Folks, let's try to attack this Tuesday like Fairfield five-star offensive tackle (and big-time local target) Jackson Carman attacked USC offensive line commit Roy Hemsley:
Elite OT Jackson Carman (@Jackthejiant) introduces himself to #USC OL Roy Hemsley #FightOn @USCScoop pic.twitter.com/quYqiumsET
— Scott Schrader (@Scott_Schrader) June 19, 2017
Schedule another home-and-home anytime you want, Trojans.
ICYMI:
- Four-star Massillon Jackson small forward Kyle Young flipped from Butler to Ohio State.
- Mike Conley is an Ohio State Hall of Famer on the court. He might be off the court, too.
- Urban Meyer: Historically good against Michigan.
- Film Study: Army's flexbone offense punishes defenses in a number of ways.
- A way-too-early look at UNLV.
- Help put a life-size statue of Woody Hayes in his hometown of Newcomerstown, Ohio.
Word of the Day: Hornswoggle.
#BUCKBK BACK. Ohio State is a football school. And while its fans will care about men's basketball if it competes for Big Ten titles, it's a much more slippery slope into apathy when it's not winning.
This is a generalization, but the attendance numbers bear it out:
And that's nothing to be ashamed about. It's easy to support teams that win. It's harder to spend two and a half hours for a 9 p.m. Wednesday tip to watch a constipated offense labor through the motions against a "gritty" Northwestern.
There's nothing heroic about watching bad sports. If anything, it might be a sign to consult a psychologist. (Sometimes I think about all the productive things I could've done instead of watching Browns football. I would probably be fluent in Spanish by now.)
Thankfully, the hiring of Butler's Chris Holtmann blew a breath of needed fresh air through the crypt that the Schott had become. Last night, Holtmann announced his latest heist when Massillon Jackson four-star small forward Kyle Young flipped from Butler to Ohio State.
Kaleb Wesson won Mr. Basketball in Ohio for 2017. Kyle Young finished second. Both now coming to Ohio State.
— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) June 19, 2017
Kudos to Butler for doing what's right by the student. (Shame to Auburn, forever.)
For those not familiar with Young's talents, the biggest thing to know is he played for a team nicknamed the Polar Bears.
Oh, and he can hoop:
There are reasons to cheer for him off the court, too. His family recently detailed Young's relationship with his late father, Mark Young Sr., who suffered from multiple sclerosis.
From The Canton Repository in March:
``But he increasingly was forced into seclusion as his body failed him.
"It wasn't until the very end, and it happened so quick," Mary said. "He just really started getting weak. The disease just took over his body. It got to the point where Mark couldn't get in and out of bed."
Every night, Kyle lifted his dad from the wheelchair and put him in bed.
"Basically tucked him in," Mary said.
And then every morning before school, Kyle lifted his dad out of that bed and back into the wheelchair.``
That story is worth the click.
And I still don't know what the ceiling for Ohio State will be this year. It probably won't win a Big Ten or national title.
I don't care about that. I'll be content caring about a fun team that plays hard. It's been awhile.
LATTIMORE STUDIES. New Orleans coach Sean Payton said before the draft he likes Ohio State players because "they come ready."
Payton again dipped his bucket into the well of his good friend Urban Meyer when the Saints selected Marshon Lattimore with the 11th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.
His first minicamp in the book, the Saints have a month hiatus before business picks up late next month. Lattimore will spend this time hitting the books.
From nola.com:
"I'm getting with Kenny (Vaccaro) and (Delvin) Breaux and we're going to go through the playbook and just film," Lattimore said during the recently-concluded mandatory minicamp. "They're going to show me what to look for in certain situations, just things like that, and then I'm going to go with Vonn (Bell) after that."
His methods seem to be working. He's already earned the respect of veterans.
"He's grown, a humble kid," Vaccaro said. "Any time you get drafted as high as he did -- the No. 1 guy at Ohio State, an All-American, all that good stuff -- sometimes you come in with your head high and he didn't at all.
"He's ready to work. He listens to all the veterans, he doesn't think he knows it all and I'm excited for him."
Sounds like Lattimore should be alright as long as his hamstrings stay healthy.
JUSTICE REACHES MAYFIELD. Baker Mayfield wasn't the first person to get way too drunk in Arkansas and end up incarcerated in the county clink. He won't be the last, either.
But yesterday, the long arm of Razorback justice caught up with the Heisman frontrunner when a district court relieved him of $936.20.
From espn.com:
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct and fleeing in Fayetteville (Ark.) District Court.
Mayfield reached a plea bargain last week resulting in a total of $480 in fines for the three charges, according to the court. Mayfield also owes $483.20 in restitution. Prosecutors dropped a resisting arrest charge against Mayfield.
Fayetteville City Prosecutor Brian Thomas said Monday that the deal Mayfield received is a typical offer and that the quarterback was "treated like anyone else."
My Twitter law degree advice: Why plead guilty when you can plead "no contest"? I've never understood. That way nobody can ever say you pleaded guilty to anything.
MAKES YOU THINK. I feel guilty about how much I like Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown. The man is good at his job and also 0-1 against Ohio State. I would drink between one and thirty-five beers with him.
He's also not one for hyperbole, which is why I raised my eyebrows when I saw this effusive praise for sophomore defensive tackle Rashan Gary.
From detroitnews.com:
Ann Arbor – Rashan Gary is entering his sophomore season at Michigan, and defensive coordinator Don Brown has set the praise bar high.
Brown was asked Saturday after Michigan’s high school football camps how good Gary, a defensive end, can be.
“Best I’ve ever seen,” Brown said. “Best I’ve ever seen combining speed, strength, change of direction, and the mental curve. He’s unbelievable. The sky is the limit.
“The good thing is I think he understands that there’s a lot on his shoulders.”
Michigan will have at least one good player this year. See if you can identify him in this conditioning session tape from February:
Rashan Gary showcased dominance and great effort while earning top performer honors for this morning's conditioning session. Video evidence: pic.twitter.com/YqlbE08xd7
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) February 23, 2017
Takes more than one player to beat Ohio State. It's still bizarre seeing that kind of talent in a blue jersey. I'm old enough to remember when the Wolverines' only intimidating player was a running back who played quarterback.
Only 158 more days until The Game.
THOSE WMDs. The legend of PFT Commenter... FBI missed rigged jackpot in 2006 before lottery scheme grew... DNA shows early spread of cats in human world... The New York Times in Canada... What happens to the United States flag when another state is added?
