So, I dunno... Maybe this is a reaction to the pussification thread... maybe I just want to talk to my kid the way I wish someone talked to me when I was growing up.

What follows are some notes I typed to my son while we were flying to MSP a couple of weeks ago for a lacrosse tourney.

These words are unedited and more or less a stream of consciousness. Feedback and / or additions welcome.

My goal is to share this with him before he stars HS in a month or so. He's a great kid... and a total guy. I don't mince words with him and I've not pulled any punches on shit before... Don't know why I'd start now.

Feedback welcome.


Life advice to a boy quickly turning into a man.

1. Never put it in Crazy. Crazy is never worth it.

2. If you think you're out with Crazy, run like hell and don't look back.

3. You may think that Stacy's not the girl for you, but if you think Stacy's mom is hot... Give Stacy another look. She'll likely be her mom in a few years. Rules above trump this rule.

4. Always be protected. Never trust her to take care of it. Don't take care of it yourself and you may be taking care of it for the next 18-years.

5. Again, see rules 1 & 2 because Crazy don't give a fuck.

6. Always understand what you have to gain and lose. Always understand what she has to gain and lose as well. Seek situations where you both have a lot to gain and a lot to lose. Imbalance on either side will cause problems.

7. Identify what you want in a partner, now, in a year, five and 20. If you can't see her in your life at five and 20, do yourselves a favor and don't get serious. This doesn't mean don't date her, just don't make any promises about the future. She'll hang on those promises and that's not fair to her.

8. See her with her father. Watch how they interact. It will tell you a lot. Not the least of which it will tell you what she will expect from you.

9. Never forget that she is someone's daughter. Imagine your most precious possession and multiply that times like a billion. That's how he feels about her. Yes, even Crazy's dad feels like that.

10. Respect her.

11. Respect yourself.

12. No really means no. There is absolutely no discussion on this point. One 'no' and you stop whateverthehell it is you're doing.

13. Related to the above, if you get to that point, do yourself the favor of politely excusing yourself from her presence. Too many young men have messed up their lives over this. Don't mess up yours.

14. Don't discount Crazy showing up in the above... and that's why politely excusing yourself is important.

15. Crazy is also likely vindictive which means that seeing you in trouble / pain is a reward for her. See rules 1,2 and 5.

16. Never settle; for anything or for anyone.

17. High school is not the best time of your life. Don't expect it to be. If it is, you're doing it wrong.

18. Girls, for some reason, seem to be attracted to 'dark, dangerous and trouble.' Don't worry about that. He ends up fat and bald for the 10-year reunion. You be you and she'll figure it out. See 17 above. He's the dude who had his best years in high school.

19. I promise that the next few years will be filled with great love and great heartbreak. My hope for you is more of the former and less of the latter.

20. Regrettably, the latter is inevitable. When it happens, be a man. Be respectful no matter what happens. See items 9 & 10. Also, when it happens, always remember that others _are_ watching... and the next one _will_ consider how you handled yourself. Also see item 11.

21. When you're lucky enough to experience the former, enjoy it. Show her you enjoy it by treating her like a queen and she'll treat you like a king.

22. Bros > Hos: Your friends will be for life. Only one girl gets to say that. Trust yourself, but listen to your friends as well. They'll be honest with you. Sometimes brutally, and it may hurt. True friends will have your best interests in mind. Your real friends, and you'll figure that out in time, will let you know when you've found your queen.

23. Learn to read social cues. It is also inevitable that you will do stupid things. Surround yourself with good people and they will also let you know when you are being stupid.

24. Don't be 'that guy.'

25. Be good to your friends by letting them know when they are doing stupid things.

26. Have fun growing into a great young man. Avoid situations and people that are toxic.

27. The golden rule is golden for a good reason.

28. You've been raised well. You know right from wrong. There's never a wrong time to do the right thing.

Photo Day for freshmen Buckeyes - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Photo Day for freshmen Buckeyes
247Sports
The Ohio State class of 2016 recruits reported to campus in early June, to start summer school and go through the team's summer conditioning program. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our ...
Can Tulsa beat Ohio State football? A 2 percent chance the Buckeyes could losecleveland.com
No FNL for No. 1 D-tackle, but Buckeyes remain in good shape247Sports.com
Around the Oval: Ohio State Dominates Michigan in Director's Cup and Buckeyes Compete in Olympic TrialsEleven Warriors
Columbus Dispatch -Land-Grant Holy Land -Bleacher Report
all 38 news articles »

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2018 4-Star Houston Griffith breaks down relationships with Buckeyes, Irish - BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2018 4-Star Houston Griffith breaks down relationships with Buckeyes, Irish
BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
Houston Griffith has been a top 2018 target for many programs that recruit nationally and his list has continued to grow over the summer. On Friday, he picked up an offer from Missouri, his sixth SEC offer already. Top programs in the midwest have not ...


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Ohio State center Pat Elflein named to Rimington Award preseason watch list
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The fifth-year senior will make his first start at center on September 3rd against Bowling Green.



On the heels of Ohio State having J.T. Barrett, Tyquan Lewis, and Raekwon McMillan named to preseason award watch lists yesterday, Pat Elflein was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list earlier today. The Rimington Award, named for former Nebraska center Dave Rimington, is given annually to the best center in college football. The Rimington Award has been given out since 2000, with Ohio State's LeCharles Bentley being the only Buckeye to take home the award in the past, winning it in 2001. The finalists for the Rimington Award will be announced on December 5th, with the winner being determined by the Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News, and Football Writers Association of America All-American teams being used to determine the winner.

Elflein will be making his first start at center for Ohio State on September 3rd when the Buckeyes open up their 2016 season at Ohio Stadium against Bowling Green. This will mark Elflein's third season as a starter for the Buckeyes, as he has started 29 games at guard in the previous two seasons for Ohio State. Not only has Elflein already been named a captain for Ohio State's 2016 season, but he is also a two-time "Iron Buckeye" award winner, which is awarded to six players bi-annually for unquestioned physical training dedication, determination, discipline, toughness, and leadership. The Pickerington native has already been a part of a couple of Ohio State's best offensive lines in terms of yards per carry average, and hopes to again help the Buckeyes find success on the ground this year.

"I thought we would have a lot of success as a team while I was there. The coaches supported my NCAA and Olympic aspirations and have done everything possible to allow me to reach my goals."

- Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder via Ross Bishoff, The Ohio State University Alumni Association


Kyle Snyder is just 20 years old but he has already accomplished more than most will in a lifetime. Not only is Snyder already a two-time NCAA champion, helping the Buckeyes win the team title in 2015 before winning an individual title in 2016, but he also took home the 2015 heavyweight world title. At just 19 years old, Snyder became the youngest U.S. wrestler ever to win a World Championship. Next month Snyder will be looking to add to his list of achievements in Rio de Janeiro. Snyder became the first active Buckeye wrestler to make an Olympic wrestler team, as he'll compete at 97 kg (213 lbs).

It has taken plenty of hard work for Snyder to get to where he is today, and it started when he first stepped onto a wrestler mat at five years old. On New Years' Day 2013, head coach Tom Ryan got a phone call from Snyder, who was in the middle of his junior year at the time. Snyder announced to Ryan his intention to attend Ohio State. At the time Snyder could see that Ohio State was building something as a program, and Snyder has only helped to make the Buckeye wrestling program one of the best in the country. Whether Snyder medals or not in Rio, what he has done during his time with Ohio State has helped immensely in recruiting. Hopefully next month the red, white, and blue can get a little boost from the scarlet and gray.

"I understand everything I've been through is going to be worth it when I get that contract. Everything I've been through: going overseas and spending time dealing with injuries and setbacks, everything will be worth it. My eyes are still set on that goal and my hope is still in God to get there."

- Former Ohio State center Dallas Lauderdale via Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch


While last week former Buckeyes Evan Turner and Mike Conley signed big money NBA contracts, another former Buckeye is just hoping to sign any NBA contract. Dallas Lauderdale was a three-year starter while at Ohio State, and in 2010 was an all-Big Ten defensive team selection, but he hasn't been able to make it onto a NBA roster yet. Injuries have been a big reason why Lauderdale hasn't yet been able to achieve his NBA dreams. In November 2014, Lauderdale had surgery to repair a ruptured posterior tibial tendon, and hasn't been to play much since then. Lauderdale says there is still interest from NBA teams, but now it comes down to when he is recovered from his injury and able to get back out onto the court.

Even though Lauderdale hasn't been able to make an impact on the NBA court yet, he certainly has been making an impact on the court for kids in Ohio. Last year Lauderdale started Direction Up, which is a noncompetitive camp, that is designed to uplift as well as teach. So far the camp has been a success, with the most recent installment at Solon High School, Lauderdale's alma mater, showing a growth of 50 percent. The teaching and uplifting comes naturally to Lauderdale, as he is the product of three generations of preachers. With the success of the camp so far, Lauderdale will hold one-day camp at the TAD Sports facility in Granville on July 23rd. Even if he doesn't ever realize his NBA dream, Lauderdale can at least know he is doing something important that is having a positive impact.

"The joke when people say they want a job is that they would walk (to it). That's how I felt about this job. It was opportunity to come home to be a part of a great program, to work for Kevin, who has been successful everywhere he's been. To have this opportunity is very special to me."

- New Ohio State women's basketball assistant coach Carrie Banks via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Ohio State women's basketball coach Kevin McGuff had an open spot on his staff when assistant coach Joy Cheeks left for Vanderbilt in May. Yesterday McGuff found Cheeks' replacement, hiring Delaware, Ohio native Carrie Banks. According to McGuff, Banks' primary area of focus on the court will be with the forwards. Even though she was just hired, Banks is wasting little time trying to make an impact, as she is already out on the road recruiting for the Buckeyes. After losing in the Sweet 16 to Tennessee, expectations are high for the Buckeyes heading into this season, and so far McGuff is pleased with what he has seen from his team this summer.

After playing college basketball at Detroit Mercy, followed by two years playing professionally in Portugal before returning to the United States to join the coaching ranks. Banks not only coached AAU basketball in Ohio, but also was the women's junior varsity basketball coach at Dublin Jerome from 2004-06 before heading back to her alma mater to become an assistant coach. After leaving Detroit Mercy, Banks was an assistant at South Florida, and spent the last three seasons at Northwestern. While Banks is glad she has been able to travel to the places that she has during her playing and coaching career, she is happy that she can come home and be closer to family.

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Debate it: Most intriguing storyline heading into this season?
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

The 2016 Big Ten football season should be filled with plenty of outstanding storylines. How good will Michigan be? Is Ohio State the favorite? Can Michigan State repeat as Big Ten champions? The list goes on and on. But what is truly the most intriguing storyline heading into the 2016 Big Ten football season? I asked that very question to two of the best in the business: BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart and USA Today national college football reporter Nicole Auerbach. The three of us shared our answers below. Who do you agree with? Tweet me your answers, @BTNSean. What

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Buckeyes announce receivers - The Daily Times
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes announce receivers
The Daily Times
Buckeyes announce receivers. July 6, 2016. By SETH STASKEY - Sports writer , Times Leader. Save |. CAMBRIDGE - Kevin Gunn gets excited simply thinking about the options Ohio may have in the passing game for the 71st-annual Rudy Mumley OVAC ...

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What are the best and worst-case scenarios for Ohio State in 2016?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State has a very inexperienced team. How good, or bad, could they be this season?

Earlier we looked at Ohio State’s 2015 season according to S&P+ tiers -- what teams are peers according to the S&P+ adjusted scoring margins. Following David Wunderlich, we saw that Ohio State really only had two games last season that the final S&P+ rankings suggested were toss-ups.

Now, let's take that idea and apply it to the 2016 schedule using the projected S&P+ ratings:


Using the projected point differences between the S&P+ margins, I followed David and used a touchdown difference as the space for tiers. So, since Ohio State’s projected S&P+ margin was 16.4 and Oklahoma’s was 22 (a 5.6 point difference in favor of the Sooners), the Buckeyes are within one tier of the Sooners.

Ohio State has seven games against either "sure thing" or "heavily favored" teams next season, with five games where the S&P+ either projects the Buckeyes as underdogs or has the games as close wins/toss-ups.

The five toss-up or underdog games are Penn State, Nebraska, Michigan State (all projected touchdown-or-less wins), Oklahoma, and Michigan (projected close losses).

Michigan is currently projected as a loss by about a field goal, while the Sooners are projected as about two-field goal favorites in the S&P+.

So, if the Buckeyes lost all the games that are close, they’d go 7-5 in the regular season. But the Buckeyes are projected within a touchdown for all of their games, so 12-0 isn’t out of the question either. Those are the general bounds for how Ohio State’s 2016 could go. Alabama, for contrast, only has one peer on their schedule for next year — LSU.

So using this method, 10-2 seems like a conservative projection, with 11-1 looking reasonable as well. Obviously the low-end of 7-5 wouldn't cut it in Columbus, and shouldn't, given Urban Meyer's staff and his recruiting.

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Projecting 2016 Ohio State Buckeye Offense Stats
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


July 4th weekend has passed and we are in the home stretch to college football season. In a little more than a month, teams across the nation will begin their fall workouts in preparation for the upcoming season. Football season brings with it a fantasy world where people sit around and come up with their own projections on how the season will go. Today I set out to come up with an offensive production projection for the 2016 Buckeyes.

Now to be up front, my formula was made up by me and was meant to be more on the safe side. With that said, I realize there will be massive holes in my logic. Here is how it went:

1. I looked at each team on the schedule this year and what their defensive averages per game were last year. The stats I looked at were rushing yards allowed, rushing touchdowns allowed, passing yards allowed, and passing touchdowns allowed.

1. I then took into account how many starters the team had returning on defense. If the team had one to five starters returning, I would add 25 total yards for the Buckeye offense. If the team had six to eight returning starters, I would keep the stats at average. If they had more than eight returning starters on defense, I would subtract 25 total yards. (I removed this advantage against Penn State and Wisconsin in an attempt to give night games at these two stadiums the respect they deserve)

1. I then put a blanket Buckeye addition to the offensive numbers of adding 20 passing yards and 10 rushing yards per game. I did this because I figure the Buckeye offense will at least be a little better than the typical offense these teams will face.

1. I completely realize I am low-balling the Buckeye running game significantly. I really think they will be more pass-happy this year than in year’s past.

First, let’s take a look at how I see each game playing out offensively:

Team Rush Yds Rush TDs Pass Yds Pass TDs
BGSU 193 3 255 2
Tulsa 250 3 317 3
Oklahoma 172 2 222 2
Rutgers 196 3 296 3
Indiana 206 3 339 3
Wisconsin 106 1 193 1
Penn State 161 2 194 2
Northwestern 136 2 213 1
Nebraska 120 2 311 2
Maryland 173 2 303 3
MSU 126 1 280 2
Michigan 132 1 178 1
Season Totals 1971 25 3101 25

Compared to last year, a few of those season totals may be a shock to most of you. As I said in my running back preview, I really think Ohio State will pass the ball more this year now that they do not have Ezekiel Elliott to fall back on offensively. Last year, the Buckeyes ran for 3,188 yards and 39 touch downs. This year, I have them only running for 1,971 yards and 25 touchdowns. Passing wise, they should get a significant bump in the stats as things are a little steadier without a quarterback controversy. Last year, the Buckeyes threw for 2,455 yards and 19 touchdowns. This year, I think they will throw for 3,101 yards and 25 touchdowns.

So now that I have the season stats numbers, it is time for me to use my personal bias of how I see players fitting into the offense and tell you how I think they are going to do this year. First, we will look at the QBs:

Passing Cmp Att Pct Yds TD INT
J.T. Barrett 218 330 66 2,956 25 10
Joe Burrow 10 20 50 145 0 2

For his career, Barrett has completed a little over 64% of his passes so I expect a slight bump in this area as Barrett comes into his junior year and completes his first fall as the unquestioned starting quarterback. These numbers are pretty comparable to Barrett’s freshman year when he threw for 2,834 yards and 34 touchdowns. Now let’s move on to the running backs:

Rushing Att Yds YPC TD
J.T. Barrett 127 750 5.9 11
Bri’onte Dunn 99 545 5.5 9
Curtis Samuel 58 393 6.8 3
Mike Weber 18 107 5.9 1
Dontre Wilson 12 95 7.9 1
Joe Burrow 11 57 5.18 0
Parris Campbell 2 24 12 0

As I said earlier, this is where some people are going to be shocked. You can see that I have Dunn, who I project to be the starting running back, only having 545 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. This is because of three reasons. First, as much as everyone, including the head coach, would not like Barrett to run the ball a lot…he is simply too good not to. Second, I think Samuel and Wilson will have more carries out of the H-back position than Miller and Samuel did last year (70 carries compared to 47 carries). Last, as I’ve said numerous times…I think the team will throw the ball more this year. Now we can look at the guys catching the ball:

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD
Noah Brown 61 791 13 6
Curtis Samuel 43 630 14.7 5
Corey Smith 29 448 15.4 3
Dontre Wilson 21 310 14.8 3
Marcus Baugh 26 301 11.6 2
Torrance Gibson 13 197 15.2 2
Austin Mack 5 106 21.2 1
Johnnie Dixon 6 102 17 1
Parris Campbell 4 71 17.8 0
Bri’onte Dunn 12 63 5.25 2
Mike Weber 5 42 8.4 0
Terry McLaurin 2 35 17.5 0
Chase Hounshell 1 5 5 0

I’m going to go ahead and ride the Noah Brown hype-train and have him leading the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Most of these numbers are pretty consistent with how the receiving corps has looked over the last couple of years. The three starters (Brown, Smith, and Samuel) combine for 133 catches, 1,869 yards, and 14 touchdowns. Like all Buckeye fans, I dream of the day where the Buckeyes utilize their tight end and project Baugh to have a pretty decent season (26-301-2) compared to Nick Vannett last year (19-162-0).

So there you have it, my incredibly safe and low-end projected stats for the Buckeye season. If these were betting lines in Vegas, there would be some money to be made by taking the “over”. I think the two most important pieces are going to be Barrett (3,706 yards and 36 TDs) and Samuel (1,023 yards and 8 touchdowns). What are your thoughts? Where did I go wrong? Who would you give or take away stats from? Let me know!

The post Projecting 2016 Ohio State Buckeye Offense Stats appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes will be front-and-center as The Opening Finals begins - 247Sports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes will be front-and-center as The Opening Finals begins
247Sports.com
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! Ohio State will be well represented when festivities begin, as the Buckeyes have 11 current commitments that were invited ...
Buckeyes send good luck wishes to recruits for The Opening247Sports
Which teams have the most commits at The Opening? The answers will not shock you!SB Nation
Nike's The Opening Finals 2016: Who, what, and how to watchUSA TODAY High School Sports

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“White Out” At Penn State For OSU Is More Often “Loud Out”
chipminnich via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

“ Hell, there are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something…” ~ Thomas Edison
Leave it to Thomas Edison, an Ohioan and considered “The Father Of Invention”, to appropriately summarize the goals for the 2016 Ohio State football team. No rules – just accomplish something.
“Something” is a pretty vague and open concept. Considering how much talent Ohio State lost to graduation and the NFL Draft, considering how I have written throughout spring practice about how 44 players on Ohio State’s roster are either redshirt freshmen or true freshmen…Damn right, Mr. Edison. There are no rules. Ohio State fans are just looking to see what this team can accomplish against a much tougher schedule in 2016 than 2015, with tremendously talented, yet inexperienced, players.
**
at Penn State Nittany Lions (Game 7)
2016 OSU Opponent Ranking: 4 out of 12
Players Recruited By Ohio State: WR Saeed Blacknall, TE Mike Gesicki, OT Paris Palmer, OT Sterling Jenkins, DE Garrett Sickels, RB Saquon Barkley, OL Steven Gonzalez, OT Ryan Bates, DB Garrett Taylor, DE Shane Simmons. I am more than willing to bet I may have inadvertently missed on some players; please let me know and I am happy to correct my error(s).
Game Date: October 22, 2016
Kickoff Time: 8pm EST, telecast TBD on ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2
Location: Beaver Stadium
Rationale For The Ranking: Ohio State returns to University Park, Pennsylvania, for the first time since escaping in 2014 with a 31-24 victory in a double overtime period. Yes, I am blatantly and openly stating that Ohio State escaped with a victory, as even Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer has stated that the Buckeyes were fortunate to emerge with the win in such a tough environment.
Playing at Penn State in “White Out” conditions are nothing new for the Buckeyes. Ohio State played at Penn State under the lights in 2012, 2009, 2007, and 2005. Ohio State emerged as the victor in all of these games, except the 2005 contest. Below are some thoughts from Kevin McGuire, a fellow contributor to AthlonSports, on how tough it can be to play at Beaver Stadium…

To this day, the 2005 Penn State-Ohio State game remains the loudest game I have ever seen in person. Nothing has come close for me.

— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) July 3, 2016​

Prediction: Penn State’s fans will be ready for this one, especially with the 2014 defeat so fresh in their collective memories. Throw in the bye week the Nittany Lions get before this game, while Ohio State will be coming off a tough road trip to Wisconsin. These are the type of games this young Ohio State team will use to accelerate their collective maturity and experience, as the Buckeyes approach the November stretch run.
Previous Rankings:
5 – at Wisconsin
6 – at Northwestern
7 – Nebraska
8 – at Maryland
9 – Indiana
10- Rutgers
11- Bowling Green
12- Tulsa

The post “White Out” At Penn State For OSU Is More Often “Loud Out” appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State looking to land top 2017 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


With the top inside linebacker going to the Opening, the Buckeyes send words of encouragement.

As we enter the dog days of summer, recruiting news starts to hit a wall. However, with The Opening starting at the end of this week and Friday Night Lights later this month, there should be some good and interesting news coming up.

Ohio State continues its effort to land class of 2017 linebacker Anthony Hines (Plano, TX / Plano East). Hines, a four-star prospect, is rated a top five player at his position. At nearly 6-foot-3, Hines is a thumper in the middle, but also has the athleticism to play in space.

This past season, Hines collected 205 tackles with eight sacks, while forcing three fumbles. Over the course of his high school career, Hines sits on 399 tackles – which is part of the reason why he’s listed as one of the top 10 players out of the Lone Star State.

It'll continue to be an uphill battle for the Buckeyes to land the Plano East standout as overcoming Oklahoma and Texas will be no small feat. There is definitely interest on both sides as Hines visited Columbus, Ohio just last month. Ohio State would love to get him back on campus again this summer or sometime in the fall. If that happens, we can count Ohio State as a legitimate contender in this one. Hines holds 90 total offers as reported by 247Sports.

The Buckeyes took to Twitter to wish Hines luck at The Opening. It never hurts to show love in the recruiting process – especially when you have some of the best design people making tweets like this.

2019 DT coming to Friday Night Lights


Class of 2019 defensive tackle Jacob Lacey (Bowling Green, KY / South Warren) confirmed on Tuesday that he will be attending Friday Night Lights. Lacey, who is a massive 6-foot-2, 290-pound force of nature is going into his sophomore year.

At the moment, he holds six total offers, but not one from Ohio State. If Ohio State does send out that offer to Lacey sometime after (or before) Friday Night Lights, the Buckeyes would be up against the likes of Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati and Fiesta Bowl challenger, Notre Dame.

Lacey has not yet been evaluated from the recruiting sites, but is expected to be one of the highest rated players at his position in his class. Lacey's recruitment is just getting started, but Notre Dame and Tennessee could hold the upper hand right now. Still, that's almost irrelevant since he has a few years until his signing day rolls around.

Expect Ohio State to stay on Lacey over the next couple of years.

Quick Hit


According to reports, 2018 Huber Heights teammates L' Christian Smith and Alex Reigelsperger will be making it to Friday Night Lights as well. Smith, a wide receiver, checks in at 6-foot-6 and is already rated as one of the top receivers in the country. He holds an offer from Ohio State. As for Reigelsperger, he holds seven offers of his own, but is coming to camp in hope of earning one from the Buckeyes. Both players will be among tops at their position in the state when their senior year rolls around. Ohio State and Michigan State are thought to be the early leader for L'Christian Smith.

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Raekwon McMillan ready for Banner season for Ohio State Buckeyes - WJCL News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Raekwon McMillan ready for Banner season for Ohio State Buckeyes
WJCL News
HINESVILLE, Ga. (WJCL) As the 2016 college football season nears, former Liberty County standout Raekwon McMillan is preparing for a banner year with the Ohio State Buckeyes. "Only thing I want this year is a National Championship," says McMillan.


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Buckeyes send good luck wishes to recruits for The Opening - 247Sports
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Buckeyes send good luck wishes to recruits for The Opening
247Sports
The Opening Finals will officially start on Wednesday, with the first practices taking place in Beaverton, Oregon around 10 AM PST. Ohio State will have a record 11 current commits representing the program at the event, with about 20 other recruiting ...


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2018 4-Star Kamryn Babb: Buckeyes, Spartans have early edge in recruitment - BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2018 4-Star Kamryn Babb: Buckeyes, Spartans have early edge in recruitment
BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
The Buckeyes offered following his camp appearance on June 17 in Columbus, meanwhile the Spartans staff had extended its offer to Babb earlier in the month. Babb makes no secret about his interest in Ohio State and said that it will definitely be ...


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Running back is the position battle to watch at Ohio State
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Between Bri'onte Dunn and Mike Weber, including other talented backs, the position battle at running back should keep fall camp interesting.

"Ezekiel Elliott left large cleats to fill, and not just because he ran for 3,699 yards, 41 TDs and 12 multiple-TD games in his past two seasons. He was also valued as a blocker."

- ESPN Staff


Ohio State's running backs have been at or near the top of the priority list this offseason for the Buckeyes in determining who will get the starting nod between Bri'onte Dunn, Mike Weber, and Curtis Samuel. Replacing one of the best running backs in the country last season is never an easy task, but the coaching staff certainly has talent to work with as well. In addition to the senior Dunn and freshman Weber, the potential list of backs includes the aforementioned Samuel (who played at wide receiver for a good chunk of last season), Dontre Wilson, and early enrollee Antonio Williams.

All reports up to this point seem to be leaning towards Weber's way, but it'd be wrong to count Dunn out of the running. The fifth-year senior has shown flashes at times of what he's capable of but has been in and out of Urban's doghouse for the better part of his career in the scarlet and gray, including some fumbling troubles at times. Weber showcased his skill set during the spring game and definitely proved he's more than capable of being the starter. Samuel is sort of the wild card, as the staff will likely want to use him in a variety of ways this season to give J.T. Barrett enough options. Samuel has good hands but also is a strong runner in the backfield when given the carries.

"Barrett is a good runner in OSU's spread option system; more than that, he has savvy pocket presence. He's as good as any recent Buckeye quarterback."

- Sam McKewon, World-Herald


J.T. Barrett will be the lone Ohio State starter at quarterback for the first time since his freshman season in 2014. That year, Barrett led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record and a spot in the Big Ten conference championship, before injuring his knee against Michigan. After last season's up and down performance splitting time with Cardale Jones, Barrett is ready to saddle up for another breakout year. The junior quarterback lit up record books as a freshman and did plenty of damage on the field as a sophomore, but now looks for a complete performance to add to his personal achievements. The Buckeyes will likely go as far as Barrett can take them after losing much of its talented depth to the NFL draft.

But as head coach Urban Meyer has spoke about in the past, the quarterback position at Ohio State needs to be a Heisman contender. That shouldn't seem as difficult to Barrett, who finished fifth in the balloting back in 2014, after two seasons in Columbus under his belt. In the piece linked above, Barrett is listed as the best quarterback that Nebraska will face this season - and for good reason. None of the other Big Ten quarterbacks really meet the level of play that Barrett has had in the past two seasons.


In addition to J.T. Barrett making the Maxwell Award watch list and Raekwon McMillan making the Bednarik Award watch list, there's a third Buckeye to make the cut. Defensive end Tyquan Lewis was listed on the Bednarik Award watch list for the upcoming season after coming off a 2015 campaign that saw him rack up eight sacks over the course of the season. Playing opposite of Joey Bosa and Sam Hubbard, Lewis still shone brightly on a defense full of defensive stars. Having played in 28 games for the Buckeyes, Lewis is no doubt considered a veteran on the team as a junior and will be looked to as one of the leaders on the defensive line.

The Bednarik Award itself has been presented to the college level Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. No one from Ohio State has won the award since its introduction, but Lewis and McMillan both are hoping to make a case for it in 2016. The Maxwell Award has been given annually to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Ohio State has had four Maxwell Award winners including Howard Cassady, Bob Ferguson, Archie Griffin, and most recently, Eddie George in 1995.

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Coach McGuff Adds Assistant Carrie Banks to Ohio State Women’s Basketball Staff
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State Women’s basketball head coach Kevin McGuff is trying to replace two assistants and has hit a home-run with the latest addition in Carrie Banks.

The former Northwestern assistant brings a certain flare to the staff that will more than make up for the exit of Joy Cheeks. Her experience as a coach will add to the stables and she has coached at just about all levels of the game.

The Buckeye Battle Cry senior staff writer for women’s basketball Charles Kuehn, had this to say about the hire.

“Her Ohio ties are nice and also have familiar with the Chicago area could come in handy. Wonder if she still has good connections in Florida and elsewhere in the south, not an area we have recruited all that well.”

You can tell from the vast experience that she has the capability to reach the better players on the team and develop them into top talent. Every player that she has coached individually over the past six seasons became an all conference first or second team player including NU point guard Ashley Deary who, as a freshman, ranked in the top three in the Big Ten in assists, was an All-Big Ten honoree and a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award.

Banks will bring her recruiting expertise and coaching fundamentals to a team that already possesses some quality coaches in that area. She helped NU to one of their best seasons in over twenty years with a 23 win season in 2014-15 and the first NCAA birth in 18 years.

Head Coach Kevin McGuff had this to say about the hire (from Ohio State official release).


Here is the entire release directly from the Ohio State official website Coach McGuff Adds Carrie Banks.

The post Coach McGuff Adds Assistant Carrie Banks to Ohio State Women’s Basketball Staff appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Can Tulsa beat Ohio State football? A 2 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can Tulsa beat Ohio State football? A 2 percent chance the Buckeyes could lose
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes will be coming off a home game against Bowling Green. Chances to beat Ohio State: 2 percent. Tulsa has lost its last 12 games against ranked opponents, and is 3-18 in its last 21 road openers. Yet two percent is a high number considering ...
Latest point spreads released for key Ohio State games247Sports
Ohio State Favored Over Wisconsin, Penn State, Nebraska, Michigan State and MichiganEleven Warriors

all 3 news articles »

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Artificial joints can't stop Bionic Buckeyes - WKYC-TV
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Artificial joints can't stop Bionic Buckeyes
WKYC-TV
The Bionic Buckeyes also want to raise money for local school districts, so students don't have to pay to play softball or baseball. Woody Coddington, the founder of the Bionic Buckeyes, and Shelley Hoffman, a player who's in the Cleveland Softball ...


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Barrett among three Buckeyes named to national award watch lists - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Barrett among three Buckeyes named to national award watch lists
OSU - The Lantern
Eddie George was the last Buckeye to win the award in 1995, who also won the Heisman. This is Barrett's second nomination for the watch list in consecutive years. He was joined by former Buckeyes Ezekiel Elliott, Cardale Jones and Braxton Miller on ...
Two Buckeyes named to Bednarik Award Watch List247Sports
Ohio State QB JT Barrett on Maxwell Award watch listAkron Beacon Journal (blog)
Big Ten names all over Maxwell, Bednarik watch listsComcast SportsNet Chicago
The Buckeye Battle Cry
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Alabama, Ohio State top 2016 College Football Future Power Rankings - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Alabama, Ohio State top 2016 College Football Future Power Rankings
ESPN
Welcome back, Alabama. After being overtaken by Ohio State for the top spot in 2015, the Tide have returned as the No. 1 team in the College Football Future Power Rankings. First, a refresher: FPR is a projection of a program's strength over the next ...

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Ohio State women's basketball | Buckeyes hire assistant coach - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State women's basketball | Buckeyes hire assistant coach
Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State has hired Carrie Banks as an assistant women's basketball coach, Buckeyes coach Kevin McGuff announced today. Banks had served the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Northwestern. “Her work ethic and passion for helping young ...
No FNL for No. 1 D-tackle, but Buckeyes remain in good shape247Sports.com
Around the Oval: Ohio State Dominates Michigan in Director's Cup and Buckeyes Compete in Olympic TrialsEleven Warriors
Ohio State Twitterverse reacts: Durant to Golden State247Sports
Land-Grant Holy Land -AllMediaNY -isportsweb.com (blog)
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Barrett, Lewis and McMillan Make Watch Lists
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Per Jerry Emig, Associate Sports Information Director at Ohio State


The post Barrett, Lewis and McMillan Make Watch Lists appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Where Ohio State over-performed (and under-performed) in 2015
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes were excellent in spots during the 2015 campaign, but not in every game.

We have a tendency to divide teams in to tiers when we look at rankings — whether preseason polls and schedule analysis or when you’re picking games in the middle of the season. For instance, last season it would have been fair to say that Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State were more or less in a league of their own, with Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Michigan, Florida State, Notre Dame, LSU, and Stanford in the next tier.

The point is, even though we rank teams both in the traditional sense — like the top-25 polls — and using advanced stats like the S&P+, the teams are often grouped in tiers rather than there being an equal distance between each ranked team. The difference between the third- and fourth-ranked teams isn’t necessarily the same as the difference between the tenth- and the eleventh-ranked teams.

David Wunderlich, over at Team Speed Kills, recently looked at peers of SEC teams. For instance, he finds that Alabama’s only SEC peer was LSU, while Ole Miss has seven peers on their schedule for next season. That’s a pretty big difference. Naturally, you’d expect Alabama to have a much easier time with their schedule than Ole Miss, just because they should have more contentious games.

So what happens when you look at Ohio State’s 2015 schedule? Who were the Buckeyes’ peers in 2015 according to the end-of-season S&P+ rankings?

One way the S&P+ is presented is according to an adjusted scoring margin — essentially it converts the S&P+ percentages in to a score against a hypothetical average football team from that season. So Ohio State’s S&P+ margin was 24 last season, meaning that the S&P+ metric would expect an Ohio State victory of 24 points over that hypothetical completely average opponent last year (funny enough, the most statistically-average football team last year was Northern Illinois with a .8 S&P+ margin — and Ohio State only beat the Huskies by a touchdown!).



A couple of things are clear.

First, Ohio State’s tier includes more or less just Michigan and Notre Dame. Using the tiers, they would have been the only real toss-up games, though the Buckeyes would have been favored in every game of the season (going by the final advanced stats). The projected margins in those games were just 3 and 5 points, respectively. Ohio State played extremely well relative to the advanced stats, however — 26 and 11 points better.

Penn State, another game where Ohio State vastly exceeded expectations, and Michigan State, a game where the Buckeyes had their third-worst underperformance of the year, are the near-peers for the Buckeyes. These were teams that would have been expected to play the Buckeyes closely — within two scores or so. Instead, Ohio State out-performed their expected 14-point victory by two more scores, but didn’t meet expected outputs against Michigan State by 11 points.

But there were plenty of games where the S&P+ margins more or less nailed the actual outcome of the game. Against Virginia Tech, Hawaii, Maryland, Rutgers, Minnesota, and Illinois, the projected margin was within a touchdown of the actual margin in the game. For four of those games, the projected margin was within two points of the actual margin.

So the S&P+ peer system does a good job not only putting teams in to intuitive tiers (thanks, David!), but also projecting the actual outcomes of games (and identifying cases of under/over-performance). Next, we’ll look at Ohio State’s 2016 schedule and set best- and worst-case scenarios for the season.

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Two Buckeyes named to Bednarik Award Watch List - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Two Buckeyes named to Bednarik Award Watch List
247Sports
Lewis earned a starting spot at defensive end last year for the Buckeyes and led the team in sacks with 8 on the season. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound junior is going to be the veteran on an inexperienced defensive line unit that is expected to replace the ...
Trio Named to Maxwell and Bednarik Watch ListsGoPSUsports.com

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