Ohio State joins the fray, offer 2018 spot to New Jersey TE
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


New Jersey prospect Jeremy Ruckert picks up an offer from OSU – who join the likes of Alabama and Florida State vying for his services

We are right on the heels of summer and when it finally hits, action on the recruiting trail is in full effect. With thousands of camps across the country, prospects will be looking to make a name for themselves and catch the interest of Ohio State. While the 2017 class is loaded, there aren't a whole lot of spots left. Any offer that goes out for 2017 is a take. The Buckeyes can't afford to take any projections this year.

As for 2018, it should be more of the same. The amount of top tier prospects that hold the Buckeyes in high regard is staggering. Ohio State should finish with a top five class in this recruiting cycle as well as 2018.

Speaking of the 2018 class, Ohio State sent a new offer out to 2018 tight end Jeremy Ruckert (Lindenhurst, NJ. / Lindenhurst Senior) on Tuesday. Ruckert has just seen his recruitment take off over the last month, but its taken off in a big way.

In addition to now holding an offer from the Buckeyes, Ruckert also has gathered offers from Alabama, Penn State , Wisconsin and Florida State. The recruiting sites do not have him officially rated, but it's looking like Ruckert will be one of the top tight ends in his class.

At 6 feet 5 inches and 220 pounds, Ruckert is an instant mismatch in the passing game – and there's still a chance he continues to grow. Ruckert is a good pass catcher and also provides running ability after the catch. Ohio State has made the east coast a priority over the last couple of years and all that hard work has a good chance to pay off in this recruitment. Ohio State has been successful in sending tight ends to the NFL the past two seasons, as seen in Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett, and there's no doubt that could be a factor as well. Watch for the Buckeyes to try and get him on campus as soon as possible.


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Ohio State baseball | Three Buckeyes first-team all-Big Ten - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State baseball | Three Buckeyes first-team all-Big Ten
Columbus Dispatch
Infielder Nick Sergakis of Columbus Academy, left fielder Ronnie Dawson of Licking Heights and left-hander Tanner Tully were named first-team all-Big Ten, the first time three Ohio State players made the first team since 2009. Sergakis, a senior co ...
Ohio State baseball has 3 players receive All-Big Ten honorsLand-Grant Holy Land

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Ohio State Football: 5 Toughest QBs Buckeyes Will Face in 2016 - Bleacher Report
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Football: 5 Toughest QBs Buckeyes Will Face in 2016
Bleacher Report
The Ohio State football team will be challenged by a number of elite teams this fall, headlined by Oklahoma on the road in Week 3, but the Buckeyes won't have to defend an elite group of quarterbacks. The departures of Connor Cook from Michigan State, ...
Lamont Wade, Ohio State's top 2017 CB target, includes Buckeyes in list of final 10 schoolcleveland.com
OSUWG: Buckeyes in Top 15 after 2nd RoundThe Buckeye Battle Cry
Heat Check: Two Texans Rising, Buckeyes Battling for In-State Corner, and Tight End Worth Watching AgainEleven Warriors (registration)
ESPN -TexasSports.com -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 48 news articles »

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Ohio State baseball has 3 players receive All-Big Ten honors
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes' Nick Sergakis, Ronnie Dawson, and Tanner Tully received all-conference distinction on Tuesday as the team prepares to take on Michigan in its first game of the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday night.

As the Ohio State baseball team gears up for its opening game of the conference tournament against Michigan on Wednesday night, three Buckeyes were recognized for their outstanding play as first-team All-Big Ten selections in senior third baseman Nick Sergakis, junior left fielder Ronnie Dawson, and junior starting pitcher Tanner Tully

Sergakis, a senior co-captain, was Mr. Everything for Ohio State this year. He finished the regular season among the Big Ten's top ten in batting average (.352), slugging percentage (.573), on-base percentage (.474), hits (70), runs batted in (44), doubles (18), home runs (8), total bases (114), walks (33), and hit by pitch (16). The Columbus native also scored 38 runs and stole 13 bases. Sergakis was also recognized as the Buckeye's nominee for the sportsmanship award.

Dawson had a true breakout season, and may have put himself in position to be the first Big Ten position player selected in next month's Major League Baseball draft. Showing off his rare blend of speed and power, the Grove City, Ohio product slashed .300/.581/.398, hit 17 doubles, four triples, and 12 home runs, drove in 41 runs, stole 16 bases, and led the conference with 126 total bases.

Tully had a bounce-back season as a junior after a disappointing 2015. The left-hander went 7-3 in a team-high 93.2 innings of work, with a 2.31 earned run average that was second-best in the Big Ten, 71 strikeouts, a .238 opposing batting average, and a 1.10 WHIP.

No Buckeyes were named to the second or third teams this season, nor to the All-Freshman team. Minnesota's Matt Fiedler was named Big Ten Player of the Year, Cody Sedlock of Illinois was named Pitcher of the Year, Nebraska's Chad Luensmann was the top newcomer, and the Golden Gophers' John Anderson was a unanimous selection for Coach of the Year.

Ohio State finished the regular season with a 38-17-1 record, and a 15-9 conference tally good enough for the fourth seed in the Big Ten. Wednesday's first round matchup with the Wolverines is the final game of the tournament's first day, and is scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET. Big Ten Network will televise the game live.

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USGA Four-Ball: Engle/Grimmer Bow Out in Round of 16
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Clark Engle and Will Grimmer brought some smiles to Ohio State golf fans Monday by dispatching their 1st round match play opponents, 2 & 1, and moving on to the round of 16 in the USGA Amateur Four-Ball. As I commented in the 1st round recap, Clark/Will played this match perfectly; obtain an early lead, then settle in and play your game.

There is another critical element to success; having the right partner. Obviously, you want to partner with an accomplished golfer, but your partner’s skills need to be complementary to yours; if you hit your tee shots long and “not in play”, your partner should be a straight driver. At least one of you should have a solid short game around the green.

More important than golf “compatibility” is personality “compatibility”. Years ago, when it was easier to make a full shoulder turn and to get through the ball, I was part of a team that won two consecutive four-ball events at our golf club and had a record of 10-1 over three years. The key was that Steve and I knew each other’s games; we knew what we could do on the course and we knew what the other could do on the course. We acknowledged to each other, in practice and on the first tee, that although we were both bound to hit bad shots, neither was to apologize for them. It happens.

To the point, this is why I like the idea of an Engle/Grimmer team at this USGA event. They’ve played multiple rounds together in NCAA competition and in practices under coaches Moseley and Smith. There is a comfort level of golfing with one another and these two have it.



Match Play (Round of 16)


Clark/Will faced off against the #1 seed side of Brandon Matthews/Patrick Ross. They won their first round match 4 & 3.

However, Clark’s and Will’s run in the USGA ended with a 3 & 2 loss.

Clark/Will were even with their opponents through 3 holes. A Matthews/Ross win on #4 was offset by a Engle Grimmer win on #6, which maintained a level match status. Through the 8th hole the match was even; the Buckeyes were holding their own against the top seed.

The match turned for Matthews/Ross with birdies on the 395 yard par-4 9th and the 350 yard par-4 10th, putting them 2-up. A Matthews/Ross birdie on the 545 yard par-5 12th put them 3-up with six holes to go. This is not an enviable position for Engle/Grimmer.

The two sides each parred the next three holes, with Matthews/Ross dormie 3. Engle/Grimmer did their part with a birdie on the 16th hole, which would have extended the match, but incredibly, Matthews/Ross matched it. That was it. The Buckeyes were down three holes with two to play… they had simply run out of time.

Through the 16 hole match, Clark/Will were only -1 to par, not as sharp as their first match. However, the other 15 holes were pars, so they absolutely made no mistakes. Their opponents were -5, with four of those birdies coming on the last eight holes.

With Clark and Will returning to BuckeyeGolf next season, events like these USGA competitions can provide some additional “how to score” seasoning.

Congratulations to Clark and Will. This was a good non-NCAA experience and they acquitted themselves well.

Go Buckeyes!

The post USGA Four-Ball: Engle/Grimmer Bow Out in Round of 16 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Former Ohio State safety Vonn Bell making strong impression in New Orleans
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Saints' newest safety, Vonn Bell, has the ball-hawking skills that the team needs as he prepares for his first NFL season.

"Here's the thing on tape that we saw from his college career: No. 1, he has good speed. He's a good athlete. You look at him in his year before (2014), I know he only had maybe two picks his last year, but he had six the year before. He made great plays on the ball, so he has good ball skills."

- Saints secondary coach Aaron Glenn via John DeShazier, NewOrleansSaints.com


The New Orleans Saints took Vonn Bell with the 61st overall pick, right towards the end of the second round. The former Buckeye safety was more than a solid pickup for a team desperate for some help defensively, especially in the secondary. The Saints struggled last season with creating turnovers and adding Bell to their roster should help increase that defensive category heading into next year. Bell racked up 156 tackles, eight interceptions, 15 passes defensed and two fumble recoveries in his last two seasons at Ohio State and was often times looked upon as a key playmaker for the Buckeyes defense.

Now Bell has his secondary coach excited about the possibilities of the Saints' defensive back unit next season. Glenn mentioned several times that something that stood out to him about Bell's abilities was his willingness to play special teams. Not only did Bell play with the special teams units, he was a key player, often coming away with several tackles. He wanted to be there and wasn't just going through the motions. Bell's confidence in his ability to create turnovers is also working in his favor with his new team, so it should be a fun fall for the former Buckeye.

"Considering how much talent the Buckeyes lost and how tough their schedule is, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes earning a spot in the 2016 College Football Playoff."

- KC Joyner, ESPN


ESPN took a look at which teams had the best chances of making the 2016 College Football Playoff, and as of now, they have Ohio State on the outside looking in. The Buckeyes, as mentioned in the quote above, have lost plenty of talent to the draft and will have work to do to replace stars such as Ezekiel Elliott and Joey Bosa. Interestingly enough, ESPN listed 11 teams that realistically had a shot at finishing in the top four teams at the end of the season and the Buckeyes (obviously) weren't listed there either. The list of seven teams, including Ohio State, that fell just short of making that top 11 included Iowa, Michigan State, Ole Miss, TCU, North Carolina, and USC. Now obviously no one has the crystal ball that will tell them who ends up where at the end of the season (just look at the LGHL staff predictions).

It's still worth noting that it seems the Buckeyes could essentially end up being an underdog in 2016 and will have to prove plenty of critics wrong. Overcoming the losses of the aforementioned starters to their roster will no doubt hurt early on, but Ohio State gets a chance to showcase its new look against Oklahoma this season. That should help determine somewhat where the Buckeyes stand on a national level.

"I feel like any time — especially when I get the ball in open space — there's plenty of times where I go around the corner as a quarterback running the ball and stiff-arm one of those little DBs and keep going. Any time I get the ball in my hand, something special is going to happen. So I think the QBs know that and I think Coach knows that. I'm looking forward to it."

- Terrelle Pryor via Patrick Maks, ClevelandBrowns.com


It seems like eons ago when Terrelle Pryor was donning the scarlet and gray, stiff-arming Oregon Ducks defenders to the turf and finding DeVier Posey in the endzone of the Rose Bowl. These days, the quarterback-turned-wide receiver is trying to make his way into a starting role with the Cleveland Browns after bouncing around various NFL teams as a quarterback. He had his ups and downs along the way, but he seems finally at peace with his new position. Pryor's still learning the ropes, but every day he seems to be getting more comfortable. Although the Browns added a new receiver to the fold with Baylor's Corey Coleman, Pryor is focused on what he can control and contribute.

It's not impossible to think that Pryor can have success at his new position. He's shown off his athleticism before, and his versatility is unquestioned. After all, Pryor caught two touchdown passes as a Buckeye alone - and that was in the Jim Tressel era! Pryor has the physique necessary as well, with his 6'6 frame and speed to stretch the field. It will be worth watching his progress over the next few months to see just how good he can become as a receiver in the NFL.

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Check out 2016 All-Big Ten Baseball teams & award winners
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten announced Tuesday the 2016 Baseball All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners, as selected by the conference coaches. [ MORE: Danan Hughes previews Big Ten tourney | Watch every game on BTN2Go ] Minnesota’s Matt Fiedler was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, Illinois’ Cody Sedlock earned Pitcher of the Year recognition, Nebraska’s Chad Luensmann claimed Freshman of the Year honors, and Minnesota head coach John Anderson was named the unanimous Big Ten Coach of the Year. View the full team below. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Matt Fiedler, Minnesota PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Cody Sedlock,

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Will Ohio State basketball's schedule help their 2017 NCAA Tournament chances?
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The schedule math matters quite a bit come March.

Ohio State released their non-conference basketball schedule today, and there aren't too many surprises. We already knew the highlights, including a neutral site matchup with UCLA, a Gavvitt Game throwdown with Providence, and a home game against the UConn Huskies. The finalized Big Ten/ACC Challenge game, a road trip to Virginia, filled out the list of premier matchups, and a road trip to Navy adds a unique enviromnent, and challenge, for Ohio State.

The other games on this schedule probably won't make for overly compelling television, but they are very important, especially for Ohio State's hopes at making the NCAA Tournament, and for getting a quality seed. How big a margin of error Ohio State will get, depends in large part on how things break down in November and December. After all, every game impacts your RPI.

So how good a schedule will this be for Ohio State? Let's take a look at what the math said. Here's the RPI and KenPom rating for every program last season:


School KenPom RPI
at Navy 197 214
NC Central 296 315
Providence 44 32
Western Carolina 188 175
Jackson State 232 211
Marshall 142 130
at Virginia 3 3
Fairleigh Dickinson 270 210
Florida Atlantic 294 301
Connecticut 26 26
vs UCLA 79 79
Youngstown State 272 272
UNC-Asheville 122 122


We already know that the RPI is a flawed metric, isn't useful as a predictive tool, etc. All of that is true, but the NCAA Selection Committee still uses it, so it's still a number worth paying attention to.

So is this a good slate? UCLA is a fair bet to have improved numbers from last season, given the elite recruiting class they are bringing in. Virginia might take a little bit of a step back (it's hard to improve that much from third), but there's a solid chance that Ohio State will play four Top 50 RPI programs, or at least four within a shout of the top 50. Even if the Buckeyes only split those games, that'd be a big win.

Accurately predicting how the other teams will perform, RPI-wise, is a bit harder. It's a reasonable bet that Youngstown State will struggle again, as the Penguins have had just two winning seasons since 2000. Fairleigh Dickinson cracked the First Four last season, but you probably remember them as one of the teams that managed to lose to Rutgers. UNC-Asheville has been a consistently plucky mid-major program, and one that has a good chance of posting an RPI above 200.

It goes without saying that Ohio State needs to their games against mid and low major competition. Had the Buckeyes beaten Louisiana Tech and UT-Arlington last season, they might have cracked the NCAAs instead of the NITs last year. They also need to hope that every program can find a way to keep their RPIs above 300. Games against putrid teams can weigh down a profile in a way that games against simply bad teams do not.

The Big Ten schedule isn't out yet, but Ohio State should get plenty of opportunities to pick up other big wins. Michigan State projects to be an elite team again, and Indiana, Purdue, Michigan and Wisconsin should also be very strong. The Buckeyes are likely to play Wisconsin and Nebraska twice, given that they've failed to do so over the last two Big Ten schedules, and the Badgers could provide another RPI boost.

The Buckeyes can't get out of playing a team like Rutgers, who will almost certainly post another RPI below 250. The Scarlet Knights' profile was so bad last season it might have cost teams a seed line in March. But with a little luck, this schedule has the fundamentals to give the Buckeyes some breathing room in Big Ten play.

Given that Ohio State returns virtually every major contributor from last season and has goals beyond just an NCAA Tournament bid, that's a good sign.

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Texas Tornado: Are the Buckeyes on the Verge of an Epic Haul in the Lone Star State? - Eleven Warriors (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Texas Tornado: Are the Buckeyes on the Verge of an Epic Haul in the Lone Star State?
Eleven Warriors (registration)
To get any five-star linebacker on campus is huge, but to head to Texas and bring the state's second and third-ranked players to Ohio on their own dime, in May, is a major win for the Buckeyes no matter how you slice it. Ohio State has a commitment ...
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Best of Week 1: Opening week all about LSU vs. Wisconsin
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Not a lot of pizzazz in the first week of the season, as all 14 teams are in action over a three-day period. But there is one marquee clash: LSU vs. Wisconsin at iconic Lambeau Field. [ MORE: View the complete Week 1 Big Ten schedule ] Aside from that, there are no big-time matchups. In fact, four teams are playing FCS schools, with Furman at Michigan State; Murray State at Illinois; Howard at Maryland; Eastern Kentucky at Purdue. Here is a look at the Best of Week 1. Game of the week: LSU vs. Wisconsin at Green Bay. No

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2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups announced
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

Get ready, Big Ten basketball fans! The matchups for the 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge were released to the public today.

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Ohio State 2016 basketball non-conference schedule released
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A couple big names amongst the usual fare.

Less than 12 hours after pivoting on a report from CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein that Ohio State would be playing Louisville in the 2016 Big Ten/ACC Challenge -- the Bucks will instead face Virginia, a non-conference foe from last season -- OSU went ahead and unveiled the rest of their 2016 non-conference slate.

As previously announced, OSU will open the 2016-2017 season at Navy on the campus of the Naval Academy. The Bucks head back to Columbus that weekend and will face North Carolina Central that Monday before playing host to Providence that Thursday.

Joining the Friars and Cavs amongst OSU's most notable non-conference matchups, also as previously repoted, OSU will play host to UConn, Saturday, December 10. The Bucks head the following week to Brooklyn where they'll face former Indiana guard Steve Lavin and the UCLA Bruins. The Bucks' final non-conference tuneup before Big Ten play comes in the former of familiar foe UNC-Asheville, the Thursday before Christmas.

Here's Ohio State's complete non-conference basketball schedule for this coming season:



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Buckeyes to visit UVA for ACC/Big Ten rematch - The Charlottesville Newsplex
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes to visit UVA for ACC/Big Ten rematch
The Charlottesville Newsplex
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- After back-to-back road trips for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Virginia men's basketball team will get to stay at home this season. But it will be Ohio State -- not Purdue, as had been reported on Monday ...

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BTN’s Danan Hughes previews Big Ten baseball tournament
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The 2016 Big Ten Baseball Tournament starts Wednesday morning at TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series. [ MORE: Follow @dahughesguy83 on Twitter | Watch every game on BTN2Go ] The eight-team, double-elimination field includes up to 15 games, culminating with the final Sunday afternoon. View the full tournament bracket. Before No. 3 Indiana and No. 6 Maryland get things started at 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, we caught up with BTN analyst and former Iowa two-sport star Danan Hughes. BTN.com: Which team enters the event with the most momentum? DH: That would have to be Nebraska. It ended

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Can Ohio State reload its defensive line like Alabama has?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Despite their pass rushing excellence, the Ohio State defensive line wasn't up to Alabama's standard in run-defense last season.

Since the Alabama war machine is just becoming fully operational in the trenches, earlier we took a look at how Ohio State is progressing in the same area -- the offensive line. Now it's time to look at the defensive lines.

Former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart's championship-level defenses have hinged on stellar line play, with mammoth nose tackles and dominating defensive ends fueling the Crimson Tide's defensive legacy.

The Buckeyes recent defensive lines have included NFL Draftees Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett, John Simon, Adolphus Washington, and Noah Spence.

Now that Ohio State has to replace three starters, the focus turns to depth and finding new stars in the making -- though Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard at least have a leg up here, and Jonathon Cooper and Nick Bosa are on the way.

Team Year Adj. Line Yds Opp. Rate Adj. Sack Rate
OSU 2014 47 73 11
Bama 2014 1 8 92
OSU 2015 37 7 4
Bama 2015 2 2 1

Alabama's 2015 defensive line was just about as good as you can get, ranking in the top two in adjusted line yards, opportunity rate, and adjusted sack rate. As opposed to the 2014 unit that excelled at stopping the run but was 92nd in generating sacks, the Tide were able to get consistent pressure.

That kind of consistency between the run and pass defense is something Ohio State hasn't been able to get, and the problem is the opposite of 2014 Alabama. Urban Meyer's defenses have more-or-less steadily improved throughout his tenure, but the defensive line has struggled at stopping the run. Interestingly, while the line jumped ten spots from mediocre to pretty-good in 2015, the line had a huge jump in opportunity rate over the same time period. This indicates that the Buckeye defensive line rarely allowed opponents to run for five yards or more (opportunity rate), but was only pretty-good in holding opponents' to a low adjusted overall rushing average. The opponent-adjustment likely increases the poor games against Penn State and Maryland in October. And while Michigan State's run game wasn't much to speak of, they nonetheless rushed 51 times at nearly four yards per carry.

But with Bosa and the defensive tackles gone, will both the run defense and pass rush fall behind in 2016? I also took a look at recent recruiting for Ohio State and Alabama. Over the last four years, Alabama has recruited eighteen defensive linemen, with an average 247Sports Composite rating of .9374 (a solid four-star recruit). Ohio State has recruited sixteen defensive linemen with a .9078 247Sports Composite rating.

2013 2014 2015 2016
Bama .9612 .9169 .952 .9342
OSU .912 .8934 .8862 .9585

That's a definite gap in overall quality, though it has mostly to do with depth. That is, Alabama and Ohio State's starting defensive lines should be roughly equal, quality-wise -- but Ohio State has recruited more development players than Alabama. The Tide signed five linemen with 247Sports Composite rating below .9 -- Ohio State signed ten in the last four years. But at the top end, prospects like both Bosas, Washington, A'Shawn Robinson, Da'Shawn Hand, and Jonathon Cooper are all roughly equal prospects.

The question will be how deep the defensive line rotations for both schools will be, and whether the Buckeyes run out of gas at the end of games.

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Ohio State baseball | Buckeyes in full stride entering Big Ten tournament - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State baseball | Buckeyes in full stride entering Big Ten tournament
Columbus Dispatch
The fourth-seeded Buckeyes, who face fifth-seed Michigan (35-19, 13-11) in a first-round game at 10 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, have won eight of their past nine games and 10 of 12. What makes the stretch more impressive is Ohio State defeated ...
The Hurry Up: The Buckeyes and The Program, Cass Tech Continues to Dominate, Taron Vincent Still Feeling Ohio StateEleven Warriors (registration)
Has Meyer 'hand-picked' the Buckeyes' future tight end?247Sports
Overlooked or Overrated? Ohio State Is College Football's Great Unknown in 2016Bleacher Report
Land-Grant Holy Land -cleveland.com
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The Hurry Up: The Buckeyes and The Program, Cass Tech Continues to Dominate, Taron Vincent Still Feeling Ohio State - Eleven Warriors (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The Hurry Up: The Buckeyes and The Program, Cass Tech Continues to Dominate, Taron Vincent Still Feeling Ohio State
Eleven Warriors (registration)
"He's all about the Buckeyes, which is a good sign for us heading forward." In fact, the source went on to say that were it not for his father – Troy, who played at Wisconsin – urging him to slow down, a commitment to Ohio State may have already happened.
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5-star CB to visit Ohio State and Michigan before announcing
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Both Ohio State and Michigan will get a chance to woo the No. 1 CB of the 2017 recruiting class, while a five-star WR continues to favor the Buckeyes.

Darnay Holmes to visit Ohio State and Michigan


In the coming weeks, either Ohio State or Michigan could get a win over their heated rival. Five-star CB, Darnay Holmes (Calabasas, Calif. / Calabasas) is currently seen as the best CB in the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports and Bleacher Report Monday, and that he plans on visiting Ohio State and Michigan this summer, with a possible visit to Miami as well.

The 5 feet 10 inch, 190-pound defensive back reportedly plans on announcing his college decision on his birthday, June 23. Assuming he follows through with this plan, there will now be limited time for schools coveting Holmes' talents to get a chance to recruit him. The timeliness of his announcement date makes his planned visits to Ohio State and Michigan this summer that much more important.

As it stands now, it is a different Big Ten school that has the odds on gaining Holmes' services. Nebraska has been leading his recruitment for sometime now, with five of the 14 total 247Sports crystal ball predictions in its favor. Stanford has also played a major role in his recruitment, but the team has dropped off a bit recently.

Both Ohio State and Michigan have been doing their due diligence in recruiting Holmes, however neither school has been looked at as a potential leader. This might change after Monday's interview, in which Holmes had this to say about Ohio State:


Holmes went on to talk about how he thinks highly of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and how the commitment of his friend, CB David Long (Las Angeles, Calif. / Loyola) in last year's recruiting class gives them an edge.

Holmes' is on commitment watch already, so make sure to keep checking in with Land-Grant Holy Land for the latest.

Trevon Grimes continues to list Ohio State as leader


Five-star WR Trevon Grimes (Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas) is a familiar name to those who follow Ohio State recruiting. Grimes has long been viewed as one of the top receivers in the 2017 class, and has been linked with Ohio State for almost just as long.

Grimes has continuously gone out of his way to list Ohio State as his leading school, and he did so again late Sunday night.



Despite the constant acknowledgement, there are still those who believe Grimes is just as interested in Florida as he is with the Buckeyes. Of course, there will always be interest in a hometown school, especially one with the history of Florida. However, the only person who could possibly know what Grimes will do come National Signing Day 2017, is Grimes himself and he hasn't given Ohio State fans any reason to worry.

That being said, Grimes still has one more year of high school football to play before he has to make a decision, so theoretically, nothing can be eliminated. However, the only sure thing right now is that Ohio State is the leading school for one of the top talents in the 2017 recruiting class.

Four-star PG sets reclassification announcement date


Before four-star PG Markell Jackson (Cleveland, Ohio / East Technical) decides on where he will play basketball on the college level, he will have to decide on when he will play in college. Currently seen as a 2017 prospect, Jackson may be able to graduate early enough to reclassify to the 2016 class. He spoke with 247Sports Monday, and provided more information on his timeline.

Jackson told 247Sports that he plans on making the decision in July, because he will be able to take summer classes then and start working on graduating early. That is, if he decides to do so, which he is still unsure about.

Jackson would be a terrific addition to Thad Matta's 2016 recruiting class, which mainly features forwards and centers. The four-star PG would bring in a more than capable guard to a team which lacks depth at either position after losing two from last year's recruiting class.

As it stands today, the leading schools in Jackson's recruitment are Ohio State, Xavier, Louisville, Virginia Tech and NC State. Look for this list to be trimmed down quickly if he decides to reclassify.

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Buckeyes look good to elite D-tackle, battling Michigan, USC - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes look good to elite D-tackle, battling Michigan, USC
247Sports
That loss dropped the Buckeyes 4-4 all-time against Louisville. The Cardinals were victorious the last time the teams met, a 72-64 overtime win in Columbus in 2003. Louisville coach Rick Pitino is 3-0 against OSU since taking over the Cardinals program.
Ohio State men's basketball | Louisville on next season's schedule, report saysColumbus Dispatch
2016-17 Louisville basketball schedule: Cards will host Ohio State in ACC-Big 10 ChallengeCard Chronicle
Louisville to host Ohio State in next season's ACC/Big Ten Challengecleveland.com
Eleven Warriors (registration) -Bleacher Report -The Crunch Zone (blog)
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OSUWG: Rio Watanabe Finishes T17th in NCAA Individual Championships
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


(Team photo and tournament information courtesy of Ohio State Athletic Department, the NCAA and GolfChannel.com. Event scoring and statistics courtesy of GolfStat.com)

Although the Ohio State team fell short in qualifying for Monday’s round of 15 teams, Buckeye Golf was not yet done for the season. Rio Watanabe completed her first three rounds in even par 216 strokes, which placed her in T-15th place. This qualified her to compete for the individual title.

Rio began her round in her typical aggressive fashion birdieing 2 of her first 4 holes and finishing her front 9 score of -1, 36. However, she could not maintain her momentum and shot a +1, 36 to finish her 72 holes in even par for the tournament. This was good enough for 17th place overall, a very good showing.

Rio played very well in the post-season (Big Ten Championships, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships). How well?

• She was under par in 6 of her final 10 rounds.
• For these post-season rounds, she averaged 71.4 strokes

This was a clutch post-season performance. With nearly everyone returning next year, the 2016-2017 season will be fun.

Go Buckeyes!



The post OSUWG: Rio Watanabe Finishes T17th in NCAA Individual Championships appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State to reportedly play at Louisville in Big Ten/ACC Challenge
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State's schedule just got tougher.

We don't know all of Ohio State basketball's schedule for next season, but we do already know the highlights. The Buckeyes will face UCLA in Las Vegas, and will host both Providence and UConn before Big Ten play starts. Their biggest true road trip was likely to be their Big Ten/ACC Challenge game, and now we may know their opponent.

According to John Rothstein of CBS, Ohio State will travel to face Louisville in that matchup.


The Cardinals did not participate in the NCAA Tournament last season thanks to self-imposed sanctions, but they were good enough to have made a run. Louisville finished the season with a KenPom rating of 10, and an RPI of 17. If Louisville is anywhere near that level next season, it will be another excellent boost to Ohio State's computer profile.

Ohio State will open the season at Navy, and will also reportedly host Marshall later in the non-conference schedule. Once we know additional games, we'll share them. With UCLA, Louisville, Providence and UConn already on the slate, another big name addition to the schedule feels unlikely, but you never know.

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Former Buckeyes get the icing on the cake, NFL trading card - ABC6OnYourSide.com
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Former Buckeyes get the icing on the cake, NFL trading card
ABC6OnYourSide.com
LOS ANGELES -- From one of the most promising and impressive NFL Draft classes in years, 41 of this year's top rookies came together in Los Angeles for the NFLPA Rookie Premiere presented by Panini. Five former Buckeyes took part including Joey Bosa, ...

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Ezekiel Elliott can't bring his signature crop top to the NFL
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


With the potential of a fine, Elliott won't bring his crop top to the Cowboys.

"I’m just going to stay away from getting fined. I’m going to try to keep all my money in my pocket."

-Former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, via SportsDayDFW.com


Despite his abs of steel, former Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott will likely not be permitted to roll up his new Dallas Cowboys jersey into a crop top come next season, owing to strict NFL uniform guidelines. The official rule states that the "Jersey must cover all pads and other protective equipment worn on the torso and upper arms, and must be appropriately tailored to remain tucked into the uniform pants throughout the game. Tear-away jerseys are prohibited." Elliott is aware of the rule, and has said that he is planning on avoiding receiving any fines from the league.

Elliott, who was taken with the No. 4-overall pick in the draft, popularized the crop top during Ohio State’s 2014 National Championship run and, despite a subsequent NCAA ban on rolled jerseys in 2015, has continued to wear the style both on and off the field. Most recently, Elliott donned his Cowboys jersey for the first time for the NFLPA rookie premiere over the weekend in Los Angeles and, in typical style, rolled it into a crop top. He also showed off his midriff in a button-down shirt at the NFL Draft in April, causing a stir among some current NFL players including Chicago Bears linebacker Lamarr Houston who called the look "disrespectful."

There is still hope, however, for those crop top lovers and Elliott fans alike in Dallas. Given that the Cowboys are planning on selling crop top-style merchandise with Elliott’s number next season, this may not yet be the end of Elliott’s signature look.

"Once we got going we started to establish what we do and started to put some points on the board and all the way to the end. You know we came back after being down for about two hours and we came back and had our opportunity to win and that’s what you get when you let it slip away from you in the beginning."

-Ohio State men’s tennis coach Ty Tucker, via the Ohio State University


After outstanding seasons for both squads, including conference championships and double-digit win streaks, the season has ended for both the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s and women’s tennis teams.

The fourth-ranked men’s squad fell by a score of 4-3 to No. 12 California in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament Sunday in Tulsa. After going down early, losing the doubles point and the No. 4 and 5 singles, the Buckeyes stormed back with wins at the No. 2 and 3 singles spots to tie the match at 3-3. The season ultimately came down to the No. 1 singles matchup of Ohio State’s Mikael Torpegaard and Cal’s Florian Lakat, which went all the way to a tiebreaker before Lakat sealed the win for the Golden Bears.

Individually, Torpegaard will compete in both the NCAA singles and doubles championships this week, along with his partner, Herko Pollanen. Hugo Di Feo will also compete in singles.

The men finished the season with a 33-3 record, and were both Big Ten regular season and tournament champions.

The women’s squad suffered a similar fate over the weekend, falling 4-2 to No. 12 Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. The loss ended a 16-match winning streak for the fourth-ranked team in the country. Still, it was a record-setting year for the team, which also won both the Big Ten regular season and conference tournament and recorded more than 20 wins for the first time in program history. The run to the NCAA quarterfinals was also the furthest that the team has gone in the national tournament.

After losing the doubles point and the first two singles matches to go down 3-0, the Buckeyes rallied with two straight singles wins, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit as Ohio State dropped the final point in a three-set singles match.

Three Buckeyes from the women’s squad will also be competing for individual titles, including Francesca DiLorenzo in singles and Miho Kowase and Anna Sanford in doubles.

"(Friday is) going to be what we call a Memorial Day workout. The players are going to be wearing red, white and blue, and we’ll have some fun with it."

-Urban Meyer, via Bob Hunter, the Columbus Dispatch


For just one day, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is relaxing his rule banning blue at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. As the culmination of what Meyer calls "Patriot Week" leading up to Memorial Day, players will wear red, white and blue attire on their Friday workout this week.

Meyer does not normally take this ban on blue lightly. In the fall, he made offenders do pushups in his "Coaching Football" class, and this spring kicked three students out of an open scrimmage for wearing the color. But in this instance, the exception is warranted, as Patriot Week aims to teach players about the importance of a democratic system.

Meyer began the Real Life Wednesday program in 2012 after being named head coach at Ohio State. Previously, Meyer had instituted the program at Florida prior to his departure as the Gators’ coach. He uses the off-season program to teach players about life outside of football with speakers on topics ranging from how to invest money to entrepreneurship. Former players like Chris Spielman, whose biggest accomplishments after college came off the field, have also spoken in the forum.

In this week’s extended version of the program, players will learn about the process of voting, the importance of participation and the history of voting rights. All players will also be required to pass a test on the material before leaving for the holiday weekend.

"Considering how much talent the Buckeyes lost and how tough their schedule is, it’s hard to imagine the Buckeyes earning a spot in the 2016 College Football Playoff."

-KC Joyner, ESPN


Despite being just one season removed from winning the inaugural College Football Playoff, and despite having a top-10 recruiting class in each of the last two seasons, few are giving the Ohio State Buckeyes a fighting chance at making the 2016 College Football Playoff. Along with Iowa, Michigan State, Ole Miss, TCU, North Carolina and USC, the Buckeyes just fell short of being a contender for next season’s playoff.

Owing in particular to the fact that the Buckeyes had a dozen players taken in this year’s NFL Draft, there is little experience remaining among starters for Ohio State. Even with quarterback J.T. Barrett returning for his junior season, and two starters coming back on the offensive line, the lack of experience at running back, receiver and the rest of the offensive line are disconcerting. On the defensive side, cornerback Gareon Conley and linebacker Raekwon McMillan lead another set of inexperienced players who could have tremendous upside, but are as of yet unproven.

Further, there is the fact that Ohio State is scheduled to face a pre-season top-five team in the Oklahoma Sooners week three of next season--not giving much time for the inexperienced team to gel. And while the Buckeyes will undoubtedly get past some of their growing pains by November, it will still have to face a tough Michigan team in Columbus.

Still, the 2014 National Championship team was supposedly "one season away," with the outstanding but as of yet unproven squad, especially following their loss to Virginia Tech. Perhaps the 2016 team will experience a similar fate.

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Mom of Ohio State Buckeyes' Apple to work for ESPN - Dayton Daily News
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Mom of Ohio State Buckeyes' Apple to work for ESPN
Dayton Daily News
Annie Apple, the mother of former Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Eli Apple, will join ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown as a contributor, the network announced Monday. The New York Jets drafted Apple with the 10th pick in the first round in April.
Annie Apple lands job on ESPN's Sunday Countdown247Sports

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