2017 bold predictions: Look out for Urban Meyer's revenge in 2017 - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2017 bold predictions: Look out for Urban Meyer's revenge in 2017
ESPN
The Buckeyes are poised for redemption this coming season. Former Indiana coach Kevin Wilson takes over the offense, and former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano is back to direct the defense. If the Buckeyes can survive their early ...

and more »

Continue reading...

Breaking down the 4 biggest points from Urban Meyer’s press conference
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


From the offensive line to the receivers, Meyer’s quotes on Monday shined light on what we’ll see from the Buckeyes.

It’s finally here: Game Week.

With that being said, Monday brought another Urban Meyer press conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus, Ohio. Meyer answered questions surrounding the look of his offense, as well as what to be expecting on Thursday night when Ohio State battles Indiana.

Let’s breakdown the four biggest points from Meyer’s presser.

1. “At the X, it's going to be Ben Victor and Austin Mack. At the H, it's Parris and K.J. Hill and at the Z, it's Terry and Johnnie Dixon. So there's six in the rotation.”


If there were any questions about how the receiving corps were going to operate in the opener, Meyer gave us the answer: six guys are being incorporated in the game plan.

This strategy may seem like the football version of too many cooks in the kitchen, but this concept may be the better option right now for the offense. Last season, the passing game struggled; it seemed that the further the passes were from the line of scrimmage, the more mistakes, overthrows and interceptions that occurred.

With six different receivers having a chance to catch the next J.T. Barrett pass, someone will have to rise up. That may’ve be the grand plan all along from Meyer and wide receiver coach Zach Smith. Going into 2017, the top three receivers from the 2016 campaign (Curtis Samuel, Noah Brown and Dontre Wilson) are gone. The next highest returner in receiving yards is Marcus Baugh, but he’s at the tight end position. Of the six that are in the WR rotation, K.J. Hill brought the most yards (262 yards) from last season.

The six receivers have experience, but none of them have been “the guy” for Barrett to throw to. That will change come Thursday. Expect all sorts of passes to be made, testing what this receiving corps can do.

It’s easy to take for granted the receiving prowess of guys like Devin Smith and Michael Thomas. Now, the Buckeyes are looking for the next great wide receiver. After Thursday night, we’ll have a good idea of the improvements Zone 6 (the nickname of the WR position) has made, as well as who the go-to guy may be heading into the showdown with Oklahoma in Week 2.

2. “Since that conversation I had with him, whoever deserves it is going to be captain, and it will be on the wall, down the hallway, and you'll forever be known on your resumé as a captain of the Ohio State University football program.”


While there will be a revolving door at who will be lined up at WR, the same can’t be said for who will be leading the team as captains. Nine Buckeyes got the honor as captain, and that raised a question: is nine too many?

Meyer’s take is, actually, a pretty good one: if the team selects the guy who they think should be a captain, then that person will be a captain. Whether that’s two or nine, the ones that are deserving will get the honor.

During the presser, Meyer said that he talked to Mike Vrabel, a former All-American at OSU and former member of the coaching staff, and learned that Vrabel was never named a captain. While he wasn’t named a captain, Vrabel was still a leader for the Buckeyes.

Flash forward to today, and it makes sense why there were nine guys picked to be captains. Meyer reinforced the fact that if you do the work and you are a leader, then you may get an honor bestowed.

Becoming captain wasn’t an overnight epiphany. These nine guys have put in the work, and now, they are leaders of an OSU team that has a real shot at becoming national champions again.

3. “[Branden Bowen’s] the most improved guy, one of the most improved players on our team. Something clicked with him,”


We touched on two big points: a passing game that is improving, and leadership. Now we focus on a third big point that will help the offense immensely if it goes well: a strong offensive line.

Branden Bowen was named the starting right guard for Thursday’s game, and he may be a name we hear more and more as the season progresses. Bowen put in some serious work in the offseason, as he’s skyrocketed up to the starting job at RG.

Last season, he saw action in 13 games. However, the games where he saw more extensive time on the field were in blowout contests like Nebraska and Maryland. Getting the starting job off the bat this season is a testament of the hard work paying off, especially considering that at one point there were seven guys in the running for the position.

The RG spot is the only position on the O-line that didn’t return a starter from 2016. Bowen has big shoes to fill, but with Meyer’s praise on Monday, it seems as if that won’t be a problem.

4. “To say that he mastered our offense, he's done that quite a while ago. It's just the timing, the execution and the trust.”


J.T. Barrett came up in the first point about the receiving corps. Now, he is the main point. Barrett is now heading into year four at the helm of the quarterback position at Ohio State—and enters his third year as a captain on the football team, a Buckeye first. However, his passing ability has been all over the place. He’s shown flashes of greatness for touchdowns, but also ill-advised passes that have been picked off.

A part of this may be because of the new receivers he’s had to deal with. Meyer hit the main points about timing, execution of the pass, and trust as being the components of what will make Barrett better at QB.

The rotation of six WRs may be tricky at first in the game setting, but Meyer may be foreshadowing the breakthrough needed to make Barrett an elite QB on the college level this season. It’ll take some time (i.e. games) for the problems to be ironed out, but if Barrett makes an improvement in the timing and execution of his passes, and increases his trust of the WRs, then expect a year of more records being broken—with a chance of a Heisman.

Continue reading...

Ohio State makes the cut for elite small forward
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


One of the top small forwards in the 2018 class released his top 13 schools.

New Ohio State basketball head coach Chris Holtmann knew when he took on the responsibility of rebuilding the Buckeye basketball program that it would not be an easy job. And with the Matta era ending due to a decline in recruiting, there will be little room for error for Holtmann in this area.

Holtmann has proven he can recruit though, as he quickly vaulted the Buckeyes' 2017 recruiting class to No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 22 in the country upon his arrival.

However, the program recently learned that the lone commitment in next year’s class, shooting guard Torrence Watson, decided to re-open his recruitment to focus on schools closer to home. The news certainly provided flashbacks to past recruiting failures and many were quick to question the state of the program.

Fortunately for Ohio State, Holtmann isn’t dwelling on the loss. Instead, the coaching staff is hard at work on the recruiting trail, and it continues to pay off, as the Buckeyes learned they made the cut for a blue-chip small forward in Talen Horton-Tucker (Chicago, IL/Simeon).


Ohio State has some stiff competition when it comes to earning a commitment from Horton-Tucker, as he also included Illinois, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Kansas, St. Louis, Dayton, Missouri, Iowa State, Xavier, Georgetown, and Michigan in the list of schools he will focus on for the rest of his recruitment.

The four-star SF has had a busy summer with the majority of his offers coming in the last few months. He is the No. 28 SF in the ‘18 class and is the No. 108 overall recruit in the class at any position.

Illinois will likely be in the mix for Horton-Tucker because of the hometown connection, but schools like Michigan State and Kansas will be tough to ignore because of their success and the opportunities they can present a recruit.

As of now, Michigan State is seen as the favorite to earn his commitment, with all six of the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions.

Currently, Horton-Tucker doesn’t have any official visits scheduled, but with him being roughly six hours away from Columbus, getting him on campus for a visit is far from an impossible task. If Holtmann and Ohio State are able to convince him to view what the program has to offer, the Buckeyes will definitely be seen as a legitimate contender.

Ohio State offers a blue-chip WR


One of the reasons why Urban Meyer has cemented his name as one of the best recruiters in the country is his ability to recognize talent early on. This allows him and his coaching staff to get a head start on establishing relationships with elite recruits.

Ohio State is hoping to do exactly this by extending an offer to 2019 four-star wide receiver Devonta Lee (Amite, LA/Amite).


Lee is one of the top receivers in next year’s class, seen as the No. 9 WR in the country and the No. 42 overall recruit. With just one WR commit in the Buckeyes’ 2018 class and only one or two more realistic targets remaining, the position will certainly be one the coaching staff will focus on next year.

With that being said, Louisiana has been one of the more difficult states to lure talent away from for the Buckeyes, so the early offer is Ohio State’s best shot at securing a commitment. Additionally, the Buckeyes are not the only elite program to notice his talent, as Lee already has 10 scholarship offers from schools like LSU, Florida State, Arkansas, Auburn, and Florida. Alabama hosted the WR during a summer camp back in June.

Ohio State will have to continue to build a strong relationship with Lee and will need to get him on campus if it has any chance at stealing him from SEC country. But as we have seen time and time again, with Meyer at the helm, anything is possible.

Continue reading...

Buckeyes make big deal about players earning starting jobs - MyDaytonDailyNews
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes make big deal about players earning starting jobs
MyDaytonDailyNews
As of Monday afternoon, Michigan had yet to release a roster or a depth chart for its season opener Saturday against Florida. One newspaper filed a freedom of information act to try to force Michigan's hand. Coach Jim Harbaugh went so far as to list ...
Buckeyes the pick in the Big TenHuntington Herald Dispatch
Big Ten East Division: Breakout players, games to watch, predictionsDetroit Free Press
Michigan football's Jim Harbaugh won't reveal starting quarterbackDetroit Free Press

all 177 news articles »

Continue reading...

Chat Wrap: Will defensive line come to forefront in 2017? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Chat Wrap: Will defensive line come to forefront in 2017?
247Sports
Ky Buckeye: Hey Steve,HRU? I would like to know your thoughts on signing DT Tommy T.? I kinda hope they wait and sign A. Jackson. AJ and Vincent i think would wreck havoc on opposing teams!! Thoughts? You think if Schiano leaves the def.recruiting will ...


Continue reading...

Ohio State tops USA TODAY's first re-ranks of 2017 - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State tops USA TODAY's first re-ranks of 2017
247Sports
Each Monday's re-rank will reflect the previous weekend's movement." Because of this, Myerberg has Ohio State, not the Crimson Tide, as the best team in the country in his first list of rankings. This means, as it currently stands, Myerberg likes the ...

and more »

Continue reading...

A championship season or just close? - Lima Ohio
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


A championship season or just close?
Lima Ohio
Remember the school-record 34 touchdown passes? Remember the two overtime touchdowns at Penn State? Remember him being fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting? If Barrett plays like he did in 2014, OSU could win it all. 2. The defensive line is as good ...

and more »

Continue reading...

The Football Fever: Buckeyes think they've found their passing game - ABC6OnYourSide.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The Football Fever: Buckeyes think they've found their passing game
ABC6OnYourSide.com
The Buckeyes became somewhat predictable at times over the last two seasons and after a 31-0 loss to Clemson in last year's College Football Playoff, Meyer opted to find a new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Fans believe the hire of ...

and more »

Continue reading...

Hoosiers hungry for spotlight against Buckeyes - WANE
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Hoosiers hungry for spotlight against Buckeyes
WANE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WANE) – The Hoosiers will open the 2017 in a big way, hosting ESPN's College GameDay and the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Thursday night. Kick is set for 8 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. The game will mark the return of ...
“Biggest Home Opener in Program History”: Hoosiers Host Buckeyes to Open 2017 SeasonHoosier Huddle (press release) (blog)
Return of ex-coach Wilson is not a rallying point for HoosiersFOXSports.com
Ohio State Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson Focused on Current Job, Not Past in Return Trip to IndianaEleven Warriors
247Sports -The Fan
all 11 news articles »

Continue reading...

Urban Meyer previews Buckeyes season opener vs. Indiana: Ohio State football news - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Urban Meyer previews Buckeyes season opener vs. Indiana: Ohio State football news
cleveland.com
But he seems confident in the senior leadership to make sure the Buckeyes aren't rattled by that kind of test. * Meyer says Branden Bowen is one of the most improved players on the team. He won the starting right guard battle. Said Matt Burrell was ...


Continue reading...

Barrett on more aggressive mindset: 'Give our guys a chance' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Barrett on more aggressive mindset: 'Give our guys a chance'
247Sports
I like that is what cut it loose is. “So, there has been more conversation as far as that.” For much more from Barrett, including how he believes he has improved since last year and the impact Kevin Wilson will have on the Buckeyes' offense, make sure ...


Continue reading...

Ohio State football | Sam Hubbard sees Buckeyes as No. 1 - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Sam Hubbard sees Buckeyes as No. 1
The Columbus Dispatch
Headed toward the season opener Thursday night at Indiana, Ohio State's Sam Hubbard doesn't mind saying he thinks the Buckeyes, despite being ranked No. 2 behind Alabama in both major polls, are underrated. The junior defensive end was asked ...


Continue reading...

“Biggest Home Opener in Program History”: Hoosiers Host Buckeyes to Open 2017 Season - Hoosier Huddle (press release) (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


“Biggest Home Opener in Program History”: Hoosiers Host Buckeyes to Open 2017 Season
Hoosier Huddle (press release) (blog)
Instead, head coach Tom Allen and IU Athletics Director Fred Glass have chosen to welcome the mammoth weight of this contest against the #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. “Biggest opening game in Indiana University football history, and we are embracing ...
No. 2 Ohio State, former coach Wilson visit IndianaLyndy's Sports Annuals
Taking An In-Depth Look At The 2017 Indiana HoosiersEleven Warriors
Ohio State Buckeyes vs Indiana Hoosiers football: Odds and Point Spread, TV Channel, Will there be an upset?DWRI Sports (blog)
247Sports -The Fan
all 9 news articles »

Continue reading...

Kurelic: Togiai and Vincent in Buckeyes' class? Tuliaupupu; more - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Togiai and Vincent in Buckeyes' class? Tuliaupupu; more
247Sports
Good evening Bucknuts subscribers! There is plenty going on with Ohio State football recruiting so let's get started! I will of course have plenty more throughout the night and tomorrow. 1) There once was a time some Buckeye fans wondered about Ohio ...


Continue reading...

Urban Meyer may have revealed the Ohio State depth chart... but the moms got to it first
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A number of parents of current players couldn’t contain their excitement when they heard that their sons would be starting Thursday.

“While Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has yet to reveal the Buckeyes’ season-opening depth chart, word of which players will be starting is being leaked via their mothers’ Twitter feeds.”

-Marcus DiNitto, Sporting News


The Ohio State football program has a short bit proud history of moms taking to Twitter in support of their sons on the team. Annie Apple, mother of current New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple, was perhaps the first great example. After tweeting her experience at the 2016 NFL Draft, where her son was a first-round selection, Apple earned a spot on ESPN as a contributor on Sunday NFL Countdown. While not all players’ moms are as outspoken as Annie Apple, they have, collectively, become increasingly active on Twitter, and have begun sharing news that, at the time, had not even been reported by Urban Meyer with less than a week until the Buckeyes’ season opener against Indiana.

Moms of wide receivers in particular were particularly lively on social media over the weekend. First, Shannon Mack, mother of sophomore receiver Austin Mack, posted on Twitter Friday that her son was named a starter against Indiana. The official Ohio State football account then tweeted a similar message Sunday, with wide receivers coach Zach Smith calling the mother of junior wide out Johnnie Dixon to tell her that Dixon will be making his first start Thursday. It was big news for Dixon, who has faced injury issues during his four years with the program, but completed his first full, healthy spring camp this year.

On the offensive line, redshirt sophomore Branden Bowen earned the highly contested right guard spot, according to his mom, Natalie. Bowen beat out Malcolm Pridgeon, Demetrius Knox and Matt Burrell, despite not being the favorite entering fall camp.

Not to be left out, Damon Arnette’s mother tweeted out Friday that cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs had called to tell her that her son had earned a starting role at cornerback against Indiana. This start will be Arnette’s first at Ohio State, having played behind first-round selections Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley last season as a redshirt freshman.

“Ohio State has been playing football for more than a century, yet five of the top scoring seasons in Ohio State history have come during Urban Meyer’s five seasons as coach.”

-Rich Exner, Cleveland.com


Urban Meyer has led the Ohio State football program to many a record-breaking season, including the record 45.5 points per game set by the 2013 Buckeyes. The 2014 squad just missed the mark, recording an average 44.8 points per game, good for second all-time in program history. What makes this mark even more impressive is the fact that, in Jim Tressel’s first five seasons, Ohio State averaged just 27.4 points per game to Meyer’s 40.52 during his tenure. The averages for Earl Bruce (32.02 points per game) and John Cooper (24.76 points per game) show just how strong the firepower truly is under Meyer.

The Buckeyes have earned these points behind powerful individual offensive performances, like freshman Mike Weber’s 1,096-yard effort last season. Weber, in fact, was the sixth 1,000-yard rusher since 2012, and the 33rd in program history. The sophomore is poised to repeat again this season behind a strong offensive line, and would be just the ninth Buckeye to do so. Recent history, however, is in Weber’s favor, as both Braxton Miller and Ezekiel Elliott have had dual, 1,000-yard seasons since 2012.

That level of offense has obviously led to wins for Ohio State on the field. In fact, in the era since Penn State joined the conference, Ohio State has an 80.6 percent in-conference win percentage--the best of any team in the Big Ten--with a 155-37-1 record. The Buckeyes also lead all-time conference play with a 503-173-24 record, with five more league wins than Michigan.

Interestingly for this week’s opener, the Buckeyes are carrying a 22-game win streak against Indiana as they prepare to head to Bloomington Thursday. Overall, Ohio State is 73-12-5 against the Hoosiers dating back to the start of the series in 1905.


Ohio State senior wrestler Kyle Snyder has added yet another win to his growing list of accomplishments after taking home a gold medal at the World Championships in Paris. It is the second world title for Snyder, who was also an Olympic gold medalist in 2016.

Snyder won four-straight matches at the 97-kilogram division and ultimately earned his title over fellow Olympic champ (at 86-kilogram) Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia. In the opening rounds, Snyder earned wins over Kazakhstan’s Mamed Ibragimov (10-0), Japan’s Naoya Akaguma (10-0) and Azerbijan’s Aslanbek Alborov (9-2). Snyder’s victory over Alborov in the semi-finals avenged his loss in the World Cup earlier this year.

Sadulaev, who also holds two world titles, moved up a weight class this year to face Snyder in what was entitled the “match of the century” by United World Wrestling. The matchup lived up to all of the hype, and there was more at stake than individual titles, given that the U.S. was tied 53-all with Russia leading into the 97-kilogram finals.

Despite Sadulaev winning the first point with a takedown of Snyder, the American came back with a takedown of his own to tie things up at 3-3 after the first period. Sadulaev scored another takedown in the second period to record a two point advantage, but Snyder managed a step-out point to close the gap to one. Then, with less than 20 seconds on the clock, Snyder took down Sadulaev to go up 6-5. Evading a final onslaught from the Russian, Snyder took home the individual title and the win for the U.S.

The team win is the first freestyle wrestling title for the U.S. since 1995. In addition to Snyder, former Nebraska wrestlers Jordan Burroughs and James Green took home medals at the 74-kilogram and 70-kilogram classes, respectively.

STICK TO SPORTS

• This move by Cincinnati’s punter might be the sassiest of all time
• And for all you Pumba fans, here is a sassy baby Warthog
• Check out these adorable baby Buckeyes!
• On a scale of 1-10, how scary are...doorbells?

Continue reading...

Lovie Smith has a tough rebuilding job at Illinois
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Can the Illini show improvement in his second season?

When Illinois hired Lovie Smith as its head coach in March 2016, it’s fair to say that the program was a mess. After firing Tim Beckman a week before the 2015 season due to player mistreatment allegations, the school then fired his successor, Bill Cubit, right before the start of Spring practice a year later. With little time to prepare for the season —and already past signing day— Smith and his new coaching staff had to work on the fly to get ready for the 2017 season.

Spoiler: it did not go well.

The Illini finished 3-9, with a 2-7 record in Big Ten play, and didn’t make a bowl for the third straight year. The good news is that it can only get better this season. (Probably.)

On this episode of The Hangout in the Holy Land, The Champaign Room’s Stephen Cohn breaks down the rebuilding project in Champaign, and everything about the 2017 Illini, including:

• The return of star wide receiver Mike Dudek from injury, and how he fits in the offense.
• The explosive running back duo of Kendrick Foster and Reggie Corbin, and needing efficiency from the rest of the offense.
• How the Illini will replace the pieces they lost defensively in the front seven.
• Whether Smith’s NFL pedigree has led to an uptick in recruiting.
• Illinois’ place in the Big Ten West, expectations for the season, and more!

You can find the podcast on our iTunes page, and we encourage reviews, comments, criticisms, etc. to help us deliver the best possible audio product. The more we hear from you, the better we can make it. We’re also on Soundcloud, and you can subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

Continue reading...

Ohio State's massive O-Line, bigger than the Browns, is the Buckeyes' key in 2017 - The Comeback (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State's massive O-Line, bigger than the Browns, is the Buckeyes' key in 2017
The Comeback (blog)
Despite not winning the Big Ten championship and being blanked by eventual national champion Clemson in the College Football Playoff last season, the Ohio State Buckeyes have plenty of reasons to be thinking about a championship ride in 2017. Among ...
A Big Ten battle right off the bat spices up Week 1 for Ohio StateLandof10.com
Ohio State might be the Big Ten's best team, but Wisconsin and Penn State have easier paths to an undefeated seasonLand-Grant Holy Land
Big Ten Football: Preview and Predictions for 2017 SeasonBleacher Report
Big Ten Conference -Rivals.com (press release) -Comcast SportsNet Chicago
all 22 news articles »

Continue reading...

Lunch Bucks: Buckeye talk live from The Thurman Cafe - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Lunch Bucks: Buckeye talk live from The Thurman Cafe
247Sports
Ohio State will take to the field for the first contest of 2017 on Thursday night in Bloomington, but before that there are still a few more days of preparation to get through. After talking to Urban Meyer and the Buckeye captains on Monday, our beat ...


Continue reading...

J.T. Barrett's performance against Indiana will set the tone for the Kevin Wilson era at Ohio State
Chuck McKeever via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeye passing game needs to get back on track after last season's sputtering finish.

College football is officially back, and Week 1, like all good things—the music of David Bowie, skeleton meme accounts, Jon Bois' 17776—is pretty weird. Ohio State plays on Thursday night, for some reason, and opens the season against Indiana, a conference opponent.

Adding to the stakes of the season's bizarre start? Ohio State's new offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson, was Indiana's head coach for the last six years. Wilson, whose teams in Bloomington were always super-drunk-fun on offense, is a welcome addition to the coaching staff in Columbus. The Buckeyes' play-calling has stagnated at some of the worst possible moments in recent years, and J.T. Barrett's play at quarterback pretty much plateaued after his outstanding redshirt freshman season. It'll be on Wilson to get more out of the Buckeye passing game after a down year in that category.

Wilson's had a few months with his guys to get them ready. Barrett's week one showing could be a bellwether for his new OC's time at Ohio State.

The stats


Name: J.T. Barrett

Number: 16

Position: Quarterback

Year: Senior

Height: 6’2

Weight: 220 lbs.

2016 notables: 2,555 pass yards, 24 pass TDs, 7 INT, 845 rush yards, 9 rush TDs

Barrett enters 2017 with the weight of expectation squarely on his shoulders. After solid performances in the first 10 games of last season. Barrett's numbers plummeted in the season's final three contests. He looked like a shadow of his former self against Clemson, missing open targets and failing to get the ball downfield when the Buckeyes were in a hole.

But it's a new season, and there is a new stable of four- and-five-star talent for Barrett to throw the ball to. Wilson's ability to scheme will likely open up far more downfield throws for the seasoned QB than Ed Warinner was able to create last year, and potential big-play guys like Binjimen Victor, K.J. Hill, and Austin Mack have a year of experience under their belts.

Opposition research


Unlike previous seasons, Indiana's defense is looking better than their offense as we head into the 2017 schedule. Gone are the days when fans could expect a shootout when the Hoosiers took the field; what they might get instead is a more complete and competitive football team.

The heart and soul of the defense is linebacker Tegray Scales, who just might be the best defensive player in the conference. Scales is a tremendous talent, and his ability to bring down ball-carriers as well as drop into coverage to break up mid-range passes will make him a formidable opponent for J.T. Barrett. Barrett makes as much hay with his legs as his arm, and Scales is the kind of player who can disrupt both of those options. He'll get some help from LB/DL Greg Gooch, who's been a consistent force getting to the QB off the edge.

Behind Scales, the Hoosiers boast a secondary that might actually be the most talented unit on the team. They were a boom-or-bust group in 2016, turning the tide in games where their ballhawking aggression paid off but giving up huge scoring plays to lesser teams when their all-or-nothing gambles fell short. That fire is now paired with an extra year of seasoning; the Hoosiers return every significant contributor from the 2016 pass defense plus Andre Brown Jr. and Jameel Cook Jr., both of whom missed all of last season.

What to watch for


All of this is to say that the Indiana defense likely won't roll over for the Buckeyes. Under new head coach and former DC Tom Allen, the Hoosiers look better-equipped than in years past to give the Buckeyes a game, at least on defense.

(Stephen A. Smith voice) BUT!

There's little reason to think that Ohio State won't be able to get the job done on Thursday night. Barrett is a tremendous talent, and he has the added benefit of Mike Weber lining up in the backfield. Weber's ability to break tackles and hit his holes will take a good deal of pressure off of Barrett (provided Meyer's play-calling doesn't hit the same uber-conservative skid that has stalled the Buckeyes in the past), and freshman J.K. Dobbins, Weber's backup, has also emerged in camp as a real running threat.

Weber's about as consistent as they come. The real question is what Ohio State's new receiving corps will look like against an experienced secondary like Indiana's. Noah Brown and Curtis Samuel are gone, and with them a hefty chunk of the Buckeyes' receiving production from last season. It's unclear who Barrett's go-to guy will be through the air—K.J. Hill? Binjimen Victor? Parris Campbell? Terry McLaurin??—and it will likely take a few weeks for the WR depth chart to shake itself out. Campbell is a pretty safe bet for targets, given how much Meyer loves to use his H-backs; Victor might have the highest potential of the group.

It's a good problem to have. The big question for the Buckeyes heading into week one is whether or not Kevin Wilson and J.T. Barrett have the solution.

Continue reading...

Best of Week 1: What to watch, game rankings & notes
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

The opening week of the 2017 season finally is here. All the speculation and conjecture are finished. It’s time to get down to business. And Week 1 should be revealing in many respects.

Continue reading...

BH: Walking tall | Webb of intrigue - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: Walking tall | Webb of intrigue
247Sports
became the first walk-on member of the Buckeyes' 2017 recruiting class to lose his black stripe. Rossi, who is from the same high school as 2018 offensive line commitment Max Wray, arrived at Ohio State as a linebacker. However, once he arrived the ...


Continue reading...

Dryden said:

Anybody that says 'that was better than I thought it'd be,' is the reason these two will have a rematch in 18 months for another $400mm.

That was no contest once Mayweather was done letting McGregor exhaust himself in the first 10 minutes and started punching back.

McGregor couldn't even defend himself by the time round 9 started.

Click to expand...

It's not possible to echo this enough. I actually had someone give me 1/1 and floyd because "connerz has dhat power!". Floyd has stated over and over that the gameplan was to take over mid fight,then end it late. He even had the bet made(that he didnt get to make) down within 30 seconds of ending that fight. He let connor punch himself out early. I'm not sure he could have dominated a whole lot more then he did. Floyd could have taken any of those rounds he wanted,but he actually cares about winning fights and not just rounds. He barely even threw any punches the first few rounds. Hard to argue he wasn't just letting Connor wear himself out.I thought it was totally obvious.It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that anything outside the first 4-5 rounds would be trouble for connor.

Things i've heard after collecting the easiest money ive ever won today. I don't think i've ever heard such bullshit after a fight before. I swear it's like people are dying to say anything positive about Connor and shit on Floyd. Even if it's completely unrealistic. I've seen normal/decent guys that bet saying shit like this..

"but connor won rounds against a pro boxer who is 50-0"
"like to see floyd fight him in mma HAR HAR HAR"
"but connor caught him with that uppercut!!!!"
"Connor was pulling punches. The fight was rigged!"

Is it really that hard to believe that one of the greatest (if not best) defensive boxers that's ever lived,who's never been beat, totally controlled a fight against a guy that's never had a pro boxing match?

Everything you need to know about betting on Ohio State in 2017
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Previewing Ohio State and college football from a Las Vegas gambling prospective, with ESPN's gambling reporter, David Purdum.

We chatted with the most well-respected sports gambling reporter in the business, ESPN's David Purdum, to check the current Las Vegas odds, stats and trends, plus we get his opinions on the upcoming college football season. Remember, Purdum is an ESPN reporter who covers the ins-and-outs of the industry and is a recreational bettor — not a sharp bettor who is putting big time money on games. Also, these odds are coming from Las Vegas casinos, which do not have as many prop bets as off-shore sportsbooks, such as Bovada.

Take these trends and odds with a grain of salt, as the casinos always win.

Here are Purdum's takes on Ohio State, the Big Ten and the rest of college football:

Ohio State


Land-Grant Holy Land: Did the Ohio State-Oklahoma betting lines move at all when Bob Stoops abruptly retired? If they weren't released yet, has there been any line movement since the Buckeyes opened at -8?

David Purdum: The book at the South Point Casino — an off-the-Strip property that’s trying to take the lead on college football betting — opened Ohio State as an 8-point favorite over Oklahoma, way back on May 31.

Since May 31, the line has dropped a half point to -7.5. There hasn’t been a lot of early action at this point, but it will certainly be heavily bet the week leading up the game.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What is your favorite Urban Meyer or Ohio State betting trend?

Purdum: When it comes to covering the number, Meyer has entered GOAT status. I have his teams covering the spread in 59.5 percent of his career games. That is an incredible mark.

He’s amazing with extra time to prepare and -- speaking of the Oklahoma game --deadly in non-conference play. Since 2005, he’s 33-16 ATS in non-conference play.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are the current odds for the Buckeyes to win the national title? How heavily are they being bet?

Purdum: Ohio State is the second-favorite to win the national title and can be found around 3:1 in Las Vegas.

The Buckeyes seemingly every year attract a ton of betting support in the offseason. In terms of number of bets, only USC and Michigan have more than Ohio State at William Hill’s Nevada sportsbook. (They operate the most books in the state).

In terms of money wagered, Ohio State has attracted the third-most, behind Alabama and USC.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are J.T. Barrett's current Heisman odds? Is Vegas seeing some money coming in on the reigning B1G Offensive POY?

Purdum: Barrett’s 12:1 at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. USC QB Sam Darnold is the favorite at around 9:2. Barrett is fourth in terms of money wagered to win the Heisman.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Do you expect the Buckeyes to be favored in every regular season game?

Purdum: Right now, they’ll absolutely be favored in every game. In the early lines up in Las Vegas, the Buckeyes are 7-point favorites at Michigan.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What is their current win total in Vegas?

Purdum: 11 wins (-120 to the under).

Big Ten


Land-Grant Holy Land: Who are the top three favorites (in order) to win the Big Ten East and Big Ten West?

Purdum: Books aren’t offering division winners to the best of my knowledge. But here are the top-six favorites to win the Big Ten at the South Point sportsbook:

Ohio State -120

Penn State 9-2

Wisconsin 3-1

Michigan 8-1

Northwestern 18-1

Nebraska 25-1

Land-Grant Holy Land: Besides Barrett, which players from the Big Ten are high on the Heisman Trophy odds list?

Purdum: Penn State’s two stars, RB Saquon Barkley and QB Trace McSorely are in the mix. Barkley is 12:1, same as Barrett, and has been a popular bet this offseason. McSorley is 20:1.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are some trends from Jim Harbaugh that stick out from his college coaching days and last year?

Purdum: Harbaugh has been decent, but unspectacular against the spread in college. I have him at 41-34 ATS for his career. He’s been solid as a home favorite throughout his career.

National


Land-Grant Holy Land: Who is getting the most action from bettors to win the national title?

Purdum: More money has been bet on Alabama to win the national title than any other team at multiple books. The Crimson Tide are the consensus favorites at around 5:2.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What is your favorite national coaching trend?

Purdum: Kansas State’s Bill Snyder has been money in conference play. Since 2005, he’s 51-26 ATS vs. the Big 12.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Which middle-of-the-pack team would you put something small on (best value) to make the playoff and/or win the title?

Purdum: As you know, I’m a small bettor, $20, $50, and lose more often than I win. So take it for what’s it’s worth, but Washington at 20:1, to me, seems a little under-the-radar for a team that reached the playoff last year and returns its star QB. Chris Petersen, of course, also is been extremely impressive over his career against the spread.

I would add that Wisconsin drew a lot of interested from respected bettors this offseason, due to the Badgers' schedule.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Who is the current Heisman favorite and which player not in the top-5 would you think represents good value?

Purdum: USC QB Sam Darnold is the consensus Heisman favorite. I prefer to bet on the Heisman during the season, looking for some ridiculous game by a player—like Lamar Jackson vs. Syracuse last year—and then try to bet it before the books adjust. The only Heisman bet I think I ever won was on Robert Griffin III, when he was at Baylor. Maybe I should re-think my strategy.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Give me your national champion and Heisman bets:

Purdum: Alabama. Holding tight on Heisman pick until season gets going.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Any final advice?

Purdum: Tread lightly entering the season – Nevada sportsbooks have never had a losing September since gaming control began tracking monthly revenue numbers in 1988.

Oh, and bet smaller amounts. You will make your bankroll last longer if you’re only betting 2 to 5 percent of it per bet.

Good luck!

Continue reading...

Ohio State football announces depth chart: Buckeyes football news - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football announces depth chart: Buckeyes football news
cleveland.com
Urban Meyer said Weber is still working toward getting 100 percent healthy after a hamstring injury in camp. Meyer said he's getting close to that. The receivers, as expected, are all co-starters because the Buckeyes consider themselves as having six ...


Continue reading...

Ohio State might be the Big Ten’s best team, but Wisconsin and Penn State have easier paths to an undefeated season
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Here are the games most likely to determine the 2017 College Football Playoff.

The past five national champions have all ranked in the top four of the S&P+ preseason projections.

Ohio State ranks third in the S&P+ 2017 season projections — but how tough is Ohio State’s schedule relative to other top teams?

To get a sense for that, I decided to look at the Big Ten and College Football Playoff contenders’ toss-up games, which are any in which the Buckeyes have between a 35% and 65% win probability according to the S&P+ win probabilities. According to the S&P+ win projections, neither team should be favored by more than a touchdown with a win probability between 35% and 65%.

This obviously doesn’t determine which teams are necessarily better than the others, but it does give a sense of which are most likely to go undefeated during the regular season.

Recently Bill C. looked at this question and found that Wisconsin might have the easiest path to an undefeated regular season — looking at toss-up games is just another way of answering that same question.

Below are the toss-up games for each contender, along with their expected win percentages. Note: I included near toss-up games from 66-68% too, since there were a fairly high number of those.


Alabama and Wisconsin have the clearest paths to an undefeated regular season, with each team only playing one toss-up game each -- and that’s if you include Florida State for Alabama (at a 68% win probability). Alabama’s schedule is even better considering that a Week 1 loss to FSU would barely factor in to the Playoff Committee’s decision making by the end of the season. While you could imagine a loss to FSU, LSU and Auburn will both be tough; Alabama’s S&P+ advantage over those teams is pretty drastic based on the preseason projections. Unless the Tide’s new offensive coordinator doesn’t work out, expect more of the same dominance from Alabama this year.

Both Penn State and Wisconsin have roughly 10-2 floors (maybe 9-3), while Michigan faces four toss-up games, including three where they’re not currently favored in the S&P+. Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin are likely all about the same quality-wise, though.

Outside the Big Ten and Alabama, USC probably has the easiest path, with toss-up games against only Stanford and Notre Dame. Oklahoma technically only has one toss-up game against Ohio State, but Oklahoma State and Texas are close enough at 67% and 68% (and they’re both rivalry games) that I decided to include them.

Ohio State actually has a pretty difficult schedule, with rivals Michigan and Penn State, along with Oklahoma at the beginning of the year. Add in probable Big Ten West winner Wisconsin in a potential Big Ten Championship, and there’s no doubt that the Buckeyes will be tested plenty before bowl season.

Continue reading...