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Brats or burgers?

depends.

i prefer a good or great hamburger over a good or great brat.

i prefer an average or below-average brat over an average or below-average hamburger.

it's far easier to mess up a burger than it is to mess up a brat. i can be pleased with a burned brat. overcook the hamburger, however, and not even the condiments will save it. on the other hand, i think a standard brat with onions and mustard has a capped potential. the possible gap between solid and exceptional is not sizable. but a standard hamburger with onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard still has the potential to make one's knees weak. moreover, the possible gap between solid and exceptional for a burger is virtually limitless.

because of these variables, i could not submit a vote. sorry.
I......I've never seen such a philosophical analysis of the nuances of the burger. Now I'm so confused.
Upvote 0

Google Three things to know about the Ohio State Buckeyes - Inside NU

Three things to know about the Ohio State Buckeyes - Inside NU
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Three things to know about the Ohio State Buckeyes
Inside NU
Usually on “three things to know”, we cover Big Ten teams that you may not have watched unless you watch BTN religiously or anonymous non-conference opponents. This is not one of those cases. There is a reasonably good chance that you have watched ...
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Live Score, Highlights for Buckeyes vs. BadgersHiTechReporter

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LGHL Ohio State’s Corey Smith might provide the deep threat on offense

Ohio State’s Corey Smith might provide the deep threat on offense
Ian Cuevas
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa-today-9550958.0.jpg

The wide out might just be the answer to the deep threat missing from the offense.

“I think he's going to practice today. You know, his hand is in a little (cast). He has use of his fingers now. He had that surgery on his wrist, so we'll know more today, but I think he's going to practice from what I hear.”

- Urban Meyer via Ari Wasserman, Cleveland.com


At the start of the 2016 season, it was expected that Ohio State wide receiver Corey Smith would finally have his moment as a Buckeye. Locked in as one of the starting receivers, Smith provided experience in a position group that lacked a lot of it. He also provided an option to throw the ball deep for quarterback J.T. Barrett. But Smith has been mostly out of action this year. Despite playing against Oklahoma (albeit with a giant cast on his right wrist), Smith hasn’t seen the field since the early weeks of the season. But that’s about to change, as Smith is expected to return to the practice field on Tuesday.

After a crushing loss to Penn State, the offense is shouldering a lot of the blame for what went wrong in Happy Valley. With a return of Smith, things might open up a bit in terms of the receiving game because Urban Meyer mentioned that Smith provides a deep threat that seems to be lacking in this current group of receivers.

“You wish one would separate (from the pack), and I don't see that happening (so far). Noah is a pretty reliable guy and had nice plays. The other ones need to elevate.”

- Urban Meyer via Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch


Staying on topic with wide receivers, when asked about the position group, head coach Urban Meyer didn’t mince many words. He simply said the above, showing that the group has yet to have anyone standing out among themselves, other than Noah Brown. But even Brown has been mostly quiet despite having four touchdown catches against Oklahoma. Since then, he’s not had anything close to a dominant performance though against Wisconsin and Penn State provided a few clutch catches. So the question of not including guys like Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor in the rotation might be worth asking. Victor doesn’t have the current college-level size at least, but Mack could see the field should the coaching staff decide to have him in.

Regardless, the unit has had trouble forming separation from opposing defenses. Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, James Clark, Johnnie Dixon and K.J. Hill all have been involved at some degree but have failed to come up with consistent playmaking ability during the games. With J.T. Barrett being harassed seemingly all game, it would certainly make his job easier if the receivers could elevate their games. And it looks like Meyer is hoping this comment might do just that.

“According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Buckeyes have a 70 percent chance to enter their matchup with Michigan without another loss. Then they have a 44 percent chance to beat the Wolverines, and with a win, would be at least a 75 percent favorite against any team from the West in a Big Ten championship game.”

- Heather Dinich, ESPN


All hope is not lost when it comes to the chances of Ohio State making the College Football Playoff. In fact, it might be easier than originally thought. As you can see above in the quote, the Buckeyes are going to likely be favored to win the rest of their games before the battle against Michigan. But should they run the table to that point, Ohio State will be looking strong (especially with a win over a ranked Nebraska team) down the stretch. Beating Michigan will be no small feat, but the Buckeyes are certainly capable of it in the annual rivalry game having won every game against the Wolverines since Urban Meyer was hired.

From there, its entirely possible that Ohio State would meet with a team like Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game for a shot at the College Football Playoff spot. No one is saying its an easy road for the Buckeyes, but the chances of them making it back in aren’t impossible. Even with the loss to Penn State, J.T. Barrett and co. still have a lot of time to turn things around. But they need to start the winning once again this week against Northwestern.

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Google Corey Smith expected to return to practice for Buckeyes - 247Sports

Corey Smith expected to return to practice for Buckeyes - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Corey Smith expected to return to practice for Buckeyes
247Sports
Wide receiver Corey Smith was expected to be a starter for Ohio State this season. Instead, the sixth-year senior from Akron hasn't caught a pass and has barely ...

and more »


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Google Changes being made to Buckeyes starters - CBS sports.com (blog)

Changes being made to Buckeyes starters - CBS sports.com (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Changes being made to Buckeyes starters
CBS sports.com (blog)
Changes being made to Buckeyes starters. Loading. Dave Biddle joins Chris Wittyngham with some possible changes coming to the Ohio State offense. Watch your Team Videos ▽. Please log in or register to view your favorite teams video. Watch our Partner ...


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LGHL Urban Meyer knows the power of a loss

Urban Meyer knows the power of a loss
E.L. Speyer
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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Can this year’s Ohio State team follow previous Meyer post-loss blueprints?

It wasn’t a nightmare, it really happened.

It’s the sobering, unifying thought Ohio State players, coaches and fans shared Sunday morning following the Buckeyes’ fourth quarter collapse against Penn State the night before.

On paper, it would be easy to write off Ohio State’s first true road loss in nearly five years as a fluke. The Buckeyes out-gained Penn State by 137 yards, nearly doubled the Nittany Lions in time of possession, and were significantly better at converting on third downs.

In reality, it was anything but that. The heartbreak in Happy Valley was weeks in the making.

Indiana proved that you could stifle Ohio State’s attack by stacking the box, forcing J.T. Barrett to make plays with the deep ball. Wisconsin reinforced that idea, while exposing new issues in the Buckeyes’ pass protection. Penn State didn’t teach us anything new. The Nittany Lions merely served as a tipping point.

Ever since Tom Herman departed as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator following the Buckeyes’ championship run in 2014, Urban Meyer has followed a simple blueprint in close games:

  1. Conservative offense. The quarterback run is your friend
  2. Suffocate your opponent with tight coverage and a vicious pass rush
  3. Consistently execute on special teams

At the end of the day, it’s hard to argue with this habit. Meyer almost always goes into games with the more talented team, and even if he sometimes coaches not to lose rather than to win, he still finds victories at a historical clip.

The problem with this strategy is that it leaves little room for error, even in games where on paper the Buckeyes should easily win. The offense was certainly conservative Saturday night. The defense was for the most part suffocating, save for uncharacteristically surrendering two long but quick touchdown drives. Maybe the handful of defensive lapses wouldn’t have haunted Ohio State, had the offense hit on a few more explosive plays.

Moreover, maybe the game wouldn’t have been decided by two special teams plays had Meyer properly deployed his offensive weapons, rather than wage a war of field position.

It’s fair for Ohio State fans to second-guess the team’s coaching following a game marred by such questionable decisions; Why are we still talking about the need to give Curtis Samuel more touches? Why did the Buckeyes dial up long passes to James Clark and Terry McLaurin, a duo that owns a combined 12 catches this season, during the most crucial moments of the game? Why didn’t Meyer call a timeout before the fateful blocked field goal, which his team clearly wasn’t ready to take?



Still, if you’re clamoring for this player to lose his starting spot, or that coach to be canned, then you need to channel your inner Aaron Rodgers and R-E-L-A-X.

Sometimes a loss is the best thing that can happen to a team in college football, and there isn’t a coach that epitomizes this truth better than Urban Meyer. In just fourteen years as a head coach, Meyer already has three national titles to his name, and each one of his championship teams suffered a loss along the way.

In 2006 Meyer’s young but talented Florida Gators quickly rose to be ranked as the #2 team in the nation, and rode into hostile Jordan-Hare stadium with a 6-0 record for a date with the Auburn Tigers. Florida led for much of that game, until Auburn took the lead for good on a blocked kick in the second half. Sound familiar?

The 2008 Gators might be the most talented team Meyer has coached to date, but even that unit suffered an early-season loss. No matter. Florida responded by dominating in each of its next ten games, beating six ranked teams by an average of 28 points along the way.

And of course there are the 2014 Buckeyes. Are you in the mood for a fun exercise? Go watch that Ohio State team lose to an average Virginia Tech side in its home opener, the abbreviated version will do. Then, enjoy watching those same Buckeyes in their finest moments against Wisconsin, or Alabama, or Oregon. Heck, if you have an excess of free time, watch all three.

It’s incredible to reflect on how much that team transformed in the span of a few months, and it speaks to Meyer’s ability to not just recruit talent, but develop it. By and large, Meyer’s teams have always improved throughout the course of a season. You should feel confident that this supremely young team will continue to develop, too.

Additionally, Saturday’s setback should serve as a catalyst for Meyer to identify the core issues that have plagued his team this season, and quickly find remedies. Like most coaches, Meyer is a stubborn individual. It’s possible that in light of his success, he sometimes needs to see a loss before significantly changing Ohio State’s approach.

Take last year, for example. Meyer needed to experience the meltdown against Michigan State before finally changing the staff’s play-calling structure, despite having an offense filled with NFL talent that looked pedestrian for its first ten games. Offensive Coordinator Ed Wariner was moved to call plays from the booth for the following two games, and the offense produced its two best performances of the season in response.

Last year’s loss came at the wrong time to the wrong opponent. Losing to Penn State hurts, but all of the team’s goals are still in tact. If Ohio State wins out, it will almost certainly find itself playing for a Big Ten Championship and trip to the playoffs in early December.

The road to Indianapolis will be a winding one, filled with potholes and potential pitfalls. The Buckeyes will have to rebound against a hungry Northwestern team, which seems to be playing better football each week. After that is Nebraska, currently the 7th-ranked team in the country. Then, after a trip to Maryland, the Buckeyes finish with both of its rivals from the state up north. Michigan State always plays Ohio State tough, regardless of records. Michigan looks every bit deserving of its #2 ranking.

The Buckeyes clearly need to fix their most obvious flaws to have any chance of beating Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines in that annual struggle. The tackles need to be better in pass protection, and the coaches should consider keeping a tight end or running back in to block when their main protectors aren’t getting the job done. Barrett needs to be more efficient in the passing game, and the coaches could help him develop better chemistry with his pass catches by shortening the receiver rotation. Most importantly, if the Buckeyes are to fall again, they should go down swinging; not dodging punches waiting until the end of the round. This means getting its best play makers, like Samuel, involved early and often.

If you don’t have faith that Meyer will make improvements, then honestly, find another hobby. This ride he’s taking the program on is a once in a lifetime kind of thing. And there is arguably not a coach in the country more qualified to turn this ship around.

“A bunch of players are hurting, bunch of coaches are hurting,” said Meyer Monday afternoon. “This one’s put to bed. You’ve got to move forward.”

A bunch of fans are hurting too, but some perspective is needed.

It’s time to move forward.

On to Northwestern.

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LGHL Is keeping Curtis Samuel involved the key to Ohio State’s playoff hopes?

Is keeping Curtis Samuel involved the key to Ohio State’s playoff hopes?
Matt Tamanini
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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After only two rushes against Penn State, the H-back will have to be more involved moving forward.

The first loss of a season has a funny way of putting things into perspective; not just for fans, but for players and coaches as well. In 2014, Ohio State dropped a stunner to unranked Virginia Tech before winning out to claim the first College Football Playoff Championship. The next year, an upset at the hands of No. 9 Michigan State derailed their chances for back-to-back titles, but the Buckeyes ended the season outscoring No. 12 Michigan and No. 8 Notre Dame 86-41 to end the season.

So, despite last Saturday’s loss to Penn State, there is still hope for Ohio State to make it back to the CFB Playoff. So, as Urban Meyer said to the media on Monday, it’s time to move on and start focusing on what needs to be done to make the most of whatever awaits for the rest of the season; no matter how mad you were Saturday night.

Many fans were particularly perturbed by unusual playcalling that felt uncomfortably similar to that of the 2015 Michigan State loss, in which stud running back Ezekiel Elliot ran the ball only 12 times for 33 yards. In the next two games, the future Dallas Cowboy ran for 214 yards on 30 carries against the Wolverines and 149 on 27 rushes against the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl. Will the OSU coaching staff use last Saturday’s loss as a way to reexamine what has and hasn’t worked thus far in 2016? Let’s hope so.

If you concede that the special teams blunders that ultimately played a large role in Penn State’s victory were little more than aberrations for an otherwise top-notch unit, besides porous offensive line play, the most glaring deficiencies for the team is an inability for the Buckeyes to get consistent production on offense against stout defenses.

On Saturday, wide receivers caught a combined five passes for 70 yards against the Nittany Lions. The remaining 23 passes from quarterback J.T. Barrett went to three different backs and tight end Marcus Baugh.

All four of those pass-catchers are solid performers, but only one has proven to be a reliable and dynamic playmaker. H-back Curtis Samuel leads the team in all-purpose yards at 998 on 101 touches from scrimmage. He leads the team in both yards per carry and yards per target, and he is just two tenths of a percentage behind running back Mike Weber in terms of Catch Rate while working far more often downfield than the freshman.

That is why it was frustrating to many Buckeye fans on Saturday, that it took Samuel nearly 21 minutes of game time and 24 offensive snaps to get his first touch. Barrett over threw him twice before that, but for the player who leads the team in touchdowns scored, that seemed odd.

Meyer agreed; “Curtis is the one guy that I'm trying to make sure touches the ball and I think he did okay,” he said in his Monday news conference. “Early in the game I understood we played a bunch of plays before he got it. That shouldn't happen. But they were also forcing us to get out of some plays with some of the things they were doing.”

That is why going into this Saturday’s matchup against a resurgent Northwestern team, H-back Curtis Samuel is the offensive player to watch.

The stats


Name: Curtis Samuel
Number: 4
Position: H-back
Year: Junior
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 197 lbs.
Rushing: 527 yards, 4 TDs
Receiving: 471 yards, 3 TDs



Against the Nittany Lions, Samuel provided the most exciting play from scrimmage; the back took a 3rd and 2 handoff 74 yards to the end zone, the longest carry of his career. Though there were more then 25 minutes left in regulation when he put the Bucks up 19-7, Samuel got only one more carry in the game, for which he was stopped for a three-yard loss.

Opposition research

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David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

After two difficult losses to start the season, the Wildcats have been quietly building momentum knocking off Iowa, Michigan State, and Indiana in consecutive weeks to start October.

The NU secondary has suffered injuries to nearly every defensive back that has seen the field this year; in turn, they have given up 282.4 passing yards per game, 111th in the country. However, as of late, the run defense has been picking up the slack after a few less than ideal early outcomes.

The unit gave up 198 on the ground to Western Michigan in a 22-21 season opening loss. Then to kick off Big Ten play, the Wildcats gave up a whopping 310 to Nebraska en route to a 24-13 defeat. Since then, however, they have given up just 79, 51, and 84 against the Hoosiers, Spartans, and Hawkeyes respectively. This turnaround has them up to 32nd in rushing defense nationally.

Northwestern boasts a strong linebacking corps, no doubt much to head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s delight. All-America candidate Anthony Walker Jr. and senior Jaylen Prater have combined for 87 tackles on the season, more than 21% of the team’s total. Against Indiana on Saturday, Walker recorded 11 tackles, including two for loss.



While the LBs are more than formidable, the real menace to opposing offenses is Ifeadi Odenigbo. The former liability leads the Big Ten in sacks with eight, and has nine total tackles for loss. The senior lineman from Centerville, OH is an impressive combination of speed and strength at 6’3”, 295 lbs. After shaky O-line play haunted Ohio State against PSU, one or two lineman will need to account for Odenigbo every time Barrett drops back to pass.




What to watch for


With Meyer’s comments about needing to get Samuel involved earlier in the game, there will be no doubt that Fitzgerald will look to recreate Penn State’s plan of limiting his touches. However, while last Saturday didn’t show it, at times this year, the offensive coaching staff has been adept at getting Samuel the ball in a multitude of ways. With his dynamic skill set, it would behoove the Ohio State offense to create as many opportunities to get him in space as possible.



The majority of Ohio State’s running plays this season have come on the zone read between Barrett and running back Mike Weber. However, with only two rushes for Samuel against Penn State, despite OSU leading the entire game until there was less than four and a half minutes left, it would make sense for Coaches Warinner and Beck to mix back in the options and sweeps that worked earlier in the season for Samuel.



While Ohio State can probably win many, if not most, of their remaining games with a staunch defense and the vanilla zone read-heavy offense, if they are going to reassert themselves in the playoff conversation, they will have to figure out how to recreate the explosive offense that catapulted them to No. 2 in the rankings earlier this season.

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Google Did one game cost Buckeyes' JT Barrett Heisman invite? - Cincinnati.com

Did one game cost Buckeyes' JT Barrett Heisman invite? - Cincinnati.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Did one game cost Buckeyes' JT Barrett Heisman invite?
Cincinnati.com
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett managed to drop from No. 2 in USA TODAY Sports' Heisman Watch one week ago to not even among the 13 names listed among the "just off the list" in the latest watch. Does one subpar performance really mean ...


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Google Three Buckeyes included on PFF's Top NFL Rookies List - 247Sports

Three Buckeyes included on PFF's Top NFL Rookies List - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Three Buckeyes included on PFF's Top NFL Rookies List
247Sports
Ohio State had a record 12 players taken in the first 4 rounds of the NFL Draft last spring. While some of those players were expected to take some time in developing into potential impact players, a few of them have already blossomed into NFL stars in ...

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BTN Audio: Listen to your Big Ten coach’s Week 9 teleconference

Audio: Listen to your Big Ten coach’s Week 9 teleconference
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Each Tuesday morning during the Big Ten football season, the 14 Big Ten football coaches hold a Big Ten teleconference with reporters from around the country. We post the audio for each segment of the call here. Listen to your coach below.Filed under: Audio Tagged: Teleconferences
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LGHL Ohio State-Northwestern 2016 depth chart: No changes coming off loss

Ohio State-Northwestern 2016 depth chart: No changes coming off loss
Ian Cuevas
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa-today-9626853.0.jpg

The latest depth chart has no changes as the Buckeyes look to rebound from their road loss.

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Ohio State dropped its first game of the season on the road at Penn State and returns with a blemish on its record. With hopes of bouncing back strong, the Buckeyes host Northwestern on Saturday to get things moving in the right direction and make a run from here on out. Here’s a look at the depth chart for the game.

J.T. Barrett is the starting quarterback and will be for the entirety of the season, barring injury. Barrett struggled with his offensive line and his wide receivers for much of the night but still managed to throw for 245 yards and a touchdown on 28-of-43 passing. With not a lot of protection, especially in the second half, Barrett was contained well by the Penn State defense and hopes to have a better outing against the Wildcats. Joe Burrow remains the backup.

At running back, Mike Weber remains the starter with OR in between he and Samuel. Weber rushed for 71 yards on 21 carries and was held to an average of 3.4 yards per carry. Samuel added two carries on the ground and amassed 71 yards and a touchdown, in large part due to his 74-yard touchdown run.

The starters are the same as in previous weeks, as the receiving core continues its growth. Noah Brown OR Parris Campbell starts at X, Corey Smith OR Johnnie Dixon, and Terry McLaurin OR James Clark at Z. Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor are the third-string options. Seven different players caught passes on Saturday, with Brown having the biggest day among the receiving core. He had three catches for 45 yards.

The H-back spot remains with Curtis Samuel OR Dontre Wilson. Samuel continues to be one of the more electrifying players in the country, rushing for 71 yards and a touchdown on two carries while also hauling in eight receptions for 68 yards. Wilson had a quiet game with just two receptions for 16 yards.

The tight end spot is firmly locked down by Marcus Baugh with A.J. Alexander listed as the backup. Baugh had arguably his best game as a Buckeye, catching five passes for 55 yards and a sweet touchdown in the first half.

The offensive line starters are listed as Jamarco Jones, Michael Jordan, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, and Isaiah Prince (from left to right). The offensive line continued their recent struggles, giving up five sacks in the second half alone of the Penn State game. They’ll need to get back on track for Ohio State to be successful the rest of the season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Sam Hubbard OR Jayln Holmes and Tyquan Lewis remain listed as the defensive end starters. The backups at defensive end are Nick Bosa OR Jonathon Cooper. In the middle, Michael Hill anchors the defensive line alongside Dre’Mont Jones who replaced Tracy Sprinkle and Davon Hamilton is listed as the co-starter with Jones.

The linebacking core continues to be a strong unit. Raekwon McMillan is still slotted in at middle linebacker. Surrounding him are outside linebackers Chris Worley and Dante Booker OR Jerome Baker. Booker suffered a slight MCL sprain early on against Bowling Green and a combination of Joe Burger and Jerome Baker have stepped in very well in his place. Rashod Berry, Joe Burger, and Craig Fada are your backups. Baker has been the one to fill in for Booker as of late, and has played well.

At cornerback, Gareon Conley is the starter on one end and Marshon Lattimore OR Denzel Ward on the other for the second corner spot. For safeties, Damon Webb slides over this season with Malik Hooker getting the other safety spot. Erick Smith is listed as the backup to Hooker, while Jordan Fuller is the backup to Webb. The secondary didn’t have much luck coming up with interceptions, though Conley appeared to have one before they ruled it incomplete.

For special teams, sophomore walk-on Tyler Durbin continues to be the starter at kicker for both kickoffs and field goals as Sean Nuernberger recovers from a groin injury that forced him to miss most of camp. Durbin missed one of his two extra points against Penn State, but did knock in two field goals with a long of 33. He did have one of his attempts blocked and returned for a touchdown that would end up being the game-winner for the Nittany Lions.

Senior Cameron Johnston remains as the punter, and that’s no surprise considering he’s been a mainstay since his freshman season and has done a tremendous job. Against Penn State he had a punt blocked that set up the Nittany Lions in great scoring position. He did punt seven other times, averaging about 45 yards each punt.

At punt return, Dontre Wilson OR Corey Smith OR Curtis Samuel are all in play. Handling kickoff returns will be Dontre Wilson OR James Clark OR Johnnie Dixon. The long-snapping duties are given to Liam McCollough, and holding for kicks is Cameron Johnston.

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LGHL J.T. Barrett was letdown by the Ohio State coaching staff vs Penn State

J.T. Barrett was letdown by the Ohio State coaching staff vs Penn State
Christopher Jason
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


617308226.0.jpg

The Buckeye quarterback was constantly under siege and needs more help.

The improbable and unthinkable happened in Happy Valley last Saturday night and it happened for a various amount of reasons — all of which are key ingredients to pulling off a major upset:

  1. Scoring on special teams: Game-winning blocked field goal returned for a touchdown and a blocked punt, leading to points.
  2. Getting to the quarterback: We’ll get to this.
  3. Hitting on big plays: Only four Penn State receivers caught passes, but they each had a long reception of over 20 yards. Saquon Barkley was held for under 100-yards on the ground, but he had a long rush of 37-yards.

If we were to go back through Ohio State’s losses under Urban Meyer, the offense has been the issue in just about all of them — besides the Orange Bowl versus Clemson. When they find themselves in a dog fight, the offensive line is typically getting abused and/or they lean on the quarterback too much and get away from what got them there in the first place.

We can go back to the 2013 Big Ten Championship Game, where they went away from Carlos Hyde and only trusted Braxton Miller with the ball in his hands — even in short yardage. Then there was the 2014 loss to Virginia Tech, where Bud Foster surprised the Ohio State coaching staff with the Bear Front, which he used in the past. The Buckeyes surrendered 15 pressures and eight sacks against the Hokies that night. Then last year’s loss against Michigan State, where the best running back in the country touched the ball 12 total times on the day, compared to the quarterback running the ball 15 times. Then last Saturday night, where one of the most electrifying players in the country had two carries, after having 12 carries and 18 total touches the prior week (we’ll get to the offensive line in a bit). The games that they lose are due to coaching and the lack of putting players in the correct position to win the game.

Sure, if you start at Ohio State, you should win your one-on-one battles against inferior opponents. But the lack of in-game adjustments and the constant overcompensation from the prior week’s game plan is just plain strange.

This was written in last week’s breakdown of the Wisconsin game:

If we were to go back to last week’s breakdown, we mentioned that Ed Warinner needs to figure out how to get the ball into Curtis Samuel’s hands more often. This week was quite the opposite. It was nice to see Samuel touch the ball 18 times, but he needs to figure out how to balance the carries between Samuel and Weber. At the half, Samuel had 11 touches, while Weber had four and Wilson had zero. It’s almost like they tend to overcompensate the following game to fix last week’s issues. It shouldn’t surprise us if Weber gets the majority of the touches in the first half of next week’s game.

So what did Ed Warinner do after Samuel touched the ball ‘too much?’ He responded by handing the ball off to Mike Weber 21 times, while Samuel carried the ball twice — one of which he scored on a 74-yard run. We should be all-for Weber hammering the defense, but newsflash: Penn State does not have the same caliber of athlete that Ohio State possesses in Curtis Samuel. In fact, Samuel’s first touch of the game occurred on a reception at the 9:21 mark of the 2nd Quarter. What has happened to the diversity that this team showed against Oklahoma? They are unstoppable when the ball is being spread around. Inexcusable playcalling.

Onto the Penn State review:

J.T. Barrett’s Passing Chart vs Penn State

Designed Runs
Dropbacks
Completions
Incompletions
Total TD
Scrambles
Overthrows
Throwaways
6​
51​
26​
14​
1​
5​
3​
2
Pressured
Sacked
Hit
Pass Break-Up
Batted at LOS
Drops
Turnovers
Defensive PI
26​
6​
7​
2​
0​
4​
0​
0​

There are major question marks regarding this chart. The first thing that stands out is the 51 times that J.T. Barrett dropped back. The game was being played in a crazy, wet environment, the Buckeyes led by 12-plus points at two different instances in the game, the line could not block and Penn State never led until there was 4:27 left in the ball game. Why is Barrett throwing the ball 43 times when they have never once been a passing team, especially on the road and against an inferior opponent?

To make matter worse, the offensive line could not pass protect — especially Isaiah Prince. Out of Barrett’s 51 dropbacks, he was pressured a whopping 26 times, hit seven times and sacked six times. Price himself accounted for 19 pressures, four hits and three sacks. If there is one weak link on the offensive line during a game, wouldn’t it be helpful to keep a tight end in on his side to help — since Penn State constantly brought a linebacker off the edge — or call a screen or a draw to that side? The pressure numbers would be even greater if Barrett didn’t pull multiple Houdini acts to avoid a sack.

Barrett gained 20-plus yards on this play, somehow:

10-24-2016%204-31-33%20PM.jpg


This just can’t happen:

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If an individual player is allowing such gaudy pressure numbers, the staff needs to find a way to help him — especially if they do not trust a backup player in that spot. Instead, they dropped Barrett back over-and-over again and ultimately left him out to dry — in a game where they led for 90-percent of the time.

Barrett’s passing numbers did not look great, but he played on of his better games under the terrible circumstances that he was given. He kept calm in the pocket while avoiding rushers and constantly kept his eyes downfield, looking to make a play. The receivers — sans Samuel and Noah Brown — have all regressed since the Oklahoma game and can no longer get open. They aren’t facing Thorpe Award candidates and should be winning these one-on-one battles.

Overall, J.T. Barrett battled the entire game, in a game where he shouldn’t have even been asked to battle. Once again, the staff over-thought the game plan and it resulted in a Buckeye loss. Unlike last season, they can luckily (hopefully) bail themselves out by winning out and making the playoff. But if history tells us anything, expect a lot of Curtis Samuel next week against Northwestern.

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Google Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Buckeyes clinched first conference title by beating...

Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Buckeyes clinched first conference title by beating Northwestern - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Jack Looks Back: Buckeyes clinched first conference title by beating Northwestern
Columbus Dispatch
Jack Park, a leading Ohio State football historian, checks in each week during the college football season with a retrospective about the Buckeyes. After a disappointing trip to Penn State last weekend, No.6 Ohio State will return home for a 3:30 pm ...
Penn State's upset of Ohio State was a shocker, but it did little to hurt the Buckeyes' odds to win the College ...ESPN
Ohio State football: What is the biggest issue plaguing the Buckeyes right now?cleveland.com
Penn State football left the Buckeyes a devastated bunch looking to bounce backThe Daily Collegian Online
FOXSports.com -Bleacher Report -Toledo Blade
all 1,460 news articles »


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Google 3 In The Kee: Why one analytics side rates the Buckeyes, Badgers and Hoosiers — and not...

3 In The Kee: Why one analytics side rates the Buckeyes, Badgers and Hoosiers — and not Iowa — as having the Big ... - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


3 In The Kee: Why one analytics side rates the Buckeyes, Badgers and Hoosiers — and not Iowa — as having the Big ...
Landof10.com
3 In The Kee: Why one analytics side rates the Buckeyes, Badgers and Hoosiers — and not Iowa — as having the Big Ten's best offensive lines. Sean Keeler. Land of 10 Writer-Columnist. @SeanKeeler. More stories by Sean Keeler. Nebraska center Dylan ...

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LGHL Don’t worry, you weren’t the only one mad online after Ohio State’s loss

Don’t worry, you weren’t the only one mad online after Ohio State’s loss
Colton Denning
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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We come to grips with the Buckeyes’ loss in Happy Valley and more.

It had to happen again at some point, right? For the first time since last November —and only the fifth time in the Urban Meyer era— Ohio State lost a football game.

The 24-21 defeat in Happy Valley was a sudden punch to the gut, and naturally left many Buckeye fans #mad #online. Your hosts of The Hangout in the Holyland weren’t exempt from those feelings, and decided to let them out on this week’s episode.

But, rather than beat a dead horse by talking about the struggles of the offensive line, wide receivers, or special teams, Matt Brown and Colton Denning spent time this week discussing:

  • Why their personal feelings about the Penn State football program make the loss sting even more
  • Why a loss was inevitable after what we’ve seen the past three weeks
  • Being more upset with the process of the loss than the actual result
  • Penn State deserving credit for the win, and remembering that Meyer’s teams have a history of strong play after losing

Afterwards, the guys preview Ohio State’s upcoming game versus Northwestern, their fraudulent journalism school improving offense, and why they think the Wildcats are going to get steamrolled.

Finally, the podcast goes off the rails as they talk World Series, Colton turns heel and buries both Cubs and Indians fans, and Matt discusses his wife’s awesome takeover of his Twitter account.

You can find the podcast on our iTunes page, and we strongly encourage reviews, comments, criticisms, etc. to help us deliver the best possible audio product. The more we hear from you, the better we can make it. We’re also on Soundcloud, the SB Nation podcast page, and you can subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

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Google Buckeyes in the NFL: Week 7 - 247Sports

Buckeyes in the NFL: Week 7 - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes in the NFL: Week 7
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! With so many Buckeyes gracing the rosters of NFL teams, each Tuesday, Bucknuts will take a look at how each former Ohio ...


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LGHL Elite safety sets Ohio State visit

Elite safety sets Ohio State visit
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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The Buckeyes are hoping to land yet another top-rated commit from Bishop Gorman.

Urban Meyer and the Ohio State football program have established a solid recruiting relationship with one of the country’s most prestigious high-school football programs in Bishop Gorman. The Buckeyes have already earned three top-100 recruits from the program in four-star quarterback Tate Martell, four-star wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey and four-star defensive tackle Haskell Garrett.

It may not end there as Gorman safety Bubba Bolden announced that he will be taking his first official visit to Ohio State on Nov. 5 when the Buckeyes take on No. 7 Nebraska. The game looks to provide an electric environment which should help Ohio State’s chances on landing the No. 77 best player in the 2017 recruiting class.

Standing at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Bolden possesses the size to deliver big hits on opposing players and also has the athleticism to cover the entire field. He has shown the ability to find the ball in the air, allowing him to put himself into a position to make a play on it.

While there is no doubt Bolden has ties to the program, there is an issue with space at the position. The Buckeyes already hold a commitment at the position in this year’s class – four-star Isiah Pryor (Bradenton, FL / IMG Academy) – and is considered the favorite to land five-star Jeffrey Okudah (Grand Prairie, TX / South Grand Prairie.)

However, Bolden is the type of sure-fire talent that Urban Meyer would have to consider making room for. The four-star prospect currently holds offers from 22 programs, with Ohio State, Arizona State, USC, Colorado and Oregon being the favorites. Also, the U.S. Army All-American was recently offered a scholarship by the arch-rival Michigan.

Look for Ohio State to continue to go after Bolden if not for depth reasons alone.


️SU official set up for Nov. 5th!

— BUBBA BOLDEN (@BubbBolden) October 24, 2016
Shaun Wade sets Alabama official visit date


Just days after stating he was 100 percent committed to Ohio State, five-star defensive back Shaun Wade (Jacksonville, FL / Trinity Christian Academy) reportedly scheduled an official visit to fellow recruiting juggernaut Alabama.


2017 5* CB and Ohio State commit Shaun Wade will be taking an official visit to #Alabama on November 26th for the Iron Bowl.

— Bobby Kunz (@TDALMAGKunz) October 24, 2016

While he currently plays both WR and DB, Wade is seen as one of the best DB’s in the 2017 class and is the 21st overall player, according to 274Sports Composite Rankings. One of the first commitments in the star-studded 2017 top-rated recruiting class, he began receiving attention from standout colleges across the nation, early on in high school.

Despite committing to the Buckeyes immediately after their National Championship victory, Wade continued to hear from outside programs. While he has always ensured he wants to stick true to his word, the 6-foot-1, 177-pound DB continued to take multiple visits to other schools and heard their sales pitches. The official visit to Alabama will be his second – he reported visited the Crimson Tide earlier in October.

Wade is reportedly trying to make it to Columbus for the Buckeyes home game against Nebraska, giving the Buckeyes another chance to reaffirm the elite prospect’s decision. Like previously mentioned, the game looks to be a good one as the Cornhuskers have been having a great season.

Wade will reportedly take at least one more official visit to Virginia Tech and plans to have a decision by the end of November to enroll early. Make sure to follow Land-Grant Holy Land as we follow his recruitment.

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Google Ohio State football | Buckeyes aim to regroup after rare loss - Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State football | Buckeyes aim to regroup after rare loss - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Buckeyes aim to regroup after rare loss
Columbus Dispatch
The Ohio State coach endured his session with reporters eager to dissect the Buckeyes' stunning 24-21 loss to Penn State. He would prefer to move ahead to this week's Big Ten game against resurgent Northwestern instead of answering questions about ...
Penn State football left the Buckeyes a devastated bunch looking to bounce backThe Daily Collegian Online
'The sun came up' for Buckeyes, despite loss to Penn State (Oct 24, 2016)FOXSports.com
Penn State's upset proves Big Ten depth -- which could be useful for BuckeyesESPN (blog)
cleveland.com -Toledo Blade -PennLive.com
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Google What next for Buckeyes after loss? - Warren Tribune Chronicle

What next for Buckeyes after loss? - Warren Tribune Chronicle
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


What next for Buckeyes after loss?
Warren Tribune Chronicle
Ohio State has things to fix, but if an autopsy was performed on the Buckeyes' first loss of the season, it would reveal the most classic of upsets: The better team lost because it made crucial mistakes and allowed its opponent to hang around long ...


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Google Michigan Football: How Buckeyes Loss Could help the Wolverines - GBMWolverine

Michigan Football: How Buckeyes Loss Could help the Wolverines - GBMWolverine
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Michigan Football: How Buckeyes Loss Could help the Wolverines
GBMWolverine
Of course, it's always good to see Ohio State lose. But here is how the Buckeyes loss can really benefit Michigan football. As every Michigan football fan can attest to, there is something great about watching the Ohio State Buckeyes lose. Related ...


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Google Meyer tells 4-star recruit Buckeyes will still get it done - 247Sports

Meyer tells 4-star recruit Buckeyes will still get it done - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Meyer tells 4-star recruit Buckeyes will still get it done
247Sports
Do you think that the Buckeyes' pass-efficiency rating is skewed significantly by super-passing-numbers in blowouts that mask the lack of significant pass-efficiency in the tighter "sphincter clamp" games that we have all witnessed too much this season?

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