Had that 2:30 p.m. feeling yesterday. "Thank Warren G. Harding it's Thursday at least," I said to Starcat.
She informed me it was only Monday. Closest she's come to getting evicted since waltzing into my shanty on Christmas Eve in 2011.
ICYMI:
- The wide receivers' quest to improve started with a unit meeting before spring practice.
- Parris Campbell feels H-Back is his natural position.
- Film Study: What the mythical five-man defensive front could look like.
- Help put a life-size statue of Woody Hayes in his hometown of Newcomerstown, Ohio.
Word of the Day: Emporium.
WIDEOUT TALK. When Urban Meyer arrived in Columbus, he diagnosed the wide receiving corps as a clown show. Three years later, Devin Smith left as a second-round pick. A year later, Michael Thomas left as a second-round pick, too.
Though Noah Brown and Curtis Samuel will both get drafted, the receiver production was not up to the Ohio State standard last year.
From Nicholas McWilliams of The Lantern:
With new playmakers needed at the position, and questions swirling about how effective the wide receivers for the Buckeyes can be this year, coach Zach Smith said the team needs those elusive chunk plays that were nonexistent last season in order to right the wrongs of a stagnant passing game.
“We gotta make big plays,” he said. “We gotta hit the deep ball, we gotta throw the deep ball, we gotta protect the deep ball. When that happens — you’ve seen it here before — it opens everything up. And when it doesn’t happen, it’s hard to open everything up.”
The low passing yard average of 213.9 yards per game, which ranked 81st in the country last season, was a key criticism of Meyer’s team in 2016. With Brown poised for a potential breakout season after breaking his leg during the spring the year prior, and a slew of young talent, more was expected from a normally stout OSU offense.
At least Smith is aware of the problem. It'd be perturbing if he were surly with media and saying there was no problem last year. Ownership is the first step in rectifying a mistake.
I want to believe in the deep ball. I refuse to get too carried away on offseason hype, though. I need to see it utilized regularly to assuage my consternation. And in Zone-6's defense, there are more moving parts to a deep ball than a receiver running past a guy.
SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS. Ohio State has a long, rich history at running back. However, recruits in this cycle were born in 2000, which terrifyingly means they can't even remember pivotal events in our country's history like 9-11, let alone Eddie George's 1995 Heisman campaign.
Thankfully, Ohio State's history at running back also includes Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott, whose success (along with Mike Weber's) continues to help the Buckeyes on the recruiting trail.
From 247sports.com:
While older Buckeye fans remember the legends -- Howard Cassady, Archie Griffin, Keith Byars, Eddie George to name a few -- it's the latest OSU backs that resonate with current recruits.
"The most recent years, players we’re now recruiting, they know who Carlos Hyde is," Alford explained. "Everybody in the free world knows who Zeke Elliott is. And all of a sudden they’re watching and Zeke’s gone.
"Then all of a sudden here’s Mike Weber and he’s playing, he’s doing good things."
Also, quick shout out to Jim Harbaugh for signing three-star Florida running back Karan Higdon and blind-siding Weber hours before his commitment ceremony. Ohio State's RB situation would be a lot dicier this spring without the Detroit running back.
DAVID BELL MANS UP. Men's basketball center David Bell left the program last week, surprising nobody who pays attention to such things.
Bell's exodus isn't about playing time. It's deeper than that.
From dispatch.com:
David Bell has lived most of his life without the protective shadow of a parent. The native of northeast Ohio never had a father in his life, and when his mother passed away when he was a child, Bell was raised by his grandmother.
So when Bell learned he was about to become a father, the chance to be there for the baby was something he could not turn down. It’s why on Friday Bell announced that he transfer from Ohio State’s men’s basketball program to be with his girlfriend as she moved back to Florida. Bell plans to help raise the child.
“It’s tough, but I’ve preached to him every time he sees me that I’m a father of four kids and I’m married,” said Sonny Johnson, who coached Bell at Garfield Heights High School and mentored him.
Props to Bell for manning up. I have no respect for people who neglect their children.
MEN'S BASKETBALL SEVENTH MOST VALUABLE. Good news, friends: Ohio State men's basketball is the seventh most valuable program in the country. Bad news: It lost 26% of its hypothetical value in one year.
From wsj.com:
[Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus assistant professor of finance Ryan] Brewer assesses what every college team would be worth on the open market if it could be bought and sold like a professional franchise. The study analyzes each program’s revenues and expenses with cash-flow adjustments, risk assessments and growth projections.
| RANK | TEAM | 2016 VALUATION | 2015 VALUATION | % CHANGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KENTUCKY | $342,607,000 | $244,270,000 | 40.3% |
| 2 | LOUISVILLE | $320,112,000 | $301,316,000 | 6.2% |
| 3 | INDIANA | $277,834,000 | $243,797,000 | 14.0% |
| 4 | DUKE | $190,266,000 | $203,910,000 | -6.7% |
| 5 | KANSAS | $181,447,000 | $258,191,000 | -29.7% |
| 6 | WISCONSIN | $178,896,000 | $206,881,000 | -13.5% |
| 7 | OHIO STATE | $177,892,000 | $240,390,000 | -26.0% |
| 8 | MARYLAND | $154,629,000 | $123,917,000 | 24.8% |
| 9 | SYRACUSE | $153,942,000 | $203,920,000 | -24.5% |
| 10 | NORTH CAROLINA | $143,015,000 | $221,604,000 | -35.% |
Going to be quite the decision for ol' Gene Smith if Thad Matta doesn't turn things around next year.
WELL THAT'S DESPICABLE. Chad Carr, the five-year-old grandson of Lloyd, lost his battle with a brain tumor two years ago.
This weekend, they were robbed by scumbags who took their most valuable possession: Photos of their beloved child.
From freep.com:
Now they're trying to recover their memories of him.
While away on vacation last week, Carr's family was robbed and the thumb drives were taken with the family photos and memories.
In a Facebook post earlier today, Tammi Carr pleaded for their return, even offering a $500 reward with "no questions asked."
This is why I don't post on social media when I vacation or vacation in general. Crazy to think it's likely the Carrs know the perpetrator(s), too. Cold world.
THOSE WMDs. Eight virtues of the Samurai... Why cops shoot... A secret hideaway in the middle of Disney World just for the military... A party-friendly estate in Austin seeks record $45 million... Sweating, shaking pharmaceutical CEO says he can stop profiting off the opioid epidemic anytime he wants... Behind Kevin Durant's jersey number, a cold-blooded murder.
