The Scarlet and Grey game for 2013 is in the books. Who stood out? Who can change the game? It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!

Scarlet and Grey 2013

Remember back around the last week of December and on through New Year’s when everyone was upset and moaning about the Buckeyes not being bowl eligible? Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it? I told you time would fly by, and here we are with summer camp and the 2013 season opener as the next events on the Ohio State football schedule.

Like a lot of you I wasn’t able to logon to the Big Ten Network’s live stream of the game or listen to the radio play-by-play online. I followed along on twitter for some of the pregame and a little bit of the first quarter and decided to wait it out and stay away from it until the BTN broadcast at 7 on Saturday night. Then I didn’t even have a chance to see it at 7. Good thing for DVR’s. Read More

Tags: Braxton Miller. Adolphus Washington, Chris Fields, Christian Bryant, CJ Barnett, Curtis Grant, Devin Smith, Evan Spencer, Michigan Sucks, Noah Spence, Ohio State Football, Ride the Lightning, Scarlet and Grey Game, Screw the Blue, Urban Meyer, Vonn Bell, Warren Ball
Categories: Analysis, College Football, Football Analysis, Humor, Ohio State Football, Ohio State Football History

Great game, great venue and it was just good to see the Scarlet and Gray back on the football field again this Saturday.

Granted, we didn’t really “learn” much in this practice with a scoreboard, but there were some things that stood out. We’ll continue to talk more about this in the coming days, but I’m excited about the pistol formation that we saw throughout the scrimmage… yet another angle to attack and destroy.

We all identified things that we were looking for- let’s see how our folks did. We’ll be using my elaborate and completely subjective scoring system which awards as follows: 2 points for a correct answer, 1 point for a partial, mockery for everything else.

Thanks again to our friend Josh Winslow for his great photo coverage!

What player scores the first points of the game? Correct Answer: Braxton to Smith

• WVa: Braxton Miller on a long run.  0 points
• Ken: Devin Smith on a long pass play from The Brax 2 points
• Jason: Rod Smith. 0 points
  
• Janelle: Devin Smith on a deep ball from Braxton 2 points
• Eric: I’ll go with Michael Thomas on a nice Brax pass. 1 point
• Dexter: I’m going to go with Evan Spencer from Braxton Miller. 1 point
  
• Charles/Mali: Drew Basil 0 points for both

Who’s the offensive MVP? Correct Answer: Braxton Miller Read More

Tags: 2013 Spring Game, Adolphus Washington, AYNE, Braxton Miller, Cincinnati, Curtis Grant, Devin Smith, Eli Apple, Josh Winslow, Michael Thomas, OSU 2013 Spring Game, Warren Ball
Categories: College Football, Ohio State Football

A bit of a different version of WDYWTSOS, since we all want to see the same thing- Awesomeness and no injuries.

So, we’ve polled our staff of experts for their predictions on the following aspects for “Getting Down At Paul Brown”- let’s see how much everyone’s been paying attention to the Spring Practice Updates:

Bombs Away

What player scores the first points of the game?

WVa: Braxton Miller will score first and it will be on a long run. 

Ken: Devin Smith on a long pass play from The Brax

Jason: Rod Smith. My bet is they limit Hyde and with Brax wearing the black shirt his running is cut out.

Janelle: Devin Smith on a deep ball from Braxton

Eric: Might as well ask what your favorite color of M&M is based on the taste.  I’ll go with Michael Thomas on a nice Brax pass.

Dexter: I’m going to go with Evan Spencer on a Bomb downfield from Braxton Miller. That is my favorite color M&M.

Charles: To be a bit different, I’ll go with Drew Basil

Mali: The obvious answer is Drew Basil.

Who’s the offensive MVP? Read More

Tags: Braxton Miller, Brionte Dunn, Cardale Jones, Carlos Hyde, Christian Bryant, Cincinnati, Curtis Grant, Dave Perkins, Doran Grant, Drew Basil, Evan Spencer, Michael Bennett, Michael Thomas, Noah Spence, OSU 2013 Spring Game, Paul Brown Stadium, Rod Smigh, Ryan Shazier, spring football, Tyvis Powell, Warren Ball, WDYWTSOS
Categories: Ohio State Football

Spring is finally in the air. Baseball season is underway. Saturday is the annual Scarlet and Grey game. Basketball has crowned its national champion. It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!

Buckeye football

We’ve hit the stretch run of spring football and the Scarlet and Grey game is being held this Saturday at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Brown Stadium. The game starts at 1pm and you can hear it live on the flagship station for Buckeye sports 97.1FM or www.971thefan.com It will be shown on the Big Ten Network at 7pm Saturday night.

Braxton Miller

Student Appreciation Day

One of the highlights of the 2012 spring camp was the first ever Student Appreciation Day at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Don’t be cynical, the name implies exactly what it is: a chance for the football team to allow unprecedented access to the students who make up the body of this great university and support it so vehemently on Saturday’s in Ohio Stadium and even on the road in opposing dojos. Read More

Tags: Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde, Chris Carter, David Perkins, Drew Basil, Jimmy Jackson, Jordan Hall, Louisville Cardinals, Noah Spence, Ohio State basketball, Ohio State Football, One Shining Moment, Urban Meyer, Warren Ball
Categories: Analysis, Basketball Analysis, College Basketball, College Football, Football Analysis, Humor, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

After a weekend filled with excitement and disappointment, it’s a bit of a quiet mood at tBBC headquarters. We like baseball, and know that OSU sports are amazing even if not the “got to be on television” variety, but I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that there’s a bit of a let down these days.  Ah well… only two songs possible for today’s soundtrack. Onward.

Buckeye 411

• Injury Update- As you may have read, Ohio State offensive lineman Antonio Underwood will miss up to 6 months with a torn ACL that he experienced in Spring Practice this week.  There’s significant speculation that he’s going to red-shirt.
• Fired Up- The other “injury” news from Tuesday was Braxton getting blasted as a part of a scrimmage drill, in spite of the fact that he was wearing a black “no contact” jersey. He spent some time on the turf, but then got up and returned to drills later in the practice. There are reports that he tried to lower his shoulder on a run following his return, and that he approached the defense very heated about being knocked to the ground. After practice, Urban talked about the need to have a competitive spirit and to be the kind of quarter back that “want to go get in a street fight and get after it”.
• The Stable- Carlos Hyde sat most of the “team” portion of Tuesday’s scrimmage to get the Young Bucks more opportunities. Rod Smith and Brionte Dunn continue to impress, but Warren Ball seems to have not missed a beat by missing last season with a foot injury, and was a highlight for the second straight week.
• Make Them Pay- Linebacker Armani Reeves took an interception 71 yards in the team portion of practice, but was leveled at the end of his run by Chase Farris.
• Diamonds In The Rough- The Buckeyes showed a bit of the “diamond” formation that the 49ers have made popular since last season (and that Nebraska gashed OSU with in Lincoln two years ago). Today, Hyde was joined by Smith and Dunn in the backfield in a “broken wishbone” look. Woody would be so proud.
• Wither The Slot- Jordan Hall is still recovering this spring, so the “slot” position has fallen to Chris Fields.
• Jonesing- Saturday, Cardale Jones had one of his best practices; enough to make Coach Meyer say that he was confident that Cardale could play Quarterback at Ohio State.  While his accuracy continues to be an adventure, those who saw him in practice said that his running reminded them of a current Raiders QB (No, not Matt Flynn).
• Manning Up- Coach Meyer had good things to say about Patrick Elflein, who saw time at several positions on the offensive line.
• Sparing No XSpence- Noah continues to be the defensive lineman that stands out… man, we need to come up with a nickname for him.
• ‘Preciate It- As you can tell by today’s graphic, something special is in the air for Ohio State Students this week. Here- let Urban tell you about it: Read More

Tags: 'Da U, Antonio Underwood, Armani Reeves, Braxton Miller, Brionte Dunn, Cardale Jones, Chase Farris, Chris Fields, Deshaun Thomas, Ed O'Bannon, Mark Emmert, Noah Spence, Officially Awful, Patrick Elflein, Rod Smith, Rutgers, SBP, Spring Practice, Urban Meyer, Warren Ball
Categories: Humor, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

Well, howdy-do, Buckeye nation! Thanks for paying attention to my little neck of the sunshine state… hope it works out as well as last time Ohio State had a team out here.  You know what? Since we’ve already got a visit scheduled to the Bay Area for September, what say we just go for the trifecta and come on back out this way in January. Multiple options for today’s soundtrack- Vintage, Old School, Hippie, Country, Top 40, Hip Hop, Rock. Oh, and I’ve got a great recommendation for a place to stay.

Silver Bullet, Knotts Berry Farm

Buckeye 411

• Big Plays- In today’s scrimmage, both Heuerman and Fields had long receptions for scores, coming on the first play and a fourth down play action (respectively).
• You Rock- Also, we found out today that former DeSales star and one time Michigan defensive end Chris Rock has returned home to Columbus to be a walk-0n third year sophomore at Ohio State. Given the last “walk on” from TTUN, there’s reason to be optimistic regarding his career as a Buckeye. If nothing else, he certainly helped my parenting skills.
• Backup Plans- It seems that Tuesday’s practice was a chance for the staff to look a bit closer at some of the folks who might be called into service if there’s an injury. Kenny G sat out while Cardale took snaps with the second team, and Carlos Hyde gave way to the “young Bucks” in the backfield. Which brings us to…
• A Good Problem To Have- Great reports from the Running Backs thus far; Rod Smith had an amazing practice Tuesday, while Brionte Dunn was singled out by some as a highlight  in last week’s practices. Not to be left out, Warren Ball’s shiftiness and ability to get extra yards seemed to be a constant part of Tuesday’s work. Oh, and there were even passes to a fullback during Tuesday’s drills.  Running Back by Committee ain’t to shabby when all of the Committee are stellar.
• Rising To The Challenge- Coach Withers talked at the end of practice about his wanting to see more from Corey “Pittsburgh” Brown, telling him that he wasn’t playing well enough to keep from being jumped on the depth chart by some of the incoming team.  On Tuesday, Brown seemed to be playing with that edge, making key plays in coverage as well as a crucial stop in the goal-line period.
• Up Front- Coach Meyer talked about how positively he feels about the current offensive line; they’re picking up where they left off, and should be among the best in the conference. Defensively, Michael Bennett has taken a more vocal leadership role for the D, including a firey moment when the Offense managed to score. Bennett, according to Coach Meyer, has graded out as 5/6 “wins” for each practice.
• New Crush Candidate- Since John Simon has chosen to leave me, I’m just going to get on #TeamSpence for the near future. From what we hear in practice, he’s going to be the next in great Ohio State rush ends. Read More

Tags: 2013 March Madness, 2013 West Region, Aaron Craft, Brionte Dunn, Cardale Jones, Chris Fields, Chris Rock, Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown, Everett Withers, Indiana Basketball, Jalin Marshall, Jeff Heuerman, Jim Heacock, Jordan Hall, Logan Stieber, Maryland, Michael Bennett, Nick Saban, Noah Spence, Officiating, Rod Smith, Sammy Silverman, SBP, Spring Practice, Syracuse, Tyvis Powell, Urban Meyer, Warren Ball
Categories: College Football, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

Welcome to the calm before the storm… unless you’re an NIT junkie, then your Madness has already started.  In honor of Coach Calipari’s fantastic coaching job on Tuesday night, today’s soundtrack channels the thoughts of Wildcat fans as they get to watch the rest of the tournament. Hey… you think they’ll have time to join our Bracket Challenge?

It’s What We Do

Buckeye 411

• We Talkin’ About Practice? Tuesday was a return to the WHAC for the Buckeyes after Spring Break, and it sounds as if it was a bit of a “rusty day” for the Scarlet and Gray. No need to panic, though- this is typical for teams the first time they put the pads on in the spring or in the fall.
• Injury Update- Barrett, Shazier, Wood, and Bogard were in “orange” jerseys today, although JT was taking mental reps behind Braxton as the practice went along. Jordan Hall had a hamstring strain as well, but Coach Meyer said that there was nothing to be overly concerned about with his progress.
• TP Again- Tyvis Powell seems to, at least for now, locked in on the #1 Star position, with Roby and Doran Grant at corner.
• Committee- Rod Smith and Warren Ball ran the ball really well Tuesday, although Smith caught the ire of Coach Drayton with his nonchalant flip of the ball in the endzone.  Anything to help break the fumble-itis, right?
• Caffeinated- Apparently Kerry Coombs is in mid-season form, screaming at what he perceived to be a horrible call by an official helping monitor the scrimmages.
• los ‘Los- After practice, Carlos Hyde talked about his decision to return, and his desire to help Coach Meyer get his first 1K yard runner. He also was honest about the fact that he had some work to do in order to be NFL ready, a sentiment that his coach agreed with. Read More

Tags: Aaron Craft, B1G Conference, Carlos Hyde, Devin Smith, Dontre Wilson, Frank Epitropoulos, Jack Mewhort, Jim Delany, Jim Foster, Jordan Hall, Kerry Coombs, Mekka Don, Men's Hockey, Rod Smith, SBP, Spring Practice, Tyvis Powell, Warren Ball
Categories: College Football, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

Straight Up The Olentangy...

Midweek look at news and notes from around Ohio State and the nation… getting ready for what’s been predicted to be a very wet weekend.

Hey! Have you signed up for pick-em yet?

Buckeye 411

• Injury Updates- We found out Monday that Warren Ball has had surgery on his foot and will be redshirting this season, but Tuesday brought good news to the Scarlet and Gray.  According to Coach Meyer, Nate Williams passed the agility and mobility tests that the program had for him, and will more than likely see some action on Saturday against Miami.  While this will be more limited than he’d surely like, I’m confident that this gradual move to get him ready for the rest of the season will pay huge benefits.  It remains to be seen, though, if this plan gets adjusted in the weather situation… sloppy conditions might lead to a re-injury, and Ohio State will work to avoid that.
• ‘Bloody‘ Buckeyes- Tuesday’s practice was the most challenging of the week, but players interviewed afterwards said that it was mostly mentally taxing.  From the sound of it, they emerged with flying colors, and will not be “full go” for the rest of the week.
• Explosive- That was how Carlos Hyde described this year’s offense, and it also sounded as if Philly Brown has become a significant playmaker in the team’s eyes.  Braxton also talked about Jake Stoneburner’s move to receiver creating a number of opportunities for the team, given his skill set.
• Stormy Saturday? While Isaac will be on the minds (and raincoats) of tailgaters at the ‘Shoe, one Buckeye who will be glad to be in the weather is newly reinstated Storm Klein.  While his role with the team is still to be determined, Coach Meyer said that it was the conversations with both the Klein family and the family of the alleged victim that made him decide to allow the senior to return to the team.
• Earning Their (Loss Of) Stripes- Three more freshman became “Buckeyes” on Tuesday, including Armani Reeves and walkons Craig Cataline and Craig Fada.
• As If There Were Any Doubt- After a 12 year study, the four letter network finally announced why they give OSU so much coverage… eyeballs. Whether it’s creating covering controversy and scandal or blowing really bright sunshine up the derrieres of Buckeye fans during All Access, the number don’t lie: Columbus is the highest rated college football market in the country. They tie for that spot with Birmingham Alabama, although the latter only has ‘Bama football, “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo“, QVC, and episodes of “Cops” on their cable packages.  They had more channels, but they cut them loose. (see… ’cause they oversign a lot in Alabama… nevermind.)
• Rocketman- While Ohio and the nation mourn the loss of Neil Armstrong, a great idea popped up on reddit regarding a way to honor the hero during an upcoming OSU game. Huge h/t to Mark Titus, who pointed us in this direction- the idea being that Armstrong, an Ohio native and a Purdue grad should be remembered during the OSU/Purdue game in the ‘Shoe this season.  What do you think??
• Consider Yourself Warned. You’re getting ready for the Miami University game this week, and need your breakdown of the matchups to watch for between the Buckeyes and the RedHawks.  You want in-depth coverage and previews that will get you even more ready than you already are.  Get ready for something amazing on Thursday… the analysis that this team deserves.  What if there’s just a touch of greatness yet to come… how cool would that be? #BuckeyeVoltron

Read More

Tags: 2012 Season, Alabama, Armani Reeves, Braxton Miller, Bret Bielema, Carlos Hyde, Corey "Philly" Brown, Craig Cataline, Craig Fada, Denard Robinson, ESPN, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Jake Stoneburner, Matt Barkley, Miami RedHawks, Nathan Williams, Neil Armstrong, Purdue, SBP, Storm Klein, Twitter, Urban Meyer, Warren Ball
Categories: College Football, Humor, Michigan Football, Ohio State Football