Big Ten competition filled Ohio State’s weekend slate of games
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The men’s tennis team now sits alone atop the conference rankings, plus other updates from the weekend’s matchups.

The football program was busy hosting the annual spring game over the weekend, but there were a lot of other Buckeye and Big Ten matchups to pay attention to. It wasn’t all great, with the softball team losing to Northwestern, and the women’s lacrosse team falling to Maryland, but the men’s tennis team now holds the sole No. 1 spot in the Big Ten and the men’s volleyball team advanced to the MIVA Semifinals.


Here’s a recap of some of the Ohio State teams’ weekend competitions.

Softball


Coming off of sweeps of Rutgers and Penn State, the Buckeyes had momentum heading into their Big Ten series against Northwestern over the weekend. The three-game series was supposed to span Friday to Sunday, but rain forced a double header on Sunday, with the second game ultimately getting rained out, anyway. It might have been for the best, seeing that the Buckeyes fell to the Wildcats 10-2 on Friday and 14-6 in their first game on Sunday. Ohio State now sits at 26-10 overall on the season, and 7-6 in Big Ten play.

The Buckeyes will host in-state rival, the Ohio Bobcats, for a double header on Wednesday starting at 5 p.m. ET.

Baseball


With the storms that led schools to cancel spring games throughout the Midwest this weekend, the Ohio State baseball team was forced to turn their three-day series at Penn State into two, with a double header on Saturday to avoid Sunday’s predicted weather. After shutting out the Nittany Lions 1-0 in Friday’s matchup, the Buckeyes went on to sweep the series with two wins on Saturday, 5-1 and a devastating 19-8 blowout to finish the day.


Ohio State is back home this week, for an in-state matchup against Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday, April 17 at 6:35 p.m. ET. This will be the first of an eight-game stretch of games played at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium, in Columbus.

Women’s Lacrosse


It was a wet Sunday for the Buckeyes, who had few answers for a shot-happy Maryland team, who bested Ohio State — on their home turf — 20-5 in the matchup. After the Terps took a quick 3-0 lead out of the gate, the Buckeyes spent the afternoon trying to play catch-up, and couldn’t quite get there. The Ohio State team will hit the road later this week for their regular-season finale, Friday at 5 p.m. ET against Johns Hopkins.

Men’s Lacrosse


It was pretty perfect that the Buckeyes would snap their five-game losing streak with a home win against rival Michigan. Ohio State didn’t trail at any time in during the contest, and came away with the 8-5 victory — continuing their 7-0 all-time series sweep over TTUN.

Women’s Tennis


The women’s tennis team snagged a 5-2 win on the road over the weekend at Purdue, picking up four singles wins and the doubles point for the Big Ten conference victory. Now ranked No. 35, Ohio State sits at 12-6 on the season, and 6-3 in conference play.


The Buckeyes will now turn their attention to the regular season finale this upcoming weekend, with Senior Day scheduled for Sunday’s matchup against No. 12 Northwestern.

Men’s Tennis


It wasn’t that surprising — although, always nice to be right — when the Buckeyes bested the Wildcats in Sunday’s Senior Day matchup. It was Saturday’s contest against then-No. 6 Illinois that was cause for concern. Heading into the weekend’s competition, Ohio State and Illinois were tied at the top of the Big Ten rankings, with both teams holding undefeated records thus far in conference play.

The Buckeyes seemingly had little to be worried about as they swept the Fighting Illini on their way to holding the sole No. 1 spot among the Big Ten. With their two wins over the weekend, Ohio State moves to 24-2 on the season, and a very nice 9-0 in Big Ten play.


Men’s Volleyball


Ohio State entered the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Tournament as the No. 1-seed (21-5), and set a quick pace with a three-set sweep (25-22, 25-18, 25-12) over Quincy in their first series. Buckeye senior — and all-time program leader in career aces (226) and points (1,934) — Nicolas Szerszen is now just four terminations shy of setting Ohio State’s all-time record in kills too (Steve Potter 1,602 kills; 1992-95).

The Buckeyes will compete in the MIVA Semifinal on Wednesday (April 18) — at St. John Arena in Columbus — versus Lewis.

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Ohio State has solid spring game recruiting weekend - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State has solid spring game recruiting weekend
Land-Grant Holy Land
While in town, Cormontae didn't just have a chance to watch Joe Burrow, Binjimen Victor, and the rest of the current Buckeyes in action, but also had a chance to talk with a couple Ohio State coaches. “I got to speak to Coach Kevin Wilson and Coach ...

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Ohio State has solid spring game recruiting weekend
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes landed a pledge and caught the eye of a 3-star tight end.

Did you miss out on your Ohio State recruiting fix over the spring game weekend?

Land-Grant Holy Land is here to help. Sit back and get caught up with some the latest Ohio State recruiting news from the last few days.

Buckeyes land 4-star prospect


Nearly every year when the Buckeyes take the field for their annual spring game, Ohio State walks away with at least one talented prospect giving Urban Meyer, and crew his verbal pledge. This Saturday was no different.

Becoming the fourth class of 2019 recruit to pledge to the Buckeyes, four-star athlete Ronnie Hickman of DePaul Catholic in Wayne, NJ, joins fellow soon-to-be senior offensive linemen Doug Nester, Ryan Jacoby, and running back Sampson James in Ohio State’s next crop of standouts.


Pegged as a safety on the next level, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Hickman has been a beast on both sides of the ball for the Garden State power Spartans. Playing multiple spots, he finished his junior campaign with nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards on offense; on defense, he had 50 total tackles and two interceptions to pace DePaul Catholic to an 8-3 overall record.

Want to know about Hickman and his pledge to the Buckeyes? Check out Patrick Mayhorn’s commitment piece.

Tennessee TE talks spring game


The Buckeyes played host to a solid list of recruits for their spring game on Saturday. One of the many prospects that made it to Columbus to get an up close and personal view of what the Ohio State football team is putting together was three-star tight end Cormontae Hamilton.


Making the trek up to Columbus from Memphis, Tennessee, the Whitehaven High product left Ohio with a few memories he’ll remember for quite awhile.

“The trip was great. I enjoyed the campus environment even though I haven’t toured around the whole university but just by driving through shows that the campus was very big and the people there were family oriented and genuine and the facility that I did see was very interesting (athletic center). Something that stood out to me was that I got to see the original heisman trophy of Archie Griffin and just the history that have been made at OSU,” the 6-foot-1, 246-pound Hamilton stated to Land-Grant Holy Land soon after his visit.

While in town, Cormontae didn’t just have a chance to watch Joe Burrow, Binjimen Victor, and the rest of the current Buckeyes in action, but also had a chance to talk with a couple Ohio State coaches.

“I got to speak to Coach Kevin Wilson and Coach Trey Holtz. They were glad I had a chance to make it to OSU and they both will keep an eye out on me and they will visit Memphis to come see one of Whitehaven High School football practices.”

With offers on the table from Virginia Tech and a host of FCS programs, Hamilton, the 44th tight end and 1,213 overall prospect in the class of 2019, according to the 247Sports Composite, has college options, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking his interest from the Buckeyes very lightly.

“When I think of OSU, what comes to mind is that they have a great and successful program. It will be a great honor to receive an offer from OSU and to know that they’re very interested in me and my potential at playing in the Big 10 conference.”

Quick Hits

• Ohio State offered three-star North Carolina defensive end Terrell Dawkins, who was in Columbus for the spring game. A solid pass rusher, the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder adds the OSU offer alongside programs such as Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina State, and many others.
• After locking in over 20 scholarship offers, three-star outside linebacker Keith Maguire is now considering five programs. Cutting things down on Saturday, Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, North Carolina, and Notre Dame are still in the mix for the Malvern, Pennsylvania, native.
• Four-star safety Tyler Rudolph released his list of top schools. There were five of them, and Ohio State made the list. Also making the list were Clemson, Florida, Penn State and Michigan. The class of 2019 standout from Waterbury, Connecticut, is graded as the 26th best S in the class.

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Ohio State QB target Max Duggan commits to TCU: What it means for the Buckeyes - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State QB target Max Duggan commits to TCU: What it means for the Buckeyes
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cross another name off of Ohio State's list of potential quarterbacks in its 2019 recruiting class. Max Duggan, a four-star prospect from Council Bluffs, Iowa, announced his commitment to TCU on Sunday night. He picked the Horned ...

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What I know and what I think after huge OSU recruiting weekend - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


What I know and what I think after huge OSU recruiting weekend
247Sports
1) It has been a huge recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes that included what could be a trivia question down the road - who were the first two recruits to ever make spring official visits to Ohio State. The answer of course would be offensive lineman ...


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OSU notebook: Safety spot still wide open for Buckeyes - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


OSU notebook: Safety spot still wide open for Buckeyes
Toledo Blade
COLUMBUS — As Ohio State coach Urban Meyer went through his team's performance after Saturday's spring game, he checked off most of OSU's preseason questions. He was happy with the Buckeyes' offensive line and linebackers. OSU looks as if it will be ...
Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes' chances with their 2 official visitors following spring gameLandof10.com
Ohio State QB target Max Duggan commits to TCU: What it means for the Buckeyescleveland.com
Ryan Shazier stands to cheers at Buckeyes' spring gameESPN
Sporting News -The Columbus Dispatch -WDTN.com
all 145 news articles »

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Ohio State spring game 2018: QB connections among 5 best plays - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State spring game 2018: QB connections among 5 best plays
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State's 2018 spring game featured no shortage of impressive plays. From Dwayne Haskins to Joe Burrow to Mike Weber, there were plenty of examples to choose from as the Gray team defeated the Scarlet 37-14 at Ohio Stadium on ...
The throw that may have won Ohio State's quarterback battle: Doug Lesmerisescleveland.com
Ten Things We Learned From the 2018 Ohio State Spring GameThe Ozone
Watch: Dwayne Haskins throws pinpoint TD pass to Jaylen Harris247Sports
Land-Grant Holy Land
all 28 news articles »

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Brady Taylor, Luke Farrell earn starting spots in spring - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Brady Taylor, Luke Farrell earn starting spots in spring
247Sports
COLUMBUS – Ohio State came into the spring with plenty of holes to fill after a number of players departed from the 2017 team. The biggest story was of course at quarterback, where Joe Burrow, Dwayne Haskins and Tate Martell were set to battle to ...

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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes' chances with their 2 official visitors following spring game - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes' chances with their 2 official visitors following spring game
Landof10.com
He hails from Austin Lake Travis, one of the Lone Star State's powerhouse programs, which also produced Buckeyes freshman quarterback Matthew Baldwin. Wilson told Land of 10 that he was having an “awesome” visit and that he enjoyed the energy around ...
OSU notebook: Safety spot still wide open for BuckeyesToledo Blade
Ohio State's Joe Burrow forces compelling QB decision for Urban Meyer, BuckeyesSporting News
Ohio State football | Ryan Shazier thanks Buckeyes fans for supportThe Columbus Dispatch
cleveland.com -Sharonherald -MyDaytonDailyNews
all 136 news articles »

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Women's Lacrosse: Maryland rolls Ohio State, winning 20-5 in Buckeyes' final home game - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Women's Lacrosse: Maryland rolls Ohio State, winning 20-5 in Buckeyes' final home game
OSU - The Lantern
It took five shot attempts before the Buckeyes (5-9, 1-4 Big Ten) scored in the first half. Junior attack McKayla Conti brought the score to 3-1 after a feed from sophomore midfield Liza Hernandez. Hernandez closed the Terrapins lead to one goal when ...


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No clear winner in Buckeyes' QB derby | vindy.com - Youngstown Vindicator
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No clear winner in Buckeyes' QB derby | vindy.com
Youngstown Vindicator
The intriguing derby will spill over into fall preseason.
Ohio State Buckeyes football wide receiver Binjimen Victor makes ...247Sports

all 5 news articles »

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Spring Game: What We Learned
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

It is now 24 hours ahead of the annual Scarlet versus Gray Spring Game and man–there are a lot of difficult decisions that need to be made by Coach Meyer and his staff regarding the many open spots for his team on both sides of the field.

This is the annual reloading period where the coaches evaluate their players to reload and to identify the best player for the job. A batch of forgotten, but talented unknowns will take their shot to earn a starting gig and blossom into the next Buckeye superstar. Here are three things that stood out.

Burrow VS Haskins VS Martell:

This battle was everything that we thought it would be and it looks like it is a two-way competition between Burrow and Haskins with Martell trailing as the third Quarterback in the pecking order.

In no way am I saying that Martell lacks the talent, but Burrow and Haskins just separated themselves with a more balanced and efficient display during the game. Tate showed that he can run the QB Option with ease and his elusiveness and speed will be another valuable weapon for the team this season if the coaches create a package of plays for him.

Burrow and Haskins made a lot of noise in the passing game this spring. Burrow finished 15 for 22 for 238 and 2 TD’s while Haskins finished 9 for 19 for 120 yards and 2 TD’s. Both signal-callers showed their fans what the future could look like, further adding to the fierce debate on who should be the heir to the QB Throne.

Burrow is accurate with a little less zip on the football when comparing his game to Haskins. Haskins has the wow factor and the arm strength, but he is slightly less accurate than Burrow. Both QB’s did a lot of switching between the first and second team offenses, but they showed that once they get into a rhythm, they can be unstoppable. Both have poise in the pocket, but it is looking like their ability to run the offense and their leadership qualities will look like it will be the deciding factor in this battle.

A difficult choice needs to be made and it will be interesting to see what develops within the QB room. Every one of the Quarterbacks on the roster can be a starter on another team, but we will see what happens and who gets the job.

Playmakers Paradise At Skill Positions:

The wealth of talent at just about every level on this team on offense is evident. From the Running Back position all the way to the O-Line, they have enough baller for a three-deep depth chart.

At Running Back, they have Dobbins and Weber, the returning 1,000-yard rushers from a season ago. Behind them, they have three stablemates in Williams, Teague, and Snead, who will join the team in the summer. Not to mention, they have a talented bunch of walk-ons to boot. Deep is an understatement at this position and with what we saw with Weber on that long TD run, and what Teague was able to accomplish, carries will be scarce, but the Brotherhood will continue to push each other until the fall comes.

Wide Receiver is also deep. They returned all of their starters from last season and with the prospect of a more pass-friendly offense, they will look to make an immediate impact. Hill, Campbell, Mack, Dixon, and Victor will be dangerous weapons this season. Their backups also pose a threat to defenses. Demario McCall had a game and is the projected to be the third H-Back on the depth chart. Harris and Gardiner are huge targets that showed promise as well.

At Tight End Rashod Berry will be slotted to return as the starter, but he didn’t participate in the game due to injury. Behind him, Hausmann, Farrell and the number one TE in last years class Jeremy Ruckert will be vying for playing time this season.

DBU Reloads Again:

Marcus Williamson has secured his spot in the rotation at Cornerback. Aside from the TD catch by Harris, he locked him down and was disruptive for most of the game. With Okudah out with an injury, he along with Wade, Banks, and Davis were given snaps to see what they can do, but from what I saw from Williamson, he gained traction in this battle.

Pryor and Johnson showed promise as both are fighting for the starting Safety spot opposite of Fuller. Johnson nearly stopped Weber on his long TD run, showing the determination to not take any plays off, and he is a true freshman.

Ohio State has become DBU as of late and the tradition of having a DB getting drafted in the first round has been a trend. With that, Ohio State has yet another loaded depth chart, but they will all find a way to earn playing time.














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Ohio State’s 2013 NFL Draft class was the ‘Year of the Undrafted Free Agent’
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Two Buckeye draft picks that year, though, are still chipping away at an NFL career.

You could call 2013 the Year of the Undrafted Free Agent for players out of Ohio State. Despite three big-name Buckeyes hearing their name called during the seven-round event, a handful of others went on to sign deals with teams, before bouncing from practice squad to practice squad in different cities.

The only Buckeyes to still be on an NFL roster, however, are two of the three that were draft picks that year — although none of the players are still with the team that drafted them.

*No longer with this team

The draft picks


Johnathan Hankins: After playing out the four years of his rookie contract with the New York Giants, Hankins slowly became a pivotal interior defender, and wanted a big-money, multi-year deal when he hit the free agency market in 2017. And that’s what he got with the Indianapolis Colts, who signed the Buckeye DT to a three-year, $30 million deal.

Hankins started 41-of-52 games he suited up for with the Giants, and notched 140 total tackles, 10.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. He followed that up with 44 total tackles, three pass breakups and 2.0 sacks in his first season with the Colts. Despite a solid performance, a new head coach and shift in defensive scheme saw Hankins’ exit from Indy, and the Buckeye is now one again wading the water of free agency for a new roster spot.


John Simon: It took a couple seasons of development, but heading during the 2017 free agency, Simon was a top linebacker option for teams, thanks to two breakout seasons in Houston. He was initially drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, but was eventually brought into the Texans family with the help of now-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. The Buckeye legend, with both NFL playing experience and time as a coach at Ohio State, knew of Simon’s potential and was able to mold that during the 2015 and 2016 seasons with Houston.

Not only did Simon benefit from learning alongside defensive masterminds like J.J. Watt, but injuries to key defenders like Jadaveon Clowney saw a shift in personnel and an increase in playing time for the up-and-coming linebacker. Simon played in all 16 regular season games for the Texans in 2015, and notched 5.0 sacks and 49 total tackles. He followed that up with an 11-game, 3.5 sack and 51 total tackle performance.

The Colts won him over in free agency and in 2017 the Buckeye was playing for Indianapolis, alongside a slew of other Buckeyes — and draft class mate, Johnathan Hankins. After starting the season embodying a defensive shift toward the better for the Colts, claiming 3.0 sacks and pick-6 in nine games, Simon was sidelined with an injury and spent the rest of the year on IR. He’s still expected to be a big contributor for Indy once the offseason programs get underway, and probably hasn’t even reached his ceiling in terms of NFL potential.

Reid Fragel: The offensive tackle out of Ohio State was initially drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the final round of the 2013 event. He started his rookie season on the team’s practice squad, before being signed by Cleveland in late-October. He then spent portions of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 on and off of practice squads for five different NFL teams — 31 career roster transactions since he was drafted.

In 2017, he was signed to the Minnesota Vikings on a futures deal, but didn’t make the final 53-man roster, and was cut in the preseason. He hasn’t signed a reserve deal just yet in 2018, but my money is even if he does, it’s just as a training camp roster spot and ultimately will take his career in another direction sooner rather than later.

Canadian Football League


Travis Howard: After initially signing with the Houston Texans, Howard ended up spending his rookie season on the practice squad for both the New England Patriots and New York Giants. He ended up being cut by the Giants just head of the 2014 season, and spent the 2015 offseason bouncing from the Giants to the Falcons, and then to IR.

I talked to the cornerback in late-January about his future plans, and he had recently signed a contract with the Winnipeg Bombers. With DeVier Posey showing this offseason that you can turn a short-stint in the CFL into another shot at the NFL, Howard isn’t ready to hang up his cleats just yet.

Practice squad regulars


Jake Stoneburner: Of all the undrafted free agents out of the 2013 draft class, the Buckeye tight end had the biggest taste of success. Throughout his NFL career, Stoneburner saw 22 roster changes; between moving from practice squad to active rosters and then cut, just to do it all over again, made for a very busy five years.

During his rookie season with the Green Bay Packers, Stoneburner mostly participated in special teams, but did seeing playing time in nine games. He started his first season in the league as a practice squad player, but only used half a season towards his PS eligibility.

It wasn’t until 2015 that the tight end really showed signs of NFL potential. He saw playing time in 11 games that year with the Miami Dolphins and even started one game on offense. Stoneburner never really became a consistent contributor, but did haul in five reception (off five targets) for 47 yards and two touchdowns as a professional football player — something not many people can say.

Zach Boren: One of the Buckeye-family football legacy, Zach Boren was signed by the Houston Texans following the 2013 NFL Draft, and spent his rookie season on the team’s practice squad. The running back was then signed to a reserve/future contract with the (then-San Diego) Chargers in early 2014, but was waived ahead of final roster cuts during the preseason. Boren’s last stop was a one-month stint with the Tennessee Titans as a preseason roster filler in 2015.

Since then, though, the Boren family started their own business, providing both dumpsters and a rather fantastic troll of Michigan. The business involves his brother, Justin; and father, Mike.


Never saw a snap


Orhian Johnson: One of the four Buckeyes signed to the Houston Texans coming out of Ohio State, Johnson would spend the next couple of seasons switching from safety to linebacker and back again. He was signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad in December of his rookie season but was ultimately cut during the 2014 preseason. He never found another landing spot and that was all she wrote for his NFL career.

Etienne Sabino: Similar to his former teammate, Sabino wouldn’t see any playing time at the next level. Signed by the New York Giants out of Ohio State, the Buckeye linebacker was cut just before the start of his rookie season. He’d end up going unsigned throughout the 2013 season, before signing with the (then-St. Louis) Rams in March of 2014. Once again Sabino was a causality of the final 53-man roster cut and would never ink another NFL deal.

Nathan Williams: The Buckeye defensive lineman had a productive career in Columbus — finishing at No. 6 in the Big Ten in 2010 with 4.0 sacks — but that wouldn’t ultimately translate to the NFL. After signing with the Minnesota Vikings in the spring of 2013, he wouldn’t make the roster or end up signing anywhere else thereafter. It was a very short stint as an NFL prospect for the former Rushman.


This is the fourth in a five-part series, evaluating the draft classes out of Ohio State from 2012-2016, in reverse order.

• Ohio State’s 2016 NFL Draft class set the bar incredibly high
• Ohio State’s 2015 NFL Draft class hasn’t quite lived up to expectations
• Ohio State’s 2014 NFL Draft class among some of the NFL’s elite

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NFL draft history: 10 years of Ohio State’s draft picks
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

When it comes to producing defensive backs, few schools in the nation can match Ohio State. The Buckeyes have had 14 defensive backs selected in the last 10 years. Here's a look at the last ten years of NFL Drafts for Ohio State.

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Ohio State's Urban Meyer on QB Joe Burrow: 'I owe him an answer' - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State's Urban Meyer on QB Joe Burrow: 'I owe him an answer'
Landof10.com
One of the most hotly debated topics surrounding Ohio State football this offseason is who should get the nod as the team's starting quarterback for the 2018 season. After the Buckeyes held their annual spring game on Saturday at Ohio Stadium, the ...
Charting the Buckeyes' quarterbacks: Every pass in spring game247Sports
After neck-and-neck spring game performances, will Ohio State's Joe Burrow transfer?Land-Grant Holy Land
Two-Minute Drill: 2018 Ohio State Spring Game Postgame ReactionsThe Ozone

all 23 news articles »

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Ohio State’s offense and QB battle on full display in spring game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Urban’s been saying that the defense was ahead all spring, but there were lots of weapons on display for the Buckeyes.

After a few days of speculation, not to mention a handful of other schools’ cancellations, the Ohio State football team held their annual, inter-squad scrimmage on Saturday.

As he often does, head coach Urban Meyer played fast and loose with the rules, rosters, and clock of the spring game. While many fans would have liked to have gotten some insight into the quarterback competition, Meyer seemed to flip back-and-forth between options early and often, even multiple times during drives.

That spring game mindset made it a little difficult to get a grip on where things stand. The other issues that got in the way of figuring out what the offenses had, was the fact that it was practically two-hand touch for all skill players, meaning that the top-line running backs of J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber were rarely used; although, when they were it was exciting.

Even though Meyer has said throughout the spring that the defense was ahead of the offense, the quarterbacks and skill positions for the offense were clearly the highlight of the game. Technically the Gray team won 37-14, but with skill position players swapping teams like Pokemon cards, that’s neither here nor there in terms of what’s important to take away from the game.

Tate Martell started the game for the Scarlet team going three-and-out. The teams seemed be trying to get as many plays in as possible before any weather got in the way. Joe Burrow and Dwayne Haskins were the quarterbacks for the Gray team, and after a timeout, Haskins led the offense with a pass to Parris Campbell. On the next play, Haskins spun out of trouble, but due to the QB no-contact rules, his run was quickly blown dead. However, given real game situations, he likely would have had a substantial pickup.

After Haskins again connected with Campbell, Burrow took over. His first pass was disrupted by a defender, and his second was a screen to the oft-forgotten Demario McCall. Burrow tried to connect deep with McCall, but it went incomplete, resulting in another punt.

Back behind center, Martell broke free from the pocket, despite the black jersey, and true freshman Master Teague had what could have been a big run blown dead due to contact at the line of scrimmage. While the Scarlet’s second team offense didn’t do much damage early on in terms of yardage, the explosiveness shown by some of their young talent was exciting.

Back on offense, the Gray’s Burrow found Campbell on a crossing-route that, given real circumstances, could have led to a touchdown. Burrow followed up with two more completions— including one to tight end Luke Fearrell— before Haskins took over again, and promptly found Campbell again.

Despite Meyer saying that Chase Young had a somewhat underwhelming spring, he got into the backfield touching Haskins down.

Later in the drive, Sean Nuernberger hit a field goal to get the Gray team on the board, and as is his wont, Meyer had the kicker attempt three more. Nuernberger made all four kicks, including the final one from approximately 52 yards.


After a facemask call, Martell rolled to his right and fired the ball to McCall for a strong completion. Then a scramble and a zone-read keeper, Martell went untouched and took the Scarlet inside the seven-yard line.

However, after a few passes failed to find the endzone, the ball was officially turned over for the start of the second quarter. That being said, Martell ran the ball six times in the first 10 minutes, and averaged 6.7 yards per carry. That total, while impressive, is even more so because of the black-shirt limitations.


One of the most inspiring and exciting aspects of Saturday’s game is that Ohio State legend Ryan Shazier served as an honorary coach. Though it was limited, the Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker was able to stand and walk a little bit, but spent most of the game in a golf cart; still a great sight for all Buckeye fans. Two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins served as the game’s other honorary coach.

Geoff Hammersley | Land-Grant Holy Land
Ryan Shazier at the Ohio State Spring Game

After Haskins and the Gray team punted the ball away, Burrow took over the Scarlet’s second-team offense, and hooked up Ellijah Gardiner and McCall multiple times. McCall would be busy, especially in the first half, as he carried and caught the ball for both offenses.

He was clearly an offensive priority for the game, and might finally figure into the play-calling this fall.

He started a little sloppy with the Gray team, but as the first half progresses, his accuracy improved tremendously. In fact, his accuracy was so good, that he even completed a pass to himself, after it bounced off the helmet of a lineman.


The Scarlet team moved the ball down the field, and Teague had a nice spin move that— even though the two-hand touch rules stopped two runs that would probably have been touchdowns, Teague had a number of nice runs and eventually got into the endzone, capping off an impressive drive for Burrow. After the TD, the QB was 9-for-12 for 104 yards, and Team Scarlet was now up, 7-3.

This isn’t the first time that Burrow has looked good in a spring game. In 2017, despite J.T. Barrett being the obvious starter, Burrow looked very impressive in the Scarlet and Gray game, and had he not gotten injured at the tail-end of fall camp, he likely would have been the backup last season.

In his first actual carry, Weber went 63 yards before being touched down. The running back made an impressive cut at the line of scrimmage and then raced away from the defense for what would have been a touchdown given regular season rules. However, Martell, now running the Gray offense, scampered to paydirt on the next play. Gray was back on top 10-7.


On the Scarlet squad’s next possession, the carousel of quarterbacks continued, as Haskins took over the offense, and for the first time on the day, we started seeing actual tackling. Teague and McCall got the first few touches and moved the ball across midfield.

Haskins matched Burrow with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Harris to put the Scarlet up 14-10. While he didn’t have the accuracy that Burrow had on the afternoon, Haskins’ pass to Harris was as impressive as any throw from any quarterback on the game.


Back with the first-team offense, Martell showed some fancy footwork, but was replaced by Burrow on 4th and 2. The new QB kept it on the option and picked the first down, and going with a little tempo, found Binjimen Victor for a 25-yard pickup with under two minutes remaining in the first half.

After a pass-interference in the endzone, Antonio Williams got the carry and fought hard to get down to the three-yard line. A few plays later, Williams again got nasty and crossed the goal line, putting the Gray up 17-14 with just 16 seconds remaining in the half.

The next Scarlet series was supposed to end the first half, but with rain still on its way, they skipped the intermission, and just continued into what would eventually become the third quarter— now with a running clock.

On the drive, Martell replaced Haskins, and had two rushes that otherwise would have been big gains. After a timeout, Haskins returned, and found Victor on a nice over-the-shoulder catch for a 40-yard completion inside the redzone. Then, a few plays later, Victor held onto a contested back-shoulder throw to put the Gray up 24-14.

Haskins wrapped up his second spring game in Columbus going 9-19 for 120 yards, but that doesn’t tell the story of how impressive his arm was on Saturday. While his accuracy could certainly be improved, he routinely made throws that very few QBs can.

Haskins, back in control of the Scarlet offense, gave the ball to Teague on an inside counter, and he picked up 17 yards and a first down. On the next snap, Teague picked up another first down, and while he likely won’t be able to overtake Dobbins, Weber, and Williams in the backfield, he certainly made a good impression in the spring game, which should bode well for his future in the program.

The true-freshman finished his first Buckeye action with 73 yards on 14 carries and a TD.

With the running clock in full-effect, Burrow completed a 53-yard bullet to McCall who continued to rack up stats from the H-back position. With the Gray now up 31-14, McCall had eight receptions and 121 yards through the air.

Martell took back over for the Scarlet team, and while his arm and accuracy were nowhere near the league of Haskins and Burrow, he showed a tremendous amount of explosion and creativity on Saturday. Given all of the opportunities he got in the spring game— and praise Meyer’s given him— it seems likely that he will have a package or two designed for him this fall.

However, Martell did have the first turnover of the game, when Shaun Wade made a diving interception with 4:19 remaining. The redshirt-freshman finished going 5-16 passing for 28 yards, but accounted for 69 nice yards on 11 carries.

On a final, untimed, play, Burrow found McCall for 42 yards and another touchdown to give the Gray the 37-14 victory.


There is no doubt that both quarterbacks looked good on Saturday, but in terms of the full package, Haskins seemed to take the day. Burrow’s last-second TD bomb aside, Haskins made some incredibly impressive throws throughout the game, and his accuracy picked up as the afternoon went on.

Burrow finished the game 15-22 for 238 yards, and in any other year, I think would have stolen the show. However, coming out of the game, I— for one— think that Meyer has no choice but to have Haskins as the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes this fall.

While Meyer would certainly prefer for Burrow to remain a Buckeye, one has to begin to consider if the writing is on the wall, and whether or not the quarterback— who graduates next month— decides to use his graduate-transfer option and find a place where he can be the starter for the next two seasons.

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Gray tops Scarlet in Buckeyes Spring Game - WDTN.com
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Gray tops Scarlet in Buckeyes Spring Game
WDTN.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dwayne Haskins Jr. and Joe Burrow both showed flashes of big-play ability in a condensed spring game Saturday as each tried to make his case for being the next starting quarterback at Ohio State. The third guy, redshirt freshman ...
Spring fails to produce clear starter at QB for BuckeyesSharonherald
Thayer Munford, Demario McCall, Binjimen Victor and other Ohio State 2018 spring game offensive observationscleveland.com

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Ohio State football: What we learned about Buckeyes during spring practice - Landof10.com
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Ohio State football: What we learned about Buckeyes during spring practice
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes could win with either Dwayne Haskins, Joe Burrow or Tate Martell in that critical role, and the spring game was a reminder of what each of those candidates does well. There are tough decisions to be made, both by the coaching staff when it ...

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Spring fails to produce clear starter at QB for Buckeyes - Sharonherald
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Spring fails to produce clear starter at QB for Buckeyes
Sharonherald
Ohio State had around two dozen players in the house for the spring game, including honorary coaches Malcolm Jenkins and Ryan Shazier, the former Buckeyes linebacker whose season with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended with a devastating spinal injury Dec ...
Gray tops Scarlet in Buckeyes Spring GameWDTN.com
Charting the Buckeyes' quarterbacks: Every pass in spring game247Sports
Who will be Ohio State's starting QB? Joe Burrow emerges as fan favorite in pollLandof10.com
Land-Grant Holy Land -The Ozone
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Men's tennis | Ohio State 4, Illinois 0: Buckeyes hand Illini first conference loss - The Columbus Dispatch
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Men's tennis | Ohio State 4, Illinois 0: Buckeyes hand Illini first conference loss
The Columbus Dispatch
In a matchup of undefeated Big Ten contenders, No 3. Ohio State shut out No. 6 Illinois 4-0 at the Varsity Tennis Courts. The Buckeyes (23-2, 8-0) are seeking their 13th consecutive league crown. Martin Joyce clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-4 victory ...


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Buckeyes Wrap Up Major Recruiting Weekend - The Ozone
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Buckeyes Wrap Up Major Recruiting Weekend
The Ozone
Wilson is a 4-star WR from Lake Travis, Texas, rated as the 46th-best player in the country and the No. 6 wide receiver. He plans to visit Texas for their spring game next weekend, and will then make his choice. Ohio State has two things working in ...


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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes recruits react to spring game - Landof10.com
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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes recruits react to spring game
Landof10.com
Roen McCullough, a 2018 Ohio State walk-on as a long-snapper and the younger brother of Buckeyes long-snapper Liam McCullough: “Coming to Ohio State is always a great experience. It's exciting to meet a ton of the incoming guys in my class, as well as ...
Ohio State football | Ryan Shazier thanks Buckeyes fans for supportThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State's Joe Burrow forces compelling QB decision for Urban Meyer, BuckeyesSporting News
What Ronnie Hickman's commitment means Ohio State: Buckeyes football recruitingcleveland.com
WDTN.com -Dayton Daily News -MyDaytonDailyNews
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Ohio State can't go wrong at quarterback — but time for tough decision is here - Landof10.com
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Ohio State can't go wrong at quarterback — but time for tough decision is here
Landof10.com
“But that's the nature of the quarterback position — you can only have one guy play. “You can be a really good quarterback but still sit on the bench.” Ohio State has two extra guys who fit that bill right now. But how much longer will that be the ...
A Look Back at Ohio State's Past Spring Game CommitmentsEleven Warriors

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