Buckeye Bits: Ohio State target commits to Tennessee, Ezekiel Elliott tests positive for COVID-19, more

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a magnificent weekend. Judging by the bars and restaurants here in Philly, where they have finally allowed outdoor seating, I felt this PSA was necessary:

If you are going to a patio or a restaurant or any public place, it is so incredibly important that you still abide by social distancing rules. Masks, six feet a part, hand sanitizer— all that good stuff. My dad lives in Arizona—who has been lax with their rules for quite sometime now—and he said, as a result, their numbers have spiked. He said there’s potential for the rules to be reinforced.

If we go out and ignore all the rules, going through life as usual just because the governor said we can drink on patios, the numbers are going to spike again, quarantine might get put back into place, and all of this will likely happen in the middle of the football season.

So, friends, go enjoy your patios every once in awhile, but please continue to wear masks, stand six feet apart, and use your hand sanitizer.

Thank you.

Now, here are all the best, most interesting headlines from around the Buckeye beat and beyond:

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

Video Game Week: Which recent Buckeyes would be the most fun to play with in a video game?

Gene Ross, LGHL

I know nothing about video games except that when my husband plays Madden NFL, he yells things like “Catch the damn ball!” and “How do you not ****** score there?!” at the players that he himself is controlling. Like, he didn’t catch the damn ball because you didn’t hit “X” or however the game works. Again, I know nothing.

Luckily, Gene does! And to begin SB Nation’s Video Game week, he breaks down which Buckeyes he believes would be the most fun to play with in a video game.

Column: How do we improve the power dynamic in sports?

Meredith Hein, LGHL

I’m super proud of the content we’ve put out lately involving touchy and sensitive topics. To be silent is to be complicit, and the folks on our team have made really solid arguments, amazing points, and have worded their articles extremely well in the process. Meredith’s column involving the power dynamic in sports is no exception.

Where does Ohio State turn after missing out on a big target?

Charles Doss, LGHL

Bad recruiting news, anyone?

Podcast: I Want to Go Back - Ohio State’s First Win Against Michigan

Jim Baird, LGHL

Next up on our I Want to Go Back podcast series, Jim takes you back in time to Ohio State’s 1919 season— the first season the Buckeyes beat TTUN. Spoiler alert: It would not be the last.

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From around the gridiron...

Returning Ohio State football players must sign coronavirus risk waiver

Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

At first glance, this headline implies that the football players were signing liability waivers which... doesn’t look great on the university’s part.

However, as Joey writes, what the players are really signing is more of an “acknowledgement of risk waiver,’ meaning it asks players to “pledge to take responsibility for my own health and help stop the spread of COVID-19.”

The document outlines the health risks involved with the resumed voluntary workouts and activities, and asks that the players follow all the health and safety protocols implemented by the school. If they do not follow said protocols, they could be prohibited from participating in athletic activities or using on-campus facilities.

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More bad recruiting news!

Ohio State 2021 tight end target, Hudson Wolfe, announced his commitment to Tennessee on Monday morning. Wolfe chose the Volunteers over Ohio State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Georgia and others.

Wolfe had plans to visit Ohio State again in late March, but was obviously not able to do so due to the dead period. This pretty much shot Ohio State’s chances and gave Tennessee even more of an edge, as Wolfe is from Savannah, Tennessee.

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Chris Olave poised to become national superstar for Buckeyes

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

You know this. I know this. But, it’s always good to remind ourselves of the crazy talented receiver thats returning to us this season. With even more experience, a Heisman-worthy quarterback and a chip on his shoulder after the Fiesta Bowl last season, Olave is truly destined for greatness.

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Coombs targets recruits ‘who want to be the best in the world’

Dave Biddle, Bucknuts

That’s aways good to hear from your team’s recruiter, no? Judging from what Coombs said in the teleconference that Biddle quotes, I’d say Ohio State’s BIA title is here to stay.

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From around the hardwood...

Seth Towns still rehabbing knee, will “no question” be healthy to play when Ohio State’s season starts

Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors

Towns told Eleven Warriors that he will “no question” be good to go once the season starts, he just has to be patient with his rehab and getting back to being 100%. He attributes his success to one small goal at a time and has been enjoying the progress.

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From everywhere else...

It’s Ohio State Day on BTN

By the time this story gets published, the day will be half over. But, you still get a jam-packed evening of Ohio State throwbacks, so tune in ASAP! Bonus points if you stay up till 4 a.m. to watch Men’s Soccer: Ohio State at Michigan State. Let me know what happens.

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Welp, Zeke has tested positive for coronavirus. (He feels fine)

However, the announcement gets a little juicer than that. You see, Ian Rapoport was not the first to break the news. He was simply tweeting that Zeke’s agent confirmed the rumor that had already been spread. Meaning someone else who is not Zeke or Zeke’s agent broke the news to the media.

So, now the question is: who was it?

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Iowa finally made some long overdue changes.

Chris Doyle, the nation’s highest-paid strength coach ($800,000 annually) and who had been Iowa’s strength and conditioning director since 1999, was placed on paid administrative leave June 6 after a large group of former players had spoken out about mistreatment in the program— most of which had been racist behavior.

On Monday, it was announced that Doyle and Iowa had reached a separation agreement, and it is effective immediately.

Clemson, you’re up.

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CNN, you’re doing amazing sweetie.

Former Buckeye and current Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins is now the first professional athlete in any sport to join CNN as a contributor while still playing in the NFL. And I couldn’t think of a better man for the job.

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The members of the Big Ten Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition have been announced.

Ohio State’s reps on the coalition include:

• Fencing coach Donald Anthony Jr,
• Track coach Karen Dennis
• Football player Zach Harrison
• Women’s volleyball coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg
• Track athlete Alexus Pyles
• Cross country coach Khadevis Robinson
• Athletic Director Gene Smith
• Former men’s basketball player Tony White