Buckeye Bits: Big Ten’s plans for potential sites, “spring season” in the works

We made it to another Hump Day, LGHL reader, but more importantly, we’re one day closer to the end of this horrible year. However, today...today is no ordinary Wednesday. Today is a good day. Because today is National Dog Day.

A little fun fact about me: I am crazy stupid passionate about animal welfare and the “Adopt Don’t Shop” movement. I have four rescue dogs who I love more than anything on earth, and the only reason I haven’t adopted a fifth is because my husband might leave me. If you are considering adding a doggo to your family, I urge you to consider adopting one from a local rescue or shelter. You’d be saving more than one life by doing so, your dog will come fixed and vaccinated, and you’ll be saving yourself thousands of dollars. And while shelters and rescues contain all kinds of breeds to choose from, I’m not kidding when I tell you that you will not find a cuddlier, more loving and grateful dog than a pit bull. Okay, I’ve stepped off my soapbox. Please leave dog pics in the comments.

*steps back on soap box*

WEAR A FREAKIN’ MASK

Onto to today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

Buckeyes offer four-star 2022 athlete, pair of top power forwards

Gene Ross, LGHL

Tuesday was a busy day for the Buckeyes, as running backs coach Tony Alford offered the No. 18 athlete in the 2022 class, and Chris Holtmann and the basketball Bucks offered the No. 5 power forward and the No. 12 PF in the 2022 class.

Buckeye Bits: Ohio State’s All-Americans, college football COVID outbreaks, more

Gene again

In case you missed yesterday’s headlines, here’s a summary:

• A former Buckeye got a nice pay day
• Turns out, college students are gonna have house parties, even if you politely ask them not to
• The Associated Press is playing with our heartstrings again

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From around the gridiron...

I’m listening...

(paywall)

(paywall)

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Sources: Outline of Big Ten’s “spring” season taking shape

Ryan Snyder and Nate Bauer, Blue White Illustrated

Speaking of a winter football season, a preliminary plan for a shortened Big Ten season is in the works, according to BWI’s sources. It will include an eight-game schedule, likely kicking off on Wednesday, Jan. 7 or Thursday, Jan. 8. All games will be played at neutral sites, which are still to be determined (see above) and a conference championship game between the winners of the East and West divisions would take place the second weekend in March at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The source also said that the Pac-12 is planning for a similar “spring” season structure, which would allow the two conferences to pit their champions against each other in the Bowl game.

This is most definitely the ideal situation, especially if we want to see guys like Justin Fields and Shaun Wade suit up as Buckeyes one last time. However, there’re still a lot of logistics to work out and decisions to be made, which the Big Ten must act upon immediately if they want this plan to work.

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Football player parents from 11 Big Ten schools call for transparency, parent organization forum and return to competition plan in joint open letter

Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

In an open letter to Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren signed by “Big 10 Parents United,” a group of parents from 11 Big Ten schools wrote that they were “extremely disappointed” in the open letter released by Warren. In the letter they demand transparency about the conference’s decision, a parent organization forum and a Return to Competition Task Force plan of action.

Judging by the reports linked above regarding the Big Ten’s plan for a spring season, I imagine we’ll be getting some type of announcement in the coming days. Still, the conferences’ lack of communication with the teams and families involved throughout this whole mess is astonishing.

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80 students, 12 faculty and staff members test positive for COVID-19 in Ohio State’s first round of testing for fall semester

Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Ohio State released its first COVID-19 testing results on Tuesday, and they’re not the... worst we’ve seen come out of a large university thus far.

According to testing data released by Ohio State on Tuesday, 80 students (1.16%) tested positive for COVID-19 in student testing conducted from Aug. 14-22 while 12 faculty and staff members (1.44%) tested positive from Aug. 1-22. A total of 7,719 members of the university community have been tested for COVID-19 so far.

For reference:

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This seems to be the question of the day:

Look, we’re not saying to carve it in stone, hang a banner in Ohio Stadium and add it to the record books. We’re just saying that we’d absolutely claim bragging rights which usually involves making dumb t-shirts for you guys. It’s not that serious, you know?

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Shaun Wade deserves spot in Buckeye Grove

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Wade has been named to nearly every watch list and preseason All-American list this year—most recently by the Associated Press on Tuesday. As Holbrook writes, Wade gave up millions of dollars to come back to Ohio State for another shot at a national title, because let’s face it, he knew they’d win it all in 2020.

Give him a tree.

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Alabama jumps Ohio State football in 2021 recruiting rankings: Buckeyes Recruiting

Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Not for long...*insert eye emoji*

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Am I just now finding out that the school Austin Peay exists? Yes. Will I be watching every last second of this game? You bet.

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From around the hardwood...

Some “final sights and sounds” of the Ohio State men’s basketball team’s summer.

Also, in honor of National Dog Day, here’s Holtmann’s very first Instagram post:

This was posted four days ago and is one of just four posts. I love that he started his new account with a photo of his dogs without a caption or context.

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From everywhere else...

Firstly, if you reside in Hurricane Laura’s path, please please please seek shelter, evacuate, do whatever you have to do to stay safe.

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Parris can’t catch a break.

After playing in just seven games last year due to a hamstring injury, broken hand, a sports hernia and a broken foot, and ahead of what is supposed to be his breakout year, Campbell has been placed on the concussion protocol after getting in a minor car accident on his way to training camp on Wednesday.

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Yesterday it was...

And today it’s...

Sigh. I hate to say I told you so.