Welcome to the team Sean!! Big time shooter and starter from WVU. Will definitely make this team better

Recruiting Spotlight: Tayvion Galloway
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



For my first bit of content in a while, I want to re-introduce Tayvion Galloway. Tayvion is a four star Tight End prospect out of Chillicothe, Ohio. He is 6’6 and around 230 pounds and he refers to himself as the “Black Sheep”. Tayvion has 18 total Division 1 offers and is looking around to find the best fit for him. Here was a Q&A between the two of us.

RT: Which schools are standing out to you at this moment?

TG: Still building connections with coaches and really just getting to know them. I do believe LSU, Michigan, and Kentucky are definitely recruiting me the hardest.

RT: Which offer(s) are you working on earning at the moment?

TG: Not working on earning any offers. I’m just going to keep grinding and whoever takes their change on me is who I’m going to be looking to build a connection with.

RT: What is your “dream school”?

TG: One of my favorite teams growing up was the Miami Hurricanes.

RT: Which school(s) had/have the best developmental plan for you if/when you commit?

TG: Any school who produces NFL guys regularly.

RT: When do you think you’ll be narrowing your list of top schools?

TG: I will never make an official announcement of who I’ll narrow it down, but all the ones in my corner will know.

RT: When do you think you’ll complete your recruiting process?

TG: Whenever the time is right.

RT: Once committed, give me three players in your class who you want to join you?

TG: My cousin Quinlan Netter & close friend Zechariah Owens.

RT: As a Tight End, what are your strengths, your weaknesses and what are you striving to improve in your overall game?

TG: I believed my key strengths are my versatility and my athletic ability to allow me to make big plays along with not being scared to get dirty in the blocking game. I am trying to improve my strength and explosiveness.

RT: As a player, would you rather be developed (strength, conditioning, life after football, etc.) or would you rather get stats?

TG: I would definitely rather the development at the end of the day. I’m trying to be the best I can be, but I think both is possible.

RT: Can you explain what you bring to the table as a recruit and player?

TG: I believe I’m a leader and I always show better than I can tell. As a player, I believe I’m the guy that can make game winning type of plays.

My Impression: Tayvion Galloway is a born leader, who shows others with actions as opposed to using words. Scrappy and determined to get after it on plays, who isn’t afraid of crucial moments in the game. Galloway is not focused on the glamor of the recruiting game and whoever joins him along his journey does. Whoever doesn’t misses out on a special kid and player with unlimited potential. In an effort to be the best he can be, he remains confident yet humble as he builds relationships with coaches that see the potential in him. I honestly see the “black sheep” mantra as his strength. A lone wolf mentality that once introduced into the fold, has the ability to become the alpha on offense. You want a player like this on your roster and I hope he finds success wherever he goes.





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You’re Nuts: How important should in-state recruiting be for Ohio State men’s basketball?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo courtesy of Steve Helwagen — 247Sports

Do you want the best players available, or do you want local stars? Fans usually want both — that’s not always possible.

Happy Friday to the work-from-homers, the message board lurkers, and the college basketball addicts. We’re back for another stimulating “You’re Nuts” debate, and we’re sticking with recruiting again, since that’s the most salient topic right now in college hoops.

But first, an update on Kansas State transfer Nijel Pack:

..... Just kidding, we’ve got nothing as of this moment. He visited earlier this week, and it sounds like Ohio State and Purdue are two of the heavy favorites. But other than that, we’re in watch and wait mode. He’d be a big addition, and we will share any news with you if and when we get it.

Last week, Connor and Justin explained which transfer they’d like to see Ohio State go after next and why. Connor went with Jalen Bridges, who has since committed to Baylor. Justin chose Nijel Pack, whom we obviously are keeping a very close eye on. Justin won in an absolute rout with 72% of the vote. Connor picked up 23% of the vote, and the remaining 5% went with “other.”

After 46 weeks:

Connor- 21

Justin- 17

Other- 6

(There have been two ties)


This week, we’re focusing on high school recruits, not college transfers. When Ohio players — regardless of their recruiting rankings — do well locally, Ohio State fans want the Buckeyes to pick them up. This is understandable. But when players like Mackenzie Mgbako show interest in Ohio State, fans also want those players to wind up in Columbus. However, there are only so many scholarships to hand out.

So this week we’re asking your opinion: is dominating Ohio and keeping in-state talent in-state more important than raw recruiting rankings? Or do you want the Buckeyes to go get the best players, even if that means not having many Ohio players playing at Ohio State?

Today’s question: Should in-state loyalty impact recruiting or no?

Connor: Try to recruit Ohio kids


I don’t think the state a player is from is the most important thing, but I think it should be a big factor in who Ohio State pursues. I’d rather see the Buckeyes be a great team with all non-Ohio kids than be awful with only in-state talent, but those aren’t the only options. The Buckeyes can compete with the best programs in the nation for top recruits while also keeping their eyes peeled on local talent. If two players are comparable, I think they should make the local kid(s) a priority. That’s pretty much where I stand.

Not every single kid in Ohio grows up wanting to play for Ohio State, but a lot do! And there’s something special about having home-grown talent suiting up to play for the state university. When you look down the roster for a state school, it’s always nice to see scattered names of players from Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton, and so on. Years and years ago, college basketball teams were made up of almost exclusively in-state players. Now with recruiting booming on a national scale, it’s common to find a team with only a few in-state players on the roster.

I don’t think Ohio State should pass up on five-stars from other states to give scholarships to three-star Ohioans. If Mgbako had chosen Ohio State last week, for example, I’d have been fine with letting some other recruits know that unfortunately that spot has been filled. But when splitting hairs between three and four-stars, or two guys with comparable rankings, what are we really arguing about? Take the Columbus kid, damnit.

For example, there are three forwards the Buckeyes are currently involved with in the 2023 cycle: Dailyn Swain (Columbus), Devin Royal (Pickerington), and Scotty Middleton (Wichita, KS). According to 247Sports, Royal is a three-star and the No. 123 player in the country. Swain is a four-star and the No. 64 player in the country. Middleton is a four-star and the No. 41 player in the country. The Buckeyes appear to be more heavily involved with the local kids, Swain and Royal, but are on Middleton’s list of final five schools as well.


If only one can be a part of the 2023 recruiting cycle, they should lock up one of the Ohio kids. There should be some added motivation to keep Columbus kids who are good enough to play at Ohio State... at Ohio State.

Fans will bash the coaching staff if they let Royal or Swain go elsewhere and they play well at another school — especially if it’s a Big Ten school. They’ll also bash the coaching staff if they recruit the lower-rated Ohio kid and let someone like Middleton walk, only for the Ohio kid to struggle and Middleton excels elsewhere. It can be a damned if you do, damned if you don’t decision, but I just think there’s something special about having a strong Ohio influence on Ohio State’s roster when there’s talent in your own backyard.

Justin: Recruit the best players regardless of where they’re from

Andrew Jansen/News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hey man, call me crazy, but I like to bring in the best talent possible. In Ohio State’s defense and in years past — especially during the Thad Matta era — there was great talent coming out of Ohio with guys like Jared Sullinger, William Buford, Aaron Craft, BJ Mullins, Kosta Koufas, and others. Recently however, the top players in Ohio have still been very good, but clearly have not been amongst the best in the nation.

The top Ohio recruit in the 2022 class is Sencire Harris, who is the number 101 recruit in the country, according to 247 Sports. Ohio State has four players in the 2022 recruiting class ranked higher than the top guy in Ohio. In the 2023 class, there are only two guys ranked in the top 100 in Rayvon Griffith (42) and Dailyn Swain (98), and Ohio State’s top recruit is George Washington III from Louisville, Kentucky who is ranked 47th.

If the Buckeyes were only using in-state guys for recruiting, they would be nowhere close to getting the top guys in the country and would struggle to bring in many top-100 players. People will say stars don’t matter, but they do for fan interest and for other recruiting purposes.

Currently, according to 247 Sports, Duke, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, and Indiana have the top five recruiting classes in the 2022 cycle (Ohio State currently sits at sixth). Between those five teams, they have 25 commits total; just five of those prospects are from the state they signed to play college basketball in and three of those five are from Arkansas. If you take Arkansas out of the equation, there are 19 commits and just two of them are staying in state.

The numbers speak for themselves. Ohio State fans are excited for the recruiting class that the Buckeyes have coming in and that is because the coaches went out of the state and got four of the top 60 guys in the country and two players who won Mr. Basketball in other states — Bruce Thornton in Georgia and Brice Sensabaugh in Florida.

Get me the best players and let the rest work itself out.

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BREAKING: Seth Towns to return to Ohio State for 2022-23 season
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Towns will don the scarlet and gray for one more season, hoping to finish his Ohio State career on a high note.

As the off-season drug on and Ohio State’s roster situation became less foggy, one player with eligibility remained pretty silent. E.J. Liddell is off to the NBA, Malaki Branham almost certainly is too. Justin Ahrens chose to be honored on Senior Day despite having eligibility left, so we knew his career was a Buckeye was finished even before he entered the transfer portal. Justice Sueing announced two weeks ago that he will return next season for one more year. Tanner Holden transferred in from Wright State after three exceptional seasons in the Horizon League.

But until today, we had not heard anything about Seth Towns’ basketball future. Well, according to The Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy, the Northland High School product will be returning to Ohio State for one final go-round this fall — his seventh season.


It will be Towns’ seventh year academically, but anyone who has followed the Buckeyes the past few seasons knows that Towns has been unbelievably unlucky when it comes to injuries and availability. He played two seasons at Harvard from 2016-2018, including winning Ivy League Player of the Year in 2018. Knee surgery cost him the entire 2018-2020 seasons. He then transferred to Ohio State in 2020 and played in 25 games for the Buckeyes — although he averaged just 10.8 minutes per game. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 42.1% overall from the floor.

Heading into the 2021-2022 season Towns said that his knee felt the best it ever had, but then a back injury led to back surgery before the season, and he did not end up playing at all. So of Towns’ six seasons, three of them were spent on the bench rehabbing from injuries. At this point, 23-year-old Seth Towns has actually played fewer collegiate basketball games than 21-year-old E.J. Liddell in twice the time.

At his best, Towns is a three-level scorer and an old soul with a fundamentally sound offensive game. He’s a 40.7% three-point shooter in his career, but also loves to step back and use the glass on mid-range jumpers. In fact, he’s the only player I can think of right now who chooses to use the glass on his jumper. But hey, it works for him!


The obvious question is what will Ohio State actually get from Towns? When he had his back surgery last summer, the expectation was that he’d be back in December — which never happened. Are the Buckeyes using a scholarship for purely goodwill and nostalgia on a local product who will once again sit the bench for five months? Could the coaching staff have urged Towns to move on and use that scholarship on a safer option?

Or will Towns return in the fall, fully healthy for the first time since 2018? Coming off the bench, a healthy Seth Towns could be Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. Having a former Ivy League Player of the Year in your second rotation would be an asset few teams could match. If he’s ready to go and can play 15-20 minutes per night, Towns could be a key asset to an Ohio State team trying to make their first Sweet Sixteen in a decade.

Towns returns to a frontcourt that will also feature returnees Zed Key, Sueing, Kalen Etzler, and Gene Brown. Don’t be shocked if Ohio State adds another wing via the transfer portal in the coming weeks as well.

Welcome back, Seth!

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Buck Off Podcast: Remaining defensive questions, offensive expectations, Florida recruiting
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The guys are back to get into their questions for the Buckeyes after the Spring Game and they get into the recruiting the state of Florida

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” Chris and Jordan Williams discuss Ohio State’s Spring Game, and the questions they still have.

To start the show, they discuss their experiences at the game watching the Buckeyes for the first time in 2022. They then talk about the size of the stadium and how much different seeing everything happening live feels.

After that, they get into what the Spring Game means for the Buckeyes as they head into next season. They also talk about Jim Knowle’s defense, starting with the defensive backfield and then talking about the depth in the secondary and on the defensive line. Then Chris and Jordan get into some discussion about the expectations for a linebacker group and pass rush that they don’t yet know a lot about.

They also discuss Ryan Day’s offense and the answers we got on Saturday. They break down the talent in the backfield and how much is also present in the quarterback room. They next get into the Buckeyes figuring out the tight end room, why the receiver transition might not be seamless, and then close out the offensive conversation with the biggest question mark on that side of the ball: the offensive line.

The Buckeyes have built a steady pipeline from Florida to Columbus, so the pair also gets into why that has recently resurged and talks about the recruits that the Buckeyes have landed recently.

They also discuss the current state of the recruiting class and how this cycle might end up looking geographically. Lastly, they discuss if some teams are getting a little too confident heading to the offseason.


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Column: Forget the one-and-done factories, Ohio State men’s basketball should strive to emulate Jay Wright’s version of Villanova
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chris Holtmann has long been an admirer of the newly-retired coach. And while some OSU fans would prefer the hype that comes along with a roster full of 5-star freshmen, Wright proved that you can reach and remain at the top with consistent team-building and development.

I think it’s fair to say that most college basketball programs would love to replicate the 21st-century success of Villanova. I’m not breaking news here. Since 2001, the Wildcats have won 520 games. They have eight Big East regular-season championships, five Big East tournament championships, and two NCAA national titles — all since 2006. And over the last nine seasons, they lost double-digit games just once. The man largely responsible for their success is/was Jay Wright. By any measure of greatness, Wright should be regarded as one of the all-timers. His recent induction (2021) into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Game is evidence that most “basketball people” agree.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Wright will leave a lasting and impressive legacy among NCAA men’s basketball coaches

But Wright did simply walk into a ready-made situation like (some) other coaches do. For example: Duke’s Jon Scheyer is taking over the most prestigious program in the sport – as a first-time coach – at the age of 34. And North Carolina’s Hubert Davis made a championship run in his first season — with Roy Williams’ roster. I would argue that those men have a leg up in their future endeavors. Wright did not enjoy the same luxury back in 2001... Settle down, I know that both Scheyer and Davis were long-time assistants and very instrumental to their predecessors’ success. I am a huge Tar Heels fan, and I’ve rooted for Davis as both player and coach... I am simply pointing out another one of Wright’s many achievements. He propelled a solid program to the ranks of the elite, while building it the right way, and maintaining a high level of success until he decided to hang up the well-tailored suit.

Part of becoming an elite program and/or coach is winning in March, and that is another thing that set Villanova and Wright apart from the pretenders. Watered-down conference championships are great, and Final Four appearances are fun to talk about, but “almost” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Wright made it to the mountain top multiple times. One could say he “only” won two NCAA Championships, but that’s more than former peers such as Jim Boeheim, Tom Izzo, and John Calipari can lay claim to. He is one of only 16 coaches (ever) to win more than one D1 men’s title. And he did all of this by recruiting the right players and developing his team, which seems to be a bit of a lost art in today’s world of college basketball.

Under Wright, Villanova largely avoided controversy. This is due, in part, to his ability to attract and retain high-character players. When there were missteps along the way, the coach took care of business. He once suspended 12 players (at the same time, in 2003) for making unauthorized phone calls. There were whispers of a few players pocketing a few dollars from agents or boosters in years past, but never anything that tied remotely to Wright.

Once in the program, most players were eager craft their all-around game — as opposed to searching for the fastest route to an NBA paycheck. They knew that an additional year or two under the tutelage of Wright could pay greater dividends in the future. This is not to say he lacked the ability to recruit high-end talent. Villanova was reeling in 4-stars on a regular basis. But Wright only signed 11 5-star recruits during his entire career, and only one of those players has gone on to enjoy sustained NBA success (Jalen Brunson). Instead, the Wildcats’ now-former coach focused on willing learners and team-first guys. When the team wins, each individual wins.

And Wright’s best individual players have excelled at the next level. Early Nova draftees under Wright included Kyle Lowry, Randy Foye, and Dante Cunningham — all of whom played at least 12 NBA seasons (more, and counting for Lowry). Recent Wildcats include Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Saddiq Bey — up-and-comers or borderline stars for their current NBA teams. The volume of Nova players making it into the league might not be comparable to that of Duke or Kentucky, but Wright definitely knew how to develop talent, while also dominating the Big East and winning NCAA Tournament games.

So, what does all of this have to do with Ohio State and/or Chris Holtmann? Did I just heap 600 words of praise on a retired Big East coach for fun? Well, not exactly. Holtmann spent three years coaching against Wright while the former was at Butler. And Prior to the two meeting up in the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament, Holtmann was effusive in praise of the Villanova leader. He clearly respects the heck out of his former league rival... So while I’m not sure if Wright is a mentor – or anything more than an acquaintance – of Holtmann’s, I would say that if the current Buckeye coach were to try and emulate the career of one recently-retired coach, it should be that of his former Big East foe.

I’m sure Chris Holtmann would love to win five national titles, coach on a court named after him, and have a documentary made about his life and/or last season.... It’s just not in the cards. We live in a different era — with AAU, NIL money, player mobility, you name it. Dynasties are a thing of the past. But coaches can still impact lives, find success on the court (or field, ice, whatever), and stick around for a really long time... if they win, and do it the right way. The way Jay Wright did it. He did not re-invent the wheel. He just did his job better than most of his peers. His blueprint was not exclusive to Villanova, and it is one that I think Holtmann already gravitates toward using.

Here are the basics:


Don’t “sell your soul” — Run your program the right way, and don’t let winning become more important than coaching and developing players.

Recruit good basketball players who are equally good off the court — Kyle Young and E.J. Liddell types are always good to have on the roster.

Find players who want to use college as a means to improve, not a personal showcase — I place these individuals into something I like to call the Ben Simmons category.

Build a college team, not an AAU team — Nothing against AAU, but those teams acquire talent. Good college teams acquire pieces that fit together.

Peak in March — Columbus, we have a problem.


While Holtmann has done seemingly everything else right, he has not been successful during the most important stretch of the season. The Buckeyes have won 20 games in each of his first four seasons, but a total of just three in the NCAA Tournament. This is despite, oddly enough, performing pretty damn well in neutral-site games and notching some big victories over non-conference opponents. The month of March is the hole in Holtmann’s game — much like my inability to go left.

IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports
Beware the Ides of March... basketball

Twenty wins per season only gets you so far with fans. March means everything. And winning when it mattered most was something that Wright excelled at... but it took time. He barely had a .500 record after three seasons at Villanova, and the team made zero NCAA appearances. Not comparing apples to apples here, but Ohio State was not in a much better position than Nova was (in 2001) when Holtmann took over in 2017. The two coaches were also at different stages of their career when they took over the respective gigs, but there are at least some parallels. Holtmann just has a much shorter leash, at least according to some fans. And we are absolutely part of the problem!

I’m including myself when I say that it seems like we expect Sweet 16’s on a regular basis. Imagine if Jay Wright had been driven out of the Philadelphia area after three seasons. Villanova made a Sweet 16 and Elite Eight appearance in his next two. And then they won a billion games after that! Chris Holtmann has had four postseason opportunities in Columbus — AKA one more than three. I’m not saying we should be happy about March missteps, but we could certainly do a hell of a lot worse than 20 wins on a yearly basis.

Holtmann needs to win tournament games. He knows that. And he’s doing what he can to make it happen. Ohio State has a top-5 recruiting class coming in (which sort of goes against my argument), and the transfer rumors are swirling. My point being, the man brings in talent — the right talent. Guys you want on your team. Now he needs to make a run with said team, because another quiet exit in March could spell... something. But we should at least appreciate the program he’s trying to build, because the man who ended OSU’s most recent season used a similar blueprint to find massive success.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for April 22, 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


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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On the Gridiron


Ryan Day, Jim Knowles ‘very pleased’ with Ohio State cornerback play
- Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

2022 NFL Draft profiles: Chris Olave defied expectations in four-year OSU career
- Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

What Ohio State football’s Chris Olave brings to the NFL: Buckeye draft preview
- Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com

Terry McLaurin, Cameron Heyward Finalists For Good Guy Award
- Andrew Lind, Sports Illustrated

Hopping on the Jack Sawyer hype train for the 2022 season.


Progress Report: Evaluating Ohio State quarterbacks after spring camp ($$)
- Austin Ward, Lettermen Row

Ross Fulton’s 6 Takeaways From The Ohio State Spring Game
- Tom Orr, Buckeye Scoop

Post-Spring projection of Ohio State’s 2022 depth chart
- Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

College football rankings: Updated Way-Too-Early Top 25
- Mark Schlabach, ESPN

On the Hardwood


Several 2022 Ohio State Basketball Signees Among Final SI99 Rankings
- Andrew Lind, Sports Illustrated

Columbus’ own Jim Cleamons ready to coach Ohio team in HBCU all-star game
- Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Villanova men’s basketball coach Jay Wright announces retirement
- Des Bieler, Washington Post

Outside the Shoe and Schott


TBDBITL making SportsCenter even in the offseason.


Ohio State’s Emily Hummer wins B1G Co-Golfer of the Week.


Men’s Lacrosse: No. 13 Ohio State hosts rival Michigan in regular season finale
- Matt Goldman, The Lantern

Softball: Buckeyes gear up for rivalry meeting against Michigan
- Megan Husslein, The Lantern

Wrestling: Gallagher ready to compete after redshirt year
- Mick Walker, The Lantern

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finally found a copy

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OK, what have you done to celebrate National Vagina Appreciation Day today?

You could see ads in Xbox games in the future
https://bgr.com/tech/you-could-see-ads-in-xbox-games-in-the-future/

Microsoft wants to make it possible to put ads in Xbox games. Insider reported on the development last week. The outlet says that Microsoft is currently evaluating ad tech partners to help provide in-game ad placements.

The system will allow developers to put ads in Xbox games that are free-to-play. As such, it could provide an additional means of monetization for those developers. Insider’s sources say that the advertisements won’t disrupt gameplay. One example the sources provided was an in-game billboard in a racing game.

While sources say that Microsoft is working on this feature, the company itself did not confirm them when Insider reached out. Instead, it said that it is “always looking for ways to improve the experience for players and developers.” However, at that time, the company didn’t “have anything further to share.”

While ads in mobile games are very common, the same is rare for console games. As such, seeing anything about Microsoft’s plans to put ads in Xbox games might be concerning to players. This is especially true if Microsoft adds video ads to game lobbies or other areas that “disrupt” gameplay somehow.

Currently, Xbox allows advertisers to purchase ad spots on the Xbox dashboard. And, certain games allow them to purchase ads in-game. However, the widespread use of ads in Xbox games is not something you see every day. If Microsoft is in fact working on a system that lets it advertise inside of games, we could see a drastic change to how free-to-play gaming on consoles works.

Ads in video games have always been a bit of a sore spot. Mostly because a lot of mobile games overdo the ad business. Instead of making ads something that integrates well into the game, they disrupt gameplay entirely. There are ways around this, like the example that Insider originally listed.

If Microsoft is truly working on putting ads in Xbox games, we can only hope that the company is doing it in an immersive manner.

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Lewis was immediately intrigued by the possibility of playing for Ohio State once he heard from the Buckeyes, in part because of his relationship with Bolden but also because of his friendship with former Ohio State kicker Blake Haubeil, who he says is “like an older brother.” Lewis has known Haubeil since he was in seventh grade, and he watched the Buckeyes often during Haubeil’s Ohio State career, even attending Ohio State’s Fiesta Bowl game against Clemson in 2019 to support Haubeil.

“Before I was committed to USC, Ohio State was my team that I rooted for because I was watching all of Blake’s games,” Lewis said.

Based on his conversations with Haubeil and Ohio State special teams coordinator Parker Fleming, Lewis believes playing for Ohio State would be a much better fit for him than USC was.

“Coach Fleming is more of like a family feel,” Lewis said. “They have it down pat for sure at Ohio State. I love their system and how they operate and manage their specialists.”

Lewis was also a teammate of current Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke at Saguaro High School (Scottsdale, Arizona), and he likes what he’s heard from Burke about the Buckeyes, too.

“I’ve talked to him a lot on Ohio State, and one thing I like that he said is he said it's ran just like Saguaro. If Saguaro were to be a college, he said it's ran just like Saguaro,” Lewis said. “He’s said a lot of really, really, really great things.”

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Lewis, who was ranked as the No. 7 kicker in the 2020 recruiting class and still has three years of collegiate eligibility, expects to select his transfer destination within the next two to three weeks, as he plans to enroll at his new college in May.

Just sayin': Kind of surprised we are recruiting a place kicker with Noah Rucker returning and Jake Seibert still on the roster; however, maybe Day isn't 100% sold on Seibert for 2023 & 2024.

Buckeyes add walk-on wide receiver

It was a pretty busy weekend for Ryan Day, Brian Hartline, and the OSU coaching staff. Ohio State didn’t just add a pledge from Kyion Grayes on Sunday. Just a couple days before the Buckeyes also landed a commitment from walk-on wide out Reis Stocksdale (Morrow, OH/Little Miami) on Friday evening.

Deciding to call Columbus his future stomping grounds, a lot played a part in the Little Miami (OH) senior selecting to suit up for the Buckeyes over opportunities to play on the college level at programs such as Butler, Dayton, Valparaiso, Lake Erie College, and Concordia.

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Stockdale, who hauled in 38 receptions as a senior for nearly 900 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns, adds another solid walk-on addition to the Buckeyes roster. Landing numerous pledges from legacy and other under-the-radar standouts, he joins tight end Zak Herbstreit, offensive lineman Toby Wilson, athlete Cayden Saunders, long snapper Mason Arnold, and linebacker Jackson Kuwatch in the Buckeyes 2021 walk-on class.

Entire article: https://www.landgrantholyland.com/2...kiyaunta-goodwin-reis-stocksdale-will-johnson

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CJ Carr — a five-star quarterback recruit and grandson of former Michigan coaching great Lloyd Carr — is trending to Notre Dame following a recent visit to campus, according to 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong, who aimed his 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction Monday in the Fighting Irish's favor. Carr — the fifth-best quarterback and No. 25 player overall in the 2024 class, according to the 247Sports Composite — hails from Saline, Michigan. He has offers from Michigan, Georgia, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Penn State, among others on his list of interests.

Carr is a top priority for Notre Dame offensive coordinator and former quarterback Tommy Rees. Carr told Irish Illustrated that his recent visit to South Bend was his best yet. At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Carr is considered the state of Michigan's top prospect overall in his class.

ON THE LATEST NOTRE DAME VISIT
"This was probably one of the best trips to Notre Dame that I've been on. We were in the meetings at first and we were just getting to talk to the QBs that are there and getting to be around coach Rees was awesome. Then we went out on the practice field when practice started and they had a great practice. There was lots of competition that was happening, so I thought that was really cool. Then we went and had a little photo shoot and did all that stuff, ate lunch, went back and talk to coach Rees privately and then headed out. So it was overall, just a great visit."

ON HIS TIME WITH OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TOMMY REES
"Every time we talk, our relationship just grows. I really, really like coach Rees and what he's doing with the quarterbacks and what he's doing with the offense, and the energy that he brings to the to the practice. So overall, it was just a great visit."

ON ANOTHER UNIQUE APPROACH REES TOOK TO THIS VISIT
"He got me up on the board this time. During the QB meetings, he had installed a play with me one time a while ago and had me recite the rules of it and recite who I'm reading, where the ball should go, so that was just a cool experience to get up in front of the QBs and draw a play up and explain how it's worked... I knew the play pretty well. I was pretty comfortable up there."

ON WHERE THINGS STAND IN HIS PROCESS
"I'm just trying to find the best fit, wherever that is. Coach Rees has shown that he can develop quarterbacks and I really like what he's doing with the offense. I think from here, just continuing to develop that relationship, go visits more schools, and then obviously, make a decision."

https://247sports.com/Player/CJ-Carr-46103482/

Who knew LLLLLLLoyd Carr's grandson was a 5 star QB recruit?

I did notice that Ohio State hasn't offered. Regardless, between Michigan, Georgia, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Penn State; I think I rather see him sign with Sparty. Anything to screw over scUM.........

Well. the Spring Game is history, now the 3 1⁄2 (or so ) month wait until the start of Fall Camp.

The new facers will include: The 10 additional members of Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class, including running back Dallan Hayden; wide receivers Kojo Antwi and Kaleb Brown; offensive linemen Avery Henry, Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola; defensive ends Omari Abor and Kenyatta Jackson; defensive tackle Hero Kanu; safety Sonny Styles, will arrive on campus in June and be assigned their numbers prior to the start of fall camp.

Last but not least, several returning players have changed their numbers since the end of last season. That includes:

WR Kamryn Babb - No. 1
WR Jayden Ballard - No. 9
WR Emeka Egbuka - No. 2
RB Miyan Williams - No. 3
LB Cade Stover - No. 8
WR Xavier Johnson - No. 10
OL Donovan Jackson - No. 72
TE Gee Scott - No. 88

Anyone have a link to the spring game?

I was flipping around channels waiting for the Masters to start and ran into a channel called the Stadium Channel (on WOW it was on 139). The East Orange Renegades were playing the Old Bridge Hawks:



The American 7s Football League (A7FL) is a semi-professional traveling league in the United States which plays a seven-man version of Gridiron football it calls American 7s Football. Launched in 2015, its games are played without football helmets or other protective equipment.

It's kind of like: what if the guys from machine shop, warehouse, and/or local bar that played in an adult softball league on Friday night decided to play football.

About A7FL

About American 7s Football League
The American 7s Football League® (A7FL) has pioneered a familiar yet completely new format for America’s most popular sport: 7-on-7 football without helmets or hard shell pads. A7FL’s unique gameplay retains the toughness that fans crave while focusing on action-filled performances by its athletes. American 7s’ thrilling highlights and compelling content attract fans of all ages and drive a new younger audience of consumers while generating tens of millions of views. Founded in 2014 by CEO Sener Korkusuz and President Ryan DePaul, the Spring league (April-July) recently added UFC® Co-Founder David Isaacs to its ranks and has grown to 32 teams in 4 divisions with over 600K social media followers and partnerships with Eleven Sports, Facebook Watch, Twitch and WAVE.tv.

Athletes generally range from 18 to 30 years of age, must be 18 to play, and must sign an injury waiver. The A7FL field size is 100 x 37 yards and does not utilize the field goal posts. The narrower field width increases the pace of the action with fewer men on the field making for vicious hits while the 100-yard length maintains the grind. The quarterback has 4 eligible targets with 2 down linemen. Offenses can run bone or pistol, and there are no blitz restrictions for the defense.

History
The idea for an organized no helmets no pads football league popped into A7FL co-founder Ryan DePaul’s head late in 2002. His high School football days were over – he had to quit college football due to concussions – and he just wanted to keep playing the game he loved but in a safer format so he was playing pickup games of tackle football anywhere he could find them. In late 2005 he began to develop the format and rules for 7 on 7 no pads no helmets full contact football.

Entire article: https://www.a7fl.com/about-a7fl/

Apparently it has been going on for several years now:

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Seven on seven tackle football, with no helmets or pads. Well, it's interesting; however, don't think I could be a regular fan. Is anyone on Buckeye Planet actually a fan and follows this this league?

Height: 6'6
Weight: 185

Ohio State lands Wright State transfer Tanner Holden (credit 11 Warriors)



Yesterday Ohio State presumably founds its short-term replacement for Branham in Tanner Holden from Wright State. Holden averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game as an All-Horizon League performer in 2021-22. He looked really good in the limited games I saw of him.

I went to Wright State for a year before transferring to Ohio State, so I find this pretty cool. Hopefully he enjoys the change of scenery from Beavercreek to Columbus as much as I did. Seems like a really nice pickup and much needed.

Chris Holtmann has hired Jack Owens as an assistant coach. Pretty much his resume:



Entering his fifth season at the helm of the Miami University men’s basketball program, head coach Jack Owens boasts a veteran roster that returns 99 percent of its scoring and 98 percent of its rebounding from a season ago and also returns all five starters.

Update: In 2021/2022 he went 14-18, five year record at Miami was 70-83 overall, 37-54 conference.

In his four seasons with the RedHawks, Owens has led Miami to 56 wins, most in a four-year span since 2009-12, and a berth in the 2018 CBI.

In 2020-21, the RedHawks recorded their first winning season since 2009. Miami earned a berth in the eight-team Mid-American Conference Tournament as the RedHawks advanced to the quarterfinal round for the fourth time in the last six years, including three of the last four MAC Tournaments. Miami clinched its MAC Tournament berth with three games remaining on its regular-season schedule. It was the second time in the last four years Miami was the No. 7 seed in the tournament, its highest seeding since the 2011 tournament. Dae Dae Grant also earned All-MAC honors as a sophomore.

Under Owens' guidance last season, Miami set a program record for three-pointers in a game with 18 at Central Michigan (Feb. 23, 2021) and set season program records for free-throw percentage (.776) and fewest turnovers (249).

The RedHawks continued the momentum they experienced at the end of the 2019-20 season when Miami upset No. 5 seed Buffalo on the road in the opening round of the 2020 MAC Tournament and was playing some of its best basketball of the season before COVID-19 brought the campaign to an abrupt halt during the MAC Tournament. For the third-straight year, the RedHawks had a player land on the MAC All-Freshman Team as guard Dae Dae Grant earned a spot in 2020. In 2018-19, Owens led Miami to 15 victories and saw several of his players earn awards, including guard Mekhi Lairy who earned a spot on the All-MAC Freshmen Team.

Despite being hired in April 2017, Owens quickly showed his recruiting prowess by bringing in six new players to join the roster and saw immediate results. He led Miami to 16 wins in 2018 and a berth in the College Basketball Invitational. It was the RedHawks’ most victories and first postseason appearance since 2011.

The 2018 CBI appearance continued a collective pattern of success for Owens as his teams have advanced to postseason play in 14 of the past 20 seasons and went on to the NCAA Tournament in 11 of the past 15 years, including four trips to the Sweet 16. He has also helped secure several top recruiting classes, produced NBA talent and developed some of the nation’s top players.

Prior to joining Miami, Owens spent the past nine seasons on staff at Purdue University, three as an assistant coach and the last six as its associate head coach. During his time the Boilermakers recorded 209 wins (23.2/year), including 27 during his final year (2016-17 season) to help Purdue win a Big Ten Regular Season Championship.

In Owens’ nine seasons with Purdue, the Boilermakers made the NCAA Tournament on seven occasions, advancing to the Sweet 16 three different times.

Owens has helped produce five NBA draft picks, including AJ Hammons and Robbie Hummel and multiple professional basketball players. In 2017, he helped guide Caleb Swanigan to national attention, he was named one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, given to the nation’s top player.

Owens arrived at Purdue after a five-season stint as an assistant at Southern Illinois. In 2003-04, Owens was part of a Southern Illinois team that went 25-5 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In the next four seasons at SIU, Owens helped guide the Salukis to three more NCAA Tournament berths, a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, a Missouri Valley Conference title and an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.

Prior to joining SIU, Owens served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, during the 2002-03 season, and spent the 2001-02 campaign as an assistant at Barton County Community College, which reached as high as No. 2 in the national polls during the season. Owens began his coaching career as an assistant at Howard Community College during the 2000-01 season, serving as the team’s interim head coach for a portion of the year.

The Indianapolis native began his collegiate playing career at Murray State, and played a season at Howard Community College before playing two seasons at Eastern Illinois. While at EIU, Owens averaged 11.7 points and 6.5 assists per game as a senior, earning honorable mention All-Ohio Valley Conference honors. He also served as team captain during his final campaign, and garnered team MVP and Outstanding Defensive Player honors. During the 1999-00 season, Owens remained a part of the Eastern Illinois program as a student assistant coach.

Owens and his wife, Kamilah, have three daughters, Alanah, Aniyah and Anyah.

Entire article: https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jack-owens/315

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Owens_(basketball)

Butler fires LaVall Jordan: Bulldogs move on from coach after posting 14-18 record in fifth season



Butler announced Friday that it is firing coach LaVall Jordan after five seasons on the job. The Bulldogs finished 14-18 (6-14 Big East) this season, marking the program's second straight losing campaign. Jordan, 42, is a former Butler guard who played key roles on NCAA Tournament teams for the program in 2000 and 2001.

"After a thorough evaluation, I have come to the decision that a change in the leadership of our men's basketball program is needed," Butler athletic director Barry Collier said. "These decisions are never easy, but are incredibly more difficult when it impacts a high-character Bulldog who has represented our university so well for many years. I want to thank LaVall for his dedication to our program, and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward."

Jordan's firing comes late in the 2022 coaching change cycle, at a time when nearly every other significant position that came open has already been filled. The timing is attributable to the fact that Jordan's buyout figure dropped Friday, according to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander.

Butler reached the 2018 NCAA Tournament under Jordan's direction in his first season after taking over for Chris Holtmann, who left for Ohio State. The Bulldogs never returned to the Big Dance during his tenure, however. Butler's 2020 team was on track for a bid with a 22-9 record before the event's cancellation due to COVID-19.

Entire article: https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...h-after-posting-14-18-record-in-fifth-season/

Another guy that may be interested in one of the assistant coaching jobs at Ohio State.

April Fools.

Kinda. The thread title is a joke (which I'll change later), but Spring has come here in GA (with trees flowering):









And I thought of starting a thread about hiking, trees, plants, gardening, etc.

I know we have some green thumbs here based on some of the comments about using spices/herbs from a home-garden in the food thread. Also there are some people who seem to live/lived in remote places and might have some good hiking stories and photos.

At the very least, @Thump could post some anti-environment propaganda.

And yes, I know I could've just started a thread about this topic, but I couldn't resist some low-effort, April Fools-themed shit posting.

Reacts Survey: Share your thoughts on the future of the Ohio State men’s basketball team
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 John Fisher/Getty Images

How important is Malaki Branham’s decision to stay or go? What do you need to see from Chris Holtmann in 2022-23?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Each week we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State Buckeyes fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.


Click here to vote if viewing on a mobile device.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

As we head into the Final Four weekend with the Ohio State men’s basketball team definitively not involved, we are in a bit of a reflective state here at Land-Grant Holy Land. Earlier this week, Justin Golba looked at five off-season questions that will determine how the 2022-23 season will go for Chris Holtmann’s squad; not it’s your turn.

In the latest Land-Grant Holy Land edition of SB Nation Reacts, we have a pair of questions that we want you to answer about what you think about the future of the men’s basketball team as we head into the offseason.


We also want to get your thoughts on this weekend’s Final Four. We want to hear what you think about the all-blue-blood semifinals, the chances of Coach K going out a champ, and the first-ever Duke vs. UNC Final Four matchup.

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Zed Key will be vital to the success (or lack thereof) of Ohio State men’s basketball team next season
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State are hoping Key takes a big leap in year three | Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

In order to reach their ceiling, the Buckeyes need “vintage” Zed Key in 2022-23.

Take a trip with me, folks... all the way back to 2021. Don’t worry, we’re not really going back. But this mental getaway won’t cost you any gas money, so indulge me.

It’s Christmas time, or New Year’s Eve, and all of us Ohio State basketball fans are excited for the upcoming slate. The program’s Covid pause is over, and the team gets Nebraska on Jan. 2. No problem, the Buckeyes will sweep that season series easily. Then they will roll over Indiana and Northwestern, before taking on Wisconsin. Sure, the Badgers are scrappy, but OSU already defeated them once — and they were projected to finish in the bottom half of the league. Put us down for another season sweep. Our guys should roll into Purdue on Jan. 30 with a stranglehold on the conference.

Well, you know what they say about the egg coming before your chickens hatch. One minute you’re daydreaming about cutting down nets, and the next, you’re catching an open hand from a fresh prince named Reality.


Ohio State was on the receiving end of a few slaps during Big Ten play — nine of them to be exact. All nine of their conference losses came after Jan. 5, and while there are a myriad of reasons (or excuses) as to why the Buckeyes struggled, specifically down the stretch, it is fair to say that injuries played a significant role.

Zed Key was one of the players who missed time, and even when he returned from his ankle injury, he did not look right for the entirety of March. Key’s absence or inability to play at 100 percent health coincided with significant struggles for OSU. The Buckeyes went 5-4 in his last nine games played, and 1-2 in the three February/March games he missed.

Key’s level of play was trending down prior to his injury; the ankle issue only exacerbated his late-season woes. But if Ohio State is going to bounce back and perhaps reach that elusive Sweet Sixteen, they will need the big man from Bay Shore at the peak of his powers. When he is on, Key is an effective low post banger and rebounder, with sneaky defensive chops. Despite playing primarily below the rim at 6-foot-8, he can be a double-double guy and third scoring option for the Buckeyes, as well as the interior defender they need.

Early season victories against Duke and Wisconsin are prime examples of how Key can impact winning. Against Final Four-bound Duke, Ohio State’s starting big man put up a career-high 20 points on 15 shots (also a career high). He was often guarded by Mark Williams, the Blue Devils’ best defender and a potential lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Key was not intimidated, and took it to the 7-footer on multiple occasions.


Less than two weeks later, he bodied Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl of Wisconsin, using his strong frame effectively. It was a more subdued scoring performance (13 points), but the soon-to-be OSU junior was hyper-efficient from the field and added nine rebounds by out-muscling certain Badgers. Key also did not turn the ball over in either game, proving to be the second-most important player in each of those victories. He led all Buckeyes in scoring against Duke, and picked up the slack for an injured Malaki Branham versus Wisconsin. As Key went, so did Ohio State.

To insinuate that Key was the captain that steered the ship is a little misleading, so let me pump the brakes on that. The Buckeyes’ success clearly hinged on the play of Branham and E.J. Liddell. But, Key did play at a very high level in both of the team’s signature victories. By the same token, he also performed poorly — or not at all — in a few of their closest (yet winnable and high-profile) defeats.

Key was plagued by foul trouble against then-ranked Florida, playing less than 20 minutes in the Fort Meyers Tip-Off. He was rendered almost completely useless at Purdue — again, due to foul trouble. The Boilermakers had massive size on the front line, but Key was limited to 12 minutes and a single point against them. He was also a non-factor in late losses to TTUN and Villanova, but that was almost exclusively due to injury.

To say that the results would have been any different had Key played well in those losses would be completely without merit. It would also be incredibly unfair to a key (no pun intended) contributor for this Ohio State team — past, present, and immediate future. Bashing Zed is not the intent here, in any way, shape, or form. To the contrary, referencing his ups and downs is meant to highlight the floor and ceiling of this team, and to stress just how important he is to their success.

With Liddell and Branham playing at a high level this season, OSU was still able to win a number or games in which Key was a minor contributor... but they were at their best when he was at his best. When he (Key) was not available or performing as a tertiary option, the Buckeyes struggled. This was especially true down the stretch.

Next season, Key could be asked to shoulder even more of the load down low! Kyle Young and Joey Brunk are gone, as is Liddell, who also spent considerable time in the post. Felix Okpara, part of Ohio States 2022 recruiting class, will join the team, but he is light on experience and light in general (210 pounds). Coach Holtmann will surely be scouring the transfer portal, but Key is currently the only proven big on the roster.

Alie Skowronski/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The recruiting part is done, but Holtmann still has plenty of work to do in building his roster for 2022-23

Who knows how the offseason will play out, but if say Justice Sueing and/or Seth Towns are being asked to battle for rebounds in ’22-23, the Buckeyes will struggle immensely on the glass. If Key is the only post option on offense, the team would be forced to rely heavily upon perimeter shooting, which was... not great recently. Let’s just say that Key needs help on the front line, but his own health and consistency are also of the utmost importance.

Not to put much too much on Key, but Ohio State likely needs a solid campaign from him if they want to be a top-10 or top-15 team next season. And some of the pressure he could face should also be put on the coaching staff. The OSU roster is not, and has not been, loaded with bigs. The staff had the luxury of Young for five seasons, but added minimal size beyond Key. Okpara has a very high ceiling, but he might take time to develop.

The basketball Buckeyes face many unknowns going into next season, but Key is one guy they should be able to count on. He has flashed potential as a second or third option, but Holtmann and his future teammates don’t need 20 and 10 on a nightly basis. They would prefer consistent energy and production, along with the passion and enthusiasm he always brings to the court.

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Five-star CB from Florida adds Ohio State offer
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Desmond Ricks | Parker Thune, 247Sports

The Buckeyes dished out their latest schloarship offer to the top-ranked player in the 2024 recruiting class.

Head coach Ryan Day and Ohio State had their sights set on the Sunshine State on Tuesday as they sent out their latest offer. Plus, one of the top quarterbacks in the class is set to make his way to Columbus this weekend.

Ricks adds Buckeye offer


Ohio State went to a familiar territory for the latest offer that was sent out on Tuesday. The program dropped an offer to 2024 five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks, a Virginia native that attends IMG Academy (FL).


The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder is now up to 33 scholarship offers as a prospect and has the top programs in the country battling for his services. Among the schools that have already offered the MaxPreps Sophomore All-American include Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon, and many more.

Ricks is currently projected to wind up in Tallahassee to suit up for Seminoles at the next level, according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball. However, the Buckeyes are hoping to throw a wrench into things and pair the elite defensive back with newly hired cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Sunshine State standout currently stands at the top in his class rankings across the board, which comes as no surprise when looking at the teams in pursuit of the former track star.

It is worth mentioning that the Buckeyes have had success in recent years with IMG Academy prospects. Ohio State has added Malik Barrow, Lejond Cavazos, Tyler Gerald, Isaiah Pryor, Taron Vincent, and Marcus Williamson from the Ascenders program in previous classes.

Moore set to visit OSU


From one elite prospect to another for the Buckeyes. According to a tweet from Eleven Warriors' Garrick Hodge, 2023 five-star quarterback Dante Moore of Martin Luther King (MI) is planning to make a stop to Columbus this weekend to visit Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have been in pursuit of Moore dating back to June of last year when they initially offered the Detroit native. The visit this weekend will not be the first trip to see Ohio State for Moore as the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder was in town this past October to watch the contest between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions.


Moore is presently pegged as the No. 6 overall prospect in this year's class and the third highest graded quarterback. While Ohio State is likely running behind in the race for Moore, if they find a way to reel in the Michigan standout it would come as a major win with Moore being the top-ranked player in the state.

Quick Hits

• 247Sports' Allen Trieu casted a Crystal Ball prediction on Tuesday in favor of Ohio State for four-star safety Malik Hartford of Lakota West (OH). Trieu joins 247Sports analysts Bill Kurelic and Steve Wiltfong in expecting the fourth-best prospect from Ohio to ultimately chose the Buckeyes.
• According to Eleven Warriors, four-star defensive lineman AJ Hoffler of Woodward Academy (GA) knows that Ohio State (and Clemson) will receive one of his official visits. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder was on campus this past weekend checking out his "dream school" and spent plenty of time with defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

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Play Like a Girl podcast: If you gave an Oscar for March Madness...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Plus, etiquette for rescinding retirement gifts and how to keep your brackets going all year round.

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Jami and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Welcome back! This week combined two of Meredith and Jami’s favorite things: brackets and award shows. What better way to recap the chaos of the first two weeks of the NCAA Tournament than with an Academy Awards of sorts? From Best Original Score to a Lifetime Achievement Award we don’t even have to guess at, there’s been plenty of Oscar-worthy performances en route to the Final Four.

And if you’re sad that the season of bracket-making is behind us, never fear: Jami and Meredith offer tips on other things you can bracket, including vacation destinations and french fry dipping sauces.


Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @jamiurich

Contact Meredith Hein
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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