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Visiting Locker Room: Previewing Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s basketball with Corn Nation
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Who are the Cornhuskers this season after surprising the conference last year, and now start the 2022-23 season in the top-25?

The Ohio State Buckeyes weren’t the only team on the red color scale last year to surprise the Big Ten. Although they never achieved top-25 status, the Nebraska Cornhuskers began their 2021-22 campaign winning their first 12 games. Now, they return to conference play with a strong pair in Jaz Shelley and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alex Markowski.

To learn more about them and go deeper into who the Cornhuskers for 2022-23, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to a site that knows a thing or two about the subject. Jill Heemstra of Corn Nation shared more about Markowski, expectations for the coming season and the impact of losing two staring-level players to the transfer portal.

Land-Grant Holy Land: In 2021-22, the Cornhuskers debuted a future star in Alexis Markowski. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year is back for her second season. Where do you see the ceiling for Markowski? What does Markowski do that makes her so dangerous?


LGHL: Nebraska returns their two top scorers in Jaz Shelley and Markowski this year but overall there are questions around the roster. First, how big of an impact does losing Ashley Scoggin and Bella Cravens to the transfer portal have on the Cornhuskers? Also, does losing four players, two starters, bring cause for concern?


LGHL: The next question around their roster is leadership. Nebraska is a young team, with only one senior and three juniors on their roster. Who steps into the leadership role on the court?


LGHL: Finally, what are your way-too-early predictions for where the Cornhuskers end in the final conference standings and how far do they make it in the NCAA Tournament, if they make it?


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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Holtmann, Holden, Gayle, and Thornton discuss exhibition win over Chaminade
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Despite the win, Chris Holtmann said his team has a lot to improve on before next week.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


Following Ohio State’s 101-57 victory over the Chaminade Silverswords at Value City Arena, Tanner Holden, Bruce Thornton, and Roddy Gayle spoke to the media about their first game in front of fans as Buckeyes. The three players said that they’re confident in themselves against anyone in the nation if they can continue to improve defensively, but also that there were some nerves — especially for the freshmen.

After that, head coach Chris Holtmann spoke to the media for about 20 minutes and was especially critical of his team’s rebounding effort (Ohio State only out-rebounded Chaminade by eight, despite winning by 44). Holtmann said that Ohio State played very well for “several stretches” but that he wanted to see a bit more effort, hustle, and certainly more production on the glass.

Holtmann was non-committal on the status of Justice Sueing (ankle) and Gene Brown (concussion) for next week’s season opener.


Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

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Scientifically ranking all five of Ohio State’s touchdowns against Penn State
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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

We are using a scientific set of rules to systematically rank all of OSU’s touchdowns by degree of difficulty, athleticism, entertainment value, and anything else we want to judge them by.

There were a decent number of touchdowns scored by the Buckeyes against the Penn State Nittany Lions, five of them to be exact. So, since we live in a listicle world, we are breaking them down, scientifically, of course.

And since this is my column, I reserve the right to change my judging criteria week to week, heck, even touchdown to touchdown. In some cases, I will judge a play by its importance in the grand scheme of the game, others will be by the degree of difficulty, backstory, and sheer entertainment value.

If you disagree with my ranking (which my six+ years here at LGHL tells me you absolutely will), feel free to share your list in the comments below.

Ok, now, without further ado, drumroll, please.........

Fifth Place: Touchdown No. 4
TreVeyon Henderson 7-Yard Run


It wasn’t a great day for Ohio State’s running game, but this was a fairly easy rush for TreVeyon Henderson. He was sprung by excellent blocking on the left side of the line, giving him a completely unencumbered path the paydirt.

In this game and in others recently, Henderson has gotten into a habit of not hitting holes as quickly and directly as he should, but this rush was purposeful and aggressive, even if Penn State essentially did nothing to actually stop him from scoring.

Fourth Place: Touchdown No. 1
Miyan Williams 4-Yard Run


Normally, a four-yard run that is essentially a dive over the middle wouldn’t warrant being ranked over any other touchdowns, but this one is a great example of just how difficult it is to get Miyan Wiulliams to the ground. He must be contacted by half a dozen defenders and yet he continues to plow forward toward the goal line.

While it isn’t called initially, upon further review he does get into the end zone, demonstrating one of the unique qualities that Chop brings to the table — an unrelenting desire to keep moving forward.

Third Place: Touchdown No. 3
Cade Stover 24-Yard Reception from C.J. Stroud


This touchdown reception from Cade Stover receives similar marks to Henderson’s touchdown, because the tight end simply refuses to go down. This is a pass that only travels five ysrds in the air from the line of scrimmage, and yet, Stover turns it into a 24-yard score.

En route, three different Nittsny Lions half-heartedly attempt to bring him down, and each time he essentially laughs at their feeble attempts as he continues his path to paydirt. What an absolute weapon Stover has become this season, and I am glad that he is finally getting an opportunity to show what he is capable of.

Second Place: Touchdown No. 2
TreVeyon Henderson 41-Yard Run


As I said earlier, running against Penn State’s defense was not something that Ohio State did exceptionally well on Saturday. However, this rush was pretty impressive. This is a perfect combination of excellent blocking across the board and the breakaway speed that Henderson possesses when he gets going.

The mountain that is right tackle Dawand Joneshas the final block that not only seals Henderson’s path, but also seals the touchdown as he cuts across and opens up the hole. Henderson, in turn, makes the slightest of moves to avoid a defender and the rest is simply him running away from the out of position guys in blue.

First Place: Touchdown No. 5
J.T. Tuimoloau 14-Yard Interception Return


I mean, what can I say about J.T. Tuimoloau that hasn’t already been said. In fact, immediately after the game, I said what many people have also said, that his performance was the best by a defensive player in Ohio State’s long and illustrious history of playing college football.


This pick-six is just another example of the freak athleticism that the sophomore possesses. Not only does he completely shed the block from the hapless right tackle, but he high-points the ball, catches it, and is able to run into the end zone with no one around to get in his way.

Not only that, but the fact that he palms the football in one hand on his way down the field and then politely places it down on the ground once he crosses the goal line is a pretty baller move, if you ask me — which you tacitly did when you opened this article.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Day, Knowles, Hartline discuss playcalling, injuries, single-tunnel stadiums
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



The trio of coaches provides insight into what the Buckeyes have (and have not) been getting right on the field.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On this episode of “Land-Grant Holy Land Uncut,” we have audio from Tuesday, Nov. 1’s afternoon football press conference that featured Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and wide receiver and passing game coordinator Brian Hartline.

The trio recapped last weekend’s win over Penn State and talked about what the team needs to improve upon heading into the home stretch. Day specifically answered a lot of questions about his play calling, especially when it came to running the ball, and essentially explained any ineffectiveness in the running game as being born out of execution and not play calling.

He also re-established the team’s approach to discussing injuries, but did explain that Miyan Williams injured his hand because the chain crew did not drop the chain when he was approaching the sideline, leading to the running back being wrapped up in the chain. The head coach also wanted absolutely nothing to do with discussing the issues around having a single tunnel in Big Ten stadiums.

Knowles also said that J.T. Tuimoloau’s performance against PSU was the best that he has ever seen from a defensive lineman, but he was still disappointed with the number of big plays that his unit has given up. For his part, Hartline praised Marvin Harrison Jr. (and other guys in his room) for his work ethic and said he had “huge confidence” that Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be back this season.

You can watch the full press conference on the official Ohio State athletics website.


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: www.bensound.com

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2025 Ohio quarterback to visit the Buckeyes later this month
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ryan Montgomery | 247Sports

Ohio State will get a visit from one of their top quarterback targets in 2025 near the end of November.

As the Buckeyes slotted in as the No. 2 team in the country on the initial College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, they also saw an underclassman signal-caller reveal an upcoming stop to the Ohio State campus. Plus, a former Buckeye hoops pledge is headed to an arch-rival program after backing off of his commitment to the scarlet and gray.

Montgomery sets November visits


With his older brother Luke already in the fold for the Buckeyes in 2023, one could assume that their position is rather favorable In their pursuit of 2025 quarterback Ryan Montgomery of Findlay (OH). Now, they will have the luxury of getting yet another opportunity to impress Montgomery with a visit to Columbus on deck.

On Tuesday morning, Montgomery revealed on Twitter that a busy November is in store with a quartet of visits coming.


Montgomery will kick his November tour off this weekend as he heads to Athens, along with Luke, to see the Bulldogs square off against Tennessee. Following his stop at Georgia, Montgomery will then head to Clemson for their game against Louisville the week after and prior to his final visit of the month, he will be in Kentucky for their home tilt with Georgia.

Lastly, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder will cap off November with an unsurprising stop in Columbus as they aim for revenge on Michigan. The weekend is already being dubbed as a major recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes with many visitors expected on campus, so it’s no surprise that Montgomery will end his tour with “The Game.”

With Montgomery being one of just two quarterbacks in his respective class to secure an early offer from Ohio State, it shows how big of a priority he is for the program at this point. Any opportunity you get to bring the in-state signal-caller to campus is an opportunity that head coach Ryan Day will take every time.

While it is far too early for any sort of class rankings for Montgomery and the 2025 prospects, the offer sheet is undeniable. Montgomery is wanted by a host of programs including Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, and more but as of now, it’s Ohio State who is the unanimous favorite on the 247Sports Crystal Ball.

Wolverines add Washington III


It was just two months ago that Ohio State saw 2023 four-star shooting guard George Washington III of Chaminade Julienne (OH) decommit from the program after being in the class for about ten months.

Of course Ohio State had little problem addressing the loss of Washington III as they welcomed 2023 four-star combo guard Taison Chatman of Totino-Grace (MN) to fill the void shortly after. However, fast forward to Tuesday morning and know that the Buckeyes haven’t seen the last of Washington III.

The 6-foot-2, 165-pounder announced his commitment to Michigan over Dayton, Louisville, Virginia, and Wake Forest.


While the Buckeyes are likely better off after adding Chatman, this is still something to monitor in upcoming seasons as the two parties will cross paths again in the future. The addition of Washington III for the Wolverines gives them a prospect just outside of the Top 100 and the No. 2 player from the state of Ohio in 2023.

Quick Hits

• 2023 three-star running back Trey Cornist of Winton Woods (OH) added a trio of offers on Tuesday from Kentucky, Michigan State, and Western Kentucky. The Cincinnati native has yet to secure an offer from the Buckeyes but is a likely candidate for one, if Ohio State decides it wants to add a second back to the fold to pair with four-star running back Mark Fletcher of American Heritage (FL).

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Five things we learned from Ohio State’s 101-57 victory over Chaminade
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes handled business against a clearly inferior opponent, but the score isn’t the only thing we’re paying attention to.

With only four players returning from an Ohio State team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, Tuesday night’s exhibition game against Chaminade was an opportunity to showcase the Buckeyes’ highly touted freshman class as well as its three experienced transfers. The 2022-23 iteration of the Ohio State men’s basketball team is looking to sharpen up some areas it struggled with last season, in particular its defense (No. 111 in adjusted defense) and rebounding (12th in the Big Ten in rebounds per game).

With Justice Sueing (ankle) and Gene Brown (concussion) unavailable tonight, Holtmann rolled out a lineup of Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Brice Sensabaugh, Isaac Likekele, and Zed Key. It should be noted, however, that Sueing would have played through the ankle injury if this was a regular season game — per Ohio State.

Isaac Amaral-Artharee opened the scoring with a three-pointer for the Silverswords 55 seconds into the game, but Key followed with a little 4-0 run by himself to put the Buckeyes back in front. The next 10 minutes or so were a back and forth affair, with Ohio State trying to put distance between themselves and Chaminade but failing to do so. Even when the Silverswords would miss air-ball a three or get their pocket picked coming up the floor, the Buckeyes struggled to take advantage at the other end.

After shooting 35% from the floor over the first 10 minutes of the game, the Buckeyes finished the half on a 19-2 run to head to the locker room with a 46-23 lead over their D-II counterparts. Tanner Holden led all scorers with 19 points, including a 7-0 run all on his own at one point. He also blocked a shot, had a steal, and pulled down three rebounds during the first half.

The Buckeyes scored 17 points over the first five minutes of the second half, stretching their lead to 63-29. Likekele — who only has 19 career three-pointers to his name — knocked down a triple, while McNeil connected twice from downtown over a two-minute stretch from 18:59 to 16:51.

Holtmann subbed in Owen Spencer, Bowen Hardman, and Kalen Etzler with 11 minutes remaining, but after three consecutive Chaminade baskets Thornton, Sensabaugh, and Holden re-entered the game. Hardman stayed in, however, and wound up knocking down three three-pointers over a 3:06 stretch to help give Ohio State an 88-50 lead in the closing minutes.

By the time the final horn blew, the Buckeyes had wrapped up a 101-57 victory over the Silverswords at Value City Arena. Tanner Holden led all scorers with 25 points on 10-12 shooting. Key, Likekele, Hardman, and Gayle all scored in double digits as well.

What can we really take away from tonight’s victory over Division-II Chaminade? A few things:

Tanner Holden and Roddy Gayle heading up the second line


Holden and Gayle were the first and second players to check into the game off the bench at the 15:49 mark. Holden would go on to play essentially the rest of the first half, clocking 14 minutes of the remaining 15:49. Gayle played 12 of the final 15:49. The only other player to sub in for Ohio State during a competitive first half — besides Holden and Gayle — was Felix Okpara, who played nine minutes during the opening stanza.

The defense should be better


Thanks in large part to the versatility of guys like Likekele, Holden, and Sueing — who did not play — Ohio State’s defense should step up from their 11th-ranked defense last season in the Big Ten. During the first half alone, Holden had a block and a steal, while Likekele was constantly switching on defense to guard the two through five positions. Sueing — who is 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds — will be able to do a lot of the same things Likekele does on defense.

Ohio State needs to be more aggressive on the glass


The Buckeyes struggled mightily last season on the glass, especially defensively. Giving second-chance opportunities to teams in the B1G who have quality centers will lead to second-chance points more often than not, so it’s an area Ohio State has to improve on this season.

Unfortunately that did not happen during the first half of tonight’s game, as they out-rebounded Chaminade by just one board, 25-24. Nine of those Chaminade rebounds were of the offensive variety, which led to six second-chance points. Comparatively, Ohio State had four offensive rebounds, which led to just three second-chance points.

OSU won the rebounding battle while the game was still competitive, but barely. Against a Division-II team that kind of effort will fly, but it won’t against Purdue, Michigan, or Indiana. Collectively, the Buckeyes have to get after it on the glass — on both ends.

Holden might be your drought-snapper


One of the biggest questions with this particular Ohio State team is “who will get you a bucket when everything goes stale?” In basketball terms: when an offensive possession is going nowhere and the shot clock starts to dwindle, who do you pass the ball to and tell to go make something happen? Tonight, that person was, without a question, Holden.

The fourth-year transfer from Wright State had 19 first-half points on 7-9 shooting, including hitting two three-pointers and going 3-4 from the free throw line. It is D-II competition, but Holden drove to the basket with conviction repeatedly with both hands and on both sides of the basket.

Justice Sueing will be one of Ohio State’s biggest offensive weapons this season, but perhaps his absence was good for Holden to build confidence leading into the Buckeyes’ season opener next week.

Sean McNeil is not the next Justin Ahrens...… Bowen Hardman is


After a lot of effort and correction during the off-season and preseason, Chris Holtmann and his staff hammered the message home that despite McNeil being a career 38% three-point shooter, he is not “just like another player that this program had recently.” McNeil’s game is more well-rounded than that “mystery player” that Holtmann would not specifically name but we all knew who he was talking about — Ahrens.

That’s because the next Justin Ahrens is actually Bowen Hardman. Hardman, the overlooked member of Ohio State’s top-10 fresman class, scored 12 points on 4-5 shooting tonight, all from three-point land. Listed at a generous 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, Hardman isn’t quite as far along physically as the other four freshmen class, but he made some noise during tonight’s game.

It was against a terrible defense and Hardman will certainly be at the back end of the Buckeyes’ rotation this season, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to redshirt. In fact, don’t be shocked if the Cincinnati Princeton graduate plays some meaningful minutes here and there for Ohio State.

Up Next:


With their exhibition with Chaminade in the books, the Buckeyes have five days off before they take on Robert Morris on Monday evening in their first official game of the season. The Colonials went 8-24 last season and 5-16 in the Horizon League. RMU is No. 293 in KenPom’s preseason rankings, and was picked to finish eighth (out of 11) in the Horizon League.

Ohio State’s season opener against Robert Morris tips off at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast exclusively on B1G+.

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Ohio State debuts at No. 2 in the first College Football Playoff ranking of 2022
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes have earned a spot in the top four of the initial CFP rankings.

We knew Ohio State would be included among the top four teams when the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2022 season dropped on Tuesday night, but we didn’t quite know at which spot. The Buckeyes have been one of the most impressive units in the country through the beginning of November, and currently rank No. 2 in the AP Poll. However, while they have done everything they’ve needed to do in dominating the opponents on their schedule, would it be enough to put them ahead of teams with resumés like Georgia and Tennessee?

The top four teams in the country debuted as follows:

1. Tennessee
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson

Tennessee checks in as the No. 1 team in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. The Volunteers have been incredibly impressive this season, currently boasting the best scoring offense in the country at 49.4 points per game. They are lead by a Heisman favorite in quarterback Hendon Hooker, and they also have the best win of any team this year with their 52-49 victory over Alabama. This weekend’s matchup against Georgia has massive CFP implications, as the winner will almost certainly get to represent the SEC East in the conference title game.

Ohio State clearly doesn’t have the best resumé in the world, but they have done exactly what they have needed to do thus far — beat up on inferior opponents. You can only play the teams on your schedule, and the Buckeyes have beaten the opposition this year by an average margin of 32 points, having now added a 13-point road win over a now No. 16 Penn State team on the road as another bullet point. Ohio State’s offense ranks second behind only Tennessee with 48.9 points per game, and the defensive is leaps and bounds above what it was a year ago. That’s good enough to put them at No. 2

As the defending national champs, Georgia debuts at No. 3 in the first CFP ranking of the year. The defense lost a ton of key pieces from last season, but that hasn’t stopped them from ranking second in the nation allowing just 10.5 points per game. They played a pair of head-scratchers against Kent State and Missouri in games that were closer than they should have been, but they have taken care of business lately and also dominated the only ranked team they’ve played so far in a 49-3 thrashing of Oregon in the season opener.

Finally, it was the Clemson Tigers coming in at the No. 4 spot. Dabo Swinney’s team hasn’t looked particularly strong at really any point this year, but they have still managed to remain undefeated and have wins over three teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 (Wake Forest, NC State and Syracuse). Clemson will likely get to coast through the rest of its remaining schedule with games against Notre Dame, Louisville, Miami (FL) and South Carolina to finish off the regular season, but could potentially get tested against probably UNC in the ACC title game. Both the offense and defense rank outside of the top 15 in the country, but the CFP committee clearly valued their schedule to this point over a team like Michigan.

As of Tuesday morning, here were the betting odds for the College Football Playoff, courtesy of the DraftKings Sportsbook...

To make the College Football Playoff

• Ohio State -650
• Georgia -600
• Clemson -180
• Tennesse +105
• Alabama +140
• Michigan +190
• Oregon +650
• USC +700
• TCU +750
• UCLA +1700

To win the National Title

• Ohio State +200
• Georgia +200
• Alabama +350
• Tennessee +800
• Clemson +1600
• Michigan +1600
• Oregon +4000
• USC +5000
• TCU +6000
• Ole Miss +10000

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Big Ten stat leaders through Week 9
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Now 2⁄3 of the way through the regular season schedule, where do the Buckeyes stack up among conference leaders?

With each team in the conference now having played eight games, we are now officially at the 2/3 point of the regular season. As is usually the case with one of the country’s top conferences, this year’s Big Ten contains a ton of talent that will soon be playing on Sundays, but before then has spent the year putting up big numbers week in and week out. Where do all our favorite Buckeyes ran among the conference’s best?

Let’s take a look at the statistical leaders in the B1G after Week 9.

Passing Yards

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 2,377
2. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue - 2,270
3. Connor Bazelak, Indiana - 2,099

Passing Touchdowns

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 29
2. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin - 17
3. Sean Clifford, Penn State - 16

Passing Efficiency

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 200.2
2. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan - 164.5
3. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin - 159.6

Rushing Yards

1. Chase Brown, Illinois - 1,208
2. Blake Corum, Michigan - 1,078
3. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 955

(Ohio State’s leader: TreVeyon Henderson - 552 — 10th)

Rushing Touchdowns

1. Blake Corum, Michigan - 14
2. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 13
3. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 10

Yards Per Carry (min. 50 attempts)

1. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 6.9
2. Donovan Edwards, Michigan - 6.6
3. Roman Hemby, Maryland - 6.5

Receiving Yards

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 840
2. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 788
3. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 783

Receiving Touchdowns

1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 10
2. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 9
3. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 7

Receptions

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 72
2. Isaiah Williams, Illinois - 56
3. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 48

Total Tackles

1. Jack Campbell, Iowa - 82
2. Bryce Gallagher, Northwestern - 79
3. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State - 72

Tackles for Loss

1. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State - 10.5
2. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 9.5
3. Four players tied with 9.0

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr. - 7.5 — 7th)

Sacks

1. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 6.0
2. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State - 5.5
3. Mike Morris, Michigan - 5.5

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr. - 4.5 — 5th)

Interceptions

1. John Torchio, Wisconsin - 5
2. Kendal Smith, Illinois - 4
3. Nine players tied with 3, including Tanner McCalister

Team Stats - Scoring Offense

1. Ohio State - 48.9 PPG
2. Michigan - 41.0 PPG
3. Maryland - 34.1 PPG

Team Stats - Scoring Defense

1. Illinois - 8.9 PPG allowed
2. Michigan - 11.5 PPG allowed
3. Minnesota - 14.4 PPG allowed

(Ohio State - 16.9 PPG allowed — 5th)

Team Stats - Total Offense

1. Ohio State - 509.3 YPG
2. Michigan - 469.8 YPG
3. Maryland - 454.4 YPG

Team Stats - Total Defense

1. Illinois - 224.5 YPG allowed
2. Michigan - 250.3 YPG allowed
3. Iowa - 265.6 YPG allowed

(Ohio State - 270.1 YPG allowed — 4th)

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Game Notes: No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Notre Dame College
1ThomasCostello 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

Sharing thoughts about Monday’s exhibition tune-up before the Nov. 8 season tip

Monday’s Halloween night exhibition was scary, mostly for Notre Dame College. In a game that wasn’t expected to be close, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team took care of business to the tune of a 118-33 scoreline. While the game doesn’t count in any sort of standings, there are notes from the Scarlet & Gray’s performance. Here are the things that stood out.

The Starting Five


Head coach Kevin McGuff went with a different look Monday. He went with the usual starters with guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell, along with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The other two spots were the surprises.

As preseason practice began, the talk focused on the return of Madison Greene, offseason improvements for returning sophomore Taylor Thierry and incoming four-star recruit Cotie McMahon.

McMahon and Thierry got the starting nod. It was surprising at first, but the final numbers on the night told a different story of who could lineup against the Tennessee Volunteers on Nov. 8.

McMahon Impresses


In McMahon’s first game with Ohio State, she set the tone early, from right after the tip-off. McMahon charged the basket and drew the first foul of the game within seconds. The freshman made her first free throw, and after missing the second charged the basket to grab her own rebound and hit the lay-up, completing an unconventional three-point play.

That was a good representation of McMahon’s night as a whole. The speed she possesses was evident, with her looking like the fastest player on the court using the eye test.

Anytime McMahon had the ball, there was a strong chance that she was attacking the basket. When McMahon wasn’t trying to score herself, she was making big passes. In the second half, McMahon made two court-length passes. The first, to Mikesell, was made in Mikesell’s stride, making for the easiest lay-up for the guard on the evening.

Also, the forward’s court presence was fantastic, with McMahon leading everyone on the court in assists, with six.

However, the excitement of her first game led to McMahon forcing some situations that with time will turn into more assists. Even so, McMahon’s decision to join the Buckeyes in Jan. was still evident.

Greene Returns


Although Greene didn’t start, she played 20:38, one of only two players to hit the 20-minute mark. Greene had 12 points, five assists, and two steals on the evening, and looked confident after returning from knee surgery. Not only did she lead the team in minutes but in the +/-, with Ohio State hitting 49 with Greene on the court.

It didn’t look like Greene hasn’t played for the Buckeyes in 628 days.

Shumate Hits Her Shots


Transfer and Newark, Ohio native Emma Shumate came in as a substitute guard and showed off her shooting skills. Shumate’s shot looks effortless, even from deep and on the corners. The West Virginia transfer hit four of six from deep, leading all players with 18 points.

Looking at Minutes


Post-game, McGuff talked about how Monday’s game focused on getting different groups onto the floor to see how they played together. Looking at the stat sheet, two players had more time than anyone else in McMahon and Greene.

Mikesell, Sheldon, and Mikulášiková played less than 20 minutes a piece, but that’s likely by design. They’re each frontrunners to start at their positions, after all.

Last season, McGuff played a rotation of eight different players. Monday, 10 players showed that they can log minutes, including guard Hevynne Bristow who started one game last season before being relegated to a bench role for the rest of the year.

The remaining four players, transfer forward Karla Vres and a trio of underclassmen guards in Kaitlyn Costner, Mya Perry and Kaia Henderson played 5:37 or less. Barring injury or blowouts on the scoreboard, it feels like there won’t be much of them in games this year.

Thierry’s Night


For the second season in a row, Thierry started in a Buckeyes exhibition game. This time around though, it was in a guard position. McGuff opted for McMahon and Mikulášiková as his two forwards Monday, when Thierry and McMahon fighting for the starting forward spot seemed evident.

It doesn’t mean that the fight changes, with Greene a likely starter in Thierry’s place, but McMahon and Thierry played different games Monday.

Thierry’s evening was scrappier than McMahon’s. The sophomore took three shots, making two, and didn’t do much on the boards. Instead, Thierry was dishing and stealing. Of Ohio State’s 40 forced turnovers, Thierry led the team with four steals. Twice coming up from behind, poking the ball away, and creating a Buckeyes fast break, highlighted in the video below.


Unfortunately for Thierry, she also got in the most foul trouble, earning four. Although it could be argued that some of the fouls came from referees who are also in the preseason.

McMahon and Thierry bring different things to the court, and Monday isn’t the lone deciding factor in who starts against Tennessee, but if the offense is the deciding factor, McMahon is the favorite.

Walker’s Introduction


Playing almost 20 minutes on the night was Syracuse and Arizona State transfer, forward Eboni Walker. In those minutes, Walker played in Mikulášiková’s center role and almost hit a double-double but was one rebound shy.

Walker’s play looked effortless out there as if there’s another level underneath the surface that a big game could bring to the surface.

The forward hit all five of her shots, including one from midrange. Walker also added two assists, a steal, and a block on top of her 10 points. Playing the minutes Walker played makes sense, considering she transferred this summer and needs time to acclimate.


However, if Walker’s performance, and plays like the buzzer-beating rebound and pass to Greene can be replicated against teams like Tennessee, Indiana, and Iowa, she might not be a backup for long.

The Usual Suspects


Players like Sheldon, Mikesell, and Harris didn’t need to show a lot in the game. They each showed their abilities last season, leading the Buckeyes to a regular-season conference title.

Each played how you’d expect. There was some rust for Mikesell and Sheldon, going 2-for-10 from deep, with Mikesell hitting 2-for-8. It looked like nothing more than rust, and not needing to prove anything in the preseason.

Mikesell played stronger defense, creating a steal/block combo play under Notre Dame’s basket in the first quarter. Sheldon was the first player on the court to hit double-digit scoring.

Harris came into the game later than expected, after Shumate, but Harris played strong. The guard tied Greene in +/- and had 13 points and six assists.

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Seven things to watch for during Ohio State’s exhibition against Chaminade
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

How much info can we glean from a game vs. a D-II team? We’re about to find out.

For the first time since March 20, the Ohio State men’s basketball team will take the court for a live, competitive-ish basketball contest. They take on the Division-II Chaminade Silverswords tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center, and the game is open to fans — although it will likely be a sparse crowd. If you want to watch on TV, you’ll have to purchase a BTN+ subscription.

Chaminade went 9-18 overall last season and 7-13 in the Pacific West Conference. The Buckeyes are facing the Silverswords in Columbus as part of their participation in the Maui Invitational later this month, as Chaminade will also travel to Cincinnati and Louisville for exhibitions — two other teams who are participating in the invitational. With all due respect to Chaminade, they should not pose a challenge to Ohio State, and this piece will focus solely on the Buckeyes.

As has been heavily advertised throughout the offseason, this Ohio State roster is almost unrecognizable compared to the one that fell to Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Tournament back in March. The Buckeyes return just four players from last year’s team, but only two of them — Zed Key and Gene Brown — played more than two games.

With so many new faces in the mix, we’ve been making our best guesses for months on who will start, who will fill various roles, and if this year’s iteration of the men’s basketball Buckeyes can go farther than last season’s. Tuesday night’s exhibition will give us our first sneak peak at the team in competition, and maybe start answering a few of these questions.

There are tons of things we’ll be keeping our eye on, but here’s seven things to watch for during tonight’s action against Chaminade.

How aggressive will Justice Sueing be?

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The long-running narrative of “Is Justice Sueing finally healthy?” is dead. It was asked over and over and over and over for the past three months, and each time Chris Holtmann has told us that yes, Sueing is good to go. Each time we’ve had the chance to ask Justice himself, he has also said that he feels great and is ready to play. Will there be some rust after having basically 18 months off? Probably. But the “will he play” plotline is dead. He’s playing.

The question we should focus on is how aggressive Sueing will be after such a long layoff. Two seasons ago when he was healthy, Sueing logged 28.3 minutes per game for Ohio State, scoring 10.7 PPG on 49.1% shooting. He also shot 36.1% from three-point land, but only attempted two per game. He averaged 7.2 shot attempts overall, which was a far reach from the 11 shots per game he took at Cal from 2017-2019.

Sueing will be looked to as one of the team’s main weapons on offense, if not the main weapon on offense. There will be some rust, but if the Buckeyes want to find success in their early-season stretch of tough games, Sueing will need to take 10-11 shots per game, like he did early in his career out west.

Will he be ready to do that after being inactive for so long?

Is Brice Sensabaugh really “him” ?

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last season, Malaki Branham was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, one of the best overall shooters in the Big Ten, and wound up as a first round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He was a high four-star recruit, one of the best Ohio recruits over the past decade, and played at the same high school as LeBron James.

And somehow, Brice Sensabaugh has generated even more preseason hype leading into his freshman season than Branham did one year ago.

Now why is that?



Maybe it’s the insane dunks he threw down recently at Buckeyes on the Blacktop. Maybe it’s the 50-point game he put together at the Kingdom Summer League. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s a 6-foot-6, 235-pound power forward who is expected to be one of the better three-point shooters in the conference. Maybe it’s how easily his game reminds people of another recent NBA draftee, E.J. Liddell. It’s probably all of that, combined.

In fact, Branham was actually a higher rated recruit than Sensabaugh. Perhaps Branham’s success is making people raise their expectations for Brice, too. But for the Buckeyes to be successful this season, Sensabaugh will need to develop into a reliable, three-level scorer and at least a tolerable defender.

He may not reach the same level Branham did last season with multiple 30-point games, but there’s no question the “Baby Sensa” hype is very real from the fanbase.

Will Tanner Holden expand his range?

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

At 20.1 PPG last season, Tanner Holden was actually No. 18 in the nation last season when hr was at Wright State. His 37-point game in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four was highly publicized, but he actually had a 38-point game earlier last season, too.

However, there’s real reason to believe the adjustment from the Horizon League to the Big Ten will not be perfectly smooth. The jump in talent and size is obvious, especially in a conference dominated by big men. He simply will not get the same looks that he did at Wright State last season at Ohio State.

On top of that, Holden is not a three-point shooter — not even a little bit. He averaged 1.1 3PT attempts per game last season, despite taking 12.5 shots per game. He hit 34% of those, but that’s such a small sample size.

Holden attempted 280 free throws last season, which was the second-most in the nation (he hit 79% of them). He’s a great slasher and uses his 6-foot-6 frame to get to the basket — and the charity stripe — often, but his transition to the Big Ten will be a lot smoother if he can also expand his range a bit and knock down some jumpers. Chris Holtmann has harped on this quite a bit during the preseason.

How many positions will Isaac Likekele play?

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Perhaps the most fascinating addition to this team is 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard/forward Isaac Likekele, formerly of Oklahoma State. It’s still to be seen if he starts the Buckeyes’ first game against Robert Morris, but even if not, “Ice” is going to see a lot of minutes. He’s a versatile player and a switchable piece on defense, which makes him someone Holtmann will want on the floor as much as possible.

Likekele racked up over 600 rebounds and 400 assists at the orange OSU, while also scoring over 1,000 points. He can run point, play off the ball at the second guard spot, occupy either forward position, and even play center in a small-ball lineup.

There may be some games he is the primary ballhandler for Ohio State and racks up double-digit assists. There may also be a game or two where he backs down the opposing team’s big and winds up with double-digit rebounds. He will do every job that needs to be done on the floor. It’ll be interesting to see how he is used Tuesday night.

How much will we see from Kalen Etzler?

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Etzler redshirted last season, put on some additional muscle, and has been somewhat of an afterthought heading into his second season with the team. Now that the redshirt season is over, Etzler is expected to be part of Ohio State’s regular rotation and could become a crucial contributor if he can defend.

At 6-foot-8 and close to 200 pounds, Etzler isn’t nearly as thin anymore as the picture above depicts. His teammates have spoken highly of his offseason work ethic, noting during media day last month that he’s added muscle and has been one of the better shooters at practice thus far.

With four freshmen in the rotation and only one player on the team that’s already proven themselves as a knock-down shooter at the collegiate level (Sean McNeil), there will be an opportunity for Etzler to force Holtmann’s hand and give him consistent minutes. I’m excited to see how he plays Tuesday evening.

Will Ohio State play fast?

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Out of 358 D-I teams, Ohio State was No. 289 in adjusted tempo (possessions per 40 minutes) last season. The Buckeyes played slow, and to be frank, they’ve played slow every season since Chris Holtmann became the head coach. Not that it’s a bad thing, because Ohio State’s offense has also been one of the most efficient in the country since he got to Columbus, but it has not been the swiftest. The Buckeyes have been outside of the top-200 in adjusted tempo every season since 2017.

Ohio State apparently wants to play faster this season. Holtmann has mentioned wanting to “push it” with Bruce Thornton at point guard, even if that means an extra turnover here or there. He told us at media day last month that he doesn’t want to see Ohio State passing the ball “just to pass” — if someone has an open look five seconds into the possession, take the shot. Getting an open shot doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work the clock down to single digits, and moving faster gives yourself more shot attempts, too.

However, we’ve heard this before, and the Buckeyes still tend to hover in the mid-200’s in tempo every single year. Keep an eye on their pace tonight, it could be a sneak peak at how they want to run the offense moving forward.

Who becomes the “we need a bucket” guy?

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Liddell was Batman, and Branham was Robin, except on the nights Branham was Batman and Liddell was also Batman.

Two seasons ago, Duane Washington Jr. was Batman and Liddell was Robin.

The season prior, Kaleb Wesson was the guy, and both Washington and Liddell were also around. During Holtmann’s first season, Keita Bates-Diop was the go-to guy.

This season, Ohio State really might not have a go-to “guy”. When the shot clock hits five seconds and absolutely nothing is cooking on offense, who will the Buckeyes pass the ball to and say “go make something happen” ? The last few seasons, that question was easy to answer: Liddell, Branham, Wesson, Bates-Diop, etc.

This season it could be Sueing, the elder statesman of the team and a guy who has averaged 14 points per game during a season once already. It could be Sensabaugh, the mismatch nightmare whose ceiling seems to go up each day we get closer to the season. It could be Roddy Gayle or Bruce Thornton, two guys who are better “attack the basket” guys than they are jump shooters. Maybe it’s Sean McNeil, a fifth-year senior who is a career 37% three-point shooter and will join the 1,000-point club before the calendar flips to 2023?

My guess is Sueing, but keep an eye on who gets the ball Tuesday night when the offense stalls out and Ohio State needs to cook something up with only a few seconds left on the shot clock.

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You’re Nuts: What Ohio State player had injury issues that hit you the hardest?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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


After playing sparingly two weeks ago against Iowa, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was unavailable for Saturday’s game against Penn State. Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of the season opener against Notre Dame which has kept him on the sidelines for most of the first eight games of the season. While Ohio State has been able to keep their offense rolling without Smith-Njigba thanks to the efforts of Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, it would be great to see the Buckeye passing game operate with one of the best receivers in the country added to the mix.

Prior to the season, Smith-Njigba was a front-runner for the Biletnikoff Award after an outstanding 2021 season and a record-breaking Rose Bowl. It’ll be interesting to see if Smith-Njigba is able to get back on the field this season. If the wide receiver returns, it likely won’t be until the Michigan game since Ohio State’s next three opponents should be easy victories for the Buckeyes. It is understandable if we have seen the last of Smith-Njigba in the scarlet and gray since he is projected as a high draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but hopefully we can see him play a couple more games with the Buckeyes.

Injuries are part of football, but there are some Buckeye players that have had their time in Columbus effected by injuries that hit harder than others. Maybe it was an injury to a fan favorite, a key player, or it could be a player that dealt with a number of injuries during their time in college.

Today’s question: What Ohio State player had injury issues that hit you the hardest?

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: Nick Bosa


After his brother left Ohio State and was drafted with the third pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, Nick Bosa came to Columbus and pick up where Joey left off. Following a five sack freshman season, Nick was even better in his second year in the scarlet and gray, recording 8.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, earning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. The younger Bosa looked primed to be in the mix to win the Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in college football.

Bosa came out of the gates strong in 2018, recording four sacks and a touchdown in the first three games of the season. Unfortunately for Bosa and the Buckeyes, the junior was injured in the third game of the season, suffering an injury that required core muscle surgery. After holding out hope Bosa would be able to return later in the season, it was announced a month a later that he would be out the rest of the season, and was declaring for the NFL Draft.

The reason why I feel like Bosa’s injury was so tough to stomach was because we didn’t get a true conclusion to his Ohio State career. The defensive end obviously made the right decision since he was the second overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, and is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL. It would have been fun to see just how many sacks and tackles for loss Bosa could have racked up if he was able to play the full 2018 season. Would Bosa have been able to top the 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss his older brother posted in 2014? Nick certainly had a good start towards reaching those marks had he not been injured against TCU.

Meredith’s answer: Ted Ginn Jr.


What’s interesting about this question is how injuries often have played out in ways that have benefited Ohio State. For example, remember when Braxton Miller got hurt, leading to J.T. Barrett being the starting quarterback? And then when Barrett got hurt against Michigan and Cardale Jones took over? It turned into a national title season for the Buckeyes.

However, I’m surprised Brett didn’t pick Ted Ginn Jr. He covered the “what if?” scenario of if the Buckeyes’ star receiver would not have gotten injured after scoring on the opening kickoff in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. Ginn returned the kick 93 yards for a score and subsequently got hurt on the celebration, exiting the game for good with an ankle injury.

Ginn is my pick because things went very dramatically down from there for Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes. While Brett argued that the Buckeyes would not have beaten Florida even if Ginn were in for the whole game, it would have been closer and probably less embarrassing. It was literally adding insult to injury.

This particular injury also burns because, while it was an amazing play (I feel like we regularly discuss how few special teams touchdowns we get and when we anticipate the next one coming), I hate that such a great Ohio State player went down with an injury so early in his last game. It was Ginn’s last play as a Buckeye and it stinks that it ended with him hurt.

Things worked out for Ginn, obviously, who just retired in 2021 after a successful 14-year NFL career.

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Big Ten men’s basketball team preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

What can Ben Johnson do in year two in Minneapolis?

Team: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Coach: Ben Johnson (second season)
2021-22 record: 13-17 (4-16)

Season finish: No postseason

Players returning: Jamison Battle, Parker Fox, Isaiah Ihnen, Treyton Thompson

Players departed: Payton Willis, E.J. Stephens, Luke Loewe, Eric Curry, Abdoulaye Thiam, Charlie Daniels and Sean Sutherlin

Key additions: Dawson Garcia (North Carolina), Ta’Lon Cooper (Morehead State), Taurus Samuels (Dartmouth), Pharrel Payne, Josh Ola-Joseph, Braedon Carrington, Jaden Henley

Outlook


A lot of people would agree that Minnesota was the surprise of the Big Ten last season. They went 4-16 in conference play, but played a lot of close games and started the season 10-1 with wins over Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Princeton. The only loss the Gophers suffered before the new year was a single-digit loss to Michigan State. They tripped up in conference play and finished with a losing record overall, but the first year under head coach Ben Johnson turned out being an interesting and oddly successful one, as some people went as far to say they may not win a conference game.

The Gophers lost seven of their top eight scorers from last season, but do bring back their leading scorer Jamison Battle, who should be one of the top players in the conference this season. Battle averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season, and single handily keep the Gophers in games at times.

Losing Payton Willis, Luke Loewe and E.J. Stephens will hurt, but the Minnesota staff did a good job hitting the transfer portal hard and filling out a solid roster for this season. Former top-30 recruit and Minnesota native Dawson Garcia comes from North Carolina, Ta’Lon Cooper is a great point guard from Morehead State and Taurus Samuels is an experienced guard from Dartmouth. Braeden Carrington is also a freshman guard that could see starting minutes this season.

Their depth will be a question after losing all that they lost, but they have a great young coach and a solid starting five that will help them compete in games.

X Factor


Dawson Garcia. It has been a journey for Garcia thus far in his collegiate career, but he makes his way back to his home state of Minnesota after stops at Marquette and North Carolina. Garcia played well in both stops, specifically in his freshman year at Marquette. With the Golden Eagles, he averaged 13 points and 6.6 rebounds while averaging 30 minutes per game and starting every game he played in.

At North Carolina, Garcia was a key piece in their rotation, but only he only played in 16 games, starting in 12 of those. Garcia averaged 20 minutes with 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Even though he has played well in his first two seasons, Garcia wanted to come home and play for the state he grew up in.

“Minnesota across my chest, it’s where I grew up,” Garcia said at media day. “It’s where I’m from, and it’s what I’m fighting for,” he said. “(Having) my family and all the people I grew up with and all the people in the stands this year will be incredible.”

It is also safe to say he will be in Minnesota for the foreseeable future.

“There are some highs, some lows, but at the end of the day I got the Minnesota across my chest now,” Garcia said. “I look forward to building something special for years and years to come.”

Garcia has also made a great early impression on his teammates.

“He works his (butt) off, and I think that is something that you want as a player and you want as a teammate,” Jamison Battle said at media day. “The thing with him is the versatility he brings. He can go inside, he can stretch it out to the perimeter. Having a guy like that, with that kind of versatility, (who) can also guard a (center) in the Big Ten is something that not a lot of teams have.”

Prediction


I don’t think Minnesota is a real competitor in the conference or a tournament team yet, but what Johnson has done in his first two seasons is nothing to scoff at. Bringing Garcia back to Minnesota and adding transfers like Cooper and Samuels, they are building something in Minnesota. It could be another long year after losing guys like Eric Curry, E.J. Stephens and Payton Willis, but the future looks bright with Johnson at the helm.

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brodybuck21 said:

committed to ttun....gross

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2022-23 season bump

Holtmann has assistant coach Jake Diebler back from last season. He has two new assistants in Mike Netti and Jack Owens. Netti was previously a special assistant to the head coach, while Owens has spent the last several seasons as the head coach Miami (Ohio) and as an assistant at Purdue.

2022-23 season bump

Holtmann has assistant coach Jake Diebler back from last season. He has two new assistants in Mike Netti and Jack Owens. Netti was previously a special assistant to the head coach, while Owens has spent the last several seasons as the head coach Miami (Ohio) and as an assistant at Purdue.

Column: New month, new goals for the Buckeyes
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Who doesn’t love to make some resolutions on the first of the month?

It’s officially November, AKA TTUN month! The season has absolutely flown by and the Buckeyes have had an extremely impressive one through the first nine weeks. However, there is always room to improve of course, so here is a fresh set of goals for the team.

1. Get the running backs healthy

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson have proven to be the best 1-2 punch at RB in the nation. Unfortunately, they have both been banged up this year and played through some injuries. After the Penn State game, where Williams got injured and didn’t return, the entire load fell on Henderson.

At this point in the season, the Bucks cannot rely on just one running back. Even though third-stringer Dallan Hayden has looked good when called upon, I would feel a heck of a lot better if I knew both of the starters were fully healthy. If that does mean Hayden — or Chip Trayanum for that matter — gets some more reps in these next few weeks against Northwestern, Indiana and Maryland, so be it. Ohio State needs both Williams and Henderson fully healthy for TTUN and beyond.

2. Figure out what to do with JSN

Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has had a really bad run of poor luck this year. From getting injured in the first half against Notre Dame, trying to make his return against Toledo and re-injuring himself, and then two weeks ago against Iowa injuring himself again, he has struggled to stay fully healthy.

However, I feel like testing him in each of these games is only making it worse for him. Playing when not fully healthy is just delaying when he will be fully healthy. Additionally, this could risk injuring other muscles in his left leg, which is the leg he injured his hamstring, or hurt something in his right leg by overcompensating. It’s just simply not smart to test it.

Being this far along in the season, I feel like he has to be shut down for at least the next three games. There is no point in playing him until TTUN, because he shouldn’t be needed. This would give him a full month to work on recovery, since he didn’t play against Penn State. I know all of Buckeye Nation, myself included, feels awful for him and we all simply want what is best for him.

3. Continue producing turnovers on defense

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

I know I just expressed it in my previous column, but man, do I love this defense! They are so exciting to watch and have produced at least one turnover in each of the past seven games. The best part is, they aren’t all coming from one player. Seven different Buckeyes have an INT so far this season, as well as seven different defenders with one or more forced fumbles.

The 2021 defense had 12 total interceptions for the entire season, but the 2022 team already has 10 with four weeks remaining in the regular season. Turnovers have been absolutely huge for this team, whether points are scored are not. They usually come at crucial parts of the game and have been huge momentum changers. Let’s see how long the Bucks can keep the turnover streak alive.

4. Finish undefeated and beat TTUN (duh)

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The latter portion of this goal is what I am obviously most worried about. Northwestern is currently dead last in the Big Ten with a 1-7 record and Indiana is tied for last in the Big Ten East with a 3-5 record. Maryland is 6-2, but these past couple of weeks it has barely managed to defeat both Northwestern and Indiana.

TTUN is a whole ‘nother story. This game has huge ramifications from many different angles. First off, revenge. It’s in the Horseshoe this year so there’s an advantage for Ohio State. Second, playoffs. If both teams win out up until that game, the winner advances to the Big Ten Championship, and most likely, the College Football Playoff. Both teams have been playing extremely well this season, so it will all come down to this game.

Let’s hope each of these goals can be crossed off, but especially this one.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for November 1, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

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

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

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Business is BOOOOOOOMing


BOOOOM! 2023 four-star DL Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land


Kayden McDonald is a Buckeye: The impact
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Analyzing impact as 2023 four-star Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State (paywall)
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting for Eyes

What Kayden McDonald commitment means for Ohio State
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

What Kayden McDonald’s commitment means to Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Twitter reacted after Kayden McDonald announced commitment to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

On the Gridiron


Column: Ohio State’s run game is back to being incredibly predictable
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Buckeyes tied with Tennessee at No. 2 in Associated Press poll
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State names four players of the game vs. Penn State
Patrick Murphy, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ryan Day Says Penn State Win “Wasn’t About Trying to Get Style Points,” Looks Ahead to Northwestern on 97.1 The Fan
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

As if there was ever any doubt:


Film Review: Ohio State’s offense explodes again backed by an all-time defensive performance
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State Rewatch: Second thoughts on a win at Penn State (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Five Buckeyes who helped their cause, impressed in win over Penn State (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Column: What did we learn from the Penn State game?
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Gotta love these guys:


J.T. Tuimoloau’s dominance isn’t a surprise to those who know him best (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

In C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State’s talent won out again against Penn State
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State at Penn State
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land

Listen to Jordan and Dante’s take on the Big Ten week that was:

On the Hardwood


Three storylines for No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball exhibition game vs. Notre Dame College
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

That seems good:

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Women’s Volleyball: Podraza Claims Fourth Big Ten Setter of the Week Award
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Ice Hockey: WCHA Awards Jaques Defender of the Week Honors
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


It wouldn’t have been Halloween without this...

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Silver Bullets Podcast: Penn State Rewind and Northwestern Preview
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

A look back at Ohio State’s win in Happy Valley and a look ahead to a trip to Evanston.


For the second consecutive week, Ohio State’s offense took a little while to get warmed up, but then it was absolutely fine. Also for the second straight week, the defense forced key turnovers to effectively prevent the Buckeyes’ opponents from being able to take advantage of the offense’s slow start. We break down Ohio State’s 44-31 road win over the Penn State Nittany Lions, including a first half that seemed much tighter than it needed to be. We checked in on our score predictions to see how well we prognosticated the game, and poured over the statistical data to see if our picks to click actually... well, clicked.

We took our usual stroll through the rest of the Big Ten games from Saturday to keep tabs on how everyone else made out. There was some ugliness in Ann Arbor, and it wasn’t limited to the game between the Wolverines and Spartans, as it spilled into the tunnel after the final whistle. While everyone seems to want to point out how easily Michigan handled Penn State compared to Ohio State’s trip to Happy Valley, it’s worth reminding them that the Wolverines had to settle for a lot of field goals at home against a Spartans team that the Buckeyes eviscerated in East Lansing. The Illini kept rolling while the Minnesota Golden Gophers tried to get back on track, and Iowa found some offense against... Northwestern.

Speaking of the Wildcats, we looked ahead to Saturday’s road game and the way Northwestern has played this season. We expect the spread to be covered as Ohio State looks to get back in rhythm offensively heading into the season’s final stretch. We made our predictions for the game and selected our offensive and defensive picks to click.

We’ll be back next week to talk about Ohio State’s matchup with the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois, and to preview the following week’s return home to face the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share!

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Ohio State makes the cut for four-star tight end from Georgia
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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2024 four-star tight end Michael Smith via 247Sports

The Buckeyes made the top eight for a 2024 four-star tight end and offered a four-star wide receiver over the weekend.

It may not have been pretty, but Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are still undefeated following a road game at Penn State. The Buckeyes struggled throughout the first three quarters of the game, but then impressed in the fourth quarter, leading to a victory. With the regular season getting down to crunch time, the majority of the headlines surround Ohio State will revolve around the current roster. However, don’t expect the Buckeyes to rest their laurels in recruiting because of this.

Four-star TE has Ohio State in top 8


One of the positions Ohio State has been focusing on early in the 2024 class is at tight end. The Buckeyes have offered a half-dozen recruits at the position already, and will continue to look to add to this group while also continuing to recruit those already offered.

One of the tight ends Ohio State has offered in the class is four-star Michael Smith (Savannah, GA / Calvary Day). The Buckeyes offered Smith on June 28, following his visit for one of the program’s summer camps. The camp must have left a strong impression on Smith, as he included the team in his top schools Monday.


Smith narrowed his list of schools he will focus on to close out his recruitment to eight. Alongside Ohio State, Smith also included South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Texas and Penn State.

It will be tough to sway Smith to leave SEC Country, but he is also considering Penn State, which means he is at the very least considering going to college far from home if he feels it is the best school for him to continue his football career. However, if the Buckeyes are going to separate themselves from the field, they will need to get him on campus for the in-game experience. Saturdays in ‘The Shoe are one of Ohio State’s biggest selling points when it comes to recruiting.

Smith is the No. 6 TE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 152 overall prospect regardless of position. He is also No. 24 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Georgia.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State continues to recruit the 2024 class as they also look to close out its 2023 class. They did so this weekend by offering three-star wide receiver Jaden Reddell (Peculiar, MO / Raymore-Peculiar). Reddell has seen his recruitment take off as of late, receiving offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Oklahoma and now Ohio State in the past two months. Reddell is projected to play wide receiver or tight end in college, and with the Buckeyes prioritizing tight end in 2024, the likely are looking him to play there as opposed to wideout.

• One of Ohio State’s commits in the 2023 class, and one of the leaders of the class, four-star offensive tackle Luke Montgomery (Findlay, OH / Findlay) will be visiting Georgia this weekend as they take on Tennessee. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Montgomery already clarified he is visiting with his brother, Ryan, as a guest and there should be no worries of a decommitment.

• ICYMI, Ohio State landed its latest commitment in the 2023 class on Monday with the addition of four-star Georgia DT Kayden McDonald.

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BOOOOM! 2023 four-star DL Kayden McDonald commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Four-star DL Kayden McDonald | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports

It’s all treats and no tricks for the Buckeyes on Halloween as they add another member to their fourth-ranked class.

The kids aren’t the only ones bringing home the goods on Halloween, as Ohio State’s coaching staff got themselves a big piece of candy on Monday afternoon. The Buckeyes went trick or treating in Suwanee, GA this time around, hauling in a commitment from 2023 four-star defensive lineman Kayden McDonald.


At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, McDonald profiles as a defensive tackle at the next level. The Peach State product currently sits as the No. 229 player in the country and the No. 33 defensive lineman, according to the 247Sports Composite. McDonald hauled in close to 40 scholarship offers during his recruiting process, but in the end Ohio State managed to emerge victorious. It’s obviously not the sole reason, but it’s certainly not surprising to see the Buckeyes haul in a defensive lineman on the heals of J.T. Tuimoloau’s insane performance against Penn State this past weekend.

While Tuimoloau is an edge guy, McDonald is probably hoping his game translates to something more like Mike Hall Jr. on the interior. His scouting report says he displays good athletic ability at his size in the middle of the defensive line, especially as a one-tech, but shows the ability to play multiple positions along the front. Here is the rest of what to expect from McDonald, courtesy of 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna:


As previously alluded to, the Buckeyes were not the only ones in heavy pursuit of McDonald. He kept his recruitment pretty close to the vest, and it seemed as though all five of his final schools including the likes of Clemson, Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma and of course Ohio State all had a legitimate chance to land the four-star prospect. McDonald was in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ big win over Wisconsin in September and came away very impressed, but ultimately it seems as though his relationship and respect for position coach Larry Johnson was the deciding factor in making Ohio State his college destination.

Ohio State is no stranger to the Suwanee area, as in just last year’s class they managed to haul in Kojo Antwi from the same Georgia City. They’ve also had some recent prior success from North Gwinnett High School as well, with Buckeye cornerback Jordan Hancock hailing from the prep program in the 2021 class. McDonald is the third Ohio State commit in this cycle from the state of Georgia, joining four-star tight end Jelani Thurman and four-star corner Kayin Lee. Coach LJ has had more than his fair share of wins in his time from all across the country, but it’s always especially sweet to steal a guy out of SEC country.

McDonald is the 21st member of Ohio State’s 2023 class, which currently ranks No. 4 in the country behind Alabama, Georgia and Notre Dame. The Buckeyes are not done yet, and the defensive line position looks to be the main area Ohio State will continue to look to add on. McDonald becomes the third defensive line commit in the group, and the second interior lineman alongside Will Smith with defensive end Jason Moore as the other in the position group. McDonald is a welcome addition to a defensive tackle room that could use an influx of depth and young talent.

Welcome to Buckeye Nation, Kayden!

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I-70 Football Show: A weekend full of horror
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Two days before Halloween, college football delivered a weekend full of horror. Horrible football that is.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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October is full of horror. New scary movies are dropping, and old favorites end up on streaming services as many of us are searching for a good scare. I watched Halloween Ends — the final film in the Michael Myers series — this weekend, and it was not even close to the scariest thing I’ve seen. That honor belongs to this week’s Big Ten schedule, as every game ended with a two-score deficit, many of them larger than three.

The weekend was full of blowouts. The closest game of the weekend was Ohio State vs. Penn State, as James Franklin’s team continued their streak of playing OSU tough. Penn State was winning most of the game, finding ways to slow down the Buckeye offense and holding a 21-16 lead with nine minutes left in the game. At that moment it was over, as Ohio State flipped the switch and scored 28 fourth quarter points, including a touchdown after a sack-fumble and a pick-six, both by Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau. Elsewhere, Michigan steamrolled in-state rival Michigan State. The Spartans didn’t show fight until after the game when they jumped a Michigan player in the tunnel.

The scariest thing of the year will happen the weekend after Halloween, as Northwestern has to spend 60 minutes on the same field as Ohio State. After allowing Iowa to score 33 points — without a defensive touchdown — Northwestern may want to forfeit this game and cite player safety. The Buckeyes will go into this one looking to fix some issues before they face Michigan with the Big Ten Championship Game and likely the playoffs on the line. The matchup against the Wildcats should come with an R rating. Cover your eyes, and don’t let your kids watch. There will be a lot of blood and gore.

In their weekly pit stops, Jordan laughs at Anthony Davis after his horrid start to the season. In the offseason, AD bragged about not touching a basketball, and it’s clear he didn’t as he struggles to begin the year. Dante thinks that Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are overrated and should retire as father time is catching up to them.


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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looking like Dayton...

Column: Ohio State’s run game is back to being incredibly predictable
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone watching can tell when the Buckeyes are going to run the football based purely on the formation, which is not great in my personal opinion.

Ohio State’s running game has been less than stellar over the past two games, and that is putting it mildly. After totaling at least 160 yards rushing in each of the team’s first six games, the Buckeyes have failed to reach the century mark in back to back weeks against Iowa and Penn State. In fact, Ohio State was averaging 228 yards on the ground per game on six yards per attempt before these last two contests, wherein they totaled just 66 and 98 yards rushing, respectively, on a measly 2.9 yards per attempt.

So what gives? Can we simply chalk it up to Ohio State playing against some better defenses? Well, partially. But I think the main reason for the massive downgrade in production running the football has been a lack of creativity in the run game. More specifically, a lack of diversity in play calls based on the formation the offense comes out in. Anecdotally, it felt like the Buckeyes were running the football out of the same formations every single time against Penn State, and then we got the empirical data that this was actually the case, courtesy of Bill Connelly:


Objectively, it looks like Ohio State had a pretty great day on offense based on these numbers. The Buckeyes averaged 7.5 yards per play, which is pretty good considering you'd be getting a first down every two plays. Personally, I'd take it! C.J. Stroud was really good even despite some questionable play-calling, averaging over 10 yards per attempt through the air. OSU also won the turnover battle significantly, taking the ball away four times while not giving it up once. However, the specific figures we are looking at here are the run rates:



Ohio State ran the football 100% of the time when lined up either under center or in the pistol formation, compared to only 19.6% of the time when they lined up in shotgun. Essentially, Penn State could load up the box whenever they saw either an under center or pistol look from the Buckeyes — which they did — and there was never any threat of being beaten over the top by a passing play. When a dummy like me sitting on my couch can tell you that Ohio State is going to run the football purely based on how they are lined up, the opposing defense is certainly aware of it as well. This is simply inexcusable.

Ryan Day brought in a guy like offensive line coach Justin Frye to help diversify the run game, but it doesn’t appear that he is actually allowing him to do that. We know Day gets the final word when it comes to play calls, but it seems like it wouldn’t hurt to let someone like Frye or even offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson get into the mix and change things up a bit on the ground. Day is excellent at coaching quarterbacks and designing the passing game, but a run game this predictable is simply not going to cut it against the tougher teams on Ohio State’s schedule. It didn’t fool Iowa or Penn State, and while it didn’t cost them either game, they can’t afford to do that against a team like Michigan or a potential CFP opponent.

On top of the need for play diversity by formation, Day needs to realize that this offense has to be run in reverse of the traditional way of doing things. You always hear teams talking about establishing the run to open up the pass, but Ohio State has to do the inverse. Get the offense moving with C.J. Stroud spreading the ball around to guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming and eventually hopefully Jaxon Smith-Njigba and force the opposing defense to take a few steps back. Once you have them on their heels, the run game should come along way easier. Also just scrap the bubble screens entirely, because throwing the football behind the line of scrimmage with these receivers is silly.

There really isn’t any excuse for Ohio State to not put together an elite running game with the players they have at their disposal. TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams are both excellent running backs, and the offensive line — alongside the tight ends, especially Cade Stover — has opened up some really great running lines when given the opportunity and put in a position to succeed. All it would really take is a few play-action passes here and there out of these formations to at least make defenses think twice about what you are doing to fix this issue. You dont have to re-invent the wheel, but you can’t be this predictable without doing literally anything else at least a few times per game.

Teams already have to throw a ton of resources on defense into slowing down a Heisman candidate quarterback in Stroud and his treasure trove of future NFL wide receivers, so a more consistent and impactful running game could take an already powerful offense to a truly elite level. This was a huge problem for Ohio State last season as well, and Ryan Day never got it fixed. Hopefully he can figure it out before The Game, or it could once again prove costly.

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Three storylines for No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball exhibition game vs. Notre Dame College
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The OSU women’s basketball team faces an in-state side to warm-up for Nov. 8’s season opener.

For the first time since Mar. 25, the Ohio State women’s basketball team competes on the court for fans and media to see. All-in-all, it’s a game that won’t matter in the regular season standings, and won’t be against a team that is likely to challenge the Buckeyes. Regardless, there’s a lot to take from Monday night’s exhibition.

Here are three storylines to watch for during Monday night’s spooky Halloween exhibition.

Madison Greene’s Return


The biggest attention will fall on Buckeyes point guard Madison Greene. Feb. 10, 2021 is the last time Greene’s suited up for the Scarlet & Gray for a competitive basketball game. That 628-game gap likely ends Monday, with fans finally getting a small glimpse of what Ohio State can look like with their best players on the court.

Greene’s played with many of the names still on the roster like fellow guards Jacy Sheldon and Rikki Harris, along with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, so chemistry won’t be a problem. It’s more about getting back into the pace of the game.

According to head coach Kevin McGuff, Greene stayed with the team over the summer as an intern, continuing to work out and practice, and enters this season motivated by a year of watching the title-winning Buckeyes from the bench.

It’ll be interesting to see how she works alongside guard Taylor Mikesell, who Greene played alongside in their AAU days. The faster those two get on the same page and know each other’s movements, the more dangerous the Ohio State offense becomes.

Starting Forwards


McGuff said there’s an open competition for spots entering the season, but it feels more likely inside the paint. Last year, Mikulášiková and now-graduate Braxtin Miller took four and five spots but this year it’s a toss-up.

Mikulášiková has a strong chance to return as a starter. Last year was the Slovakian’s first year starting a majority of her games with the Scarlet & Gray. Mikulášiková knows the system and she could make a leap this year in consistency of performances. If so, it leaves one spot open on the court.

The other forward spot could go a few different ways, with Monday showing where McGuff is leaning. He has returning sophomore Taylor Thierry available alongside three new names: Cotie McMahon, Eboni Walker, and Karla Vres.

McMahon is a freshman but enters the season off a summer competing with Team USA’s youth team, and she’s been with the Buckeyes since Jan. 2022, opting to graduate early from high school.

Walker — a senior — and Vres — a graduate senior — each bring experience. The duo transferred from Syracuse University and American University, respectively.

Vres follows a similar road to Mikulášiková, growing up playing in Europe before taking their craft to the United States, but it doesn’t seem likely that McGuff starts them both. Mikulášiková and Vres could both play center, switching off throughout games.

The way that the minutes are split on Monday will be something to watch closely, especially in the first half. Thierry, McMahon, and Walker are all likely to play. Whoever gets early-game minutes could be who McGuff favors to start on Nov. 8, when the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers come to town.

The Future


Monday’s exhibition and early non-conference games against smaller schools are a great time to look ahead. The Buckeyes have three freshmen this season. Outside of the aforementioned forward McMahon are guards Mya Perry and Kaia Henderson.

Their play on Monday, and in the coming year, is important because the Scarlet and Gray’s guard group is its strength. Also, it could have a big changeover in the coming seasons.

Mikesell is in her final NCAA year and Sheldon could be close behind, especially if this year is better than her last and she tries her hand at the professional ranks. That means players like Greene and Harris will lead the guard group and the current crop of underclassmen will fill in those spots.

Giving minutes to Perry, Henderson, and transfer Emma Shumate gives a glimpse into who can be those key starters for the next four years.

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