OSU Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Quick hitters from Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's weekly appearance on the Big Ten teleconference.

Fresh legs: There might not be much separation between the two healthy running backs, but one of them has to take the first snap.

Based on an encouraging training camp and the early returns from the first 12 carries of his career, that nod will go to true freshman Bri'onte Dunn on Saturday against California.

"He and Rod [Smith] are very close," Meyer said. "I think they’re both big, talented backs. For whatever reason, the productivity has not been there. What I like about Bri’onte is really what I like about Rod -- they’re big, physical guys that can accelerate.

"There’s not many more talented."

Both of the guys listed ahead of Dunn entering the season are dealing with injuries, and Carlos Hyde has officially been ruled out with a knee sprain.

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Joey Duckworth (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) had been to The Horseshoe before, but Saturday’s game between Ohio State and the University of Central Florida was beyond expectations.

With seats on the 50-yard line behind the Buckeyes’ bench, the quarterback from the class of 2014 got to see just how Ohio State operated and his dream became a little brighter.

“That’s the first time I’ve been that close,” Duckworth said. “It was better because we were closer. It wasn’t the nosebleeds like when I was a kid.

“It was pretty awesome. You could hear what they were saying. The coaches were pretty intense. It was a great atmosphere.”

That atmosphere stuck with Duckworth. With most of the Big Ten showing interest and offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo and Toledo, Duckworth’s name is starting to heat up.

Some of that has come because he picked up right where he left off after starting the last five games for Louisville. As a sophomore, Duckworth threw for 874 yards and seven touchdowns while leading his team to a 4-1 mark.

Ohio State coach Tom Herman is still recruiting Duckworth as the season nears the evaluation point.

The Buckeyes have told junior quarterbacks they will evaluate the position near the midseason point.

So what would an offer from an Ohio State mean to Duckworth?

“I’ve always been high on Ohio State,” Duckworth said. “They’ve always been my team growing up. It would be like a dream come true.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A glance at the Ohio State players named to preseason watch lists and how they performed in a 31-16 win over Central Florida on Saturday:

QB Braxton Miller, So. (Maxwell, O'Brien): In the long run, Miller might not be able to survive a full season if the spread offense calls for him to rush it 27 times, as he did against the Knights. But the Buckeyes needed everything the dynamic quarterback could offer as it dealt with some injuries and communication issues, and Miller responded with a hard-earned 141 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to complement 155 passing yards and another score through the air.

DE John Simon, Sr. (Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski, Lott IMPACT): The Knights focused plenty of attention on the two-time captain, and that left Simon again without a sack. But he was as active as ever up front, making five tackles and assisting on his first tackle for a loss of the season.

DT Johnathan Hankins, Jr. (Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski, Outland): Like Simon, the talented junior couldn't come up with a sack against UCF -- but he didn't need one to make his presence felt. Hankins also didn't have to supply many tackles to slow down the Knights, making just three while still grading out as Ohio State's defensive player of the game.

WR Corey "Philly" Brown, Jr. (Biletnikoff): Paced the passing game with six more receptions to run his total to 13 for the season -- just one shy of the team-leading total for all of last season. Brown was a threat on the ground as well, accounting for 33 yards on two attempts and giving coach Urban Meyer even more reason to get him involved.

TE Jake Stoneburner, Sr. (Mackey): The reliable veteran was back where he's most comfortable -- in the end zone. Stoneburner only made two catches for 20 yards, but just like he was a year ago, he offered a big target in the red zone and made his first touchdown grab of the season.

SS C.J. Barnett, Jr. (Thorpe): The safety is falling behind a couple teammates in the race to lead the Buckeyes in interceptions, especially Travis Howard after the cornerback snagged his third pick of the season on Saturday. But Barnett broke up a couple passes and made five tackles for the Buckeyes in the backend.

K Drew Basil, Jr. (Groza): There still hasn't been much work for Basil to do other than kick off, but he drilled his first and only attempt of the season with a conversion of 24 yards against the Knights. The junior also continues to place the ball exactly where Meyer wants on kickoffs.

LB Etienne Sabino, Sr. (Butkus): Made a big impact with a critical interception while also chipping in five tackles at the second level. Sabino was expected to provide invaluable leadership at a young position group, but the Buckeyes also needed production from him -- and they're getting it.

RB Jordan Hall, Sr. (Walker): On the shelf again while rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn tendon in his foot, Hall was medically cleared for practice and could potentially make his return to the backfield this week against Cal.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The rehabilitation clock has expired, and medical clearance has officially arrived.

It still remains to be seen if Jordan Hall will be able to get back on the field after 10 weeks recovering from the surgery on the torn tendon in his foot.

Ohio State's senior running back will participate in two intense practices this week to prove that he's capable of providing a lift for a beaten-up backfield on Saturday against California, and coaches weren't ready at the start of game-week preparations to pencil him into the depth chart without seeing him work.

"There is a chance that Jordan could play this week," running backs coach Stan Drayton said Monday. "It’s a day-by-day thing, and he’s right at the end of his timeline for his rehab off that toe. You know, he has been somewhat cleared but we have to go off how he feels on a day-to-day basis. We’ll see.

"In his heart and with his mindset, he wants to go. If he can’t perform at close to 100 percent and help this team and not hurt the team, we’ll have to evaluate that at that time."

That deadline is likely going to be Wednesday after the second of Ohio State's two critical workouts, though a final decision might not come until Thursday.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Updated injury information for Ohio State after coach Urban Meyer's Monday news conference:

• Jordan Hall: The projected starting running back has made it through the initial 10-week recovery period prescribed after the surgery to repair a torn tendon in his foot, but that doesn't necessarily mean Hall will be available against California this week. Meyer indicated that Hall worked out on Sunday, "so there's a chance" he could return this Saturday.
• Carlos Hyde: The injury could have been worse for the next guy in line in the backfield, but the sprained MCL suffered in the second quarter is still expected to keep him out for at least one game and potentially more.
• Nathan Williams: The defensive end's status will be monitored again throughout the week, and Meyer suggested that could be the case throughout the entire season as Williams works his way back from microfracture knee surgery. He did not dress against UCF.
• Michael Bennett: The Buckeyes will likely be without another end expected to be a significant contributor with Bennett's groin injury apparently more serious than originally thought. He hasn't played in either game yet, and it could possibly be a couple of weeks until he's ready.

After the disaster that was Week 2, the Big Ten could use a bunch of home games and chances to pile up some needed victories. That's where Week 3 comes in, as every league team is at home and should be favored.

Here's a sneak preview of what's on tap this Saturday (all times ET):

No. 20 Notre Dame (2-0) at No. 10 Michigan State (2-0), 8 p.m., ABC: This will be the showcase game for the league this week, and the last time these two teams met at night in East Lansing, this happened. Michigan State is the clear leader in the clubhouse right now for the title of the Big Ten's best team, and it needs to come through here.

California (1-1) at No. 12 Ohio State (2-0), Noon, ABC: The Golden Bears have struggled on defense, giving up exactly 31 points to their first two opponents (Nevada and Southern Utah). Not they have to cross three time zones and play at 9 a.m. Pacific time. If the Big Ten can't get a win over the Pac-12 in this scenario, things are worse than we thought.

Boston College (1-1) at Northwestern (2-0), 3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network: If Northwestern can start off 3-0 against Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Boston College, that will be a solid accomplishment. The Wildcats defense played well on Saturday and will need another good effort against an improved BC offense that has put up more than 30 points in each of its first two games.

Navy (0-1) at Penn State (0-2), 3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2: The Nittany Lions desperately need a win here no matter how it's done. Navy hasn't played since getting drubbed in Dublin by Notre Dame. The option attack meets a Penn State defense whose main weakness so far has been stopping the pass.

Utah State (2-0) at Wisconsin (1-1), 8 p.m., BTN: I figured one of these teams would be coming off a Pac-12 win. Just didn't think it would be Utah State, which stunned Utah on Saturday. The Aggies have more momentum than the suddenly stalled Badgers, but Camp Randall Stadium should help.

Northern Iowa (1-1) at Iowa (1-1), 3:30 p.m. BTN: The Hawkeyes are a play or two away from being 0-2 or 2-0. They're not good enough to get separation from many teams right now, and Northern Iowa showed in its opening performance against Wisconsin that it is not to be taken lightly.

Western Michigan (1-1) at Minnesota (2-0), Noon, BTN: Can the Gophers get to 3-0? It would make for a great story. Western Michigan tries again for a Big Ten win after falling at Illinois in Week 1.

Arkansas State (1-1) at Nebraska (1-1), Noon, ESPN2: The bruised and battered Cornhuskers defense now must try and stop a Gus Malzahn offense. Arkansas State got bloodied on the road by Oregon but came back to beat Memphis in Week 2. Could be interesting.

Ball State (1-1) at Indiana (2-0), 8 p.m., BTN: Indiana will look to triple its win total from last year and get some real momentum going at home. But this won't be easy, as Ball State beat the Hoosiers last year and have a strong offense, led by a rushing game averaging 290 yards per game.

UMass (0-2) at No. 17 Michigan (1-1), 3:30 p.m., BTN: The Minutemen have been outscored 82-6 in their first two games as a FBS member, losing to UConn and Indiana. Michigan can pretty much name its score here, and if Denard Robinson plays much beyond midway through the third quarter, it will be an upset.

Eastern Michigan (0-2) at Purdue (1-1), Noon, BTN: The Boilermakers can take out some of their frustrations over the Notre Dame loss against this winless MAC squad. Things don't get any easier for former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English, who has to take his EMU team against Michigan State next week.

Charleston Southern (0-2) at Illinois (1-1), Noon, BTN: Remember when we said the league needed some chances at victories? They don't come better than this. Charleston Southern was 0-11 in the FCS last year and was outscored 80-24 by Jacksonville State and The Citadel in the first two weeks. This isn't quite as bad as the Savannah State situation, but it's awfully close.

There are are two types of visits high school prospects can make to colleges recruiting them: the "official visit," which is paid for by the school and allowed during a prospect's senior year, and the "unofficial visit," which is paid for by the prospect and isn't restricted to the senior year. Official visits are pretty cut and dry. They are also -- given the modern recruiting trend of prospects committing to schools early in their careers -- passé.

The imbalance this rule causes -- wherein prospects from wealthy families can go anywhere and see any school, while prospects of limited means have to find other ways -- is obvious. That imbalance has also placed an undue amount of influence on the unofficial visit, providing a way in for infamously scurrilous prep hoops go-betweens, who can offer influence and access to schools in exchange for helping prospects find their way to campuses. It's not supposed to happen, but it does, and it no doubt happens more frequently than is ever reported.

How do you regulate this? Bylaw Blog's John Infante (along with the aforelinked Mike DeCourcy) has taken on the issue before, arguing that unofficial visits should be banned. The issue is not uncomplicated, as Infante's explanation shows; it would involve a ream of rule changes and restructuring to avoid negative unintentional consequences. The solutions aren't obvious.

Which is why a third way -- which Infante wrote about Thursday -- sounds so very promising. In a landscape in which prospects' increasing willingness to be aggressive in their own pursuit of a college scholarship (the "good old days" of prospects waiting around for coaches to come visit are over, and "probably never existed" in the first place, John writes), some are using Kickstarter-clone web fundraising tools. One such player is football prospect Marcus Rose, who began his own Indiegogo campaign to help pay his way to a camp. And it's legal:

Rose’s fundraising campaign used to be against NCAA rules, but is now allowed by Bylaw 12.1.2.1.4.5.1. As long as the funds do not come from an agent, NCAA member institution, or a booster of an NCAA school, athletes can find “sponsors” to help cover the cost of practice and competition in athletics events.

As of right now, fundraising for recruiting travel is not permitted. While you could put the same restrictions in, there is a much greater temptation to break those rules for boosters and agents when it means the chance to direct an athlete to a certain school rather than just to finance their athletic development. Allowing for fundraising campaigns without close regulation would be difficult.

First of all, that bylaw -- 12.1.2.1.4.5.1 -- is amazing. And people wonder why the NCAA rule book requires so much explanation.

Anyway, it would be very difficult to allow athletes to start raising money directly for recruiting, but not impossible, and that's where John's other idea comes in:

The NCAA could run a fundraising site where athletes could sign up to get recruiting expenses like trips to camps or unofficial visits covered. The best way to do it would be not to allow individual fundraising campaigns, but rather allow individuals to donate collectively to the athletes in the pool. That way money is not directed toward an individual athlete, even if say a recruit considering Kentucky encourages Kentucky fans to contribute.

Prospects would be given the funds for recruiting trips, then required to show the money was spent on recruiting expenses like travel, lodging, and meals. Failure to do so would require the prospect pay the money back and potentially face other penalties when he or she starts school.