Get your Cleveland sports questions ready and ask Terry Pluto in a live chat at 11 a.m.

View full sizeTerry Pluto talks Cleveland sports at 11 a.m.Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 11 a.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

Pluto will talk with cleveland.com's Dan Labbe about the Cavaliers winning streak, the Browns' offensive coordinator search and the Indians as they gear up for spring training.

You can jump in the comments section below and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Pluto's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

Check out what we learned from this year's Classic in the Country girls basketball showcase.

Check out what we learned from this year's Classic in the Country girls basketball showcase.

Tuesday is another packed night of boys basketball games.

Tuesday is another packed night of boys basketball games.

A dunk by North Olmsted boys basketball player Andy Lucien was selected as ESPN's top play of the day on Monday night.

A dunk by North Olmsted boys basketball player Andy Lucien was selected as ESPN's top play of the day on Monday night.

Cleveland.com stopped in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to ask LSU and SEC fans what they think of Ohio State and the Big Ten after the Buckeyes' national championship win. Watch video

BATON ROUGE, La. — How much of a boost did Ohio State's win in the College Football Playoff National Championship give to the Buckeyes' and Big Ten's reputation?

When it comes to SEC fans, not much apparently.

During a return trip from Dallas after Ohio State's national championship win over Oregon, cleveland.com made a stop on the campus of LSU to ask Tigers fans and SEC enthusiasts what they thought of the Buckeyes.

The over-arching view of the Big Ten hasn't changed much in the eyes of the fans who spoke with cleveland.com, but the Buckeyes did earn some respect by winning the first national championship of the playoff era.

Below are the short Q&As with a handful of LSU fans who were nice enough to give their time during interviews at LSU's on-campus bookstore.

CABOT BELLARD, LSU FRESHMAN

Were you surprised by Ohio State's national championship win?

For the most part I didn't see Ohio State doing what they did this year. After they beat Alabama like they did, I picked them to beat Oregon. I didn't see Ohio State doing that at all. Just look at their schedule, most of the time they play weaker opponents. I didn't think they were gonna do what they did, plus they had that third string quarterback.

What did you think of Ohio State and the Big Ten before the Buckeyes won a national championship?

Before I didn't think they deserved to be in the playoffs and I guess they changed everyone's mind when they beat Alabama the way they did, for sure.

How did LSU fans view Ohio State's win over Alabama?

See me, I hate Ohio State and Alabama more than anyone in the country. It was like a lose-lose, it didn't really matter. I guess SEC-wise, hopefully Alabama would win, but what happened, happened.

Does the championship change how you view Ohio State?

I still hate them. I don't like them as a team, but they definitely, by doing what they did to Bama, definitely changed my mind about the team this year. This year they were definitely one of the best teams in the country.

Is there any argument for the Big Ten vs. the SEC after Ohio State's win?

There's an argument for Ohio State vs. SEC, not Big Ten vs. SEC, I would think so. I would say the SEC is stronger than the Big Ten overall, but Ohio State can hang with the best now.

View full sizeOhio State's win in the national championship didn't do much to change SEC fans' view of the Big Ten.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

TALIA LONGO, LSU JUNIOR

How was Ohio State winning the national championship viewed here?

I think everyone thought that Ohio State was overrated and didn't deserve to be there, and they proved everyone wrong in that. But there's not really respect for any league outside of the SEC here.

Does it change the perception of the Big Ten?

I don't know about the Big Ten as a whole, but maybe Ohio State. Everyone says they're the best in their league but they play teams that aren't really up to par. But they clearly can hold their own.

PEYTON MOORE, LSU SOPHOMORE

How did you view the Big Ten and Ohio State before the national championship?

I think the Big Ten sucked pretty much. LSU played Wisconsin in the first game of the season, (Wisconsin) was up 21 points and we still came back and beat them. And LSU wasn't that good this year, they had terrible quarterback play, terrible offense.

Does Ohio State winning change your perception of the Big Ten at all?

It changes my perception of Ohio State. I still think if you matchup the SEC and the Big Ten, most of the SEC teams are better. The bottom of the Big Ten is different than the bottom of the SEC.

LEE GEYER, LSU FRESHMAN

What was your perception of Ohio State before the season started? 

They have always been a really solid team, I guess. Being a part of the SEC, you think the SEC is the best - the toughest, fastest – so if you don't play in the SEC you're probably not a championship contender. 

View full sizeSEC fans at LSU said they were surprised by Ohio State's win in the national championship.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

How much did Urban Meyer change the perception of what Ohio State is capable of? 

I think Urban Meyer has been really good for them having come from the SEC. He probably brings a lot of toughness and the ability to win, to will your team to victory that I guess Ohio State needed. 

Were you surprised Ohio State beat Alabama?

A little bit, yes. Yeah, I was. 

What did beating Alabama do for Ohio State? 

It shows that Ohio State has been really good. The fact that they had their third-string quarterback in for their three biggest games really speaks volumes to how deep they are and how good they've actually have been. 

What's the best conference in college football? 

The SEC. 

What would have to change for that answer to change? 

It would have to take teams from other conferences to come in and beat more of our team. The SEC is really deep from top to bottom. Any team can beat any other team on any Saturday, and there are still too many teams in other conferences that aren't very good. It's not like that in the SEC. 

Did you think Ohio State beating Alabama was a fluke? 

It might have been a fluke. I think they matched up really well. I think if they played each other 10 times it would maybe be 5-5 or 6-4. 

If Ohio State was in the SEC would they be able to compete like Alabama? 

They would probably be middle of the pack, I think, like an LSU this year. I think if you took LSU out of the SEC and put them in the Big Ten or something like that, I think they are in the Big Ten Championship Game. I think (Ohio State) would have some success, but I don't know if they'd be playing in the SEC title game. They could be, though. 

If Ohio State played in the SEC this year, would they have won the national title? 

No. I don't think so. I think they would have lost a few games in SEC play. It's so hard to run the table as an SEC team playing other top-notch schools every Saturday. 

The Cleveland Browns let Kyle Shanahan walk out the door. Say what you will about Shanahan's offense at the end of the season, but he fit head coach Mike Pettine's ground-oriented philosophy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Because there's always something to spin in Cleveland sports...

• At a press conference long ago and far, far away, Braves owner Ted Turner announced he was firing manager Bobby Cox.

Asked about a possible replacement, Turner said, "I'd hire Bobby if I hadn't just fired him."

As another coaching search wears on in Berea, I get the feeling the Browns' best choice would've been the offensive coordinator who just walked out the door. Kyle Shanahan.

The offense failed at the end, for sure. It was also a big reason for the Browns' early success.

Shanahan is expected to join Dan Quinn in Atlanta after the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator fulfills his duties in the Super Bowl.

Was he great? No.

Can they do better? We'll see. They haven't yet.

I thought Shanahan's reliance on the play action and commitment to zone blocking schemes complemented Mike Pettine's philosophy. It's why Pettine was willing to delegate so much authority.

Oh, well. There's always Rob Chudzinski.

Just kidding. I think.

• The last time the Browns held a coaching search the national media was calling the front office dynamic "toxic."

This search for a coordinator isn't that.

The job has been upgraded to "unattractive" and the search to "confounding." (I mean, Mike Martz? Really?)

If that doesn't sound like progress, altogether now: "It's a process."

• Tiger Woods showed up with a missing front tooth to congratulate girlfriend Lindsey Vonn on her 63^rd Alpine win at a World Cup event in Italy.

Agent Mark Steinberg told the Associated Press the missing tooth resulted from an unfortunate and accidental collision with a videographer, though another story says Woods simply decided to replace the tooth because it was discolored.

In either case, the European tabloids unhappily report they have yet to trace it to a two-iron wielded in anger or a flying cell phone.

• Just to clarify, Tiger Woods was nowhere near Robert Allenby over the past weekend.

• Bill Belichick on Tom Brady: "I'm so thankful he's our quarterback."

Forgetting to add, "And we'll throw him overboard as soon as his skills diminish."

• Following the NFC championship game, Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin lit into anyone who doubted the Seahawks could make it to the Super Bowl.

Because, you know, they obviously had it all the way.

• I live with a Colts' fan. My dogs have Colts' sweaters.

When the Colts are losing and she can't bear to watch, our house gets cleaned.

You're all invited to come eat off our floors this week.

• Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown and grabbed his crotch.

Andrew Luck cursed on TV.

When Bill Belichick is the epitome of NFL style and decorum, you know it's been a bad week for The Shield.

• I'm not sure what was the scariest thought that went through the mind of ESPN broadcaster Greg Anthony after being arrested for solicitation in Atlanta last week.

Having to call his wife.

Or knowing what he'll face the next time he sees Charles Barkley.

• Ray Lewis would like to amend his statement that nobody would know who Tom Brady is if not for the Tuck Rule.

He meant to say everybody knows who he Brady is despite the Tuck Rule.

Typo.

For more Bud Shaw, read You Said It

Cavaliers coach David Blatt argues the obvious -- that the Cavaliers are a different team with LeBron James back and playing like this.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The coach sounded like his team had all but arrived, finally.

The star player down the hall, talked in the hushed tone of someone who believed there was still a long road to travel.

Both men, Cavaliers coach David Blatt and LeBron James, were talking about roughly the same thing -- James. Or, more specifically, the impact James has had on the Cavs since returning exactly one week ago from a two-week hiatus to rest nagging injuries.

Cleveland is 3-1 in those games, including a 108-94 triumph over the Central Division-leading Chicago Bulls Monday night.

That's three straight wins for the Cavs, and it could've been four. They lost a close one in James' return on a night when he scored 33 points and looked more explosive than he had all season against Phoenix.

James has missed a career-high nine games total because of injury this season. The team is 1-8 without him.

Is it really as simple for Cleveland as James being back?

"Those are the cold, hard facts," Blatt said..

The Cavs cut the Bulls' lead in the Central to 4 ½ games. Seven days ago, Cleveland had lost its sixth straight.

When Blatt mentioned "cold, hard facts" after beating the Bulls, he wasn't just talking about James. He roped in Shawn Marion's return from a hip injury and the integration of Timofey Mozgov and J.R. Smith into the lineup after trades.

Mozgov dominated Pau Gasol Monday night with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Smith scored 20 points and drilled six three-pointers. Kyrie Irving added 18 points and tied a career-high with 12 assists. And Iman Shumpert will probably make his Cleveland debut this week.

But mostly, Blatt was talking about James.

"We had some tough days without the best player in the world," Blatt said. "But that's what got him right (sitting out). Physically he feels good, and he looks great. And obviously he has a big effect for any team he plays on, but certainly on ours, because he is our leader.

"LeBron is our nucleus and we rely on him heavily, and when he is feeling good, as he is now, he influences in every respect," Blatt said. "On the court and off the court. It's good to see."

James scored 26 points in 36 minutes against the Bulls, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and contributing five rebounds and four assists. He's averaging 31.75 points in his four games back.

He keeps saying "this is the best I've felt" all season, and there's little reason to doubt him. While his first three games were a running highlight reel of difficult layups, dunks, and steals, the Chicago game had more of a grind-it-out feel.

No high-flying dunks in this one, though James did pull off an absurd, scoop-shot layup in the first quarter while hanging in mid-air that landed softly on the rim and fell through.

Most of James' points were workmanlike, with several tough fadeaways over outstretched defenders. Despite the lopsided score, the Cavs needed James' 10 points in the fourth quarter, as the Bulls had trimmed what was once a 25-point deficit in the second half to 12.

James responded by bowling his way past Nikola Mirotic for a layup. Another Smith three pushed the Cavs' lead to 17, and James buried a fadeaway he heaved from behind his head for a 19-point advantage before he left for good with about five minutes left.

"It's a product of a lot of things but I am feeling a lot better," James said. "I'm shooting the ball extremely well right and now and that's coming from my body feeling good."

Blatt did say the Cavaliers still had a long way to go to be the team they want to be, but he sounded like a coach who had survived a rough patch with his job in tact and his team better than it was when the season began.

He said the Cavs persevered through "all the crap that's been said and been written, a lot of it unfair and a lot of it ugly."

"I feel the ship is sailing in the right direction," Blatt said. "In every respect."

He later added: "Our best months should be ahead of us."

Among the storylines the Cavs' front office and Blatt hasn't liked is the one about the disconnect between James and Blatt -- which the Cavs say doesn't exist.

You'd have to want it, but a small glimpse of the alleged choppy relationship was on display during James' postgame interview session, when a reporter told James that Blatt had just said Cleveland's defensive effort against the Bulls (they shot 37.5 percent) was the best this season.

It was a layup, if you will, an easy chance for James to pat Blatt on the back. And instead he said: "Uh, well it is because it's the recent one. It's on the mind right now."

James spoke so quietly Monday night that he could barely be heard from a few feet away.

It could be for any number of reasons, from the fatigue of trying to catch up to Eastern time after five games out West (which James mentioned), to the, ahem, cold, hard fact that one of Chicago's best players -- Joakim Noah -- didn't play Monday night because of injury.

Also, the Cavs are a streaky team, with an eight-game winning streak, losing streaks of four and six games, and this current three-game uptick with three more home games to come.

James has preached an even temperament for the Cavs all season, even though he's struggled at times to keep one. Perhaps this was James crack at bringing some levity to Cleveland's rapidly imrpoving situation.  

Asked if he felt the Cavs could catch the Bulls in the Central Division, he said: "We need to catch ourselves. We can't worry about no other team."

Whatever the case, the relationship between James and Blatt can only improve through wins. Both men seem to think more wins are coming, in short order, primarily because of one reason.

"I think for me being out on the floor the last few games, we've competed," James said.

Both St. Ignatius and Medina will be at Dunk 4 Diabetes this weekend.

Both St. Ignatius and Medina will be at Dunk 4 Diabetes this weekend.

See the latest list of wrestling leaders across the area.

See the latest list of wrestling leaders across the area.

Jeff Rotsky confirmed that he will become the next football coach at Euclid High School.

Jeff Rotsky confirmed that he will become the next football coach at Euclid High School.

Football and baseball are very different, but Urban Meyer and Terry Francona share several similarities too.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Urban Meyer spoke to the Cavaliers on Monday night at The Q, in part because of the support LeBron James gave the Ohio State team in Texas last week at the national championship game.

Across Gateway Plaza at Progressive Field, however, is an Indians team with more in common with the Buckeyes' path to their sport's summit than the Cavaliers. Manager Terry Francona also is more of a kindred spirit to Meyer than David Blatt, the European coaching master who is coping with NBA adjustment problems.

Meyer should have no problem talking baseball. He spent two seasons as a middle infielder in the Atlanta Braves' farm system.

It was not pretty. Meyer made 17 errors and batted .182 in 44 games in the Gulf Coast League and Appalachian League.

George Carlin's famous comic routine highlighted the differences between baseball and football. But the Indians and Buckeyes have several things in common, as well as some obvious differences.

Recruiting

Despite the turnover in college football through graduation and defection to the NFL, Meyer's job is easier than Francona's.

Meyer can recruit players from everywhere. His roster is not subject to a draft or market imbalances. Ohio State will always be a magnet to four- and five-star players.

Francona is the Indians' de facto recruiter, a "players manager with two World Series rings won in Boston, where they hadn't won the last game of the year since World War I. Players want to play for him.

Arms race

Closer Chris Perez went up in a cloud of smoke during the successful playoff run in 2013 and ace presumptive Justin Masterson flopped in 2014. The Tribe persevered and prospered anyway.

Closer Cody Allen, who had bounced around at every level of the minor leagues, with all of two saves in his career going into 2014, saved 24 games.

Corey Kluber won the 2014 Cy Young Award two years after dragging a 5.14 ERA around like leg shackles.

The Buckeyes' top two "pitchers," injured quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett, were sidelined for the playoffs.

Miller was hurt before a single game had been played in August practice.

Barrett was in contention for his sport's top award, the Heisman Trophy, before he was lost on the first play of the fourth quarter of the final regular season game against Michigan.

The Buckeyes persevered and prospered anyway.

Glenville's Cardale Jones, once the third-string quarterback, made the first three starts of his career and played brilliantly in the playoffs, shaking up the order of the quarterback rotation as unexpectedly as Kluber did the pecking order of the Tribe's starting pitchers and Allen that of the bullpen.

There's no defense for this

The 2014 Buckeyes had terrible problems on defense until it suddenly improved exponentially in the postseason.

By the playoffs, the 2014 front four deserved mention with that of the 2002 national champions. The whole defense made a quantum improvement.

The 2014 Indians had terrible problems on defense, too. Theirs did not improve appreciably.

"I hope we can make a quantum improvement because we were dead last," said Francona.

To that end, the Indians will work on backing up bases more aggressively, to reduce the consequences of errant throws by preventing base-running advances.

They will also take infield practice in their defensive shift alignments. Analytics has led to positioning shifts for all players. An ordinary around the horn set-up is rare. Why take infield practice where players won't field the ball in the game, anyway?

The big bang – in theory and reality

For most of the 2014 seasons, the Indians did not have their big boppers, Nick Swisher -- Mr. O-H! I-O!, the most publicized Buckeye hitter in the big leagues since Frank Howard -- and Jason Giambi. Nobody really stepped up to replace them, although line-drive hitter Michael Brantley tried.

Let's equate that to the position of running back at Ohio State.

The Buckeyes lost 2013's power back and senior leader, Carlos Hyde. Back-up bull Rod Smith left the team in October of 2014.

After shedding a cast on his wrist that hampered him for much of the season and deprived him of using a stiff arm, Ezekiel Elliott dominated the playoffs. He is already a front-runner for the 2015 Heisman.

The national championship was won by Elliott's power running, not by Oregon's deception and finesse.

Speed kills, when healthy

Speedy Tribe outfielder Michael Bourn spent most of the year battling injuries. He wasn't close to the disruptive force on the bases he had been in Atlanta.

Hybrid back Dontre Wilson, a ballyhooed burner, was lost with a broken foot after struggling as a punt returner. He has never been the force the Buckeyes expected. Jalin Marshall took his place, spectacularly, in the playoffs.

Youth movement

Francona has no hesitation when it comes to playing young players in critical roles. 

"A lot of guys we sent out there didn't give us any reason to not have confidence in them. T.J. (House), Jose Ramirez ...," Francona said. "It's fun. With them comes some of the enthusiasm and some of the mistakes, but I think it keeps everybody a little bit younger."

Meyer regretted not playing the new crop of "Super Sophomores" when they were freshmen. A player recruited by Ohio State is expected to play quickly, not to redshirt.

"Gotta get 'em ready to play," Meyer frequently said. 

He is 38-3 in three years at Ohio State.  But he knows the Buckeye empire runs on the fuel of his own intensity.

Different strokes

"I saw some of those Ohio State practices on ESPN. They were pretty intense, guys doing tug of war with a big truck tire between them, all kinds of different stuff," said Francona.

But it rarely helps to just swing harder or throw harder in baseball. Such an approach leads to loss of control. Pitching is location as well as velocity, specialty pitches as well as high heat.

Francona's Indians are Oregon, not Ohio State.

Downhill racers

In 2014, the Buckeyes had to win their last 11 games just to make the playoffs.

In 2013, the Indians had to win the last 10 games just to make the playoffs.

No matter how they got there, no matter how different were the approaches, under Francona and Meyer, when every game is critical, the big tire usually is rolling downhill.

Cleveland Browns' GM Ray Farmer finally addressed Kyle Shanahan's departure and the most recent contentious situation to emerge in Berea. Farmer once again strained credulity -- Bud Shaw

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland Browns' GM Ray Farmer's answer to the latest upheaval in Berea is good stuff  for a night at The Improv. It's that laughable.

Farmer says that some friction between the coaching staff and front office is "natural."

This is both true and beside the point.

The NFL isn't investigating the Browns for "natural" texting during games. The cleveland.com report referenced communication between the personnel department and the sideline during games as simply one point of contention between the coaches and the front office.

Is that overblown? Trumped up? Ridiculous?

Maybe. So pick one and say so.

Farmer would've been better served denouncing that report as fiction --  if he could – since it points to the larger issue of front office interference between the lines on Sundays, not "normal" friction over talent evaluation and player procurement.

Did the front office,  for instance, exert pressure to play Johnny Manziel against Cincinnati when the coaches knew him to be ill prepared?

It's difficult to imagine an interview with an offensive coordinator candidate happening without Shanahan's reasons for wanting out being addressed.

It may be natural for the front office and ownership to privately gripe about play calls, about decisions on the active roster every Sunday, about myriad things.

It doesn't speak well for an organization if the issues prompt an offensive coordinator to want out after the first year of a three-year contract.

If they were "natural" disagreements as Farmer says -- nothing major or out of the ordinary -- why let Kyle Shanahan leave for another coordinator's job without demanding compensation?

Farmer curiously said that question was better suited for head coach Mike Pettine.

Does that suggest Pettine was happy to see Shanahan go because he had a better candidate in mind?

If so, the Browns should feel free to introduce him any day now.

No. 4 Wadsworth at No. 13 Revere and Walsh Jesuit at No. 9 Mentor are the girls basketball games of the night to watch.

No. 4 Wadsworth at No. 13 Revere and Walsh Jesuit at No. 9 Mentor are the girls basketball games of the night to watch.

Casting for new LeBron James-Andrew Glassman TV game show will start next week in Cleveland and Akron.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James' production company and the creator of the reality TV series "Average Joe" will begin looking in Cleveland and Akron next week for contestants for a prime-time television game show with large monetary prizes on a major network.

Springhill Productions, James' company, and Andrew Glassman, whose work includes NBC's Average Joe and Three Wishes, have already begun work on a game show to air on NBC, sources said. The network could not immediately be reached for comment, and sources said the show does not yet have a title or airing date.

Twenty-five people are working in Los Angeles on the latest TV project linked to James, and talent recruiters will look for contestants first in Cleveland – where he stars for the Cleveland Cavaliers – and in James' hometown of Akron before fanning out across the country.

Contestants will be pairs of people, connected either through marriage, family, or friendship, competing to win "life changing amounts of money" in contests of knowledge and luck.

"It gives people here an opportunity to live out a dream, things they only dream about, to make more money than they ever thought they could make in their lives," James said Wednesday. 

How much money? Sources wouldn't disclose the amount, but said the show would have the highest nightly stakes of any game show.

For context, Kevin Olmstead won $2.18 million on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire in 2001; Adam Rose won $1.15 million in cash and two cars on The Price Is Right: $1,000,000 Spectacular in 2008.

Contestants will be "deserving, every day people," and show producers will contact civic and community leaders seeking nominations for contestants.

People interested in nominating contestants or applying themselves can also go to dreamchancetv.com to submit names. Friends of James, Springhill, or James' charitable foundation are not eligible for the show.

James, whose Springhill company has also produced Survivor's Remorse for Starz and Becoming for Disney HD, was active in the creation of the game show – which has been in development for months.

But he's not nearly as involved now that he's in the middle of his first season with the Cavaliers since 2010, said a source close to him. It was James' push to begin casting for the show in northeast Ohio.

"I thought starting here with the people I love here, means a lot to them," James said. "Me being a part of the game show is all part of my team doing things that outside the box, but also that's fun and families and people of any age can gravitate to."

Springhill is run on a day-to-day basis by James' long-time friend and business partner Maverick Carter.

Glassman of Los Angeles-based Glassman Media, also created CMT's reality show Sweet Home Alabama, among others.

MOBILE, Alabama – Bryce Petty is at the Senior Bowl to prove he's more than a system-dependent quarterback. The 23-year-old put up big numbers at Baylor while playing in a spread offense where he worked almost exclusively out of the shotgun and rarely needed to work through progressions. Petty had a tough first day of practice Tuesday in front...

MOBILE, Alabama – Bryce Petty is at the Senior Bowl to prove he's more than a system-dependent quarterback.

The 23-year-old put up big numbers at Baylor while playing in a spread offense where he worked almost exclusively out of the shotgun and rarely needed to work through progressions.

Petty had a tough first day of practice Tuesday in front of NFL personnel at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Working under center and taking plenty of five- and seven-step drops, he struggled with his accuracy and timing.

It's only one practice and the players he will call teammates Saturday were only assembled on Monday. But as a quarterback who wants to inject his name in the company of Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston – the presumptive first two quarterbacks off the board in the 2015 NFL Draft – he understands his window to impress league decision makers is tight.

He's the featured signalcaller of Saturday's game as Mariota ,Winston and UCLA's Brett Hundley are not participating.

"I've got to pick it up," he said after Tuesday's practice.

Petty (6-2, 230 pounds) overthrew a few receivers, skipped a ball to another and dropped a center exchange before finding a rhythm. As he adjusts to the pro-style demands placed on him this week, Petty will need to show improvement.

He will prepare for the draft by working with quarterback guru and Massillon graduate George Whitfield Jr., who helped prep Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel a year ago.

No rest for Smith, Grant

All the players here except two have had at least two weeks rest before taking part in these important practices that can influence draft status. Ohio State receiver Devin Smith and defensive back Doran Grant are likely running on adrenaline from winning the national title Jan. 12.

The two Buckeyes will make history Saturday becoming the first two big-school players to compete in 16 games in one season. Smith said the pair is holding up as well as can be expected.

"We're drained a little bit, but we're having fun and just soaking everything in," he said.

Smith wants to show scouts here he's more than just a deep threat. He ran plenty of short and intermediate routes in Tuesday's practice. He's also spoken to some NFL teams already, including the Browns. His ability to cover punts has been mentioned by pro personnel, he said, and the receiver is willing to do anything to improve his value in the eyes of an organization.

"I spoke to a few teams yesterday and they said they love me at the gunner spot," Smith added.

Small wonder

The Browns' Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel showed last season the value of small, speedy receivers in tight spaces. Duke's Jamison Crowder exhibited similar qualities Tuesday.

At 5-foot-8, 174 pounds, Crowder doesn't pass the eye test until his feet start moving. He was able to create space for himself in press coverage and lose defenders in space. Keep an eye out for Crowder in Saturday's game.

All business

It doesn't take long for these players to learn they are here on a job interview. Although they're "teammates" in practice, the scouts expect them to get after each other.

Such was the case during Tuesday's late afternoon practice featuring the South. Florida Atlantic's D'Joun Smith hammered a receiver in coverage who went up for a pass. It was easily the hardest hit of either session and a reminder of what's at stake.

Man of all seasons

One of the most intriguing prospects is Miami University cornerback Quinten Rollins. The defensive back played basketball during his first three years with the RedHawks program before making the switch to football last season.

He's on a steep learning curve in regards to technique, but there's no denying his athleticism and sense of anticipation. Rollins looked good in individual drills on Tuesday and it will be interesting to see if he flashes during team sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.

See what happened when Revere girls basketball players Emily Brock and Caitlin Vari played the Box Out communication challenge during this installment of Varsity Game Time.

See what happened when Revere girls basketball players Emily Brock and Caitlin Vari played the Box Out communication challenge during this installment of Varsity Game Time.

DeFilippo, a rising young offensive star in the NFL at the age of 36, worked with Mike Pettine in 2009 when both were with the New York Jets.

MOBILE, Ala. - The Cleveland Browns have decided on Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach and Youngstown native John DeFilippo to be their new offensive coordinator, Northeast Ohio Media Group has confirmed.

DeFilippo, a rising young offensive star in the NFL at the age of 36, worked with Mike Pettine in 2009 when both were with the New York Jets. DeFilippo, as quarterbacks coach that year, helped then rookie Mark Sanchez lead the Jets to the AFC Championship Game. Pettine was defensive coordinator at the time.

DeFilippo interviewed for the Browns coordinator position last year before they settled on Kyle Shanahan. Pettine said then that DeFilippo "had an outstanding interview'' with the Browns. He interviewed with the Browns again last week.

DeFilippo remained with the Raiders and earned praise for his work with rookie quarterback Derek Carr. DeFilippo's ran through the 2014 season and the Raiders were interested in keeping him, a source said. He was the Raiders' quarterbacks coach for five seasons: 2007-08, and then 2012-14.

This will mark his debut as an NFL coordinator.

News of DeFilippo's hiring was first reported by Fox Sports' Alex Marvez.

More information on DeFilippo's coaching resume from the Raiders web site:

Prior to rejoining the Raiders in 2012, DeFilippo coached at San Jose State from 2010-11, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2011, and quarterbacks coach in 2010. He was assistant quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets in 2009.

During his tenure at San Jose State, the Spartans ranked 23rd in the nation with 276.8 passing yards per game and jumped 32 places nationally in total offense from the previous year. The team also set a single season school record with 297 pass completions. DeFilippo tutored QB Matt Faulkner, who ranked second in the Western Athletic Conference in passing by completing 274 of 422 attempts for 3,149 yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2010, he coached QB Jordan La Secla, who was with the Raiders in training camp in 2011.

DeFilippo's NFL coaching career began with the New York Giants in 2005, when he served as offensive quality control coach on Tom Coughlin's staff for two years. He helped the Giants to two postseason appearances, and New York posted a 19-13 regular-season record during his time there.

He joined the Giants after two seasons as quarterbacks coach at Columbia.

From 2001-02, DeFilippo was a graduate assistant at Notre Dame, working with wide receivers and tight ends under Bob Davie in 2001, and with quarterbacks under Tyrone Willingham in 2002.

He began his coaching career tutoring quarterbacks at Fordham in 2000.

The rookie quarterback's jersey finished in the Top 10 in sales for Dick's Sporting Goods.

There's at least one list that Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel can share with the likes of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Russell Wilson -- Dick's Sporting Goods top-selling jerseys during the 2014 regular season.

The sports retailer's Jersey Report shows that Manziel ranked sixth in the NFL in the store's jersey sales this season. Manning and Colts quarterback Andrew Luck topped the list in that order followed by Panthers third-year linebacker Luke Kuechly, Wilson and Brady. Joe Flacco was the next-highest AFC North quarterback on the list, checking in at No. 9.

Here's the full list:

1. Peyton Manning
2. Andrew Luck
3. Luke Kuechly
4. Russell Wilson
5. Tom Brady
6. Johnny Manziel
7. LeSean McCoy
8. Eli Manning
9. Joe Flacco
10. Cam Newton

Manziel appeared in five games for the Browns this season, including two starts. He did not throw a touchdown pass but did rush for a touchdown against Buffalo after replacing starter Brian Hoyer late in the team's loss to the Bills. Manziel was named the starting quarterback prior to the team's final home game of the season against Cincinnati and threw for 80 yards. He was injured the following week during the first half of a game against Carolina.

You can see an updated list of jersey sales in the postseason here.

9 apps Super Bowl fans should have downloaded before game day Feb. 1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Everyone knows that the Super Bowl, taking place Feb. 1, isn't just for football fans. Even though the Cleveland Browns aren't in it this year, some will watch the game solely for the notorious commercials. Others will tune in to watch Katy Perry's halftime show, or more might be looking for an excuse to have people over and try out new recipes.

Whatever the reason, your smartphone can be your best friend for the big game.
 
Here are nine apps consumers might find helpful in preparing for the Super Bowl, according to PMBC Group, a public relations firm based in Los Angeles:
 
1. NFL Homegating - With a countdown to kickoff and tons of in-app recipes to choose from, you can throw together the ultimate Super Bowl party from the comfort of your own home.

Available on: iOS and Android
 
2. Ibotta - It's a free mobile shopping and money-saving app that can help plan this year's big game party on a budget. From beer, chips and dips to wings, plates and decorations, users can fill their pockets with cash just for buying their game-day favorites!
 
Availalble on: iOS and Android
 
3. New England Patriots Mobile - The official app of the New England Patriots gives fans instant access to all of the latest news, media and in-depth game details. Also available are access to on-demand and LIVE video and audio broadcasts.
 
Available on: iOS and Android

4. Seahawks Mobile - Stay up on Seahawks news with the latest articles, blogs, photos and videos from Seahawks.com. Follow the Seahawks social media accounts directly from within the app. Users can share their favorite content on Twitter and Facebook from with the app. Includes items such as team roster, depth chart and injury report.
 
Available on: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows
 
5. Tom Brady - Stay on top of all things Tom Brady. From gossip to stats, no need to search the web.
 
Available on: Android

6. Thuuz - A personalized sports entertainment app, Thuuz will tell you exactly when to tune in, tell you when things are starting to heat up and just how interesting the game is or is not -- helping consumers decide when to flip the channel.
 
Available on: iOS and Android
 
7. Katy Perry App - This one allows consumers to stay up to date with this year's halftime performer and carry all of Perry's latest songs, videos, news, and pictures.
 
Available on: iOS and Android
 
8. SideChef - This step-by-step cooking app has recipes from the world's top chefs, bloggers and foodies. It has more than 1,200 recipes to choose from, cooks can prepare hearty or healthy snacks, dips, burgers and drinks. Filtering options by ingredient or region also are available.
 
Available on: iOS and Android
 
9. Sports Insights - This is a free sports betting app that features live odds, betting trends, scores, breaking injuries and more. You'll know which team the public is betting and which team the sharp money is on.
 
Available on: iOS and Android

Keep up with Bill Landis and Ari Wasserman as they make their return trip from the national championship in Dallas by writing stories about Ohio State along the way. Watch video

SOMEWHERE, USA - The Ohio State football team is fresh off a national championship season. By recruiting at an elite level and developing superior talent, Urban Meyer and his staff have built a Buckeyes program primed for further ascension. 

But what impact is Ohio State's recent success is having on the South and its recruiting hotbeds?

Bill Landis and Ari Wasserman chucked their airplane tickets back from Dallas and are driving back to Ohio to pursue stories about Ohio State, its recruiting efforts and other interesting college football stories that pop up. 

Just call it "Bill and Ari's Excellent Adventure."

Their trip is taking them through Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky. If you have ideas or suggestions on places they should go or stories they should write, leave those in the comments below.

View full size

First leg: Dallas to Wichita Falls, Texas

• Will J.T. Barrett be back at Ohio State?

Rider High School football coach Marc Bindel, who was Rider's offensive coordinator during J.T. Barrett's high school career, expects Urban Meyer is going to have to make a difficult decision next season, because Barrett anticipates that Braxton Miller will return, along with Barrett and Cardale Jones, at Ohio State next year. 

"Obviously it's nothing official," Bindel said, "but right now J.T. told me that he expects both of them to be back with him."

• How a North Texas town raised a Buckeye quarterback

When it comes to football, Wichita Falls fits all of the stereotypes you've come to expect from Texas towns. There's the massive stadium — home to three high schools and Division II Midwestern State University — with a two-tiered press box overlooking the field and enough seats for 15,000 fans on a good night.

Barrett and his family moved to Wichita Falls when he was 2 years old. They didn't know they'd be moving to a place that would develop an emotional attachment to their middle son, but that's the kind of effect football can have on folks in Texas.

• Inside the Texas high school that saw Barrett recover from injury before

A day at Rider High serves as a reminder that what Barrett is going through after his injury against Michigan is actually repeated history: It comes two full years since he tore is ACL in high school. 

And knowing that should give Ohio State a warm sense of security, a calmness knowing that Barrett is still the keeper of a bright future in Columbus.  

"He wasn't done then," said Marc Bindel, the offensive coordinator during Barrett's senior year, "and he's definitely not done now."

• Stephen Barrett says his brother will be back better than ever

"He handled it better than the other ones he's had previously," Stephen said of J.T.'s injuries. "He bounced back from his ACL just fine and I expect him to do the same with the ankle. The only thing that bothered him when he broke his ankle is not the fact that it hurt, but the fact that he couldn't play. He was bummed out he couldn't play."

• Meet T.J. Vasher, J.T. Barrett's ex-teammate who has heard from OSU

Rated by 247Sports as a composite four-star prospect and the No. 46 wide receiver in the 2016 class, Vasher has early offers from Texas Tech and SMU. He also has basketball offers from SMU and Tulsa.

Vasher is still figuring out what sport he wants to play, but given Ohio State has reached out, there is potential in the big target at the next level.

"He is a freak. He has a ridiculous wingspan, his vertical is off the charts," Rider coach Marc Bindel said. "He has to put some muscle on, but our No. 1 red zone play was to hurry up and throw a fade and he'd go up and get it. With him, if you throw it anywhere in the vicinity, he's going to out-jump a guy. As he continues to get older, I expect his recruitment to expand."

View full size 

Second leg: Back to Dallas, then to Houston

• Rising DeSoto High School star Kadarrian Nixon would accept OSU offer

"They came last year and I met them," Nixon said of Ohio State. "If they come this year and they try to offer me, I'll be happy because that's where Dontre went and where I see myself going."

• DeSoto hallways explain why OSU should expect more from Dontre Wilson

This season, Wilson was supposed to be Ohio State's biggest offensive playmaker. But Wilson only scored three touchdowns until the Michigan State game in early November. Then Wilson broke his foot vs. the Spartans, but didn't come out of the game before scoring his fourth touchdown.

He was lost until playing sparingly in Ohio State's win over Oregon to capture a national title.

• Why OSU is still alive for '16 DeSoto QB Tristen Wallace

"I love Ohio State," Wallace said. "What they are doing with those three quarterbacks that they have and that played this year was fantastic. It kind of reminded me of how we did things here when I went down. It's a good feeling."

• Anthony Schlegel's Texas past offers insight on OSU's body-slamming assistant strength coach

Mark Howeth, the defensive coordinator at DeSoto High School in Texas, has known Ohio State strength coach Anthony Schlegel since Schlegel was in high school.

• Meet four-star CB Jared Mayden, an OSU prospect from Sache, Texas

"They don't have to change anything they've been doing," Mayden said of Ohio State. "Just keep talking to me, talk to my parents, get them comfortable and get me comfortable leaving the state."

• Why 'there shouldn't be a drop-off' in OSU's Texas recruiting

"Coach Beck is well respected by Texas high school coaches," said DeSoto offensive coordinator Todd Peterman. "Some guys come in and they're uncomfortable, Coach Beck isn't one of those guys."

• Inside the new Houston office of former OSU coordinator Tom Herman

Though Herman, Ohio State's former offensive coordinator, has officially been Houston's head coach for three weeks, he couldn't dive into the job until Tuesday, the day after the Buckeyes captured the national title. Here's a look at what his office looked like.

• A day at Houston powerhouse North Shore explains why not all OSU scholarship offers are equal

North Shore is out of Ohio State's primary recruiting territory despite having some of the most talented prospects in the country. Though its only a shade less than four hours away from Dallas - an area Ohio State has recruited successfully - it's a long four hours. Houston isn't ever going to be an emphasis.

It's a "Net School" for Ohio State, meaning Urban Meyer and his staff cast their net over the program with the hope of reeling in big fish like Monroe or Long. It's a riskless venture to offer an elite prospect a scholarship, and Ohio State knows fairly early if it has a catch.

• Four-star Texas WR Devin Duvernay has OSU offer, wants to visit

Devin Duvernay, a four-star prospect from the Dallas area, has an Ohio State offer and wants more contact with the Buckeyes.

• How Jim Harbaugh recruited Andrew Luck from Houston and what it could mean for Michigan's future in Texas

View full sizeAri Wasserman, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

Third leg: From Houston to Baton Rouge and New Orleans

• 'I've been to the mountaintop': How Tom Herman's future at Houston will be immediately influenced by Ohio State

This stop on an Ohio State themed roadtrip through Texas and the South was supposed to be an interview about the rebranding of Houston's football program, about the awakening of a "a sleeping giant" after the Cougars hired Tom Herman, one of the fastest-rising assistants in college football, away from Ohio State.

Instead, it was clear how Ohio State is going to influence Herman at Houston. 

• 'There's a blueprint at Ohio State': Success for Tom Herman means building a recruiting wall around Houston

"Certainly the goal is to make sure the kids that are gettable in the city of Houston don't leave," Herman told cleveland.com. "How do we do that? There's a really good blueprint at Ohio State. Recruiting is like shaving — if you don't do it for a couple days, you look like a jerk. You have to do it all day, every day."