Drew Thurman (4:47 pm)

1) The Buckeyes got a huge win today over Wisconsin 61-57, in a game that had major tournament implications. Though Joe Lunardi and ESPN are showing the Big Ten some major love (predicting eight make it in), no one knows what the committee is going to do with all the Big Ten bubble teams. This win solidified an NCAA Tournament berth for the Buckeyes, and now the team can look ahead to Michigan State tomorrow.

2) I am not sure about all of you, but I am a little tired of the Big East Tournament taking up all of the ESPN air time every night. While many are chattering about the six overtime thriller last night between UConn and Syracuse, it meant the viewing public was forced to view a watered down version of NBA basketball where the officials pretty much call nothing. On top of that, it means we are forced to watch Eric Devendorf (pictured above). I am ready to pass on his trash talk and attitude, and wish that the university would have kept him kicked out of school. It truly is trash, and I am thankful the Big Ten is not out of control like the Big East.

3) Back to some football news. Yesterday quarterback recruit Devin Gardner decided to head to Michigan. The Buckeyes were supposedly going to make a major play for the Michigan dual threat star, but at this point no offer had been given. Gardner is someone who would have been a great addition for the Buckeyes in the 2010 class, but it seems the Buckeyes are going to put all the chips in Nick Montana's court and go from there.  

4) I think it is also interesting to watch Tressel and the staff continue to follow their basic recruiting strategy. This year, as in previous years, the staff looks out-of-state for major talent before taking a glance at the second tier players in-state. They have already received a commitment from linebacker David Durham of Texas, and have a whole host of others coming to visit in the near future. Some of the names to watch out for are Texas safety Luke Muncie, Florida safety LaMarcus Joyner, Florida cornerback Cody Riggs, and Maryland hybrid linebacker/ defensive end Ego Ferguson. So keep watching as these names pop up!    

Our Honor Defend has now started the Block O Table, and of course we have decided to jump on board to help build community (Click the link to OHD to see more responses). Obviously we rarely spend time talking about hoops on our blog, but what the heck, here it goes. (Dave Thurman)

1) Evan Turner was not named the Big Ten Player of the Year.  This is A) highway robbery B) petty theft or C) no big deal (I didn’t need my wallet, car keys and shoes anyways, sir)?  Really though, do you feel Turner was jobbed? Why?

Absolutely. I thought Turner had it in the bag. He finished 3rd in the Big 10 in points per game, 5th in rebounding, 8th in assists and 4th in steals.  Take Turner away from OSU and the Bucks would have finished 10th in the Big 10. Take Lucas away from MSU and they are still a pretty good team. 

2) You might have noticed, but the women’s basketball team has been on quite a roll recently.  They won their 5th straight Bug Ten title and won their second Big Ten tournament.  They’re destined to play their first two games in Columbus and will, by all logic, be on ESPN/ESPN2 for it.  Do you plan to follow them as well or am I really the only one who cares about this team?

I confess that I never watch an entire women's game - it just doesn't excite me. But my hat is off to Foster and the ladies for an incredilbe accomplishment and I'm glad some enjoy the women's game. Here's hoping they make a run in the tourney this year.

3) The single biggest thing Ohio State’s men’s team needs to do/change/get in order to turn this team back into a national title contender is ______________.  Why?

Have the NCAA make players stay 2-3 years before going pro!  Seriously that is what has hurt this team the last couple of years.  Lighty's injury really handcuffed Thad this year as well, or I think they would have finished 2nd in the league.  But as long as they have so many one and done players it will be hard to make them a perennial top 10-15 team. 

4) The person on the mens’ team that has been most disappointing this season is _______________________.  Explain.

I think it is BJ Mullens to be honest.  He has improved, but was considered the number one recruit in the country coming in by most services, and he has not been a dominating player as expected. His hands are not real strong yet, and his defense is often pretty weak.  Mullens is nowhere near ready for the NBA, but will still be a top 15 pick on sheer ability. 


5) This country finally had an election that had some kind of purpose and value.  I’m talking, of course, about the Whitest Man Election held at Club Trillion. Shenanigans followed and there was no clear winner.  Nevertheless, who did you vote for in this most important election and why?

Kyle Madsen has my vote, as he is ghostly white.  However, ESPN posted a picture of Madsen, Mullens, and Diebler defending the paint against Jamelle Cornley and none of them looked like they had seen the light of day in at least a year!

EC)  Call your shot here: how far do the Buckeyes get in the Big Ten Tournament?

They win a close one agaisnt Wisconsin and then lose in the next round.

Drew Thurman (11:57 pm)

In a recent article on ESPN, quarterback recruit Nick Montana has lots to say about the recruiting situation he finds himself in. First the article makes itclear that he is going to have to wade through offers from schools like Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, Notre Dame, Georgia, and LSU. On top of that, he has some major interest from USC and Tennessee, who both like to feature a pro-style quarterback. While mentioning the interest from both of these schools, Montana adds a nice statement about Ohio State:

"I'm also interested in USC and Tennessee, those are two schools that haven't offered but are showing a lot of interest and I already visited Ohio State and loved it there. I'm just trying to find the best overall fit for me and don't really have a time frame of when I want to decide."

It is nice to see the Buckeyes getting some love from Montana. It is also nice to hear the patience Montana is willing to show to become a star quarterback. Unlike many high recruited quarterbacks, Montana does not see the need to be a starter from day one.

"I don't mind redshirting either but I am looking at depth charts a little. Obviously if you ask any quarterback, we always want to play, but that won't be the biggest factor to me, more like an added bonus if it works out that way."

Finally though, Buckeye fans need to realize how difficult it will be to land Montana in the end. Rumors have circulated that he already favors the Buckeyes, but it would seem as if he is still looking for his perfect match. With a multitude of visits upcoming, Montana says that a commitment could come at any moment.

"I guess I'm kind of looking for that special feeling you get when you know the school is right for you. So on one of my upcoming visits, if the school feels right to me, I could commit on the spot or just keep looking around and wait to evaluate everyone."

We caught up with Alex from Eleven Warriors, and got him to talk about the Buckeye recruiting situation, Tressel, and the future. Check it out...

What is your overall impression of Ohio State's 2009 class?

"Well when you look at this class one thing comes to mind: We filled needs. Clearly the Buckeyes have had trouble in the trenches the last couple of years, especially against elite teams such as Florida, LSU, USC, and even Penn State this season. Needs on a thin offensive line were filled with the four incoming OL we have in this class and we did a pretty decent job on defense with Fellows, Simon, Newsome, and Bellamy. Also, with Donald Washington departing for the NFL, a red flag was put up for the CB position opposite Chekwa and the staff brought in a bunch of talent that can compete to play there right away. Other than that I think the class is well rounded at all positions and we got the best talent in the state and got some great athletes from out of state."

What players stand out for the Buckeyes in this class?

"There are obviously some great players that stand out in this class, but a few that I am really excited about are Corey Brown, Jamie Wood, Dorian Bell, and Jaamal Berry. Brown can be the next coming of Chris Gamble and will see the field immediately-either at WR , CB, or both. If you watched the USAAB, he really stood out. Wood is a kid I think will be the next great OSU safety. He will most likely play FS and slide in to the starting line-up next year after Anderson Russell graduates. He's a ball hawk and a tremendous athlete. Bell is a kid who everyone loves and I think he will be very good in time, but needs to get stronger this year. His athleticism and motor are unquestioned and he will probably make a phenomenal WLB in the future. Finally, Berry is someone people are scared will be a lot like Mo Wells, but I see it differently. Jaamal, if you watch his film, likes to run between tackles and then break it to the outside or wherever the seams are. I think with TP at the helm, we will run a lot of zone read plays out of the shotgun, which will help Berry get the ball and go a lot quicker than we have seen OSU backs in the past."

Who from this class should we look out for in the upcoming season as having an immediate impact?

"This season look for Dorian Bell, Jamie Wood, Corey Brown, CJ Barnett, Jack Mewhort, Marcus Hall, Storm Klein, Dorian Bell, Jaamal Berry, Carlos Hyde, Duron Carter, and James Jackson to have impacts as true freshman. Berry and Hyde will obviously get a chance to compete at RB with Boom Herron and Brandon Saine and Carter and Jackson can help compliment the receiving corps just like Posey and Thomas did last year. Jackson even has a chance to return kicks. As for Hall and Mewhort, they will both be in the rotation as back-ups, but if poor play or injuries occur, both are capable of stepping in right away, especially Mewhort who has been enrolled since January. Bell, Klein, and Wood will most likely see all of their time on special teams and in garbage minutes, but Wood and Bell have a chance to get some meaningful playing time if they can learn quickly. Klein is not as game ready as the other two, but like Andrew Sweat last year, should be a good special teams guy. Brown and Barnett will compete right away at CB and don't be surprised if one of them is the nickel back by season's end."

What are your thoughts on Carlos Hyde, Jamaal Berry, and Jordan Hall?

"Looking at Berry, Hyde, and Hall, I think they all bring something different to the table. Berry is a speed back, who can run between the tackles, but will be utilized in zone reads, option plays, pitches, and any other plays where the ball is put in his hands quickly. Hyde is a bruising back who needs a little bit more control, but should be an excellent compliment for whoever is carrying the load this year. Hall is a guy who is greatly underrated in this group, but I think will do big things. His biggest asset might be as a receiver out of the backfield or in the slot, and while he is not as talented, he does a lot of the things well that Reggie Bush did well at USC (pass catching, second burst, ability to shake things up). He will likely red-shirt this season, but expect big things from him in the future and don't forget he played with TP for 3 years at Jeannette!"

How would you grade Tressel and the staff for their recruiting efforts in his tenure?

"I think Tress's recruiting started off well, obviously with his first class being a big part of the NC team, but he kind of drifted off between then and the last two years. I think his problem was he was concentrating on getting a lot of the best kids in Ohio, rather than the best kids overall. While we had some good out of state talent come in between 2004-2007 (Laurinaitis, Gholston, Jenkins, Russell) I think he realized the college game has evolved since that 2002 season and more teams are spreading the ball out and putting the best athletes (not always the best football players) on the field to run around and make plays. I think the last two years JT and the staff have done a good job of going out and getting great athletes from out of state, while also keeping the best talent of Ohio in the state, and at the same time successfully filling needs. Looking at his whole body of work, I'd have to give Tress an A-. Can't argue with all those BCS Bowls and National Championship appearances-now we just have to win one!"

What is your overall impression of the 2010 class, and how it has started for the Buckeyes?

"The 2010 class will not be as big as the 2009 class, but that could be a good thing as the staff will have to be more selective in who they hand scholarships to. I really like Turner and Norwell a lot, but have not gotten around to seeing much of JT Moore or David Durham, but I trust the staff in those decisions. I think the Bucks need to land some big players in this class, especially OL Matt James from St. Xavier, CB LaMarcus Joyner from St. Thomas Aquinas (FL), LB Jordan Hicks from Westchester (OH) Lakota West, and a couple of other big time prospects we are pursuing. One guy I really like, and I guess everyone in the country does too if you look at who is going after him, is Seantrel Henderson from Minnesota. Listed at 6'8" and above 300-pounds, he is a player who can be a monster at OT or DT and the Bucks haven't really had anyone with that size come in to Columbus of late."

Drew Thurman (10:32 am)

Some of you may have already seen the news on ESPN, but if not, Maurice Clarett is officially a blogger. Now I am sure many of you may think I am a heretic for posting this story or even his picture, since there is so much bad blood here, but at least at this point I want to give the guy a chance. It's obvious not all feel the same way I do on the position though! 

His blog is surprisingly well written, and is dedicated to helping others to not make the same mistakes he has. According to his words, it has nothing to do with making himself a show once again. Here is what he has to say about the blog:

"Instead of entertaining people with my life, I am using certain events to educate, inspire and help others make conscious choices so they can avoid circumstances like this. It is easy to say that I messed up my life and show pictures while creating a storyline for entertainment, but it does nothing for humanity as a whole," Clarett writes. "That's good for water cooler conversation, but it does nothing for the young men who didn't make it to the NFL and have no future in college and are looking to the streets for an outlet."

So what does all this mean? I say give the guy a shot. His blog, The Mind of Maurice Clarett, at this point is aimed at the goals he said it would be. There has not been any Buckeye bashing or Clarett ego building, so what is the big deal? Most Buckeye fans still can't even utter his name, but I think it is time to let the whole thing go. Clarett and the Buckeyes have both moved on, it's time as fans that we did the same.

Drew Thurman (7:33 pm)

Not tons of Buckeye news out there right now, but there is this:

Today the Buccaneers announced they signed former Buckeye kicker Mike Nugent. This is great news for Nugent who was hurt for most of last season with the New York Jets. He has made 81 percent of his field goals and is 83 of 85 on extra points in his four years in the league. Nugent is one of the nicest Buckeyes out there, and it's nice some him getting some love!