I'm never going to wish away summer, but damn I'm ready for some hoody weather. (And if we could keep it hoody weather all the way through next March... that'd be p sweet, Mother Nature.)
VIRGINIA TECH IS ON DECK. As Muhammad Ali once famously declared, "I ain't got no quarrel with no VaTech Hokie."
I'm sure their fanbase has much more ill will towards ours than we do theirs (because Ohio State balls like that), but unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes are much more talented than Virginia Tech.
Via (Marionaire) @BlackStripeBlog: Here's Virginia Tech's highlights from their 34-9 dismantling of William and Mary:
Granted, Ohio State is no William and Mary, but ya gotta assume the Horseshoe at 8 PM the weekend after Labor Day will be a bit more electric of an atmosphere.
Everyone knows Ohio State is a young team, but they only played three true freshmen against Navy. Virginia Tech played 17.
WILL LEBRON BE AT THE SHOE? Ohio State will host a bevy of the nation's top high school talent against Virginia Tech (Torrance Gibson, Josh Sweat and Damien Harris to name a few), and the small people want to know: WILL LEBRON BE IN ATTENDANCE?
@bucknut27 @OSUCoachMeyer @KingJames our daughter said the same thing. Hope he's not busy!
— Shelley meyer (@spinnershells) September 2, 2014
I'll be shocked if LeBron James isn't in the Shoe on Saturday night. I'll also be shocked if he doesn't speak to recruits/the team before or after the game.
I was nervous against Navy, but not so much against Virginia Tech; the atmosphere plays a big role in that belief.
BEAMER DROPS #TAKES ON OHIO STATE. Frank Beamer is a coach I respect, but I'm glad I'm not cheering for a Frank Beamer team in the year 2014.
From Norm Wood of The Virginia Press:
After seeing redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, Miller's replacement, in No. 5 Ohio State's 34-17 win last Saturday against Navy, Beamer isn't so sure Barrett isn't at least a decent Miller doppelganger.
"It's kind of the same guy," Beamer said.
"I don't think much (is different). Maybe experience, but this Barrett kid is 6-1, 225 (pounds). He had a great game against Navy running and throwing the football, so to me you've kind of got the same guy without some experience, but otherwise it's about the same. Otherwise, I'd say it's exactly the same."
This is at least "kind of" coachspeak I hope, because the only things Braxton and J.T. Barrett have in common are their complexions and occupations.
Beamer, while perhaps not wanting to reveal the esteem in which his defense will hold the opposing redshirt freshman quarterback, was more open about Ohio State's speed.
From Bill Landis of cleveland.com:
"Ever since I've known about football, you always say Big Ten, they're not quite as fast as the SEC, but this one you don't say that," Beamer told reporters at his Monday news conference.
[...]
"You look at these skill kids, the quarterback, the speed they have on defense, this is not one of those teams that you have associated with the Big Ten in the past," Beamer said.
It is crazy the amount of weapons Urban has stockpiled in under three years at Ohio State. On the other hand, it sucks there is only one ball involved on the field at a time.
CARLTON BRAGG DROPS THE BUCKS. It ain't right or logical, but I hate watching talented #teens take their talents outside the state of Ohio.
Carlton Bragg, a power forward from Cleveland and Ohio's top 2015 prospect, has eliminated the Buckeyes from his recruitment.
Kentucky, Illinois, Arizona, Kansas and UCLA remain in the hunt.
From David Cassilo of cleveland.com:
There was one primary reason Bragg included those five schools over the many other options.
"It's the way their style of play is," Bragg said. "They like to play open and my style of play matches their style of play."
Fair enough, Bragg. But why did Ohio State get cut?
"I think these schools were the best fit for me, and Ohio State was not the best fit for me," Bragg said.
Tough, but fair take from the #teen.
I HOPE WE GET THIS #TEEN THOUGH. At 12:01 AM on of September 1st, coaches and recruiting staffs were allowed to text/direct message 2016 recruits.
Apparently there is a Georgian safety by the name of Nigel Warrior. Based on the name alone — as I last did for Thon Maker — I would like to go on record and say I am 100% okay with whatever NCAA violations need to be committed to secure a dude named Nigel Warrior.
Honestly, his parents deserve the windfall for christening their son as Nigel Walker.
Anyway, Sammy Silverman is already putting in that work for the set:
TheOhioState made me this pic.twitter.com/kuM5na2tFT
— it'sNIGELWARRIOR (@CHECK_UP_) September 1, 2014
Nigel. Warrior.
Wow, were my parents lazy as hell in retrospect.
THOSE WMDs. Lmao this map of Ohio is kinda accurate to me.. Why beer isn't sold in plastic bottles... Christian Hackenberg could be p good... Delany says MSU-Oregon important for playoff committee "data points"... TAMU is running one of college football's hottest new plays... Here's Mr. Belding in a Clippers hat... Imgur gallery time-sink.
