The Pride that is The Ohio State University

March 7, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The last few years I have made the trek down I-71 from Northeast Ohio down to Columbus for the Arnold Classic. No I’m not into the whole weightlifting scene as time on that has passed me by, but I think (in my mind anyways) at my size I can get away at looking like a former lifter. Honestly its kind of refreshing that this is a place at my size that I don’t get any stares or people saying man your a big guy. I digress to what has brought me a sense of pride especially so much so this year. Columbus is like a second home to me, my second city behind Cleveland. The Land will always be my home and have that special tug at my heart but there is something about Columbus that has a special spot also. No its definitely not the drivers down here (your a bunch of crazy selfish thugs). Its The Ohio State University,The Scarlet and Gray, The Buckeye Leaf, The Buckeye Nation.

Many of us if fortunate enough to get to spend quality time with our fathers, want to be like them and love the same things as them. I was no different growing up watching Browns, Indians, Cavs, and Buckeye games with my Dad. When he use to score tickets to go to any of these events it was the best thing (there was no HD and 100 camera angles when I was a kid). Walking into the Old Cleveland Stadium had a great feeling but it honestly felt like it needed to be redone or fixed up especially when you were forced to watched a Browns game behind a pillar at least the Indians games you were able to move closer to the field because there wasn’t many fans showing up at all. Cavalier games were a trek to the Richfield Coliseum but that place was fantastic (sorry Q your really a good stadium but the Richfield was better IMO). Getting to go to The Shoe was the best. Nothing ever compared. You could tell that it was (and still is) an old stadium but even to this day I still get goosebumps every time I enter the Rotunda going into the greatest stadium in all of college football. The House that Harley built, the greats that have played on that field, coached on the sidelines, The Best Damn Band in The Land and what they do and have done on that field, the feats that were accomplished on that track (yes there use to be a track in The Shoe youngins Google it).

The last week there has been a flood of news coming out about The Ohio State University and its all been so positive its great. Yes I know that there is more to OSU than football (heck I’m going to the men’s regular season finale against Wisconsin). There is the B1G Championship Wrestling Tournament taking place on the campus right now, women’s basketball team has a really bright future with Mitchell and Hart plus the other sports in general are really on the rise. Buckeye Nation has so much to be proud of right now its not even funny. The reason we key so much on football especially here at MotSaG is that is what you our readers are telling us you are looking at which is great. 2010-2011 the Buckeye football program took a huge black eye and some really came after the Buckeyes (I’m looking at you four letter network). Jim Tressel “The Senator” “The Sweatervest” was forced to resign in May of 2011. Everything was so bleak, many were calling for AD Gene Smith’s head (I was in that camp) for what felt like his arrogance of not self imposing a bowl ban on 2011 season.

November 2011 a new era was born, Urban Meyer was hired as the leader of the Buckeye program. Buckeye Nation was ecstatic the rest of the nation was not at all.

Backwindowpic

I’ve had this on the back of my pick up truck since Jan 2012 “Urban Renewal- Restoring Greatness inside the Horsehoe”. Urban’s first season the man leads the Buckeyes to a 12-0 record and should have played against Notre Dame and won the National Championship that year but no we really were the one’s catfished thanks to Gene Smith right (more on that later). 2013 the Buckeyes go 12-2 only losses were the ones that meant something, MSU in B1G Championship game and Orange bowl to Clemson. 2014 starts off shaky with Braxton going down and the loss to Virginia Tech. Meyer and company kept the team together and grew stronger and was getting better. There were still skeptics like myself before the Michigan State game but they came out and showed this is a team lead by one of the greatest coaches of our time. We all know what happened to finish off the year and coach Meyer wasn’t even B1G Coach of the Year. Yes as a homer I and all of Buckeye Nation was out raged but the ones in the national media who know and understand football like Phil Steele claimed that Meyer was COY. What was interesting was what Jon Gruden recently said

“What he did at Ohio State, losing a Heisman Trophy candidate and then doing what he did with two different quarterbacks that were backups. Amazing to me.”

How can you argue with that? Urban Meyer has Restored Greatness inside the Horseshoe plus what he is doing with these kids and teaching them leadership and turning them into men . You aren’t hearing of the Florida problems that were all his fault that supposedly followed him here but mysteriously have gone away, because kids have bought in and know there are consequences for their actions in Ohio. In my opinion it seems like a lot of covering up going up in the Whole State of Florida. I don’t want to make accusations but honestly three different universities and their issues and its always business as usual just saying.

Remember the catfishing I was saying about the Gene Smith situation? Well lets be men here and say everyone makes mistakes, they still got a ring for that season (I’m looking at you Mark May, You mad Bro). Smith is only the eighth athletic director for The Ohio State University, been going strong since March 5, 2005. I know it can be easy sitting on the outside saying if “I was in that position I would do this”, until your in that position you don’t know all the variables. Smith has put the Buckeyes on the map as a destination to bring in the best coaches in all sports, Bringing in Meyer, Matta who has turned the Buckeyes into a school that you can say plays basketball too, and recently brought Kevin McGuff to lead the woman’s basketball program who is on the verge of blowing up if they can get past the injuries, just to name a few. Gene Smith has been the leader who has helped turned the Buckeye Athletic program into one of the Top 10 of all of Sports Programs in the Nation per Forbes.

“The culture of OSU Athletics is one of excellence that is focused on the growth and development of each person. It is an environment where all individuals are valuable members of the team with ideas to contribute and given the opportunity to lead those efforts. The department provides traditional education opportunities as well as engage’s employees with projects to stretch them and grow new skills. Individuals are given autonomy at the local level to determine what works best for their group. Gene [Smith] truly supports each individual and allows them to lead. It is a culture of we and not me as cliché as that sounds. I am very thankful for the opportunity the Buckeye’s have given me to grow my professional skills.” – Janine Oman, Assoc Athletics Director Sport Administration/Sport Performance

Yes a National Championship does bring in a ton of pride into a University and fan base, but honestly I can’t remember feeling so much pride for the Scarlet and Gray as I feel now as when they last won their National Championship. This is due to the leaders like Gene Smith who has went out and found quality leaders to lead each individual program with pride and turn the young men and women who play for the Buckeyes into great leaders of tomorrow. I would personally like to thank Gene Smith for what he has done and all of the coaches who work there butts off to help build a better tomorrow by being the greatest.

Filed Under: B1G Football, Blogging, College Basketball, College Football, Miscellany, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

2015 Ohio State Spring Football Questions: Will It Be “Three’s Company” Or “Three’s A Crowd” At QB?

March 6, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Beginning March 10th, Ohio State will have fifteen spring football practices before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the next few weeks, I will rank the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.

These articles will be submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.

9. Quarterback

Key Players/Contributors Lost: None

Key Players/Contributors Returning For 2015: All. Braxton Miller (Redshirt Senior), Cardale Jones (Redshirt Junior), J.T. Barrett (Redshirt Sophomore), Stephen Collier (Redshirt Freshman).

Let’s review from August 2014 to now, shall we?

All was seemingly lost for Ohio State at that point. While Ohio State fans hoped for the best, many prepared themselves for the possibility that Ohio State would not be able to survive the loss of Miller at quarterback and still qualify for the inaugural College Football Playoff.

Then J.T. Barrett emerged. After a disastrous game at home versus Virginia Tech, Barrett regrouped and emerged as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in his own right, setting numerous records before being lost for the season in THE GAME versus That Team Up North.

I seem to recall some joker posting something about Cardale Jones, even before the diagnosis had been revealed about the extent of Barrett’s injury…

Heading into The B1G Championship game versus Wisconsin, Fox Sports’ Gus Johnson summed up what all Buckeye fans were feeling about the newly-designated starter at quarterback…

Needless to say, I’m not going to bore you with how it all turned out. Well, maybe I will give you this little clip that I have personally decided is among my favorite…

After the national championship, many people, including myself, expected Cardale Jones to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft. With no guarantees to start for Ohio State in 2015, and the possibility of a lucrative financial future, Jones stepped up to the podium in the gymnasium at Cleveland Glenville and made the following announcement…

And in the bitter cold on January 24th, 2015, while in Ohio Stadium to honor the 2014 national champions, could there have been a better moment to summarize how blessed Ohio State fans were in 2014, and possibly will be, in 2015?

Getting down to business, here is how the quarterback position will probably be handled this spring ~

Braxton Miller, while coming along in his recovery, will be handled with caution by both Ohio State’s medical staff, as well as coaching staff, this spring. Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer stated the same recently in an interview with 97.1 The Fan’s Anthony Rothman…

J.T. Barrett will also be somewhat limited in his spring football participation. While Barrett is no longer on crutches, as he was during the national championship celebration on January 24th, will need to be cautious as well this spring…

With those concerns being publicly stated, this results in Cardale Jones having the opportunity to run with the first team offense for fifteen practices. With new quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck on staff this spring, Jones will have the best chance to cement his role as the starter before Barrett or Miller are fully healthy.

Where does this place Stephen Collier, last year’s scout team quarterback?

Look for Collier to be provided ample opportunities to play this spring, with both Miller and Barrett limited. It would not be a shock to see Collier play substantially in the spring game on April 18th. With newly-signed Torrance Gibson and Joe Burrow arriving this summer, Collier will want to take advantage of any and every chance to impress the coaching staff this spring.

There are always exceptions to every rule. The old football axiom that “if you have two quarterbacks, that means you don’t have one” was shattered by the performances over the last few seasons by Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett, and Cardale Jones. Will the three quarterbacks prove to Ohio State fans that the quarterback situation at Ohio State is more “Three’s Company” than “Three’s A Crowd”? That question will possibly not be answered until fall camp, so it may be raised as a priority in my mind by that time. Even so, I am guessing Coach Meyer, Coach Beck, and all of the coaches and players at Ohio State will be reassured knowing they have three dynamite players at the most crucial position on the football field.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

OSU Recruiting: What States Does OSU Offer The Most?

March 5, 2015 by 2 Comments

Recently I took a look at how Jim Harbaugh has recruited the state of Ohio or to put it another way that he hasn’t recruited the state of Ohio. Then I looked at where he was heavily recruiting and it appears he has put the vast majority of his time recruiting California and Texas. Which is not a bad strategy considering how much talent is in those states. Just found it interesting that 3 months on the job and Harbaugh has still not stepped one foot inside the Ohio Borders. No Michigan team has ever won anything without getting Ohio recruits. Ohio is fertile ground and yearly is one of the top states for Division 1 recruits. Sure Urban Meyer has locked down the state for the best recruits. That doesnt mean you completely ignore the talent rich state. Maybe it won’t help the 2016 class but it will help build relationships that will help future classes.

So I thought to myself I wonder where Urban Meyer recruits the most and spends most of his time offering kids. So lets look at a breakdown of the 2016 class and see which states has the most offers made and which states Urban and his staff are targeting and ignoring.

Total Offers Made

134 as of 3-5-15

State and offers

Florida- 34
Texas- 14
Georgia- 13
Ohio- 12
New Jersey- 9
Michigan- 9
Pennsylvania- 8
North Carolina- 6
Virginia- 6
Maryland- 5
Washington DC- 4
Tennessee- 4
Illinois- 3
Indiana- 2
Arizona- 1
California- 1
Kansas- 1
Kentucky- 1
Minnesota- 1

So lets look at some of these numbers and what it tells us.

– There are a ton of guys who play at IMG Academy in Florida who aren’t really from Florida but I included them in Florida for ease of doing this.

– Clearly Urban Meyer is comfortable recruiting Florida extremely hard and has many connections and Florida is the most talent rich state.

– There is a real emphasis being put on the New Jersey/DMV areas. These states are top heavy with really good talent. OSU is reaching into Penn State recruiting grounds and poaching the best players.

– Ohio and Michigan and Pennsylvania will always be the places that Urban and OSU will consider their recruiting grounds and will be the meat of the roster each year.

– It will be interesting to see how hard OSU recruits the state of Texas now that Tom Herman has left can the staff keep making inroads into the hugely talented state?

– OSU will recruit the best player in the footprint of the B1G but wont spend a lot of time in states like Minnesota and Indiana.

– No matter where the talent is Urban will reach out to it and bring in players from all over the country but Ohio will always be the bulk of every recruiting class.

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

Three Yards and a Cloud of Links

March 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment

OSU LogoBrownsosuHelmetThree Yards and a Cloud of Links is Men of the Scarlet and Gray’s semi-regular curated look at items that would interest Ohio State fans. These include news items, interesting blog posts and the occasional meme you’ve probably already seen. It’s all here and it’s all for you. Have a tip that should be included in the next TYAACOL? Drop us a line at motsag@gmail.com or through our Contact Page.

And we’re BACK! I’ve been spending a large portion of my time in a Quincy, MA hotel room for work, which means I should finally have time to get some honest to goodness blogging in. And what better way than to get back into the swing of things than an actual blog post — I find some articles that I think you might like and I’ll link them and you can read them yourself. Blogging used to be so much easier back in my day.

INCOMING CUTENESS ALERT: I have a feeling that come the middle of September of this year, Columbus is going to see a serious uptick in the number of Ezekiel’s born into this world. And with good reason. The Columbus Zoo, however, is ahead of the curve:

https://twitter.com/ColumbusZoo/status/572773579353419777

ALMA MATTA: Serious questions about Thad Matta have been raised during the course of the season (and I myself feel there’s a little truth to them) about his effectiveness and his success at developing players. There’s never been a question if Matta can recruit (Oden and Conley, The Villian, Sully and DT, Russell) but some of his projects have not panned out.

That being said, with a victory against Penn State, he ties Fred Taylor’s record for wins as the Head Coach of the Ohio State Men’s Basketball team. Matta’s success cannot be denied. What I find interesting is this quote from Coach Tom Izzo of Michigan State:

“I think he does an incredible job, and I’ve gained so much respect for him over the years, and yet he doesn’t seem to please enough people sometimes in Columbus.”

Are we that demanding as fans? Has Matta not done enough? Are current struggles indicative of his career as a whole?

OPPS, DID I DO THAT? I spend a lot of time instant messaging my fellow MotSaG’er Jeremiah throughout the day, and occasionally I’ll send him a highly inappropriate message and then follow up with “Oops, wrong window”, meaning my suggestive IM was intended for my wife, not my cohort. It happened once on accident, but for the most part, I do it to get a rise.

All that’s to say that I am having a little bit of an issue believing Zach Smith’s 4 year-old “accidentally” texted a recruit, which was a no-no that Ohio State self-reported as part of its report to the NCAA on minor infractions.

I’m not saying he didn’t do it. I’m also saying he didn’t not do it and then blame his son. I’m just saying.

WE STILL LOVE THE VEST: Asked if Harbaugh is the man to bring Michigan back to greatness and glory, Jim Tressel said that he does think Jim Harbaugh can do it. But he also reminded football fans that he is still the master of saying everything by saying sort of nothing:

“Personally, I think they’re a ways away from being at the level where there’s going to be a Ten Year War”

“A ways away”. Don’t ever change, Senator.

DEVOUT FAN: My son told me once he was a “fan of tornadoes”. I’m not really sure how one becomes a fan of tornadoes, but son is on. I also am not sure how one becomes a fan of Judge Judy, but it looks like they are out there. I was going to throw this in the ETC section, but it gets it’s own section. I can’t get over the “Devout Fan” part:

Of course Judge Judy’s response is just icing on the cake:

ETC: I think the opening title page of this SI Gallery of “Big Ten Players To Watch” is rather sufficient. Probably no need to dive into the gallery, but if you want to, you’ll find plenty more Buckeyes in the mix. Brian Hartline visited with the Browns earlier this week. I’ll just follow that up with the immortal words of Michael Clarke Duncan. Finally, look at these little pancakes. LOOK AT THEM.

Filed Under: Cleveland Browns, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

Buckeyes Land A Big Recruit From The DMV

March 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment

It has been a while since OSU heard a BOOM tweet from Director of Player Personnel Mark Pantoni but there is no need to wait any longer…..

The Buckeye recruiting train is powering down the tracks. Fresh off of winning a National Championship they are taking advantage of the new bling to land recruits of the highest caliber and today was no different. So lets get to know the newest recruit.

Terrell Hall committed to Ohio State via his Twitter account…

https://twitter.com/_TrillTrell_/status/572547329468706816

Terrell Hall is a 6’5″ 250 lbs Four Star Defensive End from Washington DC. Terrell is ranked the 42nd best recruit in the country and the 3rd best DE by 247sports. Terrell is a freak athlete and fits the mold of the kind of DE that Urban Meyer and DL coach Larry Johnson want. He is the 7th recruit in the class and all 7 are ranked within the top 300 players in the country.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

NFL Part 3 (1.0)

March 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment

This section will include picks 22-32. A revised section of Part 2 will come out soon. This section will include Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr.’s predictions as well. This section could get very wild because with all of these teams they are already very talented. These players in the bottom 10 picks typically have the best chances to have successful careers because they are going to teams who give them time to develop and do not have to rush them on the field.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Landon Collins,S, Alabama

I know I have Collins going 7th to the Bears and I still think that he is still in play there. I decided to drop Collins because his ball skills on tape and the combine are not spectacular. I also think that his instincts and his desire to be physical is Polamalu like.

Mel Kiper: Landon Collins

McShay: Jaelen Collins

23. Detroit Lions: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas

It looks like the Lions are going to lose Suh and possibly Nick Farely. The Lions will need to make sure they get Farely or Suh and add a counter part to help ease the loss of the other. Brown is a big body and will help stop the run immediately and also has some pass rush ability for his size.

Mel Kiper: Malcolm Brown

McShay: Cameron Erving

24. Arizona Cardinals: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

Now I know that Arizona have Andre Ellington, but he is not a every down back he is more of a 3rd down back. Plus having Ellington would allow the Cardinals to let Gurley heal more and not rush his progress like some teams who have a need at running back as well.

Mel Kiper: Jaelen Collins

McShay: Eli Harold

25. Carolina Panthers: Andrus Peat. OT, Stanford

The Panthers just need help protecting Cam Newton. Peat would be a Top 10 pick, but he has been inconsistent at Stanford but if he becomes consistent then he would be a steal of the draft at this point.

Mel Kiper: T.J Cummings

McShay: T.J Cummings

26. Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

The Ravens took Jimmy Smith a while ago and people said he had some character issues, but that seemed to work out for them. Peters is a good CB especially in man coverage and traditionally the Ravens defense has thrived when their able to play man coverage.

Mel Kiper: Maxx Williams

McShay: Marcus Peters

27. Dallas Cowboys: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

This pick varies on whether the Cowboys re-sign Murray. I do not think the Cowboys will be able to re-sign both Dez Bryant and Demarco Murray and if the Cowboys are forced to pick, they will choose Bryant over Murray. With this being a Big Ten website I will not go into how good Gordon because we all know how good he is.

Mel Kiper: Carl Davis

McShay: Melvin Gordon

28. Denver Broncos: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

I am basing off this pick that the Broncos will not be able to re-sign Julius Thomas and WR Demaryius Thomas because they will not be able to afford both of them and they will choose Demaryius Thomas over Julius Thomas. Without having a receiving TE, I do not seeing the Broncos having such a dynamic offense.

Mel Kiper: Denzel Perryman

McShay: Eddie Goldman

29. Indianapolis Colts: Cameron Irving, C, Florida State

The Colts need offensive line help desperately. Irving’s ability to play the entire offensive line will help them more than any other prospect at this point.

Mel Kiper: La’el Collins

McShay: La’el Collins

30. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma

While the biggest need for the Packers is ILB. This is my feelings on building a good linebacker core. You need to have a good defensive line before you build a good linebacker core, especially in a 3-4 defense the Packers play. The reason is you allow the offensive linemen to get to the second level so quickly and your linebackers are already at a disadvantage. Phillips is a big kid who will clog up the middle and allow who ever is going to play in the middle at Green Bay to make plays.

Mel Kiper: Jordan Phillips

McShay: Jordan Phillips

31. Seattle Seahawks: Dorial Green-Beckham. WR, Missouri/Oklahoma

Green-Beckham has some character issues, however one of the best places for him to go to would be Seattle. I think that his size/speed ratio is solid. I think he is also the perfect player for the Seahawks because if you put him in the last play of the Super Bowl then that would have changed the game potentially.The Seahwaks also need someone who has the ability to be the number one guy that Russell Wilson really needs.

Mel Kiper: Phillip Dorsett

McShay: Todd Gurley

32. New England Patriots: Carl Davis, DT, Iowa

I think that there are four possible players for this pick. Assuming all these guys are available; Gurley, Funchess, Green-Beckham, and my pick Carl Davis. I think Davis is the safest pick out of all these guys because with the cap space Wilfork is taking up Davis could give the Patriots an option to cut him during this season or going into next season.

Mel Kiper: Devin Funchess

McShay: Carl Davis

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

2015 Ohio State Spring Football Questions: Will Special Teams Remain Special?

February 27, 2015 by 1 Comment

Beginning March 10th, Ohio State will have fifteen spring football practices before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the next few weeks, I will rank the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.

These articles will be submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.

10. Special Teams

Key Players/Contributors Lost: WR Devin Smith, WR Evan Spencer, DB Ron Tanner, LB Curtis Grant, DB Armani Reeves, DB Devan Bogard.

Special teams will always be an area of emphasis for Coach Meyer. A case in point is how starters have often been used by Coach Meyer on special teams; former Buckeye Devin Smith was often deployed as a “gunner” on special teams under Coach Meyer. Devin Smith’s special teams play was often lauded by Coach Meyer, and may be a boost to Smith as the 2015 NFL Draft approaches.

Unfortunately, Ohio State may be without players such as Ron Tanner, Armani Reeves, and Devan Bogard going forward. Coach Meyer stated on National Signing Day 2015 that all three players may be unable to play anymore due to injuries.

Back to the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes. How do special teams shape up for Ohio State this spring and into the 2015 season?

Realistically, Ohio State should not miss a beat. Yes, Ohio State is losing some talented players from the special teams units of 2014, but think of the following players who could contribute in 2015 who redshirted in 2014 – Parris Campbell, Sam Hubbard, Kyle Berger, Terry McLaurin, Malik Hooker, Johnnie Dixon, and Marshon Lattimore. That does not even include the players who have enrolled early, such as Jamel Dean or Nick Conner, or the remaining freshmen who will be arriving for fall camp.

Special teams will always be a prime gateway for players to earn playing time under Coach Meyer. With so much returning talent on hand, as well as the influx of new talent arriving, this ranks as the position group of least concern going into spring practice. It will also rank as a position group worthy of notice, as this group may not necessarily be settled well into the 2015 season.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ohio State Releases Sugar Bowl Highlight Video: It’s Glorious

February 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Catching Up With ’18 OT Will Lawrence

February 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment

will2

Will Lawrence is an Offensive Tackle coming out of the Class of 2018. Already, he has piles of offers from all over the country. Being so young, he is not rated by any recruiting sites at the moment but it is clear he will be one of top tackles coming out of his class. When asked about the recruiting process Will said “It’s been great! I’ve enjoyed meeting the coaches and learning about the schools.”

Will stated that Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arizona State, TCU, West Virginia, Duke, Louisville, Kansas, Florida Atlantic, Indiana and Cincinnati as the programs that had offered him. When asked about the schools recruiting him the hardest he listed Ole Miss, Auburn, Mississippi State, Alabama, Ohio State, TCU and Florida State. “I have no favorites at this point.” Lawrence said.

Lawrence will head over to Auburn on March 7th. “That’s all I have set up right now. I’m going to set up other visits later but not right now.” he explained.

Right now, there has not been much contact with Ohio State recently, but Will stated he is planning on calling Coach Johnson soon. Will described his game as “The best part of my game right now is pass protection on the edge. I get a lot of pancakes on the run game but I really want to improve my run game technique so I’ll get more.”

The biggest thing he is looking for in a program is a team that feels like a family, and an offensive line coach that could develop him. He is also looking for a really good strength program. Already, Will squats 430, deadlifts 480, power cleans 240 and benches 250. Off the field, he likes to hunt and mountain climb. Will Lawrence will just continue to pile on the offers and he will be rated as one of the top recruits in his class in my opinion.

Here are some highlights: 

Follow him on twitter @will_lawrence76

 

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

Wrestling Buckeyes Look for National Title This Weekend on BTN: @twuckeye’s Expanded Breakdown

February 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment

With a convincing win over eastern power No. 15, Edinboro University, the third ranked Buckeye wrestling team has advanced to the Elite Eight in the National Duals. They begin action Saturday on the University of Iowa campus, where they will face the upstart Lehigh Mountain Hawks. A win against Lehigh would likely set up a rematch with No. 2 Missouri on Saturday. If the Buckeyes can keep it going, they would go for the championship on Sunday, also a likely rematch, against Iowa. Thus, the weekend sets up many potential great matches and a chance for Buckeye redemption on multiple fronts which could lead to a national title.

Buckeye Coach Tom Ryan is a big supporter of the National Dual format (he has co-authored a forceful argument in favor of shifting the team title to the dual meet format in this months’ Amateur Wrestling News). While the hard core wrestling observer is perhaps more interested in individual matchups at the top of a weight class, the more casual fan can get behind a team first format with more enthusiasm. Coach Ryan believes the National Dual format is the perfect vehicle to grow interest in the world’s oldest combat sport. While most are focused on the traditional NCAA Championships in March, this weekend presents a real opportunity for Ohio State wrestling to claim its first national title. (For one list of the weekend’s top ten individual matchups, go here.

This year, all five of the top ranked teams participate in the National Duals and all will be in Iowa City this weekend: Iowa, Missouri, Ohio State, Minnesota and Cornell. In addition, No. 12 Illinois advanced to this weekend’s finale. Given that kind of high end participation, it is hard to say the winner is not in fact the best team in the country, man for man. That, combined with the excitement from Cinderella programs such as Lehigh and Chattanooga (which upset perennial power Oklahoma), seems to demonstrate two things: power programs are getting behind the National Dual concept, and lesser programs have a chance to participate in and add to the excitement (I would suggest also that in the future, the lesser ranked teams face off against each other first–kind of like the B1G Tournament does for the lower seeds).

Lehigh, currently ranked No. 11 has competed with distinction in the venerable Eastern Interscholastic Wrestling Association (which includes Army, Navy, Harvard, Princeton, Cornell and a number of Eastern wrestling powers). In fact, Lehigh and powerhouse Cornell are expected to compete for the league title this year. Lehigh earned its bout with Ohio State by pummeling George Mason last week. While it would be difficult to see Lehigh pulling the upset against the Buckeyes, they will come well coached with hardened competitors full of fire for the upset.

Assuming the Buckeyes can advance to the semis, they likely would face No. 2 Mizzou, assuming Mizzou takes down No. 12 Illinois (which blanked a decent Kent State team). The Buckeyes lost 20-19 to Missouri in December. The teams actually tied at 19 but Missouri was awarded the win on tie-breakers (which the wrestling world euphemistically calls “criteria”). They had to go deep into the tie breakers—something like most first takedowns. Regardless, some interesting things were apparent in that first meeting that warrant watching this time around:
• At 125, Nathan Tomasello wrestled very strongly against current No. 2 and long-time power Alan Waters, losing 11-8. This was yet another example of Nathan’s early season habit of going too aggressively and getting caught for back points by more seasoned competitors. If Nathan avoids these kinds of mistakes while still keeping up the assault he can start to his climb to the very top. This is a titanic match-up that could be a great measuring stick for freshman Tomasello’s advancement.
• At 141, three time NCAA champion Logan Stieber picked up a six point forfeit. This weekend, he is likely to go against fifth ranked Lavion Mayes. Nothing is beyond Stieber’s ability–he has pinned high ranked Josh Dwieza of Iowa (pronounced jebba) and has scored major wins against other top competitors. His decisive win over No. 2 Mitchell Port is evidence that Stieber is back on track after struggling with a bad flu. However, it is still a tall order to expect a pin against a top-ranked wrestler. So the six points will be much more in doubt this time around (Buckeye fans might be interested in another comment in this month’s Amateur Wrestling News which practically bemoans the fact that Stieber has just “ruined” this weight class as he pursues an epic fourth title).
• On the other hand, at 149, Hunter Stieber made a surprise appearance in December, though clearly he was not ready. The six points Missouri registered for a first period pin were shocking. Stieber likely will not go this weekend as he takes all the time he can in an effort to go to the Big Ten with fully healed elbows in two weeks. His backup is Randy Languis. I am sure Randy is disappointed with his results this year—he actually seemed more competitive last year while wresting up at 157. But Randy is a talented young man with pride and a lot of fight. It is hard to see Missouri’s No. 4 ranked Drake Houdashelt duplicating his six point effort.
• The clearest difference is at 165. In December, Missouri’s unranked wrestler squeezed by with a two point overtime win against back-up Justin Kresevic. But Buckeye Bo Jordan is long recovered from his turf toe and has just been destroying opponents. Buckeye fans can look to an eight, perhaps the full nine-point swing in this match alone. For an earlier write-up, see this.
• In December, Missouri’s 14th ranked Willie Miklus put a 12-2 major win up against a game John Fox, filling in for No. 12 Kenny Courts. The outcome is tough to predict in this case, but it is unlikely that Miklus can add that extra point for a major decision, even if he is able to subdue the higher ranked Courts.
• 197 was a huge disappointment for wrestling fans in December. Ohio State phenom Kyle Snyder was slated to go up against returning NCAA champion J’Den Cox, but, in a successful effort to win the dual, Missouri shuffled around its line-up by sending Cox up against heavyweight Nick Tavanello. It is unlikely the dual will set up that way again, so we should see the new match of the year (the previous match of the year was last week’s Logan Stieber win over Mitchell Port).
• In turn, that should set up a match between No. 9 Buckeye Nick Tavanello and No. 16 Devin Mellon. Perhaps Nick is the favorite, but he has not wrestled in a good long while as he recovers from a banged up knee. It is not a lock that the Buckeyes will recapture these three points.

This is a wild one. While I think a Buckeye victory is likely, the Buckeyes have to hold serve with December winners Johnni DiJulius, Josh Demas and Mark Martin, or look for Nathan Tomasello to finally bust through against the elite of the class.

If the Buckeyes do advance, and if they face No. 1 Iowa (who has to get past Chattanooga and the Cornell/Minnesota winner), they will have their hands full. The Hawkeyes narrowly beat the Buckeyes in Columbus 18-14. The Buckeyes put forward their full line-up, including Hunter Stieber who lost a close one. While it is possible Hunter could be sent out if it meant winning a national title, odds are that Randy Languis will be tasked with leaving the mat without a loss by major decision or more.

In January’s first meet-up, the Buckeyes got a close win at 133 but suffered close losses at 125 and 184. Those matches are up for grabs and a change either way in any one of those three could decide the National Championship. Which reminds me of 197. Kyle Snyder suffered one of his two losses to Nathan Burak in this match, and it was a curious one. Some kind of mix-up deprived Snyder from taking down in his period of choice and the loss of a likely escape point cost him the match. This match could well go the other way as well, and it needs to. It is too much to ask a recovering Nick Tavenello to go out at 285 and beat third ranked Bobby Telford for all the marbles.

Buckeye fans—remember how fun the football national championship was? OK, if you are not a serous wrestling fan, this may not seem quite as exciting, but give yourself a break. You get a chance this weekend to watch something that will be memorable and fun, perhaps historic. You will have to find BTN to watch it, but win or lose, it should have great drama.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football, Ohio State Wrestling
« Previous Page
Next Page »