OSU Buckeyes

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

• The Buckeyes picked up their eighth pledge in the class in wide receiver Lonnie Johnson of Gary, Ind., who wants to help recruit.
• Michael Bennett is healthy and ready to be a big contributor on the defensive front, writes Austin Ward.
• The tight end position requires more athleticism than ever, and the Buckeyes feel good about their group.
• Brad Bournival is on the road scoping out talent, which he runs down in Tales From The Road each Wednesday.
• Former Texas commit Demetrius Knox is going to make his official visit for the Penn State game in October.
• Bournival put the spotlight on DT pledge Dylan Thompson and LB/DE pledge Sam Hubbard.
• Bournival updated his list of the top five offensive linemen and top five defensive tackles.
• TE Mavin Saunders of Houston got an Ohio State offer and is excited about it.
• Mitch Sherman caught up with Deshaun Watson, who looks solid to Clemson. But will he feel the pull elsewhere at some point?
• OSU commit Parris Campbell Jr. is a running back for now, but is open to a position switch if it will get him on the field faster.
• A 2015 athlete from Denmark, via Warren (Ohio) Harding, got an Ohio State offer.
• Travis Haney ranked the nation's most talented teams (Ohio State is a top-10 choice) and looked at the make-or-break chances of Braxton Miller.
• CB Jabrill Peppers is set for an announcement a week from today on ESPNU. Don't hold your breath, Buckeyes fans.
• Demarre Kitt is going to announce on June 10. A little better chance there, but it doesn't feel like Ohio State is the favorite.
• The 2014 schedule was released, and Adam Rittenberg wrote about how the new 14-team Big Ten schedule came together.
• The Big Ten bowl lineup for 2014 and beyond is taking shape.
• Former OSU running back Maurice Clarett wants to try his hand at rugby.
• Ward chatted with fans for an hour, as he does each Thursday.
• Bournival's mailbag covers juco linemen, five-star recruits and which OSU pledges could jump in the next batch of rankings.

Football

• Ohio State is among the schools trying to keep up with the escalating salaries for assistant coaches. (Dispatch)
• AD Gene Smith supports having the Big Ten title game in Detroit, in an indoor facility. (Detroit Free Press)
• WR Jeff Greene, who is transferring to Ohio State as a walk-on, is an intriguing prospect. (Eleven Warriors)
• RIP to former OSU fullback Barry Walker, who died at age 49 of pancreatic cancer. He was a starter on a Rose Bowl team. (Lancaster Eagle Gazette)
• Land Grant Holy Land has some fun with Ohio State's "corpse flower."
• And Ohio State is hosting its second women's football clinic on June 8. (OSU)

Basketball

• With two early second-round picks, Deshaun Thomas could be on the board for the Cleveland Cavaliers, writes Bob Finnan. (News-Herald)
• Don't worry too much about the future of St. John Arena, at least for the next decade or so, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• Former Buckeyes coach Randy Ayers is being inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. (Dispatch)
• Ohio State will only play Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin once each in basketball next season. (Dispatch)

The Gang's All Here

• Ohio State is taking a high-profile stand against homophobia in its athletic department. (Toledo Blade)
• OSU tennis player Peter Kobelt has a 135 mph serve and some big national goals. (Dispatch)
• The Buckeyes hired a women's tennis coach. (OSU)
• Ohio State, a lacrosse school? Hey, why not? (Eleven Warriors)
• But it didn't work out on Saturday against Cornell in the national quarterfinals.

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

• Congrats to former pancake specialist Orlando Pace, who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Are the Buckeyes lagging on the offensive line in recruiting? Not really, writes Brad Bournival. This 2014 class looks pretty deep.
• Coaches were on the lookout for complacency in Carlos Hyde this spring, and they didn't find any, writes Austin Ward.
• Ohio State defensive backs are giving their eyes and brains a workout, too.
• A former Georgia Tech receiver will walk on at Ohio State, but must sit out 2013.
• While it might look like the Buckeyes' staff is ignoring Ohio in recruiting, Ohio State is just being more choosy in this class. Here are four in-state players the Buckeyes would love to land.
• One of them is Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary linebacker Dante Booker, who broke down his recruiting situation to Bournival.
• Add another quarterback to the potential target list, and surprise, he's from Georgia. So are two others who received OSU offers this week.
• A running back from Texas football power Dallas Carter has an Ohio State offer.
• Bournival breaks down the three offered 2014 QBs.
• In this week's mailbag, Bournival answers a lot of quarterback questions.
• Ohio State sees a lot of potential in four-star Brooklyn, N.Y., athlete Curtis Samuel.
• A 2015 Florida State QB commit from Jacksonville got an OSU offer.
• Ohio State was the first to offer Cleveland Benedictine 2015 athlete Jerome Baker Jr., and he made a visit. Now, other schools are jumping in.
• QB Brandon Harris, the No. 5 dual-threat QB, has an OSU offer and is in the spotlight.
• Ohio State is still near the top of of RB Jonathan Hilliman's list. Ohio State is recruiting running backs differently these days.
• A Pennsylvania athlete thought recruiting would slow down a bit after he named a top four (which includes Ohio State). But just the opposite happened, writes Josh Moyer.
• A breakdown of the top 10 camp performers last weekend in Chicago. Several Buckeyes targets participated.
• Jared Shanker looks at the ways Big Ten schools can sell themselves on the recruiting trail.

Football

• Soon-to-enroll freshman Vonn Bell had some divine intervention in his recruitment. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Where will Gareon Conley play when he arrives in Columbus next month? (Fox Sports Ohio)
• John Cooper says Hall of Famer Orlando Pace was the best football player he ever coached. (Dispatch)
• The undrafted Buckeyes looking to latch on in the NFL face long odds, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• Jake Stoneburner is among that group, and he's using it as motivation. (The-Ozone.net)
• Dennis Dodd believes Ohio State will break the SEC's national title stranglehold. (CBS)
• The Buckeyes might have given the SEC some bulletin-board material, too. (SI.com)
• Eddie George talked about the current Buckeyes and his career at a scholarship dinner. (Lima News)
• The Big Ten Network announced its prime-time schedule. No new ones for the Buckeyes other than the three announced earlier that will air on ESPN or ABC. (BTN)
• As Ohio State highlight videos go, this one is pretty darn comprehensive. (Land Grant Holy Land)

Basketball

• Ohio State will host Maryland in next season's Big Ten-ACC Challenge. (Plain Dealer)

The Gang's All Here

• Athletic director Gene Smith had a wide-ranging Q&A with the Columbus Dispatch.
• The OSU athletic department spends the second-most of any athletic department and makes the second-most.
• Nick Swisher is playing up his Ohio State roots with the Indians. (SB Nation)
• The men's lacrosse team won a conference title.
• How to make a successful O-H-I-O photo. (Eleven Warriors)
• And President Obama played to the crowd at last Sunday's commencement ceremony. (Eleven Warriors)

We wrapped up the spring and cast a net for a 2014 quarterback. 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

• As part of the Big Ten Blog's package wrapping up spring ball, Austin Ward wrapped up the Buckeyes' efforts.
• Brian Bennett handicapped the 2013 B1G race. The Buckeyes expect the secondary to lead the way, Bennett writes.
• Brian Fremeau of Football Outsiders projected the 2013 Big Ten standings.
• Austin Ward continued a series on players whose stock rose this spring, specifically CB Doran Grant, LB Curtis Grant, DE Noah Spence and CB Tyvis Powell.
• Ryan Shazier played hurt in the second half of the 2012 season, but his production actually improved.
• The Buckeyes will have three prime-time games on ESPN/ABC in 2013, two at home.
• OSU signee Dontre Wilson is one of 15 players whom Travis Haney believes could be a breakout star. Haney writes that Ohio State is also Alabama's top challenger in 2013.
• A look at the Big Ten schools' recruiting at the quarter pole of the 2014 cycle.
• Finally, three more quarterbacks received Ohio State offers: ESPN 150 prospect Kyle Allen of Arizona, four-star Louisiana QB Brandon Harris and four-star Florida QB Zack Darlington.
• Brad Bournival took an early look on how the Buckeyes could round out the 2014 class.
• Buckeyes OL target Jermaine Eluemunor has come a very long way since 2009, writes Josh Moyer.
• ESPN 150 WR Saeed Blacknall of New Jersey has the Buckeyes and LSU as his top two, and he hasn't even visited yet.
• ESPN 150 RB Joe Mixon is still wide open, and the Buckeyes are part of that equation.
• Safety Quincy Wilson of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is anxious to see what Ohio State has to offer.
• The updated top five athletes, top five linebackers and top five defensive ends on Ohio State's board.
• Can Ohio State land five linebackers in this truncated class? The short answer: Yes.
• A sophomore DT from Florida received a late-night offer, as did a 2015 DE from Minnesota.
• Ohio State is among the schools sticking out to 2015 athlete Eric Glover-Williams of Canton (Ohio) McKinley.
• Those controversial recruiting proposals were thrown out.
• Adam Rittenberg talked to B1G commissioner Jim Delany about realignment.
• ESPN's Brock Huard believes in Braxton Miller's pro potential.
• Bournival was a guest on this week's B1G Official Visit.
• Ward chats with fans every Thursday at 2 p.m. ET in SportsNation. Here's this week's archive.
• In this week's mailbag, Bournival answers questions about 2014 quarterbacks, Ohio State's perceived slow start in recruiting and which QB in the class is best for the Buckeyes.

Football

• Urban Meyer sees some drawbacks in the new playoff system. (Dispatch)
• More night games on the schedule appears inevitable, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• Now in prime time, that Northwestern road game on Oct. 5 is looking huge. (The-Ozone.net)
• Eleven Warriors had a lengthy Q&A with AD Gene Smith on the new divisions, scheduling and more.
• New York Giants DT Johnathan Hankins doesn't impress on first glance, says Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell, but he will over time. (New York Post)
• Jim Tressel played in a charity basketball game outside Youngstown that was put on by Maurice Clarett. (Eleven Warriors, with photo)
• And Saturday night was Jim Tressel bobblehead night in Akron. (CBS)
• New Big Ten bowl tie-ins seem likely. (Land Grant Holy Land)
• A new football-related business is coming to Columbus: Home rentals for game weekends. (Plain Dealer)

Basketball

• The Buckeyes finished at No. 37 in the 2013 ESPN recruiting class rankings. Of course, they had only two scholarship spots available.
• Aaron Craft isn't on Twitter. But his roommates are picking up the slack. (Twitter)
• Amber Stokes signed with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. (OSU)

The Gang's All Here

• Sunday is graduation day at Ohio State, with a ton of extra security measures because of the speaker. (Plain Dealer)
• Ohio State's baseball team has a solid bullpen, led by a deceptive closer. (Dispatch)
• Katie Borchers broke her own school record in the 800. (OSU)
• The men's lacrosse team won in the ECAC tournament for the first time. (Lantern)

Just one draft pick in the first two days of the draft and athletes committing elsewhere. The Ohio State football program has had better weeks, for sure -- but all is not lost. 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

• Johnathan Hankins was the first Buckeye off the board in the draft, as expected, going to the New York Giants in the second round.
• Other Buckeyes drafted? John Simon to the Baltimore Ravens, Reid Fragel to the Cincinnati Bengals.
• The buzz is building for Simon's replacement at defensive end: Adolphus Washington.
• Austin Ward counted down players on offense whose stock rose in spring practice: Jeff Heuerman, Brionte Dunn and Warren Ball, Michael Thomas, Rod Smith and Chris Fields.
• Who will be the next to commit to Ohio State? Brad Bournival has a top-five list.
• But you can't win them all. Bournival counted down five players Ohio State wants but likely won't get.
• Some bad news on the QB recruiting front: Deshaun Watson says he's all in for Clemson.
• The Buckeyes seem to have struck out on their top tight end choices, too.
• Reading between the lines, it seems Elijah Hood is likely staying home in North Carolina, but he's still considering OSU.
• Feeling down about this class all of a sudden? Don't. It's way too early.
• ESPN 150 offensive lineman Demetrius Knox, a Columbus native who visited a couple months ago, decommited from Texas.
• ESPN 150 WR Demarre Kitt is still within the Buckeyes' grasp.
• ESPN 150 receiver Artavis Scott says he will consider leaving Florida for school.
• 2013 signee Ezekiel Elliott hasn't stopped recruiting potential teammates, either.
• Bournival relayed his list of the top five running backs on Ohio State's list.
• A top 2015 running back is planning an Ohio State visit.
• Cornerback Jabrill Peppers, No. 2 in the ESPN 150, is looking at a July decision.
• The Buckeyes offered two more Georgia prospects, a 2015 running back from Cleveland Benedictine, a speedy 2015 cornerback from New Jersey and a 2015 linebacker from Texas,
• Brian Bennett and Adam Rittenberg conducted their own draft of current Big Ten players, with Braxton Miller the obvious No. 1.
• This week's mailbag answers questions about the 2014 receivers, the class size, defensive linemen, Northeast Ohio and basketball recruiting.

Football

• Depth is much less of a concern this year after spring practice. (Dispatch)
• So the Buckeyes are deficient at punter. How often do Urban Meyer's teams punt anyway? (Eleven Warriors)
• Etienne Sabino is just looking for an NFL shot. (Dispatch)
• The SEC dominates the draft these days. But historically, Ohio State, USC and Notre Dame have had the most players drafted. (Plain Dealer)

Basketball

• John Havlicek is selling his championship rings, including one he won with the Buckeyes' last national championship team.

The Gang's All Here

• Ohio State is 15th in the Directors' Cup standings. (OSU)
• Want to only buy your products from Ohio State-related sources? It might be easier than you think. (Buckeye Empire)
• An OSU junor is the NCAA pommel horse champion. (OSU)
• The men's tennis team won its eight consecutive Big Ten title. (Lantern)
• Ohio State hired one if its assistants as the new head men's hockey coach. (Lantern)
• Lacrosse star Logan Schuss is a finalist for national player of the year. (OSU)
• Framing the best OSU sports moments of 2012-13. (Lantern)

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

• The first ESPN 150 rankings are out for the 2014 class. Just one of the seven commitments appears on the list, and the Buckeyes' class is ranked No. 11 after finishing the 2013 cycle at No. 3.
• However, the Buckeyes are primed to move up, as they did last year.
• The "College Football Live Spring Bus Tour" was in Columbus on Tuesday, and Austin Ward's live blog captured the day.
• The Buckeyes are hungry for more than just 12-0, writes Brian Bennett.
• Check out a SportsCenter interview with Urban Meyer and Chris Spielman's take on the 2013 Buckeyes.
• Bradley Roby returned to Ohio State to help develop his leadership skills.
• History works in the Buckeyes' favor in trying to develop receivers.

(Read full post)

Spring practice is done, basketball is done. But fear not: Recruiting never ends for the Buckeyes. 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

• Braxton Miller showed off his passing skills in the spring game in Cincinnati, writes Austin Ward.
• And the defensive line should be just fine as long as Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington are around.
• The Buckeyes added to their 2014 recruiting class last week, as Cleveland St. Ignatius linebacker Kyle Berger made the call, giving the Buckeyes linebacker No. 2 in three days, and a championship attitude.
• Wide receiver Michael Thomas was the star of the 2012 spring game -- and put up some numbers again on Saturday -- but fall didn't go quite as well as hoped.
• Ohio State's offense looks to dominate in 2013, writes Brian Bennett.
• Brad Bournival wonders if the Buckeyes missed a recruiting opportunity by moving the spring game to Cincinnati.
• Safety C.J. Barnett and linebacker Ryan Shazier talked to Big Ten blogger Brian Bennett during his Columbus visit. .
• Tight end Jeff Heuerman has an NFL-ready physique and a playful side, Ward writes.
• Spence looks ready to make a big leap in his first offseason at Ohio State.
• Washington will also try to fill a big void on the defensive line, writes Adam Rittenberg.
• Wide receivers flocked to visit for the spring game.
• Last week, top Georgia prospect Demarre Kitt was impressed. So was North Carolina prospect Trevion Thompson.
• WR Chris Godwin of Middletown, Del., loved his visit a few weeks ago.
• Cleveland Glenville athlete Marshon Lattimore seems to have the Buckeyes as a favorite, but he'll make some other visits.
• Top target Drake Harris made his first visit to Ohio State and met with the president, too.
• Jabrill Peppers of New Jersey has the Buckeyes squarely in his top group after an impressive visit.
• Deshaun Watson, still the only QB that Ohio State has offered, won the Atlanta Elite 11 qualifier and plans to make an official visit.
• Kyler Murray of Allen, Texas, has an offer and could be Ohio State's top QB target in 2015.
• And returning to 2014, perhaps a Louisiana dual-threat QB could get an offer down the line.
• The LEO position is important in Ohio State's defense, and there are plenty of 2014 targets who could fit the bill.
• A look at the top five defensive ends on Ohio State's 2014 wish list.
• Clifton Garrett seemed to have Ohio State on top earlier, and they're still in the running, but Garrett noticed that OSU already has two linebackers in the 2014 class.
• Linebacker Chase Wionvich got a "dream come true" with an Ohio State offer.
• Louisiana safety Mattrell McGraw has an Ohio State offer, one of his 30 so far. A recent offer has an Illinois defensive lineman planning a visit, too.
• Yet another Georgia prospect received an offer.
• A top New Jersey tight end has the Buckeyes in his final four.
• Shaker Heights defensive end Joe Henderson is hoping for a big offer.
• ESPN Watch List defensive end Solomon Thomas is still "wide open."
• Bournival answered questions in this week's mailbag about how Ohio State's focus outside Ohio affects other schools, along with other recruiting topics.

Football

• The Buckeyes received rings for their 12-0 season. (Plain Dealer)
• Cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs lives by the mantra, "fearlessly be yourself." (Plain Dealer)
• There was another circle drill in Cincinnati. (Dispatch video)
• New vision training is a part of the high-tech Ohio State weight room. (Plain Dealer)
• The wounds are healing for Jim Tressel and Ohio State. (Lantern)

Basketball

• Even without Deshaun Thomas, big things are expected of the Buckeyes next season.
• Thomas, now training in Indianapolis, believes he's a first-rounder. (Dispatch)

The Gang's All Here

• Hockey goalie Brady Hjelle was named a first-team All-American. (OSU)
• Lacrosse player Logan Shuss is close to the Buckeyes' career goal record. (Lantern).
• A freshman already holds the school record in the javelin. (OSU)
• And Brutus was fine after that hit in practice last Saturday, a video that went viral. (Plain Dealer)

Six days before the spring game, it's a huge recruiting weekend on campus, and the list of commits continues to grow. 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. First, as always, our week in review:

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• Outside linebacker Sam Hubbard was committed to Notre Dame for lacrosse, but that all changed when Ohio State showed football interest. The Cincinnati Moeller standout became the sixth player to commit to Ohio State for its 2014 class.
• Hubbard in a word: Versatile. He is one of many top recruits in Columbus this weekend.
• Hubbard played in the defensive backfield last season at Moeller. That's where the 2013 Buckeyes will be deepest, and they'll to play to that strength, writes Austin Ward.
• They're pretty deep along the offensive front, too, writes ESPN Big Ten blogger Brian Bennett. And that's made spring practice a little different this year for Ed Warinner, whose biggest task is to figure out who will be the right tackle.
• Bennett spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Columbus and made some spring observations about the Buckeyes.
• Braxton Miller has a new haircut but isn't getting a big head, Bennett writes. He's learning to become a better scrambler instead of just a great runner, Ward writes.
• And Miller took a shot in practice, something he wasn't too happy about.
• Ohio State's staff has six quarterbacks in its sights, even if none of them have an offer quite yet.
• Brad Bournival also took a look at five receivers the Buckeyes are targeting.
• QB Darius Wade of Middletown loved what he saw at Ohio State practice, as did ESPN Watch List DE Verondtae Wilkinson of Trotwood-Madison and safety Mike Edwards of Cincinnati Winton Woods.
• It's looking like a familar battle on the trail for RB Jonathan Hilliman: Ohio State vs. Michigan.
• Miller heads Travis Haney's "All-Heavy Lifting" team, meaning he has s huge load to carry.
• Ohio State made some inroads at Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth School in the last recruiting cycle with athlete "Corn" Elder, and now the coaching staff has its eyes on a talented 2015 cornerback from the school.
• The Buckeyes also made an offer to a player from a state that's a pipeline for another OSU: Oklahoma State.
• If you're around on Thursdays at 2 p.m, don't miss Austin Ward's hour-long chat in ESPN SportsNation. He covered a lot of topics last week.
• Another staple is Bournival's mailbag every Friday. Send him your questions and he'll answer as many of them as he can.

Football

• Offensive lineman Antonio Underwood, the second-team left guard, tore his ACL. (Plain Dealer)
• Tight end Jeff Heuerman pulled off an elaborate April Fool's joke on position coach Tim Hinton. (Plain Dealer)
• The Eleven Warriors April Fool's submission is worth a chuckle. Especially the illustration.
• Readers chime in on Braxton Miller's hair. (Plain Dealer)
• The Buckeyes are "not worthy" of national championship talk yet, Urban Meyer says. (Lantern)
• A look at the diamond formation that Ohio State is tinkering with. (Eleven Warriors)
• Ticket info and more for the spring game next Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati. (Dispatch)
• And it wasn't a great day to be Brutus on student appreciation day at practice Saturday. (Twitter)

Basketball

• Deshaun Thomas almost left for the NBA last season, and believes he's ready now.
• The Buckeyes still have enough left to recruit and return, however.
• On his way out, a classy move by Thomas lauding fellow OSU athletes in a letter to the editor. (Lantern)
• LaQuinton Ross turned the corner and looks to be the go-to scorer next season. (Lantern)
• The sophomore class' development turned around the season, writes Bob Baptist. (Dispatch)
• And yeah, it's awkward that the School Up North made the Final Four. (Lantern)

The Gang's All Here

• The men's tennis team got its 164th consecutive home match victory against a visiting team, the longest current streak in any Division I team sport. It's been more than 10 years since a home loss. (Dispatch)
• Michael Hartfield broke a 77-year-old school record in the long jump that was set by Jesse Owens. (OSU)
• A top girls basketball prospect in a couple of years has a familiar name. (Land Grant Holy Land)
• Alex Trebek knows where the "The" goes. (Land Grant Holy Land)
• And anybody who has ever known OSU campus life knows that tow trucks are ubiquitous. President E. Gordon Gee found that out the hard way this week. (Dispatch)

Well, remember the good times in those first three rounds, Buckeyes fans. 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. First, as always, our week in review:

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• Ohio State went ice cold early, then mounted a huge comeback but came up short and lost in the NCAA Elite Eight to Wichita State.
• Recruit and return: Who the Buckeyes lose, who they add and what it means for next season. (If Deshaun Thomas decides there's unfinished business, the Buckeyes have to be considered the 2013-14 Big Ten favorite.)
• Ross' recruiting story is an interesting one, too, as RecruitingNation's Dave Telep recalls.
• LaQuinton Ross had his shining moment as the Buckeyes held on to beat Arizona in the Sweet 16, just five days after Aaron Craft put a dagger in Iowa State's upset hopes.
• Ross' recruiting story is an interesting one, too, as RecruitingNation's Dave Telep recalls.
• Basketball is big to football recruits, too, as OT commit Kyle Trout was able to demonstrate his athleticism on the hardwood.
• It might be a holiday weekend, but that didn't stop football recruits from visiting. Next week, the visits really ramp up, including one from LB Raekwon McMillan, who is getting offers from every major school.
• Cincinnati LaSalle wide receiver Derek Kief, a huge target at 6-foot-5, is one of the players who visited Columbus this weekend, and he received a big offer from Alabama last week.
• ESPN Watch List guard Quenton Nelson of New Jersey is also in town.
• Jordan Hall showed with one catch in spring drills how he could expand Ohio State's already explosive offense.
• Austin Ward made observations about the running backs, Noah Spence, the freshman cornerbacks and Ryan Shazier in spring practice.
• Having Parris Campbell Jr. already committed puts the Buckeyes in a position of strength at running back already in the 2014 class, but the Buckeyes likely aren't stopping at one RB this year.
• ESPN Watch List tight end Jeb Blazevich would be an ideal fit in Ohio State's offensive scheme, Brad Bournival writes.
• Bournival also took a look at the six tight ends with OSU offers and the recruitment of massive OT Orlando Brown Jr.
• RecruitingNation's Jeremy Crabtree makes 10 bold predictions about 2014 recruiting, including a spot where the Buckeyes will be No. 1.
• OSU linebacker target Kyle Berger of Cleveland St. Ignatius visited Tennessee last week.
• In this week's mailbag, Bournival answered questions about the pecking order on offensive linemen, who might be the next to commit and what position McMillan might play in college.

Football

• Christian Bryant is working on being more of a ball hawk as well as a big hitter, writes Tom Reed. (Plain Dealer)
• Former All-America linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer was arrested, then released, charged with violating a temporary protection order obtained by his ex-wife. (Dispatch)
• Success is fundamental for Braxton Miller this spring. (Plain Dealer)
• Safety Corey Brown knows he needs to stand out. (Dispatch)
• Dave Leggett, the MVP of the 1955 Rose Bowl, died Tuesday at age 79. (New Philadelphia Times Reporter)
• Urban Meyer addressed high school coaches at a clinic last week. (Lantern)

Basketball

• Before the loss, the Buckeyes did big things with a small lineup, writes Doug Lesmerises. (Plain Dealer)
• Ross could have the most NBA potential of any player on the roster. (Sheridan Hoops)
• Aaron Craft is the Tim Tebow of college basketball. (Tucson Citizen)
• And Craft gets a boost from his little sister, who plays for the OSU women's team. (Plain Dealer)

The Gang's All Here

• Thirty Ohio State football players and 511 total athletes will be recognized as Ohio State scholar-athletes.(OSU)
• Senior synchronized swimmer Paige Ramsey was named U.S. Collegiate Athlete of the Year. (OSU)
• Gene Smith likes it that Ohio State isn't perceived as just a "football school." (Lantern)

It was all about Sam Thompson on Friday night in basketball, and then Dylan Thompson in recruiting on Saturday. We'll see whether Sam has an encore ready today against Iowa State. This is Across The Field, a regular feature on BuckeyeNation where we point fans to noteworthy Buckeyes coverage here and elsewhere. Think something should be included? Send it to espnkendrick@gmail.com

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• Sam Thompson had a career night as the Buckeyes advanced in the NCAA tournament in Dayton.
• It isn't likely to be as easy against the Cyclones, who have made more 3-pointers than any team in the country.
• John Gasaway looks at how the Buckeyes turned around their season in the past month.
• There's little doubt that basketball success helps football recruiting, and vice versa.

(Read full post)

It's quite a feat: In a league as good as the Big Ten in basketball, the Buckeyes have made it to the conference championship game four years in a row and in six of the last seven years. Wisconsin is the only other team with three title-game berths in that span. The Buckeyes go for their third championship in four years in a rematch of the 2007 final -- the year the Buckeyes last made the NCAA championship game.

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. First, as always, our week in review:

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• Ohio State took care of Nebraska and Michigan State in Chicago and looks to lock up a high seed in the NCAA tournament, with a potential second-round opener in Dayton on Friday. With seven wins in a row, Joe Lunardi has the Buckeyes on the No. 2 line in his latest bracketology breakdown.
• This is the 40th anniversary of Cornelius Greene becoming Ohio State's starting quarterback, and Austin Ward looked back at how he was a trailblazer as a dual-threat quarterback.
• Ohio State doesn't even recruit pocket passers these days, writes Brad Bournival.
• Ohio State's top target for the 2015 class -- that's the sophomores -- just might be Kyler Murray of Allen, Texas.
• The Buckeyes do recruit linebackers, of course, and former top prospect Curtis Grant aims to hold off the recruits from the last two classes and take back a starting role.
• With spring break last week during the first year in a semester system, Urban Meyer stretched out spring practice and gave the players last week off.
• Last year, a simple gesture by Meyer fired up the Buckeyes in a key road victory, Ward writes.
• On his way to the NFL draft, Zach Boren is trying to become even more versatile.
• Bournival crunched the numbers on where Big Ten players come from, and in no surprise, Ohio is No. 1.
• Bournival continued his series looking at the top players on the Buckeyes' recruiting board, this week counting down the top five linebackers and cornerbacks.
• The Buckeyes already have a big piece there in Watch List prospect Damon Webb.
• We also profiled Tony Brown of Texas, who is a highly coveted cover guy.
• And everybody wants Watch List LB Raekwon McMillan, who has the Buckeyes as one of his leaders and already has big plans for his April visit.
• Mammoth OT Orlando Brown Jr. talked about the Buckeyes and the other six programs in his top seven.
• The Buckeyes were in early in the recruiting of Maryland OG Sam Mustipher, and that could pay dividends.
• Michigan State lost a big name when WR Drake Harris decommitted. He has an Ohio State offer and wants to enroll early.
• Virginia safety C.J. Reavis received an offer from the Buckeyes, as did a Brooklyn, N.Y., offensive tackle and a two-sport standout from Texas in the sophomore class.
• Bournival answered questions about the 2014 class in his latest mailbag.

Football

• Losing seven starters shouldn't hamper the Buckeyes' title dreams, writes Tim May. (Dispatch)

Basketball

• The Buckeyes' key to success at the Big Ten Tournament? They don't take it so seriously, writes Doug Lesmerises. (Plain Dealer)
• Thad Matta isn't afraid to get in players' faces, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• Aaron Craft hoped he would advance in Grantland's bracket of the most hated players in college basketball history. Alas, he fell to former Florida star Joakim Noah. (Plain Dealer, Grantland)
• Deshaun Thomas and Craft made All-Big Ten first teams, but Craft was somehow denied the league's Defensive Player of the Year award. (Dispatch)
• The Buckeyes have gone from overrated to undervalued. (Eleven Warriors)
• Thomas just might come back for his senior season after all, if draft experts are correct. (Toledo Blade)

The Gang's All Here

• Ohio State's men's lacrosse team beat a top-10 team on the road. (OSU)
• The men's hockey team is playing its final CCHA Tournament at the old OSU Ice Rink, a fitting ending to their run in the conference, writes Chris Webb. (Land Grant Holy Land)

"The Chase" is on, both for the Big Ten title on the hoops side and a theme for the football Buckeyes in 2013. 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

• The men's hoops team spoiled Indiana's senior night and the Buckeyes can win a share of their fourth consecutive Big Ten regular-season title with a win over Illinois and a little help from up north on Sunday.
• ESPN The Magazine's One Day, One Game issue was published, and it was the Ohio State-Michigan game last month in Ann Arbor. Two stories definitely worth a look: A piece about DeShaun Thomas' temper and a thought-provking read on why Aaron Craft is hated in 11 other Big Ten arenas.
• The football Buckeyes opened up spring practice with high goals and a new banner, writes Austin Ward. Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg chimed in as well. Ohio State's world has already changed in 2013, writes Ivan Maisel.
• Returning senior (a phrase you don't get to use much) Jordan Hall has a new position, and he is catching on, Ward writes.
• It's a big spring for Hall, defensive lineman Adolphus Washington and linebacker Curtis Grant.
• Urban Meyer is looking to find leaders on this group after so many graduated from last season's team.
• Eli Apple could be an impact early enrollee this fall, writes Travis Haney.
• At Ohio State's pro day, Troy Smith threw passes to Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel let his great NFL combine numbers stand.
• The Buckeyes are going forward without 2012 ESPN 150 defensive end Se'Von Pittman, who redshirted last season and has elected to transfer.
• In the first installments of a 2014 recruiting snapshot series, Brad Bournival profiled DE Da'Shawn Hand, QB Deshaun Watson, OL Jamarco Jones and DE Lorenzo Carter.
• Bournival also wrote companion pieces on the top five defensive ends and top five offensive tackles on the Buckeyes' radar, along with five things we already know about OSU in 2014 recruiting and five questions facing the Buckeyes.
• A Watch List athlete from California is feeling the love from Ohio State after an offer.
• An offensive tackle from Pittsburgh was surprised by an offer.
• On the visitors front, LB Kyle Berger made the trip from Cleveland last weekend.
• Watch List OT Quenton Nelson, OT Braden Smith, and RB Jonathan Hilliman are planning future visits.
• Watch List WR Demarre Kitt trimmed his list, and the Buckeyes made the cut.
• And a second quarterback finally got a scholarship offer -- for 2015, that is.
• In this week's recruiting mailbag, Bournival answered the questions of what's next and who stays.

Football

• Curtis Grant didn't handle losing his starting middle linebacker job well last season, but has rebounded, writes Doug Lesmerises. (Plain Dealer)
• Now that Ohio State is trying to poach recruits from the South, Nick Saban is trying to poach from the Buckeyes' home territory, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• The early enrollees picked their uniform numbers -- at least initially -- and there are legacies to live up to. (Eleven Warriors)
• Is Ohio State's uniform getting a font tweak? (Land Grant Holy Land)
• And finally, a video of assistant coach Kerry Coombs accosting a kicker for getting water during a stretching drill went viral. (Eleven Warriors)

Basketball

• Shannon Scott played a great game at Indiana and is emerging as a big defensive weapon, writes Bill Livingston. (Plain Dealer)
• Playing Scott and Craft together is paying dividends, writes Bob Baptist. (Dispatch)
• The Buckeyes have done well to right their wrongs in the second half of the Big Ten season. (Lantern)

The Gang's All Here

• The women's basketball team lost in the Big Ten quarterfinals to top-seeded Penn State and it's likely the end of a run of 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament bids for the Buckeyes. (Dispatch)
• Transfer Brad Goldberg has already been Big Ten Pitcher of the Week twice this season. (Lantern)

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. First, as always, our week in review:

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• Austin Ward concluded his series looking at each position on the depth chart heading into the spring.
• Brad Bournival and the WolverineNation crew compared the Buckeyes and Wolverines' 2013 recruiting classes over the last two weeks and picked a winner at each spot.
• Bournival assessed the 2014 OSU prospects at defensive tackle, linebacker and defensive back.
• In Bournival's mailbag, he answers the question of whether Ohio State will offer another quarterback soon.
• North Carolina RB Elijah Hood has three Midwest powers in his top three.
• Running back is also a position of need in 2014.
• An offer could be a game-changer for an Illinois tight end.
• And an ESPN Watch List defensive tackle from Florida got an offer.
• The Buckeyes are getting some competition from the SEC at a pipeline school.
• Tight end prospect Jeb Blazevich, who is considering Ohio State, bulked up to become an elite prospect.
• If the Big Ten is going to bounce back in 2013, spring is a key time, writes Brian Bennett.
• Braxton Miller was the Big Ten's top player in 2012, writes Adam Rittenberg.

Football

• Miller worked one on one with a QB guru. (Dispatch)
• He's on the Sports Illustrated cover this week, too. (Eleven Warriors)
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a big part of the regimen of safety signee Jayme Thompson. (Toledo Blade)
• Five questions for the Buckeyes entering spring practice. (Plain Dealer)
• Johnathan Hankins had some second thoughts about leaving school. (Dispatch)
• John Simon had shoulder surgery a few weeks ago. (Dispatch)
• Former OSU offensive coordinator Jim Bollman will run the offense at Michigan State. (Plain Dealer)
• Jake Stoneburner believes his game is suited for the NFL. (Dispatch)
• Reid Fragel had a solid combine and is moving up the draft boards. (NFL.com)
• Eleven Warriors takes an inside look at the Buckeyes' base running game.
• Urban Meyer talked candidly about the depth chart on the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer last week. (The-Ozone.net)

Basketball

• The Buckeyes pulled away from Northwestern and moved back into the top four in the Big Ten standings.
• Aaron Craft's scoring was the difference against Michigan State, Ward writes.
• Freshman fan favorite Amadeo Della Valle is getting a few minutes here and there. (Plain Dealer)

The Gang's All Here

• Ohio State's baseball team started 0-2, but has heated up down South. (Lantern)
• The wrestling team had a disappointing performance at the national duals. (Lantern)
• The women's hockey team advanced to the WCHA Final Face-Off. (OSU)
• The men's swimming team finished third in the Big Ten. (OSU)

So is a Michigan recruiting pipeline forming? It looked like it on Sunday, when a second Michigander committed to the Buckeyes' 2014 class. But then Lawrence Marshall did some reconsidering. 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.

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There are 24 new Buckeyes from 11 different states, and a consensus top-three recruiting class. And the basketball team will try to bounce back against No. 1 Indiana on Sunday. In short, a huge week in BuckeyeNation. 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

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So the Buckeyes' 2013 wide receivers will include Corey Brown, Devin Smith, and now, Corey Smith. No, that won't be confusing at all. Welcome to 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.

(Read full post)