Updated July 18, 2006

Bucks Land PA Lineman
Offensive guard Evan Blankenship of Monaca (PA) Center Area has committed to Ohio State. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman notified Jim Tressel today that he intends to wear the scarlet and gray in 2007.

Both Pitt and Temple had offered Blankenship, and Notre Dame and Michigan were in hot pursuit. Blankenship’s family has strong Ohio roots and he made it clear last week that Ohio State would be tough for any school to beat.

SI.com - 2006 NCAA Football Preview - Ohio State
"At Ohio State, a place once known as "the graveyard of coaches," Jim Tressel has managed to find a cushy seat with 50 wins in five years and the 2002 national championship. However, Tressel could be taken out of his comfort zone in '06 even though the Buckeyes, once again, will be expected to contend for the title."

Buckeyes, Irish on Collision Course but WVU Could Crash Party 
"Despite losing nine of 11 defensive starters, Ohio State is the clear-cut choice as the nation’s No. 1 team in the preseason. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 in eight of the 15 polls we used. No other team received more than three first-place votes..."

Preseason Consensus Poll: July 10 Update 
From Bucknuts: "We are back once again with the latest update of our world renowned Preseason Consensus Poll. This is where we take the various published preseason polls from national magazines and Internet sites and mold them into one poll. We take that data and also plug teams into the various BCS bowls. Ohio State, led by QB Troy Smith, is the early No. 1 pick..."

From cstv.com: Ohio State Team Report 
"...The 2006 season, however, comes down to two things: Is Troy Smith as good as advertised and can the Buckeyes replace Nine starters on defense, including the country's best LB corps in A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel? Hawk and Carpenter were first round picks and Schlegel was taken before the end of the first day..."

"The Ohio State bandwagon won’t be crowded for long." 
ESPN college football personality Lee Corso, set to begin his 53 rd college football season as a player, coach or television analyst, spoke to the Atlanta Sports Council’s Kickoff Luncheon on Friday and doesn't like what OSU has lost on defense.

Wake up the echoes: Irish will win national title 
The Sporting News states: "Notre Dame has genius of Weis, talent of Quinn and easy schedule..." Wait a minute, haven't we heard this before? Oh yes...in the six weeks leading up to this year's Fiesta Bowl.

BuckeyeSports.com Ohio 2007 Top 50
"After a seemingly endless wait, it's time to unveil the preseason edition of BuckeyeSports.com's top 50 Ohioans for the class of 2007. We've examined things in detail and come up with a list we think will spur debate but will also provide a roadmap to the best players in the state, including our choice at the top, Cincinnati Colerain's Eugene Clifford. Check out the rankings in this free story from BuckeyeSports.com."

From Bucknuts: Ohio's Top Player Clifford, (6-2, 190, 4.45), denies a leader, but seems to favor Ohio State and Michigan; both have offered. Clifford said, "Ohio State has offered me. I really connected to coaches, (John) Peterson (recruiting coordinator) and Tim Beckman (defensive backs), when I first met them. Ohio State is a little over two hours from home. My parents want me to go there because it's close and they are big Buckeyes fans."

JSU lands ex-Ohio State back Eric Haw
Running back Eric Haw is transferring Jackson State.

OSU & Many Others Want Ben Martin Cincinnati (OH) LaSalle defensive end Ben Martin, the Rivals.com No. 2 prospect in the Buckeye state, visited Ohio State this past week. Word is that it will be either OSU or ND that he signs with. Stay tuned.

Barton High on Offensive Line Potential
From The Ozone: "Barton explained that job security was not the only issue involved in the decision to sit out last spring. Simply put, he, along with the OSU coaching staff, felt that with his level of experience there was more to be gained by sitting out than by participating, though that might not have been true for him earlier in his career."

O'Dowd says OSU will make the cut
From BuckeyeSports.com: Tucson (AZ) Salpointe Catholic offensive guard Kristofer O'Dowd is a four-star talent and one of the top 100 players in the nation. The 6-foot-5, 315 pounder had hoped to make a trip to Ohio State this summer but wasn't able to do so. However, he said: "I can tell you that Ohio State will be in my top six schools."

Four-star New York TE to visit OSU
From BuckeyeSports.com: Williamsville (N.Y.) North tight end Rob Gronkowski, a four-star prospect who has 25 scholarship offers including one from the Buckeyes, says he will visit Ohio State before the end of the summer. Gronkowski also says he will likely make an official visit to OSU.

Matt Clements, the No. 43 overall prospect, has an offer
From BuckeyeSports.com: Clements of Naples Barron Collier, who is 6'2" 185 lbs and runs the 40 im 4.34 secs, has the size, speed and athletic ability that has made him a must have for several major colleges recruiting him, including Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, Ohio State and West Virginia. Clements recently broke the Barron Collier school record in the 400-meter dash and is expected to play multiple positions for his team this fall.

Watch highlight video of his HS play.

Five-star wide receiver Deonte Thompson
From BuckeyeSports.com: Deonte Thompson WR from Belle Glade (FL) Glades Central, rated by Rivals as the #4 WR in the country, has an OSU offer. He is thought to be a FSU lean. He attends the same high school that both Santonio Holmes and Albert Dukes attended, "Thompson has heard plenty of good things about OSU from Holmes and Dukes, and says when he narrows his list down sometime next month, Ohio State stands a good chance of remaining in contention for his services."

OSU on top for Georgia corner
Georgia cornerback Vance Cuff has started gaining attention from schools around the Southeastern Conference, but he currently has one a little farther North as his leader. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder with 4.4 speed is being checked out by most of the SEC. "I like the fact that Ohio State is cornerback U," Cuff said. "They have the most active corners in the NFL. I have the chance to play on another level if I go there,..I would say Ohio State is my No. 1 choice right now."

Hughes schedules official visit to OSU
Chicago Hubbard star Robert Hughes, 5'11" and 226 lbs, rushed for 1892 yards and 19 touchdowns during his junior season. He has scheduled an official visit with the Buckeyes December 1.

Four Star Linebacker to Visit OSU
Fairfield (OH) High School's Dewey Elliot will be visiting OSU. Everyone is high on this linebacker. However, reports are that his grades are not yet what they need to be to gain admission to Ohio State.

Georgia Lineman Has Bucks On List
From BuckeyeSports.com: Gainesville (GA) offensive lineman Nick Claytor, a prime target of the Buckeyes, attended OSU's advanced camp on June 3 and plans to take an official visit when the Buckeyes play Michigan. "I've been to Ohio State, Auburn and Georgia Tech," said Claytor, a four-star prospect and member of the Rivals100. "I'm looking at Ohio State, Auburn, Georgia Tech, LSU and Florida State. It's really down to those five."

Take a Look at 2007 Prospects for the Buckeyes
From Scout: Here you can take a look at a comprehensive list of prospects that OSU is looking at for 2007.

Rivals' 2007 Offer List for the Buckeyes
From Buckeye Sports: A comprehensive list of those prospects that OSU has offered for 2007.

2007 Top 100 Recruits "The first 2007 Scout.com National Top 100 and initial prospect rankings are unveiled. Who's the No. 1 prospect in the country? Well, to many it will be a suprise that it's not running back Noel Devine or quarterback Jimmy Clausen." (Here's a hint: it's the player pictured. Here's more.

Wendy’s planning Buckeye burger 
Sandwich with OSU theme to appear on menus next month...

Ohio State Buckeyes: Preview 2006 
How do you lose most of an NFL caliber defense and be better? Ohio State appears to have reloaded on D, while Antonio Pittman and the offense should be terrific.

What Big 10 freshmen will make an immediate impact for their teams? 
"Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State - Scout.com's top prospect from this past recruiting season, Wells is a bruising back that has been compared to Adrian Peterson. At 6-1, 220 and with 4.5 speed, he has the tools to step on the field from day one. Expect Wells to share carries with 1,000-yard runner Antonio Pittman. He will fit in nicely to his role with this new high-octane offense the Buckeyes are sporting."

"Ross Homan, LB, Ohio State - While the Buckeyes lost 9 starters from last year's outstanding defense, the cupboard is not bare. Homan is already being compared to A.J. Hawk with his natural feel for the game, along with his ability to close on a play. Just another in a long line of outstanding Buckeye linebackers."

2006 CFN Redshirt Freshman All-America Team 
"For the past year, they have watched and waited, listened and learned. They’ve added muscle, committed the playbook to memory and practiced without fanfare on the scout team. They are redshirt freshmen and their time to break free from a season’s worth of anonymity and down time has finally arrived." CollegeFootballNews.com mentions one player from Ohio State. Do you know who it is?

Captain's Corner: D-Line Play Will Be The Key 
From Bucknuts: "In a year of inexperience on the Buckeye defense, it will be up to the defensive line to step up and take pressure off the back seven. How would that be instrumental in the defense's success? Jerry Rudzinski discusses it in this week's Captain's Corner..."

Don't Believe the (Preseason) Hype 
Which teams are the most consistently overrated (and underrated) by the preseason polls?

Mr. Bucknuts' Bucket Of Bullets 
From Bucknuts: "You may follow football recruiting every day of the year, know who all the recruiting targets are, and know everything about all the OSU commitments, but do you really know anything about what recruits the Ohio State football program really want? The answer to that question, Mr. Bucknuts says, is probably not. That and more in the latest version of the Bucket of Bullets..."

Daniel "Boom" Herron Talks About Verbal To Ohio State
From Bucknuts: Herron of Warren G. Harding picked Ohio State over Michigan. At 5-10 and 200 pounds, Herron, with 4.52 speed and a 37-inch vertical, is considered the best running back in the State and a four star player.

"Everyone will wonder why he chose Ohio State with Chris Wells there," Harding coach Thom McDaniels told the Warren Tribune-Chronicle. "Dan Herron is a competitor. He's not going to back down to anyone."

Dane Sanzenbacher Commits To Ohio State
From Bucknuts: "A first-team all-state pick, Sanzenbacher finished with 65 receptions for more than 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns. He added 60 tackles and 11 interceptions." They say the sky is the limit for his upside potential.

Eddie leads newest Hall of Fame class
Rivals.com is reporting: "Even though his playing days are over, Eddie George is still bringing home honors for his play on the field. The Heisman-winning former Ohio State tailback headlines the 29th class to be inducted into the Ohio State Varsity "O" Hall of Fame."

Low points in sporting events 
The Washington Post put the headbutt uncorked by France's Zinedine Zidane alongside Woody Hayes' reenactment of "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out" in the pantheon of sports' low points.

See the video of Hayes punching Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman
Click on the Highlight Video & Audio link in the navigation below.

Eddie George Opens Restaurant: Eddie George's Grill 27 Eddie George's Grill 27 covers many fields. Named after the former OSU Heisman Trophy Winner and Tennessee Titans running back, the restaurant prominently features "27," the number on his jersey. So there are 27 wines, 27 different kinds of beer, 27 specialty drinks and a 27-ounce porterhouse steak, which in a perfect world would be $27 but is closer to twice the price. About 40 flat-screen TVs envelop nearly every square inch of the place, making it the ultimate media play. Colmbus' NBC4i Online Video Report and also from NBC4i Online a photo slideshow:  Take a look inside Eddie George's restaurant

Troy Smith will get diploma, send out message of hope
"Because of what Troy Smith will do at Ohio Stadium today, kids who are up against it on the mean streets of his youth in Cleveland have a little brighter future..."

Ginn Featured In Cleveland Schools Ad Campaign Here's another story related to the above and a picture of the billboard with TGII. Photo Gallery: Smith And Ginn Billboards

The Truth About Ray Small 
The lingering question for months about the Cleveland Glenville speedster and Ohio State recruit, compared to Ted Ginn, Jr. has been: Is Ray Small In? The article above seems to clear this up. And this just in: HE IS OFFICIALLY IN!

Four Ohio State Players Named to Preseason Watch Lists
From CoachTressel.com: "Quarterback Troy Smith, flanker Ted Ginn Jr. and tailback Antonio Pittman have been named to the 60-man preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award which is presented annually by that organization to the College Football Player of the Year..."

Buckeyes, Sooners lead post-spring Top 25 
ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel writes: "Can Texas repeat without Vince Young? Will Ohio State find the answers on defense? Is West Virginia really a contender? Are Notre Dame and Oklahoma among the challengers? Spring practices provided some answers to those questions, so it's time to take an early look at the Top 25 for 2006."

Big Recruit For OSU? 
Kyle Long, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long, is taking an interest in Ohio State. Kyle took an unofficial visit to Ohio State over the Easter holiday. He is one of the country’s top projected offensive tackles in the class of 2008.

Walter Dublin: Counting The Days 
From Buckeye Sports: "During the recruiting process, Sarasota, Fla. defensive end Walter Dublin was struck by the atmosphere and family feel of Ohio State -- so much so that he ended up leaving the confines of the only home he's known and headed North to Columbus..."

Ranking the 10 best coaches...and the five worst 
Sports Illustrated writer Stewart Mandel's offers his take on the best and worst college coaches. JT is on the list but has dropped a notch.

You Won't Guess Who This is! 
"...He almost always wears his 2002 Ohio State football national championship ring..."

scUM Wolverines Preview 2006 
"When you go 7-5 at Michigan, you're going to be on a hot seat. When you go 7-5 at Michigan and lose to Ohio State in four of the last five seasons..."

Not football news but...

Girls Of OSU Calendar
Several Ohio State University students struck a pose at Put In Bay last week for a new calendar...

Are the Girls of OSU too hot for Ohio State? 

Students Pose For Girls Of OSU Calendar 

'Women of OSU' pose for calendar 

Not football news either...

College Sports No. 1 Fans 
Check out Sports Illustrated's Top 14 Celebrity College Sports Fans.

Home Sweet Home: college football's top stadiums 
Well do you agree? Personally, I'm not so sure. Of course this in just one person's opinion...and like rear orifices everyone has one. Take a look and see what you think.

Buckeye Nation makes you believe 
ESPN's Page 2 tour of college football continues by hanging out in Block O at Ohio State: "It's in the faithful. It's in the faith. This is the thing that gives the Buckeyes an edge, the Ohio State spirit, the unwavering practice of devotion, devotion the way Woody would want it, and the way John Cooper never could understand. It's a thing so deep it has no roots, so wide it's got no shores. It's a thing that can't be contained, can't be kept under a bushel, or left lying quiet in a heart. It's a thing that has to be sung out, made manifest."

Listen online to 1460 The Fan! 
"Sports Radio 1460 The Fan is always on -- online. Listen to the Ohio State Buckeyes...anywhere in the world."

In a related development, Jim Karsatos said he will not be the sideline reporter on Buckeyes' football radio broadcasts this season. No official word on who WBNS is signing to replace him. Stay tuned.