Scoonie Penn named Ohio State’s Director of Player Development
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Ohio State Athletics Hall of Famer is back in Columbus.

The Ohio State men’s basketball program is getting all the help they can ahead of Chris Holtmann’s inaugural season in Columbus, Ohio. With a shortened offseason, player departures and late-signees, the Buckeyes will have another bit of help in the front office with the addition of James (Scoonie) Penn as Ohio State’s Director of Player Development.

“We are really excited about Scoonie being a part of our staff,” Holtmann said. “All of Buckeye Nation will know that he is one of the all-time great players and ambassadors of our program. His connection to past and present players is impressive and something I was looking for in this position. He is such an accomplished player and I know his passion for Ohio State basketball is as strong as ever.”

Penn played for Ohio State from 1998-2000, earning Big Ten Player of the Year in 1999 and second team All-America honors in 2000–his last season rocking the Scarlet and Gray. Penn was a captain for the Buckeyes and was named team co-MVP in both of his years in Columbus. Before coming to OSU, Penn transferred from Boston College.

In two seasons, Penn averaged 16.3 points and 4.1 rebounds, along with 284 assists. He ranks No. 46 all-time in scoring at Ohio State (1,076 points) and sits at No. 7 in program history for points scored in NCAA Tournament play (123 points).

“I want to thank Coach Holtmann for giving me this opportunity,” Penn said. “I am very excited to be a part of the basketball staff at Ohio State. I've always felt like coaching was a calling of mine and there isn’t a better place to have a chance to learn than the university that I attended and care so much about. It's going to be fun to learn from Coach Holtmann and the rest of the staff.”

Since his time at Ohio State, he was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft, but ended up playing his entire career — 11 seasons — in Europe (for teams in Italy, Croatia and Greece). Penn was recently voted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame with the 2013 class.

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Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Sr. are getting in the Ohio medical marijuana business
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Helping football players with head trauma is just one reason the Smith & Ginn Sr. are opening a dispensary.

Troy Smith already blazed Michigan on the field, now, he wants to help you get blazed. As Tom Knox of Columbus Business First reported, the Heisman Trophy winner is partnering with his former high school coach Ted Ginn Sr. and former Cleveland Brown running back Eric Metcalf in an effort to launch a chain of marijuana dispensaries in the Cleveland area.


Following the passage of a medical marijuana law in 2016, the state of Ohio will be selecting 24 business owners to receive licenses to open the dispensaries from 185 applicants. The deadline to submit applications was June 30, and the selection process is now underway with hearings taking place in Reynoldsburg.

Knox reports that a Level I license, which allows proprietors to have up to 25,000 square feet of marijuana growing space, is extremely expensive, beginning with a $20,000 application fee.

Ohio patients with one of 20 different conditions can qualify to use the drug. Knox said that Smith told him that head trauma sustained during his playing career was one of the factors that interested him in the industry.

He went on to say on Twitter, “Troy Smith says marijuana can help college football players and players after their careers end. Dispensaries would be in Cleveland area.”

Research has ramped up over the past year with regard to how THC and medical marijuana can help former athletes overcome head trauma from concussions along with pain management. Instead of enabling an opioid treatment plan, some are looking at the potential benefits of weed.

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How do Ohio State’s recent defeats stack up to losses by Alabama and Clemson?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Bad losses: Not advised.

The 2006 and 2007 seasons’ national championship games damaged Ohio State’s national reputation not just because they were consecutive BCS Championship losses, but because Ohio State wasn’t particularly competitive in either contest.

The 2006 season loss to Florida (I don’t think I need to remind you of that score) was undoubtedly the worse of the two. It also kicked off a series of high-profile losses where Ohio State could seemingly dominate a down Big Ten, but fall short on the national stage. For instance, in 2008, Ohio State was beaten 35-3 at USC. Then Ohio State lost the Fiesta Bowl against Texas in a heartbreaker. 2009 saw another loss at home to Matt Barkley’s USC, then the infamous Purdue loss (which, while not a nationally-ranked game, still put a big dent in the average sports fan’s opinion of OSU). The Rose Bowl win over Oregon was cathartic.

Urban Meyer hasn’t had losses like those at Ohio State. Since the team’s undefeated 2012 season, Urban Meyer has lost just six times as Ohio State’s head coach. Until last year’s Playoff Semifinals 31-0 loss to Clemson, his worst loss was in the same year he picked up his third national championship — a 21-35 loss to Virginia Tech. Overall, Urban’s Ohio State losses include:

1. 2013: 24-34 loss to Michigan State
2. 2013: 35-40 loss to Clemson
3. 2014: 21-35 loss to Virginia Tech
4. 2015: 14-17 loss to Michigan State
5. 2016: 21-24 loss to Penn State
6. 2016: 0-31 loss to Clemson

That single blowout loss, especially compared to the 2006-2011 streak of bad losses, made me think about Ohio State’s two peers over the last four years — Alabama and Clemson. Did either of those teams have bad losses that compared to the 0-31?

To compare them, I looked only at 2012-present to account for the Urban Meyer era at all three schools. During that time, these three teams accounted for four of the five national championships. I also considered a blowout loss to be by three or more touchdowns:


Alabama has only lost seven times in that time span, but didn’t have one worse than their 14-point loss to Oklahoma in the 2013 Sugar Bowl. Besides that loss (where it was very clear Saban’s team wasn’t fully interested), their worst loss was by a touchdown to the Buckeyes in the 2014 Playoff Semifinal. Their lack of blowout losses is almost as impressive as their three national titles.

Clemson’s most recent two bad losses were during Deshaun Watson’s freshman season. The first, against Georgia, was the first game of the season and Watson only had four passing attempts as senior Cole Stoudt was the starter. The second bad loss of Watson’s freshman season, against Georgia Tech, was in his return to play after breaking his hand — but then he strained his LCL and only attempted six passes. So essentially, after Deshaun Watson took over as the starter and got healthy (and became a two-year national title contender), Clemson didn’t have any bad losses either.

That’s what makes Ohio State’s bad loss so surprising. It was a critically important game, no one was especially injured, and it wasn’t a case of the wrong guy starting — the Buckeyes just suffered a very bad loss at more-or-less full strength.

2017 will see a lot of changes for these three teams. You could argue that Alabama should be more or less where they were last year, but replacing Lane Kiffin as offensive coordinator is still a pretty big unknown. Clemson enters the post-Watson era, and it’s unclear if they will remain as one of the top three (really, top two) teams in college football, or slide back down to that second tier. And Ohio State replaced 3⁄4 of its secondary and its offensive coordinators. All of that is to say that while Ohio State showed it had the lowest floor out of the elite teams over the last two years, there’s been enough offseason change that the hierarchy could (and hopefully will) reset for 2017.

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Marcus Baugh named to John Mackey Award watch list - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Marcus Baugh named to John Mackey Award watch list
247Sports
With only three receptions entering his junior year, Baugh was ready to be the guy at tight end for the Buckeyes, prepared to show he had matured into a leader and a playmaker. In 2016, Baugh caught 24 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns and was ...


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Billy Price on Rimington Trophy watch list - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Billy Price on Rimington Trophy watch list
247Sports
"I feel like he'll do pretty much the same thing I did," Elflein said of Price following the Buckeyes' loss in the College Football Playoff semifinal. "Come back, lead this team, be the center. I think he'll be another All-American. I think he'll win ...
Ohio State's Billy Price lands on Rimington watch list; Marcus Baugh on Mackey listAkron Beacon Journal (blog)

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Chat Wrap: Barrett in '17; best prep players we've seen - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Chat Wrap: Barrett in '17; best prep players we've seen
247Sports
Ky Buckeye: Has anything been said about Nick Conner's health? Sure hope he gets healed enough to play. Helwagen: KYB, we had a poster come on the site maybe 2 weeks ago and announce that Conner's career was likely over due to ongoing knee ...


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What are the best defensive line situations in college football? - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


What are the best defensive line situations in college football?
ESPN
The Tigers can start with their talented defensive line, which will be deep and experienced. But does Clemson have the country's best DL? Ohio State might not be as experienced, but the Buckeyes have enough talent that their second string could start ...

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BM5: O-line going to be more than fine? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: O-line going to be more than fine?
247Sports
Are you worried about the right side of Ohio State's offensive line heading into the 2017 season? Well, Duane Long is an O-line guru, and he believes the Buckeyes will be better than expected up front on the right side. Do you agree or disagree with ...

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Can Oklahoma beat Ohio State? A 43 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can Oklahoma beat Ohio State? A 43 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose
cleveland.com
Week before the OSU game: Unlike last year, when Oklahoma had to open with a "neutral site" game against Houston (still in Houston by the way) before playing Ohio State, the Sooners have a much easier road to the Buckeyes this time around. Oklahoma ...
Buckeyes tumble in latest 247Sports rankings, Ohio State commit Andrew Chatfield talk, and moreLandof10.com
Holtmann stays hot, Buckeyes add another commit247Sports
Inside Ohio State's Long History with Armed Forces FootballEleven Warriors
Land-Grant Holy Land -The Columbus Dispatch -News-Herald.com
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4-star WR to visit Ohio State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The visitor list for Ohio State’s Friday Night Lights camp continues to grow with the addition of WR Jahan Dotson.

With the college football recruiting world entering a quiet-period yesterday, it would be understandable if Ohio State’s head football coach Urban Meyer decided to celebrate his 53rd birthday in peace and quiet. However, Meyer doesn’t work that way and it is that kind of attitude and approach that has led him to be recognized as one of the top coaches in the country. Therefore it should come as no surprise that plenty of recruiting news relating to the Buckeyes broke yesterday.

Possibly the biggest news was that the visitor list for Ohio State’s annual Friday Night Lights camp continued to grow when wide receiver Jahan Dotson (Nazareth, PA / Nazareth) added his name to the list.

The four-star wideout confirmed with Tom VanHaaren of ESPN that he would be in attendance for what has become Ohio State’s biggest recruiting event, set to take place later this month on July 21.


Dotson is seen as one of the top WRs in the country, ranked as the No. 93 overall recruit in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 19 WR, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

The blue-chip prospect is a speedy WR and is electric with the ball in his hands, also being used to return kicks on special teams for his high school team. Standing at 5-foot-11 and 165-pounds, the Buckeyes would love to earn his commitment as the team has yet to add a true WR prospect in this years recruiting class.

Despite Ohio State once being viewed as the favorite to land Dotson, The Buckeyes have their hands full in securing a commitment from him. Big Ten foe Penn State is now seen as the runaway favorite to land the hometown kid with Alabama, Clemson and Tennessee also in the mix.

However, FNL creates a powerful atmosphere in The Shoe and Dotson wouldn’t be the first surprise commit to take place during the event. Last year’s camp saw the Buckeyes earn commitments from three prospects, including former five-star standout and current Buckeye DE Chase Young.

Updated 247Sports 2018 recruiting class rankings


Multiple Buckeye commits and targets saw their recruiting rankings change yesterday when 247Sports updated its 2018 recruiting class rankings. Surprisingly, multiple Buckeye commits saw a decline in their star rankings, so much so, the recruiting database no longer views any member of the Buckeyes’ class as a five-star prospect.

However, not every Buckeye commit and target received bad news from the updates. Buckeye running back commit, Master Teague (Murfreesboro, TN / Blackman) earned a fourth star and saw his ranking jump up an incredible 152 spots, now being seen as the No. 50 overall prospect in the class.

Buckeye tight end target Jeremy Ruckert (Lindenhurst, NY / Lindenhurst) also saw his ranking rise jumping to No. 11 from No. 35. Ruckert, who will be deciding between Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin on July 17, also earned a fifth star coming off an impressive showing at The Nike Opening Finals earlier this month.

The full breakdown of Ohio State’s 2018 commits were as followed:

• No. 18 four-star DT Taron Vincent (-8)
• No. 33 four-star S Josh Proctor (-9)
• No. 42 four-star S Jaiden Woodbey (-11)
• No. 45 four-star APB Jaelen Gill (-4)
• No. 50 four-star RB Master Teague (+152)
• No. 51 four-star OLB Dallas Gant (-28)
• No. 55 four-star OG Matthew Jones (-9)
• No. 56 four-star DE Brenton Cox (-8)
• No. 58 four-star OT Max Wray (-7)
• No. 82 four-star QB Emory Jones (-9)
• No. 114 four-star RB Brian Snead (-11)
• No. 149 four-star ILB Teradja Mitchell (-12)

As should be expected, the majority of these future Buckeyes were not happy with the update and some expressed their opinions via Twitter.

Quick Hit

• Ohio State basketball new head coach Chris Holtmann earned his first commitment for the 2018 class in four-star SG Torrence Watson.

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Ohio State lands three-star wing Torrence Watson - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State lands three-star wing Torrence Watson
Scout
The Ohio State Buckeyes and Head Coach Chris Holtmann made it a focus to recruit Torrence Watson at Butler, and then picked things up even more with the wing when they got to Columbus. On Monday night the Buckeyes got the news they were looking for ...
Buckeyes finished with No. 1 hoops class in Big Ten247Sports
Ohio State basketball lands 4-star shooting guard Torrence WatsonLandof10.com
Ohio State basketball has best class in Big Ten in 2017Waiting For Next Year
Eleven Warriors -Land-Grant Holy Land -OSU - The Lantern
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Buckeyes finished with No. 1 hoops class in Big Ten - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes finished with No. 1 hoops class in Big Ten
247Sports
Many fans might be focused on the 2018 recruiting class, which will undoubtedly be huge for Holtmann and OSU. However, perhaps there is not enough attention being spent on the fact that the Buckeyes landed the best recruiting class in the Big Ten this ...
Ohio State lands three-star wing Torrence WatsonScout
Ohio State basketball lands 4-star shooting guard Torrence WatsonLandof10.com
Ohio State basketball has best class in Big Ten in 2017Waiting For Next Year
Eleven Warriors -Land-Grant Holy Land -OSU - The Lantern
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Buckeyes tumble in latest 247Sports rankings, Ohio State commit Andrew Chatfield talk, and more - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes tumble in latest 247Sports rankings, Ohio State commit Andrew Chatfield talk, and more
Landof10.com
While one top Buckeyes target moved up in the rankings, another — Jackson Carman — did not. Carman dropped from No. 13 in the 247Sports rankings to No. 15, but like Woodbey, Gill and a few others had a good showing at The Opening finals in Oregon.
Can Indiana beat Ohio State? A 5 percent chance the Buckeyes could losecleveland.com
Phil Steele sees a return to 2014 form for JT Barrett247Sports
Ohio State lands three-star wing Torrence WatsonScout
Eleven Warriors -Land-Grant Holy Land -Yahoo News
all 51 news articles »

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2018 4-star SG Torrence Watson commits to Ohio State
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Basketball BOOOOOOOM!

The future is definitely starting to look bright for the Ohio State basketball program.

Just days after landing a pledge from newly classified 2017 wing Musa Jallow, Chris Holtmann and the Buckeyes coaching staff have now landed a verbal commitment from class of 2018 shooting guard Torrence Watson.


A four-star rated prospect from Whitfield School in St. Louis, Missouri, committed to Ohio State over scholarship offers from Missouri, Marquette, Kansas State, and others.

Like Jallow, the 6-foot-4 Watson first got on Holtmann’s radar during his time at Butler.

The first class of 2018 commitment for the Buckeyes, Waston is currently considered the 23rd shooting guard, and 100th overall prospect in the senior class, according to the 247Sports Compositing Rankings.

Guards are a major priority for Ohio State recruiting, as Kam Williams, CJ Jackson, and Jallow are the only scholarship guards on the roster, with Williams departing after this season. Look for the Buckeyes to continue to target guards, especially point guards, in the 2018 and 2019 classes, as they look to grow that depth even more.

You can check out highlights of Watson in action below.

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Holtmann stays hot, Buckeyes add another commit - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Holtmann stays hot, Buckeyes add another commit
247Sports
Ohio State had a great start to their weekend with a commitment from Musa Jallow, a small forward from Bloomington, Indiana who will reclassify from the 2018 class to the 2017 class. Want daily inside scoop on the Buckeyes? Get VIP access with a 7-Day ...


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Chris Jent hired by the Atlanta Hawks - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Chris Jent hired by the Atlanta Hawks
247Sports
Jent played for the Buckeyes from 1988-92 before going undrafted in the 1992 NBA Draft. He played professionally until 2001, including stints with the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks and time in Europe. Jent then began his coaching career with the ...


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Kurelic: Ready, set, Friday Night Lights; Ruckert and more - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Ready, set, Friday Night Lights; Ruckert and more
247Sports
On Sunday, I posted articles about the Buckeyes' two safety commitments, Jaiden Woodbey and Josh Proctor, and how both confirmed to me they plan to be at FNL. The same goes for Buckeye linebacker commitment Dallas Gant and a number of other ...


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BM5: Buckeyes soaring in recruiting | Wolverines struggling? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Buckeyes soaring in recruiting | Wolverines struggling?
247Sports
Ohio State's recruiting efforts continue to be extremely impressive, and the next player to join the Buckeyes' 2018 class could be the No. 2 tight end in the country, Jeremy Ruckert. Alex Gleitman joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus: * Is Michigan ...

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Celebrating 53: Games Meyer's teams scored 53+ points in a game - 247Sports
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Celebrating 53: Games Meyer's teams scored 53+ points in a game
247Sports
Just like any baby, it was impossible for Meyer's parents to know what their son would grow up to be, but 53 years later and the answer to that question is that they brought into the world one of college football's all-time best coaches. What's next ...


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Greg Oden is trying to make a comeback off the court
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The former Ohio State basketball great opens up about his injury-plagued career and his attempt at redemption.

“His old life will always follow him, haunting him, even as he tries to define his new one. He didn’t throw away his future; his body broke before he could experience it.”

-Seth Wickersham, ESPN


One of Greg Oden’s former assistant coaches once said that the seven-foot center should have been born a 5-foot-11 bookworm. For the introverted basketball player, it may have been the best possible scenario. Widely considered one of the biggest basketball busts of the modern era, having been taken ahead of Kevin Durant in the 2007 NBA Draft, Oden has battled injuries and addiction since leaving Ohio State after a trip to the NCAA Tournament finals.

After being taken first-overall by the Trailblazers a decade ago, Oden hurt his knee and missed his entire rookie season. Then, a series of injuries kept him sidelined during his second season. Oden became nervous to go out in public, and began to isolate himself to his home, steadily turning more and more to alcohol and pills just to sleep. After beginning to see a therapist in 2009, however, Oden began to turn a corner mentally, which helped improve his play on the court. He got through 20 games before fracturing his left patella on a collision with Aaron Brooks of the Houston Rockets. The Trail Blazers ultimately cut him in 2012. He played minimally with the Miami Heat the next season, but walked after just one year.

Then, in 2014, Oden pled guilty to felony battery charges after hitting his girlfriend. After the low, Oden reflected that “I just want to be a good example for my fiancee and daughter.”

So now, Oden is seeking a new life. He returned to Columbus in 2014 and has been steadily chipping away at completing his degree from Ohio State, which he should be able to complete in the next two years. He has a fiance and a nine-month-old daughter. And he is working on creating a legacy that lives outside of the one of a former NBA bust.

“I would always tell a new coach coming in to work for me, ‘Change is change, but in change are we getting better?’ Getting better is what we want. That’s what Urban wants.”

-Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, via Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch


Urban Meyer has not been shy about bringing in big-name coaching talent to supplement his staff and “enhance” his on-field product. In fact, heading into the fall, Meyer will have two former head coaches at the helm of both his offense and defense.

Greg Schiano, who played a co-coordinator role last season with the now-departed Luke Fickell, has taken over the defense. Previously, he had spent 11 seasons as the head man at Rutgers before heading to the NFL to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons. Kevin Wilson, meanwhile, is taking over the offense after spending six years as head coach at Indiana.

Schiano and Wilson are the second and third former head coaches that Meyer has brought onto his staff, the first being Dan McCarney from Iowa State, who Meyer hired as an assistant head coach while at Florida.

At Ohio State, adding Schiano, according to Meyer, “was a no-brainer.” Both share similar philosophies and an approach to the game. Wilson, however, proved to be a different sort of hire, and was born very much out of on-field deficiencies that needed to be remedied. While at Indiana, Wilson was recognized as a whiz on the offensive side of the ball, and Meyer recognized the need for an offensive refresh.

While there could be numerous potential issues in bringing on a former head coach, Meyer says that the key is making expectations clear from the beginning, acknowledging that the new coach was brought in to enhance the culture, not to change it. He also acknowledged that success is about building a team, not a dictatorship, and enhancing chemistry among the staff.

Wilson and Schiano are already bought into Meyer’s philosophy, and have used their experience as former head coaches to improve their current roles. “Having sat in the chair for 13 years, said Schiano, “I tell this to every assistant coach: Try to become a work-taker, not a work-maker.”

“Many students dream of going to college on a football scholarship However, even at the top level of college sports, few students go on to play professionally. This makes it important for students to make sure they are getting a good education while getting the chance to play college sports.”

-David Klenda, College Factual, USA Today


Despite Cardale Jones’s assertion that “we ain’t come here to play school,” as it turns out, Ohio State is the top destination for college football athletes to receive an education. (Jones has since graduated and has on several occasions acknowledged that this statement was a poor decision.) According to new rankings from College Factual, which rank schools based both on athletic performance and academics, Ohio State is the best school when comparing both success on the football field and academic progress for student athletes. College Factual’s rankings take into account a number of factors, including win-loss percentage, overall college quality, academic progress rate, amount of athletic scholarships per student and financial resources.

Ohio State’s on-field success cannot be disputed. Urban Meyer is 61-6 in five years with the Buckeyes, has made the College Football Playoff twice and won one national title. He has built an unparalleled recruiting pipeline and has sent dozens of players to the NFL, including 10 in the first round. But Meyer also emphasizes education for his players. Real Life Wednesdays have become a staple for the football team as players learn from business and community leaders about life after football.

As a whole, Ohio State boasts a graduation rate of more than 80 percent, which is well-above the national average. The football team in particular boasts a Graduation Success Rate of 74 percent, compared to the 71 percent national average. The GSR measures graduation rate for students over six years, and accounts for transfers to different institutions.

TCU, Duke, Notre Dame and Alabama round out the top-five schools on the list. At No. 6, Wisconsin is the only other Big Ten representative in the top-10. Michigan State comes in at No. 12, followed by Northwestern at No. 14. Per the usual, Michigan comes in behind Ohio State at No. 20.

“(Sean’s) OK. It’s not like it’s his spot. He worked really hard. He’s in much better shape than he’s ever been, so we’ll see at the end of the spring.”

-Urban Meyer, via Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts


Fourth-year kicker Sean Nuernberger has not exactly had a charmed time at Ohio State. After coming to Columbus as the nation’s sixth-ranked kicker in the 2014 recruiting class, Nuernberger started as a true freshman for the Buckeyes’ national championship team, hitting 13-of-20 field goals and 89 extra points on the season. But then things went awry as Jack Willoughby, a grad transfer from Duke, earned the starting kicker spot in the offseason.

Nuernberger did eventually win the role back, but it took nine games into the 2015 season to do so, and the sophomore finished the season with just three field goals and 17 extra points. In his first two seasons, the kicker holds 10 kicking records at Ohio State, including total kicking points made in a season and consecutive extra points (he has never missed one). Entering his junior season as the de facto starter, Nuernberger suffered a groin injury in fall camp, and walk-on kicker Tyler Durbin wound up with the job for the duration of the season.

Now, with Durbin gone, Nuernberger faces a new threat from, for the first time, a younger kicker. Blake Haubeil was the fourth-ranked kicker in the 2017 recruiting class, and Urban Meyer has made clear that the kicking competition is an open one.

Nuernberger has been an active voice on social media during his time at Ohio State, and recently posted a video to Instagram in which he hit a 60-yard field goal seemingly with ease, while former Ohio State punter Cameron Johnston held (Johnston recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles). During his freshman season, Nuernberger struggled from distance, hitting just five-of-10 attempts from 40+ yards. While the social video shows Nuernberger is capable, he will need to deliver a lot more of this throughout fall camp to secure his role as a starter.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Happy birthday, Coach Meyer!
• Almost as cool as Urban’s b-day (almost), Prime Day starts tonight!
• For all you Bond fans, it looks like Daniel Craig is coming back
• Perhaps Ohio State will land this recruit next

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Huge Top247 rankings bump for OSU commit Teague, target Ruckert - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Huge Top247 rankings bump for OSU commit Teague, target Ruckert
247Sports
Another potential Buckeye receiving a huge bump is Ohio State defensive end target Tyreke Smith who has moved from No. 149 to No. 71 in the new Top247. Another Buckeye target getting a nice bump is defensive back Tyson Campbell who went from No.


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How an Ohio State program is introducing kids to college: BTN LiveBIG
BTN.com LiveBIG Staff via Big Ten Network

A primer to prepare potential Buckeyes.

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Huge Top247 rankings bump for OSU commit Teague, target Ruckert - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Huge Top247 rankings bump for OSU commit Teague, target Ruckert
247Sports
Another potential Buckeye receiving a huge bump is Ohio State defensive end target Tyreke Smith who has moved from No. 149 to No. 71 in the new Top247. Another Buckeye target getting a nice bump is defensive back Tyson Campbell who went from No.

and more »

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Can Indiana beat Ohio State? A 5 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can Indiana beat Ohio State? A 5 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose
cleveland.com
Kevin Wilson (center in white) coached Indiana against Ohio State for the last six years. Now, he's the Buckeyes offensive coordinator and will call his first game against his old team on Thursday night, Aug. 31, at Indiana. That will make for an ...
Ohio State could have 5 first-round picks; Buckeyes rank as top academic-and-athletic comboLandof10.com
Buckeyes are in good shape for the top recruiting class247Sports
2 top 2018 recruits list Ohio State among current leadersLand-Grant Holy Land
Waiting For Next Year -Eleven Warriors
all 25 news articles »

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Football: Six Buckeyes placed on preseason award watch lists - OSU - The Lantern
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Football: Six Buckeyes placed on preseason award watch lists
OSU - The Lantern
... to the defensive player of the year — as it was announced that sophomore defensive end Nick Bosa, redshirt senior defensive end Tyquan Lewis, junior cornerback Denzel Ward and junior linebacker Jerome Baker would represent the Buckeyes on the list.
Six Buckeyes on Maxwell, Bednarik watch lists247Sports
A Number Of Ohio State Football Players Are On The Maxwell And Bednarik Awards Watch ListsScout
Bednarik Award watch list: Ohio State, FSU tie for most selecteesNFL.com
Land-Grant Holy Land -Akron Beacon Journal (blog) -CBS Detroit
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