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LGHL Column: Ohio State’s cancellation of series with Washington is a sign of things to come
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Column: Ohio State’s cancellation of series with Washington is a sign of things to come
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 Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Unfortunately for college football fans, it feels like an expanded playoff will lead to a decrease in notable non-conference regular season games.
Next year not only does Division I college football move to a 12-team playoff, but USC and UCLA will be joining the Big Ten, and earlier this week it was announced that Texas and Oklahoma would be allowed to leave the Big 12 early for the SEC. With all of those changes on the horizon, moves are already being made to ready programs for a drastically different college football.
While it is exciting to see an expanded playoff, as well as how the Big Ten and SEC will look with each conference adding two schools, there are some downsides to all the changes. On Wednesday, Ohio State cancelled their home-and-home series with Washington that was to be played over the 2024 and 2025 football seasons.
Ohio State said they are cancelling the series, and will add an eighth home game to the 2024 schedule to fund the $500,000 penalty for breaking the contract with Washington. You just know Ohio State is going to add some lame buy-game against <insert random MAC team>. So now the Buckeyes are going to have to pay Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, or some other Group of Five school to come to Columbus to get their faces caved in so they can pay Washington a buyout.
I can already see what’s going to happen. The game will probably be a noon game that nobody wants to go to because it’s early September so it’ll still be 90 degrees, which will feel like 140 degrees in the stadium. The school will have to beg people to come out for the game because Ohio State has priced a lot of their fans out of being able to go to games.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24436316/1341481095.jpg "Tulsa v Ohio State")
Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images
Remember that Tulsa game a couple years ago where like 70,000 fans were in attendance? I took my mom and step-dad to the game and spent way too much on decent seats to try and make their first Ohio State game memorable, and then the team didn’t even show up for three quarters.
Even if Ohio State gets a home playoff game, you just know the school doesn’t want it to be played in Columbus. Instead, Ohio State would probably be happier if they could play the game in a controlled environment at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Possibly having football games in December at Ohio Stadium might force the school to winterize the plumbing and do maintenance on the stadium.
But, they are already trying to get ahead of that by charging a “Ohio Stadium preservation fee”. Unsurprisingly, the fans are the ones that are supposed to foot the bill for this one, and not noted grifter “Da Schott” or sex pest Les Wexner.
The cancellation of the Washington series feels like the first of many cancellations we are going to see in the future, not only from Ohio State, but around college football. The Buckeyes are scheduled to play home-and-home series with Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Oregon over the next decade. Honestly, I’d be surprised if even half of those series are played.
With the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, there really is no incentive for high-profile games to be played by perennial playoff teams. For the Georgias, Alabamas, and Ohio States of the college football world, what do these teams have to gain by risking a loss by playing each other during the non-conference portion of their schedule?
Unless the blue bloods of college football screw up royally during the regular season, they are pretty much assured of having a spot in the playoff. The only real thing they have to worry about is whether or not they get a bye in the first round, and even if they don’t they’ll likely be hosting that game on campus.
Another reason you are likely going to see more of these previously scheduled home-and-home series cancelled is because of conferences and television contracts. I have absolutely no inside information about why Ohio State cancelled their series with Washington, but at first glance I have to imagine it’s because the Big Ten is bringing in USC and UCLA.
Now that Ohio State has Sept. 7 and Sept. 14 open on their schedule, it would make sense for the Buckeyes to welcome either the Trojans or Bruins into the conference by playing one of those new members. You already know the conference is salivating at their cash cow squaring off with one of their new toys.
Who knows, maybe I’m wrong about everything. Maybe Washington is the only series that Ohio State cancels. It doesn’t feel like it’s trending that way, though. For not even reaching 40 years old yet, the cranky old man in me is probably a little too strong for my own good. I’ve never been good at dealing with change. Between so many games being on FOX now, getting constantly told how Ohio State needs us to do more in NIL, and a number of other things, it feels like I hardly recognize college football any more.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24436312/110343418.jpg "NCAA 2005 Football: Texas Longhorns at Ohio State Buckeyes")
Photo by Jay Drowns/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images
I just want to see great games played between big schools, and I don’t really care what time of year it happens. The more you give me, the more I’ll watch. I remember being at the 2005 game under the lights against Texas at Ohio Stadium. Give me more of those games, except just make the result a little different.
I want games to actually care about. Sorry Western Kentucky or Arkansas State, y’all just don’t do it for me. But enjoy this big check for the beating you’re about to take.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Unfortunately for college football fans, it feels like an expanded playoff will lead to a decrease in notable non-conference regular season games.
Next year not only does Division I college football move to a 12-team playoff, but USC and UCLA will be joining the Big Ten, and earlier this week it was announced that Texas and Oklahoma would be allowed to leave the Big 12 early for the SEC. With all of those changes on the horizon, moves are already being made to ready programs for a drastically different college football.
While it is exciting to see an expanded playoff, as well as how the Big Ten and SEC will look with each conference adding two schools, there are some downsides to all the changes. On Wednesday, Ohio State cancelled their home-and-home series with Washington that was to be played over the 2024 and 2025 football seasons.
Ohio State said they are cancelling the series, and will add an eighth home game to the 2024 schedule to fund the $500,000 penalty for breaking the contract with Washington. You just know Ohio State is going to add some lame buy-game against <insert random MAC team>. So now the Buckeyes are going to have to pay Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, or some other Group of Five school to come to Columbus to get their faces caved in so they can pay Washington a buyout.
I can already see what’s going to happen. The game will probably be a noon game that nobody wants to go to because it’s early September so it’ll still be 90 degrees, which will feel like 140 degrees in the stadium. The school will have to beg people to come out for the game because Ohio State has priced a lot of their fans out of being able to go to games.
Remember that Tulsa game a couple years ago where like 70,000 fans were in attendance? I took my mom and step-dad to the game and spent way too much on decent seats to try and make their first Ohio State game memorable, and then the team didn’t even show up for three quarters.
Even if Ohio State gets a home playoff game, you just know the school doesn’t want it to be played in Columbus. Instead, Ohio State would probably be happier if they could play the game in a controlled environment at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Possibly having football games in December at Ohio Stadium might force the school to winterize the plumbing and do maintenance on the stadium.
But, they are already trying to get ahead of that by charging a “Ohio Stadium preservation fee”. Unsurprisingly, the fans are the ones that are supposed to foot the bill for this one, and not noted grifter “Da Schott” or sex pest Les Wexner.
The cancellation of the Washington series feels like the first of many cancellations we are going to see in the future, not only from Ohio State, but around college football. The Buckeyes are scheduled to play home-and-home series with Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Oregon over the next decade. Honestly, I’d be surprised if even half of those series are played.
With the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, there really is no incentive for high-profile games to be played by perennial playoff teams. For the Georgias, Alabamas, and Ohio States of the college football world, what do these teams have to gain by risking a loss by playing each other during the non-conference portion of their schedule?
Unless the blue bloods of college football screw up royally during the regular season, they are pretty much assured of having a spot in the playoff. The only real thing they have to worry about is whether or not they get a bye in the first round, and even if they don’t they’ll likely be hosting that game on campus.
Another reason you are likely going to see more of these previously scheduled home-and-home series cancelled is because of conferences and television contracts. I have absolutely no inside information about why Ohio State cancelled their series with Washington, but at first glance I have to imagine it’s because the Big Ten is bringing in USC and UCLA.
Now that Ohio State has Sept. 7 and Sept. 14 open on their schedule, it would make sense for the Buckeyes to welcome either the Trojans or Bruins into the conference by playing one of those new members. You already know the conference is salivating at their cash cow squaring off with one of their new toys.
Who knows, maybe I’m wrong about everything. Maybe Washington is the only series that Ohio State cancels. It doesn’t feel like it’s trending that way, though. For not even reaching 40 years old yet, the cranky old man in me is probably a little too strong for my own good. I’ve never been good at dealing with change. Between so many games being on FOX now, getting constantly told how Ohio State needs us to do more in NIL, and a number of other things, it feels like I hardly recognize college football any more.
I just want to see great games played between big schools, and I don’t really care what time of year it happens. The more you give me, the more I’ll watch. I remember being at the 2005 game under the lights against Texas at Ohio Stadium. Give me more of those games, except just make the result a little different.
I want games to actually care about. Sorry Western Kentucky or Arkansas State, y’all just don’t do it for me. But enjoy this big check for the beating you’re about to take.
Continue reading...
LGHL Biggest positional needs in the 2024 recruiting class based on the current roster
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Biggest positional needs in the 2024 recruiting class based on the current roster
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Where could the Buckeyes look to bolster the depth chart?
Ohio State has been out in full force trying to put together the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes. With the coaches recruiting and sending out offers, now is the perfect time to break down the positional needs going into the spring and summer.
This past season, the Buckeyes had a relatively light 2023 class, bringing in 20 high school recruits and five transfers. The final count had the Buckeyes finishing 4th overall in 247Sports overall ranking with an average player rating of 92.97, which only trails Alabama and Georgia. Of the 20 recruits, 19 of them were four-stars, so overall the class was solid.
There is no secret that maintaining high level recruiting has become more challenging in the NIL era, and the level of importance placed on high school recruiting has changed across the country. That is why the 2023 class felt need-focused, and with a goal of building future depth. This will be even more so the goal in the 2024 class, with an emphasis on culture fits as well. Ohio State’s director of player personnel was asked about the impact of NIL and recruiting, and it highlights a changing philosophy for the Buckeyes moving
“Definitely a new mindset of how we’re gonna have to approach things during this time,” Pantoni said. “Obviously, way more heavy in Ohio, in the Midwest. And then regionally, we’re going to do our best as we’ve always have, but we may have to pull out of recruiting some guys nationally quicker than we have if we know right away, the NIL is going to be a main factor in their recruitments. It’s just probably not something we’re going to want to end up being able to compete with by choice as well.”
Pulling out of national recruitments earlier may make some fans unhappy, but even with that caveat the Buckeyes put together an incredibly solid national class in 2023 without NIL being the basis. We saw how schools like Texas A&M, Miami, and others who prioritized monetary incentive fared on the field – and in roster retention. That is why focusing on positional need, and understanding the transfer portal will be there to bolster the roster when needed, is the new identity of recruiting.
Ohio State’s big board starts with players who want to be there, but the positions of needs when looking at the roster as well as the 2023 class are obvious. Building a need base class with long term roster construction – and retention – in mind starts with the biggest positional needs in the 2024 class.
2023 Class: Miles Walker
Current Roster: Josh Fryar (JR-RS), Zen Michalski (SO-RS), George Fitzpatrick (FR-RS), Avery Henry (FR-RS), Tegra Tshabola (FR-RS)
Ohio State only landed one player with an offensive tackle designation. With only five tackles on the current roster, this is a position with huge depth concerns. The Buckeyes have work to do in this area still. Many expected a more significant expert in the transfer portal, but those recruitments led to some dead ends.
Replacing two starters this season who have both been projected in the first round by some outlets, the sparseness of the position will leave position coach Justin Frye with a lot of pressure heading into his first full cycle as a recruiter. There will be additional pressure to get the next Paris Johnson Jr. into the program, and five-star tackles do not grow on trees.
Regardless of if the player is a five-star or not, the Buckeyes need to land more than one tackle in the 2024 class.
2023 Class: Joshua Mickens, Jason Moore
Current Roster: Jack Sawyer (JR), J.T. Tuimoloau (JR), Mitchell Melton (JR-RS), Caden Curry (SO), Omari Abor (FR-RS), Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (FR-RS)
The Buckeyes have quite a bit of talent stacked in this room, led by the two returning former five-star recruits in Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau. With Mitchell Melton healing from his injury still, this room still could use some depth given the transfers out of the program in Tyler Friday and Javontae Jean-Baptiste. This turnover gives Larry Johnson some room to work with though.
Coming into the 2023 class, Ohio State was pretty full in this room and were still able to land two-players who can play on the outside. 2024 will be a real opportunity to have a strong defensive end class, Tuimoloau will likely be gone after this season, and Sawyer could play himself into a top pick. That scenario would create an incredibly inexperienced room with a lack of depth. The best way to correct that is to have a big year in recruiting.
With only two players added in 2023, there is ample room for Larry Johnson to have a big class.
2023 Class: None
Current Roster: Miyan Williams (JR-RS), Treveyon Henderson (JR), Deamonte “Chip” Trayanum (SR), Evan Pryor (JR), Dallan Hayden (SO), Xavier Johnson* (SR-RS)
Ohio State was incredibly thin at the position in 2022 on and off the field. The Buckeyes battled injuries in the program, starting with Pryor’s knee injury in the spring, and then Henderson and Williams battled injuries throughout the regular season. Losing those backs led to a reliance on true freshman Dallan Hayden, gadget player Xavier Johnson, and running back turned linebacker turned running back Chip Trayanum.
All this without landing a running back in the 2023 class.
Not getting a back in the 2023 class isn’t the biggest loss now that the room is still together entering winter workouts, but a common theme arising here is the importance turns to 2024. There are a ton of big names at the position carrying offers from Ohio State, but running back coach Tony Alford needs to close on them this year now that this is a priority position.
Getting two backs should be the bare minimum, and if not, depth becomes a real concern.
2023 Class: Jermaine Mathews, Calvin Simpson-Hunt
Current Roster: Denzel Burke (JR), Jordan Hancock (SO-RS), Jyaire Brown (SO), Davis Igbinosun (SO), Ryan Turner (FR-RS)
The cornerback position will always be a position of need from a recruiting stand point. Ohio State lost a player in JK Johnson who played significant snaps due to the players projected ahead of him battling injuries. Cam Brown moving on from Ohio State was another player that adds to to the turnover. Whether it’s players moving on to the next level or transferring out means this position always needs to be a priority.
This is also a position where corners coach Tim Walton can not afford a miss on the trail. Looking at the past few seasons, recruiting misses at corner have led to some tough years statistically for the pass defense. This position is not as high on the list as the first three, but this will probably be an eternal positional need.
2023 Class: Arvell Reese
Current Roster: Tommy Eichenberg (SR-RS), Steele Chambers (SR-RS), Cody Simon (SR), Reid Carrico (SO-RS), C.J. Hicks (SO), Gabe Powers (FR-RS)
Ohio State landed one player in the 2023 class in Reese, but they missed on some of their national targets. This room was bolstered by the decisions of Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers to return. In Knowles’ system only two are able to play, so the depth here is currently pretty good. There are quite a few players who have limited experience, but the recruiting pedigree of the past two classes classes speak for themselves.
Adding five star C.J. Hicks and two top-100 recruits in Powers and Carrico provides a talented future pool of players to choose from.
The reason this position is pivotal for 2024 are the two names leaving. There is also the added element of the transfer portal, which we’ve seen take players at random times. Knowles missed on three out of three big time recruits, so this class won’t only be important, but will also show Knowles’ ability as a recruiter at Ohio State. If the Buckeyes miss this year, there will be a lot of questions for this room depth wise moving forward.
2023 Class: Lincoln Kienholz
Current Roster: Kyle McCord (JR), Devin Brown (FR-RS), Tristan Gebbia (SR-RS)
This one comes down to the current state of college football. Quarterbacks stay and go due to the new freedom the transfer portal provides. Only one player gets on the field, so this means there is a definitive clock for quarterbacks to maximize their draft prospects. Now if Kyle McCord wins the job, this room likely finishes the year with all four quarterbacks. But the next year brings a lot of questions about who is going to be in the program.
There was already drama here with the Dylan Raiola recruitment, but there is still a huge need in every recruiting class to land a quarterback. The Buckeyes have thrown out offers, and looking at the profiles of the past three Ohio State recruits, Ryan Day will lock in on one with a similar skillset. Time will tell here.
The Buckeyes have found their last two quarterbacks at the 11th hour, but as always this is a priority.
Recruiting is a year round topic. The Buckeyes have changed their philosophies, and that means there is a different way to dive into how recruits are viewed. From a recruiting class standpoint, positional need, culture fit, and traits will now be the order in which players are recruited. Ohio State addressed their needs first in the 2023 class, and the Buckeyes will be looking to do the same in 2024.
This year the priority positions have changed a little, but there will always be must haves in each recruiting class. There is still a lot of time left, and over the next few months the Buckeyes’ true targets will become clearer. Without the full picture, there is definitely areas we know Ohio State will need to target this recruiting class.
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
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Where could the Buckeyes look to bolster the depth chart?
Ohio State has been out in full force trying to put together the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes. With the coaches recruiting and sending out offers, now is the perfect time to break down the positional needs going into the spring and summer.
This past season, the Buckeyes had a relatively light 2023 class, bringing in 20 high school recruits and five transfers. The final count had the Buckeyes finishing 4th overall in 247Sports overall ranking with an average player rating of 92.97, which only trails Alabama and Georgia. Of the 20 recruits, 19 of them were four-stars, so overall the class was solid.
There is no secret that maintaining high level recruiting has become more challenging in the NIL era, and the level of importance placed on high school recruiting has changed across the country. That is why the 2023 class felt need-focused, and with a goal of building future depth. This will be even more so the goal in the 2024 class, with an emphasis on culture fits as well. Ohio State’s director of player personnel was asked about the impact of NIL and recruiting, and it highlights a changing philosophy for the Buckeyes moving
“Definitely a new mindset of how we’re gonna have to approach things during this time,” Pantoni said. “Obviously, way more heavy in Ohio, in the Midwest. And then regionally, we’re going to do our best as we’ve always have, but we may have to pull out of recruiting some guys nationally quicker than we have if we know right away, the NIL is going to be a main factor in their recruitments. It’s just probably not something we’re going to want to end up being able to compete with by choice as well.”
Pulling out of national recruitments earlier may make some fans unhappy, but even with that caveat the Buckeyes put together an incredibly solid national class in 2023 without NIL being the basis. We saw how schools like Texas A&M, Miami, and others who prioritized monetary incentive fared on the field – and in roster retention. That is why focusing on positional need, and understanding the transfer portal will be there to bolster the roster when needed, is the new identity of recruiting.
Ohio State’s big board starts with players who want to be there, but the positions of needs when looking at the roster as well as the 2023 class are obvious. Building a need base class with long term roster construction – and retention – in mind starts with the biggest positional needs in the 2024 class.
Offensive Tackle
2023 Class: Miles Walker
Current Roster: Josh Fryar (JR-RS), Zen Michalski (SO-RS), George Fitzpatrick (FR-RS), Avery Henry (FR-RS), Tegra Tshabola (FR-RS)
Ohio State only landed one player with an offensive tackle designation. With only five tackles on the current roster, this is a position with huge depth concerns. The Buckeyes have work to do in this area still. Many expected a more significant expert in the transfer portal, but those recruitments led to some dead ends.
Replacing two starters this season who have both been projected in the first round by some outlets, the sparseness of the position will leave position coach Justin Frye with a lot of pressure heading into his first full cycle as a recruiter. There will be additional pressure to get the next Paris Johnson Jr. into the program, and five-star tackles do not grow on trees.
Regardless of if the player is a five-star or not, the Buckeyes need to land more than one tackle in the 2024 class.
EDGE
2023 Class: Joshua Mickens, Jason Moore
Current Roster: Jack Sawyer (JR), J.T. Tuimoloau (JR), Mitchell Melton (JR-RS), Caden Curry (SO), Omari Abor (FR-RS), Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (FR-RS)
The Buckeyes have quite a bit of talent stacked in this room, led by the two returning former five-star recruits in Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau. With Mitchell Melton healing from his injury still, this room still could use some depth given the transfers out of the program in Tyler Friday and Javontae Jean-Baptiste. This turnover gives Larry Johnson some room to work with though.
Coming into the 2023 class, Ohio State was pretty full in this room and were still able to land two-players who can play on the outside. 2024 will be a real opportunity to have a strong defensive end class, Tuimoloau will likely be gone after this season, and Sawyer could play himself into a top pick. That scenario would create an incredibly inexperienced room with a lack of depth. The best way to correct that is to have a big year in recruiting.
With only two players added in 2023, there is ample room for Larry Johnson to have a big class.
Running Back
2023 Class: None
Current Roster: Miyan Williams (JR-RS), Treveyon Henderson (JR), Deamonte “Chip” Trayanum (SR), Evan Pryor (JR), Dallan Hayden (SO), Xavier Johnson* (SR-RS)
Ohio State was incredibly thin at the position in 2022 on and off the field. The Buckeyes battled injuries in the program, starting with Pryor’s knee injury in the spring, and then Henderson and Williams battled injuries throughout the regular season. Losing those backs led to a reliance on true freshman Dallan Hayden, gadget player Xavier Johnson, and running back turned linebacker turned running back Chip Trayanum.
All this without landing a running back in the 2023 class.
Not getting a back in the 2023 class isn’t the biggest loss now that the room is still together entering winter workouts, but a common theme arising here is the importance turns to 2024. There are a ton of big names at the position carrying offers from Ohio State, but running back coach Tony Alford needs to close on them this year now that this is a priority position.
Getting two backs should be the bare minimum, and if not, depth becomes a real concern.
Cornerback
2023 Class: Jermaine Mathews, Calvin Simpson-Hunt
Current Roster: Denzel Burke (JR), Jordan Hancock (SO-RS), Jyaire Brown (SO), Davis Igbinosun (SO), Ryan Turner (FR-RS)
The cornerback position will always be a position of need from a recruiting stand point. Ohio State lost a player in JK Johnson who played significant snaps due to the players projected ahead of him battling injuries. Cam Brown moving on from Ohio State was another player that adds to to the turnover. Whether it’s players moving on to the next level or transferring out means this position always needs to be a priority.
This is also a position where corners coach Tim Walton can not afford a miss on the trail. Looking at the past few seasons, recruiting misses at corner have led to some tough years statistically for the pass defense. This position is not as high on the list as the first three, but this will probably be an eternal positional need.
Linebacker
2023 Class: Arvell Reese
Current Roster: Tommy Eichenberg (SR-RS), Steele Chambers (SR-RS), Cody Simon (SR), Reid Carrico (SO-RS), C.J. Hicks (SO), Gabe Powers (FR-RS)
Ohio State landed one player in the 2023 class in Reese, but they missed on some of their national targets. This room was bolstered by the decisions of Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers to return. In Knowles’ system only two are able to play, so the depth here is currently pretty good. There are quite a few players who have limited experience, but the recruiting pedigree of the past two classes classes speak for themselves.
Adding five star C.J. Hicks and two top-100 recruits in Powers and Carrico provides a talented future pool of players to choose from.
The reason this position is pivotal for 2024 are the two names leaving. There is also the added element of the transfer portal, which we’ve seen take players at random times. Knowles missed on three out of three big time recruits, so this class won’t only be important, but will also show Knowles’ ability as a recruiter at Ohio State. If the Buckeyes miss this year, there will be a lot of questions for this room depth wise moving forward.
Quarterback
2023 Class: Lincoln Kienholz
Current Roster: Kyle McCord (JR), Devin Brown (FR-RS), Tristan Gebbia (SR-RS)
This one comes down to the current state of college football. Quarterbacks stay and go due to the new freedom the transfer portal provides. Only one player gets on the field, so this means there is a definitive clock for quarterbacks to maximize their draft prospects. Now if Kyle McCord wins the job, this room likely finishes the year with all four quarterbacks. But the next year brings a lot of questions about who is going to be in the program.
There was already drama here with the Dylan Raiola recruitment, but there is still a huge need in every recruiting class to land a quarterback. The Buckeyes have thrown out offers, and looking at the profiles of the past three Ohio State recruits, Ryan Day will lock in on one with a similar skillset. Time will tell here.
The Buckeyes have found their last two quarterbacks at the 11th hour, but as always this is a priority.
Recruiting is a year round topic. The Buckeyes have changed their philosophies, and that means there is a different way to dive into how recruits are viewed. From a recruiting class standpoint, positional need, culture fit, and traits will now be the order in which players are recruited. Ohio State addressed their needs first in the 2023 class, and the Buckeyes will be looking to do the same in 2024.
This year the priority positions have changed a little, but there will always be must haves in each recruiting class. There is still a lot of time left, and over the next few months the Buckeyes’ true targets will become clearer. Without the full picture, there is definitely areas we know Ohio State will need to target this recruiting class.
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 13 Ohio State women travel to Penn State: Game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
No. 13 Ohio State women travel to Penn State: Game preview and prediction
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes hope to bounce back with a trip east to Happy Valley.
After beginning the season 4-0 against ranked opponents, the Ohio State women’s basketball team is on a four-game losing streak against teams in the Associated Press Top-25 rankings. On Thursday, the Scarlet & Gray get a minor break against the top teams in the country when they face the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Will it be another outlier victory, a shocking upset, or can the Buckeyes use the game to get on the right track in the final week of the regular season?
On Monday, head coach Kevin McGuff’s team suffered a 24-point defeat to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers at home. With guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková out, the Buckeyes looked disjointed for all but the the first few minutes of the game and a spell in the third quarter.
Both likely starters when healthy are day-to-day. For Sheldon it’s the same slow return to action, preparing the Dublin, Ohio native for what coach McGuff calls the “stretch run.” Thursday is a good candidate for the start of that stretch run with only three games remaining in the regular season, and now a possibility of only five remaining games this entire campaign including at least one Big Ten and NCAA Tournament game.
Mikulášiková was out in a game-time decision by the coaching and training staff for Monday’s game against Indiana. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the Slovakian forward took a hit on a shot, landing awkwardly on her ankle and suffering a high ankle sprain.
With the forward out, substitute forward Eboni Walker started against Indiana and had the strongest game of any Buckeye in the defeat. The Syracuse transfer had 12 points on top of leading Ohio State with 11 rebounds and four assists.
A lot of the same injury questions will continue to follow the Buckeyes as they travel to State College, Pennsylvania on Thursday.
Penn State is a team who’s shown improvement this season from last year. The Nittany Lions ended the 21-22 season with an overall record of 11-18 and this season still sit above the .500 mark at 13-12. However, they sit at 4-10 in conference play, one game shy of their total number of Big Ten wins last season, but this season could be different with only a couple possessions going their way.
In three conference games this season, all as the away side, the Blue & White lost to opponents in overtime. It began when conference play began on Dec. 3. Penn State and the Minnesota Golden Gophers went two overtimes before Minnesota edged the visitors 98-96. The second came against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and most recently Sunday against the Michigan State Spartans.
Penn State’s showed promise this year, and considering how well the Spartans played against the Buckeyes this year, the Nittany Lions could make Ohio State sweat.
Leading the Lions is guard Makenna Marisa. The dynamic two-way guard is in her senior season following a 21-22 season that ended with Marisa on the First Team All-B1G, a bright spot in an otherwise tough year for the Nittany Lions.
This season, Marisa’s continuing the stellar play. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania guard averages 18 points and 4.4 assists per game, good for fifth and seventh in the conference, respectively. Although Marisa’s scoring is down over four points per game, the guard is giving up the ball less than she ever has in four seasons and already matched a career high in steals (47) and shooting efficiency (35.9%).
Those shots come from deep and runs to the basket. Marisa’s point guard play is what makes the Nittany Lions a potentially dangerous opponent, especially for an Ohio State team reeling from recent poor results. Last season, the Buckeyes held Marisa to a season low 10 points, but this season Marisa isn’t alone.
The future star for Penn State is freshman Shay Ciezki. Out of Lancaster, New York, the 5-foot-7 Ciezki has started all but one game for the Lions and sits behind Marisa in just about every offensive category.
Ciezki leads the Lions in shooting from deep, hitting 40.2% of her three-point attempts. Overall, the guard averages 11.3 points per game, a clear replacement for Marisa after her days at State College are done. Growing in the program with Ciezki is guard Leilani Kapinus.
Playing as a three on the court is Kapinus. The guard has two double-doubles in her first season as a redshirt freshman, but four games where she’s grabbed double-digit rebounds. Kapinus is comparable to Ohio State’s Taylor Thierry in how she makes herself available for rebounds, sitting 13th in the conference with 160 rebounds in only her first season.
Kapinus and Thierry will be an interesting match-up in the paint between two guards who play a lot like forwards. Even if Thierry does have to play more forward in a five-role if Mikulášiková misses a second straight game.
It’s hard to see the Nittany Lions beating the Buckeyes, even with injuries holding Ohio State down a bit over the past few weeks.
The Scarlet & Gray will play another game like they did against the Minnesota Golden Gophers last week or the Wisconsin Badgers in the week prior. It’ll be the Buckeyes taking it to Penn State from the jump and throughout four quarters.
Thierry will return to her close to double-double form, and freshman Cotie McMahon will lead Ohio State in scoring.
If Sheldon doesn’t play, it seems likely to be her last game watching from the bench, with matchups against the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines and No. 8 Maryland Terrapins on the calendar for the final week of the season.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Bryce Jordan Center, State College, Pennsylvania
Stream: B1G+
It isn’t only McMahon or guard Taylor Mikesell receiving applause of late for the Buckeyes. Because of the 19-0 start to the season, and much of the season in the top-5 of the NCAA rankings, head coach Kevin McGuff was named to the late season watch list for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award.
McGuff is one of four coaches from the Big Ten on the 15-coach list. He’s alongside Indiana’s Terri Moren, Illinois Fighting Illini’s Shauna Green and Iowa Hawkeyes’ Lisa Bluder.
With the recent form of the Buckeyes, it would be a surprise for the 10th year Ohio State coach to win the honor, but its an impressive list to be part of for a team who’s impressed for much of the 22-23 season.
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1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes hope to bounce back with a trip east to Happy Valley.
After beginning the season 4-0 against ranked opponents, the Ohio State women’s basketball team is on a four-game losing streak against teams in the Associated Press Top-25 rankings. On Thursday, the Scarlet & Gray get a minor break against the top teams in the country when they face the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Will it be another outlier victory, a shocking upset, or can the Buckeyes use the game to get on the right track in the final week of the regular season?
Preview
On Monday, head coach Kevin McGuff’s team suffered a 24-point defeat to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers at home. With guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková out, the Buckeyes looked disjointed for all but the the first few minutes of the game and a spell in the third quarter.
Both likely starters when healthy are day-to-day. For Sheldon it’s the same slow return to action, preparing the Dublin, Ohio native for what coach McGuff calls the “stretch run.” Thursday is a good candidate for the start of that stretch run with only three games remaining in the regular season, and now a possibility of only five remaining games this entire campaign including at least one Big Ten and NCAA Tournament game.
Mikulášiková was out in a game-time decision by the coaching and training staff for Monday’s game against Indiana. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the Slovakian forward took a hit on a shot, landing awkwardly on her ankle and suffering a high ankle sprain.
With the forward out, substitute forward Eboni Walker started against Indiana and had the strongest game of any Buckeye in the defeat. The Syracuse transfer had 12 points on top of leading Ohio State with 11 rebounds and four assists.
A lot of the same injury questions will continue to follow the Buckeyes as they travel to State College, Pennsylvania on Thursday.
Penn State is a team who’s shown improvement this season from last year. The Nittany Lions ended the 21-22 season with an overall record of 11-18 and this season still sit above the .500 mark at 13-12. However, they sit at 4-10 in conference play, one game shy of their total number of Big Ten wins last season, but this season could be different with only a couple possessions going their way.
In three conference games this season, all as the away side, the Blue & White lost to opponents in overtime. It began when conference play began on Dec. 3. Penn State and the Minnesota Golden Gophers went two overtimes before Minnesota edged the visitors 98-96. The second came against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and most recently Sunday against the Michigan State Spartans.
Penn State’s showed promise this year, and considering how well the Spartans played against the Buckeyes this year, the Nittany Lions could make Ohio State sweat.
Leading the Lions is guard Makenna Marisa. The dynamic two-way guard is in her senior season following a 21-22 season that ended with Marisa on the First Team All-B1G, a bright spot in an otherwise tough year for the Nittany Lions.
This season, Marisa’s continuing the stellar play. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania guard averages 18 points and 4.4 assists per game, good for fifth and seventh in the conference, respectively. Although Marisa’s scoring is down over four points per game, the guard is giving up the ball less than she ever has in four seasons and already matched a career high in steals (47) and shooting efficiency (35.9%).
Those shots come from deep and runs to the basket. Marisa’s point guard play is what makes the Nittany Lions a potentially dangerous opponent, especially for an Ohio State team reeling from recent poor results. Last season, the Buckeyes held Marisa to a season low 10 points, but this season Marisa isn’t alone.
The future star for Penn State is freshman Shay Ciezki. Out of Lancaster, New York, the 5-foot-7 Ciezki has started all but one game for the Lions and sits behind Marisa in just about every offensive category.
Ciezki leads the Lions in shooting from deep, hitting 40.2% of her three-point attempts. Overall, the guard averages 11.3 points per game, a clear replacement for Marisa after her days at State College are done. Growing in the program with Ciezki is guard Leilani Kapinus.
Playing as a three on the court is Kapinus. The guard has two double-doubles in her first season as a redshirt freshman, but four games where she’s grabbed double-digit rebounds. Kapinus is comparable to Ohio State’s Taylor Thierry in how she makes herself available for rebounds, sitting 13th in the conference with 160 rebounds in only her first season.
Kapinus and Thierry will be an interesting match-up in the paint between two guards who play a lot like forwards. Even if Thierry does have to play more forward in a five-role if Mikulášiková misses a second straight game.
Projected Lineups
Lineup Notes
- If Sheldon plays, it’ll be only her second time this calendar year that she’s competed for the Buckeyes.
- Thierry’s eight points and two rebounds against Indiana is the first time since Jan. 5 that the guard hasn’t scored at least 10 rebounds and grabbed five rebounds in a game.
- Cotie McMahon leads all freshmen with five Big Ten Freshmen of the Week honors this season, winning her fifth on Monday.
Lineup Notes
- Transfer guard Taniyah Thompson, previously of East Carolina, has started the last five games after starting no games since the season opener in November.
- Forward Alexa Williamson is the sixth player for the Nittany Lions, averaging 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game off the bench.
- Against Michigan State on Sunday, Marisa had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Prediction
It’s hard to see the Nittany Lions beating the Buckeyes, even with injuries holding Ohio State down a bit over the past few weeks.
The Scarlet & Gray will play another game like they did against the Minnesota Golden Gophers last week or the Wisconsin Badgers in the week prior. It’ll be the Buckeyes taking it to Penn State from the jump and throughout four quarters.
Thierry will return to her close to double-double form, and freshman Cotie McMahon will lead Ohio State in scoring.
If Sheldon doesn’t play, it seems likely to be her last game watching from the bench, with matchups against the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines and No. 8 Maryland Terrapins on the calendar for the final week of the season.
How to Watch
Date: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Bryce Jordan Center, State College, Pennsylvania
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Prediction: 87-67 Ohio State Buckeyes
Coach McGuff Honored
It isn’t only McMahon or guard Taylor Mikesell receiving applause of late for the Buckeyes. Because of the 19-0 start to the season, and much of the season in the top-5 of the NCAA rankings, head coach Kevin McGuff was named to the late season watch list for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award.
Congratulations to @CoachMcGuff on being named to the @NaismithTrophy Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List
: https://t.co/L41eC7fnAm#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/eZmNCUTpWF
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 15, 2023
McGuff is one of four coaches from the Big Ten on the 15-coach list. He’s alongside Indiana’s Terri Moren, Illinois Fighting Illini’s Shauna Green and Iowa Hawkeyes’ Lisa Bluder.
With the recent form of the Buckeyes, it would be a surprise for the 10th year Ohio State coach to win the honor, but its an impressive list to be part of for a team who’s impressed for much of the 22-23 season.
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LGHL Buckeyes get good news on 247Sports Crystal Ball, add recruiting staffer with SEC experience
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Buckeyes get good news on 247Sports Crystal Ball, add recruiting staffer with SEC experience
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State has hired a new Director of Player Personnel.
Even in the middle of February, Ohio State is still working hard towards the 2023 football season and improving on 2022’s misfortunes. While it might not be one specific aspect the staff is working on right now, the coaches are staying active and the players just the same.
Seeing Ohio State’s social media accounts sharing content of the players working out proves this team is hungry for more, and from the looks of things, the strength and conditioning is paying off. One of the biggest areas to improve on was the physicality and overall toughness of this roster, and at the very least it’s being addressed.
The last couple of seasons haven’t been up to Ohio State’s standards when it comes to wins and losses, and whether it be on the field, off the field, or on the recruiting trail, this staff is working and doing what it takes to be the last ones standing in the end.
When offensive line coach Justin Frye got to Columbus, he had to major goals: develop the offensive line at a higher rate and recruit more successfully. Coming into the 2023 class set up pretty well in-state, Frye was able to land all of the top Ohio targets that were available and did so in a hurry. One of the takeaways from this feat for Frye was being able to come in and have in-state help to get him started.
In 2024 though, the approach would likely be more national, and that can still be the case. But once again, Ohio is looking to help.
The Buckeyes already hold a commitment from an offensive lineman thanks to Indiana native, Ian Moore. Frye may not have to look too terribly far to add even more, as Ohio prep power St. Edward currently has two big time players that the Buckeyes offered just last month. Twin brothers Devontae and Deontae Armstrong aren’t new names to Ohio State recruiting, but the recently offered pair is starting to see their names linked to the Buckeyes.
Both are listed at over 6-foot-6. 280 pounds, and when you think about Frye’s job, you can’t luck out any better than having two twin brothers in your backyard with the size and ability these two have. It’s not a lock that they’ll be Buckeyes at the next level, but yesterday was another step in that direction as insider Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts pegged both of them to end up at Ohio State with his latest 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions.
Currently, both are three-star products, and that’s likely going to change considering the schools that are sure to follow the Buckeyes in offering. Ironically, they both have the same 247Sports Composite grades as well, with the pair listed as the No. 446 player nationally and the 33rd best offensive tackle in the country. These rankings as mentioned will likely change, and it probably won’t be long for both to see their stock increase in a big way.
Some of the latest news surrounding recruiting for Ohio State isn’t about a recruit, but staff. As most know by now, Mark Pantoni is one of the best at his craft when it comes to recruiting and helping manage Ohio State’s roster, but he can’t do it alone. A man that spends hours watching game film for recruits each day, it’s been impressive to see what he’s helped to build, but others along side of him certainly helps with the many other tasks.
At the end of the season, the Buckeyes lost Director of Player Personnel, Zach Grant to Cincinnati after being in Columbus for only a year. Taking his own role with the Bearcats is another branch on Pantoni’s tree that continues to grow, but the move left a position open, and on Wednesday that spot had been filled.
Taking the role, Marc Votteler comes from Marshall University, where he served as the General Manager for just over a year. To add to his impressive resume, Votteler was also an assistant at Alabama, Tennessee, and UCF — all in the recruiting department.
The Buckeyes are always going to be a force in the recruiting realm, and with the new day and age of the NIL, additional expertise is only going to be an advantage. Seeing stops at Alabama and Tennessee certainly sparks the interest, and with Ohio State always battling the SEC powers, Votteler’s help will be welcomed for many reasons.
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
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State has hired a new Director of Player Personnel.
Even in the middle of February, Ohio State is still working hard towards the 2023 football season and improving on 2022’s misfortunes. While it might not be one specific aspect the staff is working on right now, the coaches are staying active and the players just the same.
Seeing Ohio State’s social media accounts sharing content of the players working out proves this team is hungry for more, and from the looks of things, the strength and conditioning is paying off. One of the biggest areas to improve on was the physicality and overall toughness of this roster, and at the very least it’s being addressed.
The last couple of seasons haven’t been up to Ohio State’s standards when it comes to wins and losses, and whether it be on the field, off the field, or on the recruiting trail, this staff is working and doing what it takes to be the last ones standing in the end.
A twin addition would keep OSU in great shape
When offensive line coach Justin Frye got to Columbus, he had to major goals: develop the offensive line at a higher rate and recruit more successfully. Coming into the 2023 class set up pretty well in-state, Frye was able to land all of the top Ohio targets that were available and did so in a hurry. One of the takeaways from this feat for Frye was being able to come in and have in-state help to get him started.
In 2024 though, the approach would likely be more national, and that can still be the case. But once again, Ohio is looking to help.
The Buckeyes already hold a commitment from an offensive lineman thanks to Indiana native, Ian Moore. Frye may not have to look too terribly far to add even more, as Ohio prep power St. Edward currently has two big time players that the Buckeyes offered just last month. Twin brothers Devontae and Deontae Armstrong aren’t new names to Ohio State recruiting, but the recently offered pair is starting to see their names linked to the Buckeyes.
Both are listed at over 6-foot-6. 280 pounds, and when you think about Frye’s job, you can’t luck out any better than having two twin brothers in your backyard with the size and ability these two have. It’s not a lock that they’ll be Buckeyes at the next level, but yesterday was another step in that direction as insider Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts pegged both of them to end up at Ohio State with his latest 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions.
Currently, both are three-star products, and that’s likely going to change considering the schools that are sure to follow the Buckeyes in offering. Ironically, they both have the same 247Sports Composite grades as well, with the pair listed as the No. 446 player nationally and the 33rd best offensive tackle in the country. These rankings as mentioned will likely change, and it probably won’t be long for both to see their stock increase in a big way.
Ohio State adds new face to the recruiting efforts
Some of the latest news surrounding recruiting for Ohio State isn’t about a recruit, but staff. As most know by now, Mark Pantoni is one of the best at his craft when it comes to recruiting and helping manage Ohio State’s roster, but he can’t do it alone. A man that spends hours watching game film for recruits each day, it’s been impressive to see what he’s helped to build, but others along side of him certainly helps with the many other tasks.
At the end of the season, the Buckeyes lost Director of Player Personnel, Zach Grant to Cincinnati after being in Columbus for only a year. Taking his own role with the Bearcats is another branch on Pantoni’s tree that continues to grow, but the move left a position open, and on Wednesday that spot had been filled.
Taking the role, Marc Votteler comes from Marshall University, where he served as the General Manager for just over a year. To add to his impressive resume, Votteler was also an assistant at Alabama, Tennessee, and UCF — all in the recruiting department.
The Buckeyes are always going to be a force in the recruiting realm, and with the new day and age of the NIL, additional expertise is only going to be an advantage. Seeing stops at Alabama and Tennessee certainly sparks the interest, and with Ohio State always battling the SEC powers, Votteler’s help will be welcomed for many reasons.
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Iowa: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Iowa: Game preview and prediction
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
The Buckeyes look to complete a sweep of Iowa in the regular season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team is living a nightmare, having lost 11 of its last 12 games, but all is not lost on the season. The Buckeyes travel to Iowa City to face the Iowa Hawkeyes tonight with a chance to at least complete a sweep of one Big Ten foe this year.
The Buckeyes are sitting at 11-14 with six games remaining in the regular season. With a 3-11 mark in conference play, they’ve fallen to No. 13 in the Big Ten standings ahead of only Minnesota. Though there’s mathematically no way to make up the 8.5-game deficit between the Buckeyes and top-ranked Purdue, a late-season run would at least better position the Buckeyes for their Big Ten Tournament bracket.
Unfortunately, based on what we saw on the court Sunday against the Michigan State Spartans, achieving such a turnaround feels pretty farfetched.
The Buckeyes fell to Michigan State 62-41 over the weekend, posting a football score at halftime (27-14) in homage, perhaps, to the Super Bowl being played later that evening. The game was tied nine-all with 8:40 remaining in the first half, but Michigan State went on an 18-5 run to wrap the opening half and put the game out of hand for Ohio State.
It was the lowest offensive output of the season (by 19 points) with Ohio State connecting on just 28% of their shots from the field. Things didn’t improve from range as the Buckeyes went a mere 6-of-29 from three-point range (21%). Senior guard Sean McNeil, coming off the bench, was the only Buckeye in double figures with 10 points on the afternoon.
Freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh, who has been such an impressive force on offense for Ohio State, was held to eight points and no rebounds. It was the second-straight game Sensabaugh was held in single-digits. On the boards, the Spartans outrebounded the Buckeyes 42-33. In a bizarre twist, the two teams combined for just three free-throw attempts.
The Buckeyes have lost their rhythm, but they have no choice but to press on and salvage a few wins as they inch closer to the Big Ten Tournament.
The Hawkeyes are sitting at 16-9 on the season with an 8-6 record in conference play. Firmly in the thick of the Big Ten pack, Iowa is tied with four other teams at fifth in the standings and 3.5 games back from Purdue. Most recently, after falling to Purdue in West Lafayette, the Hawkeyes traveled to Minneapolis and bounced back with a 68-56 win over Minnesota.
In that matchup (which Iowa led for the duration of the game), Iowa shot just 38% from the field while giving up 50% shooting to the Gophers. The Hawkeyes outrebounded Minnesota 44-33 and had 11 steals to just three from the Gophers. Iowa also had just five turnovers to Minnesota’s 14. Junior forward Kris Murray led the Hawkeyes with 28 points and 14 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.
Murray leads the Hawkeyes in scoring and rebounds on the season, averaging 21 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He’s second in the conference in scoring behind Purdue’s Zach Edey.
Friendly reminder that one of Ohio State’s two wins in 2023 came over the Hawkeyes in Columbus. In that matchup, which the Buckeyes dominated 93-77, Sensabaugh had 27 points and was one of five Ohio State players scoring in double figures. Go figure, the Buckeyes shot 56% from the field and 50% from range.
It was a different team than the one we saw Sunday, but one we (desperately) hope comes back for the occasion this evening. Murray led the Hawkeyes with 22 points of his own as Iowa put together a strong offensive performance of his own. Senior forward Filip Rebraca added 15.
As another friendly reminder, Fran McCaffrey is in his 13th season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. Overall he’s put together a 258-171 record, including a 123-115 mark in conference play. As McCaffrey looks to steer his team toward another NCAA Tournament bid (which the Hawkeyes look positioned to secure), he and the Hawkeyes could use another few wins to move them up the conference standings in a tight race before the tournament starts next month.
Ohio State and Iowa’s seasons are on divergent paths. While Ohio State is fighting to simply avoid being one of the bottom two seeds in the Big Ten Tournament, Iowa has a real shot to make up some ground as the Hawkeyes sit in a tightly clustered pack of teams in the middle of the conference standings. And while fans have expressed their frustration with Chris Holtmann, even Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo jumped in to defend the Ohio State coach as the slump continues.
On the court, the order is tall but not impossible for Ohio State to overcome (again, considering the Buckeyes already posted a decisive win over this team in January). Iowa is No. 34 in the country according to Kenpom. Though Ohio State has slipped quite a bit in recent weeks, somehow the computers still love them and the Buckeyes are No. 51.
The Hawkeyes boast the most prolific offense in the Big Ten, averaging nearly 81 points per game. On the flip side, they’re worst in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing more than 73 points per game (No. 276 in Division-I). The Hawkeyes are also good at passing the rock. Iowa is first in the Big Ten with a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Meanwhile, Ohio State is sitting at No. 11 with a 1.05 ratio. And as we’ve said before, yes, Iowa on the hardcourt and Iowa on the football field are polar opposite programs.
How might the Buckeyes achieve a turnaround? Sensabaugh has to bounce back. The freshman played just 16 minutes in his four-point performance against Northwestern. Another 27-point performance couldn’t come soon enough.
This evening, Ohio State faces the added challenging scenario of traveling for a conference road game (never an advantageous situation). The Hawkeyes are 12-2 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this year and Ohio State hasn’t traveled there since 2021. All-time, the Buckeyes are 63-67 versus the Hawkeyes. Tonight could bring them one step closer to evening the score.
While 2023 has been a major disappointment for Ohio State, the season is not over yet. As tempting as it is to write off the season and lie in wait for next fall, stranger things have happened in college basketball, and a late-season run could pay dividends for the Buckeyes. It starts tonight in a tough road environment against Iowa.
ESPN BPI: Iowa 68%
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
The Buckeyes look to complete a sweep of Iowa in the regular season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team is living a nightmare, having lost 11 of its last 12 games, but all is not lost on the season. The Buckeyes travel to Iowa City to face the Iowa Hawkeyes tonight with a chance to at least complete a sweep of one Big Ten foe this year.
The Buckeyes are sitting at 11-14 with six games remaining in the regular season. With a 3-11 mark in conference play, they’ve fallen to No. 13 in the Big Ten standings ahead of only Minnesota. Though there’s mathematically no way to make up the 8.5-game deficit between the Buckeyes and top-ranked Purdue, a late-season run would at least better position the Buckeyes for their Big Ten Tournament bracket.
Unfortunately, based on what we saw on the court Sunday against the Michigan State Spartans, achieving such a turnaround feels pretty farfetched.
The Buckeyes fell to Michigan State 62-41 over the weekend, posting a football score at halftime (27-14) in homage, perhaps, to the Super Bowl being played later that evening. The game was tied nine-all with 8:40 remaining in the first half, but Michigan State went on an 18-5 run to wrap the opening half and put the game out of hand for Ohio State.
It was the lowest offensive output of the season (by 19 points) with Ohio State connecting on just 28% of their shots from the field. Things didn’t improve from range as the Buckeyes went a mere 6-of-29 from three-point range (21%). Senior guard Sean McNeil, coming off the bench, was the only Buckeye in double figures with 10 points on the afternoon.
Freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh, who has been such an impressive force on offense for Ohio State, was held to eight points and no rebounds. It was the second-straight game Sensabaugh was held in single-digits. On the boards, the Spartans outrebounded the Buckeyes 42-33. In a bizarre twist, the two teams combined for just three free-throw attempts.
The Buckeyes have lost their rhythm, but they have no choice but to press on and salvage a few wins as they inch closer to the Big Ten Tournament.
Preview
The Hawkeyes are sitting at 16-9 on the season with an 8-6 record in conference play. Firmly in the thick of the Big Ten pack, Iowa is tied with four other teams at fifth in the standings and 3.5 games back from Purdue. Most recently, after falling to Purdue in West Lafayette, the Hawkeyes traveled to Minneapolis and bounced back with a 68-56 win over Minnesota.
In that matchup (which Iowa led for the duration of the game), Iowa shot just 38% from the field while giving up 50% shooting to the Gophers. The Hawkeyes outrebounded Minnesota 44-33 and had 11 steals to just three from the Gophers. Iowa also had just five turnovers to Minnesota’s 14. Junior forward Kris Murray led the Hawkeyes with 28 points and 14 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.
Murray leads the Hawkeyes in scoring and rebounds on the season, averaging 21 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He’s second in the conference in scoring behind Purdue’s Zach Edey.
Friendly reminder that one of Ohio State’s two wins in 2023 came over the Hawkeyes in Columbus. In that matchup, which the Buckeyes dominated 93-77, Sensabaugh had 27 points and was one of five Ohio State players scoring in double figures. Go figure, the Buckeyes shot 56% from the field and 50% from range.
It was a different team than the one we saw Sunday, but one we (desperately) hope comes back for the occasion this evening. Murray led the Hawkeyes with 22 points of his own as Iowa put together a strong offensive performance of his own. Senior forward Filip Rebraca added 15.
As another friendly reminder, Fran McCaffrey is in his 13th season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. Overall he’s put together a 258-171 record, including a 123-115 mark in conference play. As McCaffrey looks to steer his team toward another NCAA Tournament bid (which the Hawkeyes look positioned to secure), he and the Hawkeyes could use another few wins to move them up the conference standings in a tight race before the tournament starts next month.
Prediction
Ohio State and Iowa’s seasons are on divergent paths. While Ohio State is fighting to simply avoid being one of the bottom two seeds in the Big Ten Tournament, Iowa has a real shot to make up some ground as the Hawkeyes sit in a tightly clustered pack of teams in the middle of the conference standings. And while fans have expressed their frustration with Chris Holtmann, even Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo jumped in to defend the Ohio State coach as the slump continues.
On the court, the order is tall but not impossible for Ohio State to overcome (again, considering the Buckeyes already posted a decisive win over this team in January). Iowa is No. 34 in the country according to Kenpom. Though Ohio State has slipped quite a bit in recent weeks, somehow the computers still love them and the Buckeyes are No. 51.
The Hawkeyes boast the most prolific offense in the Big Ten, averaging nearly 81 points per game. On the flip side, they’re worst in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing more than 73 points per game (No. 276 in Division-I). The Hawkeyes are also good at passing the rock. Iowa is first in the Big Ten with a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Meanwhile, Ohio State is sitting at No. 11 with a 1.05 ratio. And as we’ve said before, yes, Iowa on the hardcourt and Iowa on the football field are polar opposite programs.
How might the Buckeyes achieve a turnaround? Sensabaugh has to bounce back. The freshman played just 16 minutes in his four-point performance against Northwestern. Another 27-point performance couldn’t come soon enough.
This evening, Ohio State faces the added challenging scenario of traveling for a conference road game (never an advantageous situation). The Hawkeyes are 12-2 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this year and Ohio State hasn’t traveled there since 2021. All-time, the Buckeyes are 63-67 versus the Hawkeyes. Tonight could bring them one step closer to evening the score.
While 2023 has been a major disappointment for Ohio State, the season is not over yet. As tempting as it is to write off the season and lie in wait for next fall, stranger things have happened in college basketball, and a late-season run could pay dividends for the Buckeyes. It starts tonight in a tough road environment against Iowa.
ESPN BPI: Iowa 68%
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
LGHL score prediction: Iowa 78, Ohio State 75
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Checking in on some preseason predictions and looking ahead to next season
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Bucketheads Podcast: Checking in on some preseason predictions and looking ahead to next season
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brooke LaValley/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Because this season is toast.
‘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.
The main topic on last week's “Bucketheads” podcast was the idea that if the Buckeyes beat Northwestern and Michigan State then they could put themselves back on track to make the NCAA Tournament.
Since then, they lost to both of those teams and are now 11-14 and 3-11 in the Big Ten conference with their only hope of making the tournament is winning the Big Ten tournament or winning out in the regular season.
So Connor and Justin talked about the 2023 season and why they are still giving the coaching staff a vote of confidence heading into next season. Also, they looked back on their preseason Final Four predictions and checked in on how those teams are doing.
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
Brooke LaValley/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Because this season is toast.
‘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
The main topic on last week's “Bucketheads” podcast was the idea that if the Buckeyes beat Northwestern and Michigan State then they could put themselves back on track to make the NCAA Tournament.
Since then, they lost to both of those teams and are now 11-14 and 3-11 in the Big Ten conference with their only hope of making the tournament is winning the Big Ten tournament or winning out in the regular season.
So Connor and Justin talked about the 2023 season and why they are still giving the coaching staff a vote of confidence heading into next season. Also, they looked back on their preseason Final Four predictions and checked in on how those teams are doing.
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Gallery: No. 13 Ohio State’s loss to No. 2 Indiana
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Game Gallery: No. 13 Ohio State’s loss to No. 2 Indiana
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
Scenes from the Buckeyes’ tough defeat at the hands of the Hoosiers on Monday.
Monday wasn’t an ideal result for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. For the second time this season, they fell to the Indiana Hoosiers, this time by a margin of 83-59. A 24-point loss coming eight days after a 34-point defeat.
While the Buckeyes were down with injuries, and the Hoosiers have proven time and time again this season that they’re a Final Four caliber program, it was still a night the team is likely wanting to forget.
Land-Grant Holy Land was there covering the game from the media section and on the baselines. Here are some pictures from the game from photographer Ben Cole.
Instagram: @BenColeImaging
Twitter: @BenColeImaging
Website: www.bencoleimaging.com
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
Scenes from the Buckeyes’ tough defeat at the hands of the Hoosiers on Monday.
Monday wasn’t an ideal result for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. For the second time this season, they fell to the Indiana Hoosiers, this time by a margin of 83-59. A 24-point loss coming eight days after a 34-point defeat.
While the Buckeyes were down with injuries, and the Hoosiers have proven time and time again this season that they’re a Final Four caliber program, it was still a night the team is likely wanting to forget.
Land-Grant Holy Land was there covering the game from the media section and on the baselines. Here are some pictures from the game from photographer Ben Cole.
Connect with Ben Cole:
Instagram: @BenColeImaging
Twitter: @BenColeImaging
Website: www.bencoleimaging.com
Continue reading...
