Basketball Buckeyes hit the recruiting trail
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State basketball head coach Chris Holtmann and his coaching staff were active on the recruiting front Monday and will not be slowing down anytime soon.

This weekend was not kind to Buckeye Nation as the Ohio State football team fell to Oregon Saturday for the program’s first (and hopefully, only) loss of the season. While the football team will be focused on fixing the weekend’s mistakes, Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball program are hitting the recruiting trail head-first. In case you missed the Buckeyes making the recruiting headlines Monday, no need to worry as Land-Grant Holy Land has you covered.

Holtmann and Ohio State visit with 2022 three-star PF


Ohio State and the basketball Buckeyes have been incredibly successful in recruiting the 2022 class. Currently, the team sits atop of the 247Sports Team Rankings with four verbal commitments, and they are trying to add at least one more member to that class.

It appears the Buckeyes may have found their desired final piece of the puzzle in three-star power forward Brice Sensabaugh. The Orlando, Florida native is schedule to take an official visit with Ohio State later this week, but Holtmann and Ohio State couldn’t wait that long as the staff traveled to the Sunshine State to visit with him on Monday.


Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 240-pounds, Sensabuagh projects as either a shooting guard or small forward at the collegiate level. However, as Ohio State already holds three commitments from guards in the class, the Buckeyes will likely be recruiting him as a forward.

Ohio State is rather new to Sensabuagh’s recruitment, as they only offered him in late August. However, they have made their interest apparent as of recent and one would have to think they are making a solid impression.

Sensabuagh does not have any Crystal Ball predictions as of yet, but he has already taken official visits with Georgia Tech and Alabama. Including his upcoming Ohio State visit, he will be left with two remaining official visits if he so chooses. At this point, it appears Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia Tech are the three teams atop of his recruitment. If Ohio State can impress him this weekend, they may be able to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

Sensabuagh is the No. 164 overall prospect in his recruiting class, and is the No. 41 SF. He is also the No. 24 player from the talent-rich state of Florida.

Basketball Buckeyes schedule more visits


As was already mentioned, Ohio State’s basketball program will be playing host to Sensabuagh later this week. However, the team isn’t stopping there and will soon be meeting with even more recruits. According to Jake Weingarten of stockrisers.com, the short list of these upcoming visits can be found below:

Five-star SF Mackenzie Mgbako


Class: 2023
Hometown: Gladstone, NJ / Gill St. Bernard S School
Size: 6-foot-7, 185-pounds
Offers: Duke, North Carolina, UConn, UCLA, George Washington, LSU, Oklahoma State, Ohio State

Five-star CG Simeon Wilcher


Class: 2023
Hometown: Roselle, NJ / Roselle Catholic
Size: 6-foot-4, 185-pounds
Offers: North Carolina, UConn, DePaul, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Kansas, UCLA, Miami, Oregon, Iowa, Ohio State

CG Damone King


Class: 2024
Hometown: Louisville, KY / Dupont Manual
Size: 6-foot-1
Offers: N/A

Quick Hits

• 2022 Penn State quarterback commit Drew Allar admitted that Ohio State has increased their efforts in flipping his commitment, but says he has not changed his mind and is remaining committed to Penn State.

• Ohio State also offered a pair of 2023 defensive linemen Monday night. Both Kayden McDonald and Isaiah Neal took to Twitter Monday night to show off their offers.

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Column: Mapping out the rest of Ohio State’s season following Oregon loss
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Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images

Putting the loss against the Ducks behind us, let’s take a look at who the Buckeyes have to beat the rest of the year.

Alright, everyone. Have we finished giving everyone around us the silent treatment, done brewing angry tears in our eyes, and finally accepted what happened on Saturday? No? Me neither. However, it is time to move forward and focus on what the rest of the season holds for the Buckeyes. Let’s take a look at the remaining opponents Ohio State needs to beat in order to get back into the CFP conversation.

Ohio State should be very happy with who they have lined up the next few weeks. Tulsa lost their first game of the year to FCS opponent UC Davis. They bounced back in a respectable loss to Oklahoma St., but still— a loss is a loss. Now they are coming to the ‘Shoe against an angry Buckeye team? I would say the home team has the advantage.

Akron should be a blowout, no question. They have lost by 50 and 21 points their last two games. The latter was against Temple, who got demolished by RUTGERS the week before. Enough said. Speaking of the Scarlet Knights, I truly don’t expect a complete blowout. So far, they’ve beaten Ohio University and Syracuse while looking a little sloppy. Greg Schiano has built up this program, but it should still be a fairly easy dub for the Buckeyes, as I’m sure Ohio State won’t let their mistakes slide.

Maryland will be an interesting one, with Taulia Tagovailoa leading the Terps to a 2-0 record so far, with a nice W against West Virginia, and a soul-crushing shutout against Howard. The junior QB has over 600 yards to open the season, and I am curious to see how Ohio State’s defense plans to defend him. Maryland has had some penalty struggles, so it’ll be a good game in a few weeks, with both teams having time to clean up some mistakes. I still got the Bucks pulling ahead, though.

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Week 7 was a highly anticipated matchup against Indiana, but not so much after getting pummeled by Iowa. The Hosiers bounced back against Idaho, but they got Cincinnati on the slate for this weekend. I’ll make my final determination after that game, but I feel like I’ve seen enough— Michael Penix Jr. is having a little bit of a slow start which is hurting their offense. I expect Ohio State to capitalize on this one.

Penn State. Halloween. Home game. I CAN’T WAIT. This is going to be a phenomenal game, and I fully believe that James Franklin will bring a prepared team. The Nittany Lions have beaten Wisconsin in exciting fashion, and Ball State. Nothing too impressive from them so far, but the way they gutted it out against Wisconsin is to be noted. Buckle up.

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska and Purdue shouldn’t cause worry. The Cornhuskers lost to Illinois, but QB Adrian Martinez is a running threat, which I would hope Ohio State can stop by the time we face them. Purdue has a couple of wins under their belt, but a big game against Notre Dame this Saturday. However, I think these are both average teams that OSU will beat. Michigan St. opened up with a nice win against Northwestern to start the season, and look pretty good. The Spartans’ RB Kenneth Walker III is definitely someone to watch out for, as he exploded for 264 yards in that game. Another good running back against a struggling Ohio State defense— we shall see.

Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Last but not least, TTUN. At TTUN. *ichigan routed a struggling Washington team this past weekend as a result of a good RB combo, strong defense, and some trickery on special teams. Harbaugh is getting creative on the hot seat, and he will not go down without a fight in the most critical game of his career at this school. Ohio State can take advantage of *ichigan’s lack of passing on offense, and go off on their own offense. Best game of the year. November 27. LET’S GET HYPED FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON!

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Ohio State’s defensive line has greatly underperformed
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The Buckeyes have a laundry list of issues following their loss to Oregon.

You know how people say it’s impossible to choose a favorite child, or even their favorite pizza? You love all your kids, and pizza is always good. Well, choosing our biggest positional disappointment from an Ohio State defense that has woefully underperformed is kind of like the opposite of that. I’m disappointed in the whole thing — there are no favorites. The secondary has been the only pleasant surprise, but I think it’s fair to say that there are glaring weaknesses in that unit as well (cough, a certain safety, cough).

While I am optimistic that the players and coaches can turn it around, I won’t put a guarantee on it. To me, the improvement needs to flow from front to back, so I am singling out the defensive line as my biggest disappointment thus far.

Unlike the linebackers and the defensive backs, we didn’t have many concerns about the big guys up front… initially at least. The Buckeyes return a ton of experience on the line and were supposed to be led by preseason award and All-American candidates such as Zach Harrison and Haskell Garrett. Through two games, those two players have produced one memorable play – the same play – and not much else. As the unit projected to lead this defense, the front four has failed to hold up their end of the deal.

It has only been two games, but the defensive line has fallen well short of expectations. I would argue that they are actually the poorest performing unit — by a mile. The run defense is what jumps out most to me, with regards to their dismal display thus far. Ohio State opponents have rushed for an average of 236 yards per game, on 5.4 yards per carry. The numbers would be even worse had Mo Ibrahim not been injured during the OSU’s opener at Minnesota. Teams are running the ball at-will against the Buckeyes, and opposing running backs have found the endzone six times already.

The run defense (or lack thereof) is a result of multiple failures, but the guys up front are literally the first line of defense. They have gotten no push at the line of scrimmage, and they are being bullied by the opposition. Tommy Togiai is missed, but I did not anticipate his physicality being missed this much. Haskell Garrett and Taron Vincent are talented as hell, and they are physically imposing dudes, but the middle of the line has been stood up far too often. And don’t get me started on the perimeter!

That would have been a poor and dramatic ending, so yes, let me vent on the defensive ends as well. I am still only focusing on the run defense here… Containment, especially against teams that give you option looks and use pulling guards on perimeter runs, is of the utmost importance. Ohio State players and coaches have failed – egregiously – to contain anything. That was on full display against Oregon, as the Ducks got to the outside with ease. The left side was especially vulnerable.

The lack of containment can also be attributed to coaching. Kerry Coombs and Al Washington have failed their players, but Larry Johnson might also deserve some of the blame… or is it simply that his experienced unit has failed to execute?

Against Oregon, the Buckeyes clearly failed to set the edge. If Zach Harrison, Tyreke Smith, and others regularly attacked the mesh point due to coaches’ orders, so be it. However, at some point, you have to catch on to what the other team is doing. Far too often, I saw ends collapsing the middle with their heads down. After a billion read option plays and outside runs, maybe sit home and read the play? Players with multiple years of starting experience need to rely on feel an instinct at some point, and the defensive ends did neither against Oregon… or their instincts were all wrong.

The pass rush as a whole has been abysmal so far in 2021. It was not a whole lot better in 2020, but the Buckeyes did seem to create consistent pressure last season — they just didn’t get home as often as we would have liked. Through two games this year? The pressure is non-existent. Harrison has one strip sack, but he has been a ghost otherwise. He is a preseason award nominee and potential first-round draft pick. Tyreke Smith has been equally unproductive. You don’t expect sacks from the interior, but they need to be able to collapse the pocket. Again, we have seen none of that through two games.

If the linebackers are going to struggle all year, this defensive line needs to make up for their lack of experience. Those linebackers need reps to improve, but what is the excuse up front? They have all the reps you could ask for. They also have uber-recruits sitting on the bench. If the poor performance continues, those guys need to be on the field.

To me, the defensive line is a unit Ohio State should have been able to rely on — similar to the wide receivers. Not to say that the talent level is the same, but Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are going to be security blankets and lifesavers at some point. The defensive line should help keep this defensive afloat while young guys get experience. So far, they have been bullied. That isn’t coaching. That is nastiness and want-to. The guys up front on defense don’t seem to have a lot of either right now. Here’s hoping they get their swagger back against inferior opponents, because the Buckeyes will need them to turn this thing around.

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BigWoof31 said:

FWIW - Some SEC rankings below:

Vanderbilt 14
UF 28
UGA 48
Texas AM 68
Auburn 99
UK 127
Bama 148
Ole Miss 148
Arkansas 162
LSU 172
Miss St 196

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Now do the Sun Belt.

Fungo Squiggly said:

I've had posts deleted/edited before. You know what I did? Reflected on what I said and why it was deleted and tried to do better.

In hindsight....I really should have started a thread and demanded and explanation. So.....where's my fucking explanation, mods?

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Reflecting is for pussies. Bitch up, choose positivity. Nancy.

heisman said:

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I'm thinking that was October 7, 1961 vs UCLA. Final Ohio State 13 - UCLA 3.

OSU Football Program: October 7, 1961
https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/79153

1961 Media Guide
https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/1961_guide.pdf
Just sayin': There are several other notable players/coaches on the team, i.e. Bo Schemblechler, Gary Moeller, Matt Snell, and Paul Warfield, etc.

Just sayin': If the everyone in the stands wore that much white, it precedes Ped State's 1st whiteout by over 40 years.

Thank you, EM.

Yeah, he looks a lot different out there than most guys. he's ready

brodybuck21 said:

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Francis Schmidt
Football Coach (1934-40)
Francis Schmidt was the head coach of the Ohio State football program from 1934 to 1940 and his comments about arch-rival Michigan – “Those fellows put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as everyone else” – led to the tradition of awarding gold pants to players and coaches following wins over the Wolverines.

During his seven seasons with the Buckeyes, Schmidt’s team went 39-16-1 with an offense that was dubbed “razzle dazzle” by the media because of its use of reverses, laterals and passes. His inaugural team in 1934 scored 267 points, second most in school history up to that point. His second team, in 1935, was nearly as good, outscoring opponents 237-57. Those Buckeyes finished 7-1 and won their first Big Ten title in 14 years. The season was punctuated with a 38-0 season-ending win over Michigan, part of a stretch from 1934-37 that saw the Buckeyes outscore the Wolverines 114-0. In 1939, Schmidt led Ohio State to an outright Big Ten championship, the school’s first in 19 years. Schmidt, who also coached basketball and baseball at various stops prior to Ohio State, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

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How in the living fuck was he not inducted until now?????? He is literally the coach that took the program to the level of being a consistent national power. Paul Brown inherited that machine and took it to its first NC. Jesus, he's already been in the CFBHoF for half a god damned century.

BigWoof31 said:

Any of you Buckeye Bros make it to the VaTech game a few years back?

How is Lane Stadium? How is the Va Tech campus. I know next to nothing about Western VA

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I haven't done torrents in years as my previous provider was a stickler. I just checked and the one I am using now also prohibits them. So no torrents, just DDL links. There are plenty of fast free ones. Some like ZS have size limits, but most sites the limit is 5GB or larger. If the links can't be posted on the site in the future I will either PM them to anyone who wants them or I could set up an e-mail account just to send the links directly.

msj2487 said:

#2 SS Mike Doss

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Hey, Mike Doss was a great player; but (updated) there might be a few other better contenders (today) for that #2 jersey.

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not going to be a Buckeye

Login to view embedded media Not going to be a Buckeye

Signed with Overtime Elite.

I picked stay at 14 since kick 2 or 4 out wasn't an option. I'm looking at you PSU, tsun, kNowledge.

Always love the countdown. Miss the program covers Lost Lassie posted in past years. Have we lost her?

Anyway, thanks for the memories. One of these days I'll get off my ass and locate more pics from the 50s and 60s.

So You Drafted A Buckeye: Josh Myers
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

The second Buckeye drafted in the second round, Myers was taken 62nd overall and he was drafted by the Packers. After Corey Linsley left for the Chargers, the Packers have replaced him with another Buckeye in Myers. Myers is a tough one and is very durable. We saw the impact of him being lost for a short time and it wasn’t pretty. Being like the rock on the offensive line, he brings experience that could translate instantly in the NFL.

Making calls at the next level would be tough for a rookie who is unfamiliar with the system but Bakhtiari will welcome him in and mentor him along the way. Like in Werner’s situation, he goes into an ideal situation to where he could also contribute right away. He has the tools and the knowledge to succeed but he would need to study the playbook and get stronger. Either way, his potential speaks for itself. He finds himself in an ideal situation that could blossom into a long career.




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So You Drafted A Buckeye: Pete Werner
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Pete Werner was the first Buckeye defender taken in the second round. Werner was taken 60th overall by the New Orleans Saints joining former Buckeye Marshon Lattimore. Werner, a four star recruit according to 24/7 was an Inside Linebacker prospect that bloomed into a Swiss Army knife on defense. A linebacker with good coverage skills that could also blitz when called upon. Let’s say he’s in good company with him lining up alongside Demario Davis.

Werner is a gamer that will be asked to cover TE’s and if needed receivers. He won’t be asked to start but the current group aside from Davis leaves a lot to be desired. Werner is a sure tackler, but he does try to get that big hit in from time to time but when he makes contact, he shifts momentum fast. He sometimes takes risks on defense as well as bad angles but under the tutelage of Cameron, Davis and Lattimore, he will get right. Either way, he is a competitor and he should be able to secure a decent role on this aging defense.




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So You Drafted A Buckeye: Justin Fields
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

After an unceremonious pre-draft thrashing, Justin Fields slipped past QB-needy teams like the Panthers and the Broncos, and found himself donning a Bears hat. From being the clear-cut QB2, to getting drafted QB4, he lands in Chicago and behind newly signed Andy Dalton to begin his career. Dalton is on his third team after beginning his career in Cincinnati, a single season in Dallas, and now Chicago. Can Fields come in and contribute immediately? Or will he have to grind it out and wait for his time like Mahomes?

All the talk and the doubt have fueled him up to this point. He will let his play do the talking and I personally think he will reverse the QB trend in the NFL. Fields brings immediate competition for Dalton. Enough to be worried about but not until he dissects the playbook and learns the system. He brings toughness and that feistiness you like to see in a quarterback that coincidentally slipped in the draft. A huge chip lays squarely on his shoulders and he wouldn’t want it any other way. Beware. For the teams that passed on him, I feel like this gem will make teams regret it.




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Fandom Origins: RJ Tongohan
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Fans often are so attached to teams and this fan is definitely addicted to anything Ohio State, but would it be crazy to know that I wasn’t always an Ohio State fans? Would it shock you to know that little detail about me, a writer that has been following and writing about Ohio State? Well believe it and here is my comic book-ish origin story for those who have followed me and have enjoyed my fan perspective content over the years.

So to set the stage, I was born and raised in Guam, a U.S. territory located in the Pacific Ocean. I was raised on basketball and knew little about football. The only teams I knew of were the Cowboys and the Dolphins in the NFL. I joined the military in 2005 and I became a Broncos fan by default when watching a Chargers/Broncos game on Turkey Day while attending tech school for my job in the Air Force. He was a Chargers fans and being me, I picked the other team and rolled with it.

Fast forward to my first duty stationed or base, I was stationed at Nebraska in December 2005 and I knew nothing about college football. The husker fans around me were annoying and I watched college football casually but I had no favorite team. Now after watching on and off, I tuned into an Ohio State game in 2006 and I was hooked on them instantly. #10, #7, #28, #33 and #2 reeled me in and that is how I developed my affinity for Ohio State everything.

The offense dazzled. I remember watching Troy Smith slinging and running it, Ted Ginn Jr’s electric skills every time he touched the ball and Beanie Wells dashing past and running over TTUN defenders. The defense was a forced to be reckoned with with stalwarts like James Laurinaitus being involved in every defensive play and Malcolm Jenkins shutting one half of the field down as a shutdown corner.

These are my fondest moments as a fan and it came with its highs and lows. Highs were defeating TTUN consistently, a streak that has few blemishes. I didn’t live through the Cooper years but I did my research and I pray I never see times like those. Demolishing Clemson last year was also another awesome moment and obviously the crowned jewel was winning it all in 2014.

The lows? I’ll start with 2011’s Fickell season and the last loss at the hands of TTUN. There were also the losses to LSU and Florida in the championship games. Add the Bama loss and the Clemson shutout to that, but it has never stopped me from switching teams.

I have been writing for five years and I have stayed loyal to a smaller, lesser known company in the Men Of The Scarlet And Gray or MOTSAG. I sometimes wish for an opportunity to join the ranks of a bigger company but it is unlikely and I’m okay with that. I cannot wait to see what is in store for me and the future but it’s been awesome and I’ve met some cool people on the way. Here’s to more content and I hope you enjoyed this little spin. Look for all my companions to follow suit.

#GoBucks





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