Despite external pressures, 4-star safety Jaiden Woodbey still committed to Ohio State
Kyle Sumner McKinnon via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


His talents will bolster a secondary that’s been among the best in college football of late.

What Jaiden Woodbey does on and off the football field has always been a little different than everyone else. It's why he calls himself a "certified weirdo" on Twitter and it's what earned the four-star safety a scholarship offer from Ohio State.

Regardless of any commitment, Woodbey is still working on his game in the hopes of making his mark as a Buckeye. The California native took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with us about why he picked OSU, his intense work ethic, and what he'll miss most about living out on the west coast.

(Note: Remarks lightly edited for clarity.)

Land-Grant Holy Land: Every player’s experience is different, so what was the recruiting experience like for you? Did you have a lot of people in your ear?

Jaiden Woodbey: It wasn’t hard, but it wasn’t easy at the same time. I did have a lot of people in my ear, like your parents, your coaches, your friends. I knew who to actually listen to and who to actually believe. I mean, it still goes on, I thought that it would change when I committed, but it actually has gotten a little bit more serious.

LGHL: With all the scholarship offers you received, why did you finally decide on OSU?

Woodbey: I picked Ohio State because I felt like the coaches were going to put me in the best opportunity to win. They had three defensive backs drafted in the first round this year, which is unheard of. So, you know, it’s like you want to go to a school that can actually say they can do that. I felt like OSU, they produce a lot of guys in the league, so you know it’ll be a great fit for me.

LGHL: Having committed, is it difficult to stay focused knowing that you’re already heading to OSU?

Woodbey: It’s the same schedule as if I had no offers. Just because I’m committed, it doesn’t mean anything. I still have to work until and after my signing date. That’s just always been my mindset. I’ve always grown up that way and my parents have always taught me to work hard no matter what, and that no matter what you’re going through, just know that you can persevere.

LGHL: You refer to yourself as a “certified weirdo” on Twitter. Why?

Woodbey: I just feel like what I do is a little bit different. Me driving an hour and a half every day to go to school, I feel like that’s different. I feel like my work ethic can take me to places I never would’ve imagined. I feel like I can outwork anybody and I know I will outwork anybody, as well. I’m cut from a different cloth.

LGHL: So, you’ll be living in Ohio for the foreseeable future. Being a California native, what will you miss most about living out on the west coast?

Woodbey: Waking up to some nice weather. The food, as well. They have some great Mexican food out here.

LGHL: There were more than just a few great hip-hop albums released in the past year. What are your top five?

Woodbey: My top five are Chance The Rapper’s album (Coloring Book), Kendrick Lamar’s album (DAMN.), those are my top two albums. I listen to those everyday. Culture by Migos is third, More Life by Drake is fourth, and I don’t know if I have a fifth.

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Can Ohio State get an elite 2019 OL out of Michigan?
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes may be in a battle for one of the best prospects from the Great Lake State.

Today marks that we’re now 69 days away until Ohio State kickoffs against Indiana in the 2017 season opener. With time fleeting faster each day, the OSU football staff certainly has their work cut out for them in terms of getting another youthful roster ready to compete on the highest stage of college football. Poised to make another threat at a National Championship, Meyer knows just how critical the summer and fall camp is leading up to the season’s start. While getting the current roster ready for fall is one part of the job, another – equally important – part is recruiting.

Poaching season?


It’s been mentioned countless times, but recruiting for Ohio State is an endless business. One aspect that makes recruiting seemingly never-ending is when a rival state owns one of the nation’s top prospects. When it comes to Michigan, Devontae Dobbs (Belleville, MI / Belleville) is currently ranked as the No. 3 best offensive tackle in the country and the No. 2 overall player in the state of Michigan for the 2019 class.

A 6-foot-4, 270-pound monster, Dobbs is a prospect that can never get enough opportunities to develop his game. With how much Dobbs takes advantage of nearly every camp opportunity, it’s not hard to see why he owns nearly 40 scholarship offers and a five-star status. The Buckeyes will have to pay close attention to this stud, being that he’s behind enemy lines – and it would be huge to steal a prized recruit from Big Ten foes, but even more so because he’s easily one of the best players in the country.

Yesterday, the “Dean” of Ohio State recruiting, Bill Kurelic, took the time to write a piece on Dobbs, and to make known that Devontae certainly intends to visit Ohio State again this summer. While he’s certainly been no stranger around Columbus, Ohio, making several visits already, Dobbs has plans to visit Michigan today, but also Columbus once more proving this battle between rivals will only heat up even stronger.

As this race for Dobbs seems to be between Ohio State and Michigan, it’s important to realize Kerry Coombs has already gone into Michigan multiple times and poached a prize recruit under Michigan and Michigan State’s nose. Will it happen again in 2019? Time will only tell, but things certainly seem to be heading in the right direction.

Bucks still in it for 2018 OL


Oh look! Another day, another success story for Ohio State recruiting, as they find themselves yet again making the cut for a top prospect as he narrows his list of schools before making the final call. A trend that almost occurs daily, it’s hard to not take for granted the success Ohio State is having with their recruiting efforts nationwide.


Yesterday, 2018 offensive tackle John Campbell (Orlando, FL / Dr. Phillips) cut his list to eight schools. Making the cut for Campbell were USC, UCLA, Miami, LSU, Florida, Auburn, Alabama and Ohio State.

The three-star, 6-foot-5, 285-pound stud is a top 40 tackle in the country and a top 100 prospect in the very talent-rich state of Florida. However, space in the class may be a problem, as the Buckeyes already have four-star tackle Max Wray in the fold, and are pursuing the top in-state OT in Jackson Carman.

As it stands now, the home-state Miami Hurricanes look like the ones to beat for his services, however, until pen hits paper, it’s anyone’s game.

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No Ohio State players selected in 2017 NBA Draft
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Loving and Thompson now look to continue their careers elsewhere.

Now that all 60 names have been called in the 2017 NBA Draft, it is official that for the second year in a row, no former Ohio State players have been selected. This year, there were two Buckeyes eligible for the draft, senior forward Marc Loving and redshirt junior center Trevor Thompson. The pair must now likely need to look overseas or at the via the NBA G-League to continue their careers.

Loving finished his time in Columbus with 1,337 points, averaging 10 per game to go along with 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists. The Toledo-native entered his college career with sky-high expectations as a former Mr. Ohio Basketball. However, his perceived passive approach on and off the court led many Scarlet and Gray fans to view his time in Columbus as a bust. That being said, Loving leaves OSU as the seventh-highest scorer in the Thad Matta era.

Unlike Loving who had exhausted his collegiate eligibility, after transferring from Virginia Tech following his freshman year, Thompson could have returned to Columbus for one final season. However, the 6’11 big man finished his OSU career on a high note, averaging a career high 10.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during his junior season.

With D’Angelo Russell remaining the last OSU player to be selected in the NBA Draft, this marks the first time since 2005-2006 that no Buckeyes were selected in consecutive years. That leaves the total players drafted from Matta’s tenure as coach at 10. The program had at least one player selected in every year from 2007 to 2013, before the Lakers selected Russell in 2015.

In addition to four former Buckeyes currently on NBA rosters (Mike Conley, Kosta Koufos, Russell, and Evan Turner), numerous players can be found in other professional leagues around the world, including the NBA’s recently renamed developmental G-League. While the option of being signed as an undrafted free-agent is a possibility, Loving and Thompson will more than likely have to look to begin their professional careers in a league other than the NBA.

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Inside look at Ohio State recruiting machine, comings and goings with Columbus visits - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Inside look at Ohio State recruiting machine, comings and goings with Columbus visits
Landof10.com
Even for a guy like Wasserman, who spends most of the year virtually embedded inside the Buckeyes program, there's a feeling of “whoa” when you see it up close. “As a person who walks around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center 365 days a year as part of ...
Bill Davis on top of recruiting in year 1247Sports
Buckeyes fan mows 'Ohio' onto unsuspecting Michigan fan's lawn while he's out of townFor The Win
Skull Session: Slobs Focus on Mentality, Buckeyes Hit the Links, and Dayton a Sleeper for Dane GoodwinEleven Warriors
Bleacher Report -WXYZ -AL.com
all 91 news articles »

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Kurelic: Woodbey: 'They know I'm going to Ohio State;' and more - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Woodbey: 'They know I'm going to Ohio State;' and more
247Sports
Good evening Bucknuts subscribers! There is plenty going on with Ohio State football recruiting so let's get started! I will of course have plenty more throughout the night and tomorrow. 1) The talk about Upland (Calif.) St. John Bosco safety and ...


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Michigan star and No. 1 O-tackle talks Ohio State, The Opening - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Michigan star and No. 1 O-tackle talks Ohio State, The Opening
247Sports
Dobbs was back in Ohio the weekend of April 15 for the Buckeyes' spring game. And Dobbs was in Ohio again at the beginning of May for the Under Armour All-American Camp Series in Cincinnati. As he was in Cleveland, Dobbs was one of the camp's top ...


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Summer is not a time to relax for the Buckeyes - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Summer is not a time to relax for the Buckeyes
247Sports
The hottest season of the year officially began in Columbus on Wednesday, but summer workouts for the Buckeyes have been going on for a while now. Although it's hot and most of Columbus will be sitting poolside, the Ohio State coaching staff stressed ...


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How Mark Pantoni turned Ohio State’s recruiting department into a juggernaut
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The “general manager” of Ohio State football is constantly working to help the Buckeyes find the best players.

“Be the best. Nothing else.”

Ohio State Director of Player Personnel Mark Pantoni via Ari Wasserman, Cleveland.com


How things have changed in just over a decade for Mark Pantoni. In 2006, Pantoni was a graduate student at Florida, and was a recruiting intern on Urban Meyer’s staff. 11 years later, Pantoni is essentially the general manager of Ohio State football for Meyer. Heading into his sixth year with Meyer at Ohio State, the duo has accomplished so much already, but they have their eyes on even more. Not only did Ohio State win the inaugural College Football Playoff, but the 2017 recruiting class was the best in school history, and the 2018 recruiting class is currently the best in the nation. When Pantoni arrived in Columbus, it was just him and Greg Gillum on the recruiting staff. Now the staff has grown to 10 people. The hard work of Pantoni and everybody else is certainly not going unnoticed.

Pantoni and his staff have put together a system to help try and earn the commitments of the top football talent around the nation. First, the staff breaks down every play of a prospect’s career, which allows them to spot any weaknesses. From there, Ohio State’s recruiting department puts out more than 500 graphics and videos per week. When Pantoni arrived at Ohio State, there were three sport designers for the whole athletic department. Now Ohio State football has three designers of their own. The next step is to get the recruits on campus for a visit, where the recruits can get an even better feel for just how special Ohio State is. Finally, the recruiting staff emphasizes life after football, and how coming to Ohio State can help prepare them for that. Recruiting has definitely changed over the years, and luckily for Urban Meyer he has a guy like Pantoni working with him to help the program change with the times.

“Where the pendulum swings, that’s something no one really knows because he is in that soup bowl of players. If he happens to be that lucky name that gets called up there, he’s going to be fine. Me personally, I feel he’ll get drafted from what I know and what I’ve seen thus far.”

Ryan Thompson, father of Trevor Thompson via Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch


While many of the major sports outlets don’t project former Ohio State center Trevor Thompson to be taken in tonight’s NBA Draft, Thompson’s father is confident that his son will be drafted. Thompson held his pro day in California and worked out for five teams, and heard a lot of positive feedback from the teams that were in attendance. The consensus from Thompson’s pro day is that the teams were there saw the center surprise by doing things on the court that he didn’t really show during his time at Ohio State.

After flirting with entering the NBA Draft last year, Thompson decided to return to Ohio State for his junior season. The move paid off, with Thompson being one of the few bright spots on a disappointing Ohio State team, averaging nearly a double-double. This year Thompson again declared for the NBA Draft, but unlike last year decided this time he wouldn’t return to Columbus. Thompson’s size and his growth from last year to this year are the main reasons why his father is more confident than most that his son will be one of the names called tonight. It may seem like a long shot that Thompson actually gets drafted, but there have been stranger things to happen in previous drafts.


The ESPYs are less than a month away, and yesterday the nominees were announced. A number of current and former Buckeyes were nominated for the 2017 ESPYs for their accomplishments. In most of the categories, the Buckeyes are likely a long shots to win, but that shouldn’t stop you from voting for them to improve their chances.

The Best Play category features 16 of the best plays which are voted on bracket-style. Noah Brown’s incredible touchdown catch behind an Oklahoma defender’s back is ranked 16th and faces a tough test as it squares off with Julian Edelman’s catch in the Super Bowl in the opening round.

Wrestler Kyle Snyder was snubbed for Best Male College Athlete, as Penn State’s Zain Rutherford was nominated after his national championship season. While Snyder might not be in the mix for Best Male College Athlete, he was nominated for Best Male US Olympic Athlete, so all is not lost. Snyder will have a tough time taking home the award though, as he will be going up against Michael Phelps, Ryan Murphy, and Ashton Eaton.

After leading the NFL in rushing in his rookie season, Ezekiel Elliott was nominated for Best NFL Player. Elliott joins Tom Brady, Khalil Mack, Aaron Rodgers, and Matt Ryan. It’ll be hard for Elliott to top the trio of quarterbacks in this category, but this likely won’t be the last time the star running back is nominated in his career.

STICK TO SPORTS

• ComFest takes place this weekend at Goodale Park.
• Saturday night is “Movie Night in the Shoe” to benefit the Team Buckeye Peloton.
• Babalu Tapas & Tacos is opening next year in the location UDF used to occupy in the Short North.
• Wet Hot American Summer returns to Netflix in August.
• Ron Howard is the new director of the Han Solo spinoff film.

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Urban Meyer promoted Kerry Coombs to Assistant Coordinator, Defense of Ohio State football
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeye coach is adding one more notch to his coaching belt.

Ohio State football announced Thursday that head coach Urban Meyer has made a personnel decision, promoting the fan-favorite Kerry Coombs to Assistant Coordinator, Defense. Coombs will retain his positions as cornerbacks coach and special teams’ coordinator, in addition to his new role and responsibilities.

Coombs is one of only two assistants to coach under Meyer all of his five seasons in Columbus. He started out only coaching cornerbacks, but earned the special teams’ coordinator role during his second year at OSU.

“Kerry Coombs is absolutely deserving of this promotion to assistant coordinator, defense,” Meyer said. “He is an outstanding coach, instructor and mentor to the young men in this program. He is one of the best recruiters in the nation. He is incredibly loyal, and we at Ohio State are very fortunate that he loves this school and loves being a Buckeye.”

Aside from his fiery sideline persona, his position groups have seen impressive results, and not just in college, but at the next level too. Under Coombs, Ohio State set NFL Draft history with three cornerbacks taken in the first round over the past two drafts.

His success on and off the field has been a big draw for recruits, which will keep him in Meyer’s favor for quite awhile. Coombs has also proven to be one of OSU’s most important and reliable recruiters, planting flags across the country.

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Who will be starting WRs for Buckeyes? Top backups? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Who will be starting WRs for Buckeyes? Top backups?
247Sports
Who will be the two starting wide receivers for Ohio State this season? Not the H-back -- which everyone knows will be Parris Campbell -- but the two true wideouts. And who will be the two top backups that will fill out the two deep? Those are the ...


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Bill Davis on top of recruiting in year 1 - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Bill Davis on top of recruiting in year 1
247Sports
When Ohio State hired Bill Davis to replace Luke Fickell as linebacker coach, there was little question about his pedigree on the field. The concern from many in Buckeye Nation was if the first-year full-time college assistant would be able to recruit ...
Podcast: Who will be Ohio State's breakout receiver in 2017?Landof10.com

all 3 news articles »

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Zach Smith and Kerry Coombs Leading the Buckeye Charge at Florida's American Heritage School - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Zach Smith and Kerry Coombs Leading the Buckeye Charge at Florida's American Heritage School
Eleven Warriors
Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class currently features 14 commitments. With only two of those pledges hailing from the Buckeye State, it's fairly evident that Urban Meyer's national appeal is as strong as ever. Last year it was Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman ...


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Watch: Ohio State fan mows script ‘Ohio’ into Michigan neighbor’s yard
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Ty Higgins is an Ohio State fan - a very big one, in fact. His neighbor is a Michigan fan. So Higgins had some fun with his neighbor who asked him to watch his house.

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Dienhart: Best chance for each Big Ten team to be upset
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Upsets. They happen. Ask Iowa fans, who won’t soon forget losing at home to FCS North Dakota State last season. Northwestern can sympathize, as the Wildcats fell at home to Illinois State in 2016. No doubt, more upsets will take place this fall.

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BM5: Top targets as of today - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Top targets as of today
247Sports
... ** The YouTube video for today's show is currently unavailable. We are working to rectify this. Who tops Ohio State's board for the Class of 2018 at key positions like wide receiver and on the defensive line? Will Oklahoma swoop in and take two ...


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Ohio State basketball still in pursuit of 4-star Illinois prospect
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Finke also had an offer at Butler when Chris Holtmann was there, and an offer from the Buckeyes when Matta was coach.

The offseason is not nearly as peaceful for college football and basketball coaches as the name indicates. The dog days of summer are when teams are built, be it through recruiting, conditioning, or just general program upkeep. That is evident every day when there’s news on the recruiting front, and today, the longest day of the year, is no different.

Offers keep rolling for basketball prospects


As is to be expected when an entire new staff takes over a program, Ohio State is sending out a bunch of offers right now, to players that weren’t really on the radar of the previous coaching staff. The most recent offers, however, have gone out to a number of familiar faces for Buckeye fans. One of those offers went out to Illinois four-star guard Tim Finke.


Finke received an offer from Ohio State back in January 2016, but as we’ve seen with top targets Dwayne Cohill, Jeremiah Francis and Jordan Mitchell, the new staff is making their rounds, letting targets know if they still have a place in Columbus.

Finke has been thought of as an Illinois lean for a while now, but Butler was one of his top teams, along with Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Creighton and the aforementioned Illini. Holtmann is a big reason that Butler was in consideration, and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Finke took a serious look at Ohio State.

Crystal Ballin’


The 247sports Crystal Ball is usually not something that should be taken as gospel. However, there are a few analysts that are worth listening to when they make a prediction, and one of those guys, Bill Kurelic, made a prediction that would greatly benefit the Buckeyes recently.



Kamryn Babb is one of the best receivers in the country, and Ohio State’s top target at the position, along with L'Christian Smith. Babb has been considered an Ohio State lean for a good part of his recruitment, and for the past few months, Babb’s eventual commitment has felt like more of a “when” than an “if”.

The Missouri product was recently in Columbus for a camp, and will be surrounded with Buckeyes in Oregon at the end of the month at Nike’s The Opening event. He may not commit until fall or even winter, but unless something changes (it’s recruiting, something could absolutely change), my guess is that Babb will be a Buckeye.

2019 quarterback prospect emerging


With Emory Jones already in the fold for 2018, Ohio State can shift the quarterback recruiting focus to 2019. We talked about 2020 prospect Harrison Bailey a few days ago, and today, we’re talking about a new target in the 2019 class, three-star Iowa State commit Dwan Mathis.

The Michigan product camped at Ohio State over the weekend, and wowed everyone in attendance. He looked like one of the best quarterbacks there, and if he puts up an impressive junior season, he could be a candidate for an offer from the Buckeyes.

He’s not the top guy on Ohio State’s quarterbacks list for 2019 – that distinction falls to Grant Tisdale. However, if Ohio State misses on Tisdale, Mathis could very well be the guy in 2019. He has a ton of talent, and while he’s not necessarily as developed as some recent Buckeye quarterback recruits have been, he has a fantastic arm, and a very high ceiling. Keep an eye on this one.

Dane Goodwin decommits


The big news of the day came via the basketball recruiting trail, as Upper Arlington, Ohio guard Dane Goodwin decommitted from Ohio State after spending the last two and a half years as a Buckeye commitment. The Ohio State 2018 class that once held three commitments has now lost all three in wake of Thad Matta’s downfall, and ultimate replacement by Chris Holtmann.

Obviously, losing a commitment is never a good thing, but according to to Dane’s father, Damon, this may be a mutual decision.


Dane has continuously said that he will continue to look hard at Ohio State, and while the Buckeyes aren’t out of it yet for the talented sharpshooter, it may be an uphill battle for Chris Holtmann. Initial reports indicate that Notre Dame and Villanova are two schools to watch for Goodwin.

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Buckeyes fan mows 'Ohio' onto Michigan fan's lawn - Detroit Free Press
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes fan mows 'Ohio' onto Michigan fan's lawn
Detroit Free Press
When tasked with keeping an eye on his neighbor's house while out of town, genius Ohio resident Ty Higgins notice the yard next door needed to be cut. So he got creative and used his lawn mower to spell out the " Script Ohio" the Buckeyes' marching ...


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Multiple Buckeyes nominated for ESPY Awards - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Multiple Buckeyes nominated for ESPY Awards
247Sports
Brown's play was part of a 45-24 route of OU, while Edelman's diving catch in traffic was on the drive to complete the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, so it seems like a long shot for the Buckeye wideout. In the category of Best NFL Player ...


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Mike Schrage on Chris Holtmann: 'He reminds me a lot of Coach K' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Mike Schrage on Chris Holtmann: 'He reminds me a lot of Coach K'
247Sports
An 18-year coaching veteran, Schrage had stops at Indiana, Mississippi, Duke and Stanford before spending one season at Butler on new Buckeye head coach Chris Holtmann's staff. Along that path, Schrage has gotten to know some of the best in the ...


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Dane Goodwin's de-commitment from Ohio State, wide receiver shuffle, and more Buckeyes recruiting - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Dane Goodwin's de-commitment from Ohio State, wide receiver shuffle, and more Buckeyes recruiting
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes, and for a glimpse at what's coming next.
Dane Goodwin decommits from Ohio State247Sports
2018 Four-Star Guard Dane Goodwin Decommits From Ohio StateEleven Warriors
Highly touted Ohio recruit follows Holtmann to BuckeyesNew Jersey Herald
The Columbus Dispatch -National Post -Ashland Times Gazette (subscription)
all 27 news articles »

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Post Spring Game Depth Chart: Offensive Line
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



The Offensive Line or the Slobs have been a staple at Ohio State since the new Playoff system and as time has passed, the tradition still remains. The Buckeyes have one lone member of that Championship team remaining.

At Left Tackle, Jamarco Jones will return to protect J.T. Barrett’s blindside for the 2018 season. Jones was a solid contributor the entire year and he will try to continue to improve as the offseason continues and as the 2018 season approaches. Behind Jones, a talented true freshman Josh Myers will look to make the two-deep as his back-up, but nothing will be given to him. He will try to beat out upperclassmen such a Branden Bowen and Kevin Feder for the back-up spot.

Left Guard will return Michael Jordan, a rare true freshman starter who was the second Buckeye to earn a starting role along the Offensive Line just like Buckeye Legend Orlando Pace did years ago. Behind Jordan Gavin Cupp, Matthew Burrell, Brady Taylor and Demetrious Knox will try to earn their way onto the two-deep.

The Center will be leaned on because the lone member on the Offensive Line, Billy Price will cap off his Ohio State career and start at the position. He brings the experience and the stability to ensure the rest of the line lives up to the standard. Behind him is Gavin Cupp and Jack Wohlabaugh who are two more versatile linemen wanting to help the team this season.

Right Guard was the only question mark as Price changed positions and Pat Elflein left for the NFL. There are a bunch of good candidates in play here as incoming freshman Wyatt Davis will try to impress the coaches to be the third true freshman to start, but he will have to fend off the competition. Malcolm Pridgeon, Matthew Burrell, Demetrious Knox, Brady Taylor and Gavin Cupp are all in play as well, making Right Guard the most interesting open spot on the roster.

Finally, at Right Tackle Isaiah Prince will look to rebound after surrendering a dreadful amount of pressures a season ago. Prince was the weak link for the Slobs and he will have a fire in his belly to ensure he protects Barrett. Behind him is incoming freshman Thayer Munford and the upperclassmen Bowen and Feder, who will try to unseat him or earn spot on the two-deep.

Consistency will be key and with 4 of the 5 starters from last season returning, the Buckeyes will search for improvement in communication and protection. The trenches will be the biggest point of emphasis along with the lack of creativity with play calling. Coach Meyer made some changes to his staff and it is now fight or flight. How his team will respond to adversity and change. Clemson did a number on the Slobs and they are looking for redemption and quite possibly, payback after the beatdown that they endured at the Fiesta Bowl.






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Recruiting Spotlight: Matthew Jones
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Another resounding boom is shot across the twittersphere, and just like that another key cog in the 2018 recruiting class was added to the puzzle. Coach Meyer found a way to get another gem, this time in the form of the #1 player in the state of New York, Matthew Jones. Jones is another versatile player who plays on both sides of the ball, but he is was recruited to play across the offensive line. He is listed as a Defensive Tackle and Tackle on his Hudl profile, but the Ohio State coaches see and want him on the Offensive Line. He is currently 6’4″, 315 lbs, but after a couple of months under Coach Marotti’s program, he will improve with time. Jones will join Tackle Max Wray as members of the 2018 recruiting class, the #1 class according to 24/7 Sports. This class has the potential to be another good one and if the dominoes fall in place, they could potentially add Tackle Jackson Carman to the mix.




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Ohio State commits and targets ready for The Opening Finals - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State commits and targets ready for The Opening Finals
247Sports
The event released the final roster and teams last week, and the list includes many players that are currently committed to Ohio State, or that the Buckeyes are targeting to land down the road. Today, Bucknuts breaks down the roster to identify which ...


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Ohio State’s offensive line is putting in the hours to improve their game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


They didn’t take Urban Meyer’s recent criticism lightly.

“After the spring game, coach Urban Meyer said that seven of the team’s nine positions were up to standard. He didn’t name the laggards, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to speculate that the offensive line was one. The linemen have taken their charge seriously. ”

- Bill Rabinowitz, Dispatch.com


Last season, while Ohio State ranked 11th nationally in rushing offense, with 245.23 yards per game, they were also tied for 71st in sacks allowed, giving up 28. This fall, the offensive line is projected to return four starters: Billy Price, Jamarco Jones, Michael Jordan, and Isaiah Prince, with Price moving from guard to center.

Despite a measure of statistical success, for much of last season it felt like quarterback J.T. Barrett was constantly under pressure, and offensive line penalties derailed drives at the most inopportune times. If the Buckeyes are going to contend for a conference title and a second-straight College Football Playoff berth, the line will need to improve enough to where it can be mentioned in the same conversation as the 2014 unit.

In pursuit of that goal, strength coach Mickey Marotti is putting the slobs through their paces, and they are spending increased hours on the mental side of the game, breaking down film and preparing for all possible defenses that could be used to combat their tried-and-true formations.

Fortunately for the unit, they will be protecting the most seasoned quarterback in the conference, who has shown an ability to elude pressure in the past. However, play-making H-back Curtis Samuel is now a member of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, so a larger portion of the carries will likely go to sophomore running back Mike Weber, as well as the newly re-positioned Parris Campbell at H-back.

While both players have experience in the offense, they will be each taking on slightly different roles; Weber without Samuel’s big play ability to rely on, and Campbell adjusting to a new position. Their success, along with that of Barrett, will be fundamentally impacted by how well the offensive line congeals before the season kicks off.

“To say the head coach is off to a fast start would be an understatement. Just take a look at what has transpired since he was formally introduced as the new leader of the basketball program.”

- Charlie Lockhart, ScarletAndGame.com


When you unceremoniously fire the winningest coach in program history more than two months after the season ended and in the middle of one of the busiest recruiting periods of the year, the assumption is that the team is automatically placed behind the 8-ball for at least the next season.

However, things have moved quickly since Chris Holtmann was introduced to succeed Thad Matta as Ohio State’s men’s basketball coach, and now, all signs are seemingly pointed up. As Lockhart notes, from his introductory press conference to the assembling of his staff, nearly every move that the new coach has made has been well received by the media, Buckeye fans, and basketball insiders alike.

That being typed, those things do very little to immediately impact the on-court product of a team that has severely underachieved over the past two seasons, and is facing significant deficiencies at multiple spots on its roster. But with the commitment of four-star forward Kyle Young, who had previously signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Butler, enthusiasm for the 2017-2018 season is again on the rise. With a number of open roster spots, it will be interesting to see if Holtmann is able to parlay this momentum and convince any other players to join the Scarlet and Gray for his first season.

“Ohio State is going to be good. It's an obvious favorite in the Big Ten and a reasonable preseason playoff pick. But it also has to play Oklahoma, Penn State, Nebraska and Michigan. Those last two will both be on the road. So are two losses within the realm of possibility this season? I have to say yes.”

- Tom Fornelli, CBSSports.com


While one can argue with the over/under projections that Fornelli lays out for all of the Big Ten teams (and I would), what the Vegas numbers underscore is that, for the umpteenth year in a row, Ohio State is the king of the conference’s hill. While enthusiasm has been high for Michigan since Jim Harbaugh returned to Ann Arbor, and the likes of Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Penn State can occasionally land a solid punch outside its weight-class, OSU continues to be the Big Ten’s bellwether.

The Buckeyes have won or shared the division title in each of Meyer’s five seasons, and since Jim Tressel’s National Championship season of 2002, have finished outside of the top-10 in both major polls only twice: OSU was 20/19 in 2004, and unranked in Luke Fickell’s season as interim coach in 2011.

It goes without saying that no other school in the conference (and, save Alabama, no one in the country) can rival those results. So before we get caught up in the pomp and circumstance (and stress and nit-picking) of the college football season, take a few minutes to reflect on just how lucky we are to root for the Buckeyes.

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