Debate it: Who is the Big Ten’s top darkhorse Heisman candidate?
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

It is not secret that Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett will be a Heisman Trophy contender heading into the 2016 college football season.

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What will Ohio State baseball’s pitching staff look like in 2017?
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 season is over and the draft has come and gone. What does the future of Buckeye baseball hold?

One of the main reasons that Ohio State baseball enjoyed such a successful 2016 campaign was the performance of its pitching staff. The Buckeyes' hurlers were among the best in the Big Ten, leading the conference in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, and placing third in earned run average.

With the season over and players moving on due to the draft and graduation, head coach Greg Beals now looks ahead to what Ohio State's pitching staff will look like in 2017. Two-thirds of the weekend rotation must be replaced with the likely departure of Tanner Tully to the professional ranks and the graduation of John Havird, and the end of Michael Horejsei's college career means the team must identify a reliable left-handed bullpen arm.

Unlike the everyday lineup, which we focused on yesterday, the mound corps for the Buckeyes has plenty of questions for next season already answered. A strong bullpen returns, and two of the three weekend rotation spots appear to be in very capable hands. The key during the offseason for Beals and pitching coach Mike Stafford will be to fill in the missing pieces and keep the scarlet and gray staff among the Big Ten's elite units.

What the pitching staff returns in 2017


While the loss of Tully and Havird will certainly impact Ohio State's weekend rotation, there are plenty of options to absorb their innings. Redshirt sophomore Adam Niemeyer, who manned the third weekend spot in 2016, can be penciled in once again. Niemeyer showed flashes of dominance on the mound this season, but a hamstring injury hampered his performance down the stretch.

The right-hander went 4-2 with a 4.31 ERA in 14 starts covering 71 innings. Niemeyer's strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 6-to-1 was excellent, as was his 1.21 WHIP. The only concerns are that opposing batters hit .270 off him, and he was seventh in the conference with nine hit batters.

Joining Niemeyer on the weekend will be Ryan Feltner, whose development throughout his freshman season was extremely encouraging. Possessing a fastball in the low 90s, a sharp breaking ball, and a solid changeup, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Hudson, Ohio native went 3-4 with a 4.06 ERA in 20 appearances that included 11 starts. Feltner figures to be among the top prospects in the Big Ten for the 2018 Major League Baseball draft if he continues to progress.

Just as the starting staff has a solid foundation to build off, the bullpen has a number of key performers returning, and sets up to be among the best relief groups in the conference. Redshirt sophomore Yianni Pavlopoulos came back from Tommy John surgery with a vengeance in 2016, leading the Big Ten with 14 saves, limiting the opposition to a .229 batting average, and averaging more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings. Pavlopoulos was a weapon at closer for Beals and Stafford, and should continue to be.

Setting him up will be the right-handed duo of Seth Kinker and Kyle Michalik. Kinker led the Big Ten with 38 appearances as a sophomore this season, going 6-1 with a 1.65 ERA and two saves of his own in 54.2 innings. He held opponents to a .250 batting average and sported a WHIP of 1.10.

Michalik had very similar success, coming on in relief 19 times, going 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA and a save. The side-armer limited opposing hitters to a .198 average and had an astounding 0.84 WHIP. Michalik and Kinker give the Buckeyes two versatile, tough to hit right-handed options out of the pen, and should continue to be used in a variety of situations.

Another righty is redshirt sophomore Austin Woodby, who appeared 19 times, including three starts, in his first season in Columbus after transferring from Cincinnati. Woodby had his struggles, posting an ERA of 6.00 and a .323 opponents' batting average, but he went 5-1 and his 39 innings were fifth on the team.

Jake Post, who missed the 2016 season after Tommy John surgery, should also be returning, and has experience both out of the bullpen and in a starting role. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Indiana native is 7-7 with a 3.48 ERA in 38 career appearances that include 13 starts.

The loss of Horejsei leaves the bullpen without a proven left-handed option, but redshirt junior Joe Stoll and freshman Connor Curlis should both be back after combining for 16 appearances covering 25.1 innings.

How will the staff fill holes?


Even with a number of experienced arms expected to return in 2017, Ohio State will need to find a third weekend starter, a couple of guys who can start in the midweek, and another matchup lefty out of the bullpen. The incoming recruiting class, as it turns out, addresses these needs very well.

One of three transfer students from McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas that will be donning the scarlet and gray is Reece Calvert, a big right-hander that could step right into the third weekend spot. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Calvert went 11-2 with a 3.70 ERA in 2016, with a fastball in the low 90s that has room for velocity growth.

Along with Post, Woodby, and perhaps Curlis, incoming freshmen Michael McDonough and Jake Vance could compete for time in the midweek. McDonough, a lefty and top ten prospect in the state of Ohio according to Prep Baseball Report, aggressively attacks the strike zone with his fastball and features a breaking ball that has been referred to as "nasty, with tight spin and late break." Vance is a lanky righty with a ¾ arm slot, a plus changeup, and a lot of room for development.

In the bullpen, Calvert's teammate and fellow transfer Dustin Jourdan could turn Kinker and Michalik's duo into a trio. The righty went 4-0 with a 1.14 ERA in 11 appearances for McLennan that included two starts, covering 23.2 innings. Jourdan averaged over 10 strikeouts per nine innings and posted a 9-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Four other incoming freshmen pitchers will also join the staff in right-handers Collin Lollar, Gavin Lyon, and Clay Surrell, and lefty Andrew Magno. Whether any of these arms will be able to contribute meaningful innings right away is a question that won't likely be answered until fall ball comes around.

So Ohio State's pitching isn't in too bad of shape, right?


At this early juncture, nothing is assured, but the Buckeye pitching staff in 2017 appears as though it should be a strength for the team. There are established players both in the weekend rotation and the bullpen that should provide stability for a team that is going to be very young.

Niemeyer and Feltner give Beals a solid foundation to build the starting staff on, and the returning Pavlopoulos, Kinker, and Michalik should give Ohio State one of the top bullpens in the Big Ten.

Given the offensive production the team will be losing after its championship 2016 campaign, the Buckeyes will need their pitching staff to look as good in reality as it looks on paper if they are to avoid falling off the proverbial cliff in 2017. If that happens, Ohio State may be able to remain in contention for postseason play as it embarks on its rebuilding project.

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How good will the 2016 Ohio State rushing attack be?
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ezekiel Elliott may be gone, but Buckeye fans should still have high expectations

Ezekiel Elliott may be gone. There's no clear starter at running back between Bri'onte Dunn and Mike Weber. The offensive line has to replace four starters, including both tackles. Only 15% of Ohio State's offensive experience will return for 2016.

In short, there's a lot of uncertainty for the 2016 Buckeye run game -- but there are also reasons to be optimistic. Below I'll look at four factors that should influence our benchmarks for a successful 2016 run game: precedent, J.T. Barrett, the offensive line, and recruiting talent.

From Zeke to Weber, but with Barrett as the constant


The Buckeyes are familiar with uncertainty in the run game. Ohio State had new names at both running back and quarterback in 2014. Ezekiel Elliott and J.T. Barrett were hardly known outside of the Buckeye community entering the season, but combined for 2,972 rushing yards en route to a national championship.

We're in a similar place for 2016. While Bri'onte Dunn could definitely win the running back race (or he and Weber could split carries), Mike Weber is the odds-on favorite. So what can Zeke and J.T.'s first year as starters tell us about next year?

In Zeke's sophomore year, he averaged 6.88 yards per carry and 6.64 highlight yards per opportunity, while maintaining a 46.5% opportunity rate. Opportunity rate is the percentage of carries that gain five yards or more -- which is theoretically the percentage of yards that the offensive line is responsible for (though, as a side note, Geoff Schwartz noted on the Solid Verbal that some running backs make their lines look much better).


Essentially, that means that Zeke was both dependable -- nearly half of his rushes gained at least five yards -- and explosive -- with nearly 6.64 average highlight yards (average yards after the initial five -- a measure of how big a player's big runs are). So even with a mostly-new line in 2014, Zeke was able to be both efficient and explosive, fueling the stretch run of the Buckeye's playoff push. He nearly repeated those numbers in 2015 despite a less-efficient passing game and quarterback uncertainty for much of the season.

So, assuming Mike Weber wins the job and doesn't share carries, it's fair to expect roughly a 6-6.25 yards per carry, 5.5-6 highlight yards per opportunity, and a 42-45% opportunity rate out of Weber.

Stability at quarterback with J.T. Barrett certainly will help. Not only will a healthy passing game benefit the run game, but so will a reliable second ground threat from the quarterback. J.T.'s rushing numbers declined by over a highlight yard per opportunity, though his opportunity rate only dropped by 2%. This indicates that J.T. was nearly as efficient with fewer touches last season, but he didn't generate as many explosive runs as he did in 2014.

But stability should benefit J.T. greatly for 2016, so it's fair to expect similar numbers at J.T.'s 2014 campaign: over 6.5 yards per carry, 6 highlight yards per opportunity, and a mid-50s opportunity rate.

Replacing The Slobs


The other half of the equation is the offensive line. Despite replacing four starters, there's reason to expect good things from this year's group. For one, the first stringers will all be incredibly talented, no matter who ends up in that first group. Second, the team replaced four starters for the 2014 season -- what's to say they can't repeat that successful transition for 2016?


The 2014 line, which only returned Taylor Decker, managed to lead the country in opportunity rate, meaning that they created the most efficient overall rushing attack, and were second in opponent-adjusted line yards. Their one deficiency was in power success rate, which measures short-yardage situations.

The 2015 line, which was much more experienced, was still top-ten in the first two categories, but improved in short-yardage situations and fell in allowing negative rushing plays. It remains to be seen whether the 2016 version will achieve the same level of excellence, but I wouldn't bet against Ed Warinner's group.

Looking at talent


Finally, I looked at the recruiting rankings for Zeke and Mike Weber according to the 247 Composite. As you can see, they're neck and neck, with Zeke holding a slight edge. So all in all, it's fair to have high expectations for the 2016 run game, despite the near-total turnover on offense.


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Big Fish
Meet Joe Black

Top 5 all-time coaches: Ohio State Buckeyes - ESPN (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top 5 all-time coaches: Ohio State Buckeyes
ESPN (blog)
Hayes is synonymous with the Buckeyes, and few coaches have ever won more at a school than he did at Ohio State. His achievements include five national titles (1954, '57, '61, '68 and '70) and 13 Big Ten championships. He also captured four Rose Bowl ...
Ohio State Buckeyes use Tim Tebow to help in recruitingNFL.com
The Hurry Up: Emory Jones' Mother and the Buckeyes, Carman Makes Midweek Visit, Gillison Working for Buckeye OfferEleven Warriors (registration)
Ohio State football | Another top quarterback prospect intrigued by BuckeyesColumbus Dispatch
cleveland.com -Washington Post -FanSided
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Brutus Buckeye pulled from Pride parade - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Brutus Buckeye pulled from Pride parade
ESPN
The university spirit team coaches cited safety concerns after the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida that left 49 dead as the reason for removing Brutus Buckeye from this weekend's Pride festival in Columbus. The president of the Columbus ...
Ohio State pulls mascot from gay pride parade, some Buckeye reps will still take partOutsports

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Ohio State back to 13 commits with Todd Sibley flipping to Pittsburgh
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The 4-star leaves an open spot in the Buckeyes’ 2017 class

Sibley flips to Pitt


Rumblings late Wednesday suggested that 2017 running back Todd Sibley (Akron, OH / Archbishop Hoban) would ultimately not be a member of the Buckeyes recruiting class. Ohio State, who has to be careful with space in this class, reportedly suggested that Sibley take a greyshirt spot with the program.

When the 5-foot-9, 205-pounder backed off of his pledge to the Buckeyes, it came as a surprise to pretty much no one. Sibley, a four-star prospect in the class and 19th best back in the country, instead chose the Pittsburgh path as he flipped his commitment to Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers.

Sibley, as expected, posted an extremely classy thank you to the Ohio State staff for giving him the opportunity and took the time to single out Head Coach Urban Meyer, Tony Alford and Mark Pantoni. Sibley was tremendously professional throughout the whole situation despite it surely being tough for him to handle.


For the Buckeyes, the loss of Sibley still keeps them at No. 1 in the 2017 team rankings with Alabama in striking distance. As mentioned, the loss of Sibley is no surprise as Ohio State has been actively pursuing guys like Cam Akers and Najee Harris (Alabama commit).

White sees Buckeyes


While on the topic of running backs, Ohio State had 247Sports' top back of next years recruiting class on campus on Wednesday. RB Zamir White (Laurinburg, NC / Scotland County) took in an unofficial visit to the program and got a first had look at the Buckeyes job fair day.


White is 6-foot-1, weighs in at 210 pounds and has already secured offers from 22 programs – and surely more will continue to pour in. But for the Buckeyes to get him on campus this early, is big news. It’ll be a priority for the Ohio State coaching staff to keep building a relationship with the talented back in hopes of ultimately bringing him to Columbus for good.

According to 247Sports’ Crystal Ball, the three teams currently in the best position for White would be Clemson, Georgia, and the in-state North Carolina Tar Heels. However, White did have a “great” visit yesterday. So, we’ll have to wait and see what happens here.

Carman and Clark see Ohio State, too


Also on campus on Wednesday was 2018 offensive tackle Jackson Carman (Fairfield, OH / Fairfield), a four-star prospect, who the Buckeyes seem to be in great shape with through his recruitment.

Judging by Carman’s tweet after the visit, things look good for Ohio State.


Sticking to the offensive side of the ball, Buckeye commit for 2017 Danny Clark (Massillon, OH / Archbishop Hoban) also made his rounds to see what Ohio State was about.

Granted, Clark has visited the campus before, it’s always cool to take a look at what your future holds.


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Ohio State Football: Projecting Who Will Win Buckeyes' Open Starting Positions - Bleacher Report
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Football: Projecting Who Will Win Buckeyes' Open Starting Positions
Bleacher Report
The Ohio State Buckeyes entered the 2016 offseason needing to replace 16 starters from last year's 12-1 team, and head coach Urban Meyer wanted to use a pivotal spring camp to put together some semblance of a two-deep depth chart ahead of the ...
QB Tate Martell latest commitment for Ohio St. in the 2017 ESPN 300ESPN
Kurelic's 5-star Crystal Ball for the Buckeyes247Sports
Ohio State football | Top-rated QB Tate Martell commitsColumbus Dispatch
Campus Insiders -Dayton Daily News -Land-Grant Holy Land
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Buckeyes widen lead over Michigan, others for priority recruit - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes widen lead over Michigan, others for priority recruit
247Sports
Fairfield, Ohio 2018 offensive lineman Jackson Carman made another visit to Ohio State today and things could not have gone much better. First Carman took to Twitter to say how well things went.
100 Teams in 100 Days: Ohio State's Defense Proves Dominant, but 1936 Was a DisappointmentEleven Warriors (registration)

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Former Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott receives high praise from Cowboys OC Scott Linehan
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


Elliott has made about as good of an impression as you can make for a rook.

Scott Linehan really believes in Ezekiel Elliott’s ability


We’ve heard absolutely nothing but good things from former standout Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott since his arrival in Dallas with the Cowboys. Their OTAs had been reportedly centered around him, and those in the organization have had nothing but good things to say about him. But the words from Cowboys’ offensive coordinator and playcaller Scott Linehan might be the best yet:


Linehan’s trust in Elliott at this point in his career is astounding. Of course you would expect great things out of Elliott coming out of Ohio State as one of the best backs in school history--as well as being a top pick—but that’s a huge endorsement from the guy you need it from the most. There’s not many good veteran backs in the game that are considered complete and could play on all downs, but Elliott has clearly shown that ability. So much that Linehan mentioned that the Cowboys have other backs who can do certain things, but will still “lean heavily” on Zeke. That’s about as good as it gets for a guy who has yet to step on an NFL gridiron.

Eli Apple vs. Odell Beckham Jr.


The No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and former Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple has gotten good reviews so far since joining the New York Giants. On Wednesday during Giants camp, Ralph Vacchiano posted a video of Apple going up against Odell Beckham Jr., one of the best wide receivers the NFL has to offer. Apple came up big in defending the All-Pro:


Surely there were other instances where Beckham may have gotten Apple, but he looked good there. It’s not a sure thing how much burn Apple will get early on, but he’s definitely getting good practice going up against one of the league’s best in Beckham. He's landed in a good spot with the New York Giants, and his career should be a fun one to watch as the years go along. But then again, when haven't we enjoyed watching former Bucks in the NFL?

“It isn’t just the wide receivers turning heads with their pass-catching ability. In particular, rookie tight end Nick Vannett has impressed in that department"

- John Boyle, Seahawks.com


Former Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett landed in one of the best situations out of all of his former Buckeye teammates. Vannett was selected No. 94 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, going in the third round to the Seattle Seahawks. While it doesn’t have the glamour of being a first round pick, it helps being on a Super Bowl contender. So far, Vannett has been impressing at Seahawks practice, where he has reportedly been impressing with his pass catching ability. Boyle notes that Vannett was largely thought of as being more of a blocking tight end, but his hands have been the talk so far.

Head coach Pete Carroll told Boyle, “He has surprised us. We knew he could catch the ball and all of that, but he’s a very natural catcher. He shows the savvy and the instincts that you hope a guy would have.” That’s pretty high praise from one of the best coaches in the game, who added that he has exceeded the team’s expectations. When the Seahawks are able to put on pads in training camp, the praise for Vannett should only be going up, when they’re able to see the complete product.

Cardale Jones throws a 50-yard beauty


We all know by now that Cardale Jones has a great arm, one so impressive that we’ve seen him time and again during his career at Ohio State throwing bombs off of his back foot for touchdowns. They’re throws that most other quarterbacks simply wouldn’t be able to make. But here, Cardale shows some great accuracy in practicing for the Buffalo Bills, stepping into his throw and landing it right in the net:


Jones won't be the starter immediately in Buffalo, and that’s fine. He’s been able to stick back and learn from the quarterbacks in front of him, and has able been sure to be prepared when his time comes. He will likely be third in line behind Tyrod Taylor, and E.J. Manuel, but his skill set and youth could really work in his favor, as he improves with gradual experience. The quarterback position has been one that has had much uncertainty for the Bills over the past decade, so don’t be surprised if and when Jones gets his chance.


Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith was the winner of the 2016 James J. Corbett Award winner by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. The organization was founded in 1965, and has the largest association of collegiate athletic administrators.

The Corbett Award is presented annually “to the athletics administrator who, through the years has most typified Corbett's devotion to intercollegiate athletics and who worked unceasingly for its betterment.” Smith is the second Ohio State athletic director to take home the award, with Dick Larkins being the first to do it, back in 1970, just the fourth time the award had been given out.

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Ohio native Todd Sibley decommits from Ohio State to join Pat Narduzzi’s Pitt Panthers
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


An Ohio high school star that led his team to a state championship a year ago, has officially decommitted from the Ohio State program.

Four-star running back Todd Sibley of Archbishop Hoban High School, officially announced on his twitter account today that he has decided to take his talents to Pittsburgh as a member of the Panthers’ Class of 2017.



Sibley, who ran for over 2,000 yards during his junior high school campaign, already has over 3,000 yards rushing during his prep career. He burst onto the Ohio State recruiting scene after committing and putting together a great showing at last year’s Friday Night Lights camp.

The process to committing to Pittsburgh should come as a surprise. After spending a year as a fully committed player to the Ohio State program, the Ohio State coaching staff told Sibley in April that he would more thank likely need to grayshirt for his first semester at the very least, if he were to attend Ohio State and be a part of the Buckeye program.

After those discussions, Sibley took an unofficial visit to the Pitt campus in mid-May. He also went on another unofficial visit last week, before committing to play for Coach Narduzzi earlier this afternoon.

Many questions since then have been asked about the recruiting process for the Class of 2017 and what other recruits it could possibly affect.

According to 247 Sports, the Buckeyes currently have 13 players as hard commits in the class. None of those prospects are running backs or project to play at the tailback or h-back positions for Urban Meyer.

With the commitment of Sibley, the Panthers now have the 41st ranked recruiting class in the country heading into the summer months, according to 247 Sports. The Akron native is also ranked by them as the 12th best prospect from the state of Ohio and the 19th best running back in the country.

Want to hear more about the Todd Sibley situation? Listen below to Script Ohio on Buckeye Sports Radio.


The post Ohio native Todd Sibley decommits from Ohio State to join Pat Narduzzi’s Pitt Panthers appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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What will Ohio State baseball’s starting 9 look like in 2017?
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 season is over and the draft has come and gone. What does the future of Buckeye baseball hold?

Ohio State baseball enjoyed its best season during head coach Greg Beals' tenure in 2016, amassing 44 victories, winning the Big Ten tournament championship in dramatic fashion, and making the program's first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2009. At a glance, it would seem the Buckeyes are a program on the rise.

But a deeper look, as we took yesterday, shows that much of the production this season's success was based upon will not be walking through the door at Bill Davis Stadium in 2017. Beals and his Ohio State squad have some huge holes to fill moving forward, and at this point, there are many more questions than answers as to what the future may hold for the program.

Gone are standouts both on the mound and at the plate, leaders with plenty of experience in big games, and a mountain of statistical production that will not be easy to replace. There is enough uncertainty as 2016 recedes into the rearview to wonder how quickly the Buckeyes will be able to replicate this level of success.

What the Buckeyes return to the everyday lineup


When looking at a potential 2017 roster for Ohio State, there are only a few names that can be penciled into the lineup at this early juncture. Chief among them is Jalen Washington, a co-captain as a junior who started 61 of the team's 65 games behind the plate. The Twinsburg, Ohio native put together a .249/.352/.343 slash line in 2016, with 11 doubles, three home runs, 38 runs batted in, and 14 stolen bases.

Washington will be one of only two senior positional players next season, and could be the backstop again, though it is much more probable that he will take his athleticism to either shortstop or center field. Jacob Barnwell, who appeared in 14 games as a freshman and arrived in Columbus polished defensively, is likely to take over catching duties as a sophomore.

Aside from Washington, there are only three other returning players who have seen considerable time for the Buckeyes in their careers. The first is sophomore Tre Gantt, who after recovering from a shoulder injury that slowed him early in the year, took over an everyday spot in right field. Gantt slashed .255/.311/.314 in 47 games that included 38 starts, and is likely to either stick in right or move to center as a junior.

After an encouraging start to his freshman season, Brady Cherry faded a bit down the stretch and saw his playing time dwindle, but he should be an everyday player as a sophomore. The Pendleton, Indiana product hit just .218 in his first season in scarlet and gray, but with five homers and 23 RBIs, displayed the kind of pop that will be needed in the middle of the order after the losses of Ronnie Dawson, Jacob Bosiokovic, Nick Sergakis, and Troy Kuhn. Cherry will likely man third base for the Buckeyes in 2017.

The remaining returning players for Beals saw just 54 combined at-bats in 2016. Senior Zach Ratcliff accounted for 41 of those, but ultimately redshirted and should be back next year at first base and designated hitter, the elder statesman of the team.

Sophomore Jordan McDonough, who played in 22 games as a freshman, saw the field just once this season. In 39 career at-bats, he's produced six doubles and seven RBIs as a designated hitter.

Redshirt freshman outfielder Ridge Winand and freshman catcher Andrew Fishel each saw six appearances, with Winand going 1-for-3 and Fishel 0-for-8 at the plate. The trio of outfielder Jacob Vander Wal and infielders Casey Demko and Matt Carpenter did not see the field at all in their first collegiate seasons.

So who fills the gaps?


If the previous section didn't make things abundantly clear, Ohio State is going to be extremely young and currently has more questions than answers when it comes to the everyday lineup for 2017. The three freshman who did not see the field this season, along with the five positional players among an announced 12-man recruiting class, are how Beals will have to answer them.

This is a precarious position, as players get injured during summer league and fall ball, transfer to different schools, or opt for the junior college route, and projections prior to the beginning of winter practice in January can make false assumptions as to roster makeup. Still, at this time there are reasons to believe that, while insanely inexperienced, the Buckeyes' cupboard isn't entirely bare.

Among the announced recruiting class, a few incoming freshmen will join a JUCO transfer in the battle for playing time. Noah McGowan from McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas figures to find a home in the middle of the lineup after slashing .393/.511/.674 with 13 doubles, seven home runs, and 38 RBIs in 2016. McGowan saw time both on the infield and in the outfield, and could be the best replacement for Dawson in left field.

In addition to McGowan, newcomers Dominic Canzone, Noah West, and Joey Roddy could also help fill needs. Canzone, a Louisville Slugger High School All-American from Walsh Jesuit High School, can man the outfield or first base and possesses excellent bat speed and some pull power from the left side of the plate.

West, the No. 1 high school shortstop in the state of Ohio this year according to Prep Baseball Report, comes out of Westerville Central High School and brings a line drive bat and good speed. If Washington ends up in the outfield, he and Demko, a slick-fielding switch-hitter who was touted among the top shortstops in the state a year ago, could be the heirs apparent to Nennig and Kuhn up the middle.

Roddy comes out of Boston College Prep in Hingham, Massachusetts, and was an all-state selection by ESPN Boston. Able to man either of the corner infield spots, Roddy's 6’4, 220-pound frame has a power projection that the Buckeyes could use in the middle of the order.

What have we learned then?


It's nearly impossible to gauge what a team losing as much as Ohio State is will look like come the fall ball season in October, let alone when the first pitch of 2017 is thrown next February. It is apparent, though, that the Buckeyes are going to be without nearly all of their offensive production from 2016, and that a step backwards is almost inevitable.

Washington, Gantt, Cherry, Barnwell, Ratcliff, and McGowan are the best bets at this point to be on Beals' lineup card on opening day. Beyond that, fans of Buckeye baseball will have to be patient to see how things shake out.

There is very little in the way of known quantities, but the team does have a good amount of potential. Washington's leadership will be invaluable to next year's young ballclub, but the pace of player development and retention of players will ultimately determine how dramatic a fall Ohio State can expect, and how long the rebuilding effort will last.

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Todd Sibley, four-star running back, flips commitment from Buckeyes to Pitt: Ohio State football recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Todd Sibley, four-star running back, flips commitment from Buckeyes to Pitt: Ohio State football recruiting
cleveland.com
... announced his flip from Ohio State to Pitt on Wednesday. Sibley posted the news on his public Twitter account. The No. 19 running back in the country, and the No. 12 player in Ohio in the Class of 2017 had been committed to the Buckeyes since April ...
4-star RB Todd Sibley flips from Ohio State to PittLand-Grant Holy Land
Akron Archbishop Hoban 2017 Running Back Todd Sibley Decommits from Ohio State, Flips to PittEleven Warriors (registration)
Ohio native Todd Sibley decommits from Ohio State to join Pat Narduzzi's Pitt PanthersThe Buckeye Battle Cry

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4-star RB Todd Sibley flips from Ohio State to Pitt
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Akron native, as widely expected, will play his college football elsewhere.

In recruiting nothing is guaranteed until you sign your national letter of intent. After recently having his full ride scholarship revoked in a number crunch for a less attractive greyshirt option, longtime Ohio State pledge Todd Sibley has announced he is no longer a part of the Buckeyes class of 2017 and has flipped his commitment to Pitt.

Sibley, who was verbally committed to Ohio State since April of 2015, opens his recruitment with a number of potential suitors involved in his recruitment. Choosing Ohio State early in the process, the four-star rated Akron Archbishop Hoban product held scholarship offers from programs such as Michigan, and Kentucky, but now has offers from the likes of Pittsburgh, and Iowa State on the table.

With Sibley, a high school teammate of current OSU quarterback pledge Danny Clark, no longer penciled in as a future Buckeye, the Ohio State class of 2017 is back down to 13 commitments with nearly eight months until signing day. Still looking to bring a running back into the fold alongside JK Dobbins, Ohio State will shift their attention fully to prospects such as Cam Akers, and Ty Chandler, just two of the many recruits currently high on the Buckeyes. Who will they sign? Only time will tell.

The team at Land-Grant Holy Land wishes Todd Sibley nothing but the best in his future endeavors.

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Ohio State Buckeyes use Tim Tebow to help in recruiting - NFL.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes use Tim Tebow to help in recruiting
NFL.com
Tebow's connection to the Buckeyes, of course, comes from his relationship with OSU coach Urban Meyer, who coached Tebow at Florida, where they won a pair of national championships. UF beat OSU in one of those title games (at the end of the 2006 ...
Ohio State football | Another top quarterback prospect intrigued by BuckeyesColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State, Emory Jones and how close the Buckeyes could be to landing their 2018 quarterbackcleveland.com
Tim Tebow beat Ohio State in '06. Now the Buckeyes are using him for recruiting.Washington Post
Eleven Warriors (registration) -CBS sports.com (blog)
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BH: Riep the benefit? | Next in Pipeline - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: Riep the benefit? | Next in Pipeline
247Sports
We know space is tight when it comes to the Buckeyes' 2017 recruiting class. And that has been a major topic around the Ohio State camp sessions. While the staff continues to evaluate prospects, with the offers they have out right now and with their ...
Watch: Gillison hopes he showed OSU coaches his best at camp247Sports
QB target Emory Jones finishes Ohio State visit, names leader247Sports
100 Teams in 100 Days: Ohio State's Defense Proves Dominant, but 1936 Was a DisappointmentEleven Warriors (registration)

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Mailbag: Jim Harbaugh, MSU’s ‘chip on the shoulder’ & more
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Is Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh getting too much attention? Who will win the Big Ten East? And what’s up with that perceived chip on the shoulder at Michigan State? I get into all of that—and more–in this super terrific mail bag. Why do you continue to be a publicist for Jim Harbaugh? Is he paying you to keep his name alive in your columns? The last time I looked, there were 13 other coaches in this league. Do they do nothing? – David Walimaki OK. I have received several emails along these lines. Seems some in Big Ten Nation are suffering

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Ohio State was excellent in Big Ten sports last year. Rutgers? Not so much.
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Near the end of last season, we took at look at all of the Big Ten standings to figure out just how bad Rutgers had been in their first year of conference play. The data showed that actually, Rutgers was bad at nearly everything, not just football and men’s basketball.

Rutgers fans criticized me for this, saying I cherry-picked data, or that I was missing the point. But now, the 2015-2016 seasons are all in the books, and we have an entire new year of data to look at. Did Rutgers improve? How did Ohio State do? Who was the best overall athletic department in the Big Ten?

The Lincoln Journal-Star crunched all of the data in one neat little chart. Here's what it tells us:

Lincoln Journal-Star
Top to bottom, Michigan’s athletic department was best in the Big Ten


The Wolverines had the highest average Big Ten ranking across all sports, with an average ranking of 3.75. They finished in the top half of every sport but four (eighth in men’s basketball, ninth in volleyball, last in men’s and women’s lacrosse), and won the regular season or Big Ten tournament championship in an impressive seven sports.

Right behind them was Ohio State, who actually won the most Big Ten championships


The Buckeyes actually won more Big Ten regular season or Tournament championships than anybody else in the conference (eight), but finished just behind Michigan’s overall ranking, with an average sport finish in 4.14 in the conference. Ohio State also finished in the top half of the Big Ten in every sport but five (ninth in Men’s Cross Country, eighth in Men’s Golf, fourth in Hockey, fourth in mens and women’s lacrosse). The Buckeyes found success in highly visible sports like football, baseball and men's soccer, but also dominated the conference in tennis (men’s and women's), women’s golf, and more.

Rutgers is still terrible at almost everything


To be fair, Rutgers did have some bright spots this season. Rutgers women's soccer finished third in the conference, but then made the Final Four before losing to eventual champion Penn State in the semi-finals. The Scarlet Knights also finished third in men’s soccer, making the NCAA Tournament, and finished fifth in a very competitive wrestling conference. They also finished second in Men’s lacrosse, nearly making the NCAA tournament, and knocking off some of the biggest names in the sport. So that’s all good!

The bad news is that they were throughly uncompetitive in virtually everything else. Rutgers finished with an average Big Ten ranking of 9.17, easily the worst in the conference, far behind second-worst Illinois at 7.62. Rutgers finished last in the Big Ten in six sports, including a historically terrible finish in men’s basketball that may have cost multiple teams a seed line. In fact, Rutgers finished dead last more often than they finished in the top half of the standings. They finished last or second to last in eight sports. It was truly a woeful performance.

Rutgers fans will surely point out on Twitter, or in the comments section, that they couldn’t be expected to compete at a Big Ten level across all sports so quickly given the years of neglect by the athletic department (this is true). They’ll mention that they just hired a new athletic director, and new coaches in multiple sports (this is true). They’ll mention they’re not getting a full Big Ten revenue share yet (this is true), and that once that funding comes, they’ll be able to make the infrastructure changes needed to become more competitive in the near future (this is maybe true).

But the point still stands, that even after a second year of competition, the gap between Rutgers and even the lower tier programs in the conference is significant, and Rutgers isn't real Big Ten quality in well, most things right now. Maybe that changes in the future, maybe not. But hey, even if Rutgers continues to suck, those checks still cash.

Maryland is good at sports that the conference doesn’t care about, less good at the ones it does


If we just look at average performance across all sports, fellow Big Ten newcomer Maryland looks much better than Rutgers. The Terps clock in 10th, with an average finish of 7.45. That isn't great, but Maryland can claim four Big Ten regular season or tournament championships, something many teams with higher average ratings don’t have. That’s pretty good!

What sports is Maryland dominating? The Terps have titles in women’s basketball, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, and field hockey, to pair with strong finishes in men’s basketball, men’s soccer and men’s golf.

The trouble is, only five Big Ten programs sponsor men's lacrosse (sorry, Johns Hopkins, you don’t really count for these purposes), and only six sponsor women’s lacrosse. Nine sponsor field hockey, which still makes it one of the less adopted programs in the conference.

The Journal-Star also recalculated the rankings based on just the sports that Nebraska sponsors (so removing rankings for men’s soccer, men’s swimming, men’s and women's lacrosse, rowing, hockey and field hockey). Is that arbitrary? A little bit, but it does give a baseline number for how a program is competing in sports that have higher conference participation rates. Under that benchmark, Maryland is second to last in the Big Ten, with an 8.94 ranking. Only Rutgers is worse, at 10.21.

Does this matter?


I’m going to go out on a limb, and suggest that fans might be willing to forgive struggles in volleyball or softball in exchange for competence in football or basketball. Both Maryland and Rutgers have new coaches, but in the rugged Big Ten East, even a jump to competence could be a few years away.

But if or two teams are perpetually bottom feeders, that hurts the postseason prospects for everybody, especially in a sport like baseball, where the conference schedule can be particularly unbalanced.

The data shows that Ohio State and Michigan, with their well-run athletic departments, strong hires and near limitless resources, are in a position to be competitive in virtually every sport.

The newcomers? They’re not there yet. And it may be a while before they ever get there.

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Ohio State is a favorite for a 5-star WR - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State is a favorite for a 5-star WR
Land-Grant Holy Land
Grimes, regarded as the top WR in the 2017 class and one of the top overall players in the country, has the Buckeyes as one of the favorites surrounded by a host of schools represented from the ACC and SEC. It's been obvious for some time that Ohio ...
The Hurry Up: Emory Jones Impresses, Trevon Grimes Hints at a Decision Date, Lindsey Will Visit Nebraska AgainEleven Warriors (registration)
Trevon Grimes, Ohio State's top 2017 WR target, to announce commitment Aug. 24cleveland.com
Commitment date set for 5-star WR247Sports

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Ohio State to host a Cleveland Browns scrimmage for second straight year
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Browns are heading back to Columbus for preseason work

For the second year in a row, Ohio Stadium will host the Cleveland Browns for their annual “Orange & Brown scrimmage”. Free to the public, registration opens for season ticket members Tuesday, June 21 and will open to all fans Thursday, June 23rd.

The scrimmage will kick off on Saturday, Aug. 6 and the game will run from 3:00-5:30 p.m., but will feature a full day of events. The Browns will bring ‘Dawg Pound Drive’ back to St. John Arena for pregame fun starting at noon.

Last year’s event drew nearly 50,000 fans to The ‘Shoe for an afternoon of NFL football — the biggest crowd in Browns’ recorded history for a team scrimmage or family day event.

Former quarterback Terrelle Pryor is the only Buckeye currently on roster for Cleveland, and the return to Ohio Stadium will be only his second — his first being last year’s scrimmage -- since his departure during the aftermath of the tattoo-for-bartering scandal of 2011.

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Watch: Gillison hopes he showed OSU coaches his best at camp - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Gillison hopes he showed OSU coaches his best at camp
247Sports
Asked what an OSU offer would mean, Gillison said, “It would mean a lot. I grew up as a Buckeye. It would be really nice to get an offer from the Buckeyes. “Ohio State has great facilities, coaches, players and everything.” Gillison, who started at ...

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Best of Week 13: Michigan at Ohio State highlights rivalry week
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

It’s the final week of the season. And, even better, it’s rivalry week! Division titles may be on the line, in addition to cool trophies. Front and center on this Saturday: “The Game,” between Ohio State and Michigan. Could the Big Ten East crown be on the line? The Buckeyes have dominated this series of late, going 12-2 since 2001 and winning the last four meetings with a 42-13 triumph last season. The last time Michigan won in Columbus? In 2000, when the Wolverines took a 38-26 decision. This is the best of Week 13. Best game: The Buckeyes need

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Script Ohio: Phil Steele previews Ohio State and the Big Ten
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 welcomes in Phil Steele, who is the creator of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, the most accurate and informative preview available to college football fans.
Steele discusses J.T. Barrett’s standing as a top player in college football, the Ohio State offense and defense, the Big Ten’s best teams, coaches and who could surprise throughout the season.

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

The post Script Ohio: Phil Steele previews Ohio State and the Big Ten appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State is a favorite for a 5-star WR
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The heart of SEC country holds a potential Buckeye recruit


5-star Grimes will close recruiting process down soon


Some of the biggest news of Tuesday came when five-star wide receiver prospect Trevon Grimes (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas) made it apparent that he will be shutting down his recruiting process and commit to a school on August 24.


Grimes, regarded as the top WR in the 2017 class and one of the top overall players in the country, has the Buckeyes as one of the favorites surrounded by a host of schools represented from the ACC and SEC. It’s been obvious for some time that Ohio State is at the top of Grimes' list and should everything go as planned, Grimes will be a Buckeye when late August rolls around. According to the 247Sports predictions, the recruiting experts believe that Grimes will make the trip out of SEC country and head to Columbus, Ohio.

A potential commitment from 6-foot-3, 202-pound Sunshine State sensation would further strengthen the class that Ohio State is putting together in 2017 – one that will probably be solidified as the No.1 class if Grimes becomes a Buckeye. As it stands, Grimes is considered the seventh best player and fourth best receiver out of Florida.

It’s no wonder that recent 2017 Buckeye commit Tate Martell (Las Vegas, NV / Bishop Gorman) was lobbying for Grimes to come with him to Ohio State.

Another top ranked QB has thoughts on Ohio State


Very notable news came on the Emory Jones (Franklin, GA /Heard County) front as Jones was in Columbus on Tuesday at a camp, throwing for the Ohio State coaching staff.


Jones, a class of 2018 standout, is one of the top quarterback prospects in his class and is likely a top 20 player in the country. Jones has held Ohio State in high regard for most of his process and it could even be thought that the Buckeyes have led the whole way.

For the Buckeyes, this would be another huge get. Jones currently is slated by 247Sports as the No.2 dual threat QB in the class of 2018.

The Ohio State coaching staff has done a great job in this recruitment, pushing the Buckeyes brand and vaulting to the top of his list. The recent Martell commitment is not thought to impact Jones' recruitment. Just look at what Martell put on Twitter late Tuesday night:


Martell is being the unofficial hype man for the Buckeyes – which is a good thing. The potential stacked depth at QB entering the 2018 season would be insane, assuming Jones commits to Ohio State.

If Ohio State were to pick up a commitment from Jones, it's not crazy to think that he would be the most talented QB on the roster when he steps foot on campus.

Just look at Jones’ highlight tape:

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The Hurry Up: Emory Jones Impresses, Trevon Grimes Hints at a Decision Date, Lindsey Will Visit Nebraska Again - Eleven Warriors (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The Hurry Up: Emory Jones Impresses, Trevon Grimes Hints at a Decision Date, Lindsey Will Visit Nebraska Again
Eleven Warriors (registration)
Bottom line: the trip to Ohio State, Jones' first, went very well and the Buckeyes may be pretty close to having their first 2018 commitment be the country's second-ranked quarterback. Tim Beck may get a chance to work with him again on Thursday at the ...

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