Let’s admit that last season the position of the Tight End was under utilized. The Buckeyes tight ends combined for 17 receptions for 217 yards.

Key Losses: This is a position that didn’t have any key players lost from last season. I know Jake Stoneburner was a tight end but he moved over to wide receiver for Ohio State last season. This last week there was a Buckeye tight end that was unfortunately lost to a career ending injury. Urban Meyer confirmed that redshirt freshman Blake Thomas suffered an injury that ended his football career.

2013 Starters: Jeff Heuerman a 6 foot 6 inch junior from Naples Florida is a tall and athletic target for Braxton Miller. He played in 11 games his freshman season and all 12 last season. Being the most experienced tight end is apt blocker and route runner. Jeff said he feels more comfortable playing in Tom Hermans offense this training camp compared to last season and expects big things.

The other co-starter Nick Vannett who is another large body coming in at 6 foot 6 inches and weighing 255 pounds. A redshirt sophomore who finished fifth in receptions last season. Vannett played in all 12 games last season.

Other Tight Ends: True freshman Marcus Baugh is Urban Meyer’s first tight end recruited for Ohio State. He comes to Columbus from Riverside, CA, and is going to be another large target for Miller possibly. Baugh stands 6 foot 4 inches and weighs 233 pounds. Marcus is going to have to work extremely hard to get on the field this season. He got himself into some legal trouble this summer and has landed square in Meyer’s dog house. He will be suspended for the first game of the season and still hasn’t yet (at the time of me writing this post) had his black stripe removed.

Charles Kinzig from Gates Mills is a walk on this winter. Like Heuerman and Vannett, Kinzig is a beast standing at 6 foot 6 inches and weighing 235 pounds. It is too early to tell what type of player he might be for the Buckeyes.

Former defensive lineman J.T. Moore was just announced as moving from the defensive line to the tight end position this last week by Urban. Moore is 6 foot 3 inches and weighs 262 pounds and is a junior. Not sure what to make of this move just yet but Meyer and company must see something in him.

Expectations: This season everyone is expecting all offensive positions to step up and be more of a threat. We all know that Meyer and Herman expect better play from their tight ends and know how to use them properly. This big strong guys will be a great help blocking for the running game and their height should be an advantage in the end zone for Braxton this year.

Here is a highlight of Jeff Heuerman catching the two point conversion against Purdue this last season to help the Buckeyes tie up the game sending it into overtime where the Buckeyes pulled out the tight win.

For five years, I have reviewed the upcoming senior class at Ohio State. Generally speaking, I have applied a simple “rule of thirds” to the recruiting classes – a third will turn out as expected and start, a third will contribute in some way, but may not turn out as fully expected, and a third may wind up not contributing in a great manner to the program.

When reviewing the eighteen players signed by former head coach Jim Tressel in February 2010, this theory will truly be put to the test. Coming off the impressive Rose Bowl victory over Oregon, Ohio State signed what was considered to be a class modestly ranked by recruiting analysts at rivals.com (25th) and scout.com (20th). Ohio State’s class was considered behind both Penn State and Michigan in B1G recruiting rankings for 2010. Prime Ohio State offensive line targets Seantrel Henderson, Matt James, Moses Morgan, and Chaz Green all spurned Ohio State on Signing Day 2010.

**

Starters (33%)

1. PK Drew Basil – Basil began his placekicking career at Ohio State in 2010 rather inauspiciously, missing two field goal attempts that season. Basil made his mark handling the kickoffs, becoming the full-time placekicker for the 2011 season. Although Basil was not called upon as much during the 2012 season for field goal attempts, Basil will be a key component for the 2013 team.

2. WR Corey “Philly” Brown – Brown arrived at Ohio State after an outstanding high school career at running back. Moved to wide receiver, Brown truly emerged as the Buckeyes’ top receiving threat during the 2012 season under Coach Meyer’s offensive scheme.

3. DB Christian Bryant – Bryant played as a true freshman in 2010, earning a full-time starting position for the 2011 season. Maintaining the “Glenville pipeline” to Ohio State, Bryant is a hard-hitting safety who will be expected to provide leadership for the Buckeyes this season.

4. RB Carlos Hyde – Originally intending to be a part of the 2009 Ohio State recruiting class, Hyde spent the 2009 season at Fork Union Military Academy working on his academics. Hyde played sparingly in 2010, had a challenging 2011 season fighting for playing time, and emerged as Ohio State’s top rushing threat for the 2012 season. Hyde has been suspended for at least the first three games of the 2013 season for a well-publicized incident at a Columbus bar, resulting in at least a quarter of his senior season at Ohio State eliminated. Hyde will need to make every carry truly count in 2013.

5. OT Andrew Norwell – Norwell was arguably the top player signed by Ohio State in February 2010. Ranked eighth in the scout.com 100 when signed by Ohio State, Norwell played in eleven games as a true freshman as a backup. Norwell moved into the starting offensive line in 2011, moving between left tackle and left guard.

6. CB Bradley Roby – Roby was a “flip” from Vanderbilt, choosing the Buckeyes later in the recruiting process. Redshirting in 2010, Roby earned a starting position for the 2011 season at cornerback. Recently suspended for the 2013 season opener against Buffalo, Roby should contend for All-American honors this upcoming season.

**

While these players above have emerged as starters for Ohio State, part two of this series will review the players from the class who have either become occasional contributors for Ohio State, or departed the program altogether.

So Athlon recently came out with their list of the 100 best College Football based Twitter accounts to follow. What it did was lead me to make a joke on twitter about making a top 100 Ohio State based Twitter accounts post. After a few of my followers poked and needled me I agreed to try and do it. this list is completely arbitrary and my own opinion which means it is perfect and without flaw.

1.) @GerdOzone– Tony Gerdeman is the perfect blend of information, comedy, snarkyness, and trolling. The best thing about Tony? To me it is that he will interact with anyone and everyone every time you tweet to him. He has built a cult like following and I have declared myself as his fan club President. If you aren’t following Gerd then you are doing Twitter wrong.

2.) @i_aint_yer_pa- Tony Rice is the GodFather of Ohio State blogging. He also happens to post the funniest and strangest things you may ever see. Yes, I am completely biased.

3.) @KyleRowland- Kyle Rowland has the audience and fan base every OSU site wants in Eleven Warriors and the skills to boot. He is a wonderful writer and gives out lots of info.

4.) @Ramzy– Ramzy Nasrallah is one of the better writers in sports let alone for an OSU based site in Eleven Warriors. His greatest strength though may be his ability to battle media trolls who attack OSU or its fans and make them look like idiots.

5.) @MarkPantoni- What is there to say about this man. His tweets are like a great conspiracy novel with fans trying to read into everyone of them to see if he is hinting to a new recruit.

6.) @PDBuckeyes- I doubt most of us know how to pronounce Doug Lesmerises last name and without copy and paste no way I could spell it correctly. He gives us fans so much info and always seems to have good scoops.

7.) @BuckeyeNotes- What more is there to say Jerry Emig is the mothpiece of the Ohio State football team and program. If he tweets it then it is gospel and not a rumor.

8.) @TIM_MAYsports Tim is a longtime stalwart at the Dispatch but a relatively newbie to Twitter. He has picked up tweeting quickly and finds a way to make indy Racing sound entertaining.

9.) @BCastOzone- Brandon Castel would be higher on this list if not for taking a few months off this year to do a “Real Job”. He is knowledgeable and a great writer and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy when you read his writings.

10.) @LoriSchmidt– Lori Schmidt isnt on this list because she is a woman she is on here because she is a dang good follow and her interactions with her fans is top notch.

Here is the rest of the top 25 without all the butt kissing remarks and explanations.

11.) @JeffBoals
12.) @brdispatch
13.) @steakNstiffarms
14.) @11W
15.) @BeauBishop
16.) @Birm
17.) @Jason_Kint
18.) @BenAxelrod
19.) @11W_Michael
20.) @SpinnerShells @GG_40 @Nicki_07
21.) @JeffSvoboda
22.) @RappUp
23.) @BlackStripeBlog
24.) @MarcusHartman
25.) @Jbook37

Honorable Mention @alexgleitman and @MChungOZone and @The_BBC

Well as you can see I made it to the Top 25 before I stopped. I am sure I missed on a lot of great people but this list is a wide variety of OSU twitter accounts. This list is meant to be debated and I hope all of you will do that in the comments. I specifically left off motsagers except for Tony because well just because. I wish there were more females on the list and I think I may have missed some notable ones. What say you feel free to add or take away from my list.

After thinking back to the start of last season, I have some of the same reservations about this year’s linebacker group. With the exception of Ryan Shazier, the unit is very inexperienced. There are plenty of players that need to step up and make a big impact on defense this year. Let’s take a look at some of the names vying to add their name to the great tradition of Buckeye linebackers.

Who the Buckeyes lost from last years team…

Zach Boren – Has a starting fullback ever changed to starting linebacker halfway through the season (making the change in one week) and instantly become the team’s second best linebacker? If you ask me, that is exactly what happened last year when Zach Boren moved to starting MLB. He was a difference maker down the stretch and solidified the otherwise turbulent position. Zach is continuing his pursuit of playing football. He signed a free agent contract with the Houston Texans.

Etienne Sabino – Etienne is another guy who suffered through injuries at OSU. He was a solid player that often went unnoticed. I believe sometimes “senior leadership” is overrated, but given the buckeyes have struggled with continuity over the last couple of years at linebacker, Etienne’s experience will be missed. Etienne also was undrafted. He signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants. There have been some promising reports coming from Giants camp. It appears Etienne has a decent shot of making the roster.

Other losses – Storm Klein and Conner Crowell Best of luck to all!

Who will replace them…

Before we look at some of the new projected starters this year, a linebacker preview is not complete without mentioning Ryan Shazier. Ryan is the clear leader of the Buckeye linebackers. He has proven himself. He will be a beast. The preseason All-American selection is well deserving of the accolades coming his way. Below are a few comments from Ryan after practice this weekend courtesy of theozone.net.

Let’s take a look at a few players that need to step up and contribute (in a big way!). They are inexperienced and young. The talent is there. We are waiting for it to burst onto the field.

Curtis Grant – Curtis is the current projected starter at MLB. The ups and downs (mostly downs) of Grant’s young career as a buckeye have been well documented. He was a consensus 5-star recruit coming out of high school. Rivals rated him as the 2nd overall prospect, not linebacker, 2nd overall player. The expectation was enormous, but Curtis has yet to live up to the hype he received coming out of high school. Reports this preseason say Curtis is a “changed man”; ready for the big time. He is saying all of the right things…

“It’s more than determination,” he said. “A lot of things have changed in my life that has made me a lot hungrier about the game and things I needed to do. I tell my mom every day, ‘We’re going to make it.’ That’s my promise to her, and I’m determined to make it for her.”

Time will tell if this is the year he finally breaks out and becomes the player we have been waiting for. Grant was in the same position last year as the starting MLB, but was only able to hold the spot for 3 games. That has to change this year. Grant’s limited contribution to date still makes him the second most seasoned linebacker behind Shazier. Hopefully Grant can quickly recover from the concussion he suffered early in camp.

Joshua Perry – I will be the first to admit that Josh is a bit of an enigma to me. He was a member of the Rivals top 150 coming out of high school. It is quite possible his ability is being overlooked. He played sparingly as a freshman, mostly on special teams. Often times, players without high expectations and out of the spotlight are the unsung heroes of a team. I am hopeful that Josh can mold himself into that type of player. I need to see Josh play more to make a better assessment of what he brings to the team. He will have his chance this year as he steps into a starting role. If the spotlight has been dim until now, that is all about to change. I am looking forward to see what Josh brings to the table. Again courtesy of the ozone.net, here are some comments from Josh after practice this weekend.

Who are the Backups…

That is a good question! You tell me. A pair of highly touted recruits are making a strong case to contribute this year – Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson. Given the lack of depth at linebacker, I would be surprised if either of those player red-shirt this year. Both Mike and Trey are big time talents as you can see from their highlights and high school stats. From what I have seen and read thus far, I believe the Mike and Trey will be required to contribute early and often especially on special teams. I would also not be surprised if one or both push for playing time at the linebacker spot as the season moves along.

As I looked down the roster for other players expected to contribute, the same theme holds true – NO EXPERIENCE! The Buckeyes need to avoid injury at the linebacker spot this year. Since there are no fullbacks to pull from this year, let’s all hope the young guys can continue to develop. The Buckeye defense is really lacking depth at this position.

Player who could surprise…

Mike Mitchell – For me the obvious choice here is Mike Mitchell. The uncertainty surrounding Curtis Grant may provide an amazing opportunity for the true freshman. Can’t wait to see how this plays out. Has the season started yet?

How they will fare…

Let me continue to beat a dead horse…Shazier will be a beast! The rest of the group is a crap-shoot. Your guess is as good as mine. One thing last year’s linebackers had going for them was an experienced defensive line. This year, that is not the case. The development of the young linebacker group will be largely connected to the development of the front four. Ultimately, the Buckeyes have a long tradition of great linebackers. The players will develop. The play will be solid. That doesn’t change the fact that the Buckeyes start the 2013 season with one linebacker with experience, period. The other players need to step up early! How will they fare? … ????????????? … Time will tell.

Good morning Buckeye Nation.

Hype Video: We will start you off with a new video I just came across being passed around on twitter last night. It was produced by 82WProductions.

Great video and perfect timing so enjoy The Chase to 8

Morgantown Defeat: Andy Bevin of the Mountaineers soccer team scored the only goal in the 75th minute for West Virginia Sunday against Ohio State in Morgantown. In the first of three exhibition games the Buckeyes played 17 players including 8 newcomers.

Tonight the men’s soccer team go at it again for their second preseason match facing IPFW at 7pm on the Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Hopefully the Buckeyes can bounce back tonight and put one in the win column.

National Teams: A former Buckeye and two incoming Buckeyes will represent Buckeye Nation on the U.S. Senior and Junior National Teams in Gymnastics. Former Buckeye Brandon Wynn earned the spot along with incoming freshman Jacob Dastrup and Andrew Rickly.

“I am proud of the guys for their performances this weekend,” Ohio State head coach Rustam Sharipov said. “It was the first U.S. Championships for Michael Newburger and Danny Steiner and it was a great experience for them.”

Redshirt junior Michael Newburger finished third on the pommel horse and sophomore Danny Steiner finished 25th in the overall.

Great job Buckeyes and way to represent Buckeye Nation.

Google+: With another football season getting ready to start we have reactivated our Google+. I am excited to get the Google+ page back up and going there are so many possibilities on what we can do there especially with you our readers.

Until next time Buckeye Nation…

Thanks to the fine people at Buckeye TV and their Sports Director @bradleycomer we have the video of todays interview with Braxton Miller.

*Updated* to include video of Coach Coombs and Armani Reeves…