Archives for April 2014

Bradley Roby Plea Deal Reached

April 29, 2014 by 2 Comments

Bradley Roby had his day in court and like most citizens in this country reached a plea deal with the prosecution before ever seeing the Judge. 10TV with the full details in their report…

A judge has sentenced former Ohio State University player Bradley Roby.

Roby was arrested on April 20 after being found passed out behind the wheel of his car on Vine Street, according to Columbus Police.

On Tuesday, Roby pleaded guilty to an amended charge of Physical Control. Physical Control means being in the driver’s position in the front seat of a vehicle and having possession of the ignition key or other ignition device.

Roby was sentenced to take a three-day driver intervention course. He was also fined $375.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to file any additional charges in the future. It could take six weeks for toxicology reports to come out. According to court documents, Roby’s blood alcohol level was .008.

You can assume that Roby likely finalized the plea deal to avoid toxicology reports that will come out in 6 weeks that could show illegal drug use. Or maybe not assume that if you want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I doubt a lawyer would let him plead out if not for fear something worse could be found out in the investigation. The legal system is a sneaky thing sometimes.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

More Bradley Roby OMVI details emerge (report)

April 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

A new report from 10tv the day before Bradley Roby goes to court on OMVI charges gives details into why Columbus Police approached Bradley Roby while he was sitting in his parked car…

From the 10tv report…

Columbus police have released a 911 call dispatchers received the night former Ohio State football player Bradley Roby was allegedly passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle.

Roby was arrested April 20 on Vine Street in downtown Columbus.

Court documents show officers found Roby passed out behind the wheel of his car. The 911 caller indicates that he may have been driving the SUV.

“Hi, I’m just leaving BBR on Vine and some black Dodge Charger just almost hit a bunch of kids on the sidewalk. And now, the driver is passed out drunk on the side of BBR in black Charger with Georgia plates,” the caller states.

Police say Roby failed a field sobriety test.

His agent argues that Roby was just sitting in the car and not driving, and that his blood alcohol level was only .008 which is below the legal limit.

Roby has a court date scheduled for Tuesday.

Roby and his lawyer have attacked the original report that 10tv first put out when they broke the initial story. 10tv is still using some legal terms that may or may not be accurate and lead some to question the validity of their report. Obviously the 911 call doesnt help Roby unless of course the caller could not say it was the same car exactly. In the end this case is shaky at best and will probably never reach a court case.

The 911 call says the driver was driving a Dodge Charger. The Columbus police report says they found Roby behind the wheel of an SUV. This is a huge distinction as a Charger is a car not an SUV.

Another issue with this newest allegation is the accusation that the car nearly hit a bunch of kids. I believe the initial report said the incident happened at 4 AM. Why would there be a bunch of kids out at that time of day in downtown Columbus?

I am not a lawyer by any means but this case has a stench to it that any competent lawyer could easily tear apart and get thrown out of court.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Only the Best for You, Honey

April 28, 2014 by 1 Comment

My wife–a Sooner by birth, but a San Diegan nearly all her life has cooked up these observations as good sport following me around to Buckeye events. Now she has gone to quite a few OSU football and basketball games with me, but hey, the glamour of wresting is hard to deny. I have not edited her draft one bit–except to correct the spelling of Stieber. So without further ado, here is Ms. Buffy:

A seat near Hawkeye fans--nice people but ok, what's a hawkeye

The wife of a wrestler + the wife of a sports writer + the wife of an Ohio State University fan = me. For forty years, I danced along through life without being any of those things. Then fate bounced the love of my life, Garth, into the middle of my very feminine world. He promised to fulfill all of my dreams at an old, iconic romantic hotel right in the San Francisco Bay Area where he was living at the time. In our room without a view, which he reserved with his AAA discount, he announced, “Only the best for you, Honey!!”

It was cute. The little tongue-in-cheek humor for which he is infamous. The romantic getaway was a trick; as was the Ritz in Lake Tahoe. So were the VIP Seats at the Warriors games and that cool trip to the only NFL championship game that I have ever attended. Little did I know that he was a man with skeletons in his closet. He stole my heart before I knew that he flirted insatiately with a sport that would take me to the tundra of the upper Midwest at least a couple of times each winter.

Yes, Big 10 Wrestling and Fan Numero Uno have provided me many nights in hotels with indoor pools and free breakfasts; places with whole milk, unlimited waffles and canned peaches. I now know that I am capable of judging a hotel by whether the free parking is also close enough to a satellite entrance so I don’t freeze my fanny off getting to and from the car at 3:00 in the afternoon. Since not one of these luxurious homes away from home has ever had room service, I am especially partial to the ones with a sundry shop; also incredibly surprised that there is no cashier in there – it’s sort of on one’s honor to take their items to the front desk to pay for them.

Fan Numero Uno brought me love and happiness. He also brought me wine tastings at Applebees. Sometimes, on a super stroke of good karma, earned for going without complaining, I get upgraded to The Outback Steakhouse. That’s only if my lucky stars align, though, and we end up staying at a fancier-than-usual Hampton Inn that shares its parking lot with The Outback. I have learned to order just “red wine.” Sometimes they’ll say they have a Merlot. I have learned to order club soda instead of Perrier, and not fret over the replacement of my little lime slice with a big, fat, seedy lemon chunk.

Fine dining in OKCFan Numero Uno showed me what it meant to be swept off my feet, then recently schlepped my fanny right into Hooters at NCAA Championships because that was the best late night dining that Oklahoma City had to offer. The romance of the evening is memorialized on Twitter – me standing right between two Hooters girls.

Fan Numero Uno has made me work out in multiple college gyms across the country. Now, they are always one of the highlights of our trips because there is nothing more fun than being a 43-year old woman lifting weights with cute little college co-eds. However, I always feel like the poor little boys are literally thanking God that I’m not their cougar mom, wearing lululemon shorts and a sports bra in the gym. I keep forgetting where I am going, and never bring (actually, don’t own) Midwestern workout attire.

Despite the trickery, and even though I thought I’d have a life of kissing my husband on a beach or going to the ballet, I love my wrestling life with my G. I wish the sport made it a little more wife- or fan-friendly. I certainly appreciate the physical and mental limitations that these young men and women overcome to achieve their dreams, but good God could someone please invoke a little FUN for the spectators? As a sport it’s the most dramatic event I have ever seen but it is almost devoid of personal connection and entertainment. I literally have to appreciate wrestling for how hard I know it is; and I’ve come to know that by my G putting me into a Chicken Wing every now and then just for the heck of it.

My good marriage-sportsmanship has tested my endurance. I have watched so many wrestlebacks that I actually have favorite wrestlers. I hug them when I see them and call them “sweetie,” and tell their parents how well they did (even when they lose). I wear special OSU outfits and have my finals gray dress and scarlet heels. I namedrop at parties; forgetting that wrestling has not achieved the popularity that it could with a little music, some decent seating, and a bar. Yep, I act like everyone should know Reece Humphrey and JD Bergman. Who’s so ignorant to not know the gift that The Ohio State University received when it got the Stieber Brothers? Who wouldn’t want to tweet about Jason Welch or Nick Heflin? Who doesn’t understand how great The Ohio State University is poised to be in the upcoming years? And why can’t anyone appreciate how excited I am that the Big 10 Championships are in Columbus this year? Or why I don’t like Tony Ramos because he was rude to my little guy, Logan Stieber, last year (who subsequently crushed Tony Ramos on the mat). It’s only fun, though, because I am either cheering for a team or a particular wrestler. Honestly, even during semi-finals, if I am without connection to the individual or team competing, I simply put my head in Garth’s lap and take a little nap.

Snoozing doesn’t equal disrespect. At some events, (usually the USA Wrestling—college wrestling actually tries a little harder) by the time I get to the semifinals, I have probably stood on my feet for at least eight hours per day, over a day or two or three, trying to figure out when and where the bouts are of which we have an interest. If there are seats, I can’t see anyway because the big walls of men block my view. There has been no music or other entertainment. There is nothing to eat but chips, hot dogs, and pizza. I BYO Fresh Fruits and Nuts so I don’t starve. I have often contemplated BYO Wine, but who wants to be the only person among thousands drinking alone? That would be unbecoming of a lady.

I understand that the sport has inherently difficult obstacles. There are many worthy babies, boys and girls, young men and women, and men and women who must compete. However, I would like to make just three simple fan- and wife-friendly suggestions. Each would contribute to the overall experience of the non-wrestler, and/or the non-wife-, mother- or girlfriend-of-a wrestler. Implementing these little tweaks to the experience would allow people who don’t know the sport to enjoy it enough to return for more, and therefore come to appreciate it as it deserves.

(a) USA Wrestling, don’t have everyone wrestle at the same time. The NFL doesn’t play its games alongside the flag football kids, Pop Warner players, high school and college teams, and Powder Puff athletes. Yes, kids’ parents love to have a competition at which the champions compete. However, the refs judge too many bouts and make mistakes when it really matters. I met Hunter Stieber’s dad last weekend. He was screaming at the ref because the ref didn’t notice that his opponent had been choking him for almost a minute. The only folks who called it were his current coach, dad-former coach and brother, Logan. Have the stars attend the tournaments of the Littles as representatives of the sport, but don’t run a dozen or more tournaments over four days.

(b) Let the spectators watch the wrestlers to the beat of a little music. The NBA has entertainment right. It may be a bit much for the old-school wrestling crew, but there are points in time at a tournament that Eye of the Tiger would even be welcome. They started to do this in Iowa or Illinois (can’t remember which), and it made the first two days so much more lively. Then the die-hard fans complained, and they muted the arena. I immediately fell asleep.

(c) Include a snack bar of food that represents healthy nutrition – just what the coaches of our beloved wrestlers profess. Currently, unless I fly into the relevant college town with enough time to make myself a sack lunch, I am given the choice of chips, soda pop, pizza and/or hot dogs; sometimes nachos with fake cheese. Simple request: please include three choices: whole fruit (think, apples and oranges), protein or energy bars, and string cheese (lowfat). I could sustain myself several extra hours if I were not starving. I will reserve the bar request (at least at the non-college tournaments) after I get my snacks. No need to get ahead of myself, be misinterpreted, and end up with beer to accompany pizza or hot dogs.

(d) And borrowing from Coach Tom—help us out with some of the rules, especially in freestyle where the refs go behind a screen and consult Ouija boards to determine some moves—is it really that hard to tell us how you are scoring these things?

This past weekend, I watched two young men win junior national wrestling championships with respect and awe. Next year, both will wrestle under Tom Ryan’s tutelage at THE Ohio State University; a program that I have only watched grow boys into men by an obvious emphasis of perseverance, strength, discipline and dedication.

This past weekend, I watched Jason Welch (who actually went to Northwestern but is a California boy whose frenetic style of wrestling we both have come to love) beat Hunter Stieber, but before the bout even started, I said, “I feel like we are cheering for one son against another (and one had already been choked a couple of hours earlier).”

This past weekend, I watched Logan Stieber clobber a great big strong kid to get to third, and I knew that that was a big deal because he had been wresting folkstyle (which is what they do in high school and college) all year before his launch back into international freestyle competition a few weeks ago.

This past weekend, I watched two favorites, Reece Humphrey and JD Bergman, not perform as they expected; although, I was impressed at their performance, and happy to see them place without harm.

This past weekend, I saw two juniors win the national championship, and the same proud look on the faces of Tom Ryan and my G when they did. Wrestling is a sport that challenges the heart, body and mind in a snapshot of time. These two men (who I still think of as babies) will follow champions I’ve grown to know and love. Their names are Nate Tomasello and Kyle Snyder.

OSU Coach Tom Ryan (right) with Iowa teammate, great Bill Zadick, and future Buckeye greats Kyle Snyder and Nate Tomasello

All of the wrestlers about whom Garth writes and for whom I cheer are our champions. May you all be blessed by the gifts wrestling offers; may you all understand your self-sacrifice and understand what it says for your character. Then, could you please ask the Powers that Be to consider how they could make the first couple of days of a tournament easier on a person like me?

Filed Under: Ohio State Wrestling

Catching up with Jerome Baker

April 28, 2014 by 1 Comment

Jerome Baker is an outside linebacker, ATH coming out of the 2015 class. Per ESPN, he is ranked 66th in his class and the second best player coming out of Ohio. Jerome has many offers from all over the country. He can play anywhere on the field such as running back and outside linebacker. He would be a great contribution to the 2015 class.

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Being one of the best players out of Ohio. This would be a great commitment for the Buckeyes. Below is an interview I did with Jerome a couple days ago.

Andrew: How has the recruiting process been?

Jerome: It’s been great. Loving the recruiting process. Having a lot of fun along the way.

Andrew: What schools are showing interest/the most interest?

Jerome: There are a lot of schools showing interest. Schools showing most interest are Ohio State, Michigan State, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

Andrew: Any list at this point?

Jerome: Not really.

Andrew: Where have you visited?

Jerome: Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Florida and Tennessee.

Andrew: How was the Ohio State visit?

Jerome: It was amazing! I stayed overnight with the players and coaches. It was amazing.

Andrew: What coaches did you talk to? What did they tell you?

Jerome: Pretty much the whole staff. Coach Drayton, Coach Meyer, Coach Fickell, Coach Pantoni and so many more. They express how much they want me, and to enjoy the process, and they want me to lead the class.

Andrew: Do you have any relationships with players/recruits?

Jerome: Yes. Recruits I talk to are Eric Glover and Justin Hillard a little bit. I know a lot of players. Erick Smith, Marcelys Jones, Cordale, Marshon, Raekwon, Tyvis, Worley. It’s a lot of guys.

Andrew: When do you plan on committing?

Jerome: After the football season.

Andrew: How would you describe your game?

Jerome: Versatile. I can do a lot of different things on the field. Don’t matter where you put me. I could be very good at it.

Andrew: What do you want to improve?

Jerome: My quickness.

You can follow him on twitter @Lastname_Baker

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With:

5 Things I Think – Offseason (Part 2)

April 25, 2014 by 3 Comments

With only 22 spring games left, we’re almost at a point at which there will be little college football left to be discussed until the fall. We’ll have the NFL Draft (May 8-10), one of my favorite days of the year, as I’ve always considered it a perfect mixture of a college and professional football. I was wrong last week in predicting that Alabama and Auburn would beat Penn State’s 72,000 spring game attendance mark. I was sure they’d be numbers one and two in some order. Alabama had a turnout of 73,506, lowest in Saban’s tenure in Tuscaloosa, while Auburn had a turnout of 70,645. I think the relatively low turnouts were partly attributed to them falling on Easter weekend.
Let’s see what else is going on.

1. Player Unionization. Current Northwestern players vote on whether they will unionize on Friday (4/25/14). Northwestern staff seems to be attempting to steer them into a “no” vote. Coach Fitzgerald, although he has voiced that he is against it, has made a statement that he will not resign should the players vote yes. Starting quarterback Trevor Siemian is against unionization; I wonder if that will sway the vote. I also wonder if the vote results in a union, if that will impact the cohesiveness of the team. Regardless of Friday’s vote, Northwestern will continue to pursue its appeal of the regional NLRB’s ruling that Northwestern football players have the right to form a union. The result of that appeal could potentially have ramifications on the future of college athletics; however a few things need to be made clear. Firstly, even if upheld, this ruling currently only applies to Northwestern. Secondly, it only applies to their football team. When considering the possibility of a union for other football programs, one has to be aware of things like private vs. public schools (NU is a private institution), right-to-work states, and possible tax implications for the athletes.

2. Payment of Players. While it should be made clear that Colter and Co.’s goal, at least in the short-term, in opening the door for possible unionization of college athletes, is not for players to be paid. Their goal is to allow players to negotiate things like medical benefits (particularly once their eligibility has expired), concussion studies, and players’ rights in terms of scholarships and transfers. He wanted the students to have a voice. The Ed O’Bannon case will go to trial on June 9th and it seems to be the biggest threat to the NCAA’s ridiculous grasp onto the claim of amateurism (their knuckles are so white from that grasp because amateurism is what allows them to take advantage of an anti-trust tax break. I’m not going to go into my opinion on the whole pay-for-play debate, or whether players should be able to make money from use of their likeness, as that could be an article all on its own. However, I want to point out that on some level, players are getting paid already – and I’m not referring to scholarships. One would have to be naïve to disagree. Money is what makes college football go, especially in terms of recruiting. Steven Godfrey of SB Nation wrote a fantastic piece about “bag men” this week (a long read, but worth it). The piece focuses on the SEC, but only because the “bag man” he was interviewing happened to be associated in the SEC. I have absolutely no doubt there are bag men in every conference and nearly every major program – in fact I’m certain there are some in Division II as well.

3. Transfer rules need reform. The Leadership Council has proposed a change to the hardship waiver transfer policy. Currently, if a player is granted a hardship transfer waiver (“as a result of difficult life or family circumstances”) they don’t have to sit out a year before playing for new team. This proposal would change that to eliminate the ability to play right away, but instead grant that player an additional year of eligibility on the back end of the player’s career. The new rule would seemingly make a hardship transfer no different than a run-of-the-mill transfer. I understand the NCAA is trying to avoid players taking advantage of this rule to circumvent the requirement to sit out a year, but I think there are other aspects of player transfers that need the attention more than this one. For example, if a coach is fired or leaves (which, they can freely do with no hindrances), a player should be able to transfer. I know the NCAA’s stance is that players should go to a school because of the school and not the coach, but that’s simply not reality. Otherwise, there would be no recruiting of players because they would all simply choose a school based on their own research, or knowledge, or fandom, and there would be no need to interact with coaches or players. A school certainly shouldn’t be able to refuse a player’s transfer, or hold it hostage, as in the case of Kansas State women’s basketball player Leticia Romero. KSU rejected her request for a transfer, which she wanted after Coach Deb Patterson was fired. “NCAA rules dictate that transfers must sit out a year before they can play at a new school, but they are only allowed to immediately receive financial aid if their previous school approves of the transfer by granting a scholarship release”. I also don’t think a school should be able to dictate to which schools a player can and cannot transfer. Often times, a school will make these kinds of restrictions, such as the player cannot transfer to another team within the current team’s conference. However, often times the restricted teams are beyond the conference and are seemingly at the coach’s discretion. I think if the kid has to sit out a year, he (or she) should be able to go wherever he (or she) wants.

4. From Crimson Tide to Buckeyes. Speaking of transfers, Chad Lindsay has decided to transfer from the University of Alabama to The Ohio State University. He has graduated and will therefore be eligible to play right away. Lindsay started four games last season and played in eight. Given that the Buckeyes only have to positions on the offensive line locked up, Lindsay will be a welcome addition, especially after Meyer made it clear after the spring game that offensive line is a big concern of his. Living in Alabama, having a lot of friends and family who are Alabama fans, I am conflicted about Lindsay’s transfer. He’s a Buckeye now, and I accept him as such, but I know I’ll have to endure some razzing if the Buckeyes do well this year. “All you guys needed was an Alabama player”, they’ll say. “All Alabama needed was a former Buckeyes assistant as a head coach”, I suppose I’ll have to reply. It’s all in good fun, of course.

5. “Joe’s Bench”. In 2012, Penn State took down the famous statue of Joe Paterno that stood on the east side of Beaver Stadium in response to outcry from some that it should be removed due to his alleged actions (or inaction) regarding the Jerry Sandusky allegations. I disagreed with the removal of the statue, but I understood the public relations part of the decision. This week it was announced that a group plans to erect a statue outside of Tavern Restaurant in State College some time in 2015. It is reported that Paterno will be seated on a bench reading a copy of “Aeneid”. The statue is currently called “Joe’s Bench”. “This project is to portray the Joe Paterno we know. He was a very approachable person, who would be seen walking downtown, in stores, and standing on the street talking to passersby. Sitting on the bench with Joe will allow us to reflect on where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. A time to capture the small town feel, remembering our roots, and those who paved the way for us.” I’m sure there will be some backlash from some, but I like the gesture and I hope it comes to fruition. It isn’t associated with the university, or football, it simply seems to be paying tribute to the impact Paterno had on the small community of State College, PA.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

OSU lands a Bama Transfer (Per Report)

April 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Alabama Football is successful there is no doubt about that. They also have a high turnover rate for many different reasons with their players. Their loss this off season is apparently OSUs gain as Jeremy Fowler of CBS sports is reporting…

If true this is huge news for the Buckeyes for sure. An experienced OLman for an inexperienced line will be huge.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

5 Things I Think: Offseason (Part 1)

April 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment

FootballIt’s been an interesting offseason in college football thus far, with something new seemingly coming across the wire every other day. We’re in the Spring Game season right now. Going into this weekend approximately 65% of the 126 FBS teams putting on a game or its equivalent have been played. Pittsburgh and Texas A&M will not play one this year. Of the remaining 44 teams, only three teams who played in a BCS bowl last season are left (Alabama, Auburn, and Michigan State). Alabama (1pm CST ESPNU) and BCS runner-up Auburn (2pm CST ESPN) will play this Saturday and will likely battle for the top spot in terms of Spring Game attendance. Penn State currently leads in that category with just over 72,000 (a testament of the excitement the James Franklin has brought to State College), but Auburn and Alabama each beat that last year (83,401 and 78,315 respectively). Being a resident of Alabama, I am certain that they will rank first and second once again this year — but it’s a coin flip as to in what order. The passion for college football in this state is … unmeasurable.

On the other end of the attendance spectrum, Buckeyes’ quarterback Braxton Miller called out Michigan for their putrid turnout of just over 15,000 (in the third largest stadium in the world) after the Buckeyes drew approximately four times that many fans. Way to go, Braxton!

Let’s get into some of the offseason highlights:

1. Michael Sam announces he’s gay. Firstly, sexual orientation of public figures is none of my business. However, in the world of sports, particularly male sports, it’s not a topic that is discussed freely especially for those who aren’t heterosexual. My favorite part of this whole thing was that the media allowed Sam to make the announcement rather than “break” the story despite several media members knowing about it a couple of days beforehand. Also, the idea that he’ll be a distraction in the locker room once he becomes the first openly gay NFL player was debunked by Missouri winning the SEC East in just their second season and Sam winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year given that Sam announced this to his team last August. He may be a distraction in terms of the media, but so will Johnny Manziel. Just as Jason Collins’ (NBA Player currently on the Nets’ roster) and Connor Mertens’ (current Willamette University kicker) announcement likely helped Sam make his announcement, his announcement likely led to Mitch Eby (current Chapman University DE) announcing he’s bisexual and Derrick Gordon (UMass) becoming the first active Division I basketball player to announce he’s gay. None of these announcements could have been easy.

2. 2014 Signing Class. The rankings were about as should have been expected, with Alabama having the number one class according to ESPN (my Buckeyes’ class ranked seventh). The two things that surprised me a little bit was Tennessee grabbing the fifth-ranked class and Ole Miss falling all the way down to 17 after the phenomenal 2013 class they had. What I found funny about this year’s class were a few of the names that were signed. Purdue signed offensive tackle Bearooz Yacoobi out of Dearborn, Michigan. I’ve never heard of that first name or last name before, but I love them both! My favorite name of the class, though, was signed by the Eastern Michigan Eagles. They signed a 6’4” defensive end named Lion King. Yes, you read that right. His name was originally Lion King Conaway, but he legally changed it to Lion King. The Eagles play Florida this season in a game that I hope is televised because it will be interesting to count how many “hakuna matata” and “simba” jokes will be told. Then there was the story of a kid who signed three Letters of Intent. D.J. Law signed an LOI with Utah, Ole Miss, and East Mississippi Community College. There was confusion on all sides and eventually Ole Miss released him from their LOI leaving him free to sign with Utah or EMCC; he ended up becoming a Ute.

3. To change a rule or not to change a rule. The offseason exploded early on with the rule proposal that wouldn’t allow the offense to snap the ball within the first ten seconds of the play clock. Nick Saban and Bret Bielema were big proponents of such a rule with the very thin veil of player safety concerns draped over that support. This rule was eventually “tabled” until next year presumably because this was a “safety only” rule change year in the NCAA and there is no available evidence that hurry-up offenses cause more injuries. I guarantee it will come up again next offseason, however. I’m do not support such a rule, but I know it’s not going away anytime soon. Not much longer after that rule was tabled, the NCAA amended the current targeting rule. Last year’s rule allowed for a targeting call to be reviewed by the officials to determine if an ejection was warranted. Even if they ruled an ejection wasn’t warranted, the 15-yard penalty was upheld. The change this year is that if after review, if it is ruled that it wasn’t targeting, the 15-yard penalty will not stand. The part that is often overlooked, however, that if there were another call (e.g. unnecessary roughness) made, that 15-yard penalty would still stand. Additionally, the ejection rules are still the same. This past week the NCAA Rules Oversight Committee did approve a new rule concerning quarterback safety, however. The rule states that no defensive player who is rushing unabated can forcibly hit a quarterback who is in a “passing posture” at or below the knee (he cannot initiate a roll or lunge that does so either). I believe the key word here is “unabated”. If he is blocked, pushed, or tripped into the quarterback and hits him at or below the knee, this rule wouldn’t apply. Additionally, if the quarterback is no longer in a “passing posture” this rule wouldn’t apply.

4. Coaching Carousel spun out of control. I’ve been watching college football for nearly thirty years and I can’t remember a time when the head coaches of so many prominent programs changed in one offseason. Consider that four teams in the final AP rankings have new coaches (Louisville, USC, Vanderbilt, and Washington). Additionally, historically successful programs like Penn State, Texas, and Boise State also have new coaches. The most shocking (and hilarious) coaching change this offseason was Alabama hiring Lane Kiffin as its new offensive coordinator. While I have gone on record as saying it’s an excellent hire on Nick Saban’s part, living in the part of the country I do, I couldn’t help but be entertained by it. He once coached Alabama’s rival Tennessee in a game which I dub “The Armpit Bowl”. Terrence Cody blocking two field goals with his armpit saved Alabama’s 2009 championship aspirations. Kiffin is not liked in this part of the country, and that’s putting it mildly. That is partly because of his brash personality and partly because a lot of people didn’t like the manner in which he left the Volunteers. The second most shocked I was in terms of coaching changes, was that Ed Orgeron did not get a gig anywhere. After his turnaround of USC’s season last year, I was sure a program would give him a head-coaching job. He may take the year off and be an analyst somewhere, but he’ll be back in coaching soon enough (although, to be fair, I said the same about Houston Nutt).

5. Players are spinning quite a bit too. Whether it’s due to graduating, early entry into the NFL draft, transfers (JUCO or otherwise), or player dismissal, there is always a lot of player movement in the offseason. Quarterbacks usually dominate these kinds of moves, at least in the public eye, and it’s easy to see why. Approximately 25 FBS quarterbacks have transferred or announced plans to do so (Texas A&M’s Matt Joeckel just joined that group this week). Tyler Ferguson transferring to Louisville to play for Bobby Petrino seems significant as does Max Wittek transferring from USC, as they are both eligible to play right away. Wittek hasn’t announced his destination yet, but I think he’d be silly not to go to Texas now that David Ash is out. The biggest QB transfer, however, has to be FSU’s Jacob Coker transferring to Alabama. Like Ferguson and Wittek, Coker is eligible to play right away (however, he is still finishing his Spring semester in Tallahassee). He battled Jameis Winston through fall practice for the starting job last season, but Famous Jameis eventually won out. I am still of the opinion (as I have been for the last three years) that Cooper Bateman is the next quarterback for the Crimson Tide, but if Coker comes in and dominates, one couldn’t blame Saban for going with him. Dorial Green-Beckham, star wide receiver for Missouri, was dismissed last week after yet another off-the-field incident. This one involved his alleged physical mistreatment of his girlfriend and her friend. No charges were filed, but Coach Gary Pinkel was clearly tired of the constant trouble DGB was getting into and felt it there was a necessary change of scenery for both he and the team. I expect him to transfer to an FCS program this season and then enter the 2015 NFL draft. If I were him, I’d transfer to Southeastern Louisiana University. The Lions already have five FBS transfers who will play for them this year including two from LSU and one each from Tulane, Southern Miss, and Louisiana-Lafayette. They were 11-3 and went to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs, adding all this talent can only help their chances.

Note: Baseball honored Jackie Robinson this week for his historical breaking of baseball’s color barrier. I’d like to take this opportunity to mention a little something about him that rarely gets mentioned (even in “42”). Robinson was one of just four black players on the 1939 UCLA football team. In those times, there weren’t very many prominent programs that were integrated at all and for the Bruins to have four black players on their team was unheard of back then.

Filed Under: College Football

New ESPN 300 Recruiting Rankings

April 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

As you know there are four major recruiting services and ESPN happens to be one but not one many like or use because they are shaky at best. Anyhow they have released their new top 300 players for 2015 and all 3 OSU recruits are on it.

Eric Glover-Williams– is ranked 96th and 6th best athlete in the country and 4th best recruit in Ohio for 2015.

Jamel Dean– is ranked 108th in the country and 11th best CB in the country and 23rd best player in Florida.

Ben Edwards– is ranked 170th in the country and 11th best Safety in the country and 32nd best player in Florida.

It is early in the recruiting process and OSU has a small class right now but once again OSU is primed to have a extremely highly ranked class.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Numbers Crunch: 2015 Ohio State Recruiting Class Size **UPDATED**

April 16, 2014 by 3 Comments

Last year I did the Numbers Crunch post to keep up to date numbers on the class size based on SRs, early NFL draft entries, transfers, and players kicked off the team. The post was successful and at the very least gave everyone a guide to use. This year will be no different as it is back. So lets take a look at what the numbers look like.

OSU had room in the 2014 class for 22 players but signed 23 players so one more player has to leave before Aug 1st in order for OSU to be at 82 players.

Braxton Miller is as of today returning in 2015.

Seniors

Curtis Grant
Michael Bennett
Jeff Heuerman
Joel Hale
Daryl Baldwin
Doran Grant
Steve Miller
Evan Spencer
JT Moore
Rod Smith
Devin Smith
Antonio Underwood
Chris Carter

Player Transfers

Mike Mitchell- February
Jayme Thompson- April
Jamal Marcus- May
Tommy Brown- August
Frank Epitropoulos- August

Medical Hardships

Chad Lindsay
Kyle Dodson
Trey Johnson
Armani Reeves
Devan Bogard
Ron Tanner

Players kicked off the team

Noah Spence

Players leaving early for the NFL

None

Additional Scholarships

3- added back from the NCAA punishments putting OSU back to 85

Players Transferred In

none

Total

As of January 15, 2015- 28 is the magic number right now.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

2014 OSU Spring Football – Questions Answered, Questions Remain (Part 2)

April 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Part one reviewed the least concerning areas for Ohio State after the conclusion of spring practice. This article will focus upon the top five concerning areas for Ohio State, heading into summer workouts. Have any position groups changed from before spring practice? Let us review…

5. Defensive Back: One of the biggest changes, after spring practice. Previously ranked as the third most concerning area, I would lower this area after spring practice. Even though there are two open positions at cornerback and safety, my reasoning for feeling better about the defensive backfield lies in the more aggressive approach that was evident during the spring game. Instead of playing off the wide receivers, Ohio State’s defensive backs were pressing right from the line of scrimmage. Throw in the dominant Ohio State defensive line that figures to continually pressure opposing quarterbacks, and it would seem likely that the defensive backs will be in a great position to excel, despite their inexperience.

4. Wide Receiver: Another position group that moved, and this actually increased in concern following spring practice. Talent is on the roster, yet it was evident in the following comments by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer following the spring game where his thoughts were about his wide receivers after the spring game ~ “We’re not where we need to be. I think we’re better that we were two years ago, and I’m hoping we’re a better notch than we were last year. We got a ways to go…Receiver, I can’t name you one that’s going to start. Which is concerning, but it’s comforting to know I can name about six that have the ability. Those would be Devin Smith, Johnnie Dixon, Michael Thomas, I think Jalin Marshall, before he got hurt he was having a great spring, Dontre Wilson and Evan Spencer; we have some depth there.”. Keep an eye and ear open for news about this position group over the summer workouts and fall camp.

3. Linebacker: A position group that has improved since before the spring practices, yet remains in the same area of concern. While rising junior Joshua Perry has earned a starting outside linebacker position, battles for the other two spots remain between rising senior Curtis Grant and true freshman Raekwon McMillan for the middle linebacker job, and Darron Lee and Chris Worley are both in the mix at the walkout linebacker spot. Considering Ohio State opens up the 2014 season at Navy, a triple option attack, it will be crucial for Ohio State’s linebackers to play disciplined; will that be possible with such inexperience at this position?

2. Backup Quarterback: Another position group that has been elevated since spring practice began, and it truly has less to do with the spring game than the reality of the situation. Rising redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones has emerged as the top backup quarterback, with rising redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett third string. While Coach Meyer seemed pleased with Jones’ development over the course of the spring practices, it must be asked – is Jones truly ready to lead Ohio State if rising senior Braxton Miller is injured this upcoming season?

1. Offensive Line: The biggest concern I had heading into spring practice, and nothing has changed since spring football concluded. In the words of Coach Meyer, “Offensive line, we’ve got to really go, we gotta really go from here. I saw Jamarco Jones, Demetrius Knox is coming in, Brady Taylor. Those are three bodies that are going to be coming in in June and I look them right in the eye and said “You’re not red shirting; you’re playing,” and that’s hard for an offensive lineman, so we’re gonna — that’s an area that we have got to get back to where we — maybe not where we were, but close…On offense you got Pat Elflein and our left tackle, Taylor Decker, and everyone else is wide open, no other spots taken.”. My first thoughts, as I read those comments? Be grateful that Ohio State was able to retain offensive line coach Ed Warriner.

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Thomas Edison once stated, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”. Ohio State fans can rest easy knowing that the Ohio State coaching staff and players will seize these opportunities to work over the coming summer months.

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