Ohio State-Penn State 2017 final score: Buckeyes sweep ... - Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State-Penn State 2017 final score: Buckeyes sweep ...
Land-Grant Holy Land
It was a good day for Ohio State baseball on Sunday against Penn State. After coming from behind to capture a 5-2 victory in game one of the day's ...
Baseball: Buckeyes improve in Big Ten play with series win over Penn StateOSU - The Lantern
Running back success gives Ohio State a recruiting advantage247Sports
The Opening Regional: Ohio State news, notes and observations from Nike's premier recruiting combineLandof10.com
The Daily Collegian Online -PennLive.com -Eleven Warriors
all 32 news articles »

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Watch top Buckeye targets at The Opening Regional - 247Sports
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Watch top Buckeye targets at The Opening Regional
247Sports
A star-studded array of talent was on hand with a number of top Ohio State targets and many others the Buckeyes have offered a scholarship. The group on hand included 5-star offensive lineman Jackson Carman, Buckeye slot commitment Jaelen Gill, and ...

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Running back success gives Ohio State a recruiting advantage - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Running back success gives Ohio State a recruiting advantage
247Sports
One position, among several, where the Buckeyes have had success is at running back. "This is The Ohio State and we've got great history here and great tradition here," running backs coach Tony Alford recently said. While older Buckeye fans remember ...
5-star OL Jackson Carman talks Ohio State, Clemson and moreLandof10.com
Jackson Carman, a five-star OT and top Ohio State target, explains naming Clemson his leadercleveland.com
No. 4-ranked Jackson Carman puts Clemson on topESPN (blog)
Scout -Eleven Warriors
all 15 news articles »

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Future (and potential) Ohio State Buckeyes shine at The Opening regional in Cleveland - Land-Grant Holy Land
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Future (and potential) Ohio State Buckeyes shine at The Opening regional in Cleveland
Land-Grant Holy Land
A long list of prospects flocked to Cleveland on Sunday to strut their stuff for a chance to be selected to participate in The Opening, a top tier camp help on the grounds of the Nike headquarters in Oregon each year. When you have dozens of prospects ...
Baseball: Buckeyes improve in Big Ten play with series win over Penn StateOSU - The Lantern
The Opening Regional: Ohio State news, notes and observations from Nike's premier recruiting combineLandof10.com
Buckeyes, potential Buckeyes clean up at The Opening Regional247Sports
The Daily Collegian Online -PennLive.com -Onward State
all 25 news articles »

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Future (and potential) Ohio State Buckeyes shine at The Opening regional in Cleveland
Charles Doss 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 represented once again in Oregon this summer.

A long list of prospects flocked to Cleveland on Sunday to strut their stuff for a chance to be selected to participate in The Opening, a top tier camp help on the grounds of the Nike headquarters in Oregon each year.

When you have dozens of prospects get together, of course a few Ohio State recruits stood out amongst the competition.

Already earning his invite during the summer, Westerville South product and 2018 Ohio State pledge Jaelen Gill reassured his bid for the camp.

Gill didn’t just show he’s bounced back from his fractured fibula, he also tried to track down recruits to join him in the Buckeyes recruiting class.

Two of the prospects Gill had his eye on were also picked to fly out west this summer. Five-star Fairfield (OH) offensive lineman Jackson Carman and four-star defensive end Tyreke Smith of Cleveland Heights will join Jaelen in Oregon.


Carman, who was once thought as a near lock to verbally commit to OSU, now has Clemson out in front for his services. One of the top overall recruits on Ohio State’s board, Urban Meyer and crew will surely have more than enough chances to sway that back in favor of the Buckeyes in the near future.

A high school teammate of soon-to-be Buckeye freshman wide out Jaylen Harris, Tyreke Smith, like Carmen did, has many around the scene believing he’ll end up in the Scarlet and Gray when it’s all said and done.

With no plans to shut down his recruiting process anytime soon, Smith, who holds over 30 scholarship offers from programs around the country, will have a hard choice ahead of him: stay close to home or head out of state to chase his NFL dreams.

After taking next weekend off The Opening’s regional camps will be back at it in Washington, DC on April 23. Will any of Ohio State targets get selected for the camp? We’ll have to wait and see.

Top prospects visit OSU


Just like every weekend this spring, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State football coaching staff had numerous recruits on campus to get more familiar with the Buckeyes as a whole.

Although the Buckeyes didn’t land a commitment, Ohio State did give the recruits on hand a chance to see what it would be like to suit up for the coaching staff.

Hoping the visit helps them land a pledge down the line, below are some of the recruits who were on hand at Ohio State over the weekend:

5-star LB Teradja Mitchell


Class: 2018

Town: Virginia Beach,Va/Bishop Sullivan Catholic

Size: 6’2/232

Offers: Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, Clemson, LSU, etc

4-star CB Jairus Brents


Class: 2018

Town: Louisville,KY/Waggener Traditional

Size: 5’10/178

Offers: Alabama, Boston College, Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, etc

3-star WR Rondale Moore


Class: 2018

Town: Louisville,KY/Trinity

Size: 5’8/174

Offers: Ohio State, Alabama, Boston College, Cincinnati, Georgia, etc

4-star DE Stephen Herron Jr.


Class: 2019

Town: Louisville,KY/Trinity

Size: 6’3/235

Offers: Ohio State, Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, etc

4-star RB Noah Cain


Class: 2019

Town: Denton,TX/IMG Academy (FL)

Size: 5’11/207

Offers: Ohio State, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc

Quick Hits

• After a recent OSU visit, standout 2018 offensive lineman Max Wray is down to four programs. "Tennessee, Alabama, LSU and Ohio State. Those are the four schools that I'm zeroed in on," Wray told Barton Simmons of 247Sports. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Tennessee native will take a few weeks with family and plans to verbally commit to a college program next month.
• Four-star 2018 linebacker Payton Wilson announced his top four college programs on Sunday night. Ohio State, Clemson, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech are now fighting to land the 6’4 220-pounder from Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina.
• Releasing his current leaders via his Twitter page on Sunday was three-star defensive back Jaycee Horn. The son of former NFL star wide out Joe Horn, Jaycee, a soon-to-be senior at Alpharetta High (GA), is now considering taking his talents to either Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Wake Forest, South Carolina, Ole Miss or Ohio State.

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Skull Session: Fastest Buckeyes by Position Group, More Johnnie Dixon Hype, and Examining Sam Hubbard at ... - Eleven Warriors
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Skull Session: Fastest Buckeyes by Position Group, More Johnnie Dixon Hype, and Examining Sam Hubbard at ...
Eleven Warriors
Teams will have to be productive on first and second down to beat the Buckeyes. They're not going to want any part of these packages on 3rd and 7 while trailing by 10 points early in the fourth quarter. KEVIN WILSON: VISIONARY. When Kevin Wilson makes ...

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Watch: Burrow or Haskins? Who ya' got? - 247Sports
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Watch: Burrow or Haskins? Who ya' got?
247Sports
... Pepsi Sports Saturday. He was part of a panel discussing the OSU quarterback spot, offensive line and defensive line. Steve Helwagen - 6 hours ago; 12; Tools. Edit · Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Ohio State Buckeyes Newsletter; Slot to Ohio State ...


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Buckeyes, potential Buckeyes clean up at The Opening Regional - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes, potential Buckeyes clean up at The Opening Regional
247Sports
Led by Ohio State commitment Jaelen Gill, Buckeyes and potential Buckeyes cleaned up at The Opening Regional in Cleveland on Sunday.
5-star OL Jackson Carman: 'If Ohio State wasn't in Ohio, I'd already be committed there'Landof10.com
Jackson Carman, a five-star OT and top Ohio State target, explains naming Clemson his leadercleveland.com
No. 4-ranked Jackson Carman puts Clemson on topESPN (blog)
Eleven Warriors
all 14 news articles »

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5-star OL Jackson Carman: 'If Ohio State wasn't in Ohio, I'd already be committed there' - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


5-star OL Jackson Carman: 'If Ohio State wasn't in Ohio, I'd already be committed there'
Landof10.com
Though he didn't elaborate on the other schools he's considering, it's easy to believe that maybe, right now, it's a two-team race between the Buckeyes and the Tigers. Living in the Cincinnati suburb of Fairfield, Carman is extremely familiar with Ohio ...
Is Ohio State really No. 2 for 5-star Jackson Carman?247Sports
Jackson Carman, a five-star OT and top Ohio State target, explains naming Clemson his leadercleveland.com
No. 4-ranked Jackson Carman puts Clemson on topESPN (blog)
Eleven Warriors
all 14 news articles »

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Helwagen Chat Monday 9 p.m. (Post Questions Here) - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Helwagen Chat Monday 9 p.m. (Post Questions Here)
247Sports
The Buckeyes continue their relentless recruiting work when it comes to prospects in Georgia. On Sunday evening one of the top DB's in the state, Jaycee Horn from Alpharetta (Ga.) tweeted his Top 7 of Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, South ...

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Buckeye LB target Payton Wilson names Top 4 - 247Sports
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Buckeye LB target Payton Wilson names Top 4
247Sports
Hillsborough (N.C.) Orange outside linebacker Payton Wilson told Bucknuts after his recent Ohio State visit he would soon come out with his Top 4 and Ohio State would be on his list. On Sunday evening Wilson tweeted his Top 4 of Ohio State, North ...
NFL draft profile: Can Ohio State's Dontre Wilson make leap to next level?Landof10.com
Payton Wilson, a four-star LB who just visited Ohio State, includes Buckeyes in final cutcleveland.com

all 4 news articles »

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Buckeyes vs the South for Georgia DB - 247Sports
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Buckeyes vs the South for Georgia DB
247Sports
The Buckeyes continue their relentless recruiting work when it comes to prospects in Georgia. On Sunday evening one of the top DB's in the state, Jaycee Horn from Alpharetta (Ga.) tweeted his Top 7 of Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, South ...


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Ohio State lacrosse redeems itself with a 13-9 win over Johns Hopkins
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes earn their first conference win of the year against the traditional lacrosse power.

The ninth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes men’s lacrosse team earned its first conference win of the season with a gritty, 13-9 victory over the No. 11 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays in Columbus. It was just the second win all-time for Ohio State over the Blue Jays, and helped to redeem the Buckeyes, who headed into the matchup having lost their last two games versus No. 1 Penn State and No. 4 Notre Dame.

Junior attackman Colin Chell opened up scoring with a goal 1:06 into the opening quarter to give the Buckeyes an early edge. The Blue Jays, however, would score the next two to gain their first lead of the game. Ohio State tied things back up on a goal by senior specialist Jake Withers--his first goal of the season. But Johns Hopkins added two more goals to open up their lead late in the first. Senior midfielder Johnny Pearson, however, scored his first goal of the game, assisted by freshman attackman Lukas Buckley, to keep things close, and though the Blue Jays added another goal at the end of the quarter, Ohio State was down just two goals heading into the second quarter.

Ohio State came out in dominant fashion in the second, scoring the three goals of the quarter in quick succession. Sophomore attackman Jack Jasinski started the Buckeyes off, finding the back of the net with 12:10 remaining in the half. Senior attackman Austin Shanks and Pearson then scored within 10 seconds of one another on a man-up opportunity to earn a one-point lead early in the quarter. The Blue Jays, however, held the Buckeyes scoreless for the remainder of the half, adding two goals late in the quarter to take a narrow, 7-6 lead into the break.

The Buckeyes would not go down so easily, though. Senior attackman Eric Fannell scored with 13:08 remaining in the quarter, ending a 13-minute scoring drought and tying things back up. Buckley scored his first goal of the game to give Ohio State the lead, and quickly added his second with four seconds remaining in the quarter to give the Buckeyes a 9-7 advantage heading into the final quarter.

Freshman midfielder Tre Leclaire opened up the quarter with his first goal of the game with 13:21 left in the quarter. Johns Hopkins scored shortly thereafter, though Ohio State had held Johns Hopkins scoreless for nearly 20 minutes of play. Jasinski then completed his hat trick, scoring his second and third goal early in the quarter to put the Buckeyes up four. Though the Blue Jays would add one more score, Jasinski would find the back of the net for a fourth time on the night to give Ohio State their final goal of the game.

Jasinski, who did not start the game, led the Buckeyes with four goals and three assists. Buckley and Pearson added two goals a piece, with eight players scoring for Ohio State in total.

Withers, who is sixth in the nation in faceoff win percentage, continued his hot streak against the Blue Jays, winning 19-of-26 faceoff attempts. He also led the Buckeyes in groundballs with 10 on the night. Ohio State had an overall 28-18 advantage in groundballs.

Senior goalie Tom Carey, who has allowed an average of just 6.77 goals per game on the season (third in the NCAA), had seven saves on 16 shots on goal. Overall, Ohio State outshot Johns Hopkins 37-30.

With the exception of the first quarter, Ohio State boasted a strong defensive performance on the night, including holding the Blue Jays scoreless for the duration of the third quarter. The Buckeyes are one of the top scoring defenses in the nation on the season, allowing just 7.36 goals per game--good for fourth in the NCAA.

However, the Buckeyes won in spite of committing 16 turnovers to Johns Hopkins’ eight. The Blue Jays lead the NCAA in the category, averaging just over 10 turnovers per game, while Ohio State commits 12.55 per outing.

Next up, Johns Hopkins heads back to Baltimore to face Penn State, while the Buckeyes head to Ann Arbor to play Michigan.

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The Bucket gets defensive - 247Sports
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The Bucket gets defensive
247Sports
... The Bucket? Not a VIP? Become a VIP right now and get your first two months free with our SPECIAL, LIMITED TIME offer! 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!
NFL draft profile: Can Ohio State's Dontre Wilson make leap to next level?Landof10.com
Payton Wilson, a four-star LB who just visited Ohio State, includes Buckeyes in final cutcleveland.com

all 4 news articles »

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Is Ohio State really No. 2 for 5-star Jackson Carman? - 247Sports
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Is Ohio State really No. 2 for 5-star Jackson Carman?
247Sports
The day Jackson Carman earned an invite to The Opening he talks about Ohio State and if the Buckeyes are really No. 2 and Clemson No. 1. Bill Kurelic - 45 minutes ago; VIP; 8; Tools. Edit · Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Ohio State Buckeyes Newsletter ...
5-star OL Jackson Carman: 'If Ohio State wasn't in Ohio, I'd already be committed there'Landof10.com
Jackson Carman, a five-star OT and top Ohio State target, explains naming Clemson his leadercleveland.com
No. 4-ranked Jackson Carman puts Clemson on topESPN (blog)
Eleven Warriors
all 15 news articles »

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The Opening Regional: Ohio State news, notes and observations from Nike's premier recruiting combine - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The Opening Regional: Ohio State news, notes and observations from Nike's premier recruiting combine
Landof10.com
Ohio State is going to have to recruit Carman hard through signing day — or through January, as he told me he plans to enroll early at whichever school he chooses. Buckle up for a fun, bumpy ride, but I expect him to still end up with the Buckeyes ...

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Ohio State-Penn State 2017 final score: Buckeyes sweep doubleheader, win series
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


An offensive explosion gave the Buckeyes an 11-2 win over the Nittany Lions

It was a good day for Ohio State baseball on Sunday against Penn State. After coming from behind to capture a 5-2 victory in game one of the day’s doubleheader, the Buckeyes kept the offensive juice going in game two, notching an 11-2 win.

The sweep of the double dip gave the club a much-needed first series win in Big Ten play, bringing its conference record to 3-6.

Four members of the Ohio State lineup had multi-hit games, highlighted by Noah McGowan, Brady Cherry, and Dominic Canzone, all of whom drove in multiple runs as part of the winning effort. The Buckeyes also stole four bases and benefited from four Nittany Lions’ errors.

Reece Calvert, who has had more than his fair share of struggles in his first season in scarlet and gray, took the ball to start the game, and gave up the lead almost right out of the box. A hanging breaking ball to the second batter of the game for Penn State, Conlin Hughes, was deposited over the left field wall for a solo home run.

The Lions’ starter, freshman Myles Gayman, had his issues as well, though, and Ohio State took the lead in the top of the second. The Buckeyes did so by scoring a pair of runs without officially recording a hit. A pair of walks put two runners on base with two outs for Bo Coolen, who scorched a ball to first base. Ryan Sloniger couldn’t make the play, though in his defense, it’s tough to catch what you can barely see. The ball ended up in the right field corner and both runners came around to score.

Penn State tied things up in the bottom of the frame after Calvert yielded a single and a double to put two runners in scoring position. Alex Malinsky grounded out to third to bring the run home.

Ohio State used more free baserunners in the fourth to reclaim the lead. Coolen walked and Jalen Washington was hit by a pitch for the 13th time on the season. Cherry stepped in with two outs and ripped a single up the middle to bring Coolen around.

After a McGowan walk loaded the bases, Canzone went the other way on an outside fastball to drive in Washington and Cherry. The hit extended the freshman’s hitting streak to nine games and put the Buckeyes on top 5-2.

Meanwhile, Calvert settled down and put zeroes on the board in the third and fourth. The big junior right-hander gave up just the two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out four, in his four innings of work. He gave way to sophomore Ryan Feltner after giving Ohio State exactly what was required.

The Buckeyes tacked on another trio of runs in the sixth against reliever Cole Bartels, with Cherry once again coming through. Tre’ Gantt worked a one-out walk and came all the way around when the sophomore third baseman sent a double into the left field corner. Cherry would score himself on a McGowan single, pushing the advantage out to 7-2.

Canzone collected his second opposite field hit of the game, advancing McGowan to third, and a Bartels wild pitch, allowed him to come plateward for a six-run lead.

Nittany Lions’ reliever Tom Mullin didn’t fare much better in the eighth. Gantt led things off with a single, stole second, and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Logan Goodnight. McGowan then launched a ball to left field that nearly exited the yard but hit off the top of the wall, allowing Cherry to score once more.

One last run came in for the team from Columbus in the top of the ninth, as a pair of walks and a bloop single loaded the bases against Penn State’s Blake Hodgens. Cherry hit a grounder to third which scored Coolen, making it an 11-2 ballgame.

Feltner followed Calvert’s lead on the bump, giving Ohio State three innings of shutout work. He didn’t allow a hit, walking two and striking out a pair. Freshman Jake Vance then kept it going with a scoreless pair of innings of his own, striking out four, to close things out.

Up next for Ohio State is a pair of midweek games in Columbus. The Buckeyes will take on Cincinnati on Tuesday and Eastern Michigan on Wednesday before hitting the road once more to face Michigan State in a three-game series beginning on Friday.

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Ten former Big Ten players to watch in the NBA playoffs
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network

College basketball season is in the books, but the NBA playoffs are right around the corner. Here are ten former Big Ten players to watch in the Association's second season.

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Ohio State-Penn State 2017 final score: Ninth inning comeback puts Buckeyes on top - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State-Penn State 2017 final score: Ninth inning comeback puts Buckeyes on top
Land-Grant Holy Land
True to form as he's been for much of the season, redshirt senior righty Jake Post gave the Buckeyes a start on the mound that kept them in position to win the ballgame. Post went five innings, allowing two runs on six hits while walking four and ...

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Ohio State-Penn State 2017 final score: Ninth inning comeback puts Buckeyes on top
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 scored four times in the final frame to beat the Nittany Lions, 5-2.

In a drastic role reversal, the Ohio State baseball team found itself on the right side of a late comeback on Saturday afternoon, using a four-run ninth inning to claim a 5-2 victory over Penn State on the road in State College.

Bo Coolen hit a game-tying home run and Brady Cherry delivered a go-ahead two-run triple to spark the rally against Nittany Lions’ reliever Eric Mock.

The comeback spoiled what had been an excellent performance by Penn State starter Justin Hagenman. The Nittany Lions’ sophomore right-hander finished with a line of one run while scattering ten hits in eight innings, walking two and striking out seven.

The Buckeyes may never have been in a position to win were it not for their own hurlers grinding things out.

True to form as he’s been for much of the season, redshirt senior righty Jake Post gave the Buckeyes a start on the mound that kept them in position to win the ballgame. Post went five innings, allowing two runs on six hits while walking four and striking out five.

Following Post, redshirt senior lefty Joe Stoll and redshirt junior righty Kyle Michalik gave Ohio State three quality innings of relief, keeping the squad within striking distance. That would pay off in the top of the ninth, when Hagenman finally exited the game.

Closer Seth Kinker worked a scoreless ninth to secure his fourth save of the season.

Whereas Ohio State couldn’t come up with hits with runners in scoring position in Saturday’s loss, going 0-for-6 in those situations, the team broke through early against Hagenman. A double down the left field line by Jacob Barnwell and a single by Zach Ratcliff, both with two down in the top of the second, staked the Buckeyes to a 1-0 lead.

The lead would be short-lived, though, as Penn State got to Post in the the bottom of the third. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out, and a wild pitch tied the game. A sacrifice fly Braxton Giavedoni then plated Nick Riotto with the go-ahead run.

Things could have been much worse, with Post losing his command and walking two more batters to reload the bases. But a fly ball to the left-center gap off the bat of Alex Malinsky was run down by Tre Gantt to end the threat.

Ohio State narrowly avoided more trouble in the bottom of the fifth thanks to solid defense. Post issued a two-out walk to Christian Helsel and gave up a shot off the wall in right field to Ryan Sloniger. As Sloniger rounded first, Dominic Canzone barehanded the ricochet and fired a strike to second, nailing the runner and ending the inning before any damage could be done.

The Buckeyes threatened Hagenman several times throughout the middle innings, but came away empty. They had a runner on third base in the fourth, two runners in scoring position in the fifth, the bases loaded in the seventh, and another runner on second in the eighth, but couldn’t get the clutch hit they needed.

That would change with Coolen and Cherry’s shots in the ninth, topped off by a Noah McGowan sacrifice fly, as the Buckeyes reeled off the four runs to grab the lead and never looked back.

Game two of Sunday’s doubleheader is slated to start at 3:00 p.m. ET. Live streaming of the action will be available on BTN2Go.

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Sam Hubbard at outside linebacker for Ohio State is a scary thought for the Big Ten
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


OSU’s abundance of talent at defensive end has led to some intriguing ideas in spring practice.

It’s not a stretch to call Ohio State’s defensive ends the best unit on the team. The group is led by reigning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year Tyquan Lewis, but don’t forget the 6’5, 270 pound Jalyn Holmes, Nick freaking Bosa, and of course, Sam Hubbard.

It was surprising to see Lewis return for his senior season, but it was really surprising to see Hubbard not declare for the NFL Draft. He was regularly mentioned in the high end of mock drafts and he has the size/speed combination that would surely blow away scouts at the combine. But here we are and the Buckeyes now have four defensive ends who could feasibly star at any school in the country.

In addition to the four ends, Urban Meyer recently dubbed defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones as a "premier" defensive lineman. Ohio State has used their “Rushmen” package in recent seasons to get their four-best pass rushers on the field at the same time, but now the coaches are exploring options to get all five of their best defensive lineman on the field at the same time.

This is where Hubbard’s freakish athleticism comes in. He’s taken reps as a standup outside linebacker in spring practice, and while he’ll still likely have his hand in the ground on the majority of his snaps, this new wrinkle in the Buckeyes defense could open up a world of pain for opponents around the country

Let’s take a look at why Ohio State feels confident using Hubbard as an outside linebacker and what we might expect from him in this package.

The ability to play in space


Hubbard’s experience in lacrosse and as a high school safety have helped him thrive in the open field. Most defensive ends don’t have the athleticism to hang with elite athletes one-on-one. Sam Hubbard isn’t most defensive ends.


As a stand up linebacker, Hubbard will be asked to keep contain just like he does as a defensive end. He’s proven to be more than capable of handling playmakers in space thanks to his closing speed and ability to not get deterred by blocks from tight ends and running backs.

In addition to needing to keep contain on run plays, outside linebackers will be asked to drop back in coverage when they aren’t rushing the passer. We don’t have a ton of film on Hubbard doing this, but Ohio State won’t ask him to cover a wheel route or anything too extraordinary. Instead, they’ll look to drop Hubbard in coverage in an attempt to confuse blocking schemes and take away any short passes. It’s what the defense regularly deployed with Joey Bosa during his junior season:


Why would Ohio State ask one of the best pass rushers in the country to drop back in coverage? Because it opens up the entire field for his teammates. In the above clip, Western Michigan slid their projection towards Bosa at the top of the screen, so they were left without enough offensive linemen to account for the blitz on the other side after Bosa dropped into coverage. Good scouting by the coaches resulted in Bosa dropping back directly into the quarterbacks “hot” read and the play was doomed from the start.

Hubbard might not demand the same level of attention on the line that Bosa did, but he’s more athletic and should be more than capable at handling some short-zone responsibilities. Of course, the real upside to using Hubbard as an outside linebacker is the chance for him to feast on one-on-one matchups when the Buckeyes decide to deplore their five-man defensive line.

What a five-man defensive line might look like


Ohio State utilized a five-man rush during their national championship win over Oregon:



The Buckeyes had Bosa line up in a “zero” technique directly over the center with Adolphus Washington and Steve Miller flanking him as three techniques. Darron Lee and Curtis Grant lined up as outside linebackers to rush the quarterback. Joshua Perry sat in the middle of the defense to watch for a pass to the running back or quarterback run. This formation in it of itself is troubling enough for opposing offenses, but the really scary part was watching the Buckeyes come up creative stunts to free up rushers:


Both Lee and Grant come inside on twists while Miller and Washington generate outside pressure. Obviously this formation was created with a different group of personnel, but we could see something similar this season with the following changes:

• Zero technique = Joey Bosa = Dre’Mont Jones
• Three techniques = Adolphus Washington and Steve Miller = Nick Bosa and Jalyn Holmes
• Outside linebackers = Curtis Grant and Darron Lee = Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard
• MIddle linebacker = Joshua Perry = Jerome Baker

Obviously the new-look version of this five-man front wouldn’t have quite as much speed without a player of Lee’s caliber on the field, but it would also unleash five potent pass rushers, all of whom have proven to be more than capable of defeating single blocks. Jones, Bosa and Holmes have all had experience playing in the interior of the defensive line. Lewis and Hubbard would have a new position at outside linebacker, but their responsibilities wouldn’t be any different than if they were playing defensive end. Baker got plenty of experience spying quarterbacks last season and he can also provide help on the blitz when necessary.


Around NFL Draft season, we often hear about how a certain prospect could thrive if they find the right “system”. The reality of football is that no single system will continuously optimize the potential from a new roster. The very best coaches will adjust their system in order to get their best players on the field and put them in a position to exceed.

Ohio State has an embarrassment of riches at defensive line this season. Instead of simply picking the best four players and being done with the discussion, they’re approaching this “problem” as a blessing and already looking for ways to get all of their best players on the field at once. We’ll see what comes from a package that features five defensive lineman on the field at once, but the fact that it’s even being discussed is a great sign for the future of Ohio State’s defense.

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Ohio State football: 3 specialists to watch for in the Buckeyes spring game - cleveland.com
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Ohio State football: 3 specialists to watch for in the Buckeyes spring game
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State is having its annual spring game in Ohio Stadium on Saturday and we're previewing each position in videos detailing which three players from those positions you should be watching out for. Special teams is an interesting ...
Examining Ohio State weekend visitors list, 2019 DL Steven Faucheux getting to know BuckeyesLandof10.com
A new Sam (Hubbard) linebacker for the Buckeyes247Sports
Ohio State football: Urban Meyer likes Buckeyes' progress at several positionsThe Columbus Dispatch
Land-Grant Holy Land -isportsweb.com (blog) -Eleven Warriors
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In The Dean's Office - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


In The Dean's Office
247Sports
Final · All NBA Scores · How did the QBs look at OSU's scrimmage? Buckeyes take major step toward landing country's No. 4 O-tackle · Watch: Going inside Ohio State's circle drill · Ohio State Buckeyes Nike Hyper Elite Full-Zip Hoodie · Got speed? Ohio ...

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WATCH: Ohio State DE Jalyn Holmes faces female student in the Buckeyes' circle drill - Landof10.com
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WATCH: Ohio State DE Jalyn Holmes faces female student in the Buckeyes' circle drill
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Saturday marked Ohio State's annual Student Appreciation Day, in which students are invited to attend a Buckeyes spring practice practice session. One Ohio State student, however, got a closer look at the Buckeyes than most on ...
Ohio State football: How 'misses' in offensive line recruiting are impacting the Buckeyescleveland.com
A new Sam (Hubbard) linebacker for the Buckeyes247Sports
Ohio State football: Urban Meyer likes Buckeyes' progress at several positionsThe Columbus Dispatch
Land-Grant Holy Land -isportsweb.com (blog) -Eleven Warriors
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High-scoring graduate transfer has Buckeyes at top of list - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


High-scoring graduate transfer has Buckeyes at top of list
247Sports
Point guard James Daniel of Howard has decided to pursue his final year of college eligibility at a different institution, and tells Bucknuts that Ohio State is one of his top four choices, along with Michigan, DePaul, and Tennessee. The 6-foot-, 175 ...


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