Skull Session: Will Howard Took A Pay Cut Leaving Ohio State for the NFL, Scottie Pippen Gives Jake Diebler A Ringing Endorsement and Lorenzo Styles Sr. Describes His Legacy

Chase Brown — Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

This is aura:

pic.twitter.com/3lCtHeVbhw
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 19, 2026

Have a good Tuesday.

“IT’S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT.” Will Howard is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ QB1 — for now.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the Steelers have not received word from Aaron Rodgers about his potential return in 2026, and “there is no expectation of a final decision prior to the NFL Draft.” That leaves Howard as the team’s starting quarterback entering minicamp.

The #Steelers have not received word from Aaron Rodgers on his future and there is no expectation of a final decision prior to the NFL Draft, per me and @TomPelissero.

When minicamp begins today under new coach Mike McCarthy, Will Howard will be QB1. pic.twitter.com/niphLVfT3w
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2026

Rapoport’s report comes at an opportune time, as I was already planning to write about the former Ohio State quarterback and 2024 national champion in this Skull Session.

Howard recently told The Athletic’s David Ubben he made more money during his lone season at Ohio State than he did as a rookie in the NFL. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard said the same about his year at Notre Dame.

“I’m definitely making less with the Colts,” Leonard said. “And you see the numbers flying around college football. The money’s doubled since I’ve been there.”

Leonard declined to say how much he was making in his final season at Notre Dame but said reported numbers of $1.5 million were “overshooting it a little bit.” He said he made more than 10 times at Notre Dame what he was making the previous year at Duke.

Howard, too, said he made less as an NFL rookie than he did leading Ohio State to the national title as a transfer from Kansas State in 2024.

“It’s weird,” he said. “It’s definitely different.”

Leonard and Howard also pointed out a key difference between college football and the NFL when it comes to compensation.

“In college, the money is way more guaranteed,” Leonard said. “Only like $200,000 of my contract is guaranteed. You have to make the team every year for four years straight to earn it all.”

To be clear, Howard and Leonard aren’t complaining.

“You’re still in the top .0001 percent for people my age,” he said.

Later in the article, Howard detailed his decision to transfer from Kansas State to Ohio State. In his fourth season with the Wildcats, he learned his successor, Avery Johnson, would make more money than he did despite Howard being the team’s starter. That realization ultimately pushed the Pennsylvania native to seek a new opportunity for his final college season.

“I was a naive kid. I didn’t know. The nature of myself, I didn’t want anything or need money. I said I was good,” Howard said. “There were a lot of politics the last year. There were games I was splitting time with him for no reason that I knew other than there was money going to him that wasn’t going to me.”

Howard said he never signed a deal with Kansas State’s collective, though he did secure a few smaller deals through community businesses.

“Everything I did was on my own. They kind of took advantage of me and got me for cheap, so I decided to go somewhere else and make a little money,” Howard said. “It’s different when you go to a school, and you’re the guy getting money. It’s amazing how different you’re treated. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Howard’s decision paid off in both the short and long term.

In the short term, his deal with Ohio State included an apartment, a car (he chose a Ford Bronco) and seven-figure compensation. In the long term, he’s an Ohio State football legend who will probably never have to pay for a meal in Columbus again.

Now, the question is whether that success carries over to Pittsburgh. If Howard takes advantage of his opportunities, it won’t be long before his NFL contract makes his NIL deal look like chump change.

A RINGING ENDORSEMENT. A Basketball Hall of Famer attended Ohio State’s spring game on Saturday.

Yes, six-time NBA champion and seven-time All-NBA honoree Scottie Pippen was in the Horseshoe this past weekend with his son, Justin, who committed to head coach Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes earlier this month.

10TV’s Adam King interviewed Pippen to discuss the visit and share his excitement about Justin playing for Ohio State.

"We wanted to come to a team that is ready to compete for a national championship... the comfort of being around Diebler"

Scottie Pippen loved the atmosphere at the Shoe. He said he's looking forward to his son being a part of the Buckeye family, and what Diebler is building. pic.twitter.com/vxW8I75Ib2
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) April 19, 2026

“It’s great. It’s a great atmosphere here. It’s a great visit for us,” Pippen said. “I’m looking forward to seeing my son become a part of the Buckeye family.”

Pippen said “a lot of things” drew him and Justin to Ohio State, including the program’s current trajectory and the family’s relationship with Diebler.

“I think we wanted to come into a team that’s ready to compete for a national championship,” Pippen said. “The comfort of being around Coach Diebler. He recruited my son Scottie out of high school and never got a chance to coach him. He told me before he recruited Justin that he would like to coach a Pippen, so I have confidence and a belief in what he’s doing here, and I’m giving him my son and looking forward to some great things.”

That’s quite the endorsement.

Diebler is 46-31 (.597) in roughly two seasons as Ohio State’s head coach and led the Buckeyes to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in four years this past March. He’ll look to build on that success in 2026-27, but he’ll need to assemble a competitive roster through the transfer portal.

He’s off to a strong start with Pippen, who averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game at Cal this past season. Diebler has also added former Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavić and former Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams, and the Buckeyes have been connected to other prospects, including guards Jalen Reece (LSU) and Abdi Bashir Jr. (Kansas State).

“THIS IS LEGACY.” In another section about a father and son, I have to share this video of Lorenzo Styles Sr. speaking about Lorenzo Jr. and Sonny ahead of the NFL draft.

The Styles brothers are ready to carry on their family legacy

2026 NFL Draft April 23-25 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/a9mejrCsVJ
— NFL (@NFL) April 19, 2026

“Football has given me everything that matters: resilience, discipline, relentless effort when nobody’s watching. Over time, the game gave me something more: perspective,” Lorenzo Sr. said. “Because my greatest pride was never going to be what I accomplished. It’s what I get to witness now: my sons.

“Sonny arrived (at Ohio State) at 17. Skipped his senior year. Stepped into college football early. No easing in, no waiting his turn. When his moment came on the biggest stage, he didn’t just compete — he belonged. From there, he grew into more. A leader.

“Lorenzo made his impact in a variety of ways. At Notre Dame, he caught passes on offense, being dynamic with the ball in his hands. And at Ohio State, he locked in on defense, bringing speed, range and toughness. Game-changing moments — and when the moment opened, he hit it.

“Two different paths, but the same foundation. When the lights came on at the NFL combine, what people saw were years of hard work on display. Sonny: size, speed, power. Lorenzo: 4.27, elite speed, undeniable. The discipline, the consistency, the early mornings, the late nights. They didn’t just follow it — they embraced it. And now, seeing the NFL draft become the moment to accomplish their dreams? This is legacy.”

That is so dang cool.

The Styles family is one of a kind.

I look forward to seeing Sonny and Lorenzo’s lives change forever this week!

ANOTHER ONE COMING. Ohio State’s wide receiver pipeline will continue Thursday with Carnell Tate.

Last week, ESPN’s Elizabeth Merrill detailed Tate’s rise from Chicago to Columbus and, soon, to the NFL. His journey has been shaped by both elite production and unimaginable adversity.

The Buckeyes have sent a parade of first-round receivers to the NFL since 2022, and Tate appears poised to follow that trend when the draft begins this week. While his 4.53 40 time at the NFL combine drew some outside criticism, those around him know his game will translate to the next level.

“He’s actually brilliant,” Will Howard told Merrill. “Carnell is kind of a little bit of a Swiss Army knife. He plays bigger than he is. He’s strong as hell, and he’s really sneaky fast… He is a hell of a blocking receiver, and he’s super unselfish.”

That combination of intelligence, toughness and versatility is exactly why Tate is projected to be one of the top receivers off the board — and why his impact at Ohio State went far beyond the box score.

Still, the story behind Tate is what truly sets him apart.

Before he ever caught a pass for the Buckeyes, Tate faced unimaginable adversity. In July 2023, just months after arriving in Columbus, his mother was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago. Despite that, Tate never wavered.

"The whole time I was like, 'Man, are you good?'" Brian Hartline told ESPN. "He wasn't, you know, he just never let it affect him and what he does and the people around him. And he just had a very pro approach to it. But the receiver room was heavy around him. I was as heavy as I could be around him, but I just ... That still to this day has not really left me, to be honest.”

109 seconds of Carnell Tate winning downfield pic.twitter.com/atVWDcMbYN
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 11, 2026

That “pro” mindset carried over to the field. Tate played in every game as a freshman, then blossomed into a key contributor on Ohio State’s national championship team. As a junior, he hauled in 875 yards and nine touchdowns — with zero drops — while finishing among the nation’s leaders in explosive plays.

And even as his star rose, Tate never lost sight of what mattered most.

Last season, he mentored a young Columbus boy who had also lost his mother, offering advice rooted in his own experience.

“I think about her every day,” Tate said he would tell the boy. “There’s not going to be a day where you don’t think about her… And it’s OK to accept those feelings … You're younger than I was, obviously, so the emotions are definitely different. But just let it out, bro. You've got a lot of people in your family that's going through the same thing, and you're all going to depend on each other."

That perspective — shaped by both success and heartbreak — is what NFL teams are really buying.

Tate has always let his play do most of the talking. But when asked at the combine to describe himself, he didn’t hesitate:

“If you want a game-changer,” he said, “you’ve got one right here.”

Another Ohio State wide receiver is headed to the league.

This one just happens to come with a story that’s impossible to ignore.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Beast of Burden" - The Rolling Stones.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO... Hot air balloon with 13 aboard makes emergency landing in California backyard... See video of Earthset that an Artemis II astronaut filmed on his iPhone while circling the moon... Humanoid robot beats human half-marathon world record in Beijing.

Ohio State’s Sonny and Lorenzo Styles Set to Realize NFL Dreams Together After Their Own Unique College Journeys

Dan Hope — Monday, April 20, 2026 - 12:49

Lorenzo Styles Jr. wouldn’t have imagined he’d be in the same NFL draft class as his younger brother when he started his college career five years ago.

Sonny Styles was a high school junior at the time as Lorenzo started his career as a Notre Dame wide receiver. If Lorenzo had played only four years of college football and Sonny had remained in his original high school class, Sonny wouldn’t have even been eligible to enter the same draft as his brother.

But Sonny ended up starting his college career just one year after Lorenzo, skipping his senior year of high school and reclassifying to join Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class. One year later, Lorenzo transferred to Ohio State to become a defensive back, taking a redshirt year in the process. Now, after three years of playing at Ohio State together, the Styles brothers are set to become NFL players together as both are projected to be selected in this week’s NFL draft.

“Yeah, I did not think we were going to go through the combine together. I'm two years older than him,” Lorenzo said during his interview session at the NFL Scouting Combine. “He enrolled early to college, like there's a bunch of different elements in that, but we did talk about being in the NFL together and making it. And to have this moment and enjoy it with each other has been great.”

After winning a national championship together two seasons ago and starting together on Ohio State’s defense last season, the Styles brothers now have a chance to become the first-ever pair of brothers from Ohio State to be drafted in the same year.

“There's a lot of firsts we got to do as brothers here at Ohio State, so we're super grateful for that. It would mean a lot,” Lorenzo Jr. said at Ohio State’s pro day.

Brothers Who Played at Ohio State and Became NFL Draft Picks
Year	Round	Pick	Older Brother	Pos	Team	Year	Round	Pick	Younger Brother	Pos	Team
1944	11	106	LIN HOUSTON	G	BEARS	1960	1	8	JIM HOUSTON	LB	BROWNS
1945	2	12	JACK DUGGER	E	STEELERS	1955	4	46	DEAN DUGGER	E	EAGLES
1976	1	24	ARCHIE GRIFFIN	RB	BENGALS	1978	2	35	RAY GRIFFIN	DB	BENGALS
2016	1	3	JOEY BOSA	DE	CHARGERS	2019	1	2	NICK BOSA	DE	49ERS
2020	3	73	DAVON HAMILTON	DT	JAGUARS	2025	5	148	TY HAMILTON	DT	RAMS

They’ll continue a legacy of going from Ohio State to the NFL started by their father, also named Lorenzo Styles, who was an NFL linebacker for six seasons after the Atlanta Falcons picked him in the third round of the 1995 draft. It’ll be the fourth time a father/son combination of players from Ohio State has been selected in the NFL draft.

Fathers and Sons Who Both Played for Ohio State and Became NFL Draft Picks
Year	Round	Pick	Father	Pos	Team	Year	Round	Pick	Son	Pos	Team
1956	1	3	HOPALONG CASSADY	RB	LIONS	1976	8	213	CRAIG CASSADY	DB	SAINTS
1979	5	136	RON SPRINGS	RB	COWBOYS	1997	1	3	SHAWN SPRINGS	CB	SEAHAWKS
1983	11	307	TIM SPENCER	RB	CHARGERS	2015	6	187	EVAN SPENCER	WR	COMMANDERS

The Styles brothers have each had unique journeys to becoming 2026 NFL draft prospects. Both of them changed positions during their college careers, as Sonny played safety for his first two years at Ohio State before moving to linebacker in 2024.

Sonny always thought that could be a possibility as he got bigger, and there’s no question now that he made the right decision with that position change. An All-American linebacker for Ohio State last season, Sonny is now projected to be the first true linebacker drafted on Thursday (his Ohio State teammate, Arvell Reese, is expected to be an edge rusher in the NFL). He’ll very likely be a top-10 pick, and quite possibly a top-five pick, after a standout NFL Scouting Combine performance in which he posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump, 11-foot-2 broad jump and 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds.

While the combine elevated Sonny’s profile as a draft prospect, his status as one of the draft’s top prospects was built on his play as a Buckeye, where he led the nation’s best defense with 82 tackles last season while wearing the Block O jersey as a team captain. Sonny is grateful to Ohio State, particularly linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, for believing in his ability to become an NFL linebacker, putting him in position to be one of the first players drafted during Thursday night’s first round.

“When I first switched from safety to linebacker, Coach Laurinaitis sent me a text, he said, ‘Hey man, you're going to be a first-round linebacker.’ And he kind of sent me that text before I even technically believed it. So for him to have that belief in me, it meant a lot,” Sonny said at the combine. “At the time I was doing it, I was trying to help the team. I felt like that was the best spot for us to win. And I felt like it was a spot I could do well at, but most importantly, help the team. So in the long run, it worked out, and I'm glad it did.”

Sonny will be in Pittsburgh on Thursday night to walk across the stage when his name is called during the first round of the draft. Lorenzo will be there, too, to support Sonny, but he’ll likely have to wait two more days to get his own call from the league.

While Sonny didn’t necessarily need his standout combine performance to be an early first-round draft pick, Lorenzo wasn’t widely projected to be drafted entering the combine. But he did exactly what he needed to do to propel himself into the draft’s late rounds by running a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time of any defensive player at this year’s event.

Like his younger brother, though, Lorenzo takes more pride in his all-around ability as a football player than in how fast he can run or how high he can jump.

“I was really happy about my 40, but really the drill work, being able to show some of my ball skills, being able to show some of my fluidity working on my game and stuff, some things I've been working on, I feel like that was the best part,” Lorenzo said of his combine performance.

While Sonny became an undeniable star by the end of his Ohio State career, Lorenzo’s Buckeye career was more uneven. His only chance to be a full-time starter in Ohio State’s secondary was last season, and he battled a shoulder injury for much of the season, one that required surgery after the combine. But the former Buckeye nickelback still believes his time at Ohio State prepared him well for the NFL and that his best football is in front of him.

“Being honest, no. I definitely wanted to do more,” Lorenzo said when asked if his Ohio State career met his expectations. “But I feel like everything turned out the way it was supposed to be. Having the opportunity to go to Ohio State, I feel like it's developed me and prepared me for the NFL. There's going to be some hardships, so I had to go in and work my way up. Do special teams. If the situation was different, I might have not done those things, so I think it's prepared me to have a long NFL career and perform.”

There were many differences between Sonny and Lorenzo’s college careers, and the draft process has been different for each of them, too. But they’ve continued to be each other’s biggest supporters, as they each said they were more excited for their brother’s combine performance than they were for their own.

“I was super excited when he ran that fast. That was ridiculous, especially when he weighed almost 200 pounds. That's rolling. So I was super excited for him,” Sonny said of Lorenzo’s 40 time.

“Sonny's was crazy, dog. Being able to jump that high, be that big, that athletic,” Lorenzo said. “But I knew I had to go get something for myself, too, because I knew he might have jumped higher, so I had to run pretty fast. So I was happy for both of us.”

The Styles brothers are ready to carry on their family legacy

2026 NFL Draft April 23-25 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/a9mejrCsVJ
— NFL (@NFL) April 19, 2026

They’ll be there for each other once more as Sonny becomes one of the draft’s top selections on Thursday and Lorenzo likely gets his phone call from the league on Saturday back home in Pickerington. The ultimate dream would be for both brothers to be drafted by the same team, but no matter where they end up, they feel fortunate that they have the opportunity to play in the NFL together.

“Maybe we go to the same team, maybe we play against each other, same conference, something like that. We'll see – it's just a blessing just to have this opportunity,” Lorenzo said.

Breaking Down Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair’s Performances in Ohio State’s 2026 Spring Game

Josh Poloha — Monday, April 20, 2026 - 10:10

Ohio State fans got their first look at the 2026 version of the Buckeyes on Saturday, including Ohio State quarterbacks Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair.

It was an up-and-down performance for both. While there won't be a quarterback competition entering this fall, St. Clair showed plenty of promise and potential, as the 6-4, 230-pound sophomore showcased his development after one year in the system. That said, Sayin continued to be his usual, calm self, while also showcasing his legs and running ability a bit more than usual, something that must be added to his game if OSU wants to reach its full potential this fall.

With that, we watched – and rewatched – the game to take a closer look at both Sayin and St. Clair's performance in what was a glorified scrimmage on a rainy afternoon in Ohio Stadium.

QB PASSING STATS FROM OSU’S 2026 SPRING GAME
QUARTERBACK
JULIAN SAYIN	9/16, 89 YARDS, 1 INT
TAVIEN ST. CLAIR	9/21, 166 YARDS, 1 TD
JUSTYN MARTIN	1/5, 8 YARDS
LUKE FAHEY,	3/8, 26 YARDS

We charted each of the 37 passes thrown by Sayin and St. Clair in the spring game, with a disclaimer that spring game stats are unofficial and may vary from other outlets. (Note: Each passing chart is categorized by how many yards the quarterback threw the ball in the air past the line of scrimmage on each attempt and whether the ball reached its target inside or outside the hashes, though the stats listed include yards gained after the catch on each completion.)

Julian Sayin

Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss played minimal snaps, and the first-team offensive line was depleted, given several injuries, but Sayin still moved the ball around the field. The most accurate passer in Division I in 2025, he targeted nine different players with his 16 throws, with five different receivers/running backs catching passes from Sayin.

Julian Sayin Jeremiah Smith pic.twitter.com/qXmOvO0DBF
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 18, 2026

He only completed two of seven passes between 10-20 yards downfield for 39 yards and did not attempt a pass 20-plus yards downfield, but Sayin still had a solid showing on Saturday.

The defensive line was able to get in the backfield quite often, given the circumstances, but the rising junior used some of those occasions to scramble, one of which was for a four-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-goal.

Julian Sayin runs in the first TD of @OhioStateFB's Scarlet vs. Gray spring game

: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/76yLYcxjB1
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 18, 2026

Tavien St. Clair

Let's be honest, watching the way St. Clair slings the ball – a flick of the wrist, per se – on Saturday, especially on deep throws, was great. After he only played in one game and threw two passes in 2025, neither of which were completed, it was something that Buckeye Nation hadn't seen of him yet at OSU. But it's also worth taking a step back and remembering that he was going against second- and third-string defenders while throwing passes to Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd, among others.

St. Clair completed only nine of his 21 passes, but threw for 166 yards, highlighted by a 40-yard touchdown pass to Henry. Those 12 incompletions included several throwaways and a dropped pass.

He was at his best as a deep passer, completing three of five deep balls for 112 yards and a touchdown. St. Clair struggled more as an intermediate passer, completing only two of eight passing attempts between 10-20 yards.

This Tavien St. Clair-Chris Henry Jr. connection is funnnnnn pic.twitter.com/l7RE9Ag0gD
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 18, 2026

Like Sayin, the rising sophomore targeted nine different Buckeyes, with five of those having at least one reception.

While St. Clair showcased his arm, vision, and even his scrambling ability on Saturday, he also nearly had two interceptions on bad throws, one of which would have been a pick-six. But he’ll be able to learn from his mistakes as he continues his development this summer.

“We have a really good connection, we watch film together," Sayin said of St. Clair after the game. "I think he’s done a good job this spring of developing and taking that next step."

His best throw of the game came on a 34-yard pass to Henry, one that was perfectly placed over defenders and near the sideline.

Tavien St. Clair Chris Henry Jr. pic.twitter.com/My9Q7hvZq8
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 18, 2026

“Being the quarterback at Ohio State is not easy. He’s battling every day. I think you can see the talent, for sure," Ryan Day said of St. Clair. "Threw some really nice balls down the field, and then, obviously, missed some as well. ... He's got to learn from those things and continue to grow. He’s been showing up every day with a good attitude, and that's important.

"And he's got to continue to grind to learn how to run the offense at a high level because he's going to be an important part of this team," he continued. "You need to build depth at every position. And so we all know how important the quarterback is."

Sayin and St. Clair gave Ohio State fans a glimpse of the future for 2026 and beyond, in a very good way, on Saturday.

2026 Spring Game Standouts: Devin Sanchez’s Surge Continues, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Beau Atkinson Play Pass Rush Menace

Andy Anders — Monday, April 20, 2026 - 08:35

Saturday’s spring game offered the final look at Ohio State’s 2026 football team until preseason camp begins in more than three months.

No decisions in position battles are being made, and players who need to raise their level for Ohio State will still have plenty to prove this fall, regardless of how well their spring practice or spring game went. Still, great springs often lead into great seasons. And there were plenty of standouts in the Shoe on Saturday, even if reps were split between the first-, second- and third-team units.

The Buckeyes’ secondary capped a dominant March and April, holding the offense to a combined 21-of-49 (42.9%) passing for 274 yards and one touchdown. The bulk of those yards and the score came from freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., who was among the top head-turners from the scrimmage.

Ohio State’s first-team interior offensive line also had the upper hand on its interior defensive line, though Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Beau Atkinson won a bevy of reps off the edge. We’re here to break down 14 standouts from the Buckeyes’ 2026 spring game, as the nearing summer weather brings a dry season for football viewing.

CB Devin Sanchez

What a spring it’s been for the projected first-year starter and five-star prospect Sanchez. Jeremiah Smith played just one series for the Buckeyes on Saturday and picked up two receptions for 21 yards on that drive, but Sanchez still threw clamps on the nation’s best wide receiver for one play before he left the field. He provided perfect, clean coverage on the fade route, recording a pass breakup.

Sanchez stayed in phase on almost every coverage assignment he received. Everything is lining up for a star turn in his second year.

DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

Jackson was a menace to offensive tackles Carter Lowe and Ian Moore, as Austin Siereveld and Phillip Daniels were sidelined for the spring game. The fifth-year senior provided consistent pressure and recorded two sacks on back-to-back plays in the second quarter. He’ll provide needed star power to Ohio State’s defensive line.

WR Chris Henry Jr.

The five-star freshman made flashes that fans have been craving since he signed with Ohio State, hauling in four receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. That included two bombs off the arm of Tavien St. Clair, with the score coming on a 40-yard strike up the sideline.

TSC to CHJ for six

Big Ten Network pic.twitter.com/OPow9dkZta
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 18, 2026

The four-man competition among Henry, UTSA transfer Devin McCuin, LSU transfer Kyle Parker and fellow freshman Brock Boyd will continue into the fall. McCuin, Parker and Boyd all had their moments to shine in open practices and Boyd had one of the earliest freshman black stripe removals since the tradition started. But in the spring game, Henry made by far the biggest splash.

S Jaylen McClain

As McClain repeatedly showed this spring, Caleb Downs’ incredible play overshadowed the fact that the New Jersey native was also one of the best safeties in college football in 2025. His role opened up in the spring game, playing all over the field whether in the slot, in the box or at free safety. An eraser in pass coverage, some of that versatility was on display when he stuffed a completion to tight end Nate Roberts in the flats for minimal gain.

DE Beau Atkinson

The highlight of Atkinson’s spring game was, of course, the interception he collected off a batted ball by defensive tackle Will Smith Jr. He displayed his pass-rushing progress as a whole, however, getting home for a sack and showing more strength, bend and explosiveness.

LG Luke Montgomery

Though Montgomery and starting center Carson Hinzman only took the field for four offensive series before being rested for the remainder of the spring game, both were rock steady in pass protection and generated movement in the running game. Below is one of countless examples of Montgomery impersonating a mountain in pass protection, on this occasion against Smith.

C Carson Hinzman

Hinzman matched Montgomery’s effectiveness in his play, giving quarterback Julian Sayin room to climb the pocket with strong pass blocking. Ohio State’s offensive line had issues at tackle and with pressure off the edge without Siereveld and Daniels, and the second and third units up front had issues as well, but the Buckeyes’ two returning starters on the interior were a highlight of the spring game.

TE Nate Roberts

As the sophomore Roberts works to climb to the top of Ohio State’s tight end depth chart, he picked up two receptions for 24 yards in the Buckeyes’ spring game. Twenty of them came on one catch, the best showcase of the receiving threat he could bring to the offense in 2026. He set up linebacker Payton Pierce with a nice inside release on a corner route and leapt to snag the pass from Sayin through traffic.

QB Tavien St. Clair

There were definitely rough moments for St. Clair in the spring game, as he finished just 9-of-21 passing and tossed a couple of pick-worthy throws that weren’t secured by Ohio State’s defensive backs. But man, the kid has a cannon. That’s why he finished with 166 passing yards despite his low completion percentage (42.9%). This throw to Henry was perhaps the most impressive:

Welcome to The 'Shoe Chris Henry Jr @ChrisHenryJr | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/0NS178pHbn
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 18, 2026

P Joe McGuire

As Ohio State works toward better special teams this offseason, its returning starting punter looked fantastic in the Shoe on Saturday. McGuire’s first punt traveled 50 yards before being fair caught, and his second was a perfect 46-yard drop to the 3-yard line.

RB Ja’Kobi Jackson

Jackson didn’t make any splash plays running the football, playing RB1 with Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, Legend Bey and Anthony “Turbo” Rogers all out for the contest. But what the Florida transfer did do is make plays in the receiving game. He finished with the second-most receptions and third-most yards in the contest (three catches for 36 yards), proving a safe outlet for Sayin and St. Clair as they faced consistent pressure.

LB Eli Lee

Not the first time that the redshirt freshman Lee has impressed, he played with a downhill ferocity on defense in the spring game, with two plays that stood out from the rest. The first came on a perfect window fill into what looked like a big hole for running back Favour Akih, stuffing him for a 1-yard gain. The second came with an emphatic 4th-and-2 stop of Akih. He fought through traffic at the line of scrimmage and squared up the freshman, driving him backward and into the ground.

LB Cincere Johnson

Right before Lee’s fourth-down stuff, Johnson shot a gap to shut down a 3rd-and-2 run with force. The five-star freshman looks athletic and talented, even if he and Lee are both likely to be buried on the depth chart this year. James Laurinaitis’ room has a strong future and present, even after losing two likely top-10 NFL draft picks in Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles.

DE Khary Wilder

Another talented freshman, Wilder got going against the depth of Ohio State’s offensive line in the second half, providing relentless pressure off the edge. He’ll aim to keep settling in and building for the future come fall.

Skull Session: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Shoes Were Too Big at Ohio State, Fans Can Round Up for NIL at the Horseshoe and the Little Bar’s Closure Impacts Gameday Atmosphere

Chase Brown — Monday, April 20, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

I had some fun with the Rapid Fire Skull Session on Friday. Let's run it back after a jam-packed weekend with the Ohio State spring game and some other storylines important to Buckeye Nation.

Have a good Monday.

ALL THE LITTLE THINGS. I’ve had some bizarre sports stories in the Skull Session before. Here’s another.

In an appearance on The John Schneider Show, Seattle Seahawks director of equipment Erik Kennedy said Jaxon Smith-Njigba set Ohio State records in what were essentially clown shoes. He didn’t use that phrase, but it’s hard not to read between the lines.

“You’re always trying to find different edges that can help players,” Kennedy said. “In college, he was wearing a size 12, had hamstring issues and things like that. Gets here, he’s a 10.5.”

That detail hits a little harder in hindsight... though there is some doubt the story is actually true...

Straight up BS story.
— Anthony Schlegel (@schlegelvellie) April 17, 2026

In 2022, JSN left Ohio State’s Week 1 win over Notre Dame with what was later revealed to be a hamstring injury. He returned briefly on a pitch count against Toledo and Iowa but ultimately missed the rest of the season.

#Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba used to wear size 12 cleats in college and dealt with hamstring issues, per Director of Equipment Erik Kennedy.

Seattle got him down to a size 10 using foot scanningand he hasnt had the issue since.

Were always trying to find little edges to pic.twitter.com/b3VlXNlJoy
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 17, 2026

His absence loomed large. It’s fair to debate whether he would’ve been enough to overcome Michigan — read: Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing operation — but it’s much easier to picture him as the difference-maker against Georgia. Ohio State’s offense was humming in that Peach Bowl until Marvin Harrison Jr. was knocked out in the end zone.

All told, JSN missed 10 games in his final season, a stark contrast to the year before, when he racked up 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. As a junior, he finished with just five receptions for 45 yards.

Kennedy noted that Smith-Njigba hasn’t missed a game in three seasons with Seattle, suggesting the team’s scanning technology — and a better fit in his cleats — has played a role.

“It’s helped him,” Kennedy said.

Availability is the best ability. And when you have it, you can turn 119 receptions, a league-leading 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns into Offensive Player of the Year honors and a Super Bowl MVP by Year 3.

“HE’S AN EXCITING PLAYER.” While we’re on JSN, he returned to Ohio State as the Buckeyes’ Victory Bell Ringer for Saturday’s spring game. As the offense and defense went back and forth along the Olentangy, Big Ten Network caught up with him to talk about the program’s next standout receiver, Jeremiah Smith.

Hes an exciting player, hes a winner, and its gonna be great to see him flourish.

Former @OhioStateFB WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Jeremiah Smith

: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/iz4ICzHewj
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 18, 2026

“I wouldn’t say I’m a mentor, but he knows anything he needs he can always call or text,” Smith-Njigba said. “We definitely get together and talk some ball. I’m just super proud of him and how he’s pushing the bar even further than what we did. It’s exciting times — really exciting times here. He’s an exciting player. He’s a winner. It’s gonna be great to see him flourish.”

Real recognize real.

PITCH A TENT. Truth be told, Jeremiah Smith isn’t the next great Ohio State wide receiver — he’s already there. And he’ll keep building on that this season. If we’re talking “next next,” that title might belong to Chris Henry Jr., who flashed in the spring game with four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Eleven Warriors editor Dan Hope broke down Henry’s performance and what it could mean for Ohio State moving forward — well worth your time if you want the full picture on the five-star. But I’d be remiss not to highlight this gem from offensive lineman Deontae Armstrong after Tavien St. Clair’s touchdown strike to Henry in the first half:

Could read a harry potter book back there https://t.co/MBLRATyUX6
— Deontae Armstrong (@DeonArmstrong30) April 18, 2026

You sure could read a Harry Potter book back there — probably Order of the Phoenix, all 257,045 words and 800-plus pages of it. If the offensive line gives quarterbacks that kind of time this fall, Ohio State will be a problem.

ROUND UP FOR… NIL? Ohio State fans buying a hot dog and a Coke at the Shoe had another decision to make at checkout Saturday — whether to round up their total for NIL.

At the Shoe, concessions vendors are offering a round up to donate option that goes to Ohio States NIL fund
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) April 18, 2026

Concession vendors inside Ohio Stadium introduced a “round up to donate” option, with the extra change going directly to Ohio State’s NIL fund. It’s a small ask on the surface, but across 100,000-plus fans, it could add up quickly.

Welcome to college football in 2026, where your game-day snacks can double as recruiting contributions.

RIP, LITTLE BAR. Ohio State's pregame and postgame atmosphere felt a little less lively on Saturday after The Little Bar was torn down to make way for a new high-rise apartment project by Austin-based developer American Campus Communities.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by THE OSU Unverified (@ohiostateunverified)

Though The Little Bar poured its final beer on March 29, this may not be the end for the beloved campus staple. Too’s Spirits Under High closed in 2017 before planning its return to campus this August, while the Bier Stube shuttered in 2024 and is set to reopen at a new location on King Avenue. Perhaps The Little Bar can follow a similar path.

GET MORE 11W. Whether it’s a deep dive into spring practice or a feature on Ohio State’s most interesting players, Eleven Warriors is your premier destination for Ohio State sports news.

We take pride in being the go-to source for the most dedicated fan base in the country, and Google has recently introduced a tool that makes it even easier to keep our coverage at the top of your feed.

This new feature allows you to "prioritize" specific news sources, ensuring that the outlets you trust most appear first in your search results. It is a simple way to cut through the noise of national media and get straight to the Buckeye reporting you care about.

To set this up for yourself, you can click this direct link, which takes you straight to the preference page. By confirming Eleven Warriors as a preferred source, you are telling the Google algorithm to highlight our stories whenever you search for news. It’s a quick, one-time adjustment that ensures you never miss a beat from the 11W team.

NEW DUBCAST AT 8 A.M. ET ON YOUTUBE. The first Eleven Dubcast of the week recaps the Ohio State spring game, explores positives and negatives from the afternoon and ponders if the Buckeyes could beat the Columbus Aviators head-to-head.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Kilby Girl" - The Backseat Lovers.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Why Bayern’s players are wearing cockatoo T-shirts for Bundesliga celebrations... California bear-suit luxury car scam ends in insurance fraud sentences for three... Mounted New York police officer and his horse corner suspected purse snatcher in Manhattan... 1 million bees make for bumper-to-buzzer traffic on a Tennessee highway ramp.

2026 Ohio State Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker: Buckeyes Add Justin Pippen, Andrija Jelavić and Jimmie Williams, Miss Out on Jalen Haralson

Andy Anders — Sunday, April 19, 2026 - 20:24

Every year is pivotal in the wild west of the college basketball transfer portal, which turns over even more production by percentage than football does. But this year is especially critical for Jake Diebler's Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have to replace roughly half of their roster this offseason, a share that would be larger were it not for the pending arrival of five-star prospect Anthony Thompson, expected to replace Devin Royal at small forward after he entered the transfer portal. Ohio State has several needs, including a new starting guard, a starting-caliber center and myriad depth pieces.

Meanwhile, its rival to the north, Michigan, won the national championship. The Big Ten sent six teams to the Sweet 16 as Illinois joined the Wolverines in the Final Four before losing to UConn, adding to the stakes of this portal class for Diebler as the conference builds up around him.

The Buckeyes made their first two transfer portal additions of the offseason on April 10 as former Cal and Michigan guard Justin Pippen and former Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavić committed to Ohio State. Then, on Saturday, OSU added another quality piece at guard from Duquesne in third-team All-Atlantic 10 performer Jimmie Williams.

Ohio State Transfer Portal Additions
POS	PLAYER	YEAR	2025-26 STATS	STARS
G	JUSTIN PIPPEN	JR	14.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.9 SPG	★★★★
F	ANDRIJA JELAVIĆ	SO	5.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.3 BPG	★★★★
G	JIMMIE WILLIAMS	SR (RS)	15.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.6 SPG	★★★

On the other end of the spectrum, five players from last year’s roster have left the team via the transfer portal: Taison Chatman, Gabe Cupps, Mathieu Grujicic, Devin Royal and Colin White.

Ohio State Transfer Portal Departures
POS	PLAYER	YEAR	2025-26 STATS	SCHOOL
G	TAISON CHATMAN	R-JR	4.3 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.8 APG	UTAH
G	GABE CUPPS	R-JR	1.7 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 1.1 APG	UIC
G	MATHIEU GRUJICIC	SO	1.0 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.3 APG
F	DEVIN ROYAL	SR	13.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.6 APG	VILLANOVA
F	COLIN WHITE	JR	0.9 PPG, 1 RPG, 0.4 APG

Given the importance of this offseason, we're tracking all of Ohio State's portal movement here in one place, with analysis linked within. Get the full rundown on everything that's happened so far:

April 19, 2026

Former LSU Guard Visiting Ohio State

Former LSU guard Jalen Reece is scheduled to visit Ohio State this week, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.

Reece averaged 5.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for LSU last season, making 10 starts in 32 games. The 10th-ranked point guard and No. 76 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, Reece will also visit Texas A&M and Missouri this week, per Tipton.

April 18, 2026

Former Duquesne Guard Jimmie Williams Commits to Ohio State

Ohio State added a major piece to bolster its backcourt depth in Duquesne transfer guard Jimmie Williams, a third-team All-Atlantic 10 selection who posted 15.1 points with 2.6 assists per game and shot 46.3% from the field last season. He's also an excellent defender, recording 1.6 steals per game in 2025-26.

Read More ➟

April 17, 2026

Chatman Transfers to Utah

Former Ohio State guard Taison Chatman, the highest-rated prospect in the Buckeyes' 2023 class, has signed with Utah.

Read More ➟

April 15, 2026

Jalen Haralson Picks Tennessee Over Ohio State

Ohio State missed out on one of its top transfer portal targets on Wednesday as former Notre Dame wing Jalen Haralson committed to Tennessee.

NEWS: Notre Dame transfer wing Jalen Haralson has committed to Tennessee, source told @On3.

The 6-7 freshman averaged 16.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game this season. Former McDonalds All-American.https://t.co/NxMsV3XpT4 pic.twitter.com/lUMN6SDRKH
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 15, 2026

Ohio State made Haralson’s top three along with Tennessee and North Carolina and attempted to bring Haralson to campus for a visit. With Haralson’s commitment to Tennessee, Ohio State must find another wing – ideally two – to pair with Anthony Thompson following the departures of Devin Royal, Colin White, Puff Johnson and Mathieu Grujicic from last year.

Potential candidates to fill those spots on the roster include former Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams, who’s scheduled to visit Ohio State on Thursday, and former Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr., who has a Zoom call scheduled with the Buckeyes on Thursday. Another transfer target, former Florida Atlantic guard Devin Vanterpool, committed to Providence on Tuesday.

April 14, 2026

Duquesne Guard Jimmie Williams to Visit Ohio State Thursday

Former Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams will take a visit to Ohio State on Thursday.

VISIT NEWS: Duquesne transfer Jimmie Williams plans to visit Ohio State on Thursday, source told @LeagurRDY.

Williams also has Zooms lined up Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and SMU tomorrow. Has taken Zooms with Ohio State, DePaul and Seton Hall.

Repped by Tom Droney of WeShall https://t.co/plGVbuH3tX pic.twitter.com/X9iiZlft6M
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 14, 2026

At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, Williams is an excellent perimeter defender, averaging 1.6 steals per game. He's a major threat on the offensive end, too, averaging 15.1 points per game and shooting 46.3% from the field while tacking on 4.5 rebounds per game. A Solon, Ohio native, he earned third-team All-AAC honors in 2025-26.

April 14, 2026

Cupps Transfers to the University of Illinois Chicago

Guard Gabe Cupps has found his new home after a lone disappointing season at Ohio State, transferring to UIC.

Read More ➟

April 13, 2026

Royal Transfers to Villanova

After three years at Ohio State, Devin Royal is transferring to Villanova for his final year of college basketball.

Read More ➟

April 13, 2026

Grujicic Enters Transfer Portal

Mathieu Grujicic is the fifth member of Ohio State’s 2025-26 roster to enter the transfer portal, leaving the Buckeyes after just one season. He appeared in just six games after arriving from Germany, with all of his game appearances coming in the first two months of the season.

Read More ➟

April 13, 2026

Buckeyes Schedule Call with Kansas State Guard

Ohio State has scheduled a Zoom call with former Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr. for Thursday, according to 247Sports’ Dushawn London.

Kansas State transfer Abdi Bashir will have a zoom with Ohio State on Thursday, source tells @247SportsPortal

Bashir averaged 13.2 points this season and shot 44.4% from three.https://t.co/TiodE3H0VZ pic.twitter.com/xBYIufZjlS
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) April 13, 2026

A 6-foot-7, 175-pound guard from Omaha, Nebraska, Bashir averaged 13.2 points per game for Kansas State last season. A senior with one remaining year of eligibility, Bashir played his first two years of college basketball at Monmouth, where he averaged 20.1 points per game as a sophomore.

April 12, 2026

Drexel Guard Visiting Ohio State

On3’s Jamie Shaw reported Sunday that former Drexel guard Shane Blakeney has scheduled a visit to Ohio State.

Blakeney averaged 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game for Drexel last season, earning All-CAA second-team and CAA All-Defensive team honors.

April 11, 2026

Buckeyes Make Final Three for Jalen Haralson

According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Ohio State is one of three schools still in the running for Notre Dame transfer Jalen Haralson, along with North Carolina and Tennessee.

Source: Notre Dame transfer Jalen Haralson has cut his list to the following programs.

Tennessee
Ohio State
North Carolina

Averaged 16.2 PPG and 4.0 RPG last season.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 11, 2026

A 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing who can play both forward and guard, Haralson averaged 16.2 points per game as a freshman for Notre Dame last season.

April 10, 2026

Kentucky Forward Transfers to Ohio State

Ohio State’s second transfer commitment of the offseason came from former Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavić, a 6-foot-11, 225-pound forward from Croatia who brings three years of eligibility to Columbus. Jelavić averaged 5.5 points and four rebounds per game as a freshman for the Wildcats.

Read More ➟

April 10, 2026

Buckeyes Add Son of NBA Legend

Former Cal and Michigan guard Justin Pippen, the son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, is Ohio State’s first transfer addition of the offseason. He averaged 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game for the Golden Bears in 2025-26.

Read More ➟

April 8, 2026

Ohio State Recruiting Former Duquesne Guard Jimmie Williams

Lettermen Row reported Wednesday that Ohio State had a Zoom call with former Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams, a Solon, Ohio, native. Williams, who previously played at Wallace State and USF, scored 15.1 points per game last season and earned third-team All-Atlantic-10 honors. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard has one remaining season of eligibility.

April 7, 2026

Ohio State Set to Host Columbus Native, Former Davidson Guard

Ohio State athletics could soon add another Devin Brown. Sources told Eleven Warriors on Tuesday that Devin Brown – an Olentangy Orange graduate and former Davidson Wildcat, not the former Buckeye quarterback – will take an official visit to Ohio State.

Brown averaged 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game during his freshman season at Davidson. He shot 40.8% from the field and 31% from three-point range across 34 appearances. Brown would likely be a depth addition after Ohio State lost reserve guards Gabe Cupps and Taison Chatman to the transfer portal this offseason.

April 7, 2026

Ohio State Set to Meet with Former Florida Atlantic Guard

According to Lettermen Row’s Mick Walker, Ohio State is set to meet with former Florida Atlantic guard Devin Vanterpool this week.

The 6-foot-4, 175-pound Vanterpool appeared in 54 games over two seasons with the Owls. He started 24 games this past season, averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range. Vanterpool is the first reported player to schedule a meeting with Ohio State since the transfer portal opened Tuesday.

April 7, 2026

Ohio State's Transfer Portal Needs Include Starting Guard, Starting-Caliber Center and Multiple Depth Pieces

We run through Ohio State's transfer portal needs as the window opens, with a starting guard and starting-caliber center topping the list as obvious current holes in next year's lineup.

Read More ➟

April 6, 2026

Michigan's Excellence Adds Pressure on Jake Diebler, Ohio State to Compete for Championships

As Ohio State is still hunting for its first NCAA Tournament win under Jake Diebler, Michigan is playing for national championships under Dusty May, who was in the running for the Buckeyes' head coaching job before they hired Diebler. The success of Ohio State's rival to the north and the Big Ten at large adds further pressure to what is already a critical offseason.

Read More ➟

April 5, 2026

Guard Taison Chatman to Enter Transfer Portal

Ohio State's No. 3 guard in 2025-26, Taison Chatman, is set to enter the transfer portal after three seasons with the Buckeyes.

Read More ➟

April 5, 2026

Guard Gabe Cupps to Enter Transfer Portal

After one lackluster season with Ohio State, former Ohio Mr. Basketball Gabe Cupps will be searching for his third destination in his college career. He also spent two years at Indiana.

Read More ➟

April 4, 2026

Small Forward Colin White to Enter Transfer Portal

Small forward Colin White will search for a new home after two seasons coming off the end of Ohio State's bench.

Read More ➟

March 29, 2026

Forward Devin Royal to Enter Transfer Portal

Royal spent three seasons at Ohio State, two as a starter, but likely would have had to come off the bench behind sophomore Amare Bynum and Thompson in 2026-27. As such, he entered the transfer portal for his fourth and final year of college basketball.

Read More ➟

March 23, 2026

Where Ohio State Must Improve in 2026-27

To begin the offseason, we dove into where Ohio State must grow in 2026-27 as a program – and the transfer portal was a major area discussed. Staff discussions and X's and O's are delved into, too.

Read More ➟

Ohio State Men's and Women's Tennis Teams Each Clinch Big Ten Regular Season Championships

George Eisner — Sunday, April 19, 2026 - 16:04

Fresh off men's lacrosse clinching a share of the Big Ten regular season conference title yesterday, the Ohio State men's and women's tennis teams followed suit today with their own championship-bearing efforts at the end of scheduled play.

Final from Lincoln...Ohio State finishes the Big Ten regular season with a 12-1 record to claim its 20th-consecutive Big Ten title. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/6ACV5KGAGP
— Ohio State M Tennis (@OhioStateMTEN) April 19, 2026

Regular season Big Ten CHAMPS #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/oSNqKxGkmg
— Ohio State Womens Tennis (@OhioStateWTEN) April 19, 2026

The women's team took down Washington at home in Columbus and the men's side shut out Nebraska in Lincoln on Sunday to clinch the regular-season titles for the Buckeyes. The women have now won 10 games in a row and own 21 wins against only three losses on the season, while the men just claimed their 20th straight regular-season conference title and own a 13-match win streak with a 27-3 overall record.

The women share the Big Ten regular-season title with Michigan and USC while the men share the conference championship with Michigan State.

Men's tennis will begin Big Ten Tournament play on Wednesday in Ojai, California, while the women's squad will wait for their own conference tournament to begin the following day in Columbus. The men's final would take place next Saturday, while the women's would occur the following day next Sunday.

The 2026 NCAA DI men's and women's tennis tournaments will take place next month, with the team finals commencing between May 14th and 18th.

The Weekender: Ted Ginn Jr. Earns First Win with Columbus Aviators, Kyle Snyder Interested In Wrestling Khamzat Chimaev and Chaos at Virginia Tech Spring Game

George Eisner — Sunday, April 19, 2026 - 14:45

Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.

Ted Ginn Jr. Bounces Back with First Win

It's never easy watching your heroes let you down. That was something many Ohio State fans and myself had to deal with last week when the news broke that my favorite Ohio State football player of all-time — Ted Ginn Jr. — had been arrested on a DWI misdemeanor the night before he was set to coach his third game for the Columbus Aviators.

Former Ohio State wide receiver and Columbus Aviators head coach Ted Ginn Jr. was arrested for DWI on Saturday morning. https://t.co/1ML6wOg3FX
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 12, 2026

Ginn Jr. has held permanent residence in my Buckeye fan brain since sixth grade when I made watching this YouTube video a regular part of my daily routine. The May 30th, 2006 publishing timestamp backs up that statement.

So you can imagine how disappointed my inner child was to hear this man that I watched move on the football field as if he were playing a different sport — because, as a track star, he was — had maneuvered himself into such a difficult position. Ginn Jr. was already one of the most beloved Buckeyes of his era even before he assumed an even greater spotlight as a leader of men for one of the teams in an up-and-coming sports league. This moment of weakness the night before the team he leads would fall to 0-3 without him present due to his actions had the potential to do serious damage to his legacy.

Would he take accountability? Or would he fall into the same pattern of his college teammate that dealt with his own impaired driving saga less than a year ago?

Former Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton will serve at least five years in prison for killing a 24-year-old in a high-speed, wrong-way car crash last summer. https://t.co/L920mF22Bk
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) March 25, 2026

In the Eleven Warriors article detailing last month's court proceedings, Chase Brown noted that legal records show Kirk Barton had prior traffic violations dating back to 2010 that included multiple OVI charges that either ultimately became dismissed or reduced. On the night of Barton's vehicular homicide incident, his blood alcohol level was greater than three times the legal limit.

Ginn Jr. addressed his arrest publicly last Sunday on his social media less than 36 hours after his arrest. He received a Class B misdemeanor charge for driving while intoxicated, but was released after posting $1,000 bond.

I want to address the situation that took place over the weekend.

I made a serious mistake and take full responsibility for my actions. Ive always believed in accountability and now its my turn to live that standard.

I understand the responsibility that comes with being a pic.twitter.com/Z8d2o7Hr9H
— Ted Ginn Jr (@TedGinnJr_19) April 12, 2026

The Aviators lost their visit to Frisco, Texas by a final score of 28-23 to the Dallas Renegades while Ginn Jr. remained absent from the team. Now winless and facing the undefeated Renegades again in a home-and-home less than a week later, something had to change to avoid the entire operation bottoming out.

In the belly of the whale, Ginn Jr. took an even greater share of accountability and channeled it into reshaping the approach of the Aviators with their season on the brink. After not attempting more than 25 rushes as a team the whole UFL season, Ginn Jr. turned the Aviators into an ironic nickname and proceeded to rebrand Columbus as an all-out ground assault in the rematch with Dallas.

YOU ALREADY KNOW

ZAQUANDRE WHITE TOUCHDOWN! pic.twitter.com/G3DeDYBy9b
— Columbus Aviators (@UFLAviators) April 18, 2026

Ginn Jr. and the Aviators shattered the UFL single-game team rushing attempts record by dialing up 47 carries for his running back room. The fourth quarter for Columbus proved reminiscent of Ohio State's mauling against Michigan down the stretch in Ann Arbor last season. The Aviators ultimately won by a 28-14 final score, and Ginn Jr. received a Gatorade bath to celebrate his first win as a head coach.

Ted Ginn Jr. and @UFLAviators secure their first win in franchise history pic.twitter.com/hRi47FXqhu
— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 18, 2026

Watching your heroes let you down can be devastating, but watching them bounce back reminds you why they became your heroes in the first place. Learn from your mistakes as Ginn Jr. did and don't let a bad decision become something even worse.

Kyle Snyder vs. Khamzat Chimaev?

Nearly eight years following the end of his career at Ohio State, Kyle Snyder remains one of the greatest wrestlers to ever compete on behalf of not merely the Buckeyes, but the United States as a whole and even the sport itself. Although Snyder never pursued a career in mixed martial arts despite expressing interest in such a path following his gold medal at the 2016 Olympics, he could still end up confronting MMA in what may prove one of the most important matches of his career.

Snyder currently holds the light heavyweight championship belt with the Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling promotion based out of Tampa, FL. RAF began staging events last year with its first show in Cleveland, OH; while Snyder made his debut with the promotion only last month before successfully defending his title last night at RAF 08 in Philadelphia.

After his 15th victory in 16 contests over the last year, and as combat sports stars have begun turning to RAF as a vehicle for promoting their talents between bookings with lower risk of injury than usual, Snyder expressed interest in a new challenge: international UFC superstar Khamzat Chimaev.

Olympic champion Kyle Snyder says Khamzat Chimaev is the only UFC champion hed like to wrestle at RAF

https://t.co/v3oz12IJD8 pic.twitter.com/ISNWRClCbv
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 18, 2026

This would be one of the most noteworthy matches from a name-brand value perspective for RAF to make. Chimaev made his professional MMA debut only a couple weeks removed from Snyder's Ohio State graduation in 2018, but merely two years later had already earned a spot on the UFC roster. He then quickly captured the world's imagination during a COVID-compromised sports schedule that saw the UFC as one of the only athletic attractions on regularly through most of 2020.

#OnThisDay in 2020: Khamzat Chimaev needed just 17 seconds to KO Gerald Meerschaert

Watch in full on @UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/pZNiBFCa4o
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 19, 2024

Chimaev now sits 15-0 as UFC middleweight champion and is ranked as the promotion's pound-for-pound third-best fighter in the entire world. He set a pair of UFC records in his title-winning effort at UFC 319 last year after landing 529 total strikes and controlling his opponent for nearly 22 of all 25 minutes of the fight. The undefeated champion will make his first title defense at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey, next month.

Including his 24-0 record in freestyle wrestling in which he surrendered merely eight points to opponents, Chimaev has never been defeated in professional combat sports. However, he has also only competed in freestyle wrestling once since 2018 and never outside of Sweden.

Even so, Chimaev's wrestling dominance against UFC talent has been part of what he has proudly built his fighting profile on. While cutting weight for his title fight last year, a video of Chimaev swinging around former two-division UFC champion and wrestling Olympian Daniel Cormier went viral in illustrating the raw strength Chimaev possesses.

Khamzat Chimaev pulled up on Daniel Cormier and absolutely manhandled him

(via @AdamZubayraev) pic.twitter.com/yBHOQXKnSd
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) August 13, 2025

Dedicated fans of wrestling as a sport continue to insist that the gap between their abilities and that of mixed martial artists remains far wider than the latter party would ever want to admit. Snyder seems keen on proving such an idea true on the largest stage possible.

James Franklin Era at Virginia Tech Begins with Parachute Accident

James Franklin may no longer be with Penn State, but college football can't escape Frames Janklin. Before Virginia Tech could even take the field for its own spring game yesterday, chaos had already begun its descent on the Hokies' football program. By the end of the afternoon, "this is how legends are made" had replaced "Enter Sandman" as the most infamous pre-game music tradition offered at Lane Stadium.

Guy parachuting into Virginia Tech Spring game is stuck on the scoreboard after rough collision. #oops pic.twitter.com/2smQ30FAxN
— JIMMY (@yakubbsmonster) April 18, 2026

Thankfully, the original poster ("JIMMY") clarified that the parachuter ultimately received rescue after a second ladder truck arrived to help him down when the first on scene proved too short. That means we can all eventually look back on this incident years from now and laugh in recognizing what it foreshadowed for VT under Franklin.

ICYMI

Defense Triumphs Over Offense at Ohio State Spring Game

Virginia Tech wasn't the only school with a spring game yesterday! In case you missed any of the standout performances from Chris Henry Jr. or the Silver Bullets, check out this recap of the afternoon from the 11W beat staff.

Robby Discher Talks Rebuilding Ohio State Special Teams

One of the most lamented areas of the program in recent seasons by fans, recently arrived special teams coordinator Robby Discher talks what the Buckeyes need to improve heading into the 2026 season and expresses optimism in fellow new arrival in the form of kicker Connor Hawkins.

The Situational: Until the Real Thing Comes Along

Did you get your recommended dose of Ramzy this week?

What’s Next

Men's Lacrosse: Big Ten Tournament, vs. Michigan, Saturday, April 25th, TBD, B1G+
Men's Tennis: Big Ten Tournament, Wednesday - Saturday
OSU Football Returns: vs. Ball State, Saturday, September 5th

Beau Atkinson Caps Spring Resurgence with Strong Spring Game Showing

Andy Anders — Sunday, April 19, 2026 - 08:35

Beau Atkinson's been picking off his flaws this offseason just like he picked off a tipped Julian Sayin pass in Ohio State's spring game.

Some fools (it's me, I'm the fool) considered him a fringe contender to start alongside Kenyatta Jackson Jr. at defensive end as recently as the morning before Ohio State's Friday practice. They viewed it as a competition between Alabama transfer Qua Russaw and sophomore Zion Grady.

Now, exiting spring, he might be the frontrunner.

“He took his mobility and his flexibility serious over the offseason,” Jackson said after the spring game. “I believe, my opinion, he was overthinking a lot when he got in last year. And I don't think he's overthinking now. He's playing much faster and more explosive.”

Atkinson went into the 2026 offseason motivated and has made clear strides in his play thus far. With any luck, it will translate to the field this fall.

"I feel like I've gotten a lot more mobile, and I've been putting a lot of work in that in the weight room," Atkinson said on Wednesday. "Coach Mick (Marotti) has been helping me get right a lot and I've got a great extra work plan, so I feel like all that has been paying off. But also just being more comfortable with the guys and growing as a teammate as well."

The transition from the ACC to Ohio State proved tougher than thought for Atkinson in 2025. After recording 35 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks for North Carolina in 2024, he struggled to achieve any production in his 214 snaps off the bench in his first year with the Buckeyes. He registered just 11 tackles and one sack as Grady passed him on the depth chart toward the end of the season.

Rather than run from the challenge for his senior campaign, he stuck it out at Ohio State and used his disappointment as motivation moving forward.

"I don't think it went anywhere near the way that I wanted it to, but I feel like that has given me some extra fuel to come into this season and to work really hard," Atkinson said. "I've been working on my mobility a lot and I've been feeling a lot looser out here, and so, yeah, I'm excited to get back out there."

Mobility, as he mentioned, and flexibility were the two big emphases for Atkinson this offseason. Plus, strength and explosion to improve his first steps off the line of scrimmage.

"Sometimes last season, I just felt myself feeling a lot more stiff than I had felt in the previous seasons before that," Atkinson said. "And so I've really tried to target whatever my weaknesses were last season and try to grow as much as I possibly can through each of those."

Atkinson wowed in both Ohio State's Student Appreciation Day practice and its Ohio Stadium practice on Friday. Then, in the spring game, he showed his progress to the public at large.

The biggest play of note came in the first quarter, when Atkinson intercepted a pass tipped by defensive tackle Will Smith Jr. A nice play in a vacuum, but more impressive was Atkinson's pass rush. He was consistently in the face of Ohio State's quarterbacks and registered a sack.

Atkinson didn't get a spring at Ohio State in 2025, committing in the now-defunct spring portal window and arriving in the summer. The value of spring practice to him this year is undeniable.

"I think it's paramount that those guys get that extra time," defensive line coach Larry Johnson said on Wednesday. "Now that he's got the extra spring ball and extra weight room, he can see the difference. He's changed, he's gotten heavier, and got stronger, I think that's the key."

Atkinson doesn't have any stated objectives for the 2026 season, which arrives in less than five months. He's focused on the process of improvement – probably the correct approach.

"I'm not really too focused on (goals for the season)," Atkinson said. "I'm just really trying to focus on the process every single day, trying to get myself better. I'm not really looking too far ahead like that."

Atkinson is riding a wave of momentum to potentially reach the shore of a starting job. The turnaround could be immaculate. Next, it will be time to show it in a game that's more than a glorified practice.

“I think he's done a 360 so far, but we haven't played a game yet,” Johnson said. “I think I like where he's at. He's much better, he's more flexible right now that we'd like him to be. And again, he's a transition guy coming from the University of North Carolina and trying to play this way, and how do we do it, it's different. It really is, and I think he embraced it. Never had a dull moment, never fought away from it, not even shied away from what we're doing. Now, it's his moment, his time.”

Team Gray 35, Team Scarlet 26
April 18, 2026 • Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH
• Defense Wins Spring Game 35-26
• Henry Shows Potential to Be Immediate Star
• Atkinson's Turnaround Continues
• 11W Live: Spring Game Standouts
• Ohio State Postgame
• Photos

Chris Henry Jr. Shows Potential to Be Immediate Star for Ohio State With Standout Spring Game Performance

Dan Hope — Saturday, April 18, 2026 - 19:49

Chris Henry Jr.’s potential to be Ohio State’s next superstar wide receiver was on full display in his first spring game as a Buckeye.

Ohio State fans got their first opportunity to watch Henry play at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, and the five-star freshman wideout didn’t disappoint. Henry led all Buckeyes in yards from scrimmage with four catches for 96 yards, including a pair of deep-ball grabs on throws from Tavien St. Clair, one of which went for the day’s only passing touchdown from 40 yards out.

Welcome to The 'Shoe Chris Henry Jr @ChrisHenryJr | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/0NS178pHbn
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 18, 2026

TSC to CHJ for six

Big Ten Network pic.twitter.com/OPow9dkZta
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 18, 2026

From the day Henry committed to Ohio State nearly three years ago before his sophomore year of high school, there’s always been an expectation that Henry would be a future star at Ohio State. When the Buckeyes ponied up extra NIL money to fend off late efforts from Oregon and Texas to flip Henry during the early signing period, the expectation that Henry would make an immediate impact for Ohio State in 2026 became even clearer.

For much of the spring, Henry was overshadowed by the other receivers competing to start alongside Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss this season. LSU transfer wide receiver Kyle Parker was the first player to lose his black stripe this spring. Brock Boyd lost his black stripe just one practice later, becoming the third-fastest freshman ever (behind only Smith and Carnell Tate) to lose his black stripe. UTSA transfer wide receiver Devin McCuin was a frequent standout in practices open to the media, particularly Student Appreciation Day, and got the start alongside Smith and Inniss in the spring game.

The highest-upside option for Ohio State’s 2026 receiving corps, however, has always been for Henry to realize his immense potential quickly and emerge as Ohio State’s second starter on the outside opposite Smith. Other than Smith, there aren’t many receivers in all of college football with higher ceilings than Henry, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound wideout who was ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver in the 247Sports composite for the 2026 recruiting class.

While McCuin and Parker took most of the reps alongside Smith and Inniss with the first-team offense this spring, Ryan Day implied earlier this spring that the door remained wide open for Henry to be an immediate starter this season if he continued to develop the way Ohio State believed he would.

“He has to have the mentality that he wants to play from day one, and that he's starting in the first game. That should be his goal,” Day said on March 31. “Now whether he does or not, we'll see. But he has all the traits, he has all the skills. Everything that we thought he would be in recruiting, we've seen on the field.”

Ryan Day said Chris Henry Jr.s goal should be to become a Day 1 starter for the Buckeyes.

He has all the traits. He has all the skills, Day said. Everything we thought he would be in recruiting we've seen on the field, so that's exciting. pic.twitter.com/CqxxS00ryf
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) March 31, 2026

Two-and-a-half weeks later, that goal seems more realistic than ever. Henry had his black stripe removed on Wednesday, making him one of just two freshmen (along with Boyd) to shed his black stripe this spring. He backed that up with the top individual performance of any Buckeye in the spring’s final showcase, which showcased his ability to beat defensive backs deep with his speed as well as his ability to adjust to the ball in the air and make clean catches.

Henry will have to build on that performance in summer workouts and preseason camp to ultimately earn the starting job, as McCuin, Parker and Boyd are all legitimate contenders for significant playing time in Ohio State’s receiver rotation this year, too. Starting at Ohio State as a freshman wide receiver is a rarity; while Smith became an immediate superstar for Ohio State as a freshman two years ago, all of the other recent stars in “Zone 6” – including first-round picks Tate, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave – have started their careers as backups before breaking out later in their freshman seasons or as sophomores.

While Smith had already become a fixture in the first-team rotation by the end of his first spring as a Buckeye, Henry took many of his reps with the second-team unit this spring, so he’ll have to prove himself in more consistent first-team action, which will likely come in August. He still has plenty of room to develop before he’ll reach his ultimate potential, particularly as a route runner.

But Henry’s size, speed and contested catch ability could go a long way toward filling the void in Ohio State’s receiver lineup left by the departure of Tate, who’s projected to be a top-10 pick in next week’s NFL draft. And Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is excited about what Henry could bring to the Buckeyes’ offense this season.

“He's done a really good job. He's a big, tall, fast receiver, can make great plays, and I think you saw a couple today; he had some great plays today,” Sayin said after Saturday’s spring game. “I think he's done a good job of developing in the program, and I think he's got a bright future.”

Team Gray 35, Team Scarlet 26
April 18, 2026 • Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH
• Defense Wins Spring Game 35-26
• Henry Shows Potential to Be Immediate Star
• Atkinson's Turnaround Continues
• 11W Live: Spring Game Standouts
• Ohio State Postgame
• Photos

Skull Session: Will Howard Took A Pay Cut Leaving Ohio State for the NFL, Scottie Pippen Gives Jake Diebler A Ringing Endorsement and Lorenzo Styles Sr. Describes His Legacy

Ohio State’s Sonny and Lorenzo Styles Set to Realize NFL Dreams Together After Their Own Unique College Journeys

Breaking Down Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair’s Performances in Ohio State’s 2026 Spring Game

Julian Sayin

Tavien St. Clair

2026 Spring Game Standouts: Devin Sanchez’s Surge Continues, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Beau Atkinson Play Pass Rush Menace

CB Devin Sanchez

DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

WR Chris Henry Jr.

S Jaylen McClain

DE Beau Atkinson

LG Luke Montgomery

C Carson Hinzman

TE Nate Roberts

QB Tavien St. Clair

P Joe McGuire

RB Ja’Kobi Jackson

LB Eli Lee

LB Cincere Johnson

DE Khary Wilder

Skull Session: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Shoes Were Too Big at Ohio State, Fans Can Round Up for NIL at the Horseshoe and the Little Bar’s Closure Impacts Gameday Atmosphere

2026 Ohio State Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker: Buckeyes Add Justin Pippen, Andrija Jelavić and Jimmie Williams, Miss Out on Jalen Haralson

Former LSU Guard Visiting Ohio State

Former Duquesne Guard Jimmie Williams Commits to Ohio State

Chatman Transfers to Utah

Jalen Haralson Picks Tennessee Over Ohio State

Duquesne Guard Jimmie Williams to Visit Ohio State Thursday

Cupps Transfers to the University of Illinois Chicago

Royal Transfers to Villanova

Grujicic Enters Transfer Portal

Buckeyes Schedule Call with Kansas State Guard

Drexel Guard Visiting Ohio State

Buckeyes Make Final Three for Jalen Haralson

Kentucky Forward Transfers to Ohio State

Buckeyes Add Son of NBA Legend

Ohio State Recruiting Former Duquesne Guard Jimmie Williams

Ohio State Set to Host Columbus Native, Former Davidson Guard

Ohio State Set to Meet with Former Florida Atlantic Guard

Ohio State's Transfer Portal Needs Include Starting Guard, Starting-Caliber Center and Multiple Depth Pieces

Michigan's Excellence Adds Pressure on Jake Diebler, Ohio State to Compete for Championships

Guard Taison Chatman to Enter Transfer Portal

Guard Gabe Cupps to Enter Transfer Portal

Small Forward Colin White to Enter Transfer Portal

Forward Devin Royal to Enter Transfer Portal

Where Ohio State Must Improve in 2026-27

Ohio State Men's and Women's Tennis Teams Each Clinch Big Ten Regular Season Championships

The Weekender: Ted Ginn Jr. Earns First Win with Columbus Aviators, Kyle Snyder Interested In Wrestling Khamzat Chimaev and Chaos at Virginia Tech Spring Game

Ted Ginn Jr. Bounces Back with First Win

Kyle Snyder vs. Khamzat Chimaev?

James Franklin Era at Virginia Tech Begins with Parachute Accident

ICYMI

Defense Triumphs Over Offense at Ohio State Spring Game

Robby Discher Talks Rebuilding Ohio State Special Teams

The Situational: Until the Real Thing Comes Along

What’s Next

Beau Atkinson Caps Spring Resurgence with Strong Spring Game Showing

Chris Henry Jr. Shows Potential to Be Immediate Star for Ohio State With Standout Spring Game Performance

Ohio State Defense Overcomes Fast Start By Offense to Win Spring Game, 35-26