For most of the teams in the Big Ten, Ohio State will be their toughest game this year
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes were named as the toughest opponent for seven of their nine Big Ten foes this year.


Tom Dienhart of the Big Ten Network released his list of toughest Big Ten conference games for each team, and Ohio State is highlighted often. Dienhart names the late November clash against Michigan in Ann Arbor as Ohio State’s toughest Big Ten game this season, and the Buckeyes are named as the toughest conference game for seven other Big Ten schools. The only Big Ten schools Ohio State plays in which they weren’t named the toughest conference opponent this year were Nebraska and Rutgers, with Dienhart selecting games at Penn State as the toughest for the Cornhuskers and Scarlet Knights.

Yesterday Dienhart also released the best non-conference game for each Big Ten school and ranked them from 1-14. The obvious top pick for the list was the showdown in early September in Columbus between Ohio State and Oklahoma. Even though Michigan and Florida squaring off in Arlington in one of the marquee matchups of the first full weekend of college football will be interesting, it just didn’t have quite the same intrigue as the Sooners and Buckeyes squaring off.


Olentangy Liberty product Brendon White played safety, linebacker, receiver, and quarterback in high school, with his versatility drawing comparisons to Darron Lee. Head coach Urban Meyer gave White a shot at wide receiver in spring practice, but it appears he is better suited on the defensive side of the football, as evidenced by the early enrollee announcing last night on Twitter that he was now a safety. In 2015, White was named Associated Press all-state defensive back after hauling in six interceptions.

With Ohio State’s lack of depth at wide receiver, Meyer allowed White to work with the receivers in spring practice, but apparently something didn’t click or else White wouldn’t be moving to one of the deepest units on Ohio State’s football team. Meyer might have recognized early on in White’s college career that safety is in his blood, as his father is former Ohio State and NFL safety William White. Along with the position change, White also said he will be getting a new jersey number soon as well.


Wide receivers coach Zach Smith challenged freshman wide receiver Trevon Grimes on whether Grimes was really a “hometown legend” in Fort Lauderdale. To test this Smith called a barbershop in Fort Lauderdale to see if the employees there could name Grimes. After struggling to come up with Grimes’ name early on in the phone call, the employees were finally able to provide Smith with Grimes’ name, helping the young wide receiver to truly prove that he is a “hometown legend”.

“The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Tuesday approved extending the coach’s box to 38 feet for the 2017-18 men’s basketball season.”

NCAA.com


The NCAA approved a number of rule changes earlier this week, with the most notable being extending the coach’s box from 28 feet to 38 feet. The change was made to allow for better communication between coaches and their teams, especially when the team is at the opposite end of the court.

Another rule that was passed by the NCAA was the reset of the shot clock to 20 seconds when the ball is inbounded into the front court after a foul on the defense. If there was more than 20 seconds on the shot clock at the time of the foul, the shot clock will not be reset.

The NCAA also approved the use of instant replay by referees in the final two minutes of the second half and overtime to determine if a secondary defender is in or outside the restricted area-arc when a call is made. A mandatory minimum of 0.3 seconds will be taken off the game clock when the basketball is touched and an official immediately blows his whistle. Along with these changes, the NCAA also approved changes of legal screen and cylinder rules that are aimed at improving the game.

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• Dogs could be allowed on restaurant patios in Ohio soon.
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• The “unicorn pizza” is a thing and it looks terrible.
• The soup company made famous by Seinfeld has filed for bankruptcy.

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4-star CB Houston Griffith includes Ohio State in top group
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes land in Griffith’s Top 7.

Griffith down to seven


Ohio State currently has a firm grasp on the No. 2 recruiting class in the country and continues to inch closer and closer to Miami (FL) for the top spot in the 2018 cycle. Looking at the secondary specifically, the Buckeyes already have guys like Sevyn Banks, Josh Proctor and Jaiden Woodbey committed on the back end. On Wednesday, they got a little bit closer to adding yet another blue-chip prospect to join the trio.

2018 cornerback Houston Griffith of IMG Academy (FL) — a program that Ohio State has had tremendous success at — revealed his top seven schools in his recruitment, and now, the Buckeyes know who their primary competition going forward will be for the 6-foot-1, 192-pounder.


As you can see in the tweet above, also in the mix for Griffith is Alabama, Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas. Taking a look at the 247Sports Crystal Ball for the nation’s 51st best prospect in the class, the Fighting Irish seem to have the upper hand. Brian Kelly and the program in South Bend, Ind. have accumulated 78 percent of the predictions. With that being said, Griffith was in Columbus, Ohio two days ago. We will see if that trip to the Buckeyes campus changes things.

Thibodeaux hopes to hear from Bucks


Shifting gears to next year’s group, there is one person who would specifically like to garner some attention from Ohio State in his recruiting process. That would be ‘19 defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oaks Christian (CA) - the early No. 1 player in the class, according to 247Sports.

“Hopefully they are interested,” Thibodeaux told Alex Gleitman of Bucknuts.com after stating that the program has yet to reach out to the Thousand Oaks, Calif. native. The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder continued by telling 247Sports that Ohio State would be one of his “top schools” and that they would be a school that he would be “interested” in.

With Thibodeaux speaking highly of the Buckeyes, don’t be surprised if things move quickly here. For the time being, the standout defensive lineman has secured over 25 offers. Schools like Alabama, Florida, FSU, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, UCLA, USC and many more have already offered. Expect Ohio State to follow suit sooner rather than later for the prospect, who is currently favored to wind up as a Trojan at USC.

Nester close to a decision


Sticking to the script of prospects in next year’s cycle, one name to watch going forward for the Scarlet and Gray is ‘19 offensive tackle Doug Nester of Spring Valley (WV). In a video interview with LandOf10.com’s Ben Axelrod, Nester revealed that he is coming closer to the end of the his recruitment after participating in Ohio State’s one-day camp on Tuesday.

Whether or not that is good news for the Buckeyes remains to be seen. With that being said, for the time being, it definitely seems to be something worth being optimistic about. When asked by Axelrod about a time frame on a decision, Nester stated about a month or so.

Nester is currently listed as a top 50 player in his class. In addition to that, the Huntington, W. Va. native is also graded out as the fifth best offensive tackle and the second best player from his state. We will see sooner rather than later if Ohio State has done enough to ultimately bring him to Columbus.

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Hoops Notes: New staff making offers; key prospects at NBPA camp - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Hoops Notes: New staff making offers; key prospects at NBPA camp
247Sports
Ohio State Buckeyes Nike Logo Legend Dri-FIT Performance T-Shirt · The 10 new coaches who can win NOW · Massillon LB hopes Buckeyes join Michigan, MSU in offering. Manage. Hoops Notes: New staff making offers; key prospects at NBPA camp.


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Ohio State officially announces Holtmann's assistant coaches - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State officially announces Holtmann's assistant coaches
247Sports
The Buckeyes announced the hiring of Mike Schrage, Terry Johnson and Ryan Pedon to work under Holtmann. "I am excited about the addition of Ryan, Mike and Terry to our coaching staff,” Holtmann said in the press release. “They are outstanding people ...
Buckeyes Hoops Future And Football ProspectsWMFD.com
Buckeyes Welcome HoltmannWheeling Intelligencer
Auburn blocks player from transferring to Ohio State, Chris Holtmann's wild buyout, and moreLandof10.com
Land-Grant Holy Land -Massillon Independent -cleveland.com
all 61 news articles »

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Looking for two tickets to the Oklahoma game, if anyone his looking to sell or knows where to purchase please help me out!!


Go Bucks!!!

Write about the Ohio State Buckeyes for Scarlet and Game - Scarlet and Game
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Write about the Ohio State Buckeyes for Scarlet and Game
Scarlet and Game
Scarlet and Game is FanSided's home for the best fan-written content on the Ohio State Buckeyes and we want to add your voice to the mix. Are you a passionate Ohio State Buckeyes fan and have opinions on all things involving the team, its players, and ...


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BH: Impressive Heritage | No. 2 on the board? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: Impressive Heritage | No. 2 on the board?
247Sports
It started with the Buckeyes offering two elite prospects at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage: defensive backs Patrick Surtain and Tyson Campbell. Then, Kerry Coombs and Larry Johnson attended the American Heritage spring game. Defensive end ...


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Holtmann’s staff officially in place at 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


The new Buckeye head man gets his assistants locked in.

When Chris Holtmann was hired to be the 14th Ohio State basketball coach just under a week ago, one of the biggest questions was what his staff would look like in Columbus. It was generally assumed that he’d be bringing his Butler staff, Ryan Pedon, Mike Scharge, and Terry Johnson with him, as long as they didn’t get the Butler head coaching job. Scharge to Columbus was announced earlier this week, and when the Butler job went to LaVell Jordan, rumors began to swarm about Pedon and Johnson joining Scharge and Holtmann at Ohio State.

Now, it’s official, Chris Holtmann will be joined by Ryan Pedon, Mike Scharge, and Terry Johnson at Ohio State.

Holtmann had this to say about the three hires:


Ryan Pedon, from his new Ohio State bio:


Mike Scharge:


Terry Johnson:


There’s still no word if Holtmann will be changing up the strength and conditioning team, though according to Adam Jardy, Alan Major is no longer listed on the team’s website. Information on what Holtmann plans to do with the S&C team will likely be available soon.

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Dienhart: Toughest conference game for each Big Ten team
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

The Michigan-Ohio State game always is one of the most anticipated Big Ten games each season. But there are other enticing league contests on tap this fall. Here is a look at the toughest conference game for each Big Ten school.

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BM5: Houston ... no problem? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Houston ... no problem?
247Sports
Heralded defensive back Houston Griffith released his top schools yesterday and as of now there is one recruiting expert that Crystal Balled the IMG star for Ohio State ... and he joins us today with smoothie in hand. 247Sports Director of Recruiting ...

and more »

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Hard to believe. Rest in Peace, John.

FC, I would never spill beer. That's alcohol abuse. I would beat you in pool though.

Sooners, Buckeyes clash highlights Week 2 - The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Sooners, Buckeyes clash highlights Week 2
The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)
In fact, their trip to Columbus, Ohio, to take on wily veteran Buckeyes' coach Urban Meyer could even find a way to repeat itself at season's end in the national championship game. It's certainly that big a contest, so let's take a look at the second ...


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4-star CB Houston Griffith includes Ohio State in top group
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes land in Griffith’s Top 7.

Griffith down to seven


Ohio State currently has a firm grasp on the No. 2 recruiting class in the country and continues to inch closer and closer to Miami (FL) for the top spot in the 2018 cycle. Looking at the secondary specifically, the Buckeyes already have guys like Sevyn Banks, Josh Proctor and Jaiden Woodbey committed on the back end. On Wednesday, they got a little bit closer to adding yet another blue-chip prospect to join the trio.

2018 cornerback Houston Griffith of IMG Academy (FL) — a program that Ohio State has had tremendous success at — revealed his top seven schools in his recruitment, and now, the Buckeyes know who their primary competition going forward will be for the 6-foot-1, 192-pounder.


As you can see in the tweet above, also in the mix for Griffith is Alabama, Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas. Taking a look at the 247Sports Crystal Ball for the nation’s 51st best prospect in the class, the Fighting Irish seem to have the upper hand. Brian Kelly and the program in South Bend, Ind. have accumulated 78 percent of the predictions. With that being said, Griffith was in Columbus, Ohio two days ago. We will see if that trip to the Buckeyes campus changes things.

Thibodeaux hopes to hear from Bucks


Shifting gears to next year’s group, there is one person who would specifically like to garner some attention from Ohio State in his recruiting process. That would be ‘19 defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oaks Christian (CA) - the early No. 1 player in the class, according to 247Sports.

“Hopefully they are interested,” Thibodeaux told Alex Gleitman of Bucknuts.com after stating that the program has yet to reach out to the Thousand Oaks, Calif. native. The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder continued by telling 247Sports that Ohio State would be one of his “top schools” and that they would be a school that he would be “interested” in.

With Thibodeaux speaking highly of the Buckeyes, don’t be surprised if things move quickly here. For the time being, the standout defensive lineman has secured over 25 offers. Schools like Alabama, Florida, FSU, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, UCLA, USC and many more have already offered. Expect Ohio State to follow suit sooner rather than later for the prospect, who is currently favored to wind up as a Trojan at USC.

Nester close to a decision


Sticking to the script of prospects in next year’s cycle, one name to watch going forward for the Scarlet and Gray is ‘19 offensive tackle Doug Nester of Spring Valley (WV). In a video interview with LandOf10.com’s Ben Axelrod, Nester revealed that he is coming closer to the end of the his recruitment after participating in Ohio State’s one-day camp on Tuesday.

Whether or not that is good news for the Buckeyes remains to be seen. With that being said, for the time being, it definitely seems to be something worth being optimistic about. When asked by Axelrod about a time frame on a decision, Nester stated about a month or so.

Nester is currently listed as a top 50 player in his class. In addition to that, the Huntington, W. Va. native is also graded out as the fifth best offensive tackle and the second best player from his state. We will see sooner rather than later if Ohio State has done enough to ultimately bring him to Columbus.

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Ohio State Buckeyes: 2017 Season Outlook
Richard Tongohan 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



The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off one of the worst defeats in the Urban Meyer Era. The loss at the hands of Clemson was one of the worst offensive displays in recent memory, dating back to 2011, when Ohio State finished 6-7 and it proved that wholesale changes needed to be made on the offensive side of the ball.
Coach Meyer made the necessary changes during the off season bringing in a new Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson and Quarterbacks Coach Ryan Day, and collectively his squad will be looking to improve the passing game and bring back the sizzle to the Buckeye offense. The offense will need to maintain a balance between the passing and the ground game to secure another playoff berth in the 2017 season.
The goal is set firmly in place, but the Buckeyes will have to traverse through a perilous road to secure another coveted spot in this years College Football Playoffs. The goal will be attainable because 7 of the 12 games will be played at home and the home field advantage in The Shoe, helps the Buckeyes chances. Unfortunately, 5 of the 12 games are going to be played away from home, far from the confines of Ohio Stadium.
According to Alexander P., odds maker at mytopsportsbooks.com, “Ohio State is the modest favorite to win the Big Ten despite losing three first-round talents to the NFL. While they have a tough schedule ahead, the fact that they get to host Penn State and Oklahoma is a massive advantage. Their toughest road game is against a Michigan team that’s arguably losing even more key pieces. The Buckeyes should be good for ten wins, if not more.”
It’s the 7 of 12 games on this season’s schedule that can shift the Buckeyes from being modest favorites, however. They’ll be taking place at home, at The Shoe. Home field advantage definitely helps the Buckeyes, but they will still be tested during those games.
The big games on the home slate will begin with a tilt with the Sooners. Oklahoma will come into town in week 2 looking for some revenge after the Buckeyes came to Norman and embarrassed them. The Buckeyes will welcome Penn State in week 9 to get some payback after they fell in Happy Valley a season ago. In week 11, Michigan State will visit after a down year to potentially spoil season for the Buckeyes.
This years non-conference home games providea decent level competition as well, with Army being the most dangerous of the bunch. Army finished 8-5 and they run the triple option, which will test the Buckeyes Defense. UNLV will be coming in after a down year, after they finished 4-8.
The Buckeyes will also welcome two up-and coming conference foes in Maryland and Illinois to The Shoe. Both coaches are looking for their signature wins, and what better opportunity that spoiling the Buckeyes chances at the Playoffs?
D.J. Durkin worked under Meyer at Florida before taking a job at Michigan over Ohio State. Lovie Smith has the NFL Head Coaching experience that could turn the program around. So the Buckeyes shouldn’t take these two teams lightly.
5 of the 12 games will be played away from home and at hostile stadiums across Big Ten country. The Buckeyes open the new season against an Indiana team that always gives the defense headaches. The kicker is the offensive genius in Kevin Wilson does not lead that program anymore and he now calls the shots on offense for the Buckeyes.
From there, the Buckeyes will face off against another former coach in Chris Ash. He is looking to resurrect a Rutgers program and will look for improvement in year 2 as the Head Coach.
The most intriguing away game will be played at Lincoln against Nebraska due to the heated Wide Receiver battles that both position coaches engage in on the recruiting trail. They constantly butt heads and it often ends with fireworks and subtweets between the two.
The Buckeyes will then travel to Kinnick Stadium for a gritty, Big Ten style game. The battles in recent memory have been low scoring affairs, and it will be interesting to see how they rebound after falling apart toward the end of last season.
The Buckeyes will cap their season off with a stopover at the Big House to engage in another installment of The Game. With both teams suffering losses to the NFL Draft and with graduations, this will be fascinating as new pieces will face off in another high-stakes game for all the marbles. The road to the Playoffs will run through The Big House and this clash will not disappoint.
The expectation is clear at Ohio State, but with key starters returning for redemption, the Buckeyes will look to build something special this year and for years to come. J.T. Barrett returns to lead the team in his last season to rebound after the Fiesta Bowl. He will have new pieces to play around and with new coaches on the staff, there is no reason to think good things are on their way.
Ohio State is has one of the deepest teams in recent memory and they certainly reload year after year, before and after the draft. The players on the two-deep projections and beyond can play anywhere in the nation as they anxiously await for their shot. They remaining players from last season are battle-tested and they will look to lead their younger teammates and their new starters.
The road will most certainly not be easy, but the overall schedule favors Ohio State with the majority of their games being played at home. The rest of the Big Ten however, will not cooperate and they will try to play spoiler to ruin another shot at a title for Coach Meyer and his squad, and they most certainly will not go out quietly.

For more content or information on the projected Win/Loss total for every Big Ten Team please visit the link below:








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Back in Georgia, Buckeyes offer super linebacker - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Back in Georgia, Buckeyes offer super linebacker
247Sports
The Buckeyes have recruited the state of Georgia with plenty of success, doing particularly well with the Georgia class of 2018 with commitments from quarterback Emory Jones and defensive end Brenton Cox, two of the Top 5 prospects in Georgia ...


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Cade Stover impresses Ohio State, Mershawn Rice a name to know, Zeke Correll talks Buckeyes offer - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Cade Stover impresses Ohio State, Mershawn Rice a name to know, Zeke Correll talks Buckeyes offer
Landof10.com
Stover seems to fit perfectly into the Buckeyes system. He's a 6-foot-5, 220-pound tw0-sport athlete (he's a capable basketball player), and he spent all of camp Tuesday working with Ohio State linebackers coach Bill Davis. That is notable because ...

and more »

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Kurelic: Buckeye recruiting extends to Germany; Bama commit word - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Buckeye recruiting extends to Germany; Bama commit word
247Sports
1) In addition to the Ohio State staff, there are always coaches from many other colleges at the Buckeyes' camp sessions. In particular, the MAC is always very well represented. On Tuesday it was as usual, college coaches all over. And there was plenty ...
2017 MLB Draft results: Tre' Gantt to Cleveland in 29th round - Land ...Land-Grant Holy Land
Baseball: Three Ohio State players selected in MLB draft; one recruit also draftedOSU - The Lantern

all 7 news articles »

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2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft: View Big Ten draft picks
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft started Monday and concluded Wednesday night. View all of the Big Ten selections inside.

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Greetings;

I am looking for a non profit that is respected among Buckeye fans. This is for a proposed fundraising challenge for the OSU-Oklahoma game.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Griffith drops top choices one day after Ohio State camp - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Griffith drops top choices one day after Ohio State camp
247Sports
Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! The 6-foot-1 and 192-pound Griffith is a 4-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite. He is the country's No. 51 overall prospect, the No. 8 cornerback ...

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Neil’s Sens Career Ends & Other News and Notes
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



After accruing 1,026 regular season games, 112 goals, 250 points and 2,522 minutes in penalties, Chris Neil’s playing career might be over.

According to Postmedia‘s Bruce Garrioch, the veteran Senators forward met with general manager Pierre Dorion and assistant general manager Randy Lee on Monday and was told that “there’s no sense bringing him back if he’s not going to play and isn’t going to be happy with his role under (Guy) Boucher.”

Neither that the Senators were prepared to move on or that Neil was unhappy with his role should come as a surprise.

For the first time since the formative years of his career, the soon-to-be 38-year old Neil was frequently made a healthy scratch under Boucher.

Injuries and healthy scratches limited Neil to 53 games and career lows in goals (one) and points (four). This ineffectiveness led to Boucher encouraging management at the deadline to acquire depth at the trade deadline and the additions of Tommy Wingels, Alex Burrows and Viktor Stalberg helped cement Neil’s place in the press box.

Neil apparently wants to continue playing for one more year. His agent, Todd Reynolds, confirmed to Garrioch that Neil “wants to play and still believes he can play and he wants to try to play for another year.”

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Neil’s availability will generate much interest on the open market. Fighting no longer has the same place in the game and it’s not like Neil’s capable of bringing anything more than intangibles to the table at this point of his career.

Neil’s career began in 1998 when he was drafted in the sixth round (161st overall) and he has spent 15 seasons playing for the Senators.

If this is it for him, at least fans can appreciate the fact that Neil worked his ass off to get the most out of his limited talent that he could. For a third and fourth line aggressor to amass the volume of games played that he did for one club speaks volumes. I fully expect him to return to Ottawa and rejoin the organization once his playing days are over.

Karlsson Undergoes Surgery:

According to a media release, the Senators announced that Erik Karlsson underwent surgery today to repair torn tendons in his left foot.

In the release, general manager Pierre Dorion wrote:


I liked the offseason better when Dorion mentioned in his end of the season media availability that he didn’t anticipate any players having to undergo surgery this summer. With Derick Brassard (shoulder) and now Karlsson going under the knife, it will be interesting to see how much their respective injuries will affect their offseason training. Both players could potentially be without two of their better players to start the season. For a team that relies on the margins to win, the Senators can ill afford to have either player be unavailable or take time to work off the rust.

I’m not a medical doctor, so I have no idea whether any of these injuries are interrelated, but Karlsson’s left foot is the same one that had its Achilles tendon partially severed by Matt Cooke’s skate.

Senators Will Not Qualify Matt O’Connor



Just like the Senators’ 2015-16 home opener, Matt O’Connor was not qualified then and he apparently won’t be qualified now. Without a qualifying contract offer, the goaltender will now be allowed to test unrestricted free agency.

After signing with the Senators as a collegiate free agent after his career at Boston University, O’Connor spent the bulk of his Senators career in the minors.

O’Connor had two uneventful seasons in Binghamton, but he’ll forever be remembered for starting the Senators’ home opener on October 11, 2015. Shortly before gassing his head coach at the end of the 2015-16, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk infamously referred to Dave Cameron’s lineup decisions as “stupid” before hilariously citing O’Connor’s start as an example of it.



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Kyle Young torn between Butler commitment and 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 Massillon-native contemplating switch to Buckeyes.

“Kyle Young is torn over whether to keep his commitment to the Butler basketball program... Young was recruited to Butler by Holtmann and assistant coach Ryan Pedon, who is following Holtmann to Ohio State.”

- David Woods, IndyStar.com


Reading between the lines of what Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said surrounding the end of the Thad Matta era, it is easy to see that this off-season’s lack of recruiting success might have been the final straw in the basketball coach’s tenure.

With that in mind, new OSU coach Chris Holtmann told reporters on Monday that he was on the phone to recruits within an hour of being cleared by the school’s compliance office. Whom he contacted is not known, but if he is ultimately able to get Young, arguably the biggest commit in Butler history, to reconsider and come to Columbus, that would be an immediate boost to the Buckeyes’ depleted roster.

The Massillon-native was the second rated player in Ohio from the 2017 class, and the 77th best player in the country, according to 247sports. Young, who has yet to enroll at Butler, would need to be released from his National Letter of Intent to be able to play at OSU.

With at least four known open roster spots for the Buckeyes entering the fall, landing a player of Young’s caliber could put the upcoming season in a slightly different light.

“Urban Meyer's 2017 recruiting class was the best recruiting class ever assembled in Ohio State history, at least when it comes to ratings on paper. This year's class has a chance to be even better. That's not an exaggeration. ”

- Ari Wasserman, cleveland.com


It’s gotten to the point in recent years that any time a major football recruit decides not to accept an Ohio State scholarship offer, it is surprising. With 13 hard commits, 247sports currently ranks the Buckeyes’ class second nationally, behind only Miami, and with up to 12 more scholarships available, there is no doubt that Urban Meyer and staff will be adding more high-profile recruits through the first week of February.

Over recent years, the number of Ohio high school players on the OSU roster has dwindled a bit, as Meyer’s startling success on the field, and on draft day, has grown. However, Wasserman includes a handful of in-state players in his top-10 that are important not only for on-field success, but also in keeping the proverbial recruiting wall around the state.

Five-star offensive tackle Jackson Carman of Fairfield, four-star defensive end Tyreke Smith of Cleveland Heights, and 2018’s No. 2 athlete L’Christian “Blue” Smith of Huber Heights are all Buckeye-born players that would make a big splash for Meyer.

“Ohio State completed its strong spring scoring 566.25 of its total 1391.75 points to secure second place for the second consecutive year and third time in school history.”

- Learfield Director’s Cup


Following a men’s volleyball national championship and strong showings in men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s track and field in the spring semester, for the second year in a row, the Ohio State Athletic department will finish second in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ Learfield Director’s Cup.

Stanford took its 23rd consecutive Cup with 1,536.00 points. Ohio State finished the year with 1,391.75, a difference of 144.25. In 2015-2016, the Buckeyes finished 220.5 points back; so the gap is closing!

The Buckeyes bested Michigan, who finished fourth overall, to take the Big Ten title by 217.5 points. Penn State (7th) and Wisconsin (15th) also finished in the top 20.

The cup is considered a reflection of the strength of an entire athletic department during an academic year, and while Ohio State has advantages that are nearly unmatched in collegiate sports, on the heels of what appears to be another successful coaching hire, it might be time to appreciate just what a fantastic job Gene Smith has done during his tenure at Ohio State.

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2017 MLB Draft results: Tre’ Gantt to Cleveland in 29th round
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes junior outfielder was a bright spot in a tough 2017 season.

After watching six of its players get selected in the Major League Baseball draft in 2016, Ohio State baseball did a lot of waiting around this year. The Buckeyes did not have a player picked until the third day, but once recruit Xavier Moore and senior Shea Murray went off the board, things moved quickly.

Junior Tre’ Gantt watched as teammate Jalen Washington was taken near the top of the 29th round, and then quickly heard his own name called. Gantt went with the 882nd pick to the Cleveland Indians at the bottom of the 29th round.

Perhaps no Ohio State player improved more than Gantt in 2017, who had played his way into regular time as a freshman and sophomore, but became a mainstay in his third season. Splitting time between the leadoff spot and two-hole, the Fishers, Indiana native slashed .314/.426/.426 with 13 doubles, two triples, two homers, 18 RBIs, and 14 steals. He led the team with 64 hits and 46 runs scored, and proved to be solid patrolling the outfield.

Gantt had appeared in 84 games prior to this past season, and has to this point slashed .294/.381/.376 with 13 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 18 runs batted in, and 26 stolen bases. It was thought that he was a likely candidate to take over for Washington as a team co-captain next year, but his being drafted now throws that into doubt.

After a disappointing season that saw the Buckeyes fall from Big Ten tournament champions to an 8-16 conference record, Gantt was one of the few bright spots offensively. All-Big Ten accolades are not outside the realm of possibility if he were to return for his final season of eligibility, and his draft stock could improve as well. He entered 2017 as Baseball America’s 19th rated draft prospect in the conference.

Ohio State has now seen three players from last year’s team go in the draft in addition to two recruits. Despite what was often a frustrating season for the Buckeyes, player development has proven to continue to be a strength.

We wish Gantt well as he decides on what his future will hold.

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2017 MLB Draft results: Jalen Washington to San Diego in 29th round
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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The Buckeyes’ co-captain is taking his game to the next level.

After finishing his career in scarlet and gray in the grandest of fashion, Ohio State baseball’s Jalen Washington added to his resume on Wednesday, being selected by the San Diego Padres in the Major League Baseball draft. A two-time team co-captain, Washington was taken in the 29th round with the 858th overall pick.

This marks the fourth player with Ohio State ties to be drafted this year, following Shea Murray, who went in the 18th round to Pittsburgh, and a pair of recruits in Xavier Moore and Seth Lonsway.

Washington improved over his junior season in 2016, making the transition from catcher to shortstop, and moving to the top of the order from the bottom. The Twinsburg native slashed .266/.350/.468 while starting every game. His five triples and 38 RBIs were both team-highs, while his 14 doubles, seven home runs, and 14 stolen bases all tied for club-best.

He was without a doubt the beating heart of the team, and it’s scary to think how much worse Ohio State would have finished without his leadership and steady demeanor.

After claiming a Big Ten tournament title and NCAA tournament berth in 2016, the Buckeyes had a disappointing season in 2017. The club finished with a 22-34 record, the worst mark during head coach Greg Beals’ tenure at the helm, going 8-16 in conference play and missing out on the Big Ten tournament.

Baseball America ranked Washington the No. 10 draft prospect in the state of Ohio despite his only serving two seasons as an everyday player. As a junior, Washington started 61 of the team's 65 games behind the plate, putting together a .249/.352/.343 slash line, with 11 doubles, three home runs, 38 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.

The transition to middle infield enabled Washington’s athleticism to be put more thoroughly on display, though his position in the pros may still be something of a question after committing a team-high 21 errors. He could stick to the middle infield, but also certainly has the speed, arm, and baseball IQ to transition to the outfield if need be.

Regardless of where he plays, Washington’s work ethic, leadership, and positive attitude will no doubt serve him and his organization well as he moves on to the next level.

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