Buckeyes Men’s Rugby Jumps To 1-0 In Big 10 Play
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Last Saturday at Fred Beekman Park our Buckeyes defeated the Boilermakers of Purdue to open the Big 10 2016 season 52-12. Purdue opened their Big 10 season against the 19th ranked Badgers of Wisconsin on September 17th with a big loss – 79-8

Ohio took advantage of a bounce in the second minute of the match, scoring a try by freshman flanker Spencer Krueger. The Buckeyes’ next try wasn’t as much of a gift … after waiting another 25 minutes for it arrived when freshman Nate Heister followed his teammate past the try line a few minutes after Purdue received a yellow card.

The Ohio State backline took over the midfield and dominated the open play, scoring five tries and bringing the Buckeye total to an astonishing 45. The personal tries of inside center Jaime Barlow and fullback Ronan Forrestal, along with Jo Jo Eramo’s hat-trick through the middle of the match were only disturbed by Purdue’s try in the 37th minute, giving the Boilermakers their first seven points.

The game was capped by forward substitute Nate Grose’s try from a quick tap from the 22m mark in the 75th minute. Nate looked good on this play, showing tremendous and promising potential. The final score of the match was Ohio State 52, Purdue 12.

The Buckeyes now face off with Iowa in Columbus before whipping into a three-week road series where they are pitted against Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan State.

The Buckeyes look to remain undefeated in the Big 10.
Go Buckeyes! See you there on the 1st of October at Fred Beekman Park.

The post Buckeyes Men’s Rugby Jumps To 1-0 In Big 10 Play appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Gameday+ | Rob Oller commentary: Earle Bruce dotting 'i' is fitting honor for still-intense former coach - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Gameday+ | Rob Oller commentary: Earle Bruce dotting 'i' is fitting honor for still-intense former coach
Columbus Dispatch
When the Buckeyes defeated the Golden Gophers "only" by a 34-7 score — “Woody wanted 65 points,” Bruce recalled — Hayes blamed the offensive malaise on “that damn movie” and assigned running backs coach Rudy Hubbard to select future films.
Anthony Hines, a four-star LB and Ohio State target, sets Buckeyes official visit datecleveland.com
Essay -- Never, ever get married during an Ohio State gameESPN
Heat Check: Another Bishop Gorman Star Emerges While a Pair of Longtime Targets Fall From the BoardEleven Warriors
Hometownlife.com
all 16 news articles »

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Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel shows up on an early All-America list
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A few games in, and Samuel has made a positive impression.

“The top playmaker for the Ohio State offense, [Curtis] Samuel has been productive out of the backfield and in the slot,”

– Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus


As conference play is heating up on the gridiron, we are starting to see who the true playmakers are for each squad. Pro Football Focus took the liberty in creating their early-season All-American list – and a Buckeye was mentioned.

It shouldn’t be too surprising that Curtis Samuel made PFF’s All-America report as the running back, however, it is a little surprising that only one Ohio State member cracked the list.

PFF has Louisville’s Lamar Jackson as their All-America quarterback – which makes sense. On the wide receiving end, Chad Hansen (from Cal) and Amba Etta-Tawo (Syracuse) were chosen as the pass catchers in addition to Ryan Switzer (North Carolina) at slot receiver.

Going to the defensive side of the ball, there is a slew of SEC talent. Alabama has two members of their squad listed in the interior defenseman and defensive back categories. Myles Garrett, from Texas A&M, and Arden Key, from LSU, are penciled in at the defensive edge positions.

There’s nothing to worry about, though, as there is plenty of football left for the likes of J.T. Barrett, Noah Brown and Raekwon McMillan to find themselves in an All-America list somewhere.

“Zeke is like a little brother to me,” Hyde said during a recent sit-down interview with 49ers Studios. “I’m definitely going to swap jerseys with him. That’s my guy right there.”

– Carlos Hyde to Joe Fann, the San Francisco 49ers team reporter, 49ers.com


Ohio State has been a running back factory since the days of Woody Hayes. Since the arrival of Urban Meyer, carrying the rock successfully at OSU has led to a couple of Buckeyes having a successful time in the NFL.

Recently, former Buckeye bulldozer Carlos Hyde spoke to Joe Fann, a reporter for the San Francisco 49ers, about his one-year with Ezekiel Elliott in their scarlet and gray days.

Hyde says that he knew Zeke was going to be the “next man up” at Ohio State after Hyde went to the NFL. The article notes that Elliott watched Hyde’s game film while a Buckeye, and tried to mimic what he saw Hyde do on the field. So far, so good, as both former Buckeyes are stars in the professional football circuit.

So far this season, Hyde has scored four touchdowns – tied for most in the NFL – and rushed for 225 yards, according to the article. For Elliott, he’s gotten into the endzone twice, while rushing for 274 yards.

In Week 4, we’ll have a chance to witness Hyde v. Elliott, as the 49ers take on the Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday.

Former Buckeye basketballer to sign with Lebanon club

– Asia-Basket.com


Moving to the hardwood, a former baller from Thad Matta’s 2009 season is about to find a new home to play hoops, according to asia-basket.com.

Byron Mullens was the 2009 Big Ten Conference sixth-man of the year and the 24th overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, going to the Dallas Mavericks. However, he was dealt from the Mavs to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and journeyed across a few other NBA teams before going overseas to play basketball in 2014.

Recently, Mullens was playing in the Turkish league – a place where he averaged about 10 points per game and 2 rebounds per game. Combined with Mullen’s accolades throughout his career and a pretty good scouting report, he looks to keep doing work on the hardwood in Lebanon. The article notes that Mullens can be described as having a “good sense at where he is on the floor” and being labeled as an “excellent finisher”.

Hoops Club (Lebanon) is the team reportedly trying to get Mullens.

Stick to Sports


• The ‘But for Ohio State’ campaign did pretty well. Like, $3 billion pretty well.

• Fun fact: Michigan State has been outscored 68-6 in their last two losses.

• To smile or not to smile in passport photos? A French court will decide.

• Some people think HTML is a disease.

• FIFA 17 has been out less than a week, and the reviews are looking pretty good.

• The New York Times envisions a new Penn Station.

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Ohio State Buckeyes to crush Rutgers: Bill Livingston (video) - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes to crush Rutgers: Bill Livingston (video)
cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Joe Theisman, Irving Fryer, Franco Harris. Jack Tatum, Lydell Mitchell, Frank Tripucka. Helmet catch Super Bowl hero David Tyree, Phil Villapiano, Art Still, Jim Ringo. Mike Rozier, Jim Kiick, Joe Flacco. Ron Dayne. What do they have ...


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What Do You Want To See? Rutgers
Scott via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Enough with the idle week stuff. Let’s get back to Buckeye football.
And it’s Rutgers. What more could we want. One of the also-rans of the B1G. Wait, OSU’s former defensive coordinator Chris Ash is the head coach now and has brought some of his Buckeye stuff to New Jersey? I’ll believe it when I see it. Hopefully we won’t see it.
But here are a few things I and the rest of the staff want to see.

Scott
A quick win: Let’s get this one over with early so some of the backups can get some quality minutes.
No injuries: Stay healthy, please.
No false starts: Self-explanatory.
Shutout: I will ask for one every week.
JC
Be ready: I want to see an intensity by the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball that indicates they will not take any team on the schedule lightly.
Poll this: I want the voters of the polls to know that the Buckeyes are on a mission this year with their “rebuilding” year.
You watching up there?: I want TTUN to take notice and booger-eater Jimbo to recognize what coaching means in The Big Ten and especially the “Rivalry”.
Split them up: I also want to see Ed Warriner & Tim Beck to separate … send one to the field … and trust in your talent…let loose!

Ben
Health part deux: I want to see a game with no significant injuries and a convincing win.
Don’t let up: In a week where there are three top-10 matchups, we are going to start to see teams separate themselves from the pack, and the Buckeyes need to maintain their momentum as well against Rutgers.
Shake your groove thing: Coming off a bye week can be tricky, so I want to see them get back into their groove early and put the pedal to the metal early and often.
Badgers? We need the stinkin’ Badgers: As a bonus I would like to see Wisconsin beat Michigan to shut those guys up for a while.

WVa
Nothing but base: The offense still needs to work out its base offense bugs and show the world how real this line is. I can imagine how good it will become the TTUN game. No sense wasting special stuff on Rutgers.
Take it to the house: The Silver Bullets will own all of the scoring defense numbers by the middle of the season, guaranteed. The more they score and have fun, the less they seem worried about whether the other team scores.
Growing pains: There are going to be mistakes and times the team lacks confidence in what they are doing, let that happen against Rutgers. The team from the east is less talented but players will be prepared to come in for their head coach and show what they are accomplishing for the former defenisve coordinator for the Buckeyes.

Mike M.
Do it all: I want to see the Buckeyes do whatever they want to do, and do it cleanly. Every game so far, we have had something (usually small) that needs cleaned up. Play calling, kick coverage, false starts, play clock management, etc. I want to see a clean game, where these little things don’t show up. If they’re not cleaned up against Rutgers, they can and will bite the Buckeyes later in B1G play against real competition.

The post What Do You Want To See? Rutgers appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Gameday+ | Big Ten spotlight game: Wisconsin at Michigan - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Gameday+ | Big Ten spotlight game: Wisconsin at Michigan
Columbus Dispatch
The Badgers and Wolverines are making the most of an opportunity that conference realignment has denied them for six years. Michigan hasn't been limited to fewer than 45 points this season, and Wisconsin is surprisingly undefeated after a lopsided win ...
Never, ever get married during an Ohio State gameESPN
Heat Check: Another Bishop Gorman Star Emerges While a Pair of Longtime Targets Fall From the BoardEleven Warriors
Buckeye Mike is tower of powerHometownlife.com
247Sports
all 13 news articles »

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Ohio State football | Defense emphasizes turnovers, to great effect - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Defense emphasizes turnovers, to great effect
Columbus Dispatch
Making a segment of the game a point of emphasis is paying off again for the Ohio State football team, cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said, as the Buckeyes prepare to host Rutgers on Saturday for homecoming. After three games the Buckeyes led the ...

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Anthony Hines, a four-star LB and Ohio State target, sets Buckeyes official visit date - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Anthony Hines, a four-star LB and Ohio State target, sets Buckeyes official visit date
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star linebacker Anthony Hines of Plano (Texas) East has been one of Ohio State's top-remaining 2017 recruiting targets for months, but how comfortable could the Buckeyes really be without an official visit planned? Ohio State can ...


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A top-10 clash between Wisconsin and Michigan tops Week 5’s Big Ten college football bets, odds
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ann Arbor will be the site of the clash of the unbeaten squads, while Ohio State looks for another big win.

Looking for the picks of this week’s big national games? You can find them here.

Last week ATS: 4-9 (2-4 National, 2-5 B1G)

Season ATS: 27-34-1 (11-14 National, 16-20-1 B1G)

B1G games:


Northwestern v. Iowa (-13) - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNU

This game feels like it’ll be first one to 13 points wins. Last week Northwestern only scored 13 points in a loss to Nebraska, while Iowa somehow only managed to score 14 points against Rutgers. Northwestern running back Justin Jackson needs just 56 to become the fourth running back in school history to rush for 3,000 yards.

Not only did Iowa struggle against Rutgers last week, but they lost wide receiver Matt VandeBerg to injury. The Hawkeyes still have a strong defense that could help pick up the slack and lead them to victory even when their offense isn’t clicking.

I’m sure now that I’m going to take Northwestern here that Iowa will blowout the Wildcats last last year when the Hawkeyes won 40-10. I think this is just a few too many points for two teams that are struggling to find their identity right now. Even though the Wildcats won’t win, they at least keep it within the number.

Iowa 27, Northwestern 17

No. 8 Wisconsin v. No. 4 Michigan (-10.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ABC

Is this where the clock hits midnight for the Badgers and they remember they are a so-so Wisconsin team? I think this might finally be the week. I picked LSU in the first week of the season and Michigan State last week to knock off the Badgers and I certainly was wrong on both of those. Not only is Wisconsin dealing with some injuries heading into this one, but they’ll also be starting a freshman quarterback at Michigan Stadium. Not a recipe for success.

Michigan has lost 11 straight games against top-10 opponents, but that’s a streak they should be able to end this week. The Wolverines battered Penn State last week, rushing for 326 yards and six touchdowns in the 49-10 win. They’ll have a little more trouble solving the tough Wisconsin defense, but I’m confident it’s something they’ll be able to do.

I’ll probably pay a third time for doubting Wisconsin in this one, but it’s not like I have much success when I pick them to cover either. The Michigan defense faces Alex Hornibrook into some mistakes and puts the Badgers in an early hole that they just don’t have to offense to dig themselves out of.

Michigan 30, Wisconsin 17

Purdue v. Maryland (-10.5) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

If Purdue wins, head coach Darrell Hazell will accomplish something that he has yet to during his time with the Boilermakers. Win back-to-back games. The Boilermakers rallied after falling behind Nevada last week to give Hazell his eight career win at the school. David Blough continued his strong play this year, throwing for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

After being a turnover machine last year, Maryland hasn’t committed a turnover through three games. Because of that, the Terrapins are halfway to bowl eligibility. Maryland has scored 123 points through their three games, and they should be able to put up a big number against a Purdue defense that isn’t very good.

While Purdue has a few pieces on offense that have came into their own this year, Maryland will just have too much in this one. D.J. Durkin stays undefeated as the Terrapins win by at least two touchdowns.

Maryland 38, Purdue 21

Illinois v. No. 15 Nebraska (-21) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN2

The Fighting Illini had an extra week to stew over their loss to Western Michigan, and now they have a tough road test against an undefeated Nebraska team. Lovie Smith certainly has his work cut out with him with Illinois, and it’s likely that things will get worse before they get better this season. The Fighting Illini defense has been really bad this year, allowing nearly 500 yards on the ground over the past two games.

Mike Riley and the Cornhuskers have to be licking their chops when watching tape of the Fighting Illini defense. Last week Nebraska was able to rack up 556 yards of total offense over Northwestern, and they should have at least that this week. The only puzzling thing about that number is Nebraska was only able to score 24 points despite the high yardage output.

I think Nebraska will have no problems with Illinois in this one, but I keep seeing the Fighting Illini getting some late points to get the backdoor cover. If this spread was a few points lower I would probably take Nebraska, but at three touchdowns I’m not as optimistic.

Nebraska 42, Illinois 24

Minnesota v. Penn State (-3) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

The Golden Gophers could be sneaky good this year in the Big Ten. While I don’t see them winning the Big Ten Championship Game or anything like that, they could mess around and win eight or nine games. Quarterback Mitch Leidner has been solid, and the running game has not only been effective, but also got last year’s leading rusher Shannon Brooks back last week.

I’m not sure if Penn State actually has any linebackers left for this game. Between injuries and suspension, the Nittany Lions might have to bring somebody out of the crowd to patrol the defense. Not a good thing heading into a matchup with a team that is running the ball so effectively.

Something just isn’t right at Penn State right now, and I think that continues into Saturday’s game. While Minnesota won’t be able to stop Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley as well as Michigan did, they’ll still be able to slow them down enough to earn the victory.

Minnesota 31, Penn State 28

No. 17 Michigan State (-7) v. Indiana - 8:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Who saw the Spartans getting punished by Wisconsin last week? It would say it made no sense after seeing what Michigan State did to Notre Dame, but we also saw last week that the Fighting Irish are pretty bad. One of the reasons the Spartan defense looked so bad against Wisconsin was because they were missing linebacker Riley Bullough.

Speaking of bad performances, Indiana lost at home to Wake Forest last week. No really, that was a thing that happened. It was a vintage Hoosier performance where they threw for about a billion yards and still weren’t able to win. JUCO transfer Richard Lagow has been solid for Indiana this year, and could find some holes against a beaten up Michigan State defense.

I’m torn on how this game is going to play out. I truly could see Michigan State coming out and making up for last week’s dud, but I also sort of like Indiana at home under the lights. I’m gonna bank on the loss to the Badgers last week being the start of a few losses this season for the Spartans, while maybe Wake Forest isn’t as bad as they have been in the past few years.

Indiana 35, Michigan State 31

Rutgers v. No. 2 Ohio State (-39) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Ohio State gets back to work after they had a week off following their win against Oklahoma. The extra week to prepare isn’t good news for Rutgers, since Urban Meyer is 44-3 with more than a week to prepare for his opponent. Not like it likely will matter if Ohio State had to prepare last week, since they are only playing Rutgers.

It isn’t like Chris Ash is doing a bad job at Rutgers, since it is going to take quite some time for Ash to get things turned around. Add to the difficulty on Saturday, the Scarlet Knights will be without Janarion Grant, who will miss the rest of the season due to injury. Really Grant was Rutgers only source of consistent offense this year.

Ohio State won’t have any problems putting points on the board against the Scarlet Knights, since the Buckeyes have so many weapons. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Mike Weber have his first real big game after he has gone for 351 yards in his first three games as starting running back. Add in all that Curtis Samuel can do, along with the emergence of Noah Brown, and the Buckeyes should score at least 45 points for the fourth straight game.

Urban Meyer has to be a little torn on what to do in this one. While I’m sure he doesn’t want to beat up too bad on his former assistant, he also has former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano as his co-defensive coordinator, and I’m sure Schiano is going to want his defense to get after it. The Buckeyes come into this one ready to go, which sometimes can be a problem after the bye week and have get a big win in their Big Ten opener.

Ohio State 58, Rutgers 17

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Ohio State coach Thad Matta modeled the Buckeyes' new uniforms - FOXSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State coach Thad Matta modeled the Buckeyes' new uniforms
FOXSports.com
At the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball media day on Thursday, the players apparently were occupied so head coach Thad Matta suited up to give fans a look at the team's new uniforms. true ...
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Anthony Hines, a four-star LB and Ohio State target, sets Buckeyes official visit date - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Anthony Hines, a four-star LB and Ohio State target, sets Buckeyes official visit date
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star linebacker Anthony Hines of Plano (Texas) East has been one of Ohio State's top-remaining 2017 recruiting targets for months, but how comfortable could the Buckeyes really be without an official visit planned? Ohio State can ...


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Demetrius Knox out 8 weeks after surgery on broken foot - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Demetrius Knox out 8 weeks after surgery on broken foot
ESPN
2 Buckeyes have proven early in the season that their young roster boasts plenty of talent in reserve, but the offensive line is one area where the bench remains something of a question mark for coach Urban Meyer. Knox hasn't been a significant ...
Curtis Samuel named to PFF early-season All-American team247Sports

all 9 news articles »

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The Ohio State offense should find big plays against the Rutgers defense
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State receivers should get plenty of work against Rutgers.

In the overall S&P+, Rutgers is ranked 95th, which puts them between Bowling Green and Tulsa in terms of opponent difficulty:

Avg team talent Turnover margin Net explosiveness (10+) Net explosiveness (20+) Off IsoPPP
Ohio State 91.43 (2nd) +9 (1st) +21 +8 86th
Rutgers 82.97 (54th) -2 (84th) -7 -3 72nd


Rutgers has struggled with the two areas that Tom Herman emphasizes -- turnover margin and explosiveness, as they've been less explosive than their opponents and have a negative turnover margin.

When Ohio State has the ball

S&P+ Rush success rate Rush IsoPPP Pass success rate Pass IsoPPP Avg FP Finishing drives
Ohio State 6 64.4% (2nd) 85 45.5% (41st) 26 34.8 (15th) 7.08 (1st)
Rutgers 70 39.5% (51st) 105 39.2% (56th) 98 30.9 (94th) 4.73 (69th)

• The Rutgers defense is fairly break-don't-bend: they're ranked in the 50s in success rates, but 98th and 105th in passing and rushing IsoPPP. So they're fairly mediocre, but certainly not terrible, on a per-play efficiency basis, but the successful plays they allow tend to be very explosive. The Ohio State offense should be fairly balanced between running and throwing as a result, with successful plays often going for big yards. Because Rutgers is fairly overmatched talent-wise, it'd be easy to imagine the Buckeye offense playing open early -- throwing early, using play action, and distributing the ball to a number of receivers (maybe getting guys like Dontre Wilson, Johnnie Dixon, Terry McLaurin, and Parris Campbell a lot of targets), then going fairly conservative with efficiency running in the second half.
• There aren't very many reasons for optimism for the Rutgers defense, but one might be defensive lineman Julian Pinnix-Odrick, who has four sacks so far this season. The Rutgers defensive line is 42nd in havoc rate, but 15th in standard downs sack rate, so it will be interesting to watch how the offensive line -- which has only allowed two sacks this season -- responds to pressure.
• I'll be interested in seeing how efficient J.T. can be against a fairly mediocre pass defense. While efficient against Oklahoma, he wasn't asked to win the game either. It's highly unlikely he'll have to against Rutgers either, but I expect the offensive coaching staff to try and get him passing work (in the first half, at least) nonetheless. This has more to do with the receivers. Despite Noah Brown's emergence against Oklahoma, it's still a green unit that is extremely top-heavy at the moment.
• For instance, Curtis Samuel, Noah Brown, and Dontre Wilson have been extremely reliable, with 94.1%, 75%, and 80% catch rates respectively. But behind those three it gets pretty slim -- those three account for 33 catches, but the 9 other players behind them who have at least one reception combine for just 22 total catches. Further, they've been less efficient with their limited targets: Baugh and Dixon have 44.4% and 42.9% catch rates, while Hill, Campbell, and Clark have caught only half of their limited targets. We're still just three games in so these are far from trends, but it emphasizes that the offensive staff will likely want to get these young receivers some more work.

When Rutgers has the ball

S&P+ Rush success rate Rush IsoPPP Pass success rate Pass IsoPPP Avg FP Finishing drives
Ohio State 10 35.7% (34th) 47 34.9% (27th) 29 23.2 (3rd) 3.36 (20th)
Rutgers 108 43.5% (61st) 32 31.1% (125th) 88 29.8 (71st) 4.19 (98th)

• Through three games, the Ohio State defense has currently scored more touchdowns than its allowed. That alone is incredible. But what's interesting is that the Buckeyes have only been really good on a per-play basis (with rushing and passing success rate ranks in the high 20s and 30s) -- but they've been incredible on a per-drive basis. FEI -- a stat which measures opponent-adjusted drive efficiency -- has Ohio State fourth overall in current total drive efficiency. Three things have contributed to the Buckeye defense's outstanding drive efficiency: turnovers (the Buckeyes lead the country in turnover margin), average field position (where they are third, and which is obviously tied to creating turnovers), and in finishing drives defense (where they are 20th).
• When it comes to Rutgers' offense, it doesn't really matter what numbers you look at -- they're not positive for the Scarlet Knights. The glaring weakness is in passing success rate, where Rutgers quarterback Chris Laviano leads the 125th-ranked passing unit, but the run game is also inconsistent.
• Things unfortunately got much worse for the Rutgers offense when leading receiver Janarion Grant went down with a season-ending injury last week. Grant had roughly a third of Laviano's targets so far this year, so they'll be looking for new weapons in an already inefficient passing offense. I actually think they might be OK, because freshman receiver Jawaun Harris has been more explosive on a per-play basis anyway (20.1 yards per catch to Grant's 10.5, 50% to 67% catch rates). But either way, I don't see the Ohio State defense allowing much of a consistent passing game for Rutgers.
• Rutgers ranks 72nd and 103rd in standard and passing downs sack rates. Ohio State isn't much better, ranking 87th and 76th, after facing three quick-strike, run-pass option offenses. This could be a good tell for whether the pass rush is actually a concern or not. The Buckeyes rank 43rd in defensive line havoc rate, but that could be more of a function of the offenses they've faced rather than the quality of the personnel. So watch for how much pressure the Buckeyes' front can get on the Rutgers offensive line, because they should be fairly effective.
• I'd expect Ohio State to really focus on containing the Rutgers run game -- not because they've been massively successful, but because it should be the clear strength of the offense. The run game is actually fairly explosive, ranking 32nd in rushing IsoPPP and with lead running back Robert Martin averaging 6.4 highlight yards per opportunity. Martin didn't even play against Washington in the season opener, but he ran for over 100 yards last week against Iowa. His two backup running backs are less explosive, but more efficient (again, this data isn't opponent-adjusted).

The 3 most important stats

• J.T.'s passing efficiency and the receivers' catch rates. This isn't purely about the Rutgers matchup, but more about the team developing young receiving depth behind Noah Brown and Curtis Samuel.
• The defensive line's havoc rate. Can the Buckeyes get pressure on a team that has been fairly susceptible to it?
• Defensive rushing opportunity rate/explosive plays. Can the Rutgers' trio of running backs find any explosive plays against the Ohio State defense?

Picks


S&P+: Ohio State 50, Rutgers 12, 98.6% win probability

F/+: Ohio State by 36.6

My pick: Ohio State 52, Rutgers 10

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Ohio State OL Demetrius Knox out several months, per report
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The guard will be sidelined for awhile with a broken foot.

Ohio State just lost an offensive lineman for the foreseeable future after redshirt sophomore guard Demetrius Knox broke his foot in practice, according to ElevenWarriors.com. Knox underwent surgery on Friday and is expected to miss several months.

This is the second time the guard broke his foot, the first being in February 2015, which resulted in him missing all of spring practice. Knox has earned playing time this season on both special teams and on the line — though mostly late in games against Bowling Green and Tulsa.

The 6’4, 308-pound guard out of Fort Worth, Texas was listed as the backup to Billy Price at right guard ahead of his injury, despite competing for a starting role with Michael Jordan and Matthew Burrell. Knox’s injury marks the second blow to the offensive line this season, following transfer Malcolm Pridgeon’s knee injury in August, that could keep him out until mid-to-late November.

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Watch: Buckeyes make pitch for "Running Back U" title - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Buckeyes make pitch for "Running Back U" title
247Sports
Over the history of Ohio State football there have been some great running backs to come through Columbus, and the Buckeyes certainly feel they have a strong case to the title of "Running Back U". What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Matta focuses on players' characterColumbus Dispatch
Why was Thad Matta modeling Ohio State basketball's new uniforms?cleveland.com

all 21 news articles »

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Ohio State can still prove its worth against a bad Rutgers team
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


“Ohio State begins conference play versus Rutgers” still sounds weird.

With it’s non-conference slate finished, and the bye week in the rear view, Ohio State football is back in your life every Saturday until (hopefully) December 3. That begins this weekend, as the Buckeyes take on former co-defensive coordinator, and now Rutgers head coach, Chris Ash, and New York’s One True Team™.

Ohio State hasn’t played since their big win at Oklahoma two weeks ago, and finally gets an opportunity to build on that showing, starting B1G play against possibly the worst team in the conference. This game is what noon kickoffs on Big Ten Network were made for.

Rutgers limps into Columbus after a hard-luck, 14-7 loss to Iowa, and are now without their best playmaker for the rest of the year. Ash is working from behind, trying to fit players into a system they weren’t recruited for, while bringing over the culture he was a part of at Ohio State with him. While he’ll have Rutgers pointed in the right direction eventually, that won’t begin tomorrow.

Here are five things to watch as Ohio State opens conference play against Rutgers:

Follow up


It’d be hard to look better than Ohio State did the last time they took the field two weeks ago in Norman. The offense was dominant, the defense flew around the field making big plays, and the Buckeyes completely overwhelmed Oklahoma in a big-time matchup.

Given how young the team is, I think it’s important to put into perspective how impressive their performance was, regardless of how good (or bad) Oklahoma turns out to be. It was indicative of what Ohio State’s ceiling can be, but how will they respond in a game with considerably less on the line?

There’s no reason Ohio State shouldn’t destroy Rutgers tomorrow. The talent level isn’t close, and the season-ending injury to wide receiver/kick returner Janarion Grant leaves Rutgers with no one who truly presents a problem for the Buckeyes.

The offense will get what they want, running over Rutgers’ over-matched front seven, and taking advantage of a secondary susceptible to big plays. The Buckeyes have averaged 52.5 points in the two games since Rutgers joined the conference, and another 50-point performance isn’t out of the question. The defense may have even more success.

The Scarlet Knights haven’t run the ball well against the two power-5 teams they’ve played, and passing has been worse. That’s not an ideal combination when you’re going up against the 10th ranked S&P+ defense.

That’s all in theory though, and as we’ve learned before, games aren’t played on paper. To be clear, Ohio State isn’t going to lose this game, but I do think there’s more at stake than there appears to be at first glance.

It’s the first time most of this group of players are coming off a big win, and a comfortable victory would further confirm that what we saw in Norman wasn’t a one night showing. This isn’t a “big game,” in the way that Oklahoma, Michigan State, and Michigan are, but in a weird way, Ohio State can prove a lot by soundly beating a team they’re much better than, the way championship-level teams tend to do.

Looking familiar


On this week’s podcast, I referred to Rutgers as, “an extremely poor man’s 2012 Ohio State,” because —like those Buckeyes— Ash and his staff are trying to fit a lot of square pegs into round holes. Of course, he doesn’t have the talent of that Ohio State team, but it’s clear that they’re trying to establish an identity, even if the pieces aren’t there yet. That’s especially true on offense.

Offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer is a Tom Herman disciple, Rutgers’ offense will be very familiar. It’ll be like looking at yourself in a mirror, only if the reflection was distorted and ranked 117th nationally in yards per attempt.

This might be a hot take, but Ohio State’s defense probably won’t have much trouble recognizing what the Scarlet Knights are doing, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the stingiest they play all season.

Face time


Not really, but you know what I mean

“Former Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano”- The Big Ten Network, many, many times tomorrow.

Switch it up


While Ohio State’s defense play against an offense they’ve faced many times in practice —but with way less talent— I’m more curious to see the battle between Ash’s defense and the Buckeye offense, especially on standard downs.

Being in Columbus for two seasons, Ash not only knows the offense, but its tendencies. The Buckeyes were one of the most run-heavy teams in the country on standard downs last season, and that hasn’t changed much in 2016.

Despite opposing offenses running on standard downs at a high rate against the Scarlet Knights this season, it’ll be interesting to see how much the Buckeyes decide to switch it up when Ash inevitably loads the box on standard downs and forces J.T. Barrett and his wide receivers to beat them deep.

The Buckeyes’ ground game probably won’t have trouble churning out yards anyway, but be on the lookout for Ed Warinner and Tim Beck switching it up, and making Ash pay for selling out against the run.

Stretching it out


Regardless of how much Rutgers sells out, big plays should still be available on the ground. They’ve not only given up the 8th most runs of 10-plus yards in the country, but also rank 105th nationally in Rushing IsoPPP. If Ohio State’s runners can find an extra gear, they’ll make those numbers even worse.

Despite only playing three games, Ohio State is 12th nationally in runs of 10-plus yards, and are currently on pace to shatter the meager 97 such runs they put up last season. Where they’ve lacked so far, though, is turning those gains into something much larger. The Buckeyes have only 5 runs over 20 yards this season, and are currently 85th in Rushing IsoPPP.

The good news is that Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel each broke a long run against Oklahoma, and the continued emergence of the pass game, as well as the young offensive line will give them even more opportunities to shine going forward. It just so happens that Rutgers’ defense provides an excellent chance to continue to progress in that area.

Starting tomorrow, if Weber and Samuel can turn a few of their usual 10-15 yard runs into 20-25, Ohio State will rediscover the element that made them such a dangerous rushing attack the last three seasons.

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Gameday+ | Rutgers spotlight player: WR Jawuan Harris - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Gameday+ | Rutgers spotlight player: WR Jawuan Harris
Columbus Dispatch
That puts Jawuan Harris in the spotlight against the Buckeyes. He might even steal the spotlight, just as he led the Big Ten in stolen bases (37) for the baseball team in the spring. Now the redshirt freshman from Pembroke Pines, Florida, will be ...

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Midterm Reports: How are future Buckeyes faring so far in 2016? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Midterm Reports: How are future Buckeyes faring so far in 2016?
247Sports
Midway through the high school football season, we have a look at how the 17 OSU commitments for 2017 and the two for 2018 have fared so far this year. Check out the slideshow for updated records, rankings and statistics for these future Buckeyes.

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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 9/30/2016
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!

Official Visit Set for Texas Linebacker:


One of the most highly sought after players in the class of 2017 is 4-star linebacker Anthony Hines out of Plano, Texas. Hines reports 90 offers on his 247 page, and has recently been making his official visits. He first visited Texas A&M on September 2nd, and then two weeks ago he visited Penn State. Hines announced that he will be on hand on October 29th as the Buckeyes take on the Northwestern Wildcats.

Hines is the #2 overall inside linebacker in the class of 2017 and the 85th best player in the nation per 247 Sports. The Buckeyes currently only have one linebacker committed in Antjuan Simmons, and are going hard after another Texas prospect in Baron Browning. Both Hines and Browning will be making their college decisions on November 29th, and it is a possibility that they both end up in Columbus, although I feel the chances of that are small.


Jones to Make Visit This Weekend:


The last time Emory Jones was on campus at Ohio State was at Friday Night Lights, and a week later he ended up committing to the Buckeyes. This weekend he will be visiting as a member of the 2018 Ohio State recruiting class as the Buckeyes take on Rutgers. Jones spoke with Landof10 about his trip north.

“I’ve been talking to Ohio State every day,” Jones said. “I’m visiting there this weekend. Some of my teammates are going up with me.”


Jones has his recruiting hat on as he looks to bring in top level talent from all over the nation to join him to try and make the 2018 class better than the already remarkable 2017 class.

“Jeremy Ruckert, Brian Hightower and Jamaree Salyer,” Jones said. “Those are the three guys I’m recruiting the hardest right now. It’s pretty cool.”

5-Star LB Pushes Back Decision Date:


After the recent news of the firing of Les Miles from LSU, the fallout on the recruiting trail has been quiet until now. Dylan Moses, a 5-star linebacker and #4 overall player in the class of 2017 was scheduled to make his announcement on December 16th, but has decided to push the date back to January 1st of 2017 In speaking with 247Sports ($) he talked about the loss of Miles from LSU.

“As far as everything that went on, it was shocking to me. I wasn’t expecting that. As far as my recruiting process goes, me and my parents are going to think things over, take more time and do what’s best for me.”

He also talked about his visit plans going forward.

“Being that I moved my decision date back, I might (visit LSU) before I commit. But as of now, I plan on taking an official visit to Houston on December 9th.”

“I’m taking my official to Bama this weekend,” Moses said. “It’s about the relationships I have with the coaches and how they develop … Ohio State, Texas, Houston, Miami, all the schools I’m visiting have been recruiting me.”

While LSU has been the long favorite for a while, things might get interesting here with the shakeup in the coaching staff. While I don’t think Moses will be a Buckeye, if he gets on campus for a visit then things could change. There really is no way to get Hines, Browning and Moses into the class together, but if somehow that were to happen, pray for the Big Ten. While I still think LSU has a good shot at him, watch out for their rivals Alabama and the longshot would be the Houston Cougars. Tom Herman reeled in one 5-star last year in Ed Oliver, whose to say he can’t do it again this year with Moses?


List of Official Visitors for This Weekend:


Emory Jones – 2018 – QB – Franklin, Georgia – 5-Star (Committed to Ohio State)

Aeneas Hawkins – 2018 – DT – Cincinnati, Ohio – 3-Star (100% Crystal Ball to Ohio State)

Alex Reigelsperger – 2018 – DE – Wayne, Ohio – 3-Star (100% Crystal Ball to Kentucky, No Ohio State Offer)

Moses Douglass – 2019 – CB – Springfield, Ohio – NR (50% Crystal Ball to Kentucky, 50% to Ohio State, No Ohio State Offer)

Leonard Taylor – 2018 -DE/TE – Springfield, Ohio – 4-Star (88% Crystal Ball to Ohio State, 12% to Michigan)

Cameron Hoelscher – 2018 – LB – Springfield, Ohio – 3-Star (No Crystal Ball, No Ohio State Offer)

Check back as this list gets updated with more names as we hear them.










The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 9/30/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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BM5: Buckeyes too conservative about playing true freshmen? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Buckeyes too conservative about playing true freshmen?
247Sports
This on the heels of the Buckeyes only playing a total of four true freshmen all of last season. So, this begs a question: Is Ohio State too conservative when it comes to playing true freshmen? And the question is an odd one to ask considering Meyer ...

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Men of the Scarlet and Gray Podcast: Return of the Ash
Shannon Sommers via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The bye week is over which means Shannon and Chip talk about some key Buckeye stats so far from this season. The surprise that is the Buckeye defense especially the secondary.

Tara Sullivan a columnist from the Bergen Report discusses Chris Ash and the Rutgers football team with Shannon. They talk about the Rutgers fan base, some miss-steps Rutgers had when joining the Big Ten conference. They also talked about the former Buckeyes that are in New York playing for the Jets and the Giants.

Chip and Shannon answer the #AskMotSaG questions then they do their weekly pick’em segment.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/menofthes...and_Gray_Podcast_Return_of_the_Ash.output.mp3

The post Men of the Scarlet and Gray Podcast: Return of the Ash appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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The Big Ten is rich, but money can’t buy everything
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Plus, it might not be so rich forever.

Over the last few years, this is around the time of year when we either write Big Ten apologetics columns, or try to figure out what’s wrong with the conference after some high-profile, embarrassing early season defeats. Failing that, if we, the bloggers of the internet, felt the need to stick up for the conference, we could always fall back to, “well, yeah, but at least the Big Ten is rich.”

This year is different. The Big Ten might be good. Ohio State and Michigan both sit in the AP Poll’s top five teams. Wisconsin, who has beaten LSU and Michigan State, is 8th. Nebraska, who has a win over Oregon, is 15th. Michigan State (who beat Notre Dame) is 17th. Northwestern is bad, but at least they beat Duke. Maryland is undefeated and getting votes.

And Rutgers? Well, Rutgers is at least getting plenty of fresh air and exercise.

But the Big Ten is still rich. And thanks to that new TV deal they signed over the summer, they’re about to become even richer, perhaps dramatically so, when compared to their peers. Big Ten institutions, including Ohio State, will soon be clearing well over $40 million a year, just in TV money.

TV network news flooded the college football offseason, especially within the Big 12, but the disparity in television financial growth may be most clear when looking at the Pac-12. While the Big Ten is already clearing tens of millions of dollars a year, and much more in the near future, Pac-12 schools are getting about $2.5 million a year from the Pac-12 Network, and struggle to get their product distributed.

It’s gotten so bad, that I, a person who writes about college football for a living, could barely get the Pac-12 network until a few weeks ago, because I live in Maryland.

Steven Godfrey recently took a closer look at the Pac-12 Network’s situation. It’s worth a look in it’s entirety, but the basic gist here is that because the network is completely owned by the conference (instead of with ESPN or Fox), they remained untethered and have the opportunity to be more flexible with other distribution channels, and internationally.

If the way we watch college sports continues to change dramatically, the Pac-12 network could, theoretically, become as profitable, if not more so, than the Big Ten or SEC, not to mention anybody else.

Whether that will happen or not is an interesting question, especially for those who are a bit more plugged into the technology world than I, but it’s also a very May or June question.

But another look at these television deals does bring up a question perhaps more germane to current season.

Who cares? At some point, does money even matter?

I don’t mean to get all existential here or anything. Of course money matters. I can’t pay my rent with RTs and Favs. But when we’re talking about college sports, at some point, we may run out of things to spend it on.

What do you do with a boatload of money, if you’re an athletic department looking to better your football team?

You’d try to go out and grab a quality head coach, for sure. But salary is just one factor that determines what kind of coach you can get. After all, even if say, UConn, decided to spend $15 million on a head coach, they may not be able to pry a top name from an elite program.

The SEC and upper half of the Big Ten dominate the list of highest paid head coaches, but that hasn’t prevented the Pac-12, or other power leagues, from hiring quality leaders. Would you rather have Utah’s Kyle Whitingham at $2.6 million, or Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz at $4 million? If you aren’t Gary Barta, that answer is clear.

You might spend it on assistant coaches, and that would probably be wise. But an institution may decide not to break the bank on assistants, even if they have the money to do so. Ohio State almost certainly has the money to pay an assistant a million dollars a year, or more, like LSU, Michigan and others have done, but have made the administrative decision not to. Wisconsin has done the same. Would dumping another $15 million into the checking account change an administrator’s mind? Maybe, maybe not.

You could pay the players. You should pay the players. Buuuuuut, nobody is going to pay the players. At least, not until somebody makes them.

You can build fancy training facilities and locker rooms with waterfalls and lasers and PlayStations and unlimited snacks and quality control assistants that do nothing but swipe on Tinder on behalf of the players, and yeah, lots of teams are already doing that. But if you expect those palaces to be recruiting advantages, they need to be better than other school’s. And at some point, just about everybody is going to have a dang palace.

There are a few other things you can spend the money on, like paying big guarantees to make your scheduling easier, or hiring a gazillion quality control assistants, but at some point, you reach a point of budget diminishing returns.

In four years, maybe Iowa and Minnesota will have $20-25 million dollars more than say, Arizona, or Texas Tech, for their football program. But if they’re recruiting the same player, and that player is from say, Dallas, how many times will they win that recruiting battle? Maybe one, two more times than they do now?

At the end of the day, you can’t quite buy a championship. Lord knows Texas will have tried by now. It hasn’t saved USC. It hasn’t saved Notre Dame. And Ohio State didn’t win two championships in the last 15 years simply because they have a massive budget.

You win lots of football games because you hire a good coaching staff, supported by a good administration, that is able to recruit lots of good players, and then develop them into better players. That’s a product of budget, sure, but also of history, geography, talent, and more.

Money is important. North Texas isn’t going to win squat, no matter how great their AD is, without enough money. But at the end of the day, whether the Big Ten, or the SEC, or the Pac-12, has the most money won’t determine who makes the college football playoff, or who wins a title.

Already, it’s entirely possible that a Louisville, or a Houston, makes the college football playoff. They’re already outplaying dozens of programs with better TV deals and bigger budgets.

Money can buy a lot of things, including a lot of important, and totally awesome things.

But it can’t buy everything.

Sorry, Rutgers.

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Ohio State vs Rutgers Game Day Trailer
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

As the Buckeyes get set to host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday, the Buckeye media team put together a hype trailer to get you ready to go for game day.


The post Ohio State vs Rutgers Game Day Trailer appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2016: Game preview, prediction, and 5 things to know
Chuck McKeever via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes get the Scarlet Knights at home in Chris Ash’s return to Columbus.

Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have had a tough time finding the kind of sustained success that they enjoyed during the volatile yet productive tenure of coach Greg Schiano. After a promising 8-5 inaugural season (in which they were shellacked by Ohio State, 56-17), the team foundered in 2015, going just 4-8, a record poor enough to get Kyle Flood fired as head coach.

Enter Chris Ash. The former Bret Bielema understudy and Urban Meyer disciple was named head coach at Rutgers earlier this year, and has looked to bring to New Jersey the kind of creative, disciplined defense that helped him make his name as one of the best assistant coaches in the game over the last decade.

It’s been a mixed bag for Ash in his first year at the helm of The New York TV Market’s Favorite Team. The Scarlet Knights sit at 2-2, with two non-conference wins against FCS school Howard and bottom-tier New Mexico to go with a drubbing at the hands of trendy playoff pick Washington and a 14-7 loss in a barnburner against Iowa. And hey, it’s no crime to win the games you’re supposed to win and lose the ones you’re supposed to lose. (If you’re Kirk Ferentz, you can even lose the ones you’re supposed to win and end up with a fat contract extension.)

But the team lining up across from Rutgers this weekend isn’t Howard or New Mexico. Ohio State has steamrolled its way to a 3-0 record, and they’ll be fresh off a bye week when the Knights come to town. You may recall the Buckeyes putting a hurt on preseason playoff darling Oklahoma the last time they took the field, on the back of four Noah Brown touchdown catches and a defense unafraid to hit the Sooner offense right in the mouth.

The Scarlet Knights daren’t have much hope heading into Saturday’s tilt. Here’s how the teams stack up:

Ohio State advantages


Ground assault. By just about every advanced statistical measure, the Buckeyes are a top-3 team running the ball. Urban Meyer’s recruiting prowess and player development have left Ohio State loaded when they go to the ground game, getting reliable contributions from Curtis Samuel, Mike Weber, and J.T. Barrett. The read-option run game looked pretty vanilla in the first six quarters of football they played this season, but as the passing game has found its tempo, so has the run opened up for the Buckeyes.

By contrast, Rutgers’ rush defense has been middling at best in 2016. Chris Ash is a phenomenal defensive coach, but he didn’t inherit nearly the level of talent that he got to work with in Columbus; the loss of star linebacker Quanzell Lambert for the season during last week’s loss to Iowa isn’t going to improve the unit’s prospects.

The No-Fly Zone. Ohio State’s defense was supposed to take a few steps back this season for a whole host of reasons, not least of which was the loss of several members of its all-star secondary. Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, and Tyvis Powell are all cashing checks in the NFL now, but you wouldn’t know the Buckeyes had lost a thing. The pass defense under Greg Schiano (hey, him again!) has looked as staunch as ever, and guys like Malik Hooker are doing their damnedest to become household names in 2016. Rutgers has an experienced, if uninspiring, quarterback in Chris Laviano, but he’s struggled mightily against Buckeye defenses past. Given that he lost his best offensive weapon, wide receiver Janarion Grant, during the Iowa game, it’s hard to like Laviano’s chances against this secondary.

Air raid. If you have an older sibling, you’re probably familiar with the sequence of events from childhood in which said sibling would dominate you in a game by just doing the same thing, over and over and over again, because they knew you couldn’t stop it. (For me, it was getting racked by my older brother in chess and NFL Blitz 2000.) That’s the kind of sonnin’ that J.T. Barrett and Noah Brown gave to the Oklahoma Sooners two weeks ago. Brown’s first four catches went for touchdowns, all on plays designed to get him in one-on-one coverage on the left side of the end zone. Michiah Quick caught the worst of it when Brown put him on a poster for the year’s most sensational catch—Spencer Hall’s trolling be damned—but the whole Sooner secondary probably needed a hug after what Barrett and Brown pulled off.

It’s not just No. 80 that gets the love from Barrett, either. The Buckeyes have so many weapons that they have no trouble spreading the ball around; Barrett’s top three targets (Curtis Samuel, Brown, and Dontre Wilson) boast catch rates of 94.1%, 75%, and 80% so far this season, a testament both to the quarterback’s efficiency and the stud-caliber talent that Urban Meyer has put together at receiver. Barrett’s thrown 39 passes to those three receivers, and nine of them have gone for touchdowns.

Rutgers advantages


Ash is on Meyer’s coaching tree. Several former Urban Meyer assistants are now coaches at the FBS level, and while Chris Ash inherited a much tougher situation than, say, Tom Herman at Houston, he does have the advantage of knowing Meyer’s process, and has gotten a chance to try putting his own spin on what he learned at Ohio State (not to mention at Wisconsin and Arkansas). Per our own Chris Jason:


Of course, having Meyer’s playbook doesn’t mean that Ash has the personnel to stop it or take advantage of it. Still, Ash isn’t likely to get bamboozled by Meyer the way other coaches have been in the past.

Bye week speed bump? Look, no one should brag about being the team that won a game because a far superior team got caught snoozing or looking past them. But the Buckeyes are coming off of a bye week, and are so heavily favored against the Scarlet Knights—Vegas likes the Buckeyes by 38.5—that it’s not unfathomable that they could come out flat and play some disappointing football, at least in the first half. That seems like the best chance the Scarlet Knights have to put some points on the board early and hope to contain the Ohio State stable of playmakers in the second half.

The Buckeyes get Indiana next week, a team ranked 50 places higher than Rutgers in the S&P+, and one which looks to have a more dynamic offense than the Scarlet Knights do. Looking ahead? Sleeping on the job? They’re not out of the question for Ohio State, though that’s a slim hope to hang your hat on if you live in New Jersey.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 49.7, Rutgers 11.5

Win Probability: Ohio State 99%

After the inject-it-into-my-veins excitement of the last Buckeye game, here’s hoping this one is a bit of a snoozer, one well in hand for Urban Meyer and co. by halftime. The Buckeyes will have done everything right if we see Joe Burrow getting a lot of work late in the game and a margin of victory that surpasses the advanced stats prediction for this one. Without a huge blowout here, the Buckeyes could very well lose their No. 2 ranking to the winner of the Louisville-Clemson game, the winner of which will boast an undefeated record and a win over a fellow top-five team.

Of course, only one ranking really matters now that the College Football Playoff exists, so there’s little reason to think Coach Meyer will be wringing his hands about the AP poll after five weeks of play. The Buckeyes are going to cruise in this one, and our best hope is for a few more plays to add to the highlight reel and a game devoid of injuries to the Buckeyes’ top contributors.

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No Matter The Winner Of Rutgers/OSU, Scarlet Will Reign In The Horseshoe
Chip Minnich via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Embed from Getty Images​

56-17 in 2014. 49-7 in 2015. Both Ohio State victories over Rutgers. Both by at least 39 points. The Las Vegas oddsmakers certainly remember those victories, as the Buckeyes have been installed as 38.5 point favorites over the visiting Scarlet Knights.

Want to know who else remembers those victories?

Former Ohio State assistant coach and current Rutgers head coach Chris Ash.

Ash makes his first return to Ohio Stadium since becoming the head coach of the Scarlet Knights back in January 2016. Largely and deservedly credited with helping Ohio State’s defense become more physical and aggressive in 2014, Ash is not the only member of the Rutgers coaching staff who has extensive ties to Ohio State. Offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Vince Okruch, defensive backs coach Bill Busch, running backs coach Zach Kuhr, strength coach Kenny Parker, defensive quality control assistant Adam Weber, and director of recruiting Adam Caltury all have spent time at Ohio State during the Urban Meyer era.

Another reunion takes place as it relates to this game, as this game marks the first time former Rutgers head coach and current associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Greg Schiano will take on his former team. There are four players on Rutgers’ roster who were spurned by Schiano years ago, only days before National Signing Day in 2012.

Below are three areas I will be keeping an eye on as the game kicks off from Ohio Stadium on The Big Ten Network at 12pm EST on October 1, 2016…

1. How Will Rutgers Respond Without Janarion Grant and Quanzell Lambert? Both Grant and Lambert were lost for the season in the Scarlet Knights’ close 14-7 loss to Iowa last week. Grant accounted for over 35% of Rutgers’ all-purpose offensive yards as a receiving, rushing, and return threat. Lambert was one of the best defensive linemen for Rutgers. Will the Scarlet Knights be able to adequately compensate for their absences?

2. How Well Will Ohio State Adjust Its Schemes? Up above in this article are several people who know Ohio State’s offensive and defensive tendencies quite well. Urban Meyer stated on his call-in show on September 29th that Ohio State has changed its signals, so this looks to be an interesting chess match between two staffs that know each other quite well.

3. Last Call For Freshmen Involvement: Several true freshmen have played in Ohio State’s first three games this season. As such an overwhelming favorite, it will not be surprising if the Buckeyes have a substantial lead heading into the second half. If a true freshman has not yet played this season, and does not get into the Rutgers game this weekend, chances are that the coaching staff has determined a redshirt season is in the respective player’s best interests.

Prediction: Urban Meyer has immense respect for Chris Ash and the other members of the Rutgers coaching staff, and does not want to embarrass them. The difficulty will be in the aforementioned backup time, as these players want to increase their playing time, and will play hard if given an opportunity. Throw in Rutgers’ injury issues, and I see the Buckeyes blowing out Rutgers with minimal effort. I am calling it Ohio State 63, Rutgers 10.

The post No Matter The Winner Of Rutgers/OSU, Scarlet Will Reign In The Horseshoe appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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