Sign 4,872,694 I'm washed: Yesterday I drove five miles to Kroger with the gas light on while paralyzed by anxiety like a state highway patrolman (it's always a state highway patrolman) was pulling me over.
Back when I masqueraded as a college student I used to consider that light an urban myth.
ICYMI:
- Snapchat revealed Ohio State's 100% credible 40-yard dash and 225 rep leaderboards. (Spoiler: JUCO transfer CB Kendall Sheffield is your fastest man and new center Billy Price is your strongest).
- The Big Ten's creepiest mascots, ranked.
- Film Study: Ohio State "creates conflict" to make life miserable for opposing defensive ends.
- Better Know a Buckeye: Four-star offensive tackle Thayer Munford of Massillon Washington.
- Ohio State hosts Clemson on Nov. 29 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
- Way-too-early look at Rutgers.
- Help put a life-size statue of Woody Hayes in his hometown of Newcomerstown, Ohio.
Word of the Day: Psychopomp.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS QUARTERBACK. The local team wasn't awful at protecting the quarterback last year. It wasn't great, either.
While a tepid performance would be hailed at a place like Michigan, where the Wolverines haven't had an intimidating passing game since Chad Henne was throwing darts to Braylon Edwards, it's not up to the caliber demanded by Urban Meyer (and more importantly, the Buckeye faithful!!!).
Those stressed about the Bucks' performance in late June can sleep easy tonight. The boots on the ground know the task at hand.
From theozone.net:
This is not to say that the Buckeyes were terrible at protecting the quarterback — they finished in the middle of the pack in conference play in this area — but against elite defensive lines, they sure did struggle.
The good news here, however, is those same players who struggled last year got some very good work against an elite Ohio State defensive line this spring.
“Oh yeah, everybody has improved tremendously,” left tackle Jamarco Jones said. “Our defensive line is the best in the country I think, so you can’t help but improve. Just going back and watching film and learning from the mistakes we made the practice before, nobody ever plays a perfect game on the O-Line. Everybody messes up no matter who you are. It’s just learning from those mistakes and moving forward and making sure you don’t make those same mistakes again.”
Do you hear that, opposing Big Ten coordinators? Everybody on the line has improved tremendously. All I would need to hear that about would be from the right side of the line. If nobody else improved, Ohio State could probably compete for a championship regardless.
CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS. Four-star 2018 offensive lineman Matthew Jones, the most versatile line prospect in the country, became the third product of Erasmus Hall to commit to Meyer's Ohio State earlier this month.
It's a relationship that started in eighth grade. Meyer was in the position to talk up a future blue-chip recruit because he had cultivated a relationship with Erasmus Hall coach Danny Landberg, who was a fan of Meyer's going back to his time at Utah.
From nypost.com:
He was only in eighth grade when he met Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and several of the powerhouse program’s other coaches on their visit to the Brooklyn high school. They were there recruiting Curtis Samuel, who would become a Buckeye star and an NFL draft pick in April.
“One day,” the Ohio State coaches told him, “we’ll see what you have.”
[...]
The relationship makes sense. Erasmus Hall players saw how Samuel flourished there, and how well he was treated, and want to be the next Brooklyn kid to go there. Erasmus coach Danny Landberg has forged a bond with Meyer and members of his coaching staff. He can speak to the staff whenever he has a question or needs advice. And when one of the Erasmus Hall players is having issues, they have no problem asking him for help.
“Keeping me involved with our kids at that level is important,” Landberg said. “It’s a nice touch by them to involve us in [our kids’] growth.”
This is why few coaches can rival Meyer on the recruiting trail. He is the complete package and understands how little things eventually turn into big things. He'll go back in time and small talk your dead great-grandpa because he foresees his sperm's sperm's sperm could help his team late in the fourth quarter against Alabama.
TOM HERMAN OPENS UP. Back in the day, all we knew about Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman was he founded MENSA, the organization for geniuses, and that he had more Texas connections than don of Juarez Cartel.
A lot can change in three years and a championship.
Herman has risen from sometimes-maligned (people forget that) OC to coach at Texas. All along the way, he has kissed his players on the cheek before the game. It's his desire to "be a dad to everybody," a feeling that goes back to his oft-estranged father.
From sportsday.dallasnews.com:
Herman says one of his earliest memories is of getting on a plane at LAX, 8 years old and scared, and flying to Cincinnati to spend four weeks with his father.
"When he was clean, he was good," Herman says. "He had a college degree. He had jobs. But basically, he drank himself out of every job and relationship he ever had."
A story as old as alcohol itself, sadly. But Herman chose to let that define him in a positive way.
Herman was an only child, raised by his mother, Rita. During an interview in his Moncrief-Neuhaus office, Herman notes that, even though his father was in and out of his life, he grew up kissing his uncles and other male family members. His kissing players, then, shouldn't surprise anyone.
"I think it's weird that people would think it's weird," he says. "Because I take these young men and I tell their moms and dads and them themselves, 'Hey, I'm going to treat you like my sons.' Well, guess what? Newsflash: I kiss my sons.
"And if a player is about to go put a pair of shoulder pads and helmet on and go run into a bunch of people - get into 80 car accidents, basically -- for three hours for me and the team, I'm going to kiss 'em and tell 'em I love 'em and tell 'em I'm proud of them and 'Thank you.' "
That profile is worth your time if you're interested and/or wanting to create the illusion of work before playing a game of solitaire (do people still play solitaire in offices?) before starting your workday.
Herman, like new Ohio State basketball coach Chris Holtmann, is doing all the right things. Now it will just be about winning games. I would love to see Herman vs. Meyer in the playoffs.
EBNER: KINDA GOOD. The Patriots win because they recognize talent at every position on the field:
He led the league in tackles on special teams and didn't miss a single one. pic.twitter.com/dmZv1iz3zK
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) June 25, 2017
Looks like they already have a replacement for when Tom Brady retires.
YOUNGSTOWN VOODOO. There's a reason why 11W's Tim Shoemaker was the youngest made mafia member in Youngstown history. It was vision like this:
Id imagine Bob Stoops is retiring so he can move back to Youngstown and smoke cigars and play bocce at the MVR. Thats living life baby. https://t.co/wFWB7nbhNO
— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) June 7, 2017
Not even a month later, from the area paper of record, vindy.com:
Bob Stoops isn’t sure what he’s going to do since retiring from coaching football, but maybe some time in his hometown will help.
“It’s only been a few weeks. I’m still figuring it out,” Stoops said Sunday. “Right now, it’s fun being back here with family and friends and being in this community.”
The recently retired Oklahoma football coach was back in his native Youngstown for the Cardinal Mooney Annual Bocce Social, a fund-raiser for the Ron Stoops Jr. and Anthony Pelini Memorial Foundation.
Stoops reconnected with family and a couple of his former Big 12 rivals like former Nebraska and current Youngstown State coach Bo Pelini and former Kansas coach Mark Mangino.
TIL: Mark Mangino went to Youngstown State and is from the same city (New Castle, Penn.) as Malik Hooker.
Right on! https://t.co/xQ6H8z7sBx
— Mark Mangino (@KeepSawinWood) June 7, 2017
Bocce ball @MVRYoungstown Great day with Stoops bros, Bo, Tressel, Boom, & many more good friends! pic.twitter.com/NxkjGKBrD6
— Mark Mangino (@KeepSawinWood) June 26, 2017
Somebody pass me the definitive biography of Mark Mangino, please!
THOSE WMDs. Human toe stolen from Dawson City bar... Justin Bieber's tour merch bonanza... Accusing a powerful man of rape drove a college student to suicide... How four boy soldiers survived Boko Haram... Why we say eleven instead of oneteen... The largest abandoned amusement park in Asia... From Vanity Fair in 2011: California and bust.
