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LGHL Five-star wide receiver, LSU commit visits Ohio State

Five-star wide receiver, LSU commit visits Ohio State
Dan Hessler
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Five-star 2025 WR Dakorien Moore | Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports

Ohio State continues to add to its spring and summer visitor lists, including the recent addition of the No. 1 offensive tackle in 2025.

Spring break is over for the Ohio State football team, and Ryan Day and the coaching staff already have a busy week ahead of themselves. Most of the focus is on this current roster of Buckeyes and preparing for the upcoming season. After an incredible offseason, which saw the program add top-tier talents in both recruiting and the transfer portal, the expectations for Ohio State could not be higher.

But the upcoming season is not the only thing keeping the Ohio State coaching staff busy. Day and his staff are also going to be playing host to some of the nation’s top recruits. Monday was the first day back for the team, and already the Buckeyes had blue-chip prospects on hand.

2025 LSU five-star wide receiver commit and the No. 1 WR in the 2025 class, Dakorien Moore (Duncanville, TX / Duncanville), was in Columbus Monday for an unofficial visit with the Buckeyes. Moore recently included Ohio State in his top four schools, alongside LSU, Texas and Oregon.


NEW: Five-star Duncanville (Texas) WR Dakorien Moore tells @247Sports he's down to four schools and shutting down communication with others

Details: https://t.co/sBdzLdryuf pic.twitter.com/De2nB2ouEi

— Mike Roach (@MikeRoach247) March 11, 2024

Ohio State has been making Moore more of a priority since the turn of the new year, and the Buckeyes are great at getting wide receiver recruits they want in large thanks to Brian Hartline and his continued wizardry at developing kids into first-round talents in the NFL Draft.

The visit is not the first to Ohio State for Moore, and it hopefully will not be his last. He will likely take official visits to all four of his finalists later this year before deciding if he will stick with his pledge to LSU or flip to one of the others.

Moore was not alone on his visit, as he was joined by 2025 four-star defensive lineman prospect Landon Rink (Cypress, TX / Cy-Fair).


Rink is the No. 36 DL prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 311 overall prospect. However, he has been impressing at camps lately, including at the recent Under Armour Houston camp, and he could easily see a boost in the next rankings update.

Ohio State is not alone in recruiting Rink, as Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma are all targeting Rink and are closer to home. However, the Buckeyes have started making him a bigger priority as of late and won’t back down without a fight.

The Buckeyes will need to get Rink back on campus later this year for an official visit if they are going to remain contenders in his recruitment.


David Sanders Jr. schedules Ohio State summer visit


Ohio State is adding names to its spring visitor list seemingly every day, but the team is also busy scheduling recruiting visits for this summer. On Monday, the Buckeyes added one of the biggest names in the 2025 recruiting class to its summer visit list when No. 1 offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. (Charlotte, NC / Providence Day School) scheduled an official visit to Ohio State for June 21.


Five-Star Plus+ OT David Sanders has locked in official visits to South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio State, per @RivalsFriedman.

Read: https://t.co/v9ekLg96uO pic.twitter.com/CoiUZWgEP6

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) March 18, 2024

Sanders is not a new name when it comes to Ohio State recruiting, and the Buckeyes recently made the cut for his top six schools alongside South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. All six of his finalists will receive an official visit, with Ohio State being his last.

Being the last team to host him for an official visit could be of benefit to the Buckeyes, as they will get the opportunity to leave a last impression on him. This will be key for Ohio State’s chances in securing a commitment from Sanders, with the Buckeyes having only hosted him once before and seemingly trailing some of his other finalists.

Sanders is the No. 1 OT in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 2 overall prospect. He is also the No. 1 recruit out of North Carolina.

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LGHL Diebler will lead the men to the NIT and beyond; women to host Maine in NCAA tourney

Diebler will lead the men to the NIT and beyond; women to host Maine in NCAA tourney
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinal-Ohio State vs Illinois

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

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!


On the Gridiron


Setting the table for second week of Buckeyes spring practice (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Four Buckeyes flashing on defense during start of spring camp (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes


Steelers acquire Fields in trade with Bears
Teresa Varley, Steelers.com

Tracking former Buckeyes in NFL free agency
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

You’re Nuts: Who in Ohio State sports are you giving an Oscar to?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


On the Hardwood


No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball to host No. 15 Maine Black Bears in NCAA Tournament
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land


We're Dancing!

We take on #15 seed Maine in Round 1 of @MarchMadnessWBB ‼️ pic.twitter.com/b1ZdyD0Ab3

— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) March 18, 2024

How to buy OSU women’s basketball tickets in 2024 NCAA Tournament
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

A closer look at Ohio State women’s NCAA Tournament opener vs Maine
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State men’s basketball to host Cornell in opening round of NIT
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

What are the immediate implications of Jake Diebler becoming Ohio State’s head coach
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

The moment we made it official with Head Coach @JakeDiebler

Hear @RossBjorkAD and @JakeDiebler address the team this afternoon to announce the news.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9J7iraFEWQ

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 17, 2024

John ‘Juni’ Mobley reaffirms commitment to Ohio State, Jake Diebler
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Colin White sticking with commitment to play for Ohio State, Jake Diebler
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Majority of Ohio State fans support Diebler as the new men’s basketball head coach
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Column: Take a bow, Jake Diebler
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


Born a Buckeye, Stays a Buckeye

Senior Advisor for Intercollegiate Athletics Ross Bjork today announced the hiring of @JakeDiebler as head coach of the Ohio State men’s basketball program.

: https://t.co/WyxLiaVGvm pic.twitter.com/qIeX5P3h5P

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 17, 2024

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Buckeyes Earn 9-0 Shutout of Bulldogs, Advance to 2024 Frozen Four
Ohio State Athletics


Ticket = punched ️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/GkcK27htfo

— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) March 16, 2024

Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Continue Dominance of Michigan with 4-0 Victory
Ohio State Athletics

Softball: Ohio State Uses Home Runs to Down No. 23 Kentucky, 12-6
Ohio State Athletics

Baseball: Ohio State Dominates West Virginia, 26-11, in Series Finale
Ohio State Athletics


And now for something completely different...


Look, I don’t have time to keep up with what craziness is going on in the U.K., can someone just explain it to me like I haven’t watched “The Crown” since Season 1?


Big news!!!
Video circulating online that the flag is at half mast in Buckingham Palace has been debunked with the circulated video from September 2022. The Royal family is not mourning. #BuckinghamPalace #KingCharles #KateGate #RoyalAnnouncement pic.twitter.com/g22VO8SiMn

— (@CapXSid) March 18, 2024

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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball “whole again,” entering March Madness

Ohio State women’s basketball “whole again,” entering March Madness
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rutgers v Ohio State

Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

How the return of a Buckeyes favorite gives Ohio State an advantage missed in the last three games of Big Ten play

On Sunday, March 25, Ohio State women’s basketball defeated the Maryland Terrapins. That victory clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title. When the Buckeyes clinched the trophy outright three days later, against the Michigan Wolverines, there was a notable absence in team celebrations. Now, after being away for the team for three games, forward Eboni Walker is back with the Scarlet and Gray.

Walker’s absence began in that victory over the Terrapins. Playing only two minutes in the contest, Walker entered the game with her usual energy and intensity. However, on a fast break, Walker attempted a no-look pass to a teammate, sending the ball out of bounds instead in a close game against the Terps. The move drew the ire of head coach Kevin McGuff, visibly upset at the lost possession.

The forward wasn’t seen on the bench for the closing parts of the game. Against Michigan, Walker was listed “out” on the Buckeyes’ availability report and didn’t celebrate on the court with her teammates.

This season’s been difficult, on the court, for Walker. After transferring to Ohio State at the start of the 2022-23 season, Walker worked on conditioning and learning a new system following almost a year away from playing Division I basketball. In February, when forward Rebeka Mikulášiková went down with an ankle injury, Walker lid into the starting five-position and kept it through the end of the Buckeyes’ Elite Eight run.

Entering the 2023-24 season, a competition between Mikulášiková and Walker felt inevitable. Plus the addition of graduate senior transfer Taiyier Parks from the Michigan State Spartans adding another element of intrigue in the post position.

Mikulášiková won the role she’s held since the start of her junior year, starting all but one game this season, due to illness. For Walker, who averaged 22 minutes per game after winning the starting role last season, minutes dropped substantially. This season, the graduate senior averages 10.9 minutes per game, appearing only 22 times out of 27 games.

The reason for leaving the program is unknown, with head coach Kevin McGuff saying she was not with the team, keeping the situation within the team.

Sunday night, when the Scarlet and Gray awaited their NCAA Tournament fate, Walker was part of the celebration. Coach McGuff confirmed her return to the team. It’s a moment that means a lot for Walker’s Ohio State teammates.

“I feel like, you know, we’re whole again,” said forward Cotie McMahon.

For the sports statisticians, Walker’s numbers aren’t at the top of the conference near Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, but what’s seen in a 40-minute game is a small part of what makes a team.

Watch Walker on the sidelines and interacting with her teammates in games, and you see someone who has strong chemistry with everybody. The Las Vegas, Nevada product is joking with teammates, has a smile on her face and seems to uplift everyone she spends time around. Something you can see a little bit of in a profile done on Walker this summer, after a skydiving adventure.

On the court, Walker’s contributed in vital ways over the past two seasons. Look at the NCAA Tournament Second Round game against the North Carolina Tar Heels. While guard Jacy Sheldon received praise for her game-winning shot, it was the focus and work of Walker that made the play possible.

Coach McGuff designed a play that was broken from the start. After inbounding to Walker, the forward didn’t panic or try to do too much. Waiting patiently, Walker found Sheldon who made the final move before hitting a midrange jumper.

Walker provides something the Buckeyes desperately need: rebounding. She does it through being quick on the court, and putting herself into the paint aggressively to grab missed shots. Against the Terrapins in the Big Ten Tournament, the Buckeyes were out rebounded by 24. That doesn’t mean that Walker’s inclusion would erase that deficit, but when asked about the defeat, guard Celeste Taylor said Ohio State lost because it lacked heart. Something Walker has in abundance.

“Eboni shines in a lot of ways,” said McMahon. “Her impact on and off the court is huge. I mean, whether we’re in practice, whether we’re in a game, or literally in recovery, like her personality. Just her being there really has an impact on this team.”

The forward is a fan favorite too. When folks were celebrating the title victory with confetti and streamers, Ohio State supporters online wanted to know the whereabouts of Walker. She plays a style of game that fans appreciate and has a personality that’s hard to miss when you’re in the arena.

Whether Walker sees the court for ample minutes in March Madness, starting Friday against the Maine Black Bears, it’s a return that could lead to better performances from the Buckeyes.

“And you know, we miss her a lot,” said McMahon. “But she’s back.”

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LGHL Join the Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Tournament Challenge

Join the Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Tournament Challenge
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament - Seattle Regional

Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The Buckeyes are in the NCAA Tournament, so its time to compete alongside the Scarlet and Gray, kinda

It’s the best time of the year: March Madness!

To add to the madness, Land-Grant Holy Land invites you to join its annual bracket challenge on the women’s basketball side of things.

Ohio State women’s basketball is in the field of 68 teams looking to win the coveted NCAA National Championship. For the Buckeyes, it hasn’t reached the pinnacle of college basketball since 1993, when it lost to basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes and Texas A&M.

Last season, the Scarlet and Gray were close, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight. It included a comeback in the First Round, a game-winning shot by guard Jacy Sheldon in the Second Round, and a win on national television over the UConn Huskies.

This time around, Ohio State welcomes the Maine Black Bears to Columbus, along with a potential second-round matchup against either the Duke Blue Devils or Richmond Spiders.

It’s not only the Buckeyes who are competing because YOU can as well! Follow the steps below to join the LGHL women’s bracket challenge. You’ll get to win all the bragging rights, the fresh dopamine hit in the form of internet praise, and the feeling of a job well done.

It’s absolutely free to play. Follow the rules below to join the best women’s basketball tournament challenge on not only Land-Grant Holy Land but maybe all of SBNation.


Bracket Steps

  1. Join the Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Land Bracket Challenge.
  2. Make your selections before the March 22, 2023, at 11:30 AM cutoff date and time.
  3. Select one of your entries to join the group, no multiple entries, please.
  4. If we find out you used multiple accounts to have multiple entries, first: Why? Second, you won’t win the grand prize.
  5. Read up on the rules over at ESPN, because this challenge will adhere to all of them.

Share, Share, Share


Make sure to tell all your family, friends, and frienemies to sign up for the Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Land Tournament Challenge. It costs nothing to you. Challenge someone who doesn’t watch women’s basketball. Take that same friend out to a sports bar and demand they put all the games from the ESPN family of networks on their televisions. Flip a table if you need to (figuratively. I’m not paying bond).

Good luck to all who enter!

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LGHL Ohio State’s 2024 hoops commits remain firm with now full-time head coach Jake Diebler

Ohio State’s 2024 hoops commits remain firm with now full-time head coach Jake Diebler
Gene Ross
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Rutgers

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes’ 2024 commits are buying in to their new future leader.

Ohio State men’s basketball found its new head coach over the weekend, and it didn’t have to look very far to find him. The Buckeyes’ new athletic director Ross Bjork made the decision on Sunday to remove the interim tag from Jake Diebler, naming the former assistant the program’s next full-time head coach after an impressive 6-2 run to close out what looked like a lost season and create some optimism for the future.

Needless to say, the current players on the roster were very excited about the news...


The moment we made it official with Head Coach @JakeDiebler

Hear @RossBjorkAD and @JakeDiebler address the team this afternoon to announce the news.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9J7iraFEWQ

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 17, 2024

However, while the opinions of those already in the building are certainly of the utmost importance, so too are those of Ohio State’s commitments in the current recruiting cycle. The Buckeyes lay claim to two signees in the 2024 class in guard Juni Mobley and forward Colin White, and obviously their decisions whether or not to stay the course and eventually play their college ball in Columbus would be weighed heavily on who their head coach will be.

Luckily for Ohio State, both Mobley and White have confirmed to Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch that the duo will be sticking with their commitments to the program and playing for coach Diebler next season.

According to Jardy, Mobley and his family met with Diebler at Ohio State on Sunday and reaffirmed the commitment to play for the Buckeyes in 2024. The higher-rated player of the two, the 6-foot Columbus native, who now plays his high school hoops at Mt. Pleasant (Utah) Wasatch Academy, comes in as the No. 6 point guard and No. 41 player nationally in the cycle. Mobley was originally recruited by Chris Holtmann as well as Diebler, and remained steady in his pledge even after Holtmann’s firing in February.

White made it a perfect two-for-two when he also reaffirmed his commitment on Sunday. The 6-foot-5 Ottawa, Ohio native ranks as the No. 25 small forward and No. 124 player overall in the 2024 class. Coach Diebler made it a point to reach out to White and confirm his vision for him with the program, and that seems to have made a really positive impact on White in his decision to become a Buckeye.

“I’m super happy for coach Diebler,” White told 247Sports. “He really deserves this. He’s a big time coach and I’m going to ride with him. He’s a great guy, great dude and a great coach. He’s building something really special at Ohio State.”

As did anyone else that has watched the post-Holtmann Buckeyes, White saw an impressive change at Ohio State, and is excited to join a newly invigorated group with a head coach that seems to have a sincere connection with his players.

“What he did was big time,” White said. “He really lit a fire under those guys. Coach Holtmann was a great coach and I don’t know how much they changed or how different the game planned but the players really loved to play for coach Diebler and he banded them together. Since he came in they started to play really well and it spoke volumes.”

Ohio State is unlikely to add another member to its 2024 class before signing day in April. The Buckeyes will be losing Jamison Battle and Dale Bonner to graduation at the end of the season, and add the two incoming freshmen, barring any transfers out of the program.

Quick Hits

  • Ohio State will be receiving a visit from three-star offensive tackle Parker Harden on March 30. The No. 70 OT in the 2025 class and a top-50 player in Ohio for the cycle, Harden stands at 6-foot-5, 295 pounds and hails out of Pickerington Central. He does not yet hold an offer from the Buckeyes.
  • 2026 wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt will also be at Ohio State on March 30. Listed at 6-foot-2, the California native plays his high school football at Mater Dei, the same program as current 2026 Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. as well as 2025 running back target Jordon Davison. Dixon-Wyatt is not yet rated on 247Sports, but has over two dozen offers including the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas as well as a four-star rating (No. 76 overall) on Rivals. The Buckeyes have not yet offered.

I will be at THEE Ohio State University on March 30th! #GoBucks @brianhartline @ryandaytime pic.twitter.com/et7ZMiciYO

— Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (@kayyydeenn) March 16, 2024
  • Another 2026 prospect with plans to visit Columbus this spring, offensive tackle Adam Guthrie will be making the trip to Ohio State on Thursday. A 6-foot-7 in-state talent, Guthrie holds over 20 offers early in the process, including Kentucky, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others. The Nittany Lions are currently the favorite for the not-yet-rated offensive lineman, per the On3 prediction machine, but the Buckeyes could change that calculus once an official offer comes.

2026 Miami Trace OL Adam Guthrie (@AdamGuthrie21) will be visiting Ohio State on Thursday, The Silver Bulletin was told.

The 6’7 Guthrie holds 23 D-1 offers and is one of Ohio’s top 2026 prospects. pic.twitter.com/NIEIuk7FM5

— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) March 17, 2024

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