Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has one more chance against the Bears Thursday night to prove he deserves a package of plays in Pittsburgh.

BEREA, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel has one more preseason game to prove to the Browns coaching staff that he's ready for a package of plays early on, maybe even for the opener in Pittsburgh.

Manziel will replace Brian Hoyer in the second quarter against the Bears on Thursday night, and finish out the half. He might even play into the third quarter. And if he can provide the same kind of spark in the preseason finale that he did in the dress rehearsal game against St. Louis at FirstEnergy Stadium, he'll make it tempting for coach Mike Pettine and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to install something for him right away -- especially if the first-team offense continues to struggle.

Against the Rams, Manziel lit up the crowd and the huge new video boards with his 7-yard touchdown scramble. Afterward, he treated the crowd to his "money sign'' and got them in on the act. The TD injected new life into the dejected fans during the 33-14 loss.

"(Playing two quarterbacks) does have a big effect on your prep time (as a defensive coordinator),'' said Pettine. "Usually when you do have those situations, they are different (quarterbacks). I just go back to when we were getting ready to play the Niners a couple of years ago with (Colin) Kaepernick and Alex Smith, it was two very different offenses and the hard part of it is, you might only get a handful of plays from the other quarterback, but just the amount of time it takes -- because if you don't prepare for it, you have a chance to look very unprepared and give up some big plays.''

Pettine said the drawback is that "you're affecting you're own continuity'' -- but in the Browns' case, there's not much of that right now anyway.

So why not give Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and his attack-minded crew a  little something extra to think about for Sept. 7?

"I would think that they're smart enough to know and they've talked about Johnny and what he brings to the table, so I would think that any defensive coordinator that we play -- especially early on until we're kind of more of a known quantity -- will prepare for all eventualities,'' said Pettine.

Manziel, who lost the starting job to Hoyer last week, is ready for spot duty if called upon at any time.

"Yeah, I think (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) is obviously a very innovative guy who is extremely creative, so whatever is put on my plate or asked of me, I'm absolutely happy to do and would be extremely excited to get on the field and help this offense in any way I can,'' he said.

Safety Donte Whitner, who played for the 49ers when Smith and Kaepernick were there, knows how tough it is to gear up for two quarterbacks in one week, especially a traditional one and a dual-threat passer.  
 
"They have to prepare,'' he said. "They have to prepare for the [read] option. They have to prepare for the [zone] read play and all of that. So even if he doesn't get out there, Pittsburgh or whoever we play has to prepare for it. But that's how you're supposed to do it. You're supposed to make them prepare for things even if they're not going to see it, so that's good on [Pettine's] part."
 
Not only do the coaches have to prepare, but the players do too.

"I believe so because now you have to teach those defensive ends and those outside linebackers to slow down and slow play certain things,'' he said. "In certain defenses, you might get it confused or messed up. I believe it'll take a big chunk out of their time. But Dick LeBeau and all those guys, they know defense, so they'll have two or three plays or two or three ways to try to stop that.

"But we just want to make them take some time off of something else. Might mess up on something else on the offense by having to worry about this read option and Johnny being back there and being a mobile quarterback, because mobile quarterbacks scare defensive coordinators in the National Football League because he's unaccounted for."
 
Whitner doesn't subscribe to the theory that if you have to use two quarterbacks, you really don't have one.

"No, I think that you always have to have two quarterbacks anyway,'' he said. "It goes back to exactly what we had in San Francisco. We had the same issue late in the season. We didn't have it in the preseason. We had it late. We had Colin Kaepernick. We had Alex Smith. Alex Smith played great, took us to the NFC Championship the year before.

"Then you have Colin Kaepernick who came in, won games, was a young gun. We had two quarterbacks. You need two quarterbacks because in this league, one play, the starter's down, the backup guy's the starter, and you saw that with [Sam] Bradford this past weekend. Now the guy who thought he was going to be holding the clipboard all week has to get ready for their opening game in less than 10 days. That's what you have to have, a backup and a starter."
 
He said practicing against Kaepernick and Smith is similar to practicing against Hoyer and Manziel.

"We knew that Alex Smith, he's not just a sitting duck back there,'' he said. "He's actually a good athlete. But he's more so pass-first. Kaepernick, he could do anything. He could take it 80, 90 yards on you if he was running the football, so any defensive coordinator, any defense, has to worry about his arm first and foremost, but then his legs second.

"It's the same here. I don't know if Johnny can actually take it 80 on a defense running the ball, but I know that he can get some yards and make some things happen. And I know that Hoyer is a true drop-back passer. So there's similarities there, but these are all different guys."

Manziel admitted he still has a ways to go, but that he's coming up the learning curve quickly.

"I feel like I've definitely covered some ground on some things that I didn't do very well during OTAs and then coming into August at the very beginning,'' he said. "I think I've honed in on some things and continued to get better, and I still think there's a ways for me to go. I'm excited to get into the season and see how the schedule is going to be week to week – how the work schedule is going to be, how the film and everything is going to go and how it is preparing for an opponent in the NFL. I'm pretty excited for that. I think it will be good to get a couple weeks under my belt and see how that goes."

Manziel's teammates, including tight end Jordan Cameron are up for a Manziel change-up whenever he's ready.

"It would be great,'' said Cameron. "He's an exciting player. He's energetic and any spark we can get would be awesome, and (if) that's what he's good at then we'll use him as that.''

Added receiver Andrew Hawkins: "Kyle is very innovative. Anything that he puts in from any standpoint in the offense will give us a great amount of versatility and will give defenses a lot of looks and a lot of things to prepare for. The more they have to prepare for, the better.''

LeBeau expected Manziel to start on Sept. 7, but maybe he'll get a small dose of him anyway.

Watch Mary Kay Cabot talk with Browns running back Dion Lewis as he works to make the roster behind Ben Tate and Terrance West.

BEREA, Ohio --  Browns running back Dion Lewis has battled back from a broken leg that kept him out all last season and has one more chance to make an impression on the coaching staff Thursday night against the Bears before final cuts on Saturday.

Coach Mike Pettine said this week that Lewis has separated himself some in the race for the third running back job, in which he's competing with Chris Ogbonnaya and Isaiah Crowell.

"(Lewis) has short-area quickness, and even though he's a small guy he proved in the game he's not afraid to stick his face in on the pass protection stuff,'' said Pettine. "It's not much of a separation, but if I had to handicap it I'd put him ahead."

The Browns acquired Lewis in a trade with Philadelphia for linebacker Emmanuel Acho in April of 2013, and he hasn't yet gotten an chance to show Browns fans what he can do. He hopes to change all of that this season.  Mary Kay Cabot

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

After a week without practice following the death of teammate Jason Bitsko, Kent State players returned to practice on the hottest day of camp.

KENT, Ohio -- Kent State returned to the practice field Tuesday for the first time since teammate and starting center Jason Bitsko died suddenly last Wednesday of still undetermined causes.

In pads and shorts, some of the layoff rust showed in the heat as timing plays were just a bit off, particularly in the passing game. Yet the practice was still spirited as the players were obviously ready to put the emotional week, which included traveling to Bitsko's services on Monday, behind them.

"Yeah,'' head coach Paul Haynes said. "The guys are ready to get back to playing some ball."

On the playing field, a gold state of Ohio logo was filled in with Bitsko's number, 54, and surrounded by red cones as the paint had yet to dry. Also on the field, sophomore Alex Nielsen (6-4, 294) was moving into Bitsko's position. He moved over from his previous starting spot at right guard to be first protector for quarterback Colin Reardon.

Depth along the offensive line was expected to be solid, albeit young, this season. Now that will be tested.

"We're about seven deep right now at that position,'' Haynes said. "We like to be at eight or nine, and we should be able to get there by mid-season."

One of the more veteran players on KSU's front line, senior tight end Casey Pierce from Parma, spoke for his teammates as all now focus on Saturday's 6 p.m. home opener against Ohio University.

"This (heat) was good prep for us,'' Pierce said. "You'd rather play in 90-degree weather instead of 30-degree weather. It great to be back in pads. It's not basketball on grass anymore.''

Freshmen starter: For the second straight year Kent will have a true freshman starter. Last year it was offensive tackle Wayne Scott from Florida. This year it is nose guard Jon Cunningham from Bedford High School.

The 6-0, 290-pound lineman committed to Kent State very early last season and stuck to his pledge.

"We really liked him coming out of high school and really like him now,'' Haynes said. "He's a wrestler, and really understands how to keep himself low, and leverage. We've got to be smart with how we play him, and he's being pushed by some guys, including another freshman, (Zach) Singer (6-2, 310 pounds) who could push his way into the rotation before the season is over."

New number: With the players wearing '54' on their helmets, and '54' also being on the field, the NCAA dictates no Kent player on the field can wear that number. The Golden Flashes issue a lot of multiple numbers, for offense and defense, and defensively, senior lineman Marcus Wright had that number. Now he will switch to No. 5.

Nothing new: Nielsen's move to center is not considered a major adjustment as he was the starting center through most of spring camp. Bitsko's switch from tackle to center was viewed as one with a nod toward a tad more athleticism and a loud voice on the field. Nielsen, in fact, is said to be the best snapper on the team.

"He's a hybrid guy,'' teammate Pierce said of Nielsen. "Center, guard, he can really play it all."

It took risks, it took luck and it took a phone call from LeBron James to bring Kevin Love to Cleveland. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Not long after the draft lottery, Minnesota team president Flip Saunders came to Cleveland to visit his father. A former star at Cuyahoga Heights, Saunders also had returned to coaching the Timberwolves.

While in town, Saunders and Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin met for dinner. It didn't take long for the name of Kevin Love to come up in the conversation. That was no surprise.

"We had been talking about Kevin Love for a year and a half," said Griffin.

It wasn't Griffin who opened the talks. Former GM Chris Grant had started the Love discussions. The Cavs wanted to find a way to at least add Love for 2014-15. Or in one of their wildly optimistic scenarios, team up Love and LeBron James.

Grant had been planning ways for the Cavs to convince James to return to Cleveland when he became a free agent. When the franchise retired the number of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, they made sure the Miami Heat were off that day so James could attend.

They correctly assumed James would want to be there when one his former teammates was honored. The Cavs also wanted James to know that the door would always be open for a return.

That was March 9, 2014. In one of the stranger twists, James ended up sitting next to Grant -- no longer the GM -- during that ceremony. He had been fired a month earlier -- although Grant was one of the main architects of bringing James, Ilgauskas and the Cavs together.

Yes, the Cavs wanted James to feel a little homesick and very, very welcome at Quicken Loans Arena.

So what does all this have to do with Love, who had his first press conference Tuesday as a member of the Cavs?

Well, how about ... everything.

No LeBron James, no Kevin Love in Cleveland.

Kevin Love and David Griffin with Love's new uniform and number. Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer 

THE DINNER

It was a few days after the May 20 NBA lottery, Griffin and Saunders were having dinner.

Saunders was shaking his head about the Cavs snaring the No. 1 lottery pick. There was less than a 2 percent chance of that happening.

Saunders knew that he had to trade Love at some point in the summer to receive maximum value. Griffin was debating how much risk he wanted to take to obtain Love. It was no secret the 6-10 All-Star wanted to play on the West Coast. He also wanted to play with a contender.

In late May, the Cavs were neither. They were coming off a 33-49 season, and not totally certain they could convince Kyrie Irving to sign an extension once free agency opened on July 1.

Saunders wanted the No. 1 pick for Love, along with some other things. Griffin wondered if he could convince James to sign if he first traded for Love. But he worried that if he brought Love and failed to add James, where would the franchise be in the summer of 2015? Love would probably leave, and they'd have no James.

Saunders and Griffin agreed to keep talking, but they knew they had to wait.

Andrew Wiggins played with the Cavs summer league team before he was traded to Minnesota.AP 

THEN CAME WIGGINS

When Grant was the general manager, Duke's Jabari Parker was at the top of the draft board early in the season.

As the year progressed, the Cavs became enamored with Joel Embiid, the 7-foot center from Kansas. Griffin especially liked Embiid, who moved to the top of the board once Griffin took over.

Then came the report on June 19 that Embiid had a stress fracture in his foot. The Cavs were already concerned about his back problems. Embiid dropped off the top of the board, and Griffin replaced him with Wiggins.

Griffin was very concerned about Parker's defensive problems. He believed the Cavs desperately needed an athletic wing player, one capable of being a small forward and shooting guard. That was the 6-8 Wiggins.

On June 24, the Cavs called the name of Wiggins to open the draft. They were amused by all speculation of a supposed division in the front office between Wiggins and Parker. Those who thought the Cavs wanted Parker were relying on old information.

Saunders also loved Wiggins, but wondered how he could put together a deal with Love and Wiggins, knowing other pieces were needed?

Even after the draft, Saunders and Griffin knew they had to wait even longer.

Signing Kyrie Irving was the start of the rebuilding of the Cavs. John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer 

KYRIE'S DECISION

The Cavs and Kyrie Irving met in a Manhattan  restaurant at one minute past midnight on July 1 -- the first moment they could officially discuss signing a five-year, $90 million extension with their guard.

Owner Dan Gilbert and Griffin talked big picture, and it had to sound more like a wild dream to Irving.

The Cavs would add Love and James.

It really, really could happen, the Cavs insisted.

Really, Irving wondered.

Really, the Cavs insisted.

But Irving had to make the first move. If he failed to sign -- and forced a trade -- the Cavs' plans would turn to ashes.

New coach David Blatt was there, along with associate head coach Tyronn Lue. Irving was there his agent and his father.

Over and over, the Cavs stressed that things would be different -- and better.

At the worst, the Cavs were adding the top pick in the draft (Wiggins) to a core with Irving and Dion Waiters. They had a new coaching staff that would fit an offense to maximize Irving's talent. Lue was very important in these talks, as he was a former NBA point guard and respected among most NBA players.

The Cavs also explained how they were going hard after Love and James.

Granted, Irving's decision not only made sense -- but it was worth millions of dollars. The Cavs could pay him about $20 million more than any other team.
But there were rumors the 22-year-old All-Star wanted out.

"Kyrie bought in," said Griffin. "That started everything. It created the momentum."

LEBRON'S DECISION

On July 6, Gilbert met with James and his agent, Rich Paul, at a house in Miami.

They talked out their problems over a kitchen table. Gilbert apologized for his inflammatory email after James left for the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010. James agreed that he didn't handle his departure from the Cavs well.

They spent about 30 minutes rehashing the past, then moved on to reshaping the Cavs. Griffin had already had conversations with Paul, telling the Cleveland-based agent how the Cavs were well-positioned with Irving signing long-term and with the addition of Wiggins.

Griffin also said they really wanted Love, a favorite of James from when they played together on the 2012 Olympic team. He added that if James signed, they could pull a deal for Love that made sense for both teams.

Meanwhile, Gilbert and Griffin decided to clear salary cap room for James, not knowing if he'd sign. Tyler Zeller to Boston was part of a three-way deal that positioned the Cavs to offer James a maximum contract. If James had turned them down, they probably would have made a huge offer to free agent forward Trevor Ariza.

Gilbert owns casinos and a mortgage company. He believes there are moments in any business situation, "when you take the roast out of oven." You don't wait too long. If momentum is on your side, keep pushing. Don't wait for everything to be perfect.

Winning the draft lottery, convincing Irving to sign, and the three-hour meeting with James had Gilbert believing in what would become a basketball miracle.

On July 10, Rich Paul called Gilbert. He told the owner that in seconds James' letter would appear on the Sports Illustrated website.

James was coming home.

LEBRON'S CALL

Within a few hours of the announcement in Sports Illustrated, James called Love.

"You know what? I'm in," Love told James.

At his Tuesday press conference, Love said the call was one of the main reasons he now wanted to come to Cleveland. Not only did the Cavs have James, but James immediately was recruiting Love.

Meanwhile, Saunders and Griffin were talking trade ... over and over, day after day.

Saunders wanted Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a first-round draft pick in 2015. Thanks to some shrewd deals by Grant, the Cavs had Miami's top pick (1-10 protected) and their own in 2015. So they could trade one, and still be in the first round.

The Cavs now believed Love was likely to stay in Cleveland at least for a few years, assuming James did the same.

THE LAST GAMBLE

When Blatt was hired as coach, he said he needed a power forward who could shoot from the outside and rebound. He wanted a trigger man for the fast break. He wanted someone like Kevin Love.

As Gilbert and Griffin talked about the Cavs, they knew Blatt wanted Love. They knew James wanted Love. They now knew Love's heart toward Cleveland had changed -- because of James.

They liked Wiggins ... a lot. They believed Wiggins would become at least a very good player ... but perhaps not right away.

They wondered if they should hold up a trade that would make them a title contender because of a 19-year-old who had played only one year of college.

They were enamored with Love being only 26 and heading into the prime of his career.

Should they worry that Love would wait until 2015 to sign a contract extension? Should the possibility (even remote) of him leaving after a year hold up the trade?

For awhile, they tried to keep Wiggins out of the trade talks with Minnesota. But finally, Gilbert knew that he would always second-guess himself if he passed on a chance to add Love. Griffin felt the same way. But in the end, it was Gilbert's call.

"There's always a risk that he (Love) would have a turn of thinking (and leave in 2015)," said Griffin. "But we believe he is committed to the franchise and winning titles here, just as he said."

And they weren't sure if Wiggins would make a major impact as a rookie.

Older teams tend to be the top contenders. James will turn 30 in December.

The Cavs felt now was their time, their moment.

Maybe it doesn't work. Maybe their rookie coach (Blatt) can't blend the talent together. Maybe Love, James, Irving and Waiters all want the ball -- and there aren't enough shots for everyone.

But maybe it indeed all does come together -- or at least, most of it.

At the very least, the Cavs are determined to find out, because they know they probably will never have another summer like this where so many huge pieces fell right into place.

Get scoring updates and chat with other fans as the Indians take on the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in the comments section.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and chat with other fans as the Indians take on the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in the comments section.

Game 130: Indians (66-63) vs. White Sox (59-71)

First pitch: 8:10 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Field

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

Yan Gomes and David Murphy are making progress from their injuries. Gomes is expected to be activated Friday, but it's going to take longer for Murphy as he recovers from a strained right oblique muscle.

CHICAGO, Ill. – Catcher Yan Gomes is feeling better. So is outfielder David Murphy.

Gomes was sprinting around a series of orange cones early Tuesday afternoon in the U.S. Cellular outfield under the supervision of two training staff members. He was chest bumping with the trainers so it was clear he was feeling better after suffering a concussion Thursday against the Twins and being placed on the seven-day disabled list.

Murphy, who went on the disabled list Aug. 10 with a strained right oblique, has made enough progress to where the Indians took him on this six-game trip to Chicago and Kansas City.

"I'm starting to do baseball activities more and more and at that point they said I could travel," said Murphy. "I still don't know how close I am to a rehab assignment."

Murphy took 45 swings off the batting tee Tuesday along with a couple of rounds of dry swings. He also ran and played catch.

Gomes can be activated Friday, but Murphy isn't expected back until mid-September even though he's ahead of schedule right now.

"Yan is having a really good day," said manager Terry Francona, before Tuesday night's game against the White Sox. "His eyes look a lot clearer. I don't want to be unfair to him, but I'd surprised if he's not raring to go by Friday and Friday is his day (to be activated).

"Unless he has a setback, he should be ready Friday."

Francona has been impressed with Murphy's diligence, but added, "You can't push it (the oblique injury)."

Murphy says the fact that the Indians have played well since he went on the DL along with Nick Swisher has eased his frustrations.

"The way they've played has been awesome," said Murphy. "It's frustrating when you're not able to contribute. When the team wins, it makes it easier to sleep at night.

"It's great to see our depth, guys coming up from the minor leagues and contributing. I feel we've been playing some good baseball for the most part and I'm hopeful that I can ease back into it and contribute to it."

The Indians have won eight of 12 games since Murphy and Swisher went on the disabled list.

"It's been a crazy summer, really up and down. Kind of lost, not really knowing where I'm going," Andrew Wiggins said. "But I wanted to play for a team that wanted me. I felt the love as soon as I got off the plane at the airport, so it's all good now. I'm excited for this season."

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. -- Andrew Wiggins spent the previous month seemingly in hiding, side-stepping questions about a trade that was all but finished and coming to the realization he was not going to be teammates with LeBron James.

On Tuesday - finally - Wiggins and the rest of the new Minnesota Timberwolves got to address the issue head on and have their moment in the sun.

The Timberwolves unveiled the bounty they got for All-Star Kevin Love at the Minnesota State Fair, and Wiggins wore an ear-to-ear smile for most of the day as hundreds of fans followed him around the fairgrounds. It was a warm welcome after the disappointment of being drafted No. 1 overall by Cleveland, only to be shipped out when the Cavaliers decided to acquire the veteran Love to help James chase down a championship.

"It's been a crazy summer, really up and down. Kind of lost, not really knowing where I'm going," Wiggins said. "But I wanted to play for a team that wanted me. I felt the love as soon as I got off the plane at the airport, so it's all good now. I'm excited for this season."

Wiggins made the remarks while sitting on a stage with Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young - the two other players that came to Minnesota in the three-team blockbuster - and Timberwolves first-round draft pick Zach LaVine.

Truth be told, Wiggins has known for weeks that he was never going to play for the Cavs - becoming just the second No. 1 overall pick since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 to be traded without ever playing a game for the team that drafted him. But a seldom-used rule in the collective bargaining agreement prevented the deal from being consummated for 30 days.

"I've been hearing all the talks for a while now," said Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick in 2013. "So me being here in Minnesota, it's a great (state). It's a great fan base, great team coming up where everybody's young. We have some vets, too. I'm just here to learn from everybody."

Reports leaked out long before the deadline t hat the deal was agreed upon and Wiggins had to make a couple of awkward promotional appearances where he bobbed and weaved around questions about his uncertain future. When it was made official, Wiggins had to hear about moving from a team that expected to contend for a title with the NBA's best player on board to a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs in 10 years.

For a 19-year-old, that could be tough to swallow.

"For me it's not really hard to accept it," Wiggins said flatly. "I'm the type of guy that I go to where I'm needed. I go to where I'm wanted, really. That's what I like."

He handed out autographed photos at the fair and was followed from station to station by dozens of giddy fans. Wiggins and LaVine went down a giant slide, Bennett ate some deep fried alligator meat and Young reveled in the festive atmosphere.

"I've never been a part of something this big before," said Young, a seven-year veteran.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor was ecstatic about the enthusiasm the deal has generated among a worn-down fan base. It contrasts sharply with the deal the team made back in 2007 to trade Kevin Garnett to Boston.

"I spoke the truth that if Kevin (Love) would stay here I think we would have the best season," Taylor said. "But inside I knew I don't think Kevin was giving us that alternative, even though it's what I wanted. So now you have the thing where Kevin kind of said trade me or you're going to pay the (price) next year. We had four teams that came to us with significant offers. But this truly had the biggest upside."

Earlier in the day, the players visited Target Center for the first time as Timberwolves. Wiggins walked around the locker room and slipped on a white No. 22 Wolves jersey with his name on the back. As he sat down in the chair in front of his locker, he let out a big sigh.

Finally, all the trade talk, all the uncertainty, all the posturing was over. He is a Timberwolf now. And instead of being a sidekick for James, he's one of the central figures in a team that appears to at least have a sense of direction for the first time in the last decade.

"It was a big relief," Wiggins said. "Now it's solidified. I'm situated in a spot where I know I'm going to be at for a very, very long time. It's comforting."

___

Jon Krawczynski, Associated Press

Follow him on Twitter: @APKrawczynski 

Kevin Love has heard the whispers. Despite his gaudy stat lines and record-setting seasons, the number that follows him is zero, the amount of playoff appearances the three-time NBA All-Star has made.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Kevin Love is well aware of the criticisms.

He has heard the whispers around the NBA. Despite gaudy stat lines and record-setting seasons, the number that follows him is zero. It's not his uniform number with the Cavaliers, but the number of playoff appearances the three-time NBA All Star has made.

"It was tough," Love said of going six years without playing in the postseason. "But saying that I didn't enjoy my time in Minneapolis wouldn't be doing it right."    

Love said all the right things, even thanking Minnesota for six great years despite the pile of losses. But he knows in Cleveland there's a different level of pressure. He's one of the key members on a team with championship aspirations, something he hasn't experienced. 

"I think it will be somewhat of an adjustment playing in the playoffs," Love admitted. "But LeBron and I have had conversations that I've needed to just mentally prepare myself for playing into June, and that's something that really struck me as something that I wanted to do."

It's not to say Love hasn't been in pressure-packed situations before. He, along with LeBron James, helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. He also helped take UCLA to the Final Four during his freshman season. Those two experiences help quell some of the concerns from General Manager David Griffin. 

"Kevin's won Olympic medals and he's won world championship medals," Griffin said following the press conference on Tuesday. "He's a special player. He's been an enormous piece on winning franchises, if you can call UCLA a franchise. He has a pedigree as a winner. His basketball IQ is that of a winner. There's very little doubt in my mind that he is going to adapt to playing with talent at this level very, very quickly."

He's not the only player on the roster lacking experience. Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson have known only disappointing NBA seasons. Kyrie Irving, the other member of Cleveland's new Big 3, hasn't been on the biggest stage either. Some believe it could be Cleveland's biggest adversary in Year One. 

Luckily for Irving, who is playing for Team USA this month, he's getting the same kind of unique experience Love got early in his career, which helped take his game to the next level.

"Kyrie Irving's getting the most important game action of his life right now," Griffin said. "He's getting better literally every day. He showed up trying to make that team and he appears to be at least the part-time starter now. He's earning his stripes when it matters. It's going to be enormously valuable to us."

The expectations are high, with a championship as the goal. But nobody in the organization is going to take the journey for granted, especially when it comes to a team that has undergone a drastic makeover this off-season.

"There's a lot that needs to be done," Love told ESPN following the press conference. "The end game is always tough, but I think the work that we're going to be able to put in every day and the culture that we'll have here with Griffin and Dan Gilbert, that culture is going to allow us to work every day."

Love is looking forward to a fresh start. He accepts the challenge of erasing that zero from his resume that has followed him to Cleveland. 

"Everything in my entire life in the past six years has led me up to this point, and I'm excited and ready and optimistic for the opportunity." 

Donte Whitner says the some Browns like Johnny Manziel and some like Brian Hoyer, but that they'll all rally around Hoyer now.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns safety  Donte Whitner clarified his remarks from earlier this month when he told Peter King of The Monday Morning Quarterback that the Browns were split 50-50 between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel.

"I think some guys like Johnny and I think some guys like Brian,'' Whitner said Tuesday after practice "Pick your poison. Pick who you like. So that's what I meant. I didn't mean that we were divided. But some guys like who they like. Some guys probably don't like me at strong safety and they probably like my backup in there. So I don't know. But we're not divided on anything based on that comment. Just some guys like what they like."
 
Whitner stressed that the team will back Hoyer collectively now that he's been named the starter for Pittsburgh.

"I think we're going to rally well,'' he said. "We have to. We have all the confidence in the world that he can make all the plays, make all the throws, that he's going to do what he's supposed to do. Because the great quarterbacks, they not only work here, they work before they get here early in the morning and they work late at night to get it right, and he's that type of guy.

 So that's what we expect. We expect him to come out, play great, get us in the right situations on offense, not turn the football over, allow us to play great defense and win some football games."

Whitner also stressed that he'd be in favor of a Johnny Manziel package for Pittsburgh or any other team.

 "They have to prepare for the [read] option. They have to prepare for the [zone] read play and all of that,'' said Whitner. "So even if he doesn't get out there, Pittsburgh or whoever we play has to prepare for it. But that's how you're supposed to do it. You're supposed to make them prepare for things even if they're not going to see it, so that's good on [Pettine's] part."

Whitner addressed a number of other topics Tuesday:

* On Justin Gilbert's struggles vs. the Rams: He's a confident guy. He has all the physical attributes you need to be a great corner in this league and now we're just clicking into the mental part of it. We felt like as an entire secondary, we didn't perform up to our standards. We understand we had a bunch of guys injured, but there's no excuse to be made. It's not only on Justin. We feel like it was on the entire secondary. If this secondary doesn't play well, we won't win games. We understand that and we take the responsibility.''

* On kissing the grass at FirstEnergy Stadium when he was introduced: "I didn't actually mean to do that,'' Whitner said. "That was just like a spur of the moment thing. I felt like it was pretty cool. This is where I'm from, this is where my heart is and I just wanted to symbolize and show everybody that I'm glad to be here and my heart is here.''

When LeBron James agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the announcement sent the organization into a state of euphoria. Then James picked up his phone hours later and made a call to Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- When LeBron James agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the announcement sent the organization into a state of euphoria.

Then James picked up his phone hours later and made a call to Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love, who had just finished a career year in which he averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds.

James was gauging Love's interest in joining him in Cleveland.

"I'm in," Love told James, who has become part-time recruiter during this franchise-altering summer.

"That had a lot to do with my decision. I knew the Cavaliers had a lot of young pieces in place and a lot of great talent here as well. I knew the city relatively well, but (James' call) had a lot to do with it." 

From there it was up to General Manager David Griffin, who had started conversations with Minnesota long before the deal was finalized.

"Some of you probably see this as a culmination of 60-day or 30-day period," Griffin said. "From a basketball perspective we look at this as a year and a half of trade conversations trying to acquire this man -- a player that quite frankly fits us as well as anybody possibly could have."

Love, 25, is the game's premier power forward with a unique ability to score inside and outside, similar to the role Chris Bosh played alongside James in Miami for the last four years. It's the kind of asset NBA teams covet.

"When we brought David Blatt in to discuss our franchise and what he needed to be successful, the very first thing he said was 'I need a spacing big, somebody who can shoot and pass and knows how to play,'" Griffin said. "I said 'we've got one of those in mind. His name's Kevin Love.'"

But Griffin knew the price would be costly for the three-time NBA All-Star. And it was. He gave up prized draft pick Andrew Wiggins, last year's top pick Anthony Bennett and a future first-round pick to complete the three-team blockbuster deal, which was agreed to shortly after Wiggins signed his rookie deal.

It was also risky since Love can opt out of his contract and become a free agent following the 2014-15 season, but the newest Cavalier might have eased some minds on Tuesday, admitting he's not planning a short stay.

"Like I told Griffin in our meetings and Dan Gilbert and the powers that be in the front office and all the way down, I'm committed to this team, committed long-term to the end goal and that is to win championships and to win a championship here in Ohio."

Love doesn't know head coach David Blatt's offense well enough to speak on his specific role. He will also have to get adjusted to no longer being the focal point of the offense. But after not playing alongside an All-Star during his six years in the NBA, Love is looking forward to an opportunity to play on a talented roster led by James, the game's most sublime talent.

"LeBron is the focal point," Love said. "But we have a lot of good players, one through 15 that are going to make a huge impact for this team."

The only ones deserving sympathy are Browns fans in the Gordon case.

BEREA, Ohio – In the case of Josh Gordon versus the NFL, everyone got what they deserved.

Everyone, that is, except fans who lost a once-in-a-generation talent with no guarantees of seeing him again unless he commits to sobriety.

Gordon, the Browns, the league and its players union all have been bloodied by the receiver's indefinite suspension from the NFL for violating its substance-abuse policy. The All Pro will miss at least the 2014 season after an arbitrator granted him no relief in an appeal that dragged on like so many losing Browns campaigns.

There's plenty of justified outrage. My sympathies, however, are reserved only for the fans. The reputations of almost everybody else have been tarnished.

Gordon released a statement through the players union apologizing to the Browns and their fans, while also admonishing the league and "its hearing office" for not exercising "better discretion and judgment" in the case.

There are pro-marijuana supporters choking on their bong hits reading those words. Seriously, how many failed drug tests and lifelines does one player require?

If Gordon wasn't one of the best receivers in football his career would have ended in college because of his drug problems at Baylor and Utah. Instead, the Browns made him a second-round pick in the 2012 supplemental draft. He was supposed to be suspended for four games to start the 2013 season after testing positive for codeine but the NFL reduced the ban to two games and four missed game checks.

Gordon led the NFL in receiving yards and broke numerous franchise records last year. He made the Pro Bowl and gave the franchise hope it had a weapon on which to build an offense around. So much goodwill generated. So much potential realized. Then, he threw it away again.

The NFL is teeming with players and coaches who make the best of second chances. Teammate Armonty Bryant, arrested twice for drug and alcohol violations before arriving in Berea, was so concerned about falling back with the wrong crowd the second-year player spent the entire off-season in Cleveland.

Gordon, meanwhile, said his latest failed test is the result of second-hand smoke. If you're in Stage 3 of the league's drug program – one strike from a season-long ban and the loss of countless millions in a contract extension – why would anyone put themselves in such environs?

Even after news of his suspension broke on May 9, he was stopped for speeding in Strongsville over Memorial Day Weekend, and the officer smelled marijuana in the car. One of his three passengers was cited for possession. Two months later, police in North Carolina arrested him for drunk driving.

Not exactly the actions of a player trying to get his priorities in order. Gordon must return to in-patient rehab while his agent and attorney likely pursue litigation against the league.

His positive test was barely over the limit – 15 nanograms of the banned substance in marijuana per milliliter – agreed upon by the league and its players union. According the Gordon's lawyers, their client's "B" test -- a quality-control specimen used to confirm a positive "A" test – was under the NFL threshold.

If the other sample had been tested first Gordon and the Browns wouldn't be facing an uncertain future. The larger issue, however, is Gordon broke a bad law. The NFL and the players association should have raised its threshold years ago. Some pro leagues do not even test for marijuana. Olympic athletes recently saw their allowable nanograms increased from 15 to a generous 150.

The league should be focused on catching performance-enhancing cheats, not pot smokers. Some players admit using it to relieve the stress and pain accompanying this violent sport. You can argue their motives, but it's hard to debate the growing support for legalizing weed. Look at national polls. Look at the trend across the nation. Two states, Colorado and Washington, have legalized it; and more than 20 others, along with Washington D.C., allow some medical use of the drug.

It's not 1964, folks. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith need to sit together and watch Pleasantville, a black-and-white world releasing its inhibitions to the strains of Etta James' "At Last."

The outrageous two-game suspension to Ray Rice for domestic violence is on Goodell. That ruling comes at his discretion. The framework for Gordon's suspension was collectively bargained. So is the stipulation that Gordon cannot practice with the team, attend meetings or other club functions.

Assuming he returns to rehab, Gordon will need structure and continuity in his life once he's out. What better place than a team environment? Why the league and players union would deny him that opportunity is unfathomable.

It recent months, new General Manager Ray Farmer and the Browns have done a better job working to get Gordon help. I've taken an unpopular view that all the organizational turnover – Gordon is playing for his third coach and general manager in three years -- has played a small part in the player's problems.

When you draft someone with Gordon's baggage, you can't treat him as one of 53. He entered the league with substance-abuse issues and the Browns needed to be vigilant. Anyone who made progress on that front usually was fired within a year. Again, Gordon deserves most of the blame for his failings, and Bryant is proof a player can take the initiative.

The Browns are understandably frustrated with how long the league needed to resolve this case. The NFL is at least willing to consider reinstatement after the season and not wait for an entire year. But the club did little to address the potentially devastating loss of their best offensive player. The Browns knew of the suspension before the draft and opted not to select a wide receiver.

Less than two weeks before the regular season opens they possess one of the NFL's worst receiving corps. That's not Goodell's or Smith's fault. Maybe this group will perform better than expected, but the Browns took a gamble by not aggressively pursuing an upgrade in talent.

The hope is the NFL and its players association change their draconian policies to align with society's leanings. The hope is Gordon finally gets the help he needs. If this doesn't sober him up, what will?

Everyone lost in Wednesday's ruling. Browns fans should be angry with all parties involved.

Check out a preview capsule for the Week 1 football matchup between John F. Kennedy and Steubenville.

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - Check out a preview capsule for the Week 1 football matchup between John F. Kennedy and Steubenville. 

What: Nonconference game.

When: Thursday, 6 p.m.

Where: Steubenville High, Harding Stadium, 420N 4^th Street, Steubenville, Call 740-282-9741.

Radio: 1430 WEIR (weirsports.net); 106.3 (1063theriver.com).

About John F. Kennedy: The Fighting Eagles are led by versatile senior Ronald Salters, who can line up in multiple spots on offense, but will primarily play QB. He has a group of senior WRs to throw to in Jovain Bailey, Timothy Grimes, Denzel Cummings and Elijah Young. The team has been stuck at 5-5 the past two seasons, but hopes its offensive experience leads to big things, such as its first playoff berth since 2011.

About Steubenville: The Big Red have qualified for the playoffs the past 13 seasons, and they’re coached by Reno Saccoccia, who is 320-61 in 31 seasons. They reached the Division IV state semifinals last season with a roster featuring 38 sophomores and juniors. The team made news recently by allowing convicted rapist Ma’lik Richmond to rejoin the team. Richmond, a wide receiver, was one of two football players at the center of the 2012-13 Steubenville rape case.

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Cleveland police said half the city's Municipal Parking Lot will open at noon Thursday, and the other will open at 5:30 p.m. ahead of the Browns preseason game against the Bears.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Police are reminding Browns fans that tailgating in the Municipal Lot will not start until noon Thursday. The Browns complete the four-game preseason schedule Thursday against the Chicago Bears. Kick off starts at 7:30 p.m. 

The city's Municipal Parking Lot opens at 7 a.m. for tailgaters during weekend home games. That won't be the case Thursday, police said.

The eastern half of the lot will open at noon, and the rest of the lot will open at 5:30 p.m. Security guards will be on duty to make sure tailgaters don't try to enter the lot early.

Police will provide a full list of rules and restrictions for tailgaters, which includes:

• No open pit fires
• Propane grills only (No charcoal)
• No alcohol
• Saving spaces prohibited
• You will be charged for all parking spaces that you occupy
• No in & out privileges
• All litter must be dispensed in trash containers
• Vandalism of any type will not be tolerated
• Crossing the Shoreway is prohibited
• No private latrines.

Check out a preview capsule for the Week 1 football matchup between John F. Kennedy and Steubenville.

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - Check out a preview capsule for the Week 1 football matchup between John F. Kennedy and Steubenville. 

What: Nonconference game.

When: Thursday, 6 p.m.

Where: Steubenville High, Harding Stadium, 420N 4^th Street, Steubenville, Call 740-282-9741.

Radio: 1430 WEIR (weirsports.net); 106.3 (1063theriver.com).

About John F. Kennedy: The Fighting Eagles are led by versatile senior Ronald Salters, who can line up in multiple spots on offense, but will primarily play QB. He has a group of senior WRs to throw to in Jovain Bailey, Timothy Grimes, Denzel Cummings and Elijah Young. The team has been stuck at 5-5 the past two seasons, but hopes its offensive experience leads to big things, such as its first playoff berth since 2011.

About Steubenville: The Big Red have qualified for the playoffs the past 13 seasons, and they’re coached by Reno Saccoccia, who is 320-61 in 31 seasons. They reached the Division IV state semifinals last season with a roster featuring 38 sophomores and juniors. The team made news recently by allowing convicted rapist Ma’lik Richmond to rejoin the team. Richmond, a wide receiver, was one of two football players at the center of the 2012-13 Steubenville rape case.

Follow @NEOvarsity

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

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

A look at the Kenston football team as it prepares for the 2014 season.

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio – Check out a preview for the Kenston football team as it enters the 2014 season, which begins on the road at Solon on Aug. 29.

Check cleveland.com/hssports all preseason for conference-by-conference previews, as well as team-by-team outlooks for each of the 136 area squads.

 5 keys for making it back to the playoffs

1. Continue to play well at home: The Bombers lost their opener at home last season, but got things rolling at their place by winning their final four games at home. Defending home turf this season will be key as the team only has four home games this season, compared to six games on the road. If the team is going to get back to where it did last season, the taking care of business at home is a must.

2. Rely on what could be a dominate  defense: There is no denying that being able to prevent the other team from scoring could go a long ways in determining the game. The Bombers bring back four players that were on an all-conference players on defense, including linebackers Josh Hummer and Jeremy Wyers. In the team's four losses, they allowed 44.3 points. However, in the seven wins, they allowed 23.2 points. There is plenty of talent on this unit, and if the defense can prevent the big play, then the Bombers should be difficult to score on.

3. Talent and now experience at the quarterback position: Parker Gdula heads into his junior year with a season under his belt, and that should pay dividends for the team. Last season, he made a lot of big plays for the team, but at other times, also showed his youth. He has very nice size at the quarterback position, and has the ability to make the big play with both his arm and legs. If he can continue to develop and eliminate the mistakes, then he has a chance to be as good as any quarterback in the conference.

4. Develop depth: When you look at the roster, there are a lot of guys that were all-conference type players. However, for this team to take the next step, the Bombers are going to have to develop some depth. Too many times last season, players were left on the field, which helped cause some of those big plays. If Kenston is able to get some strong plays from the reserves, this team is going to be difficult to beat at the end of the season.

5. Lean on seniors: The Bombers had a nice season last year with a lot of underclassman playing significant roles on the team. This season, a lot of those players are seniors, and they understand this is their final chance to put on the high school jersey. They now have the experience to go with the talent, so look for this team to really lean on its seniors throughout the season.

MORE ABOUT KENSTON

2014 schedule

OHSAA division, region: Division III, Region 7.

Conference: Chagrin Valley Conference, Chagrin Division.

2013 record: 7-4.

Coach: Jeff Grubich.

Coach’s record at school: 14-9 in three seasons.

Key offensive players: 

Parker Deuley, K, Sr.

Parker Gdula, QB, Jr.

Nick Lewis, OL, Sr.

Jake Silberman, WR, Sr.

Jeremy Wyers, WR, Sr.

Key defensive players: 

Will Bush, DL, Sr.

Carmen Gianguzzo, DL, Sr.

Josh Hummer, LB, Sr.

Mike Kruger, DL, Sr.

Zack Silberman, LB, Jr.

Key stats from 2013: 

Gdula, 1,744 passing yards, 14 touchdowns.

Follow Kenston all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every football post pertaining to Kenston.

Former four-star prospect Marshon Lattimore of Glenville had surgery on his hamstring Wednesday morning and will be forced to redshirt his freshman season at Ohio State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former four-star prospect Marshon Lattimore of Glenville had surgery on his hamstring Wednesday morning and will be forced to redshirt his freshman season at Ohio State. 

Lattimore was limited during fall camp as he dealt with what he thought was a minor hamstring pull, but Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said it was a chronic issue that had to be remedied through surgery. 

"He had a pulled hamstring, he pulled it in high school in track season," Meyer said. "He did pretty good during the summer, then he had some issues and (more) issues, then we finally we all said that God doesn't make a hamstring to be sore for five months.

"It's about a three month injury and he'll redshirt this year and be ready for spring." 

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 7 athlete in the 2014 recruiting class, Lattimore was an explosive weapon at wide receiver and defensive back for the Tarblooders before becoming one of the most sought after prospects in the country. 

Lattimore racked up more than 20 scholarships, including ones from Alabama, Louiville, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Toledo, USC and others. We've written extensively about Ohio State's battle with Alabama to land Lattimore. 

In the end, along with high school teammates Marcelys Jones and Erick Smith, Lattimore decided to keep the Glenville-to-Ohio State trend alive in January, making it 20 Tarblooders in 20 years to become Buckeyes. 

Lattimore settled in as a defensive back at Ohio State before the hamstring injury. 

Get scoring updates and chat with other fans as the Indians take on the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in the comments section.

CHICAGO, Illinois -- Get scoring updates and chat with other fans as the Indians take on the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in the comments section.

Game 131: Corey Kluber  (13-7, 2.46 ERA)  vs. Hector Noesi  (7-9, 4.86 ERA)

First pitch: 8:10 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Field

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

Check out a preview capsule for the Week 1 football matchup between Woodridge and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio - Check out a preview capsule for the Week 1 football matchup between Woodridge and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. 

What: Nonconference game.

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, 4687 Wyoga Lake Road, Cuyahoga Falls. Call 330-929-0575.

About CVCA: The Royals are coming off a 5-5 season in which they lost four games by 11 points or less. One of those was to Woodridge in Week 1 (17-6). Look for RB Cordell Wilson to move into the starting role after success late last season. QB Brandon Beausoleil returns under center.

About Woodridge: The Bulldogs want to have a positive start toward a third straight playoff berth. They have a hole at RB with the graduation of 1,500-yard rusher Dalevon Davidson. Don Baker is likely to step in. New coach Jeff Decker takes over after serving as a Chagrin Falls assistant for six years.

Follow @NEOvarsity

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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

Terry Francona on Michael Bourn and his troublesome left hamstring: "He hasn't shown any fear."

CHICAGO -- The ball left Paul Konerko's bat to start the eighth inning Tuesday night and manager Terry Francona said something unpleasant to himself.

The Indians and White Sox were tied, 6-6. The Tribe's bullpen was thin because closer Cody Allen was getting the night off. Francona had already squeezed two innings out of Scott Atchison and Chicago manager Robin Ventura was going to have a lot of options available when Konerko's ball hit the outfield grass in short center field.

"I looked at our middle infielders and knew they didn't have a chance to get to the ball," said Francona. "Then Bourn comes out of nowhere."

Center fielder Michael Bourn, moving at top speed, made a diving catch to rob Konerko in a game that the Indians won, 8-6, in 10 innings.

Asked how he rated the catch with one choice being routine and the other being a good test to his troublesome left hamstring, Bourn said, "It's somewhere in between."

Francona felt much stronger about it.

"That was have been one of the plays of the game," said Francona.

Francona marveled at the jump Bourn got on the ball.

"When you look at his jump, he was really low," said Francona. "If he stands up on that ball, he never gets it. Than he ran like he was going to catch that ball."

Bourn did not look like someone worried about re-injuring a hamstring that has already put him on the disabled list twice this year.

"He did such a good job with his rehab," said Francona. "He hasn't shown any fear. We've offered him games off – day games after night games – and he's adamant that he's playing.

"So I think he's feeling pretty good about himself."

When the Indians signed Bourn in February of 2013, he was one of the dominant base stealers in the National League. The Indians have not seen that player in the first two years of his four-year deal, but there's nothing lacking about his outfield play.

"He's been all over the outfield since the day we got him," said Francona.

Defensive tackle Michael Bennett said he is listed as a co-starter on the depth chart because he battled a minor injury during preseason practice and backup Tommy Schutt had a great camp.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman will be limited Saturday while taking it slowly coming back from offseason foot surgery, but the senior said he will take the field against Navy.

"It's one of those day by day things. We'll see come Saturday how it's feeling," Heuerman said Wednesday after practice. "I'm playing Saturday, it's just one of those things how much.

"It's a long season, is the way the coaches are handling it. It's a long season and you've got to look at the big picture. But I'll definitely be out there Saturday, there's no doubt about that."

• Defensive tackle Michael Bennett, a first-team preseason All-American according to ESPN.com, is listed as a co-starter on the depth chart with Tommy Schutt. Bennett said "it's nothing to be alarmed about."

"I got a little dinged up and Tommy really came on strong and he's been doing well," Bennett said. "So at least for the first game it's more of a dual thing. I said it before, Tommy could start anywhere else in the country. It's sort of a three-man rotation in the middle, so I wouldn't be surprised if you guys saw that."

• Urban Meyer said that behind starting running Ezekiel Elliott, Bri'onte Dunn and Rod Smith are still in the mix. In fact, Smith is listed as a co-starter with Elliott on the depth chart. But so is freshman Curtis Samuel, who wasn't supposed to be in the running back plans.

Meyer talked Wednesday about how Samuel was recruited to be an H-back but stuck at running back after a great spring in the backfield.

"He was just so productive in the spring at running back, we kept him there," Meyer said. "I'm really anxious to see how he'll do."

• Offensive line coach Ed Warinner said the Buckeyes know who their starters are on the offensive line, and that he's known since Saturday. But Ohio State listed co-starters at left guard and center on the depth chart released Wednesday. 

• Offensive coordinator Tom Herman said backup quarterback Cardale Jones had his best week of practice in his career. But there's no certain plan to get Jones in the game behind J.T. Barrett. This isn't a two-quarterback team right now. It's a one-quarterback team.