Ohio State’s Jerome Baker and Chris Worley make cut for Butkus Award watch list
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The two Buckeye linebackers are on watch for the best linebacker award.

“A pair of Ohio State linebackers - junior Jerome Baker and senior Chris Worley - have been named to the watch list for the Butkus Award.”

- OhioStateBuckeyes.com


Great linebackers at Ohio State have always been a staple of a Buckeye defense for quite some time, often leading the defensive unit known as the Silver Bullets. This season, Ohio State has a couple of standout players at linebacker including Jerome Baker and Chris Worley, both of whom are up for the Butkus Award - given annually to the nation’s best linebacker. James Laurinaitis was the last Buckeye to win the award in 2007, and Andy Katenmoyer before him in 1997. Despite not winning the award, linebackers Ryan Shazier, A.J. Hawk, and Raekwon McMillan had all been in the running.

Baker exploded onto the scene last season after filling in for an injured Dante Booker. Baker took full advantage early on, coming up with a big pick-six in the nationally televised game against Oklahoma to help lead the Buckeyes to victory. He also was a standout in the Michigan game that went to double overtime. Worley stepped up as a starting outside linebacker last season but will shift over to middle linebacker in 2017. It will be interesting to see if he can fill the shoes left by Raekwon McMillan, but he certainly showed he has the athleticism and talent to play at a high level last season.

“Ohio State junior receiver/return specialist Parris Campbell has been named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award.”

- OhioStateBuckeyes.com


Another member of Ohio State to make an awards watch list was wide receiver and/or H-back Parris Campbell. Campbell was added to the watch list for the Paul Hornung award, given annually to the nation’s most versatile player. It’s a fairly new award, which started in 2010, and no Buckeyes have ever won it. Last season’s winner was Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers. It makes sense that Campbell be included on this watch list, considering he’s expected to fill in the role Curtis Samuel left behind. Last season, Samuel caught passes, received handoffs, and returned kicks. Campbell will likely be called upon to do the same.

Campbell has experience receiving kicks and has obviously played as a wide receiver in recent seasons, but it will be worth noting how he adjusts to his new role within the offense. It’s clear that the coaching staff believes he can make the adjustments to become an impact player on most downs. Last season, Campbell contributed 13 receptions for 121 yards and ranked 11th nationally in kickoff returns with an average of 27.8 yards per return.

“Ohio State hasn't lost to Iowa since 2004, also in Iowa City. The Buckeyes have won five straight against the Hawkeyes. Head coach Kirk Ferentz, in his 93rd season at Iowa (it's actually his 19th), is 1-8 all-time against Ohio State.”

- Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


Bill Landis of Cleveland.com is going through each of the opponents Ohio State faces this season and giving a percentage chance of that team beating the Buckeyes. This season, when Ohio State travels to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes, Landis gives Kirk Ferentz’s squad a 14 percent chance of beating the Buckeyes. As you can see above, Ohio State hasn’t had much trouble with Iowa in the past several seasons, having not lost since 2004. However, as the article mentions, the Buckeyes will be coming off a tough game against Penn State at home and also will have to look forward to playing Michigan State at home as well.

Landis does mention the idea of this game being a trap game for Urban Meyer’s team, and it’s certainly possible. The Hawkeyes pulled the upset on a top-five ranked Michigan team last season in Kinnick Stadium, so it’s not impossible for them to catch Ohio State unaware. The good news for the Buckeyes is that Iowa will be without their former quarterback C.J. Beathard, and a brand new starter will be in place. The Hawkeyes won’t have the talent to keep up, as long as the Buckeyes execute well.

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• After years of holding back, fine art is finally being sold online.
• A nice review of a very cool game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
• Google Glass has returned from the dead.

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Watch: Scoonie Penn discusses his new role with Ohio State - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Scoonie Penn discusses his new role with Ohio State
247Sports
It is apparent in this video that Scoonie is excited for his new role and happy to be officially back as part of the Ohio State program. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes ...
Ohio State men's basketball players are '10 toes in' under new coach HoltmannRavenna Record Courier
Ohio State Players '10 Toes In' With Chris Holtmann, New StaffEleven Warriors

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Senators Re-Sign Pageau to 3-Year Deal
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 25, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Never let a personal favourite reach arbitration.

Those are the words that Senators general manager Pierre Dorion lives by and yesterday, the Senators announced that they had signed Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year contract extension worth $9.3-million for an average annual value of $3.1-million.

Keeping with the organization’s tradition of backloading contracts, Pageau will Pageau will earn $2.6-million in the first year and then $3.3-million and $3.4-million respectively over the last two years of his deal.

The contract extension covers Pageau’s last three years as a restricted free agent, meaning that he is slated to test unrestricted free agency as a 27-year old at the end of this contract.

At first glance, I was a little surprised by the terms. Considering the organization’s tendency to get their restricted free agents signed to bargains, I was expecting something similar to what Mika Zibanejad signed a two-year contract worth $5.25-million ($2.625M AAV) on June 25, 2015 – especially since Zibanejad had the higher projected offensive upside and pedigree.

In the NHL, production gets you paid, but in Pageau’s case, his regular season production dipped in 2016-17.

One year after tallying a career-high 19 goals and 43 points in 2015-16, Pageau wound up netting 12 goals and 33 points.

I’ve seen some blame the drop in production on utilization. That because Pageau was being utilized in a shutdown capacity, his production was bound to suffer.

Although Pageau played tough matchups and was used as the shutdown centre, he was deployed in a similar role in 2015-16. According to Behindthenet.ca’s ‘Corsi Relative Quality of Competition’ metric, Pageau had the highest value on the team. (As an aside, Zibanejad had the highest Corsi Rel QoC for the Senators in 2014-15 before signing his aforementioned two-year extension with the Senators.)

There’s no question that playing tough minutes will negatively impact production, but the biggest reason for the drop is due to a regression in the number of situational goals that Pageau scored in 2015-16. After leading the league in shorthanded goals (seven) and being tied for the league lead in empty net goals (five) in 2015-16, Pageau only scored two of these situational goals last season. Without a marked jump in even strength production and without any power play goals or shorthanded goals, Pageau’s numbers suffered.

The good news is that Pageau’s an incredibly competent defender and his five-on-five production actually improved from the previous season and he spent the majority of the season playing alongside Tom Pyatt.

Interestingly, the duo only played 58 minutes and 22 seconds together at five-on-five in the postseason and when Pageau was separated from Pyatt, his production spiked. (As an aside, thanks to Brad from NaturalStatTrick.com for helping me procure Pageau’s numbers from this postseason. Be sure to bookmark his website too, it’s an invaluable hockey resource.)

TOI G/60 Pts/60 Sh/60
Regular Season w/ Pyatt 721:32 0.49 1.41 7.57
Regular Season w/o 321:45 0.75 1.86 8.76
Postseason w/o Pyatt 223:35 1.61 2.15 7.78

Now obviously it helped that Pageau shot 18.2-percent in the postseason (compared to his career average of 10.1) with four of his goals occurring in one spectacular and fanfuckingtastically glorious game against the New York Rangers. But, his production has historically taken a marked jump whenever he’s not saddled by linemates who play a conservative game and struggle to help transition the puck from the defensive zone up the ice.

Although Pageau had varying levels of success this postseason playing minutes with skilled linemates like Bobby Ryan and Mark Stone, even going back a little further, Pageau first started having offensive success when he played alongside a noted possession driver in Erik Condra.

There’s no question that Pageau’s earned himself legions of fans thanks to his heroic postseason performances against the Montreal Canadiens and Rangers, but maybe there is enough underneath the hood to suggest that he’s capable of producing more offence if given a larger role.

At the very least, it’s easy to look at Pageau’s production and role on the team and realize that he’s comparable to what Sean Couturier brings to the Philadelphia Flyers. Even if you staunchly believe that Pageau’s an inferior defensive player, given the production and cheaper salary (even if he agreed to a shorter term that may cost more money down the road), they aren’t that dissimilar of players. (Note: Couturier signed a six-year extension in 2015 that carries an average annual value of $4,333,333. By the end of his contract, Couturier will earn $4.75-million during the 2021-22 season.)

With the presence of Colin White in the farm system and Derick Brassard only having two years left on his deal, maybe Pageau’s capable of sliding into the top-six. Thanks to Brassard’s offseason shoulder surgery, we may get our first opportunity to watch Pageau play in this capacity next October. If he plays well, maybe it gives the Senators reason to pause and weigh the possibilities of moving a centre like Brassard to address another position of need.

From a budget perspective, CapFriendly.com indicates that Pageau’s contract brings the Senators’ roster to 20 players signed at a projected cap hit of $67,387,500 with an estimated salary expenditure of $67,875,000. This number of players does include White, but there’s no guarantee that he starts the season on Ottawa’s roster. Mind you, the Senators would likely carry an extra forward and defenceman around anyway, so you’re probably looking at adding a similar salary or upwards of two million dollars to the payroll anyways.

Last season the Senators had approximately $69.365-million committed to its cap and it look like the organization will be headed to a similar number this season. Looking forward though, it is impossible to wonder how much flexibility is left regarding the budget

At the end of the 2016-17 season, the Senators will have Mark Stone (RFA), Craig Anderson (UFA) and Kyle Turris (UFA) hitting free agency. Four of the six defencemen who are expected to break camp with the team are set to hit free agency as well. The payroll is going to jump significantly and that’s before Erik Karlsson is slated to hit unrestricted free agency the following year.

It’s not like Dion Phaneuf or Bobby Ryan are going anywhere with their contracts.

Unless the Senators find ways to boost their revenue streams and help offset these new contract extensions, it’s going to be a chore for management to creatively structure its roster and fit them it without a sacrifice to this team’s depth (and potentially competitiveness).



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DB Buckeyes offered commits to Penn State - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


DB Buckeyes offered commits to Penn State
247Sports
The Buckeyes offered a scholarship early to Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter safety Isheem Young. Young told Bucknuts on several occasions he wanted to visit Ohio State, but a visit never happened. Today Young announced a commitment to Penn State, ...
Ranking Penn State's biggest test of 2017, its biggest games of 2016 and moreLandof10.com

all 30 news articles »

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Dienhart: Predicting 1,000-yard Big Ten rushers
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

This could be the “Year of the Running Back” in the Big Ten, with many big-time options doting rosters across the conference. And no back is better than Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, who is the league’s top Heisman contender and could be primed for a 2,000-yard season.

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Steele rankings: Buckeyes have fourth-best QB group in country - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Steele rankings: Buckeyes have fourth-best QB group in country
247Sports
One of the many interesting facets of Phil Steele's annual College Football Preview is the national position group rankings. Steele is very high on Ohio State's quarterbacks in 2017, ranking them as the fourth-best QB group in the nation. Fifth-year ...


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Can Iowa beat Ohio State? A 14 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can Iowa beat Ohio State? A 14 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose
cleveland.com
Week before the OSU game: Iowa drew Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State in its Big Ten crossover games, but two of those games (the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions) are in Iowa City. Ohio State is the final crossover for the Hawkeyes, so you could ...
Ohio State pads top recruiting class with No. 39 Jeremy RuckertESPN
Ohio State gets its tight end, Chris Holtmann suffers key in-state loss, Emory Jones drama heats up againLandof10.com
BREAKING: Nation's No. 1 TE commits to Ohio State247Sports
Scarlet and Game -The Athletic -247Sports
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Tracy Sprinkle named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Tracy Sprinkle named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list
247Sports
After the struggles of a season ago, Sprinkle will be back in a deep defensive tackle rotation, helping to lead one of the most talented defensive line units in the country. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five ...

and more »

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Which Players Make The Mount Rushmore (Post 2000) For the Ohio State Buckeyes? - BT Powerhouse (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Which Players Make The Mount Rushmore (Post 2000) For the Ohio State Buckeyes?
BT Powerhouse (blog)
This time, we will look at the greatest players from the last 17 seasons for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Please note that this evaluation only looks at college contributions at the particular school. It does not include a player's contributions at another ...


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Ohio State football picked up their first ‘Urban Meyer tight end’ in Jeremy Ruckert
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Discussing how the nation’s No. 1 TE fit Kevin Wilson’s scheme on this State Secrets podcast.

On a State Secrets episode of the Land-Grant Holy Land podcast, LGHL contributors Matt Tamanini and Patrick Mayhorn discuss the latest BOOM to come from the Woody Hayes Center. On Monday afternoon, the No. 1 tight end in the country, Jeremy Ruckert announced his intention to join the Buckeyes’ 2018 class.

The addition helped OSU reclaim the top spot in the national recruiting rankings, and Matt and Patrick discuss what Ruckert brings to Columbus, how he fits into OSU’s offensive system, and what Ohio State’s primary recruiting focuses are moving into the final six months before Signing Day.

You can find the podcast on our iTunes page, and we strongly 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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Chat Wrap: Some early Ohio State-Oklahoma thoughts - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Chat Wrap: Some early Ohio State-Oklahoma thoughts
247Sports
QUESTIONS: I was wondering if you agree that BOTH the Buckeye offense AND the Buckeye defense are among the top two in the country. Also, do you think that the #1 rated Oklahoma offense (according to the FPI) will be the toughest offensive unit we face ...


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Ohio State makes the cut for elite CB
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 cornerbacks in the country for 2018 included the Buckeyes in his top five schools.

Urban Meyer continues to prove that Ohio State is at the top of the college football recruiting world. It seems that every blue-chip prospect in the 2018 recruiting class is interested in the Buckeyes as the University continuously makes the cut for the country’s best recruits.

This trend continued Monday when one of the nation’s top cornerbacks included Ohio State in his top five schools.

Four-star cornerback Jalen Green (Houston, TX / Heights) listed Ohio State among the remaining schools he will focus on in his recruitment. Along with the Buckeyes, Green included Texas, Oregon, LSU and Penn State. Green is currently ranked as the No. 8 CB in the country and the No. 53 overall recruit, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.


Ohio State has shown plenty of interest in Green and would love to add him to their No. 1 ranked recruiting class. However, the Buckeyes will have their hands full in getting a commitment from Green as home state school Texas is seen as the clear favorite with 100 percent of the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions. That being said, Ohio State has been doing quick work in recruiting Green, offering him only a few months ago and already making the cut for his top five.

Green recently participated in Nike’s The Opening Finals in Oregon and was one of the more impressive defensive players at the event, along with fellow Ohio State CB commit Sevyn Banks.

Banks is currently the only true CB commit in Ohio State’s 2018 class, and adding a talent like Green to the Buckeyes secondary would be a big win for the program.

Crucial Ohio State DE target hints at FNL visit


Ohio State’s Friday Night Lights camp takes place this week and with it comes a highly-anticipated visitor list that includes some of the biggest names in the 2018 recruiting cycle. The annual event has quickly become one of the biggest recruiting camps in the country, creating an atmosphere that has led to countless commitments in previous recruiting cycles for the Buckeyes.

With well over 30 recruits expected to attend the event this Friday, one of the more prominent targets remaining on the Buckeyes’ big board has yet to confirm his attendance. However, it appears the wait may be over as Ohio State elite defensive end target Micah Parsons (Harrisburg, PA / Harrisburg) seems to be trying to find a ride to Columbus this weekend.

Alex Gleitman of BuckNuts was the first to report on Parsons’ Facebook post where he is asking for help finding a ride to Columbus this weekend.


While this is far from a confirmation that Parsons will be at FNL, it does show he is trying to make it to Ohio Stadium for the event.

Getting him on campus this weekend would be huge for Ohio State and its coaching staff as they work to try and earn a commitment from one of the top prospects in the 2018 class. Parsons is the top overall WDE in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and is the No. 5 overall prospect.

The one-time Penn State commit re-opened up his recruitment back in April and it was widely expected that Ohio State was the front-runner to steal him from Happy Valley following multiple visits to the program in just a couple months. However, since decommitting from Penn State, Parsons has decided to take his time and visit multiple top-level schools in the country and is far from a sure-fire get for Ohio State.

That being said, FNL creates an environment like no other and has proven to make lasting impressions on elite recruits year after year. If Parsons is able to find a ride to Columbus this weekend, he would not be on commitment watch, but it would definitely provide more insight into his thought process.

Future Buckeyes react to newest Ohio State commitment


Monday afternoon, Ohio State’s 2018 recruiting class earned its 15th member in the country’s No. 1 TE Jeremy Ruckert. And while the Ohio State coaching staff certainly celebrated the huge victory, the other members of the Buckeyes’ recruiting class seemed to be just as excited and welcomed him to the team.

Four-star QB commit Emory Jones seems to be liking having another elite weapon to throw the ball to.


Four-star all-purpose running back Jaelen Gill welcomed Ruckert to the Ohio State family, as did four-star RB Master Teague, and four-star outside linebacker Teradja Mitchell.


Four-star Ohio State defensive end target Tyreke Smith and five-star DE target Micah Parsons also showed Ruckert some love. Both are Ohio State leans and the addition of Ruckert could help sway their decision.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State four-star RB commit Brian Snead will be back up in Columbus this weekend for FNL. The future Buckeye committed to the University during last year’s camp.
• The Basketball Buckeyes picked up a grad-transfer from Michigan Monday afternoon.
• Four-star small forward and Columbus native Jerome Hunter spurned Ohio State Monday when he committed to Indiana.

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Holtmann extends offer to Ohio forward - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Holtmann extends offer to Ohio forward
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! The 6-foot-5 and 181-pound Ahrens had a huge weekend at the Under Armour in Georgia according to Bucknuts insider Steve ...
Ohio State back in the game for Versailles' Justin Ahrens?Dayton Daily News

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Buckeyes enjoy a day at the waterpark - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes enjoy a day at the waterpark
247Sports
In between workouts this summer, it appears the Buckeyes know how to have some fun. Not for the first time since spring practice ended, Ohio State players got a chance to have cut loose with their brothers over the weekend, this time taking to the ...


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Ohio State pads top recruiting class with No. 39 Jeremy Ruckert - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State pads top recruiting class with No. 39 Jeremy Ruckert
ESPN
Ruckert, the No. 39 prospect overall, chose the Buckeyes over Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin, and gives Ohio State 14 ESPN 300 commitments in the 2018 class. Coach Urban Meyer and his staff already had the No. 1-ranked recruiting class before ...
What Jeremy Ruckert's commitment means for the Buckeyes: Ohio State football recruitingcleveland.com
Ohio State gets its tight end, Chris Holtmann suffers key in-state loss, Emory Jones drama heats up againLandof10.com
BREAKING: Nation's No. 1 TE commits to Ohio State247Sports
Newsday -Scarlet and Game -The Athletic
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Can Penn State beat Ohio State? A 47 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can Penn State beat Ohio State? A 47 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose
cleveland.com
Spoiler alert, this is best chance to beat Ohio State that we're giving one of the Buckeyes' opponents this year. Better than Oklahoma and better than Michigan (which you'll see later this week), we're viewing Penn State as the toughest game on Ohio ...
Ohio Teams Are Gradually Disappearing from Ohio State's Non-Conference SchedulesEleven Warriors
Dienhart: Here are my top 25 Big Ten games of 2017Big Ten Network
Big (and little) questions for Big Ten media day. . . Part OneTMGcollegesports

all 16 news articles »

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Chris Spielman’s lawsuit could have implications far beyond Ohio State
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 Buckeye linebacker’s case against the university could be the first of many similar suits nationally.

“...OSU has entered into various licensing partnerships that unlawfully utilize the images of Plaintiff and Class Members, by and through Defendant IMG College, and as further detailed herein.”

-Attorney Brian Duncan, via Michael McCann, Sports Illustrated


Chris Spielman’s lawsuit against Ohio State and IMG College is likely to have wide-reaching implications beyond Columbus. The former Ohio State linebacker filed the federal suit last week, claiming that Ohio State and IMG College, its licensing partner, conspired to deny payment to current and former football players. In the particular issue at hand, Spielman cited banners, sponsored by Honda, which hung at games at the Horseshoe and which depicted the likeness of former Buckeye greats--including Spielman. None of the players highlighted were paid and none gave consent to be included on the banners, according to Spielman. Nike was also mentioned in the suit, given their role in creating “Legends of the Scarlet and Gray” apparel which depict former players, also without consent or monetary compensation.

Spielman says that he would donate any monetary award for damages back to the athletic department, and has stated that he simply wants to raise awareness. Currently, the case is not a class action lawsuit, and Ohio State may end up settling out of court with Spielman.

While contained at the moment to Ohio State football athletes, Spielman has precedent in his favor. In 2016, a judge finalized a court ruling in favor of former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon. The class action lawsuit claimed that the NCAA violated federal antitrust laws by barring payment to college athletes. Still, Spielman’s case rests in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, while O’Bannon’s ruling was established in the Ninth Circuit, so the different jurisdictions mean that the O’Bannon case is not binding elsewhere. But it is the first of what is likely to be a flood of similar cases regarding the NCAA’s compensation of college athletes. If these federal cases result in different rulings, the Supreme Court might ultimately enter the fray and render a final decision on the matter.

“Wisconsin, the defending champ of the Big Ten West and the likely favorite this year, comes to Lincoln on Oct. 7. Nebraska won’t be a fresh team when Ohio State arrives.”

-Paul Vernon, Associated Press


Last season’s matchup against Nebraska looked to be one of the toughest tests of the season entering the game, as the Huskers came to Columbus ranked 10th in the nation. Nebraska had just lost the previous week in overtime to No. 11 Wisconsin, but had been undefeated before they left for Madison. But then, Ohio State handed the Huskers a loss so thorough on both sides of the ball that it eclipsed even the 58-point margin the Buckeyes managed over Rutgers. The Buckeyes clicked on all cylinders after a much-too-close four-point victory over Northwestern the week prior, and Nebraska seemed utterly lost after an injury to quarterback Tommy Armstrong in the second quarter.

This season, as last year, Nebraska has to face Ohio State just a week after Wisconsin; though this go-round, Nebraska gets to play both powers in Lincoln. The Buckeyes are seeking redemption for the last time they visited Memorial Stadium in 2011, when Nebraska managed a 21-point comeback following an injury to then-freshman quarterback Braxton Miller.

Mike Riley is entering his third season as head coach in Lincoln. After a 6-7 inaugural season, he improved to 9-4 last year. On the field, Nebraska returns 10 starters. While cornerback Chris Jones, the team’s top defensive prospect, is technically returning, knee surgery will likely keep him sidelined when the Buckeyes come to town. Nebraska will need to rely on their offense to score points given their depleted defense.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Huskers lost Armstrong but also top-receiver Jordan Westerkamp. Junior quarterback Tanner Lee won the starting role in the spring after sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer guidelines. Previously, Lee started 19 games while at Tulane, and he will bring that experience to bear at Nebraska. If he is able to kick the offense into gear, the game could be a lot closer than last year’s 62-3 romp.

“If Saturday’s results at the Grand Prix of Spain are any indication, Logan Stieber and Kyle Snyder are ready to chase another gold medal at next month’s World Championships in Paris.”

-The Ohio State University


Ohio State’s Kyle Snyder may have been denied the ESPY Award for Best Male Olympic Athlete last week (that honor went to Michael Phelps), but the rising senior wrestler made up for it by winning yet another title, this time at the Grand Prix of Spain. Snyder wasn’t the only Buckeye to bring home a gold, as former Ohio State wrestler Logan Stieber also earned a title in his weight class. Both managed to win their respective titles without giving up a single point along the way.

At 97 kg, Snyder, the youngest Olympic and World Champion in history, won four-straight matches, all by a 10-0 score, over wrestlers from Sweden, Russia, Iran and South Africa. Snyder is now 45-5 in international competition. Snyder has already had an auspicious start to the offseason. This spring, Snyder was also named as the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year, and received his ESPY nomination.

Stieber, meanwhile, similarly dominated at the 61 kg weight class. His 39-0 score came on wins over opponents from Italy, Belarus, France and Spain. This win adds to an already impressive resume for Stieber, who is a four-time NCAA champion--a feat that is unmatched even by Snyder, who did not win a championship as a freshman--as well as a World Champion.

Overall, the US team, competing in freestyle in Spain, went 25-0 and had seven gold medalists. The team recorded an aggregate 17 technical falls and four pins on their way to the win.

Both Snyder and Stieber are preparing in Columbus for the upcoming World Championships, scheduled to take place in Paris in August. The championships feature both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, in addition to women’s competitions. Snyder is the top-seed in his weight class, while Stieber earned the No. 2 seed for his class.

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• It’s World Emoji Day!
• Here’s how Brutus Buckeye is celebrating
• He already had a busy weekend golfing with Urban Meyer
• Lots of happy emojis for this great news!

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Former Michigan guard Andrew Dakich coming to Ohio State - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Michigan guard Andrew Dakich coming to Ohio State
247Sports
The most recent, and perhaps most successful is offensive lineman Justin Boren, who played for the Wolverines from 2006-07, before returning to his home state to finish his college career with the Buckeyes. Yet another player, this time of the ...
Michigan guard Andrew Dakich to transfer to Ohio StateLand-Grant Holy Land
Michigan Graduate Transfer Andrew Dakich to Play at Ohio State Next Season, Per ReportEleven Warriors
Former Michigan Guard Andrew Dakich Joining Ohio StateCBS Detroit
Detroit Free Press -cleveland.com
all 15 news articles »

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Buckeyes back on top in team rankings with addition of Ruckert - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes back on top in team rankings with addition of Ruckert
247Sports
Ohio State had landed in the top spot in the 247Sports Team Recruiting Rankings after the addition of Matthew Jones last month, but it was short-lived, as Miami took that claim back with the addition of John Campbell. With the Buckeyes landing the ...


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Michigan guard Andrew Dakich to transfer to Ohio State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The grad-transfer will add depth to Chris Holtmann’s thin backcourt.

Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reported that former Michigan guard Andrew Dakich will be transferring to Ohio State as a graduate transfer. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree is eligible to play immediately for the Buckeyes, and will add more depth to new head coach Chris Holtmann’s thin backcourt.


The son of former college coach and current ESPN analyst Dan Dakich, Andrew is a 6’2 guard who was put on scholarship for winter semester of his senior year. He red-shirted last season, after playing sparingly during his first three seasons, so he has one year of eligibility for the Buckeyes.

In his first three years in Ann Arbor, Dakich totaled just 22 points on 8 for 24 shooting. However, he was a valuable member of the Wolverines’ scout team. UM won the Big Ten Tournament last year before falling in the Sweet Sixteen to Oregon.

The senior Dakich is a longtime staple of the Indiana basketball community, having played and coached at Indiana University. Andrew went to high school in Zionsville, IN, which is less than 15 miles from the campus of Butler University, where Holtmann previous coached.

Andrew wore No. 11 at Michigan, but one has to wonder if he will switch to No. 4 to honor his father’s favorite player of all-time, Aaron Craft.

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BREAKING: Ohio State Lands the Country’s No. 1 Tight End
Billy George via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State Buckeyes’ head coach Urban Meyer has always been excellent at recruiting. A preliminary glance at the amount of his former players are on NFL rosters is evidence of that in itself. Well, add another diamond to his treasure trove of talent, as Meyer and the Buckeyes landed the country’s No. 1 tight end, Jeremy Ruckert, Monday afternoon.

The 6-5.5-foot 238 lbs prospect out of Lindenhurst, NY was a star at ‘The Opening’, bolstering him from the country’s No. 52 ranked prospect to No. 11 in the 247sports composite rankings, and earning him a fifth star. Ruckert is the third five-star prospect to commit to Ohio State in the 2018 class, and he certainly won’t be the last.

He is a crucial pick up for the Buckeyes, as, although they have the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class at this particular moment, the one thing it lacks is people to throw the football to. In came Ruckert to help fill that void.

So, what exactly do we get in Ruckert? Well, you get a big-bodied tight end with the athleticism of a wide receiver, whose combination of route-running abilities, size, great hands, and his propensity to make secondaries look bad make him a five-star prospect.

“Updated rankings got me my 5th star.. #1 TE and #11 Overall player in the nation!! #blessed”, Ruckert said on a Twitter post last Monday.

Yes, indeed Ruckert is blessed. However, he’s not nearly as blessed as Ohio State is after receiving a commitment from him. If the rankings remain the same (or even close to the same) come national signing day, Ruckert will be the highest ranked tight end recruit Ohio State has landed in 247sports.com history.

He is a big reason why Ohio State’s 2018 recruiting class will end Alabama’s six-year streak of having the No. 1 class in the country.

Until next time, God bless and GO BUCKS!




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OSU Commit Jeremy Rucker
Garth via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

By Trevor Arnold

Boooom! Ohio State lands a big time target out of New York. Jeremy Ruckert, a 5-star and number 1 tight end is exactly what Ohio State needed to continue this great 2018 class. Ruckert commits with a crazy go-kart video on his twitter @Jeremy_Ruckert1.

Ruckert is 6 ft-5.5, and has great size and strength. At 236 pounds, Ruckert is hard to tackle, but also has a great vertical. In his Junior and Senior years of high school, Ruckert had 118 catches for 1618 and 15 touchdowns.

Ohio State has had a hard time over the years with recruiting tight ends missing slightly on many. This is a big time commit for Urban and his staff. Kevin Wilson also loves using tight ends, so this recruit is only going to make his offense scarier. Ruckert is going to be a great addition to this stellar class. With many top recruits left, Ohio State is on pace to have the greatest recruiting class of all time.




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


After more than a year of recruitment, Jeremy Ruckert is officially a Buckeye.

If you’ve been following Ohio State recruiting for the last year and a half, Jeremy Ruckert’s name has popped up. The talented and freakishly athletic New York tight end has been Urban Meyer’s top target at the position since offering last May. Ten visits (either to Ohio State or from the coaching staff) later, and Ruckert is officially a Buckeye, as he announced his pledge on twitter, ending months of speculation about his final landing spot.

Ruckert had been thought of as a heavy Buckeye lean since his visit to Columbus in late November (the spot was good), and despite a strong push from Michigan and Notre Dame, Ohio State was ultimately able to hold on to the large lead they had built, due in large part to the hiring of Kevin Wilson. Wilson knows how to utilize and coach tight ends as well as anyone in the country, and the chance to play for him, and compete for national championships, was just too much for Ruckert to pass up on.

So what does the nation’s top tight end, and 11th best player (according to 247sports) bring to Ohio State? Well, he may change Ohio State’s whole reputation.

ON THE FIELD


As blue chip prospects go, Jeremy Ruckert had somewhat flown under the radar up until late-June in his recruitment. He holds 30 offers from some of the nation’s elite programs, but it wasn’t until Nike’s The Opening event two weeks ago that the recruiting world was truly introduced to Jeremy Ruckert. Ruckert put on a show, both in drills and in 7-on-7 for team Alpha Menace. He was named 1st team offense following the conclusion of The Opening, along with fellow Buckeye commit Jaelen Gill. Catches like this one are a big cause for Ruckert gaining his fifth star in the newest 247sports player rankings.

Ruckert’s newfound attention has been well-deserved for a while. He’s been the top tight end in the 2018 class for months now, and it’s great to see him finally getting recognized. He’s the complete package as a tight end, and plays a very similar game to former four-time NFL pro-bowler and all-pro Jeremy Shockey. He has the athleticism of a wide receiver, despite his larger frame (6’6, 240 lbs), and is a matchup nightmare for corners and linebackers alike. He plays almost exclusively as a wide receiver for his high school, and is the first tight end recruit we’ve seen under Urban Meyer that could truly play the “Jordan Reed position” we saw him deploy at Florida.

Because of his time spent at receiver in high school, his need for development in his blocking skills could keep him off the field as a freshman (similarly to what we saw with Binjimin Victor or Austin Mack last season), but his strength and athleticism will likely make for an easy transition at the next level, especially with Kevin Wilson leading his development. Ohio State hasn’t seen this athletically gifted of a tight end since Dr. John Frank, who was arguably the best tight end in Buckeye history.



IN THE CLASS


Ruckert is the commitment No. 15 in Ohio State’s 2018 recruiting class, and the only tight end. A number of big targets for the future of the Buckeye passing game are still uncommitted (Kamryn Babb and L’Christian Smith being the main two), so getting quarterback Emory Jones his first true target is a big deal for Ohio State.

With this commitment, Ohio State has reclaimed the number one spot on 247sports from Miami, despite holding four less commitments that Mark Richt’s Hurricanes. As long as something catastrophic doesn’t happen, the Buckeyes will finish in the top five, and if everything goes according to plan, Urban Meyer could very possibly land the best class of all time, a record set by him back in 2010.

Ruckert will likely be the only tight end in the 2018 class for the Buckeyes. After not landing any last year, and bringing in three in 2016 (Luke Farrell, Jake Hausman, and Kierre Hawkins), Ohio State isn’t exactly in need of a bunch of tight ends, as they expect to lose only one, Marcus Baugh, following this season. 2019 could be another big class for tight ends, however, with Georgia product Ryland Goede and Oklahoma star Grayson Boomer both showing plenty of interest in Ohio State.

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4-star TE Jeremy Ruckert 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


BOOOOOOM!! The Buckeyes land another class of 2018 standout.

One of the most sought-after tight end prospects in the entire class of 2018 will play his college football in Columbus for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.

Announcing his plans to suit up for Ohio State via his Twitter page, four-star playmaker Jeremy Ruckert spurned opportunities at programs such as Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin to continue his next step toward the National Football League with the Buckeyes.

Alongside current Buckeye tight ends like Jake Hausmann, Luke Farrell, A.J. Alexander, and Kierre Hawkins, Ruckert will add another soft handed, big-bodied target to the Ohio State roster once he reaches Columbus.

Showing he can help with not just blocking, but also the passing game, the 6’6 240-pound U.S. Army All-American has been a standout on the field for Lindenhurst High School (NY) over the last two seasons.

As a sophomore at Lindenhurst, Ruckert accounted for 811 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, while coming back and finishing his junior campaign with the Bulldogs with 807 yards and hauling in eight touchdowns through the air.

With Ruckert, the first rated tight end and 52nd overall prospect in the class of 2018 (according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings) now in the fold, the Buckeyes’ class of 2018 is once again the top overall class in the country. The class currently sits at 15 players.

Want to know more on Ruckert and his commitment to Ohio State? Land-Grant Holy Land will have much more on Jeremy’s pledge to the Buckeyes soon.

Highlights

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What Jeremy Ruckert's commitment means for the Buckeyes: Ohio State football recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


What Jeremy Ruckert's commitment means for the Buckeyes: Ohio State football recruiting
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thoughts on Jeremy Ruckert's commitment to Ohio State, how he fits and what it means for the Buckeyes. * Ruckert is the first tight end commitment in Ohio State's 2018 class, and he could end up being the only one -- at least on paper.
Ohio State Recruiting Notebook: The latest in Buckeyes recruiting ...Landof10.com
Open thread: Ruckert - why and why not OSU and final thoughts247Sports
Jeremy Ruckert of Lindenhurst commits to Ohio State BuckeyesNewsday
Land-Grant Holy Land -Eleven Warriors -OSU - The Lantern
all 12 news articles »

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