Justin Verlander takes the mound as Detroit looks to break out of its slump Thursday against the visiting Cleveland Indians.

(AP) -- After an inconsistent season while pitching under the pressure of a sizable new contract, Justin Verlander has gotten off to a solid start in 2014.

The union talk has changed the context in college sports and some changes that have been slow to come may start emerging, like more food for athletes.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ramogi Huma's focus is on Northwestern. Until that university’s football players vote on whether to unionize, with the vote scheduled for April 25, the head of the College Athletes Players Association has a priority.

But there’s a broader perspective behind it all. There is more to come.

“Oh, definitely,” Huma told cleveland.com in a recent phone interview. “Our vision is to empower as many players as we can. That’s not something that happens overnight. But we'd like to see more players represented with a real voice on issues.”

The echo of those voices must be heard in a recent snack suggestion. It shows why an athletic director like Ohio State’s Gene Smith, who has made it clear he doesn't believe that college athletes are employees, and the union push led by Huma and Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter aren't on opposite sides of the issue, at least not at every moment, not on every issue.

On some, Huma, Colter and the college players taking this stance are helping to push foot-dragging athletic departments toward athletic directors like Smith and programs like Ohio State. Like with food.

Smith has wanted a stipend for athletes for years. He said recently that he thought if the NCAA had enacted reforms five years ago, maybe it wouldn't be facing this union fight. The ruling by the NCAA Legislative Council this week to adopt a proposal allowing schools to feed athletes more was in the works before the union push began with a National Labor Relations Board hearing in February, and before the NLRB ruled this month that athletes are employees.

But every step can be seen as a reaction now.

When the Ohio House legislative committee introduced an amendment to say that college athletes in the state aren't employees, it was a reaction.

"We want to make sure lawmakers understand what the issues truly are before they have knee-jerk reactions," Huma said.

When Connecticut basketball star Shabazz Napier recently told reporters before leading the Huskies to the national title that he sometimes goes to bed "starving," it was a reaction. 

In the short term I doubt many athletes will see a lot more food all the time. Snacks available might expand beyond fruits, nuts and bagels. Athletes who are hungry late at night will be able to call a coach or noncoaching staff member and get a meal when normal facilities are closed. Instead the approach will be to provide more food at the time athletes need it the most and when an extra meal has the biggest impact on performance.

At the start of a season or during vacation periods when training is most intense is where the most additional food will be provided. An athlete who is on a meal plan designed for a 2,500 or 3,000 calorie/day diet who needs two-three times that might get four or five meals per day between their meal plan, per diem, and extra meals provided by the athletic department.

The inaugural baseball roundtable for 2014 asked area coaches what rule they would change.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More baseball games this week have been forced to be rescheduled with an early-spring snow this week.

The cold forced baseball coaches, once again, to draft up new schedules, which got us thinking, what other new changes would they like drafted?

Throughout the season, we are introducing a weekly baseball roundtable, where we ask a group of coaches or players a question to learn a little bit more about them. We started the inaugural roundtable by asking coaches if they could change any rule, what would it be? 

Rule changes are drawing a lot of attention this week because the National Federation of State High School Association's basketball rules committee will meet on Monday to go over basketball rule change proposals. We've been covering the proposals of shot clocks, 18-minutes halves, what rules fans would change and how to even write a proposal so far this week.

Steve Norris, Willoughby South: I would like to see the limit on games played removed. I think that the baseball season (games) should run April 10-June 1.

Dave Eberly, Eastlake North: My rule change is if like to be able to play 32 games. Basketball went up in games last year to 22, so I was hoping baseball would as well. 

John Bakalar, Crestwood: If I could propose a rule change for baseball it would be to allow for more games to be scheduled during the season and also extending the season a week earlier and a week later to make this happen. I realize this winter has been brutal and not every spring is like this, but we just try to cram so many games into a short amount of time and then by the time the weather breaks the season is over.

Dan Largent, Olmsted Falls: For weather reasons, I would change the start date to the second week of April and push everything else (including the playoffs) back accordingly. If falls sports can start nearly a month before school begins, why can't the state championships be a week or two after the year ends?

Tune in every week during the baseball season as we learn a little bit about many of the areas players and coaches. Next week, we will ask a group a players a question. Do you have any questions that you would like to have answered by the players? Post them in the comments section below.

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

With about a month left in his recovery, Alex Mackall is targeting July's freestyle cadet nationals in Fargo, N.D., for his return.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio – Like every other wrestler, Walsh Jesuit's Alex Mackall dreamed of standing atop the state tournament awards podium, enjoying everything that comes with the moment.

The medal. The oversized bracket. The pictures. The applause.

But on March 1, the sophomore's Division I 120-pound state title came with an unwanted bonus: A sling, suitable for carrying a broken elbow.

The injury came in the final moments of his championship bout against Massillon Perry's Jake Newhouse. Down 7-4 late in the third period, Newhouse was scrambling to create something at the edge of the mat. Mackall put his left hand on the mat and posted his arm for leverage. Newhouse crashed into it. First, Mackall heard a pop, then the final buzzer.

He won a state title, but there was no celebration. Mackall quickly made his way to a trainer's room at Ohio State's Value City Arena where an X-ray revealed a chipped bone in his elbow.

"On a scale of 1-10, it was a 10," said Mackall. "It hurt so bad. I don't even remember walking off the (mat).

"Of course, it probably would've hurt a lot worse if I hadn't won."

Guess im a robot for the next 6-8 weeks. pic.twitter.com/2SzmGwGZa6

— Alex Mackall (@a_mackall21) March 3, 2014

Back home the Monday after winning his state title, Mackall had his elbow checked by a doctor, who added a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) to the injury list. Mackall still has a month to go in his rehabilitation.

The injury has cut into Mackall's summer off-season plans. He has missed out on numerous wrestling camps and will miss the Fila Cadet National Championships held at the University of Akron at the end of May. He's targeting July's freestyle cadet nationals in Fargo, N.D., for his return.

"I've been doing a lot of running and a ton of sprints, some biking. On team lifts, I do squats and leg presses," said Mackall. "I'm not allowed to pick up a weight yet."

Mackall will be one of four defending state champions in Division I next season, and one of two – along with Wadsworth's Noah Baughman - from Northeast Ohio in any division. He earned that distinction after winning perhaps the toughest weight class at this year's state tournament.

The 120-pound bracket featured seven returning state placers, including two 2013 runners-up. There was also a one-loss freshman (Cincinnati LaSalle's Corey Shie) whom Mackall had lost to during the regular season, and Newhouse, who had waited his turn behind state champions the previous two seasons and lost a 4-3 decision to Mackall in their district final.

It didn't matter. Mackall dominated the bracket. He won by pin, technical fall and major decision (vs. Shie) to reach the final.

It was certainly a run worth celebrating. Even though Mackall earned a jump-in-your-coach's-arms moment by beating Newhouse, he was too busy clutching his elbow to take it.

"But once we were done in the trainer's room, me and coach (Adam Koballa) talked and had a behind-the-scenes celebration," said Mackall.

@WJBNSportspic.twitter.com/WUHxRnQ5sU

— Alex Mackall (@a_mackall21) March 2, 2014

Walsh Jesuit's two other state placers, Nolan Whitely (third, 132) and Mike Kostandaras (first, 138), will graduate this year, leaving Mackall as the only Warrior to reminisce about the state tournament.

Also, Koballa is excited about his incoming freshman class, which should give Mackall plenty of opportunities to mentor.

"We have a lot of upcoming seventh and eighth graders and I know a lot of them," said Mackall. "Once I won (state), I think more of them wanted to come here because they know I'll be here to drill with them."

After finishing seventh at 106 his freshman year, Mackall had to adjust his goals. Four state championships was out of the question, but he remains on pace for his new goal of three.

"This past year was a confidence booster for me," said Mackall. "But I'm not going to think about (being defending state champ) all through next season. Last season won't mean anything to me. I have another goal, and it's to just win another state title."

And maybe have at least one good on-the-mat celebration.

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Have your Browns questions ready for the chat.

BEREA, Ohio -- After months of hype, the NFL Draft is finally just three weeks away.

Who should the Browns take with the No. 4 pick? Should they wait to take a quarterback? What have you thought of Ray Farmer's first few months as general manager?

All topics are on the table. We'll start the chat at noon. Make sure to join us.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has time to reflect on a season gone bad. Which is good because he has more big issues facing him than he had a year ago.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Maybe it’s best Dan Gilbert is tied up in league meetings today and tomorrow. He could use time to make sure he gets it right before making his next decision or statement.

In the last year, he said the Cavs would not return to the lottery, rehired the coach he fired on the strong recommendation of the GM he trusted so much -- right up until he didn’t.

His All-Star point guard, a year removed from skipping out on the season finale shoe giveaway, threw shoes (and nearly bouquets) into the crowd Wednesday night in the season finale.

Kyrie Irving stopped short of saying he’d sign a max extension but otherwise said he liked the direction of the franchise, wanted head coach Mike Brown to return, and also wanted to be part of something “special.”

We won’t know about Irving for sure until July when the Cavs can offer the extension (though the Cavs will know whether he’s willing to sign a max deal before that). Prediction: he isn’t.

Gilbert’s big decisions will come before that. What does he do with David Griffin? Keep him as GM? Hire a team president to oversee Griffin? Hire a team president and give him the power to hire his GM and head coach?

It’s time for Gilbert to decide whether the mistake was firing Brown or rehiring him.

Gilbert has benefitted from the low bar of public opinion. He’s been revered for the letter he wrote the night of “The Decision” and for his willingness to spend money.

Nobody questions his passion. But it's also time to stop giving him a pass because of it.

We're a long way removed from the charm of Nick Gilbert's "What's not to like?"

It’s time to judge him on the organization he’s built post-LeBron. The one that’s going back to the lottery again.

This time carrying a 98.3 percent chance that its luck has run out.

Alabama fans were not pleased with Cleveland fans, who were all in unison about McCarron, stating "this guy isn't a playmaker". Read some of the responses from Alabama fans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have or will work out most of the quarterbacks available in the upcoming NFL Draft. They recently had Alabama AJ McCarron in Cleveland, according to reports.

"Like Cleveland fans are such experts on winning. LOL" -- abrellbama

"Rejected by fans of the worst team in the NFL. That's pretty bad. McCarron better start planning for his illustrious future as an insurance salesman in Alabama sooner rather than later." -- SQLServerJediKnight

"I find it amusing that a young man who has 3 championship rings and was only a few plays from having as many as 5, who has the same number of losses as a starter in a 5 year career as he does rings, and started for 3+ years is "not a play maker". I think that says more about the source of the comment than about AJ." -- eggfoot

"If AJ wants a prolonged career, Cleveland may not be the best place for him. He had a better scout team O-line at Bama." -- Barnett Wright | bwright@al.com

"Wow...you are not gonna draft a guy after watching one game against Oklahoma?

I'm still confused as to how he is not a "playmaker"? I guess the pass to Cooper with the SEC championship on the line ....with ice water in his veins was just pure luck.

Johnny Manziel looked like garbage against Auburn and LSU as well so should I post "I'm not so sure on Manziel after those games." -- Poonanny

"They should try and get those HUNH QBs like Weeden and McCoy! Oh wait..." -- heirbull

"What teams would you avoid at all costs? Cleveland, Oakland, (I would say Jacksonville, but that's a great place to live)... Buffalo?" -- THERAPIST

"AJ would fail in Cleveland, as would anyone else. If I'm him I'm praying they don't want me." -- wareaglemd

"I really like these opinions from Browns fans. Because if anyone knows how to evaluate talent and be completely wrong, it's the Browns." -- pirate402307

"Trust me, Cleveland isn't where he wants to go anyway. You think Bama has some crazy fans, Cleveland is in a class by itself. Updyke ain't got nothing on those yahoos. Well, maybe......

They're doing him a favor by not drafting him. And this is from an Auburn Man." -- Gotta Sec?

"Why would anyone want to play in Cleveland??? It's the cess pool of the NFL!!" -- crimsonjefri

"Maybe AJ isn't right for Cleveland, Merlin the magician might be the only one who can help them." -- ttown tattoo removal

"AJ can do better than the Browns. You can't make a bunch of loser fans happy. If you gave them the best player in the world, they would still complain." -- michaeljscot

"You can't really blame Brown's fans for being skeptical. Other than Ozzie, Bama players have been a bust in Cleveland." -- Hank

"AJ McCarron is much more than a game manager. He reads defenses well, makes adjustments, even called some of his own plays when he didn't like what he saw. He finished college as one of if not THE best QB Alabama has ever had. Any team will be lucky to get this fine young man. And he doesn't come with baggage like Johnny Manziel and others do." -- abrellbama

A breakdown of the cost of a shot clock in the high school game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talk to any number of those opposed to adding a shot clock to the high school game and one of their biggest arguments is one small word "cost" that can amount to one large amount.

The Northeast Ohio Media Group set out to figure out how much that cost is and it turns out there isn't one set cost depending on all the variables. Those variables are:

• what kind of shot clock is purchased (the variations can be seen in the photos above)
• what kind of scoreboard is already installed and if it is compatible with the shot clock
• if the shot clock is just too old to be compatible with a shot clock
• the venue
• the layout
• the installation
• the wiring (and whether either of these need to be contracted out or if a school electrician can do it
• person to run the shot clock

There are a few numbers that can be laid out for a couple of the variables.

There are several companies for scoreboards, including Daktronics, Seiko and UltraK. Daktronics' Paul Pilat serves the Great Lakes Region. He, along with some athletic directors, helped break down the cost of a shot clock from a very surface situation. Here is the breakdown of the cost of shot clocks:

600: Average amount paid to the person who will run the shot clock in a single season if the team had 10 home games. That cost is broken down for the shot clock to run for the JV and Varsity game ($30 a piece) for just one of the teams (boys or girls). The average amount someone is paid to work at a scorer's table ranges between $25 to $45 per game, depending on the school district. Some people, however, do volunteer.

5,0000+: Lowest amount for a shot clock (equipment only). Additional costs would include: electrical, running wiring and mounting the shot clock to the backboard.

7,0000+: Highest amount for a shot clock (equipment only). Additional costs would include: electrical, running wiring and mounting the shot clock to the backboard.

10,0000: Lowest amount for a new scoreboard if the shot clock installed is Daktronics and the board is replaced to also be Daktronics or if the board is too old to support a Daktronics shot clock.

25,0000+: Amount for a new scoreboard if the shot clock installed is Daktronics and the board is replaced to also be Daktronics or if the board is too old to support a Daktronics shot clock. The + is an unestimated figure that would come from any number of add-ons.

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below. 

The Buckeyes never were able to replace their senior safety last season, and Meyer admits now he knew immediately they might not be able to do it.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer knew it immediately, the Ohio State coach admits now. When the Buckeyes lost senior safety and captain Christian Bryant last season to a broken ankle, they also very well may have lost their chance at a national title.

Meyer divulged during his talk at Ohio State's high school coaches clinic last Friday how devastating he knew that injury would be to his team. In the moments immediately after Ohio State's win over Wisconsin last September, when Bryant broke his ankle in the final minutes, Meyer entered the postgame news conference and smacked the podium when talking about Bryant's loss.

He was clearly upset for a player he had grown to respect and value.

"I ask you to keep Christian's family in your prayers," Meyer said then. "That darn kid has done so much for our program, has come so far, incredible leadership skills. I love that guy. Doggone it. It's a hard part of the game, boy."

But, we know now, he had to be thinking of his team as well.

“We lost Christian Bryant last year, one of the best safeties in the country,” Meyer told coaches in a brief tangent during a speech on leadership inside the practice facility at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. “I knew deep in my heart when I saw his leg break against Wisconsin that there was a chance that we wouldn't be able to go play for a national title.

“I thought we had a national championship offense, I really did. If our guys stayed healthy, with the offensive line we had, that big tailback (Carlos Hyde), and Braxton, I thought we had a chance.

“When I saw that leg snap right in front of me, it’s a tough game, on the second-to-last play against Wisconsin, I knew in my heart we had a problem. But I thought we might be able to overcome it. We did not. We did not.”

That's a coach who knew his team.

Get caught up on the Hudson football team as it gears up for the 2014 high school football season.

HUDSON, Ohio — This is part of a series of off-season football snapshots we’ll roll out every Friday as Northeast Ohio teams gear up for the 2014 season. Note that class years listed below denote class years for the upcoming 2014 season.

Hudson Explorers

Coach: Ron Wright (third season at Hudson).

2013 record: 10-2.

2013 playoffs: The Explorers lost to St. Ignatius, 28-17, in a Division I regional quarterfinal, marking the third straight year their season ended in Week 12.

Starters returning: 18.

Areas of need: With so much coming back, there are few holes to fill, but there is a need at the safety position. The Explorers will need to work in some new players in the secondary, and they’ll also have a new face at kicker after the graduation of Pierce Royster.

Team strengths: It starts at quarterback, where senior Mitch Guadagni returns for his third year under center. Guadagni had a big season in 2013, accounting for nearly 3,000 yards combined passing and rushing, and 29 touchdowns. He’ll have weapons on the outside in seniors Colton Whited and Logan Thomas, and should have some good protection with four offensive linemen coming back.

The defensive line should be a strong point for the Explorers as well.

Perhaps the team’s biggest strength is experience, with 36 seniors dotting the roster and possibly more to come before camp begins in August.

Q&A with coach Ron Wright

How big is it having a player like Mitch Guadagni returning at quarterback?

Wright: It doesn’t matter if you’re talking high school, college or pro, it’s all quarterback driven. When you have a kid who can do what he does, it really makes a difference.

Is there one player you’re particularly excited to see develop in 2014?

Wright: A guy like running back Jack Palumbo. He hasn’t played in two years. He had a back injury sophomore year, and the first day out in junior year he tore his ACL. He’s a 6-foot-1, 210-pound running back, and we’ve been waiting. I think the jury is out, but he could be very special if we keep him healthy.

How do you plan to build off a strong 2013 season?

Wright: It’s going to be interesting because last year we were pretty young, so I didn’t know the expectation. But we got going and never looked back. Every game was a building block to the next game and we got better and better. Having some key positions back and Guadagni doesn’t hurt.

So then what are the expectations for 2014?

Wright: The motto is “good to great.” We’re trying to get to where St. Edward, St. Ignatius and those programs are, try to get in that world with Mentor and them. It’s hard to stay there. This class has been touted as being a really good class and they’ve stayed together. To have 36 seniors is pretty outstanding. That’s 36 guys who have stuck it out and stayed in the program for four years.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Tennis players Shouta Fukamachi and Weston Noall take a break to take questions on Net Post Podcast

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Shouta Fukamachi, of Mayfield, and Weston Noall, of Gilmour Academy, will join Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Nathaniel Cline for Tuesday's Net Post boys tennis podcast.

Noall and Fukamachi are both in the mix this season to earn individual honors in sectionals, and even possibly districts and state. On Tuesday, the two singles players will join Cline and take questions from readers.

What questions do you have for Noall, Fukamachi or Cline? Post your questions in the comments section below before Monday morning.

The Net Post podcast is posted every Tuesday with Cline taking a look at headlines from around the region and talking with guests on the show.

We invite you to be part of the podcast. Share your thoughts on the podcast, suggest story ideas and future guests by leaving a note in the comments section. You need a free account to comment. You can register for an account here.

Contact high school sports reporter Nathaniel Cline by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@nathanielcline). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Browns were among the NFL's worst at running the football last season.

BEREA, Ohio – The futility of the Browns’ running game last season might have been best demonstrated in one of its few moments of success.

The club’s first rushing touchdown came in Week 5 against the Mike Pettine-led Buffalo Bills’ defense. The Browns had first-and-goal at the 1 and required everything but a medieval catapult to get 32-year-old Willis McGahee up, over and into the end zone on three tries.

By season’s end, they ranked last in rushing TDs (four), 30th in rushing attempts (348) and tied for 27th in rushing yards per game (86.4), all while leading the NFL in passes thrown. Unless your quarterback is named Brady, Brees or Manning, that’s not a winning formula.

Pettine, the Browns new coach and resident philosopher on AFC North toughness, recognized a need for a change. So did the club’s new general manager Ray Farmer. To their credit, they have addressed it in a variety of ways even before the draft.

Beyond signing free-agent halfback Ben Tate, they have added run-conscious offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, acquired fullback Chris Pressley and retrained All-Pro center Alex Mack at a hefty price.

It’s premature to say whether these moves will improve the running game – I was among the chorus lauding the trade for receiver Davone Bess last spring – but the intent is unmistakable. Even in a pass-obsessed league, most good teams require some balance.

The Browns roster includes Tate, Edwin Baker, Chris Ogbonnaya and Dion Lewis at running back. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them draft another one in the late rounds. The National Football Post reported Friday the Browns were among teams showing interest in Boston College’s Andre Williams.

“It’s hard to be that three-down back anymore in the NFL,” Pettine said at the combine. “Most of the successful teams have a committee approach. You need to have depth there given the pounding that position will take. We’re going to make a commitment to run the football and obviously that position is a priority.”

The biggest “priority” remains getting it right at quarterback. The Browns face a massive decision in the first round with no obvious answers at No. 4 or No. 26. Do you take Johnny Manziel with that first pick? Is Brian Hoyer good enough – healthy enough – to lead the offense next season?

Regardless of the choice, the quarterback should benefit from an upgraded running game. Shanahan and his father, Mike, have a history of producing good running backs, making a Pro Bowler out of 2012 sixth-round pick Alfred Morris in Washington. The Redskins ranked among the top-five in rushing the past two seasons with some help from quarterback Robert Griffin III.

If he can stay healthy, Tate seems like an ideal one-cut back for Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme. After years of playing behind Arian Foster, he’s motivated for a breakout season. Having a veteran lead blocker should help Tate achieve it.

A year ago, the Browns were one of several teams that did not employ a traditional fullback, opting to use the 225-pound Ogbonnaya in that role. Things got so desperate late in the season the Browns resorted to defensive lineman Billy Winn.

The presence of the 5-foot-11, 260-pound Pressley contributed to Cincinnati Bengals’ halfback BenJarvus Green-Ellis leading the league in third-and-1 conversions (14-of-15) in 2012. During that same season, third-and-shorts were a source of constant frustration for the Browns and Trent Richardson.

Obviously, the running game was a disaster a year ago after jettisoning Richardson. Its struggles played a part in the Browns leading the NFL in fourth-down attempts (31) and conversions (14). Exciting as the gamble is to watch, that’s no way to run an offense.

The Browns won’t win consistently until they solve the 15-year-old quarterback riddle. But a viable running threat will relieve pressure from the passer, something no Browns quarterback has enjoyed since the makers of Madden ’12 put Peyton Hillis on its cover.

It bears repeating the best teams in football last season, Seattle and San Francisco, boasted two of the most robust rushing attacks. We won’t know how effective the Browns' ground game is until September, but there’s a good chance they won’t need to borrow Monty Python’s catapult.

Of the Buckeyes' national title hopes last season, Meyer told high school coaches at a clinic last week, "To be quite honest with you, we weren't really ready. You can't play defense the way we did and do that."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer is 0-2 in his last two games at Ohio State. As shown by his speech to high school coaches last Friday at the Buckeyes’ coaching clinic, the losses have given Ohio State’s boss a chance at reflection and reinvention that he may not have had during the 24-0 start to his OSU tenure.

It’s more difficult to make repeated references to “tactical errors” when you keep winning.

Meyer is on a leadership kick. He has been for a couple years. He’s told the story of meeting a leadership consultant at an event at his home, picking his brain for several hours and using him to develop a leadership program for his players before last season. He’s instituting the same type of leadership classes for his coaches – he now calls them “unit leaders” – this year, with five sessions in the books so far.

• More from clinic: Meyer knew Buckeyes had problem 

So that’s what Meyer threw at high school coaches for 30 minutes a week ago before introducing that leadership consultant, Brian Kight, for his own talk. Meyer even mocked the idea of anyone wanting a down-and-dirty football strategy talk from him instead of this.

“If you're not a thinker, start drawing plays, start drawing circles,” Meyer said at the end of his speech, in his final Kight intro. “If you're a deep thinker, which Ohio high school coaches are, this is an impactful moment.”

It's a moment that may have been born of a play here and play there in those two losses. Shut down a 72-yard touchdown pass or make a fourth-and-2 run against Michigan State, hold on to a punt against Clemson, and the Buckeyes' season could have ended very differently.

But the truth was still the truth.

Of potentially reaching the national title game last season Meyer said, “To be quite honest with you, we weren't really ready. You can't play defense the way we did and do that.”

But the results could have been different. The Buckeyes may have reached that point anyway, ready of not.

Stepping back to his first season, Meyer, repeating similar things he said before, called the Buckeyes of 2012 “awful,” “terrible” and “God-awful,” at various points in his speech. During the nonconference season, he thought they'd wind up 6-6. But by the end of the 2012 season, he thought the Buckeyes could have competed with either team in the national title game if they hadn’t been banned.

Yet now entering year three, he’s still looking for change. Meyer has batted down suggestions of a culture shift, but he does keep talking about what will be different.

He has his BCD mantra – no blaming, complaining or defending.

He railed against the lack of leadership instruction among college coaches – “You know how much college athletics spends on corporate leadership training for our leaders? None.”

He talked about how coaches attack behavior – like some laziness in practice - without getting to root problems.

“I will sometimes use language I'm not proud of,” Meyer said. “But I'll get you. I'll get you really hard. But if you attack behavior, but it's not supported by the culture, it's not sustainable.”

He even repeated that so the coaches got it.

Meyer said of the Buckeyes’ nine units – quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks – six operated at the necessary level a year ago.

“If we can get nine units operating at maximum capacity, I don't think Ohio State can lose,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he was upset that the Buckeyes didn't go nine for nine last season – upset at himself. He believes himself to be a different coach and a different person now, and Ohio State to be a different place.

It's his leadership crusade. He thought he saw strides during the first 12-0 stretch in his first year. He thought he saw strides during the next 12-0 stretch in year two. He thought more was needed after that 0-2 finish led last season to end at 12-2.

And so the reinvention continues, but now in defeat. It may be just what Meyer and his team needed.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Bill Landis will answer three questions about high school football every Monday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Do you have questions about high school football in Northeast Ohio? Submit them here and Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Bill Landis will answer them every Monday.

Submit your questions in the comments section below. Register here for an account if you don’t have one already.

Landis will answer three questions as we gear up for the 2014 football season in a weekly called Three-and-Out.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Five things to look forward to for Akron's spring football game, including the battle for backup quarterback.

AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron Zips will have their spring football game at 1 p.m. Saturday in InfoCision Stadium. With predictions of contending for at least a MAC East Division title in 2014, here are five things worth watching Saturday.

1. Backup quarterback -- Second-year man Kyle Pohl has a vice grip on the starting job and needs few snaps under center to prove it. The battle is for the backup job with senior transfer Nick Hirschman trying to hold off freshman Thomas Woodson. It would seem to be Hirschman's job to lose, considering his past starting experience at Colorado. But Woodson has shown enough to date to make this a true competition.

2. Wide receivers -- Talent is one thing, consistent production is another. The Zips have enough talent on the flanks for two teams, but not enough consistent production for one. At least two from the ranks of Zach D'Orazio, Mykell Traylor-Bennett, L.T. Smith, Imani Davis, Keith Sconiers, and Andrew Pratt must emerge as consistent threats to make Pohl the highlight reel QB he is capable of being.

3. Third tailback -- For whatever reason, this staff lives with the production senior Jawon Chisholm gives them, but always seem to be on the lookout for someone to take his place. This spring is no different. Conor Hundley is locked in as the short-yardage man, but another back with big-play capabilities would make the staff rest easier.

4. Offensive line -- Nos. 1 and 3 are pretty much dictated in great measure by how this unit produces. As head coach Terry Bowden says, he's looking for a solid nickel, not five pennies. Currently, he only has four pennies, first he needs to find a fifth, then get his nickel.

5. Linebackers -- Defensive line depth continues to be an issue, which puts a lot of pressure on the linebacker to not only fill the gaps, but to run and hit on the edges. If there are a lot of long runs on Saturday, then this unit may not be as strong as most believe.

For stats, updated roster and upcoming schedule, click here.

Giovanny Urshela, 22, is off to a very hot start for the Akron RubberDucks this season.

AKRON, Ohio -- If there is one guy to keep an eye on with the Akron RubberDucks, it would be Giovanny Urshela at third base. According to Ross Atkins, the Indians Director of Player Development, this is a player who already shows major-league ready defensive tools and will rise quickly as the offense gets in step.

"It's such a good group of players there right now you could almost pick any of them,'' Atkins said. "But the guy who is standing out the most right now is Giovanny Urshela. He's repeating there, and he is off to an incredible start offensively.

"He's always been our best defender at third base, throughout the system. He could come to the major leagues right now and play defensively. He's always had bat-to-ball, he has always had power. But he has always lacked plate discipline.''

Urshela, 22, is a stout 6-0, 197-pound, free agent signing in 2008 from Cartagena, Colombia. Last year at Akron he hit .270 with 48 strikeouts and 14 walks. After 12 games this season, through Wednesday, he is hitting .286 with 12 hits including four doubles and two homers to go with three walks for eight RBI.

He recently had a six-game hitting streak snapped.

"Right now he is off to an incredible start offensively,'' Atkins said of Urshela. "He's getting on base, he's showing plate discipline, he's walking more than he has ever walked. Given all the other pieces to the puzzle he is one of the most encouraging players thus far in 2014 for us."

The Ducks are now on a seven-game road trip to play the Bowie Baysox and Trenton Thunder before returning to Akron next Friday for a short six-game stand to end the month.

For updated stats on the RubberDucks, click here.

The Cavs' hard times will take them back to the lottery again, where they have a 1.7 chance of getting the top pick. After drawing so much attention at previous lotteries, they should take the quiet approach this time around.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Because there's always something to spin in the world of sports...

SPINOFFS

• With the league's ninth-worst record, the Cavs are going back to the lottery with a 1.7 percent chance of landing the top pick.

That’s means there’s a 98.3 percent chance that their luck has run out.

If the last four years are the residue of good luck, I'm not sure we want to be around when the wishing well runs dry.

• Advice for the next Cavs’ trip to the lottery after their fourth consecutive season missing the playoffs.

No entourage.

No bow ties.

Think low key.

If you must dress in a way that calls attention to yourself, think fake nose and glasses.

• Texas AD Steve Patterson doesn’t understand the argument for unionizing college players because he says the rules already meet most, if not all, of their stated objections.

“The whole thing smells of guys in the legal profession looking for a fee,” Patterson told ESPN.com.

If what UConn’s Shabazz Napier said is true – that he and other players often went to bed hungry – no wonder even lawyers smell good to them.

• Patterson makes some reasonable points. But as the CEO of a $170 million athletic budget, two weeks after a Final Four that reaps billions for the NCAA, I’m not sure hammering other people on the basis that they’re trolling for money is necessarily the right approach.

• Pitt quarterback Tom Savage has been invited to the NFL draft in New York in May.

You’d worry about a kid like Savage waiting and waiting and waiting in the green room for his name to be called (as Brady Quinn did) but Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater has already been cast in that role.

• In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, Bridgewater doesn’t go until the second round.

So a guy thought to be one of the top two quarterbacks all season looks great in his bowl game and then, without throwing a pass, suddenly falls behind quarterbacks who didn’t look nearly as good.

If they ever delay the draft until June, sure first-rounders will be leave the draft as street free agents because they clocked bad times in the three-cone drill.

Why again did Jadeveon Clowney’s agent finally end private workouts?

Other than the chance of injury and of being downgraded for not running in circles fast enough?

• Clowney, one of the draft's top prospects, finally had enough of private workouts though he planned to grace one team with five minutes of activity but not – as his agent cautioned – any “heavy lifting.”

“If they aren’t at the Pro Day or the Combine, where are they?” agent Bus Cook said.

Probably in Berea.

• Yankees’ pitcher Masahiro Tanaka stood 2-0 with 28 Ks in three games. If that’s nothing special, as Baltimore’s Adam Jones suggested after facing Tanaka the first time, how to describe Carlos Carrasco these days?

Nothing?

• The New York Knicks missed the playoffs with a 37-45 record. That was an enormous 17-win decline.

Nobody could’ve seen it coming, except the people who saw it coming.

ESPN’s Inside Predictions, based on Kevin Pelton's SCHOENE projection system, picked exactly that record for the Knicks.

When the season ended this week, observers remembered head coach Mike Woodson’s response when he learned of the prediction.

“Do they play?” Woodson said. “It’s a computer system. So I don’t think computers run up and down the floor.”

Then again, neither did the Knicks some nights.

• John Daly hit a drive off a tee placed delicately in a prone women’s mouth.

Not that Daly has become a complete sideshow, but the only few surprising aspects of this story are that he 1) wasn’t blindfolded and smoking a cigarette, 2) she was wearing clothes and 3) wasn’t a Hooter’s waitress.

• In 52 games, No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett averaged 4.1 points per game and 2.9 rebounds.

Let’s just round it off and call it three rebounds.

That should end the “bust” talk.

• Houston’s James Harden told Hannah Storm he wouldn’t shave his beard off for $5 million dollars.

When she mentioned $10 million, Harden said, “Then we can talk.”

In case Hannah is wondering, I’m worried enough about my retirement savings I’d shave an unanaesthesized mountain lion for hernia surgery for $50.

• Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal dived into a greenside pond fully clothed at the Malaysian Open to escape a hornet attack.

Larrazabal, who was treated for several stings, not only continued playing, he regained his focus and birdied the hole and shot two-under for the round.

But cough in any golfer’s backswing and he’ll stare a hole through you meant to make you wish you were never born.

• The 49ers have no plans to part ways with Aldon Smith after his latest arrest at LAX airport.

When Jim Harbaugh talked of expecting his players to be above reproach – unlike what they expect in Seattle, was the insinuation – he meant to specify less productive players than Smith would face serious consequences for their actions.

• It's easy to criticize Jason Kipnis for getting ejected from an important game against division rival Detroit, especially when every hitter knows arguing balls and strikes is an invitation to get tossed.

But in his defense, that Justin Verlander pitch couldn’t have been any lower if it were teed in the mouth of a garden snake.

Updated North Division I-III rosters for 2014 OHSFCA North-South Classic.

DAYTON, Ohio — Here is the updated roster for the North Division I-III team for the 2014 Ohio High School Football Coaches Association North-South Classic.

Nineteen players from Northeast Ohio will play for the North in the big school game, which kicks off at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. The Division IV-VII game will kick off at 11 a.m. in Dayton.

Tickets for the games are $10 at the door.

2014 North-South Classic North Division I-III roster

Kent Berger, Mentor, DL, 6-4, 255

Matt Blasiole, Uniontown Lake, RB, 6-0, 193

Tarence Brooks, Mansfield, OL, 6-3, 270

Cody Callaway, Midview, QB, 6-3, 195

Parris Campbell, St. Vincent-St. Mary, RB, 6-0, 180

Alex Conley, Walsh Jesuit, OL, 6-4, 290

Jamal Davis, Canton McKinley, LB, 6-3, 215

Nate Devers, Massillon, OL, 6-5, 280

Braeden Friss, Avon, WR, 5-9, 160

Bryan DiCillo, Walsh Jesuit, LB, 6-2, 215

Luke Grandjean, North Canton Hoover, WR, 6-3, 185

Ross Gould, Poland Seminary, RB, 5-8, 185

Brian Groves, Stow, WR, 5-10, 175

Marcus Hill, Niles McKinley, WR, 6-0, 175

Dale Irby, Sandusky Perkins, DB, 6-1, 180

Travonte Junius, St. Vincent-St. Mary, DL, 6-3, 195

Mike Knoll, Walsh Jesuit, K, 6-1, 210

Conner Krizancic, Mentor, QB, 6-2, 195

Chase Lash, Massillon, OL, 6-5, 278

Zaire Lewis, Stow, DB, 6-2, 210

Kevin Maloney, Avon, LB, 6-2, 210

Parrish Martin, Alliance, DB, 5-10, 175

Isiah Moore, Tiffin Columbian, OL, 6-4, 305

Ben Oxley, Avon Lake, OL, 6-6, 280

Jacob Pruehs, St. Edward, OL, 6-3, 285

Walter Rauterkus, Avon, OL, 6-6, 290

Heath Reineke, Ashland, DL, 6-3, 225

Tre’Von Richardson, Canton McKinley, DL, 6-3, 260

Ryan Sayers, Austintown Fitch, DL, 6-1, 210

Matt Sommers, Kent Roosevelt, LB, 6-2, 229

Darnell Tate, Hubbard, DB, 5-10, 170

Derrick Thomas, St. Edward, DB, 5-10, 170

Shaun Traine, Avon, DL, 6-1, 245

Chekiah Washington, Mansfield, WR, 6-0, 190

Marcus Whitfield, Massillon, WR, 6-2, 185

Newman Williams, St. Vincent-St. Mary, LB, 6-1, 245

Head coach: John DeMarco (Louisville).

Assistant coaches: Mark Brungard (Poland Seminary); Mike Elder (Avon); Brian Hoffman (Hubbard); Mark Nori (Stow).

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Former Yale associate AD and basketball coach Amy Backus is a Vermilion native.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Vermilion native Amy Backus has been named Case Western Reserve's first permanent female athletic director, the school announced Friday morning. Backus was the senior associate athletic director at Yale, and she compiled a 215-205 career record as women's basketball coach at Otterbein, Middlebury and Yale.

“I am delighted to return to Ohio to join a university so committed to the full development of students as scholars, leaders and citizens,” Backus said in a statement released by CWRU. “Athletics can be an invaluable part of preparing students for life, and I look forward to working with our students, staff, faculty, alumni and the larger campus community to help advance Case Western Reserve’s goals.”

Backus replaces Dave Diles, who left in September and was named VMI's athletic director. The hire ends a long search that included 80 candidates, the school said.

While at Yale, Backus also has served as national chair of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee and is a member of both the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Advisory Group and its Legislative Council.

She was a member of Yale's Intercultural Affairs Council, Committee on Sexual Misconduct, Alcohol Policy Committee, and Safety Net Committee, which is a group of staff and student leaders dedicated to supporting health and safety on campus.

“Amy brings a real breadth and depth of experience in higher education that gives her a great perspective on the importance of athletics and student life to the campus experience,” Vice President for Student Affairs Lou Stark said in a statement. “She has lived the values of high-quality academic institutions, and will bring those lessons and leadership qualities to this new role.”

Backus starred at Vermilion High in the 1970s and played basketball four years at Central Michigan, where as a senior she became one of the first women in the state of Michigan to earn a full scholarship as Title IX came into effect. She broke CMU's single-game scoring and rebounding records, was named a senior captain and graduated cum laude. She began her coaching career as a CMU assistant. She also earned a master’s degree in administration and supervision with an emphasis on higher education from Loyola of Chicago.

Backus had two stints as head coach at Yale from 1999-2000 and 2004-05.

She also is a past international, North American and national sailing champion, and helped her sister win the 1985 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, the most prestigious sailing award in the United States.

At Case, she will oversee 19 varsity sports, 14 club sports and 35 intramural activities. She also is chair of physical education.

T.J. Ward will help bolster a Denver Broncos' defense that was mediocre last season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If former Cleveland Browns safety T.J. Ward was impressed with how the Browns (at times, at least) played defense last season, it's nothing compared to his expectations of his new team the Denver Broncos.

In a USA Today article:

"I know I can speak for everybody on the defensive side of the ball when I say we're going to make a statement from point go, from the first preseason game," Ward said. "From then on, teams can know what they're up against and know what to expect week-in and week-out. They don't have to just worry about the offense no more."

Last year the Broncos' offense, writes Tom Pelissero in USA Today, set records and carried the Broncos to the AFC championship last season behind MVP Peyton Manning. But it appeared helpless in Super Bowl XLVIII against the Seattle Seahawks' elite defense, which had four takeaways in a 43-8 rout.

Broncos personnel boss John Elway responded by moving aggressively in free agency to upgrade Denver's defense – signing Ward, cornerback Aqib Talib and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware to contracts including $59 million in guarantees combined.

Ward said as good as the Broncos offense was last year, it didn't matter against an elite defense in Seattle.

"We're sending a message right now that we're coming in not only trying to be one of the top offenses in the league, but one of the top defenses in the world and get that Super Bowl ring."

More Browns and NFL news

Cleveland Browns' off-season commitment to the run is encouraging (Cleveland.com).

Another mock draft that has the Browns picking Johnny Manziel (ESPNCleveland.com).

Here's a snapshot report on Alabama QB AJ McCarron (Cleveland.com).

Cleveland Browns' Nate Burleson can't possibly be the car wreck Davone Bess was (Cleveland.com).

Cleveland Browns finalize medical staff, name James Voos head team physician (Cleveland.com).

Aaron Murray is preparing for workout with Browns (The News-Herald).

This mock draft has the Browns going defense (Fox Sports Ohio).

The Seattle Seahawks can build around Russell Wilson (Fox Sports).

Jon Gruden dares to compare Johnny Manziel to Brett Favre (NFL.com).

Wide receiver Chad Johnson is headed to CFL (Yahoo Sports).