Browns running back Montario Hardesty, who's missed the past three games with a torn calf muscle, will practice today in preparation for the Bengals game.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerMontario Hardesty will practice with the team for the first time this week after missing three games with a torn calf muscle.

BEREA -- Browns running back Montario Hardesty (calf) will practice today in preparation for the Bengals game on Sunday, coach Pat Shurmur said.

Shurmur said that if Hardesty is ready to play, he'll start the game, but running back Chris Ogbonnaya, who rushed for 115 yards last week against Jacksonville, will also see action.

Running back Peyton Hillis (hamstring) was ruled out of the game on Monday.

Hardesty, who will participate in team drills, has missed the past three games after suffering the torn calf muscle Oct. 30 in San Francisco. He ran under supervision all last week, but didn't participate in any drills.

Meanwhile, fullback Owen Marecic (concussion) will not practice today and his status for the Bengals is uncertain. Shurmur said the team won't scrap its fullback package if Marecic can't play. He said the team has other options, including tight ends at fullback. Alex Smith has already subbed there this season.

Shurmur also stressed that defensive end Jayme Mitchell will still play as part of a three-man end rotation despite losing his starting job to first-year player Emmanuel Stephens.

Shurmur also said quarterback Colt McCoy is planning to do everything in practice today despite a couple of hard hits that left him with a sore right throwing shoulder after the Jaguars game.

The Bengals game kicks off a stretch of five AFC North matchups for the Browns in the final six games. 

Before LeBron James landed in Cleveland, Lamond Murray was leading the Cavaliers in scoring from the small forward position. WFNY catches up with the recently retired NBA player to see where his life has led him since his days on the shores of Lake Erie.

NCSA SportsLamond Murray: From game-winner to game-changer

With a half of a second remaining, the scoreboard beaming 97-97 and the vaunted, first place New Jersey Nets as the antagonist, Cavaliers point guard Andre Miller surveys the floor, assessing the landscape of the opposing defense. All-everything point guard Jason Kidd is smack in Miller’s face, hoping to deny the inbound attempt.  Nets coach Byron Scott is standing nearby, his arms crossed in that stoic, trademark pose, hoping that - whatever happens - time is on his side and that 0.5 becomes a 0.0 before the black and electric blue-clad Cavs can even attempt to consider getting off of a shot.

It was just seconds earlier that a Kidd inbound play at the other end landed in the hands of a ready and waiting Keith Van Horn. The Utah Ute had hit over 35 percent of his three-point attempts during his career, and this night would be no different with a three-ball finding nothing but net and the scoreboard reading 97-97. Miller, though, would not be phased by time nor his foe, lobbing a pass to the corner where Lamond Murray would catch it near his hip, square his feet, hips and shoulders, and drain the game-winner as the air horn rang loud and jubilation ensued. It was Murray's only successful three-point attempt on an otherwise pedestrian night, but easily the biggest shot of all, much to the chagrin of the Nets who were adamant that there was no conceivable way that the series of actions taken on by Murray could be done within the allotted time.

"I like to say that I had the quickest trigger in the game back then," Murray recalls of the exact moment, one which featured the Cavaliers' star donning a full-face plastic protective mask thanks to a wayward elbow from Darius Miles a few months earlier. "Back then, there wasn't a rule that stated how long players had to do certain things, whether it was 0.3 seconds, 0.5 seconds.  There'a s chance that that exact play had an impact on today's game."

His sentiments may not be far-fetched given then Nets president Rod Thorn's place within the NBA rule-making landscape, but it was this very season that the Cavaliers would have simplified plays on offense, with one specific play called “get Lamond the ball.”  It was a play that would work fairly often, typically involving his young point guard Miller, with Murray frequently seeing his scoring totals reach the 30s. Whether this specific game-winning shot changed the way today's game is judged can be debated. What cannot, however, is the way Murray is currently attempting to better the lives of those who could be following in his footsteps within the not-so-distant future through his current post-retirement endeavor. 

**

Nestled in his home within California's Manhattan Beach, the sun, sand and surfing more than compensate for the lack of signal that attempts to bounce to and from the 38-year-old Murray's mobile phone.  The affluent coastal town is an ideal location for a retired NBA player: a convenient commute to Los Angeles, beautiful weather, and even more beautiful people; a cosmology of excess. Anywhere that's posh enough to film Beverly Hills 90210 and The O.C. is a solid post-career resting place for a man who was born and raised not far from his current inhabitants.

For Murray, it was not all that long ago when he was a highly-touted, dynamic small forward coming out of Pasadena, California who was ultimately selected seventh-overall in 1994 by his hometown Los Angeles Clippers; a storybook style career where the local product gets to practice his craft in front of the hometown crowd, potentially helping revive an otherwise downtrodden franchise which was making its sixth lottery pick in 10 seasons, selected just a handful of picks a behind friend, teammate and fellow local product in Kidd.  Murray would be coming off of a collegiate season that saw him break the career scoring record of Kevin Johnson, doing so in just three seasons while averaging 19.1 points per contest with many of those baskets aided by his crew-cut point guard who would silently direct him to open spots on the floor with as little as a head nod - a language that the two athletes spoke fluently. His story is one that has been writ large; a young, highly-skilled athlete, a childhood of flux as his father was periodically in and out of his life (though Murray does admit that his father was present for crucial moments), finding solace in the game of basketball and turning his gift into something that would help provide a lifestyle not only for him, but generations beyond.

Today, despite a basketball-playing career that has taken him all over the globe, the affable Murray finds himself back home with his basketball shoes hung up as he raises his children while they being their journey down their own respective paths of highly competitive athletics.

Where most working Americans swap out their suits or uniforms - both possessing copious amounts of starch and years of seasoning - for something a little more comfortable, Murray has taken the reverse commute, trading in his mesh kits of various color schemes for a plethora of suit and tie combinations. While most Americans would find it hard to peel themselves out of their retirement-earned beachfront chaise lounge attempting to fight the first-world problems of an barely operable Smartphone, Murray finds himself in a place that had become all to familiar since heading to the University of California back in 1991: The road.

**

If this NBA season - if not in its present state of bargaining and demands and lawsuits - were to be played, it would mark the 10-year anniversary of the year Murray led the Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring, averaging a career-high mark of 16.6 points per game.  It was Murray's third season with the team, one that had recently ushered in a new wave of core members; gone were Mark Price, Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance; present were Andre Miller, Brevin Knight and Trajan Langdon.  The team was now under the watch of one Randy Wittman and was dealing with the possibility of a completely unfortunate scenario wherein their recently-drafted center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was going to miss an entire season following foot surgery - the pernicious type of surgery from which most seven-footers never bounce back.

When Murray joined the Cavs in 1999, it was a move that followed a bout of considerable disappointment. The storybook described above didn't have the best ending as the Cal product failed to live up to the expectations that came along with being a top-ten draft selection within the NBA.  Though Murray would average over 11 points per game as a rookie, this was largely due to the pressure placed upon then Clippers head coach Bill Fitch to give his small forward additional playing time. Murray admits that hi act started to grow a bit tiring; his game was becoming more hype than execution as the rookie shot a woeful 40.2 percent from the floor while doing little else to help his team in terms of rebound or assist rates, which led to the development of poor attitude on and off of the court.

After amassing over 31 minutes per game as a rookie, Murray's playing time took a nosedive, playing 23 minutes per game in his sophomore season and just over 17 in the one following that. Though packaged with high expectations and a smooth shot, Murray lost playing time to the likes of Loy Vaught and Bo Outlaw, starting merely one contest for a 36-win Clipper team in 1996-97.  Two seasons later, he would board a plane that would take him to the city of Cleveland; rather than a one-night stay as it had been in years past, this town - fresh off a run most notably known for its baseball franchise - would be Murray's home for the foreseeable future.  It would be, as he described as "a new time and a new beginning."

Sure, Murray had never lived in a place where snow accumulated by the truckload as it did near the recently erected Gund Arena, but he would also share a locker room the young players who would be key members of the franchise going forward as well as characters like Shawn Kemp and, later, Ricky Davis - a player who would be known most for his decisiion to attempt a shot at his own basket merely so he could pull down the rebound and subsequently record a triple-double. New, indeed.

**

When asked if the move from Los Angeles to Cleveland - a big market with bright lights to a small market with stop lights - was bittersweet, Murray will surprisingly say that it was more desired than anything. Serving as the antithesis to today's stereotypes of young athletes only wanting the best living conditions which include, but are definitely not limited to nightlife and paparazzo per capita, Murray describes himself as being a little slower when it comes to pace of life, thanking his father - who instilled a "think before you speak" mentality - for this very trait. Thus, Murray was able to sublimate any chance of the ever-popular brand-building for a local which would provide improved opportunity to flourish on the court.

Though presently outside Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach is remote enough where the retired star can live life how he sees fit. Murray's son, a 6-foot-5-inch 17-year old is primed to carry on the lineage that comes along with being a "junior" to a former NBA star.  Leading his high school team in scoring and possessing the ability to play inside and outside - the territory of being a shooting guard who also happens to be one of the tallest children on the floor at any given time - Lamond Jr. is gearing up for life as a west coast Division I college athlete. "He shoots just like you," Murray says with a smile, speaking of other coach- and scout-sourced analysis of his son. 

Not to be outdone is Murray's 6-foot-1-inch daughter Ashley who, as a 15-year-old high school freshman playing at the varsity level, can be found slamming volleyballs into the floor of opposing teams who, more often than not, fail to attempt in defending. As sweet as his son's stroke is from behind the arc, Ashley's attacks, blocks and kills have her name littered all over recruiting sites as well as the wish lists of institutions of higher education like Duke and the University of Southern California. 

And just as his two children are about to become the future at their respective endeavors, Murray has taken on a new challenge in his post-retirement life, becoming an integral part of what he deems is the future of collegiate recruiting among the athletic ranks: NCSA Athletic Recruiting.  Boasting a skill set as a player who underwent multiple levels of scrutiny at various ranks as well as a parent who is helping usher the next generation of Murray's through the gamut, Murray can help provide tomorrow's athletes with the knowledge that he has been able to amass through only year's of hands-on experience.

NCSA considers itself to be the nation's premier athletic recruiting network, helping connect high school athletes to college coaches.  And while larger, more well-distributed yet potentially facile lists which focus specifically on the revenue-earning sports, NCSA strips out all of the politics and brings everything to the forefront regardless of sport; the water polo goalkeeper gets identical treatment to that of the high school quarterback.  And while stars and positional rankings are important to some, NCSA also provides a hub for high school athletes to not only post their transcripts to show coaches and athletic departments that the student in question is not only lighting it up on the field of play, but is doing the right things in the classroom as well.

Though Murray went through the recruitment process himself and should be well-versed in differentiating the ballads from the noise, times have changed immensely with the advent of on-line agencies adding to the variables that he never knew about as a player.  Feeling that if he, an athlete who had been through the ringer, was unaware, there had to be countless amateur athletes of similar ingenious. Thus, the former small forward decided to help spread the word, ensuring that all practicing individuals were given a fair shake when their time arrived. To ensure that his message can be astutely conveyed to tomorrow's stars, Murray has taken the proper steps to become a better speaker, partaking in various student and player-focused panels as well as harnessing his University of California days and taking classes on various levels of public address. Where he would have to provide the occasional one-liner to a media member in his playing days, Murray's new audience is not only tougher, but one that provides him the opportunity to make a difference.

"My voice," Murray says, "is one where the children may take it more to heart.  The reason I decided to go play basketball in areas like China and the Middle East was because, after I was done playing, I wanted to be able to provide an additional level of insight - I can say that 'I've been there.'"

Sure, Murray could opt to join the coaching staff of one of the many high-profile AAU programs in Los Angeles or run a basketball camp clad with his namesake, but his post-NBA career days have led him down a different path - one of altruism and considerably less vanity, instead focusing on considerably more education.

Children, today, have an increased ability to take advantage of all opportunities which may be provided to them; not every high school athlete has a Division I school in his or her future. Rather than being arbitrarily placed on a list that has one-way aspirations, Murray, via NCSA, aims to facilitate channels between colleges and the athletes, thus maximizing all opportunities for both parties, ultimately bettering each respective sport.

To this day, Murray says that a lot of his success within the NBA is attributable to his first head coach in Bill Fitch.  Surely, the two men did not see eye-to-eye during the small forward's tenure with the Clippers, but while Fitch would help Murray with his shot selection and fundamentals, he also taught him how to deal with imperfections that were new to him; losing basketball games being paramount.

There was a period in 1997 where Fitch held Murray out of a contest following an outing where the should-be star missed four of his five shot attempts while displaying abysmal body language. Though Murray's team was losing games, he was losing confidence - a startling realization for a professional athlete. But with Fitch, along with his teammates, Murray was able to mentally overcome the obstacles set forth, go on to have an 11-year career, and instill a lot of what he learned into his children as well as those who he can touch through his recruiting channels. 

Cleveland will be able to thank Fitch for helping Murray improve his release, leading to that game-winning three-pointer over the Nets.  But children throughout the country will soon be able to thank Murray and his colleagues for helping them maximize their potential within whatever sport they practice. 

"Anything I can do to give back as well as educate the kids, that's my main goal," says Murray. "You know, instead of being a coach and just teach someone how to shoot a jump shot. The more important things in life."

The news comes as Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell is preparing the Buckeyes for their biggest game of the season, a trek to The Big House to take on archrival Michigan on Saturday.

Columbus, Ohio -- Five years ago, then-Florida football coach Urban Meyer heard "Hang On Sloopy," as part of the musical rotation pumped into practice to help his Gators prepare to face Ohio State in the BCS National Championship game.

"Can you imagine that?" Meyer said, the Ashtabula native really letting it sink in that he was readying to face the team he'd grown up watching.

Now he can imagine not just what it is to face the Buckeyes, but to be a Buckeye.

Sources have confirmed to The Plain Dealer that Meyer will be named Ohio State's next head coach. Multiple other outlets have reported the understanding also reached between the school and the two-time national champion coach, though Meyer himself continues to deny any finalized agreement. No official announcement would come from Ohio State until next week.

"I have not been offered any job nor is there a deal in place," Meyer, currently an ESPN broadcaster, said in a statement released by the network. "I plan on spending Thanksgiving with my family and will not comment on this any further."

The New York Times reported Wednesday that Meyer needs to speak with his family over Thanksgiving about his future, and to research potential NCAA sanctions coming against Ohio State before signing a contract.

Sources inside and outside Ohio State had said they believe the Buckeyes' current self-imposed sanctions will satisfy the NCAA, and a bowl ban is very unlikely.

Meyer, 47, became a logical candidate as a future OSU head coach the moment he stepped away from Florida last December for health and family reasons. He had decided the same thing in 2009 before changing his mind and returning for one more season.

His final decision to leave Florida came before the NCAA problems that eventually forced out Jim Tressel first surfaced last December. Luke Fickell stepped in when Tressel resigned on May 30, and though Meyer will take over, Fickell could remain. A source said that Fickell and first-year receivers coach Stan Drayton, a Cleveland native who previously worked under Meyer at Florida, will be offered positions on the staff.

Fickell, forced into an uncomfortable situation by the Meyer talk as he attempts too prepare his team to face Michigan, was asked Wednesday if he'd been told anything about his future.

"I know there's a game at noon on Saturday," Fickell said, "and my (butt) will be there."

Meyer's won't, though his regular broadcasting partners, Dave Pasch and Chris Spielman, will work the game for ESPN. Meyer will spend the day in the ESPN studios.

Meyer, 47, was born in Toledo and grew up in Ashtabula, where he starred at St. John High School. He was the head coach at Bowling Green (2001 to 2002) and Utah (2003 to 2004) before he headed to Florida. There, he won two national championships, beating the Buckeyes 41-14 to earn the 2006 title and the Oklahoma to win the 2008 championship. His record in six years at Florida was 65-15.

Meyer began his coaching career in 1986 as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under Earle Bruce, and before meeting the Buckeyes in 2006, he spoke of what that experience did for him after playing college football at Cincinnati.

"I played in a situation that wasn't very good. It wasn't a very good program. I get to Ohio State and met Earle Bruce and watch the way things are done and got a piece of that tradition," Meyer said then. "Everything we do ties into building tradition, the Gator Walk, singing the fight song with the student body. All those type of things I learned first at Ohio State."

Meyer then coached at Illinois State, hired there by Jim Heacock, now the OSU defensive coordinator. From 1990 to 1996 he coached at Colorado State, where he again worked under Bruce for a time. He was the wide receivers coach at Notre Dame from 1997 to 2000 before moving on to Bowling Green for his first time running a program.

Now he's coming back to lead another Ohio program. And he'll hear a little more "Hang On Sloopy."

Meyer will return to Columbus, where he was a graduate assistant coach.

July 10, 1964: Born in Toledo, Ohio.

1982: Graduated from Ashtabula St. John High School, where he played tailback and defensive back in football and shortstop in baseball.

1982: Selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the baseball draft.

1982: Played for Atlanta's Rookie League team in Sarasota (Fla.).

1983: Played for an Atlanta Class A team in Pulasky (Va.).

1984: Made the University of Cincinnati football team as a walk-on and earned a letter as a defensive back and special teams player.

1985: Student assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati and defensive back coach at Cincinnati St. Xavier High School.

1986: Married the former Shelley Mather. The couple has two daughters, Nicole (Nicki, 21), who plays volleyball at Georgia Tech, and Gisela (Gigi, 18), who plays volleyball at Florida Gulf Coast University, and a son, Nathan, 12.

1986: Earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati.

1986: Ohio State graduate assistant coach (tight ends).

1987: Ohio State graduate assistant coach (receivers).

1988: Earned a master's degree in sports administration from Ohio State.

1988: Illinois State assistant coach (outside linebackers).

1989: Illinois State assistant coach (quarterbcks/wide receivers).

1990-95: Colorado State assistant coach (wide receivers).

1996-2000: Notre Dame assistant coach (wide receivers; also special teams in 1998).

2001-02: Bowling Green head coach, leading the Falcons to a 17-6 record (8-3 and 9-3), including 5-0 against BCS teams, after Bowling Green had gone 2-9 in 2000.

2001: Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.

2003-04: Utah head coach, leading the Utes to two Mountain West Conference championships and a 22-2 record, including 12-0 in 2004, and with wins over Southern Mississippi, 17-0, in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31, 2003, and over Pittsburgh, 35-7, in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005. Utah had been 5-6 in 2002.

2003: Named national Coach of the Year by The Sporting News.

2004: Named national Coach of the Year by Pro Football Weekly and the winner of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.

2003-04: Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year for both seasons.

Dec. 4, 2004: Signs a $14 million, seven-year contract to become the head coach at Florida.

2005: Coaches Florida to a 9-3 record, including a 31-24 win over Iowa on Jan. 2, 2006 in the Outback Bowl, after the Gators had gone 7-5 in 2004.

Jan. 8, 2007: Florida defeats Ohio State, 41-14, in the BCS National Championship Game, finishing the 2006 season with a 13-1 record. 

June 7, 2007: Signs a contract extension that pays $3.25 million per year for the six seasons from 2007 through 2012.

2007: Coaches Florida to a 9-4 record, including a 41-35 loss to Michigan on Jan. 1, 2008 in the Capital One Bowl.

Oct. 1, 2009: Signs a contract extension that pays $4.01 million per year for the six seaons from 2009 through 2014, with the potential of bonuses worth a maximum of $575,000 a year.

Jan. 8, 2009: Florida defeats Oklahoma, 24-14, in the BCS National Championship Game, finishing the 2008 season with a 13-1 record.

Dec. 6, 2009: Admitted to a hospital in Gainesville, Fla. with chest pains and dehydration. Released from the hospital that day. 

Dec. 26, 2009: Reveals the Dec. 6 episode and announces that he will resign following the Gators' Sugar Bowl appearance on New Year's Day, citing health concerns and the desire to spend more time with his family.

Dec. 27, 2009: Announces that he will take a leave of absence instead of resigning following the Sugar Bowl.

2009: Named national Coch of the Decade by The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated.

Jan. 1, 2010: Florida defeats Cincinnati, 51-24, in the Sugar Bowl, finishing the 2009 season with a 13-1 record.

March 17, 2010: Resumes full-time coaching duties.

Dec. 8, 2010: Announces he will retire at the end of the season for the same reasons he had cited a year before: health and family concerns.

2010: Coaches Florida to an 8-5 record, including a 37-24 win over Penn State on Jan. 1, 2011 in the Outback Bowl, closing his career at Florida with a 65-13 record.

Jan. 31, 2011: Named by ESPN to its college football coverage team, calling one game a week and working as a studio analyst.

Nov. 23, 2011:

Meyer's health is the only concern as Ohio State hires a coach who will be expected to win big and win soon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Unable to enjoy ultimate success at Florida, where health problems led him to resign after winning two national championships, Urban Meyer now comes to Ohio State, winner of one such title in the last 43 years.

He will be expected to succeed in Columbus ultimately again -- and as  soon as possible.

The question is, can a match be struck twice? If so, happy Thanksgiving, Buckeye fans. There is a better chance, though, that Meyer will be a short-timer.

Ultimate success is always the expectation at Ohio State, come hell or high-temperature water, in which the program landed after a player-ineligibility scandal forced Jim Tressel out.

Like Tressel, Meyer coaches in the real world, too, in which at-risk players who can run, catch, throw and tackle can become  blue-chip recruits. Florida had over 30 incidents of players getting into trouble with the law when Meyer coached there, with incidents running from the trivial to the serious. He had a clean sheet with the NCAA, though.

If it comes down simply to sustainability of national championships, that is a problem Ohio State fans will be happy to face. The task will certainly become easier in the Big Ten, a swamp of mediocrity this season because of the effect of the suspensions on the Buckeyes, than it was during Meyer's years of triumph in the cobra pit that was the Southeastern Conference.

He will join an Ohio State team that would have been better, even with the roster attrition, with a more dynamic offense.

Defense-oriented Luke Fickell, the interim coach, inherited all of Tressel's staff.  Fickell went with the sputter -- "flow" just isn't the word for it --  on offense. Offensive creativity is not a problem with Meyer.

Tressel's reputation as the most-feared big-game coach in college football was never the same after Meyer's hungry Gators crushed the overconfident, top-ranked Buckeyes and their out-of-shape Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith in the 2006 BCS Championship Game. Both Meyer and his players were the epitome of aggressors,  a constant of Meyer's approach. Again,  one wonders if the pilot light
will flame as brightly again.

That was a Florida team that did a lot of drop-back passing with quarterback Chris Leak, but Meyer's second national championship team had a fullback at quarterback in Tim Tebow, when the Gators used the spread formation to run. Like Tressel, Meyer has never forgotten that power football will never completely be out of style in a spread-trending game.

Meyer will also inherit a quarterback with startling running skills in Braxton Miller. The true freshman is  no Tebow as a power back, but he has eye-blink lateral moves that gain big yards when none seems possible.  I predicted last week that Miller would win a Heisman if he has three years with Meyer.

Tressel was extremely successful, but he was not innovative. When the Buckeyes played both of their quarterbacks, senior Todd Boeckman and  true freshman Terrelle Pryor, at the same time against Texas in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, Pryor never went in motion for a lateral or handoff when he was stationed at wide receiver. There were no double-pass plays.

The great athleticism of Pryor was basically wasted unless he was either under center or taking the direct snap, other than the scoring pass he caught from Boeckman by using his 6-6 height against a short defensive back.

One would expect any coach since Woody Hayes, a photo of whom hangs on Ashtabula native Meyer's home office wall, to be more inventive than that.

Without Tressel's restraining hand, holdover offensive coordinator Jim Bollman has had some inexplicable conceptual moments this season.

He allowed the inept fifth-year senior Joe Bauserman to create quick three-and-out's with his inaccurate  passing in the midst of Nebraska's comeback.

A lost fumble resulted from a handoff between Jordan Hall and Boom Herron, two running backs, in the wildcat formation on a play that began in the shadow of the Buckeyes' goal against Penn State. The risk/reward potential of that play was totally out of whack. A great goal-line stand denied the Nittany Lions points, but Ohio State's hamstrung offense never had good field position after that in the
narrow loss.

These head-slappers will stop. Ohio State will not be outcoached anymore. Meyer had blue-chip lieutenants in Florida and possesses the reputation to command a high-quality staff in Columbus.

On the way up the coaching ladder, Meyer turned around programs at Bowling Green and Utah. He coached two national champions, a Heisman winner in Tebow and a No. 1 overall NFL draft choice in Utah's Alex Smith, who is now starting for the 49ers. The coach even slept in the dormitory with the players during two-a-day drills at BG, to show them that he was going through the same thing they were.

No one in Columbus would begrudge him sleeping in the governor's mansion as long as Ohio State doesn't go through another season like  this.

Twittter: @LivyPD

To reach Bill Livingston: blivingston@plaind.com, 216-999-4672

Urban Meyer's craft began in Ashtabula.

Editors note: Jodie Valade did this story on Urban Meyer and his hometown of Ashtabula in 2004. The Plain Dealer announced today that Meyer will soon be named OSU's coach.

Ashtabula — In the shadow of hulking factories, gritty mounds of coal line this city’s harbor. The steel-gray winter sky touches a blue-gray Lake Erie on the horizon. A deserted and decaying train depot serves as a constant reminder of the hardship that failure can bring.

On a residential street nearby, a young Urban Meyer III grew up in an ordinary family, the middle child sandwiched between two sisters. He attended Mass at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, played defensive back for St. John High School and dreamed of making it big as a baseball player.

He has made it big, but in a different way. As the Utah coach for the past two seasons, he amassed a 21-2 record. Two seasons before that, he was 17-6 at Bowling Green. This week, Meyer was the most coveted college football coach in America. He was the subject of rumors, the focus of high-profile interviews.

The man from this hard-working town finally accepted the Florida coaching position Saturday, bypassing his self-proclaimed “dream job” at Notre Dame in the process.

He will earn $14 million in a seven-year contract with Florida, and a little bit of Ashtabula now will reside in Gainesville, Fla.

This city dotted with factories and hugging the lake is reflected in Meyer: The hard-working intensity, the gritty and disciplined demeanor, the demand for nothing less than excellence because he knows too well what failure can look like.

He was expected to be among the best from the start. Urban “Bud” Meyer, a chemical engineer, demanded nothing less than B’s on his children’s report cards, and nothing less than exemplary behavior in school.

So when Betty Stofko explained that her third-grade student, Urban, was acting up in class at Mother of Sorrows Elementary School, doing “the things that little boys do,” Bud Meyer was not happy.

“If you want to, you can give him a good spanking,” Bud Meyer told Stofko.

When Stofko explained that she could not physically reprimand students without written permission from a parent, Bud Meyer promptly signed a note allowing a school spanking, if necessary.

“That was the end of the nonsense,” Stofko said, laughing this week in her home down the street from Mother of Sorrows. “All I had to do was show him the note in my drawer, and he behaved.”

Bud Meyer always has expected great things from his son and has been relatively unimpressed when Urban met expectations.

Urban Meyer was drafted in 1982 in the 13th round by the Atlanta Braves to start his baseball career, but when he grew lonely and overwhelmed after just a short time in camp, he called to tell his father he was quitting.

Bud Meyer told him there were no quitters in the Meyer family. If Urban quit, he was not welcome at home. So Meyer toughed it out for two years before an arm injury halted his baseball dreams.

He returned to football, walked on Cincinnati’s football team and began to catch the coaching bug. He went to Ohio State to be a graduate assistant under Earle Bruce. He then was an assistant under a long line of accomplished mentors: Bruce and Sonny Lubick at Colorado State, Lou Holtz and Bob Davie at Notre Dame.

Now that his son, the one named after a succession of popes, has garnered respect and attention from college football programs around the country, Bud Meyer is as impressed as ever.

“He’s performed in a way that is expected,” Bud Meyer said this week from his home in Cincinnati. “I wouldn’t say I’m agog about it. I told him at the beginning of the year that he should win every one of his games.”

The rest of Ashtabula is not quite so nonchalant about Meyer’s success at age 40.

“Probably everyone in town is looking at this,” said Don Cannal, the principal at St. John when Meyer attended the high school. “They’ll take pride in the fact that he’s from Ashtabula.”

After all, Meyer has said that Ashtabula played an important part in shaping him as a football coach. Every Sunday at Mother of Sorrows, Rev. Thomas Kelly found a way to work a reference to the Cleveland Browns into his homily. A glance at the remnants of a once-thriving railroad industry in Ashtabula pushed Meyer to work harder to achieve success.

Even as a standout defensive back at St. John, his desire to succeed stood out above others.

“You could see he was very intense and wanted to win all the time,” said Ken Petrochello, a former assistant football coach at St. John who still is close friends with Meyer. “You can tell that as he’s gotten to a higher level in his job, he’s become even more focused on what he’s doing, more intense.”

Yet it’s also not difficult to break through that fierce facade. Though Meyer has proclaimed a dislike for the “player’s coach” label, he’s apt to seek out an athlete after a verbal lashing or a tough game.

“He’s not afraid to hug his kids,” said Petrochello, who spent vacation time with Meyer in Utah last year.

He thrives in his role as a football coach, which is part of the reason he made the difficult decision to accept the coaching position in Florida over the job at Notre Dame.

“You’ve got to buy into that tradition if you’re going there,” Bud Meyer said. “Maybe he just wants to be a coach. In which case, Florida is the right place.”

So a little bit of Ashtabula will go to Gainesville with the new Florida coach, including Urban Meyer’s demands for excellence.

“He does ordinary things,” Bud Meyer sighed. “He eats the same way people do, he talks the same way people do and he obeys rules like other people do.”

Except he coaches just a tiny bit better than most other people.

“He’s supposed to do that a little better,” Bud Meyer said, chuckling softly.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654.

"I think Chris Ogbonnaya deserves to start and have Hardesty be the No. 2 back. Chris is hot right now and who knows if he can have an even better game this week against the Bengals." - ap1987

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerChris Ogbonnaya has had two good games in a row for the Browns.

"I think Chris Ogbonnaya deserves to start and have Hardesty be the No. 2 back. Chris is hot right now and who knows if he can have an even better game this week against the Bengals."

Will Urban Meyer lead Ohio State to a national championship? How about multiple national championships? Take our poll.

View full sizeAP Photo | Dave Martin, FileUrban Meyer.

Record-setting QB says coach's belief in his players draws the best - and more - out of them.

AP fileJosh Harris, Urban Meyer's first quarterback when he was coach at Bowling Green, says the coach had a way of making players believe in themselves and maximize their potential.

One thing about future Ohio State football Urban Meyer: He has a reputation of being good with college quarterbacks.

His first one, Josh Harris at Bowling Green, backs that up.

Harris was Meyer's quarterback as a sophomore and a junior, the two years Meyer was at BG. He rushed for 2,473 yards with a school-record 43 touchdowns at Bowling Green. He passed for 7,503 yards, third on the BG all-time list, and 55 touchdowns.

When his career ended, he was one of only two quarterbacks in Football Bowl Subdivision history to throw for 40 career touchdowns and rush for 40 career touchdowns. (Indiana's Antwan Randle-El was the other).

"I'm an Urban Meyer fan, I'm excited to hear he might be coming," said Harris, who played last season for the Marion (Ohio) Blue Racers of the Continental Indoor Football League.

"Coach Meyer, in my opinion, is one of the best coaches in the country," Harris said. "He understands creating situations and matchups to get the most our of his players. That's one of the things he brings to the table for any program he is coaching at. He did it at Bowling Green, he did it at Utah, he did it at Florida."

With Meyer on the sidelines and Harris under center, the Falcons finished 8-3 and 9-3, and ended each season ranked in the Top 25 in the country.

Before Meyer came, Harris was caught between being a big tailback or a quarterback, often playing both positions. But with Meyer, he was strictly a quarterback, and Meyer made Harris believe that was what he was, too.

"One thing for sure, when coach Meyer believes in a guy, he might even believe in him more than the guy believes in himself," Harris said. "There was a time when I had to get my belief in Josh Harris up to where Urban Meyer believed that Josh Harris was. That really propelled me, and my game, to new levels.

"That's one of the things he did for me that I will always be thankful for."

Harris has several memorable games playing quarterback for Meyer, but said one game in particular sticks out, and shows the qualities that Harris believes makes Meyer special.

"There was a game (Western Michigan) when we were down 14-0, early. We hadn't really put together any drives yet.

"I come off the field, after going three and out, again. And he calls to fake the punt. We get it (first down), I grab my helmet to go back out on the field, and he winked at me.

"When he winked at me, it really was like, 'I got your back.' We went back out, got back into the game, and then went into overtime. During the game, I sprained my knee, and late in the game it started to tighten up.

"When we get into overtime he says, 'What do you want to do?' I said, 'Coach, we need to throw it, because my knee is really bothering me.' We ran six plays, and five of them were quarterback runs, the last one was a touchdown (for 48-45 win).

"That's Urban Meyer for you."

Urban Meyer is all about himself, writes Fox reporter.

AP fileUrban Meyer

While fans across Ohio are cheering about rumors of Urban Meyer becoming the next coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Fox Sports reporter Peter Schrager compares Meyer to Brett Favre.

Schrager also writes how this is a familiar gameplan for Meyer, who is stealing the spotlight away from the Michigan/Ohio State game.

Schrager writes:

Back in 2009, with seniors Tim Tebow, Ryan Stamper, Riley Cooper, Brandon Spikes all preparing to play in their final collegiate game, Meyer stole every headline and all the media attention from that year’s Sugar Bowl by retiring, then un-retiring, then nobly mustering up enough energy to coach the Gators to a 51-24 win over Cincinnati.

That week should have been about Tebow, Spikes, Cooper, and the 16 other senior Gators’ incredible four-year run that included two national championships. Instead, very much like Michigan-Ohio State this week, it was all about Meyer, Meyer, Meyer.

He played the same “aww shucks, nothing to see here” routine then as he’s playing now.

Schrager wanted to know back then and even more now on why couldn’t Meyer’s announcement have waited until after the Sugar Bowl?

As was the case then, Meyer is once again stealing the show from the kids that actually play the game.

When asked about coaching situation, Fickell said, "I know there's a game at noon on Saturday and my a-- will be there."

Luke Fickell

Ohio State football coach Luke Fickell addressed the media today about the possibility of Urban Meyer replacing him and Saturday's rivalry game against Michigan.

When asked about coaching situation, Fickell said, "I know there's a game at noon on Saturday and my a-- will be there."

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

Cleveland Browns Colt McCoy, Josh Cribbs, Montario Hardesty and head coach Pat Shurmur talked with the media following practice on Wednesday about the five AFC North Division games they play in the next six weeks. The streak begins Sunday with the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati. Watch video

The only defensive lineup change of the Browns' season not the result of injury has Emmanuel Stephens replacing Jayme Mitchell at right defensive end. Watch video

View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated Press"Emmanuel was a really good pickup for us," Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said Wednesday of new right defensive end starter Emmanuel Stephens (left, tackling Maurice Jones-Drew last Sunday. "[He's] a hard-working young man, a tough guy, plays hard ... he's explosive off the line of scrimmage."

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns have been quite boring on defense this year, to be honest. Their system is fairly basic and simple. They don't try exotic things. Their coordinator doesn't inflame the opponent with bombastic declarations.

They are steady and don't change from week to week. That's why the demotion of right defensive end Jayme Mitchell came as a surprise. When September waiver pickup Emmanuel Stephens made his second start in a row against Jacksonville, it was assumed to be because of Mitchell's recovery from ankle and pectoral muscle injuries.

"No, it was a coach's decision," coach Pat Shurmur corrected. "We started Emmanuel."

For the foreseeable future?

"Stephens is the starter," Shurmur replied.

On Wednesday, Mitchell said, "I don't like it, to be honest. I was told it was lack of production on my part. It could be what it is. It could be some bull [expletive]."

Mitchell's brief career with the Browns has taken odd twists before. He arrived in a trade in the 2010 season while the Browns were ensconced in Eric Mangini's 3-4 defensive system. Mitchell didn't see the field in 12 games. After the season, General Manager Tom Heckert said he didn't know why because Mitchell was the team's best pass rusher.

Mitchell proceeded to unrestricted free agency, whereupon the Browns re-signed him to a two-year deal.

With five years in the NFL, Mitchell would be the most seasoned starter on the Browns' rebuilt front four. And, at 6-6 and 285 pounds, the biggest. They stationed him at left end, his natural spot, and assigned rookie second-round pick Jabaal Sheard to right end.

But after one game, the ends were flopped because Sheard felt more comfortable on the left side. Mitchell turned in 1 1/2 sacks in his second game at right end, but his production soon dropped. He pitched a shutout in the 6-3 win over Seattle, credited with not a single tackle, though he batted down one pass.

It became obvious that Mitchell was not exactly comfortable with the switch. "I've always been a left end," he said. "Since college, since middle school. I'm better on the left. It's what I'm used to."

Three weeks ago in Houston, the Texans rang up 261 rushing yards on the Browns. Mitchell was credited with one tackle before leaving with a chest muscle injury. Stephens relieved him and posted four tackles. Mitchell sat out the next game, and Stephens had four more tackles. Then he had four more against Jacksonville in his first game as the official new starter.

"I can play both sides, but I do feel more dominant on my right side," Stephens said Wednesday.

"When we moved Jabaal to left, Jabaal just turned out to be better at the left," said defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, "So we moved Jayme to the right side and eventually we just felt that Emmanuel was playing better than Jayme."

Stephens, 6-3 and 255 pounds, spent the 2010 season on the Atlanta practice squad after the Falcons signed him as an undrafted free agent. That exposure to a 4-3 system similar to the Browns' was an attraction when the Falcons waived him at this season's final cut.

"Emmanuel was a really good pickup for us," Jauron said. "[He's] a hard-working young man, a tough guy, plays hard ... he's explosive off the line of scrimmage. He's really given us solid games. I think there's a good deal of upside to him. I think he'll just continue to improve."

"I feel pretty good about how I'm playing," Stephens said. "I feel like it's a big opportunity for me."

Shurmur said Mitchell will now see time at both left end and right end, as Jauron seeks to replenish the energy of the over-used starters down the stretch. The really good 4-3 defenses in the league -- like Cincinnati's, which the Browns face on Sunday -- have a deep rotation of eight players on their front line.

"You need it in this league," Jauron said. "We need to play in waves up front and not fall off as you substitute. That way you can keep them fresh the whole year. You can imagine, it's a real grind in there. It takes a toll on them."

Mitchell isn't ecstatic about his role change.

"It's sort of different from what was talked about before I got here [as a free agent] when I decided to sign with the Browns," he said.

But he'll have to roll with it. Because in this defensive scheme, the ends justify the means.

Staff writer Jodie Valade contributed to this report.

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Owners of Ohio's seven horse racing tracks have approval to move to greener pastures, but don't know yet what it will cost.

 Ohio's seven horse racing tracks have state approval to move to greener pastures, but none of the owners are eager to make a formal application to the Ohio State Racing Commission until they know how much it will cost.

Penn National Gaming Inc. announced months ago it will move its two tracks. It has announced that Raceway Park in Toledo will head to the Austintown area, and Beulah Park in Grove City to the Dayton area. The company is building casinos in Toledo and Columbus and doesn't want recently-approved slots for the horse racing tracks to compete with its casino gambling.

Spokesman Bob Tenenbaum confirmed Penn National Gaming is going to move the tracks, but will wait until the license transfer fees are established before it applies to the OSRC.

There have been rumors Thistledown is moving to the Akron-Canton area, and Lebanon Raceway in Southeastern Ohio will go to Moraine, Ohio.
Lebanon Raceway presently has harness racing programs at the Warren County Fairgrounds. The facility is controlled by the Warren County Commissioners, who oppose the slots style of gambling at the 62-year-old horse racing track.

 OSRC Chairman Bob Schmitz has said the commission is looking at a transfer fee based on the distance a track moves from its original location.

To further frustrate Ohio's race track owners, the Ohio Roundtable filed suit Oct. 23 in Franklin County Court to stop video lottery terminals, or slots, at Ohio horse racing tracks. The group charges the new style of gambling requires amending the Ohio Constitution with a statewide vote.

Case in the Classic: The bad boy of harness racing, Walter Case Jr. could be back in a racing sulky soon, according to his new wife, Luanne Case. It's extremely unlikely he'd ever race again at Northfield Park, much less try to win his fifth Cleveland Classic here on Dec. 10. Case, John Campbell and Dave Palone each have four driving wins in the Classic.

Rumors are floating around harness racing web sites that Case wants to race again now that his parole has ended. Case was convicted of stabbing his former wife in 2004 and spent four years in an Ohio prison. Case and his present wife - they were married a couple of years ago - have been training standardbreds together. Case still needs a U.S. Trotting Association license. His driver's license expired Dec. 31, 2001.

Case applied for a driver's license after leaving prison in 2008, but was turned down by the USTA. He was given temporary approval to race at Plainridge Race Course in Massachusetts, winning 10 of 25 races, but hasn't competed since. 

 Luanne Case says she doesn't know how many bridges her husband has burned. Way too many, say most harness racing and race track officials.

Last call for sophomores: The country's final stakes race of the season for three-year-old pacing colts, the $150,000 Cleveland Classic has enjoyed giving the sophomore stars one last chance for a stakes win before turning four years old. This year's Cleveland Classic on Dec. 10 should be no different, said Racing Secretary Dave Bianconi, who is still trying to round up supplemental entrants for the 22d edition of the race. Entries are due on Dec. 7. The supplemental fee is $15,000.

Some of the big names that have won the Cleveland Classic include Jake and Elwood, Precious Bunny, Western Hanover, Life Sign, Falcons Future, Village Connection, Gallo Blue Chip and Won the West.

Late start at Thistle: The Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has given its approval to the 2012 racing dates awarded Ohio's thoroughbred tracks by the OSRC. Thistledown will a late start on the season, with live racing on 122 days between May 4 and Nov. 17. Track officials, despite struggling during the late season to fill race cards, have decided to begin the racing year two weeks later than in 2011, and extend the season for a couple of weeks.

River Downs will run 93 days from April 27 through Sept. 3. Beulah Park gets 114 days of racing split into two meets. The winter-spring meet is Jan. 9-May 5, ending on Kentucky Derby Day. The fall-winter meet is Oct. 8-Dec. 22.

The doctors were great, the hospital wonderful, the bone marrow transplant procedure had a solid record of success. But you can't always beat leukemia.

View full sizeLisa DeJong, The Plain DealerIn recovering from a bone marrow transplant which deals with his chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Browns broadcaster Jim Donovan was never out of the physical and emotional embraces of his wife, Cheryl (left), and daughter Meghan. "It's a cliche, but it makes you appreciate each day, each person," Donovan says.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You're Jim Donovan, and on this day, you just want to say thanks.

You are thankful for being alive after battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) for 11 years. You are thankful to WKYC Channel 3, where you have been a sportscaster for 26 years, and to the Browns and WTAM, where you have been their radio voice since the franchise returned in 1999.

Thankful to so many people. So many doctors. So many nurses. So many members of your family, especially your wife, Cheryl.

And the fans. So many cards. So many letters. So many prayers. So much love from people you've never met.

"And I'm not even from here," you say. "I'm from Boston."

Not anymore. Not in the eyes and hearts of Browns fans and local sports fans. There have been thousands of emails, thousands of cards and letters. "Holy relics from nuns," you say, tears in your eyes.

Then there's a 33-year-old male out there ... somewhere. You don't know his name. You don't know where he lives. You just know somewhere in the United States, a 33-year-old male donated his bone marrow. He didn't donate it for you in particular, just for someone who needed it.

That someone was you, and his marrow was used for the transplant on July 7 at University Hospital's Seidman Cancer Center.

"If he hadn't donated, who knows where I'd be," you say. It's not easy to find a match for a bone marrow procedure, but you were given one.

"This has been quite a journey," you say, shaking your head.

It began in 2000, leaving a news conference given by former Browns coach Chris Palmer. You were feeling run down for a while, thought maybe you were getting the flu. You stopped in an emergency medical center. They didn't see any flu symptoms, and ran a blood test.

They came back with the results, talking about white blood cells. You had too many. Way too many. The blood cells were attacking your body. Then they said the word -- leukemia.

Your heart raced and crashed against your chest. Your legs turned to Silly Putty. Your mind said, "I'm 43. I'm never sick. This can't be happening to me."

But it did.

An illness kept quiet

Over the next 11 years, you quietly took chemotherapy and other treatments. Only a few people knew the extent of the illness. Even in the sports world, few had a clue that you even had any disease -- much less what they were now calling chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

One day, you would need a bone marrow transplant. You called it "being in a long tunnel." At some point, you would come out -- and it would be time for a transplant.

For years, the treatments kept the disease under control. You did your sports shows, called your games, and kept smiling and being Jim Donovan, the upbeat broadcaster. That is your personality. You didn't talk about leukemia, except to a precious few who could be trusted. By the end of the 2010 Browns season, you knew things were changing. The different treatments didn't last as long. You felt worn down, wiped out.

You were coming out of the tunnel.

The donor was found, the surgery was set. You drove back to Boston to visit your 87-year-old mother and your sister. Left unsaid was the fear that it could be the last time that you saw them. Yes, the doctors were great, the hospital wonderful, the bone marrow transplant procedure had a solid record of success.

Yet you also knew that sometimes, it didn't work. Sometimes, people die.

Dealing with the aftereffects, and the fears

The surgery went extremely well, but then the fever began. You sweated. You shivered. You sweated more. You felt as if your head would explode, you couldn't think. Your temperature was 105. You didn't think anyone could live with a temperature of 105.

You told a nurse, "I'm scared that I'm going to die."

The nurse said, "I'm not scared. We can take care of it."

And they did. You spent three weeks in the hospital, and you thought about the letters and emails that you received from special people. They had your type of leukemia. They had had the bone marrow transplant. They were writing three years ... five years ... 10 years ... 12 years after the surgery. And they were doing OK.

It wasn't always easy. But they were still around, still fighting -- and telling you to do the same. Don't worry about losing your hair, it will grow back. Don't worry about feeling weak, you'll get stronger. Don't lose hope. That's the most important thing.

Don't lose hope.

Your goal was to broadcast the home opener, and you did. You needed a goal. But you also may have come back too fast. The fever returned ... twice. You ended up back in the hospital ... twice. You missed two games.

In the middle of this was The Mole. Just something strange on your earlobe. Your wife said the doctor has to look at it. The tests came back: melanoma. The most dangerous form of skin cancer.

You sat on your porch one night with your wife. You had a sudden sense of impending doom.

"After all this," you thought. "It's a mole that is going to get me."

You had surgery on the ear lobe. They also removed a growth from your side. They don't think the cancer has spread. You feel fine. Doctors are optimistic, and so are you. But let's face it. A bone marrow transplant. Leukemia. Melanoma.

"It gets your attention," you say. "It's a cliche, but it makes you appreciate each day, each person."

You are Jim Donovan. You are 55. You have a wonderful wife, a terrific 20-year-old daughter, Meghan, and a life that means more to you than ever.

And you've never felt more grateful for that than on this Thanksgiving Day.

OSU scored points at frenetic pace, rarely missed a shot in the first half and piled up assists on countless uncontested drives to the basket.

View full sizePaul Vernon, Associated PressOhio State's William Buford has no problem getting this shot off cleanly against VMI's Stan Okoye (11) and Quinton Upshur during the first half of the Buckeyes' lopsided victory Wednesday night at Value City Arena.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men's basketball team will eat its Thanksgiving dinner at the home of coach Thad Matta.

The Buckeyes began their holiday feast a day early, however, stuffing the box score Wednesday night like it was a golden-brown Butterball. OSU scored points at frenetic pace, rarely missed a shot in the first half and piled up assists on countless uncontested drives to the basket.

Yes, the outburst came at the expense of Virginia Military Institute, a mid-major too busy shooting 3-pointers to be bothered with things like defense. It was nevertheless a festive and productive night for those clad in scarlet and gray as the Buckeyes coasted to a 107-74 win in Value City Arena.

A crowd of 13,660 fans saw OSU improve to 5-0 and establish season highs for points, assists (30) and field-goal percentage (67.6). It was the most points scored by Ohio State at home since Dec. 5, 2009 in a 111-47 victory over Eastern Michigan.

The No. 3 Buckeyes return to action Friday with a visit from Valparaiso before a showdown against Duke on Tuesday.

A lot of OSU players left the arena Wednesday feeling good about their games. Senior William Buford scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while sophomore Jared Sullinger collected 17 points and 12 rebounds for his 21st career double-double. Guard Aaron Craft distributed eight assists to go along with 13 points.

"Throughout this week Coach has been on us about making more shots," said Craft of a team that entered the VMI game shooting 46.8 percent from the field. "One of the things we need to do better is to take better shots and one of the best ways to do so is get the ball inside to Jared and DT [DeShaun Thomas] ... That just opens it up for everybody else."

Matta was intrigued to see how his young but talented team would react to the fast-breaking Keydets (3-2), who have led Division I in scoring the past five seasons. They also were the pace setters in 3-point baskets last season, converting 11.3 per game.

Would the Buckeyes get sucked into that style?

"That's one of the things we talked about going into the game," Matta said. "You can fall into a trap when you play a team like this. I don't want to say you lose your mind but all of a sudden you are hoopin'.

"We didn't want to do that. We wanted to stay with the game plan."

The Buckeyes opened by converting 16 of their first 19 shots to build a 36-17 lead. They finished the night 67.6 percent from the floor, often finding Sullinger in the blocks and other teammates cutting to the basket. It was certainly a confidence-building night for Buford, who had been shooting 41.7 percent.

The Keydets cut the deficit to 13 points at halftime, but OSU pulled away early in the second half thanks to a 32-7 run.

"I have a saying that we try to shoot it before we turn it over and that wasn't the case in the second half," VMI coach Duggar Baucom said. "I think that was credit to [Ohio State]."

What did the Keydets get out of their trip to Columbus?

"[About] $85,000 to be perfectly honest with you," Baucom said of the money game. "I tell [Matta], 'We will play but it will cost you.'"

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: treed@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

Four local players say their plans are unaffected by potential hiring of ex-Florida coach.

View full sizePD file"Ohio State is going to be Ohio State," said Glenville's De'Van Bogard, "no matter who the coach is."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- De'Van Bogard had a game to play.

So even with all the talk that the Urban Meyer coaching deal was all but done at Ohio State, the defensive back from Glenville did not have much time to dwell on the issue of the supposed new head man at his college choice.

Bogard was getting ready to play in Wednesday night's Northeast Ohio Thanksgiving All-Star Classic at Nordonia High.

"I heard about it and it's a good choice," said Bogard, who has given an oral commitment to sign with OSU in February. "Urban's a good coach. But I really haven't been paying attention.

"Ohio State is going to be Ohio State, no matter who the coach is."

Bogard said he had never met Meyer, the two-time national championship coach at Florida.

"All I can do is play the game," he said.

Bedford's Tyvis Powell felt much the same way. Powell, a 6-4 defensive back, announced his commitment to OSU in June, citing current coach Luke Fickell as an important influence in his recruitment.

"Oh, I've heard a little," said Powell, regarding all the Meyer rumors. "But at the end of the day, I just want to play at Ohio State. That's the place I've always dreamed to play.

"If it's Urban Meyer, it's Urban Meyer. If it's Luke Fickell, it's Luke Fickell. It doesn't matter who the coach is. I'm still going to get a great education at one of the top universities in the nation."

Give Powell credit for being ahead of the game. He plans to finish his Bedford days in December and enroll at OSU in January. He intends to major in accounting and finance.

"The thing is, my coach [Sean Williams] has been saying Urban Meyer would be the coach," said Powell. "He's been following it more than me. Over the next couple days, I will be paying more attention."

You could not blame St. Ignatius senior tight end Blake Thomas for having other things on his mind. The Wildcats face Toledo Whitmer in a state semifinal on Saturday night.

"I'm happy about it since you're fairly certain who is going to be the coach," said the 6-4, 240-pound Thomas after practice. "I'm excited to know how he's going to use the tight end. I know he's had a lot of success in the past."

Thomas said he has been aware of the rumors in recent days.

"I've been following a little bit, but I've really been staying on our season," said Thomas, who intends to take pre-dental classes. "Every so often I've been hearing things about it."

Former Glenville quarterback Cardale Jones attended Fort Union (Va.) Military Academy to study and play football this fall. He was home for the Thanksgiving break.

"It really doesn't change my thinking about going to Ohio State," said Jones, who plans to enroll at OSU in January. "It's really been about my education.

"During all the recruiting and talking with the coaches, it was about having education priorities. That's why it's not a big issue over the coaching staff."

Jones said he has never met Meyer. He intends to major in business administration.

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

A capsule look at some of the area's men's teams, with their schedules for 2011-12.

Baldwin-Wallace College

View full sizeDavid Liam Kyle, davidliamkyle.comKyle Payne averaged more than 15 points per game in 2010-11 for the Yellow Jackets.

Coach: Duane Sheldon (31-45, fourth year at B-W, 95-138 overall in nine years).

Key returners: Kyle Payne (15.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Promis Cabbil (9.4 ppg, 86 assists), Chris Ameen (9.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Kevin Krakowiak (9.5 ppg, 94.5 percent from free-throw line).

Backcourt: All-Ohio Athletic Conference point guard Promis Cabbil (Elyria) will start at point for the fourth straight season and enters his final campaign with 643 career points, 258 assists and 109 steals. He led the team in assists with 86 and was third in the OAC averaging 3.83 assists per game in 2010-11. Sophomore guard Grant Fairhurst will look to help Cabbil run the backcourt. Fairhurst scored 7.1 ppg, made a team-high 44 three-pointers, including tying a school single-game record with eight last season. Freshman Jaron Crowe (Mentor) missed last season due to an injury and will look to get playing time at guard.

Frontcourt: All-OAC forward Kyle Payne (Brunswick), last year's OAC Freshman of the Year, started in all 24 games last season as a freshman. He led the team in scoring at 15.3 ppg., averaged a team-high 28.8 minutes and was second on the team in rebounds, with 4.8 a game. Juniors Sean Rothermel and Scott Branchick (Mentor) will join Payne at the forward position. Rothermel scored 4.3 ppg and grabbed 2.4 rpg.

On the inside, junior forward Chris Ameen (Walsh Jesuit) has started in 41 of 47 games over two years. Ameen led the team in rebounding with 5.9 a game, good for seventh in the OAC, and was second on the team averaging 9.9 ppg. Ameen is not afraid to shoot it from the outside as he hit 10 treys last season. Also look for 6-9 Aaron Selmek and transfer from Wheeling (W.Va.) Jesuit Tyler Farrell (Brunswick) to add strength and depth inside. Both junior Ben Umbel and sophomore Kevin Krakowiak (Holy Name) will continue to help both on the inside and outside. Umbel, who transferred from B-W to Youngstown State, averaged 3.1 ppg. a year ago and is one of the most athletic players on the team. Krakowiak had a strong freshman season and was third in scoring at 9.5 ppg. He made 34 three-pointers and shot a school-record 94.5 percent from the free throw line (52 of 55).

Outlook: The Yellow Jackets will look to improve upon a 9-16 record from last season. They Eight of their first 10 games are on the road. Sheldon will look for his returning veterans to be better and for his newcomers to give his team more depth.

Remaining schedule: Wednesday at Allegheny, 8; Dec. 3 Marietta, 3; Dec. 7 at Heidelberg, 7:30; Dec. 10 at Wilmington, 4; Dec. 17 at Muskingum, 3; Dec. 20 Transylvania (Ky.) University Don Lane Classic, vs. Wabash (Ind.), 5:30; Dec. 21 Transylvania (Ky.) University Don Lane Classic, vs. Hendrix (Tenn.) or Transylvania (Ky.), 5 or 7; Dec. 30 Alma, 7; Jan. 4 at John Carroll, 7; Jan. 7 at Capital, 2; Jan. 11 Mount Union, 7:30; Jan. 14 at Ohio Northern, 4; Jan. 18 Otterbein, 7:30; Jan. 21 at Marietta, 3; Jan. 25 Heidelberg, 7:30; Jan. 28 Wilmington, 4; Feb. 1 at Otterbein, 7:30; Feb. 4 Muskingum, 3; Feb. 8 John Carroll, 7:30; Feb. 11 Capital, 3; Feb. 15 at Mount Union, 7:30; Feb. 18 Ohio Northern, 4.

Case Western Reserve University

Coach: Sean McDonnell (65-135, ninth year at CWRU).

Key returners: Austin Fowler (16.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 40 3's), Tom Summers (9.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Tim Chung (8.0 ppg, 40 3-pts.), David Thompson (4.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg).

Backcourt: Chung is expected to move into the starting lineup after playing all 25 games as a freshman and leading the team with 48 three-pointers. Junior guard Robert Scott, who missed much of last season, returns to the Spartan rotation after averaging 4.8 ppg and leading the team in three-point shooting (.483). Freshmen Jordan Dean, Kenny Gibbons and Joe Mims (Aurora) will compete for the starting point guard job.

Frontcourt: In his first season with the team, Fowler led the squad and ranked fourth in the University Athletic Association in scoring at 16.8 ppg en route to earning first-team all-conference honors. Fowler scored in double figures in all but four games, and he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District squad. Summers, a 2009-10 second-team All-UAA pick, was third on the squad in scoring (9.0 ppg) and tied for first in rebounding (6.8 rpg). Also the team captain, Summers has 16 double doubles in his career. The 6-9 Thompson played in 18 games last year, averaging 4.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per contest and was second on the team with 23 blocked shots. Also look for freshmen Dane McLoughlin and Julien Person to contribute.

Outlook: The Spartans finished 9-16 overall and 5-9 in the UAA. With a tough schedule that includes four teams in the D3Hoops.com Preseason Top 25, CWRU will rely heavily on the likes of Fowler and Summers as it hopes to make improvements.

Remaining schedule: Wednesday Oberlin, 8; Dec. 3 at Hiram, 3; Dec. 7 at Allegheny, 7:30; Dec. 9 Kenyon, 7:30; Dec. 12 Kalamazoo, 7:30; Dec. 29 Waynesburg, 8; Dec. 30 Bill Sudeck Holiday Tournament Championship/Consolation Game; Jan. 7 Carnegie Mellon, 5; Jan. 13 Washington University, St. Louis, 8; Jan. 15 Chicago, noon; Jan. 20 at Rochester (N.Y.), 8; Jan. 22 at Emory (Ga.), 12; Jan. 27 at Brandeis, 8; Jan. 29 at NYU, noon; Feb. 3 Brandeis , 8; Feb. 5 NYU, noon; Feb. 10 at Washington University, St. Louis, 9; Feb. 12 at Chicago, 2; Feb. 17 Rochester (N.Y.), 8; Feb. 19 Emory (Ga.), 12; Feb. 25 at Carnegie Mellon, 5

Hiram College

Coach: Steve Fleming (57-73, sixth year at Hiram).

Key returners: Aaron Stefanov (9.2 ppg), Jamaal Watkins (6.7 ppg), Andrew Wiegand (8.0 ppg).

Backcourt: Senior duo of Andrew Wiegand (Amherst Firelands) and Jamaal Watkins (South Euclid Brush). Wiegand saw playing time both as a starter and coming off the bench in 2010-11 and averaged 8.0 ppg. Watkins primarily came off the bench and averaged 6.7 ppg. Sophomore guard Aaron Stefanov (Stow Munroe Falls) was the 2010-11 North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year after finishing second on the team in scoring at 9.2 ppg. and led the Terriers in three-pointers made (58), attempts (127) and shooting percentage (45.7 per cent).

Frontcourt: Junior Steve Zivoder (Garrettsville), a 6-6 forward, will be the returning big man with the most experience from last season. He averaged 1.3 ppg and 1.6 rpg in a backup role. Sophomore 6-7 forward Chris Zurowski (Medina) and junior 6-7 forward Justin Lonis (Perrysburg) could also see increased playing time. Also 6-3 sophomore Eric Wheeler (Aurora) and 6-3 freshman Shawntrail Smith (Akron) will compete for playing time.

Outlook: The 2011-12 team will feature a balance of veterans and youth as the Terriers look to rebuild after the loss of six seniors. Hiram was 14-12 in 2010-11 and qualified for its eighth appearance in the NCAC Tournament. This winter, the Terriers are picked seventh in the conference.

Remaining schedule: Saturday at Bluffton, 3; Wednesday Denison, 7:30; Dec. 3 CWRU, 3; Dec. 7 at Oberlin, 8; Dec. 14 Grove City (Pa.), 7:30; Dec. 18 at Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 3; Dec. 22 Westminster (Pa.), 6; Dec. 29 Wooster Classic, TBA; Dec. 30 Wooster Classic, TBA; Jan. 6 Wabash (Ind.), 8; Jan. 7 DePauw (Ind.), 4; Jan. 11 at Wooster, 8; Jan. 14 at Kenyon, 3; Jan. 18 at Ohio Wesleyan, 8; Jan. 21 Wittenberg, 4; Jan. 25 at Allegheny (Pa.), 8; Jan. 28 Wooster, 3; Feb. 1 Kenyon, 7:30; Feb. 4 at Denison, 3; Feb. 8 Allegheny (Pa.), 8; Feb. 11 Ohio Wesleyan, 3; Feb. 15 Oberlin, 8; Feb. 18 at Wittenberg, 4.

John Carroll University

View full sizeJohn Carroll UniversityGuard Corey Shontz is one of four seniors returning this season for John Carroll. Shontz averaged14.8 points per game last season, best on the team.

Coach: Mike Moran (348-199, 20th year at JCU).

Key returners: Corey Shontz (13.4 ppg), Joe Meyer (13.4 ppg), Mark Hester (11.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Michael Hartnett (9.3 ppg).

Backcourt: Senior guards Corey Shontz, Joe Meyer (Mentor) and Michael Hartnett (St. Edward) will anchor the backcourt. Each of the three is an accomplished three-point shooter, Hartnett and Meyer both shot 50 percent in 2010-11. Shontz, Meyer, and Hartnett have combined for 2,350 points in their careers. Off the bench sophomore guard and St. Edward product Ryan Angers supplies energy on offense and defense.

Frontcourt: The big question mark will be the impact of senior Kyle Hubbard (St. Edward), a 6-5 forward who only played in seven games last season due to injury. Hubbard averaged 12.1 ppg, shot better than 58 percent from the floor and almost 90 percent from the free-throw line. Hubbard, in addition to 6-4 senior Mark Hester and 6-8 junior center Kenny Janz will look to anchor the frontcourt following the graduation of Maurice Haynes.

Outlook: The conference coaches picked the Blue Streaks to finish second behind 2011 OAC champion Marietta, which returns all five starters. With seven seniors, John Carroll should be in the mix for its tenth OAC regular season title in Moran's 20-year tenure. They won 19 games last season.

Remaining schedule: Friday, Saturday, at Spalding Thanksgiving Tournament; Dec. 3 Capital University, 2; Dec. 7 at Mount Union, 7:30; Dec. 10 at Ohio Northern, 3; Dec. 17 Otterbein, 2; Dec. 29-30 Bill Sudeck Holiday Tournament; Jan. 4 Baldwin-Wallace, 7; Jan. 7 at Wilmington, 3; Jan. 11 at Muskingum, 7:30; Jan. 14 Marietta, 7; Jan. 18 Heidelberg, 7; Jan. 21 at Capital, 2; Jan. 25 Mount Union, 7; Jan. 28 Ohio Northern, 2; Feb. 1 at Heidelberg, 7:30; Feb. 4 at Otterbein, 7:30; Feb. 8 at Baldwin-Wallace, 7:30; Feb. 11 Wilmington, 3; Feb. 15 Muskingum, 7; Feb. 18 at Marietta, 3.

Lake Erie College

Coach: Cliff Hunt (90-73, seventh year at LEC).

Key returners: Riley Thomas (8.6 ppg, 67 assists), Rich Austin (6.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Brandon Smith (5.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg), Matt Grendel (5.9 ppg.)

Backcourt: Sophomore Riley Thomas figures to be Lake Erie's go-to player after starting his final 21 games as a freshman and is the team's leading returning scorer at 8.6 ppg. Thomas figures to slide from point guard to the two spot to make room for sophomore transfer Nate Tait (Brush). The 5-11 guard averaged 7.3 ppg at Alderson-Broaddus last season. Senior guard Brandon Smith (Bedford/Cuyahoga Community College) will likely start after averaging 5.9 ppg and 4.2 rpg last season. Junior Alex Davis (Nordonia) made nine starts with 3.7 ppg and 24 steals. Redshirt freshman Jamil Dudley (Massillon), the U.S. Junior National Champion in the high jump, and freshman Trey Howard should see time as well.

Frontcourt: Lake Erie will be looking to replace 6-8 junior center Garrick Sims (Barberton), who was lost for the season due to a preseason injury. Sophomore Rich Austin (St. Ignatius) is expected to help fill the void after making 12 starts last season and putting up 6.0 ppg and 3.9 rpg. Junior Matt Grendel (Independence) should start at power forward after averaging 5.9 ppg in 16 starts. Juniors Jordan Baker and Eric Worthey (Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) and freshman Jawaun Springs are all expected to see time in the frontcourt.

Outlook: The Storm was 7-19 last season and 3-16 in their first season as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Lake Erie only graduated one starter from last season's squad.

Remaining schedule: Sunday Mercyhurst, 7:30; Dec. 1 Wayne State, 8; Dec. 3 Hillsdale, 3; Dec. 11 at Ashland, 3; Dec. 17 at Northwood, 3; Dec. 29 at Rollins, TBD; Dec. 30 vs. Cal (Pa.)/West Georgia, TBD; Jan. 4 Urbana, 7:30; Jan. 7 at Ohio Dominican, 3; Jan. 12 Findlay, 8; Jan. 14 Tiffin, 3; Jan. 19 Lake Superior State, 8; Jan. 21 Saginaw Valley State, 3; Jan. 26 Findlay, 8; Jan. 28 at Wayne State, 3; Feb. 1 at Hillsdale, 8; Feb. 4 Ohio Dominican, 3; Feb. 9 at Ferris State, 8; Feb. 11 Grand Valley State, 8; Feb. 16 Northern Michigan, 8; Feb. 18 Michigan Tech, 3; Feb. 23 at Tiffin, 8; Feb. 25 at Ashland, 3.

Oberlin College

Coach: Isiah Cavaco (23-103, sixth season at OC).

Key returners: Josh Merritt (12.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 spg), Andrew Fox (13.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.8 spg), Geoff Simpson (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.7 apg).

Backcourt: Senior Josh Merritt, a 2010-11 NCAC honorable mention selection, returns as one of the most experienced players in the North Coast Athletic Conference. A three-year starter, Merritt has averaged over 25 minutes per game. Last year, he was 12th in the conference in points per game with 12.8, and third in the NCAC with 4.2 assists per game. He was the seventh player in Oberlin history with over 100 assists in a single season. Sophomore Geoff Simpson averaged over 25 minutes per game as a freshman. He was fourth on the team with 7.8 points per game, and shot .805 from the free throw line, which was fourth in the NCAC.

Frontcourt: Junior Andrew Fox is a triple threat player, who can play down low, is able to step back and shoot from outside, and has the ability to drive. Fox comes off a stellar sophomore season that was cut short by four games due to a knee injury. He led the team in several categories including minutes played (32.7) points per game (13.5), rebounds per game (6.1) and steals per game (1.8). Charlie Crawford-Silva emerged as a scoring threat last year. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.6 points per game, and 25.7 minutes per game. He led the team with a .511 shooting percentage.

Outlook: The Yeomen have a good mix between veteran leaders and young playmakers. They will be led by Merritt and Fox, but will need their role players to step up in order to be successful. Freshmen Austin Little and Seth Flatt will be looked upon to develop quickly. Senior Danny Enright and sophomore Trey Levy will also get minutes in the middle, and look to shut down NCAC big men.

Remaining schedule: Wednesday at Case Western Reserve, 8; Dec. 3 at Wittenberg, 3; Dec. 5 Penn State New Kingston, 7:30; Dec. 7 Hiram, 8; Dec. 10 at Alma, 3; Dec. 30 Anderson, 7; Jan. 4 at Denison, 7:30; Jan. 6 Ohio Zanesville, 6:30; Jan. 7 at Wooster, 7:30; Jan. 11 Allegheny, 8; Jan. 14 at Wabash, 1; Jan. 18 Kenyon, 7:30; Jan. 21 at DePauw, 3; Jan 25 Denison, 8; Jan. 28 Wittenberg, 3; Feb. 1 at Allegheny, 8; Feb. 4 Ohio Wesleyan, 3; Feb. 8 at Kenyon, 8; Feb. 11 DePauw, 3; Feb. 15 at Hiram, 8; Feb. 18 Wabash, 1.

-- Compiled by the colleges' sports information departments.

Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and the Packers built a big lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of Ndamukong Suh's ejection and beating the Detroit Lions 27-15 Thursday.

Detroit Lions cornerback Eric Wright (21) breaks up a pass intended fort Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones (89) in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

DETROIT — The Green Bay Packers are working on a perfect season. The Detroit Lions have plenty to work on following a slew of physical and mental mistakes.

Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and the Packers built a big lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of Ndamukong Suh's ejection and beating the Detroit Lions 27-15 Thursday.

The defending champion Packers are 11-0 for the first time in franchise history and have won a team-record 17 straight, including the playoffs.

Green Bay easily passed what was expected to be one of its toughest tests toward joining the 2007 New England Patriots as the NFL's only teams to have 16-0 regular seasons.

The Lions fell to 7-4 — losing a franchise-record eighth straight Thanksgiving game — and added to their misery in ugly fashion.

Suh was tossed for stepping on Evan Dietrich-Smith's arm in the third quarter and Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions.

The Packers turned Stafford's interceptions into two TDs and a field goal, going ahead 24-0 late in the third.

Detroit finally scored when Keiland Williams ran for a 16-yard TD with 13:11 left and added a 2-point conversion pass from Stafford to Titus Young. It also scored a meaningless TD on Stafford's 3-yard pass to Calvin Johnson with 11 seconds left.

The Lions raised expectations for their ability to compete and entertain during their annual showcase after losing the last seven games by three-plus TDs on average.

They kept it close early — in a punt- and penalty-filled first half — then simply couldn't keep up with Rodgers' passing attack and failed to stay disciplined.

Rogers was 22 of 32 for 307 yards with two TDs — a 3-yard pass to Greg Jennings with 4:51 left in the first half to make it 7-0 and 65-yard pass to James Jones in the third for a 21-0 lead. He fumbled once, but a teammate recovered the football.

"Second half, we got under center a little bit more, started running some regular offense and just kind of got things going," Rodgers said. "We had a good bead on what they're going to do there in the third quarter and James ran a nice post route and I didn't underthrow him too bad and he ran in for a touchdown. That kind of got us going."

Stafford was 32 of 45 for 276 yards with a TD in the final seconds and three interceptions, getting picked off by Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews and Robert Francois.

Detroit became the NFL's first team to win three games in a season after trailing by 17 points with Sunday's comeback win over Carolina, but the Packers proved they weren't as vulnerable as the Panthers.

Green Bay's winning streak, including its run in the 2010 playoffs, equals the streak the Oakland Raiders had during the 1976-77 seasons.

New England won 18 straight during the 2007 season only to lose to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints were the last teams to start a season 11-0, pulling off the feat two years ago.

Detroit's best shot to beat the Packers — as it did at home last year — was to knock Rodgers out of the game like they did last year. The Lions gave that tactic their best shot, hitting him even if he had gotten rid of the ball. Kyle Vanden Bosch was flagged for one of those late hits and could've drawn a penalty for doing even more to the star quarterback on the same drive.

Rodgers refused to be rattled, kept his cool and won — again.

Romo overcame a pair of early interceptions by throwing two touchdown passes to Laurent Robinson and rookie Dan Bailey made a 28-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Dallas Cowboys a 20-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday.

Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey (5) and quarterback Tony Romo (9) celebrate Bailey's game-winning field goal as Miami Dolphins cornerback Will Allen (25) walks off the field during an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys won 20-19. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

ARLINGTON, Texas  — Tony Romo doesn't care about winning in style. He's leading the Dallas Cowboys to victories, and that's all that matters.

Romo overcame a pair of early interceptions by throwing two touchdown passes to Laurent Robinson and rookie Dan Bailey made a 28-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Dallas Cowboys a 20-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday.

The Cowboys (7-4) were never able to grab control, but also never trailed by more than six points. The defense gave up scores on four straight series, but limited the damage because three of those were field goals. They finally got a stop with Dallas trailing 19-17.

Romo took over on his 36-yard line with 2:59 left. He completed a few passes, then rookie DeMarco Murray kept grinding out yards and winding down the clock to set up Bailey's winner.

"We did enough to give ourselves a chance to win the game," Dallas coach Jason Garrett said.

This was the second straight game that Bailey ended with a field goal, and the fourth time he's done it this season. The kick was his 26th straight made field goal, matching the second-best in club history.

It also was a measure of redemption for Cowboys fans, coming 18 years after the Dolphins won a Thanksgiving game on a last-second field goal following Leon Lett's memorable gaffe on a snowy afternoon. This time, conditions were so balmy that the glass end-zone doors at Cowboys Stadium were opened for the first time all season.

Dallas won its fourth straight, continuing its best streak since a division championship season in 2009. The Cowboys also grabbed sole possession of first place in the NFC East, moving a half-game ahead of the Giants. New York plays at New Orleans on Monday night.

Miami (3-8) had won three straight. The Dolphins hadn't allowed a touchdown for 13 quarters before Robinson's first TD with 55 seconds left in the first half.

Matt Moore set up that touchdown by letting a shotgun snap go through his hands for a fumble that was recovered by Dallas only 5 yards from the end zone.

He bounced back by leading Miami to scores on four straight possessions. He had three straight drives of at least 70 yards in the second half, putting the Dolphins up 19-17 with 7:14 left. He didn't score on his final drive, and that wound up being the difference.

Romo ended a streak of 128 straight passes without an interception, but he completed 22 of 34 for 226 yards. Many of those came while scrambling and some while also being hit or grabbed. He was patient waiting for the 5-yarder to Robinson to develop, and the pair were in sync on an 18-yarder made with Romo moving to his left.

"He just kind of kept hanging in there," Garrett said. "I thought he moved in the pocket really well. In critical situations, he ... allowed us to make plays."

Murray ran 22 times for 87 yards. He bloodied an elbow on the opening drive, leaving red smudges on his jersey and pants throughout the afternoon. It was a fitting touch for the way he played on the final series, gaining 27 yards on five straight runs as the clock went from 2:41 to :17, forcing the Dolphins to take their final two timeouts as well as the two-minute warning.

Robinson caught seven passes for 79 yards. Jason Witten had four catches for 43 yards and Murray had 41 yards on four catches. Dez Bryant caught three balls for 35 yards and had a 20-yard punt return to start the winning drive.

Moore was 19 of 32 for 288 yards and a touchdown. He took four sacks and had trouble handling several snaps, although losing only one.

The part he'll regret the most is getting within 10 yards of the end zone four times, and always settling for field goals. Shayne Graham hit them from 23, 26, 27 and 28 yards.

Reggie Bush ran 16 times for 61 yards and had 35 more on three receptions. Brandon Marshall had 103 yards on five catches, including a terrific touchdown catch made while cornerback Terence Newman had him in a headlock.

The game was so sloppy from the start that TV viewers who'd already had their Thanksgiving feast may have had no trouble dozing off.

Romo threw an interception on the opening drive, then the Dolphins couldn't even get a first down.

Dallas followed with a pair of false starts and a third-down pass that was dropped with no defender anywhere in sight, forcing a punt from the end zone. Miami had great field position again, but wasted it with a fumbled snap that led to a sack. Then Romo threw another interception and the Dolphins had to settle for a field goal, despite taking over just 26 yards from the end zone.

Moore not only wasted several chances to break the game open, he set up Dallas' first touchdown by letting a shotgun snap go through his hands; it rolled to the 5 and was recovered by DeMarcus Ware. Romo hit Robinson on the next play, ending Miami's streak of 13 quarters without giving up a touchdown with just 55 seconds left in the half.

Down 10-3, the Dolphins got a field goal as the first half expired and another on the opening drive of the second half.

Moore finally got into a groove later in the third quarter, hitting Brian Hartline for 41 yards on third-and-13, then throwing the 35-yard touchdown pass to Marshall.