Why is this news?: Cardale Jones didn't quite have the help he needed, Noah Spence battles back from drug addiction

"In the end, it seems like Barrett is the player he was all along. And Jones never quite had the pieces in place to show what he could be. Neither of those things are a surprise."

- Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group

Ohio State's Urban Meyer has went ahead with the decision to make J.T. Barrett the starting quarterback. But Doug Lesmerises isn't so sure that Cardale Jones was given a legitimate shot to be fully successful. In his article, Lesmerises points to how Cardale won the job over the summer and fall camps and even played really well against Virginia Tech in the first week of the season. After that, Barrett was substituted in the next week because of a slow start and Jones was never able to get into a rhythm from that point on.

From Braxton Miller taking snaps, to the offense seemingly trying to find an identity, it's important to note that it may not have been Cardale Jones' fault that he couldn't get things going for his team. After all, when he's clicking, Ohio State fans know what he is capable of. Barrett being the starter makes sense because he's been the most consistent, and Jones' style has always had an aura of boom or bust.

"I will never in my life forget that feeling. That feeling right there is always in my head whenever I do anything because I know I don't ever want to go back again, hit rock bottom -- and I know I won't be back there ever again because I will always have that feeling in my mind."

- Noah Spence via Bruce Feldman, FOX Sports

Buckeye fans are well aware of the potential that former star defensive end Noah Spence showcased in his two seasons with Ohio State. Spence was a terror for opposing defenses and one has to wonder just how dominant the defensive line could have been with Spence and Joey Bosa lining up on opposite sides. Unfortunately, real life sometimes gets in the way of big dreams. Spence was suspended and then permanently banned from the Big Ten after he failed several drug tests and has since been on the right path to battling back from drug addiction.

Feldman covers Spence's struggle with drugs and the process he went through to go through rehabilitation all the way to present day, where Spence spends his time harassing opposing teams' quarterbacks yet again - this time in an Eastern Kentucky uniform. As the article mentions, when Spence went head-to-head with Kentucky, he was far and away the best player on the field. The talent and drive is still there, and Spence is looking to make the most of it.

"Sophomores Jae'Sean Tate, Kam Williams and Keita Bates-Diop should take big steps forward while freshman JaQuan Lyle takes over at point guard and junior Marc Loving leads the Buckeyes in the post. Improving on last year's 3-5 conference road record will be vital to Ohio State's Big Ten title hopes."

- David Gardner, SI.com

Thad Matta and his Ohio State basketball team may not have second-overall pick in the NBA draft D'Angelo Russell anymore, but the Buckeyes still have a chance to compete. There hasn't been a lot of hype surrounding the team this season, as Ohio State is projected to finish sixth in the Big Ten for the '15-'16 season. Maryland, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, and Michigan are all picked ahead of the Buckeyes by Sports Illustrated.

Returning Jae'Sean Tate, Kam Williams, and Keita Bates-Diop (as well as Marc Loving) should be enough for the Buckeyes to be competitive in one of the top conferences in college basketball. Whether they can exceed expectations might largely depend on how JaQuan Lyle performs at point guard, having to fill large shoes left by the aforementioned Russell.

"Also projected in the top-10 is No. 7 Nebraska and No. 8 Ohio State. The Buckeyes claimed their first team national title in program history last season, capturing 102 points to finish ahead of the second place Iowa Hawkeyes."

- BTN Communications

The Big Ten Network announced on Tuesday that they will be covering the conference's most noteworthy matchups over the course of the season as the Big Ten looks to secure its 10th straight wrestling national championship. BTN Plus and BTN2Go will also be carrying 73 matches at the very least, which is at a high, and most of those will be televised on delay as a part of the network's Student U initiative.

If that wasn't enough for you wrestling fans, the network is also launching a new show on Jan. 11 called 'B1G Mat Attack'. The show will compile the conference's "most exciting dual matches from the previous weekend" and will be shown on Monday nights.

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