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The rare tight end capable of doing everything​

Roberts arrived in Columbus as one of the nation’s premier tight end recruits. The Oklahoma native finished his high school career with 42 receptions for 848 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior, averaging more than 20 yards per catch while showcasing the athleticism that made him one of the top tight ends in the 2025 recruiting class. At 6-foot-5 and roughly 240 pounds, he possessed the frame of a traditional inline tight end, but his movement skills immediately separated him from many players at the position.

Ohio State saw more than a receiving threat. They saw versatility. Even as a true freshman, Roberts appeared in all 13 games and was trusted with responsibilities that extended well beyond running routes. He finished the season with four receptions for 30 yards, but those numbers barely scratched the surface of his role. The Buckeyes lined him up in line, used him as an H-back, motioned him across formations, asked him to split-zone block, and even handed him the football twice. For a freshman tight end, earning that level of trust is highly uncommon.

That early usage matters because tight end remains one of the most difficult positions to play in Ryan Day’s offense. Blocking assignments change every week. Route responsibilities change every series. Protection calls require communication with the offensive line. Freshmen rarely handle all of those responsibilities unless coaches believe they are capable of becoming complete players, and Ohio State clearly believed Roberts could. Now comes the next step.

Thornton had another good game today: 26 minutes, 18 points, 5/9 FGs, 3/7 3PTs, 2 REBs, 4 assists, 0 TOs, 2 steals and 1 PF.

They said this last time and then killed it.

S.4668 - Protect College Sports Act of 2026​

This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement).

First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.

The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.

The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season.

Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment.

Additionally, the bill establishes (subject to specified conditions) a limited antitrust exemption for institutions or conferences that form joint agreements to transfer their sports telecasting rights to a third party. Such an agreement requires participation from at least 75% of the institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

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Ohio State’s Ravi Bellamkonda, Other Big Ten Presidents Have “Very Productive” Meetings with U.S. Senators About National College Sports Legislation​

Ohio State’s Ravi Bellamkonda was among four Big Ten presidents who met with a group of U.S. Senators on Tuesday as the push for national college sports legislation continues.

Bellamkonda, Michigan president Domenico Grasso, Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi and USC president Beong-Soo Kim met Tuesday with a group of seven U.S. Senators – Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, the authors of the Protect College Sports Act, as well as Ohio’s Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, Michigan’s Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin and Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman – to “work toward a national legislative solution that serves student-athletes, provides regulatory certainty, and maintains America’s long tradition of exceptional collegiate athletics.”

A joint statement released by Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and USC described the meetings as “very productive.”

The presidents of Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and USC had very productive meetings today with legislative partners as we work toward a national legislative solution that serves student-athletes, provides regulatory certainty, and maintains America’s long tradition of exceptional collegiate athletics.
We appreciate the effort behind the Protect College Sports Act and support the bill’s intent. At the same time, key issues should be addressed to ensure the bill protects student-athletes and provides long-term stability for colleges, universities and conferences. We support the priorities previously outlined by the Big Ten Conference, including an NIL and revenue-sharing framework that is workable, enforceable and fair to student-athletes, and liability protection and preemption of state law that is sufficiently clear and brings an end to the nonstop litigation and fragmentation that is eroding the educational mission of college sports and making fair competition impossible.
In addition, colleges and universities are differently situated and have always retained flexibility over conference membership, sponsored sports, scholarships, scheduling, and media rights. Preserving this flexibility will enhance universities’ ability to offer broad-based sports programs, support Olympic sports, and safeguard the student-athlete experience.
We look forward to continuing conversations with the bill sponsors and other legislative partners as we pursue our shared goal of a strong, sustainable national legislative solution for all sports, conferences and divisions.

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The Protect College Sports Act, introduced by Cruz and Cantwell in late May, is a bipartisan college sports bill that would grant the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption that would allow it to enforce rules around transfers and eligibility without facing challenges from state and local courts. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill before its recess in early August.

That said, the current framework of the bill has faced opposition from both the Big Ten and SEC. Specifically, the Big Ten and SEC are opposed to provisions in the bill that would allow FBS schools to pool their media rights if 75% or more of FBS institutions vote in favor of a joint agreement, as well as prohibiting the Power 4 conferences from expanding. The conferences have also expressed concerns that the bill “leaves critical issues unresolved.”

“It does not meaningfully preempt the patchwork of state laws or provide the protections needed to make and enforce consistent rules, both essential to long-term stability in college athletics. It also shifts ongoing rulemaking to Congress, limiting the ability to adapt quickly as the landscape evolves,” the Big Ten and SEC said in a joint statement in June. “Rather than reducing litigation, the bill likely expands it without offering clear alternatives for dispute resolution. Finally, the bill alters the House settlement revenue sharing framework in a way that may result in fewer student-athletes receiving direct revenue share payments.
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He should be complementary to Smith and whomever is on the other side. That's what's been frustrating so far. Hoping for a big year for and from him.

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“He’s going to be a dog for us. He’s an animal. He plays really fast and aggressive.”

was maybe seaom that shouldve been canned,right after clemson beat down 30 osu player caught virus

ANOTHER BIG LEAGUE BUCKEYE. In Monday’s Skull Session, we shared the news that the Seattle Mariners selected Ohio State catcher Mason Eckelman in the eighth round of this past weekend’s MLB draft. As it turns out, Eckelman won’t be the only member of last year’s Ohio State baseball team – or the only member of his family – joining the Mariners organization.

Ohio State shortstop Henry Kaczmar, Eckelman’s cousin, signed with the Mariners as a free agent on Monday. It continues what’s been an intertwined baseball journey for the cousins since high school, as both attended Walsh Jesuit High School before enrolling at Ohio State.

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Kaczmar’s MLB opportunity comes after a senior season in which he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. Kaczmar hit .316 for Ohio State last season with 12 home runs, 26 doubles (a single-season program record), 47 RBIs, 50 runs scored and seven stolen bases.

A good problem to have: Ohio State’s running out of room on its wall of first-round NFL draft picks after adding four more this year.

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Probably just me, but the 'bag' (as Thump so aptly names) for a 5* QB might not be so generous so far out from signing. Just wondering how the colleges handle that. Maybe, 'we'll take the top five, average their NIL, and give you the average + $100,000'? It seems like he has the arm strength, and you certainly cannot teach his height. Do so enjoy QBs that can see over the onrushing DL guys. And how does one quantify the QB teaching that a Day can provide.......

As the old adage goes, life is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Ergo, one has to do it once, and then again, and again, and so forth. Maybe like a band's first #1 tune, then nothing? A one hit wonder. Go Bucks

Have played tennis on clay, composite, and grass. Doubt you could put artificial floor on grass would certainly ruin it. Clay OK, composite (where 95% of tennis is played (?) great. PS, grass is very much harder to play on. Ball doesn't bounce, it skitters. Clay, ball is slowed down, and bounces rather nicely right into your racquet. Anyway, both grass and class are nightmares to maintain. But like the big stadium for basketball. How come UD can do, and tOSU cannot?

buckeyemania11 said:

ESPN already at it with their garbage FPI that they will of course use to prop up their SEC narrative

Every SEC team in the top 50, every SEC team in the TOP 20! of the SOS rankings.

Complete garbage to form the base for SOS rankings off of your own "predictive model" that is based pretty much completely off of prior year recruiting rankings and with zero actual on the field data from the current season.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fpi/_/view/resume/sort/resume.avgsosrank/dir/asc

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Somewhere I saw a list of toughest schedules. SEC was 14 of the top 15 hardest schedules, with Ohio State at #8, and all 16 teams in the top 20.

Here - I finded it:

1. Arkansas
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Kentucky
5. Ole Miss
6. Mississippi State
7. Florida
8. Ohio State
9. Texas A&M
10. South Carolina
11. LSU
12. Missouri
13. Auburn
14. Tennessee
15. Alabama
16. Michigan
17. Northwestern
18. Vanderbilt
19. USC
20. Georgia
21. Nebraska
22. Florida State
23. Purdue
24. Boston College
25. Washington