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Joe Biden's Buckeyes: the vice president really likes hiring Ohioans - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Joe Biden's Buckeyes: the vice president really likes hiring Ohioans
cleveland.com
What's their biggest Ohio bond? There's sports for the Cleveland crew. But food is as much about geography as sustenance, and the group we'll call Biden's Buckeyes share a love for two of Cincinnati's finest creations: Skyline Chili and Graeter's ice ...


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Buffalo Bills host six Ohio State Buckeyes on pre-draft visits. - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buffalo Bills host six Ohio State Buckeyes on pre-draft visits.
Scout
SS Vonn Bell and DT Adolphus Washington are projected as day two picks and Cardale Jones could be drafted on day two or early on day three. Where did the Bills brass take the Buckeyes prospects? The same restaurant they took Tyrod Taylor last season.

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Four Big Ten football teams in Joe Schad’s Preseason Top 25
Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor via Big Ten Network

Michigan is set to kick off this year’s Spring Football slate tonight at 6 p.m. ET on BTN (Watch on BTN2Go). [ MORE: Watch Michigan’s Spring Football game on BTN/BTN2Go ] Fans are already looking forward to the 2016 college football season, which means preseason rankings are taking over the internet. The latest set of rankings comes from ESPN”s Joe Schad, who has four Big Ten teams listed in his Preseason Top 25 for 2016. Leading the way is Ohio State, who Schad has pegged at No. 6 on this list. He ranks Michigan at No. 8, with Iowa coming

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A look at possible Ohio State basketball graduate transfer targets
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes need a talent infusion. Who could they contact?

As you've probably heard by now, Ohio State basketball suddenly has a lot more scholarship room than they had, oh, a week ago. After the departures of Daniel Giddens, Mickey Mitchell and A.J. Harris, the Buckeyes suddenly have three more scholarships to go with the one left open by the earlier departure of Austin Grandstaff.

Ohio State returns the bulk of their actual production from last season (assuming Trevor Thompson doesn't actually leave for the NBA, the Buckeyes return their top six scorers), but such significant attrition means there are some holes on this roster that need patched. Specifically, those holes are in the backcourt. The Buckeyes have just two true guards on scholarship at the moment.

Some of that imbalance can be addressed from recruiting high schoolers in the 2016 and 2017 class. 6-7 wing Andre Wesson is expected to eventually commit to Ohio State by many observers, and he'd give the Buckeyes an athletic wing who can defend. But Wesson isn't likely to be a big contributor next season (he might even redshirt, if he committed to Ohio State), and he also wouldn't solve the guard issue. Since it's a bit late in the game to make another big splash in the high school class of 2016, Ohio State's next best option would be to add a graduate transfer.

There aren't a ton of big-time scoring options available right now, but the Buckeyes might not need one. The biggest priorities seem to be with grabbing a backup point guard (or secondary ballhandler), additional three point shooting, and then maybe general scoring. It would be a big surprise if Ohio State went after a tall wing, or another big man, given the roster composition.

Who are some of the names Ohio State might take a run at? They've only been formally linked to one, but there are other names that, on paper, could potentially make some sense.

Cullen Neal, SG - New Mexico


We've written about Neal before, but a lot of what we said is now dated since suddenly, the Buckeyes have plenty of scholarships open. Neal is the only player that has been connected to Ohio State (he'll visit later in April), and is unique among graduate transfers in that he'll actually have two years of eligibility, instead of one. A scholarship used on Neal would not open up again until the class of 2018, the next time Ohio State will likely make a big splash with recruiting high schoolers.

Neal adds size (he's 6'5), and experience handling the ball (his usage rate of 20.6 was one of the highest on New Mexico's team), two things the Buckeyes will need. He struggled a little bit on an average New Mexico team this season, especially shooting the ball, but his percentages were higher during his previous campaign. Neal would add some shooting, but his turnovers and consistency would need to improve. Still, if all he's asked to do is play 12-15 minutes a night and set up teammates, he could be just fine.

If Ohio State wants Neal, they'll need to beat out other programs like Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Neal does not have an obvious tie to Ohio, on paper.

Grant Mullins, PG - Columbia


Mullins has not been tied to Ohio State, but other major programs, like Syracuse, Michigan, Cal and Hawaii have reached out to him, and others may as well. The Lions point guard helped lead Columbia to one of their best seasons ever. The 6'3 Mullins averaged 13.3 points and 3.3 assists in 31.1 minutes per game, and dropped 20 in the CIT Title game against UC-Irvine. Mullins was also a 43.9% three point shooter. His inability to defend against high level competition without fouling may be an issue, but he could be a solid backup guard on a bigger stage. Mullins is from Burlington, ON, which isn't *that* far from Columbus.

Katin Reinhardt, SG - USC


On paper, there isn't an obvious tie for Reinhardt to Ohio State. He's from California, played at UNLV and USC, and isn't a point guard. But he was also a four-star talent coming out of high school, has great size (6'6), and is a great three point shooter (career 37.3%), something that would be very helpful for the Buckeyes next season. Katin can pass, but his shooting is his best attribute. He's been linked to UTEP, Xavier, among other places.

Akeem Springs, SG - UW-Milwaukee


A 6-4 guard from Waukegan, Springs has heard from Ole Miss, Butler, Florida State and others. A 35.1% three point shooter, Springs averaged 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds a game for a Panthers squad that won 20 games. He also scored 22 points in a loss to Notre Dame, and 33 in a win over Youngstown State. Springs brings a little more scoring and better rebounding, but maybe a little less playmaking, than other possible candidates.

Spike Albrecht, PG - Michigan


This is a bit of a longshot, but it's worth discussing anyway. Albrecht vaulted into the limelight after he dropped 17 points in a half in the national championship game against Louisville, but he missed most of this season with an injury, and his longterm status is uncertain. Albrecht isn't much of a scorer, but he takes care of the basketball and, if healthy, can be a good on-ball defender. He'd probably be a capable backup PG in limited minutes. Albrecht recently had all of his transfer restrictions limited, so he could theoretically go to Ohio State, if both parties were interested.

Javon Bess, SG/SF - Michigan State


This is a wild card. Bess isn't a graduate transfer, so he'll need to sit out for a year. There's been nothing to formally tie him to Ohio State, but Michigan State isn't attaching conditions on his transfer, and the 6'5 Bess is from Gahanna. He didn't have an Ohio State offer, but he was a high three-star prospect who was rated the 3rd best in the state. He struggled to crack the rotation at Michigan State, but maybe Ohio State might be interested.

The full list of transfers is being kept at ESPN, and it's pretty overwhelming. Chances are, some other names that Ohio State could potentially be interested in might poke up later on down the line.

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Chase Young Visiting Ohio State Buckeyes// - Campus Insiders
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Chase Young Visiting Ohio State Buckeyes//
Campus Insiders
Four-star recruit Chase Young is visiting Ohio State this weekend, as the Buckeyes look to impress the nation's No. 5 defensive end. Urban Meyer's defense will have a new face at the helm in 2016. With Chris Ash having taken the head coaching job at ...
Four-Star Maryland Defensive End Chase Young Visiting Ohio State This WeekendEleven Warriors

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Report: Bills host 6 Buckeyes on pre-draft visit - WKBW-TV
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Report: Bills host 6 Buckeyes on pre-draft visit
WKBW-TV
According to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, the Bills took the following Buckeyes to dinner on Thursday night: quarterback Cardale Jones, linebacker Darron Lee, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, cornerback Eli Apple, defensive lineman Adolphus Washington, ...
Bills getting to know Buckeyes' LeeBuffalo News

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OSU Football: Darron Lee Visits Buffalo
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


(Image courtesy of cleveland.com)

Darron excited to be in the City of Light.

Well, now, this could be interesting. Per Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News, Ohio State’s Darron Lee is in Buffalo for a day or so to meet with staff of the Buffalo Bills. Darron would be a nice “get” for the Bills for a couple reasons, but primarily, I think, for his pass coverage skills. Per Dunne:


Dunne, is right, there was a difficulty in covering tight ends in December. However, the bigger problem for the Bills was/ is covering New England receivers. The Pats Rob Gronkowski is probably the best tight end in the league. Their offense will also roll you with their passing game to running backs and slot receivers. New England will not beat you with their running game. They will beat you with their passing game. Buffalo and New England play each other twice a year, so from the Bills standpoint, that’s a lot of beatings.

Darron Lee => Buffalo Bills makes sense because he has the skill set to cover New England’s otherworldly TE (Gronkowski), their shifty slot receivers (Edelman, Amandola) and whoever Belichick plays at running back. Lee would be a great contribution to a “purpose built” defense. The bonus is, that if this type of defense can work against New England, it will work against most other teams.

Dunne continues to make his case for Lee:


We’ve seen Lee bring speed, and at 232 pounds “oomph”, on blitzes, which further adds to Darron’s versatility as a multi-down linebacker. Will Darron bring his game to The Ralph? I have know idea, but I do know it’d be great.

The post OSU Football: Darron Lee Visits Buffalo appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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2nd Thoughts: Ohio State Men’s Basketball Transfers
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This has been an interesting week with Ohio State’s men’s basketball roster. The announced transfers of Mickey Mitchell, Daniel Giddens and A.J. Harris, in addition to the earlier transfer of Austin Grandstaff, open up scholarships and open up the line of thought of “what the hell’s going on, Thad?”. I can’t answer that question. Here is one stab at it, Rob Oller of The Columbus Dispatch.




Rob’s comment about ‘millennials and changes’ may be a breezy broad-brush explanation, but he cites NCAA roster numbers churn, so it’s not completely a drive-by explanation. I think he makes a very good point in the next paragraph concerning ‘instant satisfaction’ and parents. The following is from an article Bill Landis of cleveland.com in January, citing a quote from Austin Grandstaff’s father, Wes.


A couple points on Mr. Grandstaff’s quote. First, it appears that playing time factored as an issue with this transfer. The other point is that Austin, as a “shooter” had issues adjusting to playing D-I level defense. Most freshmen probably do. That’s certainly not an indictment of Grandstaff; playing fundamental defense is a requirement to play for Thad.

For a sense of perspective, in terms of contribution, what really walked out the door? In an attempt to “normalize” this analysis, I converted “statistics” (points, rebounds, assists, fouls and turnovers) to a ‘quantity per minute’, rather than on a ‘per game’ basis. I’m assuming that as a player is in a system for a longer period of time, he becomes more efficient; his statistics improve on a per-minute basis. I may be wrong with that, but it seems reasonable. Going with that, since we’re talking about a relatively young team, you can assume the freshmen, and sophomores for that matter, would at some point grow into their roles.

Prior to doing the per-minute comparisons, I needed to compile a table of total minutes played, points (PTS), rebounds (REB), assists, (ASST), personal fouls committed (PF) and turnovers committed (TO). I also included ‘minutes per game’ (Min) as a reference.

So, what to we have? No surprise, really. The top end (minutes played) are held by Marc Loving, Kieta Bates-Diop and JaQuan Lyle. Jae’Sean Tate is next (injury), Kam Williams and Trevor Thompson follow. The “transferees” follow, at the end, along with David Bell and Joey Lane.

Nbr Player Pos Min MPG PTS REB ASST PF TO
2 Marc Loving F 1,189 34.0 490 184 54 59 82
33 Kieta Bates-Diop F 1,040 31.5 388 210 36 61 45
13 JaQuan Lyle G 1,040 29.7 391 164 147 59 104
1 Jae’Sean Tate F 813 29.0 328 179 42 85 45
15 Kam Williams G 766 21.9 290 63 28 38 17
32 Trevor Thompson C 628 17.9 228 178 6 97 42
4 Daniel Giddens C 599 18.2 127 119 9 108 33
12 A.J. Harris G 478 13.7 99 35 59 40 36
0 Mickey Mitchell F 295 12.8 47 64 15 41 24
10 David Bell F 126 5.5 26 34 1 24 4
3 Austin Grandstaff G 115 11.5 44 3 0 6 6
14 Joey Lane G 11 1.6 4 0 0 2 0

That’s our base activity. Let’s next delve into the per-minute efficiency of the players, particularly the transferees, table below. For reference, I’ve kept the total minutes played and minutes-pr-game in the table.

• The columns to the right of minutes per game (MPG) are: points per minute (P/M), rebounds per minute (R/M), assists per minute (A/M), personal fouls per minute (PF/M) and turnovers per minute (TO/M).
• With P/M, R/M and A/M, the higher the number the better.
• For PF/M and TO/M, lower is better.

Nbr Player Pos Min MPG P/M R/M A/M PF/M TO/M
2 Marc Loving F 1,189 34.0 0.41 0.15 0.05 0.05 0.07
33 Kieta Bates-Diop F 1,040 31.5 0.37 0.20 0.03 0.06 0.04
13 JaQuan Lyle G 1,040 29.7 0.38 0.16 0.14 0.06 0.10
1 Jae’Sean Tate F 813 29.0 0.40 0.22 0.05 0.10 0.06
15 Kam Williams G 766 21.9 0.38 0.08 0.04 0.05 0.02
32 Trevor Thompson C 628 17.9 0.36 0.28 0.01 0.15 0.07
4 Daniel Giddens C 599 18.2 0.21 0.20 0.02 0.18 0.06
12 A.J. Harris G 478 13.7 0.21 0.07 0.12 0.08 0.08
0 Mickey Mitchell F 295 12.8 0.16 0.22 0.05 0.14 0.08
10 David Bell F 126 5.5 0.21 0.27 0.01 0.19 0.03
3 Austin Grandstaff G 115 11.5 0.38 0.03 0.00 0.05 0.05
14 Joey Lane G 11 1.6 0.36 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00

So, what do we have? This table is fairly simple to interpret, you can draw additional conclusions, but here are some bullet point quick impressions:

• Marc Loving, Kam Williams and Jae’Sean Tate are the most productive scorers, in P/M, followed closely by Kieta and Trevor. Austin finished fairly high, but with on’y 115 minutes of court time (<2%), he production was a non-factor. Giddens, Mitchell and Harris were not good at all.
• Giddens and Mitchell were fairly efficient rebounders, on a par with returners (or ‘stayers’) Thompson and Tate.
• Harris was 2nd in efficiency in assists; Mitchell was on a par with Tate/Loving, but Giddens was a ‘black hole’; he ball went in to him, but rarely came back out.
• Giddens and Mitchell (along with Thompson) were foul machines – they never saw a foul they wouldn’t commit.
• Harris and Mitchell had comparatively fairly high turnover numbers, but Harris had a lot of “touches”, so that’s not surprising, nor an indictment.

The transferees (Giddens, Mitchell, Harris and Grandstaff) contributed 21% of the floor time to Ohio State. They contributed:

• 13% of the points
• 18% of the rebounds
• 21% of the assists
• 31% of the fouls
• 22% of the turnovers

Some of these were in line with playing time and some were, unexpectedly, out of line. It indicates to me they were still in the learning process of playing at this level.

Recap

I think that if you’ve followed Buckeye basketball, you could have seen this season coming in terms of wins-losses. Early in the non-conference portion of the schedule, Joe Dexter and I had a conversation where we concluded that a 20-win season would be in doubt as was qualifying for the NCAA’s. This team was an ‘under construction’ effort all year. This was always going to be transition year. Among Marc Loving, Kieta Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate and Kam Williams, there was, one starter amongst the four. Loving and Tate split starts while Bates-Diop and Williams did not start a game. I think this season was as much about “seasoning” those four as it was getting the freshmen players significant game experience.

This year’s roster was center ‘heavy’ and guard ‘light’. With these transfers, Thad should/better seek better balance in the position groups. Bill Landis makes a good argument in this regard. At least no upperclassmen (as of yet) have left the program, so it could have been a lot worse.

The post 2nd Thoughts: Ohio State Men’s Basketball Transfers appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State baseball at home this weekend against Bethune-Cookman
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 go out of conference, hosting the Wildcats at Bill Davis Stadium before the stretch run of Big Ten play begins.

Ohio State baseball has appeared to be hitting its stride the past few weeks. The Buckeyes have won nine of their last ten, several in gritty, come-from-behind fashion, and by winning percentage are the fourth-best team in the Big Ten.

This weekend, Ohio State gets a bye from conference play, as Bethune-Cookman comes to Columbus for a three-game series. After that, things heat up in a big way, as head coach Greg Beals' squad will play three of the next four weekends on the road at Maryland, Illinois, and Purdue. Consider the series with the Wildcats the final tuneup before the stretch run.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for the Buckeyes this spring has been the offensive productivity the team has displayed. Ohio State ranks atop the Big Ten in doubles, home runs, runs scored, and runs batted in, and third in slugging percentage. This from a team that had more questions than answers at the plate entering the season.

Senior third baseman Nick Sergakis is having an All-American-caliber season thus far, leading the conference with 40 hits in his 24 games and placing second with a .417 batting average, third with a .667 slugging percentage, and fourth with a .495 on-base percentage. His 1.162 OPS is second on the team.

Also filling up the stat sheet is redshirt junior right fielder Jacob Bosiokovic, whose 1.251 OPS bests that of Sergakis. After missing nine games with a hamstring injury, Bosiokovic returned last weekend against Northwestern and looked to have not skipped a beat. Hitting .339, the Delaware, Ohio native is second in the Big Ten with eight home runs, and his .814 slugging percentage would be tops if he qualified after the missed time.

While the offensive attack has been a pleasant surprise, the pitching staff has also been effective, if inconsistent. Buckeye hurlers currently lead the conference in strikeouts and have yielded the third-fewest number of walks. The weekend rotation of Tanner Tully, Adam Niemeyer, and John Havird have combined to strike out 95 batters and walk just 17 in 106.1 innings of work, good for a 5.6-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and eight strikeouts per nine innings.

Niemeyer in particular has looked great as of late, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his last three outings, and walking a grand total of just one batter in his last four. In 37 innings covering six starts, the right-hander has struck out 35 compared to just three free passes, a ridiculous 11.67-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Ohio State will have nearly half the season in rearview by the conclusion of the weekend, but the competition is about to increase dramatically. Before hitting the dog days of the Big Ten schedule and the march towards postseason play, it is important for the Buckeyes to defend their home turf.

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (11-15, 4-5 in the MEAC)


Fifth-year manager Jason Beverlin has built Bethune-Cookman into a competitive program during his tenure, and despite the team's record in 2016, the Wildcats are very capable of stealing a game or two in Columbus.

B-CU is hitting just .260 as a team, but averages over five runs a game and has a one through five in the lineup that is very dangerous. Where Beverlin's club has struggled is at the bottom of the order, but the top has some pop.

Left fielder Rakeem Quinn and second baseman Jameel Edney set the table in the top two spots, with each sporting an on-base percentage over .400. Quinn is hitting .303 and leads the team with eight stolen bases in eight attempts, while Edney is hitting .296, leads the team with seven doubles, and places third with 18 RBIs.

The power in the Wildcats' attack comes from the 3-4-5 hitters, who have a combined 15 homers and 56 runs driven in. Michael Cruz and Clay Middleton share the catching and DH duties, and both are having solid seasons. Cruz, hitting .333, leads the team with nine home runs, 21 RBIs, and a 1.157 OPS, while Middleton is hitting a club-best .375 with 14 driven in and a 1.106 OPS.

Rounding out the firepower is first baseman Danny Rodriguez, who is hitting just .250, but has contributed four longballs and 21 RBIs of his own.

Where Bethune-Cookman has had the most difficulty is on the mound. The Wildcat staff has a collective 5.62 earned run average and allows opposing hitters a .317 batting average. No one who has started a game for the team has an ERA below 4.50.

The weekend rotation consists of a trio of righties in German Hernandez, Tyler Norris, and Alex Seibold. Hernandez, a senior, is 3-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 34 innings pitched on the year, but has allowed a .326 opposition batting average and a team-high 12 extra-base hits.

The sophomore Norris has fared slightly better, going 3-1 and being hit at a .264 clip, He has a 5.54 ERA, but has a 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, tallying 30 punchouts to just six free passes in his 27.2 innings of work.

Rounding out the weekend is Seibold, another senior. His 1-3 record and 5.58 ERA may have something to do with opposing batters hitting him to the tune of .358 in his 29.1 innings.

Given the way Ohio State has been swinging the bats, every player one through nine should be licking his chops to get a piece of the B-CU staff. The Wildcats can score runs, so the Buckeyes will need to be aggressive from pitch one.

Game times and probable pitching matchups


Friday, April 1, 6:35 p.m. ET

Tully (3-1, 2.60 ERA) vs. Hernandez (3-1, 4.50)

Saturday, April 2, 3:05 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

Niemeyer (2-1, 3.41) vs. Norris (3-1, 5.54)

Sunday, April 3, 1:05 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

Havird (1-1, 3.89) vs. Seibold (1-3, 5.58)

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Top247 teammates visiting Buckeyes this weekend - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Top247 teammates visiting Buckeyes this weekend
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! Dave Biddle is out - he is sick on April Fool's Day, yeah right! - so Dan Rubin and Alex Gleitman had to be called up from ...

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Scout Profile
Rivals Profile
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St. John's Jesuit (Toledo, OH)
Ht: 6'3"
Wt: 192 lbs
Class: 2018 (High School)

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247 $ - Gant's recruitment about to take off

Plans on camping at Ohio State, Sparty, Notre Dame & attending the Nike Opening Regional camp in Chicago over the summer. Visited Ohio State in January and has been keeping contact with the staff.

247's #1 OLB, #4 Player in Ohio & #42 nationally for the 2018 class.

Big Ten Links: IU football staff, Richard Pitino & more
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

BTN.com's Tom Dienhart offers his Big Ten links.

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Former Ohio State basketball player involved in allegedly racially tinged melee in Israel
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


LaQuinton Ross was detained and video has surfaced of he and a teammate fighting a dozen or more men.

LaQuinton Ross' basketball career hasn't exactly gone according to script.

After an unsuccessful stint in Italy, Ross has settled into a reserve role for Hapoel Eilat B.C. in Israel.

Thursday night, Ross and fellow American teammate DeAndre Kane found themselves in a difficult situation outside a night club.

In troubling video that's since surfaced, the two basketball players were involved in a near riot, which they have since claimed was racially motivated:



The two would ultimately be detained, allegedly for scuffling with law enforcement, but later be released without any charges.

Talk about a scary situation to say the least.

Hopefully nobody was hurt and the legal process can get to the bottom of sorting everything out.

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Transfers appear to have only strengthened Thad Matta's resolve
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Ohio State coach does not anticipate further player transfers or changes to his coaching staff.

It's been a trying two weeks for Thad Matta and the Ohio State men's basketball program.

The Buckeyes missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007-08; with two of their top three leading scorers injured, they lost in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament; and their highly-touted five-man freshmen recruiting class has been reduced to one player.

And yet, when speaking to Land-Grant Holy Land by phone on Thursday, Matta was confident about the future of his program. Presuming redshirt sophomore center Trevor Thompson elects to postpone his professional basketball aspirations, Ohio State will bring back its top six scorers in 2016-17.

"I think all of these guys have a newfound hunger in terms of our program and what they need to do," Matta said.

Matta, who has been promoting his collaboration with Dove Men+Care, struck a resolute tone despite a trying 2015-16 campaign that culminated with a 74-66 setback to Florida on March 20. The Buckeyes finished 21-14 (11-7 Big Ten) this year -- Matta has now reached 20 wins in each of his 16 seasons as a head coach -- but they were also fraught with inconsistency, a predictable byproduct of doling out playing time to nine underclassmen.

However, there are some troubling trends. The Buckeyes' win total declined for the third straight year, and they placed outside of Big Ten title contention for a third consecutive season, finishing seventh in the conference after placing sixth in 2014-15 and fifth in 2013-14.

Though Ohio State's core remains intact, the program's depth was dealt at least a temporary blow earlier this week when freshmen Daniel Giddens, A.J. Harris, and Mickey Mitchell announced their intentions to transfer. In December, Austin Grandstaff became the first member of the Buckeyes' No. 5-ranked 2015 recruiting class to leave the program.

"We pretty much knew those guys were going to go before it happened," Matta said of Giddens, Harris, and Mitchell's determinations to split from the program.

Matta does not foresee any further player defections or changes to his coaching staff.

"I think everything else is in check," he said.

When queried on what excites him about Ohio State moving forward, Matta again referenced the likely return of team's top six scorers (Marc Loving, Keita Bates-Diop, Jae'Sean Tate, JaQuan Lyle, Kam Williams, Thompson) while also citing his incoming recruiting class that consists of a pair of Ohio natives in forward Derek Funderburk and forward/center Micah Potter.

"I love the guys we're adding. They're coming to Ohio State for all the right reasons," Matta said. "We're going to put a group of guys on the floor that are Buckeyes. That, to me, is the most important thing."

Matta also addressed a few other subjects:

On the recoveries of Tate (left shoulder surgery) and Bates-Diop (mononucleosis): "Jae'Sean's rehab is going great. He's right on schedule."

"Keita is putting weight back on. He looks a heck of a lot better than he did when [he contracted mono]. That's kind of an ongoing deal. If you saw him late in the season, you knew he wasn't himself. The recovery takes time in terms of the spleen and not getting hit and all that stuff. He's in great spirits."

On Lyle's potential: "I don't think he's scratching the ceiling yet of what he's capable of becoming. His mind is in a great place right now. With that said, he's going to have a heck of a sophomore year."

On what keeps him coming back after 26 seasons as a college coach: "I enjoy taking a group of guys and bringing them together as one. It excites me when Evan Turner calls me and is very, very upset with guys that have chose to do something else, because [the players] are the guys that built the program. This thing is about a family. It's about becoming one. That's what keeps me going at it."

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2016 Ohio State Spring Football Preview: Youth Will Be Served, Early And Often – DT Preview
Chip Minnich 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

“Almost everything that is great has been done by youth…” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

Ohio State began spring football practice on March 8th. Heading into the 2016 college football season, Ohio State will have 44 players on its roster designated as either a redshirt freshman (21 of the 25 players signed in February 2015), or a true freshman. For a roster that can have only 85 scholarship players, Ohio State will have around 52% of its roster with no playing time experience. As former Ohio State Head Coach John Cooper used to say, “If a dog is going to bite you, it will bite you as a pup.”.

For the next several weeks, I will be writing position group previews, leading up to the Ohio State Spring Football Game in Ohio Stadium on April 16th, 2016. These position groups will be ranked, from least to most concern, as I perceive them. It is entirely possible that my concerns, as well as the coaching staff’s concerns, will be reevaluated after the spring game.

3rd – Defensive Tackle

Players Lost – Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt, Joel Hale. Say what you want about how it ended, but Ohio State lost a great deal of experience and dependability when Washington, Schutt, and Hale all exhausted their eligibility as Buckeyes.

Returning Players/Incoming Players – Malik Barrow (Freshman), Jashon Cornell (Redshirt Freshman), Michael Hill (Redshirt Junior), Dre’Mont Jones (Redshirt Freshman), Donovan Munger (Redshirt Junior), Tracy Sprinkle (Redshirt Junior), Dylan Thompson (Redshirt Sophomore), Joshua Alabi (Redshirt Freshman), Davon Hamilton (Redshirt Freshman), Robert Landers (Redshirt Freshman).

A few things to keep in mind as it relates to this position group…

· The 2016 Fiesta Bowl actually gave Ohio State coaches and the fans a glimpse at what the 2016 season would be like, without the aforementioned Washington, Schutt, and Hale. Michael Hill, Donovan Munger, and Tracy Sprinkle all seem poised to rotate at these interior defensive line spots. With teams such as Oklahoma and Wisconsin on the schedule in 2016, teams that can and have run the ball effectively between the tackles, having a strong interior defensive line is a must for the Buckeyes. Nothing can be more discouraging for a defense than to have the opposing team be able to run the ball at will, killing the clock, while maintaining possession. Hill, Munger, and Sprinkle will all need to rise to the occasion for the Buckeyes this season. The lack of experienced depth at this position is why I have ranked defensive tackle third in my concerns of most pressing questions for the Buckeyes this spring.

· If there is a player along the interior defensive line I am most anxious to see in the upcoming spring game on April 16th, it is Robert Landers. Landers was a later addition to the 2015 recruiting class, and did not play at all in 2015. Landers nearly played in 2015, but was able to be withheld from game action.

· Ohio State has moved Dre’Mont Jones and Jashon Cornell from defensive end to the interior defensive line positions this spring. Just like Robert Landers, neither Jones or Cornell played in 2015. Jones redshirted due to a knee injury sustained in high school basketball, so it will bear watching to see how much, if any, that he plays in the upcoming spring game on April 16th.

· Malik Barrow is an early enrollee at defensive line, participating in spring practices. Barrow sustained a knee injury in high school that may impact how much, if any, that he will play in the spring game on April 16th.

· Davon Hamilton seems to have caught the eye of Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer in a positve light ~



· If there is a player who seems to be in the doghouse of the coaches, Dylan Thompson may qualify. Thompson redshirted his freshman season in 2014, due to a knee injury. Thompson did not play in 2015, and seems to be in the now or never mode of making a move on the depth chart. When asked about Thompson, Urban Meyer stated his desire of Thompson as spring practices began was “do something. Underline that, do something.”. That does not sound like an endorsement bathed in warmth and love from the head coach.

These questions, among others, have been on my mind, as Ohio State resumed spring practice on March 22nd.




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Buckeyes seek replacement for Elliott - Highlands Today
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes seek replacement for Elliott
Highlands Today
COLUMBUS, Ohio — With Ezekiel Elliott preparing for the NFL draft next month, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is at spring practice trying to figure out how to replace one of the greatest Buckeyes ball carriers of all time. Meyer must find the player ...
Watch: Alford: 'Curtis Samuel is a tough dude'247Sports
Ohio State Football: Buckeye Running Backs and Offensive Linemen Talk Spring FootballScout
Dunn hoping to seize the opportunityBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)

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Making The List: Linda Kalafatis
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Spring is here. The trees are blooming – blossoming – whatever the proper term is – as the beauty of nature will soon arrive. With the warmth in the air comes the stepping out of the arena sports such as basketball, hockey, and wrestling to name a few. Baseball, softball, track and field is here. This week in Making the List we will turn that corner too, just as nature has.

Linda Kalafatis spent 16 years as the Head Coach of The Ohio State University Women’s Softball team. From 1997 through 2012 she guided the Buckeyes to a 538-358 record which earns her title to the best win total and winning percentage in the school’s program history. She has led the Buckeyes to six NCAA Tournament berths, including the program’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional appearance in 2009.

She had established herself as one of the more reliable and successful coaches in both the Big Ten and the NCAA. Kalafatis became only the 19th coach ever in NCAA history to eclipse the 800 mark in wins.

Under her guidance, the Buckeyes seized both the Big Ten regular season and tournament crowns in 2007, and finished the year ranked in the Top 25 with a 40-18 record. Kalafatis, who earned her second Big Ten Coach of the Year honor in that 2007 season, has led the Buckeyes to at least 30 wins in 10 of her 16 seasons with the squad. Kalafatis also earned conference Coach of the Year honors in 2002 when the team recorded a program-record 55 wins and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

In 2007 Kalafatis and her staff at OSU were recognized by the National fast-pitch (NFCA) as the regional coaching staff of the year. She also would serve as the Division I representative, the Chair of the D-I Head Coaches Committee and would also be a member of the Executive Board.

Linda’s ability to develop both effective athletes along with the student-reality was admirable. She would have two Ohio State Female Athletes of the Year, nine All-Americans, a Big Ten Athlete of the Year and two Big Ten Freshmen of the Year. She would also coach nine players whom headed to the Women’s Professional Fast-Pitch League. She recruited and coached over 150 OSU Scholar-Athletes and two Academic All-Americans. Her team would maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and a 1,000 on the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate, equating to a perfect graduation rate.

Under Kalafatis’s reign would be batting great(s) such as Alicia Herron, Ashley Cutcliff and Anna Smith. Homer titan – Sam Marde would also play under Kalafatis. Pitching greats such as Kim Reeder and Jamee Juarez also played under the expert watch of Coach Kalafatis.

Coach Linda Kalafatis is deserving of notice in Making the List of Buckeye Greats. She not only has the most wins ever in the Softball program of The Ohio State University – along with the winning percentage – but she has that amazing unnoticed achievement that should be the foremost discussion of her greatness – a perfect graduation rate among her players. That has to be envied among coaches elsewhere. Linda is a great Buckeye that achieved a tremendous lot within the confines of OSU. She completely belongs in the acknowledgement of her wondrous achievements.

The post Making The List: Linda Kalafatis appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Multiple Big Ten schools are gunning for the same lineman, and you can bet Ohio State's in the mix
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are in the mix for a talented Maryland prospect.

The Ohio State football program is reshuffling its recruiting board as multiple pledges decided to de-commit and open their recruitment back up. Wait for it...April Fools. While that was an average-at-best joke, it's not debatable that this current Ohio State recruiting class is well above-average. In fact, it's in the elite range. With so many prospects on board, the Buckeyes will be more selective as the process continues to next signing day.

An offer went out to offensive line/defensive line prospect P.J. Mustipher on Thursday afternoon. Mustipher, from Maryland, checks in at 6'5, 275 pounds and currently holds six offers. A class of 2018 prospect, Mustipher is slowly starting to put together an impressive resume as of the last few months. Other offers include Penn State and Tennessee. He is also scheduled to visit Michigan State today. Though he has the ability to play either side of the ball at the next level, it's more likely he ends up on the offensive side of the ball. Mustipher has a ton of strength and is very athletic for his size. Ohio State is on him relatively early and will now be in the driver's seat to watch him progress over the next year before things start to get more serious.



Per multiple reports, it's clear that Centennial-Corona High School wide receiver Manuel Allen will be back in Columbus for their spring game. Allen just visited Ohio State last weekend--a trip that obviously went very well. Allen, a 2018 prospect, has not garnered a ton of attention yet on the recruiting trail, but has a solid skill set and good frame at 6'1. He still has room to grow as well. Centennial High School is infamous for getting players to the next level and it doesn't hurt that he'll be playing alongside Tyjon Lindsey this upcoming season. 2018 is expected to be like 2017 when it comes to WR recruiting, though. There is a ton of top talent that Ohio State is in on so the coaches can afford to be picky. If Allen continues to show signs of interest and his performance on the field is adequate over the next couple seasons, there's a solid chance that he'll be in the fold for Ohio State in the future.



QUICK HITS:


- It shouldn't come as a surprise, but Tyjon Lindsey announced his top ten. Yes, the Buckeyes were included.


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Dunn in running to replace Buckeyes' Elliott - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Dunn in running to replace Buckeyes' Elliott
Toledo Blade
COLUMBUS — As the Ohio State football team continues its open spring auditions to replace running back Ezekiel Elliott, the first man in line might come as a surprise. It is not one of the NFL-bound star's heralded young understudies, but one of his ...
A national Columbus recruit? Why Ohio State's pursuit of Jaelen Gill could be atypical for the Buckeyescleveland.com
Ohio State seeks replacement for departed RB ElliottEast Oregonian (subscription)

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Bills getting to know Buckeyes' Lee - Buffalo News
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Bills getting to know Buckeyes' Lee
Buffalo News
Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee is visiting with the Buffalo Bills Thursday night and Friday, a source said. One of the best linebacker prospects in the draft, Lee projects as an early-to-mid first rounder and would certainly fit a major need in ...

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The Hurry Up: 2018 Defensive Lineman Checking Out Buckeyes, Nate Bauer Visits, Houston Griffith Update - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The Hurry Up: 2018 Defensive Lineman Checking Out Buckeyes, Nate Bauer Visits, Houston Griffith Update
Eleven Warriors
The Buckeyes tried in 2014 to land Sam Mustipher, one of the country's premier high school offensive linemen at the time, but he opted for Notre Dame, picking the Irish from more than 25 offers. Today, defensive tackle PJ Mustipher, the younger brother ...
Ohio State Buckeyes Fortunate To Not Be Losing SeniorsBT Powerhouse (blog)
Buckeyes receive visit from, offer top 25 prospect in 2018247Sports
5-star WR from Michigan will roam sidelines at Ohio State spring gameLand-Grant Holy Land
ESPN (blog) -cleveland.com -The Olympian
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Scout Profile
Rivals Profile
247 Profile



Harrisburg (PA)
Ht: 6'2"
Wt: 170 lbs
Class: 2018 (High School)

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Early offers from Penn State, WVU, Rutgers, Temple & Syracuse.

Buckeyes receive visit from, offer top 25 prospect in 2018 - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes receive visit from, offer top 25 prospect in 2018
247Sports
Ohio State has hosted so many big time visitors over the past two weeks, but one of them flew under almost everyone's radar today. The Buckeyes received a visit from Owings Mills (MD) McDonogh 2018 DT PJ Mustipher today, and the two parties made the ...
Ohio State Buckeyes Fortunate To Not Be Losing SeniorsBT Powerhouse (blog)
The Hurry Up: 2018 Defensive Lineman Checking Out Buckeyes, Nate Bauer Visits, Houston Griffith UpdateEleven Warriors
5-star WR from Michigan will roam sidelines at Ohio State spring gameLand-Grant Holy Land
cleveland.com -247Sports -Scout
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Bills getting to know Buckeyes' Lee - Bills Blitz - The Buffalo News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Bills getting to know Buckeyes' Lee
Bills Blitz - The Buffalo News
Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee is visiting with the Buffalo Bills Thursday night and Friday, a source said. One of the best linebacker prospects in the draft, Lee projects as an early-to-mid first rounder and would certainly fit a major need in ...

and more »

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