Ohio State survives another nail-biter, defeats Indiana 55-52
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s never easy with the Buckeyes.

The winning ways are back. The Ohio State Buckeyes pulled off a big road victory against the Indiana Hoosiers behind a 15-point performance from Andre Wesson.

Ohio State, who appeared as a No. 9 seed in Jerry Palm’s (CBS Sports) bracket projection, now ride a three-game winning streak. After a 1-6 January, the Bucks seem to be back on the right track.

After collecting only six points in the last game against Penn State, Kaleb Wesson scored 10 points against the Hoosiers. Working shots inside, the Buckeye big man was 5-of-9 from the field. Wesson, a regular in foul trouble, was only whistled three times.

Luther Muhammad secured nine points along with two assists. The leading scorer last time out, he had the fourth most points on the team behind Andre (15), C.J. Jackson (10) and Kaleb (10).

Let's take a look at how this one went down in Assembly Hall.


In front of a packed audience of 17,222, the Buckeyes won the opening tip. Muhammad missed the first shot of the game, and moments after that, Kaleb Wesson committed the first foul of the game. On the brightside: Andre Wesson made the first basket with 18:43 left on the clock.

Thanks to an Andre turnover, Justin Smith capitalized with a bouncing shot off the rim from the free throw area to tie the game at 2-2.

An all-around attack from OSU paced them on a 9-0 run, and a very early 11-2 lead. Muhammad connected on a three, and a layup thanks to a Juwan Morgan TO; Kaleb took a basket via layup; and Andre Wesson, like his brother, made a two-pointer via layup.

Romeo Langford broke up the OSU scoring spree with a three-pointer. Then, following a bad pass from Kyle Young, Langford dunked the ball home. Another turnover—this time by Duane Washington—led to to a Devonte Green bucket. At the under-12 media timeout, OSU held the slim advantage at 11-9.

Ohio State pulled their lead to as many as nine, but the Hoosiers came clawing back—a theme of the first half. Turnovers from Kaleb Wesson, Jaedon Ledee and C.J. Jackson were part of the reason for OSU’s offense going stale for a few minutes, and coupled with IU baskets, made the game within a possession at the break, 23-21.

Another reason for why OSU’s lead shrunk: the Buckeyes closed out the first half with five missed shots.

To begin the second half, Kaleb committed another TO; Smith made the Bucks pay, as he took advantage of a second-chance opportunity. Wesson would atone for his mistake on the other end with a layup on the next possession.

Ohio State would get hot, though, as a pair of missed three-pointers by IU led to Kaleb making a layup, and Muhammad knocking down a three of his own. Andre and C.J. would make shots too, and at the under-16 media break, OSU was back up by nine.

But like the first half, turnovers helped give the Hoosiers life. A bad pass from Jackson led to De’ron Davis capitalizing for two. However, with IU within four, Jackson popped a three from the center of the arc to give Ohio State a seven-point, 39-32, lead.

Washington Jr. would then make a three to give OSU 42 points. That’d be all the scoring Holtmann’s squad could muster for four minutes. In that timespan, Langford made a layup and the Hoosiers close the gap (again) heading into the under-8 timeout.

Right out the mini break, Langford went up for a layup on Kaleb, and the result was a knee to Kaleb’s lower midsection as Langford drove to the basket. On the same sequence, Andre got the rebound, but injured his hand in the process as the Hoosiers tried to swipe the ball. Young subbed in for Kaleb Wesson, as Andre stayed in the game.

Keeping Andre in the game was huge, as he drained a three from the far wing. In the rebuttal possession, Langford connected on a wide open three on the near wing to bring the score to 47-41 in favor of the visitors.

The next two series were unkind to Andre. He missed a three, and then was called for traveling. In response, the Hoosiers made two deep three-pointers—tying the game at 47-47. IU strung together a 9-0 run in just under 90 seconds.

After another travel—this time on Muhammad—the Hoosiers had a chance for their first lead of the game. Langford’s layup attempt didn’t go swish, and on the opposite end, Musa Jallow went for a circus, underneath-the-basket layup that was way off target. The comedy of mistakes continued as the Hoosiers’ Green turned the ball over to Andre Wesson.

Wesson and the Bucks got a timeout on the steal. After the commercials aired, OSU took the ball up the floor, and thanks to a second-chance effort by Andre after a Keyshawn Woods miss, the Buckeyes had the lead at 49-47. The lead was short lived; Rob Phinisee had a layup that kissed the high part of the glass before dropping in.

Phinisee wasn’t done making plays just yet. After a steal, Green hit a three with the shot clock ticking away to give IU their first lead of the game, 52-49. On the rebuttal, and with the shot clock down to two, Jackson uncorked a triple from what seemed like the parking lot. He nailed it—tying the contest at 52-52.

IU called a timeout, and on the ensuing inbound, Morgan turned the ball over to Andre Wesson. After Holtmann burned a timeout and made a substitution, Andre dunked the ball. Ohio State held the 54-52 advantage with 20 seconds remaining.

Langford attempt a deep (and contested) three with 12 seconds left—missing it. Muhammad got the rebound before being fouled. He made one of two free throws, and a desperation three from Green at the buzzer was off the mark.

Up next for OSU will be Illinois. The Bucks won the earlier matchup this season 77-67 on Dec. 5, 2018. The grudge match is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. ET.

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


The Buckeyes look to stay undefeated in February when they take on the Hoosiers.

For the first time in the Chris Holtmann era, the Buckeyes (15-7, 5-6) were finally able to get a win against Penn State, coming away with a gritty 74-70 win on their home floor. Now having won two of the last three games, Ohio State will travel to Indiana to take on the Hoosiers (13-10, 4-8) at Assembly Hall. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS.

Preview


Ohio State finally defeated the Nittany Lions on Thursday night after not doing so in all three tries a season ago. In a game that came down to the final buzzer, the Buckeyes were led by Luther Muhammad. The freshman finished with 20 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. Once again, Kaleb Wesson struggled to stay on the floor, hurting himself with foul trouble the majority of the night before fouling out with 1:45 remaining. The sophomore forward would finish with just six points.

One of the biggest stories of the game was the surprise return of forward Kyle Young, who had missed the team’s previous four games with a stress fracture in his leg. Especially with Wesson in foul trouble, Young was an essential part of the Buckeyes victory. The sophomore played 25 minutes, scoring six points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks, helping to clog the paint when Wesson was forced to sit. Young also scored the go-ahead basket with 63 seconds remaining that would put OSU on top for good.

Despite his fouling woes and low scoring output on the night, Ohio State continued to be a much better team with Kaleb Wesson on the floor. Playing only 19 minutes in the game, Wesson finished with a team-high plus/minus of +16. Even when he isn't putting up 20 points a night, the 6-foot-9, 270-pound Wesson is a physical presence that has to be dealt with on both sides of the floor. As a big scoring threat inside, he almost always draws a double that provides an open shot for a teammate. At the other end, his huge frame makes it incredibly difficult to get good looks inside. If Ohio State wants to continue to find success, Wesson must be able to stay on the floor.

The Buckeyes got the job done in the first act of this three-game stretch of very winnable contests. A loss to Penn State would have certainly put their tournament odds in jeopardy. Now, they head on the road to take on an Indiana team also fighting for its tournament life before returning home to face a 9-15 Illinois. Ohio State must continue to handle business over this stretch of games, because the road ahead does not get any easier, with four of five games against ranked opponents following the bout with the Illini. For now, OSU just has to focus on getting a road win against the Hoosiers.

Indiana started off the season 12-2, but it all came crashing down upon entering conference play. After a 74-63 loss to Michigan in the beginning of January, the Hoosiers went on to lose seven straight games before a shocking 79-75 overtime upset win over Michigan State in East Lansing. The win over Sparty has really been the only bright spot for Indiana in 2019, as they are currently losers of eight of their last nine games, falling to Iowa 77-72 in their last time out.

Despite shooting nearly 50 percent in the game, the Hoosiers fell just short of the Hawkeyes on Thursday night in Bloomington. Romeo Langford did his best to try and will his team to a win, dropping 22 points and five rebounds, but it was not enough to counter Jordan Bohannon’s takeover in the final minute of the game for Iowa. The junior scored the last 11 points for the Hawkeyes, including two deep three-pointers with time winding down on the shot clock. Juwan Morgan also had a really good night for Indiana, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, but it wasn’t enough to stop Iowa from getting its first win in Assembly Hall since 2015.

Langford, a freshman, has been the Hoosiers leading scorer all season long, averaging 17.6 points per game and over five rebounds. It is no surprise the young 6-foot-5 guard is having a stellar first season, as he was the seventh overall player in the 2018 class (247sports), just two spots behind Zion Williamson, and the No. 1 player out of the state of Indiana. Just behind him on the roster is Morgan, as the senior is averaging 15.9 points per game to go along with almost eight boards and 1.4 blocks per game.

Despite their struggles, the Hoosiers are not a team that Ohio State should take lightly. Given their current situation, this game is as much of a must-win for them, if not more, than it is for the Buckeyes, as each additional loss pushes them farther and farther away from a chance at making the tournament. Indiana showed flashes of great basketball against Iowa, and even outplayed them during large stretches of the contest, but were unable to put together a full 40-minute performance to get the win. If they learn from their mistakes against the Hawkeyes, the Hoosiers will be a tough opponent, especially with the crowd on their side.

Prediction

ESPN BPI: Indiana 62.8%

Vegas Line: Indiana -2


The Hoosiers have had the Buckeyes’ number throughout the history of this Big Ten matchup, leading the all-time series 105-79. While Ohio State owns a 53-36 record in Columbus, Indiana is a whopping 63-26 in Bloomington against the Scarlet and Gray. C.J. Jackson is OSU’s leading scorer against the Hoosiers, averaging 13.7 points in three career appearances in the matchup. Kaleb Wesson averaged 13 points in both meetings between the two teams a season ago, with Ohio State winning both contests.

Langford is going to be a lot to handle for the Buckeye defense, but it will be an exciting freshman-on-freshman matchup between himself and Muhammad. Speaking of Muhammad, it is looking more and more each game like he will have to become Ohio State’s go-to scorer in times of need, especially when Wesson is not on the floor. He will have to have another high-scoring outburst if the Bucks want to escape with a win in this one.

Ultimately, as it usually does, the game will come down to Wesson and managing his fouls. Ohio State was able to get away with it against a spiraling Penn State team, but they will not survive against the Hoosiers with their best player on the bench. They will need his defensive presence inside to limit the damage by Langford and Morgan. As was the case for both teams in their last time out, we will have another gritty, down-to-the-wire Big Ten matchup on our hands. When the final buzzer sounds, it will be Ohio State emerging victorious, thanks in part to a good shooting performance by Keyshawn Woods.

LGHL Final Score Prediction: 69-67 Ohio State

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Gene Smith steps down from CFP committee
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


After three seasons, Smith is no longer on the committee.

“It is imperative for me to have 100% focus in helping our new coach with his transition at The Ohio State University this fall.”

- Gene Smith via Jerry Emig


After three years of serving on the College Football Playoff committee, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is stepping down a year before his contract is up, according to Ohio State SID Jerry Emig. It’s pretty easy to understand why Smith wouldn’t want any extra responsibilities this year, as he focuses on the transition from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day, and that’s reflected in his quote.

While Ohio State fans may not be delighted with the decisions made by the committee for the past few years, Gene Smith was, by all accounts, a valued member of the group.

Smith will be replaced by Gary Barta, Iowa’s athletic director, on the selection committee. The term for Barta will be three years, and begins this spring.

Local man has a bad take


Folks, you’ll never believe this, but professional take haver Stephen A. Smith had a take today, and as you may have seen, it was a real doozy. This morning on his show ‘First Take’, during a discussion about Kyler Murray and former Buckeye Dwayne Haskins, Stephen A. Smith showed his hand a bit by declaring Dwayne Haskins “more of a runner than a thrower.”


I think my favorite part of this is the “I could be wrong about that” afterwards, which is, for my money, the absolute best way to follow up the statement of an opinion.

All of this is, of course, absurd. Folks that watched Ohio State at all in 2018 know that Dwayne Haskins went to the Cardale Jones school of running like a haunted downhill shopping cart, and not in any way a better runner than he is a thrower.

However, this is a good chance to remind Buckeye fans that shows like this, and people like Stephen A. Smith exist to get you riled up. Their job is to have strong, often incorrect opinions, because it drives interest and generates more money. It’s fun to dunk on them (I did my fair share), but ultimately, they’re getting what they want when you spend all day owning them online.

Wrestle Bucks set for massive matchup with Penn State


Looking for something to do in Columbus tonight? Look no further than St. John Arena, where the second ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are taking on the No. 1 team in the country, Penn State, at 8:30 p.m. ET. This is obviously a massive match for the Buckeyes, as they look to be in the running for a national title once again this season.

The road to the national title, as usually, runs through Penn State. The Nittany Lions have probably the most consistently dominant program in the country, and Ohio State has a huge opportunity to take them down tonight. You can watch the match in person, obviously, or on the Big Ten Network.

In case you missed it on Land-Grant Holy Land

• Justin Fields will be ready to play for the 2019-20 season.
• A quick review of last night’s OSU basketball win against Penn State.
• Another edition of Hangout in the Holy Land has dropped.

Stick to sports

• 105.7 is no longer “The Zone”, has gone back to playing bad music.
• The best games of 2019 so far.
• Facebook doesn’t understand “The Teens”.

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Report: Justin Fields ruled immediately eligible to play in 2019
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The former five-star recruit will more than likely be OSU’s starting QB this fall.

Per a report from The Athletic’s Brian Hamilton, newly transfer Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields will be eligible to play for the Buckeyes this upcoming season. The former five-star recruit spent one season at the University of Georgia, but will not have to sit out a year before he plays for OSU.


There was never too much doubt that Fields would be granted his waiver, due to an encounter that he had at Georgia with a baseball player using a racial slur, but the official announcement is still a relief for the quarterback, and obviously for the Buckeyes, who almost certainly have their next starting quarterback thanks to the decision.

Fields played sparingly for Georgia as a freshman, completing 27 of his 39 passing attempts for 328 yards and four scores, while adding another 266 yards and four scores on the ground in 12 games played. For more on what Ohio State is getting from their new quarterback, you can check out our in-depth film study from January.

Following the announcement, Fields issued a statement in which he thanked the NCAA, and said that he had no regrets or hard feelings about his time at UGA.


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Just like the ocean under the moon, Ohio State’s transition to the Ryan Day era has been smooth
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Our latest podcast talks Signing Day, and Ryan Day.

*Hits Carlos Santana guitar rift*

For the first time in a long time, there wasn’t much to talk about on National Signing Day for Ohio State. With most of its 17-player class already in tow, the Buckeyes secured a couple of offensive line commitments, and kept it moving towards the 2020 cycle. While there wasn’t the big “BOOM” Urban Meyer made us accustomed to, Ohio State’s small 2019 class is loaded with top-end talent, and shows that things are more than just fine in Columbus after losing a legendary coach.


On this episode of the Hangout in the Holy Land, Patrick Mayhorn and I discuss Ohio State’s ‘quality over quantity’ 2019 recruiting class, how Ryan Day has aced his first couple months, the differences between him and Meyer, and more.

Show notes


:30- It was weird having such a calm signing day

2:35- It’ll be a while before we see Dawand Jones and Enokk Vimahi play, but Day and his staff did a hell of a job bringing them in

5:45- Doug Nester’s de-commitment was set in stone once Meyer was out

7:10- This class defines ‘quality over quantity’

9:37- No concerns about Ryan Day’s recruiting + how his style is different from Meyer’s

13:20- The era of signing top-two classes is probably over, but we’ll take top-five and better personnel decisions.

19:10- Not many schools can lose someone like Meyer and keep it rolling + Gene Smith appreciation

21:30- Basketball’s important three-game stretch (which started with a wild 74-70 win over Penn State last night)

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Culver (IN) Culver Academies High
Defensive End
6-4
240 lbs
Class: 2020

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Ask and you shall receive, here is the thread for the transfer portal as it relates to OSU targets. Please only post information for players that Ohio State is actually expressing interest in at the moment or offered during their high school recruitment (for example, this year that would be Justin Fields, Jonah Jackson, and Parker Braun). All other players entering in the transfer portal should be addressed in the general thread in the college football forum.

It made sense to just have a general thread for transfer prospects rather than individual threads until a transfer/commitment is confirmed to avoid clogging up the recruiting forum. Once a transfer prospect announces for OSU, then we can make an individual thread, or convert an existing thread if the player already had a thread as a recruit.

With that being said, right now it looks like the primary transfer targets we are going after are on the OL with Jonah Jackson and Parker Braun. I like our chances with Jackson and think he will hop on board sooner rather than later. We should go all out on Jackson, he would be a huge piece of our 2019 puzzle. Don't know a lot about Braun yet, but he seems like another guy that would definitely contribute. However, we are the only non-southern school on his list, as the other primary contenders appear to be Florida, Texas, and Miami.

Power Rankings: Iowa breaks into top 5 of Jon Crispin’s list
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

After three straight weeks of a new No. 1, sizzling Purdue remains atop my latest Big Ten Power Rankings, presented by ArcelorMittal. The entire top four remains the same, actually, while surging Iowa moves up one and into the top 5.

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Saint Peters (MO) Lutheran of St. Charles High
Defensive Tackle
6-5
280 lbs
Class: 2021

Good catch by @ScriptOhio

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Might as well get the position group discussions going and I figured as this position is our biggest concern on the offensive side of the ball, I will get it rolling with a guess at the projected depth chart. Pending some development of a few redshirt guys, I actually think this group can be pretty darn good this year, albeit that Jordan staying would have went a long ways. I really like our starters if we can develop a RT and C, which I believe we will. My stab at it and thoughts

LT: Thayer Munford, Max Wray (I love our starter here, Munford has all the tools to be a stalwart LT and the next highly drafted OL here...and I think NPF could be excellent here in case anything happens, even if Wray is listed second on the depth chart...haven't heard much on Wray yet)
G: Brandon Bowen, Gavin Cupp (getting Bowen back and healthy will be enormous, he might be the most talented OL we have...really liked Cupp coming out of HS and hope he takes the next step to provide quality depth on our interior)
C: Josh Myers, Matthew Jones (I expect Jones to push here but Myers has reportedly improved quite a bit...if he improves on pass pro, he gets the spot but I have always loved Jones as a prospect)
G: Wyatt Davis, Jonah Jackson (?) (heard great things on Davis and expect him to be a great one here, but if we get the Jonah Jackson transfer, it will be a battle for the starting spot)
RT: Alabi, Petit-Frere (I think Alabi gets the nod in his senior year, although if NPF puts on some good weight to bulk up against the bull rush, he is going to push hard...I think NPF is the backup at either tackle spot and will definitely play)

I really think we have to push hard on Jonah Jackson because the interior OL depth is definitely a concern, although I like the looks of our starting 5 and next 2-3 guys. If guys like Cupp, Wray, Jones and NPF all come along and develop, then I will feel a hell of a lot better here even without the Jackson transfer. Of the freshman coming in, only Harry Miller (center) is likely close to college ready. If he emerges, it could prompt Jones to move over to guard and assuage some concerns for depth at the guard position if Miller earns trust to backup Myers. As to the remainder, Jacoby (likely guard imo) needs time to physically develop, Vimahi will likewise need to develop physically (assuming he is even here next year pending the mission), and Dawand Jones is a long-term prospect that needs work in every area before he will be ready to go. But I think we can definitely piece together a good OL for this year.

The Fastbreak: 3 quick things from Ohio State’s survival against last place Penn State
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This one was anything but easy for the Buckeyes.

The popular 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2 has a character, Dutch van der Linde, that utters the phrase “have some faith” whenever a plan is about to be put into action. Unsurprisingly, those plans generally find a way to go sideways.

On Thursday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes not only had some faith, but got some really lucky—or if you’re a Penn Stater, very unlucky—rolls around the rim in a 74-70 victory against the Nittany Lions. Penn State, by the way, was 1-10 in the conference entering the game at Value City Arena, and had the Bucks on the ropes; not only did the Scarlet and Gray have their backs to the wall, but a loss to PSU would’ve been a doozy that pushed them on the outside of the NCAA Tournament bubble.


Faith (as well as some grit) has kept the Buckeyes afloat this far into the season. February has brought two wins in two games, and there’s a chance to make it three on Sunday when the Indiana Hoosiers run into Chris Holtmann’s squad.

But before we look at IU, let’s look at the escape against Penn State—and see what the Bucks should do before they ride off into Bloomington, Ind.

1) Wesson on the floor = good | Wesson off the floor = not good


When Kaleb Wesson is on the floor, Ohio State just plays better. He doesn’t even need to score that much; just having him there makes opposing offenses work a little bit harder getting around the Buckeye big man.

On the other side of the coin, Wesson is still a foul machine. Kaleb had a bad foul—this specific event was numero four—down low on Mike Watkins. Even though playing defense and preventing an easy basket for Watkins is what he’s supposed to do, Wesson got wedged into a position that would bring about a foul. Eventually, he fouled out, and was unable to help OSU on the floor for the final 1:46 of action. Fortunately without him, the likes of C.J. Jackson and Andre Wesson kept things from completely falling apart.

From a scoring perspective, this was not a good game for Kaleb. He had six points on 1-of-2 shooting, and a pair of rebounds and assists; on the not-so-good side of the stat sheet, he had three turnovers. However, when he was on the floor, he had a +/- of +16. That means when he was on the floor, OSU had a positive scoring margin of 16 points. The second highest player in the +/- margin was Keyshawn Woods at +10.

If OSU wants to make an NCAA Tournament run, he has to find a way to stay on the floor. The Hoosiers are a team playing for their tournament life right now, and with Sunday’s game at Assembly Hall, is looking for a huge win to boost the résumé any way they can. If Kaleb is off the floor for long stretches of time, then the Hoosiers can pencil in the “W.”

2) Kind sir, please take this basketball


At the risk of sounding like a broken record, another victory was nearly snatched by the jaws of defeat. All because of turnovers.

If you’re a fan of efficient basketball offenses, then the latest OSU performance had you covering your eyes with your hands. The Bucks committed 18 TOs, which led to 22 Nittany Lion points. Basically, gifted basketballs kept PSU in the game.

The biggest offenders of the TO bug were Jackson (5) and Woods (4). On the other end, Josh Reeves had five steals—something he’s known for. Granted, it was kind of expected that Reeves was going to get a few steals, but for OSU to collectively give back the ball nearly 20 times? That’s not good.

I feel like there’s a little bit of Golden State basketball happening with OSU—and not the good kind. Careless ball handling lead to breakaway dunks on the other end, and bad passes squandered decent scoring chances.

Diagnosing the problem isn’t as simple as saying “make good passes”. Defenses are switching up their approach against Ohio State, and causing havoc as they move up the floor. One half it could be 2-3 zone, another half could be a press.

This problem needs to be massaged more in practice. Holtmann needs to put his starting five in defensive traps, and have them work the ball efficiently. He probably already does that now, but this is another data point where turnovers are nearly pushing OSU to the bottom of the Big Ten.

3) Luther leads the way


Ohio State needs a consistent scorer every night. Luther Muhammad put up a 20-point effort against the Nittany Lions—and was a big reason for why PSU didn’t get conference win No. 2 in Columbus.


Muhammad has had more good games than bad, but is he the definitive “scorer” on the team? Some nights it’s Andre, other nights it’s C.J., and then there are some games where Kaleb goes bonkers and wreaks havoc. However, there really hasn’t been a game where everybody seemed to click.

Hypothetically speaking, if the Bucks were down one with five seconds left in the game, who would get the last shot? Personally, I think it should be Luther. Ohio State needs to develop someone into being “the guy” in crunch time. Might as well be the freshman who has already showed an affinity for playing the game under Holtmann’s watch.

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Could Ohio State be nearing another big commitment?
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes could be on the verge of landing another star for their future.

With the 2019 Ohio State Buckeyes recruiting class officially in the books, the sole focus has shifted towards the 2020 and 2021 classes. Thankfully, Ryan Day lived up to the hype yet again when the Buckeyes landed two offensive line signatures on National Signing Day, which helps fill a position group that really needs depth. Now that we can look ahead though, the offensive line will still be a major area of concern in the 2020 class. Time and time again we’ve discussed how vital line play is to the success of one’s season, and with a increased need to add depth, you can guarantee Day and Coach Studrawa will be all over the place looking to bolster his offensive line in the next two recruiting classes.

With several top prospects already offered, you can see the priority in nailing down their top targets early and often. Having stellar talent in-state too certainly helps. The interesting thing will be seeing who could commit to the Buckeyes next.

Could it be, so soon?


Earlier this week, Ohio State sent out an offer to a big time in-state offensive lineman in Ben Christman. A 6-foot-6, 300-pounder hailing from Richfield, Ohio (Revere HS), Christman is a prospect that you can’t miss out on whether we’re talking physically in the 2021 class or literally in person. A massive current high school sophomore, Ben still has two full seasons to improve on an already impressive stature and ability. A dream for any and every coach recruiting him, the Buckeyes have to like where they stand early in this sweepstakes.

Immediately following that OSU offer, the predictions in favor of Ohio State on the 247sports crystal ball began to come in. Now, as said many times, the crystal ball is never 100 percent accurate. However, it’s certainly still a solid insight to where a prospect may end up. Especially when the director of recruiting, Steve Wiltfong, makes a prediction, it’s a more than good chance that the ending result mirrors his thoughts. That’s where we leave off with Christmas. Tuesday night, just hours after his offer, Wiltfong as well as two other insiders wasted zero time in pegging Ben to Ohio State.

The importance? While Ohio State goes in full search to reload their offensive line, the next pledge toward the program may skip the 2020 class and go right into 2021 with the aforementioned Christman. This week was already great to the Buckeyes in 2021 when Jack Sawyer gave a surprise early commitment to Ohio State. If the momentum continues, the Buckeyes could add their second major piece to the 2021 class.

Quick Hit:

• Four-star 2020 defensive end prospect Jacolbe Cowan (Charlotte, NC/Providence Day) released his top 12 schools. Ohio State was fortunate to make the cut with Alabama, Clemson, North Carolina, Oregon, NC State and South Carolina among others. Cowan ranks as the fifth best defensive end in the country for his class and the second best player in North Carolina.

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Ohio State holds off Penn State 74-70 for second-straight win
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Sloppy play, whistle-happy refs, and a slippery floor led to a brutal game at the Schott.

After a hellacious January, which saw the Ohio State Buckeyes (15-7, 5-6) lose six of seven games, Chris Holtmann’s squad has now opened up February with a pair of wins, following their 74-70 home victory on Thursday night over the Penn State Nittany Lions (8-15, 1-11).

Much sooner than anticipated, Kyle Young returned to the lineup just 16 days after it was announced that he had suffered a stress fracture. In the first half, Young seemed to have two-plus weeks of pent up energy that he brought to the court. While Young brought the energy in the first half, Luther Muhammad had one of his best games as a Buckeye. In the second half, you could almost see the highly-recruited freshman become a team leader right in front of your eyes.

Also, early in the first half, Urban Meyer and the Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion football team were honored in front of an appreciative crowd.


In an unexpected turn, the game opened with Penn State winning the tip, but on the initial possession, OSU’s C.J. Jackson blocked a layup attempt from freshman guard Myles Dread. That was about the only thing that went the home team in the opening minutes. Despite an Andre Wesson mid-range jumper, the Buckeyes gave up three turnovers in less than three minutes, which led to five of PSU’s first eight points; all scored by Josh Reaves.

However, after an old-fashioned three-point play from Reaves opened up an 8-2 lead, Muhammad hit a jumper and Jackson connected from long-range. Then, coming out of the first media timeout, Andre Wesson connected on two free throws, then Muhammad did the same to put OSU up 11-8 after a 9-0 run.

After the free throws, Young entered the game for the first time since the injury, and on his first defensive possession, collected a rebound. Of course, he then immediately turned it over, but it was still a good effort for a guy fresh off of a stress fracture.

That early rebound wasn’t the only instance of Young’s presence providing dividends early. Apparently unafraid of reinjuring his leg, he quickly as on the floor diving for a ball, blocking shots, and pulling in boards to either begin or extend possessions.

With just under 11 minutes, on what appeared to be a somewhat broken play, Kaleb Wesson delivered a nifty no-look pass to Jackson for a bunny to put OSU up 17-9. On the next offensive trip, the younger Wesson hit a straight-away three to put the Buckeyes up 23-9, capping a 21-1 run. On the next PSU possession, Mike Watkins hit the Lions’ first field goal in over eight minutes.


At the 8:12 mark, Kaleb Wesson picked up his second personal and headed to the bench. Having Young back, and seemingly playing as well as ever, certainly helped keep the Buckeye front court stable.

With 3:32 remaining, Muhammad found Andre Wesson in the corner, and the junior forward hit from downtown giving OSU a 31-20 advantage, then following a Watkins dunk, Young got his first bucket of the game heading into the under-four minute timeout.

As the first half was winding down, PSU put on a bit of run thanks to some sloppy play by the Buckeye guards. Jabari Wheeler had steals on three consecutive possessions, cutting the Buckeye advantage to just 34-31 at halftime.

Despite OSU being up by as many as 15 in the first half, the Nittany Lions closed the half on an 11-1 run to make it a one-possession game to open the second half.

The first half saw Ohio State take significant advantages in just about every statistical category, except for one that has been a problem all season: turnovers. From the floor, OSU shot 48 percent (12-25), and actually was better from distance (50%, 5-10). The Nittany Lions were shooting just 39.3 percent (11-28) and 28.6 (2-7) from behind the arc.

The home team also was out rebounding PSU 21-10, but the Buckeyes’ 12 turnovers (compared to PSU’s six) helped erase OSU’s double-digit lead. The Lions turned those takeaways into 13 points, many of them resulting in their 10 fast break points.

As the first half ended and the second half began, players from both teams began slipping on the Value City Arena floor. With the hockey ice under the playing floor, and a rainy and humid day in Columbus, condensation was making its way to the playing surface. Athletic director Gene Smith was on the court during halftime, and reports from the arena indicated that they cranked up the air conditioning to hopefully keep the floor dry.

Back in action after the break, the second 20 minutes opened roughly for both teams, but the Buckeyes strung together a 7-0 run to increase their lead to 46-37. However, from there, the officials called four fouls against the Buckeyes in a span of 26 seconds of game time, all on a single defensive possession.

On the offensive side of the ball, Penn State coach Pat Chambers went to Ohio State’s least favorite defense, the 2-3 zone. As it has throughout the season, the defensive shift nearly completely shut down OSU offensively.

After a three-pointer from Rasir Bolton, PSU was within one triple, down 46-43. After a Keyshawn Woods turnover and then missed jumper early in the shot clock, John Harrar slammed it home for Penn State to put the OSU lead at a single point.

However, on the dunk, Young picked up his fourth foul, sending him to the bench. Kaleb Wesson — who had three fouls — came back into the game for the Buckeyes. The big man’s presence didn’t immediately help, as Lamar Stevens got a layup to put PSU up 47-46. On the next possession, he hit a pair of free throws to go up by three.

A few minutes later, with OSU up by a pair, Kaleb Wesson picked up his fourth foul in a questionable call in the post. However, with the score close in what amounts to a must-win game, Holtmann opted to keep his center in the game with over 11 minutes remaining in regulation.

For much of the second half, Penn State employed a three-quarter court trapping press which forced the Buckeyes to waste valuable time getting the ball up the floor, leaving them with precious few seconds available to move the ball around the zone in order to find quality looks.

At the 6:18 mark, Muhammad pulled up for a jumper and was fouled by Reaves. He hit both free throws, and the freshman continued to be the most solid performer for the Buckeyes. On the game, Muhammad finished with 20 points, 5 boards, and 4 assists.

Up by two and the shot clocking running down, Jackson hit a “jumper” with a foot on the line that was effectively underhanded. On the shot, Penn State sophomore forward John Harrar was eventually whistled for a Flagrant 1 foul for driving Kaleb Wesson into the floor on a “non-basketball play.”


The Buckeye big man hit both free throws, but on the ensuing offensive possession, Jackson coughed up his fifth turnover of the game, leading to yet another Reaves steal and dunk. With three minutes remaining, the Buckeyes held a 68-63 advantage.

As the clock ticked under two minutes, Bolton drove to the basket, and even though Kaleb Wesson was trying to get out of the way, he was still whistled for his fifth foul, ending his night with just six points and two rebounds. After a pair of three throws, and an Andre Wesson turnover, Reaves picked up yet another steal and dunk to put PSU up 70-69.

As Holtmann called a time out, Wheeler and Woods started jawing, and both were hit with technical fouls. On the next possession, the Buckeyes worked the clock, and Jackson maneuvered his way into the lane and hit a no-look pass to Young who waited for his defender to overcommit and then converted the hoop and the harm. The sophomore forward couldn’t convert from the charity stripe however, and left the Buckeyes with just a one-point lead, 71-70, with less than a minute to play in regulation.

As Stevens drove to the rim, Young blocked his shot, and after the ball was batted around a half dozen times before going out of bounds. The referees went to the monitor to check to see who the ball went off of before sticking with the call on the floor of PSU ball. However, when the Nittany Lions inbounded, there was only one second left on the shot clock.


The entry pass made it into the middle of the lane for Stevens, but after review, he didn’t get the ball off in time, turning the ball over to OSU with a one-point lead.

After the Buckeyes got the ball inbounds, Andre Wesson was fouled; he split the pair to put the home team up 72-70. On PSU’s ensuing possession, Bolton left Jackson in the dust and there were no Buckeyes in his vicinity when he put up a wide-open layup. However, the ball rolled around the rim and fell into Jackson’s hands.

Wheeler fouled him, and Jackson hit a pair of free throws, effectively icing the game.

It was a painful game at times to watch, but the Buckeyes got a much-needed victory. On the game, both Jackson and Andre Wesson joined Muhammad in double-figures; both with 15. Both Stevens and Reaves finished the game with 20 for Penn State, while Bolton put up 15 of his own.

Across the board, the Buckeyes’ stats look like they had an impressive performance, shooting 50 percent from the field — and from three-point land as well — pulling in 33 rebounds, getting 18 points from the bench. But, fouls and turnovers continue to be the biggest issues for this inexperienced and undermanned team.

Holtmann’s squad ended the game having committed 21 fouls and 18 turnovers. Fortunately for them, PSU was charged with 23 fouls. However, OSU’s 18 giveaways led directly to 22 points for the visitors.

The Ohio State head coach is in a tough spot, as his roster is not made up of the type or number of players that he would like at this point. If they are going to make a return run to the NCAA Tournament, these two areas will need to see dramatic improvement between now and when the regular season ends on March 10.

Ohio State will head out on the road on Sunday, Feb. 10 to take on the Indiana Hoosiers (13-9, 4-7) in Bloomington, Ind., at 1 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

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New Ohio State assistant coach Jeff Hafley is ready to make some changes in the secondary
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The new co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach isn’t ready to completely abandon press coverage, but knows some other schemes are needed to improve the Ohio State secondary.

“We have talent here. So I think we’ve got to make the most of our talent and I think we have to make it easy for our players to play fast, do what they do best, coach them up, fundamentals, technique. We need to do a good job with that. But there will be scheme involved, as well. It’s a little bit of both.”

Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jeff Hafley via Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts


Ohio State unveiled new co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jeff Hafley to the media on Wednesday. The Buckeye secondary are coming off their worst season in quite some time, with their pass defense finishing just 86th in the country. Ohio State had employed a press-man coverage philosophy, and while it had worked for a number of years, opponents figured the Buckeye coverage scheme out last season.

New co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jeff Hafley does believe in playing press coverage, but also knows that it can’t be the only type of coverage that is used in pass defense. Ohio State’s pass coverage going forward will depend on who they are playing and what type of personnel the Buckeyes have out on the field.

One area which could see a bigger change in the Ohio State secondary under Hafley is the rotation that is used for defensive backs. In evaluating Ohio State defensive backs during his time in the NFL, Hafley was confused by how often some of the star Buckeye cornerbacks came off the field. But, Hafley also knows that if talent is stockpiled in the secondary, a rotation is needed to help all of that talent see the field.

Last year Ohio State’s secondary suffered a bit with the loss of energy of Kerry Coombs, who joined the Tennessee Titans coaching staff following the 2017 season. Hafley should be able to bring back some of that energy. Hafley has had success coaching at both the college and NFL levels, which should help Ohio State’s secondary make a big improvement this season.

“It was more of a business decision. Coach Day, he’s been in the NFL. He knows what it takes to get quarterbacks to the NFL. Just the offensive mind he has, he’s a smart guy. So that’s why [I came to Ohio State].”

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields via Kyle Rowland, The Toledo Blade


Things have been moving fast and furious over the past month for transfer quarterback Justin Fields. After placing himself in the NCAA’s transfer portal late in 2018, Fields moved into his dorm on Jan. 5, and just a couple days later was attending classes at Ohio State. Ever since making it to campus, Fields has been working at learning Ohio State’s playbook with new quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich and quality control coach Corey Dennis.

Yesterday, Fields spoke with the media for the first time since transferring to Ohio State, sharing the spotlight with some of the early enrolls who had committed to the Buckeyes on National Signing Day. While Fields didn’t comment on what caused him to leave the Georgia program, he did rave about Day’s ability to develop quarterbacks that are prepared for the NFL.

As long as Fields’ transfer waiver is granted by the NCAA, something that Fields and Ohio State are waiting on the NCAA to rule on, the quarterback would give the Buckeyes about as perfect a replacement for Dwayne Haskins as they could imagine. Not only does Fields have the tools to pass the football like Haskins, but he offers up even more ability to make plays with his legs than Haskins did. If Fields is allowed to play in 2019, Ohio State will again be in the thick of the College Football Playoff race.

“I want to leave a legacy here. I want people to be like, ‘Oh, Zach Harrison, he was one of the greatest to come through Ohio State.’ That’s going to mean a lot more to me because, coming from home, I’ll be able to take my kids here and grow up in a community where they know my name and stuff like that.”

Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison via Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors


A month into his time at Ohio State, defensive end Zach Harrison is already hard at work with his Buckeye teammates. The Olentangy Orange product committed to Ohio State over Michigan and Penn State in December, and has already turned his focus to leaving a legacy at Ohio State. The lure of staying close to home at Ohio State was too much for Harrison to pass up.

Little did Harrison know that when he committed to Ohio State, he would be playing for a couple of coaches from Michigan who tried to get the defensive end to play in Ann Arbor. New Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison and linebackers coach Al Washington spent a lot of time with Harrison during the recruiting process, and now are part of Ryan Day’s first coaching staff at Ohio State.

Harrison has already earned positive reviews for the work he is doing in the weight room, but he knows there is still plenty of work to do. The defensive end is still working on maximizing his freakish physical tools, but he has an incredible group of coaches to help him reach his goals. Along with talented defensive ends like Chase Young and Jonathon Cooper working with him, it isn’t far-fetched at all to think Harrison could turn into one of the best to play for Ohio State by the end of his playing career.

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


The Buckeyes look to win back-to-back games for the first time since December

Ohio State (14-7, 4-6) was able to avenge a previous loss when they defeated Rutgers at home in their last time out after falling to the Scarlet Knights on the road last month. The Buckeyes will look to use that win to spark some momentum when they take on a struggling Penn State (8-14, 1-10) on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. EST. The Big Ten tilt, taking place at Value City Arena in Columbus, will be broadcast on ESPN.

Preview


The Buckeyes finally got the old Kaleb Wesson back on Saturday when they took down Rutgers 76-62, their second win in their last three games. The sophomore big man put up 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep, while adding five assists and four rebounds. Most importantly, Wesson was able to stay out of foul trouble, recording only two personal fouls while playing a season-high 38 minutes. The 27 points were the second-most Wesson has scored in a game this season, behind only his 31 against Youngstown State, as he helped Ohio State get some revenge for their earlier 64-61 loss to the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway.

While Wesson was the star of the show, Chris Holtmann got some good production from his supporting cast as well. C.J. Jackson played one of his better games of the season, scoring 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, while Luther Muhammad continued his efficient scoring with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting — all from deep. As a team, Ohio State turned the ball over just six times while forcing 12 Rutgers turnovers and held the Scarlet Knights to under 44 percent from the field. Their efficiency with the basketball allowed them to come away with the double-digit victory despite being out-rebounded 36-25.

After losing five in a row, Ohio State has been able to find more success lately, winning two of their last three games, with the lone loss coming against Michigan on the road — one of the best teams in the country. Part of their improved play of late can be attributed to a game plan that focuses less on forcing the ball down low to Kaleb Wesson, instead relying on moving the ball and creating opportunities for other guys to make open shots. One guy that has stepped up big is Muhammad, who has scored in double-digits in three of the last four games. The freshman guard has not shot a ton, but when he has he has been extremely effective, hitting nine of his last 15 from three-point range.

The Buckeyes are at the beginning of an important stretch, as they will take on three-straight Big Ten opponents with losing conference records before a rematch with Michigan State. They will likely still be without Kyle Young, who continues to nurse a stress fracture in his right leg. As they have done in the previous four games in Young’s absence, they will look to fill the void with guys like Jaedon LeDee and Justin Ahrens, while giving increased minutes to Musa Jallow.

After finishing 9-9 in Big Ten play a season ago and placing sixth in the conference, the Nittany Lions have taken quite a step back as they have already lost 10 conference games this season and find themselves dead last in the Big Ten. Their lone B1G win this season was actually in their last time out, when they defeated Northwestern 59-52 in a low-scoring, gritty road win. Before their victory over the Wildcats, Penn State had lost eight-straight games, their longest losing streak in six years.

As he has been all season, Lamar Stevens was the star for PSU against Northwestern. The junior forward scored a team-high 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists as he knocked down 8-of-10 attempts at the free throw line. Rasir Bolton added another 14 points for the Nittany Lions, but was extremely inefficient from the field, hitting just 3-of-14 attempts. Unsurprisingly based on the final scored, neither team shot well at all in the game, with Penn State hitting at about a 38 percent clip and the Wildcats and paltry 32 percent.

Stevens has been one of the Nittany Lions’ lone bright spots this season, averaging 18.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. His scoring numbers are up from a year ago, when he averaged 15.5 points per game, however his shooting percentage has dipped a little, going from around 47 percent a year ago to under 42 percent this season. Bolton, the freshman guard, is the only other player averaging double-digit points for Penn State this season (11.8 PPG). Redshirt junior Mike Watkins, someone who has given Ohio State some trouble in the past, needs just six more blocks to move into the No. 2 spot in Penn State history, currently sitting at 185 career rejections.

The Nittany Lions lost a ton of last season’s production with departure of Tony Carr, who chose to begin his professional basketball career by signing overseas. Carr averaged nearly 20 points per game last year to lead the team. The biggest problem areas for Penn State this season have been three-point shooting and free throws. Hitting just 64 percent from the charity stripe ranks the Nittany Lions 11th in the conference, while their 28 percent from deep ranks second-worst. One area that PSU beats out the Buckeyes is in rebounding, where their 36.8 boards is good for sixth in the Big Ten (OSU ranks 11th with 34.8).

Prediction

ESPN BPI: OSU 81%

Vegas Line: OSU -7.5 (as of Wednesday night)


Ohio State fans likely remember last season’s series against Penn State, which ended with the Nittany Lions sweeping all three games, including a half-court buzzer-beater on the Buckeyes’ home floor and a PSU win in the quarterfinal match of the Big Ten Tournament. Although Penn State took all three games last season, the last 10 games between the two conference opponents are actually evenly split, with Ohio State winning five in a row following two wins by the Nittany Lions in the 2013-14 season.

This year’s Penn State squad is very different from the one that defeated the Buckeyes a trio of times last season. The main difference is the absence of Tony Carr, who had career games against Ohio State seemingly every time the two teams met. However, the same could be said about this Buckeyes team, who have lost the scoring of Keita Bates-Diop and Jae’Sean Tate from a year ago. More or less, these two Big Ten teams are also entirely different.

This season, these two teams will meet just once in the regular season. This time, Ohio State will have the edge. Penn State will likely look to try and get Kaleb Wesson into foul trouble early on by throwing Watkins at him, but hopefully Wesson will be able to take what he learned against Rutgers and duplicate it against the Nittany Lions. With a more efficient offense and a focus on avoiding turnovers against a decent Penn State defense, the Buckeyes will come out on top as they kick-off what should be three very winnable games on Ohio State’s schedule.

LGHL Final Score Prediction: 74-65 Ohio State

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How Buckeye great William White is helping tackle ALS: BTN LiveBIG
BTN.com LiveBIG Staff via Big Ten Network

Not one to be sidelined, White is leading the fight against the neurodegenerative disease.

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Fellow BP Recruitniks,

Everything got a little disjointed with the early signing period and then the final signing day yesterday, but figured I would put my thoughts on this class in the typical BRPT review format (with a couple nuances and I am sure the BRPT will weigh in with their input once they get the chance) and everyone can chime in with your thoughts in the replies. The February signing day does not have the typical fireworks as it used to, but now is a great time to reflect on the class now that it is in the books.

Consider the timing on the Urban Meyer retirement, uncertainty on the position coaches, and numbers restrictions, this class was about as strong as it could for the early signing period. We "lost" a good one in Battle but he was leaving anyways. The only disappointment at the time was losing Mathis, but the Fields transfer more than alleviates any sting associated with Mathis switching (I will take that trade all day long). Then getting Vimahi was huge and Dawand Jones is intriguing. The core of this class is very talented and we have some guys that really, really wanted to be Buckeyes. 2020 will need to be a home run class and some needs will need to be addressed, but I think there will be a number of guys that will have excellent careers in Columbus. Ryan Day and us fans should be proud of his first recruiting class overall considering the circumstances

Justin Fields if you count him in the 2019 class I suppose, that is a huge get and he is going to start immediately. Of the true 2019 class, Garrett Wilson. Not only is GW extremely talented and a game breaker, he has a ton of polish to his game already and has the instincts of a receiver where I think he will adjust to the speed of the game at the next level quickly. Add on the fact that Garrett is a natural leader and willing blocker, and I think he has the chance to play right away under Hartline, who has shown he will play a guy if they are ready despite a talented WR room (see Chris Olave). If there is a runner up here, I would submit Harry Miller, who I think is college ready in terms of not just physicality and technique, but also brains...the kid is smart and picking up scheme mentally is the biggest thing for an OL to play early.
Zach Harrison and it isn't even close. 6'5 245 lb. freak athlete that runs a legit 4.4 and has reach for days. Technique and consistency needs work but if he commits himself and gets the tutelage of LJ Sr., his potential is absolutely through the roof. I believe Zach is a RS candidate unless we use him in situational pass rush situations, but I think he can be an all-time great if the stars align. Runner up is Jameson Williams, who I couldn't be much higher on...shades of TGII in his game and he could be an absolute game breaker here, and early on imo if he puts on a few pounds and learns our scheme.
Harry Miller. Incredibly intelligent kid, great leader, excellent physical tools, and he will put the time in to be successful here. I would be shocked if he didn't end up being a 3 year starter type with all conference/all american credentials. Runner up is Tommy Eichenberg, who I think is going to be a 3 year starter type that will be Mr. Consistency...one of the biggest commits in the 2019 class imo given the concerns at the LB position. Co-runner up is Noah Potter, who needs a shout out because I think he has too many physical tools, talent and drive to not thrive under LJ Sr.
Jameson Williams. Could certainly go with Harrison again here, but I think Jameson has some of the most upside in terms of athleticism and game-breaking speed I have seen from an offensive recruit we have brought in. Then he went and really impressed scouts at the UA All-American game with his polish and route running, which was a bit of a surprise. I think we are in for a treat here. I would throw out Ronnie Hickman as the runner up...he was more noticeable on the offensive side of the ball in HS, but he has all the tools to be a lockdown corner here...hopefully a Marshon Lattimore type if we are lucky, who also starred as an offensive player but translated that talented to the CB position.
Dawand Jones. There are things to like and he could definitely end up being a force if he puts the work with Coach Mic and gets his technique down. But he was definitely a "Plan C" type of guy at the last hour after we saw the ships sail on numerous top targets. Don't get me wrong, was happy to get his commitment on NLOID after we missed on the others though. Runner up is Cormontae Hamilton. Hamilton is a steady blocker and given our sporadic usage of TE's in the passing game, perhaps he is the perfect guy to take at TE for that reason. But I don't really see him adding anything in the passing game and it seemed like we were just bound and determined to take a TE even though the 2019 TE class and our realistic targets was about as sparse as I have seen it.
Marcus Crowley. Crowley went under the radar until having a MONSTER senior season, then he was pursued by most. He's a big back that runs hard and has a lot of talent. I think we got a big time steal here. My runner up would be Bryson Shaw, who I am VERY high on...kid has the athleticism of a safety and has the size and hits like a LB...extremely underrated imo.
Enokk Vimahi. We go offer a highly rated kid from Hawaii in January past the early signing day and in one month, some how surpass USC and Oklahoma when USC had a sizeable lead and the distance advantage. Just an excellent job by Day on that one, I am still in shock. Then you have Justin Fields if we count him as 2019...there was some talk early on when he went into the transfer portal, but I really didn't expect him to jump on the transfer here so quickly without much of a fight from other schools.
Jordan Battle and not even close. While his decommitment was expected even if Urban stayed, it was a big blow to lose a highly rated DB when that position was arguably the biggest position of need for this class..factor in that he switched to Bama and its no bueno. Mathis at QB is currently the runner up, although you take the Fields trade any day of the week. If we do not hang on to Nester come February, then my answer will change. You could also through out Darnell Wright, the nation's top offensive tackle that was a strong lean here and basically fell off the radar months ago.

Update edit: I initially drafted this right after early signing day. Now it is definitely Nester. We really needed to hang on to him. Vimahi is a nice late pickup and would negate the Nester decommit if he doesn't take his mission early on. But if he does take the mission, then it does nothing for us really, as you might as well just focus on 2020 and 2021 to fill the gaps. I agree with many that Nester was playing poor competition and sliding, but he had the physical tools to step in and compete if he picked up the technique. I think Nester would be a redshirt and then would have been competing for a spot, and that stings to lose him at a critical position of need. We absolutely need Jonah Jackson as a transfer now, because the OL need is immediate. If we get Jackson, it may bridge the gap enough if we kill it in 2020.
Cornerbacks. Hickman is a very solid get here, but we needed at least a couple corners in this class, maybe 3. Aside from any potential transfer (i.e. go all out on LaMont Wade), Devonshire is about the only way to somewhat rectify the numbers issue in 2019. Will need a huge 2020 haul at this position. OL is a close runner up. Adding Vimahi and Jones may help, but Jones is a ways off from contributing and Vimahi may do the mission.
Originally had this drafted as the biggest needs in February, which was more interesting, as we had two commitments and the obvious answer is Vimahi. Excellent get at the last minute. Aloha!
Not an "addition", but I think Day's promotion to HC was the best thing for the program with recruiting (and generally, just trying to keep it focused on recruiting for this article). He keeps familiarity and continuity with the program, and the recruits already know him. While there is no replacing UFM on the recruiting front, I think Day is a huge hit with recruits and especially on the offensive side. But what about the defensive side? I expect immediate and positive results from the Mattison and Washington hires...both are lights out recruiters and I am excited to see the recruiting results here. Many big 2020 prospects already have ties to both coaches and I think both will be big improvements over Schiano and Davis. I know there is some trepidation from some fans given the school they came from, but I see it as a steal from the state up north and especially on recruiting. As to Hafley, the NFL angle an experience is great and by all accounts, he was an excellent recruiter when he was coaching in college. Moreover, he can recruit NJ and the NE, which was my biggest concern in cutting Schiano loose from a recruiting perspective. If he can recruit NJ and the NE like he used to, I think this is a big upgrade (and frankly, an upgrade regardless given Grinch and Taver Johnson's recruiting shortfalls in 2019).
Might as well take a look at 2020 with the 2019 class in the books. Personally, I see the 2020 class being a top 5 class unless the 2019 season is some sort of implosion. We are already off to a hot start on the WR class and will likely close out strong there. Jack Miller is a top notch talent at QB and I see him staying put and helping with our recruiting big time. Paris Johnson is a bookend LT and I also see him staying on board and if we keep Wypler, he is one of the best interior OL in the country. Biggest needs are DB and OL, which I think get addressed. At DB, we have a ton of top talent with OSU at the top of their list (Cavazos, McGlothern, Ricks, Ringo, etc.) and the potential for immediate PT will be attractive. At OL, we already have 2 of the best in Johnson and Wypler...then you have plenty of realistic, talented options in Corcoran, Wray, Rodgers, Hatchett, etc.)..long story short, I expect a very good OL class. There are quite a few highly rated 5* guys that I think we have a solid chance on that you have to be excited about. I fully expect a home run class in 2020.

I would submit Wiltfong is speculating. Nobody at OSU told him that.

Having said that I would bet the vast majority of LDS kids who matriculate to tier 1 FB programs push off the mission until after school.

Unlike those who choose BYU or Utah.

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Running Back, Linebacker
Dalls (GA) Paulding County

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 210 lbs
Class: 2021 (high school)

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Big Ten Power Rankings: White-hot Purdue moves to top of list
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

For the third time in as many weeks, there's a new No. 1 in my Big Ten Power Rankings, presented by ArcelorMittal. This week, it's white-hot Purdue, winner of seven straight, taking the place of Michigan, now No. 2.

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