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Detailing Ohio State's minor violations, none of which raise any major issues

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Ohio State provided five months of the violations, up through mid-September, as requested, and six minor violations involved football.

gene-smith.jpg AD Gene Smith and the Ohio State compliance team see reporting a fair share of secondary violations as proof that the compliance program is working.

COLUMBUS – Ohio State's 27 secondary violations reported in the last five months included six involving the football program, but nothing that would raise alarm.

The request for the latest violations, committed or reported between mid-April and mid-September, was made by The Plain Dealer as a routine check. There was some overlap in what was released from the most recent previous request I made, which was for the 11-month period that ended if mid-April. I made the request of Ohio State on Sept. 19 and the violations were released a week ago.

Ohio State secondary violations

In my hour-long meeting with compliance officials this week for a larger story about the new hires that allow an increased focus on football, Doug Archie, the associate athletic director for compliance, repeated that self-reporting minor violations is part of the OSU culture, so secondary violations are expected.

But since Ohio State's NCAA issues, periodically asking for violations will continue to be a regular part of my coverage of the team. And if I have them, I may as well share them.

Ohio State did not have any violations in this period with either basketball team. Here were the six involving football.

* Gene Smith and Gordon Gee said the name of recruit Ezekiel Elliott in a video they recorded for his visit to the school. This was also included in the last round of violations we requested, that we wrote about in May.

* Assistant coach Luke Fickell in April mistakenly wrote on the Facebook wall of recruit Darrien Howard when he intended to send him a message through Facebook. One is allowed, the other is not. Howard gave an oral commitment to West Virginia in June.

* The Buckeyes used mini-basketballs during an offseason workout. Not allowed.

* A recruit brought his aunt on his official visit. The school thought she was his guardian and paid for her stay on the visit, but it turned out she is not legally his guardian. So paying for her was a violation.

* Players were mistakenly given too much meal money, between $3 and $12 too much, after some home games last season. Ohio State was giving them the money allowed before classes start, but the allowed amount goes down once classes are in session.

* And we knew there had been a minor recruiting violation involving an OSU assistant and a recruit. That had been mentioned previously by Gene Smith after that batch of violations was provided to The Plain Dealer. Now we know that involved Taver Johnson, who is now an assistant at Arkansas, and Cam Burrows, who has pledged to be a member of Ohio State's 2013 class. It happened on Dec. 7 last year and was discovered by the Big Ten, which told Ohio State on March 2. So someone must have told the Big Ten.

Johnson was visiting Burrows' coach at Trotwood-Madison and Burrows saw Johnson as he was leaving and said he wanted to come to an Ohio State practice. Johnson told Burrows to call the football office and stopped talking to him, but even that brief conversation was a secondary violation. The punishment was that Ohio State couldn't talk to Burrows for two weeks this July when the window opened for the Buckeyes to contact him.



Tyler Zeller to return for Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday vs. Dallas Mavericks

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UPDATED: Cleveland Cavaliers rookie center Tyler Zeller expects to return from his concussion on Saturday night against Dallas.

TYLER-ZELLER-HOR.JPGTyler Zeller says he will be back in the Cavaliers' lineup Saturday when they take on Dallas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cavaliers rookie Tyler Zeller was a sight for sore eyes on Thursday at practice.

Even though he's still sporting a shiner under his left eye and will be wearing a mask when he returns to the court on Saturday against Dallas as the result of an errant elbow from the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan on Nov. 5 in Los Angeles, he was a welcome sight for Cavaliers coach Byron Scott.

"Just having him back will help," said Scott, whose second unit has struggled mightily since Zeller's departure. "He's another big body who knows how to play. He's an integral part of what we do. He helps our rotation better."

Zeller suffered a fractured left cheekbone and a concussion as a result of the elbow. His black eye was so bad and his face was so swollen last week that he wouldn't send his girlfriend a picture. He had a bad headache for days and admitted he failed the reaction and balance parts of the league-mandated concussion protocol the first time he was tested.

His girlfriend still hasn't seen the mask, but he said he felt sort of dashing in it.

"I think I look like 'Gladiator,' " Zeller said, laughing. "It makes me feel good about myself."

Nobody is feeling good about the Cavs' 1-5 road trip or their 2-6 start. Though his conditioning suffered during his layoff, Zeller, averaging 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1 steal in 18.5 minutes per game, still should be able to help the Cavs reserves offensively and defensively if his last two practices are any indication.

"He went full court, five-on-five," Scott said. "He looked pretty good. His wind was a little short. A little rust. Good thing he has three days before our next game. He can knock some of that rust off. He had a little trouble running up and down."

Zeller said the conditioning was much more of a problem than the mask. He wore one in college when he thought he broke his nose.

"It's like anything," he said of the mask. "You've got to get used to it. It's definitely a change. They did a great job of making it. My vision isn't impaired too much. For the most part I can see. Dribbling could be more of a problem, but I don't dribble anyway. So it's cool.

"They key is you've got to make sure you wear it every time you shoot, every time you work out because it does change your perception a little bit."

He said he doesn't know how long he will have to wear it, but he wouldn't rule out retaining it, like Detroit's Rip Hamilton did.

"It depends on how long I have to wear it," he said. "If I have to wear it for two months and I get used to it, it might be hard to go back and then I might just wear it the rest of the season. But if it's like two weeks . . ."

Getting defensive: As the worst defensive team in the league -- ranked 30th in opponent points and field-goal percentage -- that has been the focus of Scott's practices the last couple of days. The team has three days between games.

"It's definitely beneficial," Kyrie Irving said. "We get to address a lot of issues, especially on the defensive end and just become more offensively sound. These couple of days have been really good for us. We've done a lot of running, I can tell you that and there's a lot of focus on defense. . . . Just realizing that defense takes multiple efforts. In order to be a good defensive team, it takes five solid guys out there together. It starts with our communication and multiple efforts . . . everything that has to do with defense. We have to fix everything."

Good sport: Zeller confirmed a report in ESPN The Magazine that his younger brother, Indiana star Cody Zeller, once changed their mother's Facebook page to say Tyler was adopted.

"She left it up on our home computer, and he was home for the summer," Zeller said. "He said, 'This will teach mom.' He got on and typed, 'I'd like to say Happy Birthday to my middle child. Ever since the day we adopted him, he's been great.' The funny part was, people wrote happy birthday to me on my Facebook page, not realizing it wasn't my birthday."

Ad man: Irving has a new Foot Locker commercial that shows him going to the basket in slow motion. It actually ends with him laying in the ball. "I threw it down in the commercial, but they didn't put it in," Irving said. "Most people think I'm unathletic anyway."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Ohio State-Wisconsin: Games like this make college football special: Bill Livingston

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This year's game has a little bit of everything: Buckeyes, Badgers, revenge, a perfect season and even a bit of the Bard.

bill-wisconsin.JPG Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium: where the football is rugged and the fans are rowdy.

Madison, Wis. -- The appeal isn't simply in the rivalry games, the ones that can make a season. Saturday afternoon's Ohio State-Wisconsin contest is not really the Buckeyes' rivalry game, anyway, not as long as The Team Up North is around.

But Wisconsin certainly was the unmaking of Ohio State the last time the Buckeyes were in national championship contention. In 2010, the Buckeyes visited Camp Randall Stadium, just after OSU reached No. 1 in the rankings. Wisconsin returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, thus inciting its Leinenkugel-fueled fans to even greater exertions. The snowball reached 21-3 proportions before an OSU rally fell short, 31-18.

Although Ohio State -- which is 10-0 as well as revenge-minded and probation-shackled -- needs only one more victory to clinch the Leaders Division in the Big Ten, the Wisconsin game, as most big college games, is about much more than X's and O's. Things that seem peripheral become central to the sport's fans.

The unique appeal of college football involves such things as team uniforms and nicknames. Although Joe Paterno at Penn State used to turn up his nose at individual awards since football was a team sport, that seemed pompous and out of touch. Woody Hayes, who was not exactly a glory hound, ordered the first buckeye leaf decals, which are awarded for good plays, to be stuck on Ohio State helmets in 1968. Now the silver, leaf-bedecked Ohio State helmet is instantly recognized nationwide.

Then there are the nicknames. The whole expanded, 12-team Big Ten, except for the ho-hum Northwestern Wildcats, is a strange bestiary, crossed with a garden of ghastly frights.

Former Browns tailback Leroy Hoard, who played for Michigan, a state, by the way, in which the eponymous wolverines are not native, scoffed at the Buckeyes, saying, "The Fighting Nuts of Ohio State -- stupidest nickname outside the Killer Ducks of Oregon."

Oregon has plenty of explaining to do, particularly about its color schemes.

As for the Buckeyes, the term is almost self-explanatory. The buckeye tree does grow in Ohio; its nut does look like one of Bambi's eyes; and the chocolate and peanut butter candy is really good.

The Big Ten has teams named for gophers, mountain lions, farmers (Cornhuskers), blue-collar workers (Boilermakers) and even an expression. The Indiana Hoosiers' nickname is derived either from the saying, "Who's here?" as early settlers cautiously opened their log cabins' doors to strangers in the wilderness; or from "hoosa," an Indian word for the Midwest's ubiquitous corn; or, as the joke goes, from "Whose ear?" after a barroom brawl.

As for Wisconsin, it is called the "Badger State" because of the lead miners in the early 19th century, who "burrowed like badgers" into hillsides for shelter in the brutal winters. It is not named for the animal itself, a close relative of the weasel. Still, the name is perfect for a football team that lives on the ground with its running game, such as Wisconsin.

Unlike Michigan and wolverines, real badgers do live in Wisconsin. The creatures are too ferocious to be mascots, though. A student dressed as Bucky Badger (or the more formal "Buckingham U") plays the role, much as a student in a Brutus Buckeye getup personifies the belligerent nut.

With the new "metrics" that have turned many sports into blizzards of numbers on computer spreadsheets, college football is one of the last refuges of the sports romantic. It touches its fans in ways that don't involve the scoreboard, including huge drums (Texas has one and so does Purdue), band formations ("Script Ohio"), fight songs (name any school) and headgear.

Sometimes, to the thoughtful, it even has highfalutin pretensions to the great themes of literature. The murderous Macbeth was doomed once the opposing army with its wooden shields moved to attack his fortress, fulfilling the prophecy that Birnam Wood would march to Dunsinane.

This afternoon, Buckeye Grove marches to Camp Randall. It isn't Shakespeare, but it will do.

Cleveland Browns guard John Greco making the most of his opportunity

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After waiting five years to get some steady playing time, the Boardman native is opening eyes with his solid play at guard in place of the injured Jason Pinkston.

browns-greco.JPG Cleveland Browns guard John Greco has been receiving high grades since being forced into the starting lineup by an injury.

BEREA, Ohio -- John Greco waited five years for the opportunity he has seized during the past month with the Browns.

The only regrets about his promotion from utility interior lineman to starting left guard are the conditions surrounding it and the unoccupied locker adjacent to his own.

The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Boardman native is enjoying his best stretch as a pro in place of good friend Jason Pinkston, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season after doctors discovered a blood clot in his lung Oct. 19.

Greco remains in touch with Pinkston and enjoys Pinkston's occasional visits to the Berea training complex, but it's not like having him in the locker room and on the practice field every day. It's what makes Greco's ascension bittersweet.

"The circumstances are not what you want, but it's football and it's life," he said. "[Pinkston] is doing well and his spirits are high, which is good. He's our friend. You don't want to see that happen to your worst enemy."

Greco, 27, knows from personal experience there are no guarantees in life. An only child, he lost his mother to pancreatic cancer when he was a senior in high school.

After a productive career at the University of Toledo, he spent the next three years plumbing the depth charts of the St. Louis Rams, who selected him in the third round of the 2008 draft. He made just four starts in three seasons, never earning more than 279 snaps in a year. Unlike other positions that rotate players, backup offensive linemen rarely see the field during the course of a game unless there's an injury.

Greco's perseverance and versatility have kept him in the league. He participated on special teams and prepared each week to play multiple positions on the line. Browns coach Pat Shurmur took notice of Greco as the former offensive coordinator with the Rams. After the NFL lockout ended last summer, the Browns acquired Greco for a 2012 conditional seventh-round pick, one they never had to relinquish since he didn't become a starter in 2011.

"When you're a backup player, initially, you've got to be somewhat multiple, and that's initially what intrigued me about getting him here," Shurmur said. "I had worked with him, so I kind of knew what to expect. That's not atypical. He's done a good job going in as a starter, at this point."

Greco played just 52 offensive snaps a season ago, his first in Cleveland, as Pinkston started all 16 games as a rookie at left guard. But on Oct. 14 against Cincinnati, the coaching staff summoned Greco to sub for Pinkston, who was vomiting on the sideline. Greco played 41 of 65 snaps, and the Browns won their first game, 34-24.

At the time, Pinkston thought he was fighting through an upper-respiratory illness, but within days, he learned of the life-threatening implications of his condition, a pulmonary embolism. Greco was among the teammates who visited him at Cleveland Clinic.

There's no timetable for Pinkston's return, but Greco has said he expects his friend to make a complete recovery. In the meantime, Greco has done an admirable job, starting alongside Joe Thomas the past three games.

The Browns' offensive line has afforded rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden good pass protection. Just four other starting quarterbacks have been sacked fewer times than Weeden's 14. The run blocking remains a work in progress, but rookie halfback Trent Richardson is coming off back-to-back, 100-yard games.

Greco's contribution is gaining recognition from coaches and teammates. Shurmur said he's seen no drop-off at the left guard position.

Said Thomas: "It's always hard to come in, in the middle of the year, and take over for a starter that goes down. But I think he's done a really good job coming in."

ProFootballFocus.com rates Greco as second best among Browns offensive lineman, behind only Thomas, and 10th best among all NFL guards.

Greco puts no stock in such grades.

"I don't pay attention to any of that other stuff," he said. "I'm just ready to win."

Greco is thrilled to be playing 80 miles from home. His father, John, is a chemical engineer at Parker Hannifin in Cleveland and doesn't miss a game. He has other friends and family members who make the trek from Boardman, the same Mahoning County city that produced former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar.

Boardman coaches say Greco has been generous with his time and money, helping fund new equipment in the Spartans' weight room this year.

Greco still doesn't like to speak publicly about the death of his mother, Melanie, whose name is tattooed on his left arm. A secretary at DeBartolo Corp., she took great pride in knowing he had earned a scholarship to Toledo. His high school coach, Gary Smith, recalls Greco's ailing mother saying, "My life is complete," on the day he signed his national letter of intent in 2003. She died not long after.

"I know she's watching over me, and I try to live my life as she would have wanted," Greco said.

He assumes there will be pressure from his dad to extend the Greco lineage. The lineman said he wants children.

"I could see myself having five daughters," Greco said, laughing.

He has time to make names for them. Right now, he's busy making one for himself.

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Ground control will be key

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Ohio State's stout run defense will try to stop record-setting running back Montee Ball and the punishing Wisconsin ground game.

osu-monteeball.JPG Ohio State's goal on defense is to keep Wisconsin's Montee Ball from running free, as he did on this play against Indiana.

MADISON, Wis. -- Ohio State is going to shut down Wisconsin's run game today. The Buckeyes faced two similar rushing offenses this season and completely stifled them, holding Michigan State and Penn State to a combined 66 yards and 1.3 yards per carry.

Wisconsin is going to run all over the Buckeyes today. Coming off a school-record 564 rushing yards against Indiana, the Badgers have gained at least 337 yards on the ground in three of their past four games and always get stronger in November. In the past three seasons, Wisconsin is 9-0 in November and running back Montee Ball has averaged 25 carries and 179 rushing yards in those games.

"His strengths are great vision, and he's really a fast player," Urban Meyer said. "He pulls away from angles, and he has toughness. You can give him the ball a bunch of times, and he just keeps getting stronger. He'll be a very good NFL back."

But he's going to get crunched by the Buckeyes. Ball has 17 100-yard rushing games in Big Ten play, but Ohio State and Iowa are the only teams he hasn't dropped 100 yards on. Ball carried 17 times for 85 yards in the Badgers' loss in Columbus last season, the only time in nine Big Ten games in 2011 in which he didn't reach triple digits.

But the Buckeyes are going to get rolled. The last time Ohio State played at Camp Randall Stadium, in 2010, Wisconsin outgained the Buckeyes, 193 to 97 yards, in the first half and knocked down the Ohio State linebackers as if they were bowling pins.

On top of that, Ball is going for a record, trying to break the NCAA mark for career touchdowns and/or career rushing touchdowns, both held by former Miami (Ohio) and Browns running back Travis Prentice. Prentice had 78 total touchdowns and Ball has 77. Prentice had 73 rushing touchdowns and Ball has 71.

"I definitely expect Ohio State to [want to] stop me, because no one wants to have a record put up against them," Ball said. "I'm just looking forward to breaking it at home."

"We have to play a perfect game," OSU linebacker Zach Boren said.

So this is important. Run the ball. Stop the run.

"The most physical team is going to win," OSU defensive lineman John Simon said. "They're going to try to run the ball right down the middle, and it's our job to stop them. So whoever's tougher is going to win that battle."

If there's some idea on Ohio State's side, it is that when the Badgers have dominated on the ground, the competition hasn't been that tough. The 564 yards came against Indiana's 118th-ranked rushing defense. The 467 yards came against Purdue's 85th-ranked run D. The 337 yards against Minnesota's 73rd-ranked rushing defense.

That's not Ohio State. That's not what Wisconsin will be facing in Simon, Johnathan Hankins, Garrett Goebel, Nathan Williams and three healthy linebackers playing together for the first time in Boren, Ryan Shazier and Etienne Sabino.

"They just go right at you, and we've got John and Garrett and Nate, and we're the type of defense that can stop that. And we feel like we're ready," Hankins said.

Against Oregon State, the 10th-ranked rushing defense in the nation, Wisconsin ran 23 times for 35 yards in a loss in the second game of the year. Against Nebraska, in another loss but against only the 84th-ranked rushing defense, the Badgers ran 41 times for 56 yards. And against Michigan State and its 20th-ranked rushing defense two games ago, the Badgers gained just 19 yards on 37 carries in their third loss of the season.

"Like everything else, it starts up front with the offensive line," Ball said. "They've been doing some great things and at other times, they haven't. And it's the same for us running backs. There are times we made the wrong reads and we didn't break tackles after contact. So it goes hand in hand. When we put lots of yards up, that's when we're both on the same page."

After the loss to Oregon State in Week 2, Bret Bielema fired his offensive line coach. That has helped. In the stagnant loss to Michigan State, the Badgers saw starting quarterback Joel Stave go down with a shoulder injury. They've now had a week to adjust with fifth-year senior Curt Phillips as the new starter. He completed just 4 of 7 passes against Indiana, but he's a threat on the ground himself.

But Ball, the nation's 11th-leading rusher averaging 123 yards per game, knows the weight falls even more on his shoulders now. He missed the game against the Buckeyes in 2010 when the Badgers won. So he has been a Heisman finalist, he's played in the Rose Bowl, he's headed for the record books and he's playing the last home game of his career. But he's never contributed to a win over Ohio State.

And the Buckeyes want to keep it that way.

"We're built to stop the power and the run," Hankins said. "That's what we do and that's what we've been known for around here. I feel like that's going to come pretty easy for us."

So count on the Buckeyes ruining Ball's day. Unless he runs all over them.

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Doug Lesmerises' Big Picture

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The Wisconsin Badgers have a pretty good run defense, too.

Plain Dealer Ohio State reporter Doug Lesmerises puts Saturday's matchup -- and the future -- into focus.

osu-picture-linsley.JPG This is not an attempt to jinx him, but Ohio State center Corey Linsley has only three bad snaps in 10 games this season.

Snapshot: Offense

Wisconsin needs to run the ball. But so does Ohio State.

The Badgers' run defense actually leads the Big Ten and ranks 13th in the nation, giving up only 103.4 yards per game. Ohio State's run defense is 16th in the nation and second in the conference, allowing 107.9 yards per game.

Of course, the styles are different. Wisconsin actually has negative rushing yards from its quarterbacks this season, with minus-67; while OSU quarterback Braxton Miller has run for 1,166 yards and accounted for 46 percent of Ohio State's rushing game, which ranks eighth in the country.

But it can't get going without the snap. And on that basic point, first-year starting center Corey Linsley has done well this year while working virtually entirely from the shotgun. He counts three bad snaps in 10 games and is ticked the number is that high.

"It had to be that low," Linsley said. "To play in this offense, the snap is the most important thing. That's why coach Meyer always talks about the center being such an important position, but it all starts with the snap."

Linsley said the constant shotgun isn't really any more difficult than having the quarterback under center. But he had to get to the point -- and it didn't happen until fall camp -- when he wasn't even thinking about the snap.

"You've got to be flawless in your snap, because if you start focusing on your snap, that's when you start making the wrong calls," Linsley said.

He really can't think about it today, not with two massive defensive tackles in 335-pound Beau Allen and 319-pound Ethan Hemer breathing down his neck.

"Usually you look at 300-pounders and you say they're not that quick off the ball," Linsley said. "But these guys are exactly what you'd expect from Wisconsin: two big 300-pound dudes that come off the ball tough and play well with their hands."

Snapshot: Defense

Ryan Shazier has said more than once he wants to be one of the best linebackers in Ohio State history. He'll hit a number today that will be proof that he's taking a step in that direction. The sophomore is set to become the first Buckeye to top 100 tackles since Ross Homan in 2009. Shazier has 98 this season, which puts him 37 ahead of second-leading tackler Christian Bryant and ranks him second in the Big Ten behind Iowa's Anthony Hitchens. He'll be the first sophomore with 100 tackles since James Laurinaitis in 2006, and he'll give himself a chance to join a rather exclusive club: Buckeyes who led the team in tackles in three seasons.

Dating back to 1970, which is when Ohio State's tackle records begin, only four Buckeyes have done it: Marcus Marek (1981-83), Steve Tovar (1990-92), A.J. Hawk (2003-05) and Laurinaitis (2006-08). With two big games to end the year, Shazier, or Johnathan Hankins or Bradley Roby, could put themselves in the running for the Big Ten's defensive player of the year.

At the moment, Shazier, who also has 111/2 tackles for loss, should be in the mix with Penn State linebacker Mike Mauti (93 tackles), Michigan linebacker Jake Ryan (69 tackles, 12 tackles for loss) and Wisconsin linebacker Mike Taylor (95 tackles, 12 tackles for loss).

Images of Urban

Urban Meyer knows how to rest. Or his teams do.

Given more than a week to prepare, whether it's for the first game of the season, in bowl games or after bye weeks, Meyer's teams are 32-2 in his 11-year career, a .941 winning percentage. That includes an 11-0 mark in season openers, when the competition often isn't that tough. It includes a 7-1 mark in bowls, with the only loss coming when he was at Florida and fell to Michigan in the Capital One Bowl after the 2007 season. But more specifically, it includes a 14-1 record after in-season bye weeks, including an 8-0 mark at Florida. The only loss came when he was at Bowling Green, falling 24-21 to the Miami RedHawks.

Rest 'em, push 'em, heal 'em up, challenge 'em – Meyer seems to have it down.

"It's not the first bye week we've had, so it's a fine line," Meyer said.

But making sure the players don't lose their edge is always a worry.

"Over the past 11 years as a head coach, that's a big concern," Meyer said. "What I do is grab practice schedules from our best years, and then I post bye weeks and take a look at how we did it. I'll measure it to the players we have here. So there's a couple you go into it gradually, or you just put the ball down and go as hard as we can, and that's what we did. Usually that works."

That's good, because it hasn't worked that well at Ohio State, where, according to OSU records, the Buckeyes are 13-9 after byes.

Focus on 2013

Does Bradley Roby have two games left as a Buckeye or another whole season?

The redshirt sophomore said this week he was undecided about his NFL future, and offered a direct "no comment" when asked if he'd decided and didn't want to say, or actually hadn't decided yet. At the very least, fifth-year senior Travis Howard is gone for sure. So one new cornerback will be needed for next season, and maybe two, at a position that has been thin all year.

Sophomore Doran Grant played "phenomenal," according to cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, in the one game he started when Roby was hurt. Coombs hoped to play Grant more, but games have been too close, and Howard and Roby have played too well, so his action has been limited.

But Grant has to be the favorite to replace Howard. Either way -- but especially if Roby leaves, too -- the Buckeyes could have two true freshmen ready to battle.

Cam Burrows, ranked as the No. 27 prospect in the nation by Rivals.com, and Eli Woodard, No. 29, are two of the three highest-rated recruits in the Buckeyes' 2013 class. They'll help that thin group, which also includes current freshmen Armani Reeves, Tyvis Powell and Najee Murray.

It's up to Roby how much they might be needed next year.

Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs tells Plain Dealer: 'I feel caged' because of lack of opportunities on offense

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"I've talked to the head coach but there's no point," Cribbs says.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns kick returner Josh Cribbs, who has touched the ball only eight times on offense this season, vented his frustration as the Browns prepared to face the Cowboys on Sunday in Dallas.

"I feel like I'm trapped," Cribbs told The Plain Dealer. "I feel like a caged athlete."

Cribbs, who's third in the NFL in kickoff return average and fourth in punt return average, is miffed he hasn't been used more on offense, especially after catching a career-high 41 passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns last season. The four TDs tied a team high.

This season, he has six catches for 54 yards and two runs for 8.

"Me going from being able to run the wildcat, to playing receiver last season and catching 41 passes and four touchdowns to nothing -- I can't believe it," said Cribbs. "By me not playing, I feel like they think I'm not good, that I've lost it. But I haven't. I feel when I'm out there I can contribute, but I'm not able to."

Cribbs, in the final year of his contract here, said he talked to coach Pat Shurmur about it earlier this season.

"There's no point," he said. "Obviously they feel like everybody that's in front of me is a better athlete. I disagree. I feel a different way than the coach feels about me. They must feel I can't produce. We have a difference of opinion."

Shurmur, who's stressed since the offseason that he values Cribbs as a returner, made a point this week of complimenting him for his superb play in all aspects of the kicking game.

"We know what kind of an impact he has on special teams, which can't go unnoticed," said Shurmur. "He does more than just the average returner because he's involved in all the coverage units and he's an outstanding competitor in that phase. I really appreciate it."

Shurmur feels Cribbs' return numbers are up this year and coverage units are better because he's focusing on special teams. Cribbs already has four kickoff returns of 40-yards or more this season and leads all active players with 33. Overall, the Browns are second in the NFL with both punt- and kick-return average. From a coverage standpoint, the Browns are third in the NFL in average field position (19.9) after a kickoff return.

"He's made a major impact on one-third of the game and he's doing a great job," said Shurmur.

Offensively, the Browns have turned to younger receivers such as rookies Josh Gordon, Travis Benjamin and Josh Cooper, but Cribbs feels he has more to offer and it's killing him not to prove it. Cribbs admitted it's even more frustrating considering it's his contract year and neither the new Browns' regime nor other teams are getting to see what he can do.

"There's something wrong when one of your best athletes doesn't get the ball," he said. "I'm tired of people saying they don't know how to use me. Get creative. Find ways.

"I can't even showcase myself. I'm more than a special teams player. I've proven that. I belong on the field more than this, more than what they're allowing me to do. I've tried to not to say much, but it's upsetting. We're nine games into the season and I haven't gotten a chance."

He insisted that his anger stems from the fact the Browns are 2-7.

"If the team were winning and we were successful every week on offense, I wouldn't say a word," he said. "Something needs to change. We've got find a way to win. You've got to think outside the box."

And although Shurmur hinted this week that some players might get more time down the stretch, Cribbs doesn't think he's one of them.

"There's no indication that things will be different over the last seven games," he said. "I'm a special teams player. My guys are rallying behind me and trying to send me to the Pro Bowl. I'm trying to ride that and get in the end zone. I'm going to keep trying to lead the league in returns and keep balling out and contribute as much as I can."

Cribbs, 29, said it's hard for him to watch the team lose week after week, which is why he stalked out of the locker room after the Baltimore game without talking.

"I look at the game film and it's hard for me to compose myself," he said. "I've got so much fight in me. I've been through it all here and I know how important it is for these fans to win and I want to be doing everything I can to help."

Despite his frustration and the perennial losing, Cribbs wants to finish his career here.

"It's because of these fans," he said. "I'm going to try to stay here. If Mr. (Jimmy) Haslam will have me, I'll stay. If not, I'm sure I'll be playing football somewhere else."

He said his agent hasn't talked yet with new CEO Joe Banner.

"No, we're just going to let it play out," he said.

In the meantime, he'll focus on being the best special teamer he can be.

"We feel like we're the best unit in the league and we take a lot of pride in that," said Cribbs. "I'm trying to do everything I can on special teams -- more than ever before -- because it's the only avenue I've got."

Cornerback Joe Haden will be game-time decision: Cleveland Browns Insider

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If Haden is idle, Sheldon Brown and Buster Skrine will start on the outside and rookie Trevin Wade will serve as the nickel back.

rob ryan.JPG Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan says he's planning something extra for the Browns on Sunday. Ryan was the Browns defensive coordinator in 2009-10.

BEREA, Ohio — Browns cornerback Joe Haden sat out practice for the second straight day with a pulled oblique muscle and is listed as questionable for the Cowboys game.

"At this point, he'll be a game-time decision," Shurmur said.

If Haden is idle, Sheldon Brown and Buster Skrine will start on the outside and rookie Trevin Wade will serve as the nickel back, primarily playing over the slot receiver.

Cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who started in place of Haden while he was out on suspension, is out for the fifth straight game with an ankle injury. Safety Ray Ventrone, who suffered a hand injury in practice Thursday, has also been ruled out for the game. Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin (calf) is questionable, while 12 Browns are probable, including quarterback Brandon Weeden (groin, thigh).

Ryan's revenge: Former Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, now with the Cowboys, admitted that he's got a little something extra for the team that fired him after the 2010 season.

"Anytime you pour everything you have into it and apparently management didn't see it as if it was good enough, of course, it's personal," he said.

He said his bitterness stems from the fact that Eric Mangini was fired, not that Ryan wasn't considered to replace him.

"Eric is a good friend of mine," Ryan said. "He hired me to do a job. Hell, I did it, and got everybody fired anyway. I don't know why, but I wasn't in charge of that decision. But I plan on doing something about it."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670


Kent State's Spencer Keith looks to complete wild Mid-American Conference title run

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The quarterback from Little Rock, Ark., has met every challenge put in front of him at Kent State.

spencer keith.JPG Kent State QB Spencer Keith has stood tall in the pocket this season, even when he had not pocketed the starting job.

KENT, Ohio — Kent State quarterback Spencer Keith is clearly "The Survivor." Time will tell if he leads the Golden Flashes to the island of champions.

To find his name on any list of Mid-American Conference quarterbacks, one would have to look from the bottom up. And it still might not be there. As a QB, he is the ugly duckling in a league of flamethrower arms with artful-dodger feet.

Yet as the season winds down, look who is the swan leading one of the most exciting offensive teams in the MAC -- Spencer Keith. He leads No. 25 Kent State (9-1, 6-0) today against host Bowling Green (7-3, 5-1), and a Golden Flashes victory would secure a MAC East Division championship.

"It is satisfying," the 6-2, 215-pound Keith said. "I think that's due to preparation and more focus than before."

"And I have been trying to lead more than I have in the past."

No question, Keith has earned his feeling of satisfaction. Kent's brain trust brought in junior-college quarterback David Fisher last spring and said the starting job was up for grabs. The Flashes added freshman Colin Reardon to the challengers list at the start of preseason drills, and said the job was still up for grabs.

Coach Darrell Hazell said a starting QB would be picked after the first 10 days of camp . . . then after the first scrimmage . . . then after the final scrimmage . . . then before the opener. Every step of the way, Keith was the answer. Yet it appeared Kent was trying not to put the job back into the three-year starter's hands.

"I tried to block it out," Keith said. "But the competition has helped, bringing in those two guys. I mean, we've had our ups and downs this season, too. A couple of struggles early on. But we've all done a really good job of getting past those."

And still, Hazell kept looking. Three games into the season, the starting job was back on the table again. Keith came out on top again. The fact the product of Little Rock, Ark., won every challenge spoke volumes of Keith's ability to focus and handle the pressure of what is winding down to a possible championship season.

"Take it one practice at a time, not think about the circumstances, just think about the performance," Keith said. "That has helped me not go crazy about everything.

"It happened. And it has worked to our advantage. Fighting through controversy, being able to handle tough times when they come, that has definitely helped me out as a player. It's been a lot more fun to win, more exciting than the last couple of seasons we've been in."

Now 10 contests into the season, leading the MAC's East Division and amid a second-half gantlet of games that could have turned KSU's season back to .500, there is no question of Keith's standing.

"He's my quarterback," Hazell said in a private moment. "And you know, I probably haven't said that enough, publicly."

"We looked [at other QBs], but we put a whoa on it. Spencer gives us a confidence level, and the other guys are still trying to figure it all out. We feel good about Spencer."

Keith brings something to the table that makes him special.

He is a premed/biology major with a minor in mathematics. Keith has a 3.79 GPA and was the only quarterback named on the recent academic all-district team, which automatically puts him on the ballot for academic All-American.

"His game is right above the shoulders," Hazell said. "He knows that, and that's what he gets away with. He is what he is. And he still has to make a play or two for us. But we don't talk about it."

For player and coach, Keith's intellect helps him see plays perhaps his arm can't deliver and the coach can't call. The challenge for both is to fight the urge to force it.

Keith was lightly recruited out of high school with only a preferred walk-on offer from Vanderbilt in his hands before Kent. As a freshman, he had a shoulder injury, which raised more doubt about his arm strength. Add in the loss this season of Keith's favorite receiver -- Tyshon Goode (hamstring) -- to an average at best receiving corps, and the passing game Keith and Hazell clearly want in their arsenal has to be selective, not imposed.

"I think there is a common knowledge in the room that doesn't have to be said. This is what your [physical] strength is. This is what your running capabilities are, but this is where your intellect is, and that's through the roof," Hazell said, moving his hands higher and higher above his head at each step.

Kent's signature win to date came at then-No. 18 Rutgers, on Homecoming Day for the Scarlet Knights. Six turnovers forced by KSU's defense were the catalyst. As for offense, Hazell said, that 35-23 win was completely in Keith's hands.

"We could be aggressive with our play calls, because Spencer is so smart to change us to something else if it's not there," Hazell said. "It was close a lot of times [against Rutgers] but the play clock only got him once changing plays. And I'll tell you, three of our touchdowns against Rutgers came off of checks by Spencer, including the pass to Josh Boyle.

"You got to have something about you to do that, against that level of talent, in that environment. He's playing with so much more confidence right now. He's talking, and he never used to talk."

Keith is also running, albeit haltingly, keeping the ball himself because the lanes are open as more and more teams key on stopping the thunder and lightning ground attack from Trayion Durham and Dri Archer.

"I don't mind running, but if the pass is there, I always think pass first," Keith said. "On a couple of zone reads, I pull the ball and try to get as many yards as I can. I try to focus on that the whole game."

In the comeback win against rival Akron, he tucked the ball close on third-and-long and came close enough for the first down that Kent went for it on fourth to lock up the victory. Against Miami (Ohio), it was Keith's 28-yard touchdown run that helped give Kent a 35-10 halftime lead en route to a 48-32 win.

"I'm for whatever works," Keith said. "I threw a lot in high school and the first part of college. But I'd rather win."

And winning is an earmark of most survivors.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

OHSAA football: Avon can't overcome key injury, falls to Toledo Central Catholic in Division II regional final

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CLYDE, Ohio — All the plans and preparation of August can disappear in a November instant. Avon had to live through that reality on a frosty Friday night. Losing senior quarterback David Zeh to injury in the first half, the Eagles had to deal with that unfair harshness as their quest to return to the Division II state championship...

CLYDE, Ohio — All the plans and preparation of August can disappear in a November instant. Avon had to live through that reality on a frosty Friday night.

Losing senior quarterback David Zeh to injury in the first half, the Eagles had to deal with that unfair harshness as their quest to return to the Division II state championship game ended with a 42-14 loss to Toledo Central Catholic in a regional final at Robert Bishop Stadium.

You will get no excuses, but it was obviously tough to go without one of the team's big guns. According to Avon coach Mike Elder, Zeh had a head injury and the team's medical staff would not allow him to return to the game.

Zeh watched the rest of the game from the sideline and Elder said the player was doing fine afterward.

"Unfortunately, that's not an excuse," said Elder, whose club finished 11-2. "But it obviously changed the way the game was played. What hurts the most is we won't get together on Monday. We had three extra weeks of the season and we wanted four."

With the game tied, 7-7, in the second quarter, Zeh was sacked on third down by Central Catholic linebacker Ian Butler, with safety Jayme Thompson falling over the prone quarterback. On television replays, Zeh was not hit in the head during the tackle and it did not appear he was injured.

However, he did not return to the game after that play.

The Fighting Irish (12-1), who lost to the Eagles a year ago in a regional semifinal, used the running of senior Amir Edwards for three touchdowns and 134 yards, all three scores in the first half. Their 21-point second quarter gave them a 28-7 lead at the break as they scored three touchdowns in the final 3:33.

"The defense had our back all night," said Edwards, who scored on runs of 12, 3 and 39 yards. "We should have won last year. We just have to go after it this time."

The Irish's defensive tandem of Thompson and Butler came back to haunt the Eagles in the third quarter as they both returned interceptions for touchdowns, Butler's 24-yard return making it 42-7.

Avon had to go with junior Tommy Glenn at quarterback and the Central Catholic defense was able to tee off. Glenn finished 4-for-16 for 37 yards and had three interceptions.

The Eagles tried a fake punt with 40 seconds left in the first half, but it was stuffed at their own 38. The Irish moved to the Avon 20 with five seconds remaining.

Passing up the field goal, junior quarterback DeShone Kizer found 6-4, 250-pound tight end Keith Towbridge on an out route at the Avon 1 and he busted into the end zone with one tick left on the clock to give his club a 28-7 lead.

"That was on me," said Elder, blaming himself for the fake. "I gave [Glenn] some different plays and the offense stalled. He's going to be a good quarterback."

After trading punts to open the game, the Irish took the lead as they put together a 64-yard drive. Edwards scored with 12-yard run up the middle off good interior blocking.

The Eagles answered with their own 54-yarder to even it up. Key was a 48-yard screen pass from Zeh to junior Braeden Friss that took the ball to the Central Catholic 20.

On third down from the 15, Zeh got the score on a tackle-breaking run, getting into the end zone with 3:26 left in the first quarter.

It looked as if this one was just heating up as the Eagles forced a punt and got a 28-yard completion to senior wide receiver Ralph Smith that set them up at the Central Catholic 38.

But the sack on third down proved to be Zeh's last play of the game.

In his limited time, Zeh connected on 6-of-8 passes for 92 yards.

Avon senior Ross Douglas closed out the scoring with a 20-yard touchdown run with 3:49 to play. He led his club with 72 yards on 14 carries.

Central Catholic finished with 387 yards to Avon's 198.

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

OHSAA football: Aurora defense follows instructions, shuts down Chardon's offense in Division II regional final

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TWINSBURG, Ohio — It's amazing that Brian Wervey had any voice left at the end of Friday's Aurora-Chardon Division II regional final at Twinsburg High School. Aurora's defensive coordinator spent the entire game yelling instructions in hopes of getting his players in the right places to stop Chardon's vaunted Wing-T offense.

Aurora's Jake McVay runs for a touchdown against Chardon in the second half Friday in Twinsburg. - (Joshua Gunter, PD)

TWINSBURG, Ohio — It's amazing that Brian Wervey had any voice left at the end of Friday's Aurora-Chardon Division II regional final at Twinsburg High School.

Aurora's defensive coordinator spent the entire game yelling instructions in hopes of getting his players in the right places to stop Chardon's vaunted Wing-T offense.

The players apparently listened as the Greenmen held Chardon to just two touchdowns in a 34-14 victory.

"The guys on the field were doing all the coaching," Wervey said. "I was just screaming out to them."

The problem with facing the Wing-T is that it's an offense that you see once a year. The defensive basics remain the same, but there is so much information that has to be processed. Head coach Bob Mihalik said his team prepared for 36 different formations even though Chardon runs only six plays from all those sets.

"All week long we told them what their keys are and what they are reading, and they took the responsibility on the field with the communicating," Wervey said. "That was the key to this. We needed each guy to communicate what they were doing, and all 11 guys were doing that."

In the first half, which ended with the Greenmen holding a 13-7 lead, Chardon was never forced to punt. The Hilltoppers had only two possessions in the opening 12 minutes, one of which ended when Aurora's Nate Sotka recovered a fumble by Chardon quarterback T.J. Benenati.

But the second half was a different story. The Hilltoppers scored first to take a 14-13 lead midway through the third quarter, but that was their final trip to the end zone. In addition, Chardon was forced to punt twice and also turned the ball over once on downs.

"(In the first half) they were out-flanking us," Wervey said. "So we had to slide our line. We brought up (defensive back) Jake McVay, and he's one heck of a tackler. We brought him up in the box and then guys just started making plays. They were getting off their blocks and making plays."

One such player was defensive tackle Brett Rodgers, who stands just 5-8 but weighs a sturdy 205 pounds and plays even bigger. On consecutive plays early in the second half Rodgers broke through to make stops for short gains, and later he sacked Benenati for a loss of 12 yards.

"We just came out with more intensity," Rodgers said. "We did what coach Wervey said we had to do. We executed. I did what he said, I was there to make the plays and I made them."

Other standouts on Aurora's defense were linebackers Zach Quinn and Zach Smierciak, defensive end Romel Pollard, and defensive tackle Nick Groth.

 

OHSAA football: Mogadore's Gary Strain runs for 285 yards in Division VI regional victory over Youngstown Christian

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See a photo gallery from the game here. RAVENNA, Ohio — The Mogadore football team ran through a giant paper sign as it took the field Friday.

Mogadore's Gary Strain takes off on a touchdown run, the Wildcat's third, in the second quarter Friday in Ravenna. - (Thomas Ondrey, PD)

See a photo gallery from the game here.

RAVENNA, Ohio — The Mogadore football team ran through a giant paper sign as it took the field Friday.

Then it ran through Youngstown Christian.

Powered by the running of senior Gary Strain and a near-perfect first half, the Wildcats won the school's 16th regional championship with a 42-20 victory on Gilcrest Field in Ravenna Stadium in a Division VI regional final.

The handmade sign, held by the Mogadore cheerleaders and stretching about 20 feet into the air, carried a message that proved to be a portent. It read, "Back With A Vengeance. New Year. New Outcome. This Is Our Time."

It was a reference to last year's first-round matchup between the same two teams, won by Youngstown Christian, 20-17. This time it was Mogadore's time, right from its first play from scrimmage.

That's when Strain, a 6-1, 205-pound senior, took a handoff from quarterback Anthony Ricci, cut behind left tackle Joey Callihan, took a few steps to his right and was off on an 82-yard touchdown run.

"The plan was to run until they could stop us," said Strain, who would add another touchdown in the second quarter that gave the Wildcats (13-0) a 21-0 lead. "First play of the game it was open and I just took it to the house."

Strain seldom stopped running as he bulled and danced his way to 285 yards on 34 carries as he led the Wildcats to next week's state semifinals against Newark Catholic at a site to be announced Sunday.

"Obviously, we got off to a great start and all the momentum was in our favor," said head coach Matt Adorni, who has gotten teams into the playoffs in each of his nine seasons. "Our defense was outstanding in the first half. We were able to take away some of the things they could do. We controlled the line of scrimmage and that was huge for us."

Except for some fourth-quarter turnovers that led to two of Youngstown Christian's three touchdowns, the Wildcats were in control. They had 449 yards of offense to the Eagles' 254 and did not give up a touchdown until 6:43 remained.

Executing a textbook drive on its second possession, Mogadore went 83 yards in 15 plays, culminating when inside linebacker Bryce Huth -- joining the offense following a foot injury to running back Brandon Berry -- went the final 2 yards for his first touchdown of the season.

The Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff and it was recovered by Jeremy Hugg, setting up Strain's second touchdown. The Wildcats closed the first half when they went 73 yards in just four plays to extend their lead to 28-0. Ricci threw a perfect 28-yard pass to Kasey Beard, who scored just inside the front corner of the end zone with 6.8 seconds to play.

It appeared the Eagles would get on the scoreboard on their first possession of the second half but that plan disintegrated when running back Ryan Grier fumbled at the Mogadore 1 and Hugg came up with his second recovery of the game.

The Wildcats did not waste the good fortune. They put together a 10-play, 99-yard drive that consumed almost five minutes and increased their lead to 35-0 on a 4-yard run by Evan Uhalley.

Ricci completed 5 of 6 passes for 81 yards on the night.

Youngstown Christian finally got on the board when junior Paris Bennet escaped on a 54-yard run. The Eagles gave a slight scare when they scored twice in less than one minute. The first one came after they recovered an onside kick and the second came when junior Robert Thompson picked up a fumble and went 40 yards with 4:23 to play.

OHSAA football: Unflappable Aurora stifles Chardon's Wing-T

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See a photo gallery from the game here. TWINSBURG, Ohio — It's amazing that Brian Wervey had any voice left at the end of Friday's Aurora-Chardon Division II regional final in Twinsburg.

Chardon's T.J. Benenati fights off an Aurora defender during the first half. - (Joshua Gunter, PD)

See a photo gallery from the game here.

TWINSBURG, Ohio — It's amazing that Brian Wervey had any voice left at the end of Friday's Aurora-Chardon Division II regional final in Twinsburg.

Aurora's defensive coordinator spent the entire game yelling instructions to help his players be in the right places to stop Chardon's vaunted Wing-T offense.

They apparently listened as the Greenmen held Chardon to just two touchdowns in a 34-14 victory.

"The guys on the field were doing all the coaching," Wervey said. "I was just screaming out to them."

The problem with facing the Wing-T is it's an offense few teams use. The defensive basics remain the same, but there is much information that has to be processed. Head coach Bob Mihalik said his team prepared for 36 different formations even though Chardon runs only six different plays from all those sets.

"All week long we told them what their keys are and what they are reading, and they took the responsibility on the field with the communicating," Wervey said. "That was the key to this. We needed each guy to communicate what they were doing, and all 11 guys were doing that."

In the first half, which ended with the Greenmen holding a 13-7 lead, Chardon was never forced to punt. The Hilltoppers had only two possessions in the opening 12 minutes, one of which ended when Nate Sotka recovered a fumble by Chardon quarterback TJ Benenati.

But the second half was a different story. The Hilltoppers actually scored first to take a 14-13 lead midway through the third quarter, but that was their final trip to the end zone. In addition, Chardon was forced to punt twice and also turned the ball over once on downs.

"[In the first half] They were out-flanking us," Wervey said. "So we had to slide our line. We brought up [defensive back] Jake McVay, and he's one heck of a tackler. We brought him up in the box and then guys just started making plays. They were getting off their blocks and making plays."

One such player was defensive tackle Brett Rodgers, who stands just 5-8 but weighs a sturdy 205 pounds and plays even bigger. On consecutive plays early in the second half Rodgers broke through to make the stop after a short gain and later he sacked Benenati for a loss of 12 yards.

"We just came out with more intensity," Rodgers said. "We did what coach Wervey said we had to do. We executed. I did what he said, I was there to make the plays and I made them."

Other standouts on Aurora's defense were linebackers Zach Quinn and Zach Smierciak, defensive end Romel Pollard, and defensive tackle Nick Groth.

Joe Magill is a freelance writer in Auburn Township.

Lake Erie Monsters get on scoreboard, but still lose to Grand Rapids Griffins

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Not even a three-goal lead and five goals overall were enough against Grand Rapids.

lake erie monsters logo

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Not having to deal with Abbotsford and goalie Barry Brust, the Monsters resumed scoring Friday night.

Resumption of winning, though, will have to wait.

Not even a three-goal lead and five goals overall were enough against Grand Rapids. The Griffins rallied to win, 6-5, in overtime at The Q.

Gustav Nyquist scored on a power play at 3:38 of OT. The 4-on-3 resulted from a tripping penalty on Monsters winger Mike Connolly, who squawked at referee Dave Lewis after Nyquist's goal.

Asked about the questionable call, Lake Erie coach Dean Chynoweth saved himself some money.

"I'm not allowed to comment on the officiating," Chynoweth said.

The Monsters (9-6-1-0) had lost their previous two games. Both came in Abbotsford, British Columbia, earlier this week. On Tuesday, Brust made 29 saves in a 3-0 victory. The next night, Brust stopped 29 shots in a 2-0 win.

The Monsters' flight on the trip home arrived Thursday night. Grand Rapids, which hadn't played since Nov. 10, was waiting in Cleveland.

Despite heavy legs, the Monsters appeared to be headed for a stress-free evening. They led, 3-0, midway through the second period.

With Lake Erie on the power play at 10:11 of the first, Abbotsford native David van der Gulik tipped Karl Stollery's shot past goalie Petr Mrazek for his first goal. Early in the second, Andrew Agozzino created a play on the right wing and scored his seventh.

The Monsters made it 3-0 when Mitchell Heard stole a pass in the Grand Rapids end, switched to the forehand and beat Mrazek on the stick side from the slot. Heard, who signed an entry-level contract with Colorado in August, notched his first pro goal.

Moments later, a Grand Rapids shot hit the post. The Griffins (8-4-1-1) finally broke through at 11:32 of the second, then pulled within one at 13:10, when Triston Grant converted off the faceoff.

Van der Gulik answered at 14:03, also off the faceoff. But Nyquist beat goalie Calvin Pickard on a power play for the final goal of the second.

The Griffins tied the score, 4-4, at 6:21 of the third. Tomas Jurco pounced on a rebound.

Nine seconds later, Jurco used a nasty fake on Pickard to give the Griffins their first lead.

"I thought we sat back," Chynoweth said. "Our awareness wasn't good. Some soft plays ended up in our net. That's not how we defend and how we play."

Grand Rapids thought it pulled ahead, 6-4, midway through the third. Lewis waved off the goal before checking the replay. Lewis waved it off again, having seen that the puck was knocked into the cage with a broken stick.

The Monsters hurt themselves in the final five minutes with a particularly bad penalty. Bryan Lerg was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct/diving.

Lerg redeemed himself at 18:51, receiving a pass from Tyson Barrie and going five-hole on Mrazek to tie the game. The goal occurred in a 6-on-5.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Chauncey Gilliam scores 22 to lead Akron men's basketball team to win over UNC Asheville

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Akron's Zeke Marshall blocks five shots.

akron zips logo

Akron's Chauncey Gilliam scored 22 points to help the Zips beat UNC Asheville, 82-63, in men's college basketball Friday in the second round of the Puerto Rico Tipoff in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Playing in the consolation bracket after each team lost Thursday, Gilliam, a 6-5 senior, hit two 3-pointers and Akron (2-2) went on a 10-2 run to start the second half, giving the Zips a 47-36 lead. It was his first 20-point game for Akron.

Gilliam began to take the game over with just less than 17 minutes remaining in the game, scoring 11 straight points to help the Zips maintain a 10-point advantage (55-45). Akron's lead grew to 67-50 at the 8:20 mark of the game, and climbed to 76-52 at the under-four minute timeout.

Akron had used a 16-7 run to open up a 10-point advantage (36-26) with 5:04 remaining in the first half. The Zips had three 3-pointers and seven free throws in that run. Asheville closed the half on an 8-1 run to cut Akron's halftime lead to 37-34.

Bayamon native Alex Abreu had 12 points and Nick Harney had 10 for Akron.

Akron's Zeke Marshall blocked five shots. It was his 26th game with four or more blocks. Marshall, a 7-0 senior, moved into a tie for second place in the Mid-American Conference with 262 career blocks.

Keith Hornsby scored 22 points for UNC Asheville (1-3).

The Zips shot 49 percent (26-of-53) from the field and 50 percent from long range (12-of-24).

The Bulldogs shot 48 percent (21-of-44) and were 3-of-5 from behind the arc.

Akron will next play Penn State on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The Nittany Lions beat Providence on Friday, 55-52, in overtime.


Kent State men's basketball team cruises to easy victory over Chicago State

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Randal Holt has 15 points and Chris Evans 14 for the Golden Flashes.

kent state logo

Devareaux Manley scored 20 points to lead a balanced Kent State offense in a 92-63 men's college basketball victory against Chicago State in Kent on Friday night in front of nearly 2,400 fans.

Randal Holt added 15 points and Chris Evans 14 for the Golden Flashes (2-1), who had 12 players score.

Kent State shot 60 percent (18-of-30) in the first half to take a 42-32 lead. The Cougars (1-2) helped the Flashes by committing 11 first-half turnovers.

Evans scored eight points and Holt six to lead an 18-6 Kent State run in the opening 6:07 of the second half to make it 60-38. The Golden Flashes continued to pad their advantage as Manley scored 15 points in the second half, including five 3-pointers in seven attempts. He was 6-of-8 behind the arc in the game.

Manley had gone scoreless in Kent State's first two games before he heated up against the Cougars.

Jeremy Robinson and Matt Ross scored 14 points each and Nate Duhon added 13 to pace Chicago State.

Bryson Pope added 10 points off the bench for the Flashes, while Earvin Morris had five. Kellon Thomas, Chris Ortiz and Melvin Tabb contributed three each, and Khaliq Spicer added a bucket.

The Flashes rebounded after an 80-66 loss to Temple as part of the ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon at the M.A.C. Center on Tuesday.

They have two home games coming up, Valparaiso on Sunday at 2 p.m. and Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday at 7 p.m., before they head out for two road games at Nebraska and Youngstown State on Nov. 24 and 28, respectively.

Preview capsules for today's men's and women's college basketball games

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Ohio State's men's team faces Rhode Island, while the women's team takes on Winthrop.

Raven Ferguson.JPG Ohio State guard Raven Ferguson.
Men

No. 4 Ohio State vs. Rhode Island

Tipoff: 5 p.m., Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn.

Notable: This game is one semifinal in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic. After OSU's scheduled Nov. 9 opener against Marquette aboard the USS Yorktown in South Carolina was canceled because of court condensation, the Buckeyes looked a little rusty early in Sunday's 82-60 win over Albany. Despite the slow start, the Buckeyes shot 57.1 percent. Aaron Craft scored a career-high 20 points with seven assists, while preseason All-American Deshaun Thomas scored 19. Rhode Island has shot 31.3 percent while losing its first two games under first-year coach Dan Hurley. The Rams missed all but one of their 21 3-point attempts during Monday's 69-50 loss at Virginia Tech. Forward Nikola Malesevic and guard Xavier Munford are averaging 16.0 points each for the Rams, who have lost 23 straight games against top 25 opponents dating to a 70-63 victory over No. 21 Utah on Dec. 2, 1998.

Next: The winner plays in Sunday's championship game vs. Seton Hall or Washington, 4:30 p.m.

-- Associated Press

Cleveland State vs. Old Dominion

Tipoff: 2 p.m., Wolstein Center.

Radio: WHK AM/1420.

Notable: Cleveland State (2-1) looks to get on a winning streak behind a team that has three players -- Anton Grady, Charlie Lee and Tim Kamczyc -- each averaging 13 points per game. The Monarchs (1-2) have lost two home games already and, like the Vikings, are in rebuilding mode.

Next for CSU: Monday vs. Alabama-Huntsville at Robert Morris (Pa.), 5 p.m.

-- Elton Alexander

Baldwin Wallace vs. Bethany

Tipoff: 3 p.m., Lou Higgins Center, Berea.

Radio: WBWC FM/88.3.

Notable: BW, 16-10 last season, opens against the defending Presidents Athletic Conference champion. Bethany, from West Virginia, was 25-4 a year ago. Each team returns four starters. BW is picked to finish second in the OAC this winter and is led by 6-6 junior All-OAC forward Kyle Payne (Brunswick), 6-5 junior All-OAC guard Kevin Krakowiak (Holy Name), 6-7 junior center Tyler Ferrell (Brunswick) and 5-10 junior guard Jaron Crowe (Mentor). Off the bench, look for junior transfer guard Justin Roth (Parma) and 6-6 senior forward Chris Ameen (Walsh Jesuit). Payne scored 14.2 ppg and grabbed 5.2 rpg and Krakowiak scored 14.0 ppg and had 40 3-pointers last season. Bethany is led by returning PAC Player of the Year Nick Wilcox, who scored 14.8 ppg, grabbed 7.9 rpg and had 70 steals.

Next for BW: Tuesday vs. Wooster, 7:30 p.m.

-- Compiled using information from the BW sports-information department.

Women

No. 20 Ohio State vs. Winthrop

Tipoff: 2 p.m., St. John Arena, Columbus.

Notable: OSU (1-1) is coming off an 87-49 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday. Winthrop defeated Troy in its opener, 87-82, on Sunday. OSU is 13-1 at St. John since the start of the 2004-05 season. Its only loss was to Auburn in 2007 in the Buckeye Classic. OSU sophomore Raven Ferguson notched a career-high 16 points in the win over Cincinnati. Amber Stokes also tied a personal best with 16.

Next for OSU: Tuesday vs. St. Francis (Pa.), 7 p.m.

-- From staff reports

Notre Dame College vs. Clarion

Tipoff: 2 p.m., Murphy Gymnasium, South Euclid.

Notable: The Falcons (0-2) will host Clarion (1-1) in their 2012-13 home opener. Clarion, from Pennsylvania, is seeking its first road victory of the year. Senior guard Lauren Macer (Twinsburg) has led the Falcons in scoring over their first two games. Macer has scored 29 points and leads the team with 12 rebounds. Despite losing twice, the Falcons have seen their defense perform well, holding opponents to just 58 ppg and 33 percent (38-for-115) shooting from the floor.

Next for NDC: Monday at Ohio Valley (W.Va.), 6 p.m.

-- Compiled using information from the NDC sports-information department.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Tristan Thompson is asked to become more active

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The second-year power forward is putting up decent numbers in the young season, but coach Byron Scott wants him to play with more energy.

tristan.jpg The Cleveland Cavaliers' Tristan Thompson looks to pass as the Phoenix Suns' Michael Beasley defends, in a game in Phoenix on Nov. 9.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It's not that Tristan Thompson isn't scoring. The Cavaliers' 6-9 power forward actually has been hitting baskets fairly regularly in averaging 9.1 points on 46.6 percent shooting in this young season.

It's not that Thompson isn't rebounding, either. He's averaging a mostly respectable 7.5 rebounds per game through eight games.

It's just that Thompson, at times, seems to disappear. The player who worked so hard in the off-season that the Cavaliers praised his work ethic and boasted of improvement to come this season, hasn't appeared in the way that Cleveland expected.

That is to say, he's not playing like Anderson Varejao.

"One of the reasons we drafted him was for his energy," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said of the second-year player. "Somebody we could put alongside Andy and play almost like Andy. Andy never gets lost."

But Thompson?

"I think at times he does," Scott said. "He just needs to be more active."

It's hard, though, to be competing for active praise alongside a perpetual-motion machine like Varejao. On every shot attempted, Varejao's springy curls bounce as he bounds toward the ball. On every physical play, Varejao is right there, scrapping for the ball, playing with reckless disregard for his body.

Thompson is learning the balance of trying to play just like Varejao, but trying to find a way to complement him, too.

"I don't want to defer or take a step back just because he's in the game," Thompson said. "We've got to both be active. You never know what if that one play, he might not be able to get it? I've got to be able to get that rebound, just by being active on the glass. If we're fighting over rebounds, it's better for our team."

Most of all, Thompson has yet to find a way to integrate his improved outside shooting into the Cavaliers' offense. Thompson spent much of the off-season taking jumper after jumper, trying to improve upon his first-year 43.9-percent shooting.

However, both Thompson and Scott are quick to point out that the Cavaliers have yet to run a single offensive play for Varejao through eight games. The starting center is second on the team in averaging 15.9 points per game, and Tuesday at Brooklyn netted a career-high 35 points.

"That just shows you that if you play hard, the ball comes to you," Thompson said.

Scott agreed.

"That's the biggest thing for Tristan -- quit thinking about the offensive end," Scott said. "We know he did a lot of work this summer to get his offensive game better. But still, the way he can make his hay in this league is by playing a lot like Andy. With that energy and aggressiveness every single time down the floor, he would be amazed at how things just start to fall into place."

Thompson realizes there is room for improvement and still time to show exactly how he has changed.

"There's always room for improvement," he said. "Rebounding better, block more shots, be better on the defensive end, being proactive and reactive. But that's why we have film. We have a long season, 82 games, so the key is to get better every day."

Said Scott: "I still have those high expectations for him, and I still think he's going to be a heck of a basketball player."

Help? The Cavaliers' bench is averaging 36.7 points per game -- or 37.4 percent of Cleveland's total offensive output. That news isn't breaking for Scott.

"I think if I said I had the right pieces there, I'd be lying," Scott said of his bench.

But that also doesn't mean the Cavaliers are panicking and looking for a free-agent signing to immediately help. Rookie center Tyler Zeller, who missed the past four games with a concussion and fractured orbital bone, officially was cleared to play tonight against Dallas, and his return should provide a boost for the reserves.

Also among reserves, Luke Harangody had right knee surgery Friday and is expected to miss about six weeks. Harangody has not been active for a Cavaliers game this season.

Casspi concerned: Cavaliers reserve swingman Omri Casspi might have spent Friday practicing in Cleveland, but his mind was halfway around the world. In Israel. Specifically, in his hometown of Holon, which was hit by missiles launched from the Gaza Strip on Thursday. Casspi's family still lives in the suburb of Tel Aviv and was unharmed. He is concerned, still, about his family and his younger sister, who serves in the Israeli Army ,and many of his friends in the Army reserve who have been called up. Renewed violence erupted this week in Israel and Gaza.

"It's like a war going on," Casspi said. "It's sad. It shouldn't be like this. It's out of our control."

Watching the RedZone might be better than being at the game: NFL Insider

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With non-stop action, constant fantasy updates and a TV screen that can split four ways, the NFL RedZone is a football lover's delight.

innfl-stadium.JPG Cowboys Stadium is a gleaming beacon in the football-crazed state of Texas, but even Jerry Jones' marketing skill might not be enough to keep fans from eventually choosing to watch games from their homes instead of at the stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some Browns observers spent last Sunday enjoying family time and working outdoors on a sun-splashed afternoon. I used the bye to dedicate seven hours to watching 11 NFL games without a clicker or commercial interruption from the comfort of my sofa.

What some might deem a wasted off day – my wife falls into this camp – enterprising types would consider valuable research on behalf of his readers. Yeah, let's go with that.

For just the second time this season I was able to watch the NFL RedZone channel, which comes as part of Time Warner's "Sports Pass" package and is available on other cable providers. Its pigskin programming cousin, Sunday NFL Ticket Red Zone, is the DirecTV equivalent.

These channels might be the best thing to happen to football since NFL Films wed John Facenda's voice to Sam Spence's music. Hosted by Scott Hanson, NFL RedZone hops from game to game showing fans big plays and all the touchdowns as they occur. What if teams at four different venues are simultaneously in scoring position? RedZone goes Quad Box – four games on a single screen -- and football fantasy leaguers begin speaking in tongues.

Although RedZone was created in 2009, its audience is much broader today. The channel only became available to customers of Time Warner – the nation's second-largest cable provider – in late September. An afternoon filled with football and free from Cialis commercials is bliss. It also might give some fans another reason to stay home rather than watch an NFL game live.

In the past five seasons league attendance has dipped by 4.5 percent even as the NFL grows more popular. There are multiple factors to consider including a sluggish economy, but even league officials acknowledge the confluence of high-definition television, wireless communication and proliferation of fantasy sports is making it more tempting for fans to stay in their man caves.

Nothing quite replicates the game-day experience. There are hardcore fans who wouldn't trade their tailgates in the Muni Lot and the role as their team's 12th Man for a lifetime subscription to DirecTV's Sunday Ticket. Every Browns fan who sat through the 9-6 win over San Diego in Biblical rain and wind deserved a game ball.

Many others chose to stay dry watching the game in high-def at home while supplementing it with NFL RedZone coverage and never having to see the face of Flo from Progressive Insurance. Not a bad option.

While the NFL is taking the initiative to make a trip to the stadium feel more like home, league officials know where their big money is coming – and it's not through the turnstiles. The NFL will earn $27.9 billion on broadcasting rights from 2014 to 2022, according to the Wall Street Journal. The RedZone is commercial free, but every time fans are transported from one venue to the next they see a graphic with Chevrolet's name affixed to it.

Would anyone be surprised if the next generation of NFL stadia included slightly smaller seating capacity? Nearly two-thirds of league's teams advertised season-ticket subscriptions on their web sites this year. Fans can simulate tailgates in their driveway and not have to drag the turkey fryer to the stadium.

I much prefer going to sporting events and interacting with people who share a common bond. But last Sunday, sitting on the couch while the all-powerful Scott Hanson squired me from one game to another, I could make time for this alternative NFL universe.

Cleveland Cavaliers survive injury scare to Kyrie Irving, not Dallas Mavericks, fall 103-95

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Kyrie Irving suffered a bruised left index finger that forced him to retreat to the locker room in the third quarter, but he returned to lead the Cavaliers with 26 points. Dallas sank 51 percent of its attempts in the victory.

Gallery preview

CLEVELAND, Ohio --For three days since returning from their epic 11-day road trip, the Cavaliers had a singular focus in practice. Defense. How to play it, how to play it better, how to try to actually stop some opponents from scoring in the ways that they did in six games away from Cleveland -- all but one of which was a loss.

Confident that the Cavaliers had learned from his hours of instruction, coach Byron Scott unleashed his young team on the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at The Q.

And still, the Mavericks hit 51 percent of their attempts as Cleveland fell to Dallas, 103-95.

The Cavaliers, who dropped to 2-7 in losing their fifth straight, sank just 38 percent of their field goals. The combination of poor defense again and shots not falling had a predictable outcome.

It is not one that will stop Scott from reiterating the same defensive focus on his young team -- fourth-youngest in the NBA at 24.351 years -- again. And again.

"Everybody in there knows we're young," Scott said. "But young is also a cop-out. We're still basketball players. It's just a matter of guys learning, picking it up quicker on both ends of the floor."

The Cavaliers did notch one small-but-significant victory -- surviving an injury scare with Kyrie Irving. The Cavaliers' star point guard trotted off the court and into the locker room clutching his left hand during the third quarter. He emerged just in time for the start of the fourth quarter with his left index finger wrapped and a report that X-rays on the bruised digit were negative.

Irving later reported that he somehow caught his left hand on Mavericks guard Darren Collison's foot, and that the injury affected how he performed in the fourth quarter -- when he had 10 of his game-high 26 points, but when the Mavericks sank 59 percent of their field goals and outscored Cleveland, 28-22.

"I'm just not feeling comfortable with my left hand," said Irving, who had zero assists for what he said was the first time in his life. "Attacking the rim, I only had one hand, so I was trying to force shots over [Mavericks center] Chris Kaman, and he did a good job of trying to block my shot. It still doesn't defeat the fact that we need to get stops on the defensive end."

No sequence demonstrated the Cavaliers' struggles on defense than play with less than two minutes remaining. Irving sank a 3-pointer with 1:34 left to slice the Dallas lead to 98-95.

On the return trip down the floor, the crowd at The Q roared, and Cavaliers players were focused with active hands and feet. Somehow, though, Cavaliers 6-2 guard Daniel Gibson found himself defending 7-foot Kaman in the low post. The result was a predictable foul on Gibson.

And although Kaman split his free throws to increase the lead to 99-95 with 1:16 remaining, hope seemed to deflate from the Cavaliers.

In that instance, Scott said, Gibson had signaled to switch defenders in transition. Rookie guard Dion Waiters was supposed to have rotated to help Gibson defend the Mavericks' center but didn't.

"Little things like that are things that are killing us," Scott said.

The answer, according to Scott, is just to keep working on defense. Again and again.

"Keep doing it," Scott said. "They gotta get it, sooner or later. They gotta get it. We're just going to keep teaching it."

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