Buck Off Podcast: The End of Year Award Show and Tommy Eichenberg is back
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chris and Jordan wrap up the 2022 season with their end of season award show.

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On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to host our end of season award show highlighting some of the best moments from the 2022 season.

We start the episode with a discussion about Tommy Eichenberg’s big decision to return to Ohio State, and how that is beneficial for the Buckeyes heading into year two of Jim Knowles’ defense. We also discuss why having a talented player returning far outweighs potential from other guys that has not been seen in game action yet.

Then we get into Kevin Warren’s decision to leave his role as Big Ten Commissioner to be the president of the Chicago Bears. Our talk dives into the impact Warren had on the Big Ten, and why his tenure was a resounding success.

After the news and notes, we get into our end of season award show, looking at the best and worst from 2022.

In the first half, we get into the worst from the 2022 Ohio State season. This includes the most painful moment and the player we will not miss who left for whatever reason. Then we discuss our worst takes, as well as some of our favorites we saw this season.

Once we get through our Razzies, we get into our Oscars. We discuss the team MVP, the team MVP not named C.J. Stroud, and our favorite moments of the year, among a few others. During it all, our normal tangents come into play, so if you expect structure, you’ll be disappointed.

Then, to close out the show, we give our best takes from the season. And we wanted to say thank you to all who have listened this season, interacted with us, and made another year covering Ohio State so fun.


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Buckeyes offer in-state 2024 running back, a former commit enters the portal
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Sam Williams-Dixon | 247Sports

Ohio State sends out latest offer to an in-state 2024 running back target.

In-state running back grabs Ohio State offer


Without a running back being signed in the 2023 class, the Buckeyes are still in solid shape thanks to their depth. Players like Miyan Williams, TreVeyon Henderson, Dallan Hayden, and even Evan Pryor all remain in the running back room, which has certainly softened the blow.

While the roster is fine for the coming season, position coach Tony Alford knows the 2024 class can’t go like 2023. At least one running back will be needed, and there’s talk that the Buckeyes could look to even bring in two guys in this next cycle with the departures that very well may happen after next season. At any rate, work needs to be done.

Right off the bat, the Buckeyes have already offered a solid number of players at the position in this 2024 cycle, and their own back yard of in-state players is a fertile recruiting ground the staff can focus on. The name that most notably comes to mind is Cincinnati Moeller product, Jordan Marshall, as he’s the eighth best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite. Certainly a priority for Alford and company, Marshall isn’t the only Ohioan to see interest, as earlier this week the Buckeyes offered another in-state back.

Taking to Twitter to announce the news on Wednesday evening, Sam Williams-Dixon shared that Ohio State has offered. A Millersburg, Ohio native, Williams-Dixon is currently listed as the No. 539 player nationally, the 41st best running back and the 21st best player in Ohio for the 2024 cycle according to the 247Sports Composite. No stranger to the coaches, Williams-Dixon has been a name the staff has kept an eye on, and his efforts have earned himself his latest and biggest offer to this point.

Schools such as Penn State, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and others have already thrown their name into the mix, but the Buckeyes now in the fold should further the domino effect of large programs paying close attention. As mentioned, likely two running backs in this class is the goal for the staff. While you typically always go for the home run addition of a top national back, the Buckeyes may elect to keep this situation close to home and court two of their targets who are within the state lines.

Quick Hits

• The name Jaheim Singletary should certainly ring a bell if you follow Ohio State recruiting. The one-time five-star defensive back in the 2022 class was once committed to Ohio State, and gave the Buckeyes the ideal cornerback when it comes to pedigree and measurables. Rescinding on his pledge and flipping his commitment to Georgia in late November of 2021, the coaches were faced with the tough reality of losing an elite talent, and obviously would have loved to keep him in the fold.

Fresh off the end of his first year in school, Singletary has seen his name be in the headlines, as it was made known on Thursday that it looks as if he plans to enter the transfer portal not even a full year into his Georgia career. While it has yet to happen, the signs trend to this being the case, and the thought here is wondering if the Buckeyes would be in the mix considering their lack of depth at the position and their previous relationship with Jaheim.

It’s hard to predict what could happen with so many variables being up in the air, but seeing the staff shy away from the portal last year at the cornerback spot didn’t really do anything positive for this year, so maybe their plan for this offseason is different. Only time will tell, but the fact of the matter is cornerback continues to be a need — and a need that has to be addressed soon. Interest in a one-time Ohio State commit would be new ground to tread, but could be worth it.


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Ohio State men continue to spiral, falling to Minnesota at home 70-67
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

That was an ugly 40 minutes of basketball.

It’s tough to categorize any particular Big Ten game as a “must-win” in early January, but following a disheartening 80-73 loss to Maryland last weekend, Thursday night’s game against the last-place Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-8, 1-4) certainly qualified as one.

The Buckeyes (10-6, 2-3) were viewed as one of the favorites to win the Big Ten just one week ago. Three losses later, they’re probably closer to the NCAA Tournament bubble than they are to cutting down nets at the end of the season. Beating a terrible Minnesota team that’s in the middle of a rebuild wasn’t going to change that, but losing to that same Minnesota team could certainly make things much more dire.

Thus, a “must-win” game.

And wouldn’t you know it, things are suddenly much, much worse! Things started out slippery for Ohio State against the Golden Gophers Thursday night and never quite got back on track, as Minnesota pulled out their first Big Ten win of the season, 70-67.

With Zed Key still dealing with a shoulder injury he suffered against Purdue last week, Gene Brown drew his first start of the season. Alongside Brown was Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Brice Sensabaugh, and Justice Sueing. Second-year head coach Ben Johnson rolled with a starting five of Taurus Samuels, Ta’Lon Cooper, Joshua Ola-Joseph, Jamison Battle, and Dawson Garcia.

The Buckeyes were finding open looks early on but missed several bunnies which prevented them from taking control early. Minnesota took an 11-6 lead into the first media timeout at the 14:21 mark, with four different Gophers scoring over the first five-plus minutes. Sensabaugh in particular struggled early on, hitting one of his five shots over the first five minutes.

The Golden Gophers only shoot 33% as a team from long range, but to their credit, they knocked a handful down early. Minnesota used most of their early possessions up by swinging the ball around the perimeter until someone finally took a shot, and it worked for a while! Minnesota held a seven-point lead at the under-12 timeout, 19-12. The Gophers knocked down three of their first six triples — one each from Battle, Cooper, and Samuels.


Minnesota was not able to pull away, but they also didn’t loosen the grip they had over the Buckeyes in the waning moments of the first half, as they held a 33-29 lead at the under-four timeout. Garcia was proving to be especially troublesome for the Buckeyes, as he was pivoting and moving quicker than both Okpara and the slightly-compromised Key.


McNeil was fouled shooting a three-pointer with 59 seconds to go in the half and knocked down all three free throws to tie the game briefly, but Cooper hit a fading baseline shot with two seconds remaining on the shot clock to retake the lead, 37-35. That was our halftime score as well, with the last-place Gophers heading to the locker room with a lead. Garcia had 12 first-half points for Minnesota. McNeil had nine first-half points for OSU.

Ohio State took their first lead in over 26 minutes with Brice Sensabaugh’s and-one layup with 13:05. The freshman sat out the first several minutes of the second half because he was a defensive liability, but he converted a three-point play to give Ohio State a 51-50 lead. Ohio State led 2-0 early and then trailed for the next 26:02 until Sensabaugh’s bucket.

However, Minnesota scored a quick seven points over the next 2:23 to take a 57-51 lead, and Chris Holtmann was forced to call a timeout with 10:38 remaining. Ohio State went scoreless on their next two possessions, and Cooper knocked down another three with nine minutes remaining to give them their biggest lead of the game, 60-51.


Minnesota continued to play stout defense on the Buckeyes, repeatedly forcing them into tough, isolation situations. The Golden Gophers held a 64-56 lead at the final media timeout with 3:47 left in the game.

The Buckeyes strung together back-to-back buckets courtesy of Sueing and McNeil to make it 64-60 with two minutes remaining, but they simply weren’t able to get the defensive stops they needed in the closing minutes to pull off a comeback, falling to the worst team in the Big Ten, 70-67.

If you weren’t around tonight to see Ohio State’s third consecutive loss, here are a few moments and plays that were key in Minnesota’s decisive win on the road:

Key checks in early off the bench


After missing one game with a shoulder injury suffered against Purdue, Key checked into Thursday night’s game at the 17:05 mark and immediately scored a bucket over Ola-Joseph. Ohio State was clearly trying to ease Key back into the action against a team they thought they’d likely beat, but that’s not exactly how the game script played out with Minnesota leading for most of the first half.

Battle gives Minnesota an early six-point lead


After Key got Ohio State back within three points, Battle connected on a three-pointer from the right wing to put Minnesota back up, 14-8 with 13:34 left in the first half. Battle shot nearly 37% from long range last season, but this year he’s struggled, hitting just 33% of his three-pointers.

Holden brings down the house, but Garcia answers


With 8:49 left in the first half and Ohio State down 21-15, Tanner Holden slammed a ferocious dunk down off the feed from Isaac Likekele as he was being fouled by Samuels. Holden hit the free throw to make it 21-18 Ohio State, the closest they were since it was 8-6.

However, Minnesota answered with five straight points — all from Garcia — to go back in front, 26-18.

Finally, some defense


Trailing 33-29 towards the end of the first half, Minnesota was hoping to extend the lead a bit more before the under-four timeout. However, the lineup of Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Sueing, Sensabaugh, and Key was able to force a shot clock violation to keep the deficit at four points with 3:41 left to go until halftime.

McNeil ties it up, but Minnesota heads to the locker room with a lead


Trailing 35-32 with 59 seconds left until halftime, McNeil was fouled on the elbow by Jaden Henley, resulting in three free throws. McNeil knocked down all three to tie the game for the first time in over 16 minutes, 35-35.

However, on the ensuing Minnesota possession, Cooper spun took a fadeaway jumper from near the baseline, and canned it, giving his squad a two-point halftime lead.

Sensabaugh’s and-one bucket gives Ohio State their first lead in over 26 minutes


Still trailing 50-48 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game, Sensabaugh missed a driving layup on the left side, but corralled his own miss, put it back up, and was fouled by Garcia. Sensabaugh hit the free throw as well, giving Ohio State their first lead since it was 2-0 Buckeyes.

Garcia cleans up his own mess, puts Minnesota back up by six


Following Sensabaugh’s and-one that gave Ohio State the lead, Minnesota scored seven consecutive points to go back in front, 57-51. Garcia missed a layup with 10:43 remaining, but he was able to grab his own miss and score to put his team back up by six points.

Payne gives Minnesota their first double-digit lead of the game


Already leading 62-53, Pharrel Payne scored over the top of Key with 5:15 left in the game to put the Gophers up 64-53 — their largest lead of the evening. It was yet another possession where Ohio State played defense for 28 seconds, but couldn’t stop a basket in the final two or so seconds of the possession.

Sensabaugh scores five straight to tie it up


Down 67-62 with 31 seconds remaining, Sensabaugh canned a triple from the corner to make it 67-65. Ohio State took 13 seconds to foul on the ensuing possession, but Samuels bailed them out and missed the front end of the one-and-one.

Ohio State grabbed the rebounds and barreled down the court. The ball wound up in Sensabaugh’s hands, and he was fouled by Cooper. Sensabaugh hit both, tying the game at 67 with 8 seconds remaining.

Likekele blocks Cooper, but is whistled for a foul with 1.7 seconds remaining


On Minnesota’s final possession, Cooper drove to the basket but was blocked by Likekele. The crowd cheered so loud that few people heard the whistle, as Likekele was called for a foul on the play. Cooper split the free throws to put Minnesota up 68-67 with 1.7 seconds remaining.

Up Next:


Ohio State (10-6, 2-3) has two days off before traveling to New Jersey for their rematch with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-5, 4-2) on Sunday afternoon. The Buckeyes won the first game between these two teams, 67-66, on December 8. It was not without controversy, however, as the Big Ten announced the next day that Tanner Holden’s game-winning three-pointer should not have counted.

The Scarlet Knights are looking like one of the best teams in the Big Ten thus far, and are coming off a 65-62 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night.

The Ohio State - Rutgers game will tip off at 2:15 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

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Ranking the top five comebacks of the Ohio State women’s basketball 2022-23 season
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

The Buckeyes have made a habit out of coming back from double-digit deficits, so its about time they get ranked

The Ohio State women’s basketball team is No. 3 in the nation and one of three remaining undefeated teams in the country. If you haven’t jumped headfirst into watching the games this season, we feel sorry for you, and ask the question, “What are you waiting for?” Also, if you’ve been looking at scores alone it looks like the Scarlet & Gray have traveled a fairly easy road, but that’s far from the truth.

Here are the top five performances where Ohio State’s fought back from 10 points or more to win, starting last week.

No. 5: Ohio State at Minnesota (83-71)


On New Year’s Eve, the Buckeyes fought back from an early eight-point deficit against a team despised by Ohio State fans everywhere — the Michigan Wolverines. It was a marquee victory because both teams were ranked, and the Buckeyes were on a three-game losing streak to the Maize & Blue before the win.

With that win in the Scarlet & Gray’s back pocket, their next game brought them to a less challenging, unranked, Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota started four freshmen and a sophomore, against a veteran Ohio State team. With under four minutes in the third quarter left, the Buckeyes were down 10, and couldn’t find their scoring stroke.

The Buckeyes went off. Ohio State began the fourth quarter scoring 14 unanswered points on their way to the win, outscoring Minnesota 28-10 in the final 10 minutes. Minnesota’s young team looked gassed in the final quarter, not able to go up against a well-conditioned visiting side. It led to fouls in which Ohio State picked up eight of those 28 points to end the game.

No. 4: Ohio State vs. Tennessee Volunteers (87-75)


Seeing the first game of the year so low on this list might be a surprise. After all, it’s the historic Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball program. A legacy only overshadowed by the UConn juggernaut. It was a game versus the then No. 5 Vols that brought the Schottenstein Center to life. This game is fourth for good reason though.

Tennessee looked like the better team for over two quarters. Although center Tamari Key went to the bench early in the first quarter for the Vols, after earning two quick fouls, the Volunteers led Ohio State by six after the first quarter, increasing that lead to 12 with less than three minutes left in the second.

Ohio State cut the lead to eight before halftime and the Taylor Mikesell show took over. The guard scored 15 points in the third quarter, and 20 overall in the second half. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side demoralized a Vols side that featured key transfers, who looked more like a college all-star team.

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Taylor Mikesell (24) in her 25-point performance over the then No. 5 ranked Tennessee Volunteers

The reason this game is lower is because of what happened next. Tennessee lost all of their six games against ranked opponents and lost Key for the season due to blood clots located in her lungs, which thankfully were found before they caused serious injury.

Jordan Horston and Tennessee are still 12-6 on the season, now in SEC play in a conference that’s extremely top-heavy in the standings. They’ll likely make the NCAA Tournament, but their value is down significantly, sitting outside of the AP top 25.

No. 3: Ohio State at Louisville Cardinals (97-77)


It’s weird seeing Louisville on here for much of the same reason as Tennessee. The Cardinals are usually a lock for top-5 in the country and when they were announced as the final ACC/B1G Challenge opponent before the in-season “tournament” is scrapped, it was another game that the Buckeyes were underdogs.

Louisville slip a little before Ohio State came to Louisville, Kentucky on Nov. 30. They dropped down to No. 16 in the polls after losses to South Dakota State and Gonzaga, and a close win against Belmont University. Against the Buckeyes though, Louisville came to play — at least for the first half.

The Cardinals went up 14 points halfway through the second quarter and kept an eight-point lead going into the half. Guard Jacy Sheldon returned for this game, after missing two due to the start of her current lower leg injury, but was playing through injury. Also, four-time B1G Freshman of the Week Cotie McMahon was benched early in the game, with McGuff opting for experience to get back into the game.

Substitute guard Rikki Harris had her flu game that night... well it was actually just a cold, but still. Harris didn’t know if she would play at all, because she couldn’t breathe out of her nose and had trouble running. What Harris did was play 19 minutes with 10 rebounds, six assists, and five points.

Ohio State University athletic department
Rikki Harris played a big role, under less than ideal circumstances, in Ohio State’s win over Louisville.

In 13 game minutes, Ohio State wiped away the lead and surged to a 21-point lead late into the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes had runs of 14 and 11 points in the fourth quarter, causing a mass early exodus of fans out of the KFC Yum! Center.

Louisville, like Tennessee, eventually left the top 25 after losing to Middle Tennessee State in the next game.

No. 2: Ohio State vs. University of South Florida (88-86/OT)


Now, this game isn’t on here because it's against a big conference opponent or a matchup between ranked teams. This game defies logic.

The Buckeyes traveled to the San Diego Invitational before Christmas weekend. The four-team tournament featured an initial game against USF Bulls, with the winner facing the victor of the Oregon Ducks and Arkansas Razorbacks.

Ohio State had Oregon on their minds, with Mikesell’s former team, and some complicated history, controlling the narrative. The Buckeyes went 18 points down in this game, lost point guard Madison Greene for the season with a knee injury late in the fourth quarter, and allowed the Bulls' 6-foot-4 Cameroonian forward Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu to control the game.

Mendjiadeu had 34 points and 17 rebounds, with 11 points coming from the free-throw line. With one minute left in overtime, ESPN win probability metrics gave Ohio State a 1.3% chance of winning, down 86-80, and you already know what happened.

Substitute forward Eboni Walker hit a jump shot in the paint. McMahon hit one of two free throws to bring it to three, and guard/forward combo Taylor Thierry grabbed an offensive rebound on the second free throw attempted. Mikesell hits a three-point shot within a few seconds to tie the game with 15 seconds remaining.

Then, Walker comes up big for a second time in the overtime, blocking a shot by guard Elena Tsineke, with McMahon and Thierry going on the break. It was an unbelievable ending, but not unbelievable enough to be number one on the list.

No. 1: Ohio State vs. Illinois (87-81)


It isn’t recency bias getting this game number one on the list. This result had it all. The Illinois Fighting Illini shocked the Big Ten this season, beating a ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and entering Columbus with a 14-2 record, after winning seven total games last season.

Forward Kendall Bostic and guard Genesis Bryant were as dangerous on the court as the hype surrounding their performances of late. Bostic was unstoppable for the Illini, scoring a career-high 27 points and adding 15 rebounds, an eerily familiar trend to number two on this list.

Bryant hit 15 points in the first half after the NC State transfer was named B1G Player of the Week two weeks in a row. Illinois’ shots were falling, they were outrebounding Ohio State and the Fighting Illini were in high spirits, and rightfully so.

That momentum stayed with Illinois into the third quarter, where the Buckeyes are known to come out of the halftime locker room on fire. Instead, a 10-point halftime lead swelled to 17 points with 6:56 remaining.

Ohio State responded with a 25-8 run to end the quarter. Freshman McMahon started the comeback with a seven-point run by herself. Mikesell added eight points of her own and the Buckeyes were tied going into the fourth quarter. It took McGuff’s team 4:40 off the game clock to wipe away the deficit.

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Cotie McMahon (32) didn’t have her highest NCAA scoring game of her career, but it was arguably her best performance.

The Buckeyes never went down again, beating Illinois 87-81.


Now, Ohio State travels to a tough Nebraska Cornhuskers home environment against a team who entered the season with high expectations but are having trouble reaching them. For the Buckeyes, they’re hoping they don’t have to add any more games to this list.

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In the portal.

Column: Looking at the importance of Ohio State’s key draft decisions
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

With the draft decision deadline approaching rapidly and the transfer window closing, we’re starting to get clarity on Ohio State’s 2023 roster.

The deadline to declare for the NFL Draft for eligible players is Jan. 16, and many Ohio State Buckeyes have already announced their decision. With the first transfer window period closing in a less than week, the Ohio State roster is all but confirmed with a few decisions still on the horizon.

Looking at the level of importance of each decision will give a first look at the roster next year, and we can dive into how much these decisions will impact the Buckeyes entering the 2023 offseason. There are significant shoes to fill, and the expectations won’t change for Ohio State — who was a field goal away from playing for a national championship.

The Buckeyes have already gotten some significant news in some surprise returnees, but the losses they are taking are at key positions.

Key Draft Departures


Ohio State has had four players forego eligibility and leave the program. The remainder of the players on the way out either aged out or transferred. Either way, they don’t fit the criteria of this article, which is players who had a decision to make and would have made a significant impact if they returned.

Paris Johnson Jr.


Paris Johnson Jr. was always a long shot to return, and his talent was recognized early by draft experts as well as NFL talent evaluators. Starting two years on the line, Johnson was named a consensus All-American at offensive tackle. Turning down first round money to return is not something anyone should be asked to do, but that still doesn’t change the fact this leaves arguably the biggest hole on the roster to fill.

Why this is important: Replacing offensive linemen of Johnson’s caliber is hard enough, and to add to that, the position he played is most connected to protecting the quarterback. With a new quarterback starting next year, this loss means there will be new starter responsible for protecting the QB’s blindside. That is not the most ideal situation.

Dawand Jones

On the other side of the line was right tackle Dawand Jones, who was also an All-American tackle in his own right. Coming into Ohio State, Jones was ranked 1043rd in the country by the 247Sports Composite. His development into elite college linemen happened an unforeseen rate by everybody involved — except probably Jones himself.

As a projected Day Two pick in the Draft, Jones could have come back and helped his stock by potentially switching sides. The other side of that coin is returning and hurting the respectable draft grades.

Why this is important: Jones being ahead of schedule in his development means he’s leaving a year early. Now Ohio State has to replace both tackles, with limited experience behind them due to the number of snaps both Jones and Johnson Jr. played. The Buckeyes will be testing their new starting tackles in a trial by fire.

Josh Fryar played 231 snaps – most coming as an extra lineman – and Zen Michalski played 79 snaps. Both players will have a huge opportunity, but will also have big shoes to fill.

Luke Wypler


This decision was seen as a surprise from most, but Luke Wypler is still heading to the NFL. The 5th rated center according to PFF and Day-2 projected pick by most draft experts had another solid year starting for the Buckeyes. Once again, Wypler was ahead of schedule, starting a year earlier than expected due to some unforeseen circumstances. Holding his own, he retained the job and excelled this year.

Why this is important: Losing three offensive linemen out of the four who could have stayed puts a lot of pressure on the coaching staff to develop a unit that can maintain the standard. Looking at Wypler’s decision, the line looks a lot different with the middle three set. Now the Buckeyes have to fill in holes at the three most crucial positions on the offensive line.

Ronnie Hickman

This decision should not come as a surprise, since Hickman was one of the youngest players to walk at Ohio State’s senior day. Hickman had a solid career and was the most consistent safety for the Buckeyes over the last two seasons. Losing him is not necessarily the most significant loss, but replacing his level of consistency mounts a challenge.

Hickman’s NFL Draft range will depend a lot on testing and how much positional versatility he can bring to the table. He is not a sideline to sideline guy, and he does not have the ball hawk nature, but in a zone heavy scheme he can be a solid fit.

Why this is important: Hickman’s decision is important because there are a lot of questions in the back end with both him and McAlister moving on. The Buckeyes added Ja’Had Carter from Syracuse, who can play in the Adjuster role that Hickman did. The question then turns to who fills out the remaining two safety slots, and how consistent can they be.

There is youth in Kye Stokes and Sonny Styles, and there is still a decision for Josh Proctor and Lathan Ransom, as both could return. The Buckeyes have a lot to think about with the safeties moving forward.

Returnees


On the other side of the decisions, the Buckeyes have three guys coming back who were key contributors in the success of the 2022 team. The Buckeyes had some big decisions made before the bowl games, so those names will not be included here, but the three below will have be looking to improve with another year while also having a similar impact.

Cade Stover


Stover had his moments of excellence, which included hurdling defenders, stretching out for a touchdown, and making his share of catches. Don’t go read any of my articles detailing Ryan Day’s excessive use of Stover in key moments; This is a positive article.

Stover needs to improve on his blocking in space and consistency in the passing game, but he showed he can be a No. 1 tight end. Adding him to the mix with the three headed monster at receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, and the next starter at quarterback should be in good hands.

Why this is important: Stover brings much needed boost to the tight end room for new tight end coach Keenan Bailey. Bailey will have a player who can be utilized in a multitude of ways and one who will set the standard for the rest. This takes a ton of pressure off the young tight end in Joe Royer, who can be a secondary option, and Gee Scott Jr. will have the Spring to take some more steps to solidify himself with less pressure as well.

Matt Jones


The one returning offensive linemen will most likely be asked to play center and use his wealth of experience to help lead an inexperienced group. Jones played consistently this season, but after suffering an early injury was often the weak link of a strong five on the line. In the run game, Jones will want to show he can be a consistent blocker in space and at the second level. This is also an opportunity potentially to get film at center which would add value to him as a player.

Why this is important: Justin Frye has a huge year in front of him, and having a leader in Jones back will pay dividends. If Ohio State lost all four draft eligible linemen, starting from scratch could lead to some early growing pains. Many of those will still occur, but at least the anchors are there in Jones and returning left guard Donovan Jackson. With all the other returnees at receiver and running back, the pressure will be up front to keep the offense playing at the same level.

Xavier Johnson

Using his sixth year, Johnson gives Ryan Day a Swiss Army knife type weapon to go along with all the other tools in the garage. Johnson had an inconsistent role in the offense this year, playing receiver, running back and also manning kick off return duties for the second half of the season. When he played he was magic, and that is something that will make the offense that much more dangerous.

Why this is important: When you look at key moments in Ohio State’s season, Johnson was a part of quite a few of them. His role probably won’t be expanded, but he definitely warrants his share of touches in a game. Even if his role doesn't result in more consistent usage, having a player that can be trusted in a variety of roles has immense value.

Still Waiting


These players aren’t here to keep your hopes up, but as of writing this article they have yet to make a decision on their futures. One of these guys seems like a reasonable returnee, while the other would come as a huge surprise. The talent and leadership combination would make Ohio State early title favorites – even with the remaining questions on the roster.

Tommy Eichenberg

Eichenberg got my All-American vote on this year’s FWAA ballot, and he was a tackling machine who was at times an eraser of opponents running game. Getting a second year of film has already raised his draft stock, and not many would blame him for professionalizing. That being said, if he chooses to return the defense will have two anchors in the middle. Getting back a leading tackler is not a small win, and Eichenberg seems to be the type of player who wants to right his wrongs.

Why this is important: Ohio State would return six key players in their defensive front, likely making them one of the best units against the run. In year two of Jim Knowles, having back the two starting linebackers will make Knowles even more dangerous in what he can do with the front-six. If Eichenberg leaves, Cody Simon has experience and C.J. Hicks is a blue chip prospect who can bridge the gap. But the return of Eichenberg would mean the world to a defense that needs as many consistent players as possible.

Josh Proctor/Lathan Ransom

These two are paired together. Proctor fell out of favor throughout the season, but still has an athletic upside most players could not dream about. Ransom was Knowles’ favorite player, but had a rough stretch in the final two games. If both guys return, they add experience and physicality to the room, and it seems like both will probably be back. Ransom excelled in the Bandit role, but once again struggled in man coverage, which means he could shift over to Adjuster.

Why this is important: Safety was a position of strength for 90 percent of the season, and returning players is not a bad thing especially with how much youth is in that group. In a year where Sonny Styles, Kye Stokes, and others can play key roles, having a baton passing could make the growth easier for those young guys.

C.J. Stroud

Don’t scoff — he has not made a decision yet!

This would be absurd if Stroud did return with the receiving group that is also coming back. Stroud is a definitive first round caliber quarterback, and will almost certainly head to the NFL. If he did return, Ohio State would be definitive national title favorites, Stroud would be the Heisman favorite, and would also likely walk away with every passing record in Ohio State’s record book.

Stroud would also have the opportunity to rid the one albatross on the his resume with a win against the rival up north. He’s probably going to declare, but the last time I was this sure, Chris Olave announced he was coming back.

Why this is important: There is nothing but faith in Ryan Day’s ability to develop a quarterback, but having a sure thing is always better than traversing the unknown. It is unlikely, and the quarterback room at Ohio State is definitely talented enough to continue the new tradition of Ohio State having first round picks at the position. Stroud returning would be crazy, but until he decides slim possibility remains.


Ohio State has already lost a significant chunk of their roster due to eligibility and players leaving in the transfer portal. With both deadlines approaching rapidly, the roster for the spring is likely going to be finalized here shortly. The key decisions remaining can change the outlook of the team significantly.

The departures on the offensive line are the most worrying. Needing to replace both tackles and the center is no small task, especially given the recruiting misses of the prior position coach. Add to the mix a new quarterback, and all those weapons at the skill positions mean very little until we get the answers about those other two position groups.

On defense, the Buckeyes return most of their key contributors outside of Tommy Eichenberg, who still has to decide. If the Buckeyes get Eichenberg back, year two under Knowles can be even more dangerous.

With the few key decisions remaining, we can finally start diving into what Ohio State will look like next year. Once we get those answers, it will be full steam ahead into preparing for the 2023 season.

Continue reading...

dragurd said:

Pssh Saban would slap a GA into next Tuesday if they gave someone locker room material without running it by him first.

Click to expand...

I don’t get the issue. They are the highest ranked 2-loss team in the final AP poll.

Err… They are the highest ranked 2-loss team in the final AP poll who didn’t appear in the championship game.

Err… They are the highest ranked 2-loss team in the final AP poll who didn’t appear in the CFP semis.

Roundball Round-Up: Catching up with the Buckeyes currently in the NBA
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

With the NBA season already halfway over, it’s a good time to see how the Ohio State alums in the league have been doing.

As the Ohio State men’s basketball team is working its way toward another NCAA Tournament bid, former Buckeyes are in the middle of the NBA season. Six former Ohio State players are currently playing in the league, with a seventh, E.J. Liddell, out for the season after suffering a knee injury in a NBA Summer League game in July. The former Ohio State hoopers in the league are a mixture of veterans, a rookie, top draft picks, and undrafted free agents.

Duane Washington Jr. - Phoenix Suns


After spending his rookie season with the Indiana Pacers, Duane Washington Jr. signed with the Phoenix Suns in the offseason. Washington had a tough time finding action early in the season with guys like Devin Booker and Chris Paul firmly entrenched in the starting lineup. It has been a different story lately, as a number of players in the backcourt of the Suns are dealing with injury issues.

Washington has done his best work of the season over the last few weeks. Two days after Christmas, Washington hit five three-pointers and scored a career-high 26 points in a 125-108 win over Memphis. The second-year pro has hit five threes in each of the last two games, scoring 25 points in a loss to Cleveland on Sunday, and 21 points in Tuesday’s 125-113 win at Golden State.

Even though Washington will likely see his minutes cut when Booker, Paul, and the rest of the injured Suns' players are back, he is at least gaining trust from Phoenix’s coaching staff. When Washington is on, he can really fill up the score sheet, which could be scary for opponents when paired with Booker. For a guy that some Ohio State fans thought was making a mistake by declaring for the draft, Washington is carving out a nice role in the NBA.

D’Angelo Russell - Minnesota Timberwolves


For the first few years of his NBA career, D’Angelo Russell bounced around the league after being drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2015 NBA Draft. Russell played on three different teams before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the middle of the 2019-20 season. Russell has found a home in Minnesota, benefitting from being teamed up with guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, who have been able to take some of the pressure off Russell.

The guard has started 38 games this year and is averaging 17.1 points per game and 6.4 assists per game. Russell has five double-doubles this year, with four coming in November and one in December. Russell’s high mark in points this year, which he has reached twice, while his season-high in assists came on November 23rd, when he dished out a dozen dimes against Indiana.

Mike Conley - Utah Jazz


Now in his 16th season in the NBA, Conley’s best days are behind him. That doesn’t mean the former Ohio State guard isn’t making a positive impact for the Jazz. After the team traded Donovan Mitchell, Conley is a steadying force on a team that has some younger talent. Even though Utah traded their best player in the offseason, the Jazz is looking like they’ll be a factor in the Western Conference playoff race this year. Entering Wednesday night, Utah is currently in 10th place in the West, but are just eight games back of the conference’s top spot.

In the last few years Conley has dealt with injuries, only playing in more than 51 games twice over the last five seasons entering this year. That hasn’t been the case so far this year, as he has played in 33 of Utah’s 44 games so far. There was a stretch where Conley missed a couple of weeks in November and early December, but the only other Utah guard to start more than 30 games this year is Jordan Clarkson.

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

While Conley isn’t going to lead a team in scoring or be on the NBA’s All-Defensive Team, he is still a key contributor for the Jazz. Conley is averaging 10 points per game this year and dishing out over seven assists per contest. What Conley might be lacking physically these days, he more than makes up for with his experience and knowledge of the game, which is something that could be huge down the stretch as Utah looks to earn a playoff spot.

Keita Bates-Diop - San Antonio Spurs


Following a 2021-22 season that saw Bates-Diop miss 23 games because of injuries, the forward has had better luck staying on the court so far this year. Bates-Diop has played in 30 games this year, starting 12 contests for the San Antonio Spurs this year. Even though Bates-Diop’s stats won’t blow you away, he has been very useful for the Spurs at times this year, who have had to deal with some injury issues.

Bates-Diop’s season-high in points came in late October when he scored 18 points in a win over Minnesota. For the year, Bates-Diop is averaging 7.5 points per game and 2.9 rebounds per game. Now that some of San Antonio’s starters have returned from injuries, it’s hard to see those numbers going up anymore, but the former Buckeye gives a young Spurs team a veteran that can come off the bench and show some of the younger players the ropes.

Malaki Branham - San Antonio Spurs


One of those young Spurs is Malaki Branham, who was selected with the 20th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The rookie has played 27 games so far this year, starting four contests. As the season has gone on, Branham has seen his play improve. Branham’s highest scoring output came the day after Christmas when he scored 20 points in a 126-122 win over Utah. In his last three games, Branham has scored at least 10 points in each of those games, which has upped his scoring average to 7.2 points per game.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State fans saw Branham’s growth as his freshman year moved along last year. It looks like the same growth is happening at the professional level. Branham won’t be in the mix or Rookie of the Year, but it’s obvious his confidence is growing with the more time he sees on the court. Early returns are that Branham is shaping up to be a strong contributor in the league.

Jae’Sean Tate - Houston Rockets


After playing in a couple of games early in the season, Tate has spent most of the season so far on the sidelines while dealing with an ankle injury. Tate recently returned to action, with his appearance in last Thursday’s game against Utah being his first appearance since October 30th.

With the Rockets playing so many games without Tate, it’s easy to see why the former Buckeye forward has been pretty quiet in his first couple of games back. Tate scored 11 points in 19 minutes against the Jazz and hit just one of six shots on Sunday in a 104-96 loss to Minnesota.

It’s hard to imagine Tate having a big role with Houston the rest of the year, especially with some of the younger players that have been seeing time so far this year for the Rockets. While Tate will get minutes, it doesn’t feel like he is in Houston’s long-term plans. If anything, the Rockets might look to trade Tate to a contender near the deadline if they can get some sort of return in a deal.

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Does Ohio State have an offensive line problem heading into the offseason?
Josh Dooley 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 von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Depth and experience are severely lacking up front for the Buckeyes, signaling that Justin Frye will have his work cut out for him.

I am not going to build suspense with this intro. The answer to “Does Ohio State have an offensive line problem?” is at least a firm “maybe.” I would even lean toward a definitive yes, but it is far too early in the offseason to take a turn to Negative Town. However, if lack of depth and starting experience (and things of that nature) make you skittish, well then, you might want to look away. From Columbus at least.


Because in just over 24 hours – beginning at 12 noon ET on Tuesday and concluding around 1 p.m. ET Wednesday – Ohio State lost a former five-star recruit turned consensus All-American, a multi-year starter at center, and a mountain of a man who goes by the nickname of Big Thanos. That’s right: Thanos from Marvel, but bigger, badder, and better at rag-dolling defensive linemen. Oh, and they all belonged to the same position group. A position group that protected C.J. Stroud, back-to-back Heisman finalist and prolific thrower of the football. These guys were personal security for Stroud and also performed quite well in the run game... You can argue rushing efficiency and poke holes all you want, but I would pin late-season issues on overall execution and gameplan — not poor run blocking by those departing for the NFL.


So with Paris Johnson Jr., Luke Wypler, and Dawand Jones all set to move on, who exactly will be taking their place(s) in the Buckeyes’ starting lineup? That is one hell of a question! Perhaps even an $800,000 dollar question. And I’m not sure anyone or any OSU coach has the answer, including offensive line coach Justin Frye.

Now, to be fair: It is January. Ohio State just finished its 2022-23 season about 15 minutes ago, and the announcements of Johnson Jr. (PJJ), Wypler, and Jones came in pretty quick succession. Said announcements were also anticipated. At least they should have been, with the possible exception of Wypler’s. The outgoing trio combined to start dozens of games over the last two seasons, earned plenty of accolades, nearly helped topple the defending champs and made themselves plenty of (future) money in the process. It is/was time to go, and Buckeye Nation should remember them fondly.

Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

But OSU is not merely faced with replacing three high-end starters up front. No, they are tasked with replacing three players who took nearly all of the snaps at their respective positions... For two years running. The notable exception is PJJ who split time between left guard and left tackle. But he was replaced at LG by Donovan Jackson; one of only two remaining starters from this season. He (Jackson) and Matt Jones Jr., who announced his own return on Wednesday, suddenly form a very small core of OL who are both returning and experienced. Those two in particular have played exactly zero snaps at center and/or tackle, where all of the experience is being vacated. Therein lies the problem.

Replacing quality starters is never (eh, rarely) easy. And every college football program endures growing pains when it comes time to do so. But in an effort to combat eventual roster turnover, most programs make a concerted effort to find or even create meaningful reps for their backups. Ohio State coaches, on the other hand, rarely go out of their way to sub during the first three to three and a half quarters — even during blowouts. Now Ryan Day’s team will be forced to confront a reality in which their next wave of OL starters is incredibly green. Or wet behind the ears, because they have spent their entire careers watching!

OSU has faced similar situations before. Even this season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the only returning starter at wide receiver. And gone from the left side of the OL were Nicholas Petit-Frere and Thayer Munford, to be replaced by Johnson Jr. and Jackson. But the difference at WR was and is incoming talent. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Ebguka were waiting in the wings, both of whom were elite HS recruits and performed well in a damn Rose Bowl just months prior! Because Brian Hartline collects talent like the other Thanos collects infinity stones, his group is always ready to reload. The Buckeyes’ OL is a different story.

Frye’s OL options are a bit more limited, primarily due to his predecessor’s waning ability to recruit. On top of that, he will now be tasked with making his first “real” decisions in Columbus. Because heading into 2022, any decision(s) regarding how to replace NPF and Munford was already made for him: PJJ could move back to his old position, and Jackson was just a flat-out upgrade. It was not a natural transition so much as an obvious choice. But the same luxury does not exist this offseason. Frye is staring down the barrel of a depleted room, at the very least in terms of experience.

There should be at least some level of concern surrounding this dearth of depth, which Buckeye coaches have seemingly confirmed. I say this because Ohio State has been aggressive (for them) in targeting OL via the transfer portal. We know they extended offers to four OT, including Rhode Island transfer Ajani Cornelius and Washington State’s Jarrett Kingston. And we assume they have had conversations with others. But so far, there have been no experienced additions, and P5 talent in the portal is becoming more and more sparse.

How bleak is the situation? We have no idea. Neither do the coaches, and frankly, it may not be a situation worth worrying about. Because OSU has talent everywhere, including OL. We should not dismiss the potential of guys like Tegra Tshabola, Ben Christman, and Zen Michalski. The same goes for Josh Fryar and Enokk Vimahi, who have already proven themselves when given the opportunity.

But this definitely feels like starting over. And starting over can be scary, even at a place like Ohio State. The good news is that Frye and his big dogs up front have an entire offseason to work and improve, and eventually figure this thing out. Will next year’s OL be just as good as it was in 2022? Maybe, maybe not. But there is no reason to believe it will be worse... At least not yet. Because Frye might just do what his predecessor could not: Consistently get the absolute best out of his guys.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 12, 2023
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 Wade/Icon Sportswire via 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...


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

On the Gridiron


NFL Draft Decisions, Transfer Misses Leave Many Questions on Ohio State’s Offensive Line as 2023 Preparation Begins
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Ok, at least there are two starters returning:


Buckeyes OL Matt Jones to return final season of eligibility
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State football’s Matt Jones could join club of former guards whose versatility saved the Buckeyes
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Analyzing how Matthew Jones returning boosts Buckeyes (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

What a journey this dude has had:


Ohio State’s Dawand Jones declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts

Analyzing what Dawand Jones’ NFL Draft declaration means for Ohio State (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

What Dawand Jones declaring for NFL Draft means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

This is a week or so old by now, but I love this:


What Cade Stover’s return to Ohio State means for the Buckeyes
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Marvin Harrison Jr. to New York, Ohio State regains Big Ten supremacy: 5 bold predictions (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

On the Hardwood


Against Gophers, Buckeyes hope for bounce-back game from Felix Okpara
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

While Zed Key is out, Ohio State needs Felix Okpara to avoid fouls, stay on the court
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

After return, Isaac Likekele doing ‘whatever is needed’ for Buckeyes (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Ohio State Has a Second-Half Problem in Big Ten Play
Josh Poloha, Eleven Warriors


You’re Nuts: What is the best birthday present an Ohio State sports team could give you this year?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land

B1G WBB Week 9: Iowa’s still here and a Hoosier returns
Thomas Costello. Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Ohio State wrestling begins 2023 on the road, notches a Big Ten victory at Indiana
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

Women’s Gymnastics: Harris Named B1G Freshman of the Week
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Volleyball: Clark Named Buckeyes’ First Offensive player of the Week This Season
Astrid Coste, The Lantern

And now for something completely different...


I have no particular fondness or connection to JJ Watt, but this is cool:


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


Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes, on their first losing streak of the season, look to bounce back against the worst team in the Big Ten.

For the first time this season, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball (10-5, 2-2) team finds itself on a losing streak, having fallen in two-straight conference matchups in the last week. Having returned to Columbus to lick their wounds, the Buckeyes need a chance to bounce back. Fortunately, they’ll have their shot against the last-place team in the Big Ten, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-8, 0-4).

Ohio State dropped to 10-5 on the year and an even 2-2 in conference play following their 80-73 road loss to the Maryland Terrapins Sunday afternoon.

It was a brutal game between two teams looking to right the ship after losses — though, in Maryland’s case, it was coming off a streak while Ohio State was trying to come back from a last-second loss to the No. 1 team in the country at the time, Purdue.

The Buckeyes led 39-34 at the half, but sloppy play to open the second half (when Maryland went on a 14-0 run) meant Maryland could take a lead just two minutes into the second half — a lead the Terps would not relinquish. While Ohio State pulled within three late in the game, it was not enough to overcome a hungry team on the road.

As has become custom, freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes in scoring with 22 points on the day. It was the sixth-straight game Sensabaugh led his team in scoring. The freshman had 20+ points in four of those six games. Sensabaugh also had a team-high seven rebounds versus the Terps. Senior forward Justice Sueing was not far behind with 21 points against Maryland. The downside is that the pair accounted for 59% of Ohio State’s offense on their own as Sensabaugh and Sueing were the only two players in double-figures on the day.

It certainly didn’t help that the Buckeyes remained without junior forward Zed Key, who left the game against Purdue with a shoulder sprain just four minutes into the game.

The Buckeyes shot 44% from the field and 47% from three-point range, with three players hitting multiple threes on the day. Unfortunately, Ohio State struggled on the boards, pulling down just 26 rebounds to Maryland’s 40. The Buckeyes had struggled to rebound against Purdue by a similar margin.

Ohio State and Maryland each had an even dozen turnovers, but crucially, four of those Ohio State turnovers came in the critical opening minutes of the second half when Maryland mounted its comeback and took the lead for good.

The Buckeyes had entered their home game against Purdue as a team on the rise (even as the No. 2 team in offensive efficiency according to Kenpom), but now it looks like Ohio State needs a regroup.

Fortunately, they’ll have their shot against what’s currently the worst team in the Big Ten tonight against Minnesota.

Preview

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps the most interesting piece of series history when it comes to Ohio State vs. Minnesota basketball is that time Minnesota chose violence in 1972 when a brawl broke out during the Gophers’ matchup against the Buckeyes. With Ohio State leading in the closing seconds, a scuffle ensued after a flagrant Gopher foul. The fight even involved the Goldy Gopher mascot punching Ohio State forward Mark Wagner. Three Ohio State players ended up in the hospital by the end of the melee.

Why all this history? Because there’s not so much to talk about with this year’s Minnesota team.

But most importantly, the Gophers are at the bottom of the Big Ten in their overall record. At 6-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play, Minnesota is the only Big Ten team with a losing record on the season.

Minnesota is bottom of the Big Ten in scoring offense (64.3 points per game) and 11th in scoring defense (67.5 points per game). They’re also the only Big Ten team with a negative scoring margin.

Most recently, Minnesota fell 81-79 in a heartbreaking overtime loss in the battle for the worst record in the conference against Nebraska. It was also the battle of the two teams that finished worst in the Big Ten in the 2021-22 season.

Junior forward Jamison Battle led the Gophers in scoring with 20 points on the day. Sophomore forward Dawson Garcia added 19. Freshman forward Joshua Ola-Joseph and junior guard Ta’Lon Cooper each had a dozen. While the offense was impressive, Minnesota had just eight bench points on the day. The Gophers shot 49% from the field (while giving up 50% shooting to the Huskers) and shot 37% from three-point range.

While Minnesota had just seven turnovers on the afternoon, like Ohio State, one area they got beat Sunday proved to be on rebounds: Nebraska had 38 rebounds to Minnesota’s 28.

Leading Minnesota from the bench is Ben Johnson. A Minnesota alum, Johnson is in his second season coaching his alma mater. He’s amassed an overall 19-25 record, including 4-20 in conference play.

Prediction

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes find themselves on their heels as they return to Columbus after an unsuccessful road venture. Fortunately, home has been a refuge for Ohio State this season, with the Buckeyes holding a 7-2 advantage at the Schottenstein Center. It should be a good opportunity to get things back together and avoid a spiral early on in a tough Big Ten season.

Then again, Minnesota has had a long time off to think about this matchup (their game against Nebraska was last Saturday).

Key to the matchup is, well, Key, who is day-to-day this week. But in a heavily favored matchup, Chris Holtmann might opt to give him a little more rest before the Buckeyes have to head back on the road for a sneaky away game against Rutgers. Still, it would help the Buckeyes to get their third-leading scorer back in the lineup since things were clearly vibing when he was in the picture. While he has not been ruled out of this game, it sounds rather unlikely we’ll see Zed Thursday evening.

Ohio State should have an advantage from distance, though. The Gophers are the worst in the conference in three-point defense, while the Buckeyes are the best in the Big Ten offensively from range.

The Buckeyes own the all-time series against Minnesota 77-46. Last season, Ohio State won both its matchups against the Gophers last season by a total margin of 145-109. Battle led the Gophers with 15 points in the Buckeyes’ road matchup in Minneapolis.

Minnesota is coming in at No. 192 in Kenpom rankings, while Ohio State is holding steady at No. 12 despite two recent losses. Still, while it’s easy to write off the Gophers, we can’t ignore that Minnesota’s two recent losses came by a total of five points.

Ohio State has an opportunity to right the ship tonight against a team that hasn’t shown a lot of spark this season. But, like the Buckeyes’ last opponent, Minnesota is thirsting for that first conference win of the season, and might just be a little desperate after an overtime loss. We can’t count them out just yet.

ESPN BPI: Ohio State 96.9%

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 81, Minnesota 61

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Bucketheads Podcast: How does Ohio State bounce back from their first bad loss of the season?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes are losers of back-to-back games for the first time this season, and will need to right the ship quickly with two more games in the next four days.

‘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 Episode 61 of our men’s basketball podcast, Connor and Justin dissect Ohio State’s loss to the Maryland Terrapins last weekend. It was a bad loss both in terms of emotions and Big Ten-standings implications, but there’s still time to regroup. The guys discuss how they do this, and what needs to be done to “make up” for that loss.

Then, Connor hits Justin with some “overreaction or not” statements, where Justin has to decide if the Ohio State and Big Ten-related prompts are reasonable or clear overreactions. Does Ohio State need to make a lineup change tonight? Is Indiana already dead? On a scale of one to a car warranty call, how fraudulent are the Northwestern Wildcats?

They close with a brief preview of Thursday night’s game with Minnesota. It would be a quad-four loss if the Buckeyes can’t get the job done, which would be truly damaging to their NCAA Tournament resume. Because of that, it’s as much of a must-win as any of the early season non-conference games.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

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Ohio State making it clear they’re active on the trail with handful of new offers
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes are in full recruiting mode as they offer several new players around the country.

With the offseason here, Ohio State’s biggest task is to continue its relentless recruiting efforts. Both for portal and prep targets, the coaches have hit the ground running, as Wednesday saw several new offers going out. Without further hesitation, here’s the latest names to see the Buckeyes enter their respective recruitments.

Defensive line a major priority in 2024


Certainly not a bad haul in 2023 along the defensive line, Larry Johnson still missed out on several of his top targets that he had put in a ton of time with. Whether it be distance from home, NIL, or another factor, the Buckeyes just didn’t cut it in the 2023 cycle, and that needs to be fixed in the 2024 class.

A major priority for the coaches, defensive line recruiting is going to be a common theme when discussing current efforts on the trail for this staff. Wednesday proved that to be the case and then some.

Starting it off with a bang, the Buckeyes made their presence known in Arizona when they offered five-star defensive end target, Elijah Rushing. The No. 16 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Rushing is also thought to be the third-best edge rusher in the class and the second-best player from Arizona in the cycle.

The epitome of what it means to be a top national recruit, Rushing already holds over 30 offers to his name even before the Buckeyes entered their name into the ring. Rushing touts offers from the likes of Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oklahoma, and a ton more, but currently does have a Crystal Ball prediction submitted in Florida’s favor.

The five-star took to Twitter to announce the news, and he wasn’t the only one to do so, as Wednesday was a very busy time on the recruiting front.


Sliding just one ranking down, the Buckeyes also offered another five-star defensive lineman out of Missouri. 6-foot-5, 250 pound, Williams Nwaneri took to Twitter to share the news that he too received word that Ohio State was offering. Like the aforementioned Rushing, Nwaneri has offers from all of the major programs around the country, and rightfully so. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri native already boasts the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and others to his accolades.

The No. 17 player nationally, Nwaneri is the third-best player at his position and the second best in his home state per the 247Sports Composite for the 2024 cycle. With what Ohio State has been able to do in Missouri over the years, you have to like the chances of the Buckeyes being in the mix for the long haul. Being a little later to the game in offering, the staff and Johnson have some time to make up for.

Fortunately, LJ is pretty solid when it comes to building an impactful relationship with top target recruits.


Next on the list, Aydin Breland, a 6-foot-5, 290 pound defensive lineman from the prestigious California prep power Mater Dei was on the receiving end of an Ohio State offer yesterday, and it definitely wasn’t his first major program to enter the mix. Schools such as Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, Texas A&M, Miami, and plenty of others are already in the fold, but Ohio State being added to the list should garner some serious thought and attention.

The No. 79 player nationally, Breland is also the 11th best player at his position and the ninth best prospect in California for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite. With the West Coast being good to the Buckeyes in recent years, especially California, this is a name that will be worth watching.

Part 2: Defensive line continued


Just halfway there, Ohio State continued their offer streak to a few more targets, and Tampa, Florida native Solomon Williams was another candidate to see an offer coming in from the Buckeyes. A bit of an underrated player currently, Williams is only a three-star and considered by the 247Sports Composite to be the No. 382 player nationally and the 24th best edge rusher in the class.

At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Williams may not jump off the page with his ranking, but the staff at Ohio State obviously has seen enough of him to be impressed. The same goes for nearly 20 other schools, including the likes of Alabama, Florida State, Ole Miss, Oregon, and more who have also already offered.

Florida is a priority when it comes to recruiting every cycle because of their depth of elite talent, and with how well Ohio State has done in the Sunshine State — and specifically with defensive linemen from the region — this looks to be another class in a long line of others that sees serious attention paid toward Florida and what is has to offer.


The staff was also on the trail in Maryland when they offered three-star prospect, Darien Mayo. A 6-foot-7, 250 pound edge rusher, Mayo is another who holds double-digit offers and from schools such as Auburn, Michigan, Penn State, Ole Miss, USC, and several others. The No. 485 player nationally, Mayo is the 31st best edge rusher in the class and the 14th best player in Maryland per the 247Sports Composite.

The Good Counsel product has incredible length for an edge rusher, and coming from his prep powerhouse, you know he is being developed the right way for the college level all while facing elite level of high school competition. Johnson having a long and successful track record in the DMV area has paid off in the past for the Buckeyes with his recruiting efforts, and in 2024 he may go right back to that fertile recruiting ground once more.


Last and certainly not least, Ohio State did have one more offer to mention on Wednesday. It may seem as if the Buckeyes are late to the game here offering all of these players on the defensive line, but this staff typically does their homework before making a bunch of offers. They also excel when it comes to building relationships with the prep players they are after. Whether this is a little late to the game or not, Ohio State will be fine and make up for lost time.

Danny Okoye out of Tulsa, Oklahoma was last on the long list of offered players yesterday, and he’s just another guy that has all of the measurables to be an elite lineman at the next level. Already at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Okoye still has a full year to not only continue growing, but also improving on his impressive skillsets. Though he’s unranked right now by 247Sports, he currently holds 25 offers to his name and that is a good enough state for anyone.

Odds are, with programs like Alabama and Ohio State on the offer list, it’s only a matter of time before Danny not only sees a ranking next to his name, but a rather impressive one at that.


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You’re Nuts: What is the best birthday present an Ohio State sports team could give you this year?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



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: What is the best birthday present an Ohio State sports team could give you this year?


Editor’s Note: Jami’s birthday was on Monday, which prompted this week’s You’re Nuts’ question.

Jami’s Take: Women’s basketball national title


For so many weeks, all I wanted for my birthday was a Buckeye victory (especially if it had come over Michigan) in the National Championship football game this past Monday.

Alas, it wasn’t in the cards. Maybe a friend of Uga had a birthday this week too.

But as my consolation prize, what I would like most is an Ohio State women’s basketball title.

While the Buckeyes have won 12 Big Ten titles - the most in the conference for women’s basketball - and have made 24 appearances in the NCAA tournament, they have yet to win that elusive National Championship title.

This year, things could be different. After a historic 17-0 start to their season (the record for best start in program history), the Buckeyes are sitting atop the Big Ten and are ranked No. 3 in the country.

If they continue to perform at this level, they’re positioning themselves to earn a No. 1 seed in the tournament and to work their magic.

They’ve done this largely without key leader Madison Greene or their star guard Jacy Sheldon. Greene suffered a season-ending knee injury on December 21, a little more than a year after the knee injury that ended her 2021-22 season.

But unlike the 2021-22 season, Sheldon hasn’t been there to pick up the slack at point guard. Sheldon began the season as the starting guard before injuries put Greene back in the starting role. Now, due to lower leg injuries of her own, Sheldon has been week-to-week.

The Buckeyes went into the season touting increased roster depth. And boy, they weren’t kidding. We’ve seen Rikki Harris come into her own in the starting role, while Heyvnne Bristow has stepped up and been spectacular off the bench.

New players are stepping into the leadership roles Greene and Sheldon previously filled, and as a result, each game, the Buckeyes are ready to fight for a win even when staring adversity in the face.

If this is what the Buckeyes can do when faced with injuries? What can’t they do? They have less room for error without Greene and Sheldon – but so far, it hasn’t been a problem. And they have their perfect record to prove it.

If people weren’t paying attention before, they are now. And for my birthday, I want the entire women’s basketball fan base to know the names of the Buckeyes entering into the NCAA tournament. I want their opponents to feel vaguely threatened by them. I want them to continue fighting their way to the title this program has been seeking.

We know Ohio State’s football team is dominant. It’s always nice to remind people, sure. But Ohio State football is synonymous with excellence.

This year, I want Ohio State women’s basketball to be synonymous with that same excellence. I want this to be the foundation of a dynasty. And most importantly, I want to see some great basketball and I want our players healthy. Any combination of the above could be wrapped with a bow and go down as the best birthday gift ever.

Matt’s Take: Chris Holtmann proving his outspoken doubters wrong


I think the easy answer to this is a College Football Playoff National Championship, and that would likely be the No. 1 wish for the vast majority of Buckeye fans everywhere, so while I will obviously be hoping that we have one of those trophies to celebrate in one year’s time, I’m going to follow Jami’s lead and head to the hardwood.

Like all Ohio State hoops watchers, I have been frustrated and disappointed with the regular underachievement that we have seen from the men’s basketball team when it comes to the postseason. However, I really like Chris Holtmann as a human being. From a distance and in my limited interactions with him during press conferences, he seems like a genuinely decent person who cares about his players and is very good at developing them.

So, my wish is part for me, part for him, and part for the OSU fanbase at large; I want his squad to do something — anything — that will get the very vocal portion of the Ohio State online community to cut him some slack. You can argue whether or not he deserves any slack at this point — which is not what this is about — but I am hoping that come April, there is nothing for his “haters” to add to their laundry list of complaints.

Does that need to be a national title? Final Four? Elite Eight? Second-weekend appearance? Big Ten Tournament title? I don’t know, and even though the B1G Tourney is already less than two months away, a lot can and will change for the team in the next few weeks, meaning that expectations will change too.

However, I am hoping (as a fan) that I get to watch a substantive, quality, deep run into the postseason for the men’s basketball team. I am hoping (as an OSU blogger) that we don’t have to write about another tournament collapse and deal with the angry Twitter mob coming into our mentions with pitchforks and torches. I am hoping (as a person) that Holtmann won’t have to deal with the headaches of navigating another offseason full of people calling for his job.

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B1G WBB Week 9: Iowa’s still here and a Hoosier returns
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Twitter | @IndianaWBB

Looking back at the non-Buckeyes news around Big Ten women’s basketball

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team is the only remaining undefeated team in the Big Ten and Sunday overcame a big 17-point deficit to beat a surging Illinois Fighting Illini side. That wasn’t the only thing happening in the conference over week nine though.

Here’s what you might have missed across one of the top conferences in NCAA women’s basketball.

Grace Berger Returns


Over the past eight games for the Indiana Hoosiers, they were without a key piece of what makes the team so dangerous — guard Grace Berger. After sustaining a knee injury, a minute into the Indiana Hoosiers’ game against the Auburn Tigers on Nov. 25, Indiana’s made do.

Indiana went 7-1 in that stretch, falling in a conference upset to the Michigan State Spartans but also beating a ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC/B1G Challenge. Leading the way was forward Makenzie Holmes. The usual star center played even better, averaging 22.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game during the stretch.

Sunday, in a trip to face the Northwestern Wildcats, Berger returned and got off to a great return back. Berger scored a season high 16 points, adding five assists and two steals in the process. The knee looks ok.


When Indiana is healthy, they’re a contender across the nation. When Ohio State travels to Indiana on Jan. 26, having Berger back makes a tough game more difficult.

Hawkeyes take it to Wolverines


On Saturday, the then No. 16 Iowa Hawkeyes and No. 14 Michigan Wolverines played the first college basketball game aired on network Fox. Early on, Wolverines guard Laila Phelia was up to the task.

In the first quarter, Phelia scored 14 points, lifting the Wolverines to a 20-18 first quarter lead, but it wouldn’t last. Iowa hit the pedal in the second quarter and didn’t relent through the final buzzer.

Leading the way for Iowa was of course guard Caitlin Clark. The Naismith Player of the Year finalist from last season improved her career high efficiency, scoring 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the field. Clark’s 47.2% is the highest of her NCAA career, making a dangerous player even more so.

Clarks also did it on a big stage, with Fox ratings making it the fourth most watched regular season game in the 22/23 NCAA season.


The Hawkeyes outscored the Wolverines the rest of the way, and withstood a late surge by the Wolverines, beating them 94-85.

Making matters more interesting for the Scarlet & Gray in Jan. is a game against Iowa three days before the Buckeyes’ trip to Bloomington, Indiana. It’s the toughest stretch of the season for Ohio State, until the postseason.

Elsewhere Around the B1G


Some other interesting items to note across the conference:

• The Wisconsin Badgers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights stunned the conference, with Wisconsin beating rival their rivals, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and Rutgers defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers (holding Cornhusker guard Jaz Shelley to zero points)
• Penn State Nittany Lions continued an up-and-down season, beating the Purdue Boilermakers in their best Big Ten showing of the season
• Diamond Miller and the Maryland Terrapins held off an upset-minded Michigan State Spartans 94-85

Conference Standings


Standings through Tuesday, Jan. 10

AP Poll


The AP Poll received another Big Ten team after week nine. Illinois joined the top-25 after their 17-point lead was decimated by the Buckeyes Sunday. It’s the Fighting Illini’s first time in the poll since Nov. 28, 2000.

3 - Ohio State (NC)

6 - Indiana (NC)

9 - Maryland (+4)

12 - Iowa (+4)

17 - Michigan (-3)

24 - Illinois (—)

With six teams in the top-25, the Big Ten leads the nation in ranked teams.

Conference Schedule


Here’s what the rest of the conference schedule looks like in week 10

Tuesday, Jan. 10

• No. 17 Michigan Wolverines at Purdue Boilermakers (80-59 Michigan win)

Wednesday, Jan. 11

• Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan State Spartans - 7:00 p.m. ET
• Northwestern Wildcats at No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes - 7:30 p.m. ET
• Penn State Nittany Lions at Nebraska Cornhuskers - 8:00 p.m. ET

Thursday, Jan 12

• No. 9 Maryland Terrapins at No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers - 6:30 p.m. ET
• Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Minnesota Golden Gophers - 8:30 p.m. ET

Saturday, Jan. 14

• Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes - 12:30 p.m. ET
• Michigan State Spartans at No. 17 Michigan Wolverines - 2:00 p.m. ET
• No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers - 2:30 p.m. ET
• Purdue Boilermakers at Northwestern Wildcats - 3:00 p.m. ET

Sunday, Jan. 15

• Rutgers Scarlet Knights at No. 9 Maryland Terrapins - 1:00 p.m. ET
• Wisconsin Badgers at No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers - 2:00 p.m. ET
• No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini at Minnesota Golden Gophers - 3:00 p.m. ET

Indiana and Maryland Incoming


Thursday’s game between the Terrapins and Hoosiers has all the makings for one of the best matchups of the season. Each side’s taken down ranked opponents this year and have done it featuring stars that have made the Big Ten the top conference in the country.

It’s a schedule-clearing game that can’t be missed.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 11, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

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

On the Gridiron


Ohio State OL Paris Johnson declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Sam Marsdale, 247Sports

Analyzing what Paris Johnson’s NFL Draft declaration means for Ohio State (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

What Paris Johnson declaring for NFL Draft means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row


Ohio State’s Luke Wypler declares for 2023 NFL Draft
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

What losing Luke Wypler to NFL Draft means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Jarrett Kingston, Ohio State football transfer target, signs with USC as Buckeyes’ portal options dwindle
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com


What Ohio State football’s Kyle McCord and Devin Brown learned from C.J. Stroud’s daily example
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Kyle McCord tied for fifth in 2023 Heisman Trophy odds
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Column: Is next season national title or bust for Ryan Day?
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Secondary woes, injuries, stellar QB play: 8 final thoughts on Ohio State’s 2022 season (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

Great, but why can’t they land anybody in the portal or close near signing day?


Ohio State OL Avery Henry starts bone cancer treatment
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Five of Ohio State’s early-enrollees sign NIL deals with The Foundation
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts

Column: My bi-annual rant on why championship games shouldn’t be on Mondays
Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Competitive character and the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Column: Hey, ESPN, bring ‘College GameDay’ to Columbus to highlight the No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball team
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land


Ohio State Feeling Zed Key’s Absence Following Interior Struggles in Maryland Loss
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Still learning, Ohio State feeling growing pains at season’s midpoint
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Brice Sensabaugh Ranks Among Nation’s Elite Freshman Scorers Through First Half of Regular Season: “Some Guys Have a Gift”
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

You’re Nuts: What is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Notebook: Maryland game highlighted Buckeyes second-half struggles, youth
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Men’s Hockey: Dobeš Earns Big Ten First Star Accolades
Ohio State Athletics

Wrestling: Seniors Look to Take Team to National Heights
Robbie Mackinnon, The Lantern

Men’s Lacrosse: Buckeye Trio Named USA Lacrosse Magazine DI Preseason All-Americans
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


I could not love this more.


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Ohio State wrestling begins 2023 on the road, notches a Big Ten victory at Indiana
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Still fighting through multiple injuries, Tom Ryan’s Buckeyes leaned on Jesse Mendez and a few healthy vets to take down the Hoosiers.

After an up and down December in which they dealt with injuries and inconsistency, Tom Ryan’s Ohio State wrestling squad was presumably eager to get back on the mat. The schedule obliged this past Friday, as his Scarlet and Gray traveled to Bloomington (IN) in search of their first Big Ten victory.

The rebuilding Indiana Hoosiers are not considered to be among the top-5 or possibly even top-10 teams in the Big Ten, but there are no freebies in college wrestling’s toughest conference.


OSU’s return to action was complicated — or at least made a bit more challenging – by their ongoing struggle with injuries. Three of the team’s regulars (all NCAA qualifiers last season) missed the Big Ten opener, a consistent pattern dating back to the Cliff Keen Invitational held in early December. This time around, it was Malik Heinselman (125 pounds), Carson Kharchla (165), and Gavin Hoffman (197) who sat out, though Ryan is optimistic that his squad could be at full strength sooner rather than later.

Until then, the Buckeyes’ depth will be tested. But it is better for Ohio State to practice caution now, with the goal being to have a healthy roster against the likes of TTUN and Penn State — and especially during the postseason.

Against IU, those wrestling in place of Heinselman, Kharchla, and Hoffman produced mixed results, while veterans Sammy Sasso (149) and Kaleb Romero (184) led the way with dominant victories. OSU dropped a total of four matches, but also took four by either major decision (MD) or fall. The end result was a 26-13 win and a 1-0 start in Big Ten competition.


Wrestling for the Buckeyes in place of Heinselman, true freshman Brendan McCrone dropped his 125-pound match to IU’s Jacob Moran. That 4-2 result gave the Hoosiers their first and only lead of the night, which was quickly erased. Ryan’s squad would then go on to earn a total of 14 team points in the next three matches (two MD and a fall), erasing the early deficit and creating their own comfortable cushion.

Friday was McCrone’s first match in a major dual or tournament, and while the result was surely disappointing, this Ohio product has already taken first place in two Open competitions (FR/SO division). There will be plenty of brighter days ahead.

Stud freshman Jesse Mendez, wrestling in his home state, got OSU on the board first by earning a decisive MD at 133. He scored eight points in the first period and absolutely dominated his opponent throughout the entirety of their match. Mendez came away with a 20-6 victory in the end, setting the stage for Dylan D’Emilio (141) and Sasso to open up a large Ohio State lead.

Those two veterans combined to score 10 team points, with D’Emilio notching another MD and Sasso pinning his opponent in a mere 53 seconds. From that point forward, the Buckeyes never came close to trailing again. However, they did lose three of the final six matches.

Making his long-awaited return to the mat, talented redshirt freshman Paddy Gallagher was up next for Scarlet and Gray. He dropped a close decision at 157, during which you could tell there was rust to be shaken off. The No. 18 ranked wrestler in his weight class, Gallagher had not competed in roughly six weeks due to injury. And IU’s Derek Gilcher was in no mood to play welcoming committee.

A top-20 grappler himself, Gilcher scored three points in the third period to complete a comeback victory for the Hoosiers. His 5-4 decision over Gallagher put a bit of a damper on the latter’s return, but Ohio State coaches were likely more interested in their 157-pounder walking away healthy. Gallagher wrestled with a wrap on his knee, but did not appear to be hobbled. Hopefully that knee will continue to improve with time, giving him an opportunity to finally compete against the best the Big Ten has to offer.

Isaac Wilcox, who normally suits up at 157, moved up to 165 and came away with a solid victory in place of Kharchla. He outscored IU’s Nick South for his second dual win of the season, at two different weight classes — which is easier said than done. Wilcox was followed on Friday night by Ethan Smith (174) and Romero, both of whom continued their winning ways.

They are among the best in the Big Ten – if not the entire country – and showed why against the Hoosiers. Smith earned a 10-4 decision over 18th-ranked D.J. Washington, while Romero built a 12-5 lead in his match, before pinning his opponent in the second period.


Seth Shumate (197) and Tate Orndorff (HWT) closed it out for the Buckeyes, with both coming up short in their respective matches. Shumate took an early lead before IU’s Nick Willham poured it on, and Orndorff did not look like himself during his own return from injury. However, Ryan did not voice any concerns after the match, so conditioning may have simply gotten the best of OSU’s big man. The four-time NCAA qualifier should bounce back quickly.

Ohio State will face a step up in competition this Sunday, when they welcome Rutgers to Covelli Center. Ryan’s squad will then visit Maryland on Jan. 20, before battling TTUN (in Ann Arbor) on Jan. 27. That end-of-the-month showdown will give us a good idea of where exactly these Buckeyes stand in the Big Ten race, provided they are healthy. So let’s hope the injury bug has already bitten its hardest, and that Heinselman, Kharchla, and Hoffman all return soon.

Go Bucks!

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Since 1899 Podcast: Wyatt Crosher, former OSU WBB beat writer, creator of Hoopla newsletter
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

The avid Big Ten women’s basketball fan discusses the surprising 2022-23 season, picks for conference and tournament titles, and more.

Since 1899 is an Ohio State Women’s Basketball podcast, covering the team that dates back all the way to the turn of the 19th century. Check back throughout the season for more interviews and coverage of the historic Big Ten women’s basketball program.


In the second episode of Since 1899: An OSU WBB Podcast, former beat writer and current Hoopla newsletter creator Wyatt Crosher joins the show. Crosher discusses all things Ohio State and Big Ten women’s basketball.

Specifically, what he expected from the Buckeyes entering this season. Ohio State won the conference co-championship last year, but didn’t play a schedule nearly as difficult as the 2022-23 season.

The episode recaps the Buckeyes huge comeback win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, and Crosher gives his picks for some award show-themed conference basketball awards. The selections feature real movie and TV award show categories and their comparable end of season Big Ten awards. No “get off the stage music” was required in Crosher’s responses.

Also, Crosher shares the players who have stood out to him on the Scarlet & Gray, a discussion on if forward/guard Taylor Thierry could dunk the ball in a game, and a picture of sweaty head coach Kevin McGuff that’s become a regular on his Twitter timeline.

Subscribe to Hoopla here. Follow Wyatt Crosher on Twitter @hooplawyatt.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music: HOLY MOLY by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

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Ohio State offers five-star cornerback from Texas
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kobe Black | 247Sports

The Buckeyes were active on the recruiting trail on Tuesday after sending out a pair of offers, including a top defensive back in the 2024 class.

With the early signing period in the books for the 2023 recruiting class, a lot of focus has shifted to Ohio State making noise in next years cycle, and they did that on Tuesday. The Buckeyes dished out a pair of new offers in the class as they aim to add to a 2024 haul that already includes a trio of blue-chip prospects.

Black, Lyle add Buckeye offers


With the college football season now officially in the rearview, Ohio State wasted no time getting into the ear of a pair of prospects and rewarding them with offers on Tuesday. The two that were on the receiving end of an offer from the scarlet and gray included 2024 five-star cornerback Kobe Black of Connally (TX) and 2024 four-star running back Jordan Lyle of St. Thomas Aquinas (FL).

Black picked up his offer from the Buckeyes during the noon hour on Tuesday, and followed it up with another scholarship opportunity from Miami (FL) in the evening. The two new offers for the Waco native inch him closer to 30 offers as a prospect already including LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, and many more. The 6-foot, 190-pounder grades out as the second-best cornerback prospect in the class and a top-25 player overall.


Lyle’s offer from the Buckeyes came later in the day on Tuesday, and just like Black, he also had a multiple offer day with Central Florida also joining the picture. The Fort Lauderdale native might not equip the most impressive ranking thus far but he does have some top programs in pursuit with Georgia, Oregon, Penn State, and now Ohio State included in his offer sheet. Lyle is currently graded as the 25th-highest ranked running back in the class.

Quick Hits

• The Foundation inked five early enrollees on Tuesday as true freshmen Malik Hartford, Jermaine Mathews, Noah Rogers, Carnell Tate, and Jelani Thurman all signed with the NIL collective for Ohio State.
• The Buckeyes missed out on Washington State offensive tackle Jarrett Kingston despite having him on campus last week. The multi-year starter for the Cougars chose to stay on the west coast as he decided on heading to USC.
• Former Ohio State commit and 2024 five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola of Chandler (AZ) took in Monday’s national championship blowout between Georgia and TCU. The top ranked prospect in the class was able to watch the Bulldogs, a team worth watching in his recruitment going forward, pour it on on the Horned Frogs em route to their second consecutive championship victory.
• 2024 four-star safety Jaylen Heyward of Rockledge (FL) revealed on Tuesday that he will be making his collegiate declaration on Friday. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder included the Buckeyes in his top six back in September along with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee.
• According to Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers, Ohio State is set to host 2025 power forward EJ Walker of Lloyd (KY) on Feb. 12. The Buckeyes are one of double digit programs to already extend an offer to the sophomore standout.

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Column: My bi-annual rant on why championship games shouldn’t be on Mondays
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s time! And this time, there are Playoff expansion implications.

First of all, we’re going to start this bi-annual rant with a win: The College Football Playoff championship game time, which kicked off at the much-too-late hour of 8:15 p.m. ET last year, kicked off this season at 7:30 p.m. ET and, for my own central time comfiness, 6:30 p.m. We’ve got to celebrate the small victories!

But there’s still work to be done, so, alas, we enter this edition of the bi-annual rant.

Despite Ohio State not being part of the College Football Playoff Championship, like many, I was still intrigued by the matchup of Georgia vs. TCU. It was a much more exciting game, heading in at least, than yet another dual-SEC pairing, and it was cool that a Playoff newcomer with a Heisman finalist at the helm would be playing instead.

It didn’t take long for the game itself to turn into a snoozer, with Georgia quickly dominating. And because it was a Monday, I was not willing to stay up late to watch more of the same when the outcome was already well-established by the first quarter (and before my bedtime).

Real quick: We all love our Monday Night Football (or, at least, the Manning Cast of Monday Night Football), but when it’s the championship game of the season, there have to be better times for it than when many are wrapping up their 9-5 jobs on the first day of the work week.

As I said this time last year, no one is hosting any parties or making apps or hanging out after the game is over when they have to wake up for four more days of work. It’s just hard to switch from work mode to getting excited and invested in a game. And no, I am not a night owl, and I’m a big fan of an early bedtime.

But more importantly, let’s address the elephant in the room: As the College Football Playoff approaches its expansion in coming years, there will be inevitable conflicts with the final weeks of the NFL season. High-profile Playoff games in particular will compete with NFL games, a harrowing battle between broadcast networks and ESPN for eyeballs. As viewers, we’re faced with the possibility of choosing between the CFP and the conclusion of the NFL season. (And when we’re entering a period of football drought, that’s not a decision we want to have to make!)

At present, bowl games already compete with the NFL schedule, but certainly not any bowl games with broader implications — because the only ones that have implications currently are the College Football Playoff semi-finals. What will be the plan moving forward, however, when Playoff games simply must be played during the same time period as late-season NFL games which probably have playoff implications of their own?

The solution doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game because this scheduling conundrum opens up interesting possibilities. As the NFL encroaches into Saturdays late in the season, Thursday and Friday night games become more palatable. High school football has been over for a minute and with the holiday season in full swing at that point, these times still might feel like primetime weekend games. It would certainly be better than the afternoon slot on Saturday which the NFL has also usurped. Considering ESPN has branded a special edition of Monday Night Football to host a wild-card game, a Thursday or Friday night CFP game feels not just palatable but preferable.

Consider the alternative. The FCS Championship, a decisive win from South Dakota State over North Dakota State, took place Sunday and directly competed with the final week of the NFL season, including games with playoff implications that drew eyeballs. Despite the time slot, the FCS matchup was a good one, and if it would have been played at a different time might have garnered more mainstream attention. In an expanded CFP, competing directly against the NFL will lead to inevitable attrition, which is not good for college football.

This year’s College Football Playoff semi-finals netted the largest audiences in five years. Of course they did, because Ohio State draws eyeballs. Comparatively, the Rose Bowl had the lowest ratings in years with just 10.2 million viewers tuning in to see Penn State beat Utah. Imagine the ratings in just a few short years when all the New Year’s Six bowls matter — as long as they’re not played after my bedtime on Mondays.

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You’re Nuts: What is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

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

No matter if you are playing in Lincoln against Nebraska or up in East Lansing against Michigan State, winning a basketball game on the road in the Big Ten is never easy. While some environments might be tougher than others, teams know when they hit the road in conference play, they are going to get a game from the hosts.

When the Big Ten schedule is released each year, there are some road games on the schedule that almost feel like a loss at first glance on the schedule for Ohio State just because of how tough certain road arenas are to win at. While the Buckeyes might end up winning some of those games, it takes a complete team effort for Ohio State to leave certain settings around the Big Ten with a win.

So what is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball? There certainly are plenty of options to choose from. Before the end of the regular season, Ohio State will see a number of road venues that are in the mix for the toughest road environment in the conference.

At the end of the month, the Buckeyes travel to Indiana to take on the Hoosiers. In February, Ohio State has back-to-back road games at Iowa and Purdue before closing out the regular season at Michigan State.

Today’s question: What is the toughest road environment in Big Ten basketball?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: Mackey Arena


As tough of a time as the Ohio State football team has had in West Lafayette, the basketball team has had an even tougher time — especially lately. Last season, the Buckeyes fell behind by 20 points to the Boilermakers at Mackey before staging a furious comeback to tie the game, only to lose on a Jaden Ivey three-pointer at the buzzer.

Ohio State has lost five of their last six trips to Purdue, with the only victory being a 64-63 win in 2018. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Buckeyes also lost as a two-seed to Oral Roberts in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament when the whole tourney was held in the state of Indiana because of COVID-19.

So what makes games at Purdue so tough? The Paint Crew are a wild bunch that get extremely vocal to try and support their team. Purdue’s student section is like Duke’s Cameron Crazies, except the fans of the Boilers aren’t nearly as punchable. The noise made by The Paint Crew is amplified by the domed aluminum roof that Mackey Arena has. As a Buckeye fan, I wish we had a basketball arena that helped out the home team in terms of acoustics. Instead Buckeye fans get the sterile, lifeless building that is Value City Arena.

Mackey Arena is exactly the environment you want if you are a Purdue fan, and the environment you loathe if you are a fan of any other team in the Big Ten. At least if the Buckeyes do happen to win a game in West Lafayette, I know that they have a shot at having a really good season because it takes a team effort to leave Mackey Arena with a win.

Meredith’s answer: Assembly Hall


There’s a reason Assembly Hall has such historical significance. It was the site of Bob Knight’s famous chair throw, for example. And it’s an unapologetically vintage venue that seeps with the history of Indiana’s relevance on the hardcourt. So far this season, Assembly Hall is just edging out Purdue’s Mackey Arena when it comes to home attendance (14,898 fans per home game) to lead the Big Ten.

Fitting in all those attendees, with a total capacity of 17,000, means that seats are famously steep. It’s like the basketball version of Kinnick Stadium, where rowdy home fans are literally within reach. It’s pretty defining when it comes to the intimidation factor when, as an opposing team, you’re facing a literal wall of fans rising around you.

In commission for more than half a century, the Hoosiers are an impressive 634-136 all-time at Assembly Hall. Then again, the Big Ten has boasted absolutely terrifying environments for away teams when it’s come to hoops in recent years. On that note, Ohio State last won in Assembly Hall in 2019.

Also, it has to be said, Indiana’s warmups are the best in the conference.

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Competitive Character and the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team
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

It’s a common phrase used by coach and players alike, and you know it when you see it.

The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team is 17-0 — their best start to a season in program history. Sunday, the Scarlet & Gray added that 17th win, but it was an uphill climb. Pushing the Buckeyes to the win is what head coach Kevin McGuff calls “competitive character,” and even if the phrase is new, you know it when you see it with Ohio State.

Like many other games this season, the Buckeyes overcame a deficit to earn a marquee 87-81 conference win. This time it was a 17-point deficit with less than seven minutes remaining in the third quarter against a tough Illinois Fighting Illini team.

Ohio State flipped a proverbial switch Sunday, with forward Cotie McMahon going on a seven-point run on her own, when the Buckeyes went down 17 points with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter. That’s competitive character.

Forward/guard combo Taylor Thierry led everyone on the floor in rebounding in the third quarter, plus she added two steals and four points — two from the high-pressured free throw line. A key performance during a 25-8 run erasing the Illini’s lead in 4:40 of game time. That’s competitive character.

Substitute guard Hevynne Bristow grabbed eight rebounds in only 18 minutes on the court, and five of those came in the fourth quarter. Once again, competitive character. So what is it exactly?

“Competing at a level we know we’re capable of and executing at a level we know we’re capable of,” said coach McGuff. “When we show how good we can be and we sustain it to me that’s great competitive character. When we don’t sustain it, because either mentally we’re not locked in or we’re not playing as hard, that’s not.”

This season, the Buckeyes have had competitive character in droves. Ohio State’s caused fits for opposing teams with their full court defense, and pushed big leads against teams on the other side of the scorer’s table.

At different points in the season, the Scarlet & Gray have led the nation in scoring per game, steals per game and scoring margin. Sustaining those is no easy task. Especially considering the schedule McGuff put together for Ohio State this year facing three ranked teams, plus a tough unranked USF Bulls before Big Ten play got going at the end of December.

Even so, for all the impressive quarters for Ohio State, there have been equally less impressive alter egos. A Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde situation, with Dr. Jekyl coming out on top time and time again.

Sunday, it was a second quarter where Illinois beat the home side in just about everything. The Fighting Illini scored 25 points on 73.3% shooting, mostly from forward Kendall Bostic who had eight in the quarter on her way to a 27-point, 15-rebound, performance. Illinois shot 33.3% better before going into the halftime locker room.

Illinois also out-rebounded, out-assisted, out-stole and out-blocked in the second quarter. The lone area where the Buckeyes had more was turnovers. Not the competitive character expected from coach McGuff. The players know what it looks like, and know when they’re not living up to it.

“We came out and put a lot more pressure on them in the third quarter,” said guard Taylor Mikesell who led Ohio State with 31 points in the win. “And kind of got a momentum shift and more energy swing our way and then got some shots to fall.”

Other words used for competitive character might be intensity or energy, but when it's about this Ohio State Buckeyes team its more. The word character means its something embedded inside of the person. Part of who they are.

That character pushed Ohio State late in the third, when they earned their first lead since the beginning of the first quarter. In the fourth, guard Rikki Harris hit a three to start the scoring and the Buckeyes never looked back, leading the rest of the way.

After the game, Mikesell also cited bringing that sense of urgency into earlier parts of the game. It was a post-game press conference not fitting of an impressive win against an Illinois team on an upward trajectory. Instead, it felt like the numbness that comes after a loss.

“I don’t know, it’s really frustrating,” said McGuff. “I just told them in the locker room “if I was asking you to do something that you couldn’t do, ok that’d be one thing. But I’m just asking you to do what we just did. We’ve proven time and time again, when we play the right way and really stick to our identity, good things happen.’”

Good things are happening. Like for instance, not losing a game all season and beating four ranked teams in the process, plus two unranked foes who pushed the Buckeyes to the brink. The competitive character is there, now its about McGuff and the Scarlet & Gray showing it for four quarters.

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Congrats @TampaBuckeyes !

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