Buckeyes roll out welcome mat for ex-Wolverine Dakich

His time was complete at Michigan, and Andrew Dakich was weighing his options for graduate school. After redshirting as a senior, the son of loquacious Big Ten announcer Dan Dakich was looking at attending Quinnipiac and possibly ending his basketball career when a new opportunity presented itself.

It was borderline unprecedented and, on a base level for many, almost sickening. But after checking out some summer workouts and familiarizing himself with Chris Holtmann’s coaching staff, it became clear that it was the right choice for Dakich, a 6-foot-2 point guard.

And now, a Michigan man will shoulder key moments at a major position of need for Ohio State this season.

“I was hesitant at first because I grew up hating — not really grown up, but playing against them for four years, you kind of have a sense of that rivalry,” Dakich said. “Coach Holtmann and these guys sold me more than anything.”

In 2009, offensive lineman Justin Boren made the transfer from Michigan to Ohio State. Otherwise, Dakich is in unprecedented territory.

It has taken some getting used to.

“We give him a lot of stuff about the team up north,” senior Jae’Sean Tate said at media day. “It was kind of crazy seeing him in this (Ohio State) uniform yesterday. Even today it’s kind of like, ‘What are you doing?’ ”

Dakich was already familiar with Holtmann, who recruited him when he was the head coach at Gardner-Webb and again last spring while still at Butler. That time, Holtmann said, he drew the ire of the Dakich family by not offering him a scholarship.

The only other true point guard on Ohio State’s roster is junior C.J. Jackson. Kam Williams, Tate and others will be asked to help out there this season, but Dakich will be counted on to play some key minutes. In three seasons with the Wolverines, Dakich played in 49 games and averaged 0.4 points in 4.1 minutes per game. During those four years, Michigan won six NCAA Tournament games, one Big Ten championship and one conference tournament.

“I’m anxious to see what all he can give us,” Holtmann said. “I think he understands that we didn’t ask him to come in and be our leading scorer or lead our team in minutes. We asked him to come in and be ready to play a specific role, and I think he’s willing to do that.”

Some of that role will be leadership, and he already has displayed that. During an open weightlifting session, for example, Dakich was among the most vocal Buckeyes, encouraging walk-ons and veterans alike.

“Over the years at Michigan I always voiced my opinion,” he said. “I would talk up to the upperclassmen. These are guys like Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson (III), guys who have already been to the Final Four. Why would they listen to some freshmen? But I’ve never been afraid to really talk.”

And as ugly as it might sound to some Buckeyes fans, Tate said this group is eager to learn from a new teammate who has been places nobody on this roster has experienced.

“He has been on a team that has won multiple titles and been to the tournament multiple times,” Tate said. “I might ask him, ‘What do they do different at Michigan than here?’ just trying to be a team that wins. He has been a great add to the program.”