Hudson and Kirtland finish atop their respective divisions in the final AP state poll championships for Ohio for 2014 football season.
Hudson and Kirtland finish atop their respective divisions in the final AP state poll championships for Ohio for 2014 football season.
Four-star offensive tackle Thiyo Lukusa of Traverse City (Mich.) West released his first top six and Ohio State and Michigan State made the cut.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – As Ohio State's 2015 recruiting class inches closer to maximum capacity, Urban Meyer and his coaching staff have really hit the ground running for the following year.
Ohio State made some progress in the recruitment of 2016 offensive tackle Thiyo Lukusa of Traverse City (Mich.) West. A four-star prospect, Lukusa announced his first top six, and it consists of Ohio State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Georgia and Auburn.
A couple days late but my top five (six) in no order consists of notre dame georgia auburn Nebraska MSU OSU
— Thiyo Lukusa (@BigblacK4420) November 4, 2014
Rated by 247Sports the No. 25 offensive tackle in the 2016 class, Lukusa also has offers from Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin and is drawing interest from Florida State, Louisville, Penn State and others.
The Cleveland Browns feel good about their chances against the Bengals with Brian Hoyer at quarterback. He's beat the Bengals before and will play them again in one of the biggest games of his career.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns head into Cincinnati Thursday night for one of their biggest games in the new era with a quarterback in Brian Hoyer who has ice in his veins and one victory against the Bengals already under his belt.
"He has the right demeanor,'' said coach Mike Pettine. "He's not an ultra-excitable guy. I think his poise, his focus, his confidence, how he's handled adversity this year. I thought yesterday there were some good examples of it when things weren't going so well and yet he found a way to engineer the last score.
"When you have stability at quarterback, that's helpful going into a situation like this where you need somebody to set an example and remain poised and focus and calm throughout.''
Hoyer, who engineered his fourth fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory to beat the Bucs 22-17, will lead the 5-3 Browns into Cincinnati Thursday night, where they'll face the 5-2-1 Bengals for first place in the division. He defeated the Bengals 17-6 last year in his second start for the Browns.
"The one great thing that Brian does is he's got a lot of confidence and there's no stage that's too big for him,'' said left tackle Joe Thomas on a conference call Monday. "I've never seen him overwhelmed by anything. I don't expect him it to be any different this week."
Hoyer battled through some rough times Sunday -- including some lusty boos by the hometown crowd -- to pull out the victory against the Bucs, the Browns' fourth in their last five games. It gave the Browns their best record at the midpoint since 2007 and improved Hoyer to 8-3 as a Brown and 6-1 home. It also set up a monumental Battle of Ohio in front of the world on NFL Network.
If the Browns win, they'll be tied for first place in the AFC North at 6-3 with the Steelers. If the Bengals win, they'll stand alone in first place at 6-2-1, and the Browns will be tied for third with the 5-4 Ravens. The Browns have three division games left including a home date with the Bengals and the season finale in Baltimore.
"We're excited about it,'' said Pettine. "It's another opportunity for us to go out and compete. We want to see where we stack up with the Bengals. They're at the top of the division right now. We know where we (stand). We split with the Steelers and lost a tough one at home to Baltimore. This is our first chance at the last division rival for us.''
After a five-game soft patch in their schedule that included only one winning team in the Steelers, they Browns anxious to see what they're made of. The combined record of their opponents during that stretch was 10-32. Four of the five opponents have two victories or less and one is winless.
"This will be the best opponent we've played in a few games so it will certainly be a good measuring stick because Cincinnati, this year, has been probably the best team in the AFC North,'' said Thomas. "So if we want to win the AFC North, we're going to have to beat Cincinnati and this is our first opportunity.''
What's more, the Bengals are the 13-0-1 at home and haven't lost since there since late in 2012. They're 4-0-1 this season. Conversely, the Browns 17 straight divisional road losses is the longest streak by any team since the 1970 merger.
"Well, they're a good team and one hallmark of good teams is that they win at home,'' said Thomas. "So it could be a really tough place to play there. Obviously, the stage is a little bit bigger 'cause it's a Thursday night game. You're the only game on TV. It'll be a great test for us because the Bengals are probably the best team in the AFC North since the beginning of the season."
According to STATs, the last time the Bengals and Browns faced each other in week 10 or later for first place was in 1986, when they did so in week 15. Currently, the Bengals -- coming off a 33-23 home victory over the Jaguars -- are clinging to their narrow lead in the division.
"The biggest game is the next one but the division ones always, they're a little something (extra),'' said Pettine. "Some people say it's worth two, it's worth one and a half, but the quickest road to get to where we want to go is through the division and that's why this is a critical game for us.''
Pettine acknowledged that the Browns didn't have much time to savor their victory over the Bucs and their 5-3 record at the break. They came in Monday night for film study and will have one full practice on Tuesday night before heading down to Cincinnati on Wednesday.
"We feel good about a win, but this is one we had to celebrate quick and put it behind us and we are truly on to the next one with a much bigger sense of urgency,'' said Pettine. "I think maybe after this game we can maybe reflect on our first nine to get a feel of where we are with a couple days off, but I don't think our guys are much into reflecting right now. I think they realize we're behind and they have a sense of urgency in getting prepared for the Bengals."
Hoyer will still likely be without his Pro Bowl tight end in Jordan Cameron (concussion) and will have to hope that center Nick McDonald has a better game against Bengals two-time All-Pro defensive tackle and other interior linemen than he did against Tampa Bay's Gerald McCoy.
"(Atkins) is a tremendous player,'' said Thomas. "Obviously he's one of the best three-techniques in the NFL. The power he has and the quickness that he has presents a challenge to any guard that's going to have to face him and it will be another unique challenge here this week coming off of this week with Gerald McCoy. We'll have to bring our A-game if we want to try to block Geno Atkins.''
Pettine defended McDonald, who was pressed into service last week in place of two-time Pro Bowler Alex Mack. Before this year, he started only three NFL games, and none since 2012.
"That front will do that to you,'' Pettine said. "A couple of times we put him in a tough situation to make a block and they have good players and they rolled off the ball and knocked us back at times and there were other times we did have some success but I just think that overall, not just Nick, but I think that whole group just needs to keep pushing forward and proving each week.''
He stressed that the Browns won't abandon their run-first approach despite three straight weeks of tough sledding, including a 1.8-yard average against the Bucs.
"We feel over time we'll get better up front, but we took a step backwards and we're trying to regain that ground,'' said Pettine.
Hoyer was sacked three times and knocked down hard at least another four times after the throw. He spent a lot of time in the cold tub and with the trainers after the game, and landed on the injury report Monday with a glute issue. There was no practice Monday, but had there been, he would've participate fully.
Still, Hoyer managed to record his second 300-yard passing game against the Bucs and has engineered fourth-quarter comebacks in four of his eight victories. He's also the first Browns quarterback to throw for 200-plus yards in each of the team's first eight games of a season since Brian Sipe in 1983 and is leading the NFL with an average of 13.79 yards per completion.
Pettine can also take comfort in the fact that one of Hoyer's eight victories came last year against the Bengals, at FirstEnergy Stadium. In that game, Hoyer completed 25 of 38 attempts for 269 yards with two TDs and no interceptions for a 103.9 rating. Granted, he had Josh Gordon (four catches for 71 yards) and Cameron (10 catches for 91 yards) at his disposal, but it was still only the third start in his NFL career.
"I've played against them before,'' Hoyer said after the Bucs game. "This isn't a team I'm unfamiliar with. At least I've actually been out on the field and played against these guys. I'm looking forward to it.''
Hoyer didn't flinch the first time around, and the Brown certainly don't expect him to on Thursday night either.
As of Monday, Jordan Cameron hadn't been cleared from his concussion to practice and Mike Pettine stressed that Isaiah Crowell is not in the doghouse.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine stressed that Isaiah Crowell hasn't ruffled anyone's feathers.
It only seems that way.
Crowell -- who still leads the Browns with four rushing touchdowns -- got no carries Sunday against the Bucs. That follows on the heels of one run against the Raiders and only seven the week before that.
In his first five games, Crowell carried the ball 11 times on three occasions, and on the last of those, he gained 77 yards -- against the Steelers -- for a smashing 7.0-yard average.
So what gives? Why isn't the Crow flying?
"No. Not disciplinary,'' said Pettine. "The kid's in good standing with the team."
Pettine said Crowell isn't still paying for putting the ball on the ground three times against the Steelers. He did keep him off the field at the end of the Oakland game because of ball security, but that was an isolated situation.
"That's not being held over his head, but it was a staff decision,'' he said. "We assess that each week."
So how can your leader in the clubhouse in terms of TDs and rushing average (4.9-yards per carry) be stuck on the bench?
"We evaluate everything from A to Z – how they're practicing, just a lot of factors that go into their play,'' said Pettine. "I don't want to get into projecting forward, but we assess each week who gives us the best chance to be successful and that's who we roll with."
With Crowell grounded and Ben Tate stalled (10 carries for 3 yards), Terrance West carried the load against the Tampa Bay, gained 48 yards on 15 carries for a 3.2-yard average. He also caught a 2-yard TD pass and blocked blitzing linebacker Lavonte David on the gamewinning TD strike to Taylor Gabriel.
With the Browns averaging only 1.9 yards per carry over the past three games, it remains somewhat of a mystery.
Cameron not cleared: The Browns didn't practice on Monday but if they did, tight end Jordan Cameron (concussion) wouldn't have participated. The Browns put out a projected injury report, and Cameron was DNP -- did not practice. It means he'll probably sit out Thursday night's big game in Cincinnati. He also missed Sunday's 22-17 victory over the Bucs with his third concussion in less than two years. The Browns only have one full practice Tuesday night before heading to Cincinnati on Wednesday, so Cameron looks doubtful.
Asked if he had any idea if Cameron will play, Pettine said, "I don't.''
In last year's first meeting against the Bengals, Cameron caught 10 passes for 91 yards and 2-yard TD from Brian Hoyer.
Safety Johnson Bademosi, who suffered a concussion against the Bucs also wouldn't have practiced.
Andrew Hawkins nicked: Receiver Andrew Hawkins, the Browns leader with 39 receptions and 504 yards, also would've been idle Monday with a thigh/knee injury. This is a huge game for Hawkins, who spent three years in Cincinnati before the Browns signed him as a restricted free agent in the offseason.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis praised Hawkins in his press conference Monday.
"We know Andrew and how much heart and what a quality person and player he is,'' said Lewis. "He's leading him in receiving. He's getting the ball on the screens, he does the dirty work cutting off the guys on the backside, he's blocking in the running game. He took a couple of real physical shots in the last game, and bounced right back up, and got back in there and came at them. He's what we know he is. He's such a competitor."
Other key injuries: Hoyer was added to the list Monday with a glute injury but would've practiced. Phil Taylor was listed as idle with the knee and Billy Winn was limited with a toe. Receiver Gabriel was on the list with a shoulder, but would've practiced.
For the Bengals, running back Giovani Bernard was idle with hip and clavicle injuries and linebacker Vontaze Burfict is out with his knee injury. Others idle included cornerback Leon Hall (concussion), linebacker Ray Maualuga (hamstring) and offensive tackle Andre Smith.
With Bernard out against the Jaguars, rookie running back Jeremy Hill rushed for 154 yards, two touchdowns and a 6.4-yard average.
"Playing quarterback means everything to me," Gibson told cleveland.com during a phone interview Monday evening. "I have been playing quarterback all of my life. It's not just a position to me, it's more than that. I play quarterback with a passion every time I go out there."
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five-star quarterback Torrance Gibson of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage had plenty of elite colleges hoping to add him to their roster, but Ohio State stood out for one reason.
The fact that the Buckeyes see him exclusively as a quarterback at the next level.
That message has been conveyed to Gibson, who doesn't fear that he'll come to Ohio State and soon be switched to a different position.
So when Gibson had Miami (Fla.) and LSU hats on his table during his announcement ceremony on Monday, OSU was on his head.
He's a quarterback. And now he's a Buckeye.
"Playing quarterback means everything to me," Gibson told cleveland.com during a phone interview Monday evening. "I have been playing quarterback all of my life. It's not just a position to me, it's more than that. I play quarterback with a passion every time I go out there.
"I spoke to (offensive coordinator) Tom Herman, and he is always saying that he is psyched for me to come up there and play quarterback and he tells me that we are going to do amazing things together. He's always hyped about talking to me about playing quarterback. Things will work out great."
Rated by 247Sports the No. 3 athlete in the 2015 class, Gibson had opportunities to play for Auburn, Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee and many others before narrowing it down to his final three.
Most people near his high school thought he'd stay home and put on the Miami hat, others thought LSU – which is located a few states over in the South – would be a nice compromise for the quarterback who has wanted to leave Florida since the beginning of his recruitment.
But Gibson is headed north, and he didn't shy away from the competition that will be waiting for him at Ohio State in the quarterback room.
Not only is there a chance Braxton Miller will return next season, the Buckeyes also will have J.T. Barrett, Cardale Jones, Stephen Collier and Joey Burrow of Athens, Ohio, who is also committed in Ohio State's 2015 class, on the roster.
Theoretically, Ohio State could have six scholarship quarterbacks on the roster next year. Only Miller and Jones would be upperclassmen.
"I am so excited, I have the chills right now," Gibson said. "I can't wait. I love competing. There's no harm in competing. That's what the game of football is all about. You have to compete, give it your all and I can't wait to do that."
Gibson's recruitment has been rather hectic. He has been all over the place for visits, all while changing his mind frequently before landing on Ohio State.
Though Ohio State has now earned his commitment, it can't stop recruiting Gibson, especially because he said he isn't sure if he'll take his remaining official visits.
But Gibson said he's relieved to finally have the recruiting process behind him.
"There's a big weight lifted off my shoulders now that I've finally made a decision," Gibson said. "I can now just focus on the team and trying to help us win the state championship again."
Hernandez, Kluber and Sale were AL finalists.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Felix Hernandez, not Corey Kluber, was named the American League's 'outstanding pitcher' for 2014 in the annual Players Choice Awards on Monday night.
Hernandez, Kluber and left-hander Chris Sale were the finalists. Voting was conducted by big league players toward the end of the just completed regular season. The MLB players association presents the awards.
Kluber tied for the AL lead with 18 wins. Four statistical sites gave him the top WAR ranking among AL pitchers. Kluber finished second in the league with 269 strikeouts and third with 235 2/3 innings pitched.
Hernandez won 15 games, but led the AL in ERA at 2.14.He pitched 236 innings and struck out 248 batters.
The Dodgers Clayton Kershaw dominated the awards on MLB Network. He was named the 2014 Player of the Year, NL outstanding pitcher for 2014 and received the Marvin Miller Man of the year awards.
The Browns never recovered from last season's beating in Cincinnati, losing their last seven games. This team is better equipped to handle the consequences of a big game, regardless of the result. Watch video
WARREN, Ohio – The Browns head to Cincinnati on Thursday for the franchise's biggest game since, well, jeez, last year when, you know, they went to Cincinnati.
The hype surrounding the nationally-televised primetime game between the Browns (5-3) and Bengals (5-2-1) is understandable. The battle for Ohio is usually only relevant in November on political fronts.
Let's not lose perspective, though.
This isn't the Browns' most meaning November game in years. It's simply the most important one in 12 months. If they didn't learn lessons from the 41-20 loss to the Bengals a season ago and its lingering effects, the Browns' season could follow down another rabbit's hole.
We tend to forget – or perhaps block from memory – the Browns were in a similar scenario as they traveled to Cincinnati for the Nov. 17, 2013 game. Despite a mediocre 4-5 record, a win would have put them in control of their playoff destiny and given the Browns a legitimate shot at winning the division. Those were strange days in a dreadful AFC North postseason race.
The Browns had beaten the Ravens in the previous game. They benefited from a bye week and built a 13-0 first-quarter lead as Bengals' fans lustily booed two Andy Dalton interceptions. Then, the Browns imploded.
A series of offensive and special-team gaffes fueled a 31-point, second-quarter Bengals' rally. The stunning swing led to the first of seven straight losses to end the season and cost coach Rob Chudzinski his job.
The postgame locker room was filled with surreal scenes and quotes. Quarterback Jason Campbell was overcome by his poor performance. Several defensive players openly criticized the other two units.
The Bengals finished with 93 yards passing and were 1-of-13 on third downs and won by 21 points.
"It's really frustrating just knowing that you dominated a team," defensive tackle Phil Taylor said that day. "(The Bengals) literally couldn't piss a drop and you still get blown out."
The Browns were still a wild-card contender, but couldn't shake the Bengals' defeat. The Steelers hammered them 27-11 a week later and Campbell soon came unhinged. In the following weeks he told reporters how the disappointment of previous losses began to impact his play. It was an astonishing admission from a team leader. The defense also fell apart in a series of blown second-half leads.
The club never recovered from the loss at Paul Brown Stadium. It's as if the moment was simply too big. They weren't ready to handle the consequences.
Cornerback Joe Haden, who had two interceptions including his first pick six in the game, was asked about it Sunday.
"Different season, different coaching staff, different players, different feeling in the locker room," Haden said. "(But) I remember it, I remember it. We just have to go out and study and make plays and keep doing what we're doing. Just keep believing and never, never lose that faith."
The Bengals are 13-0-1 in their last 14 regular-season home games. The Browns, missing three All Pros on the offensive side, have lost their last 17 road games in the AFC North – the longest drought by a team within its division since the 1970 NFL merger.
But these Browns are better equipped to deal with what happens Thursday – good or bad – and the fallout. The club has won four of its last five and merits the attention it's receiving.
Head coach Mike Pettine, involved in ample big games as a member of the Jets' coaching staff, has done a nice job not letting the group get too high or low. He's spoken extensively to players about dealing with success. Pettine drinks his beers and smokes his Ashtons on Sunday nights following victories and moves on to the next opponent.
His quarterback, Brian Hoyer, exudes mental toughness. He's overcome an ACL tear, the cries for Johnny Manziel and some uneven performances to deliver three fourth-quarter comebacks. Pettine told reporters Monday that Hoyer has "the right demeanor" to lead the club into a big game.
If the Browns lose Thursday night in Cincinnati, I don't see him wallowing the way Campbell did a year ago.
The additions of Donte Whitner and Karlos Dansby have buoyed the leadership group. Each began their careers on losing franchises and later played in Super Bowls. Nobody on the roster better understands the process of building a winner.
The other difference between this season and last, of course, is the record. The Browns could lose their next two games and be sitting at .500 awaiting the return of All Pro receiver Josh Gordon.
The Browns probably need to win two of their last three divisional games to make the playoffs in a competitive AFC North. They also must find a way to improve their play away from FirstEnergy Stadium. (The Browns haven't won more than two road games since 2008.)
Pettine and the Browns are embracing the short week of preparation, with the coach saying it makes for a "good test of our mental and physical toughness."
The schedule is about to become much tougher, the stakes rising with every game. A year ago, the Browns reached this point and capitulated. I don't know if they win Thursday, but expect a more positive reaction regardless of the outcome.
The lessons from Nov. 17, 2013 were painful. They also can be very beneficial to the players who remain.
Michigan State got leapfrogged by Kansas State because the Wildcats beat 5-4 Oklahoma State. That's bad news for the Big Ten.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Eleven thoughts on the College Football Playoff poll. The second version of the poll this season was released on Tuesday night.
1. The lack of depth in the Big Ten is killing the conference's top teams in the eyes of the committee. There's no doubt about that.
2. The poll wasn't great news for the Big Ten. Idle Michigan State stayed at No. 8 but was jumped by Kansas State, putting two Big 12 teams, along with three SEC teams and one team each from the Pac-12 and ACC, ahead of the top Big Ten team. Nebraska, with a loss to Michigan State and solid nonconference win over Miami, was at No. 13 and Ohio State at No. 14.
3. What does that mean? The biggest game of the year in the Big Ten, between the Spartans and Buckeyes on Saturday, may not give the winner that much of a bump.
Michigan State is wedged between four teams who play each other Saturday - No. 6 TCU vs. No. 7 Kansas State and No. 9 Arizona State vs. No. 10 Notre Dame.
So the Spartans could beat the Buckeyes and not move up next week - staying behind the TCU-Kansas State winner, moving ahead of the loser of that game, but also getting jumped by the Notre Dame-Arizona State winner.
4. On our weekly Ohio State-Big Ten show we've asked ourselves a few times this year whether the Big Ten would get a team in the playoff, and we always said no. That only looks more possible given this poll.
5. Committee chairman Jeff Long told reporters on a conference calls that Kansas State's win over Oklahoma State last week moved the Wildcats ahead of the Spartans, who were on a bye week. At 7-1, Kansas State has a loss to No. 3 Auburn and its best win is over No. 15 Oklahoma.
Long: Kansas State moved ahead of Michigan State due to adding their convincing win over Oklahoma State to its resume.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 5, 2014
At 7-1, Michigan State has a loss to No. 4 Oregon and its best win is over No. 13 Nebraska. But if beating 5-4 Oklahoma State is enough to push the Wildcats past the Spartans, the committee must not consider any other Michigan State wins, against teams like Michigan, Purdue or Indiana, to be comparable to beating Oklahoma State.
And Oklahoma State has just four wins over FBS schools this season, and those four teams have a combined record of 9-24. But the Cowboys lost by just six to Florida State to open the season, and that remains the highlight of their resume.
It's that bad, Big Ten.
6. If you get jumped by a team that beat Oklahoma State, the committee thinks your schedule stinks. And that's because your conference stinks.
7. Meanwhile, Ohio State moved up to No. 14 from No. 16, but remained behind a two-loss team in Ole Miss. The Buckeyes are 11th among the 12 one-loss power conference teams, ahead of only Duke.
8. Yes, the Virginia Tech loss is really hurting the Buckeyes. But the lack of opportunity at quality conference wins is holding Ohio State back just as much.
9. No. 6 TCU is on the brink of the playoff. If the Horned Frogs beat Kansas State, they'll stay ahead of the Big Ten's best team. Having already beaten Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and and West Virginia, TCU can coast to the end of the season with a win Saturday. They finish with Kansas, Texas and Iowa State and, without a conference title game, with be the Big 12 champ.
And given how the committee is showing it feels about the Big Ten, it's unlikely the Big Ten champ would jump TCU.
10. Oregon moved into the No. 4 spot previously occupied by Ole Miss. Both the Ducks, against No. 17 Utah, and No. 9 Arizona State against No. 10 Notre Dame, play ranked teams this week.
If both win, the path to the Pac-12 title game isn't all that daunting for either. If the Pac-12 gets that one-loss showdown of division champions, that conference champ will stay ahead of any Big Ten champ as well.
11. Root for Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Penn State, Rutgers and the rest of the Big Ten to get better, Buckeyes and Spartans. Or this will continue to happen in the years ahead.
As an added bonus, here's my Twitter rant on the topic after I posted this. You can follow me @douglesmerises
Tonight's CFB poll was the clearest sign yet that the mediocre Big Ten is killing Michigan State and Ohio State http://t.co/RgE61z0jm7
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
MSU beat No. 13, lost to No. 4. Kansas State beat No. 15, lost to No. 3. But KSU jumped MSU b/c of W over 5-4 Okie St http://t.co/RgE61z0jm7
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
Beating 6th place 5-4 Oklahoma State impressed CFB committee. MSU beating Mich, IU, Purdue didn't impress anyone http://t.co/RgE61z0jm7
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
I am not telling you what should or shouldn't be. I am telling you what is with the committee in this new world, the people that matter.
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
Big Ten is absolutely killing its best teams. Wins aren't respected by people in charge. B/c 14 in league, may often miss other good teams
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
If only thought it before, this is the proof. MSU, OSU, Neb, Wis must win nonconf games, then are reliant on rest of league to gain respect.
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
Non-conference does matter. Okie State gained some respect by hanging around with Fla State in opener. But that 6-pt L best part of resume
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
Don't blame the system. Look in the mirror Big Ten. Things must change, or this will continue. http://t.co/RgE61z0jm7
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
Oklahoma State has 4 wins vs FBS teams, with combined record of 9-24. Kansas State beating them was enough to jump Michigan State.
— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) November 5, 2014
Corey Kluber and Michael Brantley are finalists for two of baseball's biggest awards. Kluber is a finalist for the AL Cy Young award, while Brantley is a finalist for the AL MVP award. The winners will be announced next week.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Indians right-hander Corey Kluber and left fielder Michael Brantley are finalists for the American League Cy Young and MVP awards, respectively.
Kluber, Seattle's Felix Hernandez and Chicago's Chris Sale are finalists for the Cy Young award. Brantley is a MVP finalist with Detroit's Victor Martinez and the Angels' Mike Trout.
The finalists for each of the Baseball Writers Association of America awards were announced Tuesday night on MLB Network.
The AL and NL Cy Young winners will be announced Nov. 12. The AL and NL MVPs will be announced on Nov. 13.
Kluber could become the Indians fourth Cy Young winner following Gaylord Perry (24-6, 1.92 ERA) in 1972, CC Sabathia (19-7, 3.21) in 2007 and Cliff Lee (22-3, 2.54) in 2008.
This year Kluber went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA in 34 starts. He struck out 269, walked 51 and allowed 207 hits in 235 2/3 innings.
Kluber was tied for first in the AL in victories and starts. His 269 strikeouts, second most in the AL, ranked sixth in Indians' history for a single season.
Hernandez went 15-6 with a 2.14 ERA in 34 starts. He led the AL in ERA, while striking out 248 in 236 innings.
Sale, who made only 26 starts because of injury, went 12-4 with a 2.17 ERA. He struck out 208 in 174 innings and had a WHIP of 0.966.
Brantley is trying to become the Indians first player in 61 years to win the MVP award. Al Rosen won it in 1953 and Lou Boudreau in 1948.
After signing a four-year $25 million contract extension before the start of spring training, Brantley put together a career year. He hit .327 with 20 homers and 97 RBI. Brantley was the first Indian to collect 200 hits in a season since Kenny Lofton in 1996.
Brantley finished in the top 10 in 16 difference offensive categories. He led the AL in batting average with runners in scoring position at .376 and average against right-handers at .337.
The left-handed hitter posted a 20-20 (20 steals, 20 homers) season for the first time in his career. He was just the ninth player in franchise history to do it.
Trout, favored to win the award, hit .287 with 37 homers and 111 RBI. He led the big leagues with 115 runs and 338 total bases. Trout struck out an AL-high 184 times.
Martinez hit .335 with 32 homers and 103 RBI. He hit 33 doubles and led MLB with a .974 OPS. The switch-hitting Martinez, signed, developed and brought to the big leagues by the Indians, drew 70 walks and struck out only 42 times.
Here are the other finalists:
AL rookie of the year: Jose Abreu, White Sox, Dellin Betances, Yankees and Matt Shoemaker, Angels.
NL rookie of the year: Jacob deGroom, Mets, Billy Hamilton, Reds and Kolten Wong, Cardinals. AL and NL rookie of the year awards will be announced on Nov. 10 on MLB Network.
AL manager of the year: Mike Scioscia, Angels, Buck Showalter, Orioles, Ned Yost, Royals.
NL manager of the year: Bruce Bochy, Giants, Clint Hurdle, Pirates, Matt Williams, Nationals. AL and NL manager of the year awards will be announced on Nov. 11 on MLB Network.
NL Cy Young: Johnny Cueto, Reds, Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers, Adam Wainwright, Cardinals. AL and NL Cy Young awards will be announced on Nov. 12 on MLB Network.
NL MVP: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers, Andrew McCutchen, Pirates, Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins. AL and NL MVP awards will be announced on Nov. 12 on MLB Network.
Gold glove: Brantley and catcher Yan Gomes were finalists for the Gold Glove award, but did not win.
Kansas City's Alex Gordon won the AL Gold Glove in left field. Salvador Perez, another Royal, won the AL Gold Glove for catchers.
Browns' GM Ray Farmer stressed that Josh Gordon must prove to the team that fits their 'play like a Brown' credo. Is he willing to do what it take to play at a championship level? What's more, they won't upset the offense just to showcase his skills.
BEREA, Ohio -- Browns general manager Ray Farmer indicated Tuesday that Josh Gordon must prove he fits the 'play like a Brown' credo, and said the club won't 'disrupt' its offense to get him the ball.
Asked what kind of impact the All-Pro will have when he comes off his 10 game-suspension Nov. 23 in Atlanta, Farmer said, "It's an interesting question. As much of an impact as he's prepared to have and as much of an impact that we give him an opportunity to have.''
Does Farmer think Gordon will be ready physically and mentally when he returns?
"It's our hope that when it's time, it's time and we'll make that determination when we get to that point in the road,'' Farmer said.
Is there any reason not to give the NFL's reigning receiving yardage leader a big opportunity?
"What's a big opportunity?'' said Farmer. "Do you disrupt what you do offensively just to make sure that you throw the ball to Josh Gordon? I don't know if that's really the right way to operate. Is he a phenomenal talent? Sure I'd tell you that he is a talented young man and he can do a lot of good things.
"But do you kind of disrupt what you are to just make sure that one person gets the ball? I think that teams win. Talent doesn't. It's really about building a team and people have to find a way to fit into the team and I think that's what we're looking for here is a championship level team.''
He stressed that he has no hard feelings against Gordon for failing another drug test and getting suspended. At first, he was banished for at least a year, and then it was reduced to 10 games when the policy was revised.
"None at all,'' said Farmer. "I've been confident about who's going to make this football team and we signed guys that didn't make it. We brought in other guys, we looked at several talented people and inevitably, it comes down to the guys that work and work for who we are and how we play to be able to accomplish and do certain things.
"And if you don't want to the play the style of football that we want to play, you're not good for our football team. So it's not about the most talented. It's truly about the best fits for our football team. I think that's what we're focused on.''
Farmer stressed he's not saying Gordon, whose contract is up after next season, doesn't fit in.
"I know this may get painted that I'm trying to point at Josh,'' he said. "I'm not pointing at Josh. Everybody on our football team has to play a role. They've got to fit into what we want to do. Coaches like when we say 'look you should be in the B gap' and you're in the B gap..... (It's) making sure that guys can not only learn the playbook but respond in time and play accordingly.
''So there's no slight on Josh. There's no intimation that I said that he was suspect or he wasn't doing anything that he was asked to do. This is more of everybody that comes through our football team, it's not based on talent, it's based upon can you fit into what we're going to do short and long term."
He said it's up to Gordon to demonstrate that he's got what it takes to accompany the Browns to the next level.
"We give guys opportunities and then the onus falls on the individual,'' he said. "How well do you want to prepare? How much do you want to work at it and then what are you able to accomplish?"
The Browns will begin to find out soon enough.
Archbishop Hoban girls soccer defeated Lima Bath, 3-1, on Tuesday.
Archbishop Hoban girls soccer defeated Lima Bath, 3-1, on Tuesday.
Goals by Katie Quinn and Halle Stelbasky helped Walsh Jesuit reach the Division I state championship game.
Goals by Katie Quinn and Halle Stelbasky helped Walsh Jesuit reach the Division I state championship game.
A perfectly placed goal stops Elyria Catholic's girls soccer team one game short of state final.
A perfectly placed goal stops Elyria Catholic's girls soccer team one game short of state final.
Calvin Pickard turns back 41 shots but Lake Erie Monsters fall to Rockford IceHogs in overtime.
ROCKFORD, Illinois -- Calvin Pickard turned back 41 shots but it wasn't enough to prevent the Lake Erie Monsters from falling to the Rockford IceHogs, 5-4, in overtime Tuesday night at BMO Harris Bank Center.
Lake Erie held a 4-1 lead after two periods, but Rockford's relentless pressure on Pickard tied the game at the end of regulation, then center Peter Regin scored at 5:10 of overtime to end the Monsters two-game winning streak.
Colin Smith and Stefan Elliott each scored twice for Lake Erie, which was out-shot 46-26, and fell to 4-4-1-1. Rockford is now 8-2-0-1.
The Monsters jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first period with a pair of power-play goals. Elliott opened the scoring at 3:50 off assists from Maxim Noreau and Joey Hishon.
Smith picked up his first goal at 5:57, assisted by Karl Stollery and Paul Carey.
Rockford defensemen Ville Pokka made it 2-1 at 5:19 of the second period on the power play, but Lake Erie came right back with two more scores, also on power plays. Smith scored at 6:58 on assists from Carey and Mike Sgarbossa, then Elliott scored again at 13:20, assisted by Noreau and Smith.
Rockford pulled goalie Michael Leighton after the fourth goal and replaced him with Scott Darling, who stopped all 12 shots he saw to get the win.
The IceHogs came back with three goals in the third to force the overtime. Mark McNeill scored the first two, then Regin tied it with a goal at 18:20.
Rockford peppered Pickard with 19 shots in the third and out-shot the Monsters in regulation, 44-24.
The Monsters return to Quicken Loans Arena on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to face the Utica Comets.
Notes: The Monsters have points in three straight games, and are 2-0-1-0 in that span... The Monsters are 0-1-1-0 against Rockford this season, with each of the two games against Rockford to this point being played in Rockford; the two teams will meet eight times overall... The Monsters four power play goals were one shy of tying the franchise record set on November 8, 2009 against Grand Rapids... The 46 shots allowed by the Monsters were the most allowed in a game this season... The Monsters were 4-4 on the power play and 3-4 on the penalty kill.
Three-star cornerback Joshua Norwood of Valdosta, Ga., became Ohio State's 20th commitment in the 2015 recruiting class on Tuesday evening.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three-star cornerback Joshua Norwood of Valdosta, Ga., became Ohio State's 20th commitment in the 2015 recruiting class, the prospect announced on his Twitter account Tuesday evening.
Rated by 247Sports the No. 142 cornerback in the class, Norwood was once committed to Cincinnati but he recently decommitted from the Bearcats before officially visiting Ohio State over the weekend.
Two days later, Norwood became a Buckeye.
Officially committed to The university of Ohio State [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]
— Prince J (@the_wait_) November 5, 2014
A 5-foot-10, 175-pound cornerback, Norwood chose the Buckeyes over scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Minnesota and Purdue. He also has drawn interest from Auburn, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin and others.
Check out Norwood's highlights below:
Bowling Green tightens grip on MAC East lead with 27-10 victory over Akron.
AKRON, Ohio -- The rain slowed Bowling Green's quick-trigger offense, but the Akron Zips made up for it by giving the ball away and the Falcons cruised to a 27-10 victory for first place in the Mid-American Conference East Division on Tuesday night in InfoCision Stadium.
For the third straight game, turnovers were Akron's demise as a trio of interceptions and a pair of fumbles in the end zone helped the Falcons all but clinch the East with three games to play. The Zips (4-5, 2-3) have 14 turnovers in the last three games, all defeats.
The Falcons (6-3, 4-1) got on the board with 3:58 to play in the opening quarter when Tyler Tate booted a 30-yard field goal into a swirling wind at the South end of the Stadium for a 3-0 lead.
Moments after the teams flipped the field to start the second quarter, Akron kicker Robert Stein, who missed a 51-yard field goal with the wind at his back, aced a 40-yard field goal into the wind to tie the game, 3-3, with 14:54 to play in the half.
With just over 10 minutes to play in the half, Akron recovered a Bowling Green fumble at the Akron 47. But the Zips answered with a turnover when quarterback Kyle Pohl threw an interception in the end zone.
The Falcons got close enough on the next drive to have Tate kick a 45-yard field goal to give BG a 6-3 lead, a score that stood at halftime.
The continuous rain remained the story into the second half as a high center snap deep in Akron territory was fumbled by Pohl and recovered by Bowling Green's Taylor Royster for a touchdown with 9:23 on the clock in the third quarter.
If that 13-3 lead did not put a grip on BG's first-place hold in the MAC East, Pohl's interception on the next possession did. Nick Johnson's pick was his second of the game. The touchdown that soon followed made it 20-3 going into the fourth quarter.
A 15-yard touchdown run by Jawon Chisholm got the Zips within 20-10 with 9:07 to play. But one last Akron interception was to come -- and another BG touchdown -- to keep the Zips on the losing side once again.
Toledo defeats Kent State to become bowl eligible as Kareem Hunt tops 100 yards again.
KENT, Ohio -- Kareem Hunt rushed for 141 yards in 18 carries to lead Toledo to a 30-20 victory over host Kent State in a Mid-American Conference game in the wind and rain on Tuesday night at Dix Stadium.
Kent scored all of its points in the second half after backup quarterback Nathan Strock took over for starter Colin Reardon.
Toledo (6-3) leads the MAC West Division with a 5-0 league record. Kent (1-8) is 0-5 in MAC play and last in the East Division.
Quarterback Logan Woodside found Alonzo Russell open in the left side of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown pass to give Toledo a 23-0 lead early in the third quarter. The 52-yard drive began after Rockets senior safety Jordan Haden -- the brother of Browns cornerback Joe -- intercepted a Reardon pass.
The interception made Reardon, a redshirt sophomore, 10 of 23 for 96 yards. He was pulled in favor of redshirt freshman Strock, who led Kent to touchdowns the next three times it had the football.
First, the Golden Flashes went 73 yards, with Nick Holley dashing 50 yards for a touchdown after it appeared he was stopped at the line of scrimmage.
Then, after Toledo rebuilt its lead to 30-7 on Woodside's 2-yard scoring toss to Kishon Wilcher, Kent scored again on a 4-yard Strock pass to Ernest Calhoun. Strock ran 65 yards around right end on the first play of the 76-yard trip.
Kent then took over on the Toledo 25 after a bad snap on a would-be Rockets punt. Strock's 3-yard touchdown pass to Casey Pierce pulled the Golden Flashes to within 30-20. A two-point conversion try on a pass failed.
Toledo halted Kent's next drive with a fumble recovery at the Rockets' 32 with 9:45 left in the game. The Golden Flashes didn't threaten again.
Strock finished 9-of-18 passing for 67 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and rushed for 71 yards in five carries.
Hunt, a 5-11, 215-pound sophomore from Willoughby South, surpassed 100 yards for the seventh straight game, dating back to last season. He missed three games earlier this season with a sprained ankle, but he still has totaled 866 yards and eight touchdowns rushing in 103 carries.
Toledo led, 9-0, early in the second quarter after field goals of 26, 28 and 45 yards by Jeremiah Detmer on three of its first four drives. Woodside's 16-yard touchdown pass to Justin Olack on a skinny post just inside the end zone capped the 82-yard march with 2:54 left in the second quarter and upped the Rockets' lead to 16-0.
-- Mike Peticca
LeBron James shut out after halftime in rough night against Portland Trail Blazers
PORTLAND, Ore. – LeBron James suffered one of his lowest-scoring games in his 12 NBA seasons and the Cleveland Cavaliers were blown out in Portland to start a three-game Western swing.
James finished with just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting in the Cavaliers' 101-82 loss to the Trail Blazers -- scoring all of his points in the first half. The last time he scored fewer than 12 points in a regular-season game was Dec. 5, 2008, when he had 11 as a Cavalier in a win over the Indiana Pacers.
In the most recent NBA Eastern Conference Finals, James scored seven points with Miami in a Game 5 loss to Indiana.
James looked like he was headed for a fine night against Portland with a brilliant first quarter, before malaise set in. He spent the third quarter as the team's point guard and didn't fare much better.
Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Blazers.
1st Quarter
Stats: 9 pts, 0 rbs, 1 ast, 3-5 FG, 1-1 FT
Highlight: Picking up where he left off Friday in Chicago, James spins to the baseline and goes up for a two-hand slam with 10:46 left. He was fouled and made the free throw.
Briefing: There's a lot of room out there for James to operate. He made it to the rim three times, missing two layups (and asking for fouls both times). Of the two three-pointers James drilled, one was from near midcourt as the shot clock expired.
2nd Quarter
Stats: 2 pts, 3 rbs, 3 ast, 1-3 FG, O-0 FT
Highlight: James beat his man to a long rebound at the Blazers' end. But instead of grabbing the ball, he tapped it volleyball-style down the floor to Shawn Marion for a lay-in.
Briefing: Sleepy quarter for James and the Cavaliers. James' first possession off the bench was active, he backed his man down and drilled a short, turnaround jumper with 6:39 to go, and the Marion tap followed. James had two other assists in the half-court, but a lightning-fast pace has slowed considerably for all involved.
3rd Quarter
Stats: 0 pts, 3 rbs, 2 ast, 0-2 FG, 0-2 FT
Highlight: Driving into the lane, James kicked it out to Kevin Love in the corner for a three-pointer with 4:32 remaining.
Briefing: James was the point guard in this quarter, initiating the offense on most possessions. He's also not shooting or (obviously) scoring. His last shot was at 6:21, and when he went to the bench he hadn't scored since 6:39 of the second quarter. He's also visibly agitated with the Cavaliers' sloppiness on both ends.
4th Quarter
Stats: 0 pts, 1 rbs, 1 ast, 0-2 FG, 0-0 FT
Highlight: After fumbling the ball, James tried to regain control and was called for traveling with 8:19 left. It was down hill from there
Briefing: This quarter had no redeeming features for James. The best that can be said? He finished with a season-low 35 minutes. Bad ending to a bad game for him and the Cavaliers.
Totals: 11 pts, 7 rbs, 7 ast, 4-12 FG, 1-1 FT
On Tuesday night, the first game since the win against the Bulls, the Cavs reverted back to the way they played on Thursday, getting blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers, 101-82.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Cleveland Cavaliers played poorly on opening night against the New York Knicks, the team quickly rebounded against the Chicago Bulls, giving an indication of what they are capable of.
But on Tuesday night, the first game since the win against the Bulls, the Cavs reverted back to the way they played on Thursday, getting blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers, 101-82.
LeBron James scored 11 points on 4-of-12 from the field and was shutout in the second half for the first time in more than a decade. He was the target of most of the criticism, but it was a poor performance all the way around.
Check out reaction from Twitter as the Cavs dropped to 1-2 on the season.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters explains why him coming off the bench isn't that simple.
PORTLAND, Ore. – After having a strong exhibition season, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters is having a difficult time adjusting to his role.
In three games, he is averaging 8.3 points and shooting 30 percent from the field. In the latter minutes of the Cavaliers overtime win against Chicago on Friday; head coach David Blatt chose to finish the game with Matthew Dellavedova opposed to Waiters.
Afterwards, Blatt said he has a comfort level with Dellavedova in those spots.
On Wednesday Waiters stayed on the court after shootaround, in preparation for their clash with the Portland Trail Blazers, getting some extra shots up with the assistance from the coaching staff.
He's determined to break this funk.
"I'm still trying to find my way," Waiters told Northeast Ohio Media Group. "As long as I keep putting in the work, I'll be fine."
Waiters' role with this team has been the most critiqued. Some believe that since there's no one on the bench capable of creating his own shot, the addition of Waiters in a reserve role would add a much-needed punch.
In that role, he would be allowed the freedom to provide instant offense and play-making ability.
I approached this theory to Waiters and he expounded on why it's not that simple.
"I'm still going to be out there with two or three players," Waiters explained to NEOMG, referring to LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. "If I come off the bench in the first quarter, at least two of those guys are going to play the whole first quarter regardless. So it doesn't really matter. That's what people don't understand."
In Wednesday's disinterested loss to the Trail Blazers, Blatt used a lineup in the second and fourth quarter that featured no members of the Big Three. Though Blatt says he doesn't plan to do that it again, it could be a possibility in the near future if a switch is made to the starting lineup.
The Cavaliers are trying to figure things out. Trying to find their identities.
"It's going to be a challenge, but I think that I can do it," James said. "I think we can do it."
At one time Waiters wasn't for coming off the bench. Although he would prefer not to, it has reached a point where he is willing to do whatever it takes to get his game rectified.
"It doesn't matter to me anymore," Waiters said. "Everybody knows what I can do. Starting or not."
James said this team is going through 'a process,' and added that it could take a couple of months to get the results they're looking for. It's too soon to overreact about roles or the team as a whole, yet it's beneficial to know guys are prepared to go against their comfort zones for the betterment of the team.
Waiters deserves a fair shot to see if starting with this group is what's best for this team. We'll see how it plays out.
