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Google The Football Fever: Barrett says Buckeyes are on schedule - ABC6OnYourSide.com

The Football Fever: Barrett says Buckeyes are on schedule - ABC6OnYourSide.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The Football Fever: Barrett says Buckeyes are on schedule
ABC6OnYourSide.com
The Buckeyes kickoff the 2017 season Aug. 31st against Indiana in Bloomington at 8 pm on ESPN. The Big 10 Football Media Days are July 24-25th in Chicago. The Bucks are expected to begin practice shortly thereafter. With two-a-day practices now ...


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Google Buckeyes Selected in 2017 MLB Draft - Norwalk Reflector

Buckeyes Selected in 2017 MLB Draft - Norwalk Reflector
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Selected in 2017 MLB Draft
Norwalk Reflector
In addition, senior Jalen Washington and junior Tre' Gantt as well as Xavier Moore and Seth Lonsway, members of the Buckeyes' 2017-18 recruiting class, also were taken in the draft. Washington was picked in the 29th round by the San Diego Padres while ...

and more »


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Google 4-Star OT Matt Jones Commits to Ohio State Buckeyes - Bleacher Report

4-Star OT Matt Jones Commits to Ohio State Buckeyes - Bleacher Report
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


4-Star OT Matt Jones Commits to Ohio State Buckeyes
Bleacher Report
The Ohio State Buckeyes added a potentially dominant physical presence to their future offensive line Saturday when offensive tackle prospect Matt Jones joined their 2018 recruiting class. According to Tim Moody of Scout, Jones "had long been thought ...
Breaking: Buckeyes land pledge from coveted lineman Matt Jones247Sports
Commit Watch: Top Prospects Nearing Decisions as Ohio State's ...Eleven Warriors
2017 NBA Profile: Marc Loving (Ohio State Buckeyes) - BT ...BT Powerhouse (blog)
Landof10.com -cleveland.com
all 35 news articles »


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LGHL It doesn’t matter if Rutgers got a lousy deal from the Big Ten

It doesn’t matter if Rutgers got a lousy deal from the Big Ten
Matt Brown
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_9718986.0.jpg

Whether Rutgers is making big bucks or not in the short term doesn’t change that adding them mostly stinks.

I didn’t expect to spend a summer weekend hollerin’ about Rutgers again, but here we are.

On Friday, Steve Politi of NJ.com took a look at the financials in the Big Ten, and took issue with the massive revenue disparity between the Ohio States, Michigans, and hell, Iowas, and Rutgers. Thanks to their shiny new TV deal, Michigan is projecting to earn a whopping $51.1 million dollars in 2018 from the league. That’s more than plenty of schools make in a year, period.

But not every conference school will share equally in that bounty, at least, not yet. Rutgers will make a paltry (in comparison, anyway) $11.6 million. Just like when other programs like Nebraska and Maryland joined the league, Rutgers won’t pull in a full revenue share until 2020-2021.

Politi argued that this was a bad deal for Rutgers, even if it was one they absolutely had to take. The rest of Big Ten internet responded essentially with, “yeah, but you’re Rutgers.”

Is Politi right? I don’t personally think so. But even if he is, I don’t think it matters. It doesn’t change the questionable rationale behind the Rutgers addition, and it certainly won’t quell any Big Ten fan upset about the addition.

The argument here, fleshed out a little more in a follow-up column from Politi, goes a little like this, if I am understanding it correctly: The Big Ten is now flush with even more cash thanks to their fancy new TV deal, aided in large part because of the addition of new TV sets thanks to a greater presence in the New York TV market. As far as BTN goes, the addition of Rutgers (and Maryland) has been a big success. Adding East Coast schools has made the league money. Other league schools profiting off of Rutgers, without sharing with Rutgers, may be what they were able to negotiate, but perhaps that’s not good for competitive balance.

And that’s especially true given that Rutgers entered the league dramatically behind when it came to infrastructure, from stadium renovations to facility upgrades, and would need even more money to help them catch up. A huge revenue disparity between Rutgers and the rest of the league makes it even harder for them to catch up, leading to more games like, well, this.

To this I say, yes, both of those things are probably true. But so what?

Does Rutgers need that money? Sure. But let’s not pretend that Rutgers would suddenly be a financial peer even if they were getting closer to a full share right now. Rutgers’ athletic department had a whopping $39 million dollar SHORTFALL in the 2016 fiscal year. The school is already borrowing against future Big Ten money, to go along with a massive subsidy from the school itself.

Rutgers may get a full share in a few seasons, but it won’t be able to plunk down big checks like the rest of the league for years after that. Assuming Big Ten revenue levels remain at this very high level (which, after the TV deal expires just two seasons after Rutgers starts getting a full share, is no guarantee), we’re looking at potential decades before their financial house is truly in order.

This school was added to be a cash grab. So might as well grab that cash while you can, if they’re going to be behind the eight ball no matter what.

And while we’re talking about cash grabs, which Rutgers has indisputably helped, we need to answer a more important question.

Why should anybody care?

Yeah, adding Rutgers over say, Kansas, or some other non NJ/NY area program, probably leads to each Big Ten school getting an extra five or six million dollars a year (remember, league payouts would have likely increased if the Big Ten had added somebody other than Rutgers, too) over the course of this (short) deal. But so what?

Are Big Ten programs adding new sports thanks to their largess? It hasn’t happened yet. Are they kicking that TV increase back into the general scholarship fund? Does the difference between $51 million in conference payouts and $43 million in conference payouts change the fan experience, or even the trajectory of football or basketball programs in a meaningful way? It’s very hard to argue it does, especially if you’re a fan of an already rich program, like say, Ohio State.

Nobody gets a bowl invitation because they got the biggest conference check. There is no trophy for it. It’s a meaningless thing to brag about.

But the addition of Rutgers does impact the fan experience and day to day performance of football and basketball programs. It means fewer games between traditional opponents for your favorite teams. It means an RPI anchor in basketball and baseball. It means an expensive road trip. And it means a lot of unwatchable games.

We must be fair, Rutgers does not suck at all sports. They boast a solid men’s lacrosse program that has given the Big Ten near unmatchable depth in the sport, and could compete for a deep tournament run next season. They’re a very respectable wrestling program in what is an outstanding league. They’re a good women’s soccer program.

But in the sports that most fans care about, football, men’s basketball and baseball, Rutgers absolutely sucks. And they’re not likely to improve any time soon.

Will that vaunted New York TV market matter in a world where geographic market density is less important, as the rights market moves towards a more digital direction? The league better hope so. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t.

I get that Rutgers fans are in a tough spot. They didn’t ask for decades of institutional and administrative neglect towards their athletic department, making a rise to athletic competence a long, hard road. Maybe the best course of action is to just embrace that scorn. But chanting “TV MARKET” won’t do much good to assuage a fan who is mad that they won’t play Nebraska or Maryland in baseball because they have to play Rutgers, or that they have two games with a sub 120 RPI basketball program, or that they have to watch this on BTN.

Maybe the TV deal was bad. Maybe it was good. But big picture wise, it doesn’t really change much. Unless you’re a Rutgers athletic administrator, a fan who lives in New York that wants a short trip, or a lacrosse fan, this move still doesn’t have many reasons to be excited about.

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Google 4-Star OT Matt Jones Commits To Ohio State Buckeyes - Scout

4-Star OT Matt Jones Commits To Ohio State Buckeyes - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


4-Star OT Matt Jones Commits To Ohio State Buckeyes
Scout
Jones, who had long been thought to be an Ohio State lean, committed while at a one-day camp in Columbus which was also attended my numerous other Buckeye targets and commits, including four-star quarterback Emory Jones. The New York native ...
Breaking: Buckeyes land pledge from coveted lineman Matt Jones247Sports
2017 NBA Profile: Marc Loving (Ohio State Buckeyes)BT Powerhouse (blog)
Commit Watch: Top Prospects Nearing Decisions as Ohio State's Friday Night Lights Camp Fast ApproachesEleven Warriors
Landof10.com -FanRag Sports (blog) -cleveland.com
all 17 news articles »


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Google With Jones pledge, Buckeyes have nation's top recruiting class - 247Sports

With Jones pledge, Buckeyes have nation's top recruiting class - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


With Jones pledge, Buckeyes have nation's top recruiting class
247Sports
Despite not having as many recruits early on, Ohio State has been inching their way closer to the Miami Hurricanes for the number one spot in the 247Sports Team Rankings. The Buckeyes (14 commits) still don't have as many pledges as the Hurricanes (17) ...


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LGHL What does Matthew Jones bring to Ohio State?

What does Matthew Jones bring 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


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One of the most versatile lineman in America is headed to Columbus.

In every recruiting class, there are a number of players that seem like locks to end up at a specific school. We’ve seen it in Ohio State’s 2018 class already, with Jaelen Gill, Taron Vincent, and Dallas Gant all committing to Ohio State after months of speculation. Matthew Jones had been in the same situation for the better part of his recruitment, and at Ohio State’s star studded camp today, he finally pulled the trigger.

Jones has been on commitment watch for months, and the prevailing thought was that if he didn’t commit at today’s camp, he would at the annual Friday Night Lights camp next month. Jones had no reason to wait past today, and just minutes ago, he made his commitment to the Buckeyes official.

Jones has been one of the top targets for Ohio State ever since they offered back in May of 2016. With Greg Studrawa and Greg Schiano both recruiting him very heavily, Ohio State had been in the driver’s seat for months. Let’s take a look at what Jones brings to the table, and why he’s been such a hot commodity in this recruiting cycle.

ON THE FIELD


Jones is unique, because he’s one of those rare players that could excel playing a number of positions at a school like Ohio State. He plays on both sides of the line for his high school, Erasmus Hall, and truly has the talent to play offense or defense at the next level. While Larry Johnson and Greg Schiano would certainly love to have him at defensive tackle, he’ll likely start his career in Columbus at offensive guard or center, because of the depth Ohio State currently has on the defensive line.

Jones spends most of his time at tackle right now, but has the perfect size and athleticism to move inside to guard or center. True centers are few and far between coming out of high school, so finding a player with the size of Jones (6-foot-4, 315) and the mobility needed to play center is a big deal for any school.

When it comes to his on the field play, Jones is one of the most refined offensive lineman in the entire 2018 class. He uses his legs extremely well, and often over powers defenders with his strength. If there’s anything Jones needs to work on, it’s his pass protection, as Erasmus prefers to run the ball, but that’s pretty common with high school lineman. He’s not bad in pass protection, he’ll just need to work on reading the defense and leverage related things. That’s what Greg Studrawa is for, and that’s something they’ll spend a ton of time working on.

Barring any injuries, Jones shouldn’t have to start as a true freshman, and that time to grow and learn the system will be extremely valuable to his development. Once Jones does see the field at Ohio State, he should be ready to go, be it at guard, or center.

IN THE CLASS


Jones is the 14th recruit to join Ohio State’s 2018 recruiting class, and the second offensive lineman, along with Max Wray. Ohio State brought in three offensive lineman in the 2017 class, in Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers, and Thayer Munford, and wants to bring in two more in this class.

With Jones making his pledge official, Ohio State now holds the number one class in America. The second best class, Miami, holds commitments from three more players than Ohio State, and trails the Buckeyes average recruit rating by nearly four points on 247sports.

Jones is the seventh highest ranked player in Ohio State’s class now, according to the 247sports composite rankings, behind Teredja Mitchell, but ahead of the aforementioned Wray. Ohio State holds commitments from 13 top-300 players, and that number should jump to fourteen once Master Teague gets his well deserved rankings bump. Miami is the only school anywhere close to that number, with 12. No other school in the top ten has more than 8.

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LGHL 2018 four-star lineman Matthew Jones commits to Ohio State

2018 four-star lineman Matthew Jones commits to Ohio State
Matt Brown
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Another big New York BOOOOOOOM! for the Buckeyes

Ohio State just picked up another massive addition to their 2018 recruiting class.

Matthew Jones, a four-star lineman out of Brooklyn, informed the OSU coaching staff of his commitment while camping at Ohio State today. Alex Gleitman of 247 Sports tweeted out the news.


BREAKING: All Is dotted and Ts crossed.... #OhioState lands commitment from 4-star OL Matthew Jones @GrindTime55 https://t.co/sWH2Zo4XDw pic.twitter.com/gP0MUYvScB

— Alex Gleitman (@alexgleitman) June 17, 2017

Jones, who hails from the same Brooklyn high school as Curtis Samuel and Jahsen Wint, is the top-ranked recruit in the state of New York, and the 53rd prospect nationally, according to the 247 Sports Composite. He’s a big get, and not just because he’s 6-4, 315 pounds.

What position Jones is going to play isn’t totally clear. A defensive tackle in high school (and a very good one, he’s rated the 3rd best in the country), Jones is most likely to play offensive line for the Buckeyes, either at guard or tackle, at least to start. But should depth or team needs ever change, perhaps he could switch back to the other side of the ball.

Jones is the 14th commitment in Ohio State’s class, which will overtake Miami (FL) as the top ranked recruiting class in the country.

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Google Breaking: Buckeyes land pledge from coveted lineman Matt Jones - 247Sports

Breaking: Buckeyes land pledge from coveted lineman Matt Jones - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Breaking: Buckeyes land pledge from coveted lineman Matt Jones
247Sports
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Jones plays both defensive and offensive tackle for the Dutchmen, but will primarily be recruited as a guard or center for the Buckeyes. The staff is definitely leaving the door open at defensive tackle down the road, as well ...
2017 NBA Profile: Marc Loving (Ohio State Buckeyes)BT Powerhouse (blog)
Commit Watch: Top Prospects Nearing Decisions as Ohio State's Friday Night Lights Camp Fast ApproachesEleven Warriors
5 Ohio State football numbers that should be retiredLandof10.com
FanRag Sports (blog) -cleveland.com -Rotoworld.com
all 20 news articles »


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tBBC Report: Senators to Protect Cody Ceci

Report: Senators to Protect Cody Ceci
T6S
via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Led to believe Cody Ceci has been informed he will be protected. That means either Phaneuf or Methot could be on the move. #Sens

— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) June 17, 2017


According to Bruce Garrioch’s sources, Cody Ceci is expected to be protect by the Ottawa Senators for the upcoming expansion draft.

The reasoning behind such a decision is pretty straightforward. Not only is Ceci the youngest regular on the team’s blue line, thanks to the combination of his salary, pedigree, handedness and localness, it’s not really in the Senators’ interest to expose Ceci in the expansion draft.

Inevitably there’s going to be some consternation because it feels safe to assume that barring a prearranged trade, the Senators stand to lose Marc Methot or better and cheaper alternatives like a Fredrik Claesson or a Chris Wideman.

For most of the season, reports suggested that Las Vegas was keeping a close eye on Wideman, but it’s hard to imagine them passing on the opportunity to select Methot considering he logged significant minutes playing against tough matchups. If he can’t help Vegas, one would have to imagine that they would not have a hard time flipping him for more assets, especially since Senators general manager Pierre Dorion acknowledged that there has been expressed interest in Methot by his counterparts.

At the same time however, with the $9.8-million that is owed to Methot over the next two seasons, maybe that price tag is large enough to persuade Vegas to take one of Ottawa’s cheaper alternatives.

It would be disappointing to see Vegas take a Claesson or a Wideman, because both players are not only less expensive but enjoyed better years than the maligned Ceci.

A little more than a year ago, the Senators were so concerned with Ceci’s performance during the 2015-16 season that they acquired Dion Phaneuf as part of a nine-player deal in February of 2016. The belief was that Ceci’s struggles stemmed from his lack of a quality veteran partner, but despite increased ice time and responsibilities, the Senators have still spent a disproportionate amount of time defending within their own end whenever Ceci has been on the ice.

In a perfect world, Phaneuf would have helped nurtured Ceci’s development and helped make him a better player. Unfortunately, it seems like the problems are rooted a little deeper. Despite possessing many of the physical tools that made him such a highly thought of prospect, Ceci’s shortcomings as a player are simply a function of his hockey IQ and his inability to make sound decisions quickly.

With all this being said, protecting Ceci at the expense of better alternatives is going to rankle some fans, but just because the Senators are protecting him now doesn’t preclude the team from moving him later this offseason. For the same reasons that the Senators will protect him, rival front offices will overrate his ability and believe themselves to be smart enough to get the most out of Ceci’s tools. From an asset management perspective, Ceci’s probably the defenceman that the Senators can fetch the biggest return for. Knowing that, it doesn’t really make sense to trade or expose him now because teams are worried about protecting their own assets before the expansion draft and perhaps most importantly, the Senators probably want to line up an external replacement for Ceci before cutting ties.

As opposed to replacing a Methot internally with options like Phaneuf or Claesson, the Senators don’t enjoy the same amount of right-handed internal depth on the blue line. To replace Ceci, the Senators would inevitably have to go outside the organization and although there are some intriguing names like Cody Franson out there, there’s no guarantee that he would even come here.

The best thing the Senators can do with Ceci’s market is wait and by the looks of it, that’s what the organization is willing to do.

Rather than complain about what’s going on now, it’s probably best to take a step back and wait to see how the dust settles.



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Google 2019 blue-chipper Zach Harrison set to visit Buckeyes - Scout

2019 blue-chipper Zach Harrison set to visit Buckeyes - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2019 blue-chipper Zach Harrison set to visit Buckeyes
Scout
2019 blue-chipper Zach Harrison set to visit Buckeyes. Allen Trieu. Thursday at 4:43 AM. Ohio State gets the next crack at arguably the best athlete in the Midwest's 2019 class, Olentangy (Ohio) Orange defensive end Zach Harrison. One of the Midwest's ...


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Google 2017 NBA Profile: Marc Loving (Ohio State Buckeyes) - BT Powerhouse (blog)

2017 NBA Profile: Marc Loving (Ohio State Buckeyes) - BT Powerhouse (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2017 NBA Profile: Marc Loving (Ohio State Buckeyes)
BT Powerhouse (blog)
Marc Loving has been a rock to the Ohio State men's basketball program since he arrived on campus in the summer of 2013. After four successful seasons with the Buckeyes, he now is trying to pursue a career in the NBA. Loving was a consistent player in ...


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LGHL Ohio State has talent at the skill positions, but advanced stats also raise questions

Ohio State has talent at the skill positions, but advanced stats also raise questions
Chad Peltier
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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The potential is there. Will the production follow?

Bill C has expanded his skill player advanced stat coverage this offseason, looking at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver advanced stats. Here we’ll take a look at Ohio State’s returning players from Bill’s data.

The numbers

  • The quarterback stats are going to largely conform to your expectations: J.T.’s year was so-so and Joe Burrow looked good in his limited time. It’s worth pointing out that these numbers aren’t opponent-adjusted, so while you could look at these advanced stats and argue for Burrow starting over Barrett, Burrow’s yards came in complete blowouts — 77-10 against Bowling Green, 58-0 over Rutgers, and 62-3 over both Nebraska and Maryland in consecutive games.
  • Even still, Burrow was accurate (78.6% completion rate) and efficient running the ball (54.5% opportunity rate). Those are incredible numbers, even if his playtime was essentially a glorified practice.
  • Bill classified QBs by type using a stat weighting system he details here. Barrett was classified as a “runner” (as opposed to a statue or dual-threat), and rated as the 32nd-best runner. The running quarterback list gets weird fast, but Bill’s top-5 Power 5 running QBs is pretty solid: Josh Dobbs, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Jerrod Evans, and Justin Thomas.
  • Ohio State’s leading receivers next season may be totally different from our list here, but if there’s one guy on paper that looks like he’ll be at the top of the rotation, it’s KJ Hill. Hill had a 75% catch rate, 14.6 yards per catch, and 75% catch and success rates. His overall profile put him in the 91st percentile of wide receivers. For comparison, in 2015 Michael Thomas averaged 14 yards per catch, had a 66.7% catch rate, and a 59.5% success rate on 84 targets compared to Hill’s 24.
  • There aren’t many reasons for optimism from the other returning receivers. As a group, they all average less than a 54.5% catch rate (high from Johnnie Dixon), 10.4 yards per catch (from Terry McLaurin), and a 46.2% success rate (from Parris Campbell). It’s probably also not great that a different receiver is best in each of those three stats. Note that these numbers exclude players like Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack, who many expect to be the receiving leaders in 2017. At least there are opportunities!
  • The big buzz out of spring practice was around Parris Campbell, who was looking like the most explosive player on offense after his move to the slot. The position switch and another year in the system might be enough to break out, but I’d put money on KJ Hill if I were betting just based on last season’s advanced stats.
  • I’ve already done a deep dive into Mike Weber’s advanced stats from last year. The takeaway? Based on Weber’s first year, he was between Hyde and Zeke in explosiveness, but less efficient than either one. He was also lighter for his height than either. Generally only elite running backs have top-line efficiency and explosiveness — they tend to maximize one style of running versus the other. Zeke, though he didn’t look like it when he first got to Columbus, managed to be do both.
  • The advanced stats also weren’t kind to Demario McCall, who theoretically should have been firmly on the explosive > efficient side of the spectrum. But he averaged just 4.18 highlight yards per opportunity and a 40.8% opportunity rate. On 49 attempts, he had 6 10+ yard runs and 2 20+ yard runs, almost exclusively in garbage time. That’s a 12% rate of 10+ yard runs and a 4% rate of 20+ yard runs. For comparison, Mike Weber had a 17% 10+ yard run rate and a 6% 20+ yard run rate. Again — he probably had some backup linemen blocking for him, and there were a few plays where he looked electric, but the overall stats on his freshman season weren’t as explosive as you’d imagine. It’ll be interesting to compare J.K. Dobbins this season with McCall, who will likely spend more time at H-Back. McCall showed promise as a receiver, catching four of his five targets and averaging an extremely explosive 21 yards per catch on limited data.
  • Somewhat lost in the conversation is Antonio Williams, who is comparable to Weber size-wise and got just six carries last season. It’s impossible to make anything resembling a definitive analysis based on such limited data, but he showed a tendency towards efficiency over explosiveness, averaging just 1.13 highlight yards per opportunity, but managing a 66.7% opportunity rate.

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Google Buckeye assistant coaches salaries released - 247Sports

Buckeye assistant coaches salaries released - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeye assistant coaches salaries released
247Sports
Two days ago, details were released for new Ohio State men's basketball head coach Chris Holtmann's contract where he will make slightly less than former coach Thad Matta. On Friday, just one day after naming his three new assistants, their contract ...

and more »


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tBBC Pierre Dorion Speaks: ‘In the Box’ Appearance #thoughtsinbold

Pierre Dorion Speaks: ‘In the Box’ Appearance #thoughtsinbold
T6S
via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Following his media availability, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was on TSN 1200’s ‘In the Box’ yesterday to follow up and elaborate on a number of news items that were reported on throughout the week.

To listen to the full interview, you can use the embedded audio player at the bottom of this post.

As always, my thoughts are in bold.

On Karlsson requiring surgery and it being a more serious injury than what it was previously considered to be…

“Yeah, he did unfortunately. We just felt that after he got seen by the doctors, everyone felt good, but didn’t feel 100-percent that we (didn’t) do an MRI. He left a few days after to go (away for a week’s vacation) which every player should have a right to do. Through that week, we consulted with doctors and we talked to someone in Ottawa here – I think it’s Dr. Lalonde, who’s very good – and I think we talked to a Dr. Lau in Toronto, who’s probably one of the best in the world also. It was recommended that we do a surgery with a Dr. Anderson in Charlotte and finding out more details just probably tells us how much character Karlsson (has) to play through the pain of having tendons that were cut. I’m not sure exactly on the details, but it happened we think in the Rangers series and it was just probably from the wear and tear and I think the crack in the bone could have hurt the tendons. Again, I’m not a surgeon or a doctor, but I think it tells us a lot about Erik’s character and his willingness to win.”

There aren’t enough words to describe just how great a generational talent like Erik Karlsson is, but to think about the level of play he demonstrated throughout now that the full extent of his injuries are known, it’s remarkable.

On there being a specific play where the injury was sustained…

“We’re not sure.”

On Karlsson freezing his foot to deal with the two bone fractures and possibly creating the problem of not understanding when or where it happened…

“Yeah and that could be it also. We’re not exactly sure how and when. We think it was during that series and we think that’s what happened. We know he played through tremendous pain and to play at that level through pain on one leg, I think that just shows us that we have something special here.”

He didn’t need to play through pain for people in Ottawa to recognize that, but it’s kind of sad that he needed this kind of playoff performance for others around the league to finally give him credit where credit was due.

On believing that Karlsson will be back to full strength by the start of next season…

“Yeah, we hope that he’ll be back for the regular season. I made a joke upstairs that he doesn’t even like to play in exhibition games, so this worked out to be perfect.”

As a team that lives and dies on the margins, the Senators can ill afford to have Karlsson miss games at the beginning of the season.

On how difficult it was to have the conversation with Chris Neil about not being able to continue his playing career in Ottawa…

“It was one of probably my top three toughest things I’ve had to say. I’ve talked about having to speak on behalf of the Anderson family, having to fire Dave Cameron and probably that one were my top three. It was not something that I was looking forward to. I pretty much begged Randy Lee to come with me and the conversation went even better than I thought. We talked about a potential role next year and if he would be willing to live with that role. It wasn’t something that he felt he would be comfortable in and it was something similar to this year. You wouldn’t want to do that to Chris if this was going to be his last year or even if he plays the next two years. And the conversation went well and Chris means so much to this organization. I think if you look at the character, the respect, the ability to be physical, the ability to be just a presence out there at the same time as contributing and doing probably what is one of the hardest jobs in hockey – fighting and taking on probably younger, bigger and stronger guys and still always be willing to do it. I think that speaks a lot about Chris and his family, Caitlyn. I had the chance to serve on the Sens Foundation board with Caitlyn and they’re just great human beings. They’re great people, so at the same time, it was tough but we both understood that we probably need to go in our separate directions for the upcoming year.”

Chris Neil will unquestionably go down as one of the most popular figures in Senators history. The duality of him being a professional fighter whose work ethic and dedication are only matched by his off-ice contributions and community involvement just resonated with the fans.

On heading into that meeting believing that Chris Neil wanted to play another year…

“Yes, I talked to Todd Reynolds probably 15-minutes before the conversation. I just said, ‘This is what we’re going to do and Chris will probably talk to you afterwards.’ That’s my respect for Todd and I just felt that I had an idea. With some players you have an idea of what’s going to happened and with others, you don’t but this one I could see it coming.”

Neil raised some eyebrows with his comments that were featured in a Don Brennan article and shed some light on his decision behind playing another year.

“I have a lot of respect for Randy and Pierre … I think, if it was up to them, I’d be back,” said the right-winger who turns 38 on Saturday. “But they kind of put it in the coach’s hands and that had a lot to do with it. For whatever reason, Guy never really gave me the chance to show I can play.”

It certainly reads like Neil is blaming Boucher for the Senators’ decision to move on. Keep in mind, Pierre Dorion acquired some forwards at the behest of his coach to address and bolster the team’s bottom-six depth.

But at the same time, Neil needs to take responsibility for his season. I get that he’s got a chip on his shoulder and will be out to prove everyone wrong because he’s an unemployed hockey player who’s expressing self-confidence in hopes that he can land another gig. It get that. But there’s also the fact that he’s a soon-to-be 38-year old who was an anchor each and every time he stepped on the ice. I don’t think it was Guy Boucher’s fault that Neil is coming off a season in which he set career lows in goals and points.

On how it became clear throughout the year that Neil was no longer a fit in Guy Boucher’s system…

“Yeah, I think the fit changes for a player, but that doesn’t mean that Chris didn’t help us. I think you look back at the Rangers series, if not for Chris Neil I’m not sure we win that series. Chris still feels that he can probably contribute on higher level than we were expected to provide for him and things change. Things change as far as ice time and role, but that’s always in the coach’s hand. And people always think that the coach probably has a bigger say on first liners than fourth liners, but I think it’s the opposite way around. Coaches really probably have a bigger say personnel-wise when it comes to your role players than probably your first line guys.”

That the coach had that much of a say in the personnel decisions probably irked Neil. It essentially cost him a spot as a regular in the lineup.

On what the status of contract negotiations are with impending UFA Chris Kelly…

“We told Chris that he wouldn’t be offered a contract on July 1st or beforehand. I think Chris was a bit disappointed with his play this year. He felt he could have given more, but coming off a broken leg and everything that he’s gone through we told Chris it was the complete opposite. I think what Chris brought in our dressing room as far as culture change, work ethic, accountability amongst the players, his ability to play the PK were all things that we were very happy with. But as things evolve, he still wants to play and we haven’t completely turned the page because we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen with Derick Brassard. I have a lot of respect for Chris Kelly as a human being and as a hockey player, he’s someone who knows the game and has gone through battles. We still left the door open and we signed him a bit later in the summer last year and that could be the same case this year.”

I’d like to believe the Senators could do better than Chris Kelly on the open market. If they can’t, that’d be depressing.

On the status of the other impending UFAs…

“I’ve had a conversation with every one of them. I’ve had conversations with Mike Condon. I’ve had conversations with Mike Condon’s agent. That’s progressing much better than originally intended. Tom Pyatt I’ve had conversations with his agent, so we’ve had conversations with Viktor Stalberg’s agent and conversations with Tommy Wingels’ agent. At least they’re all conversations. I think without disputing any secrets, we’ve made offers. They seem to be hesitant and I think I know why, expansion because they’ve all been told that they wouldn’t be protected. As I gave breaking news upstairs, we will protect Erik Karlsson in expansion. (We’re protecting) two guys now: (Craig) Anderson and Erik Karlsson. So we’re just waiting. I’m not afraid to make deals, but I think a lot of people forget that people like playing in Ottawa and with the fact of signing and being exposed, they don’t like that as much so it’s their choice to wait. And maybe they don’t want to sign with us and are just waiting for a better offer. If July 1st comes around and they haven’t signed, maybe they go somewhere else.”

Just a week ago, Dorion was talking about there not being much progress made on the Condon front, but realistically, the Senators do not need to bend over backwards to bring any of these players back into the fold. The last thing a club with a strict budget should do is overspend on third and fourth line players simply because they have familiarity with them. The Senators, like every team, need to get the most bang for the buck and Dorion needs to keep an open mind and explore all of the options on the market.

On the RFAs being put on the backburner…

“Uh, no. Obviously talks with Don Meehan on (Ryan) Dzingel are preliminary. We’re talking term more now than dollars and then we’ll get to dollars. And Pageau, again I spoke about that upstairs, but Craig (Oster) and did Mika Zibanejad and Mark Stone (contracts) in Vegas two years ago, so I’ve got a lot of faith that Craig and I will get a few minutes and we’ll sit down Pageau. I said (to Pageau), ‘You can’t ruin my summer,’ and he said, ‘I won’t.’ We’ll see what happens, but both are (arbitration) cases so in the worst-case scenario they’re both one-year deals and we go through the same process again next year.”

If I had to bet on Pageau’s future, I’m guessing a three-year deal that pays him $7.2-million.

On there being any preference when it comes to term with Pageau…

“He’s a UFA in three years, so if you get into a fourth year obviously the money is going to be significantly more. That’s just the trend if you’re looking at contracts, but we’re open to one to seven or eight (years). We’re always open. I think you’ve always got to explore all options. Everything you do, you’ve got to explore all options.”

Due diligence, it’s a beautiful thing.

On having no problem committing term to Pageau…

“I have personal affections for Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He’s probably one of my favourite players on the team. I think the way he performs and the way he plays the game, I think is something that our players can all aspire to. But at the same time, we always have to be fiscally responsible, not because you like someone that you’re going to give him more money.”

I like Pageau too, but the fact that the Senators have had a difficult time finding possession-driving wingers or offensively talented players has posed problems for Pageau’s even strength production. Without that production, it’s hard to justify a big pay day even if Pageau’s developed the label or reputation as a shutdown centre.

On concerns about the goalie position moving forward…

“No, not at all. We’ve got Andrew Hammond, we’ve got Craig Anderson, we’re going to qualify Chris Driedger and we’ve signed Marcus Hogberg. (I’m) not at all worried. There are other things that worry me way more than our goaltending position. No, as long we’ve got Craig Anderson and hopefully we can find a way to sign Mike Condon, that’s the direction we’re going to go to. If we can’t sign Mike Condon, I feel confident that Andrew Hammond can play for us. He never felt comfortable from about the first game he played last year because of the hip and he’s back healthy. He’s ahead of schedule and if that’s who are goaltending tandem is – Anderson and Condon or Anderson and Hammond – I feel comfortable.”

It was never addressed, but I’d love to know whether Dorion would consider buying out Andrew Hammond’s final season provided that Condon signs an extension with the club. Considering his health, Hammond’s probably not going anywhere and like Dorion mentioned, the Senators are going to want to give as many games to Hogberg and Driedger as they can. On the other hand, maybe Hammond is fully healthy and can placate concerns about losing Condon as a free agent. We already know that Senators goaltending coach Pierre Groulx staunchly supported acquiring Condon, but I have a hard time believing the Senators will be happy to pay Hammond and Condon’s freight.

On whether he’ll explore a contract extension with Craig Anderson…

“I can tell you my thoughts right now if you’re ready to pay the fine.”

This is Dorion’s go-to joke right now. Dorion’s dad humour is reaching epic levels. The jokes come so often now that I keep hoping that TSN 1200’s producers will pipe in fake crowd laughter so his segments come off as early 90’s or late 80’s TV sitcoms.

On whether there’s any chance the Senators will commit to protecting seven forwards, three defencemen and a goalie or eight skaters and a goalie…

“We’re looking at all of our options. We’re looking at 7-3-1 and looking at 8-1 and we’re looking at multiple options. You can’t show your hand too much. We’ve had a lot of dialogue between our counterparts. I think I counted in the first three days this, (I’ve talked to 23 general managers). So there’s a lot of discussion because everyone wants to know what you’re doing. But at the same time, Las Vegas paid a lot of money to come into this league. We’re going to lose someone. I’m not sure I’m going to be forced into doing a deal and losing two assets. Take one asset. That’s okay, that is your right and as an organization, we have to accept that. Now at the same time, there are always things that you have to look at. What is the second asset to lose (when you lose the first asset)? In your discussions, okay, ‘You don’t take this guy, but you’ll have to take someone else,’ and you’ve got to give them something so that’s giving the price for three assets. So at the same time, I’m not saying that we’re going to stay status quo, but if we don’t do anything until Saturday at 3:00 (pm ET) and submit our list by 5:00, I feel more than comfortable with this team. I feel more than comfortable that we’ve taken a step in the right direction. I feel more than comfortable that if we lose a defenceman or a forward, we’ve got a lot of depth. Especially on defence we’ve got a lot of depth – we’ve got (Thomas) Chabot coming up; we’ve got (Ben) Harpur who played in the playoffs and played great; Shean Donovan and Randy Lee swear to me that (Christian) Jaros is closer than we think to the NHL; and (Andreas) Englund had a great first half, but he slowed down in the second half. But, that’s understandable with the way playing so many games coming over from Europe and we had seven guys who almost played for us on a regular basis last year, so defence is really the last thing I’m worried about. I’m not worried about goaltending and I’m not worried about defence, so maybe that tells you where I’m worried about.”

The issue shouldn’t be the fear of losing players. Teams always lose players. It’s all about how you replace players and get the most bang for your buck. Ottawa shouldn’t be afraid to lose two players from his blue line simply because it creates a hole. It’s not like Ottawa’s blue line was a strength last season. If you can find replacement level (or ideally better) talent at a lower cost, it allows the Senators to address and fill different holes on the roster.

On whether calls picked up after it was reported that Dion Phaneuf would not waive his NMC…

“No, it was about the same. I had a lot of calls before and I had a lot of calls this week, so… I’ve had a lot of calls this week and it’s been a very active week and it’s been busy. It’s been interesting.”

Dorion’s no stranger to making a splash, so I hope that’s the case over the next week.

On no-trade clauses and how often players change those lists…

“You’re allowed to change them once a year. For the most part, it depends. Some teams they require a list of (teams) and in Dion’s case, it’s 12 teams that you will accept to be traded to and that was an inherited contract from Toronto. In Ottawa, what we do – except for Erik Karlsson – is give us a list of 10 teams that when you’re a pending UFA that you will accept or 10 teams that you do not want to be traded to. And that’s really what our standard is. A guy like Marc Methot has that and a guy like Zack Smith is going to come and have one. Who else have we done in the last few years that’s a UFA? We don’t give it to goalies. Clarke (MacArthur) has it. It’s always been that way and it won’t change, but a lot of times, those players have earned it. Those players have earned it. They’ve had a career and sometimes they’ll give up some money to have a certain clause like that and there’s no problem. We always tell players, ‘When you’re going to sign on the dotted line, make sure you’re happy and we’re happy.’”

I didn’t know about the Senators’ policy on movement clauses to goalies, it’s a good one to adhere to.

On how much trade activity he expects league-wide before Saturday…

“It’s like every other thing, I think there’s more hype around all the trades and everything that was going to happen. Everyone thought that Monday at 9:00 am that Vegas would announce 17 trades, so I think there’s still a lot of discussions going on but at the same time, I don’t think it’s going to come to fruition as far as how many trades are going to happen.”

I hope he’s wrong.

On how much trade interest there is for Marc Methot, Cody Ceci and Dion Phaneuf…

“Guys are calling on all three, but that doesn’t mean that any one of the three will get traded because you have to think, ‘I trade then what am I getting back?’ Because of expansion, where does that come into play? If I take a forward then I have to leave someone else exposed and then you’re risking the chance of losing two assets and that’s where you say to yourself, ‘What is the best thing for the organization? What is going to help the Ottawa Senators field the best team next year – losing one asset or two assets? Are the two assets that you’re going to lose more important than the one asset that you’re going to lose?’ So that’s where it comes into play and I know people think I’m going to be crazy with this statement, but we have to think about the cap situation moving forward. We have to think about in a few years that we have guys that are going to be UFAs after this following year. The one more year after that (with Karlsson’s impending UFA status) is huge. And then you look at a guy like Mark Stone, he’s in the last year of a contract – his last year as an RFA and then possibly a UFA. So that’s where you have to think, ‘What do we have to do to also look at what we can do to field the best team next year? But at the same time, to field the best team within two, three or four years.”

It’s interesting to hear the organization is exercising caution with its contracts now that expansion is upon us. Considering how the bulk of Ottawa’s young core has an expiring first or second contract, the pressure on Dorion to get his players not only under contract but to manageable deals that allow his team to be competitive moving forward is going to be difficult thanks to the complications created by the burdensome Ryan and Phaneuf deals.

We’ve already seen an uptick in the volume of Phaneuf trade chatter since his unwillingness to waive his NMC was reported earlier this week. Whether that’s a reflection of Ottawa’s aggressiveness in trying to get out from his deal remains to be seen, but it would hardly be a surprise to see Ottawa do everything within their power to get out from under these two contracts. Between the playoff run and the better than anticipated play during this run, if there’s ever an offseason to move either player, now is the time.

On having discussions and trying to find the balance between making deals and worrying about losing too many assets…

“Between our group, I’ll phone the coach and talk to him. ‘Do you like this guy? Do you not like this guy?’ We’ll talk amongst our management group and at the end of the day, I know the responsibility falls on my shoulders but there’s a lot of internal discussions on what other teams are doing too. The reason why you do mock drafts is to say who can be available. Now, teams could be in a similar situation: teams might want to lose a guy that we think they don’t want to lose and we’ll all find that out Saturday. The lists have to be in by 5:00 (pm ET), so you figure the league goes through it so probably not until 9:00 or 10:00 is when we’ll get the lists and the league just might make them public on Sunday. And the other thing is, even if we were to make a deal with Las Vegas, the kibosh has been put on us. We had a conference call Tuesday and I respect the league’s position on that. Again, Vegas paid a lot of money. They want to make a splash on Wednesday night in Last Vegas at the award show when they’re going to announce their expansion team. The only people I feel bad about, sometimes if you have got a deal in place, you can’t even tell the player. I have a lot of respect for the players. This league is a lot about the players and what they achieve and that is a bit difficult, but at the same time, I think the league is going about it the right way and so is Vegas.”

That Dorion is empathetic towards the players in this situation is nice, but I’m just hoping this is foreshadowing a few unexpected trades. With the rumours and anticipation of a ton of trades, it’s an exciting time of year.

On players finding out next week when everyone else does that they’ve been selected in the expansion draft…

“I think Las Vegas has to submit their list at 10:00 am ET, so I think the reason for that is that they might try and fly some guys in. And let’s say you’re from the east coast, you can gain time going to Vegas. I remember talking to Bobby Ryan and he found out through someone else that he got traded here. Sometimes because there’s league protocols, until a trade call is made, you can’t tell the player. Now you’re watching TV and the trade deadline and you see that they’ve announced a trade and we haven’t even made the trade call. I haven’t even told the player and now the player is mad at you, but you’re just following league rules. One person is big on league rules: I follow them to the letter.”

In other words: don’t expect any leaks out of Ottawa beyond news that Dion has resubmitted his list of teams that he cannot be traded to.

http://proxy.autopod.ca/download/podcasts/chum/179/54394/pierre dorion.mp3



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Google 2019 offensive lineman talks Ohio State visit, why Buckeyes are in final 7 for Houston...

2019 offensive lineman talks Ohio State visit, why Buckeyes are in final 7 for Houston Griffith, and more - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2019 offensive lineman talks Ohio State visit, why Buckeyes are in final 7 for Houston Griffith, and more
Landof10.com
Land of 10's Tyler Donahue, who covers Penn State recruiting, spoke with Griffith on Thursday night about his cut-down list and why Ohio State remains in the mix. So why are the Buckeyes still on that list? “I have had a relationship with Ohio State ...
Kurelic: Quick-hitters for huge recruiting weekend; plus more247Sports
IU football buzzing about Ohio State openerNews Sentinel

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LGHL For most of the teams in the Big Ten, Ohio State will be their toughest game this year

For most of the teams in the Big Ten, Ohio State will be their toughest game this year
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_9713787.0.jpg

The Buckeyes were named as the toughest opponent for seven of their nine Big Ten foes this year.


Spoiler: @OhioStateFB is a very common pick. https://t.co/0aENAGggOD

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) June 15, 2017

Tom Dienhart of the Big Ten Network released his list of toughest Big Ten conference games for each team, and Ohio State is highlighted often. Dienhart names the late November clash against Michigan in Ann Arbor as Ohio State’s toughest Big Ten game this season, and the Buckeyes are named as the toughest conference game for seven other Big Ten schools. The only Big Ten schools Ohio State plays in which they weren’t named the toughest conference opponent this year were Nebraska and Rutgers, with Dienhart selecting games at Penn State as the toughest for the Cornhuskers and Scarlet Knights.

Yesterday Dienhart also released the best non-conference game for each Big Ten school and ranked them from 1-14. The obvious top pick for the list was the showdown in early September in Columbus between Ohio State and Oklahoma. Even though Michigan and Florida squaring off in Arlington in one of the marquee matchups of the first full weekend of college football will be interesting, it just didn’t have quite the same intrigue as the Sooners and Buckeyes squaring off.


#BIA

— Brendon White (@therealestbw0) June 14, 2017

Olentangy Liberty product Brendon White played safety, linebacker, receiver, and quarterback in high school, with his versatility drawing comparisons to Darron Lee. Head coach Urban Meyer gave White a shot at wide receiver in spring practice, but it appears he is better suited on the defensive side of the football, as evidenced by the early enrollee announcing last night on Twitter that he was now a safety. In 2015, White was named Associated Press all-state defensive back after hauling in six interceptions.

With Ohio State’s lack of depth at wide receiver, Meyer allowed White to work with the receivers in spring practice, but apparently something didn’t click or else White wouldn’t be moving to one of the deepest units on Ohio State’s football team. Meyer might have recognized early on in White’s college career that safety is in his blood, as his father is former Ohio State and NFL safety William White. Along with the position change, White also said he will be getting a new jersey number soon as well.


The question has been posed. Are you TRULY a legend in your hometown?? #LegendChallenge@CoachZachSmith @Trevongrimes8 pic.twitter.com/8z1al0533L

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) June 14, 2017

Wide receivers coach Zach Smith challenged freshman wide receiver Trevon Grimes on whether Grimes was really a “hometown legend” in Fort Lauderdale. To test this Smith called a barbershop in Fort Lauderdale to see if the employees there could name Grimes. After struggling to come up with Grimes’ name early on in the phone call, the employees were finally able to provide Smith with Grimes’ name, helping the young wide receiver to truly prove that he is a “hometown legend”.

“The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Tuesday approved extending the coach’s box to 38 feet for the 2017-18 men’s basketball season.”

NCAA.com


The NCAA approved a number of rule changes earlier this week, with the most notable being extending the coach’s box from 28 feet to 38 feet. The change was made to allow for better communication between coaches and their teams, especially when the team is at the opposite end of the court.

Another rule that was passed by the NCAA was the reset of the shot clock to 20 seconds when the ball is inbounded into the front court after a foul on the defense. If there was more than 20 seconds on the shot clock at the time of the foul, the shot clock will not be reset.

The NCAA also approved the use of instant replay by referees in the final two minutes of the second half and overtime to determine if a secondary defender is in or outside the restricted area-arc when a call is made. A mandatory minimum of 0.3 seconds will be taken off the game clock when the basketball is touched and an official immediately blows his whistle. Along with these changes, the NCAA also approved changes of legal screen and cylinder rules that are aimed at improving the game.

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Google Kurelic: Quick-hitters for huge recruiting weekend; plus more - 247Sports

Kurelic: Quick-hitters for huge recruiting weekend; plus more - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Quick-hitters for huge recruiting weekend; plus more
247Sports
1) On Thursday in this column I switched gears a little and went with a number of quick hitters going into the final 1-day Ohio State camp for the summer and what will be a huge recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes. I want to go with the same approach ...


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LGHL Chris Holtmann’s assistant coaches will be making bank at Ohio State

Chris Holtmann’s assistant coaches will be making bank at Ohio State
Geoff Hammersley
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_9887743.0.jpg

The trio of assistants will make a combined total just north of $1 million.

“Moving the Big Ten tourney will also have an effect on the regular season. Delany confirmed that teams will play a pair of regular-season games the first week of December.”

Jeff Goodman, ESPN.com


It’s been mentioned before about the Big Ten moving the men’s basketball tournament to the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Now, we are starting to see more coach feedback on the repercussions of holding the event a week earlier — and how that affects the regular season schedule.

Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com talked to Tom Izzo, basketball coach at Michigan State, about his thoughts on the whole tournament matter, and Izzo said the scariest thing about the schedule change is the “unknown”. With the B1G Tournament happening a week earlier than it usually is, there could be a two week gap for teams that get bounced from the tournament to when the actual NCAA Tournament begins. Nobody knows for sure if the added rest would hurt (or improve) a team’s ability to make a run in March.

Additionally, to make the schedule work, the conference slate of games will have to start earlier. Beginning in early December, teams will have to play a couple conference games. This all comes at a time when teams are still figuring out their gameplans, and are now thrust into games that carry actual weight — a couple early losses puts a team in a hole before consistent conference games take place in late December/early January.

Not every coach liked the decision, but these are now the cards that are on the table. We’ll probably hear more about this matter as basketball season gets closer to tipping off.

“Ryan Pedon will be [Chris] Holtmann's highest-paid assistant at $395,000 per year. Mike Schrage will make $325,000. Terry Johnson will make $300,000.”

Bill Landis, cleveland.com


As Holtmann walks through the doors at Ohio State with a multi-million dollar deal, he’s also bringing his assistants — who are also going to make bank each year.

Bill Landis of cleveland.com wrote about the trio of coaches Holtmann has brought from Butler, and the salaries that have been negotiated with the University.

All three of the assistants will make over $300,000 per year, with Ryan Pedon leading the pack with a $395,000. Behind Pedon is Mike Schrage, who is set to make $325,000, and Terry Johnson is right behind Schrage at $300,000 per year. When all is settled, the trio will make a combined total just north of $1 million per year.

Even though these are big raises compared to what they got at Butler, there is still a possibility to make more money over the course of their two-year deals. Incentives include the usual: winning the conference, reaching the Final Four and winning the national championship.


Get to know the next coach for Ohio State University Men's Basketball.

Posted by Land-Grant Holy Land - For Ohio State fans on Friday, June 9, 2017​

Here’s hoping that the coaches bring home all the bacon — and some trophies/ banners to The Schottenstein Center.

“A number of recruits are reporting new scholarship offers from the Buckeyes, many of whom were being recruited by [Chris] Holtmann while he was at Butler.”

Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch


Holtmann is continuing to stick to what he knows best, now that he’s in Columbus, Ohio. Already, he’s brought his assistant coaches to OSU, and now, he may attempt to bring the same recruits he was trying to get at Butler to Ohio State.

Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch wrote up an article highlighting the recruiting targets that Holtmann has keyed in on. The recruits come from all over, but most of them are in the Midwest portion of the country.

One of the targets, four-star forward Darius Days, is one of the 100 players in the country, according to 247Sports. Additionally, four-star guard Ayo Dosunmu also has drawn the attention of Holtmann at OSU. Dosunmu is consistent top 100 player in the land, and was offered a spot at Butler when Holtmann was there.

Many of the new recruits that got Scarlet and Gray offers are from the 2018 class, which means Holtmann is wasting no time in assembling a competitive program. Right now, only one person (Dane Goodwin) is committed to the Buckeyes in 2018. So, Holtmann will have a handful of spots to work with moving forward.

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Helmut Kohl, a reuniter of Germany, dies at 87.

• Trump says he is being investigated.

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Google Watch: How Real Life Wednesdays became Live Life Wednesdays - 247Sports

Watch: How Real Life Wednesdays became Live Life Wednesdays - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: How Real Life Wednesdays became Live Life Wednesdays
247Sports
When Urban Meyer came to Ohio State, he started brought with him a new program for his Buckeye players. He wanted them to be better prepared for life after football and created Real Life Wednesdays. Meyer brought in a variety of different speakers, ...


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Google Report: AJ Alexander lost for the season with knee injury - 247Sports

Report: AJ Alexander lost for the season with knee injury - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Report: AJ Alexander lost for the season with knee injury
247Sports
With Alexander out, the Buckeyes likely turn to either Jake Hausmann or Luke Farrell, both redshirt freshmen. Hausmann was a four-star tight end in the 2016 class out of Cincinnati's Archbishop Moeller. He was rated the fourth-best at his position by ...
Report: Ohio State TE AJ Alexander to miss 2017 season with knee injuryLandof10.com
Ohio State tight end AJ Alexander reportedly out for the seasonLand-Grant Holy Land
Football: AJ Alexander suffered knee injury, will miss 2017 seasonOSU - The Lantern
Scout -Eleven Warriors
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