This week, on The Walking Dead...

Be sure you get involved in the BBN Bracket Challenge, and the Women’s Pick-em Competition (password: sammy!)… even if the lady Buckeyes got hosed.

Buckeye 411

• Meyer Musings-  Today, the press corps got to connect with Coach Meyer and talk about the end of winter conditioning as well as taking a look at what what the staff is looking forward to for the spring. While the insight was welcomed, most folks who were present were incredibly impressed with the candor and straight forwardness of the new staff. I guess not everyone is was a fan of the Senatorial tone from the previous administration and so forth.
• Every Day I’m Battlin’- In listening to Coach Meyer, you really get an understanding of his number one priority: Will to win. Winter training has been all about competition, and will wrap up with a special dinner upon returning from Spring Break for those who’ve earned it via their hard work. Spring practice will not change this focus; Wednesday and Saturdays will be all about competitions, with winning teams receiving awards and losing teams having more conditioning to do- coaches and all.
• Standouts Standing Out-  In addition to Big Hank’s graduation to the next level of maturity within the team standards, Coach Meyer singled out Brionte Dunn as someone who’d progressed and “graduated” as well.  Initially, Meyer wasn’t too enthused about Brionte, but following a conversation with him at his home and the work that the GlennOak star put in during the winter, he’s a fan. Incidentally, when Brionte initially told coach that he was interested in visiting other schools (presumably Michigan), he was told that “you’d better like it”- implying that his spot would not be waiting for him upon his return.  Whispers around the WHAC indicate that Dunn will certainly be pushing for significant playing time in the spring.
• Spring Forward- Speaking of spring football, Coach Meyer talked about his desire to set the two deep after the spring game on the 21st, and having fall training be primarily for game day preparation. New Buckeyes will essentially be told that the lineup is set, and they should go and work to take a position.
• Impressions- Kenny Guiton has had a good winter, and is “Acting like a quarterback” now. Reid Fragle has worked to become Fragel Rock as he transitions to tackle (rumors are that he’s up to 300 pounds with 8% body fat); including having his best quarter academically. He’ll be joined on the OL by Darrell Baldwin, who was moved due to Coach Fickell’s suggestion regarding his footwork. This will be a move that helps address Coach Meyer’s concerns regarding the shape and mobility of the current offensive line corps.
  
• Toting The Rock- Jordan Hall had a good offseason, and Carlos Hyde/Rod Smith have come light years under the new regime. Philly Brown is the best competitor of the receivers, and Devin Smith ended the training season strong.
• Transitions? Finished-  Coach Coombs has fit in and brings an enthusiastic energy; Coach Fickell is the “general manager” of the team and has excelled in his return to the role of an assistant. In terms of players, Meyer believes that attrition is complete; now they’ve survived training and get to play football.

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Tags: Big Integer, Brionte Dunn, Carlos Hyde, Harvard, Jordan Hall, Kelly Coombs, Luke Fickell, March Madness, North Carolina, Reid Fragel, Rod Smith, Syracuse, Urban Meyer
Categories: College Basketball, College Football, Humor, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

For once, SBP could serve as a public service announcement, particularly for the folks in the Zanesville area.

No afternoon presser today, so here’s all the non-exotic animal related news… unless you count John Simon as his own overly evolved species of critter.

Buckeye 411

• Injury update: Again, nothing huge, but Coach Fickell said today that Travis Howard was running without problems, and that Braxton also looked pain free in the Buckeye’s 45 minute practice.
• Can’t Bye Me Love: Coach Fickell was adamant that he’s not a “bye week” kind of guy, and that this week gives them the opportunity to get healthy and work on some of the things that they’ve struggled with. “Getting better”, “men of action”, and so forth.
• That Being Said: Zach Boren seemed excited for the break, and mentioned that he played around 50 plays against Illinois on Saturday. Defensively, Johnathan Hankins also got in about 60 snaps or so; these guys have more than earned a little break of sorts.
• Captain, My Captain: No captain announcement du jour, but major kudos to tBBC favorite John “Sandman” Simon for being named the B1G defensive player of the week. Hankins called him the perfect teammate, and said he’s “not a normal guy”. See earlier comments. Read More

Tags: Big East, Big Integer, Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde, Conference USA, John Simon, Mike Adams, Missouri, MWC, Nike, Rod Smith, SBP, Time and Change Clothiers, Travis Howard, Uniforms, Zach Boren
Categories: College Football, Conference Expansion, Humor, Michigan Football, Ohio State Football