BH: American anthem | Pridgeon still counted on? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: American anthem | Pridgeon still counted on?
247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a scholarship to four Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage recruits, defensive backs Tyson Campbell and Patrick Surtain as well as defensive end Andrew Chatfield and defensive tackle Nesta Silvera. Chatfield committed to Ohio ...

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Jeff Heuerman pranks Jake Butt with Buckeye-themed haircut - 247Sports
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Jeff Heuerman pranks Jake Butt with Buckeye-themed haircut
247Sports
Ohio State and Michigan isn't called the greatest rivalry in sports for no reason. Even when players leave the programs, The Game still matters. This was evident on Friday when pictures came out of Denver Broncos tight end Jake Butt's new rookie haircut.
Michigan's Jake Butt gets Ohio State buzzcut from former Buckeye Jeff HeuermanLandof10.com

all 13 news articles »

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Buckeyes WR target has successful surgery - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes WR target has successful surgery
247Sports
The Buckeyes have signing at least two great wide receivers in their 2018 recruiting class as a goal and one of the prospects arguably at the top of the list is Saint Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers receiver Kamryn Babb. And Babb is generally considered ...


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The mystery of Tyreke Smith, Ohio State commit honored in Virginia, and more - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The mystery of Tyreke Smith, Ohio State commit honored in Virginia, and more
Landof10.com
Last week in the Land of 10 series “3 for 3,” I joined two of my peers to take a look at the Buckeyes defensive end recruiting for 2018. We examined the odds of Ohio State landing all three of its top remaining targets at the position: Tyreke Smith ...
Ohio State, Texas Duel For Top Spot in Recruiting Rankings While Tight End Commit Gets Ratings BumpEleven Warriors

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Watch: OSU's Meyer shares thoughts on Elliott suspension - 247Sports
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Watch: OSU's Meyer shares thoughts on Elliott suspension
247Sports
The coach made no bones about the fact that he considered Elliott one of his favorite players for his attitude and work ethic during his time with the Buckeyes. The coach talked about how he invited Elliott's parents, Stacy and Dawn Elliott, to join ...


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Buckeye related Crystal Ball picks: Like, love, or leave them - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeye related Crystal Ball picks: Like, love, or leave them
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! Today I do the same with five more top Ohio State related recruits. Be sure to enjoy VIP access to Bucknuts.com with our 7 ...


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Ohio State’s Nick Bosa looking to live up to expectations with new moves
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


After getting some advice from his brother and being fully healthy, Nick Bosa is primed for an impressive season.

“I remember last year, he didn't really practice much at the tempo that he needed to do to get him ready because of the ACL injury he suffered in high school. He's ridiculous right now. That name is very good right now. Need some more Bosas.”

- Urban Meyer via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


The story of Nick Bosa is well known. Following in his brother’s footsteps, he committed to Ohio State and has drawn high praise from his coaching staff as having the potential to be just as good as Joey. Last season coming off of an ACL injury, Bosa still provided plenty of highlights and was a key rotation piece in the defensive line sets. As of now, he’s still behind Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis — though, that’s not anything to be ashamed of as both are likely headed for the NFL. The younger Bosa, however, is ready to step his game up now that he’s fully healthy and has even been working with his brother on different moves to get past offensive linemen this season.

Another thing worth noting is that Bosa will also be playing more on the edge this season as opposed to last year, when the Buckeyes tried to get him inside so he could have more time on the field. This time around, Bosa will be in his comfort zone more often which could make an impact immediately on the field. Either way, Bosa is sure to continue to improve and help solidify a defensive line that is arguably one of the best in the country.

“His maturity level (has improved), how he handles himself in meeting rooms, helping J.K. and Antonio (Williams) out. He’ll start asking questions about stuff that he knows the answer to, but he’s trying to bring it out so other guys get an understanding. He’s really grown up a bunch.”

- Tony Alford via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


Mike Weber had an outstanding freshman season statistically, but it may not have always seemed like it, especially in the latter stages of the year. Part of that, Weber says, is due to him dealing with a couple of injuries that kept him slowed down. That being said, Weber still rushed for over 1,000 yards and says he has a new goal: 2,000. While he did say it tongue-in-cheek, he has the confidence level of a workhorse running back and early on last season, he showcased he could be that for the Buckeyes. Of course, on this team, with J.T. Barrett likely to get a lot of carries, Weber’s numbers might not reflect his true potential.

Throw in the fact that the coaching staff has been very high on freshman running back J.K. Dobbins, and it seems like Weber’s carries won’t see much of an increase like he may have initially thought when Curtis Samuel went to the NFL. But in the end, it seems like Weber is still okay with that, and has team goals prioritized over personal ones. His maturity level in the film room has been noted above and he has been helping the younger backs get acclimated with the college game as well.

“[Happiest fan bases in college football] 1. Ohio State”

- Urban Meyer via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


ESPN ran a ranking of the happiest fan bases in college football entering the 2017 season and has Ohio State ranked as No. 1. With Urban Meyer being beloved by nearly every fan, and the team’s success since he’s been here, what’s not to be happy about? It seems that most people have already forgotten about the 31-0 loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff last season, and with a fresh new No. 2 ranking this season, hopes and expectations are once again sky-high for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State has also dominated the rivalry game with Michigan, having not lost since 2011. Throw in that the Buckeyes are also winning on the recruiting trail, with consistent top 10 and top five classes each year, it’s hard to think of a reason why fans wouldn’t be happy with Ohio State. Other fan bases to make the the top five include Florida State, Alabama, Louisville (who wouldn’t be happy with Lamar Jackson at quarterback), and a surprising one: Kansas State. You can find the full list with the link above.

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Penn State is as motivated as ever, despite winning the Big Ten last year
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Podcasting with Black Shoe Diaries about the Nittany Lions.

After an 11-3 season which included winning the Big Ten Championship, an upset over Ohio State, and a Rose Bowl appearance, it’d be easy to expect Penn State to be at least a little bit complacent this year. Unfortunately, that probably isn’t the case.

The Nittany Lions were left out of last year’s College Football Playoff despite their conference title, in favor of the Ohio State team they beat thanks to Curtis Samuel somehow only getting two carries a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Penn State now heads into the 2017 with the best running back in college football, a returning star at quarterback, the most talent and depth the program’s had in the last decade, and some extra motivation to get to the playoff and prove that last season wasn’t a flash in the pan.

On this edition of The Hangout in the Holyland, Black Shoe Diaries’ Cari Greene joins the show to discuss the everything about the Nittany Lions’ upcoming season, including:

• The job James Franklin has done in Happy Valley.
• Switching their mindset from ‘underdog’ to being the team everyone is hunting.
• How running back Saquon Barkley can be even better this season.
• Concerns on defense, and Penn State’s strength in the secondary.
• Expecting an 11-1 season, why the game versus Ohio State will determine a playoff spot, 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.

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sparcboxbuck said:

Hardly offended... but a couple shots over the bow of a kid who's done as much as Sam seems a bit off. And I'm certainly not the one to be voting on captains... so I take them as they come. There's a reason for who's selected, right?

Click to expand...

My post on this thread had nothing to do with Sam personally. I'm simply stating, from the guys listed as captains(and congratulations to them all), the only one I would think of replacing would be Sam. And That would be in favor of Jamarco, as I feel he's one of the top 5 most important players on this team. Our team is only NC ready if our O line is elite, and protects JT. Nothing against Sam, just, IMO, I felt Jamarco deserved it as well. No worries

Two Buckeyes named to AP's preseason All-American teams - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Two Buckeyes named to AP's preseason All-American teams
247Sports
After starting the last three seasons at guard for the Buckeyes, and being named All-American and All-Big Ten a year ago, Price makes the move to center, following in the footsteps of Pat Elflein. Price has started every game of his career, 41 ...
Ohio State C Billy Price named preseason first-team All-AmericanLandof10.com

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Buckeyes' football practice facility Woody Hayes Athletic Center in line for another renovation - Columbus Business First
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Buckeyes' football practice facility Woody Hayes Athletic Center in line for another renovation
Columbus Business First
The east wing of the Buckeyes' indoor football practice facility is up for a $7.8 million renovation that would bring a new kitchen and nutrition area, an expanded and renovated lounge, a recovery and rehabilitation space and new football recruiting ...

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Saints, Chargers Week 2 preseason game filled with former Ohio State talent
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, rookie CB Marshon Lattimore made his NFL debut.

We are officially less than a week and a half away from the start of the Ohio State football season, but while we still have to wait until August 31st to see the 2017 edition of the Scarlet and Gray, we can at least see some of Buckeye Nation’s finest alums prepare for the NFL regular season. Week 2 of the preseason thankfully didn’t see quite as many injuries as the first, with one rookie making his debut and others working their way up the depth chart.

Here’s a look at all the noteworthy Buckeye moments from Week 2 preseason matchups.

Lattimore’s NFL debut and a jersey swap


Rookie CB Marshon Lattimore had to wait a couple of weeks to see the field for his first game as a professional football player, but when he did finally make it onto the field, he saw 17 snaps for the New Orleans Saints. He was disappointed that he wasn’t targeted in his first matchup, but had a decent showing — aside from a juke by Melvin Gorden that left Lattimore on his heels.


Lattimore got the start in the Saints’ Week 2 preseason game against the Chargers. Teammate Vonn Bell saw slightly more snaps than his rookie counterpart, and has also seen some action with the special teams unit this preseason. He snagged two tackles on his 23 snaps.

On the offensive side for the Saints were former Buckeye receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and second-year phenom Michael Thomas. Ginn didn’t practice last week and likewise didn’t suit up for the Week 2 contest, although no injury has been disclosed. Thomas is ready to take the role as WR1 this season, and made a big 28-yard grab against the Chargers.


After the game, former Buckeye teammates Thomas and Joey Bosa exchanged jerseys, in what is likely to be the first of many Ohio State exchanges over the next few weeks. Bosa and Chargers teammate former Buckeye Joshua Perry each claimed one tackle against the Saints, with Perry seeing additional action on special teams.

Chargers QB Cardale Jones is still trying to climb into the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Despite being put on his back four (!) times (for a loss of 46 yards) in Week 2 of the preseason, Jones went 7-of-15 for 61 yards, and threw one interception.

Colts defense coming together


Former Silver Bullets are coming together in Indianapolis, despite a couple still not seeing game day snaps. Lineman Jack Mewhort hasn’t been suiting up or practicing out of an abundance of caution — the team can’t afford anymore injuries affecting their starting line.

On a positive note, Johnathan Hankins returned to the field this week, his first time seeing the field for the Colts. He saw 31% of the defensive snaps, indicating the size of his workload once the regular season gets underway. Interestingly, safety Tyvis Powell also lined up for 31% of the defensive snaps, while adding 10 special team plays as well. Powell appears to be far more on the bubble as we inch closer to the final 53-man roster cuts.

Likewise, linebacker John Simon is already proving to be a valuable addition. Taking snaps on both defense and special teams, the linebacker had a forced fumble, his second in as many games during the preseason so far this year.

Unfortunately, Malik Hooker’s shoulder is still keeping him sidelined. Colts’ head coach Chuck Pagano has expressed frustration with so many injuries affecting younger players, but that criticism doesn’t extend to Hooker, who underwent offseason surgery and is still working through recovery.

Washington is back making plays


Adolphus Washington has had a pretty rocky offseason, but is back to showing the Bills exactly why they drafted him a year ago. He made a big grab early against the Eagles, when a forced fumble left the ball bouncing on the ground.


Just before this play, Washington was flagged for jumping offsides, giving the Eagles a free first down. It’s safe to say that the Bills, as well as the former Buckeye, were happy to see him bounce back so quickly to right his wrong.

Quick hits

• Niners’ RB Carlos Hyde saw a bit more action in Week 2 of the preseason, carrying the ball eight times for 26 yards.
• Rookie wideout Noah Brown snagged his first touchdown in the NFL, with a 19-yard catch in the endzone. The Buckeye also put a questionable hit on the Colts punter, but what can ya do...

• Second-year TE Nick Vannett is still trying to inch his way up the depth chart, and has so far started both preseason games for the Seahawks. In Week 2, the Buckeye had one long catch for 32 yards.
• CB Doran Grant is still hoping to hold on to a roster spot with Jacksonville, but for now, he at least provides some entertainment for the team.

• Rams’ long snapper Jake McQuaide is playing on the last year of his contract this season, but it doesn’t look like he’s making this any easier for opponents on special teams.

Injury report

• Several Buckeyes were sidelined for their teams’ Week 2 preseason matchups, with the following sitting out: Eli Apple (Giants), Michael Bennett (Jaguars), Braxton Miller (Texans), and Curtis Samuel (Panthers).
• Rookie Gareon Conley still hasn’t made his NFL debut for the Oakland Raiders, but is expected to return to practice this week and finally see his first professional snap Saturday against the Cowboys.
• LB Ryan Shazier likewise didn’t see any preseason snaps for the Steelers, but his lingering hamstring issue isn’t expected to keep him out once regular season starts. He might not have played, but Buckeye Nation showed up in droves to support the Ohio State legend.

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Ohio State football: Charlottesville a hot topic in Buckeyes' locker room - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Charlottesville a hot topic in Buckeyes' locker room
The Columbus Dispatch
Sometimes, the outside world pops the bubble in which football teams try to immerse themselves. That was the case last week for Ohio State as they wrapped up training camp. Even while they plowed through the grind of practice and were holed up in their ...


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Sam Hubbard named Ohio State Buckeyes captain - Cincinnati.com
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Sam Hubbard named Ohio State Buckeyes captain
Cincinnati.com
Nine Ohio State football players, including redshirt junior defensive end Sam Hubbard of Moeller High School, were named team captains for the Buckeyes Monday night based on votes from their teammates. Your 2017 Ohio State Football captains.


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Buckeye NFL Rookie Report: Preseason Week 2 - 247Sports
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Buckeye NFL Rookie Report: Preseason Week 2
247Sports
The Ohio State football program is pumping out NFL talent with the best of them. That did not change with this year's draft class as eight former Buckeyes are currently on NFL rosters. We know that not everyone follows the NFL as closely as they do ...

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Saquon Barkley highlights eight Big Ten stars on AP preseason All-America Team
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

One day after releasing its preseason top 25 poll, the AP released its preseason all-america team. Eight Big Ten stars made the list, including four first-teamers, headlined by Penn State RB Saquon Barkley.

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Ohio State football: Who will lead the Buckeyes in interceptions in 2017? - Landof10.com
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Ohio State football: Who will lead the Buckeyes in interceptions in 2017?
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Position battles are winding down. Black stripes are flying off helmets of freshmen. Attention is starting to zero in on the season opener. Preseason practice is wrapping up at Ohio State as it's full speed ahead for the Aug. 31 ...
Buckeyes claim the No. 2 spot in Preseason AP PollThe News Center
Captains are coming for the Buckeyes247Sports
Buckeyes ranked 2nd in pre-season AP pollWHIZ
cleveland.com -Dayton Daily News -Factory Of Sadness
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Chat Wrap: Is this OSU offensive line for real? - 247Sports
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Chat Wrap: Is this OSU offensive line for real?
247Sports
Wilson will be the driving force with Day and Meyer right there adding their two cents. They will handle this like magicians, IMO. NC Buckeye: Steve, who do you see OSU using in a wildcat formation this season? In the past few years we had guys like ...


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BM5: Dan & Duane's Prediction Preview Extravaganza - 247Sports
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BM5: Dan & Duane's Prediction Preview Extravaganza
247Sports
____ _____ will lead the Buckeyes in receptions this season. 11. The best opposing player Ohio State will face this season is _____ ______. 12. Which players on the current roster have a chance to be Top 5 picks in NFL Draft? 13. Michigan will win ...

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Buckeye Fans to Humble Hoosier AD, Sprinkle Realizes Dream, and Bosa Adds to Repertoire - Eleven Warriors
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Buckeye Fans to Humble Hoosier AD, Sprinkle Realizes Dream, and Bosa Adds to Repertoire
Eleven Warriors
As I always say, if the Buckeyes faced Lucifer's Army at Prince of Darkness Stadium in the deepest pits of Hell, even Satan would be surprised at the number of OSU fans willing to sell their souls for a ticket. That's part of the benefit of having an ...


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Watch Tracy Sprinkle’s family learn that he’ll be a captain of the Ohio State football team
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s one thing to play for the Buckeyes. It’s another to be named a leader.

Last year, we brought you the video of running back coach Tony Alford calling the parents of Mike Weber, telling them that their son was becoming a starter at Ohio State.

On Monday night, another coach made a phone call home. This time around, it was assistant head coach/defensive line coach Larry Johnson calling the family of defensive end Tracy Sprinkle, letting them know that he was named a captain of the football team.

Below is the video that was posted by Ohio State football on Twitter:


In total, nine members were selected as captains. Five of the members come from the defensive side of the ball—with three of them coming from the D-line.

On offense, the most notable of the selections was quarterback J.T. Barrett, who became the first Buckeye to be named captain three times.

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Buckeyes in action: The Blind Photographer - OSU - The Lantern
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Buckeyes in action: The Blind Photographer
OSU - The Lantern
OSU student Sahil Sharma is legally blind, but spends his time mastering a craft that relies on the eyes. | Courtesy: Sahil Sharma. Born and raised a true '90s kid, Sahil Sharma had an unusual infatuation with disposable cameras at only five-years-old.

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Ohio State basketball recruiting continues to roll
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Chris Holtmann has the Buckeye basketball program in good position to land multiple blue-chip talents.

If Ohio State’s new basketball coach, Chris Holtmann, has proven one thing since his arrival, it's that he knows how to recruit. This comes as a breath of fresh air for Buckeye Nation as the program’s last few recruiting classes struggled to meet expectations.

After bringing in the top recruiting class in the Big Ten in 2017, Holtmann and the Buckeye coaching staff have switched their focus towards next year’s class, and the program is off to a good start.

Ohio State already has one verbal commitment in its 2018 recruiting class in three-star shooting guard Torrence Watson. The team learned Monday they are still in position to land a few other top-rated recruits in next year’s class.

4-star PF includes Ohio State in top 8


It has been a busy summer for Colin Castleton (Daytona Beach, FL/Father Lopez Catholic) who has received eight scholarship offers in the last three months and has begun to visit some of the programs showing interest in him.

The four-star power forward has acquired more than 20 scholarship offers throughout his recruitment and has the difficult decision of choosing the one school that will set him up best for his desired future. Castleton appears to be getting closer to making a decision as he has narrowed down his impressive offer list to just eight schools.

Included in his top eight were Florida, Florida State, Baylor, Notre Dame, Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, and Ohio State.


On top of finalizing the eight schools he will remain focused on through the rest of his recruitment, Castleton has also started planning his official visits. While he has had plenty of opportunities to check out hometown schools Florida and Florida State, he has now scheduled official visits for Illinois and Xavier.

Interestingly, Xavier was not included in Castleton’s top schools, despite having a visit scheduled.

The fact that Ohio State made Castleton’s cut speaks volumes about Holtmann’s recruiting abilities. The prospect has had little to no reported recent communication with the Buckeye basketball program, yet the team is still in the running for his services.

Castleton is one of the best recruits in next year’s class. The 247Sports Composite Rankings currently have him listed as the No. 29 PF and the No. 108 recruit in the entire class.

It will be important for Holtmann to get Castleton on campus if the Buckeyes are serious about acquiring his services.

3-star SF includes Ohio State in top schools


Castleton wasn’t the only blue-chip prospect to include Ohio State in his top schools Monday as small forward Jaedon LeDee (Houston, TX / The Kinkaid School) also listed the Buckeyes as one of his top eight remaining schools.

Included in his list were Ohio State, UCLA, Texas A&M, LSU, Iowa State, Houston, California and Oklahoma.


Julius Kim of elevatehoops.com spoke with the three-star SF Monday and he spoke on the eight schools he will focus on throughout the rest of his recruitment.

When speaking on Ohio State, Ledee said, “Ohio State has a new staff and has been on me since they were at Butler. They want me to come in and be an impact guy. A lot of their offense runs thru the four, which is great.”

LeDee is treating his recruitment in a similar fashion to that of Castleton’s. Like Castleton, LeDee is also finalizing official visits to schools to ensure he makes the right decision regarding his future.

Those scheduled are Ohio State on Sept. 9, California on Sept. 16, LSU on Sept. 30 and his final scheduled visit is UCLA on Oct. 16.

LeDee will likely wait until all of these visits have been completed before moving to the next step in making his decision and setting a timeline for his announcement.

Keep up with Land-Grant Holy Land as we will be sure to bring you more updates following these visits.

Ohio State offers 4-star SF


Holtmann and co. continued to focus on the 2018 recruiting class by sending out a scholarship offer to one of the top recruits in the class. Late Sunday night, Ohio State offered four-star small forward Keyontae Johnson (Oak Hill, WV/Oak Hill).

Johnson is currently seen as the No. 24 SF in the country and the No. 97 overall recruit in the class.


Johnson’s athletic ability has led him to acquiring a total of 16 scholarship offers, including the likes of Providence, UConn, Georgia Tech, Kansas, SMU, NC State, Florida, Wake Forest, Pitt, and Vanderbilt, among others.

He has yet to schedule any upcoming visits, so there is little to go on in projecting his top schools. Providence is the lone school to earn a Crystal Ball Projection from 247Sports but there will likely be more to come as the school’s lead over the pack isn’t that far ahead.

Expect Holtmann and the Buckeyes to do their best in securing a visit from Johnson as this will be Ohio State’s best chance in getting a commitment.

Ohio State offers 4-star CB


Switching over to the gridiron, Ohio State has already acquired 16 verbal commitments in its 2018 recruiting class. Because of this, there are only a handful of spots remaining and Urban Meyer and the rest of the Buckeye coaching staff have started switching their focus towards the 2019 class.

Following in this direction, the Buckeyes offered one of the top cornerbacks in next year’s class yesterday in Erick Young (Richmond, TX/Bush).


Despite only having two years of high school football under his belt, Young has shown enough already to start earning scholarship offers from some of the top programs in the country.

Along with Ohio State, Young holds offers from Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, and TCU, with many more to follow. The four-star CB is seen as the No. 22 CB in the class, along with being the No. 263 overall recruit in next year’s class.

While these numbers may seem low for an Ohio State target, Young has had several strong showings in camps this summer which has led to the influx in offers. If he is able to meet the expectations that he has set for himself after an impressive summer, expect his ranking to rise as quickly as his offer count.

Ohio State commit earns 5th star


With the recent update in Rivals.com top 100 prospects, multiple Ohio State commits saw their stock either rise or fall, but one future Buckeye benefited more than the others as linebacker commit Teradja Mitchell (Virginia Beach, VA/Bishop Sullivan) earned his fifth star.

Along with the fifth star, Mitchell also moved up to the No. 15 overall recruit in the class. In total, nine future Buckeyes were included in the Top 100 including:

• No. 15 five-star ILB Teradja Mitchell
• No. 18 five-star QB Emory Jones
• No. 21 five-star DT Taron Vincent
• No. 27 four-star APB Jaelen Gill
• No. 31 four-star DE Brenton Cox
• No. 34 four-star RB Brian Snead
• No. 35 four-star DB Jaiden Woodbey
• No. 83 four-star TE Jeremy Ruckert
• No. 94 four-star ILB K’Vaughan Pope

Quick Hit:

• Ohio State four-star CB commit Sevyn Banks announced he will participate in the Under Armour All-American game.

• Four-star OT Quinn Carroll is expected to visit Ohio State on Sept. 9 for the Oklahoma game.

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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


Some of the biggest points include J.K. Dobbins and the offensive line.

Mondays are the days Urban Meyer holds his press conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. As camp wraps up, the focus now shifts to the Week 1 foe, Indiana. Meyer spoke for a little more than 11 minutes to the press, unveiling some tidbits of information about what this Ohio State football team will look like as they prepare for the Hoosiers.

Let’s break down the four biggest points made by Meyer during the presser.

1. “[J.K Dobbins will] play. He's earned that right. We're going to call his family this week and tell them to get ready to watch some football because he's going to play.”


The running back position at Ohio State has seen legend after legend handle the rock. This season seems to be no different, as Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins appear to be the guys who will be counted on in the backfield.

Weber, who rushed for 1,096 yards and 9 touchdowns last season, appears to be over the hamstring injury he sustained back in July. When asked about Weber, Meyer said that the redshirt sophomore RB is doing well; when asked if Weber is good to go in the game, Meyer replied, “oh yeah.”

Combine Weber with the fact that Dobbins is doing all the right things leading up to the start of the season, and a running back tandem is in the works. Dobbins was the first of the new Buckeyes to lose their black stripe—he had it removed back on Aug. 4.


Dobbins give the backfield the added depth to take it to the next level. Quarterback J.T. Barrett also becomes a viable running threat, making it very likely that there will be a pair of fresh legs ready to take off down the field at a moment’s notice.

Last season, Barrett and Weber both rushed for 100-plus yards apiece against Michigan State. More options on the ground are a good thing, but added depth is even better—something that OSU has.

2. “Bowen, if you're singling out players, would fall into that category of really, really improved.”


For the rushing and passing games to excel, not only do the RBs and QB have to make plays, but the offensive line has to give them time to make the plays.

Over the offseason, Meyer and the coaching staff have worked with the O-line to make them better, as last season saw the line come under fire for failing to live up to expectations against Clemson. With position battles still happening, the right guard position may be occupied by redshirt sophomore Branden Bowen at some point.

During the presser, Meyer said Bowen was “in the mix” to be named starter at RG. Last season, Bowen saw action in 13 games—with extensive series in three of those games. However, those three games (Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland) were huge blowout victories.

The RG position battle also includes Demetrius Knox and Malcolm Pridgeon in the mix. Either way, whoever gets the nod will have an important role in keeping the OSU offense functional.

3. “[Kevin Wilson] goes quick. He spits plays out real fast. Him and Ryan Day work very good together.”


This is the first time that Kevin Wilson and Meyer have been part of camp at OSU. Wilson, who coached at Indiana for six seasons from 2011-16, is now the offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes. Combined with a new QB coach in Ryan Day, who was in the NFL coaching circles before coming to Columbus, this Buckeye offense has new guys on the sideline calling shots.

Hearing that both are working well together highlights an important point for this Scarlet and Gray coaching staff: hitting the ground running.

Last season, Indiana went 6-7 with Wilson as their coach, but most of their losses were close losses. The Hoosiers didn’t really get blown out in any of their games in 2016. With Tom Allen now in charge at IU, he’s got six starters returning on offense and three starters on defense returning from the Wilson Era. The Hoosiers will be out to get a big win in Week 1—especially being at home.

If the OSU offense is running on all cylinders, meaning that Wilson, Day, and the rest of the coaching staff are all on the same page, then Ohio State should be able to get the win in Bloomington, Ind. on Aug. 31.

4. “A little more emphasis on return game. That's an area that we deemed inadequate a year ago, obviously. We worked very hard on it.”


Like the offensive line, the Buckeyes' staff spent time over the offseason revamping the special teams. Last season, the longest punt returned for OSU was 27 yards, and no punt returner had an average greater than seven yards per return. The highest return average belonged to Dontre Wilson, who brought back punts for an average of 6.3 yards.

After being signed by the Los Angeles Chargers, Wilson is no longer part of the Buckeyes. Meyer said that K.J. Hill and Demario McCall would be rotating as the punt returner. Last season, Hill did not return any punts, but he did bring back a kick return for six yards. McCall has more experience on returning punts, as he brought back three punts during the 2016-17 campaign.

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Buckeyes claim the No. 2 spot in Preseason AP Poll - The News Center
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Buckeyes claim the No. 2 spot in Preseason AP Poll
The News Center
The Buckeyes have extended the longest current streak of years appearing in the preseason top 25 to 29 times. This is a four-spot jump for Ohio State after starting 2016 in sixth place, and ultimately reached the four-team college football playoff. The ...
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