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On radio show, Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann stresses keeping focus on the present

Published

10 months ago

January 29, 2024

On radio show, Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann stresses keeping focus on the present

It’s been a tough week for Ohio State men’s basketball. After a comfortable home win against Penn State on Jan. 20, the Buckeyes headed out for a two-game road trip that only continued their woes away from Value City Arena.

First came an 83-69 loss at Nebraska on Jan. 23, a game where Cornhuskers center Rienk Mast poured in 34 points thanks to a 6-for-8 night from 3-point range. After the game, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann described his team’s performance as “soft” and questioned their overall toughness. Things got no better four days later, when the Buckeyes needed a 12-2 run in the final four minutes to avoid their most lopsided loss to Northwestern in program history.

Ohio State trailed by double digits for the final 21:06 and fell behind by as many as 35 points during the second half of an 83-58 loss at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Afterward, the talk was of simply needing to be better and the reality that the Buckeyes are in search of confidence. Sunday, athletic director Gene Smith told The Dispatch that “We have a lot of this season left to play, and we have coaches and players that are focused on winning every day,” before adding, “I’m looking forward to seeing how this turns out.”

With all that in the recent past, Holtmann held his weekly radio show Monday. If you couldn’t listen, here are the highlights.

As losses pile up, Buckeyes trying to keep focus on the day ahead

Although Ohio State has lost two in a row and five of six games, 11 Big Ten games still remain starting with Tuesday night’s home game with Illinois. With a short turnaround for the game, Holtmann said he’s trying to keep the focus on the immediate task at hand.

“This is the first prolonged stretch of real struggle for us and we’ve got to respond like good teams do, and that’s focus on today, focus on the process of getting better and stay in the moment,” he said. “You put enough of those days together, good things ultimately happen.”

After getting home from Illinois on Sunday around 2 a.m., Ohio State had a walk-through, yoga session and film work later that day due to the quick turnaround. Holtmann said the coaches are trying to celebrate small stretches of success and strong play while trying to build confidence.

“The way I look at it right now is we’re in a tough stretch here,” he said. “You can’t get away from, there’s a reason we’ve performed well in stretches this year. I don’t think you look at it and say everything we’ve done is poorly and the season’s off the rails. It really is just a focus in on the day at hand, the task at hand, what can we do better.

“The exciting thing for coaches is you get a real opportunity. This is a real challenge for us to get better and with so much of the season let to play, it’s a really exciting challenge for us. How will we maximize what we are as a group? We’ve got to be great today. And we’ve got to build on that and let it rip tomorrow night.”

Chris Holtmann seeing signs of improvement in Roddy Gayle Jr.

Ohio State sophomore guard Roddy Gayle Jr. has dealt with an extended shooting slump, but Holtmann said they’re seeing signs that better play is coming together more consistently for him.

“He’s got a lot he’s growing and learning, and he has definitely improved,” Holtmann said. “They’ve all improved as sophomores, but he’s got to continue to improve for us to be the team we need to be. We’re too reliant on him. He’s got to make good paint reads and not turn the ball over.”

Gayle will be a player the Buckeyes will be relying on to guard Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. on Tuesday night.

“I think he’s starting to come along in terms of his shot-making, but so much of who he is as a player is less about that and more about his ability to impact both ends, to be a bigger, longer defender,” Holtmann said. “We’re going to need that against one of the best players in the nation, Terrence Shannon. He’s a blur with the ball in his hands. There’s a lot that we’re relying on with him overall, and he’s growing. That comes with some growing pains too.”

Ohio State Buckeyes: Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy

Buckeyes picking spots to play Evan Mahaffey

Sophomore forward Evan Mahaffey’s scoring had picked up leading into the Northwestern game, but after he finished with only two points in that game Holtmann said they’re still trying to balance playing him with other players who also aren’t 3-point shooting threats.

“Evan’s confidence is growing,” Holtmann said. “He’s finding spots on the floor that are really good. We need to continue to put shooting on the floor, so it’s hard to play too many guys who are not 3-point shooters. Shooting become a premium because it creates gravity on the floor. It opens the floor. Despite the fact that he’s not really at that point in his career, he’s been able to impact the game with offensive rebounding and facilitating offensive movement, which has been good to see.”

Chris Holtmann cites Keita Bates-Diop conversation

As Ohio State deals with this losing streak, Holtmann said it’s a key for players to play with minds that are uncluttered. As a point of reference, he cited a conversation he had with eventual Big Ten player of the year Keita Bates-Diop during the 2017-18 season as Bates-Diop was dealing with his rising NBA draft stock.

“He was feeling like he needed to protect his draft stock, because at that point he had burst onto the scene,” Holtmann said. “This might’ve been in February. He was playing with a little bit of a cluttered mind, a mind not focused on being himself and the best for his team. He fixed it, because he’s a great kid. That’s what’s required as an athlete is to just focus on the play in front of you, being your very best and losing yourself in that.”

It’s an example Holtmann said younger players typically struggle with.

“They really care,” he said. “It’s a great group. It’s a young group and young groups can get really fragile. Probably searching a little bit. You want a quiet plane after you lose. They care. For coaches it was about getting to work on film and figuring things out.

“For players, you can’t minimize all the stuff that goes on for a young kid right now, all of the stuff they’re hearing. It’s a lot for young players. They have to have great mental discipline in terms of what they’re reading and seeing and talking about. For us, that’s the challenge moving forward.”

Bowen Hardman starting to earn a role

A seldom-used sophomore guard, Bowen Hardman had 11 points at Nebraska and also earned some first-half minutes at Northwestern.

“Quick release,” Holtmann said. “I felt like we needed a little bit more 3-point shooting. His worked on his strength in the last year. As much as anything he’s a really good kid who stayed ready. He’s had a great attitude about being on the scout team and getting better and embracing that part of getting better. As much as anything, as we move forward we do need more 3-point shooting on the floor. That’s what he does. He’s got a really quick release, and at 6-4 as he’s gotten stronger, to be able to snap that thing off is important.

“He gave us some good minutes in the first half at Northwestern. That’s what you’re looking for this time of year. How do you do that? You have the right attitude. Not every player can play well in short stints. He’s shown the ability to do that. It’s a credit to his character.”

How does Holtmann coach during a low point?

A submitted question asked Holtmann how hard or light he approaches coaching his players when things aren’t going well.

“It’s always something coaches are looking at and evaluating this time of year,” he said. “Some of it depends on the stretch you’re in, the challenge of the stretch. You might push them a little harder if you’re coming off a win. You’re trying to push them after a couple losses, but you’re also trying to give them positive reinforcement. There’s a mental and physical fatigue this time of year, but the mental might be more important.”

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy

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Hoosiers face first real test in Ohio State; ‘Time is ticking’ for 49ers

Published

3 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Hoosiers face first real test in Ohio State; ‘Time is ticking’ for 49ers

Sam Panayotovich

FOX Sports Betting Analyst

Two of this weekend’s most-interesting football games will be broadcast over the FOX Sports airwaves. We’ve got you covered.

Up first, No. 2 Ohio State welcomes No. 5 Indiana to The Horseshoe on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will guide you through the San Francisco 49ers-Green Bay Packers tilt at Lambeau Field.

You can watch ‘em both on FOX Sports and the FOX Sports app.

A second shameless plug complete.

Seriously, though, the Buckeyes-Hoosiers matchup is extremely polarizing in the betting market. Circa Sports in Las Vegas opened Ohio State -12 this past Sunday and initial money showed for the underdog. Indiana got bet down to +11 before a blitz on the favorite shoved the line out to -13.

The line climbed as high as Ohio State -13.5 before news broke that OSU’s top offensive lineman, center Seth McLaughlin, tore his Achilles.

“I took Indiana +13.5,” a respected professional bettor told FOX Sports.

“I bet it right when word got out about Ohio State’s center. You know the books are going to move the line, so you bet it. Center is a big position for me. Changing centers this late in the season can cause some issues. And I think Indiana is a good team. I guess we’re going to find out how good.”

My FOX teammate Geoff Schwartz played offensive line at the highest level for six years, and he’s well-aware of the musical chairs in Columbus.

“It’s concerning because offensive line depth is non-existent in this sport,” Schwartz said. “When you lose a starting left tackle and center, there’s not much you can do to replace their production. They already moved the left guard to left tackle, so now you’re moving the backup guard to center.

“You hope that scheme and situation will remain favorable to help that group. Running the ball and staying out of high-leverage situations like third and long will be helpful. Indiana’s defensive line has good pieces, but it’s probably not good enough to render Ohio State inoperable for 60 minutes.”

Schwartz likes OSU to pull away late and win 31-14.

Colin & JMac’s Big Ten Bets: Take the over on Indiana-Ohio State, UCLA covers vs. USC

The elephant in the room is that “InDiAnA hAsN’t PlAyEd AnYbOdY” and almost every television pundit believes Ohio State will emerge victorious.

Come to think of it, the narrative isn’t about the Hoosiers losing, as opposed to how much they will lose by.

“Of course there are concerns about their schedule,” the bettor continued. “But you can only play who’s in front of you. They’ve taken care of business in every game. Great coach, great quarterback. Don’t get me wrong, they could lay a total egg and Ohio State could blow them out. I still took the points.”

Over to the NFL, the reigning NFC champions have attracted a ton of betting action over the last two days. Green Bay got as high as -2.5 for Sunday’s showdown against San Francisco, then Niners resistance arrived.

The Niners went from +2.5 to +1.5 by Thursday morning and wise guys will likely keep fighting around the 2.

There are clearly opinions on both sides.

Can San Francisco 49ers pull off the UPSET vs. Green Bay Packers in NFL Week 12?

“We like Green Bay at a cheap price,” the bettor said. “San Francisco has a lot of problems right now and it’s more than just the injuries.

“This is not the Niners team from last year or the last few years. Nobody’s really lowering their power rating, though, because the pedigree is blinding. There’s always going to be someone who thinks they’ll bounce back. They’re not a top-five team to me.

“Next week at Buffalo, they make the line [Buffalo -3.5 vs. San Francisco] and Buffalo was only 2.5 on Kansas City. So you’re telling me Kansas City and San Francisco play to almost the same rating? Stop.”

It certainly doesn’t help that Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Trent Williams are all dealing with injuries. Perhaps they could all play, but there’s a difference between playing and performing.

“Time is ticking,” the bettor said. “If the Niners lose these next two games, the season’s over.”

Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and BetQL Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.

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Drake Bell unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer,’ his career, Ohio connections

Published

12 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Drake Bell unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer,’ his career, Ohio connections

Drake Bell, the former child star turned singer and actor, was featured on the hit singing competition television series “The Masked Singer” and was unmasked as the Ice King.

Bell took the stage on “The Masked Singer” after opening up about his traumatic experiences as a child star in the documentary series “Quiet on Set.”

What connections does Drake Bell have to Ohio? Here’s what to know.

Drake Bell performed as the Ice King on ‘The Masked Singer’

On the Nov. 20 episode, Bell competed as the Ice King on the singing competition show “The Masked Singer” for Miley Cyrus Night, according to People.

Bell had a “freeing experience” while performing on the show after opening up about the abuse he endured as a child star. Bell shared his experience of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of Brian Peck in the docuseries, “Quiet on Set.”

The series also features many former Nickelodeon staff members. They spoke out against former producer Dan Schneider, who was accused of engaging in unprofessional and inappropriate behaviors in the Nickelodeon workplace.

Drake Bell had legal trouble in Ohio years before going on ‘The Masked Singer’

Before competing on “The Masked Singer,” Drake Bell was charged with disseminating harmful matter to juveniles and attempted child endangerment after being accused of sexual contact and grooming an underage fan in June 2021. He pleaded guilty to attempted child endangerment, the Dispatch reported.

At the time in court, the victim, who was a fan of Bell, claimed the exchanges began when she was 12. She said Bell exchanged explicit photos online and engaged in sexual conduct with her on several occasions, including at a 2017 concert venue in Cleveland and at a hotel.

Furthermore, the victim contacted Toronto police in October 2018, and they forwarded its findings to Cleveland police, prompting an investigation.

Bell claimed he was “unaware” of her age and communicated with her only through text and no physical contact, and also admitted that his interactions with the fan were “reckless and irresponsible.”

Bell found fame on Nickelodeon, which has Ohio roots

The “Drake and Josh” actor began his career at Nickelodeon, a kids’ channel that was developed in 1977 with the help of a Columbus, Ohio-based company, Qube, the first two-way interactive cable system/remote control by Warner Cable.

Before Nickelodeon was Pinwheel, a Qube channel that aired commercial-free, kid-friendly content 12 hours a day. Pinwheel later became Nickelodeon once Qube went under in 1984.

What shows has Drake Bell performed on?

Bell began his singing and acting career as a child. He acted on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” and later “Drake & Josh,” according to IDMb.

Bell also starred in many movies, including “Yours, Mine & Ours,” “Superhero Movie,” and two “Drake & Josh” movies.

Grace Tucker and Jenna Ryu contributed to this report.

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How can Ohio State football beat Indiana? 3 keys for top-five matchup against Hoosiers

Published

20 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

How can Ohio State football beat Indiana? 3 keys for top-five matchup against Hoosiers

Here are three keys for No. 2 Ohio State against No. 5 Indiana on Saturday:

Start fast

The Buckeyes have played in big games, having been in two top-five matchups over the past month and a half. The matchup is a much steeper ramp up in competition for the Hoosiers, who have not faced a ranked opponent and only one in the top half of the Big Ten standings this year. The gap in experience adds incentive for Ohio State to build an early lead and energize the crowd at the Horseshoe. It would put Indiana in an unfamiliar position, having to come from behind in a rabid environment. The Hoosiers had not even trailed in a game until this month.

Get pressure

Kurtis Rourke, the sixth-year starting quarterback who transferred to Indiana from Ohio, is one of the most efficient passers in the Football Bowl Subdivision, especially when he is well protected. Among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 dropbacks, only three have a higher NFL passer rating from a clean pocket, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s why the Buckeyes must find ways to disrupt him. When Michigan gave the Hoosiers a scare earlier this month, it did so by sacking Rourke four times, including three during a second half in which the Wolverines held them to 18 total yards.

Account for Mikail Kamara

Between Marshall’s Mike Green and Penn State’s Abdul Carter, the Buckeyes have seen some of the best edge rushers in the sport. Kamara fits into that group as well. One of the James Madison transfers who followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana last offseason, Kamara leads the FBS with 53 total pressures, including nine sacks, per PFF. It’s the biggest test for the Buckeyes’ reshuffled offensive line since facing Carter earlier this month. While Carter had two sacks, twice getting around left tackle Donovan Jackson, the line held up and kept quarterback Will Howard from facing too much pressure. It will need to do so again.

Key matchup

Ohio State secondary vs. Indiana receivers

The defensive backs were a liability for the Buckeyes in their loss at Oregon last month as the Ducks’ receivers got behind them in coverage, and they have not fully quelled concerns in the following weeks. While the Hoosiers lack a burner like Tez Johnson, they have a deep collection of pass catchers. Five receivers have caught multiple touchdowns, led by Elijah Sarratt’s six scores. Rourke and Sarratt execute a high volume of back-shoulder throws that could challenge cornerbacks Denzel Burke or Davison Igbinosun who will need to keep the James Madison transfer from pulling in his share of 50-50 balls on the perimeter. The receiving corps is as good as the Buckeyes will see outside of Oregon and one of the biggest factors in Indiana’s upset bid.

Key stat

13: Total points allowed by Indiana in the first quarter over a span of 10 games.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.