Everything Ohio State Buckeyes Coach Chris Holtmann Said At Big Ten Media Days

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Chris Holtmann is excited to get going in the 2023-24 season.

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was fired up about another opportunity with the returning members of his team at Big Ten Media Days Tuesday in Minneapolis.

Holtmann spoke about the struggles the team had last season, what he expects from the transfers, bigger roles for sophomores and the Big Ten expansion.

Here is everything Holtmann had to say on Tuesday:

2022 Struggles and Disappointment

Holtmann noted the 2022 season was nothing close to perfect and the team has “a lot to prove” but said he knows the team will optimize on that opportunity this season.

“We spent a lot of time in the offseason looking at our offensive numbers," Holtmann said. "In Big Ten play, they were not good enough. We were not efficient enough like we had been, really, the bulk of our time at Ohio State.”

Transfer Impact?

The Buckeyes brought in three transfers this year — fifth-year forward Jamison Battle from Minnesota, redshirt senior guard Dale Bonner from Baylor and sophomore guard Evan Mahaffey from Penn State.

Holtmann said he was impressed by each transfer’s capabilities; in particular, Battle’s shooting and maturity, Bonner’s two-way playmaking and Mahaffey’s development as a sophomore.

“(Battle) gave us nightmares and fits constantly, he was a guy you have to be aware of and he’s been a really good addition with his maturity,” Holtmann said.

Overall, he said he was pleased with the transfers Ohio State got this offseason.

“They’ve had a really good summer and fall, and I think, as every coach will come up here and talk about how excited he is about his team, but I really think that those three guys will have a significant impact on this group,” Holtmann said.

Sophomores Taking Leap?

Holtmann placed an emphasis on the sophomores taking a leap this season, in particular guard Bruce Thornton.

“When you go through a season like that, I think you’re looking for the daily work of your guys and what that looks like,” Holtmann said. “I think Bruce has led the way there — the consistency of his work and his approach, I think, has been a really good thing to see and it’s also certainly been contagious.”

Although the transfers will play a large role, Holtmann said he wanted the sophomores — guard Roddy Gayle Jr., center Felix Okpara and Thornton — to grow more into leaders and “flourish as players.”

“When you have a young group of players, you can go out and recruit, kind of, the player. But for us, we were looking for guys that we felt like could certainly make an impact but could also allow these sophomores in particular to grow,” Holtmann said.

Holtmann Excited for Expansion

Holtmann said he was excited about the conference adding the four new teams next year in USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

“I think our league is positioned as well as any league in the country, and I think all those schools bring a different element,” Holtmann said. “They’re all going to be really exciting places to play for guys to go and really experience playing at some of those venues that are as iconic as there are in college basketball.

“They’re all programs that have experienced, certainly, highs and lows, but if you look at a program like UCLA, they’ve had a phenomenal last couple years there with Mick [Cronin]. So I think it’s a really good thing for our league,” Holtmann said.

The Buckeyes tip off their season against Oakland Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.