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LGHL Ohio State honoring Kelsey Mitchell during Monday’s top-10 matchup with Iowa
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Ohio State honoring Kelsey Mitchell during Monday’s top-10 matchup with Iowa
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The former Ohio State women’s basketball star on being honored, the current undefeated run and respecting the game
There’s a lot going on Monday night at the Schottenstein Center, on the Ohio State University’s campus. The No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomes the No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes for a conference battle in front of close to a sellout crowd. Adding to an already high level of excitement is the return of a former Buckeye great, current WNBA player Kelsey Mitchell.
Mitchell brought her basketball craft to the Buckeyes from 2014-2018, earning a long list of accolades. The guard won the 2015 Big Ten Freshman and Player of the Year. In four years, Mitchell earned a 2016 First Team All-American spot and three Second Team All-American places.
A look into the program’s history book is littered with Mitchell’s name. The guard leads Ohio State women’s basketball in games played (139), starting every single one without missing a contest. Mitchell’s 3,402 points are first overall for any Buckeye and second in the history of NCAA women’s basketball. Her 24.5 points per game haven’t been matched by anyone on the Scarlet & Gray either.
Monday night is Mitchell’s return to the women’s basketball team since becoming the first No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick from Ohio State, in 2018. The five years away doesn’t lessen the connection to the program.
“It’s kind of like a surreal feeling honestly,” said Mitchell. “I haven’t been there in a while because of my being a professional. It’s one of those ones where it's like ‘family is family’ and being a Buckeye and being able to have that fan base to support me, I’m just super grateful, to be honest.”
That support will be in full force Monday night. Monday afternoon, the program announced the game sold out all available tickets, making it the largest attended game this season. There are a few reasons for the added interest.
Mitchell’s attendance coincides with a visit from arguably the best player in the nation in Iowa guard Caitlyn Clark facing an undefeated Ohio State team. The Buckeyes sit atop one of the toughest conferences in the country and are one win away from tying a program-high 20-game winning streak. Achieved twice but not since the 2005-06 season, when most players on the current team were barely in kindergarten.
Although Mitchell’s trip was shortened slightly due to snow that hit the Midwest over the weekend, the guard will have a chance to talk with the team before Monday’s game. The current WNBA star isn’t planning on giving advice for the game, but supporting the Buckeyes who already possess the intangibles that’ve helped them come back in five games from down double-digits.
“Being undefeated period, it doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Mitchell. “The biggest part I'm proud of is how they’re handling it all. Being one of those teams that haven’t lost and being able to still perform at a high level is just amazing. It just goes to show the work that they’ve obviously put in and just buying into the culture and the program.”
Although Mitchell is a name synonymous with Ohio State women’s basketball, her name and number aren’t going up into the rafters on Monday, according to a team source. Mitchell is also visiting in partnership with the WNBA.
It’s a natural progression from supporting collegiate players while they’re at school and moving into the professional ranks, but there’s still room to grow the relationship. Mitchell’s one of a few players the league is working with to help spread the growth of a game that’s already hitting new levels of viewership and support.
National games for the United States’ top women’s professional league grew 22% from 2021 to 2022. The WNBA app, where fans can sign-up for the WNBA League Pass, increased subscriptions by 10% last season, and merchandise sales across the league jumped 50%. There’s still plenty of room to grow, and Mitchell knows about the product well.
Although Mitchell hasn’t been selected as an All-Star in her five seasons, which is a snub in the opinion of Land-Grant Holy Land, the guard’s been near the top of the league in scoring for a team regularly near the bottom of the standings, although that’s changing.
The Indiana Fever brought in a large group of rookie talent last season and this year holds the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft for the first time ever.
“The future is bright for where women’s basketball is headed and if you haven’t been watching, you better start because it's going to be a switch that gets flipped for the game of women’s basketball,” said Mitchell. “There’s a lot of talent in the league and I think you get into that whole thing about men or women and I think it's less about the gender and more about the quality of basketball and I think the women’s side of things plays it well.”
It’s also about respecting the game, which Mitchell stresses the WNBA does in its own unique way. It’s a similar battle the Buckeyes have been on this season.
Although they won the conference co-championship last season, attendance was the lowest in the then nine-season tenure of head coach Kevin McGuff. Sure, COVID-19 played a part but teams across the country saw increases that stretched numbers from pre-COVID years.
Respect is finally coming Ohio State’s way, after going 19-0 to start the season.
Time will tell how Monday’s game plays out, but Mitchell’s fight from college to the pros echoes the play of the Buckeyes this season. It’s an appropriate time to honor someone so pivotal to the success of Ohio State’s program.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The former Ohio State women’s basketball star on being honored, the current undefeated run and respecting the game
There’s a lot going on Monday night at the Schottenstein Center, on the Ohio State University’s campus. The No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomes the No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes for a conference battle in front of close to a sellout crowd. Adding to an already high level of excitement is the return of a former Buckeye great, current WNBA player Kelsey Mitchell.
Mitchell brought her basketball craft to the Buckeyes from 2014-2018, earning a long list of accolades. The guard won the 2015 Big Ten Freshman and Player of the Year. In four years, Mitchell earned a 2016 First Team All-American spot and three Second Team All-American places.
A look into the program’s history book is littered with Mitchell’s name. The guard leads Ohio State women’s basketball in games played (139), starting every single one without missing a contest. Mitchell’s 3,402 points are first overall for any Buckeye and second in the history of NCAA women’s basketball. Her 24.5 points per game haven’t been matched by anyone on the Scarlet & Gray either.
Monday night is Mitchell’s return to the women’s basketball team since becoming the first No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick from Ohio State, in 2018. The five years away doesn’t lessen the connection to the program.
“It’s kind of like a surreal feeling honestly,” said Mitchell. “I haven’t been there in a while because of my being a professional. It’s one of those ones where it's like ‘family is family’ and being a Buckeye and being able to have that fan base to support me, I’m just super grateful, to be honest.”
That support will be in full force Monday night. Monday afternoon, the program announced the game sold out all available tickets, making it the largest attended game this season. There are a few reasons for the added interest.
Mitchell’s attendance coincides with a visit from arguably the best player in the nation in Iowa guard Caitlyn Clark facing an undefeated Ohio State team. The Buckeyes sit atop one of the toughest conferences in the country and are one win away from tying a program-high 20-game winning streak. Achieved twice but not since the 2005-06 season, when most players on the current team were barely in kindergarten.
Although Mitchell’s trip was shortened slightly due to snow that hit the Midwest over the weekend, the guard will have a chance to talk with the team before Monday’s game. The current WNBA star isn’t planning on giving advice for the game, but supporting the Buckeyes who already possess the intangibles that’ve helped them come back in five games from down double-digits.
“Being undefeated period, it doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Mitchell. “The biggest part I'm proud of is how they’re handling it all. Being one of those teams that haven’t lost and being able to still perform at a high level is just amazing. It just goes to show the work that they’ve obviously put in and just buying into the culture and the program.”
Although Mitchell is a name synonymous with Ohio State women’s basketball, her name and number aren’t going up into the rafters on Monday, according to a team source. Mitchell is also visiting in partnership with the WNBA.
It’s a natural progression from supporting collegiate players while they’re at school and moving into the professional ranks, but there’s still room to grow the relationship. Mitchell’s one of a few players the league is working with to help spread the growth of a game that’s already hitting new levels of viewership and support.
National games for the United States’ top women’s professional league grew 22% from 2021 to 2022. The WNBA app, where fans can sign-up for the WNBA League Pass, increased subscriptions by 10% last season, and merchandise sales across the league jumped 50%. There’s still plenty of room to grow, and Mitchell knows about the product well.
Although Mitchell hasn’t been selected as an All-Star in her five seasons, which is a snub in the opinion of Land-Grant Holy Land, the guard’s been near the top of the league in scoring for a team regularly near the bottom of the standings, although that’s changing.
The Indiana Fever brought in a large group of rookie talent last season and this year holds the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft for the first time ever.
“The future is bright for where women’s basketball is headed and if you haven’t been watching, you better start because it's going to be a switch that gets flipped for the game of women’s basketball,” said Mitchell. “There’s a lot of talent in the league and I think you get into that whole thing about men or women and I think it's less about the gender and more about the quality of basketball and I think the women’s side of things plays it well.”
It’s also about respecting the game, which Mitchell stresses the WNBA does in its own unique way. It’s a similar battle the Buckeyes have been on this season.
Although they won the conference co-championship last season, attendance was the lowest in the then nine-season tenure of head coach Kevin McGuff. Sure, COVID-19 played a part but teams across the country saw increases that stretched numbers from pre-COVID years.
Respect is finally coming Ohio State’s way, after going 19-0 to start the season.
Time will tell how Monday’s game plays out, but Mitchell’s fight from college to the pros echoes the play of the Buckeyes this season. It’s an appropriate time to honor someone so pivotal to the success of Ohio State’s program.
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: My way-too-early expectations for each Ohio State football position group in 2023
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- 0 Replies
Column: My way-too-early expectations for each Ohio State football position group in 2023
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the portal closed and draft-eligible players declared, it is time to start establishing the expectations for the 2023 football roster
The NCAA Transfer portal has closed and the NFL Draft Declaration Deadline has passed meaning Ohio State’s roster for the Spring is complete. As the Buckeyes begin their offseason and prepare for Spring Practice, expectations for what to expect in 2023 are fair game.
With the turnover on the roster now settled for the next few months, the place to start is looking at each group. The Buckeyes have significant holes to fill at quarterback, on the offensive line, and the depth across the defensive line. This, combined with players who are expected to increase their roles this year, leads to a need to project quite a bit about what 2023 will have in store.
Ohio State’s expectations as a team are no different, with mounting pressure on the head coach Ryan Day, getting it right with key decisions this year is a necessity. Day has already made a significant move in the promotion of Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator, and putting more trust into Keenan Bailey with his promotion to a full-time coach in his role of tight end coach. Defensively, Buckeye fans expect another big jump in year two under Jim Knowles as the defensive coordinator. Key returnees should aid in that, but the depth remains a large question for Knowles.
The challenge of maintaining the success the Buckeyes had on both sides of the ball should not be taken for granted, but expectations are high with questions for other talented teams all over the country. Each position group will need to elevate its level, and the newcomers to the lineup will be asked to fill some big shoes.
Starting on offense the questions start in two places, but each group brings back huge questions.
The quarterback at Ohio State will be decided by a competition for the first time since C.J. Stroud beat out Kyle McCord and Jack Miller. McCord won the backup job and that gives him an early leg up on second-year signal caller Devin Brown. Whoever wins the job is following in the footsteps of one of the most prolific passers in school history, and will be expected to continue the lineage of successful quarterbacks Coach Day has built.
Looking at the numbers, the last three quarterbacks have had an 11-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio and completed just under 70 percent of their throws. That is an absurd standard to uphold, but the precedent is there for first-year starting success. Whether it’s McCord or Brown who inherits the room, there will be no room for drop-off.
Justin Fields made the playoff in his first year as a starter, and Dwayne Haskins Jr. and Stroud both won Rose Bowls. With the returners at receiver and running back, the expectation is having a Fields-like season in terms of team success. Beat the rival – I know it’s not just on the quarterback – and make the playoff while putting up monster stats. That being said, there will be immense pressure on the next quarterback to maintain the level of play and that is the expectation.
This past season Ohio State’s running backs were great, the expectations for this group start with health. Lead back Treveyon Henderson injured his foot against Toledo playing through it at times, but not being the same leading to his season-ending surgery. His running mate Miyan Williams was banged up missing time with a variety of injuries, and before the season started Evan Pryor went down with a season-ending knee injury.
The health of the backfield did not lead to a drop-off in production as a unit as the team still ranked in the top 10 in yards per rush. But the lack of consistency led to a few remarkable rushing performances and impacted the consistency in some situational aspects including short yardage, but this year they will need to be reliable anchors for the offense.
With three new starters on the offensive line, there will need to be patience from this unit which might need to make some success early in the year as the offensive line gets comfortable. They will also be tasked with taking weight off the shoulders of the fresh quarterback.
If they can’t keep their health the offense will be putting a lot of pressure on the rest of the offense like this past season. Stroud was able to keep the offense on schedule and cover up the holes the lack of a consistent running game left at times. The team won’t have this luxury this year, so the pressure is on this group to elevate their level of play and for the fanbase to knock on wood when it comes to the health of this unit.
This is where the expectations raise, we saw what Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson were able to accomplish in their second year as the room leaders. Enter projected first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and leader in receptions Emeka Egbuka. Both of whom are roommates of Kyle McCord and will also carry the same responsibility Olave and Wilson had with Stroud.
Statistically, there is not much more you can ask from this unit, but consistency from Egbuka and Fleming will tell the story of how elite this group can be. They both flashed moments of elite potential, but when the pressure increased in the key moments of the College Football Playoff game against Georgia after Harrison Jr. left the game, they showed there was still a ways to go.
In all three of their second years as starters, there should be a step up from each even with a new quarterback, and this group will come into the year with arguments for the best receiver room in the country. A significant reason for this is the notable talent behind the starting three. Jayden Ballard will be looking for increased play time, Xavier Johnson provides a wildcard to the rotation, and the receivers from the 2022 class will need to separate if they want to hold the grasp on the next-up label from the incoming freshmen.
Will the increased responsibility for Brian Hartline affect the performance of this room and the development of the group? Probably not, but that is a real question. From an expectation standpoint, this is arguably the one that has the most to live up to compared to last year.
The talent in the room should make this possible, and the names themselves should make everyone around the program extremely excited.
This room is the biggest question mark on the entire team, replacing three offensive line starters is never an easy task. Even with the headline-grabbing quarterback battle, none of that will matter if this group can’t play at a high level.
In year two offensive line coach Justin Frye is replacing a first-round pick at left tackle, a consistent starter at right tackle, and a center who was steady at the positions. Now it is probably unfair to have the same expectations for this offensive line compared to last season. If the Buckeyes don’t get this right though, every other offensive position will be affected.
Ohio State missed on their two main offensive line targets in the portal in Jarret Kingston from Washington State and Ajani Cornelius from Rhode Island. This means the staff will be relying on Josh Fryar and Zen Michalski who has limited snaps in his career. On the interior, the Buckeyes landed a commitment from Victor Cutler from Louisiana-Monroe. The transfer said he will likely practice at center if he can provide the consistency of Wypler, the drop-off with returning starters Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones should be minimal.
Pass-protection will be important, but improving in power run situations as well as on key downs will be where the success of this room is measured. The Buckeyes ranked 117th in Power Success Rate according to footballoutsiders.com and ranked in the top 20 in both sack rate statistics. This line won’t have the same level of top-end talent on the outside, but that doesn’t mean the unit can not collectively improve.
If this line can meet in between the all-tackle atrocity from two years ago and last year, I think that would be a fair level of play to expect.
Ohio State has finally moved on from some of the older names in the room in Zach Harrison, Taron Vincent, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste. These players all had moments where they flashed their immense potential, but to most of the fanbase, a fresh start is needed.
The Buckeyes return J.T. Tuimoloau who had one of the most dominant defensive performances in history and Jack Sawyer who came on in the second half of the year. Both players will have high expectations and will be the tone-setters for the defense in passing situations. Last year, Sawyer led the way in the sack category with 4.5. This is not the production that is expected from edge rushers at Ohio State.
Moving to the interior, Mike Hall Jr. played a pivotal role early in the season and had an incredible opener against Notre Dame. Consistency was hard to come by with the injuries he battled and limited snap counts in some games. Tyliek Williams was similar in the lack of consistency but took a minor step back this past season in year one with Knowles.
The depth here is the biggest question, and for the first time in a while, the depth should be young. Outside of that, the key contributors should be expected to take a step forward this season in their second year in Knowles’ scheme.
This group will have the highest expectations on the defensive side of the ball with the return of both starters in second-team All-American Tommy Eichenberg and Steel Chambers. Eichenberg should be a favorite in each defensive award category he is eligible for, and should be a consensus preseason All-American following his 100-tackle season.
Chambers will now be in his third season at the position and will have his second full offseason in the role. With the importance of linebacker play under Knowles and the responsibilities in the group, there will be a lot asked of the two returnees. They will need to be elite against the run, better in their blitz game, and reliable in pass coverage.
Behind them is Cody Simon who will be competing for additional snaps and the role of the third linebacker in some personnel sets. Pressure will be on him with Ohio State fans chomping at the bit for second-year backer C.J. Hicks. I don’t expect Hicks’ role to grow that much given how Knowles prefers to play his two guys the predominant amount of snaps.
This group has the most to gain in year two in with Knowles, so they will be expected to take a huge step forward and lead the way in 2023.
Lathan Ransom and Josh Proctor both announced they are returning this season which should answer immediate questions about depth. Ohio State lost Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McAlister to the draft but added Ja’Had Carter from Syracuse to round out the more experienced players in the room.
Sonny Styles highlights the names looking to take steps forward this year in playing time. In the 2022 season Styles was supposed to be a high school senior, but re-classified to come a year early. He carved out a role against bigger teams and was a key addition to personnel packages against 12-personnel. Cam Martinez saw more play time last season but fell out of favor with some crucial mistakes. With limited experience on defense prior to Ohio State, he can take huge steps with another year under his belt.
The last name here to me is Kye Stokes, a rangy safety prospect from Florida who flashed immense potential in the Spring Game. His play time was limited due to the consistency and reliability of Ronnie Hickman, but his skillset is the most electric Ohio State has had on the back end in some time. Filling out the three positions should not be a challenge for the coaching staff, but increasing the level of play might be with so many of the same faces returning.
This group will have a mix of new and old faces, but the expectation will be to not have a three-game collapse giving up more than 1,000 yards passing. Many key plays fell on the safeties making mistakes. This year those mistakes can’t happen, and the whole defense can take steps forward if the errors are limited.
This is the last group we’re talking about, but the expectations here are high every year. Now that the talent is back to the standard in the room, there is no reason the Buckeyes should not return to their B.I.A mantra.
Denzel Burke improved his play in the second half of the season and that correlated with him getting healthier. He still did not match the level of play he showed throughout his freshman year, but showed at times he can still play at that level. The other starter Cam Brown has aged out and decided to move on with his career and J.K. Johnson decided to transfer after being the main backup in 2022.
This leaves the second corner position wide open for a list of five players. Jordan Hancock looks the part physically but has battled injuries the last two seasons limiting his experience and effectiveness. Bringing in two ultra-talented freshmen in Jermaine Mathews and Calvin Simpson-Hunt should add to the iron sharpens iron aspect Ohio State strives for.
Overall, the talent is there for this group to raise their level of play, but health played a significant part in this group not living up to expectations. Tim Walton’s name has been thrown to the wolves already, so now it is time for him to right the ship with his room in 2023. If this group can perform to the highest expectations, the defense will be one of the best in the country.
The Buckeyes have a lot of questions heading into the offseason, but expectations for this team should not change. Ohio State was a field goal away from playing for a national championship game and seeing how it turned out, probably winning one. That is why even with a new quarterback and multiple offensive linemen, the expectations for Ohio State will be national championship or bust once again.
When Ryan Day talks about the program, he talks about living up to the standard. What that means for each group is different, but when it all comes together that means beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten Championship, and winning a national championship. Anything short of the standard from any position group on the field means the Buckeyes probably fell short of their goals again.
With a mix of new faces, health questions, and a tough schedule, the Buckeyes will have little time for growing pains. My expectations for Ohio State football are no different from last year, and each group has the talent to get over the recent hump.
As winter workouts approach, we’ll get our first indication of what should be expected of the Buckeyes in 2023.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the portal closed and draft-eligible players declared, it is time to start establishing the expectations for the 2023 football roster
The NCAA Transfer portal has closed and the NFL Draft Declaration Deadline has passed meaning Ohio State’s roster for the Spring is complete. As the Buckeyes begin their offseason and prepare for Spring Practice, expectations for what to expect in 2023 are fair game.
With the turnover on the roster now settled for the next few months, the place to start is looking at each group. The Buckeyes have significant holes to fill at quarterback, on the offensive line, and the depth across the defensive line. This, combined with players who are expected to increase their roles this year, leads to a need to project quite a bit about what 2023 will have in store.
Ohio State’s expectations as a team are no different, with mounting pressure on the head coach Ryan Day, getting it right with key decisions this year is a necessity. Day has already made a significant move in the promotion of Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator, and putting more trust into Keenan Bailey with his promotion to a full-time coach in his role of tight end coach. Defensively, Buckeye fans expect another big jump in year two under Jim Knowles as the defensive coordinator. Key returnees should aid in that, but the depth remains a large question for Knowles.
The challenge of maintaining the success the Buckeyes had on both sides of the ball should not be taken for granted, but expectations are high with questions for other talented teams all over the country. Each position group will need to elevate its level, and the newcomers to the lineup will be asked to fill some big shoes.
Starting on offense the questions start in two places, but each group brings back huge questions.
Quarterback
The quarterback at Ohio State will be decided by a competition for the first time since C.J. Stroud beat out Kyle McCord and Jack Miller. McCord won the backup job and that gives him an early leg up on second-year signal caller Devin Brown. Whoever wins the job is following in the footsteps of one of the most prolific passers in school history, and will be expected to continue the lineage of successful quarterbacks Coach Day has built.
Looking at the numbers, the last three quarterbacks have had an 11-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio and completed just under 70 percent of their throws. That is an absurd standard to uphold, but the precedent is there for first-year starting success. Whether it’s McCord or Brown who inherits the room, there will be no room for drop-off.
Justin Fields made the playoff in his first year as a starter, and Dwayne Haskins Jr. and Stroud both won Rose Bowls. With the returners at receiver and running back, the expectation is having a Fields-like season in terms of team success. Beat the rival – I know it’s not just on the quarterback – and make the playoff while putting up monster stats. That being said, there will be immense pressure on the next quarterback to maintain the level of play and that is the expectation.
Running Back
This past season Ohio State’s running backs were great, the expectations for this group start with health. Lead back Treveyon Henderson injured his foot against Toledo playing through it at times, but not being the same leading to his season-ending surgery. His running mate Miyan Williams was banged up missing time with a variety of injuries, and before the season started Evan Pryor went down with a season-ending knee injury.
The health of the backfield did not lead to a drop-off in production as a unit as the team still ranked in the top 10 in yards per rush. But the lack of consistency led to a few remarkable rushing performances and impacted the consistency in some situational aspects including short yardage, but this year they will need to be reliable anchors for the offense.
With three new starters on the offensive line, there will need to be patience from this unit which might need to make some success early in the year as the offensive line gets comfortable. They will also be tasked with taking weight off the shoulders of the fresh quarterback.
If they can’t keep their health the offense will be putting a lot of pressure on the rest of the offense like this past season. Stroud was able to keep the offense on schedule and cover up the holes the lack of a consistent running game left at times. The team won’t have this luxury this year, so the pressure is on this group to elevate their level of play and for the fanbase to knock on wood when it comes to the health of this unit.
Receiver
This is where the expectations raise, we saw what Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson were able to accomplish in their second year as the room leaders. Enter projected first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and leader in receptions Emeka Egbuka. Both of whom are roommates of Kyle McCord and will also carry the same responsibility Olave and Wilson had with Stroud.
Statistically, there is not much more you can ask from this unit, but consistency from Egbuka and Fleming will tell the story of how elite this group can be. They both flashed moments of elite potential, but when the pressure increased in the key moments of the College Football Playoff game against Georgia after Harrison Jr. left the game, they showed there was still a ways to go.
In all three of their second years as starters, there should be a step up from each even with a new quarterback, and this group will come into the year with arguments for the best receiver room in the country. A significant reason for this is the notable talent behind the starting three. Jayden Ballard will be looking for increased play time, Xavier Johnson provides a wildcard to the rotation, and the receivers from the 2022 class will need to separate if they want to hold the grasp on the next-up label from the incoming freshmen.
Will the increased responsibility for Brian Hartline affect the performance of this room and the development of the group? Probably not, but that is a real question. From an expectation standpoint, this is arguably the one that has the most to live up to compared to last year.
The talent in the room should make this possible, and the names themselves should make everyone around the program extremely excited.
Offensive Line
This room is the biggest question mark on the entire team, replacing three offensive line starters is never an easy task. Even with the headline-grabbing quarterback battle, none of that will matter if this group can’t play at a high level.
In year two offensive line coach Justin Frye is replacing a first-round pick at left tackle, a consistent starter at right tackle, and a center who was steady at the positions. Now it is probably unfair to have the same expectations for this offensive line compared to last season. If the Buckeyes don’t get this right though, every other offensive position will be affected.
Ohio State missed on their two main offensive line targets in the portal in Jarret Kingston from Washington State and Ajani Cornelius from Rhode Island. This means the staff will be relying on Josh Fryar and Zen Michalski who has limited snaps in his career. On the interior, the Buckeyes landed a commitment from Victor Cutler from Louisiana-Monroe. The transfer said he will likely practice at center if he can provide the consistency of Wypler, the drop-off with returning starters Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones should be minimal.
Pass-protection will be important, but improving in power run situations as well as on key downs will be where the success of this room is measured. The Buckeyes ranked 117th in Power Success Rate according to footballoutsiders.com and ranked in the top 20 in both sack rate statistics. This line won’t have the same level of top-end talent on the outside, but that doesn’t mean the unit can not collectively improve.
If this line can meet in between the all-tackle atrocity from two years ago and last year, I think that would be a fair level of play to expect.
Defensive Line
Ohio State has finally moved on from some of the older names in the room in Zach Harrison, Taron Vincent, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste. These players all had moments where they flashed their immense potential, but to most of the fanbase, a fresh start is needed.
The Buckeyes return J.T. Tuimoloau who had one of the most dominant defensive performances in history and Jack Sawyer who came on in the second half of the year. Both players will have high expectations and will be the tone-setters for the defense in passing situations. Last year, Sawyer led the way in the sack category with 4.5. This is not the production that is expected from edge rushers at Ohio State.
Moving to the interior, Mike Hall Jr. played a pivotal role early in the season and had an incredible opener against Notre Dame. Consistency was hard to come by with the injuries he battled and limited snap counts in some games. Tyliek Williams was similar in the lack of consistency but took a minor step back this past season in year one with Knowles.
The depth here is the biggest question, and for the first time in a while, the depth should be young. Outside of that, the key contributors should be expected to take a step forward this season in their second year in Knowles’ scheme.
Linebackers
This group will have the highest expectations on the defensive side of the ball with the return of both starters in second-team All-American Tommy Eichenberg and Steel Chambers. Eichenberg should be a favorite in each defensive award category he is eligible for, and should be a consensus preseason All-American following his 100-tackle season.
Chambers will now be in his third season at the position and will have his second full offseason in the role. With the importance of linebacker play under Knowles and the responsibilities in the group, there will be a lot asked of the two returnees. They will need to be elite against the run, better in their blitz game, and reliable in pass coverage.
Behind them is Cody Simon who will be competing for additional snaps and the role of the third linebacker in some personnel sets. Pressure will be on him with Ohio State fans chomping at the bit for second-year backer C.J. Hicks. I don’t expect Hicks’ role to grow that much given how Knowles prefers to play his two guys the predominant amount of snaps.
This group has the most to gain in year two in with Knowles, so they will be expected to take a huge step forward and lead the way in 2023.
Safety
Lathan Ransom and Josh Proctor both announced they are returning this season which should answer immediate questions about depth. Ohio State lost Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McAlister to the draft but added Ja’Had Carter from Syracuse to round out the more experienced players in the room.
Sonny Styles highlights the names looking to take steps forward this year in playing time. In the 2022 season Styles was supposed to be a high school senior, but re-classified to come a year early. He carved out a role against bigger teams and was a key addition to personnel packages against 12-personnel. Cam Martinez saw more play time last season but fell out of favor with some crucial mistakes. With limited experience on defense prior to Ohio State, he can take huge steps with another year under his belt.
The last name here to me is Kye Stokes, a rangy safety prospect from Florida who flashed immense potential in the Spring Game. His play time was limited due to the consistency and reliability of Ronnie Hickman, but his skillset is the most electric Ohio State has had on the back end in some time. Filling out the three positions should not be a challenge for the coaching staff, but increasing the level of play might be with so many of the same faces returning.
This group will have a mix of new and old faces, but the expectation will be to not have a three-game collapse giving up more than 1,000 yards passing. Many key plays fell on the safeties making mistakes. This year those mistakes can’t happen, and the whole defense can take steps forward if the errors are limited.
Corner
This is the last group we’re talking about, but the expectations here are high every year. Now that the talent is back to the standard in the room, there is no reason the Buckeyes should not return to their B.I.A mantra.
Denzel Burke improved his play in the second half of the season and that correlated with him getting healthier. He still did not match the level of play he showed throughout his freshman year, but showed at times he can still play at that level. The other starter Cam Brown has aged out and decided to move on with his career and J.K. Johnson decided to transfer after being the main backup in 2022.
This leaves the second corner position wide open for a list of five players. Jordan Hancock looks the part physically but has battled injuries the last two seasons limiting his experience and effectiveness. Bringing in two ultra-talented freshmen in Jermaine Mathews and Calvin Simpson-Hunt should add to the iron sharpens iron aspect Ohio State strives for.
Overall, the talent is there for this group to raise their level of play, but health played a significant part in this group not living up to expectations. Tim Walton’s name has been thrown to the wolves already, so now it is time for him to right the ship with his room in 2023. If this group can perform to the highest expectations, the defense will be one of the best in the country.
The Buckeyes have a lot of questions heading into the offseason, but expectations for this team should not change. Ohio State was a field goal away from playing for a national championship game and seeing how it turned out, probably winning one. That is why even with a new quarterback and multiple offensive linemen, the expectations for Ohio State will be national championship or bust once again.
When Ryan Day talks about the program, he talks about living up to the standard. What that means for each group is different, but when it all comes together that means beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten Championship, and winning a national championship. Anything short of the standard from any position group on the field means the Buckeyes probably fell short of their goals again.
With a mix of new faces, health questions, and a tough schedule, the Buckeyes will have little time for growing pains. My expectations for Ohio State football are no different from last year, and each group has the talent to get over the recent hump.
As winter workouts approach, we’ll get our first indication of what should be expected of the Buckeyes in 2023.
Continue reading...
LGHL We’ll talk about this later: 17 years since Kobe dropped 81
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We’ll talk about this later: 17 years since Kobe dropped 81
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.
Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?
For this week’s edition of WTATL, we’re highlighting something we’re actually talking about later because it’s been 16 years to the day since Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in just 42 minutes on the court. That anniversary coincides with a much more sobering one when we remember Bryant died three years ago this week.
A day after Ohio State men’s hoops finally broke its dry spell and dropped 93 points on Iowa (and Chris Holtmann was more hyped than we’ve ever seen him), it’s somewhat grounding to remember just what a dominant athlete Bryant was during his time in the NBA. Even the Buckeyes as a team have only broken the 80-point mark nine times this season, and they’re one of the top offenses in the Big Ten.
The Ohio State women’s team, meanwhile, has broken 80 in 16-of-19 games so far this season, with just three individual performances of at least 30 points.
By comparison:
The NBA stat is an impressive one because, even as the game has changed to favor high-scoring players like Steph Curry, those kinds of points just haven’t been seen. Even Curry, the most prolific three-point shooter and offensive power of the modern NBA, has never scored more than 62 points. LeBron’s highest scoring game was 61 points.
As we remember one of the greats this week, here’s the compilation of all his field goals in that historic game.
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.
Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?
For this week’s edition of WTATL, we’re highlighting something we’re actually talking about later because it’s been 16 years to the day since Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in just 42 minutes on the court. That anniversary coincides with a much more sobering one when we remember Bryant died three years ago this week.
A day after Ohio State men’s hoops finally broke its dry spell and dropped 93 points on Iowa (and Chris Holtmann was more hyped than we’ve ever seen him), it’s somewhat grounding to remember just what a dominant athlete Bryant was during his time in the NBA. Even the Buckeyes as a team have only broken the 80-point mark nine times this season, and they’re one of the top offenses in the Big Ten.
The Ohio State women’s team, meanwhile, has broken 80 in 16-of-19 games so far this season, with just three individual performances of at least 30 points.
By comparison:
- Only one other NBA player has ever broken the 80-point mark. Wilt Chamberlain dropped 100 on March 2, 1962 against the Philadelphia Warriors.
- Currently, just 37 men’s and women’s teams in Division I are averaging more points per game than Kobe did in that historic game. Granted, college games are eight minutes shorter than NBA games.
- The Division I single-game scoring record is 72 points, scored by Kevin Bradshaw for Alliant International University against Loyola Marymount in 1991.
- The current NCAA (all division) scoring record came from Grinnell’s Jack Taylor in 2012 when he put up 138 points in Grinnell’s 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist Bible College. Because Grinnell almost exclusively shoots three-pointers while playing at a frenetic pace.
The NBA stat is an impressive one because, even as the game has changed to favor high-scoring players like Steph Curry, those kinds of points just haven’t been seen. Even Curry, the most prolific three-point shooter and offensive power of the modern NBA, has never scored more than 62 points. LeBron’s highest scoring game was 61 points.
As we remember one of the greats this week, here’s the compilation of all his field goals in that historic game.
Continue reading...
2024 OH CB Terhyon Nichols (Kentucky Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 29 Replies
LGHL Four-star combo guard with a famous father names Ohio State as finalist
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- 0 Replies
Four-star combo guard with a famous father names Ohio State as finalist
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Bronny James | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are very much a player in the recruitment of a highly sought after prospect that’s father plays at the highest level.
While it’s usually the football Buckeyes that make the headlines in the recruiting world, it was Chris Holtmann and the hoops program who was on the receiving end of some potential program-altering news this weekend. Not to be forgotten, Ryan Day also dished out a few new offers in recent days.
Unquestionably the brightest spot on the recruiting trail for Ohio State was when 2023 four-star combo guard Bronny James, son of LeBron James, of Sierra Canyon (CA) announced his top three that featured Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.
James is graded out as the No. 33 overall prospect in the class and would be a major pickup for Holtmannn and the Buckeyes with the ties that the program already has to his father. Not to be forgotten, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is also a highly-coveted prospect and a top-10 player at his position and in the state of California.
A pickup of Bronny would be a welcome addition to a 2023 recruiting class that already features three blue-chip prospects led by four-star combo guard Taison Chatman. The entire four-man haul, which could see another addition soon, currently slots in as the sixth-best class in the country.
Aside from the hoops news, Ohio State was very active in the pursuit of more talent on the gridiron. Ryan Day and the coaching staff dished out three new offers this weekend as 2024 four-star linebacker Payton Pierce of Lovejoy (TX), 2025 athlete Quincy Porter of Bergen Catholic (NJ), and 2025 athlete Jahmir Joseph of St. Joseph Regional (NJ).
The Buckeyes are a little late in their pursuit of Pierce, a top fifteen linebacker in the class, but there still is more than enough time to make a move. Ohio State will need to show some urgency in this recruitment if they want to be a viable option for the Lucas native. Pierce named a top ten of Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, and Texas A&M in December.
As for Porter and Joseph, you have a pair of prospects from the garden state that have caught their attention. Both are well on their way to being highly-coveted, national recruits. Porter already holds offers from Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, and more. As for Joseph, he has yet to eclipse the double-digit offer mark but he also has an offer from the Bulldogs and Nittany Lions to go with his latest scholarship opportunity from Ohio State.
Just 10 days ago, Ohio State rewarded 2024 three-star offensive tackles Deontae and Devontae Armstrong of St. Edward (OH) and Deontae didn’t hold back on Sunday when discussing the offer with Eleven Warriors. “I’d say definitely top three among Michigan and Penn State for sure,” Devontae revealed to Garrick Hodge.
According to Bill Kurelic of 247Sports, the Buckeyes sent head coach Ryan Day and quarterback coach Corey Dennis to North Carolina on Friday to check on five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis and five-star offensive tackle David Sanders of Providence Day School (NC). Sanders is the consensus top recruit in the cycle while the continued effort for Davis likely is an indicator of Ohio State still trying to find their signal-caller in the class after the departure of five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola of Chandler (AZ).
On Sunday morning, On3’s Chad Simmons reported that despite being committed to the Buckeyes, a trio of schools in specific are still in pursuit of five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith of Chaminade-Madonna Prep (FL). Simmons mentioned Florida, Georgia, and Miami (FL) as the three still with their sights set on Smith, who has been committed to Ohio State for over a month.
Continue reading...
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Bronny James | 247Sports
The Buckeyes are very much a player in the recruitment of a highly sought after prospect that’s father plays at the highest level.
While it’s usually the football Buckeyes that make the headlines in the recruiting world, it was Chris Holtmann and the hoops program who was on the receiving end of some potential program-altering news this weekend. Not to be forgotten, Ryan Day also dished out a few new offers in recent days.
James down to three
Unquestionably the brightest spot on the recruiting trail for Ohio State was when 2023 four-star combo guard Bronny James, son of LeBron James, of Sierra Canyon (CA) announced his top three that featured Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.
James is graded out as the No. 33 overall prospect in the class and would be a major pickup for Holtmannn and the Buckeyes with the ties that the program already has to his father. Not to be forgotten, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is also a highly-coveted prospect and a top-10 player at his position and in the state of California.
A pickup of Bronny would be a welcome addition to a 2023 recruiting class that already features three blue-chip prospects led by four-star combo guard Taison Chatman. The entire four-man haul, which could see another addition soon, currently slots in as the sixth-best class in the country.
Buckeyes hand out three new offers
Aside from the hoops news, Ohio State was very active in the pursuit of more talent on the gridiron. Ryan Day and the coaching staff dished out three new offers this weekend as 2024 four-star linebacker Payton Pierce of Lovejoy (TX), 2025 athlete Quincy Porter of Bergen Catholic (NJ), and 2025 athlete Jahmir Joseph of St. Joseph Regional (NJ).
The Buckeyes are a little late in their pursuit of Pierce, a top fifteen linebacker in the class, but there still is more than enough time to make a move. Ohio State will need to show some urgency in this recruitment if they want to be a viable option for the Lucas native. Pierce named a top ten of Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, and Texas A&M in December.
As for Porter and Joseph, you have a pair of prospects from the garden state that have caught their attention. Both are well on their way to being highly-coveted, national recruits. Porter already holds offers from Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, and more. As for Joseph, he has yet to eclipse the double-digit offer mark but he also has an offer from the Bulldogs and Nittany Lions to go with his latest scholarship opportunity from Ohio State.
Quick Hits
Just 10 days ago, Ohio State rewarded 2024 three-star offensive tackles Deontae and Devontae Armstrong of St. Edward (OH) and Deontae didn’t hold back on Sunday when discussing the offer with Eleven Warriors. “I’d say definitely top three among Michigan and Penn State for sure,” Devontae revealed to Garrick Hodge.
According to Bill Kurelic of 247Sports, the Buckeyes sent head coach Ryan Day and quarterback coach Corey Dennis to North Carolina on Friday to check on five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis and five-star offensive tackle David Sanders of Providence Day School (NC). Sanders is the consensus top recruit in the cycle while the continued effort for Davis likely is an indicator of Ohio State still trying to find their signal-caller in the class after the departure of five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola of Chandler (AZ).
On Sunday morning, On3’s Chad Simmons reported that despite being committed to the Buckeyes, a trio of schools in specific are still in pursuit of five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith of Chaminade-Madonna Prep (FL). Simmons mentioned Florida, Georgia, and Miami (FL) as the three still with their sights set on Smith, who has been committed to Ohio State for over a month.
Continue reading...
LGHL Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 23, 2023
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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 23, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Scheller/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!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Love to see this! I know some of the sections were blocked out, but still great to see.
Four Storylines: No. 2 Ohio State women vs. No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State’s 19-game win streak faces tough test against No. 10 Iowa
Bailey Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch
Visiting Locker Room: Catching up on Iowa women’s basketball before Monday’s clash
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Rejoice! The Ohio State men finally win a basketball game, toppling Iowa 93-77
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Prolific and efficient against Iowa, Brice Sensabaugh leads Buckeyes
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Isaac Likekele demonstrates why he came to Ohio State in Buckeyes’ win vs. Iowa
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Three Points as Buckeyes snap losing skid with convincing win vs. Iowa (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Zed Key’s late-game knee injury not believed to be long term
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
That clearly felt really good.
Analyzing impact of Josh Proctor returning to Buckeyes for final season (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Josh Proctor’s return, elite talent on the edge: Ten thoughts on the Buckeyes defense (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic
Mark my words, he’s still going to be very important this fall, whether he’s a starter or not.
Ohio State’s Offense Seeks Reliability from Tailbacks TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State football’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka have already made Big Ten history for 2023
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com
I’m not saying that the answer is no...
Seven former Buckeyes players advance to NFL conference championships
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
B1G Thoughts: Five offseason questions for Michigan
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land
Everything you need to know about 2023 Ohio State tennis
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Blast Illini 6-1, Move to 5-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Gymnastics: No. 10 Buckeyes Score 197.225 to Defeat No. 15 Iowa
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: No. 17 Buckeyes Open Year with Victory over No. 4 Oklahoma, 5-2
Ohio State Athletics
Between this and Skip’s tweet, it’s a really bad time to be on Shannon’s bad side.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Hardwood
Love to see this! I know some of the sections were blocked out, but still great to see.
Four Storylines: No. 2 Ohio State women vs. No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State’s 19-game win streak faces tough test against No. 10 Iowa
Bailey Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch
Visiting Locker Room: Catching up on Iowa women’s basketball before Monday’s clash
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Rejoice! The Ohio State men finally win a basketball game, toppling Iowa 93-77
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Prolific and efficient against Iowa, Brice Sensabaugh leads Buckeyes
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Isaac Likekele demonstrates why he came to Ohio State in Buckeyes’ win vs. Iowa
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Three Points as Buckeyes snap losing skid with convincing win vs. Iowa (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Zed Key’s late-game knee injury not believed to be long term
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
That clearly felt really good.
On the Gridiron
Analyzing impact of Josh Proctor returning to Buckeyes for final season (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Josh Proctor’s return, elite talent on the edge: Ten thoughts on the Buckeyes defense (paywall)
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic
Mark my words, he’s still going to be very important this fall, whether he’s a starter or not.
Ohio State’s Offense Seeks Reliability from Tailbacks TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State football’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka have already made Big Ten history for 2023
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com
I’m not saying that the answer is no...
Seven former Buckeyes players advance to NFL conference championships
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
B1G Thoughts: Five offseason questions for Michigan
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Everything you need to know about 2023 Ohio State tennis
Megan Husslein, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Blast Illini 6-1, Move to 5-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Gymnastics: No. 10 Buckeyes Score 197.225 to Defeat No. 15 Iowa
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: No. 17 Buckeyes Open Year with Victory over No. 4 Oklahoma, 5-2
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Between this and Skip’s tweet, it’s a really bad time to be on Shannon’s bad side.
Continue reading...
2027 OH RB Isaiah "Zeek" Garrett
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 10 Replies
247
Rivals
HUDL
On3
Class: 2027
School: Cincinnati (OH) Winton Woods
Position: Running Back
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 168lbs
Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HUDL
On3
Class: 2027
School: Cincinnati (OH) Winton Woods
Position: Running Back
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 168lbs
Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media
LGHL Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women vs. No. 10 Iowa
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Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women vs. No. 10 Iowa
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
The first ranked conference game of the 2023 calendar doesn’t get much bigger than the Iowa Hawkeyes
Monday begins what feels like a March Madness week for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. In a stretch of four days, head coach Kevin McGuff’s squad takes on both the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers. Both teams are dangerous, and both games give different dangers for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State can’t look past the first game, with the Hawkeyes entering the game as the No. 10 ranked team in the nation. There’s a lot of hype around this game — for good reason.
The only downside of Ohio State versus Iowa is that it doesn’t happen twice this regular season. Last season, these two teams scored 180 combined points, with the Buckeyes earning only their second win against a ranked opponent the entire regular season.
This game has all the makings of being even better than the first. Last year, it was guard Caitlin Clark and center Monika Czinano hurting the Buckeyes. Combined the two scored 66 of the Hawkeyes’ 88 points. On most nights, that’s more than enough to beat an opponent, but it was the rest of the Iowa roster who struggled.
Buckeyes guards Taylor Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon led Ohio State with 24 and 20 points respectively, but all seven members of the Scarlet & Gray who made it onto the court contributed. Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková shot 5-of-6 from three. Guard Rikki Harris had six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The visiting Buckeyes stole a 92-88 win over the then No. 21 team in the country. That win eventually became what secured Ohio State their regular season co-championship with the Hawkeyes.
Now in 2023, both teams return most of the same players who are now a year older, a year wiser and a year improved.
The Hawkeyes bring back all five starters from last year’s matchup, led by likely Naismith National Player of the Year finalist Clark. The Iowa native scored 43 on the Buckeyes last season, and has the ability to do it again this season.
For anyone joining the college basketball train as it rages down the tracks of the sports narrative, there’s no one else like Clark in the Big Ten, or maybe the country. Clark almost averages a triple-double in the 2022-23 season. In 19 games, the guard averages 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
These numbers slightly down in all three categories from last season. Even so, Clark doesn’t only hurt opponents through scoring. What makes her dangerous is the ability to grab defensive rebounds, get down the floor quickly and either find the open outlet or take the shot herself.
This play is the perfect example. While it wasn’t Clark getting the rebound, the first person to get it after the change in possession was the guard.
That was Wednesday against the Michigan State Spartans, but similar plays like this can be found anytime Clark is on the court. The Buckeyes will need to either make shots more efficiently, grab more offensive rebounds or make it hard for Clark to get the ball or move once she has it.
Of those three choices, the third is the most likely scenario. The Buckeyes are third in the conference with 48.5% shooting from the floor, but that means over half the shots Ohio State takes likely lands in the hands of the opponent. This season, Ohio State’s rebounding margin is at 0.1, improving it from in the negatives for most of the 2022-23 campaign.
There are players who can make rebounding and guarding Clark easier. Guard/forward Taylor Thierry is a good candidate for the job. The 6-foot playmaker is athletic, quick and has long arms. Thierry leads the Scarlet & Gray in rebounding with 56 of her 124 rebounds on the season coming on the offensive glass.
Needing that one-on-one attention, and possibly some double teams, is contingent on how well the full court press works. If Ohio State hits shots and can run their press to the level of competitive character called upon by coach McGuff, Clark could be slightly less effective.
When Clark does eventually find space, the guard has teammates who make her job easier. Mainly center Monika Czinano.
Below Clark in all team statistical categories is Czinano. The center is powerful inside the paint, grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game. Also, Czinano can score at a high level. This season, the center is shooting 65% from the floor with 17.9 points per game. Against those same Spartans, Czinano went a perfect 11-for-11 from the floor for 22 points.
Ohio State can partially neutralize Czinano with a strong defensive and shooting game from forward Mikulášiková. In the last two games, the Slovakian’s fared well against Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Alexis Markowski and Northwestern Wildcats’ Caileigh Walsh, holding them both below average rebounding and didn’t allow either to take over the game offensively.
Also, Czinano isn’t a deep threat like Mikulášiková. If the Buckeyes’ five hits her shots, especially from deep, it can pull Czinano out of the paint enough for someone like Mikesell, Thierry or forward Cotie McMahon to take over the open space.
Those two only scratch the surface for Iowa. Guards Kate Martin, Gabbie Williams and forward McKenna Warnock are all upperclassmen, with Martin a redshirt senior alongside the other two fourth year seniors. If any of the three can turn on a big game, it makes an already tough opponent for Ohio State that much more difficult.
For Ohio State, there’s a question hovering over the entire game plan: Is Sheldon going to play? The guard’s missed 14 of the Buckeyes 19 games this season with a foot injury. It began with Sheldon on a boot, then a boot with crutches, but against Northwestern she was free from both.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24378928/Carmen_Ohio__3_.jpg)
Ohio State University athletic department
Jacy Sheldon (center in a red shirt) without any medical equipment on her injured foot. Does that mean some minutes on the court could happen Monday?
Does that mean the guard can play even a few minutes, or is Sheldon’s return further away than expected? If Sheldon does play, how will she fit into the team initially after not playing a game since Nov. 30 in Louisville, Kentucky?
Sheldon or no Sheldon, Ohio State’s saying the right things about being ready and focusing on just the next game.
With the anticipated crowd — more on that later — and the talent level of both of these teams, no ending would be surprising. The Buckeyes can score at will and the Hawkeyes’ defense is outscoring the opponent.
With that said, the Hawkeyes are a veteran team, just like the Buckeyes, but the same full court press might not be as effective against Iowa like other teams. They aren’t like the Tennessee Volunteers who started two transfers to tip off the season or the Illinois Fighting Illini who went through a total offseason revamp.
The Hawkeyes are one of a few teams who might be able to take the punches the Buckeyes throw their way.
This game is going to be close. Both teams will hit their shots, but its about limiting Clark as much as possible and not letting her teammates hurt you too. Ohio State will keep some shooters at bay but Czinano will have a strong night.
Maybe a close to sold out Schottenstein Center can tip the scales?
Date: Monday, Jan. 23, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN app
Monday’s game looks like it’ll give the Buckeyes a deservedly large home crowd. As of Sunday night, 24 hours before the game tips, there aren’t many tickets left at all.
All season the program’s invested more into marketing for the team and it’s been paying dividends. After a McGuff tenure-low 3,274 per game last year, this season that average is 5,012 before Monday’s game and future home games against ranked Maryland Terrapins and Indiana Hoosiers.
Part of that is of course having a top team in the nation, but they’ve also been inventive with some of their giveaways. The Buckeyes gave away championship shirts honoring last season’s Big Ten regular season co-championship against Purdue. On Jan. 29, they’re giving away socks, and Monday the first 2,000 get dub chain shirts, an honor bestowed upon a player after each Ohio State win.
The Buckeyes and the packed Schottenstein Center are hoping a player gets a dub chain too and not just the fans.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
The first ranked conference game of the 2023 calendar doesn’t get much bigger than the Iowa Hawkeyes
Monday begins what feels like a March Madness week for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. In a stretch of four days, head coach Kevin McGuff’s squad takes on both the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers. Both teams are dangerous, and both games give different dangers for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State can’t look past the first game, with the Hawkeyes entering the game as the No. 10 ranked team in the nation. There’s a lot of hype around this game — for good reason.
Preview
The only downside of Ohio State versus Iowa is that it doesn’t happen twice this regular season. Last season, these two teams scored 180 combined points, with the Buckeyes earning only their second win against a ranked opponent the entire regular season.
This game has all the makings of being even better than the first. Last year, it was guard Caitlin Clark and center Monika Czinano hurting the Buckeyes. Combined the two scored 66 of the Hawkeyes’ 88 points. On most nights, that’s more than enough to beat an opponent, but it was the rest of the Iowa roster who struggled.
Buckeyes guards Taylor Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon led Ohio State with 24 and 20 points respectively, but all seven members of the Scarlet & Gray who made it onto the court contributed. Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková shot 5-of-6 from three. Guard Rikki Harris had six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The visiting Buckeyes stole a 92-88 win over the then No. 21 team in the country. That win eventually became what secured Ohio State their regular season co-championship with the Hawkeyes.
Now in 2023, both teams return most of the same players who are now a year older, a year wiser and a year improved.
The Hawkeyes bring back all five starters from last year’s matchup, led by likely Naismith National Player of the Year finalist Clark. The Iowa native scored 43 on the Buckeyes last season, and has the ability to do it again this season.
For anyone joining the college basketball train as it rages down the tracks of the sports narrative, there’s no one else like Clark in the Big Ten, or maybe the country. Clark almost averages a triple-double in the 2022-23 season. In 19 games, the guard averages 26.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
These numbers slightly down in all three categories from last season. Even so, Clark doesn’t only hurt opponents through scoring. What makes her dangerous is the ability to grab defensive rebounds, get down the floor quickly and either find the open outlet or take the shot herself.
This play is the perfect example. While it wasn’t Clark getting the rebound, the first person to get it after the change in possession was the guard.
.@CaitlinClark22@sydneyaffolter1 pic.twitter.com/mTE1nfzV2X
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) January 19, 2023
That was Wednesday against the Michigan State Spartans, but similar plays like this can be found anytime Clark is on the court. The Buckeyes will need to either make shots more efficiently, grab more offensive rebounds or make it hard for Clark to get the ball or move once she has it.
Of those three choices, the third is the most likely scenario. The Buckeyes are third in the conference with 48.5% shooting from the floor, but that means over half the shots Ohio State takes likely lands in the hands of the opponent. This season, Ohio State’s rebounding margin is at 0.1, improving it from in the negatives for most of the 2022-23 campaign.
There are players who can make rebounding and guarding Clark easier. Guard/forward Taylor Thierry is a good candidate for the job. The 6-foot playmaker is athletic, quick and has long arms. Thierry leads the Scarlet & Gray in rebounding with 56 of her 124 rebounds on the season coming on the offensive glass.
Needing that one-on-one attention, and possibly some double teams, is contingent on how well the full court press works. If Ohio State hits shots and can run their press to the level of competitive character called upon by coach McGuff, Clark could be slightly less effective.
When Clark does eventually find space, the guard has teammates who make her job easier. Mainly center Monika Czinano.
Below Clark in all team statistical categories is Czinano. The center is powerful inside the paint, grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game. Also, Czinano can score at a high level. This season, the center is shooting 65% from the floor with 17.9 points per game. Against those same Spartans, Czinano went a perfect 11-for-11 from the floor for 22 points.
Ohio State can partially neutralize Czinano with a strong defensive and shooting game from forward Mikulášiková. In the last two games, the Slovakian’s fared well against Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Alexis Markowski and Northwestern Wildcats’ Caileigh Walsh, holding them both below average rebounding and didn’t allow either to take over the game offensively.
Also, Czinano isn’t a deep threat like Mikulášiková. If the Buckeyes’ five hits her shots, especially from deep, it can pull Czinano out of the paint enough for someone like Mikesell, Thierry or forward Cotie McMahon to take over the open space.
Those two only scratch the surface for Iowa. Guards Kate Martin, Gabbie Williams and forward McKenna Warnock are all upperclassmen, with Martin a redshirt senior alongside the other two fourth year seniors. If any of the three can turn on a big game, it makes an already tough opponent for Ohio State that much more difficult.
For Ohio State, there’s a question hovering over the entire game plan: Is Sheldon going to play? The guard’s missed 14 of the Buckeyes 19 games this season with a foot injury. It began with Sheldon on a boot, then a boot with crutches, but against Northwestern she was free from both.
Jacy Sheldon (center in a red shirt) without any medical equipment on her injured foot. Does that mean some minutes on the court could happen Monday?
Does that mean the guard can play even a few minutes, or is Sheldon’s return further away than expected? If Sheldon does play, how will she fit into the team initially after not playing a game since Nov. 30 in Louisville, Kentucky?
Sheldon or no Sheldon, Ohio State’s saying the right things about being ready and focusing on just the next game.
Projected Lineups
Lineup Notes
- Guard Rikki Harris has 5.2 assists per game since taking up the starting role on Dec. 21.
- Guard Taylor Mikesell is 14 points away from scoring 2,000 in her NCAA career.
- Ohio State’s defense allows the fourth fewest points in the conference at 62.9 points per game.
Lineup Notes
- This group has started all 19 games for the Hawkeyes this season.
- Guard Caitlin Clark’s 26.7 points per game is the highest in the conference by five points.
- Iowa makes the most three-point shots in the conference with 8.7 per game.
Prediction
With the anticipated crowd — more on that later — and the talent level of both of these teams, no ending would be surprising. The Buckeyes can score at will and the Hawkeyes’ defense is outscoring the opponent.
With that said, the Hawkeyes are a veteran team, just like the Buckeyes, but the same full court press might not be as effective against Iowa like other teams. They aren’t like the Tennessee Volunteers who started two transfers to tip off the season or the Illinois Fighting Illini who went through a total offseason revamp.
The Hawkeyes are one of a few teams who might be able to take the punches the Buckeyes throw their way.
This game is going to be close. Both teams will hit their shots, but its about limiting Clark as much as possible and not letting her teammates hurt you too. Ohio State will keep some shooters at bay but Czinano will have a strong night.
Maybe a close to sold out Schottenstein Center can tip the scales?
How to Watch
Date: Monday, Jan. 23, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN app
LGHL Prediction: 85-80 Iowa Hawkeyes
Big Crowd Anticipated
Monday’s game looks like it’ll give the Buckeyes a deservedly large home crowd. As of Sunday night, 24 hours before the game tips, there aren’t many tickets left at all.
All season the program’s invested more into marketing for the team and it’s been paying dividends. After a McGuff tenure-low 3,274 per game last year, this season that average is 5,012 before Monday’s game and future home games against ranked Maryland Terrapins and Indiana Hoosiers.
Part of that is of course having a top team in the nation, but they’ve also been inventive with some of their giveaways. The Buckeyes gave away championship shirts honoring last season’s Big Ten regular season co-championship against Purdue. On Jan. 29, they’re giving away socks, and Monday the first 2,000 get dub chain shirts, an honor bestowed upon a player after each Ohio State win.
The first 2,000 fans in attendance for tomorrow’s match up vs #10 Iowa will receive their very own Dub-Chain TeeSee you there! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/0BsMW5uQlr
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) January 22, 2023
The Buckeyes and the packed Schottenstein Center are hoping a player gets a dub chain too and not just the fans.
Continue reading...
LGHL LGHL Uncut Podcast: All-American and WNBA Star Kelsey Mitchell
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: All-American and WNBA Star Kelsey Mitchell
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
The former Buckeye touches on the current form of the 19-0 No. 2 Ohio State women’s team, being honored and a dive into her professional career
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
There’s a lot of fanfare surrounding Monday's game between the No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball team and No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes. It features a 19-0 Scarlet & Gray side who could continue their historic run and match a program high 20-game wing streak. On the other side, there’s guard Caitlin Clark, a favorite for National Player of the Year.
During all that competition on the court will be a name from Buckeyes success of the past: Kelsey Mitchell. Ohio State is honoring the former Ohio State All-American and current guard for the Indiana Fever during Monday’s game. Adding more excitement to an already jam-packed evening.
Before she was honored, Mitchell spoke with the media about a long list of topics.
Part of it was on the current Buckeyes team and their undefeated start to the season. Mitchell pinpoints what makes streaks like this one achievable, advice for those players on Ohio State who are looking ahead to playing professional basketball and how she feels about being honored at a game for the first time since finishing her NCAA career in 2018.
Also, Mitchell discusses the future of the Indiana Fever, playing with Athletes Unlimited basketball and her sales pitch to people who watch college basketball but don’t watch the WNBA.
Mitchell also talks about her own professional journey through injury, playing overseas and the transition from a college basketball player to a professional, ending the entire interview with some good advice that applies to things outside of basketball.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
The former Buckeye touches on the current form of the 19-0 No. 2 Ohio State women’s team, being honored and a dive into her professional career
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
There’s a lot of fanfare surrounding Monday's game between the No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball team and No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes. It features a 19-0 Scarlet & Gray side who could continue their historic run and match a program high 20-game wing streak. On the other side, there’s guard Caitlin Clark, a favorite for National Player of the Year.
During all that competition on the court will be a name from Buckeyes success of the past: Kelsey Mitchell. Ohio State is honoring the former Ohio State All-American and current guard for the Indiana Fever during Monday’s game. Adding more excitement to an already jam-packed evening.
Before she was honored, Mitchell spoke with the media about a long list of topics.
Part of it was on the current Buckeyes team and their undefeated start to the season. Mitchell pinpoints what makes streaks like this one achievable, advice for those players on Ohio State who are looking ahead to playing professional basketball and how she feels about being honored at a game for the first time since finishing her NCAA career in 2018.
Also, Mitchell discusses the future of the Indiana Fever, playing with Athletes Unlimited basketball and her sales pitch to people who watch college basketball but don’t watch the WNBA.
Mitchell also talks about her own professional journey through injury, playing overseas and the transition from a college basketball player to a professional, ending the entire interview with some good advice that applies to things outside of basketball.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
2024 GA OL Jameson Riggs (Georgia Tech Verbal)
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Hiram (GA)
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2024 FL (TX) DB Jordon Johnson-Rubell (Texas Verbal)
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IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
Ht: 5'10"
Wt: 175 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
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