Attention current Ohio State students: If you would like to be my coworker this Autumn semester, I've got great news: Eleven Warriors is looking for a couple of interns.
We are seeking one or two outstanding Ohio State students to serve as interns for Autumn Semester. This is a paid internship (and a lot of fun)!https://t.co/52Hs97JGmy pic.twitter.com/6fdDvX41bv
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 31, 2018
I began my online career as an intern here a little over three years ago and they still haven't gotten rid of me. There's hope for you, too.
ICYMI:
- Our Dan Hope looked at the payouts for Ohio State's nonconference matchups this year.
- Kaleb Wesson realized he needs to expand his game if he wants to play at the next level.
- Cameron Heyward was given a Pitt jersey worn by his father, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward.
- Ohio State's defensive tackle recruiting remains a mystery midway through the 2019 cycle.
- Videos and observations from Ohio State men's basketball's open practice.
Word of the Day: Accretion.
THE COMEBACK PRINCE. There's probably not be a player in the country that had a more dramatic turnaround from season to season than Isaiah Prince did last year.
Prince went from being quite honestly one of the worst pass blocking offensive linemen in the country and the scapegoat for Ohio State's 2016 loss to Penn State to one of the team's strongest, most reliable slobs in just one season.
From Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch:
According to the website CFBFilmRoom.com, Prince had the worst pass-block efficiency rating in the country in 2016, including 15 pressures allowed in the Penn State game alone.
“That was a really low point for me — all the criticism, everybody talking bad about me,” Prince said. “I didn’t know how to handle that.”
No shock here, but social media was not kind.
“I actually had a fake fan page about me: ‘Isaiah Prince sucks.’ I was like, ‘Jeez, that’s pretty (cruel). I’m a kid just learning.’ ”
After that season, Prince resolved to change his mindset. He would work as hard as he could, not dwell on mistakes, take comfort in the reassurance of his coaches, teammates and family, and disregard criticism from the outside world. He took major strides in 2017, earning third-team Big Ten honors and ranking in the 90th percentile of the CFBFilmRoom pass-efficiency chart. This year, he begins the season on the Outland Trophy watch list.
Prince has taken it a step further heading into this season. He's a team leader, a likely captain, and according to Nick Bosa, the best offensive lineman in the country – that's high praise coming from the likely No. 1 overall pick.
I'm riding with Prince this year, and all those who doubted him when he struggled as a freshman should be shot into the sun, or at least given a public humiliation courtesy of @OldTakesExposed.
CLOAK AND DAGGER ANALYSIS. Nothing says the offseason like completely subjective analysis from unnamed sources.
Athlon Sports promised anonymity to Big Ten coaches while asking them to give honest analysis about the other teams in the conference "in order to get an accurate assessment of teams heading into 2018."
It's difficult to imagine guys like Urban Meyer or Mark Dantonio dishing cloak and dagger #takes about Illinois in the middle of July, but regardless, here's what the alleged coaches had to say about Ohio State.
From AthlonSports.com:
"They are so darn good at just about every position on the field. You wonder how they lose. Maybe that’s why when they do lose, it’s the end of the world. That’s a tough way to coach, I’ll tell you that. It’s tough for any of us to lose a game in this conference. But Urban (Meyer) has it going so well there, when they lose, it’s like a death in the family."
"I realize people are going to think this is blasphemy, but I think they’re going to be better offensively this year without J.T. Barrett. One thing about J.T., he always knew where to go with the ball. I think Dwayne Haskins, if he’s making the same smart decisions, will have a huge season. He’s a better thrower and has a better arm."
"I have no idea how they lost once last year, much less twice. They are that much better, talent-wise, than everyone in our conference."
"The young guys on that offense are amazing. (RB) J.K. Dobbins is a grown man. He was running over people and showing NFL moves from the first snap against Indiana. The guy I really like is (WR) Parris Campbell. The fastest guy on the field every time he steps on it. He’s one arm tackle away from scoring every play."
"Where do you start on defense? So many impact guys all over the place."
"DE Nick Bosa is playing at a higher level than his brother, Joey, did. (Donte) Booker and (Tuf) Borland at linebacker. CB Jeffrey Okudah is going to be an absolute stud. Then you have big DT Dre’Mont Jones in the middle. Everywhere you look, they’ve got guys that will play a long time in the NFL."
I'm going to provide you all with an extreme FWIW here, because there's no guarantee these anonymous #sources are even position coaches, much less head coaches. But they're not exactly providing groundbreaking information, so it's pretty safe to believe most things written above.
"Nick Bosa is good, and also so is J.K. Dobbins."
TERRELLE PRYOR CONTINUES TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD. Ever since Terrelle Pryor decided to switch positions in the middle of his career at the highest level of football, it seems like people have been coming out of the woodwork to take shots at him, for one reason or another.
The amazing thing is, they never manage to get a rise out of him. Pryor seems to have developed an uncanny ability to absorb these blows better than an elementary school counselor teaches kids to respond to bullies.
Pryor took the high road when former teammate Alex Boone said he "hated everything about him," he took the high road when Janoris Jenkins Tweeted "You a Sh*t Eater to me, u really sucks.. #" at him, and he took the high road when Adam Jones compared him to a literal garbage can after a game.
Now, after former Washington teammate Zach Brown said the Redskins are going to "have it out for him," Pryor is taking the high road yet again.
From NJ.com:
For his part, though, Pryor laughed off the trash talk after the Jets' first practice of training camp on Friday.
"That's fun stuff," Pryor said. "It's football. I love Zach. I look forward to going out there and playing against those guys. All year, being with them, I was hurt. And I'll be healthy this time. I look forward to that. It's all fun."
Pryor is only focused on the upcoming season, and he's stoked to be healthy again.
"Man, I'm just glad I feel this good, to tell you the truth," Pryor said. "I don't ever want to see the days that I had last year, just being unfocused because of an injury. It was a pretty horrible feeling. I don't wish that on any athlete. I want to stay away from those days. So whatever is going to do that for me. I want to have a dominant year. I want to be dominant and the only way I can do that is if I'm healthy."
PHILLY WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE IN DENVER. After a year away from the NFL, Philly Brown is making a return with the Denver Broncos, but just making the roster isn't enough for the former Buckeye – he wants to do things.
From 9news.com:
“No. More than that,’’ he said after participating in his first training camp practice with the Broncos since he signed a one-year contract Friday. “I want to contribute.’’
...
Brown is coming off a lost season. He signed with the Buffalo Bills but was released before playing in a game.
“As a competitor you want to compete no matter what you’re doing whether it’s basketball, baseball, hockey, checkers, no matter what it is,’’ he said. “Not being able to compete was frustrating but I think it gave me an added chip, made me want it that much more.’’
Sometimes new scenery can make all the difference. Look at how Ted Ginn Jr. revitalized his career when he left Carolina and was signed by New Orleans.
The common denominator is that they both left Carolina. Makes you think, for sure.
BETTING ON THE HOT SEAT. Ever wanted to gamble on somebody's financial well-being and job security? You're in luck! On Tuesday afternoon, SportsBettingDime.com released preseason prop bet odds on the first head coach to be fired this season.
Odds to be the first coach fired, via https://t.co/kYAqM7BwoE:
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) July 31, 2018
Ed Orgeron (LSU): 7/1
David Beaty (Kansas): 9/1
Brad Lambert (Charlotte): 14/1
Bob Davie (New Mexico): 14/1
Everett Withers (Texas State): 14/1
Ed Orgeron is a perplexing favorite to me. I know he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire as a head coach, but he went 6-2 as an interim at USC, 6-2 as an interim at LSU and 9-4 in his first full season.
And now he has Joey Football, who's worth at least two wins by himself.
THOSE WMDs. Man fakes his own death on Facebook to con family for cash... Reporter who observed more than 400 executions in Texas retires... Colombian drug cartel puts a $70,000 hit on an anti-narcotics dog... A flight to an island off Tasmania ended with a terrifying radio call and a vanishing pilot...
