Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann Discusses Incoming Recruiting Class, Transfer Players And More

"We're excited about what we feel like this young group can be and just the coming years."

Author:
Andrew Lind
May 27, 2022 2:01 PM EDT

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Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann took a few minutes away from recruiting in the Southwest to join The Buckeye Show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus on Thursday night.

He discussed a wide variety of topics during his 13-minute appearance, including his thoughts on the state of the program, the incoming freshman class, the importance of transfer players, his favorite victories with the Buckeyes and more.

Here’s a bullet-point recap of what Holtmann had to say:

On the direction of the program, which lost two players to the NBA Draft but added three transfers and a five-man recruiting class this offseason: “I think we’re really excited about this class. We’re excited about the future. We're excited about what we feel like this young group can be and just the coming years. We really are. When you have four guys that are in the top 60 in the country that all play kind of a different position and meet real needs for us, it's exciting to be able to work with guys that we believe have really, really bright futures in Buckeye uniforms.”
Holtmann said the key to their success will be player development and keeping the group together, especially in today’s landscape with the transfer portal. “I think we had a really strong addition with some transfers. Which we needed to. This was a year unlike any we've had in that you just had a lot of guys, some that you expected that were obviously going to graduate or out of eligibility and then a guy like Malaki (Branham), who just had a phenomenal one-and-done season.”
“No one's hungrier than I think we are as a staff or as a program to continue to move this thing forward. That's what we're working really hard for every day.”
On incoming freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh: “He’s physically one of the most unique players we’ve coached. He’s got a big frame, though he’s really slimmed down … He’s Duane (Washington) as a freshman in a 6-foot-6 frame. He came in very confident … He’s as good a shooter as there is in the country as a freshman.”
Holtmann praised Oklahoma State transfer guard/forward Isaac Likekele for his "unique" abilities, as well, as he's someone who can play anywhere from point guard to power forward in smaller lineups.
Holtmann acknowledged there’s always a lot of pressure on him and the staff when it comes to recruiting, but it was more important than ever to find high-level players this cycle given the departures from the program. “There was a lot riding on this class and our staff did a great job. They really did a phenomenal job, and now we’ve got to develop them.”
Holtmann said Sensabaugh and guards Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle and Bowen Hardman will have roles as freshmen, but thinks center Felix Okpara could need some time to develop. “He’s 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, but he's only about 215 (pounds) right now, so he's going to need some time to grow.”
On how the transfer portal has shaped the roster, as the Buckeyes added Likekele, Wright State guard Tanner Holden and West Virginia guard Sean McNeil this offseason. “College basketball is not like college football where you’re going to get a good player and keep them for three years. I wish it was like that in a lot of ways, but it’s not like that, nor will it ever been. There’s going to be, naturally, a little more roster turnover, and in some cases, significantly more. We’ve been really fortunate in that we have not had any significant attrition.”
Asked which games stick out during his tenure at Ohio State, Holtmann mentioned wins over No. 1 Michigan State and at Purdue in 2018, against Iowa State in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, against Michigan in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament, No. 1 Duke in 2021 and at No. 15 Illinois in 2022.