This time last year, first-year Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was scrambling to find guards he could play meaningful minutes in 2017-18.
He convinced Andrew Dakich to transfer from Michigan and was able to get Musa Jallow to reclassify to the 2017 recruiting class, getting him to Columbus a year early to add depth to a roster that lost the majority of its backcourt talent after the fallout from Thad Matta's dismissal.
One year later, however, Ohio State is brimming with guard depth and talent, as the Buckeyes will not only have a new-look roster in 2018-19 but also figure to play a different brand of basketball.
C.J. Jackson is back to run the point for the Buckeyes this season, but he is joined by an influx of talent, both young and old. Most importantly, Ohio State added Wake Forest graduate transfer Keyshawn Woods in the offseason, giving Holtmann options to play Woods as a backup point guard or as a shooting guard alongside Jackson, perhaps giving the Buckeyes more offensive versatility.
Keyshawn Woods adds experience and versatility to Ohio State's backcourt. Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Add in the likes of Jallow, highly touted freshman Luther Muhammad and California product Duane Washington, and Ohio State could play a more up-tempo brand of basketball it couldn't afford to run a season ago.
"It is a faster pace and you don't have to rely on one person to take the whole load," Jallow said June 20 of a potential three-guard lineup. "It makes it easier for each individual player and things just flow a little bit better."
Last season, Ohio State primarily started Jackson and Kam Williams alongside Tate, Bates-Diop and Kaleb Wesson, with Tate running the point at times when Jackson went to the bench. This year, the Buckeyes won't have to rely on a non-traditional guard handling the basketball, which could play into their favor.
Woods has plenty of experience playing on and off the ball and is slightly more versatile offensively than Jackson is. The two veterans, who played against each other on numerous occasions in high school, are now learning to play together through summer workouts.
"He is just a player that knows how to play the game, and there are not too many people like that," Jackson said June 13. "He can defend multiple positions, so that will help us this year. (We are) playing together. Open gyms, 2-on-2, (and) so far I feel like we are meshing well. Just being able to read each other and play off each other will definitely be big this season, and so far, so good."
What makes Ohio State's new guard-heavy lineup all the more interesting is that many of them are known for their defense. Muhammad has been pegged as one of the top defensive guards in the 2018 recruiting class, while Jallow's defensive versatility earned him a few starts as a 17-year-old last year.
In addition to his defensive abilities, Muhammad could be one of Ohio State's top offensive weapons this season. Combine him with Jackson's much-improved three-point shooting and Woods' ability off the dribble, the Buckeyes should be able to utilize a three-guard lineup with the Wesson brothers in the post or a variety of lineups that could also feature Justin Ahrens, Jaedon LeDee and Micah Potter.
Because of its rigorous non-conference schedule and five newcomers to the roster (six if you include C.J. Walker, who will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules), Ohio State will likely have some growing pains early in the season as the new-look Buckeyes get used to playing alongside one another. However, once Holtmann figures out which players play best with each other, Ohio State could be one of the more athletic teams in the Big Ten next season, which if nothing else should be fun to watch if you are a Buckeye fan.
