BuckBackHome said:

The zoo is great. I would recommend heading there in the morning. Our experience is the animals are more active at that time and the crowds are usually smaller.

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Jungle Jack Hanna Retirement Announcement: Honoring a Legacy of Inspiration and Passion For People and Wildlife

Powell, OH –- Jungle Jack Hanna has called the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium home since 1978, serving tirelessly as both director and director emeritus over his 42 years in Central Ohio. He has not only delighted and educated international television audiences during his countless media appearances but has also changed the role zoos play in their communities and globally.

And now, Jack Hanna is channeling his energy into a new role. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Hanna family are announcing Jack’s retirement at the end of the year, with his last day on December 31, 2020. Out of respect for the many people whose lives the Hannas have touched, this news is being shared now to give the community ample time throughout the rest of the year to celebrate and thank Jack and Suzi. Jack’s career and leadership transformed the Zoo and set it on the course to be one of the world’s most successful and influential zoos. The Zoo celebrates its shared history with Jack and the wonderful memories of the positive impacts made for wildlife, people working to help endangered species and members of our local and global communities.

“As I approach my mid-70s with more than four decades at the Columbus Zoo, I believe it is time to wind down and officially step back while CEO Tom Stalf and the Zoo’s great leadership team continue to guide the Zoo into the future. Together with many friends and partners, we’ve come a long way to make the world a better place for people and wildlife!” said Jack.

Jack first arrived in Ohio in 1965 to attend Muskingum University—always the animal lover, he even brought his pet donkey with him to live in the fraternity house. While at Muskingum, Jack met his wife, Suzi, and they married in 1968.

Just 10 years later, Jack was asked to serve as director of a little-known zoo in Columbus, Ohio. The Hannas never anticipated the adventures ahead but, together, they were perfectly positioned to lead the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the entire zoological world into the 21st century.

Jack served as the Columbus Zoo’s director from 1978 to 1992 before becoming Director Emeritus. He has authored 15 books, hosted several televisions series, has been the media’s “go to” wildlife correspondent and permeated pop culture while sharing amazing animals with audiences nationwide. He is beloved by his wife, daughters, grandchildren, the zoo community and millions around the world, whose hearts he has touched with his genuine enthusiasm, superhuman energy and passion for making a difference for wildlife.

While Jack will be stepping back from a public role and official duties to spend more time with his family, he will retain the title “director emeritus” and he maintains that he will always be the Zoo’s #1 fan.

“Suzi and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of the Central Ohio community and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium family. Our 42 years at the Columbus Zoo have been the best of our lives—we’ve raised our daughters here and had the honor of revitalizing our Zoo alongside a great team while being advocates for wildlife worldwide. We look forward to supporting the Columbus Zoo for many years to come—while taking some much needed down time with our family along the way!”

Tom Stalf, who became the Columbus Zoo President/CEO in 2012, said he proudly carries on the Zoo’s legacy of global and local wildlife conservation that Jack and Suzi Hanna built.

“I am honored to work for the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds and to lead an incredibly dedicated team of people, who continue to embody Jack’s passion for wildlife,” said Stalf. “I’ve worked with Jack for over 25 years, and witness how he engages people from around the world as they travel to meet him and hear his stories. He has created so many memories and smiles for people with his authenticity and down-to-earth (and larger-than-life!) personality. Jack is a true celebrity and professional. I’ve never met any who is as true, real, wholesome, honest and loving as Jack and Suzi Hanna,” he said. “Jack has inspired many people to learn and care about a variety of species around the world, resulting in positive impacts on wildlife and wild places. For Jack, that is the best legacy of all. I’m grateful to Jack for giving me and so many others the opportunity and vision to focus on conservation, animal welfare and people. The Columbus Zoo will always be the home of Jack Hanna. Thanks to the impact he has made on all of us, we continue to work to ‘touch the heart to teach the mind’ as we fulfill our mission to ‘lead and inspire by connecting people and wildlife.’”

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Board Chair Chad Jester said he admires the meaningful impacts that Jack’s dedication and passion have made both locally and globally.

“Anyone who has had the opportunity to meet Jack, or see one of his television shows, knows he cares about people every bit as much as he does wildlife. His tireless efforts to develop and nurture community relationships and share educational opportunities provided the strong foundation on which the Columbus Zoo’s programs were built. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium leadership, as well as the dedicated teams at the Zoo and its properties, will continue to honor Jack’s legacy for years to come,” said Jester.

Entire article: https://www.columbuszoo.org/home/ab...spiration-and-passion-for-people-and-wildlife

I kind of know about the torrents BP provides which is awesome. I just looked through that thread in the torrents forum so that seems the best bet for solving my issue. That said...

I normally keep the entire previous season on my DVR until the following season begins, but my DVR died a few months ago. I can easily go back and search for full games for TOSU all the way back to 2001 for full games on YouTube for example. But there is nothing for the 2019 season at all except the Clemson game. Does anyone happen to know why this is the case? Is there some legal thing I'm not aware of or I'm crap at searching for things (very likely) or....?

Jaxbuck said:

Oh you just hate to see it

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Re: A 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, Johnson was expected to fight classmate Ta'Quan Roberson for the Nittany Lions’ third-team job in the spring, behind junior Sean Clifford and sophomore Will Levis. A four-star prospect out Sheldon High in Eugene, Ore., Johnson was a member of Penn State’s 2019 recruiting class but did not register a snap last season while redshirting.

It appeared as if he was going to head into spring practice slightly behind Roberson in that battle for the third-team job. That, of course, was before spring ball was called off due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In early April, PSU strength coach Dwight Galt expressed concern about Johnson’s ability to work out from home while social distancing. Johnson spent his time with his parents in Mississippi.

“His parents came up from Mississippi and picked him up and took him back down there when (the hiatus) got prolonged for the rest of the semester,” Galt said at the time. “So he's down there right now. He's got some dumbbells down there, too, with his dad's equipment stuff. And we're currently trying to find somebody for him to throw to down there.”

Around the same time, new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca said he was looking forward to working with all of PSU’s backup QBs.

“Well, I really have not seen (Johnson and Roberson) throw,” Ciarrocca said. “Because Will (Levis) only played in the Ohio State and Rutgers games, I don't have a great baseline on him, either. … But the one thing I can tell you is all three of the guys have a great work ethic and the ability to learn. That's what I've been able to do. Our time has really been spent in the classroom, so I've got a feel for them as people; how they learn. They're very intelligent guys and well-trained. Looking forward to continuing to work with them, but I'm anxious to get the field with them and watch them throw and watch them process stuff in real time.”

Getting Johnson on the field apparently is not going to happen now.

Besides Clifford, Levis and Roberson, the PSU QB roomed will be joined by incoming freshman Micah Bowens of Las Vegas this summer. The Lions also have a QB commit for the Class of 2021 in Canadian prospect Christian Veilleux.

Just sayin': Yeah, I really do. The article says he was competing for the 3rd string QB position. He wasn't going anywhere at Penn State and now that frees up a scholarship for someone else.

DiamondBuck said:

“We had a long conversation on that,” Herman said according to the Austin American-Statesman. “Every time in my 45 years on the planet when a player gets in a fight with an inanimate object, usually the inanimate object wins.” ...

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Mensa-level insight there.


[/QUOTE]
Wonder if Tom fogs himself in Sex Panther before heading to the Jiggly Room.

Keep at it big Mack

NJ-Buckeye said:

The science behind what will happen when Yellowstone/Yosemite goes is pretty uncomfortable

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Here in Denver, I won't be worrying about the long-term consequences ...

LordJeffBuck said:

Fullback Ollie Cline, who set many OSU rushing records, was an All-American in 1945.

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As a tribute to Tibor75 (aka Guy Incognito), on this day in sports history in 1999......



6/09/1999 - Bobby Valentine goes undercover

When Mets manager Bobby Valentine got ejected for arguing an interference call on Mike Piazza, he did something a tad unusual. Most managers stand in the hallway and relay strategies to their assistants when they get kicked out. Valentine went a step further, returning to the dugout in a pair of sunglasses, a Mets t-shirt, and a mustache made of eye black tape.

Despite leading the Mets to the Subway Series in 2000, Valentine was constantly hounded by the press in his tenure with the Mets. It was this stunt that would be referenced the most in their attempts to paint him as a joke.

Valentine didn't exactly help himself out when he denied allegations and visual proof that it was him. ''It was somebody else who didn't look like me,'' he told reporters. Baseball officials were not amused and gave Valentine a two-game suspension and $5,000 fine.

''It was an incident that occurred that I can't take back,'' Valentine said a few days later. ''It's one of those things that happened. If I had known what the responses would be and how seriously the outside world would take it, I never would have done it." ''Let's not kid anyone. I knew where the camera was. If I thought this was punishable by death, the camera never would have seen me. I didn't think it was that big a deal. But again I was incorrect."

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However, the Boulder Daily Camera is reporting that there is an opportunity for Alfano to return. From the report:

Head coach Karl Dorrell told BuffZone, however, that Alfano remains indefinitely suspended and there is a path for him to return to active status if he chooses to take it. Dorrell declined to specify the steps Alfano needs to take in order to return.

According to a source close to Alfano, he received a medical withdrawal from school for the spring semester.

Scootersexual??????

LovelandBuckeye said:

You gotta ask @Jaxbuck I don't like to kink shame.

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Do unto others...

Edit: May I suggest your last post be considered for your sig? It’s worthy.

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On Twitter late last week, the linebacker announced that he will be transferring to FCS Tennessee-Martin. And also offered up a mean culpa to his two previous programs.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me,” Anoma wrote. “It has been very draining emotionally, physically and mentally. However, I would like to apologize to the staff and my teammates at the University of Alabama as well as at the University of Houston for my actions prior to today. I am learning [every day] that every action has a consequence, and it is my responsibility to decide whether or not my actions will be positive or negative. As a young man, I can only take things one day at [a] time and continue to transition into the man [God wants] me to be.

“I want to say thank you to my supporters and family for not giving up on me when things started to get difficult.”

SONG OF THE DAY. Management requested the daily tune be moved to the end of each Skull Session, and I see no reason why not.

Here's "Carmen Ohio" sung by the Ohio State Men's Glee Club – virtually.

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Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...-host-the-modified-tbt-and-treveyon-henderson

Akron Rick said:

Sorry if this 2x posted. Just wanted to ask if anyone else thinks the tight end position..at least in this offense..is going the route of the fullback? With 4-5 wrs on every play do they really need 3 more TEs next year I f they're only used for 4th and 1 situations?

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Been wondering the same myself. Ruckert is a beast, and I still don't see him being top 5 in any receiving category

Yep good luck to him! We will hear his name called in a buckeye game either way I'd imagine

Buckeye Bits: Cam Martinez as a two-way player, Meyer picks Lawrence over Fields, NBA Draft in October, more
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond

Welcome to Buckeye Bits — our daily news roundup on everything happening at Ohio State and around the sports world. We’ve been without sporting events for quite some time now, and while things like the KBO and the Bundesliga have attempted to fill the void, its just not quite the same as the action we have been stripped of these past few months. With that being said, its looking like there is a ton of positive momentum for these sports to return, especially so when it comes to college football.

Without further ado, let’s check out today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

• Two Ohio State targets expected to commit in June
  (Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Despite already having the nation’s top class, Ohio State is still in on some of the top remaining unsigned prospects in the country. A pair of four-star recruits plan on making their college decision sometime later this month, and both of them have included the Buckeyes among their top schools. Definitely something to keep an eye on.

• Trey Sermon’s move to Ohio State the most impactful transfer of 2020
  (Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)

A bunch of college football players traded in their jerseys for one of a different color this offseason, and maybe none of these transfers will have a bigger impact on the landscape of the sport as a whole than Trey Sermon’s move to Ohio State. With a beat up running back room, Sermon adds much needed depth and experience to the roster.

• How will Ohio State replace the production of Chase Young?
  (Gene Ross, LGHL)

One of the biggest hurdles Ohio State faces heading into 2020 is replacing a ton of star power on defense. No star shined brighter in 2019 than Chase Young, and now Ryan Day and his staff must find a way to replace his massive production by use of a committee of talented pass rushers.

• Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits
  (Tia Johnston, LGHL)

Ohio State announced it’s new university president on Wednesday, C.J. Saunders and Tuf Borland spoke out in support of social justice, and much, much more in yesterday’s news roundup.

From around the gridiron...

• Jack Miller not shying away from competition for Buckeyes
  (Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row)

Ohio State QB Jack Miller has weathered a ton of adversity before even stepping foot on campus. Committing to the Buckeyes back in the summer of 2018, he watched his school go through a huge coaching change, watched his recruiting ranking slip due to injuries in his last two high school seasons, and then saw OSU recruit another QB with a higher rating in his same class. Still, Miller did not waiver in his commitment, and now he is ready to fight for the backup job behind Justin Fields this season.

• Two-way athlete Cameron Martinez “mainly preparing” to play defense
  (Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors)

Ohio State hasn’t had too many players adept at playing both sides of the ball. Guys like Zach Boren, who played both fullback and linebacker, and most notably Chris Gamble, who played both wide receiver and corner, are the guys who first come to mind. Cam Martinez could be the next guy in line to hear his name called on both offense and defense, however the former high school QB is mostly preparing to be a defensive back at the next level.

• The top two QBs in college football in 2020 are pretty obvious: it’s Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence. The order in which you rank those two, however, are very much up in the air. The Fox CFB guys ranked their preseason top five QBs heading into the season, and both the fans and Reggie Bush had Fields as their No. 1. Everyone else had Trevor Lawrence, including former OSU head coach Urban Meyer.

• Ohio State doesn’t have any plans to test all of its student athletes for COVID-19 upon their return to campus, but maybe they should re-consider given what’s going on in the south.

• If Chase Young says he ready, he ready.

From around the hardwood...

• David Lighty signs two-year contract extension with ASVEL
  (Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts)

As Murphy explains, it’s rare that basketball players remain on one team for long periods of time in the pros, let alone overseas. That has not been the case for former Ohio State small forward David Lighty, who just signed a contract extension with AVSEL Basketball in Lyon, France, keeping him with the team through 2024. Having played for AVSEL since 2017, Lighty was originally a member of the “Thad Five” in the famed Buckeye recruiting class of 2006.

• It looks like former Ohio State forward Kaleb Wesson will have to continue to wait to hear his name called in the 2020 NBA Draft, as the league has pushed the Draft Lottery to Aug. 25 and the draft itself to Oct. 15, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

From everywhere else...

• Ohio State student-athletes from across multiple sports continue to speak out for social justice and racial equality as the country as a whole fights for change.

• If you ever wondered why players seem to like Ryan Day so much, this is why.

• The NBA is BACK.

• While I have a ton of questions as to why a punter would declare early for the NFL Draft, it will be interesting to see if this sets a precedent for student-athletes moving forward. The NBA and college basketball already allow players to test the draft market and then return to school, could the NFL and college football be next?

Continue reading...

Trey Sermon's transfer to Ohio State is the most impactful transfer of 2020
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Injuries to Master Teague and Marcus Crowley forced Ohio State to look to the transfer portal to address the depth at the position. Head coach Ryan Day didn't disappoint, bringing in Oklahoma running back Trey Sermon.


Last year Ohio State made the biggest splash in the transfer market when they were able to bring in Georgia quarterback Justin Fields to replace Dwayne Haskins. Now, Fox's lead commentator Joel Klatt believes the Buckeyes have secured the most impactful transfer in the country for the second year in a row.

With the injury to Master Teague, Ryan Day knew Ohio State had to somehow address the running back position. The second-year head coach didn't waste much time in shoring up the position, gaining the transfer commitment of Oklahoma running back Trey Sermon.

Following the loss of J.K. Dobbins to the NFL, there was already questions about what the running back position would look like in 2020 in Columbus. Teague rushed for nearly 800 yards in 2019 but the Tennessee product struggled to find traction late in the year, rushing for just 45 yards on 21 carries against Penn State, Michigan, and Clemson.

The addition of Sermon means that Teague doesn't have to rush back from the Achilles injury he suffered in spring practice. As if the injury to Teague wasn't enough to deal with, backup Marcus Crowley is also recovering from injury after suffering a torn ACL in the win over Marylnd. Had the Buckeyes not been able to add Sermon, Ohio State might have entered preseason camp with Steele Chambers as the only healthy running back with experience. Chambers carried the football 19 times in 2019.

Enter Trey Sermon, who rushed for over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns in three seasons with the Sooners. Sermon's best season came in 2018, when he rushed for 947 yards and 13 touchdowns as he lined up in the backfield with eventual Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray.

Last year Sermon wasn't able to replicate his 2018 performance, but a lot of that had to do with the addition of Alabama transfer quarterback Jalen Hurts, who carried the football 233 times. When Hurts wasn't running the football, Kennedy Brooks saw the bulk of the carries, rushing 151 times for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. It also didn't help that Sermon missed the last five games of the year due to a knee injury, but he likely wasn't going to be the feature back even if healthy.

With Brooks returning, Sermon knew he was going to have to go elsewhere in 2020 if he wanted to make an impact. Oklahoma also has Rhamondre Stevenson on the roster but the junior is currently suspended. Stevenson ran for 515 yards and six touchdowns in 2019. The Sooners have appealed the NCAA's suspension of Stevenson that was announced before the Peach Bowl loss to LSU, so they are doing everything they can to bring Stevenson back on the field.

As soon as Sermon announced he was entering the transfer portal, Ohio State seemed like a perfect fit. The Buckeyes desperately needed experience at running back, which Sermon has plenty of. Sermon played with two Heisman Trophy winners and a Heisman Trophy finalist in his three years in Norman while the Sooners made the College Football Playoff in all three of those seasons.

With receivers like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Julian Fleming, it's no secret that Justin Fields will look to pass first, but the addition of Sermon will force opponents to also respect the run. Sermon won't put up numbers like Dobbins did last seasons but his skillset will keep defenses from loading up against the pass. It also won't hurt that Sermon will be running behind an offensive line that returns three talented starters.

When looking at how the Sermon transfer stacks up against other players who entered the transfer portal and are immediately eligible, it's hard to find a transfer that could be more impactful. The transfer of quarterback Jamie Newman from Wake Forest to Georgia is big, but after watching the offense of the Bulldogs recently, I'm not convinced Kirby Smart and his coaching staff will properly utilize Newman.

K.J. Costello moving from Stanford to Mississippi State, D'Eriq King's transfer from Houston to Miami, and Keytayon Thompson heading to Virginia from Mississippi State are all moves that will pay dividends, but it's hard to see them impacting the national title race like the addition of Sermon to the Buckeyes will.

With Sermon in the mix, not only will Ohio State have confidence they'll be able to run the football, they also won't have to rush Teague and Crowley back, which could see Ohio State's opponents having to deal with some fresh legs later in the season. There's no question this was another masterful move in the transfer window by Ryan Day.

Continue reading...

Two Ohio State targets expected to commit in June
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
The Buckeyes are in an especially good position to land a 2021 four-star tight end later this month

After what has been a relatively slow week in the world of Ohio State recruiting, we finally have some potential BOOMs to look forward to. Two Ohio State 2021 targets are expected to commit in the coming weeks.

A four-star tight end


Hudson Wolfe from Savannah (Tenn.) Hardin County is deciding between Ohio State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama and Georgia, and he told 247Sports Tennessee insider Ryan Callahan that his decision will be announced soon.

“A date is not necessarily set in stone, but I’m kind of pushing myself for June 13th,” Wolfe told Callahan. “It’s probably going to be right around then. It’s just the five. We’re going to pick from that (group).”

The Buckeyes already have a top tight end committed to the 2021 class in Sam Hart from Aurora (Col.) Cherokee Trail, who committed in December. The Ohio State recruiting staff has made it known that they are aiming for a two top tight ends when all is said and done with the 2021 class, and Wolfe has been their No. 1 choice to go with Hart for a long time.

While Wolfe told Callahan that he “doesn’t have a school set yet” and that he’s “still kind of going back and forth between a couple,” 247Sports’ Crystal Ball favors him going to Ohio State (75%).

“Ohio State is going to win games in the next four years,” Wolfe told Callahan. “I think they’ll do really well. Their development up there is pretty high, pretty top-notch. And then the recruiting class that they’re putting together — I mean, I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s very, very (good).”

Wolfe is the No. 225 overall prospect and No. 9 tight end in the 2021 class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

And a four-star cornerback


Jaylin Davies from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei announced his Top 4 on May 16—Ohio State, Arizona State, USC and Oregon. On Wednesday afternoon, he announced that he would be making his decision on June 19.


While defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs has been actively recruiting him for awhile, Davies has yet to meet head coach Ryan Day in person, according to Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.

“Me and coach Coombs speak everyday,” Davies told Kurelic awhile back. “It’s going good. He also speaks with my family so our relationship has grown. I can’t wait to meet him as well as coach (Corey) Dennis and (Ryan) Day - the whole staff in person.”

Davies was planning on visiting Ohio State in April, which obviously did not end up happening. He has been quoted saying that meeting the coaching staff and visiting the facility in person is important to both him and his parents. That, and the fact that he is heavily favorited to choose Oregon (92.9%) by 247Sports’ Crystal Ball with a high confidence meter (7), shouldn’t make you feel optimistic about Davies committing to Ohio State. But hey, crazier things have happened.

Davies is the No. 139 overall prospect and No. 12 cornerback in the country, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

Quick Hits:

• Four-star outside linebacker Jalon Walker told Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts that he and Al Washington have a “great relationship.” Walker is the country’s No. 176 overall class of 2022 prospect, the No. 15 outside linebacker and the No. 7 prospect in North Carolina. He currently holds at least 17 offers, including the likes of Auburn, Clemson, Texas and others.

Continue reading...

Buckeye Bits: Kristina M. Johnson is the 16th president of Ohio State, C.J. Saunders using his platform to take action, more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

osu.edu
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond

Welcome back to Buckeye Bits, where we catch you up on all of the news, updates, tweets and analyses circulating around the Ohio State beat and elsewhere. The world is in a heavy state at the moment, so I’m going to begin today’s Bits with one of Lori Schmidt’s infamous #UnderYourHat questions.


Now more than ever, it’s beyond important that each and every one of us use our voices, our platforms and our actions—no matter how small they might be— to fight for black lives. It’s also important to check in with yourself and others during this time, because fighting through this is deep, exhausting, and hard. But most importantly, it’s crucial.

If you’re having trouble figuring out how to make an impact, or whether you even can, here’s my favorite answer to Lori’s question.


“Do for one what you wish you could do for all.”

Now for today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


How will Ohio State replace the production of Chase Young?

Gene Ross, LGHL

It sounds impossible, because it probably is. That’s not to say Ohio State’s defensive line isn’t talented, its just not... 16.5 sacks-talented.

Ohio State offers a trio of tight ends on Tuesday

Gene Ross, LGHL

Ohio State’s recruiting staff had quite a busy day yesterday, especially tight ends coach Kevin Wilson. In about a one hour span on Tuesday, three 2022 tight ends announced via Twitter that they had received an offer from Ohio State. Gene has more on that in this morning’s State Secrets.

Play Like a Girl podcast (written edition): A tribute to Phyllis George

Meredith Hein and Tia Johnston, LGHL

Sportscaster legend and pioneer Phyllis George passed away on May 14, and in honor of her memory, Meredith and I recap her legacy and the incredible impact she made for women in sports.

Buckeye Bits: Ohio State players/staff speak up, how the Bucks can contend for a title, the next great OSU RB, more

Gene Ross, LGHL

Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits, because yesterday was filled to the brim with newsworthy stuff you may have missed.

From around the gridiron...


Emergence of Ohio State’s third-year players will determine whether Ohio State has a national title-worthy team

Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors

With guys like Justin Fields, Chris Olave, Josh Proctor, Taron Vincent, and many more, its safe to say that Ohio State’s destiny is up to the third-years. As Hass-Hill wrote, these players made up the best recruiting class Ohio State has ever signed. Now they have to show us why.


C.J. Saunders, Buckeyes are working, protesting, kneeling for change

Austin Ward, Lettermen Row

Four hours after being released from his overnight stay in the Franklin County Jail, Saunders was putting tape down to mark spots for social distancing, making sure student-athletes from dozens of sports were wearing masks and then ultimately delivering some brief remarks from the back of a pickup truck, writes Ward.

Saunders describes his experience in jail, along with his thoughts on the protesting, the anti-racism movement, what he and his teammates have been doing and plan to do with their platforms and more in the link above.


Urban Meyer, TreVeyon Henderson tackle social issues, protests

Tim May, Lettermen Row

On this week’s Tim May podcast, Urban Meyer and Ohio State running back commitment TreVeyon Henderson discuss the ongoing protests, what coaches can do for their players, Henderson’s personal experience with racial profiling, and much more.


Ohio State football defense has much to prove to pull off LSU’s national championship run: Buckeye Take

Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com

Ohio State has a very serious shot at a national title this season (what’s new?), however the Buckeyes’ defense is going to have to step up to make that happen. This year’s group—sans Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, Damon Arnette, and Malik Harrison—has a lot to prove before it can call itself as good as the one LSU put on the field in 2019, writes Baird.


Gunnar Hoak ready for backup opportunity for Buckeyes

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller have received most of the attention in regards to who will be backing up Justin Fields, but Holbrook believes—due to the two freshmen’s lack of reps and Hoak’s knowledge of the playbook—that Hoak is more than ready to be QB2 this season.


Ohio State, you’re doing amazing, sweetie.


Meanwhile, at Clemson...

From everywhere else...


New prez


The Ohio State University Board of Trustees appointed Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, as the 16th president in university history. Johnson has served as chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) since 2017 and brings more than 30 years of experience as an academic, business and policy leader, Ohio State wrote in its press release.

Johnson said Ohio State has always been a special place for her, due to the fact that her grandfather graduated from OSU in 1896 and played right guard for the Buckeyes.

She will begin her tenure as Ohio State president on September 1, 2020.


Proud to be an Ohio State alum


Ohio State student-athletes, staff and OSU police came together in front of the ‘Shoe for a “Kneel for Nine” demonstration. Organized by student-athletes, the group knelt for nine minutes in remembrance of George Floyd, who’s neck was under a Minneapolis police officer’s knee for around nine minutes.


Back to school!


You know what that means don’t you?


The NBA is back!


According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:


MLS is back!


The MLSPA have voted on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and approved a return-to-play plan. The approval of the proposal avoids a lockout that had been threatened by MLS.

“MLS Players today ratified a new collective bargaining agreement, which will run through the 2025 season,” the MLSPA said in a statement. “Today’s vote also finalizes a plan to resume the 2020 season and provides players with certainty for the months ahead. It allows our members to move forward and continue to compete in the game they love.”

The approval now opens the door for the league to return to the field in June with a World Cup-style tournament to be held at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. The teams are expected to arrive in Orlando, Florida, in three weeks, according to ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle.

Continue reading...

How will Ohio State replace the production of Chase Young?
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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The Buckeyes’ defensive line has some massive shoes to fill

We touched on it briefly in yesterday’s Buckeye Bits, but on Tuesday Bill Connelly dropped a great piece on ESPN about college football’s national title contenders. Specifically, he looked at the teams with the best title odds according to Caesars Sportsbook, and for each program he looked at just how many “ifs” it would take for that school to win it all.

Ohio State was included in the elite group of upper-tier teams that required only two “ifs” in order to contend for a title — the only other programs in that group being Clemson and Alabama. One of the Buckeyes’ ifs required their clearly talented wide receiver core to actually play up to its incredibly high potential, but the other was a bit more of a question mark: If OSU wants to contend for a title, they must keep up the pass rush without Chase Young.

I hate to break it to you, but I don't think Ohio State has another generational talent on the roster quite like the 6-foot-5, 265-pound No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. Now, that’s not to say there aren’t some really good guys along this year’s defensive line, but Young was absolutely out of this world. The junior led the nation with 16.5 (!!) sacks despite being forced to miss two games, and according to Connelly he generated pressure on 19% of his pass rushes — the most by far of any player with at least 200 attempts.

It’s not just Young that the Buckeyes are tasked with replacing either. Of the nation-leading 54 sacks Ohio State registered in 2019, only 20.5 were by players who will be returning in 2020. Guys like DaVon Hamilton (six sacks), Jashon Cornell (4) and Malik Harrison (3.5) all must have their production replaced this upcoming season as well. Luckily, what the team may lack in pure star power like that of Young, they make up for in depth.

While there is certainly going to be heavy rotation along the defensive line this season, the strength of the unit will really rely on both Zach Harrison and Tyreke Smith.

Harrison, now a sophomore, was a five-star prospect out of high school, and the No. 2 DE in the country in his class. Both Young and fellow defensive end Jonathan Cooper had high praise for the talented edge rusher last season, with Young having called him a “force to be reckoned with,” and Cooper lauding his athleticism and work ethic. Having played in more of a limited role the past season, Harrison will now be expected to take the next step and prove that potential on the field.

Oddly enough, as a freshman Harrison finished with 3.5 sacks and 22 total tackles with five for a loss. Chase Young’s first season in Columbus? 3.5 sacks, 18 total tackles, five for a loss. It’s asking a lot for Harrison to mirror what Young did in 2019, and nobody is actually expecting that of him, but the potential for a breakout season for the second-year man is certainly on the table.

Smith, while not as well-known nationally as Harrison, was also a highly rated prospect out of high school. As the No. 4 WDE in the nation in the 2018 class, the Cleveland native now enters year three looking to make that junior jump we’ve seen from Ohio State players all too often. Injuries have slowed down his progress in his first two seasons in Columbus, but Smith was able to put together a solid year in 2019, finishing with three sacks and five tackles for loss. He and Harrison are expected to be the first-teamers on this year’s defense.

Those guys will have a ton of help, however, as the Buckeyes’ defensive line has some impeccable depth. The aforementioned Cooper is returning for a fifth year after an ankle injury forced him to redshirt last season, and there's reason to believe he’ll be entering the year with something to prove after becoming an afterthought in 2019.

There are also players like Tyler Friday and Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Both four-star recruits out of high school, the pair of third-year defensive ends could become key members of this rotating cast this upcoming season. With two sacks by Friday and 1.5 by Jean-Baptiste last year in reserve duty, there's no reason to think an increase in production is out of the question with another offseason of tutelage under Larry Johnson.

Ohio State should also have some pass-rushing talent up the middle. Last season, Hamilton was second on the team with six sacks from his defensive tackle spot. This year, the team is hoping to see the return of Taron Vincent, who missed all of the previous campaign with a shoulder injury. The top DT recruit in the country in 2018, Vincent, alongside Haskell Garrett and Tommy Togiai, should be able to cause some disruption to help out the rest of their fellow linemen.

I can almost promise you this: nobody on Ohio State’s current roster will match Chase Young’s 16.5 sacks — I will GLADLY be Old Takes Exposed to death if that actually happens. In fact, there may not be one Buckeye that reaches double-digit sacks this upcoming season, but that’s okay. This unit does not have the big flashy names it has in years prior, but it is a deep group with lots of talent and some untapped potential that should not have a problem getting to the quarterback in 2020.

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Committed to WVU. Great get for the Mountaineers.

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