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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Nobody recruiting the nation's No. 1 DT harder than the Buckeyes - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Nobody recruiting the nation's No. 1 DT harder than the Buckeyes
247Sports
[Editor's note: The first Barrett video is of him explaining how he's improved from two seasons ago. The second video is a more extensive compilation of Barrett's comments on Thursday.] Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett finished fifth for the Heisman ...
J.T. Barrett: Buckeyes working at faster tempo in springMyDaytonDailyNews
Ohio State football | Faster pace suits offense, JT Barrett saysColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State's Tim Beck on living life through the criticism last year: 'I can look myself in the mirror'cleveland.com

all 21 news articles »

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baTTLE OF OHIO

Spring Look at the Position Battles
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Going into the 2016 season, there are numerous position battles the Ohio State fan base is keeping a close eye on. On offense, who is going to take over for one of the greatest Ohio State running backs of all-time, Ezekiel Elliott? Which young wide receivers will step up and take one of the three vacant starting positions? What three offensive linemen will be given the opportunity to give this new offense the time it needs?

Amazingly, the losses on the defensive side of the ball may be even worse than the offense after losing potentially four first round draft picks. The defensive line takes a major hit by losing Joey Bosa and Adolphus Washington. The linebacker core will now be led by Raekwon McMillan who will be playing alongside two new outside backers. In the secondary, the Silver Bullets will be forced to replace three starters which is not ideal with Baker Mayfield and the Oklahoma Sooners looking down the barrel.

Throughout February and March, I took a look at how I thought the Ohio State depth chart would shape up going into next season. We are now heading into the final week of spring practice, so let’s take a look at how some of these position battles are shaping up.



RUNNING BACK

At running back, I predicted that Curtis Samuel would be the one tasked with filling Elliott’s shoes. I am still not entirely convinced Samuel is completely out of the running but missing spring practice has given Mike Weber and Bri’onte Dunn a chance to show the staff what they can give the team.

Samuel looks more and more likely to begin the year as the starting H-back where Urban Meyer hopes to use him in that traditional Percy Harvin role of catching passes and occasionally playing running back. Meyer has said he hopes Dunn takes control of the starting position but it sounds like Weber is the one to beat here. Dunn has to be feeling


Weber looks to take control of the starting job.


the pressure with Weber and true freshman Antonio Williams looking very good.

I still think, barring injuries, there is zero chance Williams has his redshirt pulled this year but he has looked impressive early in his college career. Saturday’s spring game will be huge in how the initial fall depth chart shakes out. I think Weber has the edge right now.



WIDE RECEIVER

The wide receiver position is still up in the air. Almost all the players who are competing for the starting jobs are not participating in spring practice which has led to a lot of the younger guys receiving a chance to showcase their talents. In my prediction, I had Noah Brown, Corey Smith, and Dontre Wilson receiving the starting nods. I am still pretty confident Brown and Smith will start but Wilson is going to be in a dogfight with Samuel for that H-back spot if he doesn’t play running back.

The biggest winners to come out of spring practice are Torrance Gibson and Austin Mack. The former quarterback, Gibson, is the tall, lanky, speedy receiver teams covet on the outside. In February, I had him as number two on the depth chart behind Brown and I am still confident in this prediction. He has been praised at times but is still very raw.

Mack is one of many true freshmen to enroll early into the program and he had an amazing spring practice. As Joe and Claire discussed earlier this week, Mack was the first freshman to lose his black stripe. I predicted Mack would be third string behind Smith and K.J. Hill but I think he has jumped the injured Hill and is sitting firmly on the second team heading into fall camp.



OFFENSIVE LINE

There are three vacant offensive line spots up for grabs. When I wrote about the line, I thought the biggest question mark was who will start at the guard spot opposite Bill Price. My guess was that Demetrius Knox and Matt Burrell would be in a dogfight for this spot with Knox coming out on top. Now, I’m not too sure what will happen. Lately, true freshman Michael Jordan has been running with the first team offense but I wonder how much of that is psychological warfare implemented by Meyer and his staff to get Knox and Burrell going.

At the tackle positions, it appears as though Isaiah Prince and Jamarco Jones have these starting jobs on lock-down but it will be interesting to see if that changes at all when Malcolm Pridgeon arrives on campus. I think the way it looks right now, if Knox and Burrell don’t wake up it will be Jones sliding inside to guard and Pridgeon and Prince starting at tackle.



DEFENSIVE LINE

The defensive line is relatively healthy for spring practice. The biggest missing piece is Tyquan Lewis who is recovering from surgery. With Lewis being out, Jaylin Holmes has been getting all the reps with the first team defense. As I wrote in February, I think Lewis and Sam Hubbard have the starting defensive end spots nailed down barring an unfortunate event. The biggest question mark is going to be at defensive tackle. Tracey Sprinkle and Michael Hill have been getting a majority of the snaps but things will get interesting when Nick Bosa arrives on campus. Will they move him inside or will he stay at defensive end?


True Freshman Nick Bosa is a wildcard along the defensive line.


I still believe Bosa will be moved inside and will battle with Jashon Cornell for one of the open tackle spots. I completely left Sprinkle off of my two-deep but after two years of hearing his name and ignoring him, I think it is time I wake up and pay attention to his abilities. I think a dominant showing against a patchwork offensive line on Saturday will firmly move him to a starting spot.







LINEBACKER

Bad news; Darron Lee and Joshua Perry are gone. Good news; McMillan is back. Anytime you lose two starters the caliber of Lee and Perry it is going to sting a little but all hope is not lost because Meyer and his staff have loaded up on blue-chip linebackers. The question is, who will step up? In February, I predicted Jerome Baker and Dante Booker would be the next starters.

Booker looks like he will be the starter from day one of fall practice. He has been receiving all of the first team reps and is going to be an exciting young player. On the other side, Chris Worley is receiving all of the first team reps and Baker has been unable to jump him on the depth chart. I am very intrigued by Baker at linebacker but the more and more I read about spring practice, the more I think Worley will be the starter this year.



SECONDARY

As I stated in March, this is the toughest position to predict. There are numerous injuries to players competing for starting jobs and Ohio State recruits their defensive backs to be versatile enough to play anywhere. This made it hard to predict what would happen but I went with Conley and Webb at corner back. At safety, I predicted Lattimore would be moved back there and start alongside Erick Smith.

Now that spring practice is almost over, I was half right. A corner back was moved to safety but it was Webb getting a lot of first team reps and Lattimore starting opposite of Conley. At the other safety position, Malik Hooker seems to have a stranglehold on the starting job. It will be interesting to see what happens with Hooker and Webb when Smith returns from injury. My guess right now is Smith comes in at safety in the nickel package and slides Webb down to nickel.

The post Spring Look at the Position Battles appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Taylor Decker is an NFL offensive line monster in the making
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The leader of the slobs, Taylor Decker won't have to wait long to hear his name called at this year's NFL Draft.

If there was ever one position group to truly thank for Ohio State's 2014-2015 National Championship, it's got to be the slobs. Watching Ezekiel Elliott burst to the second level untouched was just as common as watching Cardale Jones sit in the pocket for ages until one of his downfield receivers broke open. Yes, to say the Buckeyes' offensive line was dominant would be an understatement. The ringleader behind it all? Left tackle Taylor Decker.

A four-star recruit out of Vandalia, Ohio, Decker originally committed to join Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. But, like a lot of things, this changed once Urban Meyer took over in Columbus. It turns out the Ohio State staff originally overlooking the beastly 6'8, 315 lb offensive tackle wasn't a great idea, and thanks to Meyer's new-found interest, Decker was able to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a part of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

This dream quickly became a nightmare for Decker however, as in Decker's first career start at right tackle during the Buckeyes' 2013 season, Decker got to match up against a guy by the name of Khalil Mack. While University of Buffalo football may not be anything special, the first player to ever be named an All-Pro at two separate positions was very special. Allowing 2.5 sacks and a pick six may have been a bad start to Decker's Ohio State career, but luckily for Buckeye Nation, the worst was behind him.

While Columbus couldn't be more behind King Urban at the moment, there was a time where doubt lingered in the fan's heads. How could this great coach never have a running back surpass 1,000 yards and expect to play in the Big Ten? An easy answer to that: build the biggest and baddest offensive line in the entire country.

The offensive explosion began in 2013. Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde each managed to surpass 1,000 rushing yards, and Decker's play was a big reason why. To have a player of Decker's skill and size playing right tackle is an embarrassment of riches, and it's worth remembering the 2013 Buckeyes lost their only two games essentially because they could not stop the offenses of Michigan State and Clemson. It wasn't until 2014 when Ohio State had a more potent passing offense that Decker really began to shine.

The records the Ohio State offense put up in 2014 are borderline absurd. The Buckeyes managed to top the offensive record book in: touchdowns, points scored, passing yards and passing touchdowns. The 3,967 rushing yards "only" finished second in Ohio State history...behind the 2013 squad.

The result of all this offensive firepower earned Decker second-team all-Big Ten Conference honors by both the coaches and media. However, much like how Ezekiel Elliott was left off the 2014 post season award ballots, the end of the Buckeyes' season showed how truly dominant Decker and the Slobs were.

It wasn't just that Ohio State wiped out Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon by scoring 59, 42 and 42 points in each, it was how.


While Oregon's defense may have not had the same level of dominance against the run as Alabama and Wisconsin did, the point remains the same: Ohio State embarrassed three of the top teams in the country with the ground game. While losing by double digits isn't ever fun, losing by double digits and getting the ball rammed down your throat again and again is probably the worst feeling a defense can experience. Thanks to Decker and the slobs up front, Ohio State road this unstoppable ground game straight to the National Title. The next step for the two year starting tackle was obviously the NFL...or so we thought.

"I had personal goals...I wanted to be a first team All-American, I wanted to have a tree in Buckeye Grove (where the school's All-Americans are honored). I wanted to be a captain."


-Taylor Decker

Must be nice to set these types of lofty goals and achieve every last one of them. While the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes fell short in their attempt at repeating, it was a season of dominance from Decker. A consensus All-American and the Big Ten's Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the year, Decker rarely let a soul so much as sniff J.T Barrett or Cardale Jones from their blind side, and the Zeke attack ground game was as lethal as ever.

It should be no surprise that the best offensive lineman on one of the country's best teams over the past three years is expected to land in the first round of this spring's NFL Draft, but what specifically about Decker has scouts thinking he could be a staple in the league for years to come?

Strengths: Size, run blocking


It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a 6'8, 315 lb human possesses ideal size for stopping other large humans, but Decker has repeatedly demonstrated he has the ability to use this size to his advantage. Sometimes overly large lineman don't have the bend or athleticism to get low enough to make a difference at the point of attack, but Decker's repeated dominance in the running game shows this issue is not one he possesses.



Ohio State had really begun imposing their will on the Wolverines during the second quarter in the 2015 edition of "The Game", but it was the second half that made a relatively close game into a laughing stock. Here, Ohio State lines up with three receivers, one back and one tight end, ready to run the football right behind their main slob.



The Buckeyes have been blessed with having a tight end in Nick Vannett who is a good enough blocker to kick out most defensive ends, but the bonus effect of having this caliber of tight end is the angles it creates elsewhere on the line. Michigan's defensive tackle has enough to worry about in Buckeyes' left guard Billy Price, but once you add Decker to the equation? Game over.



Decker takes over the double team allowing Price to look elsewhere, but the best part about this play and Decker in general is how he finishes the block. There's nothing better than having a "nasty" offensive line who is not satisfied with just blocking their man. Getting nasty is finishing the play, and for linemen, finishing the play means putting the defender into the ground.



This is exactly what Decker is able to do here, helping Elliott gain another easy first down. It's plays like this that will forever save Decker from getting the dreaded "finesse lineman" label, but don't be fooled: once the game is over, the sasquatch has a soft side.

Weaknesses: Will play too high at times, pass blocking can be inconsistent


While Decker has demonstrated the ability to get low and drive his opponents into oblivion, he'll need to consistently do this at the next level. As gifted as Decker is, he won't be able to get away with playing too high against the bad boys of the NFL the same way he could against the Big Ten.

Additionally, as great as a run blocker as Decker was, his pass blocking was inconsistent at times. While the play calling with J.T Barrett combined with the slow decision making of Cardale Jones certainly didn't help matters for Decker, there is a belief that Decker was beaten too often in his pass protection. It's good to keep in mind that everything a projected first round pick does is going to be magnified, as Decker's "struggles" in pass protection were a total of 7 quarterback hurries, 3 quarterback hits, and only 2 sacks allowed per cfbfilroom.com.

Best Case NFL Comparison: Jared Veldheer


Carson Palmer's blindside protector, Jared Veldheer is essentially what Decker's ceiling looks like. At 6'8, 321 lbs, Veldheer is the same sized monster as Decker, but Decker will enter the league with more hype than the third round draft pick Veldheer. Veldheer faced a jump in competition coming from the D2 ranks of college, but the main knock on Veldheer was that he was a raw prospect at the time.

Decker isn't what some would call raw, as even if he fails to improve his pass protection a significant amount, Decker still projects as a league average right tackle. But, if Decker can really hone is technique and consistently play with the leverage that'll make his frame unstoppable, look out for the next Jared Veldheer.

Worst Case NFL Comparison: Alex Barron


Alex Barron, drafted in the first round out of Florida State back in 2005, served six years in the NFL before suffering injuries and practice squad demotions. At 6'8, 315 lbs, Barron also had ideal size for a NFL tackle, but his failure to progress as a pass blocker ultimately became his undoing. While saying that Decker could become Barron, the NFL's most penalized lineman from 2005-2009, is a stretch, the point is that if Decker struggles in pass protection in the pass friendly NFL, he wouldn't be the first great college offensive tackle to flame out relatively quickly.

NFL Draft Projection: Mid-first round


While mock drafts have seen Decker as high as the top 15 and as low as the late 20s, the consensus appears to be that Decker is going to hear his name called on day one of the NFL Draft. An ideal situation would be to a team with an established left tackle, where Decker could slowly learn the game at the less strenuous right tackle positon, before eventually moving over to the blind side.

Most "Taylor Decker" play: The Oregon Massacre


It's hard to find good highlights of offensive linemen due to the lack of coaches film college football provides to its fans, but it was hard to miss Decker on this physical romp during the national championship win over Oregon. Walling off future top ten pick DeForest Buckner was a good way to start the play, but the nastiness in Decker had him go ahead and get himself 10 yards downfield to throw his body in front of some more Ducks. Thanks for a great career Taylor.

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Buckeyes offer IMG tight end - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer IMG tight end
247Sports
Ohio State has extended an offer to Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy 2017 TE Tre' McKitty today. The offer is the 33rd for the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder, who attended Tampa (FL) Catholic before transferring to IMG. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're ...


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Buckeyes last team in early 2017 Bracketology - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes last team in early 2017 Bracketology
247Sports
After a disappointing 2015-2016 campaign in which Ohio State missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 8 years and lost 4 players to transfer at different points in the season, ESPN bracketologist sees things going a little differently for the ...

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Ohio State baseball flirts with history, but falls in devastating fashion to Maryland
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes no-hit the Terrapins for 9.2 innings, but still came up on the short end of the scoreboard.

Ohio State flirted with history in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against Maryland, but fell in devastating fashion, 2-1, in ten innings. Buckeye pitching combined to no-hit the Terps through 9.2 innings, but the home team pulled off a walk-off winner to take their second game of the day.

The scarlet and gray fell to 2-3 in Big Ten play, while Maryland leapfrogged them in the standings, improving to 3-2.

Just as was the case in game one, this one was highlighted by the pitching. Ohio State senior John Havird was simply masterful, changing speeds and displaying pinpoint control in eight innings of no-hit ball. The lefty gave up one unearned run while striking out seven, walking two, and hitting a pair of batters, but ultimately came away with a no-decision.

Redshirt sophomore Yianni Pavlopoulos took the loss, as Maryland tied it in the ninth and won it in the tenth. It was the second straight blown save for the Buckeye closer, who gave up the game-winning RBI single to Madison Nickens with two outs in the final frame.

Nickens went 1-for-4 in the game, scoring a run and driving one in to will his team to victory.

Havird's counterpart, Brian Shaffer, matched him pitch for pitch. The righty tossed seven innings, allowing a mere one run on five hits while striking out five. Shaffer also did not factor in the decision.

After more than 15 innings on the day, the Buckeyes finally scored their first run. Senior third baseman Nick Sergakis was hit by a pitch and stole second, then moved to third on a single by his fellow co-captain, junior catcher Jalen Washington. Freshman DH Brady Cherry then lifted a fly ball deep to left for the RBI sacrifice fly and a 1-0 lead.

Ohio State had a chance to add insurance in the top of the eighth with runners on second and third and one out, but failed to capitalize against Terps' reliever Robert Galligan. It would come back to haunt the Buckeyes.

The bottom of the ninth began with Havird hitting his second batter of the game, Nickens, and being pulled for reliever Michael Horejsei. Horejsei did his job, inducing a loud fly out by Maryland's Nick Dunn for the first out of the inning.

Closer Yianni Pavlopoulos took over after that and the unthinkable happened. With two outs, Pavlopoulos struck out Nick Cieri, but the ball got away from Washington and Cieri reached first base safely while Nickens trotted into third. Up next, Kevin Biondic hit a hot shot to third which Sergakis knocked down but then threw away trying to end the game, and Nickens knotted the game at 1-1.

With two outs in the bottom of the tenth, the Terrapins finally broke up the no-hitter on a single up the middle by Zach Jancarski off Pavlopoulos. Jancarski then stole second, an innocuous enough looking play, but when Nickens sent a liner to center, it became the most important play of the game.

The two sides will finish the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. Redshirt sophomore Adam Niemeyer will be on the bump for Ohio State against Maryland's ace, Mike Shawaryn.

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Former Ohio State DB Tyvis Powell dishes on Buckeyes mates - USA TODAY
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Ohio State DB Tyvis Powell dishes on Buckeyes mates
USA TODAY
Ohio State defensive back Tyvis Powell is one of about a dozen Buckeyes likely to turn the NFL draft on April 28-30 into an infomercial for Urban Meyer's program. None of the Buckeyes enjoys talking about his former teammates more than Powell, who ...

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Hawkeyes Fall to No. 3 Buckeyes - University of Iowa Athletics
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Hawkeyes Fall to No. 3 Buckeyes
University of Iowa Athletics
3 to Anna Sanford and Francesca Di Lorenzo, clinching the doubles point for the Buckeyes. “We battled well tonight and Ohio State is a very good team,” said UI head coach Katie Dougherty. “Picking up the win at No. 1 doubles was huge for us. Stash and ...


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Ezekiel Elliott says he plans to take a selfie with Roger Goodell at the NFL Draft
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


With the draft looming, a query of professional teams are honing in on Ezekiel Elliott. And he's going to live up every minute of his being selected.

"I plan on taking a selfie with him {Roger Goodell}"

–Ezekiel Elliott to NFL Network


While he may have hung up the Scarlet and Gray pads for good, Ezekiel Elliott will don new colors once his name gets called at the NFL Draft at the end of the month.

Elliott isn't the only one to be lucky with the situation. The highly touted running back has drawn the curiosity of the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Dolphins – who are all searching the market for the next star running back.

While breaking down the high number of teams interested in his services, Elliott also tipped the NFL Network off to his plans on draft day -- he wants a particularly memorable selfie. Hey, that's better than a hug, right?

If you forgot how insanely good Elliott was (or if you just want to see the Buckeyes dismantle the Fighting Irish again), look at some of the highlights from the Fiesta Bowl below.



"A coach can now, in theory, flood a recruit’s inbox with direct messages and Twitter mentions and more."

–Kevin McGuire, NBC Sports


The people at the NCAA are making some changes. Whether they are good or bad is anybody's guess.

After shutting down satellite camps immediately, the National Collegiate Athletic Association opened up the door for coaches to have unlimited communication with recruits.

So, in theory, if you were a recruit, you would be stuck getting text messages from colleges that are pursuing for your services. If that doesn't sound too bad, think about this: you could conceivably be receiving non-stop text messages from Jim Harbaugh for a year (or more).

*shutters•

On the bright side, Urban Meyer gave his opinion on the matter...

"So here's a kid in high school being bombarded with text messages sitting there doing this all day. If it's social media, you can determine who you want to hear from."

–Urban Meyer, as reported by Ari Wasserman at cleveland.com


In the past, coach Meyer has been vocal about when NCAA policies are hurting the players. Going back to last year's CFP Championship run, coach wanted players to be able to bring their families to the games. Now, the three-time National Championship winner sounded off on what it meant for coaches (and colleges) to have what seems to be unlimited access to messaging potential recruits.

Meyer brought up the point that in social media, the recruits can decide what they see and hear; with texting, you really don't have an option to what you see.

"We're excited to partner with Ohio State to extend this time-honored rivalry to a new program that will engage our faculty and staff in a fun competition to encourage physical activity and workplace well-being,"

– Juanita Day, The University Record


The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry looks to have a new addition. First was the gridiron, then the blood battle, now...a physical activity challenge?

Participants from both schools will track their daily physical activities. That could be anything from walking to meetings, to working out.

According to the site, participants at the Ann Arbor institution will be able to win prizes like sneakers and baseball caps, while participants at Ohio State could end up winning FitBits.

The competition runs from May 2 - June 26.

STICK TO SPORTS


• Some people tried to stay after hours in protest at an Ohio State University building

• Texas-Notre Dame won't be kicking off on Saturday this fall

• Sepp Blatter is on a panel to reform FIFA (yes, you read that right)

• A student radio organization at OSU that gives real world broadcasting experience

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Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes assistant Jeff Boals to take head coaching job at Stony Brook - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes assistant Jeff Boals to take head coaching job at Stony Brook
cleveland.com
Some shakeup to Matta's coaching staff was expected after the Buckeyes failed to make the NCAA Tournament while eligible for just the second time in Matta's tenure. An early exit in the NIT, followed by three transfers out of the program was a sign ...
Stony Brook to hire Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals as new coachESPN
Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes Assistant Jeff Boals Next Head Coach At Stony Brook According To Multiple ReportsScout
A look at possible Ohio State assistant coach replacements for Jeff BoalsLand-Grant Holy Land
247Sports -Campus Insiders
all 21 news articles »

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Stony Brook to hire Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals as new coach - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Stony Brook to hire Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals as new coach
ESPN
Boals has been at Ohio State for the past seven seasons, helping the Buckeyes win three Big Ten titles and reach the Final Four in 2012. He was tasked with coaching the defense and also played a major role in the development of D'Angelo Russell. Prior ...
Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes Assistant Jeff Boals Next Head Coach At Stony Brook According To Multiple ReportsScout
A look at possible Ohio State assistant coach replacements for Jeff BoalsLand-Grant Holy Land
Kurelic's corner: Wade visit, Grimes status, QB news and more247Sports
Campus Insiders -Eleven Warriors
all 18 news articles »

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Ohio State baseball shut out by Maryland, 3-0
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 Buckeye bats were no match for the Terps' dominant pitching.

Ohio State ran into a buzzsaw named Taylor Bloom on Friday afternoon in College Park, as the Maryland starter stymied the Buckeyes' bats in a 3-0 win.

The loss dropped Ohio State to .500 in Big Ten play at 2-2 and to 19-9-1 overall. The Terrapins are now also 2-2 in conference and 16-15 for the year.

Bloom, who entered play eighth in the Big Ten with a 2.36 earned run average, cruised through the early innings, setting down the first 16 batters he faced. In total, the right-hander yielded just three hits in the shutout, striking out four and walking one.

Ohio State starter Tanner Tully also pitched well, at one point setting down 16 straight. But Bloom's dominance of the Buckeye bats meant the junior lefty ended up on the short side of the decision. Tully fell to 4-2 on the season after allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits, striking out eight and walking two.

Maryland took the early lead after Ohio State went down in order in the top of the first. Tully walked leadoff man Madison Nickens and gave up a single to two-hole hitter Nick Dunn. Cleanup man Nick Cieri then delivered an RBI single to score Nickens and Dunn came plateward on a passed ball for a 2-0 Terrapin lead.

That was all for the next five innings as both pitchers were firmly in control. A two-out solo home run by Marty Costes in the sixth was the only other blemish for Tully. It was the seventh homer of the season for the Terps' freshman left fielder.

As a result of Bloom's performance, Buckeye senior Nick Sergakis had his reached safely streak snapped at 28 games. This was the first time all season the team's co-captain didn't find his way aboard.

Game two of today's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and will air live on Big Ten Network. Senior John Havird will take the ball for Ohio State against Maryland's Brian Shaffer.

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A look at possible Ohio State assistant coach replacements for Jeff Boals
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State basketball has a chance to retool their staff a little bit. What should they be looking for?

My long, relentless campaign paid off, and Ohio State assistant coach Jeff Boals now has a head coaching job of his own. The longtime Buckeye assistant will take over Stony Brook, which means the Buckeyes will need to find a new assistant coach to replace him.

That could be a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, Ohio State has gotten worse over the last three seasons, and their most recent prominent recruiting class, in 2015, has essentially all transferred away. Maybe some new blood wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. On the other hand, Boals was arguably Ohio State's top assistant coach, and was tied to the program's defense. That hasn't really been Ohio State's problem recently.

Even with Ohio State's recent slide, this is still a good job. Ohio State is one of the most resourced programs in the country, it has the capacity to attract solid talent, and Thad Matta is one of the most accomplished coaches in the country, and one that has a solid record of getting promotions for his assistants. Ohio State should not have trouble attracting interest for Boals' replacement. But what should they be looking for?

Ohio State could try to get an exact replacement of Boals, and find a coach who has experience working with big men, has ties to Ohio, and is defensive minded. The Buckeyes could also elect to shift assistant Greg Paulus to a more of a defensive-minded role, and try to bring in a coach to help with shooting or the offense, two aspects where Ohio State has struggled a little bit as of late. The Buckeyes could also try to just grab the best name available, and figure out fits and duties later.

We're just spitballing here, but here are some names that could possibly target.

Lamont Paris - Wisconsin


Ohio State's recent recruiting misfires in the Buckeye state have been well documented. During that stretch, few programs have done as well in Ohio with less than Wisconsin, who turned Nigel Hayes into a possible NBA Draft Pick, and recent Columbus recruit Khalil Iverson is looking promising. Paris, a Findlay native who has coached at Wooster and Akron, could help give some of that momentum back to the Buckeyes. With the Badgers making a head coaching change at the top, perhaps now might be a good time to strike.

Travis Steele - Xavier


Ohio State has had great luck tapping the Xavier pipeline before, and Steele's stock is certainly high at the moment. Steele has been at Xavier for seven years, and has made the NCAAs six times, making deep runs on four of those trips. A Danville, Indiana native, Steele spent a year at Ohio State as a graduate manager, and has coached at the AAU level, and also Indiana. He'd be a home run hire, but seeing as he seems destined for a head coaching job himself, Ohio State would likely need to throw a lot of money at him to get him. He was recently promoted to associate head coach, after all

Aaron Fuss - Ohio


Fuss is a two time graduate of Ohio State, serving as a graduate assistant prior to moving on to Ohio as a director of basketball ops, and then assistant coach. Fuss has been instrumental in helping Ohio's big men become more productive, an area of need for Ohio State. He hasn't recruited at a big stage yet, but knows Ohio, and especially Columbus, very well.

Alan Major - Former Charlotte head coach


It's unclear if Major wants to get back into college basketball, or if he's totally healthy, but if he is, reuniting with Thad Matta could be great. Previously the head coach at Charlotte, Major was a Matta assistant at both Xavier and Ohio State, helping work with Greg Oden. Major has experience recruiting all over the country, especially the midwest, and has a great record with frontcourt players.

Aaron Craft - Former Ohio State PG


This isn't totally a joke. It doesn't appear likely that Craft will get much of an NBA shot, despite his productivity in the D-League. A jump to Ohio State's coaching staff could provide a boost to the program's culture, and few would be better suited to instruct on the finer points of defense to college players. Of course, having Greg Paulus and Aaron Craft on the same coaching staff might be too much for anybody to handle. Too much #grit.

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Dienhart: NCAA bans satellite camps, and it’s not right
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

The SEC is afraid of Jim Harbaugh. It’s frightened, scared to death of the guy in the blue ball cap and khakis.

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Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes assistant Jeff Boals to take head coaching job at Stony Brook - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes assistant Jeff Boals to take head coaching job at Stony Brook
cleveland.com
Some shakeup to Matta's coaching staff was expected after the Buckeyes failed to make the NCAA Tournament while eligible for just the second time in Matta's tenure. An early exit in the NIT, followed by three transfers out of the program was a sign ...


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How Does Ohio State Replace Joey Bosa? It's a Question the Buckeyes Have Already Heard More Than Once - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


How Does Ohio State Replace Joey Bosa? It's a Question the Buckeyes Have Already Heard More Than Once
Eleven Warriors
Holmes certainly isn't wrong in his thinking; the Buckeyes can't simply plug a new player in and replace one like Bosa. After all, we're talking about a two-time All-American here who ranks third all time at Ohio State in sacks — despite playing just ...
While many people may focus on who won't be back on the defensive line in 2016, Larry Johnson is excited about who ...BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)

all 3 news articles »

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Sorry, Michigan. NCAA bans college football satellite camps
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It looks like Ohio State, not to mention Michigan, won't be taking their act on the road this summer after all.

The biggest faux controversy of the college football offseason seems to have reached a conclusion, as the NCAA has decided to ban college football satellite camps, or recruiting camps that are held far away from campus. Here's the language from the official NCAA release:

The Council approved a proposal applicable to the Football Bowl Subdivision that would require those schools to conduct camps and clinics at their school's facilities or at facilities regularly used for practice or competition. Additionally, FBS coaches and noncoaching staff members with responsibilities specific to football may be employed only at their school's camps or clinics. This rule change is effective immediately.

Ohio State held one of these camps last offseason at Florida Atlantic, and the Buckeyes were planning on holding at least one camp this summer, in Georgia. It would appear that those camps have now been scuttled.

Of course, given Ohio State's success both on the field and on the recruiting trail, the Buckeyes probably don't actually need to host out of state camps to attract interest from recruits. The change in rule is the bigger blow to Michigan, who has made an aggressive use of the perceived loophole to hold camps all over the country, rankling SEC coaches to the point that they pushed for a change in the rule.

Canceling these camps is potentially good news for coaches, as the extracurricular time and bandwidth demands required from participating in these -- which Urban Meyer had spoken to previously -- have been mitigated. It's probably good news for coaches in the South or other talent-rich areas, who now can worry a little bit less about aggressive efforts to "poach" local recruits. And it's good news for Ohio State, since this policy at least frustrates Michigan even if only a little. But it's also probably bad news for students, especially those without the money to take lots of unofficial visits, or who aren't as highly recruited.

This probably won't be the last time the NCAA has to consider legislative change based on something Harbaugh is pushing at Michigan. After all, this policy doesn't say anything about Michigan's recent spring break trip to Florida, a move that also drew criticism. With one loophole is closed, it's a safe bet others will look for a new one.

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Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals to be named head coach at Stony Brook, per report
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


#JEFF #BOALS #HIRED!

The Thad Matta coaching tree just grew another branch, as yet another Ohio State assistant basketball coach Jeff Boals will reportedly leave the program to become the new head coach at Stony Brook, per ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Boals, who had been with Ohio State since 2009, will get his first head coaching job, as he tries to continue the momentum that Steve Pikiell had established with the Seawolves, leading them to the NCAA Tournament. Pikiell left to take the head coaching position at Rutgers.

Seen as Ohio State's defensive coordinator, Boals worked his extensive Ohio roots (he's a former Ohio Bobcat, and had also coached at Akron) to help bring local talent to the Buckeyes. He should be able to work those connections to help establish a pipeline from the Buckeye state and surrounding areas to Long Island.

We've long been a proponent of what Boals can bring to another program. After all, we pitched him for virtually every job back in 2014, and for Bowling Green's opening in 2015. We did this not because we were anxious to get rid of Boals (we are not), but because we honestly think he is a good assistant that will make a more than capable head coach.

Given the makeup of Ohio State's staff right now, the Buckeyes would do well to find another assistant with ties to the Buckeye state, and perhaps one who could help rebuild an offense that has grown a bit stagnant over the last few seasons.

Congrats to Coach Boals, and best of luck in the future.

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2016 NFL Draft: Ravens workout Buckeyes DE Joey Bosa - Baltimore Beatdown
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2016 NFL Draft: Ravens workout Buckeyes DE Joey Bosa
Baltimore Beatdown
The Baltimore Ravens took a look at Ohio State Buckeyes Defensive End Joey Bosa on Wednesday according to NFL Network's Albert Breer via Twitter. Bosa, who was considered a number one overall pick by many two months ago, has the potential to slide ...
Buckeyes In The NFL Draft: NFC SouthEleven Warriors (blog)
Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 NFL Draft: When did our Buckeyes experts ring the bell?cleveland.com
All business: Ohio State's top prospects prepare for the NFL DraftESPN
CBS Local -247Sports -Florida Times-Union
all 61 news articles »

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Ohio State baseball hits the road for Big Ten series at Maryland
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 series win for the Buckeyes against the Terrapins would be huge for the team's postseason aspirations.

After putting together a season-high seven-game winning streak, the Ohio State baseball team took one on the chin on Tuesday night against Kent State. The Buckeyes, who had outscored opponents 55-26 during the streak, were silenced at the plate and unable to keep the Flashes off the board in an 8-3 defeat.

Now head coach Greg Beals must take his squad on the road to face a tough Maryland team in what is shaping up to be a crucial early-season Big Ten series. Ohio State is currently on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament, with strength of schedule and RPI rankings in the middle of the pack nationally, and needs as many quality series wins as possible if it hopes to make a regional. Beating the Terrapins would go a long way towards that goal.

"It's a big series, even though it's early," Beals said.

Despite the thumping against Kent State, the Buckeyes are still 2-1 in conference play and in the top five among Big Ten teams in nearly every offensive category. Senior Nick Sergakis continues to put together an All-American type of season, and the power being generated by the likes of Jacob Bosiokovic and Ronnie Dawson means the team has the firepower to compete. But Maryland boasts the best weekend pitching rotation Ohio State will have faced thus far in 2016, so the series will serve as a good barometer of where the bats really are.

For the Buckeyes on the bump, the pitching staff is among the conference's best in terms of striking out batters and avoiding walks, but the opposition is hitting .274 against them, which is third-worst. The weekend rotation of Tanner Tully, Adam Niemeyer, and John Havird will have to "command the bottom of the strike zone," as Beals said, to stay ahead of the Terps and minimize their ability to put together big innings.

This is only the second Big Ten series of the season, and the first on the road, but it feels big for the Buckeyes. While a poor showing may not torpedo the season, a strong one could well propel the team forward for the foreseeable future.

Let's take a look at the Terrapins.

Maryland Terrapins (15-15, 1-2 in the Big Ten)


Do not let the record fool you. Maryland was one of the preseason favorites in the Big Ten for a reason, and head coach John Szefc's Terps will provide some of the stiffest competition Ohio State will face all season.

Offensively, Maryland is very young, but in the top half of the conference in most statistical categories. The Terps average over five runs a game, and place in the top four in the Big Ten in runs batted in, doubles, and home runs, so they have some pop. The three hitters having the best seasons thus far, though, are comprised of a sophomore and two freshmen.

Kevin Biondic, Maryland's sophomore first baseman, leads the team with a .343 batting average and a 1.003 OPS. The first of the two newcomers, second baseman Nick Dunn, is hitting .328 and has team-high totals of 38 hits, 27 runs scored, and nine doubles.

Fellow freshman Marty Costes, who plays left field, is tops on the team with six home runs, 24 RBIs, and a .551 slugging percentage.

Somewhat disappointing thus far for the Terps has been shortstop Kevin Smith, a Perfect Game first-team Freshman All-American a season ago and the No. 2 2017 draft prospect in the conference according to Baseball America. Smith is hitting just .268, but does have 11 extra-base hits, including seven doubles and three homers, and has driven in 12 runs.

Where Maryland hangs its hat, though, is on the mound, and Szefc has one of the most highly-touted arms in the country at his disposal. The weekend rotation boasts a collective 3.01 earned run average and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.125-to-1.

Junior Mike Shawaryn came into the season with as many accolades as a pitcher can seemingly have. A first-team All-American according to Perfect Game, Louisville Slugger, and the NCBWA a year ago, the right-hander already owns the program's records for single season and career victories after posting a 13-2 record with a 1.71 ERA as a sophomore.

A native of New Jersey, Shawaryn is not off to the type of start one would have predicted in 2016. He comes into the weekend 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 39 innings, with 36 strikeouts against 15 walks. But, opponents are hitting just .209 against him, which indicates just how tall a task the Buckeyes will have against him.

Shawaryn's rotation mates Taylor Bloom and Bryan Shaffer are putting up more impressive seasons statistically, further increasing the daunting task at hand for Ohio State. Bloom, a righty, is 4-2 on the year with a 2.36 ERA in a team-high 49.2 innings of work. Shaffer, another right-hander, is 3-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 46 innings, and yields just a .207 opposition batting average. It's very possible that runs will be at a premium in College Park.

The Buckeyes will have their work cut out for them this weekend. A series win could have huge implications for a team that needs a lot of things to break its way to have any shot of reaching the NCAA tournament. The meat of the Big Ten schedule has officially arrived, and it's time to see if the scarlet and gray is truly a contender.

Game times and probable pitching matchups


Friday, April 8th, 1:30 p.m. ET

Tully (4-1, 2.53 ERA) vs. Bloom (4-2, 2.36)

Friday, April 8th, 5:30 p.m. ET (live on Big Ten Network)

Havird (2-1, 3.86) vs. Shaffer (3-2, 2.74)

Sunday, April 10th, 1 p.m. ET

Niemeyer (2-1, 3.48) vs. Shawaryn (2-3, 4.15)

(note: the teams will play a doubleheader on Friday due to impending inclement weather on Saturday, which may or may not impact the pitching matchups)

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The Buckeyes travel to College Park, Maryland to take on the Terrapins in a three-game series starting Friday. Due to impending inclement weather, the two teams will play a double-header on Friday and conclude the series on Sunday.

Game times are as follows:

Friday, April 8th, Game 1 at 1:30 pm ET, Game 2 at 5:30
Sunday April 10th, 1:00 pm ET

(the information in the below article from the Official Site is not correct)

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/040716aaa.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio - For the first time in 75 years, the Ohio State baseball team is set to travel east to College Park, Md., for a three-game Big Ten series at Maryland Friday-Sunday at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. The Buckeyes, the Big Ten Conference's top power-hitting team for the first seven weeks of the season, will put the bats to the test this weekend against a strong Maryland starting rotation in the team's first road league series of the year.

The Buckeyes will carry a 19-8-1 record and 107 extra-base hits, including a B1G-best 34 home runs and 66 doubles, into the 5:30 p.m. ET contest Friday live on BTN. Game two begins at 2 p.m. ET Saturday, while the series finale starts at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. The Ohio State staff leads the Big Ten with 247 strikeouts for a solid team ERA of 3.64.

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Meigs wins over Buckeyes - Daily Sentinel
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Meigs wins over Buckeyes
Daily Sentinel
NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Trailing halfway through to the underdog Nelsonville-York Buckeyes, the Meigs Marauders made their move. As a result, the Marauders remain undefeated — and remain right atop the Tri-Valley Conference Ohio Division baseball ...

and more »

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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 4-8-2016
Ben Van Ooyen via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Today’s edition of Heard Around the ‘Shoe will be shortened due to some travel today, but shall return Monday in full.

2017 Buckeye Target Cam Spence Picks Maryland:








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