Gene Ross
Guest
Buckeye Bits: Cam Martinez as a two-way player, Meyer picks Lawrence over Fields, NBA Draft in October, more
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond
Welcome to Buckeye Bits — our daily news roundup on everything happening at Ohio State and around the sports world. We’ve been without sporting events for quite some time now, and while things like the KBO and the Bundesliga have attempted to fill the void, its just not quite the same as the action we have been stripped of these past few months. With that being said, its looking like there is a ton of positive momentum for these sports to return, especially so when it comes to college football.
Without further ado, let’s check out today’s headlines.
From around Land-Grant Holy Land...
Despite already having the nation’s top class, Ohio State is still in on some of the top remaining unsigned prospects in the country. A pair of four-star recruits plan on making their college decision sometime later this month, and both of them have included the Buckeyes among their top schools. Definitely something to keep an eye on.
A bunch of college football players traded in their jerseys for one of a different color this offseason, and maybe none of these transfers will have a bigger impact on the landscape of the sport as a whole than Trey Sermon’s move to Ohio State. With a beat up running back room, Sermon adds much needed depth and experience to the roster.
One of the biggest hurdles Ohio State faces heading into 2020 is replacing a ton of star power on defense. No star shined brighter in 2019 than Chase Young, and now Ryan Day and his staff must find a way to replace his massive production by use of a committee of talented pass rushers.
Ohio State announced it’s new university president on Wednesday, C.J. Saunders and Tuf Borland spoke out in support of social justice, and much, much more in yesterday’s news roundup.
From around the gridiron...
Ohio State QB Jack Miller has weathered a ton of adversity before even stepping foot on campus. Committing to the Buckeyes back in the summer of 2018, he watched his school go through a huge coaching change, watched his recruiting ranking slip due to injuries in his last two high school seasons, and then saw OSU recruit another QB with a higher rating in his same class. Still, Miller did not waiver in his commitment, and now he is ready to fight for the backup job behind Justin Fields this season.
Ohio State hasn’t had too many players adept at playing both sides of the ball. Guys like Zach Boren, who played both fullback and linebacker, and most notably Chris Gamble, who played both wide receiver and corner, are the guys who first come to mind. Cam Martinez could be the next guy in line to hear his name called on both offense and defense, however the former high school QB is mostly preparing to be a defensive back at the next level.
Here’s how the Big Noon Kickoff crew and CFB on FOX fans ranked their preseason top 5 QBs
Whose list do you agree with the most? pic.twitter.com/llLsmqmQzk
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) June 4, 2020
Sources: At least 5 Alabama football players have tested positive for COVID-19.https://t.co/qpw6fV9uXe pic.twitter.com/CiXthrVaku
— 247Sports (@247Sports) June 4, 2020
As Murphy explains, it’s rare that basketball players remain on one team for long periods of time in the pros, let alone overseas. That has not been the case for former Ohio State small forward David Lighty, who just signed a contract extension with AVSEL Basketball in Lyon, France, keeping him with the team through 2024. Having played for AVSEL since 2017, Lighty was originally a member of the “Thad Five” in the famed Buckeye recruiting class of 2006.
NBA has set an August 25 Draft Lottery and October 15 Draft, sources say.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 4, 2020From everywhere else...
From the of our Buckeye student-athletes:
A call for unity and equality for all. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Z8ykhJRihK
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) June 4, 2020
Sources: The NBA informed the Board of Governors of scheduled dates:
- Training camp: June 30, July 7 travel to Orlando
- 2019-20 season: July 31
- Free agency: Oct. 18
- 2020-21 targets: Nov. 10 training camp, Dec. 1 opening night (can remain fluid)
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2020
Just in: All-Pac-12 punter Michael Turk will return to Arizona State.
He declared for NFL Draft after his sophomore season. Participated in NFL Combine. Signed with agent. Went undrafted.
But ASU appealed to NCAA and got his college eligibility restored.
— Doug Haller (@DougHaller) June 3, 2020
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond
Welcome to Buckeye Bits — our daily news roundup on everything happening at Ohio State and around the sports world. We’ve been without sporting events for quite some time now, and while things like the KBO and the Bundesliga have attempted to fill the void, its just not quite the same as the action we have been stripped of these past few months. With that being said, its looking like there is a ton of positive momentum for these sports to return, especially so when it comes to college football.
Without further ado, let’s check out today’s headlines.
From around Land-Grant Holy Land...
- Two Ohio State targets expected to commit in June
(Tia Johnston, LGHL)
Despite already having the nation’s top class, Ohio State is still in on some of the top remaining unsigned prospects in the country. A pair of four-star recruits plan on making their college decision sometime later this month, and both of them have included the Buckeyes among their top schools. Definitely something to keep an eye on.
- Trey Sermon’s move to Ohio State the most impactful transfer of 2020
(Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL)
A bunch of college football players traded in their jerseys for one of a different color this offseason, and maybe none of these transfers will have a bigger impact on the landscape of the sport as a whole than Trey Sermon’s move to Ohio State. With a beat up running back room, Sermon adds much needed depth and experience to the roster.
- How will Ohio State replace the production of Chase Young?
(Gene Ross, LGHL)
One of the biggest hurdles Ohio State faces heading into 2020 is replacing a ton of star power on defense. No star shined brighter in 2019 than Chase Young, and now Ryan Day and his staff must find a way to replace his massive production by use of a committee of talented pass rushers.
- Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits
(Tia Johnston, LGHL)
Ohio State announced it’s new university president on Wednesday, C.J. Saunders and Tuf Borland spoke out in support of social justice, and much, much more in yesterday’s news roundup.
From around the gridiron...
- Jack Miller not shying away from competition for Buckeyes
(Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row)
Ohio State QB Jack Miller has weathered a ton of adversity before even stepping foot on campus. Committing to the Buckeyes back in the summer of 2018, he watched his school go through a huge coaching change, watched his recruiting ranking slip due to injuries in his last two high school seasons, and then saw OSU recruit another QB with a higher rating in his same class. Still, Miller did not waiver in his commitment, and now he is ready to fight for the backup job behind Justin Fields this season.
- Two-way athlete Cameron Martinez “mainly preparing” to play defense
(Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors)
Ohio State hasn’t had too many players adept at playing both sides of the ball. Guys like Zach Boren, who played both fullback and linebacker, and most notably Chris Gamble, who played both wide receiver and corner, are the guys who first come to mind. Cam Martinez could be the next guy in line to hear his name called on both offense and defense, however the former high school QB is mostly preparing to be a defensive back at the next level.
- The top two QBs in college football in 2020 are pretty obvious: it’s Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence. The order in which you rank those two, however, are very much up in the air. The Fox CFB guys ranked their preseason top five QBs heading into the season, and both the fans and Reggie Bush had Fields as their No. 1. Everyone else had Trevor Lawrence, including former OSU head coach Urban Meyer.
Here’s how the Big Noon Kickoff crew and CFB on FOX fans ranked their preseason top 5 QBs
Whose list do you agree with the most? pic.twitter.com/llLsmqmQzk
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) June 4, 2020
- Ohio State doesn’t have any plans to test all of its student athletes for COVID-19 upon their return to campus, but maybe they should re-consider given what’s going on in the south.
Sources: At least 5 Alabama football players have tested positive for COVID-19.https://t.co/qpw6fV9uXe pic.twitter.com/CiXthrVaku
— 247Sports (@247Sports) June 4, 2020
- If Chase Young says he ready, he ready.
- David Lighty signs two-year contract extension with ASVEL
(Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts)
As Murphy explains, it’s rare that basketball players remain on one team for long periods of time in the pros, let alone overseas. That has not been the case for former Ohio State small forward David Lighty, who just signed a contract extension with AVSEL Basketball in Lyon, France, keeping him with the team through 2024. Having played for AVSEL since 2017, Lighty was originally a member of the “Thad Five” in the famed Buckeye recruiting class of 2006.
- It looks like former Ohio State forward Kaleb Wesson will have to continue to wait to hear his name called in the 2020 NBA Draft, as the league has pushed the Draft Lottery to Aug. 25 and the draft itself to Oct. 15, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
NBA has set an August 25 Draft Lottery and October 15 Draft, sources say.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 4, 2020
- Ohio State student-athletes from across multiple sports continue to speak out for social justice and racial equality as the country as a whole fights for change.
From the of our Buckeye student-athletes:
A call for unity and equality for all. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Z8ykhJRihK
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) June 4, 2020
- If you ever wondered why players seem to like Ryan Day so much, this is why.
- The NBA is BACK.
Sources: The NBA informed the Board of Governors of scheduled dates:
- Training camp: June 30, July 7 travel to Orlando
- 2019-20 season: July 31
- Free agency: Oct. 18
- 2020-21 targets: Nov. 10 training camp, Dec. 1 opening night (can remain fluid)
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2020
- While I have a ton of questions as to why a punter would declare early for the NFL Draft, it will be interesting to see if this sets a precedent for student-athletes moving forward. The NBA and college basketball already allow players to test the draft market and then return to school, could the NFL and college football be next?
Just in: All-Pac-12 punter Michael Turk will return to Arizona State.
He declared for NFL Draft after his sophomore season. Participated in NFL Combine. Signed with agent. Went undrafted.
But ASU appealed to NCAA and got his college eligibility restored.
— Doug Haller (@DougHaller) June 3, 2020
Continue reading...