Danny Clark Decommits From Ohio State Buckeyes - Campus Insiders
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Danny Clark Decommits From Ohio State Buckeyes
Campus Insiders
Ohio State now sits at 17 commits for the 2017 recruiting class. The Buckeyes lost 194 recruiting points with Clark's decision. However, they're still ranked No. 1 in the college football recruiting rankings with 3,847 points, 404 points ahead of No. 2 ...
Ohio State football | QB prospect Danny Clark changes mind, decommitsColumbus Dispatch
Danny Clark, '17 QB pledged to Ohio State football since his freshman year, decommits from Buckeyescleveland.com
BM5: Anything to Clark to UK rumors? Buckeyes back from bye247Sports
Eleven Warriors -USA TODAY High School Sports -The Spun (press release) (blog)
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Buckeyes in the NFL – Week 3
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Week three of the NFL is in the books, and the Buckeyes in the league had a pretty good showing. From one player playing almost every position on the field, to guys making their NFL debuts, let’s take a look at how the former Buckeyes fared in week 3.

Let’s start with Mr. Do-it-All Terrelle Pryor for the Cleveland Browns. Pryor became the first player since the 1980’s to have at least 2 receptions, 2 rushing attempts and 2 completions, he even got in the action on defense playing safety to close out the first half. It looks like all the hard work that Pryor put in to converting himself to a wide receiver has finally paid off, as he has become a prime target downfield, and proved that he can do it from other spots on the field as well. As the Browns season continues to fade away, they do have a bright spot in Terrelle Pryor at least. The Browns lost in overtime 27-24 after a missed field goal at the end of regulation forced the game into overtime.





Michael Thomas grabbed his first touchdown reception of the season last night in the Saints 45-32 loss to the Falcons. Thomas had seven catches for 71 yards and the touchdown.



Ezekiel Elliott was held scoreless in his third game, but he showed why he was the #4 overall pick in last years draft with hard runs and 140 yards rushing. The Cowboys won 31-17 against the Bears.



The other starting Buckeye running back in the NFL is Carlos Hyde, and he also had himself a big game going for 103 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The 49ers lost 37-18 to the Seattle Seahawks.



Darron Lee continues to prove he was a great pick-up by the Jets with another solid performance notching six tackles, with two of them coming for a loss. He also had a half a sack and one hit on QB Tyrod Taylor.



Complete List of OSU Players in the NFL for Week 3:


Cardale Jones – DNP

Adolphus Washington – 3 total tackles

Corey Brown – Four catches for 57 yards

Kurt Coleman – 8 Total Tackles

Ted Ginn Jr. – Three catches for 64 yards, 2 rushes for 5 yards, 2 kick returns for 44 yards

Andrew Norwell – Started on O-Line

Mike Adams – DNP

Mike Nugent – 1/1 on Field Goals, 2/2 XP’s

Terrelle Pryor – 3/5 passing for 35 yards, 4 rushes for 21 yards and a touchdown, 8 catches for 144 yards

Ezekiel Elliott – 30 carries for 140 yards, 2 receptions for 20 yards

Rod Smith – 15 yard facemask penalty on special teams

Jeff Heuerman – 1 catch for 29 yards (1st NFL game)

Bradley Roby – 2 Total Tackles

Taylor Decker – Started on O-Line

Corey Linsley – DNP (Injured)

John Simon – 3 Total Tackles

Jack Mewhort – Started on O-Line

Michael Bennett – DNP (Injured)

Jake McQuaide – Started at Long Snapper

Alex Boone – Started on O-Line

Nate Ebner – 1 Total Tackle

Vonn Bell – 3 Total Tackles

James Laurinaitis – 7 Total Tackles

Michael Thomas – 7 catches for 71 yards and first career NFL touchdown

Eli Apple – 1 Total Tackle

Johnathan Hankins – 2 Total Tackles

Darron Lee – 6 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 0.5 Sacks

Nick Mangold – Started on O-Line

Jalin Marshall – 2 catches for 19 yards, fumble lost

Devin Smith – DNP (Injured)

Malcolm Jenkins – 5 Total Tackles

Cameron Heyward – 5 Total Tackles

Ryan Shazier – 2 Total Tackles

Joey Bosa – DNP

Joshua Perry – Played, no stats

Carlos Hyde – 21 carries for 103 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 catch for 2 yards and a two-point conversion

Tyvis Powell – Played, no stats

Nick Vannett – DNP (Injured)

The post Buckeyes in the NFL – Week 3 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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1. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, was founded in 1766 as Queens College. Rutgers is the 8th-oldest college in the United States, and one of the nine "Colonial Colleges" that were chartered prior to the American Revolution. Rutgers is located in New Brunswick New Jersey, although the school's football stadium is located in nearby Piscataway. The school is named for Colonel Henry Rutgers, a Revolutionary War hero who in 1825 donated $5,000 (equivalent to $105,000 today) and a bronze bell (still in use) to the college. Rutgers's athletic teams are known as the Scarlet Knights and their mascot is known simply as The Scarlet Knight.

2. Rutgers is famous for playing in the first ever football game, on November 6, 1869, versus Princeton. The Scarlet Knights won that game, which has been described as a cross between soccer and rugby, by the unlikely score of 6-4. The two teams played a week later and Princeton prevailed in the rematch, 8-0. Both teams finished the season with identical 1-1 records, and they split the inaugural (retroactive) national championship awarded by the National Championship Foundation and recognized by the NCAA.

3. Rutgers's split national championship in 1869 is the only one in school history. The Scarlet Knights' title drought is 146 years and counting, a streak that would make the Chicago Cubs blush.

4. Rutgers has an overall record of 653-633-42, for a .508 winning percentage. The Scarlet Knights have 33 conference championships, but only one in a major conference (Big East co-championship in 2012). Thirty-one of Rutgers's conference titles were in the former Middle Three Conference (in existence from 1929 to 1975), which also contained Lafayette and Lehigh (both now FCS schools and members of the Patriot League).

5. After leaving the Middle Three Conference, Rutgers became an independent school from 1976 to 1990. During this period, Rutgers had a record of 87-74-4 (.539 winning percentage) and their best-ever single-season record (11-0-0 in 1976).

6. From 1991 to 2012, Rutgers participated in the Big East Conference. The Scarlet Knights' posted an overall record of 114-143-1 (.444 winning percentage), but their record in conference was just 48-101-1 (.323 winning percentage), with one co-championship in twenty-two seasons (2012).

7. Rutgers spent one year in the American Athletic Conference (2013) before joining the Big Ten to start the 2014 season. The Scarlet Knights have a 5-12 record in Big Ten play, including a 0-1 record this season (a 14-7 loss to Iowa last week). Rutgers has a record of 17-44 (.279 winning percentage) against teams currently in the Big Ten Conference.

8. Rutgers and Ohio State have played twice, once in each of the last two seasons. The Buckeyes won both meetings handily: 56-17 in 2014; and 49-7 in 2015.

9. Rutgers has had only four consensus All Americans in its history (Ohio State has had 81). End Paul Robeson was a two-time consensus All American (1917, 1918) before earning a law degree and embarking upon a career as a singer, actor, and political activist; Robeson was one of the first black players in college football and he is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1961 center Alex Kroll became the second Rutgers player to earn consensus All American honors; Kroll would later become president and CEO of Young & Rubicam, the nation's largest advertising agency. Tight end Marco Battaglia became Rutgers's only unanimous All American after catching 69 passes for 894 yards and 10 touchdowns during the 1995 season; Battaglia was a second round selection of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1996 NFL Draft.

10. Rutgers has been ranked in the final AP poll just four times: 1958 (20th); 1961 (15th); 1976 (17th); and 2006 (12th).

11. The biggest game in the history of Rutgers football happened on November 9, 2006, when the #15 Scarlet Knights (8-0) faced the #3 Louisville Cardinals (also 8-0) in Piscataway. After falling behind 25-7 midway through the second quarter, Rutgers scored 21 unanswered points including the game winning field goal by Jeremy Ito with just 13 seconds left on the clock. The Scarlet Knights were led by running back Ray Rice (22 rushes, 131 yards, 2 touchdowns); wide receiver Kenny Britt (2 receptions, 82 yards); and linebacker Devraun Thompson (9 tackles, 2 sacks, interception, forced fumble).

12. After its historic win over Louisville, Rutgers was ever so briefly in the 2006 national championship picture. However, the Scarlet Knights would go on to lose two of their next three contests (Cincinnati, 30-11; West Virginia 41-39) before rebounding with a 37-10 win over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. Rutgers finished the season 11-2 and ranked #12 in both major polls.

13. Chris Ash, who was defensive co-coordinator at Ohio State in 2014 and 2015, was hired to be the head football coach at Rutgers prior to the 2016 season. Ash was replaced at Ohio State by Greg Schiano, who was the head coach of Rutgers from 2001 to 2011. At Rutgers, Schiano compiled an overall record of 68-67 (.504), and a record of 5-1 (.833) in bowl games.

14. Rutgers enters the game with a record of 2-2, with wins over New Mexico (37-28) and FCS Howard (52-14), and a blow out loss at #10 Washington (48-13) and a surprisingly close loss at home to Iowa (14-7). Statistically, Rutgers is middle of the road compared to other FBS schools, and significantly behind Ohio State in all major team categories. On paper, this game should not be close.

Team	Total Offense	NCAA Rank	Score Offense	NCAA Rank	Total Defense	NCAA Rank	Score Defense	NCAA Rank	Turnovers	NCAA Rank
Ohio State	545.3 ypg	10th	56.7 ppg	3rd	278.3 ypg	14th	12.3 ppg	9th	+9	1st
Rutgers	387.3 ypg	86th	27.3 ppg	80th	362.5 ypg	45th	26.0 ppg	63rd	-2	86th

15. Rutgers is led on offense by running back Robert Martin (58 rushes, 358 yards, 6.2 average, 1 TD) and quarterback Chris Laviano (59/113, .522, 647 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT). The Scarlet Knights' most versatile offensive player, wide receiver Janarion Grant (138 yards rushing, 210 yards receiving, 21 yards passing, 307 yards returning, 6 total TD), is out for the season after suffering an ankle injury against Iowa last week. The defense is led by sophomore free safety Kiy Hester (26 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 passes defensed), a transfer from Miami of Florida. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Darius Hamilton is a former five-star recruit and a one-time Buckeye target; the three-time team captain has 16 tackles and one TFL so far on the season.

16. The 2016 Ohio State-Rutgers game will be played at The Horseshoe in Columbus during Homecoming Weekend. Kickoff is set for noon with the game being broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Ohio State has been installed as a 37 point favorite.

Danny Clark Decommits from Ohio State
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The 2017 Ohio State recruiting class lost its founding member Tuesday morning when 3-star pro-style quarterback Danny Clark from Archbishop Hoban High School announced on Twitter that he had decided to decommit from Ohio State and reopen his recruitment.



The Buckeyes received a commitment from Tate Martell back in May, and that kind of put a strain on where things stood with Clark. He said all the right things about coming in and competing for the job, and not taking anything for granted. Clark and Martell both showed up for Friday Night Lights and many said Clark actually performed better at the camp. Martell is able to run the spread offense, while Danny is more of your traditional drop back passer that has never really been featured in an Urban Meyer offense.

Clark will have many suitors for his talents, and Kentucky seems to be the leader in the clubhouse for now as crystal ball projections have begun to roll in for the Wildcats. I expect Danny to take his time and figure out what he truly wants to do. You can tell in his letter how heartbroken he is to have to give up his dream of playing at Ohio State.

Buckeye Nation wishes you all the best Danny! Thanks for being such a great ambassador for The Ohio State University and best of luck in your future endeavors.

The post Danny Clark Decommits from Ohio State appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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QB Danny Clark decommits from Ohio State
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The longtime Buckeye commit will be playing elsewhere after all.

Ohio State’s 2017 class just got a little bit smaller, after the recruit who has been the member the longest will be playing his college football somewhere else.

Three-star QB Danny Clark, of Massillon, Ohio, just decommitted from Ohio State, per his Twitter account.


Clark originally committed to Ohio State as a freshman, and made it clear throughout this process that Ohio State was his dream school, so on some level, this is a somewhat surprising development.

But Ohio State has already added another quarterback in this recruiting class, in four-star dual-threat QB Tate Martell. Over the last year, it became increasingly clear that Clark’s skillset is less fitted to Ohio State’s offense.

Ohio State’s QB room is also looking pretty full in the future, as Joe Burrow, Dwane Haskins, Tate Martell and Emory Jones will all be competing to take over after J.T. Barrett, and all four are blue-chip QB recruits. Given how tight the numbers will be in the 2017 class, another QB commitment was not much of a need for Ohio State.

Clark’s decommitment leaves Ohio State with 17 current commitments in the class of 2017, which is still ranked #1 in the country.

Best of luck to Clark in the rest of his recruiting process and his career.

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Around the B1G: Week 5 Edition
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This weekend was the dreaded bye week for our beloved Buckeyes. While I’m sure they wished they had the bye week later on in the season, Coach Meyer and his staff used the time to work on fundamentals and get everyone a little healthier as they get ready for Big Ten play. While the Buckeyes were off, the rest of the B1G took some time to solidify their place in the pecking order. The two most anticipated match-ups over the weekend was Wisconsin at Michigan State and Penn State at Michigan. Let’s take a look Around the B1G.

Illinois (1-2 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Bye Week.

This Week: Illinois travels to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the red-hot Cornhuskers. This game can be seen on ESPN2 at 2:30 pm.

Indiana (2-1 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Wake Forrest, 28-33. Things started off well for Indiana as Nick Westbrook caught a 75 yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game. After that, Wake Forrest went on a 24-0 run over the next two quarters of game time which proved to be insurmountable. This game is a rough loss for Indiana as they completely dominated the game racking up 611 yards of total offense compared to the Demon Deacons 352 yards. The big difference was Richard Lagow throwing five interceptions to completely negate his 496 yards passing and three touchdowns.

This Week: After a demoralizing loss, the Hoosiers now must welcome Michigan State to town. This game can be seen on BTN at 8 pm.

Iowa (3-1 overall, 1-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Rutgers, 14-7. The Iowa Hawkeyes came into this game hoping to prove their loss to North Dakota State was a fluke…instead they struggled against a pretty bad Rutgers team and left Piscataway with even more questions. In what was supposed to be a severe mismatch, the Hawkeyes allowed the Scarlett Knights to hang around until late in the fourth quarter when Akrum Wadley scored from 26 yards out for the eventual game-winning touchdown. Wadley finished with 84 yards on the ground on only 12 carries. Fellow running back LeShun Daniels added 79 yards on 13 carries.

This Week: The Hawkeyes host the surprisingly bad Northwestern Wildcats at 11am.

Maryland (3-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Bye Week.

This Week: Maryland will welcome the Purdue Boilermakers who are riding high off of their big win against Nevada. This game is at 3:30 pm.

Michigan (4-0 overall, 1-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Penn State, 49-10. The #SeptemberChamps were at it again showing their dominance while beating a fellow former great football program to a pulp. With the mandatory Michigan bashing out of the way, Michigan actually looked very impressive as this game was never really a contest. The Wolverines went into halftime with a 28-0 lead and coasted to an easy victory in the second half. On offense, the Wolverines relied heavily on their run game as they pounded out 340 yards and six touchdowns. As much as they’ve struggled against the run, the defense stepped up and held Penn State to only 118 yards on 2.9 yards per carry.

This Week: Michigan hosts Wisconsin which is sure to be an amazing game. This must-see game can be seen on ABC at 3:30 pm.

Michigan State (2-1 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Wisconsin, 6-30. I will be the first to admit I was surprised by the outcome of this game. While I wasn’t as impressed with their win against Notre Dame as everyone else, I figured they were a lot better than Wisconsin. I thought the Spartan defense would shut down the inept Badger offense and score more than enough points to pull out the win. The defense did their part as they held Wisconsin to 317 yards of total offense but Tyler O’Connor and the offense struggled to do anything against the Badgers. The Spartans turned the ball over four times and were sacked five times.

This Week: Sparty looks to rebound as they travel to Indiana. The game can be seen at 8pm on the BTN.

Minnesota (3-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Colorado State, 31-24. Minnesota leaned heavily on their run game as Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks combined for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Mitch Leidner added 174 yards through the air and 61 yards on the ground. Defensively the Golden Gophers gave up 207 yards rushing but it was on 48 carries which only amounts to 3.3 yards per carry which is pretty good. Amazingly, the defense had 14 tackles-for-loss and was led by Steven Richardson who had four tackles-for-loss.

This Week: Minnesota travels to Happy Valley to face the Nittany Lions at 3:30 pm on the BTN.

Nebraska (4-0 overall, 1-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Northwestern, 24-13. I warned people the Cornhuskers would be pretty good this year and they continue to pull out games those games they would have somehow lost last year. The biggest key for them was getting Tommy Armstrong Jr. to not turn the ball over and he has been brilliant…so far. On Saturday, the Cornhuskers combined for 556 yards behind the great all-around game of Armstrong Jr. Against the Wildcats, he ran for 135 yards on 13 carries and threw for 246 yards and one touchdown.

This Week: The Cornhuskers hosts the Fighting Illini’ which can be seen on ESPN2 at 2:30 pm.

Northwestern (1-3 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Nebraska, 13-24. As I mentioned above, the Wildcat defense struggled to contain Armstrong Jr. and it cost them the game. If you want a positive for the defense, they gave up 381 yards to Armstrong Jr. but only allowed him to score one touchdown. Offensively, the Wildcats tried to rely on the running game of Justin Jackson and Clayton Thorson but struggled to do so as they only combined for 122 yards on 30 carries.

This Week: The Wildcats travel to Kinnick Stadium to face the Iowa Hawkeyes. This game is at 11 am.

Penn State (2-2 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Michigan, 10-49. This was a total annihilation of the Penn State Nittany Lions as they only managed 216 yards of total offense. Trace McSorley was chased around all day and was sacked six times while only throwing for 136 yards. Their sensational running back, Saquan Barkley, was also completely shut down as he could only manage 69 yards against what had been a porous run defense.

This Week: The Nittany Lions host Minnesota this week on BTN at 2:30 pm.

Purdue (2-1 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Nevada, 24-14. Surprising everyone…Purdue actually picked up a win against a FBS opponent. Down 14-3, the Boilermakers went on to score 21 unanswered points to knock off the Wolfpack. Quarterback David Blough threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns while running back Markell Jones added 131 yards on the ground. The Purdue defense deserves credit for holding the normally high-powered Wolfpack offense to 253 total yards which is over 100 yards lower than their season average…and less than Notre Dame allowed against Nevada

This Week: The Boilermakers will travel east to play the Maryland Terrapins at 3:30 pm.

Rutgers (2-2 overall, 0-1 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Iowa, 7-14. Rutgers played a great game on Saturday and took the Hawkeyes to the wire but at a significant cost to the season. During the game, they lost their best playmaker in Janarion Grant and their best defensive end Quanzell Lambert for the season. Additionally, they may have lost their star defensive tackle, Darius Hamilton for a period of time. This is not good as they head to Columbus to face the Buckeyes. Running back Robert Martin, who leads the B1G in rushing, ran for 106 yards and Justin Goodwin added another 76 yards rushing.

This Week: Rutgers travels to Columbus to face the Buckeyes at 12pm on BTN.

Wisconsin (4-0 overall, 1-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Michigan State, 30-6. A huge congratulations to the Badgers on their win against Sparty in East Lansing. The Badger offense only managed 317 yards but the defense forced four turnovers and completely smothered the Spartan offense in the second half. Corey Clement only managed 54 yards on 23 carries but did provide two huge touchdowns. Alex Hornibrook received his first start at quarterback and tallied 195 yards and one touchdown.

This Week: Wisconsin travels to Ann Arbor in a huge match-up between top 10 teams. Make sure you tune-in at 3:30 pm on ABC.

CURRENT STANDINGS:

EAST CONF. OVERALL WEST CONF. OVERALL
Michigan 1-0 4-0 Wisconsin 1-0 4-0
Ohio State 0-0 3-0 Nebraska 1-0 4-0
Maryland 0-0 3-0 Iowa 1-0 3-1
Indiana 0-0 2-1 Minnesota 0-0 3-0
Michigan State 0-1 2-1 Purdue 0-0 2-1
Penn State 0-1 2-2 Illinois 0-0 1-2
Rutgers 0-1 2-2 Northwestern 0-1 1-3

The post Around the B1G: Week 5 Edition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State football: Buckeyes, Rutgers know each other well - UPI.com
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Ohio State football: Buckeyes, Rutgers know each other well
UPI.com
The second-ranked Buckeyes (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) will take the field for their homecoming game and Big Ten opener with far superior talent to Rutgers (2-2, 0-1), which played a competitive game on Saturday at home against Iowa before falling 14-7.
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B1G awards race tracker: Ohio State laying claim to plenty of hardware - ESPN (blog)
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B1G awards race tracker: Ohio State laying claim to plenty of hardware
ESPN (blog)
Ohio State H-back Curtis Samuel: While Barrett might dominate the spotlight, the versatility Samuel brings to the Ohio State offense might actually make him every bit as valuable as the quarterback. The Buckeyes can use him as a receiver, they've ...

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Ohio State putting in work on 4-star WR
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes go after one of the premier wideouts of 2019

As the Buckeyes’ No. 1 overall recruiting class shapes up in 2017, the coaching staff at Ohio State has begun to shift its focus towards 2018. With two offensive commits already, in five-star quarterback Emory Jones (Franklin, GA / Heard County) and four-star running back Brian Snead (Seffner, FL / Armwood), it appears the Buckeyes are looking to add some playmakers on the outside as well. Jahan Dotson (Highstown, NJ / The Peddie School) could be one of them.

Dotson is one of the highest-regarded wideouts in the 2018 class. The four-star garnered a lot of attention this past summer, receiving offers from the likes of Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, Michigan State and Rutgers all in a five-day span.

Currently rated as the No. 7 WR in 2018 and the No. 53 overall player by 247Sports, Dotson will likely continue racking up scholarship offers from programs across the country in his next two seasons of high school football. Because of this, Ohio State seems to be going all-in on the elite wideout.

Dotson spoke with Ryan Bartow of 247Sports this past weekend and the two discussed the programs he is most interested in. Dotson had plenty of good things to say about the Buckeyes, including that Ohio State is the program he talks to most.

Along with the Buckeyes, Dotson listed Tennessee and Clemson as the two programs right behind Ohio State in terms of how often he communicates with them.

In his sophomore season with The Peddie School, the 6-foot, 160 pound pass-catcher posted 1,179 receiving yards to go along with 16 TDs. The athletic wideout showed a knack for getting open and has shown elite hands. He is not the fastest receiver, but he makes up for that with his footwork, allowing him to get by defenders in the open field.

Expect the Buckeyes to continue to pursue Dotson deep into his recruitment.

Ohio State competing with Maryland for 4-star OT


Urban Meyer is known as one of the best recruiters in all of college football, let alone the Big Ten. However, it seems that despite Meyer’s elite prestige, he will be competing with an in-conference opponent for a 4-star OT.

Rasheed Walker (Waldorf, MD / North Point) is a Maryland native, so the Terrapins will likely be in contention for his commitment throughout his entire recruiting process. However, this hasn’t kept Meyer from trying to steal the talented offensive lineman from his hometown state. For Walker, receiving an offer from the Buckeyes seemed to have made a big impression on him.

Walker spoke with Ryan Bartow of 247Sports and had plenty of high praises for the Buckeyes.

I guess they got my scrimmage film and they liked it and just offered me. I was proud of myself. That was big. It was something about there. I like the coaching staff. I like the way they run things.

The 6-foot-5 280-pound lineman told Bartow that Maryland has a slight edge over the Buckeyes, but with two seasons of high school football still to play, nothing is set in stone. Walker has taken unofficial visits to Ohio State, Maryland, Rutgers, Penn State and recently received a scholarship offer from Florida.

Additionally, Walker told Bartow that he would like to earn offers to play for Florida State, Miami and Tennessee as well.

This isn’t the first time Ohio State has made an offer to a player from Southern Maryland’s North Point High School. Back in 2011, linebacker Connor Crowell received an offer from the Buckeyes – and signed his Letter of Intent to play for the scarlet and gray.

Top-rated LB likes Ohio State and Maryland


Rasheed Walker isn’t the only recruit Ohio State is competing with Maryland for, as the two schools are both showing plenty of attention to the No. 1 LB of the 2019 class early on.

Shane Lee (Washington D.C. / St. John’s College HS) may have only just started his sophomore season of high school football, but he is already projected to be an elite talent. The 6-foot, 240 pound ‘backer is looked upon as the No. 1 linebacker in his class and 247Sports currently has him listed as one of the top 25 players overall.

Lee spoke with Ryan Bartow of 247Sports recently, and listed both Ohio State and Maryland as the top two contenders for his services, with the Terrapins having a slight edge over the Buckeyes. Along with these two Big Ten programs, Lee has already racked up eight offers from programs like Michigan, North Carolina, Florida and West Virginia.

One last thing of note is that when asked about his impression of the culture at Ohio State after visiting the school over the summer, he compared it to, “football heaven.”

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Buckeyes, Rutgers know each other well - KRDO
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes, Rutgers know each other well
KRDO
The second-ranked Buckeyes (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) will take the field for their homecoming game and Big Ten opener with far superior talent to Rutgers (2-2, 0-1), which played a competitive game on Saturday at home against Iowa before falling 14-7.
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Akron Beacon Journal -Waiting For Next Year -Dayton Daily News
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Club provides space for stuttering Buckeyes - OSU - The Lantern
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Club provides space for stuttering Buckeyes
OSU - The Lantern
For many students, introducing oneself to a class can be a daunting experience. For students who stutter, like Alexandria Burke, a third-year in speech and hearing sciences, the fear goes far beyond typical public-speaking jitters. The fear isn't just ...


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Matt Ryan with the (smart in his case) Jabrill Peppers avoidance of blocking . . .

Ohio State football | Buckeyes gear up for Big Ten play - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State football | Buckeyes gear up for Big Ten play
Columbus Dispatch
With the Big Ten as strong and deep as it's been in years, the next nine weeks figure to be more of a minefield than the cakewalk the Buckeyes have made it under Urban Meyer. Second-ranked Ohio State (3-0) has lost just one regular-season Big Ten game ...
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Buckeyes remain No. 2 in both AP, Coaches pollsWaiting For Next Year
Dayton Daily News -247Sports -ESPN (blog)
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Buckeyes to host four-star safety on Saturday - 247Sports
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Buckeyes to host four-star safety on Saturday
247Sports
Louisville -- Comes down to whether their defense could stop OSU (Oklahoma's could not) and whether the Buckeyes come up for a plan for the amazing Lamar Jackson. They have a good one this weekend at Clemson, consider one of those 2 removed from ...

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Ellison makes his case to Buckeyes, others - 247Sports
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Ellison makes his case to Buckeyes, others
247Sports
The Buckeyes have a commitment from the country's No. 6 all-purpose running back in J.K. Dobbins from LaGrange, Texas. They also continue to be one of the top choices of the country's No. 2 running back prospect, Cam Akers from Clinton, Miss. But ...

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'Crazy' expectations soar for Buckeyes - Mansfield News Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


'Crazy' expectations soar for Buckeyes
Mansfield News Journal
Short of firing himself or texting in church (a no-no on that pink contract drawn up by his family) or finding himself in the middle of a Tresselian-like scandal, Urban Meyer would appear to have his job as Ohio State football coach as long as he wants ...
Ohio State football | Ash's presence on Rutgers sideline prompts adjustmentsColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Indiana Hoosiers football game on Oct. 8 to kick off at 3:30 p.m.cleveland.com
BM5: Anything to Clark to UK rumors? Buckeyes back from bye247Sports
Dayton Daily News -ESPN (blog)
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College Notebook: Orewiler debuts for Buckeyes - Marion Star
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College Notebook: Orewiler debuts for Buckeyes
Marion Star
COLUMBUS - Caden Orewiler didn't play like a rookie. A River Valley grad and freshman at Ohio State on the men's golf team, Orewiler's first collegiate experience came at one of the most demanding and famous courses on the planet when the Buckeyes ...


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NFL, college coaches announce enhanced new draft evaluation process for underclassmen
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Could lead to fewer Jalin Marshall like scenarios.

The NFL and the American Football Coaches Association announced a new draft evaluation process for underclassmen which should allow highly touted college players to get better and more accurate information as to their draft prospects before making a final decision.

Though there are always extenuating circumstances -- say a player fails a drug test and can’t return to school or has exhausted their options to get a pass for grades and has no choice but to turn pro — seemingly every year there are a dozen or so high major prospects who go pro only to find themselves undrafted. Though this isn’t the option-to-return-to-school scenario coaches like Arkansas’ Bret Bielema has lobbied for, it should allow players like undrafted former Ohio State receiver Jalin Marshall to make sure they have more full information before electing to go pro.

“The more information our College Advisory Committee has, the better evaluations they can make for student-athletes who are at a critical juncture of their lives,” said NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent. “While there is no question that obtaining a college degree is a transformative experience for so many people in society and a goal to which we encourage everyone to aspire to, for those talented few individuals that have the ability to succeed in the NFL prior to exhausting their college football eligibility, this new agreement will ensure they have better information with which to make their decision. We appreciate the efforts of our partners at the AFCA in making this new agreement a reality.”

The specifics of the agreement are as follows:

-Each year, schools can nominate five worthy underclassmen for consideration for “enhanced contact” with NFL scouts/executives.

-If approved, those players get to go through the “Senior Pro Day” process just like draft declaring juniors or upperclassmen do.

-After this evaluation, the following season, NFL clubs will continue to be able to scout and inquire about these approved players as though they were seniors.

-If a school has more than five strongly-possible-to-be-drafted underclassmen — think like an Alabama or, oh I don’t know, Ohio State -- they’ll be able to apply for more than five players, subject to NFL verification of their draft worthiness.

These changes go into effect in Winter of 2017 for the 2018 NFL Draft.

While there are probably some tangential concerns about this being a slippery slope to other outside influences like agents touching base with these players prematurely, the upside of these players knowing exactly where they stand and ostensibly not making decisions that could be more rash in nature is nothing if not a positive.

Here’s hoping legitimate NFL prospects getting more insight into where they may be drafted influences better and more informed draft decisions moving forward.

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Ohio State jumps Michigan to become No. 1 team in the country in advanced stat
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Even after a bye, the Buckeyes are still dominant.

“S&P+ rankings have been updated, and they look...relatively normal.”

-Bill Connelly, SB Nation


It was a good bye week for the Ohio State Buckeyes, partly because they were able to, once again, beat the Michigan Wolverines, all while staying off the football field. In the latest S&P+ rankings, a mathematical college football rating system, the Buckeyes jumped from the No. 5 spot in last week’s ratings to the top spot this week. Michigan, who had previously sat at No. 1, fell to the No. 2 spot ahead of Alabama, Louisville and Clemson.

The S&P+ ratings analyze play-by-play and drive data for each college football team for every game, accounting for more than 800 games and 140,000 plays per season. Specifically, the rating focuses on four key factors, including efficiency, explosiveness, field position and finishing drives, with each factor adjusted for a given opponent. This rating is compared overall, as well as for offense, defense and special teams specifically for each team. Finally, the rating accounts for second-order wins, which uses advanced statistics to compare what should have happened in the game (statistically-based projections) to the actual result of the game.

While preseason polls account for much of the data in the first weeks of the season (as there is less on-field information to go on), that ratio decreases as the season goes on until, by week six, all the data is derived from actual on-field play, which explains why LSU remains in the top-20, and Wisconsin is still out of the top-15. This week, the preseason projections fell from 50 percent of the total score to 30 percent, which gave the Buckeyes enough room to jump despite the bye week.

Behind Ohio State and Michigan, Wisconsin sits at No. 16, with Nebraska coming in at No. 23. Iowa, a week out from losing to FCS North Dakota State, sits just outside the top-25 at No. 28.

“I was hoping that everyone would see it the same way I saw it--and they did. We have so much more room for improvement. I’m very pleased with their growth, and they play hard, but those are things that are kind of demanded around here.”

-Urban Meyer, via Austin Ward, ESPN


Despite an undefeated nonconference record heading into Big Ten play, including a decisive win over then-No. 14 Oklahoma, the Ohio State Buckeyes still have ample room for improvement, according to head coach Urban Meyer. And last week’s bye week was the perfect time to pick apart and analyze all of the errors that the young squad can improve upon as it heads into this Saturday’s matchup against Rutgers. With such an early bye, too, the team was able to analyze issues early in the season before they progressed into true problems. Even better, the unit already has a quality win over a Power-5 team to analyze alongside as it prepares for a formidable Big Ten schedule.

To improve matters, in a strong display of maturity from the youthful team, Meyer is not alone in seeking improvement in all areas, from penalties to lack of coverage on special teams to offensive and defensive plays that simply did not run as smoothly as Meyer had hoped. H-back Curtis Samuel commented “We won by 21, but we felt like we could have done a much better job.”

That attitude has carried the Buckeyes through the bye week, as the young group continues to grow and gel together. “We have to take advantage of that extra week so we can improve,” added Samuel. “It’s just really the little things that we have to pick up that could potentially be big plays.” So while many on the outside saw a well-oiled machine roll over Oklahoma, those inside the Buckeye camp recognized that they could be much better than they are now, and are committed to fixing those problem areas.

“A great coach can put those conditions in place, but it takes a great culture to keep it going, and the Buckeyes are lucky enough to have that with the kind of leadership we’ve seen from the players and assistant coaches in recent years.”

-Johnny Ginter, Eleven Warriors


There is no doubt that Urban Meyer is one of the great college football coaches of our time, having found success everywhere he has been from the start of his career at Bowling Green. However, the “Great Man theory of history,” which would claim that Meyer’s success is his and his alone, is somewhat flawed in this instance. Sure, Meyer has been able to make the necessary calls and changes at his respective posts to be able to create success for the program, but the underlying factor, certainly, is the culture in which Meyer’s programs exist, and what he has done to foster said culture to build continued success.

First, while Meyer deserves much credit for his ability to find talented recruits and mold them into even more talented players for Ohio State, the onus is not on him alone in turning this year’s inexperienced group into the No. 2 team in the country. Players with significant experience at key positions--J.T. Barrett at quarterback, Pat Elflein and Billy Price on the offensive line and Raekwon McMillan, Gareon Conley and Tyquan Lewis all on different defensive units--have helped to lead their various position groups, bringing them up to speed with the talent that was lost to April’s NFL Draft.

Even moreso, Meyer managed to place exceptional help in his coaching staff vacancies, including Greg Schiano and Greg Studrawa, to the staff to assist in player development and take the burden off of Meyer. And Meyer is not afraid to think outside the “Ohio” box, recruiting players and assistant coaches from across the country and, in the case of Australian punter Cameron Johnston, around the world. Buckeyes on the roster represent 20 different states, including a number from Texas, Florida and Georgia in the midst of SEC recruiting hotbeds.

So while Meyer has been instrumental in creating success at Ohio State and elsewhere, perhaps the greater credit is in bringing these groups and individuals together under a common banner--winning yet another College Football Playoff.

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Ohio State football | Ash's presence on Rutgers sideline prompts adjustments - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Ash's presence on Rutgers sideline prompts adjustments
Columbus Dispatch
But it's the Ash influence, specifically the way he transformed the OSU defense in his two years with the Buckeyes and the fact he's running “the same” defense with Rutgers that has OSU coaches aware. “We changed most of our defensive signals because ...
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Indiana Hoosiers football game on Oct. 8 to kick off at 3:30 p.m.cleveland.com
'Crazy' expectations soar for BuckeyesMansfield News Journal
BM5: Anything to Clark to UK rumors? Buckeyes back from bye247Sports
ESPN (blog) -Dayton Daily News
all 62 news articles »

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Get to Know The Buckeye Battle Cry: Mike
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeye Battle Cry has recently reached a milestone for the site. Over the weekend of the Oklahoma game, the Facebook page reached 10,000 likes. With reaching that milestone, we wanted to spend a little time interviewing the writers and editors of the Best Damn Website out there. Add that into the 10 year anniversary of the site this week, and it has been an exciting time indeed for us all.

It is time for another exciting edition Get to Know The Buckeye Battle Cry! In installment three, I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Mike Meals who is one of our newest writers to tBBC staff.

Mike sits down with me and discusses everything from his journey against all odds to overcome his dads efforts to ruin his sports life by making him a die-hard Browns fan to his personal superstitions.

Take a moment to get to know one of our newest writers!


The post Get to Know The Buckeye Battle Cry: Mike appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Agnew's hat trick leads Buckeyes past Iowa - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Agnew's hat trick leads Buckeyes past Iowa
OSU - The Lantern
Ohio State senior forward Lindsey Agnew (20) celebrates one of her three goals against Iowa with Ohio State junior forward Sammy Edwards (19) in a game at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Sept. 25, 2016. The Buckeyes won the game 3-0. Credit: Colin ...

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Bowl Projections: Ohio State remains in Jerry Palm’s playoff
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Ohio State remains in the projected four-team playoff field of Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com. And 10 Big Ten teams are in Palm’s bowl projections through four weeks. Like last week, Palm has the Buckeyes seeded No. 3, playing No. 2 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. Palm has No. 1 Alabama taking on No. 4 Stanford in the Peach Bowl in the other playoff game. For the third week in a row, Palm has 10 Big Ten teams in bowls. Only Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois and Rutgers are left out. Here is where Palm has Big Ten teams slotted in the postseason:

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Taken Too Soon
Mike Meals via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


On March 2nd, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia, a bus carrying the Bluffton University (OH) baseball team went off an exit ramp on Interstate 75, killing 7 people and injuring 21 more.

On November 30th, 2014, Ohio State’s own Kosta Karageorge was found dead near his Columbus, Ohio apartment, a victim of an apparent suicide.

July 25th, 2016, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Nebraska’s Sam Foltz was killed along with former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler in a car wreck that also injured LSU kicker Colby Delahoussaye.

September 25th, 2016, near Miami Beach, Florida, Miami Marlins Pitcher Jose Fernandez died from injuries sustained in a boating accident.

All in all, these people who perished had not a lot in common. They were all young. They all were athletes who had their entire lives ahead of them. They all were taken too soon.

For those of you who are not baseball fans, Jose Fernandez gave baseball fans 1 of 2 views of him. He was an all-world pitcher who had defected from Cuba to chase his life’s dreams of being free in the USA, and to possibly be a Major Leaguer.


MIAMI, FL – APRIL 18: Jose Fernandez #16 of the Miami Marlins smiles as he walks off the field during the first inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Marlins Park on April 18, 2016 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)


Fernandez also was known to be very cocky and not someone who lived by the “unwritten rules” of baseball. He would bat flip when he hit homeruns. He would jump and yell in the dugout when his teammates did something great. He was not one to be a robot. This means you either loved his youthful exuberance or you hated how he acted, almost childishly, towards the one professional sport in this country where you had to deal with tradition as much as talent.

I viewed Fernandez as the kind of kid who loved baseball and life like people should. He always had a smile on his face. He was the kind of teammate I’d want, because he always seemed to have his guy’s back. He was damn good, he knew it, but he never seemed to be above the game like some people do.

Sam Foltz was not a name I really knew before the day of his death. But since then, we all have learned a lot about it. He was a great teammate who was loved by players and coaches alike. And unless you live under a rock, you have seen some of the great tributes to Foltz and Sadler this season: The 10 man punt formation at Nebraska and ensuing delay of game as Nebraska waited for their 11th teammate to take the field (a penalty Fresno State was more than willing to decline), the flowers Oregon left at the 27 yard line (Sam’s number) before the Ducks/Huskers game this year, Sadler’s number in the Spartan helmet at MSU, Delahoussaye wearing cleats this season with SaMike and their numbers on them.




Why do I bring these up? Because a simple Google search shows me that at least 39 college football players have died while still being an active member of their college football team since 2014. And while I am not one to get into each death, ranging from complications after medical issues to homicides, each one is a tragedy. I also am not one to get into the debate over the recent “Black Lives Matter” “Blue Lives Matter” “All Lives Matter” debate, for this is not a political website or discussion.

I bring these up because I know two things. I know how losing someone feels. I know what it is like to have a co-worker, a former teammate, and/or a friend pass away. My freshman year of college, I played on a team that was one missed extra point away from winning a conference championship. We had players on our team who dealt with the death of a former teammate and they felt his presence with them at all times on the football field. I remember how the death of Kosta was something that everyone on the 2014 OSU team felt and carried with them to the end, holding up that College Football Playoff Trophy. These things can ruin a team, or it can motivate them to do things they never thought possible…win games they never thought they would, excel when they thought they would fail, and give them that one little push needed, that one bit of hope, when all is lost. This belief, and some may think I am crazy here, is the belief that pushed a field goal attempt the extra foot higher needed to clear the cross bar. These fallen teammates, in spirit, cause a sure handed running back to fumble in the open field. It really can feel like a 12th teammate is on the field in the moments it is needed.

I also know that we should all strive to live life and love it the way these players did. When you see pictures or video of Fernandez, you see him smiling and jumping around, loving the game he was being paid to play. When you see Sam Foltz’s media guide photo, you see a guy who knows he has a wonderful life ahead of him, one that was earned by his ability to play a sport he loved. Sure, you see a goofy looking kid, but he was still a kid with the whole world in front of him.

With all that is wrong with the world today, both in politics and athletics, we need to see and celebrate these young men and women. We need to have good things talked about. We need to show the people around us that it’s ok to be a good person, to have good times, and enjoy life. I hope, as you read this, you take a second to enjoy the wonderful things you have too. I hope you smile at least once thinking about those things. I hope you hug someone a little bit tighter. I hope you enjoy your life the way these young people were, and now never will get to do again. I hope that you are able to smile like Sam, jump around like Jose, be wild and crazy and in love with your team, your family, and what you are doing at that exact moment in time. You never know when it will be over too soon.

The post Taken Too Soon appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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