August 5, 4:15 p.m.
Are You Ready For Some Football?
Ahhhhhh. Reporting day. Time to strap on the helmets (pads to follow shortly) and get to some REAL football. The team reported today and is getting ready for the first day of practice. Sian Cotton and Maurice Clarett, as expected, are absent, but everyone else is here and ready. The O-Zone has reported that Clarett is in town and on campus, however. More will be reported as information becomes available.
jdm/rb
August 5, 12:15 a.m.
Preview
The defensive line and linebacker summaries have been added to the 2003 preview.
blb
August 4, 7:30 a.m.
Clarett Focus of USA Today's Sports Feature Story
Today's edition of the USA Today has a feature sports story about Clarett and his off-the-field issues. Click here to read it.
blb
August 4, 12:45 a.m.
Preview - 2003 Offense
The preview of this years offense is now complete. You can check it out by clicking here. The preview of the defense is of course next.
blb
August 3, 10:30 p.m.
Odds and Ends
--Ohio State will hit the practice field this Wednesday, with or without Maurice Clarett. Wednesday's practice will be one involving just helmets as will Thursday's practice. The team will be in shoulder pads on Friday and Saturday. The first day of contact will be Sunday. It is unknown whether there are any open practices the first week, but starting the week of August 11th, afternoon practices on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are said to be open to the public. If you are heading to a practice, be aware that the coaches can change practice times and could change their mind and decide against the open practices; these kinds of things can change without much notice.
--In case you missed it, the renovation of the WHAC is underway and the O-Zone has a two-part piece on what is going on. Click here to go to the O-Zone's columns and features page that has each part linked.
--A name many Buckeye diehards know well, Steve Helwagen, long time editor of Buckeye Sports Bulletin, apparently is no longer a part of BSB. Helwagen was as good as they come and obviously will be tough person to replace at BSB. The hope is that Helwagen stays in Buckeye country. It will not be the same without him if he moves on.
--A few people have asked about recent Buckeye verbal commitment Alex Boone. Boone was the second junior-to-be to commit to Ohio State to be part of the 2005 recruiting class. (Note: It looks like Joe Bauserman will slide from the 2004 to the 2005 class as well, making it three verbals already for 2005.) Offensive linemen are the hardest to predict when it comes to determining which high school stars are going to be great players at the next level. It is very odd that Ohio State would offer an offensive lineman this early in the game. It must mean that the OSU coaches really feel that Boone could be one of the great ones. Boone has not done much at the high school level yet; in fact, he was a second team O-lineman for much of this past season. But the OSU coaches were said to be in awe watching Boone at their camp in June. The coaches obviously felt that Boone's upside was extremely high and that it would be best to try to get a verbal commitment from him now before his star rises.
--Also, it is now being reported that Branden Joe's surgery went well and that he may not miss much time at all. There is hope that Joe could return as early as game #1.
blb
August 3, 7:00 p.m.
Recruiting Page Updated
I have updated the recruiting page, listing current info for most of the prospects that are listed on the page and adding a few new out-of-state prospects. The out-of-state list is still somewhat of a work-in-progress with some prospects having no info listed next to their name. I will be working on making this a complete, somewhat full list before the season kicks off.
blb
August 3, 4:15 p.m.
Catching Up
I am catching up on a variety of things this afternoon and this evening. For now, I have created a link for 2005 verbal commitments. It is linked here and is now on the right hand side of the page. A little more on 2005 commitment Alex Boone later.
blb
August 2, 4:30 p.m.
Clarett Update
The Dayton Daily News had an update on the Maurice Clarett situation today which included comments from Andy Geiger this morning. Geiger seems to think that Clarett should be in "good standing by the end of next week." Geiger was also quoted as saying, "I don't think Maurice has done very much to jeopardize his amateurism. This comment seems to somewhat contradict Jim Tressel's comment earlier in the week that, Clarett wouldn't play "until, and unless, all issues related to his eligibility regarding his amateur status have been resolved." But it is possible that Ohio State feels that "all issues have been resolved." According to authorities, Clarett would not be prosecuted for "inflating" the values of items stolen from the car. Clarett's attorney issued a statement that Maurice did not file an insurance claim.
If Clarett is indeed reinstated next week, it could be that OSU has little other choice. After hearing these comments, it does not appear that there is a legal issue here. If there is no legal issue, it may be hard for OSU to suspend Clarett based on this issue with the borrowed car. Now, the NCAA is still said to be investigating this issue as well as other issues with Clarett. Could Clarett be reinstated only to be suspended again later? That seems to be a possibility. None of the other things the NCAA is looking into are out in the open. What is out in the open, besides the police report about stolen items is that Clarett was apparently able to borrow a car from a car dealership, a "benefit" that may not be available to your "average Joe" student. That would be an NCAA violation. But, with Geiger stating that Clarett will likely be reinstated by the end of next week, chances are, there was no violation of NCAA rules. Or maybe the NCAA does not have enough to prove there was a violation.
Stay tuned.
blb
August 1, 1:00 a.m.
Short Clarett Comment
Nothing earth-shattering since this morning on Maurice Clarett. I have stuck up for Clarett at times in the past, but at some point you have to draw the line. Everyone is speculating about the expected suspension time. Myself, I would not be opposed to a one-year suspension with no guarantee that he will be welcome back next season if it is determined that he has received economic benefits that are against NCAA rules. If I was confident that a short suspension would help Clarett realize what he is doing to himself, his teammates, the team as a whole, and the program's reputation, I would be all for it. But I am finding it hard to locate that confidence right now.
OSU #2
Ohio State checked in at #2 in the first USA Today Coaches Poll released today. Oklahoma holds the top stop, with voters likely putting heavy emphasis on the defensive stars that return. Miami, Texas and Kansas State round out the top five. Also of note, Michigan comes in at #7, Wisky at #20, Purdue at # 24 and Penn State shares the #25 spot with Colorado State. If you continue to rank the teams on # of points received from the voters, Iowa would rank #27, Minnesota #39 and Illinois would come in at #56. OSU's out-of-conference opponents NC State and Washington rank #14 and #19 respectfully.
Running Back Quandry
If Maurice Clarett is to miss some out-of-conference games (or more), Ohio State is going to be as thin as they have ever been in regards to running backs. That would leave two scholarship TB's Lydell Ross, who is currently around the 225 lb. Range, sources say, and Maurice Hall. As for the fullback position, there is currently only one healthy scholarship fullback - Brandon Schnittker. Sources say Branden Joe will miss a few months at a minimum and possibly the entire season after tearing a muscle while lifting. Bottom line - some bodies are going to have to be moved to each of these positions. A popular opinion is that Ira Guilford could come in and play tailback instead of safety. Guilford is a truly gifted athlete. If you ordered Buckeye Sports Bulletin's 2003 OSU recruits video, you are probably well aware of this. He may have been the most impressive prospect on the tape, a tape that had nothing but highlights of Guilford playing tailback. The drawback is Guilford's size. The 2003 roster lists Guilford at 190 pounds, which may be a little on the high side. Also, if players are moved, shifting Stan White Jr. to fullback and someone like Tyler Everett to tailback would seem to be worth a shot.
Defense May Hold Key Again
Now, if Clarett were lost for a considerable amount of time, there is still hope for this offense. Nine other starters return and senior O-linemen Alex Stepanovich and Adrien Clarke have probably lost 50+ pounds between them and could raise their games to new heights. But let's be honest, the offense was night and day depending on whether Clarett was in the lineup or not last year. The offense can still be better without Clarett, but the other guys will have to make some big strides.
The key to the 2003 season to me (excluding intangibles) is starting to look like main last year's main ingredient: defense, defense and more defense. The Buckeye first team D-line is about as good as it gets with Darrion Scott sliding inside to replace the departed Kenny Peterson, while making room for Simon Fraser at Scott's vacated DE position. Scott will still play outside in certain line combinations. The depth may not be quite as good, but sources say Marcus Green has dropped A LOT of weight and looks like he could be ready to be a major contributor. And look for true-freshman David Patterson to make some ripples at DT this season. The key will be getting QB pressure from back-up DE's who will be counted on to play a lot. Joel Penton and Jay Richardson looked pretty solid this spring, but it is easy for inexperienced ends to get in a funk when it comes to rushing the QB. It takes some time.
I believe A.J. Hawk will be the defensive MVP this season. He is extraordinary and will go down as the next great Ohio State linebacker. Mike D'Andrea needs to pick up where he left off in the spring game. MDA is going to make mistakes, but like Andy Katzenmoyer, offenses will have to account for MDA's athleticism and will always have to keep an eye on where he lines up. Robert Reynolds made good strides last year and should be solid. The back-ups are pretty strong with MDA or Freddie Pagac backing up the other at MLB and Bobby Carpenter backing up the weak spot. This LB unit will not be as big of a drop-off as some are expecting and may even have more upside than last year's unit.
The DB unit as a whole is getting little respect heading into this season. Losing a total of 7 years starting experience between Donnie Nickey and Mike Doss will do that to you. But Ohio State has some talented guys waiting in the wings. Will Allen played enough minutes to almost be considered a starter last year. The corners, however, should be the guys that make this unit one of the best in the league. Don't let people tell you Dustin Fox is mediocre (or worse.) Fox had a very good year last year and supports the run as well as any corner in the league. And name another game besides Illinois that he struggled in coverage? And Gamble? He is potentially one of the top few corners in the nation.
Now, add defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio to the mix, and I find it hard to believe that the Buckeyes won't have one of the best defenses in the land again this year. Will they give up only 13 points per game like last year's defense? That is a tough feat to duplicate, but I do not expect this defense to give up many points this year. There is still gobs of talent and there will again be led by the master, Mark Dantonio. This will be the best defense in the league...again.
blb
July 31, 7:45 a.m.
Clarett Suspended
Local news and the O-Zone are reporting that Maurice Clarett has been suspended and will not practice until all issues are resolved. Clarett's attorney has issued a public statement in regards to the stolen items in question and the police report that was filed:
"It is true that on or about April 17, 2003, Maurice Clarett used a borrowed vehicle to attend a morning workout at the Woody Hayes Athletics Center. This vehicle was broken into sometime during his workout. Upon learning of the break-in, Maurice filed a theft report with the OSU police. Many of the expensive items identified in the report did not belong to Maurice, but belonged to the vehicle owner. Maurice did exaggerate and inflate the values he placed upon the reported items."
Coach Tressel had this to say about the suspension:
"Sophomore running back Maurice Clarett will not participate in preseason football camp until, and unless, all issues related to his eligibility regarding his amateur status have been resolved."
blb
July 30, 2:00 a.m.
Maurice Clarett
The saga continues, or is this a new one? I really questioned the NY Times story from day 1. Not that I thought that "preferential treatment" would never happen at Ohio State, but I just could not comprehend how the NYT's could write a story with so little to go on. Does this week's story have more substance? It very well may.
If you have been away from the TV, radio, internet and phone the last 24 hours, Maurice Clarett is again making controversial news. The NCAA is investigating a theft report filed with the Columbus Police Department in which Clarett reported over $10,000 worth of goods being stolen from his car this past April. The NCAA is interested in knowing how Clarett obtained these items, which included a television monitor, $800 cash, $5,000 in stereo equipment, compact discs valued at $4,500 and a credit card.
Right now, there are a lot of rumors floating around, and obviously we are not going to be able to make a conclusion until more information is made public. I can't draw a conclusion but can state an opinion. There seems to be fire behind this smoke. Do I know for sure? No. I have heard nothing but unconfirmed "talk", but it appears that Clarett may have some explaining to do.
If it is determined that Clarett received money or goods that are termed "improper gifts" by the NCAA, he could be suspended for one or more games. Clarett also could lose his eligibility entirely depending on what is uncovered. If Clarett received money/goods only from #1 NBA draft pick and Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James, as some are speculating, there may be no NCAA violation.
There is some buzz that James may not be any or all of Clarett's source of funds. This is something that Clarett is going to have to answer for and the "right" answers may not exist. As a Buckeye fan, I must say that I hope legitimate explanations can be made. If they cannot, Clarett stands to lose a lot and Ohio State's reputation will suffer much more damage then it suffered after the NYT's piece.
Broken Promises
I spent most of my evening discussing the Mo Clarett saga with others and as you can see, have posted neither a recruiting update nor another portion of the 2003 season preview. I will stop making promises. I will attempt to catch up on these two things ASAP.
blb
July 28, 11:45 p.m.
Make that a two day extension of the weekend.
blb
July 28, 7:00 a.m.
We'll have to extend the weekend one more day. The rest of the offense preview and a recruiting update will post tonight. The preview of the defense will be completed over the next couple of days.
blb
July 25, 7:30 a.m.
Preview
Just a short update for now - the tight end and fullback summaries have been added to the 2003 season preview. The offense preview will be completed this weekend and the defensive preview will be online in three pieces next week. We will also take a look at some recruiting news this weekend.
blb
July 23, 10:15 p.m.
Bucks Land Second Underwood
Hamilton senior-to-be Brandon Underwood, and younger brother of Buckeye sophomore E.J. Underwood, has announced that he will wear the Scarlet and Gray in 2004. Brandon is 6'1", 170 lbs. and could play corner or safety at Ohio State. Underwood is extremely physical for a 170 pound DB and is a great athlete. Notre Dame, Penn State, Arizona State, Purdue and several others had offered.
More Issues or More Non-Issues?
The Dayton Daily News reported that Chris Gamble and Craig Krenzel may have held jobs that created a violation of NCAA rules. Sources are now reporting that there were no rules violated, and that the DDN may have gotten some bad information. It does not appear this issue is going any further.
Terry Pluto of the Akron Beacon Journal was not afraid to confront the New York Times with their recent story on potential academic fraud at Ohio State. Pluto's piece today focused on the danger of baseless information. Pluto states:
"(Norma C. McGill, the TA who has now come forward) might not be the most reliable source, and this might not be the finest piece of journalism ever to be published in the New York Times, especially because the paper knew of the woman's psychological history."
This story appears to be on the outs as well.
blb
Kicking into Gear
The thing to me each year that signifies that the college football season is getting underway is the Big Ten media days in Chicago. The event got underway today and as many expected, Ohio State was picked as the favorite to win the Big Ten by the media. It was a close call though, with OSU edging out Michigan for the top spot by just one vote. Here is what the preseason standings look like, as voted by the media
1 Ohio State 113 (5 -1st place votes)
2 Michigan 112 (5)
3T Purdue 91
3T Wisconsin 91 (1)
5 Penn State 76
6 Minnesota 72
7 Illinois 56
8 Iowa 48
9 Michigan State 29
10 Indiana 21
11 Northwestern 17
Maurice Clarett is the preseason conference pick as offensive player of the year and Michigan's Marlin Jackson is the pick for defensive POY.
Jersey Numbers
The jersey numbers of the incoming freshman were listed by the O-Zone today. Here they are:
1 Dareus Hiley
3 Ira Guilford
11 Tony Gonzalez
29 Devin Jordan
36 Curt Lukens
48 Reggie Smith
70 Brandon Maupin
74 Kirk Barton
81 Louis Irizarry
84 Marcel Frost
97 David Patterson
Donte Whitner and Ashton Youboty are part of the class as well, but enrolled early and were assigned numbers in the spring. Whitner will wear #9 and Youboty #26.
Who's In and Who's Out?
Three names were left off the 2003 Ohio State football roster when it was released earlier today: LeAndre Boone, Ryan Cook and Sian Cotton. Bucknuts is reporting that Boone has transferred. Sources say Cook has decided to head back home to Indiana and give up football at Ohio State. Coach Tressel said that Cotton was "still seeking admission". The translation to this last comment is unknown at this point.
Seeing Dareus Hiley on the roster is a good sign. There were questions as to whether or not Hiley would qualify and this may have answered them. Reggie Smith is said to be fully qualified.
A Few Incoming Bucks Appear Ready
Ohio demolished Pennsylvania 33-7 in the Big 33 game Saturday night, ending a three-game losing streak. Multiple future Buckeyes played big rolls in the romp. The biggest may have been played by defensive tackle David Patterson who was virtually unblockable all evening. Some questioned Patterson's physical condition after the Ohio All-Star game, a game in which he wore down, but the Pennsylvania offensive linemen probably had few questions after Saturday's game. Also playing big roles on the Ohio D-line were Ohio State incoming recruits Brandon Maupin and Reggie Smith. Maupin and Smith provided a consistent pass rush most of the evening. Maupin could get a look inside and outside on the D-line at OSU and Reggie Smith could play DE or OLB. The other most talked about Buckeye-to-be was Louis Irizarry who seems every bit as good as advertised.
blb
July 19, 11:00 a.m.
Catching Up
--In case you missed it, Ivan Douglas will miss the 2003 season and may have played his last football at Ohio State. Douglas, who missed the 2001 season because of a life-threatening blood clot problem, will miss the 2003 season because of the same problem. Douglas says that he will seek a medical redshirt that would allow him to return for the 2004 season. Right now, the thought of getting Douglas back for the 2004 season is obviously secondary; the #1 concern is that the blot clot problem is able to be treated and that Douglas is able to live a normal life.
--CBS writer Dennis Dodd infuriated Buckeye fans recently by producing a list of top 25 college football stadiums that excluded Ohio Stadium. Many Buckeye fans did not feel Dodd was being objective. Well, Dodd at least is showing that he is swinging both ways when it comes to Ohio State football issues. Dodd's recent piece linked here says that the controversial call at the end of the first overtime in the Fiesta Bowl looks right. Dodd also questioned the recent New York Times article in his piece linked here, saying, "With all due respect, excuse us if we have the slightest bit of skepticism at this report. It was based on the accusations of a disgruntled anonymous teacher's assistant..."
--Last bit on the New York Times piece for now and I will let it rest until we hear more than just paraphrased comments from an unnamed, fired TA with mental problems. This comes from John Porentas, editor of The O-Zone, and a post he made on the O-Zone board:
LOTS of local media have been working very hard to find out the identity of the unnamed graduate assistant in the Maurice Clarett/Chris Vance story. Her side of the story is, after all, the real key to the truth. Guess what. We know who she is, and a little about her, and we're not the only ones. Other media sources confirmed our findings for us.
So why no story?
Everybody knows who she is, but nobody can find her. She is not at her last known address or phone number, so there is nothing to be said as far as what her side of the story is. Here's what I can tell you for sure, though. This person has a police record and is currently wanted by the court in connection with her recent evictions. She failed to show up for her court appearances.
--Huber Heights Wayne blue-chip LB prospect Marcus Freeman recently said that he did not know why sources continue to say he is a Michigan lead. Although Freeman says that he probably won't make a decision for a while, he is more of an Ohio State lean. This is potentially good news for the Buckeyes. This is thought to be a close battle between OSU and Michigan and Ohio State surely does not want this kind of talent heading north.
--How many games will Ohio State win in the regular season this year? Well, that of course is a matter of opinion, but some internet gambling sites are taking bets on "over/unders" for regular season college football wins this year. The over/under on one site is "10-under." This means that slightly more bettors feel the Buckeyes will win less than 10 games compared to those who feel they will win more than 10 games. The bookmakers then require those who want to bet "under" to put up slightly more money than those who want to bet "over".
--About 2 /2 years ago, according to some media outlets, including Jim Rome, Ohio State had about gone off the deep-end hiring a D-1AA coach, after supposedly striking out with the top-notch coaches that might have been available. As we know, that D-1AA coach led the Buckeyes to an undefeated, undisputed National Championship in just his second season. Earlier this week Collegefootballnews.com ranked that D-1AA afterthought as their #2 coach in D-1A college football.
July 18, 7:30 a.m.
2003 Preview
We start our look at the 2003 Ohio State Buckeyes with a preview of the quarterbacks and the tailbacks. Click here to check it out.
blb
July 16, 7:00 a.m.
An Opinion
Okay, I have tried my hardest to look at this from an outsider's view. I try to remain objective as a fan, but I admit that this is impossible, because I am just that - a fan. But in the situation with the recent New York Times piece, I have tried my hardest to look at the facts and have asked myself how I would view this situation if another major college football program had the same issues brought up about their program. I don't know the answer to that question. I suppose if this was a school that had a history of NCAA problems and I just skimmed the story, I might jump to conclusions. So I do have some understanding of the way fans of other major programs might be viewing this story.
In trying to view things from an outsider's perspective, I first asked myself if I thought "preferential treatment" exists or does exists at some point with Ohio State athletes. My belief is "yes", it does. I asked myself, "If Maurice Clarett did indeed walk out in the middle of a midterm and was able to make up the test, did he actually deserve that second chance?" I'd have to have more specifics, but if he walked out because he was frustrated and did not tell a proctor why he way leaving, then I think he should have at least been penalized in terms of his grade on that midterm. If I were the professor, would I let Clarett make up the test orally? Again, I'd have to hear more specifics, but I might allow him to do that depending on the reason he gave for walking out.
Now let me look at this from other angle. I can do this best by telling a few stories about my experiences in school. I wrote my first (what I would call) real paper in 7th or 8th grade. When I got the paper back I noticed that I had not received a grade on it like most of the other students. I instead had to spend time with the teacher going over several issues that she had with my paper. The teacher showed me how my paper lacked structure and helped show me the way a good paper should be structured. She made other points and had me redo the paper. I did so, taking her suggestions, and received an A-minus on the paper. I wasn't penalized for not doing a good job the first time around.
The next story involves a midterm I took in college. I took an intermediate accounting midterm that I studied lightly for. When I got the test back, it was graded a C-minus. The instructor told the class that anyone could come to his office during open hours to go over some of the problems they had on the midterm and mentioned that doing this could potentially raise their test score. As it turned out, only a few students went to his office. I was one of them. I went over the test with him and afterward was told, "I think you have a pretty good understanding of this but you seem to have fallen flat on your face when you took the test." He had me take the exam home, write out what I did wrong, and explain the correct way to do it. I did so, brought it back and my grade was changed from a C-minus to an A-minus.
By the way, I graduated from Franklin University and did not play a varsity sport. Franklin has no athletic programs. Did these two instructors, "cut me some slack"? Yes, I think they did. I was grateful. I have traded stories with fellow workers this week. Everyone I have talked to that graduated from college had a similar story to tell. And none of these people played a varsity sport.
Back to the Times article. First, tell me the facts behind the story. If you have just read the New York Times piece and watched ESPN or local news, I think you have to agree that no facts have been made public. Now, what would you do if you were Ohio State (i.e. the University)? If you are not a Buckeye fan, do you feel it is logical for an OSU fan to take offense to a story that was initiated by an assistant who was fired and later admitted to having mental problems? Yes, as a Buckeye fan, I have taken offense to the story, and this is one of my main arguing points - that at this point, there are no "meat and potatoes" in the story.
Next question: Why did the New York Times choose to look into a matter at Ohio State? First let me again say that I believe that preferential treatment happens everywhere. Does this me I am condoning the allegations if they prove to be true? No. But if you look at things under a microscope, you often see that things are (excuse my lingo) "screwed up". If police parked outside a bar each Saturday evening and gave a breathalyzer test to all patrons who had left the bar after 1:00 a.m. and subsequently put their keys in the ignition of a car, what kind of results do you think are going to turn up? My guess is that a large percentage of these people would be over the legal limit to drive. Now, does this mean that this area of town has a higher percentage of? Does this mean that the bar goes out of its way to get patrons drunk? I don't think you can conclude much from this study, except that people leaving bars after 1:00 a.m. are often intoxicated.
I feel strongly about my answers to all of these questions. Is there preferential treatment at Ohio State? Yes. Does it exist among athletes? Yes. Does it exist among non-athletes? Yes. Does it exists in all large groups, be it a learning institution or a corporation? Yes. Would this be a story if it involved two football players at a school like San Jose State? No. Would this be a story if it did not involve a school that just won the national championship? No. Give me something more than an opinion of an ex-TA who was fired and has admitted to mental problems, and I will reevaluate my opinion.
blb
July 14, 11:45 p.m.
The Academic Integrity Issue
I have read the New York Times piece and most of the local media reports on the situation. A few thoughts:
--I first heard about the story at the airport on Sunday. At that time, my first question was, "How is it that a Teaching Assistant is commenting publicly on a student's grades?" This is illegal and it has only been casually mentioned in a few pieces that I read. It wasn't mentioned in the NY Times piece.
--Ohio State's athletic department recently set the single-season Big Ten record with 250 members making the 2003 spring All-Big Ten academic team. As for football specifically, 46 football players had a 3.0 GPA or better during the fall quarter. I don't know what actually happened with Chris Vance and Maurice Clarett, but the overall tone of the Times article was one that "challenged" OSU's focus on academics. I mentioned verifiable "facts" above to support the athletic departments focus on academics, but I am not sure I read any facts in the Times article. You've got an Indiana professor telling us that he has "been told" things by Ohio State faculty members. And the writer's main source of info is from a nameless TA, who (A) was fired from Ohio State, and (B) has admitted to having mental problems.
--I have been on both sides of the Maurice Clarett issues. As for this issue, if Clarett did walk out of a test, then I think its more evidence that he still has a lot of growing up to do. But we can argue "preferentially treatment" all day long and never be able to draw a conclusion that is a color other than gray. To prove this, one needs to show that an athlete received academic benefits that were not available to other students. Some of the benefits that the TA has described sound pretty liberal, but I think a lot of people would be surprised at how liberal university policies are for ALL students.
--As for the Clarett and Vance eligibility issues...I think it's a non-issue. With Jim Tressel, Andy Geiger or compliance director Heather Lyke Catalano overseeing these types of matters, Ohio State is unlikely to make let this kind of think happen. Ohio State is as strict as they come in this area. And the Lebron James thing seems to be fading. James may very well have given Clarett money, but he is not an OSU booster and is a personal friend of Clarett. In this situation, based on these facts alone, no NCAA rule has been broken. So, I would say that it is extremely likely that both Clarett and Vance were eligible for the Fiesta Bowl and that Clarett will be eligible for the opener next month.
blb
July 14, 10:00 a.m.
Maurice Clarett and OSU Academics in Question
Maurice Clarett is again the talk of Columbus, and the rest of the country for that matter. Unfortunately, I have been out of the country for a week and am just getting back into the swing of Buckeye news. I have some thoughts on the little news that I have read so far, but want to get more information and sort out my thoughts before I comment. I'll post the latest on the situation, my take on it, and other Buckeye news late tonight. For now, here are links to today's stories on the Clarett situation from The Columbus Dispatch.
blb
July 9, 2:20 p.m.
Another Commitment
Well, here comes the excitement, and a bit of a surprise. Ohio State appears to have gotten another commitment. Joe Bauserman is a quarterback from Tallahassee, Florida listed at 6-2, 225, and reportedly also had offers from Clemson and Tennessee, amongst others. According to Jamie Newberg of TheInsiders.com, Bauserman will sign in February, but not enroll until 2005. Apparently, Bauserman wants to take a wait and see approach with the MLB draft next June as he is reported to be a top baseball prospect as well (94 mph fastball??).
jdm
July 9, 8:00 a.m.
Anticipation is building
The team reporting date is only a few weeks away. The excitement and anticipation is building. Expectations are high for the defending National Champions. Unfortunately, we are left to simply wait for the season to start.
In the mean time, recruiting must satisfy our football hunger. Ohio State is in on a number of very big names, and although several of them are waiting to make a decision, it appears a few of these recruits may be getting ready to pull the trigger and commit. A quite exciting time indeed.
jdm
July 3, 11:00 p.m.
Haw Coming Aboard
Bucknuts is reporting that Columbus Independence "athlete" Erik Haw will be part of the Ohio State 2004 recruiting class. According to Haw, he has informed Luke Fickell of his decision and will inform Coach Tressel when the head coach becomes available. Haw recently awed coaches at Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame camps with scortching 40 times. Haw, who is 6-0, 209 could get a look at several positions at Ohio State, with tailback being a definite possibility.
Verbals for 2004
Erik Haw makes it 10 commitments for the 2004 class, if you include Todd Boeckman who was originally part of the 2003 class, but will not enroll until January 2004. It was reported last week that Decatur, GA defensive tackle Frank Morton had verbally committed to Ohio State, but recent reports indicate that Morton does not actually have a scholarship offer from Ohio State. Stay tuned on this one.
blb
July 1, 7:00 p.m.
Buckeyes Get Third O-line Commitment
Ohio State picked up a verbal commitment today from Pennsylvania offensive lineman Jon Skinner (6-5, 275). Skinner is a 4.0 student and has started all three years at Mount Carmel Area and is slated for LT this year. Skinner is one tough kid; he tore his ACL in the third game of the season last year but did not have surgery on his knee until after the season. He is extremely strong and extremely smart. Also, Skinner is said to be recovering very quickly from the surgery he had in January. Had it not been for the injury, Skinner may have cracked the top 10 prospects list in Pennsylvania this year. Skinner chose Ohio State over Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Purdue and Duke, who had all offered. Welcome to Ohio State, Jon!
blb
June 28, 9:00 p.m.
Recruiting Update
I posted quite a bit of recruiting info on the recruiting page including new rankings for the Ohio prospects, 12 new Ohio prospects added to the list, making it a "Top 38" at this point and a list of out-of-state prospects OSU is keeping tabs on. The out-of-state section is a work in progress right now.
blb
June 28, 10:00 a.m.
Buckeyes Land Another Commitment
Ohio State has gotten a verbal commitment from West Chester Lakota West offensive linemen Steve Rehring. Rehring was offered a scholarship at the Ohio State camp this week and wasted little time in accepting. Rehring is a mammoth lineman at 6-8, 315. Rehring, who is a big Buckeye fan, had recently been offered by Michigan and was a fast rising prospect in the recruiting world. He is considered by multiple sources to be a top 20 offensive line prospect in the nation. That gives Ohio State two verbal commitments from offensive linemen for the 2004 class. OSU is thought to want to land five or more O-linemen in this class.
blb
June 27, 11:00 p.m.
Prospect Update
There are a lot of players shooting up the recruiting lists now that coaches have got to see them at the May and June camps. On the other hand, some prospects that received a lot of early attention are not getting a much now. Let's take a look at some of the prospects that have been the talk of Buckeye fans recently.
Erik Haw, ATH - As mentioned this morning, Haw put up jaw-dropping 40 times at Ohio State's camp this week (4.28 and 4.21) and was quickly offered a scholarship. Haw, who hails from Columbus Independence appears to be on the verge of a verbal commitment to Ohio State.
Delbert Ferguson, TB - Delbert Ferguson did not make it to Ohio State's camp and the OSU coaches do not appear to be pursuing him.
Andrew Johnson, TB - The Pennsylvania back is a hot commodity. OSU is said to want this kid pretty badly. It looks like Pittsburgh is still the team to beat here, but OSU is still in the picture.
Brock Bolen, TB/FB - Bolen, who recently was offered by Ohio State attended Ohio State's camp. Bolen wants to play TB at the next level and the OSU coaches apparently have not guaranteed that Bolen would get a shot there. He still has OSU at the top of his list with Wisconsin, but not getting a commitment from the OSU coaches that he would get a shot at TB may make Bolen opt for Wisky.
Tony Johnson, FB - There are rumblings that the big blocking back from Lakota East (OH) was offered a scholarship by Ohio State, but this is unconfirmed.
Brian Hoyer, QB - Hoyer did attend the OSU camp, but was not offered a scholarship. Sources say that Hoyer did not have a great showing at the camp, but the OSU coaches are still keeping an eye on him.
Mike Maciejowski, QB - People are asking about the Upper Arlington QB and son of former OSU QB Ron Maciejowski who played on the '68 National Championship team. Unfortunately, I have no info to report on him other than Mace seems to be a fast rising prospect.
Anthony Morelli, QB - It may be time for Ohio State fans to forget about this blue-chip QB from Pennsylvania. It sounds like he's all but signed, sealed and delivered to Pittsburgh.
Fred Davis, WR - The all-world Toledo Rogers athlete says he will enroll early and the Bucks still appear to be the runaway favorite.
Brandon Braxton, OT - The Youngstown blue-chip offensive tackle can write his ticket anywhere. He camped at Ohio State this week. OSU is likely the school to beat here.
Gerald Catogen, OL - Catogen camped at OSU this week and was said to have impressed the coaches. Catogen does not have an offer from OSU as of yet, but one could be forthcoming.
Steve Rehring, OL - The buzz is that this huge offensive lineman from West Chester may now have an offer from Ohio State. If true, it may be a matter of days before he commits to Ohio State.
Frank Morton, DT - The latest Buckeye verbal has now been added to the 2004 commitment page.
Marcus Freeman, LB - Freeman may be the #1 LB prospect in the country and it still looks like a showdown between OSU and the school up north. Freeman made it to OSU's camp, and as always, looked impressive. Freeman now says he will enroll in college early.
Ted Ginn Jr. , CB - the top cornerback prospect in the nation almost certainly will end up at Ohio State. Ginn camped at OSU, but was hindered by a hip pointer. Ginn has said that he will enroll early in college.
Brandon Underwood, DB - Underwood made it to OSU's camp but apparently has not received an offer as of yet. But stay tuned; some think an offer could still be forthcoming.
blb
June 27, 7:15 a.m.
Another Commitment?
Sources are reporting that Columbus Independence "athlete" Erik Haw will be issuing a verbal commitment to Ohio State. Haw, who goes 6-0, 210 reportedly ran two sub-4.3 40's at the OSU camp and was offered a scholarship. Haw could play a variety of positions at the next level including TB or DB. Like OSU verbal commitment Sirjo Welch, even though Haw is from Columbus, the recruiting gurus have not had much on this kid. I guess a pair of sub-4.3 40's says it all.
blb
June 27, 6:45 a.m.
Georgia DT commits to Ohio State
Bucknuts is reporting that Decatur, Georgia DT Frank Morton has verbally committed to Ohio State. Morton camped at Ohio State and apparently liked what he saw, although Morton stated that he would still take other visits. Morton is 6-3, 290, and reportedly ran a 4.9 at Auburn's camp in May.
blb
June 27, 7:15 a.m.
Another Commitment?
Sources are reporting that Columbus Independence "athlete" Erik Haw will be issuing a verbal commitment to Ohio State. Haw, who goes 6-0, 210 reportedly ran two sub-4.3 40's at the OSU camp and was offered a scholarship. Haw could play a variety of positions at the next level including TB or DB. Like OSU verbal commitment Sirjo Welch, even though Haw is from Columbus, the recruiting gurus have not had much on this kid. I guess a pair of sub-4.3 40's says it all.
blb
June 27, 6:45 a.m.
Georgia DT commits to Ohio State
Bucknuts is reporting that Decatur, Georgia DT Frank Morton has verbally committed to Ohio State. Morton camped at Ohio State and apparently liked what he saw, although Morton stated that he would still take other visits. Morton is 6-3, 290, and reportedly ran a 4.9 at Auburn's camp in May.
blb
June 25, 8:00 a.m.
Archie opting for a new job
According to an Ohio State University press release, Archie Griffin will be leaving the Athletic Department to assume the duties of CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association on January 1, 2004. Congratulations to Archie, who has been, and continues to be, a great ambassador for the university.
jdm/rb
Recruiting
With camps in full swing, recruiting should be heating up again soon. Hopefully, as offers are made to camp participants, verbal commitments will begin to roll in. We are in on a number of quality players and things could get exciting very soon. Keep an eye out here for updates!
jdm/rb
June 23, 10:30 p.m.
North-South Game
I was able to make it to the game and see about a quarter and a half. That's when my little one got a little antsy. I had to call it a night at that point. Some quick thoughts...
--Thought David Patterson looked pretty good. I have heard that he tired as the game went on and some are saying that he was not in good shape. He may have been a bit out of shape, but that is to be expected at this time of the year. The OSU coaches will get him into shape. From my view, Pittsburgh bound center Chris Vangas had his hands full with Patterson.
--If you didn't see the game, I will concur with the 10,000 other reports...Ernie Wheelwright was a man amongst boys. It was a mismatch no matter who covered him. Minnesota got a steal if the kid qualifies. Word on the street is that the Buckeyes would have offered this 6'5" WR if Wheelwright's grades/test scores were in order. If Wheelwright does not make the grade and opts for a prep school, Ohio State can rerecruit him again next year. What a talent this kid is.
--It may be more of a gut feeling, but I think the Buckeyes may have gotten a real diamond in the rough with Curt Lukens. Last night was the first I have seen him, but Lukens is VERY athletic and was very active. Don't know if he is destined for safety or linebacker, but I think Lukens could see the field very early at Ohio State.
--I didn't watch Tony Gonzalez, but did read that he was disappointed in his performance. Also, Gonzalez is drawing a lot of criticism from many who saw the game Saturday night. Gonzalez played corner and wide receiver. Gonzalez will first try his hand on the offensive side of the ball at Ohio State. A lot of "in the know" people who have seen Gonzalez play think he could make a very good WR at the college level, but few are saying that he can be a cornerback at the next level.
--Brandon Maupin was a bit out of shape, I thought, but like Patterson, it is nothing that two weeks of two-a-days can't fix. Maupin looked impressive at DE, despite the extra weight. He could play DE or DT at Ohio State.
--I didn't get to see much of Kirk Barton. A friend of mine who did focus on Barton thought he looked very agile and comfortable overall at tackle. Barton was a tight end in high school but will be an offensive tackle at Ohio State. Barton appears to be headed for a redshirt season, as he learns his new position.
blb
June 20, 3:00 p.m.
Hello
First, just let me say that I am honored to be here and help Brent with this site. Brent has put together a great site, and I hope that together we can continue and take the site to the next level. Well, enough with the introductions, let's get going!
jdm/rb
The 2003-04 Season
Guarded optimism. That is usually the way I approach a new football season for the Buckeyes. Maybe that is what the teams of the nineties taught me, but I for one, just don't like to be overly confident.
This year is no different. Even though I was one of those people who was pointing to this year as the year we had a chance to compete for the national championship, the fact that we did it a year early adds another variable to the equation for this year. Don't get me wrong, I still think we'll have a very good year, but can we repeat and win it all again this year? A repeat is not impossible, but by winning the championship last year, it will be that much more difficult to achieve this year.
We still have a few more months to wait, but I am cautiously optimistic that we may be in for another very good year. How good? We will know soon enough!
jdm/rb
June 17, 11:45 p.m.
"Rossford Buck" Makes it a Two-man Show
I am pleased to announce that I will have someone helping with the site possibly starting as early as this week. Some who frequent OSU message boards may know him as "Rossford Buck." His real name is Doug Miller and like myself and many who visit Buckeye sites daily, he is a Buckeye junkie. Doug's updates or "takes" on the main page will be initialed either "rb" (for Rossford Buck) or his initials, "jdm". I will be initialing my updates/takes/etc. on the main page with my initials, "blb".
Catching Up
--Jim Tressel signed a new contract and of course received a much-deserved raise. And Tressel is again taking care of his assistant coaches, spreading the wealth to all of them. Keeping Mark Dantonio, Jim Bollman and Bill Conley on the staff as long as possible is oh-so important. Dantonio and Bollman will reportedly make over $200,000 per year with the rest of the assistants making over $100,000. Coach Tressel only wanted an incentive (outside of academic incentives) for reaching the BCS championship game. He will receive a $200,000 bonus if Ohio State makes it to the BCS title game. It is to the point where anything I say in regards to what a great, great person Jim Tressel is is an understatement.
--The Ohio State football camp has started. Here are some out-of-state names to remember that are attending camp: Jacky Claude, Brandon Barrett, Antonio Dixon, Javier Estopinan, Anthony Morelli, Brett Gallimore, Jeff Byers, Kyle Mitchum. More next week on these prospects, Ohio prospects at OSU's camp and other prospects OSU hopes to land that did not attend the camp.
--Ohio State now has kickoff times for 5 of their 12 games this coming season. The opener against Washington will be an 8:10 p.m. kickoff on ABC national television. The September 13th marquee match-up with NC State in the 'Shoe will kickoff at 12:10 on ABC. The Bucks get Bowling Green the next week, Sept 20th at 12:10 as well. That one will be carried locally by ESPN-Plus. The game that everyone wanted to see last year, Ohio State versus Iowa, will kickoff at 3:36 on October 18th at Ohio State and will be shown on ABC. "The Game" will be in the moon crater (that's Michigan Stadium to the uninitiated) on November 2nd and will kickoff at 12:10 p.m. on ABC. Gear up.
--The annual Ohio High School Football All Star game will be held Saturday evening in Crew Stadium. Six future Buckeyes will play in the game: David Patterson, Devon Jordan, Curt Lukens, Tony Gonzalez, Kirk Barton and Brandon Maupin. Other top Ohio prospects that are heading out-of-state, Brady Quinn, Ernie Wheelright, Chinedum Ndukwe and Shawn Crable will also play in Saturday night's North vs. South match-up.
--The ACC-Big East talk, with Miami and others potentially moving from the Big East to the ACC is starting to sound like a soap opera to me. My take? It doesn't really matter to me as long as the Big Ten stays the way it is. I do not want a 12th team added to the Big Ten, with two six-team divisions and an annual Big Ten Championship game. I like things just the way they are and don't ever want to see "The Game" minimized in any way. Also, the Buckeyes have scheduled some home and home series with some tough programs like Miami (FL), Texas, Va Tech and USC in the next decade or so. The conference championship games are not doing the top SEC and Big Twelve schools any favors in terms of trying to win a national championship and would certainly make things tougher on Ohio State.
--More on the Big Ten and national outlook for the 2003 college football season this weekend. Current depth chart and future depth charts will be updated this weekend as well.
