Barrett ready to lead next wave of Buckeyes into battle - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Barrett ready to lead next wave of Buckeyes into battle
247Sports
And that can only be considered a good thing for Ohio State as it enters the 2016 season by hosting Bowling Green Saturday (noon, Big Ten Network). “He's outstanding,” OSU coach Urban Meyer said of Barrett Wednesday night. “He's on top of his game, I'm ...


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Introducing Bowling Green’s new head coach, Mike Jinks
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Falcons’ new hire has shot up the ranks rather quickly.

If you look at the best coaches in college football, you will typically see a lengthy collegiate resume.

Most start as a graduate assistant (GA) cutting tape all hours of the day. Then they transition to a couple of positional coaching jobs. Then get hooked up by a colleague above them who got hired as a head coach at another school and become a coordinator. After 10-to-15 years of grinding through long hours at an array of different schools — it took both Urban Meyer 16 years to become the head coach at Bowling Green — they’ll get a crack at a head coaching job at a smaller school before going big time.

Don’t tell that to Bowling Green’s new head coach Mike Jinks, who is taking over for Dino Babers, who ran an electrifying offense before moving onto Syracuse in the offseason. It took Babers 28 years — yes 28 years — to get his first head coaching job at Eastern Illinois in 2012.

The 2013-2014 season was actually Jinks’ first season in college football. He was named the first ever head coach at Steele High School (TX) in 2005 and quickly turned that school into a state of Texas power, going 76-18 during tenure. He also coached the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2013, was a National Coach of the Year finalist, and a Texas high school state champion.

Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury was so impressed by Jinks that he offered him a job to coach running backs coach in 2013, before quickly promoting him to associate head coach in 2015. Jinks’ greatest achievement at Texas Tech was developing DeAndre Washington (now with the Raiders) in 2014 and turning him into Tech’s first 1,000 yard rusher since 1998. Typically known for their aerial attack, the Red Raiders averaged 204.8 rushing yards per game, along with 34 rushing touchdowns in 2015. Washington also led the Big 12 in rushing yards that season under Jinks’ tutelage.

The last time a coach jumped from major high school success to coaching running backs at Texas Tech and then to a mid-major head coaching job before heading to a power-five conference was Art Briles, who coincidentally taught Babers his scheme at Baylor. These kind of things always seems to tie together in college football.

Once Babers accepted the job at Syracuse, Bowling Green quickly named Jinks their new head coach. And just like that, after only three years in college football, Jinks was an FBS head coach.

Tempo, tempo and more tempo


If there is one thing that both Texas Tech and Bowling Green have in common, it would be their ability to score points, and score points fast. Both ran up-tempo systems and both finished top-5 in scoring in 2015. Do not expect things to change in 2016.

Jinks is going to want to move the ball quickly — Texas Tech had 33 touchdown drives in under two minutes in 2015 — and keep the opposing defense on their heels. Both teams also averaged over 80 plays-per-game last season. Jinks even went on to say that, “90 snaps a game is realistic in 2016.”

“We’re still going to be up tempo and score a lot of points, but the conditioning to run 82, 83, 84 plays a game has got to be in the ballpark,” said Bowling Green athletic director Chris Kingston. “They’re ready for what Mike Jinks brings.”
The playmakers


Jinks is going to have to coach up the playmakers in his offense and coach them up quickly. Bowling Green lost QB Matt Johnson (46 TD, 8 INT), RB Travis Greene (1,299 yards, 15 TD) and their top two receivers, Gehrig Dieter (transferred to Alabama) and Roger Lewis (NFL), who combined for 178 catches, 2,577 yards and 26 touchdowns.

On the bright side, they return four-of-five offensive line starters, receiver Ronnie Moore — who is a big play waiting to happen and Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 returning receiver in the MAC — and running back Fred Coppet, who averaged the same amount of yards per carry as Greene last season and is being coached by Jinks, the running backs guru.

Moore, who caught 72 balls for 954 yards and 6 touchdowns as the Falcons’ third receiver option last season, will be the player that the Buckeye defense will key on.

Moore is another smallish guy whose strength numbers wow you. He can bench-press 315 pounds, squat 505 pounds and hang clean 240 pounds. Moore doesn't have elite speed -- he runs in the high 4.4s -- but he has excellent quickness and can stop and start on a dime.- Mike Huguenin, NFL.com

In 2015, Bowling Green used Moore similarly to how Ohio State uses their H-Backs. He typically lines up in the slot and they use creative ways to get him the ball.

They’ll run Moore in jet motion and utilize the tap pass to him for an end around:


They’ll also use Moore in the screen game and watch him make plays after the catch:


Or, they’ll hit him in the short game, sit back and watch him make plays. Moore is excellent after the catch; he can break a defender’s ankles or even use his strength and bounce off a would-be-tackler:


Since Ohio State runs Cover 4 (Quarters) and Moore typically runs out of the slot, stopping Moore will primarily be up to the linebackers in the short to intermediate game, and the safeties if they try to hit him deep in the seam.

Overall, the first year coach will bring an uptempo offense to the ‘Shoe on Saturday, which will feature a well-coached run game and a legitimate playmaker on the perimeter.

It will be a good test to see where the Buckeye defense is at from a conditioning and tackling standpoint, as Jinks’ offense will hope to run plays as quickly as he shot up the coaching ranks.

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Five Ohio State Buckeyes Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2016 - Fox News
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Five Ohio State Buckeyes Poised for a Breakout Campaign in 2016
Fox News
Apr 16, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer leads the Scarlet and Gray teams onto the field prior to the spring game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports ...


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Ohio State Buckeyes coming off best four-year football run in school history; see rankings: Buckeye Numbers - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes coming off best four-year football run in school history; see rankings: Buckeye Numbers
cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Urban Meyer on Saturday begins his fifth season as Ohio State's football coach having already led the Buckeyes to the winningest four-year stretch in school history. Meyer's first four teams - a combined 50-4 - have both the most wins ...


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Big Ten Network unveils all-new BTN2Go
BTN Communications via Big Ten Network

BTN today announced the launch of an all-new BTN2Go, the number one sports destination for Big Ten fans and alumni, featuring immense user personalization, new school-specific video content, improved social features and integrated tools such as school emojis to enhance the fan experience. With the new and improved BTN2Go, users can now enjoy a hyper-personalized experience where they’ll always be in the know on the latest and greatest with their favorite school. With BTN2Go, fans will now have instant access to original video content direct from both their favorite athletic department and BTN, curated key social content and quick access

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“The Edge” – 2016 Team Anthem by Mekka Don
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


2016’s team mantra has been deemed “The Edge” by Head Coach Urban Meyer, and now it comes to us in a new song by rapper and Buckeye fan Mekka Don.

Check out the new video/song below and give Mekka Don a follow on Twitter @MekkaDonMusic


The post “The Edge” – 2016 Team Anthem by Mekka Don appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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What Would Woody Watch: Week One
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Week one of the college football season is finally upon us! The Ohio State Buckeyes take on the pesky Falcons of Bowling Green on Saturday at noon. Be sure to check out my preview for that game. Outside of our Buckeyes, there are a ton of great games going on around the nation…but let’s be real it could be California vs Hawaii in Australia and we’d be stoked to watch it!

Come…sit down…and let’s take a look at what the great Coach Woody Hayes would be watching this weekend!

(3) Oklahoma at (15) Houston, Saturday, Noon

This one is tough because it has to be playing at the same time as our beloved Buckeyes. If you aren’t at your nearest Buckeye Watch location, make sure you DVR this game and go back and watch it. If you don’t, no worries as I will watch it for you and give you a complete breakdown prior to Ohio State traveling to Norman.

The Sooners are led offensively by juniors Baker Mayfield (QB) and Samaje Perine (RB). In 2016, Mayfield threw for 3,700 yards with 36 touchdowns. Additionally, he added another 405 yards with seven touchdowns on the ground. Perine ran for 1,349 yards and 16 touchdowns during his sophomore campaign. In his two years as starter, Perine has accumulated 3,277 yards from scrimmage and 38 touchdowns.

The Cougars come into this game riding high from their 2015 campaign when they finished the year 13-1 with a bowl victory over Florida State. Led by some guy named Tom Herman, the Cougars look to continue their upward trend where they have national attention and expectations…which that hasn’t been said since David Klingler was slinging the ball around and completely oblivious to the fact the Bengals would soon ruin him. The biggest key to Houston’s success continuing this year is senior Greg Ward Jr. who is perfect for the Herman/Meyer style of offense. Last year, Ward had 3,941 total yards (2,827 pass/1,114 rush) and 38 touchdowns.

This one should really peak your interest, it is a Meyer protégé who runs the Buckeyes offense facing off against the Buckeyes big opponent in two weeks. I enjoyed the Houston success last year and I think Herman is an awesome coach…but I really think this will end bad for Houston. On offense they are replacing their top wide receiver, top running back, and multiple offensive linemen. On defense they are replacing three defensive backs including Bengals first rounder William Jackson III. Let’s not pretend like Herman has been there recruiting four and five stars for years just to provide a narrative heading into week one. The Sooners have holes on defense which Ward will exploit but I think Mayfield and Perine will have no problem moving the ball on Houston. The Sooner hype train will be in full-force in two weeks ladies and gentlemen.

Prediction: 49-17, Oklahoma

(20) Southern California vs (1) Alabama, Saturday, 8 pm (in Dallas, Texas)

USC will be turning to junior Max Browne to take over as the big-man on campus at USC after Cody Kessler was drafted by the Brownines (ahead of Cardale). His reward for this prestigious honor is to have his first start be against Alabama. Lucky for Browne, he has a very talented bunch surrounding him on offense. The most talented of the bunch is junior wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster who has racked up 143 catches, 2,178 yards, and 15 touchdowns in his first two years on campus. Like the Buckeyes, Bama has a very young and inexperienced defense…week one is the time to hurt them and the Trojans have the firepower to do it.

Just like USC, Bama will be breaking in a new quarterback…we just don’t know who it will be yet. The depth chart lists junior Cooper Bateman at the top but he is followed by two that dreadful “Or”. At running back, the Tide will be turning to sophomore Bo Scarbrough who was able to hold off heralded former top recruit Damien Harris for the job. Scarbrough rushed for 108 yards in 2016 as the third string tailback. On defense the Tide must replace seven players, including three linebackers.

I’m sure 99% of America looks at this game and thinks it is going to be a walk in the park for the Tide but I just have too much faith in the Trojan offense to think this will be a blowout. If this game was a few weeks down the road, I would trust the Bama defense a lot more but with it being week one and so many new starters I just think they will struggle. I know I shouldn’t but I have a feeling in my gut that the first major upset happens here.

Prediction: 31-24, USC

(10) Notre Dame at Texas, Sunday, 7:30 pm

The awesome thing about opening week in college football is there is no NFL to compete with. Due to this we get to sit back on a Sunday night and watch some enjoyable football! Notre Dame comes to Austin with a lot of uncertainty after the arrest of five players. Of those five, it appears only one will not be playing as starting safety Max Redfield was kicked off the team. Notre Dame has decided to go with the two-quarterback look, learning nothing from the 2015 Buckeyes. They will split duties with DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire. Kizer played in 13 games last season, combining for 3,305 total yards and 31 touchdowns. Zaire was the starter heading into the 2015 campaign but was injured in week two. In his first two games, he had accumulated 531 yards of offense and four touchdowns.

On the Texas sideline, this is a big season for coach Charlie Strong as his job may be in the balance. He is entering his third year as head coach and riding high off of a convincing victory against Baylor at the end of last season. The Longhorns appear poised to move on from senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes and turn the reigns over to Shane Buechele who looked great all spring and fall. Much like Meyer did early, Strong has spent a lot of time recruiting DL depth in an effort to turn this program around in his first two years on campus. They have an abundant amount of talent and depth but it is very young. The strength of the Longhorns defense lies in their defensive backfield and at linebacker with star Malik Jefferson.

This is going to be a tough game for both teams. While Notre Dame comes in with a number ten next to their name, I just don’t see them as one of the top ten teams in the nation. Texas has a chip on their shoulder coming into the season and looks to return to the Texas we all are used to seeing. In the end, it won’t be as bad as last year but I think Notre Dame pulls it out.

Prediction: 20-17, Notre Dame

(11) Mississippi at (4) Florida State, Monday, 8 pm

Ole Miss will start their life without two of the best offensive players in college football after Laquon Treadwell and Laremy Tunsil left for the NFL. The Ole Miss offense will need to rely on starting senior running back Akeem Judd who rushed for 425 yards last season. If he is able to move the chains, it will keep pressure off of senior quarterback Chad Kelly who threw for 4,042 yards last season and 31 touchdowns.

Florida State comes into the 2016 season as my preseason pick to be champion IF they can get some decent quarterback play. On offense they return their entire two-deep on the offensive line which will be blocking for probably the second best running back in the nation, Dalvin Cook. As a sophomore behind this same line, Cook ran for 1,691 yards (7.4 avg) and 19 touchdowns. All they will need is for redshirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois is to put on his best Craig Krenzel impersonation to lead this offense to huge numbers. Oh did I mention they return their ENTIRE receiving corps too? On defense, the Seminoles will be led by senior defensive end DeMarcus Walker who registered 15.5 tackles-for-loss and 10.5 sack last season and sophomore strong safety Derwin James who had 71.5 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Their weakness on defense will be at linebacker where they lack any major experience.

As for the game and hype, I’m honestly tired of hearing about Ole Miss and them being ranked so high. Let me give you a list of their out of conference wins since 2010:

Tennessee-Martin

Louisiana-Lafayette x2

Texas

Fresno State x3

Memphis

Idaho

New Mexico State

Presbyterian

Troy

Oklahoma State

SE Missouri State

Georgia Tech

Boise State

Central Arkansas

UTEP

Tulane x2

Southern Illinois




How about their losses:

TCU

Texas

BYU

Louisiana Tech

Jacksonville State




Last year was the first year they have won 10 games since 2003. They’ve gone 40-36 since 2010…they are barely a .500 team over the past six years. Let’s stop making them a top-15 program every year because of their conference. Ole Miss gets it handed to them and probably moves up in the rankings….



Prediction: 42-20, FSU

The post What Would Woody Watch: Week One appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes look to continue good start - Athens Messenger (registration)
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Buckeyes look to continue good start
Athens Messenger (registration)
The Buckeyes will get the opportunity to fix those mistakes against a Green Wave squad that was a playoff qualifier a season ago. Most observers anticipate the Buckeyes to make a turnaround from last season. A 2-0 start against Trimble and Newark ...


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2019 WR gets an offer from Ohio State
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes go to SEC country to make an offer

Only two days separate us and the kickoff to the 2016 Ohio State football season. While Urban Meyer, staff and team are solely focusing on the Bowling Green Falcons, the rest of the football program still has recruiting on their minds. Last night, at midnight, 2018 recruits were able to be contacted by college coaches and staff members. While 2017 is still the class receiving the most attention right now, and rightfully so, there's no hesitation for the Buckeyes to get a leg up for 2018 and continue their recruiting dominance.

UT commit receives OSU offer


Ohio State is absolutely loving their current receivers situation in the 2017 recruiting class. With last week's double the pleasure commitments from Tyjon Lindsey and Trevon Grimes, Urban Meyer and Zach Smith have to (and do) feel great about their future at the wide receiver position. However, if one thing is true, it's that Ohio State is never content with the present as it stays working toward the future.

Yesterday, via his Twitter, Kendrell Scurry (Thompson's Station, TN / Independence) let it be known that his latest offer was from none other than The Ohio State Buckeyes.


A current Tennessee commit, the 2019 receiver has a long ways to go in his recruiting process, but the 6-foot-3, 185-pound youngster certainly has a head start. With three seasons still to be played in his prep career, Scurry already boasts offers from two major programs in Tennessee and Ohio State that will surely have others following suit in the near future. The 4-star has a clear leader in his home team commitment, but there's plenty of time for Ohio State to become a true threat in this race.

Woodbey struggles to see OSU


One of the more popular names in the 2018 class for Ohio State fans has been Jaiden Woodbey. The St. John Bosco (CA) 5-star safety has been linked mostly with Southern Cal and Ohio State so far in his recruitment, but the Buckeyes keep coming up short in their efforts to get Woodbey on campus. Due to nothing but the distance factor, Woodbey has tried over and over to get to Columbus and see what Ohio State is all about. One of the recent tries would have been this past weekend when his high school team traveled all of the way from California to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on St. Xavier in a highly anticipated prep showdown.

With Woodbey being within a short drive north to Columbus, his goal was to stop by after his contest and check out Ohio State. However, once again the potential visit stalled and will have to be made another time. Woodbey told elevenwarriors.com that this visit was unable to happen this weekend, unfortunately.

It remains to be seen when the nation's No.3 2018 safety will finally get to visit Ohio State, but the interest between the two is certainly not going anywhere. If the visit for the two parties does happen in the near future, look for Urban Meyer to be a serious threat to land yet another top national recruit.

5-star DT loves OSU


Normally when you read an SEC conference recruiting article, it's pro-SEC football – as it should be. However, in a recent article with seccountry.com, Ohio State was able to get some love. Coming from Taron Vincent, a 5-star defensive tackle out of IMG Academy for 2018, he has nothing but love for the Buckeyes. The nation's No.1 defensive tackle prospect told seccountry.com that "Larry Johnson, the atmosphere, the school, just everything about the school," is why he's leaning towards Ohio State as of right now in his recruitment.

With such lofty praise from a top national recruit, you have to take notice and begin to wonder if it will be an early pledge for Vincent to Ohio State's 2018 class. Urban Meyer and staff would clearly love to add this monster to an already solid starting 2018 class, but no time table has been set for Taron's final decision. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound stud looks to have Ohio State penciled in all of the way to the finish. If things were to end now, the Buckeyes would be the one receiving the good news, according to the 247sports crystal ball prediction.

Let's hope it stays that way in the coming months.

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Watch Mike Weber’s parents learn their son will be a starter at Ohio State
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s the phone call every football parent dreams of.

When Mike Weber was named the starter for this weekend’s game against Bowling Green, running back coach Tony Alford took the liberty to call Weber’s parents about the good news before even telling Mike himself.

Normally when the coach makes a phone call to a parent, things are, well, not so good. But, when the accomplishment of being named the starting running back at The Ohio State University happens, then a good phone call home is warranted.

Shared on the Ohio State Football Twitter account, the phone call from Alford – as well as Weber’s parents reaction – is a must hear:


Weber also jumped to Twitter and commented on Alford making the call.


Earlier, head coach Urban Meyer talked about how the job as running back for the Buckeyes is the “Cadillac position in sports.” Now, Weber joins elite company alongside Ezekiel Elliott, Carlos Hyde, Chris “Beanie” Wells, Eddie George and Howard “Hopalong” Cassady as starters of the coveted spot.

Ohio State battles BGSU at noon Saturday.

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Ohio State football: Buckeyes safety Cam Burrows likely out for season - cleveland.com
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Ohio State football: Buckeyes safety Cam Burrows likely out for season
cleveland.com
Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said on Wednesday that Burrows, a fourth-year junior, is likely to miss the entire 2016 season with a foot injury. Meyer did not go into specifics on the injury, but Burrows missed most of the 2015 season with an undisclosed ...
New year, new faces, same expectations for BuckeyesMarion Star
Ohio State-Bowling Green football preview: Buckeyes' Urban Meyer faces former teamUPI.com
Ohio State Buckeyes Battle the Bowling Green Falcons: A Q&A With a Buckeye ReporterHustle Belt (blog)
FOXSports.com -Columbus Dispatch -ESPN
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Ohio State Football Preview: The 2016 Buckeyes Offense - Factory Of Sadness
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Ohio State Football Preview: The 2016 Buckeyes Offense
Factory Of Sadness
Barrett's ability to strike it big in the red zone and give the Ohio State offense a true dual threat was exactly what the Buckeye offense needed down the stretch. It also proved what the best version of the Buckeyes offense looks like in the form of ...


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The Hurry Up: Buckeyes Lead for Top-Ranked Defender, Elite Safety Unable to Visit Columbus and Trio of Targets ... - Eleven Warriors
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The Hurry Up: Buckeyes Lead for Top-Ranked Defender, Elite Safety Unable to Visit Columbus and Trio of Targets ...
Eleven Warriors
And though Kirschner seemingly asked every prospect about their interest in Alabama, top-ranked 2018 defensive tackle Taron Vincent only wanted to talk about the Buckeyes. “[Defensive line] coach [Larry] Johnson, the atmosphere, the school … just ...

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Mike Weber Named Starter, Burrows Out For Season
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


Coming out of the final practice of the fall before their match up for Bowling Green, Urban Meyer clarified one of the OR’s on the depth chart today. Mike Weber, the redshirt freshman from Michigan, was told today that he would be the starting running back Saturday in the Horseshoe.

Weber will take over for Ezekiel Elliott, and he will certainly have big shoes to fill. Elliott ran for 1821 yards and 23 touchdowns in his junior year while being quite possibly the most dominate blocking running back college football has seen in some time. Elliott was drafted #4 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Draft.

Weber may have earned some playing time last year behind Elliott, but he tore his meniscus in camp and was redshirted for the season. The hope is that Weber, Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson can combine to fill some of the void that was left by Elliott. We will find out on Saturday how they are able to handle the workload.

Other news out of the final practice is that redshirt junior Cameron Burrows will not play this season. Burrows was expected to compete for playing time at Safety behind Malik Hooker and Damon Webb. It was a surprise when the depth chart was released yesterday that there was no mention of Burrows, but the reason why has now been clarified. Burrows has a bum foot, and Meyer expects him to be out for the season.

Burrows has already graduated from Ohio State, and this was expected to be his final year with the Buckeyes. It is yet to be seen if this will still be the case, or if Burrows will return for the 2017 season.

The post Mike Weber Named Starter, Burrows Out For Season appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State safety Cam Burrows out for the season
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


Mike Weber is officially Ohio State’s starting running back, too.


Ohio State wrapped practice Wednesday with Urban Meyer hosting his annual Wednesday check in with the media.

While these tend to be more confirmatory in nature, sometimes some news comes to light at them. This looks like one of those weeks.

Ohio State safety Cam Burrows was expected to figure into the Buckeyes’ new look secondary rotation, but after suffering an apparent foot injury, he looks done for the season.

Meyer also announced running back Mike Weber is officially the team’s starter as was widely expected calling it “the Cadillac position in college football right now.” Added that they’re very confident in him.

Jalyn Holmes is also officially a starter. OSU hopes to play at least four-to-five inside guys and four guys at defensive end.

“Coach Mike McCoy said after the workout that he was happy with [Joey] Bosa’s condition and energy after being away from the team since OTAs came to an end.”

- Josh Alper, ProFootballTalk


Joey Bosa and the San Diego Chargers were finally able to come to terms on a contract Monday, after Bosa had one of the longer holdouts you’ll ever see from a rookie. It caused a stir both inside and outside of the Chargers organization, but the deal is done, and it’s time to make up for lost time. Based on Bosa’s workout on Tuesday, it appears he was able to keep himself in good shape, as Chargers head coach Mike McCoy was happy with what he saw out of the team’s third overall pick.

McCoy had nothing but good things to say about Bosa after practice, raving about Bosa’s energy and how he was in shape. [He’s] a guy who loves to play. The energy, the passion he comes to work with every day. He was that way all day yesterday either in the weight room, in the meetings [or] no matter where it was. You go out there and see it when he goes through individual drills. He looked like the way he did when he left.” Bosa still has a lot of work to do before he is ready for game action, but a positive start is really all anybody could have asked for after such a long holdout.

“For Tyvis Powell, it’s a week of sleepless nights. It’s the biggest, most tense week of his 22-year-old life.”

- Gregg Bell, The News Tribune


Despite being undrafted, Tyvis Powell has impressed people in Seattle. Which says a lot, when you consider all of the talent that the Seahawks have in their defensive backfield. I mean, they don’t call them the “Legion of Boom” for nothing. While he’s done well, he can’t help but be stressed out in what is the NFL’s cut week, when roster cuts are made to meet the NFL’s requirements for a 53-man roster. Powell has already survived the first cut of 15 players down to 75 on Tuesday, so he’s off to a good start.

Powell told Bell, “This week is definitely a tough week, mentally, because you know what is coming at the end of it.” A very good sign for Powell, is that the team cut veteran Brandon Browner, who used to be a key piece of the Legion of Boom before he left for the Patriots, and then had a stint with the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks have even cut Zac Brooks, who was a drafted rookie. Bell touches on Powell’s experiences at Ohio State, and how his persistence helped him become the player that he ultimately is. We’re certainly rooting for the former Buck. Seattle would be a pretty sweet place to start an NFL career.

“One of Ohio State’s seven football captains is not like the others. Joe Burger is not a starter. Until this year, the senior linebacker wasn’t even on scholarship.”

- Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Joe Burger was picked as a team captain five days ago, to go along with J.T. Barrett, Raekwon McMillan, Pat Elflein, Gareon Conley, Tyquan Lewis and Billy Price. But as Rabinowitz mentions, Burger is not like the rest of the captains because of the journey he took to get to where he is at now. This will be his first year on scholarship. He doesn’t start, but he will be on the punt and kickoff teams this season. He’s the latest in his family to have to earn a scholarship the hard way, according to Rabinowitz, as his father and brother both earned walk-ons at Notre Dame, while two of his other siblings walked on the golf team at Xavier.

Burger told Rabinowitz that keeping a good attitude helped him along the way, and his dad gave him pretty good advice. “My dad always told me you’ve got to bring your lunch pail every single day.” Raekwon McMillan also raved about Burger, speaking on his high GPA, as well as his work ethic in the weight room, despite not being the most physically gifted guy on the team. It’s those little additions that help make an already talented football team like Ohio State better. When guys like Burger are fighting for a spot, it sets a good example, and puts a hunger in everybody else that takes notice. It seems like he was an easy choice for captain.

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Ohio State's unique recruiting advantage the reason for Buckeyes sturdiness: Is Cincinnati a future threat? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State's unique recruiting advantage the reason for Buckeyes sturdiness: Is Cincinnati a future threat?
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It was an honest oversight, but there was no way Chris Ash was letting it go. While discussing Ohio State's unique recruiting advantage of being the only program in college football to have an entire talent-rich state to itself, Ash ...

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Ohio State football | Buckeyes like options with four corners ... - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State football | Buckeyes like options with four corners ...
Columbus Dispatch
Marshon Lattimore or Denzel Ward — that's how the first Ohio State depth chart of the 2016 season lists the starter at the cornerback spot vacated by Eli Apple.
Marshon Lattimore is finally a Buckeyes starter: Ohio State football ...cleveland.com

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Who will win the Big Ten Championship? Where will Buckeyes finish? Ohio State season preview - cleveland.com
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Who will win the Big Ten Championship? Where will Buckeyes finish? Ohio State season preview
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five Big Ten football programs have appeared in the five Big Ten Championships since its inception in 2011. Wisconsin and Michigan State have each been in three times, while Ohio State has made it twice and Nebraska and Iowa each ...
Buckeyes, Michigan go youngThe Daily Iowan
Bill Rabinowitz's Big Ten predictionsColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State has a tough road ahead for a Big Ten titleLand-Grant Holy Land
Eleven Warriors -The Daily Gopher -ESPN (blog)
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What you need to know about Maryland before Ohio State plays them
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


They probably won’t be as bad as they were last year.

The Ohio State football season will be here before you know it, and even if you’ve only been paying semi-close attention this offseason, you’re probably aware of the major storylines with the program. This is going to be an exceptionally young, but talented and athletic team. There’s a lack of proven production at wideout, running back, and defensive back. They return the best QB in the conference, and should at least compete for a Big Ten title.

But you may not know a lot about the specific teams on Ohio State’s schedule. We’ll get into a lot more detail before the actual games, but you may want a primer so you can sound smart at the bar, or at the barbecue, or in the grocery store checkout line.

So take a look at Ohio State’s opponents this year. Next up, my hometown team, Maryland.

What was the deal with Maryland last year?


Everything was bad. Did the Terps get demolished by a MAC team, at home? Sure did. They won just a single game after the third week of the season. They were crushed by virtually every good team they played outside of USF. Then they fired Randy Edsall, and watched Ohio State pick apart what projected to be a very promising recruiting class.

Go Terps.

Maryland has a new coach, former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin. They have plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future. But the recent past has not been kind to the Terps. What about the present?

Is Maryland’s offense gonna be any good?


There are legitimately things to like about Maryland’s offense. The Terps have quietly recruited very well along the offensive line, paced by five-star Damian Prince. It’s going to be a very young unit and may not gel this year, but they may soon. The Terps also return almost every skill position player, including speedster wideout Taivon Jacobs, and running backs Wes Brown and former Virginia Tech Hokie Trey Edmunds. The Terps quietly had a pretty explosive running game last season, and could have one again.

The big problem? Maryland doesn’t have a quarterback. Nobody threw more interceptions last year than Maryland, and their two returning options at QB, Perry Hills (13 picks) and Caleb Rowe (15 picks), did nothing to inspire any level of confidence. Under new OC Walt Bell, Maryland should be running the dang ball more often, including with Hills and Rowe, and some regression with turnovers seems likely, but expecting either QB (and it appears Hills will get first crack) to turn out an efficient passing game seems like too much to ask.

What about Maryland’s defense?


Maryland’s rushing defense was pretty good last season, and thanks to Durkin, some beef up front, and linebacker talents like Jermaine Carter, it should probably be pretty good again. But now that Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson are gone, it’s not clear where the pass rush is going to come from. And since Maryland’s secondary is awfully thin outside of Will Likely, that’s not a promising sign.

The way to beat the Terps this year is probably to attack their secondary, which is likely due for a regression. Not every team in the Big Ten will have the personnel to do that, and with a stout running defense, Maryland could be in some Big Ten games. But if somebody can air it out, it might get ugly.

What’s Maryland and Ohio State’s all-time record like?


Ohio State is undefeated against Maryland (2-0), and neither game was especially close.

Is Maryland gonna be any good this year?


There is a pathway for Maryland to become good, relatively soon. There’s plenty of four-star-ish talent along the offensive line, wideouts, and a talent infusion is coming along the defensive line. Maryland’s coaching staff is full of either experienced ex-head coaches, or very intriguing young options. They should be fun, which is more than you can say about Maryland football recently.

But they don’t have a great option at QB. They’ve had horrible turnover and injury luck, and their secondary and pass rush look vulnerable for this season. Their schedule sets up easily enough that a 6-6 record and a bowl trip is on the table, but I wouldn’t bet any higher than that ... and personally, I think 4 or 5 wins are more likely.

How worried should Ohio State fans be about this game?


The only real worry, in my opinion, is that the Buckeyes are looking ahead to the Michigan games left on the schedule and come out emotionally flat. There’s a ton of Ohio State fans in the DC area and the Terps won’t have much of a home field advantage. The Buckeyes have talent superiority at every position, and have the personnel to exploit Maryland’s weaknesses pretty well. This is a game where Ohio State will likely be heavily favored, and while Maryland might make it interesting at spots, the Buckeyes should certainly win.

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How could Ohio State football ever be bad? Buckeye Talk Podcast - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


How could Ohio State football ever be bad? Buckeye Talk Podcast
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If Ohio State is the most indestructible team in college football, how could the Buckeyes ever be bad? All week we've been discussing the Buckeyes and their nearly century-long ability to avoid bottoming out. Nailing coaching hires ...
Ohio State needs Gareon Conley to solidify an inexperienced secondaryLand-Grant Holy Land
Heard Around the 'Shoe – 8/31/2016The Buckeye Battle Cry

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Everything you need to know about betting on Ohio State in 2016



Previewing Ohio State and college football from a Las Vegas gambling prospective, with ESPN's gambling reporter, David Purdum.

We chatted with one of the best sports gambling reporter in the business, ESPN's David Purdum, to check the current Las Vegas odds, stats and trends, plus get his opinions on the upcoming college football season. Remember, Purdum is an ESPN reporter who covers the ins-and-outs of the industry and is a recreational bettor — not a sharp bettor who is putting big time money on games. Also, these odds are coming from Las Vegas casinos, which do not have as many prop bets as off-shore sportsbooks, such as Bovada.

Nevada sportsbooks have never had a losing September in neither the NFL or college football since gaming control began tracking sports betting in 1988. Take these trends and odds with a grain of salt, as the casinos always win.

Here are Purdum's takes on Ohio State, the Big Ten and the rest of college football:

Ohio State

Land-Grant Holy Land: We have seen Ohio State/Oklahoma open at 9.5 and it has now settled around a touchdown. Where is the money going and why the spread drop?

David Purdum: The line simply opened too high. Even the oddsmaker at the South Point Casino who posted the opener acknowledges that now, but his reasoning is understandable. He believes Ohio State, because of its abundance of new personnel, will be a way better team in November than it will in September. He wouldn’t have made that opener 9.5, if the game were in November.

The early money came in on the Buckeyes, but limits on these early lines are relatively small, and bookmakers are more apt to move lines quickly in June, July and August than they will be in the days leading up to kickoff.

We’ll really find out what the market thinks this point spread should be in a few weeks.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What is your favorite Urban Meyer or Ohio State betting trend?

Purdum: I’ve got two and they’re doozies:

1) For his career, Meyer is 37-9 against the spread with more than one week to prepare, including 8-3 ATS in season openers.

2) Meyer is 19-5 ATS as an underdog.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are the current odds for the Buckeyes to win the national title? How heavily are they being bet?

Purdum: Ohio State is 8-1 to win the national championship at the Westgate SuperBook. The Buckeyes may be a little lower or higher at other shops, but they are among the top tier of favorites, along with consensus favorite Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State and LSU.

Only Michigan has attracted more bets than Ohio State to win the national championship at the Westgate.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are J.T. Barrett's current Heisman odds? Is Vegas seeing some money coming in on the former Big Ten Offensive POY?

Purdum: Barrett is 12-1 to win the Heisman at the SuperBook. There has been no movement on Barrett’s odds.

Land-Grant Holy Land: After the Oklahoma game, do you think the Buckeyes will be favored in every other game this year?

Purdum: Yes. They are currently 5-point favorites over Michigan. It would take some unexpected developments during the season to flip that line. Road games at Wisconsin and at Michigan State are other possibilities. Maybe Wisconsin upsets LSU and Ohio State looks bad against Oklahoma? Maybe the Buckeyes would be dogs to the Badgers in that scenario?

One veteran Vegas oddsmaker said, to start the season, Ohio State is power-ranked higher than every team on its schedule, including Oklahoma.
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Entire article: http://www.landgrantholyland.com/20...w-2016-ohio-state-heisman-odds-betting-trends

Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Depth Chart, Superstitions, Meyer Press Conference
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary and links to the author’s twitter account!


Brandon Zimmerman tackles the menu from the first week of B1G action



Rookie Mike Meals tackles the age old question of being superstitious about your sports teams.



Brandon Zimmerman keeps pumping them out, here is this weeks depth chart



Shannon Sommers covers the weekly press conference and you can find all of it here in audio form.



Joe Dexter poaches the interwebs for some blood pumping, skull smashing Buckeye football video via the team.







The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Depth Chart, Superstitions, Meyer Press Conference appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Everything you need to know about betting on Ohio State in 2016
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Previewing Ohio State and college football from a Las Vegas gambling prospective, with ESPN's gambling reporter, David Purdum.

We chatted with one of the best sports gambling reporter in the business, ESPN's David Purdum, to check the current Las Vegas odds, stats and trends, plus get his opinions on the upcoming college football season. Remember, Purdum is an ESPN reporter who covers the ins-and-outs of the industry and is a recreational bettor — not a sharp bettor who is putting big time money on games. Also, these odds are coming from Las Vegas casinos, which do not have as many prop bets as off-shore sportsbooks, such as Bovada.

Nevada sportsbooks have never had a losing September in neither the NFL or college football since gaming control began tracking sports betting in 1988. Take these trends and odds with a grain of salt, as the casinos always win.

Here are Purdum's takes on Ohio State, the Big Ten and the rest of college football:

Ohio State


Land-Grant Holy Land: We have seen Ohio State/Oklahoma open at 9.5 and it has now settled around a touchdown. Where is the money going and why the spread drop?

David Purdum: The line simply opened too high. Even the oddsmaker at the South Point Casino who posted the opener acknowledges that now, but his reasoning is understandable. He believes Ohio State, because of its abundance of new personnel, will be a way better team in November than it will in September. He wouldn’t have made that opener 9.5, if the game were in November.

The early money came in on the Buckeyes, but limits on these early lines are relatively small, and bookmakers are more apt to move lines quickly in June, July and August than they will be in the days leading up to kickoff.

We’ll really find out what the market thinks this point spread should be in a few weeks.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What is your favorite Urban Meyer or Ohio State betting trend?

Purdum: I’ve got two and they’re doozies:

1) For his career, Meyer is 37-9 against the spread with more than one week to prepare, including 8-3 ATS in season openers.

2) Meyer is 19-5 ATS as an underdog.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are the current odds for the Buckeyes to win the national title? How heavily are they being bet?

Purdum: Ohio State is 8-1 to win the national championship at the Westgate SuperBook. The Buckeyes may be a little lower or higher at other shops, but they are among the top tier of favorites, along with consensus favorite Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State and LSU.

Only Michigan has attracted more bets than Ohio State to win the national championship at the Westgate.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are J.T. Barrett's current Heisman odds? Is Vegas seeing some money coming in on the former Big Ten Offensive POY?

Purdum: Barrett is 12-1 to win the Heisman at the SuperBook. There has been no movement on Barrett’s odds.

Land-Grant Holy Land: After the Oklahoma game, do you think the Buckeyes will be favored in every other game this year?

Purdum: Yes. They are currently 5-point favorites over Michigan. It would take some unexpected developments during the season to flip that line. Road games at Wisconsin and at Michigan State are other possibilities. Maybe Wisconsin upsets LSU and Ohio State looks bad against Oklahoma? Maybe the Buckeyes would be dogs to the Badgers in that scenario?

One veteran Vegas oddsmaker said, to start the season, Ohio State is power-ranked higher than every team on its schedule, including Oklahoma.

Big Ten


Land-Grant Holy Land: Who are the top three favorites (in order) to win the Big Ten East and Big Ten West?

Purdum: The books normally don’t break up their odds by division. Ohio State, at 6-5, and Michigan, at 7-5, are the clear-cut favorites to win the Big Ten. Nebraska (7-1) and Iowa (7-1) have the best odds out of the West.

Sidenote: Purdue and Rutgers are listed at 500-1 to win the conference. Those are the worst conference title odds of any team in the nation.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Besides Barrett, which players from the Big Ten are on the Heisman Trophy betting list?

Purdum: Only two at the SuperBook -- Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers (80-1) and Penn State’s Saquon Barkley (80-1).

Land-Grant Holy Land: What are some trends from Jim Harbaugh that stick out from his college coaching days and last year?

Purdum: There’s nothing overly exceptional, but he’s solid, especially at home and as a favorite. He is 20-13 ATS at home and 22-12 ATS as a favorite.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Is there a specific or favorite trend that sticks out from any B1G coach or team?

Purdum: Under coach Kevin Wilson, 69.4 percent of Indiana’s games have gone over the total (41-18-1). The Hoosiers went 10-2-1 over/under last season.

National


Land-Grant Holy Land: Who is getting the most action from bettors to win the national title?

Purdum: Michigan has been the most popular bet to win the national title. LSU is another popular team, along with Florida State.

Land-Grant Holy Land: What is your favorite national coaching trend?

Purdum: Since returning to Kansas State in 2009, Bill Snyder is 42-18-1 against the spread in Big 12 play.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Who is current Heisman favorite and which player not in the top-5 would you think represents good value?

Purdum: Clemson QB Deshaun Watson is the favorite at 9-2, followed by LSU running back Leonard Fournette (5-1) and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey (5-1).

Houston QB Greg Ward, at 50-1, is intriguing. He has a big showcase opener against Oklahoma and will put up big numbers in Tom Herman’s system throughout the season.

Land-Grant Holy Land: Give me your national champion and Heisman bets.

Purdum: I grabbed Clemson at 8-1. I feel like this is a program that is peaking in talent. Plus, I’ll have a hedge opportunity with the Florida State game.

Land-Grant Holy Land: If you were to give one piece of advice to bettors heading into the season, what would it be?

Purdum: I’m going to give three, because I think all three are really imporant:

1) Bet the smallest amount per game that your book allows. You should be only betting 2-5 percent of your bankroll on any game. So if you have $500 to play with for the season, your bets should be $10 to $25 per game. If you keep to that size of bets, it’s unlikely that you’ll blow through your bankroll.

2) You are not a professional gambler. There was a study in Australia of the accounts at a major bookmaker. Out of 500,000 accounts, only 50 were found to be profitable. Betting for 99.9 percent of us should be looked at as a form of recreation that comes with risks. Approaching it any other way is a bad bet.

3) Do not buy picks. It is difficult enough to win on your own. The added costs of buying picks make it near impossible. Learn to handicap on your own. Do it with your buddies over beer at the bar. Do it for fun.

Follow Purdum on Twitter at @DavidPurdum and his writing on ESPN’s newest gambling site, ESPN Chalk.

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