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Let’s Start Paying College Athletes December 30, 2011 Source: New York Times - "The hypocrisy that permeates big-money college sports takes your breath away. College football and men’s basketball have become such huge commercial enterprises that together they generate more than $6 billion in annual revenue, more than the National Basketball Association. A top college coach can make as much or more than a professional coach..."
Ohio State football: The end of the line December 31, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Offensive linemen Michael Brewster, Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts, nicknamed ‘Block O’ as blue-chip recruits, will play their final game for OSU on Monday in the Gator Bowl...As career achievements go, an Ohio State victory in the Gator Bowl wouldn’t quite rank up there with victories in the Rose and Sugar the previous two years. But on second look, center Michael Brewster said, a victory over Florida on Monday would be worth a special “Block O” sticker...
End of era for two Buckeyes December 30, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Gator Bowl will be final game for coordinators Heacock, Bollman with Ohio State...A couple of days before Christmas, after Ohio State had its last practice in Columbus before the Gator Bowl on Monday, Jim Heacock still had some work to do. He had to clean out his office. The 16-year Ohio State assistant coach would be leaving as the defensive coordinator. He will be returning no longer part of the staff. The same goes for offensive coordinator Jim Bollman after 11 seasons. They were not retained by new coach Urban Meyer. Boxing Day came early for the two longest-running assistant coaches on the Ohio State staff. But when asked yesterday whether it was a tough moment, Heacock shook his head...
Ohio State Buckeyes' longtime assistants reflect on time at OSU before final game with Buckeyes December 30, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - Jim Heacock arrived at Ohio State 16 years ago after eight seasons as the head coach at Illinois State, and he never thought about leaving. "Anytime in your profession, you want to get to the top. And Ohio State is the top of the profession. When you're at Ohio State, how does it get much better?" Heacock asked this week. "It's a great football environment, the fans are second to none, we fill the stadium -- there are just so many positives, why would you be out looking to move?"...
Big Ten, Pac-12 form interconference partnership December 28, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - The Big Ten and Pac-12 have agreed to an alliance beyond the Rose Bowl. The two leagues will schedule interconference games beginning in 2017 and will cross-promote their programs on their respective television networks. The two 12-team conferences have positioned themselves for even more sizable revenue. “Our idea is you can’t stand still,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told USA Today. “You have to build in an environment where people are competing for attention, where they’re competing to have the best competitive assets and to present themselves in the best way.” According to USA Today, 22 of the country’s top 50 television markets are home to Big Ten and Pac-12 programs. The agreement will allow them to not only play in the Rose Bowl, which they’ve done 62 times, but throughout the regular season as well. It includes all sports, but the move was motivated by football and basketball. By 2017, each team will have a nonconference game against a team from the opposite conference. One could be featured in a preseason kickoff at the Rose Bowl, while other games could be staged as NFL stadiums...
Ohio State football: Shazier flashes his potential December 28, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Freshman linebacker turns in impressive games late in season...The freshman didn’t start until the Penn State game on Nov 19, in which he made 15 tackles to earn Big Ten freshman of the week honors. After showing his ability against the Nittany Lions, Shazier showed his heart against Michigan the next week. Early in the game, he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. With fellow linebacker Andrew Sweat out because of a dislocated elbow, Shazier gutted it out, even though he limped noticeably...
With Meyer, Buckeyes Running Back to the Future December 27, 2011 Source: The Ozone - Back in the summer, one of the concerns amongst the Buckeye faithful about Urban Meyer becoming head coach at Ohio State was his lack of reliance upon his running backs. This is Ohio State after all, and running backs have been the lifeblood of the Buckeyes for decades. If Meyer did one day take the job, would he recognize this fact and act accordingly? Of the few downsides to the prospects of Meyer at Ohio State, this was one of the most common. It's also one that I happened to agree with. After all, the stats don't lie—Urban Meyer has never produced a 1,000-yard rusher as a head coach. But with Meyer now actually at the helm, I decided that it was time to look a bit closer at the statistics. What does the running game look like under Meyer, and what did it look like in the past? And why was there never a 1,000-yard rusher? Was it by choice? Was it over-reliance on the quarterback? Was it just happenstance? Or a lack of talent? Maybe it was actually all four. But after looking at the numbers, what it wasn't, however, was a lack of reliance upon the run...
Season report card: Ohio State December 26, 2011 Source: ESPN - OFFENSE: D...DEFENSE: C+...SPECIAL TEAMS: B...OVERALL: D+: After dominating the Big Ten for the better part of Jim Tressel's tenure as coach, the Buckeyes faced unique and difficult circumstances this season. Players and coaches both were thrust into new and challenging roles. Still, even the more pessimistic prognosticators figured Ohio State would win more than six games. The Buckeyes lost more Big Ten games this season than they had in the previous six combined. That's a precipitous drop. While there's hope for the future with Miller and Urban Meyer, Ohio State would just as soon forget this season...
Bowl ban need not ruin Ohio State's season December 26, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - Ohio State, like any banned team, is ineligible for the coaches’ poll, and therefore ineligible for the BCS standings next season. But the Buckeyes can be part of the AP standings and would be eligible for a No. 1 vote — and a share of the national title — with an AP final ranking. And they’d also be allowed to celebrate the end of the season the way Alabama did in 2002 and 2003. Teams are permitted to play a 13th regular-season game if it’s played at Hawaii, and Hawaii does have an opening remaining on its schedule for 2012...
Recruiting Rundown — Taking Stock, Looking Forward December 26, 2011 Source: BuckeyeGrove.com - The bottom line is that Ohio State will have to be down to 82 scholarship players before the season starts. All along we have projected room for 23 players in this class, and right now that still seems doable. At the moment, there are 64 scholarship players returning, which means there is only room for 18 new additions. However, the current class stands at 19 commitments right now. Assuming everybody in this class signs a Letter of Intent, and nobody else on the team transfers or quits, the Buckeyes will be one over their NCAA-mandated cap of 82 grants-in-aid. However, there are transfers every year, and especially in seasons with coaching changes. This would obviously allow for more room in the current class. Also, it's not unusual for a commit to not sign a Letter of Intent for a variety of reasons, be it academic or change of heart. So while the Buckeyes appear to be out of room, a lot will happen between now and August...
Looking at the 2012 Numbers December 25, 2011 Source: BuckeyeGrove.com - When you look at the scholarship numbers for the class of 2012 you would think that the class is full but that isn't going to be the case. But we put the numbers down on paper to see...There will be a lot of changes between now and the opening Saturday of the football season but it is never too early to start looking at the numbers...
Mewhort, Buckeyes learn Meyer's ways immediately December 25, 2011 Source: Toledo Blade - The air in the room was tight with tension, anxiety, apprehension, and a dose of fear of the unknown. When Urban Meyer had his first meeting with the Ohio State players on the same day he was announced as their new head coach, his initial words were not what they had expected. No rah-rah stuff, no litany of the things they would do differently, and no fire, no brimstone. He walked in the room and told them to sit up straight. "You knew [right away] he was all business," said sophomore offensive lineman Jack Mewhort, "which was good to see."...
Buckeyes to get a taste of intensity with Meyer December 16, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will bring a new level of intensity to the football program next fall. "You know coach Tress, he was laid back. He got the point across without any screaming or yelling. Coach Meyer, I'm not saying he's screaming or yelling, because I haven't been around with him coaching like that. But you can tell he's intense. You better get this job done, you better go to class, or you're going to be paying for it," said Zach Boren...
Sanctions shouldn't hurt Ohio State recruiting December 20, 2011 Source: BuckeyeGrove.com - Assuming Meyer's honeymoon with recruits is over now might be premature based on the reaction from several of the Buckeyes' top commitments and targets in the wake of the NCAA's Tuesday announcement. South Bend (Ind.) Washington four-star athlete David Perkins has an official visit set up to Columbus for the weekend of Jan. 13 and considers Ohio State among his top contenders along with LSU, Michigan State, Missouri and Tennessee. The sanctions the NCAA handed down on Tuesday have not knocked the Buckeyes out of the race for his signature. "From the severity of the situation that people made it out to be, I was expecting a lot more," Perkins said. "The biggest thing is probably going to be the bowl game. As players you look forward to play in them, but with that being only one year I don't really see it being that big of a hit to the program."
Chicago (Ill.) Simeon four-star offensive tackle Jordan Diamond took his official visit to Ohio State the weekend of Dec. 9. He was one of only two prospects out of 15 officially visiting that weekend who is not currently on the Buckeyes' commitment list. He cited the postseason ban for the 2012 season as a concern, but not one big enough to take Ohio State off his interest list. "It's a negative thing because you're taking away from the team and what they accomplished," Diamond said, "but I'm just going to take my time with it, really look through it and talk about it with my family, see what they think about it. "Those things aren't really too big and don't knock them off the list or anything. Anything can happen right now and I just have to finish my recruitment. It's just something extra to think about and makes the process more stressful."
Knowing exactly what the sanctions are is almost a positive in itself according to several Ohio State targets. The knowledge that the NCAA was coming through with the final decision had left some measure of uncertainty for recruits prior to Tuesday, but now that the sanctions have been revealed, recruits are moving forward knowing exactly what is in store for the future...
A: We were disappointed, but we decided to move on. We think it's important for us to move to higher ground. I think the NCAA worked very hard to be good partners with us. Their penalty, we feel, is one that we will not appeal.
Q: Why not appeal?
A: I think because of the fact we made a very clear decision. We made a mistake and we were going to take our medicine. As long as we felt we were working closely with the NCAA, we felt we made our best case . . . and we decided it was in the best interests of the university not to appeal.
Q: In hindsight, had you known you were going to be banned from a bowl game, would you rather have taken it this year than next?
A: There's no guarantee that that would have made any difference anyway. We had thought of that. But there was no guarantee that if we would have abandoned a bowl this year, that we would not have had a bowl ban next year. A voluntary ban is different from an NCAA sanctioned ban.
Q: What have you thought of Gene Smith's handling of this in the past year?
A: I have been a consistent supporter of Gene and remain so...
Bowl ban slaps lid on Ohio State's goals December 21, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - After a nightmarish 12 months, the skies were finally clearing for the Ohio State University football program. Or so it seemed. Urban Meyer's hiring as head coach on Nov. 28 overshadowed a loss to Michigan the weekend before. And in the few weeks since, Meyer's prowess had turned a mediocre recruiting class into a potential top-five one. He won't coach the Buckeyes in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2 and wanted to lie low until then. "I want a hurricane to hit when we hit," Meyer said on Monday. A different kind of hurricane hit the Buckeyes yesterday when the NCAA included a bowl ban for the 2012 season among its penalties for Ohio State's transgressions...
Meyer intends to use the ban as a teaching tool. "It is still my goal to hire excellent coaches, recruit great student-athletes who want to be a part of this program and to win on and off the field," Meyer said in a statement released by the school. "The NCAA penalties will serve as a reminder that the college experience does not include the behavior that led to these penalties. "I expect all of us to work hard to teach and develop young student-athletes to grow responsibly and to become productive citizens in their communities upon graduation."...
Ohio State bowl ban: Questions and answers from Doug Lesmerises December 21, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - Come on, shouldn't Ohio State have seen this coming? The NCAA referenced booster issues from two previous cases in 2002 and 2003 as part of the bowl ban decision. Smith was surprised the NCAA went back that far. Ohio State's own research centered on more recent cases. Some NCAA experts thought that once the failure-to-monitor charge was added in November, the school should have self-imposed a bowl ban. The addition of the booster violations after the first NCAA hearing on Aug. 12 seemed to seal Ohio State's fate, though a bowl ban may have happened anyway. Others thought Ohio State's plan was a good one. "I was surprised; I didn't think a postseason ban would be in play," said Michael Buckner, a Florida attorney who specializes in NCAA issues. "If you look at the case precedent, I think what Ohio State did was very reasonable."...
NCAA hammers Ohio State football December 21, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Buckeyes banned from postseason next year, face other penalties...an indepth report on why the Buckeyes were hammered by the NCAA...
Ohio State Buckeyes football program receives 1-year bowl ban from NCAA December 20, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - The NCAA's Committee on Infractions today gave Ohio State's football program a one-year bowl ban and a total loss of nine football scholarships. (Read full NCAA report)The severe penalties have surprised OSU, which had hoped something close to its self-imposed sanctions would be enough to satisfy the committee. The bowl ban will take place in the 2012 season, which means the Buckeyes will play in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2 as planned. The school had chosen to not self-impose a bowl ban this year while believing that case precedent would prevent a bowl ban in the future. According to conference rules, the bowl ban will also keep the Buckeyes from playing in the Big Ten Championship game in 2012. The last postseason ban handed down to a major-college football team was the two-year ban given to USC in June of 2010 over the benefits provided to Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush by an agent. "We are surprised and disappointed with the NCAA's decision," OSU athletic director Gene Smith said in a statement released by Ohio Sate. "However, we have decided not to appeal the decision because we need to move forward as an institution." My primary concern, as always, is for our students, and this decision punishes future students for the actions of others in the past," said Smith. "Knowing our student-athletes, however, I have no doubt in their capacity to turn this into something positive – for themselves and for the institution. I am grateful to our entire Buckeye community for their continued support." Initial reaction from several football players, writing on Twitter, was of shock and disappointment...
Statement from Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer:
"I agreed to become the Head Football Coach at The Ohio State University because Shelley and I are Ohio natives, I am a graduate of this wonderful institution and served in this program under a great coach. I understand the academic and athletic traditions here and will give great effort to continue those traditions.
"It is still my goal to hire excellent coaches, recruit great student-athletes who want to be a part of this program and to win on and off the field. The NCAA penalties will serve as a reminder that the college experience does not include the behavior that led to these penalties. I expect all of us to work hard to teach and develop young student-athletes to grow responsibly and to become productive citizens in their communities upon graduation."
Players: Some of the Ohio State football players tweeted this afternoon on the penalites.
Linebacker Etienne Sabino tweeted: "Wow ...smh" (shaking my head)
Linebacker Andrew Sweat tweeted: "When adversity hits it is just God's way of pushing the reset button making you look yourself in the mirror and evaluate how u live each day."
Tight end Jake Stoneburner tweeted: "Damper on the day..."
Running back Daniel Herron commented at today's press briefing on how he would handle bad news from the NCAA: "We'd have to handle it, learn from it and try not to let it happen again."
Center Mike Brewster commented today on how the team would handle a bowl ban: "It's just another step. It's just kind of like out at USC. They handled it well and had a great season this year. If that happened to us, I'm sure we could handle it the same way."
Coach Luke Fickell:
Before official word of the penalties was announced, Fickell said this:
"To me it's just another thing, it's just another hurdle," Fickell said. "If it happens you have to get over it. What are you going to do, cry and whine about it? We can't do that.
"We said that all year, in all the situations we've been put in. Our guys have been through it. They've been battle-tested. You're not going to see us complain and whine about it, we're going to continue to move forward. I think you do that from the top down, and I think when you do that from the top, everybody follows."
Greg Sankey, associate commissioner of Southeastern Conference and an infractions committee member:
"There is an expectation that head coaches set a tone to conduct themselves in a certain manner. When a head coach engages in misconduct ... that is considered very serious. And, frankly, very disappointing."
Ohio State's strategy backfires with NCAA December 20, 2011 Source: ESPN - By now, loyal blog readers know the phrase. It's what I've used repeatedly to describe Ohio State's strategy throughout its NCAA infractions case. The school's approach went like this:
•Cooperate fully with NCAA investigators (unlike USC).
•Acknowledge mistakes but attribute them to individual failings.
•Defend individuals until forced to sever ties (i.e., Jim Tressel).
•Place blame on those no longer affiliated with the program -- namely ex-coach Tressel, disaffiliated booster Bobby DiGeronimo and former quarterback Terrelle Pryor -- and, as tactfully as possible, the players still with the team.
•Never, ever admit to having a systematic problem.
Ohio State held steadfast to this strategy during news conferences by athletic director Gene Smith, in its responses to the NCAA and in other public comments by university brass during the nearly year-long saga. The school tried to show just enough remorse but not too much, while cooperating throughout the process. It imposed some penalties initially and tacked on a few more after the second layer of violations -- the ones involving DiGeronimo. But Ohio State never imposed a bowl ban...It was a calculated risk that backfired Tuesday...
Ohio State AD Gene Smith talks about NCAA ruling, didn't think bowl ban was possible December 20, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told the Plain Dealer in an interview today that there was a miscalculation by the school in not anticipating a bowl ban from the NCAA, but even given that knowledge, he wanted this year's team to experience a bowl, so he accepts the reality that the ban will come in 2012...
Why Gene Smith Owes Buckeye Nation a Press Conference December 20, 2011 Source: The Ozone - When OSU Director of Athletics Gene Smith demanded and got Jim Tressel's resignation he never bothered to hold a press conference to explain his action. Instead, he treated us all to a wonderful Youtube presentation thereby insulating himself from questions about his action.
This summer, Smith once again at least managed his scrutiny by conducting a press conference and inviting only media members whom he felt he could trust. For that, he earned the wrath of the-Ozone.
Now it has once again gone too far, and Gene Smith owes us some answers.
Smith has said all along that he was sure there would be no post-season ban on Ohio State football. He thought that because his crack team of NCAA experts had researched the situation and found no precedent for that type of NCCA action given the circumstances.
In a Cleveland Plain Dealer report just a few minutes ago by Doug Lesmerises, he now says they only researched recent cases, but there were cases going back to 2002 or 2003 where there was indeed precedent. Below is a copy and paste excerpt from that article, and we urge you to use the link provided to read the article in entirety...
Despite bowl ban, Ohio State Buckeyes can still send Big Ten a message in 2012, says Doug Lesmerises Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Fiu On Ohio State: It's Disappointing For All December 21, 2011 Source: CollegeFootballNews.com - Let’s call the NCAA’s ruling on the Terrelle Pryor/Tattoo/Jim Tressel controversy what it is. Disappointing. No matter what angle you take, there’s something unsatisfying about how this all turned out...Really, all that’s happening here is a missed bowl game...
Ohio State fans have a right to be disappointed. Cam Newton got out totally clean after his dad was found to have solicited money for his son’s signature, but Pryor is everything that’s wrong with college sports for trading HIS OWN STUFF for some tattoos? If the tattoos were drawn in pen, would that have mattered? The NCAA had a chance to rule on this when it actually happened, but inexplicably chose to allow Pryor and others to play in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. If it didn’t do anything late last December, then besides the cover-up, why is more being tacked on now?...
Yeah, the NCAA went hard because of Tressel’s cover-up – and that’s what the five-year "show-clause" is for - but compared to what’s happening in the rest of the college sports world, really? $14,000 worth of cash and tattoos for selling their own property is worthy of all of these sanctions? Granted, getting Ohio State on this might be a bit like sending Bernie Madoff to jail for excessive speeding, but this is what the NCAA was able to rule on and this is what the punishment is for...
If Ohio State is getting this for that, then what should the NCAA do to a Penn State program that covered up transgressions a bazillion times worse? What should happen to Miami with the Nevin Shapiro disaster? If Ohio State is getting a lost bowl game, then the ante has to be upped big-time for the Nittany Lions and Hurricanes. Anything less would be disappointing.
In the end, Ohio State got a coaching upgrade in Urban Meyer – if he’s refreshed and rejuvenated. He’ll put together one of the top three recruiting classes in America, if not the No. 1 overall haul; the Buckeyes will miss out on the 2013 Capital One Bowl; and they’ll probably play Michigan in the 2013 Big Ten Championship for the right to play in the 2014 BCS championship.
No, the Ohio State Football Machine isn’t slowing down.
Sorry if you’re disappointed...
Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith out of touch, and should be out of job: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin December 22, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - In the last year of Gene Smith's reign, mistakes have poured...Unless the still strong winds of change sweep Gene Smith out of his athletic director's job, the Buckeyes can only pay lip service to putting the past behind them and rebuilding the school's image.
Smith showed in his Tuesday response to the NCAA's sanctions of a bowl ban and extra scholarships lost that he still doesn't get it. And OSU President Gordon Gee -- by once again diminishing the colossal blundering for more than a year at Ohio State -- showed he's equally out of touch.
Gee said that while OSU "stumbled out of the gate" in handling the scandal, that it finished "very well." He reiterated his strong support for Smith, as he once pledged to Jim Tressel.
What would constitute finishing "not very well"? Smith trading football tickets for a tattoo of a sweater vest? A two-year bowl ban? What?
Gee said his hope is that the NCAA sanctions are signaling a "higher bar" and a "higher standard."
You might think he'd raise the bar for Smith as well, but, surprisingly, Gee and Smith somehow both marvel at each other's ability to do the limbo.
Yes, sir. Heckuva job, Buckos.
Smith and Gee had to know they skated in making a bowl appearance a year ago. Hindsight told them that while the NCAA signed off on OSU facing Arkansas with suspended players, the Buckeyes participated with Tressel remaining silent about the eligibility warnings he received from Columbus attorney and former Buckeyes walk-on Chris Cicero.
'--''Instead of using the NCAA's "failure to monitor" findings in November as an occasion to self-impose a bowl ban for the 2011 season, Smith and Gee once again got cute and took away a total of five scholarships over three years.
Smith says he felt he owed it to his 2011 seniors to keep a bowl bid in play this season. What about next year's seniors? A Gator Bowl bid for a 6-6 team under an interim coach isn't much of a reward, especially when it invited the NCAA to impose a bowl ban and compromise Meyer's fresh start in 2012.
If that were the only evidence of Smith's bad judgment, Gee might have a case in keeping him around. But OSU embarrassed itself so many times during the process that it's impossible to justify Smith staying on...
Top 10 Lessons From Ohio State's Tattoo-Gate December 21, 2011 Source: Forbes - 7. It’s not about the money but it is about the money – and accounting for it. It’s OK for the college to make big money from the sale of big ticket items from the player’s on-field labor, but it’s not OK for a player to make $1,000 or less from his field labor outside the NCAA rules. OSU was given credit for charting out each award, its dollar value, the corresponding recipient athlete-student, and a self-established pledge for students to report items as lost, as part of showing it had institutional control...
Future Ohio State Offensive Coordinator Tom Herman joined Adam Neft on 12/21/11 to talk abou recruiting for OSU the past few weeks while game planning for The Pinstripe Bowl, what his offensive plan will be like for the Buckeyes, and more!
Defensive lineman John Simon was a key cog on defense for the Buckeyes and he took some time to talk with the Ohio State media about how practice is coming along, being named to the All-American team and dealing with the distraction of having to head coaches (sort of) in place. Source: BuckeyeGrove.com
Zach Boren Meets The Media 12/15/11Source: Bucknuts.com
Jack Mewhort Meets The Media 12/15/11Source: Bucknuts.com
Recruiting watch December 16, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Top-rated defensive prospect set for visit...Noah Spence, rated by Rivals.com as the top defensive end prospect in the nation, could be leaning toward the Buckeyes..."This is going to be his first official visit, and if my son feels it in his heart and his gut the way he's been feeling, this could be his last," Greg Spence said...
The Buckeye Board December 13, 2011 Source: Eleven Warriors - Take a look at the "big picture" of Ohio State's football recruiting class...So with signing day only 49 days away, the Buckeyes now sit in a position that not many could visualize as recently as three weeks ago: having to turn down a handful of All-American quality recruits. With 18 current commitments there is one question that is regularly being tossed around, and with good reason. How much room is left at the inn?...2012 Recruiting Targets...
Brionte Dunn: "150% Buckeye" December 13, 2011 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - Urban Meyer's two-week run as the new Ohio State head coach got even more good news Tuesday night, when he learned five-star tailback Brionte Dunn would sign with the Buckeyes on National Signing Day. Meyer got the news of Dunn reaffirming his commitment when he visited the player and his family tonight. Scout.com has Dunn's reaction...
Ohio State getting a recruiting boost as prep stars hear Urban Meyer's pitch December 14, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - In the little more than two weeks since he was officially announced as Ohio State's new head coach, Urban Meyer has been able to sell recruits on something that hadn't been in place for at least six months. A solid vision for what Ohio State football will be like in the future. With Meyer in charge and questions about the future cleared up, Meyer, Luke Fickell and a few other assistants have made quick work of presenting this new version of Ohio State football and turning the heads of teenagers. Just this week, Ohio State seems to have changed, or eased, the minds of three big-name recruits, and that may just be the start...
Buckeyes gain major commitment from DT prospect December 12, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Tommy Schutt, one of the elite defensive line prospects in the country, committed late this afternoon to the 2012 Ohio State recruiting class, his high school coach told The Dispatch, marking the first major recruiting victory for new OSU coach Urban Meyer. Chad Hetlet, coach at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Ill., said Schutt told him of his decision today after returning from an official visit to OSU over the weekend. Schutt, 6 feet 3, 300 pounds, is ranked No.5 among defensive tackle prospects by both rivals.com and Scout.com recruiting services...
Se'Von Pittman Is A Buckeye! December 12, 2011 Source: The Buckeye Battle Cry - Following former Penn State commitment Tommy Schutt, the newest Buckeye was formerly verballed to Michigan State. Ohio State welcomes Se'Von Pittman as the newest member of the 2012 recruiting class. A dominant defensive end from Canton McKinley high school, Pittman is listed as 6'5? and 245 pounds, and is listed as a four star recruit by Scout. In addition to Michigan State, he held offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, and Florida...
Fickell will call defense, Meyer says December 14, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - New coach also looking at North Carolina's interim top man...insiders say Meyer is going to want a defense run by consortium rather than dictation, which explains why he shied away from former Arizona coach Mike Stoops and apparently has zeroed in on Everett Withers, the interim coach at North Carolina...
Waiver Whips Up Wolverine Whining At Record Pace December 13, 2011 Source: The Ozone - ...the AP did a story of their own regarding the waiver, and suddenly the "controversy" went national. To be more geographically correct, the controversy went northerly, all the way up to the state of Michigan. Asked for comment, Big Ten Coach of the Year Brady Hoke responded, "It's different. That would be my reaction. I've never heard of it. Is that an advantage? Yeah, I think so." But is it really?...
Ohio State football: Players name Herron MVP December 19, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Daniel Herron didn't play until Ohio State's seventh game of the season because of NCAA suspensions. It is a measure of the esteem in which his teammates hold him that they voted the senior running back the Buckeyes' Most Valuable Player anyway...Herron, center Michael Brewster, linebacker Andrew Sweat and defensive lineman John Simon were named captains for the season. Fickell rotated game captains this season, saying he wanted to wait until the end of the year to award permanent captain status...Among the other awards given yesterday, freshman quarterback Braxton Miller was named the outstanding offensive player and Simon was named the outstanding defensive player. Special-teams standout Nate Ebner earned the Bo Rein Award as the team's most inspirational player...All 2011 Ohio State award winners...
Fickell awaits word on Pitt job December 19, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Luke Fickell has talked with Pittsburgh athletic director Steve Pederson about the Panthers' coaching job, but the Ohio State coach said yesterday that he has not received an offer...
Let's start with the candidates that are CONFIRMED. Of all the writers in this town, nobody covers Pitt better than Paul Zeise. If you're not reading his Redshirt Diaries blog or following him on Twitter then you're not doing your logical duty as a Pitt fan. Moving on, he has a list of candidates he can confirm have been in talks with Pitt. They are Luke Fickell, Mark Stoops, Paul Chryst and Ron Zook. A television station in Iowa, ABC Channel 5, is reporting that Rhoads has signed a 10-year contract extension at Iowa State. That almost surely rules him out of the Pitt head coaching search. Source: CBS Pittsburgh
According to the Post-Gazette, Fickell and Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst are among the leading contenders for the Pitt job. The newspaper said Chryst's interview is scheduled for Saturday. Source: Columbus Dispatch
Pitt has started the process of finding its next coach, interviewing Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell Thursday and Florida International coach Mario Cristobal today. They are the first known candidates to be interviewed. Scheduled to be interviewed Saturday is Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst. Several other candidates are also expected to get an interview, including Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren. Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Top defensive end prospect commits to Buckeyes December 18, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Noah Spence, considered the No.1 defensive end prospect in the country by rivals.com, committed to Ohio State this afternoon at the end of his official visit. Spence, from Harrisburg (McDevitt), Pa., had planned to keep his commitment to himself until the Jan. 5 Under Armour All-American game, but he told The Dispatch it felt too right to keep it a secret. "It felt like it was just the right thing to do," Spence said. "Now I am going to help get more recruits in, help this class a little more, hopefully get this thing rolling." The class already has developed momentum in three weeks under coach Urban Meyer. Last week, he coaxed blue-chip prospects Tommy Schutt, a defensive tackle from Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West), Ill., and defensive end Se'Von Pittman from Canton (GlenOak), to flip their commitments from Penn State and Michigan State, respectively. Then today Meyer closed the deal on Spence, who is ranked the ninth overall prospect in the nation by rivals.com. "I think the class is going to be great when it's done," said Spence, the first five-star prospect in what is a 19-member class so far. The official visit simply confirmed the feelings Spence was having about OSU. "It's close to home, I love how my family can come watch me with no problem, and it's blowing up to be a great program with a new coaching staff and everything," Spence said. "They are trying to bring in some great players, and the players already there are good, too."...
Bishop McDevitt DE Noah Spence found what he was looking for at Ohio State December 18, 2011 Source: PennLive.com - "I'm so happy. I just felt so comfortable," Spence told The Patriot-News Sunday night as he and his family made the trip home from Ohio. "It was all beginning to be too much. I'm more happy than relieved. I found what I was looking for at Ohio State." Spence, the player most consider the No. 1 prospect at his position in the country, chose Ohio State over Penn State, LSU, Florida, Notre Dame, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Maryland and USC among others...
Trotwood football talent on OSU's radar December 17, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - The Rams haven't sent a player to Ohio State since 1996...Why the growing interest in Trotwood football? That's easy. The Rams resemble an all-star team loaded with desirable Division I talent. It didn't take new OSU coach Urban Meyer long to connect...
Urban Meyer Recruiting: By The Numbers December 8, 2011 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - Breaking down where Urban Meyer has looked for recruits, what type he's tried to sign and where they have tended to play prior to Meyer's hiring at Ohio State. Even in a talent-rich state such as Florida, Meyer was not afraid to look far and wide for the best players in the country....
Recruiting Update: The Meyer Impact Part II December 8, 2011 Source: The Buckeye Battle Cry - I have seen final numbers predicting anywhere from 4-8 spots left. Lets play with the assumption that we have 8 to give because that is more fun…even though it means we will see some attrition through medical hardships and transfers. Wishlist/Best Guess...
Recruiting Rundown — So Who's Out There on Defense? December 8, 2011 Source: Eleven Warriors - The Buckeyes already have one of the nation's top defensive ends committed in Cincinnati's Adolphus Washington (6-5 240), whom Scout tabbed as a five-star prospect and the third-ranked defensive end in the nation. Most notable among the other defensive ends the staff is after is Pennsylvania's Noah Spence (6-4 245), ranked as the top defensive end in the nation by Scout. Meyer called Spence on November 29th, and after speaking with the new man in charge, Spence tweeted that Ohio State was “definitely at the top of the list for now”. On Monday the news broke that Spence had finally scheduled his first official visit, which just happens to be taking place next week in Columbus...
Season recap: Ohio State December 7, 2011 Source: ESPN - After the offseason from hell, Ohio State entered the year with new faces, new roles and new uncertainty. The team that had dominated the Big Ten for the past decade found itself with many questions on both sides of the ball and on the sideline...
Offensive MVP: Miller. He was one of few bright spots for a unit short on experienced players and imaginative play-calling. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year led Ohio State in rushing with 685 yards and seven touchdowns on 144 carries. He completed just 50 percent of his passes but fired 11 touchdown strikes and only four interceptions in limited work throwing the ball. Running backs Herron and Carlos Hyde also merit mentions.
Defensive MVP: Defensive lineman John Simon. He was Ohio State's most dominant and most consistent defender throughout the season, leading a young unit that had its ups and downs. The junior recorded seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss, leading the team in both categories. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the league's coaches for his efforts.
Turning point: There are two. After starting Big Ten play at 0-2, Ohio State upset Illinois in Champaign to spark a three-game win streak. Entering a seemingly manageable closing stretch, the Buckeyes dropped their second consecutive game at Purdue as a potential game-winning extra-point attempt was blocked with 55 seconds left in regulation. Ohio State went on to lose in overtime and drop its final two games to Penn State and Michigan...
Big Ten 2011 regular-season wrap December 6, 2011 Source: ESPN - Biggest Disappointment: Ohio State; Most figured the Buckeyes would have problems this season after a controversy-plagued year that saw head coach Jim Tressel resign under pressure on Memorial Day. But a 6-6 record and an often-toothless offense exceeded even some of the most dire worst-case scenarios. What made the season even more disappointing was that the team had a very real chance to win the Leaders Division after beating Wisconsin at home. But the Buckeyes ended the year with three straight losses. The good news is the NCAA infractions case should soon finally be over, and Meyer is ready to bring the program back. Illinois also ranks as a major disappointment, especially after starting the season 6-0 and ending it 0-6 with putrid offensive production...
Recruiting Rundown — Where Things Currently Stand December 5, 2011 Source: Eleven Warriors - Tony Gerdeman has filed the first of a two-part series devoted to the current status of the football recruiting effort this year...Ohio State currently has 16 verbal commitments, and with less than two months until Signing Day, the best recruiter in the nation has just been called out of the bullpen to close out the 2012 class, and Mariano Rivera ain't got nothing on Urban Meyer...
Latest Ohio State Coaching Rumors and A Staff Prediction December 5, 2011 Source: Along The Olentangy - Urban Meyer has been a lone ranger throughout the first week of his tenure as Ohio State's new football coach. While he develops relationships with recruits, and burns through minutes on his cell phone, rumors abound about who he has targeted to coach alongside him. So here's what we know, what we think, and a personal prediction for how the staff will end up...
Fickell: There is No Other Place December 6, 2011 Source: The Ozone - There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the OSU coaching staff right now, but if there is one thing beyond question it's that Luke Fickell wants to be at Ohio State...
Key plays in losses add up to down year December 3, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - It’s easy to look at Ohio State’s deficiencies and believe that a 6-6 record is fitting. Its passing game was among the nation’s worst. Its defense played below the standard expected for the Buckeyes. They were that Braxton Miller-to-Devin Smith pass against the Badgers from having a losing season. And yet as Ohio State looks back on its season, that "only a few plays away" feeling has some resonance. Five of the Buckeyes’ six losses were by a touchdown or less. Most of those games turned on a play or two...
Stoops Set to Join Star-Studded Staff in Columbus? December 2, 2011 Source: The Ozone - Less than a week after the blockbuster hire of vc head coach Urban Meyer, Ohio State is on the verge of adding another big name to the staff in Columbus. Since agreeing to a 6-year, $24 million deal with the Buckeyes on Monday, Meyer has been hard at work recruiting for his new university. His biggest commitment may be on the way in the form of a new defensive coordinator. Sources have confirmed that former Arizona head coach Mike Stoops could be on the verge of signing a multi-year contract to coach the Silver Bullets under Meyer and alongside interim head coach Luke Fickell. Stoops, who coached the defense under his brother Bob at the University of Oklahoma from 1999-2003, was in Columbus this week to meet with Meyer. He has not commented publically on whether he has been offered a job on the Buckeyes' staff, but it is clear this was more than just two Ohio guys getting together for a cup of coffee. "I don't comment on that stuff," Stoops told The Oklahoman on Thursday. "But I can confirm that I have visited with coach Meyer."...
Mike Stoops could have pick of B1G jobs December 1, 2011 Source: ESPN - If former Arizona head coach Mike Stoops doesn't land another head-coaching position, it's a pretty good bet he'll be coaching defense in the Big Ten in 2012. Stoops has confirmed he met with new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, presumably about the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator position. While he's not saying whether or not he has been offered the job, Stoops certainly is in the mix. He also could get a call from his good friend Bo Pelini, who likely will need a defensive coordinator to replace his brother, Carl, expected to become Florida Atlantic's head coach. Stoops told the Lincoln Journal Star's Steven M. Sipple that he would be interested in an opening on Nebraska's staff should one emerge...There's also the situation at Iowa, which has a defensive coordinator in Norm Parker. But Parker's health issues in recent years have made his future a constant topic of discussion. I've heard from many Iowa fans expressing interest in Stoops, a safety at Iowa from 1982-84...
