Ohio State four-star DL target sets commitment date
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2023 four-star DL Jalen Thompson via 247Sports

Buckeye target sets decision date, plus multiple future Buckeyes named as MaxPreps second-team All-Americans.

The second week of fall camp is now underway for Ryan Day and the Ohio State football team. With this, much of the talk surrounding the Ohio State football team will revolve around the Buckeyes’ current roster. However, recruiting will remain a mainstay for the team to ensure the success of the program in the future.

Thompson sets commitment date


Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class is quickly coming together, and with 19 verbal commitments there is little room for the Buckeyes to add to the class. With the offensive side of things in solid footing, the Ohio State coaching staff will look to focus on the defensive side of the ball to finish out the class. July brought to light multiple concerns on the defensive recruiting front, as a few Ohio State targets decided to commit elsewhere and the Buckeyes saw a top-100 recruit de-commit from the program.

August has been much kinder to the Buckeyes, as they have added defensive recruits to both this current class as well as to future classes. The team will hope this trend continues throughout the month, as they will see more of their top defensive recruits announce their decisions. One of those targets set to announce this month is four-star defensive lineman Jalen Thompson of Detroit, MI (Cass Technical).


Thompson was offered by Ohio State on June 1 after impressing the coaching staff at a summer recruiting camp. He then made a return trip to Columbus later in the month, and and following the visit the Buckeyes have been viewed as one of the favorites to land him.

However, the team seems to have slowed down in his recruitment as of late, which has led to Michigan State becoming the overwhelming favorites to earn his commitment. This may be a situation where if Ohio State gives Thompson the green light, he would commit to the program, but the Buckeyes are waiting to see how things play out with some of their other defensive line prospects.

Ohio State is also heavily recruiting a handful of other defensive line targets including five-star DE Matayo Uiagalelei, four-star DL Damon Wilson, four-star DE Desmond Umeozulu and five-star DE Keon Keeley.

Keeley seems the least likely to become a Buckeye, but Ohio State has placed themselves in a good position with all of the above, and as of late Uiagalelei and Umeozulu have especially been trending towards Ohio State.

If Thompson decides to commit to Michigan State in a couple weeks, this likely reflects that the Buckeyes feel they are in a solid spot to land a combination of the above targets, as well as feel they would make for a better fit with the team more than Thompson.

Thompson is the No. 30 DL prospect in the 2023 class and is the No. 195 overall prospect. He is also the No. 3 prospect out of Michigan.

Quick Hits

• A trio of future Buckeyes were listed as second-team preseason All-Americans when MaxPreps released its All-America teams for high school seniors Monday. Five-star WR Brandon Innis, four-star OT Luke Montgomery and four-star CB Kayin Lee all received the prestigious honor. While the trio were the only current Ohio State commitments to make the list, Ohio State defensive line target Uiagalelei was given first-team honors.
• Ohio State 2024 five-star WR target Jeremiah Smith of Opa Locka, FL (Chaminade-Madonna Prep) will reportedly visit Columbus for the Buckeyes’ first game of the season when the team plays host to Notre Dame. It is still early in Smith’s recruitment but he has spoken highly of Ohio State which has led the team to become the early favorites in his recruitment.

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Ask LGHL: What will it take for you to consider the Ohio State football season a success?
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 Michael Hickey/Getty Images

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

Ohio State’s fall football camp kicked off last week, and the team officially moved into it’s hotel on Sunday in one of the most beloved — and bizarre — traditions in all of Buckeye Nation as fans and media alike photographed the players walking into their new digs as if they were severely underdressed for an awards show red carpet.

But, with three and a half-ish weeks until the Buckeyes open the season against Notre Dame, to kick off our Ask LGHL series for the season, we wanted to get an idea of where your head is at in regards to this team and this season.

So, we asked two simple questions in our most recent SBNation Reacts survey about what your hopes and expectations are for this year.

Question 1: What is the minimum needed for a successful Ohio State season?


The Ohio State fandom is made up of many different people and we all come into each season with different thresholds for what we consider a success. So, as you can see in the graphic below, we gave you four options and more than half (54%) of the respondents said that making the playoffs is the floor of what would make the OSU 2022 campaign a success.

I do wonder if we had made one of the options “Win a CFP Playoff Game,” if that would have moved the bar up a little bit. While people would obviously be pretty ticked off if the Buckeyes lost to The Domers and/or TTUN, it does make sense that fans would need more than those two high-profile wins to feel good about the season. Imagine beating them, but losing to Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Ugh, I just got a nasty shiver down my spine.

For me, given these four options, I would probably agree with the majority and say that the Bucks would need to make the playoff to have a successful season, but I will admit that without winning a national championship this year, the first four years of Ryan Day’s tenure in Columbus are going to feel monumentally disappointing to me, based solely on the fact that they will have squandered four years of potentially the two best quarterbacks in program history.

I feel very comfortable in putting Justin Fields atop that list already, and given C.J. Stroud’s first year as OSU’s signal caller, I think he has the ability to be in that conversation as well by season’s end.

I will talk more about my thoughts on what needs to happen from Day and company this season in tomorrow’s Ask LGHL column, but it is definitely time for this team to make some significant steps forward.


Question 2: What do you most want to hear coming out of preseason camp?


When we put together the multiple choice answers for this question, we wanted to keep it balanced between offense and defense, but let’s be honest, we all knew that the answer was going to be on the defensive side of the ball.

With Stroud and that absurd group of receiving talent, the passing game is going to be fine, and while the line’s ability to impose their will should go a long way to determining how well-rounded the offense is this fall, that side of the ball is going to practically score at will for most of the season, so nothing from the offense could possibly rise to the level of the most important question — short of an injury to Stroud {furiously knocks on every piece of wood in the house}.

So, all of the major questions surrounding this team are going to come from Jim Knowles side. With a nearly completely new defensive coaching staff, I don’t think that the Bucks need to become the No. 1 defense in the country to contend for a national title, but if they can move up to the No. 25-30 range, this team could be unbeatable, assuming the offense maintains its otherworldly firepower from last year.

For the fans, the biggest hope is that the linebackers and defensive backs — particular focuses in Knowles’ units — make big strides during camp. Again, I would agree.

While Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloa becoming the dominant edge rushers that we all think that they can be would be a huge bonus for the defense, I think the defensive line is strong enough without an elite edge rusher that they can hold their own, as long as the linebackers and secondary make considerable strides.



For college football fans, August is filled with speculation and expectations. With how limited media access is to preseason practices, it likely won’t be until Notre Dame shows up at The Horseshoe that we actually get some solid ideas about who this Ohio State team is actually going to be in 2022.

But the great part about being a college football fan is that hope springs eternal this time of year and the anticipation, debates, excitement, hopes, and dreams are part of the inherent joy and charm of the sport.

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You’re Nuts: What position battle are you most interested in heading into 2022?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

With fall camp underway, we will soon start to learn who will top the depth chart this season.

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.

This week’s topic: What position battle are you most interested in heading into 2022?

Josh’s Take:


With fall camp officially underway for the Ohio State football team, the 2022 season is starting to feel real. We are finally going to see a “finished” product, and all the stars will be projected onto the screen like a blockbuster movie. The Notre Dame opener is Top Gun: Maverick or Black Adam (just kidding, nobody has enjoyed The Rock since Fast Five), and we can start watching for tickets and planning our dinner and drinks around that opening night.

The spring game, on the other hand, is more like a teaser trailer. We get a glimpse of the star or a crazy action scene, but it tells us next to nothing about the movie itself. A teaser trailer is meant to get us talking, or spark excitement, but it could ultimately be the only highlight of an otherwise terrible movie. Remember how excited you were for Red Notice? And then you watched Red Notice... I need to stop picking on The Rock, because he really does shine in most of his carefully chosen projects.

Ohio State’s spring game (and recruiting, to an extent) most definitely sparked excitement, but now it is popcorn and preview time. Let’s go! Gene and I wanted to look at a few position “battles”, which I found to be somewhat difficult. I don’t know how many intense battles there will really be — at least when it comes to the very top of the depth chart. I think many of the starters have been identified or listed as favorites, due to the Buckeyes returning a ton of depth from last season. However, there is one position battle that has intrigued me since the end of OSU’s 2021-22 season. Since Jan. 1st, 2022 to be exact. That position is wide receiver.

The 2022 Rose Bowl would have most of us believe that Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka are likely to start alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But I say “not so fast, my friend.” Because while Harrison Jr. and Egbuka absolutely proved themselves worthy of significant roles this season, we need to remember how inexperienced they are. The two freshmen combined for 20 catches, most of which came in the Rose Bowl when Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson sat out. They both flashed all-world potential, but to pencil them in as starters would be ignoring the talent and depth the Buckeyes have at the position.

Julian Fleming, the former No. 1 receiver in his recruiting class, finally seems to be healthy. He was also recently recognized as an Iron Buckeye for his tremendous offseason. When healthy and afforded opportunity, he has done nothing to take himself out of this race. In fact, he might be the best downfield blocker Ohio State has at the WR position. Absent a truly experienced tight end, the coaching staff may want his skillset on the field.

Kamryn Babb, who this staff loves and is seemingly healthy himself (after years of terrible luck), is a fifth-year guy with leadership chops and an incredible football IQ. He was also a highly coveted recruit once upon a time, and has looked impressive in the small glimpses we’ve seen of him this offseason. If he remains healthy, maybe he gets a shot after all the hard work and time he has put in with the Buckeyes. Long shot? Sure. But who doesn't love a Cinderella story?

And let’s not forget about Jayden Ballard. Another young player from the same class as Harrison Jr. and Egbuka, he is likely the longest of long shots, but the burner possesses top-end speed and athleticism. With a strong camp, who knows how far he can rise up the depth chart.

While I ultimately think Harrison Jr. and Egbuka get first crack at running with JSN, I cannot ignore the talent in the WR room. It would be a disservice to Fleming and Babb to rule them out as starters in early August. Same goes for Ballard, even if he is a heavy underdog right now. But crazier things have happened.

I think back to when Michael Thomas was at Ohio State. After appearing in 11 games as a true freshman, he found himself in Urban Meyer’s doghouse and was redshirted as a sophomore! We rarely see that, unless it is injury-related. To Thomas’ credit, he worked his tail off and eventually became a starter in 2015 (and a star after that). I don’t think we will see that with one of the top six guys I mentioned, but his situation is what I mean when I say crazier things have happened.

Starting spots will be earned by the Buckeyes, not given. And that goes for every player at every position, even if they did score three touchdowns in a Rose Bowl. Regardless of who wins out, I have high expectations. I believe that OSU has the best WR room in the country, and iron always sharpens iron. Fall practice and the ensuing position battle will go a long way toward deciding the starters, and I will be following said battle with a watchful eye.

Gene’s Take:


Heading into the 2022 season, all eyes are on Ohio State’s defense. While the position battle at wide receiver is certainly intriguing, everyone just kind of assumes the Buckeye offense will return to its elite form from a year ago regardless of whose catching passes thanks to C.J. Stroud and a strong running back tandem in TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams. So, I will take my position battle to the defensive side of the ball, where there is still a ton left to be sorted out before Notre Dame comes to town on Sept. 3.

Originally, I was going to talk about the battle specifically between Zach Harrison and J.T. Tuimoloau at defense end. We kind of assume it will be Jack Sawyer mostly manning, ironically, the Jack position in Jim Knowles’ defense as sort of a linebacker/edge rusher hybrid, but the other pure end spot is between Harrison and Tuimoloau. It is a real rookie versus the vet type scenario, with Harrison having been in Columbus for quite some time now without really taking that next step and Tuimoloau the fresh face who showed a glimpse of potential stardom in year one. Ultimately, I think we will see the two start in some sort of timeshare to begin the year, as Larry Johnson has always rotated his defensive lineman.

Instead, I want to focus on a position that I feel as though not all too many people are talking about, but will be exceptionally important if Ohio State is in fact going to turn around its defensive woes from 2021. I want to talk about the starting cornerbacks.

It is seemingly obvious that Denzel Burke will return as the team’s No. 1 corner after a phenomenal freshman campaign a year ago. Playing in all 12 games, Burke registered a team-high 12 pass breakups to go along with 35 tackles and an interception. We heard all the stories about how impressive he was in his very first preseason camp, and he showed that on the field all season long. While he is the clear top dog at the position right now, who else is going to join him out there?

Unfortunately for Ohio State, the cornerback room is quite thin right now — so much so that kicker Jake Seibert has been playing the position in fall camp. There are currently only six scholarship cornerbacks on the roster, and while that is a concerning number should they lose someone to injury or otherwise, they do still have talent on the roster and one other guy who I think could star in the role despite not being listed at corner, but we’ll get there.

Burke will start on the outside, which means the Buckeyes will need to find another man opposite him to lock down the other sideline. Cameron Brown returns as a starter from last season, and he has impressed thus far this offseason. He finished second on the team in pass breakups behind Burke a year ago with seven, and if he is now fully recovered from that achilles injury he could become a real force on that outside, even though I personally would like him better as a slot corner.

The other two guys in the mix for the job are Jordan Hancock and Jakailin Johnson. Hancock, whom Ohio State flipped from Clemson during his recruitment, was the No. 5 corner in the 2021 class and a top-75 player overall. He played sparingly in 2021, but playing even less so was Johnson, whom despite being the higher-rated of the two as a No. 3 CB in 2021 and a top-50 player overall, suffered an injury that forced him to take a redshirt in his first year on campus. Both guys are supremely talented, and even if either of the two dont start I would expect to see the pair a healthy amount in 2022, and if Brown struggles either could potentially even earn a starting role.

Ohio State won’t deploy a true slot corner in Knowles’ base defense, but the nickel safety will effectively play the same role. The expected starter at the position is Tanner McCalister, who came over from Oklahoma State to continue playing under Knowles, but I'm really high on Cam Martinez. One of the best pure athletes on the team, Martinez has moved around from corner to safety during his tenure with the Buckeyes, but I think his speed and coverage abilities would make him a perfect candidate to play over the middle. Martinez is far too good a player for Ohio State not to find a job for him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the starting nickel by seasons end.

The only other names not mentioned from the cornerback room are freshmen Jyaire Brown and Ryan Turner. Brown was the No. 8 player in Ohio in the 2022 recruiting cycle, while Turner was a four-star prospect by way of Florida. It would be a bit surprising to see the two crack the two-deep in year one, however with the lack of any real proven superstars outside of Burke and the lack of depth in the room as a whole, it would not be at all shocking to see either of the two on the field a bit in their freshman campaigns.

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I-70 Football Podcast: Looking at Big Ten’s lower-tier bowl teams
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

In this episode, we discuss the four teams who we think will make lower-tier bowl games this season.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 podcast. On this show we talk all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

We are a few weeks away from the start of the 2022-23 football season, so it is time to switch gears from off-season talk to diving headfirst into real football content. What better way to start football season than ranking teams and picking games?

In our season preview series, we rank the Big Ten into four tiers: Non-bowl tier, lower-bowl tier, New Year’s Six Bowl tier, and Contenders tier. We also predict records and finishes for all 14 teams leading to 168 games picked.

In this episode, we discuss the three or four teams that we think will make lower-ranked bowl games. Jordan believes that Mike Locksley — an overall bad coach — will stumble into back-to-back bowl games on the shoulders of his talented quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and his pass catchers Rakim Jarrett and Dontay Demus Jr., however, Dante disagrees.

They both agree that after a shocking 5-7 season, the Fighting Illini will reach six wins and make it to a bowl game in the second year under Bret Bielema. There may be a ceiling to what Illinois can be in the Big Ten, but behind Chase Brown and Josh McCray, they will be a tough team to face.

While Maryland and Illinois may be happy about being placed in this tier, the same cannot be said for the next two teams in this tier. After winning the Big Ten West and facing Michigan in the championship game last year, Iowa is set up to take a step back. Their defense will be good — as always — but with some losses on offense and without a change on that side of the ball’s staff, this team should lose more games than last year.

Penn State is the final team in this tier in our estimation. Their ceiling will remain limited with Sean Clifford as their starting quarterback. They should have a rejuvinated James Franklin but losing Jahan Dotson, Jaquan Brisker, and Brent Pry will be tough to deal with. This team should be better in the future, but with a tough schedule, they will not contend for the Big Ten East crown this year.

In their weekly pit stops, Dante gives a shout-out to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ kicker Chris Boswell's new contract extension, while Jordan expresses anger about the Deshaun Watson suspension and the overall process.


Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216

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Ohio State’s men’s basketball team learns their first 2022 Maui Invitational opponent
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 David Becker/Getty Images

The Buckeyes will take on San Diego State, who they opened up their last trip to Maui back in 2003 against


Ohio State’s first opponent in the 2022 Maui Jim Maui Invitational was announced on Monday. The Buckeyes will play in the third game on the first day of the annual tournament, squaring off against San Diego State. This year’s edition of the tournament will be a little more special than recent years, as COVID-19 has kept the last two tournaments away from Hawaii. In 2020, Asheville, North Carolina was the home of the tournament, followed by last year’s Maui Invitational being played in Las Vegas.

This will be the first time Ohio State has played in the Maui Invitational since 2003, when they also were matched up with San Diego State in the first round. The Buckeyes will be hoping for a different result this year, as the Aztecs topped the Buckeyes, 83-61, 19 years ago. The game was tied at 32 heading into the halftime break before San Diego State used a 21-1 run in the second half to put some distance on the Buckeyes. The Aztecs hit 13 three-pointers in the game, which at the time was a school record.

Following the loss to San Diego State, Ohio State would rebound to defeat Central Michigan 77-71, followed by edging Villanova 67-66 to earn fifth place honors in 2003. The only time the Buckeyes won their first game of the Maui Invitational was in 1993, when they took down Tennessee Tech 98-77 before losing 100-88 to Kentucky. Ohio State closed out the 1993 with a 69-67 win over Boston College, with the third place finish being their best finish in three Maui appearances. Their first trip to Maui in 1988 saw them finish in fifth place beating DePaul and Vanderbilt after an opening round loss to Oklahoma.

The Aztecs and Buckeyes have met on two other occasions, splitting a home-and-home series. Ohio State won 72-56 in Columbus in 1995, while San Diego State defended their home court with an 81-75 win the following year. Last season, Brian Dutcher’s team finished with a 23-9 record, falling to Creighton 72-69 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Buckeyes could be matching up with a familiar face when they battle the Aztecs. After starting his college career in Columbus, Jaedon LeDee played in 26 games for Ohio State before transferring to TCU. LeDee had a couple really good performances for the Buckeyes, scoring 16 points against Purdue-Fort Wayne, as well as against Purdue before announcing his transfer to TCU, where he only scored more than 16 points in a game once. After redshirting last season due to transfer rules, LeDee is eligible to play for San Diego State this year.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Cincinnati

After playing San Diego State, the Buckeyes will take on either Cincinnati or Arizona, depending on the results of the first round of the tournament. Obviously the juicier matchup would be if the Buckeyes and Bearcats were to meet in the winners bracket in Hawaii. Ohio State has won their last four meetings against Cincinnati. The in-state foes opened up the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons against each other, with Ohio State taking both legs of the home-and-home series by a 64-56 scoreline.

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Last season, Cincinnati was 18-15 in Wes Miller’s first season as head coach. The Bearcats should field a tougher squad this year, with leading scorers David DeJulius and Jeremiah Davenport returning, as well as the addition of four-star guard Daniel Skillings. If the schools meet and Cincinnati is able to beat Ohio State, it would be the first win by the Bearcats over the Buckeyes since 1962.


Arizona

If it plays out that Ohio State and Arizona meet in Maui, it will be the first time the schools have met in the regular season since 1971, when the Buckeyes cruised to a 90-47 victory. Since then, Ohio State and Arizona have split two NCAA Tournament appearances. The Buckeyes won a thriller in the 2013 Sweet Sixteen in Los Angeles, edging the Wildcats 73-70. Two years later Arizona earned a bit of revenge with a 73-58 victory over Ohio State in Portland. Following an overtime win over VCU in the first round, D’Angelo Russell had nothing left in the tank against Arizona, going just 3-of-19 from the field.

Last season, the Wildcats were a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing 72-60 to Houston in the Sweet Sixteen, finishing with a 33-4 record. Tommy Lloyd will be looking to go farther in the tourney in his second season in Tucson, as he has the 10th-ranked recruiting class in the country, as well as Texas transfer Courtney Ramey in the fold. The Wildcats are the only team in the field to previous win a Maui Invitational, taking home the title in 2000 and 2014.


Louisville

Rounding out the field is Texas Tech, Creighton, Louisville, and Arkansas. Louisville is the team Ohio State has matched up with most in the past, with the Cardinals holding a 5-4 edge in past meetings with the Buckeyes. The last time Ohio State and Louisville faced each other was in the 2014 ACC/Big Ten Challenge, where the Cardinals earned a 66-54 win at home over the Buckeyes. Russell scored 17 points against his hometown team, but Ohio State shot just 30% from the field.

The Cardinals will be looking to turn around a program that has been dealing with turmoil over the last few seasons. Head coach Chris Mack was suspended for the first six games of last season before being let go in late January. Louisville finished the season 13-19 and will now turn to former player Kenny Payne to lead the program. This will be Payne’s first head coaching job after spending time as an assistant with the New York Knicks, as well as at Oregon and Kentucky at the college level.


Creighton

Aside from Cincinnati, the most recent team the Buckeyes have faced are the Creighton Blue Jays. Ohio state traveled to Omaha in 2018, where they defeated Creighton 69-60 in the Gavitt Games thanks to a combined 31 points off the bench from Keyshawn Woods and Duane Washington Jr.

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott was seriously considered to take over as head coach at Ohio State following the departure of Thad Matta, but the Buckeyes eventually turned to Chris Holtmann. McDermott will be entering his 13th season as head coach of the Blue Jays. Last season Creighton snuck by San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual champion Kansas 79-72 in the second round.


Texas Tech & Arkansas

The final two teams the Buckeyes could possibly face in Maui are Texas Tech and Arkansas, who were the last two teams that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski defeated in his legendary coaching career. Texas Tech fell to Duke 78-73 in the Sweet Sixteen, while Arkansas lost 78-69 before the Blue Devils were defeated by North Carolina in the Final Four.

Ohio State has faced Texas Tech just twice, with the teams meeting for a home-and-home in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. The Red Raiders won 80-72 in their first matchup, followed by Ohio State earning a 77-71 win the next season. If Ohio State and Texas Tech meet, Buckeye fans will hear a name that caused them pain a couple years ago, as Oral Roberts forward Kevin Obanor transferred into the program prior to last season.

Arkansas holds a 2-1 advantage all-time against Ohio State, but the teams haven’t met since 1986. The only three meetings between the teams happened during a three-year stretch that started in 1984. The Buckeyes took the first meeting 85-84 before the Razorbacks won the next two. Arkansas has been strong in Eric Musselman’s first three seasons as head coach in Fayetteville, winning at least 20 games in each season. The Razorbacks have reached the Elite Eight in each of the last two seasons.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 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


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

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...


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season

On the Gridiron


Sights and Sounds: Ohio State players report to team hotel for preseason camp
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Highlights from Ohio State’s 2022 Camp Hotel Check-In
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors


Four-star linebacker Arvell Reese commits to Ohio State
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

What Arvell Reese’s Commitment Means for Ohio State’s 2023 Recruiting Class
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Twitter reacted after LB Arvell Reese announced commitment to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Alabama, Ohio State favorites to reach CFP (paywall)
The Athletic Staff

He is inevitable:


Ohio State distributing reps at running back ‘pretty evenly’ during camp
Jacob Benge, Dotting The Eyes

Ted Ginn Sr. sees potential in 2023 Ohio State commit Arvell Reese
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

https://twitter.com/albertbreer/status/1555937236645842949?s=12

On the Hardwood


BOOOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball gets commitment from top-35 forward Scotty Middleton
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

What Scotty Middleton’s commitment means to Ohio State basketball
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Yeah, this dude’s legit!


Ohio State beats Egypt: Five key plays from the exhibition win
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Buckeyes complete 2-0 exhibition trip with win over Puerto Rico
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Ohio State men’s basketball lands in final five schools for Columbus Africentric’s Dailyn Swain
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: Bowen Hardman
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

You’re Nuts: Who is the best Toledo basketball recruit in Ohio State history?
Justin Golba and Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Student-Athletes Receive Degrees on Sunday at Summer Commencement
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Swimming & Diving: Buckeyes Shine at Summer Nationals
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


So. Damn. MANY!


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Ohio State adds four-star pledges in both football and basketball
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Arvell Reese | Steve Wiltfong

The Buckeyes saw a pair of additions this weekend with blue-chip prospects on the gridiron and hardwood pledging to the program.

It was a big weekend on both the gridiron and the hardwood in Columbus. The Buckeyes secured a pledge from an in-state linebacker on the football side of things, and Chris Holtmann followed that up by welcoming a high four-star standout from Kansas.

Reese stays home, chooses Buckeyes


Ohio State went back to familiar territory for their latest pledge on the gridiron when 2023 four-star linebacker Arvell Reese of Glenville (OH) announced his commitment to the program on Saturday.


The Cleveland native now joins a long line of former Tarblooders to ultimately pick the Buckeyes including Ted Ginn Jr., Cardale Jones, Marshon Lattimore, Troy Smith, Donte Whitner, and many more.

Reese secured 25 offers from programs across the nation but ultimately would chose Ohio State over the likes of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, and USC, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

The in-state standout becomes the first prospect from Glenville High School to commit to Ohio State since the 2014 recruiting class when the Buckeyes were able to land three-star offensive guard Marcelys Jones, the aforementioned four-cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and four-star safety Erick Smith. Fortunately for Ohio State, Reese is currently teammates with another top target for the program in 2024 four-star cornerback Bryce West.

Reese currently slots in as the No. 277 over prospect in this year’s recruiting class. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder also comes in as the 20th highest graded linebacker this cycle and is a Top 10 player from the state of Ohio.

Holtmann lands Middleton


Ryan Day wasn’t the only head man in Columbus that picked up good news this weekend. Hoops coach Chris Holtmann also had himself quite a weekend when he landed 2023 four-star small forward Scotty Middleton of Sunrise Christian (KS).


Middleton, a Wichita native, chose the Buckeyes on Sunday over Connecticut, Kansas, Seton Hall, and Texas A&M — the four other programs that were named finalists for Middleton just one month ago.

The latest addition for the Buckeyes gives them the No. 3 recruiting class in the country for the time being. Ohio State’s four man 2023 class that now includes Middleton, four-star center Austin Parks of Memorial (OH), four-star small forward Devin Royal of Pickerington Central (OH), and four-star combo guard George Washington III of Chaminade Julienne (OH) ranks behind only Duke and Kentucky.

Middleton, who is just outside of five-star status, is currently positioned as the No. 34 overall prospect in the class. The 6-foot-6, 180-pounder additionally comes in as the sixth best small forward in the class and is the third highest graded prospect from Kansas in the cycle.

Quick Hits

• After a near handful of predictions in favor of Ohio State landing 2023 four-star safety Jayden Bonsu on Thursday, another came about on Friday. 247Sports’ Sean Scherer, a Michigan State insider, also casted a crystal ball forecast on Friday that pegged the No. 4 player from New Jersey to the Buckeyes.
• Despite one addition to the linebacker room this weekend in the aforementioned Reese, Ohio State also saw 2023 four-star linebacker/defensive end Derion Gullette of Teague (TX) make his pledge to the Longhorns. According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, Gullette chose Texas over Ohio State and Texas A&M.
• According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, the Buckeyes are likely to get a visit from 2024 four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman of Lipscomb Academy (TN) this fall. Hodge notes that the visit from Spillman, a Top 100 prospect, is likely to be for the Michigan game near seasons end.

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BOOOOM! Ohio State men’s basketball gets commitment from top-35 forward Scotty Middleton
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Chris Holtmann and company got their second major commitment in a week!

In the words of the great D.J. Khaled, “Anotha one.” It has been one heck of a week for Ohio State basketball recruiting. On Wednesday, four-star forward from Pickerington Central Devin Royal announced his verbal commitment to Ohio State.

Then, another Columbus four-star forward, Dailyn Swain, announced on Friday that Ohio State was in his final five alongside Xavier, Clemson, Arizona State, and Arkansas. Now, the Buckeyes get arguably their biggest commitment in the 2023 class.


Small forward Scotty Middleton from Sunrise Christian High School in Wichita, Kan. has verbally committed to Ohio State on Instagram live with ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.

The 6-foot-6, 180-pound rising senior is a guy who could finish as a five-star recruit, but for now is a consensus four-star. He is ranked as the No. 34 recruit in the country, the sixth-best small forward recruit in the class, and the third-ranked recruit from Kansas, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.

“I like how they are together,” Middleton told 247Sports last month when discussing Chris Holtmann’s Buckeyes. “They have a saying, ‘Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.’ I think that goes so far with them because guys always come back and show love just because they want to teach the players.”

Middleton joins Royal in the Buckeyes’ 2023 class, which also includes No. 60 national player, shooting guard George Washington III and No. 105 player, center Austin Parks. With Middleton’s pledge, the Buckeyes move up to the No. 3 ranked class in the country behind only Duke and Kentucky.

Middleton originally listed five schools in his final school list. Those five were Ohio State, Seton Hall, UConn, Kansas, and Texas A&M. He then cut out Kansas and Texas A&M and gave a final three of Ohio State, Seton Hall, and UConn. In the end, it came down to Ohio State and Seton Hall. Ultimately, Middleton decided he wanted to commit to Holtmann and the Buckeyes.

Middleton visited Columbus on March 4 and got a good understanding of the Buckeyes and the culture that they have built under Chris Holtmann:

“My visit was really good,” Middleton said. “I got to see what Ohio State is really about and what it is to be a Buckeye. I like how the coaches and fans love their players and how some NBA guys come back and work with the players.”

Check out highlights for Scotty Middleton:

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Ohio State men’s basketball lands in final five schools for Columbus Africentric’s Dailyn Swain
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo courtesy of Steve Helwagen - 247Sports

Chris Holtmann’s persistence on the recruiting trail has the Buckeyes in position to land another dynamic wing.

Just days after landing a commitment from Pickerington Central’s Devin Royal, the Buckeyes found themselves in the top-five on Friday for another talented Columbus player in the 2023 class — four-star small forward Dailyn Swain.


Swain listed the Buckeyes alongside Xavier, Arizona State, Clemson, and Arkansas. While Ohio State may look like the favorite from the outside, it appears more and more likely that the Buckeyes will land a commitment from a player very similar to Swain before Swain makes a final decision. Scotty Middleton — the No. 34 player in the country — will announce his college decision tomorrow, and there are more than a few whispers that the Buckeyes are his preference. If that happens, Ohio State may not be the best fit for the No. 75 player in the nation, Swain.

Swain made an unofficial visit to Ohio State on June 24, 2021 and received a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes the same day. Similarly to how Ohio State views Brice Sensabaugh and how they viewed star E.J. Liddell, Swain said that the Buckeyes love his versatility and ability to defend multiple positions:

“They showed me they could beat any team in the country; they beat Duke, who was No. 1 at the time. They showed how they stay together and are really good with game plans. Their players are coachable and when they follow the game plan from the coaches, they can play with anyone. They feel like I can play any position on the floor and guard the one through four. The coaches really like my versatility.”

Swain plays alongside current Ohio State commits George Washington III and Royal on All-Ohio Red, an AAU team in the EYBL circuit. Royal, who just committed on Wednesday, said that he would “Definitely be talking to” Swain and trying to get him to join the 2023 class as well. Swain is currently the No. 75 player in the nation, the No. 15 small forward, and the No. 3 player in the state of Ohio according to 247Sports. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 175 pounds.

Swain’s recruitment has been much quieter and closer to the vest than Royal’s was. Ohio State has been viewed as a slight favorite because of Swain’s connections to the program and its 2023 class, but if there isn’t space for him or he goes elsewhere, it’s tough to say where he might wind up. Xavier and Arizona State are two programs that have been involved with Swain for nearly as long as the Buckeyes.

Ohio State’s 2023 class currently sits at No. 5 in the nation with three four-star recruits, according to 247Sports.

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Any year we have won a title, we have not been expected to in the preseason.

In modern times, every time we were a preseason favorite, it has not happened.

JUSTIN AHRENS, JIMMY SOTOS AMONG 29 OHIO STATE STUDENT-ATHLETE SUMMER GRADUATES

The graduating class of summer 2022 features two of the most recent season's basketball players in Justin Ahrens and Jimmy Sotos.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...9-ohio-state-student-athlete-summer-graduates

LovelandBuckeye said:

Not MNF but is Amazon trying to have nobody watch TNF?

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If I were an announcer, I think I'd be offended. And I actually like Dude Perfect (compared to all the other garbage my daughter watches on Youtube).

I went back about 7 pages and couldn't find a good thread to put info in but if there is one, feel free to move this thread elsewhere.

Paige Bueckers for UCONN just tore her ACL and will miss the entire season. Crushing blow for the best player in the country and one of the best teams. Not bad news for the Bucks chances though. I love watching this young lady play basketball so this season is going to be missing some big time entertainment value in that regard.

UConn Huskies women's basketball star Paige Bueckers to miss 2022-23 season after tearing ACL

UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee Monday and will miss the 2022-23 season, the school announced Wednesday.

Bueckers injured her knee in a pickup basketball game, according to the school's release, and an MRI later that evening confirmed the ACL tear. The release did not say where the junior guard from Hopkins, Minnesota, was playing when the injury occurred. It was the same knee she injured last year, causing her to miss significant time.

My bad, not trying to derail this thread over another’s hurt feelings over something that wasn’t targeted towards them. This thread is about Richard Young, not a petty disagreement between an adult and a child. I won’t respond further if it doesn’t pertain to Young and his recruitment

Yep, I was at OSU during White's time there as well. I am also from Western Ohio like he is (Lima). I remember when I heard he committed to Earle Bruce, good times. Rest in Peace, you are a true Buckeye.

Sorry this is so late. Had stuff going on.

calibuck said:

Nothing or everything could shock me.....if a kid's body develops under Coach Mick's tutalege, and 'good weight' is added, voila, one has a DT. If can add weight and keep that 'first step', then stay a DE? Also, if a kid sees alot of cordwood stacked against him at DE, he might say he wants to play inside to get on the field sooner. And you know LJ tries to bring in one or two 5* DEs annually. That being said, Tyleke, Hall and a couple more are being 'kept warm' on the sidelines to go inside at DT. This Covid thing is stringing out player eligibility for several that should really have gone on, so game minutes are hard to come by. If Caden goes inside, would you really be surprised Oregon? Maybe for a while, but if he does well in some body bag games, and gains minutes in some of the bigger games, then yay! LJ has done it again.

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Considering Day thinks he's on the smaller side for even DE, yes I would be surprised if Curry ever plays inside for a substantial amount of time.

Ohio State women’s basketball linked with games against Virginia Tech, Oregon, Arkansas
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

While there’s nothing official, an announcement by the Razorbacks puts Ohio State in a potential San Diego tournament

While the Ohio State men’s basketball non-conference schedule has gone live, the women’s schedule is still trickling in here and there. On July 11, the Big Ten announced the 2022 ACC/B1G Challenge with the Buckeyes traveling south for a matchup against the University of Louisville, but nothing else on the non-conference side has been announced. Wednesday, a hint of two future games went public, linking Ohio State to the San Diego Invitational at the end of December, facing the Virginia Tech Hokies, Oregon Ducks, or Arkansas Razorbacks.

On Wednesday, the University of Arkansas announced its non-conference schedule and featured a potential game on Dec. 21 against either the Buckeyes or Hokies, under the heading of the San Diego Invitational. A team representative for Ohio State could not confirm the report, stating that final contracts for additional non-conference games haven’t been finalized. However, if the Razorbacks’ schedule is correct, OSU has the makings of a very strong schedule outside of the Big Ten.

The tournament itself hasn’t gone public, but Arkansas plays the Ducks on Dec. 20 and either the Hokies or Buckeyes the next day. Considering it’s likely a four-team tournament — a common event in NCAA women’s basketball — that leaves Ohio State and Virginia Tech to play on Dec. 20, with whoever comes out on top facing the winner of the Ducks and Razorbacks.

Of the four teams linked with the in-season tournament, all four took part in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Oregon and Arkansas each entered the tournament as five-seeds after finishing second and third in their respective Pac-12 and SEC conferences during the regular season.

In the tournament, each side lost in the first round; Oregon had the most shocking upset of the early tournament, going up against the Belmont Bruins. In an overtime thriller, Belmont shocked the Ducks 73-70, with Kilyn McGuff — daughter of Buckeyes head coach Kevin McGuff — and the Bruins moving into the second round.

To add even more intrigue to a potential matchup with Oregon, Ohio State standout guard Taylor Mikesell, who was second on the Buckeyes in scoring in the 2021-22 season, played with the Ducks before transferring. Mikesell, who entered college playing for the Maryland Terrapins after playing at Jackson High School in Massillon, Ohio, played one season in Eugene before returning home to the Buckeye state.

After Mikesell announced her return for a final year of college eligibility, she gave advice to anyone transferring to pick a school where they “feel appreciated.” The not-so-thinly veiled comment could add some intrigue to a game against Oregon, where Mikesell’s playing time didn’t come close to her impact with the Terrapins or Buckeyes.

For Virginia Tech, the Hokies lost to Florida Gulf Coast in the first round. Even that matchup had an Ohio State connection with forward Kierstan Bell leading the way for FGC. The former Buckeye, who transferred in 2020, led the Eagles into the second round before losing to the Terps.

In the 2021-22 season, the Scarlet and Gray’s non-conference schedule wasn’t nearly as strong, with an unranked Syracuse as their toughest regular-season non-conference opponent. Even then, the Orange entered the game with an interim head coach and mass transfers leading into last season. Ohio State lost 97-91 but won every other non-conference game leading into Big Ten play.

Assuming that this tournament becomes official for more than just the Razorbacks, it gives Ohio State two more challenging games in the fall, in addition to its ACC/B1G Challenge game. Once contracts become final, the entire non-conference schedule will be announced this summer.

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Bold Prediction: Wisconsin will present the toughest challenge on Ohio State’s schedule
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


Tyleik William and the Buckeye defensive line will have their hands full against the Badgers. | Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Forget Notre Dame and Michigan. With a strong defense and good running game: the Badgers are just the kind of team that the Buckeyes struggle with.

As we look up and down the 2022 Ohio State schedule, it’s pretty easy to identify games that might spell trouble and other games that very likely will be easy victories. In the former category, we have, of course, Notre Dame. And then, too, the usual suspects in the Big Ten East: Michigan State, Penn State, and TTUN. And then there are a couple of teams from the West – Iowa and Wisconsin.

Since this is LGHL’s week of “Bold Predictions,” here’s mine: Wisconsin will be the toughest game of the season. I’m not saying that the Buckeyes will lose to the Badgers (although they could), but the line play of Wisconsin will be trouble.

Series records


When we examine the Ohio State vs. Wisconsin series, we see the typical lopsided Buckeye dominance over a Big Ten opponent. The series record stands at 61-18-5 in the Bucks’ favor. The last Wisconsin win came in 2010; The Buckeyes are riding an eight-game winning streak, three of those wins coming in conference championship games. On the other side, the Badgers’ longest win streak against the Buckeyes is three – 1913, 1914, 1915 – the first three times that the teams met on the football field. Over a hundred years ago. OSU enjoyed a 21-game streak in the series from 1960 to 1980. Dominance.

But the Badgers, as we remember, can be pesky. Recall the 2019 B1G Championship game. The unbeaten Bucks had handled Wisconsin easily in the regular season matchup, 38-7. But in Indianapolis, the Badgers surprised Ohio State (and their fans) by taking a 21-7 lead into the halftime locker room. The Buckeyes recovered with 27 unanswered second-half points to win 34-21, but it looked rocky there for a while. That game was the last time that the two teams played.

Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022


There’s no way that the Buckeyes will overlook Wisconsin. It’s the first conference game of the 2022 season, and it comes between two games that should be wins – Toledo and Rutgers. But when I look at Wisconsin, I see bad news, then some good news, and finally more bad news.

The Wisconsin defense is bad news. All last year every college football follower marveled at the Georgia defense. The strong defensive line and the linebackers that were too big, too quick for other teams to handle. Even Alabama found that out in the end. Giving up a miserly 269 yards a game, however, ranked the Bulldogs only second in overall defense, way behind Wisconsin’s 239 a game.

In yards per play, UGA was No. 1, at 4.16, but the Badgers were right behind, barely behind, at 4.17. The Wisconsin rushing defense was No. 1 (with 2.12 yards per carry), the scoring defense was No. 4, passing yards allowed was No. 4, third-down conversion percentage No. 3 (28.7%). Get the picture? The 2021 Badger defense was good — really good.

So, what’s the good news? Most of those defensive studs are gone. In fact, four of the Badgers’ top five tackling leaders have moved on. I’m glad that Ohio State doesn’t have to face Leo Chenal, who last year recorded 115 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and eight sacks. He’s with the Chiefs now. Jack Sanborn, Noah Burks, and Scott Nelson have also departed, and they played a lot of snaps in 2021. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig returns, though, and he’s on most preseason All-Big Ten teams, and on a lot of All-American teams. Last year he had 61 tackles, 14.5 TFL, and nine sacks. A handful.

So, there will be new guys in a lot of defensive positions. Of the 22 starters on both sides of the ball last season, only eight are back for the Badgers in 2022. But head coach Paul Chryst and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will have the defense ready for the Buckeyes. That’s for sure. It will be a defense geared toward shutting down the run and harassing the passer. And it will be challenging for the OSU offensive line.

More bad news on the other side of the ball. Most Buckeye fans regard TreVeyon Henderson as the best running back in the Big Ten, maybe the best in the nation. If there’s anybody around who is good enough to contest that notion, it’s Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen. Badger quarterback Graham Mertz doesn’t worry me, but Allen’s another matter.

Wisconsin likes to run. They always have a powerful offensive line and good runners. Allen is one of their best. Last year, Allen gained 1,268 yards on 186 carries – good enough for a very impressive 6.8 yards per carry. Allen’s backup, Chez Mellusi, gained over 800 yards himself, and he’s back also for 2022. The point is that Wisconsin will have a potent running attack, and OSU had trouble last year against good running teams. The Badgers will provide a key test to see if that problem has been solved.

If the Bucks can contain Allen and force Mertz to pass, things will be easier. Mertz is a decent, not great, quarterback with some accuracy issues. Additionally, he loses his top three receivers from last year – TE Jake Ferguson (who led the team with 46 receptions), and wide receivers Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor. Mertz will have a few games to break in his new receivers, but I’m guessing that they’ll have real difficulties against the Buckeye secondary.

Bottom line


Because of the kind of team that Wisconsin is, they’ll be the toughest on the Buckeye schedule. They’ll want to run the ball and control the clock, and they’re good at it, ranking No. 8 in the nation last year in time of possession. They were also No. 8 in interceptions last year. C.J. Stroud is a very difficult passer to pick off, but the Badgers will want to win the turnover battle and also have fewer penalties. They won’t beat themselves. Contrarily, the Buckeyes will need to stop the Wisconsin running game, get the Badgers off the field on third-down, and protect Stroud against the pass rush.

The game may well come down to the quality of line play on both sides of the ball. It often does, of course. But Ohio State so frequently overwhelms teams with the sheer number of points that they put up that we focus our attention away from the lines. I don’t think that the Buckeyes will blow Wisconsin away. Look for a close game, and a lower-scoring game than we are accustomed to. The lead will change hands, and I hope that it ends in OSU’s favor.

Prediction: Ohio State 28, Wisconsin 24.

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Buckeyes dish out latest 2024 offer, await decision on 2023 defensive lineman
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Aneyas Williams | 247Sports

Ohio State sends out their latest offer in the 2024 class to a Missouri native.

Big Ten Media Days always signifies Ohio State football being just around the corner. With only about a week before fall camp starts for the Buckeyes, Ryan Day and crew have all eyes toward the 2022 campaign and doing everything they can to right the wrongs of last season.

As Day mentioned in his presser on Wednesday, an 11-2 season for most would signify a strong year, but at Ohio State it is not quite good enough. Though last season saw areas of needed improvement, this year seems to be bringing back the swagger that the Buckeyes have sorely missed. Whether it’s off or on the field, the media showings from Ohio State yesterday gave great insight as to how hard this squad is working to get back to the top, and also how fun this year can be.

Though it may seem recruiting is starting to take a backseat with camp fast approaching, this coaching staff never turns off their efforts on the trail. While the success on the defensive side of the ball has hit a bit of a rough patch, rest assured it’s not for a lack of trying. The Buckeyes know there’s plenty of work to be done in this 2023 class, and with spots still up for grabs, it’s still a top priority to focus on getting the job done.

2024 Missouri native lands Buckeye offer


Thanks to the national approach Ohio State has on the recruiting trail, there’s really not a state where the Buckeyes cannot have success at least once. Specifically speaking, Missouri is a state that Ohio State has benefitted from mightily over the years, and guys like Ezekiel Elliot, Cam Brown, Kam Babb, and even Jameson Williams prove that this staff has no trouble going into the Show Me State and leaving with a solid investment.

On Wednesday, the Buckeyes made another splash in Missouri when they offered the latest prospect in the 2024 class. Taking to his Twitter account to share the news, four-star athlete Aneyas Williams was on the receiving end of an Ohio State offer.

A 5-foot-10, 195 pound athlete, Williams is currently the No. 311 player nationally and the 46th best athlete in the country for his class per the 247Sports Composite. A two-way standout for his prep team, Williams lined up as a slot receiver and running back, scoring 47 touchdowns his sophomore year while also playing defense as well. With 15 offers to his name from the likes of Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, Oregon and more, it only makes sense that the Buckeyes join this recruitment.

The Buckeyes have proven success when recruiting in Missouri, and while they’re certainly not the first to get in on Williams, they have plenty of time to make a strong first impression. With the offer now in hand, Ohio State can work on getting him to campus and show him like the many before him that coming to Columbus from his home state is a plan that leads to success. This will be a name worth watching for the foreseeable future concerning the 2024 cycle.

Buckeyes will know fate later today


Calling it like it is, Ohio State’s defensive recruiting has just had a rough go lately. For no lack of effort, the Buckeyes seen multiple guys in the last week or two choose to go their own way, and none of them have opted for Columbus. From Troy Bowles and Tackett Curtis recently to Caleb Downs yesterday, the defensive recruiting has really hit a rough patch. While that comes with the territory sometimes when you recruit the nation’s top guys, it still stings just as bad.

Probably to no fault of the current staff either, the theme right now has surfaced that until Ohio State’s defense proves itself as being “fixed”, the recruiting success isn’t going to be as high as you’d like it to be, and certainly not as high as the offensive side of the ball for the Buckeyes. Ohio State will hope that once the defense gets going all will be right in the world, because obviously both the quality and quantity of guys the offensive staff is bringing in is off the charts thanks directly to their on-field success.

Later today, the defensive staff is going to hear their fate when John Walker announces his commitment. Sharing on Wednesday that he’d be committing today, Walker is choosing between Michigan, Miami, Florida, Ohio State, and UCF ,though this really feels like a two-horse race between the Buckeyes and Central Florida.

The No. 99 player overall, Walker is the 11th best defensive lineman in the class per the 247Sports Composite, and up until about two weeks ago, all signs pointed toward Columbus as the eventual destination for the Florida native. Now though, it looks as if the close to home program, UCF, will be the call today at 6:00 p.m. ET, thanks in large part to what many have said is a family preference for wanting to be closer to home.

Anything is possible and the Buckeyes are still certainly in the mix, but seeing the Crystal Ball predictions switching over from Ohio State to UCF is a pretty strong indication that Walker is likely to stay home for his college career, and that would be yet another blow to the defensive recruiting these last couple of weeks. It hasn’t been a very positive stretch, but here’s to hoping there’s some sort of change before today’s announcement, or at least success with the other top ranked guys the staff is after.


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Bold Prediction: The Big Ten will set an attendance record in 2022
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images

If the rest of entertainment, leisure and travel is any indicator.

My husband and I took a long-awaited trip to Italy in April and caught the travel bug once again. As we were searching for our next trip, we noticed that ticket prices had almost tripled for some routes (including the one we’d just been on a few months ago). That’s because everyone else has caught the travel bug too now that COVID restrictions have largely lifted. As a result, the willingness to pay for these experiences is significantly higher.

Moving a little closer to home, the addition of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten will mean the conference is literally a national brand stretching coast to coast. Will we find Big Ten fans regularly willing to foot the travel costs to follow their teams to cross-country games? That’s a story for a different season, but for now, suffice to say that all indicators point to a record year for attendance at Big Ten football games.

All eyes might be on the conference’s impending media rights deal, which was already expected to be record-setting on its own before the announcement of USC and UCLA joining the fray. However, the thirst for the in-person experience, which had in some ways been waning before the pandemic, means the Big Ten schools can reliably count on another source of revenue this season.

Already, Iowa announced that five of its seven home games are sold out, including two non-conference matchups against Nevada and Iowa State. While we’ve not seen similar announcements from the rest of the Big Ten programs, we could anticipate that programs like Michigan, coming off a banner year, and Michigan State, with lots of enthusiasm around Mel Tucker, will see similar results ahead of the start of the season. Even teams like Illinois, which will see Brett Bielema returning for his second season as head coach, have reason for excitement.

There’s also the question of Penn State, which, like Michigan State, gave head coach James Franklin a massive extension, but which has struggled to meet expectations in recent seasons. Will fans continue to flock to white out games? Probably. Will they be keen to attend a noon game against the Ohio Bobcats? Less likely.

And then there’s Nebraska, which claims the longest sellout streak in football. The Huskers might be struggling on many fronts, but fans will certainly show up for the Huskers’ Sept. 17 matchup against former Big 12 foe Oklahoma.

Will this spirit trickle down to teams like Rutgers, Indiana and Maryland? That much is unclear, but these games could prove accessible for other reasons — mainly for fans of other teams. Given that the going rate for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame tickets is $240+, perhaps we’ll see more Ohio State fans making the six-hour trek to Evanston to see the Buckeyes on the road at a much lower price. Having attended several Northwestern games in 2018, I can acknowledge that the majority of fans in the small stadium are often cheering for the road team. Perhaps even Northwestern will see a sellout of several hot games with away team fans traveling in. And even if they aren’t sellouts, it will probably be enough to set an attendance record.

Granted, this record would be a challenging one to set because the bar is already so high. Three programs — Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State — have averaged 100,000+ fans per game in recent years (2020 excluded). However, the other 11 programs in the conference could see a rush of ticket sales — if Iowa is any indication, at least.

This year could perhaps be an anomaly, as sellouts are somewhat counter to the trends we’ve been seeing in live sports in recent years. The at-home experience (from elite broadcast talent to better TVs and more) has become so comfortable, but we’ve been at home so much in the last two (plus) years. Whether the desire to spend on out-of-home experiences continues once folks have gotten it out of their system remains to be seen, but the demand is certainly there now.

Revenue generation doesn’t stop at tickets, though. In terms of alcohol sales, this could also prove a boon for the member schools, about half of which have implemented alcohol in their concessions repertoire in the last decade or so. Moreover, in-stadium sponsorships become even more valuable and competitive, another key driver for program revenue.

Even beyond the stadium, the ecosystem of bars, restaurants and shops that operate around college football — those that suffered the most when there were no fans at games in the 2020 season — look to benefit from this increase in traffic.

The global trend of high willingness to pay for entertainment will of course extend to college football, and the Big Ten is well positioned to capitalize on it. The record year is well within sight.

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Column: It’s time to level the playing field
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Women’s tackle football has long existed, but not at the collegiate level. The NCAA needs to close that gap.

As a child, I was a ballerina who also happened to play tackle football (what can I say? I contain multitudes). I’m the daughter of a collegiate football player, and my neighborhood friends were mostly boys. Our version of The Sandlot was football at the local elementary school.

In the summers, when my mom would send me outside to play with instructions not to return until it got dark, my options were to read or play alone or to join the boys on the gridiron. I think maybe my deep competitive streak began during those summers with my need to prove to the boys that I belonged on the field (to their credit, I was always welcome with open arms, and they tackled me just as hard as they tackled each other).

Eventually, I begged my parents to let me play in the community tackle football league. For one glorious year, I suited up every Saturday to play with the boys.

Unfortunately, after one season, my dad, who already had concerns about the safety of football given what we know now in terms of concussions, pulled me for safety because my age was going to require me to bump up a weight class, though I was well under the weight itself. That was the end of my football career, but not the end of my love for the sport.

Fast forward to a few years ago. My dear friend Molly called me up to tell me she was joining a competitive women’s tackle football team called the Boston Renegades. They had, she said, won many national championships as part of the Women’s Football Alliance. Molly had a history of collegiate sports, but she was new to the game of football.

My mind was blown. I had never heard of the Women’s Football Alliance, nor did I realize that competitive tackle football for women was an option. As it turns out, women’s tackle football teams and leagues have been around for decades. Columbus even had a team of its own — the Columbus Pacesetters — from 1974-1988 before they became a flag football team.

Over the past five years, women’s tackle football has seen tremendous growth in both the number of teams and the level of competition, in large part thanks to the WFA’s work to make women’s tackle football accessible as a community investment. There’s even a U.S. Women’s National tackle football team.


But there aren’t teams at the collegiate level. Given the growth of women’s tackle football in recent years, one has to wonder – will it ever become an NCAA sport?

Football has long been a male-dominated sport, and while I am hoping that in the near future, we move away from gendered sports altogether in favor of more inclusive systems, as long as we are still working under gendered sports, I would love to see more women on football fields across America.

While there are no rules barring women from taking the field in NCAA football games, women are few and far between, in part due to the physical size of most football players. When we do see them on the field, it’s usually in placekicker or holder roles — positions which are rarely involved in full contact. Only four women have ever played in non-kicking positions at the collegiate level.

But if there is such a large — and growing — interest in women’s tackle football for adults, wouldn’t it make sense that there are women at the collegiate level who would be interested in playing as well? Women who could theoretically feed into adult leagues?

The WFA is making incredible strides in bringing women’s tackle football to the forefront, and I think it’s time for the NCAA to catch up to the times, even if it starts at the club level. The impact of adding women’s tackle football teams to the NCAA would be vast, likely rippling down to high schools and youth leagues.

Surely I wasn’t the only young girl in America who had an interest in tackle football. But I also think many of my friends didn’t see it as an option for them; It was a boys’ club. Having women’s tackle football at the collegiate level would create exposure in a way that would help middle and high school athletes visualize that as a realistic option for them to consider, should they want to.

Playing football at a young age taught me toughness, persistence, resilience (having to get up for the next play after being dropped on your ass will teach you to bounce back in life in ways little else will). We know team sports are beneficial to young people even if they don’t choose to become professional athletes, and as safety continues to improve in the sport, football can help youth players develop life skills — skills which women and young girls should also have access to.

We’re also seeing a surge for professional women’s sports across the board. The NWLS and WNBA have both soared in popularity in recent years, and the NCAAW March Madness tournament saw record numbers this year. There’s no reason to believe that same sentiment couldn’t translate to tackle football.

It wouldn’t be an overnight shift, but it is also not out of the realm of possibility. The long-term payoff, in my opinion, is worth the investment.

The NCAA is in a position to meet the times and create a world in which football is a sport for everyone, not just boys. Where women are on the field enough that their presence isn’t a news headline. Where young girls could turn on the television on Saturday mornings to see people like them playing tackle football, with all of the strength and toughness that requires, and think “I could do that too.”

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