Buckeyes Make Final Cut for Top 100 WR David Bell - The Ozone
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Make Final Cut for Top 100 WR David Bell
The Ozone
The Buckeyes currently have two Indiana natives in their receiving room already in Fort Wayne's Austin Mack and Indianapolis' Terry McLaurin. They also have a commitment from Avon, Indiana running back Sampson James, which is only going to help in ...

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Where Ohio State transfers have landed; why Buckeyes could use LB rotation in 2018 - Landof10.com
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Where Ohio State transfers have landed; why Buckeyes could use LB rotation in 2018
Landof10.com
Ohio State football is the No. 1 topic in Wake Up Sloopy most days — but we cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Ohio State football, recruiting, ...
Ohio State focuses on the Tar Heel State for latest recruit offerLand-Grant Holy Land

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Ohio State focuses on the Tar Heel State for latest recruit offer
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A North Carolina prospect is the latest to earn the coveted Buckeye offer.

It’s June which pretty much means only one thing in the college football world: we’re close, but not close enough to the start of the 2018 season. Coaching staffs around the country stay busy awaiting their 2018 kickoff with recruiting being a huge priority. With the Ohio State Buckeyes football camp season getting underway, the opportunity presents itself for many Ohio and out-of-state prospects to come to campus, but also a lot of “bubble” guys searching for the Ohio State offer. As we’ve seen in the past, guys that the Buckeyes aren’t originally super “sold” on come to camp, impress, and the rest is history. This summer camp season could see the same results, but as usual, this staff knows their targets ahead of time and are in great shape to land many of those top guys they have atop of their leader board.

2020 stud lands Ohio State offer


Most of the prospects receiving Buckeye offers currently are going to be 2020 prospects. With the 2019 guys being the current class cycle, Mark Pantoni and Urban Meyer have pretty much all but locked in who they want in their next great Ohio State class. Realizing there may be one or two campers this summer who may become a priority, it’s not completely wrong to think there’s a chance some more 2019 guys may receive some interest, but 2020 is where recruiting followers should really pay attention when it comes to new names and new offers. Yesterday was certainly another opportunity for that point exactly.

Headed to North Carolina, the latest prospect to receive the impressive Ohio State offer after announcing via his Twitter account was Kedrick Bingley-Jones. A Kannapolis, N.C., native, Kedrick is continuing to see his recruitment take off at an increased rate. A 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end, Bingley-Jones is currently ranked as the No. 13 DE, and is also the eighth best player in North Carolina for the ‘20 class, according to 247sports. Impressive to say the least, Kedrick really saw a jump in interest earlier in May when Texas A&M, Maryland, NC State, Georgia and Florida State all offered within the same few short weeks.


Fast forward to June, and with the Buckeyes now knocking at the door, it’s only a matter of time before seemingly every program in the country enters the race for his services. Kedrick still has two full prep seasons to develop before his college ball is played, so it’s clear that his abilities, size and strength will all continue to increase—making him a huge asset for the teams he will consider. He’s yet to step foot in Columbus for an unofficial Buckeye visit, but with Meyer’s track record of getting guys on campus and selling the program, you can probably bet Kedrick will make the trip before all is said and done. Until then, the Buckeyes are in the game and will continue building a relationship between the two.

What in the world is going on?


If the heading above is any indication, well you know then that nobody seems to have a clue with what is going on in the 2019 class regarding the quarterback situation. For a while it seemed that Grant Gunnell was the guy, but after his commitment to Arizona this week, it became very evident that he wasn’t the guy. It’s been a little confusing, and honestly, most aren’t really sure if the Buckeyes even have a guy they really like for this current class. It’s been said by many that the 2019 cycle just doesn’t have a great depth of highly rated quarterbacks. There’s obviously truth to that statement, but with the current depth in Columbus, you’d have to bet that Ohio State should (and will) take a QB this class.

The guy though? That remains to be seen.

Looking at the 2020 class, Jack Miller has been linked to the Buckeyes as the guy to be not only the signal caller in the class, but the leader, too. However, throw in current 2020 commit Jake Wray, and you have the storyline that his current high school teammate and QB he personally protects, Harrison Bailey, was just on campus with Wray to see what the Buckeyes had to offer. Knowing Jake will be in his teammate’s ear for the better part of the next two years, you have another strong candidate Ohio State will pursue in the 2020 class.

But what does all of this mean, knowing that a year from now things are a little brighter? It means trust the Ohio State staff. Their ability to win on and off the field in the Meyer tenure is more than enough reason to put your trust in them. It also means a “flip” could be possible as well as a few new names could enter the room as potential guys to go after and land. With the camp season coming up like already mentioned too, there’s a few at the position that will be in attendance. For example, in the coming months to follow, 2019 QB Brian Maurer of Ocala, Fla., is currently committed to West Virginia, but has a visit to see the Buckeyes already set for this summer. Throw in 2022 QB Tevin Carter, a young phenom with seven offers already, and you have yet another guy that will be on campus as early as today.

To put the long story short: the Buckeyes will sign a QB in their 2019 class. We may know the name or we may not, but the staff should have earned enough of your trust already to realize it will work out in the end.

Quick Hits:

• Ohio State’s coaching staff has already been on the road out of state to attend a few camps. Yesterday, Clark Atlanta University announced the Buckeyes will be one of the schools in attendance on their 1-day, June 13 camp in Georgia.
• 6-foot-5, 210 pound tight end Brandon Strange of West Virginia just visited Ohio State this past week on Monday. Since then, he has received an offer from Wake Forest with more certainly to follow. Looking like he’s trying to earn a Buckeye offer, he will be returning to campus to camp for the staff just next week.

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Watch: Rivalry Week talk centers on history of OSU-Michigan - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Rivalry Week talk centers on history of OSU-Michigan
247Sports
That was certainly enough to annoy Harbaugh, who had Woodson speak to his team before last year's game between the Buckeyes and the Maize and Blue. But the frustration didn't stop there. On Sunday, Harbaugh was scheduled to speak at the Best of the ...


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Winless against Ohio State, Harbaugh says The Game is emphasized - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Winless against Ohio State, Harbaugh says The Game is emphasized
247Sports
That was certainly enough to annoy Harbaugh, who had Woodson speak to his team before last year's game between the Buckeyes and the Maize and Blue. But the frustration didn't stop there. On Sunday, Harbaugh was scheduled to speak at the Best of the ...

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Ohio State out on 4-star athlete Cam'Ron Kelly and 4-star cornerback Jeffery Carter: Buckeyes football recruiting - cleveland.com
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Ohio State out on 4-star athlete Cam'Ron Kelly and 4-star cornerback Jeffery Carter: Buckeyes football recruiting
cleveland.com
But since Ohio State has Sampson James and athlete Steele Chambers, who can play running back, in the class, Kelly may have been a cornerback. Ohio State misses cut for four-star cornerback. The Buckeyes are going to miss out on another of their corner ...

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Ohio State recruiting: Quarterback thoughts and fallout from Grant Gunnell's decision - Landof10.com
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Ohio State recruiting: Quarterback thoughts and fallout from Grant Gunnell's decision
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes are very fond of Graham Mertz, a Wisconsin commit, but he seems unlikely to flip to Ohio State despite taking a visit to campus in May. Many coaching sources who I respect have told me they feel he's the most talented quarterback in this ...
The Hurry Up: Linebacker Kane Patterson Recaps Visit While Ohio State Offers Defensive End Kedrick Bingley-JonesEleven Warriors

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Ohio State football’s 5 most invaluable players for the 2018 season
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are loaded with talent, but there are a handful of players they can’t afford to lose at any point in the 2018 season.

“Even with all that talent, a host of factors beyond sheer talent play into which players are seemingly more crucial to the cause in 2018 than others. A lack of proven depth and criticality of talent at a given position are ust a few additional considerations in determining the truly most indispensable players on this year’s squad.”

-Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors


Ohio State lost a bunch of talent from their 2017 squad, meaning that a number of players are going to have to step up in 2018 if the Buckeyes want to experience similar success to that of last year. Most of the critical losses for the Buckeyes came on the defensive side of the football, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some players that will need to standout on the offensive side of the ball.

The biggest question mark for Ohio State is what will happen with the quarterback position now that Dwayne Haskins is taking over for J.T. Barrett. The importance of Haskins grew even more a few weeks ago when backup quarterback Joe Burrow announced that he was transferring to LSU. Haskins did show a brief glimpse into the future against Michigan with his stellar performance in relief of an injured Barrett, but now the redshirt sophomore is going to have to be at the top of his game every week if the Buckeyes want to stay in national title contention.

If Haskins is going to have any kind of success this year, he’ll need a strong season from offensive tackle Isaiah Prince. Now that Ohio State doesn’t have any veteran leadership on the offensive line after Billy Price is now in the NFL, Prince is even more valuable, as he is the offensive lineman with the most experience. The Buckeyes need Prince to stay healthy this year, or else life will become a lot tougher for Haskins in his first year as starter.

The defensive line lost four key players from last year’s squad, but at least Ohio State has some very talented linemen returning. Nick Bosa will likely be one of the top picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, and the Buckeyes are going to need an even bigger season from him this year to replace some of the production that was lost from Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes, and Tyquan Lewis.

If the Buckeyes are going to get production on the ends from Bosa and Chase Young, they’ll need Dre’Mont Jones to set the tone in the middle of the defensive line. Not only does Ohio State need Jones to produce on the field, but he’ll also be counted on to mentor some of the talented defensive tackles coming up the pipeline for the Buckeyes.

In his first year as starter at safety, Jordan Fuller was second on the team in tackles, despite missing some time due to injury. Fuller is now the most experienced Buckeye in the secondary, and he’ll be counted on to quarterback the unit. Even though Ohio State does have a lot of talent in the secondary, it is pretty young talent, and the veteran leadership of Fuller is something the Buckeyes can’t afford to lose.

Ohio State may have a less than impressive schedule most of the year, which should give some of the younger players an opportunity to get their feet wet, these are five players they’ll need out there if they want to make another playoff run. Even losing one of these key players could be see Ohio State fail to meet expectations this year.

“I think we have a little bit of higher expectations for us, but at the same time I don’t know if expectations are too high because of how much we lost.”

Ohio State center Micah Potter via Colin Gay, The Lantern


There’s no question that Ohio State overachieved in Chris Holtmann’s first year as head coach. A year ago at this time, Holtmann was just being introduced as Ohio State’s new head coach, and the Buckeyes defied expectations by making the NCAA Tournament. Now Holtmann and his squad have a full summer to prepare for the upcoming season, but there are plenty of questions that they’ll have to answer.

The biggest question that looms for Ohio State is how will they replace Keita Bates-Diop and Jae’Sean Tate, who were the heart of the Buckeye team last season. Ohio State was able to bring in Wake Forest graduate transfer Keyshawn Woods to shoulder some of the load, and plenty will be asked of Luther Muhammad, Jaedon Lee, and the rest of the 2018 recruiting class.

One player who is ready to take the next step for the Buckeyes is center Micah Potter. While Potter did start for Ohio State to open up each of the last two seasons, he is hoping to take the next step now that there is more stability with not only the coaching staff but also the strength and conditioning team. Potter averaged 4.1 points per game in each of his first two years with the Buckeyes, but Ohio State is going to need more from the junior if they want to continue the success they found last season.

The future is bright for Ohio State, especially after seeing the type of success the Buckeyes were able to find after a short offseason for Holtmann and his coaching staff. With the losses of Bates-Diop and Tate, the Buckeyes might see some growing pains in Holtmann’s second season with the school, but there is no question the program is back on the right track.


2018 has been quite kind to the Ohio State Track & Field program. Not only have the Buckeyes won their first Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 25 years, but now they have their first national champion in a quarter century. Yesterday in Oregon, senior Zack Bazile set a personal and school record with a 8.37m long jump to take home the national title. Bazile’s jump was the furthest in the nation this year.

The New Jersey native is a four-time All-American in the long jump for the Buckeyes, and yesterday’s jump broke the school record of 8.15m that was set by Michael Hartfield in 2013. Bazile is Ohio State’s first national champion since Chris Nelloms won the 200m dash in 1993. The long jump national championship for Ohio State is the first for the Buckeyes since Joe Green won in 1989.

Long jump wasn’t the only event in which Bazile showed his skills yesterday, as he helped the Ohio State 4x100m relay team qualify for the final. Bazile anchored the relay team, which also included Eric Harrison Jr., Duan Asemota, and Drelan Bramwell. The Buckeye relay team finished with the fourth-best time, and placed third in the second heat, qualifying for the final by time. Ohio State is the only Big Ten 4x100m relay team to qualify for the final, and marks the first appearance in the final for the Buckeyes since 1994. The 4x100m relay final will take place on Friday night in Eugene.

“Seth Kinker was our go to guy. Kind of an old-school closer who got several three inning saves. It was an incredible luxury to have a guy like Seth at the back end of games.”

Ohio State baseball coach Greg Beals via the Ohio State Athletic Department


Ohio State senior reliever Seth Kinker has been named one of the five finalists for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. Kinker appeared in 30 games this year, posting a 6-2 record with a 2.77 ERA and 15 saves. Kinker pitched in 63.1 innings, recording 60 strikeouts and walking just five batters.

The 15 saves from Kinker this season was the third-highest single-season total in school history, and Kinker’s 24 career saves is fourth-most in program history. Six of Kinker’s saves in 2018 were three-inning saves. Kinker set a school record with 109 career appearances for Ohio State. The 12.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio from Kinker this year was the highest in the Big Ten, and third-best in the country.

Kinker is the first Buckeye to be nominated for the award since Jake Hale in 2009. Other finalists include Brooks Wilson from Stetson, Chris Mauloni from Jacksonville, Florida’s Michael Byrne, and Jack Little from Stanford. The winner of the award will be announced at a press conference on Saturday June 16th at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.

STICK TO SPORTS

• An in-depth look at “The Dube” and the uncertainty of what the future may hold.
• The Columbus Arts Festival takes place this weekend on the downtown riverfront.
• Starting this Sunday, Dublin’s Sundays at Scioto will feature live music and food trucks for the next two months.
• Apparently Cleveland doesn’t rock. “The Land” named the sixth-worst city in the country to live in.
• Reese Witherspoon announced that Legally Blonde 3 is happening.

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Ohio State remembers John Simon's incredible 2012 season - 247Sports
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Ohio State remembers John Simon's incredible 2012 season
247Sports
As Ohio State prepares for the 2018 college football season, the Buckeyes also look back to the past and remember what came before this group. At a place like Ohio State, there is so much history to reflect on, but one season seems to be the focus of ...
The Fierce Competitor: Ohio State Pays Tribute to John Simon's 2012 SeasonEleven Warriors

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Comparing Ohio State's 2018 Wide Receiver Roster To Urban Meyer's Previous Buckeyes Teams - Eleven Warriors
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Comparing Ohio State's 2018 Wide Receiver Roster To Urban Meyer's Previous Buckeyes Teams
Eleven Warriors
Here at Eleven Warriors, we're taking a position-by-position look at how the Buckeyes' current roster stacks up with Ohio State's rosters from Meyer's first six seasons as head coach. That look continues today with Ohio State's wide receivers, where ...


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Four-star 2018 Oklahoma signee Michael Thompson tears ACL

Michael Thompson took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that he suffered a torn ACL in one of his knees, although, interestingly, the player ultimately deleted the tweet. There was no indication as to how the injury occurred and whether it was football-related or not.

Regardless, though, the defensive lineman will be sidelined for the entire 2018 season.

Entire article: https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...8-oklahoma-signee-michael-thompson-tears-acl/

Ohio State football players will not “stick to sports” and they shouldn’t have to
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeyes past and present are at the heart of the social reform debate.

Ever since Colin Kaepernick took a knee, and members of the Philadelphia Eagles took their fight for criminal justice reform to Capital Hill — long before this week’s White House debacle — there has been quite the overlap between sports and politics.

The multi-year narrative finally came to a head last month when NFL owners decided to enact an official policy requiring all NFL and team personnel (including players) who are on the field to stand for the National Anthem or remain in the locker room, or else teams may be subject to fines that could be passed on to the players.

THIS WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

While emotions and passions are high on both sides of this contentious debate, the actual motivation behind Kap’s protest has seemingly been forgotten almost from the very beginning. However, it boils down to NFL players (and athletes across sports of all levels) having used this and other forms of protest in a way to draw attention to the disproportionate percentage of African American citizens that are experiencing police brutality and social injustice. That’s it.

So what does this have to do with Ohio State and the Buckeye football players? A lot, actually.

Urban Meyer has enacted Real Life Wednesdays, which over the years has included speakers and programs about becoming more socially aware, and how to better prepare guys to take action in their community as they grow into a position to do so.

Buckeye alum — and 2018 Spring Game Honorary Coach — Malcolm Jenkins has been one of the more vocal leaders on criminal justice reform in the league, and, like so many of his teammates past and present, continues to put his money where his mouth is and put in the time and effort to get things done.

Jenkins stood at his locker on Wednesday — the day after the scheduled White House visit — and held up a series of signs to counter the false narratives that Eagles players are selfish and have “abandoned their fans,” as mentioned in the White House’s explanation for the cancellation.


Several current Ohio State football players retweeted and reacted to Jenkins message, including Branden Bowen, who then spent the next 20+ hours of his life having to argue with grown men who think they can tell college football players what to do.

Yes, you read that right. A swarm of grown men decided to get into an argument on Twitter with a student-athlete because somehow they pay for football players to entertain.


It went on for hours. And it wasn’t just this one guy pushing against what the players are fighting for, but dozens of others as well. Bowen continued to bring the discussion back to the real problems at hand, and repeatedly provided links to videos and articles explaining why several of their arguments were invalid.

But, once a Twitter mob gets going, it’s hard to explain away that much stupid.


It’s interesting to see the conversation shift from NFL to college. The connection has lingered for a few years, with people wondering if a college player would ever demonstrate during the National Anthem, but the same kind of outspokenness that has become regular at the next level hasn’t made it’s way to the college ranks just yet.

Now, as the narrative gets further away from the true sentiment of the movement, more college players are finding their voice. And, by the strength and maturity of their arguments, these young Buckeyes are not going to just “stick to sports” and I, for one, think we’ll all be better off for that.


Now, please stop harassing college students for their desire to make their communities and country better.

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Belton on visiting Buckeyes: 'I love Ohio State' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Belton on visiting Buckeyes: 'I love Ohio State'
247Sports
West Port quarterback and the Buckeyes' interest. The 6-foot-4 and 185-pound Maurer will compete in the prestigious Elite 11 competition at the end of this month. Maurer threw for 2,862 yards and 22 touchdowns during his junior season. I have ...


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BM5: Freshmen of impact? - 247Sports
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BM5: Freshmen of impact?
247Sports
Which Buckeyes will help most early? Can the new guys match the high school hype? 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong scouted these prospects for years before their Columbus matriculation. So who better to predict which ones will become ...


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Top LB nears decision, says Ohio State has 'everything I want' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top LB nears decision, says Ohio State has 'everything I want'
247Sports
Barton, 33, played for the Buckeyes from 2004-07 and was awarded All-America honors as a senior. The former team captain was the first player to start and win four Michigan games for the Buckeyes and later played three seasons in the NFL after being ...


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Ohio State joins the fray for a standout 2020 offensive tackle
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Over 30 offers have come in for Chad Lindberg. The Buckeyes got added to that list on Wednesday afternoon.

Even though we are knee-deep in the offseason, recruiting news doesn’t stop. For the Ohio State Buckeyes, they had a little bit of everything on Wednesday. One recruit picked up an offer, and another one made an unofficial visit. But, one quarterback target the Bucks were eyeing decided to commit to a program that’s just a couple states west of his native Texas.

Add it to the list


Chad Lindberg (League City, TX / Clear Creek) is one of the most sought after offensive tackles in the 2020 class. Standing at 6-foot-6 and carrying a four-star grade from 247sports, Lindberg has picked up 30 offers heading into Wednesday.

By Wednesday afternoon, he could add Ohio State to the list of potential landing spots for his college football days.


Offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma have already arrived to Lindberg, but with the Buckeyes now on the scene, things could shift in their favor. While full recruiting rankings aren’t out yet from the other sites, 247sports’ own grading proves why so many places want Lindberg on their team; the site has him as the 73rd best prospect in the class, 12th highest ranked OT, and the ninth best prospect in the state of Texas.

This is definitely one recruiting battle to keep an eye on.

A visit from Tampa


A three-star safety from Tampa, Dane Belton made the visit up from the Sunshine State to see what the Buckeye program was all about.


Belton holds over 20 offers, and they include some pretty good programs; in the Big Ten, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota have already sent in their offer for the 6-foot-1 defender. Additionally, Louisville and Georgia Tech are just some of the other notable programs to want this Florida native on their team.

But judging by the tweet, it seems like Belton had a good time visiting OSU. While the Bucks haven’t made an offer yet, according to his 247sports profile, getting Belton on campus helps create rapport between the coaches recruiting him—which in this case would be Tony Alford and Alex Grinch.

If that offer does drop from the Buckeyes, we’ll have you covered.

Ohio State’s QB options going forward


Of the QBs in the 2019 recruiting class, four-star Grant Gunnell was seen as one of the more prominent signal-callers on OSU’s radar. Things have now changed, as the Houston native and St. Pius X standout made it known on Twitter that he’s committing to the Arizona Wildcats.


Gunnell officially visited with the Buckeyes back on April 27, a week after he made an official visit to Arizona. But now tied to the Wildcat program, Ohio State will have to look elsewhere for a QB in the current recruiting cycle—if they even want to do that.

In yesterday’s recruiting roundup, Patrick Mayhorn wrote about the dilemma the Bucks may have in their QB pipeline. And last week, Mayhorn even did a breakdown of potential candidates the Scarlet and Gray may pursue if Gunnell committed to someplace outside of Columbus.

Skipping on a QB in 2019 doesn’t look like too bad of an option, especially if they can land a solid four-star QB in the 2020 class. Fortunately, a QB from that class just took an unofficial visit to OSU on Tuesday.

Harrison Bailey (Marietta, GA / Marietta) is the one prospect the Buckeyes may add to their list of would-be QBs in their 2020 class. Bailey is a teammate of current OSU commit Jake Wray, so there is a chance that Wray could lobby Bailey toward spending his college football career in Ohio’s capital city. Bailey currently has 247sports crystal ball predictions trending toward Michigan, Alabama and Florida, so Ohio State will need to do some work on their own.

But with Gunnell seemingly headed to a Pac-12 program, the Buckeyes may have to hang on to the QBs already on their roster and hope that much doesn’t change between now and the 2020 season.

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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes will host top underclassmen for prospect camps - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes will host top underclassmen for prospect camps
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes and a glimpse at what's coming next.
Final arrivals, Buckeyes' Supreme18 class complete247Sports
Ohio State football: How many games will Buckeyes win this season?Dayton Daily News
Ohio State men's basketball | Two early NCAA Tournament projections split on BuckeyesThe Columbus Dispatch
Land-Grant Holy Land -Eleven Warriors -AthlonSports.com
all 41 news articles »

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Ryan Shazier formally spoke to the media for the first time since his injury
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Plus, Joey Bosa thinks brother Nick is a “beast” and a bunch of Buckeye schedule updates.


A little over six months since his spinal injury against the Bengals, former Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier once again walked to the podium on Wednesday to speak to reporters as the Steelers got their OTAs underway.

Assisted by the use of a cane, his cadence was much smoother than it was just two months at the NFL Draft — when he took the stage with his fiancee to make the first round pick for the Steelers — and showng how much and how quickly he’s improving each and every day.

I could lie to you and tell you that seeing him walk and/or participate in team activities doesn’t make me teary-eyed (every. damn. time.), but I won’t.

Here’s a guy who devoted his entire self to being among the most elite linebackers and players in the NFL, and before he even got a chance to celebrate being at the top of his game, everything came crashing down around him. He was never anything but positive in his outlook of the situation since that scary day, and continues to tout the line that he wants to get back on the football field for some more snaps.

“My dream is to come back and play football again,” Shazier said. “I’ve been working my tail off every day and I have that in the back of my mind every day I go to rehab.”

That’s still a long ways away, but for now, he’s comfortable knowing he’s got the support of the Steelers organization and his entire Buckeye family. With each baby step, Shazier gets a little closer to once again playing the game that he loves.

“Coached by former Buckeye point guard Scoonie Penn, who is currently OSU’s director of player development, and former Ohio State forward Evan Turner, the 2010 National Player of the Year, Scarlet & Gray will be the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region after winning said region in last year’s event.”

-Ryan McGlade, Buckeye Sports Bulletin


The Basketball Tournament announced their brackets for the 2018 event on Wednesday, with the group of Thad Matta’s alumni snagging the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region thanks to their win over the same division last year.

Featuring all your favorite Buckeyes from years past, including Aaron Craft, Jon Diebler, and William Buford, the team fell just shy of taking home the $2 million purse in 2017, thanks to a double-overtime loss to Team ALS.

Team Scarlet and Gray won’t be the only team featuring some former Ohio State stars, with more recent Buckeyes (Andrew Dakich, Jae’Sean Tate, and Kam Williams) suiting up for the Big X team — made up of Big Ten alumni — in the No. 4 seed in the same region.

This should be very exciting for Buckeye fans in or near Columbus, with the central Ohio city hosting the first two rounds of the Midwest Region at the Capital Center at Capital University.

Big X will be the first of the two teams to take the court, and will face the No. 13-seeded Chattanooga Trenches at 10 a.m. ET on July 21. Later that day, Team Scarlet and Gray will play the winner of the Charlotte Chess Center and West Virginia Wildcats matchup, with Craft and team set to tip-off at 4 p.m. ET.

If both teams win their first few matchups, we could get a battle of the veteran OSU alumni vs the rookie Buckeye alums in the Super 16 game in Atlanta on July 26.


As soon as the last name was called during the 2018 NFL Draft, national scouts and analysts shifted their focus to the 2019 group of draft prospects, with most agreeing that the over No. 1 pick could come out of Ohio State. It doesn’t seem like Buckeye DE Nick Bosa being considered the top overall pick is all the surprising to his older brother -- and former No. 3 overall pick -- Joey Bosa.

The younger Bosa has been touted as being even better at playing DE than Joey, going back to his high school recruitment days. Nick will have his chance to prove that one more season with the Buckeyes, and should get a lot more snaps in 2018 given the DE rotation and a few of the starters who were drafted earlier this year.

With guys like Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes no longer competing for those defensive snaps, Nick Bosa should stand out week-after-week come this fall.

The Bosa men just keep getting better. Their father John -- who also played DE — was the No. 16 overall (first round) draft pick in 1987 by the Miami Dolphins. From the No. 16 pick to Joey being taken at No. 3, if Nick does come off the 2019 draft board at No. 1, the family’s draft legacy will officially be complete.

At least the Buckeyes get Nick in Columbus for one more season before he’s terrorizing NFL offenses alongside his brother.

Other Buckeye Scheduling Bits


Wrestling


Men’s Soccer

The 2018 Buckeye schedule was released this week, and it includes several teams that competed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. First-year Ohio State head coach Brian Maisonneuve is ready for tough competition in his inaugural season with the Buckeyes.

“We couldn’t more excited for our 2018 schedule [...] Our home schedule is one of the toughest in the Midwest giving our fans an opportunity to come out and watch high-level college soccer. We are ready for the season to start,” Maisonneuve said.

Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Soccer

The Ohio State women’s soccer team announced their 2018 schedule on Tuesday. Following their 15-5-1 season last year, and the program’s first outright Big Ten Championship, the Buckeyes will face some tough competition including nine NCAA Tournament teams from 2017.

“We have a variety of different teams and styles we’ll be matched up against and it will ultimately prepare us for Big Ten play. I like this schedule a lot and there is a lot of balance to it,” head coach Lori Walker-Hock said.

Ohio State Athletics Schedule Release

Men’s Golf

Ohio State’s Will Grimmer has qualified for his second-ever U.S. Open, with the Cincinnati native first qualifying in 2014 at the age of 17. Grimmer’s win earlier in the week at the Springfield Sectional qualifier solidified his spot in the 118th US Open at Shinnecock Hills next week.

The first round will get started on Thursday, June 14 in Southhampton, NY.

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QB Grant Gunnell commits to Arizona - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


QB Grant Gunnell commits to Arizona
247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a scholarship to Houston (Texas) St. Pius X quarterback Grant Gunnell in February. The one-time Texas A&M commitment then visited Ohio State for the first time - a two-day visit March 7-8. Gunnell followed up with an official visit ...

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Connor Curlis taken in 24th round of the MLB draft
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The junior southpaw (and Ohio native) was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.

The weekend rotation for Ohio State baseball is certain to look very different in 2019 than it did this season, as a second member was selected in the 2018 MLB draft. Friday night starter Connor Curlis was taken in the 24th round by the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, and follows Saturday starter Ryan Feltner who went to the Rockies in Round 4.

Curlis, who just completed his junior season for the Buckeyes, was the 709th overall selection in the draft, a position that carries a signing bonus expectation of $125,000 or less, though there could be some room for negotiation. College pitchers selected after their junior seasons tend to sign unless a big jump in draft stock can be reasonably expected, in order to start their professional development.

The southpaw, who entered the season as the No. 18 prospect in the Big Ten by Perfect Game, logged a 7-4 record with a 3.55 earned run average in 2018, with a 1.33 WHIP in 88.2 innings of work. Curlis struck out 77 while walking just 31, and held opposing batters to a .264 batting average.

A native of Findlay, Ohio, Curlis made just four relief appearances as a freshman in 2016, and appeared in 20 games (eight starts) as a sophomore a season ago. His development over the past calendar year has been evident, though.

Last summer, playing for the Champion City Kings of the Prospect League, the left-hander had a memorable run, going 2-3 with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP, striking out 82 in 58 innings of work. He carried over that momentum to fall ball, including a “Cy Young”-winning performance in the Scarlet and Gray Series, and cemented the top spot in the starting rotation.

Much as was seen two years ago when Tanner Tully, another control-type lefty, was drafted out of Ohio State, the safe bet is that Curlis will want to get into a pro system and begin his development at the next level sooner rather than later. Land-Grant Holy Land hopes it’s a smooth transition, and wishes him luck.

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Jacob Barnwell is Ohio State baseball’s second draft pick in 2018
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The junior catcher was selected in the 22nd round.

The second Ohio State baseball draftee in 2018 is junior Jacob Barnwell. The Buckeyes’ starting catcher the past two seasons, Barnwell was selected in the 22nd round by the Colorado Rockies, pick No. 666 overall.

Barnwell was a member of the Johnny Bench watch list this past season, putting him among the top receivers in the country. The Kentucky native slashed .261/.369/.346 while playing in 57 games this spring, with eight doubles, two home runs, and 27 runs batted in.

More important to Ohio State, though, was the way Barnwell handled the pitching staff and kept the running game in check. He threw out just under 27 percent of would-be base stealers, and gave head coach Greg Beals a reliable coach-on-the-field type, able to keep the guys on the mound focused and executing their pitches.

Barnwell’s junior campaign was very similar to that of his sophomore year, with a nearly identical slash line, as well as doubles, homers, walks, and strikeouts. One area where he showed progress was in his ability to drive runners in. Those 27 RBIs nearly doubled his production in 2017, when he plated 14 runners.

Each team in MLB is given what’s called a bonus pool, this is the maximum amount they can spend on draft pick bonuses for players in the first 10 rounds before incurring a penalty. While each pick in the first 10 rounds of the draft has an assigned slot value (ranging from just over $8 million for the No. 1 overall pick to $136,800 for the final pick of the 10th round), any bonus money above $125,000 given to an individual player picked in rounds 11 through 40 also counts against a team’s pool.

With Barnwell going in the 22nd round, he’s unlikely to see a bonus above that threshold, and must now make a decision on his future. He has a year of eligibility remaining, and could conceivably return to Columbus in an attempt to improve his stock. But this is pro baseball knocking on the door, the realization of a dream.

Whatever he decides, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land wish Barnwell the best.

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Local product set to camp at Ohio State, try to land offer - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Local product set to camp at Ohio State, try to land offer
247Sports
Barton, 33, played for the Buckeyes from 2004-07 and was awarded All-America honors as a senior. The former team captain was the first player to start and win four Michigan games for the Buckeyes and later played three seasons in the NFL after being ...


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Why Dwayne Haskins will be a big upgrade over JT Barrett - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Why Dwayne Haskins will be a big upgrade over JT Barrett
247Sports
As controversial an Ohio State football figure as they've come the last decade, there's no way around the fact Barrett left Columbus as among the best quarterbacks in Buckeye history. He's the program's all-time win leader, the first three-time captain ...
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Flavored Nation will feature flavors of the buckeye state - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Flavored Nation will feature flavors of the buckeye state
The Columbus Dispatch
Tasked with putting an innovative twist on an Ohio staple, chef Avishar Barua plans to give buckeyes a facelift. “Peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect combination,” said Barua, executive chef at Service Bar in the Short North area. “How do you ...


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