2015 DT Shy Tuttle offered by Ohio State 
December, 4, 2012
12/04/12
3:52
PM ET
By
Brad Bournival | ESPN.com
At 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, it’s hard to miss Shy Tuttle (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson).
Add the fact the defensive tackle is from the Class of 2015 and his future as a Division I college player looks promising.
Ohio State assistant Everett Withers saw that potential in Tuttle and passed along an offer through North Davidson coach Mark Holcomb.
Add the fact the defensive tackle is from the Class of 2015 and his future as a Division I college player looks promising.
Ohio State assistant Everett Withers saw that potential in Tuttle and passed along an offer through North Davidson coach Mark Holcomb.
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Buckeyes may offer 2015 CB Rico McGraw
December, 4, 2012
12/04/12
2:53
PM ET
By
Dave Hooker | ESPN.com
Ohio State is aggressively chasing sophomore cornerback Rico McGraw.
The standout 2015 prospect from Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth said he spoke with Buckeyes coaches on Monday evening. Recruiters from the school were scheduled to be at his school on Tuesday.
"They just told me how interested they were and were planning for an early offer soon," McGraw said of the Buckeyes.
The standout 2015 prospect from Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth said he spoke with Buckeyes coaches on Monday evening. Recruiters from the school were scheduled to be at his school on Tuesday.
"They just told me how interested they were and were planning for an early offer soon," McGraw said of the Buckeyes.
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Jonathan Haden to visit Ohio State soon
December, 4, 2012
12/04/12
2:19
PM ET
By
Dave Hooker | ESPN.com
With his junior season behind him, Jonathan Haden is ready to visit some prospective colleges.
The running back from Washington (D.C.) Friendship said he will visit Ohio State soon and is considering a visit to North Carolina as well.
"I'm very open-minded," the 5-foot-8, 180-pound prospect said. "I have seen North Carolina and I like them a lot. I just plan on getting to some schools so I can see how they are."
The running back from Washington (D.C.) Friendship said he will visit Ohio State soon and is considering a visit to North Carolina as well.
"I'm very open-minded," the 5-foot-8, 180-pound prospect said. "I have seen North Carolina and I like them a lot. I just plan on getting to some schools so I can see how they are."
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A position-by-position look at a perfect season for Ohio State, continuing today by rewinding to break down a defensive line that had high expectations at the beginning of the year and was starting to live up to them by the end.
DEFENSIVE LINE
DEFENSIVE LINE
- Most valuable player: The final season with the program might not have been as prolific individually as expected for John Simon, but good luck getting the two-time captain and team-first senior to complain about his numbers after helping the Buckeyes go undefeated. Simon was hampered by injuries all season long and perhaps had to carry more of the workload than Ohio State initially planned due to a roster that didn't have quite as much depth as initially thought, but he still led the Big Ten in sacks and provided invaluable leadership to help set the tone for future teams under coach Urban Meyer.
- By the numbers: While it seemed for much of the year Simon was having plenty of chances to make big plays in the backfield slip out of his hands, he still wound up converting plenty of them by grabbing hold and throwing them to the turf during his last season with the Buckeyes. If Simon had the benefit of a Big Ten championship appearance, a bowl game or even the final week of the regular season to pad his stats, he surely would have topped the 16 tackles for loss he posted as a junior. In the end, he settled for 14.5 of them -- effectively one out of every three tackles he made went for a loss.
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The 2014 recruiting class for Ohio State is expected to be small. At the same time, it could be very strong.
That is, if the Buckeyes can get some of the monster names they will most likely have to fight Michigan for next year.
The Wolverines struck first at the most pressing need for Ohio State when they swiped inside linebacker Michael Ferns out of St. Clairsville, Ohio. In turn, Urban Meyer swooped in for Ferns’ state final game last weekend with four of his closest friends -- all Buckeyes assistants -- to watch the ESPN Watch List junior play.
That is, if the Buckeyes can get some of the monster names they will most likely have to fight Michigan for next year.
The Wolverines struck first at the most pressing need for Ohio State when they swiped inside linebacker Michael Ferns out of St. Clairsville, Ohio. In turn, Urban Meyer swooped in for Ferns’ state final game last weekend with four of his closest friends -- all Buckeyes assistants -- to watch the ESPN Watch List junior play.
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Braxton Miller not among Heisman finalists
December, 3, 2012
12/03/12
7:30
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Ohio State's Braxton Miller will not be going to New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
The Heisman committee decided to invite only three finalists to the ceremony this year: Kansas State's Collin Klein, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o. That means the voting between the No. 3 and No. 4 finisher was not particularly close. It could very well be that Miller finished fourth or fifth in the balloting, which we'll find out about on Saturday night.
Realistically, Miller was not going to win the award this year as the other top contenders did a little bit more. But he had a chance at getting to New York as a finalist, which would have been a great experience for the sophomore quarterback. It would have also been a nice reward for Ohio State's 12-0 season.
The fact that he did not get selected as a finalist should not take away from Miller's outstanding season, where he passed for 2,039 yards, ran for 1,271 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns on an undefeated team. He was named the Big Ten offensive player and quarterback of the year.
New York will have to wait, but Miller has two more years to try and get there. He should enter the 2013 season as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.
The Heisman committee decided to invite only three finalists to the ceremony this year: Kansas State's Collin Klein, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o. That means the voting between the No. 3 and No. 4 finisher was not particularly close. It could very well be that Miller finished fourth or fifth in the balloting, which we'll find out about on Saturday night.
Realistically, Miller was not going to win the award this year as the other top contenders did a little bit more. But he had a chance at getting to New York as a finalist, which would have been a great experience for the sophomore quarterback. It would have also been a nice reward for Ohio State's 12-0 season.
The fact that he did not get selected as a finalist should not take away from Miller's outstanding season, where he passed for 2,039 yards, ran for 1,271 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns on an undefeated team. He was named the Big Ten offensive player and quarterback of the year.
New York will have to wait, but Miller has two more years to try and get there. He should enter the 2013 season as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.
There must be something about Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe High School that the Buckeyes like. Maybe it's the scenery.
Just days after offering 2013 offensive tackle Kenny Lacy, the Buckeyes were at it again, but this time it was two offers to Class of 2014 prospects.
The Buckeyes offered wide receiver Jalen Brown, who led the Pride to a Division I state runner-up finish, and offensive guard teammate Natrell Curtis.
Just days after offering 2013 offensive tackle Kenny Lacy, the Buckeyes were at it again, but this time it was two offers to Class of 2014 prospects.
The Buckeyes offered wide receiver Jalen Brown, who led the Pride to a Division I state runner-up finish, and offensive guard teammate Natrell Curtis.
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Year in review: OL paves road to 12-0
December, 3, 2012
12/03/12
11:00
AM ET
By
Austin Ward | ESPN.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A position-by-position look at a perfect season for Ohio State, continuing today by rewinding to look at the big guys up front who opened huge holes for the rushing attack and helped keep Braxton Miller upright for the passing game.
OFFENSIVE LINE
OFFENSIVE LINE
- Most valuable player: The Buckeyes were blessed with good health across the line all season, which gave all five starters every possible chance to build a case as the standout performer for the unit. It might not even be fair to single out just one, but considering the uncertainty at right tackle dating to spring practice and the way Reid Fragel developed to not only lock down a job but excel at it, the senior gets the edge for providing the final puzzle piece in the trenches. Jack Mewhort was a monster on the other side of the line and Corey Linsley was reliable as the anchor at center, but Fragel's transition from tight end was absolutely critical for the high-powered spread offense.
- By the numbers: If Ohio State could find the red zone, odds were good the offensive line was going to clear the way for a touchdown on the ground. The Buckeyes were relentless when getting close to the end zone on the ground, trusting the big guys to combine with either Carlos Hyde as the battering ram or Miller as the burner on the edge to beat defenses down with hard-nosed football. In all, the linemen helped deliver 30 red-zone touchdowns for an offense that scored 88 percent of the time it got inside an opponent's 20-yard line.
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What a wild recruiting week to review
December, 3, 2012
12/03/12
10:00
AM ET
By
Brad Bournival | ESPN.com
Sleep? Who needs sleep?
Certainly not Ohio State after pulling in a visitors list of well over 50 recruits for the Michigan game.
The Buckeyes staff wasted no time at all last week in hitting the trail to check in on many recruits either at their schools or with in-house visits. So while it was nice to wow the likes of Martrell Spaight, James Quick, Trey Johnson, Jamarco Jones, Raekwon McMillan, DeShone Kizer, Sam Mustipher, Da’Shawn Hand, Gareon Conley, Clifton Garrett, Donovan Munger, Shelton Gibson, Chris Worley, Darius West, Jimmy Byrne and Kyle Berger, they weren’t resting on the win.
Certainly not Ohio State after pulling in a visitors list of well over 50 recruits for the Michigan game.
The Buckeyes staff wasted no time at all last week in hitting the trail to check in on many recruits either at their schools or with in-house visits. So while it was nice to wow the likes of Martrell Spaight, James Quick, Trey Johnson, Jamarco Jones, Raekwon McMillan, DeShone Kizer, Sam Mustipher, Da’Shawn Hand, Gareon Conley, Clifton Garrett, Donovan Munger, Shelton Gibson, Chris Worley, Darius West, Jimmy Byrne and Kyle Berger, they weren’t resting on the win.
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Jayme Thompson’s statistics weren’t that impressive on paper, but it can be argued the Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic safety is the reason the Fighting Irish beat Trotwood-Madison 16-12 in the Division II state championship.
His tackle on a fourth-and-2 call in the second quarter set up Central Catholic for a touchdown to make it a 14-point contest.
He was also part of a defense that held the Rams to 227 yards total offense.
His tackle on a fourth-and-2 call in the second quarter set up Central Catholic for a touchdown to make it a 14-point contest.
He was also part of a defense that held the Rams to 227 yards total offense.
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December decision for WR Robert Foster
December, 2, 2012
12/02/12
4:27
PM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
One of the most sought-after seniors in the country is closing in on an announcement.
Robert Foster (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley), the No. 2 receiver nationally, will likely decide his future before a school break for the holidays, Central Valley coach Mark Lyons said. Lyons said the announcement could come Dec. 19, Dec. 20 or Dec. 21.
Foster has taken official visits to Alabama and Pittsburgh, which was his most recent visit. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver is down to the Tide and Panthers.
Ohio State visited Foster's high school last week but the Buckeyes are not a factor in Foster's recruitment at this point.
Robert Foster (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley), the No. 2 receiver nationally, will likely decide his future before a school break for the holidays, Central Valley coach Mark Lyons said. Lyons said the announcement could come Dec. 19, Dec. 20 or Dec. 21.
Foster has taken official visits to Alabama and Pittsburgh, which was his most recent visit. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver is down to the Tide and Panthers.
Ohio State visited Foster's high school last week but the Buckeyes are not a factor in Foster's recruitment at this point.
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Dante Booker big in state title win
December, 2, 2012
12/02/12
10:45
AM ET
By
Brad Bournival | ESPN.com
Dante Booker (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) knew he had an incredible sophomore season. His 157 tackles, 14 sacks, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles were indicative of that.
But the ESPN Watch List linebacker wanted more heading into his junior season. He wanted that elusive state championship that had evaded the Fighting Irish since 1988.
“Your junior season is very important to see what kind of team you’ve got and what you’ve got,” Booker said back in August. “I’m never satisfied. I just have to go out there every day and get better. I’m going to try to be a leader for the team.”
But the ESPN Watch List linebacker wanted more heading into his junior season. He wanted that elusive state championship that had evaded the Fighting Irish since 1988.
“Your junior season is very important to see what kind of team you’ve got and what you’ve got,” Booker said back in August. “I’m never satisfied. I just have to go out there every day and get better. I’m going to try to be a leader for the team.”
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Across The Field: Hitting the road
December, 2, 2012
12/02/12
9:00
AM ET
By
Scott Kendrick | ESPN.com
With the 12-0 season in the books, coaches hit the road to keep the momentum going, visiting living rooms and schools of the cream of the recruiting crop across the country. This is Across The Field, a regular feature on BuckeyeNation where we point you to noteworthy Buckeyes coverage here and elsewhere. Think something should be included? Send it to espnkendrick@gmail.com.
BuckeyeNation Week in Review
- With coach openings coming open every day, Urban Meyer hopes to keep his staff together, but that's easier said than done, writes Austin Ward.
- Ryan Shazier became one of the best linebackers in the country in the second half of the season.
- And there's still a lot of room to grow for Braxton Miller, who will wait to see if he's going to New York next weekend.
- Ward is reviewing the season by position groups, and we've gone through quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends so far.
- The Buckeyes found their rhythm and have set the foundation after the 12-0 season.
- A final verdict on Ohio State's claim for a split national championship.
- The All-Big Ten honors were released this week, with the Buckeyes well-represented. Miller and John Simon collected big honors.
- Brad Bournival tracked the 2012 season through the eyes of a commit, a recruit and a high school coach. .
- Adam Rittenberg writes about how Urban Meyer might never win coach of the year.
- The perception that Ohio State's schedule was weak was overstated, writes ESPN.com Insider KC Joyner.
- Ohio State and Michigan are dueling for the Big Ten's top recruiting class.
- Some recent decommits could be huge for the Buckeyes.
- Massillon athlete Gareon Conley, as expected, decommitted from Michigan and Urban Meyer made an in-home visit this week.
- As he was returning from Columbus, Auburn LB pledge Trey Johnson found out about Gene Chizik's firing, and he decommitted a couple days later. OSU had an in-home visit this week .
- Meanwhile, David Dawson might be back in with Michigan.
- Bournival, Jared Shanker and several others were busy last weekend -- here's a wrap-up of 24 recruiting updates from prospects from the Michigan game.
- 2013 pledge Jayme Thompson (and 2014 target Deshone Kizer) won a state title.
- Ohio State offered a scholarship to a senior offensive tackle in Arizona and a sophomore running back in Florida .
- A breakout star at quarterback in Washington, D.C., has Ohio State's attention.
- And a Kentucky athlete is planning an official visit to Columbus.
Football
- Jim Tressel didn't expect that kind of reaction when the 2002 Buckeyes were honored, writes Bill Livingston. (Plain Dealer)
- Meyer ran some red lights, but was able to get that family balance this season, writes Bill Rabinowitz . (Dispatch)
- Meyer's concern on the field for next year is complacency. (Toledo Blade)
- The Big Ten is a financial power, but it needs to be more than that, writes Rob Oller. (Dispatch)
- Luke Fickell has gone through a lot in the last two seasons. (Eleven Warriors)
- The finale was "as good as it gets" for Meyer. (Plain Dealer)
- Running backs' careers are short: Will Carlos Hyde bolt for the NFL? (Land Grant Holy Land)
- Ohio State will have a celebration of its 12-0 season on Friday night at St. John Arena. Gee, wonder if some recruits might be invited? (OSU)
- The Buckeyes bounced back from the loss at Duke by beating up on Northern Kentucky.
- Deshaun Thomas needs help with a secondary scorer. (Dispatch)
- The Buckeyes have plenty to learn after the loss at Duke. (Lancaster Eagle Gazette)
The Gang's All Here
- The wrestling team won an invitational in Las Vegas. (OSU)
- The women's volleyball team opened the NCAA tournament with a win over Notre Dame. (OSU)
- The No. 15 women's basketball team fell to 4-2 with a loss at North Carolina. (Lantern)
- The Big Ten is inviting fans to give their thoughts on expansion. (Big Ten)
Video: Buckeyes rebound against NKU
December, 1, 2012
12/01/12
7:37
PM ET
By BuckeyeNation staff | ESPN.com
LaQuinton Ross scored 22 points as No. 4 Ohio State defeated Northern Kentucky at home 70-43.
Video: Ohio State QB Braxton Miller
December, 1, 2012
12/01/12
4:15
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller talks about the season, a potential Heisman Trophy invite to New York and what's next for the Buckeyes.
ABOUT BUCKEYE NATION
Austin Ward
Austin Ward joined ESPN.com in 2012 after five years as a college football writer at the Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune and the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel. The award-winning journalist lives with his wife in Columbus, Ohio. Email him at ajward.espn@gmail.com.
Brad Bournival
Brad Bournival, a lifetime Northeast Ohio resident, joined ESPN in 2012 and is the recruiting writer for BuckeyeNation. He has covered sports at the professional, college and high school level for 16 years. Recently, Bournival was a freelance writer for The Plain Dealer, The Medina Gazette and SportsInk.com. Email him at bradbournival.espn@gmail.com.