waived by Dallas

Big Ten Mailbag: Tom Dienhart answers your Big Ten questions
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Two days away from kickoff, I'm sorting through my mail bag on a hot August afternoon, answering your questions and wishing the season would get here quicker. Let’s go!

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Polls: It’s time to pick your Week 1 Big Ten football winners
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Every week during the 2016 football season, the BTN.com team makes its Big Ten game predictions. [ MORE: Power Rankings | Best of Week 1 | Big Ten football, A-Z ] We also provide polls for Big Ten fans to select their winners, and to compete with BTN’s Tom Dienhart, Sean Merriman, the three-time reigning champ, and Brent Yarina all season long. See our Week 1 predictions below, and scroll down to vote for your winners. Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) Week 1 picks: Indiana 29, FIU 27; Minnesota 24, Oregon State 19; Michigan State 38, Furman 7; Maryland 34, Howard 14;

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What to expect from a new look Ohio State vs Bowling Green
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Previewing Week 1, Torrance Gibson’s suspension, and personal stories of failure.

With Ohio State’s 2016 season set to kick off in less than five days, Matt and I thought it would be a good idea to sit down and discuss the Buckeyes’ week one opponent, Bowling Green.

Despite a new head coach and turnover at the skill positions, the Falcons have an offense that should be a good litmus test for the new-look Buckeye defense, especially through the air. Will the Silver Bullets be able to attack Bowling Green’s experienced offensive line? How will the young secondary hold up against a team likely to throw the ball 40 (or more) times?

In addition, we broke down Urban Meyer’s Monday press conference, which included:

• Torrance Gibson’s suspension by the university
• Kicker Sean Nuerenberger’s injury, and what it means for Ohio State’s special teams
• Meyer’s comments about wanting balance on offense
• If Meyer will stick to his desire to run JT Barrett less this season

Lastly, we went away from football a bit, analyzing Ohio State basketball’s newest commitments, our favorite things about the NCAA Football video game series, and Matt telling a personal horror story about a high school crush gone wrong. (PRO TIP: ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR MIC IS OFF)

We’ve returned to Soundcloud, and you can now find all of our audio here, as well as subscribing to the podcast via our iTunes page. You can also find our audio on the SB Nation podcast page, and subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

We’ve recently made a big push to overhaul our audio quality and it would help tremendously if you left a review via our iTunes page to let us know how we’re doing!

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Ohio State men's basketball | Top prospect aware of Buckeyes' recent recruiting victories - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's basketball | Top prospect aware of Buckeyes' recent recruiting victories
Columbus Dispatch
The Buckeyes offered him in mid-May, before a summer evaluation Cohill said got better during the back half. After putting up 500 shots a day in between summer evaluation periods, Cohill said, the final two weeks had him playing with greater confidence ...
Thomas Allen, 2017 shooting guard, has Ohio State basketball in ...cleveland.com
Ohio State uses in-state focus to land two 2018 prospectsToday's U (blog)
The Hurry Up: Texas Linebacker Sets Announcement Date, Bishop ...Eleven Warriors
Land-Grant Holy Land -247Sports
all 9 news articles »

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The View from Beyond the Shoe: Buckeye Superstition
Mike Meals via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Why are we superstitious? What was programmed into our brains at a young age to make us think that doing something now will ensure success in an event we have no real power over? Maybe Einstein was onto something when he defended insanity.

The world of sports is littered with stories of people that do certain things in certain ways…because they believe it will change the outcome of their upcoming game. In baseball, people avoid stepping on the chalk of the foul lines when they go into or out of the dugout. Boxers avoid spending the night with their significant others the night before a fight to avoid losing. NASCAR drivers for years would avoid green car paint jobs…because they were bad luck.

What about fans? What superstitions do you have to ensure your team wins this weekend? How are you going to make sure you do everything in your power to assist the Buckeyes in beating BGSU this weekend?

I’ve seen nearly every kind of superstition you can imagine. I will, on Thursday of this week, decide on the exact clothing I will wear every Saturday this fall. If I can’t wear the same shirt, Urban may forget the game plan he devised. I don’t know how he knows when I mess up but I know it happens. Ask Fickell…I lost my lucky shirt after his first game. You can thank me for the worst season at OSU in 100 years. I personally blaming myself for us ending up in the Gator Bowl that year.

For me, it starts before the first game. I pick out what jersey or shirt I will wear and I stick with it for the entire year. On Friday, I have the exact same Nike OSU Polo I will wear to work every week the day before the Silver Bullets take the field. On game day, I will watch the band take the field and I will watch the ball get teed up. I will then walk out of the room, turn my back, and/or plug my ears. I can’t watch the opening kickoff, no matter where I am watching the game.

Why do I do this? I have no idea. I know the polo shirt started with work. It’s casual Friday and I have to have my Scarlet and Gray on before I end my professional duties each week. I blame our own Brandon for the kickoff thing. It started years ago in California with him…if I see the kickoff…we lose the game. It has happened more than once and from then on it was set in stone.

I have actually gone to other people’s houses to watch games, and wore clothes other than my “lucky” shirt, only to watch the worst first half of a game ever. I had to leave a good friend’s birthday party once, at halftime, so I could get the correct shirt on.

I know I am not alone. I have watched a good friend take his shirt off at halftime…douse it in alcohol, and burn it because the thing was just not lucky enough.

I won’t ask what superstitions you have. Some of them are ones that you simply can’t or shouldn’t tell people. All I ask is…are you ready to do your part, no matter how stupid others think it may be?

The post The View from Beyond the Shoe: Buckeye Superstition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Around the B1G: Week 1 Edition
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


We will have waited a painstakingly horrible 246 days from the time we saw the Ohio State Buckeyes leave the field against Notre Dame until we see them come through the tunnel against Bowling Green. The horror that is known as the off-season is over!

Now is the time of year where we sit back and watch the Big Ten flounder and be told how bad the conference is. It doesn’t help that we have Wisconsin taking on LSU to start the season. While everyone knows LSU is 100 times better, this will be the barometer the lazy national pundits will use to tell us why Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State have zero chance against the SEC. Never mind the fact that Wisconsin is probably the eighth best team in the B1G this year…NARRATIVE!!!!

Let’s go ahead and take a look at what is going on in the B1G heading into week one. As a special gift to you, I will add in my predicted record (overall and conference) for each team and your 2016 B1G champion.

Illinois (PREDICTED RECORD: 3-9 overall, 1-8 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Fighting Illini host Murray State as new head coach Lovie Smith looks to bring Illinois back to relevancy. Senior quarterback Wes Lunt and sophomore Ke’Shawn Vaughn will be key to keeping the Illini in games. I have the Illini struggling pretty bad this year but with 13 senior starters, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a push for 6-6 and a bowl game.

Indiana (PREDICTED RECORD: 6-6 overall, 3-6 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Indiana Hoosiers and their high-flying offense travel to Miami and takes on Florida International. Redshirt Junior Richard Lagow will take over the reins at quarterback after transferring from Oklahoma State via Cisco (NSFW) Community College. As with always the case when talking about the Big 12 Hoosiers, the defense will be pretty bad and will ultimately be the key to any team success they have. If they can make a few stops here and there, it may be all the Hoosier offense needs.

Iowa (PREDICTED RECORD: 10-2 overall, 7-2 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Hawkeyes open up their season against Miami of Ohio. As many of you already know, the Hawkeyes are pretty old school and still rely heavily on the old fullback and a good defense. Offensively, they are led by Senior C.J. Beathard who exploded on-scene last year with 2,809 yards passing and 17 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, they have the best cornerback in the nation senior Desmond King who shocked everyone by not going to the NFL.

Maryland (PREDICTED RECORD: 5-7 overall, 2-7 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Maryland will be welcoming the Howard Bison to town after their long journey from Washington D.C. to College Park, Maryland (7.5 miles). First year head coach D.J. Durkin has decided to let redshirt senior Perry Hills be the starting quarterback. Buckeye fans may remember Hills running all over the Buckeye defense for a tune of 170 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 133 through the air last year.

Michigan (PREDICTED RECORD: 10-2 overall, 7-2 conference)

Last Week: Didn’t give a damn about them.

This Week: Michigan welcomes Hawaii. I’m not going to lie, obviously I am not anywhere as high on the Wolverines as most people are. I realize they have 16 senior starters and their experience is off the charts but let me bring you in on a secret…that doesn’t mean they are all good. I’m tired of the narrative that just because a team has returning starters it must mean they are good. I still think Michigan is behind MSU and OSU talent-wise but this is one of the last years we will be able to say that. It will be interesting to see what happens this year at quarterback for the Wolverines. No matter who plays the most, they will have three of the best pass catchers in the B1G as targets in seniors Jehu Chesson (50-764-9), Amara Darboh (58-727-5), and Jake Butt (51-654-3). I can’t talk about Michigan without discussing Jabrill Peppers…so here you go:



We will finish this up with this.

Michigan State (PREDICTED RECORD: 10-2 overall, 8-1 conference)

Last Week: Didn’t give a damn about them either.

This Week: Sparty will start off their season against Furman on Friday night. Redshirt senior Tyler O’Connor has been tasked with replacing Connor Cook as the quarterback to lead the Spartans back to the playoffs. Plan on the Spartans to run the ball a lot this year as running backs redshirt junior Gerald Holmes (540 yds, 8 TDs) and sophomore L.J. Scott (699 yds, 11 TDs) are both very capable of relieving some stress of the transition.

Minnesota (PREDICTED RECORD: 9-3 overall, 6-3 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Minnesota will start off their season on Thursday against Oregon State. The Gophers defense will once again be solid enough to keep them in games but it all comes down to offensive production. Senior quarterback Mitch Leidner will have to be more consistent if the offense wants to be more successful. Last season he threw for 2,701 yards and 14 touchdowns but added in 11 interceptions.

Nebraska (PREDICTED RECORD: 9-3 overall, 6-3 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Cornhuskers start off with the always pesky Fresno State Bulldogs. Nebraska is a tough team to predict. They had a crazy amount of bad luck last year and I could see them finishing this year with anywhere from 1-5 losses. Senior Tommy Armstrong is the best worst quarterback in the history of the B1G. At times he looks dynamic but most of the time he appears to be a frazzled mess. In three years starting, Armstrong has thrown and run for almost 8,000 total yards and 69 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he also has thrown 36 interceptions with many of those coming at key moments.

Northwestern (PREDICTED RECORD: 7-5 overall, 4-5 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Northwestern starts off the season against Western Michigan. Junior Justin Jackson may be one of the most underrated players in the B1G. In two seasons, Jackson has racked up 2,968 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns. With him running behind four upper-classmen on the offensive line, I expect him to rush for over 1,600 yards this season.

Penn State (PREDICTED RECORD: 8-4 overall, 5-4 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Nittany Lions start off their season against Kent State. We expect to see an entirely new offense for Penn State with Christian Hackenberg graduating but make no mistake about it, the offense will center around sophomore Saquon Barkley. After accounting for 1,237 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns as a true freshman, Barkley is expected to explode onto the scene in 2016…much like he did last year against Ohio State (194 rushing yards).

Purdue (PREDICTED RECORD: 1-11 overall, 0-9 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Darrell Hazell farewell tour begins with Eastern Kentucky where I feel like the Boilermakers will pick up their only win on the season. In an effort to say something nice, I think sophomore David Blough can turn into a Mitch Leidner type of player someday. As a true freshman, being pulled in and out of the lineup, Blough threw for 1,574 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Rutgers (PREDICTED RECORD: 3-9 overall, 1-8 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Rutgers and former OSU defensive coordinator Chris Ash start their season traveling to play a very good Washington team. For those that don’t know, Washington is going to be very good this year. People don’t really think about them but as a quarter Pac 12 fan on my wife’s side, I pay a lot of attention to that conference. I would not be surprised if they are playing in the Pac-12 championship.

As for Rutgers, I think Ash will wind up being successful but this year he will definitely have some growing pains. He is in a prime position to bring in good recruits but it will take some time which, unfortunately for him, he really doesn’t have unless Rutgers is able to switch to the B1G West. Being thrown into the fire against OSU, MSU, UM, and PSU every year will be tough.

Wisconsin (PREDICTED RECORD: 7-5 overall, 5-4 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Wisconsin starts out their season against LSU who returns 18 starters from last year. The game will be played in Lambeau Field but I don’t think it will matter. Senior Corey Clement is a dynamic player but has not proven he can stay healthy and carry the load. As a back-up in 2014, Clement had 1,068 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. Last year as the feature back, he managed to only stay healthy for four games. If he can stay healthy, he can singlehandedly keep the Badgers in the game against LSU…especially if Fournette isn’t healthy.

PREDICTED FINAL STANDINGS:

EAST CONF. OVERALL WEST CONF. OVERALL
Ohio State 8-1 11-1 Iowa 7-2 10-2
Michigan State 8-1 10-2 Nebraska 6-3 9-3
Michigan 7-2 10-2 Minnesota 6-3 9-3
Penn State 5-4 8-4 Wisconsin 5-4 7-5
Indiana 3-6 6-6 Northwestern 4-5 7-5
Maryland 2-7 5-7 Illinois 1-8 3-9
Rutgers 1-8 3-9 Purdue 0-9 1-11



PREDICTED B1G CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Ohio State vs Iowa

B1G CHAMPION:

Ohio State

The post Around the B1G: Week 1 Edition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Are the Ohio State Buckeyes the most indestructible team in American sports? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Are the Ohio State Buckeyes the most indestructible team in American sports?
cleveland.com
We checked the 65 power conference teams, and the lead the Buckeyes have on the next closest team without consecutive losing seasons is extreme. But the five top college football teams all have longer streaks like that than any NFL, NBA or Major League ...
Torrance Gibson suspended for season by Ohio StateESPN
Ohio State Football: Buckeyes suspend WR Torrance GibsonUPI.com
JT Barrett's Buckeyes will never lower their expectationsThe Detroit News
Mansfield News Journal -Deadspin -Columbus Dispatch
all 111 news articles »

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3-star SG puts Ohio State in his final 5
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeyes get closer to landing their next member of the 2017 class

Allen down to final 5


Ohio State found themselves on the shortlist for Thomas Allen (Garner, NC /Brewster Academy), a three-star shooting guard product.

Via Twitter, Brewster Academy’s head coach listed where the 6-foot-2 guard would be visiting this fall. Allen’s trip to Columbus, Ohio will be second among the five locations, and will take place over the course of Oct.7-9.



As it stands, Kaleb Wesson (Westerville, OH / Westerville South) is the lone commit for the 2017 class. The addition of Allen would be a perfect accompaniment to Wesson – who is the third best player in the state of Ohio.

In Allen’s home state, he is regarded as the No.5 player in North Carolina and ranks in the top 50 for his position.

The other four places Allen will visit include Nebraska, Virginia Tech, St.Louis and NC State.

Four-star forward chooses Butler over Ohio State


Over the weekend, Thad Matta and the Ohio State Buckeyes' basketball team added two important members to its 2018 class. Both four-star forward Darius Bazley (Cincinnati, Ohio / Finneytown) and three-star forward Justin Ahrens(Versailles, Ohio / Versailles) are in-state prospects and are joined by 2018 three-star Buckeye commit Dane Goodwin(Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington.)

On Monday, another elite in-state Buckeye target made his collegiate decision. This time it was 2017 four-star forward Kyle Young (Massillon, Ohio / Jackson). Young had recently narrowed down his list of favorite schools and Ohio State was one of five schools that made the cut, along with Michigan, Clemson, Purdue and Butler.

In a surprising move, Young announced via Twitter that he will continue his basketball career at Butler. Losing out on Young is a significant blow to Matta's recruiting class for 2017. A combination of the Young and Wesson would have boosted Ohio State's rankings for 2017 immensely.

After having four members of last year's freshman class transfer from the program, losing out on Young hurts even more.

Buckeye-lauded Bishop Gorman now No. 1 HS in the country


Bishop Gorman High School has been kind to Ohio State recently. Three key members of the Buckeye's 2017 recruiting class are currently playing for the Gales in Las Vegas, NV, and it is safe to say this is a relationship Urban Meyer is going to continue dedicating a lot of time into maintaining.

Tyjon Lindsey, Tate Martell and Haskell Garrett are all currently committed to the Buckeyes and after beating powerhouse Cedar Hill over the weekend, MaxPreps now has the school listed as the No. 1 school in the country. While Lindsey was out with an injury, both Martell and Garrett played significant roles in the impressive victory over the weekend.

BuckeyeNation will want to watch this team whenever possible as the three commits from this school all have playmaking potential. This week, Bishop Gorman's schedule doesn't get much easier, as the Gales will take on Florida powerhouse Cocoa, whom former Buckeye QB/RB commit, Bruce Judson plays for.

In case you were wondering how other future Buckeyes fared in their first week back on the field, don't worry, we have you covered.

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Kyle Young commits to Butler over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kyle Young commits to Butler over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two days after an in-state recruiting win for Ohio State basketball, the Buckeyes lost out on one of Ohio's top 2017 prospects. Kyle Young, a four-star small forward from Massillon Jackson, announced on Monday his commitment to Butler.

and more »

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Ohio State football | Receiver Torrance Gibson suspended from school - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Receiver Torrance Gibson suspended from school
Columbus Dispatch
Receiver Torrance Gibson was suspended from Ohio State for the fall semester because of an unspecified violation of the university's code of student conduct, the university announced Monday. The ruling did not sit well with coach Urban Meyer. Neither ...


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Report: Lou Rosselli to be named new head coach of Oklahoma
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


One of the key people behind the resurgence of Ohio State Wrestling and the growth of the Ohio RTC is moving on to bigger things.

Ohio State Buckeye Associate Head coach and Ohio RTC headman Lou Rosselli has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Oklahoma. The former Edinboro wrestler and assistant, who just helped lead Kyle Snyder to a 97 KG Olympic title, will take over for Mark Cody, who stepped down earlier in the month.

Named the Freestyle Coach of the Year in 2013, Rosselli has worked alongside Head Coach Tom Ryan for all seven of his seasons at Ohio State.

Rosselli helped change the culture at Ohio State and made it one of the few destinations for Team USA wrestlers after graduation.

Names like Tervel Dlagnev, Angel Escobedo, Reece Humphrey, J.D. Bergman and many others have called Columbus home because of Rosselli’s influence. Its also helped blossom the upstart international careers of Logan Stieber and played a part in Kyle Snyder exploding on the scene after beating Jake Varner at the 2015 U.S. Open and advancing to the world championships and eventually the Olympics — where he became the youngest American wrestler to medal in wrestling history.

“Lou has been pivotal in my development,” said Dlagnov on VSporto’s Script Ohio in April after qualifying for the 2016 Olympics. “He’s become a really great friend over the years and I’ve watched him develop a lot of great athletes.

“He is the kind of the guy that demands a lot of respect and it’s easy to follow him because he’s a great leader.”

The former Nebraska-Kearney product made his way to the Ohio RTC after winning his second NCAA DII title in 2008 to be trained by Rosselli. He’ll join the Ohio State coaching staff on Sept. 12 after finishing fourth in the Men’s freestyle tournament at the 2016 Olympic games.

Dlagnev, who battled back issues heading into U.S. Olympic qualifying, said that it was Rosselli that helped him muster the motivation to compete for a spot in the Rio games.

“He never let me off the hook or gave me the easy way out, which at that point I wanted,” said Dlagnev.

“He loves all of his athletes, he cares about all of us and wants us to succeed. Lou Rosselli is a great coach and a great man and its been a blessing to be under him.”

One of the more underrated coaches in all of the sport of wrestling, Rosselli

“Lou is the man,” said 2008 National Champion Mike Pucillo on an April 2015 episode of tBBC Radio Hour. “He is one of the best technical coaches I’ve ever been around. He makes everything look easy. Its unbelievable how good he is technically and as a coach. He brings a lot to the table on the college and international level. He’s on par with being the top-international coach in the country if not already there.

“His presence at Ohio State from day one has been huge from day one.”

Up next for Rosselli is building a coaching staff at Oklahoma in short time. According to FloWrestling’s Christian Pyles the former Fighting Scot is looking to Virginia Tech Assistant Tony Robie to fill a spot on his staff.

Pyles also added that sources indicated that OSU wrestlers were told on Monday that their associate head coach wouldn’t return in 2016.

The Sooners, who have often been buried in the shadows of John Smith and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, are still one of the more storied programs in wrestling history.

Best known as the alma mater for wrestling legends Dave and Mark Schultz, Oklahoma has won seven national titles in school history — which is fourth most behind Oklahoma State (34), Iowa (23) and Iowa State (8).

Despite historic success, Rosselli’s new program hasn’t won a Big 12 title since 2002 and last brought a national championship back to Norman in 1974.

The post Report: Lou Rosselli to be named new head coach of Oklahoma appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State men's basketball | Guard recruit Thomas Allen schedules visit - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's basketball | Guard recruit Thomas Allen schedules visit
Columbus Dispatch
On the same day Ohio State lost out on an in-state prospect for the class of 2017, an out-of-state target included the Buckeyes in his top five and announced an official visit weekend. This afternoon, Massillon (Ohio) Jackson small forward Kyle Young ...
Thomas Allen, 2017 shooting guard, has Ohio State basketball in top 5, will officially visit Buckeyescleveland.com
The Hurry Up: Texas Linebacker Sets Announcement Date, Bishop Gorman Linebacker Named Army All-American and ...Eleven Warriors
Gareon Conley is Ohio State's newest stud cornerLand-Grant Holy Land

all 5 news articles »

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Strap in: Baby Buckeyes to get baptism vs. BG - Mansfield News Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Strap in: Baby Buckeyes to get baptism vs. BG
Mansfield News Journal
COLUMBUS - Billy Price has started 28 consecutive games for the Ohio State Buckeyes — or 28 more than any of the three new starters joining him on the offensive line for Saturday's noon season opener against Bowling Green. So his two words of advice ...
Tyquan Lewis: Buckeye Nation will be 'riled up' for openerMyDaytonDailyNews
Videos: Hear From Ohio State's Ed Warinner, Raekwon McMillan, Pat Elflein, Tyquan Lewis, Billy Price and Joe BurgerEleven Warriors
TBBC Awards: Pre-season EditionThe Buckeye Battle Cry

all 5 news articles »

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Get ready for the Big Ten Football season, A-Z
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

The 2016 Big Ten football season is set to kick off on Thursday with Indiana at Florida International and Oregon State at Minnesota (9 p.m. ET on BTN). Michigan State will take on Furman on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on BTN. All other 11 Big Ten teams will open their season on Saturday. In order to get you ready for kickoff, I put together a fun list, highlighting everything you need to know heading into this year’s Big Ten season. Here’s an A-Z look at the 2016 Big Ten Football season. A Is for Ash. As in Chris

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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary from little old me (@wvabuckeye) and links to the author’s tweets!

@Charles_BBC covers the rules changes and what-not coming at us this season and touches base specifically with



@ChipMinnich tackles part three in his series about the 2013 recruiting class. Might be the best of the series and worth a read.



@BuckeyeBVO covers his daily recruiting news here. Give him a follow and read up on the latest news.



@jcollingsworth3 continues his awesome series of Ohio State athletes and his Sunday Morning coffee.





Last but certainly not least. The Buckeye Battle Cry wants to grow and we’d like you to try out and see if you can come have some fun with us! E-mail the boss at [email protected] and he will set up your first article!





The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State has a tough road ahead for a Big Ten title
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


From a young team to a tough schedule, the Buckeyes will have to overcome serious challenges on their road to a conference championship.

"All could end well for Ohio State as far as their young and inexperienced players growing up faster than everyone expects, but there are just so many question marks on all sides of the ball, that the odds are clearly stacked against them winning the conference as they enter the 2016 season."

-Alex Gleitman, 247Sports


Despite the top-10 ranking in the first preseason AP Poll, the Ohio State Buckeyes will have to overcome numerous hurdles if they have any hope of winning the Big Ten, let alone the College Football Playoff.

For starters, as has been well documented, the youth and lack of experience on this year’s Ohio State team is almost unfathomable. Of 85 scholarship players, 44 have never even been able to play in a Division I game as they are either true or redshirt freshmen or, in the case of offensive lineman Malcolm Pridgeon, a JUCO transfer.

This lack of experience translates to another serious issue in lack of depth, which hinders the "next man up" mantra that has become almost expected on Meyer’s teams. And, with the likes of Braxton Miller and Ezekiel Elliott lost to the NFL, only J.T. Barrett remains to anchor the skill positions on an offense once filled with playmakers.

Moreover, it isn’t just players who have left Ohio State. The loss of Tom Herman to Houston following the 2014 season showed how drastic it can be to lose a coordinator, as the offense remained stagnant for so much of last season. This year, with Chris Ash having moved to Rutgers and Greg Schiano replacing him at defensive coordinator, there remains a lack of continuity from the coaching staff which could prove problematic.

With just three returning starters each on offense and defense, and a special teams unit which lost a key return man as well as its starting long snapper, the Buckeyes will have to grow up fast before facing a formidable schedule, which ranks in the top-15 in terms of difficulty by most ratings. And while most have the Oklahoma game circled, Bowling Green, which won its division in the MAC last year, and Tulsa, which lost by just three to Virginia Tech in the Independence Bowl, are no pushovers for an out of conference lineup.

The Big Ten slate gets no easier, with night games against Wisconsin and Penn State and a tough road schedule culminating in a tough test in East Lansing before the regular season finale in Columbus against Michigan.

"Ohio State inspires that same kind of pride. It is also a fertile recruiting ground, and would still have major pull for in-state players even if it was going through some lean years. The point is that you can’t rely on that talent alone."

-Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


The Ohio State football program is, at the moment, one of the most stable powerhouses in college athletics, having experienced great success over the last 15 years and, even when scandal threatened to rock the program, coming back quickly and seemingly stronger than ever. Still, there are lessons to be learned--especially for Ohio State--about how other perennial powers have managed trouble in four, key areas, which could prove to be valuable, including bad hiring, bad recruiting, NCAA-imposed sanctions and encroachment into the school’s territory.

For example, when Nick Saban came to Alabama in 2007, the program was not the Alabama we know today, having accrued a 67-54 record from 1997-2006 under Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione and Mike Shula, respectively. While each coach managed one 10-win season during his tenure, the Crimson Tide won just one SEC championship in two overall title game appearances during the span, compared to winning four of five in the last nearly decade under Saban.

The main issue at Alabama boiled down to a series of poor hires which caused a severe downturn in a program that Paul "Bear" Bryant once brought to prominence. Much of the trouble surrounding the hiring seemed to stem from issues in administration, which prevented the best person from getting the job. Mike DuBose, for example, was hired largely on "acclamation" rather than his own skill level.

Under DuBose’s tenure, Alabama incurred NCAA sanctions which resulted in a two-year post-season ban as well as the loss of scholarships, which further hindered what his successors would be able to do with the program. Even so, given the prominence of the program, Alabama was still able to attract top talent from the area--something Ohio State would also likely experience in a similar situation. Unfortunately, recruiting and retaining talent in a decade of poor coaching decisions is not enough to win championships,

"Of course, you won’t hear such proclamations of greatness coming from the program, which has been quiet as a mouse. Just how Meyer likes it. But keep listening. Success has a way of raising its voice."

-Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch


Even with news today that redshirt freshman receiver Torrance Gibson has been suspended for the 2016 season for an as of yet unidentified reason, the Buckeyes have been experiencing a very quiet offseason, especially compared to other programs across the country. In fact, besides running back Bri’onte Dunn’s dismissal from the team in July, there has been very little noise coming out of the Buckeye camp.

This time last year was a far different story, as Urban Meyer and the team were dealing with one-game suspensions for four key players, including defensive end Joey Bosa, H-backs Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson and wide receiver Corey Smith. Alongside the ever-raging quarterback battle between J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones, which was not ultimately solved until the middle of the season, and the constant questions about how Braxton Miller would fit into the offensive team now that he was removed from the quarterback spot, and, of course, amidst the great expectations for what Ohio State would follow up with now that they were winners of the first-ever College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes were facing quite the din.

Still, Michigan in general and Jim Harbaugh in particular have led the offseason racket this year, causing commotions over everything from satellite camps to recruiting visits on social media to running around shirtless at practice. And speculation over the next College Football Playoff remains focused on Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma, while the Big Ten powers sit in wait just on the outside of the projected first four in.

Even so, the Buckeyes are loaded with talent and have quietly earned a top-10 rating in the AP Poll, in prime position to strike when the opportunity arises. And while expectations are high for the young Ohio State team, Meyer has remained cautious and only hinted at the talent present in the locker room, limiting the noise created in Columbus as we head for Saturday.

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Tyquan Lewis: Buckeye Nation will be 'riled up' for opener - MyDaytonDailyNews
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Tyquan Lewis: Buckeye Nation will be 'riled up' for opener
MyDaytonDailyNews
After three weeks of preseason practices, all the Ohio State Buckeyes coaches have shifted from camp mode to game mode in preparation for the season opener at noon Saturday at Ohio Stadium. “The coaches' minds change from developing players to 'let's ...
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TBBC Awards: Pre-season EditionThe Buckeye Battle Cry

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Ohio State’s questions heading into 2016 answered
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Who we think will lead the Buckeyes in rushing, receiving, and more.

After what seemed like an eternity of an offseason, Ohio State is set to play a real life football game this Saturday, one that counts and everything. It will kick off one of the most interesting seasons of the Urban Meyer era, one where Ohio State is long on talent, short on experience, and exactly where expectations should be remains to be seen.

We got together as a staff, all 18 of us, to look into our crystal balls and tried to predict how this season will go, just like we have every other season. This is the first of a three part series, where we’ll publish what our staff thinks of various Ohio State related predictions, with the Big Ten, and college football at large, to come later. At the end of the season, as is tradition, we’ll also take a look back at these, so we can all laugh at how dumb we were, or crow about the one dang thing we completely nailed.

Who will lead Ohio State in rushing this season?


83.3%: Mike Weber

11.1% Curtis Samuel

5.6% Other

The Buckeyes don’t quite have an obvious answer to who will replace Ezekiel Elliott, and while Mike Weber is projected to get the lion’s share of the caries, Curtis Samuel, true freshman Antonio Williams, and quarterback J.T. Barrett will undoubtedly also tote the rock. Looks our staff likes Weber to lead the team at the end of the year, which seems like a reasonably safe bet.

Who will lead Ohio State in receiving yardage this season?


66.7% Noah Brown

11.1% Austin Mack

11.1% Corey Smith

5.6% Dontre Wilson

5.6% Other

This could be the most uncertain question for Ohio State’s offense, considering virtually nobody in the wideouts room has caught a pass in a college game before. Noah Brown, thought to be a signifiant contributor last season before he broke his leg, appears to be the closest thing to safe bet, but there was lots of uncertainty in these votes.

How many true freshman will not redshirt this season on offense?


Four: 33.3%

Three: 27.8%

Five: 16.7%

More than five: 16.7%

Two: 5.6%

Ohio State added 13 offensive players in the 2016 recruiting class, some with very elite recruiting profiles. Urban Meyer says he plans to play lots of freshman each year, but most of them have redshirted each season. But this year, there are plenty of spots on the two-deep actually up for grabs. How many actually play? At least one, Michael Jordan, is likely to start, and Austin Mack is highly likely to see time at wideout, but how many others see real playing time? Our staff thinks at least two more will, with the potential for more.

What true freshman do you think will have the biggest impact this season?


Michael Jordan: 10 votes

Nick Bosa: 3 votes

Austin Mack: 2 votes

Jonathon Cooper: 1 vote

Keandre Jones: 1 vote

If you’re protected to start on Ohio State’s offensive line as a true freshman, with as well as they’ve recruited, that’s a pretty strong endorsement. Of course, a certain Bosa on the defensive line, and a probable contributor at a position of need (wideout) may have something to say about that.

Which Buckeye that nobody is talking about will step up to make the biggest impact (non-freshman edition)?


Chris Worley: 3 votes

Dontre Wilson: 3 votes

Marshon Lattimore: 3 votes

Dante Booker: 2 votes

Other: 7 votes

It’s a bit of a subjective category, the defensive side of the ball picked up the most votes, with Ohio State’s unsung linebackers and defensive backs getting praise. But perhaps Wilson, the former highly regarded speedsteer who has been buried behind younger recruits, could have a huge year. It would be fitting, on a roster dominated by freshman, for a senior to finally break out.

Which game this season scares you the most?


Oklahoma: 66.7%

Penn State: 11.1%

Wisconsin: 5.6%

Michigan State: 5.6%

Michigan: 5.6%

I FEAR NOTHING: 5.6%

I left the wording a little vague here on purpose. Personally, I’m not especially “scared” of the Oklahoma game, because Ohio State isn’t favored and I already think they’re going to lose, but the Penn State game, on the road, against a team that isn’t as talented, screams “upset possibility” to me. Others perhaps took this to mean the game that Ohio State is most likely to lose, which hey, Oklahoma on the road seems like a safe bet. Few, it appears, are afraid of Michigan, hype and all. But hey, this is an Ohio State blog.

What will Ohio State's regular season record be?


11-1: 55.6%

10-2: 33.3%

9-3: 5.6%

12-0: 5.6%

With a tough schedule and a young team, expectations are a little more measured this year. Of course, that doesn’t mean they aren’t also still sky high, but this is Ohio State we’re talking about here.

How will Ohio State's season end?


First round playoff exist: 10 votes

National title game appearance: 3 votes

Rose Bowl: 3 votes

Our staff is pretty bullish on Ohio State finding a way into the playoff, perhaps by sweeping their Big Ten schedule, and a few brave souls are still picking the Buckeyes to win the damn thing, because hey, if you can’t be a shameless homer during this thing, when can you be? Let the record state that I did not pick Ohio State to make the playoff, so y’all can either shame me in a few months, or allow me to gloat a little bit.

How many Ohio State coaches will leave for other jobs after the season?


One: 50%

Two: 44.4%

None: 5.6%

Ohio State assistants are typically hot commodities, for the NFL, and for head jobs at the FBS and FCS level. Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, and offensive coordinator Ed Warinner could be popular names for FBS teams looking for new coaches, and if the offense struggles again, maybe Tim Beck ends up elsewhere. But some kind of attrition seems likely.


We’ll be back with Big Ten and national predictions later this week.

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Gareon Conley is Ohio State’s newest stud corner
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Cornerback U?

There will be plenty of new faces on the Ohio State defense in 2016, but Gareon Conley won’t be one of them. After starting all 13 games in 2015 as Ohio State’s number two corner, Conley is ready to take the crown as the Buckeyes’ boundary corner; a role that is typically reserved for the best cover corner on the team. With 2 interceptions and 49 total tackles in 2015, Conley has shown he can make plays, but it’s Conley’s physical attributes that could make him Ohio State’s latest highly drafted corner.

A 4-star recruit out of Massillon, Ohio, Conley’s 6’1 175 lb. frame was exactly what Ohio State was looking for out of their corners. Length and speed are the two of the best attributes a corner can have, and Conley was blessed with both.

After having a rough beginning to his career at the hands of Connor Cook and the Michigan State Spartans in 2014, Conley rebounded in 2015 and showed that he deserves to have his name mentioned among the Big Ten’s best:


Jourdan Lewis is one of the better defensive players in the Big Ten, so for Conley to have a case against him statistically is very encouraging. Even more encouraging for Conley is that he has demonstrated the ability to do everything that will be asked of him at boundary corner. Being able to step up and defend the edge against the run is nearly as important as being able to lock down an opponent’s top receiver, and Conley is more than capable of accomplishing both these tasks.

"He’s a guy that works awfully hard, very serious about his approach to the game and he’s working awfully hard to develop himself physically…It’s a matter of going out and doing it again." – Greg Schiano, Ohio State co-defensive coordinator

Saying a corner needs to be more physical goes against the archetype of the position in a way; corners are typically quick twitch athletes who are on the field because of their coverage abilities, not their tackling abilities. Conley himself has noted his need to become stronger in order to become a better corner, but he showed flashes in 2015 of being able to perform when the run comes at him.



Illinois tried a lot of funky things against Ohio State in 2015 (including a hilariously bad flea flicker), and this overloaded formation into the boundary was one of them. Ohio State shifted their defense towards the strength of the offense, and Conley’s job is to contain any runs to his side of the field.



Conley immediately reads run at the snap, and Illinois’ fullback makes a beeline for Conley’s inside shoulder. Ideally this blocking scheme will open up a cutback lane for the running back if the fullback is able to move Conley out of the way.



The Illinois’ running back doesn’t have much of a hole thanks to Conley doing a great job of squeezing the lane, but the play is far from over. There isn’t a single Ohio State defender outside of Conley to stop the running back from getting to the corner, but Conley’s perfect technique in taking on the block leaves his outside arm free to help disengage from the blocker and make a play on the ball carrier.



Upon identifying the running back was attempting to bounce the play all the way outside, Conley disengaged beautifully from the blocker, and ran down the running back in quick fashion. Conley doesn’t just dive at the running back’s legs like a lot of corner, as he instead wraps and drives through the ball carrier. Conley is not afraid to take on running backs in the run game, he just needs to be more consistent with his tackling and physicality. As shown above, Conley is more than capable of making plays against the run, something he’ll be asked to do more often in 2016.

"Absolutely, Gareon is ready…He and I have met several times already about his opportunity to lead in the back end and that will be his job. It is wonderful when it works out that way." – Kerry Coombs, Ohio State cornerbacks coach

Conley’s greatest attribute is his lock-down coverage ability. Despite being targeted four more times than Apple in 2015, Conley actually allowed 1 less reception. This doesn’t mean Conley was better than Apple last year, just that Conley was more of a 1b to Apple’s 1a status. Every team has a clear best corner, but Ohio State was lucky enough to have two pretty damn good ones in 2015.

This fact wasn’t always apparent though, especially early on in the season. Conley was targeted often against the Buckeyes’ first few opponents, and he more than held his own. Interceptions against Hawaii and Rutgers ensued, and it seemed like every time a ball headed Conley’s way he was more than prepared to make a play on it:


Quick shout-out to Vonn Bell’s ridiculously athletic tip drill interception, but this turnover was all thanks to Conley’s blanket coverage. Ohio State runs a lot of cover-4 which essentially asks its corner to play man coverage on deep routes, but Conley showed time and time again that he is more than capable of tracking receivers closely all over the field. With co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano coming to town with his new bag of tricks, having a corner like Conley who can erase another team’s best receiver is invaluable.

"It is the standard of the corner room that you are going to be in the conversation to be a first-round draft pick…That’s been established well before I came here and that is a tradition that we are not going to let go of." – Kerry Coombs, Ohio State cornerbacks coach

Conley enters 2016 with considerably less hype than past Ohio State corners. Part of this is due to the focus of the off-season being more on the overall roster turnover than the returning starters, but Conley’s ability should be far from an afterthought for Big Ten offensive coordinators. As Apple’s surprising 10th overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft showed, long athletic corners are currently a luxury item in today’s NFL. Conley will need to show consistent ability to make plays as the Buckeyes’ clear number one corner in order to ensure an early selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he possesses all the talent and ability to do just that.

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It still cost OSU a shot at defending their title. So, in that way (and that way only) it kinda sucks.

Joey Bosa finally signs with San Diego Chargers
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The preseason’s longest holdout is finally over.

After one of the more acrimonious holdouts in recent pro football memory, Joey Bosa, the No. 3 pick in this past April’s 2016 NFL Draft, has finally signed his rookie deal.

The San Diego Chargers announced Monday that Bosa’s signed a four-year agreement with them.

“We look forward to having Joey join us and getting him prepared as quickly as possible for the 2016 season,” said General Manager Tom Telesco.

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Bosa will receive a 4-year, $25.8 million deal. He’ll get a $17 million signing bonus, all fully guaranteed.

With a lot of mudslinging in both directions, a deeper dive into the Chargers’ history as well as legal language in the contracts of recent players picked around when Bosa was suggest the rookie wasn’t some kind of monster for wanting to protect himself in a league pejoratively nicknamed ‘Not For Long’.

Regardless of who was at fault, one of the 2016 NFL Draft’s potential highest impact players will now be able to hit the ground running. It won’t be enough for him to be able to see the field in a meaningful way early in the 2016 NFL season, but will both get him closer to doing so by year’s end plus get him one season closer to the real payout in an NFL player’s career: the second contract.

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Torrance Gibson suspended for season by Ohio State - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Torrance Gibson suspended for season by Ohio State
ESPN
Once among the nation's most coveted recruits at quarterback, Gibson shifted positions after arriving on campus last year for the Buckeyes due to a logjam on the depth chart. His dynamic athleticism and size suited wide receiver. But the transition ...
Ohio State Football: Buckeyes suspend WR Torrance GibsonUPI.com
Urban Meyer 'disagrees' with Torrance Gibson suspension247Sports
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Kyle Young commits to Butler over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kyle Young commits to Butler over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two days after an in-state recruiting win for Ohio State basketball, the Buckeyes lost out on one of Ohio's top 2017 prospects. Kyle Young, a four-star small forward from Massillon Jackson, announced on Monday his commitment to Butler.

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BM5: Game week arrives; projecting Buckeyes' 2-deep - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Game week arrives; projecting Buckeyes' 2-deep
247Sports
The program will release its official 2-deep on Tuesday, but Dave Biddle takes a stab at what the entire 2-deep will look like on today's show. Also, today marks the first Urban Meyer game-week press conference of the season. Those will be held each ...
Ohio State offer could be near for talented defensive tackle247Sports

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