pnuts34 said:

I don't see them taking out at UGA or UF for the top of SECE, but it helps snatching some recruits from them

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Florida hasn't separated from the rest of the east. Not yet anyway

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Great pick young man, best of luck to you at Northwestern.

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7. NEAL COLZIE, 1974
After starting for the previous two years, Neal Colzie's senior season was ahead of its time. The star cornerback averaged two interceptions for every three games played, giving him the second-best chaos factor of any cornerback in Ohio State history.

Colzie was selected to Ohio State's All-Century team in 2000 and is near the top in many of Ohio State's punt return records.

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5. AHMED PLUMMER, 1998
In his second year as a full-time starter while playing opposite of Antoine Winfield, Ahmed Plummer proved he could handle himself just fine. Destined to be targeted en masse, Plummer made the most of it, breaking up a school-record 17 passes while intercepting four more.

Despite never earning an All-American bid, Plummer had one of the most successful careers in Buckeye history, finishing his time in Columbus with 14 interceptions, tied for the sixth-best of in program history. He was also a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 1999.

gmen6981 said:

Played the hell out of Tempest. I was untouchable on the standup game, but sucked on a table top machine. Seemed to have trouble with the smaller trackball.


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This game is in the music video for "Subdivisions" by Rush.

Wtf is this thread?

BayBuck said:

Pretty much every time I ride one of these:

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Looking back at the first reply on this thread 13 years ago... I have no idea what this IMG was? But I was obviously feeling pretty good about having done something stupid that didn’t kill me.

heisman said:

Battling depression, considered suicide in January. Get well Brian....

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ys-he-planned-to-take-his-own-life-in-january

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Mental health is no joke. Hope he's feeling better and got the help often needed to get through it.

Left off Mike Weber. Red-shirted in 2015. Drafted in 7th round by the Cowboys.

MOTSAG Pretend CFP: First Round; #8 Memphis versus #9 Boise State
Chris via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here




The only matchup between two non-Power 5 teams, 9th seeded Boise State faced off against 8th seeded Memphis. Both teams entered the game with matching 12-1 records with their one loss coming in upsets; Temple knocking off Memphis and BYU beating Boise State. In this first year of the new 12 team format, both schools felt a lot of pressure to show that the non-Power 5 programs deserved to be included.

Boise State got on the board first with a passing touchdown by quarterback Hank Bachmeier on the opening drive of the game. After a couple stalled drives by both teams, Bachmeier hit leading receiver John Hightower for a 60 yard touchdown to put Boise up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started with both teams struggling to get anything going on offense but Memphis took advantage of a better punting game to win the field position battle and midway through the second quarter, the Tigers started a drive at midfield and quickly took advantage thanks to a 6 play drive that ended with quarterback Brady White finding receiver Kedarian Jones in the corner of the endzone to make it a 14-7 game. Boise State’s offense couldn’t do anything on their next drive but their defense came up big, intercepting a Tiger pass to give the Broncos the ball deep in Memphis territory. However the Bronco’s offense could only manage one first down and they had to settle for a field goal to give themselves a 17-7 lead. Boise State looked like they had the chance to score again late in the half but Bachmeier was intercepted and Memphis took advantage, putting together an excellent final two minutes that culminated in Brady White hitting leading receiver Damonte Coxie for a 27 yard touchdown right before half. Both teams headed into the locker room with Boise State up 17-14.

Memphis received the kickoff to start the second half and a nice 30 yard return set them up in good field position. The Tigers continued their momentum from the end of the first half, putting together a nice drive that culminated with running back Kenny Gainwell punching it into the endzone from the 2-yard line to give the Tiger’s their first lead of the game, 21-17. The teams exchanged punts before Gainwell once again showed off, this time breaking a few tackles to turn a short pass into a 60 yard gain and a 1st and goal at the 4. After an incomplete pass by White, Gainwell finished the drive himself with a 4-yard scamper to extend the Memphis lead to 28-17.

Boise State was on the ropes and after a three and out, Memphis landed what looked like the knock out punch as White and Gainwell teamed up for what would be the third touchdown of the day for each of them, giving the Tigers a 35-17 lead to start the fourth quarter. The Broncos weren’t done though, keeping calm despite the large deficit, they put together an efficient mix of running and passing plays that ended with Bachmeier’s third passing td of the day to make it a 35-24 game with 8 minutes to go. Momentum seemed to be swinging the Broncos way as they forced a three and out and then quickly moved the ball into Tiger territory. The clock was becoming an issue though, forcing Boise to abandon their running game and rely on the passing game, which had been hit or miss all season. This time it missed as Bachmeier threw his second interception of the game, ending the Broncos drive. Memphis managed to burn a few minutes off the clock, ending the Broncos hopes and coming away with a 35-24 win to advance to the second round.

Memphis quarterback Brady White and running back Kenny Gainwell were the stars of the game. White had 325 yards passing and 3 touchdowns, with only 1 interception, while Gainwell ran for 2 touchdowns and caught one other.






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MOTSAG Pretend CFP: First Round; #7 Oregon v. #10 Appalachian State
Chris via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


#MOTSAGPretendCFP #MOTSAGRising

It’s the final #6 CFP and winners of 3 straight as well as PAC12 champions taking on winners of 7 straight and winners of their fourth straight Sun Belt Conference title, finishing the season 20th in the final committee poll.

Both teams combined only lost 3 games all season and present a pretty good challenge for each other with their high scoring offenses and conference MVP’s in tow. Justin Herbert and Darrynton Evans put on a good show for everyone.

Justin Herbert gave himself some more publicity for the 2020 NFL draft finishing the game 18 of 21 for 242 yards, 4 TD’s and no INT’s.

Darrynton Evans finished the game with 26 carries for 154 yards and three scores but it wasn’t enough as the Ducks stopped a late drive to defeat the Mountaineers 35-28 to move on to round two.

They await their fate until the rest of the first round is finished. Stay Tuned!




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Kansas Jayhawks win 6th NCAA Title
Chris via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Dominating run by National POTY runner-up Udoka Azubuike against the national POTY Obi Toppin propels Jayhawks to title.

1 Kansas vs. 1 Dayton- Udoka Azubuke continued his “disappointed he did not win the NPOTY award” tour and wasted little time taking down Obin Toppin and the Flyers.

Azubuke accounted for all but two of the Jayhawks points through the first ten minutes of the game but held Toppin in check on the big stage. Devon Dotson had another remarkable game from the free throw line and matched Azubuke in scoring as they both finished with 19 a piece.

The Jayhawks continued their destruction of other teams offense and held Dayton to their lowest point total of the season with 61 and Toppin with 15 points and 6 turnovers. Kansas moves on to their 12th NCAA final(5-6) 79-61.

1 Gonzaga vs. 3 Michigan St.- Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman took on Filip Petrusev, Corey Kispert and Killian Tillie in a showdown for the ages.

Both teams already knew the winner would get Kansas but did not want to spend everything they had on this victory. They traded punches early and often and Xavier Tillman hits a three at the buzzer to end Gonzaga’s season.

The Spartans move on to take on Kansas in the title game and not with many fresh legs after several OT’s to get there. MSU 98-95 3OT.

Championship Game:

1 Kansas vs. 3 Michigan St.- The Spartans and Jayhwaks have faced each other 14 times in historic fashion. The series is tied 7-7 with the last win coming for the Jayhwaks in 2018 via 92-87.

This rivalry is one that can go either way every-time the two teams meet(kansas leads in scoring 1125-1118) and the match up between two future HOF coaches in Bill Self and Tom Izzo is one to enjoy.

It also provided us fans with a one on one match-up between Udoka Azubuke and Cassius Winston and neither player backed down.

Regulation would not be enough and the Spartans had no answer for Azubuke in OT as the Jayhawks made everything in the extra period and MSU couldn’t make anything. Kansas wins their 6th overall title 89-81 in OT

The last time they met – November 2018



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Dancing By Theirselves: Gonzaga Wins It All!
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

With the Final Four matchups set, a memorable run is pitting two NCAA Basketball powerhouses against two teams vying for their first title since piecing together their respective teams. One side of the coin has the #1 seed Dayton Flyers from the East Region going up against the #1 Kansas Jayhawks from the Midwest Region. From the West the #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs will face-off against the South Regions #3 Michigan State Spartans. At stake is a spot in the NCAA Basketball Championship Game.

In the first matchup Dayton goes up against Kansas for all the marbles. Coming into this matchup, Dayton has never gotten this close to the title game since 1967, where they defeated North Carolina to reach the big game where they fell to UCLA. Recently, the closest they’ve sniffed was this game, but since falling to #1 Florida in 2014 in the Elite Eight, it has been nothing but a string of first and second round exits.

For Kansas, their last title was won in 2008. There has been mixed results and in 2016 and 2017, they fell in the regional finals and haven’t been as consistent as past teams. The consistency was not there, but this year they gutted through with the talent on the roster. You can never discount their ability to get into the ears of any prospect in the nation and year after year, they flex the ability to do just that.

On the opening tip, it gets a little chippy. Trash-talk central as the bigger dog begins to chat it up and bark before the initial tip-off. Dayton comes in focused and ready for a fight and they basically punch Kansas in the mouth from the get-go. Despite Kansas controlling the opening tip and scoring on the opening possession, the Flyers never wavered. Devon Dotson controls the flow of the game throughout as his teams builds a near insurmountable lead at the half. Dayton goes into the half down 14–56-70. They surely looked dead in the water and the buckets weren’t there for them, but they persisted on.

To open the second half, Obi Toppin and Jalen Crutcher take the Jayhawks to school. Three after three, a heat check was inevitable, but they kept hitting when they needed it the most. There were perfect sequences throughout from the Jayhawks, but they were shut down by stifling defense and double-teams from the reinvigorated Flyers team. Eventually momentum began to swing in Kansas’ favor as they get key blocks from Azubuike that turned into a quick 5-point swing. Two driving layups and a free throw tie the game at 81 each with just under two minutes remaining. Dayton makes a stop on the defensive side of the ball and converts it into three points. Kansas attempts to answer with a few precious seconds remaining, but Toppin flies in to swat a desperation heave to help Dayton advance. 87-84 Dayton.

For the second contest, it pitted #1 Gonzaga against #3 Michigan State. Like the other side of the bracket, it is for a spot in the championship game. Both teams have has memorable runs, but the underdog was the higher seeded team Gonzaga. Since their formation in 1907, they have been big dance 22 times with one trip to the big dance that ended up not being meant to be as they fell to North Carolina. For Michigan State they ended up getting into the Final Four but they fell to Texas Tech in 2019. From a talent standpoint, the Spartans have the slight edge. Winston is a monster and a playmaker and Gonzaga has to be ready to combat their talent and depth.

Upon the opening tipoff, Michigan State controls the ball and gets a quick shot up to take the lead. This game was back and fourth with Petrusev kept them in the game for the half. This game felt like it was all Michigan State up until the Bulldogs came storming back just before the half, effectively seizing the momentum for them and the lead. To open the second half Gonzaga leads 51-50, but the Spartans open up on a 11-0 run to rattle their opponent. The combination of guards, bigs and depth really exposed Gonzaga as the began to wear down. Time out Gonzaga. After a fiery speech during the time out, the Bulldog players embrace the challenge of defeating Goliath. David drew out his stone and began working.

Possession after possession, they slowly begin to claw back into the game, forcing Izzo to a timeout to attempt to stop the bleeding while clinging onto a 77-73 lead. The time was right and Petrusev seized the moment as he ripped Winston and took it straight to the rack. On the ensuing drive, he forced a bad pass from Winston again and he found Woolridge on the wing for a corner three to take the lead 78-77. Winston answered back with a dunk from the baseline, but the damage was done. Petrusev hit another open player for another three and they never looked back. The firepower was enough and the Spartans could not overcome it as they fall 86-81.

In the Championship Game #1 Gonzaga will face #1 Dayton. Overmatched with talent, the big stage once again was too big for the Flyers. The Bulldogs controlled the game from the beginning and the Flyers never came close to getting back in the game. By halftime the game was very much over with Gonzaga shutting down the offense by holding them to 29% shooting from three and 33% as a whole. The whole team rebounded from that sluggish start against Michigan State and put on the performance worthy of a title run.

The second half was much more of the same. Timely buckets coupled with suffocating defense. Dayton was still very much dead in the water. In the waning minutes, they successfully create havoc as they try to storm back with a 10-0 run to make the final score look pretty. They showed heart stopping Gonzaga as the game clock hits zeroes as they fall 91-67. Gonzaga finally gets over the hump and they secure their first title!




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Michigan St reigns as NCAA men’s basketball tourney champions for the first time since 2000
Zack via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Final Four Matchups:

1 Kansas vs. 1 Dayton-Dayton 86-80: Dayton takes down Kansas in a back and fourth matchup that featured a few ESPN top 10 Obi Toppin Dunks.

1 Gonzaga vs. 3 Michigan St.- Michigan St 79-75 (OT): Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman provide 50 of the 79 points scored to lead MSU to the title game.

Championship Game:

1 Dayton vs. 3 Michigan St.- Michigan St 81-79: Tom Izzo captures his first National Title since 2000 behind All American Cassius Winston.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have voted on the polls and have followed along with us on the site!




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Buckeye Bits: ‘The Spot Game’ reairs tonight, next stud offensive guard, Braxton Miller should have been paid
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
All the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

As you may have heard, tonight (Thursday, April 30) at 7 p.m. ET, ESPN is re-airing the 2016 double-overtime game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines. If you don’t remember which game that was, it was the one that ended like this...


And made Jim Harbaugh go like this...



And gave birth to the greatest shirt in LGHL history...



Since we literally have nothing else to do tonight, we will be “live”-tweeting the game over on Twitter @Landgrant33. Join us, won’t you?

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


SB Nation Jersey Week: A needed change to The Game

by Brett Ludwiczak

Look, I’m not going to lie to you, there are few things that I care about less than college football uniforms. Yes, Ohio State’s jerseys are — and forever will be — better than everyone else’s, but beyond that, I just can’t force myself to get worked up about them. However, since this is SB Nation’s “Jersey Week,” and I know a lot of people do care about jerseys, you should read what Brett has to say about the scarlet and gray and maize and blue worn (or not worn) for The Game.

What names could still be BOOMing in Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class?

by me

In this article, I went through the prospects that Bill “Bank” Greene from 247Sports believes will round out the 2021 football recruiting class for the Buckeyes, and talked about what type of impact I think that the NCAA’s rule changes when it comes to the compensation for name, image, and likeness could potentially have on recruiting.

Podcast: ESPN hosed us again, but LGHL breaks down 2016’s ‘Spot Game’

by me, Tia Johnston, and special guest Lori Schmidt

So, you know how ESPN is re-airing the 2016 Spot Game tonight? Well, they were supposed to do it a few weeks ago, but bumped it for a re-run of their H.O.R.S.E. quarterfinals (Mike Conley Jr. is the ). However, in anticipation for that initial airing, I chatted with our co-managing editor Tia Johnston and Columbus sports reporting legend Lori Schmidt about the game from out own unique perspectives.

From around the gridiron...


Next Man Up: How Buckeyes replace Branden Bowen on offensive line

by Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

With Jonah Jackson and Branden Bowen now members of the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers respectively, Ryan Day and Greg Studrawa need to find two new offensive guard starters before the next college football season kicks off (whenever that might be).

Harry Miller is believed to already be slotted in to Jackson’s left guard spot, but Bowen’s spot seems to still be up for grabs, especially since there was very little accomplished during the very abbreviated spring practice. Fans (and presumably coaches) have been waiting for former five-star prospect Nicholas Petit-Frere to claim a starting job, but he hasn’t been able to do it in his first two seasons in Columbus. He will now have to battle sophomore mountain of a man Dawand Jones and true-freshman phenom Paris Johnson.

Coach Stud has done an impressive job reloading his offensive lines in recent years, so I have confidence that he will find the right player to plug the hole, but it would be really nice if one of these fine young men could take the job early on in camp so that the entire line can make up for lost time from the spring and get as many reps as possible as a cohesive unit.

A look at Ohio State’s linebacker room, commitments and targets for the 2021 recruiting cycle

by Wyatt Crosher, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Real talk? The Ohio State linebackers have been forced to dig themselves out of a hole since Billy “Best Man” Davis was finally fired following the 2018 season. New position Al Washington has done a great job in his year+ on campus, but the LBs still don’t have the athleticism that the position should have at Ohio State.

I don’t know how long Washington will be content to stay a position coach (even if it is in his hometown) before he gets snatched away to be a defensive coordinator elsewhere (unless Greg Mattison retires first). But, this year — both on the field and in recruiting — should tell us a lot about what the position holds in the future.

Does anyone know if this is good?


I’m sorry, I haven’t had to do much math during quarantine. Can you tell me if this is good?


‘Let’s do this correctly’: One-time transfer eligibility reform changes course (paywalled)

by Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic

There are a lot of people out there in the social media streets trying to make arguments for why giving transfer waivers is bad, but all of their arguments come down to them knowing what’s best for individual adult humans more so than said individual adult humans know for themselves.

It’s dumb, it’s reductive, and it betrays what these people really think of the student-athletes. Players should be allowed to transfer — at least once — without penalty, pandemic or not.

Dude can still fly.

From days gone by...


Over on the tweeter machine, OSU ran through one of the most memorable games in Buckeye football history today; the 1997 Rose Bowl.

They could have done a better job of threading the tweets, but they went through the game with dozens of clips, stats, and information. If you want to relive the game, don’t remember it clearly, or weren’t even born yet, this is a great way to get caught up on one of the most exciting games of the John Cooper era.


Look, he might not play a saxophone, but Kenny Guiton is, was, and always will be the only Kenny G in my heart.

From around the hardwood...


Former Ohio State basketball players recall financial restrictions

By Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Look, I know that there are a lot of opinions out there on the issue of paying players or allowing them to be paid for the use of their name, image, and likeness (more on that in a minute), but if nothing could convince you that something needs to change, it should be that mortal enemies Evan “The Villain” Turner and Mark “The Shark” Titus both found themselves in similar situations in college, being hugely popular Ohio State basketball players, but not allowed to capitalize on it.

One was the National Player of the Year and the other was a walk-on who wrote a funny blog, but both had to pass on a lot of money that rightfully should have been headed their way.

After committing earlier this month, Jimmy Sotos officially signed with Ohio State’s men’s basketball team on Thursday. He will have to sit out the coming season (will there be a season?) and he will be eligible to play in the fall of 2021.

From everywhere else...


Braxton Miller is the perfect example of an Ohio State Buckeye who deserved endorsement money

by Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com

Like Turner and Titus above, Braxton Miller would have made a lot of money if he had been able to be compensated while he was in Columbus, and he should have made every penny that he could have, because those years were the absolute height of his money making potential.

Yes, Miller played in the NFL, but as Doug Lesmerises points out, other than Terrelle Pryor, no former OSU quarterbacks from the Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer eras have been able to turn collegiate stardom into major money at the pro level. Now, don’t get me wrong, making more than one million dollars as a professional football player is awesome, but can you imagine how much money Troy Smith, J.T. Barrett, or Cardale Jones could have made during their Buckeye careers?

They earned generational, life-changing money and they should have received it.

What to know about the NCAA Board of Governors’ Recommendations for name, image and likeness reform

by Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors

If you aren’t exactly sure what all of the proposed rule changes and timetables mean, Colin Hass-Hill from over at 11W did a good job of breaking it down.

And now for something completely different...


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SB Nation Jersey Week: A needed change to The Game
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The annual battle between Ohio State and Michigan is already iconic, but one change could take it to a whole new level.

Since it is “Jersey Week” at SB Nation, I have a real bone to pick when it comes to one of the biggest games of the year. I could rail against Ohio State’s alternate jerseys, but I’m going to go a little different route for this one.

Don’t get me wrong, I hate a lot of the alternate jerseys because I think Ohio State’s uniforms are something that doesn’t need to be messed with. I get why they have introduced some alternate uniforms, since they not only want to sell more jerseys, but recruits also like them. But, I’m closing in on 35 and I’ve been in the “get off my lawn” stage of my life for quite some time now.

Anyway, back to the true problem at hand. Why don't Ohio State and Michigan both wear their home uniforms for The Game? Scarlet against blue. Good versus evil. It may way too much sense for the rivalry to have not done this before, but for unknown reasons we haven’t seen the rivals battle each other in their home uniforms yet. It’s a crime.

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

There was a NCAA rule that said road teams had to play in white jerseys, but one moment almost 12 years ago changed all that. In 2008, USC head coach Pete Carroll sent his team out in their home uniforms to take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl, costing the Trojans a timeout. UCLA immediately took a timeout to even things out. A couple months later the NCAA passed a rule allowing teams of contrasting colors to both wear their home uniforms.

While seeing USC and UCLA battling in their home uniforms is quite a sight, even more stunning would be to see the Buckeyes and Wolverines square off in their home kits. Why Ohio State and Michigan haven’t already started playing The Game in their home jerseys is beyond me. The Game is already iconic, but it would be taken to a whole different level if we saw scarlet jerseys on one side of the field and Michigan’s blue uniforms on the other sideline in late November in either The Horseshoe or The Big House.

Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s not like the two teams have exactly stuck to strict uniform rules lately during the rivalry either. Alternate jerseys have become more prevalent, especially on Ohio State’s side. The Buckeyes have trotted out a number of alternate jerseys over the last decade. The white uniforms with black lettering the Buckeyes wore in 2017 were hideous. If Ohio State can wear something like that, there is absolutely no reason why both teams can’t wear their home jerseys for a game.

I know both teams have to agree to it, and while I’m sure Jim Harbaugh would find a way to cry about it, I’m sure it could be something that the rest of his team could talk him in to.

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Look at how good these colors look on the basketball court, and now just think of how hard everyone would mark out when Ohio State takes the field in late November at Ohio Stadium as the number one team in the country in their iconic scarlet uniforms just a few moments after Michigan ran out onto the field to a chorus of boos in their classic blue uniforms. As if tensions wouldn’t have already been sky-high, this would take it to another level.

All I need these two rivals is to wear their home uniforms once for The Game and I feel like it would be so visually spectacular that you’d see the home uniforms turn into a tradition going forward. The rivalry has tried the rest when it comes to jerseys, now it is time for them to try the best.

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What names could still be BOOMing in Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Also, how will the rule changes around name, image, and likeness impact recruiting?

Who’s next?


Over at 247Sports, Bill Greene took a stab at what players he thinks will end up rounding out the Buckeyes’ currently top-ranked 2021 football recruiting class. In addition to the 17 players already pledged to join the Ohio State Buckeyes, Greene believes that five-star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will join the class, as will four-star defensive tackle Tywone Malone.

He also predicts that four-star offensive tackle JC Latham will join the Bucks, and that four-star offensive guard Jager Burton could come along as well, but Greene is not yet sold on that one.

On the defensive side of the ball, Greene said, “I feel REALLY GOOD on that pick,“ in reference to the No. 2 player in the country, five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau joining the Buckeyes in 2021. He also thinks that Al Washington could flip five-star linebacker Raesjon Davis from LSU, but isn’t ready to crystal ball it yet. However, Greene has CBed Davis’ high school teammate, four-star cornerback Jaylin Davis to the Buckeyes, so perhaps that could help persuade Davis to make the jump.

Greene also thinks that four-star safety Derrick Davis Jr. will eventually choose between OSU and Penn State, but he’s not yet leaning one way or the other.

Greene does add that because of the odd, coronavirus-impacted recruiting that there could be more decommitments in the fall than normal, so we shouldn’t get too attached to all of these players just yet.

Recruiting in the new normal


The biggest news in all of sports on Wednesday was the recommendations that came down from the NCAA’s working group on name, image, and likeness compensation for student-athletes. While there is still a long way to go before I will ever believe that the NCAA will ever allow something so logical and equitable to happen, Cleveland.com’s Doug Lesmerises looked into how the opportunity for future college football players to be paid for various purposes might impact Ohio State’s recruiting.

He notes that if the current plan remains on track, it would go into effect at the start of the 2021-22 academic year, meaning that everybody in OSU’s top-rated recruiting class would benefit from the rule change for their entire career. Lesmerises and Eleven Warriors’ Colin Hass-Hill noticed that Ohio State’s football coaching staff — led by assistant athletic director for player personnel Mark Pantoni — were already trumpeting the fact that there is no better place for big-time recruits to play than Columbus if they want to have the best shot to make the NFL and the chance to make some money while in school.


Lesmerises gets into the potential impact that the new policy could have in recruiting, but while most people tend to see this as just another way for the rich to get richer, there is another potential outcome that is just as likely. Of course all systems in our society are slanted towards the rich and powerful, so I certainly don’t anticipate this hurting Ohio State, but I could see smaller schools — be they Power Fives or otherwise — benefiting from the new system than they are now.

If a stud-player knows that he’s going to be gone after three years anyway, but is going to have to sit or split time for two seasons at Ohio State or Alabama — forgoing potential endorsement deals — might it be better to go to a Maryland or Georgia Tech or Arizona State where you can make a name (and money) for yourself right away while you are bidding your time before heading off to the NFL? Time will tell, but I’m not convinced that this will be simply another feather reserved exclusively for the caps of the already bluest bloods.

Another offer extended


On Wednesday, Ohio State offered a scholarship to 2022 Virginia offensive lineman Zach Rice. The 6-foot-6, 278-pounder from Lynchburg’s Liberty Christian Academy doesn’t yet have a composite grade, as those won’t become available until at least this summer, but 247Sports has him as a high three-star prospect, the 30th OL in the country, and the 13th player in his state.

In addition to the Buckeyes, Rice also holds offers from Georgia, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and other.

The best recruiters aren’t always coaches


On Wednesday, former Florida commit turned newly pledged Tennessee defensive back Kamar Wilcoxson claimed that he was going to be the No. 1 recruiter in the country this season. However, Buckeye commit Jaylen Johnson begged to differ; even using head coach Ryan Day as a reference for being the best recruiter in college football.

Johnson followed that up with a tweet highlighting OSU’s top-rated 2021 class and asking the important question, “Who wouldn’t want to join this class[?]”

Quick Hits


On Wednesday, Bill Kuerlic posted an article in which he spoke with 2022 top-100 player, four-star Texas running back Jadarian Price in which the high school sophomore said of OSU, “It is a great school that I am still interested in and excited to look into a visit on their campus. And maybe even a rivalry game in the fall.” Good job not mentioning the rival by name, Jadarian.

Kuerlic also ran through a slew of names that appear to have been added to Ohio State’s target list. Get to know these names now, because at the rate they have been coming, some of them might start BOOMing sooner rather than later.

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