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Google Which former Ohio State Buckeye is making the most money in the NFL? - cleveland.com

Which former Ohio State Buckeye is making the most money in the NFL? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Which former Ohio State Buckeye is making the most money in the NFL?
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State football loves to push how well it develops players for the NFL, and the results recently have been hard to argue with. The Buckeyes had 12 players drafted last year, and could have another seven or eight go this year.
ESPN names Ohio State's best football team everLandof10.com

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Google Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season - The Star Beacon

Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season - The Star Beacon
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Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season
The Star Beacon
Matta endured the worst season in his 17 years as a head coach, winning fewer than 20 games for the first time and failing to take an eligible team to the postseason. The Buckeyes finished 17-15 — their second consecutive underachieving season ...


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LGHL Elite recruits include Ohio State in final schools

Elite recruits include Ohio State in final schools
Dan Hessler
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Elite recruits continue to include the Buckeyes in their lists of final schools — and Ohio State is putting a focus on the offensive line.

Elite DB lists Ohio State in top 12


In the last few years, Ohio State has been able to send an incredible amount of elite DBs Four-star DB to the NFL. After losing three more members of the secondary, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State coaching staff are looking towards recruiting to replace the lost talent.

The program got one step closer when four-star safety Isheem Young (Philadelphia, PA / Imhotep Institute) included the Buckeyes in his top 12 schools. Along with Ohio State, Young included Florida State, Penn State, LSU, Clemson, Baylor, West Virginia, Alabama, Michigan, Maryland, Georgia and Temple in his list of schools he will focus on going forward in his recruitment.

Young is currently viewed as the No. 62 overall recruit in next year’s class, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and is seen as the No. 6 safety.


Top 12. pic.twitter.com/Uz7RSoVJwM

— 3k (@Isheemyoung) March 14, 2017

Currently, hometown school Penn State is seen as the favorite but Columbus is not that far away so look for the coaching staff to try and get him on campus at least once this coming season.

Blue-chip OT includes Ohio State in top 12


It is well known that a football team is only as good as its offensive and defensive lines. More often than not, games are won in the battle in up front. This is especially true in an Urban Meyer offense that favors a mobile quarterback and puts a focus on being able to run the ball.

Meyer and the Buckeyes coaching staff seem to be aware of this and have been placing a heavy focus on recruiting offensive linemen in the next class. The hard work appears to be paying off as the program moved one step closer in securing a commitment for a rising offensive tackle.

Three-star OT John Campbell (Orlando, FL / Dr. Phillips) included Ohio State in his list of top 12 schools Monday evening. And while the three-star rating may question some of Buckeye Nation, the program will be competing with some of the country’s best for Campbell.


I've decided to focus and weigh my options on these 12 schools ,recruiting process still open #SlowFeetDontEat pic.twitter.com/zWeZcl6dnN

— J C A M P™ (@_jcamp74) March 13, 2017

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, UNC, Ole Miss, Oregon, Tennessee and Georgia will all be competing with the Buckeyes to earn a commitment from Campbell.

Having the measurables needed to succeed at the college level, Campbell stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 284 pounds. If he is able to build on his junior campaign, Campbell will likely see an increase in his rankings.

Ohio State offers offensive linemen brothers


Keeping with the focus up front, Ohio State offered two offensive linemen yesterday— and they are brothers.

Barton Simmons of 247Sports was first to report that Ohio State had sent scholarship offers to both Max Wray and his brother Jake Wray. The two hail from Franklin, TN and while Max is preparing to enter his senior season, Jake has only one season of high school ball under him.


Max Wray (2018) and Jake Wray (2020) have landed offers from #OhioState: https://t.co/fGnMnn8XB2

— Barton Simmons (@bartonsimmons) March 13, 2017

A top-five offensive tackle, according to multiple recruiting databases, Max Wray is a four-star prospect and 247Sports has him slated as the No. 55 best recruit in the country as well as the third best in Tennessee for the 2018 recruiting class. He recently decommitted from Georgia after successful visits to both Alabama and Clemson.

The 6-foot-6, 287-pounder has accumulated 17 scholarship offers from some of the best programs in the country including the likes of Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson, LSU, USC, Miami, Texas and Georgia.

While his brother, Jake, is still in the early stages of his recruitment, he has still received almost just as many offers as Max. Despite three years of high school remaining, top programs like Alabama, Louisville, LSU, Clemson, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas have all offered the young OT.

It will be important for the Buckeyes to get the two on campus sometime this season if they are wanting to remain in the mix for either of the brothers.


Honored to receive an offer from The Ohio State University. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/JC7HwIBCbr

— Jake Wray (@jakewray77) March 13, 2017
Elite OLB wants to visit Ohio State soon


One of the keys to why Urban Meyer has become one of the best recruiters in college football is his ability to look ahead. This has been true with four-star outside linebacker Owen Pappoe (Loganville, GA / Grayson), who is seen as one of the top recruits in the 2019 class.

Pappoe was originally slated to visit Ohio State this past season for “The Game” against Michigan, but was, unfortunately, unable to attend. However, the Ohio State coaching staff has continued to be in constant contact with Pappoe and it seems to be paying off. On Monday, Alex Gleitman of 247Sports reported the blue-chip OLB wants to visit the campus sometime in the coming season.

He is seen as the country’s No. 2 overall recruit in 2019, according to 247Sports, and is the top OLB. He has proven to be a nightmare for opposing QB’s as he not only has a knack for finding the ball, he also has a knack for finding the QB behind the line of scrimmage. He also has the measurements of a prototypical OLB, standing at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds.

As is with any highly-touted recruit, Ohio State will be competing with the best schools in the country for Pappoe’s commitment. Schools like Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland, UNC, Oregon and plenty of others have all offered Pappoe.

For better or for worse, Pappoe likely won’t be making a decision any time soon, so the Buckeyes will have plenty of time to win him over.

Future Buckeyes impressing at The Opening Los Angeles


The Opening Los Angeles regional camp took place this past weekend and Buckeye Nation has a reason to be excited.

Ohio State DB commit Jaiden Woodbey (Fontana, CA / St. John Bosco) impressed at the camp, succeeding as both a cornerback and a safety. While Woodbey didn’t earn an invitation to The Opening Finals after the camp, 247Sports was in attendance at the camp and slated him as the second best defensive recruit to attend the event.

One of the wide receivers to line up opposite of Woodbey was Ohio State WR target, Amon-Ra St. Brown (Anaheim, CA / Mater Dei).

247Sports listed the five-star WR recruit as the top performer at the camp as he consistently created big play after big play. Along with Ohio State, Notre Dame, Stanford and USC are seen as favorites to land one of the top WRs in next year’s recruiting class.

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Google Kurelic: OL's talk Ohio State offers; Cali star joining Woodbey? - 247Sports

Kurelic: OL's talk Ohio State offers; Cali star joining Woodbey? - 247Sports
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Kurelic: OL's talk Ohio State offers; Cali star joining Woodbey?
247Sports
It was crazy.” The offer from the Buckeyes made an even dozen for Nester. In addition to Ohio State he also has offers from West Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Louisville and others. The offer from the Buckeyes came from the ...

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Google Beleaguered Buckeyes look for answers - Youngstown Vindicator

Beleaguered Buckeyes look for answers - Youngstown Vindicator
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Beleaguered Buckeyes look for answers
Youngstown Vindicator
Matta endured the worst season in his 17 years as a head coach, winning fewer than 20 games for the first time and failing to take an eligible team to the postseason. The Buckeyes finished 17-15 — their second consecutive underachieving season ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes passed over for NIT invitationThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta tells local radio show Buckeyes would have accepted NIT bidLandof10.com
Buckeyes not in NIT fieldBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
ESPN (blog) -247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
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Google Ohio State makes cut for 3 top recruits - Land-Grant Holy Land - Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State makes cut for 3 top recruits - Land-Grant Holy Land - Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State makes cut for 3 top recruits - Land-Grant Holy Land
Land-Grant Holy Land
When you receive a chance to suit up for the Ohio State football team, you pay attention. Already sitting pretty with numerous top prospects, two more standout ...
The Hurry Up: Ohio State Offers Former Alabama Commit ...Eleven Warriors

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Google Ohio State women's hoops | Buckeyes get No. 5 seed, will play No. 12 Western Kentucky - The...

Ohio State women's hoops | Buckeyes get No. 5 seed, will play No. 12 Western Kentucky - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State women's hoops | Buckeyes get No. 5 seed, will play No. 12 Western Kentucky
The Columbus Dispatch
If the Buckeyes play well, she could stay a while. The Buckeyes (26-6, 15-1 Big Ten) will play No. 12 seed Western Kentucky (27-6, 16-2 Conference USA) at 2:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN 2 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the University of ...
OSU women headed to The Big Dance, will face Western Kentucky247Sports
NCAA women's basketball tournament 2017: Ohio State will take on Western Kentucky as a 5-seedLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Women's Basketball Draw A No. 5 Seed In NCAA TournamentScout
OSU - The Lantern -cleveland.com -Eleven Warriors
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Google Elite safety includes Ohio State among his top schools - 247Sports

Elite safety includes Ohio State among his top schools - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Elite safety includes Ohio State among his top schools
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! Young has told Bucknuts he plans to visit Ohio State either this spring or summer. The 5-foot-11 and 200-pound Young is a ...

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Google Florida OL includes Ohio State among schools to focus on - 247Sports

Florida OL includes Ohio State among schools to focus on - 247Sports
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Florida OL includes Ohio State among schools to focus on
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! The 6-foot-5 and 284-pound Campbell is a 3-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite. He is the country's No. 30 offensive ...

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Google OSU women headed to The Big Dance, will face Western Kentucky - 247Sports

OSU women headed to The Big Dance, will face Western Kentucky - 247Sports
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OSU women headed to The Big Dance, will face Western Kentucky
247Sports
The Buckeyes (26-6) will face No. 12 seed Western Kentucky (27-6) on Friday in Lexington, Ky. That game will be played at 2:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN2. If OSU wins, the Buckeyes would play the winner between No. 4 seed Kentucky (21-10) and ...
NCAA women's basketball tournament 2017: Ohio State will take on Western Kentucky as a 5-seedLand-Grant Holy Land
Women's basketball: Ohio State selected as No. 5 seed in Lexington region, plays No. 12 seed Western KentuckyOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State women's basketball earns No. 5 seed in NCAA Tournament, opens vs. Western Kentuckycleveland.com
Eleven Warriors -Big Ten Conference
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Google Men's hockey: Mason Jobst named first-team, four other Buckeyes receive B1G honors - OSU -...

Men's hockey: Mason Jobst named first-team, four other Buckeyes receive B1G honors - OSU - The Lantern
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Men's hockey: Mason Jobst named first-team, four other Buckeyes receive B1G honors
OSU - The Lantern
Schilkey was the do-it-all player for the Buckeyes in the regular season. The senior from Marysville, Michigan, led the Big Ten with 26 goals and ranks second in the NCAA with .81 goals per game. The 26 goals are the highest single-season total for one ...


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LGHL NCAA women’s basketball tournament 2017: Ohio State will take on Western Kentucky as a 5-seed

NCAA women’s basketball tournament 2017: Ohio State will take on Western Kentucky as a 5-seed
Ben Martens
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


bucks.0.jpg

The Buckeyes are looking to rebound from an early exit at the Big Ten tournament to make a deep run in March.

The Ohio State women’s basketball is going dancing. The Buckeyes were announced as the No. 5 seed in the Lexington Regional of the NCAA tournament on Monday night after posting a 26-6 record on the season and coming in ranked 11th in the country according to the most recent AP poll. The team will play Western Kentucky in their first round matchup on Friday.

The seeding means that Ohio State will be going on the road for the opening weekend of the tournament in Lexington, Kentucky. In addition to the Hilltoppers, host Kentucky and Belmont will also play first round games at the location. The winners of the two contests will then meet to determine who advances to the Sweet 16 the following weekend.

Atop the Buckeyes’ region is Notre Dame, who sits second in the national polls after posting a 30-3 mark.

The other three No. 1 seeds in the tournament are Connecticut, the top seed overall, South Carolina, and Baylor, while three other Big Ten teams also had their names called, including Maryland, Michigan State, and Purdue. This year’s final four and national championship game will be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Ohio State would likely have had a stronger seed were it not for its quick exit from the conference tournament. Despite earning the top seed during regular season play, the Buckeyes were ousted in the semifinals by Purdue in one of their most disappointing performances in recent memory.

Junior Kelsey Mitchell, the Big Ten’s Player of the Year and leading scorer, who on Monday was also named one of five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award which honors the country’s top point guard, was held to just nine points on 3-for-22 shooting by the Boilers, marking just the second time in her career that she failed to reach double digits in scoring.

Despite the early exit in Indianapolis, this has been one of the most successful seasons in program history. A total of six players earned postseason all-conference recognition, and all of the squad’s losses came against tournament teams.

Last season, Ohio State was a 3-seed, but found itself eliminated in the Sweet 16 by 7th-seeded Tennessee. The Buckeyes haven’t made it past the Sweet 16 since 1993, when the club, led by All-American Katie Smith, made it all the way to the national championship game, ultimately falling to Sheryl Swoopes and Texas Tech.

The full bracket for the women’s NCAA tournament can be found here.

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Google Beleaguered Buckeyes Search for Answers After Down Season - U.S. News & World Report

Beleaguered Buckeyes Search for Answers After Down Season - U.S. News & World Report
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Beleaguered Buckeyes Search for Answers After Down Season
U.S. News & World Report
Matta endured the worst season in his 17 years as a head coach, winning fewer than 20 games for the first time and failing to take an eligible team to the postseason. The Buckeyes finished 17-15 — their second consecutive underachieving season ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes passed over for NIT invitationThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes not in NIT fieldBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
Kevin Wilson's offense and Buckeyes' roster could be explosive formulaESPN (blog)
Landof10.com -247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
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LGHL Kevin Wilson’s offense plus Urban Meyer’s recruiting could be an unstoppable force

Kevin Wilson’s offense plus Urban Meyer’s recruiting could be an unstoppable force
Meredith Hein
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Wilson managed to make average talent great at Indiana, but what can he do with the nation’s top recruits?

“I think the key word is mesh. If there is something that fits conceptually with what we’re trying to do, then we add it.”

- Urban Meyer, via Austin Ward, ESPN


Kevin Wilson’s offensive style represented the critical factor in turning a perennially substandard Indiana squad into one of the Big Ten’s best offenses. And while he certainly never had a dearth of skill at Indiana, acknowledging that “the talent we had over there was really good, too, because we recruited and developed it,” the pool of skill position players at Ohio State represents a new opportunity for Wilson. Moving from three-star recruits to four- and five-star recruits means that Wilson has a lot more to work with on the field.

However, as Wilson has shown, building a potent offense is not solely about the talent coming into the locker room day one of practice. “What we did in the weight room, what we did off the field, what we did in practice...You can talk about talent, but it’s also about getting guys to play,” Wilson said. “Talent doesn’t win. It’s the ability to play together.” For instance, while Wilson built a powerful attack behind Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson at Oklahoma, he also managed to make Nate Sudfeld an effective quarterback and Tevin Coleman a 2,000-yard rusher with the Hoosiers. He is able to create strong offenses based on the personnel he has, rather than being stuck in a specific scheme relying on a specific group of players.

At Ohio State, Wilson has acquired a senior quarterback in J.T. Barrett, a 1,000-yard rusher in Mike Weber and four returning starters on the offensive line. While the Buckeyes have lost their top receivers from a year ago, the last two recruiting classes boast four, four-star recruits at wide receiver whom Wilson can mold. Along with new quarterbacks coach Ryan Day, Meyer has brought in the coaching personnel to adjust the offense and move forward. “We’re not changing; we’re enhancing,” Meyer said. “If it was broken, we’d have to change it.”

“We lost what I think is a man’s man in Raekwon McMillan,” Schiano said. “Really fine football player, really smart football player.”

- Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, via Tim Shoemaker, Eleven Warriors


The tall order of replacing the departed Raekwon McMillan at middle linebacker for Ohio State is one of the major gaps looking to be filled this offseason for Greg Schiano’s defense. As one of just a few returning starters on his side of the ball last season, McMillan anchored the unit as captain of one of the best defenses in college football. Whoever ends up replacing McMillan--who had 221 tackles in two seasons as a starter--will need to be a similar kind of smart football player in order to lead the defense into the 2017 season.

The answer could be found in fifth-year senior Chris Worley, who played at strongside linebacker last season alongside McMillan. While things could certainly change as the coaching staff tries new lineups, given that the season is still months away, Worley has already made an impression on Urban Meyer and Schiano in just two days of spring practice.

Worley is lighter than McMillan by about 10 pounds--a critical mass when it comes from shifting to outside linebacker to the inside position. And while Meyer credited Worley’s “mentality” in playing the middle spot, he acknowledged that “we just have to see if his body can hang in there at the MIKE linebacker spot.”

Schiano, however, was not concerned. “I’m not worried about that at all,” he said. “Eat right, lift, train and he’ll be ready to play.”

Worley proved to be a crucial part of last year’s defense in his first year as a starter, racking up 70 tackles on his way to being named an All-Big Ten honorable mention. His experience with the team will be an asset heading into next season. “He’s just a really, really smart football player.” said Schiano. “He’s a guy that I think understands the game at a very, very high level.”

“Ohio State made the NIT last year, barely beat Akron at home in overtime, then was sent to its room. Even that booby prize escaped the Buckeyes this season.”

- Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer


After neglecting to receive an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament, the Ohio State basketball team failed to make the postseason for the first time since the 2004-05 season--the first season under Thad Matta, when the Buckeyes were not eligible for postseason play. Perhaps worse than not making the NIT, however, is the fact that Ohio State lost to the 14th-seeded Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament last week in Washington D.C. just a day after athletic director Gene Smith endorsed Matta.

For Matta, it is easy to remember the good he brought to the Ohio State basketball program--nine NCAA tournament bids, two Final Fours and a national championship appearance. The national record goes well alongside Matta’s five Big Ten titles. That success led to outstanding recruiting on Matta’s part, snagging such names as Greg Oden and Mike Conley.

Unfortunately, Matta’s success in recruiting and the subsequent benefits of strong teams have fallen off in recent years. While John Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski have built effective one-and-done programs at Kentucky and Duke, the Buckeyes have not been able to reload even with talent that stays for more than a single year. Matta has also missed out on significant in-state talent, including Columbus native Trey Burke, who instead opted to go to Michigan, and Nigel Hayes of Toledo who chose Wisconsin over Ohio State.

But perhaps the biggest change between the program at its height under Matta and where it stands now is the effort of the players on the court. Fans yearn for the days when Aaron Craft would take the game into his own hands, throwing up a wild three-point shot to beat Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament, or when Jared Sullinger chose to return to the Buckeyes the next season after a Sweet 16 loss, or when Greg Oden played through a broken wrist to be a part of the program. After a lackluster season where Marc Loving and Jae’Sean Tate alternately tried to energize their team, it was obvious that the Buckeyes’ collective head was not in the game.

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Google Four Buckeyes in Joel Klatt's Top 50 NFL Draft Prospects - 247Sports

Four Buckeyes in Joel Klatt's Top 50 NFL Draft Prospects - 247Sports
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Four Buckeyes in Joel Klatt's Top 50 NFL Draft Prospects
247Sports
Other players of note on the list include: DeShone Kizer at No. 15 (the highest quarterback on the board), quarterback Deshaun Watson at No. 17, safety Jabrill Peppers at No. 23, defensive end Taco Charlton at No. 28, cornerback Jourdan Lewis at No.
Ohio State makes cut for 3 top recruitsLand-Grant Holy Land

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Google Buckeyes' Barrett takes good with bad - Toledo Blade

Buckeyes' Barrett takes good with bad - Toledo Blade
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Buckeyes' Barrett takes good with bad
Toledo Blade
After the start of spring football, Barrett also has the distinction of being the only three-time captain in the history of the Buckeyes. A three-year starter, Ohio State has made the playoff twice with Barrett under center. Yet Barrett remains ...
Kevin Wilson at Ohio State, are you comfortable with the Buckeyes' hire?cleveland.com
Ohio State Football: Kevin Wilson Set For New Challenge With BuckeyesScout
New Ohio State OC Kevin Wilson defends Indiana yearsESPN
247Sports -Landof10.com -Eleven Warriors
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Google Are Buckeyes ready to move on in-state TE? - 247Sports

Are Buckeyes ready to move on in-state TE? - 247Sports
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Are Buckeyes ready to move on in-state TE?
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! Want the latest scoops and news on the Buckeyes? Try our 7-DAY FREE TRIAL AND BECOME A BUCKNUTS SUBSCRIBER!
Ohio State makes cut for 3 top recruitsLand-Grant Holy Land

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LGHL They played the Big Ten Tournament in Washington D.C. and it wasn’t the end of the world

They played the Big Ten Tournament in Washington D.C. and it wasn’t the end of the world
Matt Brown
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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The Big Ten took another step towards “living” along the East Coast.

I went to the Big Ten Tournament last week. I pretty much had to, since they were playing it just down the street from our offices. And I wanted to hate it.

I ripped the decision to play the tournament here basically as soon as it was announced, along with a lot of other midwestern-based writers. It wasn’t hard to see why.

There are only three Big Ten schools within an easy day’s drive of Washington D.C., and two of them, Penn State and Rutgers, have awful basketball teams. Hotels in D.C are expensive, flying to D.C is expensive, heck, everything here is more expensive than it is in Indy (and honestly, Chicago as well). Plus, with the Big Ten itself not being nearly as good as it’s been over the last few years, the on-court product figured to be worse as well.

Being a Serious Professional Journalist, I have to be fair. And after seeing the event up close, I must admit, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Were there lots of empty seats? Sure, especially during the Wednesday games. You could find tickets on Stubhub or the resale markets for under ten bucks for Wednesday and Thursday, and the upper level was nearly completely empty. But, to be fair, those games also mostly stunk.

You could play Ohio State and Rutgers in Columbus, New Jersey, Chicago, D.C, Paris, on a moving battleship, or even the moon, and it wouldn’t be a good basketball game. You can’t fault the conference, or the city, for decreased attendance then.

But later in the tournament? It certainly wasn’t a sell out, but more than enough fans showed up to make the environment plenty loud. Michigan brought a large enough crowd that I had trouble writing due to the noise. Maryland fans showed up in force, and had they extended their tournament stay, the later games could have been even louder.

The conference was prepared for lower attendance. On some level, that wasn’t even the point, as long as minimum crowd level could be established. From holding Big Ten Media Days in D.C, to opening East Coast offices, to nearly every venture that leads the conference out of the midwest, the Big Ten says it’s because they want to “live” in both places, not just visit. So this is about planting seeds.

Did the players hate it? Many of them are from the midwest and probably would have preferred to play a little closer to home, but many weren’t complaining in public. “Being so close to home, I felt like we had a little bit of a fan advantage,” Penn State freshman forward Lamar Stevens said after their win over Nebraska.

Here’s what Purdue guard Spike Albrecht told the Indy Star:


As someone who’s a basketball junkie and grew up loving the game, obviously the (tournaments) in Indy and Chicago are great,” Purdue guard Spike Albrecht said. “But this was a different experience, to be able to play in the nation’s capital and just play in a different venue. I thought it was cool.

There are still clear downsides to playing the games out East. The high travel costs, and times, make it much harder for students to attend the event, and largely, it didn’t appear that they did. Attendance could take an even bigger hit in the future if far Western teams, or schools that don’t have as large DC bases, like a Nebraska, or a Minnesota, or a Purdue, make a deeper run as well. With Michigan and Wisconsin doing well, the league lucked out a little bit.

But let’s give credit where credit is due. The Verizon Center is walkable to lots of attractions in DC, and certainly is located closer to better dining and drinking options than Chicago, which is a bus ride away from the really fun parts of the city. It provides an easier outlet for many young alumni who live on the East Coast.

And doing it once a decade or so? It’s not the end of the world. I don’t love it, but it’s fine.

The more interesting test will come next year, when the Big Ten Tournament heads to New York City. Not only is that an even more expensive trip, but it will also move the Big Ten Tournament up a week, changing the entire conference schedule. Will that be worth the significant logistical challenges?

The tournament should be in Chicago or Indy most of the time, if not nearly all of the time, and I say that as a person who personally benefits from this move. Not all of the basketball games, themselves, were great (uh, especially that Ohio State game).

But I wouldn’t let a few (hundred) empty seats in the earlier part of the tournament define the event. The city probably deserves a second chance.

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Google Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season - Quad City Times

Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season - Quad City Times
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Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season
Quad City Times
Matta endured the worst season in his 17 years as a head coach, winning fewer than 20 games for the first time and failing to take an eligible team to the postseason. The Buckeyes finished 17-15 — their second consecutive underachieving season ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes passed over for NIT invitationThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes not in NIT fieldBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
For Ohio State basketball, missing the NIT marks a new low in the Thad Matta eraLandof10.com
247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land -Scout
all 53 news articles »


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Google Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season - Journal Review

Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season - Journal Review
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Beleaguered Buckeyes search for answers after down season
Journal Review
Matta endured the worst season in his 17 years as a head coach, winning fewer than 20 games for the first time and failing to take an eligible team to the postseason. The Buckeyes finished 17-15 — their second consecutive underachieving season ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes passed over for NIT invitationThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes not in NIT fieldBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
For Ohio State basketball, missing the NIT marks a new low in the Thad Matta eraLandof10.com
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Google FGCU baseball rallies in ninth again, but falls to Buckeyes - The News-Press

FGCU baseball rallies in ninth again, but falls to Buckeyes - The News-Press
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


FGCU baseball rallies in ninth again, but falls to Buckeyes
The News-Press
The Florida Gulf Coast University baseball team almost pulled off its second big ninth-inning rally in its series against Ohio State.

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Google Top Buckeye target sets weekend at Ohio State - 247Sports

Top Buckeye target sets weekend at Ohio State - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top Buckeye target sets weekend at Ohio State
247Sports
Top Buckeye target sets weekend at Ohio State. The country's fastest rising linebacker and Buckeye target has set things up for a weekend at Ohio State. Bill Kurelic - 13 minutes ago; VIP; 1; Tools. Edit · Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Ohio State ...


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LGHL Don’t forget to join the LGHL NCAA bracket group!

Don’t forget to join the LGHL NCAA bracket group!
Matt Brown
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Ohio State’s postseason plans are bad. But this group, like the spot, is good.

Ohio State didn’t make the NCAA Tournament. They didn’t even make the NIT. They won’t play in the CIT, the CBI, or your local churchball tournament. Their season is over. It wasn’t very good.

But do you know what is good? I mean, besides the spot, of course. Our NCAA bracket group. Join, fill one out, and prove you’re smarter than all of our writers. Or at least, smarter than my kid.

The winner of this year's bracket challenge will take home the following fabulous prizes:

  • Internet bragging rights for the entire year. Or more than a year. Put this on your LinkedIn profile. Remind us you won in 2021.
  • A Tweet and Facebook status from the LGHL accounts bragging to the entire world about how smart you are.

Bragging rights are a powerful thing! I basically never come close to winning these things, but so help me, if this is the year I finally do it, I’m going to make sure the entire internet knows. You should join us.

Come join the LGHL group right here.

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