We discussed the topic in our weekly series of videos. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel played his best game as a member of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Browns are 2-8 and going nowhere, so is there any reason for the team to go back to veteran Josh McCown at this point or do they need to see what they have in Manziel?
Chris Fedor, Bud Shaw and Michael Reghi debated that topic. Watch the video above and tell us what you think in the comments.
Get your questions ready and talk Cleveland sports with Terry Pluto.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 11 a.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.
Where do the Browns go from here now that they're 2-8? What are Terry's thoughts on the Cavaliers at this early point in the season?
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.
Dan Labbe, Michael Reghi, Bud Shaw and Chris Fedor talk about whether Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is doing the smart thing when he says he won't be making any changes during the bye week. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shortly after the Cleveland Browns' embarrassing 30-9 loss in Pittsburgh Sunday, owner Jimmy Haslam once again stood by head coach Mike Pettine and the others in the organization.
"No change," Haslam told reporters from cleveland.com and the Akron Beacon Journal as he walked out of the visitors locker room.
Haslam's Browns are 2-8, tied for the worst record in the NFL.
Dan Labbe, Michael Reghi, Bud Shaw and I discussed whether Haslam is making the right choice to stand pat at the bye week and for the remainder of the regular season. We also discussed why there is a specific move Haslam should consider making.
Watch the video above.
The Cleveland Browns have much to dissect at the bye week. Not too far down should be a running attack that ranks No. 31 in the NFL -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns quarterbacks have led the way in rushing more times (three) than the team has won games.
Somehow, that doesn't seem like a statistical quirk.
In his first start against Tennessee, Johnny Manziel was asked to throw the ball a handful of times in the second half.
In his third start of the season Sunday, Manziel threw 45 times in a loss to the Steelers.
Some of that was the scoreboard. Hardly enough, though, to justify the difference.
It's one thing if Manziel is your leading rusher because he ripped off 200 against Mississippi State. And his top back throws in another 100.
Quite another if it's because he ran for 17 against the Steelers while Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson combined for five.
The Browns say they're going to look at every aspect of their 2-8 record during the bye week.
If improving a defense that ranks No. 29 tops the priority list, improving a rush offense that ranks No. 31 should be 1A.
* The Browns response to Manziel almost getting his head ripped off by Arthur Moats facemask penalty and to Antonio Brown showboating in the end zone left much to be desired.
I've seen strangers standing at the bus stop without their morning coffee who looked more engaged with each other.
* To be fairer, some of Manziel's teammates were running routes downfield and blocking. Not everybody saw the facemask. But somebody must have.
Grabbing a facemask can happen unintentionally. Holding on to it, pulling down and twisting as Moats did, was dangerous.
If you're the Browns and you're going to get 188 penalty yards, you might as well get 203 protecting your quarterback.
* Moats did send Manziel a post-game message apologizing. So it's all good.
Except for the guy who got the crash test dummy case of whiplash from a Steelers team that hardly showed the Browns any respect.
* Ben Roethlisberger obviously decided he could play or he wouldn't have suited up.
The Steelers just as obviously decided they could beat the Browns with Landry Jones.
I'm presuming because Bubby Brister is retired.
And 53 years old.
* Brown's front flip into the end zone happened in clear, if distant view, of the Browns defense.
I'm not advocating retaliatory cheap shots. But where's Carlos Carrasco when you need a brushback pitch?
* I'll advance this crazy idea again: since your teammates probably aided in making you look good, celebrate TDs with them. Don't celebrate like you're dismounting from the Olympic balance beam.
If that happened in baseball, Brown would have trouble doing his next flip because of the flak jacket he'd be wearing to protect bruised ribs.
* Panthers' quarterback Cam Newton riled up the Titans after scoring and dancing in the endzone.
"I'm a firm believer that if you don't like me to do that they don't let me do that," said Newton..."It's not to be boastful.
Obviously. It's about being humble.
* J.J. Watt, who took three hours off from doing commercials, helped the Texans to a 10-6 win over the Bengals Monday.
In a post-game interview, Watt danced all over Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton (figuratively, I think).
"Our goal was to come out here and make the Red Rifle look like a Red Ryder BB gun and I think we did it."
Classy.
* How about this for the Texans' next goal: reaching .500.
* Adam Jones said of the Texans reaction to the victory, "They act like they just won the Super Bowl."
* When Pacman is considered the voice of reason, something is seriously amiss.
* Don't get me wrong. I'm not yelling at you to get off my lawn.
Just saying that if I see you dancing on it I'm turning on the sprinkler.
* More Watt:
"Just talked to my teammates and how everybody told us we couldn't do this," he said of the win. "Well, how y'all doing?"
Did I mention the score was 10-6?
* Or that the Texans are now 6-1 in their last seven games against Cincinnati?
And that it was Cincinnati?
Not exactly Buster Douglas-Mike Tyson
* Dalton had a 2.0 passer rating in a game last year.
Against the Browns, for crying out loud.
* Just saying we've seen Dalton's BB gun many times before. Usually post-Christmas when the playoffs begin.
* The Saints replaced Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator.
They were ranked No. 4 defensively in his first season in 2013 but have been getting torched since.
Although I'm sure he's sure he wasn't the problem.
"We're ready to roll," Ryan said once upon a time.
About the Browns defense.
In 2010.
In his defense, he meant "over."
* Roger Goodell attended his first Patriots game since the Deflategate ruling.
I'm sure seeing Goodell on the sideline in New York didn't take the Patriots by surprise.
Not with their surveillance capabilities.
Carlos Correa collected 17 first-place votes and 124 overall points to win the hardware. Francisco Lindor finished second, with 13 first-place tallies and 109 overall points. Some of the individual ballots submitted, however, were head-scratchers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are five thoughts on the Rookie of the Year voting, the Rule 5 Draft and more.
1. Hanging chads: The end result of the American League Rookie of the Year race was far from surprising. Carlos Correa collected 17 first-place votes and 124 overall points to win the hardware. Francisco Lindor finished second, with 13 first-place tallies and 109 overall points.
Some of the individual ballots submitted, however, were head-scratchers.
Hideo Kizaki of the Jiji Press -- a wire service in Tokyo -- voted Correa first, Oakland outfielder Billy Burns second and Minnesota outfielder Eddie Rosario third. No one else had Burns second or had both Burns and Rosario on his or her ballot. Only one other voter included Rosario at all. Rosario's teammate, Miguel Sano, had a much more productive season. Rosario logged a .289 on-base percentage and a .748 OPS. Sano posted a .385 on-base percentage and a .916 OPS. To exclude Lindor from his ballot was a bit mind-boggling as well.
Two other voters slotted Lindor third. On both of those ballots, Blue Jays reliever Robero Osuna was placed second. Osuna, 20, had a strong season in relief for Toronto, with a 2.58 ERA and 20 saves.
Check out the full voting here.
2. Right to vote: There may never be a perfect voting system. In college football, the coaches' poll is a giant farce. Coaches have no time to browse the results and statistics of 25 or more teams from around the country. Some simply have a media relations assistant fill out their ballots shortly before the deadline.
In baseball, writers see players from the division they cover much more frequently. In Cleveland, we saw Lindor dazzle on the diamond more often than we saw Correa contribute. No matter how long we stare at the numbers, there figures to be at least a bit of unintended bias, just because of exposure to the local kid. How else would one explain a Texas writer handing Rangers rookie Delino DeShields a third-place vote? DeShields compiled a .261/.344/.374 slash line, with two home runs and 25 stolen bases. He received only the one vote.
Of course, bias doesn't necessarily account for cluelessness. A ballot that included Burns and Rosario, but not Lindor, suggests that someone didn't do his homework. As a voting member of the Baseball Writers Association of America, that's unacceptable. Sure, it didn't make a difference in the final tally, but awards can factor into a player's eventual arbitration case. Voting should be taken seriously if we want the results to be received the same way.
Paul Hoynes explains his vote.
3. Five on it: Teams have until Friday to protect players from being exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. That means minor leaguers who are eligible must be added to the 40-man roster, or else the club will risk having those players selected by another team. A team must keep a selected player on its major league roster next season, or offer the player back to its original club. The Rule 5 Draft will take place during the Winter Meetings next month.
The Indians have 36 players on their 40-man roster. They'll have to leave a spot vacant if they want to participate in the draft process. To be eligible for the draft, a player signed at the age of 18 must have accrued five years in the minors. A player signed at the age of 19 or later must have accrued four years in the minors.
4. Mambo No. 5: Outfielder Tyler Naquin seems like a logical choice to be added to the 40-man roster this week. Naquin batted .300 with an .828 OPS between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus in 2015. He could make his major league debut sometime next year. The Indians could also add right-hander Michael Clevinger to the 40-man roster. He went 9-8 with a 2.73 ERA at Akron and then made a pair of sterling starts for Columbus in the postseason. He will likely start the year with the Clippers.
5. Last man standing: Would the Indians leave outfielder James Ramsey exposed? Ramsey, acquired from St. Louis for Justin Masterson, posted a .243/.327/.382 slash line at Triple-A in 2015. Todd Hankins, who hit .261 with 21 stolen bases for Akron, could be up for grabs. Shawn Morimando, who posted a 3.18 ERA in 28 starts at Akron, and Jeff Johnson, who logged a 1.05 ERA and limited the opposition to a .430 OPS in 51 1/3 innings at Akron, are two other candidates.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will wrap up their three-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be shown on Fox Sports Ohio.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will wrap up their three-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be shown on Fox Sports Ohio. On radio, it will be simulcast on WTAM-AM 1100, 100.7 WMMS-FM and 87.7 FM (ESP).
The Cavaliers (8-2) had their season-long eight-game winning streak snapped against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, losing in double overtime, 108-105.
In the loss, LeBron James scored a season-high 37 points to go with 12 rebounds and five assists. Kevin Love added 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting.
Friday's contest marks the first of four meetings between the Central Division foes. The Cavs and Pistons will meet again in Detroit on Jan. 29, 2016.
The Pistons (5-5) got off to a blistering start, winning five of their first six games. But lost four straight to finish their six-game Western Conference road trip. The stretch was capped off by a disappointing 97-85 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.
Through 10 games, point guard Reggie Jackson is leading the way, averaging 20.4 points and a team-high 5.0 assists. Andre Drummond is the league leader in rebounds, pulling down 19.0 per game. He is also averaging 18.5 points and has recorded a double-double in each of the 10 contests.
Chris Haynes has a preview of the game. Later, catch the coverage from before the game; join in the live chat starting at tipoff; and stick around for full postgame coverage. For all Cavs information, be sure to check out cleveland.com/cavs.
Clemson, Ohio State and Alabama retained their spots with our 13-member committee.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The battle between the Big 12 and Notre Dame is on.
As one of our committee members pointed out this week, ranking at this point feels like going through the motions, because the teams are going to sort this out.
Michigan State and Ohio State play in the Big Ten this week, with the winner likely facing Iowa in the Big Ten Championship.
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are two weeks away from a Big 12 battle to determine the playoff contender from that conference.
Clemson and Alabama are on win-and-they're-in paths in the ACC and SEC.
But there is one question being asked now that could continue to be asked into the final committee rankings, with little change: Notre Dame or the Big 12?
Our 13-member mock committee this week says the Big 12 - barely.
With No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Alabama holding their positions from last week, there was general agreement at the top.
Generally.
"I'm not sure I understand the love for Alabama. What's Bama's highest-profile victory? LSU? Wisconsin? I can't get past the home loss to Ole Miss," wrote Ken Goe of OregonLive.com, who placed Alabama at No. 6. "At this point, I can't see rating the Crimson Tide higher than unbeatens Oklahoma State or Iowa, or Notre Dame, which only has lost at Clemson."
Generally.
"Why is it that Alabama's loss to Mississippi gets sloughed off as a fluke?" wrote David Jones of PennLive.com. "And the life-and-death finish at home against Tennessee is virtually forgotten? I think Notre Dame might actually be an equal team. Their resume is better, in my opinion."
Again, generally.
"I'm putting Iowa ahead of Ohio State this week, because last year doesn't matter, Iowa's schedule has been better and the records are the same. Why shouldn't Iowa be the Big Ten team that's in the top four right now? The conversation changes if Ohio State beats Michigan State this week," wrote Bill Landis of cleveland.com, who placed the Buckeyes fifth.
The battle for this committee and the real committee announcing its rankings Tuesday night is likely over the final spot. Our group put Oklahoma State at No. 4 in a vote that gave the Cowboys 83 points and the No. 5 Fighting Irish 82 points.
Seven members voted Oklahoma State higher and six ranked Notre Dame higher. That should indicate how close the real committee decision could be, now and after the final weekend of the season in early December.
"Oklahoma was very impressive in spots but tackles poorly, and I don't think Baylor was that good to begin with," Brad Wilson of lehighvalleylive.com wrote while assessing the Big 12. "Oklahoma State is unbeaten, yes, but just barely survived a bad Iowa State team. Kansas hanging with TCU, too, makes me think the Big 12 teams are not true elite squads.
"Notre Dame plays the most consistent football of the bunch - yes, I know, they needed a miracle to beat awful Virginia - and so I reluctantly have them No. 4."
"The longer Clemson stays hot, the more I like Notre Dame and feel it deserves a spot in the playoff right now," wrote Jim Kleinpeter of NOLA.com, noting the strength of Notre Dame's only loss, on the road to No. 1. "Oklahoma State looks shaky after escaping in Ames."
The Cowboys trailed 24-7 at three-win Iowa State last week before coming back for a 35-31 win. Kleinpeter had Notre Dame at No. 4, Iowa at No. 5 and Oklahoma State at No. 6.
Kevin Scarbinsky of AL.com placed Oklahoma State No. 4, Oklahoma No. 5 and Notre Dame No. 6.
"I would give Oklahoma State a slight nod at the moment for the No. 4 spot even though I'm fairly certain Oklahoma's a better team," he wrote. "Good thing is, they get to decide that issue on the field."
On the field - the late stages of the season are providing more answers out there.
"Glad to see that, like Baylor last week, Ohio State finally gets to play a team with a real pulse this week. Have a feeling the Buckeyes will handle the competition better than the Bears did," Scarbinsky wrote.
But in the end, there's a good chance the committee, like last year, will have a difficult decision to make for that final spot.
No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State in the Orange Bowl
-- The same matchup as last week, when it was Baylor that Oklahoma State barely beat out for No. 4. Clemson was No. 1 with seven committee members, No. 2 with five of them and No. 3 with one.
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Alabama in the Cotton Bowl
-- The Crimson Tide gained ground on the Buckeyes, not that it would matter which team is No. 2 and which team is No. 3. Last week, Ohio State was 16 points ahead. This week it was just four.
Ohio State received three No. 1 votes, four No. 2 votes, five No. 3 votes and one No. 5 vote.
Alabama received three No. 1 votes, four No. 2 votes, three No. 3 votes and one vote each at No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6.
Among individual members, seven had Ohio State higher and six had Alabama higher
Previous playoff matchups from our committee
Nov. 9: No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma St., No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Alabama
Nov. 2: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 TCU, No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 LSU
Oct. 27: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Baylor, No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 LSU
Oct. 20: No. 1 Utah vs. No. 4 TCU, No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 LSU
Oct. 13: No. 1 Utah vs. No. 4 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State vs. No 3 TCU
Oct. 6: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Clemson, No. 2 Utah vs. No. 3 TCU
Sept. 29: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Michigan State, No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 UCLA
Sept. 22: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 TCU, No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Michigan State
Sept. 15: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 TCU, No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State
First Four
1. Clemson (123)
2. Ohio State (112)
3. Alabama (108)
4. Oklahoma State (83)
First four out
5. Notre Dame (82)
6. Iowa (67)
7. Oklahoma (56)
8. Florida (34)
Next four out
9. Michigan State (20)
10. Houston (16)
11. Baylor (8)
12. North Carolina (4)
About the First Four: Each week during the college football season, our committee of 13 national experts will rank the teams competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Until the real College Football Playoff selection committee begins its rankings on Nov. 3, our committee will provide a look at how that committee might be thinking. They'll then continue to offer an alternative perspective to the real committee. Voters submit a top 10, with 10 points awarded for a No. 1 vote, down to one point for a No. 10 vote.
Our voters: Brent Axe, Syracuse.com; Nick Baumgardner, MLive.com; Ken Goe, OregonLive.com; Mike Griffith, MLive.com; Ron Higgins, NOLA.com; David Jones, PennLive.com; Jim Kleinpeter, NOLA.com; Bill Landis, cleveland.com; Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com; Dan Malone, MassLive.com; Keith Sargeant, NJ.com; Kevin Scarbinsky, AL.com; Brad Wilson, LehighValleyLive.com.
LeBron James has been quieter about the Buckeyes this season. Maybe he was saving it all up for the "Michigan" portion of Ohio State's schedule.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - LeBron James has been less vocal about Ohio State football this season, staying off Twitter during most Buckeyes games and skipping them all together on days when his Cavaliers also play.
So, naturally, James cranked it up several notches Tuesday morning, taking questions just north of Detroit (ahead of an evening game against the Pistons) with this being the Michigan portion of the Buckeyes' schedule.
Ohio State hosts Michigan State this Saturday and then, of course, finishes the regular season the following Saturday in Ann Arbor.
James was asked about both games Tuesday. His answer about the Wolverines was way, way more fun.
Would the presence of first-year Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh add spice to the Buckeyes-Wolverines rivalry, someone wanted to know?
"Well it doesn't matter who is the coach over in Michigan, it's always a rivalry," said James, who didn't attend college but is an avowed Ohio State supporter.
"And, uh, we really don't care who's at the helm over there."
Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel will start for the remainder of the season. Their next game is Nov. 30 against the Baltimore Ravens.
BEREA, Ohio -- Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel will start for the remainder of the season, a league source confirmed for cleveland.com
Both quarterbacks have been informed of the decision.
FoxSports' Jay Glazer first reported the move. Coach Mike Pettine wouldn't reveal it on Monday, saying he'd likely have the announcement next time he met with reporters.
But he sounded like he was leaning heavily that way on Monday. Manziel earned the job with his 372-yard effort in the 30-9 loss to the Steelers.
The next game is the ESPN Monday nighter against the Ravens Nov. 30.
Quarterback Josh McCown said Monday he would do everything to help Manziel when the time came.
That time arrived after Manziel completed 73% of his passes in Pittsburgh.
"When that day comes, then obviously Johnny will be playing and I won't,'' McCown said Monday. "I'll support him and help him get ready, just like I did this week, and do everything I can to help him play the best ball he can to help us win football games. That's just the way I view any player on a team is, you do everything you can to help the team win and to serve the team in your role. If you're the starting quarterback, you go out there and you play the best ball you can.
"If you're the backup quarterback, you help that guy get ready to go and help him play the best ball that he can so that the team can win. It's just about the team. That'll be their decision and we'll adjust accordingly and move forward doing everything we can to make that quarterback room as productive as possible. You lose this many games in a row and things go this way, you just want to find a win. I don't care who does it, I just want our team to win. It's about our team."
Pettine was even more impressed with Manziel's outing when he watched it again Monday.
"To go back to yesterday and echo -- the film showed it even more,'' said Pettine Monday. "He showed significant progress. That was one of the better quarterback performances. You take the first play out - which you can't forget about. The ball skipped out of his hands - the fact he rallied from that, on the road in that environment - I've seen where things have gone bad early and guys go in the tank and they get that glazed look in their eye.
"He was the exact opposite. He was loose. He was into it. I thought he did an outstanding job in between series, getting input from the quarterbacks and (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) and on the headset with (quarterbacks coach) Kevin (O'Connell). I just thought the improvement he made from the Cincinnati game to this one was a leap. Kind of given what he's gone through, you're just proud of the kid and happy for him. I just wish we had a better result from a team standpoint because he played his ass off."
Pettine, who was critical of Manziel during halftime of the 31-10 loss to the Bengals on NFL Network, acknowledged that a big part of that was Manziel making plays from the pocket.
"Playing quarterback in the NFL is, as simple as it sounds, take what's there,'' said Petitne. "If you can make your read as you're dropping back - first of all you gather your information pre-snap. Here's what it looks like based on this front, spinning the safeties, I think I'm getting this coverage. We might have something in the formation that's going to tell us man or zone, something that will uncover some information there and then use it, based on the route combination. Where does this ball need to go? By the time he hits his plant step he knows what coverage they're in. He knows where to go with the ball. If he can deliver it on time with an accurate throw then we're on to the next play. That's what good quarterback play is all about.
"He did a much better job of that in this game than he did before. But the unique thing about Johnny is, as we all know, when it's not there and e has to go to his second read and it's not there and maybe the pocket starts to break down and he had to move and get out and make a play that he as a unique ability to do that. We're looking for the best of both worlds. Take the plays that are there, but when it does get expended, go ahead and do your thing."
While Pettine was mulling whether or not to turn the reins over to Manziel, the quarterback's possible discipline under the personal conduct policy on Oct. 12th is hanging over his head.
Asked why it's taking so long, Pettine said, "I'm not part of that, so all I know is I haven't heard anything.''
An NFL spokesman said, "We're doing our due diligence to ensure the review is thorough.''
Pettine acknowledged that Josh McCown, who's prepared to transition from starter to mentor, has been a big part of Manziel's development.
"It's a combination of a lot of things,'' said Pettine. "It's Johnny's want-to, along with what we're doing schematically for him, what Kevin O'Connell's been able to bring to that room, as far as accountability. But Josh has been a big part of it. To have that guy in the room that has his personality and sets the example that he can set, yeah, he has been a mentor for him, especially the weeks that he's been down.''
"It's the Ohio State offense, but Tom added a lot and you can see the success that he's having," Urban Meyer said. Watch video
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We sat in a sports bar near the media hotel in New Orleans the day after Ohio State beat Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinals last year. We were watching a wall of flat screen TVs showing the Armed Forces Bowl between Houston and Pitt.
It was funny then to think that those two programs were playing each other with new coaches on the way. Ohio State's Tom Herman had already accepted the head coaching job at Houston, Michigan State's Pat Narduzzi had already accepted the head job at Pitt.
What if they were coaching against each other then? That would be intriguing.
What if they were coaching against each other now? That would be must-watch football.
Ohio State hosts Michigan State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. You'll still watch, of course you will. It's still huge game. But it was before this game last year that I wrote about the battle between Herman, Ohio State's offensive coordinator and Mensa member, and Narduzzi, Michigan State's defensive coordinator and Broyles Award winner.
It was two of the best minds in college football going at it, a matching of wits. Narduzzi got the first one in the 2013 Big Ten Championship. Herman and Ohio State got Round 2 last year.
There will be no Round 3. Both coaches have moved on, Herman undefeated and dropping Vince Vaughn lines at press conferences and Narduzzi finding another rival by dropping thinly-veiled criticisms of Penn State's handling of quarterback Christian Hackenberg.
Ohio State's offense is led by Ed Warinner and new quarterbacks coach Tim Beck, who replaced Herman. Michigan State's defense is now run by Mike Tressel and Harlon Barnett, former position coaches under Narduzzi.
Losing a coordinator for any team can be an adjustment, and Ohio State felt that this year.
"It was probably more than I gave it credit for, especially because Tom was really good," Urban Meyer said. "The coordinators I've had have been outstanding. Dan Mullen, the minute we lost him, it went to Steve Addazio. You do lose them, even though we don't really change much offensively, it's the Ohio State offense, but Tom added a lot and you can see the success that he's having. We're doing much better now. The first few games were a little rugged, just the mechanisms and the logistics of how to do it."
Maybe Michigan State went through a similar transition without Narduzzi's voice and experience, but Meyer doesn't see much of a difference in philosophy.
"Michigan State losing their defensive coordinator, really no difference," Meyer said. "Coach (Mark) Dantonio will be the first one to tell you that's Michigan State's defense, and they're running it at a high level. Against Maryland I think of 80 snaps, 65 or 70 were blitzes. So it's very aggressive. Maybe they weren't that aggressive (with Narduzzi) and that's kind of putting us on our toes."
That may be the case, but the numbers on both sides are certainly different:
* Ohio State was No. 9 in total offense in 2014, and No. 7 in total offense in 2013 with Herman. Without him this year, the Buckeyes are No. 33.
* Michigan State was top 10 in total defense every year from 2011-2014 under Narduzzi, including a No. 2 finish in 2013. This year, without Narduzzi, the Spartans are No. 46.
Our Ohio State coverage from Tuesday
Ohio State remains No. 3 in College Football Playoff rankings
Joey Bosa is one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award
Buckeyes are sticking with Sean Nuernberger at kicker
Inside Ohio State's QB Numbers: Where J.T. Barrett needs to be better against Michigan State
Ohio State's recruiting visitors list for Michigan State game
Braxton Miller Rewatch: Negative plays and how the numbers say he should be used
Ohio State basketball beat Grambling State, 82-55, on Tuesday night
The Cavaliers are looking for payback as the young Bucks come to town: Crowquill
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The old-guard Cleveland Cavaliers face the young, long and athletic Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow night in a rematch of a game last Saturday night in Milwaukee that the Cavs lost.
While the Cavs aren't exactly oldsters, they do have six players on the roster, including LeBron James, who are 30 or older compared to just one player on the Bucks' roster. I'm sure the Cavs, who now represent the establishment in the Eastern Conference, would like to send an early-season message to the youngsters from Milwaukee that they are not ready to give up their alpha position.
Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.
Six core players from last season are back, including starters Daviere Andrews and Nazihar Bohannon.
LORAIN, Ohio -- John Rositano still gets goosebumps talking about Lorain's 25-0 start to last season. Jam-packed gyms, a district championship and run to regionals.
"The mayor couldn't get in," he said.
Cautiously, the coach is optimistic an encore could be in store this season. He didn't go as far to say the Titans could again go unbeaten in the regular season; the Lake Erie League is too tough for that, but it will make Lorain that much better for the postseason.
Six core players from last season are back, including starters Daviere Andrews and Nazihar Bohannon. Graduated are leading scorer Devon Andrews and Rashod Berry, now at Ohio State for football. See how the Titans look in the video above and read more about them in the preview capsule below.
Lorain Titans
2014-15 record: 25-1, 12-0 Lake Erie League (lost to St. Edward in regional semifinal).
Coach: John Rositano (third season).
Alignment: Division I, Elyria Catholic district.
Returning starters: Daviere Andrews (6-2, Sr., G, 10.7 points, 3.0 assists), Nazihar Bohannon (6-4, Jr., F, 13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds).
In the rotation: Anfernee Smothers (6-7, Sr., F, 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds), Kevin Davis (5-10, Sr., PG, 4.0 points, 1.5 assists), Jamar Ross (5-9, Sr., G, 4.5 points, 90.0 percent free throws), Jalil Little, Shane Smith (6-1, Jr., G), Daesean Brooks (6-4, Jr., F).
The skinny: In addition to the players mentioned above, 6-2 junior guard Shayne Smith returns with Jalil Little and Daesean Brooks up from the JV team. That JV squad went 21-1. … This will be Lorain’s final season in the old Southview gym. The Titans move to their new school next year, which is on the campus of the old Admiral King building. King and Southview merged to form the current Lorain High.
For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.
Ohio State plays Michigan State on Saturday, then ends the regular season at Michigan next week. Watch video
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- We know they can sit together at a table inside a Detroit area high school. There's was plenty of room for that.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio sat together for a press conference at the Sound Mind Sound Body Camp in in June. Doug was there and broke down the scene.
Can those three coaches keep programs thriving, keep them in the hunt for a national championship at the same time? That's the discussion in this week's B.A.D. Ohio State Podcast. We're joined this week by Associated Press national college football writer Ralph Russo.
The Buckeyes play the Spartans on Saturday in Ohio Stadium, then travel to Ann Arbor next week for the regular season finale against Michigan. Right now, Ohio State and Michigan State are still in the College Football Playoff hunt. Michigan is trending up. Does one of the other two have to trend down for Michigan to get in the playoff mix, or can all three compete for championships simultaneously?
Listen to the podcast, and let us know what you think in the comments section below.
We're using SoundCloud for the podcast, make sure you follow us there to keep track of all of the episodes.
You can also subscribe to Cleveland.com's Sports Podcasts iTunes channel.
Past episodes
* Episode 1: Talking Braxton Miller and previewing Virginia Tech
* Episode 2: How will Urban Meyer handle the quarterbacks?
* Episode 3: Which Ohio State football player will be an NFL star?
* Episode 4: Ohio State has the most famous players in college football
* Episode 5: How many Buckeyes could start for the Cleveland Browns?
* Episode 6: Will Ohio State make the College Football Playoff?
* Episode 7: Michigan's place in the Big Ten
* Episode 8: Urban Meyer the coach vs. Urban Meyer the recruiter
* Episode 9: How many college football programs are elite?
* Episode 10: Ranking the best available jobs in college football
* Episode 11: Why you're evaluating Ohio State the wrong way
See the football preview between Perrysburg and Glenville.
HURON, Ohio - Check out this preview of the Division II, third-round playoff game between No. 1 Perrysburg and No. 4 Glenville.
What: Division II, Region 4 third-round game.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kalahari Field at Huron Memorial Stadium, 710 Cleveland Road W, Huron. 419-433-1234.
Records: Perrysburg, 12-0; Glenville, 11-1.
Perrysburg last week: Defeated No. 3 Avon, 48-21.
Glenville last week: Defeated No. 1 Midview, 27-14.
Radio/Online/TV: Toledo’s Zone 100.7 FM (http://toledoszone.com); http://bcsn.tv/live; BCSN http://bcsnvision.tv (tape delay at 8 AM Saturday)
About Perrysburg: The Yellow Jackets, ranked No. 1 in Division II state poll, are making their fifth playoff appearance this year. With a fourth straight appearance, Perrysburg is coming off high scoring game against Avon. The Yellow Jackets have averaged 44.7 points on offense while giving up 15.7 points on defense. Senior quarterback Trevor Hafner has completed 132-of-218 passes for 2,383 total yards and 31 TD’s and thrown four interceptions. Zachary Honsber has the big target with 37 receptions for 932 yards and 16 TD’s ahead of Noah Lenz with 33 catches for 503 yards and eight TD’s. Running back Joshua Haynes is close to reaching 1,000-yards currently at 969 yards on 145 carries and 15 TDs. The Raiders, who defeated North Ridgeville in the opening round 35-0, are looking to capture their first state championship.
About Glenville: Senior quarterback Marcus Drish helped the Tarblooders improve their record to 21-13 in the playoffs by taking care of the football against top-seeded Midview on Friday. Drish has completing 112-of-176 passes for 1,830 yards, 24 TDs this season while throwing three interceptions and rushing for seven TD’s. The Tarblooders, ranked No. 6 in the Division II state poll, gave up 9.7 points on defense during the regular season led by Jaylen Carver with 64 tackles, three sacks, two INTs and 3 forced fumbles. Junior running back Demerius Goodwin caught a lot of attention last Friday rushing for 173 yards against Midview and bringing his season total to 1,068 yards on 126 carries and 12 TD’s. The Tarblooders are in the midst of their third straight playoff appearance and 14th all-time. Prior to this year, the last time the Tarblooders won a playoff game the team went on to make its second appearance in the state finals in 2013. Glenville, who defeated Holland Springfield in the opening round 56-28, are looking to capture their first state championship after two state final appearances.
Contact Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline), by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.
Find all-time Ohio State Buckeyes leaders in rushing, including the top three of Archie Griffin, Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott, and statistics for every OSU player who has run the ball at least once since 1968.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Search this database to find all-time Ohio State Buckeyes leaders in rushing, including the top three of Archie Griffin, Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott, and statistics for every OSU player who has run the ball at least once since 1968.
See notes below the database for top performers before 1968, though most all statistical leaders have played since then.
In some cases, records from various sources conflict. Efforts were made to use the most accurate information. Email rexner@cleveland.com if you believe there needs to be a correction. Sources were cleveland.com, The Plain Dealer, Ohio State University and Sports Reference LLC.
Also, some OSU career record listings omit the performances by players later suspended or who took part in "vacated" games. This database includes the original statistics for those games.
The database begins with 1968, but also includes the 1967 performance of players such as Jim Otis (1967-69) so their career statistics are complete.
Howard Cassady ran for 2,466 yards from 1952-55, Bob Ferguson 2,162 yards from 1959-62, and Don Clark had 2,116 yards from 1956-58.
No 1,000-yard rushers for a single season show up in the OSU record book until Otis in 1969.
The NFL finally figured out what to do with Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith and suspended him for a year. Johnny Manziel was cleared and now is the Browns starting quarterback. LeBron James passed Jerry West. Today's Cy Young Award winners are too close to call.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The NFL needed three months to decide what should have been a five-minute decision to suspend Oakland Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith. Johnny Manziel, meanwhile, was cleared by the NFL and will start for the Cleveland Browns the remainder of the season.
LeBron James passed Jerry West on the NBA's all-time scoring list in the Cleveland Cavaliers' loss to the Detroit Pistons.
The Cy Young Awards will be announced today and the National League winner is anybody's guess between the Dodgers duo of Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw and Cubs ace Jake Arrieta. The American League winner looks to be a two-man race between Houston's Dallas Keuchel and free agent David Price.
Denzel Valentine's triple-double for Michigan State prompted a call from Magic Johnson after the Spartans upset No. 4 Kansas.
Everything you've heard about Kentucky's backcourt is true. Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe were brilliant in a win over Duke.
Kareem Hunt had a big night in Toledo's MAC football showdown victory over rival Bowling Green.
And the news for track and field just keeps getting worse as Nike is dragged into allegations surrounding Kenya's distance runners cheating.
These are some of the trending sports stories Wednesday:
Aldon Smith suspended one year: The Raiders' Aldon Smith was suspended for a year by the NFL on Tuesday stemming from his arrest in August on DUI, hit-and-run and vandalism charges.
The official announcement came hours after the story had broken in the form of a statement from the NFL.
Smith signed a one-year contract worth up to $8 million on Sept. 11, more than a month after his release from the 49ers, which means he will have to sign a new deal to continue his career with the Raiders.
Under terms of his contract, Smith will lose $323,529 per game while under suspension for the remainder of the season. (Oakland Tribune)
What took so long to suspend Smith? The truth is, the league should have taken about five minutes to determine and issue Smith's suspension way back in August, not long after he was arrested for his third DUI violation. Remember, the NFL does not have to wait on the legal system. It can conduct its own investigation and dispense its own justice.
Instead, here we are in mid-November. And finally, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has ruled on Smith's case.
During the interim, the troubled linebacker was cut by the 49ers, signed by the Raiders, played nine games in an Oakland uniform and earned at least a few million dollars in the process.
Did Smith learn anything by this? Did the league? Did anyone? (Mark Purdy, Oakland Tribune)
All good news for Johnny Manziel: The day started out great for Johnny Manziel and got better as it went along.
In the morning, he was named the Browns starting quarterback for the final six games of the season, beginning Nov. 30th against the Ravens. In the afternoon, he learned that he won't be disciplined by the NFL for his Oct. 12 roadway incident involving his girlfriend, Colleen Crowley.
In a statement, the NFL cited "an insufficient basis on which to take disciplinary action.'' (Cleveland.com)
LeBron passes "The Logo:" LeBron James moved ahead of Jerry West (25,192) into 19th place in NBA history for career points in the Cavaliers' 104-99 loss to the Detroit Pistons. James scored 30 in the loss.
"We all represent the logo," James said. "I had an opportunity to read his book, I had an opportunity to actually talk to him a few times. You know, it's pretty cool."
James eclipsed 25,192 points in 922 career games. West, whose likelihood is used as the silhouette on the NBA logo, played in 932 games. (Cleveland.com)
#23 with 23PTS so far this half. Watch @KingJames knock 'em down on @FOXSportsOH! #CavsPistons https://t.co/ineEo9lnzY
-- Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 18, 2015
NL Cy Young? Take your pick: The three candidates for the NL award, the winner of which will be announced Wednesday, (3:15 p.m. for the AL, 3:45 p.m. for the NL) are too close to each other to allow for any meaningful declaration of separation. The best a voter could do, really, is decide which statistic or statistics he or she values most right now, and go from there.
If it's ERA and a general sense of who allowed the fewest runs, select the Dodgers' Zack Greinke, and be content it's a defensible selection. His ERA was a half-run better than teammate Clayton Kershaw's.
If it's a general sense of who dominated the most hitters, select Kershaw. He had 25 more strikeouts than anyone else in baseball.
The Dodgers barely broke even in Kershaw's starts this season; Chicago went 25-8 in Arrieta's, including just one loss after Independence Day. He threw a no-hitter. He performed better as the season neared an end. Recency bias is a thing. (Orange County Register)
A two-man race in AL: No offense intended to Sonny Gray, but we're watching a two-man fight between free agent David Price and the Houston Astros' Dallas Keuchel. And while it might be the undercard to the epic AL MVP clash between Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson, it's a heavyweight bout nonetheless. (Bleacher Report)
Hello, Mr. Magic? Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis handed the phone to Denzel Valentine in the back hallway of the United Center. The senior was fresh off becoming just the fourth player to record a triple-double in school history.
Valentine nodded, said "Yes, sir" a few times and then finally cracked a wide smile after he gave the phone back to Hollis.
It was Magic Johnson on the other end of the phone, one of the three other Spartans, along with Draymond Green and Charlie Bell, to record one of the school's now-13 triple-doubles.
"He congratulated me and asked me what my favorite part of the triple-double was," Valentine said after finishing with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in No. 13 Michigan State's 79-73 win against No. 4 Kansas.
"Assists," Valentine laughed. "It was Magic. What else could I possibly say?"
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Valentine knows he doesn't look the part, and the NBA scouts aren't nearly as enamored with him as they are with, say, LSU freshman Ben Simmons or even Kentucky freshman Skal Labissiere. (ESPN.com)
Kentucky trio tops Duke: A 74-63 victory over dreaded Duke on Tuesday night should give Kentucky fans guarded optimism.
Jamal Murray, Isaiah Briscoe and Tyler Ulis -- a trio of guards expected to lead Kentucky this season -- did just that in this telling early-season game.
In what was supposed to be a duel of highly regarded backcourts, the difference in guard play was startling. Murray, Briscoe and Ulis combined for 46 points and 12 assists.
Ulis scored a career-high 18 points and didn't commit a turnover while playing the entire 40 minutes. (Lexington Herald)
Kareem Hunt leads Toledo past BGSU: Toledo tailback Kareem Hunt set the tone then played the tune to help lead the Rockets to a 44-28 Mid-American Conference victory over the Bowling Green Falcons on Tuesday night.
The triumph kept the Rockets (9-1, 6-1) tied for first in the MAC's West Division with one game to play, while the Falcons (8-3, 6-1), already crowned MAC East Champs, became the last team in the league to suffer a conference loss.
Much of the Falcons' issues came from quarterback Matt Johnson, who had three of Bowling Green's five turnovers.
Hunt posted 120 of his 153 yards rushing and both of his touchdowns in the first half to help stake Toledo to leads of 20-0 and 30-7 over the highest scoring team in the league. (The Plain Dealer)
More trouble for track and field: Kenya's problems are different from Russia's. That should be stressed. Those with intimate knowledge of the country laugh at suggestions of systemic state-sponsored doping. But the combination of unscrupulous agents and doctors and athletes hoping for a better life is dangerously potent: around 35 athletes have tested positive since 2012 and the Guardian understands more are expected.
Nor are drugs the only problem in Kenyan sport. Corruption is too and, as the Sunday Times revealed at the weekend, detectives have questioned three of the most senior officials at Athletics Kenya over claims they pocketed close to $700,000 from Nike: Isaiah Kiplagat, chairman of Athletics Kenya, the vice-president David Okeyo and Joseph Kinyua, its former treasurer. Okeyo, who sits on the International Association of Athletics Federation's 26-person ruling council, has denied the allegations, which he claimed were made by a disgruntled former employee. (The Guardian)
Willoughby South High product Kareem Hunt delivers 120 of his 153 yards rushing in the first half to anchor Toledo's 44-28 victory over Bowling Green.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Toledo tailback Kareem Hunt has not had the season many expected and hoped for, but he appears to be rounding into form at just the right time. Hunt came up big here Tuesday night as he helped lead the Rockets to a 44-28 Mid-American Conference victory over Bowling Green.
The triumph kept the Rockets (9-1, 6-1) tied for first in the MAC West Division with one game to play, while the Falcons (8-3, 6-1), already crowned MAC East Champs, became the last team in the league to suffer a conference loss.
It was arguably Hunt's best game in a tough season as he was suspended two games for violation of team rules, then suffered a hamstring injury in his first game back. He is just now getting near 100 percent.
"You're starting to see Kareem kind of get into mid-season form,'' Toledo coach Matt Campbell said.
Hunt, the junior tailback from Willoughby South High School, set the tone early on Tuesday. After the first of five BG turnovers, he accounted for all 27 yards on five carries, including the touchdown to put Toledo ahead in a game it would never trail.
"I always want to have a chance to lead the team and put the game in my hands,'' Hunt said after gaining 153 yards on 29 carries, both season highs. "I want the rock in a big game."
The Rockets scored on their first four possessions, with Hunt in the midst of most of it. Toledo's second touchdown came after a 41-yard burst by Hunt that came up short of a score.
"I should have scored myself, found another gear,'' Hunt said. "But I was more worried about ball security because I didn't know where the defense was coming from."
Hunt's second touchdown came after another BG turnover, when he ran 11 yards to give Toledo a 30-7 lead late in the first half. BG would make it interesting, with three Gehrig Dieter touchdown receptions after that.
But it was Dieter's fumble for turnover No. 4, recovered by the Rockets, that pretty much locked down the victory.
Bowling Green quarterback Matt Johnson had two interceptions and a fumble that all led to UT scores. It was clearly his worst game in what has been a stellar season.
In another Tuesday night MAC game, Ohio University (7-4, 4-3) defeated Ball State (3-8, 2-5), 48-31, to lock in a post-season bowl game.
Tonight, Central Michigan is at Kent State and hoping to get closer to a bowl game.
The remaining MAC schedule this week.
WEDNESDAY
Western Michigan (6-4, 5-1) at Northern Illinois (7-3, 5-1), 8 p.m., ESPN2: With Toledo's win Tuesday, this is basically an elimination game in terms of a division title, particularly for WMU. The Broncos are coming off a home loss to Bowling Green and will have to win the title the hard way, on the road at NIU, then at Toledo. The Huskies have the head-to-head advantage over Toledo, so a WMU triumph could get NIU, the defending MAC champs, a step closer to defending their overall title.
Central Michigan (5-5, 4-2) at Kent State (3-7, 2-4), 8 p.m., ESPNU: CMU needs two more victories to lock down a bowl appearance, facing KSU then Eastern Michigan. Central has a veteran quarterback going against a Kent defense that seemingly has to do it all -- score and defend -- for the Golden Flashes to have a chance. Kent's offense has failed to score a touchdown in five games this season, and KSU as a team was held to a touchdown or less in five games.
SATURDAY
Miami (2-9, 1-6) at UMass (2-8, 1-5), 1 p.m., ESPN3: Two teams playing out the string.
Buffalo (5-5, 3-3) at Akron (5-5, 3-3), 3:30 p.m., CBSSN: An elimination game for the loser as it is unlikely a 6-6 team from the MAC, while bowl eligible, actually gets invited to a bowl game.
Check out live updates, pictures and videos from the second day of boys and girls basketball Media Days at cleveland.com as teams participate in videos, some fun games, pictures, interviews and more.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – High school boys and girls basketball Media Days continue Wednesday at cleveland.com and we’ll have a live blog of the late afternoon and evening activities featuring eight teams in this post.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, select players and coaches throughout Northeast Ohio will be attending a Media Day session. See a compilation of Tuesday's Media Day highlights -- featuring 17 teams -- here.
In the comments section at the bottom of this post will be live updates, pictures and videos from Wednesday's festivities as teams participate in videos, some fun games, pictures, interviews and more.
See the full schedule of team arrivals, which begin at 4 p.m., below.
Coming to Media Day? We encourage everyone to Tweet during Media Day, especially pictures and videos. Be sure to include #NEOvarsity so your Tweets appear in the box below.
Look for a similar live blog on Thursday as well with additional boys and girls teams.
Wednesday’s scheduled team arrivals:
4 p.m.: Twinsburg girls basketball.
5:30: Lorain boys basketball.
6:30: Gilmour girls basketball.
6:45: Euclid boys basketball.
7:00: Richmond Heights girls basketball.
7:15: Lakewood boys basketball.
7:30: Shaker Heights boys basketball.
For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
The Buckeyes watched film of last years' 49-37 win over the Spartans. "You just kind of watch - we're not there right now," Urban Meyer said. Watch video
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Proof is the goal, just like last year, but not exactly.
Once again Michigan State is the first team that can provide Ohio State, and the college football world, with evidence.
A year ago, No. 14 Ohio State needed a quality win to show the Buckeyes were as good as their domination of lesser teams made you think they might be. They had the results, but questions lingered about the talent, including that new kid quarterback, J.T. Barrett.
Saturday, No. 3 Ohio State needs a win to show the Buckeyes are as good as their talent tells you they are, despite missing that same level of domination. Now the skill is here, with the questions about the results.
The Buckeyes need just one thing to set all this straight - look like they looked and play like they played at Michigan State last year.
"I think it was kind of a launching pad for us nationally," left tackle Taylor Decker said of last year's 49-37 win at the No. 8 Spartans. "Everyone was like, 'OK, now these guys are for real,' because that (Michigan State) team is good, they've always been good recently.
"(This year) it's going to be a good gauge for us and I think if we perform well, it'll kind of show everyone that we're for real because people questions how good we really are."
How well are the Buckeyes playing? Not quite as well as they were in East Lansing last November. They all admit that.
While the Buckeyes may question criticism of a 10-0 defending national champion on a 23-game overall winning streak, they also can point to the performance against Michigan State last year as a level they haven't reached yet.
"We were playing at a very high level, the offensive line was, everybody was, and we've got to get back to that level this week," right guard Pat Elflein said. "That was a turning point where the offense was clicking on all cylinders last year."
(Note: Any questions about Ohio State this season are really about the offense. The Buckeyes are allowing just 13.8 points per game, the second-fewest in the country.)
Last year was about erasing the yeah-but wins.
In their six games before Michigan State last season, the Buckeyes won by an average of 52-18, an overtime win at Penn State the only game decided by less than three touchdowns.
This year is about backing up the just-wait aura.
In their six games going into Saturday's kickoff against the No. 9 Spartans, the Buckeyes have won by an average of 38-15, with a 7-point win at Indiana and 14-win vs. Minnesota closer than most expected.
"That was our best game offensively, by far," Urban Meyer said of the trip to Michigan State a year ago. "We threw for over 300. We ran against not a good defense, a great defense. You just kind of watch - we're not there right now.
"We've got to get there fast when you start playing teams like this. So that's one of the first things when I came and watched that Sunday morning is my goodness, J.T. was ridiculous. Our receivers played great. The offensive line blocked that defensive line, and once again, not a good defense, a great defense."
The Buckeyes all watched last year's Michigan State film Sunday. They saw what's needed now. That again- 568 total yards if you're counting.
"I think we were just so determined to just show how good we were," Decker said.
With national title rings on their fingers, but no ranked opponents among their first 10 opponents, they want to show it again.
It's no secret that the Indians are in the market for an outfielder or two. Here are some potential trade options.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's no secret that the Indians are in the market for an outfielder or two. Michael Brantley is expected to miss at least the first month of the regular season, Lonnie Chisenhall and Abraham Almonte might not be ideal everyday options and the free-agent route offers little in terms of dreamy scenarios that would fit the club's stingy payroll.
So, barring an open tryout to the public at Progressive Field, the Indians' only avenue to boost the talent in its big league outfield is to acquire a player via trade.
The Indians are in luck. There are plenty of outfielders who could be made available. Of course, the asking price in any swap determines how seamlessly a deal can materialize. Teams have called and will continue to burn up their cell phone minutes asking about the Indians' crop of starting pitching.
Will the Tribe part with a major league hurler in order to upgrade its outfield? That remains to be seen. For now, here is a list of potential trade targets that could fill the Indians' outfield void.
Give us your first-born
A.J. Pollock, CF, Diamondbacks
The cost: The 27-year-old is arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason.
The skinny: An All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2015, Pollock finished the year with a .315 average, an .865 OPS, 20 home runs, 76 RBIs, 39 doubles and 39 stolen bases. Pollock ranked eighth in the majors among position players in WAR in 2015. Arizona, though, has some outfield depth, with Yasmany Tomas, Ender Inciarte and David Peralta in the mix.
The fit: Pollock could fill the Indians' void in center field.
The damage: The Tribe would likely have to part with one of their top starting pitchers.
Yasiel Puig, OF, Dodgers
The cost: Puig is signed for about $25 million over the next three years.
The skinny: The native of Cuba had a tough showing in 2015, at least relative to his first two years in the majors. He batted .255 with a .758 OPS in 79 games. Overall, he owns a .294/.371/.487 slash line. He doesn't turn 25 until next month.
The fit: Puig has experience at all three outfield spots. He could, if healthy and focused, provide some sorely needed right-handed pop.
The damage: Puig won't come cheap, but the Dodgers' needs might be dictated by how they approach free agency, especially with Zack Greinke on the free-agent market.
Jorge Soler, RF, Cubs
The cost: Soler is signed through the 2020 campaign at no more than $4.7 million per year.
The skinny: The 23-year-old has logged a .268/.325/.433 slash line, with 15 homers and 67 RBIs in 125 career big league contests. He's big (6-foot-4) and powerful (.542 slugging percentage in the minors), and the Cubs are waiting for it to translate to the majors. He did feast on opposing pitching in the postseason, as he compiled a .474/.600/1.105 slash line in seven playoff games.
The fit: Soler could fill a corner outfield spot, though that would probably force Brantley to center field upon his return. His power in the middle of the order would be a breath of fresh air.
The damage: Given Soler's age and team-friendly contract, the Cubs would likely want a top-of-the-line starting pitcher in return.
Let's make something work
Marcell Ozuna, Marlins
The cost: Will be arbitration eligible for the first time next winter.
The skinny: Ozuna, who turned 25 last week, owns a .265/.311/.416 slash line in parts of three big league seasons. He totaled a career-high 23 home runs and 85 RBIs in 2014, but he spent time at Triple-A in 2015, which sparked a dispute between the Marlins and Ozuna's agent, Scott Boras.
The fit: The Indians could slot him in center field, though he hasn't yet proven he can consistently provide enough thump to hit in the middle of the order.
The damage: Parting with Carlos Carrasco or Danny Salazar might be unnecessary, especially given how likely it seems that the Marlins will deal Ozuna. Perhaps a pitcher from the back end of the Tribe's rotation would seal a deal.
Brett Gardner, OF, Yankees
The cost: Gardner is on the books for $37.5 million over the next three years, with a $12.5 million team option (or $2 million buyout) for 2019.
The skinny: New York has been reportedly shopping the 32-year-old since it acquired outfielder Aaron Hicks from Minnesota earlier this month. Over the last two years, Gardner has posted a .258/.335/.410 slash line, with 33 homers and 41 stolen bases. He was an All-Star in 2015.
The fit: Gardner has played much more left field than center the last two years. At least for the start of the season, the Indians have a need at both spots.
The damage: The Yankees could use a little of everything, but they need youth, first and foremost. Carrasco is probably too steep of a price if only Gardner is coming to Cleveland.
Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, Red Sox
The cost: Bradley will be eligible for arbitration for the first time next winter.
The skinny: Always an athletic, capable defender, Bradley finally exhibited some offensive ability in 2015. He compiled a .249/.335/.498 slash line, with 10 home runs and 17 doubles in 74 games. Still, over parts of three seasons in Boston, he owns a career .213 average and .638 OPS.
The fit: The Indians could plug the 25-year-old into any outfield spot. Bradley has totaled 22 defensive runs saved over the last two years, despite not playing every day.
The damage: The Red Sox have an abundance of outfielders and Bradley could be the odd man out, so Boston might not have the leverage to ask for a front-line starter.
Hey, want this guy?
Nick Markakis, OF, Braves
The cost: Markakis is signed for $33 million over the next three years.
The skinny: He has been durable, having played in at least 147 games in nine of the last 10 years. He owns a career .359 on-base percentage. He stores a pair of Gold Glove awards in his attic. He turned 32 on Tuesday. He once could be relied upon to collect 60 or more extra-base hits. His power has dipped in recent years, though. In 2015, he totaled 38 doubles, but only three home runs.
The fit: Markakis could play a corner outfield spot, or shift to first base.
The damage: The Braves seem pleased to ship away their veterans in exchange for youth. The Indians could send a couple of prospects -- Clint Frazier and Bradley Zimmer excluded from the conversation -- to Atlanta.
Ender Inciarte, OF, Diamondbacks
The cost: Inciarte, 25, is eligible for arbitration for the first time next winter.
The skinny: One of the best defensive outfielders in the game, Inciarte has totaled 52 defensive runs saved over the last two years (one fewer than Andrelton Simmons). He batted .303 with a .747 OPS last season, and he swiped 21 bases.
The fit: Inciarte has logged playing time at all three outfield spots, which would come in handy for the Indians.
The damage: The Diamondbacks want pitching, but the price tag on Inciarte wouldn't be as demanding as the one on Pollock.
Cameron Maybin, Braves
The cost: Maybin is signed for $8 million in 2016 and has a $9 million team option for 2017, or a $1 million buyout.
The skinny: Maybin posted a .267/.327/.370 slash line last year, with 23 stolen bases and a career-high 10 homers. He'll turn 29 on Opening Day.
The fit: He could play center field for Cleveland.
The damage: Given that the Braves are in full rebuilding mode and he has only one more guaranteed year on his contract, Maybin probably wouldn't cost too much.
