Welcome to Monday. Your goal is to avoid taking a Hall-of-Fame Crying Jordan at the end of your shift like poor Ezekiel Elliott took last night:
Stay hungry #cowboys pic.twitter.com/EylHCIcZsl
— Bryce Wood (@woodymlb4) January 16, 2017
Here's the thing about Crying Jordan: Just when you think it's over, a mad scientist unleashes his latest abomination from his subterranean meme lair.
ICYMI:
- The men's basketball team won a conference game!
- The women's basketball team topped Purdue, 61-56.
CORRECTION: I called Nebraska wide receivers coach and Zach Smith foe Keith Williams "Kenny" on Saturday. I regret the error.
My life would be easier if everyone followed Marion's lead and we only used sobriquets such as "Fuzzy Slippers" and "Malt Liquor" to address each other.
THOSE ARE NUMBERS. So, you might have heard: Ohio State is set to lose another wave of talent to the NFL. Such is how the top recruiting ranking cookie crumbles.
May they all go on to sign record-breaking NFL deals, but the local team must go on.
Here's what the Buckeyes must replace next season, from cleveland.com:
- 25% of rushing
- 45% of passing
- 28% of tackles
- 71% of interceptions
- 39% of touchdowns
The hardest thing to replace is going to be the secondary's touchdown-making. But hopefully Kevin Wilson's offensive revitalization will take some pressure of a unit that will start three new players at least.
EARLY ENROLLEE PLAYING TIME. Folks love recruiting season because every signee—even the gritty three-stars—will leave Columbus as the greatest to ever lace 'em up.
Early enrollees are held to a higher standard, because hey, they're immersed in the culture and under the tutelage of Mickey Marotti earlier. Logic dictates extra time gives them a leg up on classmates arriving in the summer.
That doesn't always happen.
From dispatch.com:
Of seven in 2014 (offensive linemen Marcelys Jones and Kyle Trout, linebacker Raekwon McMillan, kicker Sean Nuernberger, running back Curtis Samuel, receiver Johnnie Dixon and quarterback Stephen Collier), Nuernberger became the starting kicker on that season’s national championship team, McMillan shared time at linebacker and Samuel was the backup to Ezekiel Elliott by season’s end.
Of four in 2015 (defensive lineman Jashon Cornell, linebacker Nick Conner, defensive back Jamel Dean and offensive lineman Grant Schmidt), Conner got off to a hot start in the spring but has been hampered by injuries since; Cornell was a reserve in 2016; Dean was ruled physically ineligible because of a chronic knee problem and transferred; and Schmidt transferred.
Of seven in 2016 (defensive end Jonathon Cooper, receiver Austin Mack, offensive linemen Michael Jordan and Tyler Gerald, running back Antonio Williams, defensive lineman Malik Barrow and linebacker Tuf Borland), Jordan became the first true freshman to start on an Ohio State offensive line since Orlando Pace in 1994. Mack, Cooper and Williams saw playing time.
Thank you to Michael Jordan for enrolling early. I'm not sure where Ohio State woud've turned if he didn't establish himself as a potential starter in the spring.
Next year's team could once again be the youngest in America, and the loss to Clemson means almost every position will be up for grabs.
If OSU is to return to the playoffs (or even contend for the Big Ten), getting DB production from the newest imports will be crucial.
Thankfully Shaun Wade, Isaiah Pryor, Jeffrey Okudah, Marcus Williamson, and Kendall Sheffield (22 stars between them, for those scoring at home) are already on campus.
AN UNHERALDED COG RETURNS. Jalyn Holmes could've left to take his shot at the NFL. He could've transferred in search of a starting spot.
Instead, Holmes returned to Columbus to finish what he started. And though he probably won't start in 2017, he will be a key cog in Larry Johnson's vaunted Rushmen package.
From 247sports.com:
Holmes played in all 13 games for the Buckeyes and despite not starting once, he made sure each opponent felt his presence. The junior finished second on the team with 8.5 tackles for a loss and was an honorable mention All-Big Ten player.\
[...]
If it weren't for his ability, and his willingness to take a perceived secondary role behind Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis, the Buckeyes would not be as deep on the defensive line. The rushmen package, which has been so successful for OSU, would not be the same and may not even exist.
With Lewis, Hubbard, Holmes and Bosa coming back next year – as well as other young defensive ends looking to emerge – the position group is set to be one of the best in the country once again. It is safe to assume Holmes will be a major part of that in 2017.
With the return of Tracy Sprinkle, that defensive line should be nasty in 2017. By the end of the season Schiano should have a unit that is at worst close to the level of last year. (Add in that offensive rejuvenation and Meyer may have a ball club.)
DABO HAS A POINT. Have we figured out why they award the Heisman Trophy before college football's biggest games? Because if we ran it back, there's no way it goes to anyone besides Deshaun Watson, right?
But Dabo Swinney says Watson didn't lose the Heisman. The Heisman lost him.
From thestate.com:
The Heisman runner-up led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter totaling 21 points. Alabama allowed 21 points in a game twice all year before Monday.
“He didn’t lose out on the Heisman, the Heisman lost out on him. They lost out on an opportunity to be attached to this guy forever,” Swinney said. “This was his Heisman tonight, and this was really what he wanted. This is what he came to Clemson to do.”
The Tigers trailed 24-14 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring Alabama 21-7 in the final period.
Hard to argue his point. Lamar Jackson is sorcery but he lost to Watson, who also slayed mightier beasts than Syracuse and Kentucky.
NEW QB IN '17? Fans who want J.T. Barrett benched should be on the look out next year for a potential sleeper: walk-on QB Greg Di Scala.
100 RT's and I'll try out for The Ohio State Football team next year as a walk on kicker, 250 as a Wide Receiver, or 1,000 as a Quarterback pic.twitter.com/VWwz1YOiEn
— Greg Di Scala (@Greg_DiScala) January 13, 2017
A Di Scala–Neer connection could be just what the fired Indiana coach ordered for the local offense.
THOSE WMDs. Gus Fring returns in Better Call Saul... Dutch trains powered by wind... Murder on Union Hill Road... Burj Khalifa: Alone at the top of the world... BitTorrent's bizarre collapse.
