Ohio State has a “Booming” Friday Night Lights weekend
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes sure didn’t take the weekend off from recruiting.

Urban Meyer and the rest of the football coaching staff at Ohio State had a pretty busy weekend.

Did you miss out on your Buckeye recruiting fix? Don’t fret, Land-Grant Holy Land is here to save the day.

2019 QB flips to OSU from MSU


The Buckeyes have been searching high and low on the recruiting trail for a class of 2019 quarterback, and from the looks of things they’ve found finally found their man.

In Columbus for the Friday Night Lights camp, Dwan Mathis of Oak Park High (MI) flipped his verbal pledge from Big Ten foe Michigan State, and is now the 12th member of Ohio State’s talented 2019 class of future Buckeyes.

Although he’s considered the ninth pro-style quarterback in 2019, don’t get it twisted, he isn’t just a pocket passer. Mathis can run.

At The Opening Regional held in Canton, the 6-foot-5, 195-pound four-star prospect showed off his wheels, posting a 4.67 second time in the 40 yard dash.

Want to know more about Dwan Mathis, and what he’ll bring to the Buckeyes? Our Patrick Mayhorn has your back.

Top prospects attend Friday Night Lights


Mathis wasn’t the only standout at OSU, as dozens of high school prospects flocked to the Ohio State campus for their Friday Night Lights camp.

Urban Meyer and crew only walked away with one commitment, but did show numerous of their other top targets what it would be like to get coached up by one of the best overall staffs in the country.

Playing host to large group of recruits for visits and camp, below are just some of the recruits that made it to OSU for Friday Night Lights.

Class of 2019


5-star OL Darnell Wright

4-star WR Marcus Washington


4-star WR Jameson Williams

4-star WR Elijah Higgins

3-star TE Logan Compton

Class of 2020


4-star QB Jack Miller


4-star WR David Bell

4-star RB Tirek Murphy

4-star WR Jordan Johnson

Buckeyes dish out offers


Before you can commit to a program, you have to earn an offer.

Mostly in town to display their talents at Friday Night Lights, the Buckeyes handed out scholarship offers to numerous prospects over the weekend.

Now holding an opportunity to suit up in the Scarlet and Gray, the following recruits earned a chance to chase their NFL dreams at Ohio State.

3-star QB Brian Maurer


Class: 2019

Town: Ocala,FL/West Port

Size: 6’2/180

Other Notable Offers: Tennessee, West Virginia, Texas A&M, Boston College, Indiana

3-star TE Cormontae Hamilton


Class: 2019

Town: Memphis,TN/Whitehaven

Size: 6’1/256

Other Notable Offers: Louisville, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Memphis, Alabama

3-star DT Jared Harrison-Hunte


Class: 2019

Town: Middle Village,NY/Christ the King Regional

Size: 6’4/286

Other Notable Offers: Baylor, LSU, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee

4-star RB Michael Drennen II


Class: 2020

Town: Dublin,OH/Coffman

Size: 5’11/190

Other Notable Offers: Michigan, Minnesota, Boston College, Louisville, Indiana

4-star CB Jaylon Jones


Class: 2020

Town: Cibolo,TX/Steele

Size: 6’3/185

Other Notable Offers: Baylor, Texas, Houston, Florida, Georgia

4-star S Miles Brooks


Class: 2020

Town: Jacksonville,FL/Trinity Catholic

Size: 6’2/171

Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma

5-star OLB Sav’ell Smalls


Class: 2020

Town: Seattle,WA/Garfield

Size: 6’3/227

Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Florida State, Stanford, USC, Washington

Quick Hits

• After recently visiting the Ohio State University campus, class of 2020 four-star Lejond Cavazos will announce his college plans on Wednesday. Cavazos, a 6-foot, 186-pound IMG Academy product, holds offers from not just the Buckeyes, but also from the likes of Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, and others.
• Chris Holtmann and the OSU basketball Buckeyes offered 2020 shooting guard Brandon Boston on Sunday. Ohio State joins Florida State, Clemson, Kansas, Duke, and many others on the hunt for the Atlanta native.

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Buckeyes ready for Pennsylvania stars - SalemNews.net
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Buckeyes ready for Pennsylvania stars
SalemNews.net
The 39th annual Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Salem's Reilly Stadium. Members of the Ohio team are (front, from left) Zach Philips (Columbiana), Brandon Walters (Springfield), Ryan Ohlin (Springfield), Vincent ...


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QB Dwan Mathis flips from Michigan State to Ohio State: What it means for the Buckeyes - cleveland.com
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QB Dwan Mathis flips from Michigan State to Ohio State: What it means for the Buckeyes
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State got its quarterback in the Class of 2019 on Sunday, flipping four-star prospect Dwan Mathis from Michigan State. Here's what it means for the Buckeyes. * The winding search for a quarterback in 2019 is over, and it ends ...
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Buckeyes get better: 4-star quarterback Dwan Mathis flips from Michigan State to Ohio StateLettermen Row
Scarlet and Game -247Sports -Bleacher Report -247Sports
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Breakdown: Penn State's defense vs. Ohio State's offense - 247Sports
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Breakdown: Penn State's defense vs. Ohio State's offense
247Sports
Six days later, we now wrap up Ohio State Week, where we've highlighted and broken down all angles of Penn State's Week 5 matchup with the Buckeyes. Through the end of June, each of the Nittany Lions' first six opponents will have a week dedicated to ...

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What does Dwan Mathis bring to Ohio State?
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes have found their 2019 signal caller.

The long wait is finally over for the Buckeyes. After months of searching, they’ve found their 2019 quarterback, in the form of Oak Park (Belleville, MI) product Dwan Mathis. Mathis, who took a surprise official visit to Columbus this weekend, had been one of Ohio State’s top quarterback targets since they extended an offer in early May.

There were questions from the time of the offer even up to this weekend about if it was actually a “committable” offer. Those questions were answered earlier this weekend when he arrived for that official visit, and answered even louder minutes ago when he ended his recruitment.

Obviously getting a quarterback committed is a huge deal, but this is important for more than just the value of the position. Let’s take a look at what this commitment means for the Buckeyes, and what Mathis brings to Columbus on the field.

On the field


The first thing that really stands out about Mathis on his film is just how big he is. He looks more like an NBA shooting guard than a football player, standing at 6-foot-5, but only weighing around 190 pounds. One of Ohio State’s first goals when Mathis arrives on campus, and even before that, will be getting some more weight on his frame.

With that being said, he’s neither scrawny nor meek. He’s got a very strong arm, and he exudes confidence, especially in the pocket. He’s able to step up in the pocket with ease, and he generally moves very well while looking downfield. He looks the part of a pocket passer with his footwork and arm strength. Ryan Day has a good base to build on.

There are a couple hitches in his game, however. He has an almost LeBron-like quality in his throwing motion, where, like the NBA superstar’s jumper, he tends to fade a bit when he throws. It’s particularly noticeable on deeper throws, and he seems to lean a bit too much onto his back foot when trying to launch the ball.

It isn’t a huge issue, and it’s not a super difficult fix, but it does hurt his distance potential a bit. It tends to limit zip, and can lead to passes floating a bit. What leads me to say that it should be a pretty easy fix is that he doesn’t do it all the time, and usually when he can stay leaning forward, while stepping into his throws, he’s on the money.

When he hits his rhythm well he can absolutely zip a pass, and for every throw under 20 yards, he’s usually great at hitting the natural motion well. I don’t think he has the natural arm strength of someone like Cardale Jones or Dwayne Haskins, but he can make pretty much any throw that Ohio State will need him to.

It’s really hard to shake the obvious running style comparison. It almost feels too easy, but when I mentioned his size, it almost certainly popped into your head as well. Dwan Mathis, when running, looks a lot like Terrelle Pryor. I don’t think he’s as good of an athlete, and he’s obviously not nearly as thick as Pryor, but his style and mannerisms look exactly like the former Buckeye.

He has the hesitation step down pretty much perfectly, and uses it very liberally. He’s never going to beat defenders with jukes or top end speed, but he’s a very capable runner. He’s an extremely long strider, and uses that to outrun everyone that doesn’t have elite speed. Unfortunately there’s quite a bit of top end speed in college football, but he should be fine running at the next level.

In the class


Mathis is the 12th member of Ohio State’s 2019 class. He’s going to be the quarterback for this class, and Ohio State is perfectly happy with that. After passing on Grant Gunnell and Connor Bazelak (while missing on Graham Mertz), Dwan has emerged as their favorite quarterback in the class. Ultimately, it came down to him and Brian Maurer, and Mathis pulled the trigger first.

This commitment moves Ohio State to ninth in the national rankings. They sit atop the Big Ten, as per usual, and could see some more movement here very soon, as a few other top targets consider committing following visits this weekend.

Once an Iowa State commit, Mathis flipped to Michigan State back in September, and seemed pretty solid. However, when Ohio State extended an offer, it seemed like he’d eventually end up in this class if the Buckeyes green lit him, and that happened on Friday. Two days later, Mathis is a Buckeye. Ohio State got their quarterback, Mathis is headed to his dream school, and Ryan Day has a new project with a ton of potential.

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4-star 2019 QB Dwan Mathis flips from Michigan State, commits to Ohio State
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes have their QB for 2019.

After it seemed like the Ohio State Buckeyes weren’t going to pick up a quarterback for the 2019 class, it all changed on Sunday afternoon. Four-star QB Dwan Mathis, who was committed to Michigan State, flipped his commitment to the Buckeyes. He made the decision known via Twitter.


The Spartans were seen as the landing spot for Mathis; he was committed to the program since September 2017. However, it was reported that Mathis was in Columbus over the weekend. Also happening this weekend was OSU’s Friday Night Lights recruiting event, one of the biggest recruiting camps the Buckeyes put together each year.

Mathis is ranked as the No. 251 prospect in the ‘19 class, and the No. 9 ranked pro style QB. In the state of Michigan, he is a top-10 prospect—coming in at No. 6.

With this commitment, the Buckeyes now have 12 members in their 2019 recruiting cycle, with Mathis being the only QB.

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Indianapolis 4-star wide receiver David Bell talks Buckeyes visit, decision timeline - Lettermen Row
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Indianapolis 4-star wide receiver David Bell talks Buckeyes visit, decision timeline
Lettermen Row
Zach Smith has been the coach recruiting Bell the hardest for the Buckeyes, helping Kevin Wilson take over after the departure of Kerry Coombs, who was responsible for the majority of Indianapolis-area recruiting. Smith also spent time with the 6-foot ...


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Finishing Touches: Buckeyes on the Lookout for 2-3 Linemen to Accompany Current Crop of 2019 Commits - Eleven Warriors
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Finishing Touches: Buckeyes on the Lookout for 2-3 Linemen to Accompany Current Crop of 2019 Commits
Eleven Warriors
It's been an important few weeks for Ohio State's recruiting efforts. Two weeks ago the Buckeyes landed their top center target in four-star Harry Miller. The Buford, Georgia product became the third offensive linemen to join Urban Meyer's 2019 ...
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Buckeyes ready for Pennsylvania stars - SalemNews.net
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Buckeyes ready for Pennsylvania stars
SalemNews.net
The 39th annual Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Salem's Reilly Stadium. Members of the Ohio team are (front, from left) Zach Philips (Columbiana), Brandon Walters (Springfield), Ryan Ohlin (Springfield), Vincent ...


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Offer at FNL puts Buckeyes in driver's seat for Tennessee star - 247Sports
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Offer at FNL puts Buckeyes in driver's seat for Tennessee star
247Sports
The big surprise of the night was that Michigan State quarterback commitment Dwan Mathis was not only at Ohio State this weekend, but is currently on an official visit with the Buckeyes. Working out at the camp were quarterback Brian Maurer and 2020 ...


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Ohio State Football | Buckeyes have lots of options at receiver - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State Football | Buckeyes have lots of options at receiver
The Columbus Dispatch
Look up “go-to” in a dictionary: denoting a person or thing that might be relied on or is regularly sought out in a particular situation. But look up who is expected to be the “go-to receiver” for the 2018 Ohio State football team, and the answer is ...
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Ohio State football: Urban Meyer says Buckeyes not likely to change because of new kickoff rules - Akron Beacon Journal
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Ohio State football: Urban Meyer says Buckeyes not likely to change because of new kickoff rules
Akron Beacon Journal
COLUMBUS: Urban Meyer long has coached his football teams to send kickoffs deep into the corner of the field, ideally landing between the 10-yard line and the goal line. But will the Ohio State coach stick with that in the face of a major change in the ...
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Watch: Three biggest position battles for Buckeyes - 247Sports
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Watch: Three biggest position battles for Buckeyes
247Sports
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Parris Campbell Expected To Be A Crucial Leader For Ohio State In 2018 - Eleven Warriors
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Parris Campbell Expected To Be A Crucial Leader For Ohio State In 2018
Eleven Warriors
With the departures of J.T. Barrett, Billy Price, Tyquan Lewis and several other key veterans from last year's Ohio State football team, the Buckeyes' potential leadership void entering the 2018 season has been well-documented. One Buckeye who is ...


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Georgia star loves OSU, says Buckeyes at top over Bama, Georgia - 247Sports
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Georgia star loves OSU, says Buckeyes at top over Bama, Georgia
247Sports
The big surprise of the night was that Michigan State quarterback commitment Dwan Mathis was not only at Ohio State this weekend, but is currently on an official visit with the Buckeyes. Working out at the camp were quarterback Brian Maurer and 2020 ...
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Buckeyes shake up QB Brian Maurer's recruitment with offer - 247Sports
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Buckeyes shake up QB Brian Maurer's recruitment with offer
247Sports
The big surprise of the night was that Michigan State quarterback commitment Dwan Mathis was not only at Ohio State this weekend, but is currently on an official visit with the Buckeyes. Working out at the camp were quarterback Brian Maurer and 2020 ...
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NBA Draft 2018: Ohio State's Keita Bates-Diop has first-round ... - Land-Grant Holy Land
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NBA Draft 2018: Ohio State's Keita Bates-Diop has first-round ...
Land-Grant Holy Land
The forward has the potential to be the next Buckeye to shine in the NBA.
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Buckeyes a major player for Harrison-Hunte after offer - 247Sports
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Buckeyes a major player for Harrison-Hunte after offer
247Sports
Ohio State has been keeping tabs on Queens (NY) Christ The King 2019 defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte for a few months now. Both Greg... To read this article and more, subscribe now — ...


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WIAH: Big QB news from FNL; commitment news? More - 247Sports
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WIAH: Big QB news from FNL; commitment news? More
247Sports
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Ohio State Recruiting: Future Bucks at Friday Night Lights? - Scarlet and Game
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Ohio State Recruiting: Future Bucks at Friday Night Lights?
Scarlet and Game
... committed to the Bucks soon after he attended Friday Night Lights and was scarcely heard from again. Unlike so many Florida prospects who announce early commitments, Snead never wavered in his devotion to the Buckeyes. He joined his teammates on ...
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No shortage of great memories while covering Ohio State football - Landof10.com
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No shortage of great memories while covering Ohio State football
Landof10.com
During the week, Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes address pressing questions on the minds of the Ohio State fan base with our daily feature. To ask ...
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Report: Jae'Sean Tate to join the Bucks for NBA Summer League - 247Sports
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Report: Jae'Sean Tate to join the Bucks for NBA Summer League
247Sports
Although he joined a veteran Buckeye team that featured seniors Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott and Amir Williams, Tate featured regularly along with classmate D'Angelo Russell to help the Scarlet and Gray to a 24-11 record and a trip to the second round ...
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The Timberwolves got a steal in drafting Ohio State’s Keita Bates-Diop
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


KBD might not be the star he was at OSU when he gets to Minnesota, but he has the abilities to be a contributor on the next level.

“For me personally, I think this is a home run pick (especially considering the spot he was selected at). As mentioned above, Bates-Diop was pegged throughout the draft process as a late first rounder, so this was clearly a value pick by the front office.”

-Kyle Theige, Cannis Hoopus


Nearly every single NBA mock draft published before Thursday night’s festivities had the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, Keita Bates-Diop, going in the mid-to-late first round. Ultimately, each one proved to be wrong, as he ended up being selected 48th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.


In the first round, the T-wolves took Georgia Tech guard Josh Okogie before KBD fell into their laps in the second. Tough-as-nails head coach Tom Thibodeau has a talented, young roster that should benefit from adding these two rookies. Minnesota won an incredible, overtime thriller in April, which was— in every meaningful way— a playoff play-in game against the Denver Nuggets.

So, with players like Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins at the core of the team, KBD has the opportunity to fit into a talented roster and to find a role that truly suits him, rather than having to do it all and shoulder an incredible burden like he did for the Buckeyes last season.

Bates-Diop will likely be called upon to play a stretch-forward position utilizing his size and shooting ability to extend the floor and make room for the T-wolves more multi-dimensional scorers. He could also make himself valuable on the glass. KAT finished the season fourth in the NBA with 12.3 board per game, and if KBD is able to get consistent minutes, he should be able to lighten his load in that department.

One of the concerns about Bates-Diop is that he is one of the oldest prospects in the draft. Unlike in the NFL, NBA front offices draft primarily on potential. Since KBD already has three+ seasons of college ball under his belt, the assumption is that he won’t have a tremendous amount of upside remaining once he gets to the league. However, with his size and shooting ability, if he is able to put on a little more muscle, and increase his motor even slightly, he should be a contributor on a solid playoff team for years to come.

“The University of Michigan is getting a $50 million payout from the Big Ten in 2018, according to a financial presentation the school gave on Thursday.”

-Alex Kirshner, SBNation


I’m not going to use this story as another opening to bemoan the absurd amount of money that universities and athletic departments bring in on the backs of unpaid athletes— I’ve done that plenty of times already; instead, I will take this opportunity to congratulate Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney.

For better or for worse, Delaney is a visionary like few before him in college sports. From leading the way on instant replay to conference expansion to television deals, the Big Ten product— football especially— is better because of his nearly 30 years of leadership.

While one could rightly argue that Rutgers hasn’t exactly brought a tremendous amount to the on-field product, the addition of the Scarlet Knights has been more than worthwhile when it comes to the bottom line for the conference and its member institutions. The inclusion of the New York/New Jersey media market is partially responsible for Michigan (and presumably other B1G universities, including Ohio State) bringing in what would be a record $50+ million in its share of conference revenue.

While the NCAA will likely need to eventually address the rising momentum towards compensating players more fairly, in the meantime, seeing that most athletic departments don’t turn a profit when all is said and done, this extra revenue should go a long way to helping sustain non-revenue-producing sports, which we can all agree is a good thing.

So, thanks Commissioner Delaney, and thanks Rutgers.

“Now Barrett is gone... and head coach Urban Meyer must find a team leader, or leaders, to replace the quarterback.”

-Patrick Murphy, 247Sports


The headline of Murphy’s article is “Who will replace J.T. Barrett as Ohio State’s leader?” and with all due respect to Murphy and the Buckeyes vying for the leadership role, the correct answer is “No one.”

Murphy points out that fifth-year seniors like Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin could step up, as much is expected of the receiving corps this season. In fact, Campbell has already been selected to fill Barrett’s shoes when it comes to pre-game speeches. However, no matter how passionate and fiery Campbell is, he won’t be able to shoulder the leadership onus that Barrett did the past few seasons.

That, of course, is not a knock on Campbell, but simply a reflection of the unique and historic status that #16 occupied at Ohio State. You don’t become the program’s only three-time captain by chance or default. You don’t become the most decorated quarterback in OSU’s storied annuls because you are simply the next man up.

While I am not a Barrett on-field apologist by any stretch of the imagination, it is hard to argue his proverbial intangibles; in-game IQ, leadership, and wealth of experience specifically. So, to expect any one person to seamlessly take over his leadership responsibilities is foolish, especially from any position other than quarterback.

Perhaps Campbell, McLaurin, new QB Dwayne Haskins, and any number of offensive and/or defensive linemen could combine to assume the duties. However, having the culmination of all of Barrett’s history and experience in the most important player on the field is not going to be able to be replicated. Therefore, if this fall’s team is going to meet the lofty expectations that many have set for it, it will require a team effort.

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TE target to return, but has Notre Dame offer changed things? - 247Sports
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TE target to return, but has Notre Dame offer changed things?
247Sports
Despite coming to the Buckeyes as a four-star prospect and the eighth-ranked small forward in the 2014 class according to the 247Sports Composite, the Normal, Illinois native did not make an immediate impact for the Scarlet and Gray. Playing on a team ...


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