Word of the day: Reverie.
ICYMI: Marc Loving and the men's basketball team topped Rutgers, 70-64.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RETURNERS. Though Ohio State lost key players like Curtis Samuel and Raekwon McMillan (among others), it will return another core of young playmakers in 2017.
But according to the numbers gurus, the most important one may be defensive end Nick Bosa, who may not even start.
From profootballfocus.com, who ranked him the 17th most important returner in the country:
The top-graded true freshman edge defender in 2016, Bosa had a dominant 360 snaps that saw him grade at 82.2 against the run and 82.8 as a pass-rusher. He picked up five sacks, seven QB hits and 26 hurries in his limited time and that production will only increase as Bosa’s role expands next season.
J.T. Barrett is nowhere in PFF's Top 25, which lists Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield ("who has few weaknesses as a college quarterback") as the best returning player in the country.
PSU's Saquon Barkley oversees a separate list (by a different author) of top 10 returning Big Ten players, which is also devoid of Bosa and Barrett. It features Jerome Baker (No. 6), Sam Hubbard (No. 8), and Tyquan Lewis (No. 9).
Raekwon McMillan was the name brand of the Buckeye linebacker corps in 2016, but sophomore first-year starter Jerome Baker was every bit as strong a player in Columbus. Look no further than his performance in The Game, as he terrorized the Wolverines by posting a sack, two hurries and five total stops. His 84.0 run-defense grade is one of the highest among returning Big Ten linebackers this year, and he also gave up just three receptions of over 10 yards on the season. Baker is a prime break-out candidate this fall.
It will be interesting to watch pundits talk about Ohio State this preseason. They'll pay deference to Meyer's recruiting, but this team won't be as young as the roster will indicate. The roster is battle-tested outside of the impact freshmen, who all played big-time high school sports.
While most fans look most forward to the offense calling the good plays, I look forward to watching how Greg Schiano, Kerry Coombs, Larry Johnson, and Bill Davis reconfigure the defense. If they find capable replacements for Raekwon McMillan and Malik Hooker, the Bullets could be even stingier this year.
BROWNS DO GOOD THING. The Cleveland Browns befuddled their fans Monday with a low-cost, easy-PR win by picking up former Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell.
As a Browns sufferer, it's refreshing to see they're at least remotely aware of the prestigious football factory two-and-a-half miles hours south on I-71. (Maybe Hue Jackson can find the time to attend the pro day next month?)
Powell last played for the Seattle Seahawks, where he earned special teams praise and shifted to cornerback in a system that utilizes bigger CBs. Right now, Powell will play wherever the Browns want.
From cleveland.com:
Where Powell fits with the Browns, he doesn't know. A three-year starter at safety at Ohio State, where projected 2017 first-round pick Malik Hooker played behind him, the 6-foot-3 Powell was moved to cornerback by Seattle. He played primarily on special teams in his eight games of action with the Seahawks, but he practiced all season at corner.
"It took me a little bit to get the technique down," Powell said, "but toward the end of the season I was doing pretty good. For me, safety is like riding a bike. I'll never forget it. Either way it goes, I think I'll be all right."
I quit on the Browns in 2016, and I'm not afraid to admit it. I watched Game 16 against the Steelers in a Texas Road House (not my shot to call) in Huber Heights and fist-pumped when they choked in overtime.
Now all that's left to earn me back is to trade the No. 1 pick for Cardale Jones. I'll buy season tickets with my next direct deposit.
WE'RE TALKING MEMES, SWEETHEART. Yes, it's the offseason, which means we're talking Instagram posts. Troy Smith posted a meme that befuddled me for at least 45 minutes Wednesday morning, and I need to workshop it for the sake of my mental health 12 hours later.
One cool feature about 2017 is you can throw two sentences at the header and footer of an image and social media people will believe God decreed it. Laws will be passed this way by 2030 once the Millennial Revolution of 2029 comes to pass.
Still, sometimes you get stuff like this from former Heisman winner Troy Smith, who once sat on my shoulder after Ohio State ruined No. 7 Michigan's 2004 season, 37-21:
WHY DO HER HANDS LOOK LIKE THE PALE MAN'S? WHY ARE THEY WALKING NAKED IN A HANSEL & GRETEL FOREST? WHY IS SHE CAT CRADLING STRINGS OF THIS MAN'S BRAIN?
These are my questions even before looking at the text, which is of philosophical deepness usually found in whiteout on middle school trappers.
Secondly, my only love advice is if you're ever thinking about posting over 0 words about a breakup on social media... just delete it and move on with your life. Otherwise you look petty. People who moved on with their lives don't post social media updates about moving on with their lives.
#JustMyTake #Memes #MillennialRevolutionComingToYourLivingRoom2029
BAMA LOSES 'NOTHER CHIP. So you may have heard the latest rumor: Chip Kelly to Alabama to take over for Steve Sarkisian, who left after a one-game stint to take the same post for the Atlanta Falcons.
That rumor is now dead, according to Bleacher Report NFL insider Jason Cole. Chip Kelly has "no interest" in becoming Alabama's next offense coordinator.
This leaves open a ray of hope for my pipe dream of Kelly relaxing as an analyst in Columbus next season. (Don't know if you heard, Chip, but LinkedIn recently ran a headline claiming Columbus to be the best city in the world!)
SORRY, #TEEN. NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE. UCLA commit and Chino Hills sophomore LaMelo Ball, who became a five-star recruit when his parents named him LaMelo Ball, dropped 92 points in a high school game.
While that's more points than I scored in my career, this isn't what you think when you hear "92 points":
This is so lame haha pic.twitter.com/iEcrl1opDJ
— NBA All Access (@nballaccess) February 8, 2017
He'll probably still be pretty good for the Bruins, who should win more championships than they do based on campus location alone.
TAKE ME TO HOT TAKE CITY. I typed big words for Awful Announcing about why FOX Sports 1 is a clown show. I rate it five Jon Diebler three-pointers, and normally that scale only goes to three.
If you have criticism about my criticism, please put your blocks of text in my email.
THOSE WMDs. Thon Maker is the Bucks' secret unicorn... The romance in football américain... Woman thrown into ocean, autopsy says, in murder that rocked Iceland... Prep high school power packs roster with foreign players, state questions safety of players living with coach... New indictment alleges West Baltimore drug boss killed cooperators.
