Happy Thursday! Just one more day of the work week and then, instead of working on the couch in our pajamas, we can do whatever we want on the couch in our pajamas! What a time.
Before we dive into the latest bits from around the Buckeye beat, we have an announcement from SB Nation’s associate director of NFL team brands Jeanna Kelley:
YES, WEARING A MASK DOESN'T KEEP YOU FROM GETTING SICK. IT KEEPS YOU, A POTENTIAL ASYMPTOMATIC CARRIER, FROM MAKING OTHER PEOPLE SICK. THIS IS IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVE PUSHED MY PATIENCE TO ITS LIMIT.
— Jeañña Kelley (@jeannathomas) May 14, 2020
Get it? Got it? Good. Moving on. Here’s what’s happening....
From around Land-Grant Holy Land...
BOOOM! Ohio State lands Cincinnati shooting guard Bowen Hardman
Matt Tamanini, LGHL
Chris Holtmann picked up his first commitment in the 2022 class. Bowen Hardman, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Cincinnati, and who is projected to eventually be one of best in-state players from the 2022 cycle, announced his commitment via Twitter on Wednesday.
Me, LGHL
Yesterday’s Buckeye Bits! Which consists of head strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti’s teleconference, Urban Meyer standing up for his former quarterback by just absolutely roasting the Redskins, tight ends Luke Farrell’s and Jeremy Ruckert’s future productions, and a few funny tweets about the Rams’ new uniforms.
Ohio State offers nation’s No. 1 defensive end in 2022
Me, LGHL
Me again! This time in State Secrets form, in which I write about two new 2022 offers to two highly ranked prospects, updates on a 2021 tight end target, and more.
What if Ohio State never had to deal with “Tatgate”?
Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL
Next up in our “What if?” series, Brett goes through what Ohio State football might look like today if the infamous Tattoo-Gate or “Tatgate” never happened. How many more years would Jim Tressel have coached at Ohio State? Would the Buckeyes have beaten Michigan in 2011? Where would Urban Meyer have ended up, assuming he still returned to coaching?
From around the gridiron...
We all saw this coming.
Division I extends its recruiting dead period. pic.twitter.com/Gt2Aq1Mkb9
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) May 13, 2020
The NCAA extended its recruiting dead period once again due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There will be no official visits or face-to-face contact with recruits until at least June 30. The dead period has now lasted through March, April and May, and the committee plans to meet two weeks from now to determine whether or not they will extend it even further.
What We Learned as Mickey Marotti details ‘challenging’ offseason
Austin Ward, Lettermen Row
More good stuff from the aforementioned teleconference with Marotti. Ward goes into detail about what he learned from it, such as how players are using makeshift equipment for workouts, Marotti’s thoughts on rushing the preseason, the importance of routine for Justin Fields, and more.
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Whether it be quarantining with their team before the season, getting tested every single day, playing in front of fans, signing a waiver etc., Ohio State linemen Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis said bring it on—they’d do anything to play football.
Wyatt Davis said much the same thing. Said he wants fans to be present but wants to play. "Fans or no fans, I would want to play."
— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) May 14, 2020
Kevin Harrish, Eleven Warriors
I’m stressed just reading that headline. And I know I’ve already included multiple “what happens if the college football season is moved?” articles in my last few Buckeye Bits, but it’s so interesting to hear everyone’s take on the matter. It’s an unprecedented problem that no one knows how to navigate, so until we have an answer on what the heck is happening, give me all the speculations.
Ohio State freshman wide receiver Gee Scott Jr. is working out with 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman. No big deal.
The influence of a good teacher can never be erased! ♂️ pic.twitter.com/oHJUdNHpIt
— Gee Scott Jr. (@geescottjr) May 13, 2020
That’s one positive about this whole social distancing thing. I mean, would Scott be working out with one of the league’s best cornerbacks if it wasn’t for this quarantine? Let’s pretend the answer is no.
From around the hardwood...
Which teams added the most from the transfer market?
Brian Snow, Bucknuts
Brian Snow of Bucknuts ranks Ohio State 10th in terms of how well they capitalized on the transfer market. The Buckeyes picked up Seth Towns, Abel Porter and Jimmy Sotos from the market, and Snow mentions Towns as the “major piece to this puzzle” due to his “potential to be a game changer.”
From around the diamond...
Someone give me some peanuts and crackerjacks!
Here...we...go...
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) May 14, 2020
Catch a replay of @OhioStateSB's 2007 B1G Championship win NOW on our Facebook page OR at https://t.co/PdaOEU2hly #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/zXi7VxQ0wn
The Ohio State Buckeyes Twitter account recapped the softball team’s 2007 B1G championship win via gifs. I don’t know about you, but baseball and softball highlights are my favorite kind of highlights. I recommend watching this while eating a hot dog and throwing peanut shells all over your floor.
From everywhere else...
172 Ohio State student-athletes received degrees this spring.
**Cue Pomp & Circumstance**
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) May 14, 2020
Congrats to the 1️⃣7️⃣2️⃣ student-athletes who earned their degree this spring https://t.co/YeELahtdWU | #GoBucks
The Buckeyes also had 647 named Ohio State Scholar-Athletes and 206 have received Academic All-Big Ten honors. The link above lists some of the standout athletes, such as NCAA and Big Ten champions, All-Americans and record breakers.
This whole “non uniform return” is going to be an absolute mess.
ACC commissioner John Swofford: "We are going into this year with the anticipation of playing at this point. All of our institutions are indicating they intend to open in various fashions as we go into the fall."
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) May 14, 2020
He added of course that things could change.
If the Pac-12 can’t play because the California governor shut down campus through the fall (which is way too early of a decision, imo), thus shutting down any hopes of student-athletes returning to practice, then how does the rest of the Power Five operate?
Swofford is going about this the right way. It is just too plain early to be making monumental decisions about something taking place four months from now.
Some Big Ten drama.
Purdue transfer Nojel Eastern has committed to Michigan, per his Twitter page.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 14, 2020
Eastern averaged 4.9 points, 4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for Purdue last season, and shot 42% from the field, 42% at the free-throw line and was 0-of-3 from 3-point range. He was named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team for the last two seasons. So, at least the Michigan basketball team is having some recruiting luck?
Urban Meyer’s son Nate joining Cincinnati football team as a walk-on
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Nate Meyer is joining Luke Fickell’s squad as a walk-on this season. He even changed his major to what Meyer majored in—psychology— and has decided he too wants to be a football coach. To which Meyer responded “Oh boy.”
I mean, if Meyer teaches him everything he knows, he can’t possibly fail. (Meyer wouldn’t let him.)