Help us cover the Ohio State Buckeyes by becoming a writer at Scarlet and Game - Scarlet and Game
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Help us cover the Ohio State Buckeyes by becoming a writer at Scarlet and Game
Scarlet and Game
Scarlet and Game has steadily grown as FanSided's home for Ohio State Buckeyes athletics coverage dating back to when the site was first launched in early 2009. The Buckeyes have seen the full gamut of on-field successes and failures in that time, and ...

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Urban Meyer, Gene Smith and Thad Matta join Cleveland Cavaliers championship celebration
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Of course they're excited. Isn't everybody?

In case you somehow missed the news, the good people of Cleveland decided to have a little get-together to celebrate the accomplishments of their local basketball team. And by little get-together, I mean a massive parade attended by 1.3 million people. Everybody and their brother is in Cleveland today, celebrating the lifting of a decades-long professional sports curse.

Included in that everybody? Some of the biggest names in Ohio State athletics, like Urban Meyer, Thad Matta, and Gene Smith.


The crew also found time to celebrate with another Ohio sports legend, Jim Brown.


And it wouldn't be a party in Ohio without an appearance from the Ohio State band, right?


It makes sense that Ohio State's coaches would want to come be a part of the moment. LeBron has made multiple appearances at Ohio State football games and is a noted fan of the program, and he even has a dang locker in Ohio State basketball's locker room. Meyer, of course, is also from Northeast Ohio.

No word on whether the three decided to join the rest of the Cavs and party shirtless, although it appears that Gene Smith, at least, noticed a few fans who had.


What a celebration. Go Cavs.

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Take a look at each Big Ten hoops team’s 2016-17 conference slate
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Earlier this week, the Big Ten released the 2016-17 men’s basketball league schedule. And, as usual, some teams have more challenging draws than others. And that could impact the league race. Most early forecasts have Indiana, Michigan State and Wisconsin at the top. After that, Purdue and Michigan look primed to make a push. And Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Northwestern and Ohio State could make moves. Still, the Hoosiers, Spartans and Badgers are the teams to beat … at least in late June. Indiana, the defending Big Ten champ, lost Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams, but Thomas Bryant, James

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Ohio State Pre-Fall Outlook: Quarterbacks
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The countdown is on, our Saturdays of watching How I Met your Mother reruns are close to being put away for a few months. With a little over a month left until the 2016 Buckeyes fall camp officially begins on August 7th, I figured now would be the perfect time to take a look back at my Pre-Spring outlooks for each of the positional groups and see where the 2016 Buckeyes stand.

Last year, the quarterback position was the talk of the nation. Who would be the starter? In one corner you had Cardale Jones the man who had just led the Buckeyes on a magical run through Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon en route to a National Championship. On the other side, you had Joe Thomas Barrett who had taken over for Braxton Miller prior to the season started and combined for over 3,700 yards of total offense while accumulating 45 touchdowns before being hurt in the game against TTUN. The third option and complete wild card was some guy named Braxton Miller, who had won two straight Silver Football Awards before being injured and missing the entire 2014 season as the quarterback.

Every college football show discussed this ad nauseam and by the time Coach Meyer made his decision, the Ohio State fan base had collectively decided it did not matter.

This year is a completely different situation as Buckeye Nation realized


Your 2016 Heisman contender, J.T. Barrett.


quarterback controversies are sooo two-thousand late.

This year, the decision was fairly simple after Jones and Miller were drafted by the Bills and Texans respectively. The man at the helm for the Buckeyes is obviously the junior from Wichita Falls, J.T. Barrett, who began the year as a back-up to Jones and worked his way into starting position and finished up very strong. In the Fiesta Bowl against a stacked Notre Dame squad, Barrett played some of his best ball of the year throwing for 211 yard and adding 96 yards on the ground leading the Buckeyes to a dominating victory.

As I wrote about in February, the biggest battle will be for the QB2 position behind Barrett which has proved time and time again to be vitally important. I predicted that redshirt freshman Joe Burrow would take the QB2 job beating out redshirt sophomore Stephen Collier. The spring game came and went and Burrow appears to have a firm grip on the number two position after a spectacular performance and unfortunate injury to Collier. For the spring game, Burrow threw for 196 yards and three touchdowns. In addition to his stats, his touch and pocket presence is what got everyone excited. He stood in the face of pressure and delivered catchable ball after catchable ball.


Burrow had an impressive spring. (Image courtesy of thelantern.com)


As I mentioned before, Collier was in the middle of a heated battle for the QB2 position until he was sidelined with a knee injury which he ultimately had surgery on in May. Unfortunately, he is expected to miss the entire 2016 season. With Collier’s injury, the next man up to battle Burrow for the back-up job is true freshman Dwayne Haskins.

Haskins was a highly touted quarterback coming out of Maryland in this year’s recruiting class and has been praised for his advanced skillset. I honestly don’t foresee a situation where he beats out Burrow for the back-up quarterback job unless Burrow goes down with an injury. I think Coach Meyer and his staff will do everything in their power to allow Haskins to sit back and learn this year and compete with Burrow and the incoming freshman star quarterbacks for the starting position next year after Barrett leaves for the NFL draft.

Pre-Spring Predicted Depth Chart Pre-Fall Predicted Depth Chart
1. J.T. Barrett 1. J.T. Barrett
2. Joe Burrow 2. Joe Burrow
3. Stephen Collier 3. Dwayne Haskins

Just like this year’s quarterback competition, there is no drama here. Barring any injuries, this will be the depth chart heading into the opener against Bowling Green.

The post Ohio State Pre-Fall Outlook: Quarterbacks appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Dienhart: Big Ten East receiving corps unit rankings
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Having a strong running game is key to any team’s success. But a good passing game enhances any stout ground attack. And you need good wideouts to stretch the field. This fall, there will be no shortage of good pass-catching options across the Big Ten East, headlined by Penn State. But Michigan’s corps also looks stout. Here’s my ranking of the receiving corps in the Big Ten East. 1. Penn State. Talent galore. And that’s good news for the new QB, most likely Trace McSorley. Juniors Chris Godwin and DaeSean Hamilton are returning starters and the bellwethers. Fellow junior Saeed

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Script Ohio: The Ohio State Schedule sets Ohio State up for Success
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joe Dexter and Clair Crawford discuss how the 2016 season could play a major role in the development of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the future and sets the team up for similar success to the young 2014 Buckeyes.

For more Ohio State Buckeyes podcasts, follow us on Twitter: @BuckeyesRadio

The post Script Ohio: The Ohio State Schedule sets Ohio State up for Success appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes' Urban Meyer, Thad Matta and Gene Smith are living it up at Cavs parade - Comcast SportsNet Chicago
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes' Urban Meyer, Thad Matta and Gene Smith are living it up at Cavs parade
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
But the Buckeyes are joining in on the party in Cleveland, with Meyer, head basketball coach Thad Matta and athletics director Gene Smith in attendance for Wednesday's championship parade. And the guys are posting pictures of the celebration to social ...
Skull Session: How Urban Meyer and J.T. Barrett Can Build Another Dominant Offense, Sam Hubbard Hype, and ...Eleven Warriors (registration)
Urban Meyer, Thad Matta, TBDBITL attending Cavs' parade247Sports
Ohio State Football: Will Curtis Samuel Be Urban Meyer's Next...?Scarlet and Game

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From the Ohio Fanbase: Thanks to the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James
Michael Smith via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A couple weeks ago before the NBA Finals started, I wrote an article about the struggles of Cleveland sports and gave my prediction for the NBA Finals. I will fully admit that I predicted the Warriors would win in five games. For a while it looked like my prediction would be spot on.



However, a funny thing happened on the way to another championship for Cleveland lost.

Let me first tell you that I am a huge Cleveland sports fan. I’m just as big a Cleveland sports fan as I am an Ohio State fan. In fact, I’ve been a Cleveland sports fan longer. I have ticket stubs to all 3 Cleveland Sports teams (Cavs, Indians, and Browns) as far back as the mid 80s. I will turn 38 years old this year. I’ve lived and seen it all when it comes to Cleveland sports team.

What I haven’t seen, until this past Sunday night, is a Cleveland team win a championship.


My family is in the process of moving and I just found this today in a box of old stuff. I caught this during a Cavs game back in 1991.


Due to all the heartbreaks and all the ways Cleveland teams seem to lose games, especially championship games, made me very pessimistic over the last few years. I figured this NBA Finals would be the same.

Fellow fans that follow me on twitter (@CWGBuckeyes35) always ask me why I’m always so negative. I always ask why they can always be so positive and full of hope. Cleveland will lose, we’ve seen the movie before. Why get your hopes up when every time they will be dashed like before?

The thing is, I’m always with them.

Yes I will be pessimistic and say pessimistic things, but deep down I do hope and I do believe. I root for all the Cleveland teams, just like I do for Ohio State. I just hate the heartbreak and the feeling of loss when things go wrong.

After the Golden State Warriors went up three games to one in the NBA Finals, I thought, here we go again. Another wasted chance to end the misery of 52 years for me and fellow Cleveland fans. I even started to tell people, “I told you so, Warriors in five, don’t get your hopes up!”

Deep down however, I was feeling dread and heartbreak again.

Just one championship. It is all I was asking for.

I didn’t watch or DVR Game Five. Why would I? I don’t want to see Golden State and their fans celebrating another championship and rubbing our nose in it.

It was my father and wife who had to tell me the Cavs were not only winning, but up big. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving went off for 41 points each in an all-time performance. It was then, after they won game five that I started to think, “hey, maybe, just maybe.”

The Cavs won game five, but if they lost Game six at home, it would be Golden State celebrating again on our home court. In front of us. In our arena. Again, rubbing our nose in it.

Instead, LeBron James refused to let Cleveland lose and put up another 41 points.

Game six also showed the country what I’ve always thought of the Warriors and especially their star Stephen Curry. Now, Curry is a great player, no doubt.

He can make shots most humans can only dream of. His range exceeds the parking lot, if you know what I mean.

However, I have always thought of him as an arrogant and entitled player who, if things finally didn’t go his way, would throw a temper tantrum.

That’s exactly what happened.

Fast forward to game seven in Oakland. The Golden State Warriors had lost just 2 games all regular season at Oracle Arena.

What chances did Cleveland have?

No NBA team had ever come back from 3-1 deficit to win the title.

The sports gods already allowing the countless championship losses in Cleveland history — with the Cavs facing a team that won 73 games — the most in NBA history.

Before the game started I actually tweeted out a prayer. I told God I was sorry for my sins, I apologized for all the wrong doings in my life, and that I just wanted one championship.

Now for those who don’t know me well, I’m not a religious person. In fact, I would even call myself a boarder line atheist.

But I wanted all the help Cleveland could get.

My plans to watch the final game of the NBA season turned into a full breakdown.

I turned the game off.

My father, another life long Cleveland sports fan, that allows nothing to bother him — he’s a man of steel. He couldn’t watch, because he feared the end result.

He turned the game off, with the fear of losing forcing him to lock himself in his bedroom.

I sat on my computer, watching the WWE, trying to keep my mind off the game.

It was impossible.

My wife was keeping track of the game on her cell phone. I love my wife, but she has the worst poker face of all time. She always smiles when the team we are rooting for is winning. But she wasn’t smiling, she looked scared. I asked her how much time was left, she replied “two minutes 12 seconds.”

Little did I know it was tied at 89 and just over a minute later that Kyrie Irving would hit a to this point, career-defining three.


I told her when the game was almost over to tell me. So I waited. All I could think was come on — two minutes have had to of passed by now. I asked, “How much time left now?”

“Eleven seconds,” my wife replied.

I jumped from my computer chair and yelled, “Why didn’t you tell me!”

I ran to my phone to see the score. The Cleveland Cavaliers were up 92-89 with 10.6 seconds to go in game seven.

At that exact time, I swear the alarm you hear in the movies started going off inside me.


Yeah, like that.

I ran to my TV, turned it on, and stood there.

LeBron James, the kid from Akron, who promised to give Cleveland its championship was at the free throw line.

He misses the first — that alarm is getting louder. He makes the second and I put my hands on my head as the rest of my body goes numb.

What can I do? What should I do? Am I standing in the right spot? Should I pray?

Curry missed his final three attempt of the season from the top of the key. Marreese Speightss’ desperation shot had a less chance of sticking than my words to the sports gods above.

OH MY GOD ITS FINALLY OVER!!!

I started to scream like a 12 year old girl at a One Direction concert.

I screamed over and over “Oh My God they won!” My dad heard me and asked what happened. My wife had to tell him the Cavs had won.He ran out of his bedroom and back to his TV.

I collapsed to the floor of my living room and began to cry uncontrollably.

I didn’t care then, and I don’t care now what any one thinks. I cried and cried, while repeating, “They won — oh my god — they won.”

My wife had to come in and pick me up off the floor. She was crying too.

The city of Cleveland had won its first world championship in 52 years.

For those who aren’t Cleveland sports fans, you will never get it.

You’ll never understand it.

Back on May 14th ESPN showed the 30 for 30 special about Cleveland, called “Believeland”. It showed all the heartbreak and all the losses Cleveland has had had over the five-plus decades.

Well, they were in Cleveland for Game 7. They filmed what happened. They are now redoing Believeland with a new ending that will be shown on ESPN on June 30.


In closing, all I have to say is celebrate Cleveland — we deserve it.

From this lifelong Cleveland sports fan to Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers — Thank you. Thank you so much.



The post From the Ohio Fanbase: Thanks to the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State targets top 2018 linebacker
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Going back to a recruiting gold mine, the Buckeyes are looking to secure another top talent on defense

Buckeyes make top linebacker a priority


According to reports, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is making 2018 linebacker Palaie Gaoteote (Las Vegas, NV / Bishop Gorman) a top priority as he is taking a lead role in this recruitment.

Gaoteote, who is ranked among the top linebacker prospects in his class, currently holds 15 total offers – a list that includes Notre Dame and USC fighting the Bucks for the talented linebacker. From Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, a hot-spot for college football recruiting, the Buckeyes have made a huge footprint over the last few months with commitments from Haskell Garrett and Tate Martell, current attendees of Bishop Gorman. The Buckeye brand is as strong here as anywhere else right now.


Another thing boding well for Ohio State is that Gaoteote and Garrett are cousins. With Garrett looking as solid as they come in terms of his commitment, it will be huge to have some family pull going across the country to play football. Gaoteote is not expected to make an announcement anytime soon as his process is really just getting started.

Ohio State is sitting in a fine position with the 6-foot-2 prospect. Urban Meyer and his crew will have their work cut out for them over the next couple of years to land this big-time talent.

This is what Gaoteote was doing last season (just image what he will be able to do at the next level):

Ohio State left off list for Hainsey


Class of 2017 offensive line prospect Robert Hainsey (Bradenton, FL / IMG Academy) released his top three on Tuesday night – and the list did not include Ohio State. Hainsey, a four-star prospect, did include Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame.


Within the past month and a half, the Wolverines and Fighting Irish entertained The Opening invitee. On May 16, UM sent their passing game coordinator, Jedd Fisch, to visit with the guard; just a few days ago on June 18, Hainsey made an unofficial visit to see the Irish.

Ohio State has clearly made it apparent that with limited spots left in this class and two offensive linemen already committed, this was one of those years that it just doesn't work out due to numbers. Ohio State is probably set on the offensive line for this year's cycle unless someone like Trey Smith or Wyatt Davis wanted to jump into the class.

If there is a sliver lining, the Buckeyes recruiting class for 2017 currently stands at No.1 in both the Big Ten and the nation – and that ranking may improve.

New commit coming?


Late into the night on Tuesday, 2017 Buckeye commit Martell jumped on Twitter and made an announcement:


Is it a new commit coming into the Buckeye program? It’s anyone’s guess. However, Martell has been making moves in getting people to come to Ohio State, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he convinces more recruits in donning the scarlet and gray on Saturdays.

Stick with Land-Grant Holy Land, and we’ll fill you in on any of the news coming out on the recruiting front when it breaks.

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What would a NBA Draft of former Big Ten players look like?
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

With the 2016 NBA Draft set to get underway on Thursday, it’s time to have some drafting fun. [ MORE: Big Ten players in NBA Mock Drafts ] Several former Big Ten stars are expected to hear their name called in the upcoming draft, which got me thinking about this year’s Big Ten class, and how they fare compared to past Big Ten draft picks. Imagine if every former Big Ten player in the NBA today was filtered into a one-round NBA Draft, which included this year’s draft prospects. What would it look like? I’m going to answer that for

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Joshua Perry's younger brother gives unlimited inspiration
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Former Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry has extra motivation for his journey into the NFL.

"Jahred's taught me a ton; how to face challenges, always keeping your head up and never taking no for an answer. People have told him ‘No, you can't do that,' or ‘No, you won't be able to do that.' And he's said, ‘I'm going to do what I need to do.' That's something that I take from him."

- Joshua Perry via Hayley Elwood, Chargers.com


Joshua Perry had a very successful career at Ohio State, becoming one of the key defensive playmakers on a national championship team. Now, after being drafted by the San Diego Chargers, Perry gets to extend his playing career into the NFL. And like many of the league's players, there's some extra motivation that goes beyond football for Perry to get the most out of his career, coming in the shape of his younger brother. Joshua's younger brother Jahred was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome on the autism spectrum at the age of nine and changed his family forever. Perry mentioned that a strong support system surrounding his younger brother was crucial in helping him as he grew up.

Though Jahred hadn't seen Perry play live on the college stage, the excitement was still there when Perry got drafted by the Chargers. Perry has been a great example of what to do with his position, as he's known well for his leadership on and off the field - look no further for vindication then being on the AFCA All-Good Works Team and being a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy last season. He continues to use his platform to raise awareness for autism and help his brother in any way that he can.

"I'm not quite ready to say Ohio State's Sam Hubbard is the next Joey Bosa. But Hubbard turned in a pretty good Bosa impression last year as a true freshman."

- Brian Bennett, ESPN


Josh Moyer and Brian Bennett have been breaking down which players will lead different statistical categories in the Big Ten in 2016, starting last week. The question this week was who would lead the conference in sacks. While Josh Moyer opted to go with Michigan defensive end Chris Wormley, Bennett chose Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard, who played as a freshman last season. Hubbard started off as a replacement for a suspended Joey Bosa at the time and filled in admirably. Almost immediately, Hubbard earned playing time even when Bosa was back, allowing for Bosa to get short breaks and still bring terror to opposing quarterbacks.

Now this season, Hubbard is locked in at one of the defensive end spots and will be looked upon as one of the key members of Ohio State's defense in 2016. Bennett's choice of Hubbard makes sense considering Hubbard had about 6.5 sacks last season for the Buckeyes. The sophomore defensive end is likely going to be garnering plenty of attention this season from opposing offensive lines, as they try and protect their quarterbacks.

"Logan native and Ohio State product Katie Smith was one of 11 former players named to the WNBA's 20 'greatest and most influential players,' a list generated as part of the women's basketball league's 20th anniversary season."

- The Columbus Dispatch


Former Ohio State women's basketball star Katie Smith was named to the WNBA's 20 greatest and most influential players on Tuesday. The shooting guard played for the Buckeyes from 1992-96, and helped the United States earn three Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2004, and 2008. Smith played 14 years in the WNBA and led the league in scoring in 2001, where she averaged 23.1 points per game with the Minnesota Lynx.

Smith was traded to Detroit in 2005 and helped the Shock to two league titles, in 2006 and 2008. She also played for several other teams, including the Washington Mystics, Seattle Storm, and New York Liberty. By the time she finished her career, Smith was the leading scorer in women's professional basketball history, an incredibly tremendous feat. The seven-time All-Star is now spending her days as an assistant coach in New York, still making an impact on the game of basketball.

STICK TO SPORTS:

• How virtual reality gaming is blowing its big chance in 2016.
• The world's largest NERF gun has been created - and it can break through glass!
• Columbus was awarded $50 million in Smart City grants.

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Buckeyes offer Cincinnati-area standout Bazley during visit - 247Sports (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer Cincinnati-area standout Bazley during visit
247Sports (subscription)
Bazley said the OSU staff told him he could be a wing in the mold of current starter Keita Bates-Diop, who is heading into his junior year with the Buckeyes. The Ohio State offer is the latest for Bazley, who also has offers from Toledo, Florida and St ...

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Buckeyes hosting big-time 2018 visitor today - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes hosting big-time 2018 visitor today
247Sports
One of the top prospects on the East Coast in the Class of 2018 is WR Jahan Dotson, who is transferring to the Peddie School in New Jersey from Nazareth (PA) for his junior season. The 6-foot, 160-pound Dotson holds over 20 offers, including ...

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Meyer, Dantonio among best coaches at developing NFL talent
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

Ohio State and Michigan State have been among the top college football programs in the nation over the past couple of years. In fact, the Buckeyes and Spartans have combined to go 74-9 over the past three seasons, with each school making an appearance in the College Football Playoff, and the Buckeyes winning the inaugural playoff in 2014. NFL.com College Football 24/7 writer Chase Goodbread is the latest to recognize the job both Meyer and Dantonio have done at their respective schools, which includes developing a lot of NFL talent. Goodbread recently made up a list of the top 16

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24/7 Profile
Rivals Profile
ESPN Profile




Jonesboro, GA
Jonesboro High School
Ht 6-5
Wt 205

I know our chances are probably pretty slim with this recruit but I have seen his name mentioned a couple places.

Walkers is rated as five-star shooting guard, but you can consider him more of a combo guard. The 6-foot-5, 205 pound Georgia native is a supreme athlete, rated the No. 22 overall player in the Class of 2017 in 247Sports' composite ratings. According to his 247 profile, Walker is highest on the Buckeyes, Florida State and Maryland right now.

He's continuously listed the Buckeyes among the schools recruiting him the hardest. He'd fit the mold of a ball-dominant guard the Buckeyes have had in players like Lyle and D'Angelo Russell.

Click to expand...

More at http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/06/markell_johnson_commits_to_nc.html#incart_river_index

BH: Advanced recruiting; Matta concerns - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: Advanced recruiting; Matta concerns
247Sports
The talented cornerback already holds offers from Kentucky and Cincinnati before stepping foot on a high school football field, so it's safe to say there's good reason the Buckeyes are paying attention to him so early. Grace doesn't hide the fact that ...


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Watch D’Angelo Russell show sense of humor in Foot Locker ad
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

NBA rookies are young, of course, and there is no such thing as them receiving too much advice about being a pro. Former Ohio State star D'Angelo Russell knows this all too well.

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Former Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell pokes fun at himself in Foot Locker ad
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


He gave some great advice!

Former standout guard at Ohio State D’Angelo Russell was in the spotlight for a good while during the NBA season, and it wasn’t particularly due to his spectacular feats on the basketball court. But rather an incident off of it.

Russell was caught up in some drama with teammate Nick Young, after videos that Russell took with his phone showed Young talking about cheating on his fiancée, Iggy Azalea. Once it happened, Russell was shunned by his teammates, sitting alone at breakfast and the like. Young and Azalea have since split.

It wasn’t good judgement by Russell, and it’s not clear how the video got out. But for all of the criticism that Russell took for the incident, it’s good to see that he’s able to laugh at himself now that it has passed. Especially considering how much heat he took in that moment.

Take D’Angelo’s advice, and don’t record your friends doing things that they wouldn’t want the world seeing.

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Script Ohio: Celebrating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joe Dexter and Clair Crawford review Cleveland’s long road to a championship and ask the question — is a Cavs championship greater than an Ohio State ring?

Also, Big Ten media rights, and Cam Robinson/Hootie Jones talk.

For more Ohio State Buckeyes podcasts, follow us on Twitter: @BuckeyesRadio

The post Script Ohio: Celebrating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Darius Bazley, fast-rising 2018 Ohio forward, gets offer from Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Darius Bazley, fast-rising 2018 Ohio forward, gets offer from Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
Darius Bazley, a 2018 forward from Finneytown High School, announced that he received an offer from the Buckeyes. Bazley is considered a three-star prospect and the No. 2 player in Ohio by 247Sports, but that will change as he continues to make his ...

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I'm trying to donate using paypal but when the site directs me there, it is in ?chinese? and I can't read it. When I log in it seems like it wants to send me a text to verify my identity. When it does, the text message is in chinese. I can't read chinese.

The Ohio State Class of 2013 will cement its legacy during the 2016 season
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


How much more can you ask from a recruiting class that has produced five NFL players in a little over two seasons?

The Ohio State Class of 2013 has already left it’s mark on Ohio State.

A group that became instant leaders as youngsters during the 2014-15 season — winning the first College Football Playoff national championship. Players like Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Darron Lee, Vonn Bell, Jalin Marshall, and Eli Apple moved on to the NFL after two very successful years on the field for the Buckeyes.

Now, Ohio State will look to replace a Big Ten Conference high sixteen starters from a year ago. And still, the Class of 2013 lives on — with a ton still to prove as one of the best recruiting classes in Ohio State history.

The Buckeyes find themselves in a situation where their young player base will again be asked to compete at a national championship level. Just like the last go around, the Class of 2013 will again be imperative in Ohio State succeeding on the field. The young studs that stunned the college football world with their elite playmaking ability in 2014, will now be asked to provide leadership.

That starts and ends with Joe Thomas Barrett, the current heart and soul of the Ohio State program.

The pack leader has already proven his talents on the field, leading the Buckeyes down the road to a playoff appearance as a red shirt freshman. He completed nearly 70% of his passes in 2014. After a loss to Virginia Tech, the young man asked to replaced an injured Braxton Miller played at a Heisman level. Last year, he had great performances late in the season and in his role as a redzone quarterback.

Now, the only thing left to prove on the college level is winning a championship as the sole leader of his team and being the signal caller on the field in the final moments of a championship run.

Fellow class member Billy Price might not have anything to prove, but the former defensive tackle continues to be one of the most underrated players in the program.

Ohio State fans have always given credit to the group better known as “the slobs.” Former offensive line coach Ed Warinner garnered praise across the country for his development of turning untested offensive lineman into a cohesive unit.

Price is the player that consistently sets the tone for the program. He’s proven that in his nearly 30 starts over the last two years. Urban Meyer might not have deemed him a captain at the end of last season, but his role as a leader is as important as any other Buckeye in the program outside of Barrett.

At the skill positions, this class still has four key contributors in 2016 that are out to prove something.

Tight end Marcus Baugh is looking to go from not being good enough to be on the depth chart at the start of last season, to the third straight lead tight end drafted out of Ohio State.

With the emergence of Baugh, Ohio State was able to bolster it’s rushing attack late in the season with multiple two tight end sets. The Riverside, California native had seven catches in the spring game after a season with just two catches.


COLUMBUS, OH – SEPTEMBER 13: Marcus Baugh #85 of the Ohio State Buckeyes catches a two-yard touchdown pass in front of Nate Holley #18 of the Kent State Golden Flashes in the second quarter at Ohio Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)


College football guru Phil Steele doesn’t believe that Baugh is worthy of being one of the four tight ends selected to his 2016 preseason All-Big Ten team. The beauty is he doesn’t have to be in order to be a successful member of this class. Nick Vannett finished 99th in receiving yards a year ago and was selected by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Jeff Heuerman’s receiving production was cut in half his senior season. The Broncos still selected him as well in the third round of the 2015 draft.

Wide receiver Corey Smith was well on his way to fulfilling a key role as a receiver last year. When Noah Brown broke his leg in the fall, it looked like Smith was set for a breakout year.

After facing the same injury himself against Indiana, the senior has one last chance to prove his nearly 13 yards per reception average throughout his career isn’t a fluke through the lens of just 25 career receptions for 317 yards and zero touchdowns. He could be the final piece in a young offense looking for a leader at wide receiver.

The Ohio State coaching staff has praised the work he’s put in all season. And as Land Grant Holy Land’s Ian Hartitz points out — every Ohio State fan should be excited he’s back next season.

The receiving numbers might not jump off the page, but the sixth-year senior will be imperative as a special teamer, blocker, and speed threat in 2016.

Fellow speedster Dontre Wilson has had similar issues during his time at Ohio State. Many thought he would be the star of the Class of 2013. Instead, he finds himself at the crossroads of hype and success.

Like Smith, a lot of that has to due to injury. The DeSoto, Texas native has missed the better part of two seasons. While fans have been quick to judge his ability, it’s hard to deny his skill out of the backfield. Wilson has averaged over seven yards per carry out of the backfield over two seasons. During Ohio State’s championship run, he averaged over 14 yards per catch and scored three touchdowns.

In total, Wilson has scored just six touchdowns in his Ohio State career. While some of that is due to injury, a lot of it also has to do with consistency.

This spring, the former four-star recruit and all-purpose back has added nearly 10 pounds of muscle to his frame, in an effort to retain his health for his senior season and be a more diverse player in the offense.

While many are writing him off, Dontre Wilson could play a huge role as a running back, h-back and receiver in 2016 — erasing his legacy as the top prospect in the Class of 2013, that ended his career as a footnote to one of the greatest recruiting classes in college football history.

Finally, former four-star Florida prep star James Clark had the best spring of his career. With a slew of wide receivers figuring out their roles, Clark exclusively lined up with the first-team offense during spring practices.

He’ll factor in for serious playing time at the flanker position.


BLOOMINGTON, IN – OCTOBER 03: Zander Diamont #12 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball while defended by Gareon Conley #8 of the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium on October 3, 2015 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)


On defense, two of Ohio State’s returning starters are players that are forgotten as members of the 2013 class.

To think that Gareon Conley is forgotten as a member of this great class is laughable. He might have been the best cover corner in the program last year. This season, he’s the only returning starter in the secondary.

For the first time in his Buckeye career, the way Conley plays this upcoming season will be the paint the canvas to a masterpiece that rivals that of classmates Darron Lee, Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Joey Bosa, Adolphus Washington, and Tyvis Powell.

Tyquan Lewis led the Buckeyes in sacks a year ago and will get his chance to shine without the shadow of Bosa’s presence as one of the greatest defensive players in Ohio State history.

He’ll be joined by Michael Hill and Tracy Sprinkle — who look to build on their success in the interior against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.

The two seniors helped to hold Notre Dame to just 121 yards rushing and 3.8 yards per carry.

Both are players that have proven their worth in the past, and will be granted the highest stage to perform. With defensive line coach Larry Johnson looking to key cogs to fill the gap of losing experienced lineman like Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt, and Donovan Munger (who is also part of the 2013 class).

At linebacker, the class of 2013 has already seen a three-star athlete without a position turn into a stud in Darron Lee.

Chris Worley will have the same opportunity in August as a projected starter at strongside linebacker. Coaches have often compared the two and Worley showed in his limited playing time last year that he can have the same type of impact.

Heading into the season, it was clear that Ohio State’s class of 2013 could be the greatest in school history.

If these impact players help keep the Ohio State winning tradition alive in 2016 — it’ll be damn near impossible to make an argument against them.

The post The Ohio State Class of 2013 will cement its legacy during the 2016 season appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Elite DT looks to visit Ohio State soon
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The No. 3 DT in the country wants to take an official visit to Ohio State soon. Also, Thad Matta and the Buckeyes offer an in-state SF

Buckeyes offer Jay Tufele


Four-star DT Jay Tufele (South Jordan, UT / Bingham) has been regarded as one of the top recruits at his position for the majority of his high school football career. The intangibles have always been there and he has continued to improve year in and year out. It is because of this that Tufele will be participating in this year's The Opening camp hosted by Nike in Oregon.

Ohio State has been pushing hard for Tufele since the spring. The team presented him with a scholarship offer on the first of March and the coaching staff has been to Utah since to visit the 6-foot-3, 297-pound DT.

Scout.com caught up with Tufele at a recent camp in his home state of Utah and he only had good things to say about Urban Meyer and Ohio State. Tufele listed the Buckeyes as a school he wants to take an official visit to and it may come sooner rather than later, as he mentioned he wanted to take his last visit before his senior season begins.

The other school Tufele wants to visit is Buckeye rival Michigan, while schools like Oregon, USC, UCLA, Washington and Utah are also in the mix. Ohio State already has two commits in this class at the position in four-star's Haskell Garrett (Las Vegas, NV / Bishop Gorman) and Jerron Cage (Cincinnati, OH / Winton Woods), but Meyer would ensure enough room for Tufele if he chooses to become a Buckeye.

Buckeyes offer rising home-town SF


Transitioning to the hardwood, Thad Matta is getting a head start on the 2018 recruiting class as Ohio State became one of the first teams to offer Darius Bazley (Cincinnati, OH / Finneytown Secondary Campus). Bazley may only have two years of high school basketball behind him, but he is already seen as the No. 2 recruit in the state of Ohio and is one of the top 100 players in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.


Bazley recently impressed at the Nike Elite 100 camp and was listed as one of the top performers at the event by Rivals.com. The three-star recruit stands at 6-foot-7 and with his motor, he is a force in the post and he can knock down jump shots as well. He will need to bulk up a bit before playing at the college level, as he weighs just 185 pounds

It will be important for Matta and the Buckeyes to remain active in his recruitment, as he certainly will be receiving more scholarship offers as he improves over the next two years.

Buckeye basketball misses on in-state PG


The Buckeyes missed on arguably one of their most important recruits Monday when four-star PG Markell Johnson (Cleveland, OH / East Technical) announced his commitment to NC State.

Thad Matta's program offered Johnson at the start of the year and he was on campus back in February. Johnson is the fifth best prospect in Ohio for the 2016 class and sits at No. 58 in the country in the 247Sports composite rankings.

Johnson would've been a great addition to this class for the Buckeyes, which features two centers, a forward and just one other guard. The Cleveland native also would’ve been the highest regarded player in a class that was, at one time, looked at as almost complete before the departures of four underclassman.

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Markell Johnson commits to N.C. State, so what are Buckeyes guard options? Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Markell Johnson commits to N.C. State, so what are Buckeyes guard options? Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes now must move on to other guard options as they look to add to their 2017 recruiting class. Ohio State's best chance of landing Johnson would have been if he stayed in 2017. Sticking him in a class with already-committed four-star center ...
Four-Star Point Guard Markell Johnson Commits to North Carolina State over Ohio State, OthersEleven Warriors (registration)

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Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes Big Ten opponents revealed for 2016-17 season - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes Big Ten opponents revealed for 2016-17 season
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten learned their conference opponent matchups on Monday. Ohio State will have to play Wisconsin and Michigan State, likely to be two of the top teams in the conference, twice. The Buckeyes will get Indiana and ...
Ohio State basketball's Big Ten opponents released for 2016-2017 scheduleLand-Grant Holy Land
Huskers' Big Ten hoops schedule taking shapeLincoln Journal Star
Big Ten East predictions: Where will Penn State finish in one of the sport's toughest divisions?PennLive.com
247Sports -Eleven Warriors (registration)
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