Big Ten releases 2018-19 men’s basketball conference season opponent breakdown
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten Conference revealed a breakdown of all 14 schools' opponents for the 2018-19 Big Ten men's basketball season on Thursday. Conference teams will compete in a 20-game conference schedule for the first time, playing seven teams both home and away and six teams once (three home and three away).

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How did the offense improve this spring?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


McCall, Brady Taylor, and Luke Farrell highlight a solid spring for the Ohio State offense

Now that spring practice is over and we really dip into the offseason, we can take a look at how the team progressed on both sides of the ball. This post will only concentrate on the positive developments — we can tackle the “needs improvement” areas next.

The Buckeyes have a good center (and maybe two!)


Early on in the spring we learned that Josh Myers forced his way into a real fight with Brady Taylor for the starting center job. My assumption was that the former top-60 overall recruit (and second-ranked guard) would take the job from Taylor, who hadn’t seen a lot of playing time in his four years on campus. But Meyer announced that Taylor would be in the starting spot heading in to fall camp — and that’s huge.

But, it’s also not the end for Myers. Starting for the Scarlet team, Myers also had an impressive spring game and could still win the job in fall camp.

Center was head coach Urban Meyer’s biggest concern at the beginning of spring practice, but these two have at least shifted concerns elsewhere.

Ohio State also has two solid tight ends


The expectation was that Rashod Berry would be the no-brainer starting tight end after Marcus Baugh’s graduation. Slowed by some injuries this spring, Berry didn’t play in the spring game, which left the door open for Luke Farrell to make a move for the starting job. And like Taylor, Meyer announced that Farrell earned a starting role, at least heading in to the fall.

Farrell came to Ohio State with a few other tight ends, and wasn’t ranked as highly as Jake Hausmann, but the 6’6 tight end appears to have the edge for now.

And we already know that Berry has solid athleticism — he averaged nearly 17 yards per catch and had two touchdowns from just six total catches last season. I mean, take a look at this garbage time play vs. UNLV last season:

Demario McCall could be the offense’s X-factor


It seems like at least one receiver breaks out every year in Ohio State’s spring game. Last year it was Johnnie Dixon. 2016 was probably Torrance Gibson. 2015 had Corey Smith and his 6 catches for 174 yards. Ohio State fans should know by now to not over-hype spring game performances from receivers — it just doesn’t always translate to on-field production.

But Demario McCall was electric this year, finishing with 11 receptions for 165 yards. He looked like a model slot receiver in the former-running back mold; i.e., just like Curtis Samuel.

Ohio State’s passing game still needs to prove that it can be effective in the intermediate-to-long range, challenging the defense vertically as well as horizontally. That’s been true really since the 2014 season. But McCall (along with Parris Campbell) brings a related capability — the ability to turn routine, high-percentage short passes into explosive plays.

So yeah, we can’t go overboard on the McCall hype train this offseason, but it seems clear that he’s carved out a big chunk of playing time with Parris Campbell.

By the way, that last play of the game? Burrow and McCall actually did something similar in last year’s spring game too:

This is a two-running back offense


J.K. Dobbins was incredible as a freshman and we have every reason to believe he’s going to be even better in 2018.

But Mike Weber wants to remind you that he’s not just a between-the-tackles option, and can add explosive plays as well. In the spring game, Weber exploded through a solid hole for a 63-yard run, then made an excellent cut to shake off Brendon White at safety.

Weber showed that same type of breakaway speed last season too with big runs against Michigan State, Illinois, and Michigan. Dobbins proved to be more explosive — gaining 10+ yard runs on 19.6% of his carries and 20+ yard runs on 8.2% of his carries — but Weber was explosive too, getting 10+ yard runs on 11.9% of his carries and 20+ yard runs on 5.9% of his carries.

The QB will be more accurate in intermediate and deep routes


Haskins has demonstrated impressive timing, anticipation, and willingness to throw in tight spaces on intermediate and long passes. It seemed like the general fan expectation was that a Haskins win in the quarterback battle would mean an offensive evolution with a more vertical passing game.

And while that may be true, don’t assume that the 2018 offense will just resemble the Barrett-led 2017 (which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing anyway!) if Joe Burrow wins the job instead.


Burrow actually had a better performance in the deep passing game than Haskins. According to Tim Bielik who ran the numbers, “Burrow was more accurate on deep throws (3-for-5, 122 yards, two TDs) compared to Haskins (2-for-8, 68 yards, TD).”

Obviously that’s very limited data and it’s less revealing about Haskins than it is about Burrow — essentially, that he’s a better passer than you might have thought. Haskins entered the spring as the favorite to win the job (even if it wasn’t outwardly acknowledged), but the passing offense will likely improve even if Burrow wins the job in an upset.

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Ohio State football: Why not just play all 3 quarterbacks, Buckeyes? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Why not just play all 3 quarterbacks, Buckeyes?
Landof10.com
Looking at the complete package at the moment, then, it's possible to make a compelling argument that Burrow represents the safest choice for the Buckeyes. The flip side, though, is what could happen if Haskins is tabbed for the job and allowed to ...
Buckeye Football Notebook: Does OSU Need to Re-Recruit Joe Burrow?The Ozone
Should Tate Martell Transfer If He Isn't The Starter At Ohio State?Buckeye Wire

all 5 news articles »

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What 2019 RB Steele Chambers brings to Ohio State
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The new style of Buckeye running back is coming very soon.

If you like massive Buckeye booms, this has been a very good couple of days for you. The fireworks started last Friday, when New Jersey safety Ronnie Hickman announced his commitment to Ohio State. Mentor (Ohio) defensive end Noah Potter brought the new week in right, when he announced his commitment on Monday. In case that wasn’t enough however, the Buckeyes picked up a third last night, when Georgia athlete Steel Chambers announced his pledge to Ohio State.

Chambers is a fairly new name to Buckeye fans, and a recruit that really hadn’t been talked about a ton before his commitment late last night. That doesn’t mean that his commitment isn’t a huge deal however, as Chambers was the top running back remaining on Ohio State’s board. Let’s take a look at what Tony Alford likes so much about the 6-foot-2 halfback.

On the field


If you couldn’t tell already, Ohio State is changing up their offensive recruiting strategies under Kevin Wilson and Ryan Day. Pro-style passers, massive power backs, and long receivers are the trend right now for the Buckeyes, a far cry from the dual-threat quarterbacks and speedy scat-backs we saw under Tom Herman and eventually Tim Beck.

Steele Chambers, much like 2018 signed Master Teague, is a true power, one-cut back, cut from the same cloth as running backs like Bo Scarborough at Alabama, Nick Chubb at Georgia, or numerous other SEC backs. He’s an explosive, violent downhill runner, that doesn’t just take contact: he seeks it out.

The Beanie Wells/Ezekiel Elliott comparisons are pretty easy, but Chambers isn’t all that similar to either of those two Buckeye legends. No, Steele reminds me quite a bit more of former Big Ten defensive coordinator’s worst nightmare and Groveport Madison alumni Le’Veon Bell.

Both players run very patiently, and while Bell is obviously quite a bit more refined as a runner now, after years of playing, Chambers’ high school film is extremely similar to Bell’s, and honestly, it’s probably better. Chambers is a better athlete than Bell was coming out of high school, and with Tony Alford coaching him up, it’s not hard to imagine Chambers taking Columbus and eventually the NFL by storm.

Like a lot of young backs, Chambers isn’t a great blocker or receiver, which will keep him off the field as a freshman, but he certainly has the hands and strength to develop into an all-around dominant player.

In the class


Chambers is the sixth member of Ohio State’s 2019 class. He’s the second running back to join the class, along with Indiana product Sampson James, a quicker, more elusive back, that should compliment Chambers extremely well.

He’s ranked as the 340th player nationally, and the 29th ranked athlete, though that ranking will almost certainly jump up if Chambers participates in the summer camp circuit and plays well during his senior season, which I expect he will.

Chambers held offers from 26 other schools, including Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee and Wisconsin, among others. With an offer sheet that impressive, paired with his impressive film and skill set, it’s not hard to see what Ohio State likes in the Roswell star.

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New NCAA rule will dramatically impact Ohio State’s special teams philosophy
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Let’s see how Urban Meyer will exploit OSU’s talent advantages this time.

Since Urban Meyer returned to coaching college football in 2012 following his one-season hiatus, his standard operating procedure in Columbus has been to get the best players at every position, coach those players up, and use their natural abilities— combined with top-level coaching acumen— to take advantage of glaring talent differentials that the Buckeyes have over almost-always inferior opponents.

This has been especially true on special teams for Meyer’s Ohio State squads, as he has taken a hands-on approach to coaching the third unit; often stacking the coverage teams with starters and future superstars. While having players split practice time between their primary positions and special teams can sometimes lead to less than desirable results, Meyer’s philosophy has clearly been that the athletic advantage that his units have, outweigh any potential negatives coming from their lack of reps.

However, a new NCAA rule that was finally made official last week, is forcing the head coach to rethink park of his kickoff gameplan for the coming season.

How it all began


To understand how we got to the current conundrum for Meyer, let’s go back to just before his first year as the head coach at OSU. Following the 2011 season, the NCAA approved a pair of changes to kickoffs designed to decrease the frequency in which returners actually advanced the ball out of the endzone.

The moves— kicks were moved up five yards and touchbacks came out to the 25— were designed to limit the potential injuries that players could suffer from colliding with finely-tuned muscle machines sprinting at peak velocity down the field.

However, in a move that should have been anticipated by anyone paying attention, college football coaches were not going to leave well-enough alone and simply concede the extra yardage when they could, and instead, mine the new rules to capitalize on prior unavailable advantages.

As Meyer began to start his tenure at Ohio State, he realized that— as he did at Florida— at OSU, he should have a significant talent-advantage at all positions against almost all of his opponents. So, Meyer decided to use these theoretical advantages, at both kicker and on the coverage team, to employ the equivalent of a coffin-corner kickoff philosophy.

How it works worked


The strategy was to kick the ball as high as possible, to one side of the field, between the five and 10 yard-line; forcing the returner to catch the ball in play, but giving the coverage team enough time to get downfield to prevent a big return. Thus, not allowing him to advance to the 25-yard-line, which he would have been gifted, had he been able to down the ball in the endzone.

Over the six years of Meyer’s tenure in Columbus, this gameplan has at times been incredibly successful, and at others... not so much (I’m sorry, I will never forgive kicking the ball out of bounds). However, here is an example of the strategy working to perfection against Michigan last November.


Before the 2012 rule change, Buckeye fans were conditioned to believe that the only good kickoffs were ones that went out of the back of the endzone, negating the opportunity for opposing teams to score a touchdown on a flukey kickoff return.

Given OSU’s historically stingy defenses, this made sense when considering the rules of that time, and the legacy of the golden-footed kicking god known as Mike Nugent. During the final season of Nuge’s Groza-winning, record-breaking career, 34 of his 55 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks, good for 61.8 percent. Combined with his 20-of-23 field goal mark that season, Nugent became the first kicker in Ohio State history to be named by his teammates as the Buckeyes’ season MVP... he’s a kicker! If that’s not G.O.A.T. material, I don’t know what is.

However, as SBNation’s Football Studyhall noted following the 2012 season, touchbacks more than doubled after the rule change was implemented, meaning that more teams were able to equal the advantage that Ohio State had in having a kicker who could boom the ball through the endzone.

So, like all visionaries ahead of their time, Meyer realized that when everyone is zigging, it is often best to zag. Therefore, to take advantage of an obvious flaw in the NCAA’s thinking, he came up with the new strategy, as explained by former OSU kicker Drew Basil in 2013.


In 2012 and 2013, Basil had the third-lowest touchback percentage in the Big Ten at 23.68 and 25.96 percent, respectively. Since then, the Buckeyes have been in the bottom quarter of the league in this category every year, and in 2017, freshman Blake Haubeil (believe it or not, that was the name of OSU’s kickoff kicker for most of last year) had the second-lowest touchback percentage in the B1G at just 13.64 percent— although he was tied for the most kickoffs out of bounds in the conference with five.

Where do we go from here?


Now, the NCAA is trying to muck up Ohio State’s kickoff advantage with yet another rule change intended to improve player safety. As approved last week, this season, if a receiving-team player signals for a fair catch before catching the ball inside the 25-yard-line, he will be awarded a touchback, thus rendering OSU’s kickoff philosophy obsolete.

When asked about the impending rule change at a press conference in March, Meyer said that his coaching staff hadn’t yet thought about a change too deeply, but did acknowledge that the coffin-corner strategy had been an advantage for the program.


So, now the question is whether or not Meyer will adhere to the motivation behind the rule change and simply forego any potential advantages in order to preserve the safety of players, or if he and his staff will devise a new way to exploit hidden kickoff yardage... I feel like I know what the answer to this question would eventually be before it even had to be asked.

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Ohio State podcast: Buckeyes shuffle deck on offensive line - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State podcast: Buckeyes shuffle deck on offensive line
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get insight and reaction to Ohio State football and basketball on the Inside the Shoe podcast, brought to you by Land of 10. In the latest edition, Ryan Ginn joins Kyle Lamb for a discussion on the latest in the QB race and to analyze ...

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Ohio State OL Matthew Burrell transferring from Buckeyes - NBCSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State OL Matthew Burrell transferring from Buckeyes
NBCSports.com
For the third time this offseason, Ohio State has lost an offensive lineman to transfer. The latest to leave the trenches in Columbus is Matthew Burrell (pictured, right), with the rising redshirt junior taking to Instagram to announce that, “after ...

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Is anyone seeding? Thanks.

Buckeyes offer scholarship to 5-star cornerback - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer scholarship to 5-star cornerback
247Sports
The Buckeyes have recruited cornerbacks extremely well since Urban Meyer arrived at Ohio State. A number of those cornerbacks went on to become first round NFL draft choices including Marshon Lattimore who was named NFL defensive Rookie of the Year ...


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With commit from Chambers, Ohio State moves up to No. 14 in 2019 recruiting rankings, according to 247sports
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Prior to the commitment from the 3-star RB/LB, the Buckeyes were No. 18.

It’s been an eventful week for the Ohio State Buckeyes. On Monday, defensive end Noah Potter committed to the program. Then, late Wednesday, three-star running back/linebacker Steele Chambers (Roswell, GA / Blessed Trinity Catholic) committed to the program—adding another layer to the amount of talent in the Buckeyes’ 2019 recruiting class.

The addition of Chambers signifies a couple things. First, he’s the sixth member to the ‘19 class for OSU. Second, he helps the Buckeyes in their quest to climb up the recruiting rankings. While 247sports grades Chambers as a .8950, OSU’s average recruit grade is 92.63—which is good enough to lead the Big Ten. Overall, the Buckeyes move up in the team rankings from No. 18 to No. 14.

OSU has 129.36 points, and to move up to No. 13, they’ll have to overtake South Carolina, a program that holds 139.33 points off of six three-star commitments, and three four-star commitments. Right now, the Bucks have five (!) recruits that hold four-star status. Urban Meyer and company may be out of the top-10 in the 247sports rankings, but that can change in a hurry.

For those curious: Oklahoma (202.19) leads the 247sports recruiting rankings for 2019, and is followed by Florida State (193.41) and Ole Miss (189.22).

It would be wise to keep him local


In the 2019 class, Zach Harrison is one of the best. He’s the No. 1 recruit in Ohio, the No. 2 weak-side defensive end and the No. 3 overall prospect. Over 15 schools have sent the five-star an offer, and expect that number to keep on climbing.

On Wednesday, Harrison showed off just how athletic he was in a dual track meet.


As Steve Blackledge reported, those times are pretty good. Like, really really good. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Harrison is just up the road from campus—Lewis Center, Ohio, is about 20 minutes north of the OSU campus. In a way, this was a PSA of not just how good he is on the gridiron, but in athletics in general.

We’ll keep you posted on the Harrison-to-OSU watch, as all 12 of the predictions in his 247sports crystal ball profile point to the Buckeyes being the team he’ll commit to.

An instant impact?


On Wednesday, offensive lineman Matthew Burrell declared his intent to transfer. The redshirt sophomore was thought to be in contention for one of the offensive line roles this season.

There are a handful of options the Buckeyes could go to on the O-Line. However, we may have gotten a glimpse of what is to come from Meyer. After the spring game, the head coach gave his thoughts on the offensive line shuffling between Thayer Munford and Isaiah Prince. Meyer mentioned a rotation of players on the line—and one of those potential members hasn’t arrived on campus yet.

Five-star member of the 2018 class Nicolas Petit-Frere was mentioned by Meyer in his post-game presser after the spring game. With one of the more experienced members of the offensive line leaving in Burrell, if there was a need to fill the void as fast as possible, then Petit-Frere fits the bill.

“A guy that’s been here, watching,” Meyer said of Petit-Frere after the spring game. “A very talented young man.”

Talent is something that’s been a constant around the Ohio State football program, but the Tampa native will be arriving in Columbus as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the ‘18 class. There aren’t too many people at 6-foot-6 walking around with the athletic ability of NPF. Meyer realized that Petit-Frere was taking in what he was seeing at the visits—and was paying attention. That could go a long way when he arrives on campus, as he may be seeing playing time right off the bat.

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Former Buckeye Nick Mangold announces his retirement from NFL - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Buckeye Nick Mangold announces his retirement from NFL
247Sports
Former Ohio State offensive lineman Nick Mangold announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday morning. The Buckeye made the announcement on his Twitter account, stating "I DECLARE RETIREMENNNTTTTTTT!" along with a lengthy message reflecting upon ...
Nick Mangold officially retires: Former Ohio State center done after 11 NFL seasonsLandof10.com
NFL | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Rumors, Scores and HighlightsBleacher Report
April 17, 2018 - TwitterTwitter
Twitter
all 101 news articles »

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Where Buckeyes come from: Ohio residents account for smaller portion of freshman enrollment - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Where Buckeyes come from: Ohio residents account for smaller portion of freshman enrollment
OSU - The Lantern
One such example is the Princeton City School District, which, in the early 2000s, regularly enrolled two dozen graduates as first-year Buckeyes each year. In the past decade, however, an average of 11 Princeton High School graduates have enrolled each ...

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Ohio State lands commitment from 3-star Georgia athlete, Steele Chambers
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes pick up a late-night BOOOOM!

On Wednesday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes football team picked up a big commitment from three-star running back and linebacker Steele Chambers. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder hails from Roswell, Ga. and is the 33rd-ranked player in that football-rich state, and is currently rated as the 35th best athlete, according to 247Sports.

Twitter | @SteeleChambers

While only rated as a three-star prospect, he held offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Penn State and many more. He is an extremely athletic player, and while the specific position that he will play when he comes to Columbus is still up in the air, Urban Meyer and company will have options to best utilize Chambers.

He was recruited by running back coach Tony Alford, so that could provide an insight into what the Buckeye coaching staff has planned for the Peach State native.

Chambers was the Georgia Region 7AAAA Player of the Year, as he led the Blessed Trinity Titans to a AAAA State Championship. He was also named the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-State Teams.


If Chambers does end up competing for time in the backfield, he could be part of the best “name battle” in Ohio State history; Steele Chambers vs. Master Teague.

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Miamisburg's Myers contending for starting center job with Buckeyes - WHIO
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Miamisburg's Myers contending for starting center job with Buckeyes
WHIO
COLUMBUS — Miamisburg High School graduate Josh Myers put himself in a position to compete for the starting center job with the Ohio State Buckeyes with his performance in the final two weeks of spring practices. That was the gist of offensive line ...


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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes coaches heading to New Jersey to inspect football talent - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes coaches heading to New Jersey to inspect football talent
Landof10.com
Rutgers' head coach is Chris Ash, a former Ohio State defensive coordinator who worked under Urban Meyer for the 2014 and '15 seasons, a stretch that included a Buckeyes national championship. He is entering his third season in New Jersey and has ...
Ohio State Buckeyes: 2018 Year In ReviewFloWrestling
Ohio State Buckeyes 2018 Football Schedule and AnalysisAthlonSports.com
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes narrowing graduate transfer searchThe Columbus Dispatch
cleveland.com -247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 55 news articles »

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Ohio State’s football season opens tough, but lines up for a Playoff run
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


With two big games in September, the Buckeyes should be able to climb back into playoff contention even if they lose one.

“No matter who is named the starting quarterback, Meyer has a talented roster that should once again be in the discussion for winning the Big Ten, as well as be a leading contender for a spot in the College Football Playoff.”

-Chip Minnich, Athlon Sports


Spring football is behind us, and it’s time to take a look at the schedule ahead for the gridiron Buckeyes; and honestly, it’s about as good as the program could possibly hope for as it looks to book a return trip to the College Football Playoff. In its totality, the schedule doesn’t have nearly as many potential pitfalls as previous years, but when considering that the Buckeyes will be breaking in a new starting quarterback this fall, the September section of the slate does pose some problems.

While three of OSU’s games in the opening month are against teams (Oregon State, Rutgers, Tulane) with a combined 10-26 record in 2017, the Buckeyes will head deep into the heart of Texas to face TCU at Jerry’s World in Arlington on Sept. 15, and then two weeks later, will travel to Happy Valley for an already-announced White Out on Sept. 29.

Those are two games with massive implications nationally in the first five weeks of the season. The Horned Frogs were 11-3 last year in the Big XII, and Buckeye fans need no reminder of OSU’s remarkable comeback against the Nittany Lions in 2017.

Should Ohio State get through the early portion of their schedule unscathed, it will give them a serious advantage in the Big Ten East race, as well as in the hunt for a berth in the CFP.

However, what’s nice about having the Penn State game fall in September— as opposed to late October or November, as it has for more than a decade— is that should OSU fall to TCU or PSU, they will have plenty of time to climb back up the rankings, a la 2014. Obviously two losses would be devastating, while not 100 percent fatal to the team’s playoff hopes, depending on what else happens around the country.

From there, the Buckeyes have three winnable games in October (Indiana, Minnesota, and Purdue), before having their open date fall in Week 9. After the off week, OSU will finish the regular season with three formidable foes in the final four weeks; Nebraska, Michigan State, and Michigan.

The recent shellackings that the Buckeyes have given the Huskers not withstanding, the program should have a new-found energy under first-year head coach Scott Frost, and don’t let last year’s 48-3 win over the Spartans blind you into forgetting that Mark Dantonio’s team regularly plays OSU tough, even if there is an obvious talent discrepancy. I would assume that both Nebraska and MSU will come into these November games with massive chips on their respective shoulders, looking to knock Ohio State out of the playoff picture.

Then, of course, I don’t need to tell you that the Buckeyes will finish their regular season against The Team Up North, looking to run their winning streak in the rivalry to seven-consecutive games (not to mention 15 of the last 17).

Like last year, I foresee exciting early and late season action for the Buckeyes, with a slog of blowouts in between. However, unlike in 2017, OSU will be breaking in a new QB— whomever that will be— so having a bit of a mid-season respite after the early crucibles of TCU and Penn State should give the team more time to settle into the new status quo as it makes a run at another National Championship.

“The emergence of the sophomore into a pass-rushing sensation probably isn’t going to take anybody by surprise considering the hype around Chase Young’s recruitment and what he showed when he played last season. ”

-Austin Ward, Land of 10


Spring games in college football are much like spring training for baseball; every team has a chance to win it all, and every player has a shot at a breakout season. With that in mind, it is probably prudent to take all of the offensive weapons on display this past Saturday with at least a grain or two of salt.

Head coach Urban Meyer was clear that they limited what the defense would be able to do during the game by design, but that didn’t stop a handful of defensive players from flexing their muscles during the scrimmage.

With Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, and Jalyn Holmes prepping to have their names called in the NFL Draft next week, there is an open defensive end slot opposite Nick Bosa, who somehow will be a full-time starter for the first time this season.

After a dynamite game on Saturday, it is clear that former five-star recruit Chase Young is ready to bookend the line during his sophomore season. With the speed and athleticism that both Bosa and Young have, ideally defensive line coach Larry Johnson will allow them to put as much pressure on opposing quarterbacks as possible, since it looks like the secondary will need some time to get up to speed, following another talent-exodus from the back of the Buckeye defense.

Two other players that Ward highlights in the article are linebackers Baron Browning and Justin Hilliard. There has been plenty of criticism of how LB coach Bill Davis’ corp performed in 2017, but with Browning and Hilliard both healthy (not to mention Tuf Borland, when he’s 100 percent), there is reason for optimism from the position group in the fall.

“The Big Ten is a conference to watch down the stretch. The most bids the Big Ten has gotten in a single year is five and it could at least match that this season as the top six teams in the league all have solid regional cases. Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State are all fighting for bids, with Minnesota and Ohio State getting the nod this week.”

-Teddy Cahill and Michael Lananna, Baseball America


With one month remaining in the regular season, the baseball Buckeyes have put together a solid season so far, currently sitting on a 24-10 record, including a 5-1 mark in the early Big Ten season, the Buckeyes are on track for Big Ten and NCAA Tournament berths.

Though there is a lot of time left in the season, Baseball America is forecasting the Buckeyes as the third seed in a four-team regional bracket with Duke, Oklahoma, and High Point. Now, these projections will certainly change more than once by the time the official selections are announced in late May, but the Buckeyes being in as of now, is a solid sign of respect for their out-of-conference season.

Greg Beal’s squad currently is 40th in national RPI, behind Indiana (24), Illinois (36), and Minnesota (38) in the Big Ten; Michigan isn’t too far behind at 52. With so many teams bunched together, that should make for an exciting conference season, as OSU looks to get back in the NCAA Tournament after failing to even make the B1G Tourney in 2017.

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Ohio State offensive lineman Matthew Burrell transferring - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State offensive lineman Matthew Burrell transferring
ESPN
Offensive lineman Matthew Burrell announced he is transferring from Ohio State on Wednesday. Burrell is a redshirt junior that was ranked in the top-100 recruiting rankings when he signed with the Buckeyes in the 2015 class. "I am thankful for ...


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Ohio State lineman Matthew Burrell announces plans to transfer
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


With vacant starting spots limited on the line, the former four-star recruit will continue his playing career elsewhere.

Via a social media post, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Matthew Burrell announced that he would be transferring from Ohio State following the recently wrapped spring practice.

A former four-star recruit out of Woodbridge, Virginia, Burrell had been thought to be in contention to take over one of the vacant spots on the line this season, but as other options emerged, his standing in the rotation declined.



After playing in 13 games during his redshirt freshman campaign in 2016, Burrell saw action in 12 games last season, including the final 10. However, with Thayer Munford working his way into a likely starting position, there just weren’t a lot of options for the 6-foot-3, 306-pounder to crack the starting lineup.

In his social media post, Burrell thanked everyone at Ohio State for his opportunities, and said that he was not sure where he would continue his collegiate career. Wherever the lineman ends up, he will have two years of eligibility remaining.

We wish Burrell the best at wherever his journey takes him.

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Listen: Biddle on Dayton ESPN Radio talking Buckeyes - 247Sports
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Listen: Biddle on Dayton ESPN Radio talking Buckeyes
247Sports
Listen: Biddle on Dayton ESPN Radio talking Buckeyes. Nearly 15 minutes of OSU football chatter. Dave Biddle - 24 minutes ago; 1; Tools. Edit; Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Ohio State Buckeyes Newsletter; Slot to Ohio State Links. Dayton Radio · Dave ...


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Buckeyes strength coach Schlegel pitches corner Denzel Ward to Broncos at No. 5 - Mile High Sports
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Buckeyes strength coach Schlegel pitches corner Denzel Ward to Broncos at No. 5
Mile High Sports
Ohio State is one of college football's most dominant programs and have produced some of the NFL's best talent. There are currently two young players from Ohio State on the Broncos' roster — cornerback Bradley Roby and tight end Jeff Heuerman — and ...


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QB decision still in progress for Buckeyes, per Ryan Day - 247Sports
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QB decision still in progress for Buckeyes, per Ryan Day
247Sports
If you were hoping to learn this week who Ohio State's leader in the quarterback competition is between fourth-year junior Joe Burrow and third-year sophomore Dwayne Haskins, you are going to be disappointed. Offensive coordinator/QB coach Ryan Day met ...
Parris Campbell and Demario McCall should be Ohio State's dangerous H-back duo: Buckeye Takecleveland.com
How Dwayne Haskins is approaching Ohio State's QB battleLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State QB battle between Joe Burrow and Dwayne Haskins remains undecidedLandof10.com
The Columbus Dispatch -Buckeye Wire -Eleven Warriors
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Miamisburg's Myers contending for starting center job with Buckeyes - Dayton Daily News
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Miamisburg's Myers contending for starting center job with Buckeyes
Dayton Daily News
Miamisburg High School graduate Josh Myers put himself in a position to compete for the starting center job with the Ohio State Buckeyes with his performance in the final two weeks of spring practices. That was the gist of offensive line coach Greg ...
Thayer Munford Will Likely Start at Left TackleEleven Warriors

all 2 news articles »

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BH: If so, where to? | Flipping out up front - 247Sports
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BH: If so, where to? | Flipping out up front
247Sports
Chris Holtmann has been working to land a graduate transfer who could come in and help the Buckeyes for the 2018-19 season. He and his staff welcomed in Wake Forest guard Keyshawn Woods for a visit this past weekend. The 6-3 Woods averaged 12 points ...


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