Matt Tamanini
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LGHL Asks: Ohio State fans aren’t too worried about Michigan landing Ohio prospects
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Buckeye fans are flocking to other sports during postseason runs.
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There’s a long history of Michigan grabbing talented players from the state of Ohio, which is why I found the latest hand-wringing over two Ohioans committing to play football for the Wolverines a little odd. Granted, the Buckeyes really wanted to land four-star running back Jordan Marshall from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, but they hadn’t even offered three-star offensive lineman Ben Roebuck from St. Edward’s in Lakewood.
And while OSU would have really liked to get a pledge from Marshall — the No. 91 player in the country and No. 7 running back — things worked out ok for Tony Alford and the Ohio State coaching staff as yesterday they got a commitment from No. 69 player nationally and No. 5 RB James Peoples; so things worked out alright.
So, I am completely in agreement with the near majority on this question; it’s damn near impossible for the Buckeyes to keep every top-ranked (depending on how you define that) player from leaving the state. As I outlined in the article linked above, during Ryan Day’s tenure as the head coach in Columbus, they’ve done a really impressive job of securing commitments from the highest-rated Ohio high school players, especially when they don’t already have a top prospect at the position.
So, as long as the Marshall-type defections are limited, it’s inevitable that some Ohio-raised players will look to sow their wild oats in the state up north. If it turns into a trend in which multiple major Ohio prospects spurn the Buckeyes and head to TTUN, then we can get worried, but for now, when it’s one or two every few cycles, I think it’s fine for us to stay calm, but vigilent.
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I know that Ohio State is mostly considered “a football school,” but I gotta tell you, the women’s basketball, women’s hockey, and men’s hockey teams supplied a lot of excitement over the past month for fans who were paying attention. The women’s basketball team ended UConn’s absolutely unimaginable Elite Eight streak, before falling to Virginia Tech one win away from the Final Four.
The women’s hockey team lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Wisconsin in the national championship game, ending their season just shy of back-to-back titles. And the men’s team obliterated Harvard in the Sweet Sixteen before losing to No. 1 Quinnipiac in the NCAA Regional Finals. The wrestling team also finished fourth at the NCAA Championships.
It might not be the “marquee” sports that we are used to cheering for, but those three teams certainly filled a significant part of the void left by the men’s basketball team not being in the Big Dance for me. And, judging by the results of the poll, it looks like a lot of you agreed, and that makes me happy.
When it comes to varsity sports, Ohio State has one of the largest selections in the country, and it’s nice to see that fans will show up (either in person or by watching TV) when they are in a postseason run. We’ve seen great crowds for volleyball, soccer, track and field, and other sports throughout the years as well. It’s just a nice reminder that Ohio State is far more than just a football school.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Buckeye fans are flocking to other sports during postseason runs.
Question 1: How do you feel about Michigan landing commits from Ohio?
There’s a long history of Michigan grabbing talented players from the state of Ohio, which is why I found the latest hand-wringing over two Ohioans committing to play football for the Wolverines a little odd. Granted, the Buckeyes really wanted to land four-star running back Jordan Marshall from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, but they hadn’t even offered three-star offensive lineman Ben Roebuck from St. Edward’s in Lakewood.
And while OSU would have really liked to get a pledge from Marshall — the No. 91 player in the country and No. 7 running back — things worked out ok for Tony Alford and the Ohio State coaching staff as yesterday they got a commitment from No. 69 player nationally and No. 5 RB James Peoples; so things worked out alright.
So, I am completely in agreement with the near majority on this question; it’s damn near impossible for the Buckeyes to keep every top-ranked (depending on how you define that) player from leaving the state. As I outlined in the article linked above, during Ryan Day’s tenure as the head coach in Columbus, they’ve done a really impressive job of securing commitments from the highest-rated Ohio high school players, especially when they don’t already have a top prospect at the position.
So, as long as the Marshall-type defections are limited, it’s inevitable that some Ohio-raised players will look to sow their wild oats in the state up north. If it turns into a trend in which multiple major Ohio prospects spurn the Buckeyes and head to TTUN, then we can get worried, but for now, when it’s one or two every few cycles, I think it’s fine for us to stay calm, but vigilent.
Question 2: How have you followed the Ohio State women’s basketball, women’s hockey, men’s hockey, wrestling runs in the NCAA Tournament?
I know that Ohio State is mostly considered “a football school,” but I gotta tell you, the women’s basketball, women’s hockey, and men’s hockey teams supplied a lot of excitement over the past month for fans who were paying attention. The women’s basketball team ended UConn’s absolutely unimaginable Elite Eight streak, before falling to Virginia Tech one win away from the Final Four.
The women’s hockey team lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Wisconsin in the national championship game, ending their season just shy of back-to-back titles. And the men’s team obliterated Harvard in the Sweet Sixteen before losing to No. 1 Quinnipiac in the NCAA Regional Finals. The wrestling team also finished fourth at the NCAA Championships.
It might not be the “marquee” sports that we are used to cheering for, but those three teams certainly filled a significant part of the void left by the men’s basketball team not being in the Big Dance for me. And, judging by the results of the poll, it looks like a lot of you agreed, and that makes me happy.
When it comes to varsity sports, Ohio State has one of the largest selections in the country, and it’s nice to see that fans will show up (either in person or by watching TV) when they are in a postseason run. We’ve seen great crowds for volleyball, soccer, track and field, and other sports throughout the years as well. It’s just a nice reminder that Ohio State is far more than just a football school.
Continue reading...