Three Positions To Watch from the transfer portal
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Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

The Buckeyes may want to replenish these position groups for 2023

Ohio State has had quite a turnaround in the last two weeks. After losing The Game on Nov. 26 and being eliminated from the B1G Championship Game, the Buckeyes are now seeded fourth in The College Football Playoff, preparing to battle Georgia in The Peach Bowl on Dec. 31.

While game preparations and the early signing period that begins on Dec. 21 are paramount, Ohio State’s coaches should also be keeping their eyes and ears open on another area of college football — the transfer portal. Like, love, or loathe it, the transfer portal is impacting every college football program, Ohio State included.

Earlier this week, Jalen Johnson and Teradja Mitchell announced their intentions to leave Ohio State and entered their names in the transfer portal. Both players are leaving Ohio State with positive things to say about their respective experiences, and I wish them well, wherever they wind up.

Below are Three Positions To Watch from the transfer portal, as Ohio State may need to utilize this much more than in previous seasons, when the Buckeyes would get one or two players from the transfer portal...

1. Defensive Backs

This can be for either cornerback or safety, but Ohio State is lacking depth in their defensive backfield. Compounding the issue is Ohio State will be losing several players, such as Cameron Brown, Josh Proctor, and Tanner McCalister due to exhausted eligibility, while Ronnie Hickman has announced his intentions to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Lathan Ransom could also declare, but that has not yet been determined.

While Ohio State has been recruiting talented high school players who will sign in December and possibly February 2023, it would probably be helpful to have at least one cornerback and one safety added from the transfer portal to come in and contribute. Other players, such as Ryan Turner, Jordan Hancock, and Sonny Styles may be in line to play considerably more in 2023.

2. Offensive Line

Speculation is rampant that starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. will declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Starting right tackle Dawand Jones is also expected to leave. Throw in the possibilities that starting center Luke Wypler and starting right guard Matthew Jones could also leave, and you will see why I am listing this as a problem area that needs to be addressed with depth available via the transfer portal.

3. Defensive End

Zach Harrison, Tyler Friday, and Javonte Jean-Baptiste are all going to be leaving after the 2022 season. While J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer will return, Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson prefers to rotate players continually along the line. Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson, and Omari Abor could use some additional depth at the position, as they will likely be needed more in the 2023 season.

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Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State women beat New Hampshire Wildcats with historic second half
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Historically good defense and Cotie McMahon propelled the Buckeyes Thursday

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team truly played a game of two halves on Thursday against the New Hampshire Wildcats. Ohio State struggled in the first quarter, extended their lead a bit in the second but gave New Hampshire momentum entering halftime. What fans saw in the second half of the 92-36 rout was a sight to see.

It was a half for the history books and the first game note.

Seven Points


Thursday, Ohio State entered the halftime locker room up 10 points. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Buckeyes amassed a 56-point lead allowing only seven points on defense to the Wildcats.

“It started with the press,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “In the first half, we weren’t putting much energy into it. It’s kind of an all-or-nothing thing. We’re either doing it or we’re not.”

Look at the stat sheet and it becomes evident. In the first half, the Wildcats shot 37.5% from the field, and 50% in the second quarter, showing a lull in the Buckeyes’ energy. Ohio State forced nine turnovers in the second half.

Shifting to the third and fourth quarters, the Scarlet & Gray allowed two made shots all half. Two. Both came in the third quarter, with the Wildcats shooting and missing 12 attempts in the fourth quarter. Outside of three shots made at the free throw line in the last 10 minutes of the game, the Wildcats didn’t make a shot in-play for 15:56.

Ohio State forced nine turnovers in the first half and doubled it in the second half, ending the day just below their NCAA-leading average with 27 forced.

Making History


The Buckeyes’ seven points allowed in the second half was the fewest allowed in a half this season. Previously, a 20-point second half against the McNeese State Cowgirls topped the list. With the seven-point defensive performance, Ohio State tied their program record when they held Nicholls State to seven points on Nov. 25, 2005, in an eerily similar scoreline of 94-35.

Center and All-American Jessica Davenport led the Buckeyes that day with 18 points. The 2005/06 season is also the first year Ohio State won both the Big Ten regular season and tournament in the same season.

That season also saw the Scarlet & Gray hit a program-high No. 2 ranking to end the season. It’s a record that Ohio State could match if they continue their winning ways and teams ahead of them slip up.

Looking Past a Ranking


Ohio State’s second half also broke a funk that stretches back to the early minutes of the Buckeyes’ first Big Ten game of the season, at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights lost by 12 points but outscored Ohio State in the final three quarters of the game.

Coach McGuff diagnosed the issue after the win over the Wildcats, and how the Buckeyes fixed it.

“We didn’t play hard, we weren’t focused, we didn’t play with intensity,” said McGuff. “I told them at halftime, ‘we look like a team for the last 10 days everyone’s been telling us how good we are, and not like the team that started the year as one of the hardest playing teams in the country.’”

After the game, forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry echoed that sentiment. It was a moment that changed the game and reminded the team that they can talk the talk about not letting the ranking affect their game, but they also have to play what they’re saying.

Cotie McMahon’s Big Second Half


Personifying this intensity and energy coming out of the locker room was McMahon. In the first three minutes and six seconds of the third quarter, McMahon had four steals that resulted in 10 points. The freshman forward scored 10 points, on her way to a 20-point game, tying her early NCAA career high.


“That’s our game, that’s my game,” said McMahon. “We should have started like that from the jump.”

McMahon added four assists and four rebounds, plus only one turnover committed. It’s a sign of McMahon’s early growth as a freshman who entered Ohio State with big expectations next to her top-25 recruit in the country title.

Scoring Through the Roster


All but one healthy Buckeye saw time on the court Thursday, and 10 of 11 got their name in the scoring column. What sticks out is forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The forward scored a season-low seven points, but Ohio State didn’t need a big scoring day from the big. Mikulášiková was valuable on defense, getting hands in the faces of shooters, often from beyond the arc. The forward also grabbed six rebounds, tied for the team-high.

Fellow forward Taylor Thierry was one point shy of her 15-point career high, but those 14 points got Thierry back into double-digit scoring after two games in a row with seven. The sophomore’s playing consistently this season, grabbing six rebounds on Thursday and blocking a shot for the fourth consecutive game.

Guard Taylor Mikesell was a close second for top scorer with 19 points. The guard scored 11 of those points in the first half, keeping Ohio State in the lead against a surging Wildcats side.

Mikesell led from deep, hitting four shots, one of six players who made a three-pointer on the day. Transfer sophomore Emma Shumate hit two herself.

Columbus City Schools Impact


Lining the streets surrounding the Schottenstein Center were a swarm of yellow school buses and a line of kids wrapped around the building. Those attendees created the loudest home advantage of the season as close to 4,000 students from Columbus City Schools made their way into their seats.

The 2nd and 7 Foundation awarded kids who held strong attendance at school to a Thursday basketball game, and their presence was more than felt.


Every Buckeye shot made or rebound on the defensive boards elicited screams of joy and vigorous shaking of red pom-poms. When the in-arena team put the kids on the scoreboard, their smiles showed a crowd who enjoyed the game.

They weren’t alone.

“It increased our motivation to play hard,” said Thierry. “Yeah, it was loud but honestly it hyped us up and motivated us and benefitted us.”

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Buck Off Podcast: First thoughts on Georgia, Ohio State OC vacancy, and the JSN situation
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

The guys are back to get into Ohio State’s playoff opponent and the big news of the week.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to discuss Ohio State’s biggest stories from the week and get into the the Buckeyes’ playoff opponent in the Georgia Bulldogs.

We start the show with a long discussion about our initial thoughts surrounding Ohio State’s Peach Bowl matchup. In this conversation, we get into some key stats for the Buckeyes and how they compare to Georgia. Then we look at how the cultures of the programs will have just as much an impact as the game plans starting with the margins.

Then we get into a talk about Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson moving on from the program. We assess the opportunity this provides for coaches in-house, but our real conversation dives into some outside options. This discussion leads to a talk about why sometimes the outside isn’t always bad.

Next, we look at the Jaxon Smith-Njigba situations. This topic gets into the common theme of fans disregarding players being people. Then we talk about how opportunistic “journalists” take irresponsible approaches to stories like this for the audience to swallow.

Then, to close out the show, we get into our final thoughts and send you on the road!


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Buckeyes make the cut for five-star defensive lineman, check in on 2025 offensive tackle
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State is still trying to land a five-star pass rusher in the 2023 class.

The most pressing need remaining in the 2023 class has been an elite edge rusher. For what seems like an eternity now, Ohio State has been in the mix for three of the nation’s best, and most recruiting followers can name them by heart. Going through this process, the Buckeyes have seen their momentum come and go, but at least have remained in serious contention for their top targets.

On Thursday, the Buckeyes found their name once again in a solid spot, as five-star talent Matayo Uiagalelei named his final three schools. Oregon and USC being the other two, in addition to Ohio State, isn’t a surprise by any means, but cements what most believed to be Uiagalelei’s top three schools for some time now.

Destined to go the distance in his recruitment timeline wise, Matayo has really seen all he can from the Ohio State side of things. After being on campus multiple times and getting the stamp of approval from his family, the Buckeyes don’t need to show much more, but down the stretch are still going to go full head of steam after him until pen hits paper.

The No. 28 player nationally, Uiagalelei would be a massive addition to Ohio State’s 2023 class, and would be the boost that honestly feels needed at this point, but there’s plenty of work still to be done to make that a reality.

Coach Frye makes a stop in Georgia


It’s crootin’ season for Ohio State and the rest of the college football landscape right now. Even with the College Football Playoff looming in the near future, the staff knows just how important it is to say active on the trail. Now more than ever, the Buckeyes are in some battles for their remaining top targets, and there’s no time to waste when it comes to checking in on both current class of 2023 guys and even players that are in the next couple of cycles.

That said, yesterday offensive line coach Justin Frye was on the road and made a stop in Evans, Georgia. Taking time to visit with the head coach at Evans, Frye was likely there to talk about 2025 offensive tackle target, Mason Short. A 6-foot-7, 280 pound sophomore, Short is already one of the top players in the country regardless of position and it makes sense when you consider his size.

The No. 28 player nationally, Short is already considered to be the third best tackle in the class and the fourth best player from Georgia in 2025 all per the 247Sports Composite. Already nearing 20 offers to his name from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, and a host of others, it’s pretty easy to see why the Buckeyes jumped in this recruitment as early as they did.

Making an appearance in person shows how highly Ohio State thinks of Short, and this early on in his recruiting process, the Buckeyes are hoping to make more than just an impression. Frye will certainly keep in contact as he was brought here not only to develop the offensive line itself, but also the raise the level of recruiting. Landing a top national tackle hasn’t been easy for Ohio State, but in the 2025 class it looks as if Short will be one of those candidates to hopefully change the narrative.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State has benefitted mightily over the years from their top in-state products, and keeping with the offensive line trend, the Buckeyes are hoping that remains the case. With three in-state offensive line commits in the 2023 class, Frye has a stable of talent coming in that will know what it means not only to be a big time player, but also what it means to be a Buckeye.

Among the many accolades these young men already possess, on Thursday both Luke Montgomery and Joshua Padilla were named first-team All-State for division one in Ohio. A major honor for both, this further shows the caliber of players Ohio State is getting especially with how competitive Ohio high school football is in the biggest division.

• In addition to Uiagalelei dropping a top schools list, the Buckeyes also received good word from 2023 running back Jamarion Wilcox. The No. 39 ranked running back in the class, Wilcox is down to Kentucky, Clemson, Auburn, and Ohio State. A recent offer by the Buckeyes, Wilcox has quickly become one of the more frequently mentioned names and very well could be the running back in this 2023 class. For now, Ohio State is still certainly in the mix.

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unstuck?
as in like the pages were stuck together?

jesus... you people are disgusting!

Tanner Holden’s buzzer-beater wins it for Ohio State, 67-66 over Rutgers
Connor Lemons 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

TANNER HOLDEN! ONIONS!

Winners of three of their last four and coming off a dominant second half against St. Francis last weekend, the No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2) welcomed the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-2, 2-0) to Columbus Thursday night to kick off Big Ten play. Steve Pikiell’s squad knocked off No. 14 Indiana 63-48 over the weekend, starting Big Ten play 1-0. Ohio State entered this game trying to start 1-0 in conference play for the second-straight season.

This matchup featured Rutgers’ top-10 defense (No. 6 according to KenPom) versus Ohio State’s top-five offense. The Scarlet Knights have also proven to be an elite team playing at home in recent years, but have a combined record of 12-31 (.279) playing away from the RAC over the last four seasons.

The Scarlet Knights, who defeated Ohio State last season in their lone matchup of the year, went with a starting five of Cam Spencer, Caleb McConnell, Mawot Mag, Aundre Hyatt, and Cliff Omoruyi. Chris Holtmann countered with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Justice Sueing, Zed Key, and Brice Sensabaugh — who started in place of Isaac Likekele, who was away from the team due to a personal matter back home in Texas.

Rutgers did, in fact, continue that trend of struggling away from home, falling to the Buckeyes 67-66 Thursday night at the Schottenstein Center. It was a brutally physical game that stayed within one possession each way for almost the entirety of the second half, keeping the fans on the edge of their seat for the entire second half. But despite holding a lead with 50 seconds remaining, the Buckeyes were able to score in the closing seconds and escape with their first conference win of the season.

Despite coming into the game as the worst three-point shooting team in the Big Ten at just over 31%, the Scarlet Knights began the game by knocking down three of their first four triples. Steve Pikiell’s team took an early 11-8 lead thanks to long-distance makes by Spencer, Hyatt, and Mag. Rutgers was especially going after Sensabaugh, who’s shown real chops on the offensive end but to this point of the season has struggled on defense.

However, the Buckeyes blindsided Rutgers out of that first media timeout, scoring seven-straight points in 63 seconds to turn an 11-8 deficit into a 15-8 lead. Pikiell called timeout to try and halt their momentum, despite it being only 68 seconds after the forced media timeout. By the 12:00 mark of the first half, Ohio State had a 19-14 lead over the Scarlet Knights.


The Buckeyes opened their lead up to as many as 11 points during the first half, but Rutgers ended the first half on a 9-0 run to close that gap down to just two points by the halftime buzzer. The Buckeyes did not score over the final four minutes of the first half, but still led 31-29 heading to the locker room. Zed Key led all scorers with 15 first-half points, as well as eight rebounds and a block. Spencer led Rutgers with nine first-half points.


The lead changed hands four times over the first eight minutes of the second half, with Omoruyi providing Rutgers’ first nine points of the second stanza. Four Ohio State freshmen played at the same time for a stretch, and by the under-12 media timeout the Buckeyes led by a single points, 47-46. Rutgers’ full-court press and aggressive style of defense were making Ohio State’s guards uncomfortable, especially Thornton who was bothered by McConnell throughout.

The two teams more or less went bucket-for-bucket over the next six minutes, with the Scarlet Knights holding on to a 55-53 lead with 6:11 remaining in the game. Key and Omoruyi seemed to switch places after the halftime break, with Ohio State’s junior big man being held in check for quite some time while Omoruyi slammed home dunk after dunk after dunk for Rutgers.

The two teams stayed within two points of each other each way for the majority of the second half, trading one-possession leads over and over and over.

By the time all was said and done, Ohio State had won 67-66, thanks to a miracle three-pointer from Tanner Holden. If you didn’t catch Ohio State’s Big Ten opener tonight on ESPN2, here are some of the big plays and moments that swung the game:

Key on both ends


At 6-foot-11 and nearly 250 pounds, Omoruyi has been developing for two years at Rutgers but is playing the best basketball of his career this season, his junior year. The ball was forced down to him on Rutgers’ first possession of the game this evening, but despite being three inches shorter than his counterpart, Key was able to get up and send Omoruyi’s shot packing for his first block of the game.

Moments later, with the game tied 2-2 early, Omoruyi gave Key a bit too much space at the top of the key. Key knocked down his fourth three-pointer of the season to give the Buckeyes a 5-2 lead 1:47 into the game.

Rutgers making it rain?


Rutgers entered tonight’s contest as the worst three-point shooting team in the Big Ten, knocking it down from distance at a clip of just 31.3%. The Scarlet Knights only have two players who shoot better than 37% from distance — McConnell and Spencer. So naturally, Rutgers knocked down three of their first four three-point attempts — one apiece from Spencer, Mag, and Hyatt — to take an early 11-8 lead.

Buckeyes bum-rush Rutgers out of the timeout


After surrendering the lead to the Scarlet Knights for a brief moment, the Buckeyes scored on three consecutive possessions after the first media timeout. From 15:07 to 14:06, the Buckeyes got a three-pointer from McNeil, a layup from Key, and an authoritative dunk from Key to take a 15-11 lead, and Steve Pikiell called timeout as the crowd roared.

Story of two first-half bigs


After holding his own against the biggest team in the country last week at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Key had 15 first-half points tonight against Rutgers — mainly battling with Omoruyi below the basket. While Key had maybe his best half of basketball in his career with those 15 points and 8 boards, Omoruyi struggled mightily. The junior big man from Nigeria had just two points on 1-3 shooting over 12 first-half minutes.

Rutgers ends the first half strong


Right when it looked like the Buckeyes had this game completely under control, Rutgers re-asserted themselves on the defensive end, holding Ohio State scoreless over the final four minutes of the half. They forced the Buckeyes into four turnovers during the final four minutes of the first half, used that to fuel a 9-0 run to end the opening stanza.

Had Ohio State just kept things even over the final few minutes, they could’ve gone into the locker room up double digits. Instead, Rutgers knocked the Buckeyes square on their rear with a sucker punch between the eyes, and OSU led by just two points at halftime.

Omoruyi puts the Knights on his back to start the half


After a very poor first half where he scored just two points, Omoruyi put his team on his back when they needed it the most, scoring nine points over the first 5:02 of the second half to keep up with the Buckeyes. Omoruyi was the only Rutgers player to score during the first five minutes of the second half, and his nine points matched Ohio State’s nine points during the opening minutes to keep it a two-point game.

Thornton beats the buzzer to escape the jam


With Ohio State trailing 44-42 and just over 13 minutes remaining, Ohio State had four freshmen (Thornton, Sensabaugh, Roddy Gayle, and Felix Okpara) on the floor along with Tanner Holden. The Rutgers defense had tightened quite a bit, and Thornton had the ball near the “Value City Arena” logo on the right wing, about 12 feet beyond the free throw line.

With absolutely nothing going and the shot clock at two, Thornton hoisted a deep three from that spot over the head of Mulcahy, and he drilled it to give the Buckeyes the lead back. Holtmann kept the mostly-freshmen lineup on the floor for a few more minutes before pulling Thornton in favor of Sueing, but the young guys held their own and didn’t let the game snowball out of hand.

Sueing’s triple reclaims the lead with five minutes left


Sueing’s had an up and down season thus far, struggling in several games but also mixing in a 33-point effort at Maui that showed just how talented the sixth-year forward is. He’s shot the ball miserably from long-range this season, especially considering he shot 36.1% from downtown just two seasons ago.

This season Sueing entered the game shooting a paltry 16% from three-point range, but he knocked a clutch three-pointer from the corner with 5:15 left in the game to give Ohio State a 56-55 lead. It was just his fifth tripe of the season.

Omoruyi’s thunderous and-one slam


Immediately after Sueing gave the Buckeyes a one-point lead, Spencer found Omoruyi on the back end of a pick play for a wide open, left-handed dunk that darn near bent the rim. He was also fouled by Sueing, but Omouyi missed the free throw and Rutgers’ lead was only a single point with 4:45 left, 57-56.

Sensabaugh bangs a three for the lead, but Key’s moving screens wipes it away


Sensabaugh knocked down a clutch three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 62-59 lead with 2:41 remaining, but Key was called for a moving screen below the basket at the same time and the basket was waived off and the ball given back to Rutgers. Mulcahy immediately took the ball the other way and scored on the ensuing possession, giving the Scarlet Knights a 61-59 lead.

Omoruyi’s clutch block


Ohio State went for the win in the closing seconds, with Sensabaugh taking a step-back one legged floater from about six feet away from the basket — not a bad shot, considering the circumstances. However, his shot was sent flying by Omoruyi, and and Mulcahy collected the rebound. Sensabaugh had to foul, sending Mulcahy to the line.

Tanner Holden! Onions!


After McConnell missed a free throw with five seconds remaining that could have made it a three point game, Thornton was able to find Holden for a buzzer-beating three pointer to win the game for the Buckeyes, 67-66.


Up Next:

No. 25 Ohio State (7-2) gets eight days off before heading to NYC to face a struggling North Carolina Tar Heels team on Saturday, December 17. UNC, the preseason No. 1 team in the nation and last season’s national runner-up, has lost four consecutive games and is now unranked at 5-4. The game between Ohio State and Carolina is part of the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. That game will be broadcast on CBS and is set to tip off at 3:00 p.m. E.T.

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You’re Nuts: Which non-invitee most deserved to be a Heisman finalist?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

Today’s Question: Which non-invitee most deserved to be a Heisman finalist?

Jami’s Take: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee


While it seems like a pretty done deal that Caleb Williams will win the Heisman Saturday night (which I predicted back in October to laughter and doubt, thank you very much. I will accept apologies in the form of cash, check, or Venmo from my haters), there were a few noticeable names missing from the list of Heisman finalists.

No omission was more egregious than that of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.

The veteran captain of the Volunteers shattered program records throughout the season, guided his team to a New Year Six bowl game (they’ll be facing Clemson in the Orange Bowl), and at one point, was at the helm of a ship that held the No. 1 ranking in college football.

He did all this while putting up spectacular numbers despite playing in fewer games, thanks to a season-ending injury in the Vols’ loss to South Carolina. In fact, until Tennessee fell to Georgia in November, Hooker was the Heisman favorite.

And yet, it won’t be Hendon Heisman this year (not to mention that while leaving him off the list, the committee decided to go the inexplicable route of including Stetson Bennett among the finalists).

Somewhere in recent years, the Heisman took a turn toward really only recognizing quarterbacks, which I take issue with. I would love to see more position players recognized as they were in days gone by, so I acknowledge that simply replacing one quarterback with another goes against my principles. To that end, I respect Matt’s choice to go with a running back.

But what Hooker accomplished this season was worthy of Heisman recognition, whether or not I am contributing to a larger problem.

Hooker’s passer rating was second in the nation (he led the SEC), and he ranked in the top-10 nationally in completion percentage and total offense. He had the best numbers nationally in yards per attempt, bringing his season-end stats to 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions in 10.5 games. He put up an average of 9.53 yards per attempt, leading the FBS. Hooker’s final quarterback rating at the end of the season – 89.4 – put him ahead of all four of the Heisman finalists.

Under his lead, the Volunteer offense led the entire FBS in yards per game (538.1), yards per play (7.3), and scoring (with a whopping 47.3 points per game on average).

Thanks to these impressive numbers, Hooker was named the SEC Player of the Year. Yes, player of the year in what was indisputably the strongest conference this season. He is the first quarterback to receive that honor and then not be named a Heisman finalist while another SEC QB heads to New York instead.

Bennett, for his part, was not even named the second-team All-SEC quarterback (that would be last year’s Heisman winner Bryce Young of Alabama). In fact, Bennett is not even the best player on his own team! That would be Bulldog tight end Brock Bowers, in my opinion (see also: Nominate position players, you cowards).

Bennett is an above-average quarterback with an NFL-caliber team behind him making him look better. Hooker, on the other hand, made his team better, rather than the other way around. Putting up historic numbers in a season with a brutal schedule and missing a single game due to injury, while still leading the nation in several statistical categories? If that doesn’t justify a trip to New York, I truly don’t know what does. Simply throwing the ball for the No. 1 team in the country at the end of the year? That’s not the point of the Heisman!

Rarely do I feel so strongly about an omission by the Heisman that I feel it actually lessens the award’s legitimacy. This is one of those oversights.

Of the four finalists, my heart says C.J. Stroud, my head says Caleb Williams, my indifference says Max Duggan, and my body says ride at dawn to avenge Hendon Hooker’s honor if Stetson Bennett wins.

Matt’s Take: Blake Corum, Michigan


I know some people aren’t going to like this, but to me, it’s kind of ridiculous that Blake Corum got beat out for an invitation by Stetson Bennett. Now, I know that we are all still upset about Ohio State losing to its rival for the second straight year, but if you watched Corum at all this year before his injury, there was no doubt that he was an electric playmaker that should (and did) strike fear into the heart of every Buckeye.

The Wolverine running back averaged 121.92 yards per game, which was 10th nationally, by far the most of anybody on a team of note. So clearly he was a very deserving candidate, but more importantly, I am comfortable championing him because of the repeated ridiculousness of The Heisman Trophy Trust.

What has always annoyed me is how fickle and short-sighted the Heisman voters are. Corum was injured at the end of the first half in the penultimate game of the season. Until that happened, not only was he a contender to be a Heisman finalist, but he was also a legitimate contender to win the award. Now obviously, he only had one snap in the second half against Illinois and only had two carries against the Buckeyes, but that is no reason to erase the rest of his body of work. If he was in legitimate consideration to win the Heisman in the middle of his Week 12 game, he should still be a finalist at this point.

That is especially true considering that he is the most deserving candidate at any position other than quarterback. To have a group of Heisman finalists comprised completely of QBs — including one who comparitvely doesn’t deserve to be there and another who wasn’t getting legitimate Heisman buzz until conference championship weekend — is a major disservice to all of the non-signal callers in the sport.

Yes, I understand that quarterback is the most important player in the sport, but the Heisman is not the college football MVP award, it is supposed to be given to the most outstanding player who demonstrates diligence, perseverance, and hard work. On the merits of the latter criteria, I suppose I could understand an argument for the Georgia QB, but the MOP? No chance.

I will obviously be pulling for C.J. Stroud to win on Saturday (although, I imagine he’ll finish third at best), but we all know that he’s not even really the most outstanding player on Ohio State’s offense. Sure, you can argue diligence, perseverance, and hard work, because those are ultimately subjective traits, but Marvin Harrison Jr. is clearly the most outstanding player on OSU’s entire roster.

So, the Heisman’s insistence on focusing so heavily on quarterbacks has pushed many of the best players in the country so far away from the conversation, that they never even really factor in. Corum did, and were it not for an injury against Illinois, chances are that he would have been in New York this weekend; better yet, had he been a quarterback, chances are he would win.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Thierry, McMahon, McGuff on New Hampshire blowout, Brittney Griner release
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Following a game that was practically two games in one, the Buckeyes talk about the performance, Brittney Griner’s release, and more.

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.


The Ohio State women’s basketball team played an early, 11:00 a.m. ET, basketball game on Thursday against the University of New Hampshire. In a crowd full of up to 4,000 elementary-aged kids celebrating good school attendance, the Buckeyes played a lethargic first half and then a record-tying second half in a 92-36 win over the Wildcats.

After the game, after the hours of screaming subsided and kids returned to school, head coach Kevin McGuff and forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon spoke about the win.

Thierry discussed the play of her teammate McMahon, adjustments the players had to make at halftime, and how the Buckeyes reacted to the release of Brittney Griner from Russian imprisonment.

McMahon went into detail about what it means to play in front of kids, and how it can motivate them to play the game themselves. Also, her thoughts on Thierry’s game and the big turnaround the team made to hold the Wildcats to seven second-half points.

Coach McGuff gave insight into what he said in the locker room to his team, the record-tying defensive effort in the second half, and his feelings about the Griner release.

All of that and more in the Buckeyes’ last game before returning to Big Ten play on Sunday, against the Michigan State Spartans, now on Uncut.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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Ohio State coach and players reflect on Brittney Griner release
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Hours after the basketball star was released from Russian imprisonment, Buckeyes share their thoughts

WNBA and Team USA star center Brittney Griner never played against the Ohio State Buckeyes in her four seasons at Baylor University. However, the impact of Griner’s game on the court, and arrest and subsequent imprisonment in Russia on Feb. 17, 2022, sent shockwaves throughout basketball, especially in the women’s game.

At 8:14 a.m. ET, on Dec. 8, after 294 days, Griner release back to the United States became public.


Less than three hours later, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team took the court against the University of New Hampshire. The Scarlet & Gray took care of business, defeating the Wildcats 92-36. It was a game that, in the grand commentary of the basketball world, won’t make a huge ripple in the narrative of the day, especially considering Griner’s release.

Forward Taylor Thierry, who continued a season of good performances on Thursday, is known within the team as a more subdued, timid, personality. After the game, Thierry gave a view into the emotions within the team upon hearing the announcement.

“Oh my gosh, we were all so happy,” exclaimed Thierry with a smile on her face. “I’m just happy for her. Her family gets to see her and hopefully her transition back ... goes well.”

Thierry chose Ohio State as a more under-the-radar signing than some, playing lower-division high school basketball in Cleveland, Ohio before joining the Buckeyes in 2021. Others on the team, like Guard Taylor Mikesell and forward Cotie McMahon, joined Ohio State and the Big Ten ranked in the top 100 in the country, on a path to playing professionally.

Players from all levels of amateur basketball have aspirations of reaching the level of Griner: a two-time Naismith Player of the Year, a two-time gold medalist, and a WNBA star with the Phoenix Mercury.

Ohio State is a program that attracts those who want to reach the WNBA. Lining the hallway that leads to the team’s practice court are plaques for all the former Buckeyes who have made it into the United States’ top women’s basketball league.

Names like Katie Smith, Jantel Lavender, and Kelsey Mitchell give recruits a look into the strength of the program and offers motivation to current players.

A player on the Buckeyes’ roster who is eyeing a place on that wall is forward Cotie McMahon. After a game in which McMahon led the Buckeyes with 20 points, five steals, and four rebounds, the freshman shared her feelings on the day’s news.

“I’m really happy that she’s free,” said McMahon. “I feel like it was long awaited but everything happens for a reason and she’s finally out.”

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Freshman and WNBA hopeful Cotie McMahon played her strongest game of the season against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats

It’s a sentiment felt by many, including head coach Kevin McGuff, who called the release “incredible” and wished everyone involved well.

While there wasn’t any formal acknowledgment of it in the game or on the court — which isn’t shocking considering that there’s no real connection between Griner and the Buckeyes’ basketball program — the excitement was felt throughout the team.

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Kid has great LB size. By the time he gets it going in college he'll be about perfect size

Key Stats: What makes Ohio State’s playoff opponent Georgia so dominant
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

We are weeks away from the Peach Bowl matchup, but its not too early to scout Ohio State’s opponent.

The College Football Playoff is set, with the No. 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes taking on the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl. If you ask anyone outside of the Ohio State sphere what the Buckeyes chances are, they’ll probably tell you that they don’t have one.

Georgia is a juggernaut, and over the past few years they are one of the few teams that have out-recruited the Buckeyes. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has built a defense that reloads and routinely has stretches of dominance that teams across the country just can’t match. Ohio State’s offense will need to be at its best from a competitive and play-calling standpoint to have success. They can not let Georgia’s defense go on an explosive run that has buried teams these past two seasons.

This shows up statistically, and despite some let down performances in the middle of the season, Georgia has had another dominant campaign. Their offense has been surprisingly explosive and their defense’s reputation has been as advertised. Statistically for Georgia, the hype is well represented across the board.


Average margin of victory against ranked teams

Starting with scoring margin, the Bulldogs have won by an average of 25.8 points per game. This ranks right between Michigan and Ohio State, which makes sense given the three teams are in the College Football Playoff. All three teams have taken care of business on the field, especially against overmatched opponents.

Where Georgia separates in this category is their average scoring margin against ranked teams. Against currently ranked Top-25 teams, the Bulldogs have won by an average margin of 26.7 points. In Ohio State’s two ranked wins, they have won by 11 and 13 points. Georgia has shown up in big games, and both the LSU and Tennessee final scores don’t tell the full story. The Tennessee game had the second half played in a monsoon, and Georgia had the game well in hand from the jump against LSU.

Even with those circumstances, Georgia has been able to find a higher level in meaningful football game.

Red zone scoring percentage

In the modern game of football, defenses have leaned on red zone success as a benchmark for team success. If you can hold teams to field goals and limit the amount of touchdowns scored when the opponent gets to the small part of the field, that is seen as a success. The goal is to limit points, and the best teams in the country excel at this. Conversely, the best offenses are able to convert these opportunities into touchdowns.

Georgia ranks No. 1 in both categories.

On defense, the Bulldogs only give up points on 60.7 percent of red zone trips. That is 4 percent better than the next ranked team, and 19 percent better than the next highest playoff team. They have only allowed 27 trips to the red zone, but that adds to the level of dominance here. Not letting teams get to the red zone is the first step, being dominant when they get there is the separator.

For Georgia, their offensive success is reliant on a solid kicker, a power run game, and elite tight end play with a quarterback who doesn’t make mistakes. They are only 3 percent better than Ohio State here, and this is a place where they differ from the Buckeyes. They have taken 71 trips to Ohio State’s 58. Of those 71 trips for Georgia, they have converted 67 percent into touchdowns, which shows you can limit the points they score.

If the Buckeyes can hold Georgia to field goals, that is a sign of success. Matching that with success by scoring touchdowns on offense is one of the keys to Ohio State winning the football game.

Line stats

Some other key stats have to do with the offensive and defensive lines of Georgia. They rank with the best groups in the country, which once again should not come as a surprise. The Bulldogs offensive line has only given up seven sacks this year. That is only one better than Ohio State to give context, with Georgia playing one more game. Where both sides are similar in pass-pro, the Buckeyes rank higher in sack percentage and sacks per game defensively.

This is key area for the Buckeyes, and if they can limit Georgia’s interior pass rushers, teams have been able to find success throwing the ball down the field. If they can put the Bulldogs behind the sticks on offense, that takes them out of their comfort zone. Georgia is only giving up sacks on 1.1 percent of drop backs, meaning the Buckeyes will have their work cut out for them. Jim Knowles has shown a willingness to blitz, and if Ladd McConkey is unable to go, I’d expect a higher percentage of blitzes to force Stetson Bennett into some rushed throws.

According to Football Outsiders, Georgia’s offensive line ranks 21st in stuff rate, meaning they are prone to getting stopped for no gain. They also rank 66th in power success rate, meaning in short yardage situations like 3rd-and-1 or situations they need to gain three yards or less – which is another place Ohio State needs to find situational success,

Both teams lines will have a crucial role in this game, and the Buckeyes have had some trouble in short yardage scenarios on both sides of the ball. Given the reputation of Georgia’s defense, they live up to it with defending the power run at a 50 percent clip, good for 7th in the country. Giving up 2.07 average line yards means Ohio State will have to grind for every bit of offense, but if they can find success on early downs, Georgia ranks in the 100s for every pressure stats.


Stats don’t always tell the full story, but this is a natural place to start in comparing the two teams. Both teams have similar stats – as do the other two playoff teams – so the takeaways need to be taken with a grain of salt. Looking at the details gives us an indication that Ohio State and Georgia aren’t separated by as much as the national media would have you believe.

Georgia is a dominant football team. They have risen to the occasion and been dominant in the biggest games on their schedule. Ohio State has shown weaknesses, but the Bulldogs have for stretches as well. As many have predicted for a long time, this will be a game of one great unit versus another. Ohio State’s offense is still explosive and has the dynamic ability to change the game in a snap.

Statistically, these two teams are separated by razor thin margins, and the stats they excel in aren’t the same as each other. This game will be a matchup of differing philosophies, but both teams have found success in their own way. As we know, numbers only tell us how the teams got here. We will know how much they really mean come Dec. 31 in Atlanta.

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Ohio State women beat New Hampshire 92-36 in afternoon game
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University athletic department

The No. 3 Buckeyes deflate the Wildcats in the second half and win big

In a sea of red pom-poms, held by close to 4,000 Columbus City Schools students, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team celebrated the first day after the end of the semester with a game against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. In the first of two Buckeye games in Columbus on Thursday, Ohio State took care of business, defeating New Hampshire 92-36.

Absent again for the Buckeyes was guard Jacy Sheldon. Still listed as day-to-day with a lower leg injury, Sheldon sat on the bench, wearing a boot on her right foot. That meant a fourth start for Madison Greene, and second in a row.

The Buckeyes began the game by hitting two early shots, but in a loud Schottenstein Center, the Scarlet & Gray looked a bit disjointed. That gave the University of New Hampshire Wildcats a chance at competing.

Starting with 5-for-14 shooting, Ohio State came out of a media timeout and went down a point. From there, the offense started to click. The Buckeyes responded with a 12-point run, going up 20-9 after hitting a three to start the second quarter.

While the offense continued its improvement in the second quarter, led by Guard Taylor Mikesell hitting nine of her 11 first-half points, the defense for Ohio State lagged behind.

To New Hampshire’s credit, they played well through the Buckeyes’ press. Ohio State only forced nine turnovers entering halftime, with the Wildcats quick passing breaking up the press that isn’t quite the same without Sheldon.

The Wildcats’ shooting also improved. After going just 25% from the floor in the first quarter, New Hampshire doubled it in the second. Leading the way was senior Brooke Kane. The guard scored eight points in the half, keeping the Buckeyes’ lead from growing.

Up 15 under three minutes remaining in the first 20 minutes of the game, the Wildcats showed resiliency. New Hampshire scored seven of the last nine points, including a three at the buzzer by Canton, Ohio guard Breezie Williams. UNH entered the locker room at halftime down 39-29.

All that Wildcats' momentum was crushed at the start of the third quarter. In the first 1:40 of the quarter, the Buckeyes went on a 10-2 run. Leading the charge was forward Cotie McMahon.

The freshman from Dayton had five points in that run, and it showed the press was beginning to click. After hitting a three, McMahon jumped in front of a pass in the backcourt to go on a mini fastbreak. It was her second of the early quarter.

McMahon added a third soon after. This time, sending a deep pass down the court to a charging Mikesell. The guard grabbed the pass under the basket and hit a reverse layup. Halfway through the third, McMahon already amassed eight points and four steals, on her way to tying her season high in scoring with 20 points.

Other Buckeyes joined McMahon in a quarter where Ohio State scored 30 points, extending their lead to 36 points. Mikesell went 2-for-3 from deep, scoring eight points. Forward Taylor Thierry had six points and a block. Even though forward Rebeka Mikulášiková had a quieter shooting day, she added three in the quarter and three rebounds.

It seemed like Ohio State could do no wrong, which followed them into the fourth.

The Buckeyes extended their 15-point run to end the third into a 26-point run before the Wildcats hit a shot. Almost 10 minutes of game time between New Hampshire points.

After a first half that looked like a potential letdown game for Ohio State, their second half was unstoppable. The Buckeyes comfortably beat the Wildcats 92-36.

Buckeyes Find the Energy


For five quarters, stretching back to the second quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday, Ohio State lacked the energy. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes discussed not meeting their expectations in their first Big Ten win but it seemed to follow the Scarlet & Gray back home to Columbus.

Entering halftime on Thursday, the Buckeyes, the No. 3 team in the country, were up only 10 points to the 4-6 New Hampshire Wildcats. That changed in a big way in the third quarter.

Ohio State started hot and their temperature only increased. The Buckeyes scored 30 points, outscoring the Wildcats by 26. That was through separate 10-point and 15-point runs.

Defensively, they forced 12 Wildcat turnovers, after allowing just nine in the first half. Ohio State also didn’t allow easy shots. Anytime UNH had an offensive possession, there was a Buckeye hand in the face of a shooter. It was the lowest point total allowed in any quarter for the Scarlet and Gray so far this season and the 7 overall New Hampshire points are a new half-low this season.

The previous low was 22 against the Ohio University Bobcats.

Staying in the Game


Sitting in the arena on Thursday were nearly 4,000 elementary school students wearing “Stay in the Game” shirts, a program promoting school attendance. The kid’s attendance was felt all game.

The loudest basketball crowds in America couldn’t compete with the high piercing sound of excited Buckeye fans. Every shot made and Ohio State rebound turned into a wave of sound crashing throughout the Schottenstein Center.

Making the game more exciting for the Columbus City Schools students were the Buckeyes players playing Simon Says on the video board, free t-shirts tossed into the crowd, and of course, Brutus Buckeye, who reached deity status in front of the young crowd.

What’s Next


After Thursday’s game, there’s a short turnaround for the Buckeyes. Next on the docket for McGuff and the Scarlet and Gray is their first home conference game of the season, welcoming the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.

Last season, Ohio State won all three games against the Spartans, including a quarterfinals game in the Big Ten tournament.

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The 2022 Ohio State team has a lot of similarities to the 2014 title team
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 Scott Donaldson/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

If Ohio State wants to win a second College Football Playoff title, they’ll have to channel some of the magic from the 2014 team.

As soon as it looked like Ohio State had a chance to make the College Football Playoff despite losing 45-23 to Michigan, I started thinking back to the first College Football Playoff at the end of the 2014 season. While the situations aren’t exactly the same, there are a lot of similarities between 2014 and 2022.

A loss to rebound from


In 2014, Ohio State was beaten at home by Virginia Tech 35-21 in the second game of the season. Even though the loss came in early September, at the the time people were already counting out the Buckeyes.


Really though, once Clay Travis said Ohio State was already eliminated from the playoff, we should have known the Buckeyes were a lock to make the first-ever CFP. If you ever want to put your money to good use, just bet against anything Travis says.

Granted, Ohio State had a couple months to state their case as to why they deserved to be in the CFP in 2014. This year the Buckeyes used their résumé heading into the Michigan game to earn a spot in the playoff. Ohio State started the season with a win over Notre Dame, and added victories over Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin to strengthen their case.

Key injuries


Ohio State suffered a huge loss in 2014 even before the first snap of the season when Braxton Miller was ruled out for the year with a shoulder injury. It looked like it was going to be a long season for the Buckeyes when J.T. Barrett under center when they lost to Virginia Tech in the second game of the year. Luckily for Ohio State, Barrett found his groove quickly after, leading the Buckeyes into the Michigan game with a 10-1 record.

Photo by Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Then Ohio State was thrown for another loop when Barrett suffered a leg injury against the Wolverines, leaving Cardale Jones to finish out the year. Prior to his first start in the Big Ten Championship Game, Jones was only known as the “we ain’t come to play school” guy. The third-string quarterback would go on to total six touchdowns in the final three games of the 2014 season.

This year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was thought to be a serious contender for the Biletnikoff Award after a 2021 season where he caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards. Smith-Njigba was injured early against Notre Dame, and we only saw him for a handful of plays the rest of the year. Even without Smith-Njigba, Ohio State’s passing attack was one of the most feared in the country with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming. The Buckeyes were able to survive without Smith-Njigba, but who knows where they could’ve been had the wide receiver not gotten hurt in the season opener.

SEC semifinal foe


In 2014, Ohio State was matched up with top-seed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This year the Buckeyes will face top-ranked Georgia in the Peach Bowl. Eight years ago, not many were giving Ohio State a chance against the Crimson Tide, as Alabama was favored by more than a touchdown. This year’s point spread against the Bulldogs isn’t quite that high, but it’s clear that the majority of people think Georgia will move on to the title game.

It’s understandable why Ohio State is an underdog against the Bulldogs. Georgia not only won last year’s title, they also were able to get through their schedule this year without a loss so far. While the Bulldogs lost a lot of talent from last year’s title team, Kirby Smart has stocked the cupboards in Athens with some of the best talent in the country. Not that Ohio State doesn’t have some great athletes, it just seems like Georgia has some of the most athletic monsters in the trenches that you’ll ever find.

Silencing the doubters


A week before Selection Sunday, any Buckeye fans were ready to blow the whole football program up. Some were packing Ryan Day’s bags, while others were certain we had seen C.J. Stroud take his last snaps in the scarlet and gray. Nobody was looking forward to another meaningless Rose Bowl, or matchup against Clemson in a New Year’s Six bowl.

Despite winning his first 24 games as Ohio State head coach, Urban Meyer did face plenty of criticism for how the 2013 season ended, as well as how the 2014 season began. Following the loss to Virginia Tech, Meyer had seen his team lose three out of four games, and there were many that thought more losses were on the way with Braxton Miller sidelined for the season.

Since taking over for Meyer as head coach following the 2018 season, Day has only lost three regular season games as Ohio State head coach. Unfortunately for Day, two of those losses have come in the last two seasons against Michigan. Many are wondering if Day is the next coming of John Cooper. While many schools would kill to have Day as their head coach, losing to Michigan is unacceptable. This year’s loss to the Wolverines would be forgotten if the Buckeyes are able to not only beat Georgia, but also beat Michigan if the two teams square off in the national title game.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

On a smaller scale, Stroud also has a lot to prove. Even though the Ohio State quarterback is a Heisman Trophy finalist for the second straight year, he wasn’t all that impressive in the final few games of the regular season. There are some that have questioned Stroud’s toughness and leadership following the loss to Michigan. The New Year’s Eve tilt against the Bulldogs will give Stroud a chance to make some of his doubters eat their words if he can lead the Buckeyes to victory against the toughest defense in the country.

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BuckeyeNation27 said:

You can't make NIL deals contingent on signing.

Click to expand...

Its like being in class and the teacher left! The only ones following rules(that matter) don scarlet and gray

dragurd said:

Texas A&M better hope they were smart enough to go on a yearly plan. Otherwise they are going to be paying a hell of a lot in NIL to people on other teams

Click to expand...

That oil money is deep, they'll be fine. Unlike OSU, their donors only care about football and bringing in top talent every year. If that talent leaves, well then more money needs to be raised to bring in the next class. We can laugh all we want, but that's their strategy. I'm not envious of it, as I'd like a balance to just blindly spending on teenagers and their family's.

Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for December 8, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Danny Moloshok/Getty Images

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...

On the Gridiron


Michael Doss Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
Ohio State Athletics

Ohio State has 10 players named to 2022 AP All-Big Ten teams
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Marvin Harrison Jr., Paris Johnson Jr., and J.T. Tuimoloau Received All-American Honors from The Athletic for Their Efforts in 2022
Chase Brown, Eleven Warriors

After being injured for most of his freshman year, Omari Abor is now officially a Buckeye!


PFF snap counts, player grades from Buckeyes regular season (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s family speaks out against ‘false claims’ about injury
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba shows how college football’s opt-outrage is overblown in both directions
Jimmy Watkins, cleveland.com

ngl, this is Ryan Day and Ohio State’s fault for being so tight-lipped about injuries.


C.J. Stroud and Ohio State’s Passing Attack Can Give the Buckeyes a Chance to Beat Georgia
Josh Poloha, Eleven Warriors

Big names to watch in the transfer portal for Ohio State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


With Rutgers on tap, Ohio State preparing for another disruptive defense (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Four Ohio State freshmen give Buckeyes rare scoring output
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Freshmen, grad transfers paying early dividends for Buckeyes’ mens basketball team
David M. Wheeler, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State women’s basketball coach, players on No. 3 ranking
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Hear the latest OSU WBB’s press conference with McGuff, Harris, and Greene

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Ohio State Wrestling: Sammy Sasso wins, Buckeyes take disappointing 8th at Cliff Keen Invitational
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

Women’s Volleyball: Ohio State Makes Third-Consecutive NCAA Regionals Appearance
Ohio State Athletics


Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes Reflect on NCAA Tournament Run, Seniors’ Departure
Gaurav Law, The Lantern

Shelley Graf Reflects on Time as First Female Drum Major
Meghan Beery, The Lantern

And now for something completely different...


I know that there are dozens (or hundreds) of extra layers of geopolitical ramifications at play here, but for now, this is just really fantastic news.


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Tomateaux Quinoa Gumbeaux said:

Could be b.s., but interesting if true:

Click to expand...

corruption in Jackson, MS ?
no fucking way!

Bucketheads Podcast: The Big Ten might be good, Rutgers visits Columbus, more
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

We also get into Hunter Dickinson’s smack talk and the Ohio State women’s team climbing to No. 3 in the country.

‘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


During this week’s episode, Connor and Justin take a broad look at the Big Ten and assess if it’s actually over-delivering based on the low expectations we had one month ago. Maryland and Purdue have surprised everyone, while teams like Indiana and Illinois have delivered as expected. Is the Big Ten the premier college basketball conference this season?

They also dive into a mess of other topics, including Hunter Dickinson talking that talk only to lose both times he ran his mouth, the Ohio State women’s team eyeing the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll, and Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson dominating in the Big 12 after two years away from basketball. They close with a brief preview of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights leading into Thursday night’s game.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

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Game Preview: No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. New Hampshire Wildcats
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Buckeyes face one of their last small conference opponents of the season, in a Thursday basketball double-header

The daily schedule gets shaken up for the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team this week. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Scarlet & Gray play an early game, part of two home Buckeye basketball games on Thursday. Up first is the No. 3 women’s team in the country versus their first of four final non-conference regular season games of the season. On the docket is another smaller conference opponent, the University of New Hampshire.

Preview


Thursday’s lunchtime tip welcomes the New Hampshire Wildcats. It’s another game, now their fifth this season, where the Buckeyes can hone their game before the Michigan State Spartans descend on Columbus, Ohio.

For Thursday’s opponents, they sit 4-6 in the America East conference, the same conference for the Buckeyes' last small non-conference game against the University of Albany on Friday, Dec. 16.

Chosen to sit in seventh of eight teams this season in America East’s preseason poll, the Buckeyes will be the biggest test for the Wildcats, so much of Ohio State’s focus will be internal.

Against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday, coach McGuff applauded a strong start but after the first quarter, the team went stagnant. After Rutgers adjusted, Ohio State had trouble getting back to their game plan, something Thursday will help.

The press didn’t have the same intensity and the team didn’t have the same energy, looking like the Scarlet & Gray weren’t as concerned with the Knights. Even if Ohio State won by 12 points at the final buzzer, it featured the Buckeyes hanging on in the final quarter with a surging Rutgers team who outscored Ohio State from the second quarter through the end of the game.

Expect a motivated Buckeyes team, giving guard Jacy Sheldon another game off to recover her lower leg injury and guard Madison Greene more opportunities to fill that pressing role left by Sheldon. Without Sheldon, the Buckeyes’ opponents average 11 fewer turnovers a game. If Sheldon’s injury continues for bigger opponents, the press will need consistency.

Another area to watch is communication on the floor. Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková and guard Taylor Mikesell played off each other well to score 31 and 30 points, respectively, but coach McGuff referenced overall team communication as a concern versus Rutgers. That meant players forced shots without playing on the same page as their teammates.

On the opponent’s side, the Wildcats' lone game outside of the New England area came in Florida, against Ohio State’s Dec. 20 opponent, the USF Bulls. The Bulls took care of the Wildcats 75-57. Even if it looks like a game with a lot of Buckeyes scoring, there’s still an Ohio connection to watch on the Wildcats.

Photo/Nick Aivazian / USA TODAY NETWORK
Guard Breezie Williams (5) dribbles up the court in a game against Holy Cross on Nov. 16, 2022

Freshman guard Breezie Williams joined New Hampshire this season out of Glenoak High School, outside of Canton, Ohio. Although there wasn’t overlap between Williams and Mikesell, who played close at Jackson High School, their schools are conference rivals. With New Hampshire, the freshman has started all 10 games and averages 10 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Don’t be surprised to see a lot of Wildcats blue in the Schottenstein Center on Thursday.

Projected Starters

Lineup Notes

• Considering the match-up, a Greene start for Sheldon seems likely, making it the guard’s fourth start of the season
• Mikulášiková’s 31 points against Rutgers put her team-leading points per game up to 19.8
• Ohio State features five players averaging double-digit scoring per game

Lineup Notes

• Guard Avery O’Connor is fifth in the conference in scoring per game (12.8) and third in three-pointers made (22)
• The Wildcats are the only America East team with a positive turnover margin (1.20)
• New Hampshire features no NCAA DI transfers on their roster

Prediction


This game should go the way games against North Alabama, Wright State, and McNeese State have gone for Ohio State. In other words, Buckeyes domination.

The Scarlet & Gray will limit starter minutes, and allow players on the bench to continue their progression in competitive play. Starting forward Cotie McMahon’s been benched the last two games, in favor of more experienced players. Thursday gives her the chance to get back on track, offensively. McMahon’s defense has been great throughout.

Watch guard Emma Shumate, who missed two games before the Buckeyes' trip to Louisville. The Newark, Ohio native played against Rutgers in meaningful minutes and should see more Thursday.

How to Watch


Date: Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022
Time: 11:00 a.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center - Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+

LGHL Prediction: 101-52 Ohio State Buckeyes

Buckeye Double-Header Benefits Women’s Team


Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center plays host to two Buckeyes games on Thursday. The second is on the men’s side when the No. 25 Scarlet & Gray men welcome the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to Columbus. The men sit 6-2, and Thursday’s game against Rutgers is their first Big Ten conference game of the season.

The early tip-off might hurt attendance for the women’s side, but there are still positives.

With a game against Sparty three days later, McGuff gets the extra time to prepare for Michigan State’s visit. If Thursday was a night game for the Buckeyes, that’d cut hours of prep away from a tough conference game.

Inside Thursday’s crowd is the second positive: the children. Thursday’s game is an incentive for students in Columbus City Schools. Through the 2nd and 7 Foundation, close to 4,000 students will be in attedance, a reward for students with good attendance to take in a basketball game.

“Our kids have been doing a great job with [being good role models],” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “I think it’ll be great to have the younger kids here for a game.”

If attending in-person, remember that 4,000 kids can be loud. Bring hearing protection if you need it.

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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Rutgers: Game preview and prediction
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes open up their Big Ten season by hosting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The No. 25 Ohio State men’s basketball team (6-2) is set to kick off the Big Ten portion of its season tonight at 7 p.m. ET as the Buckeyes welcome the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-2, 1-0). Head coach Steve Pikiell’s squad opened its conference campaign on Saturday with a fairly shocking 63-48 victory over the then-No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers.


Chris Holtmann’s team returns to the floor for the first time following its 96-59 victory over the St. Francis (PA) Red Flash on Saturday, a game in which four Buckeye true freshmen scored in double digits, including Felix Okpara notching the first double-double of his collegiate career going for 10 points and 12 rebounds. It also marked the first double-double by a Buckeye bench player in nearly six years.

When Ohio State opens its 111th season of Big Ten play, the team will do so in the 14th all-time meeting against Rutgers. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series 10-4 and are 10-2 in Big Ten Conference games. The two teams met only once last season in a game that ended up being pretty painful for OSU supporters.

With just 3:48 remaining in regulation, the Buckeyes led by eight points. However, the Scarlet Knights used a 10-0 run to end the game giving them a 66-64 win at home in Piscataway. The win snapped a four-game win streak in the series for the Buckeyes.

Fortunately for Ohio State, tonight’s game will be played in the Value City Arena, a venue in which the Buckeyes are undefeated against Rutgers with a 6-0 record. Similarly, Holtmann’s guys have won four of their last five conference openers, and are a perfect 4-0 at home so far this season.

Rutgers comes into the game at 6-2 on the year and 1-0 in the Big Ten after knocking-off preseason favorite Indiana last Saturday at home. The Knights’ two losses came to Temple (72-66) and Miami (FL) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge 68-61.

Preview


The Scarlet Knights enter tonight’s contest as one of the best defensive teams in the country as they are in the Top 20 nationally in blocks per game, field goal defense, and scoring margin.

According to Kenpom, Rutgers is sixth nationally in defensive efficiency. Fortunately for the home fans, Ohio State comes in as the third most offensively efficient team in the country.

Aiding their offensive output, the Buckeye are currently 10th in the country — and tops in the Big Ten — in free throw percentage at 79.1%. and are also in the top 10 in rebounding margin at +10.6.

While Holtmann has been tinkering to figure out the best usage and rotation for a team filled with freshmen and transfers, Ohio State has gotten great contributions off the bench this season. In fact, freshman Brice Sensabaugh is leading the team in scoring at 14.3 ppg, despite not being one of OSU’s starters. The Buckeye bench is averaging 32.3 ppg which is in the top 25 nationally and is second in the Big Ten.

Rutgers is led by its 6-foot-11 junior center Clifford Omoruyi who is averaging 15.4 points and 9.8 rebounds on the young season — good for seventh and third respectively in the Big Ten. Senior guard Cam Spencer has also been very reliable so far this year averaging 13.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per outing.

Prediction


This one is a quintessential “something’s gotta give” game. While the Buckeyes are still working out the kinks due to the fact that Zed Key is their only returning contributor from the 2021-22 season, they have been very good on the offensive end, while Rutgers has excelled defensively.

In their upset victory over the Hoosiers last weekend, Rutgers held Indiana to just 30.4% shooting and 24% from beyond the arc. Coming into tonight, the Buckeyes are shooting 48.2% from the floor and 36.4% from distance. Ohio State will need to be rebound and take advantage of open opportunities if it is going to score against the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers comes into the game as the seventh-best offensive rebounding team in the country, with OSU is the eighth-best defensive rebounding team. When the Buckeyes faced Duke earlier this season the Blue Devils came in as the top team on the offensive glass, but Ohio State hung with them. Duke grabbed 13 offensive boards to Ohio State’s 12.

Rutgers is fairly offensively challenged, they are shooting just 46.7% from the field, which puts them at 313th nationally. For the Buckeyes to get the win in their conference opener, they will need to keep control on the glass — especially on the defensive end — and limit the Knights’ second-chance opportunities.

In both of Rutgers’ losses, they allowed their opposition to get at least three players into double digits, and given the construction of this Buckeye squad, they should have the ability to distribute the ball to multiple players tonight, especially if Pikiell decides to take one guy out of the equation.

I imagine that Key, Brice Sensabaugh, and Justice Sueing will all post point totals in double-figures tonight, and even though he might not be scoring at a level that he would like this year, Ice Likekele will continue to have a major impact on defense as well.

ESPN BPI: Ohio State 75.4%
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: Sling TV

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 72, Rutgers 65

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2023 Ohio State commit named Ohio Player of the Year
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State’s loaded with talent in their 2023 class, but they’re still on the hunt for more as time draws close to an end this cycle.

There may not be another commit in Ohio State’s current class that has seen the uptick in rankings like Jermaine Mathews. The Cincinnati native is shooting up the lists for nearly every recruiting service, showing how valuable he is to the Buckeyes and their 2023 class. Being an in-state player is surely one major importance he carries, but playing the cornerback position is the biggest factor considering the current state of play in the secondary on Ohio State’s roster.

While other programs try to swoop in late and pry Mathews away from the Buckeyes, the coaching staff is doing all they can to prevent that from being the case. He’s now starting to prove to people why he was so sought after by this Ohio State coaching staff.

On Wednesday, as if the latest rankings boots weren’t enough, the accolades continued to come in for Mathews, as he was named Ohio’s Division 2 Defensive Player of the Year. A tremendous honor for one of Ohio’s top players regardless of position, Tim Walton has to be thrilled for what is coming to Columbus soon. In the mean time, the work is not done trying to keep the poachers away from the No. 135 player nationally, 15th best corner and second best player in Ohio per the 247Sports Composite.

2023 running back target flips commitment


The running back recruiting situation in Columbus seems to ebb and flow. Depending on the year, the Buckeyes are either in a spot that seems too good to be true, or on the flip side, could certainly be better. Position coach Tony Alford has done a pretty solid job all things considering, but like any coach, there’s wins and losses on the recruiting trail regardless how stable the program is.

In the current class, Ohio State isn’t desperate by any means thanks to their current roster depth, but a running back in this class is of course desired by the coaches. Seeing Mark Fletcher de-commit from the Buckeyes just last month, it’s been a few wild weeks on the running back side of things as the staff tries to land one this late in the game for 2023. Old and new names have surfaced in terms of potential additions, but right now it’s looking like February’s signing period rather than December’s is the route being taken.

One the few names that have been linked as targets to Ohio State, none is bigger than Texas native, Reuben Owens. The No. 23 player nationally, Owens is the second ranked running back in the class per the 247Sports Composite rankings and had been committed to Louisville since June of this year, but yesterday stepped back from that pledge and reopened his recruitment. Taking to his Twitter to announce his de-commitment, Owens being back on the market quickly sorted itself out.

Shortly after Owens released the latest update in his recruitment, a flurry of 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions started to roll in. The favorite, in-state Texas A&M seemed to have gained all of the momentum in this recruitment, and when considering the location, NIL possibilities and more, the two do seem to make sense. Shortly thereafter, Owens announced his new commitment to the Aggies, putting an end to any hopes of the Buckeyes flipping the talented back.

Moving forward, guys such as Ohio native Trey Cornist will continue to be on Ohio State’s radar, and certainly recent offer Jamarion Wilcox is another name worth watching closely. The staff and Alford have earned the right to be trusted and fans just need to hope that continues to remain the case even if much of the happenings lately don’t seem all that positive.

Quick Hits

• Though game planning for the College Football Playoff is at the forefront of the staff’s minds, recruiting never stops. This close to the December signing period, Day and his crew are making their rounds to their current commits before they lock in with their signatures.

Brandon Inniss, the top ranked receiver in Ohio State’s class, had his in-home visit last night with both Coach Day and Coach Hartline. The No. 26 player nationally, Inniss is the top ranked player in the Ohio State class and with all of the programs who’d love to have him in the fold, the Buckeyes are taking the time to continue recruiting him even with him being committed for several months now. The best part, it looks like any worry of his pledge to the Buckeyes can be forgotten about.


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cdiddy70 said:

Did he start/play much at UC?

If not I’d doubt he is going to Wisky?

Click to expand...

doesn't look like he had much of an impact on defense. I was just curious.

LGHL Uncut Podcast: Ohio State women’s basketball’s McGuff, Harris, Greene on No. 3 ranking, more
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

What the No. 3 ranking means to the team and where their focus really lies

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.


On Monday, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team achieved their highest ranking in the AP Poll since Nov. 2010. Beginning the year at No. 14, the Buckeyes won their first eight games, including wins against the then No. 5 ranked Tennessee Volunteers and then No. 18 ranked Louisville Cardinals.

Following the new position in the rankings, head coach Kevin McGuff and guards Rikki Harris and Madison Greene spoke with the media.

Coach McGuff largely dismissed the rankings, since he hasn’t been able to watch the other teams around the Buckeyes in the rankings, caring more about what their ranking will be at the end of the season. He also discusses what he’s seen change in guard Madison Greene after becoming a bench player and next-guard-up starter for injured guard Jacy Sheldon.

Also, McGuff discusses what he’s seen so far around the Big Ten, touting it as the deepest it's ever been. He also named a team that’s surprised him the most in conference results this season.

Harris and Greene interviewed together, taking on questions about the No. 3 ranking, the growth of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková over, mental health, and what they’ve noticed the change about coach McGuff in their four years at Ohio State.

That and more as the Buckeyes gear up for two games this week. On Thursday, they begin with an early 11:00 a.m. ET start against the University of New Hampshire before returning to Big Ten play on Sunday when they welcome the Michigan State Spartans to the Schottenstein Center.


Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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Freshmen, grad transfers paying early dividends for Buckeyes’ mens basketball team
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeye freshman Brice Sensabaugh against Duke | Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Checking in on Ohio State’s top 25 team as conference play begins.

The Bucks, at 6-2 for the year, remain in the AP Poll at the No. 25 position, with a game against Big Ten foe Rutgers on Thursday. With football season taking a bit of a hiatus until the bowl games begin and the basketball season about to turn the corner into the conference schedule, it seems a good time to take a look at this year’s Buckeyes and gauge their progress so far in the 2022-23 season.

Rebuilding year? More like starting over


As any OSU basketball fan knows, coach Chris Holtmann had his work cut out for him this season, virtually starting from scratch to build a new squad.

Of last year’s top eight scorers, only one — Zed Key — returned this year. Stars E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham headed off to the NBA. Jamari Wheeler, Kyle Young, Justin Ahrens, and Cedric Russell exhausted their eligibility. And Meechie Johnson, Jr. transferred to the University of South Carolina.

In addition to Key, guard Eugene Brown returned, but suffering a concussion in preseason, hasn’t played in a game yet. Justice Sueing, who missed nearly all of last season with injury, is back to provide some experience and leadership.

Total? Really only three players from last year’s group.

Grad transfers


To go along with his No. 8-ranked (composite) 2022 freshman recruiting class, Holtmann used the transfer portal to pick up some veteran help for this year. The portal has more of an impact on college basketball than it does on football, for the simple reasons that the rosters are smaller and a single player can turn a team around. A player who finds the competition for court time too stiff or discovers that his coach’s playing style or personality doesn’t fit, is often quickly gone.

This year, Isaac Likekele, a grad transfer from Oklahoma State, and Sam McNeil, a grad transfer from West Virginia, have proven to be valuable additions to the Buckeyes, as they lead the team in minutes played per game.

Likekele, a 6-foot-5 guard who led the Cowboys in assists and steals, has picked up where he left off in Stillwater. With 25 assists (against only 10 turnovers), he leads the Buckeyes in that category and also averages 4.5 points and 6.3 rebounds (second on team) per contest. His steadiness has been a real asset for this very young OSU team.

McNeil is more of a shooter and averages in double figures – 10.4 points per game. Whereas last year only Liddell and Branham averaged double digit points, this season sees four Bucks, five if we round up Bruce Thornton’s 9.9 ppg. This balance makes the Buckeyes tougher to guard, as any number of players can spurt and be the leading scorer.

The freshmen


OSU’s recruiting class for this year listed four top-100 players, all of whom were four-star recruits. So far in this early season, all four have made great contributions to the team’s success.

6-foot-6 forward Brice Sensabaugh, ranked No. 63 overall nationally in the class, actually leads the Buckeyes in scoring, averaging just over 14 points a game. And he does it in only about 18 minutes of playing time per 40-minute game.

Bruce Thornton, a 6-foot-2 guard, ranked No. 48 nationally at any position, and No. 10 among point guards. He’s playing 27.5 minutes a game and averaging (as mentioned above) 9.9 points, with a really good 52% shooting percentage for this field goal attempts.

The highest-rated player in the class (at No. 47, No. 2 among shooting guards), Roddy Gayle, Jr., is playing about 15 minutes a game and averaging five points.

The fourth top-10 recruit is Nigerian Felix Okpara. At 6-foot-11, Okpara was the No. 13-rated center in the class nationally, and also sees a lot of court time for the Buckeyes. He’s averaging 13.4 minutes, four points, and just over four rebounds a game.

No matter how you shake it, that’s a lot of production from six newcomers.

And the veterans?

Key and Sueing


Well, they’re clearly the team leaders.

Zed Key is averaging eight rebounds and 13.4 points a game, and no doubt those figures would be higher if it weren’t for his leaving the early season blowout games early. Watching him muscle out Duke players for boards was a joy (Yes, I’m a Duke basketball hater).

As for Sueing, it’s so good just to see him playing again, and the versatile 6-foot-6 player is having quite a year. He’s averaging 13 points and five rebounds a game.

The season so far


Maybe we’re surprised that the Buckeyes cracked the AP Top 25 so early in this season. Obviously, with so many new faces, it was very hard to predict how good this team would be.

But they’ve taken care of business with the early-season warmup games against Robert Morris, Charleston Southern, Eastern Illinois, and St. Francis — winning all of them by at least 22 points.

Then there was the Maui Invitational. The Buckeyes dropped their first game of the season in the tournament’s first round, losing to No. 17 San Diego State, 88-77. Moving into the “losers’ bracket,” the Bucks had a surprisingly easy victory over old-time, in-state rival Cincinnati, 81-53. Keep in mind that this Cincy team had lost narrowly the previous day to highly regarded Arizona. Then, in the battle for fifth place in the tourney, Ohio State handled No. 21 Texas Tech, 80-73, in a hard-fought game.

The wins in Hawaii earned the Buckeyes their Top 25 ranking. OSU’s other loss came at Cameron Indoor Stadium to the Duke Blue Devils, 81-72. Sad, but surely no disgrace.

The tough early schedule will, no doubt, help the Buckeyes as they now begin the meat of the schedule. The Big Ten is very, very good this year (five teams currently ranked), and winning any games on the road will be a challenge. It will be quite interesting to see how this new team fares as the season progresses.

From what I’ve seen, I think that they’ll be OK and continue to improve as the they move along. I’m looking for a strong season and a good NCAA Tournament seed.

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