Making The List: Donica Merriman
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The 2016 Rio Olympics have just concluded. The United States dominated; 46 Gold, 37 Silver, and 38 Bronze for a grand total of 121 medals. In track and field the Women’s team out did all possibilities. In 21 events with 63 medals available (Gold; Silver; Bronze all combined) the Americans received 15 total, five of which were Gold. No other country was close. Even Jamaica and Kenya only mustered a total medal count of six each.

This has led me to look deeper into Women’s track. Previously I have mentioned Stephanie Hightower as a member of Making the List. There are so many others in Women’s track and field from the world of the Scarlet and Gray that are deserving of mention. One is Donica Merriman.

Donica was born in 1979 in Trotwood, Ohio. She would go on to be a star and Ohio High School Champion from Trotwood-Madison High School, graduating with Honors in 1997.

Once she arrived on The Ohio State University campus, the Women’s Track and Field program would never be the same. Indoor records for OSU in the 55-meter/60-yard Hurdles is ranks 3rd w/ 7.66 in 2000 & 4th in the 55-meter dash, also in 2000 w/ 6.95. In the 60-meter Hurdles is tops the list at # 1, done in 20001, w/7.95. She is also listed at # 1 in the 200-meter dash, in 2000, w/23.50. Outdoor she is # 1 in the 100 –meter dash, in 2000, w/ 11.16. She is also # 1 in the 200-meter dash, in 1999, w/ 23.02.

She would be the Big Ten Champion in 1999 in the 60-meter hurdles. In 2000 she’d receive the same honors in both the 60-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash. She’d repeat those honors in 2001 (60-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash). In Outdoor her Big Ten Championships would be in 1999 – the 200-meter dash and in 2000 – the 1—meter hurdles, 100-meter dash, and the 200-meter dash. Donica would also be recognized as an All-American Indoor in 2000 and 2001. All-American honors Outdoor came in 1998, 1999, 2000, 1nd in 2001. She was a four-year letter-winner for the Buckeyes.

Donica was inducted into The Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Here is a mere sampling of her accomplishments:

2003: 3rd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (12.65)5th at Adidas Oregon Track Classic (13.03) 2nd at Madrid (12.69) 1st in race (A) at Heusden (12.73)2nd at Stockholm (12.89) ranked #8 in the world (#5 in U.S.) by T&FN best of 12.65.

2002: 4th at USA Outdoors (12.96)2nd at USA Outdoor semis (12.74)3rd at Adidas Oregon Track Classic (13.00) 2nd at Oracle U.S. Open (12.88)3rd at Oslo B (13.04) ranked #8 in the world (#5 in U.S.) by T&FN-best of 12.74.

2001: 4th at USA Outdoors (13.15)Won 2001 NCAA Outdoors (12.73)won NCAA Indoors (7.95) won 60m hurdles (7.98) and 200 (24.10) at Big Ten Indoors4th in 100 at Big Ten Outdoors (11.48) and 2nd at 100 hurdles (12.82) ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN bests of 7.95, 12.73, 11.48 (100m), and 23.21 (200m).

2000: 9th in semi at U.S. Olympic Trials (13.54)3rd at NCAA Indoors in 60m hurdles (8.06) and 4th in 200 (23.50) won Big 10 Indoors in 60m hurdles (8.11) and 200 (23.93) won Big 10 Outdoors in 100m (11.35), 200m (23.32), and in 100m hurdles (12.85)bests of 8.06, 12.70, 11.16 (100m), and 23.50 (200m).

1999: 5th at NCAA Outdoors in 100m hurdles (12.96) won Big 10 Indoors in 60m hurdles (8.37)won Big 10 Outdoors in 200m (23.59), 2nd in 110m hurdles (12.96), and 3rd at Big 10 in 100m (11.60) bests of 12.84, 11.40 (100m), and 23.02 (200m).

1998: 7th at NCAA Outdoors in 100m hurdles (13.44)won Big 10 Indoor title in 55m hurdles (7.74)2nd at Big 10 Outdoors in 100m hurdles (13.32), 3rd in 100m (11.79) bests of 7.74 (55mH) and 11.79 (100m).

Donica Merriman is included in our acknowledging of greatness as a Buckeye in Making the List because during her reign she was dominant in three categories (60-meter hurdles; 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash). Within the spectrum of the Big Ten and the competition thereof, there just wasn’t anyone better. So in the guidelines of utter dominance she is completely deserving of our recognition. She more than earned it. Besides I actually recall seeing her run. I, somehow remember flipping the channel and seeing the Big Ten Track and Field Championships on ESPN. I stopped and watched because I heard the announcer say: Donica Merriman of Ohio State. It was the 200-meter dash, Indoor. That was in 2001. I was in NYC, pre-9/11, and very proud to be a Buckeye (as I always have been and will be). Donica, that afternoon, filled me with Buckeye pride. I will never forget it.

The post Making The List: Donica Merriman appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Will have the 2016 thread up on Monday.

The 10 most important Ohio State Buckeyes heading into 2016, Pt. 2 - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The 10 most important Ohio State Buckeyes heading into 2016, Pt. 2
Land-Grant Holy Land
Do you know who led the Buckeye defense in sacks last season? The NFL Draft's No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa? Try again. Flip to the other side of the defensive line and look at Tyquan Lewis, who recorded 8.0 on the season. Although Lewis feasted on ...


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Ohio State Buckeyes name 7 captains for 2016 season - 10TV
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes name 7 captains for 2016 season
10TV
Ohio State football has named the seven players that will captain the Buckeyes for the 2016 season. Shortly after their Fiesta Bowl victory, head coach Urban Meyer named junior quarterback J.T. Barrett, senior center Pat Elflein and junior linebacker ...
Top 10 Ohio State players? Last year's list of best Buckeyes was so much bettercleveland.com
Which new faces will emerge as Buckeyes starters?FOXSports.com
Buckeyes could have next Heisman winner in Barrett247Sports.com
Hustle Belt (blog) -ESPN (blog) -Columbus Dispatch
all 94 news articles »

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Ha! I figured there would be more captains. I figured just one more though.

Interesting philosophy here. Seems to send the message that EVERYBODY needs to step up and be a leader. Very young team that will be tested. Who will step up?

Dude is untouchable. I can't believe UNC/Fedora thought they'd get away with that.

Ezekiel Elliott impresses for Cowboys in first preseason game
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Zeke’s still doing Zeke things.

Zeke makes his NFL (preseason) debut


With the preseason working its way into Week 3, it was finally time for the Dallas Cowboys’ to unleash Ezekiel Elliott, who missed the first week of preseason scrimmages with a hamstring injury, on opposing NFL defenses.

First up were the Seattle Seahawks. Quickly they learned that Zeke is, indeed, a beast. On Twitter, the NFL compiled all of Zeke’s best moves from Thursday night. They include rushing, some blocking and a huge lowering of the shoulder on NFL defensive star Kam Chancellor.


Granted it’s still preseason, but seeing Zeke keep on doing Zeke things makes it all apparent that another member of the scarlet and gray is on his road to becoming an NFL star.

When you’re lowering the shoulder just to get a few extra yards in the preseason, you can't help but imagine what it’ll be like playing the Cowboys and Elliott deep into the regular season.

Elliott ended the game with seven carries and 48 yards.

"The second time, you know I'm bringing that wood. I was a little surprised the first time, but he's got a lot of courage for that. I'll give it to him. But if it was a full game, it would have been a bloodbath.”

– Kam Chancellor in a story written on by Cameron DaSilva (FOX Sports)


Mentioned before, the battle of Chancellor and Zeke was the highlight from Thursday’s preseason action.

After the game, the Seattle star defensive back spoke on Elliott lowering his shoulder (and the boom) early in the first quarter.

Chancellor said that he commended Elliott on fighting for the extra yardage by going straight through him, but acknowledged that he was out to ‘have fun’ during the game, according to the article written by DeSilva of FOX Sports.

The best part of the article was came from Chancellor’s sentiment that if he had to go up against Elliott in the regular season, then it was going to end up being a ‘bloodbath’.

For those keeping track: Elliott garnered a pretty good preseason display with his rushing, and then had a star opposing player comment on his desire to fight for every yard postgame.

However, there was a negative from Zeke’s first game -- and it happened before the team put on their pads to take on the Seahawks.

“But it's not good. It's just not good. It's just not good."

– Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Elliott's trip to a marijuana dispensary, as reported by Todd Archer (ESPN)


While Elliott apparently didn't buy any of the herbal supplements in the city of the Space Needle, the negative press generated caused the Cowboys’ to make a statement about his rookie star-to-be.

Marijuana is a banned substance in the NFL. The fact that Zeke was anywhere close to the herb will naturally attract the attention of the press — combine that with being a No. 4 draft pick and being a member of America’s Team, the Cowboys, and you have the ingredients for a story that will be blown out of proportion.

All will likely be forgotten the next time Elliott rushes up and down defenses, however. The Cowboys final preseason contest will be against the Houston Texans, an in-state rival, on Sept. 1.

The last time Elliott went up against a rival, he was part of an Ohio State squad that faced Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. There, he posted 214 yards and two touchdowns en route to the win.

“It’s always been a priority of ours to offer affordable opportunities for families and fans to experience Buckeye athletics,”

– Gene Smith in a press release on on “Bucks On Us” campaign, as reported by Hannah Smith (The Lantern)


Back to Ohio State athletics.

In an article by The Lantern, the “Bucks On Us” campaign is aimed at making athletic events free for people that aren’t students at OSU. Over 20 athletic programs offer complimentary attendance to events, which even includes free parking.

While football and basketball aren’t part of the program, there are over 100 other athletic events where people will be able to support the scarlet and gray. Some of the sports that offer free attendance are women’s hockey and men’s volleyball, according to the article.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to catch the Buckeye’s men’s volleyball team in action, as they are fresh off a national championship season.

STICK TO SPORTS


• A librarian from Baton Rouge is asking for books after the devastation from recent flooding.

• Nick Saban is bringing the truth to the press.

• Paul Finebaum mentions Ohio State and Alabama in the same breath.

• In North Korea, missile launches get celebrated with a dance party.

• A lobster fest is forced serve hot dogs after the lobsters go M.I.A. in transit.

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Ohio State adds 4 more 2016 captains
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeye captaincy just got a little less exclusive.

Despite seemingly reiterating in the past couple weeks that quarterback J.T. Barrett, LB Raekwon McMillan and C Pat Elflein would be Ohio State’s only captains this year, the OSU braintrust took a poll of team leadership this week and added to their 2016 captains.

Joining the trio, who were first given the honor back in January, are fifth-year senior linebacker — and former walk-on -- Joe Burger, redshirt junior corner Gareon Conley, junior defensive end Tyquan Lewis and redshirt junior guard Billy Price.

Having just three captains seemed unusual in an era of honoring seemingly as many leaders each year as possible, but the Buckeyes will no longer have to be concerned with trivialities.

Congrats to the four new additions to OSU’s 2016 corp of captains.

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Kyle Young, 4-star forward, sets official visit with Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kyle Young, 4-star forward, sets official visit with Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
Kyle Young, a four-star small forward from Massillon Jackson, has set an official visit with the Buckeyes for the weekend of Sept. 9. That's the weekend the football team hosts Tulsa at Ohio Stadium. Young will also visit Butler this weekend, according ...


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The 10 most important Ohio State Buckeyes heading into 2016, Pt. 2
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Two veteran members of the front-seven crack the list.

When looking at the 2016 depth chart compared to the 2015 depth chart, there are noticeable holes and questions regarding inexperience, due to the mass exodus of NFL departures and graduation. Using key departures, spotlighting players at important positions, leadership qualities and players switching positions, we came up with the 10 most important players on the team. They may not be the most heralded players, or even the best players, but they will be vital to this team’s on-field success.

This is the second of three installments (here is 10-7). Be sure to check back.

6. Tyquan Lewis


Why? Do you know who led the Buckeye defense in sacks last season? The NFL Draft’s No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa? Try again. Flip to the other side of the defensive line and look at Tyquan Lewis, who recorded 8.0 on the season. Although Lewis feasted on single-blocking across from Bosa, he showed the consistency of being a complete defensive end. The Buckeye front-seven lost five members, including the other three defensive linemen and it looks like Lewis will be depended upon to be a leader and key member of the talented, yet inexperienced defensive line.

2015 performance: Not only did Lewis lead the team in sacks, but according to CFB Film Room, he finished third on the team with 11 QB hurries and was third on the team with 11 run stuffs. Also, he finished behind only Bosa on the defensive line with 46 tackles.

Question marks: This is an easy one. Did Lewis benefit from being the third best player on the defensive line (behind Bosa and Adolphus Washington), or is he legit? Also, will Lewis be able to get the same amount of pressure on the quarterback when he faces more double-teams? Sam Hubbard might see more double-teams in pass protection, but Lewis will be focused on much more in 2016, especially on run plays.

Conclusion: The North Carolina native won the starting job in camp last season and he showed why during the season. He performed admirably across from the best defensive end in the country and did so by being a solid pass rusher and a stout run defender. Hubbard may get the accolades as the flashier player, but Lewis will be a more consistent three-down player than the rest of the defensive line.

5. Noah Brown


Why? With the array of playmakers on the perimeter last season, there was just one thing missing. Physicality. Standing at 6’2, 218 lbs, Noah Brown brings just that to Zone 6. He will bring the physicality and the blocking presence on the perimeter that was missed with the departure of Evan Spencer after the 2014 season, which was never properly executed or replaced last season. Brown was supposed to be just that for the Buckeyes in 2015, but he suffered a season-ending leg injury at the end of training camp. Not only will he bring it as a blocker, but he possesses great hands and the ability to win one-on-one battles. Expect Brown to be the big bodied possession receiver that J.T. Barrett will lean on in 2016.

2015 performance: As I mentioned, Noah Brown was an unfortunate camp causality late last August, breaking his leg in practice just a week before their re-match with Virginia Tech. Brown saw action in 11 games in 2014, but gained the staff’s trust during the Buckeyes’ run to a national title. In their final three games of 2014, Brown played 43 snaps and was a legitimate factor in the run game as a blocker.

Question marks: The two biggest question marks surrounding the redshirt sophomore will be his recovery from the broken leg and inexperience as an every-down offensive player. Even though he has shined in his past two training camps, he has yet to get quality playing time on offense.

Conclusion: Zone 6 lost three starters to the NFL, and it looks like Brown and Corey Smith will be depended upon as the leaders of the positional group. The New Jersey native will replace Michael Thomas as Barrett’s top receiving option, and if training camp success predicts anything, he should perform well this season.

4. Raekwon McMillan


Why? It’s Raekwon McMillan’s defense now. Coming off an excellent first season as a full-time starter, the 5-star linebacker has more than lived up to the hype. After the Buckeye defense lost eight starters to graduation and the NFL Draft, Urban Meyer elected McMillan as a co-captain, granting the linebacker the keys to the defense. He’s not going to get as much help from his peers, but he possesses the talent and attributes to perform at a the same high level.

2015 performance: In McMillan’s first year as a starter, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award and was named a Walter Camp second-team All-American. Not only was he the team’s leading tackler by 20 tackles (via CFB Film Room), he only missed 10 tackles on 124 opportunities. In comparison, first rounder Darron Lee missed 15 tackles on 78 opportunities. The middle linebacker was also tied-second on the team in run stuffs with 14 and was third on the team with 10 QB hurries. McMillan was everywhere in 2015.

Question marks: The question marks aren’t about McMillan as a player, as we know he is excellent and will most likely be a future first rounder; the question marks are about his inexperienced supporting cast. He was able to blitz as much as he did (the 10 QB hurries) because Joshua Perry and Darron Lee were trusted in coverage. He was able to get cleaner tackle attempts near the line of scrimmage because the combination of Bosa, Washington, Lewis and Tommy Schutt eating up blockers, which allowed him to get a lot of free looks. Will McMillan get as many clean looks at opposing running backs and be allowed to rush the passer as much with the young and inexperienced front-seven? It will be something to monitor.

Conclusion: Last season was easy for McMillan (surrounded by six NFL Draft picks), but he is in for a more challenging season, in which he will be under the microscope of both college football fans and NFL scouts. Will the young talent be able to help the linebacker out as much as last season, or will he be seeing multiple blockers on the second level? The 6’2, 243 lb linebacker is the best middle linebacker in the Big Ten (and probably the nation) and my guess is that he will be more than up for the challenge.

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DE:
Lewis
Holmes
Cooper

DT:
Sprinkle
Jones
Cornell

NT:
Hill
Hamilton
Landers

DE:
Hubbard
Bosa
Berry

Killer group. Really excited to see these guys start to click.

What you need to know about Indiana 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


Get ready for CHAOS TEAM (also, the kick was not good).

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, the Buckeye’s first Big Ten home opponent, Indiana.

I didn’t watch a lot of Indiana football last year. What did I miss?


Boy howdy, did you miss a lot. Indiana wasn’t all that great last season, but they weren’t called CHAOS TEAM by the college football internet because they played staid, boring, predictable football. Nearly every week, the Hoosiers were involved in some sort of bedlam, and typically, it resulted in heartbreak for Indiana.

The Hoosiers were *this close* to finally upsetting Ohio State last season, getting to 1st-and-goal with under a minute left, trailing by only a touchdown, before imploding. They had Michigan by the throat, before giving up an inopportune bomb late in the game, and eventually fell in overtime. They led Rutgers by approximately a billion points before somehow blowing that game, too.

Despite all of that heartbreak, Indiana did actually make a bowl game last year. Of course, that bowl game had to end in a very Indiana fashion, with a questionable missed field goal against Duke.

Indiana scored a lot of points. They gave up slightly more points, especially late in the game. Virtually every event was a white knuckle showdown, and even with some key departures, Indiana isn’t exactly going to turn into Minnesota this season. Y’all should probably tune in a bit.

So, how is Indiana going to score points this season? Nate Sudfeld and Jordan Howard are gone


It’s true, the nexus of the Hoosier offense from last season, QB Nate Sudfeld (who was #actually very good), and RB Jordan Howard (low-key one of the best players in the country last season), are gone. But that doesn’t mean Indiana is bereft of talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Indiana returns their top three pass-catching targets, including Simmie Cobbs Jr, who caught over 1,000 yards last season, and could be the most prolific wideout in the Big Ten by the time the dust settles on this season. Howard is gone, but the Hoosiers return Devine Redding (who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year) and Mike Majette, who will get carries as well. And while an All-American left tackle, Jason Spriggs, is gone, Indiana has another All-American offensive lineman, (Dan Feeney), and multiple other experienced options. Kevin Wilson has done an excellent job at building and developing all manner of offensive talent during is Indiana tenure, especially offensive linemen.

Perhaps the biggest question, then, is who plays quarterback.

Who are the options?


The most experienced option is Zander Diamont, aka Derek Zoolander, the handsome ex-model son of a soap star who played backup quarterback and torched Ohio State with a 79-yard touchdown run last season. His accuracy wasn’t excellent last season, and he was injured during spring practice, but he’s already shown flashes of what he’s capable of.

Wait, former model? Is Zander Diamont handsome?


Sources say yes.

Instagram
Who are the other, less handsome options?


Richard Lagow, a JUCO transfer and one-time Oklahoma State commit, and similar to Sudfeld in a lot of ways. Lagow was recently named the season opener’s starter. But given how close this competition was, don’t be shocked if other QBs take snaps this year, perhaps even by the Ohio State game. Indiana could also leverage Danny Cameron, who saw some time last season when Diamont was injured.

The specific name might not matter too much here; Indiana’s coaching, history, and returning production would lead one to think that the Hoosiers are probably going to score no matter who is under center, provided they can take care of the football.

What about on defense?


Indiana will allegedly trout out 11 players on the field to play defense during football games. Their effectiveness remains to be seen.

Struggles on the defensive side of the ball have been a constant for Indiana these last few years. Part of that is going to come with a high tempo offense that forces a lot of possessions, but even adjusted for pace, opponent, etc, Indiana’s defense has been bad by virtually every metric.

Last year, Indiana gave up big plays in bunches (3rd worst in FBS), and their overall defensive S&P+ ranking was 97th. Sure, injuries were a major issue, especially in the defensive backfield, but it’s not like this was likely to be even a top 60 defense if everybody was healthy.

Could it improve? The Hoosiers brought in a new defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, to find out. Allen saw success at Ole Miss and USF, and wants to attack, something that the Hoosiers actually had a little success with last season.

That might prove trickier this season, given how thin Indiana is up front, and in a division where multiple programs have beefy, strong offensive lines and power rushing attacks. All three of their most productive defensive linemen are gone, and the Hoosiers will need young players to step up.

The Hoosiers return all of their linebackers and nearly all of their secondary, so while some improvement could be expected, given the recruit level on the roster, it’s likely to still be the weak spot on the defense. If you don’t turn the ball over against Indiana, you’re probably going to be able to score some points, especially later in the game, as the depth wears down.

So, is Indiana gonna be good next year?


Like, good-good? No. But Indiana basically never is. Will Indiana be good at some things? Absolutely. And with a soft non-conference schedule, a return trip to a bowl game is certainly on the table. If the Hoosiers win at Florida International, Ball State, Wake Forest, Maryland, at Rutgers and Purdue, they make a bowl game — and all of those games seem pretty winnable, no?

What’s the all time history like between Ohio State and Indiana?


Laughably one-sided. Ohio State owns a 71-12-5 advantage in the all-time series. The Hoosiers have beaten Ohio State exactly twice in my lifetime (I’m 29), and both of those victories happened before I turned three. In fact, Indiana has won just twice (in 1987 and 1988) since 1952, with the two teams playing just about every year. This is one of the most lopsided, relatively regular matchups in all of college football.

How worried should Ohio State fans be about this game?


Kinda worried, in my opinion. Look, Ohio State beats Indiana virtually every single time. Sometimes, those games are blowouts. But lately, they’ve been pretty close. The Buckeyes won by a single touchdown last year. They struggled in 2014 before Jalin Marshall scored a gazillion touchdowns and the Buckeyes pulled away, 42-27. They won by only three points in 2012. Since Kevin Wilson came to town, this hasn’t been a “eh, Sim-to-Finish” kind of game.

Eventually, Indiana is going to beat Ohio State again, just like someday, Minnesota and Northwestern will beat Ohio State again. That probably isn’t going to happen this season. But if Ohio State turns over the ball, the Hoosiers absolutely have the talent and scheme to make this game completely uncomfortable for any Ohio State fan watching.

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Top 10 Ohio State players? Last year's list of best Buckeyes was so much better - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top 10 Ohio State players? Last year's list of best Buckeyes was so much better
cleveland.com
But the comparison here is, pardon the pun, apples to apples - the Buckeyes entering 2015 to the Buckeyes entering 2016. A year ago as a redshirt sophomore going into his second year as a starter, Apple was pretty fairly placed among his teammates.
Buckeyes could have next Heisman winner in Barrett247Sports.com
Bowling Green Falcons Have History of Playing Ohio State Buckeyes ToughHustle Belt (blog)
Big Ten season preview: Ohio State BuckeyesESPN (blog)
Columbus Dispatch -Ironton Tribune -Scout
all 80 news articles »

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Buckeyes could have next Heisman winner in Barrett - 247Sports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes could have next Heisman winner in Barrett
247Sports.com
Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! Naturally, the humble Barrett is downplaying his chase for the Heisman, saying the following earlier this year of the possibility of winning the ...
Bowling Green Falcons Have History of Playing Ohio State Buckeyes ToughHustle Belt (blog)
Big Ten season preview: Ohio State BuckeyesESPN (blog)
Rankings Rundown: Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes' Quest to Hold Off Alabama for the Nation's Top 2017 ClassEleven Warriors
Columbus Dispatch -Ironton Tribune -Scout
all 75 news articles »

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14 stops, 14 practices: Tom Dienhart’s best of 2016 bus tour
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Another August, another Big Ten Network tour in the books. I have been on five now. And for a guy who loves football, food and fun, I feel lucky. Here is a fun look at the Best of the 2016 BTN Bus Tour. [ MORE: Relive all of Tom Dienhart’s football tour coverage ] FAVORITE CAMPUSES Penn State. The place belongs on a postcard, nestled in the hills of central Pennsylvania. Go ahead and put on your letterman’s jacket and stroll across campus for a dip of Alumni Swirl ice cream at the Berkley Creamery. Michigan. No Big Ten campus

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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 8/26/2016
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


Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!

Top 2018 Athlete Decommits


Jermaine Eskridge, a 4-star athlete from Tampa, Florida shocked quite a few people last month when he committed to the University of South Florida after releasing a top 5 a week before that did not include USF. Well Monday he rescinded that commitment and reopened his recruitment.



What does this have to do with Ohio State you ask? Well the Buckeyes were included in his original top 5 along with Oregon, Florida, Alabama and Miami. In his note above he states that USF is still #1 on his list, although when a recruit decommits from a school they rarely end up back there. This remains one to watch for the Buckeyes as his decision was made kind of hastily after his visit there. The Buckeyes are always looking for dynamic playmakers, and with the class of 2017 pretty much wrapped up at wide receiver, they can turn their attention to the class of 2018 and beyond.


2017 Tight End receives Buckeye Offer


It was believed that the Buckeyes would be passing on the tight end position in the class of 2017, as they landed three last year. That thought process might have changed when they offered 4-star Josh Falo out of Sacramento, California this week. Falo is ranked as the #4 overall tight end in the class of 2017 and has 24 offers to date. He had previously released a top 10 before he received the Buckeye offer and it included the schools: Michigan, USC, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Alabama, Oregon, Colorado, Miami, Auburn, and UCLA.



Would the Buckeyes be on the take for a tight end in this class? I still think that they will pass on the position for this recruiting cycle and focus of 2018 for the position, but offering one at this junction might mean that the Buckeyes have more room in this class than we think.

Jaylen Harris Still a Buckeye?


In case you missed it on Monday, the Buckeyes landed two of the top wide receivers in the country in Tyjon Lindsey and Trevon Grimes. Most experts believe this puts a bow on 2017 wide receiver recruiting for the Buckeyes as scholarship numbers are tight, and these two more than fill the need at the position. However, there remains the mysterious case of Jaylen Harris. Harris told SEC Country that the recent additions of Grimes and Lindsey to the Buckeyes hasn’t made him think any differently about Ohio State.

“I know spots are tight, but at the end of the day I feel like if a spot was to open up and I wanted to go to Ohio State, I would. If that’s where I wanted to go it wouldn’t be a problem with whatever receiver is there because I feel like I know I’m going to compete and compete hard and outwork everybody at my position.”

While I don’t expect Harris to end up in Scarlet and Grey unless there is some magical solution to get 24-25 guys in the class of 2017, he is certainly a playmaker that the Buckeyes could use even in addition to Grimes and Lindsey. Harris still has a top 5 of Ohio State, Tennessee, Penn State, Alabama, and Michigan State. I predicted that he would end up in Knoxville playing for Butch Jones last week and I still feel like that will be the case.


More on Okudah


Probably the highest recruit still left on the Buckeye recruiting board is Texas star Jeffrey Okudah. Okudah planned on making his decision in August, and with the month coming to and end here shortly, it does not look like that will be happening. It sounds like he will be taking his time and making some official visits before settling down and making a decision on his future.

His final 6 schools included Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State, USC and Georgia. Oklahoma is perceived as the team battling it out with the Buckeyes for the commitment, and he scheduled his first visit for the weekend the Buckeyes invade Norman to battle the Sooners.

He told ESPN ($$) Tuesday that he will be visiting Ohio State, Florida State, Clemson and Oklahoma for sure. He also said that he has scheduled his visit to Florida State for the weekend of October 29th when they face off against Clemson.

“I’m working on a Clemson visit right now, but it will probably sometime in November, and Ohio State for the Michigan game possibly,” he said.

Here is what Okudah told ESPN about Ohio State: “They are still my leader. They are recruiting me the hardest and have really got close to my family, my coaches and my trainer. They have been giving me the all-out, full-court recruitment for the longest. They have given me the full-court recruitment even though they have the No. 1 class with a lot of really good players.”

He also said that he will sit down after the Ohio State official visit (if it goes according to plan), and make his final decision. I expect the Buckeyes to remain on top in this one, and secure his commitment for next year adding to an already loaded class of 2017.



The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 8/26/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Top 10 Ohio State players? Last year's list of best Buckeyes was so much better - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top 10 Ohio State players? Last year's list of best Buckeyes was so much better
cleveland.com
But the comparison here is, pardon the pun, apples to apples - the Buckeyes entering 2015 to the Buckeyes entering 2016. A year ago as a redshirt sophomore going into his second year as a starter, Apple was pretty fairly placed among his teammates.
Out of the shadows, into the spotlight for Ohio State's Tyquan Lewis and Gareon Conley in 2016?ESPN (blog)

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We are all screwed! My recent experience with owning a new, sporty little coupe, just adds more fuel to the belief that dealers can't do repairs any more. Sheesh! When they screw up an oil change you know we're screwed!

We Are All Screwed in a World Where Only Dealers Can Service New Cars
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a30505/new-car-service/

And my dealer did screw up an oil change by adding too much oil which blew out an engine seal causing an electrical short. Sure, it was respired under warranty, but any electrical short caused by leaking oil on the engine is a bad, even dangerous thing. And repair was on my time. Half a day. This is why I refuse to take my cars to a dealer. I buy cars that have a solid history of not needing dealer service. I change my own oil. I have a mechanic I trust do repairs.

Looking Back At Ohio State’s 2013 Recruiting Class (Part Three)
Chip Minnich via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Embed from Getty Images​

(This article originally appeared on athlonsports.com)


Upon his arrival at Ohio State, head coach Urban Meyer’s initial recruiting class in 2012 consisted of 25 players. While Meyer had high hopes for his initial crop of Buckeyes, he also was far from satisfied.

He described that 2012 class as “pretty strong, but I wouldn’t consider that a great recruiting effort.” It was clear that Meyer was intent on making a splash with his next class. He wanted to sign a 2013 class that could compete for and win national championships. What he got was just that, as well as one that would impact future NFL Drafts.

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The post Looking Back At Ohio State’s 2013 Recruiting Class (Part Three) appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Officially Speaking: The Nuclear Option
Charles via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


While a lot of football fans consider themselves very knowledgeable about the game and the rules, few have ever really looked at the rule book much less actually read it; a surprising number of coaches and players have also never really read the rule book. This is pretty easy to understand, the rules are long and not exactly a run read for most people; the 2016-2017 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations comes in at 218 pages. Thus, it is no surprise that there are a lot of things in the rule book that most fans don’t know about and in many cases they probably don’t care. I suspect the average fan isn’t too concerned about what colors the uprights are allowed to be (the answer is white or yellow) or the allowed size of hand towels worn by players (they cannot be smaller than 4” by 12” and cannot be larger than 6” by 12”) and I suspect that only Ohio State fans are all that concerned that players must either tuck in their jersey or have it even with the waistline of their pants. However there are some obscure rules that can potentially have a huge impact on the game and in this column I look at perhaps the least known and most powerful rule in the book, rule 9-2-3 which covers unfair acts and is considered to be the officials’ “nuclear option”.

1. 
   A team refuses to play within two minutes after ordered to do so by the referee.
   ​
2. 
   A team repeatedly commits fouls for which penalties can be enforced only by halving the distance to its goal line.
   ​
3. 
   An obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game.
   ​

This doesn’t seem like too big of a deal as all of these things need to be able to be addressed. Part a is an obvious issue that has to be addressed to have a game, part b where is a team is deliberately committing penalties near the goal line would most likely be an attempt to just run out the clock in an illegal way, and part c deals with the fact that things could occur in the game that are not addressed by the rules but which are unfair and should not be allowed to stand. What will surprise most fans is the penalty for these unfair acts which by rule is:


Yes, the referee has the authority to issue whatever penalty action he or she feels is necessary and just based on the unfair act committed and this can include awarding a team a score or ending the game. Essentially 9-2-3 gives the referee, and really his crew, the ability to do whatever they need to do to address certain situations.

I’m guessing for many of you reading this, your first reaction was either “why would an official need that power?” or “why on Earth does this rule exist?” Well, both of those questions can be answered simultaneously and to do so we go back to the 1954 Cotton Bowl between Alabama and Rice. Rice running back Dicky Meagle broke loose for a run down the sideline that looked like a very probable touchdown, though one Alabama player may have had an angle on him, but before he could score. Tommy Lewis came off of the Crimson Tide bench and tackled him. While the officials could have just flagged Lewis for illegal participation, his action still prevented what would have most likely been a touchdown and giving Rice yardage would mean that Alabama still benefited greatly from cheating. The officials decided to award Rice the touchdown even though the unfair acts rule did not exist at the time. This generated a lot of uproar at the time but the NCAA agreed with the crew’s decision, praising them for it and writing the unfair acts rule for the next season. You can see the play below:


It isn’t too hard to imagine something similar happening today where a player is running all alone down the sideline on the way to a guaranteed touchdown when a player comes off the bench and tackles him in an emotional moment. Perhaps instead of tackling the guy, a player or coach just stands too close to the field on the sideline and extends a leg to trip the player. Or maybe while the player is running all alone toward the endzone a fan in the stands blows a whistle, causing the player to stop and eventually get tackled. The officials could just throw a flag and mark of yardage for illegal participation or unsportsmanlike conduct but that still takes away a guaranteed score, thus benefiting the team that committed the penalty; this could be a huge benefit if the situation happens late in a game with time running out. Rule 9-2-3 gives the referee the power to deal with this in a just way that doesn’t punish the victimized team.

There are probably some readers worried about a referee possibly abusing this power but there is almost no chance of that happening. Any referee that invoked this rule would receive a ton of attention and scrutiny, not just from the public and the media but up the entire officiating chain of command. If their decision and the punishment they handed down wasn’t 100% correct, their career would be severely damaged or likely over.

The post Officially Speaking: The Nuclear Option appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State’s 2018 quarterback recruit is ready to be on campus
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 chance of being a Buckeye has that effect

Just over a week is all that stands between now and the season opener for the Ohio State Buckeyes football program when Bowling Green State heads to Columbus Ohio next Saturday. While all of the focus and attention from inside the Buckeye program is on the in-state Falcons, when it's Ohio State, it's always a safe bet that recruiting is still at the forefront of the staff's thoughts. In this business, recruiting never ends and because of the same type of attitude displayed by the Ohio State staff, they have nearly a hand-picked 2017 class that leads the nation in every major recruiting circuit. For Ohio State in 2016 and 2017 (and nearly every year in Urban Meyer's tenure) business has been booming.

Jones ready for Ohio State


Make no mistake about it. Ohio State is set for years to come at the quarterback position. With 2018 already wrapped up after landing their first choice, Emory Jones (Franklin, GA / Heard County) Ohio State quarterback's coach, Tim Beck has to be more than excited for the future as well as his present situation.

Jones, the nation's top ranked dual-threat quarterback by 247sports committed to Ohio State nearly a month ago, and is already wanting to get to Columbus and suit up for his future school of choice. While two years in his prep career are standing in the way of Jones and his college career, it's not hard to get excited about the talent he will bring to the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound signal caller has already been at work recruiting for his 2018 class and it's clear to see that as the face of 2018's recruiting class, the trend of success has no sign of stopping any time soon.


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Thanks @MD Buckeye! All set up!

Thoughts on Ohio State's 2016-17 Big Ten schedule - Columbus Dispatch (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Thoughts on Ohio State's 2016-17 Big Ten schedule
Columbus Dispatch (blog)
1. The crossover schedule isn't particularly kind to Ohio State. With the size of the conference, each team has five opponents that it plays twice in a given season. This year, the Buckeyes will draw home-and-home games with Minnesota, Wisconsin ...
Ohio State Basketball's Full Big Ten Schedule Released; Buckeyes Open League Play Jan. 1 at IllinoisEleven Warriors
Ohio State basketball to open Big Ten play at Illinois, close vs. Indiana: See full schedulecleveland.com
Big Ten announces basketball conference slateOSU - The Lantern
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
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Ohio State men's soccer preview: No. 18 Buckeyes open with two games at home - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's soccer preview: No. 18 Buckeyes open with two games at home
OSU - The Lantern
The Buckeyes are coming off a Big Ten championship season in which the team finished with a 13-7-3 record (5-2-1 in conference), making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament where they lost to future national champion Stanford. Seven starters and ...
Hokies open season in ColumbusVT hokiesports.com

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Ohio State Basketball's Full Big Ten Schedule Released; Buckeyes Open League Play Jan. 1 at Illinois - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Basketball's Full Big Ten Schedule Released; Buckeyes Open League Play Jan. 1 at Illinois
Eleven Warriors
The Buckeyes have known since then who they'd be playing league games against next season, they just didn't know when. On Thursday, the Big Ten released dates for those games and Ohio State will open up its Big Ten season Jan. 1 at Illinois and plays ...
Four non-conference games to be on Big Ten NetworkColumbus Dispatch (blog)
Ohio State basketball to open Big Ten play at Illinois, close vs. Indiana: See full schedulecleveland.com
Big Ten announces basketball conference slateOSU - The Lantern

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