Welcome Buckeye fans to your Wednesday Skull Session. Dave here for a special mid-week appearance.
This week has been, well, depressing.
For me, the Joey Votto injury ruins my summer, for now (St. Louis/Pittsburgh fans fist pump). Most avid 11W heads know that a successful Reds campaign makes me forget the days remaining until Buckeye football (not really, but keeps me busy enough), especially with my fantasy baseball team in last place and almost out of contention.
For others, the Penn State scandal has dominated most of our Twitter feeds, our TV's and news feeds, so I'll do my best to provide something worthwhile to curb this mid-summer swelter.
For a short time, when the news broke on PSU, Buckeye fans could relate to how Penn Staters felt on the scandal level. As it unfolded even more, I don't think anyone can imagine what these fans (or former fans) are going through. Those who once defended their alma mater (I live in NYC, plenty of PSU grads here), now bury their heads and for those peers of mine who gave me a hard time about Tat-gate and Tressel, I will not return the favor, because honestly, they've had enough and we Buckeye fans are better than that.
I hope everyone can agree.
Now like I promised, on to the Skull Session and something other than Penn State news.
BU (DO) -OVER. William Buford finished his Ohio State career as one of the program’s top 5 all-time scorers, an impressive feat when considering the Buckeye basketball tradition. He stuffed the stat sheet and was one of the Big Ten’s most talented players for the better of four years. In fact, during his junior season, many fans wondered, not whether the Toledo native would return for his senior campaign, but how high he we would go in the 2011 NBA Draft. More than a year later, the 2008 Ohio Mr. Basketball recipient is fighting just to make an NBA roster as a free agent.
Buford, a two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection, is currently in Las Vegas playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ summer league team. The 6-6 wing went undrafted after his fitness and conditioning turned teams away at the pre-draft combine in Chicago. There, Buford recorded the third worst body-fat percentage among all prospects.
In an interview with the Toledo Blade, the former Buckeyes star said he wishes he could have a do-over, citing a stomach virus as a factor in his poor conditioning. (Cue Michael Jordan flu game…) But Buford is “real excited” for his opportunity to showcase his talents in Vegas. “This is like a dream for me,” he told his hometown paper.
While Buford’s numbers were generally up during his senior season, his shooting numbers dropped. Minnesota will certainly be paying close attention to Buford’s jumper, in addition to his conditioning. And so will the Buckeye Nation.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL MOCK? Sports Illustrated put together a fun mock draft following NFL rules but for college teams.
So, just like the NFL, the worst teams get the first picks and SI mocked up one entire round with all 125 Division 1 FBS schools.
Obviously, a couple notable Buckeyes made the list. With the 16th overall pick (making them the 109th best team), the Idaho Vandals have made their choice:
16. Idaho: DT Jonathan Hankins, Jr., Ohio State
With the Vandals in a precarious position vis-à-vis their FBS status, they need to win now. This reboot gives them a chance, and Idaho coach Robb Akey knows a superior interior defensive lineman can impact every play. Hankins, a 317-pounder who can rush the passer and stop the run, is that kind of guy.
With the 38th pick (making them the 87th best team), the East Carolina Pirates select:
38. East Carolina: DE John Simon, Sr., Ohio State
Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill switched to a 3-4 before the 2011 season, so he needs to build around either a stalwart nose tackle or a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. In the 260-pound Simon, he gets a relentless competitor who should be able to fill that hybrid role. Simon played as a hand-on-the-ground end in Ohio State's 4-3 last year, but he's quick enough and strong enough to play a variety of positions. New Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer called Simon's work ethic "Tebowish." That makes him a perfect building block, even if he'll only be around for a season.
And my last highlight for you from this fun piece: The Ohio State Buckeyes, with the 78th pick (making them the 47th BEST team) select:
78. Ohio State: QB Jeff Driskel, So., Florida
In Urban Meyer's offense, it all starts with the quarterback. With Miller tearing up the Sun Belt, Meyer needs a player perfectly suited to run his system. So why not take the quarterback he recruited at Florida? Driskel never played for Meyer, who resigned shortly before Driskel enrolled, but Meyer believed the 6-4, 232-pounder from Oviedo, Fla., was built to follow in the footsteps of Tim Tebow in Meyer's offense.
Um, this had to be Urban Meyer's doing..
Corey Brown needs to be that "guy"ANOTHER WATCH LIST ADDITION. Junior speedster WR Corey Brown was added to the Biletnikoff watchlist for this coming season.
The Biletnikoff award is presented to the most outstanding wide receiver in D-1 FBS and Terry Glenn happens to be the only Buckeye wide-out to have received the award back in 1995.
Brown, who had a team-high 14 catches last season (please hold LOLs), is more than poised to have a huge season in the Urban Meyer spread offense.
Other notables to make the list: Michigan's Roy Roundtree, Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, and Iowa's Keenan Davis.
LINKSANITY. Army of top coaches at the Nike Global event in DC (a bit blurry) Had to include a link due to the title about J-Lin. '14 basketball stud, JaQuan Lyle, still high on Buckeyes. OSU potentially interested in Cincy RB. I promised no Penn State news, but this doesn't count: interesting1 reactions about Paternoville from PSU fans. Boston U. transfer could make a visit to Ohio State for basketball. NBC confuses Michael Vick for another QB on the Today Show. Another interesting1 Tweet about the renaming of Paternoville. Non-sports: new baby cheetah at the Cincy Zoo.
- 1 Too sensitive to use another word besides "interesting". Suggestions for synonyms are welcome.
