The Ohio State offense was sloppy against Tulsa, just like the weather
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeye offense went vanilla in stormy weather.

In a driving rainstorm, the Ohio State offense gave fans flashbacks to last season. They were ultra-conservative, running the read option on seven of their first eight offensive plays to no success. They also did not cash in on good field position early, which could have demoralized Tulsa right away. Let's just hope that they were trying to limit game tape for the Oklahoma coaching staff, and Ed Warinner and Tim Beck did not take a time-warp back to 2015.

Here’s the breakdown:

J.T. Barrett

Designed runs Dropbacks Completions Incompletions Total TD Scrambles Overthrow Throwaway
Pressured Sacked Hit Pass break-up Batted down at LOS Drops Turnovers Defensive PI

*Tap passes do not count as a dropback

• The biggest number here is the 11 designed runs. It seems that whenever the offense starts sluggish, the game plan is thrown away and they just default to Barrett's legs to bail them out. The staff needs to remember that Joe Burrow has had limited experience and they need to limit Barrett's carries. They did a good job of limiting his designed runs against Bowling Green, but they fell back into the trap on Saturday.
• Other than running the ball, Barrett was not asked to do much. The reads were simple and they did not really stretch the field. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and it was due to the harsh weather conditions.
• Barrett’s lone turnover on the afternoon came on the mesh point of the zone read. The mesh point is when the quarterback makes his decision to pull the football and run, or hand the ball off to the ball carrier. Barrett typically makes sound decisions at the mesh point, compared to a guy like Braxton Miller, who would predetermine his decision.

• The passing game was pretty sub-par, except for this throw to Curtis Samuel. Barrett hung in the pocket, took a big shot from a defender and put it up for Samuel to come down with it.

• Overall, vanilla play-calling really limited Barrett as a playmaker and as a distributor versus Tulsa. Expect the offense to open back up in Norman.

Running backs/ H-backs


The running game started a little sluggish with Mike Weber at tailback and I’m surprised it took so long to get Samuel involved. The electrifying playmaker did not touch the ball in the first quarter and it took until the third quarter to get him involved in the zone read. He quickly energized the stadium and the offense when he touched the ball here:


On Barrett’s touchdown run — coming off a designed QB sweep — Samuel looked like Ezekiel Elliott as a lead blocker. Barrett followed Samuel to the edge, where Samuel made a terrific cut-block on the outside linebacker, leading Barrett to the end zone.



The biggest scare of the day game with only 6:05 remaining in the game, when Wilson scored a touchdown on a sweep. It looks like Wilson — who’s had a terrific season thus far — might have tweaked his foot that has sidelined him for almost two seasons. You can see it after he cuts up-field, he slows down, hobbles past the goal line and then has trouble stopping. If Wilson misses the Oklahoma game, that would be a major blow to this offense.


The Wildcat looked good again and it’s being used at the correct time, which is a good change-of-pace. Both Samuel and Wilson are doing a good job with it.

Against Oklahoma, the offense should run through Samuel and Wilson — barring health — in the first quarter. They set the pace and the tempo of the offense and can tire out the Sooner defense before Weber lays the hammer on a tired Oklahoma defense.

Wide receivers and tight ends


After a great performance by Zone 6 against Bowling Green, they were unable to do much of anything versus Tulsa. The two H-backs led the way in receptions, and the perimeter guys combined for only 5 receptions.

It could have been due to the weather, but the receivers had trouble gaining separation against Tulsa’s defensive backs. There were a few times where Barrett was forced to tuck and run or force the ball into tight coverage. Terry McLaurin had a solid game; he was able to get open a couple of times and had some good YAC on one reception. I did expect more out of Noah Brown though, as the big possession receiver should have been able to feast on a smaller Tulsa secondary. If they aren't going to stretch the field vertically, Brown needs to be used in the intermediate game.

On a positive note, the receivers were strong on the perimeter in the run game. On the few occasions that the ball carriers broke a big run, it was mostly outside of the tackles and they were sprung by the wideouts. On the other hand, the tight ends weren't too impressive in the run game, especially in the first half. Just like the offensive line, the tight ends struggled blocking the read option and they were actually getting bullied by an inferior Tulsa defensive line. They should never let a team like Tulsa dictate anything in the trenches.

The Buckeye offense will be in for a huge test next week. Will the inexperienced guys succumb to a high pressure situation? Or will they follow the lead of their veteran quarterback?

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Rumblin’, Stumblin’, Bumblin’: Hurricane Dissipated, Okie State Debacle, Ohio State Play Calling
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


What a difference a week makes! Thankfully there is plenty going on in the world that my buddies here at tBBC have plenty to spew. Let’s get rolling with the very very good.

Rumblin’


I was just having a discussion with a fellow usher on Saturday when Marshon Lattimore had his pick-six that we needed the rest of the secondary to join the Malik Hooker party. Couldn’t have been better timing as far as I am concerned. There has been so much hype around the young lads joining Gareon Conley this season but us Buckeye fans have heard that song and dance before.

The difference in then and now is the proof is coming in results! Seven interceptions by four different players with three different players registering pick-sixes. The only one not getting into the act yet is junior Damon Webb, The fact that this whole group is ball-hawking the way there now leads one to believe that the future will get better.

The other thing we were discussing is the concern about covering the slants. This defense is being a very attacking type right now and that should lead to some holes that cause some worry. The beauty of the man coverage is sometimes a receiver will lead a player to the ball. I will take Hooker and Conley’s ability to always be near the football over press coverage any-day. Their instincts have been remarkable so far and will be needed this Saturday night in Norman.

Let’s see what the staff has to say about the Rumblin’

Scott – My stomach. I’m hungry. Also the Ohio State secondary. Playing well against fast-paced teams.

JC – The Ohio State University’s Defensive backfield – Hooker, Conley & Lattimore … they are shining at this moment. I have full confidence they will march into Norman hungry to provide evidence that the two previous outings wasn’t a fluke, or overmatched competition. Lest, we must not forget Hubbard either.

Brandon – The offenses in the Arizona State/Texas Tech game last night. If you didn’t stay up, you missed out on a very fun game. These two teams combined for 1,263 yards of total offense and 17 touchdowns! The pride of Falcon, Kalen Ballage, had eight touchdowns on only 15 touches. The Sun Devils won by a final score of 68-55.

MDotySr – Rookie Carson Wentz for North Dakota State. Starting as a rookie yesterday and played like a vet. Very happy for the young man and I think he is going to be a good one before you know it.

Ben – FCS teams. They may not win a lot of games against FBS teams, but we saw Illinois State beat Northwestern on Saturday and Nichols gave Georgia all it could handle, losing only by 2. I really enjoy it when FCS teams make FBS teams look silly. As long as it’s not Ohio State.

Mike Meals – Shaquill and Shaquem Griffin. They are twin brothers who play defense for UCF. Shaquem had has hand amputated when he was 4, and has worked passed that to become a Division 1 Football Player for the Knights. It’s really a touching story of how they stuck together to play college ball on the same team. And as if being college students and D1 athletes wasn’t enough, they started and still run their own youth track team in Tampa. The world is full of bad things that happen regularly, we need to get more stories like this out there. Here is the link to a great write up on them both from the Orlando Sentinel.

UCF Knights Story

Stumblin’


I never throw fellow officials under the bus. I am slightly considered to be someone who knows the rules in this neck of the woods and I always have my nose in the rule book, studying the rare plays and rules that can sneak up and bite you. My crew had a play two seasons ago at the end of the half that i just about messed up because it had never happened to me.

Team A was driving at the end of the half and had the ball third and 10 at the other teams 35 yard line. The QB was pressured and took off running for what appeared to be a long TD at the end of the half that would have put them up over a good opponent and the game had playoff implications for Ohio. A defensive player caught up to and trapped the QB around the 7 yard line at which point her threw an illegal forward pass that was caught and scored as a TD.

During this whole play the play-clock ran out to end the half. Without going into any more details about how we handled it, we spent about ten minutes in the rule book to find out that you don’t extend a quarter or half for plays that include a loss of down, a non-player foul or and unsporting act. This was a very valuable learning experience for my crew and I did some research to find out it’s the same for college.

The fact that a professional crew like the one that had the Okie State and Central Michigan game didn’t know this provision baffles me. The replay crew could have stopped it and the supervisor of those officials who was watching could have called and said they were making a mistake. Now as it stands, Okie State has a loss they probably shouldn’t have and the crew has been suspended two games, whoopie.

The Okie Pokie Story

Let’s see what the staff has to say about the Stumblin’

Scott – Clemson. Won’t be long before it loses twice.

JC – Clemson. Troy was their scary moment. It cost them in the AP. Things like this happen to good teams. They clearly played not to lose. You can’t say they were looking ahead to South Carolina State! So, clearly, they were caught flat-footed and completely underestimated a small school’s hunger to shine Nationally.

Brandon – The defenses in the Arizona State/Texas Tech game last night. Okay the offensive explosion was fun to watch and as an ASU fan, I enjoyed the game and thought it was fun. With that said, calling these two units defenses is an insult to defenses everywhere. I am not sure either team has ever really practiced pass coverage in their lives. Numerous times, these teams would drop eight people back into coverage and still leave guys wide open 20 yards down the field. That is some next-level incompetence. Both teams defenses were far more concerned with trying to come up with big hits than they were with wrapping up. I lost count how many times defensive players would come in and lower their shoulder…simply to have the runner bounce off and continue.

MDotySr – Clemson Tigers and playing not to lose instead of playing to win versus Troy. They did hang on but that is awful close for the number #2 ranked team in the country.

Ben – The refs in the Oklahoma State/Central Michigan game. They gave Central Michigan an extra play after an intentional grounding call on the last play of the game by Oklahoma State. By rule the game should have been over after the penalty, but the refs blew it. Oklahoma State coaches also blew it by not saying anything to the refs. Obviously no one knew the rule, so Oklahoma State suffered a loss and the refs have been suspended.

Mike Meals – Scott has it…Clemson played terrible and barely hung on to win that game. And the kid with the punt return who went full Desean Jackson, on a fantastic punt return? That’s not acceptable. Dabo better get his team’s attention real quick, or the Tigers will be outside looking in again.

Bumblin’


Trying to figure out this offensive thing . . ,


I have to be honest here when I say that I was pretty nervous while the game was 6-3 late in the first half. If not for the heroics of the secondary with two -pick-sixes within a couple minutes of each other, the Buckeyes may have taken one on the chin letting Tulsa stick around.

Now I know this probably isn’t truly an ugly situation but it really could have been. I am in support of Urban Meyer’s desire to not show Oklahoma and the rest of the world some of the new wrinkles this season, but anyone that has coached against him will know whats coming. They just have to do what they can to stop it.

This Ohio State offense is young for the most part and needs to rapidly develop the wide receivers and that’s difficult to do when you are running straight on blocking and running a belly dive. It felt like the stadium was going to explode on the series prior to the first pick-six. If they would have run one more dive play I think the boo birds would have come out.

The other issue at hand was a big storm was coming and would have been a great equalizer for the Golden Hurricane. We have some very capable players in Zone 6 that need touches as much as Wilson and Samuel. To get them better and spread the wealth this offense will have to open up. If that ends up being loss of touches for Weber than so be it.

Let’s see what the staff has to say about the Bumblin’

Scott – Jim “Booger” Harbaugh. If you’re gonna pick the nose, make sure there is no camera on you.

JC – I am still unhappy with the play-calling. Warriner and Beck and their “little” cozy-fest upstairs is hardly providing me with confidence. This team is explosive. Challenges and new-things needed to be hammered out in these last two weeks. BG was just completely there for the money. My Mother, God-rest her lovely soul, could have plowed in for six. Tulsa, too, was looking for some national attention. These are the games to do “something”. And though some will argue the point “they-won” both times handily …. This is my point – explore more in “obvious” romps. I am still not sold on Warriner and Beck …. I am not! I am not! I am not!

Brandon – Okay I’m going to be critical of the Buckeyes and I’m sorry in advance. Against Tulsa, J.T. Barrett ran the ball 16 times with almost all of them being QB designed runs. This is the guy which the season rides on…a week before they travel to Norman. The offensive strategy in the first half was essentially the MSU game from last year which now hasn’t worked twice. I realize you have to work on your plays but there is no reason to run the ball with Barrett that much in a game you could have won by running Dave 60 times in a row.

MDotySr – All the football players who knelt yesterday during the National Anthem on the anniversary of 9/11. It’s bad enough during normal Sundays (and their right) to kneel but on the anniversary of 9/11 is inexcusable in my opinion.

Ben – The Buckeye offense in the first half. I was seriously pissed off during that first half, it reminded me too much of the Michigan State game last year and when you are only up 6-3 late in the first half, even against Tulsa you get a little worried. I think they planned for bad weather, but that is no excuse to not make adjustments earlier in the game when it was obvious that the bad weather would not show up until around halftime.

Mike Meals – The NCAA. It didn’t get a lot of coverage this week that I saw, but over 30 football players from Charleston Southern were suspended for at least 1 game each, for using their financial aid to buy things from the school bookstore that were not allowed. Yes, I agree there needs to be some limits. Yes I agree that you have to police it, more so at Power 5 schools, but still, it must be watched nonetheless. But there has to be some common sense here. These kids weren’t at Best Buy getting big screen Sony’s and Macbooks. They were buying things at the bookstore any other student could buy with their financial aid. And to make matters worse, Charleston Southern had to go play Florida State last week, shorthanded. And as we all know, FSU is the NCAA’s shining light of a clean and perfect program…no crap hidden there whatsoever.

The post Rumblin’, Stumblin’, Bumblin’: Hurricane Dissipated, Okie State Debacle, Ohio State Play Calling appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Top scoring teams in Ohio State history ranked; 2016 Buckeyes could join the list - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top scoring teams in Ohio State history ranked; 2016 Buckeyes could join the list
cleveland.com
1 from the preseason poll through the first nine games (until a 28-24 upset to Michigan State), this Buckeye team relied on the passing game like none before it. Consider this: through 1997, there were eight 300-yard passing games in OSU history. In ...
Greg Schiano's Presence Immediately Felt in Ohio State's SecondaryEleven Warriors

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Offensive struggles from Tulsa an anomaly according to Buckeyes - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Offensive struggles from Tulsa an anomaly according to Buckeyes
OSU - The Lantern
OSU redshirt senior offensive linesman Pat Elflein (65) blocks a pass rusher from OSU redshirt junior quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) during the fourth quarter of the Buckeye's game against Tulsa on Sept. 10. The Buckeyes won 48-3. Credit: Alexa ...
Buckeyes to wear alternate uniforms at Oklahoma247Sports
Can Ohio State football handle going on the road to take on ...247Sports

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Buckeyes roll late over Tulsa, 48-3 - Claremore Daily Progress
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Buckeyes roll late over Tulsa, 48-3
Claremore Daily Progress
When the game resumed, Ohio State took the second-half kickoff 72 yards in nine plays as J.T. Barrett ran the final 11 yards for the touchdown, giving the Buckeyes a 27-3 lead. Tulsa could muster little offense in the third quarter, gaining 20 yards on ...


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Ohio State at Oklahoma preview: Buckeyes get first prime time test against Sooners - UPI.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State at Oklahoma preview: Buckeyes get first prime time test against Sooners
UPI.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State burst out of the gate this season at a pace that defies their youth. With only six returning starters from last season, the Buckeyes have shown no signs of a drop-off from coach Urban Meyer's previous teams with a 2-0 start ...
Buckeyes set for 'big-boy' gameColumbus Dispatch
Stoops wasn't an Ohio State fan but admired the BuckeyesNewsOK.com
OU 'amped up' for BuckeyesEnid News & Eagle
MyDaytonDailyNews -Akron Beacon Journal
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NCAA pulls seven postseason events from North Carolina - Columbus Dispatch
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NCAA pulls seven postseason events from North Carolina
Columbus Dispatch
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has pulled seven championship events from North Carolina, including opening-weekend men's basketball tournament games, for the coming year due to a state law that some say can lead to discrimination against LGBT people.

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Buckeyes to wear alternate uniforms at Oklahoma - 247Sports
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Buckeyes to wear alternate uniforms at Oklahoma
247Sports
Ohio State will wear alternate uniforms for their game at Oklahoma.
Watch: Buckeye LB commit Antjuan Simmons makes plays247Sports

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Around the B1G!: Week 3 Edition
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Week 2 of the B1G non-conference slate was a little rough. After coming up with numerous big wins in the first week, the second week saw a loss to some school called Illinois State and semi high-profile losses to North Carolina and Pittsburgh. Let’s go ahead and dive in feet first into our beloved conference.

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

Last Week: Lost to North Carolina, 23-48. Illinois actually hung with North Carolina well into the fourth quarter…only trailing 31-23. After a Wes Lunt touchdown pass to Mack Hollins, UNC proceeded to go on a 17-0 run to close out the game. Lunt struggled this game as he only threw for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Ke’Shawn Vaughn had 116 yards on only 15 carries but 65 of those yards came on his first carry of the game which he took to the house.

This Week: Illinois will face-off against Western Michigan… who has already taken down one B1G foe this year (Northwestern).

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

Last Week: Beat Ball State, 30-20. This was a tale of two games as the Hoosiers came out and dominated the first three quarters jumping out to a 30-0 lead before Ball State was able to rattle off 20 straight points. Quarterback Richard Legow had a nice bounce-back game after his first start throwing for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Hoosier running back, Devine Redding, added 110 yards on the ground while averaging a modest 4.2 yards per carry.

This Week: The Hoosiers turn their attention to the undefeated Wake Forrest Demon Deacons who is coming off of a big win against Duke.

Iowa (2-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Iowa State, 42-3. The Iowa Hawkeyes were in control of this game from the start. They jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead before ISU was able to kick a field goal. Those would be


IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 10: Running back LeShun Daniels #29 of the Iowa Hawkeyes rushes up field during the first quarter in front of linebacker Josh Jahlas #31 of the Iowa State Cyclones on September 10, 2016 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)


the last points the Cyclones scored while the Hawkeyes tacked on 28 more. C.J. Beathard was very good out of the quarterback position completing 19 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns. The dynamic duo of LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley combined for 161 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. The vaunted Iowa defense had one interception and three sacks.

This Week: The Hawkeyes host five-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State.

Maryland (2-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Florida International, 41-14. Just as they did in week one, the Terrapins used a variety of players to form a pretty good rushing attack. Nine different players carried the ball with four of them tied for the team lead with eight carries. As a team, Maryland ran for 239 yards on 45 carries. Quarterback Perry Hillis had a very good day throwing for 210 yards and three touchdowns while adding 52 yards on the ground.

This Week: The Terrapins head back to Florida for the second straight week to face the UCF Knights who won ZERO games last year…but hey be impressed Michigan beat the crap out of them last week. #septemberchamps

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

Last Week: Beat UCF, 51-14. The #SeptemberChamps were at it again flexing their muscle and riding the waves of awesomeness to a huge victory over a national powerhouse. Quarterback Wilton Speight stayed in through most of the fourth quarter in an attempt to solidify his position as the latest #SeptemberHeisman to roll through Ann Arbor. Speight threw the ball 37 times for 312 yards and four touchdowns. Michigan’s amazing defensive line gave up 275 yards rushing to UCF.

This Week: Michigan hosts Colorado who is 2-0 and averaging 50 points per game.

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

Last Week: Bye Week.

This Week: Sparty travels to South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Minnesota (2-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Indiana State, 58-28. The Minnesota offense was running on all cylinders as they jumped out to a 38-7 lead at halftime and coasted to a relatively easy victory. Quarterback Mitch Leidner threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Running backs Rodney Smith and Kobe McCrary both had pretty good days. Smith ran for 74 yards and a touchdown but McCrary was the one who stole the show. The junior, who had two carries the week prior against Oregon State, had 176 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 carries.

This Week: Minnesota hosts Colorado State.

Nebraska (2-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Wyoming, 52-17. The Nebraska offense continues to look more and more impressive as they move to 2-0. After going into halftime only winning by 10, the Cornhuskers outscored the Cowboys 35-10 in the second half. Tommy Armstrong threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns but did have an interception. Although the offense was impressive through the air, the rushing attack left something to be desired as they only ran for 138 yards on 3.2 yards per carry.

This Week: The Cornhuskers host the Oregon Ducks in what should be a high-scoring affair.

Northwestern (0-2 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Lost to Illinois State, 7-9. I’m not even sure what to say about Northwestern at this point. They lost in week one to a decent-ish Western Michigan team which was kind of embarrassing but not a huge deal. Then they come out this week and lose to Illinois State an FCS school.

This Week: The Wildcats continue to look to get their first win as they welcome Duke.


PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 10: Saquon Barkley #26 and Chris Godwin #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks off the field after losing 42-39 to the Pittsburgh Panthers on September 10, 2016 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)


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

Last Week: Lost to Pittsburgh, 39-42. As demoralizing as this loss was for Penn State, they did show some heart coming back from being down 28-7 to make this a game. Saquan Barkley racked up four touchdowns but could only manage 85 yards on the ground. The Penn State defense did a good job against the pass but their inability to stop the run is what cost them the game. Pittsburgh was able to rush for 341 yards on the ground while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

This Week: The Nittany Lions host Temple where they seek some revenge for last year.

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

Last Week: Lost to Cincinnati, 20-38. After getting their first and likely only win last week, Purdue returned to their ways losing to the Bearcats. David Blough had an amazing day throwing the ball, if you are willing to completely ignore his FIVE interceptions, as he threw for 401 yards and two touchdowns.

This Week: The Boilermakers face off against the Nevada Wolfpack.

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

Last Week: Beat Howard, 52-14. A huge congrats to Chris Ash picking up his first win as a head coach. Rutgers actually trailed in this one 14-0 before firing off 52 straight points to put the Bison down. The Maryland defense held Howard to 253 total yards and caused four fumbles.

This Week: Rutgers hosts the New Mexico Rebecca Lobos.

Wisconsin (2-0 overall, 0-0 conference)

Last Week: Beat Akron, 54-10. The Badgers piled up 586 yards of total offense in a route of the Zips. Wisconsin used an extremely balanced approach (294 rushing yards/292 passing yards) in celebration of not having to face LSU’s defense again. Amazingly, Corey Clement stayed healthy for another game as he ran for 111 yards on 21 carries. Former Buckeye Warren Ball had 71 yards on seven carries for Akron.

This Week: Wisconsin will face off against Georgia State.

CURRENT STANDINGS:

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



The post Around the B1G!: Week 3 Edition appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes Climb to No. 3 in Latest AP Poll - Waiting For Next Year
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Climb to No. 3 in Latest AP Poll
Waiting For Next Year
Ohio State rained down points on a helpless Tulsa team as they cruised to a 48-3 victory and 2-0 record. The AP Pollsters continue to respect the Buckeyes' style as they slotted the Scarlet and Gray third in the most recent AP Poll. Only Alabama (1 ...

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Ohio State set to play in front of multiple elite recruits this weekend
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


5-stars will be on hand when the Buckeyes face the Sooners.

Ohio State will get a chance to impress two of its top remaining targets in the 2017 recruiting class this weekend as the Buckeyes travel to Norman, Okla. to take on the Sooners. While the game is away for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes, it is a rare opportunity when a head football coach gets to advertise his program in an intense away environment.

Five-star defensive back Jeffrey Okudah (Grand Prairie, TX / South Grand Prairie) and five-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson (Bellaire, TX / Episcopal) will both be taking their first official visits of the season to Oklahoma this weekend. Both are regarded as top 10 talents in the '17 class and both are the best at their respective position.

Okudah has mentioned multiple times that Ohio State is his No. 1 school. However, many believe the Sooners are right there with the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-1.5, 190-pound CB has taken multiple unofficial visits to Columbus and will likely use one of his remaining officials on Ohio State later in the season.

Wilson's recruitment hasn't been as transparent as Okudah's. While Texas is currently seen as the favorite to land the five-star, the gap is much narrower between them and the other programs Wilson is considering.

The 6-foot-4, 329-pound lineman listed both Ohio State and Oklahoma in his top 10 earlier this summer, and the expected electric environment will definitely have an impact on his recruitment. Whether or not that will benefit the Buckeyes or the Sooners, only Saturday night will tell.

Also making his way to Norman this weekend is 2018 offensive tackle Darrell Simpson (Justin, TX / Northwest). Like Okudah and Wilson, the four-star lineman has received scholarship offers from both Oklahoma and Ohio State.

While there is much more time left in Simpson's recruitment, Saturday night figures to be a night to be remembered. A good showing for the Buckeyes in Norman would surely make an impression on Simpson. Currently, Texas A&M may have the edge in his recruitment, but if Simpson is a talent Meyer is interested in, the Buckeyes will be in it until the end.

Five-star Buckeye WR commit to play in UAAA Game


Recent Buckeye wide receiver commit Trevon Grimes (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas) took to Twitter Monday to announce that he will partake in this year’s Under Armour All American game.


The game will feature some of the country's most talented recruits and will be played on New Year’s Day 2017. Grimes will be joined by fellow Buckeye commits Isaiah Pryor (Bradenton, FL / IMG Academy) and Marcus Williamson (Bradenton, FL / IMG Academy.)

Grimes committed to the Buckeyes earlier in the summer along with four-star WR Tyjon Lindsey (Las Vegas, NV / Bishop Gorman.) He is viewed as one of the best receivers in his class and will likely have a chance to make an immediate impact for the Buckeyes upon his arrival.


Buckeyes miss out on four-star PG


2017 point guard Jay Chandler (Katy, TX / Cinco Ranch) announced his top 5 schools using Twitter on Monday. The four-star PG had received an offer from the Buckeyes and had taken a visit to the school.


After losing four of its five members from the 2015 recruiting class due to transfers, several open roster spots became available. Chandler would have been a welcome addition to the team, as the Buckeyes have yet to gain a true PG in the 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes.

There are still plenty of PGs that Ohio State has targeted still undecided, so losing out on Chandler is far from disaster. Look for Thad Matta and the Buckeyes to add at least one guard in this class to join four-star C Kaleb Wesson (Westerville, OH / Westerville South.)

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Huge Oklahoma D-line will challenge Buckeyes' ground game - Delphos Herald
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Huge Oklahoma D-line will challenge Buckeyes' ground game
Delphos Herald
Meyer knows the Buckeyes can't afford a slow start against the No. 14 Sooners, especially when it comes to establishing the run against their heavy, run-stuffing defensive linemen Charles Walker (6-2, 304 pounds), Jordan Wade (6'3", 311) and Matt Dimon ...


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Buckeyes Commit Tracker: Week 3 - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Commit Tracker: Week 3
Scout
Buckeyes Commit Tracker: Week 3. Tayla Davis. Yesterday at 11:29 AM. How did Ohio State's commits fare in their games this week? Find out here. Class of 2017. Josh Myers (OT), Miamisburg - Miamisburg, OH Miamisburg scored 49 to Thurgood's 6, getting ...


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Ohio State notebook | Oklahoma poses challenge for Buckeyes' run game - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State notebook | Oklahoma poses challenge for Buckeyes' run game
Columbus Dispatch
Meyer reached out to second-year Houston coach Tom Herman — offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes from 2012 to 2014 — and the Cougars staff for some input on the Sooners. “We did talk to Tom; just got their thoughts on personnel,” Meyer said.
Ohio State Buckeyes: McMillan proud of goal-line standMyDaytonDailyNews
Buckeyes to wear alternate uniforms at Oklahoma247Sports
Defense owns day for BuckeyesToledo Blade
WPTZ -Akron Beacon Journal
all 389 news articles »

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Terrelle Pryor looks like an NFL starting receiver as Ezekiel Elliott scores 1st career TD - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Terrelle Pryor looks like an NFL starting receiver as Ezekiel Elliott scores 1st career TD
Land-Grant Holy Land
active roster Ohio State players in the league — one Buckeye was signed to a practice squad and one was added to a PUP list. The insurgence of so many rookies was sure to edge out some of the older players, with 11 total Buckeyes ending up waived ...


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Ohio State football | Buckeyes set for 'big-boy' game - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Buckeyes set for 'big-boy' game
Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State can probably survive a loss Saturday, particularly if it's a competitive game and the Buckeyes run the table in the Big Ten. But it would give Ohio State little margin for error. The Buckeyes will draw on their 2014 national title this week ...

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I decided last week to make the journey out to Norman, looking for a ticket. I'm going with a group of friends, some of which have tickets and some don't. So I'm looking for at least 1 ticket, possibly 2. I'd prefer to sit with Buckeye fans and I know that finding a single ticket can be a pain, but figured I would try.

Thanks. Go Bucks!

Urban Meyer, Buckeyes getting tips on Sooners from Houston head coach Tom Herman - Comcast SportsNet Chicago
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Urban Meyer, Buckeyes getting tips on Sooners from Houston head coach Tom Herman
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
The matchup would be an even bigger deal had Oklahoma not lost its season-opening game to Houston. But instead of being a negative, with that outcome potentially having the slightest of effects on the Buckeyes' strength of schedule, Urban Meyer got a ...

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Ohio State’s wearing the uniforms they beat Alabama in against Oklahoma
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


As seen in last year’s victory over Michigan.




-Ohio State football Snapchat


If you don’t follow ohiostate-fb on Snapchat, you may have missed the football team letting an aesthetic rabbit out of the hat.

For the first time since last year’s 42-13 road win in Ann Arbor against Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines, the Buckeyes will don alternate road jerseys which throwback to the 1968 Ohio State look. And yes, they’re the very same road white uniforms worn in Ohio State’s 2014 season College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Alabama.

Though they won’t have any meaningful impact on the outcome of the game itself, it can’t hurt to look good, win or lose. And besides, that’s not the only Alabama game similarity we heard today:

“As the University of Tulsa athletic department will receive a payment of $1.03 million, Saturday’s football game at Ohio State was the most lucrative road contest in program history.”

-Bill Haisten, Tulsa World


Despite a 48-3 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane are not going home entirely empty handed. In fact, the athletic department will receive more than $1 million for the matchup, which makes it Tulsa’s most profitable road game ever. Last season, Tulsa received $400,000 for a three-game series with Oklahoma, though one of the games was played at home in 2014, leading to the lower payout. In 2018, however, Tulsa is expected to receive a $1.1 million payment for playing at Texas.

Such “guarantee” games have brought millions to schools with smaller budgets. Just last week, Alabama paid $1.3 million to play Western Kentucky in Tuscaloosa. While the on-field play might cause criticism of the larger school for having scheduled a “cupcake,” the off-field impact is crucial for funding smaller schools whose revenue can barely cover expenses. Last year, for instance, Ohio State made more than $167 million in revenue, receiving no subsidy from the school for its athletic department. However, teams in the American Athletic Conference--home of the likes of Tulsa and Cincinnati--earn more in the range of $40-$50 million which, in many cases, does not cover athletic department expenses.

Still, paying a high price does not assure a win for larger schools with bigger budgets. Michigan shelled out $400,000 in their loss to Appalachian State in 2007 (though they upped the amount to $1 million in 2014 when the Wolverines won 52-14). And FCS North Dakota State is a formidable foe, having defeated Colorado State, Minnesota, Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State in recent years, receiving a significant payout from each of its FBS opponents.

“Many people think as ticket prices go up, more and more fans will stay home and watch games on their increasingly high-def televisions and on their increasingly comfortable couches. Many also see a day when we no longer bundle TV packages, and channels, or even games, are just available a la carte.”

-Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com


While the idea of watching football games in a pay-per-view format is in many ways quite appealing, the reality is that, in many cases, watching from home is actually more expensive than attending the game. Such was the case for Oklahoma’s week two win over Louisiana Monroe Saturday, where watching the game live cost a whopping $49.95 (don’t worry--next week’s matchup against Ohio State will be nationally televised on FOX). While there are several options, from satellite streaming to cable, the median price was higher in this case than the cost of some tickets to the game itself, many of which were available for resale for under $40. Streaming directly through Oklahoma athletics was $59.99, for example, though users could purchase an annual package for $109.99. The replays of both of Oklahoma’s games are available in their entirety on YouTube currently.

Of course, premiere events can cost much more on pay-per-view. The epic boxing match between Floyd Mayweather, Jr, and Manny Pacquiao, for example, cost $99 to watch. But there have been steady improvements. The NBA announced last summer that viewers could purchase individual games that were not nationally televised for $6.99 each.

While this format is not new to Oklahoma fans, who also had to pony up for last year’s home opener against Akron, the idea of pay-per-view is foreign to the Big Ten, and begs the question of what price Ohio State fans would be willing to pay to see the Buckeyes play — especially in a non-conference matchup in week two.

“You just don’t know until you know...But I liked our players. And I’ve done this long enough, I can see a talented player when we have one, and we have a bunch of them.”

-Urban Meyer, via Austin Ward, ESPN


Youth does not necessarily mean a lack of talent, according to Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, but it does help to have two wins under the belt of the young Buckeyes team as they prepare for their primetime matchup against No. 14 Oklahoma Saturday. And while 30 players saw the college field for the first time against Bowling Green, a few in particular have already set themselves apart as potential stars who could make a big impact against the Sooners.

For starters, sophomore safety Malik Hooker has already turned heads with three interceptions -- including a pick-six -- in his first two games. Coming into a secondary which lost the likes of Eli Apple, Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell to the NFL, not to mention its coach, Chris Ash, who departed for Rutgers, it seemed that cornerback Gareon Conley would be left to fend for himself in the defensive backfield. But Hooker has stepped up in the middle and helped to anchor the young unit, which will be essential against Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma’s passing attack. Also on defense, redshirt junior linebacker Chris Worley has seemed to have been a healthy replacement for the departed Darron Lee, and defensive end Nick Bosa has already had a sack on the season.

On offense, after spending his redshirt season under now-Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott, running back Mike Weber has shown early signs that he could be the next star in the Ohio State backfield, amassing 228 yards on 36 carries for one touchdown. Finally, after waiting an entire season following a broken leg, wide receiver Noah Brown has his shot at being a standout downfield, averaging 15.5 yards per reception with a touchdown through two games.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Watch this former Buckeye teach little kids how to play hockey
• This puppy and cheetah cub are going to be raised as brothers at the Columbus Zoo
• Ohio State’s alumni tailgate in the middle of Oklahoma territory is sold out

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Ohio State football | Plenty of respect between Buckeyes, Sooners - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Plenty of respect between Buckeyes, Sooners
Columbus Dispatch
“It's going to be real difficult,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said of the challenge for his No.3-ranked but still youngish football team on its first road trip of the season. The Sooners “are obviously a real good football team.” >> Chat about the ...
No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes reloaded from Urban Meyer's recruitingUPI.com
Defense owns day for BuckeyesToledo Blade
Ohio State Buckeyes Vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Bold Predictions For Week 3 Of 2016 College Football SeasonThe Inquisitr
cleveland.com -WCTI12.com -247Sports
all 329 news articles »

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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Deluge of a Hurricane, Sunday Morning Coffee, Non-Rev, Dontre Wilson
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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




Ben van Ooyen wraps up the deluge that was the stoppage of a Golden Hurricane, literally!



JC Collingsworth weekly reflection with Sunday Morning Coffee in 1941



Ben hits it through the uprights here with this senior spotlight on Dontre Wilson






JC brings the news in this Non-Rev coverage of womens volleyball



Kevin Galvin comes to roost here at tBBC and throws it down eighties style with his latest







The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Deluge of a Hurricane, Sunday Morning Coffee, Non-Rev, Dontre Wilson appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State Buckeyes: McMillan proud of goal-line stand - MyDaytonDailyNews
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes: McMillan proud of goal-line stand
MyDaytonDailyNews
All 11 Buckeyes combined to get the stop. Ohio State's lopsided victory, 48-3, masked how big a play that was. At the time, Ohio State led 3-0. “They were driving the ball,” McMillan said. “They got down in the red zone. We had just had a turnover on ...

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Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore highlighted another excellent defensive performance against Tulsa
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Not even Uncle Rico could throw on this secondary.

A few quick notes that sum up Ohio State’s defensive domination through the first two weeks of 2016:

• The Silver Bullets are now 120 minutes into the season and have still not allowed a touchdown.
• With three pick-sixes on the season already, the Ohio State defense has outscored Bowling Green and Tulsa 18 to 6.
• Malik Hooker is tied for first in the country with three interceptions.
• Ohio State is yet to allow a pass over 20 yards — they have four interceptions with returns longer than 20 yards.
• Opposing quarterbacks are a combined 36 for 76 (47 percent) for 302 yards, which amounts to less than four yards per pass attempt.
• Ohio State has allowed 145 rushing yards on 64 attempts, good for 2.26 yards per attempt.

So yeah, the defense has looked pretty okay thus far against two of 2015’s top-25 scoring offenses. This past Saturday was highlighted by an absurd six-takeaways, a lock-down secondary and the first Nick Bosa shrug.

And STILL the undisputed ball-hawking champion of college football: Malik Hooker


After snagging two interceptions in Week 1 against Bowling Green, Hooker added a third while also becoming a member of #Zone6.



Tulsa motioned their bottom receiver into a stacked position at the snap, and Hooker has his eyes locked onto the quarterback. He is lined up just 10 yards off the ball, a fairly ridiculous position considering he is responsible for any deep routes to the middle of the field, but this is the benefit of having a safety with Hooker’s range.



Hooker never takes his eyes off the quarterback as he fades towards the middle of the field, but he plants his foot and breaks towards the expected ball point once he determines the quarterback is about to throw. Meanwhile, the Tulsa receiver who is about to be targeted has rounded off his route and doesn’t seem to expect Hooker (still on the opposite hash at this point) to have a chance at the ball. Turns out, the ball was Hooker’s all along:


Hooker displayed similarly spectacular range last week on his tip-drill interception, and is truly making the middle of the Buckeyes’ defense an intimidating spot to ever throw the football. If there was anything to nitpick about Hooker’s game it would have to be his sub-par celebrations. Vonn Bell used to lose his mind over a pass deflection, yet Hooker caps off a pick-six by aimlessly walking into a bunch of students. At least he didn’t celebrate the quarterback dropping the ball mid-throw.

Tyquan Lewis is still very good


After leading the Buckeyes in sacks in 2015, Lewis picked up his first of 2016 in style by also forcing a fumble. On third-down Ohio State displayed their new version of their “Rushmen” package which consists of getting their best pass rushers all on the field at the same time. Last year this consisted of Joey Bosa moving from defensive end to defensive tackle to get Sam Hubbard on the field, but this year it means subbing in defensive end Jalyn Holmes for defensive tackle Michael Hill. The results have been promising thus far:


Lewis is simply too quick and talented for the Tulsa offensive tackle and he gets to the quarterback with ease. Jerome Baker proved that he is also capable of using both hands on the football field by scooping up the fumble. The Ohio State pass rush has looked good so far this year and hasn’t needed to rely on many blitzes to get pressure. We’ll see if this is still the case against Oklahoma this Saturday.

Marshon Lattimore knows what to do with the ball in his hands


An interesting decision to pass the ball in a monsoon with 33 seconds to go in the first half turned fateful quickly for Tulsa. Lattimore had two interceptions on the day, and while both were more a result of him being in the right place at the right time, his skills as a runner were on full display Saturday afternoon:


He had plenty of help along the way (including a Hooker pancake on a 300+ pound offensive guard — wow), but this touchdown was still huge as it put Ohio state up 17 going into the half. Lattimore has performed great thus far as Ohio State’s new No. 2 cornerback, but proved Saturday that he can be a difference maker as well. Last season showed how dangerous the Buckeyes’ defense can be with two lock-down corners, and so far in 2016 it appears to be much of the same story.

The final: 48-3 Ohio State

Defensive player of the game: Marshon Lattimore

Defensive play of the game: Marshon Lattimore pick-six + Malik Hooker block

Next victim: Oklahoma. See you all next week.

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TBBC Awards: Tulsa Golden Hurricane; Samuel Shines, Pick Sixes Aplenty, Hooker Pancake
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The staff here at tBBC bailed me out this week with the awards. Real job is pulling in all different directions so I apologize up front for not having my thoughts! No need to worry, we have some of the best opinions going from the staff!



Offensive


COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 10: Curtis Samuel #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes eludes the defense of Jesse Brubaker #8 of the Tulsa Hurricane as he picks up 18 yards in the third quarter at Ohio Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Tulsa 48-3. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)


tOSU Offensive MVP

MDotySr –. Curtis Samuel showed up in the second half like all great players should. We are finally seeing what all the so called experts have been saying for the last three years.

Scott – JT Barrett. Ran the offense well in a variety of conditions. Still being an efficient game manager and contributor.

Ben v. – Curtis Samuel. He has proved that this year he is Barrett’s go to man out of the backfield and he has taken on the true hybrid role. 400+ yards in two games so far this season, which had only been twice by an Ohio State player before puts him in rare company.

Brandon – Curtis Samuel. It wasn’t nearly as impressive as last weekend but Samuel had another very solid day rushing and receiving. He had 13 touches for 140 yards (78 rushing/62 receiving). While it wasn’t a wow type of day, the Buckeye limited his touches quite a bit. He did manage 9.8 yards per rush and 12.4 yards per reception which is pretty darn good.

Mike Meals – If I had to pick my favorite player on offense this year, it’s Weber. I’m super high on him. But against Tulsa, even with his first TD, I have to go with Curtis Samuel as well. He has shown his ability to catch passes in both games, but I was impressed with him running the ball, like a true “Ohio State” running back. He showed me how tough he really his. (PS…what a problem to have, eh? 2 GREAT backs to carry the load this year? I’ll take it!)

Shannon – I am gonna have to go with Curtis Samuel. His explosiveness and dynamic plays helped wake up the sleep-walking offense.

Curtis Samuel wins in a landslide, no need to fire me this week!

tOSU O-line MVP

MDotySr – In the first half, No One!! But in the second have, I got to say the ring leader Pat Elflein as well. The group jelled better and opened holes which allowed us to see Weber his first TD of many more to come.

Scott – See Brandon.

Ben v. – Pat Elflein – Even though he had some poor snaps, he is the ringleader on offense and as long as he stays healthy, the offensive line will continue to grow under his tutelage.

Brandon – Pat Elflein. I will continue putting his name down every week. Any success they have is with his leadership. The line struggled early but came together and showed their dominance.

Mike Meals – Brandon is right…Elflein, for all the same reasons!

Shannon – Elflein, some high snaps were worrisome. His leadership on the line is great and he is really starting to call better blocking schemes to help protect Barrett.

Pat Elflein had a ridiculous game at center and will continue to!

tOSU Offensive Unsung

MDotySr –. Dontre Wilson has been very consistent so far and Saturday was no different. You are not seeing the pinball wizard routine from the past. Color me impressed so far.

Scott – Mike Weber. Solid numbers. Nothing flashy but important yards.

Ben v. – Dontre Wilson – He is certainly taking his role to heart this season. Whether it is running the wildcat, catching the ball out of the backfield, or running out of the pistol, Wilson is providing another quality option behind Samuel and Weber.

Brandon – Mike Weber. He was stuffed a few times early and it seemed like the offensive staff decided to move on early. Once they decided to use Weber again, he did not disappoint. It was not an easy day for him but he very quietly put up 92 yards (5.4 avg.) and had his first touchdown.

Mike Meals – Dontre Wilson. Everyone is looking for him to have a breakout year, and he’s getting overshadowed in the headlines department, but he is doing exactly what is needed of him. Urban will reward him when the time is right. But until then, Wilson is quietly putting together a solid campaign so far. He is turning into the perfect team player, who does what is best for OSU instead of just himself, and that needs to be commended.

Shannon- Mike Weber, rushed for 92 yards with a touchdown in his second career game.

Dontre Wilson has been a pleasant surprise and wins in a nail biter 3-2

Defensive



tOSU Defensive MVP

MDotySr –. Marshon Lattimore stepped up big and played to his potential. Hopefully signs of the next great CB at Thee Ohio State University.

Scott – Malik Hooker. Just because I like the name Hooker. And dude can ball.

Ben v. – Lattimore – Two picks, and the first one was flat out impressive. The second one, well a wet ball that looked like a duck was a pretty easy catch for him, but the return was spectacular.

Brandon – Marshon Lattimore. One of the big question marks this off-season was wondering who would start opposite of Conley. So far in the first two weeks, Lattimore has stepped up to the challenge. Against Tulsa, Lattimore had two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.

Mike Meals – Lattimore…you can’t overlook a game like that. Two interceptions, in that weather, against a DANG good quarterback, the entire defensive secondary played well. But Lattimore, scoring a TD, having the game of his career? Got to be my MVP this week.

Shannon – Marshon Lattimore. What looked like a huge concern to me before the season, the secondary has balled out so far. Lattimore was amazing this past week.

Marshon Lattimore is taking part in the new Buckeye secondary(save for Gareon Conley) in spreading the ball and pick sixes around!

tOSU D-line MVP

MDotySr – Jalyn Holmes. My man played all four positions along the dline and was as consistent as we have seen him. Again, another Buckeye starting to live up to his potential.

Scott – Sam Hubbard. Turning into a stud.

Ben v. – Sam Hubbard. He is certainly coming into his own, and even though Dane Evans was able to throw the ball quickly yesterday, the defensive line was still putting pressure on him, and they caused 5 turnovers because of it.

Brandon – Jalyn Holmes. All four defensive ends (Hubbard, Lewis, Holmes, Bosa) played a pretty good game but I was most impressed with Holmes. He won’t show up as dominant in the stat book but he did a lot of little things which probably went unnoticed. One example was when Holmes lined up at DT and took two guys out of the play which opened up Hubbard for a stunt and easy sack.

Mike Meals – As a former lineman, I want to give credit to Holmes, for all the reasons Brandon says. But I am going Hubbard as my D-line MVP. Getting a sack and being a part of 6 tackles, all while being the single Dlineman that Tulsa game planned against is more than impressive. That’s going to be the story this year. Until someone else steps up and dominates, anything Hubbard does will be done while being the focal point of the opposing game plan.

Shannon – Sam Hubbard, the kid is starting to show why he is going to be a force to recon with as the season wears on.

Hubbard is a man amongst boys right now and is taking the brunt of teams double teams.

tOSU Defensive Unsung

MDotySr – Jerome Baker was involved in quite a few plays where he was not mentioned. I thought this was an excellent showing for the young man with bigger things to come.

Scott – Marshon Lattimore. Has turned a defensive question mark into an exclamation point!

Ben v. – Raekwon McMillan. He really isn’t unsung, but as the secondary keeps dominating the headlines with pick-sixes, his steady presence in the middle led to a 1.6 yard per carry average for the running game of Tulsa yesterday.

Brandon – Malik Hooker. It is really hard to say Hooker is unsung but I’m picking him simply based off his block of that poor defensive tackle on Lattimore’s TD. That play was pretty unsung when it happened but ensured Lattimore was able to go to the house.

Mike Meals – I mentioned this to Brandon while we were talking during the game, but Raekwon McMillan may be the very best MLB Ohio State has had in years, and he is constantly overlooked. You don’t really hear about him the way the OSU press has went on all over former LBs in Columbus. I don’t get it, he is as good or better than anyone else to play there in the last 15 years or so.

Shannon – Joe Berger. I am going with him for second week in a row. Tulsa is on the one yard line going for it on fouth down. Who plugged the hole preventing the touchdown? Berger

Lots of choices here but Raekwonza get’s the surprising nod, he is the best LB’er in the B1G but is flying under the radar right now.

Odds and Ends


tOSU Special Teams MVP

MDotySr –. Cam, Cam, Cam!

Scott – Cam Johnston. Wish I could get that kind of spin on my golf ball.

Ben v. – The Aussie – A 50+ average is normal for him, but when he got ran into on the punt late and didn’t fall down like most punters would have, he gained more respect from me than he already had. The fact that he also raced down field and talked smack to the offender made it even better.

Brandon – Cameron Johnston. After being ignored week one, Johnston reminded everyone how good he was. He punted the ball five times for an average of 51.2 yards. That is a pretty darn good average. His long on the day was 61 yards.

Mike Meals – Johnston…We are all disciples who worshipped at the Temple of Tressel. The way Cam can turn the field over is an amazing weapon to have in our back pocket.

Shannon – The Aussie! How disheartening is it for opposing coaches to know if you do stop the Buckeyes on offense, you will be pinned back and have a very long drive to score.

Unanimously to the Aussie this week. He continues to be one of the best in the country and won’t get the recognition due to lack of punts.

tOSU Needs Improvement

MDotySr – Playing to your potential for all four quarters. Can afford to play down to the competition again or it will cost the Buckeyes at least one game maybe two.

Scott – Return game.

Ben v. – Wide Receivers – Besides the “running backs” the OSU receivers had 5 receptions all game. That is simply unacceptable. If they are going to have any chance against Oklahoma, the wide receivers are going to have to step up and become an actual threat, or Oklahoma will load the box and force us to pass.

Brandon – Defensive Tackles. I worry about the ease the Tulsa running game had pounding the ball straight up the middle. With Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon waiting, the middle of the defensive line will have to play their best game. If they can hold their ground in the middle, it will allow the talented ends time to put pressure on Baker Mayfield without worrying about playing the run.

Mike Meals – Offensive Coaching Staff. It felt like they came into this game planning on the rain and wind being there the whole time and it wasn’t. Then, for the entire 1st half, they still insisted sticking to their guns and not making the adjustments they finally did in the 2nd half (which ironically, was when the rain came). I don’t want to see them abandon what they feel is the best plan to beat an opponent, but Ohio State’s MO seems to be ride out a game plan for an entire half, and then try to fix it, instead of on the fly changes.

Shannon – There are a bunch of issue that need worked on. Major one is dicipline. I believe Buckeyes are averaging nine penalties a game, that has to stop or its gonna hurt you.

A plethora of issues here and no “clear” favorite although play calling seems to be the theme!

tOSU Next Big Star

Scott – Hooker.

Ben v. – Hooker. The way he reads the offense, and the quarterbacks eyes is simply impressive. What looks like a play where he is nowhere in sight, he shows up and makes the play.

Brandon – Malik Hooker. He continues to impress me more and more. His instincts and ball-hawking abilities are truly something we have not seen at Ohio State in awhile. Everything he does looks so smooth and looks like it is all scripted and he is simply going through the motions.

Mike Meals – Can I say Weber here? I know I am not all alone in thinking this, but he is going to be something special. I don’t mean just good…I mean SPECIAL before he leaves Columbus.

Shannon – Honestly there just are to many to pick. First one that comes to mind right now is Malik Hooker the ball hawk. Let’s not forget he summened his inner Orlando Pace for a pancake.

By Hook or by Crook is something I am trying to get going on social media, future Captain Hooker.

TB1G Coach of the Week

MDotySr – Chris Ash, not only for his first win but trailed 14-0 in the first quarter to come back and win big.

Scott – Harbooger. Just because.

Ben v. – Chris Ash. Yes it was Howard, but he got his first career head coaching win at Rutgers. Many more to come.

Brandon – Kirk Ferentz. This guy has a career record of 129-87 at Iowa. He does just enough every five years to get Iowa excited and they give him a crazy contract. He is 6-7 in bowl games…9-9 against in-state rival Iowa State..yet he was signed this week to a contract extension which runs through 2025 and giving $4.5 million a year. This guy won the week.

Mike Meals – Out of loyalty, Chris Ash. For the reasons above from Ben…but my coach of the week overall is Tom Herman. Yes, same thing as Ash, it was an FCS school UH played (Lamar). But our Mensa Man was smart enough to hold his all-everything QB, Greg Ward Jr, out of a meaningless game to get him healthy for the Coogs conference championship run. Houston had a longer weather delay than the Buckeyes did, and they still dominated. And I don’t know how much everyone has been following, but Herman has this Houston football team ready to run through a wall for him, much like Urban gets out his players in Columbus.

Shannon – I pick Jim Harbaugh. He had the best pick six of the week.

I am not surprised Chris Ash gets the nod, going to be a long season for Rutgers but he got his first win!

The post TBBC Awards: Tulsa Golden Hurricane; Samuel Shines, Pick Sixes Aplenty, Hooker Pancake appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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