Buckeye Bits: Replacing Damon Arnette, Justin Fields bets, Coach Day could play!
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
All the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond

Perhaps I am simply old and do not understand the new fangled, Generation Z slang that I see popping up on various social media platforms like The Twitter Dot Com. But, on Thursday, a ton of commits to Ohio State’s top-ranked 2021 recruiting class began tweeting out a steak emoji. But, it didn’t stop there, as uncommitted four-star tight end Hudson Wolfe got in on the fun as well.


This is where I need your help, friends. As I said, I am old and have no idea what this means. Obviously if uncommitted recruits are in on whatever this means along with OSU’s commits, that’s a good thing, but, what exactly does the steak emoji symbolize? Can someone help a Gen X/Millennial straddler out?

From Land-Grant Holy Land...


Ohio State basketball’s key 2022 prospects

Tia Johnston, LGHL

So much attention has been paid to the Ohio State football team’s recruiting as of late, it is easy to forget that the basketball team is still trying to land big-time recruits for future classes too. This morning, Tia ran through some of the biggest targets for the 2022 basketball Buckeyes. Get to know their names now, because if history holds, a handful of them will commit... and then transfer after their freshman seasons.

Chris Olave has the look of the next great Ohio State wide receiver

Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL

Cris Carter, Terry Glenn, Michael Thomas, David Boston, Michael Jenkins, Joey Galloway, Santonio Holmes. The list goes on and on in terms of the dominant wide receivers to wear the Scarlet and Gray. Brett breaks down the next man up in OSU’s long-line as WRU.

From around the gridiron...


Next Man Up: How Buckeyes can replace Damon Arnette at cornerback

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Admit it, there’s a lot of you out there that never thought that we would ever talk about who would replace Damon Arnette, other than to give thanks as Sinbad’s nephew walked out the door. However, now that Arnette had one of the most statistically impressive seasons by some measures in recent OSU DB history and was a first-round NFL Draft pick, it’s time to start discussing who is capable of filling his shoes.

With the great Shaun Wade ready to take Jeff Okudah’s No. 1 corner spot, Spencer Holbrook runs down what you can expect from the likes of Cameron Brown, Sevyn Banks, Tyreke Johnson, true-freshman Lejond Cavazos, and a handful of other options.

Whatever corners end up in the mix for OSU next season, is there really any doubt that Kerry Coombs is going to get them ready to not only dominate the Big Ten, but to continue the tradition of BIA members getting selected in the first round?

Today is #TBT (#ThrowBackThursday), so the Ohio State Athletics Twitter account took us back to December 2014 in the game that made Cardale Jones an Ohio State legend thanks to an absolute demolishing of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Again, whoever is running this account should take a remedial course on tweet-threading, but you can still scroll through the feed to relive some of the highlights from one of the most mind-blowing games in recent memory.


BuckIQ: Teradja Mitchell building steam for Ohio State breakout year

Zach Boren, Lettermen Row

Look, I know that I am mostly preaching to the choir here, but despite improvements in 2019, Ohio State’s linebacking corps needs some help. While Al Washington helped the group make monumental strides in his first season, they still were the weak spot on the OSU defense.

If a player who didn’t have much of an impact last fall makes a big jump when the Silver Bullets get back on the field, it will likely be Teradja Mitchell. He only played in five games last season due to injury, amassing 12 total tackles. But, he is an incredible athlete, and players and coaches rave about him. This is a great breakdown from the former Buckeye Zach Boren, so check it out.


LOOK. AT. COACH. DAY. GO!


Justin Fields leads nation in passing TDs vs. leads Big Ten in rushing TDs: What’s more likely for Ohio State football

Stephen Means, cleveland.com

In 2019, Ryan Day did not let Justin Fields use all of his natural running weapons, because — frankly — if he got hurt, the season was over. However, whenever the next football season begins, Day will have not one, but two highly recruited true-freshmen quarterbacks available to step in should something happen to Fields.

Obviously that would still be far less than ideal, but it is certainly better than what they had last fall. Despite this fact, I can’t see Fields running enough inside the five-yard line to claim the B1G crown. So, since he was third nationally in passing TDs (behind former Buckeye Joe Burrow and Wazzu’s Anthony Gordon) and was only fifth in B1G rushing TDs (although with less than half of J.K. Dobbins and Jonathan Taylor’s total), I’m gonna go with the passing TDs.

Get that cash, J’Kaylin Dobbins!

From everywhere else...


NCAA waives Division I minimum on scholarship spending

The Associated Press

This is a sneaky big story. What this means is that Division I schools will be able to cut sports all together, but still keep their status as a Division I school. The AP has all of the minutia about how this works, but essentially, expect to see some fairly big schools drop sports in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and suffer very little consequence from the NCAA.

Playing blackjack, roulette, and craps with a small amount of people doesn’t fundamentally change the play of the game. However, as much as I love short-deck poker, playing with a maximum of four players at a table is not ideal.

Generally poker rooms will break tables down when there are only four players, so now that it is the max, I wouldn’t be surprised if poker rooms just don’t re-open until the limits are raised. Maybe it’s time to start talking about online poker again...


Vegas casinos might not be open yet, but I bet you could find an establishment on the interwebs that would be willing to take your action on these Heisman odds.


Whatever you think about shelter-in-place orders, as Ohio (and other states around the country) begin to re-open, I beg you, please don’t try to make a personal or political statement by refusing to wear a mask.

Scientists and basic logic tell us that during a pandemic, putting a piece of fabric over half of your face can dramatically lower the spread of a deadly disease. You’re a good person. You care about your fellow human. It is literally the least that you can do to help prevent yourself, your family, or someone else from going through an unthinkable tragedy. So please, if you go out, just wear a mask.


Memorial making major changes, still aiming to include fans

Jerod Smalley, nbc41.com

You know if there’s no fans at Murfield for this tournament, there’s gonna be so many more golf cops at home with the PGA on speed-dial, examining every CBS camera shot for a potential rules violation so that they can call and get someone a two-stroke penalty for illegally touching their club on too many blades of grass before addressing the ball. Don’t be that guy.

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Chris Olave has the look of the next great Ohio State wide receiver
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
After putting up big numbers alongside K.J. Hill in 2019, the spotlight will shine on Olave in 2020.


When the Los Angeles Chargers took K.J. Hill in the seventh round of last month’s NFL Draft, it marked the 10th wide receiver from Ohio State that has been drafted since 2012. While it is no surprise that Ohio State is developing players who are making an impact at the next level, the quality of wide receivers coming from Columbus has become even more polished over the last few years.

Michael Thomas was taken in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, and is coming off a season that saw him set the NFL record for receptions in a season. Even more recently, Terry McLaurin was taken in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. McLaurin burst onto the scene for the Redskins, scoring a touchdown in each of his first three games. Parris Campbell was taken before McLaurin in the same draft, but he wasn’t able to show his full set of skills for the Indianapolis Colts, as his rookie season was slowed by injuries.

A huge reason for the increase of wide receiver talent that Ohio State is producing is due to the coaching. Gone is wide receivers coach Zach Smith, who was too busy being a sociopath to do a job that was given to him only because he is Earle Bruce’s grandson. Taking over for Smith prior to the 2018 season was former Buckeye wide receiver, Brian Hartline, who obviously has a better grasp on coaching receivers on what it takes to be successful at the next level.

Over the past few years, Ohio State has benefited from a more pass-friendly offense, which wasn’t always the case under Urban Meyer and Ed Warriner. While the Buckeyes still lead heavily on the run game, the skills exhibited by quarterbacks Dwayne Haskins and Justin Fields have allowed the wide receivers to get in on the fun. That trend is only going to continue with the quarterback and wide receiver talent the Buckeyes have in the mix for the future.

Last year Garrett Wilson was the hot new talented wide receiver the Buckeyes were able to land a commitment from, and the Texas product showed glimpses of his skills, catching 30 passes and five touchdowns. This year, the Buckeyes have brought in even more talent to compliment Wilson, with Julian Fleming and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the fold. But, the most important receiver for Ohio State this season is Chris Olave.

It almost feels like a miracle that Olave is even a Buckeye. The only reason Ryan Day stumbled across Olave was because he was scouting Olave’s high school quarterback, Jack Tuttle. While Tuttle would eventually end up committing to Indiana, Ohio State was able to convince Olave to pass on offers from USC, Tennessee, and Michigan.

Olave’s Ohio State career got off to a slow start, but all that changed when Austin Mack was injured in the loss to Purdue in 2018. Olave stepped up in some of Ohio State’s biggest games that year, catching a combined three touchdowns in a win over Michigan, and against Northwestern the following week in the Big Ten Championship Game. Along with his two touchdown catches against the Wolverines, Olave also blocked a punt that Sevyn Banks returned for a touchdown.

2019 was Olave’s breakout season, as he became one of Justin Fields’ trusted targets. The sophomore was almost the hero for the Buckeyes in the CFP Semifinal loss to Clemson, catching a touchdown pass that gave Ohio State a 23-21 lead in the fourth quarter, and he was the target of the final pass of the season for Fields, that likely would have been the game-winning touchdown if there wasn’t a miscommunication between Fields and Olave on the route. Olave finished the year with 48 catches for 849 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Now with Hill having moved on to the NFL, Olave is the elder statesman of the Ohio State wide receivers. Wilson and Fleming might have been more talked about coming out of high school, but Olave has shown he deserves to be in the conversation as one of the best wide receivers in the country heading into the 2020 season. If we see Olave’s role expand even more as expected, it’s likely Olave could be the first Ohio State wide receiver to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since the Miami Dolphins took Ted Ginn Jr. with the ninth overall pick the 2007 NFL Draft.

What makes Olave such an attractive NFL prospect is his mix of size, strength, and speed. With Justin Fields chucking Olave the pigskin this year, we should see the duo connect early and often. Fields is primed to be in the mix for the Heisman Trophy, which should see Olave get plenty of attention as Fields’ top target. The combo was steady throughout Fields’ first year in Columbus, and should only get stronger as they both enter their junior seasons.

The emergence of Olave comes at a perfect time, as Ohio State faces questions in their running game after the loss of J.K. Dobbins to the NFL. With a target like Olave, it will allow the Buckeyes to lean a little heavier on the passing game as they adjust to life after Dobbins. It also helps that Ohio State has a plethora of talented receivers surrounding Olave, which won’t allow opponents to commit all their resources to slowing down Olave.

The details of the 2020 college football season are still up in the air, but no matter if the season is shortened or played without fans in attendance, there’s no question that Olave is going to be one of the most impactful receivers in the country this year. There’s already talk that Olave is a first round prospect, and it will become even more apparent as the season moves along that Olave deserves to be one of the first wide receivers taken in the draft when he declares.

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Ohio State basketball’s key 2022 prospects
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Plus, new scholarship offers went out on both the hardwood and the gridiron

In case you missed it, Ohio State had a BOOMing start to their Wednesday morning when an Australia-native punter, Jesse Mirco, committed for the 2021 season.


You can read all about Mirco’s story here and the impact his commitment has for Ohio State here.

Other than that, it was quite an uneventful day in the recruiting world. Although, behind the scenes, I assure you Ryan Day, Chris Holtmann, and all the other recruiting gurus are making about 100 phone calls, FaceTimes, emails, texts etc. a day to their respective prospects. So it’s really just “uneventful” in the land of Ohio State media.

Nonetheless, there’s always something to discuss when it comes to recruiting, and today’s State Secrets features some analyses/updates from both the Ohio State football and basketball teams.

Key 2022 targets for Holtmann & Co.


Piggybacking off of yesterday’s State Secrets, in which Gene wrote about Ohio State basketball’s most recent offer to 2022 small forward Josiah Harris, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts listed all the key prospects who have been offered by Chris Holtmann and his recruiting staff, or who has connected in some way to the Buckeyes for the 2022 class.

“Going into the 2020-21 season, OSU will have as many as six juniors on scholarship,” Kurelic wrote. “It seems likely Holtmann’s 2022 recruiting class could number as many as four or five players. That group can’t sign, however, until the early signing period in November 2021. OSU and Holtmann have already offered a handful of players in that class.”

The one offer that stands out the most is five-star guard Chris Livingston, Hudson (Ohio) Warren Reserve Academy. Livingston is currently the No. 1 shooting guard and the No. 3 overall prospect in the country, according to 247Sports. He helped Team USA 16-U team win a gold medal at the FIBA championships last summer, earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division II as a freshman due to his 24.3 points per game average, and averaged 32.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game as a sophomore.

Livingston was offered by Ohio State before his freshman year and currently holds offers from The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Akron, as well.

However, because of the NBA-sponsored G-League’s new yearlong developmental program for high school graduates, which pays athletes as much as $500,000 to attend, its possible that Livingston and other top prospects will go that route instead of attending college.

If he does choose the collegiate route, he will more than likely be a “one-and-done” player, which Holtmann said is only worth recruiting if its “the right fit.”

“I think for us it has to be the right fit for our program and the right fit for how we do things,” Holtmann said during a conference call. “I certainly would not say no to a situation. But I would want to make sure it’s the right fit. Coaches know these things typically way before the public does. There is usually some type of contingency plan in place.”

You can check out all the other potential Ohio State 2022 prospects here.

Zoning in on a 2022 four-star athlete


Towards the end of April the Buckeyes offered a scholarship to Leawood (Kan.) Blue Valley class of 2022 four-star athlete Dasan McCullough. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 210-pound, McCullough is listed as an athlete, but was offered by Ohio State as an “outside linebacker hybrid,” McCullough told Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.

According to Kurelic, McCullough’s interest with the Buckeyes is “strong” due to the relationship he has developed with Ryan Day.

McCullough — the country’s No. 73 overall 2022 prospect, the No. 8 athlete and the No. 1 prospect in Kansas—has a list of 40 scholarship offers that includes LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Michigan, USC and more.

He told Kurelic that he will base his decision off who he develops the best relationship with, and that Day “was really cool, down to earth and family based.”

Two new offers


Ohio State sent out a pair of new scholarship offers on Wednesday, with one on the football side of things and the other being basketball. The first was Caden Curry, the No. 4 DT in the 2022 class.


Hailing out of Greenwood, IN, the 6-foot-5 Curry is the No. 1 player out of Indiana and the No. 134 player nationally in the class. He now holds nine total offers, including the likes of Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa and Purdue.

The other offer was for Chris Holtmann’s squad, with small forward Ty Rodgers earning the distinction. Rodgers currently ranks as the No. 16 SF in the nation, and the No. 56 player in the country overall in 2022.


A Michigan native, Rodgers attends Grandy Blanc Community. The 6-foot-4, 180 pound prospect is still early on in his recruiting process, and only holds four offers outside of Ohio State — those being Houston, Marquette and Rhode Island.

Quick Hits


In mid-April, Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison offered a scholarship to Fond Du Lac (Wis.) St. Mary’s Springs 2022 offensive lineman and defensive tackle Billy Schrauth.

On Tuesday afternoon, Ryan Day, Greg Studrawa, Greg Mattison, Mick Marotti, and other Ohio State coaches and staff members gave Schrauth and his parents a virtual tour of Ohio State via Zoom.

“The way they set up your future really stood out to me and my family,” Schrauth told Bucknuts. “Not only do they prepare you for Saturday’s, but they prepare you for your life beyond football and that’s a big thing for me.”

Schrauth, who was offered by Ohio State to play guard, has eight scholarship offers, including Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan and Notre Dame.

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Manvel HS (Manvel, TX)
Ht: 6'1''
Wt: 200 lbs
Class: 2022 (High School)

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Height: 6'5"
Weight: 175
Hometown: Grand Blanc, MI
School: Grand Blanc
Position: Small Forward

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Height: 6'7"
Weight: 190
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
School: Richmond Heights
Position: Small Forward

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Center Grove HS (Greenwood, IN)
Ht: 6'5''
Wt: 250 lbs
Class: 2022 (High School)

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East Fremantle, Western Australia

Punter
6-3
198 lbs
Class of 2021

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Why it just seems like yesterday that this place was spending money like crazy with a blowhard President who couldn't give a speech without badmouthing THEE Ohio State University and saying crazy things like how "Akron would become the first choice public school for NE Ohio kids within a few years."

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.

https://www.cleveland.com/education...ing-measures-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic.html

I think we are on the verge of hearing a lot of "due to coronavirus" talk. Gosh, we were a fiscal basket case with declining enrollment for the entire last decade, but DUE TO CORONAVIRUS we're going to gut half our university.

Grand River's Coach Don Shula passed away this morning at the age of 90.

As a youngster, Bill Walsh and Don Shula were the first coaches I really became a "fan" of.

Seems unlikely his 328 wins will ever be matched. His biggest threat is Belichick, who currently sits at 273 at 68 years old and with no Tom Brady. He'd need to average 11 wins per season for the next 5 years to get there. Could happen if he sticks around long enough, but it's far from a sure thing.

RIP, Coach.

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Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)
Ht: 6'2''
Wt: 190 lbs
Class: 2022 (High School)

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Dickinson HS (Dickinson, TX)
Ht: 6'4''
Wt: 210 lbs
Class: 2022 (High School)

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MOTSAG Pretend CFP: First Round; #8 Memphis versus #9 Boise State
Chris via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here




The only matchup between two non-Power 5 teams, 9th seeded Boise State faced off against 8th seeded Memphis. Both teams entered the game with matching 12-1 records with their one loss coming in upsets; Temple knocking off Memphis and BYU beating Boise State. In this first year of the new 12 team format, both schools felt a lot of pressure to show that the non-Power 5 programs deserved to be included.

Boise State got on the board first with a passing touchdown by quarterback Hank Bachmeier on the opening drive of the game. After a couple stalled drives by both teams, Bachmeier hit leading receiver John Hightower for a 60 yard touchdown to put Boise up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started with both teams struggling to get anything going on offense but Memphis took advantage of a better punting game to win the field position battle and midway through the second quarter, the Tigers started a drive at midfield and quickly took advantage thanks to a 6 play drive that ended with quarterback Brady White finding receiver Kedarian Jones in the corner of the endzone to make it a 14-7 game. Boise State’s offense couldn’t do anything on their next drive but their defense came up big, intercepting a Tiger pass to give the Broncos the ball deep in Memphis territory. However the Bronco’s offense could only manage one first down and they had to settle for a field goal to give themselves a 17-7 lead. Boise State looked like they had the chance to score again late in the half but Bachmeier was intercepted and Memphis took advantage, putting together an excellent final two minutes that culminated in Brady White hitting leading receiver Damonte Coxie for a 27 yard touchdown right before half. Both teams headed into the locker room with Boise State up 17-14.

Memphis received the kickoff to start the second half and a nice 30 yard return set them up in good field position. The Tigers continued their momentum from the end of the first half, putting together a nice drive that culminated with running back Kenny Gainwell punching it into the endzone from the 2-yard line to give the Tiger’s their first lead of the game, 21-17. The teams exchanged punts before Gainwell once again showed off, this time breaking a few tackles to turn a short pass into a 60 yard gain and a 1st and goal at the 4. After an incomplete pass by White, Gainwell finished the drive himself with a 4-yard scamper to extend the Memphis lead to 28-17.

Boise State was on the ropes and after a three and out, Memphis landed what looked like the knock out punch as White and Gainwell teamed up for what would be the third touchdown of the day for each of them, giving the Tigers a 35-17 lead to start the fourth quarter. The Broncos weren’t done though, keeping calm despite the large deficit, they put together an efficient mix of running and passing plays that ended with Bachmeier’s third passing td of the day to make it a 35-24 game with 8 minutes to go. Momentum seemed to be swinging the Broncos way as they forced a three and out and then quickly moved the ball into Tiger territory. The clock was becoming an issue though, forcing Boise to abandon their running game and rely on the passing game, which had been hit or miss all season. This time it missed as Bachmeier threw his second interception of the game, ending the Broncos drive. Memphis managed to burn a few minutes off the clock, ending the Broncos hopes and coming away with a 35-24 win to advance to the second round.

Memphis quarterback Brady White and running back Kenny Gainwell were the stars of the game. White had 325 yards passing and 3 touchdowns, with only 1 interception, while Gainwell ran for 2 touchdowns and caught one other.






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MOTSAG Pretend CFP: First Round; #7 Oregon v. #10 Appalachian State
Chris via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


#MOTSAGPretendCFP #MOTSAGRising

It’s the final #6 CFP and winners of 3 straight as well as PAC12 champions taking on winners of 7 straight and winners of their fourth straight Sun Belt Conference title, finishing the season 20th in the final committee poll.

Both teams combined only lost 3 games all season and present a pretty good challenge for each other with their high scoring offenses and conference MVP’s in tow. Justin Herbert and Darrynton Evans put on a good show for everyone.

Justin Herbert gave himself some more publicity for the 2020 NFL draft finishing the game 18 of 21 for 242 yards, 4 TD’s and no INT’s.

Darrynton Evans finished the game with 26 carries for 154 yards and three scores but it wasn’t enough as the Ducks stopped a late drive to defeat the Mountaineers 35-28 to move on to round two.

They await their fate until the rest of the first round is finished. Stay Tuned!




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Kansas Jayhawks win 6th NCAA Title
Chris via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Dominating run by National POTY runner-up Udoka Azubuike against the national POTY Obi Toppin propels Jayhawks to title.

1 Kansas vs. 1 Dayton- Udoka Azubuke continued his “disappointed he did not win the NPOTY award” tour and wasted little time taking down Obin Toppin and the Flyers.

Azubuke accounted for all but two of the Jayhawks points through the first ten minutes of the game but held Toppin in check on the big stage. Devon Dotson had another remarkable game from the free throw line and matched Azubuke in scoring as they both finished with 19 a piece.

The Jayhawks continued their destruction of other teams offense and held Dayton to their lowest point total of the season with 61 and Toppin with 15 points and 6 turnovers. Kansas moves on to their 12th NCAA final(5-6) 79-61.

1 Gonzaga vs. 3 Michigan St.- Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman took on Filip Petrusev, Corey Kispert and Killian Tillie in a showdown for the ages.

Both teams already knew the winner would get Kansas but did not want to spend everything they had on this victory. They traded punches early and often and Xavier Tillman hits a three at the buzzer to end Gonzaga’s season.

The Spartans move on to take on Kansas in the title game and not with many fresh legs after several OT’s to get there. MSU 98-95 3OT.

Championship Game:

1 Kansas vs. 3 Michigan St.- The Spartans and Jayhwaks have faced each other 14 times in historic fashion. The series is tied 7-7 with the last win coming for the Jayhwaks in 2018 via 92-87.

This rivalry is one that can go either way every-time the two teams meet(kansas leads in scoring 1125-1118) and the match up between two future HOF coaches in Bill Self and Tom Izzo is one to enjoy.

It also provided us fans with a one on one match-up between Udoka Azubuke and Cassius Winston and neither player backed down.

Regulation would not be enough and the Spartans had no answer for Azubuke in OT as the Jayhawks made everything in the extra period and MSU couldn’t make anything. Kansas wins their 6th overall title 89-81 in OT

The last time they met – November 2018



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Dancing By Theirselves: Gonzaga Wins It All!
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

With the Final Four matchups set, a memorable run is pitting two NCAA Basketball powerhouses against two teams vying for their first title since piecing together their respective teams. One side of the coin has the #1 seed Dayton Flyers from the East Region going up against the #1 Kansas Jayhawks from the Midwest Region. From the West the #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs will face-off against the South Regions #3 Michigan State Spartans. At stake is a spot in the NCAA Basketball Championship Game.

In the first matchup Dayton goes up against Kansas for all the marbles. Coming into this matchup, Dayton has never gotten this close to the title game since 1967, where they defeated North Carolina to reach the big game where they fell to UCLA. Recently, the closest they’ve sniffed was this game, but since falling to #1 Florida in 2014 in the Elite Eight, it has been nothing but a string of first and second round exits.

For Kansas, their last title was won in 2008. There has been mixed results and in 2016 and 2017, they fell in the regional finals and haven’t been as consistent as past teams. The consistency was not there, but this year they gutted through with the talent on the roster. You can never discount their ability to get into the ears of any prospect in the nation and year after year, they flex the ability to do just that.

On the opening tip, it gets a little chippy. Trash-talk central as the bigger dog begins to chat it up and bark before the initial tip-off. Dayton comes in focused and ready for a fight and they basically punch Kansas in the mouth from the get-go. Despite Kansas controlling the opening tip and scoring on the opening possession, the Flyers never wavered. Devon Dotson controls the flow of the game throughout as his teams builds a near insurmountable lead at the half. Dayton goes into the half down 14–56-70. They surely looked dead in the water and the buckets weren’t there for them, but they persisted on.

To open the second half, Obi Toppin and Jalen Crutcher take the Jayhawks to school. Three after three, a heat check was inevitable, but they kept hitting when they needed it the most. There were perfect sequences throughout from the Jayhawks, but they were shut down by stifling defense and double-teams from the reinvigorated Flyers team. Eventually momentum began to swing in Kansas’ favor as they get key blocks from Azubuike that turned into a quick 5-point swing. Two driving layups and a free throw tie the game at 81 each with just under two minutes remaining. Dayton makes a stop on the defensive side of the ball and converts it into three points. Kansas attempts to answer with a few precious seconds remaining, but Toppin flies in to swat a desperation heave to help Dayton advance. 87-84 Dayton.

For the second contest, it pitted #1 Gonzaga against #3 Michigan State. Like the other side of the bracket, it is for a spot in the championship game. Both teams have has memorable runs, but the underdog was the higher seeded team Gonzaga. Since their formation in 1907, they have been big dance 22 times with one trip to the big dance that ended up not being meant to be as they fell to North Carolina. For Michigan State they ended up getting into the Final Four but they fell to Texas Tech in 2019. From a talent standpoint, the Spartans have the slight edge. Winston is a monster and a playmaker and Gonzaga has to be ready to combat their talent and depth.

Upon the opening tipoff, Michigan State controls the ball and gets a quick shot up to take the lead. This game was back and fourth with Petrusev kept them in the game for the half. This game felt like it was all Michigan State up until the Bulldogs came storming back just before the half, effectively seizing the momentum for them and the lead. To open the second half Gonzaga leads 51-50, but the Spartans open up on a 11-0 run to rattle their opponent. The combination of guards, bigs and depth really exposed Gonzaga as the began to wear down. Time out Gonzaga. After a fiery speech during the time out, the Bulldog players embrace the challenge of defeating Goliath. David drew out his stone and began working.

Possession after possession, they slowly begin to claw back into the game, forcing Izzo to a timeout to attempt to stop the bleeding while clinging onto a 77-73 lead. The time was right and Petrusev seized the moment as he ripped Winston and took it straight to the rack. On the ensuing drive, he forced a bad pass from Winston again and he found Woolridge on the wing for a corner three to take the lead 78-77. Winston answered back with a dunk from the baseline, but the damage was done. Petrusev hit another open player for another three and they never looked back. The firepower was enough and the Spartans could not overcome it as they fall 86-81.

In the Championship Game #1 Gonzaga will face #1 Dayton. Overmatched with talent, the big stage once again was too big for the Flyers. The Bulldogs controlled the game from the beginning and the Flyers never came close to getting back in the game. By halftime the game was very much over with Gonzaga shutting down the offense by holding them to 29% shooting from three and 33% as a whole. The whole team rebounded from that sluggish start against Michigan State and put on the performance worthy of a title run.

The second half was much more of the same. Timely buckets coupled with suffocating defense. Dayton was still very much dead in the water. In the waning minutes, they successfully create havoc as they try to storm back with a 10-0 run to make the final score look pretty. They showed heart stopping Gonzaga as the game clock hits zeroes as they fall 91-67. Gonzaga finally gets over the hump and they secure their first title!




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Michigan St reigns as NCAA men’s basketball tourney champions for the first time since 2000
Zack via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Final Four Matchups:

1 Kansas vs. 1 Dayton-Dayton 86-80: Dayton takes down Kansas in a back and fourth matchup that featured a few ESPN top 10 Obi Toppin Dunks.

1 Gonzaga vs. 3 Michigan St.- Michigan St 79-75 (OT): Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman provide 50 of the 79 points scored to lead MSU to the title game.

Championship Game:

1 Dayton vs. 3 Michigan St.- Michigan St 81-79: Tom Izzo captures his first National Title since 2000 behind All American Cassius Winston.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have voted on the polls and have followed along with us on the site!




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Buckeye Bits: ‘The Spot Game’ reairs tonight, next stud offensive guard, Braxton Miller should have been paid
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
All the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

As you may have heard, tonight (Thursday, April 30) at 7 p.m. ET, ESPN is re-airing the 2016 double-overtime game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines. If you don’t remember which game that was, it was the one that ended like this...


And made Jim Harbaugh go like this...



And gave birth to the greatest shirt in LGHL history...



Since we literally have nothing else to do tonight, we will be “live”-tweeting the game over on Twitter @Landgrant33. Join us, won’t you?

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


SB Nation Jersey Week: A needed change to The Game

by Brett Ludwiczak

Look, I’m not going to lie to you, there are few things that I care about less than college football uniforms. Yes, Ohio State’s jerseys are — and forever will be — better than everyone else’s, but beyond that, I just can’t force myself to get worked up about them. However, since this is SB Nation’s “Jersey Week,” and I know a lot of people do care about jerseys, you should read what Brett has to say about the scarlet and gray and maize and blue worn (or not worn) for The Game.

What names could still be BOOMing in Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class?

by me

In this article, I went through the prospects that Bill “Bank” Greene from 247Sports believes will round out the 2021 football recruiting class for the Buckeyes, and talked about what type of impact I think that the NCAA’s rule changes when it comes to the compensation for name, image, and likeness could potentially have on recruiting.

Podcast: ESPN hosed us again, but LGHL breaks down 2016’s ‘Spot Game’

by me, Tia Johnston, and special guest Lori Schmidt

So, you know how ESPN is re-airing the 2016 Spot Game tonight? Well, they were supposed to do it a few weeks ago, but bumped it for a re-run of their H.O.R.S.E. quarterfinals (Mike Conley Jr. is the ). However, in anticipation for that initial airing, I chatted with our co-managing editor Tia Johnston and Columbus sports reporting legend Lori Schmidt about the game from out own unique perspectives.

From around the gridiron...


Next Man Up: How Buckeyes replace Branden Bowen on offensive line

by Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

With Jonah Jackson and Branden Bowen now members of the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers respectively, Ryan Day and Greg Studrawa need to find two new offensive guard starters before the next college football season kicks off (whenever that might be).

Harry Miller is believed to already be slotted in to Jackson’s left guard spot, but Bowen’s spot seems to still be up for grabs, especially since there was very little accomplished during the very abbreviated spring practice. Fans (and presumably coaches) have been waiting for former five-star prospect Nicholas Petit-Frere to claim a starting job, but he hasn’t been able to do it in his first two seasons in Columbus. He will now have to battle sophomore mountain of a man Dawand Jones and true-freshman phenom Paris Johnson.

Coach Stud has done an impressive job reloading his offensive lines in recent years, so I have confidence that he will find the right player to plug the hole, but it would be really nice if one of these fine young men could take the job early on in camp so that the entire line can make up for lost time from the spring and get as many reps as possible as a cohesive unit.

A look at Ohio State’s linebacker room, commitments and targets for the 2021 recruiting cycle

by Wyatt Crosher, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Real talk? The Ohio State linebackers have been forced to dig themselves out of a hole since Billy “Best Man” Davis was finally fired following the 2018 season. New position Al Washington has done a great job in his year+ on campus, but the LBs still don’t have the athleticism that the position should have at Ohio State.

I don’t know how long Washington will be content to stay a position coach (even if it is in his hometown) before he gets snatched away to be a defensive coordinator elsewhere (unless Greg Mattison retires first). But, this year — both on the field and in recruiting — should tell us a lot about what the position holds in the future.

Does anyone know if this is good?


I’m sorry, I haven’t had to do much math during quarantine. Can you tell me if this is good?


‘Let’s do this correctly’: One-time transfer eligibility reform changes course (paywalled)

by Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic

There are a lot of people out there in the social media streets trying to make arguments for why giving transfer waivers is bad, but all of their arguments come down to them knowing what’s best for individual adult humans more so than said individual adult humans know for themselves.

It’s dumb, it’s reductive, and it betrays what these people really think of the student-athletes. Players should be allowed to transfer — at least once — without penalty, pandemic or not.

Dude can still fly.

From days gone by...


Over on the tweeter machine, OSU ran through one of the most memorable games in Buckeye football history today; the 1997 Rose Bowl.

They could have done a better job of threading the tweets, but they went through the game with dozens of clips, stats, and information. If you want to relive the game, don’t remember it clearly, or weren’t even born yet, this is a great way to get caught up on one of the most exciting games of the John Cooper era.


Look, he might not play a saxophone, but Kenny Guiton is, was, and always will be the only Kenny G in my heart.

From around the hardwood...


Former Ohio State basketball players recall financial restrictions

By Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Look, I know that there are a lot of opinions out there on the issue of paying players or allowing them to be paid for the use of their name, image, and likeness (more on that in a minute), but if nothing could convince you that something needs to change, it should be that mortal enemies Evan “The Villain” Turner and Mark “The Shark” Titus both found themselves in similar situations in college, being hugely popular Ohio State basketball players, but not allowed to capitalize on it.

One was the National Player of the Year and the other was a walk-on who wrote a funny blog, but both had to pass on a lot of money that rightfully should have been headed their way.

After committing earlier this month, Jimmy Sotos officially signed with Ohio State’s men’s basketball team on Thursday. He will have to sit out the coming season (will there be a season?) and he will be eligible to play in the fall of 2021.

From everywhere else...


Braxton Miller is the perfect example of an Ohio State Buckeye who deserved endorsement money

by Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com

Like Turner and Titus above, Braxton Miller would have made a lot of money if he had been able to be compensated while he was in Columbus, and he should have made every penny that he could have, because those years were the absolute height of his money making potential.

Yes, Miller played in the NFL, but as Doug Lesmerises points out, other than Terrelle Pryor, no former OSU quarterbacks from the Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer eras have been able to turn collegiate stardom into major money at the pro level. Now, don’t get me wrong, making more than one million dollars as a professional football player is awesome, but can you imagine how much money Troy Smith, J.T. Barrett, or Cardale Jones could have made during their Buckeye careers?

They earned generational, life-changing money and they should have received it.

What to know about the NCAA Board of Governors’ Recommendations for name, image and likeness reform

by Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors

If you aren’t exactly sure what all of the proposed rule changes and timetables mean, Colin Hass-Hill from over at 11W did a good job of breaking it down.

And now for something completely different...


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SB Nation Jersey Week: A needed change to The Game
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The annual battle between Ohio State and Michigan is already iconic, but one change could take it to a whole new level.

Since it is “Jersey Week” at SB Nation, I have a real bone to pick when it comes to one of the biggest games of the year. I could rail against Ohio State’s alternate jerseys, but I’m going to go a little different route for this one.

Don’t get me wrong, I hate a lot of the alternate jerseys because I think Ohio State’s uniforms are something that doesn’t need to be messed with. I get why they have introduced some alternate uniforms, since they not only want to sell more jerseys, but recruits also like them. But, I’m closing in on 35 and I’ve been in the “get off my lawn” stage of my life for quite some time now.

Anyway, back to the true problem at hand. Why don't Ohio State and Michigan both wear their home uniforms for The Game? Scarlet against blue. Good versus evil. It may way too much sense for the rivalry to have not done this before, but for unknown reasons we haven’t seen the rivals battle each other in their home uniforms yet. It’s a crime.

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

There was a NCAA rule that said road teams had to play in white jerseys, but one moment almost 12 years ago changed all that. In 2008, USC head coach Pete Carroll sent his team out in their home uniforms to take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl, costing the Trojans a timeout. UCLA immediately took a timeout to even things out. A couple months later the NCAA passed a rule allowing teams of contrasting colors to both wear their home uniforms.

While seeing USC and UCLA battling in their home uniforms is quite a sight, even more stunning would be to see the Buckeyes and Wolverines square off in their home kits. Why Ohio State and Michigan haven’t already started playing The Game in their home jerseys is beyond me. The Game is already iconic, but it would be taken to a whole different level if we saw scarlet jerseys on one side of the field and Michigan’s blue uniforms on the other sideline in late November in either The Horseshoe or The Big House.

Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s not like the two teams have exactly stuck to strict uniform rules lately during the rivalry either. Alternate jerseys have become more prevalent, especially on Ohio State’s side. The Buckeyes have trotted out a number of alternate jerseys over the last decade. The white uniforms with black lettering the Buckeyes wore in 2017 were hideous. If Ohio State can wear something like that, there is absolutely no reason why both teams can’t wear their home jerseys for a game.

I know both teams have to agree to it, and while I’m sure Jim Harbaugh would find a way to cry about it, I’m sure it could be something that the rest of his team could talk him in to.

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Look at how good these colors look on the basketball court, and now just think of how hard everyone would mark out when Ohio State takes the field in late November at Ohio Stadium as the number one team in the country in their iconic scarlet uniforms just a few moments after Michigan ran out onto the field to a chorus of boos in their classic blue uniforms. As if tensions wouldn’t have already been sky-high, this would take it to another level.

All I need these two rivals is to wear their home uniforms once for The Game and I feel like it would be so visually spectacular that you’d see the home uniforms turn into a tradition going forward. The rivalry has tried the rest when it comes to jerseys, now it is time for them to try the best.

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What names could still be BOOMing in Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Also, how will the rule changes around name, image, and likeness impact recruiting?

Who’s next?


Over at 247Sports, Bill Greene took a stab at what players he thinks will end up rounding out the Buckeyes’ currently top-ranked 2021 football recruiting class. In addition to the 17 players already pledged to join the Ohio State Buckeyes, Greene believes that five-star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will join the class, as will four-star defensive tackle Tywone Malone.

He also predicts that four-star offensive tackle JC Latham will join the Bucks, and that four-star offensive guard Jager Burton could come along as well, but Greene is not yet sold on that one.

On the defensive side of the ball, Greene said, “I feel REALLY GOOD on that pick,“ in reference to the No. 2 player in the country, five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau joining the Buckeyes in 2021. He also thinks that Al Washington could flip five-star linebacker Raesjon Davis from LSU, but isn’t ready to crystal ball it yet. However, Greene has CBed Davis’ high school teammate, four-star cornerback Jaylin Davis to the Buckeyes, so perhaps that could help persuade Davis to make the jump.

Greene also thinks that four-star safety Derrick Davis Jr. will eventually choose between OSU and Penn State, but he’s not yet leaning one way or the other.

Greene does add that because of the odd, coronavirus-impacted recruiting that there could be more decommitments in the fall than normal, so we shouldn’t get too attached to all of these players just yet.

Recruiting in the new normal


The biggest news in all of sports on Wednesday was the recommendations that came down from the NCAA’s working group on name, image, and likeness compensation for student-athletes. While there is still a long way to go before I will ever believe that the NCAA will ever allow something so logical and equitable to happen, Cleveland.com’s Doug Lesmerises looked into how the opportunity for future college football players to be paid for various purposes might impact Ohio State’s recruiting.

He notes that if the current plan remains on track, it would go into effect at the start of the 2021-22 academic year, meaning that everybody in OSU’s top-rated recruiting class would benefit from the rule change for their entire career. Lesmerises and Eleven Warriors’ Colin Hass-Hill noticed that Ohio State’s football coaching staff — led by assistant athletic director for player personnel Mark Pantoni — were already trumpeting the fact that there is no better place for big-time recruits to play than Columbus if they want to have the best shot to make the NFL and the chance to make some money while in school.


Lesmerises gets into the potential impact that the new policy could have in recruiting, but while most people tend to see this as just another way for the rich to get richer, there is another potential outcome that is just as likely. Of course all systems in our society are slanted towards the rich and powerful, so I certainly don’t anticipate this hurting Ohio State, but I could see smaller schools — be they Power Fives or otherwise — benefiting from the new system than they are now.

If a stud-player knows that he’s going to be gone after three years anyway, but is going to have to sit or split time for two seasons at Ohio State or Alabama — forgoing potential endorsement deals — might it be better to go to a Maryland or Georgia Tech or Arizona State where you can make a name (and money) for yourself right away while you are bidding your time before heading off to the NFL? Time will tell, but I’m not convinced that this will be simply another feather reserved exclusively for the caps of the already bluest bloods.

Another offer extended


On Wednesday, Ohio State offered a scholarship to 2022 Virginia offensive lineman Zach Rice. The 6-foot-6, 278-pounder from Lynchburg’s Liberty Christian Academy doesn’t yet have a composite grade, as those won’t become available until at least this summer, but 247Sports has him as a high three-star prospect, the 30th OL in the country, and the 13th player in his state.

In addition to the Buckeyes, Rice also holds offers from Georgia, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and other.

The best recruiters aren’t always coaches


On Wednesday, former Florida commit turned newly pledged Tennessee defensive back Kamar Wilcoxson claimed that he was going to be the No. 1 recruiter in the country this season. However, Buckeye commit Jaylen Johnson begged to differ; even using head coach Ryan Day as a reference for being the best recruiter in college football.

Johnson followed that up with a tweet highlighting OSU’s top-rated 2021 class and asking the important question, “Who wouldn’t want to join this class[?]”

Quick Hits


On Wednesday, Bill Kuerlic posted an article in which he spoke with 2022 top-100 player, four-star Texas running back Jadarian Price in which the high school sophomore said of OSU, “It is a great school that I am still interested in and excited to look into a visit on their campus. And maybe even a rivalry game in the fall.” Good job not mentioning the rival by name, Jadarian.

Kuerlic also ran through a slew of names that appear to have been added to Ohio State’s target list. Get to know these names now, because at the rate they have been coming, some of them might start BOOMing sooner rather than later.

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Buckeye Bits: NCAA supports a rule change to allow student-athletes to get paid, Tom Brady shows support for the Bucks, more
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo via Twitter @Brutus_Buckeye | Hat via Fanatics.com
All the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Good evening, friends. Here’s your Ohio State news of the day, but first:


It was only a matter of time before he switched sides, right? Anyway, let’s jump into the all the bits and pieces from around the Ohio State beat. The Buckeye bits, if you will.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Ohio State 2020 NFL Draft tracker

Gene Ross & Tia Johnston, LGHL

A lot of Buckeyes were picked up by NFL teams over the weekend. So many, in fact, that it’s hard to remember where they all went. Check out our draft tracker for live updates and blurbs on each NFL-bound Buckeye.

What Dobbins, Hamilton, Jackson, Harrison bring to their respective NFL teams

Tia Johnston, LGHL

Speaking of those aforementioned NFL-bound Buckeyes, I wrote about how the second- and third-rounders will likely be utilized by their respective teams.

Ohio State mixing it up with 2022 four-star RB

Gene Ross, LGHL

Check out the next episode of Ohio State’s Recruiting Adventures, which involves the No. 14 RB and and No. 110 player overall in the 2022 cycle, along with updates on some of the top 2021 recruits and where they currently stand.

SB Nation Jersey Week: Ohio State’s best fits

Gene Ross, LGHL

It’s Jersey Week over at the mothership (SBNation.com) so we’re celebrating by naming the single greatest alternate uniform worn by the Ohio State football team. Any guesses? Be sure to let Gene know in the comments if you agree or if your an anti-alternate-jersey guy.

From around the gridiron...


New NCAA football game unlikely as NCAA working group deems group licenses “unworkable in college athletics”

Kevin Harrish, Eleven Warriors

The NCAA Board of Governors’ supported a rule change to allow student-athletes to get paid for their name, image and likeness—more on that later.

However, despite rumblings of the NCAA football video game making a comeback, the group specifically said that group licenses for video games are “unworkable in college sports because of the absence of a recognized bargaining agent to manage the terms of group NIL use on behalf of the student-athletes.”

If you’re like me and have absolutely no clue what a recognized bargaining agent is, you’re probably thinking “why can’t you just...go get a recognized bargaining agent?”

To which the NCAA would respond: “There are legal hurdles to such activity that preclude it as a realistic option for implementation at this time.”

Translation: The process is much more complex than just “going and getting a recognized bargaining agent.”

Still, the NCAA did say that “further exploration of these concepts will require clarity from Congress..” So, fear not. Your NCAA CFB video game dreams hopes aren’t dead...yet.


Real Life Wednesdays brought to you by Nick Bosa, Corey Linsley, Ryan Shazier, and Chase Young.


All of which probably know a thing or two about having what it takes to make it in the league. I don’t know though.


Projecting Buckeyes who could declare early for 2021 NFL Draft

Austin Ward, Lettermen Row

We’ve all seen the way-too-early 2021 NFL Mock Drafts floating around. Justin Fields is projected to go second or third overall, followed by Shaun Wade going thirteenth or so, and Wyatt Davis close behind. However, what about the not-so-obvious players who could declare early at the end of next season?

Ward predicts a number of players, from the you’d-be-stupid-not-to-declare-Buckeyes to the “Buckeyes who could explode and surprise.”


Talented young receivers still finding ways to develop for Buckeyes

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Also from Lettermen Row, Holbrook takes a look at the early-enrollee wide receiver group, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Julian Fleming, Gee Scott and Mookie Cooper, and how they’re battling for playing time from home.

While WR coach Brian Hartline is still unsure as to how well each receiver can play in a collegiate atmosphere, the three spring practices they did have seemed to give him more insight into the group’s abilities than you’d think.


The New No. 0 jersey is up for grabs, who’s going to snag it?

Kevin Harrish, Eleven Warriors

ICYMI, the NCAA passed a rule change allowing the No. 0 to be a jersey number.

I’m not sure who’s going to snag it, but if it ends up being Sevyn Banks I will riot the streets.

From around the hardwood...


Ohio State basketball’s Kaleb Wesson, C.J. Walker and Alonzo Gaffney among early entrants for NBA Draft 2020

Stephen Means, Cleveland.com

The NBA released its list of early entry candidates for the 2020 NBA Draft, and the list includes Gaffney, Walker and Wesson. And before you freak out, Walker is still expected to return for his fifth-year senior season as the Buckeyes’ starting point guard.


FYI

From everywhere else...


A cliff notes explainer on the NCAA’s landmark announcement

Chris Hummer, Bucknuts

The NCAA Board of Governors’ supported a rule change to allow student-athletes to get paid for their name, image and likeness via a number of ways, including sponsorships, apparel and social media.

Took long enough.

However, there are about one bajillion disclaimers to the rule change and another bajillion questions left unanswered, so Hummer explained it in a cliff notes style, sans all the legal gibberish.

All I know is, Ohio State’s football recruiting staff is already on it.


Roger Goodell is slowly but surely becoming an...okay guy?


The salary he speaks of is in the $40 million ballpark, and will presumably ensure NFL employees keep their jobs, or avoid furloughs and pay cuts.


The Patriots are going to purposefully blow this season to get Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall. You heard it here first.


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SB Nation Jersey Week: Ohio State’s best fits
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
The Buckeyes uniforms are classic, but they also have some great variations

For some reason or another, alternate jerseys are a touchy subject in college football — especially among the older generations. At a program as storied and prestigious as Ohio State, the everyday uniforms are classic.

Everyone loves to see that silver Buckeye helmet with its singular red stripe, bordered by stripes of white and black and surrounded by green buckeye leaf stickers. The home fans get to see the team’s scarlet jerseys, with sleeves mirroring the stripes of the helmet and gray pants that do that same. When you picture Ohio State football, this is the image that comes to mind.

The most historic college football teams all have their signature look. Notre Dame has their shiny gold helmets. USC has its nameless cardinal jerseys with gold stripes on the shoulder. Alabama’s helmets are crimson, with just the player’s number and a singular stripe in white. Even Michigan, as ugly as they may seem to those in Columbus, has their own maize and blue helmets iconic of that program.

While these looks are all classic, and have gone mostly unchanged throughout the history of these programs, that doesn’t mean it isn’t okay to mix it up sometimes. Ohio State isn’t making any drastic altercations to its existing uniforms, but it has experimented with using alternate jerseys at least once a year in the past few seasons. Some people are opposed to this notion — I am not one of them.

Now, not all of the Buckeyes’ alternates are great. Personally, I was not a huge fan of the “Land of the Wolves” uniforms they wore against Penn State in 2017 — however, the actual game played in them was a classic. While I like the idea of alternates, I do think the iconic OSU helmet should remain the same, and the home jerseys should remain predominantly scarlet.

That being said, most of Ohio State’s alternates are actually throwbacks to Buckeye teams of the past, making it a bit easier to accept for those jersey purists. Which brings us to the best jerseys in the team’s repertoire:

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

For the National Championship run during the 2014-15 season, Ohio State featured alternate uniforms in both of its College Football Playoff games. Against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, it was the road version of the “Nike Diamond Quest” edition unis, which were white with scarlet and gray shoulder stripes. These were a clean look, but they couldn’t even compare to the jerseys the team would wear in the title game against Oregon.

The Buckeyes got to wear their home jerseys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. But it wasn’t just any home jersey, as Ohio State’s greatest alternate made its first ever appearance against the Ducks. At its core, it is incredibly similar to the team’s everyday uniforms, and those who don't watch OSU play regularly may not even notice it is any different. However, the jerseys featured grey and white shoulder stripes and black numbers on the shoulders, an ode to the 1968 Buckeyes that defeated USC in the Rose Bowl to secure a national title.



While a switch-up from the team’s usual apparel, this is an alternate jersey that I feel like everyone can get behind. It appeases both sides of the opinion pool. Those in favor of mixing it up every now and then get a jersey that is a bit different from the team’s usual look, and those in favor of keeping history can’t argue with honoring one of the great Ohio State teams of the past. Plus, every other part of the uniform remains the same, including that always recognizable Buckeye helmet.



Ohio State has brought these uniforms back numerous times, including most recently in the Fiesta Bowl this past season against Clemson. While there is nothing wrong with the Buckeyes’ normal scarlet home jerseys, I think that these are the team’s best look. They are not crazy different, and are an easy way to incorporate more of the program’s secondary gray into the uniform. Every time I see them, I picture Ezekiel Elliott running over Oregon en route to a national title.

Let us know how you feel about Ohio State wearing alternate jerseys. Do you love it? Do you hate it? Could you not care less as long as the team gets a W? Cast your vote!

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