ScriptOhio said:

Login to view embedded media

Ohio State Needs Far Better Transfer Portal Additions, Late-Game Play Design for Better Close to 2026-27 Season​

Ohio State took a step forward as a program by making the NCAA Tournament in its second year under Jake Diebler, the first time the Buckeyes went dancing in four years. But the expectation is not to make the NCAA Tournament, it’s to make runs in the NCAA Tournament. That’s what athletic director Ross Bjork said. That’s what Diebler himself has reiterated.

“We were able to battle through a lot to get to this point, but we're not leaving here satisfied as a program,” Diebler said after Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament loss to TCU on Thursday. “This was a great step for us, but we want more. We're going to fight all offseason up until games start to build that and take it up a level. That's what we're motivated by right now. I think you've got guys in (the locker room) that come back that are motivated by the same thing.”

For the Love of God, Get the Right Transfers​

Two years in, here is the complete list of Diebler’s transfer portal acquisitions:

YEAR	POS	PLAYER	SCHOOL
2024	C	AARON BRADSHAW	KENTUCKY
2024	G	QUES GLOVER	KANSAS STATE
2024	G	MEECHIE JOHNSON	SOUTH CAROLINA
2024	G	MICAH PARRISH	SAN DIEGO STATE
2024	F	SEAN STEWART	DUKE
2025	G	GABE CUPPS	INDIANA
2025	F	BRANDON NOEL	WRIGHT STATE
2025	F	JOSH OJIANWUNA	BAYLOR
2025	C	CHRISTOPH TILLY	SANTA CLARA

Nine players. One, Micah Parrish, met or exceeded expectations at Ohio State. That’s an 11.1% hit rate. Unacceptable, unsustainable and if it keeps up, it will be Diebler’s undoing.

Meechie Johnson played 10 games, shot 35.6% from the field and returned to South Carolina after sitting out the rest of the season for mental health struggles. Aaron Bradshaw once showed a glimmer of what made him a five-star high school prospect in an 11-point game against his former Kentucky squad, but he mostly fell on his face as a 7-footer who averaged a meager 2.7 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game while playing some horrid defense.

Those flaws overlap with those of Christoph Tilly, though he gave Ohio State significantly more on the offensive end and held his starting center position throughout the year. His 11 points and 2.3 assists per game in 2025-26 were nice enough, but 4.7 rebounds per game from a starting 7-foot center is laughable. TCU forwards David Punch and Xavier Edmonds turned Tilly’s chest into a welcome mat whenever they wanted points at the rim, as did many Big Ten bigs.

Tilly’s greatest strength was that he gave Ohio State an extra guard at center. He fell short of what the Buckeyes needed him to be, though, because he played center like a guard. He’s still the second-best of Diebler’s nine portal acquisitions thus far in his coaching career.
.
.
.
continued

Click to expand...

Ohio State Needs Far Better Transfer Portal Additions, Late-Game Play Design for Better Close to 2026-27 Season​

For the Love of God, Get the Right Transfers​

buckeyebri said:

I was a big fan of the Gary Williams teams. You had players like Hopson and Francis, along with Burson among others. Trying to find those rosters

Click to expand...

1986-87 Ohio State Buckeyes Men's Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Check out the detailed 1986-87 Ohio State Buckeyes Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

zwem said:

According to the trends........Arizona, Duke, or Michigan is going to win it all.

Since 2002, a team that finished in top 3 of KenPom has won it all except for 3 occasions.

2003 - Syracuse who had the best player in the country at the time, Carmelo Anthony
2011 - UConn who had the best/hottest player in the country at the time, Kemba Walker.
2014 - UConn......still have no clue how they won it that year. That was a weird year.

Click to expand...

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Younger Brother Jett Harrison Ranked No. 1 in Initial 2028 Rivals300, Visiting Ohio State This Weekend

Marvin Harrison Jr.'s younger brother Jett ranks No. 1 in the initial 2028 Rivals300. The five-star wide receiver will visit Ohio State this weekend.

www.elevenwarriors.com

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Younger Brother Jett Harrison Ranked No. 1 in Initial 2028 Rivals300, Visiting Ohio State This Weekend​

BuckBackHome said:

Sources: Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba agrees to record extension

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has reached agreement with the Seahawks on a four-year, $168.6 million extension that makes him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Highest paid WR. I believe that is a good thing;-)

Click to expand...

calibuck said:

Bestbuck, are you suggesting that Walmart, Costco sends NIL money to any team that bests the Buckeyes, just to increase their TV sales? Novel advertising approach, no?

Click to expand...

Following the House v. NCAA settlement, Ohio State is allocating $18 million in institutional NIL funds for the 2025-26 season, but this is concentrated on football, men's/women's basketball, and women's volleyball. While ice hockey players can still receive NIL deals, they are not part of this primary institutional revenue-sharing, as the school focuses funds on top revenue-generating sports.
Ice hockey student-athletes can still secure individual NIL deals, such as those facilitated through NIL collectives like the 1870 Society and The Foundation (now under Buckeye Sports Group).
Women's ice hockey players specifically have opportunities to participate in "NIL Clubs" or similar team-specific initiatives.

Click to expand...

DZ83CK said:

McCollum and Hoiberg have done an outstanding job this season. That being said, Jake Diebler managed to lead a team to the NCAA tournament even though it was one of the very worst in college basketball in terms of scoring off the bench & lacked strength in the post.

Click to expand...