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LGHL Johnathan Hankins to sign 3-year, $30 million deal with the Colts
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Johnathan Hankins to sign 3-year, $30 million deal with the Colts
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
After a lengthy free agency, the Buckeye has finally found a longterm deal.
One of the League’s most dynamic interior defensive duos is no longer, thanks to lineman Johnathan Hankins foregoing a deal with the New York Giants. Instead, the Indianapolis Colts are expected to sign the former Buckeye to a 3-year deal worth $30 million, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Hankins was among the top free agents at his position heading into the offseason, but once the Giants used the franchise tag on Jason Pierre-Paul, the writing was on the wall. It was reported that his asking price was ultimately what kept him on the market for so long; as well as team’s trending toward short one-year, prove-it deals and Hankins looking for a longterm solution.
Having just finished his fourth year in the league, the defensive lineman had a career-best season, seeing 764 total snaps. The 2016 regular season also marked a big return for Hankins, who spent half of the 2015 season on injured reserve. He finished the year with 43 combined total tackles, three sacks, seven stuffs, one forced fumble, and his first career blocked kick. In addition to his impressive regular season, he had a big solo sack against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers during the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
The Giants defense was tough on rushers last season in large part to Hankins and Damon Harrison on the interior of the defensive line. Hankins may not be the most elusive pass-rusher, standing at 6’2, 320 pounds, but his ability to fill a gap in the run lane makes up for it. At only 24 years old, there is a lot of production left in the Buckeye, and he’ll continue to aggravate offenses for years to come.
Continue reading...
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
After a lengthy free agency, the Buckeye has finally found a longterm deal.
One of the League’s most dynamic interior defensive duos is no longer, thanks to lineman Johnathan Hankins foregoing a deal with the New York Giants. Instead, the Indianapolis Colts are expected to sign the former Buckeye to a 3-year deal worth $30 million, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Hankins was among the top free agents at his position heading into the offseason, but once the Giants used the franchise tag on Jason Pierre-Paul, the writing was on the wall. It was reported that his asking price was ultimately what kept him on the market for so long; as well as team’s trending toward short one-year, prove-it deals and Hankins looking for a longterm solution.
Having just finished his fourth year in the league, the defensive lineman had a career-best season, seeing 764 total snaps. The 2016 regular season also marked a big return for Hankins, who spent half of the 2015 season on injured reserve. He finished the year with 43 combined total tackles, three sacks, seven stuffs, one forced fumble, and his first career blocked kick. In addition to his impressive regular season, he had a big solo sack against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers during the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
The Giants defense was tough on rushers last season in large part to Hankins and Damon Harrison on the interior of the defensive line. Hankins may not be the most elusive pass-rusher, standing at 6’2, 320 pounds, but his ability to fill a gap in the run lane makes up for it. At only 24 years old, there is a lot of production left in the Buckeye, and he’ll continue to aggravate offenses for years to come.
Continue reading...
Google Podcast: Ohio State coaches and players preview the Buckeyes' spring game - Landof10.com
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Podcast: Ohio State coaches and players preview the Buckeyes' spring game - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Podcast: Ohio State coaches and players preview the Buckeyes' spring game
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday's Land of 10 “Inside the Shoe” Ohio State podcast, Buckeyes players and coaches preview Saturday's spring game. You can listen to the entire show in the embedded SoundCloud player below. You can subscribe to “Inside ...
Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to EaglesLand-Grant Holy Land
Urban Meyer prepping the Buckeyes' new batch of talent for the spotlightFOXSports.com
Ohio State football: Get caught up before the spring gameDayton Daily News
Off Tackle Empire -247Sports
all 125 news articles »
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Podcast: Ohio State coaches and players preview the Buckeyes' spring game
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday's Land of 10 “Inside the Shoe” Ohio State podcast, Buckeyes players and coaches preview Saturday's spring game. You can listen to the entire show in the embedded SoundCloud player below. You can subscribe to “Inside ...
Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to EaglesLand-Grant Holy Land
Urban Meyer prepping the Buckeyes' new batch of talent for the spotlightFOXSports.com
Ohio State football: Get caught up before the spring gameDayton Daily News
Off Tackle Empire -247Sports
all 125 news articles »
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BTN Spring championships coverage begins April 29 on BTN
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Spring championships coverage begins April 29 on BTN
BTN Communications via Big Ten Network
BTN is the home for complete coverage of the 2017 Big Ten spring championships in April and May, televising events in the sports of baseball, softball, rowing, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. Broadcast coverage of Big Ten spring championships begins on Saturday, April 29, when BTN will televise the Big Ten Women’s Golf Championship at noon ET, while the Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship will air on Sunday, May 7, at 11 a.m. ET. TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio, will serve as the home
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BTN Communications via Big Ten Network
BTN is the home for complete coverage of the 2017 Big Ten spring championships in April and May, televising events in the sports of baseball, softball, rowing, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. Broadcast coverage of Big Ten spring championships begins on Saturday, April 29, when BTN will televise the Big Ten Women’s Golf Championship at noon ET, while the Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship will air on Sunday, May 7, at 11 a.m. ET. TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio, will serve as the home
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Google Buckeyes receive newest pair of gold pants - 247Sports
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Buckeyes receive newest pair of gold pants - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Buckeyes receive newest pair of gold pants
247Sports
No matter how many times Ohio State has beaten Michigan during this century (they're 14-2 in the last 16 match-ups), it never gets old for the Buckeyes when they receive their gold pants for beating the Wolverines. Want daily inside scoop on the Buckeyes?
Baseball: Ohio State drops second midweek game 3-1 to Eastern MichiganOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State Footballers Receive Gold Pants for Beating Michigan in Double OvertimeEleven Warriors
all 4 news articles »
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Buckeyes receive newest pair of gold pants
247Sports
No matter how many times Ohio State has beaten Michigan during this century (they're 14-2 in the last 16 match-ups), it never gets old for the Buckeyes when they receive their gold pants for beating the Wolverines. Want daily inside scoop on the Buckeyes?
Baseball: Ohio State drops second midweek game 3-1 to Eastern MichiganOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State Footballers Receive Gold Pants for Beating Michigan in Double OvertimeEleven Warriors
all 4 news articles »
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tBBC Annotated Box Score: Game One Bruins vs Senators
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Annotated Box Score: Game One Bruins vs Senators
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It’s been quite some time since I’ve used this format, but with last night’s frustrating 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, I’m bringing back the annotated box score.
The format is straightforward and borrowed from Baseball Prospectus‘ Sam Miller. Select items from last night’s game summary and box score and add some of my own observations.
A.
Considering the Senators entered the game with the league’s 22nd-ranked penalty kill unit, disciplined play and staying out of the box was something that the Senators should emphasize.
So naturally, the team took three penalties in the first period and helped skew everyone’s ice time while killing whatever momentum they were generating at even strength.
Although though the Bruins were buzzing on the power play, the Senators successfully killed every second of the five minutes and 19 seconds that the Bruins enjoyed with the man advantage. Thank Craig Anderson and his trusty goal post for that.
B.
After scoring just one goal in the 21 games that led up to Ottawa’s regular season finale in Brooklyn versus the New York Islanders, Bobby Ryan has goals in back-to-back games for the first time since December.
His six shots on goal were a team high, but his possession numbers were equally fantastic.
He looked energized and engaged with the game and hopefully that’s a sign of more production to come. With the Jean-Gabriel Pageau line matching up against Patrice Bergeron’s, it’s imperative for Ottawa’s other lines to create and produce away from what’s arguably the league’s most dominant possession line.
C.
The goal by Frank Vatrano was a microcosm of what’s ailed the Senators all season long: the blue line’s struggles to move the puck led to an extended shift within the defensive zone and culminated with the game-tying goal.
The goal was inevitable with the way that the Senators were sitting on their lead.
After taking the play to Boston in the second period and putting 12 shots on goal to the Bruins’ none, the Senators played passively in the third period. Rather than take the attack to the Bruins and their already thin blue line that was missing Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo before Colin Miller left the game with an apparent knee injury, the Senators looked like a team in the regular season that was content taking the point and then rolling the dice on overtime or the shootout.
It didn’t help this shift was exacerbated by Craig Anderson’s inability to glove and freeze a puck that deflected off of his trapper, trickled down the back of the net and allowed the shift to extend. I don’t blame Anderson for the goal, but it was a fluky play that fans can curse if the rest of the series does not go Ottawa’s way.
D.
David Pastrnak was all over the ice last night.
The game summary doesn’t do his play justice. Although he wound up grabbing a secondary assist on Brad Marchand’s game-winning goal, first period, Pastrnak could have had three goals by the end of the first period.
The Senators struggled to contain the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line all night and although Boucher used the Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt line as their preferred match up, the coach might want to shake up his lines or reassess whether that’s the trio that he wants to keep going back to.
At five-on-five last night, the Bergeron line generated more than 70-percent of the Corsi events.
I don’t want to take anything away from this Bruins’ line, but when the Senators are starved for goals, it doesn’t make sense to have Mike Hoffman’s skill set be marginalized when his line continually gets buried within the defensive zone. The problem is only compounded that much more when the Phaneuf-Ceci pairing was out there with them.
It might make more sense to use Alexandre Burrows or Viktor Stalberg on Pageau’s wings or just go strength on strength and have Stone replace Pyatt on that line.
E.
I mentioned earlier that the penalties in the first period may have skewed everyone’s allotted ice time, but it’s weird that six other forwards had more ice time than someone who the Senators’ analytics department rated as the Senators’ best forward.
F.
One of the things that I completely overlooked in my first round preview of this Senators/Bruins series was the health of Erik Karlsson.
I presumed that Karlsson was healthy and that his return to the lineup would have a bigger impact.
It’s not like Karlsson was bad last night mind you, but he wasn’t his noticeable self either. I guess that’s the problem with generational players, you can them for granted and just expect them to be at their best all the time. Considering how the other defensive pairings leave something to be desired, the Senators need more from Karlsson.
If last night’s all he is capable of providing given his health situation, the Senators will be in tough to advance. If there is a silver lining however, his ice-time increased with each period the Senators played (7:02, 8:02 and 9:00).
G.
Although the Phaneuf-Ceci duo has been rightfully panned for their performance as a pairing this season, it’s interesting to note that their ice time diminished as the game progressed.
Maybe that’s a function of the shorthanded ice time in the first period or the coaching staff’s recognition that they spend a disproportionate amount of time getting trapped in their own end.
Having spent the better part of the season playing together, I don’t anticipate the coaching staff shaking things up now, but I wonder at some point when the media will rightfully question the coaching staff about splitting them up. It’s not working. It hasn’t worked. The trade to bring Phaneuf into the fold hasn’t helped Ceci’s development at all, so when does the experiment end?
Continue reading...
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It’s been quite some time since I’ve used this format, but with last night’s frustrating 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, I’m bringing back the annotated box score.
The format is straightforward and borrowed from Baseball Prospectus‘ Sam Miller. Select items from last night’s game summary and box score and add some of my own observations.
A.
Considering the Senators entered the game with the league’s 22nd-ranked penalty kill unit, disciplined play and staying out of the box was something that the Senators should emphasize.
So naturally, the team took three penalties in the first period and helped skew everyone’s ice time while killing whatever momentum they were generating at even strength.
Although though the Bruins were buzzing on the power play, the Senators successfully killed every second of the five minutes and 19 seconds that the Bruins enjoyed with the man advantage. Thank Craig Anderson and his trusty goal post for that.
B.
After scoring just one goal in the 21 games that led up to Ottawa’s regular season finale in Brooklyn versus the New York Islanders, Bobby Ryan has goals in back-to-back games for the first time since December.
His six shots on goal were a team high, but his possession numbers were equally fantastic.
He looked energized and engaged with the game and hopefully that’s a sign of more production to come. With the Jean-Gabriel Pageau line matching up against Patrice Bergeron’s, it’s imperative for Ottawa’s other lines to create and produce away from what’s arguably the league’s most dominant possession line.
C.
The goal by Frank Vatrano was a microcosm of what’s ailed the Senators all season long: the blue line’s struggles to move the puck led to an extended shift within the defensive zone and culminated with the game-tying goal.
The goal was inevitable with the way that the Senators were sitting on their lead.
After taking the play to Boston in the second period and putting 12 shots on goal to the Bruins’ none, the Senators played passively in the third period. Rather than take the attack to the Bruins and their already thin blue line that was missing Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo before Colin Miller left the game with an apparent knee injury, the Senators looked like a team in the regular season that was content taking the point and then rolling the dice on overtime or the shootout.
It didn’t help this shift was exacerbated by Craig Anderson’s inability to glove and freeze a puck that deflected off of his trapper, trickled down the back of the net and allowed the shift to extend. I don’t blame Anderson for the goal, but it was a fluky play that fans can curse if the rest of the series does not go Ottawa’s way.
D.
David Pastrnak was all over the ice last night.
The game summary doesn’t do his play justice. Although he wound up grabbing a secondary assist on Brad Marchand’s game-winning goal, first period, Pastrnak could have had three goals by the end of the first period.
The Senators struggled to contain the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line all night and although Boucher used the Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt line as their preferred match up, the coach might want to shake up his lines or reassess whether that’s the trio that he wants to keep going back to.
At five-on-five last night, the Bergeron line generated more than 70-percent of the Corsi events.
I don’t want to take anything away from this Bruins’ line, but when the Senators are starved for goals, it doesn’t make sense to have Mike Hoffman’s skill set be marginalized when his line continually gets buried within the defensive zone. The problem is only compounded that much more when the Phaneuf-Ceci pairing was out there with them.
It might make more sense to use Alexandre Burrows or Viktor Stalberg on Pageau’s wings or just go strength on strength and have Stone replace Pyatt on that line.
E.
I mentioned earlier that the penalties in the first period may have skewed everyone’s allotted ice time, but it’s weird that six other forwards had more ice time than someone who the Senators’ analytics department rated as the Senators’ best forward.
F.
One of the things that I completely overlooked in my first round preview of this Senators/Bruins series was the health of Erik Karlsson.
I presumed that Karlsson was healthy and that his return to the lineup would have a bigger impact.
It’s not like Karlsson was bad last night mind you, but he wasn’t his noticeable self either. I guess that’s the problem with generational players, you can them for granted and just expect them to be at their best all the time. Considering how the other defensive pairings leave something to be desired, the Senators need more from Karlsson.
If last night’s all he is capable of providing given his health situation, the Senators will be in tough to advance. If there is a silver lining however, his ice-time increased with each period the Senators played (7:02, 8:02 and 9:00).
G.
Although the Phaneuf-Ceci duo has been rightfully panned for their performance as a pairing this season, it’s interesting to note that their ice time diminished as the game progressed.
Maybe that’s a function of the shorthanded ice time in the first period or the coaching staff’s recognition that they spend a disproportionate amount of time getting trapped in their own end.
Having spent the better part of the season playing together, I don’t anticipate the coaching staff shaking things up now, but I wonder at some point when the media will rightfully question the coaching staff about splitting them up. It’s not working. It hasn’t worked. The trade to bring Phaneuf into the fold hasn’t helped Ceci’s development at all, so when does the experiment end?
Continue reading...
Google M. Lax loses Conference duel to the Buckeyes - Johns Hopkins News-Letter
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M. Lax loses Conference duel to the Buckeyes - Johns Hopkins News-Letter
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
M. Lax loses Conference duel to the Buckeyes
Johns Hopkins News-Letter
After traveling 423 miles to Columbus, Ohio the 11th-ranked Blue Jays men's lacrosse team faced off against the ninth-ranked Ohio State University (OSU) Buckeyes in Big Ten Conference action. The Blue Jays fell to the Buckeyes in a battle that ended in ...
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
M. Lax loses Conference duel to the Buckeyes
Johns Hopkins News-Letter
After traveling 423 miles to Columbus, Ohio the 11th-ranked Blue Jays men's lacrosse team faced off against the ninth-ranked Ohio State University (OSU) Buckeyes in Big Ten Conference action. The Blue Jays fell to the Buckeyes in a battle that ended in ...
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Google NFL Draft: See 59 Ohio State Buckeyes picked in first round since the NFL-AFL merger -...
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NFL Draft: See 59 Ohio State Buckeyes picked in first round since the NFL-AFL merger - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
NFL Draft: See 59 Ohio State Buckeyes picked in first round since the NFL-AFL merger
cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Fifty-nine Ohio State players have been chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 - ranking the Buckeyes second among colleges behind only USC with 61 first-rounders. Scroll through the gallery below ...
Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to EaglesLand-Grant Holy Land
B1G 2016-17 Basketball Recap: Ohio State BuckeyesOff Tackle Empire
Wake Up, Sloopy: Ohio State Buckeyes news and notes - Land of 10Landof10.com
247Sports -ESPN (blog)
all 110 news articles »
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
NFL Draft: See 59 Ohio State Buckeyes picked in first round since the NFL-AFL merger
cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Fifty-nine Ohio State players have been chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 - ranking the Buckeyes second among colleges behind only USC with 61 first-rounders. Scroll through the gallery below ...
Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to EaglesLand-Grant Holy Land
B1G 2016-17 Basketball Recap: Ohio State BuckeyesOff Tackle Empire
Wake Up, Sloopy: Ohio State Buckeyes news and notes - Land of 10Landof10.com
247Sports -ESPN (blog)
all 110 news articles »
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Google How Ohio State got Bill Belichick to speak at Buckeyes coaches clinic - cleveland.com
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How Ohio State got Bill Belichick to speak at Buckeyes coaches clinic - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
How Ohio State got Bill Belichick to speak at Buckeyes coaches clinic
cleveland.com
NFL head coaches, from left to right, Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, attend Ohio State Pro Day. Belichick will speak at Ohio State's coaches clinic on Thursday.
and more »
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
How Ohio State got Bill Belichick to speak at Buckeyes coaches clinic
cleveland.com
NFL head coaches, from left to right, Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, attend Ohio State Pro Day. Belichick will speak at Ohio State's coaches clinic on Thursday.
and more »
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LGHL Ohio State commit helps pitch the Buckeye program
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Ohio State commit helps pitch the Buckeye program
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jaelen Gill is becoming quite the salesman for the Buckeyes.
In two short days the Buckeyes will have completed their 2017 Spring Football season with the highly anticipated Spring Football Game. Each year in Meyer’s helm of the program, the best fans in the land have set record crowds for a “glorified practice” and this weekend should be no different. With many of the nation’s top recruits on hand to see what the future Buckeyes have in store for the fall, Urban and his staff have to be more than excited to showcase the development that has taken place in the last two months of Spring practice.
Gill a salesman?
In recruiting, it’s key to land that one prospect to be the “front-runner” of the class and help the coaching staff with recruiting their top prospects. With so many checks and balances within the recruiting front, coaches are limited (to an extent) to what they can do. However, players themselves have zero restraints and can really push their current pledge onto friends and the other highly touted guys the school of choice is doing their best to secure.
Fortunately, the Buckeyes always seem to have a handful of these types of players. The classes Meyer and staff are bringing in are truly helping to set the pace in college football and it’s paying off for them personally. One key commit to the current 2018 Ohio State class is none other than in-state pledge Jaelen Gill of nearby Westerville South. A “can’t miss” player for Meyer and the Buckeyes, Gill has been a name that is more than just his four-star ranking, as he’s constantly been a solid voice in recruiting efforts with many of the top guys Ohio State is vying hard for.
Yesterday, in an article with Bucknuts, Bill Kurelic was able to get some quotes from Gill about who he is currently recruiting the hardest in favor of Ohio State. Current Penn State commit Micah Parsons, the top ranked defensive end and top overall player in Pennsylvania, is the one Gill and the Buckeyes are hard pressed on. For Parsons, many rumors have been swirling that the current pledge to Penn State will eventually result in a “flip” to Ohio State, but that remains to be seen. Fortunately, for the Buckeyes, they will once again be hosting the five-star as he plans to once again visit Columbus unofficially for the Spring Game.
With the full court press from the football coaching staff as well as current Buckeye commits such as Gill, prospects such as Parsons and beyond are certainly hearing what Ohio State has to offer and as usual, it may just work out in the Buckeyes favor.
Spring Game means BIG visitors list
It’s been said time and time again, but with the way the Buckeyes play host for their annual Spring Game, it’s more of a red carpet type of event. This year will certainly be no different as several of those highly ranked studs the Buckeyes covet will be on hand.
Last night the weekend started as a few of the recruits making the trek to Columbus managed to arrive safely to their stomping grounds for the upcoming weekend. One of those prospects was none other than Tyson Campbell of American Heritage in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A school that is no stranger at all to Ohio State. Campbell, a four-star cornerback, is the No. 10-ranked player at his position and the No. 12-ranked player in all of Florida for the 2018 class.
Also arriving last night to Columbus for this weekend was teammate to Campbell in American Heritage’s Patrick Surtain Jr. Patrick is a prospect the Buckeyes love and will surely give him the royal treatment this weekend as he is currently the top ranked cornerback in the class for 2018 as well as second best player at any position in all of the talent-rich Florida. With two top defensive backs on campus, Kerry Coombs and Greg Schiano will do their best to state the obvious at relaying that the Buckeyes have become “DB University” as they will once again send three defensive backs in the first rounds of this year’s NFL Draft. This is music to the ears of a prep football player and the Buckeyes hope it plays out in their favor once again.
Predicting the future?
One of the tools many recruiting followers pay close attention to is the 247sports crystal ball. While it’s not always 100 percent correct, it is, however, a great tool for insight on where a prospect is potentially going to land for his college of choice.
Yesterday, Ohio State was a theme on the crystal ball predictions as 247sports recruiting analyst Barton Simmons made a prediction in favor of the Buckeyes for Max Wray, a four-star offensive tackle from Franklin, Tenn. With a recent offer coming in March via Ohio State, Wray headed North for an unofficial visit to Columbus to see the Buckeyes on April 8. Since then, things have progressed to where now many insiders believe Ohio State is the school to beat for his services.
Ranked as the fourth best at his position and the third best player in Tennessee for the 2018 class, Ohio State sees exactly what they could be getting in Wray if he decides to pull the trigger at commit in favor of the Scarlet and Gray. Time will only tell, but after yesterday’s sway of prediction castings, things are looking good in the Max Wray sweepstakes.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jaelen Gill is becoming quite the salesman for the Buckeyes.
In two short days the Buckeyes will have completed their 2017 Spring Football season with the highly anticipated Spring Football Game. Each year in Meyer’s helm of the program, the best fans in the land have set record crowds for a “glorified practice” and this weekend should be no different. With many of the nation’s top recruits on hand to see what the future Buckeyes have in store for the fall, Urban and his staff have to be more than excited to showcase the development that has taken place in the last two months of Spring practice.
Gill a salesman?
In recruiting, it’s key to land that one prospect to be the “front-runner” of the class and help the coaching staff with recruiting their top prospects. With so many checks and balances within the recruiting front, coaches are limited (to an extent) to what they can do. However, players themselves have zero restraints and can really push their current pledge onto friends and the other highly touted guys the school of choice is doing their best to secure.
Fortunately, the Buckeyes always seem to have a handful of these types of players. The classes Meyer and staff are bringing in are truly helping to set the pace in college football and it’s paying off for them personally. One key commit to the current 2018 Ohio State class is none other than in-state pledge Jaelen Gill of nearby Westerville South. A “can’t miss” player for Meyer and the Buckeyes, Gill has been a name that is more than just his four-star ranking, as he’s constantly been a solid voice in recruiting efforts with many of the top guys Ohio State is vying hard for.
Yesterday, in an article with Bucknuts, Bill Kurelic was able to get some quotes from Gill about who he is currently recruiting the hardest in favor of Ohio State. Current Penn State commit Micah Parsons, the top ranked defensive end and top overall player in Pennsylvania, is the one Gill and the Buckeyes are hard pressed on. For Parsons, many rumors have been swirling that the current pledge to Penn State will eventually result in a “flip” to Ohio State, but that remains to be seen. Fortunately, for the Buckeyes, they will once again be hosting the five-star as he plans to once again visit Columbus unofficially for the Spring Game.
With the full court press from the football coaching staff as well as current Buckeye commits such as Gill, prospects such as Parsons and beyond are certainly hearing what Ohio State has to offer and as usual, it may just work out in the Buckeyes favor.
Spring Game means BIG visitors list
It’s been said time and time again, but with the way the Buckeyes play host for their annual Spring Game, it’s more of a red carpet type of event. This year will certainly be no different as several of those highly ranked studs the Buckeyes covet will be on hand.
Last night the weekend started as a few of the recruits making the trek to Columbus managed to arrive safely to their stomping grounds for the upcoming weekend. One of those prospects was none other than Tyson Campbell of American Heritage in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A school that is no stranger at all to Ohio State. Campbell, a four-star cornerback, is the No. 10-ranked player at his position and the No. 12-ranked player in all of Florida for the 2018 class.
Also arriving last night to Columbus for this weekend was teammate to Campbell in American Heritage’s Patrick Surtain Jr. Patrick is a prospect the Buckeyes love and will surely give him the royal treatment this weekend as he is currently the top ranked cornerback in the class for 2018 as well as second best player at any position in all of the talent-rich Florida. With two top defensive backs on campus, Kerry Coombs and Greg Schiano will do their best to state the obvious at relaying that the Buckeyes have become “DB University” as they will once again send three defensive backs in the first rounds of this year’s NFL Draft. This is music to the ears of a prep football player and the Buckeyes hope it plays out in their favor once again.
Predicting the future?
️One of the tools many recruiting followers pay close attention to is the 247sports crystal ball. While it’s not always 100 percent correct, it is, however, a great tool for insight on where a prospect is potentially going to land for his college of choice.
Yesterday, Ohio State was a theme on the crystal ball predictions as 247sports recruiting analyst Barton Simmons made a prediction in favor of the Buckeyes for Max Wray, a four-star offensive tackle from Franklin, Tenn. With a recent offer coming in March via Ohio State, Wray headed North for an unofficial visit to Columbus to see the Buckeyes on April 8. Since then, things have progressed to where now many insiders believe Ohio State is the school to beat for his services.
Ranked as the fourth best at his position and the third best player in Tennessee for the 2018 class, Ohio State sees exactly what they could be getting in Wray if he decides to pull the trigger at commit in favor of the Scarlet and Gray. Time will only tell, but after yesterday’s sway of prediction castings, things are looking good in the Max Wray sweepstakes.
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Google Kurelic Talks: Who commits Saturday; QB talk; Carman; and more - 247Sports
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Kurelic Talks: Who commits Saturday; QB talk; Carman; and more - 247Sports
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Kurelic Talks: Who commits Saturday; QB talk; Carman; and more
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According to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, Bell elected to move from the Buckeyes and head south to be with his pregnant girlfriend who recently moved to Florida. The Dolphins finished with a 17-16 record last season. Bell will transfer once he ...
Former Ohio State C David Bell will reportedly transfer to Jacksonville UniversityLandof10.com
Hoops & Scoops | Bell to transfer to JacksonvilleThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State center David Bell transfers to Jacksonvillecleveland.com
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Kurelic Talks: Who commits Saturday; QB talk; Carman; and more
247Sports
According to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, Bell elected to move from the Buckeyes and head south to be with his pregnant girlfriend who recently moved to Florida. The Dolphins finished with a 17-16 record last season. Bell will transfer once he ...
Former Ohio State C David Bell will reportedly transfer to Jacksonville UniversityLandof10.com
Hoops & Scoops | Bell to transfer to JacksonvilleThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State center David Bell transfers to Jacksonvillecleveland.com
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Google Report: David Bell to transfer to Jacksonville - 247Sports
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Report: David Bell to transfer to Jacksonville - 247Sports
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Report: David Bell to transfer to Jacksonville
247Sports
According to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, Bell elected to move from the Buckeyes and head south to be with his pregnant girlfriend who recently moved to Florida. The Dolphins finished with a 17-16 record last season. Bell will transfer once he ...
Hoops & Scoops | Bell to transfer to JacksonvilleThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State center David Bell transfers to Jacksonvillecleveland.com
Ohio State C David Bell will reportedly transfer to Jacksonville UniversityLandof10.com
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Report: David Bell to transfer to Jacksonville
247Sports
According to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, Bell elected to move from the Buckeyes and head south to be with his pregnant girlfriend who recently moved to Florida. The Dolphins finished with a 17-16 record last season. Bell will transfer once he ...
Hoops & Scoops | Bell to transfer to JacksonvilleThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State center David Bell transfers to Jacksonvillecleveland.com
Ohio State C David Bell will reportedly transfer to Jacksonville UniversityLandof10.com
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Google Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to Eagles -...
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Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to Eagles - Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to Eagles
Land-Grant Holy Land
In a group effort on the mound, the Buckeyes' pitching staff did what it could to keep the team within range of a win. Austin Woodby tossed the first three innings, yielding a pair of runs, only one earned, on four hits, while striking out two. Jake ...
Ohio State Buckeyes likely to add preferred walk-on middle linebacker247Sports
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Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to Eagles
Land-Grant Holy Land
In a group effort on the mound, the Buckeyes' pitching staff did what it could to keep the team within range of a win. Austin Woodby tossed the first three innings, yielding a pair of runs, only one earned, on four hits, while striking out two. Jake ...
Ohio State Buckeyes likely to add preferred walk-on middle linebacker247Sports
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Google Dre'Mont Jones Emerging This Spring as Dominant Force on Interior ... - Eleven Warriors
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Dre'Mont Jones Emerging This Spring as Dominant Force on Interior ...
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After a strong freshman season, Ohio State's Dre'Mont Jones is turning into a dominant force on the interior of the defensive line this spring.
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Dre'Mont Jones Emerging This Spring as Dominant Force on Interior ...
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After a strong freshman season, Ohio State's Dre'Mont Jones is turning into a dominant force on the interior of the defensive line this spring.
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LGHL Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to Eagles
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Ohio State-Eastern Michigan 2017 final score: Buckeyes drop midweek contest to Eagles
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
A sputtering offense plagued the Buckeyes for a second straight night, as they lost to the Eagles 3-1.
Ohio State baseball’s season of struggles continued on Wednesday night as the team dropped a midweek game against Eastern Michigan by a score of 3-1 at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus. The second loss for the club in as many nights, it followed a familiar script wherein the Buckeyes’ offense simply did not perform.
Head coach Greg Beals’ squad is now 14-19 for the year, and saw its record at home fall to 4-8.
Freshman Connor Pohl collected both the second hit and run batted in of his young career and junior Noah McGowan had his ninth multi-hit game of the season, but there was little else to celebrate at the plate. Ohio State left seven runners on base, going just 2-for-12 in those situations.
In a group effort on the mound, the Buckeyes’ pitching staff did what it could to keep the team within range of a win. Austin Woodby tossed the first three innings, yielding a pair of runs, only one earned, on four hits, while striking out two. Jake Vance followed and walked one, struck out one, and surrendered one hit in two scoreless innings before giving way to Curtiss Irving.
Irving, Reece Calvert, Ryan Feltner, and Seth Kinker each threw an inning to finish the game. Only Kinker had a blemish on his line, giving up a solo home run.
EMU took advantage of an early Ohio State miscue to score two of its three runs of the game in the first inning. Leadoff man Mike Mioduszewski reached base on an error by shortstop Jalen Washington and moved to third on a double by third-place hitter Brennan Williams. Cleanup man John Montgomery then singled to plate both runners.
McMurtrey found ways to work around Buckeye baserunners in the first couple of innings, but his luck ran out in the fourth. McGowan led off with his second single of the night, advanced to second when Bo Coolen walked, and came home with the first run for the scarlet and gray when Pohl turned on a fastball and lined it into right. The lead was cut in half, but it still proved to high a mountain for Ohio State to climb.
Right-hander Justin Thompson entered the game in relief for the Eagles after that and completely shut down the Buckeye bats. In 4.1 innings, Thompson allowed just a single walk, striking out four, to put his squad in position for a big win.
With Kinker on the hill in the top of the ninth, Eastern’s John Rensel Jr. hit a high fly ball to right field that just barely cleared the fence, putting a cap on the scoring for the night.
Matthew Beaton worked the ninth for the Eagles, working around a one-out walk to retire the side and end the ballgame.
Ohio State now heads to East Lansing for a three-game weekend series with Michigan State. Now the owners of a two-game losing streak, the Buckeyes will face an extremely sound Spartans club in what is a series of vital importance in conference play.
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Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
A sputtering offense plagued the Buckeyes for a second straight night, as they lost to the Eagles 3-1.
Ohio State baseball’s season of struggles continued on Wednesday night as the team dropped a midweek game against Eastern Michigan by a score of 3-1 at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus. The second loss for the club in as many nights, it followed a familiar script wherein the Buckeyes’ offense simply did not perform.
Head coach Greg Beals’ squad is now 14-19 for the year, and saw its record at home fall to 4-8.
Freshman Connor Pohl collected both the second hit and run batted in of his young career and junior Noah McGowan had his ninth multi-hit game of the season, but there was little else to celebrate at the plate. Ohio State left seven runners on base, going just 2-for-12 in those situations.
In a group effort on the mound, the Buckeyes’ pitching staff did what it could to keep the team within range of a win. Austin Woodby tossed the first three innings, yielding a pair of runs, only one earned, on four hits, while striking out two. Jake Vance followed and walked one, struck out one, and surrendered one hit in two scoreless innings before giving way to Curtiss Irving.
Irving, Reece Calvert, Ryan Feltner, and Seth Kinker each threw an inning to finish the game. Only Kinker had a blemish on his line, giving up a solo home run.
EMU took advantage of an early Ohio State miscue to score two of its three runs of the game in the first inning. Leadoff man Mike Mioduszewski reached base on an error by shortstop Jalen Washington and moved to third on a double by third-place hitter Brennan Williams. Cleanup man John Montgomery then singled to plate both runners.
McMurtrey found ways to work around Buckeye baserunners in the first couple of innings, but his luck ran out in the fourth. McGowan led off with his second single of the night, advanced to second when Bo Coolen walked, and came home with the first run for the scarlet and gray when Pohl turned on a fastball and lined it into right. The lead was cut in half, but it still proved to high a mountain for Ohio State to climb.
Right-hander Justin Thompson entered the game in relief for the Eagles after that and completely shut down the Buckeye bats. In 4.1 innings, Thompson allowed just a single walk, striking out four, to put his squad in position for a big win.
With Kinker on the hill in the top of the ninth, Eastern’s John Rensel Jr. hit a high fly ball to right field that just barely cleared the fence, putting a cap on the scoring for the night.
Matthew Beaton worked the ninth for the Eagles, working around a one-out walk to retire the side and end the ballgame.
Ohio State now heads to East Lansing for a three-game weekend series with Michigan State. Now the owners of a two-game losing streak, the Buckeyes will face an extremely sound Spartans club in what is a series of vital importance in conference play.
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Ohio State gets good news on Dallas Gant, pair of Florida stars to visit, Stephen Herron talks visit
Landof10.com
With the Buckeyes spring game on Saturday, there are certainly some who would suggest that a visit on the weekend would make more sense, but that's not necessarily the case here. Each defensive back has intentions of returning to Ohio State for a game ...
Video: Highlights From Ohio State's Third Scrimmage, Student Appreciation Day PracticeEleven Warriors
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Ohio State gets good news on Dallas Gant, pair of Florida stars to visit, Stephen Herron talks visit
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With the Buckeyes spring game on Saturday, there are certainly some who would suggest that a visit on the weekend would make more sense, but that's not necessarily the case here. Each defensive back has intentions of returning to Ohio State for a game ...
Video: Highlights From Ohio State's Third Scrimmage, Student Appreciation Day PracticeEleven Warriors
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tBBC Pierre Dorion Speaks: playoff media availability
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Pierre Dorion Speaks: playoff media availability
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Prior to the start of his team’s first round playoff series versus the Boston Bruins, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion held a media availability where he discussed his team’s chances and the path that led to his team’s playoff appearance.
The full media availability can be heard by using the embedded media player at the bottom of this post.
As always, my thoughts are in bold.
On there being any updates on his injured players…
“Yes, three injured players. (Erik) Karlsson will practice tomorrow and will play Wednesday. Marc Methot, we all saw the footage. He had a cramp and he was being bag-skated. He will practice tomorrow and there’s a very good chance he plays on Wednesday. Zack Smith could have played on the weekend (but he) will play Wednesday.”
I mentioned this in my first round preview piece, but the health of the Senators ideally gives the coaching staff the flexibility, depth and opportunity to create lines that can hopefully mitigate some of the edge the Bruins have in the possession game.
On whether he likes the matchup versus Boston…
“Well, Boston’s a very good hockey team. They’ve had a really good stretch lately. We’re going to have to be at our best to have any chance at winning the series. They’ve got players who have won the Cup on that team. I think changing their coach gave them a spark, so I know we have a record of 4-0 against them in the regular season, but nothing carries over. Every team starts with (an) 0-0 (record) and the first team to win four games (moves on).”
I don’t know if their coaching change gave them a spark, so much as the team’s shooting percentage regressed towards league average and the team finally started burying its chances. Maybe the players might have been gripping their sticks a little tight, but it’s not like Bruce Cassidy is encouraging his players to find the back of the net better than his predecessor.
On his moves at the deadline and the payoff…
“Well, I’m happy with the way the coaches played all of those guys. I think at the trade deadline, the two deals that we made, getting (Alex) Burrows… if you look at what Burrows has done, he scores the goal in Detroit. He scores the goal in Boston and he’s scored big goals. He’s played great of late, he’s a tremendous leader and he makes people accountable in that room. I know you’re not supposed to go back on the past and I’m not supposed to read what anyone says, but I had a few friends that sent me stuff that was said when we traded for Burrows and I think it was one of the best deals that we made all year. In getting Stalberg, who’s played great for us and blocked shots… I forget what game it was, but he blocked a shot that I thought would have been a goal and it was a one-goal game. Those two guys have been important pieces. Stalberg’s won a Cup and Burrows is a warrior. Having those two pieces, I think, for playoff just improves our team.”
In a vacuum, getting Burrows for a playoff run without touching the parent roster looks good. It looks even better when the team reaches the postseason – which gives Burrows the platform many believe he excels on – and Burrows has the opportunity to help the team win now.
The thing is, in sports, you can rarely look through deals in a vacuum.
A proper evaluation of the deal needs time to elapse and in time, Jonathan Dahlen could transition from a prospect to a productive NHL player.
Even if Dahlen’s development stalls and he never fulfills the projections placed on him, at the time of the deal, he was a desirable asset. Meaning, that even if the Senators wanted to move him, his utility as a desirable prospect likely meant that the Senators could have used him more efficiently this summer to address a greater area of need than a 36-year old pest who projects to fill a bottom-six role for the rest of his career.
The only way this deal looks good is if the Senators win moving forward and considering their underlying numbers and there isn’t a ton of untapped upside left on the parent roster. If the Senators aren’t considered a legitimate contender now and the team has operated for the last few years putting an emphasis on winning now, maybe it’s fair to wonder whether this was the best use of a young asset – especially since this summer’s trade market is expected to be better than in recent years.
On whether he’s concerned about team’s lack of goal-scoring ability down the stretch…
“No, because every game gets tighter down the stretch. I think if you look at the whole league, there were (fewer) goals being scored at the end (of the regular season). To me, there’s no concern at all. I like the way we’re playing. I know we had a bit of a rough patch, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be the best thing for us because it showed us that we had to work for every win that we needed to get. No, I think scoring goals will be important, but scoring goals is by going to the net and our players know that. Our coaches know that, so I think we’re in a really good frame of mind. I’m going to be personal bit once, but it was a year ago today that I felt that this team was a playoff team. We’re in the playoffs. Time to make some noise.”
The Senators should be in a really good frame of mind. They have home-ice advantage and injuries on the Bruins’ blue line, coupled with Ottawa’s return to health have lined up to give the Senators a reasonably good chance of advancing to the second round. I’m getting ahead of myself, but by avoiding the wild card seed and a series versus the Washington Capitals, the Senators have essentially given themselves the easiest path to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
On his mental frame of mind because of the Senators string of recent success versus the Bruins…
“I’m in a great mental frame right now. Well, we only played (Boston) four times this year, but again, I think that has nothing to do with it. They’re a really good hockey team. They played us without Brad Marchand last time we were in. I think every game has been, again if I’m wrong, I think a one or two goal differential, so it could have (gone) either way. I have a lot of respect for a lot of players on that team. They’ve got one of the best wingers, if not one of the best players in Marchand. They’ve got (Zdeno) Chara, they’ve got (Tuukka) Rask and they’ve got (David) Pastrnak – who’s scored a bunch of goals this year – they’re a good hockey team. We should not go in there (taking them lightly) because they are a very good hockey team.”
Their special teams play is exceptional and their underlying numbers are scary. The Bruins are going to be a tough out, but hey, hopefully the injuries to Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug allow the Senators to put the Bruins behind the eight-ball. In order to win this series, they have to take advantage and win some of these early games.
On how the goal from the outset was to make the playoffs and whether the season should be considered a success simply because the team has now accomplished that goal…
“I think, yes. Our first goal was to make the playoffs and now our second goal is to win a round.”
Considering he was given a mandate by the owner to reach the playoffs, Dorion did what he was asked to do. Do I agree with the owner’s mandate? Absolutely not, but that’s easy for me to say because I don’t have to worry about what kind of impact a few playoff gates will have on my bottom line.
On whether his expectations have changed now that the team is in the postseason…
“Well, my only expectations and sometimes I’m too honest with you guys and I get myself in trouble… I told Guy (Boucher) about a month ago, we were in Boston… the first time we beat Boston, he asked me, ‘Pierre, what are your expectations?’ I said, ‘Guy, since this team went to the Cup Finals (in 2007), we’ve never had home-ice advantage for one series.’ So I’m telling you right now, this was not our last game in Boston but before, we were just outside the elevator and I said, ‘You guys would really like us to have home-ice advantage.’ I think for our fans and for this organization it would be a step in the right direction and he delivered. And the players delivered more importantly, but they didn’t know that I told that to Guy.”
When Ottawa’s margin for error is less than that of the top teams, they need any edge(s) that they can get.
On how far this team is capable of going…
“Let’s take it game-by-game. Let’s win one game and then we’ll see where we go winning the second game. Hopefully we can win a third game and if all goes well, hopefully we can give the Bruins a run for their money, but it’s going to be tough. The Boston Bruins are a good team. They’ve got many elements and many players that were on their Cup team, so we can’t take them lightly.”
No bulletin board material here. I like it.
On whether there’s a sense of parity in the Eastern Conference and whether it creates this idea that any team can win it…
“Yeah, I think we finished… they were 95 (points) and we were 98 (points). I always said, ‘Let’s just get into the playoffs and hopefully we can make some noise,’ and that’s what the players have accomplished this year led by Erik Karlsson – who I still think is the MVP in the league. I know he won’t win it, but I still think if you take Erik Karlsson off this team, we’re not where we are right now. Of course there’s parity in the East. There are eight teams (in the playoffs) and I think the two teams that missed out were one-point behind – the (New York) Islanders and Tampa (Bay Lightning) – were one-point behind the last place team – which were Boston and Toronto that were tied with 95 (points) – so of course there’s parity. I think the playoffs are a whole new ballgame, so that’s why our record in Boston doesn’t mean that much.”
It’s still kind of crazy to think that with Erik Karlsson being in Norris form, both of Ottawa’s goaltenders playing incredibly well for the duration of the season and all of Ottawa’s best young forwards being on cheap and efficient deals that this team still struggled to clinch a playoff spot until the final week of the season in an underwhelming Eastern Conference.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about the Senators being in the postseason. As a perennial bubble team, it’s better to be in than just on the outside looking in, but man, it’s going to be hard for the Senators to take that next step forward as an organization.
On what he would define as “making noise in the playoffs”…
“Play to the best of our ability and hopefully give Boston a run for its money.”
And if Brad Marchand gets flattened once or twice by Mark Borowiecki, I’ll take that too.
On how the organization manages its assets now that everyone is healthy…
“I think right now, the coach has decided who plays all year and he’ll decide who plays (now). I think we know we can get an injury or two or three or four after game one. So for us, our goal was to make the playoffs and once we got to the playoffs, have as many assets and players as we could have. Guy’s done a great job managing that this year and I think we’ll have nine defencemen and a bunch of forwards. We’ll carry three goalies throughout the playoffs and that’s how we’re going to go about it. Craig Anderson’s okay. Matt O’Connor will be staying with us the whole time. (Anderson) is starting game one unless Guy decides otherwise.”
Anderson is starting game one unless Guy decides otherwise? Lolz.
On acquiring players who’ve been to the Cup Final in Burrows, Brassard, Wingels and Stalberg and whether that played a part in bringing them into the fold…
“It does because you want guys that have gone through the grind of the playoffs. We all know experience means something and all those guys had experience. Every time we looked at acquiring a player, someone who’s been through the war of the playoffs, it means something. Our ultimate goal, whether it’s now or in five years, is to bring a Cup to Ottawa. And to have guys that have been through wars, it means a lot to this organization.”
I’d still prefer it if the organization used its prospects and young assets to acquire talent over intangibles (or ideally, both), but hopefully this mix can “make some noise”. If not for the fact that I’d like to see the Senators win a series for the first time in quite some time, but because I’m getting tired of the organization emphasizing character.
On what the role for Bobby Ryan will be moving forward…
“Well, Bobby’s played great. I know he hasn’t scored, but ever since he’s been back from injury, I think he’s played great. I think coach and I are on the same page, as we’re on the same page for most things. When we have little arguments, we keep it for ourselves, but coach and I are on the same page and I think Bobby’s played great. He scored yesterday and I was happy. Bobby really wanted to play yesterday and after his injury, we felt it was the best thing to get his legs so that his first game back wouldn’t be the first playoff game where we all know the intensity gets cranked up a notch or two. So no, I think he’s going to be someone that contributes a lot to our success and sometimes in the playoffs, it’s not about points but getting good ice time and making good use of that ice time. Of course, that’s in Guy’s hands and we know it’s in very capable hands, but I think Bobby’s going to be someone that we rely upon in our playoff run here.”
Bobby’s played better of late, but has been a bit snake-bitten around the net. Hopefully he gets some bounces against the Boston and has something to build off moving forward. “Coming in hot” feels like a long time ago and many are already starting to wonder when he can leave.
On attendance being in a lull and using the playoffs as a mechanism to reinvigorate the fans…
“Yeah, it’d be great if we could have a lot of our fans come and support us. We feel, both Guy and I, our management group, the coaching staff and the players, we feel that we put a very good product on the ice this year. We feel that we’re in most games. We feel we have probably the most dynamic player in the NHL playing for us, so for our fans to come out and cheer him on, you’ll see quite a show or quite a spectacle of what we’re able to do as far as the Ottawa Senators. We took a new direction this year. Guy’s systems are different. We all know that. To me, there was an adjustment to finding out what kind of player could play within Guy’s system and that’s where guys like (Viktor) Stalberg, (Alex) Burrows and (Tommy) Wingels (came in). We knew those guys could succeed and Guy and I were always on the same page when it came to trading for players. Sometimes it can be more defensive, but there’s great counterattack to his systems and it’s very entertaining hockey. And I think if our fans do come out for a playoff game, they’re going to see something special.”
Very entertaining hockey?
They’re getting some wins, sure, but this style of hockey is something that not even PR Dorion can spin.
On how rewarding it is for Dorion to see his decisions have helped lead the team back to the postseason…
“I think personally you’re happy. The first goal was to make the playoffs. You know what I did? I kept every playoff prediction that I could at the start of the year. They’re in a folder in my office – (not) many people thought we’d be in the playoffs. I think that’s a credit to our players and that’s a credit to Guy and his coaching staff. We’re happy with where we are right now. We’re playing hockey. A year ago, Bryan (Murray) resigned. The day after, we let most of the coaching staff go. It was not a good day for the organization. Where we’ve gone from a year ago to now, we’re headed in the right direction. Now winning the Cup? It would have to be the ideal perfect scenario, but we’re in a position where we’re with 15 other and we’ve got a chance to win that Cup. It’s exciting! I’m driving in today and people are honking and waving at me and you feel special. You’ve helped to do something, but it’s not just me, it’s the coaching staff, it’s the players, it’s Randy Lee, it’s Bryan Murray, it’s Daniel Alfredsson, sometimes it’s Bruce (Garrioch) when he writes something good. So it’s good and you know what? I think we’re going to have a health roster on Wednesday. That’s the other positive about everything that we’re doing.”
Wonder if the same people honking and waving were the same people who hugged him in the dressing room after the Burrows trade.
On not having the luxury of having a healthy roster…
“In two years, we’ve never had a fully healthy roster. It will be the first time. If (Marc Methot) can play, I think we’ve got a good chance at a (healthy) roster, but we know we’re not going to be fully healthy through the whole playoffs. That’s not going to happen. I think we’re all smart enough to know that that’s not going to happen.”
The return to health is great and it’s great to see Chris Kelly come out of the lineup, but I feel for guys like Ryan Dzingel and Fredrik Claesson. Their respective performances this season surpass those of some of their peers and it’d be nice if they were rewarded for it, especially because both players are expected to have a future with the club.
On what kind of advantage a healthy roster is to start the playoffs…
“It’s a tremendous advantage. You know there’s an internal competition (for players to get into the lineup). The coach can do whatever he wants. Against a certain team he might have a certain lineup, against another team, he might have another lineup, so I think it’s a great advantage for us. You know, it was the ability that Mr. Melnyk gave us to go out and get some players at the trade deadline has really paid dividends. Imagine where we would be right now if we didn’t have all the trades that we made. Would we have made the playoffs? It was only four points between us making it and not making it, but those are a big four points.”
Melnyk green lit the opportunity to add salary, but what about all the money he saved because of insurance picking up the bulk of Clarke MacArthur’s salary?
On his first big trade in acquiring Derick Brassard…
“Well, I think my first big trade was Logan Brown for a first and a third (round pick) when we switched picks and gave up a third. But, Derick Brassard? In five years from now, we might say that was our first big trade. But, Derick Brassard for Mika (Zibanejad), we were really happy with the trade. We have our own in-house analytics department – it’s two people, but we still call it a department – and when you look at the analytics and how we evaluate our players with analytics, Derick has been our best forward this year. Obviously a lot of people look at point production, but I look at overall play and Derick has exceeded expectations. We said it when we made the deal. I remember at the exit interviews, everyone said, ‘When Mika’s going to be good, when Ceci’s going to be good and when all these young guys get to be to a level, we’ll be a really good team,’ and our thoughts were, ‘Why can’t we be good right now? Why can’t we try to make the playoffs right now? Why can’t we try to win a round or two in the playoffs?’ And that’s where I think Derick has helped us.”
I’ll get into this after the next answer.
On what goes into the analytics that makes Brassard the best…
“I’m not going to go into it. Ask Guy. Guy will answer it, but for me, analytics has always been a tool. Today’s not about analytics, but we have a certain formula where we… first on puck and things that are important for us that maybe the analytics community doesn’t use as much where we feel the importance and the value in it – making sure you’re the guy responsible for getting the puck out of your own end, making sure that you make a play when you enter the zone. Guy’s big on first on pucks. Relentless. Every morning when I come in, he’s first on GM about getting a player here or getting a player there, so all these things that we feel, (Brassard)’s been our best forward as far as how we configure our analytics. Now other guys have produced. Mark Stone is a tremendous player and Kyle Turris has scored as big goals as we’ve seen all year, so it’s good to have a lot of good forwards. It’s good to have a lot of good defencemen. It’s good to have two good goalies.”
I don’t understand how the Senators could possibly have Brassard rated as their top forward when Mark Stone continues to exist.
Both players have exceptional underlying numbers this season and conveniently, the two spent most of their season playing on the same line, but when Stone ranks at the top of the possession metrics with Brassard and significantly outproduces him at even strength and on the power play, well, that makes me wonder whether there’s an issue with the Senators’ in-house analytics or how they use them.
It’s entirely possible that Dorion was playing up Brassard’s season because his point production was relatively underwhelming and that many were critical of the deal because the team gave up a comparable, younger player in Mika Zibanejad AND a valuable second round pick for some cost certainty.
If he is playing up Brassard because he’s defensive about his trade, that’s understandable, but when he makes a statement that is patently false and easy to pick apart, Dorion needs to realize that these kind of remarks make fans lose confidence in the process.
Not only is the analytics department thin in terms of man-power, Dorion presents them as giving questionable analysis or over-emphasizing metrics that the organization itself, rightly or wrongly, deems important.
http://proxy.autopod.ca/download/podcasts/chum/179/52441/pierre dorion.mp3
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T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Prior to the start of his team’s first round playoff series versus the Boston Bruins, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion held a media availability where he discussed his team’s chances and the path that led to his team’s playoff appearance.
The full media availability can be heard by using the embedded media player at the bottom of this post.
As always, my thoughts are in bold.
On there being any updates on his injured players…
“Yes, three injured players. (Erik) Karlsson will practice tomorrow and will play Wednesday. Marc Methot, we all saw the footage. He had a cramp and he was being bag-skated. He will practice tomorrow and there’s a very good chance he plays on Wednesday. Zack Smith could have played on the weekend (but he) will play Wednesday.”
I mentioned this in my first round preview piece, but the health of the Senators ideally gives the coaching staff the flexibility, depth and opportunity to create lines that can hopefully mitigate some of the edge the Bruins have in the possession game.
On whether he likes the matchup versus Boston…
“Well, Boston’s a very good hockey team. They’ve had a really good stretch lately. We’re going to have to be at our best to have any chance at winning the series. They’ve got players who have won the Cup on that team. I think changing their coach gave them a spark, so I know we have a record of 4-0 against them in the regular season, but nothing carries over. Every team starts with (an) 0-0 (record) and the first team to win four games (moves on).”
I don’t know if their coaching change gave them a spark, so much as the team’s shooting percentage regressed towards league average and the team finally started burying its chances. Maybe the players might have been gripping their sticks a little tight, but it’s not like Bruce Cassidy is encouraging his players to find the back of the net better than his predecessor.
On his moves at the deadline and the payoff…
“Well, I’m happy with the way the coaches played all of those guys. I think at the trade deadline, the two deals that we made, getting (Alex) Burrows… if you look at what Burrows has done, he scores the goal in Detroit. He scores the goal in Boston and he’s scored big goals. He’s played great of late, he’s a tremendous leader and he makes people accountable in that room. I know you’re not supposed to go back on the past and I’m not supposed to read what anyone says, but I had a few friends that sent me stuff that was said when we traded for Burrows and I think it was one of the best deals that we made all year. In getting Stalberg, who’s played great for us and blocked shots… I forget what game it was, but he blocked a shot that I thought would have been a goal and it was a one-goal game. Those two guys have been important pieces. Stalberg’s won a Cup and Burrows is a warrior. Having those two pieces, I think, for playoff just improves our team.”
In a vacuum, getting Burrows for a playoff run without touching the parent roster looks good. It looks even better when the team reaches the postseason – which gives Burrows the platform many believe he excels on – and Burrows has the opportunity to help the team win now.
The thing is, in sports, you can rarely look through deals in a vacuum.
A proper evaluation of the deal needs time to elapse and in time, Jonathan Dahlen could transition from a prospect to a productive NHL player.
Even if Dahlen’s development stalls and he never fulfills the projections placed on him, at the time of the deal, he was a desirable asset. Meaning, that even if the Senators wanted to move him, his utility as a desirable prospect likely meant that the Senators could have used him more efficiently this summer to address a greater area of need than a 36-year old pest who projects to fill a bottom-six role for the rest of his career.
The only way this deal looks good is if the Senators win moving forward and considering their underlying numbers and there isn’t a ton of untapped upside left on the parent roster. If the Senators aren’t considered a legitimate contender now and the team has operated for the last few years putting an emphasis on winning now, maybe it’s fair to wonder whether this was the best use of a young asset – especially since this summer’s trade market is expected to be better than in recent years.
On whether he’s concerned about team’s lack of goal-scoring ability down the stretch…
“No, because every game gets tighter down the stretch. I think if you look at the whole league, there were (fewer) goals being scored at the end (of the regular season). To me, there’s no concern at all. I like the way we’re playing. I know we had a bit of a rough patch, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be the best thing for us because it showed us that we had to work for every win that we needed to get. No, I think scoring goals will be important, but scoring goals is by going to the net and our players know that. Our coaches know that, so I think we’re in a really good frame of mind. I’m going to be personal bit once, but it was a year ago today that I felt that this team was a playoff team. We’re in the playoffs. Time to make some noise.”
The Senators should be in a really good frame of mind. They have home-ice advantage and injuries on the Bruins’ blue line, coupled with Ottawa’s return to health have lined up to give the Senators a reasonably good chance of advancing to the second round. I’m getting ahead of myself, but by avoiding the wild card seed and a series versus the Washington Capitals, the Senators have essentially given themselves the easiest path to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
On his mental frame of mind because of the Senators string of recent success versus the Bruins…
“I’m in a great mental frame right now. Well, we only played (Boston) four times this year, but again, I think that has nothing to do with it. They’re a really good hockey team. They played us without Brad Marchand last time we were in. I think every game has been, again if I’m wrong, I think a one or two goal differential, so it could have (gone) either way. I have a lot of respect for a lot of players on that team. They’ve got one of the best wingers, if not one of the best players in Marchand. They’ve got (Zdeno) Chara, they’ve got (Tuukka) Rask and they’ve got (David) Pastrnak – who’s scored a bunch of goals this year – they’re a good hockey team. We should not go in there (taking them lightly) because they are a very good hockey team.”
Their special teams play is exceptional and their underlying numbers are scary. The Bruins are going to be a tough out, but hey, hopefully the injuries to Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug allow the Senators to put the Bruins behind the eight-ball. In order to win this series, they have to take advantage and win some of these early games.
On how the goal from the outset was to make the playoffs and whether the season should be considered a success simply because the team has now accomplished that goal…
“I think, yes. Our first goal was to make the playoffs and now our second goal is to win a round.”
Considering he was given a mandate by the owner to reach the playoffs, Dorion did what he was asked to do. Do I agree with the owner’s mandate? Absolutely not, but that’s easy for me to say because I don’t have to worry about what kind of impact a few playoff gates will have on my bottom line.
On whether his expectations have changed now that the team is in the postseason…
“Well, my only expectations and sometimes I’m too honest with you guys and I get myself in trouble… I told Guy (Boucher) about a month ago, we were in Boston… the first time we beat Boston, he asked me, ‘Pierre, what are your expectations?’ I said, ‘Guy, since this team went to the Cup Finals (in 2007), we’ve never had home-ice advantage for one series.’ So I’m telling you right now, this was not our last game in Boston but before, we were just outside the elevator and I said, ‘You guys would really like us to have home-ice advantage.’ I think for our fans and for this organization it would be a step in the right direction and he delivered. And the players delivered more importantly, but they didn’t know that I told that to Guy.”
When Ottawa’s margin for error is less than that of the top teams, they need any edge(s) that they can get.
On how far this team is capable of going…
“Let’s take it game-by-game. Let’s win one game and then we’ll see where we go winning the second game. Hopefully we can win a third game and if all goes well, hopefully we can give the Bruins a run for their money, but it’s going to be tough. The Boston Bruins are a good team. They’ve got many elements and many players that were on their Cup team, so we can’t take them lightly.”
No bulletin board material here. I like it.
On whether there’s a sense of parity in the Eastern Conference and whether it creates this idea that any team can win it…
“Yeah, I think we finished… they were 95 (points) and we were 98 (points). I always said, ‘Let’s just get into the playoffs and hopefully we can make some noise,’ and that’s what the players have accomplished this year led by Erik Karlsson – who I still think is the MVP in the league. I know he won’t win it, but I still think if you take Erik Karlsson off this team, we’re not where we are right now. Of course there’s parity in the East. There are eight teams (in the playoffs) and I think the two teams that missed out were one-point behind – the (New York) Islanders and Tampa (Bay Lightning) – were one-point behind the last place team – which were Boston and Toronto that were tied with 95 (points) – so of course there’s parity. I think the playoffs are a whole new ballgame, so that’s why our record in Boston doesn’t mean that much.”
It’s still kind of crazy to think that with Erik Karlsson being in Norris form, both of Ottawa’s goaltenders playing incredibly well for the duration of the season and all of Ottawa’s best young forwards being on cheap and efficient deals that this team still struggled to clinch a playoff spot until the final week of the season in an underwhelming Eastern Conference.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about the Senators being in the postseason. As a perennial bubble team, it’s better to be in than just on the outside looking in, but man, it’s going to be hard for the Senators to take that next step forward as an organization.
On what he would define as “making noise in the playoffs”…
“Play to the best of our ability and hopefully give Boston a run for its money.”
And if Brad Marchand gets flattened once or twice by Mark Borowiecki, I’ll take that too.
On how the organization manages its assets now that everyone is healthy…
“I think right now, the coach has decided who plays all year and he’ll decide who plays (now). I think we know we can get an injury or two or three or four after game one. So for us, our goal was to make the playoffs and once we got to the playoffs, have as many assets and players as we could have. Guy’s done a great job managing that this year and I think we’ll have nine defencemen and a bunch of forwards. We’ll carry three goalies throughout the playoffs and that’s how we’re going to go about it. Craig Anderson’s okay. Matt O’Connor will be staying with us the whole time. (Anderson) is starting game one unless Guy decides otherwise.”
Anderson is starting game one unless Guy decides otherwise? Lolz.
On acquiring players who’ve been to the Cup Final in Burrows, Brassard, Wingels and Stalberg and whether that played a part in bringing them into the fold…
“It does because you want guys that have gone through the grind of the playoffs. We all know experience means something and all those guys had experience. Every time we looked at acquiring a player, someone who’s been through the war of the playoffs, it means something. Our ultimate goal, whether it’s now or in five years, is to bring a Cup to Ottawa. And to have guys that have been through wars, it means a lot to this organization.”
I’d still prefer it if the organization used its prospects and young assets to acquire talent over intangibles (or ideally, both), but hopefully this mix can “make some noise”. If not for the fact that I’d like to see the Senators win a series for the first time in quite some time, but because I’m getting tired of the organization emphasizing character.
On what the role for Bobby Ryan will be moving forward…
“Well, Bobby’s played great. I know he hasn’t scored, but ever since he’s been back from injury, I think he’s played great. I think coach and I are on the same page, as we’re on the same page for most things. When we have little arguments, we keep it for ourselves, but coach and I are on the same page and I think Bobby’s played great. He scored yesterday and I was happy. Bobby really wanted to play yesterday and after his injury, we felt it was the best thing to get his legs so that his first game back wouldn’t be the first playoff game where we all know the intensity gets cranked up a notch or two. So no, I think he’s going to be someone that contributes a lot to our success and sometimes in the playoffs, it’s not about points but getting good ice time and making good use of that ice time. Of course, that’s in Guy’s hands and we know it’s in very capable hands, but I think Bobby’s going to be someone that we rely upon in our playoff run here.”
Bobby’s played better of late, but has been a bit snake-bitten around the net. Hopefully he gets some bounces against the Boston and has something to build off moving forward. “Coming in hot” feels like a long time ago and many are already starting to wonder when he can leave.
On attendance being in a lull and using the playoffs as a mechanism to reinvigorate the fans…
“Yeah, it’d be great if we could have a lot of our fans come and support us. We feel, both Guy and I, our management group, the coaching staff and the players, we feel that we put a very good product on the ice this year. We feel that we’re in most games. We feel we have probably the most dynamic player in the NHL playing for us, so for our fans to come out and cheer him on, you’ll see quite a show or quite a spectacle of what we’re able to do as far as the Ottawa Senators. We took a new direction this year. Guy’s systems are different. We all know that. To me, there was an adjustment to finding out what kind of player could play within Guy’s system and that’s where guys like (Viktor) Stalberg, (Alex) Burrows and (Tommy) Wingels (came in). We knew those guys could succeed and Guy and I were always on the same page when it came to trading for players. Sometimes it can be more defensive, but there’s great counterattack to his systems and it’s very entertaining hockey. And I think if our fans do come out for a playoff game, they’re going to see something special.”
Very entertaining hockey?
They’re getting some wins, sure, but this style of hockey is something that not even PR Dorion can spin.
On how rewarding it is for Dorion to see his decisions have helped lead the team back to the postseason…
“I think personally you’re happy. The first goal was to make the playoffs. You know what I did? I kept every playoff prediction that I could at the start of the year. They’re in a folder in my office – (not) many people thought we’d be in the playoffs. I think that’s a credit to our players and that’s a credit to Guy and his coaching staff. We’re happy with where we are right now. We’re playing hockey. A year ago, Bryan (Murray) resigned. The day after, we let most of the coaching staff go. It was not a good day for the organization. Where we’ve gone from a year ago to now, we’re headed in the right direction. Now winning the Cup? It would have to be the ideal perfect scenario, but we’re in a position where we’re with 15 other and we’ve got a chance to win that Cup. It’s exciting! I’m driving in today and people are honking and waving at me and you feel special. You’ve helped to do something, but it’s not just me, it’s the coaching staff, it’s the players, it’s Randy Lee, it’s Bryan Murray, it’s Daniel Alfredsson, sometimes it’s Bruce (Garrioch) when he writes something good. So it’s good and you know what? I think we’re going to have a health roster on Wednesday. That’s the other positive about everything that we’re doing.”
Wonder if the same people honking and waving were the same people who hugged him in the dressing room after the Burrows trade.
On not having the luxury of having a healthy roster…
“In two years, we’ve never had a fully healthy roster. It will be the first time. If (Marc Methot) can play, I think we’ve got a good chance at a (healthy) roster, but we know we’re not going to be fully healthy through the whole playoffs. That’s not going to happen. I think we’re all smart enough to know that that’s not going to happen.”
The return to health is great and it’s great to see Chris Kelly come out of the lineup, but I feel for guys like Ryan Dzingel and Fredrik Claesson. Their respective performances this season surpass those of some of their peers and it’d be nice if they were rewarded for it, especially because both players are expected to have a future with the club.
On what kind of advantage a healthy roster is to start the playoffs…
“It’s a tremendous advantage. You know there’s an internal competition (for players to get into the lineup). The coach can do whatever he wants. Against a certain team he might have a certain lineup, against another team, he might have another lineup, so I think it’s a great advantage for us. You know, it was the ability that Mr. Melnyk gave us to go out and get some players at the trade deadline has really paid dividends. Imagine where we would be right now if we didn’t have all the trades that we made. Would we have made the playoffs? It was only four points between us making it and not making it, but those are a big four points.”
Melnyk green lit the opportunity to add salary, but what about all the money he saved because of insurance picking up the bulk of Clarke MacArthur’s salary?
On his first big trade in acquiring Derick Brassard…
“Well, I think my first big trade was Logan Brown for a first and a third (round pick) when we switched picks and gave up a third. But, Derick Brassard? In five years from now, we might say that was our first big trade. But, Derick Brassard for Mika (Zibanejad), we were really happy with the trade. We have our own in-house analytics department – it’s two people, but we still call it a department – and when you look at the analytics and how we evaluate our players with analytics, Derick has been our best forward this year. Obviously a lot of people look at point production, but I look at overall play and Derick has exceeded expectations. We said it when we made the deal. I remember at the exit interviews, everyone said, ‘When Mika’s going to be good, when Ceci’s going to be good and when all these young guys get to be to a level, we’ll be a really good team,’ and our thoughts were, ‘Why can’t we be good right now? Why can’t we try to make the playoffs right now? Why can’t we try to win a round or two in the playoffs?’ And that’s where I think Derick has helped us.”
I’ll get into this after the next answer.
On what goes into the analytics that makes Brassard the best…
“I’m not going to go into it. Ask Guy. Guy will answer it, but for me, analytics has always been a tool. Today’s not about analytics, but we have a certain formula where we… first on puck and things that are important for us that maybe the analytics community doesn’t use as much where we feel the importance and the value in it – making sure you’re the guy responsible for getting the puck out of your own end, making sure that you make a play when you enter the zone. Guy’s big on first on pucks. Relentless. Every morning when I come in, he’s first on GM about getting a player here or getting a player there, so all these things that we feel, (Brassard)’s been our best forward as far as how we configure our analytics. Now other guys have produced. Mark Stone is a tremendous player and Kyle Turris has scored as big goals as we’ve seen all year, so it’s good to have a lot of good forwards. It’s good to have a lot of good defencemen. It’s good to have two good goalies.”
I don’t understand how the Senators could possibly have Brassard rated as their top forward when Mark Stone continues to exist.
Both players have exceptional underlying numbers this season and conveniently, the two spent most of their season playing on the same line, but when Stone ranks at the top of the possession metrics with Brassard and significantly outproduces him at even strength and on the power play, well, that makes me wonder whether there’s an issue with the Senators’ in-house analytics or how they use them.
It’s entirely possible that Dorion was playing up Brassard’s season because his point production was relatively underwhelming and that many were critical of the deal because the team gave up a comparable, younger player in Mika Zibanejad AND a valuable second round pick for some cost certainty.
If he is playing up Brassard because he’s defensive about his trade, that’s understandable, but when he makes a statement that is patently false and easy to pick apart, Dorion needs to realize that these kind of remarks make fans lose confidence in the process.
Not only is the analytics department thin in terms of man-power, Dorion presents them as giving questionable analysis or over-emphasizing metrics that the organization itself, rightly or wrongly, deems important.
http://proxy.autopod.ca/download/podcasts/chum/179/52441/pierre dorion.mp3
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Google Meyer: Knox back practicing after dealing with academic issue - 247Sports
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Meyer: Knox back practicing after dealing with academic issue - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Meyer: Knox back practicing after dealing with academic issue
247Sports
Meyer and the Buckeyes had their 13th spring practice this morning. The team will practice again as part of the annual OSU coaching clinic on Friday. The spring game will be held Saturday at Ohio Stadium (12:30 p.m., Big Ten Network). One of the ...
Urban Meyer: Transfer Kendall Sheffield ahead of freshman cornerbacksMyDaytonDailyNews
Urban Meyer looking for more from Ohio State's offensive line, Kendall Sheffield in the CB rotationcleveland.com
Meyer hopes 2015 class improvesThe-review
Scout
all 10 news articles »
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Meyer: Knox back practicing after dealing with academic issue
247Sports
Meyer and the Buckeyes had their 13th spring practice this morning. The team will practice again as part of the annual OSU coaching clinic on Friday. The spring game will be held Saturday at Ohio Stadium (12:30 p.m., Big Ten Network). One of the ...
Urban Meyer: Transfer Kendall Sheffield ahead of freshman cornerbacksMyDaytonDailyNews
Urban Meyer looking for more from Ohio State's offensive line, Kendall Sheffield in the CB rotationcleveland.com
Meyer hopes 2015 class improvesThe-review
Scout
all 10 news articles »
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LGHL Ohio State has plenty of talent ready to take the spotlight in 2017
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Ohio State has plenty of talent ready to take the spotlight in 2017
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Binjimen Victor and others are looking good this spring.
“After spending a few days at OSU last week, it was pretty obvious there is a new batch of talent primed to take their place in the spotlight.”
- Bruce Feldman, FOX Sports
Ohio State sent a dozen guys to the NFL last year, including five in the first round. Ohio State is going to have another nice draft in 2017, but not quite the numbers that the 2016 class provided. Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, and Gareon Conley have all been projected as first-round picks, with some having Lattimore and Hooker in the top five. That exodus of talent always raises questions from outside parties, but Ohio State still has plenty to work with going into the 2017 season, as Feldman points out.
He likes Binjimen Victor, who should help J.T. Barrett down the field in Kevin Wilson’s offense. According to Feldman, “Victor’s now up to 195 while also having gotten faster, going from being a high 4.5 (40) guy to probably a high 4.4 guy.” That sounds very promising. Urban Meyer also told Feldman that he’s seen an improvement in Barrett. “J.T. kinda went stagnant and I’ve really seen a jump now.” Other players like A.J. Alexander and Luke Farrell were noted to have improved, along with Demetrius Knox and Malik Harrison.
2017 should be fun, y’all.
"Last year we weren't getting off the ball like we should have. This year I think we're gonna be more pass-rush driven, more of a defensive-line-driven team."
- Nick Bosa, via Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Ohio State’s defensive line wasn’t terrible last season, but they feel that they could have done better. According to Landis, the team had a five-year low with their 28 sacks last season. He indicates that Tyquan Lewis, Jalyn Holmes, Sam Hubbard and Bosa had 18.5 of those. Landis has a few good suggestions for how to fix this. One is that the Buckeyes should find a way to get all of their top pass rushers on the field at once. He says they can do this by having players like Hubbard and Holmes be stand-up rush linebackers.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson wants to fix that issue as well. "We talked about that, the ability to get to the quarterback," Johnson said. "We deflected a ball, had some knock downs and tipped balls -- and that's all great -- but at the end of the day we have to get the quarterback on his back. That's been our goal in spring ball, we've got to rev up our pass rush, especially from the inside-out."
Ohio State has the talent to fix the issues, and plenty of strengths elsewhere to make up for any shortcomings.
“Several offensive linemen in the Ohio State football program have likened their approach to strengthening and reshaping one another to an assertion in Proverbs: Iron sharpens iron.”
- Colin Hass-Hill, The Lantern
The Ohio State offensive line feels it benefits from going up against great defensive talents in spring practice. The Rushmen package is a handful, but they enjoy the competition.
“We look forward to having that challenge,” center Billy Price told Hass-Hill. “We look forward to going against those defensive line guys every single day. Because, again, I got the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (redshirt senior defensive end Tyquan Lewis) across from me all the time. I got guys who are going to be on the first-team Big Ten list this year.”
The offensive line has had its highs and lows over the past couple of seasons, but they’re used to playing with each other by now. “There’s a lot more continuity and chemistry within the offensive line as the guys going from one year to two years now, and I think you’ll be able to see that,” Price said.
Ohio State fans will absolutely welcome that idea.
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Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Binjimen Victor and others are looking good this spring.
“After spending a few days at OSU last week, it was pretty obvious there is a new batch of talent primed to take their place in the spotlight.”
- Bruce Feldman, FOX Sports
Ohio State sent a dozen guys to the NFL last year, including five in the first round. Ohio State is going to have another nice draft in 2017, but not quite the numbers that the 2016 class provided. Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, and Gareon Conley have all been projected as first-round picks, with some having Lattimore and Hooker in the top five. That exodus of talent always raises questions from outside parties, but Ohio State still has plenty to work with going into the 2017 season, as Feldman points out.
He likes Binjimen Victor, who should help J.T. Barrett down the field in Kevin Wilson’s offense. According to Feldman, “Victor’s now up to 195 while also having gotten faster, going from being a high 4.5 (40) guy to probably a high 4.4 guy.” That sounds very promising. Urban Meyer also told Feldman that he’s seen an improvement in Barrett. “J.T. kinda went stagnant and I’ve really seen a jump now.” Other players like A.J. Alexander and Luke Farrell were noted to have improved, along with Demetrius Knox and Malik Harrison.
2017 should be fun, y’all.
"Last year we weren't getting off the ball like we should have. This year I think we're gonna be more pass-rush driven, more of a defensive-line-driven team."
- Nick Bosa, via Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Ohio State’s defensive line wasn’t terrible last season, but they feel that they could have done better. According to Landis, the team had a five-year low with their 28 sacks last season. He indicates that Tyquan Lewis, Jalyn Holmes, Sam Hubbard and Bosa had 18.5 of those. Landis has a few good suggestions for how to fix this. One is that the Buckeyes should find a way to get all of their top pass rushers on the field at once. He says they can do this by having players like Hubbard and Holmes be stand-up rush linebackers.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson wants to fix that issue as well. "We talked about that, the ability to get to the quarterback," Johnson said. "We deflected a ball, had some knock downs and tipped balls -- and that's all great -- but at the end of the day we have to get the quarterback on his back. That's been our goal in spring ball, we've got to rev up our pass rush, especially from the inside-out."
Ohio State has the talent to fix the issues, and plenty of strengths elsewhere to make up for any shortcomings.
“Several offensive linemen in the Ohio State football program have likened their approach to strengthening and reshaping one another to an assertion in Proverbs: Iron sharpens iron.”
- Colin Hass-Hill, The Lantern
The Ohio State offensive line feels it benefits from going up against great defensive talents in spring practice. The Rushmen package is a handful, but they enjoy the competition.
“We look forward to having that challenge,” center Billy Price told Hass-Hill. “We look forward to going against those defensive line guys every single day. Because, again, I got the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (redshirt senior defensive end Tyquan Lewis) across from me all the time. I got guys who are going to be on the first-team Big Ten list this year.”
The offensive line has had its highs and lows over the past couple of seasons, but they’re used to playing with each other by now. “There’s a lot more continuity and chemistry within the offensive line as the guys going from one year to two years now, and I think you’ll be able to see that,” Price said.
Ohio State fans will absolutely welcome that idea.
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Google Urban Meyer: Transfer Kendall Sheffield ahead of freshman cornerbacks - MyDaytonDailyNews
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Urban Meyer: Transfer Kendall Sheffield ahead of freshman cornerbacks - MyDaytonDailyNews
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Urban Meyer: Transfer Kendall Sheffield ahead of freshman cornerbacks
MyDaytonDailyNews
The Ohio State Buckeyes held their second-to-last practice before the spring game Wednesday. They'll practice again Friday. Then the Buckeyes will perform in front of something close to 80,000 people at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Ohio Stadium. It would be ...
Meyer: Knox back practicing after dealing with academic issue247Sports
Urban Meyer looking for more from Ohio State's offensive line, Kendall Sheffield in the CB rotationcleveland.com
Meyer hopes 2015 class improvesThe-review
Scout
all 10 news articles »
Continue reading...
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Urban Meyer: Transfer Kendall Sheffield ahead of freshman cornerbacks
MyDaytonDailyNews
The Ohio State Buckeyes held their second-to-last practice before the spring game Wednesday. They'll practice again Friday. Then the Buckeyes will perform in front of something close to 80,000 people at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Ohio Stadium. It would be ...
Meyer: Knox back practicing after dealing with academic issue247Sports
Urban Meyer looking for more from Ohio State's offensive line, Kendall Sheffield in the CB rotationcleveland.com
Meyer hopes 2015 class improvesThe-review
Scout
all 10 news articles »
Continue reading...
