Folks, there's no Buckeye football in our lives this weekend, and based on how the past few weeks have gone, that might be a damn good thing.
ICYMI
- James Laurinaitis said Ohio State's linebacker woes aren't due to athleticism or experience, but scheme.
- For the first time since the 2007 season, Ohio State will not play a home night game.
- The Buckeyes have to improve, but their goals are still unchanged after a loss.
- Film Study: Ohio State's rushing woes extend beyond just the red zone.
- We look at the performances of Ohio State assistants thus far.
- Kyle Snyder and the Russian Tank set for round two.
- Inside the Box: Purdue.
- Get hype for Dubgate 8 on Nov. 3 at 9 a.m. Sponsors include Buffalo Wild Wings, Land Grant Brewing, Dirty Frank's Hot Dogs, Yuengling and Jack Daniels. Don't forget to vote in the Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Tournament.
Word of the Day: Credulity.
JOHN BOSA SNAPS AT NICK'S CRITICS. Nick Bosa's decision to leave Ohio State and focus on rehabbing and training for the NFL was met mostly with support, but there were a few vocal critics, including Desmond Howard and Tim Tebow.
Nick's father, John Bosa, heard it, and thinks it's absolutely ridiculous.
From Albert Breer of SI.com:
He didn’t like some of the criticism Nick took this week. “There’s a College GameDay host [Desmond Howard, Michigan alum] who made just an absurd comment. And of course he’s from the team up north, so it doesn’t surprise me. But just you know when I see ex-players—and even [Tim] Tebow’s comments were absurd—Joseph’s money is not family money, it’s Joseph’s money. The pay that my son makes is not redistributed to the family money to take care of his younger brother. I mean, that comment was just absurd—‘He’s not going to be on the streets.’ So that’s why you risk your future in the NFL, because your brother makes a lot of money? I mean, it’s just absurd. Some of the statements from people that I just expected better from honestly.”
John also opened up a bit about what it was like to watch a sure top-10 pick suffer an injury right before his eyes as his son, a fellow top-10 prospect, continued to play on the same field.
He even went as far as to say he was relieved when Joey was disqualified for targeting.
This week John’s younger son, Nick, the reigning Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year, made the decision to withdraw from OSU, following September surgery to repair a core muscle injury, and his dad admitted that Jaylon Smith’s situation was in the back of his mind.
“I just was so horrified for that kid,” Bosa said on Saturday. “I mean, I saw the play and it just it was awful. And it was not done purposely, that Joey got kicked out of that game, OK? He didn’t plan to get kicked out of the game. But when he did get kicked out of the game—and he was horribly disappointed—I gotta be honest with you, I was 110% relieved.
“I mean I was sitting in the stands and everybody was sad and ‘Oh my god.’ And I just sat back thinking, this is a blessing, because it was just horrifying to see that kid get hurt. That wasn’t a topic that we discussed, but certainly it’ll always be in my mind. That was a horrible thing for that kid, money he’ll never make up.”
I'm never, ever going to be in this situation – unless I have some extreme collection of recessive genes waiting to create the next prototypical edge rusher – but you just can't play around when there are tens of millions of dollars on the line, all just pending your health.
Let me put it to you this way, if you told me I would get $20,000 at the end of the week and all I had to do was not break my toe, I'd put on a pair of steel toe boots and not leave my bed until Monday morning. And no sane person would blame me for that.
TIL: NEW BALANCE MAKES BASKETBALL SHOES. One-time Ohio State commit Darius Bazley is skipping college and going straight to the pros – after he works a desk job for a year.
From Marc Stein of the New York Times:
He is a 6-foot-9, 210-pound top basketball prospect who planned to spend this winter starring at the Carrier Dome as a prized freshman for Syracuse University. Then, in March, Bazley stunned many in the sport by announcing he was decommitting from Syracuse so he could play out his one-year wait for the 2019 N.B.A. draft in the N.B.A.’s developmental-tier G League.
Yet that plan has also been nixed. In May, Bazley signed with the prominent agent Rich Paul, who represents LeBron James, John Wall and Ben Simmons among Klutch Sports’ 18 N.B.A. clients. Last week, Paul revealed that he had arranged for Bazley to spend the heart of the college basketball season — January, February and March — as an intern at New Balance.
The internship, to be precise, is folded into a handsome shoe contract Bazley, 18, has landed with New Balance on the lure of his pro potential. According to Paul, Bazley’s multiyear deal will pay him $1 million “no matter what happens” with his N.B.A. career — and can pay up to $14 million if he reaches all performance incentives.
Until I read this article, I had legitimately no idea that New Balance even made basketball shoes, so I guess in a way, the endorsement is already paying off.
Though this reeks of desperation from New Balance. That's one hell of a price tag for a guy who wasn't even a top-15 player coming out of high school and won't be playing in front of anyone for an entire year to potentially boost that stock further.
But I guess there's always a chance this is their real play:
My guess is someone else from Rich Pauls roster will sign with New Balance soon ... because otherwise, this is called bad business. https://t.co/oAhPVOGZSe
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 22, 2018
B1G AWARDS SWEEP. When you dominate the No. 2 team in the country in all aspects of the game for 60 minutes, some players are probably getting some recognition.
But Purdue didn't just get some recognition, they got all of it, becoming the first team ever to sweep the four Big Ten weekly awards since the freshman of the week award was added in 2009.
Time in @B1Gfootball history all 4 Players of the Week are from the same school!!! #BoilerUp #LetsPlayFootball #Sweep pic.twitter.com/pPp5c0310e
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) October 22, 2018
Looking at those names, every one of those guys – including the punter – kicked Ohio State's ass on Saturday. This is well deserved.
STATE OF THE PROGRAM. Unranked Purdue blasted Ohio State so badly that it even gave 1-6 Nebraska hope against the Buckeyes.
Purdues win over Ohio State gives me a lot of hope and encouragement, Frost said. Says Nebraska wasnt that far off from Purdue. #huskers
— Sam McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) October 22, 2018
Just the thought of this is genuinely terrifying. It's not that I think it could actually happen, but like, what if it does?
If Ohio State gets dumped at home by 1-6 Nebraska after a bye week while wearing all-black uniforms at noon – on Dubgate Saturday, no less – you've just gotta cancel the rest of the season.
There would be no recovering from that embarrassment.
ANTONIO WILLIAMS THRIVING. As Ohio State's rushing attack trends towards nonexistent, former Buckeye running back Antonio Williams is having no issues running the rock with the Tar Heels.
Williams was named the ACC Running Back of the Week after he rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against Syracuse on Saturday, his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Week 8 @ACCFootball Players of the Week:
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 22, 2018
Antonio Williams averaged 7.7 YPC for @TarHeelFootball vs. #Syracuse
His 116 rushing yards earned him ACC RB of the Week!
(@A_B_Williams26) #GoHeels #OriginOfFlight pic.twitter.com/tQyJxPfQqK
Williams has 426 yards on the season, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
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