World Basketball Day, Jake Diebler led Ohio State to a win and reflected on how much the game means to him
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On World Basketball Day, Jake Diebler led Ohio State to a win and reflected on how much the game means to him
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After leading Ohio State to its most lopsided win in a decade, Diebler took time to talk about how grateful he is for the game.
This past August, the United Nations general assembly officially adopted a resolution delcaring Dec. 21 “World Basketball Day” every year going forward. You can read the entire resolution here, but the main points of the resolution stated that:
By happenstance, the Ohio State men’s basketball team had a game yesterday, on the first ever World Basketball Day. After a torturous first half that saw Ohio State shoot below 40% and score just 31 points, the Buckeyes ran all over New Orleans in the second half, winning 78-36.
Before the game, associate head coach Jake Diebler was thrust into the head coaching role with very little notice, as head coach Chris Holtmann (as well as starting center Felix Okpara) were both unable to join the team due to an illness.
With just a few hours to prepare, Diebler was the captain of the ship. He guided Ohio State to a massive blowout win, holding an opponent under 40 points for the first time since 2013. It was a befitting result on a day where we celebrate the diversity basketball exposes us to as well as the adversity sports often force us to overcome.
After the game, Diebler was informed that today was, in fact, the first ever World Basketball Day. He was then asked to talk a little bit about how much the game means to him, and how it changed the trajectory of his life.
His response went for almost three minutes, without a break. As the son of a coach, Diebler has been around the game from the moment he could walk, and it was almost comical that on the first ever World Basketball Day, he found himself sitting in the head coach’s chair answering questions about his second-ever win as a head coach.
His full answer:
After a game where Ohio State once against stifled its opponent defensively, scored nearly 80 points and picked up its 10th win of the season, Diebler’s explanation about how meaningful this game is to him and how it continues to change his life every day felt like the most meaningful bit of the entire post-game presser.
Who knows, maybe one of these years, Diebler will sit up in the head coach’s chair leading his own program on World Basketball Day.
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
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After leading Ohio State to its most lopsided win in a decade, Diebler took time to talk about how grateful he is for the game.
This past August, the United Nations general assembly officially adopted a resolution delcaring Dec. 21 “World Basketball Day” every year going forward. You can read the entire resolution here, but the main points of the resolution stated that:
- Sports are an important enabler of sustainable development.
- Sports empower women, young people, individuals and communities, and persons with disabilities.
- Sports empower physical and mental health, education and social inclusion objectives.
- Sports, the arts, and physical activity have the power to change perceptions, prejudices and behaviors, as well as inspire people, break down racial and political barriers, combat discrimination and defuse conflict.
- Basketball creates a unique space of cooperation, physical movement and an interdependence that allows participants to see each other as human beings first and foremost.
- The United Nations general assembly proclaims December 21st as World Basketball Day.
By happenstance, the Ohio State men’s basketball team had a game yesterday, on the first ever World Basketball Day. After a torturous first half that saw Ohio State shoot below 40% and score just 31 points, the Buckeyes ran all over New Orleans in the second half, winning 78-36.
Before the game, associate head coach Jake Diebler was thrust into the head coaching role with very little notice, as head coach Chris Holtmann (as well as starting center Felix Okpara) were both unable to join the team due to an illness.
With just a few hours to prepare, Diebler was the captain of the ship. He guided Ohio State to a massive blowout win, holding an opponent under 40 points for the first time since 2013. It was a befitting result on a day where we celebrate the diversity basketball exposes us to as well as the adversity sports often force us to overcome.
After the game, Diebler was informed that today was, in fact, the first ever World Basketball Day. He was then asked to talk a little bit about how much the game means to him, and how it changed the trajectory of his life.
His response went for almost three minutes, without a break. As the son of a coach, Diebler has been around the game from the moment he could walk, and it was almost comical that on the first ever World Basketball Day, he found himself sitting in the head coach’s chair answering questions about his second-ever win as a head coach.
His full answer:
After a game where Ohio State once against stifled its opponent defensively, scored nearly 80 points and picked up its 10th win of the season, Diebler’s explanation about how meaningful this game is to him and how it continues to change his life every day felt like the most meaningful bit of the entire post-game presser.
Who knows, maybe one of these years, Diebler will sit up in the head coach’s chair leading his own program on World Basketball Day.
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Preview: No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Belmont
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Game Preview: No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Belmont
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Donald Page/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
A bounce back game for the Buckeyes, with a familial twist.
Ohio State women’s basketball is back on the court for the final home game of the 2023 calendar. That’s when the Buckeyes host the Belmont Bruins of the Missouri Valley Conference. In most seasons, it’d be another non-conference game against a mid-major side, but this time around it carries importance for many reasons.
The fun storyline is a father vs. daughter. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes take on guard Kilyn McGuff, his oldest daughter, and her Bruins team. The less fun storyline is what this game means to Ohio State. After a less than stellar four-quarter performance against UCLA on Monday, the scarlet and gray need to bounce back.
Isolate the first and fourth quarters for Ohio State against No. 2 UCLA on Monday, and the Buckeyes outscored the Bruins 43-31. However, women’s NCAA basketball games are notoriously four quarters long. In the two middle quarters, shots weren’t falling and fouls amassed quickly as UCLA asserted its dominance in a 46-28 performance.
Scoring-wise, guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Thierry were far ahead of their peers. The two scored 50 of Ohio State’s 71 points in Monday’s defeat, giving the remaining four players who got onto the scoresheet combining for 21 points. The Sheldon and Thierry-less group shot 21.2% from the floor.
Friday’s midday game is not UCLA though. The Belmont Bruins don’t feature an unstoppable 6-foot-7 center, but that doesn’t mean a victory is guaranteed. Belmont’s shown over the past two seasons that it can compete.
Belmont is going to bring team basketball to the Schottenstein Center. The Bruins aren’t the biggest or fastest team Ohio State will face, but they’re a side that is organized, passes well and plays strong inside and outside games. There aren’t as drastic roles for a team like Belmont.
In the last nine games, the Bruins used the same five players in the starting lineup, and all five of them average at least 10 points per game, and three of them grab at least six rebounds per game. That’s not the sign of a team with stereotypical basketball responsibilities. Belmont will test the half court and transitional defense of the Buckeyes. The Bruins have also faced a full court press similar to the Buckeyes this season.
Against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 10, Belmont showed its maturity and chemistry. The Bruins gave up the ball 12 times against the pressing Bulldogs, the third fewest this season. Scoring-wise, Georgia lacked its own organization to get back on defense and gave up a staggering nine three-pointers by forward Kendall Cheesman, on 15 attempts.
Ohio State hasn’t lost to a non-power five conference school since losing to the South Dakota Bobcats on Nov. 29, 2019, but Belmont has the ability to be the next one, if the Buckeyes look past the Bruins. Fortunately for the scarlet and gray, it’ll be hard to do following a tough defeat against the other Bruins on Monday.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
G- Tuti Jones
G- Jailyn Banks
G- Kilyn McGuff
F- Tessa Miller
F- Kendall Cheesman
With the upcoming Christmas holiday weekend, a game against Belmont could be a trap, but it won’t. Ohio State will withstand an early Bruins attack, but the shooting will be vastly improved for the Buckeyes Friday afternoon.
Since there’s no Lauren Betts-like force in the paint for Belmont, expect Cotie McMahon to have a big game. The forward scored seven points on Monday, and none inside the paint. Both shots converted came from beyond the arc, plus a free throw. Friday, McMahon will be charging, and spinning, towards the basket. McMahon will score at least 20 points and Ohio State will come away with a victory to take into the eight days without a game that follows.
Date: Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
Barring a rough end to the season, Friday is the final non-conference game for the Buckeyes until the NCAA Tournament. This year, Ohio State’s lost two non-conference games, the most since the 19-20 regular season. That campaign, the scarlet and gray dropped four before the start of the Big Ten calendar, losing games to Ohio University, UConn, South Dakota and Stanford.
Fortunately for coach McGuff’s side, the defeats this season shouldn’t hurt too much come tournament time. Both the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans are undefeated, highly ranked, teams.
The Big Ten calendar starts with a trip to rivals up north, the Michigan Wolverines. Then Ohio State stays on the road to tip off the 2024 calendar on Jan. 5, when the Northwestern Wildcats welcome the Buckeyes.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Donald Page/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
A bounce back game for the Buckeyes, with a familial twist.
Ohio State women’s basketball is back on the court for the final home game of the 2023 calendar. That’s when the Buckeyes host the Belmont Bruins of the Missouri Valley Conference. In most seasons, it’d be another non-conference game against a mid-major side, but this time around it carries importance for many reasons.
The fun storyline is a father vs. daughter. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes take on guard Kilyn McGuff, his oldest daughter, and her Bruins team. The less fun storyline is what this game means to Ohio State. After a less than stellar four-quarter performance against UCLA on Monday, the scarlet and gray need to bounce back.
Preview
Isolate the first and fourth quarters for Ohio State against No. 2 UCLA on Monday, and the Buckeyes outscored the Bruins 43-31. However, women’s NCAA basketball games are notoriously four quarters long. In the two middle quarters, shots weren’t falling and fouls amassed quickly as UCLA asserted its dominance in a 46-28 performance.
Scoring-wise, guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Thierry were far ahead of their peers. The two scored 50 of Ohio State’s 71 points in Monday’s defeat, giving the remaining four players who got onto the scoresheet combining for 21 points. The Sheldon and Thierry-less group shot 21.2% from the floor.
Friday’s midday game is not UCLA though. The Belmont Bruins don’t feature an unstoppable 6-foot-7 center, but that doesn’t mean a victory is guaranteed. Belmont’s shown over the past two seasons that it can compete.
Belmont is going to bring team basketball to the Schottenstein Center. The Bruins aren’t the biggest or fastest team Ohio State will face, but they’re a side that is organized, passes well and plays strong inside and outside games. There aren’t as drastic roles for a team like Belmont.
In the last nine games, the Bruins used the same five players in the starting lineup, and all five of them average at least 10 points per game, and three of them grab at least six rebounds per game. That’s not the sign of a team with stereotypical basketball responsibilities. Belmont will test the half court and transitional defense of the Buckeyes. The Bruins have also faced a full court press similar to the Buckeyes this season.
Against the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 10, Belmont showed its maturity and chemistry. The Bruins gave up the ball 12 times against the pressing Bulldogs, the third fewest this season. Scoring-wise, Georgia lacked its own organization to get back on defense and gave up a staggering nine three-pointers by forward Kendall Cheesman, on 15 attempts.
Ohio State hasn’t lost to a non-power five conference school since losing to the South Dakota Bobcats on Nov. 29, 2019, but Belmont has the ability to be the next one, if the Buckeyes look past the Bruins. Fortunately for the scarlet and gray, it’ll be hard to do following a tough defeat against the other Bruins on Monday.
Projected Lineups
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
Lineup Notes
- Guard Madison Greene played nine minutes against UCLA, showing how important it is for head coach Kevin McGuff to have the redshirt senior on the court, in only her third game back following a knee injury in December of 2022.
- Forward Cotie McMahon’s two three-point shots against UCLA is the fourth time she’s hit multiple in a game in her NCAA career, and the first this season.
- Forward Taiyier Parks had a difficult night against UCLA on Monday, with two turnovers, two fouls and no points in nine minutes against the Bruins.
Belmont
G- Tuti Jones
G- Jailyn Banks
G- Kilyn McGuff
F- Tessa Miller
F- Kendall Cheesman
Lineup Notes
- Four of the five projected starters for Belmont played the last two seasons together, with only guard Jailyn Banks being a freshman.
- Forward Kendall Cheesman is the outside shooter to watch for the Bruins, leading the team and Missouri Valley Conference with 27 made three-point shots in 10 games, compared to only 39 made in 33 appearances last season for Belmont.
- Belmont plays good basketball and gives ranked teams issues, losing to ranked Villanova and Louisville during the 22-23 season, but less than five points in each game.
Prediction
With the upcoming Christmas holiday weekend, a game against Belmont could be a trap, but it won’t. Ohio State will withstand an early Bruins attack, but the shooting will be vastly improved for the Buckeyes Friday afternoon.
Since there’s no Lauren Betts-like force in the paint for Belmont, expect Cotie McMahon to have a big game. The forward scored seven points on Monday, and none inside the paint. Both shots converted came from beyond the arc, plus a free throw. Friday, McMahon will be charging, and spinning, towards the basket. McMahon will score at least 20 points and Ohio State will come away with a victory to take into the eight days without a game that follows.
How to Watch
Date: Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Prediction: 75-63 Ohio State Buckeyes
Hello Big Ten
Barring a rough end to the season, Friday is the final non-conference game for the Buckeyes until the NCAA Tournament. This year, Ohio State’s lost two non-conference games, the most since the 19-20 regular season. That campaign, the scarlet and gray dropped four before the start of the Big Ten calendar, losing games to Ohio University, UConn, South Dakota and Stanford.
Fortunately for coach McGuff’s side, the defeats this season shouldn’t hurt too much come tournament time. Both the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans are undefeated, highly ranked, teams.
The Big Ten calendar starts with a trip to rivals up north, the Michigan Wolverines. Then Ohio State stays on the road to tip off the 2024 calendar on Jan. 5, when the Northwestern Wildcats welcome the Buckeyes.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State may not be done recruiting defensive linemen in 2024
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Ohio State may not be done recruiting defensive linemen in 2024
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star DL Dominic Kirks | Mick Walker, 247Sports
There are a pair of big names to keep an eye on for a potential flip to the Buckeyes before NSD in February.
Ohio State’s defensive line haul in 2024 isn’t nearly what its needs to be. Following early signing day, the Buckeyes officially brought in just two D-linemen. While Ryan Day may claim this group is up to the high standards of the program, that is simply false.
One signee is five-star prospect Eddrick Houston, the No. 33 overall player and No. 7 edge rusher in the cycle, and the other is three-star Eric Mensah, ranked the No. 90 DL nationally. Ohio State had one of the country’s best defensive tackles committed until just last month, when five-star Justin Scott flipped his commitment to Miami, and appeared poised to land a pair of four-stars in Carlon Jones and Amaris Williams before the two committed to USC and Auburn, respectively.
Instead, it is just a two-man class, and even with an elite player like Houston coming to Columbus, that is flat out unacceptable from Larry Johnson — especially given how the last few classes have turned out. Since the 2022 recruiting class, Ohio State has brought in only 10 defensive linemen, totaling five edge players and five defensive tackles. One of those ends has since transferred in Omari Abor, and so now if both J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer both decide to leave for the NFL, the Buckeyes could find themselves with only four scholarship defensive ends, one of which being the true freshman Houston.
Ohio State has come into each of the last few cycles badly needing to replenish the defensive line room, and has come away largely empty handed. The 2023 class was strong, but three of the four additions came at defensive tackle. Stacking a two-man class onto that with just one defensive end while potentially losing both starting edge rushers from this past season seems like recipe for disaster, and it is only accentuated by some of the big swings and misses Johnson has taken at a handful of top national prospects each of the last few classes.
Luckily, not all hope is lost just yet, as there still could be good news coming the Buckeyes’ way along the defensive line. There is a pretty good chance at least one of Tuimoloau or Sawyer return in 2024, and on top of that, there have been rumblings that Johnson and Ohio State are not exactly done on the recruiting trail in this cycle either.
There are two big names floating around that are committed elsewhere, but do not plan to sign their LOIs until National Signing Day in February. Until pen hits paper, the Buckeyes can continue to try and sway them towards Columbus, and given the current situation, they would be smart in doing so.
The first — and most likely — name cropping up is four-star Ohio native Dominic Kirks. A Washington commit, Kirks is listed as the No. 33 DL and No. 251 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite. While the Painesville, Ohioan has accrued nearly two dozen offers during his recruitment, oddly enough none of those have come from Ohio State. However, with the Buckeyes looking to add another impact player at the position, that could be coming as Johnson tries to keep Kirks at home and away from the Huskies.
Kirks did previously make an unofficial visit to Ohio State for the Maryland game, and it sounds as though an OSU offer would be hard to pass up for the in-state talent. Still, the Buckeyes aren't the only ones trying to pry Kirks away from Washington, as USC is also rumored to be heavily involved here. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound lineman will have a potentially tough decision to make between now and February.
The other big name out there right now is five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley. A Texas A&M commit, the No. 6 DL and No. 27 overall player in the country in 2024 will also be waiting until February to sign his LOI, and will continue to be courted by all the big names until he does so. He just recently had an in-home visit with Oklahoma, has an official visit with Tennessee scheduled in late January, and the Buckeyes are also reportedly ramping up their efforts with the Louisiana native.
Ohio State was one of McKinley’s original five finalists before he committed to the Aggies in September, and made an official visit to Columbus in June. The Buckeyes were the furthest geographically of his top schools (the other being A&M, Texas, LSU and Oklahoma), but Johnson was able to make a strong connection with McKinley that gave Ohio State a fighting chance in his recruitment. With LJ working him hard yet again and the chance for some potential early playing time with the Buckeyes, a miracle late flip is not out of the question.
Regardless of what happens with Kirks and McKinley, the Buckeyes have some depth problems along the defensive line that the transfer portal can't fix. No big names are leaving one school to come be a backup, even at a place like Ohio State. Eventually, you need to start getting some wins on the recruiting trail and bringing in larger classes at the position, upwards of four of five guys — if not more now in 2025. That is going to keep getting harder and harder to do with rumors of Johnson’s retirement getting louder and louder each year.
There is still time for LJ to pull a rabbit out of his hat in this cycle, but things could snowball quickly if the defensive line issues don't get sorted out quickly.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star DL Dominic Kirks | Mick Walker, 247Sports
There are a pair of big names to keep an eye on for a potential flip to the Buckeyes before NSD in February.
Ohio State’s defensive line haul in 2024 isn’t nearly what its needs to be. Following early signing day, the Buckeyes officially brought in just two D-linemen. While Ryan Day may claim this group is up to the high standards of the program, that is simply false.
One signee is five-star prospect Eddrick Houston, the No. 33 overall player and No. 7 edge rusher in the cycle, and the other is three-star Eric Mensah, ranked the No. 90 DL nationally. Ohio State had one of the country’s best defensive tackles committed until just last month, when five-star Justin Scott flipped his commitment to Miami, and appeared poised to land a pair of four-stars in Carlon Jones and Amaris Williams before the two committed to USC and Auburn, respectively.
Instead, it is just a two-man class, and even with an elite player like Houston coming to Columbus, that is flat out unacceptable from Larry Johnson — especially given how the last few classes have turned out. Since the 2022 recruiting class, Ohio State has brought in only 10 defensive linemen, totaling five edge players and five defensive tackles. One of those ends has since transferred in Omari Abor, and so now if both J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer both decide to leave for the NFL, the Buckeyes could find themselves with only four scholarship defensive ends, one of which being the true freshman Houston.
Ohio State has come into each of the last few cycles badly needing to replenish the defensive line room, and has come away largely empty handed. The 2023 class was strong, but three of the four additions came at defensive tackle. Stacking a two-man class onto that with just one defensive end while potentially losing both starting edge rushers from this past season seems like recipe for disaster, and it is only accentuated by some of the big swings and misses Johnson has taken at a handful of top national prospects each of the last few classes.
Luckily, not all hope is lost just yet, as there still could be good news coming the Buckeyes’ way along the defensive line. There is a pretty good chance at least one of Tuimoloau or Sawyer return in 2024, and on top of that, there have been rumblings that Johnson and Ohio State are not exactly done on the recruiting trail in this cycle either.
There are two big names floating around that are committed elsewhere, but do not plan to sign their LOIs until National Signing Day in February. Until pen hits paper, the Buckeyes can continue to try and sway them towards Columbus, and given the current situation, they would be smart in doing so.
The first — and most likely — name cropping up is four-star Ohio native Dominic Kirks. A Washington commit, Kirks is listed as the No. 33 DL and No. 251 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite. While the Painesville, Ohioan has accrued nearly two dozen offers during his recruitment, oddly enough none of those have come from Ohio State. However, with the Buckeyes looking to add another impact player at the position, that could be coming as Johnson tries to keep Kirks at home and away from the Huskies.
Kirks did previously make an unofficial visit to Ohio State for the Maryland game, and it sounds as though an OSU offer would be hard to pass up for the in-state talent. Still, the Buckeyes aren't the only ones trying to pry Kirks away from Washington, as USC is also rumored to be heavily involved here. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound lineman will have a potentially tough decision to make between now and February.
The other big name out there right now is five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley. A Texas A&M commit, the No. 6 DL and No. 27 overall player in the country in 2024 will also be waiting until February to sign his LOI, and will continue to be courted by all the big names until he does so. He just recently had an in-home visit with Oklahoma, has an official visit with Tennessee scheduled in late January, and the Buckeyes are also reportedly ramping up their efforts with the Louisiana native.
Ohio State was one of McKinley’s original five finalists before he committed to the Aggies in September, and made an official visit to Columbus in June. The Buckeyes were the furthest geographically of his top schools (the other being A&M, Texas, LSU and Oklahoma), but Johnson was able to make a strong connection with McKinley that gave Ohio State a fighting chance in his recruitment. With LJ working him hard yet again and the chance for some potential early playing time with the Buckeyes, a miracle late flip is not out of the question.
Regardless of what happens with Kirks and McKinley, the Buckeyes have some depth problems along the defensive line that the transfer portal can't fix. No big names are leaving one school to come be a backup, even at a place like Ohio State. Eventually, you need to start getting some wins on the recruiting trail and bringing in larger classes at the position, upwards of four of five guys — if not more now in 2025. That is going to keep getting harder and harder to do with rumors of Johnson’s retirement getting louder and louder each year.
There is still time for LJ to pull a rabbit out of his hat in this cycle, but things could snowball quickly if the defensive line issues don't get sorted out quickly.
Continue reading...
