Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State roster finalization 'fluid' right now

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Ohio State roster finalization ‘fluid’ right now

Ohio State still has one scholarship spot to fill for the 2024-25 season. Jake Diebler was asked about it Tuesday.

“I think we’ll be able to speak more specifically on that here in the near future,” the first-year Buckeyes head coach said. “Right now, it’s fluid, more than it ever has been. That’s just the nature of college basketball. And I think from this standpoint, as we have looked to finalize things, we’ve looked to build around the pieces that we have and complement the guys that we have, because we’re really excited about this group.

“I can’t give you too much more information than that right now. We’ll have more information here soon, though.”

Before sophomore guard Taison Chatman suffered his season-ending ACL tear earlier this summer, the Buckeyes were aiming to fill their last remaining scholarship spot with a developmental big, according to Lettermen Row sources.

Since, Diebler and his staff have been reevaluating their options. Ohio State could use that scholarship for a guard to the fill the void left by Chatman’s absence, or it could sit tight at that position.

Diebler was asked Tuesday if it’s possible the Buckeyes make multiple additions — in that case, adding one scholarship player and one non-scholarship player — before their 2024-25 roster is finalized.

“That’s going to be fluid,” Diebler said. “Yeah, that’s going to be fluid for the time being.”

Diebler remained tight-lipped about the subject, and he didn’t budge on schedule talk, either, although it sounds like he’ll be able to speak more on both of those things soon.

Diebler doesn’t have his complete roster yet, plus he admitted that his team’s been more banged up than he would have hoped this summer. That said, Chatman’s injury seems to be the only serious setback so far. He obviously didn’t practice Tuesday, but neither did fifth-year guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who sat out with an undisclosed injury. Duke transfer forward Sean Stewart was limited yet impressed with his 3-point shooting stroke in warmups.

When the Buckeyes do have their full complement of players at the ready, though, what will Diebler want his team to look like?

“I want people to see an aggressive, confident, tough team,” Diebler said. “And a team that has fun [and] plays with a joy. That’s one of our values here is joy. When we walk through this building, and we have the resources we have and everything, we’re going to operate with a sense of joy and pride in what we do, and I think our fans will see that. People will be able to see that when they’re here in the Schott. They’ll be able to see that through the TV.

“We’re going to be aggressive, I want guys to play with confidence. And we’re going to have a toughness about us. There’ll be pace involved in that certainly. That’s in my DNA. I think that’s well documented.”

Ohio State has an identity, and, based on Diebler’s description, it’s recognizable from the team that won 8-of-11 games down the stretch of last season.

He just needs to find the final piece or pieces of a potentially momentous roster.

Notebook: Unpacking observations from early July Ohio State practice

The opening portion of Tuesday’s practice was made available to the media. Lettermen Row was in the Schottenstein Center taking in the Jake Diebler experience. Then we unpacked our observations in notebook form.

It was an opportunity to get a first look at a new batch of transfers, including a pair of former top-20 overall prospects from the 2023 class, center Aaron Bradshaw and forward Sean Stewart. Plus, freshman guard Juni Mobley and first-year wing Colin White both had their moments.

Diebler brings the juice at practice. That’s impossible to miss.

For more on that and everything else we saw in the viewing period, head on over here.

More of Diebler, right in the thick of it. Here he’s challenging drivers in the paint with contact. pic.twitter.com/ymuxdRidUF

— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) July 9, 2024

What should we expect from Caleb Downs at Ohio State?

It’s “Safeties Week” at Lettermen Row, and that means it’s time for more Caleb Downs talk. After all, he’s arguably the best safety in college football. The Buckeyes got him from the transfer portal after he earned second-team AP All-American honors as a true freshman at Alabama last season.

So what should Ohio State expect from Downs this time around?

He’ll be prepared, that’s for sure. To get a sense of how he’ll fit into the Buckeyes’ defense and what his potential is, go here.

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New Ohio State linebacker commit Riley Pettijohn details why he picked the Buckeyes

Four-star McKinney (Texas) linebacker Riley Pettijohn is Ohio State’s latest commit. Pettijohn — the No. 34 overall prospect and No. 2 linebacker in the 2025 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking — picked Ohio State over USC, Texas and Texas A&M.

“The way they produce draft picks and the way they are constantly competing for a national championship,” Pettijohn said on what separated Ohio State. “The way they develop their players, [too].”

Get the full story here.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 52 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 143 days

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