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Behind Ohio State's offensive Fiesta Bowl nightmare: Urban Meyer shut out for first time

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Ohio State couldn't pass because it couldn't run and couldn't run because it couldn't pass.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Curtis Samuel was running down the sideline and it seemed like he was going to score, which would have prevented this from happening to Urban Meyer for the first time. 

But Samuel got shoved out of bounds at the Clemson 16 with 11:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. That was the first time Ohio State made it to the red zone. 

Then this happened: False start, incompletion, sack and then a desperate interception, which was returned for 86 yards to set up another Clemson touchdown.

The Buckeyes had an offensive nightmare come true in the Fiesta Bowl. Clemson blew Ohio State out 31-0 in the College Football Playoff semifinal Saturday night, and that zero on the second half of the score is what really stands out.

It was the first time in Meyer's head coaching career that's happened. He had never been shut out before. 

It took something like this for it to happen for the first time. 

That Ohio State's offense couldn't do anything against a fast, athletic and deeply talented Clemson defense shouldn't be a shock. Ohio State almost lost four of its last seven games heading into the postseason, all of which were because the Buckeyes couldn't figure out how to pass the ball downfield. 

Against Clemson, nothing went right. Ohio State couldn't pass because it couldn't run. Ohio State couldn't run because it couldn't pass. 

That's what happens when you make the playoff and face a team that's similarly talented: They find your weaknesses and pounce on them. When teams did that to Ohio State earlier this year, it just out-athleted its opponent. 

Not Clemson. 

And because Clemson didn't respect Ohio State's passing game -- why would it? -- the Buckeyes couldn't do anything to keep the defense off balance. Even Curtis Samuel, who had Ohio State's lone big play of the game -- a 64-yard run that put the Buckeyes in the red zone for the first time in the fourth quarter -- had an off game. 

So how do you solve the issue? You don't. You get shut out. 

That's been such a rare occurrence for Meyer. His teams have been held to three points only three times in his head coaching career: Twice to Alabama (2005 and 2010) and in 2003 in Utah's 3-0 win over BYU, which occurred in a blizzard. 

Everything was wrong with Ohio State's offense and those issues weren't correctable in three weeks of bowl preparation, even if the coaching staff wanted you to believe they were. 

You've seen it before this season: J.T. Barrett struggled with accuracy, the offensive line couldn't block all those NFL defensive linemen, receivers couldn't get open. And the Buckeyes couldn't resort to the run to get something going. It didn't help that the Buckeyes lost starting left guard and true freshman Michael Jordan on the second drive of the game with an ankle injury. 

Ohio State usually could always have the run game in its pocket, but it only had 81 yards on Saturday. Barrett finished with 11 rushes for -2 yards and running back Mike Weber carried it five times for 24 yards and had two fumbles, one of which was lost. 

The reality of the situation is that it was remarkable that Ohio State even got to the playoff with the offensive issues that were abundantly clear all season. 

But a shutout? 

That's what happened because Ohio State faced a team that's simply better. 


Ohio State football dominated by Clemson 31-0 in Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal

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Clemson set up a National Championship rematch with Alabama by ending Ohio State's season in overwhelming fashion in the College Football Playoff.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State's biggest weakness was both a blessing and a curse on a drive against Clemson that perfectly encapsulated the Buckeyes' season.

A pair of under-thrown deep balls from J.T. Barrett to Binjimen Victor and Terry McLaurin late in the third quarter of Saturday's College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl could've been touchdowns, but instead led to pass interference penalties that allowed Ohio State to move the ball 30 yards without making a play.

With a rare second-half scoring chance, Barrett then over-threw Curtis Samuel on a ball that was tipped and intercepted.

Throwing inconsistencies plagued Ohio State all year. They were coupled with a Buckeyes' rushing attack that was completely bottled up to the point that it was unrecognizable.

With that, Clemson is going back to the National Championship for a rematch with Alabama.

The Tigers handed the Buckeyes' their first shutout since 1993, 31-0, in the desert Saturday night, ending a season that somewhat miraculously got to this point in the first place when you think about how difficult moving the ball was at times for this team.

It all came to a head on Saturday, with Ohio State's worst offensive performance of the season. The Buckeyes were held to a season-low 215 yards. Barrett finished 19-of-33 for 127 yards and two interceptions.

It was the first time in Urban Meyer's career that his team has been shut out.

That all put Ohio State's defense in the unenviable position of having to completely shut down Clemson and its star quarterback Deshaun Watson. The effort was valiant, but not nearly enough.

Watson finished 23-of-36 for 259 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He ran 15 times for 57 yards and two other touchdowns. Receiver Mike Williams had 96 receiving yards and running back Wayne Gallman rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Clemson controlled the game, moving the ball well against an Ohio State defense that was routinely put in tough positions, and completely shutting down the Buckeyes' offense.

Curtis Samuel, who many thought would've been poised for a big game after arguably being under-utilized all season, broke through for a 64-yard run when the game was already in hand. All that was left for the Buckeyes was to avoid the shutout. Instead, they got called for an offsides penalty and then Barrett got sacked. On fourth-and-27, Barrett got picked off on a heave to the end zone that was returned deep into Ohio State territory and set up a Clemson touchdown.

Samuel had 110 yards on 15 touches.

What it means

Meyer said coming into the playoff that Ohio State was probably a year early. The Buckeyes were a year early in 2014, too, and we know how that ended. It's an easy thing to say when your team is young, but it's clear after this that Ohio State wasn't ready for a team of Clemson's talent and experience.

Ohio State got by in a lot of games this season by being really good defensively, pretty good running the ball and it didn't matter that it was a struggle to throw because talent usually trumps everything. Clemson has talent, clearly. Right now, maybe a little more than Ohio State.

The Buckeyes' recipe for success this season didn't work against the Tigers, who are in the playoff at the right time.

Buckeyes didn't capitalize in the first half

Ohio State started the game strong, with a 32-yard kick return from Parris Campbell that gave the Buckeyes good field position, allowing them to get into the scripted plays they like early in games.

Part of Ohio State's slow starts offensively had to do with bad starting field position that led to conservative calls to avoid a possible early momentum shift.

At the beginning of Saturday night's game, Ohio State started its first three possessions at its own 35, then back-to-back drives at the Clemson 30, and didn't get anything out of it.

Campbell's 54-yard kick return in the first half led to a missed field goal. When Ohio State's defense tried to swing momentum with a pair of first-half interceptions by Gareon Conley and Malik Hooker, the offense couldn't make Clemson pay for the miscues.

Instead, the Tigers lead 17-0.

More missed field goals

Ohio State kicker Tyler Durbin said he was feeling confident after missing a pair of field goals against Michigan. Maybe he was, but he missed a pair of 47-yard field goals in the first quarter that kept Ohio State from getting points even when it had great field position.

Ohio State's season of overachieving ends in desert deja vu: Doug Lesmerises

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The Buckeyes were blown out by Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl, proving how stunning it was they made it this far.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This was desert deja vu, a relapse into a decade-old nightmare for Ohio State fans and a chance for Urban Meyer to see what life is like on the other side of the blowout.

Clemson undressed Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve, a 31-0 victory that left no doubt as to which was the better team not just on this night but this season.

There were enough flashes of Ohio State's 41-14 loss to Florida in this stadium in the 2007 National Championship game to make Buckeye fans (who made up about 70 percent of the crowd) shift in their seats. Clemson featured skill and speed on both sides of the ball in a way that harkened back to those Florida Gators, when Meyer sicced his defense on Troy Smith and tore the Buckeyes apart.

The memory then was defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey (you still recall those names). This time, it's Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson and receiver Mike Williams who will elicit Ohio grimaces for a generation.

(Unless Watson winds up the quarterback savior for the Browns, then hey, stuff happens.)

Ohio State made the keycode at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center 4114 after that takedown. Tales remain about Ted Ginn Jr. being injured by his teammates in celebration, of the curse of In-N-Out Burger that caught up with Smith.

But here are the truths about that night 10 years ago that are true now as Buckeye Nation slogs into 2017 in defeat.

That loss didn't ruin Ohio State. Neither will this one. Sometimes when the other guys are studs, even a great team can wind up lost for three hours. And make no mistake, Clemson is exceptional.

The Tigers have talent young and old on both sides of the ball, which is why Clemson could run and throw wide on the OSU defense when few offenses can. It's why Ohio State couldn't get a run game going, after the ground game survived without a passing threat most of the year. Against the Tigers, no fear of J.T. Barrett's arm meant selling out to shut down Curtis Samuel, Mike Weber and Barrett.

(Also, the Clemson safety who said Barrett wasn't one of the best quarterbacks Clemson has faced? The guy you were mad at? Like we said at the time, he was right.)

Ohio State came back from that 10-year-old loss, after losing Smith and two first-round receivers in Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez, and made the BCS National Championship game again the next season. This team, which started just one senior in All-American center Pat Elflein, will return next season as a top-five team and more of a preseason playoff pick than the Buckeyes were this year.

They'll lose some young talent early to the NFL, and that will hurt. But as this season showed, when the Buckeyes replaced 16 starters, the well is deep.

Here's the reality.

It wasn't a problem that Ohio State didn't have a passing game Saturday. It was a miracle that the Buckeyes reached the playoff with this broken passing game, with Barrett 19-of-33 for 127 yards and two interceptions. (Only Smith's 4-of-14 for 35 yards effort 10 years ago could make that look better.)

True freshman Ben Victor, who entered the game with three catches, emerged as the best downfield threat of the night. Throw it to the new guy, that tall teenager, because nothing else has worked. That's not a plan for a title team.

But this, as we know now, wasn't a title team. It wasn't when it beat Oklahoma in week three in its best game of the season. Wasn't when it lost at Penn State. Wasn't in an overtime win at Wisconsin or a double overtime home win over Michigan.

The Buckeyes milked every drop they could out of this season, propelled by a stunning offensive talent in H-back Curtis Samuel and a stunning defensive talent in safety Malik Hooker, who picked off a Watson deep ball in the end zone that would have been a touchdown against any other safety in the nation.

This was a 9-3 regular-season team that went 11-1. Would you rather have a Cotton Bowl win over Western Michigan, or this loss to Clemson in the playoff?

So when you remember this, and you will, work in an appreciation for a season that shouldn't have been into your misery over a game that was never close.

And get ready for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney to be leading the Buckeyes in 2026. The best way to get a job in Columbus is to take the Buckeyes apart in Arizona 10 years earlier.

It happened once. Saturday, it happened again.

LeBron James piled up victories for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016: DMan's World

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When LeBron James played in games that counted in the calendar year 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers went 76-21 and won the NBA title.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- All he did was win.

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James' calendar year 2016 began Jan. 2 in Cleveland. He scored 29 in 29 minutes of a 104-79 rout of the Orlando Magic. His year ended Dec. 31 in Charlotte, N.C. He scored 32 in 36 minutes of a 121-109 conquest of the Hornets.

In games that counted in 2016, LeBron went 76-21 (.784). The 16 biggest victories came April-June, when LeBron led the Cavs to an NBA crown -- the city's first title in a major pro sport since the Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964. He earned NBA Finals MVP.

LeBron closed the year on a 12-game winning streak.

No wonder LeBron won Sports Illustrated's sportsperson of the year and AP's male athlete of the year.

LeBron's 2016, given all that he accomplished individually and for his team, ranks as arguably the greatest calendar year in Cleveland pro sports history. Tris Speaker's 1920, Lou Boudreau's 1948 and Jim Brown's 1964 are in the discussion.

Here is a month-by-month capsule of LeBron's averages for minutes, points, assists and rebounds, and the Cavs' record in games he played:

JANUARY

  • 35.0 mpg
  • 23.6 ppg
  • 7.1 apg
  • 6.6 rpg
  • Record: 13-3 (.813)

FEBRUARY

  • 36.8 mpg
  • 24.8 ppg
  • 7.3 apg
  • 7.4 rpg
  • Record: 8-4 (.667)

MARCH

  • 34.1 mpg
  • 25.6 ppg
  • 7.1 apg
  • 8.2 rpg
  • Record: 10-4 (.714)

APRIL

Regular season
  • 36.8 mpg
  • 28.8 ppg
  • 7.8 apg
  • 8.4 rpg
  • Record: 4-1 (.800)
Playoffs series 1
  • 41.3 mpg
  • 22.8 ppg
  • 6.8 apg
  • 9.8 rpg
  • Record: 4-0 (1.000)

MAY

Playoffs series 2
  • 36.5 mpg
  • 24.3 ppg
  • 7.8 apg
  • 8.5 rpg
  • Record: 4-0 (1.000)
Playoffs series 3
  • 36.7 mpg
  • 26.0 ppg
  • 6.7 apg
  • 8.5 rpg
  • Record: 4-2 (.667)

JUNE

NBA Finals
  • 42.0 mpg
  • 29.7 ppg
  • 8.9 apg
  • 11.3 rpg
  • Record: 4-3 (.571) NBA champion

OCTOBER

  • 36.7 mpg
  • 21.0 ppg
  • 10.0 apg
  • 8.3 rpg
  • Record: 3-0 (1.000)

NOVEMBER

  • 35.8 mpg
  • 24.2 ppg
  • 9.3 apg
  • 8.0 rpg
  • Record: 10-2 (.833)

DECEMBER

  • 38.4 mpg
  • 27.9 ppg
  • 7.9 apg
  • 7.6 rpg
  • Record: 12-2 (.857)

Clemson routs overmatched Ohio State in College Football Playoff semifinal: Bill Livingston (photos)

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Urban Meyer is no longer undefeated in Arizona and no longer has never coached a game in which his team did not score. Until Ohio State lost to a dominant Clemson team.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Told he was undefeated in the state of Arizona the other day, Urban Meyer said, "At Utah, we beat Arizona. At Ohio State, we beat Notre Dame (in last year's Fiesta Bowl.) And, uh ..."

"At Florida, you beat Ohio State," a Cleveland writer said. "For the national championship."

"Yeah," Meyer said, with a "How could I forget that?" look.

Different year in a different gear

That was 10 years ago. 

On New Year's Eve Night, in another Fiesta Bowl, Meyer saw his dynamic team of that Florida game take the form of the Clemson Tigers, who unfortunately were on the other side of the line of scrimmage from the Buckeyes.

In that one night years ago, Jim Tressel's mystique as the most feared big-game coach in the country was debunked. The caricature of "Slow-hio" was born. The Big Ten's position as the top league in the land, seemingly validated by the No. 1 vs. No. 2 Ohio State-Michigan game, was undone.

Actually, the latter sneer might have taken on new life, given Michigan's 33-32 loss to a three-loss Florida State team Friday night in the Orange Bowl.

This 31-0 rout was bad, probably as bad a loss as Meyer, now 61-6 at Ohio State, has ever had. But because of the Buckeyes' youth, it was not as bad as his Florida team's humbling of Ohio State a decade ago.

Kicking woes

An utterly lost Tyler Durbin, who missed four of his last five field goal attempts,  hooked and sliced two 47-yarders in the first half, wide right, then left.

It was the first shutout defeat in Meyer's head coaching career, 194 games long. Even had Durbin made them, the score likely would have been 31-6.

But the first miss, in particular, deflated the pro-Ohio State crowd after Gareon Conley made the first of the Buckeyes' two interceptions. It also kept OSU from taking the early lead.  

Barrett had no chance

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett was not so much afflicted by the slows in making his throws, a frequent criticism, as by the inability of his receivers to get open.

Ohio State also could not block Clemson up front, and without control of the scrimmage line, nothing is really possible

When Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell, the Most Valuable Defensive Player,   mauled Barrett for a 12-yard loss in the third quarter, it was a flashback to the Gators' defensive ends practically intercepting the shotgun snap to Troy Smith a decade ago.

Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins swatted two passes down in the first half.

A smart Alec on Twitter (blush) dubbed him Batman.

Robin was Christian Wilkins, who deflected one in that time.

No running game either

Ohio State did not run bulldozing freshman Mike Weber often -- but often enough that he fumbled twice, losing one.

The Buckeyes, however, did try to get Weber wide on a swing pass that became a 3-yard loss. Weber, while a good player, is no Zeke Elliott. Why send him on a route on which he must be just that?

Clemson's speed and athletic superiority strangled the notion that giving the ball to H-back Curtis Samuel was like giving Aladdin the lamp with the genie inside. 

Samuel had 15 touches. His hoped for total was 20. Results were inconsequential when the game was a contest, although he did break a 64-yarder in the fourth quarter. One man cannot beat 11. Samuel tried, but the task was impossible.

Not so instant amnesia?

If Meyer can forget the ecstasy of that 41-14 victory for his first national championship after 10 years, how long will it take for such a driven, obsessive coach to use the white-out on Clemson's mastery?

Especially since much of Clemson's dominance was based on the brilliance of Deshaun Watson, the Most Valuable Offensive Player of the game, whom Meyer desperately tried to recruit for Ohio State?

Perhaps the perspective Meyer claims he gained after his stress-related, one-year hiatus from the game is real. If so, he should realize that the Buckeyes were extremely young, with 16 new starters, the most in the FBS division.

They improved at a pace ahead of schedule, but one that was not nearly equal to the quantum jump of the players who exploded on the scene for Ohio State's champions of 2014.

The comeback begins

Barrett, who has his degree but has another year of eligibility, said, "It would be really hard for me to walk away when we just lost, 31-0."

Meyer said, "Ohio State is not used to this. I'm not used to this. We will not get used to this."

The Buckeyes will be back.

Only Alabama doesn't go away.

And only Clemson might be worthy to challenge the Crimson Tide.

Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett on his future: 'It would be really hard for me to walk away'

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"My main focus was to focus on this year," Barrett said after the game. "I didn't really give it that much thought, but it will be really hard for me to walk away when we just lost 31-0."

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State was just shut out by Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl, so maybe J.T. Barrett isn't all that excited to talking about the future. 

But he gave a hint. 

Asked if he has designs to take a shot at the NFL now, Barrett made it seem like he's leaning toward returning to Ohio State for a fifth season. 

"My main focus was to focus on this year," he said after the game. "I didn't really give it that much thought, but it will be really hard for me to walk away when we just lost 31-0." 

Ohio State had offensive issues all season, but they really showed up in a big way against Clemson. Behind Barrett, the Buckeyes offense managed only 215 total yards of offense and were the first team to be shut out in Urban Meyer's career as a head coach. 

Barrett spoke briefly about his future during a postgame news conference but he didn't make himself available for further comment in Ohio State's open locker room. He returned to the locker room and went into a back room with Urban Meyer. 

Ohio State quarterbacks coach Tim Beck didn't have much insight as to whether Barrett will be back. 

"I haven't discussed it with him," Beck said. 

Marshon Lattimore is thankful for his healthy season at Ohio State, won't discuss NFL future

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"I am not really going to talk about myself or my future or whatever," Lattimore told cleveland.com. "It was just a blessing to be playing with my guys." Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Marshon Lattimore is usually quiet. 

So you can imagine how short he was in the locker room following Ohio State's 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, a loss that ended the Buckeyes season and maybe his collegiate career. 

Lattimore knew the question about his future was coming, so he made sure he was clear before it came. 

"I am not really going to talk about myself or my future or whatever," Lattimore told cleveland.com. "It was just a blessing to be playing with my guys." 

Lattimore said he hasn't spent much time thinking about the NFL this season. But that's a little hard to believe when you take a look at his Twitter timeline and see a bunch of retweets from NFL Draft experts saying he's a future first-round pick. 

Lattimore has an explanation for that. 

"I retweet it for my family," Lattimore said. "My family follows me. Sometimes I don't even look at the stuff. I just retweet the stuff I'm mentioned in for my family. ... My focus has been on these games right now and we'll see in the future what I'm going to do." 

A former four-star prospect from Glenville, Lattimore came to Ohio State as a game-changer but had to miss two full seasons because of chronic hamstring injuries. There was a time when it seemed like a distinct possibility that Lattimore wouldn't ever play a meaningful snap at Ohio State. 

But after spending the entire previous summer rehabbing his hamstrings, taking yoga to keep them loose and maintaining a strict workout regimine, Lattimore was healthy enough to play.

And midway through the season, those NFL Draft experts said he's a legitmate top-10 pick. Lattimore noticed. He retweeted those posts for his family. And for all the Ohio State fans who follow him.

A redshirt sophomore, Lattimore has the option to leave Ohio State and enter the draft. If he's a legit first-round pick, there's a good chance he'll go.

But for now, Lattimore is thankful for one thing: His health.

"I haven't really thought about (the NFL) all year to be honest," Lattimore said. "I have just been playing for my team. I was just blessed to be healthy enough to play with these guys, man. I have been trying to play with them the past few years." 

Ohio State stunned by Clemson in a blowout they didn't see coming: 'They whupped us'

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Ohio State was bounced from the College Football Playoff in a 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Curtis Samuel broke open over the middle and it looked like Ohio State might finally hit a big passing play against Clemson.

It was the second quarter, but it felt like the game had been dragging on longer than that because the Buckeyes' were struggling as mightily as they have all season in the early stages of the Fiesta Bowl. 

But it was going to change on this throw, Samuel -- Ohio State's best player -- coming across the field and a ball from J.T. Barrett that was going to enable him to possibly run for more yards after the catch. A big play. Finally.

Except Samuel dropped the ball.

And that's not to put the blame on Samuel for Ohio State's 31-0 loss in a College Football Playoff semifinal. There's plenty more that went wrong. But that's a sign of how the night went for the Buckeyes.

Even when they did something right, they couldn't finish the play.

"I didn't make enough plays for my team to go out there and win this game, or even make it a close game," Samuel said. "It kinda sucks to play like that."

Samuel didn't play poorly. That drop was big, but the Buckeyes' H-back was once again the best thing Ohio State had going on offense. But that's the kind of thing you say when you lose as badly as Ohio State did on Saturday night.

It was stunning, the first time an Urban Meyer-coached team has ever been shut out.

"I'm not used to it," Meyer said. "We're not used to it. And that's not going to happen again. So go to work."

It was embarrassing.

Everyone took a little piece of the blame.

"We just got our tails whupped," Ohio State linebacker Chris Worley said.

Ohio State's defense, stout for most of the season, gave up 470 yards of total offense and allowed Clemson to convert 8-of-15 third-down chances.

They weren't helped by Clemson annihilating Ohio State in time possession (35:51 to 22:47), but there were also some uncharacteristic things on the part of the Buckeyes' defense that helped aid the blowout.

Ohio State even had the defensive takeaways that have become its calling card this season, including one on Clemson' first possession and another on a dazzling play by Malik Hooker in the end zone. But they led to nothing.

Ohio State, opportunistic all year, couldn't capitalize.

"The momentum shifted," Worley said. "When we got those interceptions, momentum shifted, no doubt about it. We heard the stadium, and saw it in guys' faces. They did a good job of responding. Football is a game of momentum, and once we took it, they got it back. We can't shy away from it, they whupped us today and we have to get better."

Some players in Ohio State's locker room had tears in their eyes, others spoke angrily and regrettably about a missed opportunity.

Clemson is very good. Don't let that get lost in all of this. This is a Tigers team that might go down as one of the most talented ever when it comes to producing NFL talent, similar to Ohio State a year ago.

But Ohio State came to the desert thinking it was just as good as Clemson.

This is nothing like what they expected.

"They were just better than us today. That's all I can say, man," cornerback Marshon Lattimore said. "We were out-schemed, man. We have to tip our hats to them. They really beat us 31-0. We didn't even put points on the board. Shout out to them."


Ohio State RB Mike Weber on his small workload in Clemson loss

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The Buckeyes leading rusher carried it five times for 24 yards among Ohio State's 56 offensive plays.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Nobody got the ball on the ground.

Ohio State, which entered Saturday's College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl averaging 258 rushing yards per game, managed just 88 rushing yards on 23 carries in a 31-0 shutout loss to Clemson. 

And 64 of those yards came on one Curtis Samuel run in the fourth quarter when the game was out of hand and had been over for a while. Samuel finished with 67 yards on six carries, Mike Weber with 24 yards on five carries and J.T Barrett with minus-2 yards on 11 carries, thanks to three sacks and other runs that went the wrong way.

When it still mattered, when the Buckeyes were down only 24-0 through three quarters, here were the rushing totals:

* Tailback Weber, 3 carries for 21 yards

* H-back Samuel, 5 carries for 3 yards

* Quarterback Barrett, 6 carries for 17 yards

The run game vanished, eaten in part by the Clemson defensive line and in part by a gameplan that never found anything close to a rhythm. 

"That was not the gameplan," Urban Meyer said. "I think we kind of got taken out of the gameplan a little bit. But that was our plan, to be balanced. We didn't follow the plan."

Weber fumbled twice in the game, the first on the first drive of the third quarter after a 6-yard gain with Ohio State trailing 17-0. The second came late in the third quarter after a 10-yard run, but this one the Buckeyes managed to recover.

But the offense never recovered from the loss of what it had relied on all season, the only part of the offense that worked on a regular basis.

We've asked all year why Samuel wasn't more involved in the run game, so we won't quibble with the idea of getting Samuel some carries early. He ran it three times before Weber earned his first carry with 8:23 left in the second quarter, on the Buckeyes' sixth drive. The first five drives included just 49 yards and two first downs.

But by the time the Buckeyes handed it to their 1,000-yard freshman tailback for a 5-yard gain on first down, the offense was already stuck in the mud.

"I have no idea," Weber said when asked why it took so long for his first carry. "All I can control is what I can control. I don't call the plays. It's up to Coach Warinner and Coach Beck and Coach Meyer and they felt that was best."

Samuel said basically the same thing.

"I'm not the coach. I just go out there and run the plays," Samuel said. "I have to play better in a game like this."

Weber, who averaged 124 rushing yards per game in the first month of the season, had seen a reduced workload. He carried just 11 times for 26 yards in the double overtime victory against Michigan.

But his lack of action was a sign of the overall lack of focus of the Ohio State offense Saturday. The final result was 215 yards on 56 plays (a 3.8 yard average), compared to 470 yards on 85 plays for Clemson. Ohio State had those 88 rush yards on 23 runs, and 127 yards on 33 passes.

The Buckeyes actually were pretty good on first down. Barrett was 6-of-12 for 47 yards and also drew two pass interference penalties. Samuel's big run came on first down, but excluding that and one terrible minus-8 yard rush for Samuel, the Buckeyes averaged 5.8 yards on first-down runs.

It was second down that killed them. Too often, the Buckeyes wound up going backward after a decent first-down play, and that's what created the third-and-longs, with Ohio State 3 of 14 on third-conversions.

"Negative plays hurt us," guard Billy Price said. "Don't put yourself in a situation where it's third-and-11 or third-and-10. I think that might have changed the game."

What may have helped on those second downs? Maybe a little more Weber.

"You never know," Weber said of maybe expecting to be more involved. "You can prepare all you want, but you get to a game and things change. It is what it is."

What certainly never happened is Weber, or really the entire offense, getting into a rhythm. He admitted he was waiting for that.

"Every running back does," Weber said. "But I don't control that. I don't call the plays."

So he'll be back next year expecting to be the Buckeyes featured back, especially with Samuel a strong candidate to leave for the NFL.

Weber finished the season with 1,096 yards on 182 carries, Barrett had 845 yards on 205 carries and Samuel had 771 yards on 97 carries.

"I still feel like I didn't reach my full potential," Weber said.

That was certainly true on Saturday. 

Everything Urban Meyer, J.T. Barrett, Chris Worley said after Ohio State's loss to Clemson

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Urban Meyer, Chris Worley and J.T. Barrett spoke at the podium after Ohio State's 31-0 loss to Clemson.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A complete transcript of the joint press conference with Urban Meyer, J.T. Barrett and Chris Worley after Ohio State's loss to Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

Q. First half, you ran the ball eight times for eight yards. I think two of those were called passing plays. What was your game plan?

Meyer: Our game was to be balanced and certainly not, whatever the stat you just said, that wasn't our game plan. We just didn't execute very well on offense.

Q. Did you have any inkling coming into this game that it could go this way? Was there anything in the preparation or did you expect a much better performance?

Meyer: Expected a much better performance. Some guys played their tails off. Some other guys we didn't execute very well and -- but no, I didn't anticipate that.

Q. I know it's really early but looking at the passing game and the way you sort of closed out the season, do you have any thoughts on what you might look at in the offseason with that?

Meyer: We will become a good passing team, we will. Next year.

Q. J.T., want to get your perspective. Seemed like you were swarmed under a lot tonight and just didn't have the time maybe to make the plays. I don't know what you saw, but your perspective on it?

Barrett: They did a good job being disruptive, the "D" line did. I mean, there was times I could have done a better job getting the ball out, as far as seeing my reads faster.

But they definitely -- I mean we just didn't execute really on offense. It wasn't really like we were surprised by the looks that we had. I think we prepared really hard and coaches did everything they could as far as like throwing us the different looks that we thought we were going to get, and we just didn't execute it anywhere on offense, really.

Q. J.T., we probably won't see you for who knows when. But have your degree. Have you given any thought as to what your future plan is? Will you be back at Ohio State? Do you know definitively one way or the other?

Barrett: My main focus was to focus on this year. I didn't really give it that much thought, but it will be really hard for me to walk away when we just lost 31-0.

Q. What is the most frustrating just in the short term here, what you just saw and what just happened? How are you dealing with this?

Meyer: Most frustrating? That I had a group of players, played our tail off. And same group of guys went to Norman, Oklahoma and played and won, and went to Madison, Wisconsin and won in overtime, and then against our rivals, two overtimes. And we got beat.

So we're going to move on quickly, and my respect for the football player, our team, has not changed. Identify things that have to get better and we will. That's what we do.

Ohio State is not used to this. I'm not used to this, and we will not get used to this. That's not going to happen again. So we'll get things worked out.

Q. J.T., when Jordan got hurt, did you feel like the offensive line kind of lost their rhythm or anything? I just wondered if you had -- if that had any effect?

Barrett: No. When he went down, it was -- I mean, we always believe in the next man up. As far as being competitively excellent with our game reps and mental reps, so the guy behind him should be ready to go when his number's called.

And we just weren't. We didn't help him on offense, knowing that he probably didn't get a lot of reps, those game reps in practice. We didn't help him as a whole offense to make sure that he could be comfortable.

Q. Urban, what did you think about Deshaun Watson's performance tonight?

Meyer: Great player.

Q. I think they said on the field this might be your first shutout. If that is, what was your reaction, I guess?

Meyer: I think I said it a second ago. I'm not used to it. We're not used to it. And that's not going to happen again. So go to work.

Q. Is there any way when you see a team on film like Clemson, is there any way to know how good that defensive line will be when you see them live and how disruptive they will be until you're actually in the game? Was there any inkling that that would be --

Meyer:  I'm not being disrespectful of Clemson. That's a great football team. But we just didn't execute well. But we knew -- they're a very talented group.

Q. Chris, when you guys got the interceptions early, I just wondered, did you feel like that gave you a spark? And maybe I don't know what happened from there?

Worley: As far as the defense, you know, we always feel like we're in the game. We know the talent that we have on this team -- offense, defense, special teams, and we know we have great coaches.

So when we make plays like that, of course we expect that part and we expected to play that way. And I hear a lot of questions about the offense, things like that. But the defense didn't execute as well as we could either. And it comes down to complementary football, and we didn't play that today and we lost. That's what happens when you don't play nine strong and everyone don't complement each other. So we've got to get better. It is what it is.

Q. In any of your opinions, was there a turning point or was it just one of those games you just couldn't get anything going?

Barrett: I think it was just unfortunate things kept on continuing to happen, especially our offense. We didn't help our defense at all. I mean we had the game at was 10-0 for the longest time. We just couldn't get sustained drives and keep them off the field.

So as the quarterback of the offense, I mean it's one of the things that we didn't play at our best obviously, and that's what happens when you go against a good time and you're not nine strong. You lose. We didn't expected to win, but that's what happens.

Q. Urban, I know you said you want to be balanced, but I think the first half, 21 of 27 plays were called passes. And the game wasn't out of hand at that point. You didn't think you could run consistently against them?

Meyer: No, I didn't realize that until you just said it. That was not the game plan. I think we kind of got taken out of the game plan a little bit. But no, that was our plan, to be balanced. We didn't follow the plan.

Q. After today's loss, because Clemson played differently or as expected or you didn't strategically that was laid out for the team was not implemented. So your strategy for the day, was it not played out or is it something that Clemson did differently?

Barrett: It wasn't anything they did, I don't think. That was a great team. They played hard. We were getting a lot of opportunities on offense. That's what happened. On offense, I truly believe that we got the best looks we could, plays. I thought we had good plays. We just didn't execute those plays and that's what happens.

You could have a scheme and all these different plays set out. You could have everything on the grease board, but you still gotta go play the game and execute the plays we have. And we didn't do that.

So with that being said, I mean this was unexpected, didn't see that coming by any means. We expected to win the game, and that was what happened. We didn't come to play. Our units were messed up. We were not nine units strong. It's real simple.

Q. Coach, 2012-2013 your defense kind of got exploited a little bit. You've spoke ad infinitum about how you had to blow it up, change the culture, everything else. Are you in the same situation now after the way this season ended up with your offense?

Meyer: In some regards. I'm going to take a hard look at some things when we get back, and obviously there were some great things this year, some great things.

I go back to Norman, Oklahoma and some other great things. But anytime you struggle a little bit, you always take a hard look.

Q. Urban, you said at Media Day that in all honesty you thought that next year would be the year, that you were a little bit expected that development came as quickly. Now after this game do you think you were a year away?

Meyer: I mean, I thought that in the beginning of the year. No, I thought we were going to go compete for the National Championship in 10 days or whatever it is. I really did.

I think we have a bunch of good players, a bunch of good guys, and our anticipation is to get back here next year and take a good swing at it and realize we've got a lot of work to do, obviously. But that comment I made was prior to the season, not today. When you said that a year away, no, shoot, I thought we were ready to go. And didn't anticipate this at all.

Ohio State NFL Draft tracker: Which Buckeyes are staying and which ones going?

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Ohio State's quarterback J.T. Barrett is one of 10 underclassmen who have a decision about the NFL to make. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State's football team had the youngest roster in the country and still made it to the College Football Playoff, so Urban Meyer should be encouraged about the future. 

That doesn't mean there isn't going to be turnover or, more specifically, guys leaving early to enter the NFL Draft. 

Though nine players with remaining college eligibility left after last season -- seven of which got drafted -- these next few months could be even more interesting because there are a lot of prospects that could legitimately go either way with their decisions. 

After Ohio State's loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, we caught up with those players to discuss their NFL futures. Some made their intentions known, others pretended to have not thought about it.

So this is to make it simple for you.

Here's a smart look at who is going to leave and who is going to come back next year to try and make another College Football Playoff run:

* QB J.T. Barrett: Barrett has been one of the most successful quarterbacks in Ohio State history and there was a thought he may try and test the waters if the Buckeyes made a national title run. However, Barrett said after the Buckeyes lost to Clemson that it would be harder to leave after being blown out

"My main focus was to focus on this year," he said after the game. "I didn't really give it that much thought, but it will be really hard for me to walk away when we just lost 31-0." 

* H-Back Curtis Samuel: Samuel is an interesting prospect because he was the Buckeyes biggest offensive playmaker all season. However, there hasn't been a ton of smoke about being a top-end draft pick like some of his teammates. He said he hasn't decided about the NFL yet. 

"I'm not leaning anywhere," Samuel said. "I said I was worried about this game, but this game is over now. ... I am just going to worry about the seniors and thank those guys for how hard they played and hopefully I did enough for them on their way." 

* LB Chris Worley: After his first year starting as a redshirt junior, Worley can head into the offseason feeling good about his role on Ohio State's defense. Though Worley had a solid year, he felt comfortable saying he'd be back for his senior season. 

"I'm coming back," Worley said. "I can't lose like this and walk out of here like that." 

* S Malik Hooker: A few weeks before Ohio State made the playoff the first-year starter said he was coming back next year. Well, it turns out that was more of a way to get people to stop asking about than it was a promise. Hooker said he hasn't made up his mind, but if he continues to stay a projected first-rounder, he's likely going to go.

"I still don't know," Hooker said. "I have to sit down with my family and my coaches and go from there." 

* OG Billy Price: He's taking the Pat Elflein route. Price was a captain this year and became one of the best offensive linemen in college football, but instead of bolting to the NFL, he's going to come back and be the Buckeyes center next year. 

"This has been decided for a while," Price said. "I had a couple goals, be a captain, be an All-American and graduate." 

He's on pace to graduate next spring. 

* CB Marshon Lattimore: After spending the first two years at Ohio State on the bench with chronic hamstring injuries that put doubt into whether he'd ever play, Lattimore now is a projected first-round pick after his first full year as a starter. If he sees his name that high on draft boards, he'll likely go, even if he says he hasn't thought about it yet. Who turns their back on first-round money? 

"I am not really going to talk about myself or my future or whatever," Lattimore told cleveland.com. "It was just a blessing to be playing with my guys." 

* CB Gareon Conley: Another projected top-round pick, Conley didn't want to discuss his future after the Fiesta Bowl. However, he's probably going to leave. 

* DE Tyquan Lewis: As Lewis walked off the field at University of Phoenix Stadium he waved goodbye to people in the crowd as if it were his sendoff. We have no official word on what Lewis is going to do, but it's probably safe to assume he's leaving. 

* LB Raekwon McMillan: Maybe some people felt as if McMillan didn't have the year he was supposed to, but NFL Draft scouts love him. McMillan has been on the "go" list since before the season starter. He said he hasn't made up his mind, but consider him gone, too. 

* TE Marcus Baugh: Though Baugh isn't going to be high on anyone's draft boards in the moment, he's actually a very athletic tight end who could have some really good physical upside in the eyes of an NFL general manager. He's been rumored to be in his last season with the Buckeyes. He has been in the program for four years and may be ready to go get paid for playing. 

* DE Sam Hubbard: Hubbard was one of Ohio State's most reliable defenders this year, but he left nothing to mystery. After the game, he posted on his public Twitter account that he's going to remain a Buckeye. 

 

Ohio State must make changes to the offensive coaching staff: Doug Lesmerises

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The Buckeyes can't come back with Ed Warinner and Tim Beck as the co-offensive coordinators. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State's offense is broken. The fix is change.

It isn't just that fans and reporters see the problems. The Buckeyes themselves are in revolt. Former quarterback Cardale Jones and linebacker Darron Lee both tweeted Saturday night about the play calling problems. They were on the team a year ago, and the issues the world saw in Saturday's 31-0 loss to Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal looked a lot like the problems in last year's 17-14 loss to Michigan State.

The thing about this is that head coach Urban Meyer, the architect of the entire program, is also the final authority on play calls. He cannot be blameless in this. But when the players act this way on social media, they are obviously talking about co-offensive coordinators Ed Warinner and Tim Beck.

Lee lit them up.

Jones, who led this offense in eight starts a year ago, was only slightly less direct.

 

If players just a year removed think that, then the current players think that. If Meyer brings back all the same offensive coaches, he risks losing some trust from his players.

So the Buckeyes cannot have the same two offensive coordinators next season. Either Warinner or Beck or both must be gone, or in new roles. And I would bet that something will change, knowing only how Meyer operates.

"I'm going to take a hard look at some things when we get back," Meyer said in the news conference after the first shutout of his career. "Obviously there were some great things this year, some great things. ... But anytime you struggle a little bit, you always take a hard look."

Three years ago after a loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Meyer realized the defense wasn't at a championship level. He contemplated firing Luke Fickell but kept the long-time Buckeye. But co-coordinator Everett Withers moved on to a lower-level head coaching job, Chris Ash was hired and the entire defense changed.

The offense is probably in worse shape now than the defense was in 2013. There's a clear dividing line when it comes to Ohio State's offensive efficiency - with Tom Herman and after Tom Herman.

Since Herman left to be the Houston head coach after the 2014 national title season, Warinner and Beck have never run the offense to the same level. Beck, as I have written more than once, also hasn't coached the quarterbacks to the same level. Warinner, a great offensive line coach, seems out of his element as the primary play caller. 

And receivers coach Zach Smith, who owes basically his entire coaching career to Meyer, also deserves a hard look. After losing Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall and Braxton Miller, Curtis Samuel stepped in with a great year at H-back, but no other receiver emerged. The Buckeyes played true freshman Ben Victor, who had three catches this season, in a fairly major role Saturday because they didn't know what else to do.

In October, I wrote that Warinner, Beck and Smith weren't getting the job done. 

Saturday was the breaking point.

In general, no one should overreact to a blowout loss against a fantastic team. The Buckeyes still overachieved all season.

But when it comes to this offense, the play calling and the development and execution at quarterback and receiver, this isn't a one-game problem.

It's a two-year problem.

Maybe I just missed them, but I didn't see either Warinner or Smith in the locker room after the loss. Coaches I did see included all four defensive coaches, running backs coach Tony Alford, offensive line coach Greg Studrawa (who also didn't seem to have a great first year in Columbus) and Beck.

So Beck drew the heat, and he took it, for which he deserves some credit.

When someone asked Beck if J.T. Barrett will be back in Columbus next year, I asked Beck if he should be back.

"I don't know, that Coach Meyer's decision," Beck said. "I thought I worked really hard and feel good about it. We didn't finish the way we wanted to, obviously. We didn't play a very good game all the way around offensively, and I'm a big part of that.

"I'm one of the leaders of the offense. With that being said, bullets get shot at me and I've got to do a better job and I understand that."

After last season, Beck admitted he wasn't at his best in year one in Columbus as Herman's replacement. He said this year was better.

"I think so. I just think I understood, I was able to see things and help our offense," Beck said.

Then Saturday happened. And nothing worked.

"We just didn't do a good job," Beck said. "It just was ugly all the way around. ... It just seemed like we all took turns, coaches included, not being efficient or executing."

Beck admitted the Buckeyes get stuck in their tendencies, like, oh, I don't know, running J.T. Barrett all the time. He said the offense needs to find an identity. He said there were too many inconsistencies in the passing game. 

Meyer said after the loss that Ohio State "will become a good passing team. We will. Next year."

He said the same thing after last season. Then nothing changed, and the Buckeyes weren't a good passing team.

This time, change is a must.

Should Cleveland Indians move Danny Salazar to the bullpen? Hey, Hoynsie

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Would Danny Salazar help the Indians more in the bullpen because of his brittle right elbow? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.

Hey, Hoynsie: I know how hard it is to find quality starting pitching so this question mighty seem crazy. Danny Salazar seems to be somewhat brittle once he gets around 100 innings to 150 innings. Do you think management would consider putting him in the bullpen to be a right-handed version of Adam Miller? They might not do it now, but what about sometime in the future? -- Joe Crites, Seattle.

Hey, Joe: Salazar's elbow has been a concern for the Indians for several seasons. He threw 185 innings, a career high, in 2015, but last season he was a non-factor after the All-Star break because of right elbow and forearm issues.

I think right now, health permitting, it would be best to keep Salazar in the rotation. He's shown he can be successful, if not dominant, as a starter and his control is such, 4.1 walks per nine innings in 2016, that it could hurt him as a reliever.

The thing to remember is if you put Salazar in the pen, who do you replace him with? There's no one in the system with Salazar's stuff and velocity. The cost to go out and get a starter to match his credentials would be high.

Hey, DJ: At this time last year no one thought rookie Tyler Naquin would win the center field job in spring training. I'm not sure the Indians have another situation like that on tap, but how about this?

If the Indians need help in the rotation, how about Ryan Merritt? If they need help in the outfield, how about Yandy Diaz, Greg Allen or Brad Zimmer? If they need infield help, how about Erik Gonzalez? If they need help in the pen, how about a healthy Cody Anderson?

Hey, Hoynsie: I have a New Year's resolution for you. Never proclaim the season over regardless of the circumstances. In the words of a Yogi Berra, "It ain't over until it's over." - John Zaccarelli, Parma.

Hey, John: Where were you when I needed you on Sept. 17?

Hey, Brandon: The Indians are carrying five outfielders on the 40-man roster and they all have a good chance to make the team. The five are Abraham Almonte, Naquin, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer and Michael Brantley. They also have third baseman Jose Ramirez, who can play left field and utility men Michael Martinez and Gonzalez -- whoever wins the job -- who can play the outfield as well.

Just how many outfielders make the club out of spring training will depend greatly on Brantley's health.

Hey, Hoynsie: I see that Yandy Diaz is playing center field this winter in Venezuela. He has a great stick and the way Tyler Naquin played center last season do you think he could at least win the right-handed portion of the job in center? - Tom Cepek, Aurora.

Hey, Tom: Diaz has spent most of his time in Venezuela this winter playing left field. The Indians have tried him at second and third, so why not center field? The time to experiment is in winter ball and spring training. Still, I think Almonte has a better chance of platooning in center with Naquin.

That does not mean Diaz can't make the team. Diaz, going into the last day of 2016, has had a great winter. He was hitting .371 (56-for-151) with a .961 OPS for Caracas. He hit nine doubles, three triples, but only two homers.

Hey, Tyler: I can't see that happening. Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez are good enough to start. The Indians are paying Gomes a lot of money on a multiyear deal. If he's healthy, I think he gets the bulk of the playing time in 2017.

Hey, Hoynsie: With Edwin Encarnacion in the fold, the Tribe still has four top prospects that it was willing to trade for catcher Jonathan Lucroy last season. Now that they're in an "all in' mode, do you see them making a deal? If so, when and for what position? I think they still need an experienced starting pitcher, possibly at the trade deadline. - Steve Cornelius, Rocky River.

Hey, Steve: I'm glad you brought up the July 31 trade deadline. Right now, I think the Indians have made their big move for the winter. Who knows, Greg Allen, one of the players the Indians were willing to send to Milwaukee for Lucroy, could be in the mix to help in center field. But as we saw last season, if the Indians have a chance to go for it at midseason, they will not hesitate to push their chips to the middle of the table.

Hey, Tom: Last season Mejia played 60 games at Class A Lake County before being promoted to Class A Lynchburg where he played 40 games. Natural progression says he'd spend most of the 2017 season at Class AA Akron.

Tribe adds Mejia to 40-man roster

Hey, Tom: If they get through camp healthy, I think it would be hard to knock either one of them out of the rotation. Anderson did just that last spring, but he's coming off right elbow surgery. Left-hander Tim Cooney, claimed off waivers from St. Louis, is a name to remember.

Hey, Kurt: I think Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor or Jose Ramirez could leadoff and be a stolen base threat. I also think there's still a chance Rajai Davis re-signs with the Indians. He's a good fit on this team.

Hey, Joe: You're going to have to wait until September to find out.

Ohio State basketball vs. Illinois preview: TV info, stats prediction for Buckeyes' Big Ten opener

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Ohio State basketball opens Big Ten play on Sunday against Illinois. Watch video

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ohio State basketball opens Big Ten play on Sunday at Illinois. Here's everything you need to know before tip-off.

GAME INFORMATION

Who: Ohio State Buckeyes (10-3) at Illinois Fighting Illini (10-4, 0-1 Big Ten).

When: Sunday, 7 p.m.

Where: State Farm Center (15,554)

TV: Big Ten Network, with Jeff Levering and Shon Morris on the call.

Latest line: Pick'em.

Series record: Illinois is 101-71 all-time vs. Ohio State, with a 60-25 edge in Champaign. Ohio State went 2-0 against Illinois last season, with an overtime win in Champaign.

PROJECTED STARTERS

Ohio State: G JaQuan Lyle (6-5, Soph., 10.8 ppg); G Kam Williams (6-2, Jr., 10. 8 ppg); F Marc Loving (6-7, Sr., 11.7 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (6-4, Jr., 14.3 ppg); C Trevor Thompson (7-0, Jr., 10.7 ppg).

Illinois: G Tracy Abrams (6-2, Sr., 11.2 ppg); G Jalen Coleman-Lands (6-3, Soph., 8.1 ppg); G Malcolm Hill (6-6, Sr., 16.6 ppg); F Leron Black (6-7, Soph., 11.0 ppg); C Mike Thorne Jr., (6-11, Sr., 6.6 ppg).

OHIO STATE NOTES

Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said this week that center Micah Potter is healed from an ankle sprain and hasn't missed practice since the nonconference season ended. It's possible he returns to the starting lineup ahead of Thompson ... Junior forward Keita Bates-Diop is not all the way back from a high ankle sprain, but should play vs. Illinois. He needs six points to reach 600 for his career ... Ohio State is coming off a 79-77 win over UNC Asheville that closed out its nonconference season ...  Matta is 15-6 against former assistants, including a 6-1 mark against Illinois coach John Groce ... The Buckeyes have won six-straight against Illinois.

ILLINOIS NOTES

The Illini are coming off an 84-59 loss to Maryland in its Big Ten opener on Dec. 27. That loss snapped a six-game winning streak ... Sunday's game will be Illinois' first home game in 22 days ... Illinois' last win against Ohio State came on Jan. 5, 2013 ... Over the last four games, Illinois centers Mike Thorne Jr. and Maverick Morgan have combined to score more than 20 points per game, which could be a problem for Ohio State if Potter is still not quite 100 percent ... The Illini have shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range in six games this season.

PREDICTION

Bill's pick: Ohio State 67, Illinois 65. The Buckeyes have had some time to prepare for this Big Ten opener, which could serve as a huge springboard with No. 15 Purdue coming to Columbus on Thursday. Illinois has not been a great 3-point shooting defense team, and Ohio State could use a big night from deep to get some confidence back. The nonconference slate wasn't great, sometimes it was awful, but Ohio State is in a better position heading into Big Ten play this year and the conference looks weaker. Starting off conference play with a road win would be a nice boost for the Buckeyes.

Will Hue Jackson make any demands after the season? Hey, Mary Kay!

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Will Hue Jackson make any demands in the offseason? Is Mitch Trubisky cut out for the AFC North? These and other questions answere in Hey, Mary Kay!

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hey, Mary Kay!

Hey, Mary Kay: Hue Jackson seems intent on getting this team turned around next season. Will he demand any changes to the personnel department in the offseason? - Ben Jones, Macon, Ga.

Hey, Ben: I don't think Hue Jackson will make any ultimatums, but I wouldn't be surprised if he asks for a more experienced talent evaluator to join the personnel department. Jackson will sit down with Jimmy Haslam after the season, and they'll discuss ways to improve the operation. It's obvious Jackson wants and needs more talent, and that he's not going to tolerate another season like this. He's said it many times: 'You better get us now.' I think Jackson will also play a larger role himself in the draft, free agency and trades, but he's already got a lot on his plate. I could see him asking for a veteran personnel man who knows exactly what he wants and needs. I don't think Haslam has any plans to make major changes to the front office after only one season.

Hey, Mary Kay: What are your thoughts on Mitch Trubisky being an "AFC North" QB? The prerequisite size and arm strength seem obvious. Does the UNC offense (shotgun spread) scare our scouts?  -- Josh, Avon, Ohio

Hey, Josh: Trubisky does have the size (6-3, 220) and arm strength to succeed in the rugged AFC North. So many college quarterbacks play in the spread that scouts have learned to project them into a pro-style offense as best they can. Trubisky seems to have the physical capabilities and the intelligence to succeed in the NFL. He just doesn't have enough experience, and will need some time to develop. Only 13 career starts (8-5) is a leap of faith. But if they're willing to be patient, it could pay off in his second or third season.

A video version of Hey, MK!

Hey, Mary Kay: It seems that Jackson doesn't want to build with a rookie quarterback. What are the real veteran possibilities not on the team besides Garoppolo? Tyrod Taylor? Mike Glennon? -- Brown, Fairfield, IA

Hey, Brown: I believe the Browns like Garoppolo or are at least very intrigued by him, and that they'll make a pitch for him if they're not sold on one of the draft prospects. But as ESPN's Adam Schefter recently reported, the Patriots will likely want at least a first- and fourth-rounder for him. I've talked to a few quarterback experts who have studied the former second-round pick and would make that trade in a heartbeat.

The fourth-rounder is a throw-in, and the Browns have plenty of picks. If they could end up with Myles Garrett or Jonathan Allen and Garoppolo, that could be the start of a big turnaround. As for other quarterbacks, they'll look everywhere and I'm sure some of the names you mentioned, including Taylor and Glennon will come up. Jackson will also likely have his eye on Cincinnati's A.J. McCarron once he becomes a free agent after next season.

Hey, Mary Kay: With an offensive line with very little talent to justify their existence, how can the Browns be sure that they do not have a QB already on the roster who can play at the level needed to lead the team? The QB's now spend so much of their game time on the ground or running for their lives. Shouldn't the higher priority be the assembling of a line that can protect the QB rather than wasting a draft choice on an unknown talent?

Hey, A.R.: The Browns do need to upgrade their offensive line, but I think they've already determined that they don't have their starting quarterback for 2017 on their roster. I think they believe that Cody Kessler is a good, development quarterback who may evolve into a quality starter once he adds some components to his game, including an accurate deep ball. I think they feel that Robert Griffin is too much of an injury risk and a project to count on him as their guy. That doesn't mean that Kessler and Griffin won't be back. There's a chance they will be. But the Browns will look far and wide to upgrade the position in the draft, free agency or a trade.  


Ohio State football: Should we be surprised by how Buckeyes lost to Clemson?

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The Buckeyes' season ended with a 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. Watch video

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State came here thinking it had a real shot at beating Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal.

The Buckeyes certainly didn't expect what happened in a 31-0 Fiesta Bowl loss to the Tigers.

Maybe you thought Ohio State would lose, but that? That felt surprising. Maybe it shouldn't have been.

There were two camps you could've fallen into coming into Saturday:

* Either you thought Ohio State would get some of its offensive issues fixed, at least enough that it could possibly win and get back to the National Championship.

* Or you thought the offensive struggles ran too deep to be fixed in one bowl season, and what happened on Saturday was somewhat expected.

Doug Lesmerises, Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis broke it down in the video here from University of Phoenix Stadium.

NFL 2016 Week 17 preview: Today's games to watch, TV, updates

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The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions battle for the NFC North title and the Oakland Raiders try to claim the AFC West title minus injured quarterback Derek Carr.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The final day of the 2016 NFL regular season is highlighted with the NFC North title showdown today between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions (8:30 p.m., NBC) in the final game of the regular season.

The winner takes the title and earns a bye in the playoffs. The loser could be out of the playoffs, depending on the outcome of the New York Giants-Washington Redskins game earlier in the day. If the Redskins win, the loser of this game is eliminated, so the Packers and Lions will know they are playing for the playoff lives.

The Oakland Raiders (12-3) are at the Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m., CBS) and will try to hang on to the AFC West lead in their first game without quarterback Derek Carr, who suffered a broken leg last week.

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) are at the San Diego Chargers (4:25 p.m., CBS) and if the Chiefs win and Raiders lose, Kansas City gets the title after beating the Raiders twice during the regular season.

Here's a look at some prime games to watch, along with the complete schedule and TV. You can get live scores along with previews and updates from all the games on our NFL Scoreboard.

PRIME MATCHUPS

Sunday

Green Bay Packers (9-6) at Detroit Lions (9-6)

  • When: 8:30 p.m., NBC
  • Why watch: The NFC North title is on the line in this game and the loser could be out of the playoffs, if the Washington Redskins beat the New York Giants. The Packers are riding a five-game winning streak, while the Lions have lost two straight road games, including a 42-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.

New York Giants (10-5) at Washington Redskins (8-6-1)

  • When: 4:25 p.m., FOX
  • Why watch: The Redskins are trying to become the third NFC East team in the playoffs, but must beat the Giants and hope Green Bay and Detroit don't tie in the Sunday night game. The Giants are locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs and have nothing to play for.

NFL WEEK 17 SCHEDULE

Sunday

New England at Miami, 1 p.m., CBS
Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m., CBS
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m., FOX
Dallas at Philadelphia, 1 p.m., FOX
Houston at Tennessee, 1 p.m., CBS
Buffalo at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m., CBS
Chicago at Minnesota, 1 p.m., FOX
Baltimore at Cincinnati, 1 p.m., CBS
Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1 p.m., CBS
Seattle at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m., FOX
New Orleans at Atlanta, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Kansas City at San Diego, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Arizona at Los Angeles, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Oakland at Denver, 4:25 p.m., CBS
N.Y. Giants at Washington, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Green Bay at Detroit, 8:30 p.m., NBC

Final thoughts on another Ohio State debacle in the desert: Bill Livingston (photos)

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It's been a bad bowl season for the Big Ten and a worse unmasking of Ohio State's young prodigies as either overrated or unready for the CFP.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- How many saw that 31-0 waxing coming? Any hands up? Anybody?

1. Not Urban Meyer, for one. He seemed as baffled as the coach he had embarrassed, Jim Tressel, 10 years ago when Meyer's Florida Gators crushed the top-ranked Buckeyes, 41-14, for the first of Meyer's three national championships.

"I thought we were going to go compete for a national championship in 10 days. I really did," said Meyer. "I thought we were ready to go. And I didn't anticipate this at all."

Ohio State simply was either overrated or unready. You make the call.

2. It's a good thing this wasn't the Pinstripe Bowl in New York. The big ball from Times Square that descends as the new year comes in might have fallen on the Buckeyes.

3. When freshman guard Michael Jordan got hurt, his back-up, Demetrius Knox, had such a hard time of it that Jordan, obviously hobbled, came back to give it a go. He could not move well enough to pull as the lead blocker on sweeps, though. Ohio State's vaunted depth was something of an empty boast.

4. You feared it was going to be Clemson's night when Curtis Samuel expounded on his fondness for hamburgers, mentioning Wendy's and professing to love them the way Wimpy did in the old Popeye cartoons, or even as Troy Smith did in 2006 with his rhapsodies about In-n-Out Burger.

Troy was not in shape for the game against Florida, having done little but celebrate his Heisman Trophy after the regular season ended. Samuel was, but, trust me, Ohio reporters who were there for the 41-14 game experienced immediate greasy, queasy flashbacks as they listened to Samuel.

5. What's a game that reminds you of Tressel without a brisk discussion of punting?

That 67-yard punt by Andy Teasdale from the Clemson 20 hit near the Tigers' sideline near the OSU 35 then rocketed all the way to the 13, like a long iron that caught a ridge beside the green and dived straight toward the hole.

Nobody had blasted one farther at Clemson in years, maybe not even since Frank Howard was the coach/athletic director and was vetoing rowing as a possible university sport on the ground that, "We not gonna have any sport at Clemson where you sit on your a** and go back-ards."

6. Ohio State's most effective player with the ball in his hands might have been Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's kick returner Paris Campbell, who had a 54-yard kickoff return and totaled 105 yards on three tries. 

Of course, when your kickoff returner is running up big yardage, good on him, bad on your defense.

Campbell's success recalled Indiana's Shane Wynn of Glenville, whose kick returns were one of the few things worth watching for the Hoosiers a few years ago,

7. Tyler Durbin's first missed field goal of his pair of misses in a perfect-weather domed stadium will get some play for not allowing Ohio State to front run with a 3-0 lead.

Durbin is certainly lost in technique and confidence, having missed four of his last five field goal attempts. But Ohio State was too far outclassed by a veteran Clemson team with more talent to make that big a deal of his misses.

8. It really was shocking to see how much more explosive and how much more "twitched up," to use OSU defensive coordinator Greg Schiano's term for muscle fiber, the Tigers were than the Buckeyes.

Meyer's calling card is the elite, four- and five-star recruit. He certainly didn't have enough of them, but it might have been different had he landed Clemson's Deshaun Watson at the most important position in the game, quarterback..

Watson admired Meyer's Florida teams and Tim Tebow, their quarterback. But he wanted to stay in the South and skip the November games in Big Ten country.

9. Be honest. Are you, Ohio State fans, sad or glad J.T. Barrett seems bent on returning for his final season?

He has regressed in his play since his excellent freshman season, but he remains one of the biggest winners Ohio State has ever had.

10. This is going to come up a lot, so I might as well address it: Ballyhooed all season as the nation's strongest conference, the Big Ten is 2-5 in bowls so far.

Michigan's wild 33-32 loss in the Orange Bowl, occurring because the Wolverines were short-handed, without Heisman finalist Jabrill Peppers and excellent tight end Jake Butt, is not a serious detriment.

Ohio State's loss is.

11. Every time OSU plays Clemson, bad stuff happens.

Braxton Miller took the shoulder hit in the 2014 Orange Bowl, a 40-35 loss to the Tigers, that began the unraveling of his quarterbacking career.

And of course Woody Hayes was fired for slugging the Clemson player, Charlie Bauman, after Art Schlichter threw the 21st interception, against four TD passes, of his freshman season in the 1978 Gator Bowl.

12. Only Northwestern in the Pinstripe Bowl, aided by knocking out Pitt's quarterback, and scandal-plagued Minnesota in the Holiday Bowl have so far secured bowl wins.

San Diego columnist Bryce Miller wrote of the Gophers' game: "Who kidnapped our Holiday Bowl and what are your demands? We're willing to negotiate. Just return it unharmed. No questions asked.

"In the game's 38-year history, teams routinely shredded end zones like German Shepherds mutilating a bloody sirloin and caused scoreboard operators to yelp in pain as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome set in.

"This one, though - punt by punt by excitement-squelching punt - claimed the uncomfortable title of worst ever."

13. Scant chances to refute the criticism remain. Peaking Penn State against also peaking Southern California in the Rose Bowl is really the only one.

Iowa vs. Florida in the Outback Bowl is no game-changer. Wisconsin has nothing to gain and everything to lose against the 13-0 MAC champion Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl.

Surely the Badgers remember how that felt. They lost to TCU in the Rose Bowl in recent memory, when the Horned Frogs were outsiders as members of the Mountain West.

14. The Big Ten has been outscored by an aggregate 69-0 in the last two CFP semis, with Michigan State's 38-0 thumping by Alabama preceding Ohio State's stinko.

The argument will be made that Ohio State, which was not the conference or even division champion, should have been replaced by the Big 12, which has been spurned in two of the three CFPs.

Strangling that assertion is the Buckeyes' 45-24 victory in Norman, Okla., in mid-September over the Big 12 regular season champion Sooners. Ohio State thus went on the road and played a traditionally strong Power-5 program.

15. Washington scheduled its way into the CFP by playing the Ore-Ida corporation, apparently.

No, really. They did. The Huskies thrashed FCS member Portland State and Idaho in intersectional play.

Oh, yes. And Rutgers.

16. Everybody have a happy new year and watch out for huge, electrified, falling party balls.

Cleveland Browns size up Pittsburgh Steelers sans Big Ben, Bell and Brown: Crowquill

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Cleveland Browns size up Pittsburgh Steelers sans Big Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After getting their first win of the year last week against the San Diego Chargers, the Cleveland Browns (1-14) are in Pittsburgh today looking to win their second straight game by beating the Steelers (10-5).

Since they've already clinched the AFC North title and made the playoffs, the Steelers are doing all they can to cooperate by resting several key starters, such as Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown.

But even without their stars, the Steelers at home will make a second straight Browns' victory unlikely.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

DMan's NFL Week 17 best 'bets' ATS: Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins two of the four

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I expect the Philadelphia Eagles to beat the watered-down Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia on Sunday as part of NFL Week 17.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- OneUp Sports called to ask for my NFL Week 17 best "bets'' against the spread. Entertainment purposes only, of course.

Complete Week 17 picks

I enter four games above .500 BB for the season. I need to do better, especially because these are supposed to be my strongest feels. But I am not going to complain too loudly knowing that my first season doing BBs will be no worse than .500.

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