Ohio State football players will not “stick to sports” and they shouldn’t have to
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeyes past and present are at the heart of the social reform debate.

Ever since Colin Kaepernick took a knee, and members of the Philadelphia Eagles took their fight for criminal justice reform to Capital Hill — long before this week’s White House debacle — there has been quite the overlap between sports and politics.

The multi-year narrative finally came to a head last month when NFL owners decided to enact an official policy requiring all NFL and team personnel (including players) who are on the field to stand for the National Anthem or remain in the locker room, or else teams may be subject to fines that could be passed on to the players.

THIS WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

While emotions and passions are high on both sides of this contentious debate, the actual motivation behind Kap’s protest has seemingly been forgotten almost from the very beginning. However, it boils down to NFL players (and athletes across sports of all levels) having used this and other forms of protest in a way to draw attention to the disproportionate percentage of African American citizens that are experiencing police brutality and social injustice. That’s it.

So what does this have to do with Ohio State and the Buckeye football players? A lot, actually.

Urban Meyer has enacted Real Life Wednesdays, which over the years has included speakers and programs about becoming more socially aware, and how to better prepare guys to take action in their community as they grow into a position to do so.

Buckeye alum — and 2018 Spring Game Honorary Coach — Malcolm Jenkins has been one of the more vocal leaders on criminal justice reform in the league, and, like so many of his teammates past and present, continues to put his money where his mouth is and put in the time and effort to get things done.

Jenkins stood at his locker on Wednesday — the day after the scheduled White House visit — and held up a series of signs to counter the false narratives that Eagles players are selfish and have “abandoned their fans,” as mentioned in the White House’s explanation for the cancellation.


Several current Ohio State football players retweeted and reacted to Jenkins message, including Branden Bowen, who then spent the next 20+ hours of his life having to argue with grown men who think they can tell college football players what to do.

Yes, you read that right. A swarm of grown men decided to get into an argument on Twitter with a student-athlete because somehow they pay for football players to entertain.


It went on for hours. And it wasn’t just this one guy pushing against what the players are fighting for, but dozens of others as well. Bowen continued to bring the discussion back to the real problems at hand, and repeatedly provided links to videos and articles explaining why several of their arguments were invalid.

But, once a Twitter mob gets going, it’s hard to explain away that much stupid.


It’s interesting to see the conversation shift from NFL to college. The connection has lingered for a few years, with people wondering if a college player would ever demonstrate during the National Anthem, but the same kind of outspokenness that has become regular at the next level hasn’t made it’s way to the college ranks just yet.

Now, as the narrative gets further away from the true sentiment of the movement, more college players are finding their voice. And, by the strength and maturity of their arguments, these young Buckeyes are not going to just “stick to sports” and I, for one, think we’ll all be better off for that.


Now, please stop harassing college students for their desire to make their communities and country better.

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Belton on visiting Buckeyes: 'I love Ohio State' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Belton on visiting Buckeyes: 'I love Ohio State'
247Sports
West Port quarterback and the Buckeyes' interest. The 6-foot-4 and 185-pound Maurer will compete in the prestigious Elite 11 competition at the end of this month. Maurer threw for 2,862 yards and 22 touchdowns during his junior season. I have ...


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BM5: Freshmen of impact? - 247Sports
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BM5: Freshmen of impact?
247Sports
Which Buckeyes will help most early? Can the new guys match the high school hype? 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong scouted these prospects for years before their Columbus matriculation. So who better to predict which ones will become ...


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Top LB nears decision, says Ohio State has 'everything I want' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top LB nears decision, says Ohio State has 'everything I want'
247Sports
Barton, 33, played for the Buckeyes from 2004-07 and was awarded All-America honors as a senior. The former team captain was the first player to start and win four Michigan games for the Buckeyes and later played three seasons in the NFL after being ...


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Ohio State joins the fray for a standout 2020 offensive tackle
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Over 30 offers have come in for Chad Lindberg. The Buckeyes got added to that list on Wednesday afternoon.

Even though we are knee-deep in the offseason, recruiting news doesn’t stop. For the Ohio State Buckeyes, they had a little bit of everything on Wednesday. One recruit picked up an offer, and another one made an unofficial visit. But, one quarterback target the Bucks were eyeing decided to commit to a program that’s just a couple states west of his native Texas.

Add it to the list


Chad Lindberg (League City, TX / Clear Creek) is one of the most sought after offensive tackles in the 2020 class. Standing at 6-foot-6 and carrying a four-star grade from 247sports, Lindberg has picked up 30 offers heading into Wednesday.

By Wednesday afternoon, he could add Ohio State to the list of potential landing spots for his college football days.


Offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma have already arrived to Lindberg, but with the Buckeyes now on the scene, things could shift in their favor. While full recruiting rankings aren’t out yet from the other sites, 247sports’ own grading proves why so many places want Lindberg on their team; the site has him as the 73rd best prospect in the class, 12th highest ranked OT, and the ninth best prospect in the state of Texas.

This is definitely one recruiting battle to keep an eye on.

A visit from Tampa


A three-star safety from Tampa, Dane Belton made the visit up from the Sunshine State to see what the Buckeye program was all about.


Belton holds over 20 offers, and they include some pretty good programs; in the Big Ten, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota have already sent in their offer for the 6-foot-1 defender. Additionally, Louisville and Georgia Tech are just some of the other notable programs to want this Florida native on their team.

But judging by the tweet, it seems like Belton had a good time visiting OSU. While the Bucks haven’t made an offer yet, according to his 247sports profile, getting Belton on campus helps create rapport between the coaches recruiting him—which in this case would be Tony Alford and Alex Grinch.

If that offer does drop from the Buckeyes, we’ll have you covered.

Ohio State’s QB options going forward


Of the QBs in the 2019 recruiting class, four-star Grant Gunnell was seen as one of the more prominent signal-callers on OSU’s radar. Things have now changed, as the Houston native and St. Pius X standout made it known on Twitter that he’s committing to the Arizona Wildcats.


Gunnell officially visited with the Buckeyes back on April 27, a week after he made an official visit to Arizona. But now tied to the Wildcat program, Ohio State will have to look elsewhere for a QB in the current recruiting cycle—if they even want to do that.

In yesterday’s recruiting roundup, Patrick Mayhorn wrote about the dilemma the Bucks may have in their QB pipeline. And last week, Mayhorn even did a breakdown of potential candidates the Scarlet and Gray may pursue if Gunnell committed to someplace outside of Columbus.

Skipping on a QB in 2019 doesn’t look like too bad of an option, especially if they can land a solid four-star QB in the 2020 class. Fortunately, a QB from that class just took an unofficial visit to OSU on Tuesday.

Harrison Bailey (Marietta, GA / Marietta) is the one prospect the Buckeyes may add to their list of would-be QBs in their 2020 class. Bailey is a teammate of current OSU commit Jake Wray, so there is a chance that Wray could lobby Bailey toward spending his college football career in Ohio’s capital city. Bailey currently has 247sports crystal ball predictions trending toward Michigan, Alabama and Florida, so Ohio State will need to do some work on their own.

But with Gunnell seemingly headed to a Pac-12 program, the Buckeyes may have to hang on to the QBs already on their roster and hope that much doesn’t change between now and the 2020 season.

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Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes will host top underclassmen for prospect camps - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes will host top underclassmen for prospect camps
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes and a glimpse at what's coming next.
Final arrivals, Buckeyes' Supreme18 class complete247Sports
Ohio State football: How many games will Buckeyes win this season?Dayton Daily News
Ohio State men's basketball | Two early NCAA Tournament projections split on BuckeyesThe Columbus Dispatch
Land-Grant Holy Land -Eleven Warriors -AthlonSports.com
all 41 news articles »

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Ryan Shazier formally spoke to the media for the first time since his injury
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Plus, Joey Bosa thinks brother Nick is a “beast” and a bunch of Buckeye schedule updates.


A little over six months since his spinal injury against the Bengals, former Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier once again walked to the podium on Wednesday to speak to reporters as the Steelers got their OTAs underway.

Assisted by the use of a cane, his cadence was much smoother than it was just two months at the NFL Draft — when he took the stage with his fiancee to make the first round pick for the Steelers — and showng how much and how quickly he’s improving each and every day.

I could lie to you and tell you that seeing him walk and/or participate in team activities doesn’t make me teary-eyed (every. damn. time.), but I won’t.

Here’s a guy who devoted his entire self to being among the most elite linebackers and players in the NFL, and before he even got a chance to celebrate being at the top of his game, everything came crashing down around him. He was never anything but positive in his outlook of the situation since that scary day, and continues to tout the line that he wants to get back on the football field for some more snaps.

“My dream is to come back and play football again,” Shazier said. “I’ve been working my tail off every day and I have that in the back of my mind every day I go to rehab.”

That’s still a long ways away, but for now, he’s comfortable knowing he’s got the support of the Steelers organization and his entire Buckeye family. With each baby step, Shazier gets a little closer to once again playing the game that he loves.

“Coached by former Buckeye point guard Scoonie Penn, who is currently OSU’s director of player development, and former Ohio State forward Evan Turner, the 2010 National Player of the Year, Scarlet & Gray will be the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region after winning said region in last year’s event.”

-Ryan McGlade, Buckeye Sports Bulletin


The Basketball Tournament announced their brackets for the 2018 event on Wednesday, with the group of Thad Matta’s alumni snagging the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region thanks to their win over the same division last year.

Featuring all your favorite Buckeyes from years past, including Aaron Craft, Jon Diebler, and William Buford, the team fell just shy of taking home the $2 million purse in 2017, thanks to a double-overtime loss to Team ALS.

Team Scarlet and Gray won’t be the only team featuring some former Ohio State stars, with more recent Buckeyes (Andrew Dakich, Jae’Sean Tate, and Kam Williams) suiting up for the Big X team — made up of Big Ten alumni — in the No. 4 seed in the same region.

This should be very exciting for Buckeye fans in or near Columbus, with the central Ohio city hosting the first two rounds of the Midwest Region at the Capital Center at Capital University.

Big X will be the first of the two teams to take the court, and will face the No. 13-seeded Chattanooga Trenches at 10 a.m. ET on July 21. Later that day, Team Scarlet and Gray will play the winner of the Charlotte Chess Center and West Virginia Wildcats matchup, with Craft and team set to tip-off at 4 p.m. ET.

If both teams win their first few matchups, we could get a battle of the veteran OSU alumni vs the rookie Buckeye alums in the Super 16 game in Atlanta on July 26.


As soon as the last name was called during the 2018 NFL Draft, national scouts and analysts shifted their focus to the 2019 group of draft prospects, with most agreeing that the over No. 1 pick could come out of Ohio State. It doesn’t seem like Buckeye DE Nick Bosa being considered the top overall pick is all the surprising to his older brother -- and former No. 3 overall pick -- Joey Bosa.

The younger Bosa has been touted as being even better at playing DE than Joey, going back to his high school recruitment days. Nick will have his chance to prove that one more season with the Buckeyes, and should get a lot more snaps in 2018 given the DE rotation and a few of the starters who were drafted earlier this year.

With guys like Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes no longer competing for those defensive snaps, Nick Bosa should stand out week-after-week come this fall.

The Bosa men just keep getting better. Their father John -- who also played DE — was the No. 16 overall (first round) draft pick in 1987 by the Miami Dolphins. From the No. 16 pick to Joey being taken at No. 3, if Nick does come off the 2019 draft board at No. 1, the family’s draft legacy will officially be complete.

At least the Buckeyes get Nick in Columbus for one more season before he’s terrorizing NFL offenses alongside his brother.

Other Buckeye Scheduling Bits


Wrestling


Men’s Soccer

The 2018 Buckeye schedule was released this week, and it includes several teams that competed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. First-year Ohio State head coach Brian Maisonneuve is ready for tough competition in his inaugural season with the Buckeyes.

“We couldn’t more excited for our 2018 schedule [...] Our home schedule is one of the toughest in the Midwest giving our fans an opportunity to come out and watch high-level college soccer. We are ready for the season to start,” Maisonneuve said.

Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Soccer

The Ohio State women’s soccer team announced their 2018 schedule on Tuesday. Following their 15-5-1 season last year, and the program’s first outright Big Ten Championship, the Buckeyes will face some tough competition including nine NCAA Tournament teams from 2017.

“We have a variety of different teams and styles we’ll be matched up against and it will ultimately prepare us for Big Ten play. I like this schedule a lot and there is a lot of balance to it,” head coach Lori Walker-Hock said.

Ohio State Athletics Schedule Release

Men’s Golf

Ohio State’s Will Grimmer has qualified for his second-ever U.S. Open, with the Cincinnati native first qualifying in 2014 at the age of 17. Grimmer’s win earlier in the week at the Springfield Sectional qualifier solidified his spot in the 118th US Open at Shinnecock Hills next week.

The first round will get started on Thursday, June 14 in Southhampton, NY.

STICK TO SPORTS

• 2x Super Bowl-winning Buckeye, Malcolm Jenkins, wrote a response to the White House “cancelling” the Eagles visit.
• Driving in reverse for 1.2 miles is not exactly the best way to handle car problems.
• 8 things to help save time in the kitchen.

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QB Grant Gunnell commits to Arizona - 247Sports
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QB Grant Gunnell commits to Arizona
247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a scholarship to Houston (Texas) St. Pius X quarterback Grant Gunnell in February. The one-time Texas A&M commitment then visited Ohio State for the first time - a two-day visit March 7-8. Gunnell followed up with an official visit ...

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Connor Curlis taken in 24th round of the MLB draft
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The junior southpaw (and Ohio native) was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.

The weekend rotation for Ohio State baseball is certain to look very different in 2019 than it did this season, as a second member was selected in the 2018 MLB draft. Friday night starter Connor Curlis was taken in the 24th round by the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, and follows Saturday starter Ryan Feltner who went to the Rockies in Round 4.

Curlis, who just completed his junior season for the Buckeyes, was the 709th overall selection in the draft, a position that carries a signing bonus expectation of $125,000 or less, though there could be some room for negotiation. College pitchers selected after their junior seasons tend to sign unless a big jump in draft stock can be reasonably expected, in order to start their professional development.

The southpaw, who entered the season as the No. 18 prospect in the Big Ten by Perfect Game, logged a 7-4 record with a 3.55 earned run average in 2018, with a 1.33 WHIP in 88.2 innings of work. Curlis struck out 77 while walking just 31, and held opposing batters to a .264 batting average.

A native of Findlay, Ohio, Curlis made just four relief appearances as a freshman in 2016, and appeared in 20 games (eight starts) as a sophomore a season ago. His development over the past calendar year has been evident, though.

Last summer, playing for the Champion City Kings of the Prospect League, the left-hander had a memorable run, going 2-3 with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP, striking out 82 in 58 innings of work. He carried over that momentum to fall ball, including a “Cy Young”-winning performance in the Scarlet and Gray Series, and cemented the top spot in the starting rotation.

Much as was seen two years ago when Tanner Tully, another control-type lefty, was drafted out of Ohio State, the safe bet is that Curlis will want to get into a pro system and begin his development at the next level sooner rather than later. Land-Grant Holy Land hopes it’s a smooth transition, and wishes him luck.

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Jacob Barnwell is Ohio State baseball’s second draft pick in 2018
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The junior catcher was selected in the 22nd round.

The second Ohio State baseball draftee in 2018 is junior Jacob Barnwell. The Buckeyes’ starting catcher the past two seasons, Barnwell was selected in the 22nd round by the Colorado Rockies, pick No. 666 overall.

Barnwell was a member of the Johnny Bench watch list this past season, putting him among the top receivers in the country. The Kentucky native slashed .261/.369/.346 while playing in 57 games this spring, with eight doubles, two home runs, and 27 runs batted in.

More important to Ohio State, though, was the way Barnwell handled the pitching staff and kept the running game in check. He threw out just under 27 percent of would-be base stealers, and gave head coach Greg Beals a reliable coach-on-the-field type, able to keep the guys on the mound focused and executing their pitches.

Barnwell’s junior campaign was very similar to that of his sophomore year, with a nearly identical slash line, as well as doubles, homers, walks, and strikeouts. One area where he showed progress was in his ability to drive runners in. Those 27 RBIs nearly doubled his production in 2017, when he plated 14 runners.

Each team in MLB is given what’s called a bonus pool, this is the maximum amount they can spend on draft pick bonuses for players in the first 10 rounds before incurring a penalty. While each pick in the first 10 rounds of the draft has an assigned slot value (ranging from just over $8 million for the No. 1 overall pick to $136,800 for the final pick of the 10th round), any bonus money above $125,000 given to an individual player picked in rounds 11 through 40 also counts against a team’s pool.

With Barnwell going in the 22nd round, he’s unlikely to see a bonus above that threshold, and must now make a decision on his future. He has a year of eligibility remaining, and could conceivably return to Columbus in an attempt to improve his stock. But this is pro baseball knocking on the door, the realization of a dream.

Whatever he decides, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land wish Barnwell the best.

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Local product set to camp at Ohio State, try to land offer - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Local product set to camp at Ohio State, try to land offer
247Sports
Barton, 33, played for the Buckeyes from 2004-07 and was awarded All-America honors as a senior. The former team captain was the first player to start and win four Michigan games for the Buckeyes and later played three seasons in the NFL after being ...


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Why Dwayne Haskins will be a big upgrade over JT Barrett - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Why Dwayne Haskins will be a big upgrade over JT Barrett
247Sports
As controversial an Ohio State football figure as they've come the last decade, there's no way around the fact Barrett left Columbus as among the best quarterbacks in Buckeye history. He's the program's all-time win leader, the first three-time captain ...
Ohio State football: How many games will Buckeyes win this season?Dayton Daily News
Ohio State men's basketball | Two early NCAA Tournament projections split on BuckeyesThe Columbus Dispatch
Comparing Ohio State's 2018 Running Back Roster To Urban Meyer's Previous Buckeyes TeamsEleven Warriors
Land-Grant Holy Land -Landof10.com -The Ozone
all 39 news articles »

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Flavored Nation will feature flavors of the buckeye state - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Flavored Nation will feature flavors of the buckeye state
The Columbus Dispatch
Tasked with putting an innovative twist on an Ohio staple, chef Avishar Barua plans to give buckeyes a facelift. “Peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect combination,” said Barua, executive chef at Service Bar in the Short North area. “How do you ...


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North Carolina losing four-star 2018 signee to baseball

Monday night, Jordyn Adams was taken with the No. 17 pick of the first round by the Los Angeles Angels in the Major League Baseball draft. That proved worrisome for UNC as Adams was also a highly-touted member of its 2018 recruiting class.

Tuesday night, the football program’s worst fears were realized as Adams confirmed that “after talking with my family we have decided that it’s best for me to pursue my professional baseball career” and not play football for the Tar Heels.

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Adams, the son of UNC defensive line coach Deke Adams, is in line for a contract that would pay him in the neighborhood of $3.5 million.

Entire article: https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...ina-losing-four-star-2018-signee-to-baseball/

Joey Bosa believes Nick is 'lightyears' ahead of him in college - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Joey Bosa believes Nick is 'lightyears' ahead of him in college
247Sports
His younger brother Nick Bosa, who is in his third year as a Buckeye, is showcasing plenty of skills in Columbus, enough so that many believe he could be taken higher than Joey, potentially even the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NFL Draft. Joey was ...
Joey Bosa thinks Nick Bosa is going to be 'pretty scary to watch' in 2018Landof10.com

all 6 news articles »

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My reaction, every time.

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Emerging tight end prospect visits Ohio State - 247Sports
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Emerging tight end prospect visits Ohio State
247Sports
Barton, 33, played for the Buckeyes from 2004-07 and was awarded All-America honors as a senior. The former team captain was the first player to start and win four Michigan games for the Buckeyes and later played three seasons in the NFL after being ...


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Former Buckeyes teaming up again to chase $2 million prize in The Basketball Tournament - The Columbus Dispatch
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Former Buckeyes teaming up again to chase $2 million prize in The Basketball Tournament
The Columbus Dispatch
On Wednesday, Columbus will learn which teams it will host when The Basketball Tournament comes to town this summer. As participants were being finalized and voting was ongoing, TBT creator and CEO Jon Mugar told The Dispatch last week to expect a ...


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Ohio State makes the cut for top 2020 guard
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Could the Buckeyes pull one of the best players in the country out of Michigan?

The hardest thing to do for college football teams in recruiting is to pull top players out of hostile territory. Stealing top talent from rivals is key to building a championship contending program. Right now, in the battle between Ohio State and Michigan, the Buckeyes are doing that far more consistently, and a tweet from 2020 Oak Park, Mich., guard Justin Rogers confirmed that.


One of the silliest things we do in the recruiting industry is freak out about lists like this, especially because Rogers is so far out from actually signing. However, this list has something very important in it. Despite once listing the Wolverines in a top three, neither Michigan nor Michigan State is listed in Rogers’ top 13.

That means that Rogers has been serious when he’s said that he has no issue with leaving his home state. We’ve seen it with players like Damon Webb and Mike Weber before, among others, but Ohio State really is gaining traction in Michigan. That’s a huge deal. Top talent, at a position of need for Michigan, spurning the Wolverines for Ohio State really shows where this rivalry is right now.

Obviously we’re still very far out from this recruitment being complete. However, after quite a few visits, including one earlier this week, it’s safe to say that the Buckeyes lead for Rogers. Now, we just have to see if they can hold on, and secure his commitment.

Quarterback woes?


We talked last week about the weakness at quarterback for the 2019 class, and how that may hurt Ohio State. In case you needed some more proof, SBNation’s always excellent Bud Elliott dropped this piece yesterday, about the sheer lack of talent at quarterback in this class.

This is extremely important to Ohio State, mainly because they’re seriously lacking in depth at the quarterback position. Dwayne Haskins, Tate Martell and Matthew Baldwin are the three quarterbacks on scholarship on the roster right now. If Haskins is to go pro after this season, or Martell transfers, Ohio State would have just two quarterbacks for 2019.

Usually, that could be fixed by simply bringing in a freshman quarterback. That may not be the best option for the Buckeyes this year though. If they miss on Grant Gunnell, a player like Graham Mertz might become an option, but he seems to be firmly committed to Wisconsin.

After Mertz, the options are pretty bleak. Michigan State’s Dwan Mathis is an option, but anyone outside of those three is either not a realistic option, or not talented enough to play at Ohio State. There’s no real reason to waste a scholarship on a quarterback that will never play just for the sake of depth, especially because Ohio State seems likely to take two quarterbacks in 2020.

With a historically bad quarterback class, if Dwayne Haskins leaves after 2018, could the Buckeyes look for a graduate transfer to bridge the gap, especially if neither Tate Martell or Matt Baldwin are ready? Right now, it seems like the best option.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State wide receiver commit Garrett Wilson is the cover athlete for Dave Campbell’s Texas Football preview magazine.

• Monroe College, a New York JUCO, cornerback Alex Badine Jr. accepted a preferred walk-on offer at Ohio State.

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Flavored Nation will feature flavors of the buckeye state - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Flavored Nation will feature flavors of the buckeye state
The Columbus Dispatch
Tasked with putting an innovative twist on an Ohio staple, chef Avishar Barua plans to give buckeyes a facelift. "Peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect combination," said Barua, executive chef at Service Bar in the Short North area. "How do you ...


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Sheffield talks interest in Buckeyes, official visits - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Sheffield talks interest in Buckeyes, official visits
247Sports
Barton, 33, played for the Buckeyes from 2004-07 and was awarded All-America honors as a senior. The former team captain was the first player to start and win four Michigan games for the Buckeyes and later played three seasons in the NFL after being ...


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Hue Jackson adopting an Urban Meyer tradition for the Browns - 247Sports
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Hue Jackson adopting an Urban Meyer tradition for the Browns
247Sports
Since he has been with the Buckeyes, the tradition has caught on even more. Meyer has always made a presentation of announcing in front of the whole team when a player loses his black stripe. That way the whole team knows it and it motivates those who ...

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Former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta at peace after basketball
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


While he still hasn’t officially retired, Matta seems to be at peace with how his time in Columbus ended.

“Probably haven’t felt like this in 10 years. I found out stress is real. It’s a legit disease. In retirement you sleep until you’re tired of sleeping, then you go about and start your day. It’s being able to sleep in the night, you wake up in a good mood. I hadn’t woke up in a good mood in like 18 years. That’s what coaching is. You can’t be happy.”

- Thad Matta via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


When Ohio State basketball decided to part ways with Thad Matta before last season and hired Chris Holtmann, there were some questions as to what Matta would do after being in Columbus for so long. The answer ended up being a lot simpler than some may have thought.

It seems like Matta is out living his best life for where he is now. He’s renovating a house in Indianapolis and spending time with his family, including his daughter, who attends Butler University. It wasn’t that long ago that Matta was interviewing for head coaching jobs at other schools including Pittsburgh and Georgia. He was even rumored to be offered the job at Georgia but ultimately turned it down.

Now, Matta has become an interesting outlet for a lot of college basketball coaches that still deal with the stress that Matta has left behind for now. In the article he talks about how he receives calls late at night asking about different situations and hearing all kinds of stories - even ones he doesn’t miss.

But, it’s too soon to tell if Matta is hanging up his whistle for good. Should the right situation present itself, Matta has said he would be open to discussion.

“Exciting is the word. This is something I’ve been working for my whole life. I’ve always wanted to play college football for a big-time program, and what better place to do it than Ohio State. So I’m excited to come in and get to working with the guys, getting ready to chase the Big Ten championship ring, national championship ring. I’m just going to do the right things off the field and hopefully by the time I leave we’ll be the best program in college football.”


- Terajda Mitchell via Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch

The summer for incoming Ohio State freshmen is just about to begin. Eight members of the latest recruiting class enrolled early and now the other 18 will begin filing in as they prepare for workouts and all of the above with Mickey Marotti. This is good news for both the freshmen and the Buckeyes as they look for who can contribute this fall as Urban Meyer gears up for another season.

One name that stands out immediately is incoming linebacker Terajda Mitchell, who was rated as four-star under the 247Sports rankings, and is expected to be one of the true freshmen to make an instant impact on the team.

There are others who will have a shot at playing time this fall, including offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere, defensive tackle Taron Vincent, tight-end Jeremy Ruckert, and all-purpose back Jaelen Gill. There have been plenty of improvements and physical changes to players that go through Marotti’s workouts, and it will likely end up being much of the same success for this group of freshmen.

“[Top 50 Ohio State football players for 2018] No. 49: Josh Proctor”

- Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


The folks over at Cleveland.com are breaking down their top 50 Ohio State football players for the upcoming season and the list continued on Tuesday with freshman safety Josh Proctor coming in at No. 49.

Proctor is one of the freshmen to recently arrive on campus, so there hasn’t been the luxury of seeing him play in a Buckeye uniform just yet, as he wasn’t here for spring practices. However, the good news for Proctor is that the coaching staff still isn’t certain who will start alongside Jordan Fuller in the defensive backfield at safety, and Proctor’s name has come up frequently when talking with the coaches.

Proctor isn’t going to be handed the job, however, as it’s rare to see a freshman hold down a starting spot at any position at Ohio State. There are plenty of talented players already waiting for a shot at starting at safety including Isaiah Pryor and Jahsen Wint. That being said, if you’re already in the mouths of the coaching staff, it can only mean they expect big things from you this fall.

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Report: Jae'Sean Tate to work out for Jazz, Bulls - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Report: Jae'Sean Tate to work out for Jazz, Bulls
247Sports
1 player in Ohio according to the 247Sports Composite. Despite joining a veteran Buckeye team that featured seniors Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott and Amir Williams, Tate, along with fellow freshman D'Angelo Russell, help the Scarlet and Gray to a 24-11 ...
Former Ohio State forward Jae'Sean Tate to work out for Bulls, Jazz, per reportLandof10.com

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