4 Ohio state rookies face off, Nick Vannett makes first NFL catch in Week 8
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Lots of former Ohio State players on bye this week, but those that weren’t didn’t stay quiet.

The regular season is now halfway over, and former Ohio State players are still making a huge impact. Four former teammates, and current rookies, faced off against each other in Week 8, and formerly-dependable kicker Mike Nugent met a nightmare ending to his trip overseas. Several Buckeyes are starting to eye post season honors, including several for rookie awards and a few for overall.

Rookie battle


Four Ohio State rookies — and one veteran — faced off in Week 8 when the New Orleans Saints (Vonn Bell, Michael Thomas, James Laurinaitis) hosted the Seattle Seahawks (Nick Vannett, Tyvis Powell). The Saints ended the day with a 25-20 win, but the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball saw decent playing time.

Starting wideout for the Saints, Michael Thomas finished the matchup with six receptions for 63 yards. Teammate Vonn Bell recorded three more tackles Sunday, totaling 29 so far this season. Veteran James Laurinaitis might not see as much playing time, but he’s still one of the best hype-men in the League -- leading fans in the ‘Who Dat’ chant in the pregame.

Earlier in the week, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Buckeye Tyvis Powell would see more snaps — especially on special teams -- with teammate Deandre Elliott nursing an injury. Tight end Nick Vannett also saw an increase in snaps for the Seahawks. The Buckeye missed several of the early games this season, but now that he’s back to full health is slowly earning more playing time. He made his first career reception against the Saints for seven yards.

London kicking


The Cincinnati Bengals (Mike Nugent) played their first game in London against NFC East contender Washington and came away with ... a tie. Not only was it the first international game to go to overtime, but also the first one to end in a tie. The odd ending was largely due to the curse that seemingly fell on the kickers for both teams.

Former Buckeye “Mr. Reliable”, Nugent missed a field goal and point after attempt on Sunday. He wasn’t alone though, Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins missed two of his four field goal tries. It was not a great day for kickers around the League.

‘Sunday Night Football’


Several Buckeyes faced off in primetime in Week 8 for an NFC East rivalry beat down when the Dallas Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott, Rod Smith) hosted the Philadelphia Eagles (Malcolm Jenkins).

The Eagles have one of the best — and most expensive -- defensive lines in the League, and it slowed Zeke’s usual production. The running back was limited to only eight carries in the first half, but did register one of his quickly-becoming-trademark leaps over the defender.


Zeke finished the evening with 22 carries for 96 yards as well as four catches for 52 yards. While he didn't have a score on the night, he was huge down the stretch, including on the game-winning drive in overtime.

Looks familiar


Rookie Jalin Marshall was taken off kick returns for the Jets Sunday, in their late-game win against the Browns. His first few attempts would cause terrible flashbacks for Buckeyes fans. After making a few questionable calls with his returns, the team sidelined him — he also didn’t see any snaps on offense in Week 8.

Plays of the Week


Bradley Roby

In his third year in the League, the Buckeye is still putting on performances on defense. Against the Chargers, Roby had one of his best games of the year, recording six total tackles, two passes defended and this beautiful 49-yard Pick-6:


Terrelle Pryor

The Browns are now 0-7, but their one offensive bright spot is their newly converted receiver. Pryor had his second 100-plus yard day of the season on six receptions — he still has room to improve though, snagging less than half of his 13 targets. There was this beautiful 35-yard dive though:

Other notes

• Two Buckeyes should see playing time on ‘Monday Night Football’ when the Chicago Bears (Mike Adams) take on the Minnesota Vikings (Alex Boone).
• Jets teammates Darron Lee and Nick Mangold both missed Sunday’s game due to ankle injuries that had the pair in walking boots during the week. Jack Mewhort (Colts) also was out in Week 8 with an injury. Cardale Jones (Bills) was inactive (non-injury) Sunday.
• Lots of teams on bye this week, including: Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams (Jake McQuaide), Miami Dolphins, NY Giants (Eli Apple, Johnathan Hankins), Pittsburgh Steelers (Cam Heyward, Ryan Shazier), and San Francisco 49ers (Carlos Hyde).

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5-star standout has Ohio State among leaders
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Another five-star prospect is considering suiting up for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.

Urban Meyer and the Ohio State coaching staff already have their fair-share of offensive talent verbally committed to play their college ball in Columbus and could soon be adding another playmaker to the fold.

Just a couple weeks removed from visiting Ohio State for an official visit, class of 2017 five-star wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones announced via his Twitter page that he’s now down to five final programs. Earning full ride scholarship offers from programs across the country, Ohio State, Florida State, Florida, Michigan State and Michigan are the schools that will fight it out for his pledge.


A U.S. Army All-American, Donovan is currently considered the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 12 overall recruit in the class of 2017, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Landing Damon Webb, Mike Weber and others from Detroit Cass Tech recently, the Buckeyes have built a solid pipeline in the state up north. With Michigan thought as the longtime leader for Donovan Peoples-Jones, can Ohio State snatch another talented prospect away from the Wolverines? Stay with Land-Grant Holy Land for the latest.

Recruits talk OSU visit


While Ohio State class of 2017 verbal pledges Wyatt Davis, Haskell Garrett and Palaie Gaoteote headlined the list of prospects who were on campus for the Buckeyes matchup with Northwestern on Saturday afternoon, many other high school prospects made it to Columbus to take in the win.

Wanting to bring you closer to the action, Land-Grant Holy Land caught up with the following game visitors and grabbed their opinion on the Buckeyes game, and their time at Ohio State:

2018 RB Master Teague


Town: Murfreesboro,TN/Blackman

Offers: South Carolina, Tennessee, Duke, etc

Thoughts: “I thought it was a great visit. I had a great time. I enjoyed experiencing Ohio State’s environment and meeting coaches. I got to meet with Coach Meyer and I got to meet Coach Alford. The time I got to spend with the team before and after the game was very cool to me. Also being able to be on the sideline with the coaches before the game while the team was warming up stood out. The energy was great.”

2018 WR Paul Woods


Town: Buffalo,NY/Canisius

Offers: Boston College

Thoughts: “The game day experience went very well. [What stood out was] Watching the players get ready and the loyal fans. Even though they played Northwestern, the stadium was still filled. Overall great atmosphere. I talked to coach Zach Smith and he told me that he wanted to get me up there a lot more and to keep in contact. Also he wants me to send in highlights.”

2018 TE Anthony Torres


Town: Mishawaka, IN/Penn

Offers: Indiana

Thoughts: “The trip was great. I had a great time. The visit was very impressive. What stood out to me the most was definitely being in the pregame meeting with the team and the skull session. The atmosphere in the stadium was unreal. I've never experienced anything like it.”

2018 CB Donald Johnson


Town: Indianapolis,IN/North Central

Offers: Bowling Green

Thoughts: “The visit was great. That was the best visit I have been on so far as a recruit. I had a chance to see all of the football facilities and they were top of the line and really impressed me. The atmosphere was great. There was a lot of energy and the fans and crowd were amazing. I really enjoyed my time at Ohio State.”

Quick Hits

• Thad Matta’s basketball squad played host to one of the top targets left on their 2017 big board over the weekend. Making the visit to Columbus from Evanston, Ill., Nojel Eastern checked out what Ohio State had to offer. Big Ten programs such as Michigan State, Michigan and Purdue are also after the four-star senior shooting guard.
• OSU offered class of 2019 wide receiver Trey Knox on Saturday during his visit. The 6’4 standout now holds offers from not just the Buckeyes, but also Florida, Tennessee and others.
• Tate Martell, Jerron Cage, and numerous other future Buckeyes lit it up over the weekend. Which Ohio State commit did enough to walk away as the Land-Grant Holy Land MVP of the week? The poll is now open. Let your voice be heard.

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Buckeyes dodge 2nd loss - Journal Times
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes dodge 2nd loss
Journal Times
6 Buckeyes a 24-20 victory against Northwestern on Saturday at Columbus, Ohio. After being upset by Penn State last week, the Buckeyes' offense struggled against another multi-touchdown underdog. The Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) punted on five straight ...

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No. 24 Wisconsin hangs on to beat Buckeyes on Senior Day - The Daily Cardinal
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No. 24 Wisconsin hangs on to beat Buckeyes on Senior Day
The Daily Cardinal
24 Wisconsin hangs on to beat Buckeyes on Senior Day. The Badgers will play Ohio State again in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Senior Matej Radonic (right) played in his final game at the McClimon Sports Complex Sunday. Image By: Betsy ...
Ohio State Big Ten tiebreaker tracker: What Michigan, Penn State results mean for Buckeyescleveland.com

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So it's dead and I should join another dynasty? Or are we just not enthusiastic about the Dynasty anymore?

NFL | How former Buckeyes fared - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


NFL | How former Buckeyes fared
Columbus Dispatch
Enlarge Image Request to buy this photo Ron Schwane | Associated Press Terrelle Pryor had a team-high six receptions for 101 yards, including a two-point conversion, in the Browns' loss to the Jets. Sunday October 30, 2016 10:18 PM ...

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Ohio State football | Passing game sparks victory over Northwestern - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State football | Passing game sparks victory over Northwestern
Columbus Dispatch
Knowing what the committee thinks of the Buckeyes to date will be interesting, taking this week's polls into consideration. The Buckeyes are No. 6 in both the Associated Press (media) and Amway (coaches) polls, and they have wins over Wisconsin (eighth ...
Buckeye Leaves: J.T. Barrett, Curtis Samuel and Malik Hooker earn helmet stickers after 24-20 win against NorthwesternLandof10.com
Despite win over Northwestern, questions abound for young BuckeyesESPN (blog)
No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes avoid upset against Northwestern WildcatsUPI.com
MyDaytonDailyNews -cleveland.com
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Pierre Dorion Speaks: New Chief Amateur Scout, Lazar, Chabot, etc.
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here





Missed this the other day, but TSN 1200 posted audio of Pierre Dorion’s media availability from Vancouver on Wednesday. Although the delivery of this post could have been more timely, there’s still a slew of information from it that doesn’t deserve to fade into digital ether.

To listen to the full scrum, scroll to the bottom of this post.

As always, my thoughts are in bold.

On the announcement of Trent Mann as the new chief amateur scout…

“Obviously the organization today is very happy to announce Trent Mann is the new chief amateur scout. One of the first deals I ever made in hockey when I was with the Ottawa Jr. Senators was to acquire Trent Mann from the Pembroke Lumber Kings to the Ottawa Jr. Senators. So I think Trent and I go back a long way. He’s really established himself as one of our better scouts and this promotion is very well deserved. Trent, with his background in the educational program, is very well organized. He’s going to get us… I know he thinks a lot along the same ways that I think about players and I think this is just a really good day for the organization and we should congratulate him.”

News of Mann’s promotion comes on the heels of Bob Lowes’ decision to leave the Senators and become the Las Vegas expansion team’s director of player personnel.

On easy the decision was to announce Mann for the promotion…

“Well, it wasn’t the easiest decision for the simple reason is we had a few really good internal candidates and we always feel that in this organization, if you get a chance to promote from within it’s something that you should do because you give people a chance to move up. We went through the process with a few interviews and it was a really tough decision. I think that speaks to the strength of our whole scouting staff when you have some really, really good candidates within. But, I didn’t answer your full question. For me, it’s easy (to promote Mann) because I know his strengths as a scout and the transition is just going to be so smooth.”

It’s a bit muddied as to whether the Senators intend to replace Mann with another full-time amateur scout, but it’s worth keeping an eye on moving forward.

Amateur scouting and player development is the lifeline of every NHL organization however, and it would be a shame to see the Senators neglect to fill out their scouting staff’s ranks.

The organization neglected to find a second assistant general manager to absorb some of Dorion’s workload when he was promoted to general manager, but with the continued presence of Daniel Alfredsson and Bryan Murray within the front office, maybe that’s an area that the organization felt was covered well enough.

On whether it’s difficult to lose Bob Lowes as this time of year…

“No, not really. At the start of the year, it’s never tough to lose a scout and I think we’re better for it now with Trent on board and I think we’re going to draft a lot of good players as we’ve done in the past. And I was always very present as an assistant GM with running drafts and everything, especially with the first rounders. Logan Brown, I saw, I think, nine or 10 times last year. I don’t want to be off on the number, so we felt really comfortable with the pick. It’s going to be the same (this year). I’m still going to see the first rounders and know them. I’ll probably be around the team less in the second half, so I can scout because I feel that it’s very important.”

I was kind of surprised to hear how blunt Dorion was in regards to the loss of someone who I believed to be one of his close confidants.

When Dorion took over as the Senators’ general manager in April and knew that his amateur scouting input would be more limited because of his expanded role, he knew the amateur scouting department would be fine in Lowes’ hands.

“I think especially with Bob Lowes, we’ve worked together now for nine years, over nine years, we really feel comfortable with each other. And I know our scouting staff is in good hands.”

With a nickname like PR Dorion, I don’t blame Dorion for downplaying the hit that his scouting staff took or playing up how seamless the transition to Mann will be, but due to the nature of the job, we are years away from really being able to evaluate the impact of these changes.

On what he saw from his hockey club in its most complete game of the season…

“It was definitely our most complete game of the season. I think the way we came out really, I really feel the guys are really getting the system now. The way we came out in the first, we were a bit flat in the second period, but afterwards how we played in the third period, we gave up five shots. I think it’s the game we gave up the (fewest number of) scoring chances. This process, we weren’t going to go 82-0. We weren’t going to win every game 5-0 and give up 10 shots every game. It’s a process. It’s a more difficult process. We always want to get to the finish line as quickly as possible, but through the first six games, we’ve seen times where we’ve been really good and times where the guys are maybe overthinking. But, that’s going to happen when you implement a new system and for us, I feel even though we haven’t been always perfect, I feel you see the pot of gold at the end of the road; you see that we’re headed in the right direction and that’s very encouraging for our team.”

It’s only been seven games and it’s really hard to glean any kind of meaningful information from such a small sample size of games, especially since the competition hasn’t really been particularly strong and teams haven’t really begun to adjust to Ottawa’s new system and aggressive neutral zone tactics.

At the same time, it’s silly not to give the Senators credit for improving their play and helping cut down the volume of chances and shots that they are giving up. Unfortunately per Corsica.Hockey, only the Carolina Hurricanes (.882) have compiled a worse five-on-five save percentage than the Senators’ .884 this season.

Even if the Senators’ defensive performance slips a bit moving forward, they can help compensate for this by hoping for some regression from their goaltenders.

On the 20-game mark being the watershed moment for the team and whether that’s the point that he wants to get to before figuring out what this team is…

“No, no, no. I think we know the players. We know what they can do. We want to see what the players can do under these coaches and under this system, but to me, we have a good idea with where we are and where we’re headed. We’re going to face some adversity through the year. No one liked the way that we started against Tampa, but I loved the way we bounced back in the second period. So there’s going to be ups and downs through the year. We have a good idea of what we have. As I’ve said, we’re going to run through our course of injuries during the course of the year. We’re going to face adversity with certain situations, but I think it speaks to the resiliency of our players and this organization and we’re going to be fine. But, we’re always looking to improve. Over the past week, I think it’s been one of my busiest weeks just talking to various GMs as far as what’s out there and what’s going on. But, it doesn’t mean that we have to make a deal. As long as we feel we’re headed in the right direction, we’re going to keep on going.”

Well, no general manager should ever ignore the opportunity to improve their respective team because they haven’t met some self-imposed timeline. Even if Dorion wanted to wait to see what his team is capable of or where they’re seated in the pursuit of a playoff spot, recent history suggests that the Senators will not shelve its short-term interests simply because of where they’re situated in the standings.

On when the organization will make a decision on Thomas Chabot’s future with the Senators this season…

“Yeah, I think at some point in time we’re going to have make a decision on Thomas. Both management and the coaches felt that he was within our seven best defencemen after camp. At this point in time of the year when juniors are settling in, it’s not the end of the world for him to be here and practicing and going on his first real road trip – seeing how the pros do it. I think it can only help him down the road to see how things are done and putting the extra effort in. But at a certain point in time, he’s 19-years old and he needs to play. We could hit an injury tomorrow and he’s here with us for the rest of the year and maybe one guy’s level of play drops off and he gets in the lineup. That’s up to the coaches, but at a certain point in time, we’re going to make a decision for sure.”

It’s not like there’s some textbook definition on how to develop players properly. Sure, there are going to be fans who will point to recent examples like Cody Ceci or Curtis Lazar as first round picks who may have benefited from extra development time at a lower level, but it’s not like every prospect develops at the same rate or sees their talent level or skill set improve exponentially with time. Similarly, there’s no way to prove that either player would be any further ahead had they been brought along slowly.

Sometimes it’s hard to admit that the process is a little more innate or that every player develops differently and at a different rate. There just isn’t a one-size fits all process because every prospect is unique. Then again, it’s also hard to prove that a player’s development was ever adversely stalled because they were asked to return to the junior level as a 19-year old.

Being included on this western road trip isn’t going to hurt Chabot or really have a lasting positive or negative impact on his long-term projection as a player, but eventually, the Senators will have to find a way to get him on the ice and developing.

On the decision to send Chabot down not being the worst thing for him…

“No, I think there are great possibilities. We’re really happy with the development that’s happened with the Saint John Sea Dogs with Danny Flynn and Paul Boutilier. They really helped. I know Paul worked a lot with him on his shot last year and it’s a good program. So he’s not going back to bad circumstances. I think they’re going to have a pretty good team there this year, so it could be positive but I think we should focus on the present with him and see where he’s at for the next game when he plays and go about it that way.”

Maybe I’m reading into it, but with the way that Dorion was talking, it almost sounded like he expects Chabot to be back with Saint John sometime soon.

On Curtis Lazar’s play with the Binghamton Senators and whether there’s an update on the possibility of a promotion to the parent club…

“I just want to finish (my thoughts on Chabot) – there’s a World Junior (tournament) too where it’s the best tournament in the world for junior kids. It’s the most competitive, so that’s also good. As far as Curtis, he’s going to play tonight. I know Randy Lee is there watching him play tonight and we’ll go about Curtis… we’re not to make any immediate decisions on Curtis. I think the best thing for Curtis right now is to go down there and play and play as well as he can play – play in all situations and from there, I think it’s the right thing to do. Let him get confidence and play in all situations and when the time comes, we’ll call him back up. But, there’s no timetable to call back up Curtis.”

Nor should there be a timetable for him to return. Aside from actually playing in NHL games, it’s not like Lazar has ever flourished at the parent level.

If you’ve been a regular visitor of this site, you’ll know that it has been well documented that proportionate to the ice time that Lazar’s received through his first two years in the league, he was one of the league’s least productive players.

There’s probably something to be said about Lazar going into survival mode as a young player and conditioning himself to playing conservatively to minimize mistakes and keep the confidence of his coaches, but his first two years in the league were completely forgettable.

I don’t know whether playing in Binghamton will allow him to restore the kind of confidence he needs to play with the puck and make better or more creative decisions, but it might and that’s the line of questioning the media took shortly after Dorion’s answer concluded.

On whether this time in Binghamton is also designed to help his skill development…

“I think with Curtis last year, we ran into a lot of injuries and it’s something that we thought about – sending him to the minors last year more based on play. This year with all the circumstances of missing in camp, I think he’s not there yet. He’s playing, but he’s behind the eight ball. So for him to work on his skills, we didn’t draft Curtis just to be a third or fourth line guy. We drafted Curtis to be an impact player for us. I think going down there and even if he makes a mistake down there, it’s not the end of the world – even though we want to win and make our players accountable down there too. I think it’s about handling the puck more, making more plays, being as (much) of an impact player as he can be at that level. If we look at it, Erik Karlsson spent a month in the minors and he’s arguably the best defenceman and one of the best players in the league. Cody Ceci spent a few months in the minors, so for Curtis to go down there at this point in time in his career, I think is actually a benefit for both parties.”

Again, there are a number of people who would argue that Cody Ceci could have benefited from more time in the AHL, so maybe he’s not the best example to use when describing how Lazar could benefit from some minor league seasoning.

On how great it has been for Ryan Dzingel to step up and perform at the level he’s been playing at…

“I think it’s great. For a guy like Ryan, there was an open spot and right now he’s taken the ball and rolling with it. Only more credit should be given to him for what he’s been able to accomplish. He even told us that, ‘I’m going to prove to you guys that I’m a regular NHL player,’ and he’s showing it through his play. All the credit goes to him. The way he’s skating, the way he’s competing, we can only congratulate him as best as we can and he’s playing well within this system. We know our coach likes speed and we’ve seen it in our dressing room. So I think it’s great for him. No one is more happy and again, it goes to all the few years that he’s put into Binghamton, the coaches we’ve had there and Shean Donovan, and (we) go back to Bob Janecyk stepping up to draft him. I think it’s a great credit to the organization, but I think the biggest credit should go to Ryan Dzingel.”

As shitty as Clarke MacArthur’s concussion was or hell, maybe we can include Curtis Lazar’s bout with mono in this conversation too, their absences helped create an opportunity for Ryan Dzingel. Under normal circumstances, maybe Dzingel doesn’t get that opportunity to start the season in Ottawa or play at a level that could push him past a number of vets once some of these aforementioned players get healthy.

On whether the biggest challenge for the Senators is to replicate their performance versus the Canucks…

“Exactly. I think if we can continue on the same path of how we played last night, but I wish I could tell you we were going to play like that for 60-minutes, but no team plays like that for 60-minutes. You know, it’s us when we have breakdowns. Like Craig Anderson, the save he made yesterday when it was 2-0 on (Sven) Baertschi – that can change the whole course of the game. He makes that save, we bounce back and win the game. Yesterday was the game we gave up the (fewest number of) scoring chances according to our coaches, so it’s fun to do media on a day like today when we’ve played so well. But at the same time, you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our fans have to be patient. It’s not going to change within a matter of a game or two, but what I like about this team is that we’re entertaining to watch. I love the way we step up in the neutral zone and take away ice. It’s a bit different than a lot of how other teams play, but I think that’s why we hired Guy (Boucher) and his staff. We felt that this would be a successful way for our team to play and for us to have success in the long road.”

I think most fans are willing to extend that patience to Boucher and his staff. It’s not like there’s much of a choice. There haven’t really been sweeping changes to this team’s core and without a ton of financial or roster flexibility, it’s up to the coaching staff to get the most out of this group of players.

I can understand Dorion wanting to be a pitch man and play up the entertainment factor for his team, especially considering their struggles at the box office, but at the same time, with the exception of last season, the Senators have consistently been one of those high event hockey teams that trades chances with the opposition.

The Senators are in the entertainment business, but they’re also in the sports business. Winning matters and as much as Dorion can play up the entertainment factor, the fans ultimately want a winner or save that, a franchise that they can easily invest hope in. Maybe for some fans, they care less about short-term results and are eager to see a long-term vision that puts the franchise in contention for a championship.

After enduring the past few years, it feels safe to assume that more and more fans are suffering from “Melnyk malaise” and maybe that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t as bright as Dorion’s letting on. Whether that’s fair or not is ultimately up to the individual to believe, but that’s what years of short-term prioritizing and modest goals can produce.

http://proxy.autopod.ca/download/podcasts/chum/1/47233/pierre dorion (kenny.walls).mp3



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Huskers, Buckeyes tie in NU rifle's first home meet - Daily Nebraskan
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Huskers, Buckeyes tie in NU rifle's first home meet
Daily Nebraskan
Saturday's home rifle match ended in a tie for No.8 Nebraska and No. 7 Ohio State. The two teams battled at the NU Rifle Range and ended the day 4,662-all. The match marked Nebraska's first home and second overall meet of the season. The Huskers ...


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Dotting the 'Eyes: Ohio State hosts key 2018 prospect, Donovan Peoples-Jones' top 5, Buckeyes offer 2019 star - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Dotting the 'Eyes: Ohio State hosts key 2018 prospect, Donovan Peoples-Jones' top 5, Buckeyes offer 2019 star
Landof10.com
From the sidelines of Ohio Stadium during a Buckeyes game, it doesn't take long to see which players are really the top recruiting priorities for Ohio State. They get attention from assistant coaches who — rather than focusing on their team warming up ...

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4-star lineman's 11 tackles or stud QB's 3 TDs? Which Ohio State commit's your MVP this week?
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Who will take home our MVP this go around?

Ohio State verbal commits Tate Martell, Antjuan Simmons and many other future Buckeyes tore it up on the field last weekend, but only one could be named the Land-Grant Holy Land MVP of the Week.

Receiving 54% of your votes during the poll, class of 2017 five-star cornerback and longtime OSU pledge Shaun Wade walk away as the player of the week over his soon-to-be Buckeye teammates Tate Martell (22%), Antjuan Simmons (14%), Haskell Garrett (9%), and Brian Snead (1%). Congrats, Shaun!

Many of the commits were back in action over the last few days? Which OSU commit will be named MVP this week? The poll is now open. Let your voice be heard.

Here are your five nominees:

Tate Martell


Another week, another MVP nomination for the four-star standout quarterback. After having a bounty put on his head by a Durango (NV) player on Twitter, Martell went out and lit up the Trailblazers defense on Friday evening.

In the 56-0 runaway Bishop Gorman (NV) victory, the U.S. Army All-American completed 7 of his 8 passing attempts for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Martell’s touchdowns through the air weren’t the only points he put up on the scoreboard; he also rushed for another Bishop Gorman score.

Jerron Cage


The future Buckeye defensive tackle once again proved why he’s considered one of the top linemen in country this weekend. On Friday against Columbus Bishop Watterson, the Cincinnati Winton Woods senior was key in his squad’s hard fought 34-27 win.

A threat on the line all evening, the four-star rated Cage finished with 11 total tackles and three quarterback sacks while also blocking a Watterson punt and returning it to the endzone for a Winton Woods touchdown.

Josh Myers


The five-star offensive lineman might’ve not scored any touchdowns himself, but he sure helped his Miamisburg team put up some points during Friday’s win over Northmont.

Helping block the Miamisburg offense to well over 300 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, Myers and the rest of the hogs up front were huge in Vikings picking up their eighth win of the season over the Thunderbolts, 39-3.

Shaun Wade


The reigning MVP didn’t put up the stats like he did last week, but the five-star talent still made his name heard.

Lining up on both sides of the ball, Wade accounted for two tackles as a cornerback, and hauled in four receptions for 46 yards as a wide receiver in the 44-7 Trinity Christian (FL) victory over Episcopal School of Jacksonville (FL) on Friday night.

Blake Haubeil


After being off the list for weeks, the 2017 kicker is back up for the MVP of the week award and for good reason.

Although he missed a 51 yard field goal attempt during the game, Haubeil was on point pretty much all evening for Canisius (NY), finishing 1-of-2 on field goals knocking in a 22-yard shot and three extra point tries.

His foot wasn’t done there in the back an forth loss to Erie Cathedral Prep (PA); he also kicked three out of his four kickoffs for touchbacks and booted numerous stellar punts, including a 51 yarder that pinned Erie Cathedral Prep’s back on the goal line.




Poll
Which future Buckeye is your MVP of the week?

• Tate Martell
• Jerron Cage
• Josh Myers
• Shaun Wade
• Blake Haubeil

0 votes | Results

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Michigan paces five Big Ten teams in latest major polls
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Michigan, fresh off its rivalry win at Michigan State, paces the Big Ten in the latest Coaches poll, released Sunday. The second-ranked Wolverines are one of four Big Ten teams in the top 10, with Ohio State (No. 6), Wisconsin (No. 8) and Nebraska (No. 10) following. Penn State (No. 23) rounds out the Big Ten’s ranked teams. See the full poll below. Coaches’ Rankings Rankings as of 10/30/2016 Rank School Votes Prev 1 Alabama (8-0) 1599 (63) 1 2 Michigan (8-0) 1492 2 3 Clemson (8-0) 1488 (1) 3 4 Washington (8-0) 1434 4 5 Louisville (7-1) 1322 5

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Ohio State's decline in efficiency and explosiveness continued against Northwestern
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State's offense had another underwhelming performance against Northwestern

Overall, an underwhelming offensive performance kept the game close for Ohio State once again, as the familiar issues of poor rushing and passing efficiency and no explosive passing game kept things tight.

Ohio St Northwestern
Rushing SR 49% 39%
Rushing exp plays 5 (14%) 5 (18%)
Passing SR 45% 43%
Passing exp plays 1 (3%) 3 (7%)
Red zone TDs 75% 50%
Scoring opps efficiency 4.8 5
Drive efficiency 56% (2) 44% (2)
Pts off turnovers 3 0


In the table above, scoring opportunity efficiency looks at the average points scored per scoring opportunity -- drives with a first down past the opponents' 40 yard line. Drive efficiency looks at the percentage of drives that were scoring opportunities. The number in parentheses is the number of three-and-outs the offense had.

In the advanced stats preview we noted that three advanced stats would matter most:

The run game was still inefficient


At first glance, my top area to watch -- rushing success rate -- seemed to marginally improve against Northwestern. After a dismal 41% against Penn State, the Buckeyes ran with a 49% success rate against Northwestern's markedly worse run defense.

However, the rushing opportunity rate tells a different story. Opportunity rate is the percentage of runs that are for five or more yards, and here the Buckeyes had just a 35% opportunity rate. The opportunity rate is designed to measure how effectively the line blocks (the line is theoretically responsible for around five yards of a run), so that means that the line only did its job on roughly a third of the runs against Northwestern. The difference between the opportunity rate and higher rushing success rate is mostly due to successful later-down runs on second- or third-and-short, where the Buckeyes would pick up the first down but still not run for five or more yards.

Ohio State had the top overall rushing opportunity rate and the second-ranked rushing success rate going in to this game, but those rankings are largely dependent on dominant early-season performances (i.e., before the Indiana game). Since then, Ohio State's rushing success rates have declined from a high of 73% to a high of 49% over the last three games.

Against Northwestern the Buckeyes tried to mostly out-athlete the Wildcats, going to the edge frequently with quick-hitting flares and multiple speed options (that were particularly hard to watch). But runs up the middle were largely ineffective.

This is the fourth-straight game without a 100-yard rusher as well.

Passing was more efficient, but still lacks explosive plays


The passing game was more efficient than last week's 26% success rate performance (with a 45% success rate this week), but the passing game only had a single explosive pass -- the strike to KJ Hill in the fourth quarter (there was a near-explosive 19-yarder to Curtis Samuel as well). So in 32 attempts, Ohio State only had a single explosive pass.

Last week the Buckeyes struggled to hit most passes, but didn't seem to take advantage of the short passing game. The offense seemed determined to change that this week by targeting the edge with passes closer to the line of scrimmage, but there was still absolutely no deep threat to stretch the defense vertically. Without stretching the defense vertically, the Wildcat defense was able to contain the inside run game -- the horizontal passing game wasn't enough to relieve the pressure on the interior of the line.

For the most part J.T. had plenty of time to pass, at least. The Wildcats recorded only one sack and Big Ten sack leader Ifeadi Odenigbo was held in check.

Ohio State didn't win first downs


The final key stat to watch was first down success rate, where the Buckeyes appeared to have a notable advantage. Especially at the beginning of the game, the scripted portion of the Buckeyes offensive gameplan was focused on early-downs passing -- and that was successful, with Ohio State's first three drives all ending in scores.

But overall the Buckeyes had just a 31% passing success on third down (36% success rate on first down overall), and they threw on 46% of first downs (and threw on 44% of all downs). The goal was clearly balance, but a low early downs success rate stalled drives in the second and third quarters.

Northwestern was explosive on offense


It was somewhat surprising that Northwestern managed eight explosive plays and the Buckeyes again lost the explosive play battle 6 to 8. As the announcers repeated after multiple long runs, Ohio State's man coverage left some holes for Clayton Thorson, and some missed assignments led to big gains for Northwestern. That's been an issue (to some degree) for three weeks now, as Wisconsin was far more explosive than expected, and Penn State was their usual degree of explosiveness as well.

Obviously, the defense played extremely well and is further along than we would have expected in the preseason. But a slight decline in offensive efficiency and a lack of offensive explosiveness, combined with the occasional explosive play allowed on defense, has kept four games closer than expected so far this season.

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Ohio State ranked No. 6 in the latest Coaches Poll
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Not much movement for the Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes played their first game since their loss against the Penn State Nittany Lions, and came away with a win against the Northwestern Wildcats. The Buckeyes didn’t look great along the way, and after the win, come away with a No. 6 ranking in the Coaches Poll, up two spots from last week.

The Buckeyes will be preparing this week for Nebraska, who got their first loss on the season against Wisconsin. The Big Ten West is now much more interesting than it was before Saturday, and the Buckeyes still hold their destiny in their own hands.

J.T. Barrett and the Ohio State offense will be looking to find some life through the air against the Cornhuskers on Saturday. Hopefully the Bucks can find that moving forward, as we near the tail end of the season.

The entire Coaches Poll will be posted here shortly.

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Urban Meyer, Ohio State mourn the loss of Buckeyes legend John Hicks - CBS sports.com (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Urban Meyer, Ohio State mourn the loss of Buckeyes legend John Hicks
CBS sports.com (blog)
Two-time All-American offensive lineman John Hicks died overnight because of complications from diabetes, according to his family, resulting in an outpouring of support and tributes from the Ohio State community Sunday. He was 65. Hicks is among the ...
Ohio State community mourns former Buckeye star John HicksLandof10.com
Ohio State football | John Hicks, Hall of Fame lineman who played in 3 Rose Bowls, dies at 65Columbus Dispatch
John Hicks, former Ohio State Buckeye and Cleveland native, dead at 65cleveland.com

all 13 news articles »

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Future Buckeyes in action: Cage, Garrett, Myers, Martell shine - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Future Buckeyes in action: Cage, Garrett, Myers, Martell shine
247Sports
Every Sunday during football season I wrap up the weekend that was in high school football in Ohio and elsewhere, focusing on those who will continue their careers playing for the Buckeyes. Over the weekend a number of future Buckeyes played in big ...


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Get Tom Dienhart’s Best of Week 9 in the Big Ten
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Michigan continues to show that it’s clearly the best team in the Big Ten. In fact, it’s now the only unbeaten left after Nebraska went down at Wisconsin. The Big Ten West race is gonna be fun to watch in November.

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Ohio State 16.5-point favorites over Nebraska in surprising early lines
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This seems like an unwise bet.

A week ago at this time, Ohio State opened as inexplicable 23-point favorites over Northwestern.

Though a 23-point win was certainly not out of the realm of possibilities, based on how the Buckeyes had played the previous night in Happy Valley and how Northwestern had been presenting themselves in the previous couple weeks, it definitely seemed improbable.

Now the oddsmakers at some of Vegas’s smaller bookers seem dead determined to get more eager (easy?) Ohio State money. For whatever reason, after limping past NU to the tune of a 24-20 win and after Mike Riley’s Nebraska Cornhuskers came up just short in hostile Madison, 23-17 in overtime to Wisconsin, the Buckeyes open this week as 16.5-point home favorites.

The big question for the Huskers heading into Saturday’s primetime Big Ten West potential deciding contest was whether or not the then unbeaten side was “for real”. Anyone who watched Nebraska trade shot-for-shot against Bucky Badger probably can answer affirmatively at this point “yes”.

Meanwhile, on the opposing sidelines, OSU continues to find themselves offensively, with a mix of predictable playcalling and poor execution limiting their ability to be multiple. The Buckeye defense in recent weeks has fallen into some of the same mental pitfalls as their offensive counterparts, leaving the Buckeyes, the youngest team in major college football, looking like a talented shell of the one that beat Oklahoma on the road in the elements in mid-September.

Can Urban Meyer and the suddenly under fire Buckeye coaching brass turn the right knobs and get things back on track? Or will Nebraska +16.5 prove one of the easiest bets college football gambling diehards make since, well, the last Ohio State home game?

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Ohio State great John Hicks dead at 65
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The lineman nearly won the Heisman Trophy in 1973.

Per WBNS-10TV in Columbus, former Ohio State lineman John Hicks is dead at the age of 65.

Hicks, a two-time All-American and an inductee of both the College Football and Ohio State Hall of Fames, reportedly died from complications from diabetes.

In 1973, Hicks won the Outland and Lombardi trophies and finished second behind John Cappelletti in the Heisman Trophy voting. Hicks also started in three straight Rose Bowls in the early 1970s, the first player to ever do so. Hicks was also a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection.

The Cleveland native went on to be a first round pick of the New York Giants, earning NFC rookie of the year honors, and played five years in the NFL before injuries ended his career. After football, Hicks was involved in multiple charity endeavors in the greater Columbus area.

Our thoughts our with the Hicks family, his former teammates and friends.

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Ohio State’s new normal may have surfaced in win over Northwestern
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Remember that time Todd Boeckman went Tom Brady on the Wildcats?

Following an unexpected rise to national contender status after the first month of the season, we may be finally seeing the inevitable regression to the mean for Ohio State, which was the nation’s youngest team entering the season. (Cue Springsteen.)

After averaging 57 points per game and allowing just total 37 points in blowout victories over Bowling Green, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Rutgers, the Buckeyes have since fallen back to Earth. Crawl before you can walk, or something.

Ohio State pulled away late from a game Indiana team at home before squeaking out an overtime win at Wisconsin. The second-half collapse at Penn State followed, and now an ugly home escape against a definitely-good-but-not-great Northwestern team represents the latest indication that the Buckeyes were punching above their weight in September. Methinks it’s not an unreasonable thought that the occasionally-glorious, occasionally-maddening play is the new normal—which makes sense given the big batch of talented-but-extremely-green players seeing extensive action for the first time.

In any case, let’s rank things! (Adorable human-dog interactions sold separately.)

1. Todd Boeckman


The last time Northwestern traveled to Columbus, the visitors were lit up by the immortal Todd Boeckman, who logged more touchdown passes (four, a career-best) than incompletions (three) during the Buckeyes’ 58-7 dunking-on of the Wildcats. Boeckman averaged nearly 13 yards per attempt and connected with Brian Robiskie for three touchdowns.


In fact, Ohio State’s offense was so dominant that day—the unit was responsible for 38 of the Buckeyes’ 45 (!) first-half points — that both Rob Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton received reps. Talk about a trip down memory lane.

2. Ohio State’s first-half offense


It was a distant memory by the end of the game, but the Buckeyes actually racked up 17 points on their first three drives on Saturday, a nice change of pace from last week’s unraveling in Happy Valley. Seven of the nine plays on Ohio State’s initial advancement— the first time the Buckeyes notched seven points on their first drive all season —were of the aerial variety, and the drive featured a few new wrinkles: an end-around to Parris Campbell, a bubble screen, and backup tackle Brandon Bowen as a blocking tight end.

Another positive development was the coaching staff lessening the load on Barrett, who did not log his first carry until the Buckeyes’ 24th offensive play. (Barrett finished with 13 carries, his lowest total in a month). Ohio State also showcased its ability to put points on the board with varying levels of success on first and second down, as evidenced by their first two touchdown drives:

First TD drive: 9 plays, 94 yards, 2:56 elapsed, 0 third down conversions.

Second TD drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 8:34 elapsed, 4 third downs conversions.

3. Catfish Gerald


This remains a weekly source of humor in the LGHL newsroom.

4. Austin Carr and Clayton Thorson


Carr, Northwestern’s senior wideout/thespian, entered Saturday as the Big Ten’s leader in catches, yards, and touchdown receptions. At half, Carr had five catches for a game-best 66 yards, including a pair of 3rd-and-8 conversions to revive the Wildcats first TD march. He finished with eight receptions for 158 yards. The hype was real.

As for Thorson, the sophomore QB piled up 300 yards of offense and was the main reason why Northwestern converted eight of its 16 third downs. Thorson just may be the best QB in the Big Ten West.

5. Ohio State’s second-half offense


Technically, the the problems began prior to the half with consecutive punts, but after intermission the Buckeyes’ first three drives resulted in Cam Johnston leg booms.

Ohio State did save its best for last, going 63 yards in six plays early in the fourth quarter to break a 17-all deadlock with a three-yard TD plunge by Curtis Samuel. After the Wildcats drove the field but had to settle for a field goal, the Buckeyes were tasked with running out the clock, and did so thanks to a pair of massive third down conversions on a throw-and-catch from Barrett to Noah Brown and a 35-yard run by Barrett on a 3rd-and-10 with under a minute left.

However, the same lack of explosive plays and general inconsistency that has plagued the unit for a month returned for the last half-plus of the game. Hard-hitting analysis: the Buckeyes’ offense is what it is at this point, so keep your Tums in arms’ reach. (Run the dang jet sweep, Urban!)

6. Curtis Samuel, running back


Samuel tallied just one carry in the first half after managing two totes at Penn State. The junior finished with seven carries.

I give up.

7. Michigan State


Someone is 0-5 — I repeat, oh-and-five — in Big Ten play. Yikes.

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Ohio State showed progress but also how far they have to go in win vs Northwestern
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barrett and Samuel led the way on offense, but the Buckeye defense still got gashed.

Well, that wasn’t exactly the bounce-back game that most Buckeye fans were hoping for, but when you control your own destiny, a win is a win. The two biggest issues that led to the upset loss to Penn State last week, offensive line and special teams, were much improved; quarterback J.T. Barrett was only being sacked once, and, despite a partially blocked punt, there were no major breakdowns in the third facet of the game.

While the 431 yards of total offense didn’t set the world on fire, the fact that nine Buckeyes caught passes and five carried ball is encouraging after fans had been lulled to sleep with a never-ending cycle of zone-reads over the past three weeks.

However, the Ohio State defense continued to give up big chunks of yards on Saturday. Northwestern wide receiver Austin Carr caught eight balls for 158 yards, and the Wildcats totaled 401 yards of offense. So, while the 24-20 win certainly didn’t cure all of ills haunting this inexperienced Buckeye team, it showed that the potential to get right is there.

Blue chip stocks


Curtis Samuel, H-back: After getting only two carries last week in Happy Valley, Urban Meyer was happy with his H-back’s balanced touches against Northwestern. He said, “(I) love the way he runs the ball. And he had seven catches and seven rushes … that's what we want -- 50/50, seven, I wouldn't mind eight each. Eight catches, eight handoffs. We've got to block a little better for him. He should have more yards than that.”

With 68 yards in the air, and 33 on the ground, in addition to a touchdown, there were certainly missed opportunities for bigger gains, as Meyer alluded to, but 14 touches for the best playmaker on the team is certainly a step in the right direction to making plays like this happen more often:




Malik Hooker, S: While he continues to be tied for the Big Ten lead in interceptions, Hooker proved that he is more than just a ball-hawking DB. He led the team with 14 tackles, including six solo. However, perhaps his most impressive play of the day came on 2nd-and-6 with just under two minutes to go in the first quarter; Hooker sprinted across half of the field to knock Wildcat quarterback Clayton Thorson out of bounds for a short gain at OSU’s nine-yard line. Granted, NU went on to score on the drive, but Hooker displayed a closing speed that made everyone watching sit up and take notice.



J.T. Barrett, QB: Look, I know that many people (myself included) are rightfully perturbed by the lack of a deep passing game as of late for the Buckeyes, but at some point we are probably going to have to collectively accept that that’s just not in the cards for this quarterback-wide receiver combination.

Once we get over that, we will probably begin to appreciate just how lucky we are to have Barrett guiding this young team. The QB went 21-for-32 against Northwestern for a respectable 65.6%, and accounted for 223 yards through the air, and another 77 on the ground; nearly all in the second half, including the 35-yard sprint that put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter.

Barrett might not have the skill set to thrill a crowd of 107,000 or generate jaw-dropping highlights, but he is the ultimate grinder. He will dink and dunk his way down the field, more often than not making the most out of what the defense gives him. Once you accept that, it is easier to realize just how good J.T. is.

Solid investments


Noah Brown, WR: With five catches for 51 yards, Brown had his most productive game since he went crazy for 72 yards and four scores against Oklahoma. Brown proved to be a valuable outlet on third down for Barrett, and he had two key blocks to spring the QB on his game-icing 35-yard run. In a normal situation, I might have graded him out as a blue chip stock, but with Ohio State’s inability to go downfield, it’s probably not a smart move to let too much ride on an OSU receiver.

Raekwon McMillan, MLB: Coming into the season, McMillan was expected to be one of the most dynamic defensive players in the country. However, coming into the Northwestern game, he ranked just 36th in tackles amongst Big Ten defenders. But, it would be foolish to think that McMillan’s only value is in the stat column. In the Buckeyes 4-3 scheme, it is the outside linebackers who are often free to make big plays, with McMillan anchoring the middle of the defense.

With all of that being typed, McMillan deflected a first quarter pass that was then intercepted by Damon Arnette, which led to a field goal, and he turned in nine tackles on the day. Not a bad day for the heart of the Buckeye defense.

Mike Weber, RB: Having Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliot at tailback for the past four years has probably not done the freshman from Detroit any favors this season. He is on pace for over 1,250 yards, but he hasn’t been the difference maker that Buckeye fans were expecting.

However, against Northwestern, he proved that he has the skills to break tackles and make people miss, even if he hasn’t done it routinely yet this season. However, as the weather gets worse, conventional wisdom suggests that the Buckeye running back will touch the ball more often. If that is the case this year, there is plenty to be optimistic about from 25.



Junk bonds


Downfield passing: Despite accounting for the aforementioned 223 passing yards, Barrett only attempted one pass of more than 20 yards, which was poorly thrown to James Clark. At this point, it’s unclear whether or not the Buckeye offensive coaches will be able to figure out how to get that part of the pass tree working, but honestly, it can’t get much worse.



Ohio State’s Big Ten cross-over schedule: To quote the 16-time world champion, and recent College GameDay guest picker, Ric Flair, “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man. Wooooo!”

After years of getting dunked on by the SEC, it still feels weird to type the phrase, “Ohio State’s Big Ten cross-over schedule is pretty rough,” but when you look at it, the Big Ten offices couldn’t have made it much more difficult on the young Buckeyes this season. Coming into yesterday’s game, OSU’s cross-overs opponents averaged a 29.6 ranking in the S&P+; Northwestern 57, Wisconsin 10, Nebraska 22. Only Minnesota (39) and Iowa (42) are currently better than the Wildcats.

What happened to Ohio State’s protected rivalry with Illinois? Does the Illibuck mean nothing to to Jim Delany? But, if you are a “glass half full” kind of fan (is there such a thing?), playing the tougher in conference schedule could be a needed feather in the team’s cap if it comes down to the Buckeyes and another team for Final Four berth from the playoff committee.

Buy/Sell


SELL: Parris Campbell’s sprained ankle. His offensive numbers certainly aren’t where anyone would like them to be at this point in the season with just 128 yards from scrimmage, but Urban Meyer has routinely singled out Campbell for his leadership and special teams prowess. With 326 of the team’s 401 kick return yards, Campbell is a steadying force on the kick team. However, if Ohio State’s offensive coaching staff ever gets serious about rediscovering a downfield threat, Campbell would have to be in the mix. He also accounted for 42 yards of offense against Northwestern on two carries and one catch.

BUY: Land-Grant Holy Land’s Christopher Jason. Last Thursday, Jason warned Buckeye fans that Northwester’s Austin Carr was “the best receiver in the Big Ten.” After Saturday’s game, there likely won’t be much argument coming from Columbus. As I mentioned above, Carr lit up the Ohio State secondary for 158 receiving yards on eight catches.

SELL: Jalyn Holmes postgame attire. After the Northwestern game, the defensive end wore a t-shirt from Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 fashion line. The shirt featured an airbrushed picture of the rapper’s late mother, Donda West, on the front, and the face of his wife’s dearly-departed father Robert Kardashian on the back. The shirt is currently going for upwards of $120 on eBay, and I assume Holmes thought the shirt would be a funny homage to Kim and Kanye’s daughter North West, but I’m afraid that it is going to haunt my dreams worse than David S. Pumpkins.

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Theodore Decker commentary: Did Buckeyes' loss to Penn State hasten retired mailman's death? - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Theodore Decker commentary: Did Buckeyes' loss to Penn State hasten retired mailman's death?
Columbus Dispatch
Michael J. Messmer spent the night of Oct. 22 the way so many other Ohio State fans did — fuming in front of the television as the Buckeyes collapsed in a road game against Penn State. Messmer, a 67-year-old Vietnam War veteran who lugged a mailbag ...

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Buckeyes hold off Northwestern, 24-20 - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes hold off Northwestern, 24-20
Toledo Blade
The Buckeyes connected on their first big passing play of the day – a 34-yard connection between quarterback J.T. Barrett and wide receiver K.J. Hill – and subsequently took the lead. Curtis Samuel scored from three yards away two plays later to put ...


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College hockey roundup: UMD women finish off Buckeyes in Columbus - Duluth News Tribune
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College hockey roundup: UMD women finish off Buckeyes in Columbus
Duluth News Tribune
Twice in the third, the Buckeyes cut the Bulldogs' lead to one with Maddy Field making it a 2-1 game with 13:25 to play and Samantha Bouley scoring with the Buckeyes' net empty to make it 3-2 with 2:03 left. Buckeyes goaltender Kassidy Sauve stopped 44 ...

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Buckeyes struggling to find deep passing game - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes struggling to find deep passing game
Toledo Blade
COLUMBUS — Ohio State won a game Saturday, though its ongoing source of frustration is still hanging around. In a 24-20 win against Northwestern, the Buckeyes' offensive line was much better than it was during a loss to Penn State last weekend ...

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