Countdown To Kickoff: Best Buckeye Ever To Wear No. 7 - Ohio ... - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Countdown To Kickoff: Best Buckeye Ever To Wear No. 7 - Ohio ...
Scout
As the countdown to Ohio State's season opener against Bowling Green gets closer, the Buckeye Sports staff is continuing its Best Buckeye Ever series.

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Week 1 Depth Chart: Ohio State
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Ohio State depth chart was released on Tuesday and there weren’t very many surprises at all. In a fall where there was supposed to be competition everywhere, all the favorites from the end of last season were named starters. Like many OSU depth charts, week one of the 2016 season features a bunch of “OR” starters or backups at various positions.

Let’s take a look:

OFFENSE

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
QB J.T. BARRETT 6’2” 225 JR (R)
JOE BURROW 6’3” 208 FR (R)
RB MIKE WEBER OR 5’10” 215 FR (R)
CURTIS SAMUEL 5’11” 200 JR
WR1 NOAH BROWN OR 6’2” 222 SO (R)
PARIS CAMPBELL 6’0” 205 SO (R)
WR2 COREY SMITH OR 6’1” 195 SR (R)
JOHNNIE DIXON 5’11” 198 SO
H-BACK CURTIS SAMUEL OR 5’11” 200 JR
DONTRE WILSON 5’10” 195 SR
TE MARCUS BAUGH 6’5” 255 JR
AJ ALEXANDER 6’2” 254 FR (R)
LT JAMARCO JONES 6’5” 310 JR (R)
EVAN LISLE 6’7” 308 JR (R)
LG MICHAEL JORDAN 6’7” 310 FR
MATT BURRELL 6’4” 305 FR (R)
C PAT ELFLEIN 6’3” 300 SR (R)
BRADY TAYLOR 6’5” 300 SO (R)
RG BILLY PRICE 6’4” 315 JR (R)
DEMETRIUS KNOX 6’4” 308 SO (R)
RT ISAIAH PRINCE 6’7” 310 SO
BRANDEN BOWEN 6’7” 315 FR (R)
WR-Z TERRY MCLAURIN OR 6’0” 204 SO (R)
JAMES CLARK 5’10” 186 JR (R)

The offense had the biggest questions because we didn’t know who would start at running back and the second wide receiver spot. Spoiler alert, we still don’t. Expect to see a lot of mix-and-matching the first two games.

DEFENSE

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
DE TYQUAN LEWIS 6’4” 266 JR
RASHOD BERRY 6’4” 252 FR (R)
DT TRACEY SPRINKLE 6’3” 293 JR
DRE’MONT JONES 6’3” 280 FR (R)
DT MICHAEL HILL 6’3” 295 JR (R)
DAVON HAMILTON 6’4” 297 FR (R)
DE SAM HUBBARD OR 6’5” 266 SO (R)
JALYN HOLMES 6’5” 274 JR
SLB CHRIS WORLEY 6’2” 228 JR (R)
JEROME BAKER 6’1” 225 SO
MLB RAEKWON MCMILLAN 6’2” 243 JR
CRAIG FADA 6’1” 225 SR
WLB DANTE BOOKER 6’3” 236 JR
JUSTIN HILLIARD 6’1” 230 FR (R)
CB GAREON CONLEY 6’0” 195 JR (R)
DAMON ARNETTE 6’0” 195 FR
CB MARSHON LATTIMORE OR 6’0” 195 SO (R)
DENZEL WARD 5’10” 185 SO
S MALIK HOOKER 6’2” 205 SO (R)
ERICK SMITH 6’0” 202 JR
S DAMON WEBB 5’11” 193 JR
JORDAN FULLER 6’2” 205 FR

On defense, the biggest question mark was who would start at corner opposite of Conley. It appears Lattimore is in the lead but the depth chart still lists both he and Ward. As Meyer alluded to earlier this week, Holmes earned himself an “OR” with Hubbard.

SPECIAL TEAMS

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
P CAMERON JOHNSTON 5’11” 195 SR
K TYLER DURBIN 6’3” 210 SR
LS LIAM MCCULLOUGH 6’2” 210 FR (R)
PR DONTRE WILSON OR 5’10” 195 SR
COREY SMITH OR 6’1” 190 FR
CURTIS SAMUEL OR 5’11” 200 JR
KR DONTRE WILSON OR 5’10” 195 SR
JAMES CLARK OR 5’10” 186 JR (R)
JOHNNIE DIXON 5’11” 198 SO

The special teams is listed with even more “ORs” which is fantastic. Expect Wilson to be the main returner. Durbin is starting at kicker in place of the injured Nuernberger.

The post Week 1 Depth Chart: Ohio State appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State-Bowling Green 2016 depth chart: New starters emerge
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The first depth chart of the season has arrived as the Buckeyes prepare to host Bowling Green.



After a long offseason, college football is finally back in Columbus. Ohio State prepares to host Bowling Green as the Buckeyes set out to prove their talented team can compete with the best in the country. With Urban Meyer and his staff losing 16 starters from both sides of the ball, there will be plenty of inexperience on the field Saturday. But the stage has been set for many of the freshman and other players who haven’t seen the field yet, and there’s no greater opportunity to shine.

There wasn’t any question about who would be the starter at quarterback for Ohio State, unlike many times last season where every other week it seemed to be leaning in someone’s favor. This time around, J.T. Barrett holds the keys to the offense and barring injury, this won’t change all season. Barrett is looking for another breakout season after a sophomore campaign was hindered by splitting time with Cardale Jones in 2015. Barrett has proven he’s more than capable in 2014 where he led the Buckeyes to a 11-1 record while shattering school records of his own before getting injured. Joe Burrow won the battle for second-string over Dwayne Haskins.

At running back, Ezekiel Elliott’s departure certainly made for an interesting battle at first for the spot, but redshirt freshman Mike Weber has emerged as the starter. Curtis Samuel is also listed with an “OR” between them as he’s likely to get some burn as well carrying the ball. Weber had a strong spring game performance and after the dismissal of Bri’onte Dunn, the spot is his to lose despite Samuel getting some carries. Dontre Wilson is listed as third-string.

Even with the recent suspension of Torrance Gibson, the wide receiving depth is still talented from top to bottom. Right now, the starters are listed with Noah Brown OR Parris Campbell at X, Corey Smith OR Johnnie Dixon, and Terry McLaurin OR James Clark at Z. Austin Mack and Binjimin Victor seem to be the third-string options.

The H-back spot left by Braxton Miller will be held by Curtis Samuel OR Dontre Wilson. Wilson’s career has been in search of that breakout season as he’s always seemingly one broken tackle away from breaking long touchdown runs, so there’s a room for excitement with Wilson slotted in to H-back.

The tight end spot is firmly locked down by Marcus Baugh with A.J. Alexander listed as the backup. No surprise there, as Baugh comes into the season ready to shine as the starter with Vannett heading to the NFL.

The offensive line starters are listed as Jamarco Jones, Michael Jordan, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, and Isaiah Prince (from left to right). A very green unit with only two returning starters in Elflein and Price.

On the defensive side of the ball, Sam Hubbard OR Jayln Holmes and Tyquan Lewis are listed as the defensive end starters, which is what was expected with Meyer mentioning Holmes has had a great camp. Hubbard and Lewis should be one of the best defensive end pairings in the Big Ten this season. The backups at defensive end are Nick Bosa OR Jonathon Cooper. In the middle, Michael Hill anchors the defensive line alongside Tracy Sprinkle who backed up Adolphus Washington last season. The backups at tackle include

The linebacking core should be one of the stronger units on the defensive side of the ball. Raekwon McMillan is slotted in at middle linebacker, returning from last season as the team’s leading tackler and is the leader of the defense. Surrounding him are outside linebackers Chris Worley and Dante Booker. Worley has had high praise from teammates over the past couple of seasons and should be a good one to watch. Rashod Berry, Jerome Baker, and Craig Fada are your backups.

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.

For special teams, sophomore walk-on Tyler Durbin will be starting as the kicker for both kickoffs and field goals as Sean Nuernberger recovers from a groin injury that forced him to miss most of camp. Durbin apparently hit a 62-yard field goal at one point during fall camp, so a big leg could be in play. Senior Cameron Johnston returns as the punter, and that’s no surprise considering he’s been a mainstay since his freshman season and has done a tremendous job. 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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Marshon Lattimore is finally a Buckeyes starter: Ohio State football depth chart analysis - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Marshon Lattimore is finally a Buckeyes starter: Ohio State football depth chart analysis
cleveland.com
He's a starting cornerback for the Buckeyes. OK, technically there's an "OR" on the depth chart between Lattimore and Denzel Ward at the corner spot opposite Gareon Conley. But when Ohio State released its first depth chart of the 2016 season on ...


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Countdown To Kickoff: Best Buckeye Ever To Wear No. 4 - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Countdown To Kickoff: Best Buckeye Ever To Wear No. 4
Scout
As the countdown to Ohio State's season opener against Bowling Green gets closer, the Buckeye Sports staff is continuing its Best Buckeye Ever series. We stand just four days from kickoff, so it is time to reveal our pick for the Best Buckeye Ever to ...
What to expect from a new look Ohio State vs Bowling GreenLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State a 27.5-point favorite over Bowling Green in season-opener: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com
Ohio State vs. Bowling Green Preview: Three Keys to VictoryScarlet and Game

all 15 news articles »

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From The Podium: Coaches Speak
Shannon Sommers via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Monday’s on college campuses across America head coaches stand at their podium in front of the cameras to discuss their team and opponents during the season.

Week 1 pits The Ohio State University hosting Bowling Green State University.




(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)




Here is the audio from Urban Meyer press conference:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/menofthescarletandgray/Record_2016-08-29_at_15h53m34s.wav
The Buckeyes head man stepped to the podium discussing the team picking four captains, Torrence Gibson’s suspension (he said it wasn’t an athletic department or a football team suspension). He enjoyed talking about his time coaching Bowling Green. During his press conference, he basically laid out the starters going into the upcoming game.


You can find the transcript from Meyer’s discussion with the media here.




(Bowling Green University Photo)




The opponent coach Mike Fink trip to the podium had him discussing his players, coming into Ohio Stadium to play.


You can take a listen to his press conference here:

http://www.bgsufalcons.com/custompages/audio/2016/Aug/Jinks_Mike082916.MP3



Interested in some more of what Mike Finks has discussed? Below we have his teleconference audio for you all to enjoy.

http://mac-sports.com/custompages/teleconferences/82916FB/Jinks82916.mp3



We are just days away from kick-off. You can feel the excitement in the air as the new season is just about ready to go.





The post From The Podium: Coaches Speak appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State football: Urban Meyer expects Torrance Gibson back with Buckeyes next season - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Urban Meyer expects Torrance Gibson back with Buckeyes next season
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer wanted to move on from talk of the Torrance Gibson suspension, but he mentioned on the Big Ten teleconference that he expects the receiver back with the Buckeyes next season. Meyer said he has spoken with Gibson and ...


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waived by Tampa

waived by Dallas

Big Ten Mailbag: Tom Dienhart answers your Big Ten questions
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Two days away from kickoff, I'm sorting through my mail bag on a hot August afternoon, answering your questions and wishing the season would get here quicker. Let’s go!

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Polls: It’s time to pick your Week 1 Big Ten football winners
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Every week during the 2016 football season, the BTN.com team makes its Big Ten game predictions. [ MORE: Power Rankings | Best of Week 1 | Big Ten football, A-Z ] We also provide polls for Big Ten fans to select their winners, and to compete with BTN’s Tom Dienhart, Sean Merriman, the three-time reigning champ, and Brent Yarina all season long. See our Week 1 predictions below, and scroll down to vote for your winners. Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) Week 1 picks: Indiana 29, FIU 27; Minnesota 24, Oregon State 19; Michigan State 38, Furman 7; Maryland 34, Howard 14;

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What to expect from a new look Ohio State vs Bowling Green
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Previewing Week 1, Torrance Gibson’s suspension, and personal stories of failure.

With Ohio State’s 2016 season set to kick off in less than five days, Matt and I thought it would be a good idea to sit down and discuss the Buckeyes’ week one opponent, Bowling Green.

Despite a new head coach and turnover at the skill positions, the Falcons have an offense that should be a good litmus test for the new-look Buckeye defense, especially through the air. Will the Silver Bullets be able to attack Bowling Green’s experienced offensive line? How will the young secondary hold up against a team likely to throw the ball 40 (or more) times?

In addition, we broke down Urban Meyer’s Monday press conference, which included:

• Torrance Gibson’s suspension by the university
• Kicker Sean Nuerenberger’s injury, and what it means for Ohio State’s special teams
• Meyer’s comments about wanting balance on offense
• If Meyer will stick to his desire to run JT Barrett less this season

Lastly, we went away from football a bit, analyzing Ohio State basketball’s newest commitments, our favorite things about the NCAA Football video game series, and Matt telling a personal horror story about a high school crush gone wrong. (PRO TIP: ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR MIC IS OFF)

We’ve returned to Soundcloud, and you can now find all of our audio here, as well as subscribing to the podcast via our iTunes page. You can also find our audio on the SB Nation podcast page, and subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

We’ve recently made a big push to overhaul our audio quality and it would help tremendously if you left a review via our iTunes page to let us know how we’re doing!

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Ohio State men's basketball | Top prospect aware of Buckeyes' recent recruiting victories - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's basketball | Top prospect aware of Buckeyes' recent recruiting victories
Columbus Dispatch
The Buckeyes offered him in mid-May, before a summer evaluation Cohill said got better during the back half. After putting up 500 shots a day in between summer evaluation periods, Cohill said, the final two weeks had him playing with greater confidence ...
Thomas Allen, 2017 shooting guard, has Ohio State basketball in ...cleveland.com
Ohio State uses in-state focus to land two 2018 prospectsToday's U (blog)
The Hurry Up: Texas Linebacker Sets Announcement Date, Bishop ...Eleven Warriors
Land-Grant Holy Land -247Sports
all 9 news articles »

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The View from Beyond the Shoe: Buckeye Superstition
Mike Meals via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Why are we superstitious? What was programmed into our brains at a young age to make us think that doing something now will ensure success in an event we have no real power over? Maybe Einstein was onto something when he defended insanity.

The world of sports is littered with stories of people that do certain things in certain ways…because they believe it will change the outcome of their upcoming game. In baseball, people avoid stepping on the chalk of the foul lines when they go into or out of the dugout. Boxers avoid spending the night with their significant others the night before a fight to avoid losing. NASCAR drivers for years would avoid green car paint jobs…because they were bad luck.

What about fans? What superstitions do you have to ensure your team wins this weekend? How are you going to make sure you do everything in your power to assist the Buckeyes in beating BGSU this weekend?

I’ve seen nearly every kind of superstition you can imagine. I will, on Thursday of this week, decide on the exact clothing I will wear every Saturday this fall. If I can’t wear the same shirt, Urban may forget the game plan he devised. I don’t know how he knows when I mess up but I know it happens. Ask Fickell…I lost my lucky shirt after his first game. You can thank me for the worst season at OSU in 100 years. I personally blaming myself for us ending up in the Gator Bowl that year.

For me, it starts before the first game. I pick out what jersey or shirt I will wear and I stick with it for the entire year. On Friday, I have the exact same Nike OSU Polo I will wear to work every week the day before the Silver Bullets take the field. On game day, I will watch the band take the field and I will watch the ball get teed up. I will then walk out of the room, turn my back, and/or plug my ears. I can’t watch the opening kickoff, no matter where I am watching the game.

Why do I do this? I have no idea. I know the polo shirt started with work. It’s casual Friday and I have to have my Scarlet and Gray on before I end my professional duties each week. I blame our own Brandon for the kickoff thing. It started years ago in California with him…if I see the kickoff…we lose the game. It has happened more than once and from then on it was set in stone.

I have actually gone to other people’s houses to watch games, and wore clothes other than my “lucky” shirt, only to watch the worst first half of a game ever. I had to leave a good friend’s birthday party once, at halftime, so I could get the correct shirt on.

I know I am not alone. I have watched a good friend take his shirt off at halftime…douse it in alcohol, and burn it because the thing was just not lucky enough.

I won’t ask what superstitions you have. Some of them are ones that you simply can’t or shouldn’t tell people. All I ask is…are you ready to do your part, no matter how stupid others think it may be?

The post The View from Beyond the Shoe: Buckeye Superstition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Around the B1G: Week 1 Edition
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


We will have waited a painstakingly horrible 246 days from the time we saw the Ohio State Buckeyes leave the field against Notre Dame until we see them come through the tunnel against Bowling Green. The horror that is known as the off-season is over!

Now is the time of year where we sit back and watch the Big Ten flounder and be told how bad the conference is. It doesn’t help that we have Wisconsin taking on LSU to start the season. While everyone knows LSU is 100 times better, this will be the barometer the lazy national pundits will use to tell us why Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State have zero chance against the SEC. Never mind the fact that Wisconsin is probably the eighth best team in the B1G this year…NARRATIVE!!!!

Let’s go ahead and take a look at what is going on in the B1G heading into week one. As a special gift to you, I will add in my predicted record (overall and conference) for each team and your 2016 B1G champion.

Illinois (PREDICTED RECORD: 3-9 overall, 1-8 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Fighting Illini host Murray State as new head coach Lovie Smith looks to bring Illinois back to relevancy. Senior quarterback Wes Lunt and sophomore Ke’Shawn Vaughn will be key to keeping the Illini in games. I have the Illini struggling pretty bad this year but with 13 senior starters, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a push for 6-6 and a bowl game.

Indiana (PREDICTED RECORD: 6-6 overall, 3-6 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Indiana Hoosiers and their high-flying offense travel to Miami and takes on Florida International. Redshirt Junior Richard Lagow will take over the reins at quarterback after transferring from Oklahoma State via Cisco (NSFW) Community College. As with always the case when talking about the Big 12 Hoosiers, the defense will be pretty bad and will ultimately be the key to any team success they have. If they can make a few stops here and there, it may be all the Hoosier offense needs.

Iowa (PREDICTED RECORD: 10-2 overall, 7-2 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Hawkeyes open up their season against Miami of Ohio. As many of you already know, the Hawkeyes are pretty old school and still rely heavily on the old fullback and a good defense. Offensively, they are led by Senior C.J. Beathard who exploded on-scene last year with 2,809 yards passing and 17 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, they have the best cornerback in the nation senior Desmond King who shocked everyone by not going to the NFL.

Maryland (PREDICTED RECORD: 5-7 overall, 2-7 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Maryland will be welcoming the Howard Bison to town after their long journey from Washington D.C. to College Park, Maryland (7.5 miles). First year head coach D.J. Durkin has decided to let redshirt senior Perry Hills be the starting quarterback. Buckeye fans may remember Hills running all over the Buckeye defense for a tune of 170 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 133 through the air last year.

Michigan (PREDICTED RECORD: 10-2 overall, 7-2 conference)

Last Week: Didn’t give a damn about them.

This Week: Michigan welcomes Hawaii. I’m not going to lie, obviously I am not anywhere as high on the Wolverines as most people are. I realize they have 16 senior starters and their experience is off the charts but let me bring you in on a secret…that doesn’t mean they are all good. I’m tired of the narrative that just because a team has returning starters it must mean they are good. I still think Michigan is behind MSU and OSU talent-wise but this is one of the last years we will be able to say that. It will be interesting to see what happens this year at quarterback for the Wolverines. No matter who plays the most, they will have three of the best pass catchers in the B1G as targets in seniors Jehu Chesson (50-764-9), Amara Darboh (58-727-5), and Jake Butt (51-654-3). I can’t talk about Michigan without discussing Jabrill Peppers…so here you go:



We will finish this up with this.

Michigan State (PREDICTED RECORD: 10-2 overall, 8-1 conference)

Last Week: Didn’t give a damn about them either.

This Week: Sparty will start off their season against Furman on Friday night. Redshirt senior Tyler O’Connor has been tasked with replacing Connor Cook as the quarterback to lead the Spartans back to the playoffs. Plan on the Spartans to run the ball a lot this year as running backs redshirt junior Gerald Holmes (540 yds, 8 TDs) and sophomore L.J. Scott (699 yds, 11 TDs) are both very capable of relieving some stress of the transition.

Minnesota (PREDICTED RECORD: 9-3 overall, 6-3 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Minnesota will start off their season on Thursday against Oregon State. The Gophers defense will once again be solid enough to keep them in games but it all comes down to offensive production. Senior quarterback Mitch Leidner will have to be more consistent if the offense wants to be more successful. Last season he threw for 2,701 yards and 14 touchdowns but added in 11 interceptions.

Nebraska (PREDICTED RECORD: 9-3 overall, 6-3 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Cornhuskers start off with the always pesky Fresno State Bulldogs. Nebraska is a tough team to predict. They had a crazy amount of bad luck last year and I could see them finishing this year with anywhere from 1-5 losses. Senior Tommy Armstrong is the best worst quarterback in the history of the B1G. At times he looks dynamic but most of the time he appears to be a frazzled mess. In three years starting, Armstrong has thrown and run for almost 8,000 total yards and 69 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he also has thrown 36 interceptions with many of those coming at key moments.

Northwestern (PREDICTED RECORD: 7-5 overall, 4-5 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Northwestern starts off the season against Western Michigan. Junior Justin Jackson may be one of the most underrated players in the B1G. In two seasons, Jackson has racked up 2,968 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns. With him running behind four upper-classmen on the offensive line, I expect him to rush for over 1,600 yards this season.

Penn State (PREDICTED RECORD: 8-4 overall, 5-4 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Nittany Lions start off their season against Kent State. We expect to see an entirely new offense for Penn State with Christian Hackenberg graduating but make no mistake about it, the offense will center around sophomore Saquon Barkley. After accounting for 1,237 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns as a true freshman, Barkley is expected to explode onto the scene in 2016…much like he did last year against Ohio State (194 rushing yards).

Purdue (PREDICTED RECORD: 1-11 overall, 0-9 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: The Darrell Hazell farewell tour begins with Eastern Kentucky where I feel like the Boilermakers will pick up their only win on the season. In an effort to say something nice, I think sophomore David Blough can turn into a Mitch Leidner type of player someday. As a true freshman, being pulled in and out of the lineup, Blough threw for 1,574 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Rutgers (PREDICTED RECORD: 3-9 overall, 1-8 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Rutgers and former OSU defensive coordinator Chris Ash start their season traveling to play a very good Washington team. For those that don’t know, Washington is going to be very good this year. People don’t really think about them but as a quarter Pac 12 fan on my wife’s side, I pay a lot of attention to that conference. I would not be surprised if they are playing in the Pac-12 championship.

As for Rutgers, I think Ash will wind up being successful but this year he will definitely have some growing pains. He is in a prime position to bring in good recruits but it will take some time which, unfortunately for him, he really doesn’t have unless Rutgers is able to switch to the B1G West. Being thrown into the fire against OSU, MSU, UM, and PSU every year will be tough.

Wisconsin (PREDICTED RECORD: 7-5 overall, 5-4 conference)

Last Week: Off-Season.

This Week: Wisconsin starts out their season against LSU who returns 18 starters from last year. The game will be played in Lambeau Field but I don’t think it will matter. Senior Corey Clement is a dynamic player but has not proven he can stay healthy and carry the load. As a back-up in 2014, Clement had 1,068 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. Last year as the feature back, he managed to only stay healthy for four games. If he can stay healthy, he can singlehandedly keep the Badgers in the game against LSU…especially if Fournette isn’t healthy.

PREDICTED FINAL STANDINGS:

EAST CONF. OVERALL WEST CONF. OVERALL
Ohio State 8-1 11-1 Iowa 7-2 10-2
Michigan State 8-1 10-2 Nebraska 6-3 9-3
Michigan 7-2 10-2 Minnesota 6-3 9-3
Penn State 5-4 8-4 Wisconsin 5-4 7-5
Indiana 3-6 6-6 Northwestern 4-5 7-5
Maryland 2-7 5-7 Illinois 1-8 3-9
Rutgers 1-8 3-9 Purdue 0-9 1-11



PREDICTED B1G CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Ohio State vs Iowa

B1G CHAMPION:

Ohio State

The post Around the B1G: Week 1 Edition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Are the Ohio State Buckeyes the most indestructible team in American sports? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Are the Ohio State Buckeyes the most indestructible team in American sports?
cleveland.com
We checked the 65 power conference teams, and the lead the Buckeyes have on the next closest team without consecutive losing seasons is extreme. But the five top college football teams all have longer streaks like that than any NFL, NBA or Major League ...
Torrance Gibson suspended for season by Ohio StateESPN
Ohio State Football: Buckeyes suspend WR Torrance GibsonUPI.com
JT Barrett's Buckeyes will never lower their expectationsThe Detroit News
Mansfield News Journal -Deadspin -Columbus Dispatch
all 111 news articles »

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3-star SG puts Ohio State in his final 5
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeyes get closer to landing their next member of the 2017 class

Allen down to final 5


Ohio State found themselves on the shortlist for Thomas Allen (Garner, NC /Brewster Academy), a three-star shooting guard product.

Via Twitter, Brewster Academy’s head coach listed where the 6-foot-2 guard would be visiting this fall. Allen’s trip to Columbus, Ohio will be second among the five locations, and will take place over the course of Oct.7-9.



As it stands, Kaleb Wesson (Westerville, OH / Westerville South) is the lone commit for the 2017 class. The addition of Allen would be a perfect accompaniment to Wesson – who is the third best player in the state of Ohio.

In Allen’s home state, he is regarded as the No.5 player in North Carolina and ranks in the top 50 for his position.

The other four places Allen will visit include Nebraska, Virginia Tech, St.Louis and NC State.

Four-star forward chooses Butler over Ohio State


Over the weekend, Thad Matta and the Ohio State Buckeyes' basketball team added two important members to its 2018 class. Both four-star forward Darius Bazley (Cincinnati, Ohio / Finneytown) and three-star forward Justin Ahrens(Versailles, Ohio / Versailles) are in-state prospects and are joined by 2018 three-star Buckeye commit Dane Goodwin(Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington.)

On Monday, another elite in-state Buckeye target made his collegiate decision. This time it was 2017 four-star forward Kyle Young (Massillon, Ohio / Jackson). Young had recently narrowed down his list of favorite schools and Ohio State was one of five schools that made the cut, along with Michigan, Clemson, Purdue and Butler.

In a surprising move, Young announced via Twitter that he will continue his basketball career at Butler. Losing out on Young is a significant blow to Matta's recruiting class for 2017. A combination of the Young and Wesson would have boosted Ohio State's rankings for 2017 immensely.

After having four members of last year's freshman class transfer from the program, losing out on Young hurts even more.

Buckeye-lauded Bishop Gorman now No. 1 HS in the country


Bishop Gorman High School has been kind to Ohio State recently. Three key members of the Buckeye's 2017 recruiting class are currently playing for the Gales in Las Vegas, NV, and it is safe to say this is a relationship Urban Meyer is going to continue dedicating a lot of time into maintaining.

Tyjon Lindsey, Tate Martell and Haskell Garrett are all currently committed to the Buckeyes and after beating powerhouse Cedar Hill over the weekend, MaxPreps now has the school listed as the No. 1 school in the country. While Lindsey was out with an injury, both Martell and Garrett played significant roles in the impressive victory over the weekend.

BuckeyeNation will want to watch this team whenever possible as the three commits from this school all have playmaking potential. This week, Bishop Gorman's schedule doesn't get much easier, as the Gales will take on Florida powerhouse Cocoa, whom former Buckeye QB/RB commit, Bruce Judson plays for.

In case you were wondering how other future Buckeyes fared in their first week back on the field, don't worry, we have you covered.

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Kyle Young commits to Butler over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kyle Young commits to Butler over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two days after an in-state recruiting win for Ohio State basketball, the Buckeyes lost out on one of Ohio's top 2017 prospects. Kyle Young, a four-star small forward from Massillon Jackson, announced on Monday his commitment to Butler.

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Ohio State football | Receiver Torrance Gibson suspended from school - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Receiver Torrance Gibson suspended from school
Columbus Dispatch
Receiver Torrance Gibson was suspended from Ohio State for the fall semester because of an unspecified violation of the university's code of student conduct, the university announced Monday. The ruling did not sit well with coach Urban Meyer. Neither ...


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Report: Lou Rosselli to be named new head coach of Oklahoma
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


One of the key people behind the resurgence of Ohio State Wrestling and the growth of the Ohio RTC is moving on to bigger things.

Ohio State Buckeye Associate Head coach and Ohio RTC headman Lou Rosselli has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Oklahoma. The former Edinboro wrestler and assistant, who just helped lead Kyle Snyder to a 97 KG Olympic title, will take over for Mark Cody, who stepped down earlier in the month.

Named the Freestyle Coach of the Year in 2013, Rosselli has worked alongside Head Coach Tom Ryan for all seven of his seasons at Ohio State.

Rosselli helped change the culture at Ohio State and made it one of the few destinations for Team USA wrestlers after graduation.

Names like Tervel Dlagnev, Angel Escobedo, Reece Humphrey, J.D. Bergman and many others have called Columbus home because of Rosselli’s influence. Its also helped blossom the upstart international careers of Logan Stieber and played a part in Kyle Snyder exploding on the scene after beating Jake Varner at the 2015 U.S. Open and advancing to the world championships and eventually the Olympics — where he became the youngest American wrestler to medal in wrestling history.

“Lou has been pivotal in my development,” said Dlagnov on VSporto’s Script Ohio in April after qualifying for the 2016 Olympics. “He’s become a really great friend over the years and I’ve watched him develop a lot of great athletes.

“He is the kind of the guy that demands a lot of respect and it’s easy to follow him because he’s a great leader.”

The former Nebraska-Kearney product made his way to the Ohio RTC after winning his second NCAA DII title in 2008 to be trained by Rosselli. He’ll join the Ohio State coaching staff on Sept. 12 after finishing fourth in the Men’s freestyle tournament at the 2016 Olympic games.

Dlagnev, who battled back issues heading into U.S. Olympic qualifying, said that it was Rosselli that helped him muster the motivation to compete for a spot in the Rio games.

“He never let me off the hook or gave me the easy way out, which at that point I wanted,” said Dlagnev.

“He loves all of his athletes, he cares about all of us and wants us to succeed. Lou Rosselli is a great coach and a great man and its been a blessing to be under him.”

One of the more underrated coaches in all of the sport of wrestling, Rosselli

“Lou is the man,” said 2008 National Champion Mike Pucillo on an April 2015 episode of tBBC Radio Hour. “He is one of the best technical coaches I’ve ever been around. He makes everything look easy. Its unbelievable how good he is technically and as a coach. He brings a lot to the table on the college and international level. He’s on par with being the top-international coach in the country if not already there.

“His presence at Ohio State from day one has been huge from day one.”

Up next for Rosselli is building a coaching staff at Oklahoma in short time. According to FloWrestling’s Christian Pyles the former Fighting Scot is looking to Virginia Tech Assistant Tony Robie to fill a spot on his staff.

Pyles also added that sources indicated that OSU wrestlers were told on Monday that their associate head coach wouldn’t return in 2016.

The Sooners, who have often been buried in the shadows of John Smith and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, are still one of the more storied programs in wrestling history.

Best known as the alma mater for wrestling legends Dave and Mark Schultz, Oklahoma has won seven national titles in school history — which is fourth most behind Oklahoma State (34), Iowa (23) and Iowa State (8).

Despite historic success, Rosselli’s new program hasn’t won a Big 12 title since 2002 and last brought a national championship back to Norman in 1974.

The post Report: Lou Rosselli to be named new head coach of Oklahoma appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State men's basketball | Guard recruit Thomas Allen schedules visit - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's basketball | Guard recruit Thomas Allen schedules visit
Columbus Dispatch
On the same day Ohio State lost out on an in-state prospect for the class of 2017, an out-of-state target included the Buckeyes in his top five and announced an official visit weekend. This afternoon, Massillon (Ohio) Jackson small forward Kyle Young ...
Thomas Allen, 2017 shooting guard, has Ohio State basketball in top 5, will officially visit Buckeyescleveland.com
The Hurry Up: Texas Linebacker Sets Announcement Date, Bishop Gorman Linebacker Named Army All-American and ...Eleven Warriors
Gareon Conley is Ohio State's newest stud cornerLand-Grant Holy Land

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Strap in: Baby Buckeyes to get baptism vs. BG - Mansfield News Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Strap in: Baby Buckeyes to get baptism vs. BG
Mansfield News Journal
COLUMBUS - Billy Price has started 28 consecutive games for the Ohio State Buckeyes — or 28 more than any of the three new starters joining him on the offensive line for Saturday's noon season opener against Bowling Green. So his two words of advice ...
Tyquan Lewis: Buckeye Nation will be 'riled up' for openerMyDaytonDailyNews
Videos: Hear From Ohio State's Ed Warinner, Raekwon McMillan, Pat Elflein, Tyquan Lewis, Billy Price and Joe BurgerEleven Warriors
TBBC Awards: Pre-season EditionThe Buckeye Battle Cry

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Get ready for the Big Ten Football season, A-Z
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

The 2016 Big Ten football season is set to kick off on Thursday with Indiana at Florida International and Oregon State at Minnesota (9 p.m. ET on BTN). Michigan State will take on Furman on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on BTN. All other 11 Big Ten teams will open their season on Saturday. In order to get you ready for kickoff, I put together a fun list, highlighting everything you need to know heading into this year’s Big Ten season. Here’s an A-Z look at the 2016 Big Ten Football season. A Is for Ash. As in Chris

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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary from little old me (@wvabuckeye) and links to the author’s tweets!

@Charles_BBC covers the rules changes and what-not coming at us this season and touches base specifically with



@ChipMinnich tackles part three in his series about the 2013 recruiting class. Might be the best of the series and worth a read.



@BuckeyeBVO covers his daily recruiting news here. Give him a follow and read up on the latest news.



@jcollingsworth3 continues his awesome series of Ohio State athletes and his Sunday Morning coffee.





Last but certainly not least. The Buckeye Battle Cry wants to grow and we’d like you to try out and see if you can come have some fun with us! E-mail the boss at [email protected] and he will set up your first article!





The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State has a tough road ahead for a Big Ten title
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


From a young team to a tough schedule, the Buckeyes will have to overcome serious challenges on their road to a conference championship.

"All could end well for Ohio State as far as their young and inexperienced players growing up faster than everyone expects, but there are just so many question marks on all sides of the ball, that the odds are clearly stacked against them winning the conference as they enter the 2016 season."

-Alex Gleitman, 247Sports


Despite the top-10 ranking in the first preseason AP Poll, the Ohio State Buckeyes will have to overcome numerous hurdles if they have any hope of winning the Big Ten, let alone the College Football Playoff.

For starters, as has been well documented, the youth and lack of experience on this year’s Ohio State team is almost unfathomable. Of 85 scholarship players, 44 have never even been able to play in a Division I game as they are either true or redshirt freshmen or, in the case of offensive lineman Malcolm Pridgeon, a JUCO transfer.

This lack of experience translates to another serious issue in lack of depth, which hinders the "next man up" mantra that has become almost expected on Meyer’s teams. And, with the likes of Braxton Miller and Ezekiel Elliott lost to the NFL, only J.T. Barrett remains to anchor the skill positions on an offense once filled with playmakers.

Moreover, it isn’t just players who have left Ohio State. The loss of Tom Herman to Houston following the 2014 season showed how drastic it can be to lose a coordinator, as the offense remained stagnant for so much of last season. This year, with Chris Ash having moved to Rutgers and Greg Schiano replacing him at defensive coordinator, there remains a lack of continuity from the coaching staff which could prove problematic.

With just three returning starters each on offense and defense, and a special teams unit which lost a key return man as well as its starting long snapper, the Buckeyes will have to grow up fast before facing a formidable schedule, which ranks in the top-15 in terms of difficulty by most ratings. And while most have the Oklahoma game circled, Bowling Green, which won its division in the MAC last year, and Tulsa, which lost by just three to Virginia Tech in the Independence Bowl, are no pushovers for an out of conference lineup.

The Big Ten slate gets no easier, with night games against Wisconsin and Penn State and a tough road schedule culminating in a tough test in East Lansing before the regular season finale in Columbus against Michigan.

"Ohio State inspires that same kind of pride. It is also a fertile recruiting ground, and would still have major pull for in-state players even if it was going through some lean years. The point is that you can’t rely on that talent alone."

-Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


The Ohio State football program is, at the moment, one of the most stable powerhouses in college athletics, having experienced great success over the last 15 years and, even when scandal threatened to rock the program, coming back quickly and seemingly stronger than ever. Still, there are lessons to be learned--especially for Ohio State--about how other perennial powers have managed trouble in four, key areas, which could prove to be valuable, including bad hiring, bad recruiting, NCAA-imposed sanctions and encroachment into the school’s territory.

For example, when Nick Saban came to Alabama in 2007, the program was not the Alabama we know today, having accrued a 67-54 record from 1997-2006 under Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione and Mike Shula, respectively. While each coach managed one 10-win season during his tenure, the Crimson Tide won just one SEC championship in two overall title game appearances during the span, compared to winning four of five in the last nearly decade under Saban.

The main issue at Alabama boiled down to a series of poor hires which caused a severe downturn in a program that Paul "Bear" Bryant once brought to prominence. Much of the trouble surrounding the hiring seemed to stem from issues in administration, which prevented the best person from getting the job. Mike DuBose, for example, was hired largely on "acclamation" rather than his own skill level.

Under DuBose’s tenure, Alabama incurred NCAA sanctions which resulted in a two-year post-season ban as well as the loss of scholarships, which further hindered what his successors would be able to do with the program. Even so, given the prominence of the program, Alabama was still able to attract top talent from the area--something Ohio State would also likely experience in a similar situation. Unfortunately, recruiting and retaining talent in a decade of poor coaching decisions is not enough to win championships,

"Of course, you won’t hear such proclamations of greatness coming from the program, which has been quiet as a mouse. Just how Meyer likes it. But keep listening. Success has a way of raising its voice."

-Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch


Even with news today that redshirt freshman receiver Torrance Gibson has been suspended for the 2016 season for an as of yet unidentified reason, the Buckeyes have been experiencing a very quiet offseason, especially compared to other programs across the country. In fact, besides running back Bri’onte Dunn’s dismissal from the team in July, there has been very little noise coming out of the Buckeye camp.

This time last year was a far different story, as Urban Meyer and the team were dealing with one-game suspensions for four key players, including defensive end Joey Bosa, H-backs Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson and wide receiver Corey Smith. Alongside the ever-raging quarterback battle between J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones, which was not ultimately solved until the middle of the season, and the constant questions about how Braxton Miller would fit into the offensive team now that he was removed from the quarterback spot, and, of course, amidst the great expectations for what Ohio State would follow up with now that they were winners of the first-ever College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes were facing quite the din.

Still, Michigan in general and Jim Harbaugh in particular have led the offseason racket this year, causing commotions over everything from satellite camps to recruiting visits on social media to running around shirtless at practice. And speculation over the next College Football Playoff remains focused on Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma, while the Big Ten powers sit in wait just on the outside of the projected first four in.

Even so, the Buckeyes are loaded with talent and have quietly earned a top-10 rating in the AP Poll, in prime position to strike when the opportunity arises. And while expectations are high for the young Ohio State team, Meyer has remained cautious and only hinted at the talent present in the locker room, limiting the noise created in Columbus as we head for Saturday.

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