The Big Ten Network gave fans an inside view of Ohio State practice
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Info out of practices might be less than we’re used to, but we got some insights from BTN today.

The news coming out of the first five days of Ohio State’s fall football practice has been noticeably less than in years past, thanks to the athletic department closing practices and not making players and coaches available to the media due to the on-going investigation into head coach Urban Meyer’s handling of domestic violence allegations against former wide receivers coach Zach Smith.

However, thanks to the Big Ten Network’s annual bus tour, we got a bit of a reprieve as the first three quarters of practice were open to all media, though no interviews were permitted before the assembled mass was escorted away.

So, thanks to BTN for the assist in getting us something substantive to talk about during the otherwise frustrating last seven days.

Offense


We got a first look at new interim-head coach Ryan Day working with Dwayne Haskins and the rest of the stable of QBs.


BTN’s Gerry DiNardo noted that Haskins appears to be a prototypical “pass-first, dual-threat quarterback.”

Dave Revsine also noted that Haskins’ leadership skills are different than those of J.T. Barrett, but Day thinks that’s ok.


Rever also gave as an up-close-and-personal look at some of the top players that Haskins will be throwing to this fall in Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, and Parris Campbell.


Then, we got to actually see the new QB working with his receivers as Haskins hit McLaurin over the middle for what appeared to be a score.


We also got to see how Haskins might run the more RPO-driven offense this season in a play with sophomore running back J.K. Dobbins.


Of course, after Day, the coach that garnered the most attention during the open practice was likely Brian Hartline, who just signed a $105,000 contract to be the interim-wide receivers coach, replacing Smith.

Defense


On the other side of the ball, we also got a good look at one of OSU’s young defensive studs, Chase Young.


Moving to the line, he doesn’t get nearly as much publicity as some of his colleagues do, but there’s no doubt that Larry Johnson is one of the best defensive line coaches in America, if not the best of them all.


Finally, BTN gave us a peek at why OSU is DBU.


Overall, the BTN crew gave credit to the players and coach who had a tough, focused practice, despite the fact that Meyer wasn’t able to be in attendance.


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Ohio State football: Urban Meyer's absence doesn't distract Buckeyes at practice - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Urban Meyer's absence doesn't distract Buckeyes at practice
The Columbus Dispatch
Except for the absence of head coach Urban Meyer, it was business as usual for the Ohio State football team at practice on Tuesday morning. In charge was acting head coach Ryan Day, the Buckeyes' quarterbacks coach and one of their offensive ...
Ohio State offers a peek at Buckeyes on the practice fieldSpringfield News Sun
Courtney Smith's attorney releases a statement247Sports
Buckeyes practice but team is off-limitsWTRF
RealClearLife -AP News
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Ohio State offers a peak at Buckeyes on the practice field - Dayton Daily News
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Ohio State offers a peak at Buckeyes on the practice field
Dayton Daily News
The 2018 Ohio State football team is still practicing on Olentangy River Road this week despite the ongoing investigation of head coach Urban Meyer. The athletics department let reporters in for a few minutes to see on Tuesday and even allowed video to ...
Ohio State football: Urban Meyer's absence doesn't distract Buckeyes at practiceThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes boast three top-50 players247Sports
Buckeyes practice but team is off-limitsWTRF
RealClearLife -AP News
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Column: Tribalism might explain why Urban Meyer kept Zach Smith on his staff for so long
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This seems like one of the only viable theories for how we got to this crossroad in Buckeye history.

This dilemma that the Ohio State Buckeyes football program is facing has not only snowballed out of control, but has become an avalanche.

On social media, the lines are divided between Urban needing to be fired, or him staying on at OSU as head coach. Some want Meyer to be more accountable and truthful, while others believe he did enough and doesn’t have to tell the truth to the media. Between Meyer, Zach Smith, and the University, any level of detente was squashed when Meyer released his statement on Friday evening—which was then followed by Smith jumping on the radio and television waves. In other words: this has become a circus.

Personally, I believe the powder keg for this whole situation stems from Meyer’s inability to speak the truth at Big Ten Media Days last month. But what caused him to not be totally upfront? Tribalism may be to blame.

Tribalism versus reason


The football coaching fraternity is, practically, a form of tribalism. It’s a network of people in the same line of work, and one doesn’t really submit an application to apply for a job; you’re generally brought in by someone who knows what you can do. You come up through the ranks. If you do get to the pinnacle and become a head coach, then you’d probably assemble a coaching staff of people who you know, or have worked with in the past. There rarely would be any strangers on your staff.

And when one coach leaves a school, he generally finds a new landing point. Assistants move around, become head coaches and the cycle continues.

In this specific case, Meyer got his upward start with help from Earle Bruce. Bruce became a mentor to the young Meyer, and, over time, Meyer went from small roles to slightly bigger roles, all the way to national championship winning coach. Along the journey, however, Zach Smith, the grandson of Bruce, was brought into Meyer’s “circle,” his coaching tree. Sure, there may have been some nepotism when Smith constantly found a way to stay on staff, but after the initial domestic abuse claim against him in 2009, the logic to keep Smith on staff made less and less sense as time progressed.

Especially after the 2015 allegation, the alarms should’ve sounded that, at a minimum, his contract as wide receiver coach should’ve lapsed—and not been renewed. But the kicker with tribalism is that logic goes out the window.

The tribalism factor comes in with the statement Meyer gave at Media Days. He said “I know nothing; never had a conversation about that” about the 2015 incident.


At no point did he indicate that Smith was someone he shouldn’t have around his football program. It seemed like Meyer was doing just enough to show that he was doing something. But he didn’t want to figuratively brand a scarlet letter on Smith as being someone who shouldn’t keep coaching.

I think the best thing that Meyer could’ve said at Big Ten Media Days when asked about the firing of Smith would’ve been saying something along the lines of: After the 2009 incident, I gave him one more chance—because I truly believed that with the football family, he could be reformed. When I learned about the 2015 incident, I realized that I had failed in reforming him—and that he needed to leave.

He did not say this. To be clear. But wouldn’t it have been better if he did?

There was no need to deceive and every reason to tell the truth. However, Meyer didn’t do that, and now he’s on administrative leave. And late Sunday night, it was unveiled that the University’s investigation would be concluded within the next 14 days.


Take this scenario for instance:

You’re a successful manager of an organization, and thanks to Person A, you got your start. After a lengthy career of working up the ladder, you land your dream job. However, Person B, the grandson of Person A, is on your staff and you find out there are some serious allegations against Person B.

What would you do with Person B? Would you keep Person B around? Would you fire Person B? Most reasonable people would agree that there’s no room in any organization for that kind of behavior. In essence: Person B must go.

In that scenario, we’re looking at it from a theoretical and rational standpoint. However, we live in a world where people are often irrational.

This may also explain why Smith went on a media tour on Friday. Smith may have felt that he put Meyer in this situation, and was trying to help out his former coach. The former coach who gave him a second chance after the 2009 allegations, and then brought him to Columbus—the place where his grandfather coached. However, it seemed like Smith’s strategy for getting out of the already deep hole he was in, was to keep digging.

If we use the tribalism rationale, then you would have a situation where it appears to be coaches versus the administration. That’s basically what’s happened since Meyer and Smith voiced their side of the story on Friday evening. But, I don’t think Meyer and Smith were in cahoots when it came to releasing their sides of the story to the masses. If Smith pulled his interview first and proved that he isn’t credible at all, then who was going to believe Meyer when he spoke last?

The aftermath of the Friday news blitz


In those eight paragraphs worth of text, four of them echo Meyer telling you to believe what he’s saying. If you have to tell people to constantly believe you, then you’re already starting on the low ground. That’s the consequence of telling the whopper at media days.

Meyer put out his statement after it appeared that the university was boxing him in; normally when you’re put on administrative leave, it isn’t a good thing—throw in the fact that there’s an independent panel that will go over what was known/not known—and things really weren’t looking good for the incumbent Buckeye head coach.

Combined with the fact that Smith was going on TV/radio to voice his side of events, Meyer felt he needed to say something. In this case, doing—and saying—nothing would’ve been the wrong thing to do. (Also, Smith saying that it would be “a crime” if Urban lost his job over this points to Smith’s disillusionment of the situation, which, after his media rounds on Friday, showed that he is an unreliable narrator at best.)

The tribalism mindset is the only plausible explanation for how we got to this point in time. While we’ll probably get more information as the investigation continues, this is what I theorize.

The consequence


Frank W. Boreham wrote a fiction piece called Mushroom on the Moor that was published in 1915. In it, he had this golden line, “we make our decisions, and our decisions turn around to make us.”

When the dust settles on this investigation, and the verdicts are handed out, I do think we’ll see not only seismic changes at Ohio State, but the whole landscape in general.

Do I think Urban Meyer will get fired? I don’t believe he will, assuming that no other groundbreaking information is found. I do believe, however, that because of the administrative leave and investigation taking place, he’ll be served some sort of penalty for not dismissing Smith sooner. A 2-4 game suspension could be served up.

On the national level, I think there will be an increased focus on dealing with domestic abuse allegations the right way, and that retaining people who are accused—and that have strong evidence against them of being an abuser—will lead to immediate dismissals when uncovered. Doing the right thing shouldn’t be a hard thing to do. However, when tribalism and rationalizing one’s own decision come into play, all bets are off.

No matter how this story ends for Urban Meyer, Courtney Smith, Zach Smith, and the Ohio State University, there are no winners.

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Courtney Smith's attorney releases a statement - 247Sports
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Courtney Smith's attorney releases a statement
247Sports
Who would you say are now the #2 & #3 PF/C options for Holtmann to close out the 2019 class for Buckeyes figuring that EJ Liddell is priority #1? Helwagen: I need to do some research and get you a good answer on this hopefully within the next week I'll ...
After rally for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, lawyer for ex-wife of fired Buckeyes staffer releases statementPennLive.com

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LOOK: Buckeyes are back in fall camp - 247Sports
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LOOK: Buckeyes are back in fall camp
247Sports
The Buckeyes had the team's first practiced on Friday, followed by two more practices over the weekend. The Scarlet and Gray then had Monday off as the team moved into the hotel where players and coaches will stay until Aug. 18. Practices have happened ...
A Trio Of Buckeyes Appear On ESPN's List Of Top 50 College Football PlayersBuckeye Wire

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Ohio State offers a peak at Buckeyes on the practice field - Springfield News Sun
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Ohio State offers a peak at Buckeyes on the practice field
Springfield News Sun
The 2018 Ohio State football team is still practicing on Olentangy River Road this week despite the ongoing investigation of head coach Urban Meyer. The athletics department let reporters in for a few minutes to see on Tuesday and even allowed video to ...
Ohio State Buckeyes boast three top-50 players247Sports
The 50 best players in college football: Ed Oliver leads the wayESPN

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Son of legendary Dallas Cowboy talks OSU, Urban Meyer situation - 247Sports
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Son of legendary Dallas Cowboy talks OSU, Urban Meyer situation
247Sports
Dallas (Texas) Jesuit 2020 running back EJ Smith was one of the many recruits in attendance at the Buckeyes' spring game the weekend... To read this article and more, subscribe now —. Buy 1 Month, Get 4 Months Free. Get access to this article and all ...
With Urban Meyer uncertainty, where does Ohio State belong in AP preseason top 25?Tampa Bay Times
Buckeyes Fans Rally for Embattled Urban Meyer at Ohio StadiumRealClearLife
After rally for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, lawyer for ex-wife of fired Buckeyes staffer releases statementPennLive.com
Fort Worth Star Telegram -WTVB News
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BM5: Practice resumes amid turmoil - 247Sports
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BM5: Practice resumes amid turmoil
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE. The BM5 is available on iTunes and more: * Click here to listen to the show via iTunes.
With Urban Meyer uncertainty, where does Ohio State belong in AP preseason top 25?Tampa Bay Times
Ohio State fans rally in support of coach MeyerWTVB News
After rally for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, lawyer for ex-wife of fired Buckeyes staffer releases statementPennLive.com
Off Tackle Empire
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With Urban Meyer uncertainty, where does Ohio State belong in AP preseason top 25? - Tampa Bay Times
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With Urban Meyer uncertainty, where does Ohio State belong in AP preseason top 25?
Tampa Bay Times
With Ohio State's investigation into Urban Meyer expected to wrap up within two weeks, the Buckeyes should know whether he's coaching them before their Sept. 1 season opener against Oregon State. Unfortunately, that timeline means I probably won't know ...
Ohio State fans rally in support of coach MeyerWTVB News
After rally for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, lawyer for ex-wife of fired Buckeyes staffer releases statementPennLive.com
Why Buckeye Fans Should Not Care If Urban Meyer Gets FiredOff Tackle Empire
247Sports
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Nick Bosa the Best Lineman in the Country, Three Buckeyes Ranked in Preseason Top-50, and Parris Campbell Still ... - Eleven Warriors
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Nick Bosa the Best Lineman in the Country, Three Buckeyes Ranked in Preseason Top-50, and Parris Campbell Still ...
Eleven Warriors
At this time every year, teens trying to check into a hotel are met by hordes of poorly dressed males with cameras and camcorders, and I have a near existential crisis as I harvest the photos and put them online for your viewing enjoyment. This year ...

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Ohio State players arrive at team hotel for fall camp
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Let’s just say that we hope the Buckeyes are better at football than fashion!

Monday was the 2018 edition of the only slightly creepy tradition of media members camping out in front of the Ohio State team hotel to get shots of players as they check-into their home away from home for the duration of fall camp.

This year’s check-in bore a little more importance for the media as Ohio State has mostly cut off access to players and coaches due to the on-going investigation into head coach Urban Meyer’s handling of the Zach Smith domestic violence allegations.

However, yesterday, Ohio State announced that media would be able to watch the first three periods of practice, but that no questions could be asked. This temporary change in policy was likely due to the arrival of the Big Ten Network’s annual bus tour, which will be stopping in Columbus today, Aug. 7.


Now, there will almost certainly be plenty to discuss and breakdown from BTN’s stop on campus, but before we have to dive back into the muck that is the investigation, let’s revel in the ridiculousness that is filming and photographing 18-23 year olds as they walk into a hotel.


When I say that this tradition is ridiculous, I mean that in the best possible sense; especially when it comes to long snapper Liam McCullough who certainly knows how to stick with a joke.


However, not to be out done by a snapper, veteran wide receiver Johnnie Dixon wore what appears to be McCullough’s 2017 shirt to check-in. It’s only too bad that Dixon doesn’t have any eligibility left, or next year he could have worn a shirt with a picture of himself wearing a shirt with a picture of McCullough wearing a shirt with a picture of McCullough, thus perpetuating the circle of life.


As 105.7 The Zone’s Lori Schmidt pointed out, Columbus is all about McCullough’s photo within a photo within a photo t-shirt.


Dwayne Haskins repped the Nike team gear as he prepares for his first camp as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.


Redshirt-freshman offensive lineman Wyatt Davis, who is from Bellflower, Cali., showed that you can take the boy out of SoCal, but you can’t take the SoCal out of the boy. At least he got the right player to root for.


And, as unusual as McCullough’s shirt is, punter Drue Chrisman might have taken it up a notch this year. We might need to check in with our own Matt Brown to see if this is a thing with which we are unaware.


Finally, a handful of veterans made their way to the team hotel looking either annoyed by, or uninterested in, the assembled throng.


To be honest with you, the younger players didn’t look all that enthused either.


If you want to check out even more photos from the check-in, head over to 105.7’s website here.

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


The Buckeyes continue to be a popular name for some of the top recruits in the country.

It may seem difficult to find any positives surrounding the Ohio State football program given all that has happened in the last week. With Urban Meyer being placed on paid administrative leave, it is more than understandable to feel that the engine powering Ohio State’s football prowess is sputtering.

But that’s not the case. Ohio State will always be Ohio State and because of that, the country’s top recruits will remain interested in continuing their football careers in Columbus. This held true this last weekend as multiple top-rated recruits listed the Buckeyes among their top schools, despite the uncertainty surrounding the program.

Below are some of the recruits who Ohio State made the cut for:

5-star ATH Tank Bigsby


Class: 2020

Town: Hogansville, GA / Callaway

Size: 6’0 / 195


Bigsby only has two seasons of high school football under his belt but he has already proven to be one of the top recruits in his class. The 247Sports Composite Rankings have him listed as the No. 2 athlete in the country and the No. 31 overall recruit. Because of this, he’s received official scholarship offers to play for more than 30 of the country’s most prestigious college football programs.

Trimming his list to 15 schools, Bigsby included Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Penn State, Auburn, Miami, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Florida, Tennessee, Oregon, Clemson, Florida State and South Carolina alongside Ohio State.

Ohio State has yet to get Bigsby on campus, but they are not alone being this early in his recruitment. Expect him to start visiting schools further from his hometown following his junior season of play.

4-star OLB Kevin Swint


Class: 2020

Town: Carrollton, GA / Carrollton

Size: 6’3 / 220


Swint, like the aforementioned Bigsby, has impressed in just two years of high school football. The 247Sports Composite Rankings have him listed as the No. 11 outside linebacker in the country and he is the No. 181 overall recruit, despite position.

While Swint has not had much time to travel the country to the more than 20 schools that have presented him with a verbal offer, he has been able to trim his list down, be it not by too much.

Alongside Ohio State, Swint included Boston College, Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Wisconsin in his top schools.

The Buckeyes have yet to earn a commitment from a linebacker in their 2020 recruiting class, and Swint is definitely on their radar. Expect the Ohio State coaching staff to do its best in ensuring Swint finds his way to Columbus multiple times in the coming years.

4-star SF Samuell Williamson


Class: 2019

Town: Rockwall, TX / Rockwall

Size: 6’6 / 180


Switching over from the gridiron to the court, Ohio State men’s basketball head coach Chris Holtmann has made tremendous work in the recruiting world since making Columbus home.

The program’s 2019 recruiting class may only have two verbal commits, but the duo rival all other classes right now. The class is ranked No. 3 nationally by the 247Sports Class Rankings and is atop the Big Ten thanks to pledges from five-star PG DJ Carton and four-star SF Alonzo Gaffney.

Holtmann continues to build on this class and the team moved one step closer to adding another top-rated recruit to the class with Williamson including the team in his top schools.

Alongside Ohio State, Williamson included Kansas, Baylor, Texas Tech, SMU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Louisville and Texas in his top ten schools moving forward.

Williamson is the No. 14 SF in the country and is the No. 52 overall prospect despite position. He took an unofficial visit to Ohio State back in June and liked what he saw from the program. Ohio State will have to continue to work on getting a pledge from him as Kansas is viewed as the runaway favorite to land him right now. However, there is still plenty of time before he has to make a decision and anything can happen in the world of recruiting.

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Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes make cut for 4-star ... - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes make cut for 4-star ...
The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State has made the most recent cut for a pair of four-star prospects in the class of 2018.Today, the Buckeyes were included on the most-updated list for ...
4-star Ohio State commit to take part in Under Armour All-American gameLand-Grant Holy Land

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Kurelic: Buckeyes in a good position; recruiting momentum - 247Sports
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Kurelic: Buckeyes in a good position; recruiting momentum
247Sports
While it is never good for a college football program to being going through what Meyer and Ohio State are currently going through, from a football standpoint the Buckeyes are in as good a position as they could possibly be under the circumstances.
LOOK: Buckeyes are back in fall camp247Sports

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'No concerns': Oak Park's Dwan Mathis solid with Ohio State despite controversy - The Detroit News
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'No concerns': Oak Park's Dwan Mathis solid with Ohio State despite controversy
The Detroit News
Mathis said Monday he remains committed to Ohio State and whether Meyer stays or goes doesn't have much bearing on his status. Mathis is focused more on the Buckeyes' track record of developing dual-threat quarterbacks and putting them in the NFL.


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LOOK: Buckeyes fans hold rally to support Urban Meyer, but it was a bad look for Ohio State - CBSSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


LOOK: Buckeyes fans hold rally to support Urban Meyer, but it was a bad look for Ohio State
CBSSports.com
Meyer was placed on paid administrative leave last week in the wake of his potential mishandling of multiple domestic violence accusations against former Buckeyes wide receivers coach Zach Smith. Judging by several signs carried by fans, the result of ...
Urban Meyer investigation: What's at risk for Ohio State, Buckeyes coachSporting News
Ryan Day's new world as Ohio State's acting head coach: Buckeyes football analysiscleveland.com
Ohio State Buckeyes boast three top-50 players247Sports
USA TODAY -The Columbus Dispatch -Twitter -Facebook
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Brain Worms Drive Hundreds Of Unfortunate Buckeyes Fans To Gather For Urban Meyer Rally - Deadspin
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Brain Worms Drive Hundreds Of Unfortunate Buckeyes Fans To Gather For Urban Meyer Rally
Deadspin
Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer is currently on indefinite paid administrative leave while the university completes an investigation of reports that he knew of but did nothing about domestic violence allegations against assistant coach Zach ...
OSU fans, including Zeke's dad, rally for MeyerESPN (press release) (blog)

all 2 news articles »

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Ohio State Buckeyes set 14-day timeline for Urban Meyer probe - UPI.com
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Ohio State Buckeyes set 14-day timeline for Urban Meyer probe
UPI.com
Ohio State officials released a statement late Sunday saying that the investigation into Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer would be completed in 14 days. Meanwhile, a number of Ohio State fans are showing support for Meyer both in person and online.


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It would kind of suck to lose Ryan Day right now wouldn't it?

A trio of Ohio State players is considered among the best in college football
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 proven leaders to rising stars, the Buckeyes have talent at all levels.

“The younger Bosa’s first two seasons have been a step ahead of the trajectory his All-American brother, Joey, took before getting drafted in the first round after three years at Ohio State.”

-ESPN Staff


With just a few weeks left until the start of the college football season, individuals are already emerging as potential impact players on their respective squads. As the consensus top two teams in the country, Alabama and Clemson naturally have a lot of firepower, but Ohio State is not too far behind, with three players from three position groups making the list of the 50 best players in the sport this year, according to ESPN.

Leading the group is defensive end Nick Bosa, who has already put together a storied career in two seasons at Ohio State. His junior season, when he will finally be the leader on a still-stacked defensive line, ie expected to outstrip even his previous performances. Ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s list, Bosa is the fourth defensive lineman on the list in a season where the position group is loaded nationally. Ed Oliver, a tackle from Houston, is listed as the top player in the country. Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence, both of Clemson, are the No. 4 and 5 players on the list, respectively.

Coming in at No. 23, running back J.K. Dobbins has solidified himself as one of the top backs in the nation. Having averaged more than 100 yards per game as a true freshman, expectations are high for the young back as he prepares for his sophomore campaign. He will still be splitting time with redshirt junior Mike Weber, but the pairing should support both players as they will be able to split plays and avoid fatigue in a given game.

Perhaps the most surprising Ohio State player on the list is quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who came in at No. 32 in the rankings. Credited for his role in achieving a comeback win over Michigan last season, Haskins looks to take control of an offense that had been run by J.T. Barrett for seemingly forever. Also surprisingly, Michigan’s Shea Patterson, formerly of Ole Miss fame, was listed at No. 25. Both Haskins and Patterson will have a lot to prove in the Big Ten this season.


Congratulations to the 29 student-athletes who received their college degrees Sunday at the Ohio State University summer commencement!

Alan C. Michaels, dean of the Moritz College of Law, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony, in which roughly 1,500 students received their degrees. Despite being the school’s smallest graduation ceremony, a number of the most prominent student athletes in recent school history were among the graduates.

Heavyweight wrestler Kyle Snyder graduated Sunday with a degree in Sports Industry. Snyder has build a laundry list of accomplishments while at Ohio State, including three NCAA championships and two Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year honors. On the way, he has risen to become one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation on the world stage, earning Olympic gold medals and world championships on the international circuit.

On the football side, Sean Nuernberger, who still has a season of eligibility remaining despite being Ohio State’s kicker for approximately a century, graduated with a Computer and Information Science degree. Nuernberger, who has never missed an extra point attempt in his college career, finished last season with his personal best field goal percentage, connecting on 81 percent of attempts.

Tennis star Chase Buchanan also took home his Communication degree Sunday, having returned to Columbus to finish school through the Degree Completion Program. Buchanan played for Ohio State from 2009-12 before leaving to play professionally. Like Snyder, Buchanan was also a two-time Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year while at Ohio State (2010, 2011).

In total, 267 student athletes earned their degrees this year at the three university commencement programs. The Buckeyes had 489 Academic All-Big Ten selections this year, a school record, along with 129 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars. On a wider level, 34 of 26 varsity sports teams had a collective GPA above 3.0.

“White, 70, will lead the independent team investigating Meyer. She’s the former chair of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.”

-Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


With the announcement that the investigation into Urban Meyer will be completed within two weeks, the seven-person committee appointed by the Ohio State Board of Trustees to lead the investigation is set to get to work swiftly. The committee, which met for the first time last week, is made up mainly of high-profile lawyers, but also draws on business professionals with national experience. Only one of the committee members holds a degree from Ohio State, though three are current members of the university’s Board of Trustees and two have held faculty roles at the school.

Mary Jo White, who is leading the investigative team, brings significant experience in major, high-profile sports investigations. Some of her work includes several of the most relevant NFL cases in recent years, sitting on the expert advisory panels to investigate Jerry Richardson, Ezekiel Elliott and the New Orleans Saints in the last decade.

Leading the working group itself is former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Jo Ann Davidson. A former member of the Ohio State Board of Trustees, Davidson spent two decades in the Ohio House of Representatives. Davidson is joined by Craig Morford, former acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General from 2007-08 and current chief legal and compliance officer for Cardinal Health, and Carter Stewart, adjunct professor at Ohio State’s law school and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.

On the trustee side, only Janet Porter, PhD, holds a degree from Ohio State. Porter, who has also served on the faculty at Ohio State, is the former COO of Nationwide Children’s. Alex Shumate, two-time chairman of the board, is the managing partner in Columbus for Squire Patton Boggs. Last up, Alex Fischer, a member of the board for the past four years, is president of the Columbus Partnership.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Here’s yet another reason to love the Browns.
• Meanwhile these cats are pretty cool, too.
• And this kangaroo is also extra lovable .
• I mean it’s cool but this guy should really be wearing a helmet.
• Probably this dude, too...just in case.

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Urban Meyer investigation: What's at risk for Ohio State, Buckeyes coach - Sporting News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Urban Meyer investigation: What's at risk for Ohio State, Buckeyes coach
Sporting News
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Urban Meyer remains on paid administrative leave while a special board formed by the Ohio State University Board of Trustees continues to investigate the coach's conduct in the aftermath of the firing of assistant coach Zach Smith on ...
Ryan Day's new world as Ohio State's acting head coach: Buckeyes football analysiscleveland.com
Ohio State Buckeyes boast three top-50 players247Sports
How can Ohio State thrive without Urban Meyer? Oklahoma provides a modelUSA TODAY
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Report: Jared Sullinger re-signs with the Shenzhen Leopards - 247Sports
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Report: Jared Sullinger re-signs with the Shenzhen Leopards
247Sports
Following the 2016-17 season, Sullinger joined up with fellow former Buckeyes to form Team Scarlet & Gray in The Basketball Tournament, a single elimination, March Madness-style tournament for $2 million. Led by some excellent play from Sullinger, the ...

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Raiders sign former Buckeye kicker Mike Nugent - 247Sports
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Raiders sign former Buckeye kicker Mike Nugent
247Sports
Nugent turned his play around as a sophomore, converting 25 of 28 field goal attempts and all but one of his extra points, helping the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship. In the title game against the University of Miami, Nugent made one of his ...

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Must-have Ohio State Buckeyes items for football season - Scarlet and Game
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Must-have Ohio State Buckeyes items for football season
Scarlet and Game
College football season is just around the corner. Make sure you have all the Ohio State Buckeyes gear you need for 2018-19. We are just over a month away from the start of the college football season. But before the Ohio State Buckeyes take the field ...

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