Mock (yeah), Ing (yeah)..the NFL Draft
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


We are a little more than 18 days away from the 2016 NFL Draft which will take place in Chicago beginning on April 28th. The NFL combine has taken place and the OSU Pro Day spectacle has been completed. Ohio State is looking at 11 players guaranteed on being drafted with seven of those players picked by some experts to go in the first round. Let’s take a look at where some of the experts are predicting where those seven possible first-rounder’s will wind up. For this article, I took a look at 20 of the more recent mock drafts.

JOEY BOSA

Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 20 of 20

Highest Draft Position: Pick 4, Dallas Cowboys (12 predictions)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 12, New Orleans Saints (1 prediction)


Gunner Kiel being introduced to Joey Bosa


Two Most Likely Destinations: Pick 4, Dallas Cowboys or Pick 6, Baltimore Ravens (5 predictions)

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT

Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 20 of 20

Highest Draft Position: Pick 4, Dallas Cowboys (3 predictions)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 13, Miami Dolphins (4 predictions)

Two Most Likely Destinations: Pick 8, Philadelphia Eagles (8 predictions) or Pick 13, Miami Dolphins (4 predictions)

ELI APPLE

Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 19 of 20 (SI.Com writer does not have him in first round)

Highest Draft Position: Pick 13, Miami Dolphins (2 predictions)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 30, Carolina Panthers (1 prediction)

Two Most Likely Destinations: Pick 14, Oakland Raiders (7 predictions) or Pick 28, Kansas City Chiefs (4 predictions)


Lee is ready to make his presence felt in the NFL


DARRON LEE

Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 18 of 20 (Two NFL.Com writers do not have him in first round)

Highest Draft Position: Pick 10, New York Giants (2 predictions)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 27, Green Bay Packers (2 prediction)

Two Most Likely Destinations: Pick 13, Miami Dolphins (6 predictions) or Pick 17, Atlanta Falcons (4 predictions)

TAYLOR DECKER

Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 18 of 20 (1 CBSsports and 1 NFL.Com does not have him in first round)

Highest Draft Position: Pick 14, Oakland Raiders (1 prediction)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 30, Carolina Panthers (2 predictions)

Two Most Likely Destinations: Pick 16, Detroit Lions (5 predictions) or Pick 18, Indianapolis Colts (5 predictions)

MICHAEL THOMAS

Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 3 of 20

Highest Draft Position: Pick 12, New Orleans Saints (1 prediction)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 23, Minnesota Vikings (2 predictions)

Two Most Likely Destinations: No 1st Round selection (17 predictions) or Pick 23, Minnesota Vikings (2 predictions)

VONN BELL


The Vonn Bell Academy will be changing locations


Number of Experts Predicting 1st Round: 3 of 20

Highest Draft Position: Pick 28, Kansas City Chiefs (2 predictions)

Lowest Draft Position: Pick 30, Carolina Panthers (1 prediction)

Two Most Likely Destinations: No 1st Round selection (17 predictions) or Pick 28, Kansas City Chiefs (2 predictions)





MOST LIKELY FIRST ROUND RESULTS

PICK TEAM NAME
4 Dallas Cowboys Joey Bosa
8 Philadelphia Eagles Ezekiel Elliott
13 Miami Dolphins Darron Lee
14 Oakland Raiders Eli Apple
16 Detroit Lions Taylor Decker



That’s the aggregate mock(ing). Your mileage may vary.













The post Mock (yeah), Ing (yeah)..the NFL Draft appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Brendon White shows his passion for the Buckeyes as a recruiter - BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Brendon White shows his passion for the Buckeyes as a recruiter
BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
Brendon White is a strong recruiter for the Buckeyes because he wanted to be a part of the team for most of his life. We caught up with him at the RCS: Columbus stop to talk about playing the role of recruiter and what being a Buckeye means to him.


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Maryland sweeps Ohio State with another walk-off win
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A three-run ninth inning gave the Terrapins a 5-4 win and a series sweep over the Buckeyes.

A bad weekend for the Ohio State baseball team got even worse on Sunday as Maryland came back in the ninth inning for its second straight walk-off win, 5-4, and a sweep of the three-game series. The Terrapins faced a 4-2 deficit down to their final three outs, but the wheels came off for the Buckeyes much as they did on Friday night.

Ohio State has now lost four games in a row and sits 2-4 in Big Ten play.

Yianni Pavlopoulos relieved senior Michael Horejsei after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, and was unable to record an out. Pavlopoulos, who also took the loss in Friday night's extra innings affair, has now blown three straight saves.

Maryland walked three times and notched three hits in the ninth, with center fielder Anthony Papio tying the game with a two-run single and catcher Dan Maynard delivering a bases loaded RBI single to end it.

Papio went 2-for-4 on the day, driving in three runs for the Terps, and shortstop Kevin Smith scored three runs. Buckeye third baseman Nick Sergakis was the only player in scarlet and gray to have more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

After yielding just one run combined in Friday's doubleheader, Maryland sent its ace, junior Mike Shawaryn, to the mound looking for the sweep. A first-team All-American a season ago, Shawaryn has struggled at times this year, and on Sunday Ohio State took advantage. The righty allowed four runs on five hits in 6.1 innings, striking out 10 and walking three.

The Buckeyes scratched scheduled starter Adam Niemeyer and gave the ball to Ryan Feltner instead. The freshman right-hander pitched well, giving up just one run on two hits in 4.1 innings of work. Feltner struck out five while walking only one.

Shawaryn breezed through the first two innings, but in the third, Ohio State got on the board. L. Grant Davis drew a walk and, after a sacrifice bunt by Craig Nennig moved him to second, came around to score on a double off the wall in left by Troy Montgomery. Montgomery would make it 2-0 when he scored on a single by Sergakis two batters later.

The Terps got one back in the fifth when a leadoff walk to Smith came back to bite Feltner. Smith moved to second on a wild pitch and then cut the lead in half on a double by Papio. Senior Daulton Mosbarger relieved and ended the threat.

In the seventh, the Buckeyes touched up Shawaryn for one more to extend the lead to 3-1. Jalen Washington led off with a double to left-center and abruptly stole third, his team-leading 11th stolen base of the season. Three batters later, Nennig dropped a safety squeeze bunt and Washington was able to score, ending Shawaryn's day.

Reliever Robert Galligan was unable to get out of the jam without further damage. A walk to Montgomery loaded the bases and a ground ball to third by Jacob Bosiokovic couldn't be turned into a double play, allowing Davis to score his second run of the game and push the lead out to 4-1.

Sophomore Seth Kinker came on out of the bullpen in the bottom of the seventh and gave up a leadoff homer to Smith, but quickly regrouped and struck out the side.

Horejsei pitched a scoreless eighth before walking the leadoff man in the ninth and giving way to Pavlopoulos, and was charged with the first of the Terps' three runs in that frame.

Ohio State will be back home for a two-game midweek series against Morehead State on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Marla Ridenour: Former Saints, Buckeyes defensive end Will Smith more than just a pass rusher - Akron Beacon Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Marla Ridenour: Former Saints, Buckeyes defensive end Will Smith more than just a pass rusher
Akron Beacon Journal
I'll also remember that even though the Buckeyes failed to follow up their 2002 national championship with another, Smith didn't second-guess his decision to return to Ohio State. He was one of a senior class of 26 that saw their careers end with a ...
Former Saints, Buckeyes DE Will Smith shot to death in New OrleansWCPO
Buckeyes react to Smith murder247Sports
The death of Will Smith: Ohio State players, coaches react to the shooting of Buckeye greatcleveland.com
Columbus Dispatch -MLive.com -FOXSports.com
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Rivals - Big-time 2018 DL Stills plans to visit Ohio State

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MVB: Ohio State Buckeyes win sixteenth straight to clinch MIVA Title
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


(Photo Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics)

Everyone knows the long history of Ohio State football being dominant. Recently, the wrestling program has shown what it takes to be a national champion and competitor.

Many programs have been able to build up their prestige through competition at Ohio State.

None are at the level of the Buckeye men’s volleyball team.

Ohio State picked up their sixteenth consecutive victory on Saturday — a 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) match win over Lindenwood.

The Buckeyes attacked at a rate of nearly 35 percent, and used 44 kills to pick up their eighth sweep since Feb. 12 — ending Lindenwood’s season and picking up their first outright MIVA title since 2011 — in front of a crowd of 841 at St. John Arena.

Miles Johsnon scored 14 points for the Bucks. Twelve of those points came on kills and two came on service aces.

Freshman setter Sanil Thomas added 38 assists. The majority of those were to Nicolas Szerszen, who nailed 16 kills on 27 errorless swings.

Ohio State’s current 16-match winning streak is the longest vs. Division I-II opponents since 1998, when Ohio State tallied 20 consecutive victories.

It’s the longest streak since OSU’s run to a national title in 2011, when they won 17 straight to end the season.

Overall, the Buckeyes have won a MIVA-best 25 regular season championships all time.

They will wrap up the MIVA docket later today against Quincy. The conference tournament bracket is already set though, as Ohio State will host IPFW next Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

The top eight teams in the conference qualify for the tournament. The semifinals will be held on Apr. 20. With the Championship slated for the following Saturday.

Head coach Pete Hanson has led his squad to a 24-3 record on the season, with a 14-1 conference mark.

Loyola Chicago and Ball State find themselves in second place in the conference at 12-4 in the MIVA.

Loyola defeated Lewis in the national championship final a year ago to defend their first ever championship in 2014.

The winner of the MIVA receives an automatic qualification into the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championships. It’s one of four conferences that receives an automatic bid.

The two other teams selected are at-large bids, as selected by the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Committee.

The top-two seeds receive automatic berths into the semifinals, while the last four seeds compete via play-in matches.

The Buckeyes are seeking their first National Championship since 2011, when they defeated UC Santa Barbara 3-2 at Penn State.

The Nittany Lions will also play host to the NC Volleyball Championships in 2016.



The post MVB: Ohio State Buckeyes win sixteenth straight to clinch MIVA Title appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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MVB: Ohio State Buckeyes win sixteenth straight to clinch MIVA Title - The Buckeye Battle Cry
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


MVB: Ohio State Buckeyes win sixteenth straight to clinch MIVA Title
The Buckeye Battle Cry
The Buckeyes attacked at a rate of nearly 35 percent, and used 44 kills to pick up their eighth sweep since Feb. 12 — ending Lindenwood's season and picking up their first outright MIVA title since 2011 — in front of a crowd of 841 at St. John Arena.

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Former Ohio State, NFL star Will Smith, 34, shot to death
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Former Ohio State standout and Super Bowl champion Will Smith was murdered following a traffic accident late Saturday night in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District. Smith was 34. According to New Orleans Police, Smith’s car was struck from behind by an orange Hummer H2, and his vehicle then struck the car in front of theirs as well. Police say Smith and the driver of the Hummer “exchanged words,” before the driver of the Hummer pulled out a gun and shot Smith multiple times. Smith’s wife, Racquel, was shot twice in the leg. The couple had three children, William, Wynter and Lisa.

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Remembering Will Smith
Michael Smith via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


(Image courtesy sportingnews.com)

Hello everyone and welcome, as I have the unfortunate task at telling everyone about Will Smith.

For those who don’t know, Will Smith, former Ohio State DE, was shot and killed last night in New Orleans after a traffic accident. Smith was out with his wife and on his way home when their car was rear ended. After an argument Will Smith was shot multiple times and died. His wife was also shot twice but is expected to live.

Will Smith was born on the 4th of July 1981 in Queens, NY. He played high school at Utica (NY) Proctor and then at The Ohio State University. Smith was drafted in the 1st round, 18th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2004 NFL draft. He played 9 years in the NFL.

Smith’s Ohio State career was from 2000-2003. He was a starter on Ohio State’s 2002 National Championship team. It was Smith sack of Miami (FL) QB Ken Dorsey on Miami’s 1st offensive play of the game that set a tone for the rest of the game. Smith’s big year was in 2003 where he had 10.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss on his way to be named 1st team all American. He also was the Big 10 defensive player of the year. Smith was later named to Ohio State’s all decade team for 2000-2010.

As a friend of mine said on Twitter this morning.



Smith’s NFL career was from 2004-2014. He played most of his career with the New Orleans Saints where in 9 seasons he had 326 tackles, 67.5 sacks, and 2 INTs. He was a member of the Saints Super Bowl winning team. He was signed by the New England Patriots in 2014 but was cut before the season started.

There was plenty of reaction to Smith’s death from his former team mates at Ohio State, coaches, fans, NFL players and Buckeyes who never had the chance to play with Smith, but had known him.












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Buckeyes react to Smith murder - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes react to Smith murder
247Sports
The tragic news of former Ohio State star Will Smith's murder has spread far and wide this morning, and has clearly touched the lives of many within Buckeye Nation. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign ...


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Former Saints, Buckeyes DE Will Smith shot to death in New Orleans - WCPO
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Saints, Buckeyes DE Will Smith shot to death in New Orleans
WCPO
NEW ORLEANS -- A former Ohio State Buckeye and New Orleans Saint was shot to death on Saturday night in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans, authorities told NOLA.com and ESPN. The Orleans Parish coroner said Will Smith, 34, died after he was ...
Former Ohio State defensive end Will Smith shot to death in New OrleansColumbus Dispatch
Former Ohio State defensive end Will Smith shot to death247Sports
Will Smith, former Ohio State great, shot to death in New Orleans road rage incidentcleveland.com
Land-Grant Holy Land -WHIO -NBC4i.com
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Darron Lee is the perfect new age NFL linebacker
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


If Madden Create-a-Player was a thing in real life, Darron Lee might just be the result.

Under Urban Meyer, Ohio State has had a tendency to convert high school quarterbacks to successful players at other positions. Evan Spencer and Jalin Marshall immediately spring to mind as far as wide receivers go, and Torrance Gibson appears to be next in line to continue this tradition. The lesser known quarterback conversion from Meyer has been revolved around turning high school quarterbacks into elite defenders.

First it was current Browns defender Paul Kruger. Recruited by Meyer while he was still the head coach at Utah, Kruger converted into a stud rush linebacker who has piled up 33.5 sacks in his seven year NFL career. Also on the Browns is high school quarterback convert Joe Haden. Now one of the NFL's premier corners, Haden was convinced to try out cornerback in his attempt to see the field early under Meyer at Florida.

High school quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes, and the most important thing to remember is that a high school's quarterback is often that team's best player. Then, the high school quarterback turns out to be an unblockable beast named Darron Lee.

A three-star recruit out of New Albany, Ohio, Lee was a skinny 6'1, 205 lb athlete just looking for a chance. "Looking for a chance" consisted of Lee attending Ohio State football camps "five or six times" according to Meyer, and finally, with defensive coordinator Luke Fickell's urging, Lee became an Ohio State Buckeye.

After a freshman year redshirt, the lanky Lee turned into a beast. Similar to Joshua Perry's development, under Meyer Ohio State has attempted to find athletes with running back ability to play linebacker. With a strength program like Ohio State's, adding 20 lbs of muscle is an afterthought for most players, and Lee is just the latest example.

Upon earning the starting SAM (strong side) linebacker role entering the 2014-2015 season, it didn't take long for Buckeyes fans to learn who number 43 was.


Lee had actually scored a long touchdown off of a fumble recovery before decleating the NCAA's all-time touchdown leader Keenan Reynolds, but this play was the first time that Lee's absurd acceleration was clearly on display.

Then as we all know, Ohio State came crashing back to earth, losing at home to Virginia Tech. More substandard defensive performances followed against the likes of Cincinnati and Maryland, and it was clear the Silver Bullets had to change something. That something turned out to be Darron Lee.

Against Penn State the world was treated to a new version of Darron Lee: the pass-rusher. With a player as relentless and aggressive as Lee, why not turn him loose with the only goal on his mind being to take down the statue in the pocket that was Christian Hackenberg?


With Lee functioning as Ohio State's spread beater, a player equally adept at setting the run in the ground game as he is covering wide receivers and rushing quarterbacks, the Silver Bullets began functioning at a level not seen in the Meyer era. The pinnacle for Lee came in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, as with 7 tackles, 3 TFLs, and 2 sacks, Lee was named the game's most valuable defensive player.

Another dominant performance for Lee followed in the national championship, and just like that, Lee had gone from a high school quarterback doing everything he could to simply catch the interest of Ohio State, to being an irreplaceable cog in one of the best defenses in the country.

What followed in 2015 was more of the same for Lee. Another trip to Club Endzone, more relentless pressure off the edge, the only difference in 2015 was that everyone knew who the playmaking linebacker was this time around. And how could anyone not know about Lee after taking one look at his stat sheet



After a NFL combine that saw Lee run a blistering 4.47 40 yard dash (fastest among all linebackers, and tied for seventh fastest among all wide receivers), it's safe to say Lee is squarely on every NFL scouts radar. But why exactly is Lee poised to be such a great pro? Let's find out.

Strengths: Speed, ability to play in space


I've written previously about the problems Lee causes for a spread offense, but basically: Lee is too fast and physical for anyone on the field to block him. Slow footed offensive linemen don't stand a chance against Lee's fast twitch pass rush abilities, and Lee is too powerful to be blocked in space by receivers or running backs. The advantages this causes for a defensive coordinator are endless, especially when defending the spread.



Spread offenses are more or less a way to exploit number advantages anywhere on the field. A quarterback will usually have an option to either run or pass the ball, and the defense's alignment usually makes this a fairly simply choice. Against Ohio State, Alabama faced a defense that saw the Buckeyes covering three Crimson Tide wide receivers with only two players. Safety Vonn Bell (not in the frame) was providing help over the top, but to Alabama, a screen appears to be the best choice since Ohio State simply doesn't have enough men to defend the play if blocked properly.



Never one to shy away from contact, Lee basically disregards the Alabama slot receivers attempt at blocking him. While flying over blockers isn't a block shedding technique that is commonly taught, not many linebackers could be mistaken for Clark Kent the way Lee can.



The result of the play is a minuscule gain for Alabama, and a befuddled Lane Kiffin (who Lee isn't a massive fan of it turns out). While most teams would love to leave their starters on the field as much as Ohio State has over the past two years, often times offensive packages dictate a need for substitutes on the defense to match up properly. By Lee having the ability to morph himself into basically any conceivable defensive position, the defense can choose to dictate what they want the offense to do, not the other way around.

Weaknesses: Out of control at times, size


One of the downsides of having the aggressive nature that Lee regularly brings to the table is missing tackles. As was on display in the first half against Michigan in 2015, Lee will at times not drive his feet through contact during a tackle, allowing players to slip away. Part of this is due to his still developing size, as although at 6'1, 235 lbs Lee is solid, playing in the box is typically an area reserved for players with 10-15 more lbs of meat. Still, with passing offenses becoming a bigger and bigger part of the NFL offense, Lee's athleticism and coverage ability are much more coveted traits than his tackling ability and size, which can be improved by the right NFL team.

Best Case NFL Comparison: Ryan Shazier


The previous SAM linebacker at Ohio State before Lee, Ryan Shazier's athleticism and relentlessness is very well known to all in Columbus and Pittsburgh alike. A three-down linebacker with the ability to both put a running back on his back and cover a tight end down the field, Shazier's speed makes him a prototypical NFL linebacker. Shazier, like Lee, had to add to his lean frame to deal with the burden that is playing in the middle of a NFL defense, but Shazier has kept the speed and playmaking ability that made him so special at Ohio State. Look for Lee to continue in Shazier's footsteps if he can consistently defend the run and continue to make plays at the next level.

Worst Case NFL Comparison: Alec Ogletree


While it's certainly feasible that Lee could turn into a worse player than the solid Ogletree, at Lee's worst he's going to be a coverage linebacker who teams must account for, he's simply too athletic. Alec Ogletree, current Rams linebacker, formerly from Georgia, is a safety turned linebacker who possesses the same time of playmaking as Lee. Ogletree has struggled with injuries and inconsistent tackling in his time in St. Louis (RIP), but remains a player capable of making plays whenever he's on the field. If Lee fails to gain more consistency with his tackling and struggles against the inside run game of the NFL, he could turn into a glorified cover linebacker instead of the three-down monster that is Lee's ceiling.

NFL Draft Projection: Mid-first round


I would honestly be shocked if Lee makes it out of the first 20 picks, as Lee is basically a less polished version of UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, who will most likely be a top five pick later this month. While draft experts have pegged Lee as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme and an inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, expect his NFL coaches to have as much fun moving Lee around the entire field as Fickell did.

Most "Darron Lee" Play: Thanks for trying, Oregon


With Darron Lee on the field, coaches must respect his blend of physicality and speed. During the 2015 National Championship, Oregon did just this, assigning a tight end to block Lee as part of an outside sweep. The problem for Oregon, is that even when everything appears to be just right, Darron Lee can come right in and blow everything up. Nice try Oregon, best of luck to Darron at the NFL Draft.

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Spring Game Rewind: Buckeyes' Annual Scrimmage A Big Hit Under Meyer Regime - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Spring Game Rewind: Buckeyes' Annual Scrimmage A Big Hit Under Meyer Regime
Eleven Warriors
We are now less than a week away from Ohio State's spring game (crazy, I know). While everyone is going to be watching the Buckeye backfield, pass-catchers, and new faces in the secondary, there's also a lot to look out for on the recruiting front.
Ohio State Football: Can Mike Weber Emerge as the Buckeyes' Featured RB?Bleacher Report
Buckeyes last team in early 2017 Bracketology247Sports
Buckeyes look to rebuild lines after exodus of starsMartins Ferry Times Leader
cleveland.com
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BTN LiveBIG: Ohio State professor is picking up good vibrations
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Sometimes the smallest things can make big differences. The sway of a bridge or building caused by wind is barely perceptible for most people, for instance, but Ryan Harne sees a major potential source of energy in what few others even notice. An assistant professor in Ohio State’s department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Harne has studied vibration-energy harvesting for several years. His research examines how the movements of large structures, like skyscrapers and bridges, could translate into usable energy. “If a bridge weakens steadily over time due to swaying, nowadays it’s quite common to go ahead and either retrofit

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Former Saints DE Will Smith shot and killed in New Orleans, per report
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 senseless killing claims the life of the Buckeye and Saints great.

According to a report from the New Orleans Times-Picayune, former Ohio State standout Will Smith was the victim of a fatal shooting in the Big Easy late Saturday night. Smith's wife was wounded but is expected to survive her injuries. Smith was 34.

New Orleans based journalist Lyons Yellin reported that a police source told him Smith was involved in a three car crash and a subsequent altercation that culminated in the shooting. Two men have reportedly been apprehended in connection with the incident.

A former first rounder, Smith spent almost his entire professional career with the Saints. After being released in 2014, Smith signed with the Patriots but was cut before the regular season began. He never played professional football again.

A Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion with the Saints, Smith was also a member of the Buckeyes' 2002 college football national championship team.

Per New Orleans Police, the shooting took place just blocks from the city's annual French Quarter Festival. Smith had posted an Instagram photo about his experience at the event only hours earlier.

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Former Buckeyes draw a crowd - Youngstown Vindicator
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Buckeyes draw a crowd
Youngstown Vindicator
The threat of unseasonable cold and snow just weeks before the 2016 NFL Draft certainly didn't stop adoring Ohio State fans from coming out to meet a Buckeye legend and an OSU All-American at Everything Buckeyes in the Eastwood Mall on Saturday ...


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How top recruits have fared over the past decade
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

With the college basketball season now in the books, fans’ focus shifts to recruiting and the new faces that will be on campus next year. The Big Ten has had numerous standout recruits who went on to enjoy successful college and NBA careers. I decided to look back at some of those top recruits and see how they fared during their Big Ten careers. Here is a look at the top-ranked Big Ten basketball recruits over the past 10 years. 1. Greg Oden, Ohio State Year: 2006 Scout.com ranking: No. 1 overall Summary: Oden was considered a once-in-a-generation talent when

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Ohio State men’s lacrosse loses a 13-12 heartbreaker against No. 16 Johns Hopkins
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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The game went down to the wire in the Buckeyes’ sixth-straight loss versus a ranked opponent.

In a close-fought battle against yet another ranked opponent, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s lacrosse team fell to the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays by a score of 13-12 in Baltimore.

Ohio State opened scoring with a goal by attackman Jack Jasinski with 10:56 remaining in the first quarter. Despite two quick goals by the Blue Jays, the Buckeyes tied things back up with 5:46 remaining in the quarter on midfielder Johnny Pearson’s first goal of the day.

In the second quarter, Hopkins would drop two more goals to earn a 4-2 lead before Pearson’s second goal of the day with 10:35 remaining in the half. The Blue Jays answered with two more goals to take their lead to 6-3. After a timeout by the Buckeyes, attackman Colin Chell scored in just 11 seconds of play to draw within two. Less than two minutes later, attackman Carter Brown scored to narrow the deficit to just one with 4:58 remaining in the half. Hopkins would add two more goals in the final two minutes of the half to take an 8-5 lead at the break.

Pearson opened up scoring in the second half with his third goal of the day in a man-up play just nine seconds into the third quarter, but Hopkins would answer with another two goals to bring the score to 10-6 with 10:28 remaining in the third quarter. Despite the Blue Jay’s largest lead of the game, the Buckeyes scored three goals by Pearson, defenseman Chris Mahoney and attackman Eric Fannell in 3:33 of play to bring the game within one score. The teams traded goals for the remainder of the quarter, and Ohio State entered the final 15 minutes down 12-11.

Despite ample opportunities for both teams going to goal, it took nearly 11 minutes for the Blue Jays to score once more, taking a two-goal lead with 4:03 remaining in the game. The Buckeyes scored their final goal of the day on a Brown goal to draw within one with 1:34 left in the quarter, but were not able to tie things up before the end of the game.

Midfielder John Pearson led the Buckeyes with four goals in the game, but it was a big day for senior attackman Carter Brown as he scored his 100th career goal for the Buckeyes. After double-digit performances in recent games, goalie Tom Carey had just seven saves on the day. Midfielder Jake Withers went 17-8 on faceoffs in the match.

The Buckeyes have now fallen to 5-7 on the season, with an 0-2 conference record. Ohio State is scheduled to face Michigan in the eighth iteration of the Showdown in the Shoe prior to football’s spring game next Saturday.

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Ohio State's defense was always solid and often elite under Jeff Boals
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Boals, who will be the next coach at Stony Brook, served as the Buckeyes' de facto defensive coordinator for seven seasons.

In case you haven't heard, some forward-thinking athletic department (Stony Brook) finally woke up and hired longtime Ohio State assistant/defensive coordinator Jeff Boals to lead their men's basketball program. When Boals was hired as an assistant under Thad Matta prior to the 2009-10 season, Ohio State was not some sort of dumpster fire defensively. In fact, the Buckeyes had been good, very good, and elite defensively in the three seasons prior to Boals' hiring in spite of possessing three very different groups of personnel from 2006-09.

Here's how those three pre-Boals Ohio State teams fared defensively when measured by Ken Pomeroy's (KenPom) defensive efficiency rankings, which slots teams based on how many points per 100 possessions they surrender on an opponent-adjusted basis. (In other words, 90 is better than 95 and 95 is better than 100, etc.) I also noted where those Buckeye teams ranked in the Big Ten and nationally according to KenPom.


Season


Adjusted Defensive Efficiency


Big Ten Rank


National Rank


2008-09


96.7


6


64


2007-08


93.3


3


22


2006-07


91.6


3


11


The 2006-07 team was centered around an elite rim protector (Greg Oden) and a pair of ball-hounding guards in Mike Conley Jr. and Ron Lewis. The 2007-08 squad was a strange mix of freshmen/newcomers (less heralded than the Thad Five) and seniors. The 2008-09 team had a core of sophomores on the come-up but was a group not quite ready for a breakthrough.

Boals succeeded Archie Miller as Matta's defensive chief when he was brought onboard, and the results quickly illustrated that Matta's decision to bring on Boals was an inspired move.


Season


Adjusted Defensive Efficiency


Big Ten Rank


National Rank


2015-16


97.1


5


42


2014-15


95.0


3


37


2013-14


89.6


1


2


2012-13


89.9


3


12


2011-12


89.7


2


7


2010-11


92.1


1


16


2009-10


93.0


4


30


Breaking down those numbers, we can determine that since Boals' hiring, Ohio State allowed an average of 92.3 points per possession per season. That mark would've ranked in the top 27 nationally for all seven of Boals' years in Columbus, and would've been a top-18 mark in four of those seasons.

On average, Boals' defenses ranked around third in the Big Ten -- the conference expanded to 12 teams in the 2011-12 season and then added Maryland and Rutgers for the 2014-15 campaign -- and 21st nationally among 300+ Division I teams.

Not a believer in advanced statistics? OK, lets' take a gander at where Ohio State finished under Boals in traditional defensive statistics such as scoring defense:


Season


Scoring Defense


Big Ten Rank


National Rank


2015-16


68 points per game


7


77


2014-15


62.9


3


76


2013-14


59.8


1


12


2012-13


59.4


3


30


2011-12


59.8


3


18


2010-11


59.7


2


10


2009-10


61.5


3


32


And opponents' field goal percentage:


Season


Opponents' Field Goal %


Big Ten Rank


National Rank


2015-16


40.4


4


37


2014-15


40.3


6


62


2013-14


40.6


2


43


2012-13


39.5


5


40


2011-12


40.7


3


47


2010-11


42.4


5


132


2009-10


41.0


5


66


And opponents' 3-point shooting percentage:


Season


Opponents' 3-point %


Big Ten Rank


National Rank


2015-16


33.4


5


109


2014-15


32.2


3


71


2013-14


29.3


1


7


2012-13


32.4


5


102


2011-12


32.5


3


91


2010-11


34.0


5


162


2009-10


33.7


6


151


Under Boals' stewardship, the Buckeyes ranked outside of the Big Ten just once in scoring defense and held opponents under 60 points per game from 2010-14. In all seven seasons, Ohio State was in the top half of the Big Ten in opponents' field goal percentage and was almost always better than average defending the 3.

Boals would likely be the first to admit that he was fortunate to be occasionally associated with prime individual defensive talent. Boals supervised Aaron Craft, a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and four-time all-Big Ten defender, as well as defensive talents like Dallas Lauderdale (2010 all-Big Ten defense), David Lighty (2011 all-Big Ten defense), and Shannon Scott (2013-2014 all-Big Ten defense).

Overall, the numbers indicate Boals elevated Buckeye outfits with average defensive talent into solid units and helped bump the Craft-era teams into an elite category. It's now up to Matta to hire someone who can approach the impact Boals had in developing Ohio State's defensive identity.

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double overtime gives ohio st title title

I know there's got to be a few people around here that rack up flyer miles... looks like I'm doing that this year and trying to figure out what kind of device I should get. A good chunk will be around Europe and/or Asia.
I've got pretty much all my music and a few movies on an external drive, so a USB slot is a big plus. Work laptop has a lot of restrictions, can't even email out to family.

Would appreciate anyone's experience with such devices and what they've found to work. I've stuck to my desktop and phone over the years (so much easier and cheaper to upgrade as necessary)

Jeff Boals to Leave Ohio State to Coach Stony Brook; Diebler to Vanderbilt
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Former Ohio State assistant head coach Jeff Boals has finally landed the job opening that he feels is worth leaving Ohio State.

After various reports throughout the day on Friday reported that the former Ohio grad was heading to Stony Brook to fill their head coaching vacancy, the school has made the announcement official.

Boals replaces former head coach Steve Pikiell, who spent 11 years as the leader of the Seawolves. As Boals leaves the Big Ten Conference, Pikiell enters it as the new head coach at Rutgers University. He brought with him former SBU associate head coach Jay Young, who was thought by many to be the favorite to replace Pikiell.

NewsDay’s Greg Logan shared late Friday why Boals was the choice for Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron. His understanding of needing to stay competitive right away.


Boals will return to Stony Brook on Sunday to meet with the current players on the roster and to tour the facilities. The university will officially introduce him to the public on Monday at 11 AM ET. He will be the 11th head coach in school history.

“I’m very excited for Jeff, his family, and Stony Brook University,” said Thad Matta in a press release from the Stony Brook Athletic Department. ” Jeff has done a remarkable job at The Ohio State University in his seven years as a Buckeye. He is certainly ready to be a head coach and has an amazing opportunity at such a fine institution. Jeff has a great basketball mind and will bring energy and enthusiasm to the great situation that Stony Brook University offers.”

The process for hiring a new coach started back on March 20. Since then, Stony Brook has been working with a coaching firm to hire the right candidate. Heilbron told NewsDay though that Boals without a doubt is his guy.


In a recent press release, Heilbron explained the hiring more in depth.

“My focus during this search was to find the right person who could lead Stony Brook men’s basketball to new heights, and Jeff Boals is the right guy at the right time,” Heilbron said. “He is prepared for this opportunity, which comes at a critical time in our history following our first America East title and NCAA Tournament appearance.

“Jeff has coached at the highest level as a member of Thad Matta’s staff at Ohio State and he understands what it takes to win,” Heilbron added. “I am excited for our players to learn from him on the floor and, more importantly, he will serve as a strong mentor to our student-athletes in all areas of their lives outside of basketball. We look forward to welcoming Jeff, Katie, Sydney and Chase to Long Island and the Seawolves family.”

One time considered the favorite to replace Thad Matta down the road, Boals spent seven seasons as an assistant at Ohio State. Most of that time was spent as the top defensive coach and as Thad Matta’s right hand man.

According to Logan, Matta told Heilbron that current Dayton head coach Archie Miller and Boals are the two best assistant coaches he’s ever had.

Jake Diebler to Join his Former Coach at Vanderbilt

According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Ohio State Video Coordinator Jake Diebler will leave his post to join his former Valpo boss Bryce Drew at Vanderbilt.



Diebler, who was thought by some to be a candidate to replace Drew at Valparaiso, rejoins the coach that he worked for or alongside from 2009-2013. Diebler served as a student assistant and the director of basketball operations under Homer Drew from 2009-2011. During his final two seasons, he was elevated to assistant coach under his new boss at Vanderbilt.

The brother of the best shooter in Ohio State history, Diebler spent three seasons as Thad Matta’s video coordinator.

With Boals and Diebler moving on, Matta will be looking to hire two coaches from outside the program. Currently, Dave Dickerson and Greg Paulus will remain on staff. Dickerson was hired in 2010 after being fired from his post as Tulane’s head coach.

Paulus joined the staff in 2011 after a brief stint as an assistant at Navy.

The post Jeff Boals to Leave Ohio State to Coach Stony Brook; Diebler to Vanderbilt appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State basketball assistant Jake Diebler to leave for Vanderbilt assistant job
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeye hoops will need to bring in a new name

Some fans have clamored for Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta to make some assistant changes after three years of diminishing results on the court. Top assistant Jeff Boals was just named the head coach at Stony Brook. Now, Matta will have to find some more new blood.

Ohio State video coordinator Jake Diebler is leaving the program to take an assistant coaching job at Vanderbilt, per ESPN's Jeff Goodman. Bryce Drew, the former Valparaiso coach just hired to turn the Commodores around, tapped a former Crusader player and coach to help build out his staff.

Diebler, brother to former Ohio State sharpshooter Jon Diebler, was a standout basketball player in his own right at Valparaiso, and had worked as the director of basketball operations and as an assistant with the Crusaders, prior to coming to Ohio State.

Diebler's departure gives Ohio State the opportunity to find another young, hungry, potential future-assistant coach to build out their staff, provide Xs and Os advice, and be another voice in the locker room and on the bench. For a program that could use an infusion of leadership, maybe that's not a bad thing.

Congrats to Diebler, and best of luck at his next gig.

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