Spring practice begins next week so if you think about the 2016 season is already here. Nice!
URBAN ROLLING IN THE STATE UP NORTH. As I've said before: One of my favorite tenets of Urban Meyer's recruiting strategy is the intensity with which he attacks Michigan and Michigan State in Michigan.
Antjuan Simmons is the latest heist out of Satan's Mitten, and Meyer is rapidly approaching Jim Tressel territory—always a good thing when talking about owning Michigan.
From buckeyesports.com:
After nabbing none in his first two classes, Meyer signed four-star Damon Webb out of Detroit Cass Tech in 2014 and then took two more Technicians, four-star running back Mike Weber and three-star defensive tackle Joshua Alabi, a year later.
Last month, Canton offensive lineman Michael Jordan became Meyer’s fourth Michigan signee and the 20th player from the state to sign with Ohio State since 1990.
Jim Tressel signed six players from Michigan in his 10-plus years in Columbus, including eventual stars Johnathan Hankins (Detroit Southeastern) and Vernon Gholston (Cass Tech), who was an All-Big Ten player before he became better known as an NFL draft bust.
The Wolverines need some Rivalry wins in the worst way. The bad news for them is a once-in-a-generation coach stands in their way and he's only 51.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE? I went to Woodlands BBQ in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, on Sunday. Much to my horror, the Iowa–Ohio State men's basketball game was on one of the televisions.
I didn't want an ass-kicking to ruin my meal of shredded pig parts lathered in sauce, but I was determined to take the beating like a man. As it turns out, I was the one who deserved a beating.
Can Ohio State pull a similar shocker Saturday against Michigan State in East Lansing?
From dispatch.com:
Tate has been described in a number of different ways this season. He’s the guts guy, the heart and soul of the team and, until he was injured, the team’s most effective scorer in Big Ten play. Tate was home after undergoing surgery on the torn labrum in his left shoulder that will sideline him for six months, but Matta and the Buckeyes called him on FaceTime and presented him with the game ball.
They did it not by using new lineups but by dusting off a few that had been dormant for a while. A lineup of Keita Bates-Diop, David Bell, A.J. Harris, Marc Loving and Kam Williams was used for the first time since a lopsided win against Air Force on Dec. 8. A lineup of Bates-Diop, Daniel Giddens, Harris, Loving and Mickey Mitchell was used for the second time all season and first since a win against Penn State on Jan. 25.
[...]
As a group, though, the Buckeyes found ways to close out the game late and overcome a six-point second-half deficit without their emotional leader.
Tom Izzo and Thad Matta fight with brass knuckles, so I do expect Ohio State to keep it close throughout the game.
If this game were at home, I'd tilt Ohio State for an upset, but I still question its consistency on both ends of the court. If, however, the Buckeyes do win then NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THEM IN THE TOURNAMENT.
HERMAN POACHES PANTONI PROTÉGÉ. MENSA Founder and Houston Cougars coach Tom Herman is at it again, folks. According to Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, Herman hired Derek Chang, a young recruiting assistant under Mark Pantoni.
BM!!! https://t.co/iqhLfeACFi
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) March 2, 2016
Always hate to see behind-the-scenes talent drain. Am I familiar with Chang's work? No, but between Pantoni's recommendation and Herman's hiring it's easy to assume this guy is on the path to greatness.
BOSA, NOT WATT. Here's your monthly reminder to disavow any draft analyst who compares Joey Bosa to the Houston Texans' J.J. Watt.
From sbnation.com:
If presented with the choice of forcing a J.J. Watt comparison or your own untimely demise, Hall of Famer Bruce Smith might be a name uttered. And Watt's four best seasons as a pro (69 sacks, 15 forced fumbles) still compare really favorably to Smith's of the same (62 sacks, 13 forced fumbles).
With three NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophies to his name by age 26, few have had the kind of stretch as a young player Watt has. Hell, few have had the kind of stretch as a player period Watt has.
[...]
Sure, maybe Joey Bosa can someday do some of the things Watt's excelled at in his five years in the NFL. But even comparing other already successful NFL defensive ends to Watt often feels like an exercise in futility.
It's going to be interesting to see if the team that drafts Bosa makes him bulk up, and how that would affect his speed off the edge.
LOSE STRESS OR LOSE YOUR MEMORY. You might be under the impression a high-stress lifestyle is good. Allow Ohio State researchers to tell you why it's bad, actually.
From osu.edu:
Sustained stress erodes memory, and the immune system plays a key role in the cognitive impairment, according to a new study from researchers at The Ohio State University.
The work in mice could one day lead to treatment for repeated, long-term mental assault such as that sustained by bullying victims, soldiers and those who report to beastly bosses, the researchers say.
“This is chronic stress. It’s not just the stress of giving a talk or meeting someone new,” said lead researcher Jonathan Godbout , associate professor of neuroscience at Ohio State.
I suppose the silver lining for people chronically crippled by stress is nobody wants to remember stressful times anyway.
THOSE WMDs. Bob Dylan's secret archive... #TBT: A 1920 Ohio State optometry exam... The shrinking shelf life of NFL players... PFF says FSU's Jalen Ramsey is the new No. 1 overall prospect... The dangerous world of talk radio in the Philippines.
