Eleven Warriors

The B1G List: Ranking the State Fossils of the Big Ten

Johnny — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Fossils.

I love 'em! Little ancient monster bones buried in the dirt, they're like terrifying Easter eggs put in the ground for weird kids and weirder adults to dig up and show off to other weird kids and weird adults.

And if you were a weird kid (I was), you likely spent a fairly large percentage of your waking hours looking for fossils, hoping that by some insane stroke of luck you'd find a T-Rex femur or Deinonychus claw stuck in the sheet rock that your neighbors used to edge their lawns. After all, that's more or less how dinosaur fossils were found in the late 1800s, and if it was good enough for Othniel Marsh then it was good enough for Johnny Ginter.

One advantage that I had was that I grew up near Caesar Creek, where I did a lot of fishing and staring at rocks in order to find the remains of whatever goofy thing the Cambrian era decided to spit out into the universe. I was fascinated by the sheer amount of fossils around and how incredibly crappy most of them were; sometimes you would find a petrified shell thing, which was awesome, but most of the time it was just bits and pieces of an evolutionary dead end that we'd now serve as an appetizer at Red Lobster.

State fossils gave me hope. Because dagnabit, if there's enough of a certain type of fossil within a state to make it the official state fossil, it stands to reason that there must be literally trillions of the things buried in the ground, and all I needed to do was dig around with a trowel in my backyard long enough and I'd find one, probably way more though because I labored under the impression that I was smart.

I wasn't, and I'm not, and I never found anything cool outside of Caesar Creek or apologized to my mom for tearing up her yard. But official state fossils are still pretty rad.

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First thing's first. Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana do not have state fossils. This is stupid, considering the incredibly rich and varied geological history of the Midwest, and even stupider for Minnesota because of the ice age megafauna, among the most common in the Great Lakes region was the giant beaver. Which you might think is a somehow misleading name, but nope, it was just a bigass beaver.

This is like the easiest call in the world, guys. Get on it.

8. Illinois: Tully Monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium)

Ugh, terrible. Despite the what it sounds like, tully monster is not the nickname of a guy who lives above the garage in a 90s family comedy on TGIF. Instead, it's a gross sea cucumber thing that looked like it was created by someone pulling a lever on a slot machine in Vegas and agreeing to live with the result. The reason why it's the state fossil of Illinois is because so far it's only been found in the state, but that's more of a knock on Illinois than anything else.

7. Maryland: Ecphora (Ecphora gardnerae)

Gazelles of the sea

Rule of thumb when selecting state fossils: make sure it's something that doesn't currently exist. Ecphora was just a big snail in a conch shell. Who the hell cares? No kid has ever looked at a fossilized Ecphora and gone "I love science and the infinite possibilities that implies." They may, in fact, have gone "oh yeah grandma has one of those in her living room on a doily. It's covered in lacquer and smells like something died in it."

And then when it's willed to them they keep it on the same doily for a couple of months, before eventually throwing it out because it's started to attract ants. What I'm saying here is that Maryland's state fossil is ennui.

6. Wisconsin: Trilobite (Calymene celebra)

Trilobites will be showing up more than a few times on this list; and let's be honest, who doesn't love giant underwater bugs? Unfortunately, Wisconsin picked a weird week to confront its crippling social anxiety issues, and the result is the tiniest freaking trilobite that you've ever seen. It's almost like a parody of a real trilobite, and at 4 millimeters long, it's more than a little amazing that anyone noticed it enough to make a Wikipedia page about it. Said Wikipedia page is all of 20 words long, but it's the thought that counts.

5. Michigan: American Mastadon (Mammut americanum)

Okay, so great. You've selected a big ancient elephant as your state fossil. Congratulations, except for the fact that it isn't really that big, isn't adorably hairy like Snuffleupagus, and were the mastodon alive today it'd be prime target for our sharpened spears, slingshots, and heavy netting. I have thoroughly examined the weaknesses of your precious mastodon, and discovered that it's biggest problem is that it has a difficult time blending in at all the cool wooly mammoth nightclubs. That alopecia excuse only works for the first few times, and then word gets out. Trust me, I know.

4. Pennsylvania: Trilobite (Phacops rana)

A slightly more impressive trilobite than calymene celebra, I still am having a hard time believing anything on its Wikipedia page:

In order to protect themselves from predators, Phacops rana would roll into a ball with its hard exoskeleton on the outside as protection. Many other trilobites possessed the same ability, but Phacops rana nearly perfected it. The slightest amount of sediment would trigger their senses, and Phacops rana would be hidden in a tiny shelter made of its own body.

"Nearly perfected it??" First of all, frog eyes, you had millions of years to fully perfect this lame defense, don't half-ass anything in life. If an armadillo can do it, so can you. Secondly, this segment reads like a mash note from fourth grade. We get it, phacops rana was great, who cares? Let's move on, geez.

3. Nebraska: WOOLY MAMMOTH (Mammuthus primigenius)

All the best animals, living and extinct, are really just versions of other animals with a bonus feature that makes them awesome. Whales are cool, but how about adding on a kickass horn? Boom, narwhal. You know, I think squirrels are cute, but they're kinda boring. What if they could fly? Bam, sugar glider. I like anteaters, but I also like things that look like armored personnel carriers. What's a guy to do? Kapow, pangolin.

Enter the wooly mammoth. It's a mammoth, but covered in luxurious hair, like some kind of insane Locks of Love fever dream. I don't know of a single kid in the whole world who didn't look at a picture of the wooly mammoth for the first time and go "I wish I was a Viking and could pillage Europe on the back on one of those things."

2. New Jersey: Hadrosaurus (Hadrosaurus foulkii)

Finally! Look, when you're looking for or discussing fossils, there is a clear hierarchy. It goes weird worm things - plant impressions in rock - sea bugs - tiny little ancient mammals - ice age megafauna - DINOSAURS.

And it makes no sense that more dinosaurs aren't state fossils. I don't care if they haven't been found in the state or not, every state deserves an official state dinosaur fossil. New Jersey lucked out, in the sense that in the 1830s some dude found hadrosaur bones while digging around in a pit (see, I told you it works), and 150 years later they finally wised up and made it their official state fossil. The hadrosaur is a pretty mediocre herbivorous dinosaur in the grand scheme of things, but hey, bragging rights for all of New Jersey's 8 year olds for eternity is not a bad deal.

1. Ohio: Trilobite (Isotelus maximus)

I'm sure there's some snide Michigan fan out there going "Yeah right, Johnny. There's no way that this trilobite is in any meaningful way different from the other two trilobites that you already listed and trashed on this list. Why, it's almost as if this list is completely arbitrary and not a genuine analysis of the relative merits of state fossils!"

First of all, shut up. You have no idea the kind of effort and work it takes to compile a list of random things, put numbers next to them, and then add pithy jokes. If anyone could do it, this kind of thing would be all over the internet. But it's only here, on Eleven Warriors dot com, where you can find mundane things sequenced in descending order with jokes. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIND OTHER LISTS.

Secondly, shut up! "Isoltelus maximus" means "super cool and big" in Latin, and that's what this trilobite is. If I'm going to have a seafaring rolly polly as my state fossil, it's going to be a BIG seafaring rolly polly. Plus, if you think about it, hundreds of millions of years ago Ohio had some pretty choice seafood right on it's shores, so if it happened once it can happen again. Now we just play the waiting game.

There. That is over 1500 words about state fossils, and I hope you enjoyed every one of them. Next time we'll take a long, hard look at state flags, and why there are three simple rules for determining if your state flag sucks or not. See you then.

The B1G List: State Birds | State Mottos | State Flowers | State Songs | State Fossils

The Five Best Catches of the 2012 Season

Jeff Beck — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Part of the infamous clown show, the Ohio State receiving corps was coming in with little fanfare in 2012.

A year prior, the combination of an inexperienced freshman QB coupled with an offense in the absence of Jim Tressel gave the receivers few chances to showcase their abilities (See example A). The terrible mix ultimately lead to a team high 14 receptions over the course of the season.

Heading into 2012, it was evident the receivers’ heads were swimming as they struggled to grasp Coach Meyer’s spread offense.

Dropped balls, shoddy routes and a lack of a clear number 1 had everyone in Columbus fearing the worst for the passing game.

Luckily the group stepped up. While far from the best receiving corps in the country, the likes of Corey Brown, Devin Smith, Evan Spencer and Chris Fields presented themselves as a serviceable unit, able to make plays when called upon.

The group is motivated to up their game in 2013, but to move forward it’s necessary to reflect on where they’ve been.

That’s why I’ve compiled the five best catches of the 2012 season.

#5 Evan Spencer. Miami

Up 21-3 in the second quarter the Buckeyes were facing a third and 15 at the Miami 45.

Dropping back to pass, Braxton Miller found Evan Spencer in single coverage streaking toward the center of the field.

Miller let a dead duck fly, but Spencer was able to make the adjustment, going up to snag the ball at its highest point. Pass interference was waved because you've gotta let a catch that good stand.

#4 Devin Smith. Michigan State

Down 13-10 in a hard-nosed defensive battle, the Buckeyes desperately needed something to break their way.

A rowdy East Lansing crowd was sensing an upset, but Devin Smith and company had other plans.

On first and 10 from the OSU 37, Meyer quite literally threw caution to the wind choosing to air it out to a streaking Smith down the sideline. This was a thing of beauty and was the score that would seal the win for the Buckeyes.

#3 Corey Brown. Illinois

This catch was selected not so much for the snag itself, but rather for the rowdy yardage afterwards.

Five weeks after being called out for an extreme lack of YAC, Philly Brown decided he had heard enough.

In what was certainly the most impressive after-catch run during the 2012 season, Brown turned a 6-yard pass into a 37-yard TD breaking four tackles along they way.

#2 Chris Fields. Purdue

Without their star QB and Down 22-14 in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, Ohio State was in trouble. Luckily Kenny Guiton was able to step in and say “nah, I got this”, marching the Buckeyes 59 yards in less than 47 seconds.

With a first and two from the Purdue 2-yard line, Guiton rolled to his left and fired the ball to Chris Fields. However, the delivery was low and Fields had to make a diving catch to pluck it.

The catch was a gem, and was ultimately the catalyst for one of the greatest comebacks in recent Buckeye memory.

#1 Devin Smith. Miami

You all knew it was coming. Last and anything but least, Devin Smith’s unbelievable one-handed haul against Miami.

Rarely does an announcer proclaim a grab is the “catch of the year” during the first weekend of the college football season, but it was that good (and turned out to be true).

Wow ‘em Devin.

Here’s to seeing many more receptions like this during the 2013 season.

Peeking Ahead at the 2014 Football Schedule

Michael Citro — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:30:00 +0000

By now, you’ve probably seen the 2014 Ohio State and/or Big Ten football schedule. As with any football schedule, there are easier and tougher games and stretches along the way.

The Buckeyes have a schedule that seems to settle somewhere between easy and difficult, although much can happen before the 2014 season arrives. The purpose here is to take a way-too-soon look at Ohio State’s road in 2014, and also to check out some of the more interesting aspects of the B1G schedule.

Ohio State’s schedule starts with a rare neutral site contest in Baltimore on Aug. 30, against the option attack of the U.S. Naval Academy. It’s currently the only non-conference game away from Ohio Stadium. Should the Buckeyes prevail, they’ll carry all the momentum into…a bye week.

There’s still time to add a game for Sept. 6 down the road, but perhaps Urban Meyer will opt to keep that open date to adequately prepare for a home tilt against Kent State. The Golden Flashes will bring their brand of MACtion to the Horseshoe on Sept. 13

The 2014 non-conference highlight occurs seven days later when the Virginia Tech Hokies of the ACC visit the banks of the Olentangy. The non-conference schedule concludes Sept. 27 against Cincinnati. Things can get unnecessarily close for comfort when the Buckeyes and Bearcats dance.

Then we’ll start seeing our new friends from the East Coast. The Buckeyes will return to Maryland on Oct. 4 to open the B1G season against the Terrapins in College Park. Crab cakes for everyone! It will be the first meeting between the schools as conference foes, and we know you’ve been dying to get after those smug turtles ever since their admittance into the Big Ten. With a big conference road win under their belts, the Buckeyes will carry that momentum over into…another by week.

Play resumes for Ohio State on Oct. 18 when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights matriculate to Columbus. Jim Delany and the league office did the newbies no favors in their first go-round as full conference members (more on this later). Again, we know the hatred you're building for Rutgers. Division rivals!

The Buckeyes will finally play in a state other than Ohio or Maryland a few days before Halloween, with an Oct. 25 date in Happy Valley. That’ll make three consecutive East Division rivals for Ohio State, which will really add some spice to the proceedings. There ain’t no party like an East Division party, ‘cause an East Division party don’t stop.

Well, I lied. It does stop momentarily the first Saturday of November when West Division foe Illinois visits. With Ohio State sharing the Leaders (maybe?) Division with the Illini for what will seem like decades, the Illibuck Trophy game becomes a cross-divisional affair. Capture that wooden turtle (again), boys. You might get to keep it awhile.

Ohio State in 2014
Date	Opponent
Aug. 30	vs. Navy at Baltimore
Sept. 6	Bye
Sept. 13	vs. Kent State
Sept. 20	vs. Virginia Tech
Sept. 27	vs. Cincinnati
Oct. 4	at Maryland
Oct. 11	Bye
Oct. 18	vs. Rutgers
Oct. 25	at Penn State
Nov. 1	vs. Illinois
Nov. 8	at Michigan State
Nov. 15	at Minnesota
Nov. 22	vs. Indiana
Nov. 29	vs. Michigan
Dec. 6	B1G Championship Game

The East Division war heats up again Nov. 8 in the first of two straight road games for Ohio State. The Buckeyes visit Sparty, in what could be a pivotal battle on the road to the B1G championship game. The road trip continues Nov. 15 at Minnesota on the frozen tundra, in the second of Ohio State’s two divisional crossover games. It’s the first meeting with the Golden Gophers in football since 2009. That game went ok.

The final two weeks are at home against Indiana and Michigan to close out East Division play.

The Buckeyes will miss Wisconsin for the first time since 2006 and I’m sure everyone is broken up by that. The Badgers will miss almost every team with a pulse in 2014, because Barry Alvarez obviously has some photos of Jim Delany in a very compromising position, or something.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits from the 2014 conference slate:

The Badgers have crossover games against newcomers Maryland and Rutgers, which means they don’t face the Buckeyes, Wolverines or Spartans.
Wisconsin’s toughest conference games are at Northwestern and home against Nebraska. So…see you in Indy, Bucky.
Penn State and Rutgers square off in the only B1G game on Sept. 13. The rest of the teams open their conference slates on Sept. 20.
Rutgers, Penn State, and Michigan State all have an extra week to prepare for the Buckeyes.
The Nittany Lions are also fortunate enough to get a bye week prior to visiting Michigan. Rutgers and Indiana also have an additional week to get ready for the Wolverines.
The Scarlet Knights may have an extra week of preparation for both Ohio State and Michigan, but that’s the only slack the B1G is giving them. Rutgers’ first five Big Ten opponents are Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. That’s a murderer’s row, plus the Knights see the Spartans two games after the Badgers. R.I.P. Rutgers. You got all the tough games Wisconsin didn't get.
The Spartans and Nittany Lions join Rutgers in playing Michigan and Ohio State in successive weeks.
Michigan plays Minnesota and at Northwestern in its crossover games.

It's Bull Season Again in the Rod Smith Market

Kyle Rowland — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Rod Smith is not Ohio State’s starting running back entering his junior year. His career trajectory hasn’t been in lockstep with the mental map drawn up his senior year of high school, but don’t let his place on the depth chart fool you. Smith factors in nicely for what head coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman hope to accomplish on offense.

There was no competition for the starting running back spot in the spring. Carlos Hyde’s nearly 1,000-yard season and subsequent return for his final season as a Buckeye put an end to any musical chairs. But the second-string competition also was nonexistent, and that’s because of the flare Smith displayed in Ohio State's 12-0 year.

When it comes to making the most of opportunities, Smith took the ball and ran – literally. He only received 32 carries in nine games, but his total rushing yards added up to 215, an average of 6.7 yards per carry. Two plays stick out from the others: a 33-yard touchdown run against Nebraska that included five broken tackles and a 51-yard touchdown reception versus Illinois.

There was more of that during spring practice, where Smith could be seen making would-be tacklers miss. It was a month-long personal highlight reel for one of the nation’s best backups. The coaches think so much of Smith that they’ve incorporated him into the diamond formation, alongside Braxton Miller and Hyde. Smith suffered a concussion during the final week of drills, but it didn’t deter his season outlook.

“He was a physical presence out there,” said running backs coach Stan Drayton. “I'm really excited where Rod Smith is right now. He's a young man that's had to overcome some things to get to the point where he is right now. It makes it even that much more rewarding for him and myself.”

Seventeen months ago, Smith’s future with the Buckeyes was uncertain. He missed the team flight to the Gator Bowl and never showed up in Jacksonville. It was the end of a tumultuous year for Smith, who started out at running back before moving to linebacker after what appeared to be an incurable case of fumble-itis.

There were comparisons to Eddie George before Smith even suited up in scarlet and gray. A 74-yard performance with a touchdown in Smith’s first career game only made the drumbeat louder. He’s a 6-foot-3, 228-pound machine that runs over, through and around defenders, similar to the physical style of the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner.

Soon, the two would have more in common, but this time it was of the infamous variety. Smith, like George, would go through a dreaded period of fumbling, The most troubling aspect was doing so late in games. For many, it was a return to 1992, when a young Eddie George had two critical fumbles in a loss to Illinois.

Needless to say, on and off the field, Smith did not leave Meyer with a favorable first impression. It couldn’t have been much worse for a perfectionist head coach. It was so poor that Meyer sat down with Smith and his father and urged the running back to transfer.

“He's a good guy. I love Rod Smith. I love guys that turn it around.”

“The conversation in January (of 2012) is, ‘You’re probably not going to make it. It’s probably best you move on and play somewhere where you can play, because it’s obvious you’re not good enough to be here,'” Meyer said.

The negativity continued last spring and summer. Smith performed in a forgettable manor with no reason for coaches to grab onto hope. But he persevered and bought into the staff’s message.

The first glimmer was the touchdown and four-yard average Smith had against UAB. But it wasn’t just offense where Smith attracted attention. The coaches were pleased with his unselfish play on special teams, where Smith was a member the “Freak Show” punt-block team. Meyer has long lauded players that take command by first performing on special teams. It’s the quickest way to earn playing time on offense or defense.

Now Smith is one of the hardest workers on the team and routinely spotted putting in long hours at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. It’s part of the reason why he separated himself from fellow running backs Bri’onte Dunn and Warren Ball.

“He's a totally different guy right now,” Drayton said of Smith. “He's locked in. He's focused. He understands too that his timeline is coming.

Said Meyer: “He's a good guy. I love Rod Smith. I love guys that turn it around.”

Starter or not, it’s all irrelevant to Smith and the Buckeyes. He’s going to play and the team is better for it. The offense responded with gusto when Smith was inserted into the lineup during the spring.

“He has improved his awareness,” Drayton said. “He's year-two in this system now, so he's playing faster because of the knowledge of the system.”

Developing a playbook in his mind should prove vital when the freshmen playmakers enroll, among them Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson and Ezekiel Elliott. Only one – Elliott – is a true running back. But gaudy high school stats don’t guarantee success – at least not immediately. Smith is the best reference point for that argument. He gained more than 6,600 yards in high school and scored nearly 70 touchdowns.

Then he entered the real world, or some form of it. College football is a cruel universe. But for the ballyhooed back who defied his coaches transfer advice, it’s not far from a utopia.

“What a great message for our entire team,” Meyer said. “He was lower than most guys on this team. To see him rebound…it's called maturity, and it's happening.”

Monday Skull Session

Jason — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:00:14 +0000

Good morning. Ohio State emerged from a huge sporting weekend with mixed results – baseball lost its grip on a Big Ten crown, men's lacrosse was throttled by Cornell in NCAA quarters, and men's tennis ended USC's four-year run of NCAA titles, but it's Deshaun Thomas that leads our Monday morning.

At the NBA draft combine, teams poked and prodded Thomas, recording the vitals and metrics that will be used to evaluate where he goes. Ohio State officially listed Thomas at 6-foot-7, 215 pounds and he checked in at 6-7 in shoes (6-5 without), weighing in at 219.8 pounds.

His wingspan was 6-foot-10, not great, but not terrible, either, while his body fat – 9.1% – put him in the top five of all players tested. Or is that bottom five? At any rate, it was the second straight year a Buckeye entered the combine with higher than average body fat. Jared Sullinger's booty alone was good enough to register half of his 10.7 percent body fat last year.

I'm not sure whether that really means much. Sullinger was off to a solid NBA rookie campaign before back surgery ended his season and the NBA has seen many players on the plus side, from Charles Barkley to Shaquille O'Neal, play well while carrying a few extra pounds.

Thomas listed "Do what you do" among the bits of advice he's received from former players and coaches and that apparently means attempting to annoy the grumpiest coach in the league.

If the San Antonio Spurs choose Deshaun Thomas in next month’s NBA draft, they might have a hard time reaching him to tell him. That’s because when the Spurs asked the former Ohio State star for his phone number Wednesday night, he refused to give it to them.

Thomas said teams asked him plenty of difficult and interesting questions during his interview process at the combine. But the most interesting, he said, was the fact the Spurs’ first question was for his cell phone number and his e-mail address. He gave them the e-mail, but not the phone number.

“I can’t go around giving it out to everyone,” Thomas said Thursday with a laugh. “Now if they want to draft me, I’d be happy to give it to them.”

Umm... Yeah, Pop will love that.

Despite all that, Thomas still believes he's first round selection material.

"I believe I can be that late first-round pick,'' Thomas said at the NBA combine on Thursday morning. "I have confidence. But all I've got to do is keep working, do what I can do. As long as I can feel like when I can walk out of that gym that I worked hard, I'll leave it in God's hands and everything will take care of itself.''

In other news from the combine, Kansas' Ben McLemore and Indiana's Victor Oladipo wowed scouts with 42" verticals. That's quite the leap, but Ohio State assistant coach Jeff Boals says you haven't seen anything yet:

@slamiam12 has 46"“@nbastats: Wow... Ben McLemore matches Oladipo w/ an unofficial 42.0" max vertical leap, tops thus far #NBACombine
— Jeff Boals (@JeffBoals) May 17, 2013

Yep, sounds about right.

FAKE-ASS BUCKEYE. FAKE AS HELL. So, there's a member of the Charlotte Buckeyes alumni group that claims to have won the Rose Bowl in 1974 "with Archie, Cornelius Greene, Pete Johnson and the rest," catching an 8-yard touchdown pass in the 1976 Rose Bowl and then going on an NFL career with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the 1977 NFL Draft. The member, Giovanni Strassini, also claims to have made the Ohio State football All-Century Team.

Oh and if that wasn't enough, Strassini also claims to have been an All-American 3rd baseman for the baseball Bucks in '76.

There's only one problem: None of this is true. The Buckeye Football Encyclopedia does not list Strassini among the many thousands of letter-winners, his name or face appears nowhere in media guides from that era – indeed, the '76 media guide jumps from Mike Strahine (QB) to Ric Volley (TB) – oh, and Ohio State scored just one touchdown in the 1976 Rose Bowl, a 3-yard Pete Johnson run.

This isn't quite as terrible as faking military accolades, but it's up there. Where's Terrelle Pryor? We have ourselves a fake Buckeye.

BALLARD'S GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY. Former Buckeye tight end Jake Ballard, now with the New England Patriots, has a bit of an opportunity at New England's minicamp with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez out.

If you recall, Ballard sat out last season rehabbing from major knee surgery, was snatched off of waivers from the Giants, angering the perpetually grumpy Tom Coughlin. Pats coach Bill Belichick took a bit of heat himself for violating an unwritten rule that frowns upon claiming injured players.

What do the Patriots have in Ballard? The Boston Herald asked his former coach, Jim Tressel:

“In 2007, we had a huge game against Penn State, and he just kept making play after play. That’s just the way he was,” said Tressel. “If you needed him, he was going to step up. He was going to do the unglamorous stuff, too. He was going to handle the blocking, or run the routes where someone else was going to get open. He’s just one of those guys you want to have on your team. I’m sure the Patriots saw that in him. You know how they are. It’s not about ‘me,’ it’s about ‘we.’ And he fits in perfectly in that system.”

Ballard was such a surprise in the passing game for the Giants that New York tight end coach Mike Pope placed a call to Tressel after the the Giants signed Ballard to an undrafted free agent deal:

“’I’ll never forget that call. Mike Pope, the tight ends coach there for many many years, said, ‘Coach, you and I don’t know one another. I just want you to know, this young man, Jake Ballard that you sent us, is going to be a good player in the NFL. And we appreciate you sending him,’ ” Tressel said. “So out of nowhere, Pope called because they realized in preseason, they got one better than they thought he was going to be.”

Best of luck, Jake. We'll be pulling for you.

YOU KNOW THIS MAN IS 6-3, 285, AND HITS LIKE A BARGE, RIGHT? Who does this?

Sick of living in this trash alley. First my stereo and now my computer. Wish I could catch a thief in the process. I'd get a murder charge
— MIKE BENNETT (@mike63bennett) May 19, 2013

We hope you catch the thief, Mike, but please let the police handle things.

ETC. Remember when the father of Alabama's long snapper broke one of the Tide's crystal footballs... The Gophers will make a bit of coin from the Vikings... Damon Stoudamire to join Sean Miller's staff at Arizona... Entertaining Rutgers spring football documentary... Just stop, please, already, Joker Phillips... I'm just going to go ahead and permanently quit the internet after seeing this.

11W Community Interview: Kyle Berger

Jeremy Birmingham — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

The 11W Community Interview is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people. You submit the questions, vote on them, and then we pass the top ones on to the biggest names in the world of Ohio State athletics.

The subject of tonight's 11W Community Interview – our first – is Cleveland St. Ignatius junior linebacker Kyle Berger. After narrowing his list to Ohio State and Michigan, he chose the Buckeyes to become the 7th commitment in Urban Meyer's 2014 class.

We caught up with the 6-foot-2, 218-pound tackling machine a month ago, but we felt he'd be a great candidate to kick off this new series. He answers readers' questions on everything from nicknames, recruiting, school and the origin of his Twitter nom de plume.

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What recruits are you recruiting the hardest to join the 2014 class? – TDIBLE2132

KB: Personally, I've been recruiting Chase Winovich the hardest. We've been texting a lot and stuff and are planning to go up to OSU in one of the next couple weekends together. I've also talked with Mark Andrews.

How close was it with Michigan? – OhioWhiteSnake

KB: Honestly, it was really close between the two. Both programs are so much alike, great facilities, a rich football history, and good coaches. There was so much to like about both schools. But in the end, I just had this certain feeling about OSU when I stepped on campus that I didn't get anywhere else.

What other OSU prospect would you most like to play alongside? – Buckeye-In-SEC

Almost "Lost" to a rival, Berger found OSU.

KB: It'd be awesome to play with Chase. I think we're so much alike as players and the coaches agree. It'd just be sweet playing with almost like another you on the opposite side of the field. We're both hard-nosed kids and we'd get after each other in practice and make each other so much better.

Are you planning to enroll early? How exciting or frustrating is it to be committed to a program, but still have a least a few months - up to a year - from being in it? – Basso Profondo

KB: Unfortunately, St Ignatius doesn't allow me to enroll early. It's kind of a bummer but it'll be nice to enjoy my whole senior year instead. Its definitely frustrating knowing you can't just go there right away and start school and football. It'd be nice to just start working out with Coach Mick and beginning school. But like I said before, it'll be nice to have my whole senior year. You only go through high school once and I'll be at OSU for at least 4 years so I just have to wait it out until my time comes.

What is your biggest strength that you'll be bringing to the Bucks? What's one aspect of your game looking to improve between now and enrolling? – CalgaryBuck

KB: I think my biggest strength will be my hard work and dedication to the team. Anything a coach tells me, I work to fix it the very next play and I always do. I never have to be asked twice to do something. If I need to move to Mike (MLB), I absolutely will and will learn it as fast as possible without questions asked. The aspect of my game I'm looking to improve the most is my size. I was a "skinnier" linebacker, so I got to work to add muscle weight while keeping speed. I'm at about 218-pounds, so I've already gained about 15 pounds this offseason and have gotten faster too so I'm going to keep working on that.

What course of studies do you plan to pursue at Ohio State? How much did that influence your decision? – GV9

KB: I plan to be an orthopedic surgeon or a sports medicine doctor so I'll be on the the pre-med track. I will most likely major in biology with a classics (language) minor. I take Latin now and I love it (laughs), but it honestly had a huge impact on my decision. Football only lasts so long so you have to have a backup plan. Ohio State has a great medical school and I got to talk to the head doctor of their hospital and he was able to tell me a lot of great things about the medical program at OSU.

How difficult was it to balance recruiting, school, football and life during this process? Would you say time management or support structure was most important? – JedKat

KB: It really was difficult to balance school, recruiting, and life. Ignatius really teaches kids time management skills so that was a huge help. But I didn't hear anything from schools until after football season so that helped a bit. My parents were also very helpful during the process, they helped me notify coaches when I was supposed to call them or had to study or go to practice and stuff. They always stressed school first because it's obviously the most important. Then after homework was when I would talk to coaches. It got super annoying having to calls multiple coaches everyday when i just wanted to watch Netflix or something (laughs).

What was the worst recruiting pitch you heard? – D1145Fresh

KB: Honestly, I didn't hear a bad recruiting pitch. Every coach I came in contact with was very nice and always had great things to say. Really, the only "bad pitch" I heard was being called "Alex."

Tell us something that makes you unique, a special talent, skill, etc. – BME_Buckeye

“Really, the only ‘bad pitch’ I heard was being called ‘Alex.’”

KB: Haha I get a ton of crap from my friends for this but I'm going to say it anyway, I love playing chess. I learned in like 1st grade and have loved playing it ever since. I haven't played as much lately but like up until sophomore year, I would play everyday. Also, I am obsessed with "Lost," as you all probably know due to my Twitter name being "Hugo Reyes. (I guess we know what he's watching on Netflix.)

Before you committed, did you follow Ohio State recruiting through Eleven Warriors or other sites regularly like us fans? If so, what kinds of comments about you boost your confidence or bother you the most? – TAE1986

KB: Honestly, I didn't at all. I tried to stay away from all that as much as possible. I stink at not caring what others think (laughs) so I was afraid of reading tons of negative comments. My mom read all that stuff and of course her "Mom mode" would take over when she'd see a mean comment and I would hear her talk back to the computer screen.

Thank you to all the Buckeye fans that asked questions and thank you all for your support! I will give my all for Ohio State, Coach Meyer, my family, and Buckeye Nation through my time at OSU. Can't wait to be playing in the Scarlet and Gray.

Jake Stoneburner's Next Step Takes Place in Title Town

Kyle Rowland — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The disappointment was brief. The dream may have been shattered, but in a matter of moments the end result was ultimately the same: an opportunity to play in the NFL.

Jake Stoneburner was not drafted. It came as a surprise to many, especially after an impressive series of workouts leading up to the draft. Stoneburner displayed the skills to front office personnel that made coaches and fans so giddy when he was being recruited. Ultimately, though, he slipped through the seven-round process.

But it’s a big boy business and that isn’t lost on Stoneburner. That’s why the mood was upbeat when the Green Bay Packers contacted him to become an undrafted free agent. Stoneburner will keep that undrafted status in the back of his mind for a little extra motivation.

“Teams didn’t pick you for a reason,” he said. “You’ve got to figure out what that reason was and you’ve got to take that and critique it. Take it with you to Green Bay and show teams they made a mistake in not drafting you. You don’t want to act too crazy up there and act like you’re some nut job that wishes he’d have been drafted, but you definitely have to have a chip on your shoulder.”

There was logic in the reasoning why Stoneburner remained on draft boards for 254 picks. He’s had two knee injuries, including a torn meniscus last season, and he never quite lived up to his potential at Ohio State, though it can debated whether that was his fault or not.

But the Dublin native was a safe free agent pickup with tremendous upside. Stoneburner, with Troy Smith throwing passes, put on a show at Ohio State’s Pro Day in March. At 6-foot-3, 249 pounds, he has the size combined with speed that NFL tight ends are known to utilize.

At Pro Day, Stoneburner was impressive in pass-catching drills, running crisp routes and flashing the speed that could make him a steal for the Packers. His 4.52 40 was among the fastest times for all tight ends eligible for the draft.

In four years at Ohio State, Stoneburner caught 53 passes for 714 yards. But nearly 25 percent of his receptions went for touchdowns.

“Why not Jake Stoneburner?” Smith said.

“Why not Jake Stoneburner?”

Green Bay hopes the tight end takes that same approach, because the franchise has largely been built on front office decisions during the NFL Draft weekend. Fifty-seven players attended the Packers’ rookie orientation and they were given a history lesson.

Tom Crabtree, a fellow Central Ohio native, also went undrafted. He might not have the same cachet of Green Bay legends such as Bart Starr or Brett Favre or even current players Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews, but hard work and a can’t-lose attitude paid off for the undrafted free agent. After being waived by Kansas City in 2009, the Packers took a flier on him – and it paid off.

Crabtree played in 41 games over the past three seasons, a total of 462 offensive snaps. He had a reception and a tackle in Super Bowl XLV, which Green Bay won, but most of Crabtree’s production was of the blocking variety.

“Frankly, I’ve changed the philosophy of our program,” Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy said. “We’ve been noted as a draft-and-develop football team, but we’re really a draft-and-undrafted football team. That’s what the facts show and something we take a lot of pride in.”

The Packers might have a whopping seven tight ends on the roster, but it’s a position that’s always been loaded during general manager Ted Thompson’s tenure, and few of the producers have been must-get players.

Jeremichael Finley is the only tight end Green Bay has drafted in the first four rounds in drafts conducted by Thompson. It’s not lost on Stoneburner, a student of the game. He understands his place and that his services mesh with the team identity and what fans look for in a Packer.

“(Their offense) suits me almost to a T with the way they split out Jermichael,” Stoneburner said. “I felt like it was a good opportunity to come in. It’s a great atmosphere here to come in, compete and hopefully earn a roster spot.

“It’s there for me to make it. I just have to perform.”

“I think I ended up in the best possible situation. I’ve seen a lot of people go undrafted and play a long time in the NFL.”

Exhibiting all his skills appeals to Stoneburner, and he believes Green Bay will allow that. Blocking will be expected, and Stoneburner is underrated in that department. But it’s his athleticism that will turn the most heads.

A bum knee will not be something holding Stoneburner back. He recently gave himself a clean bill of health, as did doctors, and expects to be at full speed for the foreseeable future.

“I don’t feel pain and I’m able to run,” Stoneburner said. “Its just some doctors thought it looked torn and some didn’t. Some teams weren’t willing to take the waiver on my knee, especially because I’ve torn it two years in a row now.”

Easing the pain is Rodgers, arguably the top quarterback in the league and the best that money can buy. With the draft winding down, Stoneburner and his agent, Eric Metz, were in contact with 10-15 teams. One franchise – the Seattle Seahawks – even indicated they would draft the tight end, though that never came to fruition. One wish Stoneburner had was to play with a star quarterback. Consider it granted.

“I wanted to make sure I had a set quarterback that is known for throwing the ball,” he said. “I’ve never really been able to have that. In high school I kind of had that, and I was able to thrive in that. So when I was looking at free agency, I wanted a set quarterback that’s going to be there for a while that I know can throw the ball around. (Rodgers) just happens to be pretty good at it.”

Stoneburner will also have familiar faces around him, former Buckeyes Ryan Pickett and AJ Hawk.

“I've heard that Green Bay is the Ohio State of the NFL, so I don’t mind that,” Stoneburner said. “I think I ended up in the best possible situation.

“I’ve seen a lot of people go undrafted and play a long time in the NFL.”

Ohio State Knocks Off USC, Ending Four Year Reign of Troy

11W Staff — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:54:11 +0000

Photo: @OhioState_MTEN

The revenge tour for Ohio State men's tennis marches on. Two days after avenging an early season loss to No. 12 Texas A&M in the round of 16, Ty Tucker's squad knocked off USC, the tournament's four-time defending champion, in a 4-3 thriller at the University of Illinois' Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex.

The Trojans had knocked Ohio State out of two of their last four NCAA tournament appearances.

The two teams split in singles play, but the Buckeyes won the doubles point when Devin McCarthy and Ille Van Engelen won a 9-7 tie-breaker over USC's Emilio Gomez and Roberto Quiroz. The win was a bit of an upset as the higher-ranked Gomez and Quiroz had represented Ecuador in Davis Cup play in April.

The win was Ohio State's 25th in a row, but things only get tougher from here. Next up: a date with top seed UCLA (28-1) in the national semifinals at 2 p.m. Monday.

Saturday Skull Session

Vico — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

If it'll help you find these Saturday Skull Sessions any more enjoyable, just know that this feature will be replaced with game previews and afternoon open threads in just over three months. As it is, we'll talk about some miscellanous news items here and there in the wide world of college sports.

MAURICE CLARETT TRYING HIS HAND AT RUGBY. File this under the category of things of which Ohio State fans have known for some time. However, national media is picking up with this story on Maurice Clarett and running with it, so we can talk about it.

Relax: it has nothing to do with a stolen car from ten years ago, nor should it make Kirk Herbstreit afraid to send his hypothetical college age children to Ohio State to play football.

Though Maurice Clarett had a stint with the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks for two years following his release from his prison, his gridiron days may be coming to an end. Clarett is 29 years old, which is an advanced age for a professional football running back. Clarett takes diligent care of himself and the time in prison equates to less figurative tread on the tire, but that does not change his position much. As a result, Clarett is trying to make it in a similar sport: rugby. He announced not too long ago that he was serious about being an Olympian in the sport. The upcoming 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will see rugby debut as a medal-awarding sport.

Yesterday, the Columbus Dispatch announced that Maurice Clarett will be playing in the Tiger Rugby-sponsored Ohio Rugby Sevens Invitational in Mechanicsburg on May 25. Tiger Rugby is the rugby development program, based in Columbus, Ohio, that has the task of selecting a team to represent the United States in Rio in 2016.

We obviously wish Maurice Clarett well as he pursues this shot at glory in 2016. He will be 32 going on 33 when the Rio games come, but this age should mean less in rugby than in professional football. What's more germane to the conversation is learning the differences between the two games that belie their prima facie similarity.

Really, one wonders if this is the next step for former college football players and NFL washouts. Professional football has no real development program like Major League Baseball's farm system, nor does it have the multi-layered hierarchy of professional squads like European soccer. If players don't land one of 53 roster spots on a given NFL team, the options are UFL, Arena League, or Canadian Football. This would be acceptable if college football wasn't churning out prospect after prospect every year. This could become a new thing, provided there is sufficient fan interest in rugby across the United States to keep the enterprise afloat.

YOU NEVER HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU THINK YOU DO. Did anyone watch ESPN's 30 for 30 titled Broke? ESPN's 30 for 30s (for me) are a curious block of programming on the network. Namely: they're not inexcusably terrible like most of ESPN's other programming. In fact, they're routinely very good. Okay, some of them suck out loud and should not have been done.

Further, this particular installment featured Darren Rovell, and his presence on that film did not make me want to punch him in the face. One of the things he mentioned on that 30 for 30 is that athletes (and NFLers especially) never like to hear that the smartest and most efficient thing they can do with their $10 million dollar contract is invest it wisely so that it grows to $11 million.

Instead, athletes invest in high risk ventures like car dealerships and sports bars and compound the problem by giving money to every family member or "friend" that sees them as a cash cow. It's how, among other things, athletes like Andre Rison, featured prominently in that 30 for 30, can go from a one-time $17 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Browns (over 5 years) to having no money.

This week saw a few more cautionary tales emerge to the fore, namely in the form of NFLers still on lucrative rookie contracts who have family members and "friends" who are already asking for money, or extorting it.

Tyron Smith, a former right tackle for the USC Trojans, was drafted ninth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $12.5 million dollar contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Shortly thereafter, his family came calling and demanded their cut. Deadspin abbreviated Tyron Smith's allegations against his family as follow.

Smith says he gave his family a "substantial" amount of money, but after the last of the agreed-upon installments, they almost immediately began demanding more.

Smith alleges that his family stole more than $1 million from him, money that just disappeared out of the account kept by a financial planner they had recommended.

Smith had to file a restraining order against his mother and stepfather, after they "threatened the physical well-being of Tyron and the life of his girlfriend."

In training camp, a brother that Smith hadn't spoken to “in a long time” showed up at the Cowboys facility, and had to be removed by security.

While Smith was on the road for a game, two of his sisters showed up at his home and confronted his girlfriend. She called 911, and the police report says they were there to “harass and torment” Smith “in the pursuit of collecting financial gain.”

Tavon Austin, arguably the darling of college football fans watching this year's NFL Draft, could be next in line for this horror story. No one who's followed Tavon Austin in college at West Virginia, or in his preparation for the NFL Draft, had anything bad to say about his character. The worry wasn't that Austin would find trouble, but trouble would find him in the form of he people he knew from his old haunts in Baltimore. Austin, who is scheduled to sign a rookie contract worth $12.6 million dollars (including a $7 million dollar signing bonus) is finding out that he has a lot of "cousins" in Baltimore.

But, more than anything, the biggest adjustment has been dealing with everyone that comes out of the woodwork when fame and imminent fortune show up on the doorstep.

“Just people,” Austin said. “Everybody expects a lot of things from you as far as money. Everybody wants to be around you. My phone doesn’t stop ringing now. It feels like they’re counting my bank account now. So that’s probably the hardest thing for me right now, just people.

“I’ve got a lot of cousins now. The whole (city of) Baltimore is my cousin now. We’re going to just try to keep focused and let my mother and all of them handle it.”

The Broke 30 for 30 might be a cautionary tale, but hardly one stationary in time. There are lessons to learn from it for the athlete. However, there are few lessons applicable to the people proximate to an athlete who see a lucrative professional contract as an interest-free loan or gift.

Wes Lunt finished 81/131 for 1108yds as QB.

SO WHERE CAN WES LUNT GO? It's almost trivial to argue that restrictions on transfers in college football are silly. Nick Saban can club-hop with the best of them, Rich Rodriguez can leave West Virginia on the altar for That Team Up North, and Lane Kiffin can be Lane Kiffin -- all with basic impunity. However, a college football player wants to leave a program to explore other options, and then there are problems.

Alas, I won't bore the reader any more with that argument, but I will bring up the latest college football player to be added as a footnote in this argument: Wes Lunt.

Wes Lunt was a true freshman quarterback for Oklahoma State in 2012, having graduated from high school in December 2011. He replaced the outgoing Brandon Weeden as Oklahoma State starting quarterback, which is no small feat.

He started his collegiate career with an 11/11 129yd performance in an 84-0 win against Savannah State. He followed that with a 37/60, 436yd, 4 TD, 3 INT performance against Arizona, albeit in a losing effort.

He injured his knee on the 4th play of the next game against Louisiana Lafayette and played in only two games thereafter. He asked for a transfer after the season after recognizing the logjam at quarterback entering the spring.

Mike Gundy has granted that transfer, but only on the following conditions: Wes Lunt cannot transfer to a team in the Big XII, the Southeastern Conference, or the Pac 12. Wait, it gets better. Wes Lunt is forbidden from transferring to Southern Miss and Central Michigan. Eastern Michigan? Fine. Central Michigan? DENIED.

Ostensibly, Gundy is blocking Wes Lunt from transferring to schools in the same conference (understandable), or teams from conferences with which the Big XII shares its two most prominent bowl arrangements (Cotton Bowl [SEC], Alamo Bowl [Pac 12]). As for why not Southern Miss or Eastern Michigan? No clue, dude. Central Michigan does play two games against Oklahoma State in 2015 and 2016, though.

The announcement of this restriction list comes as it seemed that Wes Lunt was eyeing Tennessee and Vanderbilt as possible destinations. For all intents and purposes, Mike Gundy basically constricted Wes Lunt's choice set to just Illinois, which now seems like the odds-on favorite to land Lunt. Lunt is from Rochester, which is an hour and a half from Champaign. I-L-L, I-N-I, Mike Gundy.

MISCELLANY. Copa del Rey silliness... Related... "Aggravated robbery", of a $447 bong. Go Zips... Titus Young's situation is no longer funny... Sacramento Kings aren't going anywhere, if you're into that kind of thing... Steve Alford and New Mexico agree on the terms of his buyout...

PROGRAMMING ALERT. Ohio State Men's Tennis gets familiar foe in NCAA Quarterfinals: USC... That match is this evening at 5pm ET... Men's lacrosse plays Cornell in NCAA Quarterfinal... That game is 12:30pm ET and can be seen on ESPN2... Baseball hopes to split the season-ending series against Indiana, which won in extra innings last night. The Big Ten title is on the line. That game will be on BTN at 4:05pm ET. Go Bucks.

Ohio State Football Recruiting Notebook: 5/17

Miles Joseph — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

It been a couple of weeks since our last edition of the Ohio State Football Recruiting Notebook and quite a bit has happened in the world of OSU recruiting over that time.

The biggest news occurred this past Sunday when Gary (IN) West Side wide receiver Lonnie Johnson made a surprise Mother's Day announcement and committed to the Bucks over Kentucky and a couple of other schools. We'll have a little more on his commitment later in the notebook.

There were also a couple of recruits on campus yesterday. This marks the first time in a while the Buckeyes have hosted any prospects on campus. We'll have a little more on the two visitors Noah Furbush and Hjalte Froholdt later in this edition notebook.

There is also a report that perhaps the best defensive player in the country will be committing in a couple of weeks. This player was once very high on the Bucks, but is likely to commit to a B1G rival.

We also saw the staff continue their trek across America where they extended a bevy of offers. We'll tell you all the players who received an offer from OSU over the duration of the last seven days.

Finally we will tell you which former Buckeye targets committed to other schools and we'll take a peak into the future of Ohio State football recruiting in this week's edition of the Recruiting Notebook.

The Buzz

First and foremost the Buckeyes picked up their eighth commitment of the 2014 recruiting class in Gary (IN) West Side athlete Lonnie Johnson. Johnson made a big splash with his surprise commitment on Mother's Day.

The 6-3/190 freak athlete could play either wide receiver or cornerback at the college level. As things stand right now he figures to come to Columbus as a wide receiver.

Our next news item comes in the form of campus visitors. 2014 Kenton (OH) linebacker Noah Furbush and 2015 Warren (OH) defensive tackle Hjalte Froholdt became the first players to come to Columbus for an un-official visit in quite some time.

Peppers will likely head to Michigan

Furbush, a 6-4/235 linebacker has offers from Michigan, Michigan State, and other notable schools. The Bucks have yet to offer, but I don't think an eventual offer is out of the question. If OSU did come in with an offer, they would be very tough to beat in this race.

The 6-5/275 defensive linemen, Hjalte Froholdt, a native of Denmark, has spent the school year in the states. He came away from his visit to OSU with an offer from the Buckeyes.

He told Jeremy that he would like to continue playing football in the US, but one of his parents would need to moves to the States with him in order for him to continue pursing a football career in the United States. He will be a very interesting prospect to monitor over the next couple of years.

2014 Paramus (NJ) Catholic defensive back Jabrill Peppers recently announced he would be making his college decision on May 26th. Michigan is his likely destination as things stand. If the Wolverines could be upended for his services, Penn State or Stanford would be other potential destinations.

The Ohio State staff offered a lot of prospects in the 2014 and 2015 classes over the past week.

On the offensive side of the ball, they extended offers to Haines City (FL) running back Dacorius Law and Houston (TX) Kinkaid athlete Marvin Saunders. There were also a few 2014 defensive players offered including Winter Park (FL) defensive lineman Trent Harris and New Orleans (LA) St. Augustine defensive back Jermaine Roberts who is currently committed to the Texas Longhorns.

There were also class of 2015 players offered in the last week. On the offensive side of the ball, Pompano Beach (FL) Blanche Ely wide receiver Devante Peete, Orlando (FL) First Academy tight end Garett Williams, and Pittsburgh (PA) Baldwin offensive tackle Sterling Jenkins picked up offers from the Buckeyes. Finally class of 2015 defenders who received offers include the likes of Suffield (CT) Academy defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, Hollywood (FL) McArthur defensive back Kendrell McFadden, and Cocoa (FL) athlete Jamel Dean.

It will be interesting to monitor the recently offered prospects interest in the Buckeyes in the coming weeks.

Happy Trails

The Buckeyes didn't lose out on too many prospects they were interested in last week. There are only two notable players who chose other schools.

Hebron (KY) Conner quarterback Drew Barker committed to the Kentucky Wildcats last Friday. The Bucks were very interested in Barker at one point in the process, but they never offered him.

Lastly Southfield (MI) defensive end Lawrence Marshall, a former Buckeye commit, committed to Michigan last Saturday. Marshall committed to OSU in February, only to de-commit from OSU shortly after his commitment. It was very un-likely he would end up at OSU after de-committing. Marshall is a very solid pickup for Michigan.

Looking Ahead

I don't think we'll see any visitors for the rest of May, unless we see a surprise visitor pop up out of the blue. Things will start to pickup on this front in June when school let's out and the staff starts hosting their summer camps.

The staff will continue scouring the country evaluating and offering prospects who catch their eye.