Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann has a dog, but he sure doesn’t need it. Not for the oft-stated reason NBA broadcaster Mark Jackson gives. Holtmann, whose 18th-ranked Buckeyes open at home at 8:30 tonight against the University of Cincinnati, certainly didn’t acquire the family Boxer upon Jackson’s recommendation.. “If you’re afraid,” Jackson is fond of saying, “buy a dog.” The fact Ohio State is opening with UC, a team every OSU coach who preceded Holtmann avoided like a tax audit, shows how he embraces the benefits of what some would label a risky opener. First, the Buckeyes could lose to the Bearcats, who are a mystery given first-year coach John Brannen and a host of transfers to go with pre-season America Athletic player-of-the-year Jarron Cumberland. Holtmann has a roster as long on untested freshmen as it is proven upperclassmen, although his freshmen are wildly talented. Risking a loss to UC could…
Continue Reading: Chris Holtmann Welcomes Tough Schedule for Ohio State
