In today's Buckeye Breakfast, we gather Ohio State players' reactions to the Trent Richardson trade, we provide a recruiting update, we ask Kenny Guiton how he's been so successful and we look ahead to the rest of the week's coverage.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Plenty of Ohio State players hail from Cleveland, and a handful of Buckeyes had opinions on the Browns' trade of Trent Richardson.

Offensive lineman Marcus Hall chatted with reporters on Wednesday about the deal, and the Glenville High School graduate couldn't help but to shake his head at his hometown team.

"It seems like they always find a way to do something," Hall said.

Doug Lesmerises has the entire story.

Even those from enemy lines commented on the trade. Defensive back Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown shared his viewpoint on his Twitter account.

Cleveland is terrible for that smh

— Corey Brown (@CBrown_3) September 18, 2013

Speaking of former Browns, Earl Holmes, who played linebacker in Cleveland and made the goal-line stop that propelled the team to the playoffs in 2002 -- the Browns' most recent trip to the postseason -- is the head coach at Florida A&M. He'll lead his Rattlers into The Horseshoe on Saturday. Former Browns defensive back Corey Fuller coaches the secondary for Florida A&M.

Richardson's departure wasn't the only football news in Cleveland this week. A trio of Glenville recruits -- Marshon Lattimore, Erick Smith and Marcelys Jones -- are mulling their options. Ari Wasserman explains why Lattimore plans to milk his decision.

Kenny Guiton wasn't a very sought-after recruit, but now he's one of the most talked-about players in college football. The national offensive player of the week provides tips on how to be a successful backup, as Doug documents.

Guiton is expected to see the field some on Saturday. Coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday that Braxton Miller will likely play as well, though he might be limited as his sprained left knee ligament continues to heal. Ari has some quick hits from Meyer's meeting with reporters.

On Thursday, we'll offer our choices for Players to Watch this weekend, along with stories on tight end Jeff Heuerman and the offensive line. Coming Friday, I'll have a feature story that deals with Woody Hayes, racism and a transcendent bond between a coach and a player.

And of course, we'll have any and every reaction Ohio State players have to whomever the Browns trade next.

In the Edge Pro Football Beat, the Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and CineSport's Brian Clark discuss the stunning trade that sent Trent Richardson to the Colts for a 2014 first-round draft pick.

In the Edge Pro Football Beat, The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and CineSport's Brian Clark discuss the stunning trade that sent Trent Richardson to the Colts for a 2014 first-round draft pick.

The consensus is the trade of Trent Richardson was a good move by the Cleveland Browns. It's a bit more mixed on whether the Indianapolis Colts will benefit. Watch video

The Cleveland Browns are 0-2. Their dysfunctional offense has scored 16 points on the season. Starting quarterback Brandon Weeden (well, he began the season as the starter) is injured and third-stringer Brian Hoyer is now in charge. The receiving corps is a mess for a variety of reasons.

So the natural move is to trade starting running back Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in 2012, to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round draft pick in 2014. Then bring in Willis McGahee, a nine-year veteran who isn't on an NFL roster.

Think that's going to get a reaction? (Some fuel for the fire: Richardson reportedly learned of the deal by hearing a report on the radio.)

The news Wednesday night stunned and confused some Browns fans (including Ohio State lineman Marcus Hall and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert), bringing out some intense emotions. Some examples from Twitter:

Not much time to follow NFL lately. What motivates @Browns to trade promising 2012 3rd pick for likely 23rd-27th pick? What am I missing?

— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) September 19, 2013

My last tweet confused a few of you. It was NOT a comment. It was a serious question. So far, no great answers. Seems its still a mystery.

— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) September 19, 2013

Consensus is @browns stockpiling picks for 'franchise' QB in 2014. A bit early for fans to judge this one as painful as it may feel, IMHO

— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) September 19, 2013

Browns trading Trent Richardson could be the smartest move they ever made... But most likely will be another bust like usual...

— PM Jason (@KingYJBron) September 19, 2013

Browns say trading Trent Richardson doesn't mean they've given up on season. It just means they've given up on the entire franchise.

— LeBron Swanson (@JonnySparklz) September 19, 2013

That's a mild sample. There is some real vitriol on social media. The reaction from the news media? This might be hard for fans to believe, but it seems most analysts believe the Browns have made a good decision in shipping Richardson to the Colts. That includes Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto, who says it's clear it's going to be a long season for the Browns, but it could pay off down the road:

Here's the bottom line: If I'm sitting in the chair of CEO Joe Banner, I make the trade. I make the trade knowing fans will hate it. I make the trade knowing the coaching staff has been assigned to a job harder than swimming from Key West to Cuba with 50-pound weights on each leg. I make the trade because I know that Richardson is not a big-time running back. Two knee surgeries and the broken ribs were the first indication that he couldn't stay healthy. ... The fans do have serious doubts about this front office -- and I share some of them. But I also know the Browns are going nowhere until they find at least an above-average quarterback. And that quarterback probably is not on the team now. He just may be in the draft.

Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston also is on board with the deal and notes that Browns legend Jim Brown was on target when he questioned the selection of Richardson in 2012:

With Brown, it might have been the gimlet eye of the greatest there ever was -- a man who played in a primitive era of head-hunters, in which half of the times he was tackled might draw penalty flags today -- which didn't see greatness in Richardson. ... Richardson's trade either means the Joe Banner/Mike Lombardi front office is trigger happy and impatient or Richardson turns out to be the bust they thought he was.

Pluto and Livingston are the hometown columnists. What's being said outside the city? Well, there is plenty of praise for the Browns' move. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports NFL Insider says the deal was a "no-brainer" for Cleveland:

The Browns now have two first-round picks, two third-round picks and two fourth-round picks, plus all their normal picks in every other round. If they don't get the first overall pick (i.e. Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater), they are in place to wheel and deal to secure the first overall pick if need be (not sure Jacksonville would be willing to deal it), or move up or down to get the quarterback they desire. They also can add more skill players with these picks -- and I agree that a very good starting RB will be available in rounds 2-4 -- and add a stud receiver with the Colts' first-round pick, and be able to retool quickly.

Two NFL executives tell USA Today's Tom Peliserro they were shocked by the trade but understand what the Browns are trying to do:

Scouts like what the Browns are building on both sides of the ball. But they lack a quarterback, and that could be the target with the higher of those first-round picks next year — probably a top-five pick with the way their season is headed. ... And in a quarterback-driven league, that's what the Browns' decision boils down to: gathering all the ammunition to go get your guy and build around him, rather than building around a back who may have a limited shelf life.

For Browns fans upset with the deal, ESPN's Jeffri Chadiha says they should consider this: The team wasn't going anywhere with Richardson and he was expendable:

The beauty of this trade is that Cleveland understood that talented runners aren't hard to find in the NFL anymore. The Houston Texans signed their Pro Bowler, Arian Foster, as an undrafted free agent. The Baltimore Ravens found Ray Rice in the second round, while Kansas City nabbed Jamaal Charles in the third. Add in the fact that Washington's Alfred Morris -- a player selected 170 picks after Richardson -- gained a team-record 1,613 yards in his rookie season, and you get the picture. The Browns will have plenty of opportunities to make up for what they lost today.

View full sizeHerschel Walker was an established NFL star when he was traded by the Cowboys to the Vikings in 1989.Steve Krauss, AP file photo

As a point of optimism for Browns fans, Chadiha mentions the Dallas Cowboys' 1989 trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for a boatload of draft picks. The Cowboys used the picks to select running back Emmitt Smith and several other key players that helped them win three Super Bowls in the 1990s. (What Chadiha doesn't mention is the Cowboys already had future Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin on the roster, so they had their franchise quarterback and receiver in place. The Browns apparently don't have that luxury.) A point of pessimism: Mike Ozanian of Forbes wonders if the trade had something to do with owner Jimmy Haslam's legal troubles.

The next question: What does the media think about the Colts' side of the deal? It's a bit more mixed. Bob Glauber of Newsday thinks it's a winner for Indy. Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star is hoping the pairing of Richardson with quarterback Andrew Luck will have Colts fans reliving the days of Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James:

What’s not to like? The Colts may have found Edgerrin James’ successor in exchange for a draft choice that figures to be somewhere in the teens or even 20s, depending on how the season goes. Granted, there are still questions about Richardson. In one year and two games, he still hasn’t blown anybody’s doors off. ... But keep in mind, teams defended the Browns by sending multiple defenders into the box, never fearing the putrid Cleveland passing game. Defenses won’t have that luxury against the Colts’ dynamic passing game.

Judy Battista of NFL.com concurs, saying the switch to Indianapolis should give Richardson more opportunities to shine. She also says the deal shows the Colts are committed to winning a title:

Trading a first-round pick for Richardson is a gamble, but it also is an all-in move. There will be no waiting for the offense to mature, but then again, the Colts never were much interested in rebuilding. They made a magical run to the playoffs last season in what was supposed to be the first year of a renovation. Now they see an opening to make a Super Bowl push in a weakened AFC this season, and they are going for it. They might not make it, but it won't be for a lack of trying. Think that's not admirable? Ask a Cleveland Browns fan.

It's clear Colts owner Jim Irsay is happy with the deal, tweeting throughout the day on Wednesday:

This day of MONSTER TRADE,The Tidal Wave Of Deal making...Shocks the system of "..Didn't see THIS ONE COMING!!!!!!" Grig's Rollin' Dice!

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) September 18, 2013

Building a MONSTER for the BEST fans in the WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) September 19, 2013

Everyone doesn't share Irsay's enthusiasm. Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com says the trade is a bold move by the Colts ... and a poor move as well:

I get that Richardson is 22. I see the ability and the amazing stuff he did in college. But I don't see the value. Not in this league. Not the way the game is played. Runners don't decide it anymore. So I am saying it now: I hate this trade for the Colts. Six months from now, I am sure (Colts General Manager Ryan) Grigson will let me know how wrong I am if Richardson is what the Colts think he can become. But I have my doubts.

The deal has been made, and now fans of both teams can only sit back and see what develops. This deal could mean a lot to the future of the current Browns' regime, says Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated:

Clearly, this is not about the here and now — this is about the Browns’ future, and who will define it. Now, Lombardi, CEO Joe Banner, and head coach Rob Chudzinski are in the same position Holmgren and Shurmur were in 2012; they just have to wait until next April to reap the benefits of a draft in which they hold the table with two first-round picks. ... One thing’s for sure: From top to bottom, the current Browns are on the hook for whatever happens next.

Glenn Moore and Dennis Manoloff talk about the Trent Richardson trade and what it means for the future of the Browns. Mary Kay Cabot also joined the show to talk about the trade.

Should the Browns have traded Trent Richardson? (Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer)

Among other topics discussed:

• Brian Hoyer at quarterback.

• Are the Browns trying to get more picks to trade up in draft?

• What is the message to the fans?

Read what D-Man (@dmansworld474) and G-Mo (@GlennMooreCLE) have to say on Twitter.

Follow our coverage on Twitter

More Browns stories

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This Day in Browns History: Bill Belichick benches Bernie Kosar in Los Angeles, and Vinny Testaverde rallies the Cleveland Browns to a 1993 victory over the Raiders. Should Bernie have been cut later that season? (Poll)

Eric Metcalf scored a last-second touchdown, and quarterback Vinny Testaverde and coach Bill Belichick celebrated as the Cleveland Browns defeated the Los Angeles Raiders on this date, Sept. 19, in 1993.

Earlier in the game, with the Browns trailing, 13-0, Belichick benched starting quarterback Bernie Kosar, who had led the Browns to a Monday night victory over the San Francisco 49ers the previous week.

Kosar was cut a few weeks later.

Read the game story below as it appeared on the pages of The Plain Dealer the following day.

This is the third installment in a season-long series on cleveland.com - This Day in Browns History. We'll do what the current Cleveland Browns can't possibly do, guarantee a victory every week as we dig into the files of Browns history.

In Week 1, we recounted the first-ever game in the history of the Browns franchise, a 1946 win over the Miami Seahawks. Last week, it was an opening day-victory over the Baltimore Ravens from 2004.

Enjoy the stories for the game memories, the player names you may recognize, and - especially with the olders stories - the writing styles as sports reporting has changed over the years.

Curious about other games? Try out our online database that will connect you to all other Cleveland Browns game stories since the beginning of the franchise in 1946.

View full sizeBrowns fullback Tommy Vardell runs for 54 yards to set up a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Raiders Sunday Sept. 19, 1993 Chasing Vardell is Raider linebacker Aaron Wallace.Associated Press

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Quarterback Vinny Testaverde was mobbed by his teammates after the game, and Browns coach Bill Belichick raced down the sideline and almost tackled running back Eric Metcalf. Instead, he bearhugged him.

Testaverde and Metcalf had just combined on the play that capped one of the biggest comebacks in the Bill Belichick Era for a wild, thrilling, 19-16 victory over the Raiders.

With two seconds left in a game that had looked hopeless all afternoon, Metcalf took a pitch from Testaverde about 5 yards out on the right and swept to the left, where he ran into the end zone untouched for the winning 1-yard touchdown.

Less than five minutes earlier, the Raiders had been up, 16-3. At halftime, they led, 13-0, and could've been up by more if the defense hadn't held on a pair of goal-line stands.

"The only thing in recent memory I can compare it to is that double-overtime victory over the Jets (after the 1986 season)," said a beaming Browns President Art Modell. "This was unbelievable."

So certain was Metcalf that he had the touchdown, he waived the ball over his head on the way into the end zone like a kid running home with a report card bearing straight A's.

"The confidence we gained last week against San Francisco carried over to this game," said receiver Michael Jackson. "Then we had to reach all the way back to the first victory over Cincinnati, when we came back from 14 points down. There was never really a doubt that we could do it."

The Browns cleared the bench and swarmed the Coliseum field, jumping and hollering. They were 3-0. They had beaten an undefeated team after an ugly afternoon, in which the offense couldn't budge. They could have flown home without the plane.

"We only beat them for about three minutes of the game," said Metcalf. "We couldn't really do much of anything until the end. I was just fortunate to be able to make that play when it counted most."

But wait a minute. Vinny Testaverde? What happened to Bernie Kosar, the hero of the Monday night victory over San Francisco? After his third interception of the game, Kosar was pulled with 12:52 left in the game and the Browns trailing, 13-0.

"We felt with the way things were going, we were having a problem with protection," said Belichick in the understatement of the afternoon. "We felt like maybe Vinny would be able to scramble around a little in there and make some plays, and that's what he did.

"That's what Vinny's here for. He stepped up and did a great job for us today. But Bernie is still our starter."

It was only the third time in his career that Kosar had been pulled because of ineffectiveness, and the first time since the 1990 season in San Francisco.

"I have no criticism or disrespect for the decision that was made," said Kosar. "I'm disappointed in the way we started off as an offense. We had some problem picking up the blitzes, and some of the snaps were off. But coach came up and said we were going to give Vinny a shot, and that's why we're all so excited now. I would've liked to have started the two-minute stuff at that point, but that's not how it worked out."

View full sizeGreg Robinson of the Los Angeles Raiders is taken down by Eric Turner (29), Michael Dean Perry (92), and Mike Caldwell (56) of the Cleveland Browns during the Sept. 19, 1993, in Los Angeles.Associated Press

Testaverde was dealt the same fierce pressure as Kosar but still managed to jump-start the offense. On his first drive, he passed the Browns to the Los Angeles 14, where Matt Stover kicked a 32-yard field goal to make it 13-3. Testaverde was picked off on his next drive, but the stellar defense forced the Raiders to settle for a 53-yard field goal.

Next time up, Testaverde started back at the 10 thanks to a Metcalf fumble on the kickoff return, but he completed passes of 17, 22 and 18 yards and then found Lawyer Tillman for a 12-yard touchdown that made it 16-10 with 2:26 remaining.

The Browns were back in the game and the atmosphere inside the Coliseum was suddenly tense, but the crowd was still deafening. The Raiders started at their 6 thanks to a muffed kickoff return, and the defense wouldn't let them past the 10. Los Angeles took the safety to make it 16-12, and then Metcalf came up with the second-biggest play of the game: He returned the free kick 37 yards to the Los Angeles 45, where Testaverde took over with 1:33 left.

Testaverde completed a 16-yarder to former Tampa Bay teammate Mark Carrier to the 18 and a 17-yarder to the 1. The Browns then called time with 11 seconds left. Jackson caught a pass out of bounds at the left side of the end zone on the next play, where he argued he was pushed out by a defender.

Out came Tommy Vardell - who produced the Browns' first 100-yard rushing game since 1988 - and in went Metcalf. The Browns also had three receivers and Leroy Hoard in the game.

"They were doubling Eric most of the game, so we put him on the right side hoping to draw the double coverage over there, which I think it did, and then ran the sweep to the left and got them all sealed off down there," said Belichick. "It looked like he had pretty good blocking up front, and he made a hell of a run."

Metcalf called it a better game than the four-touchdown outburst he had in a 28-16 victory over the Raiders last year.

"This was better because the outcome was even better, and now we're 3-0," Metcalf said. "It was more gratifying because I wasn't able to do anything all game until the end."

The Indians were fresh out of rallies Wednesday in a 7-2 loss to Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- This time there was no comeback.

As they did Tuesday night, Kansas City took an early 3-0 lead against the Indians on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium. Unlike Tuesday, the Royals pitching held firm as the Indians fell, 7-2, to end the seven-game trip with a 5-2 record.

The Indians missed their second chance in three days to move into the second wild card spot. All it required was a victory, but that wasn't to be as lefty Bruce Chen improved to 7-3 lifetime against them.

Chen (8-3, 3.12) pitched only five innings, but combined with the Royals' speed and some sloppy defense by the Indians, it was enough to keep Kansas City in the wild card hunt.

Despit the loss, the Indians remain a half-game behind Texas for the second wild card spot. The Rays beat Texas in extra innings Wednesday night to move into the first wild card position. The Indians' is the pack is closing in.

Baltimore is one game back and the Royals and Yankees are 2 1/2 back.

"We had our chances, but we just didn't make enough plays," said manager Terry Francona.

The Indians won the season series against the Royals, 10-9, but it didn't feel that way. Kansas City won four of the last six games between the two teams.

Rookie right-hander Danny Salazar (1-3, 3.09) took the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one.

It was just the third time in nine big-league starts that he's pitched six or more innings. Salazar threw 82 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Kansas City took a 3-0 lead in the first. All three runs scored with two out.

"I tried to do a little too much with my fastball in the first inning," said. "Then I started using the rest of my pitches."

Salazar started the game with two ground outs to shortstop, but Eric Hosmer singled to right. Salazar walked Billy Butler and catcher Salvador Perez doubled to the wall in left to bring home both runs. The relay throw from shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera short-hopped Yan Gomes at the plate, allowing the slow-moving Butler to score from first.

Perez, who took third on the throw home, scored on the first of two Salazar wild pitches.

"I told Asdrubal it was a good throw," said Gomes. "I just tried to sweep (catch) and it hopped up on me and I ended up missing it."

Salazar has been on a strict pitch count since he threw 103 pitches against the Tigers on Aug. 7. After Wednesday's game, he said he was not on a pitch count against the Royals.

"They told me I didn't have a pitch count today," said Salazar. "But the sixth inning was a little for me and I think that's why they took me out."

The Indians answered in the third against Chen.

Gomes opened with a soft single to right. Michael Brantley followed with a double to right center. Gomes scored on an error by right fielder Lorenzo Cain. Aviles moved Brantley to third with a sacrifice bunt and Michael Bourn delivered him with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 3-2.

Nick Swisher added a single, but Jason Kipnis flied out to left to end the inning.

The Royals used their team speed to make it a 4-2 game in the fifth. One-out singles by Alcides Escobar and Alex Gordon put runners on first and third. With Emilio Bonifacio at the plate, Gordon broke for second. Gomes waited on the throw to see if Escobar was coming home on the double steal attempt. When Gordon stopped, Gomes threw to Cabrera at second. second.

Gordon was hung up in a rundown and that's when Escobar broke for home. Swisher threw to Mike Aviles at third, who threw to Gomes. Escobar hit the deck, and Gomes missed him with an attempted tag. Escobar jumped to his feet and scored.

"I committed to take Escobar back to third," said Gomes. "When I did that, I peeked to see if Gordon was going to third. When I did that he just dropped right under my tag. It was a pretty disappointing play on my part. It turned out to be a momentum play for them."

Escobar and Gordon were credited with stolen bases. Salazar retired the next two batters to end the inning.

"This was a tough series," said Gomes. "We want to get the momentum going, but Kansas City is playing good baseball. Now we've got to play a good series against Houston, then we've got Chicago again. We've got to finish the year strong and give ourselves a chance to make the postseason."

The Indians put a threat together in the sixth. Bourn hit a leadoff single to right and Swisher walked. That was hit for Chen as Francisely Bueno relieved to face Kipnis. The Indians second baseman, in a 0-for-10 skid, advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, but the Indians couldn't cash in.

Carlos Santana, swinging at the first pitch, grounded out weakly to third. Louis Coleman relieved and retired Ryan Raburn on a fly ball to right.

The Royals put the game away with three runs in the eighth. The inning started to snowball against the Tribe when Raburn dropped Perez's fly ball in right field for an error after Butler opened with a single.

Nick Hagadone walked in the second run and Carlos Carrasco gave up a two-run single to Escobar.

Join cleveland.com's Joey Morona for live coverage from Progressive Field starting at 6:05 p.m. as the Indians and Astros play Game 3 of their four-game series. Get updates and post your thoughts in the comments section in this post.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians look to keep hold of a wild card spot as they take on the Houston Astros tonight. Join cleveland.com's Joey Morona for live coverage from Progressive Field starting at 6:05 p.m. Get updates and post your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also follow The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff @dmansworld474 on . Stick around after the game for a live video show at 10:15 p.m.

Stay tuned to listen to the post-game show with Joey and D-Man at about 10:15 p.m. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Here are Ohio high school football scores for Saturday, September 21, 2013. Scores will be updated later tonight. Akr. Buchtel 19, Akr. Firestone 0

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Here are Ohio high school football scores for Saturday, September 21, 2013. Scores will be updated later tonight.

Akr. Buchtel 19, Akr. Firestone 0

Aquinas Institute, N.Y. 29, Youngs. Ursuline 3

Avon 52, Lakewood 7

Avon Lake 14, N. Ridgeville 7

Beachwood 46, Middlefield Cardinal 8

Bellaire 26, Richmond Edison 12

Bellefontaine 52, Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 6

Beverly Ft. Frye 51, Bowerston Conotton Valley 14

Bishop Donahue, W.Va. 26, Bellaire St. John 10

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 35, Olmsted Falls 3

Canisius, N.Y. 14, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 0

Casstown Miami E. 49, Arcanum 13

Chardon NDCL 29, Can. Cent. Cath. 22

Cin. Country Day 28, Lockland 8

Cin. McNicholas 42, Day. Carroll 40

Cin. Riverview East 21, Cin. Gamble Montessori 20

Cin. Summit Country Day 42, St. Bernard 0

Cle. Benedictine 35, Parma Hts. Holy Name 7

Cle. Glenville 34, Cle. Rhodes 0

Columbia Station Columbia 49, Oberlin Firelands 8

Elyria 44, Parma Hts. Valley Forge 6

Fairview 21, Wellington 0

Grafton Midview 42, Rocky River 27

Green 27, Richfield Revere 12

Hudson 22, Brunswick 13

Independence 42, Richmond Hts. 0

Lakewood St. Edward 48, Cin. Elder 7

Lorain 76, Warrensville Hts. 6

Madison 30, Hunting Valley University 10

Medina 33, Garfield Hts. 26

Medina Buckeye 47, Oberlin 12

Mt. Vernon 37, Cols. Franklin Hts. 15

N. Royalton 42, Parma 29

Perry 56, Orange 35

Riverside Stebbins 28, St. Paris Graham 22

Shaker Hts. 44, Parma Normandy 0

Sheffield Brookside 44, Brooklyn 24

Sparta Highland 28, Delaware Buckeye Valley 0

Sullivan Black River 36, Rocky River Lutheran W. 30

Troy 21, Springfield 20

Vienna Mathews 26, Hudson WRA 13

Westlake 29, N. Olmsted 28

Here's how the Associated Press Top 10 football teams fared in Week 4 for all seven divisions. Check back throughout the weekend for updates as they roll in. DIVISION I

Here's how the Associated Press Top 10 football teams fared in Week 4 for all seven divisions. Check back throughout the weekend for updates as they roll in.

St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle told his team "Discipline, men. Discipline on every play." That's before the Wildcats defeated McDowell. (Joe Noga, cleveland.com) PARMA, Ohio - Christian Klink made his first varsity start Saturday for cleveland.com's No. 3 St. Ignatius football team. But it was actually more than just Klink's first time under center for the Wildcats. It was...

St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle told his team "Discipline, men. Discipline on every play." That's before the Wildcats defeated McDowell. (Joe Noga, cleveland.com)

PARMA, Ohio - Christian Klink made his first varsity start Saturday for cleveland.com's No. 3 St. Ignatius football team.

But it was actually more than just Klink's first time under center for the Wildcats. It was his first varsity appearance. With starting quarterback John Thomas out with a shoulder injury and starting running back Michael Vitale still out with a foot injury, St. Ignatius' backups became starters and aided to beat McDowell, 49-10 at Byers Field.

This story will be updated with reaction and more details shortly.

In the first half, Klink went 4-of-7 passing for 143 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown pass.

Running back Enzo Cannata also made his name well known Friday. Cannata rushed 97 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns, including a 33-yard run for the Wildcats' opening score of the game. 

Cannata added a 2-yard touchdown run up the right side of the field midway through the third, and Klink followed that with a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Mike Siragusa with 3:10 left in the third.

St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle replaced Cannata with senior running back Kyle Daugenti for the final quarter.

After a stalled opening drive of the first quarter, the Wildcats punted the ball. McDowell's returner tried scrambling from defenders -- shifting from left to right. As a Wildcat lunged at the Trojan, McDowell's returner dropped the ball. A scramble ensued and the ball ended up sliding into the end zone. St. Ignatius' Nick Malarik fell on the ball to give the Wildcats their sixth score of the game.

McDowell went three-and-out on its next drive and as it went to punt, St. Ignatius' Lawrence Birchler blocked the punt, picked the ball up and ran it into the end zone. With 8:59 left, McDowell sent only six guys out onto the coverage team for the extra point.

Cannata finished the game with 19 carries for 112 yards. 

Klink went 8 of 15 for 226 yards and two touchdowns.

McDowell is now 0-2 against Ohio teams. St. Ignatius moves to 3-1.

Another victory over Houston keeps the Indians' season on the road to an amazing finish.

CLEVELAND, Ohio –- After another victory over downtrodden Houston Saturday, the night burned bright at Progressive Field from the fireworks Nick Swisher paid for.

The replay board carried highlights of Swisher and all his teammates. Ohio State fight songs roared over the loudspeakers in honor of the Indians top Buckeye, followed by the alma mater. Fan cams captured the joyous times baseball can bring in enormous close-ups. The sky boomed and blazed.

It was probably the next-best thing to supplying fireworks with his bat.

No matter what his statistics are, though, if you spend a little time around Swisher, you will go away thinking, rhetorically anyway, that he is where amazing happens. That is true, win or lose. That is true whether he has carried a loud bat, or given a shout-out to the fans after the game (as he did Saturday), or put $15,000 worth of smoke and noise on his tab after his salute.

You can’t stop Swisher’s exuberance, you can only hope to contain it. Swisher wakes up naturally caffeinated and spends the day finding amazing things to observe and then declare how amazed he is to see them. He walks in a manner that is not a strut, but that possesses swagger nonetheless. Baseball is his source of brotherhood, the clubhouse is his fraternity, and it is no surprise that he calls nearly everyone who passes by his locker “bro.”

This outpost of chatter is located next to the door to the training room and the showers. Seldom is heard, by those wandering in or out, by those nearby or faraway, a single phrase or sentence that contains a discouraging word or that omits the word “amazing.”

He is the type of player fans hated when he was with the Yankees, but have found to be likable and refreshingly extroverted now that he’s an Indian.

Indians manager Terry Francona said he looks for consistency in his players in these suspenseful times in the wild-card race. That goes for on the field and off. “You’ve got to be who you are. If you’re quiet, stay quiet. If you’re loud, stay loud. (Swisher) is the same guy every day,” said Francona.

Swisher is loud. So was his gesture of appreciation.

“The fireworks were a way to say thank you for everything,” said Swisher, who was the first free agent to buy into the Indians’ plans to rebuild by signing a long-term contract.

“The fans have been through everything, and now they have this amazing season. We’re in an amazing spot, and I think the fans have a lot to do with it,” he said.

This is a politically correct, but unusual opinion, at least when compared to the outspoken views of closer Chris Perez. The Indians rank next to last in American League attendance, ahead of only fellow wild-card hopeful Tampa Bay, with an average before Saturday of 19,317.

“Sometimes (poor attendance) is going to happen, but I’m a positive guy,” said Swisher. “I look back to how things were in the ‘90s. That’s what I want to bring back.”

The crowd of 26, 611 wasn’t like the ‘90s , which were a Browns-less utopia for the Tribe. But neither is the current team.

The 1990s Indians were an offensive juggernaut. Cast as “my power-hitter” in manager Terry Francona’s summer commercials that asserted, against all turnstile evidence, that this is a baseball town, Swisher has not proven to be the second coming of Albert Belle in either volatility or productivity.

Francona, as a players’ manager, is quick to dispute the perception that Swisher has been disappointing, however. Francona, after all, waited 72 games before moving Swisher from the cleanup spot. When that happened, Swisher didn’t pout or complain.

“He gives you the same thing, every day, and that’s good,” said Francona. “He’s exactly the same way. He wants to win so bad that sometimes he tries to do too much. If that’s the worst thing you can say about somebody, that’s a pretty good compliment.”

Swisher leads the Indians in homers, is second in walks, third in On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) and total bases and runs. The Indians don’t have a big bopper in the middle of the lineup, but Swisher has delivered his usual, professional season.

“When guys get a big contract, it doesn’t mean they have to hit .300 or drive in 100 (runs). He’s creeping up in walks, doubles and homers,” said Francona.

With 25 doubles, 74 walks and 20 homers, Swisher is on the threshold of his career averages of (rounding off the stats) 28 doubles, 74 walks and 23 homers. His 138 games played, despite missing six games with a left shoulder problem, beats his career average of 135.

“That’s one reason why we signed him. Guys who post every day, that’s important,” Francona said, referring either to Swisher’s durability in, to use a horse racing term, going to the post, or to his consistency in putting up numbers.

He was 1-for-3, with the lone hit a single Saturday. He also walked twice.To be honest, amazing is the position in which an Indians team left for dead so many times now finds itself. Individually, amazing speaks in a lower key now than in the ‘90s.

But Swisher and the others might still be enough, bro.

No. 25 Bedford entered the season with a perfect record,but an imperfect first half against No. 13 Cleveland Heights allowed the Tigers to cruise to a 37-19 victory in both teams' Lake Erie League opener. The Tigers' defense forced three turnovers before halftime, including a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back Melon' Haney-Barnes that got...

No. 25 Bedford entered the season with a perfect record,but an imperfect first half against No. 13 Cleveland Heights allowed the Tigers to cruise to a 37-19 victory in both teams' Lake Erie League opener.

The Tigers' defense forced three turnovers before halftime, including a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back Melon' Haney-Barnes that got the scoring started.

Cleveland Heights added to that lead on its next possession when quarterback Taz Pauldo sprinted 36 yards for a touchdown to push the score to 13-0. Two possessions later, a 2-yd touchdown run by senior Marcus Bagley made it 20-0.

After Bagley's touchdown, Bedford got the spark it need when senior Antione Stone returned the kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to cut the score to 20-6.

Any momentum the Bearcats had quickly vanished, though, as Bagley scored another touchdown on Cleveland Heights' next drive. The score capped a 27-point second quarter for the Tigers.

The 27 points that Cleveland Heights had at halftime were three more points than Beford had allowed all season coming into Saturday night's game.

Bagley found the endzone one more time in the third quarter to give him three scores on the night to go along with 60 rushing yards.

This story will be updated with reaction and more details shortly.

Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer is finally getting his big chance to be a starting quarterback, and he must do in the aftermath of the Trent Richardson trade.

MINNEAPOLIS --When Brian Hoyer was a young boy growing up in North Olmsted and dreaming about starting at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, he left a few things out of the script.

He never envisioned that his starting receiver in Greg Little would've just lost his starting job because he couldn't hang onto the football.

He never thought he'd be taking over a points-starved offense that's second-worst in the league with an average of eight per game.

He never guessed that his once-proud offensive line would be tied for first in the NFL with 11 sacks and down to its third-string right guard in Oniel Cousins.

 And most of all, he never dreampt that the Browns would have just traded away their star running back in Trent Richardson and that the offense might still be reeling by the time he stepped on the field.

 "It's a week in the life of the NFL,'' said running back Chris Ogbonnaya. "But Brian's going to be fine. He prepares very hard, he knows what to do with the football and (offensive coordinator) Norv Turner does a great job of getting those guys ready.''

Hoyer, making just his second career start, takes over a team that was rocked by the mid-week trade of Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick last season. Some players are concerned about their own futures, and the fans are furious. General consensus outside the building seems to be that the season's a wash.

"You can't listen to the crowd noise,'' said tight end Jordan Cameron. "A lot of people doubt what we're doing and doubt the way this program is going, but I think we're going in the right direction. We're moving forward with what we're doing and I think we're going to be fine. We're going to Minnesota to try to win the football game.''

Hoyer, the 19th starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999, knows it's a chance to prove he's a starting NFL quarterback. Browns coach Rob Chudzinski has stressed that he's looking for a spark, and if Hoyer provides it, the full-time job is his. Chudzinski has informed Brandon Weeden that he might not get his job back when healthy -- which could be as early as this week.

"This is what I came here for -- to play,'' said Hoyer, signed as a free agent in May. "You don't come here to be just a guy and I think anybody who plays this position in this league, they want to be on the field. If you don't have that drive, then you really don't belong. Anytime you get a chance to play, you’re building your resume. You look at guys all around the league who’ve played a few games here or there, now they’re starters and they’re doing a great job. so I think for me, that’s kind of in the back of my mind.''

The difference between this start and last year's, a loss to the Super Bowl-bound 49ers -- is that Hoyer was only with the Cardinals for three weeks when he was thrust into action in the season-finale.

"Obviously, this means more but you still have people coming at you and trying to take your head off, defending the passes and stuff like that,'' he said. "I've only started one game, but I've gotten my fair share of playing against some real defenses and I'm just excited about the opportunity and I'll do whatever it takes to help this team win."

What's more, Hoyer spent three years honing skills behind future Hall of Famer Tom Brady in New England, and learning to play at a Super Bowl-caliber level.   

"If anything, it's kind of a mindset that I gained by being there, having a sense of urgency, attention to detail, the little things help you take care of the big things,'' said Hoyer, who was let go in the final cuts of 2012. "There's probably not a better guy to learn from and I really went in every day trying to take as much as I could out of that situation."

Teammates such as tight end Jordan Cameron have noticed that Patriot-like panache.

"It's the way he is in the huddle,'' said Cameron. "He's very clear and very confident and we feed off that.''

In practice one day, all three quarterbacks -- including Jason Campbell, lined up about 20 yards away from a net with small pockets in it and fired away. Hoyer zipped all six of his passes into the tight pockets, while the other two missed about half their chances.

"It says something,'' said Cameron. "He's pretty accurate. He can put the ball in places where it needs to be.''

Hoyer doesn't have the same big gun as Weeden, but it's above average.

"Brian can make the throws we need to make,'' said Turner. "Right now, we haven’t been able to get those kind of (big) plays. It's a combination of the defenses we’re playing and obviously to get those type of plays you have to protect better than we’re protecting right now. He can make all the throws you need to make. he’s actually a very good deep-ball thrower.''

Hoyer will have the same protection problems as Weeden, with Cousins and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz both struggling. Weeden was hit 28 times and pressured a league-high 51. Question is, was part of the problem Weeden's release time, which is among the slowest in the league, according to profootballfocus.com? For the third straight week, the Browns will face some of the best pass-rushers in the business, including Jared Allen, who led the NFL with 22 sacks in 2011 -- a half-sack shy of tying the all-time record.

"We have the same issues we've had in the first two games,'' said Turner. "We're playing a very good defensive front, outstanding pass rushers, obviously like last week we’ve got to handle the crowd noise, we’ve got to handle the pass sets when they’re rushing the passer, so it is a big challenge.''

One big advantage Hoyer will have over Weeden is premier deep threat in Josh Gordon, who's back from his two-game suspension for a failed drug test.

"Everyone was excited we got Josh back out (in practice) and he made a bunch of plays,'' said Turner. "Those are the the kind of plays we had in those early preseason games, where we were moving the ball a little bit and made some big plays.''

Leading receiver Cameron, the only player to consistently jive with Weeden this season, got out to a slow start with Hoyer in practice, but they picked it up as the week went along.

"We got some things worked on after practice,'' he said. "The chemistry's been good. We connected a lot during the week and we'll try to carry that over into Sunday.''

Left tackle Joe Thomas acknowledged that working with Hoyer has been an adjustment, but he's still optimistic.

"We haven’t taken a whole lot of snaps with him as a one offensive line,'' he said. "(But) I'm excited to see Brian. He’s a really smart player. He’s a guy that plays with great tempo. He throws the ball accurately. He gets the ball out to the guy that needs to get the ball and I think he’s going to do a great job for us and he’s going to give us a great chance to win.”

Just the way Hoyer dreamed it up.

The Rattlers fumbled away an early turnover on a day when the Buckeyes admitted they didn't really have much go wrong.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The play went wrong for Ohio State on Saturday, and then it went more wrong for Florida A&M.

OSU quarterback Kenny Guiton was the national player of the week for the way he played against Cal last week. He wasn't supposed to go out on the Buckeyes' fourth offensive play of the day, after starting at the Floridan A&M 30-yardline, and get picked in the endzone. And after Rattlers cornerback Patrick Aiken made the pick, he wasn't supposed to try to return it out of the endzone, when taking a knee would have given his team the ball at the 20.

But Aiken did try to return it, he fumbled as he was stumbling and Jordan Hall hit him, and the Buckeyes recovered and wound up starting over, back at the 3-yardline, with Hall running it in for a touchdown on the next play. It was the first score in Ohio State's 76-0 win, and it could have been at the very least delayed.

“I got caught up in the moment and I made the mental error,” Aiken said. “I should have just kneed the ball in the endzone. It was just a mental error. Then I was stumbling and I tried to catch myself and some guy came and hit me from the side.”

And like that, his big play was wiped out, Aiken remembering coach Earl Holmes' words about one good play not being enough.

“It was a good felling,” Aiken said. “I made the interception but then again I fumbled the ball. So it didn't weigh out how it was supposed to do. It took the momentum away from us.”

Nothing was going to stop Ohio State from winning on Saturday. Asked what went wrong for the Buckeyes, senior OSU center Corey Linsley admitted that he couldn't really think of anything. That's why this play was so tough for the Rattlers. For a team fighting for pride, that was a tough blow to overcome.

“I never feel like the person in front of me is better than me,” Aiken said. “At no point in time.”

Maybe that's why his instinct, even against the No. 4 team in the country, was to try to make a play.

James Clark injured, Michael Bennett sits out: All a team wants to do in a game like this one is stay healthy. Ohio State couldn't do it. Freshman receiver James Clark went down and was carted off the field with what looked like a serious leg injury after the pile rolled him up as he was blocking and quarterback Cardale Jones was being tackled.

It happened on the first play of the third quarter, after Clark had played briefly in the first two games and the Florida native was looking to get his first serious playing time as a Buckeye. He could get a medical redshirt if his injury is serious enough to end his season.

Several other Buckeyes didn't play Saturday because of injury, including defensive linemen Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt and Tyquan Lewis and backup offensive lineman Kyle Dodson. But the biggest pregame injury surprise came from starting defensive tackle Michael Bennett, who was in pads but didn't play at all.

Elyria native Chase Farris found out as the game was ready to begin that he'd be starting in Bennett's place. Combined with Schutt and Washington, the Buckeyes were missing three of their top six defensive linemen.

Urban Meyer said he expects Washington back for Wisconsin next week after a groin injury has kept him out for two games, and Bennett should be ready as well after sitting with what Meyer called a stinger.

“We didn't bang him much during practice,” Meyer said of Bennett. “If that would have been a game we needed him, he was ready to go. But we just wanted him to go a few more days without contact on his shoulders. He will be ready next week.”

Redshirt watch for several big names: Redshirting can be difficult. Ask almost any Buckeye who sat on the sidelines his first season, and he'll tell you that. The question is whether a player can stay on track for his career, or whether he lets sitting out beat him down.

On its own, there's nothing wrong with redshirting. For the right player, it can be a huge benefit. Ask current fifth-year seniors like Jack Mewhort, Kenny Guiton, Chris Fields and Corey Linsley. One of Meyer's favorite phrases is that he doesn't redshirt. He wants freshmen ready to play, and he plays them. Of course, for whatever reason, either due to injury or something else, plenty of players aren't ready right away.

After Saturday, when the Buckeyes started emptying the bench in the second quarter, had most of the starters out by halftime and were rolling out walkons by the fourth quarter, the redshirt picture is much more clear. Meyer has also talked this week about not wasting a year for guys, and if you didn't play Saturday, the redshirt is obviously the plan. Though plans can change.

Big-name guys on redshirt watch based on that criteria are sophomore running back Bri'onte Dunn, sophomore receiver Michael Thomas, junior college transfer receiver Corey Smith, freshman H-back/receiver Jalin Marshall, freshman linebackers Mike Mitchell and Chris Worley and freshman cornerbacks Eli Apple and Gareon Conley.

The most obvious redshirt plan belongs to quarterback J.T. Barrett, who is coming off ACL surgery his senior year of high school. With Braxton Miller out and Kenny Guiton resting, No. 3 quarterback Cardale Jones went to the locker room with a cut on his hand in the third quarter. Rather than turn to Barrett, the Buckeyes put Guiton back in until Jones was ready.

“They're ready to go but they won't be used in mop-up time,” Meyer said. “We don't really redshirt but there are some guys that could be fine players down the road that I just didn't want to burn a year to get them five or 10 plays.”

The Indians kept their grip on a wild card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros in front of 26,611 enthusiastic fans at Progressive Field Saturday. Check out reaction from the clubhouse, the press box and on social media.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians kept their grip on a wild card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros in front of 26,611 enthusiastic fans at Progressive Field Saturday.

Starting pitcher Scott Kazmir struck out 10 in 7 shutout innings, while Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in the first.

Check out reaction from manager Terry Francona, along with Kazmir and outfielders Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn in the video at the top of this post.

Watch The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Joey Morona break down the win in their post-game show, below, followed by reaction from fans on social media.

Akron comes up just short again, falling to Louisiana-Lafayette

 

MIKE PETICCA

Special to The Plain Dealer

AKRON, Ohio -- A win at Michigan would have made Akron history. Alas, the Zips didn't get it.

Still, a win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday night at InfoCision Stadium would have somewhat eased the sting from that defeat at Ann Arbor last weekend. Again, though, the Zips fell painfully short as they lost to the Ragin' Cajuns, 35-30, after taking an early fourth-quarter lead.

The Zips drop to 1-3 heading into their Mid-American Conference opener next Saturday at Bowling Green. Louisiana-Lafayette, which had played respectably in losses at Arkansas and Kansas State, is 2-2.

Quarterback Terrance Broadway capped a 62-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle for a 28-24 Louisiana-Lafayette lead with 8:07 left. Then, the Ragin' Cajuns caught the Zips by surprise with an onside kick by Hunter Stover, who recovered the football himself at the Louisiana-Lafayette 46. Five plays later, the Ragin' Cajuns boosted their lead to 35-24 on Broadway's 14-yard touchdown pass to Darryl Surgent.

The Zips closed the scoring with 29 seconds left on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Pohl to Fransohn Bickley. The try for a two-point conversion in an attempt to pull within three points failed on an incomplete pass.

Akron finished 1-11 in each of the last three seasons while Louisiana-Lafayette won bowl games over San Diego State and East Carolina the last two years.

"If we're going to become the team we want to become and win bowl games, we've got to win games against those teams, and (Louisiana-Lafayette) won their last two bowl games," said Terry Bowden, in his second season as Akron's coach.

"It looks like, whether it be Michigan or Louisiana, we're going to be in some fourth-quarter ballgames."

Broadway completed 25 of 37 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 68 yards and two scores on 15 carries. Pohl finished 27-of-43 passing for 321 yards and three touchdowns -- including a 77-yarder to Zach D'Orazio - and had 43 yards on five carries.

Akron had taken a 24-21 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 37-yard wide receiver screen from Pohl to Bickley, a freshman from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. The 5-8, 145-pound Bickley caught Pohl's pass at the 40 and sped untouched along the right sideline.

Akron overcame a 14-0 deficit and went ahead, 17-14, with 4:45 left in the third quarter on Robert Stein's career-long 49-yard field goal. Stein missed field goal tries from 46 and 44 yards with Akron trailing, 35-24, and with 3:49 and 2:43 left, respectively.

Louisiana-Lafayette regained the lead, 21-17, on an 86-yard march capped by Broadway's 27-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Robinson. The score was upheld after review, as it was ruled that Robinson secured the football after bobbling it and before falling out of bounds along the right sideline a few yards into the end zone.

Louisiana-Lafayette opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when free safety Rodney Gillis intercepted a Pohl pass and returned it 28 yards to the Zips' 13, setting up Broadway's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Robinson. Broadway ran 15 yards for a score that upped the Ragin' Cajuns' lead to 14-0 five minutes into the second quarter.

Then, on the second play after the kickoff, and on its sixth series, the Akron offense struck. Pohl hit wide receiver D'Orazio, running a skinny post, in stride at midfield and D'Orazio scampered untouched the rest of the way for a 77-yard touchdown that cut the Louisiana-State lead to 14-7.

Akron forced a three-and-out Ragin' Cajuns' punt and marched 69 yards in six plays to forge a 14-14 tie with 5:26 to go before halftime. Jawon Chisholm got the touchdown on a 22-yard run that he cut upfield over left tackle. It was the second play after Pohl's 32-yard pass to Tyrell Goodman on a slant.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The big news out of Berea today was that third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer will start for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against Minnesota in place of injured Brandon Weeden, who is out with a sprained right thumb suffered in Sunday's loss to Baltimore. Browns coach Rob Chudzinski announced today that Hoyer earned the nod over backup...

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The big news out of Berea today was that third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer will start for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against Minnesota in place of injured Brandon Weeden, who is out with a sprained right thumb suffered in Sunday's loss to Baltimore.

Browns coach Rob Chudzinski announced today that Hoyer earned the nod over backup Jason Campbell, who had been penciled in as the No. 2 quarterback since joining the Browns. Hoyer  finished training camp as the No. 3.

Hoyer grew up in North Olmsted and was a standout at Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School, but his career then took him to Michigan State, New England, Pittsburgh and Arizona before his return to Northeast Ohio.

Here is a look at Hoyer's career from his high school days onward:

Brian Hoyer and his St. Ignatius teammates celebrate a 2001 win over Massillon.PD file 

2002

High school

Sept. 7: Hoyer throws for 234 yards as St. Ignatius tops Erie Cathedral Prep, 28-0.

Sept. 21: Hoyer tosses two touchdown passes, including a 77-yarder to future Ohio State standout Anthony Gonzalez, in a 45-35 loss to Cincinnati Elder at Lakewood Stadium.

November: St. Ignatius goes on to make the playoffs before losing to Warren Harding in the regional quarterfinals, 24-17. Hoyer finishes the season with 18 touchdown passes and more than 2,000 yards.

2003

July 21: Hoyer, ranked among the state's top 10 college prospects by several football publications and scouting reports, announces he has accepted a football scholarship to Michigan State and coach John L. Smith. Hoyer also was being recruited by South Carolina, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Ohio State, Duke, Bowling Green, Michigan and Cincinnati.


Sept. 20: Hoyer leads the Wildcats to a 34-13 win over Canton McKinley at Fawcett Stadium. Hoyer throws for three TDs and was 7-for-7 passing for 94 yards in the second half. His biggest throw was a fourth-and-inches gamble from the McKinley 39 midway through the third. Chuck Kyle sent in two running plays, but when Hoyer saw McKinley in its goal-line defense, he audibled to a pass, hitting Josiah Kedzior for 10 yards on slant. On the next play, Hoyer fired a perfect 29-yard TD pass to Chris Rigo to give St. Ignatius a 28-14 lead and full command of the game.

Nov. 8: Hoyer's senior season at St. Ignatius ends with a 9-3 team record after a 31-0 regional-semifinal playoff loss to Mentor. Hoyer posts 2,600 passing yards and 23 touchdowns in 2003.

2004

June 19: Hoyer is named a Plain Dealer All-Star - in baseball. As a senior pitcher-outfielder, he helped the Wildcats to their third state final-four appearance in five seasons. He was 7-1 on the mound and batted .330 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 34 RBI. In an 8-0 regional win over Findlay, he belted two home runs.

At Michigan State, Brian Hoyer and Javon Ringer, his running back teammate, share a moment after a win in East Lansing.AP 

2005

Plays in five games, completing 15-of-32 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

2006

Plays in eight games as a sophomore, completing 82-of-144 passes for 863 yards with four touchdowns.

2007

Becomes the Spartans' full-time starter as a junior, going 223-of-376 for 2,725 yards with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Highlights: Named Honorable Mention All Big-Ten

Lowlights: Loses each game against a ranked opponent, including the Champs Sports Bowl vs. Boston College.

2008

Completes 180 of 353 passes for 2,404 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Highlights: Throws for 282 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-21 win against Michigan.

Lowlights: Loses to all three ranked opponents (Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia)

2009

Video of Hoyer prior to the 2009 NFL Draft:

Tom Brady, left, and backup Brian Hoyer, right, horse around during a drill at Patriots practice. Hoyer served as Brady's backup with New England.AP 

April 25, 2009: Despite being invited to the Scouting Combine, Hoyer is not selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. He signs after the draft as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots.

Aug. 20, 2009: Hoyer debuts in the Patriots' preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, completing 11-of-19 attempts for 112 yards.

Sept. 3, 2009: In the team's preseason finale against the New York Giants, Hoyer starts and plays the entire game, leading the Patriots to a comeback 38-27 win after trailing 21-0 in the first quarter. He finishes the game completing 18-of-25 passes for 242 yards, including one touchdown and non interceptions.

Hoyer finishes the preseason completing 29-of-44 passes for 354 yards, including one touchdown and a 98.1 passer rating.

Sept. 5, 2009: Hoyer makes the final cut on the Patriots' roster as Tom Brady's lone backup.

October 18, 2009: Hoyer makes his NFL debut in the second half against the Tennessee Titans. On his first drive, he is 5-for-5 for 35 yards, including a 1-yard rushing touchdown. The Patriots go on to win the game, 59-0, which sets a franchise record for points.

He finishes the 2009 season going 19-for-27 for 142 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in four games.

2010 NFL season

Hoyer enters the preseason as Brady's only backup. In preseason play, he finishes 32-of-57 passing for 471 yards and three touchdowns. He is sacked four times and has one pass intercepted.

Nov. 7, 2010: Hoyer throws his first pass attempt of the season against the Browns in Cleveland. He finishes 0-for-2.

Jan. 2, 2011: He sees his most playing time against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, going 7-for-13 for 122 yards and one touchdown, which was his first TD pass of his career, a 42-yard pass to Brandon Tate.

Hoyer appears in five games during the 2010 season, finishing 7-for-15 for 122 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

2011 NFL season

The Patriots draft Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett with the 74th pick overall (3rd round) of the 2011 NFL Draft. Hoyer opens the season as the primary backup for Brady, with Mallett third-string.

During the preseason, Hoyer throws for 296 yards on 25-of-42 passing with one touchdown.

Jan. 1, 2012: Hoyer's only pass of the season is during the Patriots' season finale against the Buffalo Bills. That pass was a 22-yard touchdown to tight end Rob Gronkowski to give Gronkowski the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a season.

2012 NFL season

Aug. 31, 2012: During the final roster cuts, Hoyer is released by the Patriots.

Steelers backup quarterbacks Brian Hoyer, left, and Charlie Batch.AP 

Nov. 30, 2012: Hoyer signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers after Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich are injured within a week of each other. He serves as Charlie Batch's backup in Weeks 12 and 13 against the Browns and Ravens.

Dec. 8, 2012: Hoyer is released by the Steelers.

December 10, 2012: Hoyer is claimed on waivers by the Arizona Cardinals.

Hoyer in action with the Cardinals in 2012.AP 

Dec. 26, 2012: Replacing Ryan Lindley, Hoyer comes in and completes 11-of-19 passes for 105 yards in a Week 16 matchup against the Bears. He does throw one interception.

Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt announces that Hoyer will start the season finale against the 49ers, making him the fourth quarterback for the Cardinals during the season.

Hoyer finishes 19-for-34 with 225 yards, one touchdown and one interception against San Francisco. His final 2012 season stats are 30-for-53 for 330 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

2013 NFL season

May 12: Hoyer is released by the Cardinals.

May 16: Hoyer is signed by the Browns to a 2-year contract.

Sept. 18: Hoyer is announced as the starter for the Browns for Sunday's game at Minnesota. His NFL career starts prior to this week's start against the Vikings: 57-for-96, 616 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions for a passer rating of 72.2.

- Compiled by cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Glenn Moore, Joe Noga, David Campbell

With Big Ten play on the horizon, our Cleveland.com coverage crew provides keen observations following Ohio State's 76-0 win against Florida A&M.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Florida A&M tallied only two first downs against Ohio State in Saturday's 76-0 laugher. Our Cleveland.com coverage crew helps move the chains with some astute takeaways from the one-sided affair.

Five observations from Zack Meisel:

1. These aren't your mother's Buckeyes. Kenny Guiton attempted 23 passes in the first quarter on Saturday. At the same time, Woody Hayes was rolling in his grave. Ohio State ran the ball on every play in the second half, an attack more parallel to the ones run by past regimes in Columbus, even though this was more a result of the difference on the scoreboard. These Buckeyes -- whether via a run, a pass, a shovel pass, an option play -- strike fast. Their first two drives against Cal last week both ended in touchdowns and both required only two plays. Four of their five scoring drives in the first quarter against Florida A&M required only one or two plays.

2. Guiton's maturity and growth is easy to notice. He made an astute observation following Saturday's win when he said that even if his playing time diminishes in the coming weeks when Braxton Miller returns, his time on the field has boosted his ability to be a leader. He was selected as one of eight team captains prior to the start of the season, and is the only one not to own a regular starting job. His play, however, has provided his teammates more reason to trust him in the huddle and on the sideline.

3. With one flex of his muscles, Carlos Hyde proved how valuable he will be moving forward. The running back, in his first action since serving a three-game suspension, flashed his biceps to the crowd after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter on Saturday. He only carried the ball five times for 41 yards and caught one pass -- the touchdown -- for one yard, but he showed some burst out of the backfield, executed a nice spin move and on one run, dragged a few Rattlers defenders with him for a first down. Hyde will be the much-needed thunder to pair with the lightning provided by Jordan Hall.

4. I wouldn't want to have to prepare a defensive gameplan against Ohio State's offense. The Buckeyes have too many big-play threats, between Hall, Hyde, Ezekiel Elliott, Dontre Wilson, Devin Smith and Corey Brown. Urban Meyer said the team was missing that element last season. This year, there aren't enough footballs to go around to keep all of the big-play targets occupied.

5. Meyer is a smart guy. He gave his team some extra rest following the cross-country trek back from California last weekend. He said Wednesday that, to his surprise, the coaching staff didn't have to motivate the team during the week, despite the FCS opponent. So after an easy win, he bucked the postgame trend of having assistant coaches praise certain players and immediately shifted the team's focus to Wisconsin, the next opponent on the Buckeyes' schedule. Why review what worked in an 11-touchdown victory? Instead, Meyer has his team focused on its first Big Ten adversary earlier than usual.

Five observations from Ari Wasserman:

1. Quarterback controversy? No, but Braxton Miller not playing is concerning. Urban Meyer said he wanted starting quarterback Braxton Miller to play, but the quarterback opted to sit another game by claiming he wasn’t ready. Maybe that’s the responsible decision from Miller – we all knew he wasn’t needed vs. Florid A&M – but you wouldn’t expect that from someone most players have said has been chomping at the bit to get ready. Remember, Miller was probably on Monday. So it is either two things with Miller – he is either still hurt enough not to play (which makes his status questionable moving forward) or not willing to push himself while banged up. Either way, that’s bad news for Ohio State heading into the Big Ten opener against Wisconsin.

2. There’s a big spot for Jordan Hall on this team. I thought before the season that Hall would be nothing but a placeholder while Ohio State got through Carlos Hyde’s three-game suspension. I was wrong. A fifth-year senior, Hall is the perfect complimentary piece to Hyde. And for the first time in his Ohio State career, Hall has shown consistent playmaking ability over the course of multiple games. He may not get as many carries as he did at the beginning of this year, but he has a hold on his spot.

3. Jeff Heuerman is a really good all-around tight end. Earlier in the week I wrote abut Heuerman was making a name for himself despite not lighting the world on fire in the passing game. Well, Meyer wanted to make sure his tight end was rewarded against Florida A&M by looking for him. A huge target who is among the strongest players on the team, Heuerman found the end zone and had four receptions, matching his season total coming into the game. Heuerman is an outstanding blocker, but he can also make plays in the passing game. In other words, he’s the perfect tight end for Meyer’s offense.

4. Ezekiel Elliott is the perfect back for Meyer’s offense. With his 121 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter against Florida A&M, Elliott showed flashes against of what Meyer fell in love with during the recruiting process. Elliott is a really fast and agile player, but he also can put his shoulder down and run through a tackle. Though he is still early in his career, he strikes me as someone who projects as the ideal running back in Meyer’s offense. I think he’ll be the perfect compliment in the backfield at running back to weapons like Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall in the future.

5. Speaking of Marshall, he won’t play this year. Along with Wilson and Elliott, Marshall came to Ohio State as one of the jewels of the Buckeyes’ 2013 recruiting class. But after Meyer stashed Marshall despite playing just about everyone in the Buckeyes’ win over the Rattlers, it is clear that Marshall isn’t in Ohio State’s plans this year. Perhaps Marshall was set back too much with his concussion during camp, and maybe Marshall will be a game-breaking talent in the future. Just not this year.

Five observations from Doug Lesmerises:

2. The backfield is crowded, and this was only Florida A&M, but Ezekiel Elliott proved, for sure, he has a role on this team. Meyer said Jordan Hall, Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith are the top three backs, but after running for 162 yards on 14 carries, Elliott looks like a great change of pace. He ran through some tackles, and sometime in the late third quarter next week against Wisconsin, when everyone is tired, I'd put him at tailback for a series and see if he can't run through a few more tackles.

3. Umpire Jim Krogstad went down after he was unable to get out of the way on a Jordan Hall run, hit first by Hall, then by a Florida A&M tackler. OSU quarterback Kenny Guiton went over to check on Krogstad and tried to hand him his hat, but the official swiped his own hat off the ground and stood up on his own, as Guiton patted him on the back. Stuff happens, but I liked what former Ohio State linebacker and fullback had to say about the play.

Feel bad for ref. It's a fast game n they do their best out there. Just avoided to wrong side of the play. That's guys a good guy too!

— Zach Boren (@ZBoren44) September 21, 2013

4. Injuries are always a risk, and that would have been true with Braxton Miller on Saturday. But that risk never goes away. So Meyer said he wanted him to play against Florida A&M, and that would have helped. But Miller didn't feel ready. There has to be some trepidation with a quarterback who hasn't tested his lateral movement in a game on his sprained MCL and now will be thrown into Big Ten play, in a game where a few rusty series could matter. I asked center Corey Linsley, who missed time in preseason camp and early in the year with a foot injury, if there should be concerns about Miller being rusty. He had none. But it's not easy to come back right on track.

“I don't know how it is for a quarterback,” Linsley said. “But it was harder for me to have my body callous up to all the contact.”

5. I liked how Florida A&M coach, and former Browns linebacker, Earl Holmes summed up the Rattlers' trip and 76-point loss at Ohio State.

“You're talking to a former guy that played in the NFL for 10 years,” Holmes said. “It's always worth it.”

Urban Meyer is 16-0 as head coach at Ohio State, and the Buckeyes' winning streak is the longest in the nation after Saturday's 76-0 win, the school's most lopsided victory since 1935.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Buckeyes weren't the only ranked team to cruise through their Saturday afternoon or evening. Ohio State was one of four teams inside the Top 25 to total 70 or more points. Louisville thumped Florida International, 72-0. Miami (Fla.) completed a 77-7 drubbing of Savannah State, a game in which the coaches agreed to shorten the fourth quarter to expedite the process of putting everyone out of their misery. Baylor squashed Louisiana-Monroe, 70-7. ... Ohio State's 76-0 win marked the school's largest margin of victory since an 85-7 triumph over Drake in 1935. The 76-point advantage tied for the fifth-largest in program history. The Buckeyes also recorded a 76-0 win in 1934 against Western Reserve. The 76 points are the sixth-most in a game in school history, and the most since an 83-21 win against Iowa in 1950. ... For the first time since 2005, the Buckeyes have scored 40 or more points in four consecutive games. Urban Meyer's bunch has outscored opponents, 102-14, in the first quarter this season. On Saturday, the Buckeyes breached the end zone five times in the opening frame. ... Ohio State has amassed more than 600 yards each of the last two weeks. The Buckeyes compiled 608 yards against Cal and 603 yards against Florida A&M. ... Only four Ohio State quarterbacks have ever thrown for five touchdowns in a game. Only one has thrown for six. In his second career start, fifth-year senior Kenny Guiton, the new program record-holder, tossed all six of his scores in the first half on Saturday. Guiton completed passes to 10 different receivers. Five different targets caught touchdown passes.  

Urban Meyer is 16-0 as Ohio State's head coach.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer

 ... The Buckeyes have scored on 21 of their 22 trips to the red zone this season. Twenty of those 21 scores have been touchdowns. On Saturday, they cashed in on 11 of their 12 trips -- an interception in the end zone on Ohio State's opening drive was the only miscue. ... Cornerback Doran Grant blocked a Florida A&M punt in the first quarter. Since 2005, Meyer's teams are now 19-0 when blocking a punt. ... Meyer is 16-0 as head coach of Ohio State. The Buckeyes' last loss came in the Gator Bowl against Meyer's former Florida squad. Ohio State's 16-game winning streak is the longest in the nation and the fifth-longest in school history. The team won a program-record 22 consecutive games from 1967-69.

A concern about how Jason Campbell (a slow release on his passes) would handle the pass rush in Minnesota also helped Brian Hoyer get the start.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Scribbling about the Browns quarterback situation and other things as they prepare to face the Vikings:

1. I did some checking about the decision to start Hoyer over Jason Campbell. My goodness, you'd think the Browns had decided to play Todd Philcox over Otto Graham, based on how some people reacted. Rather, the coaches -- and yes, they made this decision -- believe that Hoyer has been strong in practice, dating back to the fourth preseason game when he played all four quarters against the Bears. Hoyer threw for 307 yards on 24-of-35 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions, a rating of 82.7. His stock with the coaches has been rising, while Campbell has stayed the same.

2. Based on Brandon Weeden being hit 28 times (including 11 sacks) in the first two games, every NFL team knows the Browns have major pass protection problems. The right side of the line is a complete disaster. The Browns expected Oniel Cousins to struggle, but the shocking part is how Mitchell Schwartz has been overwhelmed at right tackle. Profootballfocus.com has him allowing five sacks in two games. Furthermore, All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas had a rough game against Baltimore. The Browns wondered who was better suited to handle the pass rush -- Hoyer or Campbell?

3. So the Browns will be playing on the road, in a dome, against a Viking defense that plans to bring lots of blitzes. The Viking have 21 more sacks at home in the last five years compared to one the road. One of the knocks on Campbell is that he has a very slow release when throwing the ball. And that he often will try to take off and run. And at 31, he is not as quick as was the case a few years ago.

4. Making his second NFL regular season start, the Browns know that Hoyer could really struggle. But they also think that Hoyer's ability to read defenses and deliver quick passes may help avoid the rush and move the ball. As they talked about Hoyer vs. Campbell for this game at Minnesota, they thought Hoyer made more sense in this game.

5. It's not just General Manager Mike Lombardi who likes Hoyer, the St. Ignatius product has impressed the coaches. Remember, the opinion of the coaches on the quarterback situation does count. When the Browns were wondering if they should give Weeden a chance in 2013 or turn to another quarterback, coach Rob Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner pushed for Weeden. And the front office took the recommendation.

6. Hoyer and Campbell each started one game a year ago -- and both against San Francisco. Playing for Chicago, Campbell was 14-of-22 passing for only 107 yards. He threw one touchdown, had two passes picked off and had a 52.7 rating. The 49ers won, 32-7.

7. Playing for Arizona, Hoyer faced the 49ers in 2012. He was 19-of-34 passing for 225 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, a 73.8 rating. The 49ers won, 27-13.

8. No grand conclusions can be drawn, but Hoyer did seem more productive than Campbell in the one start against the same team.

9. Some fans thought Chudzinski would automatically say Weeden will start when the quarterback's sprained right thumb is healed. Instead, the coach said, "We’re just going to take it week by week and see where (Weeden's) at and where we’re at…He’s played two games. I’d love to see more of him.”

10. Chudzinski is keeping his options open. Suppose Hoyer plays well the next two weeks, then Weeden is healed. Do you bench Hoyer? Probably not.

11. The opposite is true for the Minnesota game. Suppose Hoyer is horrible. Chudzinski could turn to Campbell.

12. Weeden has been in the shotgun for 78 percent of his passes this season -- compared to 43 percent last year. A year ago, Weeden was far better in the shotgun than when passing under center. This season, he's 8-of-18 passing under center, 39-of-66 in the shotgun. The truth is that he's not been very effective either way.

13. The Browns are a dismal 5-of-29 converting third downs to first downs. Four of those have been on passes to Davone Bess, the other on a pass to Greg Little.

There are a variety of reasons why teams fail to convert on first downs -- but the main one is a lack of impact players. That can be a quarterback who has a knack of delivering a quick, accurate pass to a receiver at just the right moment.

14. With Josh Gordon back from his suspension, that should help the third-down conversion rate. It's also worth mentioning that Gordon caught passes of 32 and 45 yards from Hoyer in the preseason game against the Bears.

15. I have been critical of what I believe was Trent Richardson's lack of speed and big play ability. Richardson's supporters say I've been unfair because the Browns blocking has been so poor. Richardson is averaging 3.4 yards per carry, 105 yards in 31 rushes. His longest run is 10 yards. I wondered what profootballfocus.com thought of Richardson, and I was shocked: They rate him No. 1 in "elusive rating," based on yards gained after his blocking breaks down. They also rate him No. 3 in making tacklers miss. And he's No. 3 in "Yards after contact." Based on those ratings, Richardson should have a big year with the Colts, where the blocking is better and quarterback Andrew Luck will prevent defenses from stacking thee line to stop the run.