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LGHL Whether he knows it or not, Ryan Day has already decided to let Brian Hartline call plays
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Whether he knows it or not, Ryan Day has already decided to let Brian Hartline call plays
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK
The head coach kind of doesn’t have a choice in the matter any more.
I don’t think that he’s done it on purpose, but Ryan Day has kind of painted himself into a corner... of course, Kirk Herbstreit helped a little bit too.
By now, we all know that — thanks to the loose-lipped Buckeye turned ESPN analyst — following the season, the Ohio State head coach said that he was open to turning over play-calling duties to whomever his offensive coordinator would be for the 2023 season. Since then, Day has named former wide receiver coach Brian Hartline as the team’s new OC and has been open to — but ultimately noncommittal on — following through on plans to hand over the reins.
However, Day has already decided to let Hartline call plays this season, whether he knows it or not. As I said on last week’s “Buck Off Podcast,” by publicly saying that he was going to give Hartline the opportunity to call plays during the spring before reevaluating the situation ahead of the fall, the head coach has essentially ensured the fact that he has no choice other than to let the best position coach in the game take on the added responsibility once the season rolls around.
I started beating the drum for Day to give up play-calling duties nearly a year and a half ago, not because I didn’t think that he was imminently qualified to do it, but rather that he had too many other things on his plate as the head coach to do it properly. The case and point of that was how well he called plays in the Peach Bowl against Georgia when he had a lot more time to prepare and focus on it during the five weeks in between games. But that’s not a luxury a coach has for every game in the season, so that’s where Hartline comes in.
At the team’s scrimmage last Saturday — which was open to the media — Hartline got his first opportunity to call plays in something approaching a game-like situation; in fact, Day didn’t even wear a headset during the scrimmage, so those responsibilities fell completely to the first-time OC in a very obvious and public way.
While reporting since then has indicated that much of the offensive gameplan was scripted for the scrimmage ahead of time and that Hartline was as much rehearsing the play-calling mechanics as anything else, he did at least handpick the plays toward the end of the practice when the offense was working in the red zone; a good first step to what is to come down the road.
I think that anyone who has watched as many Ryan Day press conferences as I have probably feels like I do that the head coach doesn’t really want to cede control of the offense to anyone else and, in a perfect world, would prefer to keep calling plays moving forward. But, he appears to be reluctantly self-aware enough to know that that is not what is best for his team anymore. So, he is grudgingly, and cautiously, open to the switch.
However, thanks to Herbstreit spilling the beans about the plan on national television — long before a replacement for former OC Kevin Wilson had been named — that set a chain of events in motion that will ultimately force his hand, whether he’s ready to pass the torch or not.
I had originally believed that Day would name offensive line coach Justin Frye as offensive coordinator, because he has experience as an OC and calling plays, and it would balance out Day’s pass-focused approach. However, by instead going with perhaps the most successful and popular position coach in Ohio State history — not to mention a beloved former Buckeye player — Day has given himself very little wiggle room to not follow through on the oft-discussed transition of power.
From Herbie discussing what was likely supposed to be a private conversation on “GameDay” to Day making it clear that Hartline was in charge during the first scrimmage of the spring — in front of the media hordes, no less — if he eventually decided not to let Hartline call plays this fall, it would read as almost an insult against the new OC and an admittance that he made a mistake in promoting the wide receiver coach in the first place.
Of course, ultimately, Day’s job is to put his team in the best possible position to win, so “insulting” an assistant coach or “admitting” that he made a mistake is something that absolutely should be done in situations where the alternative would be disastrous for the team; but nobody expects a guy who played seven years in the NFL and in his six years on Ohio State’s staff has become one of the best recruiters and talent developers in the sport to be a disaster calling plays.
Will he be as good as Day right off the bat? Almost certainly not. The head coach has far more experience, so his floor is going to be much higher than Hartline’s, but I would assume that the new OC will be at the bare minimum competent to start off, with the chance that he could just be naturally excellent at it like he seemingly has been at many of the other aspects of being a college coach.
So, short of his calling plays being ruinous for the team’s chances this fall, I don’t think Day has any choice but to follow through on bequeathing play-calling responsibilities to Hartline. After all, there are few people as popular in Columbus as the former Buckeye receiver, and it would not look great for Day to dangle that carrot in front of him, give him very public chances to do it, tease the media with glimpses into what Hartline can do in that role, and then to snatch it back out of fear, uncertainty, or comfort.
How would Hartline — who clearly loves Ohio State, but has a seemingly endless number of options should he want to coach elsewhere — take what would essentially amount to a demotion, even if the responsibilities were never officially his? Could something like that lead to the end of his tenure at OSU? I hope not, but if his goal is to eventually become a head coach (at Ohio State or elsewhere), he might see calling plays as an imperative to taking that next step and decide that if he can’t do it for the Buckeyes, he will go somewhere else where he can.
Now, to be clear, I don’t think that Day would throw Hartline under the bus if that happened, and I don’t believe that he would do it out of ego, but Day knows what he’s capable of when given every opportunity as a play-caller, but that confidence has also bitten him in the butt at times in recent years. How often have we seen him stubbornly stick to a game plan even though it clearly wasn’t working? How often have we seen the offense look stuck in the mud because it didn’t appear that they had anything uniquely prepared for that week’s opponent?
Calling plays appears to be a bit of a security blanket for Day, and understandably so, because he is one of the best in the business at doing it. But he publicly committed to at least the possibility of giving it up — thanks to a little push from Herbie — and having hesitantly and warily begun going down that road this spring, it would seem to say all the wrong things if he didn’t finish that journey.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK
The head coach kind of doesn’t have a choice in the matter any more.
I don’t think that he’s done it on purpose, but Ryan Day has kind of painted himself into a corner... of course, Kirk Herbstreit helped a little bit too.
By now, we all know that — thanks to the loose-lipped Buckeye turned ESPN analyst — following the season, the Ohio State head coach said that he was open to turning over play-calling duties to whomever his offensive coordinator would be for the 2023 season. Since then, Day has named former wide receiver coach Brian Hartline as the team’s new OC and has been open to — but ultimately noncommittal on — following through on plans to hand over the reins.
However, Day has already decided to let Hartline call plays this season, whether he knows it or not. As I said on last week’s “Buck Off Podcast,” by publicly saying that he was going to give Hartline the opportunity to call plays during the spring before reevaluating the situation ahead of the fall, the head coach has essentially ensured the fact that he has no choice other than to let the best position coach in the game take on the added responsibility once the season rolls around.
I started beating the drum for Day to give up play-calling duties nearly a year and a half ago, not because I didn’t think that he was imminently qualified to do it, but rather that he had too many other things on his plate as the head coach to do it properly. The case and point of that was how well he called plays in the Peach Bowl against Georgia when he had a lot more time to prepare and focus on it during the five weeks in between games. But that’s not a luxury a coach has for every game in the season, so that’s where Hartline comes in.
At the team’s scrimmage last Saturday — which was open to the media — Hartline got his first opportunity to call plays in something approaching a game-like situation; in fact, Day didn’t even wear a headset during the scrimmage, so those responsibilities fell completely to the first-time OC in a very obvious and public way.
While reporting since then has indicated that much of the offensive gameplan was scripted for the scrimmage ahead of time and that Hartline was as much rehearsing the play-calling mechanics as anything else, he did at least handpick the plays toward the end of the practice when the offense was working in the red zone; a good first step to what is to come down the road.
I think that anyone who has watched as many Ryan Day press conferences as I have probably feels like I do that the head coach doesn’t really want to cede control of the offense to anyone else and, in a perfect world, would prefer to keep calling plays moving forward. But, he appears to be reluctantly self-aware enough to know that that is not what is best for his team anymore. So, he is grudgingly, and cautiously, open to the switch.
However, thanks to Herbstreit spilling the beans about the plan on national television — long before a replacement for former OC Kevin Wilson had been named — that set a chain of events in motion that will ultimately force his hand, whether he’s ready to pass the torch or not.
I had originally believed that Day would name offensive line coach Justin Frye as offensive coordinator, because he has experience as an OC and calling plays, and it would balance out Day’s pass-focused approach. However, by instead going with perhaps the most successful and popular position coach in Ohio State history — not to mention a beloved former Buckeye player — Day has given himself very little wiggle room to not follow through on the oft-discussed transition of power.
From Herbie discussing what was likely supposed to be a private conversation on “GameDay” to Day making it clear that Hartline was in charge during the first scrimmage of the spring — in front of the media hordes, no less — if he eventually decided not to let Hartline call plays this fall, it would read as almost an insult against the new OC and an admittance that he made a mistake in promoting the wide receiver coach in the first place.
Of course, ultimately, Day’s job is to put his team in the best possible position to win, so “insulting” an assistant coach or “admitting” that he made a mistake is something that absolutely should be done in situations where the alternative would be disastrous for the team; but nobody expects a guy who played seven years in the NFL and in his six years on Ohio State’s staff has become one of the best recruiters and talent developers in the sport to be a disaster calling plays.
Will he be as good as Day right off the bat? Almost certainly not. The head coach has far more experience, so his floor is going to be much higher than Hartline’s, but I would assume that the new OC will be at the bare minimum competent to start off, with the chance that he could just be naturally excellent at it like he seemingly has been at many of the other aspects of being a college coach.
So, short of his calling plays being ruinous for the team’s chances this fall, I don’t think Day has any choice but to follow through on bequeathing play-calling responsibilities to Hartline. After all, there are few people as popular in Columbus as the former Buckeye receiver, and it would not look great for Day to dangle that carrot in front of him, give him very public chances to do it, tease the media with glimpses into what Hartline can do in that role, and then to snatch it back out of fear, uncertainty, or comfort.
How would Hartline — who clearly loves Ohio State, but has a seemingly endless number of options should he want to coach elsewhere — take what would essentially amount to a demotion, even if the responsibilities were never officially his? Could something like that lead to the end of his tenure at OSU? I hope not, but if his goal is to eventually become a head coach (at Ohio State or elsewhere), he might see calling plays as an imperative to taking that next step and decide that if he can’t do it for the Buckeyes, he will go somewhere else where he can.
Now, to be clear, I don’t think that Day would throw Hartline under the bus if that happened, and I don’t believe that he would do it out of ego, but Day knows what he’s capable of when given every opportunity as a play-caller, but that confidence has also bitten him in the butt at times in recent years. How often have we seen him stubbornly stick to a game plan even though it clearly wasn’t working? How often have we seen the offense look stuck in the mud because it didn’t appear that they had anything uniquely prepared for that week’s opponent?
Calling plays appears to be a bit of a security blanket for Day, and understandably so, because he is one of the best in the business at doing it. But he publicly committed to at least the possibility of giving it up — thanks to a little push from Herbie — and having hesitantly and warily begun going down that road this spring, it would seem to say all the wrong things if he didn’t finish that journey.
Continue reading...
LGHL On the eve of a big time recruiting weekend, more names continue to be added to the list
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On the eve of a big time recruiting weekend, more names continue to be added to the list
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
Saturday is shaping up to be a major recruiting opportunity for Ohio State.
Spring football practice is already halfway over, and though the focus is on developing the current roster, it’s clear the staff is utilizing this time for much more than just that alone. Recruiting visits are taking place frequently, and with limited amount of opportunities left to do so, the coaches are hoping enough goes well that some BOOMS will be in place.
Last weekend was a big one for Ohio State in regard to their recruiting efforts, but this weekend looks to top that one, and Saturday’s events on campus are a big reason as to why. With it being Student Appreciation Day, the Buckeyes are going to have a stellar environment to see the players on the field in action.
With that many high-profile recruits taking in the sights, it bodes well for the coaching staff to keep their momentum going. The guest list is already impressive, but names continue to be added, and that’s certainly no issue with Ryan Day and company as they look to make some lasting impressions.
On Thursday, Florida native Malachi Toney took to his social media to share that he would be in town over the weekend to visit the Buckeyes, and that’s just yet another elite receiver set to be on hand for Brian Hartline. A class of 2026 target, Toney currently attends American Heritage. With the recruiting success Ohio State just had at this prep Florida power, including Brandon Inniss, Toney looks to be the next great Patriot in line to be a real priority for the Buckeyes.
Only a high school freshman, Toney already holds offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida State, and several more. Maybe the most promising aspect for Ohio State this early on is seeing him make the trek on his own dime for an unofficial visit.
With Inniss the Buckeyes clearly have a strong presence at American Heritage and with this being another receiver, you’d automatically assume Hartline will be all over this with no problem. Either way, this trip will keep Ohio State heavily in the mix for a player that looks to be one of the higher ranked ones at his position.
In addition to Toney’s visit, the Buckeyes will also play host this weekend to class of 2025 linebacker prospect Kelvion Riggins when he arrives later today, staying Saturday as well. A 6-foot, 200 pound athlete out of Dallas, Texas, Riggins currently holds offers from nearly 30 schools as only a high school sophomore. Programs like Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Michigan, and plenty of others are in the fold right now, but Ohio State has yet to throw their name into the mix.
This unofficial visit could change the status of Riggins and Ohio State when it comes to landing an offer, but regardless new recruiting force James Laurinaitis will be involved with during his time. Already seeing the benefits of Laurinaitis when it comes to recruiting, the Buckeyes would be wise to keep him near the big time linebacker targets on campus this weekend, and surely that will be the case again on Saturday just as he did last weekend.
It won’t be a surprise to see Riggins leaving with an offer in hand if the visit goes well and these tend to do just that when the staff rolls out the red carpet.
Peoples himself has admitted to having Ohio State as his current frontrunner, and while the staff would love to see him commit while on campus this weekend, he also took to Twitter yesterday to share his upcoming spring and summer visit plans. Maybe this update shows that he’s still wanting to go through the process a bit and see a few more schools before making his choice, but it really does still feel like this is Ohio State’s commitment to lose at this point with how much momentum they have.
It won’t be a surprise to see him join the 2024 class as early as Saturday, but the fortunate aspect here is knowing the Buckeyes are in a great spot whether it happens now or in the summer months.
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
Saturday is shaping up to be a major recruiting opportunity for Ohio State.
Spring football practice is already halfway over, and though the focus is on developing the current roster, it’s clear the staff is utilizing this time for much more than just that alone. Recruiting visits are taking place frequently, and with limited amount of opportunities left to do so, the coaches are hoping enough goes well that some BOOMS will be in place.
New names being added to this weekend’s guest list
Last weekend was a big one for Ohio State in regard to their recruiting efforts, but this weekend looks to top that one, and Saturday’s events on campus are a big reason as to why. With it being Student Appreciation Day, the Buckeyes are going to have a stellar environment to see the players on the field in action.
With that many high-profile recruits taking in the sights, it bodes well for the coaching staff to keep their momentum going. The guest list is already impressive, but names continue to be added, and that’s certainly no issue with Ryan Day and company as they look to make some lasting impressions.
On Thursday, Florida native Malachi Toney took to his social media to share that he would be in town over the weekend to visit the Buckeyes, and that’s just yet another elite receiver set to be on hand for Brian Hartline. A class of 2026 target, Toney currently attends American Heritage. With the recruiting success Ohio State just had at this prep Florida power, including Brandon Inniss, Toney looks to be the next great Patriot in line to be a real priority for the Buckeyes.
Only a high school freshman, Toney already holds offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida State, and several more. Maybe the most promising aspect for Ohio State this early on is seeing him make the trek on his own dime for an unofficial visit.
With Inniss the Buckeyes clearly have a strong presence at American Heritage and with this being another receiver, you’d automatically assume Hartline will be all over this with no problem. Either way, this trip will keep Ohio State heavily in the mix for a player that looks to be one of the higher ranked ones at his position.
In addition to Toney’s visit, the Buckeyes will also play host this weekend to class of 2025 linebacker prospect Kelvion Riggins when he arrives later today, staying Saturday as well. A 6-foot, 200 pound athlete out of Dallas, Texas, Riggins currently holds offers from nearly 30 schools as only a high school sophomore. Programs like Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Michigan, and plenty of others are in the fold right now, but Ohio State has yet to throw their name into the mix.
This unofficial visit could change the status of Riggins and Ohio State when it comes to landing an offer, but regardless new recruiting force James Laurinaitis will be involved with during his time. Already seeing the benefits of Laurinaitis when it comes to recruiting, the Buckeyes would be wise to keep him near the big time linebacker targets on campus this weekend, and surely that will be the case again on Saturday just as he did last weekend.
It won’t be a surprise to see Riggins leaving with an offer in hand if the visit goes well and these tend to do just that when the staff rolls out the red carpet.
@OhioStateFB this weekend#GoBucks @Coach_Eliano @N_Murph @coach_traylor @SOCGoldenBearFB pic.twitter.com/TkpDsdlavh
— KELVION RIGGINS (@KelvionR) March 29, 2023
Quick Hits
- Arriving in Columbus on Friday, four-star running back target James Peoples has officially started his visit with the Buckeyes that will last through Saturday. The most talked about player lately when it comes to Ohio State recruiting, the running back has seen his name constantly in the news being pegged to end up a Buckeye when he makes his commitment known.
Peoples himself has admitted to having Ohio State as his current frontrunner, and while the staff would love to see him commit while on campus this weekend, he also took to Twitter yesterday to share his upcoming spring and summer visit plans. Maybe this update shows that he’s still wanting to go through the process a bit and see a few more schools before making his choice, but it really does still feel like this is Ohio State’s commitment to lose at this point with how much momentum they have.
It won’t be a surprise to see him join the 2024 class as early as Saturday, but the fortunate aspect here is knowing the Buckeyes are in a great spot whether it happens now or in the summer months.
Continue reading...
LGHL Buck Off Podcast: Ohio State’s offensive line, receivers step up in scrimmage, and recruiting updates
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Buck Off Podcast: Ohio State’s offensive line, receivers step up in scrimmage, and recruiting updates
Chris Renne 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
With Jordan back, the guys have to talk about the scrimmage and who shined the most.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to to talk about the biggest takeaways from the first Spring scrimmage and the practices that followed.
We start with a discussion about the offensive line. Justin Frye has heaped praise on Carson Hinzmann, so the guys recalibrate their expectations. The conversation then turns to a more holistic look at the offensive line, and why figuring out the five or six offensive linemen definitively competing for jobs is important for the long term strength of the unit.
After that, our discussion turns to the defensive side of the ball. We talk about the impact Davison Igbinosun has already had in the secondary room, and how his ability also creates a higher level competition at the corner position. We also touch on why that is a huge factor for the corners potentially being more successful this season.
To close out the spring talk, we get into our thoughts on the receivers who have taken advantage of Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka being out. This turns into a conversation about the freshmen wideouts, and why the injuries to the second year players is bad for their potential outlook in the future.
After that we get into out recruiting segment. This talk gets into all the biggest stories over the last week, and why Ohio State is building a strong base class. In this part of the show, we discuss how Notre Dame lost even more than James Laurinitis when he joined the Buckeye staf,f and why Ohio State is about to get hot on the recruiting trail.
To close out the show, we discuss Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, and why our respective teams will end the year in sad places.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...
Chris Renne 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
With Jordan back, the guys have to talk about the scrimmage and who shined the most.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to to talk about the biggest takeaways from the first Spring scrimmage and the practices that followed.
We start with a discussion about the offensive line. Justin Frye has heaped praise on Carson Hinzmann, so the guys recalibrate their expectations. The conversation then turns to a more holistic look at the offensive line, and why figuring out the five or six offensive linemen definitively competing for jobs is important for the long term strength of the unit.
After that, our discussion turns to the defensive side of the ball. We talk about the impact Davison Igbinosun has already had in the secondary room, and how his ability also creates a higher level competition at the corner position. We also touch on why that is a huge factor for the corners potentially being more successful this season.
To close out the spring talk, we get into our thoughts on the receivers who have taken advantage of Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka being out. This turns into a conversation about the freshmen wideouts, and why the injuries to the second year players is bad for their potential outlook in the future.
After that we get into out recruiting segment. This talk gets into all the biggest stories over the last week, and why Ohio State is building a strong base class. In this part of the show, we discuss how Notre Dame lost even more than James Laurinitis when he joined the Buckeye staf,f and why Ohio State is about to get hot on the recruiting trail.
To close out the show, we discuss Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, and why our respective teams will end the year in sad places.
Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod
Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB
Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330
Continue reading...
LGHL Momentum for OSU to land a top 2024 RB, five-star WR has the Buckeyes still in the mix
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Momentum for OSU to land a top 2024 RB, five-star WR has the Buckeyes still in the mix
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
There’s a lot of good vibes surrounding Ohio State recruiting right now.
The Buckeyes and their quest for at least one running back in the 2024 class may be getting closer to a done deal. With Texas product James Peoples being the topic of discussion, Ohio State has been in pursuit for a while now.
After losing in-state native Jordan Marshall to the team up north, a pledge from Peoples would surely ease away the sting. The four-star will be on campus this weekend, and though a commitment isn’t expected this soon, the momentum around his name leads to the belief that if he were to make the call even before his planned summer official visit, it wouldn’t really be a surprise.
The 247Sports Crystal Ball has been very active with Peoples being pegged to Ohio State, and Wednesday arguably the most important prediction was also submitted in favor of the Buckeyes. Crystal Balls aren’t a lock by any means, but it does shed light on where the attention is, and more times than not, a submissions being made is for good reason with knowledge behind the pick. Seeing Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts chime in with his Ohio State pick for Peoples just further confirms the likelihood of this coming true.
The No. 69 player nationally, Peoples is the fifth best running back in the 2024 class and the 15th best player out of Texas all per the 247Sports Composite. His nearly 30 offers from the likes of Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, and several others in addition to his ranking show the caliber of player he is. Ohio State would love nothing more than to continue their 2024 hot streak with his addition. With his family roots coming from Northeast Ohio and it being a perfect marriage between the two parties.
It’s not a done deal yet, but the key word here is yet. This one could just be a matter of when and not if.
Already boasting the commitment of the No. 1 player at the position in the country thanks to Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes are in a great spot to be in. Fortunately, the good news continues thanks to Brian Hartline’s efforts.
With the 2023 haul, the Buckeyes aren’t in dire need to take several receivers in this current class, but three commitments at the spot seems to be the likely number of takes at least for now. Top suitors such as five-star target Mylan Graham look to be next in line with all of the pro-Ohio State vibes surrounding his name, but there’s several other top players the Buckeyes are appealing to.
Earlier this week that proved to be the case when another big time player placed Ohio State in his list of 12 schools he’s still considering before making the final call. The No. six player nationally and the second ranked receiver in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite, Georgia native Mike Matthews has the Buckeyes still in the mix with Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Michigan, Texas A&M, Colorado, USC, Tennessee, Clemson, LSU, and Arkansas rounding out the rest of the programs with a chance.
With over 30 offers to his name, cutting it down to 12 schools shows Matthews is very much going through the process trying to really narrow it all down. It’s always tough to pull a top athlete out of SEC country, but Hartline makes it look relatively easy and even if it doesn’t include Matthews in this cycle, the Buckeyes are in great position for multiple guys atop of the rankings at that spot and will see plenty of success regardless of what Mike chooses in the end.
Still though, Ohio State is in it here.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
There’s a lot of good vibes surrounding Ohio State recruiting right now.
Momentum continuing to heat up for 2024 running back
The Buckeyes and their quest for at least one running back in the 2024 class may be getting closer to a done deal. With Texas product James Peoples being the topic of discussion, Ohio State has been in pursuit for a while now.
After losing in-state native Jordan Marshall to the team up north, a pledge from Peoples would surely ease away the sting. The four-star will be on campus this weekend, and though a commitment isn’t expected this soon, the momentum around his name leads to the belief that if he were to make the call even before his planned summer official visit, it wouldn’t really be a surprise.
The 247Sports Crystal Ball has been very active with Peoples being pegged to Ohio State, and Wednesday arguably the most important prediction was also submitted in favor of the Buckeyes. Crystal Balls aren’t a lock by any means, but it does shed light on where the attention is, and more times than not, a submissions being made is for good reason with knowledge behind the pick. Seeing Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts chime in with his Ohio State pick for Peoples just further confirms the likelihood of this coming true.
The No. 69 player nationally, Peoples is the fifth best running back in the 2024 class and the 15th best player out of Texas all per the 247Sports Composite. His nearly 30 offers from the likes of Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, and several others in addition to his ranking show the caliber of player he is. Ohio State would love nothing more than to continue their 2024 hot streak with his addition. With his family roots coming from Northeast Ohio and it being a perfect marriage between the two parties.
It’s not a done deal yet, but the key word here is yet. This one could just be a matter of when and not if.
OSU makes the cut for 2024 receiver
Already boasting the commitment of the No. 1 player at the position in the country thanks to Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes are in a great spot to be in. Fortunately, the good news continues thanks to Brian Hartline’s efforts.
With the 2023 haul, the Buckeyes aren’t in dire need to take several receivers in this current class, but three commitments at the spot seems to be the likely number of takes at least for now. Top suitors such as five-star target Mylan Graham look to be next in line with all of the pro-Ohio State vibes surrounding his name, but there’s several other top players the Buckeyes are appealing to.
Earlier this week that proved to be the case when another big time player placed Ohio State in his list of 12 schools he’s still considering before making the final call. The No. six player nationally and the second ranked receiver in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite, Georgia native Mike Matthews has the Buckeyes still in the mix with Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Michigan, Texas A&M, Colorado, USC, Tennessee, Clemson, LSU, and Arkansas rounding out the rest of the programs with a chance.
With over 30 offers to his name, cutting it down to 12 schools shows Matthews is very much going through the process trying to really narrow it all down. It’s always tough to pull a top athlete out of SEC country, but Hartline makes it look relatively easy and even if it doesn’t include Matthews in this cycle, the Buckeyes are in great position for multiple guys atop of the rankings at that spot and will see plenty of success regardless of what Mike chooses in the end.
Still though, Ohio State is in it here.
5-star WR Mike Matthews has named his top 12 schools️
More from @Hayesfawcett3: https://t.co/3dDeS8ulyP pic.twitter.com/5snoIp0kaZ
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) March 28, 2023
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Transfer portal season has begun; Brice Sensabaugh has entered the draft
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Bucketheads Podcast: Transfer portal season has begun; Brice Sensabaugh has entered the draft
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
And which PGA star is almost the same exact age as Justin?
On Episode 72 of the “Bucketheads” podcast, Connor and Justin give a farewell to the 2022-23 Ohio State women’s basketball team and what was an amazing season to watch. The Buckeyes season finished with an Elite Eight loss in a battle against one of the best teams in the country, the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The guys also talk about Brice Sensabaugh’s unsurprising decision to enter the NBA draft and maintain his collegiate eligibility. What does this mean for his future and what is the most important part of his game can he improve upon if he returns? Plus, transfer portal talk. No one has entered yet for the Buckeyes, but who have they contacted and who do we want them to add personally?
Make sure to like, subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! And send us any questions you may have on Twitter.
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
And which PGA star is almost the same exact age as Justin?
‘Bucketheads’ is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 72 of the “Bucketheads” podcast, Connor and Justin give a farewell to the 2022-23 Ohio State women’s basketball team and what was an amazing season to watch. The Buckeyes season finished with an Elite Eight loss in a battle against one of the best teams in the country, the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The guys also talk about Brice Sensabaugh’s unsurprising decision to enter the NBA draft and maintain his collegiate eligibility. What does this mean for his future and what is the most important part of his game can he improve upon if he returns? Plus, transfer portal talk. No one has entered yet for the Buckeyes, but who have they contacted and who do we want them to add personally?
Make sure to like, subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! And send us any questions you may have on Twitter.
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL Gene Brown announces he will enter transfer portal after three seasons at Ohio State
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Gene Brown announces he will enter transfer portal after three seasons at Ohio State
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
Brown battled injuries and inconsistent playing time during his three years at Ohio State.
Less than a month after Ohio State’s season officially ended with it being excluded from the 2023 NCAA Tournament with a 16-19 overall record, a huge domino dropped in what is sure to be an interesting and rapidly evolving off-season. Gene Brown, a third-year guard from Conyers, Georgia who has appeared in 77 games for the Buckeyes, announced he will enter the transfer portal, ending his career at Ohio State.
Brown has never shown the offensive chops needed to crack the starting lineup consistently, but has been a valuable bench piece for the Buckeyes when healthy. He was also a fan and locker room favorite, going by the nickname “Gene Bean” with his teammates and always bringing energy off the bench when given the opportunity. With Brice Sensabaugh likely heading to the NBA and Justice Sueing moving on from college, Brown may have seen increased opportunities next season. Despite this, he will move on and seek a new program for the 2023-2024 season.
A four-star recruit in the 2020 class that also included Zed Key and Meechie Johnson, Brown’s transfer now leaves Key as the only member of the 2020 class still on the Ohio State roster. Brown dealt with injuries throughout his time in Columbus. Most notably, Brown dealt with two concussions — one during his sophomore season against Xavier and another this past season right before games began in November.
Brown played in 22 games this past season — starting one — and averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest. He shot 53.1% overall and 37.5% from beyond the arc, but it was a small sample size, as he only took 32 total shots during his 22 games. For his career, Brown averages an almost identical 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Brown is listed as a guard on Ohio State’s official website, but guarded every position as a Buckeye, including some time guarding 7-foot-4 Purdue center. Zach Edey this past season.
In addition to Ohio State, Brown was also recruited heavily by Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Xavier, and Louisville. He has two years of eligibility left, including the extra COVID season granted after the 2020-2021 season.
Good luck to Gene wherever he winds up!
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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
Brown battled injuries and inconsistent playing time during his three years at Ohio State.
Less than a month after Ohio State’s season officially ended with it being excluded from the 2023 NCAA Tournament with a 16-19 overall record, a huge domino dropped in what is sure to be an interesting and rapidly evolving off-season. Gene Brown, a third-year guard from Conyers, Georgia who has appeared in 77 games for the Buckeyes, announced he will enter the transfer portal, ending his career at Ohio State.
Brown has never shown the offensive chops needed to crack the starting lineup consistently, but has been a valuable bench piece for the Buckeyes when healthy. He was also a fan and locker room favorite, going by the nickname “Gene Bean” with his teammates and always bringing energy off the bench when given the opportunity. With Brice Sensabaugh likely heading to the NBA and Justice Sueing moving on from college, Brown may have seen increased opportunities next season. Despite this, he will move on and seek a new program for the 2023-2024 season.
A four-star recruit in the 2020 class that also included Zed Key and Meechie Johnson, Brown’s transfer now leaves Key as the only member of the 2020 class still on the Ohio State roster. Brown dealt with injuries throughout his time in Columbus. Most notably, Brown dealt with two concussions — one during his sophomore season against Xavier and another this past season right before games began in November.
EUGENE BROWN
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 11, 2023
Brown played in 22 games this past season — starting one — and averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest. He shot 53.1% overall and 37.5% from beyond the arc, but it was a small sample size, as he only took 32 total shots during his 22 games. For his career, Brown averages an almost identical 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Brown is listed as a guard on Ohio State’s official website, but guarded every position as a Buckeye, including some time guarding 7-foot-4 Purdue center. Zach Edey this past season.
In addition to Ohio State, Brown was also recruited heavily by Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Xavier, and Louisville. He has two years of eligibility left, including the extra COVID season granted after the 2020-2021 season.
Good luck to Gene wherever he winds up!
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LGHL Column: Ohio State returns three starters at receiver, but the future of the position is on the line this spring
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Column: Ohio State returns three starters at receiver, but the future of the position is on the line this spring
Chris Renne 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
With two out of three of the top returnees out this spring with injuries, the young receivers have an opportunity to show Brian Hartline who is up next.
Ohio State has continued their spring practice this week coming off their first competitive scrimmage of the season. After a set of three more practices, there has been a lot of conversations coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
One of the main conversation topics has been about the receiver room, and the talent inside it. Offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline has stocked the room up better than any program in the country. After stacking up first round picks in the draft from his room and five-stars on the recruiting trail, the natural succession plan has taken a foothold on the room.
Last season, that plan included the emergence of former four-star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., five-star receiver Emeka Egbuka, and five-star receiver Julian Fleming. There was a slight drop off after the injury of Jaxon-Smith Njigba, but the overall depth from recruiting kept the Ohio State receiver core as one of the best in the country.
This spring, Egbuka and Fleming are both out, opening up opportunities for young guys – and one older guy – to step up with the additional reps. The rotations have been increidbly tight under Hartline, so if a player makes him rotate, they have absolutely earned it. That is what this offseason is about: who is going to step up and solidify their role and future in the rotation.
Jayden Ballard will be a key contributor this season
Starting with Jayden Ballard is the only logical place for this conversation to begin. Ballard is a former top-100 recruit who was part of the 2021 class that included Harrison Jr. and Egbuka. Both his classmates had breakout campaigns last year, with one leading the team in touchdowns and yards, and the other leading the team in receptions. Ballard was behind Julian Fleming and Harrison Jr. on the outside, and due to the inexperience of those two they needed as many reps as possible.
Coming into this offseason, this is absolutely a make or break spring for the Massillon Washington product. There is already trust in Ballard. C.J. Stroud trusted him as a receiver at his pro-day, and albeit in shorts, Ballard did not look out of place. On top of that early momentum, Ballard scored a crucial touchdown on a double move that showed off the work he has put in as a route runner to go with his high end speed. One play and a few catches against air are not enough to show he belongs on the field, to Hartline consistency is key
“You’ve got to make sure there’s not a fall-off if you’re gonna get an opportunity to be on the field on Saturday,” Hartline said this offseason.
Hartline alluded to him being six months behind where he expected him to be, but with a few injury bumps early that can halt progress. That pissed off Hartline because he feels Ballard is not living up to expectations. That does not mean he can’t get caught up in the progress department, especially now that there is extra reps. Ryan Day believes he has the potential and now it is time for him to live up to it.
“You can see his speed, you can see his change of direction. Even at the workout the other day, he caught a lot of people’s eyes. So he has the ability and hopefully if he can continue to make plays like he did today, then he can start producing for us,” Day said about Ballard.
This is opportunity to join his fellow classmates, and take the room by storm to close out his career the next two seasons. For the Buckeyes he has a different skill set than what is on the field already, and there is value in that – if he can prove he belongs on the field regularly.
Xavier Johnson will have an expanded role
Last season, the player who caught the touchdown to take the lead against Notre Dame was not one of the 10 top-150 recruits at receiver. It was former walk-on Xavier Johnson.
Johnson finished the year with 297 yards of total offense on 25 touches. His best work came on the 71 yard touchdown run against Indiana where he made every Hoosier defender miss, and his most important work came on his touchdown catch out of the backfield against Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
Johnson has played running back, cornerback, and wide receiver to go along with being a special team ace on kick off coverage. His Swiss Army Knife capabilities have been well-documented and this year is his opportunity to go past surprising people. For Johnson, he showed he deserves a legitimate role in the offense. When he had the ball in his hands last year, good things happened.
“Xavier Johnson is a really good receiver and a really good running back. So it’s our job to find ways to use that,” Hartline said.
Johnson will have his share of competition at both running back and receiver, but ideally there is a place to integrate him in to situations to create confusion for defenses. Last season Ohio State used Johnson to motion into the backfield, or out of the backfield to receiver. This level of versatility is valuable, and the Buckeyes would be best using it in a way similar to last season.
For Johnson, showing NFL scouts he can do both well at the college level and continues performing on special teams, there is a lot he can do for franchises at the pro level. This is the same case for Ohio State, and if he continues to perform on Saturdays, there is no reason he should not continue to get more opportunities on the field.
The freshmen will surpass the second year receivers
This is not a hot take. Noah Rogers was the talk of the town after two practices and Carnell Tate already removed his black stripe. The competitive nature of this class is already coming into fruition, and with a consistently banged up second year group, there is a window for the incoming guys to show that when the current stars go, they should be up next.
Caleb Burton was hurt in the first spring practice and Kyion Grayes was unable to participate in the first scrimmage. As the old adage goes, the best ability is availability, and if the second year Buckeyes can’t stay healthy, there will be additional opportunities for the freshmen receivers.
There is not a lot to go on, and there will be a ton of weight put on the next few scrimmages. Hartline mentioned the professionalism and willingness to learn from the freshman as ways he sees them as a different group. There was now slow playing them along, they came ready to go. That is one of the most ringing endorsements for a group Hartline has ever given, and Hartline does not give endorsements if they are not warranted.
Kaleb Brown will be the second year player who finds a role
When reading through the first scrimmage observations, the name Kaleb Brown kept popping up as one of the best performers of the day. Both quarterbacks frequently targeted him in key situations, including the red zone drills. Brown was returning punts and playing with the ones, but that was mostly due to the injuries of players ahead of him.
Being healthy gave him an opportunity to get a high volume set of reps with both quarterbacks and he lived up to the moment. Scoring touchdowns in key situations is not easy, and he set up a pair of other touchdowns with big gains. If he shows a routine for making explosive plays in practice, the Buckeyes will find ways to get involved.
Brown has obviously positioned himself well to be the punt returner, and if he excels at that he sets himself up for more future opportunities. Think back to Egbuka his freshman season. He returned kicks and got on the field. Even in a role that is on the field any where from six to 10 times, there is an immense value to earning that trust from the coaching staff.
Even if this doesn’t carve out a consistent role in the receiver rotation, there is plenty of room for him to work his way into being a player next in line after Harrison Jr., Egbuka, Fleming, and Johnson move on to the next level, there will be a list of positions to to be filled. Brown has a different skillset than the rest of the room, and his future work out of the slot will be built on a successful spring and fall behind the scenes.
The receiver room is the least of the worries when it comes to Ohio State due to Brian Hartline’s elite recruiting. That does not mean there is not a lot to talk about in regards to the position with two of the top three returning receivers out for the spring with injuries. When Fleming and Egbuka return, it is pretty safe to assume that they will be pencilled back into their starting roles, but the pecking order behind them has a lot left to decipher.
The hope would be that Ohio State’s receiver room could progress through spring with their health, especially given the fact the Buckeyes have two quarterbacks competing for the starting job. Without the health at the top of room though, the Buckeyes have an opportunity to build depth and take a look at what’s next in a key position.
The Buckeyes have older guys like Jayden Ballard and Xavier Johnson looking to solidify their roles this season. They also have younger guys trying to make the most of the additional reps to show that they are capable of taking over the mantle. This spring is huge for a variety of players and the future of the position.
Brian Hartline has done an incredible job building out the receiver room. Now it’s time for the iron-sharpens-iron mantra to take a foothold and show which receivers will be next in line.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne 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
With two out of three of the top returnees out this spring with injuries, the young receivers have an opportunity to show Brian Hartline who is up next.
Ohio State has continued their spring practice this week coming off their first competitive scrimmage of the season. After a set of three more practices, there has been a lot of conversations coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
One of the main conversation topics has been about the receiver room, and the talent inside it. Offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline has stocked the room up better than any program in the country. After stacking up first round picks in the draft from his room and five-stars on the recruiting trail, the natural succession plan has taken a foothold on the room.
Last season, that plan included the emergence of former four-star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., five-star receiver Emeka Egbuka, and five-star receiver Julian Fleming. There was a slight drop off after the injury of Jaxon-Smith Njigba, but the overall depth from recruiting kept the Ohio State receiver core as one of the best in the country.
This spring, Egbuka and Fleming are both out, opening up opportunities for young guys – and one older guy – to step up with the additional reps. The rotations have been increidbly tight under Hartline, so if a player makes him rotate, they have absolutely earned it. That is what this offseason is about: who is going to step up and solidify their role and future in the rotation.
Jayden Ballard will be a key contributor this season
Starting with Jayden Ballard is the only logical place for this conversation to begin. Ballard is a former top-100 recruit who was part of the 2021 class that included Harrison Jr. and Egbuka. Both his classmates had breakout campaigns last year, with one leading the team in touchdowns and yards, and the other leading the team in receptions. Ballard was behind Julian Fleming and Harrison Jr. on the outside, and due to the inexperience of those two they needed as many reps as possible.
Coming into this offseason, this is absolutely a make or break spring for the Massillon Washington product. There is already trust in Ballard. C.J. Stroud trusted him as a receiver at his pro-day, and albeit in shorts, Ballard did not look out of place. On top of that early momentum, Ballard scored a crucial touchdown on a double move that showed off the work he has put in as a route runner to go with his high end speed. One play and a few catches against air are not enough to show he belongs on the field, to Hartline consistency is key
“You’ve got to make sure there’s not a fall-off if you’re gonna get an opportunity to be on the field on Saturday,” Hartline said this offseason.
Hartline alluded to him being six months behind where he expected him to be, but with a few injury bumps early that can halt progress. That pissed off Hartline because he feels Ballard is not living up to expectations. That does not mean he can’t get caught up in the progress department, especially now that there is extra reps. Ryan Day believes he has the potential and now it is time for him to live up to it.
“You can see his speed, you can see his change of direction. Even at the workout the other day, he caught a lot of people’s eyes. So he has the ability and hopefully if he can continue to make plays like he did today, then he can start producing for us,” Day said about Ballard.
This is opportunity to join his fellow classmates, and take the room by storm to close out his career the next two seasons. For the Buckeyes he has a different skill set than what is on the field already, and there is value in that – if he can prove he belongs on the field regularly.
Xavier Johnson will have an expanded role
Last season, the player who caught the touchdown to take the lead against Notre Dame was not one of the 10 top-150 recruits at receiver. It was former walk-on Xavier Johnson.
Johnson finished the year with 297 yards of total offense on 25 touches. His best work came on the 71 yard touchdown run against Indiana where he made every Hoosier defender miss, and his most important work came on his touchdown catch out of the backfield against Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
Johnson has played running back, cornerback, and wide receiver to go along with being a special team ace on kick off coverage. His Swiss Army Knife capabilities have been well-documented and this year is his opportunity to go past surprising people. For Johnson, he showed he deserves a legitimate role in the offense. When he had the ball in his hands last year, good things happened.
“Xavier Johnson is a really good receiver and a really good running back. So it’s our job to find ways to use that,” Hartline said.
Johnson will have his share of competition at both running back and receiver, but ideally there is a place to integrate him in to situations to create confusion for defenses. Last season Ohio State used Johnson to motion into the backfield, or out of the backfield to receiver. This level of versatility is valuable, and the Buckeyes would be best using it in a way similar to last season.
For Johnson, showing NFL scouts he can do both well at the college level and continues performing on special teams, there is a lot he can do for franchises at the pro level. This is the same case for Ohio State, and if he continues to perform on Saturdays, there is no reason he should not continue to get more opportunities on the field.
The freshmen will surpass the second year receivers
This is not a hot take. Noah Rogers was the talk of the town after two practices and Carnell Tate already removed his black stripe. The competitive nature of this class is already coming into fruition, and with a consistently banged up second year group, there is a window for the incoming guys to show that when the current stars go, they should be up next.
welcome to Zone 6, @carnelltate_️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/KBS6bjjRT2
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 26, 2023
Caleb Burton was hurt in the first spring practice and Kyion Grayes was unable to participate in the first scrimmage. As the old adage goes, the best ability is availability, and if the second year Buckeyes can’t stay healthy, there will be additional opportunities for the freshmen receivers.
There is not a lot to go on, and there will be a ton of weight put on the next few scrimmages. Hartline mentioned the professionalism and willingness to learn from the freshman as ways he sees them as a different group. There was now slow playing them along, they came ready to go. That is one of the most ringing endorsements for a group Hartline has ever given, and Hartline does not give endorsements if they are not warranted.
Kaleb Brown will be the second year player who finds a role
When reading through the first scrimmage observations, the name Kaleb Brown kept popping up as one of the best performers of the day. Both quarterbacks frequently targeted him in key situations, including the red zone drills. Brown was returning punts and playing with the ones, but that was mostly due to the injuries of players ahead of him.
Being healthy gave him an opportunity to get a high volume set of reps with both quarterbacks and he lived up to the moment. Scoring touchdowns in key situations is not easy, and he set up a pair of other touchdowns with big gains. If he shows a routine for making explosive plays in practice, the Buckeyes will find ways to get involved.
Brown has obviously positioned himself well to be the punt returner, and if he excels at that he sets himself up for more future opportunities. Think back to Egbuka his freshman season. He returned kicks and got on the field. Even in a role that is on the field any where from six to 10 times, there is an immense value to earning that trust from the coaching staff.
Even if this doesn’t carve out a consistent role in the receiver rotation, there is plenty of room for him to work his way into being a player next in line after Harrison Jr., Egbuka, Fleming, and Johnson move on to the next level, there will be a list of positions to to be filled. Brown has a different skillset than the rest of the room, and his future work out of the slot will be built on a successful spring and fall behind the scenes.
The receiver room is the least of the worries when it comes to Ohio State due to Brian Hartline’s elite recruiting. That does not mean there is not a lot to talk about in regards to the position with two of the top three returning receivers out for the spring with injuries. When Fleming and Egbuka return, it is pretty safe to assume that they will be pencilled back into their starting roles, but the pecking order behind them has a lot left to decipher.
The hope would be that Ohio State’s receiver room could progress through spring with their health, especially given the fact the Buckeyes have two quarterbacks competing for the starting job. Without the health at the top of room though, the Buckeyes have an opportunity to build depth and take a look at what’s next in a key position.
The Buckeyes have older guys like Jayden Ballard and Xavier Johnson looking to solidify their roles this season. They also have younger guys trying to make the most of the additional reps to show that they are capable of taking over the mantle. This spring is huge for a variety of players and the future of the position.
Brian Hartline has done an incredible job building out the receiver room. Now it’s time for the iron-sharpens-iron mantra to take a foothold and show which receivers will be next in line.
Continue reading...
LGHL Roundball Round-up: How the former Buckeyes are faring as the the NBA regular season winds down
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Roundball Round-up: How the former Buckeyes are faring as the the NBA regular season winds down
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 Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images
There are only a couple games left before the NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin.
While three former Buckeyes currently playing in the NBA know they’ll be spending the playoffs watching from home, there are a few Ohio State alums that are still in the thick of the NBA playoff race. With just a couple weeks left in the regular season, now is a good time to see how the Buckeyes in the NBA are doing.
Following a trade on Feb. 9 that sent Russell back to the Lakers, the former Ohio State guard has had a tough time staying on the court recently because of a hip injury. Prior to last night’s game, which he was probable for, the last time Russell was able to play was on March 22. Since being traded by Minnesota, Russell has played in just 11 games for the Lakers.
It has been tough to truly gauge how Russell’s second stint in Los Angeles is going because the Lakers have been dealing with so many injuries since the trade. Not only has Russell been in-and-out of the lineup because of injury, LeBron James also missed a month because of a foot injury he suffered in late February. James returned to the court on Sunday.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24546128/1474682612.jpg "Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets")
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Luckily for the Lakers, even though James and Russell have been dealing with injuries, Los Angeles is in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference. The Lakers don’t have any room for error though, as they are just half a game ahead of Dallas, who sits outside of the play-in game spots.
When he has been able to play, Russell has been an important part of the offense for Los Angeles, averaging 18 points per game and 6.4 assists per game. If Davis, James, and Russell are able to stay healthy, the Lakers could make some noise in the playoff race.
The NBA veteran was a part of the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers in February. Conley was sent from Utah to Minnesota, with the Lakers shipping Russell Westbrook to Utah in the three-team trade. After a bit of a slow start in his first six games with the Timberwolves that saw him score 51 total points, Conley has seen a big uptick in his offensive production in March.
Prior to the trade, Conley had scored 20 points in a game just once this season. Since the calendar turned to March, the former Buckeye has scored at least 20 points in a game four times. The 15.7 points per game Conley is averaging this month, is four more points per game than the point guard has scored in any other month this season.
Conley has been forced to become more of a scorer since joining the Timberwolves because of injuries. Karl-Anthony Towns has recently returned to the court after being out of action since late November, and Anthony Edwards has missed a few games because of his own injury issues.
With both stars returning to the lineup, Conley won’t have to look for his shot as much, and can focus a little more on distributing the basketball and playing solid defense. Currently the Timberwolves sit seventh in the Western Conference, but there is little room for error with nine teams separated by just five games.
Following a February that saw Branham average 16.8 points per game, the Ohio State rookie’s performance has been a little more hit-or-miss in March. Branham has had four games where he has scored at least 15 points, but he has also had four games where he has scored seven points or less.
Since he is a rookie and we have seen many first year pros hit a wall with the grueling NBA schedule, it’s understandable why Branham’s production might not be quite as consistent as the season winds down.
Unfortunately for Branham, he won’t have to wait too long for a bit of a break, since San Antonio has already been eliminated from playoff contention this season. Following Wednesday night’s game against Utah, the Spurs have just seven games left this season. After getting his legs under him at the professional level, a good bet would be to see Branham be more confident and consistent next year, as the Spurs continue their rebuild to try and return to the playoffs.
Another former Buckeye who is also playing in San Antonio is Keita Bates-Diop. Even though his numbers won’t jump off the page, this has been Bates-Diop’s best season in the NBA. One reason for that is the forward has seen more consistent playing time this year. Bates-Diop has already set career-highs with 60 games played and 35 games started.
The 21.1 minutes per game Bates-Diop is averaging is just under four minutes per game more than his previous career-high of 17.5 minutes per game, which came in the 2019-20 season when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bates-Diop had one of the better offensive games of his career on Friday when he hit four three-pointers and scored 20 points in a loss to Washington. This was the first time this season that Bates-Diop has scored at least 20 points in a game, and the second time this month that he has knocked in four three-pointers in a game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24546130/1247651556.jpg "Indiana Pacers v San Antonio Spurs")
Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images
The uptick in play this season is coming at a perfect time for Bates-Diop since after the season he will be an unrestricted free agent. It is unknown if Bates-Diop is in San Antonio’s plans going forward, but if the Spurs were serious about keeping the Ohio State alum around, they would have signed him to a contract extension already. Even if he doesn’t return to San Antonio, Bates-Diop has shown enough this year on the court that there should be other suitors in the NBA.
Much like Branham and Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate is playing on a team that has already been eliminated from playoff contention. This has been a season to forget for Tate, who has only been able to play in 31 games because of injuries. When Tate has been able to play, his role has been pretty obvious. Houston has relied on the former Buckeye to play somewhere around 20-25 minutes per game.
Unfortunately for Tate, the last time he was able to suit up for the Rockets was on March 19. Since then Tate has been out of action while dealing with a knee injury. Prior to the injury, Tate was hitting double figures on the scoresheet on a consistent basis, with the 10.9 points per game he was averaging in March being his highest total.
Unlike Bates-Diop, Tate doesn’t have to worry about where he’ll be playing next season. During the offseason, Tate signed a three-year contract with the Rockets. Hopefully next season will see Tate healthier and on the court more, since he provides a veteran influence to a team that is full of young talent.
After appearing in 31 games for the Phoenix Suns, starting three of those games, Washington was released by the Suns on Feb. 1. On the final day of February, Washington signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks. Washington has yet to appear for the Knicks, and lately has been dealing with a hip injury that has kept him off the court.
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There are only a couple games left before the NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin.
While three former Buckeyes currently playing in the NBA know they’ll be spending the playoffs watching from home, there are a few Ohio State alums that are still in the thick of the NBA playoff race. With just a couple weeks left in the regular season, now is a good time to see how the Buckeyes in the NBA are doing.
D’Angelo Russell - Los Angeles Lakers
Following a trade on Feb. 9 that sent Russell back to the Lakers, the former Ohio State guard has had a tough time staying on the court recently because of a hip injury. Prior to last night’s game, which he was probable for, the last time Russell was able to play was on March 22. Since being traded by Minnesota, Russell has played in just 11 games for the Lakers.
It has been tough to truly gauge how Russell’s second stint in Los Angeles is going because the Lakers have been dealing with so many injuries since the trade. Not only has Russell been in-and-out of the lineup because of injury, LeBron James also missed a month because of a foot injury he suffered in late February. James returned to the court on Sunday.
Luckily for the Lakers, even though James and Russell have been dealing with injuries, Los Angeles is in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference. The Lakers don’t have any room for error though, as they are just half a game ahead of Dallas, who sits outside of the play-in game spots.
When he has been able to play, Russell has been an important part of the offense for Los Angeles, averaging 18 points per game and 6.4 assists per game. If Davis, James, and Russell are able to stay healthy, the Lakers could make some noise in the playoff race.
Mike Conley - Minnesota Timberwolves
The NBA veteran was a part of the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers in February. Conley was sent from Utah to Minnesota, with the Lakers shipping Russell Westbrook to Utah in the three-team trade. After a bit of a slow start in his first six games with the Timberwolves that saw him score 51 total points, Conley has seen a big uptick in his offensive production in March.
Prior to the trade, Conley had scored 20 points in a game just once this season. Since the calendar turned to March, the former Buckeye has scored at least 20 points in a game four times. The 15.7 points per game Conley is averaging this month, is four more points per game than the point guard has scored in any other month this season.
Conley has been forced to become more of a scorer since joining the Timberwolves because of injuries. Karl-Anthony Towns has recently returned to the court after being out of action since late November, and Anthony Edwards has missed a few games because of his own injury issues.
With both stars returning to the lineup, Conley won’t have to look for his shot as much, and can focus a little more on distributing the basketball and playing solid defense. Currently the Timberwolves sit seventh in the Western Conference, but there is little room for error with nine teams separated by just five games.
Malaki Branham - San Antonio Spurs
Following a February that saw Branham average 16.8 points per game, the Ohio State rookie’s performance has been a little more hit-or-miss in March. Branham has had four games where he has scored at least 15 points, but he has also had four games where he has scored seven points or less.
Since he is a rookie and we have seen many first year pros hit a wall with the grueling NBA schedule, it’s understandable why Branham’s production might not be quite as consistent as the season winds down.
Unfortunately for Branham, he won’t have to wait too long for a bit of a break, since San Antonio has already been eliminated from playoff contention this season. Following Wednesday night’s game against Utah, the Spurs have just seven games left this season. After getting his legs under him at the professional level, a good bet would be to see Branham be more confident and consistent next year, as the Spurs continue their rebuild to try and return to the playoffs.
Keita Bates-Diop - San Antonio Spurs
Another former Buckeye who is also playing in San Antonio is Keita Bates-Diop. Even though his numbers won’t jump off the page, this has been Bates-Diop’s best season in the NBA. One reason for that is the forward has seen more consistent playing time this year. Bates-Diop has already set career-highs with 60 games played and 35 games started.
The 21.1 minutes per game Bates-Diop is averaging is just under four minutes per game more than his previous career-high of 17.5 minutes per game, which came in the 2019-20 season when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bates-Diop had one of the better offensive games of his career on Friday when he hit four three-pointers and scored 20 points in a loss to Washington. This was the first time this season that Bates-Diop has scored at least 20 points in a game, and the second time this month that he has knocked in four three-pointers in a game.
The uptick in play this season is coming at a perfect time for Bates-Diop since after the season he will be an unrestricted free agent. It is unknown if Bates-Diop is in San Antonio’s plans going forward, but if the Spurs were serious about keeping the Ohio State alum around, they would have signed him to a contract extension already. Even if he doesn’t return to San Antonio, Bates-Diop has shown enough this year on the court that there should be other suitors in the NBA.
Jae’Sean Tate - Houston Rockets
Much like Branham and Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate is playing on a team that has already been eliminated from playoff contention. This has been a season to forget for Tate, who has only been able to play in 31 games because of injuries. When Tate has been able to play, his role has been pretty obvious. Houston has relied on the former Buckeye to play somewhere around 20-25 minutes per game.
Unfortunately for Tate, the last time he was able to suit up for the Rockets was on March 19. Since then Tate has been out of action while dealing with a knee injury. Prior to the injury, Tate was hitting double figures on the scoresheet on a consistent basis, with the 10.9 points per game he was averaging in March being his highest total.
Unlike Bates-Diop, Tate doesn’t have to worry about where he’ll be playing next season. During the offseason, Tate signed a three-year contract with the Rockets. Hopefully next season will see Tate healthier and on the court more, since he provides a veteran influence to a team that is full of young talent.
Duane Washington Jr - New York Knicks
After appearing in 31 games for the Phoenix Suns, starting three of those games, Washington was released by the Suns on Feb. 1. On the final day of February, Washington signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks. Washington has yet to appear for the Knicks, and lately has been dealing with a hip injury that has kept him off the court.
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