After Ryan Day announced Sunday that recently dismissed linebacker K'Vaughan Pope could remain on scholarship through the semester and would maintain access to various student-athlete support services, Pope publicly apologized via Twitter and later entered the transfer portal.
For what it's worth, his Twitter background image is now of a dude in a Michigan State hoodie but I'm too uncool and old to recognize who it might be. No matter, good luck to Pope wherever he ends up.
Turning to current roster players, Day noted on the weekly Buckeye Roundtable show last night that quarterback C.J. Stroud is feeling better, indicating the signal-caller would practice this week. Day clearly needs Stroud to get through the week of practice without physical issue before naming a starter against Rutgers but the tea leaves suggest that's his hope.
Word of the Day: Logolepsy
SCARLET FEVER. Ohio State announced yesterday the Buckeyes will wear all-scarlet "Color Rush" uniforms for their October 30 showdown with Penn State in Ohio Stadium. Fans are encouraged to follow suit, wearing scarlet anything and everything, to "scarlet the stadium."
#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/RenXoPF05m
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 27, 2021
As someone who finds opinions on alternate uniforms about as exciting as updates on your fantasy football team, I'll just say that despite being an old man myself, I'm totally fine with alternate uniforms. I like some better than others but the concept itself remains cool and good.
If you hate the idea, that's fine but remember, OSU ain't doing this for you. It's for the players and to sell some extra merch in just about every instance. Nothing more, nothing less.
So whaddaya you guys think of these scarlet bangers? I'm kidding. Don't tell me.
I also saw a few tweets from folks acting as if Ohio State stole their own hatched all-scarlet concept. If that's you, I think you might be spending a bit too much time looking inward. Listen, this isn't all that creative of a uni-scheme. I'm sure hundreds of Buckeye fans have pondered, "hey maybe they could make the pants scarlet too" especially after the entire NFL did the same thing over the last however many years.
Oh, and shout out to PFF College for missing the point entirely lol. But yeah, the jerseys are fire.
Ohio States jerseys vs Penn State, October 30th @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/IspiSPHd43
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 27, 2021
LET'S PILE ON SCOTT FROST'S CORPSE BEFORE IT GETS TOO STANKY. Frost made it nine straight losses to ranked teams since his return to Nebraska and the Cornhuskers fell to 2-3 on the season after giving the game away to Michigan State last Saturday.
As Jason highlighted yesterday, it was just the latest heartbreaker for Frost and his inept Husker program:
You've probably seen this, but...
— RetiredSportsWriter (@SportsRetired) September 26, 2021
In Scott Frost's 37 games at Nebraska, Huskers have had the ball 14 times with a chance to win or tie on their final possession (including OTs).
Nebraska has scored only twice and won just once. https://t.co/bk5GxcZ3uc
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE..
By my count, Nebraska's special teams has been responsible for a 29-point gap between its opponents this year.
— Dustin Schutte (@SchutteCFB) September 27, 2021
Opponents scores: safety, punt return & PAT return = 11 points
Points left on field: include 5 missed FGs, 3 missed PATs = 18 points
3 losses by 18 total points.
Lol, a 29 point gap between Nebraska and opponents...JUST ON SPECIAL TEAMS THROUGH FIVE GAMES. Special teams were front and center during the loss to Sparty as Nebraska gave up a game-tying 62-yard punt return with under four minutes left as the punter kicked the ball to the wrong side of the field the coverage team was expecting.
I get Frost's frustration here but not exactly a classy quote about his punter.
"We have guys at the university specifically for the reason to punt it and we had a couple of 10-yard punts that almost cost us, and right when we needed it the most we kicked it to the wrong side of the field. Some of the coverage guys didn't see it and it cost us the game."
An equal opportunity dumpster fire, it wasn't just special teams helping give away a game. Quarterback Adrian Martinez threw a pick and lost a fumble, the offensive line had four false starts, and the defense gave up a flea flicker touchdown pass, something they saw on film after Michigan State did the same thing to Youngstown State two weeks prior.
Frost is now 14-23 overall and 9-19 in league play since arriving in Lincoln and you know it's rough when an Associated Press writer pens a column suggesting "Nebraska-ing" is the new "Clemsoning."
AKRON KICKER PRACTICES FIELD GOALS OVER SCRIPT OHIO. I remember a Nebraska kicker doing this shit back in 2012, practicing field goals while TBDBITL was performing Script Ohio at the half of what was a blowout game.
Courtesy of @BuckeyeGuru, I assume this is Akron kicker Cory Smigel going full Hold My Beer, practicing field goals over top the beginnings of a quad Script Ohio in the closed end of the Shoe at halftime of a 38-7 game.
@11W @BuckeyeScoop @LettermenRow Missed in the hubbub of Popes outburst, was the Akron kicker deciding to kick a FG over TBDBITL during Script Ohio. His second attempt was blocked by the OH State Trooper. #GoBucks #TBDBITL pic.twitter.com/nTGuWFHBvf
— Buckeye Guru (@BuckeyeGuru) September 27, 2021
Again, assuming this is Smigel, you'll be pleased to remember he missed a 42 yard field goal try midway through the fourth quarter. Props to karma on that one, lol at the memory of the Zips attempting a field goal down 52-7 and salute to the state trooper who took action when Mr. Field Goal kicker lined up for a second attempt over the band.
OSU WRASSLIN' REELS IN ANOTHER BIG FISH. When our resident wrestling expert, Andy Vance, gets excited about Ohio State Wrestlebucks news, I know something big is going down.
Yesterday, Tom Ryan secured the services of Nic Bouzakis, a 2022 commit currently ranked as the nation's top wrestler at 132 pounds and FloWrestling's overall No. 2 prospect.
Huge pickup for the Buckeyes. Tom Ryan and his staff continue to recruit at the highest level. The Pennsylvania native is FloWrestlings No. 3 pound-for-pound high school wrestler in the country. pic.twitter.com/zMQJSKVUuX
— Andy Vance (@AndyVance) September 27, 2021
Bouzakis' commitment gives Ryan a third top-10 commitment in next year's class. From Andy's piece:
Ryan is not new at recruiting the best in the county, and his 2022 class is shaping up to be a masterpiece. Bouzakis joins top-ranked heavyweight Nick Feldman, top-ranked 197-pounder Seth Shumate and top-20 145-pounder Gavin Brown.
Seems good. Let's cut to Ryan for his reaction.
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) September 27, 2021
ESPN MOSTLY SUCKS BUT ALL HAIL THIS WONDERFUL INVENTION. Yesterday marked 23 years since the debut of the majestic yellow first down line. Yes, there are a million reasons to hate on ESPN but this simple enhancement is something we all rely on each Saturday to help us criticize playcalling, officials and players so I give credit where credit is due.
23 years ago today, @espn debuted the 1st & 10 line on tv. pic.twitter.com/I8vhtWlS4u
— TodayInSports (@TodayInSports3) September 27, 2021
SONG OF THE DAY. Trey Anastasio Band covering Sultans of Swing. Anyone going to ExpressLive! tonight, hopefully I'll see ya there.
PEBBLES AND MARBLES. The most oddly named towns in each state... Two men charged with stealing $550,000 from airlines in lost-luggage scam... Not too long ago, it looked like Dillon Mitchell was Ohio State bound but he Lee Corso'd Chris Holtmann yesterday... Minnesota paid Bowling Green $1.45M to come to Minneapolis and beat its ass... OSU grad Matt Amodio made it 30 straight wins on Jeopardy! last night after surpassing the $1M mark in winnings on Monday... Blaze on... The biggest public companies by country, 2021... NYC from high above... This skull session brought to you by Very Olde St. Nick Summer Rye Cask Strength.
