Senators vs Penguins: Eastern Conference Preview
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 5: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators carries the puck out of his end while being chased by Patric Hornqvist #72 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Canadian Tire Centre on April 5, 2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)

The Eastern Conference Final.

Before this season, the Senators have only been there twice in their franchise history and it was never supposed to happen this year. Not to this team.

Much can and will be made of the circumstances under which the 2016-17 Ottawa Senators reached the postseason. The NHL’s playoff format punished better Metropolitan Clubs and gave the Senators an easier path. The Boston were decimated by injuries to key positions and were undone by the absence of their second line centre and three of their defencemen. The New York Rangers’ Hall of Fame goaltender Henrik Lundqvist faltered during the series with Senators stopping only 90.5-percent of the shots on goal.

Unquestionably, the Senators’ road to get to this point was relatively easy.

Maybe they could have met a tougher seed like a Pittsburgh or Washington earlier on and suffered the consequences. Or had Erik Karlsson not been able to get that pass through to Derick Brassard in the third period of game two of the Senators’ series versus the Bruins, maybe the Senators lose that game and fail to overcome a 2-0 series deficit.

The Senators have been fortuitous, but when the NHL playoffs represent an exercise in good fortune and very good teams are undone by bad luck each and every year, there’s not a chance in hell that the team, its players or its fans should be feel that this run should be lessened simply because the team continues to take advantage of its situation by winning games. I mean, the same number of people weren’t out there bemoaning the fact that the Edmonton Oilers were one win away from the Western Conference Final because their 11.5-percent chance of winning the draft lottery in 2015 was fulfilled.

Sure, in the larger picture, there’s definitely going to come to a point when management will have to take a critical eye to this club, try not to romanticize the results while also recognizing the limitations of this group in an effort to give this franchise the best opportunity to win again down the road, but that time can wait for the offseason.

Right now, the next test is the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The defending Stanley Cup champions are a handful.

They are fast. They are skilled and they still have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin centering their top two lines.

The good news for Ottawa is that maybe for the first time since the 2006-07 season, the Penguins are vulnerable or at the very least, the task of beating the Penguins doesn’t seem as daunting as it once did.

Sure, this could be false confidence talking here, but…

Yeah, it may sound crazy to believe the Senators can win, especially since this undermanned Penguins team just proved itself capable of disposing of the Presidents’ Trophy winning Washington Capitals, but maybe there is just a chance that the Senators can get by the Penguins.

To borrow the words from Eugene Melnyk, once you get in, anything can happen. Or at the very least, the Penguins probably represent an easier path to the Stanley Cup Final than the Capitals did, so that’s got to count for something! (And of course, I’m totally ignoring the fact that in each of the Penguins’ past two Stanley Cup championship runs, they beat the Capitals in the second round each time.)

Here’s how the two teams match up at five-on-five based on their underlying numbers this season via Corsica.Hockey:

5v5 Senators (Rk) Penguins (Rk)
CF% 48.55 (22nd) 51.39 (6th)
FF% 48.80 (22nd) 51.24 (7th)
SF% 50.10 (17th) 51.39 (6th)
Sh% 7.01 (21st) 8.60 (5th)
Sv% 92.64 (10th) 92.67 (T-7th)
xGF% 49.13 (20th) 52.32 (6th)
SCF% 49.70 (19th) 52.81 (5th)



Give the Penguins get the slight edge there…

Like the Capitals, the Senators haven’t had their share of postseason success over the Penguins in recent years either, but just in case you came here looking for some validation that the Senators can beat the Penguins, here’s a video showing what happened the last time these two teams played with the Senators’ season on the line:


Feeling better?

Good.

I hate taking joy in the fact that people are hurt, but if there’s a sliver of a chance against the Penguins, it’s created by the mounting injuries — particularly to the blue line — that could play into the Senators’ hands.

Kris Letang, who’s unquestionably their best defenceman, had neck surgery and is expected to be out for the next four to six months. Trevor Daley missed Penguins practice again this morning and he has not skated since leaving game five of the series against the Capitals with a lower body injury. There’s no word on when he is expected to return.

If the Senators can put pressure on these defenders, create turnovers and get their cycle game going, it could open up the middle of the ice like it did for the Capitals.

https://twitter.com/IneffectiveMath/status/862511227813212160

Continuing with the injury theme, a lower-body injury has kept the Penguins’ best goaltender out of the net for the past 11 games and Marc-Andre Fleury has had to fill the void. Thanks to the prolonged absence, Murray hasn’t had a chance to reclaim his post and because of Fleury’s performance – in which his postseason numbers are markedly better than his regular season numbers – Mike Sullivan has continued to run Fleury out there on a game-in/game-out basis.

If the Senators can win a game or two early on and put some pressure on the prohibitive favorites, it could be an instance where Sullivan turns to Murray to change the momentum – in which case, you have to wonder how long or whether Murray will have enough time to round into form.

Of course, if Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby continue their dominance over Ottawa, none of this really matters.

In 20 games, the two players have combined for 22 goals (Crosby 14, Malkin 8) and 57 (Crosby 33, Malkin 24) points. One of these centres is going to draw regular matchups and log significant minutes playing against Cody Ceci and Dion Phaneuf.

In the 132:58 of five-on-five ice time through the playoffs, whenever the Phaneuf-Ceci has been on the ice, the opposition has scored 70.0-percent of the goals and taken 56.3-percent of the shots.

The speed, skill and tenacity of Pittburgh’s forwards is going to put a ton of pressure on the Senators’ defencemen to move the puck and make good decisions quickly. I’m not worried about Erik Karlsson here, but I can’t say the same for the rest of this group.

By now, everyone’s grown accustomed to seeing the Senators’ second pairing be caved in from a puck possession standpoint, but if Phaneuf and Ceci can bend without breaking, it gives the Senators a chance.

Of course this speaks to the necessity for Craig Anderson to be on point, but if the Senators have an edge in this series, it probably comes in goal. They need him to excel and become a prominent and decisive factor – through the team’s first two series, he hasn’t been at his best.

Through 12 games, Anderson’s sporting 2.49 goals against average, with one shutout and a pedestrian .914 save percentage. At five-on-five, he has the fourth lowest save percentage (.914) amongst goalies who have appeared in the postseason and if he can’t play at a higher level, the Senators will be done.

He has to step up. There’s simply no other alternative if the Senators are going to advance.

Prediction: It’s been a hell of a storybook run, but the Senators are going to have to play at a higher level than what they have exhibited so far in the postseason. I think this will be a much closer series than many are giving it credit for, but it’s difficult not to pick the Penguins in six games.



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Ezekiel Elliott is gonna be an even bigger problem for NFL defenses next season
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Feed Zeke more touches and receiving yards, and the former Buckeye is gonna soar to new heights in the NFL.

“The Cowboys were mindful of the work they gave Elliott. They did not want to tax him in his first year. He was too important as a runner,”

— Todd Archer on how Ezekiel Elliott will have an even bigger role with the Dallas Cowboys in his sophomore season in the NFL, ESPN.com


The rookie campaign for Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was spectacular. Look for his second year in the league to be even more spectacular as Zeke may have an increased role on offense.

In an article for ESPN.com, Todd Archer broke down how the Cowboys could utilize the former Buckeye hero in a half shirt. In 2016, Elliott rushed for 1,631 yards on 322 carries and scored on 15 of those touches. However, Zeke only caught the ball 32 times for 363 yards and scored only once.

While the Cowboys didn’t need Elliott to be the go-to guy on every play, that will change heading into this season, as America’s Team lost third-down rusher Lance Dunbar to the Los Angeles Rams.

Without a solid replacement to fill Dunbar’s absence, Elliott looks to be the guy to handle the workload. But, third-down rushing may only be part of the equation for Zeke heading into his sophomore campaign in the pros. Receiving yards will also be something the Cowboy staff will look to give their franchise sensation.

Zeke wasn’t utilized that much on the receiving end, and he still finished as one of the top running back in the ESPN fantasy football rankings. Other notable RBs that finished above Elliott were David Johnson (Arizona Cardinals) and Le’Veon Bell (Pittsburgh Steelers), who both had significant roles in the passing games of their respective offenses.

Now with his feet already wet in the NFL, Elliott knows his way around defenses. It’s the perfect time for the Cowboys to feed Zeke, and let him become one of the biggest all-around offensive weapons in the league.

“The equipment they use is getting better, but they don’t yet have the endless resources the football program seems to have. Last year the coaching staff wanted to make a video highlighting a new Nike LeBron shoe, but couldn’t because the social media staff’s only camera was broken.”

— Bill Landis on the ever changing social media landscape, and how OSU basketball is changing the way they present graphics and videos, cleveland.com


Social media is one of the biggest tools any college athletic department can utilize. From gameday graphics to videos, the creative minds put together an online image for the fans and recruits.

Ohio State basketball is getting with the social media program, thanks to Kyle Davis and David Aaron. While they are the creative minds behind the OSU basketball program, they have other roles, too. Juggling hats as video coordinator and students, the road to creating content for the masses is just one of the responsibilities the duo has. But when the content is good, it takes off—like when they put Thad Matta into one of the new uniforms.


There have been some hiccups on the way to making the freshest content possible. For instance, the duo wanted a behind-the-scenes look at the program last season, but because the Buckeyes were constantly on the losing side of battles, the idea didn’t really take off. Combine that with the occasional equipment failure, and the problems get compounded.

On the bright side, the OSU athletic department has embraced the expansion into the social media world, and are playing a role in making the Buckeye brand strong online.

Bill Landis’ story is definitely worth the read if you want to take a look at how the Buckeye basketball game has picked up online.

Ohio State men’s lacrosse begins their quest to get the university another natty


After the men’s volleyball squad pulled off the win last week for a national title, the men’s lacrosse squad begins their journey to do the same. The Buckeyes start their journey for an NCAA Championship as the No. 3 team in the land, and play host to No. 13 Loyola at 5 p.m. on Sunday for a first-round battle.

With the game taking place at Ohio Stadium, the Scarlet and Gray have the home-field advantage. This makes advancing to the quarterfinals a tad easier, but in 2015, the Bucks went on the road to beat Duke in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament, but fell to Denver in the quarterfinals.

Claiming an at-large bid, the Buckeyes have defeated the likes of John Hopkins, Denver and Maryland over the course of the season. If the Buckeyes can get the win on Sunday, they would have to play the winner of John Hopkins-Duke in the quarterfinals on May 20.

If the Buckeyes get past the quarterfinals, then they have the chance to win the title at a place known for winning: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The New England Patriots’ home stadium is the site for this year’s semifinals and championship game for men’s lacrosse.

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Top O-Tackle on Buckeyes: 'They really know how to recruit' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top O-Tackle on Buckeyes: 'They really know how to recruit'
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Edina 2019 offensive tackle Quinn Carroll attended the Buckeyes junior day on Jan. 28. Afterwards Carrroll told Bucknuts he was very impressed and was definitely interested in Ohio State. Three plus months later Carroll's interest in the Buckeyes ...
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Ohio State CB Rodjay Burns transferring to Louisville
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Another Buckeye will continue his college career elsewhere.

We knew roster attrition was coming this season for Ohio State. Now, it looks like another Buckeye will be continuing his college career elsewhere.

Defensive back Rodjay Burns will be transferring to hometown Louisville:


Burns, a sophomore, played in six games last season, and recorded a pick-six in the opening game of the season against Bowling Green. A former three-star prospect, he originally committed to Louisville, before flipping to the Buckeyes.

The fact that Burns played as a true freshman, even sparingly, was a sign that he should have been able to compete for other playing time in the future. But given the fact that he’s a Louisville product, and that the Buckeyes just signed a truly elite recruiting class at his position, a look elsewhere may have made sense as well. Plus, per his Instagram, the health of his father was a factor in his decision.

Burns is the second three-star defensive back to announce his departure this week, as Joshua Norwood will also transfer, reportedly to Georgia Southern.

Best wishes to Burns as he continues his college career, and to his family.

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Where Ohio State should put Demario McCall, a former Buckeyes player lands in hot water and more - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Where Ohio State should put Demario McCall, a former Buckeyes player lands in hot water and more
Landof10.com
We hope you'll start your day with us here at Landof10.com as we work to prepare you for everything that you need to know — Monday through Friday — around the world of Ohio State sports. Whether it's football, basketball, wrestling, hockey, baseball ...


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Three Buckeyes That Could Benefit From Proposed Redshirt Rule - Scout
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Three Buckeyes That Could Benefit From Proposed Redshirt Rule
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While nothing has been decided, a new NCAA rule that could allow redshirts to play in bowl games could benefit certain Buckeyes. News broke May 8 that the American Football Coaches Association is set to propose a rule to the NCAA that would allow ...


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Ohio State baseball prepares for final road trip of the season
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 will be in Iowa to take on a Hawkeyes squad hoping to improve its seeding for the Big Ten tournament.

In many ways, at the opening of the 2017 season Ohio State and Iowa were in similar positions. Both had watched the core talent of their rosters exit their respective programs, either due to graduation or the MLB draft, and both had myriad questions about whether they would be able to reload or be forced to rebuild.

For the Buckeyes, the answer to that question is clear after 49 games. A team that won 44 in 2016, won the Big Ten tournament, and played in its first NCAA tournament regional in nearly a decade simply lost too much, and had too little in reserve, to compete at the same level.

Ohio State brought in 17 new players this season between freshmen and junior college transfers, and transitioning to a higher level of competition has been anything but smooth. There have also been multiple injuries throughout the year, particularly affecting the pitching staff, which was thought to be the club’s strength.

Yet, simple inexperience and injuries cannot explain away the fact that, far too often, the Buckeyes have beaten themselves. Wins over nationally-ranked Oregon State and Michigan and a close call with Texas Tech have shown that head coach Greg Beals has some talent on the field, and that the team can hang with anyone. But noncompetitive at-bats, fielding errors in droves, base-running mistakes/pickoffs/TOOTBLANs, and frequent pitching execution issues seem to bite Ohio State in nearly every game.

“It’s a lot of the same,” Beals told Press Pros Magazine after a defeat last Saturday at the hands of Michigan. “That’s the disappointing part, and we know that. It’s a young ballclub, yes, but still, we have to make better and more adjustments in order to compete. We have to do that to have better success than we’re having presently. You see signs throughout a game, positive things, but when the going gets tough we need to be the ones to find a way to get the hit or the big out when we need it. We’re just not doing that right now.”

This season has been a monumental test for Beals and the coaching staff, with “a lot of the same” rearing its head since opening day. It’s natural to become frustrated, to write the entire season off as a failure. And maybe it is. But there have been pockets of improvement, young players beginning to come into their own, quick flashes of potential that suggest one rough season can serve as a stepping stone back to contention.

Perhaps that’s just blind optimism. In any case, the Buckeyes have six conference games remaining on the schedule, and sitting two games behind the eighth spot in the standings needed to punch their ticket to Bloomington for a chance to defend their conference crown; it goes without saying that they essentially have to win them all. Even then, it may not be enough.

Beals, the coaches, and the players need a positive finish to the season. An Ohio State program that crashed back down to earth in 2017 must finish strong as the offseason approaches. A series win in Iowa City would represent a much-needed beginning to the Buckeyes’ using this season as just one stumble on their way back to relevance.

Iowa Hawkeyes (29-17, 11-7 in Big Ten play)


Whereas Ohio State has struggled mightily this year, Iowa has barely skipped a beat. Head coach Rick Heller has his squad in line for its fourth straight trip to the Big Ten tournament. Hellerball, as the Hawkeyes’ style of play is often referred to, is highlighted by a sound defense, grind-it-out pitching, and an offense that can win games with station-to-station play or the longball.

Iowa scores just under six runs per game, and ranks in the top half of the conference in nearly every important statistical category. This is a balanced attack, with five regulars hitting .295 or better, and one of the premier power hitters in the Big Ten.

That slugger would be junior first baseman Jake Adams, who leads the conference in home runs (16), runs batted in (52), slugging percentage (.672), and ranks tied for third in doubles (14). Much like Drew Lugbauer last weekend in Ann Arbor, the Buckeyes will have to be selective in pitching to Adams, who can turn the outcome of a game with one swing.

Complementing Adams is the trio of redshirt sophomore left fielder and leadoff man Chris Whelan, senior shortstop Mason McCoy, and sophomore right fielder Robert Neustrom. Whelan and McCoy both sport on-base percentages north of .400, meaning they get on ahead of Adams and Neustrom and provide numerous RBI chances. McCoy also has some pop in his bat, tallying 18 extra-base hits, good for third on the team.

Neustrom hits cleanup behind Adams, and has put up impressive numbers of his own. The Sioux City native is slashing .335/.377/.487, leads the Big Ten with 15 doubles, and places second on the Hawkeyes’ roster with 43 RBIs.

Another similarity between Iowa and Ohio State entering the season was the belief that the pitching staff would be a strength, but unforeseen injuries have proven a challenge. Where the Hawkeyes’ story departs from the Buckeyes’, though, is that Heller’s stable of arms has stepped up. Iowa’s staff gives up just 4.5 runs per contest, and has a deep bullpen capable of holding leads.

The weekend rotation is anchored by junior right-hander Nick Gallagher, who is 6-1 with a 2.30 earned run average in 11 starts covering 70.1 innings. Gallagher limits opposing hitters to a .230 batting average, sports a WHIP of just 1.09, and has excellent command, with a 3.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Following Gallagher on Saturday is senior Ryan Erickson, who is also enjoying a successful season. In 12 appearances that include eight starts, the southpaw is 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA, pitching to contact and allowing his defense to make plays behind him.

Rounding out the starters is another lefty in junior Elijah Wood, pressed into the rotation due to the aforementioned injuries. In 12 appearances that include four starts, the JUCO transfer has been hit around a bit, giving up a .313 opposition batting average and 1.52 walks and hits per inning, but has limited damage to the tune of a 2.93 ERA.

Heller has a number of arms to call on in the bullpen to attack the opposition late in games, highlighted by senior Josh Martsching and sophomore Zach Daniels. Martsching has five saves, a 2.12 ERA, and holds opponents to a .202 batting average, while Daniels has gone 7-3 as a reliever and strikes out more than a batter per inning.

This is the last time Ohio State will travel away from Columbus this season unless the team can catch fire and sneak into the Big Ten tournament. Iowa is secure in its conference tourney standing, but will be fighting to improve its seeding. Finishing the season in a winning way will be a tall task for the Buckeyes.

Game times and probable pitching matchups


Friday, May 12th, 7:05 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

Jake Post (1-5, 3.98 ERA) vs. Gallagher (6-1, 2.30)

Saturday, May 13th, 3:05 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

Connor Curlis (3-3, 4.53) vs. Erickson (2-2, 2.70)

Sunday, May 14th, 2:05 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

TBA vs. Wood (0-0, 2.93)

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Eugene Melnyk Speaks: PTS Appearance
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



As his team prepares for game one of the Eastern Conference Final versus the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has been making the rounds through the media again.

Not only was Melnyk featured in another Bruce Garrioch Postmedia article (it seems like these pieces are done every round now), the owner jumped aboard his favourite Toronto radio program to talk to Bob McCown and Damien Cox on the Fan 590’s ‘Prime Time Sports’.

To listen to the full interview, you can scroll to the bottom of this post where there will be an embedded audio player.

As always, my thoughts are in bold.

On why Eugene Melnyk had his phone out taking pictures at MSG during game six…

“I have (photographers), but people lose pictures. These are times that you never ever, ever, ever want to forget. I just made sure that I had a few nice pictures of the moment. I don’t know which game because I take them at every game. I keep every stub, but I’ve been to every single game but one. It’s been just fantastic going around to these arenas.”

It’s not often that you have a chance to clinch a series at Madison Square Gardens, soak it in.

On actually keeping ticket stubs…

“Yes, if we’re in the Stanley Cup playoffs, yeah. We’re making history.”

“We’re making history” might be a better tagline than #AllIn

On where these ticket stubs go…

“I will donate them to a museum no less. I’m actually giving the history museum my Queen’s Plate. They have a big Canada display and they have a whole hockey display. Apparently they’ve got a Northern dancer display and they asked me if I would give them my Queen’s Plate. I have a Queen’s Plate and I have all the trophies from all the Triple Crowns across Canada. So I’m donating them and hopefully people (come to see them) along with my ticket stubs.”

I’m not much of a horse racing fan, but I’m sure there’s got to be some Canadians out there who’d love to check out that exhibit.

On how he would categorize his degree anxiety as games approach and whether he’ll be a mess for game one in Pittsburgh…

“Probably, I bet you I will (be a mess). Yeah, yeah, yeah. The stakes are so high now that every goal and every minute counts. Even that game that we played – the last game – that we had to keep them out of the scorecard for the first 10 minutes. That was the first objective, the basic philosophy was if we could score a goal in the first period and then be either even or up, we win the game. And we got out of there 2-0, so we felt that there’s a little less pressure. You can blow a game in… you’ve seen it. You can blow a game within 90-seconds. It’s gone, three goals. You spend the next two hours sitting there looking at everyone else cheering against you, so yes, you get very nervous about these things.”

Nothing matched the anxiety during the third period of Tuesday’s series-clinching game.

Chris Neil had more total ice time than how long it took for the Senators’ third period two-goal lead to dissipate. Without the insurance marker, it did not stop the Senators from going into prevent mode where they spent most of the period defending within their own end. In the box score, the Senators were outshot 15-5 in the third period, but thanks to one glorious Jean-Gabriel Pageau empty net goal, the Rangers’ fate was sealed and Sens fans were given a few days off to collect themselves.

Heading into the series versus the defending Stanley Cup champions, I don’t feel any anxiety heading into game one.

It probably helps that the Senators are opening on the road for the first time during the playoffs or maybe it’s because they are being portrayed as significant underdogs going into it. Even though the past playoff history between these two teams has no implications on how this series will play out now, the fact that Pittsburgh has won each of the last four and handled the Senators rather easily lends itself towards lowering the expectations for what the Senators can do.

That doesn’t mean that I’m writing the Senators off.

For me, the Penguins don’t seem as daunting and for the first time in over a decade since the Senators disposed of them during their 2006-07 Stanley Cup run, the Penguins seem vulnerable. If a few things break right for Ottawa, there’s the possibility of an upset here.

On whether the Senators’ and Predators’ success now proves that you don’t need to spend to the upper cap limit to have success on the ice…

“Yeah, absolutely it does. I’ve always said it and by the way, we’re no slouch. Even though you say we’re in the bottom-third, there’s like $3-million between us and the (sixth-highest club) or something.”

Melnyk’s right here and I hate fans who belabour the point about this owner’s financial ability to spend to the upper reaches of the salary cap. It’s a colossal waste of energy and as Melnyk reiterated, it’s not like the gap between the haves and the have-nots is big. Compared to other league sports, it’s relatively small and it’s not a situation like baseball where the Tampa Bay Rays have to overcome sizable competitive advantages to knock off financial juggernauts like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox or even the Toronto Blue Jays.

Obviously this doesn’t mean that teams should get complacent and ignore trying to find market inefficiencies to overcome competitive advantages where they can because it’s still important for a smaller market team like the Ottawa Senators to get the most bang for its buck.

On being able to spend more if he wanted…

“Yeah, but you could waste more if you wanted. Some of these teams that are no longer with us, do you know how many millions of dollars they got buried in the minors that you’d never see?”

“Do you know how many millions of dollars in Senators contracts the Maple Leafs buried just to get out from underneath Dion Phaneuf’s deal?”

On Toronto having a history of burying money in the minors…

“I can’t say those things, but you can but it’s true. They did. I just did, but seriously… for us, it almost forces the GMs to really think five times before they spend a nickel because they know they only have so much. If you’ve got all the money in the world, you’re going to blow it out and you really, frankly don’t care because you make so much money. In our case, we don’t have that luxury. We blow it on a few contracts and we can’t recover. In some cases you win and some cases you lose, but if you’ve got too many in the loss column, you’re going to hurt in many years until you do a rebuild, which we did.”

I don’t want to dwell on some long-term problems for the Senators considering everyone is swept up in this playoff fever, but those Bobby Ryan and Dion Phaneuf deals are the kinds of contracts that are going to hinder this team’s ability moving forward to augment the current core and keep moving it forward.

On imagining where this franchise would be without Karlsson…

“Ugh, I’ve lost count with him, I honestly have. You can’t… you know, every time you think he’s in the windshield, he turns out to be a fly somewhere else. He’s just so, he is just so good and it kills me. It doesn’t kill me because you’re seeing what you’re getting, but you’re imagining him healthy. Forget about what you’re seeing on the ice today, I saw him after the game. I went down to the dressing room after we won and I always do on the road. You look at the guy and he could hardly walk. He was almost carried into the shower when he took his skates off. How he loses that or controls that pain, I have no idea but he has two fractures on his heel. And he goes in and they somehow block (the pain) off. It’s the same with all the others. I’ve got seven guys that would never play in a regular season (game) right now ever. They’d be on the sidelines. They are pressing us to play and these are serious. I mean, I saw one of the boys. He had a cut into the right side just under his rib and it was as gross as you could ever see and he’s playing! Every shift you almost can’t tell. When you talk about Karlsson, he’s just beyond the best and many times I’ve tried to compare him, but there’s no comparison on him. That’s all I can tell you.”

Karlsson is beyond the best and the fact that it took this playoff round for so many pundits’ opinions of him to change, it’s embarrassing.

On whether there’s anything from the team’s run in 2007 that he learned and can apply to the team now…

“They have all thought it through and they’re changing a few things up in the way they do things: how they travel; when they travel; what they eat; when they eat…”

On needing to do things different because the team didn’t play well in the Cup Final in 2007…

“In (2007)? No, that Anaheim series was a disaster. I was there and it wasn’t fun at all. I did not appreciate how special that time was because I was kind of a newbie. I’m kind of walking around thinking, ‘Well, if we lost this year, we’ll be back in the next few years.’ Like 10 years later, we’re going wild just being into the third round. But the players, that’s one of the reasons why we’re so balanced, we have the veterans. Been there, done that and have the pressure. You’ve got (Daniel Alfredsson) there and he’s very interactive with the players and he’s there for every game. He’s in the dressing room. We’re just trying our best. We’re very humbled. Everybody is very humbled by this, but they are extremely focused on winning. It’s all about the winning.”

Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning. Please keep winning.

On being only four wins away from possibly getting another crack at beating the Anaheim Ducks…

“I’d rather play the Predators.”

I see you there, bulletin board material.

On really wanting to play the Predators…

“Yeah, I think so. It doesn’t matter who we play. It’s not me playing on the ice, but as a team, you’ve got Mike Fisher over there. It’d be interesting to have (P.K.) Subban in the playoffs and that’s kind of a fun team. Plus, we get home (ice) advantage. We do get home (ice) on them. That’s the only team we get home (ice advantage) on. But, it is what it is.”

A world where one of Erik Karlsson or PK Subban lifts the Cup? I could live with that.

I’m not surprised that Melnyk’s preference for more home gates when he is still hurting financially from the team’s attendance issues during the regular season.

Melnyk admitted in that aforementioned Postmedia article that the playoffs aren’t “the financial windfall it should be because of previous mismanagement, but there’s no question the organization benefits in a whole number of ways.”

http://pmd.fan590.com/audio_on_demand-5/Eugene-Melnyk-on-PTS-PTS-20170511-Interview.mp3



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its embarassing. my son is a junior in HS and he plays baseball both school and high level travel. Almost none of the kids ever talk about OSU in relation to college baseball according to my son. On the other hand he mentions how kids (and himself honestly) all talk about Wright St, Xavier, Kent St etc......its nuts. and most of these kids are all OSU football fans

BM5: Buckeyes or Seminoles for Mitchell? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Buckeyes or Seminoles for Mitchell?
247Sports
That plus more on the Friday edition of the BM5. 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! FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE. The BM5 is available on iTunes and more ...

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Urban Meyer won't be happy about the new early signing period - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Urban Meyer won't be happy about the new early signing period
247Sports
Since taking over as the Buckeyes head coach following the 2011 season, Meyer and his staff have become masters at landing prospects that were once committed elsewhere. Often, this comes late in the recruiting cycle, when the OSU coaches turn their ...


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Ohio State offers 2019 in-state stud OL
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are hunting within their border.

Whether it’s former Buckeye star such Ezekiel Elliott crashing the headlines as the top player in NFL merchandise sales or another fine example of Ohio State football, Urban Meyer and his Ohio State Buckeyes are constantly in the news, and with that being positive news, recruits are paying close attention to just how much Ohio State and their football program can offer. A great asset for the coaching staff, the Buckeyes are at or near the top of the pyramid for everything in college football as of late.

In-state stud grabs OSU offer


With the current state of the Ohio State football program, it’s not always a guarantee that in-state players are going to be Buckeyes when all's said and done. At the level Meyer and his staff are recruiting at nationwide, it can be difficult for many in-state kids to receive the highly coveted Buckeye offer.

Yesterday, that border around the talent-rich Buckeye state got a boost to its 2019 class when Ohio State offered its latest prospect, Nolan Rumler. An Akron, Ohio native, Rumler is currently a sophomore at Archbishop Hoban, a school that produced one time Ohio State commits Todd Sibley and Danny Clark, who are now at Pitt and Kentucky, respectively.


The 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive tackle is already an early four-star in the 2019 class, according to 247sports. With nearly 20 offers already, Rumler will certainly be up for the infamous five-star label when the time comes. Schools such as Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia and Wisconsin are already in the mix for the monster lineman, but there is a bit of a kick to this sweepstakes race.

With the rival Michigan Wolverines being one of the first major programs to offer Rumler, since then, Michigan has been the clear cut favorite in his recruitment. Obviously, a displeasure to Buckeye fans, whether the Wolverines hold the edge right now or not, it’s important to note that signing day 2019 is a little bit more than a while away—and anytime the home state Buckeyes are knocking on the door with Urban Meyer in charge, Ohio State will always be a threat (and a school) to look at seriously.

Blue looks better in Scarlet


Yesterday, it was noted that current standout athlete L’Christian “Blue” Smith of Huber Heights Wayne would be in Columbus to speak with Meyer and visit unofficially. After his visit, however, some news that is very important was released via Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com. In his article, Bill is able to quote both L’Christian and his father, Lorenzo, on what their visit entailed.


One piece to the story that will catch your attention is that the Buckeyes are actually Blue’s current leader with Kentucky being the runner-up. With so many rumors of Ohio State believing that Blue was not a true body type to play receiver at the next level and Kentucky being the clear cut leader for the Wayne Warriors star, those same rumors look to be squashed with all that was discussed between Meyer and Blue himself while on his unofficial visit.


Time will only tell where the nation’s fourth best athlete will end up, but being ranked as Ohio’s third best prospect at any position for the 2018 class, Meyer and Coach Smith have something different to say for the fans who believe the Buckeyes don’t have a true shot. Ohio State looks to be doing all they can to keep this talent at home.

Stay tuned because Blue made it known via his Twitter account that he will in fact be graduating early, taking advantage of the new early signing period signing in December, and enrolling early at the school he chooses. Ohio State would certainly love to be that destination.

Dobbs talks Buckeyes


When it comes to recruiting the state up north, cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, like with everything else, has done an incredible job. To create relationships with the players he has in a rival state is truly something that needs to be noticed. Along with his past success in Michigan, Meyer and Coombs are at it again with a highly touted offensive lineman in the 2019 class.

Offensive tackle Devontae Dobbs, a Belleville, Mich. native, is the 2019 prospect, and he brings with him a 6-foot-4, 270-pound frame to go along with his high four-star ranking. Already considered to be a top 20 prospect at his position and a top five ranked prospect in Michigan for the 2019 class, Dobbs is garnering some serious attention—and rightfully so. As nearly 25 schools have already thrown their hat into the ring vying for his pledge, Dobbs has been thought to be between the two in-state schools of Michigan and Michigan State, but is also seriously considering Ohio State.

Yesterday, in an article with Jeremy Birmingham of landof10.com, Dobbs went into detail with his current thinking and the relationships he has with the schools recruiting him the hardest. To put this one simply: the Buckeyes are right there with everyone. Dobbs has not yet named a clear leader, but the relationship with Coombs is one that has a solid foundation, and that should excite any Buckeye fan who believes Dobbs can be the next great offensive tackle at Ohio State.

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Ohio State comes in with offer for Indiana star Jallow - 247Sports (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State comes in with offer for Indiana star Jallow
247Sports (subscription)
Bloomington (Ind.) North 2018 wing Musa Jallow has received nearly a dozen top scholarship offers, including one from Ohio State in the past week. Steve Helwagen - 7 minutes ago; 0; Tools. Edit; Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Ohio State Buckeyes ...

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Friday’s Big Ten softball quarterfinals are set following four Thursday games
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The first day of the Big Ten Softball Tournament featured four games Thursday, and Friday's quarterfinals are now set. Watch the quarterfinals live on BTN and BTN2Go.

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Kurelic: No. 1 LB talks Buckeyes; more on Mitchell; RB interest - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: No. 1 LB talks Buckeyes; more on Mitchell; RB interest
247Sports
Originally Pappoe was being recruited by then Buckeye linebackers coach Luke Fickell. It is now Bill Davis who coaches the linebackers and is recruiting Pappoe for the Buckeyes. “Coach Davis came (to Grayson) last week,” Pappoe said. “I make sure I ...
Ohio State feeling Blue, more from Devontae Dobbs and Belleville High School, 2019 in-state lineman offeredLandof10.com
How Ohio State will reload after churning out another group of NFL defendersSB Nation
Ohio State's 2015 class shows there are no guarantees in recruitingLand-Grant Holy Land
Eleven Warriors
all 18 news articles »

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Life after football: Buckeyes step outside comfort zone - Mansfield News Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Life after football: Buckeyes step outside comfort zone
Mansfield News Journal
MANSFIELD – It's one Columbus nail salon that won't need to hire security. It's hard to picture former Ohio State defensive linemen Doug Worthington and Thaddeus Gibson embarking on such a business venture, but transitioning from the athletic arena ...


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Ohio State | Women's golf: Buckeyes qualify for NCAA championships - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State | Women's golf: Buckeyes qualify for NCAA championships
The Columbus Dispatch
Katja Pogacar shot a 2-under-par 70 to finish in a tie for fifth and lead Ohio State to a fourth-place finish in the NCAA regional at the Ohio State Scarlet Course on Wednesday. The top three individuals and top six teams advance to the NCAA ...

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Two Buckeyes in Mel Kiper's way-too-early Big Board - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Two Buckeyes in Mel Kiper's way-too-early Big Board
247Sports
"Hubbard isn't a pass-rusher on the same talent level as former Buckeye Joey Bosa, but he's consistently solid and reliable. At 6-5, 265, he stands out on a super-talented Ohio State defense. Hubbard had 3.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss in 2016 after ...

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Former Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan hoping for meeting with hip-hop namesake
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 Wu-Tang Clan member is hoping to make it to a Dolphins game to meet the rookie linebacker.

“I would definitely love to meet him, come to the game, and support him and be the uncle, that he never knew. That’s what it’s about: I’m ‘Uncle Chef’ now.”

Wu-Tang Clan’s Corey “Raekwon” Woods on former Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan via James Walker, ESPN


While his play at Ohio State certainly earned him some notoriety, Raekwon McMillan finally has gotten some attention from the man he was named after. Two weeks ago McMillan was taken in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, and that resulted in the hip-hop artist learning of his namsake. The linebacker was named after Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan, and the hip-hop icon is honored to have such an effect on somebody that it led to them naming their child after him. McMillan isn’t the only Raekwon out there though, as according to the Social Security Administration 1,459 documented children are named Raekwon.

The elder Raekwon says he would love to come down to a Dolphins game and meet the linebacker he was named after, so it seems like only a matter of time before the meeting takes place. Maybe when the two do meet the hip-hop legend can educate McMillan a little bit more on his music. Even though McMillan’s mother is a huge fan, McMillan has said he hasn’t gotten into too much of Raekwon’s music since it was a little before his time, but he likes what he has heard so far.

“Well, we do want to do it. There’s no doubt about it. But you never will do it if the dropoff between number two and three is so big that a tired two is better than a fresh three. We didn’t feel like we had a one, two and three last year, we felt like we had three starters.”

Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano on a possible three-man rotation at cornerback via Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts


Last year, Ohio State had one of the best secondaries in the country thanks to a three-man rotation the Buckeyes used at cornerback. Two of those three cornerbacks, Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore, were just taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. Denzel Ward, last year’s “third starter” returns for another year in Columbus, and now the question being asked is whether Ohio State will again employ a three-man rotation at cornerback.

Although there is still over 100 days until the regular season begins, defensive coordinator Greg Schiano is kicking around the idea of using the same rotation that made Ohio State so successful last season. Not only do the Buckeyes have Ward and fellow cornerback Damon Arnette returning, but junior college transfer Kendall Sheffield and incoming five-star recruit Shaun Wade will also join the fray. As long as the rotation wouldn’t hurt the defense, Schiano would be open to using it again, but he still has a few months to wait before seeing how it plays out during a game.

“Overall, this season has gone pretty well. We struggled the first half of the year, but really picked it up the second half and now have put ourselves in a position to make a playoff run.”

Former Ohio State guard Aaron Craft via Sean Keeler, Land of 10


Before he heads back to the United States to join some of his fellow Buckeyes for The Basketball Tournament, Aaron Craft has some business to take care of over in Italy. Currently the former Ohio State guard is average 10 points and 4.7 assists per game for Aquila Basket Trento in Italy’s Serie A, with two weeks left in the regular season. After a slow start to the season, Trento is hoping a strong finish will earn them a spot in the playoffs.

While Craft was getting things done on the court, a couple weeks ago Jim Harbaugh brought the Michigan football team to Italy. Craft thinks it was a good idea for Harbaugh to bring the team to Italy, with the trip giving Harbaugh an opportunity to help bring his team closer together. The history of Rome also doesn’t hurt to help open up the minds of the student-athletes and get them thinking and discussing more. Even with the great idea to bring the team together with the trip, Craft still prefers Urban Meyer over Harbaugh, but says Harbaugh would be a “solid backup”.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Condado Tacos will be opening a location in Clintonville in the fall.
• Columbus Craft Beer Week starts tomorrow.
• Next time just blow on the cartridge and that’ll fix everything.
• Nicole Kidman was not a fan of Giada De Laurentiis’ focaccia.

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These two Ohio State QBs.....

Ohio State’s 2015 class shows there are no guarantees in recruiting
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This might have been Urban Meyer’s biggest recruiting mistake at Ohio State.

We already knew that Ohio State’s 2013 recruiting class was beyond loaded, but in case you were wondering, the NFL Draft gave even more proof.

Joey Bosa. Eli Apple. Ezekiel Elliott. Vonn Bell. Gareon Conley. Daron Lee. All of those dudes were drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Throw in J.T. Barrett, who will leave Ohio State holding nearly every passing record of consequence, and other dudes who have had strong college careers, like Jalin Marshall, Marcus Baugh, Michael Hill and Billy Price, and you have the nucleus of a squad that would win a national title, make another College Football Playoff, and play at a truly elite level.

That 2013 recruiting class was ranked second in the country, only behind Alabama. And going by the metrics and rankings, Ohio State’s 2017 class could be even better. It includes more five star players, after all the 2013 recruiting class only had one, Vonn Bell. And even though it’s very early, the 2018 recruiting class may end up being in that same conversation.

Recruiting rankings matter, and if any coach deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to player development and recruiting, it’s Urban Meyer. But it’s also worth a reminder that nothing in recruiting is guaranteed, and even Urban Meyer can make mistakes sometimes.

Let’s take a closer look at that 2015 recruiting class.

Last month, Meyer raised a few eyebrows when he called out the group. Via Cleveland.com:


Let’s quickly unpack this.

Based on the metrics, 2015 was actually a good class, just like every Ohio State class under Urban Meyer, although it was ranked lower than stalwart years like 2013, 2016 and 2017. The Buckeyes finished 7th in the 247 Sports Composite, and had a per-player average of .9019, which is still excellent. They signed 15 blue-chip players. You can count the number of fanbases who would not be excited about those metrics on one hand.

But there were obvious misses. For one, the Buckeyes reached on a few players that based on their offer sheets, high school performances and rankings, would not be “takes” for Ohio State in most other years. Ten three-star players were in the class, way more than Ohio State typically takes (last year’s class had two, and one was a kicker). Some of those players have shown signs of contributing, like A.J. Alexander at tight end, Robert Landers at defensive tackle, and Branden Bowen at guard and tackle.

But others, like Grant Schmidt and Joshua Norwood, transferred. Others have struggled with injuries, positional definition, or just plain ol’ have already been recruited over on the depth chart.

The top of the class has struggled to perform as well. Five-star linebacker Justin Hilliard hasn’t been healthy. Jashon Cornell has struggled with injuries too, along with a change to defensive tackle. Eric Glover-Williams changed to the offensive side of the ball, where he faces another crowded depth chart. Torrance Gibson had off the field troubles, changed positions, and transferred. The list goes on.

To be fair, there are plenty of members of this class who have contributed. Mike Weber ran for 1,000 yards last season and could be a breakout star this year. Jerome Baker looked awesome last season. Isaiah Prince struggled at times last year, but should be a mainstay on the line. Dre’Mont Jones was awesome at defensive tackle. And heck, Joe Burrow just might end up as the next starting QB at Ohio State.

But it’s clear there were misses. Perhaps they were most glaring on the offensive line, where Feder, Schmidt and Burrell failed to make a difference. Those misses, along with a few in other classes, robbed the offensive line of needed depth, especially after injuries, which forced a true freshman (Michael Jordan) to start, and for Isaiah Prince to stay out maybe a little longer than needed.

Plus, every player signed means one less scholarship spot is open for a future player. Ohio State’s big 2015 class, including a few players that might be classified as reaches, meant that the Buckeyes had to take fewer players in 2016 or 2017, two excellent years. Maybe the Buckeyes could have taken an extra Ohio kid or two in those years to help keep relationships with local coaches strong. Maybe there could have been another lineman, another defensive tackle, another wideout (Ohio had several strong ones in 2017) that might have helped out.

Of course, it’s 2017, not 2021, and as Urban Meyer said, “they’re allowed to change.” Maybe players get healthy or have breakthroughs, and maybe the conversation around this class looks very different in the future. The immediate returns aren’t totally positive, but there’s plenty of time for that to change.

Hindsight is 20/20, and everybody, from Alabama on down, has recruiting misses. But 2015 is a good case study in how everybody, even Ohio State, is mortal. You can’t predict who might get hurt, who might transfer, who just might not work out. Sometimes those are the lower ranked kids in a class, but sometimes those kids end up being Darron Lee and the blue-chippers get hurt or wash out.

The more blue-chip kids you sign, typically, the better off you’ll be. It’s why everybody tries to sign those players, and why the programs that sign the most, like Ohio State, are in contention for playoff bids and conference titles. But you also need development, and good ol’ fashioned luck.

We’ll see what happens with Ohio State’s next few classes. The metrics are all outstanding. But hey, everybody can make mistakes.

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Buckeyes blank Raiders in sectional - Point Pleasant Register
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes blank Raiders in sectional
Point Pleasant Register
That's because Robson pitched a complete-game two-hit gem, then went one hit shy of the cycle while going a perfect 4-for-4 — as Robson led the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes to a 12-0 blanking of the Raiders in Wednesday's Division III baseball sectional ...

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Post-spring position check: Top Big Ten defensive backfields
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Next up in Tom Dienhart's post-spring position check: The secondary. Which schools are in the best shape in the defensive backfield?

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Buckeyes blank Raiders in sectional - Daily Sentinel
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes blank Raiders in sectional
Daily Sentinel
That's because Robson pitched a complete-game two-hit gem, then went one hit shy of the cycle while going a perfect 4-for-4 — as Robson led the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes to a 12-0 blanking of the Raiders in Wednesday's Division III baseball sectional ...

and more »

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Schiano, Buckeyes set on 3-man rotation at corner? Or no? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Schiano, Buckeyes set on 3-man rotation at corner? Or no?
247Sports
Everyone that follows Ohio State football, present company included, seems to think that the Buckeyes will once again use a three-man rotation at cornerback this season. In 2016, Gareon Conley, Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward made up the rotation and ...

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